cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac MR reliably identifies patients with clinically significant left ventricular noncompaction using a novel mass quantification technique

Background Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a diagnosis often made at imaging with uncertain prognostic value. Jenni echocardiogram and Petersen cardiac MR (CMR) criteria utilize a single long-axis view to quantify the maximal ratio of noncompacted to compacted myocardial thickness, but these have not been shown to correlate with clinical status or disease progression. Quantitation of the trabecular mass is now simple to perform using advanced post-processing tools. Prior studies demonstrated that elevated LV trabeculated mass helps differentiate patients with LVNC from healthy controls and patients with other non-ischemic cardiomyopathies, but distinguishing patients with morphologic LVNC (M-LVNC) from those with clinically significant LVNC (CS-LVNC) remains problematic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of trabecular mass quantification at CMR to differentiate patients with CS-LVNC and M-LVNC.
Binding Change Mechanism for ATP Synthesis by Oxidative Phosphorylation and Photophosphorylation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses binding change mechanism for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation and photophosphorylation. It presents a three-site version of the binding change mechanism for ATP synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation and photophosphorylation. The chapter presents some experiments, the results of which not only clearly demonstrate the existence of the high-affinity site during steady-state catalysis, but the excellent agreement of the data with the calculated plot also provides an independent confirmation of published values for k 1 and k 3 . The effect of an ATP-regenerating system on catalytic site occupancy at low ATP concentration is also presented. F 1 was incubated with [ 3 H] ATP long enough to allow approximately 10 turnovers per F 1 . Samples were removed to determine the amount of nucleotide bound to F 1 and the total [ 3 H] ADP in the reaction mixture. Increasing concentrations of pyruvate kinase decrease medium adenosine diphosphate (ADP) significantly but they have little effect on catalytic site occupancy as shown by the amount of tritiated nucleotide retained by F 1 upon removal of unbound ligand. These results demonstrate that medium ADP is not required for observing the high-affinity site. Another approach to measure the equilibrium constant for ATP synthesis at the catalytic site in the absence of energization is to determine the amount of bound [ 32 P]ATP formed from the phosphorylation of bound ADP by medium 32 P i . The dependency of the size of this ATP fraction on the P i concentration suggests that under these conditions, the Κ D for the P i binding to a catalytic site containing ADP might be in excess of 0.1 M .
The fracton gauge principle

A powerful mechanism for constructing gauge theories is to start from a theory with a global symmetry, then apply the ``gauge principle,'' which demands that this symmetry hold locally. For example, the global phase rotation of a system of conserved charges can be promoted to a local phase rotation by coupling to an ordinary $U(1)$ vector gauge field. More recently, a class of particles has been studied featuring not only charge conservation, but also conservation of higher moments, such as dipole moment, which leads to severe restrictions on the mobility of charges. These particles, called fractons, are known to be intimately connected to symmetric tensor gauge fields. In this work, we show how to derive such tensor gauge theories by applying the gauge principle to a theory of ungauged fractons. We begin by formulating a field theory for ungauged fractons exhibiting global conservation of charge and dipole moment. We show that such fracton field theories have a characteristic non-Gaussian form, reflecting the fact that fractons intrinsically interact with each other even in the absence of a mediating gauge field. We then promote the global higher moment conservation laws to local ones, which requires the introduction of a symmetric tensor gauge field. Finally, we extend these arguments to other types of subdimensional particles besides fractons. This work offers a possible route to the formulation of non-Abelian fracton theories.
The Nurse’s Guide to Innovation: Accelerating the Journey

I recently obtained a copy of this text: The Nurses Guide to Innovation from author Wayne Nix. Nix and I had interacted in the past as I, as a design instructor, introduced him to several folks that I had interacted with regarding nursing needs in a hospital environment. I read through the text in an afternoon.
Long‐term outcome of percutaneous intervention for pulmonary vein stenosis after pulmonary vein isolation procedure

OBJECTIVES Report long-term outcomes of percutaneous intervention in patients with pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) from a single center over 16 years. BACKGROUND Outcome reports of percutaneous intervention for PVS resulting from PVI are limited. METHODS Retrospective review of all patients with PVS after PVI who underwent percutaneous intervention at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between January 2000 and December 2016. RESULTS A total of 205 patients underwent cardiac catheterization for PVS during the study period. Completely occluded veins which could not be recanalized occurred in six patients. Of the remaining 199 patients, 27 (14%) were lost to follow-up, leaving 172 patients with 276 veins for analysis. Balloon angioplasty was performed in 62 veins and stent implantation in 250 (primary in 214, to treat postdilation restenosis in 36). Re-intervention occurred in 45/62 (73%) balloon-dilated veins and 45/250 (18%) stented veins. Freedom from re-intervention at 1 and 5 years was 90 and 73% following stenting versus 40 and 23% following balloon dilation (p < .001, Hazard ratio (HR) = 5.7). Veins with stent diameter ≥7 mm (n = 231) had greater freedom from re-intervention (95% at 1 year, 79% at 5 years) than veins with stents <7 mm (43% at 1 year, 9% at 5 years), p < .001. There was clear symptomatic improvement after intervention and no procedural mortality. CONCLUSIONS Stent implantation at ≥7 mm for PVS after PVI is associated with low rates of re-intervention, in contrast to balloon dilation and stenting with small conventional stents.
Using Transfer Learning Approach to Implement Convolutional Neural Network model to Recommend Airline Tickets by Using Online Reviews

