cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Consumer Bankruptcy Creditor Distribution Study

The Consumer Bankruptcy Fee Study’s discovery of the magnitude of the increase of cost of system access caused by BAPCPA begs the further question of the consequences of the more expensive and elaborate system. In an environment of finite assets, who, if anyone, benefited from, was harmed or otherwise affected by these higher costs? Moreover, given BAPCPA’s objective of increasing creditors’ recoveries, have Congress’ and the credit industry’s objective been met? This study seeks to answer these questions by examining creditor distribution data from chapter 13 and chapter 7 cases filed both before and after BAPCPA’s enactment. In light of the significant increase in access costs and the fact that in many cases, some or all of the chapter 13 and all of the chapter 7 attorney’s fee is paid post-petition from estate assets, we set out to examine whether one of the consequences of higher legal and other administrative costs is the erosion of post-petition estate assets that would otherwise be available to pay unsecured creditors. Further, in light of the Congressional objective of halting the use of “bankruptcy as a convenient financial planning tool [enabling consumers to] skip out on debts they could repay,” we wanted to discover whether, under the BAPCPA regime, consumers are in fact able to repay a larger percentage of their unsecured debts.
Forget Sentencing Equality: Moving from the 'Cracked' Cocaine Debate Toward Particular Purpose Sentencing

While a racial equality-themed discourse has traditionally fueled the crack-versus-powder cocaine sentencing debate, this Article asserts that seeking equality in sentencing outcomes is the wrong goal. This Article argues that reformers seeking racial equality in sentencing are misguided in using the cocaine sentencing standards as a benchmark of fairness, because the current cocaine sentencing standards do not effectively serve the purposes of punishment. Rather than focusing on equality, this Article advocates implementing Particular Purpose Sentencing, which involves developing a framework for drug offenses to be analyzed individually and matched with punishments that purposefully address the concerns associated with the particular offense. Particular Purpose Sentencing also requires that, once sentences are matched to a specific purpose, the outcomes of those sentences be studied to ensure that they are fulfilling their particular sentencing purpose. This Article analyzes the legislative and judicial limits of basing sentencing reform on racial equality goals, and explores how implementing Particular Purpose Sentencing has the potential to result in more effective and racially equal consequences. Though this Article introduces Particular Purpose Sentencing using the drug sentencing context, this new sentencing theory can be applied to achieve fairer, more successful sentencing for all offenses.
ZOOPHAGUS INSIDIANS HAS REPRODUCTIVE AND CELLULAR MORPHOLOGY OF A ZYGOMYCETE

The rotifer-capturing fungus Zoophagus has been assigned to the Pythiaceae (Oomycetes) because the rare descriptions of zoospore discharge resemble those for Pythium. For most isolates of this genus, however, zoospore production has not been observed. More consistently, they reproduce asexually with fusiform spores sometimes called gemmae but which resemble conidia or cylindrical sporangiola. Thus it is doubtful that this fungus is an oomycete. To clarify the taxonomic affinity of Zoophagus, two isolates of Zoophagus insidians were grown under diverse conditions in an attempt to induce zoospore formation. Alterations of growth conditions did not generate zoospore production but enhanced the proliferation of conidia (= gemmae). Because cytological features aid in distinguishing Oomycetes from non-zoosporic fungi, ultrastructure of conventionally and freeze-substituted prepared materials was examined. Ultrastructure of mitochondrial cristae, storage carbohydates, Golgi equivalents, nuclearassociated organelles and septa was unlike those found in Oomycetes. Based on cellular ultrastructure and mode of asexual reproduction, Zoophagus is a member of the Division Amastigomycota. The genus Zoophagus is reclassified from the family Pythiaceae (Oomycetes) to the family Zoopagaceae (Zygomycetes), a family composed of similar captors of small invertebrates.
Geometric signatures of jamming in the mechanical vacuum.

The peculiar nature of jamming in particulate media can be characterized by purely geometric means both below and above the jamming transition.
"From Tears to Transparency: A Conversation Can Change an Outcome. A Conversation Can Change a Life™ ": Reflections From Patient Advocates.

The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) consensus conference provided many platforms for patient advocates to share their experiences and demonstrate the powerful contribution they have to offer to the decision-making process. One such platform was the presentation of a film ‘The Faces of Medical Error: From Tears to Transparency’ shared by Patty and David Skolnik. In this article the Skolniks build on their story shared at the SAEM consensus conference and the panel discussion. They provide further insight drawn from nine years of experiences as advocates for patient safety, including their reflections on working with, training and educating medical professionals, lawmakers, and consumers in shared decision-making and informed consent. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Star formation: Why dwarf galaxies come up short

When it comes to star formation, dwarf galaxies perform very poorly. A possible explanation for this behaviour involves photoelectric electrons heating the star-forming gas.
Evidence of non-response bias in the Press-Ganey patient satisfaction survey

