cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Saccadic inhibition interrupts ongoing oculomotor activity to enable the rapid deployment of alternate movement plans.

Diverse psychophysical and neurophysiological results show that oculomotor networks are continuously active, such that plans for making the next eye movement are always ongoing. So, when new visual information arrives unexpectedly, how are those plans affected? At what point can the new information start guiding an eye movement, and how? Here, based on modeling and simulation results, we make two observations that are relevant to these questions. First, we note that many experiments, including those investigating the phenomenon known as “saccadic inhibition”, are consistent with the idea that sudden-onset stimuli briefly interrupt the gradual rise in neural activity associated with the preparation of an impending saccade. And second, we show that this stimulus-driven interruption is functionally adaptive, but only if perception is fast. In that case, putting on hold an ongoing saccade plan toward location A allows the oculomotor system to initiate a concurrent, alternative plan toward location B (where a stimulus just appeared), deliberate (briefly) on the priority of each target, and determine which plan should continue. Based on physiological data, we estimate that the advantage of this strategy, relative to one in which any plan once initiated must be completed, is of several tens of milliseconds per saccade.
Sulfuric acid and aromatic carboxylate clusters H2SO4·ArCOO−: Structures, properties, and their relevance to the initial aerosol nucleation

Abstract Sulfuric acid and aromatic compounds are abundant in the atmosphere and play an important role in aerosol nucleation and growth. The main objective of this work is to provide molecular level description of pre-nucleation clusters formed by these species. Our approach is based on size- and composition-selective generation of anionic clusters, consisting of sulfuric acid and series of aromatic carboxylates (ArCOO−; Ar = Phenyl, o-, m-, and p-CH3C6H4), and their subsequent characterization using photoelectron spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. The photoelectron spectra show that formation of these clusters is accompanied by a significant increase of electron binding energies, implying significant stabilization gained from electron delocalization upon complexation. Comparison between the experimental and calculated results suggests that under low temperature conditions these clusters behave more like a complex of sulfuric acid and aromatic carboxylate, (H2SO4)(ArCOO–), despite the fact that ArCOO– has much higher proton affinity than HSO4–. Similar result has been previously reported for sulfuric acid formate cluster [Hou, Wang, and Valiev, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 139 (2017) 11321–11324], and indicates that interaction energy gained though the formation of these clusters is sufficient to counteract proton affinity imbalance. The calculated intermolecular binding energies (BEs), Gibbs free energies (ΔG), and evaporation rates (γ) show that these (H2SO4)(ArCOO–) clusters are extremely stable, with BEs of ∼54 kcal/mol, ΔG of ∼‒40 kcal/mol, and γ of 10−20 s−1. The experimental and computational results reported in this work suggest that aromatic acids may play a significant role in facilitating the early stages of sulfuric acid nucleation.
Quality of postpartum contraceptive counseling and changes in contraceptive method preferences.

Abstract Objectives We examined the association between quality of postpartum contraceptive counseling and changes in contraceptive method preference between delivery and 3-months postpartum. Study design We used data from 1167 postpartum women delivering at eight hospitals in Texas who did not initiate contraception in the hospital. We conducted baseline and 3-month follow-up interviews to ask women about the method they would prefer to use at 6-months postpartum, postpartum contraceptive counseling, reproductive history, and demographic characteristics. We measured quality of postpartum contraceptive counseling with seven items related to satisfaction and information received. High-quality counseling was defined as meeting all seven criteria. We used logistic regression to predict the primary outcome of changes in preferred method by contraceptive counseling and described contraceptive counseling and changes in preferred method by demographic characteristics. Results Receipt of high-quality postpartum contraceptive counseling was reported by 26%. At 3-months postpartum 70% of participants reported the same contraceptive preferences by category of effectiveness that they expressed at the time of delivery. Spanish-speaking, Hispanic foreign-born, and lower socioeconomic status women were less likely to receive high-quality counseling than their counterparts. High-quality counseling was associated with lower odds of preferring a less effective method (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.18–0.52) and changing preference from an IUD or implant (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17–0.68). Conclusions High-quality postpartum contraceptive counseling is relatively rare and occurs less often among low SES and immigrant women. High-quality counseling appears to reinforce preferences for effective contraception. Implications Training healthcare providers to provide high-quality contraceptive counseling to all postpartum women may reduce contraceptive disparities related to race/ethnicity and social class.
P53-Induced Reduction of Lipid Peroxidation Supports Brain Microvascular Endothelium Integrity

Dysregulation of the blood brain barrier due to oxidative stress causes neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. We employed brain microvascular endothelial cells; to investigate the effects of P53 towards the lipid oxidation of the BBB. P53 reduction by LPS, siRNA for P53 and Pifithrin increased the expression levels of malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, P53 suppression impaired the permeability of the BBB monolayers. In contrast, P53 induction by Nutlin and Hsp90 inhibitor AUY922 enhanced the BBB function. In conclusion, P53 supports BBB integrity, at least in part, by reducing lipid peroxidation.
Introduction: Market System and the Role of Government

