cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Origination Clause's Missing Piece

The Origination Clause is nearly constitutional surplusage today. The scope of the Clause has been limited by the U.S. Supreme Court to a very narrow class of revenue legislation that emerges from the U.S. House of Representatives. This Article, for the first time, analyzes historical evidence that the U.S. Supreme Court has defined the constitutional scope of “Bills for raising Revenue”—and the concomitant reach of the Clause—in a manner that fails to account for Revolutionary-era British revenue legislation. Four of the five bills passed by the British Parliament which contributed to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, i.e., the Sugar Act 1764, Stamp Act 1765, American Colonies Act/Declaratory Act 1766, Revenue Act 1767 and the Tea Act 1773, were considered by the Revolutionary-era generation to be “Bills for raising Revenue.” These measures were largely the genesis of the slogan “taxation without representation. Under U.S. Supreme Court precedent today, none of these Revolutionary-era measures would likely be subject to the Origination Clause because each bill raised revenue for a specific governmental purpose, e.g., the defense of the American colonies, the enforcement of anti-smuggling laws and other specific, directed purposes. Though Origination Clause precedent has supposedly been rooted by the Court in “the history of the origin of the power,” Origination Clause cases make it clear that only those bills that raise “revenue to support government generally,” i.e., undesignated revenue-raisers, are subject to the Origination Clause’s requirements. This Article contends that this approach is largely unsupported by the historical record and that our modern application of the Origination Clause is missing an important piece—the Revolutionary-era generation’s view of the legislation which truly constitutes “Bills for raising Revenue.”
Preoperative serum chromogranin-a is predictive of survival in locoregional jejuno-ileal small bowel neuroendocrine tumors.

Abstract Background Small bowel neuroendocrine tumors (SB-NET) frequently metastasize to regional lymphatic or distant sites. Although most prognostication of SB-NET focuses on lymph node involvement, findings from studies of neuroendocrine tumors from other primary sites have suggested that preoperative serum chromogranin-A (CgA) levels may provide a more accurate metric. Methods Using the National Cancer Database (2004-2016), we analyzed patients with locoregional SB-NET who underwent curative resection including an adequate lymphadenectomy (n = 1,274). A statistically optimized cut-point was used to dichotomize CgA cohort based on preoperative serum CgA levels. Results We determined that a CgA ≥139 ng/mL identified patients with significantly shorter estimated mean overall survival (6.6 years vs 7.6 years, log-rank P = .00001). These patients were also older (63 vs 57 years, P 1 cm (88.2% vs 79.2%, P = .001). Clinical features associated with shorter overall survival included preoperative CgA ≥139 ng/mL (HR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.22–3.92; P = .009), age at diagnosis (HR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.09; P Conclusion Elevated preoperative serum CgA is an adverse prognostic marker associated with shorter overall survival in patients with locoregional SB-NET.
The fate of endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair and the impact of oral anticoagulation on their persistence.

Abstract Background The impact of anticoagulation on late endoleaks after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is unclear despite multiple investigators studying the relationship. The purpose of this study was to determine if long-term anticoagulation impacted the development of late endoleaks and if specific anticoagulants were more likely to exacerbate the development of endoleaks. Methods Using the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative database, patients undergoing EVAR between 2003 and 2019 for abdominal aortic aneurysms were evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups: those without a late endoleak and those with a late endoleak. Bivariate analysis was performed to assess preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative, and long-term follow-up variables. A multivariable analysis was done to determine associations of independent variables with late endoleaks. Patients were further subcategorized based on anticoagulation status before and after EVAR, specific type of anticoagulation, and the presence of an index endoleaks (diagnosed at the time of EVAR) to determine the subsequent frequency of late endoleaks. Results A total of 29,783 patients were analyzed with 2169 (7.3%) having a late endoleak identified. Several risk factors were related to late endoleaks, including anticoagulation before and after EVAR (odds ratio [OR], 4.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.57-6.96; P .001). No difference in late endoleaks were noted for patients treated with warfarin and novel oral anticoagulants. The most common type of index and late endoleak identified was type II, but patients with type I, type II, and type IV index endoleaks were more commonly found to have type I, type II, and type IV late endoleaks, respectively. The frequency of late endoleaks in patients with both an index endoleak and anticoagulation after EVAR was 20.42% as compared with patients with only anticoagulation after EVAR (14.63%; P = .0015) and with patients with index endoleaks not anticoagulated (10.06%; P Conclusions Late endoleaks were more common in patients treated with anticoagulation after EVAR. No difference in late endoleak frequency was detected between anticoagulation with warfarin and novel oral anticoagulants. Patients on anticoagulation and those with an index endoleak were at a higher risk of having a late endoleak.
A 3.5-to-6.2-GHz Mixer-First Acoustic-Filtering Chipset with Mixed-Domain Asymmetric IF and Complex BB Recombination Achieving 170 MHz BW and +27 dBm IIP3 at $1\times \text{BW}$ offset

