cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Potlatch as Fractional Reserve Banking

Despite often-abundant natural resources, so-called “Indian Country” suffers the worst systemic poverty in North America today. Much of the economic story of Indian Country is one of hopelessly limited property rights naively designed to protect its wards. Whether encumbrances on fee simple ownership, restrictions on minerals development, access limitations to traditional hunting and fishing resources, the absence of taxing authority, or limitations on access to commercial markets, poorly defined property rights are a critical stumbling block to tribal economic development. Restoring a working system of property rights is essential to unlocking the wealth of Indian nations, and doing that calls for better understanding of their property rights institutions prior to European contact. This chapter focuses on the Northwest Coast Tribes’ early capital markets and specifically on how their potlatch system served as a system of fractional reserve banking to expand their money supply and finance wealth enhancing investments.
Paleogeomorphology and evolution of the early Colorado River inferred from relationships in Mohave and Cottonwood valleys, Arizona, California, and Nevada

Geologic investigations of late Miocene–early Pliocene deposits in Mohave and Cottonwood valleys provide important insights into the early evolution of the lower Colorado River system. In the latest Miocene these valleys were separate depocenters; the floor of Cottonwood Valley was ∼200 m higher than the floor of Mohave Valley. When Colorado River water arrived from the north after 5.6 Ma, a shallow lake in Cottonwood Valley spilled into Mohave Valley, and the river then filled both valleys to ∼560 m above sea level (asl) and overtopped the bedrock divide at the southern end of Mohave Valley. Sediment-starved water spilling to the south gradually eroded the outlet as siliciclastic Bouse deposits filled the lake upstream. When sediment accumulation reached the elevation of the lowering outlet, continued erosion of the outlet resulted in recycling of stored lacustrine sediment into downstream basins; depth of erosion of the outlet and upstream basins was limited by the water levels in downstream basins. The water level in the southern Bouse basin was ∼300 m asl (modern elevation) at 4.8 Ma. It must have drained and been eroded to a level
Management of Foot and Leg Problems in Dairy Cattle 1

Summary There is no one single cause of foot problems. Likewise, there is no one specific cure. The key is prevention, and only through diligent management practices associated with environment, nutrition, breeding and health programs can prevention be accomplished. Guidelines for foot management: 1. Observation: routinely observe cows for any apparent lameness, standing problems, or if they are lying down excessively. Also, provide an environment conducive to proper foot wear (i.e., get cows off concrete at least two hours per day, groove smooth floors, grade rough floors). 2. Monitor nutrition and breeding programs: balance diets for specific groups of cows according to National Research Council recommendations. Choose sires with high dollar product value, which also have high stayability and feet ratings. 3. Prompt treatment of disorders: treat lame cows as soon as they are noticed, not when they become a nuisance. Also, treat cows with infectious diseases (metritis, mastitis) promptly. 4. Maintain a regular hoof trimming schedule... every six months to a year depending on hoof growth and wear. 5. Provide a foot bath for cows, that is maintained on a daily basis.
Optimization of Transformation Mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens in Indica Rice

Five indica rice cultivars were investigated to study several factors influential to transformation frequency.Appropriate higher ratio of nitrate nitrogen to ammonium nitrogen,1.0～2.5mg/L 2,4-D were beneficial to indica rice callus inducement.The results of subculture time investigation showed that twelve days' culture conduced to callus activity.Advanced research results showed that three days' co-culture of callus and A.tumefacien was beneficial to target gene's transformation.
Simultaneous determination of 7 organic chemicals in workplace air by solvent desorption-capillary gas chromatography

Objective:To establish a method for simultaneous determination of benzene series(benzene,tolune,xylene,ethylbenzene,styrene),n-hexane and cyclohexane in air of workplace by solvent desorption-capillary gas chromatography.Methods: The sample was collected with active carbon tube,desorbed by carbon disulfide,and separated with DB-1 capillary column and detected by FID.Results: The 7 organic chemicals could be determined simultaneously,with the relative standard deviations from 3.11% to 4.02%,and the linear ranges of method were from 0.14 to 0.33 μg/ml,the correlation coefficient was more than 0.999.The desorption efficiency were all above 95% except styrene was 80.2%.Conclusion: The method is simple,accurate and suitable for simultaneous determination of the 7 target chemicals in the air of workplace
Assimilation Efforts in Colonial Taiwan: The Fate of the 1914 Movement

Assimilation denotes the process by which cultures and peoples interact and fuse. Under colonialism this process entails the transformation of the languages, customs, habits and institutions of a subject people until they become more at one or merge with the nationals of the home country. Assimilation efforts in a given colony may differ in respect to the means and ends involved. Measures may be imposed by colonial authorities for immediate advantages as well as long-range benefits to the home country. Local leaders and spokesmen from the home country may also initiate assimilation procedures, including popular movements, so as to gain rights and privileges for the subject people equal to those enjoyed by nationals in the colony and at home. Even in the latter context assimilation still suggests the inferior status implied by the word " colony," for it connotes one-sided change on the part of the subject people not of the nationals who are acclaimed bearers of a superior culture.1
Small Bowel Resection

