cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global Corporate Tax Rate Competition - Who Pays the Bill?

Countries heavily rely on tax revenue for their welfare programs, which aim to reduce inequalities. Taxes are countries’ main sources of revenue and provide funding for governmental expenditures. A country’s spending is usually divided into categories: mandatory, discretionary, and interest on debt expenditures. These include assistance programs, such as the United States’ Medicaid program, the Supplemental Nutrition Program (so-called foods stamps), and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. The United States lowered its U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% in 2018, after the enactment of the United States Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Similarly, members of the Organization for Economic and Co-operation and Development (OECD) lowered their corporate statutory tax from their 2000 average rate of 28.6% to 21.4% in 2018. In the international context, state-to-state tax arbitration is implemented by OECD members to provide multinationals with double tax relief. In contrast, individuals do not benefit from a similar tax reduction. The United States’ highest marginal income tax rate was reduced from 39.60% to 37% in 2018, whereas 0.5% was the average reduction implemented for individuals by OECD members from 2000 to 2017. This paper analyzes whether states expect private corporations to undertake more social responsibility when considering tax benefits. States’ examination of corporates’ social responsibility includes whether private social accountabilities align with corporations’ profit-oriented natures as well as state interest in public welfare. Furthermore, this paper examines states’ alternative sources of revenues that could balance out the effects of the reduction of corporations’ tax rates and other granted benefits, including tax arbitration for multinationals’ double tax relief.
The Sonographic Appearance of Polyorchidism: A Multiple Case Report:

The traditional sonographic characteristic used to distinguish polyorchidism (PO) has been its homogeneous echotexture, which is similar or identical to the normal testicle. PO is most commonly fou...
Interpretation: the final spatial frontier

The use of spatial econometric models in political science has steadily risen in recent years. However, the interpretation of these models has generally ignored the important substantive, and even spatial, nature of the estimated effects. This leaves many papers with a (non-spatial) interpretation of coefficients on the covariates and a brief discussion of the sign and strength of the spatial parameter. We introduce a general approach to interpreting spatial models and provide several avenues for an exposition of substantive spatial effects. Our approach can be generalized to most models in the spatial econometric taxonomy. Building on the example of the diffusion of democracy, we elucidate how our approach can be applied to modern political science problems.
Design Considerations for Agrophotovoltaic Systems: Maintaining PV Area with Increased Crop Yield

Land use constraints have motivated investigation into the spatial coexistence of photovoltaics and agriculture. Existing experimental work has emphasized fixed south-facing configurations with traditional commercial panel shapes, and modeling work is sparse. Previous work also concludes that agriculture-photovoltaic (agrophotovoltaic) systems either decrease crop yield or are limited to shade-tolerant crops. In this work, we explore the effects of different PV array configurations and panel designs on field insolation. We find that east-west tracking configurations outperform fixed south-facing configurations due to shadow migration paths. Additionally, we show through optical modeling that utilization of mini-modules in patterned panel designs may create more optimal conditions for plant growth while using the same area of PV, thus improving the land-use efficiency of the agrophotovoltaic system.
Primordial nucleosynthesis: the effects of injecting hadrons.

The standard big bang nucleosynthesis model (BBN) successfully predicts the light element abundances. [1] By including extra exotic particles that decay into hadrons during the time of nucleosynthesis, the standard scenario is changed. Limits on the light element abundances therefore restrict the abundance of exotic particles as a function of their lifetime. The limits described here rely on work done with D. Seckel and are described in more detail in Ref. 2. The essential ingredient in our analysis is that the hadronic decay products interact with the ambient neutrons and protons during the nucleosynthesis era, inducing a net increase in the number of neutrons and therefore increase the 4He, 3He and deuterium (D) abundances.
Justice for migrants and refugees: a discussion of Gillian Brock’s Justice for People on the Move by the author of No Refuge

This article is part of an author-meets-author symposium that focuses on my most recent book, No Refuge, and Gillian Brock’s new book, Justice for People on the Move. Both books focus on the ethica...
Integrated Cybersecurity Plus Robotics Lesson Using NAO

This paper describes a novel experimental study that investigates the merits of an integrated cybersecurity plus robotics lesson plan, using the NAO humanoid robot, when it comes to introducing cybersecurity and robotics together to college and pre-college learners. We first present our unique cybersecurity plus robotics lesson, which is based upon a nifty experiential-learning model that combines basic cybersecurity concepts with educational robotics (ER) in the form of a hands-on experiment with NAO. Our lesson plan includes a demonstration of a successful hack into NAO's video stream, followed by covert capturing of its live camera feed. We then discuss results from two separate experimental case studies, the first one being a conventional approach of introducing cybersecurity concepts via a traditional lesson plan, which involves no robot. The second study involves our non-traditional technique of introducing cybersecurity plus robotics using NAO. We present the student survey data collected from these two studies and discuss their respective outcomes. We also analyze the pre and post student survey-based assessment data from these studies for showing preliminary evidence of the effectiveness and potential of our approach. Existing literature indicates that there is limited work on investigating the efficacy of learning cybersecurity plus ER using an interactive, humanoid robot, like NAO. Our work is an attempt to address this research gap in the literature. We intend to prepare the grounds for further research within this emerging topic of integrated cybersecurity and robotics education, so that students can gain from a positive and engaging experiential-learning experience.
Reclaiming Kalākaua: Nineteenth-Century Perspectives on a Hawaiian Sovereign: By Tiffany Lani Ing. Honolulu, University of Hawai‘i Press, 2019. xi + 199 pp., notes, bibliography, index. ISBN 9780824879983 (pbk). US$28.00

