cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grandparents' Experience of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Identifying Primary Themes and Needs.

Limited information is available regarding the first person perspective of grandparents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In the present study, 1870 grandparents of a child with ASD participated in a nationwide, online, anonymous, 30-minute survey and responded to open-ended questions including their “greatest challenges and greatest joys” as the grandparent of a child on the autism spectrum. A grounded theory approach to qualitative analysis revealed four overarching categories: a Desire for Connection, Barriers to Care, Celebration of Progress, and Personal Reactions. Despite the presence of significant challenges grandparents often experienced positivity in their role, and engaged in radical acceptance of their grandchild as well as transformative insight and advocacy. Specific recommendations are offered to help address grandparents’ needs and capitalize upon their resilience.
Past and Current Realities about Mexican/Latino Immigration. Looking Beyond the U.S.

The literature including social media shows that Mexican/Latino immigrants have attracted contempt and have been traditionally objected to as a minority in the U.S. The intent here is to search for historical and other factors that might explain the public antipathy and to identify reasons that could, either in isolation or in combination with others, explain anti-immigrant sentiments among people, many of whom are descendants of immigrants. The perusal of the challenges of Mexican immigrants to the U.S through the decades will highlight some similarities related to discrimination against waves “peoples of color”, not only in the U.S. but in other parts of the world. The daily treatment within the society of immigrants of color as well as the frequent lower immigration quotas imposed on certain groups, including Mediterranean people, makes the topic quite relevant to today’s concerns.
Corruption and destructive entrepreneurship

The negative effects of corruption at the macro level are well-documented. Corruption reduces economic growth, lowers investment, and erodes trust in government officials, creating an institutional environment that pushes entrepreneurs from productive to destructive activities. Corruption also has effects at the micro level because some industries are better situated to profit from corruption than others. Corruption not only lowers economic output but also shifts resources toward some industries and away from others. Using federal convictions in the USA as a measure of corruption, regression results show that increased corruption shifts resources toward the construction industry and away from the education industry and professional, scientific, and technical service industry. The evidence also shows that the distance from state capitals and voter turnout moderate the relationship between corruption and firm concentrations.
Algorithms and Architectures: A Case Study in When, Where and How to Connect Vehicles

Connected vehicle technologies and applications must coevolve. Existing applications are often suboptimally implemented, stemming from a dearth of design approaches considering resource use, sensor selection, and communication method. Such design tools are necessary to optimize connected vehicle implementations, as applications may have varied impact on individual vehicle and fleet performance, efficiency, and comfort depending on their technical and algorithmic implementation. This paper first introduces several key considerations in connected vehicle design, then explores the implications of varying input richness, connectivity methods, and data availability on an example application predicting automotive idle times. We illustrate common design tradeoffs by evaluating the predictor's accuracy for different implementations, providing developers a look at a design approach that will serve as a useful example framework for future application development. We close with a simplified cost/benefit analysis for our demonstration application to illustrate how feasible, cost-effective application implementations might be identified.
Form and Formalism

Formalism has become an insult. Defined by its critics as the mechanical (even disingenuous) application of rules, or unthinkingly equated with textualism or originalism, the various forms of formalism supposedly promise legal certainty. Having been found unable to provide that certainty, formalism been consigned by its critics to the role of foil for other, more promising, approaches. Yet most critics of formalism inaccurately conflate modern formalism, which emphasizes form, with the deterministic formalism of the Langdellian legal order. Far from the unrealistically deterministic, conceptualist understanding of law attacked by the Realists, modern formalism is best understood as a commitment to form in legal interpretation and legal thinking. Once we free formalism from the role it has been given by its detractors, its merits become more apparent. Formalism allows us to focus not just on legal outcomes, but on the form of the rules that generate those outcomes. Formalism is a recognition that law must appear in some form and that law is an act not only of social control but of social communication. By acknowledging the view of the law that formalism represents we can uncover previously unidentified meaning in law, lawmaking, and adjudication.
Spatially Correlated MIMO Broadcast Channel with Partially Overlapping Correlation Eigenspaces

The spatially correlated MIMO broadcast channel has grown in importance due to emerging interest in massive MIMO and mm-wave communication, but much about this channel remains unknown. In this paper, we study a two-user MIMO broadcast channel where the spatial correlation matrices corresponding to the two receivers have eigenspaces that are neither identical nor disjoint, but are partially overlapped. Spatially correlated channels occur in e.g. massive MIMO and furthermore different links may credibly have correlation eigenspaces that are neither disjoint nor equal, therefore this problem is practically motivated. This paper develops a new approach for this scenario and calculates the corresponding degrees of freedom. Our technique involves a careful decomposition of the signaling space to allow a combination of pre-beamforming along directions that depend on the relative positioning of the non-overlapping and overlapping components of the eigenspaces, along with the product superposition technique. The ideas are demonstrated with a toy example, are developed in two conditions of varying complexity, and are illuminated by numerical results.
Optimal fiscal transfers in a monetary union