Small bowel resection is a common procedure which is performed for a wide variety of indications in all age groups. Multiple different techniques to accomplish a small bowel resection and anastomosis have developed over the last 200 years, including the open versus laparoscopic approach, single versus double layer, and hand-sewn versus stapled anastomosis. In general, the various surgical techniques are similar in outcome as long as common principles are followed: adequate exposure, gentle tissue handling, absence of tension, and adequate tissue oxygenation.
Barthes, Roland (1915–80)

Roland Barthes was a twentieth-century French literary critic, philosopher, and cultural theorist important in the trajectories of structuralism and poststructuralism. This article begins by examining Barthes' formative years and influences, and highlights his contributions made to structuralism and poststructuralism in France and beyond. The article then discusses the role that Barthes' work has played in the social and behavioral sciences, including how his writings have been appropriated by disciplines such as sociology and anthropology. Barthes' writings on history are also examined in a disciplinary context.
Occurrence and distribution of an outbreak of infection of Loxothylacus texanus (Rhizocephala) in blue crabs in Galveston Bay, Texas, with special reference to size and coloration of the parasite's external reproductive structures.

ABSTRACT Externae (reproductive structures) of Loxothylacus texanus were found on 10.3% of 1,521 blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) examined in Galveston Bay, May through July 1989. Infections were found in areas of the bay where annual salinities average between 15 and 30 ppt. No externae were found on 577 crabs caught in intertidal areas. Of 944 crabs collected in subtidal habitats, 156 (16.5%) bore the parasite's extemae. In a separate analysis of 284 externae collected from 237 host crabs, the number of externae per crab ranged from 1―4 (mean = 1.2). The volume of externae (in cm3) ranged from 0.5-5.8 (mean = 3.3). The carapace width (in mm) of host crabs ranged from 49-100 mm (mean = 68.9). The developmental sequence of externae as indicated by external coloration is: white, tan, yellow, brown, salmon, and purple.
Challenging Conceptual Barriers: EFT and the Debit Card

This chapter chronicles the history of Visa’s signature debit card, placing it in the context of the discussion surrounding electronic funds transfer (EFT) in the 1970s. Visa’s first debit card was introduced in 1975, yet the member banks did not widely issue it until the 1990s. I argue that this had more to do with a technological and cooperative mismatch between Visa’s debit card and the various EFT plans being formulated by the member banks than it did with protecting lucrative credit card profits.
Rodent Behavioral Tests Sensitive to Functional Recovery and Compensation

Abstract This review describes a few commonly used tests of rodent forelimb and hind limb motor function and cognitive function used after experimental stroke. Special attention has been paid to tests that provide both quantitative and qualitative data or methods to distinguish compensatory behaviors from true recovery of function. Additionally, we have compiled a more extensive list, although not exhaustive, of common poststroke rodent behavioral assays and indicate some of their limitations and strengths.
Is Our Model for Contention Resolution Wrong?: Confronting the Cost of Collisions

Randomized binary exponential backoff (BEB) is a popular algorithm for coordinating access to a shared channel. With an operational history exceeding four decades, BEB is currently an important component of several wireless standards. Despite this track record, prior theoretical results indicate that under bursty traffic (1) BEB yields poor makespan and (2) superior algorithms are possible. To date, the degree to which these findings manifest in practice has not been resolved. To address this issue, we examine one of the strongest cases against BEB: n packets that simultaneously begin contending for the wireless channel. Using Network Simulator 3, we compare against more recent algorithms that are inspired by BEB, but whose makespan guarantees are superior. Surprisingly, we discover that these newer algorithms significantly underperform. Through further investigation, we identify as the culprit a flawed but common abstraction regarding the cost of collisions. Our experimental results are complemented by analytical arguments that the number of collisions -- and not solely makespan -- is an important metric to optimize. We argue that these findings have implications for the design of contention-resolution algorithms.
Venothrombotic Embolus (VTE)

Venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease is a common complication after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The ideal VTE prophylaxis regimen has not been determined; the selection of a prophylaxis regimen is a balance between efficacy and bleeding. A small subset of patients who receive appropriate VTE prophylaxis after THA will still develop VTE disease and the orthopedic surgeon must be cognizant of the symptoms and signs associated with these complications along with basic treatment principles. In this chapter we will discuss the perioperative risk factors for VTE complications after THA, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic VTE prophylaxis options, and the diagnosis and treatment of acute VTE disease.
Adult nourishment during larval provisioning in a primitively Eusocial wasp,Polistes metricus Say