Ignorant. Inept. Impetuous. Inebriated. Insults like these have been used since the late 19th century to malign Hawaiʻi’s seventh mō ʻī (sovereign), David La‘amea Kamananakapu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuo...
Incorporation and the Morality of Profit in the Business of Cultural Activism

Typical scholarly analyses of ethnic incorporation draw on cases where older, preexisting political entities and their forms of citizenship become the basis for new entrepreneurial corporate identities structured around a set of legal profit-making practices. But what about the cases of ethnic incorporation where ethnicity articulates with legal incorporation without any such prior collective political entity to graft onto? This article draws on ethnographic research with indigenous Mapuche cultural activists to describe and analyze the place of private for-profit and not-for-profit associations in the State-sponsored market for indigenous cultural development work in Chile. Examining the dilemmas that Mapuche activists in Chile face as they pursue legal incorporation in order to access public funds and provide a firmer economic footing to their organizations, it explores the ways that activists negotiate the moral controversies surrounding the place of money, and private-law organizations, in the pursuit of Mapuche collective interests.
Encounter with The Other: The Serialists and The Spectralists

Musik kontemporer di Paris pada tahun 1970an didominasi oleh musik serial, dan spektralisme hadir memberi alternatif. Di tulisan ini, saya berargumen bahwa fenomena naiknya musik spektral ini bukan hanya sekedar masalah domestik musik kontemporer Eropa, tetapi fenomena ini berkaitan erat dengan masalah hubungan dengan yang “Liyan”, termasuk dengan budaya musik non-Barat. Dalam analisis saya, saya menemukan tendensi pada komposer musik serial untuk menjadi eksklusif melalui apa yang saya sebut mekanisme Othering , yang muncul pada tulisan-tulisan Schoenberg dan Boulez. Sebaliknya, komposer spektral menunjukkan sikap yang lebih inklusif terhadap musik di luar musik kontemporer Eropa. Musik spektral menawarkan terobosan dalam cara pandang terhadap musik, baik dalam ranah teknis mau pun kultural. Sebagai contoh, menggunakan spektrum inharmonik untuk basis komposisi daripada spektrum harmonik—spektrum harmonik sering digunakan sebagai landasan teori untuk membingkai musik non-Barat sebagai “alami” dan “belum tersentuh”. Contoh lain adalah memblurkan perbedaan antara warnanada dan harmoni, di mana konsep ini memperluas konsep harmoni, hingga tidak terbatas pada definisi harmoni klasik Eropa. Musik spektral membuka jalan baru untuk menghadapi pertanyaan-pertanyaan tentang inklusivitas. The Parisian contemporary music scene was dominated by serial music in the 1970s, and spectral music came to provide a musical alternative. In this essay, I argue that the rise of spectral music is not merely a domestic phenomenon within the European contemporary music scene, but that it is deeply tied with the issues of Othering, including the relationship with non-Western musical cultures. My analysis points out the tendency of exclusivity of the serialists via what I call mechanisms of Othering, as appears in the writings of Schoenberg and Boulez. On the contrary, the view and approach of the spectral composers tend to be more inclusive towards various musical system. Spectral music proposes viewpoints that are groundbreaking on the technical and cultural level. For example, putting the focus on the inharmonic spectra as a compositional basis, which negates the obsession towards the harmonic spectra, as it is often used as a theoretical justification to frame non-Western music as being “natural” and “untouched”. Another example, blurring the distinction between timbre
Deep learning for post‐hurricane aerial damage assessment of buildings

Abstract This study aims to improve post‐disaster preliminary damage assessment (PDA) using artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. In particular, a stacked convolut...
Five-Month Trial of Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet in a Patient With Coexisting Myasthenia Gravis and Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome:

Introduction: Nutritional intervention, such as a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet, is suggested to improve symptoms of autoimmune disorders. Its effects on neuromuscular junction (NMJ) diseases are less known. Case Description: A 56-year-old female with a combined myasthenia gravis and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome presented with persistent musculoskeletal weakness and pain, fatigue, and diminished concentration. Methods: A WFPB diet was implemented for 5 months in this case study. Functionality, biometrics, and quality of life were assessed at regular intervals via blood work, vital signs, and patient surveys. Results: After 10 weeks, 2 medications were de-prescribed due to improvement in blood glucose levels and blood pressure readings. Neuromuscular symptoms lessened as measured by the Myasthenia Gravis Illness Index. Weight loss of 18.7 pounds was achieved. No deterioration in physical activity was reported throughout the 5-month trial of WFPB diet. Discussion: Our results have implications that an individualized dietary strategy may be considered as one component of management of NMJ diseases. The effects of WFPB diet on NMJ diseases remain inconclusive.
Status and Recommendations for Incorporating Biomarkers for Cutaneous Neurofibromas Into Clinical Research

