cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A case study of a workplace wellness program that offers financial incentives for weight loss

Employers are increasingly adopting workplace wellness programs designed to improve employee health and decrease employer costs associated with health insurance and job absenteeism. This paper examines the outcomes of 2635 workers across 24 worksites who were offered financial incentives for weight loss that took various forms, including fixed payments and forfeitable bonds. We document extremely high attrition and modest weight loss associated with the financial incentives in this program, which contrasts with the better outcomes associated with pilot programs. We conclude by offering suggestions, motivated by behavioral economics, for increasing the effectiveness of financial incentives for weight loss.
Multiple source resolution for true time delay beam-space processing

The authors examine a technique to apply coherent signal subspace processing in the beam-space of a bank of true time delay beamformers. The technique is shown to be capable of resolving closely spaced sources while being inherently wideband in nature, computationally less expensive than many previous wideband coherent integration techniques, and does not rely on a preliminary angle of arrival estimate. The technique is examined for performance with various levels of noise in the system compared to previous methods and the Cramer-Rao theoretical performance bound.
The reaction of 5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carbohydrazides with orthoesters

The reaction of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carbohydrazides with orthoesters is shown to yield 1-amino-9-alkyl-hypoxanthines. Similar reaction of anthranilic acid hydrazide is shown to yield 3-amino-4-quinazolone, and not 1,4-dihydro-5H-1,3,4-benzotriazepin-5-one as previously reported.
Determination of thermodynamic parameters of Cr(VI) adsorption from aqueous solution onto Agave lechuguilla biomass

The temperature dependence of the Cr(VI) bioadsorption and its possible reduction to Cr(III) by Agave lechuguilla biomass were studied. The experimental data obtained in batch experiments at different temperatures were fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms to obtain the characteristic parameters of each model. The adsorption equilibrium data fitted well with the Freundlich model. The average model parameters calculated from Freundlichs isotherms (adsorption capacity KF =4 AE 10 � 2 mol AE g � 1 and an average adsorption intensity value n = 13.07) showed that A. lechuguilla can be considered as an effective biomaterial for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution. Thermodynamic parameters (DG � , DH � , and DS � ) for Cr(VI) adsorption determined in the temper- ature range from (283 to 313) K suggest that a portion of Cr(VI) may be bound to functional groups on the surface of the adsorbent and then reduced to Cr(III). Additionally, the parameters of the Dubinin-Radushkevick equation indicated that the sorption of chromium species onto lechuguilla biomass mainly proceeds through binding surface functional groups. 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Entrepreneurial Orientation among the Youth of India: The Impact of Culture, Education and Environment

Expanding the level of entrepreneurial activity within all nations is an increasingly important political and economic goal, especially for developing countries. Literature suggests that culture, education and environment play key roles, yet these attributes vary greatly across nations. This study explores the level of interest in entrepreneurship among what may be India's next generation of entrepreneurs, namely undergraduate business students, and draws comparisons with students enrolled in the US. Despite a combination of social structures and cultural values within India that historically constrained entrepreneurship, a number of efforts in recent years seem to have significantly shifted the national mindset regarding entrepreneurship, particularly among India's youth who were found to demonstrate a significantly higher level of interest in starting new ventures than their US counterparts.
Contention and Democracy: Labor Protest in Poland, 1989–1993

Abstract This article analyzes data on labor protests in Poland during the transition period. A bivariate categorical model was used to estimate the effectiveness of different protest strategies. Analysis shows that strike threats and strikes were effective in gaining concessions from the government or employers in over eighty percent of the events in which these strategies were employed. These findings challenge prevailing notions of a weak labor movement in Poland. The implications of the study of protest for evaluating "the two faces of labor" and for democratic consolidation are explored.
A new approach for multi-omic data integration

Recent technological advances have enabled the generation of various omic data (e.g., genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and glycomics) in a high-throughput manner. The integration of multi-omic data sets is desirable to unravel the complexity of a biological system. In this paper, we propose a new approach to investigate both inter and intra relationships for multi-omic data sets by using regularized canonical correlation analysis and graphical lasso. The application of this novel approach on real multi-omic data sets helps identify hub proteins and their neighbors that may be missed by typical statistical analysis to serve as biomarker candidates. Also, the integration of data from various cellular components (i.e., proteins, metabolites and glycans) offers the potential to discover more reliable biomarker candidates for complex disease.
DIRECT SAPONIFICATION: A SIMPLE AND RAPID METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF TOTAL CHOLESTEROL AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF AQUATIC FOODS