Social Media provides an opportunity for people to share their idea about different aspects of life. Traveling is one of the essential aspects of life. In this paper, we use Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers(BERT) for sentiment classification of online reviews to implement a Convolutional Neural Network model that can recommend airline tickets. Different sentiment classification models are compared based on people’s online reviews from six online social platforms. The new model can classify airline tickets as an economical choice or not economical choice ticket based on various aspects of the trips, including airline customer satisfaction, travel destination, hotel information, restaurants, and tourist attractions. This work contribution is two-fold: first, it examines the importance of choosing a transfer learning model for sentiment classification of online social platforms in the recommender system’s prediction accuracy. Second, the implementation of the Convolutional Neural Network model, which can classify airline tickets based on data generated by multiple online social platforms. Using the natural language processing approach to use the transfer learning model to improve the CNN model’s prediction accuracy is a new approach to use online social platforms to recommend economical airline tickets to consumers.
Providing hope: influences of volunteer tourism on program youth

Global South youth are considered members of a host community and are receivers of volunteer tourism development programs. However, their perceptions have rarely been included in volunteer tourism ...
A novel method to determine the mixed mode (I/III) dynamic fracture initiation toughness of materials

A novel hybrid experimental-numerical approach is proposed to determine the mixed-mode (I/III) dynamic fracture initiation toughness of engineering materials. To demonstrate the methodology, cylindrical aluminum alloy specimens with V-notch spiral cracks on the surface at spiral inclined angles of $${\beta _{sp}=0}^{\circ }, {11.25}^{\circ }, {22.5}^{\circ }, {33.75}^{\circ }$$ and $${45}^{\circ }$$ are subjected to dynamic torsion load using a torsional Hopkinson bar apparatus. The torque applied at the onset of fracture is measured through strain gages attached to the incident and transmitter bars. Stereo digital image correlation (StereoDIC) is performed to measure the full field deformation and crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) as a function of loading time. Results are used to estimate the crack initiation time. The dynamic stress intensity factors are extracted numerically based on the dynamic interaction integral method using ABAQUS. The mode-I $$ {(K}_{Id})$$, mode-III $$(K_{IIId})$$, and mixed-Mode ($$K_{(I/III)d})$$ dynamic initiation toughness data as a function of spiral angles are presented and discussed.
OH, PAH, and sooting imaging in piloted liquid-spray flames of diesel and diesel surrogate

Abstract Comparison of the flame structure, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and soot formation characteristics of commercial diesel and a diesel surrogate is investigated using planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of OH and PAH at 283 nm, and laser-induced incandescence (LII) of soot at 1064 nm. The diesel and diesel surrogate flames present a similar overall appearance, with a “dark core” region of fine droplets exiting the injector and a light blue outer flame near the base. Hot soot regions appear downstream, indicated by bright yellowish flame luminosity. Comparison of simultaneously acquired single-laser-shot PLIF images of OH and PAH indicates that smaller PAH reside mostly in the central regime in the ~20–60% height of the flame, sandwiched between the flame fronts. In contrast, larger PAH and soot particles are formed further downstream. Soot-LII signals are present only in the upper ~40% height of the flame for both the fuels. The distribution of mean PAH-PLIF and soot-LII signals along the flame height is also found to be similar for both fuels, except diesel is shown to produce approximately 1.5× more soot than the diesel surrogate. Based on the analysis of probability distributions, the maximum OH-PLIF signals in both fuels have similar radial and axial spatial distributions, while maximum PAH-PLIF signals occur at a higher axial location for the diesel surrogate. However, for the diesel surrogate, maximum soot-LII signals are frequently appeared at lower heights. Therefore, exploration of more appropriate diesel surrogates may be necessary to closely mimic the PAH and soot formation behaviors of diesel fuel. The present study shows that the combined optical diagnostic techniques and the statistical analysis can be used for studying commercial diesel and diesel surrogates, and thus establish a robust framework for detailed studies of chemical kinetics, combustion dynamics, and soot formation in liquid hydrocarbon spray combustion.
Cross-Sectional Estimation Biases in Risk Premia and Ze-ro-Beta Excess Returns