Objective: To summarize existing biomarker data for cutaneous neurofibroma (cNF) and inform the incorporation of biomarkers into clinical trial design for cNFs. Methods: The cNF working group, a subgroup of the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) consortium, was formed to review and inform clinical trial design for cNFs. Between June 2018 and February 2020, the cNF working group performed a review of existing data on genetic biomarkers for cNFs in the setting of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). We also reviewed criteria for successful biomarker application in the clinic. The group then met during a series of meetings to develop a consensus report. Results: Our systematic literature review of existing data revealed a lack of validated biomarkers for cNFs. In our report, we summarize the existing signaling, genomic, transcriptomic, histopathologic and proteomic data relevant to cNF. Finally, we make recommendations for incorporating exploratory aims for predictive biomarkers in clinical trials through biobanking samples. Conclusion: These recommendations are intended to provide both researchers and clinicians with best practices for clinical trial design to aid in the identification of clinically validated biomarkers for cNF.
Factors Associated With Emergency Department Discharge, Outcomes and Follow-Up Rates of Stable Patients With Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Background Lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is a common reason for hospitalization. However, recent data suggest low-risk patients may be safely evaluated as an outpatient. Here, we compare stable LGIB patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) with those admitted, determine factors associated with discharge and 30-day outcomes, and evaluate follow-up rates amongst the discharged cohort. Methods A retrospective study of stable LGIB patients (heart rate 100 mm Hg and blood on rectal exam) who presented to the ED was conducted. Factors associated with discharge and rates of outpatient follow-up were determined in the discharged cohort. Therapeutic interventions and 30-day outcomes (including re-bleeding, re-admission and mortality rates) were compared between the admitted and discharged groups. Results Ninety-seven stable LGIB patients were reviewed, of whom 38% were discharged and characteristics associated with discharge included age (P < 0.001), lack of aspirin (P < 0.002) and anticoagulant (P < 0.004) use, higher index hemoglobin (P < 0.001) and albumin (P < 0.001), lower blood urea nitrogen (P < 0.001) and creatinine (P = 0.008), lower Oakland score (P < 0.001), lower Charlson Comorbidity Index (P < 0.001) and lack of transfusion requirements (P < 0.001). There was no statistical difference in 30-day re-bleeding, re-admission or mortality rates between admitted and discharged patients. Discharged patients had a 46% outpatient follow-up rate. Conclusions While early discharge in low-risk LGIB patients appears to be safe and associated with a decrease in length of stay, further studies are needed to guide timely and appropriate outpatient evaluation.
Detecting lysosomal storage disorders by glycomic profiling using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

Abstract Background Urine and plasma biomarker testing for lysosomal storage disorders by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) currently requires multiple analytical methods to detect the abnormal accumulation of oligosaccharides, mucopolysaccharides, and glycolipids. To improve clinical testing efficiency, we developed a single LC-MS method to simultaneously identify disorders of oligosaccharide, mucopolysaccharide, and glycolipid metabolism with minimal sample preparation. Methods We created a single chromatographic method for separating free glycans and glycolipids in their native form, using an amide column and high pH conditions. We used this glycomic profiling method both in untargeted analyses of patient and control urines using LC ion-mobility high-resolution MS (biomarker discovery), and targeted analyses of urine, serum, and dried blood spot samples by LC-MS/MS (clinical validation). Results Untargeted glycomic profiling revealed twenty biomarkers that could identify and subtype mucopolysaccharidoses. We incorporated these with known oligosaccharide and glycolipid biomarkers into a rapid test that identifies at least 27 lysosomal storage disorders, including oligosaccharidoses, mucopolysaccharidoses, sphingolipidoses, glycogen storage disorders, and congenital disorders of glycosylation and de-glycosylation. In a validation set containing 115 urine samples from patients with lysosomal storage disorders, all were unambiguously distinguished from normal controls, with correct disease subtyping for 88% (101/115) of cases. Glucosylsphingosine was reliably elevated in dried blood spots from Gaucher disease patients with baseline resolution from galactosylsphingosine. Conclusion Glycomic profiling by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry identifies a range of lysosomal storage disorders. This test can be used in clinical evaluations to rapidly focus a diagnosis, as well as to clarify or support additional gene sequencing and enzyme studies.
Individual Utilities and Utilitarian Ethics

The fundamental assumption of utilitarian theory is that we ought to choose our moral standards by rational criteria, more particularly, that we ought to choose the moral standards of the highest expected social utility.1 Here “expected” stands for “the expected value of ”, while “social utility” refers to the arithmetic mean (or possibly the sum) of all individuals’ utility levels. (Except in discussing the problem of optimum population, we can regard the number of individuals in society as given so that maximizing the arithmetic mean and maximizing the sum of individual utilities will be mathematically equivalent.) Of course, either definition of social utility assumes that individual utilities are cardinal quantities measurable on an interval scale and are interpersonally comparable in a meaningful manner. For convenience, I will sometimes use the term “social-utility function” instead of “social utility”. Note that many economists would employ the term “social welfare function” to describe what I will call “social utility” or the “social-utility function”.
The Deceptively Simple Economics of Workplace Diversity

