cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of inulin by means of resorcinol.

SummaryA simplified method, based on Roe's resorcinol method and avoiding the use of yeast, is described for the determination of inulin in plasma and urine. The method has been applied under clinical conditions to clearance determinations in patients with renal disease, and shown to yield results in good agreement with the diphenylamine method.
Organizing Immigrant Workers in the Los Angeles Apparel Industry

The apparel industry in the United States is declining. Every month new reports are put out enumerating the loss of jobs. Meanwhile, parallel numbers report the monthly rise of imports. However, even though apparel jobs are moving offshore, U.S.-based manufacturers and retailers still play a critical role in the production of apparel for the U.S. market. They have become multinational corporations. They now arrange for the production of their clothing in other countries, but they still remain in charge of ordering and marketing.
Progress in acute kidney injury induced acute lung injury

Acute kidney injury(AKI) is a common disease with high mortality rate in the department of ICU. When AKI combined with acute lung injury(ALI), the mortality rate may be higher and reach 80%. Acute kidney injury can lead to increased systemic perfusion fluids and elevated plasma osmolality, and thus cause pulmonary edema and acute respiratory failure..It was helpful for treatment and lower mortality rate if we could know more about clinical features of AKI-induced AIL and its pathogenesis..
Numerical Optimization of a Walk-on-Spheres Solver for the Linear Poisson-Boltzmann Equation

Stochastic walk-on-spheres (WOS) algorithms for solving the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation (LPBE) provide several attractive features not available in traditional deterministic solvers: Gaussian error bars can be computed easily, the algorithm is readily parallelized and requires minimal memory and multiple solvent environments can be accounted for by reweighting trajectories. However, previously- reported computational times of these Monte Carlo methods were not competitive with existing deterministic numerical methods. The present paper demonstrates a se- ries of numerical optimizations that collectively make the computational time of these Monte Carlo LPBE solvers competitive with deterministic methods. The optimization techniques used are to ensure that each atom's contribution to the variance of the elec- trostatic solvation free energy is the same, to optimize the bias-generating parameters in the algorithm and to use an epsilon-approximate rather than exact nearest-neighbor search when determining the size of the next step in the Brownian motion when out- side the molecule.
Bio-molecular sensors based on guided mode resonance filters

In this work a low surface roughness and homogenous, high refractive index, and amorphous TiO2 layer on corrugated structures of diffractive optical element is coated by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) for biosensors. The design of Guided Mode Resonance Filters (GMRFs) is based on refractive indices and thicknesses of the waveguide biomolecular layers. The designed spectral shifts are calculated by Fourier Modal Method (FMM) and depend on the magnitude of the variations in refractive index of the biomolecular layer on waveguide structures. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the biomolecular sensors depends on the thickness of biomolecular layer and periodicity of the structures. The waveguide structures designed for larger periods show an enhancement in the sensitivity (nm/RIU) of the biomolecular sensor at longer wavelengths. The periodicities of nanophotonic structures are varied from 300 to 500 nm in design calculations with predominance of increase in effective index of the structure to support leaky waveguide modes.
Felbamate in Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

