cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Turn down for what? Patient outcomes associated with declining increased infectious risk kidneys.

Transplant candidates who accept a kidney labeled increased risk for disease transmission (IRD) accept a low risk of window period infection, yet those who decline must wait for another offer that might harbor other risks or never even come. To characterize survival benefit of accepting IRD kidneys, we used 2010-2014 Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data to identify 104 998 adult transplant candidates who were offered IRD kidneys that were eventually accepted by someone; the median (interquartile range) Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) of these kidneys was 30 (16-49). We followed patients from the offer decision until death or end-of-study. After 5 years, only 31.0% of candidates who declined IRDs later received non-IRD deceased donor kidney transplants; the median KDPI of these non-IRD kidneys was 52, compared to 21 of the IRDs they had declined. After a brief risk period in the first 30 days following IRD acceptance (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] accept vs decline: 1.22 2.063.49 , P = .008) (absolute mortality 0.8% vs. 0.4%), those who accepted IRDs were at 33% lower risk of death 1-6 months postdecision (aHR 0.50 0.670.90 , P = .006), and at 48% lower risk of death beyond 6 months postdecision (aHR 0.46 0.520.58 , P < .001). Accepting an IRD kidney was associated with substantial long-term survival benefit; providers should consider this benefit when counseling patients on IRD offer acceptance.
TSGL: A tool for visualizing multithreaded behavior

Abstract Since multicore processors are now the architectural standard and parallel computing is in the core CS curriculum, CS educators must create pedagogical materials and tools to help their students master parallel abstractions and concepts. This paper describes the thread safe graphics library (TSGL), a tool by which an educator can add graphics calls to a working multithreaded program in order to make visible the underlying parallel behavior. Using TSGL, an instructor (or student) can create parallel visualizations that clearly show the parallel patterns or techniques a given program is using, allowing students to see the parallel behavior in near real-time as the program is running. TSGL includes many examples that illustrate its use; this paper presents a representative sample, that can be used either in a lecture or a self-paced lab format. We also present evidence that such visualizations improve student understanding of abstract parallel concepts.
Total Synthesis of (−)-Xishacorene B from (R)-Carvone Using a C–C Activation Strategy

The activation of C–C bonds that are traditionally viewed as unreactive, when coupled with other bond-forming processes, can offer new approaches to the synthesis of complex molecular scaffolds. In this Communication, we demonstrate the conversion of carvone to unusual bicyclo[3.3.1] and [3.2.1] frameworks by exploiting a Pd(0)-catalyzed C–C bond activation reaction and a radical cyclization process. This sequence is applied to a 10-step synthesis of the diterpene xishacorene B.
Molecular Portrait of Hypoxia in Breast Cancer: A Prognostic Signature and Novel HIF-regulated Genes

Intratumoral hypoxia has been associated with invasion, metastasis, and treatment failure, prompting the need for a global characterization of the response to hypoxic conditions. The current study presents the results of a large-scale RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) effort, analyzing 31 breast cancer cell lines representative of breast cancer subtypes or normal mammary epithelial (NME) cells exposed to control tissue culture conditions (20% O2) or hypoxic conditions (1% O2). The results demonstrate that NME have a stronger response to hypoxia both in terms of number of genes induced by hypoxia as well as level of expression. A conserved 42-gene hypoxia signature shared across PAM50 subtypes and genes that are exclusively upregulated in Luminal A, Luminal B, and normal-like mammary epithelial cells is identified. The 42-gene expression signature is enriched in a subset of basal-like cell lines and tumors and differentiates survival among patients with basal-like tumors. Mechanistically, the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1 and/or HIF-2) mediate the conserved hypoxic response. Also, four novel hypoxia-regulated and HIF-1-responsive genes were identified as part of the conserved signature. This dataset provides a novel resource to query transcriptional changes that occur in response to hypoxia and serves as a starting point for a clinical assay to aid in stratifying patients that would benefit from hypoxia-targeted therapies, some of which are currently in clinical trials. IMPLICATIONS: RNA-seq of 31 breast cancer cells exposed to control or hypoxic conditions reveals a conserved genomic signature that contains novel HIF-regulated genes and is prognostic for the survival of patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
Scalable Collectives for Distributed Asynchronous Many-Task Runtimes

