cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of organic, metal and trace element PM2.5 species and derivation of freeway-based emission rates in Los Angeles, CA

Abstract On–road particulate matter (PM) was collected during a sampling campaign in March-April of 2011 on two major Los Angeles freeways, I-710 and Route 110. I-710 is a major route for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) traveling to and from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, while Route 110 has a much lower HDV fraction – 3.9% versus 11.4%. Two sets of samples were collected for each roadway, each set representing approximately 50° h of on-road sampling. Concurrent sampling at a fixed site at the University of Southern California's (USC) downtown Los Angeles campus provided estimates of urban background levels. Chemical analysis was performed for elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hopanes and steranes, and metals and trace elements. Freeway-based emission rates (ERs) – mass per kilometer of freeway per hour – were calculated using mass concentrations, fuel characteristics, and traffic flow rates. These ERs are presented such that freeways could be treated as a line source of emissions for use in predictive models of population exposure for nearby communities. This data could also be used to assess the exposure of commuters to traffic-related PM2.5 emissions. ERs are compared to data from a previous fixed-site roadside study of I-710 as well as to reconstructed values from a tunnel study. ERs were generally lower (or comparable) on the gasoline-vehicle dominated freeway (Route 110) than the freeway with more diesel trucks (I-710), with EC and pyrene being notably lower on Route 110, findings consistent with the Route 110's lower HDV fraction. We found EC emission rates decreased over time suggesting that efforts to reduce diesel emissions from HDVs at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been successful. While ERs for most of the organic species were within the range of values reported by previous studies, the present study found much higher ERs for metals and trace elements. This suggests that the sampling methods employed in this campaign are more efficient at capturing particles from sources such as resuspended road dust and wear from tires and brakes, which are usually not included in traditional sampling methodologies for assessing vehicular emissions (e.g. dynamometer studies).
Purification and characterization of glycerol kinase from Trypanosoma brucei

Abstract Glycerol kinase (EC 2.7.1.30)(GK) from the glycosomes of Trypanosoma brucei has been purified and its kinetic properties have been examined. It has a molecular weight of approximately 53 000 and exists in solution as a monomer. This GK has a broad pH optimum, with equal activity between pH 7 and 9.5. Its catalytic mechanism appears to be random bi bi, with some cooperativity in substrate binding at high pH. The apparent Michaelis constants are: K glycerol = 0.26 ± 0.02 mM and K ATP = 0.19 ± 0.02 mM at pH 7.4, and K glycerol = 0.17 ± 0.03 mM and K ATP = 0.26 ± 0.02 mM at pH 9.0. Glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) up to 10 mM displays virtually no product inhibition of the forward reaction, but ADP is a weak inhibitor, competitive with ATP and uncompetitive with glycerol. The forward reaction is catalyzed very efficiently in vitro, but the reverse reaction proceeds at an extremely low rate, consistent with its unfavorable ΔG . Under anaerobic conditions T. brucei GK is thought to convert ADP and G3P to ATP and glycerol rapidly inside the intact glycosome, where it is tightly coupled to the other glycosomal enzymes. Our kinetic analyses suggest that GK may not rely on any unusual intrinsic properties to catalyze this reverse reaction; rather, the unusually high intraglycosomal concentrations of G3P and ADP, and the presence of efficient ATP traps, may drive this reaction by mass action.
New directions for health insurance design: implications for public health policy and practice.

National attention on issues of public health preparedness necessarily brings into sharp focus the question of how to assure adequate, community-wide health care financing for preventive, acute care, and long-term medical care responses to public health threats. In the U.S., public and private health insurance represents the principal means by which medical care is financed. Beyond the threshold challenge of the many persons without any, or a stable form of, coverage lie challenges related to the structure and characteristics of health insurance itself, particularly the commercial industry and its newly emerging market of consumer-driven health plans. States vary significantly in how they approach the regulation of insurance and in their willingness to support various types of insurance markets. This variation is attributable to the size and robustness of the insurance market, the political environment, and regulatory tradition and custom. Reconciling health insurance markets with public health-related health care financing needs arising from public health threats should be viewed as a major dimension of national health reform.
Putting models to the data test: a case study using Indian Ocean CFC-11 data

Abstract A method is presented for comparing time-averaged model output with snapshot data. The focus is on a comparison between the cholorofluorocarbon CFC-11 simulated in the Parallel Ocean Program (POP) model, and the near-synoptic Indian Ocean World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) CFC data-set collected in 1995. In the thermocline, the simulated fields fairly closely approximate the observations. We seek to distinguish between regions in which there is room for improvement in the model physics, and regions where the mismatch is the result of comparing time-averaged model fields with snapshot data. CFC variance is estimated using an eddy-permitting Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model (MICOM) simulation. The results indicate that the widespread method of visual comparison of vertically-gridded data with model output might lead to misattribution of model deficiencies in regions of high oceanic variability. It is suggested that consideration of error-bars obtained from eddy-permitting model simulations in future model-data comparisons could help avoid such potentially erroneous conclusions.
Experimental verification of a delay compensation algorithm for integrated communication and control systems

