cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thoracoscopic versus open lobectomy in infants with congenital lung malformations: A multi-institutional propensity score analysis.

Abstract Purpose The impact of thoracoscopic surgery on outcomes in children with congenital lung malformations (CLM) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of operative approach on perioperative outcomes in infants undergoing lobectomy for an asymptomatic CLM. Methods After IRB approval, a retrospective cohort study was conducted on 506 children with a CLM resected at one of eleven children’s hospitals over a seven-year period. Infants undergoing elective lobectomy were identified, and covariates were balanced based on operative approach using propensity scores with full matching. Outcomes were analyzed based on intention to treat with weighted conditional regression. Results One hundred seventy-five infants met inclusion criteria. There were 67 (38.3%) open, 89 (50.9%) thoracoscopic, and 19 (10.9%) thoracoscopic-converted-to-open lobectomies. Thoracoscopic lobectomy was associated with significantly longer operative times (26 min, 95% CI 6–47 min, p = 0.012) but used less epidural anesthesia (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.004–0.11, p Conclusions Thoracoscopy has become the most common operative approach for elective lobectomy in infants with asymptomatic CLMs. The non-inferiority of thoracoscopic lobectomy in postoperative outcomes supports its continued use as an alternative to open lobectomy. Level of Evidence Treatment study, Level III
Using a case study as a learning vehicle in improving the learning outcomes of a course in SoSE Research Methods

In our master programs for industrial economy and systems engineering, we prepare students for their master’s project with a course in research methods. We concluded in 2020 that the course was too abstract without a running case. Following up on previous research, we report how we improved the intended learning outcomes by using a case study as a learning vehicle. The selected case study was on Technical leadership. In this paper, we document and discuss how well we achieved the intended learning outcomes for the course. Main conclusion is that the running case needs more preparation to ensure that students can collect sufficient data for use in the course.
Time to Come Inside? A Novel Approach to Anastomotic Biliary Strictures.

Liver transplantation is the definitive management for patients with decompensated cirrhosis and/or liver malignancy. Two types of liver transplantation are traditionally performed including deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), the latter of which involves a partial liver from a live donor and is a response to the limited resource of donor livers. In LDLT, the biliary anastomosis can be accomplished by a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy or a duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction. Biliary strictures, which typically occur at the anastomosis, are known complications of both methods but occur more commonly in LDLT. While the duct-to-duct biliary anastomosis provides normal enteric anatomy and ease of endoscopic access, the anastomosis is more peripheral and angulated, and thus management strategies and outcomes have generally been studied separately from DDLT1 .
Genetic Control of Splicing at SIRPG Modulates Risk of Type 1 Diabetes.

Signal regulatory protein SIRPγ (CD172G) is expressed on the surface of lymphocytes where it acts by engaging its ligand, CD47. SIRPG, which encodes SIRPγ, contains a non-synonymous coding variant, rs6043409, which is significantly associated with risk for type 1 diabetes. SIRPG produces multiple transcript isoforms via alternative splicing, all encoding potentially functional proteins. We show that rs6043409 alters a predicted exonic splicing enhancer, resulting in significant shifts in the distribution of SIRPG transcript isoforms. All of these transcript isoforms produced protein upon transient expression in vitro. However, CRISPR targeting of one of the alternatively spliced exons in SIRPG eliminated all SIRPγ expression in Jurkat T cells. These targeted cells formed fewer cell-cell conjugates with each other than with wild type Jurkat cells, expressed reduced levels of genes associated with CD47 signaling and had significantly increased levels of cell surface CD47. In primary CD4+ and CD8+ T cells cell surface SIRPγ levels in response to anti-CD3 stimulation varied quantitatively by rs6043409 genotype. Our results suggest that SIRPG is the most likely causative gene for type 1 diabetes risk in the 20p13 region and highlight the role of alternative splicing in lymphocytes in mediating the genetic risk for autoimmunity.
The semi-analytic mode matching (SAMM) algorithm for efficient computation of scattered near fields from 3D dielectric targets buried in lossy soil

The 3D semi-analytic mode matching (SAMM) algorithm is used to determine the nearfield scattering from spherical, prolate spheroidal and oblate spheroidal targets buried in lossy soil. Scattering is described by moderately low-order superpositions of spherical modes originating at user-specified coordinate scattering centers (CSCs); the mode coefficients are found numerically by least-squares fitting all boundary conditions at discrete points along the relevant interfaces. Spherical buried target scattering is modeled with CSCs located at the sphere center and its image in air; with the latter modeling reflections from the underside of the plane back towards the target. For prolate spheroids, additional CSCs along the major axis of the target are necessary, while for oblate spheroids, the additional CSCs lie in the equatorial plane of the target. For a favorable choice of CSCs and a careful selection of fitting points, the SAMM algorithm converges with increasing mode number.
Production and Repair of Radiochemical Damage in Escherichia coli Deoxyribonucleic Acid; Its Modification by Culture Conditions and Relation to Survival

