cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematic review with meta-analysis on transplantation for alcohol-related liver disease: Very low evidence of improved outcomes.

BACKGROUND Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of liver failure and indication for liver transplantation that arises in the setting of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Previous reviews of transplantation for ALD are limited in scope of outcomes and type of ALD studied. A comprehensive systematic review could improve use of transplantation in ALD and improve future research. We hypothesize that while transplanting ALD may improve mortality and relapse, findings will be limited by pre-specified causes of heterogeneity - assessment and treatment of AUD, definition of ALD, spectrum of ALD studied, assessment and rates of relapse, and study quality and bias. AIM To optimize liver transplantation for ALD, understanding existing research to guide future research, we conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis. METHODS We conducted a systematic review, comparing liver transplant to no-transplant in patients with ALD, with a primary outcome of both short- and long-term mortality and relapse. We performed a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library databases for peer-reviewed journal articles comparing use of liver transplant in ALD to no-transplant. Two reviewers independently conducted screening, full text review, and data extraction according to the PRISMA guidelines. We report the quality of the evidence according to the GRADE criteria. RESULTS We analyzed data from 10 studies. Of 1332 participants, 34.2% (456/1332) had undergone liver transplantation, while 65.8% (876/1332) had not. While random effects meta-analysis suggested transplant in comparison to no-transplant had an association of reduced mortality that did not reach statistical significance, relative risk (RR) = 0.51 (0.25-1.05), but not relapse risk, RR = 0.52 (0.18-1.53), significant heterogeneity limited these findings. When restricted to prospective data, transplant compared to no-transplant significantly reduced mortality, RR = 0.25 (0.13-0.46, P < 0.01), and relapse, RR = 0.25 (0.14-0.45, P < 0.01), with insignificant heterogeneity but persistent small-study effects. The overall quality of the evidence was Very Low. Heterogeneity analysis suggested that AUD assessment and treatment was often not reported while ALD, relapse assessment and rate, and data collection were institutionally rather than standardly defined. CONCLUSION Systematic review of liver transplantation for ALD suggests reduced mortality and relapse in heterogeneous, institution-specific populations with inherent bias. To understand efficacy of transplanting ALD, our research approach must change.
The Effects of Cohesion and Structural Position on the Top Management Team Boundary Spanning–Firm Performance Relationship:

Top management teams (TMTs) interact with key external stakeholders through boundary spanning, often by holding outside directorships. Yet research suggests these activities have an equivocal relat...
Self-assembly of and optimal encoding within thin rectangles at temperature-1 in 3D

Abstract In this paper, we study the self-assembly of rectangles in a non-cooperative, 3D version of Winfree's abstract Tile Assembly Model. We prove two results. First, we give the full details for the proof of a general construction for the efficient self-assembly of thin rectangles that was first reported by Furcy, Summers and Wendlandt (2019). This construction is non-cooperative and “just-barely” 3D in the sense that it places tiles at most one step into the third dimension. Second, we give a non-cooperative, just-barely 3D optimal encoding construction that self-assembles the bits of a given binary string along the perimeter of a thin rectangle of constant height.
A New Iwan/Palmov Implementation for Fast Simulation and System Identification

While Iwan elements have been shown to be an effective model for the stiffness and energy dissipation in bolted joints, they are presently somewhat expensive to integrate. Currently, the Newmark-beta algorithm is used to integrate the equations of motion when a structure contains Iwan elements, and a small time step is needed to maintain accuracy. This paper presents a new way of simulating Iwan elements that speeds up the simulations dramatically by using closed form expressions for the micro-slip regime and using an averaging method for regions of time in which no external force is applied. With this method the response can be computed in about a hundredth of the time. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated on a single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system to understand the range over which it retains accuracy. Although current implementation is applicable to SDOF systems, it can simulate the response of each mode in a structure that is modeled using the modal Iwan approach (i.e. assuming uncoupled, weakly-nonlinear modes).
Gratitude and the self: Amplifying the good within

Social workers are increasingly interested in building individual resilience by leveraging positive psychological traits. Gratitude, in particular, is associated with a wide range of desirable psyc...
Heat transfer rate of power law fluid flow with variable thermal conductivity through a porous annular sector duct

The impact of power law velocity gradients dependent thermal conductivity on forced convective flow of power law fluid through an annular sector duct has been studied in this article. The Darcy Brinkman Forchheimer model is taken into account to describe the flow field. Governing non-linear momentum and energy equations have been transformed into a dimensionless form with the help of dimensionless parameters. By using dimensionless quantities such as friction factor, fRe and average Nusselt number, Nu , characteristics of forced convective flow of power law fluid are analyzed for different values of power law index, n.
An Improved Collocation Method to Treat Traction-Free Surfaces in Dislocation Dynamics Simulations

