cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gliocladium virens in an alginate prill ineffective as a biological control of Fusarium root disease in container-grown Douglas-fir

An alginate prill formulation of Gliocladium virens (GL-21) was added as a top-dressings (54 g per m2) or incorporated into medium (1.2 kg per m3) used to grow Douglas-fir seedlings in styrofoam containers. Seedlings in the top-dress treatment were similar to control seedlings; infection and colonization by naturally-occurring Fusarium was unaffected by treatment. Incorporated G. virens reduced seedling growth and increased occurrence and colonization intensity of Fusarium. In a laboratory experiment, inoculating Douglas-fir seedlings with G. virens (10% w/w) prior to inoculation with Fusarium increased survival time when compared to concurrent inoculations of fungi.
Association of an acute pain service with postoperative outcomes following pancreaticoduodenectomy

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effect of implementing the combination of thoracic epidural analgesia and multimodal analgesia by a dedicated acute pain service on opioid co...
Delivering family planning and preconception care to women with diabetes: Implementation challenges and promising strategies

Diabetes is increasingly prevalent among women of reproductive age and during pregnancy. The American Diabetes Association, which has called for improvements in the patient-centeredness of care, recommends preconception counseling and care for women of reproductive age with diabetes. However, data suggests this care is not sufficiently delivered. In this article, we describe demographic shifts in the need for preconception care and outline several changes at the clinical encounter as well as the health system- and community-levels that can help improve the delivery of diabetes-specific preconception care.
Emergency Department Versus Operating Suite Intubation in Operative Trauma Patients: Does Location Matter?

Decreasing the time from patient arrival to definitive surgical care in injured patients requiring an operation improves outcomes. We sought to study the effect of intubation location (emergency department versus operating suite) on time to definitive surgical care. We hypothesized that patients requiring emergency surgical interventions intubated in the emergency department would have shorter times to definitive care when compared to patients intubated in the operating suite. All injured patients with a preoperative emergency department dwell time of less than 30 min and undergoing emergency operative procedures with the trauma surgery service at an urban Level I center (2010–2017) were analyzed. Demographics, clinical variables, and outcomes were assessed in relation to emergency department intubation versus operating suite intubation. The primary study endpoint was time to initiation of definitive surgical care, defined as the total elapsed time from emergency department arrival until operating room incision time. To investigate the relationship between clinical variables and time, multivariable regression was performed. In total, 241 patients were included. In total, 138 patients were intubated in the emergency department and 103 patients were intubated in the operative suite. There was no difference between patients intubated in the emergency department and those intubated in the operating room with respect to age, gender, injury mechanism, initial heart rate or systolic blood pressure. Emergency department patients were more likely to sustain post-intubation, traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest (8.0 vs. 0.9%; p = 0.014). No statistical difference in total elapsed time from arrival to definitive surgical care was appreciated between study groups (41 vs. 43 min; p = 0.064). After controlling for clinical variables, emergency department intubation was not associated with time to definitive care (p = 0.386) in the multiple variable regression analysis. When emergency department and operative suite intubation patients were compared, emergency department intubation did not decrease total elapsed time until definitive surgery but was associated with post-intubation, traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest.
Routine Early Antibiotic use in SymptOmatic preterm Neonates (REASON): a prospective randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objective We aim to assess the feasibility of a pragmatic randomized trial of antibiotics vs. no antibiotics in symptomatic premature infants after birth. Most premature infants are exposed to antibiotics after birth without evidence of benefit or harm for this practice. No study to date has attempted to randomize premature infants to antibiotics vs no antibiotics after birth. Study Design Infants Results 186 subjects were enrolled (98 infants and 88 mothers) were enrolled over a 2-year period. 56% of infants (n=55) were randomized; 48% of infants randomized to the no antibiotics arm were switched and received antibiotics within the first 48 hours after birth. Serious adverse events were not significantly different between the randomization arms. Conclusion This is the first prospective randomized trial of antibiotics vs no antibiotics after birth in symptomatic premature infants. The results of this trial establish a framework of feasibility for a larger multicentered trial that is needed to evaluate the risks and benefits of routine antibiotic exposure in premature infants.
Primary Parathyroid Tumors of the Mediastinum

We describe 17 cases (9 women, 8 men; aged 36 to 72 years) of primary parathyroid tumors occurring primarily in the anterior mediastinum. Clinically and radiologically, all patients had an anterior mediastinal tumor. All patients had metabolic disturbances with calcium and phosphorus. Of 17 patients, 13 had clinical primary hyperparathyroidism, 1 had secondary hyperparathyroidism due to polycystic kidney disease, and 1 had a history of prostatic carcinoma and 1 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In 1 patient, the tumor was found at autopsy. Grossly, the tumors varied in size from 2 to 7 cm in greatest dimension. Histologically, 2 tumors showed features of parathyroid carcinoma, and 15 tumors showed more conventional features of parathyroid adenomas. Six tumors were predominantly oncocytic, 6 were composed predominantly of chief cells, and 3 had mixed cellular composition. Immunohistochemical studies for chromogranin, synaptophysin, low-molecular-weight keratin (CAM 5.2), and parathyroid hormone were performed in 10 cases (8 parathyroid adenomas and 2 parathyroid carcinomas). All the tumors examined showed variable positive reaction for those antibodies. The cases highlight the importance of keeping primary parathyroid tumors in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal tumors.
Everything Gets Better with Age: Traditional College-Aged Student Perspectives on Older Adult Auditors in Multigenerational Classrooms