Advances in the technology of complex control systems demand high-speed and reliable communications between the individual components and subsystems for decision making and control. This can be accomplished by integrated communication and control systems which use asynchronous time-division-multiplexed networks. Unfortunately, these networks introduce randomly varying distributed delays as a result of time-division multiplexing. A predictor-controller algorithm has been developed with the objective of mitigating the detrimental effects of the network-induced delays that are distributed between the sensor(s), controller and actuator(s) within a control loop. This paper presents the implementation and verification of the above delay compensation algorithm. Performance of the delay compensator has been experimentally verified on an IEEE 802.4 network testbed for velocity control of a d.c. servomotor.
Identification of 2-hydroxymethyl-4-[5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-trifluoromethyl-pyrazol-1-yl]-N-propionylbenzenesulfonamide sodium as a potential COX-2 inhibitor for oral and parenteral administration.

Abstract Synthesis of prodrugs of orally active COX-2 inhibitor 3 involving sulfamoyl (SO2NH2) and hydroxymethyl (CH2OH) groups, and their biological evaluation are described. Of these prodrugs, the N-propionyl sulfonamide sodium 3k was found to be much superior to the parent compound 3 and other marketed COX-2 inhibitors in carrageenan induced rat paw edema model of inflammation due to highly elevated drug levels in systemic circulation. This prodrug has a potential both for oral as well as parenteral administration due to impressive analgesic activity, antipyretic potency, and extraordinary water solubility.
Magnetic- and Electric-Field Effects of the B 1 and B 2 Absorption Lines in Ruby

A pseudo-Stark splitting of the ${B}_{1}(20993 {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1})$ and the ${B}_{2}(21068 {\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1})$ absorption lines in ruby has been observed at 2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The splitting of each $B$ line is 2.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$/V/cm for an electric field parallel to the $c$ axis. This is a factor 3.7 larger than the corresponding splitting of the $R$ lines. There is no observable effect for fields perpendicular to the $c$ axis. Crystal-field theory satisfactorily predicts these properties, which are determined by the symmetry of the ${\mathrm{Cr}}^{3+}$ site. The point-charge model does not correctly predict the absolute value of the observed electric splitting, nor the matrix elements of the $B$ lines.
Photochemical studies on ladderane formation from conjugated esters in solution or solid phase

This letter describes a combined photochemical and X-ray crystallographic study of routes for the synthesis of cyclobutane or ladderane structures by a [2+2]-cycloaddition pathway and leads to a clearer definition of the 3-D structural requirements for such processes in the solid state.
An assessment of the reliability of three methods used in evaluating the status of multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract The reliability of three different evaluation methods used in a cooperative clinical trial of the efficacy of ACTH in multiple sclerosis patients was evaluated in a uniformity study that used an efficient statistical design requiring only 10 patients and 5 examiners. The methods were the standard neurologic examination, a scoring system for functional grades and disability status, and a 7-day symptom score. Each patient was examined only 3 times at the beginning of the study and 3 more times 6 days later. No significant differences among the 5 examiners were observed on 82 of the 87 items used to measure neurologic function. With the exception of 1 variable, there were no significant differences among the average values of the sequence of the 3 examinations, nor among the average increments of change in the numerical scores between the first and second trials. In an additional examination in which all 5 examiners simultaneously evaluated 3 patients 1 at a time, it was found that the 5 examiners observed uniformly in all of the neurologic tests. The results of this study indicate that, by and large, the three evaluation methods appear to be reliable in the evaluation of neurologic status when used in a cooperative clinical trial where several investigators contribute data. Furthermore, investigations of reliability in cooperative studies can be performed with the use of efficient statistical designs such as the incomplete Latin-square design.
Laser Transfer Of Organic Adsorbates: A Test Case Using Coronene Surface Patterns Transferred With Micrometer Resolution To IR Windows

It has been shown that molecules can be removed intact from surfaces by laser induced thermal desorption.(1) We show that this process can he used to transfer organic surface deposits across a vacuum gap to a transparent window such as NaCI for subsequent analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (PTIR). Experiments with thin film test patterns have revealed that a high degree of lateral resolution can be maintained in the transfer process. We attribute this to a strongly forward-peaked distribution of desorbed material. When the desorption wavelength is chosen such that the light is absorbed mainly by the substrate, a suitable power can be found to transfer all of the surface-deposited coronene to the transparent window. For example, rectangular spots of coronene can be transferred from a polished stainless steel surface, using 1.064 urn radiation, with no more than a 10 mrad spread of the pattern and with almost no loss of material.
Complex economic dynamics: Obvious in history, generic in theory, elusive in data

