cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Derivative Exposure and the Interest Rate and Exchange Rate Risks of U.S. Banks

This paper estimates the interest rate and exchange rate risk betas of fifty-nine large U. S. commercial banks for the period of 1975-1992, as well as the bank-specific determinants of these betas. The estimation procedure uses a modified seemingly unrelated simultaneous method that recognizes cross-equation dependencies and adjusts for serial correlation and heteroskedasticity. Overall, the exchange rate risk betas are more significant than the interest rate risk betas. More importantly, we find a link between the scale of a bank's interest rate and currency derivative contracts and the bank's interest rate and exchange rate risks. Particularly noteworthy is the influence of currency derivatives on exchange rate betas.
Load Following Ability of a Ship Generating Plant Comprising a Mixed Set of High-Speed and Synchronous Turbo-Generators

A ship power system comprising a mixed set of large line-connected 60 Hz turbo generators and lower-powered high speed electronically-matched permanent magnet turbogenerators is potentially unstable against large, abrupt changes of the load power demand. Concerns include whether the high speed turbine could stall or overspeed. We show that suitable control algorithms can fully protect the high-speed generator. Yet with that protection of the high speed turbine, the stability of the AC-bus voltage and the 60Hz generator frequency become the critical limiting factors. Following rapid increases of load, up to 15 MW/s, the high-speed generator always operates safely because of the control design and the energy stored on the DC bus. System stability is potentially threatened, however, by abrupt decreases of load. Limits on the rate of decrease depend on the initial and final load powers.
Quantum Theory and Probabilities

It is often stated that quantum mechanics only makes statistical predictions and that a quantum state is described by the various probability distributions associated with it. Can we describe a quantum state completely in terms of probabilities and then use it to describe quantum dynamics? What is the origin of the probability distribution for a maximally specified quantum state? Is quantum mechanics `local' or is there an essential nonlocality (nonseparability) inherent in quantum mechanics? These questions are discussed in this paper. The decay of an unstable quantum state and the time dependence of a minimum uncertainty states for future times as well as past times are also discussed.
Construction of endocardial and epicardial surface models from segmented MRI

This paper presents a novel method for the construction of endocardial and epicardial surface models from 3D short-axis cardiac magnetic resonance images with strongly anisotropic voxels in the long-axis direction. The same algorithm is independently used to generate the surface meshes of the epicardium and endocardium of the four cardiac chambers. The proposed method provides smooth meshes of the heart chambers despite the strong voxel anisotropy. This is not the case for the marching cubes algorithm. Furthermore, the presented method generates more regular mesh triangles than the marching cubes and allows for a complete control of the number of triangles. However, the generated surface meshes are still close to the ones obtained by the marching cubes. For the five tested cases, the average distance between the surfaces generated by our method and by the marching cubes algorithm was 0.4 mm.
HIV Nef-mediated Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Down-Modulation Is Independent of Arf6 Activity

HIV Nef has a number of important biological effects, including the down-modulation of several immunological important molecules (CD4, major histocompatibility complex [MHC] class I). Down-modulation of CD4 seems to be via clathrin-dependent endocytosis, whereas down-modulation of MHC class I remains unexplained. Several mutant proteins, including mutations in the small GTPase Arf6, have been used to probe membrane traffic pathways. One such mutant has recently been used to propose that Nef acts through Arf6 to activate the endocytosis of MHC class I. Here, we show that MHC class I down-modulation is unaffected by other Arf6 mutants that provide more specific perturbations in the GDP-GTP cycling of Arf6. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate kinase, an upstream activator of Arf6, also had no effect on the internalization step, but its activity is required to direct MHC class I to the trans-Golgi network. We conclude that the apparent Arf6 dependency of Nef-mediated MHC class I down-modulation is due to nonspecific perturbations in membrane traffic.
Teaching technology success skills with motivation

Many entering freshmen begin college with deficiencies in maths skills. Most of these students also lack the study and organizational skills needed for success in college. A good many of these students at the College of Staten Island (USA) come from the inner-city and have disadvantaged backgrounds. The engineering technologies department of the College of Staten Island has developed an approach to teach these students the skills necessary for success in an organized fashion with a motivational component to intensify the students persistence until success. Two courses are offered for these students. Both are credit bearing but are not part of the TAC/ABET curriculum. One course, Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Technology, consists of three hours of lecture and two hours of lab. It is a survey course of electrical technology and measurements. The second course, Introduction to Electric Circuits, meeting once each week for two hours, is a maths for electrical technology tutorial course. Both courses complement each other. These two introductory courses when taken together provide the entering freshman with the necessary maths and organizational skills along with a strong motivational component to enable the student future success in the electrical field. They are given the opportunity to view themselves in a positive light in a future rewarding career where they can earn a respectable livelihood.
Relationship between the temporal profile of plasma microRNA and left ventricular remodeling in patients after myocardial infarction.

