cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Moral Contestation and the Regulatory Politics of Rule-Making for Derivatives

A central question facing market societies is how governments can best regulate economic competition in emerging areas. This paper illuminates this general question by examining the public comments submitted to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), 2010-2014, in response to proposed rules for implementing a particularly technical part of the Dodd-Frank Act: the creation of a new regulatory regime for derivatives trading. The literature on regulatory implementation emphasizes the preponderance of concentrated industry actors compared to other groups. The CFTC’s effort to create a new regulatory regime for the derivatives business allows us to compare the commenting activity of the large investment banks to a broad range of firms and other organizations. We develop a more fine-grained typology of industry segments and non-industry groups than other studies of implementation. By combining this typology with a topic-modeling approach, we can systematically map commonalities and divergences among different commenters. We find that the complex cross-cutting patterns within the industry sector are far less conspicuous than a clear cleavage in the willingness of different types of commenters to address the moral dimensions of market behavior.
The #MeToo movement and attitudes toward President Trump in the wake of a sexual misconduct allegation

Did sexual misconduct allegations against President Trump affect evaluations of him, particularly among supporters of the #MeToo Movement? In this research note, we present two-wave panel data from...
Experimental Investigation of a Moored, Circular Pipe Breakwater

Abstract Floating breakwaters are commonly used for shoreline protection in coastal areas and may offer a relatively cost-effective method for embankment protection in irrigation reservoirs. This s...
Uterine bioimpedance combined with artificial intelligence as a means of cancer detection.

This study hypothesised that benign and tumour-bearing uterine tissue could be differentiated by their unique electrical bioimpedance patterns, with the aid of artificial intelligence. Twenty whole...
Nickel-Catalyzed Defluorinative Coupling of Aliphatic Aldehydes with Trifluoromethyl Alkenes

A simple procedure is reported for the nickel-catalyzed defluorinative alkylation of unactivated aliphatic aldehydes. The process involves the catalytic reductive union of trifluoromethyl alkenes with aldehydes using a nickel complex of a 6,6’-disubstituted bipyridine ligand with zinc metal as the terminal reductant. The protocol is distinguished by its broad substrate scope, mild conditions, and simple catalytic setup. Reaction outcomes are consistent with the intermediacy of an alpha-silyloxy(alkyl)nickel intermediate generated by a low-valent nickel catalyst, silyl electrophile, and the aldehyde substrate.
A Benchmark Model of Grid-Connected Conversion System for Control Interaction Caused Oscillation Problems

The paper demonstrates a benchmark model to solve the latest oscillation problem that occurred in the power system with high proportion of renewable power generation. The oscillation problem is particularly related to the control interactions caused by power electronic devices. Hence, this model is simplified based on a grid-connected wind generation system. It shows the phenomena of sub-synchronous and super-synchronous oscillation under certain circumstances. The analytical techniques of the eigenvalue method and impedance-based method are both applied to this model which are demonstrated by the digital simulator (MATLAB Simulink). The model parameters are determined based on the Hami wind power system in Xinjiang, China. According to the simulation results, the model can present the sub-synchronous and super-synchronous oscillation phenomenon under certain conditions, which can be applied with different theoretical techniques.
Spectrally-selective Time-resolved Emission through Fourier-filtering (STEF)

In this manuscript we demonstrate that directing the emitted photon stream from a fluorescent sample through a fixed path-length imbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer allows us to separate and resolve the dynamics of different emitters without the use of filtering optics. Our method, Spectrallyselective Time-resolved Emission through Fourier-filtering (STEF) takes advantage of a careful selection of interferometer position where one signal can be canceled (or enhanced) due to its unique spectral characteristics. STEF is straightforward to implement and provides a complementary approach to separate spectrally overlapped signals based on their coherence length and carrier frequency. We also discuss how one can implement STEF with an imperfect Mach-Zehnder interferometer, increasing the utility of this method, and demonstrate how Mach-Zehnder filtering can be used to image fluorophores in biologically relevant samples.
Cholinergic Innervation in Cerebral Cortex

This chapter summarizes current knowledge about the anatomical organization of cholinergic innervation in cerebral cortex. Many investigations over the last five decades have contributed to establishing ACh as a neurotransmitter in cerebral cortex. It was realized early that cerebral cortex contains all of the components of cholinergic metabolism in moderately high amounts, including ACh itself, the ACh-synthesizing enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT, EC 2.3.1.6), and the ACh-degrading enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7). Later, the presence in cortex of both muscarinic and nicotinic binding sites (probably reflecting ACh receptors) was described (for review see Fonnum, 1973, 1975; Kuhar, 1976; Emson and Lindvall, 1979; Fibiger, 1982; Parnavelas and McDonald, 1983). Cortical synaptosomes, subcellular fractions containing mainly isolated synaptic complexes, have been shown to contain ACh, ChAT, AChE, and sodium-dependent high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) (Yamamura and Snyder, 1973; Kuhar and Murrin, 1978), and ACh can be released from cortex in vivo (Mitchell, 1963: Collier and Mitchell, 1966) and from synaptosomes in a Ca2+-dependent manner (Kuhar and Murrin, 1978). Many studies have investigated the pharmacological and physiological effects of ACh in cortex (Krnjevic and Phillis, 1963a–c; Crawford, 1970; Lamour et al. 1982b). Altogether, the evidence strongly suggests that ACh acts as a neurotransmitter in cerebral cortex, although the complex anatomical organization of this tissue has not permitted experiments as straightforward and conclusive as those that have characterized cholinergic transmission at the neuromuscular junction.
Auroral Signatures of Ballooning Mode Near Substorm Onset: Open Geospace General Circulation Model Simulations

