cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE STUDY OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOBIN’S Q AND US STOCK PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED FIRMS

The objective of study was to test the dynamic effects of changes in Tobin’Q on stock prices of selected 249 US public companies of different industry categories. Panel unit roots tests and cointegration tests are implemented. Next, DOLS and GMM models are estimated. Annual data for the 2004-2012 period are used for the above selected US companies. Panel unit root tests provide somewhat mixed evidence of non-stationarity of both variables. There is clear evidence of cointegration between the above variables. The negative coefficient of the error-correction term shows convergence toward long-run equilibrium, though at slow pace. The estimates also reveal shortrun net positive interactive feedback effects between the variables. Both DOLS and GMM estimates display similar picture of overvaluation of stocks in terms of upward movement in Tobin’s Q beyond 0-to-1 range. For most parts of the sample period, the US stock market was in declining mode due to heightening of economic uncertainties during the Great Recession and several years beyond. Tobin’s Q should be improved to boost stock prices. This is more of a long-run phenomenon. In the short run, both reinforce each other. The topic is unique and the existing literature on this topic is scant. Relatively new econometric techniques have been applied for estimation using panel data. The results are quite insightful, in our view.
Signals and Systems: A One Semester Modular Course

This book is designed for use as a textbook for a one semester Signals and Systems class. It is sufficiently user friendly to be used for self study as well. It begins with a gentle introduction to the idea of abstraction by looking at numbers—the one highly abstract concept we use all the time. It then introduces some special functions that are useful for analyzing signals and systems. It then spends some time discussing some of the properties of systems; the goal being to introduce the idea of a linear time-invariant system which is the focus of the rest of the book. Fourier series, discrete and continuous time Fourier transforms are introduced as tools for the analysis of signals. The concepts of sampling and modulation which are very much a part of everyday life are discussed as applications of the these tools. Laplace transform and Z transform are then introduced as tools to analyze systems. The notions of stability of systems and feedback are analyzed using these tools. The book is divided into thirty bite-sized modules. Each module also links up with a video lecture through a QR code in each module. The video lectures are approximately thirty minutes long. There are a set of self study questions at the end of each module along with answers to help the reader reinforce the concepts in the module.
Oxidized GAPDH transfers S-glutathionylation to a nuclear protein Sirtuin-1 leading to apoptosis.

Abstract Aims S-glutathionylation is a reversible oxidative modification of protein cysteines that plays a critical role in redox signaling. Glutaredoxin-1 (Glrx), a glutathione-specific thioltransferase, removes protein S-glutathionylation. Glrx, though a cytosolic protein, can activate a nuclear protein Sirtuin-1 (SirT1) by removing its S-glutathionylation. Glrx ablation causes metabolic abnormalities and promotes controlled cell death and fibrosis in mice. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a key enzyme of glycolysis, is sensitive to oxidative modifications and involved in apoptotic signaling via the SirT1/p53 pathway in the nucleus. We aimed to elucidate the extent to which S-glutathionylation of GAPDH and glutaredoxin-1 contribute to GAPDH/SirT1/p53 apoptosis pathway. Results Exposure of HEK 293T cells to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) caused rapid S-glutathionylation and nuclear translocation of GAPDH. Nuclear GAPDH peaked 10–15 min after the addition of H2O2. Overexpression of Glrx or redox dead mutant GAPDH inhibited S-glutathionylation and nuclear translocation. Nuclear GAPDH formed a protein complex with SirT1 and exchanged S-glutathionylation to SirT1 and inhibited its deacetylase activity. Inactivated SirT1 remained stably bound to acetylated-p53 and initiated apoptotic signaling resulting in cleavage of caspase-3. We observed similar effects in human primary aortic endothelial cells suggesting the GAPDH/SirT1/p53 pathway as a common apoptotic mechanism. Conclusions Abundant GAPDH with its highly reactive-cysteine thiolate may function as a cytoplasmic rheostat to sense oxidative stress. S-glutathionylation of GAPDH may relay the signal to the nucleus where GAPDH trans-glutathionylates nuclear proteins such as SirT1 to initiate apoptosis. Glrx reverses GAPDH S-glutathionylation and prevents its nuclear translocation and cytoplasmic-nuclear redox signaling leading to apoptosis. Our data suggest that trans-glutathionylation is a critical step in apoptotic signaling and a potential mechanism that cytosolic Glrx controls nuclear transcription factors.
Measuring and Estimating Atmospheric Stability

The only way to estimate atmospheric stability at a given place and time is to understand the vertical profile of temperature. There are several mechanisms for assessing the stability condition based on the temperature profile. A global network of sites where instrument packages called radiosondes are launched synchronously twice daily measure, among other variables, the vertical temperature profile. A less accurate, precise, and expensive method is to rank stability using observed wind speed, intensity of incoming solar radiation, and cloud cover, in the Pasquill stability type scheme. Local-scale stability can be measured using the vertical gradient of potential temperature and wind speed to compute the gradient Richardson number. These methods are important because they assist in the determination of the extent to which vertical motion in the atmosphere is enhanced or suppressed in a given situation.
Reduced SOD2 expression does not influence prion disease course or pathology in mice

