cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technical, scale and allocative efficiencies of Turkish banking industry

This paper investigates input and output efficiency in the Turkish banking industry to understand the impact of size, international variables, ownership, control and governance on profit, cost, allocative, technical, pure technical and scale efficiency measures. Employing a non-parametric approach along with a parametric approach, we estimate the efficiency of Turkish banks over the 1988–1996 period. This period allows us to account for the changes in the macro economy and regulatory treatment of the Turkish banking industry over time. Our results suggest that the heterogeneous characteristics of banks have significant impact on their efficiency. Moreover, cost and profit efficiencies of the Turkish banks have exacerbated over time. Results also indicate that the dominant source of inefficiency in Turkish banking is due to technical inefficiency rather than allocative inefficiency, which is mainly attributed to diseconomies in scale. To the extent that they chose an inefficient level of production, bank management is responsible for scale inefficient operations. However, increasing demand for banking services in the nineties, fueled by the state's increasing demand for funds to finance chronic budget deficits and high growth policies, and the oligopolistic nature of the Turkish banking market do not justify scale adjustments. Our policy suggestions are that the government implement financial reform packages that foster competition in the banking market, and that the industry devise incentive schemes to improve managerial efficiency.
The Influence of Decision Aids on User Behavior: Implications for Knowledge Acquisition and Inappropriate Reliance

Structured decision aids are widely used in many organizational settings, and their influence on judgment consistency and accuracy have received considerable attention in the literature. While two benefits commonly associated with decision aid use are improved judgment and enhanced expertise development, relatively little attention has been directed toward the potential influence of decision aids on decision maker behavior. In particular, we argue that the use of structured aids may influence relatively inexperienced decision makers to approach aided tasks mechanistically, without becoming actively involved in the task or judgment. Such passive decision behavior may, in some situations, threaten gains in performance and other intended benefits associated with structured decision approaches. This study examines aided and unaided task execution to investigate whether use of an aid that does not require the active cognitive participation of the user in the task's underlying concepts can impede acquisition of task-related knowledge. This issue is important in organizational settings because on-the-job learning is a primary means through which inexperienced workers develop into seasoned workers. The study also considers whether use of a structured aid can encourage reliance although the decision maker is aware that the aid does not incorporate all relevant features of the task environment. This issue has implications for individual and organizational task-related judgment effectiveness.
Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal and Choroidal Tumors

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has revolutionized the field of ophthalmology since its introduction 20 years ago. Originally intended primarily for retina specialists to image the macula, it has found its role in other subspecialties that include glaucoma, cornea, and ocular oncology. In ocular oncology, OCT provides axial resolution to approximately 7 microns with cross-sectional images of the retina, delivering valuable information on the effects of intraocular tumors on the retinal architecture. Some effects include retinal edema, subretinal fluid, retinal atrophy, photoreceptor loss, outer retinal thinning, and retinal pigment epithelial detachment. With more advanced technology, OCT now provides imaging deeper into the choroid using a technique called enhanced depth imaging. This allows characterization of the thickness and reflective quality of small (<3 mm thick) choroidal lesions including choroidal nevus and melanoma. Future improvements in image resolution and depth will allow better understanding of the mechanisms of visual loss, tumor growth, and tumor management.
Suppression of first order stimulated Raman scattering in erbium-doped fiber laser based LIDAR transmitters through induced bending loss

A model is presented for suppression of first-order stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in pulsed Er-doped fiber amplifiers with wavelength-selective induced bending loss. The model estimates the effectiveness of SRS suppression through fiber coiling in a pulsed amplifier, considering both the single- and dual-clad fiber cases. The basic approach is to fit analytical expressions to the evolution of a quasi-CW signal in the amplifier. Then, assuming that SRS does not deplete the signal, exact analytical expressions for the propagation of the Stokes wave are determined, from which the SRS threshold is estimated. Finally, example calculations are presented, and the model is used to determine a fiber geometry for the suppression of SRS through fiber coiling.
The nutritional value of Artemia and Tigriopus californicus (Baker) for two Pacific mysid species, Metamysidopsis elongata (Holmes) and Mysidopsis intii (Holmquist)

Abstract The nutritional values of four diets, (1) newly hatched Artemia , (2) Artemia enriched with highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), (3) HUFA-enriched Artemia , supplemented with lipid microspheres, and (4) HUFA-enriched Artemia , supplemented with lipid microspheres and the harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus californicus (Baker), were assessed for the epibenthic mysid species Metamysidopsis elongata (Holmes) and Mysidopsis intii (Holmquist). These diets differed in fatty acid composition as determined by gas liquid chromatography. Mysid survival, growth, and the proportion of females brooding offspring were not significantly different among dietary treatments. In contrast, the number of viable offspring produced by both mysid species was greatly improved by adding lipid microspheres and T. californicus to a diet of HUFA-enriched Artemia , probably because both lipid microspheres and T. californicus were rich sources of the fatty acids 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3, compared with that of Artemia diets alone.
Evolution of unisexual flowers in grasses (Poaceae) and the putative sex-determination gene, TASSELSEED2 (TS2)