Auroral Phenomen Other Planets Geophysical Mon © 2012. American 10.1029/2011GM We present results from Open Geospace General Circulation Model simulations of the 23 March 2007 THEMIS “first light” substorm. We investigate the relation between ballooning modes in the tail and auroral “beads.”Magnetic mapping of the ballooning structures in the tail shows an ionosphere signature that closely resembles auroral beads. The close match of the ballooning properties in the tail with observations, in particular an azimuthal wavelength of ~0.5 RE, and the close resemblance of the mapped ballooning structures in the simulation with observed auroral beads provides evidence that beads are a signature of tail ballooning modes. Since the aurora is much easier observed globally than the tail, this result allows studying the relation of ballooning to the substorm phases using auroral observations. From the simulation, we find no direct connection between the ballooning mode and expansion phase onset. However, other instabilities that lie somewhere between ballooning and tearing may play an important role as trigger.
Characterization of the herpes virion: I. Purification and amino acid composition of nucleocapsids☆

Abstract The amino acid composition was determined on the proteins of naked nucleocapsids from several isolates of herpesvirus types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2). The viral nucleocapsids were isolated from whole infected cell lysates and partially purified by treatment with Nonidet P-40 followed by centrifugation through a discontinuous sucrose gradient. The partially purified virions were freed of residual fragments of envelope by treatment with a combination of deoxycholate and Tween-40. Highly purified HSV-1 and HSV-2 nucleocapsids had a similar amino acid composition. Arginine was not present in unusually high levels in the HSV nucleocapsid.
Reevaluating nuclear safety and security in a post 9/11 era.

This report has the following topics: (1) Changing perspectives on nuclear safety and security; (2) Evolving needs in a post-9/11 era; (3) Nuclear Weapons--An attractive terrorist target; (4) The case for increased safety; (5) Evolution of current nuclear weapons safety and security; (6) Integrated surety; (7) The role of safety and security in enabling responsiveness; (8) Advances in surety technologies; and (9) Reevaluating safety.
Path Planning for Permutation-Invariant Multi-Robot Formations

In this paper we demonstrate path planning for our formation space that represents permutation-invariant multi-robot formations. Earlier methods generally pre-assign roles for each individual robot, rely on local planning and behaviors to build emergent behaviors, or give robots implicit constraints to meet. Our method first directly plans the formation as a set, and only afterwards determines which robot takes which role. To build our representation of this formation space, we make use of a property of complex polynomials: they are unchanged by permutations of their roots. Thus we build a characteristic polynomial whose roots are the robot locations, and use its coefficients as a representation of the formation. Mappings between work spaces and formation spaces amount to building and solving polynomials. In this paper, we construct an efficient obstacle collision detector, and use it in a local planner. From this we construct a basic roadmap planner. We thus demonstrate that our polynomial based representation can be used for effective permutation invariant formation planning.
Hiding data and code security for application hosting infrastructure

In mobile computing environments, where clients have limited computing power and memory, it is common for mobile clients to use a fixed host server to execute their applications. Application hosting services, which rent out storage, (Internet) presence, and computation power to clients with IT needs (but without appropriate infrastructures) have been widely adopted. A common way these hosting services are used is as follows: (1) The customer (or application owner) A with an application P publishes this application along with the relevant data onto the servers of the host, H. (2) Whenever they need, the customer (or application owner) A or its clients access the application remotely by passing appropriate parameter variables v to the host. (3) The host, then, runs P(v) with the local data, and sends the result back to the requesting party. (4) The host charges the customer (or application owner) based on the resources (bandwidth, CPU, storage, etc.) required for the processing of the request.
Applications of Estimation Theory to Numerical Weather Prediction

Numerical weather prediction (NWP) is an initial-value problem for a system of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) in which the initial values are known only incompletely and inaccurately. Data at initial time can be supplemented, however, by observations of the system distributed over a time interval preceding it. Estimation theory has been successful in approaching such problems for models governed by systems of ordinary differential equations and of linear PDEs. We develop methods of sequential estimation for NWP.
Information inconsistency and the cognitive algebra of foreign policy decision making

