cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tax policy and sourcing strategy — A social welfare perspective

For recent decades, China has been the clear choice for global companies to build manufacturing plants to supply the world due to its seemingly unlimited supply of low-cost labor, lower currency, and attractive government incentives. However, recent trends have showed that the U.S., with a resilient corporate sector, flexible skilled workforce, and potential stricter tax policies, is becoming more attractive as a place to manufacture many goods to consume on its own soil. This research studies the incentives, possibilities and benefits of reshoring from the perspective of the social welfare. First, our analysis indicates that firms may remain offshoring even if the government provides tax incentives. Secondly, reshoring may increase the employment in the home country, but it also has a negative effect on the domestic consumer surplus, and then impair the overall social welfare given the tax policy implemented by the government.
Bridging medical simulation with computer science and engineering: A growing field of study.

Abstract Background Medical simulation has become an essential educational tool in the curricula of healthcare professionals. A literature review revealed a knowledge gap in healthcare simulation education with respect to the technological expertise required to operate highly sophisticated simulation equipment. With this motivation, a case study was designed to determine if implementing on-site technological expertise allows for the facile navigation of high fidelity manikins. Next, a research study was conducted to evaluate engineering students understanding of simulation, and their interest to attend a program in medical simulation. Objectives To determine if on-site technological expertise lifts barriers associated with manikin use and to assess levels of understanding and interest among engineering students following exposure to the technology used in healthcare simulation. Design A prospective, descriptive study with pre-post surveys. Settings The Nursing Skills and Simulation Center at a New England University campus. Participants Engineering students attending 6 different engineering programs (Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Technology Management) and having different educational levels (undergraduate and graduate). Methods Two assessments were applied to engineering students attending a class on technology used in healthcare simulation. A pre-test measured the understanding and interest of students in the engineering/computer science courses before attending a simulation class. A post-test assessment measured their improvement in understanding and interest to learn more about simulation technologies. Results Statistical analysis and comparisons of pre-and post-test assessments show a 23% gain in understanding of this field following exposure to the healthcare simulation class. Furthermore, post test results show greater than 67% of those surveyed have an interest in attending a program in healthcare simulation. Conclusions The results indicate the collaboration of nursing and engineering has lifted known barriers to simulation education, and reveal engineering students have an interest in the field of medical simulation.
Preharvest aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) effects on ethylene and starch concentrations of ‘Empire’ and ‘McIntosh’ apples

Abstract Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG; ReTain®) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP; Harvista™) are used to delay apple fruit maturation and ripening, and thereby reduce fruit drop and manage harvest logistics. In this study, ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Empire’ fruit were treated with AVG at four weeks or two weeks, or with 1-MCP one week, prior to the anticipated first harvest date, to assess effects of these chemicals on maturation and ripening in relation to starch degradation. In a second season, ‘Empire’ fruit were treated with either AVG or 1-MCP four weeks and one week prior to the anticipated first harvest. Fruit from this experiment were also harvested to investigate the effects of treatment on ripening in air storage. Cultivar and timing of application influenced the efficacy of both AVG and 1-MCP in delaying the increase of internal ethylene concentration (IEC) and the starch pattern index (SPI), and the decrease of starch concentration, in the fruit. Little effect of treatment was found for the high ethylene producing ‘McIntosh’, with only the SPI being affected on the date of first harvest. ‘Empire’ fruit from trees treated with 1-MCP or AVG had lower IEC and were greener (higher absorbance difference index (IAD) values), and had lower SPIs and higher starch concentrations, but the effects were inconsistent and limited to only some harvest dates. In storage, only 1-MCP applied 10 d before harvest markedly slowed the increase in IEC and the rate of softening. AVG treatment effects on IEC were intermediate, between the one week 1-MCP treatment and the untreated controls and 4 week 1-MCP treatment, while it did not affect softening. Treatments did not affect the rate of starch concentration loss during storage.
Expression Profiling of Fibroblasts in Chronic and Acute Disease Models Reveals Novel Pathways in Kidney Fibrosis.

Background Renal interstitial fibrosis results from activation and proliferation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, secretion and accumulation of extracellular matrix, and displacement of normal renal tubules. In contrast to chronic renal disease, acute injury may be repaired, a process that includes a decrease in the number of myofibroblasts in the interstitium and degradation of the accumulated extracellular matrix, leaving little evidence of prior injury. Methods To investigate whether activated fibroblasts demonstrate changes in gene expression that correspond with regression after acute injury but are not observed in chronic models of fibrosis, we used microarrays to analyze gene expression patterns among fibroblast populations at different stages of injury or repair. We then mined the data for signaling pathways in fibroblasts corresponding to the acute proliferative, regression, and chronic phases of renal injury. Results We identified multiple gene clusters with changes that correlate with the three phases of renal injury, including changes in levels of receptors for the antifibrotic factor PGE2. In adult renal fibroblast cultures, PGE2 was able to upregulate many genes that are suppressed by the profibrotic cytokine TGF- β , whereas many PGE2-downregulated genes were activated by TGF- β . High levels of TGF- β suppressed expression of a subset of PG receptors in fibroblast cultures, making these cells resistant to any effects of PGE2. Conclusions Inherent gene expression changes in activated fibroblasts accompany the transition from AKI to repair and regeneration. In chronic models, however, activated fibroblasts are resistant to the antifibrotic effects of PGE2 due to suppression of a subset of PGE receptors.
Glycemic Variability: Risk Factors, Assessment, and Control:

Glycemic variability (GV) a well-established risk factor for hypoglycemia and a suspected risk factor for diabetes complications. GV is also a marker of the instability of a person's metabolic system, expressed as frequent high and low glucose excursions and overall volatile glycemic control. In this review, the author discusses topics related to the assessment, quantification, and optimal control of diabetes, including (1) the notion that optimal control of diabetes, that is, lowering of HbA1c-the commonly accepted gold-standard outcome-can be achieved only if accompanied by simultaneous reduction of GV; (2) assessment and visualization of the two principal dimensions of GV, amplitude and time, which is now possible via continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and various metrics quantifying GV and the risks associated with hypo- and hyperglycemic excursions; and (3) the evolution of diabetes science and technology beyond quantifying GV and into the realm of GV control via pharmacological agents, for example, GLP-1 receptor agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors, which have pronounced variability-reducing effect, or real-time automated closed-loop systems commonly referred to as the "artificial pancreas." The author concludes that CGM allows close tracking over time, and therefore precise quantification, of glycemic variability in diabetes. The next step-optimal control of glucose fluctuations-is also taken by medications with pronounced GV-lowering effect primarily in type 2 diabetes, and by automated insulin delivery in type 1 diabetes. Contemporary CGM-based artificial pancreas systems use specific GV representations as input signals, and thus their main objective is to minimize GV and, from there, optimize glycemic control.
Real-Time Indoor 3D Human Imaging Based on MIMO Radar Sensing

Compared to traditional camera-based computer vision and imaging, radio imaging based on wireless sensing does not require lighting and is friendly to privacy. This work proposes a deep learning radio imaging solution to visualize real-time user indoor activities. The proposed solution uses a low-power, MIMO Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar array to capture the reflected signals from human objects, and then constructs 3D human visualization through a serials of data analytics including: 1) a data preprocessing mechanism to remove background static reflection, 2) a signal processing mechanism to transfer received complex radar signals to a matrix containing spatial information, and 3) a deep learning scheme to filter abnormal frames resulted from rough surface of human body. This solution has been extensively evaluated in an indoor research lab. The constructed real-time human images are compared to the camera images captured at the same time. The results show that the proposed radio imaging solution can result in significantly high accuracy.
Management effects on plant species composition and ecosystem processes and services in a nutrient-poor wet grassland

The effect of changing management practices, from a more intensive to a less intensive cutting regime with partial abandonment, on plant species composition, frequency, and abundance was determined for an oligotrophic wet grassland in the south Bohemia region of the Czech Republic using data from vegetation surveys conducted in 1965 (2–3 cuts per year) and 2013 (parts cut once per year, other portions abandoned). These data, coupled with nutrient data from a nearby wet grassland with similar species composition as well as data from the literature, were used to predict the possible effect of these vegetation changes on ecosystem processes and services. The former, more diverse Molinia caerulea-dominated state has been replaced by a less-diverse grassland dominated by clonal hemicryptophytes, such as Carex acuta. Partial restoration has been accomplished where mowing has been resumed. Using Ellenberg indicator values for moisture and nutrients, the present species composition indicates that the area has become wetter over time, likely due to management decisions made at the regional scale. Carbon and nutrient sequestration has likely been enhanced in the current state, while services linked to greater species diversity have likely suffered. Such tradeoffs in ecosystem services must be considered when deciding whether to restore the more diverse Molinia caerulea-dominated state. Decisions at the regional scale will also influence the ability of achieving a desired structure.
Late Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes in tropical eastern Africa revealed by multi–proxy records from the Cherangani Hills, Kenya

Abstract There is paucity in the proxy records available for the reconstruction of vegetation and climate histories of tropical eastern Africa, especially north of the equator. Here, we present a new paleoenvironmental record based on a 3.5-m sediment core from the Kapkanyar mire, Cherangani Hills, Kenya. Using analyses of pollen, microscopic charcoal, and loss-on-ignition data, we examine the vegetation and climate history of tropical eastern Africa over the past ∼23 Kyrs. Our findings show that high levels of dry montane forest vegetation and high frequencies of Poaceae and Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae (Cheno/Am) pollen types dominate the LGM period (∼23.5–18 Kyrs). The last deglaciation (∼18–12 Kyrs) is marked by a decrease in Afromontane vegetation such as Ulmaceae, Combretaceae, and Podocarpus and resurgence in Cheno/Am pollen with a minimal representation of Olea pollen. The presence of Combretaceae pollen alongside increased percentages of Cheno/Am pollen indicates that cold and dry climate likely prevailed during the last deglaciation period. The record shows that the eastern African region was generally wet over most of the Holocene, albeit with increased frequency of drought episodes. The first imprints of anthropogenic activities in the record appear between ∼4 and 3.5 Kyrs.
Intermediate turbidity elicits the greatest antipredator response and generates repeatable behaviour in mosquitofish

Increased turbidity, a common human-induced aquatic disturbance, can potentially have major impacts on predator–prey interactions via effects on key foraging and antipredator behaviours, on the repeatability of these behaviours (i.e. on animal personalities) and on behavioural syndromes (correlations among behaviours). Here, we repeatedly assayed individual western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, across a range of turbidity levels (low, intermediate, high) to test the degree to which a suite of behaviours (activity, exploration, sociality, responses to olfactory predator cues) scaled with increasing turbidity. In particular, we tested the a priori hypothesis, based on previous work, that fish show stronger behavioural repeatability and behavioural correlations when perceived predation risk is high. While individuals in all treatments responded to predator cues by reducing activity and exploration, those assayed in intermediate turbidity exhibited the strongest antipredator responses. Consistent with our prediction that repeatability should be greatest in high risk, significant behavioural repeatability was only detected in antipredator behaviours at intermediate turbidity. Significant correlations among behavioural traits were detected in all turbidity treatments but primarily under threat of predation – not when predator cues were absent (with one exception). This study demonstrates that levels of human-induced environmental change may interact with predation risk to shape both mean behavioural responses as well as patterns of behavioural correlations within and among individuals.
On the enduring relationship between masculinity and homophobia

Recent research in the social sciences suggests a methodological paradox as scholars work to make sense of the contemporary relationship between masculinity and homophobia. Representative surveys c...
Toxicity of Nanomaterials to the Host and the Environment

Although silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) display excellent antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties; the pervasiveness of AgNPs in occupational, medicinal, consumer, and environmental settings has raised concerns about the potential for adverse health effects and environmental risks. We provide herein an overview of the use of AgNPs, routes of AgNPS exposure, physicochemical properties and mechanisms responsible for toxicity, and strategies to establish the safety of AgNPs. The core of this book chapter is the notion that while AgNPs may be effective agents in exterminating various pathogens, they may also damage healthy cells, animals, humans, and ecosystems. Thus, the manufacture and usage of AgNPs should be closely monitored and regulated.
Probing the functions of microglial cyclin-dependent kinase 5 under physiological and pathological conditions

Cyclin dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) regulates various developmental and physiological processes in the central nervous system. Deregulation of Cdk5 activity in neurons induces severe neurodegeneration and has been implicated in Alzheimers disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative conditions. A large fraction of AD risk genes are highly expressed in microglia, highlighting an important role for these cells in AD pathogenesis. While Cdk5 function in neurons is well characterized, our understanding of its roles in microglial function under physiological and neurodegenerative conditions remain rudimentary. Here, we investigate the roles of Cdk5 in microglia using myeloid-specific Cdk5 conditional knockout mice. Using microglia-specific transcriptome profiling, histological analyses, and behavioral assessments, we found that knockout of Cdk5 in microglia for 1 month induced transcriptional changes characterized by upregulation of cell cycle processes and type I interferon signaling genes in both physiological conditions and AD-related amyloidogenesis. In contrast to the robust transcriptional changes, conditional loss of microglial Cdk5 produced minimal effects on the density and morphology of microglia and their phagocytic activity toward myelin debris. Moreover, Cdk5cKO mice exhibited little change in synaptic density and tasks associated with locomotor, anxiety-like, and memory-related behaviors. Our findings indicate that the conditional loss of Cdk5 in microglia induces rapid alterations of microglial transcriptome with minimal or delayed effects on histological and behavioral responses.
Placental vascular maldevelopment, intrauterine growth restriction, and pulmonary hypertension.

A 33-year-old gravida 2, para 1 woman was noted to have early intrauterine growth restriction at 22 weeks gestation and subsequently developed severe pre-eclampsia. She delivered a 460 g male neona...
EDCs Reorganize Brain-Behavior Phenotypic Relationships in Rats

All species, including humans, are exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Previous experiments have shown behavioral deficits caused by EDCs that have implications for social competence and sexual selection. The neuromolecular mechanisms for these behavioral changes induced by EDCs have not been thoroughly explored. Here, we tested the hypothesis that EDCs administered to rats during a critical period of embryonic brain development would lead to the disruption of normal social preference behavior, and that this involves a network of underlying gene pathways in brain regions that regulate these behaviors. Rats were exposed prenatally to human-relevant concentrations of EDCs (polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], vinclozolin [VIN]), or vehicle. In adulthood, a sociosexual preference test was administered. We profiled gene expression of in preoptic area, medial amygdala, and ventromedial nucleus. Prenatal PCBs impaired sociosexual preference in both sexes, and VIN disrupted this behavior in males. Each brain region had unique sets of genes altered in a sex- and EDC-specific manner. The effects of EDCs on individual traits were typically small, but robust; EDC exposure changed the relationships between gene expression and behavior, a pattern we refer to as dis-integration and reconstitution. These findings underscore the effects that developmental exposure to EDCs can have on adult social behavior, highlight sex-specific and individual variation in responses, and provide a foundation for further work on the disruption of genes and behavior after prenatal exposure to EDCs.
Total Synthesis of the Meroterpenoid Manginoid A as Fueled by a Challenging Pinacol Coupling and Bicycle-forming Etherification

The manginoids are a unique collection of bioactive natural products whose structures fuse an oxa-bridged spirocyclohexanedione with a heavily substituted trans-hydrindane framework. Herein, we show that such architectures can be accessed through a strategy combining a challenging pinacol coupling and bicycle-forming etherification with several additional chemo- and regioselective reactions. The success of these key events proved to be highly substrate and condition specific, affording insights for their application to other targets. As a result, not only has a 19-step total synthesis of manginoid A been achieved, but a potential roadmap to access other members of the family and related natural products has also been identified.
Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a common yet devastating disease that affects people of all ages, predominantly the young and the elderly. Management strategies are based on national guidelines, best recommendations, and a few multi-center randomized controlled trials. Data from well-designed, controlled studies on acute management of TBI are lacking. After the initial, (primary) injury, pre-hospital, emergency room, and ICU care focuses on preventing secondary injury. Although treatment algorithms based on population averages are important to standardize and ensure quality care, these algorithms may not consistently meet the needs of the individual patient. Rather, medical management should be individualized and tailored to the specific physiology of a given patient. Future directions of research include well-designed, multi-center, randomized control trials aiming to improve long-term outcomes of the TBI patient.
Perspectives on natural compounds in chemoprevention and treatment of cancer: an update with new promising compounds

Abstract Cancer is the second deadliest disease worldwide. Although recent advances applying precision treatments with targeted (molecular and immune) agents are promising, the histological and molecular heterogeneity of cancer cells and huge mutational burdens (intrinsic or acquired after therapy) leading to drug resistance and treatment failure are posing continuous challenges. These recent advances do not negate the need for alternative approaches such as chemoprevention, the pharmacological approach to reverse, suppress or prevent the initial phases of carcinogenesis or the progression of premalignant cells to invasive disease by using non-toxic agents. Although data are limited, the success of several clinical trials in preventing cancer in high-risk populations suggests that chemoprevention is a rational, appealing and viable strategy to prevent carcinogenesis. Particularly among higher-risk groups, the use of safe, non-toxic agents is the utmost consideration because these individuals have not yet developed invasive disease. Natural dietary compounds present in fruits, vegetables and spices are especially attractive for chemoprevention and treatment because of their easy availability, high margin of safety, relatively low cost and widespread human consumption. Hundreds of such compounds have been widely investigated for chemoprevention and treatment in the last few decades. Previously, we reviewed the most widely studied natural compounds and their molecular mechanisms, which were highly exploited by the cancer research community. In the time since our initial review, many promising new compounds have been identified. In this review, we critically review these promising new natural compounds, their molecular targets and mechanisms of anticancer activity that may create novel opportunities for further design and conduct of preclinical and clinical studies.
4-hydroxy-2-nonenal antimicrobial toxicity is neutralized by an intracellular pathogen

Pathogens encounter numerous antimicrobial responses during infection, including the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst. ROS-mediated oxidation of host membrane poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) generates the toxic alpha-beta carbonyl 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE). Although studied extensively in the context of sterile inflammation, research into 4-HNE's role during infection remains limited. Here, we found that 4-HNE is generated during bacterial infection, that it impacts growth and survival in a range of bacteria, and that the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes induces many genes in response to 4-HNE exposure. A component of the L. monocytogenes 4-HNE response is the expression of the genes lmo0103 and lmo0613, deemed rha1 and rha2 (reductase of host alkenals), respectively, which code for two NADPH-dependent oxidoreductases that convert 4-HNE to the product 4-hydroxynonanal (4-HNA). Loss of these genes had no impact on L. monocytogenes bacterial burdens during murine or tissue culture infection. However, heterologous expression of rha1/2 in Bacillus subtilis significantly increased bacterial resistance to 4-HNE in vitro and promoted bacterial survival following phagocytosis by murine macrophages in an ROS-dependent manner. Thus, Rha1 and Rha2 are not necessary for 4-HNE resistance in L. monocytogenes but are sufficient to confer resistance to an otherwise sensitive organism in vitro and in host cells. Our work demonstrates that 4-HNE is a previously unappreciated component of ROS-mediated toxicity encountered by bacteria within eukaryotic hosts.
Multilingual policies as dystopia: From less to more desirable futures in education:

In ‘Literature and Life’, Deleuze remarks that all literature manifests as delirium, and, as such, the destiny of literature is to play itself out between two poles that create and reflect life bac...
Photodynamic Therapy of Inorganic Complexes for the Treatment of Cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a medicinal tool that uses a photosensitiser and a light source to treat several conditions, including cancer. PDT uses reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as cytotoxic singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) to induce cell death in cancer cells. Chemotherapy has historically utilized the cytotoxic effects of many metals, especially transition-metal complexes. However, chemotherapy is a systemic treatment so all cells in a patient's body are exposed to the same cytotoxic effects. Transition metal complexes have also shown high cytotoxicity as PDT agents. PDT is a potential localized method for treating several cancer types by using inorganic complexes as photosensitizing agents. This review covers several in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as clinical trials that reported on the anti-cancer properties of inorganic pharmaceuticals used in PDT against different types of cancer.
Opioid Medication Use and Education Following Sports Medicine Procedures: An Evidence-to-Practice Review

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), illicit and prescription drug overdoses are responsible for 128 deaths every day in the United States. In 2018, 70% of all overdose related deaths involved opioids. Efforts to minimize the opioid epidemic focus on community education, research, partnership, and healthcare support. Under the CDC guidelines, current practices include monitoring trends of drug use and drug related deaths, conducting research to recognize areas in need of improvement and to analyze effectiveness of current treatments, partner with community organizations and healthcare systems that deal firsthand with opioid users, and educate the public on drug use, misuse, and overdoses. People are commonly uneducated on the proper use and disposal of their prescription opioids. Consistent and appropriate communication among surgeons and their patients can decrease this risk associated with prescription drugs. The purpose of this evidence-to-practice review was to summarize a systematic review on the current data and findings related to postoperative opioid prescribing and consumption behaviors after a common sports medicine operation. The guiding systematic review explored several ways to reduce the risk of patients developing opioid dependence and abuse due to physicians overprescribing opioids. First, educating each patient about pain management during pre- and postoperative phases, how to store opioids safely, and how to dispose of opioids properly need to be created to help reduce the risk of the patient abusing opioids. Secondly, having the prescribing provider create an extensive history that reveals any red flags for opioid abuse for each patient. Thirdly, the prescribing provider should prescribe the lowest dose and shortest regimen to limit the number of opioids left over. These protocols may help slow the current opioid epidemic.
Old-looking yet Usable!: An Investigation of Consumer's Usability Perception of Retro Products.

As the market competition increases, brands are trying to come up with strategies that can establish a bond with the users. Using the retro style is rapidly becoming one of these strategies by targeting past emotions however, the perception of the usability of this style hasn’t been investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the user’s perception of the product’s usability features of retro consumer electronics from the appearance compared to non-retro products. A 5-factor scale was developed to measure the perception of the usability, including aesthetic, durability, reliability, serviceability, and learnability, was applied to 60 people. Paired samples t-tests and ANOVA tests were performed to explore the data. According to the results of the study, the scores of the perception of the usability were not significant between retro and non-retro products. However, retro products have been found to be more durable than non-retro products. In contrast, non-retro products were rated significantly higher for the factor of aesthetic. It was found that the effect of style on the perception of the usability was dependent on the type of the device that retro style didn’t have any effect on the perception of usability for toasters while non-retro style was found to be more usable for refrigerators. All statistical tests involving gender or other demographics were not significant.
Cavitation Damage of Roughened Concrete Surfaces

The paper discusses an exploratory laboratory study concerning the evaluation of the cavitation potential of various types of roughened concrete surfaces. Methods of evaluating the data determined by the laboratory study, and means of presenting the results for use by design and field engineers, are presented.
Calcium and Electrical Signalling along Endothelium of the Resistance Vasculature

This MiniReview is focused on the nature of intercellular signalling along the endothelium that helps to co-ordinate blood flow control in vascular resistance networks. Vasodilation initiated by contracting skeletal muscle ascends from arterioles within the tissue to encompass resistance arteries upstream and thereby increase blood flow during exercise. In resistance vessels, acetylcholine microiontophoresis or intracellular current injection initiates hyperpolarization that conducts through gap junction channels (GJCs) along the vessel wall resulting in conducted vasodilation (CVD). Both ascending vasodilation and CVD are eliminated with endothelial cell (EC) disruption, pointing to common signalling events and mutual dependence upon EC integrity. As demonstrated by electrical coupling and dye transfer during intracellular recording, their longitudinal orientation and robust expression of GJCs enable ECs to play a predominant role in CVD. Once conduction is initiated, a major interest centres on whether CVD is purely passive or involves additional 'active' signalling events. Here, we discuss components for Ca²⁺ and electrical signalling with an emphasis on intercellular coupling through endothelial GJCs. We stress the importance of understanding relationships between intracellular Ca²⁺ dynamics, EC hyperpolarization and CVD while integrating findings from isolated ECs into more complex interactions in vivo. Whereas endothelial dysfunction accompanies cardiovascular disease and the components of intra- and inter-cellular signalling are increasingly well defined, little is known of how Ca²⁺ signalling and electrical conduction along microvascular endothelium are altered in diseased states. Thus, greater insight into how these relationships are governed and interact is a key goal for continued research efforts.
Connecting Youth and Communities: Customized Career Planning for Youth with Psychiatric Disabilities

Young people with psychiatric disabilities are significantly over-represented in the juvenile justice system, tend to be employed sporadically if at all, and frequently have negative connections within and to their communities. Recent research conducted in Montana with youth who have developmental and/or physical disabilities demonstrates the effectiveness of using a customized career planning model to increase linkages to resources and access to community-based employment. Side benefits include improved self-esteem and positive community connections. The customization model holds promise as a way to reduce the risk factors young people with psychiatric disabilities face and increase the resiliency factors that can assist them to achieve healthy long-term outcomes. The author describes the model as it has been applied in Montana, explores additional considerations when working with youth diagnosed with psychiatric disabilities, provides an example of the model in action, and makes recommendations for further areas of research and inquiry.
Program result-checking: a theory of testing meets a test of theory

We review the field of result-checking, discussing simple checkers and self-correctors. We argue that such checkers could profitably be incorporated in software as an aid to efficient debugging and reliable functionality. We consider how to modify traditional checking methodologies to make them more appropriate for use in real-time, real-number computer systems. In particular, we suggest that checkers should be allowed to use stored randomness: i.e., that they should be allowed to generate, pre-process, and store random bits prior to run-time, and then to use this information repeatedly in a series of run-time checks. In a case study of checking a general real-number linear transformation (for example, a Fourier Transform), we present a simple checker which uses stored randomness, and a self-corrector which is particularly efficient if stored randomness is allowed. >
High Temperature Solar Absorber Material Measurement Technique

Basic material properties determine the amount of solar energy that is absorbed, transmitted or reflected and these values will often change with differing temperatures. This investigation developed a new approach to evaluate the material properties (i.e., reflectivity, absorptivity) of a solar absorber wall and experimentally tested the method using sample coupons. The reflectivity was measured both at ambient and elevated temperatures over a range of angles from 0 to 90 degrees. The same experimental data set was used to calculate the sample's total reflectivity, by uniquely integrating the recorded intensities over a hemisphere. The test methodology uses the incident solar energy as the heating source, while directly measuring the reflected light (an integrated value over all visible wavelengths) and is suitable for test samples over 3,000 K.
Osmotic resistance of abnormal red cells exposed to lead in vitro.

Summary. Exposure of normal red cells to lead in vitro is known to result in decreased osmotic fragility. Red cells from a normal individual and from two children with genetically determined red-cell abnormalities (spherocytosis and elliptospherocytosis) were exposed to lead acetate solution. Osmotic fragility curves were determined for treated and untreated red cells. Exposure to lead was found to increase the osmotic resistance of normal as well as abnormal red cells.
Effects of Vitamin U in Ameliorating Coccidial and Salmonellosis Challenges in Broilers

Abstract Shaw, A.L., Macklin, K.S. and Blake, J.P. 2009. Effects of vitamin U in ameliorating coccidial and salmonellosis challenges in broilers. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 36: 17–22. Vitamin U (DL-methionine methylsulfonium chloride) is a methionine derivative previously shown to modulate the immune system and protect intestinal membrane cells in humans and swine. Two 42 d trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of vitamin U (0,200, 400, 600, 800 or 1000 ppm) on growth performance, feed efficiency and gastrointestinal integrity in broilers infected with coccidia or Salmonella. Experiment 1 birds (384) were provided 1 ml of an Eimeria cocktail containing E. acervulina, E. maxima and E. tenella via oral gavage on d 10. Excreta scores were determined post inoculation. Birds (480) utilized in Experiment 2 were administered 0.1 ml of Salmonella Kentucky (10s cfu/ml) on day of placement and re-dosed with 1 ml (106 cfu I ml) on d 14. Cecal samples were evaluated to determine presence of Salmonella. Birds in nei...
Effect of Preparation Conditions on Ag Catalysts for Ethylene Epoxidation

The effect of calcination of silver catalysts supported on foamed monoliths was examined for the epoxidation of ethylene. Previous results suggested that calcination at 673 K for 3 h would give a maximum conversion. Further study revealed that calcination for >3 h reduced the catalyst surface area and therefore the conversion seen in reactor studies. This phenomenon has been attributed to sintering, with the migration of Ag from mesopores of the catalysts to macropore regions and the eventual formation of a Ag film covering the walls of the macropores. Studies of the metal loading showed that a tradeoff exists between metal loading and calcination time. Increasing the amount of silver can have a detrimental effect on catalysts calcined for 12 h, however the opposite trend, an increased conversion with higher loadings, was observed for catalysts calcined for 2 h. These results imply that the sintering of Ag can play a dramatic effect on catalyst design for optimum performance.
Linking purchasing department structure and performance — toward a contingency model

The purchasing department is now considered by many firms to be a vital link to the success of a firm because of its greater role in managing the supply chain. Therefore, critical to the ongoing viability of the firm is good purchasing performance. Certain, less controllable factors act as constraints on a purchasing organization, including the external environment, technology and the size of the firm. In addition, certain dimensions of organizational structure determine the performance of the firm and the purchasing function. These dimensions include centralization, formalization and organizational size. Based on the existing literature, there appear to be significant relationships between centralization and formalization, and centralization and job specialization. In addition, the research suggests that formalization is positively related to performance; structure is but one element that affects performance; and performance is positively related to a department's reward/measurement system. This paper de...
Lead isotopic and chalcophile element compositions in the environment near a zinc smelting-secondary zinc recovery facility, Palmerton, Pennsylvania, USA

Abstract The environment surrounding Palmerton, Pennsylvania is contaminated with Pb arising from primary Zn smelting and a process involving Zn recovery from electric arc steel furnace dusts. Lead isotope systematics have been used to distinguish primary Zn smelting Pb (206Pb/204Pb∼18.4–18.5) from electric arc furnace dust lead (206Pb/204Pb∼19.0–19.1). Primary Zn smelting is the dominant source of Pb in O2 horizon soils from undisturbed near-Palmerton locations, which contain up to 3570 ppm Pb and 782 ppm Cd. Soils from undeveloped near-Palmerton locations also exhibit unusually elevated concentrations of other sphalerite-derived chalcophilic elements (Se, Ag, In, Sb, Te, Au, Hg, Tl and Bi); indium concentrations of up to 17.0 ppm are observed therein. Residential soils and dusts from Palmerton contain Pb which is largely explainable via mixing of Pb from primary Zn smelting and electric arc furnace dusts. Approximately 80% of the Pb in airborne particulate matter sampled at Palmerton in 1991 is derived from electric arc furnace dusts, and atmospheric enrichment factors for Cu, Sb, Pb, and Bi are observed which confirm this major source contribution. Residential samples from a control location contain Pb which is less radiogenic than is found in Palmerton, and exhibit no unusual elevation in sphalerite elements. Lead source discrimination in the Palmerton environment via Pb isotopic and elemental constituents approaches result in parallel conclusions.
Functional Interactions between Hsp90 and the Co-chaperones Cns1 and Cpr7 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Hsp90 complexes contain a class of co-chaperones characterized by a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain, which mediates binding to a carboxyl-terminal EEVD region in Hsp90. Among Hsp90 TPR co-chaperones in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, only Cns1 is essential. The amino terminus of Cns1, which harbors the TPR domain, is sufficient for viability when overexpressed. In a screen for temperature-sensitive alleles of CNS1, we identified mutations resulting in substitutions of conserved residues in the TPR domain. Mutations in CNS1 disrupt in vitro and in vivo interaction with Hsp90 and reduce Hsp90 function, indicating that Cns1 is a bona fide co-chaperone. Genetic interactions between CNS1 and another Hsp90 co-chaperone, CPR7, suggest that the two co-chaperones share an essential role in the cell. Although both the TPR and the isomerase domains of the cyclophilin Cpr7 are required for viability of cns1 mutant cells, this requirement does not depend on the catalytic function of the isomerase domain. Instead, hydrophilic residues on the surface of this domain appear to be important for the common Cns1.Cpr7 function. Although both co-chaperones interact with Hsp90 primarily through the carboxyl terminus (EEVD), Cns1 and Cpr7 are mostly found in complexes distinct from Hsp90. EEVD is required for normal growth in cns1 mutant cells, demonstrating for the first time in vivo requirement for this conserved region of Hsp90. Overall, our findings reveal a considerable degree of complexity in the interactions not only between Hsp90 and its co-chaperones, but also among the co-chaperones themselves.
Pricing Equity Default Swaps under the Jump to Default Extended CEV Model

Equity default swaps (EDS) are hybrid credit-equity products that provide a bridge from credit default swaps (CDS) to equity derivatives with barriers. This paper develops an analytical solution to the EDS pricing problem under the Jump-to-Default Extended Constant Elasticity Variance Model (JDCEV) of Carr and Linetsky. Mathematically, we obtain an analytical solution to the first passage time problem for the JDCEV diffusion process with killing (jump to default). In particular, we obtain analytical results for the present values of the protection payoff at the triggering event, periodic premium payments up to the triggering event, and the interest accrued from the previous periodic premium payment up to the triggering event, and determine arbitrage-free equity default swap rates and compare them with corresponding CDS rates.
Methodology in subliminal psychodynamic activation: basic questions remain unanswered.

Summary.-Birgegard and Sohlberg recently implied that the interchange between them and Fudin in 1999 to 2000 resolved methodological issues in subliminal psychodynamic activation research. There remain, however, unresolved problems, both logical and empirical, which impair interpretations of Findings in this area. These issues include questions concerning the value of the presentation of partial vs complete messages and the parameters involved in the information processing of such stimuli. The pursuit of solutions to these problems would be most efficacious if such research were brought more in line with experimental principles and established procedures used in the presentation of subliminal stimuli. In the absence of' these efforts, research in subliminal psychodynamic activation will probably continue to tend toward circular reasoning and the production of ambiguous results that wdl never reach a wide audience. In subluninal psychodynamic activation, messages are presented in an effort to stir up unconscious dynamics that eventuate in changes in behavior (Silverman, 1979). Fudin (1986) raised several questions about such research, some of which Birgegard and Sohlberg (1999) commented on. Despite a subsequent interchange between Fudin (2000) and Birgegard and Sohlberg (2001), basic methodological questions remain unanswered. Until the knowledge supplied by answers to those questions is used to effect methodological changes, findmgs in this area will never have the clarity required to attract a wide audience. Birgegard and Sohlberg's (2001) opening sentence claims that "Subluninal psychodynamic activation is a paradigm in which stimulus sentences perceived tachistoscopically without awareness are used to investigate unconscious dynamics" (p. 504). This claim seems more rhetorically preemptive than true and further may be considered an dlogical assumption because it postulates what it has to demonstrate (Fudin, 2000). For instance, there is no reliable empirical evidence that sentences, many of four or five words in length (e.g., MOMMY AND I ARE ONE), can be perceived unconsciously. Notwithstanding, Birgegard and Sohlberg (2001) assumed that successful results are tantamount to evidence for an unconscious with a large encoding capacity, a view opposed diametrically to Birgegard and Sohlberg's statement (1999), "Fudin (1986) has cogently commented that 'It is unacceptable [. . .I
Free energy for the Lifshitz point in the disordered phase

Abstract The free energy for the biaxial Lifshitz point is calculated to order ϵ = 5 d in the disordered phase using the trajectory integral technique.
Heat Generated by MHD Couette Flow With Porous Walls

The simultaneous effects of mass injection and magnetic field on the heat generation due to viscous dissipation is investigated analytically. The present findings are in general agreement with the temperature measurements of Chang-Yi Wang [1]. Results indicate larger reductions in maximum temperature and a significant increase in the heat take off by porous boundaries, if magnetic field is present. The most striking feature of this investigation is the marked improvement in the temperature reduction with the application of the electromagnetic force.
Randomized, Controlled Trial of Slow Versus Rapid Feeding Volume Advancement in Preterm Infants

Objectives. To determine whether infants who are fed initially and advanced at 30 mL/kg per day (intervention) take fewer days to get to full feedings than those who are fed initially and advanced at 20 mL/kg per day (control), without increasing their incidence of feeding complications and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). We also examined whether these infants regain birth weight earlier, have fewer days of intravenous fluids, and a have shorter hospital stay. Methods. A randomized, controlled, single-center trial was conducted in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a community-based county hospital in Houston, Texas. Infants between 1000 and 2000 g at birth, gestational age ≤35 weeks, and weight appropriate for gestational age were allocated randomly to feedings of expressed human milk or Enfamil formula starting and advanced at either 30 mL/kg per day or 20 mL/kg per day. Infants remained in the study until discharge or development of stage ≥IIA NEC. Results. A total of 155 infants were enrolled: 72 infants in the intervention group and 83 in the control group. Infants in the intervention group achieved full-volume feedings sooner (7 vs 10 days, median), regained birth weight faster (11 vs 13 days, median), and had fewer days of intravenous fluids (6 vs 8 days, median). Three infants in the intervention group and 2 control infants developed NEC for an overall incidence of 3.2% (relative risk: 1.73; 95% confidence interval: 0.30–10.06). Conclusion. Among infants between 1000 and 2000 g at birth, starting and advancing feedings at 30 mL/kg per day seems to be a safe practice and results in fewer days to reach full-volume feedings than using 20 mL/kg per day. This intervention also leads to faster weight gain and fewer days of intravenous fluids.
Data representation and exploration with Geometric Wavelets

Geometric Wavelets is a new multi-scale data representation technique which is useful for a variety of applications such as data compression, interpretation and anomaly detection. We have developed an interactive visualization with multiple linked views to help users quickly explore data sets and understand this novel construction. Currently the interface is being used by applied mathematicians to view results and gain new insights, speeding methods development.