Global collectives (reductions/aggregations) are ubiquitous and feature in nearly every application of distributed high-performance computing (HPC). While it is advisable to devise algorithms by placing collectives off the critical path of execution, they are sometimes unavoidable for correctness, numerical convergence and analyses purposes. Scalable algorithms for distributed collectives are well studied and have become an integral part of MPI, but new and emerging distributed computing frameworks and paradigms such as Asynchronous Many-Task (AMT) models lack the same sophistication for distributed collectives. Since the central promise of AMT runtimes is that they automatically discover, and expose, task dependencies in the underlying program and can schedule work optimally to minimize idle time and hide data movement, a naively designed collectives protocol can completely offset any gains made from asynchronous execution. In this study we demonstrate that scalable distributed collectives are indispensable for performance in AMT models. We design, implement and test the performance of a scalable collective algorithm in Legion, an exemplar data-centric AMT programming model. Our results show that AMT systems contain the necessary primitives that allow for fully scalable collectives without breaking the transparent data movement abstractions. Scalability tests of an integrated Legion 1D stencil mini-application show the clear benefit of implementing scalable collectives and the performance degradation when a naive collectives alternative is used instead.
Bighead is a Wnt antagonist secreted by the Xenopus Spemann organizer that promotes Lrp6 endocytosis

The Xenopus laevis embryo has been subjected to almost saturating screens for molecules specifically expressed in dorsal Spemann organizer tissue. In this study, we performed high-throughput RNA sequencing of ectodermal explants, called animal caps, which normally give rise to epidermis. We analyzed dissociated animal cap cells that, through sustained activation of MAPK, differentiate into neural tissue. We also microinjected mRNAs for Cerberus, Chordin, FGF8, BMP4, Wnt8, and Xnr2, which induce neural or other germ layer differentiations. The searchable database provided here represents a valuable resource for the early vertebrate cell differentiation. These analyses resulted in the identification of a gene present in frog and fish, which we call Bighead. Surprisingly, at gastrula, it was expressed in the Spemann organizer and endoderm, rather than in ectoderm as we expected. Despite the plethora of genes already mined from Spemann organizer tissue, Bighead encodes a secreted protein that proved to be a potent inhibitor of Wnt signaling in a number of embryological and cultured cell signaling assays. Overexpression of Bighead resulted in large head structures very similar to those of the well-known Wnt antagonists Dkk1 and Frzb-1. Knockdown of Bighead with specific antisense morpholinos resulted in embryos with reduced head structures, due to increased Wnt signaling. Bighead protein bound specifically to the Wnt coreceptor lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (Lrp6), leading to its removal from the cell surface. Bighead joins two other Wnt antagonists, Dkk1 and Angptl4, which function as Lrp6 endocytosis regulators. These results suggest that endocytosis plays a crucial role in Wnt signaling.
Evaluation of 2-Thiothiazolidine-4-Carboxylic Acid, a Common Metabolite of Isothiocyanates, as a Potential Biomarker of Cruciferous Vegetable Intake.

Scope Cruciferous vegetable consumption is associated with favorable health outcomes. Bioactive compounds arising in these, especially isothiocyanates, exert effects that contribute to prevention of disease, in large part through the attenuation of inflammation and oxidative stress. However, much about isothiocyanate metabolites and their role as biomarkers of crucifer intake remain unknown. Methods and results The utility and limitations of 2-thiothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) as a urinary biomarker of broccoli beverage intake are tested in a randomized crossover clinical trial where 50 participants consumed either a glucoraphanin-rich (GRR) or sulforaphane-rich (SFR) beverage. Compared to run-in and wash-out periods, significantly higher urinary TTCA is observed after broccoli beverage consumption. Measurements also show that TTCA is present in beverage powders and in all tested cruciferous vegetables. GRR results in excretion of ≈87% of the ingested TTCA while SFR results in excretion of ≈176%. Elevated urinary TTCA is observed in rats administered 100 µmol kg-1 SFN. Unlike SFN, TTCA does not activate Nrf2-mediated cytoprotective signaling. Conclusion Collectively, TTCA appears to be a common isothiocyanate-derived metabolite that has the capacity to be utilized as a biomarker of cruciferous vegetables that would be beneficial for objective and quantitative tracking of intake in studies.
Geometric Reinforcement Learning Based Path Planning for Mobile Sensor Networks in Advection-Diffusion Field Reconstruction

We propose a geometric reinforcement learning algorithm for real-time path planning for mobile sensor networks (MSNs) in the problem of reconstructing a spatial-temporal varying field described by the advection-diffusion partial differential equation. A Luenberger state estimator is provided to reconstruct the concentration field, which uses the collected measurements from a MSN along its trajectory. Since the path of the MSN is critical in reconstructing the field, a novel geometric reinforcement learning (GRL) algorithm is developed for the real-time path planning. The basic idea of GRL is to divide the whole area into a series of lattice to employ a specific time-varying reward matrix, which contains the information of the length of path and the mapping error. Thus, the proposed GRL can balance the performance of the field reconstruction and the efficiency of the path. By updating the reward matrix, the real-time path planning problem can be converted to the shortest path problem in a weighted graph, which can be solved efficiently using dynamic programming. The convergence of calculating the reward matrix is theoretically proven. Simulation results serve to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed GRL for a MSN.
Trajectories of lower back, upper back, and pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy and early postpartum in primiparous women.