The Felbamate Study Group report results in 73 patients ages 4 to 36 years with the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, using a double-blind, placebo- controlled, add-on trial design.
Distribution and Quantification of Choroidal Macrophages in Human Eyes With Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in patients over 50 years of age in industrialized countries.1 Despite its high prevalence, the cause of AMD remains largely unknown. Clinically and histologically, AMD is generally classified as nonexudative or dry AMD, of which geographic atrophy (GA) is the severe form, and exudative or neovascular AMD. Dry AMD progresses more slowly and is characterized by drusen, geographic or focal atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and photoreceptor dysfunction and degeneration. The advanced exudative form, neovascular AMD, can develop after early and intermediate dry AMD.2 The key feature of the advanced subtype is choroidal neovascularization (CNV), the growth of new blood vessels from the choroid into the region underlying the RPE or extending into the subretinal space. Emerging evidence supports the association between chronic inflammation and AMD. Penfold et al.3 described inflammatory cells (macrophages, lymphocytes, and mast cells) in human AMD choroids. More recent findings suggest a role for immunologic processes in AMD pathogenesis, including recruitment of macrophages,4 involvement of systemic inflammatory processes,5–7 complement activation,8–12 and microglial activation and accumulation.13 Historically, macrophages have been observed at sites of CNV in patients with AMD,14,15 and CD68+ macrophages were detected in rapidly progressive fibrovascular AMD membranes.16 Grossniklaus et al.17 evaluated human CNV and observed that macrophages express proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and suggested that they directly promote CNV.18 Macrophage populations are simplistically divided into phenotypes M1 and M2. Phenotype M1 is proinflammatory and causes tissue injury, whereas M2 phenotype is pro-angiogenic and promotes tissue repair.19 In the laser-induced mouse CNV model with scar, M2 macrophages were recruited to the site of laser injury20,21; however, M1 macrophages were identified in the subretinal space when mice were immunized with carboxyethylpyrrole), an immune response-initiated model of AMD.22,23 Determination of M1 and M2 macrophages in a human is not as straightforward as it is in mouse. In the present study, we chose to localize all macrophages with the monocyte marker ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1) and determine if they were activated using an antibody to human leukocyte antigen-antigen D-related (HLA-DR), a subunit of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II. The present study aimed to quantify the number, distribution, and activation of choroidal macrophages in choroidal whole mounts from aged control eyes and in eyes from patients with clinically documented early and intermediate AMD, as well as two advanced subtypes, neovascular AMD and GA. The presence of macrophages was related to changes in choriocapillaris (CC) and CNV.
Surgical Decompression of High-Grade Spinal Cord Compression from Hormone Refractory Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Background Spine and nonspine skeletal metastases occur in more than 80% of patients with prostate cancer. Objective To examine the characteristics of the patient population undergoing surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer metastatic to the spine. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients treated at our institution from June 1993 to August 2014 for surgical management of metastatic spine disease from prostate cancer. Results During the study period, 139 patients with 157 surgical lesions underwent surgery for metastatic spine disease. Decompression for high-grade epidural spinal cord compression was required for 126 patients with 143 lesions. Preoperatively, 69% had a motor deficit and 21% were nonambulatory, with 32% due to motor weakness. At surgery, 87% of patients had hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) and 61% failed prior radiation. Median overall survival for HRPC patients was 6.6 mo (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.6-8.6) while the median overall survival for hormone-sensitive patients was 16.3 mo (95% CI: 4.0-26.6). Conclusion The majority of patients undergoing surgery for prostate cancer metastases to the spine were refractory to hormone therapy, indicating that patients with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer are unlikely to develop symptomatic spinal cord compression or spinal instability. A significant number of HRPC patients presented with neurological deficits attributable to spinal cord compression. Vigilant monitoring for the development of signs and symptoms of epidural spinal cord compression and spinal instability in hormone-refractory patients is recommended. Surgical decision making may be affected by the much shorter postoperative survival for HRPC patients as compared to patients with hormone-sensitive cancer.
Democracy, Inc., and the End of the Cold War

How did the end of the Cold War influence the further evolution of pluralist democracy? While many Americans assumed capitalism and democracy would comfortably coexist, Cold-War victory instead unleashed corporate wealth and power. The consumers’ democracy transformed into Democracy, Inc., dominated by wealthy individuals and corporations, including multinationals. The predominant ideology was neoliberalism, a libertarianism emphasizing economic liberty. Laissez faire celebrates the free market; neoliberalism demonizes democratic government.
The WISDOM study pilot: Evaluating a preference-tolerant RCT of risk-based vs. annual breast cancer screening.

e13035Background: The goal of the WISDOM study (Women Informed to Screen Depending on Measures of risk) is to examine the effectiveness of a personalized approach to breast cancer screening and to bring clarity and objective recommendations to the current debate regarding mammography screening frequency. The WISDOM study, funded by PCORI, is a randomized trial with a preference-tolerant design that aims to determine if risk-based (RBS), vs. annual screening, is as safe, less morbid, enables prevention and is preferred by women. A pilot was conducted to test the logistics and examine the acceptance of the study. Methods: Women were recruited from the UCSF site of the Athena Breast Health Network, a clinical care-research cohort including 100,000 women from the 5 UC Medical Centers and Sanford Health. We recruited women 40 -74 years of age that had no history of breast cancer and had a normal mammogram in the past year. The Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium model (standard risk factors, ethnicity, breas...
Elovanoids are a novel class of homeostatic lipid mediators that protect neural cell integrity upon injury

We report the characterization of a novel class of lipid mediators termed elovanoids (ELVs) (ELV-N32 and ELV-N34), which are dihydroxylated derivatives of 32:6n3 and 34:6n3, respectively. The precursors of ELVs are made by elongation of a 22:6n3 fatty acid and catalyzed by ELOVL4 (elongation of very-long-chain fatty acids-4). The structure and stereochemistry of ELVs were established using synthetic compounds produced by stereocontrolled total synthesis. We report that ELV-mediated protection is induced in neuronal cultures undergoing either oxygen/glucose deprivation or N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity, as well as in experimental ischemic stroke. The methyl ester or sodium salt of ELV-N32 and ELV-N34 resulted in reduced infarct volumes, promoted cell survival, and diminished neurovascular unit disruption when administered 1 hour following 2 hours of ischemia by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Together, our data reveal a novel prohomeostatic and neuroprotective lipid-signaling mechanism aiming to sustain neural cell integrity.
Trends in Surgical Practices for Lateral Epicondylitis Among Newly Trained Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Background:Much controversy exists regarding the optimal surgical intervention for lateral epicondylitis because of a multitude of options available and the lack of comparative studies. Knowledge o...
Sulfide Toxicity and Its Modulation by Nitric Oxide in Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cells

Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAEC) respond in a dose-dependent manner to millimolar (0–10) levels of sodium sulfide (NaHS). No measurable increase in caspase-3 activity and no change in the extent of autophagy (or mitophagy) were observed in BPAEC. However, lactate dehydrogenase levels increased in the BPAEC exposed NaHS, which indicated necrotic cell death. In the case of galactose-conditioned BPAEC, the toxicity of NaHS was increased by 30% compared to that observed in BPAEC maintained in the regular glucose-containing culture medium, which indicated a link between mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and the mechanism of toxicant action. This is consistent with the widely held view that cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV of the mitochondrial electron-transport system) is the principal molecular target involved in the acute toxicity of “sulfide” (H2S/HS–). In support of this view, elevated NO (which can reverse cytochrome c oxidase inhibition) ameliorated the toxicity of NaHS and, conver...
Steroid hormone induction and expression patterns of L-plastin in normal and carcinomatous prostate tissues

Application of differential display to the comparison of androgen-stimulated and unstimulated human prostate carcinoma cell line LNCaP identified androgen induction of the L-plastin gene, which encodes an actin-binding protein isoform. Further investigation demonstrated that L-plastin expression in LNCaP cells is up-regulated by both dihydrotestosterone and estradiol. This induction of expression is detected as early as 2 hours after addition of steroids to the cell culture. L-plastin expression is also detected in other prostate carcinoma cell lines by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry but not in the single normal adult prostate epithelial cell line that is available to us. Analysis of multiple primary prostatic tumor tissues as well as normal and tumor tissues of the same prostate gland showed that tumor tissues exhibit a higher level of expression as compared with the normal tissues. Immunohistochemical study using anti-L-plastin antiserum on normal and carcinomatous prostate tissues showed a very striking difference in the staining patterns. Positive staining was seen in the fibromuscular stroma in normal prostates but not in the glandular epithelial cells. In contrast, strong staining was seen predominantly within the carcinomatous glandular epithelial cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the expression of L-plastin in prostatic epithelial cells is linked to the malignant state and that, once expressed in carcinomas, its expression is regulated by steroid hormone receptors.
The Future of Photodynamic Therapy

The field of PDT is increasing its accuracy at targeting specific tissues, organisms, and other matter for ever-advancing applications in therapeutics. Of importance is the broadening of the classes of photosensitizers that are being developed for use in PDT, along with the development of novel wavelengths and light sources. Technologically advanced, microtargeted delivery systems are being developed that will enable photosensitizers to penetrate to desired targets with increasing specificity and efficiency. Finally, the applications of PDT to various clinical conditions are advancing, with the advent of its use for the treatment of acne, light hair removal, and infections.
Seizures and Commonly Prescribed Drugs

Publisher Summary This chapter presents various aspects of seizures and commonly prescribed drugs. Various combinations of seizures, myoclonus, psychosis, and delirium have been reported with a number of cephalosporins, including cephaloridine, cephalothin, cephazolin, cefonicid, cephalexin, cefmetazole, cephacetrile, cefotaxime, cephoroxime, and latamoxef. Myoclonus, seizures, and altered mentation have also been associated with imipenem/cilastatin, in both animals and humans. The neurotoxicity of the beta-lactam agents is dose-related and correlates with high blood concentrations and increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). It is suggested that cerebrospinal fluid drug concentrations may not reflect actual brain concentrations and these drugs enter the brain directly from the blood. The pathogenesis of beta-lactam neurotoxicity may be related to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. Penicillins bind to benzodiazepine receptors, and penicillins, cephalosporins, and imipenem/cilastatin inhibit GABA binding. Status epilepticus can be refractory to treatment with phenytoin or barbiturates. Isoniazid's convulsant properties, like its ability to cause peripheral neuropathy, might be related to decreased tissue and serum levels of pyridoxine resulting from the formation of rapidly excreted isoniazidpyridoxine hydrazones. It is observed that benzodiazepines can produce physical dependence, with barbiturate-like withdrawal symptoms, including seizures.
Analysis of Gene Expression and Mutants Influencing Ethylene Responses and Fruit Development in Tomato

