cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Off-label Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Compared With Warfarin for Left Ventricular Thrombi.

Importance Left ventricular (LV) thrombi can arise in patients with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathies. Anticoagulation is thought to reduce the risk of stroke or systemic embolism (SSE), but there are no high-quality data on the effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for this indication. Objective To compare the outcomes associated with DOAC use and warfarin use for the treatment of LV thrombi. Design, Setting, and Participants A cohort study was performed at 3 tertiary care academic medical centers among 514 eligible patients with echocardiographically diagnosed LV thrombi between October 1, 2013, and March 31, 2019. Follow-up was performed through the end of the study period. Exposures Type and duration of anticoagulant use. Main Outcomes and Measures Clinically apparent SSE. Results A total of 514 patients (379 men; mean [SD] age, 58.4 [14.8] years) with LV thrombi were identified, including 300 who received warfarin and 185 who received a DOAC (64 patients switched treatment between these groups). The median follow-up across the patient cohort was 351 days (interquartile range, 51-866 days). On unadjusted analysis, DOAC treatment vs warfarin use (hazard ratio [HR], 2.71; 95% CI, 1.31-5.57;P = .01) and prior SSE (HR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.22-3.72;P = .01) were associated with SSE. On multivariable analysis, anticoagulation with DOAC vs warfarin (HR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.28-5.43;P = .01) and prior SSE (HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.17-3.66;P = .01) remained significantly associated with SSE. Conclusions and Relevance In this multicenter cohort study of anticoagulation strategies for LV thrombi, DOAC treatment was associated with a higher risk of SSE compared with warfarin use, even after adjustment for other factors. These results challenge the assumption of DOAC equivalence with warfarin for LV thrombi and highlight the need for prospective randomized clinical trials to determine the most effective treatment strategies for LV thrombi.
After actuality: ideality and the promise of a purified religious vision in Frater Taciturnus

This article engages Frater Taciturnus’s ‘Letter to the Reader’ to argue for a religious aesthetics in Kierkegaard. This religious aesthetics is designed to purify the passions and help the believe...
Gang Affiliation and Prisoner Reentry: Discrete-Time Variation in Recidivism by Current, Former, and Non-Gang Status:

Objectives:Reentry experiences for the 600,000 people released annually from federal and state prisons differ vastly. We contend that gangs, which rose to prominence alongside mass incarceration, a...
Design of a Small Unmanned Aircraft System for Bridge Inspections

Bridge inspections are an important procedure for maintaining the infrastructure vital to our economy and well-being. The current methodology of utilizing specialized equipment such as snooper trucks and scaffolding to support manned-inspections poses a significant financial cost, disrupts traffic, and is dangerous to the inspectors and public. The advent of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), more commonly called drones, presents a practical solution that promises reduced cost, enhanced safety, and is significantly less intrusive than previous methodologies. Current limitations in the implementation of UAS include the reliance on a skilled operator and/or the requirement for a UAS to operate in a cluttered, GPS-denied environment. A solution to these challenges is presented in this paper by utilizing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware including laser rangefinders, optical flow sensors, and live video telemetry. Included in the system is the obstacle avoidance equipped drone and a ground station intended to be manned by a pilot and bridge inspector. The proposed custom-fabricated UAS was implemented during eight inspections of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) bridges. The UAS was able to navigate under GPS-denied and obstacle-laden bridge decks with position-hold performance comparable to, if not better than, a COTS unit in an unobstructed environment. The position hold capability maintained an altitude of ±12.8 cm with a horizontal hold of ±435 cm. Details of the hardware, algorithm development, and suggestions for future research are discussed in this paper.
Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography (ASOCT) Parameters to Determine Pupillary Block Versus Plateau Iris Configuration.

PReCIS:: The potential parameters for differentiating pupillary block (PB) from plateau iris configuration (PIC) on anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) are lens/pupil size parameters and angles. Further study is needed to determine a landmark peripheral to the centroid of the iris. Purpose Investigate anterior segment parameters to distinguish between 2 mechanisms of angle closure, PB and PIC, using swept-source Fourier domain ASOCT. Patients and methods Retrospective ASOCT images from narrow angle eyes were reviewed. PIC was defined either by ultrasound biomicroscopy and/or clinically when an iridoplasty was performed. Images were read by a masked reader using Anterior Chamber Analysis and Interpretation software to identify scleral spur landmarks and calculate anterior chamber, peripheral angle, iris size, iris shape, and lens/pupil size parameters. ASOCT parameters were summarized and compared using the 2-sample t test. Thresholds and area under receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated using logistic regression analysis. Results One hundred eyes (66 PB and 34 PIC) of 100 participants were reviewed. Of all ASOCT parameters, iris length in each quadrant, pupil arc, lens/pupil parameters (pupil arc, lens vault, and pupil diameter), all pupillary margin-center point-scleral spur landmark (PM-C-SSL) parameters, and all except superior central iris vault parameters were significantly different between PB and PIC. On threshold evaluation, lens/pupil parameters had the greatest area under receiver operating characteristic curve values (0.77 to 0.80), followed by PM-C-SSL angles (0.71 to 0.75). Conclusions We propose that the pupil size parameters and PM-C-SSL angle are the most reliable novel ASOCT parameters to distinguish between PB and PIC eyes. These parameters do not rely on the visibility of the posterior iris surface, which is difficult to identify with ASOCT, but may be ambient lighting dependent.
Saturation Biopsy for Detection and Characterization of Prostate Cancer