Summary • Unisexuality has evolved repeatedly in flowering plants, but its genetic control is not understood in most cases. In maize (Zea mays), unisexual flower development is regulated by a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase protein, TASSELSEED2 (TS2), but its role in other grass lineages is unknown. • TS2 was cloned and sequenced from a broad range of grasses and compared to available sequences from other flowering plants using phylogenetic analysis and tests for selection. Gene expression was investigated using reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. • TS2 orthologs appear to be restricted to monocots. The TS2 protein sequence was found to be generally under purifying selection in bisexual and unisexual lineages alike. Only one site, in unisexual herbaceous bamboos, is potentially under positive selection. TS2 was expressed broadly in all sampled tissues of unisexual and bisexual grasses, and was also expressed in rice flowers in floral organs that do not abort. • TS2 may have a more general developmental role in most grasses than programmed cell death of the developing gynoecium, but has been co-opted to this role within a subset of Poaceae, probably as a result of alterations in the activity or regulation of other genes in the gynoecial pathway.
Internal Control Deficiencies in Tax Reporting: A Detailed View

SYNOPSIS: Prior research, using data from Sarbanes-Oxley Act Sections 302/404 (SOX, U.S. House of Representatives 2002) disclosures, finds that material weaknesses (MWs) in internal controls over ...
Modulation of TGF-β-inducible hypermotility by EGF and other factors in human prostate epithelial cells and keratinocytes

Keratinocytes migrating from a wound edge or initiating malignant invasion greatly increase their expression of the basement membrane protein Laminin-322 (Lam332). In culture, keratinocytes initiate sustained directional hypermotility when plated onto an incompletely processed form of Lam332 (Lam332′) or when treated with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), an inducer of Lam332 expression. The development and tissue architecture of stratified squamous and prostate epithelia are very different, yet the basal cells of both express p63, α6β4 integrin, and Lam332. Keratinocytes and prostate epithelial cells grow well in nutritionally optimized culture media with pituitary extract and certain mitogens. We report that prostate epithelial cells display hypermotility responses indistinguishable from those of keratinocytes. Several culture medium variables attenuated TGF-β-induced hypermotility, including Ca++, serum, and some pituitary extract preparations, without impairing growth, TGF-β growth inhibition, or hypermotility on Lam322′. Distinct from its role as a mitogen, EGF proved to be a required cofactor for TGF-β-induced hypermotility and could not be replaced by HGF or KGF. Prostate epithelial cells have a short replicative lifespan, restricted both by p16INK4A and telomere-related mechanisms. We immortalized the normal prostate epithelial cell line HPrE-1 by transduction to express bmi1 and TERT. Prostate epithelial cells lose expression of p63, β4 integrin, and Lam332 when they transform to invasive carcinoma. In contrast, HPrE-1/bmi1/TERT cells retained expression of these proteins and normal TGF-β signaling and hypermotility for >100 doublings. Thus, keratinocytes and prostate epithelial cells possess common hypermotility and senescence mechanisms and immortalized prostate cell lines can be engineered using defined methods to yield cells retaining normal properties.
Your Cells or Mine

Bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being studied as a potential therapy for a wide range of diseases, from graft-versus-host disease to acute lung injury to myocardial infarction. MSCs are thought to be “immunoprivileged” due in part to their lack of expression of major histocompatibility class II antigens and do not require matching prior to administration. However, there has been some concern that use of allogeneic MSCs could provoke alloimmunization and thus limit the cells’ long-term therapeutic efficacy. On the other hand, unlike autologous MSCs, which need to be harvested from the patient’s own bone marrow and expanded in tissue culture before transplantation, allogeneic MSCs can be prepared in advance from healthy unrelated donors and thus may be a more feasible therapeutic option in urgent or emergent situations. Against this backdrop, Hare and colleagues set out to compare allogeneic and autologous MSCs for the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy (weakness of the heart muscle due to chronic coronary artery disease) in a phase I/II study. In this small study, 31 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy were randomized to receive either autologous or allogeneic MSCs at a range of doses via transendocardial injection. There was no difference between the two groups in the primary endpoint, the 30-day incidence of treatment-emergent serious adverse events (SAEs). Likewise, after 1 year there was no difference in the rate of SAEs between the two groups, although the numeric trends favored the allogeneic group in most categories (such as rate of arrhythmias). Autologous MSCs improved the distance walked in 6 min and quality-of-life scores, and both autologous and allogeneic cells improved some echocardiographic measures of left ventricular remodeling (although not function). Importantly, allogeneic MSCs did not seem to provoke substantial alloimmunization, nor was there any evidence of ectopic tissue formation or tumorigenicity 1 year after transplantation. The field of cell-based therapies is still in its infancy, and many important questions about the optimal approach to therapy remain unanswered. Although the treatment effects observed in this phase I/II trial were not particularly dramatic and the trial was not powered to provide conclusive evidence of safety, the Hare et al. study shows that both allogeneic and autologous MSCs may have potential as cellular therapies for treating ischemic cardiomyopathy. Given the promising preclinical data for MSCs in many settings, larger-scale clinical studies are warranted to provide more definitive evidence of both their safety and efficacy. J. M. Hare et al., Comparison of allogeneic vs autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells delivered by transendocardial injection in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: The POSEIDON randomized trial. JAMA , published online 6 November 2012 (10.1001/jama.2012.25321). [[PubMed]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23117550
Convergence trading with wealth effects: an amplification mechanism in financial markets

