cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technology is Changing Lending: Implications for Research (A Discussion of Costello, Down, and Mehta (2020))

Costello, Down, and Mehta (2020) trace their slider intervention to deviations from the credit line amount recommended by a credit scoring model. The deviations are followed by larger delinquency declines and bigger sales orders, and Costello et al. interpret these results using discretion-based theories. However, incremental deviations are concentrated on newer clients rather than those the lender has accumulated soft information about. Deviations also appear larger for public than private borrowers. My discussion evaluates whether these results align with discretion-based theories, and explores alternative interpretations based on salience and unique aspects of the trade credit setting. Differences in interpretation aside, the evidence is informative about technological advances in commercial lending. I conclude with an overview of several recent advances and discuss the implications for lending research.
Review of: Connors et al. “Convicted by Juries, Exonerated by Science: Case Studies in the Use of DNA Evidence to Establish Innocence after Trial”

A paperbound, 109 page report from staff of the institute for Law and Justice (ILJ) summarizes 27 publicized cases in which DNA evidence demonstrated the innocence of 29 men who had been found guilty of sexual assault or murder. The report opens with A Brief Message from the Attorney General. Several take-home messages are actually delivered in the very first section, the Forward, which consists of Commentaries on DNA testing by well known academics, judges, attorneys, criminal investigators and a forensic scientist. The Forward is followed by chapters termed Introduction, Study Findings and Policy Implications. Summaries of the case constitute the fourth chapter for readers interested in the historical details. After the case descriptions, there are a Glossary and an Appendix containing the DQe~ phenotypes found in the cases.
Purification and characterization of 5-hydroxymethyluracil-DNA glycosylase from calf thymus. Its possible role in the maintenance of methylated cytosine residues.

Abstract 5-Hydroxymethyluracil (HmUra) residues formed by the oxidation of thymine are removed from DNA through the action of a DNA glycosylase activity. This activity was purified over 1870-fold from calf thymus and found to be distinct from uracil (Ura)-DNA glycosylase. The HmUra-DNA glycosylase has a molecular weight of 38,000, a pH optimum of 6.7-6.8 and an apparent Km of 0.73 +/- 0.04 microM. These values are similar to those reported for other mammalian DNA glycosylases. The enzyme removed HmUra residues from single- and double-stranded DNA with almost equal efficiency. HmUra-DNA glycosylase activity was not product inhibited by free HmUra. The DNA glycosylase activity was inhibited by Mg2+, but the purest enzyme fractions contained a Mg2+-dependent apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activity. HmUra-DNA glycosylase and the recently described 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (HmCyt)-DNA glycosylase (Cannon, S. V., Cummings, A. C., and Teebor, G. W. (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 151, 1173-1179) are unique among known DNA glycosylases in being present in mammalian cells and absent from bacteria. These DNA glycosylase activities were shown here to reside on different proteins. We suggest that the major function of HmUra-DNA glycosylase, together with HmCyt-DNA glycosylase, is the maintenance of methylated cytosine residues in the DNA of higher organisms.
The First Decade of the Journal Behavioral Disorders: A Quantitative Evaluation

An analysis was conducted on articles comprising the first ten volumes of Behavioral Disorders. Descriptive information across the ten volumes indicated that a large number of articles addressed th...
Abnormal costimulatory phenotype and function of dendritic cells before and after the onset of severe murine lupus.

We analyzed the activation and function of dendritic cells (DCs) in the spleens of diseased, lupus-prone NZM2410 and NZB-W/F1 mice and age-matched BALB/c and C57BL/6 control mice. Lupus DCs showed an altered ex vivo costimulatory profile, with a significant increase in the expression of CD40, decreased expression of CD80 and CD54, and normal expression of CD86. DCs from young lupus-prone NZM2410 mice, before the development of the disease, expressed normal levels of CD80 and CD86 but already overexpressed CD40. The increase in CD40-positive cells was specific for DCs and involved the subset of myeloid and CD8α+ DCs before disease onset, with a small involvement of plasmacytoid DCs in diseased mice. In vitro data from bone marrow-derived DCs and splenic myeloid DCs suggest that the overexpression of CD40 is not due to a primary alteration of CD40 regulation in DCs but rather to an extrinsic stimulus. Our analyses suggest that the defect of CD80 in NZM2410 and NZB-W/F1 mice, which closely resembles the costimulatory defect found in DCs from humans with systemic lupus erythematosus, is linked to the autoimmune disease. The increase in CD40 may instead participate in disease pathogenesis, being present months before any sign of autoimmunity, and its downregulation should be explored as an alternative to treatment with anti-CD40 ligand in lupus.
Bacterial luciferase. The hydrophobic environment of the reactive sulfhydryl.