In the laboratory, femalePolistes metricus on recently collected nests malaxated larval provisions containing radioactive fructose. Recovery of radioactivity from the adults showed that they extracted substantial liquid or semisolid material from the provision morsel during malaxation. The extracted material was held in the crop, and it could be regurgitated. Adults allowed to regurgitate to larvae exhibited significantly less radioactivity than wasps isolated before regurgitation could occur. Midguts and wing muscles from provisioning adults show a pattern of radioactivity assimilation, with peaked activity at two hours following malaxation. These results confirm a previously observed pattern of larval provisioning and, for the first time, demonstrate adult nourishment to be concomitant with the provisioning behavior.
Molecular Basis of Low pH-Dependent Membrane Translocation of Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxins

Botulinum and tetanus neurotoxins, structurally related proteins (150 kDa), attack the nervous system very rapidly, once inside the body; the toxins are quite soluble at pH 7 and are readily transported throughout the body. However, these proteins are known to form membranespanning channels at one point in the pathway of their toxic activity.1 A question is raised as to how a water soluble protein can integrate itself in a non-polar membrane bilayer. The protein must undergo some structural change, allowing it to assume enough hydrophobic or amphiphilic character to interact adequately with the membrane. Furthermore, this channel-forming activity is associated with the pH 4 environment of toxin-containing endosomes. The condition of pH 4 seems to be the incident in conferring this hydrophobic character upon the toxins.
Phase relationships in the SmBaCuO system at ∼950°C

Abstract A systematic X-ray powder diffraction study of the Sm 2 O 3 BaCO 3 CuO system over the temperature range ∼920–980°C is presented as a function of cationic molar ratios. In the pseudobinary regions the phases BaSm 2 O 4 , Sm 2 CuO 4 , and BaCuO 2 were observed; in the pseudoternary region Sm 2 BaCuO 5 , SmBa 3 Cu 2 O z , Sm 3 Ba 3 Cu 6 O y , and SmBa 2 Cu 3 O y were identified. A solid solution region was found in the vicinity of SmBa 2 Cu 3 O y . Lattice parameters are presented for each compound detected. A pseudoternary phase diagram is presented: subsolidus relationships are indicated. This system is compared with related lanthanoid-barium-copper oxide systems; only the europium system exhibits comparable phases.
Thermal Methods for Determination of Degree of Cure of Thermosets

Most thermosetting resins are infusible, insoluble, covalently cross-linked, thermally stable, network polymer structures. The formation of this network structure, during curing, is responsible for the desirable physical properties which are typical of thermosetting resins over a broad temperature range.
Characterization of keratinocytes isolated from human suction blisters and passaged with Rho kinase inhibitor

Keratinocytes are the most abundant cell type in the epidermis. They prevent desiccation and provide immunological and barrier mechanisms of defense against potential pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans . Study of this important first line of immune defense is hindered by the invasive isolation methods and insufficient techniques for long-term passage of primary keratinocytes in vitro. One method for obtaining primary human keratinocytes is to isolate them from blister roofs induced by negative pressure suction that separates the epidermis from the dermis in vivo in human subjects. This method allows collection of pure epidermal cells without dermal contamination in a minimally invasive manner. However, the method falls short because the isolated keratinocytes differentiate and senesce when cultured in vitro , with the maximum passage number being reported at 5. To address this problem of in vitro cultivation, we present evidence that the Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632 can be used to effectively increase the proliferative capabilities of keratinocytes isolated using the suction-blister method, similar to what has been previously reported for neonatal foreskin-derived keratinocytes. We also show that upon removal of the ROCK inhibitor the cells retain their ability to stratify into an epithelium as well as produce human beta-defensins upon exposure to IL-17 and interferon-gamma. We expect that when coupled with the minimally invasive and efficient nature of the suction blister technique, our methodology could become a preferred procedure for keratinocyte isolation and cultivation that will allow analysis of keratinocyte function in both healthy volunteers and patients with diseases of interest.
β-Lactam vs Non-β-Lactam Antibiotics and Surgical Site Infection in Colectomy Patients

Background Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent a significant preventable source of morbidity, mortality, and cost. Prophylactic antibiotics have been shown to decrease SSI rates, and β-lactam antibiotics are recommended by national guidelines. It is currently unclear whether recommended β-lactam and recommended non-β-lactam antibiotic regimens are equivalent with respect to SSI risk reduction in colectomy patients. Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of SSI rates between prophylactic intravenously administered recommended β-lactam and non-β-lactam in colectomy patients (25 CPT codes) collected by the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative from January 2013 to February 2018. Surgical site infection rates were compared as a dichotomous variable (no SSI vs SSI). Mixed-effects regression was used to compare the association between receiving a β-lactam or non-β-lactam antibiotic and likelihood of having an SSI. Results Of 9,949 patients, 9,411 (94.6%) received β-lactam antibiotics and 538 (5.4%) received non-β-lactam antibiotics. Overall, there were 622 (6.3%) patients with SSIs. Of the patients receiving β-lactam antibiotics, SSIs developed in 571 (6.1%) compared with 51 (9.5%) patients in the non-β-lactam group. After applying mixed-effects logistic regression, prophylactic treatment with a non-β-lactam regimen was associated with significantly higher odds of surgical site infection (odds ratio 1.65; 95% CI 1.20 to 2.26; p Conclusions Colectomy patients receiving β-lactam antibiotics had a lower likelihood of SSI compared with those receiving non-β-lactam antibiotics, even when antibiotics were compliant with national recommendations. Our findings suggest that surgeons should prescribe β-lactam antibiotics for prophylaxis whenever possible, reserving alternatives for those rare patients with true allergies or clinical indications for non-β-lactam antibiotic prophylaxis.
Learning Bayesian Networks