Abstract We derive the optimal fiscal transfer scheme for countries in a monetary union to offset the welfare losses resulting from asymmetric shocks and nominal rigidities. Optimal transfers involve a tradeoff between reducing national output gaps and the provision of consumption insurance across countries, where the weight of the former increases relative to the latter as consumption home bias rises. The welfare gains from optimal transfers increase in wage rigidity and trade elasticities and are particularly large when risk-sharing through financial markets breaks down. For the average euro area economy, the welfare gains from optimal transfers range from 0.50% of permanent consumption under complete markets and low wage rigidity to 6.09% of permanent consumption under financial autarky and high wage rigidity.
CHAPTER 9 – Plasticity of Fc Recognition

This chapter focuses on a third binding site on IgG, the recognition site for the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), which is located at the C H 2/C H 3 hinge region of the Fc fragment. Named for its discovery in neonatal tissues, FcRn plays an important role in the shuttling of IgGs from mother to child in development of the immune system. However, the "neonatal" classification for FcRn now appears overly narrow, as it has been implicated in immune system functions Handbook of Cell Signaling, Volume 1 beyond the fetal stage, including being a contributor to the unusually long serum half life of IgG. From studying the consensus binding site on Fc, it is evermore apparent that the complementary "lock-and-key" model for specific binding events does not apply to protein-protein interactions in the way it does to interactions between an enzyme and its substrate. The Fc hinge region teaches us that there may be many solutions to binding to a protein surface and that vastly different protein scaffolds can apparently give rise to equivalent sets of molecular interactions. Given that small peptides can be evolved to bind such a site, it seems reasonable to think that small drug-like organic compounds might also be able to bind adaptive protein-protein interaction surfaces and give rise to news classes of therapeutics capable of modulating cellular signaling.
Union Integration Paths

This paper proposes a theoretical explanation for the incremental integration path of Europe until the Monetary Union time. The dynamic partition function game suggests that the presence of externalities across coalitions affects the timing of admission of different players, the equilibrium coalition structure, and the equilibrium length of the admission game. In particular, at the early stages of integration it is reasonable to believe that the bargaining power of the founders was not so high as to make the admission process resemble a sequential ultimatum game, and in such a context the admission path is always a sequencing admission path.
Forgotten Gatekeepers: Executive Search Firms and Corporate Governance

Many legal scholars do not readily associate executive search firms (ESFs) with corporate governance, yet they are intimately connected with a key mechanism of corporate governance — elite labor markets. Corporate governance is a nexus of individual and environmental factors, a narrative of nature and nurture. Talent obviously matters, but legal scholars, courts, and policymakers overwhelmingly focus on structural mechanisms, procedures, and environmental factors. This article makes an essential contribution to the legal literature by revealing how ESFs provide an assortment of private solutions to governance problems that scholars have attempted to address through legal and regulatory means. The ultimate success or failure of these private solutions may be instructive for designing more effective regulations, policies, and practices to promote better governance.
Automatic extraction and assessment of lifestyle exposures for Alzheimer's disease using natural language processing.

Abstract Introduction Previous biomedical studies identified many lifestyle exposures that could possibly represent risk factors for dementia in general or dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These lifestyle exposures are mainly mentioned in free-text electronic health records (EHRs). However, automatic extraction and assessment of these exposures using EHRs remains understudied. Methods A natural language processing (NLP) approach was adopted to extract lifestyle exposures and intervention strategies from the clinical notes of 260 patients with clinical diagnoses of AD dementia and 260 age-matched cognitively unimpaired persons. Statistics of lifestyle exposures were compared between these two groups. The mapping results of the NLP extraction were evaluated by comparing the results with data captured independently by clinicians. Results Thirty out of fifty-five potentially relevant lifestyle exposures were mentioned in our clinical note dataset. Twenty-two dietary factors and three substance abuses that were potentially relevant were not found in clinical notes. Patients with AD dementia were significantly exposed to more of the potential risk factors compared to the cognitively unimpaired subjects (χ2 = 120.31, p-value Discussion and conclusion We illustrated the feasibility of NLP techniques for the automated evaluation of a large number lifestyle habits using free-text EHR data. We found that AD dementia patients were exposed to more of the potential risk factors than the comparison group. Our results also demonstrated the feasibility and accuracy of investigating putative risk factors using NLP techniques.
Radial Head Replacement for an Acute Complex Radial Head Fracture

This chapter presents a case of a 31-year-old male with a comminuted radial head fracture treated with radial head arthroplasty. An accurate diagnosis of the severity of the elbow injury is critical. The goal of radial head arthroplasty is to restore radial head anatomy and allow for early, stable elbow range of motion. Treatment considerations, surgical options, and keys to a successful radial head arthroplasty are discussed in this chapter.
Data on genetic linkage of oxidative stress with cardiometabolic traits in an intercross derived from hyperlipidemic mouse strains.