Late log-phase Escherichia coli B/r cells are 1.6 times more sensitive to killing by X rays than are stationary-phase cells when grown in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) + glucose. The number of single-chain breaks formed per krad is the same for log- and stationary-phase cells. Stationary-phase cells show a somewhat greater ability to repair single-chain breaks (especially after high doses of X rays) than do log-phase cells. The rapidity and extent of postirradiation deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) degradation are greater in log-phase cells than in stationary-phase cells. The enhanced viability exhibited by stationary-phase cells thus appears to correlate both with enhanced single-chain break repair and the reduced degradation of DNA. Cells grown to stationary phase in peptone medium (PO cells) are 3.4 times more sensitive to killing by X rays than cells grown to stationary phase in peptone medium supplemented with glucose and phosphate buffer (PG cells). The yield of single-strand breaks is the same for both types of cells (but the absolute yield is about two times higher than in the cells grown in BHI + glucose). The kinetics for the repair of single-chain breaks are the same for both types of cells for about 30 min. After this time period, further repair ceases in the PO cells but continues in the PG cells, provided that glucose is present in the medium. Postirradiation DNA degradation is both more rapid and more extensive in PO cells than in PG cells whether or not glucose is present in the postirradiation incubation medium. The survival of stationary-phase E. coli B/r grown in PO or PG medium is likewise unaffected by the presence of glucose in the plating medium, and thus correlates better with the lower DNA degradation seen in the PG cells than with the increased strand rejoining, since this latter process requires the presence of glucose.
Colonic inflammation up-regulates voltage-gated sodium channels in bladder sensory neurons via activation of peripheral transient potential vanilloid 1 receptors

Background Primary sensory neurons express several types of ion channels including transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and voltage-gated Na+ channels. Our previous studies showed an increased excitability of bladder primary sensory and spinal neurons triggered by inflammation in the distal colon as a result of pelvic organ cross-sensitization. The goal of this work was to determine the effects of TRPV1 receptor activation by potent agonists and/or colonic inflammation on voltage-gated Na+ channels expressed in bladder sensory neurons. Methods Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with intracolonic saline (control), resiniferatoxin (RTX, 10−7 mol L−1), TNBS (colonic irritant) or double treatment (RTX followed by TNBS). Key Results TNBS-induced colitis increased the amplitude of total Na+ current by two-fold and of tetrodotoxin resistant (TTX-R) Na+ current by 78% (P ≤ 0.05 to control) in lumbosacral bladder neurons during acute phase (3 days post-TNBS). Instillation of RTX in the distal colon caused an enhancement in the amplitude of total Na+ current at −20 mV from −112.1 ± 18.7 pA/pF (control) to −183.6 ± 27.8 pA/pF (3 days post-RTX, P ≤ 0.05) without changes in TTX resistant component. The amplitude of net Na+ current was also increased by 119% at day 3 in the group with double treatment (RTX followed by TNBS, P ≤ 0.05 to control) which was significantly higher than in either group with a single treatment. Conclusions & Inferences These results provide evidence that colonic inflammation activates TRPV1 receptors at the peripheral sensory terminals leading to an up-regulation of voltage gated Na+ channels on the cell soma of bladder sensory neurons. This mechanism may underlie the occurrence of peripheral cross-sensitization in the pelvis and functional chronic pelvic pain.
Transportation to fulfill human needs in the rural/urban environment

This paper presents background and initial funding on a multidisciplinary program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Research Program. This program considers transportation problems involving urban and rural travelers and relates to all modes of travel. In several parts of the program, particular emphasis is involved with the Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport, one of the largest in the world. Work reported in this paper include: 1. Evaluation transportation problems related to providing essential services to rural and urban dwellers. 2. Study of the effect of interurban transportation systems on the rural environment and the development or demise of the small rural communities. 3. Study of the movement of goods and freight in the Southwest including the impact of the new Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport. 4. Development of methodologies for considering human response to the quality of ride and service in developing criteria for the various transportation modes in both urban and rural areas. 5. Study of human response in developing methods of evaluating possible modal choice decisions in both urban and rural areas. While these are broad program areas which will require two to three years for fruition, preliminary results are reported herein which indicate the potential of multidisciplinary university research.
Democracy, Capitalism, and Education: Reconsidering Dewey’s Failure to Address Economic Life

Our aim here is to take Bowles and Gintis's version of the naivete thesis seriously. We explore their critique and consider Dewey's work in light of their charges. We find that, while Bowles and Gintis do an admirable job of describing problems endemic to schooling in a largely capitalist society, their work is unable to suggest reasonable paths toward change (something they acknowledge in their recent work). Dewey's ideas are, we find, sensitive to the problems of schooling and capitalism. Not only does Dewey recognize problems which Bowles and Gintis would diagnose almost 40 years later, but Dewey's idea of education through (and not for) vocation is designed to ameliorate some of the problems of capitalism. Perhaps most importantly for contemporary purposes, this exploration sheds light on problems with thinking of democracy and capitalism as a rigid binary and it also points to some ways in which schooling might help the two to interrelate in our society. DEWEY'S INSENSITIVITY TO CAPITALISM? Bowles and Gintis's critique of Dewey boils down to the claim that Dewey's views on education are predicated on the belief that we live in a democracy. Bowles
Competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibody in sheep and other ruminants to a conserved epitope of malignant catarrhal fever virus.

