cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Water Repellent Properties of Spiders: Topographical Variations and Functional Correlates

Biological surfaces, depending upon their physical structure and chemical composition, can fall anywhere on a spectrum of wettability that runs from strongly water repellent to forming strong adhesive bonds with water. When the surfaces in question are those at the interface between the organism and its environment, these wettability characteristics have profound consequences for function. For example, in semi-aquatic plants, water repellent surfaces near the stomata are important for preserving the ability to exchange gasses with air (Schonherr and Ziegler 1975), and the wettable ventral surfaces of gyrinid beetles provide the intimate contact with water that is necessary for their style of aquatic locomotion (Fish and Nicastro 2003; Fish 1999).
Ear Reconstruction with Temporoparietal Fascia Flaps and Porous Polyethylene

The use of porous polyethylene (Medpor) as the framework (or ‘construct’) in posttraumatic ear reconstruction, is perhaps a less popular choice than costal cartilage. Successful integration of the implant requires well-vascularised tissues and these may have been compromised following injury. For this reason, Medpor is more frequently used in the treatment of microtia. Nevertheless, there may be circumstances where its safe use may be preferred in a posttraumatic setting and it is therefore included as a reconstructive option.
Residual Stresses in Metal Matrix Composites

Residual stresses have been measured by x-ray diffraction in three different metal matrix composites. In large diameter fiber composites, the biaxial analysis was found to be adequate to determine the longitudinal residual stress, which was approximately uniform from the surface to at least a depth of the first row of fibers. The magnitude of longitudinal residual stress was about half that predicted from an elastic analysis, indicating that substantial plastic flow and sliding at the fiber/matrix interface occurred during fabrication. Measurements on a Cu/Gr composite and on Al 2124/SiCw fatigue samples also gave unanticipated results. These examples demonstrate that measurement of residual stresses in composites is to be preferred over simple calculations because so many variables determine the actual stress state.
Implementation of a Hamming distance–like genomic quantum classifier using inner products on ibmqx2 and ibmq_16_melbourne

Motivated by the problem of classifying individuals with a disease versus controls using a functional genomic attribute as input, we present relatively efficient general purpose inner product–based kernel classifiers to classify the test as a normal or disease sample. We encode each training sample as a string of 1 s (presence) and 0 s (absence) representing the attribute’s existence across ordered physical blocks of the subdivided genome. Having binary-valued features allows for highly efficient data encoding in the computational basis for classifiers relying on binary operations. Given that a natural distance between binary strings is Hamming distance, which shares properties with bit-string inner products, our two classifiers apply different inner product measures for classification. The active inner product (AIP) is a direct dot product–based classifier whereas the symmetric inner product (SIP) classifies upon scoring correspondingly matching genomic attributes. SIP is a strongly Hamming distance–based classifier generally applicable to binary attribute-matching problems whereas AIP has general applications as a simple dot product–based classifier. The classifiers implement an inner product between N = 2n dimension test and train vectors using n Fredkin gates while the training sets are respectively entangled with the class-label qubit, without use of an ancilla. Moreover, each training class can be composed of an arbitrary number m of samples that can be classically summed into one input string to effectively execute all test–train inner products simultaneously. Thus, our circuits require the same number of qubits for any number of training samples and are $O(\log {N})$ in gate complexity after the states are prepared. Our classifiers were implemented on ibmqx2 (IBM-Q-team 2019b) and ibmq_16_melbourne (IBM-Q-team 2019a). The latter allowed encoding of 64 training features across the genome.
Learning Representations to Augment Statistical Analysis of Drug Effects on Nerve Tissues

We learn representations for classifying electrophysiological waveforms in a novel application, that is, analysis of electrical impulse conduction in microengineered peripheral nerve tissues. The goal is to understand the influence of distinct neuropathic conditions on the properties of electrophysiological waveforms produced by such tissues treated with known neurotoxic compounds and healthy controls. We show that statistical data analysis provides insight to the design of deep neural networks and the trained neural networks provide more informative representations compared to using pure statistical techniques. Based on this analysis, we design deep learning architectures that learn interpretable representations of the signals jointly with classification models. The proposed architecture provides new smooth representations of the signals that highlight the important points and patterns necessary for recognizing the electrophysiological effects of neurotoxic drug treatments.
Primary care experience among older adults in the United States: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Abstract Background While the importance of primary care becomes more imminent for older adults to manage multi-morbidities, the perception of primary care among this group is not well examined. Aim To evaluate the primary care experience among older adults in the United States (US). Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study examining four domains of primary care: first contact, longitudinality, comprehensiveness, and coordination. Using survey responses from Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), we used propensity score matching method to compare the percentage of geriatric (≥65 years old) and non-geriatric ( Results A total of 12,982 surveys were analyzed for geriatric, compared to 62,694 surveys for non-geriatric. Overall, older adults answered more favorably than younger adults for all four domains. However, uninsured older adults, Black older adults and older adults with limitation in activities, cognitive impairments, and multiple comorbidities were more likely to have difficulties in accessing their usual source of care (USC). Additionally, Black, Hispanic, and Asian older adults and cognitively impaired adults perceived less contribution in their own treatment management. Conclusion Older adults in the US generally experience good quality of primary care, compared to younger adults. However, establishing and maintaining access (first contact) and being involved in disease management (coordination) were perceived as poor by several cohorts of older adults.
Active Choice vs. Inertia? An Exploratory Analysis of Choice Screens Applied in the European Microsoft Antitrust Case

