cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A brief mobile app reduces nonsuicidal and suicidal self-injury: Evidence from three randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) are a major public health problem that traditional interventions have been unable to address on a large scale. The goal of this series of studies was to take initial steps toward developing an effective SITB treatment that can be easily delivered on a very large scale. METHOD: We created a brief (1-2 min), game-like app called Therapeutic Evaluative Conditioning (TEC), designed to increase aversion to SITBs and decrease aversion to the self. In 3 separate studies, we recruited participants with recent and severe histories of SITBs from web forums focused on self-injury and psychopathology (Ns = 114, 131, and 163) and randomly assigned them to receive access to the mobile treatment TEC app or a control app for 1 month. We tested the effect of TEC on the frequency of self-cutting, nonsuicidal self-injury more generally, suicide ideation, suicide plans, and suicidal behaviors. RESULTS: Analyses showed that, compared with the control app, TEC produced moderate reductions for all SITBs except suicide ideation. Across studies, the largest and most consistent reductions were for self-cutting episodes (32%-40%), suicide plans (21%-59%), and suicidal behaviors (33%-77%). Two of the 3 studies showed that TEC impacted its intended treatment targets and that greater change in these targets was associated with greater SITB reductions. TEC effects were not maintained at the 1-month posttreatment follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Future versions of brief, mobile interventions like that tested here may have the potential to reduce SITBs and related behaviors on a large scale. (PsycINFO Database Record(c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Early trends for invasive pneumococcal infections in children after the introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Background:The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was introduced for routine administration to infants and children in 2010 in the United States. We have monitored clinical and microbiologic features of invasive pneumococcal infections among children before and after PCV13 use.Methods:
Uric Acid in Anopheles Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae): Effects of Collarless, Stripe, and White Mutations

Anopheles mosquito larvae and pupae often have a layer of white pigment visible beneath the transparent cuticle on the dorsum of the abdomen and thorax. This pigment occurs in granules that are highly concentrated in ameboid-shaped cells of the parietal fat body. Mutations that affect the pattern or abundance, or both, of this pigment in A. albimanus Wiedemann and A. gambiae Giles are characterized by differences in the abundance of uric acid, whose levels range from 1.86 to 3.13 μg per larvae in individuals of 4 phenotypes having white pigmentation. Uric acid concentrations are higher in A. albimanus stripe + individuals which also have the most prominent white pigment. Two other mutants, A. gambiae collarless and A. albimanus white eye, contain no detectable uric acid nor any white pigment. None of the mutants examined has reduced xanthine dehydrogenase activity nor altered XDH electrophoretic mobility. We suggest that the prominent white pigment is precipitated uric acid contained within specialized fat-body cells similar to urocytes. We discuss the genetic basis of mutants affecting uric acid deposition, and the pleiotropic effects of the eye-color mutations such as white.
Delayed diagnosis of MYH-9–related disorder and the role of light microscopy in congenital macrothrombocytopenias.

![Figure][1] A 71-year-old male presented with a 20-year history of chronic kidney disease (stage 4) of unclear etiology. Several siblings had renal dysfunction and one had undergone renal transplantation. He had a history of bilateral cataracts and progressive sensorineural hearing loss.
Improving patient-centered communication of the borderline personality disorder diagnosis.

AbstractBackground: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has historically been difficult to diagnose, and laden with stigma, leading to a variety of clinical responses to patients who present with symptoms.Aims: (1) To understand how clinicians communicate the diagnosis of BPD with patients. (2) To compare these practices with patient communication preferences. (3) To use patient preferences to evaluate clinician practices.Methods: Semi-structured interviews with mental health care providers and experts (n = 32) were compared with patients (n = 10) and primary patient-written accounts (n = 22). Grounded theory was used to explore causal pathways between clinical practice and patient responses.Results: The majority of clinicians sampled did not actively share the BPD diagnosis with their patients, even when they felt it was the most appropriate diagnosis. The majority of patients wanted to be told that they had the disorder, as well as have their providers discuss the stigma they would face. Patients who ...
A multidimensional optimal stopping-time problem, with time-average criterion

An optimal stopping-time problem for a diffusion process absorbed at the boundary of a bounded domain in R d (d≥1) is considered. The cost criterion is of time-average type and may be regarded as a version of the Gittins index. We characterize the value function and construct an optimal stopping policy using dynamic programming. Two numerical algorithms are used to solve two test problems in R 1 and R 2
The effect of pre- and postweaning exposure to soybean meal on growth performance and on the immune response in the early-weaned pig.

The effect of pre- and postweaning exposure to soybean meal on postweaning growth performance and immune response by the early-weaned pig was analyzed. In Exp. 1, treatments were assigned in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Pigs were derived from gilts fed either a soybean meal- or a corn gluten meal-based diet during gestation and lactation. Six to eight pigs per litter were either stomach-infused with or without (placebo) soybean meal during d 5 to 9 after farrowing. At weaning, 240 pigs (initially 5.1 kg, 21 +/- 1 d) were randomly allotted to either a corn-soybean meal or a corn-dried skim milk-dried whey diet based on gilt and infusion treatments. Average daily gain, ADFI, and gain:feed ratio were decreased (P .10) by dietary treatment, but serum immunoglobulin G titers to soybean glycinin and beta-conglycinin were increased (P .10) in ADG, ADFI, and gain:feed ratio during d 0 to 14, but ADFI decreased (linear, P < .05) and gain:feed ratio increased (linear, P < .05) during d 14 to 35 and for the entire 35-d trial as the level of soybean meal increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Quantification of contact system activation using a radiometric assay for activated factor IX.