SUMMARY The capacity of nonlinear dynamic models to mimic qualitative features of economic data is illustrated with an adaptive version of the neoclassical growth theory. Implications for econometric methodology are discussed, emphasizing structural estimation and qualitative inference.
Testing the potential of sodium fluoride to affect spermatogenesis in the rat

Abstract The potential of sodium fluoride (NaF) to affect spermatogenesis and endocrine function was assessed in P and F1 generation male rats. Male and female experimental rats received sodium fluoride in their drinking water at one of four concentrations (25, 100, 175, 250 ppm). P generation male and female rats were exposed to sodium fluoride in their drinking water for 10 wk and then males were mated to females within the same treatment groups. Reproductive tissues were collected from P generation male rats after approximately 14 wk of treatment. Pregnant females (P) were exposed to sodium fluoride via their drinking water through gestation and lactation. F1 generation weanling male rats remained within the same treatment groups as their parents. F1 generation male rats were exposed to sodium fluoride in their drinking water for 14 wk, at which time reproductive tissues were collected. Dose-related effects were not observed within the P and F1 treatment groups in testis weights, prostate/ seminal vesicle weights, non-reproductive organ weights, testicular spermatid counts, sperm production per gram of testis per day, sperm production per gram of testis, LH, FSH or serum testosterone concentrations. Histological changes were not observed in testicular tissues from either the P or F1 generation. We conclude that prolonged exposure to sodium fluoride in drinking water at the doses administered in this study does not adversely affect spermatogenesis or endocrine function in the P and F1 generation male rats.
Psychopathy and the combination of psychopathy and sexual deviance as predictors of sexual recidivism: meta-analytic findings using the Psychopathy Checklist--Revised.

Clinicians routinely administer Hare's (2003) Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) to sex offenders and report PCL-R scores as meaningful predictors of recidivism risk. Although a 2005 meta-analysis reported a small (d = 0.29) association between PCL-R scores and sexual recidivism (Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005), no meta-analysis has examined effects for PCL-R factors and facets, the widely cited combination of high PCL-R and high sexual deviance scores, or potential moderators of the PCL-R/recidivism relation. We conducted a meta-analysis of effects from all available studies examining the relation between PCL-R scores and sexual recidivism (k = 20, N = 5,239). The effect for PCL-R Total scores predicting sexual recidivism was d = 0.40, which falls beyond the upper end of the 2005 confidence interval [.20, .38]. Effects were stronger for Factor 2 (d = 0.44) and Facet 4 (d = 0.40) scores than other factor or facet scores (ds = 0.01 to 0.17). Effects tended to be stronger for scores calculated for research (d = 0.44) compared to those calculated for clinical use (d = 0.28). Offenders who scored high on both the PCL-R and a measure of sexual deviance were more likely to reoffend sexually than other offenders (odds ratio = 2.80 to 3.21, k = 6). Results indicate that PCL-R scores, particularly combined with a measure of sexual deviance, are potentially relevant to sex offender risk. But results also underscore several practical challenges to implementing these findings in routine clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Colony reproductive structure in a polygyne population of Solenopsis geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

The fire ant, Solenopsis geminata (F.), like many members of the S. geminata species group, forms both monogyne (single-queen) and polygyne (multiple-queen) colonies. To further understanding of the costs and benefits associated with variation in queen number in fire ants, investigations of colony reproductive structure (i.e., the number of nestmate queens and variation in their reproductive output) were undertaken in a native polygyne population of this species. The number of queens per nest is estimated to be about 30, with a range of 3 to 90. In the laboratory, queens from polygyne colonies set up individually under monogyne conditions had a higher oviposition rate and produced about 50 times more sexual offspring than queens maintained under polygyne conditions. The reduced reproductive success of queens in polygyne colonies is not evenly shared among all individuals. About 40% of the egg-laying queens in these colonies are uninseminated and therefore able to produce only male offspring. However, these individuals produce largely nonviable eggs. Among inseminated queens there is variation in both oviposition rate and egg viability, which suggests that nestmates may differ significantly in their realized reproductive success over the short and possibly long term. The results are discussed with reference to the well-characterized reproductive structure of polygyne colonies of the red imported fire ant, S. invicta Buren, with which this native population of S. geminata shares many similarities.
Simulation of three-phase spouted bed reactor for solid catalyst alkylation