This paper shows that the classic cross-sectional asset pricing tests tend to suffer from severe risk-premium estimation errors because of small variation in betas. We explain how the conventional approach uses low criteria to validate an asset-pricing model and suffers from the model-misspecification issue because of the complication associated with the zero-beta excess return. We show that the resulting biases in estimates of risk premia and their standard errors are se-vere enough to lead researchers into inferring incorrect implications about some asset-pricing theories being tested. Further, we suggest that one simple method of mitigating these issues is to restrict the zero-beta excess returns to their theoretical values in the cross-sectional regressions and to conduct the straightforward test of whether the estimated ex-ante risk premia are consistent with the observed ex-post ones. The empirical testing results not only further affirm the higher efficiency of the estimates produces by the suggested method, but also show, contrary to some prior evidence, that the market factor is priced consistently.
Utilization of lean project management principles and health informatics to reduce operating room delays in a vascular surgery practice

Abstract Objectives Perioperative inefficiency can increase cost. We describe a process improvement initiative that addressed preoperative delays on an academic vascular surgery service. Methods First case vascular surgeries from July 2019–January 2020 were retrospectively reviewed for delays, defined as late arrival to the operating room (OR). A stakeholder group spearheaded by a surgeon-informaticist analyzed this process and implemented a novel electronic medical records (EMR) preoperative tool with improved preoperative workflow and role delegation; results were reviewed for 3 months after implementation. Results 57% of cases had first case on-time starts with average delay of 19 min. Inappropriate preoperative orders were identified as a dominant delay source (average delay = 38 min). Three months post-implementation, 53% of first cases had on-time starts with average delay of 11 min (P Conclusions Inconsistent preoperative workflows led to inappropriate orders and delays, increasing cost and decreasing quality. A novel EMR tool subsequently reduced delays with projected savings of $1,200/case. Workflow standardization utilizing informatics can increase efficiency, raising the value of surgical care.
Hospitality and Tourism Students’ Perceptions of Their Writing: A Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Case Study

Many college educators have concerns about their students’ writing in general and within disciplines and may wish to understand more about their students’ writing practices and preferences. Therefo...
Rats' use of hierarchical organization in serial pattern learning.

Abstract Many organisms show aptitude for learning and performing patterned sequences. However, we do not yet have a complete account of how they accomplish this. One of the most successful is Restle’s hierarchical model, which supposes organisms represent sequences using the simplest form available through using hierarchies to organize the sequences’ elements. In two experiments, we evaluated if Restle’s model accurately accounted for rats’ patterned sequence learning. First, we compared rats’ learning of a runs pattern with three levels of hierarchical organization with no violations of pattern structure to learning of the same pattern with one violation of pattern structure in the pattern’s second half. Restle’s model predicts rats should have more difficulty learning the violation pattern and that rats learning the pattern with the violation in the second half of the pattern should attempt to reflect that violation to the first half. The results indicated that rats had more difficulty learning the violation pattern and that inserting a violation in the second half of the pattern led rats to make significantly more errors on the second half of the pattern relative to the first half of the pattern. Rats did not insert the violation from the second half of the pattern into the first half of the pattern. In a second experiment, we continued to explore if Restle’s model accurately accounted for rats’ pattern learning using more complex patterns. The present results of both experiments and prior work with humans were inconsistent with Restle’s model, suggesting more work is needed to develop a model that accurately accounts for rats’ learning of complex patterned sequences.
Dapsone and Autoimmune Bullous Disorders

Dapsone, a sulfone, was synthesized in the early twentieth century and has held longtime FDA approval to treat dermatitis herpetiformis and leprosy. However, unlabeled uses of dapsone have become prevalent among dermatologist, especially in autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBD).
Identification of immunogenic markers in pancreatic and ovarian cancer by seromics

Protein arrays offer a miniaturized platform that can be used to determine specific reactivity of serum or plasma samples against very large sets of antigens, a process that can be referred to as seromics. We first validated the technology in comparison to ELISA-based assays using sera with previously determined specificity to antigens present on microarrays. We also defined a set of stringent normalization and calculation strategies tailored to the challenges posed by the use of serum for antigen detection: high variability between individuals in reactivity and serum composition, large range of titers expected to individual antigens with variable frequency, etc. A set of 60 sera from pancreatic patients and 52 sera from ovarian cancer patients were selected according to disease status (localized vs. metastatic) and outcome (long-term vs. short-term survival), and compared to a set of 53 sera from age-matched healthy donors. Data were analyzed according to algorithms dedicated to this type of analyses. We describe here the results of these analyses, which yielded a series of antigens capable of eliciting immune responses with higher frequency and specificity in the sera of cancer patients in comparison to normal subjects. We compare the frequency of these immunogenic antigens in pancreatic vs. ovarian cancer, define shared targets, and their relationship to clinical status. Together, these data highlight the potential for the discovery of new immunogenic targets in cancer with immunotherapeutic potential for vaccine development, but also for the definition of biomarker signatures able to diagnose cancer status, with possible predictive value. We finally applied these discoveries to determine their use as predictive tools during response to immunotherapeutic intervention, such as the manipulation of immunomodulatory pathways during CTLA-4 blockade. Collaborative study with: Dirk Jager, Markus Buchler, and Benedikt Brors from the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; Kunle Odunsi from Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; Nasser Altorki from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY; Jim Allison and Jedd Wolchok, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; Colin Wheeler and Rachel Fallon, Sense Proteomics, Maidenhead, UK; Gerd Ritter, Erika Ritter, Lloyd Old, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY. This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity , a [Cancer Research Institute][1] journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research . [1]: http://cancerresearch.org/
Midazolam enhances the analgesic properties of dexmedetomidine in the rat