This paper presents a 3.5-to-6.2-GHz high-linearity mixer-first superheterodyne receiver chipset that utilizes gigahertz intermediate-frequency (IF) acoustic filters and a Weaver-like mixed-domain recombination architecture. The proposed mixed-domain recombination architecture enables a high IF (2.6 GHz) with a wide (170 MHz) instantaneous bandwidth (BW) and reduces the number of IF lossy passive components. Leveraging inherent quadrature down-conversion in the IF receiver, we adopt complex baseband signal processing to compensate in-phase and quadrature mismatch. Also, we identify that the IF integrated transformer loss is asymmetrical with respect to primary and secondary winding quality factors, and hence utilize stacked transformers for low loss and compact size. The chipset is fabricated using a 65-nm CMOS process and demonstrates, in measurement, an out-of-band IIP3 of +27 dBm at $\mathrm{1}\times \text{BW}$ offset with a 9.7-dB NF at 3.5-GHz RF.
Lipoprotein(a) and Benefit of PCSK9 Inhibition in Patients With Nominally Controlled LDL Cholesterol

Background: Guidelines recommend nonstatin lipid-lowering agents in patients at very high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) if low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains ≥70 mg/dL on maximum tolerated statin treatment. It is uncertain if this approach benefits patients with LDL-C near 70 mg/dL. Lipoprotein(a) levels may influence residual risk. Objectives: In a post hoc analysis of the ODYSSEY Outcomes (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab) trial, the authors evaluated the benefit of adding the proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab to optimized statin treatment in patients with LDL-C levels near 70 mg/dL. Effects were evaluated according to concurrent lipoprotein(a) levels. Methods: ODYSSEY Outcomes compared alirocumab with placebo in 18,924 patients with recent acute coronary syndromes receiving optimized statin treatment. In 4,351 patients (23.0%), screening or randomization LDL-C was 13.7 mg/dL or ≤13.7 mg/dL; corresponding adjusted treatment hazard ratios were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72-0.92) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.75-1.06), with Pinteraction = 0.43. Conclusions: In patients with recent acute coronary syndromes and LDL-C near 70 mg/dL on optimized statin therapy, proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibition provides incremental clinical benefit only when lipoprotein(a) concentration is at least mildly elevated. (ODYSSEY Outcomes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab; NCT01663402)
Ultrasonic Wave Propagation in Inhomogeneous, Anisotropic Cast Stainless Steel

The complex microstructures of the cast stainless steel found in nuclear reactors makes their ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation particularly difficult. Of concern in certain cast steels are the highly aligned grain structures that develop, creating significant elastic anisotropy and variation of wave speeds with direction. The dependence of wave speed on propagation direction, in turn, leads to such phenomena as beam skewing and excess beam divergence. Furthermore, when components of these materials are integrated into a structure by welding, additional inhomogeneities are introduced. In various components, there may be one or more layers with different anisotropy and grain morphology, separated by discrete interfaces, or there may be regions in which the properties change continuously. Examples of the latter are found within the weldment itself, where the direction of anisotropy continuously changes in response to the direction of heat flow during solidification. Understanding and developing appropriate theories for beam propagation through such inhomogeneous, anisotropic cast stainless steel components has been the subject of recent interest for researchers; codes have been developed using finite difference, and finite element and ray tracing methods. The finite difference (1) and finite element (2) techniques produce exact solutions and can treat very complex geometries; however, they require a long computation time. On the other hand, ray tracing (3) is relatively fast but does not treat beam spreading properly.
Dietary Acetate Supplementation Attenuates Neuroinflammation

The innate immune response maintains a vital role in the health of the central nervous system. Within the central nervous system the innate immune response is initiated following the binding of antigen to microglia that activates inflammatory cascades within the cell, recruits other microglial cells to the sight of action, and induces reactive astrogliosis of neighboring astrocytes. Under normal circumstance, once the antigen is cleared both the activated microglia and reactive astrocytes return to their quiescent or ramified states. With many neurological diseases and injury, neuroinflammatory cascades become tonically activated resulting in sustained neuroglia activation that can result in the induction, and/or progression of neurological injury. Because neuroinflammation is a key pathological element found in many neurological disorders it is believed that reducing inflammatory events in the brain can reduce injury and slow disease progression. In this regard, acetate supplementation by increasing the intracellular concentration of the metabolically active intermediate acetyl-CoA imparts both anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge concerning the metabolism of acetate within the central nervous system and explore potential mechanisms of action by which acetate reduces neuroglial activation and neuroinflammatory signaling.
Near-Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy: A Probe of Local Bonding for Organic Gases Solids, Adsorbates, and Polymers