This paper explores a special feature of the information complexity that underlies foreign policy decision making, i.e., inconsistency in information. We use the actor and action images to categorize types of inconsistency. The consequences of inconsistency for process and outcome are analyzed within the framework of a cognitive algebra model. Finally, we demonstrate the implications of the model in an experimental study. Our findings show that not every inconsistency is detected and those that are detected do not always affect the choice. The critical inconsistency is the one that presents an imbalanced structure of the actor and the action image. This inconsistency affects the choices made by decision‐makers and sensitizes them to the within image inconsistency. Furthermore, the results suggests that in the context of the scenarios employed in this experiment the actor image has a more dominant status for the foreign policy decision making process than the action image.
A Telemetry-Instrumentation System for Long-Term Implantable Glucose and Oxygen Sensors

Abstract This paper describes the development of a compact, low power, implantable system for in vivo monitoring of oxygen and glucose concentrations. The telemetry-instrumentation system consists of two amperometric sensors: one oxygen and one glucose biosensor and two potentiostats for biasing the sensors, an instrumentation amplifier to subtract and amplify sensor output signals, and a signal transmitter subunit to convert and transmit glucose dependent signal from the sensors to a remote data acquisition system. The system produces a unipolar glucose dependent voltage in the range of 1 to 3.6 V which is converted to a frequency and then transmitted using a frequency-modulated (FM) oscillator. Initial tests were performed on an open model electronic circuit using resistors to simulate sensor outputs in the 10 to 1000 nA range. Further in vitro evaluation of the system was conducted with a compact printed circuit board embedded in silicone elastomer, entirely submerged in buffer solution using actual se...
Reactivation Pathway of The Hydrogenase H-cluster: Density Functional Theory Study

This work puts forth a reaction pathway for the reactivation of exogenous ligand inhibited H-cluster, the active site of Fe-only hydrogenases. The H-cluster is a dimetal complex, Fe–Fe, with the metal centers bridged by di(thiomethyl)amine. Exogenous ligands, H2O, and OH−, are bound to the distal iron (Fed). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the native and ruthenium-modified H-cluster have been performed using the B3LYP functional with 6-31+G** and 6-311+G** basis sets. We have ascertained that there is a thermodynamically favorable pathway for the reactivation of the OH− inhibited H-cluster, which proceeds by an initial protonation of the Fed–OH− complex. The proposed reaction pathway has all its intermediate reactions ensue exothermically. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007
Effects of grwoth hormone therapy and malnutrition on the growth of rats with renal failure

We examined the effects of methionylhuman growth hormone (met-hGH) and malnutrition on the growth of 5/6 nephrectomized rats and sham-operated controls. One group of shamoperated rats (PFS) was pair-fed with a group of nephrectomized rats in renal failure (RF); another group of sham-operated rats was fed ad libitum (ALS), and a final group of rats with renal failure (RF-GH) was treated with 4 IU/day met-hGH. After 4 weeks, RF-GH rats gained 12.3±1.7 cm in length; this was more than the 10.2±1.2 cm gain of RF rats (P PFS>RF,P<0.05 for all comparisons); this suggests that the poor growth of RF rats when compared with PFS rats was due to factors other, than food intake. Serum IGF-I levels of 771±249 ng/ml in PFS rats were lower than levels of 1109±253 ng/ml found in the ALS group (P<0.05); this is consistent with the malnourished state of PFS rats. Serum IGF-I levels in RF rats (950±236 ng/ml) were not different from ALS or PFS levels despite the fact that RF rats gained less weight and length than either the ALS or PFS rats. We conclude that RF rats increase in length, use ingested calories more efficiently, and fail to develop marked insulin resistance when treated with met-hGH. We find that, in addition to poor food intake, other factors contribute to growth failure in this model of renal failure. Finally, we find that RF rats have normal levels of IGF-I, suggesting that low IGF-I levels are not a major cause of growth failure in rats with renal failure.
Tsg101: HIV-1's ticket to ride

Recent studies implicate the vacuolar protein-sorting pathway in the transport of the retroviral structural precursor (Gag) protein to its budding site on the plasma membrane of infected cells. This exploitation of the cellular endocytic trafficking machinery to release viral particles could lead to the identification of virus-specific modulators and provide opportunities to design new targeted anti-viral agents.
Comparative analysis of traditional and coiled fiducials implanted during EUS for pancreatic cancer patients receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Background EUS-guided fiducial placement facilitates image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Objective To compare 2 types of commercially available fiducials for technical success, complications, visibility, and migration. Design Retrospective, single-center, comparative study. Setting Tertiary-care medical center. Interventions Traditional fiducials (TFs) (5-mm length, 0.8-mm diameter) and Visicoil fiducials (VFs) (10-mm length, 0.35-mm diameter) were compared. Fiducials were placed using linear 19-gauge (for TFs) or 22-gauge (for VFs) needles. A subjective visualization scoring system (0-2; 0=not visible, 1=barely visible, 2=clearly visible) was used to assess visibility on CT. Fiducial migration was calculated as a change in interfiducial distance. Main Outcome Measurements Technical success, complications, visibility, and migration of 2 types of fiducials. Results Thirty-nine patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer underwent EUS-guided placement of 103 fiducials (77 TFs, 26 VFs). The mean number of fiducials placed per patient was 2.66 (standard deviation 0.67) for the 19-gauge needle and 2.60 (standard deviation 0.70) for the 22-gauge needle ( P = .83). No intra- or postprocedural complications were encountered. The median visibility score for TFs was significantly better than that for VFs, both when scores of 0 were and were not included (2.00, interquartile range [IQR] 2.00-2.00 vs 1.75, IQR 1.50-2.00, P = .009 and 2.00, IQR 2.00-2.00 vs 2.00, IQR 1.50-2.00, P P = .72). Limitations Retrospective, nonrandomized design. Conclusions Visibility was significantly better for TFs compared with VFs. The degree of fiducial migration was not significantly different for TFs and VFs. There was no significant difference in the mean number of fiducials placed, indicating a similar degree of technical difficulty for TF and VF deployment.
Investigation of Factors Affecting Controlled Release from Photosensitive DMPC and DSPC Liposomes