Born at the intersection of artificial intelligence, statistics, and probability, Bayesian networks (Pearl, 1988) are a representation formalism at the cutting edge of knowledge discovery and data mining (Heckerman, 1997). Bayesian networks belong to a more general class of models called probabilistic graphical models (Whittaker, 1990; Lauritzen, 1996) that arise from the combination of graph theory and probability theory, and their success rests on their ability to handle complex probabilistic models by decomposing them into smaller, amenable components. A probabilistic graphical model is defined by a graph, where nodes represent stochastic variables and arcs represent dependencies among such variables. These arcs are annotated by probability distribution shaping the interaction between the linked variables. A probabilistic graphical model is called a Bayesian network, when the graph connecting its variables is a directed acyclic graph (DAG). This graph represents conditional independence assumptions that are used to factorize the joint probability distribution of the network variables, thus making the process of learning from a large database amenable to computations. A Bayesian network induced from data can be used to investigate distant relationships between variables, as well as making prediction and explanation, by computing the conditional probability distribution of one variable, given the values of some others.
Proportional Power-Sharing Control of Distributed Generators in Microgrids

This research addresses distributed proportional power-sharing of inverter-based distributed generators (DGs) in microgrids under variations in the maximum power capacity of DGs. A microgrid can include renewable energy resources such as wind turbines, solar panels, fuel cells, etc. The intermittent nature of such energy resources causes variations in their maximum power capacities. Since DGs in microgrids can be regarded as multiagent-systems (MASs), a consensus algorithm is designed to have the DGs to generate their output power in proportion to their maximum capacities under capacity fluctuations. A change in power capacity of a DG triggers the consensus algorithm, which uses a communication map at the cyber layer to estimate the corresponding change. The convergence rate of the algorithm is analytically established and bounds on allowable capacity fluctuations are derived based on practical constraints. During the transient time of reaching a consensus, the delivered power may not match the load power demand. To eliminate this mismatch, a control law is augmented that consists of a finite-time consensus algorithm embedded within the overarching power-sharing consensus algorithm. The effectiveness of the distributed controller is assessed through simulation of a microgrid consisting of a realistic model of inverter-based DGs. Details of the microgrid model, its controller structures, and a comprehensive list of parameters are provided.
I/Q reversal phenomena in 4-phase modified Costas Loops

A method for predicting the occurrence of I/Q reversals in unbalanced QPSK 4-phase modified Costas Loops is discussed. Potential causes for the reversal of in-phase and quadrature outputs of the unbalanced QPSK demodulator during acquisition and tracking are studied. The design of the unbalance QPSK demodulator and loop characteristics are described. The effect of an anomalous condition during a transient interval or demod/remod operation on data source output is examined. Filtering and hard-limiting effects, and the demodulator loop S-curve stability during tracking are evaluated.
Over-expression of Sec61-gamma fosters glioblastoma growth and survival in culture

4246 Sec61-gamma (Sec61G) is a subunit of the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER) translocon, an evolutionarily conserved transmembrane protein that moves newly synthesized proteins across the ER. Crystal structures of the bacterial and yeast Sec61 translocon suggest that Sec61 a,b and g subunits form a complex to transport protein from the ribosome into golgi, plasma membrane or cytoplasm. Sec61g is located on the short arm of chromosome 7, next to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Since EGFR is frequently amplified in GBM, with a large amplicon encompassing megabases, Sec61g is likely amplified and over-expressed in most of GBM with EGFR amplification. The effect of SEC61g over-expression on GBM behavior is unknown. We used 3 sets of published Affymatrix GBM gene expression data from the University of California, San Francisco (Nigro et al, 2005), M.D.Anderson Cancer Center (Phillips et al, 2006) and the University of California, Los Angeles (Freije et al, 2004), and an array of traditional and novel statistical methods, bioinformatics, structural modeling, and biological assays to investigate effects of Sec61g overexpression. There was extremely high correlation between Sec61g expression and EGFR expression (p=2.2e-16) in this set of 195 GBM. Almost all EGFR amplification cases had Sec61g amplification and overexpression. Sec61g was over-expressed in the poorly surviving mesenchymal and proliferative subgroups (Phillips et al, 2006), but not in the longer surviving proneural subgroup. Furthermore, Sec61g was associated with poor survival (p=0.005), and was a strong negative predictor of >1 year survival (p=7.6e-6). Structural modeling of the human SEC61 complex indicates similarity to lower species. Human Sec61g is composed of two alpha helices of unequal length forming a structure that resembles the number “7” with an evolutionarily conserved proline residue at the junction of the arms. Over-expression of Sec61g in U251NCI cells in culture increased growth rate (p
Moths of Oak-Hickory Forests and Planted Tallgrass Prairies on Luther College Natural Areas in Decorah, Iowa