Saturation biopsy can be defined as a multicore biopsy strategy obtaining 20 or greater cores. Initial reports were from operating rooms, anesthetic-based series, but it has become clear that the procedure can be safely and efficiently performed in the office setting using periprostatic block. The rationale, detection rates, and implications for both screening and management are discussed.
Cybersecurity, Data Breaches, and the Economic Loss Doctrine

Data breaches are pervasive and costly. Recent civil data breach cases have centered on the consumer credit card payment chain in the retail industry. An important issue in such cases is whether the economic loss doctrine should bar negligence claims for purely pecuniary losses suffered by a non-negligent party, such as an issuing bank or a federal credit union that must incur costs to reimburse cardholders for fraudulent use of stolen card numbers. The economic loss doctrine should not bar these claims. Large scale data networks, such as the consumer credit card network, often entail significant network externalities. These include externalities relating to market concentration as well as to the "weakest link" nature of security in these networks. Although the primary players in these networks are tied together in a complex web of contractual relationships, there are significant transaction costs involved with any effort to change or monitor another party’s security measures. Moreover, "outside" entities such as third party payment processors, which are not in contractual privity with all other parties in the network, have become ubiquitous. Under these circumstances, a negligence rule should help improve cybersecurity hygiene and promote a more robust cyber risk insurance market.
A new assertion property language for analog/mixed-signal circuits

In automating the verification of analog/mixed-signal (AMS) circuits, it essential to have a specification language that can describe the behavior that needs to be checked. Although powerful and very expressive, many such languages have a steep learning curve for designers and are complicated to use. This paper describes a simpler, more intuitive language called the Language for Analog/Mixed-Signal Properties (LAMP) that is incorporated into our LEMA verification tool, and demonstrates how this language can be used for AMS verification.
Global Warming, Statistics for

Global warming is a worldwide environmental, social, and economic challenge, with far-reaching implications for human welfare and the health of natural systems. While this qualitative assessment is generally agreed upon by a large share of scientific, policy-making, and stakeholder communities, a quantification of the risks associated with global warming is far from straightforward. There exist considerable uncertainties, including limits to predicting future changes in the drivers of greenhouse gas emissions (population, economic growth, etc.), incomplete scientific understanding of the response of the climate system to those emissions, and components of intrinsic randomness or unpredictability in the processes involved. From the size of the changes to be expected to their timing and from the significance of impacts to the costs of adaptation and mitigation strategies, every link of the chain from emissions, to impacts, to the effects of policy is affected by uncertainties. This article characterizes the main sources of uncertainty in modeling of the climate system and in the development of scenarios for future emissions, as well as the most rigorous efforts currently documented in the peer reviewed literature to quantify uncertainty and incorporate it into risk analysis. Keywords: greenhouse gas; climate change; climate variability; climate models; integrated assessment models; emission scenarios; multimodel ensembles; perturbed physics ensembles; climate impacts; natural forcings; anthropogenic forcings; Bayesian statistics; analysis of computer model experiments; probabilistic assessment of uncertainty
Atmospheric distribution and sources of nonmethane hydrocarbons

The paper discusses the atmospheric distribution of natural and man-made nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), the major species of airborne NMHCs, and their sources and sinks. Particular attention is given to the techniques for measuring atmospheric NMHCs; diurnal and seasonal variations of atmospheric NMHCs and differences between rural, urban, and marine environments; latitudinal and vertical distributions; and available stratospheric NMHC measurements. A formula defining the atmospheric lifetime of a NMHC from its reaction rates with OH and O3 is presented.
minimum-energy broadcast in static ad hoc wireless networks

(S(α + β − θ) + S(θ)) − (S(α) + S(β)) = (S(α + β) − S(α) − S(β)) − (S(α + β) − S(α + β − θ) − S(θ ))
Progression of an inductive signal activates sporulation in Dictyostelium discoideum

spiA, a marker for sporulation, is expressed during the culmination stage of Dictyostelium development, when the mass of prespore cells has moved partly up the newly formed stalk. Strains containing a full-length spiA promoter/lacZ fusion were stained for beta-galactosidase activity at intervals during development. The results indicate that expression of spiA initiates in prespore cells at the prestalk/prespore boundary (near the apex) and extends downward into the prespore mass as culmination continues. A spatial gradient of staining expands from the top of the prespore mass and intensifies until the front of activation reaches the bottom, whereupon the entire region stains darkly. The spiA promoter can be deleted to within 301 bp of the transcriptional start site with no effect on the relative strength, timing or spatial localization of expression. Further 5′ deletions from −301 to −175 reduce promoter strength incrementally, although timing and spatial expression are not affected. Deletions to −159 and beyond result in inactive promoters. Treatment of early developmental structures with 8-Br-cAMP in situ activates the intracellular cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and precociously induces spiA expression and sporulation. The absence of an apparent gradient of staining in these structures suggest that PKA is equivalently activatable throughout the prespore region and that all prespore cells are competent to express spiA. Thus, we postulate that the pattern of expression of spiA reveals the progression of an inductive signal for sporulation and suggest that this signal may originate from the prestalk cells at the apex.
Comment on “Cyclophilin A Is a Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecule That Mediates Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury”