Efforts in numerous laboratories including our own have focused upon the isolation of specific genes which regulate the ripening process and related fruit quality characters. Together these efforts have resulted in the isolation of genes involved in numerous aspects of the ripening phenotype including cell wall metabolism, ethylene biosynthesis and perception, pigment biosynthesis, and susceptibility to post-harvest pathogens. Specific efforts in our laboratory are focused in two general areas. The first is toward isolation and characterization of genes which represent upstream global developmental regulators of ripening such as the ripening-inhibitor (rin) and non-ripening (nor) genes. We are currently characterizing genes which we believe represent both target loci. Our second focus is on analysis of ethylene signal transduction components and analysis of corresponding gene expression and function during the ripening process. We have isolated a putative tomato homologue of the Arabidopsis CTR1 gene and have shown that it is ethylene regulated during tomato fruit development. This represents a second component of ripening-related ethylene signal transduction, in addition to the Never-ripe ethylene receptor, whose mRNA accumulation is itself under ethylene control. In addition, we have shown through genetic mapping that a putative tomato constitutive ethylene response mutant (Epi; Epinastic) does not represent a mutation in the tomato CTR1 gene TCTR1. Epi/Epi; Nr/Nr double-mutant analysis suggests that the Epi mutation represents a step in ethylene responses limited to ethylene-mediated cell size effects.
Meeting the Palliative Care Needs of Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: Beyond the Math.

In this issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology , two studies highlight the importance of palliative care for patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. First, Chettiar et al. ([1][1]) examined outcomes of first hospitalizations in 2012–2013 within a United States
Severe Acute Brain Injury

Severe acute brain injury (SABI) is a heterogeneous group of diseases that leave patients acutely neurologically devastated. This chapter discusses the unique challenges that clinicians face when caring for patients with SABI and their families with a focus on the acute setting, when shared decision making is challenged by significant prognostic uncertainty and the need for grieving family members to consider patient’s goals of care. Clinicians practicing in the emergency department, acute neurology or neuro-critical care setting need to master a set of distinct palliative care skills to help patients and families navigate the severe acute brain injury landscape. These skills are relevant to all clinicians, providing both primary and specialist palliative care. Using a case example, we provide recommendations regarding symptom management and caregiver support in the acute and chronic setting, and discuss communication skills for clinicians engaging with family members, especially around prognosis and treatment goals. Research and education needs in this area of palliative care are substantial.
Catalysis Enabled by Plasma Activation of Strong Chemical Bonds: A Review

Nonthermal plasma-driven catalysis is an emerging subfield of heterogeneous catalysis that is particularly promising for the chemical transformation of hard-to-activate molecules (e.g., N2, CO2, CH4). In this Review, we illustrate this promise of plasma-enhanced catalysis, focusing on the ammonia synthesis and methane dry reforming reactions, two reactions that have received wide attention and that illustrate the potential for plasma excitations to mitigate kinetic and thermodynamic obstacles to chemical conversions. We highlight how plasma activation of reactants can provide access to overall reaction rates, conversions, product yields, and/or product distributions unattainable by thermal catalysis at similar temperatures and pressures. Particular emphasis is given to efforts aimed at discerning the underlying mechanisms at play in these systems. We discuss opportunities for and challenges to the advancement of the field.
Does Patient Experience After a Total Knee Arthroplasty Predict Readmission

Abstract Background To our knowledge, the relationship between patient Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores and patient outcomes in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not yet been analyzed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine whether readmissions within the 30 or 90 days postoperative window after TKA were predicted by patient satisfaction scores, as measured by the HCAHPS survey. Methods We analyzed HCAHPS survey scores from all patients who underwent primary or revision TKA at our institution between January 1, 2016 and September 1, 2016. Demographic readmission information, preoperative baseline health status measures, validated patient-reported pain and joint function measures, and HCAHPS survey scores were collected. To determine whether 30-day or 90-day readmissions were independently associated with HCAHPS scores, statistical analyses were conducted using chi-squared and Student’s t-tests for categorical and continuous variables. Multivariable regression analysis adjusted for patient-level risk factors. Results Patients readmitted within 30 days were significantly less likely to choose the highest rating on survey questions in several dimensions of patient satisfaction when compared to patients who were not readmitted. These dimensions included physician communication (P = .045), discharge information (P = .016), and transition of care (P = .044). Similarly, patients who were readmitted within 90 days were less likely to choose the highest rating in survey questions that pertained to physician communication (P = .046), medication information (P = .040), and quietness of the hospital environment (P = .048). Conclusion Our results show that readmission is predicted by lower patient satisfaction scores in several dimensions of patient care including physician communication, hospital environment, medication information, discharge information, and transition of care.
Measurement of serum phosphate levels using a mobile sensor