Prion diseases are progressive, neurodegenerative diseases affecting humans and animals. Also known as the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, for the hallmark spongiform change seen in the brain, these diseases manifest increased oxidative damage early in disease and changes in antioxidant enzymes in terminal brain tissue. Superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) is an antioxidant enzyme that is critical for life. SOD2 knock-out mice can only be kept alive for several weeks post-birth and only with antioxidant therapy. However, this results in the development of a spongiform encephalopathy. Consequently, we hypothesized that reduced levels of SOD2 may accelerate prion disease progression and play a critical role in the formation of spongiform change. Using SOD2 heterozygous knock-out and litter mate wild-type controls, we examined neuronal long-term potentiation, disease duration, pathology, and degree of spongiform change in mice infected with three strains of mouse adapted scrapie. No influence of the reduced SOD2 expression was observed in any parameter measured for any strain. We conclude that changes relating to SOD2 during prion disease are most likely secondary to the disease processes causing toxicity and do not influence the development of spongiform pathology.
Angle Droop Design for Grid-Forming Inverters Considering Impacts of Virtual Impedance Control

Grid-forming inverters (GFMs) based on active power-frequency droop control and reactive power-voltage droop control have been developed in recent years, which can generate voltage and frequency references for islanded power systems or microgrids to improve system-wide synchronization and power-sharing capability. It is known that the control delays in GFMs may cause system harmonic instability. To eliminate this issue, virtual impedance techniques are normally adopted. This paper gives a comprehensive examination of the impacts of virtual impedance control block Z v in GFMs on system stability. It is revealed that although Z v is effective in eliminating system harmonic stability, it may ruin system synchronization stability as a side effect. To compensate for the negative impacts caused by Z v , an active power-angle control block is added into the conventional droop control. Design criteria are also proposed accordingly to ensure system stability over the entire frequency range. Simulations and experimental testing are conducted to validate the analysis and the proposed design guidelines. It can be concluded that the Z v control-caused grid-synchronization instability issues can be eliminated with an appropriate active power-angle droop design.
Recent Strategies for the Development of New Antidepressant Drugs

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the various types of antidepressant drugs. Nearly all antidepressants currently in use act by increasing the concentrations of the monoamine neurotransmitters serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)], norepinephrine (NE), and/or dopamine (DA), primarily by inhibition of reuptake mechanisms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) include fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, and escitalopram. Serotonin and NE reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) include venlafaxine and duloxetine. The “atypical” antidepressant buproprion has been reported to inhibit the NE transporter (NET) and the DA transporter (DAT). Although new SSRIs continue to be identified, only those possessing additional receptor modulating properties are discussed in the chapter.
T. H. Morgan's resistance to the chromosome theory.

The history of science often emphasizes the great discoveries, but neglects to mention that many aspects of these discoveries were frequently known in advance. Such was the case for the chromosome theory of inheritance. Although the behaviour of the chromosome in fertilization and cell development was known before Thomas Hunt Morgan's work, its role in the inheritance of particulate traits was not appreciated. Morgan's relationship with the chromosome theory of inheritance provides a good case study to illustrate how theoretical issues can both impede and facilitate science.
The Properties of 7-Methylguanine-containing Templates for Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase

Abstract Polyribonucleotides that contain 7-methylguanylic acid have been prepared and used to determine the base-pairing properties of 7-methylguanine in templates for RNA polymerase. Experiments with copolymers of uridylic and 7-methylguanylic acids indicate that 7-methylguanine can still pair normally with cytosine to produce copolymers of adenylic and cytidylic acids. When copolymers of cytidylic and 7-methylguanylic acids are incubated with GTP and UTP, some abnormal base pairing is evident between 7-methylguanine and uracil. However, this is at the same level as abnormal pairing between guanine and uracil, and can be blocked by the addition of CTP to the incubation mixture. It is concluded that the base-pairing properties of 7-methylguanine and guanine are very similar in this assay system.
Historicizing Great Bliss: Erotica in Tang China (618–907)

S e x u a l u n i o n , b y d e S i g n , i S t h e c o m m e n c e m e n t of human society and the beginning of nature. The intercourse of Heaven and Earth balances the universe; intercourse of a man and a woman results in the proper order of yin and yang. This is why Confucius declared the greatness of marriage and why the ancient poet composed the masterpiece “Zhongsi” (“Locusts”). These are all rooted in sexual union, if one explores the fundamentals thoroughly. I thus visualize the desires of men and women, depicting both the beautiful and the unpleasant encounters. I formulate patterns in accordance with their feelings and discern purposes from various settings. Sordid trysts and twisted signals are included, and nothing is left unaccounted for. I supply pronunciation and annotation to puzzling words and bizarre names; I cover the human life from infancy until death. although some passages might be seen as obscene, they nevertheless present the marvelous delight of such union. For of all the joys humanity has, nothing surpasses this. Therefore, I titled this piece “Poetic Essay of the Great Bliss.” “Poetic Essay of the Great Bliss” was authored by Bai Xingjian (776–826), a high-ranking court official in the Tang dynasty. as the above preface promises, the essay, with the full title “Tiandi yinyang jiaohuan dale fu” (“Poetic Essay on Great Bliss of the Sexual Union of Heaven and Earth and Yin and Yang,” hereafter cited as “Great Bliss”), depicts sexual acts committed in various settings by persons involved in various relationships. The graphic details must have astounded post-Tang readers so much that the text disappeared after the Tang. It was unknown to Chinese readers until its discovery
Sonography of the Coracohumeral Interval A Potential Technique for Diagnosing Coracoid Impingement