Abstract Bacterial luciferase is inactivated by modification of a single reactive sulfhydryl group on the α subunit by alkylating reagents. The apparent second order rate constants for inactivation by N-alkylmaleimides increase markedly with increasing chain length of the alkyl substituent, from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, suggesting noncovalent binding of the alkyl side chains mediated by hydrophobic interactions with the enzyme. The change in free energy of binding is about -0.5 Cal per mole per additional methylene group. The reactive sulfhydryl group thus must be in or near a hydrophobic region of the enzyme. At high maleimide concentrations, the rate of inactivation approaches a concentration-independent maximum (60 min-1, 0.02 m phosphate, pH 7.0, 25°) which is independent of alkyl chain length. The proposed candidates for the emitting species in the bioluminescence reaction all require highly nonpolar environments to blue-shift their fluorescence maxima to match that of the bioluminescence. These results indicate that such an environment is indeed available in the active center of bacterial luciferase.
Ultra-thin and ultra-small 3D double-side glass power modules with advanced inductors and capacitors

This paper demonstrates 3D functional modules that are ultra-miniaturized, high-performance and low-cost, based on an innovative 3D Integrated Passive and Active Component (3D IPAC) concept [1]. The 3D IPAC concept utilizes an ultra-thin (30–100 microns) and ultra-low-loss glass substrate, low-cost through-package-vias (TPVs) and double-side redistribution layers (RDL) for assembly of both active and passive components. In this concept, both active and passive components are integrated on both sides of the glass substrate, either as thinfilms or as discretely fabricated and assembled components, separated by only about 50–100 microns in interconnection length. This paper specifically addresses the power functional modules with passive components by integrating ultra-thin high-density capacitors on one side and power-supply inductors on the other side. The first part of the paper describes the electrical modeling and design of power inductors and capacitors in 3D IPAC structure. The second section describes the fabrication for both the building block L and C components and the assembly of integrated modules. The last section presents the electrical characterization. The paper, thus, provides a first demonstration of a novel power module platform for double-side thin active and passive component integration for power module applications.
Respiration and Small-Colony Variants of Staphylococcus aureus

Respiratory mutants, both naturally occurring and genetically constructed, have taught us about the importance of metabolism in influencing virulence factor production, persistence, and antibiotic resistance. As we learn more about small colony variants, we find that Staphylococcus aureus has many pathways to produce small colony variants, although the respiratory variants are the best described clinically and in the laboratory.
10 Mechanism of NAD-Dependent Enzymes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mechanisms by which nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent enzymes catalyze chemistry at two sites in the coenzyme molecule. The dehydrogenase-catalyzed redox chemistry that occurs at the 4-position of the nicotinamide ring is discussed in the chapter, and the cleavage of the C-1′-N ribosyl linkage catalyzed by a variety of NAD + glycohydrolases and ADP-ribosyltransferases is assessed. The discussion concentrates on the underlying chemistry and the various means by which these enzymes promote catalysis. The mechanism of dehydrogenases is intimately related to the chemistry of the pyridine coenzymes. Emphasis is on dehydrogenases that catalyze the oxidation of alcohol functionalities, with specific emphasis on horse liver and yeast alcohol dehydrogenases and α-hydroxy-acid dehydrogenases, such as lactate dehydrogenase. The impact of the chemical and mechanistic constraints of the reactions of models for the evolution of dehydrogenase function is also discussed.
Augmentation of the intracellular levels of polyglutamyl derivatives of methotrexate by vincristine and probenecid in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

Abstract The intracellular accumulation of poly-γ-glutamyl derivatives of methotrexate was evaluated in the presence of vincristine or probenecid (agents which raise the intracellular level of free methotrexate) in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The results show that both intracellular methotrexate and its metabolites are increased by these agents and that, in the presence of l-glutamine, polyglutamate derivatives are increased by a higher percentage than is methotrexate. From 1 to 50 µm vincristine increased the levels of polyglutamate derivatives from 25 to over 300%, whereas methotrexate was raised from 25 to 80%. Similarly, 50 to 200 µm probenecid increased methotrexate polyglutamate derivatives from 31 to 88%, whereas methotrexate was raised from 0 to 30%. A determination of the bound fraction of drug indicated that the proportion of dihydrofolate reductase bound with methotrexate polyglutamates increased in the presence of these agents. Efflux studies showed that over 90% of the large pools of intracellular methotrexate polyglutamates produced by these agents was retained for at least 1 hr in the absence of extracellular methotrexate, whereas the majority of intracellular methotrexate exited the cell. These studies ( a ) indicate that vincristine and probenecid may be potentially useful for selectively increasing methotrexate polyglutamates in tumor cells and ( b ) introduce another basis for synergism observed between alkaloids and methotrexate.
Safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic sterilization compared with laparoscopic sterilization: an observational cohort study