In March 2010, Microsoft started displaying a choice screen to its users whose default web browser was Internet Explorer (IE). This screen included the 12 most widely-used web browsers that run on Windows and was imposed as a consequence of an antitrust investigation in which the European competition authorities accused Microsoft of extending its monopoly from the operative system market to the web browsers market by including IE as Windows’ default web browser. After March 2010, when the choice screen started operating, IE’s market share did go down. It seems straightforward to attribute IE’s decline in Europe to the choice screen itself. However, considering publicly available data from StatCounter, a common trend among developed countries is quite noticeable. IE’s market share was going down before Microsoft started displaying the choice screen in Europe. In fact, IE’s decline, which continues in the following years, is also evident in the U.S., Australia, Canada, among many other countries that did not display choice screens. A differences-in-differences analysis shows that when considering these other jurisdictions as a comparison group to assess the choice screen’s effect on IE’s market share drop, the impact of the intervention is negligible. When the U.S. serves as the control group, the choice-screen leads to a change in IE’s between -1.76% and 0.08%, depending on the time frame considered as pre-post. And only the difference of -1.76% with a 6-month time frame is statistically significant. However, when considering the average of the U.S., Canada, and Australia as the control group, the choice screen’s impact is between -0.16% and -0.69% and not statistically significant. This preliminary finding invites us to assess how sticky default applications can be. Consumers have become more sophisticated 25 years after the first U.S. Microsoft case. Thus the theory of harm and the remedies that may address consumers’ inertia should be re-examined. In particular, what types of consumers may stick to default applications, whether the choice-screen design has been ineffective, as well as the reach of choice screens.
Transit-oriented development and historic preservation across the United States: A geospatial analysis

Abstract The article examines the spatial relationship between the location of fixed-transit stations in proximity to historic districts and buildings across the United States. This study cross-linked data from the federal National Register of Historic Places database (and parallel sources at state and local historic registers) with a national data source on transit-oriented development (TOD). Findings revealed that half of all transit station areas (area within a half-mile around fixed-route transit stations) intersect with a federally designated national historic district. Moreover, 15.6% of all transit stations in the United States are located within a historic district, and 9.5% of nationally registered historic buildings are within half-mile of a fixed station. The study also found that more than half of all individually listed historic buildings in station areas were located in stations categorized as TODs. There was also a closer spatial cross-linkage between historic resources in higher density and more transit-oriented New Jersey than in Florida. Thus, there is some spatial relationship between the location of fixed-route transit stations and the location of historic resources, albeit the closeness of this interconnection varies by place. That spatial interconnections evokes consideration of how TOD and historic preservation can be complimentary “good neighbors.”
First-Destination Outcomes for 2015-2018 Public Health Graduates: Focus on Employment.

Objectives. To improve understanding of the future public health workforce by analyzing first-destination employment outcomes of public health graduates.Methods. We assessed graduate outcomes for those graduating in 2015-2018 using descriptive statistics and the Pearson χ2 test.Results. In our analysis of data on 53 463 graduates, we found that 73% were employed; 15% enrolled in further education; 5% entered a fellowship, internship, residency, volunteer, or service program; and 6% were not employed. Employed graduates went to work in health care (27%), corporations (24%), academia (19%), government (17%), nonprofit (12%), and other sectors (1%). In 2018, 9% of bachelor's, 4% of master's, and 2% of doctoral graduates were not employed but seeking employment.Conclusions. Today's public health graduates are successful in finding employment in various sectors. This new workforce may expand public health's reach and lead to healthier communities overall.Public Health Implications. With predicted shortages in the governmental public health workforce and expanding hiring because of COVID-19, policymakers need to work to ensure the supply of public health graduates meets the demands of the workforce.
Special Sensors for Generating Lamb Waves in Pipes