As part of a larger mixed-method evaluation of a college-affiliated lifelong learning program, this thematic analysis describes the experiences of traditional college-aged students (n = 61) enrolle...
‘The school is the link between the Jewish community and the surrounding milieu’: education and the Jews of Iran from the mid-1940s to the late 1960s

In a 1946 letter to the president of the Alliance Israelite Universelle (referred to hereafter as ‘Alliance’), Benoit Gabbay, born in Isfahan in 1897, reported on the state of the Jewish community ...
Determinants Associated With Longitudinal Adherence to Annual Lung Cancer Screening: A Retrospective Analysis of Claims Data.

Abstract Objective Lung cancer screening (LCS) efficacy is highly dependent on adherence to annual screening, but little is known about real-world adherence determinants. We used insurance claims data to examine associations between LCS annual adherence and demographic, comorbidity, health care usage, and geographic factors. Materials and Methods Insurance claims data for all individuals with an LCS low-dose CT scan were obtained from the Colorado All Payer Claims Dataset. Adherence was defined as a second claim for a screening CT 10 to 18 months after the index claim. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to define the relationship between annual adherence and age, gender, insurance type, residence location, outpatient health care usage, and comorbidity burden. Results After exclusions, the final data set consisted of 9,056 records with 3,072 adherent, 3,570 nonadherent, and 2,414 censored (unclassifiable) individuals. Less adherence was associated with ages 55 to 59 (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.80, 99% confidence interval [CI] = 0.67-0.94), 60 to 64 (HR = 0.83, 99% CI = 0.71-0.97), and 75 to 79 (HR = 0.79, 99% CI = 0.65-0.97); rural residence (HR = 0.56, 99% CI = 0.43-0.73); Medicare fee-for-service (HR = 0.45, 99% CI = 0.39-0.51), and Medicaid (HR = 0.50, 99% CI = 0.40-0.62). A significant interaction between outpatient health care usage and comorbidity was also observed. Increased outpatient usage was associated with increased adherence and was most pronounced for individuals without comorbidities. Conclusions This population-based description of LCS adherence determinants provides insight into populations that might benefit from specific interventions targeted toward improving adherence and maximizing LCS benefit. Quantifying population-based adherence rates and understanding factors associated with annual adherence are critical to improving screening adherence and reducing lung cancer death.
Telling to Heal: Mending Our Fractured Mindbodyspirit

Informed by our subjectivities and experiences at a Hispanic serving institution (HSI), as scholars from the margins of society—working-class, im/migrant Mexicana and Jewish—as mujeres and first-ge...
Resilience: Some Conceptual Considerations in the Case of AI

The devastating impacts of coronavirus have recently shaken up the world. This pandemic has changed every individual's life, forcing them to adapt to a new normal to survive the deadly disease. With these adjustments, technology has never been more needed than today to stay connected, stay productive, and receive important news. Though people are getting used to the new normal, it is essential to understand technology's role. Resiliency is an important concept to look at during the pandemic. It is crucial to understand how technology has helped individuals, communities, and infrastructures become more resilient. The purpose of this paper is to gain a deeper understanding of resiliency through previous literature. Though resiliency has become a study over the years, it is relatively new in artificial intelligence (AI). By reviewing different resilient models and systems from preceding literature and their impact on various kinds of situations, there will be an understanding of the term resilience and how various frameworks and scales will help create a pandemic management model. Discussing how the various kinds of resilience have helped people and Infrastructure during the pandemic will allow researchers and other professionals to understand resiliency and prepare for future disturbances. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Complex Adaptive Systems Conference, June 2021.
Regulations Concerning Food Animal Drug Use

As a Veterinary Technician, you are involved daily in the practice of administering medications to animals. These administrations may be done according to the label directions, or the treatment regimen may be altered from the label. This altered use is referred to as extralabel, or off-label use. The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA) has moved extralabel drug use in veterinary medicine from an approach of "illegal but tolerated if you do it this way" to "legal if you follow specific guidelines". This paper presents portions of the AMDUCA regulations as published in the Federal Register. These sections have been selected to highlight key areas of the regulations and should not be treated as the full text of the regulations. Directions for obtaining the full text of appropriate documents are included below. In addition, anyone working with dairy animals should be aware of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) regulations and their state regulations regarding drugs on dairies.
Direct Damping Feedback Control Using Power Electronics-Interfaced Resources