Objective. Coracoid impingement has been recognized as an etiology for anterior shoulder pain; however, no imaging reference standard exists. We used sonography to compare the coracohumeral interval (CHI) in asymptomatic volunteers with the CHI in patients with coracoid impingement. Methods. Bilateral shoulder sonography was performed in 19 asymptomatic volunteers (10 men and 9 women) and in 8 shoulders in 7 patients (6 men and 1 woman) with a clinical diagnosis of coracoid impingement. With the arm adducted across the chest, the interval between the coracoid process and the lesser tuberosity of the humerus was measured using a linear array ultrasound transducer with a peak frequency of 13 MHz. Results. In the asymptomatic volunteers, the mean ± SD for the CHI was 12.2 ± 2.5 mm (range, 7.8–17.5 mm). In the symptomatic shoulders, the mean ± SD for the CHI was 7.9 ± 1.4 mm (range, 5.9–9.6 mm). Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed the CHI to be significantly narrower in symptomatic shoulders than in asymptomatic volunteers (P < .0001). Conclusions. These data suggest a role for sonography in diagnosing coracoid impingement. Key words: coracohumeral interval; coracoid impingement; shoulder.
SIX PROPOSALS FOR THE URBAN RESEARCH AGENDA

The problems facing cities around the world are intense and, all too often, unaddressed. Some of this attention deficit disorder needs to remedied by political decision-makers. But scholars can hel...
Microfungal Populations in Surface Soils of Manipulated Prairie Stands

Comparisons of populations of soil microfungi from surface soils of bare, mulched, harvested, and recently burned prairie stands, with those from a dry—mesic control stand (1 year post—burn), revealed some remarkable distribution patterns for various fungal isolates. With the exception of the harvested and the control stands, little similarity could be found among any of the populations. Furthermore, the overall species composition of the populations showed little resemblence to populations isolated from within the dry—mesic segment of the prairie continuum in southern Wisconsin. Numbers of fungi and bacteria also exhibited a great deal of variation depending on the stand treatment. The most significant variations in microbial density included reductions in the numbers of fungi in the bare stand and major increases in fungal densities in the recently fired stand. Bacterial counts were higher in the mulched and the burned stands, but significantly lower in the bare stand, and greatly reduced in the moss—covered harvested stand. Manipulation of the dry—mesic prairie stands so altered the microbial balance that the resulting populations differed more than those reported earlier for the entire prairie continuum. Certain physiochemical properties of the microenvironment are important in the selection of prevalent fungi isolated from these stands. Evidence shows that a post—fire fungal bloom occurs following grassland fires. Coniochaeta discospora and C. tetraspora, two pyrenomycetes, accounted for 60% of all isolates recovered from the burned stand. Both of these fungi produce ascospores whose dormancy is not readily broken.
Progress Report on the 500 MeV Superconducting Cyclotron

The 500 MeV first stage of an eventual two stage superconducting cyclotron system is in the final year of its construction phase. Major design features of the overall coupled system and construction status of the 500 MeV first stage cyclotron are reviewed.
Estimating the box-cox transformation via shapiro-wilk W Statistic

The Box-Cox transformation is a well known family of power transformations to bring a set of data into agreement with the normality assumption of the residuals and hence the response variable of a postulated model in regression analysis. This paper proposes a new method for estimating the Box-Cox transformation using maximization of the Shapiro-Wilk W statistic which forces the data to get closer to normal as much as possible. A comparative study of the proposed procedure with the normal based likelihood procedure and the artificial regression model procedure also presented.
Cancer as a complex adaptive system

The second leading cause of death in the USA is cancer. Institutions worldwide are devoting significant resources to the treatment of cancer, and the elucidation of the disease pathway. While great progress has been made in understanding and treating carcinogenesis, many aspects of the disease remain intractable. Throughout the history of science many other disciplines - astronomy, particle physics, etc. - have been advanced when the fundamental ideas governing the discipline were redefined. These redefinitions are often termed 'paradigm shifts'. The new sciences of chaos theory and complexity have led to paradigm shifts in many unrelated disciplines such as economics, meteorology and seismology. Our current understanding of carcinogenesis has resulted from a conventional view of the disease process. In this perception, the mutation of a gene, or several genes, leads to cancer. Applying the formalism of chaos theory and complexity to carcinogenesis, however, leads to a different perception of the disease. If we look closer, cancer can be viewed as a complex adaptive system. Redefining our perception of cancer may lead to a deeper understanding of the disease, and possibly result in novel methods of therapeutic intervention.
Transesophageal echocardiography in the postoperative child with an open sternum

