cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arrayed-waveguide-grating-based interrogator for wavelength-modulated multi-fiber-optic sensor applications

Simultaneous interrogation of six distributed wavelength modulated fiber-optic sensors has been demonstrated using an arrayed-waveguide-grating-based interrogation technique proposed by our laboratory. This letter analyzes the operating principle of the method and reports the experimental results of this application. The results show that the interrogator proposed offers better than 1-pm wavelength resolution and has the potential of being packaged into a hand-held rugged device.
Adapting the Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills Model: Predicting HIV-Related Sexual Risk Among Sexual Minority Youth

Young sexual minority males are among those at highest risk for HIV infection, yet we know relatively little about the impact of sexual identity development on HIV risk. This study used cross-sectional data to investigate factors associated with HIV-related sexual risk among a sample of sexual minority males (n = 156), ages 14 to 21 years, using an extended version of the information–motivation–behavioral skills (IMB) model tailored for this population. Path analysis results indicated that the extended model predicted a sizable amount of primary and secondary sexual risk (r2 = .35 and .42). In addition to increasing HIV prevention information and motivation and decreasing substance use, study findings suggest that interventions with young sexual minority males should focus on sexual identity development factors including youths’ attitudes toward LBGT people, sex-centered versus identity-centered development, and with specific emphasis on youth with non–male exclusive sexual orientations.
Surrogate Endpoints And FDA’s Accelerated Approval Process

There is interest in approaches allowing more rapid availability of new interventions, particularly for diseases providing risks of death or serious illness. The accelerated-approval regulatory process is intended to address this need by allowing marketing of interventions shown to have strong effects on measures of biological activity, if those measures are potential “surrogates” for true measures of tangible clinical benefit. To use surrogate endpoints and the accelerated-approval process, challenging issues must be addressed to avoid compromising what is truly in the best interest of public health: the reliable as well as timely evaluation of an intervention’s safety and efficacy.
Effect of the internal field on the birefringence of polymer crystals

The discrepancy between the values of the anisotropy of methylene groups determined from crystal refractive indices, stress-optical data, and gas and liquid light-scattering depolarization is explained on the basis of the effect of the internal field on the polarizability of the isolated molecule. The internal field may arise from intermolecular or intramolecular interactions which depend upon molecular conformation and state of aggregation. A simple continuum calculation based upon an extension of the calculation of the Lorenz-Lorentz field is shown capable of accounting for the discrepancy.
Comparison of short-pulsed and long-pulsed 532 nm lasers in the removal of freckles

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of the 532 nm long-pulsed laser (10 ms) with that of the 532 nm short-pulsed laser (10 ns) for freckle removal. Currently, the gold standard for treatment is the short-pulsed laser. Recently, several long-pulsed lasers have been introduced for both hair removal and the treatment of freckles. To our investigative team’s knowledge, no controlled experiments have been performed to compare the safety and efficacy of long-pulsed versus short-pulsed lasers for the treatment of freckles. This was a 4-week trial, and all patients had three freckles that were randomly allocated to be treated with short-pulse laser, long-pulse laser, or to receive no treatment (control). All patients had three freckles that were randomly selected to be treated with short-pulse 532 nm Medlite IV laser (10 n, 1 J/cm2), or long-pulse 532 nm Aura laser (10 ms, 1 J/cm2) or to remain as a control (no treatment). The laser treatment was only performed once, followed by a 1-day and a 1-month follow-up visit. Freckle size was determined by a novel surface area measurement technique that was created by our research staff. The study included 17 sets of freckles (three in each set). All of the lesions which received the short-pulsed laser treatment had immediate whitening of the lesions, which turned into dry scabs the next day. None of the freckles treated in the long-pulsed group or control group developed immediate whitening or scabs. No blisters or ulcers developed. The average pain score in the short-pulsed laser group was 2–3 out of 10, while it was 0 out of 10 in the long-pulsed laser group. All scabs that developed in the short-pulsed laser group fell off between days 6 and 12 (average 8 days). The outcome of this study verified the appropriate treatment of freckles. The study confirmed that when the same energy settings, short-pulsed laser is the more effective laser treatment regimen (when compared with the long-pulsed laser), with high tolerability and minimal side effects for patients with skin types I to IV.
Validation of an extraction method for Cry1Ab protein from soil.

Corn expressing insecticidal proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt corn) has increased in usage in the United States from 8% of total corn acreage in 1996 to 67% in 2012. Because of this increase, it is important to be able to monitor the fate and transport of the insecticidal Bt proteins to evaluate environmental exposure and effects. Accurate and validated methods are needed to quantify these proteins in environmental matrices. A method to extract Bt Cry1Ab proteins from 3 soil types using a 10× phosphate-buffered saline with Tween buffer and a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was validated through a series of 6 tests. The validation process for Cry1Ab extractions in soil has not yet been reported in the scientific literature. The extraction buffer and each soil matrix were tested and validated for the ELISA. Extraction efficiencies were 41%, 74%, and 89% for the 3 soil types and were significantly correlated with the organic matter content of the soil. Despite low recoveries, consistent results with low coefficients of variation allowed for accurate measurements. Through validating this method with 3 different soils, a sensitive, specific, precise, and accurate quantification of Bt Cry1Ab was developed. The validation process can be expanded and implemented in other environmental matrices, adding consistency to data across a wide range of samples. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:18–25. © 2013 SETAC
Carcinogenic Potential of Incinerated Low-Level Radioactive Waste: Electrophoretic Resolution

The presumed causal connection between the presence of radiowastes and carcinogenic potential are currently speculative. Xenbiotics are extended to include those accumulated in laboratory wastes from experimentation involving the use of radioisotopes. The presence of heightened biosynthesis of putative detoxifying enzymes (mixed-function oxidases and Epoxide Hydrolase) in the liver of vertebrates exposed to xenobiotics suggests a toxic and possible carcinogenic risk environment. We have exploited such an environment, (incinerated low-level radioactive waste), to assay for biochemical indicators of potential cancer risks. In the aquatic environment the estuarine fish, Fundulus sp. has been subjected to 7 ppm incinerated radiowaste ash (specific activity = 1410 Ci/mmol/kg ash). Microsomal fractions from fish liver were isolated and Epoxide Hydrolase(s) purified and resolved in SDS-Polyacrylaminde slab gels. An induced threefold increase in epoxide hydrolase was observed in fish exposed to both incinerated non-radioactive and radioactive ash. The presence of these enzymes indicate a carcinogenic risk in aquatic and land animals exposed to incinerated ash, however, whether the potential is increased by the presence of radiowaste as a source of ash was not resolved.
Motor control of schizophrenics—I. Oculomotor control of schizophrenics: A deficit in sensory processing, not strictly in motor control

Abstract An in-depth analysis of eye movements of schizophrenics has demonstrated defects in several oculomotor subsystems, likely due to processing of sensory information and not to problems in the motor system itself. Schizophrenic subjects made more pursuit tracking errors, due to higher RMS errors, larger phase lag, and more saccades in pursuit. When making saccadic movements they had normal reaction times, saccade velocity and intersaccadic pause, but made more double-jump saccades and overshot the target. Only some had inability to hold steady fixation, but all had an attentional problem in restraining an inappropriate eye movement. The multiple defects suggest a processing problem that is not strictly motor and does not fit any standard definition of attention.
A Hybrid Enforcement Model for Group-centric Secure Information Sharing

Group-Centric Secure Information Sharing (g-SIS) is motivated by the need to dynamicallyshare information amongst a set of authorized users for a specific purpose. Authorizedgroup users may read and contribute new objects to the group.An important usability objective in g-SIS is to allow users to access group objects offline without havingto contact a server every time an access is requested. Thus a fundamental requirement forg-SIS is that protection needs to extend to clients. Henceforthwe assume that a Trusted Reference Monitor (TRM) is present on the client platforms that can enforcethe group policies in a trustworthy manner. In this paper,we discuss three different approaches for realizing a scalable and high-assurance g-SIS.In a Micro-Distribution (MD) architecture, objects are individually encrypted for eachgroup user. Thus the server shares a unique key with each user.In a Super-Distribution (SD) architecture, a single key is shared amongst all group users andthus group objects are uniformly encrypted. SD promotes ``protect once, access when authorized''.We discuss the pros and cons of both MD and SD architecture and proposea novel split-key RSA based hybrid architecture. As we will see, this architectureincorporates the high-assurance aspect from MDand the usability and scalability advantages from SD approach respectively.
Millimeter-scale actuator with fiber-optic roller bearings

A technique combining semiconductor processing and fiber-optic technology has been developed to micromachine a 1-cm/sup 2/ silicon die that rolls on two wheels above a flat substrate. Each wheel consists of a glass capillary surrounding a fixed solid glass fiber axle. A 100-silicon die is anisotropically etched to create two variable width v-grooves. Each v-groove has a wide center section and two narrow ends, which is schematically illustrated as -==-. The capillary is free to rotate about the axle in the wide v-groove section while the axle is anodically bonded into the narrow v-groove ends. The gap between the die and the substrate is determined by the narrow v-groove width, fiber diameter, and capillary wall thickness. Several rolling die have been fabricated with 210-120 /spl mu/m gaps. The coefficient of static friction (/spl mu//sub S/) has been investigated on several substrates as a function of the load on the die. Values for /spl mu//sub S/ are compared to an unetched die with a silicon nitride coating. With loads ranging from 0-10 grams, the wheels reduce /spl mu//sub S/ by more than 50% on borosilicate glass. >
Characterization of Stable, Soluble Trimers Containing Complete Ectodomains of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope Glycoproteins

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoproteins function as a membrane-anchored trimer of three gp120 exterior glycoproteins and three gp41 transmembrane glycoproteins. Previously, we reported three approaches to stabilize soluble trimers containing parts of the gp41 ectodomains: addition of GCN4 trimeric helices, disruption of the cleavage site between gp120 and gp41, and introduction of cysteines in the gp41 coiled coil to form intersubunit disulfide bonds. Here, we applied similar approaches to stabilize soluble gp140 trimers including the complete gp120 and gp41 ectodomains. A combination of fusion with the GCN4 trimeric sequences and disruption of the gp120-gp41 cleavage site resulted in relatively homogeneous gp140 trimers with exceptional stability. The gp120 epitopes recognized by neutralizing antibodies are intact and exposed on these gp140 trimers. By contrast, the nonneutralizing antibody epitopes on the gp120 subunits of the soluble trimers are relatively occluded compared with those on monomeric gp120 preparations. This antigenic similarity to the functional HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins and the presence of the complete gp41 ectodomain should make the soluble gp140 trimers useful tools for structural and immunologic studies.
Two GATA Transcription Factors Are Downstream Effectors of Floral Homeotic Gene Action in Arabidopsis

Floral organogenesis is dependent on the combinatorial action of MADS-box transcription factors, which in turn control the expression of suites of genes required for growth, patterning, and differentiation. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the specification of petal and stamen identity depends on the action of two MADS-box gene products, APETALA3 (AP3) and PISTILLATA (PI). In a screen for genes whose expression was altered in response to the induction of AP3 activity, we identified GNC (GATA, nitrate-inducible, carbon-metabolism-involved) as being negatively regulated by AP3 and PI. The GNC gene encodes a member of the Arabidopsis GATA transcription factor family and has been implicated in the regulation of chlorophyll biosynthesis as well as carbon and nitrogen metabolism. In addition, we found that the GNC paralog, GNL (GNC-like), is also negatively regulated by AP3 and PI. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we showed that promoter sequences of both GNC and GNL are bound by PI protein, suggesting a direct regulatory interaction. Analyses of single and double gnc and gnl mutants indicated that the two genes share redundant roles in promoting chlorophyll biosynthesis, suggesting that in repressing GNC and GNL, AP3/PI have roles in negatively regulating this biosynthetic pathway in flowers. In addition, coexpression analyses of genes regulated by AP3, PI, GNC, and GNL indicate a complex regulatory interplay between these transcription factors in regulating a variety of light and nutrient responsive genes. Together, these results provide new insights into the transcriptional cascades controlling the specification of floral organ identities.
Serotonin involvement in the regulation of gonadotropin secretion during lactation in the rat.

AbstractA role for serotonin (5-HT) in lactational anestrus was investigated in ovariectomized lactating rats nursing 0, 2, 4, 8, or 12 pups on Days 10-12 of lactation. Hypothalamic 5-HT concentrations did not vary with litter size. On the other hand, suckling of 8 or 12 pups was associated with increased levels of the major metabolite of 5HT, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). Rats suckled for 30 min after a 6-hr period of separation from their six-pup litters on Day 12 of lactation exhibited decreased amounts of 5-HT and increased levels of 5-HIAA compared to nonsuckled controls. These experiments indicate an increased activity of hypothalamic 5-HT-containing neurons following suckling.Separation from their pups for 12 hr produced a threefold increase in plasma LH and a twofold increase in plasma FSH in ovariectomized, lactating rats. Reinitiation of suckling returned both LH and FSH to preseparation levels by +12 hr. A similar pattern was observed in rats pretreated with ergocornine, a dopamine agon...
AC loss measurements of Nb/sub 3/Sn wire carrying transport current

The AC losses of internal-tin Nb/sub 3/Sn wires have been measured by an isothermal calorimetric method in triangular-wave fields at ramp rates of up to 1.2 T/s and in small-amplitude ripple fields biased with DC fields of up to 9 T. Measurements were made both with and without transport currents, which were both AC and DC. Without transport currents, losses had near-parabolic profiles when plotted against bias field with constant ripple amplitude, against triangular-wave ramp rate, or against triangular-wave ramp amplitude. With transport currents of up to 90% of critical, losses for triangular-wave field were shown to increase up to 17% with increasing DC currents and up to 10% with increasing AC currents. With DC transport currents, the scaling of loss by (1+i/sup 2/), where i is the ratio of transport current to critical current, may be a good approximation.
Seismogram synthesis for piecewise heterogeneous media

Summary We present a semi-analytical, semi-numerical method to simulate wave propagation in piecewise heterogeneous media that the Earth presents. Wave propagation in such media will highlight the reflections/transmissions at interfaces, while the volume heterogeneities in each geological formation generate scattered waves that are superimposed on the boundary waves to cause fluctuations in amplitude and phase. The numerical method is a straightforward extension to irregular multilayered media of the generalized Lipmann-Schwinger integral equation formulated in terms of volume scattering and boundary scattering. Compared to the finite-difference and finite-element methods for heterogeneous media, the boundary-volume integral equation technique enjoys a distinct characteristic of the explicit use of the boundary conditions of continuities for displacement and traction across subsurface interfaces, which provides sufficient accuracy for simulating the reflection/transmission across irregular interfaces. The resultant global coefficient matrix is sparse and narrow-banded. We discuss several aspects of seismic modeling implementation in order to make the calculations more efficient. The accuracy of the method is tested by comparing with the analytical solutions for a semicircular alluvial valley, which confirms that sampling at three elements per wavelength is sufficient to ensure the accuracy for general applications. To show the applicability of the method, we calculated synthetic seismograms that show significant impact of volume heterogeneities on seismic responses in a layered medium system.
An Enhanced H/ACA RNP Assembly Mechanism for Human Telomerase RNA

The integral telomerase RNA subunit templates the synthesis of telomeric repeats. The biological accumulation of human telomerase RNA (hTR) requires hTR H/ACA domain assembly with the same proteins that assemble on other human H/ACA RNAs. Despite this shared RNP composition, hTR accumulation is particularly sensitized to disruption by disease-linked H/ACA protein variants. We show that contrary to expectation, hTR-specific sequence requirements for biological accumulation do not act at an hTR-specific step of H/ACA RNP biogenesis; instead, they enhance hTR binding to the shared, chaperone-bound scaffold of H/ACA core proteins that mediates initial RNP assembly. We recapitulate physiological H/ACA RNP assembly with a preassembled NAF1/dyskerin/NOP10/NHP2 scaffold purified from cell extract and demonstrate that distributed sequence features of the hTR 3=hairpin synergize to improve scaffold binding. Ourfindings reveal that the hTR H/ACA domain is distinguished from other human H/ACA RNAs not by a distinct set of RNA-protein interactions but by an increased efficiency of RNP assembly. Our findings suggest a unifying mechanism for human telomerase deficiencies associated with H/ACA protein variants.
Movement coordination for single‐track robot systems

We consider problems associated with the coordination of movement within a multiple-robot system in which all motion is restricted to a single track. Our objective is to minimize the reconfiguration time, that is, the total time required to move a collection of robots from an initial to a goal configuration. We show that various models give rise to a wide range of problem complexities. For these problems we design and analyze optimization and approximation strategies.
Pressure and Strain Effects on Diffusion

We have investigated, via parameter-free calculations, the effects of hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic strains on the energetics of defect formation and self-diffusion in silicon. The three microscopic mechanisms, vacancy, interstitial, and concerted exchange, have very similar activation enthalpies at zero pressure but exhibit different behavior with hydrostatic pressure. Our results suggest that experiments performed at different pressures can determine the relative contributions of each of these mechanisms. The calculations also show that the neutral Si vacancy has a negative relaxation volume, with the nearest neighbors of the vacancy relaxing inwards, in contrast to the Si (111) surface. Large nonhydrostatic strains, which are present in e.g. Si/GexSi1-x pseudomorphic heterostractures, substantially reduce the formation energy of the tetrahedral interstitial, but do not affect the formation energy of the vacancy. These findings suggest that, aside from being another useful tool for the investigation of self-diffusion in Si, nonhydrostatic strain may significantly affect annealing and impurity diffusion in strained heterostructures. In particular, the interstitial-assisted impurity diffusion may proceed more rapidly in Si lattice-matched to GexSi1-x, but be slowed down in GexSi1-x lattice-matched to Si. The compressed GexSi1-x layers may thus act as diffusion barriers for impurities diffusing with help of native interstitials, such as B or P.
A University Name Change: Significance of Faculty Involvement

ABSTRACT The landscape of higher education is more competitive now than ever before. Colleges and universities are changing and refocusing their identity, missions, and strategic visions to better serve students, prospective students, partners, and other external constituencies. As a result, many colleges and universities have changed their name to distinguish and differentiate themselves in this growing and evolving marketplace. This study takes a closer look into the phenomenon of a university strategic name change process and faculty involvement. It addresses the following questions: How much faculty involvement is needed to facilitate a successful university strategic name process? What is the impact of faculty involvement on a university strategic name event? What are the drivers of a university strategic name change? What are the roles of faculty members in fulfilling the desired outcome(s) of university strategic name change events. This paper proposes that faculty involvement is pertinent to the p...
Thymidylate Synthase as a Predictive Biomarker for Pemetrexed Response in NSCLC

In recent years, major strides in cancer research have made it possible to select personalized chemotherapy recommendations based on an individual patient's tumor biology. The prognostic and/or predictive ability of biomarkers seeks to tailor the use of targeted chemotherapy and can result in improved clinical outcomes with reduced toxicity. A proliferation of new technology and pharmacotherapeutics in the setting of current FDA Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) standards has resulted in a recent surge in direct-to-physician biomarker tests. However, in the absence of clinical validation, there is the concern that the biomarkers may be utilized prematurely, resulting in improper chemotherapy selection and patient harm. Thymidylate synthase (TS) has been marketed as a predictive biomarker for the use of pemetrexed in NSCLC. We will examine the evidence behind the use of TS as a predictive biomarker to predict response to pemetrexed in NSCLC. At this time, the evidence does not currently support using TS assays to guide chemotherapy selection outside of a clinical research protocol.
Peter L. Benson: Human Exemplar and Uncommon Scientist

As they say, “Hindsight is always 20:20.” Upon the death of Peter Benson and taking the occasion to reflect on his life, his person, and his impact, I have to say, academically speaking, that Peter...
Characteristically Lutheran Leanings

Is there a distinct Lutheran epistemology? I contend that there is. This epistemology, coming from the writings of (and subsequent reflections upon the writings of) Martin Luther, is uniquely poised–due to its emphasis on history, its affirmation of “the ordinary” and embodied life, its ability to have genuine dialogue with “secular” disciplines, and its built–in humility–for addressing the interdisciplinary political, social justice, environmental, and other issues that face us today. Likewise, one is able to embrace this epistemology whether he or she is a geneticist, a priest, a teacher, or a doctor; in fact it is this epistemology that can enable us to discern vocational goals.
Assessment of Seismic Damage of Buildings and Related Environmental Impacts

AbstractSustainable development studies have recently begun to consider damage loss attributable to natural hazards. A sustainable perspective on building design entails an understanding of a structure’s life-cycle environmental costs and consideration of the associated environmental impacts induced by natural hazards. Damage repair costs lead to additional material and energy consumption, creating harmful environmental impacts. Merging the results obtained from a natural hazard evaluation and related environmental impacts for buildings in seismically prone areas provides a novel outlook for sustainable design decisions. To evaluate the environmental impacts caused by buildings, the long-term effects accrued throughout a building’s lifetime and the effects associated with damage repair need to be quantified. A literature review and a proposed method for this type of analysis have been developed and are discussed. Using Athena and HAZUS-MH software, this study evaluated the performance of steel and concret...
Glucose Sensing Neurons in the Ventromedial Hypothalamus

Neurons whose activity is regulated by glucose are found in a number of brain regions. Glucose-excited (GE) neurons increase while glucose-inhibited (GI) neurons decrease their action potential frequency as interstitial brain glucose levels increase. We hypothesize that these neurons evolved to sense and respond to severe energy deficit (e.g., fasting) that threatens the brains glucose supply. During modern times, they are also important for the restoration of blood glucose levels following insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Our data suggest that impaired glucose sensing by hypothalamic glucose sensing neurons may contribute to the syndrome known as hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure in which the mechanisms which restore euglycemia following hypoglycemia become impaired. On the other hand, increased responses of glucose sensing neurons to glucose deficit may play a role in the development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and obesity. This review will discuss the mechanisms by which glucose sensing neurons sense changes in interstitial glucose and explore the roles of these specialized glucose sensors in glucose and energy homeostasis.
Endocrine Issues in Neurocritical Care

The endocrine system is an integral organ system that maintains homeostasis in humans. Critical illness causes dysregulation of the endocrine system and threatens to disrupt human hormonal balance. Neurologically injured patients are at particularly high risk for various endocrinopathies depending on their individual insults and comorbidities. Hormonal imbalances seen in the neurocritically ill may vary depending on the acute or chronic phase of critical illness. Emerging therapeutic hormonal measures continue to be investigated in order to reverse the deleterious effects of hormonal dysregulation, particularly in the chronic phase of critical illness. Neurointensivists should be aware of the various perioperative endocrine abnormalities and the associated ICU polypharmacy that also causes endocrine disorders. Recognition of these causes may lead to earlier interventions.
Narrating (Im)Maturity: The Progressive Popularization of Enlightenment Principles in Wieland’s Geschichte des Agathon and Engel’s Herr Lorenz Stark

This article argues for scholarly attention to so-called ‘trivial literature’ as a site of the development of Enlightenment ideals of self-reflection and critical thinking. After establishing the bifurcation of the ‘canonical’ and the ‘trivial’ in literary scholarship, it traces 18 th -century philosophical concern with spreading enlightenment in essays by Kant and Herder. It then turns to analyses of a canonical work of literature—Christoph Martin Wieland’s History of Agathon —and an exemplar of trivial literature—Johann Jakob Engel’s Herr Lorenz Stark —to assert that these novels, their significant differences in difficulty or accessibility notwithstanding, both depict processes of enlightenment and induce these processes in their readers via distinctive thematic and formal means. Trivial literature becomes a first step toward processes of individual maturity—and more difficult reading. I thus argue that it makes sense to move beyond the trivial/canonical bifurcation and investigate the literary world of the late eighteenth century as a malleable continuum.
Software Parts for Elliptic Problems

The ELLPACK system is founded on the principle of software parts technology [Batz et al., 1983; Rice, 1982]. A software part is a program for performing a well-defined computational task. The form of input and output of a part is rigidly defined in such a way that various software parts can be joined together to perform more complex tasks. That is, the output of one software part is the input to a second software part, and so on. Thus, the specification of a set of interfaces defines an environment in which software parts can be easily intermixed. The purpose of the ELLPACK Contributor’s Guide is to describe a specific environment for software parts that can be used to solve elliptic boundary value problems.
What is the Proper Role of the States in Financial Regulation

The U.S. system of dividing regulatory authority between the states and the federal government takes on a very different cast for three important financial firms, banking, securities and insurance. According to the Federal Reserve, at the end of 2005, total assets held by these three types of firms were $11.82 trillion, $10.5 trillion and $5.6 trillion, respectively. In banking, federal regulatory power preempts state authority over nationally chartered banks, while state power is primary for state-chartered banks, subject to significant federal constraints on risk. In insurance, state regulatory power preempts federal authority (reverse preemption) for all insurance firms. In between these federalist poles are securities offerings and securities firms that are concurrently subject to state and federal regulation. However, there has been a recent trend of increasing federal preemption in the securities field. It seems odd that we have three different approaches to preemption for three different activities that are increasingly offered in integrated financial service firms. This paper advocates that insurance adopt the dual chartering approach of banking, with complete federal preemption for nationally chartered insurance firms, and that federal preemption be further extended for securities offerings and firms.
Millimeter- and submillimeter-wave nanoscience : LDRD project 122359 final report.

LDRD Project 122359 was a nine-month, late-start effort that pursued initial experiments studying the fundamental electrodynamic response properties of various nanomaterials from millimeter-wave (above roughly 30 GHz) up to submillimeter-wave (above roughly 0.1 THz) frequencies. The nine months of this project's duration produced two main empirical findings. First, Fourier transform reflectance spectroscopy on SrTiO{sub 3} nanocrystals from 0.2 to 10 THz frequency showed signatures of two optical phonons that correspond to known optical modes in bulk crystal SrTiO{sub 3}. However, quantitative differences between the nanoparticle and bulk spectra suggest that one or both of these phonons may shift frequency and weaken in nanoparticles relative to bulk crystal. Second, heavily doped n-type GaAs nanowires were synthesized for the purpose of creating high frequency diodes to study non-linear frequency conversion properties of compound semiconductor nanowires. It was found that incorporation of a heavy concentration of dopants interferes with the growth of these nanowires. While DC measurements showed reasonable diode-like current-voltage properties, the current state-of-the-art material properties of these nanowires are still unsuitable for millimeter-wave testing and applications.
Low signal, high noise and large uncertainty make CT perfusion unsuitable for acute ischemic stroke patient selection for endovascular therapy

Neurointerventionists are on the cusp of revolutionizing the care of the acute ischemic stroke patient. The stage is set for a major advance after 2 decades of experience and the development of extraordinarily effective endovascular devices. This advance depends on a clear demonstration of improved patient outcomes, but the evidence for improved outcomes after endovascular therapy is weak. This was most dramatically demonstrated by the halting of the IMS III trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00359424). There is an emerging consensus that the proper selection of patients for endovascular treatment has been lacking. Patient selection using neuroimaging has not been successful, most likely because ineffective neuroimaging methods have been employed. I have been a strong advocate of using neuroimaging, especially CT perfusion (CTP), for patient selection. CTP is particularly attractive because it can be obtained immediately after non-contrast CT and C without moving the patient. But I was wrong. There is now strong evidence that some neuroimaging methods are effective but others are not. I have learned that the evidence is especially strong for the reliability of diffusion MRI and the unreliability of CTP for measuring the size of the infarct core in the individual patient. In this essay, I review the evidence that led to my current view on the best practices for imaging the stroke patient. My hope is that my education may help neurointerventionists maximally benefit their patients. The greatest opportunity to improve overall outcomes in ischemic stroke is the successful treatment of patients with occlusion of major cerebral arteries. The vast majority of these patients involve occlusion of the proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA), and this condition will be the focus of this essay. Figure 1 illustrates the altered physiology produced by a right MCA occlusion. With occlusion, there is an immediate alteration in cerebral hemodynamics that is simultaneously …
Effects of aging and liver disease on disposition of lorazepam.

The disposition of lorazepam after intravenous administration (2 mg) was investigated in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and acute viral hepatitis, and compared to that in normal subjects ranging in age from 15 to 73 yr. No statistically significant age-dependent relationships in the drug's pharmacokinetic parameters were observed. Cirrhosis was associated with a doubling of the mean elimination half-life (21.7 ± 7.6 to 41.2 ± 24.5 hr). This was due to a similar increase in the volume of distribution of lorazepam, caused by a reduction in the extent of the drug's plasma binding (88.6 ± 2.5 from 93.2 ± 1.8). No changes in systemic plasma clearance of either the unbound (about 11 ml/min/kg) or bound plus unbound (about 0.75 ml/min/kg) lorazepam, or urinary recovery of conjugated drug (about 50%) were detected. In contrast, there were no significant changes in the kinetics of lorazepam in the patients with acute viral hepatitis. Comparison of lorazepam's systemic plasma clearance in the liver disease patients in whom studies with antipyrine and chlordiazepoxide had also been performed indicated impairment in their values but this was not the case for lorazepam. It is concluded that the degree of impairment, if any, in the metabolism of lorazepam in patients with liver disease is considerably less than that of certain other drugs including related benzodiazepines. Aging also does not lead to alterations either in distribution or metabolism as have been observed with other benzodiazepines. It is speculated that these observations may reflect characteristics of the drugs associated with their metabolic fate, i.e., glucuronidation or oxidative biotransformation.
The Child Who Has A Limp

A limp is defined generically as any deviation of child9s walking pattern from the expected normal pattern for the child9s age. Limping more commonly is unilateral than bilateral, and its many causes range in severity from malfitting shoes to highly malignant bone tumors. Specific reasons for limping fall into one or more of three categories: pain, weakness, and structural abnormalities. An antalgic gait may be caused by such painful conditions as synovitis of a major weight-bearing joint; infection of bone, joint, or soft tissue; neoplasia; or trauma from such things as repetitive microtrauma, a torn knee cartilage, or a chronic stress fracture. Musclle weakness can result from disuse atrophy or from a neurologic or a primary muscle disease. The structural or mechanical causes include limb length inequality, joint stiffness, and articular surface deformity. The anatomic origin of the limp may be the foot, ankle, leg, knee, thigh, hip, spine, or even the abdomen. It follows, therefore, that a careful and thorough history and physical examination are mandatory for the child who has a limp and that all of theses anatomic areas be evaluated carefully. The history should include the duration of the limp, the child9s or parents9 perception of its site of origin, if possible, and whether pain is associated.
Hypertension and urino-thorax following an attempted percutaneous nephrostomy.

AbstractWe describe a patient with the unusual complications of urino-thorax and hypertension secondary to a perirenal hematoma (Page kidney) following percutaneous nephrostomy.
Drugs and chemicals: exposure of the nursing mother.

Over half of newborn infants begin life breastfeeding. Nearly all drugs ingested by nursing mothers appear in their milk; amount is 1 to 2 per cent of the mother’s dose. Drugs for most maternal conditions are safe for the nursing infant. Information is presented to permit nursing mothers who need medication to nurse safely.
Proctectomy and Rectopexy: Laparoscopic Approach

Procedures in the lower rectum can be particularly challenging for any surgeon. The bony pelvis constricts the amount of space available, particularly in males. Finding the right plane can be a difficult experience but is of paramount importance as it has oncologic, functional, and anatomic implications. This chapter seeks to explore three rectal procedures in depth: low anterior resection (LAR), abdominoperineal resection (APR), and rectopexy. Our goal is to describe techniques, pitfalls, and pearls that help the pelvic surgeon complete these procedures safely and efficiently.
Promoting Civic Engagement, Critical Thinking and the Science of Photography through Photovoice

Photovoice is part of a growing interest in using creative tools with youth groups as a means to increase involvement in the positive development of local communities. The goal of Photovoice is to allow youth to record, reflect and act on issues of importance to them through the production of still photographs. The methodology holds promise for youth development professionals in several ways. It teaches soft skills such as teamwork and critical thinking; fosters civic engagement and engages youth in learning about the science of photography. The article concludes with considerations and ideas for emulating the methodology in a local community.
Quantification of intervertebral displacement with a novel MRI-based modeling technique: Assessing measurement bias and reliability with a porcine spine model

Abstract The purpose of this study was to develop a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based modeling technique for measuring intervertebral displacements. Here, we present the measurement bias and reliability of the developmental work using a porcine spine model. Porcine lumbar vertebral segments were fitted in a custom-built apparatus placed within an externally calibrated imaging volume of an open-MRI scanner. The apparatus allowed movement of the vertebrae through pre-assigned magnitudes of sagittal and coronal translation and rotation. The induced displacements were imaged with static (T 1 ) and fast dynamic (2D HYCE S) pulse sequences. These images were imported into animation software, in which these images formed a background ‘scene’. Three-dimensional models of vertebrae were created using static axial scans from the specimen and then transferred into the animation environment. In the animation environment, the user manually moved the models (rotoscoping) to perform model-to-‘scene’ matching to fit the models to their image silhouettes and assigned anatomical joint axes to the motion-segments. The animation protocol quantified the experimental translation and rotation displacements between the vertebral models. Accuracy of the technique was calculated as ‘bias’ using a linear mixed effects model, average percentage error and root mean square errors. Between-session reliability was examined by computing intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and the coefficient of variations (CV). For translation trials, a constant bias (β 0 ) of 0.35 (± 0.11) mm was detected for the 2D HYCE S sequence ( p = 0.01). The model did not demonstrate significant additional bias with each mm increase in experimental translation (β 1 Displacement = 0.01 mm; p = 0.69). Using the T 1 sequence for the same assessments did not significantly change the bias ( p > 0.05). ICC values for the T 1 and 2D HYCE S pulse sequences were 0.98 and 0.97, respectively. For rotation trials, a constant bias (β 0 ) of 0.62 (± 0.12)° was detected for the 2D HYCE S sequence ( p 1 Displacement) of 0.05° with each degree increase in the experimental rotation ( p 1 sequence for the same assessments did not significantly change the bias ( p > 0.05). ICC values for the T 1 and 2D HYCE S pulse sequences were recorded 0.97 and 0.91, respectively. This novel quasi-static approach to quantifying intervertebral relationship demonstrates a reasonable degree of accuracy and reliability using the model-to-image matching technique with both static and dynamic sequences in a porcine model. Future work is required to explore multi-planar assessment of real-time spine motion and to examine the reliability of our approach in humans.
Person-Centered Sociotherapy

The term “sociotherapy” is used for interventions that emphasize modification of the environment, including interpersonal relationships, as a means of alleviating distress and facilitating wellbeing. Sociotherapy focuses on the social dimension of human experience rather than the intrapsychic, viewing change in external context and social relationships as powerful agents of internal change. Linking sociotherapy to social work’s person-in-environment perspective, the chapter explores the basis of sociotherapy in ecological and social identity theory. It then addresses the question of why and how environmental factors contribute to a theory of change. While there is no coherent theoretical or empirical basis to link specific aspects of environment to specific aspects of mental health, a major strength of sociotherapy lies in its capacity for integration into any clinical practice. Consideration of sociotherapy as a complement rather than a replacement for psychotherapy can also help to resolve the false dichotomy of internal versus external mechanisms of change and locate sociotherapy within person-centered models of healthcare.
α7β1 Integrin regulation of gene transcription in skeletal muscle following an acute bout of eccentric exercise

The α7β1 integrin is concentrated at the costameres of skeletal muscle and provides a critical link between the actin cytoskeleton and laminin in the basement membrane. We previously demonstrated that expression of the α7BX2 integrin subunit (MCK:α7BX2) preserves muscle integrity and enhances myofiber cross-sectional area following eccentric exercise. The purpose of this study was to utilize gene expression profiling to reveal potential mechanisms by which the α7BX2-integrin contributes to improvements in muscle growth after exercise. A microarray analysis was performed using RNA extracted from skeletal muscle of wild-type or transgenic mice under sedentary conditions and 3 h following an acute bout of downhill running. Genes with false discovery rate probability values below the cutoff of P < 0.05 (n = 73) were found to be regulated by either exercise or transgene expression. KEGG pathway analysis detected upregulation of genes involved in endoplasmic reticulum protein processing with integrin overexpression. Targeted analyses verified increased transcription of Rpl13a, Nosip, Ang, Scl7a5, Gys1, Ndrg2, Hspa5, and Hsp40 as a result of integrin overexpression alone or in combination with exercise (P < 0.05). A significant increase in HSPA5 protein and a decrease in CAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) were detected in transgenic muscle (P < 0.05). In vitro knockdown experiments verified integrin-mediated regulation of Scl7a5 The results from this study suggest that the α7β1 integrin initiates transcription of genes that allow for protection from stress, including activation of a beneficial unfolded protein response and modulation of protein synthesis, both which may contribute to positive adaptations in skeletal muscle as a result of engagement in eccentric exercise.
Clinical Reasoning: A 27-year-old man with acute-onset ataxia.

A 27-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and asthma presented to the emergency department 1 month after the onset of dysarthria and ataxia. The symptoms were noted abruptly upon waking. He swayed on standing, fell easily, and noted tremor when manipulating objects. His speech was nearly unintelligible. He also had 1 month of mild distal paresthesias and a 30-pound unintentional weight loss. He denied diplopia, dysphagia, preceding illness, or other systemic symptoms. Over the course of the month, his dysarthria improved but his imbalance remained unchanged. His delay in seeking medical attention was due to lack of health insurance. The authors thank Michel J. Berg, MD, Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, and Melissa Tsuboyama, MD, Department of Child Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, for reviewing the manuscript.
Metallic ferromagnetic films with magnetic damping under 1.4 × 10 −3

Low-damping magnetic materials have been widely used in microwave and spintronic applications because of their low energy loss and high sensitivity. While the Gilbert damping constant can reach 10−4 to 10−5 in some insulating ferromagnets, metallic ferromagnets generally have larger damping due to magnon scattering by conduction electrons. Meanwhile, low-damping metallic ferromagnets are desired for charge-based spintronic devices. Here, we report the growth of Co25Fe75 epitaxial films with excellent crystalline quality evident by the clear Laue oscillations and exceptionally narrow rocking curve in the X-ray diffraction scans as well as from scanning transmission electron microscopy. Remarkably, the Co25Fe75 epitaxial films exhibit a damping constant <1.4 × 10−3, which is comparable to the values for some high-quality Y3Fe5O12 films. This record low damping for metallic ferromagnets offers new opportunities for charge-based applications such as spin-transfer-torque-induced switching and magnetic oscillations. Owing to their conductivity, low-damping metallic ferromagnets are preferred to insulating ferromagnets in charge-based spintronic devices, but are not yet well developed. Here the authors achieve low magnetic damping in CoFe epitaxial films which is comparable to conventional insulating ferromagnetic YIG films.