My approach for the first time connects profit maximization to work force composition given full information. Physical productivity, which dominates so much popular dis-cussion of this issue, matters, but demand-side factors are also important. Defining a firm’s optimal work force composition is nonsensical until at least the product’s char-acteristics, the extent to which different markets value them, and the extent to which groups inherently differ in their capacity to provide them are precisely defined.
The Infrequency of Spirometry Use in Medical Clinics

Background: Spirometry is advocated for adults with obstructive lung disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), for individuals with risk factors such as cigarette smoking, and for patients with chronic respiratory symptoms. This record review study was performed to determine how frequent medical residents order spirometry for the above indications. Methods: Outpatient general medical clinic records from 337 patients followed in the medical clinics of a large, teaching hospital in an urban setting were reviewed. Inclusion criteria for review included age > 45 yr and one of the following: 1) a diagnosis of asthma and/or COPD, 2) either current or previous cigarette smoking, 3) one or more of the following chronic respiratory symptoms: dyspnea, cough, sputum production. Results: The mean (SD) age was 57 + 10 yr. Of this group, only 31% had spirometry or an order for spirometry documented in the outpatient record. Conclusion: This finding underscores the under-utilization of spirometry as a diagnostic tool, even in an academic setting.
The Use of Cyanobacteria in the Study of the Structure and Function of Photosystem II

Oxygenic photosynthesis occurs in plants, green algae, and procaryotic cyanobacteria. Two chlorophyll-containing photosystems cooperate to transfer electrons from water to NADP+. Photosystem II is the membrane protein complex that carries out the light-catalyzed oxidation of water and reduction of plastoquinone. The reaction center is composed of both intrinsic and extrinsic proteins; the prosthetic groups involved in electron transfer include chlorophyll, pheophytin, quinone, tyrosine residues, and a manganese cluster. Cyanobacteria have emerged as a convenient system with which to study the structure and function of Photosystem II for two reasons. Firstly, isotopic labeling experiments are possible in this organism, facilitating many types of biophysical experiments. Secondly, site-directed mutagenesis is easily performed. This chapter will review what is known about the structure and function of Photosystem II with particular emphasis on the use of cyanobacteria in such studies. Areas in which there are significant differences between plants and cyanobacteria will be highlighted.
Nerve Proximity During Bicortical Drilling for Subpectoral Biceps Tenodesis: A Cadaveric Study

Purpose The long head of the biceps can develop tendonitis and tendinosis, which can lead to pain in the bicipital groove. The use of bicortical button fixation allows for a smaller defect in the humerus compared with tenodesis screws, reducing the risk of fracture. Our objective is to evaluate the exit location of our bicortical button and its relation to relevant posterior nervous structures. Methods We performed anatomic dissection of 6 fresh-frozen cadaveric upper extremities. At the level of the inferior border of the pectoralis major tendon, the musculotendinous junction of the long head of the biceps was identified. At the base of the bicipital groove, a 3.2-mm guidewire was advanced perpendicularly through both the anterior and posterior cortex. Posteriorly, the radial and axillary nerves were carefully dissected. For each dissection, we recorded the closest distance from the posterior cortical hole created by our drill to both the axillary and radial nerves using digital calipers. Results The mean distance from the axillary nerve to the posterior drill hole was 25.1 mm (95% confidence interval, 21.6 to 28.6 mm). The mean distance from the radial nerve to the posterior drill hole was 30.3 mm (95% confidence interval, 27.2 to 33.4 mm). Conclusions With placement of the tenodesis at the inferior aspect of the bicipital groove in conjunction with the musculotendinous junction, open subpectoral tenodesis of the long head of the biceps can be performed using bicortical button fixation without risk to the posterior nervous structures. Clinical Relevance This cadaveric study suggests that posterior proximal humerus nervous structures can be avoided with proper tenodesis placement.
Most, but not all, yeast strains in the deletion library contain the [PIN+] prion

The yeast deletion library is a collection of over 5100 single gene deletions that has been widely used by the yeast community. The presence of a non-Mendelian element, such as a prion, within this library could affect the outcome of many large-scale genomic studies. We previously showed that the deletion library parent strain contained the [PIN(+)] prion. [PIN(+)] is the misfolded infectious prion form of the Rnq1 protein that displays distinct fluorescent foci in the presence of RNQ1-GFP and exists in different physical conformations, called variants. Here, we show that over 97% of the library deletion strains are [PIN(+)]. Of the 141 remaining strains that have completely (58) or partially (83) lost [PIN(+)], 139 deletions were able to efficiently maintain three different [PIN(+)] variants despite extensive growth and storage at 4 degrees C. One strain, cue2Delta, displayed an alteration in the RNQ1-GFP fluorescent shape, but the Rnq1p prion aggregate shows no biochemical differences from the wild-type. Only strains containing a deletion of either HSP104 or RNQ1 are unable to maintain [PIN(+)], indicating that 5153 non-essential genes are not required for [PIN(+)] propagation.
Nuclear features of the fusion ignition research experiment (FIRE)