After reading the article by Dear et al. ([1][1]) in the September 15 issue of The Journal of Immunology , we have several serious concerns. First, there was extreme variation of injury in both wild-type and cyclophilin A-deficient mice with >50% of animals having no injury. We assume that this is
An empirical analysis of the efficiency of online auction IPO processes and traditional IPO processes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the online auction mechanism in the USA is more effective at pricing initial public offerings (IPOs) than the traditional book building process.Design/methodology/approach – The analysis compares the performance of online auction IPOs with traditional IPOs issued in the same industry area and in the same year to assess the differences in first day mispricing and its persistence. The paper compares the characteristics of firms choosing the auction process relative to the traditional process. It also uses regression models to examine whether online auction IPOs had a significantly lower first day price increase than traditional IPOs.Findings – The results indicate that for 60 percent of the auction IPOs, over 40 percent of the traditional IPOs issued in that year and in that three‐digit Standard Industry Classification (SIC) area had greater mispricing. The mispricing of online auction IPOs relative to traditional IPOs persist over time for 50‐80 per...
An Online Algorithm for Separating Sparse and Low-Dimensional Signal Sequences From Their Sum

This paper designs and extensively evaluates an online algorithm, called practical recursive projected compressive sensing (Prac-ReProCS), for recovering a time sequence of sparse vectors St and a time sequence of dense vectors L t from their sum, M t : = S t + L t , when the L t 's lie in a slowly changing low-dimensional subspace of the full space. A key application where this problem occurs is in real-time video layering where the goal is to separate a video sequence into a slowly changing background sequence and a sparse foreground sequence that consists of one or more moving regions/objects on-the-fly. Prac-ReProCS is a practical modification of its theoretical counterpart which was analyzed in our recent work. Extension to the undersampled case is also developed. Extensive experimental comparisons demonstrating the advantage of the approach for both simulated and real videos, over existing batch and recursive methods, are shown.
Gas phase derivatization in peptide analysis I: the utility of trimethyl borate in identifying phosphorylation sites

Abstract Phosphopeptides can readily lose H3PO4 during collision-activated dissociation (CAD) and this process can complicate efforts to use mass spectrometry to identify phosphorylation sites in peptides. As a part of a larger project aimed at surveying the gas phase reactivity of peptide ions, protonated phosphopeptides were derivatized in the gas phase by trimethyl borate (TMB) and subjected to CAD. During the reaction and subsequent CAD, three CH3OH molecules are lost to give a peptide derivative that contains boron [M+B−2H]+. This ion undergoes backbone cleavages when subjected to CAD. In simple phosphopeptides, AGGsG, GsGGV, AKsF, and AKtF (lower case indicates phosphorylated residue), the boron derivatization enhances the yields of phosphate-containing sequence ions. In accord with previous work, it appears that the boron can bind to the phosphate as well as nearby nucleophilic sites and inhibit phosphate cleavage. The method was also applied to hexapeptides containing two potential phosphorylation sites (i.e., two serines), VSGAsA and LsGASA. In the former, boron derivatization leads to phosphate-containing sequence ions with greater relative intensities and provides ample information for identifying the phosphorylation site. The effect is less dramatic with LsGASA presumably because there is a greater amount of non-selective derivatization (i.e., away from the phosphate). Overall, the results suggest that boron derivatization is a potentially promising new tool for identifying phosphorylation sites in peptides where more than one site is available.
Barrier and antibacterial properties of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate-derived wound treatment films.

Background: Besides enhancing healing, an ideal dressing should prevent invasion of pathogens and control the number of bacteria already present in the wounds. Objective: To evaluate the barrier and antimicrobial properties of a cyanoacrylate-based bandage (LAB) against Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa on partial thickness wounds in swines. Methods: Barrier study: Bacteria were inoculated over test materials (LAB, standard bandage, air-exposed) that were placed over wounds. The bacteria from wounds were quantitated at 24, 48, and 72 hours postinoculation. Antimicrobial study: Wounds inoculated with bacteria were covered with LAB, standard bandage, or hydrocolloid bandage or left air-exposed. The bacteria recovered from wounds were quantitated at 24 and 72 hours after treatment. Results: Barrier study: No bacteria were recovered from LAB-treated wounds. Antimicrobial study: LAB reduced the number of inoculated bacteria in comparison to all other groups. Conclusion: LAB is effective in protecting wounds from external bacterial invasion and reducing bacterial contamination.
Systemic lupus erythematosus is not a risk factor for poor outcomes after total hip and total knee arthroplasty.