Measures of patient satisfaction have gained prominence in recent years as changes to the American health care system have led to the incorporation of such metrics into reimbursement models. The response rate for widely-used outpatient satisfaction metrics and variables influencing the probability of survey nonresponse remain largely unknown. We reviewed all unique adult patients (16,779) who completed an outpatient encounter in the Department of Orthopaedic surgery at our academic institution from 1/1/13 to 10/24/13. Survey data was linked to each clinic visit, and patient factors including age, sex, insurance type, zip code, and orthopaedic subspecialty visited were recorded. The overall survey response rate was calculated. Logistic regression was performed, and unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios of patients’ probability of responding to the Press-Ganey survey were calculated. Two thousand seven hundred sixty two (16.5 %) of individuals completed a Press-Ganey patient satisfaction survey and 14017 patients did not respond. For those patients considered responders, 906 patients (32.8 %) did not complete all the survey items. Among these 906 patients, the mean number of missing items was 2.24 (Standard Deviation SD: 2.19). Age, sex, insurance type, and orthopaedic subspecialty were all found to be associated with the odds of responding to our patient satisfaction survey. Advancing age increased the odds of responding to the survey (Adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.396 for ≥65 vs. 18–29, p < 0.001). Several variables were associated with a decreased odds of survey response, and included male sex (Adjusted OR = 0.782 for Males vs. Females, p < 0.001), insurance type (Adjusted OR = 0.311 for Medicaid/Self-Pay vs. Private), and subspecialty type (Adjusted OR = 0.623 for Trauma vs. Adult Reconstruction). The response rate to the Press-Ganey Medical Practice Survey of outpatient satisfaction is low in an orthopaedic outpatient population, and furthermore, is impacted by patient characteristics such as age, sex, insurance type, and type of orthopaedic subspecialist encountered. The findings of the present study should inform future non-response weighting procedures in this area. More research is needed to assess non-response bias—including follow-up studies of non-respondents—in order to more accurately measure of patient satisfaction.
Control and automation of the Pegasus multi-point Thomson scattering system

A new control system for the Pegasus Thomson scattering diagnostic has recently been deployed to automate the laser operation, data collection process, and interface with the system-wide Pegasus control code. Automation has been extended to areas outside of data collection, such as manipulation of beamline cameras and remotely controlled turning mirror actuators to enable intra-shot beam alignment. Additionally, the system has been upgraded with a set of fast (∼1 ms) mechanical shutters to mitigate contamination from background light. Modification and automation of the Thomson system have improved both data quality and diagnostic reliability.
Regulatory T Cell Therapy in Transplantation

Receiving a kidney transplant currently requires patients to commit to life-long immunosuppression therapy. The combination of immunosuppressive drugs currently taken by transplant recipients often does achieve the right degree of immunosuppression. While over-immunosuppression is associated with increased risks of infection and malignancies, under-immunosuppression leads to graft rejection, reduced graft function over time, and even graft loss. Moreover, many commonly used immunosuppressive drugs are ironically nephrotoxic. Therefore, a more precise and less toxic approach to controlling alloimmune response against grafts is needed. The immune system has its own built-in control to prevent the attacking of one’s own healthy organs. An essential component of immune self-tolerance is regulatory T cells (Tregs). Tregs are a special lineage of cells dedicated to preventing unwanted immune response, dampening inflammation, and restoring immune homeostasis after immune activation. Research demonstrates that Tregs also control alloimmune responses and Tregs can be used therapeutically to induce transplantation tolerance in preclinical models. Treg cell therapy harnesses the natural ability of immune self-regulation and has the potential to achieve more robust and specific control of antigraft responses. Translating Treg cell therapy to the clinic began in the late 2000s with 7 phase 1 clinical trials in graft-versus-host disease, type 1 diabetes, and liver transplantation published by mid-2016. In this chapter, we summarize preclinical developments, translational efforts, and clinical implementation of Treg cell therapy in transplantation.
Plasmonic sensing beyond the shot noise limit

We demonstrate a sensitivity enhancement of plasmonic sensors by a factor of 1.6 beyond the shot noise limit using quantum states of light. Our results show the potential to enhance the sensitivity of real-life devices.
Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Pediatric Patients With Scoliosis Preparing for Spinal Surgery.

Abstract Background Establishing prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in elective scoliosis surgery may impact clinical outcomes. The objectives of this study were to document vitamin D status of patients with scoliosis preparing for surgical intervention in order to establish frequency of deficiency and determine characteristics influencing levels. Methods Records were queried for patients with scoliosis diagnosis who underwent posterior spinal fusion or initial growing rod placement and had serum vitamin 25 hydroxyvitamin D (D25) recorded in the preoperative period. Demographic data (gender, age, body mass index [BMI], race, scoliosis type, spine surgery procedure, and season of the year) were extracted. Chi-square analysis and multivariate modeling were used to evaluate deficiency status among various demographic categories and determine the demographic factors impacting D25. Results A total of 217 patients with a mean age of 13.6 ± 3.6 years had vitamin D levels drawn a mean of 38.7 ± 20.6 days prior to surgery. The majority of the sample presented with a diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis (n = 126), and most patients were scheduled for spinal fusion surgery (n = 192). Nearly 75% of the study population (n = 162) demonstrated D25 values below normal. African Americans presented with greater risk of deficiency (p Conclusion Low D25 levels are reported in pediatric patients with scoliosis preparing for corrective spinal surgery. Population subsets most at risk for deficiency in this limited study include African American children, those presenting for spinal fusion surgery, and patients admitted in winter season.
REGIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF NATIONAL CARBON TAXES