Objective:Most studies about truncal pain during and after pregnancy focus on low back pain, few prospectively define change in pain, and even fewer evaluate pain in all three major truncal areas: ...
Does peer group size influence social preferences and risk taking

This paper examines whether the ex post relative payoffs of peers as well as the size of the peer group impact an agent's willingness to take risks. For example, persons in a flood plain may be less likely to purchase flood insurance if their neighbors also refrain from purchasing. We generalize the Fehr‐Schmidt (1999) model to allow the intensity of the social preferences to vary with the size of the peer group. Our experiment tests whether subjects are more or less likely to choose a lottery over a fixed payment when others have been assigned either the same lottery or the fixed payment. Using both between and within subject designs, we find risk‐taking behaviour is not responsive to the risks faced by others regardless of the size of peer group.
General Atomic Neighborhood Fingerprint for Machine Learning-Based Methods

To facilitate chemical space exploration for material screening or to accelerate computationally expensive first-principles simulations, inexpensive surrogate models that capture electronic, atomistic, or macroscopic materials properties have become an increasingly popular tool over the last decade. The most fundamental quantity common across all such machine learning (ML)-based methods is the fingerprint used to numerically represent a material or its structure. To increase the learning capability of the ML methods, the common practice is to construct fingerprints that satisfy the same symmetry relations as displayed by the target material property of interest (for which the ML model is being developed). Thus, in this work, we present a general, simple, and elegant fingerprint that can be used to learn different electronic/atomistic/structural properties, irrespective of their scalar, vector, or tensorial nature. This fingerprint is based on the concept of multipole terms and can be systematically increa...
Evaluation of Transplant Candidates with Pre-Existing Malignancies

A retrospective study was done of the recurrence rates of 1297 preexisting tumors in renal transplant recipients. Of 1137 neoplasms that were treated prior to transplantation, the recurrence rate was 21%, and it was 33% in 99 cancers treated after transplantation. Fifty-four percent of recurrences in the pretransplant-treated group occurred among malignancies treated within 2 years of transplantation, 33% in those treated 2-5 years before transplantation, and 13% among those treated more than 5 years pretransplantation. Among the 31 neoplasms in the last group 52% of recurrences occurred within 2 years after transplantation. Among those cancers treated pretransplantation the highest recurrence rates occurred with breast carcinomas (23%), symptomatic renal carcinomas (27%), sarcomas (29%), bladder carcinomas (29%), nonmelanoma skin cancers (53%) and multiple myeloma (67%). In the tumors treated posttransplantation 39% of recurrences were from nonmelanoma skin cancers. The bulk of evidence suggests that immunosuppressive therapy facilitates the growth of residual cancers. With some exceptions a minimum waiting period of 2 years between treatment of a neoplasm, with a favorable prognosis, and undertaking renal transplantation is desirable. A waiting period of approximately 5 years is desirable for lymphomas, most carcinomas of the breast, prostate or colon, or for large (> 5 cm) symptomatic renal carcinomas. No waiting period is necessary for incidentally discovered renal carcinomas, in situ carcinomas, and possibly tiny focal neoplasms. As it is highly unlikely that most candidates for nonrenal transplantation can be kept alive for a two year waiting period nonrenal transplantation can be undertaken in patients who have been treated for major cancers, provided that the disease appears to have been adequately controlled, and that the stage of the malignancy does not have a poor prognosis.
Digital Democracy: Past, Present, Future An Interview with Vinton G. Cerf Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist, Google

In this 2019 interview, Vint Cerf, co-creator of the Internet, reflects on the evolution of the Internet from a computational to a social medium. He shares his concerns about the spread of disinformation and the way that the negative feedback loop created by rating systems encourage the propagation of sensationalism and falsehoods. He argues that, while authentication technology, in particular, will play an important role in fostering a more civil and civic Internet, ultimately, the solutions for strengthening democracy lie less with technology than in critical thinking by individuals and more democratically governed, bottom-up, and consensus-based institutions. Some of these institutions already exist while new ones have yet to be invented with robust new governance mechanisms to foster international collaboration on some of the hardest issues of our time.
Investigating the impact of disease and health record duration on the eMERGE algorithm for rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective The study sought to determine the dependence of the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) algorithm on both RA and electronic health record (EHR) duration. Materials and methods Using a population-based cohort from the Mayo Clinic Biobank, we identified 497 patients with at least 1 RA diagnosis code. RA case status was manually determined using validated criteria for RA. RA duration was defined as time from first RA code to the index date of biobank enrollment. To simulate EHR duration, various years of EHR lookback were applied, starting at the index date and going backward. Model performance was determined by sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the curve (AUC). Results The eMERGE algorithm performed well in this cohort, with overall sensitivity 53%, specificity 99%, positive predictive value 97%, negative predictive value 74%, and AUC 76%. Among patients with RA duration 10 years. Longer EHR lookback also improved model performance up to a threshold of 10 years, in which sensitivity reached 52% and AUC 75%. However, optimal EHR lookback varied by RA duration; an EHR lookback of 3 years was best able to identify recently diagnosed RA cases. Conclusions eMERGE algorithm performance improves with longer RA duration as well as EHR duration up to 10 years, though shorter EHR lookback can improve identification of recently diagnosed RA cases.
10 – Printing Text