Objective To compare the safety and efficacy of hysteroscopic sterilization with the “Essure” device with laparoscopic sterilization in a large, all-inclusive, state cohort. Design Population based cohort study. Settings Outpatient interventional setting in New York State. Participants Women undergoing interval sterilization procedure, including hysteroscopic sterilization with Essure device and laparoscopic surgery, between 2005 and 2013. Main outcomes measures Safety events within 30 days of procedures; unintended pregnancies and reoperations within one year of procedures. Mixed model accounting for hospital clustering was used to compare 30 day and 1 year outcomes, adjusting for patient characteristics and other confounders. Time to reoperation was evaluated using frailty model for time to event analysis. Results We identified 8048 patients undergoing hysteroscopic sterilization and 44 278 undergoing laparoscopic sterilization between 2005 and 2013 in New York State. There was a significant increase in the use of hysteroscopic procedures during this period, while use of laparoscopic sterilization decreased. Patients undergoing hysteroscopic sterilization were older than those undergoing laparoscopic sterilization and were more likely to have a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (10.3% v 7.2%, P v 7.9%, P v 15.4%, P Conclusions Patients undergoing hysteroscopic sterilization have a similar risk of unintended pregnancy but a more than 10-fold higher risk of undergoing reoperation compared with patients undergoing laparoscopic sterilization. Benefits and risks of both procedures should be discussed with patients for informed decisions making.
Magnetic resonance appearance of the kidneys in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

A diagnosis of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria may be suggested with magnetic resonance imaging, based on the massive renal cortical hemosiderosis that occurs in this disease. A diffuse bilateral depression of renal cortical signal intensity will be observed that is caused mainly by a shortening of the T2 relaxation time of renal cortical protons by the paramagnetic effect of the locally increased ferric ion concentration in the proximal convoluted tubule.
Partially coherent nondiffracting beams

We describe exact representations for partially coherent beams whose spectral degree of coherence remains invariant on propagation. Such beams are obtained by taking a random superposition of well-known coherent Bessel beams, each of which propagates without spreading in the transverse direction. The invariance in coherent properties for such partially coherent beams holds for propagation distances as large as the propagation distances of coherent Bessel beams.
Schiff's base formation in the lens protein γ-crystallin

Abstract Uniquely among the soluble lens-specific proteins, γ-crystallin is capable of binding the strongly chromophoric aldehyde retinal. a role for γ-crystallin in protecting lens components from toxic aldehydes resulting from membrane oxidation is proposed and a molecular model of the probable interaction site is presented. The sequence of a tetrapeptide at this site is identical to that of the retinal binding site of bacteriorhodopsin.
Habitual reading biases in the allocation of study time.

Item order can bias learners’ study decisions and undermine the use of more effective allocation strategies, such as allocating study time to items in one’s region of proximal learning. In two experiments, we evaluated whether the influence of item order on study decisions reflects habitual responding based on a reading bias. We manipulated the order in which relatively easy, moderately difficult, and difficult items were presented from left to right on a computer screen and examined selection preference as a function of item order and item difficulty. Experiment 1a was conducted with native Arabic readers and in Arabic, and Experiment 1b was conducted with native English readers and in English. Students from both cultures prioritized items for study in the reading order of their native language: Arabic readers selected items for study in a right-to-left fashion, whereas English readers largely selected items from left to right. In Experiment 2, native English readers completed the same task as participants in Experiment 1b, but for some participants, lines of text were rotated upside down to encourage them to read from right to left. Participants who read upside-down text were more likely to first select items on the right side of an array than were participants who studied right-side-up text. These results indicate that reading habits can bias learners’ study decisions and can undermine agenda-based regulation.
Spin-lattice relaxation rates for Nd 3 + , Er 3 + , and Ce 3 + in La Cl 3 between 2.7 and 29 K

The spin-lattice relaxation rates of ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{3+}$, ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$, and ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{3+}$ in La${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ have been measured in two nonoverlapping temperature regions between 2.7 and 29 K using pulse-saturation-recovery techniques to measure ${T}_{1}$ at the lower temperatures, and linewidth broadening to measure ${T}_{2}$ at the higher temperatures. ${T}_{2}$ data from Nd exhibit dominant, isotropic Orbach relaxation mechanisms involving the first two excited states at 166.0 and 177.3 K. There is indirect evidence from the ${T}_{1}$ data that these Orbach rates are phonon limited, i.e., bottlenecked. The ${T}_{1}$ data for Nd also show a dominant Raman relaxation process between 5 and 8 K but there is a 100% angular anisotropy measured at 6 K. ${T}_{2}$ data from Er show Orbach relaxation processes involving the first two excited states at 54.55 and 92.47 K, and together with the ${T}_{1}$ data indicate that the Orbach process involving the lower energy level, is phonon limited. ${T}_{2}$ data from Ce show a completely dominant Orbach relaxation process involving an excited state at 53.3 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1.7 K. This is in good agreement with the optical value of 54.0 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 4.5 K, but in sharp contrast to all previous data involving ${T}_{1}$ measurements where values of 46 K were reported. An existing model for this discrepancy predicts that it should diminish at higher temperatures where our ${T}_{2}$ measurements were made.
Changing Incidence of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Values Above 50 ng/mL: A 10-Year Population-Based Study