This paper examines impacts of nationally-imposed carbon taxes on different regions of the United States. The goal is to see what can be learned about the drivers of regional political support for ...
Induction of tall fescue toxicosis in heat-stressed cattle and its alleviation with thiamin.

Livestock grazing endophyte (Acremonium coenophiaZum)-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinucea Schreb. cv. Kentucky 31) at high ambient temperatures may suffer from fescue toxicosis. Adult Angus cows (BOS raurus) were fed 0 to 1 kg/d of 70% infected tall fescue seed containing about 4.4 g of loline alkaloids in factorial combination with thiamin at 0 or 1 g/d. Cows assigned to the zero level of tall fescue seed received a supplement of equivalent energy and protein. Ingestive behavior was measured at 1330 to 1430 EDT during two 4-d periods in two consecutive weeks in August on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pastures using a tethered grazing system. Alfalfa intake per measured grazing session of cows given tall fescue seed declined linearly (P c .01) as air temperatures during grazing increased above 25T, largely because of shorter grazing meals. Thiamin increased alfalfa intake per measured grazing session by extending grazing time. Alkaloids in ingested endophyteinfected tall fescue induce thiamin deficiencies in cattle that result in symptoms of tall fescue toxicosis.
The Use of Methylene Blue as a Tracer Agent in Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

The use of a blue colored dye to localize the sentinel node has remained an essential component of the sentinel node biopsy procedure in breast cancer patients since its use was first reported in this context by Giuliano. The ability of blue dyes to stain lymphatics and enable visualization of their anatomical pathways, with a particle size small enough to be taken up by lymphatic channels but large enough to be filtered out in the first echelon lymph nodes, are inherent properties which make these dyes valuable. Methylene blue dye is an attractive alternative to Lymphazurin® blue dye for this application, and this chapter details its use.
Book review: From Animals to Animats 3. Edited by Dave Cliff, Philip Husbands, Jean-Arcady Meyer, and Stewart W. Wilson (MIT Press)

This volume is an excellent collection of papers from the conference that took place in Brighton, England, August 8th-12th 1994. Most of these papers have well-documented results or offer well-researched positions. Overall, I enjoyed reading the papers and am pleased to use the book as a reference. After some general comments, I will review the volume, section by section. As far as the organization of papers is concerned, I would like to see more tutorial papers collected in a separate section.
Power comparison for propensity score methods

We compared four propensity score (PS) methods using simulations: maximum likelihood (ML), generalized boosting models (GBM), covariate balancing propensity scores (CBPS), and generalized additive models (GAM). Although these methods have been shown to perform better than the ML in estimating causal treatment effects, no comparison has been conducted in terms of type I error and power, and the impact of treatment exposure prevalence on PS methods has not been studied. In order to fill these gaps, we considered four simulation scenarios differing by the complexity of a propensity score model and a range of exposure prevalence. Propensity score weights were estimated using the ML, CBPS and GAM of logistic regression and the GBM. We used these propensity weights to estimate the average treatment effect among treated on a binary outcome. Simulations showed that (1) the CBPS was generally superior across the four scenarios studied in terms of type I error, power and mean squared error; (2) the GBM and the GAM were less biased than the CBPS and the ML under complex models; (3) the ML performed well when treatment exposure is rare.
The role of external and emergent drivers of water use change in Las Vegas

ABSTRACTOver the past twenty-five years, per capita water use has declined in many US cities. Technological and policy changes partially explain this decline, but variables beyond the control of water managers also influence water use including external (e.g. drought) and emergent (e.g. public attention) changes. Importantly, these variables interact and the relationships between these variables and water use are non-stationary. However, many models assume fixed relationships between water use and its drivers, and limited interaction between variables. Here we present a flexible socio-hydrological approach to model how conservation strategies, and external and emergent changes, interact to influence per capita water use. We apply this approach to Las Vegas and find that marginal water rates, code changes coupled with population growth, and conservation response to water stress are the key drivers of the observed decline. Critically, modeling these strategies in absence of their connections to population g...
Bullying and Bystander Behaviors