Background—microRNAs (miRs) are small noncoding RNAs that recognize and bind to mRNAs and inhibit protein translation or degrade mRNA. Studies in animal models have suggested that miRs play a trans...
Therapy of stable angina pectoris: the uncomplicated patient.

C ase study: A 62-year-old male smoker with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension presents with a 4-month history of exertional chest pain. Physical examination shows a blood pressure of 152/90 mm Hg but is otherwise unremarkable. The ECG is normal, and laboratory tests show a fasting blood glucose value of 110 mg/dL, glycosylated hemoglobin 6.0%, creatinine 1.1 mg/dL, total cholesterol 160, LDL 120, HDL 38, and triglycerides 147 mg/dL. He exercises for 8 minutes, experiences chest pain, and is found to have a 2-mm ST-segment depression in the inferolateral leads at the end of exercise. Chronic stable angina (CSA) is defined as the predictable occurrence with exertion or emotional upset of pressure or a squeezing sensation in the substernal area of the chest and adjacent areas1 due to transient myocardial ischemia. Anginal equivalents (exertional breathlessness, fatigue, and/or nausea) may also occur with physical activity or emotional stress. Early onset of angina during exercise after a heavy meal or in cold weather is common. Symptoms may worsen in the presence of thyrotoxicosis, tachycardia, aortic stenosis, poorly controlled hypertension, or severe anemia. An imbalance between myocardial oxygen demand and supply is the usual cause of angina resulting from myocardial ischemia. In most patients with CSA, the underlying cause is severe atherosclerotic narrowing (≥70%) of 1 or more coronary arteries, which paradoxically may constrict during exercise because of endothelial dysfunction (Figure).2–4 In addition, the coronary arteries in patients with CSA may also contain nonobstructive lesions; such non–flow-limiting plaques progress at variable rates, may remain “silent,” and may rupture unpredictably,5 manifesting as an acute coronary syndrome (myocardial infarction [MI], unstable angina [UA], or ischemic sudden death [ISD]; Figure).2–4 Pathophysiological mechanisms of myocardial ischemia and angina and of adverse outcomes in stable angina (modified with permission from Thadani …
Asymmetric Cell Division: A CAB Driver for Spindle Movements

To divide asymmetrically, a cell must position the mitotic spindle relative to localized cell fate determinants. Recent work in the early ascidian embryo reveals the function of a single factor that coordinates this act to control cleavage pattern and cell fate determination.
Quantifying scaling effects on satellite-derived forest area estimates for the conterminous USA

We quantified the scaling effects on forest area estimates for the conterminous USA using regression analysis and the National Land Cover Dataset 30 m satellite-derived maps in 2001 and 1992. The original data were aggregated to: (1) broad cover types (forest vs. non-forest); and (2) coarser resolutions (1 km and 10 km). Standard errors of the model estimates were 2.3% and 4.9% at 1 km and 10 km resolutions, respectively. Our model improved the accuracies for 1 km by 0.6% (12 556 km2) in 2001 and 1.9% (43 198 km2) in 1992, compared to the forest estimates before the adjustments. Forest area observed from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 2001 1 km land-cover map for the conterminous USA might differ by 80 811 km2 from what would be observed if MODIS was available at 30 m. Of this difference, 58% (46 870 km2) could be a relatively small net improvement, equivalent to 1444 Tg (or 1.5%) of total non-soil forest CO2 stocks. With increasing attention to accurate monitoring and evaluation of forest area changes for different regions of the globe, our results could facilitate the removal of bias from large-scale estimates based on remote sensors with coarse resolutions.
Atmospheric oscillations—V. The propagator matrix and the transmission of an electrostatic potential along the geomagnetic field lines

Abstract An account is given of a new mathematical formulation of the process of transmission of an electrostatic field along magnetic field lines, assuming the latter to be equipotentials of the electrostatic field. The theory is presented in terms of a dipole magnetic field, but is capable of extension to higher multipoles. By means of vector and matrix representations in Hilbert space, corresponding to the description of the field variables in terms of their spherical harmonic components, a propagator matrix is constructed which, given the harmonic expansion of the potential over a sphere of radius r o , enables the corresponding expansion at a general radius to be determined. Proposed areas of application of the technique include three-dimensional ionospheric dynamo theory, and tidal motions in the thermosphere which are excited by electric fields transmitted upwards from the dynamo region; in both cases an analytical rather than a geometrical or numerical specification of the potential is essential.
Simulating the Social Context of Human Choice

An astronomer can predict with pinpoint accuracy the movement of far-off stars through the nighttime sky. Every point of light slides in its inevitable arc across the lens of her telescope in accordance with paths which can be plotted centuries in advance with a relatively simple set of formulae. Ironically, the same astronomer might have considerable difficulty in predicting what she will wear the following day, much less her own mood. Even viewed close-up, the twisted trajectories of action and emotion traveled by human beings are far more difficult to follow than the motions of the heavens.
An Adrenal Cyst Associated with 19-Nor-Deoxycorticosterone Excess and Low Renin Hypertension