An investigation of liposomes comprised of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) or 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) lipids with cholesterol and zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPC) revealed that several fundamental liposome properties are influenced by composition and by lipid-specific features. DMPC and DSPC liposomes were synthesized, and their compositional changes, encapsulation capacities, morphologies, and release properties were evaluated. In this research, liposome degradation, lysis, and content release were initiated by photolysis, i.e., rupture induced by exposure to light. A controlled release mechanism was created through the introduction of photosensitizers (i.e., ZnPC) embedded within the cholesterol-stabilized liposome membrane. The light wavelength and light exposure time accelerated photodegradation properties of DMPC liposomes compared to DSPC liposomes, which exhibited a slower release rate. Morphological changes in the liposomes were strongly influenced by light wavelength and light exposure time. For both the DMPC and DSPC liposomes, visible light with wavelengths in the red end of the spectrum and broad spectrum ambient lighting (400-700 nm) were more effective for lysis than UV-A light (365 nm). Heating liposomes to 100 °C decreased the stability of liposomes compared to liposomes kept at room temperatures. In addition, the optimal lipid-to-cholesterol-to-photoactivator ratio that produced the most stable liposomes was determined.
GPU implementations for fast factorizations of STAP covariance matrices

One of the main goals of the STAP-BOY program has been the implementation of a space-time adaptive processing (STAP) algorithm on graphics processing units (GPUs) with the goal of reducing the processing time. Within the context of GPU implementation, we have further developed algorithms that exploit data redundancy inherent in particular STAP applications. Integration of these algorithms with GPU architecture is of primary importance for fast algorithmic processing times. STAP algorithms involve solving a linear system in which the transformation matrix is a covariance matrix. A standard method involves estimating a covariance matrix from a data matrix, computing its Cholesky factors by one of several methods, and then solving the system by substitution. Some STAP applications have redundancy in successive data matrices from which the covariance matrices are formed. For STAP applications in which a data matrix is updated with the addition of a new data row at the bottom and the elimination of the oldest data in the top of the matrix, a sequence of data matrices have multiple rows in common. Two methods have been developed for exploiting this type of data redundancy when computing Cholesky factors. These two methods are referred to as 1) Fast QR factorizations of successive data matrices 2) Fast Cholesky factorizations of successive covariance matrices. We have developed GPU implementations of these two methods. We show that these two algorithms exhibit reduced computational complexity when compared to benchmark algorithms that do not exploit data redundancy. More importantly, we show that when these algorithmic improvements are optimized for the GPU architecture, the processing times of a GPU implementation of these matrix factorization algorithms may be greatly improved.
The value of CANDAs in drug development

Faster time to action and facilitated review are the expected benefits when regulatory agencies use computer-assisted new drug applications (CANDAs). Although no statistics are available to support these benefits, CANDAs continue to be used widely. Sponsors began to use CANDAs in-house also, and the benefits in this area were unexpected. This research of 32 pharmaceutical sponsors showed that when CANDAs were used internally, a better quality new drug application (NDA) appears to result. Use of CANDAs by sponsors in preparing an NDA did not extend the time of submission preparation; nor did it appear to speed the process.
Analysis of excavated bone by atomic absorption

Results from the elemental analysis of completely dissolved human bone by atomic absorption are (for some elements) reproducibly higher than those from the analysis of only the material obtained through digestion of the bone. Because digestion procedures can be quite variable, complete dissolution should provide more reliable comparisons between laboratories. We offer a detailed description of the dissolution procedure and of the atomic absorption analysis for a dozen elements.
A Pregnant Pause in Pancreatic Function