The near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of the carbon K-shell is shown to be a sensitive probe of certain types of bonds and functional groups in organic molecules, regardless of whether the molecules are: isolated in the gas phase, condensed, chemisorbed on a surface, or a long chain polymer. To demonstrate this principle, the K-shell excitation spectra of molecules containing similar bonds and/or functional groups are presented and compared in the gas phase, the solid state and adsorbed on surfaces. From a systematic study of molecules with increasing size, guidelines are established which allow the understanding of the NEXAFS spectra of macromolecules and polymers based on a simple building block picture. As examples we discuss the spectra of single layer Langmuir-Blodgett and thin polymer films on surfaces and show that they can be interpreted in like manner to those of simple isolated molecules. We also discuss limitations of the building block approach arising from conjugation effects in molecules or band structure formation in three dimensional periodic solids.
Rapid prediction of inducible clarithromycin resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus

We have developed a single tube TaqMan(®) real-time PCR assay that differentiates the full-length and truncated erm(41) gene to predict inducible resistance to clarithromycin in Mycobacterium abscessus. A study of 87 clinical isolates found this assay to be 90.8% concordant to conventional drug susceptibility testing results for the prediction of inducible clarithromycin drug resistance.
TECHNIQUES USED IN SHIELDING CALCULATIONS FOR HIGH-ENERGY ACCELERATORS- APPLICATIONS TO SPACE SHIELDING

The prediction for the secondary neutron spectrum produced inside of-a thick shield is described. The multiplicity of cascade and evaporation secondaries as well as subsequent moderation of the secondary spectrum is described quantitatively. Experimental thick-target neutron yields, as well as Monte Carlo cascade data, are the basis for these estimates. (auth)
Marginal Cost Pricing and Efficient Taking under Uncertainty

We describe a mechanism for government taking under uncertainty that provides incentives for governments to make efficient taking decisions and for property owners to use their properties efficiently. We argue that efficiency in takings requires that governments not only pay the value of property when it is taken but also pay the reduction in property value that they cause when identifying properties as potential targets of takings. This is a straightforward application of the general principle of marginal cost pricing. Unlike existing proposals to improve the efficiency of takings, our mechanism requires governments to pay amounts that are sufficient to fully compensate property owners for their losses.
No Federalists Here: Anti-Federalism and Nationalism on the Rehnquist Court

In the course of commenting on the very interesting papers of Professors Althousel and Jackson, I shall make four points: (1) with the exception of cases like United States v. Lopez and City of Boerne v. Flores, which limit the scope of Congress' enumerated powers, the Supreme Court decisions protecting the states against federal power over the last decade do not yet fundamentally threaten the latter; (2) given the jurisprudential commitments of the various Anti-Federalists (as I shall call the Court's defenders of state sovereignty), cases like Lopez and City of Boerne will be unusual; (3) the Nationalists (as I shall call the dissenting Justices in these cases) need a better alternative to the majority's Anti-Federalism than the claim that Congress will invariably protect the states' interests; and (4) a doctrine that treats programs of cooperative federalism as less constitutionally suspect than complete nationalization is a viable candidate for that role.
“Thinking about the Book” CAS Colloquium Abstracts

Abstracts from papers presented at the 2013 CAS Colloquium “Thinking about the Book,” held on April 15-16 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
Edge-Effect Interactions in Fragmented and Patchy Landscapes

Ecological edges are increasingly recognized as drivers of landscape patterns and ecosystem processes. In fragmented and patchy landscapes (e.g., a fragmented forest or a savanna with scattered termite mounds), edges can become so numerous that their effects pervade the entire landscape. Results of recent studies in such landscapes show that edge effects can be altered by the presence or proximity of other nearby edges. We considered the theoretical significance of edge-effect interactions, illustrated various landscape configurations that support them and reviewed existing research on this topic. Results of studies from a variety of locations and ecosystem types show that edge-effect interactions can have significant consequences for ecosystems and conservation, including higher tree mortality rates in tropical rainforest fragments, reduced bird densities in grassland fragments, and bush encroachment and reduced wildlife densities in a tropical savanna. To clarify this underappreciated concept and synthesize existing work, we devised a conceptual framework for edge-effect interactions. We first worked to reduce terminological confusion by clarifying differences among terms such as edge intersection and edge interaction. For cases in which nearby edge effects interact, we proposed three possible forms of interaction: strengthening (presence of a second edge causes stronger edge effects), weakening (presence of a second edge causes weaker edge effects), and emergent (edge effects change completely in the presence of a second edge). By clarifying terms and concepts, this framework enables more precise descriptions of edge-effect interactions and facilitates comparisons of results among disparate study systems and response variables. A better understanding of edge-effect interactions will pave the way for more appropriate modeling, conservation, and management in complex landscapes.
Homozygous Protein C Deficiency: Observations on the Nature of the Molecular Abnormality and the Effectiveness of Warfarin Therapy

