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There is a revolutionary-becoming which is not the same as the future of the revolution, and which does not necessarily happen through the militants. There is a philosophy-becoming which has [...]

Maturation of auditory cortex neural encoding processes was assessed in children with typical development (TD) and autism. Children 6-9 years old were enrolled at Time 1 (T1), with follow-up data obtained ~ 18 months later at Time 2 (T2), and ~ 36 months later at Time 3 (T3). Findings suggested an initial period of rapid auditory cortex maturation in autism, earlier than TD (prior to and surrounding the T1 exam), followed by a period of faster maturation in TD than autism (T1-T3). As a result of group maturation differences, post-stimulus group differences were observed at T1 but not T3. In contrast, stronger pre-stimulus activity in autism than TD was found at all time points, indicating this brain measure is stable across time., Author(s): Heather L. Green [sup.1] , Guannan Shen [sup.1] , Rose E. Franzen [sup.1] , Marybeth Mcnamee [sup.1] , Jeffrey I. Berman [sup.1] [sup.2] , Theresa G. Mowad [sup.1] [sup.2] [...]

Background University Medical Centers (UMCs) must do their part for clinical trial transparency by fostering practices such as prospective registration, timely results reporting, and open access. However, research institutions are often unaware of their performance on these practices. Baseline assessments of these practices would highlight where there is room for change and empower UMCs to support improvement. We performed a status quo analysis of established clinical trial registration and reporting practices at German UMCs and developed a dashboard to communicate these baseline assessments with UMC leadership and the wider research community. Methods and findings We developed and applied a semiautomated approach to assess adherence to established transparency practices in a cohort of interventional trials and associated results publications. Trials were registered in ClinicalTrials.gov or the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), led by a German UMC, and reported as complete between 2009 and 2017. To assess adherence to transparency practices, we identified results publications associated to trials and applied automated methods at the level of registry data (e.g., prospective registration) and publications (e.g., open access). We also obtained summary results reporting rates of due trials registered in the EU Clinical Trials Register (EUCTR) and conducted at German UMCs from the EU Trials Tracker. We developed an interactive dashboard to display these results across all UMCs and at the level of single UMCs. Our study included and assessed 2,895 interventional trials led by 35 German UMCs. Across all UMCs, prospective registration increased from 33% (n = 58/178) to 75% (n = 144/193) for trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and from 0% (n = 0/44) to 79% (n = 19/24) for trials registered in DRKS over the period considered. Of trials with a results publication, 38% (n = 714/1,895) reported the trial registration number in the publication abstract. In turn, 58% (n = 861/1,493) of trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and 23% (n = 111/474) of trials registered in DRKS linked the publication in the registration. In contrast to recent increases in summary results reporting of drug trials in the EUCTR, 8% (n = 191/2,253) and 3% (n = 20/642) of due trials registered in ClinicalTrials.gov and DRKS, respectively, had summary results in the registry. Across trial completion years, timely results reporting (within 2 years of trial completion) as a manuscript publication or as summary results was 41% (n = 1,198/2,892). The proportion of openly accessible trial publications steadily increased from 42% (n = 16/38) to 74% (n = 72/97) over the period considered. A limitation of this study is that some of the methods used to assess the transparency practices in this dashboard rely on registry data being accurate and up-to-date. Conclusions In this study, we observed that it is feasible to assess and inform individual UMCs on their performance on clinical trial transparency in a reproducible and publicly accessible way. Beyond helping institutions assess how they perform in relation to mandates or their institutional policy, the dashboard may inform interventions to increase the uptake of clinical transparency practices and serve to evaluate the impact of these interventions., Author(s): Delwen L. Franzen *, Benjamin Gregory Carlisle, Maia Salholz-Hillel, Nico Riedel, Daniel Strech Introduction Valid medical decision-making depends on an evidence base composed of clinical trials that were prospectively [...]

We investigate earnings management around Standard and Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500 Index) additions for added firms and their peers. We use discretionary accruals as a proxy for earnings management and find upward earnings management for added and peer firms prior to the S&P 500 Index addition announcement. Following Index addition, we find divergence in the earnings management activities of added and peer firms. Added firms continue with upward earnings management with no significant change, whereas peer firms, not selected for Index inclusion, significantly reduce upward earnings management. Our evidence is consistent with increased pressure in the year leading up to Index addition for both added and peer firms and continued pressure on added firms following selection into the Index. Our findings suggest that income increasing earnings management may contribute to the observed positive market response to S&P 500 Index additions. Keywords: Analysts' Forecasts, Discretionary Accruals, Earnings Expec-tations, Earnings Management, S&P 500 Index JEL Classifications: G11, G14, M41, I. Introduction A May 27, 2015 report authored by Dim Swanson and entitled, 'Could the S&P 500 Add Verisk Analytics? Baird Analysts Think So,' stated, '... analysts expect the company [...]