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the sending of text output to the terminal screen or to a file; that is, preparation of readable output. This is referred to as “text” or “formatted” or “ASCII output.” ASCII (pronounced as-key) is an acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. The ASCII code is a table that assigns upper and lowercase letters in the Latin alphabet, numerals, punctuation marks, and other items to different byte values between zero and 127. Some points to remember in this chapter are: PRINT sends output to the terminal and PRINTF to a file. A file must be opened before writing anything in it. The files must be closed when it is finished. Reading from and writing to the same file should be avoided. The /GET_LUN keyword should be used with the OPENW command and the FREE_LUN command to avoid having to provide a logical unit number. ASCII output (either free-form or formatted) is for humans to read. However, it is not an advisable method for transferring data in computer programs. When data is written for computers to read, binary format should be used. Format codes are hard to get right the first time; some trial and error should be planned when format specification is prepared.
Facts and fiction regarding anthelmintic efficacies in cattle

Very few label claims for cattle anthelmintic efficacies are factual under all circumstances. This is because: 1) no new class of anthelmintic has been commercialized in the USA since the mid 1980s; 2) worm populations are forced into selection for resistance every time a bovine is treated; 3) some resistant female worms can void >2000 eggs per day; and 4) rarely are anthelmintics given at the farm level wherein sustainable effectiveness is safeguarded. Given the above, it is not shocking that most label claims of effectiveness and persistence for ALL anthelmintics (endectocides, flukicides, and nematocides) are currently overstated. Lack of excellent nematocidal efficacies has been either accepted as normal or overlooked by cattle people, a state of affairs made possible by the fact that bovine nematodiasis is largely a subclinical condition. Lack of anthelmintic efficacy is not connected to suboptimal animal performance. Routinely, there is no "real world” quantification ofthe detriment caused by post-treatment worm burdens; an observation primarily reserved for research projects. The efficiency of the cattle industry (beef and dairy) and the per-animal productivity in the US have been on a steady rise for decades, due in large part to advances in nutrition, genetics, husbandry, and disease control. Unfortunately, the trend in effective chemical control for parasites over the same period has been in the opposite direction. Advances are sorely needed in both chemical and non-chemical (husbandry, vaccine, biological, nutriceutical, genetic) parasite controls. In this paper, a few observations will be made on anthelmintic efficacies, and the impact of ineffective nematocidal control.
Here for You: Attachment and the Growth of Empathic Support for Friends in Adolescence.

Attachment was examined as a predictor of teens' empathic support for friends in a multimethod longitudinal study of 184 U.S. adolescents (58% Caucasian, 29% African American, 13% other) followed from ages 14 to 18. Adolescents' secure state of mind regarding attachment at 14 predicted teens' greater capacity to provide empathic support during observed interactions with friends across ages 16-18 (Baverage = .39). Teens' empathic support was generally stable during this period, and less secure teens were slower to develop these skills. Further, teens' attachment security predicted the degree to which friends called for their support (Baverage = .29), which was associated with teens' responsiveness to such calls. The findings suggest that secure attachment predicts teens' ability to provide empathic support in close friendships.
Real-Time Implementation of GPU-Accelerated Neural Network Learning for Dynamic System Identification

The progression of deep neural networks (DNN) has allowed for new solutions to control problems in power electronics. Many works have supplemented controllers with DNNs in online- and offline-learning, often verified in simulations. However, actual hardware implementation of neural network intelligence for real-time dynamic systems has not been extensively investigated. While GPUs are used for processing in many data applications, their potential for electrical control systems could be explored. In this paper, a real-time dynamic system identification using a DNN implemented in a GPU on an embedded-Linux single-board computer is presented. A second-order analog circuit is used for the target system and relative analog/digital signal interfaces and Linux/CUDA firmware have been developed. The proposed system was realized in an experimental hardware setup and identified the characteristics well in real time, demonstrating good computation speed.
Parenting in transgender and nonbinary individuals