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a severe, usually fatal, acute systemic disease syndrome of certain domestic and wild ruminants caused by members of the family Gammaherpesvirinae. Two distinct but closely related viruses cause clinically indistinguishable syndromes: one that is indigenous to the widebeest and the other that apparently is indigenous to domestic sheep. Neither the pathogenesis nor the epidemiology of sheep-associated MCF (SA-MCF) is understood, primarily because of a lack of adequate detection methods for the etiologic agent or antibody against it. No acceptably documented isolates of SA-MCF virus have been reported, and existing antibody assays suffer from significant cross-reactivity with other viruses. As a basis for a specific serologic assay, an attempt was made to identify an epitope conserved among all isolates of MCF viruses, by using a monoclonal antibody (MAb) produced against a previously reported U.S. isolate of MCF virus. A MAb (15-A) which bound a conserved epitope present on all four isolates of MCF virus examined was found. MAb 15-A did not react with eight common sheep and goat viruses or five common bovine viruses. Immunoprecipitation revealed that the 15-A epitope was located on the viral glycoprotein complex, with molecular masses of 115, 110, 105, 78, and 45 kDa. Sera from experimentally and naturally infected animals which yielded a similar glycoprotein complex immunoprecipitation pattern competed with MAb 15-A for its epitope. A competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on MAb 15-A was therefore developed. The assay detected antibody in inapparently infected sheep and in cattle, deer, and bison with clinical MCF. Of the 149 serum samples from sheep associated with MCF outbreaks, 88 (55%) were seropositive by competitive inhibition ELISA.
Dielectric properties of barium titanate and alumina filled epoxy

The properties of a dielectric material can be controlled through the introduction of various fillers. This study was primarily undertaken to determine the effect of the combination of two fillers, barium titanate, to increase the permittivity of the filled system, and alumina, for its antitracking properties. It was found that the introduction of barium titanate filler into epoxy produced samples which exhibited increased permittivity with increasing filler level. The addition of only alumina filler also increased the permittivity of the base epoxy, although to a lesser extent. To evaluate the interaction of these two fillers, samples were prepared holding one filler level constant and varying the level of the other material. It was found that samples prepared with a mixture of both the alumina and barium titanate fillers exhibited a permittivity that was slightly higher than that of samples filled with barium titanate alone.
Robotic assembly of truss structures for space systems and future research plans

Many initiatives under study by both the space science and Earth science communities require large space systems, i.e. with apertures >15 m or dimensions >20 m. This paper reviews the effort in NASA Langley Research Center's Automated Structural Assembly Laboratory which laid the foundations for robotic construction of these systems. In the Automated Structural Assembly Laboratory reliable autonomous assembly and disassembly of an 8 m planar structure composed of 102 truss elements covered by 12 panels was demonstrated. The paper reviews the hardware and software design philosophy which led to reliable operation during weeks of near continuous testing. Special attention is given to highlight the features enhancing assembly reliability.
Psychosocial Characteristics of Adult Daughters of Breast Cancer Patients: Comparison of Clinic and Community Caregivers Samples

Objective: The long-term psychosocial impact of adult daughters caring for their mothers with breast cancer has been recognized but understudied. The objectives of this study were to characterize the psychosocial functioning of women who served as informal caregivers during their mothers. treatment for breast cancer in two distinct samples, community and high risk clinic, and to determine differences in psychosocial functioning between the two samples. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of mostly married, Caucasian and college educated women (N = 59) were administered a battery of questionnaires assessing socio-demographic and psychosocial factors (i.e. coping, caregiving tasks and difficulty, social support, spirituality, mental distress, depressive symptoms). Results: Using descriptive analysis, chi-square and T tests, results demonstrated significant differences between the two samples in time since caregiving, with the community sample reporting few years since the caregiving episode (e...
Analysis of loss-of-function mutants in aspartate kinase and homoserine dehydrogenase genes points to complexity in the regulation of aspartate-derived amino acid contents