Adrenal cysts are rare, but they have been disproportionately associated with hypertension. This report describes a hypertensive patient with increased levels of 19-nor-deoxycorticosterone (19-nor-DOC), a potent mineralocorticoid. The patient was a thirty year old man with hypokalemia, moderately severe hypertension, suppressed PRA, and low aldosterone secretion. Following surgical removal of a 10 cm adrenal cyst, the hypertension improved, the hypokalemia resolved, and the PRA and the aldosterone secretion normalized. Urinary 19-nor-DOC pre-op was elevated 4.6 ug per day (normal < 1.0 ug/day and subsequently became normal at 0.7 ug per day following surgery. The adrenal cyst was a fibrous walled structure containing mucinous straw-colored fluid. Pericystic adrenocortical tissue demonstrated increased 19-OH-DOC production (a 19-nor-DOC precursor) which may have been responsible for the 19-nor-DOC excess. We hypothesize that compressive adrenal damage from the cyst may produce a form of adrenal regeneratio...
Brand perception and brand repurchase intent in online apparel shopping: An examination of brand experience, image congruence, brand affect, and brand trust

AbstractWith continuous growth in online apparel shopping, many consumers have experience not only in purchasing brand products online, but also in making repeat purchases. Although repeat purchases are critical to the success of branded companies, especially in online apparel shopping, limited academic research is found examining factors that influence online shoppers’ intent to repurchase apparel of a particular brand. This research investigated the effects of four types of brand perception (i.e. brand experience, brand image-congruence, brand affect, brand trust) on brand repurchase intent in online apparel shopping. An online survey was conducted with a US national sample of 217 online apparel shoppers who had purchased and worn products from a particular apparel brand. Bootstrapping Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the proposed model and research hypotheses. The findings showed that brand experience and brand image-congruence were antecedents of brand affect. Brand image-congruence and b...
Unbalanced Regional Political Integration Is Unstable: Evidence from the Federal Republic of Central America (1823­-1838)

Despite a consensus among political elites in early 19th ­century Central America in favor of regional economic and political integration in the abstract, the Federal Republic of Central America, implemented in 1823, persisted only 15 years before collapsing. We show that federation was initially seen as a way to bind the Central American states to a common set of trade and investment projects, but that leaders failed to anticipate the depth of mistrust the federal apparatus needed to overcome. In particular, commitment problems over allocating the gains from trade and the rents from infrastructure investments, rather than divisions caused by ideology or nationalism, were the critical factors leading to the breakup. The case study has implications for contemporary integration in Central America as well as general problems of regionalism and political integration.
Genetically Determined Variation in Lysis Time Variance in the Bacteriophage φX174

Researchers in evolutionary genetics recently have recognized an exciting opportunity in decomposing beneficial mutations into their proximal, mechanistic determinants. The application of methods and concepts from molecular biology and life history theory to studies of lytic bacteriophages (phages) has allowed them to understand how natural selection sees mutations influencing life history. This work motivated the research presented here, in which we explored whether, under consistent experimental conditions, small differences in the genome of bacteriophage φX174 could lead to altered life history phenotypes among a panel of eight genetically distinct clones. We assessed the clones' phenotypes by applying a novel statistical framework to the results of a serially sampled parallel infection assay, in which we simultaneously inoculated each of a large number of replicate host volumes with ∼1 phage particle. We sequentially plated the volumes over the course of infection and counted the plaques that formed after incubation. These counts served as a proxy for the number of phage particles in a single volume as a function of time. From repeated assays, we inferred significant, genetically determined heterogeneity in lysis time and burst size, including lysis time variance. These findings are interesting in light of the genetic and phenotypic constraints on the single-protein lysis mechanism of φX174. We speculate briefly on the mechanisms underlying our results, and we discuss the potential importance of lysis time variance in viral evolution.
Affective meanings of 1,469 Bengali concepts

This article provides semantic differential ratings of 1,469 concepts in Bengali, a language spoken by about 250 million individuals in eastern India and Bangladesh. These data were collected from 20 male and 20 female Calcutta respondents who rated stimuli on three culturally universal affective dimensions: evaluation-potency-activity (EPA). This study employs pan-respondent component analyses as a means of examining the respondents' usage of the standard EPA scales. The pan-respondent component analyses indicate that some respondents used the rating scales in unexpected ways, recording their feelings about one component of concepts' EPA with ratings on a scale intended to measure a different dimension. When scores were based only on respondents who used the scales appropriately, several interesting patterns were found. For respondents of both genders, potency scores have a curvilinear relation with evaluation, such that very good and very bad concepts are mostly seen as very potent, whereas evaluatively neutral concepts are seen as somewhat impotent or just slightly potent. A moderate linear correlation exists between activity and evaluation, and a modest positive relation exists between potency and activity. Gender correlations are high on evaluation, .93, but much lower for potency scores, with a correlation of .55, and even lower for activity, .30. In this article we examine several explanations for why scales denoting potency and activity were reinterpreted as indicating goodness by certain respondents, and consider the matter of including data collected from respondents who used scales in this way.
Development of mouse embryos cryopreserved by an ultra-rapid method of freezing

