cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of reference electrode position on the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) onset latency.

Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) onset latency is interpreted to reflect the arrival time at the muscle of impulses in the fastest-conducting motor nerve fiber. However, we have observed that the position of the reference or indifferent electrode (E2) affects CMAP onset latency. Motor nerve conduction studies (NCS) of the median, ulnar, and deep ulnar motor (DUM) nerves on 20 normal hands were performed using both traditional bipolar and experimental monopolar (referenced to the contralateral hand) montages. As the position of E2 was altered, the CMAP onset latency varied 0.1-0.5 ms for the median NCS, 0.1-0.3 ms for the ulnar NCS, and 0.1-1.5 ms for the DUM NCS. This study demonstrates that E2 recorded potentials are significant and vary with positioning, affecting motor onset latency. This has implications both for reference values and the physiologic interpretation of the CMAP waveform.
Orally Effective CVS-1123 Prevents Coronary Artery Thrombosis in the Conscious Dog

Background We examined the oral efficacy of a direct thrombin inhibitor, CVS-1123 [(CH3CH2CH2)2-CH-CO-Asp(OCH3)-Pro-Arg-CHO; MW, 575]. The object was to determine whether thrombin inhibition could reduce the incidence of occlusive coronary artery thrombosis in response to arterial wall injury. Methods and Results Arterial wall injury was induced in conscious dogs by a 150-μA anodal current applied to the intimal surface of the circumflex coronary artery 30 minutes after oral CVS-1123 (20 mg/kg every 8 hours for three doses; n=11) or placebo containing diluent (n=10). Dogs were monitored for 8 hours and at 24 hours. The coronary artery remained patent for 24 hours in 8 of 11 CVS-1123–treated dogs. All dogs (n=10) in the placebo group developed a sustained, occlusive arterial thrombus. Two hours after the initial oral dose, the plasma CVS-1123 concentration was 13±1 μg/mL, reaching a maximum of 15±1 μg/mL after the second dose and 4.4±0.5 μg/mL at 24 hours. Ex vivo platelet aggregation to γ-thrombin was inhibited and activated partial thromboplastin time was increased after treatment with CVS-1123 ( P <.05). Conclusions The direct thrombin inhibitor CVS-1123 is effective after oral administration in reducing the incidence of primary thrombus formation in an experimental model of arterial wall injury. Thrombin-specific inhibitors, such as CVS-1123, may be alternative antithrombotic agents in clinical settings in which heparin-associated thrombosis is a complicating factor or when long-term anticoagulation is required.
Rotamer Library of Spin Labeled Cysteines Attached to T4 Lysozyme Deduced from Molecular Dynamics Simulations Constrained by Double Electron-Electron Resonance (Deer) Experiments

DEER (Double Electron Electron Resonance) is a powerful pulsed EPR technique allowing the determination of spin-spin distance histograms between side-directed nitroxide label sites on a protein in their native environment. In this study, a novel molecular dynamics simulation method, the restrained ensemble (RE) method, has been used for the refinement of spin labels inserted in T4 Lysozyme (T4L) structures. In the RE method, the spin-spin distance distribution histograms calculated from a multiple-copy molecular dynamics simulations are forced, via a special ensemble-based energy restraint, to match those extracted from 51 EPR/DEER experimental spin-spin pairs. To examine the effect of the restraint on the rotameric state of the spin label at the 37 different sites in T4L, conventional long molecular dynamics (MD) and locally enhanced sampling (LES) simulations were also performed. As expected, the distance histograms obtained from the RE simulations are very similar to those obtained from experiment; however, the distance histograms from conventional long MD and LES simulations deviate from experiment. From the analysis of these simulations, a general trend is found in rotamer population distribution along five dihedral angles connecting the nitroxide ring to the protein backbone. Overall, the rotamer population obtained from the RE simulation agrees with those obtained from x-ray structure. From the analysis of the dynamics of nitroxide atoms in spin label side chains, a force field for a pseudo nitroxide dummy atom has been parameterized. This pseudo nitroxide was used in an RE simulation coupled with the EPR/DEER experimental distance distribution data to refine distorted structures of T4L. Thus, experimental restraints from DEER experiments in conjunction with RE simulations can be used to refine structural propertied of biological systems.
Orbital energy shifts associated with chemical bonding of organic molecules on ZnO nonpolar surfaces

Abstract Ultraviolet photoemission studies show that adsorption of organic molecules on semiconducting ZnO surfaces produces: (i) bonding shifts of molecular energy levels which indicate chemisorption via π and lone-pair orbitals; and (ii) nearly uniform extramolecular relaxation/polarization shifts of the adsorbate valence orbital energies.
The defender role of the precocious larvae of Copidosomopsis tanytmemus Caltagirone (Encyrtidae, Hymenoptera)