Abstract This chapter addresses associations between bullying involvement and student engagement, including the extent to which existing bullying prevention programs might influence student engagement outcomes, and how schools can better engage students in bullying prevention efforts. First, we review existing literature on the association of bullying involvement with student engagement. We find that all forms of bullying involvement are related to decreased student engagement—including involvement as a target, aggressor, and bystander (i.e., witness). Bullying involvement is associated with reductions in multiple forms of student engagement including behavioral and affective engagement. Second, we review published evaluations of bullying prevention programs that specifically examine whether programs improve student engagement outcomes. Although literature in this area is limited, we find some evidence that bullying prevention programs are associated with improvements in student engagement. Third, given evidence that it is challenging to engage students in bullying prevention activities, we discuss strategies for improving student engagement in prevention efforts. In particular, we highlight some innovative bullying prevention initiatives that are designed to enhance student engagement. We conclude with a series of recommendations for school staff.
Treatment of Pain in Parkinson’s Disease

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may experience pain due to either neurologic or non-neurologic etiologies. A complete pain history and thorough examination are necessary to create the appropriate differential diagnosis and management plan. Pain related to Parkinson’s disease is commonly characterized as (1) musculoskeletal, (2) dystonic, (3) radicular/neuropathic, and (4) central pain. Treatment plans vary depending on the etiology of the pain. This case is an example of a patient with dystonic pain in the foot whose symptoms improved after deep brain stimulation.
A Close Look Into Supplier Policy Changes in Response to Their Buyers’ Financial Stress

Trade credit, the credit extended to buyers by suppliers who let them buy now and pay later, is an important financing method for many buyers. Any policy change by buyers in accounts payable, a measure for trade credit, results in appreciation or frustration on the supplier side. Even though, such effects have been well documented in the literature, an empirical study on the subject is surprisingly lacking. As an example, a certain buyer might change the payment policy by extending or shortening the periods of the payments. We investigate how and if the payment policy change of the buyer affects the supplier’s operations, especially on the perspective of inventory of suppliers. This study further investigates how changes in a firm’s accounts payable days and accounts receivable days affect its inventory turnover days.
Stereoselectivity in the intramolecular cycloaddition of double bonds to triplet benzenes

Abstract The diastereoselectivty with which o- and p-butenoxy acetophenones undergo intramolecular 2 + 2 photocycloadditions has been measured in several respects. The five- and four-membered rings of the tricyclo[6.3.O.O]undecadiene photoproducts are always anti to each other and all-cis with respect to the six-membered ring. This fact indicates that the photoinduced electrocyclization to a cyclobutene of one diene unit of the bicyclo[6.3.O]undecatriene intermediate puckers in only one of two possible ways. Alkyl groups originally on the tether or the double bond show high diastereoselectivity with regard to the bridgehead stereocenters.
Insights from incorporating reference electrodes in symmetric lithium-ion cells with layered oxide or graphite electrodes

Abstract Symmetric cells provide complementary means to probe electrochemical processes in lithium-ion batteries. Here, positive and negative electrodes harvested from conventional oxide/graphite cells are cross-paired, and the assembled reference-electrode-bearing symmetric cells are cycled/aged. For graphite symmetric cells, the electrode potentials and impedances remain nearly constant during calendar aging and the parasitic currents are typically small. However, at higher cell voltages when the “positive” graphite potential exceeds 1.0 V vs. Li/Li+, the capacity loss is higher, indicating that even a mild (but prolonged) overdischarge can damage the SEI. For the layered-oxide symmetric cells there are strong parasitic currents and a persistent slide of the electrode potential over time during calendar aging. Significant cell impedance rise, especially at higher hold voltages, is also observed. Curiously, the impedance rise in the “negative” oxide electrode, which experiences potentials below 4.0 V vs. Li/Li+, is greater than in the “positive” oxide electrode that experiences much higher potentials. We postulate that electrolyte oxidation is responsible for the behavior of these oxide symmetric cells, as it supplies electrons (that bind more Li+ into the cathode, causing the potential slide) and protons (that contribute to impedance rise). These insights can guide the development of future lithium-ion cell chemistries.
Customer-Supplier Relationships and Liquidity Management: The Joint Effects of Trade Credit and Bank Lines of Credit

We examine the determinants of trade credit for a sample of U.S. public firms while controlling for supply-side and demand-side factors. Our dataset contains characteristics of suppliers and their key customers matched with data on their access to short-term financing through lines of credit. We find that suppliers that have access to a bank line of credit and a lower probability of financial distress have higher amounts of outstanding trade credit to their customers. Further, we find that supplier firms have higher amounts of outstanding trade credit when their customers lack access to a bank line of credit, have a higher probability of bankruptcy, and are more financially constrained. We also show that liquidity shocks to supplier firms influence the amount of trade credit outstanding.
An innovative interprofessional curricular model for diverse partners who team up to support behavior change in individuals with chronic disease

This project introduced nursing and graduate health sciences and psychology students to interprofessional education (IPE) concepts and engaged them in interprofessional skill-building. Exposure to and immersion in IPE competencies were accomplished through online modules, case workshops, and simulation-based experiences. Rather than having an acute care focus, these diverse IPE students engaged in teamwork to plan and prioritize lifestyle change. Evaluation over a 3-year period resulted in an 8-week 1 credit course that includes online modules and case content focused on chronic disease management in response to the challenge of aging populations' increased longevity and chronic disease burden. Sample size was too small to make broad conclusions; however, we strongly recommend that IPE competencies be achieved using a developmental approach that includes not just exposure to the concept of collaborative practice but also immersion experiences that provide opportunities in skill-building for shared decision-making and teamwork.
The entrepreneurial labor of reinvention in Beijing’s Zhongguancun high-tech district:

Deploying the concept of the entrepreneurial labor of reinvention, this article contrasts the experiences of elite and grassroots IT entrepreneurs as they navigated China’s post-2008 economic restr...
Adolescence: The Seventeen Year Olds

In the previous chapter we noted that the Kibbutz children have made notable advances during the years between infancy and preadolescence—advances in intellectual development and personality maturity which placed them in a fairly favorable position when compared with non-Kibbutz children of similar age. The important question that arises is whether such changes are transitory or whether they persist through later years and presage adolescent and adult development and status. Are the gains made by the growing Kibbutz children maintained and consolidated—are they able to hold their own in later years? To answer this question we have studied groups of seniors in the secondary school systems: 30 Kibbutz adolescents and 25 non-Kibbutz adolescents, of both sexes, with an average chronological age of about seventeen and one-half years. They represent several Kibbutzim and several ordinary villages.
Fast A-type currents shape a rapidly adapting form of delayed short latency firing of excitatory superficial dorsal horn neurons that express the neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor.

Key points Neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor-expressing neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord contribute to chronic pain. For the first time, we characterized the firing patterns of Y1-expressing neurons in Y1eGFP reporter mice. Under hyperpolarized conditions, most Y1eGFP neurons exhibited fast A-type potassium currents and delayed, short-latency firing (DSLF). Y1eGFP DSLF neurons were almost always rapidly adapting and often exhibited rebound spiking, characteristics of spinal pain neurons under the control of T-type calcium channels. These results will inspire future studies to determine whether tissue or nerve injury downregulates the channels that underlie A-currents, thus unmasking membrane hyperexcitability in Y1-expressing dorsal horn neurons, leading to persistent pain. Abstract Neuroanatomical and behavioural evidence indicates that neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor-expressing interneurons (Y1-INs) in the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) are predominantly excitatory and contribute to chronic pain. Using an adult ex vivo spinal cord slice preparation from Y1eGFP reporter mice, we characterized firing patterns in response to steady state depolarizing current injection of GFP-positive cells in lamina II, the great majority of which expressed Y1 mRNA (88%). Randomly sampled (RS) and Y1eGFP neurons exhibited five firing patterns: tonic, initial burst, phasic, delayed short-latency 180 ms (DLLF). When studied at resting membrane potential, most RS neurons exhibited delayed firing, while most Y1eGFP neurons exhibited phasic firing. A preconditioning membrane hyperpolarization produced only subtle changes in the firing patterns of RS neurons, but dramatically shifted Y1eGFP neurons to DSLF (46%) and DLLF (24%). In contrast to RS DSLF neurons, which rarely exhibited spike frequency adaptation, Y1eGFP DSLF neurons were almost always rapidly adapting, a characteristic of nociceptive-responsive SDH neurons. Rebound spiking was more prevalent in Y1eGFP neurons (6% RS vs. 32% Y1eGFP), indicating enrichment of T-type calcium currents. Y1eGFP DSLF neurons exhibited fast A-type potassium currents that are known to delay or limit action potential firing and exhibited smaller current density as compared to RS DSLF neurons. Our results will inspire future studies to determine whether tissue or nerve injury downregulates channels that contribute to A-currents, thus potentially unmasking T-type calcium channel activity and membrane hyperexcitability in Y1-INs, leading to persistent pain.
Multi-Parametric Evaluation of Cerebral Hemodynamics in Neonatal Piglets Using Non-Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods

BACKGROUND Disruption of brain oxygen delivery and consumption after hypoxic-ischemic injury contributes to neonatal mortality and neurological impairment. Measuring cerebral hemodynamic parameters, including cerebral blood flow (CBF), oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2 ), is clinically important. PURPOSE Phase-contrast (PC), velocity-selective arterial spin labeling (VSASL), and T2 -relaxation-under-phase-contrast (TRUPC) are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques that have shown promising results in assessing cerebral hemodynamics in humans. We aimed to test their feasibility in quantifying CBF, OEF, and CMRO2 in piglets. STUDY TYPE Prospective. ANIMAL MODEL Ten neonatal piglets subacutely recovered from global hypoxia-ischemia (N = 2), excitotoxic brain injury (N = 6), or sham procedure (N = 2). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE VSASL, TRUPC, and PC MRI acquired at 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT Regional CBF was measured by VSASL. Global CBF was quantified by both PC and VSASL. TRUPC assessed OEF at the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and internal cerebral veins (ICVs). CMRO2 was calculated from global CBF and SSS-derived OEF. End-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2 ) levels of the piglets were also measured. Brain damage was assessed in tissue sections postmortem by counting damaged neurons. STATISTICAL TESTS Spearman correlations were performed to evaluate associations among CBF (by PC or VSASL), OEF, CMRO2 , EtCO2 , and the pathological neuron counts. Paired t-test was used to compare OEF at SSS with OEF at ICV. RESULTS Global CBF was 32.1 ± 14.9 mL/100 g/minute and 30.9 ± 8.3 mL/100 g/minute for PC and VSASL, respectively, showing a significant correlation (r = 0.82, P < 0.05). OEF was 54.9 ± 8.8% at SSS and 46.1 ± 5.6% at ICV, showing a significant difference (P < 0.05). Global CMRO2 was 79.1 ± 26.2 μmol/100 g/minute and 77.2 ± 12.2 μmol/100 g/minute using PC and VSASL-derived CBF, respectively. EtCO2 correlated positively with PC-based CBF (r = 0.81, P < 0.05) but negatively with OEF at SSS (r = -0.84, P < 0.05). Relative CBF of subcortical brain regions and OEF at ICV did not significantly correlate, respectively, with the ratios of degenerating-to-total neurons (P = 0.30, P = 0.10). DATA CONCLUSION Non-contrast MRI can quantify cerebral hemodynamic parameters in normal and brain-injured neonatal piglets. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.
An Accelerated repair method for steel girders with severe end corrosion damage

Abstract A novel repair method for corroded steel girder ends using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has gained the attention of several departments of transportation. The method involves welding shear studs to the intact part of the web plate and encasing the end region in UHPC. This paper presents the findings of an experimental study on a full-scale girder aimed to assess the feasibility of rapid implementation of the repair. Reducing the construction complexities and time is critical in cases where access to the bridge is constrained or closing the bridge to traffic is not possible. To expedite and simplify repair construction, welded shear studs originally used to transfer loads to the UHPC cast were replaced with steel dowel rods. In place of conventional wooden formwork, a reusable flexible light-gauge sheet of steel was wrapped around the end. Installation of the shear connectors, installation of the form, and casting of the UHPC was completed by two workers within an eight-hour shift. The repaired girder was load tested after the UHPC gained a compressive strength of 96.5 MPa to demonstrate the adequacy of the repair for restoring the capacity of the intact girder end shortly after implementation. It is anticipated that this empirical data encourages the use of this repair technique to address the widespread problem of end corrosion in steel superstructures.
The Generation to Come: Lutheran Education in the United States

After a brief look at the historical origin of Lutheran education, this article provides an overview of contemporary Lutheran schools, educational philosophy, and future trends. The history, structure, and struggles of Lutheran education share many elements with Catholic education.
Building on Strength

This is the story of California’s attempt to improve science education from kindergarten through grade 12 between 1989 and 1995. The period was eventful. A new and different Science Framework for California Public Schools (California Department of Education 1990) was prepared and released; it took an innovative approach both to science content and to the instructional process. Efforts were undertaken to encourage commercial publishers to produce materials compatible with the Framework. Teacher networks —at both elementary and secondary school levels—were expanded and strengthened to enable teachers to come to grips directly with the spirit as well as the shape of the changes that were sought. The state’s universities established new links with teachers and schools and strengthened existing ones.
Discrete Choice Models as Structural Models of Demand: Some Economic Implications of Common Approaches

October 2001 We derive some theoretical economic properties of standard discrete choice econometric models that we believe are undesirable if the models are to be used as structural models of demand. We show that many standard models have the following properties: as the number of products increases, the compensating variation for removing all of the inside goods tends to infinity, all firms in Bertrand-Nash pricing game have markups that are bounded away from zero, and for each good there is always some consumer that is willing to pay an arbitrarily large sum for the good. These undesirable properties may lead to incorrect conclusions about many policies of interest, including calculation of price indexes, the benefits of new goods, and the welfare loss due to mergers. We demonstrate that these undesirable properties hold not only in the logit model, but also in all random utility models with the following three general properties: 1) the model includes an additive error term whose conditional support is unbounded, 2) the deterministic part of the utility function satisfies standard continuity and monotonicity conditions, and 3) the hazard rate of the error distribution is bounded above. One approach to avoiding these undesirable properties is to weaken these three restrictions. However, we also show that random utility models are not in general non-parametrically identified from market shares or individual level choice data. Our findings support the use of alternative structural approaches that have better economic properties, such as those of Bajari and Benkard (2001) and Berry and Pakes (2000). Working Papers Index
Assessing the risk of lower extremity amputations using an administrative data‐based foot risk index in elderly patients with diabetes*