A radiometric assay to quantify activation of the contact system of human plasma is described. The assay utilizes tritiated bovine factor IX as a probe and measures release of its radiolabeled activation peptide, which is soluble in trichloracetic acid. Using celite as an activator, rate of factor IX activation increased asymptomatically as celite concentration increased from 0 to 5 mg/ml plasma, changing over 100-fold. Parallel activated partial thromboplastin times showed a sixfold change. Fitting our data to an equation for a hyperbola, yielded a K1/2 of 1.24 ± 0.21 mg celite/ml plasma and a Vmax of 1125 ± 65 cpm/min. Contact activation of various materials can be compared using this system, either by determining their respective K1/2 values, or by relating the contact activating ability of a substance to that of a standard such as celite, using the substance’s measured reaction velocity and the above equation. Using the latter method we determined that celite is 345-fold more potent than Dacron aortic graft in activating the contact system. The radiometric assay can quantify activation of the contact system more precisely than a clotting test and can be used to compare the contact activating ability of various materials. This suggests its potential usefulness in the search for biocompatible, nonthrombogenic artificial surfaces and prostheses.
Active vs. Passive Voice and Nominative-Dative Transformations

Before moving on to Dummett’s ideas on tone, I think we might here be able to deal with a few of Frege’s examples in fairly short order. If someone asks after the difference in meaning between ‘Scott wrote Waverley’ and ‘Waverley was written by Scott’, an otherwise competent English speaker might be hard pressed for an answer. Possibly, as Katz maintains, the two sentences are perfectly synonymous (1968: 473). Frege, however, claims that they aren’t identical in every respect: he says that in different contexts one can be decidedly preferable. The choice is “of no concern to logic”, he says, “although in actual speech, it can certainly be very important where the attention is directed and where the stress falls” (1897: 242).1 Perhaps this reveals no more than a dissociation of use and meaning. But I think it is better seen as a way of distinguishing conversational conventions from meaning-determining conditions. That a speaker employs the active form to direct attention to, or place greater weight on, the subject relates, I should say, rather to her purpose, or point. The active version is more fitting in conversational contexts where what is at issue is just who Scott is, or what things Scott did. Similarly, when ‘things written by Scott’ is the concern, the passive version is appropriate. This is not an empty stylistic predilection. It is not something that can be subsumed under Dummett’s semantic formulations, ‘manner of speaking’ or ‘style of discourse’.
Positive Radial Solutions for a Class of Singular p-Laplacian Systems in a Ball

We prove the existence and nonexistence of positive radial solutions for the system $$\left\{\begin{array}{ll} -\Delta_{p}u_{1}=h_{1}(u_{2})+\mu _{1}f_{1}(u_{2}) & \quad \text{in} \, B, \\ -\Delta_{p}u_{2}=h_{2}(u_{1})+\mu _{2}f_{2}(u_{1}) & \quad \text{in}\, B, \\ u_{1}=u_{2}=0 & \quad \text{on} \, \partial B, \end{array}\right.$$ where \({p > 1, \Delta _{p}u = {\rm div}(|\nabla u|^{p-2}\nabla u), \, B}\) is the open unit ball in\({\mathbb{R}^{N},h_{i}, f_{i}:(0,\infty) \rightarrow \mathbb{R}}\) with fi asymptotically p-linear at ∞, and μi are positive constants, i = 1, 2.
On the modeling and optimization of short-term performance for real-time wireless networks

This paper studies wireless networks consisting of multiple real-time flows that impose hard delay bounds for all packets. In contrast to most current studies that focus on the long-term average rate of timely deliveries, we aim to model and optimize the short-term performance of each real-time flow, which is vital for most safety-critical applications. We propose to define the instantaneous performance of a flow by a moving average within a short window in the past. Each flow incurs some penalty if its moving average is below some specified requirement, and we aim to minimize the overall penalty of the system. We approximate the system by Brownian motions, and formulate an optimization problem for minimizing the overall penalty. While the optimization problem is not convex, we establish a low-complexity algorithm for optimally solving it by leveraging inherent structures of real-time wireless networks. We also propose a simple online packet scheduling policy and prove that it achieves the minimum overall penalty. Simulation results show that Brownian approximations are accurate in capturing short-term performance, and our policies achieve much better performance than other policies. Moreover, they also demonstrate that policies with optimal long-term average delivery rates can actually have poor short-term performance.
Survival advantage in patients treated with high-dose interleukin-2 (HDIL2) for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC)