We report the use of transesophageal echocardiography in 3 children whose sternums remained open for several days postoperatively. In these patients transesophageal echocardiography provided critical information when transthoracic echocardiography was ineffective due to limited acoustic windows. This report points out the application of transesophageal echocardiography in children with chest wall distortion.
Physiological responses to repeated endotoxin challenge are selectively affected by recombinant bovine somatotropin administration to calves

The study determined 1) whether the pretreatment of calves with recombinant bovine somatotropin (bST, sometribove) would alter the change in packed cell volume (PCV), rectal temperature (RT), and the plasma concentrations of Ca2+, Fe2+, glucose (G), urea N (PUN), nonesterified free fatty acids (NEFA), albumin (ALB), and blood cell populations after endotoxin challenge (EC) and 2) whether the natural development of physiologic tolerance to repeated EC was affected by bST. Twelve steer beef calves were assigned to either control (-bST) or +bST treatment in equal numbers. Calves were injected intramuscularly with either HCO3(-)-buffered saline or bST (0.1 mg/kg) daily for 5 d. On Day 6, the first EC was administered (Escherichia coli, 055:B5, 0.2 microgram/kg, intravenous bolus in pyrogen-free saline). Saline or bST injections were continued from Day 7 up to the repeat of EC on Day 11. RT and PCV were measured hourly through 12 and 6 hr, respectively. Jugular blood was obtained at 0, +1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hr relative to each EC. bST had no effect on the increase in RT, the hyperglycemic phase of the G response, the biphasic change in Fe2+, or increases in NEFA and PUN. PCV increased after each EC only in -bST. The mean decrease in G during the hypoglycemic phase was less in +bST. Hypocalcemic responses were significantly less in +bST. ALB concentrations decreased after each challenge; the response was unaffected by bST. CD2+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-lymphocyte populations were unaffected by bST and EC. Overall, the magnitude of change in all plasma variables was less after the second EC compared with the first, either in terms of magnitude or duration. The data suggest that the treatment of calves with bST diminishes the magnitude of hypoglycemic, hypocalcemic, and PCV changes after EC and does not compromise fever response, changes in blood cell populations, or tolerance to repeated EC.
Poster: saving power for mobile phones with partial Wi-Fi scans

The Wi-Fi interface is one of the major energy consuming components in smart phones. Wi-Fi scanning process contributes significantly to this. We present a solution based on partial scan, which produces full scan results, by performing only incomplete scan process. Using a decision tree algorithm, we propose such a prediction scheme, with the help of cached scan results.
Water Use and Root Length Density of Cuphea spp. Influenced by Row Spacing and Sowing Date

Cuphea (Cuphea viscosissima Jacq. x C. lanceolata f. silenoides W.T. Aiton) is a potential new crop, but little is known concerning best agricultural management practices for this crop in temperate regions. A field study was initiated in Minnesota to determine the impact of sowing date and row spacing on soil water use and rooting characteristics of Cuphea spp. Cuphea spp. were sown on 4, 18, and 30 May 2001 and 30 April, 14 May, and 28 May 2002 in rows 200, 400, and 600 mm apart. Aboveground biomass, seed yield, and water use were bolstered by sowing Cuphea spp. in late April or early May rather than in late May. Water use for early sown and late-sown Cuphea spp. was respectively 366 and 311 mm. Sowing date also influenced water use efficiency (WUE) but only in 2002 when WUE of early sown and late-sown Cuphea spp. was respectively 1.87 and 1.64 kg ha -1 mm -1 . Sowing earlier in the spring also bolstered root growth as root length density in the upper 0.2 m of the soil profile was 24 km m -3 for the early sowing and 17 km m -3 for the late sowing. Row spacing did not affect seed yield, water use, or root length. This study indicates that biomass, seed yield, water use, and root growth of Cuphea spp. are favored by sowing early in the spring. Although early sowing resulted in greater water use, a tendency existed for Cuphea spp. to utilize water more efficiently in seed production when sown earlier in the spring.
Cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects of novel cocaine and 3-phenyltropane analogs in the rat

Rationale: Cocaine dependence is a major health concern and there are no effective pharmacotherapies currently available. Although cocaine is an indirect DA agonist that binds to all three monoamine transporters, there is much evidence implicating a greater role for the dopamine (DAT) than norepinephrine (NET) and serotonin (SERT) transporters in the behavioral effects of cocaine. As such, several groups have developed compounds that exhibit high affinity and selectivity for the DAT. Objective: The present investigation examined the cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects in rats of novel cocaine analogs (RTI 12, 13, 15) and 3-phenyltropane analogs (RTI 111, 112, 113, 114, 117 120, 121, 123, 134 and 152) of which several exhibit high affinity (e.g., <7 nM) and selectivity for the DAT. Results: During dose-effect testing all drugs produced 75–100% cocaine-lever responding. Analyses indicated that the potency of the compounds to produce cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects was correlated with their affinity for the DAT and the NET but not SERT. Due to the extremely large concentrations (e.g., 10,000–31,024 nM) needed to occupy the NET in vitro, it is doubtful if the doses administered had meaningful NET activity. The selectivity at the DAT, relative to the other transporters, was not indicative of the potency with which these drugs substituted for cocaine. Conclusions: The cocaine-like discriminative stimulus of the RTI compounds tested appear to be mediated by the DAT, however the extent to which the NET is involved remains unclear. Additionally, several of the RTI compounds had properties consistent with those thought desirable in a pharmacotherapeutic for cocaine dependence.
Self-Assembled Nanosilicon/Siloxane Composite Films