Abstract The data presented here are related to the research article, entitled Genetic linkage of oxidative stress with cardiometabolic traits in an intercross derived from hyperlipidemic mouse strains, published in Atherosclerosis 2019 Dec 3;293:1–10 (D. Fuller, A.T. Grainger, A. Manichaikul, W. Shi). The supporting materials include original genotypic and phenotypic data obtained from 266 female F2 mice derived from an intercross between C57BL/6 (B6) and BALB/cJ (BALB) Apoe−/- mice. F2 mice were fed 12 weeks of Western diet, starting at 6 weeks of age. Plasma levels of HDL, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and malondialdehyde (MDA) and atherosclerosis in the aortic root and the left carotid artery were measured. 127 microsatellite markers across the entire genome were genotyped. The data is provided in the format ready for QTL analysis with J/qtl and MapManager QTX.
Brain Perfusion Mediates the Relationship Between miRNA Levels and Postural Control.

Transcriptomics, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and a virtual reality-based spatial motor task were integrated using mediation analysis in a novel demonstration of "imaging omics." Data collected in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football athletes cleared for play before in-season training showed significant relationships in 1) elevated levels of miR-30d and miR-92a to elevated putamen rCBF, 2) elevated putamen rCBF to compromised Balance scores, and 3) compromised Balance scores to elevated microRNA (miRNA) levels. rCBF acted as a consistent mediator variable (Sobel's test P < 0.05) between abnormal miRNA levels and compromised Balance scores. Given the involvement of these miRNAs in inflammation and immune function and that vascular perfusion is a component of the inflammatory response, these findings support a chronic inflammatory model in these athletes with 11 years of average football exposure. rCBF, a systems biology measure, was necessary for miRNA to affect behavior.
Temperature-dependent anisotropic magnetoresistance and spin-torque-driven vortex dynamics in a single microdisk

Spin–orbit-torque-driven dynamics have recently gained interest in the field of magnetism due to the reduced requirement of current densities and an increase in efficiency, as well as the ease of implementation of different devices and materials. From a practical point of view, the low-frequency dynamics below 1 GHz is particularly interesting since dynamics associated with magnetic domains lie in this frequency range. While spin-torque excitation of high-frequency modes has been extensively studied, the intermediate low-frequency dynamics have received less attention, although spin torques could potentially be used for both manipulation of the spin texture and the excitation of dynamics. In this work, we demonstrate that it is possible to drive magnetic vortex dynamics in a single microdisk by spin-Hall torque at varying temperatures and relate the results to transport properties. We find that the gyrotropic mode of the core couples to the low-frequency microwave signal and produces a measurable voltage. The dynamic measurements are in agreement with magnetic transport measurements and are supported by micromagnetic simulations. Our results open the door for integrating magnetic vortex devices in spintronic applications.
Accounting for Affect in Pain Level Recognition.

In this work, we address the importance of affect in automated pain assessment and the implications in real-world settings. To achieve this, we curate a new physiological dataset by merging the publicly available bioVid pain and emotion datasets. We then investigate pain level recognition on this dataset simulating participants' naturalistic affective behaviors. Our findings demonstrate that acknowledging affect in pain assessment is essential. We observe degradation in recognition performance when simulating the existence of affect to validate pain assessment models that do not account for it. Conversely, we observe a performance boost in recognition when we account for affect.
Submarine lava deltas of the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea volcano

Hawaiian and other ocean island lava flows that reach the coastline can deposit significant volumes of lava in submarine deltas. The catastrophic collapse of these deltas represents one of the most significant, but least predictable, volcanic hazards at ocean islands. The volume of lava deposited below sea level in delta-forming eruptions and the mechanisms of delta construction and destruction are rarely documented. Here, we report on bathymetric surveys and ROV observations following the Kīlauea 2018 eruption that, along with a comparison to the deltas formed at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō over the past decade, provide new insight into delta formation. Bathymetric differencing reveals that the 2018 deltas contain more than half of the total volume of lava erupted. In addition, we find that the 2018 deltas are comprised largely of coarse-grained volcanic breccias and intact lava flows, which contrast with those at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō that contain a large fraction of fine-grained hyaloclastite. We attribute this difference to less efficient fragmentation of the 2018 ‘a‘ā flows leading to fragmentation by collapse rather than hydrovolcanic explosion. We suggest a mechanistic model where the characteristic grain size influences the form and stability of the delta with fine grain size deltas (Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō) experiencing larger landslides with greater run-out supported by increased pore pressure and with coarse grain size deltas (Kīlauea 2018) experiencing smaller landslides that quickly stop as the pore pressure rapidly dissipates. This difference, if validated for other lava deltas, would provide a means to assess potential delta stability in future eruptions.
The energy savings impact of the existing building commissioning process by building type

This study presents the energy savings impact of the Continuous Commissioning® (CC®) version of the Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) process in 197 projects (592 buildings) since the inceptio...
Fully BEOL-Compatible Switch Boxes Using RRAMs and Thin Film Transistors for Reconfigurable and Secure ICs

In this paper, we report Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) and Thin Film Transistors (TFT) based Switchboxes (SB) for Integrated Circuits (IC) design obfuscation and secure manufacturing. Our work shows that RRAM-TFT provide promising route for implementing SBs without compromising area in CMOS front end. Finally, we demonstrate its application for design obfuscation and reconfiguration of asynchronous logic cells.
Driving Out Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia With CAR T Cells.

