cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The International Law Origins of American Federalism

Courts and commentators have long struggled to reconcile robust federalism doctrines with the text of the Constitution. These doctrines include state sovereign immunity, the anti-commandeering doctrine, and the equal sovereignty of the States. Supporters of such doctrines have generally emphasized the history, structure, and purpose of the Constitution over its precise text. Critics of such doctrines have charged that they lack adequate support in the Constitution and are the product of improper judicial activism. This Article reconciles federalism and textualism by looking to a surprising source—international law. The Constitution contains numerous references to “States”—a term of art drawn from the law of nations. The founding generation first used the term “States” in the Declaration of Independence to claim independence for the original thirteen colonies and declare that they possessed full sovereign rights under the law of nations. The law of nations not only defined the rights of sovereign States, but also provided rules governing how States could surrender these rights. Understanding the term “States” against this backdrop provides a firm textual basis for the Supreme Court’s most significant federalism doctrines, and suggests that courts and commentators have been asking the wrong questions in assessing these doctrines. Under the law of nations, a “State” possessed full sovereignty unless it clearly and expressly surrendered some of its sovereign rights in a binding legal instrument. Thus, to determine the sovereign rights of the “States” under the Constitution, courts should ask not whether the constitutional text affirmatively grants them certain rights, but whether the constitutional text clearly and expressly abrogates such rights. This approach grounds many of the Court’s prominent federalism doctrines in the constitutional text.
Asymmetry of medullary veins on multiphase CT-angiography in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Abstract Background It was previously demonstrated that decreased cortical venous drainage is a predictive factor of poor clinical outcome in patients with an acute ischemic stroke. The aim of this investigation is to test the hypothesis that the decline in blood flow in medullary veins (MV) on CT angiogram (CTA) of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) can also be predictive of clinical outcome. Methods We retrospectively reviewed a database of patients with AIS who were evaluated by multiphase CTA and enrolled individuals with AIS and evidence of occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery, the M1 or M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery, or combination of two occlusions. To characterize asymmetry of MV we used similar principle that was previously established for MV on SWI MR-images; asymmetry was defined was presence of 5 or more contrast opacified MV in one hemisphere as compared to the contralateral side. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by mRS in 90 days. The Fisher Exact test was used to examine the significance of the MV asymmetry. Odds ratio and interrater variability were calculated. Results 66 patients with AIS were included. The presence of asymmetry in MV was associated with the higher frequency of poor clinical outcomes (84.6% vs 50.9%); the OR was 5.3. Interrater agreement in assessment on MV was moderate in our study (κ=0.55). Conclusion This study shows that (a) medullary veins can be reliably assessed on multiphase CTA, (b) in patients with AIS, asymmetric appearance of MV is associated with poor clinical outcome.
Characteristics of US Adults Delaying Dental Care Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted the delivery of health care services, including dental care. The objective of this study was to quantify and describe US adults who dela...
Curricular Knowledge as a Resource for Responsive Instruction: A Case Study

Responsive instruction—or instruction that foregrounds and takes up the disciplinary substance of student thinking—is both a hallmark of recent STEM education reforms and challenging to enact. This...
Hypotension and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes among children with multiple exposures to general anesthesia: Subanalysis of the Mayo Anesthesia Safety in Kids (MASK) Study.

BACKGROUND The potential adverse effects of exposures to general anesthesia on the developing human brain remain controversial. It has been hypothesized that hypotension accompanying anesthesia could be contributory. We hypothesized that among children exposed to multiple anesthetics prior to age 3, children developing adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes would be more likely to have intraoperative hypotension. METHODS Two previously published study cohorts were utilized for analysis: the retrospective and prospective Mayo Anesthesia Safety in Kids cohorts. The two lowest consecutive systolic blood pressure measurements were abstracted and standardized by calculating a z-score for noninvasive blood pressure reference ranges for children. The lowest systolic blood pressure z-score (continuous variable) and intraoperative hypotension (lowest systolic blood pressure z-score <-1.0) were used to assess the association of intraoperative hypotension with the incidence of learning disabilities or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(retrospective cohort) and factor scores/cluster membership (prospective cohort). RESULTS One hunderd and sixteen and 206 children with multiple exposures to general anesthesia were analyzed in the retrospective and prospective cohorts with mean lowest systolic blood pressure z-scores -0.26 (SD 1.02) and -0.62 (SD 1.10), respectively. There was no overall association of the lowest z-score or hypotension with learning disabilities or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the retrospective cohort. In the prospective cohort, there was no overall association of the lowest systolic blood pressure or hypotension with factor scores or cluster membership. CONCLUSIONS We did not find evidence to support the hypothesis that, among children exposed to multiple anesthetics prior to age 3, children developing adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes would be more likely to have intraoperative hypotension compared with those who did not.
Penetration through slots in cylindrical cavities with cavity modes overlapping with the first slot resonance

We analyze the coupling into a slotted cylindrical cavity operating at fundamental cavity modal frequencies overlapping with the slot’s first resonance frequency through an unmatched formulation th...
On the Seat of the Soul: Descartes’ Pineal Gland (914)