High concentrations of cryoprotectant combined with sucrose were utilized in an ultra-rapid freezing protocol for mouse preimplantation embryos. Dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO, 1.5 or 3.5 M) or propanediol (PROH, 1.5 or 3.0 M) combined with 0.25 M sucrose were used as freezing solutions. One-, 2- or 8-cell embryos were placed directly into these solutions at room temperature, loaded into straws and plunged into liquid nitrogen within 2-3 min. The straws were rapidly thawed and the embryos expelled into the solution in which they were frozen for 10 min. The cryoprotectants were then removed by single- or multi-step dilution. Survival and development of the embryos in vitro and in vivo were assessed. DMSO (1.5 M) and both concentrations of PROH were totally inadequate as a cryoprotectant in this freezing protocol. A concentration of 3.5 M DMSO gave high survival and development rates when a multi-step dilution procedure was used, but not with a single-step dilution. One-cell embryos gave 71% survival, 35% in-vitro development and 10% in-vivo viability; 2-cell embryos showed 87% survival, 77% in-vitro development and 66% in-vivo viability; and 8-cell embryos showed 97% survival, 87% in-vitro development and 62% in-vivo viability. The results for the 2- and 8-cell stages compared favourably with non-frozen controls, which had 71% in-vivo viability. This method of cryopreservation is therefore fast and viable.
Studies on Unknown Growth Factors in Distillers Dried Solubles

Abstract While the experiment reported herein was in progress Norris (1955) and Couch et al. (1955) had reported that part of the growth response from distillers solubles could be traced to its ash component. More recently Morrison et al. (1955) have presented evidence that the ash obtained from a mixture of five unidentified growth factor supplements, including distillers dried solubles, stimulated chick growth. The basal diet employed is given in Table 1. All supplements to the basal were made at the expense of cerelose. Male chicks from a mating of New Hamphsire males to Columbian females were used for this test. The parent stock had been fed a complete ration containing liberal amounts of fishmeal, whey and alfalfa meal. The chicks were confined to batteries and offered feed on an ad libitum basis. The distillers solubles was ashed at 700°C. Day old chicks, ten per group were assigned to each of …
Testicular metastasis from ileal carcinoid: report of a case.

PURPOSE: This report presents a patient with testicular metastasis from an ileal carcinoid. METHODS: This was a retrospective case review with literature review. RESULTS: The patient underwent right orchiectomy for a solid mass. Pathology revealed carcinoid tumor. Octreotide scan showed increased concentration in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. Computerized tomography results were negative. Colonoscopy with biopsy revealed carcinoid of the terminal ileum. The patient underwent an elective resection of the terminal ileum and the right colon. Pathology revealed carcinoid tumor with vascular and lymphatic invasion present, and eight lymph nodes were positive. The patient had adjuvant treatment with octreotide. CONCLUSION: Carcinoid tumors have been reported to metastasize to numerous areas. This is the first report of testicular metastasis from ileal carcinoid. Primary carcinoids of the testicle have been reported also. The clinician should be aware of this rare metastatic event. When pathology reveals carcinoid of the testicle, metastatic disease should be excluded before the tumor is identified as primary.
The Changing Meaning of a Health Care Workforce

In this commentary, the author describes how the meaning of the health care workforce has changed, focusing on the physician workforce. Some questions have been asked consistently over the years: How many should we have? What type? Where should they work? In 1830 there were no licensing laws, and every literate American could be a member of the health care workforce by following detailed instructions in a popular handbook. Subsequent years saw the initiation of state licensing laws and the reform of medical education. Medical specialties and specialty boards were created, although it was not until after World War II that the dominance of the general practitioner gave way to specialists. For over a century, estimates of physician supply have swung between "too many" and "too few." Rural and economically disadvantaged communities have long struggled with access to health care providers. The author also identifies some issues that have only been considered fairly recently, such as the ethnic and gender diversity of the workforce. Wars have played a major role in changing ideas about the workforce, often in ways that long outlast the actual dates of the conflict. The meaning of the health care workforce has always been deeply embedded in a specific social, political, and economic context.
Outside the LGBTQ “Safety Zone”: Lesbian and Bisexual Women Negotiate Sexual Identity across Multiple Ecological Contexts