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a condition in which women with no prior history of glucose intolerance transiently develop diabetes during late pregnancy. GDM affects 3 to 14% of pregnant women and is associated with a spectrum of adverse sequelae for both mother and child, including a high rate of progression to type 2 diabetes (T2D) later in life. Although decline in pancreatic islet β cell function is a major contributor to GDM pathogenesis, its molecular underpinnings remain poorly understood. The discovery of molecular effectors of β cell dysfunction may inform new therapies for GDM and T2D. Prentice et al. asked whether circulating metabolites could cause β cell abnormalities in GDM. They screened a panel of 342 metabolites in pregnant patients with or without GDM that were matched for age, race, family history of diabetes, and prepregnancy body mass index. Their team discovered that the furan fatty acid metabolite CMPF (3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid) was significantly elevated in patients with GDM as well as in an independent cohort of nonpregnant adults with T2D. Mice injected with doses of CMPF that raised plasma concentrations to the level seen in GDM patients revealed that this metabolite could impair glucose tolerance in mice through a mechanism that involved reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by β cells. Studies in isolated pancreatic islets and cultured β cells revealed that the concentrations of CMPF seen in GDM patients directly impaired insulin biosynthesis via a mechanism involving CMPF import into the β cell by the organic anion transporter OAT3 followed by excess production of reactive-oxygen species. Importantly, CMPF-mediated β cell dysfunction could be rescued in vitro by either pharmacologic inhibition of OAT3 or administering the antioxidant N -acetyl-cysteine. This study implicates CMPF as a metabolite that might drive pathogenesis of GDM and T2D in humans. Now, researchers can continue to dissect more detailed mechanisms governing CMPF production and toxicity, knowledge that may lead to therapies for GDM, T2D, and other metabolic diseases. K. J. Prentice et al ., The furan fatty acid metabolite CMPF is elevated in diabetes and induces β cell dysfunction. Cell. Metab. 19 , 653–656 (2014). [[PubMed]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24703697
Bananas, Beef, and Biotechnology: Three Contentious U.S.-EU Trade Disputes

Trade disputes between the European Union and the United States over bananas, beef, and biotechnology stem from rent-seeking by special interests, consumers' fears about food safety, and mistrust of government regulation and enforcement. The unwillingness of the European Union to abide by the decisions of the dispute settlement panels threatens the integrity of the World Trade Organization, whose fundamental weakness is its inability to resolve conflicts when the contracting parties disagree with the findings of the dispute settlement body due to overriding domestic political concerns.
The tetrapartite synapse: Extracellular matrix remodeling contributes to corticoaccumbens plasticity underlying drug addiction

Synaptic plasticity has long been known to involve three key elements of neuropil, the presynapse, the postsynapse and adjacent glia. Here we review the role of the extracellular matrix in synaptic plasticity as a necessary component forming the tetrapartite synapse. We describe the role of matrix metalloproteinases as enzymes sculpting extracellular proteins and thereby creating an extracellular signaling domain required for synaptic plasticity. Specifically we focus on the role of the tetrapartite synapse in mediating the effects of addictive drugs at cortico-striatal synapses, and conclude that the extracellular signaling domain and its regulation by matrix metalloproteinases is critical for developing and expressing drug seeking behaviors.
Mutagenesis and Mapping of a Mouse Gene, Clock, Essential for Circadian Behavior

In a search for genes that regulate circadian rhythms in mammals, the progeny of mice treated with N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) were screened for circadian clock mutations. A semidominant mutation, Clock, that lengthens circadian period and abolishes persistence of rhythmicity was identified. Clock segregated as a single gene that mapped to the midportion of mouse chromosome 5, a region syntenic to human chromosome 4. The power of ENU mutagenesis combined with the ability to clone murine genes by map position provides a generally applicable approach to study complex behavior in mammals.
Enzymatic characteristics of recombinant medium isozyme of 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase.

P69 is an isozyme of the medium size class of human 2′-5′ oligoadenylate synthetases. In this study, recombinant P69 was expressed and used for enzymological and structural investigations. Bacterially expressed P69 was inactive whereas the same protein expressed in insect cells was highly active. Whether this difference could be due to differential post-translational modifications of the protein was investigated. Mutations of appropriate residues showed that myristoylation of the protein was not necessary for enzyme activity. In contrast, inhibition of glycosylation of P69, by tunicamycin treatment of the insect cells, produced an enzymatically inactive protein. Recombinant P69 produced in insect cells was purified by affinity chromatography. It was a dimeric glycoprotein, very stable and completely dependent on double stranded (ds) RNA for activity. The enzyme catalyzed the non-processive synthesis of 2′-5′-linked oligoadenylate products containing up to 30 residues. 2′-O-Methylated dsRNA was incapable of activating P69 and a 25-base pair dsRNA was as effective as larger dsRNA. This expression system will be useful for large scale production of P69 and its mutants for structural studies.
Parental Education and the Gender Gap in University Completion in Europe

DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH VOLUME 29, ARTICLE 3, PAGES 71-84 PUBLISHED 9 JULY 2013 http://www.demographic-research.org/Volumes/Vol29/3/ DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2013.29.3 Descriptive Finding Parental education and the gender gap in university completion in Europe Anne McDaniel © 2013 Anne McDaniel. This open-access work is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 2.0 Germany, which permits use, reproduction & distribution in any medium for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author(s) and source are given credit. See http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/de/
Antidromic digital and palmar nerve action potentials