Abstract I study convergence traders with logarithmic utility in a continuous-time equilibrium model. In general, convergence traders reduce asset price volatility and provide liquidity by taking risky positions against noise trading. However, when an unfavorable shock causes them to suffer capital losses, thus eroding their risk-bearing capacity, they liquidate their positions, thereby amplifying the original shock. In extreme circumstances, this wealth effect causes convergence traders to be destabilizing in that they trade in exactly the same direction as noise traders. This situation is consistent with the near-collapse of Long-Term Capital Management in 1998.
The diabetic β-cell: hyperstimulated vs. hyperexcited.

Hyperglycaemia has multiple effects on β-cells, some clearly prosecretory, including hyperplasia and elevated insulin content, but eventually, a ‘glucotoxic’ effect which leads to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, reduced β-cell mass and insulin deficiency, is an important part of diabetes pathophysiology. Myriad underlying cellular and molecular processes could lead to such dysfunction. High glucose will stimulate glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, which will in turn increase β-cell membrane excitability through KATP channel closure. Chronic hyperexcitability will then lead to persistently elevated [Ca2+]i, a key trigger to insulin secretion. Thus, at least a part of the consequence of ‘hyperstimulation’ by glucose has been suggested to be a result of ‘hyperexcitability’ and chronically elevated [Ca2+]i. This link is lost when the [glucose], KATP-channel activity link is broken, either pharmacologically or genetically. In isolated islets, such studies reveal that hyperexcitability causes a largely reversible chronic loss of insulin content, but in vivo chronic hyperexcitability per se does not lead to β-cell death or loss of insulin content. On the other hand, chronic inexcitability in vivo leads to systemic diabetes and consequential β-cell death, even while [Ca2+]i remains low.
Molecular mechanisms of metabolic arrest: life in limbo

Edited by K. B. Storey SEB Seminar Series. Oxford, UK: BIOS Scientific Publishers Ltd. (2001) 216 pp. ISBN 1 85996 2122 £75. ![Figure][1] A wide variety of organisms possess the capacity to reversibly reduce metabolism, either in response to adverse environmental
Spacecraft Line-of-Sight Control Using a Single Variable-Speed Control Moment Gyro

Complete attitude control of a spacecraft is not possible with only one single-gimbal variable-speed control moment gyro due to the conservation of angular momentum. However, partial attitude control without violating the angular momentum conservation principle is still possible. In this paper feedback controllers using only one single-gimbal variable-speed control moment gyro are presented that drive all three components of the angular velocity of a rigid spacecraft to zero, while at the same time a spacecraft body-axis points along an arbitrary inertial direction. To solve this problem, we first introduce a pair of angles to parametrize all feasible final spacecraft orientations at rest without violating the angular momentum constraint Based on this parametrization, an LQR control law is designed to locally achieve the control objective. Afterwards, a multistage control law is proposed to achieve the same control objective for large initial conditions.
Dependence of channel electric field on device scaling

It has been shown previously that the maximum channel electric field E m in a MOSFET is the most important parameter relating to all hot-electron effects and that E m can be represented as ( V_{DS} - V_{DSAT})/l , where l may be regarded as the effective length of the velocity-saturation region. The dependence of l on device geometries and process parameters is investigated in this letter. From both experiment and two-dimensional (2-D) simulation, it is found that E m has a form of ( V_{DS} - V_{DSAT})/ 0.22T\min{ox}\max{1/3}X\min{j}\max{1/2} . Channel length affects the saturation voltage, thus influencing the maximum channel electric field. The scaling of oxide thickness and junction depth, however, often has even greater effects on channel field. This semiempirical model of E m agrees with E m deduced from I SUB within about 5 percent; it can predict I SUB , which has been empirically correlated with hot-electron degradations.
Black-white Adolescent Drinking: The Myth and The Reality

