cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Repair of Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection: Risk Factors for Postoperative Obstruction.

Background Pulmonary venous obstruction after repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) results in substantial morbidity and mortality. Risk factors for postoperative obstruction remain ambiguous. In addition, the existing literature has no standard definition for preoperative obstruction, making patient counseling difficult. Methods All patients undergoing repair of TAPVC at our institution from January 1, 2006, to October 23, 2017, were identified. The primary outcome was the development of postoperative obstruction, analyzed as a time-to-event outcome. Clinical information was extracted to assess risk factors. Degrees of preoperative obstruction were defined based on echocardiographic, catheterization, and clinical findings. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression methods were used to identify factors associated with the primary outcome. Results During the study interval, 119 patients underwent repair of TAPVC (40% single ventricle), and postoperative obstruction developed in 25 patients (21%). Risk factors associated with obstruction were heterotaxy syndrome, single-ventricle heart disease, additional procedures at the time of vein repair, mixed-type TAPVC, and preoperative obstruction. Having even mild preoperative obstruction (≥1.2 m/s by Doppler echocardiography) was predictive of postoperative obstruction. A multivariable model showed mixed-type TAPVC and the presence of preoperative obstruction were associated with a more than twofold greater hazard of obstruction. Conclusions TAPVC in the setting of heterotaxy and a single ventricle remains challenging, with high rates of postoperative obstruction. Mixed-type TAPVC is an independent risk factor for postoperative obstruction, particularly in patients with isolated TAPVC. Even mild preoperative obstruction is a risk factor for postoperative obstruction. These results may help risk-stratify TAPVC patients.
Educators' Responses to Methods of Collecting, Storing, and Analyzing Behavioral Data.

The methods of collecting, storing, and analyzing behavioral data have proven cumbersome and inadequate in the modem educational setting. Teachers and others consistently report their dissatisfacti...
Direct measurement of the wigner function by photon-number-resolving detection

We extended the seminal experiment of Banaszek et al. of quantum tomography by photon counting without Radon transform postprocessing to the more general case of photon fluxes with more than one photon per detection time.
Responding to a 100-Year-Old Challenge from Fisher: A Biometrical Analysis of Adult Height in the NLSY Data Using Only Cousin Pairs

In 1918, Fisher suggested that his research team had consistently found inflated cousin correlations. He also commented that because a cousin sample with minimal selection bias was not available the cause of the inflation could not be addressed, leaving this inflation as a challenge still to be solved. In the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (the NLSY79, the NLSY97, and the NLSY-Children/Young Adult datasets), there are thousands of available cousin pairs. Those in the NLSYC/YA are obtained approximately without selection. In this paper, we address Fisher’s challenge using these data. Further, we also evaluate the possibility of fitting ACE models using only cousin pairs, including full cousins, half-cousins, and quarter-cousins. To have any chance at success in such a restricted kinship domain requires an available and highly-reliable phenotype; we use adult height in our analysis. Results provide a possible answer to Fisher’s challenge, and demonstrate the potential for using cousin pairs in a stand-alone analysis (as well as in combination with other biometrical designs).
Cytosolic Ca2+ modulates Golgi structure through PKC-mediated GRASP55 phosphorylation

ABSTRACT It has been well documented that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) responds to cellular stresses through the unfolded protein response (UPR), but it is unknown how the Golgi responds to similar stresses. In this study, we treated HeLa cells with ER stress inducers, thapsigargin (TG), tunicamycin (Tu) and Dithiothreitol (DTT), and found that only TG treatment caused Golgi fragmentation. TG induced Golgi fragmentation at a low dose and short time when UPR was undetectable, demonstrating that Golgi fragmentation occurs independently of ER stress. Further experiments demonstrated that TG induces Golgi fragmentation through elevated intracellular Ca2+ and protein kinase Cα (PKCα) activity, which phosphorylates the Golgi stacking protein GRASP55. Significantly, activation of PKCα with other activating or inflammatory agents, including Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and histamine, modulates the Golgi structure in a similar fashion. Hence, our study revealed a novel mechanism through which increased cytosolic Ca2+ modulates Golgi structure and function.
Static Capacity of Closed-Ended Pipe Pile Driven in Gravelly Sand

AbstractThis paper presents the results of a static load test (SLT) and two dynamic load tests (DLTs) performed on a closed-ended steel pipe pile (CEP) with an outer diameter B=610 mm (24 in.) dri...
Worth beyond Work? Civic Engagement and Social Support Provision of Benefit Recipients

Changes in government assistance laws over the last 30 years reflect concern that government benefits cause dependency. Public discourse classifies able-bodied, non-working individuals as “undeserv...
GLACIATIONS | Late Quaternary in North America

