cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paradoxes and synergies: optimizing management of a deadly virus in an endangered carnivore

Management of pathogen transmission is often hindered by uncertainties in the efficacy of and interactions between intervention strategies, sometimes resulting in unintended negative consequences. Yet outbreaks of infectious disease can have serious consequences for wildlife population health, especially species of conservation concern. The endangered Florida panther, for example, experienced an outbreak of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) in 2002-2004, and continues to be affected by this deadly virus. Ongoing management efforts aim to mitigate the effects of FeLV on panthers with limited empirical information about which strategies are most effective and efficient. We used a simulation-based approach to determine optimal FeLV management strategies. We simulated use of proactive management interventions (i.e., proactive vaccination) as well as three reactive strategies, including vaccination in the face of an outbreak, test and removal protocols, and temporary spatial segregation of the panther population. Vaccination strategies included partial vaccine immunity, an understudied type of vaccine imperfection. We compared the effectiveness of different strategies in mitigating FeLV mortalities and duration of outbreaks. Results showed that inadequate proactive vaccination can paradoxically increase the number of disease-induced mortalities in FeLV outbreaks, most likely due to effects of partial vaccine immunity. Combinations of proactive vaccination with reactive test-and-removal or vaccination had a synergistic effect in reducing impacts of FeLV outbreaks. Temporary spatial restrictions were unlikely to be effective under realistic conditions. Our results highlight the importance of integrating management and modeling approaches to identify unexpected consequences and synergies in pathogen management interventions and aid in conservation of at-risk species.
Striking temperature-dependent molecular reorganization at the C-2 position of [EMIM][BF4]

Abstract Understanding the temperature-dependent structural evolution of imidazolium-based ionic liquids can facilitate their high-temperature applications. In this manuscript, we report an anomalous redshift and line-narrowing of the C-D vibration at the C-2 position of the imidazolium cation of the ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM][BF4]), when compared to other investigated ionic liquids upon heating suggesting the possibility of structural ordering of this ionic liquid upon heating. Computational studies show that this ordering could arise due to the formation of strong hydrogen bonding conformers. Further infrared studies indicate the existence of a possible hidden transition in this liquid which was subsequently confirmed by calorimetric measurements.
Research and Application of Power Supply Path Trace in Integrated Dispatching/Distribution Automation System

This paper proposes a method of power supply path trace suitable for integrated dispatching/distribution automation system. It can realize the target device’s trace function of superior power supplies, its retrieval scope can extend to 220kV high voltage looped network, and the highest voltage level it can reach is up to 500kV. The power supply path presents directly as automatical mapping, which can reflect the power supply safety, trace process and trace result dynamically. This paper demonstrates the basic principle of the function realization, provides technical researches of power supply path tracing and automatical mapping based on integration modeling technology of dispatch. It can follow the full power supply path and observability of power supplies with higher voltage levels. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by different functional scenario analysis and application examples.
Body-States, Body Image and Dissociation: When Not-Me is ‘Not Body’

The relationship between dissociation, eating disorders and disordered eating is key as it relates to dissociative disruptions to body image. It undermines normal integration of appearance-relevant information and cuts off access to subjective experience and feeling states necessary to form an internal representation of one’s self and body. This vulnerability contributes to body image distortions and the uncritical internalization of society’s notion of the thin ideal—which is an unrealistic standard, that leads, in turn, to body dissatisfaction. Patients with eating disorders live under the assumption that if they feel their sensations and feelings these will overwhelm them ‘forever’. The fear of being consumed by these terrible feelings, leads them to believe that ‘not feeling’-or even not existing-is the only answer. Being able to tolerate one’s subjective, affective experience is part of being able to internally represent one’s states, including body-states and to develop a stable experience of body image.
Chiefdoms, Collapse, and Coalescence in the Early American South

This book provides a new conceptual framework for understanding how the Indian nations of the early American South emerged from the ruins of a precolonial, Mississippian world. A broad regional synthesis that ranges over much of the Eastern Woodlands, its focus is on the Indians of the Carolina Piedmont - the Catawbas and their neighbors - from 1400 to 1725. Using an 'eventful' approach to social change, Robin Beck argues that the collapse of the Mississippian world was fundamentally a transformation of political economy, from one built on maize to one of guns, slaves and hides. The story takes us from first encounters through the rise of the Indian slave trade and the scourge of disease to the wars that shook the American South in the early 1700s. Yet the book's focus remains on the Catawbas, drawing on their experiences in a violent, unstable landscape to develop a comparative perspective on structural continuity and change.
A Review of “Forgeries of Memory and Meaning: Blacks and the Regimes of Race in American Theater and Film before World War II”

Forgeries of Memory and Meaning, by Cedric Robinson, builds on Thomas Cripps's Slow Fade to Black (1977), the landmark study of early cinema's role in the struggle for Black equality in the United ...
Saturation‐matric potential relations in gravel