A specialized larval morph, here called the precocious larvae, is present in broods of the polyembryonic encyrtid wasp, Copidosomopsis tanytmemus Caltagirone, an egg-larval parasite of the Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller). The precocious larvae are clonally derived from the same embryonic cells that produce the normal larvae. In contrast to their normal siblings, precocious larvae have well-developed cranial structures and mouthparts, and are extremely motile. The most unusual feature of precocous larvae, however, is their failure to attain reproductive age; they invariably die in the host hemolymph as untransformed larvae. Competition experiments with the braconid Phanerotoma flavitestacea Fischer or one of the ichneumonids Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) and Trathala sp. showed that precocious larvae injured or killed these competitors in 74, 98, and 97%, respectively, of the observed cases of multiple parasitism. Dissection of parasitized host larvae revealed that dead parasite larvae had different fates. Although injured and dead braconid and ichneumonid parasites were encapsulated by aggregations of host lamellocytes, precocious larvae remained unencapsulated, regardless of whether death occurred normally or, rarely, resulted from injury. It is hypothesized that successful avoidance of encapsulation by both precocious and normal larvae of C. tanytmemus is due to either or both of the host-produced cyst or the parasite-produced trophic membrane. The precocious larvae fulfill the requirements for the ultimate altruist predicted by kin-selection theory. However, because they are genetically identical to the individuals whose survival they enhance, the precocious larvae paradoxically qualify as a completely selfish caste as well. It is thus pointed out that the biological role of the precocious larvae is most appropriately evaluated as that of defender.
Enhancing the spatial resolution of solar coronagraph images using dynamic imaging

The LASCO C1 mirror coronagraph onboard the SOHO satellite (launched on 2 December 1995) was designed to observe the fine structure of the solar corona from 1.1 to 3.0 R. Even though the optical resolution is approximately 3 arc sec, the nominal achieved resolution is set by the CCD pixel size of 5.6 arc sec. A pixel size of 1.5 arc sec or less is needed to obtain diffraction limited observations according to the Nyquist criteria, and therefore the actual coronagraph images are under sampled by a factor of 4. We have explored improving the spatial resolution of the LASCO C1 images using the technique of dynamic imaging. Successive images are obtained with sub-pixel displacements of the steerable primary mirror. Typically a set of 4 images is obtained with 1/2 pixel displacements in the x and y axes. Using simulated data we have studied the improvement resulting both from simple co-addition of the multiple observations, and from a deconvolution algorithm we call Fractional Pixel Restorations (FPR). We studied the effects in numerical simulations of noise, contrast variations, modest differences in the scene observed in the multiple images, etc. WE have also applied co-addition and the FPR algorithm to laboratory pre-flight images of a wire mesh target, which significantly improved the resolution. Using dynamic imaging with 16 images and 1/4 pixel steps, it would in principle be possible to reach the diffraction limit of the telescope in some circumstances (low noise, sufficient image contrast, no temporal changes in the observed scene, a well characterized instrumental point response function). By the time of this meeting we hope to have high resolution solar images from the LASCO C1 telescope to show. LASCO is a cooperative project of an international group of scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, the Max- Planck Institute fur Aeronomie, Germany, the Laboratoire d'Astronomie Spatiale, France, and the Space Research Group at the University of Birmingham, Great Britain.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Profit sharing and employment

Abstract Two disequilibrium macro models are constructed. Each has households and firms exchanging labour, money and storable output. One model has workers compensated by wages only, and the other has a profit sharing scheme. Contrary to earlier findings by Weitzman, both systems are found to be susceptible to a demand shock.
A comparison of organosulphur compounds produced by pyrolysis of asphaltenes and those present in related crude oils and tar sands

Abstract Asphaltenes and NSO fractions from a variety of oils and tar sands have been characterized by pyrolysis-gas chromatography (PyGC) using both flame ionization and flame photometric detectors. Organosulphur compounds were not always produced by pyrolysis of the asphaltenes isolated from the biodegraded tar sand extracts although pyrolysis of the NSO fractions produced a series of thiophenes from all of the samples examined. These observations suggest that under certain conditions, asphaltene fractions may be affected by biodegradation, leading to preferential removal of the sulphur containing compounds. In addition, it was observed that PyGC of asphaltenes permitted oils to be differentiated on the basis of their source rock lithology. Oils derived from carbonate source rocks produced thiophene/benzothiopene ratios 1 for oils derived from shales. Thiophene/dibenzothiophene ratios could be used in a similar manner.
Strategies for Implementing Membrane Models in CFD Codes for PEM Fuel Cell Calculations