Abstract Transgender and nonbinary individuals have a long-standing history of prejudice and discrimination on the basis of gender identity which has led to disparities in health access and outcomes. Over the past decade advocacy efforts have increased legal protections and societal acceptance of gender diversity; however, the transgender and nonbinary community remains an underserved population in medicine. Reproductive medicine highlights this disparity as transgender individuals must overcome significant barriers to access effective counseling and interventions for fertility and pregnancy care. Transgender individuals have the same desire to parent as cisgender people, with motivations, including the intents to nurture and to build families, but face many unique challenges in this pathway to achieve parenthood. Although gender-affirming care has clear life-saving benefits for transgender and nonbinary individuals, such treatment also represents a threat to an individual’s future reproductive potential. As higher numbers of transgender and nonbinary individuals initiate gender-affirming care during their reproductive years, effective fertility preservation counseling and access to fertility preservation services is integral to patient-centered care. Limited literature on the experiences of transgender and nonbinary individuals with fertility and pregnancy services illustrates the diversity of such experiences and impact on gender identity while emphasizing the need for inclusivity and higher standards for gender-affirming care. In delivering fertility and pregnancy care, providers need to avoid making assumptions of sexual orientation based on gender identity, utilize gender-neutral terminology and consistently address patients by their preferred name and pronouns to minimize the potential for gender dysphoria. At the clinic level, inclusive intake forms and educations materials, providing gender neutral bathrooms and developing policies against gender-based discrimination can create an environment that is both welcoming and affirming to transgender and nonbinary patients. Fertility and pregnancy care for transgender individuals is an evolving field with further research into the impact of gender-affirming hormones on fertility, development of treatment guidelines and continued advocacy for increased access and insurance coverage necessary to break down barriers to transgender parenting.
Transfer of Training

Abstract This article describes an evaluative study focused on the transfer of trained knowledge and skills back to the practice setting. A model of transfer was developed based on factors identified in the literature. Survey methodology was used to obtain data from training participants at the completion of training and again six months later. They assessed attainment of learning outcome and its other model components. The regression model that resulted accounted for 52% of the variance in participants' perceptions of their learning. Training participants having an opportunity to perform new tasks on the job, support of peers for using new skills and familiarity with the content prior to training were the variables in the model. Recommendations for training and evaluation of training efforts are also presented.
Nocturnal home hemodialysis: which of your patients should choose this modality?

Nocturnal home hemodialysis (HD) was conceived in the 1960s, but fell out of favor in the 1970s, only to be resurrected in a modified form in the 1990s. This modality is now used by patients on 4 continents, but still accounts for only a very small number of patients who receive chronic HD therapy. Nocturnal home HD provides a weekly Kt/V urea in the range of 4.5–6, and provides superior clearance of a number of middle molecules as well as some protein-bound and charged molecules. The first randomized trials of nocturnal home HD compared to conventional 3 times per week HD were performed in the first decade of the 21st century. In the Alberta trial, 52 patients were randomized to either nocturnal home HD conducted 5–6 times per week or conventional HD conducted 3 times per week; the patients were followed for 6 months. In this trial, subjects who received nocturnal home HD had a decrease in left ventricular mass, and improvement in the management of hypertension and hyperphosphatemia, but no significant benefit in either quality of life or anemia management. There was a decrease in systolic blood pressure, despite a decrease in the number of antihypertensive medications prescribed. There was also a decrease in serum phosphorus levels as well as a marked reduction or elimination of phosphate binders in more than two thirds of the nocturnal subjects. In the Frequent Hemodialysis Network study of Nocturnal Hemodialysis, 87 patients were randomized to either nocturnal home HD (6 times per week) or conventional (3 times per week) dialysis, and were followed for 12 months. Results from this trial will be published in 2011. It is likely that the results from these 2 trials will influence the update to the National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative HD guidelines that will be published in 2012.
The Commercialization of Information Infrastructure as Technological Mediation: The Internet Access Market

The study interprets the geographic diffusion of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and the expansion of ISPs’ product lines in terms of the market for technological mediation. A firm involved in technology mediation takes advantage of gaps between general technological opportunities and particular user needs in specific places at particular times. If the economic opportunities are fleeting, then so too is the business. If the economic opportunities are renewed frequently, then the business can grow and adapt to take advantage of them. The concept of technological mediation helps us understand business behavior accompanying the commercialization of internet access technology.
The use of a digital computer in monitoring the condition of the fetus during labor

Abstract A digital computer has been placed in series with the fetal monitoring unit; sample data are obtained from the monitor every twentieth of a second and placed in a core memory bank. The core memory retains a complete ten-minute history of the patient's labor that is updated every twentieth of a second and analyzed by the computer every fiftieth of a second. The computer is programmed to analyze and compare fetal heart rates and patterns of uterine contraction so that conditions such as hypertonus, early deceleration, late deceleration, variable deceleration, etc., can be identified. In the event that these abnormalities appear, the computer is programmed to alarm and play back the ten-minute history prior to the appearance of the alarm condition and to record thereafter continuous real time data for analysis by the obstetrician.
The Equilibrium Size of the Financial Sector