Objective To investigate the analgesic properties of different dose combinations of midazolam and dexmedetomidine administered intraperitoneally (IP) in the rat.
The interplay between service learning and the ideological becoming of aspiring educators who are “marked” as different

Abstract Through a Bakhtinian lens of “ideological becoming”, we investigate the impact of service learning on two aspiring educators enrolled in a course exploring the intersections of race, class, gender, ability, language background, and sexual orientation. In particular, we explore how embodying “markers of difference” (Kerschbaum, 2014) assists aspiring educators in thinking about who they are and what they see as the potential for learning of youth from varied backgrounds.
Daytime and nighttime polar cloud and snow identification using MODIS data

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Terra, with its high horizontal resolution and frequent sampling over Arctic and Antarctic regions, provides unique data sets to study clouds and the surface energy balance over snow and ice surfaces. This paper describes a polar cloud mask using MODIS data. The daytime cloud and snow identification methods were developed using theoretical snow bi-directional reflectance models for the MODIS 1.6 and 3.75 micron channels. The model-based polar cloud mask minimizes the need for empirically adjusting the thresholds for a given set of conditions and reduces the error accrued from using single-value thresholds. During night, the MODIS brightness temperature differences (BTD) for 3.75 - 11, 3.75 - 12, 8.55 - 11, and 6.7 - 11 micron are used to detect clouds while snow and ice maps are used to determine snow and ice surfaces. At twilight, the combination of the 1.6 micron reflectance and the 3.75 - 11 micron BTD are used to detect clouds. Examples of the cloud mask results from daytime, nighttime, and twilight data show good agreement with visual interpretation of the imagery. Comparisons of the modeled and observed reflectances for clear snow areas reveal good agreement at 1.6 micron, but 10 - 35% overestimates of the 3.75 micron reflectance by the model. Over the Arctic, the modeled visible reflectance is significantly greater than the observed values. Better agreement is obtained over the Antarctic where snow melt is less significant.
Contemporary impact of transrectal ultrasound lesions for prostate cancer detection

ABSTRACT Purpose: Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided systematic biopsy of the prostate is the gold standard diagnostic modality for prostate cancer. Consequently, the value of discrete hypoechoic lesions on TRUS lesions considered suspicious for cancer deserves meticulous reevaluation, specifically in the prostate specific antigen era when the majority of tumors diagnosed are nonpalpable. We studied whether the predictability of a biopsy core changes if the tissue comes from an isoechoic vs hypoechoic lesion. Materials and Methods: Prospective data were collected on 3,912 consecutive patients referred to our medical center between 1993 and 1999 for biopsy of the prostate. A sextant technique (apex, mid gland and base) with an additional core biopsy from the transitional zone was used. If a hypoechoic lesion was identified, the biopsy was taken from the lesion. Correlation between hypoechoic lesions, isoechoic areas and cancer detection for each core was performed. Results: A total of 31,296 cores were obtained from the cohort. Overall 2,642 (68%) cores had at least 1 hypoechoic lesion ultrasonographically. Cancer was detected in 675 (25.5%) and 323 (25.4%) patients with or without hypoechoic lesions (p = 0.97). The per core cancer detection was fairly uniform and averaged 9.3% and 10.4% for hypoechoic and isoechoic areas, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.3). Gleason scores were less than 7, 7 and greater than 7 in 46%, 34% and 20% of cases, respectively. Conclusions: Despite the higher prevalence of cancers discovered in prostates with hypoechoic areas, the hypoechoic lesion itself was not associated with increased cancer prevalence compared with biopsy cores from isoechoic areas. For impalpable tumors TRUS findings are not contributory for staging.
Corporate sustainability: historical development and reporting practices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the sustainability disclosure methods‐instruments practiced by the two most widely employed indexes/instruments (DJSI World and GRI‐G3 Guidelines). The paper suggests that the newly created triple bottom line (TBL) reporting practices need to undergo further standardization and enforcement to avoid, or give early warnings about, future corporate mismanagement that leads to socio‐economic consequences detrimental to investors and consumers in general.Design/methodology/approach – This paper utilizes sample firms from the DJSI World Index and the GRI‐G3 Sustainability Guidelines membership list to draw inferences on sustainability indicators of performance. The authors compare the GRI reporting guidelines with the disclosure indicators of the DJSI World.Findings – The authors' findings suggest that TBL reporting has made enormous progress over the last two decades. However, the two widely used sustainability reporting instruments/indexes (DJSI World and GRI‐...
Use of a fluorescence microplate reader for the detection and characterization of metal-assisted peptide hydrolysis.