Total cholesterol in aquatic foods was determined by direct saponification coupled with gas chromatography without derivatization. The direct saponification was compared with an AOAC extraction procedure and a culture tube extraction technique, both using chloroform:methanol (1:2, v/v) for extraction. Gas chromatography, high-performance-liquid-chromatography with UV detection of conjugated enone of cholesterol at 240 nm, and spectrophotometric o-phthalaldehyde method at 550 nm were compared to determine their effectiveness in cholesterol measurement. Direct saponification generally gave higher contents of cholesterol than the AOAC and culture tube extraction procedures, while quantification by the GC procedure appears to be the simplest method without sacrificing accuracy. Average percentage recoveries of cholesterol estimated with direct saponification-GC analysis in spiked fat-free catfish matrix and spiked fresh catfish muscle were 101.8 ± 9.6% and 101.7 ± 1.9%, respectively. The method may also be adaptable to food ingredients other than sterols such as the determination of fatty acid composition as demonstrated in this paper.
UPR-Induced Resistance to Etoposide Is Downstream of PERK and Independent of Changes in Topoisomerase IIα Levels

Background The unfolded protein response (UPR) is regulated by three ER-localized, transmembrane signal transducers that control distinct aspects of the UPR. We previously reported that both increased resistance to etoposide and a reduction in Topoisomerase IIα protein levels were a direct response of UPR activation, and the latter occurred independent of changes in Topo IIα mRNA levels. We have now examined the contribution of each of the three up-stream transducers of the UPR, as well as some of their downstream targets in affecting decreased expression of Topo IIα protein and increased drug resistance.
Large‐scale evaluation on a limited budget: The partnership experience

A strategy is proposed and described for sharing evaluation responsibilities between client and evaluator, thereby leveraging the evaluator consultant's time and expertise and minimizing cost.
Molecular determinants of the human α2C-adrenergic receptor temperature-sensitive intracellular traffic.

The human α2C-adrenergic receptor (α2C-AR) is localized intracellularly at physiologic temperature. Decreasing the environmental temperature strongly stimulates the receptor transport to the cell surface. In contrast, rat and mouse α2C-AR plasma membrane levels are less sensitive to decrease in temperature, whereas the opossum α2C-AR cell surface levels are not changed in these conditions. Structural analysis demonstrated that human α2C-AR has a high number of arginine residues in the third intracellular loop and in the C-terminus, organized as putative RXR motifs. Although these motifs do not affect the receptor subcellular localization at 37°C, deletion of the arginine clusters significantly enhanced receptor plasma membrane levels at reduced temperature. We found that this exaggerated transport of the human receptor is mediated by two functional arginine clusters, one in the third intracellular loop and one in the C-terminus. This effect is mediated by interactions with COPI vesicles, but not by 14-3-3 proteins. In rat α2C-AR, the arginine cluster from the third intracellular loop is shifted to the left due to three missing residues. Reinsertion of these residues in the rat α2C-AR restored the same temperature sensitivity as in the human receptor. Proteomic and coimmunoprecipitation experiments identified pontin as a molecule having stronger interactions with human α2C-AR compared with rat α2C-AR. Inhibition of pontin activity enhanced human receptor plasma membrane levels and signaling at 37°C. Our results demonstrate that human α2C-AR has a unique temperature-sensitive traffic pattern within the G protein–coupled receptor class due to interactions with different molecular chaperones, mediated in part by strict spatial localization of specific arginine residues.
A model to evaluate windbreak protection efficiency

The effectiveness of windbreaks in windspeed reduction is often evaluated without regard to the objects to be protected. In fact, many objects may have different sensitivities to wind and often require different degrees of wind protection. Since commonly used indexes do not consider the sensitivity to wind, a concept of specific protection efficiency is developed. A critical windspeed is used to represent the sensitivity of each object. Windspeeds greater than this value are considered damaging. A dimensionless protection index is defined to evaluate windbreak efficiency. The maximum index value is 1 for the highest protection, and the index is negative when sheltered windspeed is greater than the critical windspeed. This index can be compared, summed, and averaged across different windbreaks, objects, and leeward locations. A sample of critical windspeed values was compiled from the literature. The index was evaluated using actual wind data measured under both sheltered and open conditions. The results indicated that the index can be used for evaluating windbreak effectiveness in terms of objects protected under various conditions. This model could be used as a tool for windbreak-related research and policy making.
Properties of a non-specific phospholipid-transfer protein purified from rat lung.

Abstract The present report describes the purification and characterization of a non-specific phospholipid-transfer protein from rat lung. The protein is the major phospholipid-transfer protein in lung which transfers phosphatidylcholine. The transfer protein was purified 1200-fold, with a final yield of 3%. The activity of the protein was monitored by measuring the transfer of [ 14 C]phosphatidylcholine from radioactively labeled liposomes to mitochondria. The purified proteins transfers phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine from radioactively labeled microsomes to either mitochondria or liposomes. The transfer of each phospholipid is proportional to its content in the donor membrane. The protein was purified from a pH 5.1 supernatant preparation by fractionation on DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-75 and hydroxyapatite. The molecular weight of the purified protein was estimated as 35000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The amino acid analysis revealed a high content of glutamic acid (including glutamine) and glycine. The specificity of the purified protein for transfer of phospholipids suggests that it may be the phospholipid-transfer activity which is highly enriched in isolated type II alveolar cells of rat lung.
Relationship between erucamide surface concentration and coefficient of friction of LLDPE film