Purpose In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the role of comorbidities using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and time to first antibiotic dose (TFAD) in patients with pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia (PCAP). Methods All consecutive ER admissions with PCAP who were hospitalized in the University Hospital, Zurich between 2006 and 2012 were included. The primary outcome was to determine possible determinants of all-cause in-hospital mortality (ACIHM). The second endpoint was to detect risk factors for adverse events (AEs) and determinants of length of stay (LOS). Results 108 subjects (mean age 57.6 years) were included. The median (IQR) CCI was 4 (1, 8). The median (IQR) TFAD was 210 (150, 280) min. ACIHM was 6.5 % (7/108), and median (IQR) LOS was 9 (6, 14) days. PCAP-related AEs were observed in 57 cases (52.8 %). In the multivariable analysis, neither CCI nor TFAD was associated with the outcome measures. Pneumonia severity index (PSI) was the only statistically significant predictor of ACIHM (HR 1.31/10 point increase, 95 % CI 1.12-1.53, p = 0.001) and AE rate (OR 1.31, 95 % CI 1.15-1.50, p < 0.001). Conclusions In this study including comparatively young patients with rather mild disease severity, we found no strong evidence supporting that CCI or TFAD influenced short-term outcome measures of PCAP. Yet, pneumonia severity appears to be the most important factor for the outcome., Author(s): Daniel Franzen[sup.1] , Marisa Lim[sup.1] , Daniel J. Bratton[sup.1] , Stefan P. Kuster[sup.2] , Malcolm Kohler[sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Raemistrasse [...]

Levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly assessed in biological fluids, for example, in samples obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). 'Post-collection kinetics' of miRNA expression levels, however, have not been investigated to date. In these experiments, we analyzed the dynamic expression profile of 5 different miRNAs (miR-17, miR-19b, miR-20b, miR-125a, and miR-223-3p) in BAL within the first 24 h following collection by routine bronchoscopy. miRNAs were quantified 0, 1, 4, 8, and 24 h after collection in samples that were kept at 4 °C or at room temperature. The expression of all five miRNAs was found to remain stable between the first 8 h after collection. 24 h after collection miRNAs faced substantial alterations in their expression profile. These data emphasize that BAL samples intended for further miRNA analysis can be handled at room temperature within the first 8 h after bronchoscopy., Author(s): Matthias Brock[sup.1] , Thomas Rechsteiner[sup.1] , Malcolm Kohler[sup.1] , Daniel Franzen[sup.1] , Lars C. Huber[sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Division of Pulmonology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Introduction microRNAs (miRNAs) [...]

This project investigated influences (environmental, personal, and behavioral) on body mass index (BMI) and acculturation of Hmong children born in the United States (US) using the social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework. Using formative information from 12 child focus groups (n = 68) and a review of the literature, a quantitative survey was developed and administered to Hmong children (n = 300) [greater than or equal to] 9 [less than or equal to] 18 years-old. Heights, weights, and acculturation level were measured. B-US.sup.1 were raised in the US and 9-13 years-old (n = 144) and B-US.sup.2 were raised in the US and 14-18 years-old (n = 156). Approximately 50 % of children were classified as overweight/obese (BMI [greater than or equal to] 85th percentile). Across age and gender sub-groups, questions from the environmental construct appeared to be the most predictive of variances in BMI percentiles (50-60 %). In contrast, acculturation scores were equally predicted by environmental, behavioral, and personal constructs for age and gender sub-groups. Sum acculturation score was significantly higher for B-US.sup.2 compared to B-US.sup.1, with B-US.sup.2 being more acculturated in language use and thought, overall dietary acculturation, and foods eaten at lunch. The high prevalence of obesity in Hmong children suggests that future studies investigate factors influencing obesity to identify the most effective method to reduce/prevent this problem. In particular, acculturation level of the child should be assessed to determine changed dietary behavior and possible risk for obesity., Author(s): Lisa Franzen-Castle [sup.1] , Chery Smith [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (Aff1) 0000 0004 1937 0060, grid.24434.35, Panhandle Research and Extension Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, , Scottsbluff, NE, USA (Aff2) 0000000419368657, [...]