Abstract Objective To determine the incidence trend of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) values above 50 ng/mL and associated toxicity. Patients and Methods We conducted a retrospective population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota, in the 10-year period from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2011, by using the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Individuals were eligible if they resided in Olmsted County during the study period and had a measured 25(OH)D value above 50 ng/mL. The date of the first 25(OH)D value above 50 ng/mL was considered the index date for incidence determination. Hypercalcemia, the primary vitamin D toxicity, was considered potentially associated with the 25(OH)D concentration if it was measured within 3 months of the 25(OH)D measurement, and such cases had a medical record review. Results Of 20,308 total 25(OH)D measurements, 1714 (8.4%), 123 (0.6%), and 37 (0.2%) unique persons had 25(OH)D values above 50, 80 and above, and 100 ng/mL and above, respectively. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of 25(OH)D values above 50 ng/mL increased from 9 to 233 cases per 100,000 person-years from 2002 to 2011 ( P P P P =.20) or with the risk of hypercalcemia ( P =.24). A medical record review identified 4 cases (0.2%) in whom 25(OH)D values above 50 ng/mL were temporally associated with hypercalcemia, but only 1 case had clinical toxicity associated with the highest observed 25(OH)D value of 364 ng/mL. Conclusion The incidence of 25(OH)D values above 50 ng/mL increased significantly between 2002 and 2011 without a corresponding increase in acute clinical toxicity.
Shape calculation for a class of axisymmetric minimum-energy surfaces. (Technical note)

Abstract A short computer program is given that generates shapes of a certain class of axisymmetric thin shell surfaces. The algorithm is a shooting method that starts with previously published initial data and reconstructs solutions in a simple and usable way.
Effects of High Pco2 on Ventilated Preterm Lamb Lungs

High PCO(2) levels attenuate reperfusion injury and ventilation-induced injury in isolated and perfused lungs. We asked whether premature lambs could tolerate 6 h of ventilation with a PCO(2) >80 mm Hg and whether the high PCO(2) modulated the ventilator-induced injury. Preterm surfactant-treated lambs were ventilated for 30 min with a high tidal volume (V(T)) to induce lung injury. The lambs then were ventilated for 5.5 h with a V(T) of 6-9 mL/kg to achieve a PCO(2) of 40-50 mm Hg in the control group. CO(2) was added to the ventilator circuit of a high PCO(2) group to maintain an average PCO(2) of 95 +/- 5 mm Hg. The high PCO(2) lambs had heart rates, blood pressures, plasma cortisol values, and oxygenation equivalent to the control lambs. The lungs of the high PCO(2) group had significantly higher gas volumes and had less lung injury by histopathology. Indicators of inflammation (white blood cells, hydrogen peroxide production, and IL-1beta and IL-8 cytokine mRNA expression in cells from the alveolar wash) qualitatively indicated less injury in the high PCO(2) group, although the differences were not significant. Preterm lambs tolerated a very high PCO(2) without physiologic compromise for 6 h. The high PCO(2) may attenuate ventilator-induced lung injury in the preterm.
The functional asymmetry of Braille letter learning in normal, sighted children.

Eighty right-handed children (40 boys, 40 girls) aged 7 to 14 were taught to read 12 Braille letters by palpation, using a paired associates method. Forty learned six letters with their left hand and then six other letters with their right; the left-right order was reversed for the remaining 40. Although language is involved, this tactile-verbal paired associate learning ultimately is better accomplished by the left hand. The results are discussed in terms of other demonstrations that (1) the left hand may be superior to the right on spatial tasks that exclude vision, (2) girls develop more slowly in the performance of left-sided (right-hemisphere-dependent) tasks, and (3) girls depend more than boys on left-hemisphere mediation.
The current status of language automation

In this article is presented a brief review of the work in machine translation of languages, with the conclusion that much more research needs to be done and that it does not appear that human beings will ever be relieved of the necessity of learning languages and of knowing how to use these languages effectively.
Validation Studies on Filtered Model Equations for Gas-Particle Flows in Risers

In our prior studies ([Igci, Y.,, AIChE J., 2008, 54, 1431−1448] and [Igci, Y.,Sundaresan, S., AIChE J., 2010, in press]) we presented a methodology where computational results obtained through highly resolved simulations of a given microscopic two-fluid model (TFM) for gas-particle flows are filtered to deduce constitutive models for the residual correlations appearing in the corresponding filtered TFM equations that are appropriate for coarse-grid simulations of gas-particle flows. We had also analyzed the flow behavior in the vicinity of solid boundaries and proposed wall corrections for these constitutive models. We had ascertained that the filtered models do yield nearly the same time-averaged macroscale flow behavior in vertical channel flows as the underlying kinetic-theory-based TFM, thus verifying the filtered model approach. In the present study, we have performed a set of 3D computational simulations for validation of the filtered TFM against the experimental data on riser flow [Karri, S.,, PSR...
Specific glycine uptake by identified neurons of Aplysia californica. I. Autoradiography.