Many polymer films are produced by extruding the polymer in a cast- or blown-film process. Often an additive is preblended into the polymer and, once the film is formed, the additive migrates to the film surface(s). Erucamide is a migratory additive that is commonly placed in polyolefin films to reduce their coefficient of friction (COF). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between erucamide surface concentration and COF of LLDPE films. The erucamide surface concentration was varied in two ways. In one set of experiments, a film containing 5,000 ppm of erucamide was surface-washed with solvent and/or aged at room temperature for specific time periods. In another set, films with different erucamide bulk loadings were aged for 7 days to achieve different equilibrium surface concentrations. The surface concentration was measured by using surface washing, and the bulk loading was quantified by using microwave extraction. A plot of COF as a function of surface concentration showed that all of the results fell on a single curve, regardless of the method used to regulate the erucamide surface concentration. At a surface concentration of ∼0.5 μg/cm2, the kinetic COF began to plateau to a value less than or equal to ∼0.2 for this erucamide-LLDPE system. J. VINYL. ADDIT. TECHNOL. 11:9–12, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Antenatal renal pelvis dilatation emphasizing vesicoureteric reflux: two-year follow-up of minor postnatal dilatation.

Aim: To describe the occurrence of foetal renal pelvis dilatation in an unselected population of pregnancies and to describe the clinical course in a subgroup of infants with minor renal pelvis dilatation (RPD). Methods: During 1996–1999 the foetuses of 17850 consecutive pregnant women were scanned with ultrasonography (USG) in the 16th–19th gestational week and later in the pregnancy when indicated. RPD was defined as anterior–posterior pelvic diameter ≤5mm. After birth all infants were examined with USG twice. If any postnatal USG showed RPD ≤10mm, extended radiological investigation was performed. Infants with pelvis dilatation <10 mm and no calyceal or ureteric dilatation were not investigated further and antibiotic prophylaxis was discontinued. The children were followed up at 2 y of age. Results: 109 foetuses (0.6%) with RPD were identified. Postnatally, 94/109 were available for follow-up: 43 had postnatal dilatation ≤10 mm and were investigated and treated according to clinical routine, while 51 had dilatation < 10 mm and were followed up after they had reached at least 2 y of age. No case of pyelonephritis was recorded. USG in 48/51 children was normal. Conclusion: The data indicate that infants with minor RPD do not constitute a risk group for renal morbidity and thus do not need antibiotic prophylaxis and extensive radiological examination.
Chillpack Studies on Farm-Raised Channel Catfish

The shelf-life of commercially processed pond raised catfish held in two different storage environments was assessed in 1981 by sensory and microbiological examinations. An experienced panel rated samples held in a chillpack environment (-2.2°C) significantly higher than samples stored in ice for 7 days for odor and flavor, and overall mean after cooking. There was no significant difference between raw samples held 7 days in ice and 19-day-old chillpack samples. Total plate counts increased more rapidly in ice pack samples than chillpack samples.
Effects of Egg Weight, Glucose Administration at Hatch, and Delayed Access to Feed and Water on the Poult at 2 Weeks of Age

Eggs from a 42-wk-old small-type turkey breeder flock were weighed and divided into heavy, medium, and light categories relative to the population average. Poults from each category were sexed, then given .5 mL of 50% glucose in saline by either crop intubation (CI) or subcutaneous injection at the neck (SC). Controls did not receive glucose. One-half of the birds from each treatment were immediately given access to feed and water in pens of brooder batteries; the remainder were held 3 days in transportation boxes before placement in other pens of the same batteries. Poult weight at hatching and 3 days later paralleled egg weight. Improvement in 3 day BW occurred after glucose administration and was greater by SC than CI, but these advantages were only apparent when feed and water had been accessible during the interim. Egg weight effects on BW and gain persisted to 2 wk of age, as did the depression from delayed nutrient access; however, the advantage from glucose with poults having early access to nutrition disappeared. Alterations in the proximate compositions of livers and carcasses among treatments were small. Total mortality increased with egg weight when poults received feed and water early after hatching, while the converse occurred when delayed. Deaths were not altered by either glucose or fasting (P greater than .05).
3-Aminomethylcyclohexaneglycine, a lysine analog