Metal ions and complexes that hydrolyze peptides under nondenaturing conditions of temperature and pH hold great promise for use in protein structural studies. However, the extreme stability of the peptide amide bond has placed limits on the number of reagents available. In addition, the development of new cleavage strategies has been hindered by the fact that no facile procedure exists for the detection and characterization of metal-assisted peptide hydrolysis. Here we describe a rapid assay in which a microplate reader is used to detect fluorescence produced by the reaction of fluorescamine with hydrolyzed peptides. We have employed this assay to detect Zn(II) and Pd(II)-assisted peptide hydrolysis in multiple samples and in each case have extended our approach to a successful analysis of reaction kinetics. Aliquots from multiple time points are treated with fluorescamine in a single 96-well plate. Because the plate is scanned in a microplate reader in only 58 s, the assay is very convenient compared to conventional approaches which rely on NMR and HPLC to monitor individual reactions. Using our assay, rate constants and half-lives are easily derived from the kinetic data by means of linear regression curve fits of triplicate runs.
Phenotypic Variation and Natural Selection at Catsup, a Pleiotropic Quantitative Trait Gene in Drosophila

Summary Quantitative traits are shaped by networks of pleiotropic genes [1]. To understand the mechanisms that maintain genetic variation for quantitative traits in natural populations and to predict responses to artificial and natural selection, we must evaluate pleiotropic effects of underlying quantitative trait genes and define functional allelic variation at the level of quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs). Catecholamines up ( Catsup ), which encodes a negative regulator of tyrosine hydroxylase [2], the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter dopamine, is a pleiotropic quantitative trait gene in Drosophila melanogaster [2–4]. We used association mapping to determine whether the same or different QTNs at Catsup are associated with naturally occurring variation in multiple quantitative traits. We sequenced 169 Catsup alleles from a single population and detected 33 polymorphisms with little linkage disequilibrium (LD). Different molecular polymorphisms in Catsup are independently associated with variation in longevity, locomotor behavior, and sensory bristle number. Most of these polymorphisms are potentially functional variants in protein coding regions, have large effects, and are not common. Thus, Catsup is a pleiotropic quantitative trait gene, but individual QTNs do not have pleiotropic effects. Molecular population genetic analyses of Catsup sequences are consistent with balancing selection maintaining multiple functional polymorphisms.
Keratinizing-type squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx: p16 overexpression is associated with positive high-risk HPV status and improved survival

It is well established that nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oropharynx is causally related to transcriptionally active human papillomavirus (HPV) and has better survival as compared with carcinomas with a keratinizing phenotype (KSCC). Although the great majority of KSCCs are unrelated to HPV, transcriptionally active HPV is detected in a minority of oropharyngeal cases. To date, it has not been established whether the HPV status in KSCC also confers a survival advantage as it does in HPV-related nonkeratinizing SCC. This study compares clinical outcomes between patients with HPV-positive versus HPV-negative oropharyngeal KSCC. Among a total of 54 cases, 7 (13%) were diffusely and strongly positive for p16. HPV E6/E7 RNA was positive in 5 of the 6 (83%) p16-positive cases that were tested and in only 1 of the 47 (2%) p16-negative cases. Only 1 of the 7 (14%) p16-positive patients developed disease recurrence and died in the follow-up period. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed significantly better overall and disease-specific survival in the p16-positive than in the p16-negative patients (P=0.01 and 0.046, respectively). These data, although with relatively small patient numbers, suggest that HPV-related SCC in the oropharynx is associated with highly favorable outcomes, regardless of the keratinizing or nonkeratinizing phenotype.
Effectiveness of Absurdity in Advertising Across Cultures

This paper examines the effect of absurd advertising on memory and persuasion across cultures. Drawing on Hofstede's cultural dimensions, it is hypothesized that the effect of absurdity on recall is culturally invariant, whereas the effect on attitude toward the ad is contingent on the recipients’ cultural orientation. The assumptions are tested using a between-subjects experimental design, in which we manipulated type of absurdity and used the cultural dimensions as blocking variables. Data was collected from 274 students in the United States, Germany, Russia, and China. We discuss theoretical and managerial implications of these findings as well as guidelines for further research.
Intestinal mucosa in diabetic rats: Studies of microvillus membrane composition and microviscosity☆

Abstract In experimental diabetes, a number of intestinal brush-border hydrolases and transport systems are stimulated. In this study, we assessed possible effects of diabetes on the composition and membrane fluidity of rat intestinal brush-border membranes that might correlate with these functional changes. We found similar proportions of lipid and protein in the diabetic and control preparations, although there was a considerable increase in total membrane from the diabetic rats, presumably reflecting mucosal hyperplasia. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of membrane protein revealed an increase in the bands corresponding to sucrase-isomaltase, consistent with an increased enzyme activity of sucrase. Membrane lipid analysis revealed only a decrease in fatty acids of the neurtral lipid fraction of diabetics—a change that may well have occurred during membrane preparation. 1-6-Diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence polarization data, obtained as a function of temperature, was similar for the diabetic and control rats, with a three-phase linear model superior to one- and two-phase linear or quadratic models. The overall composition of the intestinal brush-border membrane, unlike other plasma membranes, appears little affected by experimental diabetes.
Crystal structure of calcium-independent subtilisin BPN' with restored thermal stability folded without the prodomain.

The three-dimensional struc- ture of a subtilisin BPN8 construct that was produced and folded without its prodomain shows the tertiary structure is nearly identical to the wild-type enzyme and not a folding interme- diate. The subtilisin BPN8 variant, Sbt70, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli without the prodomain, the 77-residue N-terminal do- main that catalyzes the folding of the enzyme into its native tertiary structure. Sbt70 has the high-affinity calcium-binding loop, residues 75 to 83, deleted. Such calcium-independent forms of subtilisin BPN8 refold independently while retaining high levels of activity (Bryan et al., Biochemistry, 31:4937-4945, 1992). Sbt70 has, in addition, seven stabilizing mutations, K43N, M50F, A73L, Q206V, Y217K, N218S, Q271E, and the active site serine has been replaced with alanine to prevent autolysis. The purified Sbt70 folded spontaneously without the prodomain and crystallized at room temperature. Crystals of Sbt70 belong to space group P212121 with unit cell parameters a 5 53.5 A, b 5 60.3 A, and c 5 83.4 A. Comparison of the refined structure with other high-resolution structures of subtili- sin BPN8 establishes that the conformation of Sbt70 is essentially the same as that previously determined for other calcium-independent forms and that of other wild-type subtilisin BPN8 structures, all folded in the presence of the prodomain. These findings confirm the re- sults of previous solution studies that showed subtilisin BPN8 can be refolded into a native conformation without the presence of the prodomain (Bryan et al., Biochemistry 31:4937- 4945, 1992). The structure analysis also pro- vides the first descriptions of four stabilizing mutations, K43N, A73L, Q206V, and Q271E, and provides details of the interaction between the enzyme and the Ala-Leu-Ala-Leu tetrapeptide found in the active-site cleft. Proteins 31:21-32, 1998. r 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.†
Canal-otolith interactions in the squirrel monkey vestibulo-ocular reflex and the influence of fixation distance

Natural head movements include angular and linear components of motion. Two classes of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), mediated by the semicircular canals and otoliths (the angular and linear VOR, or AVOR and LVOR, respectively), compensate for head movements and help maintain binocular fixation on targets in space. In this study, AVOR/LVOR interactions were quantified during complex head motion over a broad range of fixation distances at a fixed stimulus frequency of 4.0 Hz. Binocular eye movements were recorded (search-coil technique) in squirrel monkeys while fixation distance (assessed by vergence) was varied using brief presentations of earth-fixed targets at various distances. Stimuli consisted of rotations around an earth-vertical axis and therefore always activated the AVOR. Horizontal and vertical AVORs were assessed when the head was centered over the axis of rotation and oriented upright (UP) and right-side-down (RD), respectively. AVOR gains increased slightly with increasing vergence in darkness, as expected given the small anterior position of the eyes in the head. Combined AVOR/LVOR responses were recorded when subjects were displaced eccentrically from the rotation axis. Eccentric rotations activated the AVOR just as when the head was centered, but added a translational stimulus which generated an LVOR component in response to interaural (IA) or dorsoventral (DV) tangential accelerations, depending on whether the head was UP or RD, respectively. When the head was eccentric and facing nose-out, the AVOR and LVOR produced ocular responses in the same plane and direction (coplanar and synergistic), and response magnitudes increased with increasing vergence. With the head facing nose-in, AVOR and LVOR response components were oppositely directed (coplanar and antagonistic). The AVOR dominated the response when fixation distance was far, and phase was compensatory for head rotation. As fixation distance decreased toward the rotation axis, responses declined to near zero, and when fixation distance approached even closer, the LVOR component dominated and response phase inverted. The same pattern was observed for both horizontal (head UP) and vertical (head RD) responses. The LVOR was recorded directly by rotating subjects eccentrically but in the nose-up (NU) orientation. The AVOR then generated torsional responses to head roll, coexistent with either horizontal or vertical LVOR responses to tangential acceleration when the subject was oriented head-out or right-side-out, respectively. Only the LVOR response components were modulated by vergence. A vectorial analysis of AVOR, LVOR, and combined responses supports the conclusion that AVOR and LVOR response components combine linearly during complex head motion.
Variations in population vulnerability to tectonic and landslide-related tsunami hazards in Alaska