Objective: To describe the understanding of the pineal gland and its function by Descartes and his 17th century contemporaries. Background: The function of the pineal gland remained a mystery until 1958 when American dermatologist, Aaron Lerner, discovered a molecule produced exclusively by the pinealocyte, which he called melatonin. Design/Methods: Literature review Results: Descartes contended that rational thought was the necessary and sufficient condition of the soul, and that the pineal gland was the seat of rational thought. The pineal gland held this seat because it was thought to be the only midline structure that was single and mobile. Its singleness allowed for a unity of inputs from the nervous system, and its mobility allowed for redirection of airy spirits within the ventricles to animate the body. Curiously, cerebrospinal fluid was discovered in the ventricles before Descartes’ lifetime, but this fact must not have been well known. Conclusions: Though there is no clear connection between melatonin, rational thought, voluntary movement, and sensation, Descartes and his contemporaries accurately understood that the pineal gland had far-reaching influence beyond its location. Disclosure: Dr. Abhyankar has nothing to disclose.
Differential weight loss with intermittent fasting or daily calorie restriction in low- and high-fitness phenotypes.

New findings What is the central question of this study? How does intrinsic aerobic capacity impact weight loss with 50% daily caloric restriction and alternate-day fasting? What is the main finding and its importance? Intermittent fasting is effective for weight loss in rats with low fitness, which highlights the importance of how intermittent fasting interacts with aerobic fitness. Abstract Recent interest has focused on the benefits of time-restricted feeding strategies, including intermittent fasting, for weight loss. It is not yet known whether intermittent fasting is more effective than daily caloric restriction at stimulating weight loss and how each is subject to individual differences. Here, rat models of leanness and obesity, artificially selected for intrinsically high (HCR) and low (LCR) aerobic capacity, were subjected to intermittent fasting and 50% calorie restrictive diets in two separate experiments using male rats. The lean, high-fitness HCR and obesity-prone, low-fitness LCR rats underwent 50% caloric restriction while body weight and composition were monitored. The low-fitness LCR rats were better able to retain lean mass than the high-fitness HCR rats, without significantly different proportional loss of weight or fat. In a separate experiment using intermittent fasting in male HCR and LCR rats, alternate-day fasting induced significantly greater loss of weight and fat mass in LCR compared with HCR rats, although the HCR rats had a more marked reduction in ad libitum daily food intake. Altogether, this suggests that intermittent fasting is an effective weight-loss strategy for those with low intrinsic aerobic fitness; however, direct comparison of caloric restriction and intermittent fasting is warranted to determine any differential effects on energy expenditure in lean and obesity-prone phenotypes.
Systems controls are needed to reduce mistaken tests for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, results of a prospective quality-improvement cohort study.

ABSTRACT Medical diagnosis and therapy often rely on laboratory testing. We observed mistaken testing in evaluations for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) that led to delays and adverse outcomes. Physicians were mistakenly ordering interleukin-2 and quantitative natural killer cell flow cytometry, rather than soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL2R) or qualitative natural killer functional tests in the evaluation of patients suspected to have HLH.We initiated a prospective quality improvement project to reduce mistaken testing, reduce delays in correct testing due to mistaken ordering, and improve HLH evaluations. This consisted of provider education, developing an evaluation algorithm, and ultimately required systems interventions such as pop-ups and removal of the mistaken tests from the electronic ordering catalog.Active education reduced mistaken testing significantly in HLH evaluations from baseline (73.3% vs 33.3%, P = .003, relative risk reduction (RRR) 54.5%), but failed to meet the pre-specified RRR cutoff for success (70%). Education alone did not significantly reduce the proportion of HLH evaluations with delays in sIL2R testing (23.3% vs 7.4%, P = .096). Mistaken testing increased after the active intervention ended (33.3% vs 43.5%, P = .390, with RRR 40.7% from baseline. Mistaken test removal was successful: mistaken testing dropped to 0% (P < .001, RRR 100%), saved $14,235 yearly, eliminated delays in sIL2R testing from mistaken testing (23.3% vs 0%, P = .008), and expedited sIL2R testing after admission for HLH symptoms (14.6 days vs 3.8 days, P = .0012). These data show systems controls are highly effective in quality improvement while education has moderate efficacy.
Government Certification, Financial Access, and Growth: Evidence from the US Marijuana Industry

This paper uses an unbanked industry to study the impact of government certification on financial access and growth. Marijuana is considered illegal by the Federal law resulting in high financial access costs. I exploit a unique experiment by Washington State that significantly lowered such costs. The enforcement visits by the cannabis board officials to marijuana firms provided certification services resulting in a 19% increase in the probability of banking access, and 85% increase in total marijuana sales. The paper highlight the economic value of government certification and finance in the formalization of a shadow industry.
Sorting It Out: Mother Church and the Christian Demons

Church memberships per Christian denominations follow a power law distribution, with older denominations tending to fit that distribution more closely than younger ones. These results lend support to Rodney Stark’s theory regarding the growth of churches as the result of interpersonal relationships rather than doctrine.
The $L^2$ metric in gauge theory: an introduction and some applications