Over the past 60 years, the value added of the U.S. financial sector has grown from 2.3%to 7.7% of GDP. I present a model of the equilibrium size of this industry and I studythe factors that might explain its evolution. According to the model, a shift in the jointdistribution of cash flows and investment opportunities across U.S. firms has increasedthe demand for financial services. Improvements in the relative efficiency of the finance industry also play a role. Without these improvements, a much larger fraction of firms would be financially constrained today.
Economists are from Mercury, Policymakers are from Saturn: The Tax Policy Implications of Communication Failure

Policymaking lawyers and economists are different types of people who come together in the policymaking realm. Sometimes policymakers rely on economic analysis to make decisions. Sometimes policymakers use economic analysis to support decisions already made. In particular, economic analysis has played a large role in the formation of tax and budgetary policy. However, there is a problem. Not only do economists and lawyers communicate differently, they think, perceive, react and respond differently. They almost seem to be from different planets, speaking different languages. While both lawyers and economists use “stories” to persuade, economic analysis cloaks the story in a complex mathematical model, opaque to those without training in economic theory. The results of economic modeling can obscure the decisions that policymakers and the public need to make — about the direction of the tax system, the nation, and the economy. This article examines the roles economists and lawyers play in the development and implementation of the income tax system.
An associationist model of the paranoid process: application of phase transitions in spreading activation networks.

(1992). An Associationist Model of the Paranoid Process: Application of Phase Transitions in Spreading Activation Networks. Psychiatry: Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 79-94.
Analysis of distance relay performance on shunt FACTS-compensated transmission lines

Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS) are widely and increasingly used in recent years to enhance transmission line capability and reliability. FACTS devices such as STATCOM can impact distance relay performance due to the fact that it changes power system quantities such as line impedances. Distance relay will mal-operate when STATCOM is connected and the transmission lines will lose the main objectives of using FACTS devices which are enhancement of capability and reliability. In this paper, we present detailed modeling and simulation of digital distance relay with three zones mho characteristics. We also verify the proposed model under a variety of fault types and fault locations. Analytical study on the effects of STATCOM on distance relay performance is examined. Analytical and simulation results are used to discuss the impact on the performance of distance relay for different modes and different STATCOM locations on transmission lines.
Frequency, Time Course, and Possible Causes of Right Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction after Cardiac Transplantation: A Single Center Experience

Background: The frequency and causes of right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction early after cardiac transplantation are not well defined. Methods: We investigated the prevalence and causes of RV dysfunction in 27 heart transplant recipients, as measured by lateral tricuspid annular plane excursion (TAPSE) and fractional area change (FAC) at a mean of 15 ± 11 days after transplant. Tissue Doppler imaging was used to assess systolic time velocity integral (TVI) of the RV basal free wall. A subset of 22 patients had follow-up TAPSE measurement at 406 ± 121 days. Results: RV systolic dysfunction, defined as TAPSE > 2 standard deviation (SD) below values in a control group, was present in 100% (27/27) of patients (P 2 SD below controls. Conclusion: This study showed that 100% of patients had reduced RV function early after transplant. Two thirds of patients had partial recovery of RV function during the first year. In all patients, however, RV function remained significantly lower than in controls.
The Demise of Central Banking and the Domestic Exchanges: Evidence from Antebellum Ohio

This article describes the institutional transition from a centrally managed interregional payments system to an unmanaged, decentralized one after President Andrew Jackson's veto of the rechartering of the Second Bank of the United States, and evaluates the effect on the level and variability of exchange rates. Comparison of the reduction in specie points, driven by falling transportation and insurance costs, with the reduction in exchange rates in two Ohio cities over the period from 1830 to 1859 lends support to the article's conclusion that decentralization was one cause of higher and more volatile inland exchange rates. j conomic historians remain divided on the question of the monetary L consequences of President Andrew Jackson's 1832 veto of the rechartering of the Second Bank of the United States. Bray Hammond held Jackson's veto responsible for the inflation of the late 1830s on the grounds that it unleashed excessive bank credit expansion. Hammond's view was soon overturned by the work of George Macesich, Peter Temin, and Hugh Rockoff, who established that international factors drove the rapid monetary expansion after the veto, not falling bank reserve ratios.1 But neither Hammond nor the New Economic Historians evaluated the economic impact of President Jackson's veto in terms of the primary centralbanking function that the Second Bank performed: central management of the domestic exchanges.2 This function had particular significance for the interior regions of the U.S. economy. Although the northeastern seaboard cities and their hinterlands had achieved a relatively high degree of monetary integration by the 181 Os, the monetary channels connecting interior regions to the seaboard were tenuous at best. This article asks how well the decentralized and unmanaged inland exchanges performed after the demise of the Second Bank from the perspec
Mycobacterium avium complex: Advances in therapy

DisseminatedMycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is one of the most common opportunistic infections in AIDS patients and is increasingly recognized as a significant pathogen in chronic pulmonary disease in nonimmunocompromised patients. Important progress in therapy has occurred over the last several years. In AIDS patients, multidrug therapy has been shown to be beneficial in terms of reducing circulating bacteremia and improving clinical symptoms. Clarithromycin and azithromycin, two broad-spectrum antimicrobials with minimal activity againstMycobacterium tuberculosis, have emerged as potent, well tolerated agents pivotal to treatment regimens. In AIDS patients, rifabutin prophylaxis reduced the frequency of MAC bacteremia by 50 % in two placebo controlled trials. Despite these advances, there remains a need for determining the optimal combination regimens for therapy, and more effective drugs for prophylaxis which are beneficial both in terms of survival and functional capacity of patients.
The Implications of Increased Survivorship for Mortality Variation in Aging Populations

The remarkable growth in life expectancy during the twentieth century inspired predictions of a future in which all people, not just a fortunate few, will live long lives ending at or near the maximum human life span. We show that increased longevity has been accompanied by less variation in ages at death, but survivors to the oldest ages have grown increasingly heterogeneous in their mortality risks. These trends are consistent across countries, and apply even to populations with record-low variability in the length of life. We argue that as a result of continuing improvements in survival, delayed mortality selection has shifted health disparities from early to later life, where they manifest in the growing inequalities in late-life mortality.
Glycerol kinase deficiency alters expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and insulin signaling

Glycerol kinase (GK) is at the interface of fat and carbohydrate metabolism and has been implicated in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. To define GK's role in insulin resistance, we examined gene expression in brown adipose tissue in a glycerol kinase knockout (KO) mouse model using microarray analysis. Global gene expression profiles of KO mice were distinct from wild type with 668 differentially expressed genes. These include genes involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, insulin signaling, and insulin resistance. Real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed the differential expression of selected genes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. PathwayAssist analysis confirmed direct and indirect connections between glycerol kinase and genes in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, insulin signaling, and insulin resistance. Network component analysis (NCA) showed that the transcription factors (TFs) PPAR-γ, SREBP-1, SREBP-2, STAT3, STAT5, SP1, CEBPα, CREB, GR and PPAR-α have altered activity in the KO mice. NCA also revealed the individual contribution of these TFs on the expression of genes altered in the microarray data. This study elucidates the complex network of glycerol kinase and further confirms a possible role for glycerol kinase deficiency, a simple Mendelian disorder, in insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, a common complex genetic disorder.
The influence of market demand upon innovation: A critical review of some recent empirical studies

Abstract A number of recent empirical studies of technical change at the level of the individual firm have concluded that market demand is the dominant influence upon the innovation process, “calling forth” innovations in market economies. The pace of innovation in the private sector heavily influences the growth of national output and productivity, and these studies and their conclusions have therefore received much attention, having been extensively quoted in discussions of appropriate government policy for the encouragement of innovation. This paper reviews a number of these studies and concludes that their findings, and the interpretations of their findings in the secondary literature, are seriously flawed and, in many cases, invalid. The proposition that market demand governs the innovation process is by no means conclusively demonstrated in these studies, and they are therefore inadequate and inappropriate guides for the formulation of policy. Most of the studies examined employ a working definition of “demand factors” which is so broad as to embrace a range of possible influences upon innovation which should more properly be classified elsewhere. The concept of demand utilized in these studies bears little resemblance to the more restrictive and precise definition of market demand found in economics. In addition, the phenomena analyzed in these studies are a very heterogeneous lot; the studies do not address identical empirical questions, and their findings are, as a result, neither uniform nor unambiguous. Both demand and supply side influences are crucial to understanding the innovation process, and it is the exclusive preoccupation with only one set of these forces which is criticized in this paper. Some implications of the criticism for government policy toward innovation are discussed in the conclusion.
Visual analytics for law enforcement: deploying a service-oriented analytic framework for web-based visualization

This paper presents key components of the Law Enforcement Information Framework (LEIF), an information system that provides communications, situational awareness, and visual analytics tools in a service-oriented architecture supporting web-based desktop and handheld device users. LEIF simplifies interfaces and visualizations of wellestablished visual analytic techniques to improve usability. Advanced analytics capability is maintained by enhancing the underlying processing to support the new interface. LEIF development is driven by real-world user feedback gathered through deployments at three operational law enforcement organizations in the U.S. The system incorporates a robust information ingest pipeline supporting a wide variety of information formats. LEIF also insulates interface and analytical components from information sources making it easier to adapt the framework for many different data repositories.
Counselor Credentialing and Interprofessional Collaboration