The Late Quaternary Glaciations in North America are reasonably well documented for marine isotope stages 2 into 1, but the spatial and temporal histories of the various ice sheets and mountain glacier complexes are still poorly constrained for the period 30–115 cal ka BP. Significant evidence for ice sheet activity is now becoming increasingly noted from studies of marine cores that record evidence of major ice sheet instabilities, especially during the North Atlantic Heinrich events that were sourced from Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait; although there is evidence that other major ice streams along the Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay margins had similar if not coveal responses. The large number of radiocarbon dates that record deglaciation has allowed the construction of continental-scale maps that portay the retreat of the Laurentide, Cordilleran, and Innuitian ice sheets. Most notable is the asymmetric retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet to the uplands of the Eastern Canadian Arctic.
Mechanisms of Herb-Drug Interactions Involving Cinnamon and CYP2A6: Focus on Time-Dependent Inhibition by Cinnamaldehyde and 2-Methoxycinnamaldehyde

Information is scarce regarding pharmacokinetic-based herb-drug interactions (HDI) with trans-cinnamaldehyde (CA) and 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde (MCA), components of cinnamon. Given the presence of cinnamon in food and herbal treatments for various diseases, HDIs involving the CYP2A6 substrates nicotine and letrozole with MCA (KS = 1.58 µM; Hill slope = 1.16) and CA were investigated. The time-dependent inhibition (TDI) by MCA and CA of CYP2A6-mediated nicotine metabolism is a complex process involving multiple mechanisms. Molecular dynamic simulations showed that CYP2A6's active site accommodates two dynamic ligands. The preferred binding orientations for MCA and CA were consistent with the observed metabolism: epoxidation, O-demethylation, and aromatic hydroxylation of MCA and cinnamic acid formation from CA. The percent remaining activity plots for TDI by MCA and CA were curved, and they were analyzed with a numerical method using models of varying complexity. The best-fit models support multiple inactivator binding, inhibitor depletion, and partial inactivation. Deconvoluted mass spectra indicated that MCA and CA modified CYP2A6 apoprotein with mass additions of 156.79 (142.54-171.04) and 132.67 (123.37-141.98), respectively, and it was unaffected by glutathione. Heme degradation was observed in the presence of MCA (48.5% ± 13.4% loss; detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). In the absence of clinical data, HDI predictions were made for nicotine and letrozole using inhibition parameters from the best-fit TDI models and parameters scaled from rats. Predicted area under the concentration-time curve fold changes were 4.29 (CA-nicotine), 4.92 (CA-letrozole), 4.35 (MCA-nicotine), and 5.00 (MCA-letrozole). These findings suggest that extensive exposure to cinnamon (corresponding to ≈ 275 mg CA) would lead to noteworthy interactions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Human exposure to cinnamon is common because of its presence in food and cinnamon-based herbal treatments. Little is known about the risk for cinnamaldehyde and methoxycinnamaldehyde, two components of cinnamon, to interact with drugs that are eliminated by CYP2A6-mediated metabolism. The interactions with CYP2A6 are complex, involving multiple-ligand binding, time-dependent inhibition of nicotine metabolism, heme degradation, and apoprotein modification. An herb-drug interaction prediction suggests that extensive exposure to cinnamon would lead to noteworthy interactions with nicotine.
Adverse Events, Treatment Burden, and Outcomes of Intravenous versus Intra-arterial Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma.

ABSTRACT This pilot retrospective study compares ocular outcomes, adverse events, and treatment burden for 114 treatment cycles (67 IVC, 47 IAC) for 19 patients receiving intra-arterial (IAC) or intravenous chemoreduction (IVC) for retinoblastoma. IAC patients had fewer unplanned health care visits (p=0.012), fewer grade 3/4 cytopenias (p
A Tale of Two Food Chains: The Duality of Practices on Well-being

In this paper, we honor Stanford University Professor Hau Lee, who is a great inspiration and thought leader in the supply chain and operations management (SCO however, in ROFVC, pollution is shunned and “taxed,” and sustainability, as a public good, is rewarded by sequestering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and maintaining biodiversity, living soil, as well as clean air and water. We conclude with research, teaching, and policy agendas. We believe that the underlying principles here cut across sectors by fostering the introduction of regenerative business models that take a system's view in capturing QAP in their value chain strategy and execution.
Oxygen vacancy formation energies in PbTiO 3 / SrTiO 3 superlattice

The defect stability in a prototypical perovskite oxide superlattice consisting of ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{PbTiO}}_{3}$ (STO/PTO) is determined by using first principles density functional theory calculations. Specifically, the oxygen vacancy formation energies ${E}_{\mathrm{v}}$ in the paraelectric and ferroelectric phases of a superlattice with four atomic layers of STO and four layers of PTO (4STO/4PTO) are determined and compared. The effects of charge state, octahedral rotation, polarization, and interfaces on ${E}_{\mathrm{v}}$ are examined. The formation energies vary layer by layer in the superlattices, with ${E}_{\mathrm{v}}$ being higher in the ferroelectric phase than that in the paraelectric phase. The two interfaces constructed in these oxide superlattices, which are symmetrically equivalent in the paraelectric systems, exhibit very different formation energies in the ferroelectric superlattices and this can be seen to be driven by the coupling of ferroelectric and rotational modes. At equivalent lattice sites, ${E}_{\mathrm{v}}$ of charged vacancies is generally lower than that of neutral vacancies. Octahedral rotations $({\mathrm{a}}^{0}{\mathrm{a}}^{0}{\mathrm{c}}^{\ensuremath{-}})$ in the superlattices have a significant effect on ${E}_{\mathrm{v}}$, increasing the formation energy of vacancies located near the interface but decreasing the formation energy of the oxygen vacancies located in the bulk-like regions of the STO and PTO constituent parts. The formation-energy variations among different layers are found to be primarily caused by the difference in the local relaxation at each layer. These fundamental insights into the defect stability in perovskite superlattices can be used to tune defect properties by controlling the constituent materials of superlattices and interface engineering.
Feasibility of Predicting In-Season Mental Health Problems in College Student-Athletes From Pre-season Assessment