This paper proposes a direct damping feedback control method. By real-time changing the power output of power electronics-interfaced resources, this method aims to control the damping ratio of a targeted oscillation mode to a desired value. It adopts a proportional-integral controller tuned for a nonlinear single-input-single-output model. The model approximates the re-al-time dynamic process of damping estimation and control for the targeted mode represented by a single-oscillator power system equivalent. The paper also proposes utilizing the zero-th order parametric resonance phenomenon to simplify the design of this new control method. The parameters of the controller are optimized considering both robustness and time performance of damping control. Tests on a single-machine-infinite-bus system and a 140-bus 48-machine Northeast Power Coordinating Council system validate the effectiveness of the proposed damping controller utilizing battery-based energy storage systems.
On the genus of Z 3 × Z 3 × Z 3

We prove that the group ℤ 3 × ℤ 3 × ℤ 3 has orientable genus 7 and improve on the known bounds for the non-orientable genus.
Severe oral lesions in chickens caused by ingestion of dietary fusariotoxin T-2.

Abstract Fusariotoxin T-2 is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium tricinctum which was implicated in moldy corn toxicosis of farm animals. Graded concentrations of dietary fusariotoxin T-2 (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 μg/g, respectively) were given to groups of 40 chickens. Raised yellowish-white lesions on the mouth parts were produced by all concentrations, and the size of the lesions was dose-related. The growth rate was reduced significantly (P < 0.05) by concentrations of 4, 8, and 16 μg/g. The mouth fluid of the affected birds contained greatly increased numbers of bacteria, including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli, which proved avirulent when inoculated into scarified tissue of control birds. Microscopy examinations of the lesions revealed a fibrinous surface layer, intermediate layers containing invaginations filled with rods and cocci, and a heavy infiltration of the underlying tissues with granular leukocytes. These data suggest that the role of fusariotoxin T-2 in field cases of moldy corn toxicosis should be reinvestigated since oral lesions were not mentioned in the original descriptions of the disease. However, the lesions bear some features of those characteristic of the third or septic angina stage of alimentary toxic aleukia, a nutritional toxicosis of humans produced by eating grains infested with F. tricinctum.
Chapter 68 Calculation of 4f excitation energies in the metals and relevance to mixed valence systems

Publisher Summary The chapter describes the calculation of 4f excitation energies in the metals and relevance to mixed valence system. Largely the opulent diversity of electronic and magnetic properties manifested by lanthanide materials arises from the existence of an open shell of atomic-like 4f electrons. A number of challenging theoretical problems accompanies the panoply of physical phenomena, not only for the exotic mixed valence systems but for comparatively simpler materials such as the metals as well. This chapter treats one of these issues, the calculation of 4f electron excitation energies in the lanthanide metals. Measurement of the excitation energies is one of the principal achievements of the high-energy spectroscopies that form the subject of the chapter. The chapter describes the renormalized atom (RA) method, which offers a means both for combining the atomic and band approximations and for obtaining the requisite total energies. The chapter concentrates on relativistic results and describes a qualitatively different approach relying on the use of a Born-Haber cycle coupled with thermochemical information that is the only other systematic investigation of 4f promotion energies.
Compiling PLAN to SNAP

PLAN( Packet Language for Active Networks) [3] is a highly flexible and usable active packet language, whereas SNAP (Safe and Nimble Active Packets) [12] offers significant resource usage safety and achieves much higher performance compared to PLAN, but at the cost of flexibility and usability. Ideally, we would like to combine the good properties of PLANw ith those of SNAP. We have achieved this end by developing a compiler that translates PLANi nto SNAP. The compiler allows us to achieve the flexibility and usability of PLAN, but with the safety and efficiency of SNAP. In this paper, we describe both languages, highlighting the features that require special compilation techniques. We then present the details of our compiler and experimental results to evaluate our compiler with respect to code size.
Pattern formation and time-dependence in flowing sand

We describe three experiments characterizing the dynamics of sand flowing from a hopper. In the first experiment, we have measured time-dependence in the normal stress caused by sand flowing from a hopper in order to test recent predictions by Pitman and Schaeffer. In the second experiment, we have used fast X-ray transmission imaging techniques to follow the evolution of patterns and the propagation of fronts associated with the patterns. The patterns are seen in rough faceted sand but not in smooth sand of the same size. In mixtures of rough and smooth sand, the amplitude of the patterns vanishes smoothly as X, the mass fraction of rough sand, falls below 0.22. In the third experiment we looked for the change between mass and funnel flow. In funnel flow, the material is stagnant near the hopper walls, and the flow is typically complex; in mass flow there is smooth “laminar” flow throughout the hopper. Contrary to expectations, funnel flow was observed over a wide range of hopper opening angles θ, spanning 19° < θ < 80°. Finally, we describe cellular automata models for the flow of sand which reproduce a number of the features seen in the experiments.
Policing the Metropole: Bombay and its Others, a Film Review

Title: Bombay, Our City, Director: Anand Patwardhan. Distributor: First Run/Icarus Films, New York, Released: 1985, Length: 57 minutes, color, with subtitles
Harmonizing the Nation: Women's Voices and Development in Zimbabwean Cinema