Moths are often specialists of particular host plants, making them good indicators of what plants are present in a habitat, as well as the overall health and diversity of an ecosystem. Moths are important pollinators, and their caterpillars are an important food source for many species of birds. The objective of this study was to compare the abundance, species richness, and structure of moth assemblages in planted tallgrass prairies and oak hickory forests in Decorah, Iowa. During the summer of 2018, black light bucket traps were set up in three planted prairies and three oak-hickory forests on five nights from early June to mid-September. Moth samples were brought back to the lab, frozen, then sorted and counted. Representatives of each species of moth were pinned, spread, and identified to species. We collected a total of 12,290 moths, representing 468 species and 34 families. There were significantly more moths, families of moths, and moth species in the forests than in the prairies. Among sample dates over the course of the summer, there were no significant differences in either number of moths or species richness. This study provides valuable baseline data for monitoring future changes in moth diversity and abundance in Northeast Iowa.
Democracy in China: The Coming Crisis

Jiwei Ci is the author of Moral China in the Age of Reform, The Two Faces of Justice, and Dialectic of the Chinese Revolution: From Utopianism to Hedonism. According to Ci, with Xi Jinping potentia...
When It “Feels Like a Giant Living Room”: Implementing Peer Education at an Urban, Research-1 Hispanic Serving Institution:

We report on a qualitative research study that identifies both challenges and successes resulting from the implementation of a Peer Education program at an urban, Hispanic-serving, Tier 1 Research ...
LuGanda glide epenthesis and prosodic misalignment

This article analyses LuGanda glide epenthesis triggered by the affxation of the prefx /N-/ to a vowel-initial stem. The epenthetic glide y appears between the prefx and the stem, surfacing either as a palatal j or a nasal/z, e.g. /N-agal-a/ -> [Ny-agal-a] -> [nj-agal-a] ‘I love’ and /N-anik-a/ -> [Ny-anik-a] -> [fyi-anik-a] ‘I put out to dry’. LuGanda epenthesis is unusual in that it treats consonant-initial and vowel-initial stems differently, applying only in vowel-initial stems. We demonstrate that LuGanda glide epenthesis provides the crucial phonological evidence for the Theory of Prosodic Misalignment in Downing (1998a). S.Afr.J.Afr.Lang .,2005, 4
Some aspects of experimental in-tube evaporation

The heat transfer characteristics of refrigerant-oil mixture for horizontal in-tube evaporator have been investigated experimentally. A smooth copper tube and a micro-fin tube with nominal 9.5 mm outer diameter and 1500 mm length were tested. For the pure refrigerant flow, the dependence of the axial heat transfer coefficient on quality was weak in the smooth tube, but in the micro-fin tube, the coefficients were 3 to 10 times greater as quality increases. Oil addition to pure refrigerant in the smooth tube altered the flow pattern dramatically at low mass fluxes, with a resultant enhancement of the wetting area by vigorous foaming. The heat transfer coefficients of the mixture for low and medium qualities were increased at low mass fluxes. In the micro-fin tube, however, the addition of oil deteriorates the local heat transfer performance for most of the quality range, except for low quality. The micro-fin tube consequently loses its advantage of high heat transfer performance for an oil fraction of 5%. Results are presented as plots of local heat transfer coefficient versus quality.
On Fairness of Completion-Based Theorem Proving Strategies

Fairness is an important concept emerged in theorem proving recently, in particular in the area of completion-based theorem proving. Fairness is a required property for the search plan of the given strategy. Intuitively, fairness of a search plan guarantees the generation of a successful derivation if the inference mechanism of the strategy indicates that there is one. Thus, the completeness of the inference rules and the fairness of the search plan form the completeness of a theorem proving strategy. A search plan which exhausts the entire search space is obviously fair, albeit grossly inefficient. Therefore, the problem is to reconciliate fairness and efficiency. This problem becomes even more intricate in the presence of contraction inference rules — rules that remove data from the data set.
Effects of Statins on Progression of Coronary Artery Disease as Measured by Intravascular Ultrasound

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a novel technique that provides an accurate and reproducible method to measure atheroma burden. Statin drugs reduce both atherogenic lipoproteins and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Studies assessing the effect of statin treatment on atheroma burden have shown conflicting results. Hence, this meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of statin therapy on coronary atherosclerosis progression. A systematic search using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was performed. Heterogeneity of the studies was analyzed by Cochran's Q statistics. The significance of common treatment effect was assessed by computing common mean difference between the control and treatment groups. A two-sided α error of <0.05 was considered statistically significant (P<.05). Eight trials composed of 919 patients including a placebo group with 458 patients and a treatment group with 461 patients were used. Characteristics of both groups at baseline were similar without any significant difference between them. In the pooled analysis, the common mean difference of coronary atheroma volume between statin therapy and the placebo arm was -3.573 (confidence interval, -4.46 to -2.68; P<.01). This meta-analysis demonstrates that treatment with statins not only slows atherosclerotic plaque progression but may also lead to plaque regression.
Macrophage regulation of mitogen-induced blastogenesis. I. Demonstration of inhibitory cells in the spleens and peritoneal exudates of mice.