Many characterize adolescent drinking in the United States as a social problem. Inferences from research on adult drinking, emphasis on the disorganization of the black family, and public stereotypes suggest that black teenagers would be more heavily involved than white teenagers in drinking behavior. Yet little research has compared black-white teenage drinking. Analysis of 1970 data from a study of adolescent behavior in Atlanta (N = 1383) shows that black teenagers are no more likely and often are less likely than white teenagers to be involved in drinking behavior. When black teenagers do drink, they are more likely than white teenagers to drink within the family. This suggests that black parents supervise the drinking of their children more closely than do white parents. The results cannot be explained by a “trade-off” in which black teenagers have substituted drug involvement for drinking. The results imply that among blacks, adult problem drinking may not be as strongly related as was suspected to those who drink as adolescents and the social contexts in which adolescents learn to drink. Finally, the results suggest that there seems to be an over-emphasis on the disorganization of the black family.
β2-Integrin-induced p38 MAPK Activation Is a Key Mediator in the CD14/TLR4/MD2-dependent Uptake of Lipopolysaccharide by Hepatocytes

The liver is the main organ that clears circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and hepatocytes are a major cell type involved in LPS uptake. Little is known about the mechanisms for LPS internalization in hepatocytes and what signaling pathways are involved. We show here that LPS uptake is initiated after formation of a multi-receptor complex within lipid rafts. We find that essential components for LPS uptake are CD14, TLR4, MD2, and the β2-integrin CD11b/CD18. Activation of p38 MAPK is also essential for the initiation of LPS uptake, and interestingly, we show that this activation is not through TLR4 signaling by MyD88 but through activation of TIRAP via CD11b/CD18. However, TLR4/MD2 remain essential components at the cell surface as part of the LPS receptor complex. We therefore suggest novel roles for TLR4/MD2, CD11b/CD18, TIRAP, and p38 MAPK in LPS uptake by hepatocytes.
The Evolution of Workplace Family Policy Research

This article integrates and analyzes research on workplace family policy and suggests areas for further inquiry. It highlights salient themes such as corporate culture, gender and class differences regarding support for policies, and the role of government. A theoretical framework for understanding barriers to progressive family policies in the workplace is articulated that identifies competing social, cultural, and psychological forces. Thus the article delineates factors that support and circumvent creation and successful implementation of workfamily policies. In so doing, it specifies reasons for employer and employee resistance to progressive gender roles. Although future research might elaborate more systematically the relative tenacity of and intersections between various barriers to progressive policy, it also needs to evaluate on a larger scale and with greater precision the costs and benefits of traditional versus progressive programs. These and other issues figure prominently in a research agend...
Influence of previous vitrectomy on incidence of macular oedema after cataract surgery in diabetic eyes

Purpose To evaluate the effect of previous vitrectomy on the incidence of macular oedema (MO) after cataract surgery in diabetic eyes. Methods Ninety phakic eyes of 70 patients with diabetes undergoing non-emergent vitrectomy surgery were reviewed for rates of postvitrectomy MO, cataract formation and postcataract surgery MO. Preoperative and final best-corrected visual acuity were recorded. Baseline risk characteristics were analysed. Results Postvitrectomy MO increases initially but then levels off at 28% by 4 years. Cumulative proportion of eyes requiring cataract surgery after vitrectomy climbs steadily, reaching 40% at 4 years and 60% at 8 years. Of those eyes which underwent vitrectomy and then subsequent cataract surgery, the incidence of postvitrectomy MO was 6% at 6 months, and that of postcataract surgery MO was 30% at 6 months (p Conclusions Previous vitrectomy does not appear to lessen rates of postcataract surgery MO. Cataract formation is common after vitrectomy in diabetic eyes, and risk of postcataract surgery MO is substantial and more likely in eyes with prior CSMO. Cataract formation and risk of postcataract surgery MO should be considered when assessing the long-term benefits of vitrectomy surgery in patients with diabetes.
CubeSat communications transceiver for increased data throughput

CubeSat communication links require small size, low power, and low cost transceivers. Link parameters resulting from the satellite's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) can impair transceiver performance, degrading mission data throughput. This paper describes the characteristics and control of a new CubeSat transceiver. The new transceiver provides an estimated 300% increase in data throughput for a typical 45-degree maximum elevation angle LEO pass over the Aerocube-2 transceiver.
Conceptualizing Interpersonal Interruption Management: A Theoretical Framework and Research Program

Previous research exploring interpersonal-technologymediated interruptions has focused on understanding how the knowledge of an individuals local context can be utilized to reduce unwanted intrusions by employing sensor and agent technology to detect and manage their interruptions. However, this approach has produced limited benefit for users because it fails to take into account who the interruption is from or what it is about. To address this deficiency a theoretical framework and associated research program is presented to provide a fresh perspective on design of interruption management tools.
Survival and growth of Juniperus seedlings in Juniperus woodlands