The implementation of phenomenological membrane models within computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes requires coupling of the conservation equation for water content within the membrane to the conservation equations for species mass outside the membrane. It is common practice to treat water and current transport within the membrane as one-dimensional (1D), i.e., normal to the membrane surface only. The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy and efficiency of various strategies of implementing a phenomenological membrane model within the framework of a two-dimensional (2D) CFD code. Springer’s membrane model was compared against two other models available from the literature, and the accuracy of each model was assessed by comparing predicted results against experimental data. Results appear to indicate that the Springer model and the Nguyen and White model over-predict the drying of the membrane, while the Fuller and Newman model provides the best match with experimental data. Following these studies, three strategies for implementation of the membrane model were investigated: (1) 2D transport in membrane, (2) 1D transport in membrane and (3) 1D transport with approximate transport properties. Fuller and Newman’s membrane model was used for these studies. The results obtained using the three approaches were found to be within 4% of each other, while there was no significant difference in the computational time required by the three models, indicating that an analytical 1D transport model for the membrane that uses approximate properties is adequate for describing transport through it.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Generalized automorphs of the sum of four squares

Abstract A unique factorization theorem is given for 4 × 4 integral matrices T satisfying T′T = mI, m a positive integer.
Consequences of land use change in the New York–New Jersey Highlands, USA: Landscape indicators of forest and watershed integrity

Abstract The New York–New Jersey Highlands, a 600,000 ha area of forested uplands, provide vital environmental services to the growing New York City, USA metropolitan region. Urban development and associated land use/land cover change threaten to impair the Highland's natural resource values. In response, the USDA Forest Service, in collaboration with Rutgers University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Regional Plan Association, undertook a regional study of the NY–NJ Highlands to characterize the resources at stake and assess the implications of continued land use change. This paper will focus on the Highlands as a case study on the application of landscape-scale indicators to assess the potential impacts of future land use change. A three-pronged approach was adopted: (1) land use/land cover change mapping to assess past changes, (2) build-out modeling to project possible future land use change, and (3) landscape-scale indicators of forest and watershed condition. The coupled build-out and landscape indicator analysis served as a planning tool to assess the potential impacts to forest and watershed integrity based on two different scenarios of future development.
Prostaglandin E2, Interleukin-1α, and Potassium Release from Artificial Human Skin after Freeze-Thaw Injury

Living skin equivalent (LSE) was used to identify nonvascular aspects of freeze-thaw injury to human skin cells. Pairs of transwell cell culture inserts, containing LSE, were washed twice for 30 min in maintenance media at 37 degrees C in a CO2 incubator and placed in two wells of a six-well assay tray (containing assay media). One specimen was maintained at room temperature. The other was cooled at 1 degrees C/min to -15 degrees C and rapidly rewarmed. Both were incubated for 24 h on fresh maintenance media at 37 degrees C in a CO2 incubator. This process was repeated producing 12 per group. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), and K+ were measured (mean +/- SE) in the assay medium, after the rewarming interval, and in the maintenance media after the 24-h incubation. Specimens were then processed for electron microscopy. After the rewarming interval, PGE2 (164.0 +/- 23.2 pg/0.1 ml), IL-1 alpha (24.3 +/- 2.2 pg/0.1 ml), and K+ (6.47 +/- 0.41 mM) released from frozen LSE were significantly increased compared to controls (PGE2 = 22.2 +/- 4.6 pg/0.1 ml, IL-1 alpha = 5.7 +/- 1.0 pg/0.1 ml, K+ = 4.32 +/- 0.02 mM). After the 24-h incubation, PGE2 and IL-1 alpha released by frozen LSE (PGE2 = 1126 +/- 208 pg/0.1 ml; IL-1 alpha = 80.6 +/- 6.8 pg/0.1 ml) remained significantly higher than controls (PGE2 = 229.0 +/- 45 pg/0.1 ml; IL-1 alpha = 4.9 +/- 0.7 pg/0.1 ml). At this time, K+ leakage from frozen LSE (4.39 +/- 0.03 mM) had returned to a normal range (control = 4.65 +/- 0.02 mM). Keratinocytes and, to a lesser extent, fibroblasts showed ultrastructural freeze-thaw damage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Signal Pathways in Up-regulation of Chemokines by Tyrosine Kinase MER/NYK in Prostate Cancer Cells

The AXL/UFO family of tyrosine kinases is characterized by a common N-CAM (neural adhesion molecule)-related extracellular domain and a common ligand, GAS6 (growth arrest-specific protein 6). Family members are prone to transcriptional regulation and carry out diverse functions including the regulation of cell adhesion, migration, phagocytosis, and survival. In this report, we describe a new role of MER/N-CAM-related kinase (NYK), a member of the AXL family of kinases, in the up-regulation of chemokines in prostate cancer cells. We show that NYK has elevated expression in a subset of tumor specimens and prostate cancer cell lines. Activation of NYK in the prostate cancer cell line DU145 does not cause a mitogenic effect; instead, it causes a differentiation phenotype. Microarray analysis revealed that NYK is a strong inducer of endocrine factors including interleukin (IL)-8 and several other angiogenic CXC chemokines as well as bone morphogenic factors. The dramatic increase of IL-8 expression is seen at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. The downstream signals engaged by NYK were characterized, and those responsible for the up-regulation of IL-8 transcription were defined. In contrast to IL-1alpha, NYK-induced up-regulation of IL-8 in DU145 depends on the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/Jun/Fos pathway, but not phosphoinositide 3'-kinase/nuclear factor-kappaB. These data define a new function of the AXL family of kinases and suggest a potential role of NYK in prostate cancer progression.
Application of conformational analysis techniques to the prediction of heats of formation and gas-phase thermodynamic functions