Mitogen-induced blastogenesis of mouse B- and T-lymphocytes was inhibited by adherent spleen cells from normal or immunomodulator-treated mice. Blastogenesis could be similarly inhibited by the addition of syngeneic peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) from either normal or immunomodulator-treated mice suggesting a regulatory role for macrophages in lymphoproliferation. An adherent subpopulation of PEC (macrophages) was demonstrated to mediate inhibition of blastogenesis. Adherent PEC cells from immunomodulator (pyran copolymer)-treated mice had greater inhibitory activity than comparable cells from normal mice. Moreover, T-lymphocyte blastogenesis was more resistant to macrophage regulation than B-lymphocyte blastogenesis. Significant inhibition of blastogenesis could be demonstrated when ϑ -bearing cells were removed prior to the addition of PEC to cultures of spleen cells. Addition of nonadherent PEC to cultures of spleen cells was demonstrated to result in enhancement rather than inhibition of blastogenesis. Macrophage-mediated inhibition of blastogenesis was not merely the result of the potentiation of the effect of suppressive splenic macrophages since PEC were found to inhibit the response of adherence-depleted spleen cells even more than that of whole spleen cells.
Newton, Maxwell, and magnetospheric physics

The goal of magnetospheric physics is to understand the active magnetosphere in terms of the principles of Newton and Maxwell. These principles include Ampere's law, the Faraday induction equation, and the dynamical interplay of the forces between the bulk plasma velocity u, the plasma pressures p∥ and p⊥, and the magnetic field B. It turns out, then, that these principles cannot be written in terms of the electric current density j and the electric field E, to the exclusion of u and B, in any generally useful form, indicating that the electric current and field are not the fundamental physical quantities sometimes claimed. Thus, the description of the active magnetosphere in electrical terms does not directly address the dynamics of the magnetosphere. The popular dynamical concepts of the electric circuit analog and the active role of the electric field E = -u×B/c in the solar wind have not been established from Newton and Maxwell, and application to simple problems illustrates their restrictions and errors. In contrast, magnetospheric physics is making great strides forward using MHD modeling of the large-scale dynamical magnetosphere, and this tutorial emphasizes the generality of the MHD approach. We review the theoretical basis for the momentum equation and the induction equation for the large-scale nonrelativistic dynamics of the magnetosphere and ionosphere, showing the general MHD character of the contending stresses and momenta.
Evolution of genes for allelic and isotypic forms of immunoglobulin kappa chains and of the genes for T-cell receptor beta chains in rabbits.

New insights into the evolution of the families of genes encoding immunoglobulins and T-cell receptors of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) have come from molecular genetic studies. In contrast to human and mouse, rabbits were shown to have two genes for the constant region of immunoglobulin light chains (Cκ1 and Cκ2 isotypes) and complex allelic variants of K1 (allotypes). Although K1 allotype protein sequences differed at up to 41% of the amino acid positions, 3′ untranslated, 5′, and 3′ flanking regions were conserved, and in the coding regions 78–80% of the codons with differences had replacement changes. Proportions of silent changes and changes in noncoding regions were comparable. Thus, in spite of their markedly different protein sequences, the K1b4, b5, and b9 alloytypes appeared to be products of allelic genes. Molecular genetic analyses suggested that they may have undergone rapid divergence after an ancestral K2-like gene duplicated. Some rabbits were found to have two similar T-cell receptor Cβ genes as do humans and many strains of mice, but others appeared to have three different Cβ. In addition, we found allotypic forms of Cβ. Some of the Cβ allotypic differences occurred at positions where analogous Cκ allotypic differences were found. We also found Vβ in mouse and human that were more similar to rabbit Vβ than closely linked rabbit genes were to each other. This contrasts with rabbit immunoglobulin VH gene sequences that reflect concerted evolution. The data suggested that T-cell receptor Vβ genes duplicated prior to mammalian radiation.
Workplace Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms: A Study of Multi-Ethnic Hospital Employees

Workplace discrimination reports have recently increased in the U.S. Few studies have examined racial/ethnic differences and the mental health consequences of this exposure. We examined the association between self-reported workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms among a multi-ethnic sample of hospital employees. Data came from the prospective case–control Gradients of Occupational Health in Hospital Workers (GROW) study (N = 664). We used the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to assess depressive symptoms and measured the occurrence, types, and frequency of workplace discrimination. African Americans were more likely than other racial/ethnic employees to report frequent and multiple types of discrimination exposure. Multivariate relationships were examined while controlling for socio-demographic factors, job strain, and general social stressors. After adjustment, workplace discrimination occurrence and frequency were positively associated with depressive symptoms. The positive association between workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms was similar across racial and ethnic groups. Reducing workplace discrimination may improve psychosocial functioning among racial/ethnic minority hospital employees at greatest risk of exposure.
Elastic Properties of Dental Resin Restorative Materials