Summary The identified giant neurons R3–R14 in the Aplysia parietovisceral ganglion (PVG) have a rapid, Na+-dependent and Hg2+-sensitive uptake system for glycine not found in neighboring neurons. In autoradiographs of PVG incubated in [3H]glycine (glutaraldehyde fix), the cytoplasms of R3–R14 have 3–4 times more silver grains (No./100 sq.μm) than other neurons. The glycine uptake system in R3–R14 is selective (alanine, serine, leucine, and proline are taken up equally by all neurons) and is unaffected by reserpine and anisomycin. Neurons R3–R14 contain 2 times less label when ganglia are fixed in formaldehyde than when glutaraldehyde is used as a fixative. Because formaldehyde fixes free amino acids poorly, much of the glycine taken up by R3–R14 is, therefore, not incorporated into protein. In autoradiographs of PVG incubated in [3H]glycine, silver grains are distributed randomly throughout the cytoplasm and nucleus of R3–R14; no association of the grains with the dense core granules characteristic of these neurons or other cellular components was found. In contrast, grains in the neurosecretory ‘bag cells’ of the PVG were clustered in numerous discrete areas of the cytoplasm (Golgi complex areas) and the nucleus was only sparsely labeled. The existence of a rapid and selective glycine uptake system in R3–R14, together with their high endogenous glycine concentrations, suggests that glycine may be a neurotransmitter in these neurons.
Controlled and sustained release of drugs from dendrimer-nanoparticle composite films.

A dendrimer-nanoparticle hybrid scaffold based on robust dithiocarbamate formation provides a controlled drug delivery system. These composite films are nontoxic and can incorporate a variety of guests, providing sustained drug release over multiple uses. The system is highly modular: the release process can be easily tuned by altering the dendrimer generation and the size of the AuNPs, generating a versatile delivery system.
What assessments evaluate use of hands in infants? A literature review

Aim To identify assessments, applicable to infants aged 3 months to 12 months, measuring hand function, and to discuss their usefulness in assessing infants at risk of developing unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Method Instruments described in two previous systematic reviews were scrutinized for inclusion of fine motor components. Additionally, a new literature search was performed in Medline, PsychInfo, PubMed, and Cinahl (2007–2013) to identify newly developed assessments of infant motor functioning. Results Five assessments from the two previous systematic reviews included fine motor components but only three provided separate measures of fine motor performance: the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales – version 2 (PDMS-2), the Bayley Scale of Infant and Toddler Development – version III, and the Posture and Fine Motor Assessment of Infants, each of which provided measures of the preferred hand only. From 531 papers retrieved, 10 new assessments were found, three of which met our inclusion criteria: the Infant Motor Profile (IMP), the Grasping and Reaching Assessment of Brisbane (GRAB), and the Hand Assessment for Infants (HAI). Only the GRAB and the HAI provide measures relevant for assessing infants at risk of developing unilateral cerebral palsy; however, both measures are still under construction. Interpretation No currently available assessment for infants aged 3 to 12 months old measures aspects of hand function suitable for quantifying asymmetry between hands or quality of bimanual performance.
Mutations in the neurofilament light gene linked to Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease cause defects in transport

Neurofilament light gene mutations have been linked to a subset of patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, the most common inherited motor and sensory neuropathy. We have previously shown that Charcot-Marie-Tooth-linked mutant neurofilament light assembles abnormally in non-neuronal cells. In this study, we have characterized the effects of expression of mutant neurofilament light proteins on axonal transport in a neuronal cell culture model. We demonstrated that the Charcot-Marie-Tooth-linked neurofilament light mutations: (i) affect the axonal transport of mutant neurofilaments; (ii) have a dominant-negative effect on the transport of wild-type neurofilaments; (iii) affect the transport of mitochondria and the anterograde axonal transport marker human amyloid precursor protein; (iv) result in alterations of retrograde axonal transport and (v) cause fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus. Increased neuritic degeneration was observed in neuronal cells overexpressing neurofilament light mutants. Our results suggest that these generalized axonal transport defects could be responsible for the neuropathy in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Serial neutrophil values facilitate predicting the absence of neonatal early-onset sepsis

Objective To validate established neonatal neutrophil reference ranges (RRs) and determine the utility of serial measurements of neutrophil values in the first 24 hours to predict the absence of neonatal early-onset sepsis (EOS). Study design Retrospective study of 2073 admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit (2009-2011). Neonates were classified as blood culture-positive, proven EOS (n = 9), blood culture-negative but clinically suspect EOS (n = 292), and not infected (n = 1292). Neutrophil values from 745 not-infected neonates without perinatal complications were selected to validate RR distributions. Positive and negative predictive values were calculated; area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were constructed to predict the presence or absence of EOS. Neutrophil value scores were established to determine whether serial neutrophil values predict the absence of EOS. Results Seventy-seven percent of admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit were evaluated for EOS: 9 (0.56%) had proven EOS with positive blood culture ≤37 hours; 18% had clinically suspect EOS. Neutropenia occurred in preterm neonates, and nonspecific neutrophilia was common in uninfected neonates. The distribution of neutrophil values differed significantly between study groups. The specificity for absolute total immature neutrophils and immature to total neutrophil proportions was 91% and 94%, respectively, with negative predictive value of 99% for proven and 78% for proven plus suspect EOS. Absolute total immature neutrophils and immature to total neutrophil proportions had the best predictability for EOS >6 hours postnatal with an AUC ∼0.8. Neutrophil value scores predicted the absence of EOS with AUC of 0.9 and 0.81 for proven and proven plus suspect EOS, respectively. Conclusion Age-dependent neutrophil RRs remain valid. Serial neutrophil values at 0, 12, and 24 hours plus blood culture and clinical evaluation can be used to discontinue antimicrobial therapy at 36-48 hours.
Accuracy and frequency analysis of multitouch interfaces for individuals with Parkinsonian and essential hand tremor