ObjectivesHistorically, arthroplasty in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients has been less successful than for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). It is not known if SLE remains an independent risk factor for poor arthroplasty outcomes or if other factors, such as avascular necrosis (AVN), continue to play a role.MethodsA case-control study using data from a single-institution arthroplasty registry compared SLE total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with OA controls matched by age, gender and presence of AVN. Baseline, two-year administrative and self-report data, and diagnosis leading to arthroplasty were evaluated.ResultsA total of 54 primary SLE THA and 45 primary SLE TKA were identified from May 2007 through June 2011. AVN was present in 32% of SLE THA and no TKA. SLE THA had worse preoperative WOMAC pain (42.5 vs. 52.7; p = 0.01) and function (38.8 vs. 48.0; p = 0.05) compared with OA. However, at two years there was no difference in WOMAC pain (91.1 vs. 92.1; p = 0.77) ...
The process of review: A levels of processing approach

Abstract This experiment investigated the effects of reviewing notes at a deeper level of abstraction, by means of reorganization. No differences in immediate recognition performance were found for subjects who reorganized notes into an instructor-generated matrix versus subjects who reviewed in their typical manner. An interaction between method of review and type of delayed test was apparent. Reorganization during review resulted in relatively higher achievement on a free recall test while unstructured review produced higher achievement on a cued recall exam. This interaction was unpredicted by the theory of encoding specificity but was explained in regard to the theory of episode matching. Instructionally, reorganization was advocated as a review technique for most learning situations in which retrieval cues are not imposed.
A closer look at decisions to quit

Abstract Aspects of March and Simon’s (1958) subjective expected utility model and a prediction of Lee and Mitchell’s (1994) unfolding model of voluntary employee turnover were tested. A policy capturing simulation that varied high, moderate, and low levels of five job characteristics was used to model voluntary turnover decision processes for 532 nurses. Survey measures of these job characteristics obtained over the next 2 years were multiplied by weights derived from nurse simulations to yield turnover likelihood estimates. These estimates exhibited 80%, 127%, and 190% more predictive power (depending on turnover operationalization) than post-employment survey estimates of turnover intention, job satisfaction, and job availability. Groups of nurses with homogeneous voluntary turnover decision models were also identified, though no groups with homogeneous job perceptions were observed. Evidence suggested nurses responded to “shocks” as predicted. March and Simon’s model of voluntary turnover was supported and implications drawn for managing voluntary nursing turnover.
Rational Dissent and the Rhetoric of Educational Philanthropy in the Dissenting Academies of Lancashire, Hackney and Exeter

Abstract Between 1750 and 1800, England's Rational Dissenters founded four collegiate academies in the towns of Warrington, Manchester, Hackney, and Exeter. Although Rational Dissent arose from the theologically heterodox wings of Protestant Dissent, academy organizers intended their academies to be non-denominational and thus limited their dependence on the financial support of any single congregation or charitable foundation. Consequently, these Dissenters had to undertake ongoing fund-raising campaigns, for which they adopted strategies similar to those of eighteenth-century voluntary hospitals and charity schools. For the academies in Warrington and Manchester, in particular, attempts to attract a diverse community of supporters involved considerable challenges. This article assesses the educational rhetoric employed by the Rational Dissenters, arguing that it served both social and intellectual goals related to the Dissenters' desire for mainstream acceptance. In effect, Rational Dissenters created a...
Recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula after thoracoscopic repair: vanishing clips as a potential sign

We present a case of a neonate who underwent surgery for esophageal atresia (EA) with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) with an unusual finding on postoperative chest radiographs. In retrospect, this was a clue to a recurrent TEF: disappearance of the surgical clips from the site of surgical repair. Knowledge of this radiographic finding could aid in the diagnosis of a recurrent fistula in patients with previous repair of EA.
Modification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, EC 1.2.1.12, isolated from rainbow trout during acclimation at 5 or 15°C—I. Changes in the activity of individual muscle isolates as evidence for variable adaptive responses

Abstract 1. 1. The mean Km and Vmax values for G3PDH isolated from the lateral muscle of cold-adapted (5°C) rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, were twice those of enzyme from warm-adapted (15°C) trout when assayed at 7°C but not at any other temperature. 2. 2. The entropy of activation of warm enzyme was about 3 times that of cold enzyme. However, enthalpy or free energy of activation among acclimation groups differed less or not at all. 3. 3. Individual G3PDH isolates within either adaptation group differed in kinetic characteristics.
Sociological amnesia: The noncumulation of normal social science