The elastic constants of several commercially available filled and unfilled dental resin restorative materials were determined in the 0 to 50 kilobar range of pressure. Measurements of the velocities of propagation of longitudinal and shear ultrasonic waves were used to obtain the Young's, bulk, and shear moduli and Poisson's ratio as a function of pressure; atmospheric pressure values were obtained by back extrapolation from the high pressure data.
Atomic scale structure and functional models of voltage-gated potassium channels

Recent mutagenesis experiments have confirmed our hypothesis that a segment between S5 and S6 forms the ion selective portion of voltage-gated ion channels. Based on these and other new data, we have revised previous models of the general folding pattern of voltage-gated channel proteins and have developed atomic scale models of the entire transmembrane region of the Shaker A K+ channel. In these models, the ion selective region is a beta-barrel that spans the outer half of the membrane. The inner half of the pore is larger. The voltage-dependent conformational changes of activation gating are modeled to occur by the "helical screw" mechanism, in which the four S4 segments move along and rotate about their axes. These changes are followed by a voltage-independent conformational change, in which the segments linking S4 to S5 move from blocking the intracellular entrance of the pore to forming part of the lining of the large inner portion of the pore. The NH2-terminal of the protein was modeled as an alpha-helix that plugs the intracellular half of the pore to inactivate the channel.
Methods for removal of residual catalyst from polymers prepared by ring opening metathesis polymerization

Methods for removing the residual Grubbs' third generation catalyst from polymers prepared by ring opening metathesis polymerization are reported. Two strategies were investigated for reduction of the residual catalyst in the final polymer product. The first strategy involved the use of heterogeneous functionalized particles to scavenge the catalyst from the solution. Filtration of the particles followed by precipitation produced polymers with 10–60 ppm residual catalyst, depending on the type of particle used, surface functional groups, and number of equivalents. The second strategy used small organic molecules that could coordinate to the metal species and modify the solubility of the catalyst, facilitating partitioning of the catalyst into the precipitation solvent. Several types of molecules with varied functionality reduced the residual catalyst level to 30–120 ppm, depending on the loading. Hydrogenation of the polymer backbone followed by precipitation lowered the residual Ru content from 195 ppm to 10 ppm, suggesting that the difficulty of completely removing the catalyst could be a result of coordination of the metal species to the double bonds in the polymer backbone. Reducing the amount of trace catalyst significantly improved the oxidative stability of the polymer. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010
Cross-Track Motion of Satellite Formations in the Presence of J2 Disturbances

Introduction T HIS Note augments and completes a previous work1 by the authors in which a set of constant coefficient linear differential equations were developed that describe the relative motion between two satellites in the presence of the Earth’s J2 geopotential. In the previous work, the motion was separated into in-plane and cross-track motion. The analysis of the in-plane motion was relatively straightforward and remains untouched in this Note. The cross-track motion was more difficult to derive; linearizations with respect to time were used to develop analytical solutions. In this Note, the equations are instead simplified using small angle approximations. These simplifications are valid due to the very small angles that describe the cross-track motion. Although no longer linear, the equations can still be solved analytically. The result is a set of differential equations that are more accurate and more intuitive.
Photo Quiz: A 50-Year-Old with a 2-Day History of Right Upper Quadrant Tenderness and Septicemia Caused by a Gram-Negative Organism

A 50-year-old man who had undergone a liver transplantation in 2008 presented with a 2-day history of right upper quadrant tenderness and elevated transaminases; other symptoms included nausea, vomiting, and anorexia. A magnetic resonance angiogram of the liver confirmed common hepatic artery occlusion and an anastomosis biliary stricture. An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed duodenitis (likely due to mild ischemia) as well as the anastomosis stricture, which was ultimately treated with sphincterotomy and stent placement. Unfortunately, the patient developed sepsis after the procedure, resulting in a 1-month hospitalization. Initially, he received broad empirical antimicrobial therapy including vancomycin, meropenem, and micafungin. Continuous fevers prompted collection of blood cultures, and an abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed two areas within the liver parenchyma of high signal intensity suggestive of abscess formation. Four days later, a positive-blood-culture bottle showed long, Gram-negative rods (Fig. 1A). When subcultured to solid medium, the organism grew on blood, chocolate, and brucella agars but failed to grow on MacConkey agar; growth was notable for a distinct, strawberry-like odor. Gram staining of growth from blood agar revealed small, coccobacillary Gram-negative rods (Fig. 1B). Of significance, the same Gram-negative organism was isolated from an aspirate of the liver abscess. FIG 1 Gram stains of the unknown organism from an aliquot of the positive-blood-culture BacT/Alert SN bottle (A) and a colony grown on blood agar (magnification, ×1,000) (B). (For answer and discussion, see page 2287 in this issue [doi:10.1128/JCM.00385-13].)
Synthesis and Characterization of Bis(2,2‘-bipyridyl)platinum(I): A Novel Microtubular Linear-Chain Complex