An infant with severe homozygous protein C deficiency was brought to medical attention because of purpura fulminans and severe bilateral vitreous hemorrhages in the neonatal period. Infusions of fresh frozen plasma were given for 8 months. On two occasions, attempts to decrease the frequency of fresh frozen plasma infusions to less than twice a day led to episodes of microangiopathic hemolysis, fibrinolysis, and acute renal failure. Infarction of skin and subcutaneous tissues did not recur. Both episodes were controlled after reinstitution of fresh frozen plasma. Complications of therapy with fresh frozen plasma included hyperproteinemia and hypertension. Warfarin therapy was instituted when the baby was 8 months of age, followed by a gradual withdrawal of fresh frozen plasma therapy. The dose of warfarin required to maintain the prothrombin time in a range of 1.8 to 2.2 times normal varied considerably during short periods, a phenomenon that may have been due to several factors: hypercatabolism of the drug with prolonged administration, abnormality of liver function, variation in levels of serum albumin, fluctuations in drug dosage secondary to oral administration, and variations in dietary vitamin K. Protein C determinations by immunologic and functional assays consistently showed detectable but reduced protein C antigen levels with undetectable activity levels, suggesting that a dysproteinemia rather than a deficiency of synthesis is responsible for the child's coagulopathy.
Timeout from a stimulus correlated with the extinction component of a multiple schedule

Abstract Four groups of pigeons were trained to discriminate between green and red. Pecks on a second key produced a timeout from the schedule in effect for 30 sec. For two of the groups, this timeout response turned off all the lights in the chamber (Blackout), while for the other two, only the key-lights were turned off (No Blackout). For one of the Blackout groups and one of the No Blackout groups, responses on the discrimination key during the extinction component (S − ) also resulted in a mild electric shock. Blackout groups produced more timeouts during S − than did No Blackout groups, but electric shock punishment suppressed, rather than enhanced, timeout responding. These findings suggest a need for reevaluation of the hypothesis that the timeout response is an escape from an aversive S − .
Challenges facing the US HIV/AIDS medical care system

With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), HIV infection has become a chronic disease. Multiple studies have shown increased time to AIDS and death with HAART use. However, in the USA, not everyone who needs HAART has access to, or chooses to access, HIV care settings, in which HAART is delivered. With the diagnosis of HIV infection, patients must learn to negotiate a healthcare system that is quite complex and a portion of patients are unsuccessful in doing so. Multiple barriers prevent individuals and/or groups from taking full advantage of life-saving therapy in this resource-rich country. One significant barrier is concerned with the fragmented and unequal financing of healthcare. Others are posed by personal/cultural, structural and physician–patient relationship concerns. While improving healthcare financing policies may help overcome some obstacles, recently published data reveal that outreach programs may help overcome others. We discuss the steps, or processes, involved in accessing HIV care, including diagnosis, linkage to care and maintenance in care. We discuss disparities and barriers in care and use of HAART in the USA, and will recommend solutions. What is the problem?
Expectations and Placebo Response: A Laboratory Investigation into the Role of Somatic Focus

It has been theorized that expectations are an important causal determinant of the placebo effect. Placebo expectations, however, do not always yield placebo effects. In a laboratory study, we tested the hypothesis that one's level of somatic focus moderates the effect of placebo expectations on placebo responding. We also varied whether participants were told the placebo was a drug, could either be a drug or placebo, or was a placebo. The results revealed that individuals who thought they were taking a drug (i.e., unconditional expectations) reported more placebo symptoms when they closely focused on their symptoms. Individuals told they may or may not be receiving a drug (i.e., conditional expectations) did not differ from control participants regardless of how closely they attended to their symptoms. The findings have theoretical implications for expectancy models of the placebo effect as well as for practical research comparing the type of expectations held by individuals in clinical trials and clinical practice.
Accumulation of fluorescent age pigments in different genetic strains of Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract The rates of accumulation of fluorescent pigments were compared in wild-type Drosophila melanogaster, and in the mutant strains, vestigial, which exhibits a greatly decreased life span, and ebony, which has only a slightly decreased life span. There was no correlation between life span, and rate of fluorescent pigment accumulation. In all three strains, the accumulation rates were essentially the same, indicating that lipid peroxidation wasn ot the primary process in reducing the life spans of the mutants.
An investigation of factors influencing erythrocyte morphology of red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus)