The history and development of counselor credentialing are presented, including the dimensions of standards, accreditation, certification, and licensure. Unresolved issues critical to the success of interprofessional collaboration are analyzed. The authors offer predictions for the future of the nonmedical mental health professions, based on their assessment that collaboration is an essential but often neglected ingredient.
Flow Cytometry Applications for Exotic Animals

This article describes applications of flow cytometry in hematology. It includes a basic description of how flow cytometers work and their use in enumerating cell populations based on phenotypic markers and measurement of cell functions. Challenges presented by limitations of reagents for exotic animals are described in addition to sources of cross-reactive antibodies.
Effect of temperature on motor responses in organophosphate intoxication.

We studied the effect of temperature on median motor responses in a 41-year-old man with organophosphate intoxication. At 32°C, a normal amplitude compound motor action potential (CMAP) and a smaller spontaneous repetitive discharge (SRMAP) were present. With warming to 39°C, the CMAP amplitude decreased 20%, while the SRMAP amplitude decreased 33%. With cooling to 14°C, the CMAP amplitude decreased 9%, while the SRMAP became unobtainable. Possible mechanisms for these findings are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 21:958–960, 1998.
Circular avoiding sequences with prescribed sum

Abstract For given positive integers x, n , and s an x -avoiding circular sequence (of positive integers) of length n and sum s has no set of consecutive terms summing to x , even if wraparound is allowed. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of such a sequence is obtained. An effective method to construct avoiding sequences is given. For the cases of most interest the number of avoiding sequences is found.
Dynamic In Vivo Changes in Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases 1 and 2, and Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 and 9, During Prostaglandin F2α-Induced Luteolysis in Sheep

Abstract Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) typically initiates a cascade of events that leads to the functional and structural demise of the corpus luteum. A sheep model was used in which a 1-h, systemic infusion of PGF2α (20 μg/min) is given at midcycle. Such an infusion mimics the onset of spontaneous luteolysis by causing a transient decrease in peripheral plasma progesterone, which reaches a nadir (∼60% of controls) at 8 h but returns to control levels by 16–24 h. We investigated whether PGF2α also influenced the endogenous protein levels of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, and matrix metalloproteinases, MMP-2 and MMP-9, all of which have been implicated in remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Corpora lutea (Day 11) were collected at 0 h and at 1, 8, 16, and 24 h post-PGF2α infusion (n = 3 sheep at each time). Immunoblot analysis revealed an immediate and precipitous decline in TIMP-1 (30 kDa) and TIMP-2 (19 kDa) protein levels (60% and 90%, respectively; P < 0.05) at the 1...
Intersystem crossing from singlet states of molecular dimers and monomers in mixed molecular crystals: picosecond stimulated photon echo experiments

An experimental study of the excited-state dynamics of pentacene dimers and monomers in p-terphenyl host crystals is presented. Picosecond stimulated photon echoes, picosecond photon echoes, and fluorescence lifetime measurements are used to study intersystem crossing and homogeneous dephasing of delocalized dimers and monomers at 1.8 K. It is found that the dimer states can have intersystem crossing rate constants which are orders of magnitude greater than the corresponding monomers. Three mechanisms are considered to explain the differences between dimer and monomer intersystem crossing. Fluorescence lifetime measurements and photon echo measurements demonstrate that the only source of homogeneous line broadening at 1.8 K is population relaxation. These measurements combined with the stimulated echo measurements show that differences in lifetimes exhibited by the various dimer and various monomer sites are due solely to differences in intersystem crossing rate constants.
Seasonal changes in water and fat content and fatty acid composition of the catkin buds of Alaska willow (Salix alaxensis).

Catkin buds of Salix alaxensis from interior Alaska were analyzed for water and lipid content and fatty acid composition throughout the year. Water content was significantly correlated with environmental temperature, but lipid content was not. Linoleic acid (18:2) and arachidic acid (20:0) were predominant in the lipids of whole catkins.Of the 27 different fatty acids found in all weekly samples, 11 showed pronounced seasonal variation, most of which occurred during catkin development and flowering in spring. During winter, only the amount of linoleic acid in the catkins was significantly negatively correlated with change in ambient temperature.Histological and chemical analyses of the catkin florets and catkin scales revealed that 99% of the linoleic acid was located in the florets primarily in the form of triglycerides while 94% of the arachidic acid was located in the catkin scale primarily as wax esters. While the linoleic acid in the triglycerides of the meristematic florets probably provides an energy source for the developing catkins, the large amounts of arachidic acid located in the catkin scales probably serves to prevent dessication of the catkins during the long, cold and dry arctic winters.