THE LAST DECADE witnessed the birth of Zimbabwean cinema, long delayed by colonialism, revolution, and scarcity. Today's feature films, which rely on international donors, promote development and gender equity. Despite their dependence on foreign funds and technologies, these films challenge the hegemony of Hollywood and engage with local values, contributing to the emerging national culture of Zimbabwe. The new cinema emphasizes the agency of the oppressed, particularly women, and strives to give voice in a popular medium to those silenced by patriarchal, authoritarian, and neocolonial interests. [Africa, Zimbabwe, Film, Women, Development] Neria (Zimbabwe, 1991, English, 103 min.) Production House: Media for Development Trust Director: Godwin Maruru Flame (Zimbabwe, 1996, English, 85 min.) Production House: Black &White Film Co. Director: Ingrid Sinclair Everyone's Child (Zimbabwe, 1996, English, 85 min.) Production House: Media for Development Trust Director: Tsitsi Dangarembga
Outcomes and acute toxicities of proton therapy for pediatric atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor of the central nervous system

Purpose Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) of the central nervous system is a rare cancer primarily affecting children younger than 5 years old. Because patients are young and receive intensive chemotherapy, there is concern regarding late radiation toxicity, particularly as survival rates improve. Therefore, there is interest in using proton therapy to treat these tumors. This study was undertaken to investigate outcomes and acute toxicities associated with proton therapy for AT/RT. Methods and Materials The records of 31 patients with AT/RT treated with proton radiation from October 2008 to August 2013 were reviewed. Demographics, treatment characteristics, and outcomes were recorded and analyzed. Results Median age at diagnosis was 19 months (range, 4-55 months), with a median age at radiation start of 24 months (range, 6-62 months). Seventeen patients received local radiation with a median dose of 50.4 GyRBE (range, 9-54 GyRBE). Fourteen patients received craniospinal radiation; half received 24 GyRBE or less, and half received 30.6 GyRBE or more. For patients receiving craniospinal radiation, the median tumor dose was 54 GyRBE (range, 43.2-55.8 GyRBE). Twenty-seven patients (87%) completed the planned radiation. With median follow-up of 24 months for all patients (range, 3-53 months), median progression-free survival was 20.8 months and median overall survival was 34.3 months. Five patients (16%) developed clinical findings and imaging changes in the brainstem 1 to 4 months after radiation, consistent with radiation reaction; all cases resolved with steroids or bevacizumab. Conclusions This is the largest report of children with AT/RT treated with proton therapy. Preliminary survival outcomes in this young pediatric population are encouraging compared to historic results, but further study is warranted.
Nickel and platinum ohmic contacts to polycrystalline 3C-silicon carbide

Abstract Nickel and platinum contacts to n-type doped polycrystalline 3C-SiC (poly-3C-SiC) were characterized by the circular transmission line method (CTLM) at room temperature and 300 °C. The poly-3C-SiC films were deposited at 800 °C using 1,3-disilabutane single precursor in a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) reactor, and were in situ nitrogen doped using NH3. Nickel contacts to poly-3C-SiC showed ohmic characteristics at room temperature, with contact resistivity varying with the doping content of poly-3C-SiC films and reaching the minimum value of 1.6 × 10−6 Ω cm2. The contact resistivity increased to 1.3 × 10−5 Ω cm2 after the contact was annealed at 300 °C in air. Platinum contact to poly-3C-SiC was also ohmic with an as-deposited contact resistivity of 1.2 × 10−5 Ω cm2, but better thermal stability. A stable ohmic contact at 300 °C was achieved with a contact resistivity of about 3.6 × 10−5 Ω cm2 on Pt contacts to poly-3C-SiC films.
Stereoselective binding properties of naproxen glucuronide diastereomers to proteins

The stability of naproxen glucuronide (NAP-G) diastereomers was investigated in buffer, 0.3% and 3% human serum albumin (HSA) solutions, and human plasma.R-NAP-G was found to be less stable in phosphate buffer than itsS-diastereomer, whereas incubation media containing protein in general increased the degradation rate of NAP-G but also caused a change of the stereoselective stability where theR-NAP-G was more stable thanS-NAP-G. Reversible binding of NAP-Gs to HSA (0.3%) was investigated and compared with the corresponding properties of naproxen (NAP) enantiomers. NAP-G diastereomers exibited a considerable and stereoselective affinity to HSA, although less than that observed for the NAP enantiomers.In vitro irreversible binding of NAP-Gs to HSA, human and rat plasma proteins was also investigated. Irreversible binding was higher forR-NAP-G (50 μM) than forS-NAP-G (50 μM) in all incubation media. This stereoselective difference was observed with HSA containing medium as well as in rat and human plasma. Incubation with unconjugated NAP did not lead to irreversible binding. Preincubation of HSA with acetylsalicylic acid (≈ 11 mM) and glucuronic acid (50 mM) decreased the extent of irreversible binding suggesting involvement of lysine residues for covalent binding. Preincubation withS-NAP also decreased the irreversible binding yield.
Hardly a Walk in the Park: Examining Disability Through a Mother's Eyes