Amphibians have long been known to display wide variation in erythrocyte morphology across species, but within species there has been little attention given to individual variation in red blood cell morphology. We captured 49 red-backed salamanders ( Plethodon cinereus ) from central Pennsylvania, USA and used image analysis procedures to measure erythrocyte morphology (size and shape) on blood smears made from all individuals. We then statistically examined whether variation in snout-vent-length, sex, tail loss, or capture location influenced these cell variables. Only snout-vent-length affected erythrocyte size and shape, with increasing body sizes associated with increasing cell areas and increasingly rounder cells. Further, erythrocyte shape was also associated with a measure of body condition that was corrected for body size, such that individuals with high body condition scores had rounder cells. Given the oxygen-carrying role of erythrocytes in all vertebrates, we suspect this discovery is related to size-related changes in oxygen demand, since total oxygen consumption increases with body size in an allometric manner. While our results warrant further investigation to understand the mechanism, the association we found between cell roundness and both body size and condition nevertheless indicates this parameter could be used to assess the health state of plethodontid salamanders in future research, provided non-destructive sampling is employed. Our results also underscore the value of hematological investigations in the study of animal biology.
TU‐E‐213A‐02: Implementing New Technologies for Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Stereotactic radiosurgery has become the standard of care in the treatment of many cranial neoplasms. This success has stimulated significant interest in the application of such an approach for the treatment of extracranial tumors. The development of image guidance techniques has rapidly facilitated adoption of Stereotactic Body Radiation therapy(SBRT) in a number of anatomical sites. Both SRS and SRT pose a number of practical challenges in acceptance testing, commissioning and clinical implementation. These include: uncertainties in small field measurement and dose calculation, appropriate use of phantoms for verifying image fusion and assuring end‐to‐end localization accuracy, implementing effective immobilization techniques, understanding and adapting for intrafraction motion, planning and delivery for fixed beam and rotational irradiation, and maintaining appropriate QA procedures. In this presentation we will review these challenges with respect to linac‐based SRS and SBRT.
Complications in lumbar spine surgery: A retrospective analysis.

Background: Surgical treatment of adult lumbar spinal disorders is associated with a substantial risk of intraoperative and perioperative complications. There is no clearly defined medical literature on complication in lumbar spine surgery. Purpose of the study is to retrospectively evaluate intraoperative and perioperative complications who underwent various lumbar surgical procedures and to study the possible predisposing role of advanced age in increasing this rate. Materials and Methods: From 2007 to 2011 the number and type of complications were recorded and both univariate, (considering the patients’age) and a multivariate statistical analysis was conducted in orderto establish a possible predisposing role. 133 were lumbar disc hernia treated with microdiscetomy, 88 were lumbar stenosis, treated in 36 cases with only decompression, 52 with decompression and instrumentation with a maximum of 2 levels. 26 patients showed a lumbar fracture treated with percutaneous or open screw fixation. 12 showed a scoliotic or kyphotic deformity treated with decompression, fusion and osteotomies with a maximum of 7.3 levels of fusion (range 5–14). 70 were spondylolisthesis treated with 1 or more level of fusion. In 34 cases a fusion till S1 was performed. Results: Of the 338 patients who underwent surgery, 55 showed one or more complications. Type of surgical treatment (P = 0.004), open surgical approach (open P = 0.001) and operative time (P = 0.001) increased the relative risk (RR) of complication occurrence of 2.3, 3.8 and 5.1 respectively. Major complications are more often seen in complex surgical treatment for severe deformities, in revision surgery and in anterior approaches with an occurrence of 58.3%. Age greater than 65 years, despite an increased RR of perioperative complications (1.5), does not represent a predisposing risk factor to complications (P = 0.006). Conclusion: Surgical decision-making and exclusion of patients is not justified only by due to age. A systematic preoperative evaluation should always be performed in order to stratify risks and to guide decision-making for obtaining the best possible clinical results at lower risk, even for elderly patients.
A geometric treatment of generalized inverses and semigroups of nonnegative matrices

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide a unified treatment from the geometric viewpoint of the following closely related aspects of nonnegative matrices: nonnegative matrices with nonnegative generalized inverses of various kinds; nonnegative rank factorization; regular elements, Green's relations, and maximal subgroups of the semigroups of nonnegative matrices, stochastic matrices, column stochastic matrices, and doubly stochastic matrices.
Governing the Homeless in an Age of Compassion: Homelessness, Citizenship, and the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County Washington

Abstract: In 2001, President Bush announced his intention to “end chronic homeless by the year 2012” as part of his broad “Compassion Agenda”. Since then, departmental consolidation, changes in funding allocation, and continued decentralization of services provision have dramatically reshaped the landscape of homeless service provision in the US. In this paper I examine how these roll-out policies reify and re-entrench liberal equations of property with rational self-governance at the local scale. Particularly, I illustrate how tropes of homeless otherness work alongside and through federal neoliberal roll-out policies to exclude homeless voices from the formation of local social policy. In doing so, I attempt to call attention to the mutually constitutive relationship between the spatial management of homeless bodies, tropes of homeless deviance and dependence, and limits to citizenship in the context of neoliberal urban governance.
Cultural transformation: Perspectives on translocation in a global age

edited by Chris Prentice, Vijay Devadas and Henry Johnson, Amsterdam and New York, Rodopi Press, 2010, 347 pp., €76.00, ISBN 978 90 420 3003 9 As our world transforms itself into a global community...
Minimax estimators for a multinormal precision matrix