This project investigated influences (environmental, personal, and behavioral) on body mass index (BMI) and acculturation of Hmong children born in the United States (US) using the social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework. Using formative information from 12 child focus groups (n = 68) and a review of the literature, a quantitative survey was developed and administered to Hmong children (n = 300) [greater than or equal to] 9 [less than or equal to] 18 years-old. Heights, weights, and acculturation level were measured. [B-US.sup.1] were raised in the US and 9-13 years-old (n = 144) and [B-US.sup.2] were raised in the US and 14-18 years-old (n = 156). Approximately 50 % of children were classified as overweight/obese (BMI [greater than or equal to] 85th percentile). Across age and gender sub-groups, questions from the environmental construct appeared to be the most predictive of variances in BMI percentiles (50-60 %). In contrast, acculturation scores were equally predicted by environmental, behavioral, and personal constructs for age and gender subgroups. Sum acculturation score was significantly higher for [B-US.sup.2] compared to [B-US.sup.1], with [B-US.sup.2] being more acculturated in language use and thought, overall dietary acculturation, and foods eaten at lunch. The high prevalence of obesity in Hmong children suggests that future studies investigate factors influencing obesity to identify the most effective method to reduce/prevent this problem. In particular, acculturation level of the child should be assessed to determine changed dietary behavior and possible risk for obesity. Keywords Hmong children * Social cognitive theory * BMI * Acculturation, Introduction Research suggests second generation immigrants have higher incidences of obesity than foreign born counterparts [1, 2] and this, in part, may be due to differences in acculturation level [3-5]. [...]

Background: Dysfunction in the default mode network (DMN), a group of cortical areas more active during the resting state, has been linked to attentional deficits and symptoms associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prior imaging studies have shown decreased functional connectivity between DMN nodes in patients with ADHD, primarily between anterior and posterior regions. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we evaluated phase coherence (i.e., functional connectivity) among regions of the DMN in healthy controls and adults with ADHD before and after stimulant therapy. Methods: We obtained a resting-state MEG recording for all participants. Magnetoencephalography data were transformed into a ~30 node regional source model using inverse spatial filtering, including regions corresponding to the DMN. We computed the zero-lag phase coherence between these regions pairwise for 5 distinct frequency bands, and we assessed group and medication effects. Results: Twelve adults with and 13 without ADHD participated in our study. Functional connectivity was stronger between particular node pairs and showed frequency--specific effects. Unmedicated patients showed reduced phase locking between posterior cingulate/precuneus regions (PCC) and right inferior parietal cortices (RIPL), and between medial prefrontal regions (MPFC) and the left inferior parietal region (LIPL) and the PCC. Unmedicated patients had increased phase locking between the RIPL and LIPL regions compared with controls. Administration of stimulants improved phase locking abnormalities along the MPFC-PCC and LIPL-RIPL pathways in patients with ADHD. Limitations: Modest sample size and lack of duration of patient treatment history may limit the generalizability of our findings. Conclusion: Adults with ADHD exhibit hyper- and hypoconnectivity between regions of the DMN during rest, which were suppressed after stimulant medication administration., Introduction Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurobehavioural disorders, affecting 8% of children and persisting in 4% of adults in the United States. (1) Cardinal symptoms of [...]

This work focused on the study of the impact event on molded parts in the framework of automotive components. The influence of the impact conditions and processing parameters on the mechanical behavior of talc-filled polypropylene specimens was analyzed. The specimens were lateral-gate discs produced by injection molding, and the mechanical characterization was performed through instrumented falling weight impact tests concomitantly assisted with high-speed videography. Results analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method have shown that from the considered parameters, only the dart diameter and test temperature have significant influence on the falling weight impact properties. Higher dart diameter leads to higher peak force and peak energy results. Conversely, higher levels of test temperatures lead to lower values of peak force and peak energy. By means of high-speed videography, a more brittle fracture was observed for experiments with higher levels of test velocity and dart diameter and lower levels of test temperature. The injection-molding process conditions assessed in this study have an influence on the impact response of moldings, mainly on the deformation capabilities of the moldings. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 52:1845-1853, 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers, INTRODUCTI0N The last decades have witnessed a significant increase of the use of polymeric materials and polymer-based composites for structural applications. Examples are automotive components such as pillars or door [...]

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2281.2009.00520.x Byline: Johan Franzen (1) Abstract: Abstract This article analyses British policy towards Iraq during the period following the Second World War until the 1958 Iraqi revolution. Using British archival sources it demonstrates how Britain covertly tried to stem the rise of communist and nationalist anti-imperialist sentiments in Iraq through an insistence on employing ill-fitting anti-communist propaganda designed as a Cold War weapon with which to counter Soviet influence. Failing to appreciate the level of indigenous politicization, because of their own rigid ideas about the nature of the 'Iraqi mind', British officers were incapable of devising local responses to the growing threat of anti-imperialism, instead inadvertently handing over the initiative to Iraqi political groups to set the agenda. In this way Britain gradually lost the battle for hearts and minds in Iraq despite maintaining a huge propaganda apparatus in the country and the wider region. Author Affiliation: (1)School of Oriental and African Studies