ABSTRACT Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most prevalent leukemia in the Western hemisphere. The recent availability of novel targeted therapies, namely Bruton's tyrosine kinase, phosphoinositide-3 kinase, and BCL-2 inhibitors, have revolutionized the treatment algorithm for CLL but have not yet resulted in cure. Advances in the field of immuno-oncology and T cell engineering brought chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy from the laboratory to the clinic for treatment of B cell lymphoid malignancies and has improved the disease response and survival outcomes of various types of relapsed and/or refractory B cell lymphomas. While acknowledging that there are no approved CAR T cell therapies for CLL at this time, in this comprehensive review we explore novel targets for CAR T cell therapy in CLL and highlights the promising results of CAR T cell trials reported to date. Furthermore, we shed light on future areas of development, including multitarget CAR T cell products for this disease.
Agricultural Trade Reform Under Doha and Poverty in India

We use computable general equilibrium methods to examine the impact that agricultural trade reform under the Doha agreement would have on the Indian economy, in particular on household level welfare. The GTAP model is used to simulate the effect of the latest proposed modalities on the global economy, and those results are then used in a model of India with nine household groups identified by their source of income and consumption pattern. We find that both Doha and comprehensive agricultural trade reform would raise Indian aggregate welfare, with the latter having a much greater impact than the former, but may have a negative impact on the welfare of some rural groups. Overall poverty falls under comprehensive reform and is virtually unchanged under the Doha proposals. Empirical estimates of the distributions of trade elasticities are used to test the robustness of the results.
Evaluation of postoperative respiratory function by serial blood gas analysis in dogs treated with transdermal fentanyl

Objective: To perform blood gas analysis of the respiratory response to transdermal fentanyl in dogs which have experienced an open-chest surgical procedure. Design: Prospective trial. Setting: Veterinary Teaching Hospital Surgical Research and Student Laboratory. Intervention: Dogs were purchased for a surgical laboratory. Students performed a cranial abdominal exploratory and diaphragmatic hernia repair. Sixteen dogs were divided into 2 groups. Dogs received transdermal fentanyl (group F), using an average dose of 4.8 µg/kg/hr, applied to the caudal-lateral abdomen 22 hours before surgery, or intravenous buprenorphine (group B; 0.02 mg/kg) given 1 hour prior to anesthetic induction and every 6 hours postoperatively. All dogs received intravenous acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) preoperatively and every 6 hours postoperatively. Dogs were instrumented with carotid artery catheters. Measurements and main results: Arterial blood gas values were analyzed every 2 hours postoperatively. Plasma fentanyl levels were analyzed every 4 hours postoperatively. The mean carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) did not exceed 45 mmHg in either group. The range in mean PCO2 levels was 32.9 (± 3.4)−38.1 (± 3.9) in group B and 34.7 (± 3.25)−43.6 (± 5.5) in group F. At 2 time points, the mean PCO2 was significantly lower in group B compared with normal levels in group F. Hypoxemia occurred in both the groups. The range in mean oxygen tension (PO2) was 76.5 (± 18.3)−91.1 (± 16.3) in group B and 76.0 (± 10.8)−96.6 (± 7.6) in group F. There was no significant difference in PO2 between groups. Levels of fentanyl considered to be analgesic were maintained for the postoperative period. Conclusions: The use of a relatively high dose of transdermal fentanyl did not induce postoperative hypoventilation as evidenced by serial arterial blood gas analysis in this model.
Design and FDTD analysis of open-ended coaxial probes for broadband high-temperature dielectric properties measurements

In conjunction with ongoing research in the area of microwave processing of materials and, in particular, in the microwave sintering of ceramics, the authors found it necessary to make dielectric properties measurements at temperatures as high as 1000/spl deg/C. The authors have developed a new metallized ceramic coaxial probe for broadband, high-temperature dielectric properties measurements. Initial experience with the probe showed good experimental results in the frequency range from 500 MHz to 3 GHz, and for temperatures up to 1000/spl deg/C. To help further optimize the design of the probe, its performance was numerically simulated using FDTD. A TEM mode is excited in the coaxial feed, and the propagation, fields penetration in the sample, and the reflection coefficients were calculated using FDTD. Several probe designs were examined and the ability to make accurate and broadband measurements were examined, based on the obtained numerical results. Numerical and and graphical results illustrating some the basic guidelines of probe design, and its effective and accurate use in making dielectric measurements are presented. Parameters such as bandwidth, sample thickness, probe length, probe sensitivity to various properties of materials, and methods to increase the penetration of fields into the sample under test are discussed. >
Mass spectra of organometallic compounds