When I was a graduate sociology student many years ago, I visualized "the literature" as an ever-growing mountain of sociological findings that would continue to grow until, someday, the discipline had obtained reasonably complete and perfect knowledge about the workings of society. Others held more sensible versions of this image, but the hope that scientific research could be cumulative -or mountain-building -was forever destroyed by Thomas Kuhn's finding (1962) that the paradigmatic axioms that underlie everyday "normal science" are overthrown and replaced periodically. However, Kuhn did not go far enough. Even the normal science that is conducted while paradigms remain dominant is not cumulative, at least in sociology, for empirical researchers regularly carry out research that repeats findings already reported by earlier sociologists. Moreover, they do so not to replicate previous findings. Indeed, they often do not know the earlier work, thus redoing what does not need redoing instead of moving ahead to new knowledge. No wonder the discipline is often accused of reporting common sense, i.e., the already known, or not contributing enough to the stock of social knowledge. Only social theory seems to be exempt from this rule, for theoretical writings often build on the ideas of past major theorists. The hypothesis that normal sociological science is not cumulative is hardly new. Pitirim Sorokin made it the lead theme of his 1956 book Fads and Foibles in Modem Sociology and Related Sciences, and I would imagine
Intercalation of water molecules between nucleic acid bases in the crystal structures of 6-azathymine hemihydrate and 5-amino-2-thiocytosine dihydrochloride dihydrate.

Abstract The crystal structure of 6-azathymine hemihydrate (6AzTH) exhibits a novel intercalation of water molecules interposed half-way between the modified bases 6.3 to 6.7 A apart. The crystal contains four molecules of 6-azathymine (6AzT) and two water molecules as the independent repeating unit. These two water molecules together with the four bases form two separate water sandwiches. In the crystal structure these sandwiches form two sets of local clusters. The anhydrous crystalline form of 6AzT, on the other hand, is stabilized by base stacking interactions. Both the water molecules in 6AzTH that are involved in sandwich formation have trigonal coordination around them. A reexamination of the crystal structure of 5-amino-2-thiocytosine (5A2TC) revealed that one of the water molecules in this structure also forms a water sandwich and has trigonal coordination whereas the other water molecule with tetrahedral coordination does not form a sandwich. The environment and the characteristics of the intercalated water molecule in these structures suggest a possible role for such water intercalations in the dynamics of DNA. Crystals of 6AzTH are monoclinic, space group P2 1 n , with unit cell parameters a = 8.861 (1), b = 13.177 (3), c = 20.662 (2) A , β = 93.35 (1) °, and Z = 16. From diffractometer data (2503 reflections, ⩾3σ), the crystal structure was solved and refined to an R of 0.056.
Microdialysis of triamcinolone acetonide in rat muscle

The objective of this study was to compare plasma and muscle concentrations of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in the rat by microdialysis. Microdialysis experiments were carried out at steady state in rats after an initial I.V. bolus 50 mg/kg of the phosphate ester of TA (TAP) followed by 23 mg/kg/h infusion. In vivo recovery was calculated by retrodialysis. The concentration determined at steady state in microdialysate, corrected for recovery, was 2.73 +/- 0.42 microg/mL compared to 21.9 +/- 2.3 microg/mL in plasma. The pharmacokinetics of TA in plasma was described by an open two-compartment model with a terminal half-life of 2.7 h. The clearance of TA in rats determined by compartmental analysis was 0.94 L/h/kg. The measured microdialysate levels of TA in muscle, corrected for recovery, were comparable to the predicted free drug levels in the peripheral compartment. Protein binding in rat plasma, measured by ultrafiltration, was 90.1%. The microdialysis in vivo recovery in muscle was similar to the in vitro recovery under stirred conditions. The results show the applicability of microdialysis to measure free tissue concentrations of TA in rats.
Molecular orbital study of zinc(II)-catalyzed alternating copolymerization of carbon dioxide with epoxide

The mechanism of copolymerization of CO2 with cyclohexene oxide catalyzed by the Zn(II) organometallic compound (BDI)ZnOCH3 (BDI = N(2,6-iPr2C6H3)C(Me)CHC(Me)N(2,6-iPr2C6H3) chelating β-diimine ligand) has been studied with the hybrid molecular orbital (MO) method ONIOM, combining the density functional method B3LYP/LANL2DZ(d) with the semiempirical MO method PM3. In particular, the insertions of CO2 and cyclohexene oxide/ethylene oxide into zinc−alkoxyl and zinc−carbonate bonds have been investigated in detail. The insertion of CO2 into either a zinc−alkoxyl (epoxide + CO2 alternating insertion) or zinc−carbonate (consecutive CO2 insertion) bond has been found to be thermodynamically less favorable but is in general kinetically favored over the insertion of epoxide, due to a high barrier for the latter. This high barrier is associated with a rather asynchronous transition state where the ring opening has taken place and yet the C−O bond is not formed. However, only in the case of insertion of sterically ...
Current and Charge Distributions along an Antenna in a Cylinder of Cold Plasma