Biosynthesis of aspartate (Asp)-derived amino acids lysine (Lys), methionine (Met), threonine (Thr), and isoleucine involves monofunctional Asp kinases (AKs) and dual-functional Asp kinase-homoserine dehydrogenases (AK-HSDHs). Four-week-old loss-of-function Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants in the AK-HSDH2 gene had increased amounts of Asp and Asp-derived amino acids, especially Thr, in leaves. To explore mechanisms behind this phenotype, we obtained single mutants for other AK and AK-HSDH genes, generated double mutants from ak-hsdh2 and ak mutants, and performed free and protein-bound amino acid profiling, transcript abundance, and activity assays. The increases of Asp, Lys, and Met in ak-hsdh2 were also observed in ak1-1, ak2-1, ak3-1, and ak-hsdh1-1. However, the Thr increase in ak-hsdh2 was observed in ak-hsdh1-1 but not in ak1-1, ak2-1, or ak3-1. Activity assays showed that AK2 and AK-HSDH1 are the major contributors to overall AK and HSDH activities, respectively. Pairwise correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between the amount of AK transcripts and Lys-sensitive AK activity and between the amount of AK-HSDH transcripts and both Thr-sensitive AK activity and total HSDH activity. In addition, the ratio of total AK activity to total HSDH activity negatively correlates with the ratio of Lys to the total amount of Met, Thr, and isoleucine. These data led to the hypothesis that the balance between Lys-sensitive AKs and Thr-sensitive AK-HSDHs is important for maintaining the amounts and ratios of Asp-derived amino acids.
Pollen in marine sediments as an indicator of oxidation of organic matter

ORGANIC carbon burial in marine sediments generates virtually all atmospheric oxygen, and provides a long-term sink for about 20% of all carbon1, 2 it is therefore important to understand the mechanisms controlling organic carbon preservation. There is a fraction of organic matter that is preserved under reducing conditions but which can be rapidly oxidized if exposed to molecular oxygen3–6. It is not clear, however, how much of the total organic matter preserved in marine sediments is oxygen-sensitive. Here we present results from a relict turbidite in the Madeira abyssal plain which suggest that pollen grains can be used as a sensitive tracer of oxygen-sensitive organic carbon. We find that pollen grains were completely degraded within 10 kyr in the presence of diffusively introduced oxygen, but were well preserved for at least 100 kyr under anoxic conditions. We also present pollen data from the Pacific Northwest continental shelf, which suggest that oxic degradation can explain the decrease in organic carbon with depth commonly observed in coastal sediments.
A general class of cumulative damage models for materials failure

Abstract A generalized cumulative damage approach is presented which yields a large family of accelerated test inverse Gaussian-type models for strength of materials that incorporate the size effect as the acceleration variable. Previous models are generalized here in three aspects: the cumulative damage model is more general and can include damage functions other than the additive and multiplicative damages; the strength reduction function due to initial damage existing in the material is taken to be a very general function; and the initial damage process is a more general stochastic process that includes those previously assumed as special cases. The approach taken here is therefore the most general cumulative damage model obtained to date and yields a large number of potentially more useful accelerated test models for material strength. Estimation of model parameters by maximum likelihood methods is discussed, and two examples using real tensile strength data for carbon micro-composites and single carbon fibers are presented, illustrating the improvement of the new approach over previous models.
Medicare nursing home residents with a stroke. Characteristics and 90-day outcomes of care.

The objective of this article is to describe the characteristics and outcomes of Medicare patients admitted to nursing homes with a primary diagnosis of stroke. This study used longitudinal clinical information prospectively collected in National Health Corporation (NHC) nursing homes on admission and at discharge or death. In total, 2,345 residents met the following study criteria: age 40 and over, newly admitted from a general hospital to a NHC home under Medicare, and previously living in the community. The outcomes were functional status and discharge disposition within 90 days. By 90-days post admission, 27.4% remained in the nursing home, 22.4% had gone home, 25.7% had been readmitted to a general hospital, 8.7% had entered another facility, and 15.6% of the patients with stroke had died. Residents who went home showed the greatest improvement in functional status in Barthel Index scores, from 35.2 (SD 21.1) to 47 (SD 25.6); 20% were totally dependent and only 34% scored above 60 on the index. Furth...
Corrosion and metal release rates of Ni substrates under a porous gold coating

Abstract Noble metal coatings intended to protect devices from corrosion may have small porosity that allows corrosive fluid to attack the substrate alloy. A technique combining electrochemical tests and chemical analysis is described that measures low levels of porosity and low corrosion product release rates from the substrate. The technique has been applied to an electrodeposited gold coating on a nickel substrate. The results yielded a porosity of 1.8 × 10−3, defined as the area of substrate exposed to corrosion/area of the coating. Galvanic coupling between gold and nickel was found to increase the rate of nickel corrosion by about a factor of 10. A simplified model showed that if the substrate alloy does not passivate, the corrosion product release rate is expected to increase with exposure time.
Microbial communities in sugarcane field soils with and without a sugarcane cropping history