Abstract A process simulator was developed to afford better understanding of the performance of the isobutane–butene alkylation plant that uses a three-phase spouted bed-reactor hydrocyclon and a super acid solid catalyst. The system was simulated by using correlations developed in the cold model and apparent kinetic constants measured in a batch reactor for 1-butene–isobutene alkylation. A new type of catalyst, PtSO 4 Zr/TiO 2 , was used in the presence of recycled alkylate and hydrogen. The computer simulator numerically solved the mass and energy balance equations for the riser and downcomer. It was determined that a gas–liquid–solid with similar properties to the system under study do not shown a charm regime of flow and that the new design of the gas disengaging zone at the end of the riser prevent the undesired recirculation of large bubble and provide stability. New gas hold-up, linear velocity of the liquid, recycle ratio, and mass transfer correlations obtained reproduce the result within a ±10% error. The result of the alkylation plant simulation indicated a large influence of linear velocity and temperature on activity, selectivity, and stability of catalytic system. The other important operating parameters are alkylate/olefin and isobutane/olefin ratios. The optimal operating conditions were determined for a particular catalyst and set of cost.
Boundary conditions for a thick hologram grating

The phenomenological boundary conditions for the slowly varying amplitudes of the electromagnetic fields diffracted by a thick hologram grating are deduced from the solution of the full electro-magnetic boundary value problem.
Retinol Kinetics in the Isolated Retina Determined by Retinoid Extraction and HPLC

Abstract Suzuki et al. [Vis. Res.26, 425–9 (1986);Vis. Res.28, 1061–70 (1988)] have described a formaldehyde-based (HCHO-based) extraction procedure that efficiently recovers 11-cisretinal initially present as rhodopsin chromophore in photoreceptor membranes. Using the isolated retina of the toad (Bufo marinus), we tested whether this procedure (‘HCHO’ method), in combination with a formaldehyde-free extraction procedure (‘i/h’ method) and the analysis of extracted retinoids by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), can account quantitatively for light-induced changes in retinoid levels and thus serve as an alternative to spectrophotometry for tracking the formation of all-transretinol in this intact rod preparation. Initially dark-adapted retinas were incubated in bright light or in darkness and then analysed by homogenization and extraction using the HCHO and i/h methods. Combined data obtained using the two extraction procedures indicated a near-conservation of total retinoid recovered from dark-incubated and illuminated retinas, and thus accounted for light-induced changes in retinoid levels. The HCHO procedure, employing formaldehyde, isopropanol and hexane, was similar to that described by Suzuki et al. and recovered retinaldehydes including chromophoric 11-cisretinal. The i/h procedure utilized isopropanol and hexane and, unlike the HCHO method, efficiently recovered all-transretinol. Illumination (onset at time zero) that produced an approximately exponential decline of 11-cisretinal (time constant of 24 s) led to an increase and then a gradual decline in all-transretinal. The normalized peak level of all-transretinal, representing about 0.54 of the total molar quantity of recovered retinoid, developed with illumination periods of 10–80 s. The normalized level of all-transretinol reached ≃0.3 in retinas illuminated for 1 min and, with longer illuminations (up to 30 min), exhibited an approximately exponential further growth to ≃0.9 with a time constant of 9.2 min. The results indicate the workability of the HCHO and i/h extraction procedures for tracking the in situ conversion of all-transretinal to all-transretinol, a reaction thought to be important for both operation of the retinoid visual cycle and shut-off of the phototransduction cascade.
Closing the gap on DNA ligase

The crystal structure of T7 DNA ligase complexed with ATP illuminates the mechanism of covalent catalysis by a superfamily of nucleotidyl transferases that includes the ATP-dependent polynucleotide ligases and the GTP-dependent mRNA capping enzymes.
Direct and indirect effects of birth order on personality and identity: support for the null hypothesis

The authors proposed that birth order affects psychosocial outcomes through differential investment from parent to child and differences in the degree of identification from child to parent. The authors conducted this study to test these 2 models. Despite the use of statistical and methodological procedures to increase sensitivity and reduce error, the authors did not find support for the models. They discuss results in the context of the mixed-research findings regarding birth order and suggest further research on the proposed developmental dynamics that may produce birth-order effects.
Suppression of Regenerative Chatter via Impedance Modulation

A new technique for the suppression of machine tool chatter in turning based on modulation of the system impedance is analyzed. The modulation frequency is selected as half the spindle frequency. Using the method of harmonic balance and a numerical root finding scheme on the transcendental characteristic equation, stability diagrams arc computed for a variety of modulation amplitudes. The stability boundaries are verified by using the Nyquist stability criterion and growth exponents computed from transient simulations of the vibratory response. It is shown in this way that the impedance modulation technique successfully scrambles the regenerative process that leads to chatter and widens the stability region (by increasing the maximum allowed cutting depth), particularly for low values of the spindle speed.
Proline accumulation and salt-stress-induced gene expression in a salt-hypersensitive mutant of Arabidopsis