Juniperus woodlands are widely distributed in western North America. Few studies of seedling emergence, long-term survival, growth or mortality of the dominant Juniperus spp. in these woodlands have been carried out. Consequently, regeneration dynamics in these woodlands are poorly understood. Juniperus ashei is the dominant woody plant in the majority of woodland and savanna communities of the Edwards Plateau region in central Texas. We examined the emergence, mortality and growth of various spatial and temporal cohorts of J. ashei seedlings over an eight or nine-year period. Greatest emergence was found during the cool, mostly winter months and under the canopy of mature J. ashei trees. Emergence was significantly inversely related to temperature and significantly linearly related to rainfall, but only if the monthly rainfall and emergence were offset by one to four months. Greatest survival occurred below the J. ashei canopy, but greatest growth was at the canopy edge. Emerging seedlings were not from the current year’s seed crop, but from one or more previous year’s seed crops. Greatest mortality occurred mostly during the summer months and in the grassland habitat. There was a significant inverse logarithmic or exponential relationship between mean monthly temperature and mean monthly mortality. A large number of J. ashei seedlings or immature plants with reduced growth were found beneath the canopy of mature trees. These plants seem to serve as a seedling bank, providing the source of recruitment into the population should the overstory trees be removed. Survival of the two canopy cohorts with known emergence dates declined with time (negative exponential function) and was 1.0–3.4% after eight or nine years depending on the cohort. The pre-existing cohort seemed to have constant mortality (and presumably replacement), with about 8% of the population dying each year. Higher growth rates for seedlings were found at the edge of the established woodland canopy, which suggests that conditions in the edge habitat or possibly in canopy gaps are best for growth beyond the seedling stage.
Optical coherence microscopy using a reflective grating phase delay scanner

Summary from only given. We demonstrate optical coherence microscopy using a novel reflective grating phase modulator and a compact handheld probe. Our grating phase modulator is similar to reflective pulse stretchers and compressors previously developed for femtosecond pulse amplification. The reflective phase delay line can support broad spectral bandwidths and perform high speed phase modulation. This system design will enable high resolution, high speed OCM imaging at wavelengths which were previously inaccessible.
Questions and Concerns of Robotic Approaches to Bladder Cancer Surgery

The use of the surgical robot in performing radical cystectomy was initiated with the hope of decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with surgical treatment of bladder cancer. The benefits of minimally invasive techniques are well documented for several other surgical operations, and these benefits will ideally be realized by patients receiving robotic cystectomy rather than its open counterpart. While the potential benefits of using the surgical robot for radical cystectomy are well defined, the universal acceptance of this technique has been met with some resistance because of concerns about unique issues and complications surrounding the application of robotic surgery. The concerns discussed herein include lymph node dissection, surgical margin status, urinary diversions, ureteral stricture rates, tumor spillage and port site metastases, the learning curve with robotic surgery, associated costs, and the potential benefits. While the questions/concerns surrounding robotic surgery are well defined, many of the answers are yet unclear. More studies with long-term follow-up are needed to determine the true safety, efficacy, and actual benefits of robotic radical cystectomy.
A general approach to study static and dynamic aspects of voltage instability

An attempt is made to understand voltage-stability-related static and dynamic bifurcations. The problem is analyzed in the framework of bifurcation with group symmetry. The observed power system phenomena where collision and splitting of eigenvalues take place is identified with a special type of bifurcation, called the mode-focus bifurcation. Two numerical examples are considered: a three-bus system and a three-machine system. >
Mercury emissions from natural processes and their importance in the global mercury cycle

The emission to the atmosphere of mercury (Hg) via natural processes constitutes an important part of the global Hg input and is a dominant part of the global mercury cycle. However, while there is an ongoing and continued effort to quantify these fluxes, the magnitude of their extent is still relatively poorly constrained. It must be emphasized that while the fluxes discussed in this chapter are due to natural processes, they constitute Hg that has originated from different sources, and because of the potential for deposited Hg to be re-emitted to the atmosphere from both the terrestrial and aquatic landscape, these fluxes include both primary sources and secondary (recycled) Hg. Thus the emissions are due to: 1) primary geogenic natural emissions (e.g. volcanoes); 2) recycled Hg from natural sources; and 3) recycled Hg from point source anthropogenic emissions. Overall, it is estimated that terrestrial inputs are 1850 Mg yr-1 while emission from the ocean is 2680 Mg yr-1. On an area basis, emissions from land are higher than from the ocean. Forests constitute about 20% of these emissions, with total emissions from vegetated regions being about 60% of the total terrestrial inputs. Geogenic sources account for about 5% of current terrestrial inputs.
Metabolic Phenotypes in Somatic Embryogenesis and Polyembryogenesis

The recovery of somatic embryos from Prunus spp. and a variety of conifers using cell suspension cultures has created an opportunity to compare metabolic phenotypes among somatic and zygotic embryonic systems. Metabolic phenotypes are based on, but not limited to, the integration over time of families of metabolites involved in amino acid metabolism. Metabolic phenotypes are displayed as physiological state-networks by computer-assisted graphics. While the interpretation of such maps remains difficult, their potential value in revealing true-to-type phenotypes for clonal development and culture practices will be illustrated.
X-ray detection of ingested non-metallic foreign bodies.