Abstract A β-substituted alicyclic lysine analog, 3-aminomethylcyclohexaneglycine, was prepared from m-tolunitrile by bromination followed by alkaline hydrolysis to yield m-cyanobenzaldehyde which was then converted to 5-(m-cyanophenyl)hydantoin. Hydrogenation, followed by hydrolysis of the hydantoin, gave 3-aminomethylcyclohexaneglycine. 4-Pyridine- and 4-piperidineglycine were also synthesized by conversion of 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde to the pyridineglycine, and subsequent hydrogenation to form the piperidineglycine. The toxic properties of the three analogs were studied in Leuconostoc dextranicnm 8086, Lactobacillus arabinosus 17-5, and Lactobacillus casei 7469. 3-Aminomethylcyclohexaneglycine, although not a highly effective antagonist, is inhibitory toward Leuc. dextranicum and L. arabinosus at a level of about 0.1 and 0.5 mg./ml., respectively, and the inhibitions are competitively reversed by lysine. Both 4-pyridineglycine and 4-piperidineglycine, even at a concentration of 1 mg./ml., were not inhibitory to any one of the three organisms studied. A previous hypothesis that lysine in forming an enzyme-substrate complex must assume a structure such that the β- and ϵ-earbons are in a trans-like conformation is consistent with the observed biological activity of 3-aminomethylcyclohexaneglycine.
“The Humble Parish Bank”: The Cultural Origins of the U.S. Credit Union Movement

Abstract In examining the pivotal role French-Canadian Alphonse Desjardins and Franco-American parishes played in developing credit unions in the northeastern United States in the early twentieth c...
The Audible Pop Is Not Necessary for Successful Spinal High-Velocity Thrust Manipulation in Individuals With Low Back Pain

Abstract Flynn TW, Fritz JM, Wainner RS, Whitman JM. The audible pop is not necessary for successful spinal high-velocity thrust manipulation in individuals with low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84:1057-60. Objective To determine the relationship between an audible pop and symptomatic improvement with spinal manipulation in patients with low back pain (LBP). Design: A prospective cohort study. Setting: Two outpatient physical therapy clinics located in military medical centers. Participants: A cohort of 71 patients with nonradicular LBP referred to physical therapy. Interventions: Participants underwent a standardized examination and standardized spinal manipulation treatment program. All patients were treated with a sacroiliac (SI) region manipulative technique and the presence or absence of an audible pop was noted. Main Outcome Measures: Subjects were reassessed 48 hours after the manipulation for changes in range of motion (ROM), numeric pain rating scale (PRS) scores, and modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) scores. Results: An audible pop occurred in 50 of the 71 subjects during the manipulative procedure. Both groups—those who had an audible pop and those who did not—improved over time in flexion ROM, PRS scores, and modified ODQ scores; however, there were no differences between groups ( P >.05). Nineteen of the 71 (27%) patients improved dramatically (mean drop in modified ODQ, 67.6%). In 14 of the 19 dramatic responders, an audible pop occurred. However, the odds ratio (1.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.38–4.04) suggested that the occurrence of a manipulative pop would not improve the odds of achieving a dramatic reduction in symptoms after the manipulation. Conclusion: There is no relationship between an audible pop during SI region manipulation and improvement in ROM, pain, or disability in individuals with nonradicular LBP. Additionally, the occurrence of a pop did not improve the odds of a dramatic improvement with manipulation treatment.
Behavior of Some Inorganic Anions as Bases in Glacial Acetic Acid

Data are presented to show that all common inorganic anions, except bisulfate, act as bases in glacial acetic acid. Supporting evidence includes results obtained by titrating a number of alkaloidal salts and many inorganic salts. Theoretical basis for this behavior is discussed.
Structured Programming With and Without go to Statements

While "Dijkstra flow-chart schemes" (built out of assignment statement schemes by means of composition, IF—THEN and WHILEDO) are simple and perspicuous, they lack the descriptive power of flow-chart schemes (provided additional "variables" are not permitted). On the other hand, the analogous multiexit composition binary alternation-conditional iteration (CACI) schemes introduced below, which are virtually as simple and perspicuous as Dijkstra schemes, describe exactly the same computational processes as flow-chart schemes (without the aid of additional variables).
Dynamical Phase Transition in a Driven Disordered Vortex Lattice.

Using Langevin dynamics, we have investigated the dynamics of vortices in a disordered two-dimensional superconductor subjected to a uniform driving current. The results provide direct numerical evidence for a dynamical phase transition between a plastic flow regime and a moving {open_quote}{open_quote}hexatic glass.{close_quote}{close_quote} The simulated current-voltage characteristics are in excellent agreement with recent transport measurements on amorphous Mo{sub 77}Ge{sub 23} thin film superconductors. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Biogeography and habitat modelling of high-alpine bacteria.

The spatial distribution and parameters that affect soil microorganism communities are largely unknown. In this study, bacterial communities up to 240 metres apart are shown to be similar and are affected by soil pH, plant abundance and snow depth.
Carbon partitioning in soybean (Glycine max) leaves by combined 11C and 13C labeling