Transparent Si/SiOx nanocomposite films, spontaneously adsorbed on glass or quartz substrates from their colloidal suspensions via a sonication-assisted oxidation process, are presently reported. I...
An analysis of sensory interaction

Abstract A case is made for the probable existence in man of a neural mechanism whereby sound modulates ongoing messages in the retino-cortical projection system. Three computer-driven on-line visual reaction time experiments are reported, in which (1) facilitation of response by an irrelevant sound is replicated, (2) response strategies are found to be unlikely sources of the facilitation and (3) the effect of the sound is found not to be contingent on its prior analysis for meaning or behavioral significance. Overall, the results point to the existence of a primitive attention mechanism of general importance.
Genetic manipulation of b‐adrenergic signalling in heart failure

Heart failure (HF) represents one of the leading causes for hospitalization in developed nations. Despite advances in the management of coronary artery disease, no significant improvements in prognosis have been achieved for HF over the last several decades. Heart failure itself represents a final common endpoint for several disease entities, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and cardiomyopathy. However, certain biochemical features remain common to the failing myocardium. Foremost amongst these are alterations in the β-adrenergic receptor signalling cascade. Recent advances in transgenic and gene therapy techniques have presented novel therapeutic strategies for the management of HF via enhancement of β-adrenergic signalling. In this review, we will discuss the biochemical changes that accompany HF as well as corresponding therapeutic strategies. We will then review the evidence from transgenic mouse work supporting the use of adrenergic receptor augmentation in the failing heart and more recent in vivo applications of gene therapy directed at reversing or preventing HF.
Underwater Noise Spectra, Fish Sounds and Response to Low Frequencies of Cutthroat Trout (Salmo clarki) with Reference to Orientation and Homing in Yellowstone Lake

Abstract Underwater ambient noise was investigated in the stream-mouths of Clear, Cub and Pelican Creeks. Noise levels were determined from 0.1 to 10 KHz during periods of high stream discharge and wave action. Minimum noise levels could not be determined due to instrument noise interference. Two noise sources contributed to ambient pressure spectrum levels in the stream-mouths: (1) flow noise and/or bubbles, and (2) surf-beats. The former is mainly composed of frequencies below 4 KHz while the latter is above 5 KHz. Four cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki) sounds were recorded and analyzed. The “thump” sound occurred when fish were alarmed and gave a sudden tail-flip. The principal frequency was 150 Hz in the band from 100 to 200 Hz. The “squawk” sound had principal frequencies in the band from 600 to 850 Hz. The “squeak” sound was infrequent and usually of low intensity. A sound with maximum energy above 2 KHz was created when a trout shifted bottom materials while preparing a redd. The response to low frequ...
Numerical prediction of the performance of a manifold sampler with a circular slit inlet in turbulent flow

Abstract The performance of a bioaerosol manifold sampler with a circular slit inlet in a turbulent flow field was modeled using a 3-D numerical approach. The standard κ – e turbulence model was used for simulating the mean turbulent flow, and the Lagrangian approach was used for predicting the particle trajectories. The ratios of wind velocities to sampler inlet velocities were from 0.5 to 3.5. Calculations were conducted for particle sizes of 2, 8, 15,and26 μ m. The agreement between numerical and empirical sampling efficiencies was good. It was found that lower sampling efficiencies at high R values were associated with increased positive pitch of the velocity vectors generated at the inlet slit. Unbalanced sampling velocities between the upstream and downstream arcs were found only at high R values. At an inlet velocity of 0.8 m/s, sampling efficiencies for 15 μ m particles decreased about 24% as R was increased from 0.5 to 3.5. A similar effect was observed at an inlet velocity of 0.4 m/s. Turbulence decreased sampling efficiency and was related to the sum of the magnitudes of the wind and sampling velocity vectors.
Down-regulation of 14-3-3 η gene expression by IGF-I in mouse cerebellum during postnatal development