The pipeline is a strategically important technology to any modern nation. It is used for transporting water, sewage, natural gas, crude oil, refined petroleum products, hazardous chemicals, grain and hundreds of other products. Pipeline assessment is often expensive and disruptive. Efficient inspection of pipelines for internal damages is a challenging task. It becomes even harder when pipes are coated with insulating materials. Under traditional ultrasonic methods insulation coatings are removed at selected places. Then wall thickness at those spots are measured by ultrasonic transducers. Sudden drop in the pipe wall thickness indicates possibility of corrosion damage. This is a time-consuming and expensive operation. The Lamb wave inspection technique, proposed in this paper, is a much more efficient technique because by this technique long pipes can be inspected by removing the insulation coating at a relatively fewer locations. In this technique the Lamb wave propagates along the length of the pipe, this is also known as cylindrical guided waves. For efficient generation of Lamb modes in the pipe wall special sensors are to be fabricated. Several arrangements of transmitter, receiver and specimen have been tried out. Some arrangements require the presence of a coupling fluid between the transducer and the pipe wall. These arrangements can be used for inspecting horizontal pipes only. Other arrangements do not need any coupling fluid and can be used equally well for inspecting horizontal, inclined, and vertical pipes. Experimental results, presented in this paper, show that for efficient inspection of a pipe it should be excited by multiple transducers. Transducers should be positioned at an inclination relative to the pipe axis.
The treatment of pulmonary Wangiella dermatitidis infection with oral voriconazole

Summary What is known and Objective: Wangiella dermatitidis is a darkly pigmented fungus that has been isolated from the soil, dead plant material and areas of high humidity. Infection from the pathogen has not been extensively documented and few published cases report survival. Of the antifungal agents used in previous reports, none has been proven to improve outcomes. Voriconazole is known to have in vitro activity against the organism, but clinical experience for the treatment of W. dermatitidis infection is limited. The objective of this case report is to describe the use of voriconazole for the treatment of W. dermatitidis infection. Case summary: An 86-year-old American woman with a past medical history significant only for mild dementia is successfully treated for pulmonary W. dermatitidis infection using oral voriconazole monotherapy with minimal adverse effects. What is new and Conclusion: Voriconazole appears to be effective as monotherapy for the treatment of pulmonary W. dermatitidis infections. A minimum of 3–4 months of antifungal treatment should be given. Adverse effects with prolonged voriconazole use do not appear to be a barrier to treatment.
Melvyn P. Leffler: For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War

Melvyn P. Leffler is Edward Stettinius Professor of History at the University of Virginia. He has written several books about American foreign policy and the Cold War. Before publication of the boo...
In ovo vaccination technology

More than 80% of the U.S. broiler industry has converted to the in ovo vaccination process for control of Marek's disease. Providing certain criteria are met, including timing and site of vaccine placement, vaccine mixing, machine sanitization, and hatchery management specifications, this has proven to be an efficacious and convenient method of vaccination. Efforts to extend the technology for other viral vaccines including Newcastle, bronchitis and bursal disease, and bacterial and parasitic vaccines are in progress. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that in ovo vaccination technology using approved vaccine is a safe, efficacious, and convenient method for vaccination of poultry.
An Examination of Systematic Differences in the Appreciation of Individual Housing Units

House price appreciation should play an important role in households' decisions of when, where, and how ‘much’ house to buy, and whether to default on their mortgages. Several price indexes are pub...
Audit Committee Effectiveness in the Largest US Public Hospitals: An Empirical Study

Most research focuses on the role of audit committees in the private sector and less in the public sector, especially public hospitals. Therefore, we investigate the role and quality of public hospital audit committees in controlling problems in financial reporting and in major Federal award programs. We investigate all publicly available Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133 audit reports on internal controls over Federal reporting for public hospitals. We then conduct a follow-up study on the administrators of these reporting units. We find the presence of a committee and the committee’s specific quality characteristics of independence, financial expertise, and increased activity, positively correlate with reduced frequencies of internal control problems. In addition, we find audit committees with financial expertise associated less frequently with material weaknesses over financial reporting and over major Federal programs. Our findings extend corporate governance research to the public health care sector, provide additional support for the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-123 requirements, and answer questions found in prior research on non-profit hospitals given by Vermeer et al. (2006) and Pridgen & Wang (2007).
Mechanism of Hydroxylamine Inhibition of Xanthosine 5'-Phosphate Aminase

The reaction of xanthosine 5′-phosphate aminase (xanthosine-5′-phosphate:ammonia ligase (AMP), EC 6.3.4.1) with hydroxylamine, xanthosine 5′-phosphate, and adenosine triphosphate results in the formation of 1 mole each of adenosine 5′-phosphate and a derivative of XMP, presumably 2-hydroxylamino-IMP, per mole of aminase. The derivative is enzyme-bound, but can be released by extraction with trichloracetic acid. The compound is a powerful inhibitor of the aminase. These observations account for the ATP- and XMP-dependent inhibition of XMP aminase by hydroxylamine. The XMP derivative is produced by reaction of hydroxylamine with a catalytic intermediate, adenyl-XMP, the other product being AMP. An inhibitor of the formation of the catalytic intermediate, psicofuranine, also prevents the formation of the derivative.
Non-random generator for IPv6 tables