We discuss the geometry of the Yang-Mills configuration spaces and moduli spaces with respect to the L2 metric. We also consider an application to a de Rham-theoretic version of Donaldson’s μ-map.
European Union's New Role in International Private Litigation

While international judicial forums such as the International Court of Justice ("ICJ"), the International Criminal Court ("ICC"), and regional criminal courts have been important developments, based on actual use and successful results the dispute settlement system of the World Trade Organization ("WTO") has had much greater impact. Most settlement of disputes between persons of different countries takes place, however, not at the ICJ, or the ICC, or the WTO, but in private arbitration and in litigation before national courts. Peace (and justice) are promoted and kept on a regular basis through the process of reaching decisions in specific cases involving specific parties. In all of this, lawyers play the central role-as advocates, as judges, as arbitrators. Lawyers are day-to-day peacemakers. This article considers one part of the evolution of Europe: the developing competence of the European Union over matters of private law, private international law, and judicial cooperation - in other words, the role of the European Union (through the institutions of the European Community) in private litigation.
Pollutant degradation by a Methylocystis strain SB2 grown on ethanol: bioremediation via facultative methanotrophy

A facultative methanotroph, Methylocystis strain SB2, was examined for its ability to degrade chlorinated hydrocarbons when grown on methane or ethanol. Strain SB2 grown on methane degraded vinyl chloride (VC), trans-dichloroethylene (t-DCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), and chloroform (CF), but not dichloromethane (DCM). Growth on methane was reduced in the presence of any chlorinated hydrocarbon. Strain SB2 grown on ethanol degraded VC, t-DCE, and TCE, and 1,1,1-TCA, but not DCM or CF. With the exception of 1,1,1-TCA, the growth of strain SB2 on ethanol was not affected by any individual chlorinated hydrocarbon. No degradation of any chlorinated hydrocarbon was observed when acetylene was added to ethanol-grown cultures, indicating that this degradation was due to particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) activity. When mixtures of chlorinated alkanes or alkenes were added to cultures growing on methane or ethanol, chlorinated alkene degradation occurred, but chlorinated alkanes were not, and growth was reduced on both methane and ethanol. Collectively, these data indicate that competitive inhibition of pMMO activity limits methanotrophic growth and pollutant degradation. Facultative methanotrophy may thus be useful to extend the utility of methanotrophs for bioremediation as the use of alternative growth substrates allows for pMMO activity to be focused on pollutant degradation.
Inventory Depletion Management

The inventory depletion management problem is discussed in this chapter. Items are stored in a stockpile for the purpose of serving a demand in the field. Items typically age at different rates in the stockpile and in the field. The stockpile may or may not be replenished, and there may be different costs to replenish the stockpile and make emergency replacements in the field. The vast majority of the analysis on this problem is to determine conditions under which either FIFO (i.e., issuing the oldest item next) or LIFO (issuing the newest item next) is optimal.
GLI inhibitor GANT-61 diminishes embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma growth by inhibiting Shh/AKT-mTOR axis

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) typically arises from skeletal muscle. Currently, RMS in patients with recurrent and metastatic disease have no successful treatment. The molecular pathogenesis of RMS varies based on cancer sub-types. Some embryonal RMS but not other sub-types are driven by sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway. However, Shh pathway inhibitors particularly smoothened inhibitors are not highly effective in animals. Here, we show that Shh pathway effectors GLI1 and/or GLI2 are over-expressed in the majority of RMS cells and that GANT-61, a specific GLI1/2 inhibitor dampens the proliferation of both embryonal and alveolar RMS cells-derived xenograft tumors thereby blocking their growth. As compared to vehicle-treated control, about 50% tumor growth inhibition occurs in mice receiving GANT-61 treatment. The proliferation inhibition was associated with slowing of cell cycle progression which was mediated by the reduced expression of cyclins D1/2/3 & E and the concomitant induction of p21. GANT-61 not only reduced expression of GLI1/2 in these RMS but also significantly diminished AKT/mTOR signaling. The therapeutic action of GANT-61 was significantly augmented when combined with chemotherapeutic agents employed for RMS therapy such as temsirolimus or vincristine. Finally, reduced expression of proteins driving epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) characterized the residual tumors.
Dynamics of globally coupled inhibitory neurons with heterogeneity