Dislocation dynamics simulations is an inherently multi-scale computational methodology in materials deformation modeling. The authors address an important topic in such modeling which is the treatment of boundary conditions on the computational domain. Specifically, the effect of traction-free surfaces on the plasticity, i.e. the motion of dislocations and ensuing plastic flow, is treated here. To solve this numerical problem, the surface in question is meshed with elements each representing a dislocation loop. The boundary condition is enforced by solving a system of equations at each time step for the Burgers vectors of such loops. This is a collocation method with collocation points on the surface, and therefore, the higher the areal density of the points, the better the numerical outcome. Modeling results have been verified and are presented herein.
Utilizing Computer Vision, Clustering and Neural Networks for Melanoma Categorization

With the rise in premiums and deductibles for health insurance, the availability for affordable medical care is nearly out of reach. Because of diminishing coverage, more people opt to visit medical doctors on only extreme need basis. In dermal abnormalities, like Melanoma, there is neglect in treatment due to the high medical costs for consultations and the lack of public knowledge of symptoms. In this study, we propose a software approach to mitigate this problem, which utilizes artificial intelligence with high-level image processing to diagnose and categorize common forms of Melanoma.
Diurnal variability of total column NO 2 measured using direct solar and lunar spectra over Table Mountain, California (34.38° N)

Abstract. A full diurnal measurement of total column NO2 has been made over the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Table Mountain Facility (TMF) located in the mountains above Los Angeles, California, USA (2.286 km above mean sea level, 34.38° N, 117.68° W). During a representative week in October 2018, a grating spectrometer measured the telluric NO2 absorptions in direct solar and lunar spectra. The total column NO2 is retrieved using a model-based minimum-amount Langley extrapolation, which enables us to accurately treat the non-constant NO2 diurnal cycle abundance and the effects of pollution near the measurement site. The measured 24-hour cycle of total column NO2 on clean days agrees with a 1-D photochemical model calculation, including the monotonic changes during daytime and nighttime due to the exchange with the N2O5 reservoir and the abrupt changes at sunrise and sunset due to the activation or deactivation of the NO2 photodissociation. The observed daytime NO2 increasing rate is (1.29 ± 0.30)×1014 cm−2 h−1. The total column NO2 in one of the afternoons during the measurement period was much higher than the model simulation, implying the influence of urban pollution from nearby cities. A 24-hour back-trajectory analysis shows that the wind first came from inland in the northeast and reached the southern Los Angeles before it turned northeast and finally arrived TMF, allowing it to pick up pollutants from Riverside County, Orange County, and Downtown Los Angeles.
Airway immunometabolites fuel Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection

Pulmonary infections are associated with a brisk inflammatory reaction to bacterial surface components. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) trigger macrophage activation and release of mitochondrial metabolites that control the intensity of the immune response. Whereas succinate induces oxidative stress (ROS), HIF1α stabilization, glycolysis and IL-1β release, itaconate suppresses inflammation by inhibiting succinate oxidation, glycolytic flux and promoting anti-oxidant Nrf2-HO-1 functions. P. aeruginosa is a major pathogen associated with acute and chronic lung infection. Although both secreted toxins, LPS and proteases are key factors to establish acute P. aeruginosa pneumonia, lack of these components in chronic P. aeruginosa isolates suggest these organisms exploit other mechanisms to adapt and persist in the lung. Upon inhalation, P. aeruginosa strains trigger airway macrophage reprograming and bacterial variants obtained from acutely and chronically infected subjects exhibit metabolic adaptation consistent with succinate and itaconate assimilation; namely, high expression of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), reduced lptD-LPS function, increased glyoxylate shunt (GS) activity and substantial biofilm production. In this review we discuss recent findings illustrating how P. aeruginosa induces and adapts to macrophage metabolites in the human lung, and that catabolism of succinate and itaconate contribute to their formidable abilities to tolerate oxidative stress, phagocytosis and immune clearance.
Arsenic co-carcinogenesis: Inhibition of DNA repair and interaction with zinc finger proteins

Arsenic is widely present in the environment and is associated with various population health risks including cancers. Arsenic exposure at environmentally relevant levels enhances the mutagenic effect of other carcinogens such as ultraviolet radiation. Investigation on the molecular mechanisms could inform the prevention and intervention strategies of arsenic carcinogenesis and co-carcinogenesis. Arsenic inhibition of DNA repair has been demonstrated to be an important mechanism, and certain DNA repair proteins have been identified to be extremely sensitive to arsenic exposure. This review will summarize the recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of arsenic carcinogenesis and co-carcinogenesis, including DNA damage induction and ROS generation, particularly how arsenic inhibits DNA repair through an integrated molecular mechanism which includes its interactions with sensitive zinc finger DNA repair proteins.
Impact of sex on long-term cardiovascular outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes.