The level of budgetary activities in a government is directly related to the economic system of which it is a part. In a command economy, where there is no private sector, budgeting is central to all economic and noneconomic decisions of the government. In a free market economy, such as the United States, while the presence of a strong private sector limits the role of government, it is still substantial considering the size of the federal budget that runs into several trillion dollars each year. Although not as high as the federal budget in percentage terms, state and local budgets also constitute a significant percentage of their respective gross products. Therefore, to understand the nature of budgetary activities in a government it is important to understand how the market system operates—its strengths and limitations and, more importantly, the role government plays in a market system. As the conventional wisdom goes, the more efficient the market system, the less the role of government (The idea of an efficient free market, also known as “the efficient market hypothesis,” has its roots in the works of Milton Friedman, an ardent advocate of free market system. The hypothesis, which has been refuted by most economists, simply says that market works better than individuals who intervene in a discretionary manner. Nevertheless, it does provide the basis for a system that, according to Friedman, if left alone, could address many of the economic problems, at least, in principle.). In budgetary parlance, it means less government expenditures, less taxes, and less regulations. Ideally, if the market system could address all our needs and fully regulate its own behavior, there will not be any need for government intervention, but, in reality, that is seldom the case. A market system, by itself, cannot perform all the functions necessary to meet the needs of society nor can it fully regulate itself, hence the need for government intervention. This chapter briefly discusses how the market system operates, the problems an unchecked market system creates for society, and why government intervention is necessary, including an overview of some of the measures commonly used to address the problems.
The Nonmevalonate Pathway of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis Supports Anaerobic Growth of Listeria monocytogenes

Isoprenoids are an essential and diverse class of molecules, present in all forms of life, that are synthesized from an essential common precursor derived from either the mevalonate pathway or the nonmevalonate pathway. Most bacteria have one pathway or the other, but the Gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is unusual because it carries all the genes for both pathways. While the mevalonate pathway has previously been reported to be essential, here we demonstrate that the nonmevalonate pathway can support growth of strains 10403S and EGD-e, but only anaerobically. L. monocytogenes lacking the gene hmgR, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, had a doubling time of 4 h under anaerobic conditions, in contrast to the 45 min doubling time of the wild type. In contrast, deleting hmgR in two clinical isolates resulted in mutants that grew significantly faster, doubling in approximately 2 h anaerobically, although they still failed to grow under aerobic conditions without mevalonate. The difference in anaerobic growth rate was traced to three amino acid changes in the nonmevalonate pathway enzyme GcpE, and these changes were sufficient to increase the growth rate of 10403S to the rate observed in the clinical isolates. Despite an increased growth rate, virulence was still dependent on the mevalonate pathway in 10403S strains expressing the more active GcpE allele.
Potent Activity of an Anti-ICAM1 Antibody-Drug Conjugate against Multiple Myeloma.

Purpose: New therapies have changed the outlook for patients with multiple myeloma, but novel agents are needed for patients who are refractory or relapsed on currently approved drug classes. Novel targets other than CD38 and BCMA are needed for new immunotherapy development, as resistance to daratumumab and emerging anti-BCMA approaches appears inevitable. One potential target of interest in myeloma is ICAM1. Naked anti-ICAM1 antibodies were active in preclinical models of myeloma and safe in patients, but showed limited clinical efficacy. Here, we sought to achieve improved targeting of multiple myeloma with an anti-ICAM1 antibody-drug conjugate. Experimental Design: Our anti-ICAM1 human monoclonal antibody was conjugated to an auristatin derivative, and tested against multiple myeloma cell lines in vitro, orthotopic xenografts in vivo and patient samples ex vivo. The expression of ICAM1 was also measured by quantitative flow cytometry in patients spanning from diagnosis to the daratumumab-refractory state. Results: The anti-ICAM1 antibody-drug conjugate displayed potent anti-myeloma cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we have verified that ICAM1 is highly expressed on myeloma cells and shown that its expression is further accentuated by the presence of bone marrow microenvironmental factors. In primary samples, ICAM1 is differentially overexpressed on multiple myeloma cells compared to normal cells, including daratumumab refractory patients with decreased CD38. In addition, ICAM1-ADC showed selective cytotoxicity in multiple myeloma primary samples. Conclusion: We propose that anti-ICAM1 antibody-drug conjugate should be further studied for toxicity, and if safe, tested for clinical efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
Mandatory Repurchase Disclosure, Opportunistic Repurchases, and Their Real Effects