The analysis of the insulated antenna in a relatively dense medium is modified to apply to a thin cylindrical dipole antenna (radius a, length 2h) in a glass tube filled with a homogeneous cold plasma. Account is taken of the finite radius b of the plasma column and of the thickness (c - b) of the containing tube. Complex wave numbers, distributions of current and charge, and driving-point admittances have been calculated for dipoles with electrical lengths up to two wavelengths with 3 ? b/a ? 28, 0.75 ? (?p/?)2 ? 1.05, and 0.01 ? ?/?p ? 0.10. The effect of the thickness and permittivity of the glass tube on the wave number and admittance is determined. Numerous graphs and tables are provided.
Modeling Regional Effects on State Policy Diffusion

Generations of state politics scholars have believed that a U.S. state is more likely to adopt a law if its neighboring states have already done so, that is, that there is a positive regional effect on policy diffusion. But rarely has the social learning process, the theoretical underpinning of this effect, been examined critically Furthermore, the statistical models used to assess this effect have been fundamentally flawed. In this article, I consider more fully the potential impacts of social learning on policy diffusion, and develop a simple approach to modeling these impacts more flexibly. Using this approach, I take a fresh look at data from two classic studies of state policy diffusion and demonstrate that the regional effect is more complex than previously believed.
Jet drop enrichment of bacteria, virus, and dissolved organic material

Four parameters that control the enrichment of bacteria in jet drops are bubble scavenging, drop size, drop position in the jet set, and the type of bacteria. Without the scavenging of bacteria as a bubble rises through the water it is doubtful that the observed enrichment factors, EF, greater than 1000 could be obtained. There is a maximum in EF as a function of top jet drop size, and the EF decreases from the top to the bottom drop of the jet set. The efficiency by which bubbles scavenge bacteria varies with species. Presumably these parameters apply in some degree to the EF of virus in jet drops. Dissolved organic material in natural waters can adsorb to bubbles and contribute to a large EF in jet drops, but there is a feedback mechanism whereby changes in bubble surface free energy modify the jet drop-size distribution. However, there is reason to believe this will not significantly influence the jet drop-size distribution produced by bubbles in the sea.
Market reforms, 20 years later.

The article discusses market reforms in Poland and Russia. The author relates his experience of participating in market reforms in Eastern Europe in the 1980s and 1990s as an economic adviser and explains how geography, politics, history, and culture influence the strength of reforms, such as government corruption in Russia.
Erroneous memories arising from repeated attempts to remember

Abstract The impact of repeated and prolonged attempts at remembering on false memory rates was assessed in three experiments. Participants saw and imagined pictures and then made repeated recall attempts before taking a source memory test. Although the number of items recalled increased with repeated tests, the net gains were associated with more source errors (i.e., calling imagined items “seen”). Source errors were particularly marked when earlier memory tasks involved remembering without consideration of the source of the remembered items, and occurred for both semantically related and physically similar items. Source misattributions occurred on both forced and free recall tests, thus were not merely due to guessing or changes in response criteria. Similar results were found when a prolonged recall period was used instead of separate memory tests. Hence, source confusions can increase when people reflect on their memories repeatedly or over prolonged periods of time without carefully considering their source.
Genetically transforming human mesenchymal stem cells to sarcomas: changes in cellular phenotype and multilineage differentiation potential.

BACKGROUND: The cell of origin of sarcoma is still unclear. High-grade osteosarcomas frequently demonstrate the potential for multipotent differentiation and, along with several other lines of evidence, suggest that human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) might be the cell of origin. METHODS: The hMSCs were transformed with retrovirus containing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), simian virus 40 large t antigen (SV40 TAg), and lentivirus containing oncogenic H-Ras serially. The changes of cellular phenotypes and multilineage differentiation capacity were observed and compared with the standard osteosarcoma cell lines. RESULTS: Two distinct genotypic and phenotypic sarcoma cell lines resulted from the same genetic events. The gene expression profiles became more complicated and the karyotype became more chaotic during hMSCs' tumorigenesis. The motility of transformed hMSC was promoted. hMSC and its derivatives could be induced to osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation except that MSC-TSR4 lost osteogenic differentiation capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Multilineage differentiation potential was retained during tumorigenesis of hMSCs and distinct sarcoma cell lines could arise with the same genetic events, providing good models in better understanding the concept of hMSC and in further investigation of the relationship of hMSCs and osteosarcomas. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Species richness and morphological diversity of passerine birds

The relationship between species richness and the occupation of niche space can provide insight into the processes that shape patterns of biodiversity. For example, if species interactions constrained coexistence, one might expect tendencies toward even spacing within niche space and positive relationships between diversity and total niche volume. I use morphological diversity of passerine birds as a proxy for diet, foraging maneuvers, and foraging substrates and examine the morphological space occupied by regional and local passerine avifaunas. Although independently diversified regional faunas exhibit convergent morphology, species are clustered rather than evenly distributed, the volume of the morphological space is weakly related to number of species per taxonomic family, and morphological volume is unrelated to number of species within both regional avifaunas and local assemblages. These results seemingly contradict patterns expected when species interactions constrain regional or local diversity, and they suggest a larger role for diversification, extinction, and dispersal limitation in shaping species richness.
Forced vibration and earthquake behaviour of an actual pile foundation

