cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Closed-End Fund Premium Puzzle and Portfolio/Fund Risk Differences

Seemingly at odds with market efficiency, it is well-known that closed-end funds (CEF) trade at a discount (negative premium) to the net asset values (NAVs) of the portfolios these CEFs hold. Yet, since the CEF shares and the underlying securities held by the CEF trade in completely different markets (with limited means of cross-market arbitrage), the returns on the CEF and the returns on the underlying portfolio may not move in lock-step. In this paper, we investigate whether the returns of closed-end funds (CEFs) behave differently than the returns of the underlying portfolio of securities held by the CEF. We show that, on average, the returns on CEFs have significantly (both economically and statistically) higher risk (i.e., factor loadings) and volatility than the returns on their underlying portfolios (i.e., NAV returns), but have roughly the same mean returns. We also show that the difference in risk and performance between the CEF and its NAV explain cross-sectional variation in the size of difference between the NAV and the price of the CEF (i.e., the CEF premium). Possibly adding to the puzzle though, we find that idiosyncratic risk is positively related to CEF premiums (higher relative idiosyncratic risk for the CEF results in higher relative CEF price to NAV). Our conclusion is that CEFs have a life of their own and that the difference in the return behavior rationally accounts for (at least a portion) of the CEF premium puzzle.
Discerning a mentor's role

Purpose – The central focus of this paper is the mentorship relationship of economist Fritz Machlup and his graduate student Edith Penrose, and specifically how that relationship contributed both to her development as a scholar and to her seminal work, The Theory of the Growth of the Firm.Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative research on which this paper is based is the sociohistorical biographical approach, based on a close examination of published works and archival materials. Content analysis is used to draw inferences about Fritz Machlup's mentoring content, style, and impact on Penrose's methodology and argumentation as reflected in The Theory of the Growth of the Firm, and the correspondence exchanged while Penrose was writing The Theory of the Growth of the Firm.Findings – The Theory of the Growth of the Firm mirrors Machlup's methodology and methodological framework. The arguments supporting Penrose's theoretic model of the growth of firms were discussed, debated and shaped by the exchange...
Cross-Border Bankruptcy and the Cooperative Solution

Cross-border bankruptcy continues to be an important topic within bankruptcy regimes worldwide. As more corporations find themselves interacting in a market without the confines of geographic borders, countries need to adapt their regulatory schemes to be able to properly handle an orderly liquidation or reorganization without an adverse impact on the economy. This paper discuses the challenges of a cross-border bankruptcy regime that would be effective and proposes a cooperative solution for increasing coordination among insolvency proceedings. As a result of increasing cooperation among jurisdiction in light of the recent and ongoing financial crisis, reform within the bankruptcy regimes around the world is foreseeable. 1 University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, J.D. (anticipated May 2012). Leah would like to thank Professor Michelle Harner for her guidance and support on writing this comment, and her family and friends for their support during her law school tenure.
Theta and beta oscillatory dynamics in the dentate gyrus reveal a shift in network processing state during cue encounters.

The hippocampus is an important structure for learning and memory processes, and has strong rhythmic activity. Although a large amount of research has been dedicated towards understanding the rhythmic activity in the hippocampus during exploratory behaviors, specifically in the theta (5-10 Hz) frequency range, few studies have examined the temporal interplay of theta and other frequencies during the presentation of meaningful cues. We obtained in vivo electrophysiological recordings of local field potentials (LFP) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus as rats performed three different associative learning tasks. In each task, cue presentations elicited pronounced decrements in theta amplitude in conjunction with increases in beta (15-30Hz) amplitude. These changes were often transient but were sustained from the onset of cue encounters until the occurrence of a reward outcome. This oscillatory profile shifted in time to precede cue encounters over the course of the session, and was not present during similar behavior in the absence of task relevant stimuli. The observed decreases in theta amplitude and increases in beta amplitude in the dentate gyrus may thus reflect a shift in processing state that occurs when encountering meaningful cues.
Secure Visualization of Authentication Information: A Case Study

The open nature of the Web makes it possible to create spoofed Web pages which, to the casual observer, are indistinguishable from authentic pages. The defense against Web spoofing attacks is a challenging problem since most users are unwilling (or unable) to follow complex interactive authentication procedures (e.g., inspect a Web server certificate). In this paper, we present a visual scheme that protects users against Web spoofing attacks while requiring minimal interaction
Magnetic circular dichroism of cyclic π-electron systems—20

Abstract The simple perimeter model combined with PMO theory is used to rationalize and predict trends in MCD spectra of substituted azaindoles and similar heterocycles bearing a single electron-donating mesomeric substituent, such as serotonin and adenine.
Watching Matter Rearrange