Microbial communities in rhizosphere soil from sugarcane (Saccharum inter-specific hybrids) and bulk soil were compared at paired field sites with and without a sugarcane cropping history to determine whether monoculture affects soil microbial community composition. Differences were evaluated for culturable microorganisms and functional diversity indicated by community level physiological profiles (CLPP). Qualitative differences in rhizosphere bacterial communities were detected between sites with no sugarcane cropping history (Nsite) and sites with a long-term sugarcane cropping history (Lsite). More fluorescent pseudomonads were detected in Nsite than Lsite rhizosphere soil at two of three sites, and Actinobacteria were more numerous in Nsite than Lsite rhizosphere soil at one site. Fusarial fungi were more numerous in Nsite than Lsite rhizosphere soils. Bacteria were more numerous in rhizosphere soil compared to bulk soil. Total bacterial, pseudomonad, and Actinobacteria population densities were greater in bulk soil from an Nsite compared to an Lsite. CLPP distinguished bulk from rhizosphere soil at one of two sites and Nsite and Lsite rhizosphere soils at two of four sites. Site affected CLPP similarity more than cropping history. The results demonstrated that sugarcane monoculture can affect the composition of the microbial community in field soil. The findings have possible implications for reduced yields associated with sugarcane monoculture.
Effect of ephedrine and hydrocortisone on theophylline‐induced seizures in rats

The concomitant use of ephedrine with theophylline may be a potential risk factor for theophylline-induced seizures. We have explored this possibility in an animal model of theophylline neurotoxicity. We have also determined the effect of hydrocortisone on theophylline-induced seizures in our animal model.
Chemical nature of the urinary "pregnancy test" with iodine.

Abstract The red pigment formed when pregnancy urine is treated with iodine results from a reaction between uric acid, iodine, and tryptophan. A positive test is an indication of hypertryptophanuria. It is not, therefore, a specific test for pregnancy.
Subspace Design of Compactly Supported Orthonormal Wavelets

We derive a new matrix parameterization of compactly supported orthonormal wavelets where the coefficients of the wavelet filter are the solution of a linear system of equations that is parameterized by an arbitrary vector. The parameterization shows that the vector of the wavelet filter coefficients is the kernel of a subspace of the condition matrix row-space. This property is exploited to develop a new design procedure for orthonormal wavelets of compact support. The proposed parameterization also describes the class of two-channel orthogonal filter banks where in this case we have two extra degrees of freedom in the design. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure is illustrated by design examples of common orthonormal wavelets.
Distributed radar imaging using a spatially enhanced linear sampling method

The Linear Sampling Method (LSM) is a qualitative inverse scattering technique which has many desirable properties for the reconstruction of 3D images from radio frequency (RF) data. These advantages include the ability to compensate for multi-path effects, the reliance on little prior assumptions regarding the imaging scene, and that it is a linear solution to the non-linear inverse problem. Unfortunately in its current form the method is unsuitable for sparse receiver aperture data, which yields it impractical for a number of important applications. In this paper we present a spatial variation enhancement for the LSM based 3D reconstruction.
Mathematical Analysis of the Motion of Fluid in Between Ceramic-on-Ceramic Total Joint Arthroplasty Bearing Surfaces

Friction-induced squeaking has been reported in 1–20% of patients who have a ceramic on ceramic total hip replacement, which is a subject of annoyance. Friction induced stick-slip phenomenon is the driving force behind squeaking. Stick-slip occurs when the film lubrication is broken. Fluid film lubrication is a function of sliding speed, lubricating fluid viscosity, bearing roughness, clearance, and contact pressure. A breakdown of fluid film lubrication may result from edge loading, presence of third bodies (wear particles) during articulation, damage to the articular surface (increased roughness), mismatched bearing diameters, etc. In the present study, influence of variation in relative densities of the biofluid and femoral head is mathematically investigated when the spheres are initially subjected to an impulse (start-up condition: initial contact to pre-swing phase of the gait cycle). The parametric analysis also looks at the influence of initial impulse speed, and time of approach of the femoral head to the outer shell.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
The relationship between heterosocial and homosocial competence

This study examined the consistency of undergraduate males' (N= 75) social competency in homosocial and heterosocial situations. In addition, this study explored the relationship between specific behavioral components and judgments of homosocial and heterosocial competence. Undergraduate males engaged in two 3-minute interactions, one with a male confederate (homosocial interaction) and the other with a female confederate (heterosocial interaction). Peer judges viewed these videotaped interactions and rated the subjects' social competence. In addition, five subject behaviors (gaze, smiles, nervous gestures, talk time, and expressive gestures) were coded from these interactions. Results indicate a moderately strong relationship between social competence in the two situations. Correlations between specific behaviors and competence ratings were moderate to high. Regardless of their skill level, subjects displayed similar amounts of behavior in each interaction. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Advertising and cultural values: A content analysis of advertising in Taiwan:

Content analysis was used to examine cultural values that were manifested in advertising in Taiwan from 1981 to 1990. During this period, the study shows, time perspectives, Western orientation and...
Sources for Russian Book Inflation Data

The article examines five major sources of data on inflation in Russian book prices: professional book magazines, organizations' publications and Web sites, vendor catalogs, the reports written by John and Kristine Bushnell, and automated library management systems. The author discusses the limits, advantages, and methodologies for each of them.
Edge subdivision and dimension

The dimension of a partial order can be multiplied by an arbitrarily large factor when edges are subdivided.
Pricing Nonmarketed Outputs with an Application to Community Colleges

We use the directional output distance function in cost space to recover absolute prices of nonmarket goods such that the ratio of prices equals the marginal rate of transformation of outputs in production. As such, the method is quite useful for valuing nonmarketed goods such as those produced by government entities such as the National Park Service, public schools and universities, and municipalities. We provide an empirical illustration of our method using fourteen Missouri community colleges that produced full-time equivalent students, certificates, associate’s degrees, and real spending on public service and auxiliary enterprises during the period 2005–2006 to 2011–2012.
Cardiac β-receptor variation in rat strains selectively bred for differences in susceptibility to stress

Abstract The radioligand 3 H-DHA was used to estimate the density and affinity of cardiac β-receptors in rat strains selectively bred for differences in response to stress. Maudsley Reactive rats selected for heightened reactivity to stress had a greater density of β-adrenergic binding in cardiac membranes than rats of two genetically distinct Maudsley Non-Reactive strains selected for decreased reactivity to stress, and compared with one of these Non-Reactive strains the MNR/Har, increased affinity for 3 H-DHA. Together with previous findings the present results demonstrate a negative correlation between estimates of basal sympathetic activity on the one hand, and post-synaptic β-receptors in heart on the other, that are consistent with the notion that these receptor alterations have occurred as a result of long-term differences in pre-synaptic release of transmitter. The Maudsley strains may, therefore, provide a useful model for the study of β-adrenergic receptors as a physiological locus for regulation of end-target responsiveness to sympathetic stimulation.
Recent research on fuel injection and mixing and piloted-ignition for scramjet combustors

Fuel injection and mixing and piloted ignition in supersonic flow design principles for scramjet engine, evaluating eddy viscosity model for parallel injection
Phosphorylation of fat in absence of adrenal glands as measured with radioactive phosphorus.

SINCE IT WAS FIRST postulated that the adrenal cortex acts on phosphorylation processes involving both carbohydrate and fat (1–3), numerous attempts have been made to obtain evidence for or against this view. So far as fat is concerned, some of the evidence has centered around the question of whether its absorption is influenced by excision of the adrenal glands (4–6). Although there can be no doubt that fat is phosphorylated in the intestinal mucosa (7–12), the evidence available at present does not permit the conclusion that the only way that fat can cross the intestinal wall is via phosphorylation, or that faulty absorption of fat in the adrenalectomised animal must therefore represent an interference in the process of phosphorylation. Barnes et al. (5, 13) found no interference in the rates of incorporation of administered conjugated fatty acids into the phospholipid molecule after adrenalectomy. They employed the term ‘phosphorylation’ to describe this process (5, 13).
Complexities of water access in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract Water access is generally measured by the distance to a source of water. This concept of access overlooks important issues such as the reliability, quality, quantity, and cost of water. Using survey data from residents in four of Dar es Salaam's wards, this paper explores the complexity of real water access. Many households have water access on paper, but in reality are forced to obtain water from a variety of sources, including some that are contaminated with salt or sewerage, and spend a significant portion of their incomes on this water. The inadequacies in water provision can be attributed in part to the colonial era, but a lack of expansion or improvement to water infrastructure since independence is also to blame. Community-based organizations have emerged as one way to improve water access.
A clinical/translational perspective: can a developmental hormone play a role in the treatment of traumatic brain injury?

Abstract This article is part of a Special Issue "Hormones & Neurotrauma". Despite decades of laboratory research and clinical trials, a safe and effective treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) has yet to be put into successful clinical use. I suggest that much of the problem can be attributed to a reductionist perspective and attendant research strategy directed to finding or designing drugs that target a single receptor mechanism, gene, or brain locus. This approach fails to address the complexity of TBI, which leads to a cascade of systemic toxic events in the brain and throughout the body that may persist over long periods of time. Attention is now turning to pleiotropic drugs: drugs that act on multiple genomic, proteomic and metabolic pathways to enhance morphological and functional outcomes after brain injury. Of the various agents now in clinical trials, the neurosteroid progesterone (PROG) is gaining attention despite the widespread assumption that it is “just a female hormone” with limited, if any, neuroprotective properties. This perspective should change. PROG is also a powerful developmental hormone that plays a critical role in protecting the fetus during gestation. I argue here that development, neuroprotection and cellular repair have a number of properties in common. I discuss evidence that PROG is pleiotropically neuroprotective and may be a useful therapeutic and neuroprotective agent for central nervous system injury and some neurodegenerative diseases.
A Perturbation Analysis of the Equations for Electrostatic Space-Charge Flow and its Application to the Production of Hollow Beams from a Toroidal Cathode†