The next generation Internet Protocol, IPv6, has attracted growing attention. The characteristics of future IPv6 routing tables play a key role in router architecture and network design. In order to design and analyze efficient and scalable IP lookup algorithms for IPv6, IPv6 routing tables are needed. Analysis of existing IPv4 tables shows that there is an underlying structure that differs greatly from random distributions. Since there are few users on IPv6 at present, current IPv6 table sizes are small and unlikely to reflect future IPv6 network growth. Thus, neither randomly generated tables nor current IPv6 tables are good benchmarks for analysis. More representative IPv6 lookup tables are needed for the development of IPv6 routers. From an analysis of current IPv4 tables, algorithms are proposed for generating IPv6 lookup tables. Tables generated by the suggested methods exhibit certain features characteristic of real lookup tables, reflecting not only new IPv6 address allocation schemes but also patterns common to IPv4 tables. These tables provide useful research tools by a better representation of future lookup tables as IPv6 becomes more widely deployed.
Felon Disenfranchisement Laws and the Feedback Loop of Political Exclusion: the Case of Florida

Violence against Black bodies in Florida is so widespread that the national #BlackLivesMatter movement was born in the state on the night young Trayvon Martin was killed with impunity. This research investigates the socio-political context in which this violence is both legal and apparently accepted, problematizing the citizenship status of members of the Floridian African-American community—over 23 % of whom cannot vote due to stringent state felony disenfranchisement legislation. This research estimates the effects of this widespread electoral exclusion on Floridian elections and, resultantly, on the legislative realities of the state. We find that the form and extent of felony disenfranchisement in Florida have likely put the Right Party in power, worked to create legislation that is counter to the interests of African-Americans, and ultimately achieved a marginalization of the population so deleterious to its citizenship status as to put into question the worth of its members’ lives.
Hypercholesterolemia and Risk of Incident Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in US Women

Objective Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disorder associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have been shown to have elevated cholesterol levels. However, it is not known whether hypercholesterolemia is associated with an increased risk of psoriasis or psoriasis with PsA. We undertook this study to determine whether a history of hypercholesterolemia is associated with the risk of developing incident psoriasis and psoriasis with PsA in a cohort of US women. Methods We included a total of 95,540 participants from the Nurses' Health Study II (1991–2005). Information on personal history of physician-diagnosed hypercholesterolemia and related medication use was collected during the followup period. Clinician-diagnosed psoriasis and psoriasis with PsA were ascertained and confirmed using supplementary questionnaires. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results During 1,320,765 person-years of followup, we documented 646 participants with incident psoriasis, 165 of whom had concomitant PsA. Hypercholesterolemia was associated with elevated risks of incident psoriasis (HR 1.25 [95% CI 1.04–1.50]) and psoriasis with PsA (HR 1.58 [95% CI 1.13–2.23]) in multivariate-adjusted models. Participants with hypercholesterolemia lasting for ≥7 years were at a higher risk of developing psoriasis (HR 1.29 [95% CI 1.03–1.61]) (P for trend = 0.0002) and psoriasis with PsA (HR 1.68 [95% CI 1.12–2.52]) (P for trend = 0.002). These associations persisted among participants who never took cholesterol-lowering medications. There was no association between cholesterol-lowering drugs and risk of psoriasis or psoriasis with PsA. Conclusion Our study provides evidence that hypercholesterolemia, a well-known cardiovascular risk factor, is also associated with an elevated risk of psoriasis and psoriasis with PsA.
Automatic spacecraft docking using computer vision-based guidance and control techniques

An innovative approach to automatic spacecraft docking using a computer vision-based control system is introduced. Precision control of the relative spacecraft velocity is required to achieve "soft" docking with a docking platform on a space station or on another spacecraft. We propose use of a computer vision system as a position and orientation sensor for obtaining feedback information used by guidance and control loops. A camera, fixed to the spacecraft, tracks a standard rhombus mark fixed on the docking platform. Discrete-time position and orientation estimates of the spacecraft, relative to a coordinate frame fixed to the docking platform, are obtained by solving a constrained nonlinear least-squares problem and are used by the spacecraft feedback control loops. The accuracy of the computer vision estimates improves as the relative range decreases, thereby providing improved feedback information when it is most critical. Feedback control loops for the spacecraft, using three pairs of gas jet thrusters, are suggested that keep the camera always pointed at the rhombus mark and that perform precise control of the spacecraft range to achieve soft docking. The interactions between the vision system and the control systems are emphasized. Computer simulations of an integrated docking system verify the practical feasibility of this proposed automatic docking approach.
Singular perturbation analysis of an integrodifferential equation modelling filament stretching