e16039 Background: A prognostic index developed at MSKCC(Memorial-Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) relates to survival in mRCC patients (pts) treated with interferon. We evaluated 79 pts treated first line with HDIL2 to see if this prognostic index is applicable. Eligibility for HDIL2 was based on cardiopulmonary screening and performance status (PS). Method: Medical records were analyzed retrospectively from 2000–2008. Pts were categorized into favorable, intermediate & poor risk category according to MSKCC prognostic index, which includes time from diagnosis to treatment, serum calcium & LDH, hemoglobin and PS. Median survival (OS) & median progression free survival (PFS) were compared between risk categories. Results were evaluated taking into consideration potential confounders such as subsequent treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) & time from nephrectomy to metastasis interval of more than 1 year. Statistical analysis utilized SPSS. Results: 29 pts (36.7%) were treated with TKIs subsequentl...
Kinetic Modeling of Sorbitol Hydrogenolysis over Bimetallic RuRe/C Catalyst

Sorbitol hydrogenolysis kinetics using bimetallic RuRe catalyst is reported based on multiple experiments in parallel batch slurry reactors (H2 pressure: 1.0–6.5 MPa, temperature: 473–503 K) to obtain concentration–time profiles. It is observed that RuRe/C bimetallic catalysts with Ca(OH)2 as a base promoter show significantly higher activity and selectivity toward liquid phase products such as 1,2-propanediol, lactic acid, ethylene glycol, and linear alcohols compared with monometallic Ru/C catalysts and other base promoters. It is further found that sorbitol hydrogenolysis initiates with dehydrogenation and subsequent C–C cleavage via retro-aldolization to form smaller molecules (C2–C4). Those smaller intermediates undergo dehydration, reorganization, and C–O cleavage to form C2–C3 acids, glycols, and linear alcohols as products, which are very similar to glycerol conversion chemistry. For the kinetic modeling, experimental data on concentration–time profiles were obtained using RuRe/C catalysts with Ca...
Effect of anticoagulants on the protein corona-induced reduced drug carrier adhesion efficiency in human blood flow

Abstract Plasma proteins rapidly coat the surfaces of particulate drug carriers to form a protein corona upon their injection into the bloodstream. The high presence of immunoglobulins in the corona formed on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) vascular-targeted carrier (VTC) surfaces was recently shown to negatively impact their adhesion to activated endothelial cells (aECs) in vitro. Here, we characterized the influence of anticoagulants, or their absence, on the binding efficiency of VTCs of various materials via modulation of their protein corona. Specifically, we evaluated the adhesion of PLGA, poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), silica, and polystyrene VTCs to aECs in heparinized, citrated, and non-anticoagulated (serum and whole) blood flows relative to buffer control. Particle adhesion is substantially reduced in non-anticoagulated blood flows regardless of the material type while only moderate to minimal reduction is observed for VTCs in anticoagulant-containing blood flow depending on the anticoagulant and material type. The substantial reduction in VTC adhesion in blood flows was linked to a high presence of immunoglobulin-sized proteins in the VTC corona via SDS-PAGE analysis. Of all the materials evaluated, PLGA was the most sensitive to plasma protein effects while PCL was the most resistant, suggesting particle hydrophobicity is a critical component of the observed negative plasma protein effects. Overall, this work demonstrates that anticoagulant positively alters the effect of plasma proteins in prescribing VTC adhesion to aECs in human blood flow, which has implication in the use of in vitro blood flow assays for functional evaluation of VTCs for in vivo use. Statement of Significance This study addresses the impact of anticoagulant on altering the extent of the previously observed protein corona-induced adhesion reduction of vascular-targeted drug carriers in human blood flows. Specifically, serum blood flow (no anticoagulant) magnifies the negative effect of the plasma protein corona on drug carrier adhesion relative to citrated or heparinized blood flows. Overall, the results from this work suggest that serum better predicts targeted drug carrier adhesion efficiency in vivo compared to anticoagulant containing plasma. Furthermore, this study offers critical insight into the importance of how the choice of anticoagulant can greatly affect drug delivery-related processes in vitro.
Autoregulation of Cerebral Blood Flow

Abstract The blood circulation to the brain is regulated by a number of systems that are collectively referred to as “autoregulation.” These various systems automatically respond to changes in the cerebral blood flow (CBF) aiming at restoring and maintaining adequate perfusion, hence the term “autoregulation.” Autoregulation of CBF is a process by which cerebral arteries maintain a constant CBF during variation of cerebral perfusion pressure. If autoregulation is impaired, changes in mean arterial pressure can cause passive decrease or increase of CBF, which can lead to cerebral ischemia and edema, respectively.
Meningococcal Prophylaxis: Problems with Minocycline

Minocycline (7-dimethyl amino-6-demethyl tetracycline) is a tetracycline derivative that has been advocated as the drug of choice in the treatment of meningococcal carriers. The frequency and severity of side effects reported with minocycline in initial studies were infrequent and mild. We studied a group of thirty patients given minocycline as prophylaxis for a case of meningococcal meningitis who experienced a large number of side effects often limiting normal daily activity.
Velamentous umbilical cord insertion and ruptured fetal vessel: A cause of fetal-maternal hemorrhage: A case report