Abstract The dynamic properties of the pile foundation supporting the Imperial County Services Building in El Centro, California, USA, were determined by forced vibration testing. These test results are described in detail and are used to formulate a mathematical model of the foundation. The model is then employed in a study of the interaction between the foundation and building which occurred during the October 1979 earthquake. Differences between the ground motions recorded at the base of the building during the earthquake and those recorded at a free-field site are investigated. Some correlation is seen when these differences are compared to motions computed by applying the measured building base shear to the mathematical foundation model. The disturbances caused by the building at the free-field site is seen to be small.
Pneumocystis carinii: Surface reactive carbohydrates detected by lectin probes

Abstract Pneumocystis carinii obtained from rat lungs (RLH) and in vitro culture (RTC) were reacted with a panel of 14 fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated lectins. Percentage fluorescence and fluorescent intensity were determined for both trophic and cyst forms. All RLH and RTC derived organisms bound strongly concanavalin A (Con A), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). However, differences in soybean agglutinin (SBA) binding between RLH and RTC organisms was observed. Different subsets of the organism bound lectins from Griffonia simplicifolia I, Maclura pomifera , and Bauhinia purpurea , indicating heterogeneity in the surface carbohydrates within each of the RLH and RTC populations. Eight lectins reacted very weakly or not at all: Dolichos bifiorus, Arachis hypogaea, Griffonia simplicifolia I- β 4 , Solanum tuberosum, Ulex europeus, Griffonia simplicifolia II, Viscum album , and Limax flavus . The results indicate that P. carinii trophic and cyst forms have surface constituents containing mannose, N -acetylglucosamine and N -acetylgalactosamine as the predominant carbohydrates. Molecules resembling sialic acid and β-galactose are absent or inaccessible. The surface glycoconjugates identified in these studies may play a role in the adherent properties of P. carinii .
Astrocytes express insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and its binding protein, IGFBP-2, during demyelination induced by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

To assess the distribution of insulin-like growth-factor-related proteins during autoimmune CNS demyelination and remyelination, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis was produced by injecting Lewis rats with an emulsion containing guinea pig spinal cord and complete Freund's adjuvant. Tail weakness appeared at 10-12 days and was followed by hind and forelimb weakness. Paraplegia and incontinence were observed in some animals. From 8-40 days postinoculation (dpi), spinal cord sections were used to correlate lesion location and severity with mRNA distributions of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2), IGF-I-receptor (IGFR-I), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and myelin basic protein (MBP). These were determined semiquantitatively by in situ hybridization. Fourteen dpi, there were inflammatory infiltrates and demyelination in both white matter (WM) and grey matter (GM). IGF-I and GFAP mRNAs were increased in these lesions and transcripts encoding myelin basic protein (MBP) were greatly reduced. Large lesions with extensive demyelination were evident in both WM and GM when mRNA levels of GFAP and IGF-I peaked 26 dpi. MBP mRNA levels began increasing 21 dpi and peaked 26 dpi, when a few thin regenerating myelin sheaths were found morphologically. Astrocytes, identified by their morphology and GFAP immunoreactivity, expressed very low levels of IGFBP-2 mRNA and peptide in normal controls; their levels were significantly higher 14 dpi, peaked 26 dpi, and then gradually decreased. Some neurons, as well as oligodendroglia in areas undergoing remyelination, expressed IGFR-I. Although levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-2, and GFAP mRNAs were highest in lesion areas, levels were also elevated around lesions and in some normal-appearing areas of WM and GM 14-40 dpi. The gene expression of both IGF-I and IGFBP-2 by hypertrophic GFAP-positive astrocytes was demonstrated 14-40 dpi by combined in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry as well as by double immunostaining. Coexpression of IGF-I and IGFBP-2 in the same astrocyte was a frequent finding. Relative increases in both IGF-I, GFAP, IGFBP-2, IGFR-I, and MBP mRNAs peaked at about the same time. This suggests that during lesion progression and recovery, astrocytic expression of IGF-I-related peptides may reduce immune-mediated myelin injury. We also suggest that astrocytic IGFBP-2 in lesions may help target IGF-I to IGFR-I-expressing oligodendrocytes and promote remyelination of demyelinated axons.
Explanatory variables of auditor performance in a large public accounting firm

Abstract Prior research on the determinants of individual performance in professional accounting firms has been narrowly focused on the relationship between individual motivation and performance. This study deviates from that trend and examines the relationships between a broad group of employee characteristics and auditor performance. Data for the study was collected from a sample of 90 staff-level auditors and was analyzed using canonical correlation analysis. The results indicated that while rated performance was primarily a function of the auditor's motivation and organizational commitment, rewarded performance (or salary) was primarily a function of task-related ability and the interpersonal attraction between the auditor and his supervisor.
The effects of alteration and porosity on seismic velocities in oceanic basalts and diabases