This essay explores narratives of mothering a child with disabilities. The narratives reflect the author's personal experience raising a disabled child and the experiences of three other mothers also raising children with disabilities. This study takes the reader on a journey of exploration into how mothers of disabled children navigate public spaces that presume normalcy, manage the emotions of raising a nontypical child in a typical world, and learn what it really means to be a mother—and a person.
On the Exact Covariance of Products of Random Variables

Abstract For the general case of jointly distributed random variables x and y, Goodman [3] derives the exact variance of the product xy. For the special case where x and y are stochastically independent, he provides a simpler expression for the exact variance. We offer a weaker set of assumptions which suffices to yield the simpler expression. We then extend Goodman's analysis to present the exact covariance of two products xy and uv, and sketch several specializations and applications.
Measuring job stressors and studying the health impact of the work environment : an epidemiologic commentary

This article provides a commentary on 5 articles in the special section that marshal a substantial amount of information about 4 instruments for measuring work stress. The perspective is that of psychosocial epidemiology and highlights the differences between the environmental and the psychological traditions of studying stress and health. Several issues are addressed: (a) placing the 4 measures in a broader taxonomy of dimensions of work environment and evaluating the measures in that context, (b) discussing alternative strategies for measuring job strains, (c) analyzing some of the issues in the triviality debate, and (d) reconsidering a number of issues in the ongoing debate about "subjective" versus "objective" measurement approaches to work dimensions.
Acute Limb Ischemia

Acute limb ischemia occurs when there is an abrupt interruption of blood flow to an extremity usually because of either embolic or thrombotic vascular occlusion. When profound ischemia ensues, this represents an emergency in which restoration of perfusion through early intervention can lead to limb salvage, whereas delay may result in significant morbidity, including limb loss and, potentially, death. Patients in whom urgent or semi-urgent surgical or endovascular revascularization is indicated may undergo catheter angiography unless there is a contraindication, such as profound critical limb ischemia, renal dysfunction, or contrast allergy. Alternative imaging modalities include ultrasound, contrast-enhanced computed tomographic angiography, and magnetic resonance angiography. The clinical degree of the ischemic insult will determine the most appropriate course of management, as severely ischemic limbs may require immediate surgical revascularization, while endovascular interventions, such as catheter-directed thrombolysis, may be appropriate in patients with moderate ischemia. Additionally, many percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy devices are being used or undergoing clinical evaluation, either alone or in combination with pharmacologic thrombolysis, for the treatment of acute limb-threatening ischemia. In this article, we present our approach to an acutely ischemic limb, with a focus on the pertinent aspects of endovascular intervention.
Yield Response of Soybean to Partial and Total Defoliation during the Seed‐Filling Period

Understanding how defoliation affects soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield during the seed-filling period will aid in making management recommendations for control of stresses that reduce yield through defoliation. Because previous research has studied defoliation effects at only one or two specific stages of seed filling, our objective was to gain a greater understanding of the mechanisms for yield reduction with defoliation at weekly intervals across the seed-filling period. Defoliations were conducted from the bottom of the canopy upward to mimic the progress of soybean rust. Two experiments, one in Kentucky (38° N lat) and the other in Louisiana (30° N lat), were conducted in randomized complete block designs in split-split plot arrangements with four replications. Main plots were two cultivars, split plots were defoliation timings at weekly intervals during seed filling, and split-split plots were defoliation levels of 0, 33, 66, and 100% leaf removal. Data were obtained on yield and several growth dynamic and yield component factors. Defoliation-induced yield losses corresponded more closely with percentage of light interception reductions than percentage of leaf area reductions. During the R5 to R6 period, defoliation levels sufficient to reduce light interception by 18 to 23% were required to cause yield loss. Yield losses from total defoliation were greatest at early seed filling (78%) but gradually diminished as seed filling progressed. Each 0.1 delay in developmental stage resulted in a 5% decline in yield loss.
Triple Negative Breast Tumors in African-American and Hispanic/Latina Women Are High in CD44+, Low in CD24+, and Have Loss of PTEN

Background African-American women have higher mortality from breast cancer than other ethnic groups. The association between poor survival and differences with tumor phenotypes is not well understood. The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical significance of (1) Stem cell-like markers CD44 and CD24; (2) PI3K/Akt pathway associated targets PTEN, activation of Akt, and FOXO1; and (3) the Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) in different breast cancer subtypes, and compare the differences between African-American and Hispanic/Latina women who have similar social-economic-status.
Extending Occupy Wall Street's message and critique

The Occupy Wall Street movement and the related manifestations of popular outrage at actually existing capitalism invites a dialogue. In this essay I develop themes stressed by Occupy while extending its critique. Three related subject areas are discussed. The first discusses inequality found in its various dimensions and significances in the United States. Second, the paper expands on understanding inequality, seeing it as the root of the contemporary economic crisis itself and suggests that failure to address extremes in inequality of income, wealth and power will mean repeated economic crises that in an interdependent transnational economy are likely to be qualitatively different than previous crises as experienced and dealt with at the level of the nation-state. Third, capitalism working as it normally does is a problem even when we are not in a deep crisis period for reasons that have to do with incentives that are dependent on and re-enforced by extreme inequalities of income, wealth and power but t...
Three-dimensional, time-dependent MHD simulations of interplanetary plasmoids