BACKGROUND Women with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) generally present with more comorbidities and experience worse clinical outcomes compared with males. However, it is unclear whether this represents genuine sex-related difference or stems from clinical, procedural and socioeconomic factors. METHODS We analyzed consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-STEMI or unstable angina at a single tertiary-care center. Exclusion criteria were unknown sex, age < 18 years and PCI with bare metal stent or without stent placement. The study population was stratified according to sex. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) defined as the composite of death, spontaneous myocardial infarction, or stroke at 1 year. Secondary endpoints were individual components of MACCE, target vessel revascularization (TVR) and clinically significant bleeding. RESULTS Of the 7362 patients included, 5031 (68.3%) were men and 2331 (31.7%) women. Women were older and presented with a higher burden of comorbidities while men had more complex coronary anatomy. The incidence of 1 year MACCE was significantly higher among women (8.0% versus 5.6%; p < 0.01) compared to men. Women also experienced a higher rate of bleeding (2.3% vs. 1.4%; p = 0.02) while there were no differences between groups in terms of TVR (8.1% vs. 7.8%; p-value = 0.83). Differences in outcomes were attenuated after multivariable adjustment. Findings were consistent across ACS subgroups. CONCLUSIONS In a contemporary ACS population treated with drug-eluting stents, women experienced a higher crude rate of 1-year MACCE. This was no longer apparent after accounting for baseline imbalances.
Realizing Combined Value Streams from Utility-Operated Demand Response Resources

Due to recent decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization trends sweeping across the power industry, the value of customer-side resources for providing different grid-support services is increasing. As such, load serving entities that provide electricity to final consumers and have access to demand response (DR) resources can utilize such resources for multiple services. This paper discusses a day-ahead scheduling model used to investigate the potential benefits of using aggregated residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units and aggregated residential electric water heaters (WH) for both peak shaving and market-based frequency regulation. The proposed model captures the perspective of a load serving entity (LSE) who participates in a wholesale market environment and also operates demand side management programs. To assess the performance of the model and potential benefits from combining different value streams, various scenarios based on real load consumption data from Pecan Street and wholesale market data from the NYISO market are adopted for illustration.
Combination of DGA and LN Columns: A Versatile Option for Isotope Production and Purification at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The chromatographic resins DGA and LN have been used sequentially to separate curium, californium, plutonium, and various fission products (FPs) to obtain products with a pure radioisotope or a rad...
Perceptions of Local Leadership: Results from a Pilot Study

In the mid-twentieth century, political researchers took active interest in the question of who, in a community, is influential. In those studies, most ordinary Americans could identify a person who they thought had influence. Respondents generally identified local business leaders as having most influence. In subsequent decades, research on this question dried up. We resurrect the question. As expected, in 2020 the vast majority of respondents cannot think of a person in their community who has most influence. Respondents who have stronger community ties are more likely to identify an influential person than respondents with weaker ties, but even those deeply embedded in their communities tend not to identify anyone at all as influential. Those who do identify someone as influential rarely choose a businessperson. Our study contributes to multiple active research areas, including the study of local politics, social and political party networks, and business and politics. Our pilot study is meant to reintroduce the topic of community power and influence to more political scientists and spur further research.
Drug combination therapy for selected hyperlipidemic patients

We performed individual patient clinical trials with hypolipidemic drug combinations in thirty-one patients who failed to either tolerate or normalize their lipid profile with single drug treatment. Type IIA, IIB or IV hyperlipoproteinemics were randomly assigned to sequential treatment with resins, lovastatin, fish oil, niacin or gemfibrozil alone or in combination. In successful cases, lovastatin plus resin exerted greater hypolipidemic effect than either one alone or than twice the lovastatin dose. Lovastatin suppressed the hypertriglyceridemic effect of resins. Fish oil plus resin prevented the undesirable effects of resin on triglycerides and of fish oil on LDL-C levels. Fish oil plus niacin resulted in better control of LDL-C and triglycerides than either alone. Fish oil and gemfibrozil had additive hypotriglyceridemic effects. In selected patients, hypolipidemic drug combinations may result in more effective control of serum lipid levels than monotherapy.
Characterizing Urban Dynamics Using Large Scale Taxicab Data

Understanding urban dynamics is of fundamental importance for the efficient operation and sustainable development of large cities. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study on characterizing urban dynamics using the large scale taxi data in New York City. The pick-up and drop-off locations are firstly analyzed separately to reveal the general trip pattern across the city and the existence of unbalanced trips. The inherent similarities among taxi trips are further investigated using the two-step clustering algorithm. It builds up the relationship among detached areas in terms of land use types, travel distances and departure time. Moreover, human mobility pattern are inferred from the taxi trip displacements and is found to follow two stages: an exponential distribution with short trips and a truncated power law distribution for longer trips. The result indicates that the taxi trip may not fully represent human mobility and is heavily affected by trip expenses and the urban form and geography.
Representational Difference Analysis