Worldwide efforts are underway to delop ultrafast x-ray probes for monitoring time-dependent structural changes in complex systems such as crystals and biomolecules. Siders et al . (page [1340][1]) use an ultrafast x-ray probe to monitor the melting of a semiconductor sample that was subjected to an intense, ultrafast visible pulse. The use of ultrafast x-rays will complement earlier achievements in femtochemistry with optical pulses. The author is in the Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Room 6-235, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. E-mail: [kanelson@MIT.EDU][2] [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/286/5443/1340 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.orgmailto:kanelson@MIT.EDU
Divertors for impurity control and review of impurity effects in PPL tokamaks

Impurity effects on toroidal plasma and methods to reduce impurities have been studied at PPL on a variety of devices including Model C Stellarator, ST, ATC, PLT and FM–1. The concentration of impurities has been measured directly using UV and x-ray spectroscopy and from the scattering of injected energetic ions. These methods indicate the presence of both low-Z impurities such as oxygen and high-Z impurities such as iron or molybdenum. Impurity injection experiments on FM–1 and ATC as well as measurements of z¯ profiles are explained by a “semi-classical” transport that is a superposition of classical collisional transport and anomalous transport. Methods to reduce impurities include wall control and divertors. In ATC, z¯ was reduced to ≅1 for ne = 2 × 1013 cm−3, Te = 800 eV and Ti = 300 eV by gettering the interior of the vacuum chamber with titanium. In addition the interior vacuum wall surface has been monitored during discharge cleaning and plasma operation in an attempt to correlate impurities with wall conditions. Analysis of surface conditions in PLT indicate a decrease in carbon impurities in the plasma as hydrocarbons are removed from the surface test sample. The principles of divertor operation are reviewed. Requirements and methods of obtaining a shielding divertor are described.
A Degrading Way to Make an Organ

Working out how organs form during embryonic development is a fascinating area of research. In a witty Perspective, Jeff Hardin describes new findings ( Nishiwaki et al. ) that reveal the many intricate steps needed for gonads to form in the worm C. elegans . Two key players, GON-1 and MIG-17, are metalloproteases that may help migration of distal tip cells by degrading extracellular matrix components.
The adoption of computer security: an analysis of home personal computer user behavior using the health belief model

The primary purpose of this research was to examine the adoption of computer security software in the home computer environment. The use of the Health Belief Model as a framework to design a model to examine home user adoption of computer security provided the basis for this research. The method of the investigation was a cross-sectional study using a self-reported web-based survey to test the theoretical model derived from the Health Belief Model. The survey targeted individuals who are responsible for the selection, installation, and maintenance of software on their home computers. The data collection relied on a snowball sampling technique that recruited a total of 186 participants who completed the online survey. The research model contains a total of 26 hypothesized relationships that were tested using multiple regression analysis techniques. The research model contains six main predicting variables (perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action) and four moderating variables (age, gender, education, and prior experience of attack). The model explains 30.4% of the variance in computer security usage, the dependent variable in the research model. The results demonstrate that certain constructs found in the Health Belief Model are more effective than others in motivating individuals to utilize computer security software. Specifically, the results show that perceived vulnerability (H1), perceived barriers (H4), self-efficacy (H5), and the two-way interactions of age and barriers (H8d), education and benefits (H9c), prior experience and perceived severity (H10b), and prior experience and self-efficacy (H10e) had significant effects on computer security usage. Additionally, prior experience was found to have a significant main effect on the dependent variable. Information from this research provides evidence that the Health Belief Model can be used to study the computer security usage behavior of home computer users. Further, the relationship of perceived vulnerability and computer security usage provides a way for practitioners to increase computer security usage behavior through targeted media campaigns.
Vascular malformations and hemangiolymphangiomas of the gastrointestinal tract: morphological features and clinical impact.

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to describe the morphological features of gastrointestinal vascular malformations (VM) and of hemangiolymphangiomas (HLA) and to establish correlations with clinical characteristics. Significant findings: Fifteen VMs and 12 HLAs that were encountered over a period of 22 years, were retrospectively analyzed. The VMs often involved the colon, small intestine, but also the stomach, whereas none of the HLAs arose in the stomach. VMs were more frequently associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcer and were larger than HLAs (p<0.01 for all comparisons). Intralesional hemorrhage and thrombosis were associated with VM (p=0.02 and p=0.05). Surgical resection was performed for 1 HLA and 14 VMs. Vessel abnormalities such as shunt vessels, wall tufts (excrescences) and arterialized veins were more frequent in VMs (p=0.01, p=0.04 and <0.01, respectively) whereas aneurysm-like cavities were observed in both lesion types. Mucosal abnormal vessels were observed only in VMs, whereas HLAs were associated with mucosal lymphatic clusters (p<0.01). Most HLAs contained a D2-40 hetero-geneously positive lymphatic component, were Glut-1 negative and CD31 reactive. There was no statistical difference in occurrence of associated autoimmune, tumoral and cardiovascular conditions between the two patient groups. Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that morphological features such as increased size, ulcer, thrombosis, hemorrhage and presence of aberrant mucosal vessels favor the diagnosis of VM. Co-existence of other clinical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, encountered in association with both lesion types, might exacerbate a tendency towards hemorrhage.
Urban Community Schools: Educator Perceptions of the Effects of Children's Health and Wellness on Learning