Background: The aims of the present study were to derive a foot risk index using administrative data similar to the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot clinical risk classification scheme and to evaluate its association with the risk of initial lower extremity (through foot or above) amputation (ILEA). Methods: Merged Veterans Health Administration administrative and Medicare inpatient and outpatient claims data for a historical cohort of Veterans Health Administration users with diabetes were analyzed. Individuals with diabetes, aged ≥67 years in 1999, were classified into seven foot risk categories (where 0 = no foot risk conditions; and 6 = severe foot conditions). The outcome variable was the incidence of an ILEA over the period 2000–2004. Foot risk was derived from 1998 to 1999, and other independent variables were derived from 1999. The associations between foot risk category and risk of ILEA were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: Of 255 534 individuals with diabetes, 54.8% had a documented foot condition in 1999 and 6869 (26.9 per 1000) had an ILEA over the period 2000–2004. We found increased rates of ILEAs as foot risk increased. Based on a Cox regression model containing all independent variables, the hazard ratios for risk of amputation increased progressively from 1.13 (95% CI 1.00–1.28) for the lowest foot risk category to 6.75 (95% CI 6.31–7.23) for the highest foot risk category, compared with individuals without defined foot conditions. Conclusions: An administrative data-derived foot risk category was associated with risk of ILEA in a risk level-dependent pattern.
Ethics and God

Philosophers like to speak of a “Euthyphro Dilemma” pitting divine fiat against a moral realism that soon fades to personal or social preferences. But Plato targets no such dilemma. The Euthyphro hints a complementarity of divine commands with human moral insights. Values are constitutive in ideas of divinity, and monotheism affirms only goodness in God. So, pace James Rachels, worship is not surrender of autonomy, as Saadiah and Maimonides' biblical and rabbinic ethics reveal. Chimneying more fairly models the dialectic of religion with ethics than does the contrived conflict between putatively arbitrary divine commands and presumptively self-certifying human moral creativity.
Evidence for narrow 3π effects near 960 MeV in K − P interaction at 4.6 and 5.0 GeV/c

Abstract In an investigation of the final states K − π − π + π O p and K − π − π + π + n produced in K − p interactions at 4.6 and 5.0 GeV/ c we have observed narrow enhancements near 960 MeV in both the π + π − π O and π + π + π − distributions. These structures are strongly associated with the Δ(1236). Also, there is evidence for a possible ϱπ decay for these effects.
Experiments and theory of the nonexponential relaxation in liquids, glasses, polymers and crystals

Abstract More than 130 years ago it was first recognized that the observed response from many diverse substances may exhibit two distinct types of nonexponential relaxation. Although the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) stretched exponential and Curie-von Schweidler (CvS) power law have since been used to characterize the observed response from thousands of measurements, there is still no commonly accepted explanation for these empirical formulas. Only in the past few years have there been experimental techniques developed to answer the most basic question about the observed response: is it homogeneous where all regions of the sample exhibit intrinsic nonexponential behavior, or is it a result of a heterogeneous distribution of relaxation times? One technique, nonresonant spectral hole burning (NSHB), uses a large amplitude, low-frequency electric-or magnetic-field to selectively investigate the constituents in the net spectrum of response. An important advantage of NSHB is that the responding degrees of f...
Opportunistic Infections of the Central Nervous System in the Transplant Patient

Therapeutic advances in transplantation medicine have resulted in ever expanding patient populations that receive organ or stem cell transplantation. Modern potent immunomodulatory therapies have resulted in improvements in allograft and patient survival, but, consequently, as a result of the immunosuppressive state, transplant recipients are highly vulnerable to infection, including those that affect the central nervous system (CNS). CNS infections present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for clinicians involved in the care of the transplant patient, with a propensity to result in profound morbidity and often high mortality in this patient population. Here, we review major opportunistic pathogens of the CNS seen in transplant patients, highlighting distinguishing epidemiologic and clinical features.
Study of frontal analysis by characteristic point

Abstract An analytical solution is derived for the desorption of an adsorbate that obeys a Langmuir isotherm and diffuses at a finite rate. The solution is integrated to give the adsorption isotherm by the technique of frontal analysis by characteristic point. The results indicate that the integration procedure does not yield the real isotherm for a system with a finite diffusion rate. The ratio of the equilibrium speed to the elution speed is given as a criterion for deviation from the real isotherm. An experimental result is given to show the deviation of the measurement of the adsorption isotherm of ethane on activated carbon.
Implications of a negatively sloped LM curve

This paper has shown that the LM curve could be downward sloped if the rate of interest on money (specifically liquid deposits) is sufficiently flexible. If so, the momentary equilibrium could be unstable, especially if the LM curve is far from the vertical (i.e., if the interest rate on money is very flexible). Prospects for instability are enhanced if output adjusts slowly or if the central bank varies the money supply strongly over time in response to the general interest rate. If stability obtains with a downward sloped LM curve, fiscal policy has an unconventional direction of effect on income.
Staff reactivity to evaluative behavioral observations

The extent of mental health technician reactivity to the presence of an observer collecting data known to be used for evaluative purposes was investigated by varying the presence or absence of an observer, while continuously recording staff and resident (patient) behavior via a concealed microphone. Neither level of staff activity (words spoken and rate of clinical interactions) nor appropriateness of staff activity (error rate) were significantly affected by the presence or absence of an observer. In comparison to previous studies which did report observee reactivity, lack of reactivity seemed likely a result of extensive habituation to being observed, frequent and unpredictable observational schedules, and delayed feedback which protected the anonymity of the data source.
Bacterial Poly(Hydroxyalkanoate) Polymer Production from the Biodiesel Co-product Stream