Abstract The conduction velocities of antidromically propagated digital nerve action potentials along two segments of the arm have been measured for the median nerve in twenty-one normal subjects and for the ulnar nerve in thriteen normal subjects. A proximal-distal gradient in conduction velocity with higher values for the more proximal nerve segment was observed, confirming similar observations for orthodromic nerve action potentials over the same nerve segments. There is a significant decrease in the amplitude of the antidromically propagated digital nerve action potential with increasing age. On stimulation of the ulnar or median nerve in the arm and recording with high gains, short latency negative potentials can be recorded with surface electrodes in a wide distribution over the palmar and to a lesser extent, the dorsal surface of the hand. These potentials precede concomitantly recorded muscle action potentials in normal subjects and in patients with selective slowing of conduction in motor nerves. Evidence is presented that these potentials are neural in origin and that, as recorded from surface electrodes, they are antidromically conducted afferent nerve action potentials. Their usefulness in the measurement of afferent fiber conduction in certain patients is emphasized, It is important to distinguish these potentials from muscle action potentials recorded in the hand at high gain.
Nitrate impacts on the Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa

Nitrate pollution in springs in Florida has been suggested as a possible reason for declining populations of the Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa (Say). No correlation was found between snail density and nitrate concentration measured in six Florida springs. In laboratory studies examining short-term acute impacts of nitrate, adult and juvenile snail 96 h LC50 values could not be determined due to low mortality rates despite nitrate concentrations > 500 ppm. Juvenile snail growth was affected with EC50 values of 504 and 622 ppm nitrate, in two trials, respectively. Juvenile survival during the 14 d growth study fell below 50%, but again nitrate levels were very high (> 500 ppm). Given that snails exhibited little to no response to nitrate concentrations orders of magnitude greater than those found in Florida springs, we suggest that other factors, possibly including natural differences in habitat structure or changes in structure related to exotic plant invasions, may help explain the observed declines in apple snail abundance.
OHVIRA with a twist: obstructed hemivagina ipsilateral renal anomaly with urogenital sinus in 2 patients.

Abstract Background OHVIRA syndrome is a rare diagnosis involving the triad of obstructed hemivagina, uterine anomaly, and ipsilateral renal anomaly. OHVIRA syndrome can be associated with other anomalies due to abnormal embryologic development of the urogenital system. Cases A 14-year-old female with known left renal agenesis, long-standing urinary incontinence, and history of recurrent urinary tract infections presented with abdominal distention. A 4-year-old female with known right renal agenesis and urinary incontinence was found to have a single common channel at the introitus that communicated with the bladder and a hemivagina on the left. Summary and Conclusion It is important to identify the presence of a urogenital sinus in the OHVIRA setting, as surgical management for these patients may be affected. In both cases, the urogenital sinus was preserved as the vaginal opening.
Cardiac Rupture due to Metastases from a Carcinoma of the Antrum

The case is described of a 70-year-old white man with a primary anaplastic carcinoma of the right maxillary antrum, and with widespread visceral dissemination, including metastases to the heart. Myocardial rupture was noted to have occurred through one of the metastatic lesions. To the best of our knowledge this is the fourth instance of rupture as a sequel to tumorous infiltration of the heart. Among the metastases were one or more to a clear-cell adenoma of the left kidney. This instance of metastasis of "cancer to cancer" is the second case of this rare condition in the recent autopsy material of the Beth Israel Hospital.
Digitizing and Preserving Law School Recordings: A Duke Law Case Study

Written as a case study, this article outlines Duke Law School Information Services’ video digitization, preservation, and access initiative. This article begins with a discussion of the case study environment and the cross-departmental evaluation of in-house video production and processing workflows. The in-house preservation reformatting process and new collection policies that resulted from this evaluation are presented next. This is followed by descriptions of the programmatic approach used to coordinate multiple access venues by focusing on Python scripting and Google Data APIs to deliver consistent content and metadata. The article concludes with a discussion on the concept of best practices.
Conrad Under Wraps: Reputation, Pulp Indeterminacy, and the 1950 Signet Edition of Heart of Darkness

The label “pulp” denotes that which is sensational, formulaic, and cheap, its connotations long dissociated from its historical and material foundations in the all-fiction, wood-pulp magazines which proliferated on American newsstands in the early twentieth century. Recently, however, the term has enjoyed a resurgence within critical theory as a means of deconstructing the unhelpful logic of cultural polarization. Drawing on these developments, this essay uses the sensationally marketed paperback edition of Heart of Darkness issued by Signet in 1950 as a way of recovering the larger history of Conrad's writings in American pulp magazines. In so doing, it offers “pulp” as a critical tool for questioning Conrad's reputation in relation to Modernism and genre. Comparison of Signet's marketing of this edition with those of mid-century race novels, it will be seen, offers a historically revealing parallel between the ambiguity of its cover image and that of Conrad's own narrative.
Conformational changes of polypeptides in intense electric fields