Findings from a participatory action-research project that brought together 11 individuals from five of Hartfords seven community schools to engage in a focus group discussion about the effects of childrens health and wellness on learning are presented. The researchers and key personnel from Hartford Public Schools and Achieve Hartford! co-constructed the inquiry. Issues identified as interfering with student learning clustered into themes that include students and family members mental, behavioral, nutritional, and domestic/neighborhood health. The results are being used to create a call for translational research proposals for University researchers to address these questions and disseminate findings to Hartford Public Schools and related community partners.
Gender behaviors as predictors of peer acceptance and victimization

Children's peer relationships are important to their socioemotional and cognitive development; thus, understanding the determinants of such relationships is of ongoing interest. It was hypothesized that gender behaviors and affiliations would predict peer acceptance and victimization. Path analyses using data from 192 fourth graders showed that for both genders, engaging in feminine activities predicted less peer-reported acceptance and greater victimization, and engaging in masculine activities predicted greater peer acceptance. Affiliating with male peers was associated with greater peer-reported acceptance for both genders, and greater self-reported peer acceptance for boys. Indirect effects showed that the link between gender behaviors and victimization is mediated by peer acceptance. These findings support the contention that gender behaviors relate to the quality of children's relationships.
Clinical impact of selective and nonselective beta‐blockers on survival in patients with ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND Preclinical evidence has suggested that sustained adrenergic activation can promote ovarian cancer growth and metastasis. The authors examined the impact of beta-adrenergic blockade on the clinical outcome of women with epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancers (collectively, epithelial ovarian cancer [EOC]). METHODS A multicenter review of 1425 women with histopathologically confirmed EOC was performed. Comparisons were made between patients with documented beta-blocker use during chemotherapy and those without beta-blocker use. RESULTS The median age of patients in the current study was 63 years (range, 21-93 years). The sample included 269 patients who received beta-blockers. Of those, 193 (71.7%) were receiving beta-1–adrenergic receptor selective agents, and the remaining patients were receiving nonselective beta antagonists. The primary indication for beta-blocker use was hypertension but also included arrhythmia and postmyocardial infarction management. For patients receiving any beta-blocker, the median overall survival (OS) was 47.8 months versus 42 months for nonusers (P =.04). The median OS based on beta-blocker receptor selectivity was 94.9 months for those receiving nonselective beta-blockers versus 38 months for those receiving beta-1–adrenergic receptor selective agents (P<.001). Hypertension was associated with decreased OS compared with no hypertension across all groups. However, even among patients with hypertension, a longer median OS was observed among users of a nonselective beta-blocker compared with nonusers (38.2 months vs 90 months; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Use of nonselective beta-blockers in patients with EOC was associated with longer OS. These findings may have implications for new therapeutic approaches. Cancer 2015;121:3435–43. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Prenatal failure to visualize kidneys: a spectrum of disease

Abstract Objectives. To better understand the outcomes and management of patients when there is a failure to visualize kidneys on prenatal ultrasound. Methods. Nine thousand five hundred twelve prenatal ultrasound studies performed on 4900 patients were reviewed retrospectively for the findings of a failure to visualize kidneys. The prenatal ultrasounds, pregnancy outcomes, and postmortem studies were reviewed for each of the 10 patients identified. Results. Nine of 10 patients experienced fetal death in the index pregnancy: 7 had therapeutic abortions, 1 had an intrauterine fetal demise, and 1 gave birth to a stillborn infant. One patient gave birth to a live infant with Bartter’s syndrome and grossly normal kidneys, as diagnosed by ultrasound. Developmental renal anomalies were identified in only 4 of 10 cases, and only 2 patients had true bilateral renal agenesis. There was 1 case each of bilateral renal medullary cystic dysplasia and bilateral renal hypoplasia. Three cases had no renal anomalies and included 1 case each of Turner’s syndrome, chronic abruption, and a cord accident. In 2 cases, postmortem examinations were not performed because of family wishes. Conclusions. Prenatal failure to visualize kidneys represents a spectrum of clinical problems not all of which are fatal. Close consultation with an experienced ultrasonographer is essential to provide informed counseling to expectant parents. Pathologic examination should be recommended when there is fetal demise and a suspicion of genitourinary anomalies. Screening of family members of the index patient and genetic counseling may be indicated.
Corneal sensitivity in healthy bovine calves