Representational difference analysis (RDA) couples subtractive hybridization to PCR-mediated kinetic enrichment for the detection of differences between two complex genomes. In this unit, protocols start with the restriction digestion of two comparison DNA samples. Specific linkers are ligated to fragments from each pool and amplicons are generated by PCR. Linkers are removed from both samples and a new linker is added only to size-selected tester amplicons. These tester amplicons are mixed with a large excess of driver amplicons lacking linkers. Hybridization results in three species of dsDNA fragments: (1) both strands derived from driver DNA (lacking linkers on either strand), (2) hybrids with one strand from driver (no linker) and one from tester (with linker), and (3) both strands from tester DNA (linkers on both strands). Excess driver removes DNA fragments common to both samples, and only the DNA fragments unique to the tester are amplified with linker-specific primers. Representational difference analysis (RDA) couples subtractive hybridization to PCR-mediated kinetic enrichment for the detect Representational difference analysis (RDA) couples subtractive hybridization to PCR-mediated kinetic enrichment for the detect.
Studies on the regulation of leucine catabolism: II. Mechanism responsible for dichloroacetate stimulation of leucine oxidation by the liver☆

Abstract Dichloroacetate, an activator of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and a hypoglycemic agent, activates leucine oxidation by isolated liver cells. The α-ketoisocaproate dehydrogenase complex, which catalyzes the second step of leucine catabolism and is believed analogous to the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, did not respond to dichloroacetate. Rather, dechlorination of dichloroacetate by liver cells produces glyoxylate which promotes leucine catabolism by serving as an amino group acceptor for either direct or indirect transamination of leucine. Support for this mechanism includes the following: (a) amino acids which serve as substrates for glyoxylate aminotransferase block the stimulatory effect of dichloroacetate on leucine oxidation; (b) glyoxylate stimulates the oxidation of leucine; (c) both dichloroacetate and glyoxylate increase the glycine content of isolated hepatocytes; (d) [2- 14 C]dichloroacetate is converted by isolated hepatocytes to [ 14 C]glycine, [ 14 C]oxalate, and 14 CO 2 ; (e) 2-chloropropionate, which also activates the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex but is not converted to glyoxylate, does not stimulate leucine oxidation; and (f) ethylene glycol, another compound known to be converted to glyoxylate by the liver, also stimulates leucine oxidation. Thus, in contrast to its mechanism of action on pyruvate metabolism, dichloroacetate promotes leucine catabolism by formation of glyoxylate which serves as substrate for the transamination of leucine by glyoxylate aminotransferase.
Using information retrieval techniques to route queries in an infobeacons network

We present the InfoBeacons system, in which a peer-to-peer network of beacons cooperates to route queries to the best information sources. The routing in our system uses techniques adapted from information retrieval. We examine routing at two levels. First, each beacon is assigned several sources and routes queries to those sources. Many sources are unwilling to provide more cooperation than simple searching, and we must adapt traditional information retrieval techniques to choose the best sources despite this lack of cooperation. Second, beacons route queries to other beacons using techniques similar to those for routing queries to sources. We examine alternative architectures for routing queries between beacons. Results of experiments using a beacon network to search 1,000 information sources demonstrates how our techniques can be used to efficiently route queries; for example, our techniques require contacting up to 70 percent fewer sources than random walk techniques.
Femoral neuropathy after pelvic operation

Abstract A case of bilateral femoral neuropathy after vaginal hysterectomy is reported. In femoral neuropathy, weakness and atrophy of the quadriceps group of muscles, loss of extension of leg, and absent patellar reflex are common. The gynecologic surgeon should be alert to the possibilities of trauma given occasion by: (1) thin body build, (2) self-retaining retractors, (3) Pfannenstiel incisions, (4) predisposing factors, such as diabetes, (5) duration of operation, and finally (6) lithotomy position. During the abdominal procedure, careful placement of the retractor blades to avoid pressure on the psoas muscle is desired; pulsation of the external iliac artery distal to the lateral retractor blades indicates lack of excessive pressure on the adjacent femoral nerve. During the vaginal procedure, avoiding extremes of hip flexion and abduction in lithotomy positioning is recommended. When this neural complication is recognized, a favorable prognosis can be predicted, thus allaying anxiety for both patient and physician.
A modified low-rank Smith method for large-scale Lyapunov equations ∗

In this note we present a modified cyclic low-rank Smith method to compute low-rank approximations to solutions of Lyapunov equations arising from large-scale dynamical systems. Unlike the original cyclic low-rank Smith method introduced by Penzl in [20], the number of columns required by the modified method in the approximate solution does not necessarily increase at each step and is usually much lower than in the original cyclic low-rank Smith method. The modified method never requires more columns than the original one. Upper bounds are established for the errors of the low-rank approximate solutions and also for the errors in the resulting approximate Hankel singular values. Numerical results are given to verify the efficiency and accuracy of the new algorithm.
Constraint patterns and search procedures for CP-based random test generation