Effective tsunami risk reduction requires an understanding of how at-risk populations are specifically vulnerable to tsunami threats. Vulnerability assessments primarily have been based on single hazard zones, even though a coastal community may be threatened by multiple tsunami sources that vary locally in terms of inundation extents and wave arrival times. We use the Alaskan coastal communities of Cordova, Kodiak, Seward, Valdez, and Whittier (USA), as a case study to explore population vulnerability to multiple tsunami threats. We use anisotropic pedestrian evacuation models to assess variations in population exposure as a function of travel time out of hazard zones associated with tectonic and landslide-related tsunamis (based on scenarios similar to the 1964 M w 9.2 Good Friday earthquake and tsunami disaster). Results demonstrate that there are thousands of residents, employees, and business customers in tsunami hazard zones associated with tectonically generated waves, but that at-risk individuals will likely have sufficient time to evacuate to high ground before waves are estimated to arrive 30–60 min after generation. Tsunami hazard zones associated with submarine landslides initiated by a subduction zone earthquake are smaller and contain fewer people, but many at-risk individuals may not have enough time to evacuate as waves are estimated to arrive in 1–2 min and evacuations may need to occur during earthquake ground shaking. For all hazard zones, employees and customers at businesses far outnumber residents at their homes and evacuation travel times are highest on docks and along waterfronts. Results suggest that population vulnerability studies related to tsunami hazards should recognize non-residential populations and differences in wave arrival times if emergency managers are to develop realistic preparedness and outreach efforts.
The infrared excess of cool giant stars - A chromospheric contribution

The idea that the infrared excesses of evolved M stars may contain a contribution from a chromosphere is explored using alpha Ori and W Hya as test cases. The spectrum of alpha Ori between 8 and 30 millimicrons can be interpreted satisfactorily in terms of three components: a photosphere, a silicate dust cloud, and a cool chromosphere (temperature about 5000 K), which is optically thick at 14 millimicrons. A similar modelling for W Hya suggests a hotter chromosphere (temperature about 8000 K), with unit optical depth at 30 millimicrons. Some consequences of these chromospheres are briefly discussed.
Another Look at the Impact of Personal and Organizational Values Congruency

This study re-examined the impact of personal and organizational values congruency on positive work outcomes and investigated the extent to which this relationship is affected by demographic variables. Data collection paralleled an earlier study (Posner and Schmidt, Journal of Business Ethics 12, 1993, 341) and validated those findings, lending additional credibility to the continuing importance of this phenomenon. Both personal values congruence and organizational values clarity were significantly related to commitment, satisfaction, motivation, anxiety, work stress, and ethics using a cross-sectional sample of 711 managers from across the United States. Gender, educational level, and functional area did not impact these relationships, although years of experience (expressed by age, managerial experience, and hierarchical level) did make a difference.
An Effective potential that is real

In theories with spontaneous symmetry breaking, the exact effective potential {ital V}({phi}{sub {ital c}},{ital T}) is real, but its loop expansion can be complex. A generalization of the effective potential is developed that is real and that can be computed perturbatively. For the theory with the classical potential {ital V}({phi})=({lambda}/4)({phi}{sup 2}{minus}{sigma}{sup 2}){sup 2}, this real effective potential closely tracks the usual effective potential where the latter is real, {vert_bar}{phi}{sub {ital c}}{vert_bar}{ge}{sigma}/ {radical}3 , and at finite temperatures displays at {phi}{sub {ital c}}=0 a local minimum, which may have astrophysical implications. The critical temperature at the one-loop level runs from {ital T}{sub {ital C}}{approx}1.81{sigma} for {lambda}=0.1 to {ital T}{sub {ital C}}{approx}1.74{sigma} for {lambda}=1.
Physical and chemical properties of cilia isolated from Tetrahymena pyriformis.

SYNOPSIS. Cilia devoid of their basal granules and isolated from Tetrahymena pyriformis strain W, by the method of Watson et al. (66) have been characterized in terms of physical, chemical and immunologic properties. The general chemical composition of cilia, based on mean values from these determinations is 66.3% protein, 24.3%“lipid,” 3.7 or 4.8% carbohydrate, and 0.4% nucleic acid. The amino acid composition of cilia includes hydroxyproline and is not significantly different from the amino acid composition of whole cells. Chloroformmethanol extracts of ciliary material contain free amino acids as well as neutral lipids and phospholipids. The lipid composition of cilia also is not significantly different from that of whole cells. Pentose, hexose and small but significant amounts of adenine nucleotide and ribonucleic acid are present. Cilia are a greater stimulus for the production of antibody than an equivalent amount of cellular antigen, and the ciliary antigen is strain specific.
Hospital cost structure in the USA: what's behind the costs? A business case.