Conformational energy calculations based on describing the deformation of chemical bonds by energy functions allow the prediction of molecular geometries, heats of formation, vibrational frequencies, and gas-phase thermodynamic functions of compounds which contain bonds or groups of bonds whose properties are transferable from molecule to molecule.
The Discrete Fourier Transform, Part 4: Spectral Leakage

This paper is part 4 in a series of papers about the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) and the Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT). The focus of this paper is on spectral leakage. Spectral leakage applies to all forms of DFT, including the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) and the IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform). We demonstrate an approach to mitigating spectral leakage based on windowing. Windowing temporally isolates the Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) in order to amplitude modulate the input signal. This requires that we know the extent, of the event in the input signal and that we have enough samples to yield a sufficient spectral resolution for our application. This report is a part of project Fenestratus, from the skunk-works of DocJava, Inc. Fenestratus comes from the Latin and means "to furnish with windows".
Researchexplorer: gaining insights through exploration in multimedia scientific data

An increasing amount of heterogeneous information about scientific research is becoming available on-line. This potentially allows users to explore the information from multiple perspectives and derive insights and not just raw data about a topic of interest. However, most current scientific information search systems lag behind this trend; being text-based, they are fundamentally incapable of dealing with multimedia data. An even more important limitation is that their information environments are information-centric and therefore are not suitable if insights are desired. Towards this goal, in this paper, we describe the design of a system, called ResearchExplorer, which facilitates exploring multimedia scientific data to gain insights. This is accomplished by providing an interaction environment for insights where users can explore multimedia scientific information sources. The multimedia information is united around the notion of research event and can be accessed in a unified way. Experiments are conducted to show how ResearchExplorer works and how it cardinally differs from other search systems
Nudges.gov: Behavioral Economics and Regulation

Behavioral economics is influencing regulatory initiatives in many nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom. The role of behavioral economics is likely to increase in the next generation, especially in light of the growing interest in low-cost, choice-preserving regulatory tools. Choice architecture -- including default rules, simplification, norms, and disclosure -- can affect outcomes even if material incentives are not involved. For example, default rules can have an even larger effect than significant economic incentives. Behavioral economics has helped to inform recent and emerging reforms in areas that include savings, finance, distracted driving, energy, climate change, obesity, education, poverty, health, and the environment.
An optimal spatial filtering electrode for brain computer interface

There are millions of people in the U.S. and many more worldwide who could benefit from a noninvasive-based electroencephalography (EEG) brain computer interface (BCI). A BCI is an alternative or augmentative communication method for people with severe motor disabilities. However, EEG suffers from poor spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). To improve the spatial resolution and SNR many researchers have turned to implantable electrodes. We have previously reported on significant improvements in BCI recognition rates using tripolar concentric ring electrodes compared to disc electrodes. We now report on a optimal method for combining the outputs from the independent elements of the tripolar concentric ring electrodes to improve the spatial resolution further. We used minimum variance distortionless look (MVDL), a beamformer, on simulated data to compare the spatial sensitivity of the optimal combination to disc electrodes and the tripolar concentric ring electrode surface Laplacian. The optimal combination shows the highest spatial sensitivity with the Laplacian a close second and disc electrodes resulting in a distant third. Further analysis is necessary with a more realistic computer model and then real signals. however it appears that the optimal combination may improve the spatial resolution of EEG further which in turn can be utilized to improve noninvasive EEG-based BCIs.
On the Performance of Multivariate Interpolation Decoding of Reed-Solomon Codes

The multivariate interpolation decoding (MID) algorithm for certain Reed-Solomon codes was recently introduced by Parvaresh and Vardy. The MID algorithm attempts to list-decode up to ntauMID = n (1 -RM(M+1)/) errors, in a Reed-Solomon code of length n and rate R, using (M+1)-variate polynomial interpolation. This improves on the Guruswami-Sudan decoding radius of tauGS = 1 - radicR by a large margin, especially for high-rate codes. The problem is that successful decoding is not guaranteed: there are certain patterns of less than ntauMID errors which the MID algorithm fails to decode. Nevertheless, simulations show that the actual performance of the MID decoder is very close to what one would expect if all patterns of up to ntauMID errors were corrected. On the other hand, analysis of the failure probability for the MID algorithm is extremely difficult, and there were no analytic results so far to confirm this empirically observed behavior. In this work, we provide such analytic results: we present a detailed analysis of the probability of failure in the MID algorithm for the special case where M = 2 and the interpolation multiplicity is m = 1. In this case, the MID algorithm attempts to correct up to ntau2,1 errors, where tau2,1 = 1 - 3radic6R2. We consider the situation where symbol values received from the channel at the erroneous positions are distributed uniformly at random (a version of the q-ary symmetric channel). We show that, with high probability, the performance of the MID algorithm is very close to the optimum in this case. Specifically, we prove that if the fraction of positions in error is at most tau2,1 -O(R5/3), then the probability of failure in the MID algorithm is at most n-Omega(n) . Thus the probability of failure is, indeed, negligible for large n in this case
Use of the Jordan Left-Right Reversal Test with Learning Disabled Children