Constraint Programming (CP) technology has been extensively used in Random Functional Test Generation during the recent years. However, while the existing CP methodologies are well tuned for traditional combinatorial applications e.g. logistics or scheduling, the problem domain of functional test generation remains largely unexplored by the CP community and many of its domain specific features and challenges are still unaddressed. In this paper we focus on the distinctive features of CP for the random functional test generation domain and show how these features can be addressed using a classical CP engine with custom extensions. We present some modeling and solving problems arising in this context and propose solutions. In particular, we address the way of model building in the problem domain of test generation which we refer to as multi-layer modeling. In this context we introduce constraint patterns of composite variable, implied condition and implied composite variable condition, define their semantics and propose schemes for their CSP modeling. The paper also addresses specific problems arising at the solving stage in the problem domain of random test generation. We propose solutions to these problems by means of custom random search algorithms. This approach is illustrated on the examples of the disjunction constraint and conditional variable instantiation. The latter algorithm addresses the feature of dynamic modeling required in the test generation task. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach we present experimental results based on the implementation using ILOG Solver as a CP engine.
A review of solar wind ion and electron plasma distributions: Present understanding and Ulysses results

Unlike the oral version of this paper at Solar Wind 8, this written version is not intended as an overview of the observational aspects of solar wind ion and electron distributions, but discusses only recent results in this area with emphasis on Ulysses measurements. Although primarily a review, some new results on solar wind proton temperatures at high latitudes are presented.
Why Do We Need to Teach the Evolution of Photosynthesis

The teaching of evolution in schools has long been a controversial societal issue, especially in secondary school education in the USA. In recent years, repeated attempts to rewrite science standards and modify textbooks to downplay evolution or present alternatives have been made. The most visible of these recent efforts has been spearheaded by the Intelligent Design (ID) movement, which has its origins in the creationist movement. ID proposes that certain biological systems are “irreducibly complex”, in that they are so complicated that it is impossible that they arose via the gradual accumulation of mutations and therefore must have been created by an “intelligent designer”. Conversely, if a process follows physical laws and logic that are understood, it also must have been created by this intelligent designer according to a “master plan”. The identity of the intelligent designer is usually not explicitly Stated but is meant to be God. Photosynthesis is a process that has been portrayed in ID literature as irreducibly complex in those aspects that are not well understood, and elegant by design in those that are. It thus becomes a central issue in this larger societal debate. It is important that scientists clearly articulate the existing evidence relating to the origin and evolution of photosynthesis and communicate this information to the community at large in a way that is both accessible and scientifically valid.
Metabolism of nitroglycerin by smooth muscle cells. Involvement of glutathione and glutathione S-transferase.

Abstract Metabolism of nitroglycerin (GTN) in the vascular smooth muscle is required for the drug to be effective in the treatment of angina pectoris and congestive heart failure. The usefulness of GTN is limited by the development of tolerance to the drug. The metabolism of GTN was studied in its target tissue, vascular smooth muscle. Inorganic nitrite was produced by cultured smooth muscle cells when GTN was added to the culture dish. Nitrite production increased with increasing GTN concentration and with incubation time. The enzymatic nature of GTN metabolism to nitrite was assessed by enzyme inhibition studies. Indocyanine green, a non-substrate inhibitor of glutathione S -transferase, inhibited GTN metabolism by smooth muscle cells. Cellular glutathione is also involved in GTN metabolism by the smooth muscle cell. Pretreatment with phorone, a glutathione S -transferase substrate, depleted cellular glutathione and decreased nitrite production from GTN. Pretreatment with buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, decreased intracellular glutathione and caused decreased GTN metabolism in smooth muscle cells. Removal of cysteine from the smooth muscle cell incubation medium in combination with buthionine sulfoximine pretreatment decreased GTN metabolism to a lower level than buthionine sulfoximine pretreatment alone. This study shows that glutathione S -transferase and glutathione are involved in GTN metabolism by cultured smooth muscle cells.
Photovoltaic and Ferroelectric Properties of Pb0.95La0.05Zr0.54Ti0.46O3 Thin Films under Dark and Illuminated Conditions

Thin films of Pb0.95La0.05Zr0.54Ti0.46O3 were prepared using chemical solution method. The photovoltaic response of the films under dark and illuminated conditions was investigated using capacitor type devices with Pt as top and bottom electrodes. The results show that the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current of a capacitor type cell can be manipulated by controlling the post deposition annealing temperature of the films. Films annealed at 750°C were seen to exhibit the highest short circuit current of 15.83 nA. The influence of illumination on properties such as capacitance, ferroelectric polarization and leakage current was studied. The capacitance of the film was seen to decrease when illuminated with light (60mW/cm2), suggesting that illumination leads to generation of charge carriers. The films became leaky under illumination, resulting in an increase in leakage current by an order of magnitude compared to the dark conditions. The saturation polarization (Ps) was suppressed, whereas the...
Single-pair fluorescence resonance energy transfer on freely diffusing molecules: Observation of Förster distance dependence and subpopulations