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) overexpression in the postnatal cerebellum of transgenic (Tg) mice results in remarkable cerebellar overgrowth characterized by a near doubling of granule cell number that is predominantly due to inhibition of apoptosis. Using this Tg model we set out to investigate IGF-I anti-apoptotic mechanisms by defining the influence of IGF-I on gene expression. Using a cDNA array technique, we screened a total of 243 mouse apoptosis-related genes, and found that 14-3-3 eta gene expression was significantly reduced in the cerebella of Tg mice compared with their wild-type (Wt) littermates. Using Northern blot analysis to corroborate our microarray finding, we showed that 14-3-3 eta mRNA abundance was decreased from postnatal day P5 through P17. Nonetheless, the expression pattern of 14-3-3 eta in Tg mice followed the same pattern observed in Wt mice, and was indistinguishable from that in Wt mice at P20 and P23. 14-3-3 eta protein abundance, as determined by Western immunoblot analyses, showed similar decreases in the cerebella of Tg mice. In situ hybridization demonstrated that 14-3-3 eta was predominantly, if not exclusively, expressed and regulated in Purkinje cells. 14-3-3 proteins have multiple functions, including participation in pathways that favor cell survival. Our finding of IGF-I-induced down-regulation of 14-3-3 eta expression in Purkinje cell at a time when IGF-I promotes granule cell survival leads us to speculate that down-regulation of 14-3-3 eta may: (a) serve a negative feedback role to modulate Purkinje cell survival, i.e. limit Purkinje cell number, and/or (b) function as part of a distinct signaling mechanism, perhaps one that augments the capacity of Purkinje cells to promote granule cell survival.
The economics of preventing hospital falls: demonstrating ROI through a simple model.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the cost savings associated with implementing nursing approaches to prevent in-hospital falls. BACKGROUND: Hospital rating programs often report fall rates, and performance-based payment systems force hospitals to bear the costs of treating patients after falls. Some interventions have been demonstrated as effective for falls prevention. METHODS: Costs of falls-prevention programs, financial savings associated with in-hospital falls reduction, and achievable fall rate improvement are measured using published literature. Net costs are calculated for implementing a falls-prevention program as compared with not making improvements in patient fall rates. RESULTS: Falls-prevention programs can reduce the cost of treatment, but in many scenarios, the costs of falls-prevention programs were greater than potential cost savings. CONCLUSIONS: Falls-prevention programs need to be carefully targeted to patients at greatest risk in order to achieve cost savings.
Macromolecules from cold-adapted antarctic fishes

The article reviews the studies of the authors and other investigators on blood proteins and muscle and brain enzymes from Antarctic fishes adapted to the −1.85 °C temperature of the ice-salt water of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The bloods had two major characteristics related to the cold-adaptation: a rapid rate of clotting of the blood at 0 °C and a very specialized type of glycoprotein (antifreeze protein) responsible for the prevention of freezing of the blood. This antifreeze protein has the repeating structure of a glycotripeptide consisting of units of alanine, alanine, threonine with each threonine glycosidically linked to a disaccharide of galactosyl-N-acetyl galactosamine. Six enzymes studied were muscle fructose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, glycogen phosphorylase, and lactic dehydrogenase, heart mitochondrial cytochrome system, and brain tissue acetylcholinesterase. Adaptations for efficient catalysis at low temperatures included a low activation energy (for catalysis) and a resistance to inactivation at low temperature, but there was no general property characteristic of low temperature adaptation.
A Prospective Study of Exposure to Rap Music Videos and African American Female Adolescents’ Health

Rap music videos are a media genre that is attracting considerable attention. Rap music has evolved from African American music forms, with influences from rhythm and blues, fusion, contemporary gospel, and bebop.1–3 Although there is considerable concern regarding the themes and images expressed in rap music videos, limited empirical research has examined the effect of rap music videos on adolescents’ behavior.4 This investigation sought to determine whether exposure to rap music videos at baseline could predict the occurrence of health risk behaviors and sexually transmitted diseases among African American adolescent females over a 12-month follow-up period.
Transect method for Antarctic cloud property retrieval using AVHRR data

For studies of Antarctic climate change, the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) offers a time series spanning more than two decades, with numerous overpasses per day from converging polar orbits, and with radiometrically calibrated thermal infrared channels. However, over the Antarctic Plateau, standard multispectral application of AVHRR data for cloud optical property retrieval with individual pixels is problematic due to poor scene contrasts and measurement uncertainties. We present a method that takes advantage of rapid changes in radiances at well-defined cloud boundaries. We examine a transect of AVHRR-measured radiances in the three thermal infrared channels across a boundary between cloudy and cloud-free parts of the image. Using scatter diagrams, made from the data along this transect, of the brightness temperature differences between channels 3 and 4, and channels 4 and 5, it is possible to fit families of radiative transfer solutions to the data to estimate cloud effective temperature, thermodynamic phase, and effective particle radius. The major approximation with this method is that along such a transect, cloud water path has considerable spatial variability, while effective radius, phase, and cloud temperature have much less variability. To illustrate this method, two AVHRR images centred about the South Pole are analysed. The two images are chosen based on their differing contrasts in brightness temperature between clear and cloud-filled pixels, to demonstrate that our method can work with varying cloud top heights. In one image the data are consistent with radiative transfer simulations using ice cloud. In the other, the data are inconsistent with ice cloud and are well simulated with supercooled liquid water cloud at 241.5 K. This method therefore has potential for climatological investigation of the radiatively important phase transition in the extremely cold and pristine Antarctic environment.
The growth of m-constraint random knapsacks