The main nuclear features of the baseline design of fusion ignition research experiment (FIRE) have been evaluated. Critical issues were addressed and R&D needs were identified. Modest values of nuclear heating occur in the FIRE components. The total nuclear heating in the 16 TF coils during DT shots is 19 MW. The cumulative damage in the copper alloys used is very low (< 0.05 dpa). However, issues of low temperature embrittlement and thermal creep at high temperatures need to be resolved by an R&D program. The radiation induced resistivity increase in the conductors of the TF coils is primarily due to displacement damage and is < 20% of the unirradiated resistivity. The magnet insulator development R&D program should involve irradiation to dose levels up to 1.5 x 10 10 Rad with the proper mix between neutrons and gamma photons (50% gamma dose) relevant to FIRE conditions. Low levels of activity and decay heat are obtained. Hands-on ex-vessel maintenance is feasible. All components qualify as Class C low-level waste. Activation of nitrogen gas inside the cryostat produces a very small amount of 13 N and 14 C.
Interview criteria for assessing allegations of sexual abuse in children and adults.

Freud's dilemma with regard to whether or not he should believe his patients' allegations of sexual abuse in childhood is well known. A century later, psychoanalysts are still dealing with this important issue. In this article, I describe the criteria I have developed in recent years, criteria that have been useful for me when attempting to determine whether my child and adult patients' allegations of sex abuse are more likely to be true or more likely to be false. Although these differentiating criteria were developed in the context of forensic evaluations, they should prove useful in clinical settings as well. Language: en
Partial sciatic nerve injury in the mouse as a model of neuropathic pain: behavioral and neuroanatomical correlates.

Abstract The generation of knock-out and transgenic mice offers a promising approach to the identification of novel biochemical factors that contribute to persistent pain conditions. To take advantage of these mice, however, it is important to demonstrate that the traditional models of persistent pain, which were largely developed for studies in the rat, can be used in the mouse. Here, we combined behavioral and anatomical methods to characterize the pathophysiology of a partial nerve injury-evoked pain condition in the `normal' mouse. In male C57BL6 mice we tied a tight ligature around 1/3 to 1/2 of the diameter of the sciatic nerve and evaluated the time-course and magnitude of the ensuing mechanical and thermal allodynia. We also used immunocytochemistry to analyze nerve injury-induced changes in substance P (SP) and NK-1 (SP) receptor expression in the spinal cord. As in the rat, partial nerve injury markedly decreased paw withdrawal thresholds to both mechanical and thermal stimuli on the injured side. We detected threshold changes one day after the injury. The thermal allodynia resolved by 49 days, but the mechanical allodynia persisted for the duration of the study (70 days). We found no changes contralateral to the nerve injury. Sympatholytic treatment with guanethidine significantly reduced both the thermal and mechanical allodynia. We observed a reduction of SP immunoreactivity in the superficial dorsal horn on the injured side at 7 and 14, but not at 3 or 70 days after the nerve injury, and we observed an increase of NK-1 receptor expression at 3, 7, 14 and 42, but not at 70 days after the injury. We conclude that partial injury to the sciatic nerve produces a comparable allodynia and neurochemical plasticity in the rat and mouse. These results establish a valuable model for future studies of the biochemical basis of neuropathic pain in mice with specific gene modifications.
Programmed syndrome of hypernatremic hypertension in ovine twin lambs.

Objective An increased risk of adult hypertension, obesity, and coronary heart disease occurs in low birth weight or intrauterine growth-restricted newborn infants as a result of fetal programming. Human twins represent a natural model of low birth weight and intrauterine growth restriction because they are significantly smaller at birth than singleton infants because of both earlier delivery and reduced intrauterine growth. Increased blood pressure has been reported in several epidemiologic studies of human twin offspring, although this has not been confirmed in an animal model. Because the sheep pregnancy consists of singleton and twin litters, we sought to determine the impact of ovine twin gestation and twin nursing on the cardiovascular and renal function of the offspring. Study design Newborn lambs (n=12) were studied at 21 ± 2 day of life. Both singleton (n=6) and twin lambs (n=6) were born to ewes provided ad libitum water and food throughout gestation. After the delivery, ewes were provided ad libitum water and food, and newborn lambs were allowed ad libitum nursing with the maternal ewe. At 15 ± 2 days of age, the lambs were prepared with vascular and renal catheters and studied at 21 ± 2 days. After a 2-hour basal period, lambs received an intravenous infusion of hypotonic (0.075 mol/L) NaCl (0.15 ml/kg/hr) for an additional 2 hours. Newborn arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and urine flow were monitored continuously, and arterial blood samples were obtained before, during, and after the infusion. Results At birth, twin lambs weighed 30% less than singleton lambs (3.5 ± 0.1 kg vs 5.0 ± 0.2 kg; P Conclusion These results indicate that ovine twin gestation and nursing markedly reduced body weight at 21 days of age, with evidence of plasma hypernatremia, hypertension, and reduced glomerular filtration rates, which persisted throughout hypotonic saline solution infusion. Consistent with epidemiologic studies of humans, these results demonstrate that gestational/newborn nutrient stress may program hypertension in offspring.
Quantitative evaluation of 2-deoxy-2[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography imaging on the woodchuck model of hepatocellular carcinoma with histological correlation.