Seismic velocities in the lavas that cap normal oceanic crust are affected by both crack porosity and alteration of the primary mineral phases, chiefly to clays. Porosity accounts for 75–80% of the velocity variation in sonic log velocities in the lava sections of Holes 504B and 1256D, but the effect of alteration on the properties of the basalts has not been assessed. In this analysis, the grain velocities in basalt and diabase samples are estimated from an empirical linear relationship between grain density and the P wave modulus. The theoretical velocity in fresh, zero-porosity basalt, or diabase is 6.96 ± 0.07 km/s. Grain velocities in the diabase samples are statistically indistinguishable from the theoretical velocity, and show no variation with depth; alteration does not significantly affect the velocities in the diabase samples from Hole 504B. This result is consistent with previous analyses, which demonstrated that velocities in the dikes are controlled by crack porosity. In basalt lab samples, alteration reduces the average sample grain velocity to 6.74 ± 0.02 km/s; cracks at the sample scale further reduce the velocity to 5.86 ± 0.03 km/s, and large-scale cracks in the lavas reduce the average in situ velocity to 5.2 ± 0.3 km/s. Cracks account for nearly 90% of the difference between seismic (in situ) velocities and the theoretical velocity in the unaltered solid material. Basalt grain velocities show a small, but significant systematic increase with depth; the influence of alteration decreases with depth in the lavas, reaching near zero at the base of the lavas in Holes 504B and 1256D.
Toughening in cement based composites. Part II: Fiber reinforced cementitious composites

Abstract This paper reviews the mechanisms of toughening in fiber reinforced cement based composites. Reference is made to frontal, crack tip and wake processes, and estimates of contributions to composite toughness of the individual mechanisms are included. It is emphasized that the wake processes, which dominate the inelastic energy absorption during fracture development in these materials, can be well characterized by tensile stress vs crack opening relationships. The fiber/ matrix interface debonding energy, not usually important in fiber reinforced concrete, is shown to play an important role in new straining-hardening engineered cementitious composites as an additional frontal process with significant energy absorption capacity, thus giving rise to a cement based material with extremely high damage tolerance.
Velocity of money and inflation dynamics

There have been large changes in the velocity of money which could be a potential source of inflation variability. This article investigates how the velocity of money affects inflation dynamics by estimating the Phillips curve derived from a New Keynesian model in which money is introduced via transactions technology. The resultant Phillips curve becomes a function of velocity as well as an output gap and a forward looking inflation terms, a feature for which we provide empirical support. Specifically, we adopt the GMM methodology to estimate the velocity-augmented forward looking Phillips curve using the US data between 1951 and 2005. We observe that historical inflation dynamics is consistent with the view.
Minimizing Some Cost Functions Related to Both Burn-In and Field Use

Burn-in procedure is used to improve the quality of products. In field operation only those components which survive the burn-in process will be used. Various additive cost functions are considered in this paper. One part of the cost function is the expense incurred until the first component surviving burn-in is obtained. The other part of cost function is either i the gain proportional to the mean life in field operation or ii the expenditure due to replacement at failure during field operation. We assume that the component before undergoing the burn-in procedure has a bathtub-shaped failure rate function with change points t1 and t2. It is shown that the optimal burn-in time b* minimizing the cost function is always before t1. It is also shown that a large initial failure rate justifies burn-in, i.e., b* > 0.
Video-rate spectral imaging system for fluorescence microscopy

We describe fluorescence spectral-imaging results with the computed-tomography imaging spectrometer (CTIS). This imaging spectrometer is capable of recording spatial and spectral data simultaneously. Consequently, the CTIS can be used to image dynamic phenomena involving multiple, spectrally overlapping fluorescence probes. This system is also optimal for simultaneously monitoring changes in spectral characteristics of multiple probes from different locations within the same sample. This advantage will provide additional information about the physiological changes in function form populations of cells which respond in a heterogeneous manner. The results presented in this paper consist of proof-of-concept imaging results from the CTIS in combination with two different systems of fore- optics. In the first configuration, raw image data were collected using the CTIS coupled to an inverted fluorescence microscope. The second configuration combined the CTIS with a confocal microscope equipped with a fiber-optic imaging bundle, previously for in vivo imaging. Image data were collected at frame rates of 15 frame per second and emission spectra were sample at 10-nm intervals with a minimum of 29 spectral bands. The smallest spatial sampling interval presented in this paper is 0.7 micrometers .
Stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions: Assessing the intergenerational costs and benefits of the Kyoto Protocol

The costs and benefits current and future generations incur as the result of climate change or an environmental control policy are often confounded with other objectives, such as, generational discounting or optimal policy design. This paper uses a consumption equivalent measure to simulate the loss or gain of consumption independent of these confounding objectives. The findings suggest that the costs associated with an emissions stabilization program are relatively large for current generations and continue to increase over the next 100 years. The first generation to actually benefit from the stabilization program is born early during the 24th century.