Summary We labeled soybean (Glycine max) leaves with 200 and 600 ppm 13CO2 spiked with 11CO2 and examined the effects of light intensity and water stress on metabolism by using a combination of direct positron imaging and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of the same leaf. We first made 60-min movies of the transport of photosynthetically assimilated 11C labels. The positron imaging identified zones or patches within which variations in metabolism could be probed later by NMR. At the end of each movie, the labeled leaf was frozen in liquid nitrogen to stop metabolism, the leaf was lyophilized, and solid-state NMR was used either on the whole leaf or on various leaf fragments. The NMR analysis determined total 13C incorporation into sugars, starch, proteins, and protein precursors. The combination of 11C and 13C analytical techniques has led to three major conclusions regarding photosynthetically heterogeneous soybean leaves: transient starch deposition is not the temporary storage of sucrose excluded from a saturated sugar-transport system; peptide synthesis is reduced under high-light, high CO2 conditions; and all glycine from the photorespiratory pathway is routed to proteins within photosynthetically active zones when the leaf is water stressed and under high-light and low CO2 conditions.
Multiple Pulse Effects In Transient Stimulated Raman Amplification

ABSTRACT Transient stimulated Raman amplification of a pulse in a pulse train can be considerably greater than that of an isolated pulse if the pulses are sufficiently close together. We describe thecharacteristics of gain buildup in a pulse train theoretically and report experimental observations ofamplification increases of 4 orders of magnitude in 4 pulses. The effect of phase alternation of the Stokes seed on the gain buildup is also described. i.INTRODUCTION The transient stimulated Raman amplification of a pulse within a pulse train can be affectedby the presence of the other pulses. If the pulses are spaced sufficiently close together relative to thedephasing time, T2, the growth of a given pulse in the train is determined by the phonons left behindby the preceeding pulses as well as by the photons in the corresponding pump pulse. As a result theamplification of a particular pulse in the train can be higher by several orders of magnitude than thecorresponding gain of an isolated pulse. This behavior is illustrated schematically in Fig. 1.
Studies of Prevention, Treatment and Mechanisms of Heart Failure in the Aging Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is an animal model of genetic hypertension which develops heart failure with aging, similar to man. The consistent pattern of a long period of stable hypertrophy followed by a transition to failure provides a useful model to study mechanisms of heart failure with aging and test treatments at differing phases of the disease process. The transition from compensated hypertrophy to failure is accompanied by changes in cardiac function which are associated with altered active and passive mechanical properties of myocardial tissue; these events define the physiologic basis for cardiac decompensation. In examining the mechanism for myocardial tissue dysfunction, studies have demonstrated a central role for neurohormonal activation, and specifically the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Pharmacologic attenuation of this system at differing points in the course of the process suggests that prevention but not reversal of myocardial tissue dysfunction is possible. The roles of the extracellular matrix, apoptosis, intracellular calcium, beta-adrenergic stimulation, microtubules, and oxygen supply-demand relationships in ultimately mediating myocardial tissue dysfunction are reviewed. Studies suggest that while considerable progress has been made in understanding and treating the transition to failure, our current state of knowledge is limited in scope and we are not yet able to define specific mechanisms responsible for tissue dysfunction. It will be necessary to integrate information on the roles of newly discovered, and as yet undiscovered, genes and pathways to provide a clearer understanding of maladaptive remodeling seen with heart failure. Understanding the mechanism for tissue dysfunction is likely to result in more effective treatments for the prevention and reversal of heart failure with aging. It is anticipated that the SHR model will assist us in reaching these important goals.
How women anticipate coping after an abortion.

Abstract Background There has been some study of women's emotional and psychological well-being after an abortion but no research into women's expectations, at the time of seeking an abortion, of how they will cope after the abortion. Study Design We abstracted counseling needs assessment forms of 5109 women who sought an abortion at a clinic in 2008. Results The most common emotions that women anticipate feeling after their abortion are relieved (63%) and confident (52%). A significant minority anticipate feeling a little sad (24%) and a little guilty (21%); 3.4% anticipate poor coping. Women with fetal abnormalities, women who do not have high confidence in their decision, women who have spiritual concerns about abortion, women with a history of depression, women who feel that they were pushed into having an abortion and teenagers are more likely to anticipate poor coping postabortion. Conclusions The vast majority of women expect to cope well after their abortion. A small number make the decision to terminate their pregnancies even though they anticipate difficulty coping after the procedure.
Experience-efficient learning in associative bandit problems

We formalize the associative bandit problem framework introduced by Kaelbling as a learning-theory problem. The learning environment is modeled as a k-armed bandit where arm payoffs are conditioned on an observable input selected on each trial. We show that, if the payoff functions are constrained to a known hypothesis class, learning can be performed efficiently with respect to the VC dimension of this class. We formally reduce the problem of PAC classification to the associative bandit problem, producing an efficient algorithm for any hypothesis class for which efficient classification algorithms are known. We demonstrate the approach empirically on a scalable concept class.
Pharmacokinetics of ketorolac tromethamine in horses after intravenous, intramuscular, and oral single-dose administration.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are an integral component of equine analgesia, yet currently available NSAIDs are both limited in their analgesic efficacy and have adverse effects. The NSAID ketorolac tromethamine (KT) is widely used in humans as a potent morphine-sparing analgesic drug but has not been fully evaluated in horses. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of KT in horses after intravenous (i.v.), intramuscular (i.m.), and oral (p.o.) administration. Nine healthy adult horses received a single 0.5-mg/kg dose of KT via each route of administration. Plasma was collected up to 48 h postadministration and analyzed for KT concentration using HPLC/MS/MS. Noncompartmental analysis of i.v. dosage indicated a mean plasma clearance of 8.4 (mL/min)/kg and an estimated mean volume of distribution at steady-state of 0.77 L/kg. Noncompartmental analysis of i.v., i.m., and p.o. dosages indicated mean residence times of 2.0, 2.6, and 7.1 h, respectively. The drug was rapidly absorbed after i.m. and p.o. administration, and mean bioavailability was 71% and 57% for i.m. and p.o. administration, respectively. Adverse effects were not observed after i.v., i.m., and p.o. administration. More studies are needed to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of KT in horses.
Behavioral ethics meets natural justice

Binmore's Natural Justiceoffers an evolutionary approach to morality, in which moral rules form a cultural system that is robust and evolutionarily stable. The folk theorem is the analytical basis for his theory of justice. I argue that this is a mistake, as the equilibria described by the folk theorem lack dynamic stability in games with several players. While the dependence of Binmore's argument on the folk theorem is more tactical than strategic, this choice does have policy implications. I do not believe that moral rules are solutions to the Nash bargaining problem. Rather, I believe that human beings are emotionally constituted, by virtue of their evolutionary history, to embrace prosocial and altruistic notions of in-group–out-group identification and reciprocity. These aspects of human nature are incompatible with Binmore's notion that humans are self-regarding creatures. I present empirical evidence supporting a specific form of human, other-regarding preferences known as strong reciprocity.
Poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase inhibitor PJ34 abolishes systemic proinflammatory responses to thoracic aortic ischemia and reperfusion.

Background Systemic inflammatory responses contribute to mortality after thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair. Poly adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP) activity is known to modulate inflammation in animal models of injury. The effect of the PARP inhibitor PJ34 and genetic deletion of PARP-1(PARP -/-) on the systemic inflammatory response after thoracic aortic ischemia reperfusion (TAR) is not known. Study design In one group, all mice were subject to TAR followed by 48 hours of reperfusion. Treated mice (PJ, n=24) were given PJ34 IP; untreated mice (UN, n=41) received normal saline intraperitoneally. The number of mice in each group was selected to have a similar number of survivors by 48 hours. In a second group, sham animals were subjected to mediastinotomy alone (sham, n=10) without TAR, and were compared with mice with deletion of the PARP-1 isoform (PARP-1 -/-, n=11) subjected to TAR. Tissue extracts were assayed for keratinocyte derived chemokine and granulocyte colony stimulating factor. Serum was assayed for interleukin-6. Results PJ34 treatment decreased mortality throughout the experimental protocol. There were no mortalities in the sham operated mice or PARP -/- mice subjected to TAR. PJ34 treatment decreased serum levels of interleukin-6 (p=0.01) and hepatic levels of interleukin-6 mRNA when compared with untreated and PARP-/- mice (p Conclusions PARP inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic approach to minimizing inflammatory sequelae after TAR.
Transient vs. prolonged histone hyperacetylation: effects on colon cancer cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis.

The role of histone hyperacetylation in regard to growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in colon cancer cells was assessed in an in vitro model system. HT-29 cells were grown in ±10% fetal bovine serum with either 5 mM sodium butyrate or 0.3 μM trichostatin A [single dose (T) or 3 doses 8 h apart (TR)] for 24 h. Serum-starved HT-29 cells were further treated with epidermal growth factor or insulin-like growth factor I for an additional 24 h. Apoptosis was quantified with propidium iodide and characterized by electron microscopy. Northern blot analyses were performed with cDNA probes specific for intestinal alkaline phosphatase, Na-K-2Cl cotransporter, the cell cycle inhibitor p21, and the actin control. Flow cytometric analysis revealed a time-dependent growth suppression along with early induction of p21 mRNA in the butyrate, T, and TR groups. Histone hyperacetylation, assessed by acid-urea-triton gel electrophoresis, was transient in the T group but persisted for up to 24 h in the butyrate and TR groups. Induction of apoptosis, growth factor unresponsiveness, and differentiation occurred in the butyrate- and TR-treated cells but not those treated with a single dose of trichostatin A. Thus transient hyperacetylation of histones is sufficient to induce p21 expression and produce cellular growth arrest, but prolonged histone hyperacetylation is required for induction of the programs of differentiation, apoptosis, and growth factor unresponsiveness.
A NEW APPROACH TO THE REGULATION OF TRADING ACROSS SECURITIES MARKETS

This paper proposes that the issuer of a security should have the exclusive right to determine in which markets its securities will be traded. This is in contrast to the current regime, where markets can decide to trade securities unilaterally, without the issuer's consent. The trading regime of a security affects its liquidity and consequently its value, and multimarket trading by some securities holders may produce negative externalities that harm securities holders taken as a group. Our proposed regime will shift the focus of inter-market competition from traders (which sometimes implies a "race to the bottom") to issuers. Since the issuer has an incentive to maximize the value of the traded securities, its choices will be consistent with those of securities holders taken as a group and with those of a hypothetical benevolent regulator. Under our proposed regime, markets will adopt and self-enforce rules and regulations that enhance liquidity and securities' values in order to attract issuers, thereby providing a market-based solution to regulation of trading markets. The paper also discusses the implementation of the rule for derivative securities, following a "fair use" approach.
Teenagers' Money, Discretionary Spending and Saving

This study investigated how much money was obtained and how it was spent by teenagers. It also examined the effects of individual and family characteristics on teens' discretionary spending and saving. Teens' income and age, separately, had negative effects on food expenditures and positive effects on both clothing and entertainment expenditures. Family income had a positive effect on teens' clothing and entertainment expenditures. Having an allowance negatively affected teens' food and clothing expenditures. Compared to female teens, males saved less and spent less on clothing and personal care items.
Novel mechanism of transcriptional activation of hepatic LDL receptor by oncostatin M

In this paper we describe a sterol-independent regulation of low density, lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) transcription by the cytokine oncostatin M (OM) in HepG2 cells. We show that OM-induced expression is independent of cholesterol regulation and occurs at the transcriptional level. To elucidate regulatory mechanism(s), we constructed a luciferase reporter system comprising either the native LDLR promoter including repeats 1, 2, and 3, or a synthetic promoter vector containing repeats 2+3 only, allowing us to directly examine OM effects on individual elements. Specific mutants in repeats 1, 2, and 3 were made to facilitate the mapping of the OM effect on the promoter. Wildtype and mutant constructs were assayed for cholesterol and OM regulation. The results show that mutation within the core SRE-1 element of repeat 2 totally abolished cholesterol regulation but had no effect on OM inducibility. More interesting, a mutation within repeat 1 reduced basal transcription activity to 10﹪ of the native promoter, but OM induction was unaltered. However, the identical mutation engineered in repeat 3 significantly decreased OM induction of LDLR promoter activity. These results suggest a novel regulatory role for the repeat 3 element in LDLR transcription.
Donor cell leukemia arising from clonal hematopoiesis after bone marrow transplantation.

Alterations in genes encoding epigenetic regulators are common in myeloid malignancies, and several recent studies have demonstrated that these mutations are present at high frequencies within peripheral blood cells in approximately 10% of individuals over 60 years of age. Although the presence of these mutations carries an increased risk of subsequent hematologic malignancies, the vast majority of individuals do not progress clinically and the natural history of clonal hematopoiesis is unclear.1-3 Thus, the term Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP) was proposed.4
Parametric investigation of idealized hypersonic cruise configurations

The lift and drag of two-dimensional hypersonic configurations are evaluated for steady, compressible, inviscid flow. The two configurations differ in their engine design with one configuration exhibiting a shock wave followed by a downstream expansion wave while the other has the waves in reverse order. The theoretical formulation is outlined and results are presented for a variety of parameters, including vehicle length, nozzle exit Mach number, and lift and drag. The lift-to-drag ratio is shown to be a maximum when the size of the engine inlet opening is a maximum, with the lip of the cowl still inside the shock layer. In addition, the utility of configurations possessing negative lift and configurations free of shock wave-boundary layer interaction are discussed.
Phosphorylase in skeletal muscle of normal and selected lines of dystrophic chickens.

SummaryPhosphorylase activity was assayed in pectoralis (white) and adductor (red) muscles of normal chicks and three selected lines of chicks with hereditary muscular dystrophy. Activity is higher than normal in the adductor of all lines of dystrophic chicks. The adductor is relatively spared by the dystrophic process. In the pectoralis muscle activity is also higher than in normal muscle prior to the onset of degenerative changes, but falls with progression of the myopathy. It is suggested that quantitatively higher levels of energy-producing enzymes in dystrophic muscle may promote fiber hypertrophy and ultimately initiate fiber degeneration.
Incidence, Environmental, and Welfare Effects of Distortionary Subsidies

AbstractGovernment policies that are not intended to address environmental concerns can nonetheless distort prices and affect firms’ emissions. We present an analytical general equilibrium model to study the effect of distortionary subsidies on factor prices, pollution, and welfare. Based on real-world policies, we model an output subsidy, a capital subsidy, relief from environmental regulation, and a minimum level of labor employment that firms must agree to in exchange for the subsidies. Each policy creates both output effects and substitution effects on input prices and emissions. We calibrate the model to the Chinese economy. Variation in production substitution elasticities does not substantially affect input prices, but it does substantially affect emissions. Distortionary subsidies can both raise emissions and decrease output. Therefore, reducing distortionary subsidies can reduce emissions without a trade-off in lost output. Such opportunities arise when the subsidized sector is moderate in size.
A Hierarchical Architecture Based Simulation Platform for Coordinated Charging of Large-Scale Electric Vehicles