Abstract The mass spectra of the benzocyclobutadieneiron complexes C 8 H 6 Fe(CO) 3 and C 8 H 6 Fe(CO) 2 E(C 6 H 5 ) 3 [E = P, As and Sb] have been studied at 80 eV. These complexes undergo fragmentations involving unimolecular carbonyl dissociation and (C 6 H 5 ) 3 E elimination which are similar to those of the related manganese complexes, (π-L)Mn(CO) 3 and (π-L)Mn(CO) 2 E(C 6 H 5 ) 3 [L = cyclopentadienyl, indenyl and fluorenyl; E = P, As and Sb]. Noteworthy are the ions [C 8 H 6 ] + , [C 8 H 6 Fe] + , [C 6 H 4 ] + and [C 6 H 4 Fe] + , which have been assigned the structures of the free and coordinated benzocyclobutadiene and benzyne, respectively. In the case of the more volatile derivative, C 8 H 6 Fe(CO) 3 , these ions are formed by processes which are supported by the presence of appropriate metastable ions. The presence of a free benzocyclobutadiene ion, [C 8 H 6 ] + , in the mass spectra of these iron complexes contrasts with the failure to detect related cyclobutadiene (or substituted cyclobutadiene) ions in the mass spectra of the other cyclobutadienemetal complexes. The enhanced stability of [C 8 H 6 ] + compared with that of [R 4 C 4 ] + (R = H, CH 3 , C 6 H 5 etc.) may be explained from its fused ring structure.
The solar wind and magnetospheric dynamics

Our understanding of the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction has evolved slowly but steadily since the advent of space exploration. The early picture of transient confinement of the geomagnetic field during geomagnetic storms by blast waves of solar plasma was soon replaced by a magnetosphere confined by a continuously flowing solar wind. This magnetosphere was found to be elongated in the antisolar direction forming a region behind the Earth known as the geomagnetic tail. In front of the magnetosphere, a shock front was observed at which the solar wind was decelerated, heated and deflected around the magnetosphere.
Compensation of chromatic dispersion and dispersion slope using a virtually imaged phased array

Chromatic dispersion produced by the virtually imaged phased array (VIPA) is discussed. A newly designed 3-dimensional mirror produces uniform dispersion for each WDM channel with a wide variable dispersion range. The VIPA with the mirror also produces dispersion slope by including a diffraction grating.
Zebra fish myc family and max genes: differential expression and oncogenic activity throughout vertebrate evolution.

Abstract To gain insight into the role of Myc family oncoproteins and their associated protein Max in vertebrate growth and development, we sought to identify homologs in the zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio). A combination of a polymerase chain reaction-based cloning strategy and low-stringency hybridization screening allowed for the isolation of zebra fish c-, N-, and L-myc and max genes; subsequent structural characterization showed a high degree of conservation in regions that encode motifs of known functional significance. On the functional level, zebra fish Max, like its mammalian counterpart, served to suppress the transformation activity of mouse c-Myc in rat embryo fibroblasts. In addition, the zebra fish c-myc gene proved capable of cooperating with an activated H-ras to effect the malignant transformation of mammalian cells, albeit with diminished potency compared with mouse c-myc. With respect to their roles in normal developing tissues, the differential temporal and spatial patterns of steady-state mRNA expression observed for each zebra fish myc family member suggest unique functions for L-myc in early embryogenesis, for N-myc in establishment and growth of early organ systems, and for c-myc in increasingly differentiated tissues. Furthermore, significant alterations in the steady-state expression of zebra fish myc family genes concomitant with relatively constant max expression support the emerging model of regulation of Myc function in cellular growth and differentiation.
An Innovative Sphincter Preserving Pull-Through Technique with En Bloc Colon and Small Bowel Transplantation

This report describes a new innovative pull-through technique of hindgut reconstruction with en bloc small bowel and colon transplantation in a Crohn's disease patient with irreversible intestinal failure. The approach was intersphincteric and the anastomosis was established between the allograft colon and the recipient anal verge with achievement of full nutritional autonomy and anal continence.
CONSTRAINTS FROM ASYMMETRIC HEATING: INVESTIGATING THE EPSILON AURIGAE DISK

Epsilon Aurigae is a long-period eclipsing binary that likely contains an F0Ia star and a circumstellar disk enshrouding a hidden companion, assumed to be a main-sequence B star. High uncertainty in its parallax has kept the evolutionary status of the system in question and, hence, the true nature of each component. This unknown, as well as the absence of solid state spectral features in the infrared, requires an investigation of a wide parameter space by means of both analytic and Monte Carlo radiative transfer (MCRT) methods. The first MCRT models of epsilon Aurigae that include all three system components are presented here. We seek additional system parameter constraints by melding analytic approximations with MCRT outputs (e.g., dust temperatures) on a first-order level. The MCRT models investigate the effects of various parameters on the disk-edge temperatures; these include two distances, three particle size distributions, three compositions, and two disk masses, resulting in 36 independent models. Specifically, the MCRT temperatures permit analytic calculations of effective heating and cooling curves along the disk edge. These are used to calculate representative observed fluxes and corresponding temperatures. This novel application of thermal properties provides the basis for utilization of other binary systems containing disks. We find degeneracies in the model fits for the various parameter sets. However, the results show a preference for a carbon disk with particle size distributions ≥10 μm. Additionally, a linear correlation between the MCRT noon and basal temperatures serves as a tool for effectively eliminating portions of the parameter space.
Gain normalization of lifted filter banks