In this study, the accuracy of an optical mouse, optical trackball, isotonic joystick, and a FingerWorks MultiTouch Surface (MTS) are compared for users suffering from Parkinsonian tremor and essential tremor. Using a data acquisition program, WinFitts, created at the University of Oregon's HCI Lab, data collected from five subjects with Parkinsonian tremor, five with essential tremor, and eleven with no tremor is analyzed and compared. Both temporal and spatial analyses are obtained from all of the subject data. The time-based measures of performance for each device include the uses of Fitts' law and the Proximity Movement Time, while the spatially-based measures include the use of the Deviation Accuracy and the Click Histogram. A statistical analysis is performed using a t-test to show the differences between the resulting means of some of the measures. By using the MUSIC spectral estimation technique, an analysis of the frequency and the amplitude of the tremor showed how certain devices performed in hand tremor suppression.
Traffic Citations in Relation to Gender

The present study was designed to examine the possibility that traffic officers are more lenient in issuing citations to other gender drivers. Statistics on the traffic citations issued for a year were obtained from the highway patrols of two states. The information was classified by violation, officers' gender, and drivers' gender. For most categories of violation, men issued a greater percent of their citations to male drivers than women did and women issued a greater percent of their citations to female drivers than men did. The differences could have been due to leniency on the part of one gender or both genders of officers. Leniency on the part of both genders is more consistent with the literature on helping in situations with low cost and low threat to the helper. A possible interpretation is that gender identity includes norms for positive treatment of other gender persons.
Abnormal profile of cortisol metabolism in two children with juvenile hypertensive syndrome

Dynamic testings for pituitary and adrenal activity in 2 bloodrelated children (boy 10.5 yr; girl 8.0 yr) with juvenile hypertensive syndrome associated with low plasma renin activity and other characteristic symptoms of mineralocorticoid excess failed to show any overproduction of aldosterone. For other steroids also the profiles were not grossly deviated except androgen and DOC excretions were slightly elevated. Both subjects were without any virilization and daily 25 mg of cortisol failed to improve clinical condition. Histological study of the male subject's adrenal cortex revealed strangely not hyperplasia but hypoplasia. Daily dexamethasone treatment improved hypertension and hypokalemic alkalosis. Extensive analysis of urinary steroids revealed the existence of 5α and 5β epimers (not separated) of dihydrocortisol (boy 107.04/ug; girl 95.76/ug) and dihydrocortisone (boy 87.881 /ug;girl 80.84/ug) where the former was present in much larger quantities than that found by Ulick et al. (1977) in a 3-yr-old girl and recently postulated as an effective mineralocorticoid by Marver and Edelman (1978).
The relative efficiency of interest-free monetary system: some empirical evidence

Abstract Using cointegration and error-correction modeling, this paper empirically examines the merits of interest-free monetary system in the case of Iran and Pakistan. Results from annual data over 1960–1999 suggest that introducing interest-free banking in the two countries around the early 1980s improved, or at least did not hamper, their overall macroeconomic performance. Moreover, compared to interest-based monetary aggregates, interest-free monetary aggregates in both countries (a) exhibit a stable money velocity, (b) provide policy-makers with a highly controllable monetary environment, and (c) provide a robust linkage with ultimate policy objectives.
Assessment of the relationship between emplacement of the Algoman plutons and regional deformation in the Rainy Lake region, Ontario

The Algoman suite of granites and granodiorites, located within the Rainy Lake region of the Superior Province, intruded the Wabigoon–Quetico subprovince boundary about 2686 Ma. Deformation occurred during the late Archean collision between the Wabigoon and Wawa volcanic arcs. The Algoman plutons are the youngest rocks in the region. Their apparent lack of macroscopic deformation fabrics has led previous researchers to use their age as a constraint for the cessation of regional deformation. However, contrasting competence between the relatively rigid granites and surrounding volcanic and metasedimentary rocks suggests that obvious deformation fabrics may not be observed in the plutons even if they were present during deformation. A field, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), gravity inversion model, and microstructural study were undertaken on two neighboring Algoman plutons to determine their emplacement history relative to the regional deformation. There is a steep macroscopic foliation in the adjacent rocks and in parts of the plutons. The magnetic foliation is very strong and roughly coincident with the field foliations. The gravity inversion models indicate that the plutons are relatively shallow (1 km and 4.5 km at their deepest points), and their shapes are consistent with emplacement during dextral transpression. Quartz microstructures, such as undulose extinction and subgrain formation, indicate that there was some solid-state deformation accommodated by dislocation creep mechanisms. The field, AMS, gravity, and microstructural evidence indicate that the plutons were most likely emplaced syntectonically. Thus, the pluton age does not provide a conclusive constraint to the cessation of regional deformation.
Perceptions of Juvenile Offenders Who Were Abused as Children