The measurement of serum phosphate concentration is crucial for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those on maintenance dialysis, as abnormal phosphate levels may be associated with severe health risks. It is important to monitor serum phosphate levels on a regular basis in these patients; however, such measurements are generally limited to every 0.5-3 months, depending on the severity of CKD. This is due to the fact that serum phosphate measurements can only be performed at regular clinic visits, in addition to cost considerations. Here we present a portable and cost-effective point-of-care device capable of measuring serum phosphate levels using a single drop of blood (<60 μl). This is achieved by integrating a paper-based microfluidic platform with a custom-designed smartphone reader. This mobile sensor was tested on patients undergoing dialysis, where whole blood samples were acquired before starting the hemodialysis and during the three-hour treatment. This sampling during the hemodialysis, under patient consent, allowed us to test blood samples with a wide range of phosphate concentrations, and our results showed a strong correlation with the ground truth laboratory tests performed on the same patient samples (Pearson coefficient r = 0.95 and p < 0.001). Our 3D-printed smartphone attachment weighs about 400 g and costs less than 80 USD, whereas the material cost for the disposable test is <3.5 USD (under low volume manufacturing). This low-cost and easy-to-operate system can be used to measure serum phosphate levels at the point-of-care in about 45 min and can potentially be used on a daily basis by patients at home.
An item‐level investigation of conceptual and empirical distinctiveness of proactivity constructs

Beyond the prior investigations that took scale‐level approaches to determining discriminant validity in proactivity constructs, the current study contributes a much‐needed interrogation of the items used to measure the behaviors in this domain. The substantive validity (SV) assessments (Study 1) showed that many of the items were judged to be inconsistent with the definition of the construct they assess or, alternatively, more consistent with the definition of a different construct in the domain. Further, exploratory factor analysis revealed the difficulty in empirically separating the four behaviors, while BiM results also advocated against the unique variance of them after accounting for a general factor (Study 2). Altogether, our results show that the items are partly to blame for the empirical redundancy issue.
The Power of Prejudice: Cross-cultural Competency and Muslim Populations

Oh people! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Verily the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the Most God-fearing of you. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (49:13) This oft-cited Quranic verse encapsulates the Islamic worldview on the raison d’etre of different groups of people and ethnicities, thereby highlighting the importance of cross-cultural communication and Islam’s role in transcending these differences. The same worldview can be adopted in psychiatric practice to provide culturally competent patient-centered care. This paper introduces a clinical vignette of a Muslim patient with poor mental health and her experiences living in the US as a religious minority. The vignette frames the following discussion in the context of rising hate in the country and brings to light the consequences of Islamophobia on the mental health of American Muslim populations. The psychology of outgroup hate is explained by analyzing the literature produced on the interrelated topics of stereotypes, discrimination, prejudice, and xenophobia, and concludes with tools available for cross-cultural competency in a clinical setting.
Experimental investigation and analysis of parametric trends of instability in two-phase micro-channel heat sinks

Abstract This study explores Density Wave Oscillation (DWO) and Parallel Channel Instability (PCI) in a micro-channel heat sink containing 38 parallel channels having a hydraulic diameter of 316 μm. Experiments are executed using FC-72 as working fluid with mass velocities from 171.2 to 1124 kg/m2s and a fairly constant inlet subcooling of ~15°C. The flow instabilities are reflected in pressure fluctuations detected mostly in the heat sink's upstream plenum. Both inlet pressure and pressure drop signals are analyzed in pursuit of amplitude and frequency characteristics for different mass velocities and over a range of heat fluxes. The analysis is complemented by detailed visualization of interfacial features along the parallel channels using high-speed video. Appreciable confinement of bubbles in individual channels is shown to promote rapid axial bubble growth. The study shows significant variations in the amount of vapor generated and dominant flow patterns among channels, a clear manifestation of PCI, especially for low mass velocities and high heat fluxes. It is also shown effects of the heat sink's instabilities are felt in other components of the flow loop. The parametric trends for PCI are investigated with the aid of three different types of stability maps which show different abilities at demarcating stable and unstable operation.
Breaking down chipping and fragmentation in sediment transport:the control of material strength

Abstract. As rocks are transported, they primarily undergo two breakdown mechanisms: chipping and fragmentation. Chipping occurs at relatively low collision energies typical of bed-load transport, and involves shallow cracking; this process rounds river pebbles in a universal manner. Fragmentation involves catastrophic breakup by fracture growth in the bulk – a response that occurs at high collision energies such as rock falls – and produces angular shards. Despite its geophysical significance, the transition from chipping to fragmentation is not well studied. Indeed, most models implicitly assume that impact erosion of pebbles and bedrock is governed by fragmentation rather than chipping. Here we experimentally delineate the boundary between chipping and fragmentation by examining the mass and shape evolution of concrete particles in a rotating drum. Attrition rate should be a function of both impact energy and material strength; here we keep the former constant, while systematically varying the latter. For sufficiently strong particles, chipping occurred and was characterized by the following: daughter products were significantly smaller than the parent; attrition rate was independent of material strength; and particles experienced monotonic rounding toward a spherical shape. As strength decreased, fragmentation became more significant: mass of daughter products became larger and more varied; attrition rate was inversely proportional to material strength; and shape evolution fluctuated and became non monotonic. Our results validate a previously proposed probabilistic model for impact attrition, and indicate that bedrock erosion models predicated on fragmentation failure need to be revisited. We suggest that the shape of natural pebbles may be utilized to deduce the breakdown mechanism, and infer past transport environments.
Ambiguity and Retained Earnings