Let Sp×p ∼ Wishart (Σ, k), Σ unknown, k > p + 1. Minimax estimators of Σ−1 are given for L1, an Empirical Bayes loss function; and L2, a standard loss function (Ri ≡ E(Li ∣ Σ), i = 1, 2). The estimators are Σ−1 = aS−1 + br(S)Ip×p, a, b ≥ 0, r(·) a functional on Rp(p+2)2. Stein, Efron, and Morris studied the special cases Σa−1 = aS−1 (EΣk−p−1−1 = Σ−1) and Σ1−1 = aS−1 + (b/tr S)I, for certain, a, b. From their work R1(Σ−1, Σ1−1; S) ≤ R1(Σ−1, Σa−1; S) (∀Σ), a = k − p − 1, b = p2 + p − 2; whereas, we prove R2(Σ−1Σa−1; S) ≤ R2(Σ−1, Σ1−1; S) (∀Σ). The reversal is surprising because L1(Σ−1, Σ1−1; S) → L2(Σ−1, Σ1−1; S) a.e. (for a particular L2). Assume R (compact) ⊂ S, S the set of p × p p.s.d. matrices. A “divergence theorem” on functions Fp×p : R → S implies identities for Ri, i = 1, 2. Then, conditions are given for Ri(Σ−1, Σ−1; S) ≤ Ri(Σ−1, Σ1−1; S) ≤ Ri(Σ−1, Σa−1; S) (∀Σ), i = 1, 2. Most of our results concern estimators with r(S) = t(U)/tr(S), U = p ∣S∣1/p/tr(S).
Questions that matter: Using inquiry‐guided faculty development to create an inquiry‐guided learning curriculum

Just as inquiry-guided learning requires that students begin with questions, so does successful faculty development. At Virginia Wesleyan, this faculty inquiry process became the catalyst for more comprehensive curricular reform using inquiry-guided learning.
LXXXVII. Characteristic values of the first normal mode in the problem of propagation of micro-waves through an atmosphere with a linear-exponential modified index of refraction

Abstract In this paper are given characteristic values for the first mode in a linear-exponential model, as obtained by several approximate methods. These include a variational method, a perturbation method, the theory of transitional modes, and the phase integral method. The computations were carried out both for the case of a surface duct and for the case of substandard refraction, and the results are shown in figs. 1 to 8. The various approximate methods yield characteristic values which are in sufficient close agreement to meet the requirements of most practical applications, especially in the case of a surface duct. If desired, these characteristic values could be further refined by using the numerical methods developed by Prof. Hartree and his associates. With the aid of the characteristic values it is possible to determine the horizontal decrement of the electromagnetic field beyond the horizon in the important. case when only the first mode is strongly excited. In the case of substandard refractio...
Partner violence among homeless young adults: measurement issues and associations

Abstract Purpose: The primary goal of this study was to test the reliability of the Partner Violence Interview and examine validity by measuring differential correlates of partner violence. Methods: Sixty young adults (30 males and 30 females) housed in an urban shelter participated in this study. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 21 years and the majority were African-American. The participants were administered two measures of partner violence exposure, one measure of community violence exposure and one measure of depression. A random selection of 30 of the participants was retested after 1 month. Results: As predicted, current and past partner violence was common in this sample, with over 70% endorsing a history of physical violence. The Partner Violence Interview (PVI) had adequate retest reliability (Pearson r for two PVI scales=.7 and .85) and internal consistency (KR-20 for each scale=.78 to .93). Preliminary evidence of convergent validity was suggested by the fact that the PVI lifetime partner violence scale was significantly correlated with a physical violence scale from a second measure (the Conflict Tactics Scale; r=.596, p Conclusions: The Partner Violence Interview is a reliable, comprehensive instrument suited to high-risk populations. Homeless young adults commonly experience severe partner violence, and preventive intervention is clearly indicated for this group.
Receptive field properties of cells in area 19 of the cat.

We have recorded extracellularly from single cells in area 19 of the cat for the purpose of providing a quantitative description of response characteristics. A prominent feature of this area is a high incidence of cells that are end-stopped. Drifting sinusoidal gratings were used to determine spatial and temporal characteristics of the discharge region. In addition, we have conducted independent tests to characterize end zones of receptive fields. When a grating patch was used to stimulate the discharge region alone, all of the cells showed a band-pass spatial frequency tuning characteristic. The optimal spatial frequency ranged from 0.1 to 1.13 cycles/deg, and the distribution had a peak at 0.4 cycles/deg. The bandwidth at half peak amplitude ranged widely from 0.7 to 3.3 octaves (mean 2.0 octaves). When gratings were also presented to the end zones, responses to stimulation of the central region were suppressed. The surround was phase-insensitive in that the relative phase between the grating in the two regions generally did not affect the strength of the suppression. To determine spatial characteristics of the end-zone inhibition, the spatial frequency of the end-zone grating was changed while that for the central pattern was fixed. All cells showed a bandpass characteristic for end-zone inhibition, but in each case, the tuning width was broader than that for excitation. The mean spatial frequency bandwidth of end-zone inhibition was 2.7 octaves. The peak of the inhibition generally coincided with the peak of the excitatory spatial frequency tuning of the discharge center. Considered together, these results show that neurons in area 19 share common properties with those in areas 17 and 18, but they exhibit phase-insensitve end-zone inhibition more frequently.
Surface exudation in terrestrial slugs

1. Exudation by the skin of terrestrial slugs in vivo and in vitro was enhanced by tactile, chemical (acetylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine; hypotonic fluids), and electrical simulation. 2. Of total body fluid loss, most occurred through the skin rather than in the urine, especially under conditions of fluid overload. 3. Very large molecules, including exogenous dextrans (up to mol. wt 5 × 106) and endogenous hemocyanin were found to penetrate through the skin.
Copper desorption in flooded agricultural soils and toxicity to the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa): implications in Everglades restoration.