Objective To examine whether pre-season assessment using a validated assessment tool, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF), could predict college student-athletes identified as experiencing in-season mental health (MH) problems. Design A prospective study of athletes who completed a pre-season evaluation in August 2018. Setting and participants A total of 195 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 student-athletes from a large midwestern university in northeast Ohio. Independent variable The MMPI-2-RF, a 338-item self-report measure of constructs relevant to the assessment of psychopathology and personality. Main outcome measure Mental health problems of student-athletes tracked throughout the competitive season (August 2018-May 2019) by a team of athletic department personnel who met weekly with a licensed clinical psychologist. Results In pre-season assessment, 71.8% of athletes clinically elevated at least one MMPI-2-RF scale and underreporting was higher in student-athletes than normative controls. Pre-season levels of internalizing psychopathology, diffuse physical symptoms, and unusual thoughts predicted increased likelihood of experiencing MH problems during the competitive season. Conclusions The current findings suggest that the MMPI-2-RF may be a promising tool for identifying student-athletes at risk for MH concerns.
An aggregate test for transient market power in the winter 2013–14 propane market

Abstract The Midwest’s propane market saw significant price increases in the 2013–14 winter with attendant accusations of gouging. We estimate demand and supply to consider whether that winter’s harsh conditions and low inventories enabled distributors to exercise transient market power. Our estimates suggest that prices were 20% higher than competitive predictions.
Novel method for quantification of lipoprotein(a)-cholesterol: implications for improving accuracy of LDL-C measurements.

Current methods for determining "LDL-C" in clinical practice measure the cholesterol content of both LDL and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)-C]. We developed a high-throughput, sensitive and rapid method to quantitate Lp(a)-C and improve the accuracy of "LDL-C" by subtracting for Lp(a)-C (LDL-Ccorr). Lp(a)-C is determined following isolation of the Lp(a) lipoprotein on magnetic beads linked to monoclonal antibody LPA4 recognizing apolipoprotein(a). This Lp(a)-C assay does not detect cholesterol in plasma samples lacking Lp(a) and is linear up to 747 nM Lp(a). To validate this method clinically over a wide range of Lp(a) [9.0-822.8 nM], Lp(a)-C and LDL-Ccorr were determined in 21 participants receiving an Lp(a)-specific lowering ASO and in 8 participants receiving placebo at baseline, at 13-weeks during peak drug effect and off drug. In the groups combined, Lp(a)-C ranged from 0.6-35.0 mg/dL and correlated with Lp(a) molar concentration (r=0.76, p<0.001). However, the percent Lp(a)-C relative to Lp(a) mass varied from 5.8-57.3%. Baseline LDL-Ccorr was lower than "LDL-C" (mean [SD]) 102.2 (31.8) versus 119.2 (32.4) mg/dL, p < 0.001) and did not correlate with Lp(a)-C. It was demonstrated that 3 commercially-available "direct LDL-C" assays also include measures of Lp(a)-C. In conclusion, we have developed a novel and sensitive method to quantitate Lp(a)-C that provides insights into the Lp(a) mass/cholesterol relationship and may be used to more accurately report LDL-C and re-assess its role in clinical medicine.
Subsidizing Gentrification: A Spatial Analysis of Place-Based Tax Incentives

Place-based tax incentives, such as the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) and Opportunity Zones incentives, are often used to promote investment in low-income neighborhoods. However, not all low-income neighborhoods have an equal need for investment subsidies. Subsidies for investment in already gentrifying neighborhoods, for example, may reflect inefficient inframarginal investment, and they may lead to inequitable outcomes. Critics fear that when gentrifying neighborhoods are eligible for tax incentives, they will draw investment away from the neighborhoods that need it most. However, few studies have provided empirical analysis to assess whether these concerns have merit. Through a novel geospatial analysis of the location patterns of tax-subsidized projects, this Article provides new evidence that critics’ concerns are justified. This Article analyzes 15 years of NMTC data to explore the location patterns of tax-subsidized projects in 20 U.S. cities. It employs two spatial analysis methods, quadrat density analysis and negative binomial regression analysis, to describe the location patterns of NMTC projects and their relationship to two variables known to correlate with gentrification: high vacancy rates and increasing rental rates. The quadrat density analysis reveals that, in most cities, NMTC project density is highest in eligible census tracts that had high vacancy rates, increasing rents, or both. The results of the negative binomial regression analysis confirmed that, in many cities, high vacancy rates or rent increases were statistically significant predictors of NMTC investment. Together, these results provide new evidence that gentrifying census tracts may draw tax-subsidized investment away from other eligible areas. They also suggest that a commonly proposed Opportunity Zones reform—to add statutory safeguards modeled after those in the NMTC—would fail to prevent tax-subsidized investment in places that are already gentrifying. The observed spatial patterns reflect inefficient allocations, limit the NMTC program’s ability to promote equitable change, and cast doubt about whether federal regulators can effectively shape program outcomes. Opportunity Zones are likely to have similarly inefficient and inequitable outcomes. Therefore, this Article argues that statutory and administrative reforms are necessary to reduce the frequency at which tax incentives are used to subsidize investment in neighborhoods that are already gentrifying. This study has profound implications for the $5 billion per year federal NMTC program, the $3.5 billion per year federal Opportunity Zones program, and state-level tax incentives modeled after these federal tax laws.
Capillary electrophoresis method for analysis of inorganic and organic anions related to habitability and the search for life.