Purpose The Eastern woodchuck (Marmota monax) is considered as a naturally occurring animal model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The performance of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) for imaging HCC on the woodchuck using Positron emission tomography (PET) was investigated in this study.
Δ9-THC and 11-OH-Δ9-THC: Behavioral effects and relationship to plasma and brain levels

Abstract The time course of effects following i.p. injections of 0.3–10.0 mg/kg Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (δ9-THC) and 0.1–3.0 mg/kg 11-OH-Δ9-THC were determined in rats during 6 hour sessions under a fixed-interval 90-second schedule of food reinforcement. In addition, the acute and chronic effects of these two drugs were tested in different rats trained on a differential reinforcement of low rate 15-second schedule. The onset of activity of 11-OH-Δ9-THC was faster, and usually abruptly suppressed all responding, while Δ9-THC's onset was slower and often resulted in a decreased and steady pattern of responding. 11-OH-Δ9-THC was about 3 times more potent, had a shorter duration of effect and when responding resumed, it returned to control rates within a shorter time than for Δ9-THC. Tolerance and cross-tolerance developed at the same rate to equipotent doses of the two drugs. The time course for plasma and brain levels of radioactivity were studied in other rats after i.p. administration of H3-Δ9-THC and H3-11-OH-Δ9-THC. 11-OH-Δ9-THC was absorbed more quickly than Δ9-THC and reached peak plasma and brain levels earlier. In addition, higher plasma and brain levels, and larger brain to plasma ratio of radioactivity were attained after 11-OH-Δ9-THC. Therefore, differences in behavioral effects produced by Δ9-THC and it's 11-hydroxy metabolite were accompanied by differences in absorption and disposition.
SOME EFFECTS OF SELECTED PLASTICIZING AGENTS ON THE REVERSIBLE COMPRESSION OF FREEZE‐DRIED COOKED BEEF CUBES

Ethanol (95%) and glycerin were found to plasticize freeze-dried cubes of beef for reversible compression. Both are easily applied and plasticization appears to be rapid and effective. Appearance and texture of the reconstituted, compressed product compared favorably with that of noncompressed product and product plasticized by partial rehydration to 10% moisture; however, the glycerin and ethanol treatments gave a slight off-flavor. Vegetable oil and trichlorofluoromethane did not provide adequate plasticization. Polar liquids appear to be required for plasticization of dried beef for compression.
Projections from the cochlear nucleus to the superior paraolivary nucleus in guinea pigs

Axonal tracing techniques were used to study the projection from the cochlear nucleus to the superior paraolivary nucleus in guinea pigs. Different tracers were used to identify the cell types that give rise to the projections, the morphology of their axons, and the cell types that they contact in the superior paraolivary nucleus. Injections of Fluoro-Gold or peroxidase-labeled WGA and HRP into the superior paraolivary nucleus labeled multipolar cells and octopus cells bilaterally in the ventral cochlear nucleus, mainly on the contralateral side. Injections of PHAL into the ventral cochlear nucleus labeled two types of axons in the superior paraolivary nucleus. Thin axons branch infrequently and give rise primarily to small, en passant boutons. Thick axons have larger boutons, many of which are terminal boutons that arise from short collaterals. Thin axons appear to originate from multipolar cells, whereas thick axons probably originate from octopus cells. Both types are found bilaterally after an injection into the ventral cochlear nucleus on one side. Individual thick or thin axons may contact multiple cell types in the superior paraolivary nucleus. Individual cells in the superior paraolivary nucleus can receive convergent input from both thick and thin axons. Combined anterograde and retrograde transport of different fluorescent tracers was used to identify the projections of the cells in the superior paraolivary nucleus that receive inputs from the ventral cochlear nucleus. Cells in the superior paraolivary nucleus that projected to the ipsilateral cochlear nucleus or to the ipsilateral inferior colliculus appeared to be contacted by axons that were labeled by anterograde transport from the contralateral ventral cochlear nucleus. Thus the projections to the superior paraolivary nucleus are in a position to affect the activity in both ascending and descending auditory pathways. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Chromatic uniqueness of the generalized θ-graph

Abstract A generalized θ-graph in a connected graph with 3 paths between a pair of vertices of degree 3. It is shown that any graph having the same chromatic polynomial as a generalized θ-graph, must be isomorphic to the generalized θ-graph.
Treating chronic low back pain. I. Admissions to initial follow-up