We investigate the implications of ambiguity aversion for retained earnings. We show that firms can eliminate distortions such as underinvestment by paying out earnings that maximizes shareholder wealth. We show that there is a negative relationship between ambiguity and retained earnings and argue that it is different from the positive relationship between retained earnings and volatility obtained in the literature. Firms pay out part of their earnings to attract ambiguity averse investors to their equity markets. We test our results and find strong and robust empirical support.
Constructing the Outbreak: Epidemics in Media & Collective Memory: by Katherine A. Foss, Amherst, Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts Press, 2020, 232 pp.

In early 2020, as COVID-19 entered public consciousness, it seemed a complete shock to our societal system—how could a devastating pandemic be possible in such advanced times? But perhaps we should...
Propensity score analysis methods with balancing constraints: A Monte Carlo study.

The inverse probability weighting is an important propensity score weighting method to estimate the average treatment effect. Recent literature shows that it can be easily combined with covariate b...
Interpersonal Communication for Technically Trained Managers: A Guide to Skills and Techniques

The Problems Begin, and the Solutions Come from Within Little Ridges Lead to a Mountain Being Assertive Means Staying on Top of the Mountain One Part of the Mountain is Active Listening Self-Disclosure Is Another Part of the Mountain The Truth Will Out--Nonverbally They Pay Us to Communicate Facts Present and Inform You Won't Need to Persuade Listening and the Right Verbs Can Help You Persuade Most of Any Decisionmaking Process is Communication The More Communication, the Better the Performance Planning The Communication Never Stops in Meetings Use the Telephone as If the Other Party Were in the Room Epilogue: Why Have We Taken So Long Index
Metabolism of naphthalene, fluorene, and phenanthrene: preliminary characterization of a cloned gene cluster from Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816.

A modified cloning procedure was used to obtain large DNA insertions (20 to 30 kb) from Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816 that expressed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) transformation activity in Escherichia coli HB101. Four subclones (16 [in both orientations], 12, and 8.5 kb in size) were constructed from the initial clones. Naphthalene, fluorene, and phenanthrene transformations were investigated in these eight NCIB 9816 clones by a simple agar plate assay method, which was developed to detect and identify potential PAH metabolites. Results indicated that the necessary genes encoding the initial ring fission of the three PAHs in E. coli cells are located in an 8.5-kb EcoRI-XhoI portion, but the lower-pathway genes are not present in a 38-kb neighborhood region. These NCIB 9816 clones could transform naphthalene and phenanthrene to salicylic acid and 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, respectively. With the same clones, fluorene was degraded to 9-hydroxyfluorene, 9-fluorenone, and two unidentified compounds. Genetic similarity between the NAH7 upper-pathway genes and the cloned NCIB 9816 genes was confirmed by Southern blot DNA-DNA hybridization. In spite of this genetic similarity, the abilities of the two clusters to transform multiple PAHs were different. Under our experimental conditions, only the metabolites from naphthalene transformation by the NAH7 clone (pE317) were detected, whereas the NCIB 9816 clones produced metabolites from all three PAHs. Images
Requirements for being Japanese'. Stories of returnees

Abstract After living outside Japan for one to ten years, the college students I interviewed reflected on how they have been transformed. Some transformations are short-lived physical changes in hair and clothing; some are visible behavioral changes in how they walk or move their arms or faces. The more serious changes are in interpersonal styles and expressions, changes that make them seem “un-Japanese.” The returnees are ambivalent about the latter changes; they recognize the problems but they are reluctant to suppress or give up entirely the newly acquired aspects of themselves.
In vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy of chronically stimulated canine skeletal muscle.

Chronic stimulation converts skeletal muscle of mixed fiber type to a uniform muscle made up of type I, fatigue-resistant fibers. Here, the bioenergetic correlates of fatigue resistance in conditio...
Purification of receptor protein Trg by exploiting a property common to chemotactic transducers of Escherichia coli.