The sos1 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana is more than 20 times more sensitive to NaCl stress than wild type Arabidopsis. Because proline (Pro) is generally thought to have an important role in plant salt tolerance, the sos1 mutant and the wild type were compared with respect to their capacity to accumulate Pro under NaCl stress, and sos1 mutant plants accumulated more Pro than wild-type. The P5CS gene, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in Pro biosynthesis, is induced by salt stress to a higher level in sos1 than in the wild type. Although a defective high-affinity K uptake system in sos1 causes K deficiency and inhibits growth in NaCl-treated plants, this decrease is not a sufficient signal for Pro accumulation and P5CS gene expression. Not all salt-stress-induced genes have a higher level of expression in sos1. The expression levels of AtPLC and RD29A, which encode a phospholipase C homolog and a putative protective protein, respectively, are the same in sos1 as in the wild type. However, the expression of AtMYB, which encodes a putative transcriptional factor, is induced to a much higher level by salt stress in sos1. Thus, the SOS1 gene product serves as a negative regulator for the expression of P5CS and AtMYB, but has no effect on AtPLC and RD29A expression.
Access-to-space: Potential future united states launch vehicle transportation systems

Abstract The existing unmanned launch vehicle fleet of the United States consists primarily of Delta, Atlas and Titan. The Space Shuttle is currently the only United States manned launch vehicle. Future launch system needs, both unmanned and manned, have recently been studied by various “Blue Ribbon” committees, as well as by both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense. The main impetus for investigating new ways of providing access to space is the aging launch vehicle fleet and the large costs associated with providing that access. Many options have been and are currently being investigated to provide the United States with a road map for charting the future path for access to space. The advent of a permanent international facility in space, Space Station, will dictate that routine and economical access be provided. This paper describes the systems being studied to improve the access to space by providing better, cheaper and more reliable launch systems capability. Architecture variations include both Space Shuttle improvements and phase-outs, new expendable launch vehicles, separate crew and cargo carriers and advanced technology crew and cargo vehicles.
Generating wind time series as a hybrid of measured and simulated data

Certain applications, such as analysing the effect of a wind farm on grid frequency regulation, require several years of wind power data measured at intervals of a few seconds. We have developed a method to generate days to years of non-stationary wind speed time series sampled at high rates by combining measured and simulated data. Measured wind speed data, typically 10–15 min averages, capture the non-stationary characteristics of wind speed variation: diurnal variations, the passing of weather fronts, and seasonal variations. Simulated wind speed data, generated from spectral models, add realistic turbulence between the empirical data. The wind speed time series generated with this method agree very well with measured time series, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The power output of a wind turbine simulated with wind data generated by this method demonstrates energy production, ramp rates and reserve requirements that closely match the power output of a turbine simulated turbine with measured wind data. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pneumatic compression devices for in-home management of lymphedema: two case reports

The two patients in this case series had experienced long-term difficulty controlling lymphedema at home. Both patients had used numerous home therapies, including older-generation intermittent pneumatic compression devices, without success. The Flexitouch® system, an advanced pneumatic device, was prescribed to assist them with in-home efforts by providing therapy to their affected limbs in addition to the lower trunk area for the patient with lymphedema of the lower extremity; and the trunk, chest wall, and shoulder areas for the patient with lymphedema of the upper extremity. Both patients achieved successful home maintenance of lymphedema, as judged by limb volume, clinical observations, and subjective patient impressions, after incorporating the Flexitouch® system. Neither patient experienced the deleterious effects (worsening genital edema; fibrotic cuff development) that they had experienced with the older-generation intermittent pneumatic compression devices they had previously used. Incorporating the Flexitouch® system as part of maintenance may improve success for lymphedema patients who have previously struggled with in-home management.
Niklas Luhmann's Theory of Autopoietic Legal Systems

Between 1984 and his death in 1998, German sociologist Niklas Luhmann developed a comprehensive theory of what he called autopoietic or self-referential systems. He worked out this approach both at the level of a social system as a whole and at the level of various social subsystems, such as state, economy, science, religion, education, art, family, and—the concern of the present article—law. My particular topics in this critical introduction to Luhmann's theory are (a) its relation to more standard legal theory, (b) foundational or self-referential problems in law, and (c) the problem of law's relation to other social spheres, especially politics and the economy.
Murine macrophages express abundant insulin-like growth factor-I class I Ea and Eb transcripts

Hemopoietic cells have been reported to synthesize insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) messenger RNA (mRNA), but the relative contribution of specific cell lineages that express these transcripts remains unknown. Reverse transcription and amplification of complementary DNA (cDNA) by the polymerase chain reaction were used to characterize full-length IGF-I mRNA transcripts in murine hemopoietic cells. The identity of transcripts encoding the entire prepropeptide was confirmed by restriction endonuclease digestion, Southern blotting, cloning, and Sanger sequencing. Abundance of IGF-I mRNA transcripts was assessed both by Northern blotting and sensitive ribonuclease protection assays followed by quantification with Phosphor-Imager analysis. Whereas IGF-I cDNA transcripts could be detected in a variety of leukocytes after polymerase chain reaction amplification, IGF-I mRNA was negligible or nondetectable in T and B cell lines and in those tissues containing a predominance of these cell types (e.g. spleen and...
Social Reward in Youth at Risk for Depression: A Preliminary Investigation of Subjective and Neural Differences