The DC and Nyquist responses of the filters in a two-channel perfect reconstruction filter bank are expressed in terms of the lifting filters in a lifting decomposition. The computation makes use of the cascade-form representation of lifting steps as lower- and upper-triangular factor matrices in the polyphase-with-advance representation. A functional relationship is derived connecting the DC and Nyquist responses via the polyphase determinant, and it is shown that the responses for a lifted filter bank can be computed recursively using the DC responses of the lifting filters. These results are applied to derive the filter bank normalization specifications in Part 2 of the ISO/IEC JPEG 2000 still image coding standard.
Bromoacetyl Sepharose: a solid-phase inhibitor of sulfhydryl enzymes.

Bromoacetyl-Sepharose, a solid-phase irreversible inhibitor, has been tested on a variety of enzymes and found to rapidly inactivate the sulfhydryl proteolytic enzymes papain, ficin, cathepsin B, and dipeptidyl aminopeptidase 1. A number of enzymes which do not have activesite sulfhydryls were unaffected by the inhibitor. These enzymes included trypsin, chymotrypsin, amino acid arylamidase, monoamine oxidase, cytochrome b, and alkaline phosphatase. The papain-acetyl-Sepharose conjugate was shown to be susceptible to hydrolysis by pepsin. Thin-layer chromatography of the supernatant fluid from peptic hydrolysates separates at least seven peptides. Amino acid analysis before and after pepsin treatment shows a loss of amino acid content due to proteolysis.
Arginine (CGC) codon targeting in the human prostacyclin receptor gene (PTGIR) and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR).

Abstract The human prostacyclin receptor (hIP) has recently been recognized as an important seven transmembrane G-protein coupled receptor that plays critical roles in atheroprevention and cardioprotection. To date, four non-synonymous genetic variants have been identified, two of which occur at the same Arg amino acid position (R212H, R212C). This observation instigated further genetic screening for prostacyclin receptor variants on 1455 human genomic samples. A total of 31 distinct genetic variants were detected, with 6 (19%) involving Arg residues. Distinct differences in location and frequencies of genetic variants were noted between Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic and African Americans, with the most changes noted in the Asian cohort. From the sequencing results, three Arg-targeted changes at the same 212 position within the third cytoplasmic loop of the human prostacyclin (hIP) receptor were detected: 1) R212C (CGC→TGC), 2) R212H (CGC→CAC), and 3) R212R (CGC→CGT). Three additional Arg codon variants (all exhibiting the same CGC to TGC change) were also detected, R77C, R215C, and R279C. Analysis (GPCR and SNP databases) of 200 other GPCRs, with recorded non-synonymous mutations, confirmed a high frequency of Arg-targeted missense mutations, particularly within the important cytoplasmic domain. Preferential nucleotide changes (at Arg codons), were observed involving cytosine (C) to thymine (T) (pyrimidine to pyrimidine), as well as guanine (G) to adenine (A) (purine to purine) (p
Necrotic Oral Lesions in Chickens Fed Diacetoxyscirpenol, T—2 Toxin, and Crotocin

One-day-old broiler chicks were fed a diet containing either 5 ppm diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), 5 ppm T-2 toxin, 10 ppm crotocin, or a control diet for 3 weeks. Chicks fed the diet containing DAS and T-2 toxin showed yellowish plaque-type lesions on the beak, tongue, and angle of the mouth. Crotocin did not cause such lesions nor any apparent clinical signs. Chicks fed DAS had the lowest weight gain followed by the T-2, crotocin, and control group in that order; however, chicks fed crotocin had the poorest feed conversion ratio.
An overview of early studies on persistent photoconductivity and other properties of deep levels in GaAsP: the effect of deep levels on light emitting devices

Laser studies carried out at the University of Illinois in 1966 showed that the shortest wavelength at which lasing could be achieved in GaAsP was dependent on then-type dopant. In particular sulfur doping was found to restrict lasing to longer wavelengths. It was suggested that this could be due to the effect of energy levels associated with the higher conduction band minima. This led in 1967 to an investigation of the effect of Te and S donor levels on the properties of GaAsP near the direct-indirect crossover. Samples throughout the composition range were studied using Hall effect measurements from 55 to 400° K and resistivity measurements under hydrostatic pressure between 0 and 7 kbar at 300, 195, and 77° K. The data on Te-doped samples fit the standard energy band models, but S doping was found to exhibit dramatic persistent photoconductivity and other compositional effects similar to the “DX-center” effects later observed in AlGaAs and other materials. This paper summarizes these results on GaAsP:S, and gives a brief overview of other early investigations in compound semiconductors where energy levels associated with higher lying minima were studied and where, in some cases, nonequilibrium effects were observed. A later study on GaAsP:S is also described which shows the effect of S-doping on LED performance. Finally, some of the implications that the existence of deep levels of this type have on light emitting device performance in other alloy systems is discussed.
Generalized WKB approximation to nonrelativistic normalizations and phase shifts in a screened Coulomb potential.