In situ missions of exploration require analytical methods that are capable of detecting a wide range of molecular targets in complex matrices without a priori assumptions of sample composition. Furthermore, these methods should minimize the number of reagents needed and any sample preparation steps. We have developed a method for the detection of metabolically relevant inorganic and organic anions that is suitable for implementation on in situ spaceflight missions. Using 55 mM acetic acid, 50 mM triethylamine, and 5% glycerol, more than 21 relevant anions are separated in less than 20 min. The method is robust to sample ionic strength, tolerating high concentrations of background salts (up to 900 mM NaCl and 300 mM MgSO4 ). This is an important feature for future missions to ocean worlds. The method was validated using a culture of Escherichia coli and with high salinity natural samples collected from Mono Lake, California.
Analyzing insurance data with an exponentiated composite Inverse-Gamma Pareto model

Exponentiated models have been widely used in modeling various types of data such as survival data and insurance claims data. However, the exponentiated composite distribution models have not been explored yet. In this paper, we introduced an improvement of the one-parameter Inverse-Gamma Pareto composite model by exponentiating the random variable associated with the one-parameter Inverse-Gamma Pareto composite distribution function. The goodness-of-fit of the exponentiated Inverse-Gamma Pareto was assessed using the well-known Danish fire insurance data and Norwegian fire insurance data. The two-parameter exponentiated Inverse-Gamma Pareto model outperforms the one-parameter Inverse-Gamma Pareto model in terms of goodness-of-fit measures for both datasets.
Arguing about religion

I. Methodological Issues in Philosophy of Religion * Norman Kretzmann, "The Nature of Natural Theology" * Scott MacDonald, "What is Philosophical Theology?" * Al Plantinga, "The Reformed Objection to Natural Theology" * Richard Swinburne, "Rational Religious Belief" * John Hick, "Religious Pluralism and Salvation" * Keith Ward, "Truth and the Diversity of Religions" * Timothy O'Connor, "Religious Pluralism" II. God's Nature and Existence * Peter van Inwagen, "Necessary Existence: The Ontological Argument" * Alexander Pruss "Some Recent Work on the Cosmological Argument" * Wes Morriston, "A Critical Examination of the Kalam Cosmological Argument" * Robin Collins, "A Scientific Argument for the Existence of God: The Fine-Tuning Design Argument" * Elliot Sober, "Design Arguments" * Louis Pojman, "A Critique of the Argument from Religious Experience" * C. Stephen Layman, "God and the Moral Order" III. Evil and Divine Hiddenness * Peter van Inwagen, "The Argument from Evil" * Whitley Kaufman, "Karma, Rebirth, and the Problem of Evil" * Richard Swinburne, "Natural Evil and the Possibility of Knowledge" * William Rowe, "The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism" * William Alston, "The Inductive Argument from Evil and the Human Cognitive Condition" * Peter van Inwagen, "The Hiddenness of God" * Michael Murray, "Coercion and the Hiddenness of God" * Robert Lovering, "Divine Hiddenness and Inculpable Ignorance" IV. Providence and Interaction * Derk Pereboom, "Free Will, Evil, and Divine Providence" * William Lane Craig, "The Middle-Knowledge View" * William Hasker, "The Openness of God" * John Sanders, "Why Simple Foreknowledge Offers No More Providential Control than the Openness of God" * David Hunt, "The Providential Advantage of Divine Foreknowledge" * Norman Kretzmann, "Why Would God Create Anything at All?" * Eleonore Stump, "Petitionary Prayer" * Kevin Timpe, "Prayer for the Past" V. The Afterlife * Kevin Corcoran, "Dualism, Materialism, and the Problem of Postmortem Survival" * Lynne Rudder Baker, "Persons and the Metaphysics of Resurrection" * Roger Ames, "Death as Transformation in Classical Daoism" * David Lewis, "Divine Evil" * Thomas Talbott, "The Doctrine of Everlasting Punishment" * Eleonore Stump, "Dante's Hell, Aquinas's Moral Theory and the Love of God" * Sennett, James F. "Is There Freedom in Heaven?" VI. Religion and Contemporary Life * Daniel Dennett, selection from Breaking the Spell * Richard Dawkins, selection from The God Delusion * Alister McGrath, selection from Dawkins' God * Phillip Kitcher, "Born-Again Creationism" * Phillip Johnson, "Evolution as Dogma: The Establishment of Naturalism" * Robert Pennock, "Why Creationism Should Not be Taught in the Public Schools" * Alvin Plantinga, "Creation and Evolution: A Modest Proposal" * Paul Weithman, "Theism, Law, and Politics"
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PREMIXED POLYMER CONCRETE