Abstract Objective: Offspring of depressed parents are at risk for developing depression at rates higher than the general population. One potential mechanism linking parent and offspring depression involves attenuated reward function. Despite the importance of social incentives for adolescents, no previous studies have relied on active social incentive reward paradigms in youth at risk for depression. The present study examined differences in youth self- and parent-report measures of and neural response to social reward between youth of mothers with and those of mothers without a history of depression. Methods: Imaging data were collected on 10 youth with a depressed parent and 23 youth without depressed parent, which included a task examining neural response to social rewards. Youth and parents also completed self-report measures of social reward. Results: Offspring of depressed parents had lower levels of parent-reported affiliation and reduced neural response to social reward in the ventral striatum an...
Bridging the knowledge gap between operational databases and data warehouses

Data warehouse is widely recognized in the industry as the principal decision support system architecture and an integral part of the corporate information system. However, the majority of academic institutions in the US and world-wide have been slow in developing curriculums that reflect this reality. This paper examines the issues that have contributed to the lag in the coverage of data warehousing topics at universities.
Complexes of Alkylene-Linked Tacrine Dimers with Torpedo californica Acetylcholinesterase: Binding of Bis(5)-tacrine Produces a Dramatic Rearrangement in the Active-Site Gorge

The X-ray crystal structures were solved for complexes with Torpedo californica acetylcholinesterase of two bivalent tacrine derivative compounds in which the two tacrine rings were separated by 5- and 7-carbon spacers. The derivative with the 7-carbon spacer spans the length of the active-site gorge, making sandwich interactions with aromatic residues both in the catalytic anionic site (Trp84 and Phe330) at the bottom of the gorge and at the peripheral anionic site near its mouth (Tyr70 and Trp279). The derivative with the 5-carbon spacer interacts in a similar manner at the bottom of the gorge, but the shorter tether precludes a sandwich interaction at the peripheral anionic site. Although the upper tacrine group does interact with Trp279, it displaces the phenyl residue of Phe331, thus causing a major rearrangement in the Trp279-Ser291 loop. The ability of this inhibitor to induce large-scale structural changes in the active-site gorge of acetylcholinesterase has significant implications for structure-...
A symbolic computing approach to evidence code mapping for biological data integration and subjective analysis for reference associations for metabolic pathways

Biological data are scattered across thousands of biological databases and hundreds of scientific journals. Integration among these databases faces numerous challenges including various levels of heterogeneity, limited accessibility, redundancy, and conflicts in the data. The integration process needs both quantitative and qualitative mechanisms to accommodate input metrics such as evidence, context, references, and experimental conditions, which are not uniform across the databases. Evidence codes reflect source reliability and data quality. However, different databases define their own evidence codes. This paper presents a mechanism to qualitatively integrate the evidence codes and the references specified by each database. The methodology is tested using a sample pathway from the BioCyc Tierl, KEGG, and MetNetDB pathway databases. The results are promising and form a concrete basis for data integration.
Impact of family presence during pediatric intensive care unit rounds on the family and medical team.

OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to determine the impact of family presence during PICU rounds on family satisfaction, resident teaching, and length of rounds and to assess factors associated with family satisfaction. METHODS: This was an observational study of a convenience sample of morning work rounds in a PICU, followed by surveys of family members of patients in the unit and residents who had been present for rounds. RESULTS: A total of 411 patient encounters were observed, 98 family questionnaires were fully completed, and 33 resident questionnaires were completed. Ninety-eight percent of family members liked to be present for rounds. On the first day of admission, family members were less likely to understand the plan (P = .03), to feel comfortable asking questions (P = .007), or to want bad news during rounds (P = .009). They were more likely to have privacy concerns (P = .02) and to want 1 individual to convey the plan after rounds (P = .01). Higher education level was associated with decreased privacy concerns (P = .002) but did not affect understanding of the plan. Fifty-two percent of residents perceived that teaching was decreased with families present. Time spent with individual patients was not increased by family member presence (P = .12). CONCLUSIONS: Family satisfaction is high, but families of patients on the first day of admission may need special attention. The medical team should conduct rounds in a manner that addresses the privacy concerns of families. Residents often think that teaching is decreased when families are present.
The Effect of Municipal Bond Rating Change Announcements on Seasoned Bond Prices