A formal asymptotic scheme is used to determine the leading order behavior of a certain singularly perturbed integrodifferential equation which models the process of stretching a polymer filament. The inner solution describes the process during a boundary layer in time which occurs at the onset of elastic recovery. The outer solution describes the long term behavior of the elastic recovery, and a bound on the ultimate recovery is determined.
Kinematics of mobile manipulators and implications for design

A systematic, unified kinematic analysis for manipulator arms mounted to mobile platforms is presented. The differential kinematics for the composite system is used, along with an extended definition of manipulability, to generate a design tool for this class of systems. An example is presented in which a 3 DOF anthropomorphic manipulator is mounted on a platform powered by two independent drive wheels. Scaled manipulability ellipses are used to visualize the effect of manipulator mounting position on the overall mobility of the system. Given information about the intended tasks of the mobile manipulator, conclusions may be drawn as to the most appropriate mounting site. For the tasks which motivated this research, automated highway construction and maintenance, it was concluded that the manipulator base should be near the axles of the drive wheels and far from the centerline of the platform. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Balancing interconnect and computation in a reconfigurable computing array (or, why you don't really want 100% LUT utilization)

FPGA users often view the ability of an FPGA to route designs with high LUT (gate) utilization as a feature, leading them to demand high gate utilization from vendors. We present initial evidence from a hierarchical array design showing that high LUT utilization is not directly correlated with efficient silicon usage. Rather, since interconnect resources consume most of the area on these devices (often 80-90%), we can achieve more area efficient designs by allowing some LUTs to go unused—allowing us to use the dominant resource, interconnect, more efficiently. This extends the "Sea-ofgates" philosophy, familiar to mask programmable gate arrays, to FPGAs. Also introduced in this work is an algorithm for "depopulating" the gates in a hierarchical network to match the limited wiring resources.
Cyclone Development along Weak Thermal Fronts

Abstract The properties of wavelike eddies imbedded in zonal flows containing vertical and horizontal shear are examined via an analytical model of a midlatitude cyclone. The model combines and extends some work by several previous investigators. Perturbation methods are used to formulate and solve this model. A transformation to geostrophic coordinates is employed that includes some ageostrophic effects and additional ageostrophic terms are retained after scaling the primitive equations. The zonal flows are chosen to model conditions observed in the atmosphere during incipient wave-cyclone development. Solutions grow due to barotropic and (primarily) baroclinic instability of the zonal flow. The stability, structure and energetics of some solutions are discussed. The lowest order solutions are in basic agreement with several previous studies. The effects of the intensity and vertical structure of the prescribed model thermal front are examined in a consistent fashion. As. the intensity of the front incre...
Applications of a climatic data base for Africa

Abstract A climatic data base has recently been developed for 299 stations in Africa. This paper describes how this data base can be used for agricultural planning and management for Africa, including estimation of rainfall probabilities, yield prediction under rainfed and irrigated agriculture, extreme rainfall evaluation, estimation of global solar radiation and irrigation scheduling.
Aliphatic polyurethane as a matrix for pH sensors: effects of native sites and added proton carrier on electrical and potentiometric properties

The potentiometric and impedance characteristics of polymeric membranes, based on aliphatic polyurethane (Tecoflex) as a matrix, are described and interpreted by theory and experiments for H+ and alkali metal ion-sensitive sensors. Both dummy plasticized membranes and proton carrier-loaded membranes can show pH response. The pH response of dummy membranes is due to protonated natural negative sites in the polyurethane matrix. The electrodes with added proton carrier show improved rejection of Li+, Na+, and K+ responses and give useful analytical responses. Optimal performance requires control of negative site concentration by addition of lipophilic salt (e.g. tetraphenylborate derivatives). Impedance analyses show surface-rate semicircles and, depending on the bathing electrolyte solution, appearance of a diffusional Warburg impedance. In addition to these time-dependence surface region effects, changes in the bulk membrane resistance with soaking time can be well correlated with equilibrium water content of plasticized membranes.
Whiplash Mechanics in Low Speed Rear-End Automobile Collisions

Objectives: To develop a biomechanical model that can help determine the exposure to potential physical injury based on the rebound flexion moment [acceleration load] of the head and neck.Methods: By review of the biomechanical literature on rear-end collisions, to determine the impact force and the resulting acceleration to which the victim[s] had been exposed, and to determine the rebound flexion load acting on the cervical spine. To compare the developed formulation of the flexion load to measures taken from a staged rear-end impact experiment. To make adjustments to the injury threshold based on the above formulation, based on age, gender, and head position.Results: In target vehicle velocity changes of 4.9 mph [7.8 kph] with peak vehicle acceleration of 3.0 g, the peak linear head acceleration was predicted to be 5.9 g, with peak rotational acceleration of 237 rad/sec2. The resulting flexion moment about the occipital condyles was calculated to be about 20 ft-1bs [34 Nm], which was comparatively abou...
A Note On Congressional Military Pay Setting