In 2003, the SEC amended Rule 10b-18, significantly increasing the disclosure requirements for and transparency of share repurchases with the intention to curb false signaling by management. Bonaime (2015) finds that the 2003 SEC amendment reduced firms’ open market repurchase announcements and increased repurchase announcement completion rates, resulting in a decline in false signaling. In this paper, we examine the effect of the 2003 SEC amendment on firms’ opportunistic use of stock repurchases to meet or beat analyst earnings per share (EPS) forecasts and the resultant negative real effects. We find that the 2003 SEC amendment curtails opportunistic repurchases, enables the market to recognize and discount opportunistic repurchases, and eliminates the employment and investment reductions following opportunistic repurchases. Our evidence suggests that the increased transparency of share repurchases mandated by the 2003 SEC amendment has significantly altered both the corporate use of repurchases as an earnings management device and the negative real consequences of opportunistic repurchases.
Defining the time benefit of awake versus general anesthesia in single level lumbar spine surgery.

Abstract Background Awake anesthesia with monitored anesthesia care (MAC) may confer time benefits compared to traditional general anesthesia (GA) in the setting of single level lumbar spine surgeries. Therefore, we sought to define the quantitative time difference spent in the operating room between MAC versus GA approaches for these procedures. Methods A prospectively maintained database of the senior surgeon was reviewed for single level lumbar spine surgeries between 2019-2020 under either GA or MAC. Patient demographics, clinical features, time in the operating room, and postoperative outcomes were all summarized and statistically compared. Results A total of 53 patients satisfied all selection criteria, with 25 (47%) in the GA group and 28 (53%) in the MAC group. Overall, the majority of patients were male with a median age of 60 years. Groups were statistically comparable with respect to demographics and their preoperative anesthesia parameters. Time from room arrival to sedation start was significantly shorter in the MAC group (median time 26 vs 38 mins, P Conclusion MAC is a safe anesthesia option to use in single level lumbar spine surgeries, which leads to statistically significant benefits in time under sedation and time in the operating room versus GA. Future studies are needed to understand whether or not MAC will require other synergistic measures to generate observable change at a health systems level.
Fusion of ‘Light’ heavy' ions

This paper reviews properties of heavy-ion induced fusion reactions with particular emphasis on systems leading to compound nuclei with A ≲ 50. Results of microscopic calculations of yrast-lines are discussed in some detail. These show that the observed drop of the fusion cross sections below the reaction cross sections at high energies cannot be explained in terms of an yrast-line limitation. Experimental evidence for entrance channel phenomena as well as theoretical models for entrance channel limitations are discussed.
Teacher Perception of Creativity, Intelligence and Achievement:

The purpose of this study was to explicate the relationships between student test performance on standardized intelligence, achievement and creativity tests and teacher perceptions of these abilities. Third grade students were administered a battery of tests, and their teachers rated their intelligence, academic achievement, and creativity in comparison with all other same-aged children and in comparison with the other children in the class [Q-sort parallel]. Pearson product-moment correlations revealed that all teacher responses were significantly related to each other; they were also significantly correlated with the achievement test scores and the Cognitive Abilities Test scores. Global creativity ratings did not correspond well with the standardized test scores, but the creativity Q-sort responses were significantly related to the creativity test scores.
Conflict Analysis Models/ Circle of Conflict - Case Study

The case study that we are reviewing in these papers has a detail description for an organizational conflict situation in the Moon Tire Company. Both owners of the company have a disagreement about saving the company and gaining profit. The conflict started to affect company progress and productivity. In the next few pages, we will try to diagnose the conflict using the Circle of Conflict models as one of the Conflict Analysis Models that for the presence of common factors with other models, which may help to more understanding and more precise analysis of the conflict, and thus might help find solutions to solve the dispute. Furthermore, we will review the intervention strategy, how will we work with the parties, what challenges do we anticipate, and explain the importance of confidentiality in this process.
Augmented impedance control: an approach to compliant control of kinematically redundant manipulators

A control method that achieves impedance control of redundant degree-of-freedom manipulators is proposed. The technique combines reduced-order impedance control with configuration control to achieve impedance control of the hand and integrable control of the redundancy. The resulting controlled dynamics is shown to present a passive physical equivalent impedance, thus guaranteeing stability in contact with arbitrary passive environment. In addition, it is shown that there are severe restrictions in choosing the desired hand inertia. >
Interconversion of α- and γ-Penicillinase from Bacillus cereus 569

Abstract Extracellular penicillinase from Bacillus cereus 569 was found to exist in two states, an iodine-sensitive state and an iodine-insensitive state. Iodine-sensitive penicillinase is inactivated by 2.5 x 10-3 m iodine within 1 min, while the iodine-insensitive enzyme is inactivated at a much slower rate. Approximately 20% of the extracellular penicillinase activity found in crude or partially purified preparations of penicillinase is iodine-sensitive. The two states of penicillinase were shown to be interconvertible. In the presence of saturated ammonium sulfate, penicillinase is converted quantitatively into the iodine-sensitive state, and, upon removal of the ammonium sulfate, it spontaneously reverts to the iodine-insensitive state. It is concluded that α- and γ-penicillinase correspond to the iodine-insensitive and iodine-sensitive penicillinases, respectively, and that the two penicillinases are different states of the same enzyme in dynamic equilibrium. The relative proportion of the two states depends upon the conditions imposed upon the enzyme preparation.
Multiyear trends in volatile organic compounds in Los Angeles, California: Five decades of decreasing emissions