Background Fetal hemorrhage is rare but can result in rapid fetal compromise. Abnormally located fetal vessels within the membranes increase the risk for their rupture and subsequent hemorrhage. The classic example of this is vasa previa. Case We present a case of acute fetal hemorrhage resulting from a ruptured fetal vessel. During induction of labor, significant fetal heart rate deceleration occurred, coinciding with acute vaginal bleeding and amniotomy. A depressed, live female neonate was delivered by emergency cesarean section. Examination of the placenta revealed a velamentous cord insertion and a ruptured fetal vessel coursing through the chorioamniotic membranes. Neonatal resuscitation included red blood cell transfusion for hypotension and low hematocrit. The neonate made a full recovery. Conclusion Acute fetal hemorrhage from the rupture of aberrant fetal vessels often coincides with rupture of membranes. Identifying ruptured fetal vessels abnormally coursing through the chorioamniotic membranes on examination of the placenta provides supporting evidence for suspected fetal hemorrhage.
The Adolescent’s Right to Psychiatric Care

The adolescent as psychological prototype evolves from a person dependent on the family of origin to a more autonomous person capable of establishing an identity, a system of values, and intimate, nurturing relationships with others. The adolescent as psychiatric patient enters into a contract in which consent has been given to a psychiatrist for treatment whose nature, benefits, risks, and alternatives have been explained and whose details may not be revealed to others without the adolescent’s permission. The adolescent as minor may lack the legal right independently to consent to psychiatric care or insure its confidentiality by virtue of age alone. An individual adolescent may be fully competent to consent to the psychiatric treatment he or she independently requests. What is their right to do so? Ideally, a parent consents to the psychiatric care their son or daughter requires. Unfortunately, there are a number of circumstances in which a parent might object. Parents may find psychiatric care to be socially unacceptable. They may resist ceding authority in family matters to a perfect stranger. Parents may dismiss serious difficulties as “just a phase they’re going through.” They may have religious objections to certain aspects of treatment (e.g., Christian Scientists who resist psychopharmacological treatment). Or they may wish to conceal serious family psychopathology and/or abuse from outside authorities.
Design and experimental evaluation of a multilayer AC winding configuration for sinusoidal MMF with shorter end-turn length

This paper presents the design and characterization of a multilayer AC winding configuration that provides high quality rotating MMF with reduced end-turn length. Harmonics in the airgap MMF have been characterized with standard winding functions and verified using finite element analysis (FEA). The multilayer winding design is optimized for a commercial premium/IE3 efficiency class benchmark machine and a prototype has been built. Performance of the designed motor has been verified with both FEA and experiments. Experimental evaluation under IEEE 112 standard shows that the designed motor can yield higher torque per unit Cu-loss and efficiency compared to its benchmark.
Factors contributing to and strategies to combat emerging arboviruses.

Less than half a century ago infectious diseases appeared to be destined to be extinguished via as a culmination of medical triumphs. As focus turned towards combating non-communicable diseases, em...
The Rayleigh-Ritz and Trefftz Methods

The Rayleigh-Ritz method belongs to the so-called direct methods of the calculus of variations, inasmuch as it is applied to problems formulated in an integral rather than a conventional, that is, differential, form. More often than not, the procedure involves the minimization of integrals containing unknown functions and their derivatives, without first deriving from these integrals equivalent (the so-called Euler-Lagrange) differential equations.
Feeling Hopeful Motivates Change: Emotional Responses to Messages Communicating Comparative Risk of Electronic Cigarettes and Combusted Cigarettes:

Background. Emotions are important in smoking-related communications, but the role of discrete positive and negative emotions in comparative risk messages about combusted and electronic cigarettes ...
Real-time changes in emotion regulation and loss of control eating.

Difficulties in emotion regulation are an important theoretical construct implicated in the maintenance of loss of control eating. In this study, 45 community and college participants who reported ...
Deer keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae: Lipoptena and Neolipoptena) in the United States and Canada: new state and county records, pathogen records, and an illustrated key to species.

Deer keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae: Lipoptena Nitzsch, 1818 and Neolipoptena Bequaert, 1942) are parasitic flies that primarily attack cervids and occasionally bite humans. Recent reports have documented nearly half a dozen pathogens in deer keds, but it is unknown whether keds are competent vectors. Although geographic ranges of the four North American deer ked species are known generally, precise limits are not well understood. If keds are competent vectors, knowing where they occur will inform the risk of pathogen transmission to people and animals. Herein, we report deer ked occurrence by county in the United States and Canada, including 7 new state and 91 new county/parish/administrative district records. We also include a key to North American deer ked species to facilitate specimen identification.
Alcohol consumption and subclinical atherosclerosis among South Asians: Findings from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study