Objective To evaluate corneal sensitivity as measured by the corneal touch threshold in healthy bovine calves. Animals Studied Twelve clinically normal male calves with predominantly Holstein genetics and a median age of 76.5 days (range, 67–92 days). Procedures Corneal touch threshold (CTT) of the central cornea was measured in both eyes of each calf using a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer. Results The mean ± standard deviation corneal touch threshold of all eyes was 1.33 ± 1.1 g/mm2 (range, 0.62–66.15 g/mm2), corresponding to a filament length of 34.56 ± 8.02 mm (range, 14–47.5 mm). There was no significant difference between fellow eyes. Conclusions Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometry was well tolerated in all 12 calves using a modified head restraint. Calves in this study may have a relatively sensitive central cornea compared to adult cattle and some other species; however, wide variation among individuals and eyes may be possible. Studies utilizing larger calf populations are necessary to establish reference ranges.
Pharmacologic Management of Acutely Agitated Pediatric Patients

Acute agitation is a state of behavioral dyscontrol that requires intervention. Medications available in rapid delivery formats are frequently administered to treat acute agitation, either as a chemical restraint or on a voluntary basis. Prior to initiating treatment, the etiology of agitation must be evaluated. In choosing a medication, general pharmacologic principles should be followed. Medication should be selected based on the underlying cause in conjunction with weighing the risks, benefits, and side effects of medications. There are three classes of medications administered to children and adolescents to treat agitation: antihistamines, benzodiazepines, and antipsychotics. The most concerning short-term side effects of antipsychotics are their adverse neurologic effects, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and prolonged corrected QT interval. Compared with typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics have a more favorable short-term side effect profile.
Stress-cracking of polyethylene in organic liquids

Abstract The crack growth behaviour of low density polyethylene in various organic liquids shows that there is a correlation between the crack speed and the solubility parameter of the environment. The detergent solutions, which are micellar in water, were found to be more effective in cracking the specimens than solutions without micellar structure. The addition of small amounts of solubilizates, such as xylene, to the micellar solution increased the crack growth rate. Williams' flow model is found to be inadequate to describe the crack growth behaviour. A qualitative model for crack propagation considers that the combination of the sorption properties of the polymer and viscous flow of the swollen material leads to crack growth.
Vitamin D Up-regulates Glucose Transporter 4 (GLUT4) Translocation and Glucose Utilization Mediated by Cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) Activation and H2S Formation in 3T3L1 Adipocytes *

A scientific explanation for the beneficial role of vitamin D supplementation in the lowering of glycemia in diabetes remains to be determined. This study examined the biochemical mechanism by which vitamin D supplementation regulates glucose metabolism in diabetes. 3T3L1 adipocytes were treated with high glucose (HG, 25 mm) in the presence or absence of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) (25, 50 nm), the active form of vitamin D. 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment caused significant up-regulation of GLUT4 total protein expression and its translocation to cell surface, and an increase in glucose uptake as well as glucose utilization in HG-treated cells. 1,25(OH)2D3 also caused cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) activation and H2S formation in HG-treated adipocytes. The effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on GLUT4 translocation, glucose utilization, and H2S formation was prevented by propargylglycine, an inhibitor of CSE that catalyzes H2S formation. Studies using antisense CSE also demonstrated the inhibition of GLUT4 translocation as well as glucose uptake and utilization in 1,25(OH)2D3-supplemented CSE-siRNA-transfected adipocytes compared with controls. 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment along with insulin enhanced GLUT4 translocation and glucose utilization compared with either insulin or 1,25(OH)2D3 alone in HG-treated adipocytes. 1,25(OH)2D3 supplementation also inhibited monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and stimulated adiponectin secretion in HG-treated adipocytes, and this positive effect was prevented in propargylglycine-treated or CSE-knockdown adipocytes. This is the first report to demonstrate that 1,25(OH)2D3 up-regulates GLUT4 translocation and glucose utilization and decreases inflammatory markers, which is mediated by CSE activation and H2S formation in adipocytes. This study provides evidence for a novel molecular mechanism by which 1,25(OH)2D3 can up-regulate the GLUT4 translocation essential for maintenance of glucose metabolism.
Chiral N-phosphonyl imine chemistry: asymmetric additions of malonate-derived enolates to chiral N-phosphonyl imines for the synthesis of β-aminomalonates