ABSTRACT A perturbation theory for electrostatic apace-charge flow is developed. The theory admits perturbations both of the physical parameter of flow and of the metric in which they are derived–allowing for perturbations of the cathode. As an illustration of the method, the problem of the production of a hollow beam from a toroidal cathode is treated as a perturbation of the problem of the production of a strip beam from a circular cathode.
On free boundary problems with arbitrary initial and flux conditions

The paper is concerned with the free boundary problem of a semi-infinite body with an arbitrarily prescribed initial condition and an arbitrarily prescribed flux at its face. An analytically exact solution to the problem is found and established, which is expressed in terms of some functions and polynomials of the error integral family and timet. Convergence of the series solution is considered and proved. For illustration, the solution is applied to a special problem, which is discussed in detail. Some remarks about the solution are also included.
Antibodies to collagen in patients with emphysema

Abstract Seventy percent of 422 patients with emphysema were found to have antibodies to denatured collagen, whereas only 9% of normal controls matched for age, sex and ethnic origin had these antibodies. The titers ranged up to 1:16 and higher, compared to titers of 1:2 and 1:4 in the normal sera. The antibody activity was found exclusively in the IgG fraction, and the antigenic specificity, determined by hemagglutination inhibition, was directed primarily to α2CB3 with some antibody activity to α2CB5. No correlation between titers of antibodies to collagen and levels of α1 antitrypsin could be demonstrated, nor were any of the seropositive patients deficient in α1 antitrypsin. It is concluded that antibodies to collagen in patients with emphysema probably reflect destruction of pulmonary connective tissue, and that the demonstration of their presence may serve as a basis for the development of an assay for early detection of this disease.
The Conservation Reserve Program and Grassland Birds

Several bird species that breed in the temperate grasslands of North America, many of which winter in the Neotropics, declined in abundance during the past quarter century. The Lark Bunting (see Table 1 for scientific names) and Grasshopper Sparrow, as examples, declined by about half during that period, as indexed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Breeding Bird Survey. Populations of other grassland species have also diminished steadily, if not as spectacularly. Why so many species declined is not known, but continued conversion of perennial grassland to annually tilled cropland is a suspected cause. A test of this possibility is offered by the Conservation Reserve Program, a program of the United States Department of Agriculture that caused the reversion of millions of hectares of marginal cropland to perennial grassland. Under this Program, landowners are paid to plant perennial vegetation on certain eroding or highly erodible fields. They receive annual payments during the 10 years of the contract. Although the primary objectives of the Program involved reduction of crop surpluses and protection of soil from erosion, wildlife habitat was listed as a secondary objective. We evaluated the use by breeding birds of selected Program fields in eastern Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Minnesota. These four states have about four million hectares of land enrolled in the Pro-
Structure of the ABL2/ARG kinase in complex with dasatinib.

ABL2/ARG (ABL-related gene) belongs to the ABL (Abelson tyrosine-protein kinase) family of tyrosine kinases. ARG plays important roles in cell morphogenesis, motility, growth and survival, and many of these biological roles overlap with the cellular functions of the ABL kinase. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is associated with constitutive ABL kinase activation resulting from fusion between parts of the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) and ABL1 genes. Similarly, fusion of the ETV6 (Tel) and ARG genes drives some forms of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dasatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of CML by inhibiting ABL, and while it also inhibits ARG, there is currently no structure of ARG in complex with dasatinib. Here, the co-crystal structure of the mouse ARG catalytic domain with dasatinib at 2.5 A resolution is reported. Dasatinib-bound ARG is found in the DFG-in conformation although it is nonphos­phorylated on the activation-loop tyrosine. In this structure the glycine-rich P-loop is found in a relatively open conformation compared with other known ABL family–inhibitor complex structures.
Traveling with the Family Dog: Targeting an Emerging Segment

More Americans currently consider their dogs as part of their families and are more frequently including them in their travel plans. This study examines this phenomenon and the implications for the marketers of travel-related products and services. Empirical findings show that while over half of those surveyed report traveling with their dogs, many are unaware of the increasing dog-friendliness of the hospitality industry. Also, those traveling with their dogs are more likely to be risk takers, perceive that traveling with dogs is more convenient, and are more likely to see dogs as members of the family.
Ratiometric Quantification of SERS Nanoparticles for Molecular Endoscopy of the Rat Esophagus