Premix polymer concrete consisting of methyl methacrylate, portland cement, sand, and coarse aggregate was prepared with promoter; catalyst systems at room temperature. The materials had excellent bonding and durability with high strength in compression, tension, and flexure.
The Structure of Bacterial RNA Polymerase

This chapter describes crystal structures of RNA polymerase (RNAP) structures and their implications for understanding the mechanism of transcription and the regulation of key steps in the transcription cycle. There are three main steps in the transcription cycle: initiation, elongation, and termination. The transcription elongation complex (TEC) is processive and extremely stable, transcribing at an average rate of 30 to 100 nucleotides for tens of kilobases down the DNA template. Much is known about the general architecture of RNAP and the nucleic acid scaffold in the TEC from biochemical experiments. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of what has been learned from the bacterial RNAP structures and models. Rifampin positioned in binding pocket would block growth of the RNA chain past two or three nucleotides, explaining the bactericidal effect of the antibiotic. In the holoenzyme structure, two rearrangements in σ region 2 are evident. First, a loop that covers the core binding surface in region 2.2 moves out of the way. Second, the bundle of helices made up of regions 1.2 and 2.1 to 2.4 rotates about 12⁰ relative to the nonconserved region. The single-stranded RNA transcript in the RNA-exit channel has also been shown to be important for the stability of the elongation complex, possibly due to the flap domain closing down around the RNA. The publication of crystal structures for multiple forms of RNAP has made possible a much more detailed examination of the function of the enzyme and the mechanisms of catalysis, promoter recognition, and transcriptional activation.
Computergestuurde lokale anesthesie

Tijdens het manueel injecteren van een anestheticum zal de ene tandarts meer druk uitoefenen dan de andere. Wat voor de een traag is, is voor een ander snel. Mannelijke tandartsen zullen over het algemeen sneller injecteren dan vrouwelijke tandartsen. Het is bewezen dat als patienten pijn of een onaangenaam gevoel rapporteren dit vooral te wijten is aan de druk die werd uitgeoefend tijdens het injecteren.
Vagal sensory innervation of the gastric sling muscle and antral wall: implications for gastro‐esophageal reflux disease?

Background The gastric sling muscle has not been investigated for possible sensory innervation, in spite of the key roles the structure plays in lower esophageal sphincter (LES) function and gastric physiology. Thus, the present experiment used tracing techniques to label vagal afferents and survey their projections in the lesser curvature.
A unified treatment of lunar theory and artificial satellite theory

Lunar theory and artificial satellite theory are treated by a unified method that is a generalization of the von Zeipel procedure. The technique of separation of variables is used to generate a single canonical transformation that eliminates the time and all the angle variables from the Hamiltonian. The validity of the method is established and the calculations are carried far enough to illustrate the techniques involved.
A Caribbean-Based Model of Literacy Leadership

The study sought to evaluate the extent to which an online course in literacy leadership appropriately trained prospective literacy coaches, already situated in Caribbean schools, to assume roles as literacy leaders in their respective contexts. A secondary aim of the study was to evolve a research-driven model of literacy leadership suited for guiding the training and school-based practice of literacy coaches across the islands of the Caribbean. Having exposed the 60 graduate-level literacy leadership candidates - spanning 10 Caribbean islands - to four research-driven learning modules centred on key attributes and processes of effective literacy-focused schools, the researchers sought to immerse teams of candidates in activities cited in the research as critical in instituting these attributes and processes in schools. A combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis of problem-based text interactions surrounding these activities, as well as candidates' own post-course ratings of course content was used to answer key research questions. Did candidates gain an overt understanding of what is involved in establishing an effective literacy infrastructure in schools? Was a viable training model used? The research affirms the efficacy of innovations geared at training literacy practitioners online across the islands of the Caribbean.
SK channels and calmodulin.