ABSTRACTThis mixed methods study analyzed how bisexual (n = 241) and lesbian (n = 204) women qualitatively describe the settings in which they feel most positive and negative about their sexual identities. Secondly, the authors quantitatively assessed lesbian and bisexual women on identity-related processes (e.g., outness, negative feelings about identity) and standardized measures of acceptance and engagement with lesbian and bisexual communities and people. Compared to lesbian women, bisexual women were more likely to describe feeling most negative with family members and sexual minority peers, most positive when with allies, and were less likely to describe feeling positive “everywhere.” Bisexual women were less open and had more negative feelings about their sexual identity than lesbians but were accepting of and engaged with lesbian and bisexual communities. Lesbians were only accepting of and engaged with lesbian communities. The discussion focuses on the changing role of lesbian, gay, bisexual, tra...
Analysis and Exploration on City Immune Planning Management

OBJECTIVE In urban planning management analysis immune various existing problems,in order to formulate appropriate management model provides scientific basis.METHODS Clinical data of our country in recent years in urban planning management of immune related literatures,combining the working practice,were reviewed in this article.RESULT In urban planning management exist in our country immune to differ,the running mode parts related policies cannot be put in place,the floating children lack of effective management.CONCLUSION Our urban planning management urgently need to regulate immune.
Benefit of uridine triacetate (Vistogard) in rescuing severe 5-fluorouracil toxicity in patients with dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) deficiency

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), an analog of uracil, is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents and like other agents has a narrow therapeutic index limited by toxicity. Compared to previous attempts, uridine triacetate (Vistogard) has shown to increase the potential efficacy of 5-FU by allowing administering a higher dose and decreasing the toxicity. Recently, Vistogard received orphan drug designation from the FDA as an antidote in the treatment of 5-FU poisoning and from the European Medicines Agency as a treatment for 5-FU overdose. However, no data have been published to date in humans who were rescued by this agent following severe toxicity associated with 5-FU due to dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) deficiency, the enzyme which is responsible for the elimination of approximately 80 % of the administered dose of 5-FU. We identified two patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who were referred to us for testing of DPYD status following severe toxicity associated with 5-FU administered at a dose of 1400 mg/m2 weekly bolus high-dose 5-FU followed by oral uridine triacetate as a part of a clinical trail. One patient developed grade 3 thrombocytopenia and grade 3 skin rash that resolved with discontinuation of 5-FU and supportive care, while second patient developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia, grade 3 coagulopathy and grade 3 neurological toxicity with a fatal outcome. DPYD status was evaluated as we have previously published. The first patient was found to have an abnormally low DPYD activity of 0.087-nmol/min/mg protein by radioisotopic assay (reference normal range 0.182–0.688 nmol/min/mg protein). Because of pancytopenia, DPYD enzyme activity could not be assessed in patient 2; genotypic analysis of DPYD during autopsy revealed the presence of the heterozygous mutation, IVS14+1 G>A, DPYD*2A, now recognized as the most common cause of DPYD deficiency. These two patients present the first two cases of DPYD deficiency that had either delay in severe toxicity or recovered from severe toxicity as they received oral Vistogard as a part of the conical trial. Toxicity was delayed in both patients by a mean of 3.5 weeks (range 3–4 weeks), indicating that Vistogard might be able to delay 5-FU toxicity despite higher doses than standard bolus dose of 5-FU used in gastrointestinal malignancies and the appearance of a potentially less toxic adverse effect of 5-FU at an unusual site (cutaneous) in one patient. The role of uridine triacetate with 5-FU in DPYD-deficient patients needs further investigation.
The French Wars of Religion, 1562–1629: Henry IV and the Edict of Nantes: the remaking of Gallicanism, 1593–1610

The decision taken by Henry IV to abjure his Calvinist religion and accept instruction in the Roman Catholic faith was not taken lightly. He clearly never said that ‘Paris is worth a mass,’ as so many historians have long insisted. That statement was just propaganda from the League, who wanted French Catholics to believe that Navarre's conversion was neither genuine nor sincere, and was simply a cynical ploy to gain the crown. Although it is impossible to know everything that Henry was thinking in July 1593, all the evidence suggests that his conversion was rendered in good faith. If dogma and doctrine were never his strong points, it is nevertheless clear that Navarre was a man who had risked his life for his religion on the battlefield and off for nearly two decades. To suggest that he was either unprincipled or cared little for religion is contrary to the evidence. Equally unlikely is the notion put forward by some scholars that Henry was a modern-thinking king who put reason of state, order, and politics ahead of religion as a priority. While there is no doubt that Henry's decision to abjure was made for political reasons – to end the civil wars and to restore the authority of the monarchy – we ought not to conclude from this that Henry's conversion was either insincere or cynically made.
Improved cognition while cycling in Parkinson’s disease patients and healthy adults

Persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) are typically more susceptible than healthy adults to impaired performance when two tasks (dual task interference) are performed simultaneously. This limitation has by many experts been attributed to limitations in cognitive resources. Nearly all studies of dual task performance in PD employ walking or balance-based motor tasks, which are commonly impaired in PD. These tasks can be performed using a combination of one or two executive function tasks. The current study examined whether persons with PD would demonstrate greater dual task effects (DTEs) on cognition compared to healthy older adults (HOAs) during a concurrent cycling task. Participants with and without PD completed a battery of 12 cognitive tasks assessing visual and verbal processing in the following cognitive domains: speed of processing, controlled processing, working memory and executive function. Persons with PD exhibited impairments compared to healthy participants in select tasks (i.e., 0-back, 2-back and operation span). Further, both groups unexpectedly exhibited dual task facilitation of response times in visual tasks across cognitive domains, and improved verbal recall during an executive function task. Only one measure, 2-back, showed a speed-accuracy trade-off in the dual task. These results demonstrate that, when paired with a motor task in which they are not impaired, people with PD exhibit similar DTEs on cognitive tasks as HOAs, even when these task effects are facilitative. More generally, these findings demonstrate that pairing cognitive tasks with cycling may actually improve cognitive performance which may have therapeutic relevance to cognitive decline associated with aging and PD pathology.
Diversity and Inclusivity—Principles of AAGP Culture?

Author(s): Jimenez-Madiedo, Carolina; Shteinlukht, Tatyana; Lantz, Melinda S; Sewell, Daniel D
Legal Issues in Patient Positioning

Surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other health care providers may be subject to liability for injuries relating to improper patient positioning in neurosurgical procedures. Lawsuits arising out of these types of injuries typically allege medical malpractice, but some also include claims for lack of informed consent. These torts are, for the most part, governed by state law; consequently, litigants may be subject to different requirements depending on where the lawsuit is filed. Recent federal legislation has attempted to standardize aspects of these claims, but, to date, these efforts have been unsuccessful.
Prevention of Atherosclerosis: Endothelial Function, Cholesterol, and Antioxidants

Although age-adjusted mortality from atherosclerosis-related diseases has declined significantly in the United States and some European countries over the past four decades, it has recently become the world’s leading cause of death, exceeding infectious diseases. Considerable epidemiologic, clinical, and experimental data suggest a causative relationship between coronary risk factors, especially hypercholesterolemia, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Coronary and other atherosclerosis have traditionally been thought to result from cholesterol deposition, modification, and macrophage uptake leading to vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and matrix formation. Cardiovascular events subsequently arise from plaque rupture or ulceration with ensuing partial or complete vessel occlusion. Recently, the vasculature has been found to be an active and complex organ rather than a passive conduit. The endothelium is now known to be an important regulator of vascular tone, lipid breakdown, thrombogenesis, inflamation, and vessel growth. In the presence of risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, the endothelium promotes atherosclerosis through vasoconstriction, monocyte and platelet adhesion, thrombogenesis, and growth factor release. This dysfunctional state appears before the earliest anatomic evidence of atherosclerosis. Hypercholesterolemia and the other risk factors have been shown to reduce nitric oxide availability, the predominate endothelium-derived vasodilator.
Bringing the best of medical librarianship to the patient team.

This article introduces a series of articles examining the state of the medical library profession as practiced in the clinical context. It is widely understood that many changes across the spectrum of medical librarianship practice have been brought about by both technological advances and economic realities. These changes have created strains felt by many in the profession. Discussions of evolving roles for medical librarians that have gone on for years have taken on a new sense of urgency, not just because support of library services is at stake, but also because new opportunities, which many are eager to explore, await librarians. In June 2000, an editorial appearing in a mainstream medical journal proposed a reinvention of clinical librarianship that, if designed as presented in the editorial, would have a dramatic effect on current hospital-based library practice. This series of articles was developed in an effort to provide thoughtful consideration of the informationist model and to present new ways to look at the core competencies that define the profession.
Wireless coverage via dynamic programming

Coverage has been one of the most fundamental yet challenging issues in wireless networks and found many applications, such as routing and broadcasting. Given a set of weighted unit disks (coverage areas) and a set of nodes to be covered, we study the minimum weight coverage problem under two specific topologies. The first one assumes that the centers of the disks lie inside a strip while the nodes lie outside of this strip. The second topology assumes that the centers of the disks lie within a unit circle while the nodes lie outside of this circle. For each topology, we present a polynomial-time algorithm to find a disk subset of minimum total weight to cover all nodes. Both of our algorithms relies on dynamic programming.
A Unified Analysis of Tiebout Models and Tax Competition Models

I construct a fiscal competition model in which immobile residents compete for mobile workers. This framework nests two influential theories, Tiebout (1956) and tax competition (Zodrow and Mieszkowski, 1986), which yield contrasting predictions on the efficiency of public goods provision in a federation. Using it, I investigate the efficiency of decentralized public goods provision from a unified perspective. When mobile workers are homogeneous, mobility does not matter for the efficiency of public goods provision, as long as policies can be differentiated between mobile and immobile residents. I also reveal the sources and the characterizations of inefficiency results in various circumstances by exploiting a unique feature of the model. Then, I introduce taste heterogeneity of mobile workers. When the heterogeneity is sufficiently large, public goods for mobile workers are efficiently provided due to Tiebout sorting. Moreover, Tiebout sorting may greatly mitigate welfare loss from 'race to the bottom' by reducing the effective number of competing jurisdictions. Several extensions are also discussed.
Agents of empathy: How medical interpreters bridge sociocultural gaps in genomic sequencing disclosures with Spanish-speaking families.