[1] Airborne measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were performed during CalNex 2010 (California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change) in the Los Angeles (LA) basin in May–June 2010 and during ITCT2k2 (Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation) in May 2002. While CO2 enhancements in the basin were similar between the two years, the ΔCO/ΔCO2 ratio had decreased by about a factor of two. The ΔVOC/ΔCO emission ratios stayed relatively constant between the two years. This indicates that, relative to CO2, VOCs in the LA basin also decreased by about a factor of two since 2002. These data are compared with the results from various previous field campaigns dating back as early as 1960 and from the extensive air quality monitoring system in the LA basin going back to 1980. The results show that the mixing ratios of VOCs and CO have decreased by almost two orders of magnitude during the past five decades at an average annual rate of about 7.5%. Exceptions to this trend are the small alkanes ethane and propane, which have decreased slower due to the use and production of natural gas. A comparison with trends in London, UK shows that, due to stricter regulations at the time, VOC mixing ratios in LA decreased earlier than in London, albeit at a slower rate, such that typical mixing ratios in both cities in 2008 were at about the same level.
Assessment of the pathologic inclusion criteria from contemporary adjuvant clinical trials for predicting disease progression after nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the pathologic inclusion criteria from all contemporary adjuvant trials in predicting disease progression (DP) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on 1363 patients treated surgically for M0 RCC at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), from 1990 to 2001. Clinicopathologic features were reviewed to determine eligibility for the following trials: ARISER, ASSURE, EVEREST, PROTECT, SORCE, and S-TRAC. DP was defined as local recurrence or distant metastasis after surgery. The ability of each trial's inclusion criteria to accurately predict DP was evaluated by the c (concordance) index. RESULTS: From the Mayo Clinic cohort, we determined that 41%, 45%, 45%, 33%, 47%, and 23% of the patients would have been eligible for the ARISER, ASSURE, EVEREST, PROTECT, SORCE, and S-TRAC clinical trials, respectively. Overall, 23% of all patients experienced DP (n = 317). Among eligible patients, 53%, 44%, 44%, 57%, 43%, and 59% developed DP during follow-up and 10%, 6%, 6%, 13%, 6%, and 18% went onto DP while not being eligible for the ARISER, ASSURE, EVEREST, PROTECT, SORCE, and S-TRAC trials, respectively. The c index of each trial to accurately predict DP from the pathologic inclusion criteria of ARISER, ASSURE, EVEREST, PROTECT, SORCE, and S-TRAC were 0.751, 0.751, 0.751, 0.742, 0.745, and 0.691, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although the pathologic inclusion criteria of contemporary adjuvant trials have notable differences, all 6 adjuvant trials demonstrated high predictive accuracy of DP. Overall, 43% to 59% of patients included for the adjuvant trials would develop DP, whereas 6% to 18% of patients excluded from the trials would develop DP during follow-up. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Scanning the Landscape of Narrative Inquiry

Narrative inquiry in psychology has become a richly hued endeavor with multiple and significant implications for social and personality investigation. Such inquiry first represents an important venue for dialogue between psychologists and scholars from across the social sciences and humanities. Furthermore, the focus on narrative invigorates concern with the sociocultural context of human action. This article reviews some of the major lines of inquiry in narrative psychology. The narrative structuring of reality, the achievement of narrative intelligibility in conversation, and the function of narrative in individual life experiences, all receive attention. This review also reveals how narrative inquiry has added importantly to social and personality psychology in its enhancement of critical sensitivities, methodological tools, and investments in social action.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW—MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RELEASE OF NAMES OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ABORTION PROVIDERS HELD NOT VIOLATIVE OF A PATIENT'S RIGHT OF PRIVACY—Minnesota Medical Association v. State, 274 N.W.2d 84 (Minn. 1978)

This Note is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Review & Student Publications at Digital Commons @ Western New England University School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Western New England Law Review by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Western New England University School of Law. For more information, please contact pnewcombe@law.wne.edu. Recommended Citation
Goal Communication in Palliative Care Decision-Making Consultations