Abstract Background South Asians are the second fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, and they have a high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with lower CVD risk in some race/ethnic groups, but the association of alcohol consumption and atherosclerosis in South Asians has not been investigated. Methods and Results We used data from 906 South Asian participants who participated in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort (2010–2012). Alcohol consumption was ascertained via questionnaire, coronary artery calcium (CAC) was measured with computed tomography, and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) was measured using B-mode ultrasonography. We used multivariable regression models to examine cross-sectional associations of alcohol consumption with the presence and amount of CAC and cIMT. Compared with never drinkers, participants consuming 4–7 drinks/week had a 63% decreased odds of any CAC after adjusting for potential confounders and mediators. Participants consuming 4–7 drinks/week had significantly lower odds of CAC score between 1 and 300 [OR (95% CI): 0.34 (0.16–0.72)]. A similar inverse association was seen for the odds of CAC>300 [OR (95% CI): 0.28 (0.07–0.97)]. Alcohol consumption of >7 drinks/week was associated with a 0.096 mm increase in common-cIMT. Conclusion There was an inverse association between the amount of alcohol intake and CAC among South Asians while a positive association was found between alcohol consumption and common-cIMT. Long-term follow-up of the MASALA cohort will examine prospective associations of alcohol intake with the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis, incident CVD events, and mortality.
A Payer Perspective of the Costs of Urinary Tract and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections in Adults with Diabetes and the Relationship to Oral Antidiabetic Medication Nonadherence.

BACKGROUND: Controlling costs and improving quality outcomes are important considerations of the triple aim in health care. Medication adherence to oral antidiabetic (OAD) medications is an outcome...
Fundamental selectivity limits of gas spectroscopy

We relate chemical selectivity of any gas spectroscopy system to its spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio by deriving error probability in decision between two gases and Cramer-Rao error bound for concentration estimate in multi-gas mixtures.
Uremic and Post-Transplant Gastropathy in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease and End-Stage Renal Disease.

Gastrointestinal (GI) mucosal lesions are common in chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and in post-renal transplant period. However, etiology of mucosal lesions pre- and post-transplant is very different. Gastropathy in non-transplant ESRD patients usually develops because of uremia, chronic anemia, and fluctuations in the gastric blood supply during hemodialysis, eventually leading to uremic gastritis. Gastropathy in post-transplant patients tends to be associated with immunosuppressive therapies. Helicobacter pylori infection is more prevalent in uremic patients than in post-transplant patients. Uremia can also lead to uremic arteriolopathy and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, which can present with GI symptoms mimicking uremic gastropathy. Post-transplantation immunosuppressive therapies have been linked to GI mucosal lesions as well. These lesions carry a poor prognostic factor disrupting the function of the GI tract, which in turn affects the pharmacokinetics of the immunosuppressive drugs eventually leading to poor graft survival and increased mortality. Mycophenolate mofetil is one of the agents more associated with intestinal erosions. Recognizing uremic gastropathy and intervening early helps prevent post-transplant GI complications. Acid controlling therapies can be an effective prophylaxis against both gastropathies. Using enteric-coated formulation for immunosuppressive agents may slow down the mucosal insult. Treatment of H. pylori in both patient populations may help prevent further mucosal injury. Lastly, timely screening for symptoms may help start treatment early and prevent progression to serious gastropathy.
The Sex Offender

Few populations are as widely misunderstood as sex offenders. Community fear of sex offenders has led to extreme punitive responses to this type of offense. While the phrase “sex offender” conjures images of rape in dark alleys and kidnapping, the largest proportion of sex offenses are actually between people that know one another, whether through friendship, family, or previous dating relationships. Research using penile plethysmographs has provided some answers to help us understand the lives and realities of sex offenders. Of note, sex offenders are not simply seeking sex wherever they can get it. Rather, sex offenders tend to be more attracted to violent sexual fantasies. Feminist perspectives argue that rape and sexual assault are the products of desires for power and control. Most correctional workers, however, acknowledge that while power and control are important, the sexual element is also a present and important consideration. Using this understanding, correctional counselors can redirect these fantasies toward legal and consensual acts. Contrary to popular opinion, sex offenders can be successfully rehabilitated.
Of Tournaments and Temptations: An Analysis of Managerial Incentives in the Mutual Fund Industry

We test the hypothesis that when their compensation is linked to relative performance, managers of investment portfolios likely to end up as "losers" will manipulate fund risk differently than those managing portfolios likely to be "winners." An empirical investigation of the performance of 334 growth-oriented mutual funds during 1976 to 1991 demonstrates that mid-year losers tend to increase fund volatility in the latter part of an annual assessment period to a greater extent than mid-year winners. Further, we show that this effect became stronger as industry growth and investor awareness of fund performance increased over time.
RATIONALIZATION OF SHIPYARD INFORMATION FLOWS FOR IMPROVED SHIPBUILDING PRODUCTIVITY

This paper provides a practical approach to rationalisation of shipyard information flows through procedures which analyse the quality and quantity of information produced by and received by shipyard employees. An improvement in the yard's productivity is gained through better quality and timeliness of management information, elimination of redundant or unnecessary reports, streamlining of reports, and reduced distribution of the information. The process to achieve these goals is based on a microcomputer-assisted analysis of existing information flows. An inventory of reports and management information is developed to include distribution, frequency, computerised versus manual production, size, and use of the information. Based on the analysis, recommended rationalisation can result in productivity gains and in cost reductions .
Diagnosis and Acute Management of Patients with Symptomatic Bradyarrhythmias