Should a history of child abuse be taken into consideration when a juvenile offender is punished? Although some research shows that child abuse is used as a mitigating factor for juvenile offenders (i.e., elicits less punitive sentences), surveys of juvenile court officials reveal that it is considered an aggravating factor. Specifically, in controlled mock jury studies in which child abuse is experimentally manipulated, child abuse elicits less punitive sentences. In contrast, child abuse elicits more punitive sentences in a nonexperimentally controlled environment—the juvenile justice system. This article provides a comprehensive literature review to explain these conflicting bodies of research by considering factors that naturally covary with childhood abuse: chaotic family environment, mental health problems, behavioral problems, and school problems.
A Management Tool for Evaluating Police Use of Force: An Application of the Force Factor

Collecting and using data on police use of force is a complex issue. The process the authors suggest applies the force factor methodology to understanding police use of force relative to suspect resistance in interactive and sequential encounters. Agencies that adopt the force factor approach will learn about their officers, supervisors, and encounters with the public they serve. Although this process is fairly complex and may be difficult to implement, it will provide important information to agencies and the public.
Ultrasound in the assessment of the acute scrotum

Color Doppler imaging (CDI) has become the study of choice in evaluation of the scrotum due to technological advances resulting in superior resolution and sensitive Doppler systems. CDI has become particularly helpful in evaluating the scrotum in the setting of acute disorders, such as torsion of the spermatic cord, epididymal and testicular inflammation, and scrotal trauma. CDI should be the study of choice to evaluate for torsion of the spermatic cord and demonstrates a high degree of accuracy. CDI in such a setting, however, does require operator experience, sensitive Doppler ultrasound equipment, and operator knowledge of the limitations of CDI. With epididymitis or epididymo-orchitis, CDI has proven to be quite helpful in evaluating the scrotal contents for the presence of inflammation and associated complications. In scrotal trauma, CDI's utility remains somewhat controversial, but with further investigation its appropriate application in this situation may become clear.
Imparting the unique properties of DNA into complex material architectures and functions

While the remarkable chemical and biological properties of DNA have been known for decades, these properties have only been imparted into materials with unprecedented function much more recently. The inimitable ability of DNA to form programmable, complex assemblies through stable, specific, and reversible molecular recognition has allowed the creation of new materials through DNA's ability to control a material's architecture and properties. In this review we discuss recent progress in how DNA has brought unmatched function to materials, focusing specifically on new advances in delivery agents, devices, and sensors.
Chemical, isotopic and mineralogical evidence for the origin of matrix in ordinary chondrites

Results are presented of a combined chemical, isotopic, and mineralogical study of fine-grained opaque matrix material from a type-3 ordinary chondrite Allan Hills A77299. It was found that the matrix of this chondrite (in contrast to chondrules) shows no siderophile element depletions and is remarkably unfractionated relative to CI chondrites. It was also found that the matrix lump has a unique oxygen isotopic composition which lies below the terrestrial fractionation line and differs markedly from the composition of fine-grained matrix lumps and chondrule rims from Semarkona chondrules (Grossman and Wasson, 1987; Grossman et al., 1987); the mineralogy and textures of the matrix lump (which consists of rare angular grains of pyroxene and olivine embedded within a ground-mass of rounded fine-grained olivines), as well as its major element composition, are typical of matrix material of other type-3 chondrites studied. It is concluded that the matrix lump in these chondrites consists largely of material that formed by annealing of amorphous presolar dust or nebular condensates.
Novel low-cost salinity sensor for embedded environmental monitoring

Demand for embedded environmental sensors is increasing. One of the key sensor capabilities is the ability to measure salinity. In addition to understanding the environment, a salinity measurement is needed to estimate water density and to convert pressure to estimates of water depth. This outlines a low-cost sensor that combines an H-bridge and digital potentiometer to make an AC resistance measurement suitable for measuring salinity.
Current industrial practices—technical note: Composition control of high temperature superconducting materials

Abstract A presently popular method of fabricating superconducting materials is high vacuum evaporation. Because many of the materials used for the new high temperature superconductors have not been commonly evaporated, the knowledge needed to decide if a particular compound might be fabricated is not readily available. In order to facilitate these decisions, rate control characteristics of several currently important superconducting materials are studied (barium, calcium, copper, lanthanum, samarium, strontium and yttrium). This study includes instruments utilizing both quartz crystal and electron impact emission spectrometry transducers. The results reported herein include rate control charts of the pure materials evaporated from 1 to 7 A s -1 and discussion of any problems encountered in producing the desired films at low rates.
Disposal of sharps medical waste in the United States: Impact of recommendations and regulations, 1987-2007