A model of many heterogeneous excitable neurons with a global slowly decaying inhibitory coupling is studied. When neuronal intrinsic excitability parameters are randomly distributed, the system exhibits four regimes of behavior. In addition to synchronized periodic and asynchronous regimes, we obtain two aperiodic regimes, with bursting rate a staircaselike function of neuron excitability. In one regime, the system is partially synchronized and in the second, partially antisynchronized. The transition between these two regimes is discontinuous as the disorder increases.
Pineal-dependent and -independent effects of photoperiod on immune function in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) exhibit reproductive and immunological responses to photoperiod. Short (< 10-h light/day) days induce gonadal atrophy, increase leukocyte concentrations, and attenuate thermoregulatory and behavioral responses to infection. Whereas hamster reproductive responses to photoperiod are dependent on pineal melatonin secretion, the role of the pineal in short-day induced changes in immune function is not fully understood. To examine this, adult hamsters were pinealectomized (PINx) or sham-PINx, and transferred to short days (9-h light/day; SD) or kept in their natal long-day (15-h light/day; LD) photoperiod. Intact and PINx hamsters housed in LD maintained large testes over the next 12 weeks; sham-PINx hamsters exhibited gonadal regression in SD, and PINx abolished this effect. Among pineal-intact hamsters, blood samples revealed increases in leukocyte, lymphocyte, CD62L+ lymphocyte, and T cell counts in SD relative to LD; PINx did not affect leukocyte numbers in LD hamsters, but abolished the SD increase in these measures. Hamsters were then treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which induced thermoregulatory (fever), behavioral (anorexia, reductions in nest building), and somatic (weight loss) sickness responses in all groups. Among pineal-intact hamsters, febrile and behavioral responses to LPS were attenuated in SD relative to LD. PINx did not affect sickness responses to LPS in LD hamsters, but abolished the ameliorating effects of SD on behavioral responses to LPS. Surprisingly, PINx failed to abolish the effect of SD on fever. In common with the reproductive system, PINx induces the LD phenotype in most aspects of the immune system. The pineal gland is required for photoperiodic regulation of circulating leukocytes and neural-immune interactions that mediate select aspects of sickness behaviors.
Hispanic Americans Baseline Alcohol Survey (HABLAS): Effects of Container Size Adjustments on Estimates of Alcohol Consumption Across Hispanic National Groups

Objective:This study was conducted to examine discrepancies in alcohol consumption estimates between a self-reported standard quantity—frequency measure and an adjusted version based on respondents’ typically used container size.Method:Using a multistage cluster sample design, 5,224 Hispanic individuals 18 years of age and older were selected from the household population in five metropolitan areas of the United States: Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Houston, and Los Angeles. The survey-weighted response rate was 76%. Personal interviews lasting an average of 1 hour were conducted in respondents’ homes in either English or Spanish.Results:The overall effect of container adjustment was to increase estimates of ethanol consumption by 68% for women (range across Hispanic groups: 17%–99%) and 30% for men (range: 14%–42%). With the exception of female Cuban American, Mexican American, and South/Central American beer drinkers and male Cuban American wine drinkers, all percentage differences between unadjusted a...
Who's Responsible? Clients in a Stress Management Clinic

This article examines how responsibility for health is generated in a primary nursing care clinic for stress management. The methodological perspective was that of symbolic interaction and interpretive research. Eighteen clients were interviewed at various points during their treatment trajectory, along with seven clinicians. From the extensive discourse around personal choice, self-management, and individual responsibility, one would expect that providers might stigmatize clients and induce guilt and blame for either their physical problems or inability to manage their stress. The expert nurses in this clinic, however, continued to absolve clients, and clients did not experience any guilt, stigmatization, or judgmentalism within the clinic. By balancing theoretical concepts of learning and unconscious motivation with deep compassion, the nurse clinicians absolved these clients from blame while continuing to emphasize personal responsibility.
High concentration of cobalt in wheat grasses.

The concentration of cobalt in range wheat grasses (Agropyron spp.) in north-eastern Nevada was considerably in excess of that reported in other species grown on untreated soils. Concentrations of of 0–8 to 23 ppm (dry basis) were confirmed by three independent methods of analysis.
Edge breakdown in 4H-SiC avalanche photodiodes

We report suppression of edge breakdown in mesa-structure SiC avalanche photodiodes (APDs) by employing a 10/spl deg/ sidewall bevel. These devices exhibit low dark currents, <10 pA for a 160-/spl mu/m-diameter device, at the onset of avalanche gain. Two-dimensional raster scans of both beveled and nonbeveled devices, fabricated from the same wafer, show the photocurrent as a function of position and illustrate the spatial properties of avalanche gain in SiC APDs.
Reactions of platinum complexes with alkyl-substituted cyclopropanes. The formation of platinacyclobutanes

Abstract Mono-, di-, and tri-alkyl-substituted cyclopropanes react with certain platinum complexes to form platinacyclobutanes, tetrakis[dichloro(substituted-cyclopropane)platinum]. These products result from insertion of platinum into the least-substituted carboncarbon bond of the cyclopropane ring. Although the stereochemistry of insertion is compatible with steric control of the reaction, evidence is presented for dominant electronic control, with platinum behaving as a nucleophile in the actual insertion step. Formation of these compounds, and their subsequent chemical reactions, appear to be competitive with rearrangement to platinumolefin complexes.
Electro-insertion of xeno-glycophorin into the red blood cell membrane

The electroporation technique, with field strengths slightly below the critical value Ec for electroporation of red blood cells (RBC), enables the insertion of xeno-proteins into the RBC membrane without damaging the cells. The electro-insertion has been used to insert biotinylated human glycophorin into human RBC membrane and human glycophorin into murine RBC membrane. Binding anti-human glycophorin antibody (10F7) to the murine RBC bearing human glycophorin indicates extracellular orientation of inserted glycophorin. Insertion of about 105 glycophorin molecule per cell has been estimated by whole cell ELISA.
EWS Knockdown and Taxifolin Treatment Induced Differentiation and Removed DNA Methylation from p53 Promoter to Promote Expression of Puma and Noxa for Apoptosis in Ewing's Sarcoma.