[1] Some environmentally sensitive unsaturated zone sediments, such as those underlying radioactive waste tanks in Hanford (Washington State), contain large fractions of gravels and coarse sands. Coarse, granular media are also included in designs of engineered capillary barriers for subsurface waste isolation. Thus knowledge of the unsaturated hydraulic properties of gravels is needed to understand flow and transport in these critical settings. When standard methods for measuring moisture characteristics or water retention relations are used for gravels, corrections are needed in the near-zero region of matric (pressure) potentials. The need for correction results from gravity stratification of saturation profiles within even short sample columns. Such a correction method was developed and used to determine drainage curves for Hanford gravels having characteristic grain sizes of 8.0–9.5, 4.8–5.3, and 2.0–2.4 mm. In 30 mm tall sample columns, gravity corrections were essential for the 9 and 5 mm gravels and less significant for the 2 mm gravel. Validity of the correction method was demonstrated through accurately reconstructing average column saturation-potential relations from their predicted local saturation-potential relations. The method and results presented here are part of an ongoing study on Hanford gravels and on limits to classical unsaturated hydraulic scaling encountered at large grain sizes.
Recent advances in subseafloor hydrogeology: focus on basement–sediment interactions, subduction zones, and continental slopes

Focused, interdisciplinary research in the subseafloor environment has advanced our understanding of fluid flow paths and the interrelationship between fluid pressure and deformation, heat flow, and diagenesis. Recent investigations in the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the North Sea provide examples of high rates of fluid flow in the permeable basement, with the flow affecting properties of overlying sediments. There are also some indications that flow could continue into subduction. Studies on continental slopes provide evidence for sedimentation-driven overpressures that can destabilize slopes. These studies particularly emphasize the contributions of lateral flow driven by uneven loading. Similarly, evidence continues to build that stratigraphic horizons and faults help to dewater subduction zones. A recent development is the monitoring of pore pressure, temperatures, flow, and fluid chemistry, which aids the understanding of transient behavior and response to strain events.
The Effect of Economic Policy Uncertainty in the United States on Stock Market Performance of the Asian Tiger Economies

This study examines the impact of the changes in economic policy uncertainty in the United States on the stock markets of the Asian Tiger economies (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) because trades between Asian Tiger economies and the US have increased significantly in recent years. Using data of monthly changes in economic policy uncertainty in the US and monthly returns on the major indices of Asian Tiger economies from 1985:2 to 2012:5, this paper shows that changes in economic policy uncertainty in the US negatively affect the returns on the stock market indices of the Asian Tiger economies. The results also indicate that changes in economic policy uncertainty in the US negatively affect returns on the equal-weighted portfolio of the stock market indices of Asian Tiger economies. The finding suggests that stock market performance of the Asian Tiger economies is linked to the economic policy conditions in the US. The finding implies that market participants in the Asian Tiger economies do pay attention to the economic policy conditions in the US.
Influence of rhG‐CSF Scheduling on Megakaryocytopoietic Recovery following 5‐Fluorouracil‐Induced Hematotoxicity in Splenectomized B6D2F1 Mice

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, rhG-CSF, is widely applied to ameliorate neutropenia following chemotherapy. However, rhG-CSF can exert negative effects on megakaryocytopoiesis that might cause a delay of megakaryocyte recovery. Therefore, the present study was designed to test different rhG-CSF administration protocols with regard to their megakaryocytic inhibitory potential in a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced experimental model system. Splenectomized B6D2F1 mice received a single injection of 5-FU (150 mg/kg) on day 0 followed by 50 micrograms/kg/day rhG-CSF given daily for either zero, four, or eight days. Five days after 5-FU, bone marrow and blood hematopoiesis were reduced significantly when compared with controls, independent of whether or not animals received rhG-CSF. However, nine days after 5-FU, granulopoietic recovery from 5-FU-induced toxicity was faster for rhG-CSF-treated versus untreated mice as demonstrated by higher values for colony forming unit-granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) and granulocytes (CFU-GM: 7.2 +/- 0.4 versus 5 +/- 0.6 x 10(4)/femur, granulocytes: 4.3 +/- 2 versus 1.4 +/- 0.4 x 10(5)/ml, respectively). Furthermore, significant mobilization of CFU-megakaryocyte (CFU-Meg) and CFU-GM into the peripheral blood was induced by the eight-day administration of rhG-CSF following 5-FU (day 9: 911 +/- 102 CFU-Meg/ml, 2330 +/- 152 CFU-GM/ml). However, megakaryocytic cells in these same mice were considerably lower when compared with those of animals receiving no rhG-CSF (CFU-Meg: 2.7 +/- 0.2 x 10(3) versus 4.2 +/- 0.2 x 10(3)/femur; small acetylcholinesterase positive (SAChE+) cells: 4.9 +/- 0.3 x 10(3) versus 7.3 +/- 0.9 x 10(3)/femur; megakaryocytes: 2.5 +/- 0.2 x 10(3) versus 4.1 +/- 0.7 x 10(3)/femur; platelets: 2.67 +/- 0.5 x 10(9) versus 3.1 +/- 0.5 x 10(9)/ml, respectively). On the other hand, the shortening of the rhG-CSF treatment from eight to four days caused a rapid granulopoietic recovery comparable to animals receiving eight days of G-CSF with no significant delay in megakaryocytic recovery when compared with mice treated with 5-FU alone; however, with four days of rhG-CSF, the mobilization of CFU into the peripheral blood was significantly less effective. Taken together, the results showed that a shortening of rhG-CSF treatment after chemotherapy is capable of ameliorating neutropenia without negatively affecting megakaryocytopoietic recovery. If, however, maximum recruitment of CFU into the peripheral blood circulation by rhG-CSF for subsequent harvest and transplantation is needed, any shortening of rhG-CSF administration is not advisable.
The Ethnic and Religious Profling of Noncitizens: National Security and International Human Rights