Abstract Context Palliative care (PC) promotes patient-centered outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. Identifying, clarifying, and prioritizing patients' goals are conceptually fundamental to the process of patient-centeredness and are the main reasons for PC referral. However, very little is empirically known about the content or process of goal expression in the natural setting of PC. Objectives To describe the frequency, types, and determinants of goal expression in PC consultations. Methods This was a cross-sectional direct observational study of 72 audiorecorded PC consultations with hospitalized patients (and families) referred for PC goals of care clarification or end-of-life decision making. We coded digital audio files using reliable methods and linked conversation codes to clinical record and brief clinician interview data. Results Goal expressions occurred frequently in PC consultations and addressed both length-of-life and quality-of-life domains. The presence of existential suffering in the conversation was associated with substantially more expressions and types of goals. Conclusion Goal communication is common in PC decision-making settings and strongly influenced by existential suffering.
Physiological, biomass elemental composition and proteomic analyses of Escherichia coli ammonium-limited chemostat growth, and comparison with iron- and glucose-limited chemostat growth

Escherichia coli physiological, biomass elemental composition and proteome acclimations to ammonium-limited chemostat growth were measured at four levels of nutrient scarcity controlled via chemostat dilution rate. These data were compared with published iron- and glucose-limited growth data collected from the same strain and at the same dilution rates to quantify general and nutrient-specific responses. Severe nutrient scarcity resulted in an overflow metabolism with differing organic byproduct profiles based on limiting nutrient and dilution rate. Ammonium-limited cultures secreted up to 35 % of the metabolized glucose carbon as organic byproducts with acetate representing the largest fraction; in comparison, iron-limited cultures secreted up to 70 % of the metabolized glucose carbon as lactate, and glucose-limited cultures secreted up to 4 % of the metabolized glucose carbon as formate. Biomass elemental composition differed with nutrient limitation; biomass from ammonium-limited cultures had a lower nitrogen content than biomass from either iron- or glucose-limited cultures. Proteomic analysis of central metabolism enzymes revealed that ammonium- and iron-limited cultures had a lower abundance of key tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes and higher abundance of key glycolysis enzymes compared with glucose-limited cultures. The overall results are largely consistent with cellular economics concepts, including metabolic tradeoff theory where the limiting nutrient is invested into essential pathways such as glycolysis instead of higher ATP-yielding, but non-essential, pathways such as the TCA cycle. The data provide a detailed insight into ecologically competitive metabolic strategies selected by evolution, templates for controlling metabolism for bioprocesses and a comprehensive dataset for validating in silico representations of metabolism.
Kinetic experiments on the nature of the growth mechanism in oat coleoptile cells

Abstract A method was devised for following the growth rate of oat coleoptile cylinders with sufficient precision to measure the growth that occurred in 1 minute; the solution treating the section could be completely replaced with a different solution within 15 seconds. It was found that response of the elongation rate to changes in temperature was complete within 20 seconds, with a Q10 of about 3.5 in the temperature range 2–23°C, and that response to treatment with cyanide, or to treatment with oxygen when the tissue had been deprived of it, was completed in a few minutes. The results are interpreted as indicating that the rate of elongation is controlled directly by the rate of a metabolic reaction or reactions rather than by a physical property like steady-flow viscosity, and hence that the growth mechanism has the character of a chemorheological process as opposed to a plastic flow. The growth rate of oat coleoptile cylinders becomes promoted, after auxin is added, only after a lag of about 10–15 minutes at 23°C. This lag is not determined primarily by the rate of penetration of auxin into the tissue; it is approximately twice as long at 13°C. This is considered to indicate that the action of auxin is not directly upon the growth-controlling reaction, but affects the latter indirectly via temperature-sensitive metabolic pathways.
A convergent synthetic approach using sterically demanding aryldipyrrylmethanes for tuning the pocket sizes of cofacial bisporphyrins.

Meso substitution opposite to the spacer provides a convenient approach for tuning the pocket sizes of pillared cofacial bisporphyrins. The synthesis and coordination chemistry of xanthene and dibenzofuran anchored platforms structurally modified with 2,6-dimethoxyaryl groups are described. Comparative structural analysis of xanthene derivatives confirms the ability of the trans-aryl groups to adjust the vertical dimension of the cofacial cleft: 7 (C97H106Cl4N8O5), monoclinic, space group P21/c, a = 28.8353(12) A, b = 17.1139(7) A, c = 17.5978(7) A, β = 98.826(1)°, Z = 4; 8 (C101H123Cl2N8O11.5Zn2), monoclinic, space group P21/n, a = 14.5517(6) A, b = 22.9226(10) A, c = 28.5155(13) A, β = 90.312(14)°, Z = 4; 12 (C99H102Cl14N8O5Mn2), monoclinic, space group P2/c, a = 19.5891(3) A, b = 15.0741(2) A, c = 33.2019(6) A, β = 91.947(10)°, Z = 4. The convenience and versatility of this synthetic method offers intriguing opportunities to specifically tailor the binding pockets of cofacial bisporphyrins for the stu...
Is the media liberal? An indirect test using news magazine circulation