Ewing’s sarcoma is a pediatric tumor that mainly occurs in soft tissues and bones. Malignant characteristics of Ewing’s sarcoma are correlated with expression of EWS oncogene. We achieved knockdown of EWS expression using a plasmid vector encoding EWS short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to increase anti-tumor mechanisms of taxifolin (TFL), a new flavonoid, in human Ewing’s sarcoma cells in culture and animal models. Immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometric analysis showed high expression of EWS in human Ewing’s sarcoma SK-N-MC and RD-ES cell lines. EWS shRNA plus TFL inhibited 80% cell viability and caused the highest decreases in EWS expression at mRNA and protein levels in both cell lines. Knockdown of EWS expression induced morphological features of differentiation. EWS shRNA plus TFL caused more alterations in molecular markers of differentiation than either agent alone. EWS shRNA plus TFL caused the highest decreases in cell migration with inhibition of survival, angiogenic and invasive factors. Knockdown of EWS expression was associated with removal of DNA methylation from p53 promoter, promoting expression of p53, Puma, and Noxa. EWS shRNA plus TFL induced the highest amounts of apoptosis with activation of extrinsic and intrinsic pathways in both cell lines in culture. EWS shRNA plus TFL also inhibited growth of Ewing’s sarcoma tumors in animal models due to inhibition of differentiation inhibitors and angiogenic and invasive factors and also induction of activation of caspase-3 for apoptosis. Collectively, knockdown of EWS expression increased various anti-tumor mechanisms of TFL in human Ewing’s sarcoma in cell culture and animal models.
Landscape Features Impact on Soil Available Water, Corn Biomass, and Gene Expression during the Late Vegetative Stage

Crop yields at summit positions of rolling landscapes often are lower than backslope yields. The differences in plant response may be the result of many different factors. We examined corn (Zea mays L.) plant productivity, gene expression, soil water, and nutrient availability in two landscape positions located in historically high (backslope) and moderate (summit and shoulder) yielding zones to gain insight into plant response differences. Growth characteristics, gene expression, and soil parameters (water and N and P content) were determined at the V12 growth stage of corn. At tassel, plant biomass, N content, 13 C isotope discrimination (Δ), and soil water was measured. Soil water was 35% lower in the summit and shoulder compared with the lower backslope plots. Plants at the summit had 16% less leaf area, biomass, and N and P uptake at V12 and 30% less biomass at tassel compared with plants from the lower backslope. Transcriptome analysis at V12 indicated that summit and shouldergrown plants had 496 downregulated and 341 upregulated genes compared with backslope-grown plants. Gene set and subnetwork enrichment analyses indicated alterations in growth and circadian response and lowered nutrient uptake, wound recovery, pest resistance, and photosynthetic capacity in summit and shoulder-grown plants. Reducing plant populations, to lessen demands on available soil water, and applying pesticides, to limit biotic stress, may ameliorate negative water stress responses.
Variational principles for describing chemical reactions. Reactivity indices based on the external potential.

In a recent paper [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 2010], the authors explored variational principles that help one understand chemical reactivity on the basis of the changes in electron density associated with a chemical reaction. Here, similar methods are used to explore the effect changing the external potential has on chemical reactivity. Four new indices are defined: (1) a potential energy surface that results from the second-order truncation of the Taylor series in the external potential about some reference, Upsilon(R(1),R(2),.,R(M)()); (2) the stabilization energy for the equilibrium nuclear geometry (relative to some reference), Xi; (3) the flexibility, or "lability", of the molecule at equilibrium, Lambda; and (4) the proton hardness, Pi, which performs a role in the theory of Bronsted-Lowry acids and bases that is similar to the role of the chemical hardness in the theory of Lewis acids and bases. Applications considered include the orientation of a molecule in an external electric field, molecular association reactions, and reactions between Bronsted-Lowry acids and bases.
Recent Advances in Empirical Microeconomic Research in Poor Countries: An Annotated Bibliography

This brief annotated bibliography is intended to inform nonspecialists of recent empirical research on individual and household economic activity in poor countries. I was greatly aided in this task by the existence of recent review papers and books on the subject and, most important, by a new volume of the Handbook of Development Economics (Behrman and Srinivasan 1995). In addition, Deaton (1995a, 1995b) provides useful surveys of essential econometric issues facing development economics, with an emphasis on practical problems of concern to applied economists. Dasgupta (1993) includes an up-to-date, comprehensive bibliography of literature related to rural poverty. These publications contain a wealth of information and essential references for anyone doing research on these topics. My task was to draw from this broad literature a few strands of research that illustrate two dominant characteristics of the current state of the field. First, applied microeconomic research in poor countries is engaged in a healthy and vigorous interaction with applied economics in general. Tools and ideas are borrowed from and contributed to the rest of the discipline on a regular basis. If it was ever the case that development economics was a ghetto, the walls are now gone.
Students' Peak Experiences: A Written Exercise