In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 the United States has taken exceptional national security measures, particularly with respect to noncitizens. Many of those measures either expressly or at least arguably entail “proaling” young male Arabs and Muslims. They are summarized in the arst section of this Article. The next section offers an analytical framework for evaluating a proaling program from a policy standpoint; it maintains that no proaling practice is justiaed unless it satisaes certain minimum requirements of rationality and weighted cost effectiveness. The anal section suggests that some of the national security-related proaling practices raise serious issues of U.S. compliance with its obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The ‘ripple effect’ of schedule control: a social network approach

This study extends research on workplace flexibility by integrating insights from literature on social networks. This approach adds to our understanding of the meso-level social context in which workplace flexibility is enacted and highlights the importance of coworkers. Drawing on social information processing theory and literature on flexibility inequity and inducement effects, I investigate whether an individual's schedule control is associated not only with his or her own job attitudes, as has been established in past literature, but also with the job attitudes of his or her coworkers. Using a network data set comprised of 337 individuals from one firm and employing a network effects model, I examine four types of possible coworker effects and ultimately find evidence of an effect among job network peers, such that individuals whose job network peers have greater schedule control report lower job satisfaction and organizational commitment. I conclude with implications for research and practice that de...
Diversity of Epitope and Cytokine Profiles for Primary and Secondary Influenza A Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Responses

Screening with the flow cytometric IFN-gamma assay has led to the identification of a new immunogenic peptide (SSYRRPVGI) [corrected] from the influenza PB1 polymerase (PB1(703--711)) and a mimotope (ISPLMVAYM) from the PB2 polymerase (PB2(198--206)). CD8(+) T cells specific for K(b)PB1(703) make both IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha following stimulation with both peptides. The CD8(+) K(b)PB1(703)(+) population kills PB2(198)-pulsed targets, but cell lines stimulated with PB2(198) neither bind the K(b)PB1(703) tetramer nor become CTL. This CD8(+)K(b)PB1(703)(+) population is prominent in the primary response to an H3N2 virus, although it is much less obvious following secondary challenge of H1N1-primed mice. Even so, we can now account for >40% of the CD8(+) T cells in a primary influenza pneumonia and >85% of those present after H3N2 --> H1N1 challenge. Profiles of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha staining following in vitro stimulation have been traced for the four most prominent influenza peptides through primary and secondary responses into long-term memory. The D(b)NP(366) epitope that is immunodominant after the H3N2 --> H1N1 challenge shows the lowest frequencies of CD8(+) IFN-gamma(+)TNF-alpha(+) cells for >6 wk, and the intensity of IFN-gamma staining is also low for the first 3 wk. By 11 wk, however, the IFN-gamma/TNF-alpha profiles look to be similar for all four epitopes. At least by the criterion of cytokine production, there is considerable epitope-related functional diversity in the influenza virus-specific CD8(+) T cell response. The results for the K(b)PB1(703) epitope and the PB2(198) mimotope also provide a cautionary tale for those using the cytokine staining approach to identity antigenic peptides.
Condom Negotiation Strategies and Actual Condom Use Among Latino Youth