AIM: To determine the utility of X-ray in identifying non-metallic foreign body (FB) and assess inter-radiologist agreement in identifying non-metal FB. METHODS: Focus groups of nurses, fellows, and attending physicians were conducted to determine commonly ingested objects suitable for inclusion. Twelve potentially ingested objects (clay, plastic bead, crayon, plastic ring, plastic army figure, glass bead, paperclip, drywall anchor, eraser, Lego™, plastic triangle toy, and barrette) were embedded in a gelatin slab placed on top of a water-equivalent phantom to simulate density of a child’s abdomen. The items were selected due to wide availability and appropriate size for accidental pediatric ingestion. Plain radiography of the embedded FBs was obtained. Five experienced radiologists blinded to number and types of objects were asked to identify the FBs. The radiologist was first asked to count the number of items that were visible then to identify the shape of each item and describe it to a study investigator who recorded all responses. Overall inter-rater reliability was analyzed using percent agreement and κ coefficient. We calculated P value to assess the probability of error involved in accepting the κ value. RESULTS: Fourteen objects were radiographed including 12 original objects and 2 duplicates. The model’s validity was supported by clear identification of a radiolucent paperclip as a positive control, and lack of identification of plastic beads (negative control) despite repeated inclusion. Each radiologist identified 7-9 of the 14 objects (mean 8, 67%). Six unique objects (50%) were identified by all radiologists and four unique objects (33%) were not identified by any radiologist (plastic bead, Lego™, plastic triangle toy, and barrette). Identification of objects that were not present, false-positives, occurred 1-2 times per radiologist (mean 1.4). An additional 17% of unique objects were identified by less than half of the radiologists. Agreement between radiologists was considered almost perfect (kappa 0.86 ± 0.08, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: We demonstrate potential non-identification of commonly ingested non-metal FBs in children. A registry for radiographic visibility of ingested objects should be created to improve clinical decision-making.
Diseases of the Nervous System in Chronic Alcoholics

The abusive consumption of alcoholic beverages deranges normal function of the nervous system in various ways. The most common neurological or psychological disturbances are associated with elevated blood alcohol levels and symptoms of inebriation. These are followed in order of frequency by syndromes caused by alcohol withdrawal (delirium tremens, hallucinosis, and rum fits) and by a group of metabolic disorders related to the nutritional depletion frequently associated with protracted and steady drinking (in contrast to spree or periodic drinking). Whereas the various symptoms of inebriation and withdrawal are generally reversible, the nutritionally determined diseases may cause serious irreversible damage to part of the central and peripheral nervous systems. While the clinical and pathological features of the neurological diseases engendered by chronic alcoholism have been documented in great detail, their etiology has been only partially elucidated and their pathogenesis remains essentially unknown and a matter of speculation. In this chapter only the neurological syndromes of the central nervous system encountered in the chronic alcoholic patient will be discussed; disorders of the peripheral nervous system and those neurological syndromes caused by periodic inebriation or withdrawal have been covered in previous chapters.
Dietary Energy Tissue-Specifically Regulates Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone Gene Expression in the Liver of Mice

A number of putative molecular chaperones seem to play essential roles in the correct folding, assembly and glycosylation of membrane and secreted proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. We have shown that life span-extending dietary energy restriction significantly and specifically reduces GRP78 mRNA and protein by 50-75% in mice. Here, 5-mo-old female C3B10RF1 mice were given free access to food after being fed 50% less dietary energy since weaning. Hepatic GRP78 mRNA increased linearly, reaching the same level after 2 wk as was found in the liver of 20-mo-old mice with free access to food. This increase took place with no change in body weight. The mRNA levels of endoplasmic reticulum, cytosolic and mitochondrial chaperones were determined in young (7-mo-old) and old (21- or 28-mo-old) female C3B10RF1 mice. Each age group was either 50% energy restricted or was fed approximately 10% less energy than consumed by mice given free access to food. In young and old energy-restricted mice, hepatic expression of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperones ERp57 (37%), GRP170 (51%), ERp72 (43%), calreticulin (54%) and calnexin (23%) was significantly and specifically reduced. The GRP78, GRP94, GRP170, ERp57 and calnexin mRNA response to diet occurred reproducibly only in liver, and not in adipose, brain, heart, kidney, lung, muscle or small intestine. The mRNA for GRP75, a mitochondrial chaperone, HSC70, a cytoplasmic chaperone, protein disulfide isomerase, an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, and C/EBPalpha, a transcription factor, was not regulated. Hepatic C/EBPbeta was 15% higher in old energy-restricted mice. Thus the expression of nearly all endoplasmic reticulum chaperones responded rapidly and specifically to dietary energy in mice.
Demand for U.S. Soybeans in the European Common Market: A Case for Optimism