In the municipal bond market, announcements of changes in general obligation bond ratings by the rating agencies are typically made con­currently with announcements of new bond issues. Hence, prior research on the information content of municipal bond rating change announcements is subject to the possible confounding effects of concurrent announcements of new bond issues. Jantscher ( 1970) con­cluded that bonds sell at prices that reflect rating changes prior to the actual change announcement. Ingram et al. (1983), on the other hand, report that municipal bond prices respond contemporaneously to rat­ing change announcements, i.e., that the market is not able to antic­ipate rating revisions. However, since Ingram et al. (1983) did not con­trol for the potential information effects of concurrent new issues, their results could be misleading, whereas Jantscher only examined new issues. This paper examines the effect of rating change announcements on municipal seasoned bond prices after controlling for the potentially confounding effects of new bond issues.
Satire in Springfield: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Simpsons as a Pedagogical Tool

Many universities require an introductory course on American politics or government for all students or for students of many different majors. This presents a significant challenge to those teaching the introductory course; with so many non-political science majors in a class, how do you create a class that is useful and engaging to majors and non-majors alike? One possibility, explored by previous research, is to rely on humor, and political satire specifically. This paper expands upon previous research in three ways. First, in this paper, I extend the consideration of satire in the classroom beyond The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report to cartoons, specifically The Simpsons. Second, I articulate a specific analytic frame through which my students analyze The Simpsons, and one that can be applied to analyzing other forms of satire. Finally, drawing on student evaluations, I offer a brief discussion of student responses to the use of nontraditional material in the classroom. While more research is needed to determine how, why and in what circumstances satire is pedagogically beneficial, there does seem to be mounting evidence that it is useful for promoting engagement and learning outcomes among students, particularly among non-majors.
Genetic Identity Analysis, a Procedure that may Have Applications in Clinical Practice

Genetic identity analysis is a procedure that may be done on paraffin blocks to determine genetic identity or non-identity of tissues. On occasion biopsy specimens from different patients are mixed up. This becomes a major problem if the subsequent diagnoses require further therapy or have other significant medical implications. We recently had such a case in which three biopsy specimens from a middle age man were possibly mixed up with that from a pre-teen age boy. The biopsy from the pre-teen was originally reported as a malignant skin tumor. Initially, the three biopsy specimens from the middle age man were sent for genetic identity analysis, which showed that one biopsy specimen was genetically different. The biopsy specimen from the pre-teen was then sent, and found to be genetically similar to the two genetically identical specimens originally submitted for the middle age man. Further confirmation of genetic identity could have been obtained by obtain further samples from both patients, but was not felt necessary in this case. We review the procedure used for genetic identity analysis as well as its other applications for this procedure in clinical practice.
Hepatitis C Virus Treatment: Is It Possible To Cure All Hepatitis C Virus Patients?

The recent advances in hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapeutics have brought combinations of direct acting antiviral medications that offer interferon-free, well-tolerated regimens with sustained virologic response rates greater than 90% in clinical trials for many patient groups. The successes have prompted discussions regarding cure for all patients. These regimens have already demonstrated the ability to cure previously challenging patient groups, including human immunodeficiency virus–HCV coinfection, decompensated cirrhosis, and post-liver transplantation. Limitations exist in the current portfolio of agents, with suboptimal outcomes for genotype 3 and limited data in genotypes 5 and 6. More data are urgently needed in patients with chronic kidney disease and in children. With ongoing developments, highly effective regimens for all these patient groups are within reach. To deliver HCV treatment throughout the world and particularly in low- and middle-income countries, regimens need to be affordable but also pan-genotypic, well-tolerated, and delivered once daily for 4–8 weeks. With such a regimen, cure for all patients would then hinge on the ability to identify patients with HCV infection and deliver treatment within their communities. This review will discuss the strategies that will be necessary to realize this opportunity to cure all persons with HCV infection.
Contributions of parent-adolescent negative emotionality, adolescent conflict, and adoption status to adolescent externalizing behaviors

Although most adopted children are well adjusted, research has consistently found that adopted adolescents are at an increased risk for externalizing behaviors. The present investigation tested a model whereby parent–adolescent negative emotionality traits, adolescent conflict, and adoption status contribute to adolescent externalizing behaviors. The study included 616 families with at least one parent and two adolescent siblings with a maximum 5-year age difference. The analyses used data from the mothers (M age = 45.56, SD = 4.23), fathers (M age = 48.23, SD = 4.42), and the elder sibling (M age = 16.14, SD = 1.5). Findings support two conflict-mediated family processes that contributed to externalizing behaviors: one initiated by parent–adolescent traits and one by adoption status. Findings also underscore the salience of conflict in families and the significance of aggressive traits and negative emotionality. Contrary to previous research, we found that adoption status did not directly add to our expl...
Synaptic information transfer in computer models of neocortical columns