Calcium ions are Nature's most widely used signaling mechanism, mediating communication between pathways at virtually every physiological level. Ion channels are no exception, as the activities of a wide range of ion channels are intricately shaped by fluctuations in intracellular Ca2+ levels. Mirroring the importance and the breadth of Ca2+ signaling, free Ca2+ levels are tightly controlled, and a myriad of Ca2+ binding proteins transduce Ca2+ signals, each with its own nuance, comprising a constantly changing symphony of metabolic activity. The founding member of Ca2+ binding proteins is calmodulin (CaM), a small, acidic, modular protein endowed with gymnastic-like flexibility and E-F hand motifs that chelate Ca2+ ions. In this review, I will trace the history that led to the realization that CaM serves as the Ca2+-gating cue for SK channels, the experiments that revealed that CaM is an intrinsic subunit of SK channels, and itself a target of regulation.
A probabilistic model of insolation for the Mojave desert-area

A discussion of mathematical models of insolation characteristics suitable for use in analysis of solar energy systems is presented and shows why such models are essential for solar energy system design. A model of solar radiation for the Mojave Desert area is presented with probabilistic and deterministic components which reflect the occurrence and density of clouds and haze, and mimic their effects on both direct and indirect radiation. Multiple comparisons were made between measured total energy received per day and the corresponding simulated totals. The simulated totals were all within 11 percent of the measured total. The conclusion is that a useful probabilistic model of solar radiation for the Goldstone, California, area of the Mojave Desert has been constructed.
Imports, Exports, Dollar Exposures, and Stock Returns

Economic theory suggests that the magnitude and direction of a company’s currency risk exposure depends crucially on its fundamental involvement in international trade. For U.S. industries, we find that the stock performance of import-oriented companies moves positively with the performance of the dollar, but the stock performance of export-oriented companies tends to move against the dollar. Based on this finding, we use the imports and exports information to enhance the identification of the dollar risk exposure for different industries, and analyze how each industry’s expected stock return varies with its dollar risk exposure. We identify a strongly negative risk premium for bearing positive exposures to the dollar. On average, import-oriented companies generate lower expected stock returns. We also find that the risk premium becomes more negative during recessions than during expansions.Our strong findings rely on three major insights. First, it is not the aggregate trade activity but rather the unhedged trade imbalance between imports and exports that generates the currency exposure. Second, cross-sectional variations in business characteristics and hence risk exposures are much larger than intertemporal variations within a fixed industry. Third, the lack of significance in risk premium estimates is often due to measurement errors in the risk exposure estimates. The first insight leads us to include imports and exports as separate explanatory variables; the second insight motivates us to use cross-sectional regressions instead of time-series regressions to identify the linkage between currency risk exposures and trade fundamentals; and the third insight motivates us to sharpen the risk exposure identification by incorporating economic fundamentals, with which we obtain a significant risk premium estimate on the dollar exposure.
Search for energy and target effects in anomalous projectile fragment production.

The anomalous mean free path for 1500 secondary interactions of projectile fragments produced by 5000 primary collisions of /sup 84/Kr beam tracks at 1.52A GeV has been observed at a length of L 1.1A GeV, the anomalous mean free path is independent of the target size, i.e., light (CNO) or heavy (AgBr), but at low energy 0.5 < E < or =1.1A GeV, the anomalous mean free path seems to appear with heavy targets.
Thiophosphate Analogs of c-di-GMP: Impact on Polymorphism

Seven phosphorothioate analogs of c-di-GMP (all diastereomers of mono-, di-, and trithiophosphates) were prepared to assess the impact of the thioate substitutions on c-di-GMP polymorphism using 1D 1H and 31P NMR, along with 2D NOESY and DOSY, for both the Na+ and K+ salts. The K+ salts display more extensive higher order complex formation than the Na+ salts, resulting primarily in octamolecular complexes with K+, but tetramolecular complexes with Na+. Further, the presence of one or two [SP] sulfurs specifically stabilizes anti complexes and/or destabilizes syn complexes, while the presence of two [SP] sulfurs promotes extensive aggregation.
Intraparotid haemangioma in an adult: case report and review of the literature.

Intraparotid haemangioma in an adult: case report and review of the literature Capillary haemangiomas are among the common benign tumours of the parotid during infancy and childhood. Cavernous haemangiomas are rare lesions in the adult parotid. A cavernous haemangioma of the parotid is described in a 63-ycar-old woman. The literature is reviewed and the adult and childhood haemangiomas of the parotid are compared.
Cholinergic vesicles: ability to empty and refill independently of cytoplasmic acetylcholine.

Incubation of minced mouse-forebrain tissues in lithium Krebs solution reduces the acetylcholine content of the vesicular fraction 70 percent without altering that of the cytoplasmic fraction. Depleted vesicular-bound acetylcholine can be restored with newly synthesized acetylcholine (formed from extracellular choline) independently of the cytoplasmic pool. Depletion of vesicular-bound acetylcholine does not facilitate the movement of preformed extracellular-acetylcholine into vesicles.
The kids are bickering and sniping: missteps in collaborative management

One of the methods used to develop “integrated management” is a collaborative management style by an organization leader. Known under a number of monikers including collaborative management, empowerment, and pushing decisions down, these attempts sometimes yield negative results emanating from a misunderstanding of what collaborative management means. The aim of this article is to present anecdotal evidence of missteps in collaborative management through the use of two mini‐case studies of firms with which the author has consulted. One firm is a large public corporation and one is a small private firm, and the missteps are similar across the firms.
Posterior surgical approach for total hip arthroplasty