Abstract Objectives To describe how linguistic tools used by interpreters during return of genomic sequencing results may have impacted communication with Spanish-speaking families, and to discuss the implications for the role of medical interpreters. Methods Using discourse analysis, we identified and categorized the various ways hospital-based interpreters adapted clinicians’ language in 37 audio-recorded sessions in which Spanish-speaking parents participating in a clinical trial received their child’s genomic sequencing results from English-speaking clinicians. Results We found that interpreters adapted clinicians’ statements using five empathic linguistic tools: contextualization, encouragement, checking comprehension, endearment, and softening. Interpreters used an average of four linguistic tools per session, with contextualization and encouragement being the most frequently used. Conclusions Interpreters used empathic linguistic tools to alter clinicians’ statements when communicating genomic information to Spanish-speaking families. Our findings demonstrate the critical role of interpreters as cultural mediators and facilitators of understanding for Spanish-speaking families. Practice implications This study expands upon the definition of clinical empathy in interpreter-mediated sessions. Our findings suggest that revisions of standards of medical interpretation practice may be warranted regarding interpreters’ ability to adapt clinicians’ language in a culturally sensitive manner during interpretation.
Nautilus Spirals and the Meta-Golden Ratio Chi

The Nautilus shell is the popular iconic image for a logarithmic spiral. It is also frequently cited as an example of a golden ratio logarithmic spiral in nature. Evidently, this not the case. Contrarian studies have proposed that the Nautilus spiral is actually in the 4:3 ratio. Yet, these recommendations are based on one, or just a few shells. In this research, to compare the mean aspect ratio of Nautilus shells to the 4:3 ratio and the meta-golden ratio Chi, eighty Nautilus shells were measured in the Smithsonian collection. The results show that the Nautilus genus is clearly not the widely quoted 4:3 (1.333), but averaged 1.310. However, there was one species that was remarkably different, the Crusty Nautilus averaging 1.356 which is an excellent match for the Meta-golden ratio Chi.
THE NONLINEAR RESPONSE OF GAS-FILLED MICROPORES TO ULTRASOUND AT MHz FREQUENCIES

In this work air was trapped in the pores of specially ordered Nuclepore ® filters by immersing them in water, thereby producing stable arrays of cylindrical bubbles with diameters of about 3 and 4 microns. The arrays were irradiated by beams of c.w. and pulsed ultrasound at frequencies near the volume resonance of the trapped bubbles. By examining the spectrum of frequencies scattered by the arrays it was found that the bubbles oscillate nonlinearly while still remaining trapped in the filters. Using short pulses similar to those used in ultrasonic medical diagnostic equipment, the bubbles remain stable up to excitation pressures of several bars.
Why Do Plants Convert Sitosterol to Stigmasterol

A direct role for cholesterol signaling in mammals is clearly established; yet, the direct role in signaling for a plant sterol or sterol precursor is unclear. Fluctuations in sitosterol and stigmasterol levels during development and stress conditions suggest their involvement in signaling activities essential for plant development and stress compensation. Stigmasterol may be involved in gravitropism and tolerance to abiotic stress. The isolation of stigmasterol biosynthesis mutants offers a promising tool to test the function of sterol end products in signaling responses to developmental and environmental cues.
Determination of and Difficulties with Brain Death

Brain death accounts for an estimated 1–2% of all deaths in the United States per year, and it will be encountered on a regular basis by any clinician who cares for patients with neurologic concerns. Despite worldwide acceptance of the concept of brain death, there remains considerable variation in determination and testing across countries and institutions. This can make brain death consideration confusing and stressful for both families and clinicians. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a general overview of brain death considerations and tools available to the clinician.
Plasma ignition and detection for in-situ cleaning of 1.3 GHz 9-cell cavities