Many critics allege that the US national news media is biased in favour of liberal causes and Democratic candidates. The lack of an objective measure of news content ensures that such charges remain controversial. I consider an indirect test for media bias: if the national news media do exhibit a liberal bias, consumption should be higher in liberal media markets, ceteris paribus. I examine determinants of circulation of the three major weekly news magazines across the US and find that Newsweek and Time have higher circulation in liberal markets while US News has higher circulation in conservative markets. The evidence is consistent with a liberal bias for Time and Newsweek, while US News may be relatively conservative (but still left of centre) or absolutely conservative.
A multivariate correction for attenuation

SUMMARY A method is given for the joint correction for attenuation of all pairwise correlations among p variates, subject to the restriction that the resulting correlation matrix be at least positive-semidefinite. The errors need not be assumed uncorrelated, but their covariance matrix must be positive-definite. The procedure is shown to yield maximum likelihood estimates of 'true' and 'error' component covariance matrices under the restriction. In 1904, Charles Spearman published without proof a formula for correcting the bi- variate correlation coefficient for attenuation due to measurement errors in one or both variables. This formula has been widely and often uncritically used to correct correlations among sets of psychological or educational tests for effects of test unreliability. Apart from the fact that the estimate of reliability used for this purpose is often questionable, the practice of applying the bivariate correction pairwise in the case of three or more tests is capable of producing a matrix which is indefinite and not admissible as an estimated corre- lation matrix for real variables. To avoid this difficulty, we derive, by restricted maximum likelihood estimation of the true and error component covariance matrices, a multivariate correction for attenuation constrained to yield an at least positive-semidefinite correlation matrix.
Improvement in measurement precision with SPME by use of isotope dilution mass spectrometry and its application to the determination of tributyltin in sediment using SPME GC-ICP-MS

A method is described for the accurate and precise determination of tributyltin (TBT) by species specific isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ID-MS) using solid phase microextraction (SPME) in combination with gas chromatographic (GC) separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection. Butyltin compounds were ethylated in aqueous solution with sodium tetraethylborate and the headspace sampled with a polydimethylsiloxane coated fused silica SPME fiber. The analyte was then directly transferred from the fiber to the head of the GC column for desorption following insertion of the fiber through the heated injection port. Reverse spike ID analysis was performed to determine the accurate concentration of a 117Sn-enriched TBT spike using two well characterized natural abundance TBT standards. A concentration of 0.923 ± 0.005 µg g−1 (one standard deviation, n = 5) as tin was obtained for TBT in National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) marine sediment PACS-2 using the present method, in good agreement with the certified value of 0.98 ± 0.13 µg g−1 (as 95% confidence interval). A TBT concentration of 0.93 ± 0.09 µg g−1 (one standard deviation, n = 5) as tin in PACS-2 was subsequently determined by standard additions calibration using tripropyltin (TPrT) as an internal standard. An eighteen-fold improvement in the precision of TBT concentration measured using ID was observed, clearly demonstrating its superiority in providing more accurate and precise results as compared to the method of standard additions. A detection limit (3s) of 0.09 ng g−1 was estimated for TBT in PACS-2 sediment.
The control of food among schoolchildren who have been racially and economically marginalized across the cityscape

This analysis involves an investigation of the corporate control of food in relation to low income and culturally dominated schoolchildren in cities. This includes an exploration of the problem as expressed globally and historically in relation to transnational policy networks. Since corporate growth always necessitates controlling the direction of what people talk about on the ground, I additionally critique the emerging popularity of the policy-linked language of ‘food deserts’ and ‘food security.’ I reveal these terms as postcolonial constructs, forged out of the tradition that those with power control both material and mental production. Given the economic struggles now felt by the middle classes, I contend such language seeks to contain this growing anxiety. Lastly, I review some widespread failed efforts to address the problem of lack of access to healthy and affordable food among marginalized urban communities. All of these attempts are shaped as part of broader and evolving policy networks and in ...
Dissociation of the extracellular hemoglobin of Arenicola cristata

Abstract The dissociation of the extracellular hemoglobin of Arenicola cristata in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or at alkaline pH was investigated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and gel filtration. 1. 1. SDS-PAGE showed that the hemoglobin dissociated into 4 subunits: 13,400 (subunit 1), 23,000 (subunit 2), 26,000 (subunit 3) and 53,000 (subunit 4). SDS-PAGE in 2-mercaptoethanol showed 4 subunits: 13,700 (subunit I), 14,500 (subunit II), 31,000 (subunit III) and 35,000 (subunit IV). 2. 2. Electrophoresis in SDS and mercaptoethanol of subunits obtained in the absence of 2-mercaptoethanol and two-dimensional SDS-PAGE, demonstrated that subunit 1 produced subunit I, subunit 2 produced subunit III, subunit 3 produced subunits I, II and IV, while subunit 4 produced subunits I, II and IV. 3. 3. Gel filtration of Arenicola hemoglobin in 0.1M borate buffer pH 9 showed that the molecule dissociated into subunits of molecular weights of 350,000-300,000, 76,000 and 23,000. SDS-PAGE demonstrated that these consisted of subunits 4/I and II, 4/IV and 1/I, respectively. 4. 4. PAGE at pH 9 of Arenicola hemoglobin showed that the molecule dissociated into subunits possessing molecular weights of 170,000, 73,000, 38,000 and 35,000. 5. 5. The dissociation of Arenicola cristata hemoglobin is compared with that of Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin (Vinogradov et al. , 1977).
Anxious Embodiment, Disability, and Sexuality: A Response to Margrit Shildrick