We use the generalized WKB method with the Coulomb wave function as the comparison function to derive expressions for normalizations and phase shifts in a screened Coulomb potential as simple quadrature integrals. We compare our results with exact numerical results and with those of the standard WKB method. In most cases our results are good and more accurate than the standard WKB results. We also obtain the high-energy limits of our expressions and show that they coincide with the first-order high-energy-limit expansion of the analytic perturbation theory.
Indirect decompression of the carpal tunnel during basal joint arthroplasty of the thumb.

Purpose In patients having basal joint arthroplasty, rates of concomitant carpal tunnel syndrome may exceed 43%. Excision of the trapezium during basal joint arthroplasty partially releases the transverse carpal ligament. The objective of this study was to determine whether indirect release of the remaining fibers of the ligament at its insertion on the scaphoid tubercle through the same incision would adequately decompress the carpal canal. This would avoid the morbidity of a second incision. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 10 consecutive patients treated over a 2-year period who had concurrent ligament reconstruction, tendon interposition basal joint arthroplasty of the thumb with complete trapezial resection, and indirect carpal tunnel release through a single incision. Self-reported postoperative pain relief was documented. Preoperative and postoperative evaluations of light touch sensibility, Tinel's sign, Phalen's test, median nerve compression test, and Weinstein Enhanced Sensory Test monofilament testing were analyzed. All patients had preoperative electrodiagnostic testing. Results At mean 12 month follow-up (range, 5–35 months), numbness and paresthesias resolved in all cases: 9 patients had good or excellent pain relief and 1 reported fair pain relief despite transient postoperative reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Tinel's, Phalen's, and median nerve compression tests were each positive in 9 patients preoperatively and 0 patients postoperatively. Diminished light touch sensibility was present in 7 preoperatively and 1 postoperatively. WEST monofilament thresholds improved postoperatively in 8 patients. These improvements were statistically significant. One patient had postoperative nerve conduction studies performed to evaluate an ulnar nerve lesion at the elbow; the preoperative median nerve abnormalities had normalized. Conclusions Carpal tunnel syndrome can be successfully managed with indirect release of the transverse carpal ligament during basal joint arthroplasty, thus avoiding a second incision, reducing operating time, and potentially reducing the possibility of perineural adhesions, recurrent motor branch injury, palmar cutaneous nerve damage, weakness, stiffness, and pillar pain. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
The effect of tracheal interruption on the spermathecal wall of the queen honey bee.

SummaryThe spermathecas of honey bee queens were exposed surgically, and either a portion of the spermathecal tracheal network was removed or a ligature was placed to block air movement to and from the network. The queens were killed 2–22 days later, and a histologic appraisal was made of the operation's effect on the spermathecal wall. Both tracheectomy and ligation were promptly followed by severe shortening of epithelial cell height and necrosis of the spermathecal wall within the operated area. The findings support a concept of the spermatheca as an isolating structure for spermatozoa storage.
A case study of bi-literacy development among children enrolled in an Italian–English dual language program in Southern California

This study examines bi-literacy development among 60 children enrolled in an Italian–English dual language (DL) program in Southern California. Using a variety of measures including (1) oral reading fluency (ORF), (2) accuracy scores, and (3) standardized test for the assessment of reading (STAR) test's estimates of reading ability for English, the study investigates how Italian and English literacy skills emerged and developed among first-, second-, and third- graders – and among English speakers and learners – educated via Italian immersion. The study also examines the extent to which ORF was correlated, and therefore transferred, between languages. The results indicate that reading fluency emerged first in Italian for all students. However, in a relatively short period of time, it became comparable across languages and even higher in English for English-speaking students. Correlations between Italian and English reading fluency scores were statistically significant and moderately high. This finding sug...
An Overset Grid Navier-Stokes/Kirchhoff-Surface Method for Rotorcraft Aeroacoustic Predictions