Utilizing My SQL and Java programming, a hierarchical architecture based simulation platform for coordinated charging of large-scale electric vehicles(EV) is built. According to the data requirement of various simulation algorithms, the modeling of hierarchical architecture and charging/discharging behavior of EV is performed on the built platform to describe the temporal-spatial distribution of charging load of large-scale EV in a wide range, and based on the proposed model a unified interface for simulation algorithms is established. The built platform can be used to simulate and verify both the predictive algorithm for charging load of large-scale EV and the control algorithm for the coordinated charging, thus it provides the possibility to compare the effects of different algorithms. In terms of simulation, the problem that the effects of the predictive and control algorithms given by reference literatures are hard to be verified by experiments due to the smaller development scale of EV at present can be well solved. The functions and the effectiveness of the built platform are shown by analysis of examples.
Research on the methods and applications of box-based collision detection in virtual surgical simulation system

Collision detection module is important component in virtual endoscope system.According to collision detection requirement of deformation objects and the effects of continuous cutting process on lattice structure,the amending method on level bounding box in collision detection has been proposed.The method using subtree replacement and position promotion to amend bounding box structure to lattice units change in units decomposition and lattice optimization.The experiments show that our method can meet the requirement of correct collision detection and precise collision in continuous cutting.
Estimating trust from agents' interactions via commitments

How an agent trusts another naturally depends on the outcomes of their interactions. Previous approaches have treated the outcomes in a domain-specific way. We propose an approach relating trust to the domain-independent notion of commitments. We conduct an empirical study to evaluate our approach, in which subjects read emails extracted from the Enron dataset (augmented with some synthetic emails for completeness), and estimate trust between each pair of communicating participants. We propose a probabilistic model for trust based on commitment outcomes and show how to train its parameters for each subject based on the subject's trust assessments. The results are promising, though imperfect. Our main contribution is to launch a research program into computing trust based on a semantically well-founded account of agent interactions.
Anesthetic management of a patient with Fontan circulation with pacemaker failure

We describe the anesthetic management of a 23-year-old female patient with severe bradycardia due to pacemaker lead disconnection. The pacemaker had been placed due to complete AV block following an extracardiac Fontan operation. She was scheduled for lead repair under general anesthesia. The preoperative HR was only 37 beats x min(-1) of idioventricular rhythm. As further bradycardia was a major concern, we prepared a percutaneous cardiac pacemaker and the catheterization laboratory for transatrial cardiac pacing. After placement of transcutaneous cardiac pacing pads on the chest, we administered isoproterenol at 0.01 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1). We confirmed an increase in HR to 50 beats x min(-1) and induced anesthesia, after which isoproterenol was administered at 0.015 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1). No bradycardia was observed perioperatively. Transvenous cardiac pacing, part of the last step in the ACLS bradycardia algorithm, is inappropriate except in patients with anatomic Fontan circulation. Furthermore, in the case of bradycardia, percutaneous or transesophageal cardiac pacing can be used; however, these are not always effective. Transatrial cardiac pacemakers are probably most effective for bradycardia with Fontan circulation but they should be placed by a catheter specialist, and emergency placement can be difficult. As described here, a special management protocol is necessary to control bradycardia in the face of Fontan circulation.
Biosimilars: potential implications for clinicians

With the expiration of patent protection for several biologics looming, the production of highly similar therapeutic agents has begun to emerge on the pharmaceutical market. These alternative drugs are referred to as biosimilars. Many anticipate that the introduction of these agents will result in a reduction in health care costs, which may create a more affordable biopharmaceutical market and also improve patient access. In contrast to generics, which are exact copies of their original products, biosimilars are not identical to their reference products. Due to concern about the safety and efficacy of biosimilars, separate regulatory approval pathways have been developed and implemented by several countries, including the US and Europe. Europe has led the way in acceptance of biosimilars into mainstream clinical practice. Biosimilars are not generic products and require extensive clinical and nonclinical bioequivalence studies before receiving marketing approval. Not only is there a lengthy developmental process, but also they will likely be required to have postmarketing surveillance and ongoing safety monitoring to keep track of issues that may arise, such as immunogenicity. Although US Food and Drug Administration approved the first biosimilar product in March 2015, physicians remain unfamiliar about their indications.
What in the World Are Anti-Trafficking NGOs Doing? Findings from a Global Study

ABSTRACTWhile the academic literature on human trafficking has grown enormously in the last 20 years, few studies have been done that empirically examine the organizations taking part in anti-trafficking responses. This article reports some findings of a study of 1,861 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide that identify themselves as working on the issue of human trafficking. The findings show that anti-trafficking NGOs have a wide variety of specializations, are most prevalent in Asia and Europe, mainly target children, often focus on both labor and sex trafficking, and engage in awareness and legislative or policy advocacy more often than direct service provision. Methodological, theoretical, and applied implications are discussed.