This piece responds to Margrit Shildrick's “Dangerous Discourses,” which offers a theorization of embodiment useful to several fields of scholarship, including disability studies, gender theory, and queer theory. I argue that these fields must take sexuality seriously as a site for both bodily construction and bodily disruption and that the complexities of corporeal contact offer a way to map how discourses of (dis)ability, gender, and race delimit what we perceive as a human body. More expansively, I contend that perception is just as constructed as gender, with norms of embodiment shaping what we perceive as the boundary between disabled and nondisabled bodies. Shildrick's article then becomes a starting point to ask how we might perceive not just difference but differently, opening up new ways to think and live embodiment.
SU-C-105-06: Development of a High Resolution EPID Solution for Small Field Dosimetry

Purpose: The increasing use of small beams in VMAT and SBRT presents significant challenges and calls for new tools for dosimetry measurements. The purpose of this study is to investigate a high spatial-resolution (0.2mm) amorphous silicon flat-panel electronic portal imaging device (EPID) for small field dosimetry. Methods: A previously-developed EPID dosimetry system was used to measure the dose distribution of small fields from raw EPID-measured images. The response of the EPID specific to the linac was obtained by using a Monte Carlo simulation and a comprehensive calibration of the detector. The dosimetry system was validated against measurements of field sizes greater than 3×3cm2. In the present study, the EPID-based dosimetry measurement technique was used to obtain the relative output factor for small fields from 0.5cm to 3cm respectively created by both the jaws and the MLCs. 6MV, 10MV, and 15MV photon beams from a Varian TrueBeam were tested. The results were compared with measurements using EBT3 film, EDGE diode detector, and PinPoint ion chamber. Results: The diode measurement was considered as a reference in this study based on the expectation that its small size(0.8mm) avoids the field size-dependent artifacts of larger detectors. For jaw-defined fields between 2 and 3cm, measurements with all detectors agreed with diode measurements to within 2.7%. For jaw field sizes <2cm, the relative output factors measured using the EPID, film and PinPointTM were lower than the diode by averages of 3.5%, 15.1% and 23.1%, respectively. For MLC fields, output factors measured with EPID, film and PinPoint were found to differ from the diode measurements by averages of +1.7%, −2.2% and −8.1%, respectively. Conclusion: The high spatial resolution EPID dosimetry system proved to be an accurate and efficient dosimetric tool for small field measurements. Accurate output factors can be measured for independent dosimetry calibration and verification.
Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Acute stroke affects about 800,000 patients annually in the US and is the leading cause of disability. It is a complex condition with multiple causes and requires comprehensive but rapid evaluation by stroke specialists working in institutions with well-organized stroke systems of care. Acute stroke treatment is focused on early revascularization with intravenous tPA for those with strokes under 3 hours duration or intra-arterial therapy for most others and those who cannot receive tPA. The latter is evolving rapidly with the advent of stent-retriever embolectomy devices that are poised to revolutionize stroke treatment. Recanalization is associated with neurological recovery in 33–50 % of patients. This also means that many patients may have devastating and life-threatening brain injury, which highlights the need for comprehensive care for the prevention and treatment of medical complications, management of cerebral edema and intracerebral hemorrhage.
β-mannosidosis: Prenatal detection of caprine allantoic fluid oligosaccharides with thin layer, gel permeation and high performance liquid chromatography

In the goat, β-mannosidosis can be diagnosed before birth from the concentrations of oligosaccharides in allantoic fluid.
Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB–Induced Human Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation Depends on Basic FGF Release and FGFR-1 Activation