Purpose – Hospital costs in the USA are a large part of the national GDP. Medical billing and supplies processes are significant and growing contributors to hospital operations costs in the USA. This article aims to identify cost drivers associated with these processes and to suggest improvements to reduce hospital costs.Design/methodology/approach – A Monte Carlo simulation model that uses @Risk software facilitates cost analysis and captures variability associated with the medical billing process (administrative) and medical supplies process (variable). The model produces estimated savings for implementing new processes.Findings – Significant waste exists across the entire medical supply process that needs to be eliminated. Annual savings, by implementing the improved process, have the potential to save several billion dollars annually in US hospitals. The other analysis in this study is related to hospital billing processes. Increased spending on hospital billing processes is not entirely due to hospit...
Increased Gender Variance in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Evidence suggests over-representation of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and behavioral difficulties among people referred for gender issues, but rates of the wish to be the other gender (gender variance) among different neurodevelopmental disorders are unknown. This chart review study explored rates of gender variance as reported by parents on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in children with different neurodevelopmental disorders: ASD (N = 147, 24 females and 123 males), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; N = 126, 38 females and 88 males), or a medical neurodevelopmental disorder (N = 116, 57 females and 59 males), were compared with two non-referred groups [control sample (N = 165, 61 females and 104 males) and non-referred participants in the CBCL standardization sample (N = 1,605, 754 females and 851 males)]. Significantly greater proportions of participants with ASD (5.4 %) or ADHD (4.8 %) had parent reported gender variance than in the combined medical group (1.7 %) or non-referred comparison groups (0–0.7 %). As compared to non-referred comparisons, participants with ASD were 7.59 times more likely to express gender variance; participants with ADHD were 6.64 times more likely to express gender variance. The medical neurodevelopmental disorder group did not differ from non-referred samples in likelihood to express gender variance. Gender variance was related to elevated emotional symptoms in ADHD, but not in ASD. After accounting for sex ratio differences between the neurodevelopmental disorder and non-referred comparison groups, gender variance occurred equally in females and males.
Inventory Accounting Method and Earnings-Price Ratios

Lee (1988) finds LIFO firms have higher earnings-price (EP) ratios than non-LIFO firms despite the income-reducing effects of LIFO, a result contrary to economic intuition and which Lee describes as a ?puzzle.? This paper attempts to resolve the puzzle identified by Lee using an approach that involves improved measurement of those variables which theory suggests should determine EP ratios. We examine EP ratios for a sample of firms for the years 1982 through 1993. Although EP ratios are consistently higher for LIFO firms during this period, we find the difference is reduced substantially when firms with losses are excluded. When the regression model used by Lee (1988) is estimated, the coefficient on the LIFO indicator variable is positive for both the full sample of firms and for the subsample with loss firms excluded. A regression model is then estimated which includes improved proxies for risk and expected growth. The improved proxies are analysts' expectations of future growth rather than realized growth, beta computed using a procedure designed to reduce measurement error rather than the usual OLS beta, and leverage as a supplemental risk measure. Further, we control for expected earnings changes, since transitory earnings shocks that are not expected to persist in future earnings can affect EP ratios. Results of this model indicate that EP ratios are positively related to risk and negatively related to expected earnings growth. After controlling for differences in risk, expected earnings growth, and transitory earnings, we find that EP ratios for LIFO firms are actually lower than those of non-LIFO firms, a result consistent with economic intuition and the result expected by Lee (1988).
The effect of transplanted ischemic kidneys and of temporary, complete, renal ischemia upon the blood pressure of rabbits

H OUSSAY, Taquini, and their co-workers1 have made certain observations which are of fundamental importance in the study of experimental hypertension. They were able to demonstrate that transplantation of the ischemic kidneys of dogs with Goldblatt hypertension’ caused an almost immediate rise in the blood pressure of the recipient animal after anastomosis of the renal and carotid-jugular vessels. A msore pronounced rise took place if the animals into which the transplantation was made had been previously nephrectomized. An attempt to confirm these results on another animal appeared to be of sufficient importance to justify the experiments reported in this paper. The rabbit was chosen because, like the dog, it lends itself to the production of hypertension by means of artificial renal ischemia.3 The hypertension in this animal appears to be identical with that in the dog; furthermore, it can be extremely severe, to the extent of attaining the so-called malignant phase, with widespread, neerotizing arteriolitis.4
Dynamic mechanical properties of deformed rubber-modified acrylics

Rubber-modified acrylic polymers with rubber contents of 0, 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16% were investigated to determine the effects of cold deformations on their mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties. A Rheovibron was used to determine damping as a function of temperature at four frequencies. A cold-rolled film and a cold-drawn film, stretched until fully crazed, were investigated. It was shown that cold deformation produces a small shift in the glass transition temperature of the rubber phase while the activation energy remains nearly unchanged. Also, the nature of the damping curve of the glassy matrix near the glass transition temperature of the matrix is altered by the appearance of a shoulder in the curve.