To maintain an all-volunteer force, military pay levels must be high enough to attract a sufficient quantity and quality of volunteers. Congress's commitment to maintaining such pay levels has been questioned. In this article we test a model of congressional military pay setting for the all-volunteer period, 1974- 1987 and find that Congress responds to decreases in the percentage of high-quality enlistments by increasing real military pay. Pay is not adjusted to completely offset expected inflation, however.
Modulation of Human Intestinal Epithelial Cell IL-8 Secretion by Human Milk Factors

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) seems to result from the inflammatory response of an immature intestine. Human milk is protective against NEC via an unknown mechanism. We hypothesized that specific factors found in human milk would decrease stimulated IL-8 secretion in intestinal epithelial cells. HT29-cl19A and Caco2 cells were compared with the fetal human primary intestinal epithelial cell line H4 and temperature-sensitive conditionally immortalized fetal human intestinal (tsFHI) cells. Cells were pretreated with transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), erythropoietin (Epo), IL-10, or epidermal growth factor (EGF) at physiologic concentrations before stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) or IL-1beta, and then IL-8 was measured by ELISA. The fetal cells produced significantly more IL-8 when stimulated by TNF-alpha or IL-1beta. There were also differences in the pattern of alteration of IL-8 secretion by human milk factors. In HT29-cl19A cells, IL-10 inhibited TNF-alpha-stimulated IL-8 secretion by 52%, and EGF increased secretion by 144%. In H4 cells, TGF-beta1 and Epo inhibited TNF-alpha-stimulated IL-8 secretion to control levels, and EGF increased secretion by 29%. IL-1beta-stimulated IL-8 secretion was inhibited 25% by TGF-beta1 in Caco2 cells and in H4 cells was inhibited by TGF-beta1, Epo, and TGF-beta2. TsFHI cells confirmed H4 cell results. Fetal human enterocytes have an exaggerated IL-8 secretion in response to TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. TGF-beta and Epo decrease this stimulated IL-8 secretion, which may partially explain the protective effect of human milk in NEC.
The role of institutional ownership in the market for auditing services: an empirical investigation

Abstract In this paper, we report the results of an investigation of the relation between auditor firm size and the level of institutional ownership. In this paper, we argue that institutional owners demand high audit quality. As a result, they prefer audits conducted by large audit firms because they perceive that these firms, on average, provide relatively higher audit quality. Because institutional owners have large holdings, they have more influence over management. Therefore, the greater the level of institutional ownership, the more likely that a firm will provide audits conducted by a large audit firm. Our findings support this assertion-institutional ownership is positively associated with the audit firm size, even after controlling for other variables that could account for such an association, including client firm size, debt, growth and business complexity.
Infra-red Dispersion Wave-lengths for Solid Lithium Fluoride containing Varying Proportions of Lithium Isotopes

IN a programme utilizing isotopic mass as a probe for the solid state, the infra-red dispersion wave-lengths of 6Li19F and 7Li19F were recently obtained1. Since then, improved apparatus and techniques have allowed a somewhat better estimate of these wavelengths. Moreover, the study has been extended to lithium fluoride containing varying proportions of the lithium isotopes. Lithium fluoride was prepared by the action of hydrofluoric acid on metallic lithium and its oxide, nitride, etc., resulting from exposure to the atmosphere. The enrichment of the lithium-6 sample was specified as 99.3 ± 0.2 per cent, and that of the lithium-7 as 99.8 ± 0.1 per cent. Powdered samples of the appropriate composition were evaporated from a platinum boat on to ¾-mil polyethylene sheet. The thickness of the film of lithium fluoride as measured by the a.c. conductivity of a known volume of distilled water in which a fiduciary portion of the film plus sheet had been steeped, was about 0.2µ. Infra-red spectra were obtained by use of a Perkin–Elmer ‘Model 21’ double-beam spectrophotometer with a caesium bromide prism.
2009 Special Issue: Exploiting multiple sensory modalities in brain-machine interfaces

Recent improvements in cortically-controlled brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) have raised hopes that such technologies may improve the quality of life of severely motor-disabled patients. However, current generation BMIs do not perform up to their potential due to the neglect of the full range of sensory feedback in their strategies for training and control. Here we confirm that neurons in the primary motor cortex (MI) encode sensory information and demonstrate a significant heterogeneity in their responses with respect to the type of sensory modality available to the subject about a reaching task. We further show using mutual information and directional tuning analyses that the presence of multi-sensory feedback (i.e. vision and proprioception) during replay of movements evokes neural responses in MI that are almost indistinguishable from those responses measured during overt movement. Finally, we suggest how these playback-evoked responses may be used to improve BMI performance.
Hydrogen embedded in Ni: Production by incident atomic hydrogen and detection by high-resolution electron energy loss

The vibrational modes of hydrogen embedded in a Ni crystal are shown to be detectable by high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy and to be unambiguously distinguishable from the vibrational modes of adsorbed hydrogen on the basis of the dependence of the inelastic electron intensity on electron impact energy. The embedded hydrogen has a vibrational frequency of 800--850 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ and is observed to recombine and desorb as ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ between 180 and 220 K. The absorption of hydrogen into Ni(111) is achieved under UHV conditions by exposure to atomic hydrogen. As much as an equivalent of 8 monolayers has been absorbed.
Clinical features and management of intoxication due to hallucinogenic drugs.