Purpose: To examine which condom negotiation strategies are effective in obtaining or avoiding condom use among Latino youth. Method: Interviews were conducted with 694 Latino youth, 61% female, aged 16–22. Participants reported on their condom negotiation strategies, perceptions of whether their sexual partner wanted to use condoms, and actual condom use. Three strategies to obtain condom use (risk information, direct verbal/nonverbal communication, insist) and four strategies to avoid condom use (emotional coercion, ignore condom use, dislike condoms, seduction) were examined. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, and included youth (n ¼ 574) who reported wanting to use or avoid condoms. Results: Almost 60% of participants reported wanting to use condoms, and nearly all of these used some strategy to obtain condom use. Young men who wanted to use condoms were more likely to do so, compared with young women. Risk information and direct verbal/nonverbal communication were effective strategies to obtain condom use, even among youth who perceived their sexual partners as not wanting to use condoms. Ignoring condom use was an effective condom avoidance strategy, even when youth thought their partners wanted to use condoms. Unexpectedly, young men who expressed dislike of condoms had higher rates of condom use than young men not using this condom avoidance strategy. Conclusions: This research identified condom negotiation strategies that are effective among Latino youth, even when they believe their partners do not want to use condoms. Health care providers could encourage Latino youth to use such condom negotiation strategies. 2010 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.
High temporal resolution video imaging of intracellular calcium.

We have developed a system for imaging intracellular free calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) at the highest rate possible with conventional video equipment. The system is intended to facilitate quantitative study of rapid changes in [Ca2+]i in cells that move. It utilizes intensified video cameras with nearly ideal properties and digital image processing to produce two images that can be ratioed without artifacts. Two dichroic mirrors direct images of cellular Indo-1 fluorescence at two different wavelengths to two synchronized video cameras, each consisting of a fast micro-channel plate image intensifier optically coupled with a tapered fiber optic bundle to a CCD image sensor. The critical technical issues in this dual-image system are: (1) minimization and correction of the small geometric and other types of differences in the images provided by the two cameras; and (2) the signal-to-noise ratio that can be achieved in single frames. We have used this system to obtain images of [Ca2+]i at 16.7 ms intervals in voltage-clamped single cardiac cells perfused internally with Indo-1 (pentapotassium salt). The images indicate that, except for the nuclear regions, [Ca2+]i is uniform during normal excitation-contraction coupling. In contrast, changes in [Ca2+]i propagate in rapid 'waves' during the spontaneous release of Ca2+ that accompanies certain 'Ca2(+)-overload conditions.'
The pediatric caliceal diverticulum: diagnosis and laparoscopic management.

Purpose: To describe the laparoscopic management of anterior caliceal diverticula in pediatric patients and to emphasize the importance of intraoperative retrograde pyelography for the diagnosis of...
Incorporating the DC load flow model in the decomposition-simulation method of multi-area reliability evaluation

This paper presents a computationally viable means of incorporating the DC load flow model in the decomposition-simulation method of multi-area reliability evaluation. The implementation described herein uses a multi-state generation model for each area, a cluster-based multi-area load model which accommodates load correlation between areas, a linear programming model with DC load flow constraints for determining the partitioning states in the decomposition phase, and a similar LP model for determining acceptability of sampled states in the simulation phase. Formulations have been described which enhance the speed and accuracy of the method. The implementation has been tested on 3-area, 4-area, and 5-area cases, and the results obtained have been compared with those produced by an explicit Monte-Carlo simulation. While the results obtained from both methods are similar, the method described has been shown to be considerably faster than explicit simulation.
Synoptic and satellite aspects of the southwestern u.s. summer ‘monsoon’

Satellite infrared imagery for three years (1980, 1981, 1982) are analysed using a colour enhancement technique to derive a cloud climatology of the southwest United States summer ‘monsoon’. Diurnally-stratified and weekly statistics are obtained for different cloud levels and used as an index of the monsoon intensity in each year. Strong diurnal variations in cloudiness, related to surface heating, are identified for July and August, as are marked interannual differences. These regional-scale cloud variations are found to correlate more closely with the 700mb wind direction than with the height of the 700 mb pressure surface when considered for a representative station (Winslow, Arizona). A satellite-based definition of ‘monsoon’ best considers variations of the total cloud rather than of any individual cloud level(s). Several surface and 700 mb synoptic circulation indices are identified and related statistically to the intraseasonal cloudiness changes. The most significant association is found for the variations in latitude of the Bermuda high pressure ridge that presumably relates to changes in subsidence. However, the sign of this relationship may reverse in years when other circulation systems, notably the North Pacific anticyclone, also influence the desert Southwest. Consideration of the zonal westerly index between 45 and 65°N tends to improve the correlation between the Bermuda ridge and summer monsoon cloudiness over the region. Such cloud-circulation studies have implications not only for climate dynamics but also for ongoing solar energy research in the American Southwest.
482. Regulation of NR1 NMDA receptor splice variant expression in rat hippocampus

adulthood. To date, little research has focused on the effect of adverse early life events in animal models of depressive behaviour. This study was designed to assess the interaction of early and adult stresses on behavioral analogues of depression. C57BI/6J mice were maternally separated (MS) for 180 minutes per day from postnatal day 7–21 and were compared on behavioral tests to non-MS animals as adults. Sucrose preference, a baseline measure of anhedonia, demonstrated no differences between the MS mice (n 5 18) and controls (n 5 17), suggesting that these animals could respond normally in non-stressful situations (t 5 0.67, p 5 0.51). MS mice (n 5 19), however, swam significantly less during the forced swim test compared to control animals (n 5 22) (F 5 10.79, p 5 0.002). Other MS mice (n 5 9), which were subjected to inescapable footshock, took longer to escape in this typical learned helplessness shock paradigm (t 5 3.75, p 5 0.003) when tested in the side in which they were trained. These results suggest that animals subjected to chronic stress early in life may be more susceptible to the effects of an acute stress in adulthood. Further investigation of such interactions may provide insight into the role of early trauma and neglect in humans who develop depression as adults.
Intracellular pH controls protein synthesis rate in the sea urchin egg and early embryo

Abstract Direct comparisons between intracellular pH and protein synthesis in the sea urchin egg and early embryo show that pH controls protein synthesis rate in a highly sensitive and reversible manner. The entire increase and maintenance of protein synthesis at fertilization or parthenogenetic activation could be accounted for by a permanent increase in intracellular pH. However, unfertilized eggs whose intracellular pH has been raised artificially by ammonia take at least 30 min longer to reach the rate of protein synthesis seen in fertilized eggs. This time lag for ammonia activation and the decrease in protein synthesis rate during mitosis suggest that other unknown factors can also influence protein synthesis rate during fertilization and early embryogenesis.
The Varieties of Instrumental Rationality

It is a mistake to think that instrumental rationality fixes a single standard for judging or describing actions. While there is a core conception of instrumental rationality, we appeal to different elaborations of that conception for different purposes. An action can be instrumentally rational in some sense(s) but not in others. As we learn more about behavior, it is possible to add useful elaborations of the core conception of instrumental rationality. In this paper, I propose a new elaboration based on Frederic Schick's work on understandings.
A Low Complexity PAPR Reduction Technique for STBC MIMO-OFDM System

Selective mapping algorithm is proposed to reduce the peak-to-average power ration (PAPR) in MIMO-OFDM system. It is proved that the conjugate symbols on two antennas have the same PAPR property with orthogonal space-time block coded (STBC). By using the characteristic, the computational complexity cost and the side information (SI) is significantly reduced compared with the concurrent SLM algorithm. Simulation results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional concurrent SLM algorithm.
Analysis of leptin gene expression in chickens using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Abstract Leptin is a peptide hormone product of the obese ( ob ) gene that functions in the regulation of appetite, energy expenditure and reproduction in animals and humans. We have developed a technique using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE–LIF) for the analysis of chicken leptin (261 base pairs, bp) and β-actin (612 bp) double-stranded DNA products from reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays. Amplicons were separated using a DB-1 coated capillary (27 cm×100 μm I.D.) at a field strength of 300 V/cm in a replaceable sieving matrix consisting of 0.5% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) in 1X TBE (89 m M Tris–base, 89 m M boric acid, 2 m M EDTA, pH 8.3) buffer with 0.5 μg/ml EnhanCE fluorescent intercalating dye. RT-PCR samples (1–2 μl) were diluted 1:100 with deionized water and introduced into the capillary by electrokinetic injection. Separations were completed in less than 6 min and the total time required per sample, including capillary conditioning, was 8 min. We have applied RT-PCR–CE–LIF to determine the effects of insulin and estrogen treatment on leptin gene expression relative to that of β-actin in chicken liver and adipose tissue. In addition, we have constructed a chicken leptin mRNA competitor (234 bp amplicon) and evaluated it for use as an internal standard in the development of a quantitative-competitive RT-PCR assay. Our findings represent the first reported application of capillary electrophoresis to the analysis of leptin gene expression by RT-PCR.
Public management and organizational performance: The effect of managerial quality

This paper presents the first large study of public management quality and its effect on program performance. Using 5 years of data from more than 1000 Texas school districts, the authors measure quality as the additional salary paid to school superintendents over and above the normal determinants of salary. This measure of managerial quality is positively correlated with 10 of 11 performance indicators covering organizational goals ranging from standardized tests to school attendance. These relationships hold even in the presence of controls for other determinants of program success. The measure has the potential to be used in tests of existing management theories, thus moving the literature beyond case studies to more systematic research involving many subjects. © 2002 by the Association for Public Policy and Analysis and Management.
Risks and rewards in the globalization of telecommunications in emerging economies

Abstract The telecommunications industry in emerging markets has been transformed from a collection of mostly state-owned, national companies to one with many privately owned, multinational corporations (MNCs). Using examples from Latin America, this dramatic reconfiguration is explained as resulting from the dynamic interplay between country and firm strategies. It is further argued that first-mover MNCs reaped greater profits than late-mover MNCs, whereas timing had the opposite consequence for host countries. First-mover MNCs had the advantage of buying the incumbent state enterprise, enjoying monopoly privileges, making preemptive investments, leveraging political connections, and adopting entry-deterring policies to minimize competition. But early-reforming countries had to contend with the region’s lack of credibility with investors by deeply discounting sale price, offering special privileges and protections, and absorbing risks that late-reforming countries were able to pass on to MNCs. The paper concludes that telecommunications no longer offers foreign investors easy riches like those enjoyed by first-moving MNCs in first-reforming countries. Late-moving firms, especially in late-reforming countries, are exposed not only to governments with higher bargaining power but also to greater regulatory and competitive risks.
Latent TGF‐β binding protein‐3 (LTBP‐3) requires binding to TGF‐β for secretion

Latent transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) binding protein (LTBP)-1, which is easily secreted, has been shown to enhance the secretion of TGF-β. Here we show that another member of the LTBP family, LTBP-3, is not secreted by several cell types, but secretion occurs after coexpression with TGF-β. The secretion of LTBP-3 requires complexing of LTBP-3 with Cys33 of the TGF-β propeptide.
Is PCAOB Standard No. 5 Impairing Auditor Objectivity

SUMMARY: Auditing Standard No. 5 (AS5) urges external auditors to rely on the work of internal auditors when auditing internal controls over financial reporting. Although relying on the work of internal auditors may enhance audit efficiency, this paper examines whether such reliance is achieved at the expense of audit effectiveness. Specifically, this commentary questions whether conformity with AS5 is advisable given that changes in auditor/client relationships may have impacted internal and external auditor objectivity. Research has demonstrated that since the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 external auditor objectivity has improved, ostensibly due to a reduced conflict of interest between external auditors and their clients. Although this result has positive implications for relying on the work of internal auditors, research also shows that internal auditors' objectivity has not improved over time. Thus, in complying with AS5, external auditors may be incorporating internal auditors' b...
Cavity issues for Ni-like Ta x-ray laser

Lasing has been demonstrated at 44.83 angstroms in Ni-like Ta with a gain of order 3 cm-1 over a length of 3 cm. This wavelength is suitable for holography of biological specimens provided that sufficient energy is available. The duration of the x-ray laser pulse (FWHM of order 0.35 ns) allows the possibility of a second pass through the lasing medium to increase the output energy. The dependences of the output energy on the reflectivity of the multilayer mirror, the separation of the mirror from the lasing medium, and the duration of lasing are explored in this paper. The x-ray laser plasma is a strong source of x rays (energies up to 2 keV) that can damage the multilayer mirror. We examine the heating of the multilayer mirror as a function of the separation from the lasing medium. The effect of the mirror shape (radius of curvature and whether the surface is flat, concave, or convex) on the output energy and degree of coherence of the x-ray laser is given.
Retrograde amnesia in seizure-protected mice: Behavioral and biochemical effects of pentylenetetrazol

Abstract Mice given pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) immediately following a single training trial to establish a passive avoidance response showed a retrograde amnesia for the avoidance behavior; this occurred even when the overt convulsion, usually following PTZ injection, was blocked with lidocaine. Changes in brain RNA concentration attending PTZ treatment were not significant and could not be related to either a PTZ effect or the occurrence of retrograde amnesia; such changes did, however, differ depending upon the expression or blocking of an overt convulsion. The present data suggest that the central effects of post-training PTZ treatment account for amnesia, rather than the convulsion per se .
Tau Immunotherapy and Imaging

Disappointing findings from recent phase III trials on amyloid-β (Aβ) immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have shifted the focus of such treatments to the tau protein. As tau pathology correlates better with the degree of dementia than Aβ plaque burden, it is a more attractive target once cognitive impairments are evident, while Aβ therapies may be better suited for the presymptomatic phase of the disease. Over 12 years ago, we initiated a tau immunotherapy program, seeking to alleviate the functional impairments associated with tau lesions in tauopathies. We have reported that various active and passive tau immunizations diminish tau pathology and improve function, including cognition, in different mouse models. Both extra- and intracellular pathways are likely involved. The antibodies may block the spread of tau pathology via microglial phagocytosis of the antibody-tau complex and facilitate lysosomal tau clearance in neurons after endosomal uptake. We have observed such antibody internalization following intracarotid injection in mice and in various culture models. These include brain slices and primary neurons from tangle mice as well as human neuroblastoma cell lines. Antibody targeting of different intracellular protein aggregates, including α-synuclein, Aβ and superoxide dismutase has been reported by others. Now, several laboratories have confirmed and extended our findings using various active and passive tau immunizations in different models, thereby clearly establishing the feasibility of this approach for clinical trials. We are also working on imaging approaches to monitor tau pathology, its consequences and the efficacy of treatments. Dire need exists for such diagnostic methods for tauopathies. Overall, therapies and diagnostic tools targeting tau pathology have a great potential for AD and other tauopathies.
Forearm elongation in gibbons: Hypothesis and preliminary results