Photon bursts from single diffusing donor-acceptor labeled macromolecules were used to measure intramolecular distances and identify subpopulations of freely diffusing macromolecules in a heterogeneous ensemble. By using DNA as a rigid spacer, a series of constructs with varying intramolecular donor-acceptor spacings were used to measure the mean and distribution width of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiencies as a function of distance. The mean single-pair FRET efficiencies qualitatively follow the distance dependence predicted by Forster theory. Possible contributions to the widths of the FRET efficiency distributions are discussed, and potential applications in the study of biopolymer conformational dynamics are suggested. The ability to measure intramolecular (and intermolecular) distances for single molecules implies the ability to distinguish and monitor subpopulations of molecules in a mixture with different distances or conformational states. This is demonstrated by monitoring substrate and product subpopulations before and after a restriction endonuclease cleavage reaction. Distance measurements at single-molecule resolution also should facilitate the study of complex reactions such as biopolymer folding. To this end, the denaturation of a DNA hairpin was examined by using single-pair FRET.
Annealing of quenched Fe-Al alloys with/without B and Ti

Fe-40Al, Fe-40Al-012B and Fe-40Al-5Ti were annealed at a variety of temperatures, water quenched to obtain different vacancy concentrations, and heated at 10 K/min to 973K in a differential scanning calorimeter. Either one or two exothermic peaks were observed, at 533--613K and 743--933K, for all the alloys, while an additional exothermic peak was observed at 653K--693K for Fe-40Al-5Ti. All the peaks shifted to lower temperature with increasing quenching temperature. It is shown that the highest temperature exothermic peak is associated with the annihilation of thermal vacancies. Analysis of this peak as a function of temperature yields vacancy formation enthalpies of 102{+-}15kJ/mol, 104{+-}15 kJ/mol and 81{+-}15 kJ/mol for Fe-40Al, Fe-40Al-0.12B and Fe-40Al-5Ti, respectively. The lower temperature exothermic peaks may arise from vacancy rearrangement.
Why conservation needs dissent.

M. NILS PETERSON,∗ MARKUS J. PETERSON,† AND TARLA RAI PETERSON‡ ∗Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1222, U.S.A., email peter529@msu.edu †Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2258, U.S.A. ‡Department of Communication, Program in Peace & Conflict Studies, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0491, U.S.A.
Study Abroad and Experiential Learning in Salzburg, Austria

Professional opinion regarding the effect of interaction with native speakers on gains in language proficiency is mixed; however, in most studies the subjects have been students of English as a second language rather than American students studying abroad. The assignment described in this essay demonstrates that for students studying abroad, out-ofclass contact in the form of interviews with native speakers has a positive effect on the students' selfconfi-dence and their willingness to use the target language. American college students studying for ten weeks in Salzburg, Austria, were required to interview two native speakers, one approximately the same age as the students and one older. Students prepared a written protocol of the interview and gave an oral presentation of the results. At the end of the program, students assessed the value of the assignment by completing a questionnaire about the interview process.
Differences in the fatty acid composition of fatty acid ethyl esters in organs and their secretions.

Background: Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) are nonoxidative ethanol metabolites that have been shown to be long term markers of ethanol intake and have been implicated as mediators of ethanol-induced cell injury. Previous studies have indicated that the fatty acid composition of the FAEE found in the plasma of human subjects after ethanol ingestion is predominantly ethyl palmitate and ethyl oleate. This raised the possibility that there is some selectivity toward the fatty acid used for FAEE to be exported from the liver into the blood. Methods: To address the hypothesis that the fatty acid composition of FAEE secreted from organs, such as the liver and pancreas, differs from the fatty acid composition of FAEE in the organs, this study was performed using rats that received ethanol by intra-arterial infusion. Results: It was found that the fatty acids in FAEE differed significantly in plasma versus liver, bile versus liver, and pancreatic secretions versus pancreas. Conclusions: These results indicate that organs selectively export certain FAEE species.
Catching up in the postwar period: Puerto Rico as the fifth “Tiger”?