This investigation established the reliability of the Jordan Left-Right Reversal Test for learning disabled children. Test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from .89 to .92 for a sample of 91 children, 5 through 12 yr., attending private schools for children with learning disabilities. Reversal errors decreased with age for boys and girls, although girls 9 through 12 made significantly fewer errors than did boys in the same age range. Learning disabled children made more errors at all ages than normal children. This test instrument was determined to be a measure of the global tendency to make visual reversal errors and was viewed as an appropriate part of the learning disabilities diagnostic procedure.
Sustained amygdala response to both novel and newly familiar faces characterizes inhibited temperament

Previous theories have proposed that the amygdala is hyper-responsive to novel stimuli in persons with an inhibited temperamenta biologically based predisposition to respond to novelty with wariness or avoidance behavior. In the current study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess amygdala blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) response when viewing novel or recently familiarized faces in persons with an extreme inhibited or uninhibited temperament. In persons with an inhibited temperament, the amygdala showed increased BOLD response when viewing both novel and recently familiarized faces. In contrast, in persons with an uninhibited temperament, BOLD response in the amygdala was increased only when viewing novel faces. These findings suggest that inhibited temperament is characterized not by a simple exaggerated response to novel faces, but rather by a sustained increase in amygdala response to faces even after the faces have become familiarized. In individuals with an inhibited temperament, this sustained response may be related to the wariness of social situations that persists beyond initial exposure.
Millimeter-wave measurements of foliage attenuation and ground reflectivity of tree stands at nadir incidence

In this paper, the phenomenology of wave propagation through foliage and forest ground reflectivity is investigated for assessing the feasibility of foliage-covered target detection at millimeter-wave frequencies. An experimental procedure for simultaneous measurements of foliage attenuation and ground reflectivity is outlined. This measurement procedure is implemented for two different tree stands, one mostly coniferous and the other deciduous, using a nadir-looking, high-resolution, 35-GHz radar positioned above the tree canopy. Statistics of the two-way attenuation and ground reflectivity for these two well-characterized stands are derived. Strong spatial and angular fluctuations in the two-way foliage attenuation coefficient are observed. The mean, standard deviation, and median of the measured two-way attenuation factor at Stand 1 (mostly coniferous trees with 0.140 trees/m/sup 2/ stocking density and 45.45 Kg/m/sup 2/ green biomass) are -25.4, -18.3, and -48.2 dB, respectively, while the mean, standard deviation, and median of the measured two-way attenuation factor at Stand 2 (deciduous trees with 0.1055 trees/m/sup 2/ stocking density and 30.90 Kg/m/sup 2/ green biomass) are -15.4, -12.7, and -33.6 dB, respectively. The mean attenuation rates of Stand 1 and Stand 2, derived from the measured two-way attenuation factor, are 0.40 and 0.24 Np/m, respectively. Only a small percentage of the data had two-way foliage attenuation values exceeding 70 dB. The mean, standard deviation, and median of the power reflectivity of the forest floor at Stand 1 are -14.2, -11.0, and -21.1 dB, respectively, while for Stand 2, the same statistical measures are -16.0, -14.3, and -22.2 dB, respectively. The results demonstrate the potential for using MMW nadir-looking radars for the detection of targets underneath foliage-cover.
Rolling the Dice: An Experiential Exercise for Enhancing Interventive Questioning Skill:

An exercise is presented, Rolling the Dice, that assists students in developing skill and clinical judgment in using interventive questions in counseling and therapy. Steps for using the exercise and different permutations of the exercise are presented, along with examples of its use with counselors in training at various experience levels.
Timing is everything: Short-run population impacts of immigration in US cities

Abstract We provide the first analysis of the short-run causal impact of immigrant inflows on native populations at the local labor market level. Using published statistics from the American Community Surveys of 2000–2010, we examine how immigrant inflow shocks to a metropolitan area affect native populations. We find that immigrant inflows are associated with increases in local native populations on an annual basis but that these OLS estimates are generally upward biased. Our IV results are purged of this bias, but we still find that an additional immigrant increases the low skill native population by 0.4–0.7 in the concurrent period. To explain this result, we show that immigrant inflows lead to declines in outflows of low skill natives from affected MSAs. This is most pronounced in MSAs from which relocation is arguably more costly, which may disproportionately affect the low skilled. We find short-run responses among high skill natives that are consistent with displacement. The decline in high skilled native populations is driven by high skilled immigrant inflows, and high skilled outflows increase from affected MSAs. We show that these short-run changes are obscured in specifications using longer-run population changes and conclude that the short-run impact of immigrants on native populations differs markedly from their longer-run impact.
Genetic organization and mRNA expression of enolase genes of Candida albicans