Bradyarrhythmias can occur secondary to a wide variety of normal physiological and abnormal pathological conditions, ranging from mild conditions such as vasovagal episodes or unintentional drug overdose, to more serious conditions such as severe sepsis, multiorgan failure, or intracranial catastrophe (Table 7-1.) In fact, the large majority of symptomatic bradyarrhythmias are due to causes extrinsic to the specialized cardiac con duction system (secondary or functional bradycardia). Primary bradyarrhythmias truly due to intrinsic disease of the sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node, or His-Purkinje system are relatively rare (Table 7-1.) Consequently, optimum diagnosis and urgent management of patients with symptomatic bradyarrhythmias should include as complete an evaluation of the patient as necessary to establish the presence of extrinsic factors/agents or underlying acute/chronic medical conditions/diseases which may be responsible for the bradyarrhythmia. In this case, treating the underlying condition or withdrawing a potentially offending agent of ten is sufficient to reverse the bradycardia, whether it be at the level of the SA or AV node, or His-Purkinje system. Secondary or functional bradycardias also are more likely to respond to pharmacological interventions (see below), such as intravenous administration of atropine or s-adrenergic agonists, than primary bradyarrhythmias. A complete discussion of secondary causes of bradyarrhythmias is well beyond the scope of this book and the interested reader is referred to other sources [1].
Symptoms, signs and yield reduction associated with Rhizoctonia disease of potato induced by tuberborne inoculum ofRhizoctonia solani AG-3

The disease inducing potential of tuberborne inoculum ofRhizoctonia solani AG-3 on potato was evaluated. Four cultivars of potato, with or without visible evidence of tuberborne inoculum and with or without formaldehyde treatment, were planted in the field. Total and US #1 yields were reduced by an average of 19.2% and 35.1% respectively on those plots from seed tubers with tuberborne inoculum and plots from seed tubers that received no formaldehyde treatment. Tuberborne inoculum delayed emergence by 23.9%, and large girdling lesions appeared on the subterranean stems of more than 90% of the plants produced from contaminated seed. A high incidence of aerial stem lesions and hymenial development also was associated with tuberborne inoculum. However, the number of stems per plant did not differ significantly among treatments. A two min dip in 1.85% aqueous solution of formaldehyde killed most if not all of the seedborne inoculum.
Introduction: Benefits of Private Enforcement: Empirical Background

This short piece takes a first step toward providing the empirical bases for an assessment of the benefits of private enforcement. It presents evidence showing that private enforcement of the antitrust laws is serving its intended purposes and is in the public interest. Private enforcement helps compensate victimized consumers, and it also helps deter anticompetitive conduct. This piece demonstrates this by briefly summarizing a more detailed analysis of forty of the largest recent successful private antitrust cases. To analyze these cases' compensation effects this presents, inter alia, the amount of money each action recovered, what proportion of the money was recovered from foreign entities, whether the private litigation was preceded by government action, the attorneys' fees awarded to plaintiffs' counsel, on whose behalf money was recovered (direct purchasers, indirect purchasers, or a competitor), and the kind of claim the plaintiffs asserted (rule of reason, per se, or a combination of the two). The $21.9 to $23.9 billion (in 2010 dollars) returned to victims helped compensate many victims of illegal behavior. To analyze their deterrence effects, the article also briefly compares the amounts awarded in these 40 cases to the deterrence effects of every DOJ cartel case from the same period (including the deterrence effects of criminal fines and incarceration). This article shows that private enforcement of the U. S. antitrust laws - which usually is derided as essentially worthless - probably serves as a more important deterrent of anticompetitive behavior than the most esteemed antitrust program in the world, criminal enforcement by the Antitrust Division. The debate over the value of private antitrust enforcement long has been heavy with self-serving but unproven assertions by powerful economic interests. This article should cause many in both the United States and in Europe to reevaluate their views as to the overall efficacy of private antitrust enforcement.
Island size predicts the frequency of melanic birds in the color-polymorphic flycatcher Monarcha castaneiventris of the Solomon Islands

ABSTRACT Observations that similar traits repeatedly evolve across independent taxa on islands—such as loss of flight in birds or reduction of body size in large mammals—suggest that deterministic processes, rather than drift, drive the convergent evolution of these traits. One such repeated pattern on islands that has received little attention is the evolution of entirely black coloration, or “melanism.” In several taxa, including birds, reptiles, and insects, melanism has evolved on islands despite the proximity of mainland populations with different colors. We explored the evolution of melanism on islands by testing how island size predicts the frequency of melanic birds in Monarcha castaneiventris obscurior, a subspecies of flycatcher from the Solomon Islands that is polymorphic for plumage color (i.e. melanic vs. chestnut-bellied). While accounting for potential spatial autocorrelation because some islands are <1 km apart, we found that island size predicted the frequency of melanic birds, with small...
Kohn Effect in Na and other Metals

It is pointed out that if the Kohn effect is looked for, not as an obvious kink in the phonon dispersion curves of metals as originally suggested, but as a damped sinusoidal variation of the interplanar force constants with separation, then (1) the effect has been observed in many metals and (2) for Na, which is very close to a free-electron metal, the measured force constants oscillate with the expected wavelength ($\frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{{k}_{F}}$). From the data for Al and Pb, it would appear that even though the Fermi surface is quite close to a free-electron sphere in the extended zone, electrons do not scatter isotropically around this surface, but presumably stay within their respective Brillouin zones even at temperatures of the order of the Debye $\ensuremath{\theta}$.
Regulation of collagenase activity in the ulcerating cornea by cyclic-AMP.