Abstract Copper (Cu) desorption and toxicity to the Florida apple snail were investigated from soils obtained from agricultural sites acquired under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Copper concentrations in 11 flooded soils ranged from 5 to 234 mg/kg on day 0 and from 6.2 to 204 mg/kg on day 28 (steady-state). The steady-state Cu concentration in overlying water ranged from 9.1 to 308.2 μg/L. In a 28-d growth study, high mortality in snails occurred within 9 to 16 d in two of three soil treatments tested. Growth of apple snails over 28 d was affected by Cu in these two treatments. Tissue Cu concentrations by day 14 were 12–23-fold higher in snails exposed to the three soil treatments compared to controls. The endangered Florida snail kite and its main food source, the Florida apple snail, may be at risk from Cu exposure in these managed agricultural soil–water ecosystems.
Treatment of Recurrent and Threatened Abortion Report of Two Hundred and Twenty-six Cases

BECAUSE IT IS KNOWN to be physiologically essential in the inception and maintenance of pregnancy, the corpus luteum hormone has assumed a role of considerable importance in the treatment of conditions which threaten the premature termination of pregnancy, that is, habitual and threatened abortions. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the use of progesterone in such cases. Fraenkel (1) in 1903 demonstrated that the removal of the corpus luteum in a rabbit shortly after fertilization causes failure of implantation of the embryo, or if the embryo is already implanted, leads to abortion. The findings were confirmed and extended in studies which led to the isolation of the corpus luteum hormone, progesterone. In 1929 Corner and Allen (2) reported that they had been able to maintain pregnancy in ovariectomizgd animals by the administration of the corpus luteum extract. Other workers since have amply demonstrated that the maintenance of pregnancy is essentially an endocrine phenomenon, dependent upon adequ...
Semi-Autonomous Controller for Data Acquisition the Brilliant ADC

A set of high speed 16-bit computers and ADC's has been designed and built for the data collection, compression, and correction system of the SLAC/LBL Mark II Magnetic Detector. The "Brilliant ADC" controls the analog multiplexing of a CAMAC crate of data acquisition modules, digitizes the analog data, and executes microprogrammed algorithms for data handling and correction.
Experimental densities and virial coefficients for steam from 348 to 498 K with correction for adsorption effects

Abstract Amount-of-substance densities ϱn of pure ordinary steam were measured from 348 to 498 K at pressures from several kPa to the vapor pressure using the Burnett and Burnett-isochoric methods. Second and third virial coefficients were derived from the ϱn measurements after correction for adsorption errors. New adsorption-correction methods are outlined which provide the form and magnitude of the adsorption isotherm—here, B.E.T. Three independent sets of results are presented. Success or failure to correct each set for adsorption is demonstrated to depend upon: the physical strength of adsorption occurring upon the cell and valve-packing surfaces; and the ingenuity of the adsorption-correction scheme. Comparisons with literature measurements and correlations show which previous results were affected by adsorption. The compatibility of the present second and third virial coefficients with the widely accepted saturation properties of the recent NBS/NRC Steam Tables provides a final test of the accuracy of our corrected values.
Covalently closed circular DNA molecules of low superhelix density as intermediate forms in plasmid replication

COVALENTLY closed circular (CCC) duplex extrachromosomal DNAs are widespread in biological systems1. Because of their physical properties and small size, extra chromosomal circular DNAs are useful for studying the biology of genetic material. Their mechanism of replication is of particular interest and has been investigated extensively. Recent studies have shown that the replication of different types of circular DNA, such as plasmids of Escherichia coli, the DNA of polyoma and SV40 viruses, and mitochondrial DNA is basically similar2,3. Non-replicating circular DNA is isolated from cells largely as covalently closed supercoiled molecules (form I DNA). Because of its topological constraints, CCC DNA has a restricted affinity for intercalating dyes such as ethidium bromide and propidium diiodide; its buoyant density in gradients of CsCl containing such dyes is consequently much greater than that of non-circular or nicked circular (form II) DNA species, which can unwind to accommodate maximal amounts of dye4. DNA molecules in the process of replication have been shown to have buoyant densities intermediate to form I and form II DNA (refs 5–12 and L. Katz, P. H. Williams, S. Sato, R. W. Leavitt, and D. R. Helinski, unpublished). In a previous study of replicative forms of a constructed recombinant plasmid (pSC134) of E. coli13, we observed material pulse labelled with radioactive thymidine that had a buoyant density in CsCl–ethidium bromide gradients even greater than that of form I DNA5. Here we report results which suggest that this material, termed “heavy replicative DNA” or hrDNA, is a covalently closed circular DNA species that has a reduced number of supercoils, and is an intermediate in the replicative process.
Paleoecological feedback and the Vendian-Cambrian transition