We have shown that the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists, thrombin and Factor Xa, stimulate smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation through transactivation of the EGF receptor (EGFR) or the FGF receptor (FGFR), both of which are tyrosine kinase receptors. In the present study, we investigated whether platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a tyrosine kinase receptor agonist, might transactivate another tyrosine kinase receptor to induce SMC proliferation. Because heparin inhibits PDGF-mediated proliferation in human SMCs, we investigated whether the heparin-binding growth factor basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and one of its receptors, FGFR-1, play a role in the response of human arterial SMCs to PDGF-BB. PDGF-BB induced the release of bFGF and sustained phosphorylation of FGFR-1 (30 minutes to 6 hours). A bFGF-neutralizing antibody inhibited PDGF-BB-mediated phosphorylation of FGFR-1, DNA synthesis, and cell proliferation. In the presence of bFGF antibody, PDGF-BB-induced early activation of ERK (0 to 60 minutes) was not affected, whereas late ERK activation (2 to 4 hours) was reduced. When FGFR-1 expression was suppressed using small interfering RNA (siRNA), ERK activation was reduced at late, but not early, time points after PDGF-BB stimulation. Addition of bFGF antibody to cells treated with siRNA to FGFR-1 had no further effect on ERK activation. Our results provide support for a novel mechanism by which PDGF-BB induces the release of bFGF and activation of FGFR-1 followed by the sustained activation of ERK and proliferation of human SMCs.
The effect of weld Heat-Affected zone (HAZ) liquation kinetics on the hot cracking susceptibility of alloy 718

A delay in grain boundary liquation was observed in the subsolidus portion of the weld heat affected zone (HAZ) of alloy 718 for the solution-treated material. However, for the homogenized or the homogenized and aged alloy, an instantaneous liquation of the grain boundaries occurred in the subsolidus HAZ. The above difference in the grain boundary liquation kinetics may account for the greater hot-cracking susceptibility of the homogenized or the homogenized and aged alloy compared to that of the solution-treated alloy. Existing models of grain boundary liquation are used to explain the observed kinetic effects associated with liquation in the subsolidus HAZ of alloy 718.
Free amino acids are important for the retention of protein and non-protein meals by the midgut of Aedes aegypti females

There is a relationship between the normal progress of digestion and the retention or elimination of the proteins ingested with the meal by Aedes aegyti females. The addition of soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) to a protein meal prevented digestion and resulted in a rapid elimination of the undigested proteins. The addition of a mix of free amino acids to a protein meal together with STI resulted in a significant increase in the retention of the undigested proteins during the first 10-15 hrs after feeding. The effect of the free amino acids on the retention of the proteins was concentration-dependent between 250 microg/ml and 5 mg/ml. Free amino acids were also important for the retention of non-protein meals. When females were fed a meal containing FITC-dextran (20 kD), most of this compound was eliminated into the feces by 10 hrs; the addition of free amino acid resulted in a significant increase in the retention of the FITC-dextran by the midgut during the first 15 hrs after feeding. The presence of free amino acids in the midgut lumen seems to be an important signal used by the mosquito to regulate the retention of the meal.
The uses of hermeneutics for feminist scholarship

Abstract Although feminist scholars must be primarily devoted to understanding the experience of women, we can also use the critique of logocentrism being made by male thinkers of the hermeneutic/interpretive persuasion. The bulk of male scholarship in these movements has been unable to move beyond the preliminary effort of a negative critique of the limitations and irrelevancies of the traditional/scientistic methodology. Feminist scholarship has not only stood critical of traditional assumptions but has made the positive move of putting forth alternative epistemologies which use experience, intuition and evaluation as modes of knowing. For these new ideas to emerge in a powerful way, there has to be a locus for their emergence. Women's Studies is that place.
TU-FF-A2-02: Beam-Weight Optimization for the Field-In-Field Treatment-Planning Technique Using Fuzzy Logic

Purpose: The field‐in‐field treatment‐planning technique is commonly used in tangential‐field irradiation of breast cancer, but it can also applied to other sites, eliminating the need for wedge filters in the treatment plan. The purpose of this work is to investigate an efficient and reliable method that employs fuzzy logic to optimize the beam weights for treatment plans that utilize the field‐in‐field treatment‐planning strategy. Method and Materials: Three tumor sites were considered, one in the breast, one in the brain, and one at the skull base. Four beam segments were used for the breast plan, and 8 segments were employed in the brain and skull‐base plans. The Pinnacle3 treatment‐planning system was used to design the beam apertures in all cases. The dose per monitor unit (MU) delivered by each beam separately, calculated at a selection of points within the target volume using the Pinnacle 3 planning system, served as input to the optimization procedure. In the optimization process, relative cold‐ and hot‐spot volumes within the target were defined as fuzzy variables. Development of a fuzzy rule set to determine how to adjust the number of MU delivered through each segment was simplified by dividing the target volume into sub‐volumes associated with each beam segment. The change in the number of MU was a fuzzy variable, which was de‐fuzzified using the center‐of‐mass method. Results: The field‐in‐field plans developed using fuzzy logic were comparable to standard plans employing wedges developed by experienced dosimetrists. The fuzzy optimization was also fast, requiring only seconds to complete. For both the fuzzy‐optimized and standard plans, the relative cold‐spot volume within the target was between 0 and about 6%, and the hot‐spot volume was less than 1%. Conclusion: Fuzzy optimizationtheory can be successfully applied to optimize the beam weights for field‐in‐field treatment planning.