To monitor the molecular changes that are relevant to esophageal cancer, a miniature spectral endoscope is developed for rotational imaging of biomarker-targeted SERS NPs topically applied on the lumenal surface within a rat esophagus.
Completing Substance Abuse Treatment in Child Welfare: The Role of Co-Occurring Problems and Primary Drug of Choice:

A significant number of substance-abusing parents in the child welfare system do not complete substance abuse treatments. Consequently, their children experience longer stays in substitute care settings, and the risk of the termination of parental rights is increased. This study identifies and determines the specific factors that explain the completion of substance abuse treatment for substance-abusing caregivers in child welfare. The sample includes 871 caregivers enrolled in the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse waiver demonstration. Approximately 22% of these caregivers successfully completed all required levels of substance abuse treatment. The multivariate models indicate that age, employment status, and legal involvement were significantly associated with the likelihood of completing substance abuse treatment. Heroin users were significantly less likely to complete treatment as compared with alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana users. The findings are discussed in terms of policy and practice implications for public child welfare systems.
Comparison of the reliability of a Coulter Counter with a flow cytometer in determining ploidy levels in Pacific salmon

Abstract The reliability of ploidy determination in erythrocyte suspensions by an ICP-22 flow cytometer using a DNA fluorescent dye, and by Coulter Counter measuring cellular volume were compared. The flow cytometer gave unequivocal identifications of diploid and triploid individuals among 200 coho and chinook salmon, while 11% of the Coulter Counter results were inconclusive. The fragility of whole cells may lead to variability in cellular volume which is not a problem when only nuclear DNA content is measured. The advantage of using a flow cytometer may be offset by the greater availability of Coulter Counters. Ploidy data obtained from such equipment would be useful only if the biases introduced by uncertain measurements are acceptable.
Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for itaconic acid production

Renewable alternatives for petroleum-derived chemicals are achievable through biosynthetic production. Here, we utilize Saccharomyces cerevisiae to enable the synthesis of itaconic acid, a molecule with diverse applications as a petrochemical replacement. We first optimize pathway expression within S. cerevisiae through the use of a hybrid promoter. Next, we utilize sequential, in silico computational genome-scanning to identify beneficial genetic perturbations that are metabolically distant from the itaconic acid synthesis pathway. In this manner, we successfully identify three non-obvious genetic targets (∆ade3 ∆bna2 ∆tes1) that successively improve itaconic acid titer. We establish that focused manipulations of upstream pathway enzymes (localized refactoring) and enzyme re-localization to both mitochondria and cytosol fail to improve itaconic acid titers. Finally, we establish a higher cell density fermentation that ultimately achieves itaconic acid titer of 168 mg/L, a sevenfold improvement over initial conditions. This work represents an attempt to increase itaconic acid production in yeast and demonstrates the successful utilization of computationally guided genetic manipulation to increase metabolic capacity.
Lenses, Wave Optics, and Eikonal Functions*

An approximate solution to the problem of a light wave propagating through a lens is obtained by systematically replacing the integrals required to solve the problem by their stationary-phase approximation. This approach is shown to yield (1) geometrical optics in its eikonal form, and (2) a diffraction theory of image formation applicable to lenses with large apertures and fields.
Note: Finding Hamiltonian cycles in {qua si-claw,K1, 5,K1,5+e }-free graphs with bounded Dilworth numbers

Let u and v be two vertices in a graph G. We say vertex u dominates vertex v if N(v)@?N(u)@?{u}. If u dominates v or v dominates u, then u and v are comparable. The Dilworth number of a graph G, denoted as Dil(G), is the largest number of pairwise incomparable vertices in the graph G. A graph G is called quasi-claw-free if it satisfies the property: d(x,y)=2@? there exists u@?N(x)@?N(y) such that N[u]@?N[x]@?N[y]. A graph is called {quasi-claw,K"1","5,K"1","5+e}-free if it is quasi-claw-free and contains no induced subgraph isomorphic to K"1","5 or K"1","5+e, where K"1","5+e is a graph obtained by joining a pair of nonadjacent vertices in K"1","5. It is shown that if G is a k (k>=2)-connected {quasi-claw,K"1","5,K"1","5+e}-free graph with Dil(G)@?2k-1, then G is Hamiltonian and a Hamiltonian cycle in G can be found in polynomial time.
Percentage based allocation of an academic library materials budget

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to describe the process of determining a fund allocation process that would further collection development goals by reflecting the university curriculum and support towards different programs.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a library's experience in using a Percentage Based Allocation formula.Findings – The author describes the process and steps that led to the decision to use a Percentage Based Allocation formula, and the results of its implementation.Practical implications – An allocation process that is tied into other collection development activities (a collection development policy; vendor slip plan profiles) strengthens the collecting goals of a library as a whole.Originality/value – This article provides a model that other libraries can use as a template for developing their own budget allocation processes.