Abstract : This paper describes a new method for computing the flowfield and acoustic signature of arbitrary rotors in forward flight. The overall scheme uses a finite-difference Navier-Stokes solver to compute the aerodynamic flowfield near the rotor blades. The equations are solved on a system of overset grids that allow for prescribed cyclic and flapping blade motions and capture the interactions between the rotor blades and wake. The far-field noise is computed with a Kirchhoff integration over a surface that completely encloses the rotor blades. FIowfield data are interpolated onto this Kirchhoff surface using the same overset-grid techniques that are used for the flowfield solution. As a demonstration of the overall prediction scheme, computed results for far-field noise are compared with experimental data for both high-speed impulsive (HSI) and blade-vortex interaction (BVI) cases. The HS! case showed good agreement with experimental data while a preliminary attempt at the BVI case did not. The computations clearly show that temporal accuracy, spatial accuracy and grid resolution in the Navier-Stokes solver play key roles in the overall accuracy of the predicted noise. These findings will be addressed more closely in future BVI computations.
Perinatal effects of Gardnerella vaginalis deciduitis in the rabbit

OBJECTIVE: We determined the effects of intrauterine infection with Gardnerella vaginalis on maternal and fetal outcome in the rabbit. STUDY DESIGN: Both uterine horns of rabbits on day 20 or 21 of gestation (70% of gestation) were inoculated hysteroscopically with either 0.2 ml of 10 5 to 10 7 CFU/ml of G. vaginalis or saline solution. Animals were killed on day 4 or earlier if premature delivery occurred. The following outcome parameters were evaluated: febrile morbidity, preterm labor and delivery, maternal cultures, fetal birth weight, and fetal neuropathologic findings. RESULTS: G. vaginalis intrauterine inoculation uniformly resulted in amnionitis and deciduitis. Animals inoculated with G. vaginalis had no greater incidence of fever and preterm delivery than did saline-treated control animals. However, intrauterine infection with G. vaginalis resulted in a significant decrease in the live birth rate when compared with that of controls (80% vs 95%, p vaginalis deciduitis was associated with as 23% reduction in the birth weight of the surviving fetuses. Furthermore, animals in the G. vaginalis study group had a 60% incidence of severe brain injury compared with 0% in the saline solution group. CONCLUSION: G. vaginalis amnionitis and deciduitis produced minimal maternal morbidity but were associated with decreased birth weight and brain injury in surviving fetuses; thus it appears that G. vaginalis selectively functions as a fetal, but not maternal, pathogen in the rabbit.
Dumping as a signal of innovation

In the R&D-intensive industries, where technologies change rapidly, an innovative foreign firm may need to export greater than normal quantities to signal the level of the new technology it possesses. We find that such actions lead to sales below cost if the foreign firm has a relatively poor reputation for innovation, has a sufficiently high discount factor or possesses a new technology that significantly cuts its cost. We also show that antidumping reduces the costs of signaling, benefits the home firm, and may raise the profit to the foreign firm in the pre-duty period.
Delayed G-CSF after autologous progenitor cell transplantation: a prospective randomized trial

G-CSF is given after autologous progenitor cell transplantation to accelerate neutrophil engraftment. Historically, G-CSF has been started on the day of progenitor cell infusion. To study the timing of the initiation of G-CSF after autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplantation, we conducted a prospective, randomized trial comparing the initiation of G-CSF therapy on day 0, day +3 or day +5 after autologous PBPC transplantation. Seventy patients with diagnoses of breast cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, or multiple myeloma were prospectively randomized to one of the three treatment arms. All patients were treated with a chemotherapy (only) preparative regimen. The source of hematopoietic reconstitution was PBPC alone (without autologous marrow), and all patients yielded a minimum of 2 x 10(6) CD34+ cells per kilogram. Times to neutrophil engraftment and platelet engraftment were identical in the three treatment groups, with neutrophil engraftment occurring at a median of 10, 11 and 11 days when starting G-CSF on day 0, day 3 or day 5, respectively. Time to platelet transfusion independence was 14, 11 and 14 days by treatment group. We conclude that delaying the initiation of G-CSF from day 0 to day +5 does not affect engraftment and results in cost savings.
AGING EFFECTS ON THE INTERLAMINAR SHEAR STRENGTH OF HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPOSITES

The effect of isothermal aging on interlaminar shear strengths of quasi-isotropic composites laminates were evaluated by using ASTM D 3846-94, Standard Test Method for In-Plane Shear Strength of Reinforced Plastics. Thermoset bismaleimide (IM7/5260) and thermoplastic polyimide (IM7/K3B) were investigated to determine the aging degradation in different matrix materials. The laminates were 24 plies and had a lay up of [-45/90/45/0]3S. Aging temperatures were 300, 350, and 400°F and aging time varied from a few hours to 28 months. Nonaged specimens were also tested for baseline values. Significant differences were noted between these two different matrices. Isothermal aging for IM7/5260 initially caused posteuring effects prior to an overall decrease in interlaminar shear strength. Strength degradation was directly dependent on both aging temperatures and times. In addition, accelerated aging effects at 400°F were observed. For the IM7/K3B specimens no postcure effects were observed. The interlaminar shear strength decreased for longer aging times, but showed little variation for different temperatures. Aging at 400°F did not show any accelerated aging effects. The interlaminar shear strength results were compared with previously obtained compression after impact data. Similar trends in strength degradation were observed.