High income elasticities of demand for meat in the EEC point to a substantial growth in meat consumption as consumer incomes rise. Most of the increased meat requirements will be met through domestic production. The demand for soybean meal will increase with expanded livestock production, better feeding practices, and favorable prices relative to feed grains. United States exports of soybeans and soybean meal should continue to rise unless trade barriers are erected. The increase in demand for soybean oil will be smaller because the consumption of fats and oils is already high, with most of the increased requirements being met by butter. Consequently, the common external tariff on soybean oil may not be important. Soybean oil derived from the increased European crush of soybeans for meal may meet most of the domestic‐market requirements. Tariffs on either soybeans or soybean meal would be more detrimental to U.S. interests than the tariff on soybean oil.
Market Reaction to Control Deficiency Disclosures Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act: The Early Evidence

Sections 302 and 404 of the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act require firms to periodically assess and report control deficiencies to the audit committee as well as to the SEC. Section 302 specifically directs company management to identify and report control deficiencies while Section 404 provides the discipline that forces companies to take the control assessment and reporting task seriously. Importantly, external auditors are required to opine separately on the effectiveness of their client's system of internal control over financial reporting and issue an adverse opinion on internal control in the presence of even a single material weakness. Prior to being mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, management was not required to assess and report on the state of internal controls in their company. Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) #60, which provided guidance to the external auditors on these matters, afforded them a great deal of flexibility and judgment not only in determining what constituted a reportable condition but also limited their disclosure only to the audit committee of the board. In a recent speech, Donald T. Nicolaisen, the SEC's Chief Accountant, remarks that these new requirements are not only a major financial but also a significant cultural endeavor for registrants in the U.S. and abroad. Consequently, these new requirements have drawn uproar and concern from companies of all sizes and market capitalization. Given the outcry from companies and regulatory assertions that these disclosures are the best thing that has ever happened to the capital markets, we examine whether such control deficiency disclosures convey valuation-relevant information to the market. This issue is important because increasing disclosure requirements without any attendant effect on valuation would impose unnecessary deadweight costs. The disclosures employed in our study were not mandatory under Section 404 at the time our sample firms made them. While there may be many reasons why our sample firms report these deficiencies early, these disclosures may portend the effect to be faced by other firms when the Section 404 rule becomes binding. Consistent with the regulatory assertions, we find that such disclosures are associated with a negative stock price reaction, on average, indicating that such disclosures do indeed convey valuation-relevant information. This reaction is mitigated to some extent, but not fully, if management also discloses that remediation steps have been taken to correct the weaknesses identified in the disclosures. Additionally, the price reaction is less negative for firms employing a Big Four auditing firm. Conversely, the reaction is more negative for firms with larger current liabilities relative to total assets, which suggests that control weaknesses may have implications for increased default risk.
Single-cell mass spectrometry with multi-solvent extraction identifies metabolic differences between left and right blastomeres in the 8-cell frog (Xenopus) embryo

Single-cell metabolic mass spectrometry enables the discovery (untargeted) analysis of small molecules in individual cells. Using single-cell capillary electrophoresis high-resolution mass spectrometry (CE-HRMS), we recently uncovered small-molecule differences between embryonic cells located along the animal–vegetal and dorsal–ventral axes of the 16-cell frog (Xenopus laevis) embryo, raising the question whether metabolic cell heterogeneity also exists along the left–right body axis. To address this question, we here advance single-cell CE-HRMS for identifying and quantifying metabolites in higher analytical sensitivity, and then use the methodology to compare metabolite production between left and right cells. Our strategy utilizes multiple solvents with complementary physicochemical properties to extract small molecules from single cells and improve electrophoretic separation, increasing metabolite ion signals for quantification and tandem HRMS. As a result, we were able to identify 55 different small molecules in D1 cells that were isolated from 8-cell embryos. To quantify metabolite production between left and right cells, we analyzed n = 24 different D1 cells in technical duplicate–triplicate measurements. Statistical and multivariate analysis based on 80 of the most repeatedly quantified compounds revealed 10 distinct metabolites that were significantly differentially accumulated in the left or right cells (p < 0.05 and fold change ≥1.5). These metabolites were enriched in the arginine–proline metabolic pathway in the right, but not the left D1 cells. Besides providing analytical benefits for single-cell HRMS, this work provides new metabolic data on the establishment of normal body asymmetry in the early developing embryo.
Updated Lagrangian finite element formulations of various biological soft tissue non-linear material models: a comprehensive procedure and review

Simplified material models are commonly used in computational simulation of biological soft tissue as an approximation of the complicated material response and to minimize computational resources. However, the simulation of complex loadings, such as long-duration tissue swelling, necessitates complex models that are not easy to formulate. This paper strives to offer the updated Lagrangian formulation comprehensive procedure of various non-linear material models for the application of finite element analysis of biological soft tissues including a definition of the Cauchy stress and the spatial tangential stiffness. The relationships between water content, osmotic pressure, ionic concentration and the pore pressure stress of the tissue are discussed with the merits of these models and their applications.
Case report of duodenal obstruction from multiple webs