The author computes the asymptotic value of a particular m-constraint, n-variable 0-1 random integer programming problem as n increases, m remaining fixed. This solves a problem of Frieze and Clarke (1984).
Explicit upwind algorithm for the parabolized Navier-Stokes equations

A new explicit upwind algorithm based on Roe's flux-difference splitting (FDS) method has been developed for the three-dimensional Parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) equations. For three-dimensional flows, FDS's are determined separately for the two nonmarching directions and modified to account for the calculated shock angle in the crossflow plane. Second-order FDS is applied to the pressure and convection terms with the streamwise pressure gradient limited in the subsonic region to maintain a hyperbolic inviscid equation set. Second-order central differencing is obtained in the two-step algorithm for the shear and heat flux terms. The new algorithm is demonstrated for three laminar flow test cases: supersonic flow over a flat plate, hypersonic flow over a 15 deg ramp, and hypersonic flow past a 10 deg cone at a 24 deg angle of attack. The computed results agree well with experimental measurements.
Antimicrobial skin preparations for the maxillofacial region.

tectural structure of the skin allows bacteria to hide and thrive in the irregular creases and pits. This habitat provides a loose covering of cornified epithelial cells as well as an abundance of nutrients that are stored in the ducts of sebaceous glands.4 solutions available for use as preoperative antiseptic skin preparations. The majority of these solutions are described as whole body preparations and, when applied in appropriate concentrations to the tnmk and extremities, are relatively safe. Minor adverse hypersensitivity reactions such as contact dermatitis are rare. When these solutions are used in the maxillofacial region, however, the possible complications and side effects can be more severe and devastating to the patient. The application of bacteriocidal or bacteriostatic agents to skin, mucosa, or wounds to reduce the concentration of the normal bacterial flora and thereby decrease the incidence of wound infections has been used since early pharaonic times.’ Since the studies of Semmelweis and Lister, who are regarded as the fathers of modern antisepsis, bacteria of the skin have been continually studied and shown to be a contributing factor in wound infections. It has also been well documented that two types of skin bacteria exist, which have been referred to as transient and resident flora.2 More recently the terms exposed and sheltered flora have been used to describe the micro-organisms that inhabit the skin.” Currently, it is impossible to sterilize the skin. Therefore, a reduction in the normal skin flora before a surgical procedure by the topical application of an antimicrobial substance is the primary goal of surgical antisepsis. Reducing the number of vegetative grampositive and gram-negative bacteria that can become skin pathogens is a difficult process because the archi-
Mirrored disk rouing and scheduling

Disk mirroring or RAID level 1 stores the same data twice, on two independent disks, to ensure that all single disk failures can be tolerated. This high storage overhead is acceptable in view of the drop in storage cost per gigabyte and rapidly increasing disk capacities. Disk access time, on the other hand, is improving at a very slow pace, so that another important advantage of disk mirroring is the doubling of the disk access bandwidth in processing read requests. Efficient routing of read requests to disks and local disk scheduling can be used to improve performance even further. We are primarily concerned with two RAID1 configurations: (i) source-initiated routing with the independent queues--IQ method; (ii) destination-initiated routing with the shared queue--SQ method. Static, dynamic, and affinity-based (AB) routing methods are used to distribute requests with the IQ method. We compare the performance of various IQ and SQ based routing policies using a random number-driven simulation. While there is some improvement in performance with the more sophisticated routing policies, performance is dominated by the local disk scheduling policy. The SQ method allows resource sharing, so that it tends to outperform the IQ based routing, but it requires the scheduler to keep track of the state of the disk drives. As a further means to improve performance, we consider the effect of prioritizing reads with respect to writes, transposed data allocation, and replicating data more than twice.
FINITE-SAMPLE SIZES OF JOHANSEN'S LIKELIHOOD RATIO TESTS FOR COINTEGRATION

This study examines the finite-sample bias of S. Johansen's likelihood ratio tests for cointegration using the Monte Carlo method. Response surface analysis is employed to obtain approximations to the finite-sample critical values and illustrate the individual roles of the sample size, the dimension of the variable system, and the lag order in determining the finite-sample bias of Johansen's tests. The study further shows the importance of lag length selection for Johansen's tests and the performance of standard lag selection criteria in choosing the proper lag length is investigated. Monte Carlo results concerning the sensitivity of Johansen's tests to non-normal innovations are also reported. Copyright 1993 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Characteristics of the Oxides Films formed on Alloy C-22