In previous work, we cloned a Candida albicans cDNA for the glycolytic enzyme enolase and found a single, abundant enolase transcript on Northern (RNA) blots and a single protein on immunoblots, using antiserum raised against a recombinant enolase fusion protein. Because C. albicans enolase is abundantly produced during infection and elicits strong host immune responses, the mechanisms regulating enolase production are important for understanding the growth of C. albicans in vivo. To obtain more information on enolase gene expression by C. albicans, we used the enolase cDNA clone to investigate the genetic organization of enolase genes and the steady-state levels of enolase mRNA under several growth conditions. Gene disruption techniques in combination with Southern blot analyses of genomic DNA showed the presence of two enolase gene loci that could be distinguished by the locations of ClaI and Mn/I sites in their 3' flanking regions. Enolase steady-state mRNA levels were greatest during the middle phase of the logarithmic growth curve and were low during stationary phase. Minimal differences in enolase mRNA levels between yeast cells and hyphae were found. Propagation of C. albicans in glucose did not cause increased enolase mRNA levels compared with growth in a nonfermentable carbon source (pyruvate). It was concluded that two gene loci exist for C. albicans enolase and that enolase mRNA is constitutively produced at high levels during active metabolism.
Amyloidosis-where are we now and where are we heading?

Abstract Context.—Amyloidoses are disorders of diverse etiology in which deposits of abnormally folded proteins share distinctive staining properties and fibrillar ultrastructural appearance. Amyloidosis ultimately leads to destruction of tissues and progressive disease. With recent advances in the treatment of systemic amyloidoses the importance of an early diagnosis of amyloid, and a correct diagnosis of its type, has been realized. Objective.—To summarize current recommendations for the diagnosis of amyloidosis. Data Sources.—Presentation given at the 4th Annual Renal Pathology Society Satellite meeting in Istanbul based on discussions and recommendations formulated during an interactive diagnostic session held at the XIth International Symposium on Amyloidosis in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Conclusions.—Congo red stain is currently the gold standard for amyloid detection and the goal is to detect amyloid early. Diagnosis of the amyloid type must be based on the identification of amyloid protein within ...
Pain location and psychological characteristics of patients with chronic pain.

The authors assessed psychological characteristics of 140 medical outpatients with chronic nonmalignant pain referred for psychiatric consultation. Subjects completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS), and Counterdependency Scale (CDS). The only psychological measure able to differentiate the chronic pain group from the control subjects was the CDS. However, SSAS scores were significantly higher in subjects having pain involving the head, chest, abdomen, or pelvis than in subjects having pain only in their backs or extremities. The latter subgroup had significantly higher CDS scores. The findings suggest that there are discrete subgroups within the chronic pain population defined by pain location and specific psychological characteristics .
Myelodysplastic syndrome associated with monosomy 7 in childhood: a retrospective study

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, peripheral cytopenia, and dysplastic changes in the bone marrow. Monosomy 7 or partial loss of 7q is a common cytogenetic abnormality in MDS patients and is associated with poor prognosis. This study examined eight patients with monosomy 7 and MDS. Five MDS patients with monosomy 7 progressed to acute leukemia: three cases transformed into acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in a mean time of only 4.6 months and two cases into acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in a mean time of 9 months. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing progression of monosomy 7 associated with MDS to ALL in the childhood period.
Evaporation of low-volatility components in polymeric dental resins.

Abstract Objectives This study provides measurement of the volatility of selected photoinitiators and monomers used in dental adhesive resins. A detailed determination of the spatial and temporal character of camphorquinone (CQ) volatilization with respect to air flow conditions as well as media viscosity is assessed to gauge the effect of evaporative loss on the photopolymerization process and the photopolymers formed. Methods Vapor pressures of materials are measured by thermogravimetric analysis. A quantitative model assuming one-dimensional Fickian diffusion with surface evaporation is presented and compared with measured photoinitiator volatilization from viscous and non-viscous resin samples, obtained by spectrophotometry and confocal microscopy. Model resins are prepared and subject to airthinning followed by photocuring, monitored in real-time by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Results Vapor pressure measurements of the individual components of the adhesive resin span nearly four orders of magnitude, with the photoinitiator CQ near the middle (0.6 Pa) and the monomer HEMA at the upper end (10 Pa). We see depth-averaged CQ loss from non-viscous open films, while depthresolved measurements of viscous droplets show strong surface-localized CQ depletion. Good agreement is observed between measurements and the model. Finally, air-thinning of samples prepared with more-volatile photoinitiator and monomer is shown to cause longer induction times, slower early-stage polymerization rates and lower late-stage degree of conversion. Significance Widely used compounds with vapor pressures as low as 0.6 Pa (0.001 Torr) undergo significant volatilization from samples ventilated under conditions generally representative to clinically used air-thinning procedures, with the potential to adversely affect the photopolymerization of both viscous and non-viscous resins. The inverse relationship between air-thinning and adhesive bond strength, observed elsewhere, may be partially caused by this same effect.
Crane Load Positioning and Sway Monitoring Using an Inertial Measurement Unit