Hallucinogenic drugs are unique in that they produce the desired hallucinogenic effects at what are considered non-toxic doses. The hallucinogenic drugs can be categorised into 4 basic groups: indole alkaloid derivatives, piperidine derivatives, phenylethylamines and the cannabinols. The drugs reviewed include lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, marijuana, psilocybin, mescaline, and ‘designer drugs.’
Abrupt decline in the Arctic winter sea ice cover

Maximum ice extents in the Arctic in 2005 and 2006 have been observed to be significantly lower (by about 6%) than the average of those of previous years starting in 1979. Since the winter maxima had been relatively stable with the trend being only about -1.5% per decade (compared to about -10% per decade for the perennial ice area), this is a significant development since signals from greenhouse warming are expected to be most prominent in winter. Negative ice anomalies are shown to be dominant in 2005 and 2006 especially in the Arctic basin and correlated with winds and surface temperature anomalies during the same period. Progressively increasing winter temperatures in the central Arctic starting in 1997 is observed with significantly higher rates of increase in 2005 and 2006. The Atlantic Oscillation (AO) indices correlate weakly with the sea ice and surface temperature anomaly data but may explain the recent shift in the perennial ice cover towards the western region. Results suggest that the trend in winter ice is finally in the process of catching up with that of the summer ice cover.
Correlation Clustering: maximizing agreements via semidefinite programming

We consider the Correlation Clustering problem introduced in [2]. Given a graph G = (V,E) where each edge is labeled either "+" (similar) or "-" (different), we want to cluster the nodes so that the + edges lie within the clusters and the -- edges lie between clusters. Specifically, we want to maximize agreements --- the number of + edges within clusters and -- edges between clusters. This problem is NP-Hard [2]. We give a 0.7666-approximation algorithm for maximizing agreements on any graph even when the edges have non-negative weights (along with labels) and we want to maximize the weight of agreements. These were posed as open problems in [2]. Previously the only results known were a trivial 0.5-approximation for arbitrary edge weighted graphs, and a PTAS with unit edge weights when |E| = Ω(|V|2). Somewhat surprisingly, our algorithm always produces a clustering with at most 6 clusters. As a corollary we get a 0.7666-approximation algorithm for the k-clustering variant of the problem where we may create at mostk clusters. A major component of this algorithm is a simple, easy-to-analyze algorithm that by itself achieves an approximation ratio of 0.75, opening at most 4 clusters.
The convergence of complex Langevin simulations

Abstract It is proven that ensemble average computed from a complex Langevin (CL) simulation will necessarily converge to the correct values if the ensemble averages become time independent. This is illustrated with two model problems defined on the compact spaces U(1) and S 2 , as well as with a lattice fermion model. For all three problems, the CL method is found to be, with few exceptions, applicable. For the U(1) problem, this is demonstrated via a semi-analytic solution for the expectation values. The difficulties of obtaining accurate numerical solutions of the stochastic differential equations are discussed.
Group treatment of men who batter their female partners

Interventions with men who batter their partners pose characteristic challenges to the therapist. It is difficult to assess the extent and actual ramifications of the abuse problem. Clients may be reluctant, having been court-ordered into treatment; they tend to minimize, deny, and externalize responsibility for their actions. The physical well-being of spouses, children, and others may be affected by the treatment outcome. Therapists may feel distaste for, or fear, the client who has caused terror, possibly physical injury, and sometimes death to people close to him. For these reasons, the therapist must add to his or her basic clinical skill the ability to confront and resolve many important side issues that can derail the best-laid therapeutic plan. This article describes a group treatment program, using cases to illustrate typical problems and interactions. It offers guidance for therapists working to enable abusive men to acknowledge and end their violence by changing their behaviors and thought processes. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An Assessment of the Relationship Between Identity Development, Faith Development, and Religious Commitment