The paper presents a three-dimensional time-dependent simulation of a solar-ejected diamagnetic plasmoid that retains its closed topology to and beyond earth. It is assumed in this case that, before entering the computational domain, the plasmoid already exists at or near the sun. A simulation is also presented for a plasmoid that is formed in the corona near the sun or in the interplanetary medium as a consequence of the reconnection of opposite-directed IMF lines. The plasma and magnetic properties of the expanding plasmoid as it moves toward an observer at 1 AU are described.
Parser Adaptation and Projection with Quasi-Synchronous Grammar Features

We connect two scenarios in structured learning: adapting a parser trained on one corpus to another annotation style, and projecting syntactic annotations from one language to another. We propose quasi-synchronous grammar (QG) features for these structured learning tasks. That is, we score a aligned pair of source and target trees based on local features of the trees and the alignment. Our quasi-synchronous model assigns positive probability to any alignment of any trees, in contrast to a synchronous grammar, which would insist on some form of structural parallelism. In monolingual dependency parser adaptation, we achieve high accuracy in translating among multiple annotation styles for the same sentence. On the more difficult problem of cross-lingual parser projection, we learn a dependency parser for a target language by using bilingual text, an English parser, and automatic word alignments. Our experiments show that unsupervised QG projection improves on parses trained using only high-precision projected annotations and far outperforms, by more than 35% absolute dependency accuracy, learning an unsupervised parser from raw target-language text alone. When a few target-language parse trees are available, projection gives a boost equivalent to doubling the number of target-language trees.
Prediction of inhibitor binding free energies by quantum neural networks. Nucleoside analogues binding to trypanosomal nucleoside hydrolase.

A computational method has been developed to predict inhibitor binding energy for untested inhibitor molecules. A neural network is trained from the electrostatic potential surfaces of known inhibitors and their binding energies. The algorithm is then able to predict, with high accuracy, the binding energy of unknown inhibitors. IU-nucleoside hydrolase from Crithidia fasciculata and the inhibitor molecules described previously [Miles, R. W. Tyler, P. C. Evans, G. Furneaux R. H., Parkin, D. W., and Schramm, V. L. (1999) Biochemistry 38, xxxx-xxxx] are used as the test system. Discrete points on the molecular electrostatic potential surface of inhibitor molecules are input to neural networks to identify the quantum mechanical features that contribute to binding. Feed-forward neural networks with back-propagation of error are trained to recognize the quantum mechanical electrostatic potential and geometry at the entire van der Waals surface of a group of training molecules and to predict the strength of inte...
Institutional Change and Factor Movement in Major League Baseball: An Examination of the Coase Theorem’s Invariance Principle

One version of the Coase Theorem suggests that the distribution of resources is invariant to the assignment of rights. The lack of real world examples has made empirical tests difficult. However, such a ‘rights’ change did occur in Major League Baseball in the 1970s where the ‘rights’ of players were switched from owners to players. We examine whether this change impacted the distribution of players. In the end, the characteristics of player movement do appear to have been impacted by the re-assignment of rights and therefore, calls into question the relevance of this version of the Coase Theorem.
Adolescents' experiences using the contraceptive patch versus pills.

Abstract Study Objective To compare use of the weekly transdermal contraceptive patch (patch) with daily combined hormonal contraceptive pills (pills) in adolescents. Design Prospective longitudinal study of adolescents’ self-selected (non-randomized) use of the patch or pills. Setting Urban, university hospital-affiliated, adolescent outpatient clinic. Participants 13–22-year-old female adolescents seeking hormonal contraception, 40 who chose the patch and 40 who chose pills. Interventions Data were collected via self-report on paper questionnaires at three-cycle intervals for a total of up to nine cycles. Main Outcome Measures Method continuation, perfect use, method satisfaction, quality of life, and side effects, including menstrual changes and perceived mood changes. Results After nine cycles, 38% of patch users and 60% of pill users were still using the method they had chosen at enrollment. There were no significant differences between the groups in self-reported perfect use. No differences were found in quality of life or side effects. Both patch and pill users noted menses became lighter and more predictable and reported decreased depression prior to their menses; only the pill group reported improvement in premenstrual anger. Method satisfaction was similar in both groups except patch users were more likely to report that their contraceptive method improved normal daily activities. Conclusions Despite apparent advantages of the patch over the pill, adolescents using both methods continue to face challenges achieving perfect and sustained contraceptive use.
Characterizing in situ Glycerophospholipids with SIMS and MALDI Methodologies.