Employing a simple “all or none” statistical theory, a calculation is given of the phase diagram in electric field–temperature space for the helix–coil transition of a polypeptide with nonpolar residues but charged end groups. The principal results are (i) the transition field extrapolated to absolute zero is on the order of millions of volts per centimeter, (ii) the normal transition temperature of large molecules is predicted to be significantly affected by fields as low as 30,000 V/cm, and (iii) for temperatures just above the helix-coil transition temperature, the application of a field to a large molecule causes an initial transition to the helix state and with a further isothermal increase of field the coil state returns. The theory is extended to the case of the unfolding of a globular protein in an electric field. The fields are somewhat lower than those for the helix-coil transition and are always single-valued at a given temperature. Lastly the effect of including the presence of charged residues is shown to decrease the estimated critical fields but keep them of the same order of magnitude as those given for the case of nonpolar residues.
Gouge development during hypervelocity sliding impact

The sliding interface of a hypersonic flyer/target system is subject to immense forces due to dynamic loads and the highly oblique impact of the flyer with the target. Under these severe loading conditions, the material in both the flyer and target will experience large non-linear deformation known as gouging. Using the hydrocode CTH, a numerical model of the gouging process has been created and studied to examine the underlying physics of the phenomenon. Results of simulated gouges are presented along with a discussion of the mechanics involved. Under the combination of a normal load sufficient to cause penetration of the flyer into the target, and hypervelocity tangential motion, stresses may exceed the plastic flow stress of the materials. In this case, material jets may develop at the material interface and impinge into the adjacent material. This jet formation, and the material deformation it causes, are the underlying causes of gouging.
>Reduced‐Dimensional Radial Basis Neural Network for Monitoring Haemodialysis

Efficiency of haemodialysis is determined by calculating adequacy. Current practice utilizes invasive procedures, such as the periodic measurement of blood urea nitrogen levels for monitoring haemodialysis. Medical informatics has not been used to study haemodialysis. Here an algorithmic approach is presented to calculate adequacy using generalised radial basis function neural networks (GRBFN). Previous work by the authors has shown the performance of a GRBFN when compared to the DDQ method. Table I. Comparison between UN removal calculated by DDQ and that predicted by GRBFN. Next, adequacy was measured using those quantities that are non-invasive. Table II. Comparison between UN removal calculated by DDQ and that predicted by the 2 GRBFN architectures (NEW GRBFN inputs – Time, Weight; OLD GRBFN inputs – Bun, Time, Weight). Time Calculated UNRemoval- DDQ Predicted UN Removal (OLD GRBFN) Predicted UN Removal (NEW GRBFN ) % PE (OLD GRBFN) % PE (NEW GRBFN) 0 35.08 ± 3.33 34.48 ± 0.48 34.72 ± 0.07 1.70 1.02 60 34.00 ± 3.04 31.48 ± 0.31 31.60 ± 0.03 7.41 7.06 90 28.54 ± 2.72 28.44 ± 0.23 28.48 ± 0.07 0.34 0.23 120 25.88 ± 3.72 25.56 ± 0.25 25.64 ± 0.01 1.23 0.94 150 22.38 ± 1.14 21.83 ± 0.19 21.89 ± 0.03 2.46 2.20 180 20.56 ± 4.09 19.66 ± 0.14 19.70 ± 0.03 4.37 4.21 210 18.68 ± 1.88 17.04 ± 0.15 17.07 ± 0.08 8.80 8.63 240 15.60 ± 3.98 13.40 ± 0.06 13.40 ± 0.02 14.16 14.16 This study presents a better and more convenient algorithmic procedure that provides the physician with a better guide to the prescription of haemodialysis.
Review of random and group-screening designs

Experiments with real systems, but especially with simulated systems, may involve hundreds of factors. However, only a few factors are really important. Detecting these Important factors requires special designs such as random and group-screening de-signs. Random designs are simple, but they yield biased esti-mators. Group-screening is based on aggregation. The assumptions of group-screening are discussed in detail, and seem not very restrictive. References to applications of both design types are given.
A luxCDABE-based bioluminescent bioreporter for the detection of phenol

A bioluminescent reporter strain, Acinetobacter sp. DF4-8, was constructed for the detection of phenol by inserting a mopR-like promoter upstream of the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescent luxCDABE gene cassette in a modified mini-Tn5 construct. When introduced into the chromosome of Acinetobacter sp. DF4, the bioreporter produced a sensitive bioluminescent response to phenol at concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 100 ppm. This response was linear (R 2=0.986) in the range from 20 to 90 ppm. A significant bioluminescent response was also recorded when strain DF4-8 was incubated with slurries from aged, phenol-contaminated soil.
Experimental animal model of transient global amnesia: role of the hippocampus.