Background To gauge the impact of regulatory-driven improvements in sharps disposal practices in the United States over the last 2 decades, we analyzed percutaneous injury (PI) data from a national surveillance network from 2 periods, 1993-1994 and 2006-2007, to see whether changes in disposal-related injury patterns could be detected. Methods Data were derived from the EPINet Sharps Injury Surveillance Research Group, established in 1993 and coordinated by the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center at the University of Virginia. For the period 1993-1994, 69 hospitals contributed data; the combined average daily census for the 2 years was 24,495, and the total number of PIs reported was 7,854. For the period 2006-2007, 33 hospitals contributed data; the combined average daily census was 6,800, and the total number of PIs reported was 1901. Results In 1992-1993, 36.8% of PIs reported were related to disposal of sharp devices. In 2006-2007, this proportion was 19.3%, a 53% decline. Conclusions This comparison provides evidence that implementation of point-of-use, puncture-resistant sharps disposal containers, combined with large-scale use of safety-engineered sharp devices, has resulted in a marked decline in sharps disposal–related injury rates in the United States. The protocol for removing and replacing full sharps disposal containers remains a critical part of disposal safety.
Saturn's Longitude: Rise of the Second Branch of Shear-Stability Theory and Fall of the First

This paper reviews the inviscid shear-stability theory that led to the first calibrated measurement of Saturn's rotation period. The roots trace back to 1880, when Kelvin argued that there are two distinct branches, which Arnol'd established in the 1960s as two nonlinear stability theorems. Vortical eddies must lean into the shear to be unstable, and vorticity (Rossby) waves, which are uni-directional, control the physics. The analog of the Mach number for vorticity waves, here denoted "Mach" or "Ma," is treated as a signed quantity that takes on negative values when the intrinsic wave propagation is in the downstream direction. The Kelvin–Arnol'd first branch, which includes the Rayleigh, Kuo, Charney–Stern and Fjortoft theorems — a century of results — establishes shear stability by restricting to negative "Ma" numbers. Violation of the most well-known of these, Charney–Stern, which implies the existence of at least one potential vorticity (PV; also known as vortensity) extremum, is equivalent to allowing some positive "Ma" numbers in the domain. The Kelvin–Arnol'd second branch is the "supersonic" condition. Taken together, the two branches prove that "subsonic" flow is necessary for instability. Consequently, the shock of vorticity waves in shear may be identified as the onset of shear instability itself. Observationally, positive "Ma" numbers prove to be the norm, not the exception, on Earth, Jupiter and Saturn, and nearly "choked PV" conditions are found to hold for the jets of Jupiter and Saturn, not "mixed PV," yielding a clear, connected and calibrated determination of Saturn's rotation period.
Analysis of community chain pharmacists’ interventions on electronic prescriptions

Objective: To measure the incidence and nature of prescribing errors on electronic prescriptions (e-prescriptions) that required active intervention by dispensing pharmacists to correct. Design: Descriptive, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study. Setting: 122 chain community pharmacies that met a prior minimum dispensing volume of five e-prescriptions per day in five states during July through September 2006. Participants: Pharmacists in participating pharmacies. Intervention: A panel of participating pharmacists reported their medication therapy interventions using a standardized documentation protocol. Main outcome measures: Number, type, and reason for pharmacist interventions on e-prescriptions. Results: Data were reported from 68 participating chain pharmacies in five states during 312 work shifts. During the study pharmacists reviewed 2,690 e-prescription orders (new, 83.0%; refill, 17.0%) and took action 102 times for an intervention rate of 3.8%. The rate at which pharmacists identified problems on new e-prescriptions was found to be nearly twice that of refills (4.1% and 2.2%, respectively). The most common reason for pharmacists’ interventions on e-prescriptions was to supplement omitted information (31.9%), especially missing directions. Dosing errors were also quite common (17.7%). The most common response by pharmacists to e-prescription problems was to contact the prescriber (64.1%), consult the patient’s profile or medication history (12.8%), or interview the patient or the patient’s representative (9.4%). In most cases (56%), the e-prescription order was changed and the prescription was ultimately dispensed. In 15% of cases the e-prescription was dispensed as written following clarification by the prescriber. In 10% of cases the prescription was not dispensed. An additional 12% of prescription issues remained unresolved. Pharmacists required an average of 6.07 minutes to conduct their interventions on problematic e-prescription orders, representing an incremental dispensing cost of $4.74. Conclusion: Electronic prescribing can improve the safety and effectiveness of patient care. As currently implemented in the community practice setting, this stillemerging technology maintains selected threats to both medication safety and effectiveness, although probably less than handwritten prescriptions. The adoption of selected best practice recommendations by prescribers could improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of e-prescribing.
Measurement of the phase of second-harmonic generation in SK5 glass

Focusing an intense laser beam and its second harmonic into a SK5 glass slab transforms the glass into a frequency doubler. We present a new method to measure the optical phase between the second-harmonic beam that transformed the glass and the second-harmonic beam subsequently generated by the glass. We find this phase shift to be Deltatheta= -90 degrees +/- 7 degrees . A spatial map of this phase confirms that the internal dc electric field locked inside the glass resembles a dipole electric field.