Superconducting radio frequency cavities performance preservation is crucial, from vertical test to accelerator operation. Field emission is still one of the performance limiting factors to overcome, and plasma cleaning has been proven successful by the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), in cleaning field emitters (hydrocarbon contaminants) and increasing the work function of Nb. The cleaning for Linac Coherent Light Source-II will follow the same plasma composition adopted at SNS, which allows in situ processing of cavities installed in cryomodules. A novel method for plasma ignition has been developed at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: a plasma glow discharge is ignited using high order modes to overcome limitations imposed by the fundamental power coupler. The plasma can be easily ignited and tuned in each of the cavity cells using low radio frequency (RF) power, from 100 W to as low as 2 W depending on the gas and pressure. A method for RF plasma detection has been developed: the plasma location is identified within the cavity without the need of cameras. The presented method can be applied to other multicell cavity designs, even for accelerators where the coupling for the fundamental modes at room temperature is very weak.Superconducting radio frequency cavities performance preservation is crucial, from vertical test to accelerator operation. Field emission is still one of the performance limiting factors to overcome, and plasma cleaning has been proven successful by the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), in cleaning field emitters (hydrocarbon contaminants) and increasing the work function of Nb. The cleaning for Linac Coherent Light Source-II will follow the same plasma composition adopted at SNS, which allows in situ processing of cavities installed in cryomodules. A novel method for plasma ignition has been developed at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: a plasma glow discharge is ignited using high order modes to overcome limitations imposed by the fundamental power coupler. The plasma can be easily ignited and tuned in each of the cavity cells using low radio frequency (RF) power, from 100 W to as low as 2 W depending on the gas and pressure. A method for RF plasma detection has been developed: the plasma locat...
Distributed Data-Gathering and -Processing in Smart Cities: An Information-Centric Approach

The technological advancements along with the proliferation of smart and connected devices (things) motivated the exploration of the creation of smart cities aimed at improving the quality of life, economic growth, and efficient resource utilization. Some recent initiatives defined a smart city network as the interconnection of the existing independent and heterogeneous networks and the infrastructure. However, considering the heterogeneity of the devices, communication technologies, network protocols, and platforms the interoperability of these networks is a challenge requiring more attention. In this paper, we propose the design of a novel Information-Centric Smart City architecture (iSmart), focusing on the demand of the future applications, such as efficient machineto-machine communication, low latency computation offloading, large data communication requirements, and advanced security. In designing iSmart, we use the Named-Data Networking (NDN) architecture as the underlying communication substrate to promote semantics-based communication and achieve seamless compute/data sharing.
Analysis of the state of financing of the Armed Forces and its impact on the defence acquisition system of arms and military equipment of Ukraine

The article provides a comparative analysis of trends in financing the defence acquisition of equipment system in Ukraine and some of the leading NATO countries; highlights the problematic issues for Ukraine in terms of defence capabilities and the impact of defence acquisition of equipment on them (defence capabilities); and establishes that by performing the regulatory function, the defence equipment acquisition system not only ensures the development of the Armed Forces but also gives the market economy additional stability, if the management of mentioned system is efficient and adapted to the new economic conditions.
A multi-omic analysis of the dorsal striatum in an animal model of divergent genetic risk for alcohol use disorder.

The development of selectively bred high and low alcohol-preferring mice (HAP and LAP, respectively) has allowed for an assessment of the polygenetic risk for pathological alcohol consumption and phenotypes associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Accumulating evidence indicates that the dorsal striatum (DS) is a central node in the neurocircuitry underlying addictive processes. Therefore, knowledge of differential gene, protein, and phosphorylated protein expression in the DS of HAP and LAP mice may foster new insights into how aberrant DS functioning may contribute to AUD-related phenotypes. To begin to elucidate these basal differences, a complementary and integrated analysis of DS tissue from alcohol-naive male and female HAP and LAP mice was performed using RNA sequencing, quantitative proteomics, and phosphoproteomics. These datasets were subjected to a thorough analysis of gene ontology, pathway enrichment, and hub gene assessment. Analyses identified 2,108, 390, and 521 significant differentially expressed genes, proteins, and phosphopeptides, respectively between the two lines. Network analyses revealed an enrichment in the differential expression of genes, proteins, and phosphorylated proteins connected to cellular organization, cytoskeletal protein binding, and pathways involved in synaptic transmission and functioning. These findings suggest that the selective breeding to generate HAP and LAP mice may lead to a rearrangement of synaptic architecture which could alter DS neurotransmission and plasticity differentially between mouse lines. These rich data sets will serve as an excellent resource to inform future studies on how inherited differences in gene, protein, and phosphorylated protein expression contribute to AUD-related phenotypes.
Toward Intelligent Workplace: Prediction-Enabled Proactive Planning for Human-Robot Coexistence on Unstructured Construction Sites

Construction robot path planning is critical for safe and effective human-robot collaboration in future intelligent workplaces. While many studies developed methods to generate paths for construction robots, very few, if any, have integrated the worker trajectory prediction on the jobsite. The objective of this research is to find a safe and efficient robot path, meanwhile, taking into account the predicted movement of construction workers. To this end, we propose a context-aware Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based method to predict worker’s trajectory. Based on the predicted trajectory, the A* and Dynamic Window Approach (DWA) are used to find an optimal path for the robot. The efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed method are manifested by simulated and field experiments. The proposed method will contribute to the body of knowledge for prediction-based construction robots path planning and provide the potential to be integrated into existing robot platforms to enhance their performance.