Abstract Different groups of rats were given a hippocampal seizure after-discharge 1 or 7 days after acquiring a passive avoidance, active avoidance, or bar-pressing habit. At various delays after the cessation of the seizure after-discharge, the animals were tested for retention of the previously acquired habit. The results indicate that 1 day, but not 7 days after learning, hippocampal seizures are capable of producing a temporary retrograde amnesia for well-learned responses and an anterograde amnesia for experiences that occur during the retrograde amnesia period. These data suggest that hippocampal seizures can serve as an experimental prototype of “transient global amnesia” and that the hippocampus is critically involved in retrieval of information from long term memory.
A Nondimensional Analysis of Boiling Dry a Vertical Channel with a Uniform Heat Flux

A thermal-hydraulic model has been developed for describing the phenomenon of hydrodynamically-controlled dryout, or the boil-off phenomenon, in a vertical channel with a spatially-averaged or uniform heat flux. The use of the drift flux correlation for the void fraction profile, along with mass and energy balances for the system, leads to a dimensionless closed-form solution for the predictions of two-phase mixture levels and collapsed liquid levels. The physical significance of the governing dimensionless parameters are discussed. Comparisons with data from single-tube experiments, a 3 x 3 rod bundle experiment, and the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant show good agreement.
Three-dimensional echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular wall motion abnormalities in mouse myocardial infarction.

We applied 3-dimensional echocardiographic reconstruction to assess left ventricular (LV) volumes, function, and the extent of wall motion abnormalities in a murine model of myocardial infarction (MI). Consecutive parasternal short-axis planes were obtained at 1-mm intervals with a 13-MHz linear array probe. End-diastolic and end-systolic LV volumes were calculated by Simpson’s rule, and the ejection fraction and cardiac output were derived. Echocardiography-derived cardiac output was validated by an aortic flow probe in 6 mice. Echocardiography was then performed in 9 mice before and after the left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated. Wall motion was assessed, and the ratio of the abnormally to normally contracting myocardium was calculated. After MI occurred, LV end-diastolic volume and LV end-systolic volume increased (33 ± 10 vs 24 ± 6 μL, P < .05 and 24 ± 9 vs 10 ± 4 μL, P < .001), whereas cardiac output decreased (4.2 ± 1.5 mL/min vs 6.6 ± 2.3 mL/min, P < .01). Forty percent of the myocardium was normokinetic, 24% was hypokinetic, and 36% was akinetic. Echocardiography can measure LV volumes and regional and global function in a murine model of myocardial infarction, thereby providing the potential to quantitate and compare the responses of various transgenic mice to MI and its therapies. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1999;12:834-40.)
T-Cell and NK-Cell Posttransplantation Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) of T-cell or natural killer (NK)-cell origin are an uncommon heterogeneous group of lymphoid proliferations that fulfill the criteria for one of the T- or NK-cell lymphomas/leukemias. This report summarizes 130 T/NK-cell PTLDs reported in the literature or presented at the Society for Hematopathology/European Association for Haematopathology Workshop on T/NK-cell malignancies. The T/NK-cell PTLDs occur at a median of 66 months following transplantation and are usually extranodal. The most common types reported are peripheral T-cell lymphoma, unspecified, and hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma. Approximately one third are Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)+. The median survival is 6 months. EBV+ cases have a significantly longer survival than EBV- cases, even when indolent T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemias are included among the EBV- cases. Many T/NK-cell PTLDs have been treated with chemotherapy, often together with decreased immunosuppression, but there are infrequent patients who have done well without chemotherapy or radiation.
State-selective multi-reference coupled-cluster theory using multi-configuration self-consistent-field orbitals. A model study on H8

Abstract The recently developed state-selective (SS) multi-reference (MR) coupled-cluster (CC) method is applied to a prototype molecular system composed of eight hydrogen atoms. To obtain a better description of the zeroth-order wavefunction in the quasidegenerate region, we employ orbitals resulting from the complex active space multi-configurational self-consistent-field (MC SCF) optimization. Comparison with the results obtained using the ground-state restricted Hartree-Fock SCF orbitals indicates invariant character of the SS CC theory with respect to the orbital choice, contrary to the behavior of the Hilbert-space state-universal MR CC method.
Acute Aortic Dissection Into a Preexisting Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Acute aortic dissection and abdominal aortic aneurysm presenting as coexistent conditions is rare. We report a patient with a history of hypertension and acute severe back pain who had an acute aortic dissection extending into a preexisting 8 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm that was diagnosed by CT scan. There was no evidence of aortic rupture or leakage. The patient was treated with antihypertensive medication for 2 months to allow maturation of the acute dissection prior to elective repair of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. The repair was constructed to allow continued perfusion of both the true and false lumina by fenestration of the aortic septum at the proximal anastomosis. There were no postoperative complications. This case illustrates an unusual combination of aortic diseases. A management plan is described that safely treats both pathologic conditions.
Calico: a multi-programming-language, multi-context framework designed for computer science education

The Calico project is a multi-language, multi-context programming framework and learning environment for computing education. This environment is designed to support several interoperable programming languages (including Python, Scheme, and a visual programming language), a variety of pedagogical contexts (including scientific visualization, robotics, and art), and an assortment of physical devices (including different educational robotics platforms and a variety of physical sensors). In addition, the environment is designed to support collaboration and modern, interactive learning. In this paper we describe the Calico project, its design and goals, our prototype system, and its current use.