A co-product stream from soy-based biodiesel production (CSBP) containing glycerol, fatty acid soaps, and residual fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) was utilized as a fermentation feedstock for the bacterial synthesis of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and medium-chain-length poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (mcl-PHA) polymers. Pseudomonas oleovorans NRRL B-14682 and P. corrugata 388 grew and synthesized PHB and mcl-PHA, respectively, when cultivated in up to 5% (w/v) CSBP. In shake flask culture, P. oleovorans grew to 1.3 ± 0.1 g/L (PHA cellular productivity = 13-27% of the bacterial cell dry weight; CDW) regardless of the initial CSBP concentration, whereas P. corrugata reached maximum cell yields of 2.1 g/L at 1% CSBP, which tapered off to 1.7 g/L as the CSBP media concentration was increased to 5% (maximum PHA cellular productivity = 42% of the CDW at 3% CSBP). While P. oleovorans synthesized PHB from CSBP, P. corrugata produced mcl-PHA consisting primarily of 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid (C8:0; 39 ± 2 mol%), 3-hydroxydecanoic acid (C10:0; 26 ± 2 mol%) and 3-hydroxytetradecadienoic acid (C14:2; 15 ± 1 mol%). The molar mass (Mn) of the PHB polymer decreased by 53% as the initial CSBP culture concentration was increased from 1% to 5% (w/v). In contrast, the Mn of the mcl-PHA polymer produced by P. corrugata remained constant over the range of CSBP concentrations used.
2014 global geographic analysis of mortality from ischaemic heart disease by country, age and income: statistics from World Health Organisation and United Nations.

Background Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and its prevention is a public health priority.
The Laser-Induced Blue State of Bacteriorhodopsin: Mechanistic and Color Regulatory Roles of Protein−Protein Interactions, Protein−Lipid Interactions, and Metal Ions

In this paper we characterize the mechanistic roles of the crystalline purple membrane (PM) lattice, the earliest bacteriorhodopsin (BR) photocycle intermediates, and divalent cations in the conver...
Exogenous Applications of Abscisic Acid Increase Curing of Pierce's Disease-Affected Grapevines Growing in Pots

Foliar and drench applications of the plant growth regulator abscisic acid (ABA) were applied to 1-year-old potted Vitis vinifera 'Pinot Noir' and 'Cabernet Sauvignon' vines infected with Xylella fastidiosa, the bacterial pathogen that causes Pierce's disease (PD). A naturally occurring ABA and a synthetic ABA were applied, and both materials showed some effectiveness at increasing curing rates of PD-affected grapevines. Pinot Noir grapevines treated with the drench ABA treatments had significantly greater disease curing effects than the unsprayed control plants. It has been shown that plant phenolics have antimicrobial properties, and we found a positive correlation between effective ABA treatments and the total phenolic compound content of xylem sap extracted from Pinot Noir vines.
Diffuse Optical Tomography and Positron Emission Tomography of Human Breast

We have acquired images of the breasts of four females with suspicious masses using Diffuse Optical Tomography and Positron Emission Tomography. The images are compared, and new types of contrast for cancer imaging are proposed.
Transcatheter closure of a mechanical perivalvular leak using real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography guidance.

A 47-year-old female with symptomatic mitral stenosis from a prior undersized mitral annuloplasty ring underwent mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve. Later, she developed heart failure from a severe paravalvular leak (PVL). Because of the excessive mortality risks from a possible third open heart procedure, the patient was instead referred for transcatheter PVL closure. Standard fluoroscopy, invasive hemodynamics, and two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) imaging were performed during device placement with excellent image quality. The case highlights the unique benefit of 3D TEE imaging for preprocedure sizing, guidance of device deployment intraprocedure, and confirmation of PVL closure. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Functionalized Guanidines for Electro-Optic Materials.

A family of nonlinear optical chromophores has been synthesized containing novel donor systems based on functionalized guanidines. Chromophores utilizing these donor systems display superior transparency and stability properties. The unusual and highly desirable characteristics of these chromophores make them very promising candidates for electro-optic applications. Systematic study of the molecular hyperpolarizabilities and bulk electro-optic properties of polymers containing these chromophores is being used to guide optimization of these systems.
Order reduction of indoor home propagation channel models

With the expansion of wireless communication into our homes and with consumer demand rising for support of data rates of 100 Mbps and above, identification of system requirements motivates the need for rigorous modeling of the wireless home environment. In this study we extract a parametric macro model from wideband channel sounding measurements. The model captures both temporal and spatial characteristics of the channel by quantifying the presence of multipath components with the Rician K-factor, reducing the measured field information into cluster parameters, and representing the channel's spatial correlation as a function of cluster power and angle spread.