For a normative study of chronic low back pain (CLBP), 702 consecutive admissions to a large multidisciplinary CLBP treatment program were assessed at admission, discharge, and 1-month follow-up, using a variety of psychological and functional performance instruments. Both univariate and multivariate approaches to appraising success are evaluated. Psychological profiles demonstrated a substantial degree of disability at admissions, which is significantly reduced at follow-up. Both behavioral and cognitive aspects of performance, as evidenced by objective assessments of patients' physical abilities and verbalizations, improved as a direct function of length of stay in the treatment program and continued to show modest improvement through follow-up. Composite indices of improvement demonstrated favorable outcomes for no less than four in every ten, and as high as nine in every ten participants. Because of the large sample size, relationships both within and across measurement domains can be assessed statistically: the separate sets of outcome measures, with the exception of psychological profiles, are generally independent of each other.
Domain Swapping within PDZ2 Is Responsible for Dimerization of ZO Proteins

ZO-1 is a multidomain protein involved in cell-cell junctions and contains three PDZ domains, which are necessary for its function in vivo. PDZ domains play a central role in assembling diverse protein complexes through their ability to recognize short peptide motifs on other proteins. We determined the structure of the second of the three PDZ domains of ZO-1, which is known to promote dimerization as well as bind to C-terminal sequences on connexins. The dimer is stabilized by extensive symmetrical domain swapping of β-strands, which is unlike any other known mechanism of PDZ dimerization. The canonical peptide-binding groove remains intact in both subunits of the PDZ2 dimer and is created by elements contributed from both monomers. This unique structure reveals an additional example of how PDZ domains dimerize and has multiple implications for both peptide binding and oligomerization in vivo.
A comprehensive physics-based model for medium-duty diesel engine with exhaust gas recirculation

Physics-based models of diesel engines with exhaust gas recirculation and a variable geometry turbine (EGR/VGT) have been developed extensively in the control system design community. However, these models omit the heat transfer effects of the charge-air cooler and the recirculated exhaust gas cooler in order to avoid the added complexity in model order for online implementation. Generally, there is no need to include these effects if the purpose of the model is to control the target variables, such as boost pressure and air-to-fuel ratio. In this paper, after surveying the existing state of physics-based models for the EGR/VGT subsystem, a comprehensive model of the EGR/VGT subsystem is developed. This model includes heat transfer effects in the coolers, pressure drops across air filters and pipes, and mass flow rate calculations for a variable geometry turbine and an exhaust gas recirculation control valve. The purpose and scope of this work is offline modeling-for-diagnostics. Such models, though complex, will assist in the fault sensitivity analysis of a subsystem while avoiding any destructive testing when a major design modification in the EGR/VGT subsystem is proposed. For example, the impact of charge-water or EGR cooler degradation on the boost pressure and the air-to-fuel ratio can be studied with such models to further help in designing diagnostic reasoning strategies. Simulation performed using the proposed physicsbased model demonstrates a dominant failure effect of an EGR cooler coolant leak over a charge-water cooler water leak on the properties of the intake air.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
A comparison of diatom assemblages generated by two sampling protocols

AbstractWe investigated whether 2 stream sampling protocols collected different diatom assemblages within sampling reaches and, consequently, influenced the outcome of bioassessment. We analyzed data collected at 71 sites by both reach-scale (Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program [EMAP]) and targeted-habitat (US Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] Science to Achieve Results [STAR]) sampling protocols as part of the US EPA EMAP survey. Overall, diatom assemblages generated by the 2 protocols were similar. Median Bray–Curtis (BC) similarity between EMAP and STAR diatom counts was 70% (range 19–91%). Taxon richness (r2 = 0.7), autecological metrics (e.g., siltation index: r2 = 0.9, trophic diatom index: r2 = 0.8), and morphological metrics (e.g., % erect taxa: r2 = 0.7, % prostrate taxa: r2 = 0.8) were comparable between the 2 protocols. Relationships between diatom assemblages (summarized as nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination axes) and environmental variables were similar between the ...
Answering the Call: A Tool That Measures Functional Breast Cancer Literacy

There is a need for health care providers and health care educators to ensure that the messages they communicate are understood. The purpose of this research was to test the reliability and validity, in a culturally diverse sample of women, of a revised Breast Cancer Literacy Assessment Tool (Breast-CLAT) designed to measure functional understanding of breast cancer in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Community health workers verbally administered the 35-item Breast-CLAT to 543 Black, Latina, and Arab American women. A confirmatory factor analysis using a 2-parameter item response theory model was used to test the proposed 3-factor Breast-CLAT (awareness, screening and knowledge, and prevention and control). The confirmatory factor analysis using a 2-parameter item response theory model had a good fit (TLI = .91, RMSEA = .04) to the proposed 3-factor structure. The total scale reliability ranged from .80 for Black participants to .73 for total culturally diverse sample. The three subscales were differentiall...
Prevention of cataracts in pink-eyed RCS rats by dark rearing