Abstract The methyl-accepting chemotactic transducers of Escherichia coli were found to bind strongly to Cibacron blue-Sepharose. Among potential elutants tested, only S-adenosylmethionine at moderate concentrations and NaCl at concentrations greater than 1.5 M caused dissociation of these detergent-solubilized transmembrane proteins from the dye. Release by S-adenosylmethionine may be a generalized effect rather than the result of a specific binding site for that compound on transducers. A truncated trg gene was created that coded for the carboxyl-terminal three-fifths of the transducer, which constitutes the cytoplasmic domain common to all four transducers in E. coli. This domain bound to Cibacron blue-Sepharose and was eluted in a pattern similar to that exhibited by intact Trg, indicating that interaction with the dye occurred in this conserved domain. Adherence to Cibacron blue and elution by high salt formed the core of an efficient purification scheme, developed for Trg but applicable to all transducers in E. coli and perhaps to methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins in other species. Determination of the amino acid sequence at the beginning of purified Trg confirmed that it contained a longer hydrophilic segment at its amino terminus than other transducers of E. coli. The initial methionine of Trg is neither cleaved nor modified, in contrast to the Tar transducer in which the amino terminus was found previously to be blocked. Circular dichroic measurements of purified Trg indicated that the secondary structural organization of the protein is predominantly alpha-helix.
A distributed agent implementation of multiple species flocking model for document partitioning clustering

The Flocking model, first proposed by Craig Reynolds, is one of the first bio-inspired computational collective behavior models that has many popular applications, such as animation. Our early research has resulted in a flock clustering algorithm that can achieve better performance than the K-means or the Ant clustering algorithms for data clustering. This algorithm generates a clustering of a given set of data through the embedding of the high-dimensional data items on a two-dimensional grid for efficient clustering result retrieval and visualization. In this paper, we propose a bio-inspired clustering model, the Multiple Species Flocking clustering model (MSF), and present a distributed multi-agent MSF approach for document clustering.
Inhibition of transfer RNA methylases by bull semen: I. Localization, identification and properties of the inhibitor

Abstract A potent tRNA methylase inhibitor has been identified in bull sperm and seminal plasma. A 1:2500 dilution of sperm containing 20 μg of protein was capable of inhibiting 100% rat liver tRNA methylase activity (10 mg of protein). Seminal plasma diluted 1:5000 (37.5 μg protein) was also able to totally inhibit the rat liver tRNA methylase activity. The inhibitory substance did not appear to function by degrading either of the substrates used in the assay; Escherichia coli tRNA and S-adenosylmethionine, the active methyl donor. The inhibitor had no effect on DNA methylase phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, and catechol O-methyltransferase activities, but did inhibit low levels of rRNA methylase activity. Various enzymatic, chemical and physicochemical methods were used to identify the inhibitor as a polysaccharide.
Spin‐dependent Tunneling: Role of Evanescent and Resonant States

There are two important factors which control the spin polarization of the tunneling current in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), in addition to the bulk band structure of ferromagnetic electrodes: evanescent states in the insulating barrier and the electronic structure of the ferromagnet/barrier interface. We consider several theoretical models illustrating the significance of these two factors in different kinds of MTJs. Symmetry of the evanescent states in the barrier selects those spin-polarized bands in the ferromagnetic electrodes that are able efficiently tunnel through the barrier. This mechanism is responsible for large values of tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) predicted and observed in crystalline MTJs based on an MgO insulating barrier and for the negative spin polarization of Co/SrTiO3/Co MTJs with bcc Co electrodes. The interface bonding may result in the appearance of interfaces resonant states that dramatically affect the spin polarization of the tunneling current. These states explain a decrease of TMR in Fe/MgO/Fe(001) MTJs for small barrier thickness. The presence of an interface band at the oxidized Co(001) surface causes the spin polarization of the tunneling current across vacuum to be negative, as opposed to that predicted for the clean Co surface. The strong interface bonding between Co and O atoms at the interface in Co/Al2O3/Co MTJs explains positive values of the spin polarization observed experimentally. Keywords: magnetic tunnel junction; spin-dependent tunneling; spin polarization; interface bonding; interface resonant state; complex band structure
Lighting Up Genes in Single Cells at Scale

In this issue, Shachar et al. report a high-throughput imaging position mapping platform (HIPmap) enabling large-scale, high-resolution localization of 3D gene positions in single cells. Coupling loss-of-function screens with HIPmap, the authors identify DNA replication rather than mitosis as a major determinant of genome positioning.
Exclusive meson leptoproduction and spin dependent generalized parton distributions

.Exclusive meson leptoproduction from nucleons in the deeply virtual exchanged boson limit can be described by generalized parton distributions (GPDs). Including spin dependence in the description requires 8 independent quark-parton and gluon-parton functions. The chiral even subset of 4 quark-nucleon GPDs are related to nucleon form factors and to parton distribution functions. The chiral odd set of 4 quark-nucleon GPDs are related to transversity, the tensor charge, and other quantities related to transversity. Different meson or pho ton production processes access different combinations of GPDs. This is analyzed in terms of t-channel exchange quantum numbers, J PC and it is shown that pseudoscalar production can isolate chiral odd GPDs. There is a sensitive dependence in various cross sections and asymmetries on the tensor charge of the nucleon and other transversity parameters.
Contact allergens in a pediatric population: association with atopic dermatitis and comparison with other north american referral centers.