In an exercise described in this paper, undergraduate psychology students wrote about peak experiences they have had as a way of helping them understand Masloeiv's theoretical construct by relating it to meaningful events in their own lives. An additional goal of the exercise was to help students develop their writing skills. At the end of the semester, students completed an anonymous questionnaire assessing whether the assignment had been a worthwhile learning experience consistent with their personal goals for the course. Student evaluations confirmed that this was a successful activity; the course facilitated their understanding of Maslow's theories and provided an enjoyable learning experience. The exercise also encouraged students to integrate affect and intellect, consistent with Carl Rogers's views on the exploration of feelings us an important part of academic learning.
Isolation of Murine Telomere-Proximal Sequences by Affinity Capture and PCR

We describe a method of selectively enriching for murine telomere-proximal sequences using affinity capture followed by PCR amplification. The telomeric fragments were selected from NotI-digested and lambda exonuclease-resected mouse genomic DNA by annealing to a biotinylated riboprobe containing multiple copies of the telomere repeat (TTAGGG){sub n}. The resultant DNA-RNA hybrids were selectively retained on a matrix with covalently bound avidin. The captured DNA was then specifically released by ribonuclease action, and PCR amplification was performed using mouse repeat primers. The PCR products were cloned and used to screen a mouse genomic cosmid library, and the resultant cosmid clones were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Ten of 70 clones analyzed gave telomere-proximal hybridization signals, indicating an at least 500-fold enrichment for telomere-proximal sequences. 24 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.
Dispersive Tuning and Performance of a Pulsed Nd:YAG Laser

A flash lamp pumped Nd:YAG laser was tuned to 12 laser transitions from 1.052 - 1.356 μm using a dispersive resonator. Experimental results for threshold and slope efficiency of the 12 laser transitions agree quite well with a model that utilizes spectroscopically measured parameters of the 12 emission lines.
Exploring the influence of sports drink exposure on physical endurance.

Abstract Objectives To examine the role of automatic processes in sport and exercise settings. More specifically, the present studies tested the hypothesis that visual exposure to a sports drink would increase endurance by influencing perceptions of a physically demanding task. Design An experimental design was used, such that participants performed a physically demanding task both before and after exposure to either a popular sports drink, or a spring water control condition. Method Across three experiments (total N = 141 ), physical endurance was measured using amount of time spent persisting at the task. Results Across three experiments, visual exposure to a sports drink, relative to a spring water control condition, led to greater persistence on physical tasks, consistent with the well-known association between sports drinks and endurance. Participants exhibited no awareness of the effect that viewing the sports drink had on their subsequent behavior. The observed effect was partially mediated by challenge construal, such that those exposed to a sports drink were more likely to perceive an achievement task as a positive challenge and this, in turn, led to greater persistence. Conclusions Findings provide support for the notion that physical objects can alter athletic performance outside of conscious awareness. Results are discussed in terms of the subtle influence of environmental cues on behavior.
The Spines of the Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, as an Anti-Predator Adaptation: an Experimental Study

Although experimental evidence is lacking, the stout pectoral spine of catfishes has been interpreted as a defensive adaptation. The spine can be rigidly locked and abducted to produce stridulation sounds, which have been hypothesized to serve a warning function. We studied spine function in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) as a deterrent to predation by largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) by presenting individuals with pairs of catfish, one with its pectoral spines clipped and the other intact. The number of initial attacks on clipped and intact fish was similar, suggesting that bass do not recognize the spine visually. Bass showed evidence of learning across trials, striking clipped fish fewer times and consuming them. Conversely, intact fish were attacked more than clipped ones because intact fish were repeatedly disgorged and attacked again, suggesting that bass become sensitized to the spine. Ingestion times were longer for intact than clipped fish, and fewer intact fish were eaten. Eighty-eight percent of intact fish survived in the mouth of a bass one or more times. Catfish did not stridulate or use their spines to deter initial attacks, refuting the warning hypothesis. Locking and stridulation motions, only observed when catfish were held inside the mouth of a bass, did not deter subsequent attacks indicating that neither the spine nor stridulation carry a warning function. It is possible, therefore, that stridulation sounds function as a distress call. The spine functions against a gape-limited predator by increasing the difficulty of ingestion but not capture.
Nature screen: an efficient method for screening natural populations of Drosophila for targeted P-element insertions.