Abstract Dibutyryl cyclic-AMP (DBcAMP) and theophylline partially inhibit the appearance of collagenase activity when added to cultures of ulcerating rabbit corneas. Drug treatment with DBcAMP also inhibits degradation of collagen in the explanted corneas as measured by hydroxyproline in the media. The hydrolysis product of DBcAMP, 5′-adenosine monophosphate (5′ AMP) is itself very effective in suppressing collagenase activity and the degradation of explant collagen. The mechanism(s) of the drug effects is not yet known but it is possible that the drugs affect the synthesis and/or the secretion of collagenase. The results suggest that “first messengers” exist which can prevent the secretion of corneal collagenase by raising endogenous cAMP in corneal cells through stimulation of the adenyl cyclase system. Eventual successful treatment of corneal ulceration might well require pharmacologic intervention at multiple levels: the biosynthesis, secretion, activation and activity of collagenase.
Scalable Training of Sparse Linear SVMs

Sparse linear support vector machines have been widely applied to variable selection in many applications. For large data, managing the cost of training a sparse model with good predication performance is an essential topic. In this work, we propose a scalable training algorithm for large-scale data with millions of examples and features. We develop a dual alternating direction method for solving L1-regularized linear SVMs. The learning procedure simply involves quadratic programming in the same form as the standard SVM dual, followed by a soft-thresholding operation. The proposed training algorithm possesses two favorable properties. First, it is a decomposable algorithm by which a large problem can be reduced to small ones. Second, the sparsity of intermediate solutions is maintained throughout the training process. It naturally promotes the solution sparsity by soft-thresholding. We demonstrate that, by experiments, our method outperforms state-of-the-art approaches on large-scale benchmark data sets. We also show that it is well suited for training large sparse models on a distributed system.
Disruptive behavior and school grades: Genetic and environmental relations in 11-year-olds.

Disruptive behavior may be associated with poor academic achievement due to covariance with attention problems and low IQ. Evidence is based on clinical samples and on associations between problem behaviors in young children and later achievement difficulties. The contemporaneous relations and their genetic and environmental influences have not been understood. Using the population-based Minnesota Twin Family Study, the authors observed this pattern of associations in 11-year-olds. About 75% of variance in latent inattention, ability, behavior, and school grades variables was genetic. Genetic influences on inattention and grades and on ability and grades were highly overlapping. Those on disruptive behavior were less closely related.
Efficiency of Histidine-Associating Compounds for Blocking the Alzheimer's Aβ Channel Activity and Cytotoxicity ☆

The opening of the Alzheimer's Aβ channel permits the flux of calcium into the cell, thus critically disturbing intracellular ion homeostasis. Peptide segments that include the characteristic histidine (His) diad, His13 and His14, efficiently block the Aβ channel activity, blocking Aβ cytotoxicity. We hypothesize that the vicinal His-His peptides coordinate with the rings of His in the mouth of the pore, thus blocking the flow of calcium ions through the channel, with consequent blocking of Aβ cytotoxicity. To test this hypothesis, we studied Aβ ion channel activity and cytotoxicity after the addition of compounds that are known to have His association capacity, such as Ni2+, imidazole, His, and a series of His-related compounds. All compounds were effective at blocking both Aβ channel and preventing Aβ cytotoxicity. The efficiency of protection of His-related compounds was correlated with the number of imidazole side chains in the blocker compounds. These data reinforce the premise that His residues within the Aβ channel sequence are in the pathway of ion flow. Additionally, the data confirm the contribution of the Aβ channel to the cytotoxicity of exogenous Aβ.
Determination of γ-glutamyl-valyl-glycine in raw scallop and processed scallop products using high pressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

The determination of the kokumi peptide, γ-glutamyl-valyl-glycine (γ-Glu-Val-Gly) in raw scallop and processed scallop products was carried out using high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The detection of γ-Glu-Val-Gly was achieved using a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. The optimised condition enabled the precise determination of γ-Glu-Val-Gly. Raw scallop contained 0.08 μg/g γ-Glu-Val-Gly, and the γ-Glu-Val-Gly levels in processed scallop products, such as dried-scallop and scallop extract, were measured to be 0.64 and 0.77 μg/g, respectively. This is the first report to confirm the existence of γ-Glu-Val-Gly in foodstuff.
Current progress in multiple image blind demixing algorithms