Understanding the direction and quantity of information flowing in neuronal networks is a fundamental problem in neuroscience. Brains and neuronal networks must at the same time store information about the world and react to information in the world. We sought to measure how the activity of the network alters information flow from inputs to output patterns. Using neocortical column neuronal network simulations, we demonstrated that networks with greater internal connectivity reduced input/output correlations from excitatory synapses and decreased negative correlations from inhibitory synapses, measured by Kendall's ? correlation. Both of these changes were associated with reduction in information flow, measured by normalized transfer entropy (nTE). Information handling by the network reflected the degree of internal connectivity. With no internal connectivity, the feedforward network transformed inputs through nonlinear summation and thresholding. With greater connectivity strength, the recurrent network translated activity and information due to contribution of activity from intrinsic network dynamics. This dynamic contribution amounts to added information drawn from that stored in the network. At still higher internal synaptic strength, the network corrupted the external information, producing a state where little external information came through. The association of increased information retrieved from the network with increased gamma power supports the notion of gamma oscillations playing a role in information processing.
Role of biologic therapy and chemotherapy in hormone receptor- and HER2-positive breast cancer

Abstract Background: To review the efficacy of chemotherapy and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapy when used in addition to hormonal therapy for the optimal management of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer. Design: Literature published from January 2003 to March 2008 was reviewed to assess the use of chemotherapy and biologic therapy in addition to hormonal agents. Results: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) demonstrated greater effectiveness in the adjuvant setting than tamoxifen for the management of ER+ and HER2+ breast cancer. Evidence of cross talk between HER2- and ER-signaling pathways suggests that combined treatment with HER2 blockade and hormonal therapy may offer clinical advantages beyond those provided by hormonal therapy alone in ER+/HER2+ disease. Combined therapy with trastuzumab plus an aromatase AI significantly improves progression-free survival, response rates, and clinical benefits when compared with AI monotherapy in postmenopausal women. Several large studies demonstrated that trastuzumab significantly improves disease-free and overall survival when given in combination with, or following, chemotherapy, regardless of hormone receptor status. Conclusions: HER2-targeted therapy maybe combined with AIs for the treatment of ER+/HER2+ metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women. HER2-targeted therapy in combination with AIs for treatment of ER+/HER2+ early breast cancer needs to be prospectively evaluated.
The Assessment and Treatment of High-Grade Lumbosacral Spondylolisthesis and Spondyloptosis in Children and Young Adults

Spondylolisthesis is defined as a slippage of one vertebra relative to the adjacent lower vertebra1. Although the prevalence of spondylolysis approaches 6% in the general population2,3, the prevalence of high-grade spondylolisthesis remains difficult to define. As our understanding of the pathomechanics of spondylolisthesis and slip progression has evolved, so too has our approach to the management of these patients. This review will consider the clinical presentation, evaluation, pathomechanics, and evidence-based treatment options for these patients. The focus will be on the pediatric population presenting with dysplastic or acquired (i.e., isthmic) high-grade spondylolisthesis and spondyloptosis, as this has been a major area of investigation and controversy. Adolescents and young adults with high-grade spondylolisthesis have highly variable clinical presentations ranging from back pain to radiculopathy to cauda equina syndrome. Neurologic symptoms may include radiating pain in the buttock or posterior thigh, bowel or bladder dysfunction, or weakness. This is especially true for patients with an intact pars interarticularis because of the increased risk of severe stenosis. In addition to neurologic dysfunction, patients may report difficulty walking and leaning forward and may express concern with their appearance. The presence of nighttime pain is rare and warrants further work-up for the possibility of infection or …
Transpleural Infraclavicular Approach

This lesser known approach is also used for treatment of the neurogenic-arterial thoracic outlet syndrome. The technique was published by Nelson and Jenson in 1970 [1], and further modified by Murphy et al. in 1980 [2]. The patient must be placed in the lateral decubitus position at 45°. The incision is made in a subclavicular transverse fashion and after separating the fibers of the pectoralis major muscle the first rib is approached immediately beneath. The inferior border of the first rib is then dissected. In order to accomplish visualization and dissection of that rib, the procedure now becomes an intrapleural one (i.e., a limited thoracotomy). The costosternal junction is divided with a rib cutter. Once the anterior end of the first rib is isolated it can be held with a Kocher forceps or a bone holder to facilitate circumferential dissection. By displacement of the rib downward, the anterior scalene muscle is exposed and can be divided at the point of its insertion onto the rib. Further downward displacement of the rib exposes the scalene medius muscle insertion which is also divided. The subclavian vessels are retracted superiorly, while the greater and the lesser curvature of the first rib are now exposed and further dissected until the junction with the transverse process is reached posteriorly. The rib is divided at that level and removed. In the published descriptions of this operation, the posterior end of the rib is best divided using a Sauerbruch rib shear because it is sufficiently narrow to be positioned far posteriorly on the rib very close to its junction with the transverse process.