Posterior approach to the hip is commonly used in total hip arthroplasty. This article serves to review the anatomy and technique of the approach, as well as femoral and acetabular preparation for the final components. Recent published techniques for enhanced posterior flap closure are also discussed. Failure rates, as well as biomechanical strength of this type of closure is also discussed.
Alternating and Direct Current Electrochemical Studies of a Wool Wax-Based Corrosion Preventive Coating on Aluminum Alloy 2024

Abstract The corrosion behavior of Al 2024-T3 (UNS A92024) treated with a wool wax (lanolin)-based corrosion preventive coating in aqueous 0.5 M sodium chloride (NaCl) was studied using electrochem...
Memory error compensation techniques for JPEG2000

This paper presents novel algorithm-specific techniques to mitigate the effects of failures in SRAM memory caused by voltage scaling and random dopant fluctuations in scaled technologies. We focus on JPEG2000 as a case study. We propose three techniques that exploit the fact that the high frequency subband outputs of the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) have small dynamic range and so errors in the most significant bits can be identified and corrected easily. These schemes do not require any additional memory and have low circuit overhead. We also study several error control coding schemes that are effective in combating errors when the memory failure rates are low. We compare the PSNR versus compression rate performance of the proposed schemes for different memory failure rates. Simulation results show that for high bit error rates (10−2), the error control coding techniques are not effective and that the algorithm-specific techniques can improve the PSNR quality of up to 10dB higher compared to that of the no-correction case.
Indentation Measurements on Compacted Pharmaceutical Powders: Establishing the Sources of Variation in White Light Interferometer Dent Measurements

Indentation measurements are commonly used to determine the mechanical properties of pharmaceutical compacts. Specifically, they are used to assess their resistance to plastic deformation and to help predict tablet properties. To date there has been little research reported aimed at understanding the variation associated with these types of measurements. In this work experiments were conducted to identify and, where possible, quantify the sources of variation for dent measurements on pharmaceutical excipient compacts using a white light interferometer. Statistical analyses of the results revealed that operator-to-operator and sample-to-sample variability each accounted for approximately 2.5 % of the total variability, whereas the intrinsic error of the experimental test procedure was about 10 % of the total variability. The remaining variability was due to known differences in the material properties or test conditions. The capability of the dent dimension measurements was determined to be approximately 8 % of the mean value, and thus it was possible to quantify the discriminating power of this type of compact mechanical property measurement.
Abnormal uterine bleeding in the reproductive years. Part I—Pathogenesis and clinical investigation

Summary A number of mechanisms are involved in the genesis AUB including disorders of pregnancy, structural abnormalities such as polyps or submucous myomas, anovulation, and abnormalities in local endometrial hemostatic mechanisms. The patient's personal and family history are extremely important for triage, and measurement of β-hCG is essential to determine pregnancy. Ovulatory status is a critically important component of the clinical assessment as it affects both selection of further analytic tests and patient counseling regarding expectant and therapeutic options. The physical examination may be misleading when evaluating for causative leiomyomas. Palpable masses suggestive of leiomyomas may not involve the endometrial cavity and therefore may not contribute to the etiology of the bleeding. Furthermore, although uncommon, such masses may actually be manifestations of nodular adenomyosis. On the other hand, the uterus, normal to palpation, may harbor small but clinically significant submucous myomas or other focal or generalized pathology such as polyps or endometritis that could explain the AUB. As a result, and particularly in the presence of ovulatory AUB, the clinician should judiciously rely on imaging techniques. Women with chronic anovulatory DUB present the clinician an opportunity to detect an array of clinical entities ranging from significant endocrinopathies to serious psychosocial pathology. Chronic anovulation creates the milieu necessary for development of endometrial neoplasia including hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma. Consequently, evaluation of these women should focus on endometrial histology and the reason for the systemic disorder. Such a rigorous but tailored approach to AUB isnecessary to provide women with a full range of therapeutic options. Management can evolve from the traditional, often unsatisfactory, empiric approach, dominated by hysterectomy, to an individualized strategy that offers women a variety of expectant, medical, and surgical options tailored to their particular needs.
Association of restriction fragment length polymorphisms of swine leucocyte antigen class I genes with production traits of Duroc and Hampshire boars

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses of swine leucocyte antigen (SLA) class I genes were performed on 70 Duroc and 38 Hampshire boars from the 1986-87 national performance tests of each breed in the USA. Few boars were inbred. Southern blotting and hybridization procedures were performed on genomic DNA, isolated from white blood cells, using PvuII endonuclease and a swine major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I probe. Durocs had an average of 11 restriction fragments, with the most common being in 63% of the boars and the least common appearing in only one boar. Hampshire boars had an average of 12 restriction fragments, with the most common appearing in 73% of the boars and the least common appearing in only one boar. Least squares procedures and stepwise regression methods were used to examine the association between DNA restriction fragments and the selection index (INDEX), average daily gain (ADG), average backfat thickness (BF), loin muscle area (LEA), and age at 104 kg (DAY104). In the Duroc breed one DNA restriction fragment was associated with decreased INDEX (P less than 0.05) and decreased ADG (P less than 0.05) whereas two other fragments were associated with increased BF (P less than 0.05). In the Hampshire breed two restriction fragments were associated with an increase in INDEX (P less than 0.05). Cluster analyses were used to group pigs of each breed on the basis of similar RFLP patterns. One cluster group in the Duroc breed was associated with lower average INDEX values (P less than 0.05), greater average DAY104 (P less than 0.05), and a larger mean LEA (P less than 0.05). In the Hampshire breed one cluster group was associated with lower INDEX (P less than 0.05). These results suggest there may be an association between swine MHC class I genes and performance traits in swine. The use of SLA class I restriction fragments, as genetic markers, may have potential in the future for improving pig performance.
In vivo imaging of inflammatory phagocytes