Chiral N-phosphonyl imines attached by 1-naphthyl group were found to react with lithium malonate enolates smoothly to give chiral β-aminomalonates. Good yields and excellent diastereoselectivity were achieved for sixteen examples. The chiral auxiliary can be readily removed by treating with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to give free amino malonates. The absolute structure has been unambiguously determined by converting one of the products into an authentic sample.
Effect of calcium on the interactions between Ca2+-ATPase molecules in sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Abstract The interaction between Ca2+-ATPase molecules in the native sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane and in detergent solutions was analyzed by chemical crosslinking, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and by the polarization of fluorescence of fluorescein 5′-isothiocyanate (FITC) covalently attached to the Ca2+-ATPase. Reaction of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles with glutaraldehyde causes the crosslinking of Ca2+-ATPase molecules with the formation of dimers, tetramers and higher oligomers. At moderate concentrations of glutaraldehyde solubilization of sarcoplasmic reticulum by C12E8 or Brij 36T ( ≊ 4 mg/mg prottein ) decreased the formation of higher oligomers without significant interference with the appearance of crosslinked ATPase dimers. These observations are consistent with the existence of Ca2+-ATPase dimers in detergent-solubilized sarcoplasmic reticulum. Ca2+ (2–20 mM) and glycerol (10–20%) increased the degree of crosslinking at pH 6.0 both in vesicular and in solubilized sarcoplasmic reticulum, presumably by promoting interactions between ATPase molecules; at pH 7.5 the effect of Ca2+ was less pronounced. In agreement with these observations, high performance liquid chromatography of sarcoplasmic reticulum proteins solubilized by Brij 36T or C12E10 revealed the presence of components with the expected elution characteristics of Ca2+-ATPase oligomers. The polarization of fluorescence of FITC covalently attached to the Ca2+-ATPase is low in the native sarcoplasmic reticulum due to energy transfer, consistent with the existence of ATPase oligomers (Highsmith, S. and Cohen, J.A. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 154–161); upon solubilization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum by detergents, the polarization of fluorescence increased due to dissociation of ATPase oligomers. Based on its effects on the fluorescence of FITC-ATPase, Ca2+ promoted the interaction between ATPase molecules, both in the native membrane and in detergent solutions.
Regularities in s-electron binding enegies in lNsM configurations*

We present a theoretical explanation for observed regularities in s -electron binding energies in lNs2 and lNs: viewed as a function of N, the curves form straight lines, joined continuously at the half-filled shell. The change in slope can be interpreted as an effective exchange integral Gl(l, s). We show that values of the exchange integral obtained from fitting ionization-energy curves generally agree with values obtained in other ways.
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in children and adolescents with chronic poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract This study was undertaken to determine if continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) could improve control, diminish episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), decrease number of hospitalizations and save health care expenditure in children and adolescents with long-standing poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. A retrospective analysis wasdone of six patients with type 1 diabetes for 1–8 years, of whom 4 were non-adherent to the diabetic regimen (ages 12–16.5 years) and 2 of whom had brittle diabetes (ages 8.5 and 10 years). These patients were non-randomly placed on the MiniMed (Sylmar, CA) CSII system. The year prior to CSII was compared with the year during pump use. Glycoslyated hemoglobin (HbA 1c ), spot urinary microalbumin, total cholesterol, insulin dose, growth velocity, number of convulsions and hypoglycemic events, number of episodes of DKA, number of hospitalizations and total inpatient costs were compared for the 2 years. The year prior to CSII, mean HbA 1c was 9.02% (S.D. = 0.86%), mean number of hospitalizations was 5.2/patient (S.D. = 4.6), mean number of hospital days was 20.8/patient (S.D. = 14.7) and mean cost was $29330/patient (S.D. = $22804). During 1 year of CSII, mean number of hospital days decreased to 5 days/patient (S.D. = 0.8, P = 0.016), mean number of hospitalizations (including DKA and pump initiation) decreased to 1.7/patient (S.D. = 0.7, P = 0.31), mean inpatient costs decreased to $12762/patient (S.D. = $5.950, P = 0.047). HbA 1c , urinary microalbumin, cholesterol, insulin dose and growth velocity did not change in a statistically significant manner. There were no significant adverse effects. It is concluded that CSII can be used safely in young patients with poorly controlled diabetes to diminish DKA, reduce number of hospitalizations and reduce health care costs.
P‐35: Maintaining Color Consistency across Non‐Linear Devices

We introduce a new color transformation representation based on higher-dimensional Bezier to maintain color consistency across non-linear devices (like commodity printers and displays) that yields more accurate and artifact-free results than existing methods. It is amenable to hardware implementation making it suitable for next generation commodity devices.
B-cell lymphoma of the thoracic spine presenting with spinal cord pressure syndrome.