The current study is the first to report on the relationship between identity status and various facets of religiousness: faith development, religious commitment, and negative aspects of religiousness. In addition, multiple measures of religious commitment and faith development were used to allow for the generalization of findings beyond the limitations inherent in specific individual scales. Using a college sample (N = 228), the achieved identity status was positively associated with religious commitment; however, it was not related to faith development. As expected, individuals in the moratorium status were higher in faith development than diffused or foreclosed participants. The pattern of results suggests that the identity development statuses of achieved and moratorium relate significantly but differentially to alternative conceptions of religious development and maturity (i.e., sincere religious commitment and faith development).
M mode and two dimensional echocardiographic features of porcine valve dysfunction

In this paper we describe the M-mode echocardiographic features in eight patients and the two-dimensional (mechanical sector scanner) echocardiographic features in five patients with aortic or mitral porcine xenograft valve dysfunction.
Identification of Sympathomimetic Amines as Tetraphenylborates

The tetraphenylborate salts of sympathomimetic amines are readily isolated in a highly pure state even from low concentrations in complex mixtures. Therefore, melting points, infrared, and ultraviolet spectral characteristics of these salts were studied as an aid to the identification of the medicinally important sympathomimetic amines.
Adaptive immunity to Anaplasma pathogens and immune dysregulation: implications for bacterial persistence.

Abstract Anaplasma marginale is an obligate intraerythrocytic bacterium that infects ruminants, and notably causes severe economic losses in cattle worldwide. Anaplasma phagocytophilum infects neutrophils and causes disease in many mammals, including ruminants, dogs, cats, horses, and humans. Both bacteria cause persistent infection – infected cattle never clear A. marginale and A. phagocytophilum can also cause persistent infection in ruminants and other animals for several years. This review describes correlates of the protective immune response to these two pathogens as well as subversion and dysregulation of the immune response following infection that likely contribute to long-term persistence. I also compare the immune dysfunction observed with intraerythrocytic A. marginale to that observed in other models of chronic infection resulting in high antigen loads, including malaria, a disease caused by another intraerythrocytic pathogen.
The Contribution of Cα−H···O Hydrogen Bonds to Membrane Protein Stability Depends on the Position of the Amide†

Structural analyses of membrane proteins reveal a large number of Cα−H···O contacts between transmembrane helices, presumed to be hydrogen bonds. Recent experiments produced conflicting results for the contribution of such hydrogen bonds to membrane protein stability. An FTIR study estimated an energy of −0.88 kcal/mol for the G79-Cα−H···I76-O hydrogen bond in glycophorin A, whereas a mutagenesis study showed that the A51-Cα−H···T24-Oγ hydrogen bond does not stabilize bacteriorhodopsin. Here, we reconcile these results using molecular mechanics calculations and an implicit membrane model (IMM1). With explicit hydrogen atoms, the potential energy of the G79-Cα−H···I76-O interaction in GpA ranges from −0.54 to −0.9 kcal/mol and its contribution to stability (effective energy) from −0.49 to −0.83 kcal/mol, depending on the structural model used. The average values of these quantities in GpA-like motifs are similar. In bR, the corresponding numbers for the A51-Cα−H···T24-Oγ interaction are +0.15 and +0.32 kca...
A Stiff Price to Pay: Does Joint Stiffness Predict Disability in an Older Population?

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of joint stiffness and associated comorbidities in community-living older adults and to determine whether joint stiffness, independent of pain, contributes to new and worsening disability. DESIGN: Population-based cohort. SETTING: Urban and suburban communities in the Boston, Massachusetts, area. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 70 and older (N = 765) underwent a baseline home interview and clinic examination, 680 participants completed the 18-month follow-up. MEASUREMENTS: Morning joint stiffness on most days in the past month was assessed in the arms, back, hips, and knees. Mobility limitations were measured using selfreported difficulty and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). The home interview and clinic examination included extensive health measures. RESULTS: Four hundred one participants reported morning joint stiffness, half of these with one site of stiffness and the other half with multisite stiffness. Twenty percent of participants with multisite stiffness and 50% with single site stiffness did not have a major stiffness-associated condition. After adjustment for pain severity and other covariates, multisite stiffness was associated with a 64% greater risk of developing new or worsening mobility difficulty (relative risk = 1.64, 95% confidence interval = 1.05–2.79). Those with multisite stiffness had declined more quickly in physical performance over the 18-month follow up. CONCLUSION: Older adults with multisite stiffness are more likely to be at risk of disability than those without joint stiffness after accounting for pain severity and the presence of stiffness-associated conditions. Better assessment, along with strategies to prevent and treat multisite joint stiffness is needed to prevent or slow the progression of disability in elderly adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 62:1891– 1899, 2014.
Acoustic data and recognition in short-term-memory

A system for selecting alternatives to be used in STM recognition studies is suggested based on the use of acoustic confusions made by Ss on hearing their own pronunciations. The system produces credible multiple choice alternatives with specifiable relative probabilities of being selected. It is also clear from the data that factors other than the acoustic coding of items plays an important role in short-term retention.