Crane operation is one of the most essential activities on construction sites. However, operating a crane is a sophisticated job which requires the operator to have extensive skills and experience, and most importantly a comprehensive understanding of crane motions. Besides typical crane motions such as boom slew, hoist, and extension, monitoring and controlling the position of the load is extremely important to avoid struck-by accidents caused by crane load, especially when the load swings as a result of wind and inertia. Although typical motions can be captured by some existing techniques, a reliable approach to position the load and monitor the load sway remains missing. This study proposes an orientation-based approach for tracking crane load position and monitoring load sway in daily lifting activities. This approach adopts an off-theshelf inertial measurement unit (IMU) module for measuring load orientation, and an efficient algorithm for converting orientation measurements to load positions. The proposed approach was tested in two load sway scenarios in a controlled lab environment. Test results indicate that the proposed approach correctly converted orientation measurements to accurate load positions and reconstructed the load sway trajectory in both linear and circular sway motions. Enabling continuously monitoring of crane load motion, this approach augments the crane motion information obtained by typical crane motion capturing systems. The findings in the research will advance the safety practices in crane lifting activities.
L-arginine improves transmission of perfusion pressure to the renal interstitium in Dahl salt-sensitive rats

L-Arginine normalizes pressure natriuresis in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rats. To determine the role of renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) in this phenomenon, we measured RIHP determined by servo-null during acute changes in renal perfusion pressure in anesthetized DS rats receiving L-arginine (300 mg.kg-1.day-1 ip) or vehicle for 3 wk. Dahl salt-resistant (DR) rats were controls. As observed previously, the slope of the pressure-natriuresis relationship was greater (P < 0.05) in L-arginine-treated DS rats than vehicle DS rats and not different from DR rats. The slope of the relationship between renal perfusion pressure and RIHP was greater (P < 0.05) in DR rats than vehicle DS rats. In L-arginine-treated DS rats the slope of this relationship was greater (P < 0.05) than that in vehicle DS rats and not different from DR rats. Removal of the renal capsule blunted the pressure-natriuresis relationship in L-arginine-treated DS rats but had no effect in vehicle DS rats. Thus L-arginine improves transmission of perfusion pressure into the renal interstitium in DS rats and may contribute to the improved pressure-natriuresis response.
The Ethics of Celebrity-Athlete Endorsement: What Happens When a Star Steps Out of Bounds?

ABSTRACT Celebrity athletes are a mainstay of popular culture and an increasingly important part of the marketing ecosystem. As product endorsers, they can influence brand attitudes and sales but also have broader societal implications for the firm. The recent string of bad behavior by celebrity athletes raises important ethical questions about firms that use the famous and infamous to endorse branded products. The conceptual framework presented in the current study provides a theoretical approach—based on virtue ethics—for evaluating the retention of tainted celebrity affiliates. This framework is applied to three well-known situations to examine the ethical implications of what initially were good choices for firms, their brands, and their consumers. The overarching goal of this article is to stimulate managers to think more deeply about the interconnections between their core company values, the athlete endorsers they select, and the ultimate effect of those decisions on their brands in the marketplace if things go wrong.
Vasomotor Effects of Blood in Patients with Hypertension

Many investigators have noted increased pressor (or diminished depressor) substances in the blood of patients with hypertension.1-4 Others frequently employing similar methods, have failed to find them.5-9 We have used the denervated rabbit's ear preparation as described by Pissemski10 and modified by Katz11 to compare the effect of blood of persons with hypertension and subjects with normal blood pressures. This preparation has been found to be sensitive to known pressor substances in high dilutions (epinephrine 1 to 100,000,000 and pitressin 1 to 150,000), and has an important advantage in that whole undiluted relatively unchanged blood plasma may be used. In the early experiments the inflow pipette was connected to a Mariotte bottle. Subsequently we found a constant volume pump to be more satisfactory.The perfusion was started with Tyrode's solution and followed with unheated plasma alternating between blood from normal and hypersensitive individuals and noting the changes in pressure with constant inf...
A theoretical model for the thrust and voltage of applied-field MPD thrusters