B-cell lymphomas are the most common type (85%) of non-Hodgkin lymphomas [1]. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma accounts for a third of these tumors and occurs mostly in older people [1]. NonHodgkin’s lymphomas arising in the spinal cord are extremely rare. Spinal cord compression as the initial manifestation of nonHodgkin’s lymphoma is rare and may occur in advanced stages of the disease [1-3]. It usually looks isointense or low signal (relative to the spinal cord) on T1-weighted images and high signal on T2weighted images [4]. Contrast enhancement is usually intense and homogeneous [4]. A 70-year-old African-American male presented to the emergency room complaining of bilateral mild lower extremity weakness for 2 days. The patient could not bear weight on his legs when he tried to get out of bed in the last two mornings. He also felt numb in both legs. Since then, he has been incontinent of urine but not feces. He denied any back pain or trauma. He also had no weakness or numbness in the upper extremities. His past medical history included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and aortic regurgitation. He was on Zithromax and Prednisone at Home. He denied using alcohol, tobacco or elicit drugs. The patient had some wheezing and cough in addition to mild abdominal pain. On neurological exam, the patient had weakness in the lower extremities. The strength at the hip and knee was 2/5 on the right side and 3/5 on the left side and 1/5 at the ankle on both sides. Deep tendon reflexes were 2+ in the biceps and triceps symmetrically. His right knee jerk was 1+ and left knee jerk 2+ and both ankle jerks were abscent. He also had absence of position sense in both of his ankles and feet. He had a pinprick sensation at the nipple level (T4) both anteriorly and posteriorly. The initial diagnosis was acute spinal cord syndrome at T4 and the patient was put on Decadron. Thoracic MRI showed an epidural soft tissue mass at the T3, T4 and T5 levels extending from the posterior aspect of the spinal canal causing moderate encroachment upon the spinal cord at T4 with diffuse metastatic disease involving the cervical and lumbar vertebral bodies (Fig. 1-3). After consulting with the patient it was decided to proceed with T3, T4, T5 decompressive laminectomies and excision of tumor from epidural space under microscope. Microscopic examination revealed a diffuse proliferation of
The rate of DNA unwinding.

Abstract We report three kinetic effects in the response of large DNA molecules to temperature perturbations ranging in size from 0.25 to 18 deg. C. Experiments were done in the alkaline melting transition, and the rate was followed by observing the change in absorbance. The temperature increase was produced by passage of an electric current through the solution, using the standard temperature-jump technique for times up to one second. For the time range from 1 second to hours a special instrument was constructed, with which the temperature in the cell can be increased by up to 20 deg. C in less than one second, and maintained indefinitely. The fastest kinetic response of the DNA, called “instantaneous”, occurs in less than 20 msec, and increases in amplitude as the size of the temperature jump increases. We associate this process with a rapid structural disorganization which does not require unwinding of the molecule, analogous to melting of a closed double circle of DNA. When the perturbation size is moderate (between 6 and 18 deg. C) the initial instantaneous effect is followed by kinetic curves of homogeneous appearance, which we label the “fast” effect. The characteristic time for this process (determined as a linear average of the component exponential decay times) depends on the 2.3 power of the molecular length. We ascribe rate-determination for this effect to viscous resistance to unwinding the double helix. Because of the strong dependence on molecular weight, kinetic measurements under these conditions can be used to detect small amounts of undegraded DNA in the presence of material that is broken or contains single-strand breaks. Small perturbations within the melting transition show a kinetic component which is nearly independent of molecular weight and, for a DNA like that from T7 bacteriophage, much slower than the fast effect. This process, labeled the “slow” effect, has an apparent activation energy of at least 100 kcal., and is therefore not likely to be primarily friction-limited. We ascribe it to one of the nucleation events in the co-operative melting transition, specifically the disappearance (or de-nucleation) of a helical section separating two coil regions.
A 13c-n.m.r. study of a di- and a tri-saccharide containing the α-d-galactopyranosyl group

Abstract The 13 C-n.m.r. spectra of methyl 4- O -α- d -galactopyranosyl-α- d -galactopyranoside ( 1 ) and methyl 4- O -[4- O -(α- d -galactopyranosyl)-β- d -galactopyranosyl]-β- d -glucopyranoside ( 2 ) in D 2 O were recorded. Comparison of these spectra with the spectra of methyl α- d -galactopyranoside ( 4 ) and methyl β-lactoside (5) provided substantial confirmation of the structures of 1 and 2 .
Re: Benzene and lymphohematopoietic malignancies in humans. Hayes et al. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:117-126, 2001.

The excellent review of exposure to benzene and resulting leukemia and other hematopoietic disorders by Hayes et al. [2001] enhances our knowledge about one of the most widely used carcinogenic chemicals. The review reinforces the observation that benzene causes hematopoietic malignancies at lower levels than earlier described. It confirms for us that the biological mechanism or mechanisms by which benzene causes these malignant transformations are not fully understood. It places the recent results of a US National Cancer Institute/Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine Research Project in the context of older studies about benzene. For all the merit of this research review, it prompts me to raise several critical questions for all researchers dedicated to protecting workers. I arrive at these questions not solely from our experience studying benzene, but from the broad and encouraging history of occupational health research, as well as our rather discouraging record for applying the scientific results.
Religion, Human Relations, and Union Avoidance in the 1950s: The Electrical Industry's Southern Strategy and Its Limits

Historians have become increasingly aware of how religion dovetailed with businessmen’s goals of promoting free-enterprise ideologies and creating an anti-statist and anti-union political culture. But business expected more from religion; many employers believed that emphasizing spirituality could help them win community support and worker loyalty and avoid unions. When the electrical manufacturing industry began to move South after World War II, key employers had already witnessed the role that religion played in helping defeat the CIO’s Southern Organizing Campaign. However, they balked at borrowing the overtly racist and reactionary evangelicalism that southern employers had effectively used. Instead, they looked for a more moderate religious model that would blend with their growing interest in human relations. They found it in Reverend George Heaton, an ordained Southern Baptist minister who had begun counseling employers during the 1930s. Heaton emphasized the sacred imperative driving good human relations and rejected the “fetish” of collective bargaining that he believed robbed individual freedom and the personal relationships that created harmonious workplace communities. As GE, Westinghouse, Magnavox, and Singer moved to the South, they all hired Heaton to be “minister” to their employees. This strategy had its limits, however, as this article will demonstrate using case studies of organizing drives in Rome, Georgia, and Greeneville, Tennessee. Nevertheless, Heaton was an important and understudied bridge between earlier paternalistic uses of religion and more modern Christian human relations.
Dielectric behavior of organically modified siloxane melting gels

Abstract Hybrid melting gels were prepared by a sol–gel process, starting with a mono-substituted alkoxysilane and a di-substituted alkoxysilane, methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) together with dimethyldiethoxysilane (DMDES). Five gel compositions were prepared with concentrations between 50% MTES–50% DMDES and 75% MTES–25% DMDES (in mol%). The index of refraction was measured using a Becke line method. The index of refraction decreased slightly as the amount of mono-substituted alkoxysilane decreased. The dielectric constant was determined from impedance spectrometry that followed dielectric constant and dielectric loss as a function of frequency. The dielectric constant was lowest in the 50% MTES–50% DMDES composition at frequencies greater than 1 kHz, around 3.3. Since direct Si C bonds are less polarizable than Si O Si, the di-substituted alkoxysilane component decreases the dielectric constant.
Discovering activity interactions in a single pass over a video stream

We propose a novel, unsupervised learning framework to find interactions of activities in streaming video data. In traditional streaming problems there is a priori knowledge of the atomic elements in the stream. But in a video stream, the elements only emerge as activities of moving objects, and consequently must be learned or discovered in the stream. This paper describes a two-stage framework that discovers activity interactions in a single pass over the stream. In the framework, activities are modeled as distributions over low-level visual features and interactions as frequent co-occurrence relationships over those activities. Off-line, similar low-level visual features are grouped into activities. On-line, co-occurring relationships caused by frequent activity interactions in the same scene are discovered in the video stream. By decoupling the stages, we can incrementally learn interactions regardless of the variable distribution of co-occurring relationships over time. The usefulness of the proposed framework is empirically tested in experiments that compare its performance with two state-of-the-art Hierarchical Bayesian Models for segmenting activities and discovering interactions in surveillance videos containing complex traffic scenes governed by multiple semaphores.
Hybrid Distributed Power Generation for Apartment Building Complexes in Korea

Korea relies significantly on imported fossil fuels to meet its energy needs. Moreover, about 50% of Korean residential buildings are apartment complexes. In this paper, the use of distributed generation (DG) technologies to serve the energy requirements for a typical Korean apartment complex is explored to reduce Korea’s dependence on fossil fuel and CO2 emissions. In particular, a series of sensitivity analyses is conducted using detailed simulation tools to determine the cost-effectiveness of DG systems to meet electrical and thermal loads of an apartment building in Daegu, Korea. The DG systems considered in the analysis include Photovoltaic (PV), Wind turbine, Microturbine, and Fuel Cell. The apartment complex is connected to the utility grid that with electricity typically generated using fossil fuels. It is found that a combination of the grid and Fuel Cell is the most cost effective approach to meet the electrical and thermal loads of the complex residential building with a cost of energy reduction of 12% compared to the grid only option.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Hitchcock’s Birds, or the Increased Rate of Exposure to Histoplasma from Blackbird Roost Sites

A statewide survey of populations in proximity to blackbird roost sites to determine exposure to histoplasmosis from such sites has demonstrated that a site harboring Histoplasma capsulatum, even though undisturbed, adds significantly to the exposure rate of proximal populations. Disturbance of such a site increases the exposure rate dramatically with or without concurrent clinical cases of histoplasmosis.
“Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler.” A rejoinder to Scruggs and Mastropieri

Scruggs and Mastropieri (Behaviour Research and Therapy, 32, 879–883, 1994) take issue with criticisms of their PND (Percent of Nonoverlapping Data) statistic that we offered in our recent article (Allison & German, Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 621–631, 1993), which advocated a regressionbased method for obtaining effect sizes in single-subject studies. They contend that their PND approach has several advantages over our approach because: (1) they believe that, unlike ours, it can take advantage of the small number of observations that are typically available in single-case studies; (2) it is simple to compute; (3) it frees researchers from traditional regression assumptions of normality, homogeneity of variance, and independence of observations and residuals; and (4) it correlates with visual judgements made by experts. As we shall argue, these claims are built upon very questionable assumptions and they are very difficult to substantiate. In addition, we show that the expected value of the PND is so strongly related to sample size as to be rendered meaningless.
Sequencing treatment for naso-orbito-ethmoid fractures

This article presents a strategy for treating naso-orbito-ethmoid fractures. Eight steps for the management of such injuries are presented: surgical exposure, identification of the medial canthal tendon/tendon-bearing bone fragment, reduction/reconstruction of medial orbital rim, reconstruction of the medial orbital wall, transnasal canthopexy, reduction of septal fractures, nasal dorsum reconstruction/augmentation, and soft tissue adaptation. Following these steps can make treatment outcomes more predictable.
Massively parallel decoding of mammalian regulatory sequences supports a flexible organizational model

Despite continual progress in the cataloging of vertebrate regulatory elements, little is known about their organization and regulatory architecture. Here we describe a massively parallel experiment to systematically test the impact of copy number, spacing, combination and order of transcription factor binding sites on gene expression. A complex library of ∼5,000 synthetic regulatory elements containing patterns from 12 liver-specific transcription factor binding sites was assayed in mice and in HepG2 cells. We find that certain transcription factors act as direct drivers of gene expression in homotypic clusters of binding sites, independent of spacing between sites, whereas others function only synergistically. Heterotypic enhancers are stronger than their homotypic analogs and favor specific transcription factor binding site combinations, mimicking putative native enhancers. Exhaustive testing of binding site permutations suggests that there is flexibility in binding site order. Our findings provide quantitative support for a flexible model of regulatory element activity and suggest a framework for the design of synthetic tissue-specific enhancers.
We all deserve a raise

In this age of technological and scientific advances, materials scientists are the unsung heroes of our time.
Echo statistics of individual and aggregations of scatterers in the water column of a random, oceanic waveguide

The relative contributions of various physical factors to producing non-Rayleigh distributions of echo magnitudes in a waveguide are examined. Factors that are considered include (1) a stochastic, range-dependent sound-speed profile, (2) a directional acoustic source, (3) a variable scattering response, and (4) an extended scattering volume. A two-way parabolic equation model, coupled with a stochastic internal wave model, produces realistic simulations of acoustic propagation through a complex oceanic sound speed field. Simulations are conducted for a single frequency (3 kHz), monostatic sonar with a narrow beam (5° −3 dB beam width). The randomization of the waveguide, range of propagation, directionality of the sonar, and spatial extent of the scatterers each contribute to the degree to which the echo statistics are non-Rayleigh. Of critical importance are the deterministic and stochastic processes that induce multipath and drive the one-way acoustic pressure field to saturation (i.e., complex-Gaussian statistics). In this limit predictable statistics of echo envelopes are obtained at all ranges. A computationally low-budget phasor summation can successfully predict the probability density functions when the beam pattern and number of scatterers ensonified are known quantities.
Synthesis of cyclic peptides by solid phase methodology

Abstract Four carba analogues of oxytocin and a cyclic analogue of melanocyte stimulating hormone were synthesized using solid phase methodology. Purified compounds were shown to be highly biologically active.
Recognizing heart cells in a crowd

A cardiac-specific reporter genetically engineered into human embryonic stem cells allows the optimization of differentiation protocols and the identification of cell-surface markers—a welcome new tool to help isolate and define cardiac cell lineages.
Liner collection cone and pH effects on postthaw motility, staining, and acrosomes of bovine spermatozoa.

Abstract Sixteen ejaculates were collected, four each from four bulls, using artificial vaginas with polyethylene or rubber liner collection cones in a crossover design experiment. The ejaculates were diluted with egg yolk-citrate extender at pH 6.4 or 7.2, cooled, glycerolated, equilibrated, packaged in .5-ml French straws, frozen in nitrogen vapor, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Thirty frozen straws from each ejaculate were thawed rapidly (46.5°C for 12 s), pooled, and then incubated at 46.5°C for periodic evaluation of progressive motility, differential staining, and acrosome morphology under thermal stress conditions. The postthaw motility of spermatozoa and percentage of unstained cells were higher both when collected in polyethylene than in rubber and when extended at pH 7.2 vs. 6.4, but no interaction was found between liner collection cone composition and pH for postthaw motility. Retention of spermatozoan motility during incubation under thermal stress was greater for cells collected in polyethylene, but not different due to pH. Neither pH nor composition of liner collection cone had an effect on postthaw acrosomal scores, but the time required for a 50% increase in severely damaged acrosomes was greater for spermatozoa collected in polyethylene than in rubber liner collection cones.
Identification and estimation of the linear-in-means model of social interactions

Abstract This paper studies identification and estimation of the linear-in-means model of social interactions. Using a quasi-panel data approach, we show how endogenous social effects can be identified in the presence of unobserved group effects.