The dual functionality of a C60+-Q-Star hybrid instrument allows for the examination of complex lipid profiles with both MALDI and SIMS methodologies.1 The difficulties associated with characterizing lipids in situ—isobaric interference and salt contamination—are discussed. The inherent advantages of both methodologies were used to deconvolute complex lipid spectra and establish characteristic fragmentation pathways. The high lateral resolution of SIMS allows for single cell images of aplysia californica neurons, while the established protocols were utilized to identify a major lipid component. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Liposome and Cyclodextrin Entrapment on Retardation of Glutathione Decomposition of Nitroimidazolyl Sulfones

A new class of radiosensitizing pharmaceuticals derived from 4-nitro-5-imidazolyl sulfones has its clinical potential compromised by a metabolic reaction with plasma glutathione which leads to a much less active metabolite. Entrapment of two members of the class in three different liposomes, one polymerized liposome, and a β-cyclodextrin system has shown that this glutathione condensation can be suppressed by a rate factor of nearly 50-fold. Stabilizations of these metabolically labile radiosensitizers appear to relate to their lipid−buffer partition coefficients and to the fluidity of the liposome membrane in which they are entrapped.
Composing with Algorithms: An Interview with David Cope

10 Computer Music Journal David Cope (see Figure 1) is a well-known composer, programmer, author and, since 1977, Professor of Music at the University of California, Santa Cruz. His five books (Cope 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, and 2005), four recordings (Cope 1994, 1997, 1999, 2003), and many published articles on his program Experiments in Musical Intelligence, affectionately known as “Emmy,” describe 25 years of research into musical style simulation and related topics including musical recombinance, pattern matching, allusions, structure, and form detection. Table 1 presents a listing of Mr. Cope’s compositions (spanning fifty years as of 2006) and a general description of Emmy’s prodigious output. As a writer and colleague of Mr. Cope at UCSC, I have been tracking the evolution of Emmy since its inception in the mid 1980s. This interview, concentrating on Mr. Cope’s views on algorithms and music, is a distillation of approximately six hours of recorded conversation as well as occasional notes and correspondence.
Heterogeneous Evacuation Responses to Storm Forecast Attributes

This paper investigates the variation in the effects of key storm forecast factors on hypothetical evacuation decisions collected from a mail survey using a random-effects probit model with heterogeneity. Results indicate that once heterogeneity is accounted for, wind speed and landfall time are the only two significant storm forecast attributes. Further, through the use of interaction terms between the forecast attributes and individual-specific indicators, the impact of the forecast factors were found to vary significantly across race, gender, the presence of disabled persons, and geography.
Age-dependent correlation of motor performance with neurotransmitter synthetic enzyme activities in mice.

The performance of male C57BL/6J mice (Mus musculus) was assessed in a battery of tests designed to detect age-related losses in motor abilities and also to examine individual differences within age groups. Studied were 4-, 18-, and 24-month-old mice. Within 5 days following the completion of the behavioral battery, the mice were killed, and brain tissue was taken for determinations of choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6), l -glutamic acid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.15) and tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.16.2) activities in the frontoparietal + temporal + occipital cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum. Two composite test scores were derived for each animal. The first composite score comprised measurements of locomotor activity, and the second reflected strength and coordination abilities. Test scores included in each composite correlated highly with that composite score, but not with the other composite. This observation suggests that there is a high degree of internal consistency for the composite scores and that the composite scores represent independent behavioral factors. Significant correlations between the composite scores and regional enzyme activities were detected; these correlations varied with age. In most cases, the sign (+, −) of the correlation was reversed at 24 months as compared with 4 months of age. These results suggest that the relations between performance and enzyme activities vary with age, and may reflect altered neurotransmitter function during senescence. This work serves as an example of how direct correlational analyses may help to elucidate behavioral-neurochemical interactions in aging.
Evanescent wave absorption measurements of corroded materials using ATR and optical fibers

The purpose of this research effort is to develop an in-situ corrosion sensing capability. The technique will permit detection of corrosion on and within aircraft structures. This includes component junctions that are susceptible to corrosion but which are not accessible for visual inspection. The prototype experimental configuration we are developing includes long wave infrared transmitting optical fiber probes interfaced with a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) interferometer for evanescent wave absorption spectroscopic measurements. The mature and fielded technique will allow periodic remote sensing for detection of corrosion and for general onboard aircraft structural health monitoring. An experimental setup using an Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) crystal integrated with an FTIR spectrometer has been assembled. Naturally occurring corrosion including Aluminum Hydroxide [Al(OH) 3 ] is one of the main corrosion products of aluminum the principle structural metal of aircraft. Absorption spectra of our model corrosion product, pure Al(OH) 3 , have been collected with this ATR/FTIR experimental setup. The Al(OH) 3 spectra serve as reference spectral signatures. The spectra of corrosion samples from a simulated corrosion process have been collected and compared with the reference Al(OH) 3 spectra. Also absorption spectra of naturally occurring corrosion collected from a fielded corroded aircraft part have been obtained and compared with the spectra from the simulated corrosion.
The Effect of Zoning on Land Value