One-electron reduction of [Pt(bpy)2]2+ (bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridyl) in aqueous solution results in the formation of black-green lustrous needles on solid electrodes. The crystalline needles grow perpendi...
Solid-phase synthesis of trisubstituted guanidines

Abstract The solid-phase synthesis of trisubsituted guanidines is reported via aza-Wittig coupling of a solid-supported alkyl iminophosphorane with an aryl or alkyl isothiocyanate to generate the corresponding solid-supported carbodiimide which is then reacted with a primary or secondary amine to afford the desired trisubstituted guanidines.
Long-term Outcomes of Heart Transplantation in Older Recipients

Background Heart transplantation in the elderly is increasingly common. In the mid-1990s, 25% of recipients in our program were >62 years of age. We evaluated outcomes from one institution with the hypothesis that older recipients may be at higher risk of major complications associated with immunosuppression. Methods We analyzed results for 182 patients aged 62 to 75 years (mean ± SD: 66.3 ± 11.4 years) who underwent heart transplantation between January 1995 and July 2001 at a single institution. They were compared with a control group of 348 contemporaneous adult recipients aged 18 to 62 years (mean ± SD: 48.2 ± 11.4 years). All recipients in this consecutive cohort had a follow-up of at least at least 5 years. End-points studied were Kaplan–Meier survival, freedom from dialysis and freedom from malignancy at 100 months. Follow-up was 100% at 100 months. Results At 100 months, survival for the elderly was 55% (46 remaining at risk) and 63% (102 remaining at risk) for controls ( p = 0.051, log-rank test). Re-transplant and dialysis, but not recipient age or malignancy, were predictive of survival by regression analysis ( p = 0.003, p p = 0.53 and p = 0.84, respectively). Freedom from malignancy at 100 months was 68% for the elderly and 95% for controls ( p p p = 0.005). Pre-operative creatinine, but not age, was predictive of need for dialysis ( p = 0.003 and p = 0.47, respectively). Conclusions Although long-term survival of older heart transplant recipients is acceptable, it is significantly lower than in young recipients. The increased risk of renal failure and malignancy among elderly patients likely influences the difference in survival observed between the two groups. Pre-operative renal function warrants careful consideration. As ventricular assist device technology improves, it may be used to complement heart transplantation to avoid immunosuppression and its side effect of malignancy in older patients with advanced heart failure.
Light-Charged-Particle Emission in the Matched Reactions 280 MeV 40Ar+27Al and 670 MeV 55Mn+12C: Coincidence Results

Exclusive measurements of light-charged-particle ({sup 1}H, {sup 2}H, and {sup 4}He) energy spectra, angular distributions, and emission multiplicities are reported for the two reactions {sup 40}Ar+{sup 27}Al and {sup 55}Mn+{sup 12}C at a matched excitation energy of 127 MeV. Comparisons are made with statistical model predictions for the evaporative processes in these reactions, which can be characterized as emissions from rotational-energy-dominated systems. The model simulations do well in reproducing a broad range of angular distribution data and the {sup 4}He/{sup 1}H cross-section ratio, using spin distributions derived from fusion cross-section systematics. The same model parameters, however, predict particle energy spectra and coincidence cross sections which are inconsistent with the measurements for both reactions. These results support previous conclusions from model comparisons with inclusive data, and suggest fundamental flaws in the statistical model as applied to light-mass, high-spin, nuclear systems. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
The effect of chemical modifiers on the interaction of a spin-labeled local anesthetic with human erythrocyte membranes

Abstract The role of electrostatic forces in the interaction between local anesthetics and phospholipid membranes has been well studied previously. The present work tested the hypothesis that the tertiary amine local anesthetics can also interact with charged groups that may be present on membrane proteins. The rotational mobility of a spin-labeled local anesthetic, 2-[N-methyl-N-(2,2,6.6-tetramethylpiperi-dinooxyl)] ethyl p-hexyloxybenzoate, in erythrocyte membranes was found to decrease upon addition of chemical modifiers that react covalently with free amino groups of the membrane and decrease the concentration of the membrane's fixed positive charge. Reagents that did not react with free amino groups, or those that did react with amino groups but did not alter the net charge of the membrane, had no effect on the mobility of the spin-labeled local anesthetic. The decrease in the anesthetic's mobility found after reaction with amino-directed reagents was shown to be due to the attraction of the positively charged anesthetic to the modified site. The immobilization of the anesthetics was primarily due to modification of the membrane protein components. The immobilized anesthetics are most probably located at the inner surface of the membrane.