Abstract Royal College of Surgeons rats have hereditary retinal degeneration and associated posterior subcapsular opacities (PSO) of the lens, detectable by slitlamp at 7–8 postnatal weeks in both pink- and black-eyed rats. The retinal degeneration is intensified by light, especially in pink-eyed rats. A fourth of pink-eyed rats developed mature cataracts by 9–12 months of age, but black-eyed rats whose retinas are protected from light by pigmented irises and pigment epithelium rarely have mature cataracts (3% or less), indicating light may be a factor in cataractogenesis. Prior work had shown that dark rearing reduced the rate of retinal degeneration in pink- but not black-eyed rats, but cataracts were not studied. In the present work, pregnant pink-eyed females were placed in a darkroom 1 week before parturition. Pups were removed over intervals at 20–85 postnatal days for: ( a ) microscopic study of fresh lenses and of fixed, stained retina and lens, and ( b ) counts of cells mm −2 of the web-like vitreous cortex after it had been dissected free. The macrophage-like cells are a quantitative index of immune reaction to retinal damage. At 50–53 postnatal days, in pink-eyed cyclic light reared RCS, the mean number of macrophages was 4·6-fold that in congenic controls, but in those that were dark reared it was only 1·4-fold. This was less than the increase in cyclic light reared black-eyed RCS (2·3-fold that in congenic black-eyed controls). Total absence of light reduced retinal degeneration and the number of macrophages, and prevented PSO detectable microscopically. The results show that light is essential for initiation of the RCS cataract. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the lens is damaged by light-initiated toxic lipid peroxidation products and that these can be prevented by dark rearing.
[3H]choline labelling of cerebellothalamic neurons with observations on the cerebello-thalamo-parietal pathway in cats

[3H]Choline injected into the ventral lateral thalamic nucleus (VL) labeled cell bodies of the deep cerebellar nuclei and adjacent vestibular nuclei by retrograde axoplasmic transport. Injections in caudal and dorsal parts of VL labeled cells in ventral parts of the dentate nucleus and interpositus posterior nucleus. Injections in rostral and ventral parts of VL labeled cells in the interpositus anterior nucleus and dorsal parts of the dentate nucleus. A few labeled cell bodies were found throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the fastigial nucleus and in adjacent parts of the vestibular nuclei. A combined injection of [3H]choline and [3H]amino acids labeled cells in the deep cerebellar nuclei and axon terminals in layer I of the middle suprasylvian gyrus (areas 5, 7).
Evidence of Continuum Emission from Jupiter at 18 Mc/s

IN 1966 it was reported by Dulk and Clark1 that almost continuous, bursty, radiation from Jupiter can be detected at low frequencies if an aerial receiver system of sufficient sensitivity is available. Relative to this, Stone, Alexander and Erickson2 found a marked increase in emission probability at 26.3 Mc/s using the large array at Clark Lake Radio Observatory. Prolonged periods of activity were observed by Warwick3 on a number of occasions in 1960. Evidence is presented here of a related effect at 18 Mc/s observed on several occasions during the 1966–67 apparition of Jupiter.
CNS toxicity and CSF pharmacokinetics of intraventricular DFMO and MGBG in beagle dogs.

We have developed a beagle dog model to study the pharmacology and toxicology of anticancer drugs administered through the 3rd or lateral ventricles. A Foltz-type reservoir was implanted SC and connected by tube into a cerebral ventricle. Drugs were administered directly into the reservoir; CSF sampling of drugs administered into the ventricle was achieved directly by tapping the reservoir or by percutaneous puncture of the cisterna magna. In the current study, we evaluated the CSF pharmacokinetics and CNS toxicity of two inhibitors of polyamine metabolism, α-difluoromethylornitine (DFMO) and methylglyoxal bisguanylhydrazone (MGBG). Both drugs were judged too toxic to justify intrathecal or intraventricular studies with these agents in patients.
The cross-cultural validity of the Learning-Centered Leadership framework and its assessment instrument for principals

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to select a theoretical framework for effective school leadership that is connected with research, standards and current practices in the USA, and examine its validity and generalizability cross-culturally. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses both qualitative and quantitative methods through expert panel evaluation, cognitive interviews, and field testing of the instrument. The author asks: How well does the Learning-Centered Leadership (LCL) framework align with the professional standards and current practices of principals in urban Chinese schools in the opinion of the experts? Is there evidence that its leadership assessment instrument has construct validity in Chinese urban schools based on the re-examination of its content and measurement criteria? And is there evidence that the instrument is yielding consistent results when taken by the intended participants? How effective are the analytic strategies employed by this study in detecting the equivalences...
VLSI implementation of a 16-state coset code

Abstract Calderbank and Sloane [1] have recently introduced a new technique for constructing trellis codes based on lattices and cosets. Codes based on these principles will be referred to in this paper as coset codes. We present a parallel 2μ CMOS VLSI implementation of a particular 16-state coset code described in [1]. The encoder decoder for this code were developed using Path-Programmable Logic (PPL) design methodology [6]. The resulting system occupies four chips and should be able to operate at data rates approaching 50 megabits per second. An alternative design using 1μ CMOS technology could be implemented on two chips and could operate at data rates up to 100 megabits per second.