The passive corrosion rate of Alloy C-22 is exceptionally low in a wide range of aqueous solutions, temperatures and electrochemical potentials. Alloy C-22 contains approximately 22% chromium (Cr) by weight; thus, it forms a Cr-rich passive film in most environments. A study of the composition, thickness and other properties of the passive film was undertaken to better understand the role of the protective oxide in preventing corrosion. In general the oxide film is expected to be a function of solution pH, temperature and applied electrochemical potential. In this work we focus on the oxide films that form at pH=8.
PID14: PREDICTORS OF THE MENTAL (MHS) AND PHYSICAL HEALTH SUMMARY (PHS) SCORES OF THE MOS-HIV IN A SAMPLE OF HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE: Studies evaluating predictors of heath-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) in patients infected with HIV have primarily been limited to clinical, sociodemographic, and psychological factors. Little is known about the relationship between HRQOL and behaviors such as medication adherence or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical, sociodemographic, and behavioral predictors of HRQOL. METHODS: A sample of 242 HIV-infected patients was recruited. Data were collected using a self-administered instrument containing the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS)-HIV Health Survey and items relating to CAM use, medication adherence, and sociodemographic characteristics. Clinical information was abstracted from medical records. Independent associations of the Mental (MHS) and Physical Health Summary (PHS) scores with CD4 cell counts, HIV-1 viral loads, CAM use, self-reported medication adherence, antiretroviral use, and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed. Linear regression models were created for each score. Variables independently associated (p < 0.05) with a score were entered into that model. RESULTS: The mean MHS and PHS scores were 46.6 and 42.8, respectively. Education, income, CAM use, and self-reported adherence to HIV medication regimens were independently associated (p < 0.03) with MHS scores. PHS scores were independently associated (p < 0.003) with age, income, HIV-1 viral load, CD4 count, and CAM use. In the multivariate analyses, income and self-reported adherence were found to be significant (p < 0.005) predictors of the MHS scores (Adj. R2 = 0.197); age, income, CD4 counts, and CAM use were found to be significant (p < 0.03) predictors of PHS scores (Adj. R2 = 0.182). CONCLUSIONS: Our research suggests that, along with clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported behaviors are important predictors of HRQOL among HIV-infected patients.
Low cost and secure smart meter communications using the TV white spaces

We investigate the use of white spaces in the TV spectrum for Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) communications. We provide a design for using white spaces for AMI and show its benefits in terms of bandwidth, deployment, and cost. We also discuss ongoing work on applying machine learning classification techniques to improve the attack resilience of spectrum data fusion in the proposed architecture.
An ab initio study of the interaction of a single Li atom with single-walled SiGe (6,6) nanotubes and consequences of Jahn–Teller effect

A systematic study of a Li atom and four types of SiGe (6,6) nanotubes (NTs) of length ~20 A has been performed to explore SiGeNTs’ viability as anode material in Li-ion batteries. For all structures, full geometry and spin optimizations were performed without any symmetry constraints. We used the hybrid functional B3LYP and an all electron 6-311G**//3-21G* basis set implemented in GAUSSIAN 09 suite of software. All possible internal and external adsorption sites were considered, and it was found that some tubes deformed as a result of the Jahn–Teller effect. Out of all four types, type III NTs were found to retain the tubular shape for most cases of adsorption. Our calculations predict that SiGeNTs attract Li atom on top of Si, on top of Ge, and on top of hollow sites with adsorption energies ranging from 0.888 to 1.657 eV. Most probable sites for external and internal adsorptions were quasi on top of Ge site and quasi hollow site, respectively. After adsorption of the Li atom, Jahn–Teller active orbitals of the systems vanished from the frontier orbital region, indicating that more Li atoms can be adsorbed while keeping the desired tubular shape. In general, the difference between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level decreased with respect to the bare SiGeNT values. The decreased HOMO–LUMO gaps vary between 0.685 and 0.930 eV. Charge population analysis indicated that charge generally accumulated around the nearest neighbor atoms to the Li atom. We conclude that with the careful placement of Li atoms, SiGeNTs can be very successful as anode material in Li-ion battery technology.
Effects of patient-controlled abdominal compression on standing systolic blood pressure in adults with orthostatic hypotension.

Objective To assess the effects of patient-controlled abdominal compression on postural changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) associated with orthostatic hypotension (OH). Secondary variables included subject assessments of their preferences and the ease-of-use.
Nucleation in the atmosphere

Small particles play major roles in modulating radiative and hydrological fluxes in the atmosphere and thus they impact both climate (IPCC 2007) and weather. Most atmospheric particles outside clouds are created in situ through nucleation from gas phase precursors and most ice particles within clouds are formed by nucleation, usually from the liquid. Thus, the nucleation process is of great significance in the Earth's atmosphere.The theoretical examination of nucleation in the atmosphere has been based mostly on classical nucleation theory. While diagnostically very useful, the prognostic skill demonstrated by this approach has been marginal. Microscopic approaches such as molecular dynamics and density functional theory have also proven useful in elucidating various aspects of the process but are not yet sufficiently refined to offer a significant prognostic advantage to the classical approach, due primarily to the heteromolecular nature of atmospheric nucleation. An important aspect of the nucleation process in the atmosphere is that the degree of metastability of the parent phase for the nucleation is modulated by a number of atmospheric processes such as condensation onto pre-existing particles, updraft velocities that are the main driving force for supersaturation of water (a major factor in all atmospheric nucleation), and photochemical production rates of nucleation precursors. Hence, atmospheric nucleation is both temporally and spatially inhomogeneous.