The emergence of abundant skeletonized animals during the Vendian-Cambrian transition is seen by paleontologists as an 'explosion' when nearly all basic designs of invertebrate life appeared for the first time in the fossil record. Breakthroughs in trophic strategy, involving an increasing three-dimensionality in the benthic habitat and positive feedback between predators and prey, played a creative role in the evolution of these higher life forms.
Continuity of morphology from oncosphere to early cysticercoid in the development of Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea)☆

Abstract 1. 1. The structure of the early cysticercoid during the first forty-eight hours of development is a continuation of the infective oncosphere. The following basic structures were identified; the six hooks, binucleate medullary center, collar myoblasts, attached to the lateral hooks, a group of small anchor cells, two lacunas and extensive granular epidermal glands. 2. 2. The terms reorganizing oncosphere and posthexacanth condition are suggested as descriptive of the early cysticercoid. The duration of the posthexacanth condition is recognized as a period of transition and reorganization with the final result being the development of germinative cells. 3. 3. The first germinative cells arise in the epidermal glands. These early germinative cells are considered to be the same cells that formed the epidermal glands of the oncosphere. 4. 4. During the extended prophase of the germinative cells, growth occurs, nuclei and nucleoli enlarge and abundant cytoplasmic ribonucleic acid appears.
The structural integrity of glial scar tissue associated with a chronic spinal cord lesion can be altered by transplanted fetal spinal cord tissue

The potential for fetal spinal cord (FSC) tissue transplants to modify an established glial scar or to restrict the reformation of a scar following surgical manipulation of a chronic lesion site was studied in the injured rat spinal cord. Six to eight weeks after preparation of a hemisection lesion cavity, glial scar tissue was left intact in one group, whereas in a second group it was excised prior to transplantation of a suspension of FSC tissue. From the first group, examination of serial sections through the graft-host interface that had been immunoreacted for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) demonstrated that in many cases the glial scar no longer was a continuous wall separating the two tissues. Quantitation of the area occupied by these discrete gaps in the scar provided an Index of Fusion, indicating the extent of direct contact between the transplant and host spinal cord. In some animals this constituted as much as 60% of the interface, while in others there were no breaks in the scar (0% fusion). Reinjury of the spinal cord lead to a rapid astrocytic response culminating in the reestablishment of a dense matrix of glial cells and processes covered by a basal lamina. This reformed scar effectively isolated the spinal cord from the external environment of the cavity. When FSC tissue was transplanted after first removing scar tissue the continuity of reformed glial scarring at the graft-host interface was altered. Distinct gaps in the scar appeared randomly along the interface. The mean Index of Fusion for animals receiving a moderate reinjury (removal of scar tissue only) was not as high as for those animals in which a more severe reinjury (expansion of the cavity by 0.5 mm) was performed before transplantation. The extent of graft-host fusion was not significantly improved when scar tissue was removed prior to transplantation. These findings support the hypothesis that the presence of FSC tissue will have an effect on the persistence of glial scar tissue in a chronic lesion site as well as limit the extent to which a new scar is formed in response to a second injury to the spinal cord.
Changes in Health Care Expenditure Associated with Gaining or Losing Health Insurance

Health economists hypothesize that persons who gain health insurance after being uninsured may use more care after becoming insured than do persons who are continuously insured. This study examined...
Toll-like Receptor 4 Signaling Regulates Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Activation and Lipid Generation in Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Macrophages

Inflammatory lipid mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) is a key enzyme in the generation of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators. Here, we found that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is essential for LPS-induced cPLA2 activation and lipid release. Inhibition of TLR4 protein expression by TLR4 small interfering RNA or neutralization of TLR4 by the specific antibody against TLR4/MD2 blocked cPLA2 phosphorylation and cPLA2-hydrolyzed arachidonic acid release. Furthermore, activation of the TLR4 signaling pathway by LPS regulated cPLA2 activation and lipid release. cPLA2 phosphorylation and cPLA2-hydrolyzed lipid release were significantly impaired when TLR4 adaptor protein, either MyD88 or TRIF, was knocked down in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Similarly, LPS-induced arachidonate release was inhibited in cells transfected with a dominant-negative MyD88 or TRIF construct. Subsequently, cPLA2 activation could be suppressed by inhibition of the TLR4 adaptor protein-directed p38 and ERK MAPK pathways. These findings suggest that, in LPS-induced inflammation, the TLR4-mediated MyD88- and TRIF-dependent MAPK pathways result in cPLA2 activation and production of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators.