cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nervensystem: Allgemeines, Rückenmark und periphere Nerven

Nervenzellen oder Neurone bilden ein wirklich erstaunliches Netzwerk im Korper der Vertebraten, um Information von einem Ort zu einem oder vielen anderen Orten weiterzuleiten. Im Allgemeinen wird die Information sowohl aus der Umgebung als auch dem Korperinneren durch spezialisierte Rezeptorzellen aufgenommen. Diese Information wird uber sensorische Neurone zum Ruckenmark und zum Gehirn weitergeleitet. Hier aktivieren die sensorischen Neurone entweder motorische Neurone, welche die Muskeln innervieren, oder - weft haufiger - Interneurone, die Information innerhalb des Nervensystems weiterleiten. Sie konnen andere Interneurone in einem unglaublich komplexen Muster aktivieren, bevor Kommandosignale zu motorischen Neuronen gesendet werden, die eine gerade stattfindende Aktivitat verandern oder eine Aktion initiieren, indem sie Effektoren, also Muskeln oder Drusenzellen, aktivieren (Abb. 17.1). Die Kommunikation von Neuronen mit anderen Neuronen oder mit Effektorzellen findet durch einen Vorgang statt, der als synaptische Ubertragung bezeichnet wird. Das Nervensystem bestimmt also (mit Hilfe der Muskeln und der endokrinen Drusen) die Antworten des Korpers auf Veranderungen in seinem Inneren und in seiner Umgebung. Es ist somit das Boten- und Koordinationssystem des Korpers fur die meisten Aktivitaten und vor allem fur alle Aktivitaten, die schnell und komplex sind.
Real-World Adherence and Persistence with Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Adults with Atrial Fibrillation

Background Evidence of adherence and persistence patterns in anticoagulation (AC) therapy comparing treatment-naive and non-naive patients is lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate patterns of medication adherence and persistence in a real-world setting among AC-naive and AC-experienced atrial fibrillation (AF) patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Methods AF patients newly initiating a DOAC with a minimum of 6 months of continuous health plan enrollment pre and post-index date (first DOAC prescription) were identified from the Truven Health MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Supplemental databases (2009-2013). DOAC adherence (proportion of days covered [PDC]), persistence, and predictors of adherence were assessed at 6 and 12 months post-index. Results Of 66,090 AF patients included, 46.6% (n=30,826) were AC-naive and 53.4% (n=35,264) were AC-experienced (age: 66.9±12.7 vs. 70.4±11.4 years, p<0.001; male: n=19,132 (62.1%) vs. n=21,691 (61.5%), p=0.14, respectively). A majority of patients received dabigatran as their index DOAC (n=49,210; 74.5%). The mean PDC in AC-naive vs. AC-experienced patients at 6 and 12 months of follow-up was 72.3% vs. 83.3% (p<0.001) and 63.7% vs. 79.9% (p<0.001), respectively. Persistence with DOAC therapy in AC-naive and AC-experienced patients at 6 and 12 months ranged from 59.3% and 76.3% (p<.0001) to 31.6% and 50.2% (p<.0001), respectively. Predictors of higher DOAC adherence were older age and higher number of concomitant medications. Predictors of lower adherence were higher number of comorbidities and AC-naive user status. Conclusion Medication adherence and persistence with DOACs declined over time and both were suboptimal and lower (at 6 and 12 months post-index) in AC-naive compared to AC-experienced patients. These findings can help target future strategies or interventions for patient education and long-term AC management especially in those patients naive to DOAC therapy. Future investigation should examine potential reasons for differences in DOAC adherence and persistence between AC-experienced vs. AC-naive patients and the implications for patient outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
An historical analysis of the use of debt-related derivatives by state governments in the context of the great recession

Debt-related financial derivative usage by state and local governments became a very salient topic over the last few years in light of the Great Recession and its impacts on the efficacy of these financial instruments. However, there has been a dearth of systematic research on the types and kinds of derivatives state and local governments have actually employed in recent years. While anecdotes of financial derivative usage has grabbed the headlines (such as the case of Jefferson County, Alabama), there has been little research examining the derivative portfolios among states or local governments pre- and post-Great Recession. Using descriptive research, this paper attempts to rectify this gap in the literature for state governments as a means of better understanding how the recent financial crisis has impacted the critical debt management decision to use financial derivatives.
Comparison of femoral and innominate osteotomies for the treatment of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.

The outcomes of forty-two femoral osteotomies and forty-nine innominate osteotomies for the treatment of Catterall grade-III or IV Legg-Calve-Perthes disease were compared. The average length of follow-up was nine years (range, three to seventeen years). For the patients who were less than ten years old at the onset of the disease, there was no difference in the results of the two procedures, even when the results were analyzed according to age. However, the center-edge angle, neck-shaft angle, lengths of the limbs, range of abduction, and total range of motion were closer to normal after an innominate osteotomy. There was no difference in the ratings when the results of the two operations were compared according to the several parameters that have been proved to be associated with the long-term outcome for hips in patients who have Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. However, the innominate osteotomy seemed to be the better procedure when involvement of the growth plate was likely to cause coxa vara or a substantial discrepancy in the lengths of the limbs. The patients who were more than ten years old at the onset of the disease had a poor result with either procedure.
Testing capital structure theories for agricultural cooperatives

This study investigates adjustments in capital structures for agricultural cooperatives and differences before and during the agricultural downturn which started in 2013. We estimate a simultaneous...
Stabilization and Reversibility of Early Lung Abnormalities Post-HSCT Detected with Serial Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI

Introduction Early detection of lung abnormalities following hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) remains a challenge primarily due to the insensitivity of spirometry, the current clinical gold standard, to mild changes. This insensitivity carries through to assessing treatment response and personalizing pulmonary interventions for HSCT patients. Hyperpolarized 129Xe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been demonstrated to be sensitive to early regional airway obstruction, and as a modality free of ionizing radiation, we hypothesized that serial 129Xe MRI could gauge treatment response in pediatric HSCT patients. Methods Four pediatric HSCT patients were recruited for serial 129Xe MRI. Xenon gas (86% 129Xe) was hyperpolarized to ∼20% using a commercial device (Polarean, Durham, NC). 129Xe ventilation images were acquired during a breath-hold (≤ 16 seconds) of up to 1 L Xe on a Philips 3T Achieva MR scanner. 129Xe ventilation defects, regions of relatively lower 129Xe MR signal due to airway obstruction, were quantified using a threshold of Results Figure 1 describes the cohort and clinical courses for each subject. Importantly, Subjects 1 & 2 were first imaged at approximately one-year post-HSCT and both had a diagnosis of multi-system GVHD including established lung involvement at the time of the first 129Xe MRI. Subjects 3 & 4 were imaged within the first year post-HSCT and had signs of early lung involvement. Figure 2 plots the trajectories of 129Xe VDP versus days post-HSCT for this cohort, and at the baseline, 129Xe VDP was elevated for all HSCT subjects (median 19.3%) relative to historical values for age-matched control subjects (∼5%). For the subjects with established lung involvement (1 & 2), stabilization of pulmonary function and 129Xe MRI was seen after extensive immunotherapy. For Subjects 3 and 4 with early lung involvement, improvements in 129Xe VDP were seen with relatively mild intervention of FAM therapy with and without steroids. Figure 3 demonstrates this reversibility of focal 129Xe ventilation deficits in Subject 4. Conclusions 129Xe MRI provides a sensitive means of quantifying early regional lung disease and treatment response following HSCT. These results suggest the potential reversibility of ventilation abnormalities and mild lung involvement with early detection and intervention, though larger studies are needed. 129Xe MRI may be repeated serially to individualize treatment strategies, such as the appropriate escalation or tapering of immunosuppression or to assess the effectiveness of new therapies. Furthermore, the spatial resolution of 129Xe MRI may be leveraged to target invasive procedures like bronchoscopy, where regions of persistent ventilation deficit could be identified and targeted for evaluation.
Comparative evaluation of isavuconazonium sulfate, voriconazole, and posaconazole for the management of invasive fungal infections in an academic medical center

Invasive fungal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Newer antifungals may provide similar efficacy with improved safety compared to older more established treatments. This study aimed to compare clinically relevant safety and efficacy outcomes in real world patients treated with isavuconazole, voriconazole, or posaconazole. This single center retrospective matched cohort study evaluated adults between January 2015 and December 2017. The primary outcome was a composite safety analysis of antifungal related QTc prolongation, elevated liver function tests (> 5 times ULN), or any documented adverse drug event. Key secondary outcomes included: individual safety events, 30-day readmissions, magnitude of drug interactions with immunosuppressive therapy, and overall cost. A total of 100 patients were included: 34 patients in the voriconazole group and 33 patients within each of the isavuconazole and posaconazole groups. The composite safety outcome occurred in 40% of the total cohort and was different between isavuconazole (24.2%), voriconazole (55.9%), and posaconazole (39.4%; p = 0.028). Change in QTc (p 0.05 for all). The overall medication cost, when including therapeutic drug monitoring, was not different between treatments (p = 0.36). Patients treated with isavuconazole resulted in fewer composite safety outcomes, driven by decreased incidence of QTc prolongation, compared to patients treated with voriconazole or posaconazole. Overall drug cost was not significantly different between the treatment therapy options.
The limiting behavior of certain sampling series and cardinal splines

Abstract Many families of cardinal sampling kernels { Φ α ( x ) : α ∈ I } consist of members that decay rapidly as x → ± ∞ and enjoy the property that, as the parameter α tends to its limiting value, Φ α ( x ) tends to the classical cardinal sine, sinc ( x ) . We study the limiting behavior of the sampling series ∑ n c n Φ α ( x − n ) when the data sequence { c n } remains fixed. In the case when the sampling kernels are damped cardinal sines, appropriate conditions on the damping functions allow us to characterize the limiting behavior of the corresponding sampling series for a wide class of data sequences { c n } . These results lead to conclusions regarding the limiting behavior of classical piecewise polynomial cardinal splines when the fixed data sequence { c n } is of polynomial growth and the order tends to ∞ . One application of this development shows that the classical spline summability method is regular. Another consequence, perhaps more interesting and unexpected, is a resolution of I. J. Schoenberg’s conjecture concerning the recovery, in terms of their samples { f ( n ) } , of members f ( x ) of the Bernstein class via the spline summability procedure.
Estimating Household Food Waste Using Food Acquisition Data

Measuring food waste at the individual household level has been nearly impossible because comprehensive, current data on uneaten food do not exist. By using food acquisition data, this article employs a new approach to estimating household-level food waste via a stochastic production frontier model in which food waste is identified as input inefficiency. For households in our data, the average household wastes 31.9% of the food it buys, and this figure, using survey weights, translates to annual U.S. consumer-level food waste valued at $240 billion. In addition, by accommodating heterogeneous wasting behavior, we find that healthier diets and higher income lead to more household food waste, whereas lower household food security, food-assistance program participation, and larger household sizes are associated with less food waste.
Artificial intelligence applications for pediatric oncology imaging

Machine learning algorithms can help to improve the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnosis, selection of personalized therapies and prediction of long-term outcomes. Artificial intelligence (AI) describes a subset of machine learning that can identify patterns in data and take actions to reach pre-set goals without specific programming. Machine learning tools can help to identify high-risk populations, prescribe personalized screening tests and enrich patient populations that are most likely to benefit from advanced imaging tests. AI algorithms can also help to plan personalized therapies and predict the impact of genomic variations on the sensitivity of normal and tumor tissue to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The two main bottlenecks for successful AI applications in pediatric oncology imaging to date are the needs for large data sets and appropriate computer and memory power. With appropriate data entry and processing power, deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can process large amounts of imaging data, clinical data and medical literature in very short periods of time and thereby accelerate literature reviews, correct diagnoses and personalized treatments. This article provides a focused review of emerging AI applications that are relevant for the pediatric oncology imaging community.
The Effect of the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention Act on Opiate Prescription Practices Within the Orthopaedic Surgery Department of an Academic Medical Center.

In 2017, the Department of Health and Human Service declared a public health emergency known as the opioid crisis. In North Carolina, the "Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention Act of 2017" (STOP Act) went into effect on January 1, 2018, seeking to strengthen oversight over opioid prescriptions. Among other mandates, this legislation limited the duration of the initial prescription to 5 or 7 days. The purpose of this study was to compare narcotic prescription practices within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at an academic medical center before and after the enactment of the STOP Act. We hypothesized that there would be a statistically significant decrease in the amount of postoperative opioids prescribed after the STOP Act and that this decrease would be consistent across all types of providers in the Orthopaedic Surgery Department. Methods Opiate prescriptions data from all orthopaedic surgery providers at our academic institution were collected from January to the end of September in 2017 and from January to the end of September in 2018. After filtering the providers by our study's inclusion and exclusion criteria, we included data from 49 providers in our analysis. We used a paired t-test to compare the prescription data between the two periods. Results There was a 35% decrease in morphine milligram equivalents prescribed at our institution between 2017 and 2018 (P = 0.0003). This reduction was statistically significant and equaled 27,374 less morphine milligram equivalents prescribed per provider (95% confidence interval 13,226 to 41,523). The average number of opiate prescriptions per provider decreased from 171.5 in 2017 to 161 in 2018 (P = 0.48), although this was not statistically significant. Conclusion The STOP Act effectively decreased the amount of opiates prescribed within our Orthopaedic Surgery Department. Similar legislation may be effective in other states and at the federal level to decrease narcotic prescriptions and subsequent abuse.
Bachii, Musici Lips. laus: Bach in a Philological Footnote

There is a lengthy footnote in Gesner’s 1738 edition of Quintilian’s Institutio Oratoria that describes J. S. Bach in performance; indeed, it is the only eye- or ear- witness account published duri...
Gendered Expectations: the Impact of Gender, Evaluation Language, and Clinical Setting on Resident Trainee Assessment of Faculty Performance.

Gender inequity is pervasive in academic medicine. Factors contributing to these gender disparities must be examined. A significant body of literature indicates men and women are assessed differently in teaching evaluations. However, limited data exist on how faculty gender affects resident evaluation of faculty performance based on the skill being assessed or the clinical practice settings in which the trainee-faculty interaction occurs. Evaluate for gender-based differences in the assessment of general internal medicine (GIM) faculty physicians by trainees in inpatient and outpatient settings. Retrospective cohort study Inpatient and outpatient GIM faculty physicians in an Internal Medicine residency training program from July 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. Faculty scores on trainee teaching evaluations including overall teaching ability and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies (medical knowledge [MK], patient care [PC], professionalism [PROF], interpersonal and communication skills [ICS], practice-based learning and improvement [PBLI], and systems-based practice [SBP]) based on the institutional faculty assessment form. In total, 3581 evaluations by 445 trainees (55.1% men, 44.9% women) assessing 161 GIM faculty physicians (50.3% men, 49.7% women) were included. Male faculty were rated higher in overall teaching ability (male=4.69 vs. female=4.63, p=0.003) and in four of the six ACGME competencies (MK, PROF, PBLI, and SBP) based on our institutional evaluation form. In the inpatient setting, male faculty were rated more favorably for overall teaching (male = 4.70, female = 4.53, p=<0.001) and across all ACGME competencies. The only observed gender difference in the outpatient setting favored female faculty in PC (male = 4.65, female = 4.71, p=0.01). Male and female GIM faculty performance was assessed differently by trainees. Gender-based differences were impacted by the setting of evaluation, with the greatest difference by gender noted in the inpatient setting.
Too frail is to fail: Frailty portends poor outcomes in the elderly with type II odontoid fractures independent of management strategy

Abstract Type-II odontoid fractures are common and highly morbid injuries, particularly among elderly patients. However, few risk stratification resources exist to predict outcomes and guide management decision making. Frailty indices have been increasingly utilized for these purposes in elective surgery, but have not been assessed for trauma. A single-center prospective trauma registry identified patients aged ≥ 80 years with type-II odontoid fractures. Frailty was the independent variable, using three independent indices: modified-5-item frailty (mFI-5), modified Charlson comorbidity (mCCI), and Davies. 97 patients had complete frailty data and sufficient follow up information, with median mIF-5 of 2 (range 0–4; 34 frail, mFI-5 > 2), median mCCI score of 6 (range 4–14), and median Davies score of 2 (range 0–7). For all indices, increasing score was associated with mortality, mIF-5 (HR = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.06–2.88), mCCI (HR = 1.10, 95%CI = 1.01–1.20), and Davies scores (HR = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.08–1.37). Median post-injury survival among patients with mIF-5 of ≤ 2 was 10-fold longer than patients with mIF-5 of > 2 (70 vs. 710 days, p = 0.0026). After adjusting for initial treatment strategy, frailty status remained an independent predictor of patient mortality; mIF-5 (HR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.02–2.80), mCCI (HR = 1.10, 95%CI = 1.01–1.20), and Davies scores (HR = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.08–1.37). Among octogenarian patients with type-II odontoid fractures, frailty was associated with increased mortality, independent of treatment strategy.
Prosecutorial Reform and Local Crime Rates

Many communities across the United States have elected reform-minded, progressive prosecutors who seek to reduce the reach and burden of the criminal justice system. Such prosecutors have implemented reforms such as scaling back the prosecution of nonviolent misdemeanors, diverting defendants to treatment programs instead of punishment, and recommending against cash bail for defendants who might otherwise be detained pretrial. Such policies are controversial, and many worry that they could increase crime by reducing deterrent and incapacitation effects. In this paper we use variation in the timing of when these prosecutors took office, across 35 jurisdictions, to measure the effect of their policies on reported crime rates. While our estimates are imprecisely estimated, we find no significant effects of these reforms on local crime rates.
Model checking using SMT and theory of lists

A main idea underlying bounded model checking is to limit the length of the potential counter-examples, and then prove properties for the bounded version of the problem. In software model checking, that means that only program traces up to a given length are considered. Additionally, the program's input space must be made finite by defining bounds for all input parameters. To ensure the finiteness of the program traces, these techniques typically require that all loops are explicitly unrolled some constant number of times. Here, we show how to avoid explicit loop unrolling by using the SMT Theory of Lists to model feasible, potentially unbounded program traces. We argue that this approach is easier to use, and, more importantly, increases the confidence in verification results over the typical bounded approach. To demonstrate the feasibility of this idea, we implemented a fully automated prototype software model checker and verified several example algorithms. We also applied our technique to a non software model-checking problem from biology - we used it to analyze and synthesize correct executions from scenario-based requirements in the form of Live Sequence Charts.
Self‐assembling Symmetric Protein Materials

Introduction to Self-assembly Protein Properties that Promote Self-assembly Historical Outline Chemical Structures Symmetry Symmetry Elements Symmetric Contacts in Proteins Multiple Symmetry Elements Naturally Occurring Symmetric Complexes Protein Oligomers Icosahedral Viral Capsids Clathrin Filaments S-layers Protein Crystals Designed Self-assembling Protein Complexes Coiled-coil Extensions Domain Swapping Symmetric Construction Polyvalency Observing Protein Assemblies Transmission Electron Microscopy Cryoelectron Microscopy Atomic Force Microscopy X-ray and Electron Diffraction Applications Patents Outlook and Perspectives Keywords: actin filament; atomic force microscopy; clathrin; cryoelectron microscopy; crystals; cytoskeleton; electron diffraction; electron microscopy; group generators; intermediate filament; microtubules; myosin filament; protein cage; protein complex; protein design; protein engineering; protein filament; protein layer; protein material; protein oligomer; protein shell; S-layers; self-assembly; space groups; symmetry; transmission electron microscopy; virus structure; X-ray diffraction
The informal road to markets: Neoliberal reforms, private entrepreneurship and the informal economy in Turkey

Purpose – The informal economy has expanded across developing countries during the last decades. Focussing on the Turkish case, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role of neoliberal reforms in this development. The author argues that neoliberal reforms produced a double-edged transformation in the regulatory environment of Turkey. On the one hand, the legal rules that constrain the operation of market forces decreased giving way to more entrepreneurial activity; while on the other hand, the state's effectiveness in “policing” the market declined. As the regulatory barriers to private entrepreneurship decreased, the regulatory barriers to informality also decreased. Private sector growth and informalization emerged as the concomitant outcomes of neoliberal reforms. Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines how the state's changing regulatory relationship to the private sector under neoliberal reforms fostered informal economic activities through a close study of the Turkish case. Findings ...
The Counterproductive Nature of Tax Expenditure Budgets

Paradoxically, the tax expenditure movement has succeeded procedurally but failed substantively: As tax expenditure budgets were firmly implanted in the federal and state budget processes, tax expenditures burgeoned. An explanation for this paradox is that tax expenditure budgets highlight for some groups the tax-based largesse obtained by others. Tax expenditure budgets thereby legitimate tax expenditures and, in a classic case of unintended and counterproductive consequences, reinforce a scramble for parity in the form of comparable tax benefits. The profusion of tax expenditure budgets has signaled to interests seeking succor from the public fisc that pursuit of a tax expenditure is often a better political option than the pursuit of a direct spending proposal. An old adage warns to be careful what you wish for; you may get it. Tax expenditure budgets, sought as devices to control and limit tax expenditures, have counterproductively stimulated the search for tax expenditures by highlighting for organized interests the benefits obtained by others through the tax system. The net effect, unintended by the advocates of tax expenditure analysis, has been to legitimate and expand tax expenditures.
Hayek and the Citation of Foreign Law

This Article expands on Professor Jeremy Waldron’s recent work arguing that U.S. courts ought to cite foreign law in deciding U.S. cases. The authors make a Hayekian argument in favor of the citation of foreign law, but they note that there are powerful countervailing ideas in consent theory and for economics of federalism reasons. The Article concludes that foreign law should be cited where it is informative but denies that foreign law is in any way binding on U.S. courts.
Abstract 1906: FOXC1 regulates cancer stem cells properties via inducing SMO-independent Gli activation and confers anti-Hedgehog drug resistance in basal-like breast cancer

Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC), an aggressive subtype of breast cancer, are usually associated with high histologic grade, high recurrence rate, short recurrence-free survival, younger patient age, poor outcome, and a propensity to metastasize to the brain and lung. So far, developing targeted therapies against BLBC still remains a great challenge. Uncovering the underlying molecular events and identify therapeutic target becomes highly urgent. Forkhead Box C1 (FOXC1), a biomarker for BLBC, is associated with poor prognosis in patients with BLBC. Here, we found that FOXC1 increases cancer stem cells (CSCs) properties in BLBC cells in vitro and in vivo. FOXC1 activates SMO-independent non-canonical Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, which mediates the effects of FOXC1 on CSCs properties in BLBC cells. Further study showed that the N-terminal of FOXC1 bind directly to the Gli2 transcription factor, which has the highest transcriptional activity in Hh signaling pathway. Here we also found that the elevated expression of FOXC1 induces anti-Hh pathway drug resistance. All of these data demonstrate a novel mechanism underlying the regulation of CSC properties and the poor prognosis of BLBC patients, and may provide new insight into anti-CSC therapy resistance. Thus, our study provides a strong rationale for developing FOXC1-targeted therapy for treating BLBC patients. Citation Format: Bingchen Han, Yanli Jin, Shikha Bose, Xiao Zhang, Ying Qu, Beth Y. Karlan, Armando E. Giuliano, Xiaojiang Cui. FOXC1 regulates cancer stem cells properties via inducing SMO-independent Gli activation and confers anti-Hedgehog drug resistance in basal-like breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1906. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1906
Informative Trading or Just Noise? An Analysis of Currency Returns, Market Analysis of Currency Returns, Market Proximity of Central Bank Interventions

We study the impact of Central Bank intervention on the process of priceformation in currency markets. We use a unique dataset of tick-by-tick indicativequotes posted by dealers on Reuters terminals and of intraday sterilized spot interventions and customer transactions executed on behalf of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) on the Swiss Franc/U.S. Dollar exchange rate (CHFUSD) between 1986 and 1998. We find that potentially informative SNB interventions (but not ex post uninformative customer transactions), although small relative to daily trading volumes in the CHFUSD market,had significant and persistent (albeit asymmetric, depending on their sign)effects on daily currency returns, especially when (relatively) large in magnitude,expected by the market, or inconsistent with existing momentum. The market did not anticipate the occurrence of incoming interventions unless if chasing the trend. The SNB was much less successful in smoothingfluctuations of the currency, for daily CHFUSD volatility always surged inproximity of interventions, as did average absolute and proportional spreads.Decomposition of estimated absolute spread shocks also reveals that SNB actionsinduced misinformation among market participants, impacted trading immediacy, and increased market liquidity and competition among dealers. Many of these changes translated into higher transaction costs borne by the population of investors.
Prematurity associated with cervicitis and vaginitis during pregnancy

Abstract In this study, prenatal patients were treated as though infection, or some by-product of infection, were responsible for prematurity. Five hundred and eighty nine patients received treatment; 528 were controls. Prescribing a vaginal cream during the prenatal period failed to influence the rate of prematurity when compared to control patients receiving a placebo. Patients judged to have clinical evidence of cervicitis and vaginitis had a significantly higher rate of prematurity than those unaffected (p Although prenatal vaginal prophylaxis with this particular agent has been ineffective, a need has been established for some means of treatment of the infected cervix and vagina during pregnancy in an obstetric population with a high incidence of prematurity. Serial cultures of the vagina and cervix yield a varying pattern of bacteria. The control and treatment group showed no differences in organisms found before, during, and after treatment. There is a lack of correlation between the appearance of pathogenic organisms on prenatal cultures and the appearance of clinical disease.
Speech Perception: The View from the Auditory System

The operating characteristics of the human auditory system clearly constrain the acoustic content and structure of speech. In addition, many researchers have proposed that the form of speech communication takes advantage of what the general auditory/cognitive system does well. We review here three ways in which general perceptual processes have been purported to influence the form of human speech communication: the need for auditory distinctiveness constraining phonetic inventories; the interactions between encoding/processing of sounds within short temporal windows that may underlie some of the listener’s ability to accommodate variance in speech sounds; and the influence of perceptual learning on the formation and adaptability of phonetic categories. These examples provide demonstrations of the synergistic benefits of studying speech and hearing within an inclusive auditory cognitive neuroscience framework.
On the Concept for Overall Topological Representation of Molecular Structure

Abstract Graph theory based descriptors of molecular structure play important role in QSPR/ QSAR models. This chapter reviews some attempts to optimize the characterization of molecular structure via an integrated representation that accounts in a systemic manner for the contributions of all substructures. In its simplest version this approach counts the subgraphs of all sizes, the resulted single number being shown to be a very sensitive measure of structural complexity. The most complete version builds (i) an ordered set of counts of subgraphs of increasing number of edges, (ii) weights each subgraph with the value of selected graph-invariant, building a weighted ordered set, and (iii) sums up all the subgraph contributions to produce the overall value of the graph-invariant. The invariants tested include vertex degrees, vertex distances, and the graph non-adjacency numbers, the corresponding overall topological indices being called overall connectivity, overall Wiener, overall Zagreb and overall Hosoya indices. Their properties are analyzed in detail in acyclic and cyclic graphs. It is shown that they all are reliable measures of molecular structural complexity, increasing in value with the basic complexifying patterns of branching and cyclicity of molecular skeleton. The structure-property models derived for 10 physicochemical properties of alkane compounds show considerable improvement compared to models derived from molecular connectivity indices. The latest extension of these ideas is demonstrated with extended connectivities, walk counts, and Bourgas indices, the latter of which are the first integrated measures of graph complexity and vertex centrality.
Profits and Corporate Philanthropy: An Economic Rationale for Dual Mission Firms

This paper provides an economic rationale for corporate social responsibility. We develop a model of a dual mission firm that produces both a private good and a philanthropic good. By incorporating economies of scope arising from shared inputs into our model, we demonstrate that corporate social responsibility and profit maximization can complement each other. Supporters of new legal corporate forms that facilitate the creation of dual mission businesses have persuasive new evidence in support of hybrid firms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
School of the Pilgrim: An Alternative Path to Christian Growth. By Brett Webb-Mitchell

Brett Webb-Mitchell proposes a more organic and lifelong model of Christian pilgrimage in the book, School of the Pilgrim: An Alternative Path to Christian Growth. Acknowledging that the pilgrimage...
Syntheses of second generation, 14-membered ring β-turn mimics

Efficient solid phase syntheses of the constrained β-turn peptidomimetics 1–3 were devised, and the conformational properties of three representative compounds in DMSO were determined.
Prograde muscovite-rich pseudomorphs as indicators of conditions during metamorphism: An example from NW Maine

aB stra C t During metamorphism, evidence of the prograde path is commonly obliterated by continued recrystallization as temperatures increase. However, prograde pseudomorphs that are common in many terrains may provide insight into this portion of the metamorphic path if their mineralogy can be accurately interpreted. Seventeen sillimanite-zone metapelitic samples, each containing 2–5 muscovite-rich pseudomorphs, from the Farmington Quadrangle, Maine, U.S.A., were investigated to evaluate their use as indicators of conditions during prograde metamorphism. SEM-CL images, X-ray maps, image analysis, and electron microprobe analyses characterize the mineral distribution, modes, and compositions within the pseudomorph and the surrounding matrix. Based on modal mineralogy determined from image analyses, the muscovite-rich pseudomorphs are divided into four major types: muscovite-rich (>70% muscovite), quartz-muscovite (60–70% muscovite with 10–25% quartz), plagioclase-muscovite (58–72% muscovite with 10–20% plagioclase), and sillimaniteplagioclase-muscovite (50–60% muscovite with 10–20% each plagioclase and sillimanite). A biotiterich, muscovite-poor mantle surrounds many pseudomorphs. All pseudomorphs are interpreted to be prograde, based on their texture, and are after staurolite because of the partial replacement of staurolite by coarse muscovite at lower grades. Textural modeling of reaction mechanisms required to reproduce the observed mineralogy in the pseudomorphs indicates that each major pseudomorph type holds clues to the prograde path and represents a different mechanism of formation. Muscovite-rich and quartz-muscovite pseudomorphs formed by the breakdown of staurolite containing different modal amounts of poikiloblastic quartz. Quartz-muscovite pseudomorphs likely reflect a quartz-rich initial rock composition. Plagioclasemuscovite pseudomorphs require the infiltration of Na-bearing fluids. Sillimanite-plagioclase-muscovite pseudomorphs require a two-stage process; the infiltration of Na-rich fluids during staurolite breakdown followed by sillimanite growth. The subtle mineralogical differences recorded in the pseudomorphs studied here provide evidence of previously unrecognized controls along the prograde path during metamorphism.
A TEM study of the incommensurate modulated structure in Sr2CuO3+x superconductors synthesized under high pressure B. Structural model

Abstract This paper reports a detailed structural study of the incommensurate modulated phase in high pressure synthesized Sr2CuO3+x superconductors based on transmission electron diffraction, high resolution electron microscopy and simulations. Face-centered orthorhombic structure with an average commensurate lattice constant of about 5√2ap×5√2ap×cp (p stands for the tetragonal La2CuO4-type structure) has been identified and an atomic model of this average structure is proposed. The modulated structure results from metal ion shear displacements with half sine and half cosine waves along 〈110〉p directions. Analysis of the displacement fields suggests that the Cu ions have a half cosine wave displacement, which supports the existence of oxygen vacancies in the CuO1+x layer proposed by a previous neutron diffraction study. If this modulated phase is indeed the superconducting phase our results call into question the requirement of intact CuO2 sheets for superconductivity in high-Tc cuprates.
Studies on Auxin Protectors X. Protector Levels and Lignification in Sunflower Crown Gall Tissue

The lignification and differentiation of phloem fibers in sunflower stems is inhibited by growing crown gall tumors. Crown gall tumor tissue has previously been shown to contain large quantities of auxin protectors. Since auxin protectors are antioxidants which inhibit peroxidase-catalyzed reactions, and since the formation of lignin is known to involve a peroxidase-catalyzed reaction, an investigation was undertaken to examine the relationship between auxin protectors and lignification in sunflower crown gall tissue. Sunflower crown gall tissue placed into media low in mineral content, rapidly lignifies. In the low mineral media, protectors appear in the medium within an hour or two, implying that endogenously-synthesized protectors rapidly leak out of the tissue. In control media, the tissue neither lignified appreciably, nor did it exhibit an excessive amount of protector release. The addition of Ca2+ to the low mineral medium markedly slowed, but did not entirely prevent lignification; similarly Ca2+ markedly slowed the release of protector into the low mineral medium. Auxin protectors added to the low mineral medium did not inhibit lignification apparently because, in the medium, the protectors are rapidly oxidized to quinones. The addition of catechol, a substance which mimics protector, also failed to inhibit lignification and also formed a colored compound in the medium suggesting o-qui none formation. In contrast, dithiothreitol, a strong anti-oxidant which upon oxidation does not form a strong oxidant (such as o-quinone), when added to the low mineral medium does inhibit lignification. It is suggested that in the in vitro situation lignification and senescence occurs in low mineral media because the protectors leak out rapidly causing the cell's metabolism to favor peroxidase-catalyzed oxidations including those leading to lignification, while in the in vivo situation the excess protectors produced by crown gall tumor tissue diffuse into surrounding tissue, maintaining a reduced state in such tissues and thereby inhibiting differentiation and lignification. The synthesis of large quantities of protectors by the tumor tissue therefore could account for the anaplasia of the bundle caps observed in sunflower internodes in the vicinity of growing crown gall tumors.
In vitro study of the axial flow velocity patterns in pulmonary valvular stenosis

The authors characterize the axial flow velocity patterns in an in vitro model of a human adult pulmonary artery with varying degrees of valvular stenosis. A two-dimensional laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) system was used to map the velocity fields in the main (MPA), left (LPA), and right (RPA) branches of the pulmonary artery model. The study was conducted using the Georgia Tech right heart pulse duplicator system. It was found that the flow velocity patterns in the MPA and LPA change dramatically with increasing degrees of valvular stenosis. However, in the RPA, they do not change much with varying degrees of valvular stenosis. >
Ionic conductivity in Na5GdSi4O12

Abstract Na 5 GdSi 4 O 12 has been prepared by solid state reaction. Na + ion conductivity is 3 × 10 −1 (ohm-cm) −1 at 300° with an activation energy for conduction of 6.5 kcal/mole. The structure of isotypic Na 5 YSi 4 O 12 is characterized by Si 12 O 36 rings stacked to form columns held apart by MO 6 octahedra. Immobile Na atoms are situated within the rings. The high conductivity arises from the presence of mobile Na atoms between the columns.
Perceived Health as a Robust Correlate of Perceived Sleepiness in an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Sample

To the author's knowledge, this is the first study to longitudinally explore the impact of perceived health on the perceived sleepiness of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel. A repeat-respondent complete data sample of 215 U.S. EMS personnel was used. This sample was found to be representative of a much larger incomplete data group. After controlling for prior sleepiness, study results suggest a small but robust effect for health on sleepiness, that is, better perceived health leads to less sleepiness. Study limitations are acknowledged to help in future research. It is hoped that this study stimulates additional international research investigating variables affecting sleeping-related issues for EMS workers.
Dose‐ranging antiemetic evaluation of the serotonin antagonist tropisetron in patients receiving anti‐cancer chemotherapy

BACKGROUND RG 12915 is a potent, selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist with a biologic half-life of 11-20 hours. RG 12915 prevents cisplatin-induced emesis in ferrets at doses of 0.03 mg/kg. Animal toxicology studies permitted safe testing in humans at doses of up to 2.0 mg/kg. This dose-ranging trial of intravenous RG 12915 was performed to determine the optimal dosage and adverse effects and to observe for antiemetic effects in patients receiving anticancer chemotherapy. METHODS Twenty-six patients receiving chemotherapy likely to cause vomiting received a single intravenous dose of RG 12915 at a rate of 3 ml/minute beginning 60 minutes before chemotherapy. Four dose levels were explored: 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg. RESULTS No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. All adverse effects were mild and transient and included discomfort at the infusion site, hyperglycemia, headache, serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) elevations, and sedation. Antiemetic efficacy was seen in patients receiving cisplatin at doses of greater than or equal to 100 mg/m2. CONCLUSION RG 12915 can be administered safely at the dose levels explored. Single intravenous doses of RG 12915 prevented or lessened emesis caused by chemotherapy, including cisplatin given at doses of greater than or equal to 100 mg/m2. RG 12915 warrants further testing. Of the doses tested, the 2.0 mg/kg dose is the most appropriate for further exploration.
Medical Care Transfers, Poverty and the Aged

This article explores alternative approaches to calculating the value of Medicare and Medicaid and the impact of these programs on the incidence of poverty among the aged. Three methodological frameworks are contrasted, both in theory and in practice. Medical benefits are measured, respectively, as the cost to the government of providing the program, as the amount of cash that would leave the recipient equally well-off, and as the amount of funds freed for spending on other goods. The size of benefits is particularly sensitive to the measurement technique employed. Consequently, when medical benefits are added to income to estimate their antipoverty impact between 1968 and 1974, the choice of measurement approach remains important. The estimated amount of poverty reduction attributable to Medicare and Medicaid ranges between 26 and 61 percent.
Soliton Surfaces in the Mechanical Equilibrium of Closed Membranes

For a closed material membrane in equilibrium in a force field we investigate whether the external observables (membrane geometry and force field) determine the internal membrane response (the stress tensor T), when the mean stress Open image in new window Tr T is known. For membranes with boundary the indeterminacy of the response is classical. For closed membranes the geometry decides the question. We show uniqueness for all but a class of soliton surfaces — the globally isothermic surfaces (§1, 2); the physical phenomenon exhibited by any closed globally isothermic membrane in equilibrium is that, with all observables static, there is in total a 1-parameter family of responses with the same mean stress — all canonically determined by membrane geometry (Theorem 1). There exist closed embedded globally isothermic surfaces of every genus. The recognition of the role of these soliton surfaces settles the old classification problem for the space of static shears in any closed membrane, explicitly identifying all static shears, where before only a genus-dependent dimension bound was known (Theorem 2).
Nationalism and sport in Latin America, 1850–1990: the paradox of promoting and performing ‘European’ sports

(1995). Nationalism and sport in Latin America, 1850–1990: the paradox of promoting and performing ‘European’ sports. The International Journal of the History of Sport: Vol. 12, Tribal Identities Nationalism, Europe and Sport, pp. 220-238.
PREDICTORS OF DUAL ANTIPLATELET THERAPY NON-ADHERENCE AFTER PCI: ONE-YEAR INSIGHTS FROM THE PARIS REGISTRY

Demographic and socioclinical factors affect adherence to dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). DAPT cessation has been shown to increase stent thrombosis risk, recurrent myocardial infarction, and death. We investigated correlates of DAPT non-adherence