The characteristic long forelimbs of gibbons are a consequence of elongation of all segments (hand, forearm, and arm) but especially the forearm. While the hand is limited in size by its prehensile role, both the arm and the forearm do not seem to be directly limited in a similar manner. Why is the elongation concentrated specifically in the forearm? One hypothesis, originally applied to cursorial ungulates, relates to the need to enhance angular velocity during the swing phase at a minimum cost by distributing the heaviest forelimb loads proximally near the shoulder joint. This appears to be a plausible explanation despite complicating factors associated with competing functions of the forelimb during the support phase of arm-swinging and the fact that the animal behaviorally adjusts inertial properties of its forelimb by flexing it while reaching for the support. In order to test this hypothesis, the forelimb was modeled as a series of uniform cylinders from which the radii of gyration (k) were calculated. After converting into relative values (%k), they were compared (1) interspecifically, among two hylobatids, an orangutan, common chimpanzee, and gorilla, and (2) hypothetically, among imaginary gibbons with brachial indices extending beyond the range found in hylobatids. The results of both tests were equivocal, suggesting that forelimb mass distribution may not be the dominant factor influencing elongation of the forearms in gibbons. Even though gibbons are unique in their great dependence upon arm-swinging, efficient generation of high angular velocities during the swing phase does not appear to be the overriding function beyond others related to support, propulsion, and prehension.
Feather keratin--analysis of subunit heterogeneity.

1. 1. Electrophoresis, immunology and analysis of amino acid composition were used to compare the S-carboxymethyl- (SCM-) proteins of feathers. 2. 2. The complex electrophoretic pattern is produced by a series of closely related subunits (mol. wt.  11,000) which are probably charge isomers. Each SCM-unit cross-reacted with antisera made to whole feather and only a single immunogen was detected. 3. 3. Analysis of amino acid composition of feather parts and isolated SCM- units indicate that the feather β-keratins were products of a single group of related genes.
Evaluation of the contralateral inguinal ring in clinically unilateral inguinal hernia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose The management of the contralateral inguinal canal in children with clinical unilateral inguinal hernia is controversial. Our objective was to systematically review the literature regarding management of the contralateral inguinal canal.
Thermal behavior of shell molybdena-alumina catalysts

Heat treatment of ''shell'' molybdena-alumina catalyst pellets results in macroscopic redistribution of the molybdena. Redistribution is minimal at 625/sup 0/C but extensive at 750/sup 0/C. After 6 hours at 750/sup 0/, a sharp maximum is observed in the radial distribution. This is a result of opposing factors: radial diffusion inward from the initial shell, and preferential sintering of the alumina support in the shell region. Loss of molybdena by vaporization is not appreciable at 750/sup 0/C but is serious at 875/sup 0/C. A computer program has been developed to convert SEM-EDAX (scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive analysis of x-ray) data for unpolished pellet sections to a quantitative, smooth profile of Mo concentration as a function of reduced radial position.
Living dangerously: an orb-weaving spider potentially exploits an ant-acacia mutualism for enemy-free space

Exploitation of commodities exchanged in mutualistic interactions has been broadly documented, but typically involve the exploitation of a reward rather than a service. Further, examples of exploiter species are extremely rare in certain groups of animals, such as spiders. In 2008 and 2009, we investigated the potential exploitation by an orb-weaving spider (Eustala oblonga) of the plant protection services of ants on an ant-defended acacia (Acacia melanocerus) in lowland rainforest in central Panama. Despite vigorous patrolling of the acacias by the very pugnacious ants (Pseudomyrmex satanicus), we observed the spiders constructing orb webs among the branches at night and resting quietly during the day on the leaves or at the bases of the thorns in which the ants live and raise their brood. E. oblonga spiders occurred in fairly high densities on A. melanocerus, but were very rarely observed on A. melanocerus plants that were no longer occupied by P. satanicus or on other species of plants in the forest understory. Further, the spiders were never observed attacking the ants. To test the hypothesis that E. oblonga inhabits the ant-defended acacias for protection against would-be spider predators, we removed entire ant colonies from acacias by injecting tiny amounts of a dilute insecticide into all hollow thorns serving as domatia for the ants, killing the ants within 30 minutes. We then compared spider abundance for six weeks on the acacias without ant colonies to spider abundance on acacias with intact colonies of defending ants. During the weekly ant censuses, we also recorded the presence and abundance of any other invertebrate or vertebrate species on the experimental and control acacias, particularly noting any potential predators of the spiders. Spider abundance did not vary between the experimental and control plants during the first two weeks after the initiation of the experiment, but then decreased significantly on the acacias without ant colonies over the remaining four weeks of sampling. This decrease in spider abundance is not likely to be attributed to application of the dilute insecticide because spiders were not immediately affected and the insecticide degrades within 24 hours of application. Other organisms increased in abundance over time on the experimental acacias relative to the control acacias, including predatory insects and other potential spider predators. These results suggest that ant protection of A. melanocerus also protects the spiders, thus, supporting the hypothesis that E. oblonga exploits the ant-acacia mutualism for enemy-free space.
Monitoring Quality Control of Nuchal Translucency