Imagery edges occur naturally in human visual systems as a consequence of redundancy reduction towards `sparse and orthogonality feature maps,' which have been recently derived from the maximum entropy information-theoretical first principle of artificial neural networks. After a brief match review of such an Independent Component Analysis or Blind Source Separation of edge maps, we explore the de- mixing condition for more than two imagery objects recognizable by an intelligent pair of cameras with memory in a time-multiplex fashion.
Coupled Effects of Light and Nitrogen Source on the Urea Cycle and Nitrogen Metabolism over a Diel Cycle in the Marine Diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

Diatoms are photoautotrophic organisms capable of growing on a variety of inorganic and organic nitrogen sources. Discovery of a complete urea cycle in diatoms was surprising, as this pathway commonly functions in heterotrophic organisms to rid cells of waste nitrogen. To determine how the urea cycle is integrated into cellular nitrogen metabolism and energy management, the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana was maintained in semi-continuous batch cultures on nitrate, ammonium, or urea as the sole nitrogen source, under a 16: 8 light: dark cycle and at light intensities that were low, saturating, or high for growth. Steady-state transcript levels were determined for genes encoding enzymes linked to the urea cycle, urea hydrolysis, glutamine synthesis, pyrimidine synthesis, photorespiration, and energy storage. Transcript abundances were significantly affected by nitrogen source, light intensity and a diel cycle. The impact of N source on differential transcript accumulation was most apparent under the highest light intensity. Models of cellular metabolism under high light were developed based on changes in transcript abundance and predicted enzyme localizations. We hypothesize that the urea cycle is integrated into nitrogen metabolism through its connection to glutamine and in the eventual production of urea. These findings have important implications for nitrogen flow in the cell over diel cycles at surface ocean irradiances.
Economic Evaluation of Air Pollution Damage and Control: Discussion

Uncertainty about physical and biological effects undermines the value of some economic analyses of the relative merits of air pollution abatement policies. It does not necessarily follow, though, that researchers should focus their efforts on the areas of greatest uncertainty without first determining which areas are most important for policy purposes. The author reviews concerns raised over the use of ex post rather than ex ante measures as decision criteria in cost benefit analysis. She argues that acid rain should be considered apart from general air pollution because of the political and regional problems associated with long-range transport. 9 references.
Oxidation behavior of a fine-grained rapidly solidified 18-8 stainless steel

The cyclic oxidation behavior of a fine-grained, rapidly solidified 303 stainless steel was determined at 900 °C in pure oxygen. The rapidly solidified alloy exhibited superior resistance to oxidation compared with that of a wrought 304 stainless steel; its oxidation resistance was as good as that of a wrought 310 stainless steel, even though the latter alloy contained more Cr and Ni. The matrix of the rapidly solidified steel contained a uniform dispersion of fine MnS precipitates (0.2 to 0.5 μm), which were effective in inhibiting grain growth at elevated temperatures. The enhanced resistance to oxidation of the rapidly solidified alloy is attributed to two factors: (1) the formation and growth of protective Cr2O3 and SiO2 scales were promoted by the fine alloy grain size (5 to 8 =gmm) and by the presence of the MnS dispersion, and (2) the adherence of the scale was increased by the formation of intrusions of SiO2 from the external scale into the alloy, which formed around MnS precipitates and along closely-spaced alloy grain boundaries, and which acted to key the scale mechanically to the alloy.
SYNTHESIS AND MASS SPECTRAL STUDIES OF 1-(5-CHLORO-1-SUBSTITUTED-2(1H)-PYRAZIN-2-ON-3-YL)-5-ARYL-3-METHYLPYRAZOLES

Sixteen new 1-[5-chloro-1-substituted-2(1H)-pyrazin-2-on-3-yl]-5-aryl-3-methylpyrazoles V have been synthesized by condensation of 5-chloro-1-substituted-3-hydrazino-2(1H)-pyrazin-2-ones III and 1-aryl-1,3-butanediones IV in dry 1,4-dioxane. The general mass spectral fragmentation mode of these compounds has been studied.
What is your diagnosis? Vertebral mass in a dog

A 1-year-old, castrated male, mixed-breed dog was presented for sporadic episodes of kyphosis, tremors, and vocalizing. On neurologic examination, the lesion was localized to spinal cord segments T3-L3. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine showed an expansile mass occupying most of the ventral aspect of the spinous process of T6. Fine-needle aspirates of the mass were examined cytologically. A moderately cellular population of pleomorphic spindle cells and abundant mucinous matrix were observed. The cytologic diagnosis was spindle cell neoplasia, with myxosarcoma and fibrosarcoma as the primary differential diagnoses. The dog was euthanized. Histopathologic evaluation of the mass and surrounding tissue confirmed a low-grade spindle cell sarcoma, with severe compressive myelopathy and mild neutrophilic inflammation. The neoplastic cells stained positive for mucopolysaccharides with Alcian blue, resulting in a final diagnosis of low-grade (grade 1) myxosarcoma. Fine-needle aspiration was useful in making a preliminary diagnosis of myxosarcoma in this case. Myxosarcoma should be included in the differential diagnosis for a vertebral mass in a young dog.