A duodenal obstruction with three separate obstructing duodenal webs is a very rare congenital anomaly, with only one other case reported in the literature. We present a case in a 3-week-old newborn that underwent successful surgical repair.
Structure–Activity Relationship of Highly Potent Galactonoamidine Inhibitors toward β-Galactosidase (Aspergillus oryzae)

A small library of 22 N-substituted galactonoamidines was synthesized, and their structure–activity relationship for inhibition of the hydrolytic activity of β-galactosidase (Aspergillus oryzae) was evaluated. A fast screening assay in 96-well plate format was used to follow the enzymatic hydrolysis of 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl-β-d-galactopyranoside using UV–vis spectroscopy. The aglycon moiety of all compounds was found to have a profound effect on their inhibitory ability. In general, galactonoamidines derived from cyclic aliphatic and linear amines show higher inhibition activity than those derived from benzylamines. Hydrophobic interactions of the methyl group rather than π–π stacking interactions of the aromatic ring in p-methylbenzyl-d-galactonoamidine were identified to cause its transition-state-like character and the remarkably high inhibitory ability (Ki = 8 nM). A flexible 3-carbon methylene spacer between the exo N atom of the sugar moiety and a phenyl group furthermore increased the observed app...
Inhibition of Venoconstrictor Responses by Prostaglandin E1

SummaryPGE1 caused venodilatation in the isolated perfused canine gracilis muscle but not in the perfused hindpaw. Venoconstrictor responses to nerve stimulation, norepinephrine, and angiotensin were inhibited significantly and uniformly in the paw but not in the muscle. The results indicate that inhibition of venoconstrictor responsiveness by PGE1 is not associated with nor dependent upon a direct dilator action of the prostaglandin.
Data-Driven Hint Generation from Peer Debugging Solutions.

Data-driven methods have been a successful approach to generating hints for programming problems. However, the majority of previous studies are focused on procedural hints that aim at moving students to the next closest state to the solution. In this paper, I propose a data-driven method to generate remedy hints for BOTS, a game that teaches programming through a block-moving puzzle. Remedy hints aim to help students out of dead-end states, which are states in the problem from where no student has ever derived a solution. To address this, my proposed work includes designing debugging activities and generating remedy hints from students’ solutions to debugging activities.
Influence of Vitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone on Bone and Metabolic Risk in Women with Previous Gestational Diabetes

The purpose of this study was to compare plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and parathyroid hormone (PTH), VO2max, bone (by DXA), and metabolic outcomes across age and race-matched postmenopausal women (54±1 years; mean±SEM): 1) with previous gestational diabetes (GDM) (32±1 kg/m(2); n=17), 2) without previous GDM, but with a similar BMI to GDM (32±1 kg/m(2); n=17), and 3) without previous GDM, but with a higher BMI than GDM (36±1 kg/m(2); n=17; p<0.01). The prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency and deficiency was high (~80%), but not different across groups, while PTH tended to be ~30% lower in women with a history of GDM (p=0.09). Women with a history of GDM had lower HDL cholesterol and higher diastolic blood pressure and fasting and 2-h glucose levels (by oral glucose tolerance test) (vs. groups 2 and 3; p<0.05). Bone mineral density (BMD) tended to be slightly higher in women with prior GDM than the BMI matched women with no prior GDM (p=0.09). Overall, higher PTH was associated with lower femoral neck (r=- 0.33) and (r=- 0.38) (p <0.05), while lower 25(OH)D was associated with lower VO2max (r=0.25, p=0.05) and higher fasting glucose (r=- 0.14) and insulin (r=- 0.29 (p <0.05). We observed that the poor metabolic profiles of postmenopausal women with a history of GDM are independent of 25(OH)D and PTH. However, due to associations between 25(OH)D and PTH with bone and metabolic outcomes, maintaining recommended 25(OH)D and PTH concentrations is important regardless of a previous history of GDM.
Sociodemographic Characteristics of Religious Groups in Canada

By utilizing special tabulations from the 1981 Canadian Census this paper compares 19 religious groups in terms of several socioeconomic and family characteristics. Standardized distributions also are presented which adjust for age sex and regional differences between religious groups. Correlations and covariance analysis of these variables indicate a high degree of association between socioeconomic and family characteristics. Religions characterized by low socioeconomic status exhibit more traditional family behavior; and high SES [socioeconomic status] religions have lower rates of marriage and fertility but higher divorce rates. (EXCERPT)
Orthogonal cultural identification: theoretical links between cultural identification and substance use.

This paper diagrams and discusses orthogonal cultural identification theory, proposing that cultural identification is developed and maintained through complex interactions and negotiations between the culture and the person. When the individual meets cultural requirements, the culture provides rewards that match cultural needs and reinforce cultural identification. ‘Strong identification with one culture does not prevent identification with another. A breakdown in this interaction can lead to alienation and possibly to identification with a deviant subculture and/or to drug use.