Nuchal translucency is the single most discriminatory marker for screening Down syndrome. When this marker is combined with concurrent maternal serum markers, the model-predicted performance is greater than for all second-trimester serum-only combinations. However, quality results for the marker are more difficult to achieve than for serum markers. Monitoring of images and proper training are essential, but the ongoing use of epidemiologic indicators is the only way to assure quality. The positive rate in the screened population may indicate a problem, but the average multiple of the normal median values and the standard deviation of the logarithm (base 10) of these values are the key indicators for the markers. If there is a 10% shift in the median or a 0.02 change in the standard deviation, the results will be compromised.
The Effects of Escalating Commitment on Ethical Decision-Making

Although scholars have invoked the escalation framework as a means of explaining the occurrence of numerous organizationally undesirable behaviors on the part of decision makers, to date no empirical research on the potential influences of escalating commitment on the likelihood of unethical behavior at the individual level of analysis has been reported in either the escalation or the ethical decision-making literatures. Thus, the main purpose of this project is to provide a theoretical foundation and empirical support for the contention that escalating commitment situations can induce unethical behavior in decision makers. An experimental research design utilizing a computerized investment task was administered to 155 undergraduate business majors as a means of assessing the hypotheses presented here. Results from a hierarchical logistic regression analysis found strong support for the contention that exposure to an escalation situation increases the likelihood of unethical behavior on the part of decision makers. Further, results also supported previous ethical decision-making findings by confirming the effects of locus of control (LOC) on ethical behavior. Specifically, the data indicated that individuals with an external LOC orientation were significantly more likely to select the unethical option than were individuals with an internal LOC orientation. Interestingly, support was not found for the effects of Machiavellianism or gender on ethical decision-making.
Characterization of Metal-Complex-Containing Organic Polymeric Films by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

The SIMS technique has been successfully applied as an analytical tool for the chemical and spatial analysis of metal-complex-doped polymeric films. The polymeric matrix was chlorosulfonated polystyrene (approx.1000 A thick) cast onto a smooth platinum substrate, and following subsequent incorporation of metal complexes containing Ru, Re, or Zn by chemical binding, the SIMS technique was found to be chemically selective and sensitive to the Ru, Re, and Zn sites in the polymeric films. Qualitative assays of the films using secondary ion mass spectra were carried out with relative ease, but determinations of the spatial distribution of metal sites throughout the films require highly controlled sample preparation. The results of a series of studies on polymeric films containing various levels of the Ru complex showed that signals for Ru/sup +/ are influenced by local variations in ion yield, i.e., ion yield transients near the polymeric surface and at the polymer/platinum interface. A normalization procedure based on comparisons of Ru/sup +/ to O/sup +/ secondary ion intensities reduces the influence of such artifacts in the analysis of the concentration depth profiles of the complexes within the polymeric films.
Experimental tests of General Relativity

The principal cornerstone of all scientific theory is experimental evidence, yet in the case of General Relativity Theory, for almost fifty years, such evidence has been largely lacking. The early experiments th at were said to verify Einstein’s theory, while technological triumphs of their day, must be viewed by today’s standards as only weak or qualitative confirmations, beset as many of them were by large statistical and systematic errors. On the one hand this situation is surprising, in view of the major impact that General Relativity has had on our view of space and time and of the creation and fate of the universe. On the other hand it is not so surprising, in view of the extreme weakness of the gravitational interaction and the consequent difficulty of most experiments. However, the astronomical and technological revolution of the 1960s and 1970s has altered this situation. Advances in atomic clocks, radar and laser ranging to planets and spacecraft, radio interferometry, low-noise motion sensors such as gravimeters, to name a few, have made the high-precision testing of gravitation theory almost routine. In this paper we summarize the present experimental evidence for General Relativity and describe new arenas for future tests of gravitational theory. For a more detailed review see Will (1979).
Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward a State Hospital

To expose medical students to public psychiatry and destigmatize their attitudes about state hospitals, third-year medical students in a psychiatric clerkship were assigned to a 1-day visit at a nearby state mental hospital Over a 2-year period (1988-1990), the medical students' attitudes toward state hospitals were measured before and after the visit. Of the 188 survey pairs (measurements of the students' pre- and post-visit attitudes) that were distributed, 173 pairs were collected. The students reported more favorable views after the visit on four of seven items. Because attitudes about psychiatry continue to develop during clerkships, medical students should be afforded broad exposure to career options in psychiatry, including site visits to state mental hospitals.