Abstract Puerto Rico experienced one of the world's most rapid growth rates in both GDP per capita and labor productivity — a performance that puts it into the same league as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. Moreover, Puerto Rico significantly narrowed the productivity gap between itself and the United States. Special circumstances played a role in its development, including unrestricted emigration to the mainland, generous federal transfer payments, and special tax incentives for investment. But our analysis suggests that even without these advantages annual growth in GDP per capita would have averaged 3.8% over 1950–1990, instead of its actual rate of 4.2%.
Congressmen of the Silent South: The Persistence of Southern Racial Liberals, 1949–1964

Using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, this paper investigates the characteristics of white Southern constituencies that reelected racial liberals to the U.S. House in the period between the 1948 Democratic Convention and the passage of the Voting Rights Act. In doing so, it tests theories of Southern politics and the electoral connection. Further, it also addresses several methodological issues regarding inferences made from comparative–historical research. Ultimately, it reveals that racial liberals from the Peripheral South and the cities of the Deep South were able to establish bonds between themselves and their constituents that were sufficient to win reelection.
INSTITUTIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN QUALITY ASSURANCE

The quality of care has three components: the goodness of technical care, judged by its effectiveness, the goodness of the interpersonal relationship, judged partly by its contribution to technical care, and the goodness of the amenities. Quality assurance protects and enhances quality through system design and performance monitoring. Monitoring may occur informally in the course of collaborative practice. Formal monitoring is conducted by: (1) systematically collecting information about the process and outcome of care, (2) identifying patterns of practice, (3) explaining these patterns, (4) acting to correct deficiencies, and (5) verifying the effects of remedial actions. Rather than being a policing activity, monitoring implements professional accountability and contributes to rational management by documenting the quality of the product. Its effectiveness depends in specified ways on (1) leadership, (2) organizational characteristics, (3) characteristics of health care professionals, (4) features of the method of monitoring, and (5) methods used to influence practitioner behavior.
Revision lumbar surgery in elderly patients with symptomatic pseudarthrosis, adjacent-segment disease, or same-level recurrent stenosis. Part 2. A cost-effectiveness analysis: Clinical article

Object Despite advances in technology and understanding in spinal physiology, reoperation for symptomatic adjacent-segment disease (ASD), same-level recurrent stenosis, and pseudarthrosis in elderly patients continues to occur. While revision lumbar surgery is effective, attention has turned to questions on the utility and value of the revision decompression and fusion procedure. To date, an analysis of the cost and health state gain associated with revision lumbar surgery in elderly patients with symptomatic pseudarthrosis, ASD, or same-level recurrent lumbar stenosis has yet to be performed. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness of revision surgery in elderly patients with recurrent or persistent back and leg pain. Methods After reviewing their institutional database, the authors found 69 patients 65 years of age and older who had undergone revision decompression and instrumented fusion for back and leg pain associated with pseudarthrosis (17 patients), same-l...
Comprehensive Evaluation of Impacts From Potential, Future Automotive Fuel Replacements

In modern society, everything from transportation to commerce to food supply is heavily dependent on the availability of cheap and plentiful energy supplies. In the past few years many have realized that the traditional sources of energy — oil and gas — are in limited supply and that we need to prepare for the approaching production maxima. It is in the interest of national economic security to investigate alternative sources of transportation energy before the extraction of existing supplies becomes prohibitively expensive. This meta-study investigates a number of potential fuels and their sources, including: • agricultural solutions - ethanol (corn and cellulosic), • agricultural solutions - biodiesel, • unconventional refining techniques such as coal-to-liquid, • oil shale retorting and tar sand processing, • traditional petroleum sources. The concentration in the current study is on transportation needs, although it is recognized that building space conditioning and electricity consumption are also significant demands for energy. The results are reported for land use, water use, input-to-output energy ratio, and carbon emissions for each fuel cycle and source. Data are given for the cases of 10, 25, and 50 percent displacements of the 2012 predicted transportation energy needs (i.e., the equivalent of 430 million gallons of gasoline per day). Cradle to grave findings indicate that some novel fuels cannot substitute for conventional fuels without consuming more water or land and emitting more greenhouse gases than fuels in use today. The most sustainable direction for the US transportation fuels sector is suggested.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Dendritic Cells, Viruses, and the Development of Atopic Disease

Dendritic cells are important residents of the lung environment. They have been associated with asthma and other inflammatory diseases of the airways. In addition to their antigen-presenting functions, dendritic cells have the ability to modulate the lung environment to promote atopic disease. While it has long been known that respiratory viral infections associate with the development and exacerbation of atopic diseases, the exact mechanisms have been unclear. Recent studies have begun to show the critical importance of the dendritic cell in this process. This paper focuses on these data demonstrating how different populations of dendritic cells are capable of bridging the adaptive and innate immune systems, ultimately leading to the translation of viral illness into atopic disease.
Ultrafast all-optical modulation on a silicon chip.