The new visualization of applied-field MPD thruster operation offered by previous numerical simulations with the MACH2 code, is utilized to produce an analytic model. This model provides simple expressions for the thrust and voltage drop across the plasma that capture all the trends and in most cases the magnitudes of a wide range of experimental data. It establishes that the thrust scales as the square root of the product of the applied field strength, discharge current and mass flow rate, T~VrhlB~. Voltage scales linearly with applied field strength and is independent of discharge current and mass flow rate. This model also provides additional insights that can be utilized to improve applied-field MPD thruster performance.
Protective Effects of Ischemic Postconditioning on Liver Oxidative Stress in a Rat Model of Laparoscopic Pneumoperitoneum

Objective To investigate the protective effects of ischemic postconditioning on liver oxidative stress in a rat model of laparoscopic pneumoperitoneum(P).Method Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,the pneumoperitoneum(group P),ischemic preconditioning(group IP),ischemic postconditioning(group IPo) and control(group C).Animals in the group C was subjected to sham operation,in the other groups were subjected to the CO2 pneumoperitoneum,15mm Hg intra-abdominal pressure(IAP).P group was subjected to 60 min of P,followed by 30 min of deflation(D),IP group was subjected to preconditioning prior to P/D,which consisted of 10 min of P,followed by 10 min of D,IPo group was subjected to 60 min of P,followed by three cycles of 1 min of D and 1 min of P and 30 min of D.Plasma alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase(AST),as well as homogenized tissue malondialdehyde(MDA) and nitric oxide(NO) levels,glutathione(GSH) activities were measured.The expression of iNOS in liver tissue was examined by immunohistochemical technique in each group.Results Plasma ALT and AST as well as liver MDA levels significantly increased in groups P,IP and IPo,as compared to those in group C(P0.05).Plasma ALT,AST as well as liver MDA and NO levels significantly decreased,whereas liver GSH values increased in groups IP and IPo,as compared to group P(P0.05).The biochemical markers except GSH were no significantly different be-tween group IP and IPo.The iNOS concentration markedly decreased in group IPo in comparison with group P.Conclusions Ischemic postconditioning can increase GSH levels and inhibit the expression of iNOS that can induce the production of NO,which may decrease hepatic oxidative stress induced by CO2 pneumoperitoneum.Compared with IP,IPo increased GSH more prominently.It is suggested that IPo may play a greater role as protective effect on oxidative stress.
Globalizing Participation: "Exporting" the Participatory Budgeting Model from Brazil to the Dominican Republic

The Participatory Budgeting (PB) model implemented in the Dominican Republic is an interesting test case to explore ways in which globalization has a potential to expand rather than reduce spaces for citizen participation at the local level The paper explains the implementation of PB in the country based on diffusion channels facilitated by
Simulation as an ethical imperative and epistemic responsibility for the implementation of medical guidelines in health care

Guidelines orient best practices in medicine, yet, in health care, many real world constraints limit their optimal realization. Since guideline implementation problems are not systematically anticipated, they will be discovered only post facto, in a learning curve period, while the already implemented guideline is tweaked, debugged and adapted. This learning process comes with costs to human health and quality of life. Despite such predictable hazard, the study and modeling of medical guideline implementation is still seldom pursued. In this article we argue that to systematically identify, predict and prevent medical guideline implementation errors is both an epistemic responsibility and an ethical imperative in health care, in order to properly provide beneficence, minimize or avoid harm, show respect for persons, and administer justice. Furthermore, we suggest that implementation knowledge is best achieved technically by providing simulation modeling studies to anticipate the realization of medical guidelines, in multiple contexts, with system and scenario analysis, in its alignment with the emerging field of implementation science and in recognition of learning health systems. It follows from both claims that it is an ethical imperative and an epistemic responsibility to simulate medical guidelines in context to minimize (avoidable) harm in health care, before guideline implementation.
Have the Extent and the Impact of Chronic Malnutrition been Underestimated? A Theory of Technophysio Evolution and its Implications for Nutritional Standards

The debate over the extent of chronic malnutrition in developing countries, which began after the Second World War, has been conducted largely between investigators associated with the FAO, WHO, and the World Bank (FAWOB) on the one hand and critics who believe that their estimates of the extent of malnutrition are too high.
Negative-bias temperature instability of GaN MOSFETs

We present a detailed study of the threshold voltage (V t ) instability of GaN n-MOSFETs under negative gate stress. We have investigated Vt shift, subthreshold swing (S) degradation and transconductance (gm) degradation under negative gate voltage stress of different duration at different stress voltages and temperatures. We have found that as stress duration, voltage magnitude and temperature increase, V t shift (ΔV T ) progresses through three regimes. Under low-stress, ΔV T is negative and recoverable, which is a result of electron detrapping from pre-existing oxide traps. Under mid-stress, ΔVT is positive and also recoverable. This appears to be due to temporary electron trapping in the GaN channel under the edges of the gate. For high-stress, there is an additional non-recoverable negative ΔVT, which is consistent with interface state generation.