Abstract The efficiency of molecular techniques is making it increasingly necessary to rely on reverse genetics to understand the function of genes. Tissue-specific libraries allow one to identify numerous genes that can be cloned, sequenced, and mapped and whose temporal and tissue-specific pattern of expression are well characterized but whose function remains unknown. In such cases, it is desirable to generate targeted mutations to examine the phenotype of loss-of-function lesions. Here we describe a method for identifying naturally occurring variants of Drosophila melanogaster with specific genes tagged by a nearby P element. Imprecise P-element excision can then be used to generate a series of small deletions in or near the gene. In the method described here, large numbers of wild-caught males were crossed to balancer females, and inserts were identified in pooled samples by the polymerase chain reaction with one primer from each target gene and one primer from the P-element terminal repeat. We present the calculations for the probability of successfully tagging a gene and show that it is greatly improved by simultaneously screening inserts into several genes. If a large natural population is available, a nature screen is faster and easier than inducing P-element transposition in the laboratory, but the resulting lines, being genetically heterogeneous, may require more subsequent work to isolate. Using this method to screen the genomes of approximately 10,400 males, we found P-element inserts in close proximity to 3 of 10 genes that were screened.
Cationic polyacrylamides increase the rate of liquefaction and hydrolysis of cornstarch

Cationic polyacrylamides (c-PAMs) bind to starch granules and decrease the temperature for the onset of gelatinization by 8°C. c-PAM increases the binding of α-amylase to cornstarch; the rate of cornstarch hydrolysis also increases. By analogy to previous work on the c-PAM promoted hydrolysis of cellulose, it is proposed that the polymer reduces the charge on the surface of starch through a charge-patch mechanism. Because both enzyme and substrate are negatively charged, the bound c-PAM reduces the charge repulsion experienced by the approaching enzyme, which leads to stronger enzyme-substrate binding and faster hydrolysis. Overall, the c-PAM reduces enzyme dose by up to 62% under the conditions used. There is a mirror image relationship between the viscosity of the medium and the hydrolysis rate, which allows optimization of these parameters with enzyme and c-PAM dosage. Low c-PAM levels increase viscosity by agglomerating the substrate, but the viscosity drops at higher c-PAM concentration. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 79–83, 2013
Range of messenger action of calcium ion and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate

The range of messenger action of a point source of Ca2+ or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) was determined from measurements of their diffusion coefficients in a cytosolic extract from Xenopus laevis oocytes. The diffusion coefficient (D) of [3H]IP3 injected into an extract was 283 microns 2/s. D for Ca2+ increased from 13 to 65 microns 2/s when the free calcium concentration was raised from about 90 nM to 1 microM. The slow diffusion of Ca2+ in the physiologic concentration range results from its binding to slowly mobile or immobile buffers. The calculated effective ranges of free Ca2+ before it is buffered, buffered Ca2+, and IP3 determined from their diffusion coefficients and lifetimes were 0.1 micron, 5 microns, and 24 microns, respectively. Thus, for a transient point source of messenger in cells smaller than 20 microns, IP3 is a global messenger, whereas Ca2+ acts in restricted domains.
Uniform perturbation approach of the theory of one- and two-photon f↔f transitions

Abstract A consistent theoretical background of published approaches, uniform for one- and two-photon electric dipole transitions in rare earth ions in crystals, is presented. Due to the special electronic structure of trivalent rare earth ions, the theoretical description of their spectroscopic properties is based on perturbation theory. In particular, Rayleigh–Schrodinger perturbation theory is applied, and the perturbing expansion of the wave functions is limited to second-order corrections. In the discussion of various models of f ↔ f transitions special attention is directed to the detailed definition of the Hamiltonian and to partitioning of the space. The general expressions for various kinds of contributions to the transition amplitude are presented, including the perturbing influence of the crystal field potential, electron correlation effects and spin–orbit interaction.
Structure, synthesis and characterization of chiral, phosphido-phosphine, diphosphine platinum(II) mono- and dimeric complexes: The molecular structure of both [PT2Cl3{(R*)-μ-iPrPCH2PiPr2}{(R*)-HiPrPCH2PiPr2}] and [PT2Cl3{(R*)-μ-iPrPCH2PiPR2}{(S*,S*)-μ-HiPrPCH2PiPrH}]

Abstract The preparation and spectroscopic characterization of the chiral phosphidophosphine, diphosphine dimeric complex [Pt2Cl3{(R*)-μ-iPrPCH2PiPr2}{(R*)-μ-HiPrPCH2PiPr2}] (3a) is reported. The further isolation of [PtCl2(HiPrPCH2PiPr2)] (1) and [Pt2Cl3{(R*)-μ-iPrPCH2PiPr2}{(R*)-HiPrPCH2PiPr2}] (2b) has led to a rationalization of the racemate's, 3a, predomination, over other potential isomers, e.g. [Pt2Cl3{(R*)-μ-iPrPCH2PiPr2}{(S*)-μ-HiPrPCH2PiPr2}] (3b), in terms of its mechanism of formation. The mixed ligand dimer, [Pt2Cl3{(R*)-μ-iPrPCH2PiPr2}{(S*,S*)-μ-HiPrPCH2PiPrH}] (4), has also been prepared and characterized spectroscopically. The structures of 2b and 4 have been elucidated via X-ray diffraction studies.
Immunohistochemical studies of substance P, cholecystokinin-octapeptide and somatostatin in dorsal root ganglia of the rat

Abstract Immunofluorescence histochemistry was used to determine the distribution of substance P, somatostatin and cholecystokinin-octapeptide-immunoreactive perikarya in C6, T6, T10, L2 and S1 dorsal root ganglia of rat. Five different categories of immunoreactive primary afferent neurons were distinguished on the basis of cell size, cytology and peptide immunoreactivities. The population of small cells (diameter The relative abundance of dorsal root ganglion cells containing substance P, cholecystokininoctapeptide or somatostatin immunoreactivities was significantly different within segmental levels. More neurons were immunoreactive for cholecystokinin-octapeptide than substance P in ganglia C6, T6 and T10. Somatostatin-containing cells were fewest in number regardless of level. The number of immunoreactive cells also varied among spinal ganglia. L2 contained the greatest number of immunoreactive cells; S1 contained the fewest. These studies are relevant to our understanding of dorsal root ganglia in two ways. Firstly, the data document significant variation in the distribution of peptide-containing neurons among spinal ganglia associated with various cord levels. The variation in peptide-containing cell populations among spinal ganglia may reflect differences in populations of modality-specific primary afferent fibers as well as in populations of somatic and visceral primary afferent fibers at each level. Furthermore, the data indicate that the relative abundance of a population of peptide-containing primary afferent neurons cannot be extrapolated from the examination of spinal ganglia from a single level. Secondly, substance P and cholecystokinin-octapeptide did not co-exist in all spinal ganglion cells as previously reported. In conjunction with immunostaining characteristics and cell size, the differential distribution of the two peptides defined four cell types, raising the possibility that each cell type may mediate a different modality.
Feeder monitoring for volt/VAR control in distribution systems

This paper investigates the real-time monitoring on a distribution feeder needed for advanced volt/var control. The paper also proposes a meter placement method needed for this purpose. To determine minimum set of measurements needed to estimate the node voltages within the desired accuracy, a meter placement scheme has also been proposed. The proposed scheme has two stages. First stage uses a set of rules to place an initial set of current and voltage meters. In the second stage, a meter sorting procedure is used to identify the minimum set of meters that are needed. Test results on a prototype feeder are given to illustrate the performance of the method.
CYLD, a deubiquitinase specific for lysine63-linked polyubiquitins, accumulates at the postsynaptic density in an activity-dependent manner

Polyubiquitin chains on proteins flag them for distinct fates depending on the type of polyubiquitin linkage. While lysine48-linked polyubiquitination directs proteins to proteasomal degradation, lysine63-linked polyubiquitination promotes different protein trafficking and is involved in autophagy. Here we show that postsynaptic density (PSD) fractions from adult rat brain contain deubiquitinase activity that targets both lysine48 and lysine63-linked polyubiquitins. Comparison of PSD fractions with parent subcellular fractions by Western immunoblotting reveals that CYLD, a deubiquitinase specific for lysine63-linked polyubiquitins, is highly enriched in the PSD fraction. Electron microscopic examination of hippocampal neurons in culture under basal conditions shows immunogold label for CYLD at the PSD complex in approximately one in four synapses. Following depolarization by exposure to high K+, the proportion of CYLD-labeled PSDs as well as the labeling intensity of CYLD at the PSD increased by more than eighty percent, indicating that neuronal activity promotes accumulation of CYLD at the PSD. An increase in postsynaptic CYLD following activity would promote removal of lysine63-polyubiquitins from PSD proteins and thus could regulate their trafficking and prevent their autophagic degradation.
NUCLEIC ACID INTERACTIONS. V. EFFECTS OF CYCLOBUXINE.

In aqueous media of low ionic strength (Na+ = 6 × 10−3 M ) the alkaloid cyclobuxine, a steroidal diamine, exerts a profound effect on the stability of helical polynucleotides (DNA, S-RNA and dAT:dAT). This effect is biphasic in the sense that at low concentrations of the agent (≤ 10−4M) there is stabilization of the native, while at higher concentrations (≥5 × 10−4 M ) there is stabilization of the denatured conformation. In a medium containing 51% methanol only the labilizing interaction persists while at high ionic strength both types of interaction are eliminated. These effects of cyclobuxine are restricted to the reversible order—disorder transition and do not extend to strand separation or re-combination. Cyclobuxine affects the absorption spectrum of DNA and other polynucleotides by producing a generalized hyperchromicity centered at 270 mμ. For low concentrations of the agent the magnitude of this increased absorption falls in the order native DNA > denatured DNA ~ S-RNA > polyribonucleotides » nucleotides.
Complex Segregation Analyses: Uses and Limitations

Complex segregation analysis (CSA) is a general method for evaluating the transmission of a trait within pedigrees. It proceeds by testing models of varying degrees of generality, both to determine whether a Mendelian locus is likely to exert a large effect on the phenotype of interest and to estimate the magnitude of genetic sources of variation in the trait. This information is valuable both as a prelude to linkage analysis, which generally assumes Mendelian transmission, and in providing a model on which to base parametric linkage methods.