We experimentally demonstrate ultrafast all-optical modulation using a micrometer-sized silicon photonic integrated device. The device transmission is strongly modulated by photoexcited carriers generated by low-energy pump pulses. A p-i-n junction is integrated on the structure to permit control of the generated carrier lifetimes. When the junction is reverse biased, carriers are extracted from the device in a time as short as 50?ps, permitting greater than 5?Gbit?s modulation of optical signals on a silicon chip.
Obelionic Cranial Deformation in the Puebloan Southwest

As a form of cranial deformation, obelionic flattening is rare. Originally named and described by Stewart (J Wash Acad Sci 29 (1939) 460-465), based on a small sample from Florida, it has been little noted since. Previously [Nelson and Madimenos, Paper presented at the Paleopathology Association annual meeting (2007)], we reported the discovery of two individuals from the Pueblo III Gallina site of Canada Simon I who exhibit flattening of this type. Although technically undescribed in the Southwest before now, there are tantalizing clues in the literature that it occurred in low frequencies throughout the Ancestral Pueblo world. To determine whether the obelionic flattening found at Canada Simon I was isolated or an indication of a more widespread phenomenon, we undertook a survey of crania from other Gallina sites, Chaco Canyon, and the literature (type of deformation can be determined on lateral photographs of crania properly positioned along the Frankfort Horizontal). We examined 146 crania (78 firsthand) of which seven exhibit obelionic flattening. Our results indicate that obelionic flattening should be added to the suite of cranial deformations that occur in the Southwest. Here, we propose parameters by which obelionic flattening can be described and differentiated from the more common lambdoidal and occipital forms and suggest that the three types of flattening form a continuum of cradleboard induced deformation, although the exact mechanism for obelionic flattening remains elusive. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Redox-Initiated Cationic Polymerization: Reduction of Dialkylphenacylsulfonium Salts by Silanes

S,S-Dialkyl-S-phenacylsulfonium salts undergo facile reduction by silanes bearing Si−H groups in the presence of a noble metal catalyst. This redox couple can be employed as a convenient initiator system for the cationic polymerizations of epoxides, oxetanes and vinyl ethers. The polymerizations of these monomers can be carried out in a conventional manner with neat monomer or under solution conditions. In this communication we also report the novel use of a two-component redox system in which the silane is delivered as a vapor to a thin film monomer sample containing the sulfonium salt. Typically, the polymerizations are rapid and exothermic. The use of optical pyrometry (infrared thermography) as a convenient method with which to monitor and optimize the aforementioned cationic polymerizations is described. Studies of the effects of variations in the structures of the S,S-dialkyl-S-phenacylsulfonium salt, the silane and the type of noble metal catalyst on the polymerizations of typical vinyl and heteroc...
REAL TIME ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC DEMONSTRATION OF INTRACARDIAC AND EXTRACARDIAC RIGHT TO LEFT SHUNT RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME

It is not clear whether intracardiac or extracardiac (PDA) Rt to Lt shunt exists in respiratory distress syndrome. The purpose of this study is to use contrast echocardiography to demonstrate Rt to Lt shunt, if any, through foramen ovale (FO) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in infants with RDS. ATL Mark III Real Time Ultrasound with 5 mHz scan head was used. The scan head was placed under xyphoid process to obtain a 4 chamber view. Two ml of normal saline was shaken before injecting into umbilical venous catheter placed at inferior vena cava (10 cases) or scalp vein when UV line was not available. The study was positive when both Rt and Lt atrium were opacified simultaneously. To study Rt to Lt PDA shunt, scan head was placed at lateral abdomen to visualize descending aorta. The study was positive when echodensity was visualized moving along aorta caudally. Twelve infants (m GA 30.3 wks, m BW 1607 gms) were studied. All were mechanically ventilated with FiO2 higher than 40%. Each patient was studied daily until shunt no longer existed. F.O. shunt was evident in all 12 patients who needed more than 40% of O2. Only 2 out of 12 patients had positive FO shunt at FiO2 of 30%, below which no shunt was visualized. PDA Rt to Lt shunt was visualized in 3 of 5 patients who required FiO2 >60%. No PDA shunts were seen below FiO2 of 60%. This study indicates that Rt to Lt shunting via FO and PDA exists in RDS.
THE ROLE OF PRE‐MORBID PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN BEHAVIORAL REACTIONS FOLLOWING ACUTE BRAIN DAMAGE*

SUMMARY A correlational matrix of pre-brain damage psychological, psychiatric, medical, social, and pre- and post-brain damage behavioral variables was computed for 21 cardiac patients. All patients included in this study had expired and micro-section brain autopsy studies had been performed. Lesions appeared in 11 of 21 cases. One category of post-brain damage behavior was consistently related to brain damage even when intercorrelated variables were paritalled out. This category was labeled “Disorientation.” Six pre-brain psychological variables and one social characteristic were found to be significantly correlated with “Disorientation” even when brain damage was held statistically constant. These seven pre-brain damage variables were not significantly correlated with brain damage. The personality characteristics underlying these variables were briefly discussed. Evidence was presented indicating that patients with selective pre-brain damage characteristics as reflected in psychological and social variables have higher scores on a “Disorientation” measure of overt behavior after acute cerebrovascular brain damage occurs than patients without these characteristics. Sophistication in the prediction of overt behavioral responses following acute brain damage may depend on knowledge of the pre-morbid characteristics of the patient as well as knowledge of the changes in the “organic matrix.”