Inflammation contributes to the pathophysiology of many diseases. In this report, we present noninvasive bioluminescence imaging methods that distinguish acute and chronic inflammation in mouse models. Systemic delivery of luminol (5-amino-2,3-dihydro-1,4-phthalazinedione) enables detection of acute inflammation largely mediated by tissue-infiltrating neutrophils, whose myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity is required for luminol bioluminescence. In contrast, bioluminescence from injection of lucigenin (bis-N-methylacridinium nitrate) closely correlates with late phase and chronic inflammation. Lucigenin bioluminescence is independent of MPO and, instead, requires phagocyte NADPH oxidase (Phox) activity in macrophages. We are able to visualize tissue inflammation resulting from wound healing, bacterial infection, foreign substance implantation, and antitumor immune responses. Given the central role of inflammation in a variety of disorders, we believe these noninvasive imaging methods can help dissect the differential roles of neutrophils and macrophages in a variety of pathological conditions.
Obesity and pre-hypertension in family medicine: Implications for quality improvement

Background. Prevention of pre-hypertension is an important goal for primary care patients. Obesity is a risk factor for hypertension, but has not been addressed for pre-hypertension in primary care populations. The objective of this study was to assess the degree to which obesity independently is associated with risk for pre-hypertension in family medicine patients.
Protein classification using transductive learning on phylogenetic profiles

Phylogenetic profiles of proteins - strings of ones and zeros encoding respectively the presence and absence of proteins in a group of genomes - have recently been used to identify homologous proteins and/or proteins that are functionally linked, such as participating in a metabolic pathway. We proposed a novel learning method for protein classification based on phylogenetic profiles, which takes into account both the phylogenetic tree structure and the likelihood of proteins presence in genomes. The method consists of a mechanism to extend the profiles with extra bits encoding the phylogenetic tree, whose interior nodes, representing hypothetical ancestral genomes, are scored in a way to reflect their chances of developing divergence in the descendants. The scoring scheme also incorporates the likelihood of proteins presence in genomes as weighting factors, which are collected from the training data initially and integrated as part of kernel of a support vector machine. In a transductive learning scheme, when the SVM is used for classifying test data, the weighting factors are updated iteratively using the predicted results. We tested our method on the proteome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and used the MIPS classification as a benchmark. The results showed that the classification accuracy was greatly increased.
Glutamate in terminals of thalamocortical fibers in rat somatic sensory cortex

Thalamocortical terminals in layer IV of the somatic sensory cortex (SI) were identified by anterograde transport from ventrobasal thalamus. They were large, contained loosely packed round clear vesicles and abundant mitochondria, and made asymmetric contacts mainly with dendritic spines. Post-embedding immunocytochemistry revealed these terminals to be enriched in glutamate. Levels of glutamate in thalamocortical terminals, and in dendritic spines postsynaptic to them, were significantly higher than in nearby dendrites, astroglia, or in GABAergic terminals (identified by double immunostaining). These results support glutamate as neurotransmitter in thalamocortical fibers, and suggest that dendritic spines may take up glutamate released by these terminals.
Disjointifiable lattice-ordered groups

This article studies disjointifiable lattice-ordered groups (abbr. dl-groups): the lattice-ordered groups G for which the frame \({\mathcal{C}}(G)\) of all convex l-subgroups is a normal frame; that is, for which \(A {\vee} B = G {\rm in} \mathcal{C}(G)\) implies the existence of \(C, D {\in} \,{\mathcal{C}}(G)\) such that C ⋂D = 0 and A ∨ D = C ∨ B = G. It is shown that if a Hahn group \(V (\wedge, \mathbb{R})\)) is a dl-group, then it is strongly disjointifiable (abbr. sdl), in the sense that \(A \vee B = G {\rm in} \mathcal{C}(G)\) implies that there is a cardinal summand P of G, such that \(P {\subseteq} A {\rm and}\,P^{\perp} {\subseteq} B\). Every finite valued l-group is an sdl-group.
Conceptual design of a hybrid-type elliptically polarizing undulator

A hybrid-type planar undulator was designed to generate circularly polarized radiation. It is an APPLE-type design consisting of four rows of hybrid structures that can be shifted with respect to each other. The magnetic field on axis can thus be adjusted so it can have linear or circular polarization including intermediate (elliptical polarization) positions. A short-period device of this kind can provide 100% circularly polarized radiation in a hard x-ray region when it is installed in a high-energy storage ring, such as the Advanced Photon Source.