Two types of zoning are identified: externality zoning, which is designed to achieve a Pareto efficient pattern of land use, and fiscal zoning, which is designed to accomplish some other objective. (The latter, for instance, may be aimed at minimizing the tax rate in a community.) The paper shows that it is not in general possible using a priori theory to predict the sign (positive or negative) of the effect of either of these forms of zoning on aggregate land value in a community. It is shown, however, that under plausible assumption it can be argued that zoning as currently practiced in many U. S. communities probably has the effect of lowering aggregate land values in the communities doing the zoning.
Do Tracking Stocks Reduce Informational Asymmetries? An Analysis of Liquidity and Adverse Selection

A firm's announcement that it intends to restructure based on tracking stock is usually associated with a positive and significant stock price reaction, at least in the short-run. Typically, this reaction has been attributed to expected reductions in a diversification discount, via reduced agency costs and/or reduced informational asymmetries. The existing literature has investigated this latter hypothesis - the impact of tracking stocks on informational asymmetries - by focusing on the behavior of equity analysts: the number following the specified firms and the accuracy of their forecasts. The results thus far have been inconclusive. In contrast, we focus on the behavior of market makers. In particular, we analyze the liquidity provided by market makers, as measured by the bid-ask spread, before and after a firm issues a tracking stock. Our results provide additional support to the growing evidence that restructurings based on tracking stocks are not effective at reducing informational asymmetries. Rather, firms that issue tracking stocks tend to exhibit less liquidity and greater adverse selection than a matched sample of control firms.
Rapid and sensitive method for measurement of hyaluronic acid and isomeric chondroitin sulfates using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the separation and analysis of the unsaturated tetrasaccharide and hexasaccharide from Streptomyces hyaluronidase (S.HAase) enzyme digestion products of hyaluronic acid (HA) and standard unsaturated disaccharides 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(β- D -gluco-4-enepyranosyluronic acid)- d -galactose (ΔDi-0S), 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(β- d -gluco-4-enepyranosyluronic acid)-4-O-sulfo- d -galactose (ΔDi-4S) and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(β- d -gluco-4-enepyranosyluronic acid)-6-O-sulfo- d -galactose (ΔDi-6S) is described. An amino phase chemically bonded to silica with a particle diameter of 6 μm was used as the column. The composition and the pH of the mobile phase were systematically varied to determine the optimal chromatographic conditions for separation and analysis of the compounds. For HA, a complete separation was accomplished in less than 12 min with a practical detection limit of 100 ng. Separation of the disaccharides also required less than 15 min with detection limits of 10 ng for ΔDi-0Sand 25 ng each for ΔDi-4S and ΔDi-6S. This chromatographic method represents a significant improvement over existing methods. It allows the simultaneous separation and analysis of HA and chondroitin sulfate isomers (after digestion of the latter with chondroitinase) at a higher speed, and with more sensitivity and efficiency.
VARIABLE EFFECTS OF IN VIVO STIMULATORS OR INHIBITORS OF HEPATIC CYTOCHROME P450 (HC-P450) ON BILIRUBIN (B) OXIDATION BY BRAIN MITOCHONDRIAL MEMBRANES (MM). 322

Background: Brain MM oxidize B at a rate that appears to be physiologically significant. We investigated the effects of in vivo HC-P450 simulators (phenobarbital [PB], β-naphthoflavone [BN]) or inhibitors (spironolactone [SP], 8-methoxypsoralen [MP], polyinosinic-cytidylic acid [pIC] on B oxidation by MM. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected ip with PB (60mg/kg/dx10d,n=4), BN (40mg/kg/dx4d, n=3), SP (100mg/kg BIDx4d, n=4), MP (55mg/kg, 1hr, n=4), pIC(10mg/kg, 24hr, n=5) All rats were killed by pentobarbital ip and brain vasculature was flushed in situ. Crude MM fractions (“P2”) were produced by homogenization and differential centrifugation in 0.32M sucrose. The P2 were resuspended in distilled H2O and sonicated to rupture the mitochondria. The protein concentrations were standardized to 2.5mg/ml of which 200μL MM was added to 2.5mL of a 0.1M barbital buffer pH 8.2 containing 10nM B, 5mM EDTA, and 500U/ml catalase. Optical density at 440nM was measured pre and post 60 min incubation at 37.5°C after centrifugation of a 1mL aliquot. Results: The hepatic inhibitors MP and pIC increased B oxidation by brain MM, while the hepatic inducer PB decreased B oxidation (ANOVA F=33.94, p<0.0001). BN and SP had no significant effects(results not shown). Data is presented as percent of control activity + SD(see figure). Conclusion: In vivo HC-P450 inducers and inhibitors have different effects on B oxidation by brain MM. B oxidation by brain MM is altered by P450 inducers and inhibitors, but the effect appears to be opposite that on HC-P450 activity. HC-P450 activity is primarily found in microsomes, while brain P450 enzymes appear to be mainly localized to mitochondria. It is at present not known whether this difference in intracellular localization is related to the apparently inverse response to the agents tested here.