Objective: The authors aimed to retrospectively identify associations between allergen sensitization frequencies and specific comorbidities in a patient population in Miami, Florida, tested between November 2004 and July 2006 with a pediatric standard series and to compare their findings to recent pediatric and adult patch testing data published by other North American referral centers. Design: The authors performed a retrospective chart review evaluating the most common, clinically relevant contact allergens against the frequency of specific comorbidities, such as atopic dermatitis. The results were compared with the patch testing data from the Ottawan Contact Dermatitis Group's 1996–2006 study, the North American Contact Dermatitis Group 2001–2004 study, and the Mayo Clinic 1998–2000 study and the 2000–2006 study. Setting: University of Miami, Miami, Florida. Participants: Sixty-nine Miami children and adolescents between age six months and 18 years, having been referred for comprehensive patch testing. Measurements: The frequency of positive patch test reactions and clinical relevance was evaluated against the frequency of comorbidities. Results: Forty-five patients met all the inclusion criteria. Of these, 95.6 percent (43 patients) had at least one positive patch test reaction, with 76.7 percent of them having a personal history of atopic dermatitis. The most common pediatric allergens were found to significantly overlap with those of other North American referral centers. Conclusions: Allergic contact dermatitis is prevalent in atopic dermatitis; however, the authors were not able to demonstrate a statistically significant association, as the majority of patients referred had atopic dermatitis, and thus the control group was inadequate. Furthermore, allergens at the Miami center paralleled those seen at different centers within North America.
Comparative morbidity of postpartum sterilization procedures

Abstract Morbidity occurring with the four types of postpartum sterilization procedure (postpartum tubal ligation, cesarean tubal ligation, cesarean hysterectomy, and postpartum hysterectomy) is discussed. We feel that postpartum hysterectomy for sterilization is not indicated as an elective procedure. Any of the other three is acceptable.
Modified Lapidus Procedure with Joint Compression, Meticulous Surface Preparation, and Shear-Strain-Relieved Bone Graft Yields Low Nonunion Rate

Background The modified Lapidus procedure is widely used to correct hallux valgus but has been reported with high nonunion rates. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the nonunion rate of the modified Lapidus procedure performed with rigid cross screw fixation, meticulous joint preparation, and shear-strain-relieved calcaneal bone graft.
TEXT-U error field measured from MHD dynamics

A new method is described for determining error field strengths using the dynamics of a rotating m = 2, n = 1 resistive MHD tearing mode as observed on TEXT-U. A set of external saddle coils induces a magnetic field whose m = 2, n = 1 component is either in phase or out of phase spatially with the intrinsic m = 2, n = 1 error field. This experimentally applied field, combined with the pre-existing error field, decelerates the plasma rotation by coupling to the tearing mode and induces a locked mode. The time evolution of the average rotation frequency and the Fourier amplitudes of a Mirnov signal observing the tearing mode are predicted analytically. This analytic result compares favourably with experimental data, which are analysed for the frequency and Fourier amplitudes using variable frequency complex demodulation. The error field is measured at the q = 2 surface to be 0.45 ±0.09 G by noting when in the evolution the applied field cancels the error field. This technique is unique because it measures the field error in the equilibrium of interest and is extremely sensitive (the measured error is 2 × 10-5 B0); because it is a dynamic measurement, it could conceivably be deployed in real time to prevent locked mode disruptions.
A general pre-steady-state solution to complex kinetic mechanisms.

Abstract We have developed a general method for solving transient kinetic equations using Laplace transforms. Laplace transforms can be used to transform systems of differential equations that describe pre-steady-state kinetics to systems of linear algebraic equations. The general form of the pre-steady-state solution is I(t) = ∑ i = 0 n−1 I i e − i t where I ( t ) is the time dependence of the physically observed property of the system, n is the number of intermediates, λ i are the observed rate constants (reciprocals of the relaxation times), t is time, and I i are the amplitude coefficients associated with each observed rate constant. We have written a program in compiled BASIC to run on a personal computer to evaluate I i and λ i . The program will evaluate the rate constants and coefficients of a mechanism with eight intermediates and seven relaxation times in 4 s on an 8-MHz PC-XT equipped with a math coprocessor. The most complex mechanism that we have solved, a mechanism containing 20 intermediates and 19 relaxation times, required approximately 5 min. We believe that this method will be useful to evaluate the differences in transient properties of complex biochemical mechanisms.
Asymptotic combustion of spherical drops

Abstract An analysis is made to determine the rates of drop shirnkage and flame movement during the asymptotic combustion of spherical drops controlled by the transport of heat and mass. The effects of unsteady diffusion and radial convection of heat and mass are taken into account. Exact solutions of the equations governing spherically-symmetric transport phenomena are obtained from which the expressions describing the radius time history for the drop and flame surface are determined. The effects of gas inertia, transient terms and radial convection resulting from unequal fluid densities are established and the regions of applicability of previously reported approximate solutions are determined.