We investigated the ultrafast structural transitions of the heme induced by nitric oxide (NO) binding for several heme proteins by subpicosecond time-resolved resonance Raman and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. We probed the heme iron motion by the evolution of the iron-histidine Raman band intensity after NO photolysis. Unexpectedly, we found that the heme response and iron motion do not follow the kinetics of NO rebinding. Whereas NO dissociation induces quasi-instantaneous iron motion and heme doming ( time-resolved Raman spectroscopy | allostery | structural dynamics doi/ 10.1073/pnas.0912938107

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.05.015 Byline: Lisa Franzen, Chery Smith Abstract: This study investigated how acculturation influences diet, cultural practices related to cooking and food preparation knowledge, and stature and body mass index (BMI) of Hmong children. Focus groups (n =12) were conducted during the spring of 2008 in St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota with those born in the US and 9-13 years old (n =22), those born in the US and 14-18 years old (n =25), and those born in Thailand or Laos, who had lived in the US[less than or equal to]5 years, and 14-18 years old (n =21). Respondents also completed a survey instrument to assess acculturation level which was evaluated by questions about social connections, language use, and dietary habits. Compared to those born in the US, those born in Thailand or Laos were significantly shorter and leaner. Those born in the US also showed elevated acculturation levels in language use, social connections, and gender-oriented tasks compared to those born in Thailand or Laos. Themes from focus group discussions were mealtime patterns, determinants of food health, future health concerns, and changing cultural traditions. Acculturation, years lived in the US, and birth place may play an important role in stature and BMI, food and physical activity habits, cooking and food preparation knowledge, and perceptions of health. Author Affiliation: University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States Article Note: (footnote) [star] We want to thank many people in the Hmong community for their support and willingness to participate in this study, including the parents for their willingness to have children participate, and the children for sharing their thoughts and experiences with us. This study was funded by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Minnesota.

Measurement constitutes a central issue in determining effectiveness of couple and family therapy (CFT). A review of 274 CFT outcome studies published in 25 mental health journals between 1990 and 2005 is presented. Goals of this review were to (1) provide a broad, empirically based overview of CFT outcome research, (2) examine measurement of treatment outcomes, and (3) appraise reporting practices. Findings indicate that a wide range of instruments continue to be used in CFT outcome research, although a foundation for a more integrated and coherent assessment battery has been established. Implications for the field are discussed.

Byline: Andreas Umgelter (1), Wolfgang Reindl (1), Michael Franzen (2), Cosima Lenhardt (3), Wolfgang Huber (1), Roland M. Schmid (1) Keywords: Hepatorenal syndrome; Intra-abdominal hypertension; Renal resistive index; Paracentesis; Ascites Abstract: Objective To assess the effect of reducing intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) by paracentesis on renal resistive index (RI), hemodynamics and renal function. Design and setting Uncontrolled trial in a university gastroenterological intensive care unit. Patients Twelve spontaneously breathing cirrhotic patients with hepatorenal syndrome, tense ascites and a clinical indication for paracentesis. Interventions Paracentesis and substitution of albumin. Measurements and results Hemodynamic variables were assessed by transpulmonary thermodilution, RI was determined by Doppler ultrasound of renal interlobar arteries. After paracentesis and albumin substitution, there was a significant decrease of IAP (20 mmHg (19--22) to 12 mmHg (10--13), systemic vascular resistance index (from 1,243 dyn s/cm.sup.5/m.sup.2 (1,095--1,745) to 939 dyn s/cm.sup.5/m.sup.2 (812--1,365) p = 0.005) and RI (from 0.848 (0.810--0.884) to 0.810 (0.780--0.826) p = 0.003). Arterial compliance increased from 1.33 mL/mmHg (0.89--1.74) to 1.71 mL/mmHg (1.21--2.12), pulse pressure index remained unchanged. Creatinine clearance (ClCreat) increased significantly from 5 mL/min (0--28) to 9 mL/min (0--36) (p = 0.018) and urinary output from 12 mL/h (0--49) to 16 mL/h (0--64) (p = 0.043). Conclusions In patients with cirrhosis, HRS and tense ascites, IAP may contribute to renal dysfunction. Reduction of IAP following paracentesis and albumin substitution may improve ClCreat, probably by improving renal blood flow as reflected by decreasing RI in Doppler ultrasound. Author Affiliation: (1) II. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany (2) Universitatsklinik fur Medizin I, Paracelsus Universitat, Salzburg, Austria (3) Klinik fur Nieren-, Hochdruck-, und Rheumakrankheiten, Klinikum Schwabing, Stadtisches Klinikum Munchen GmbH, Munich, Germany Article History: Registration Date: 26/08/2008 Received Date: 19/06/2008 Accepted Date: 17/08/2008 Online Date: 18/09/2008

Factors determining severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) are poorly understood. Oxidative stress causes acinar cell injury and contributes to the severity, whereas prophylactic probiotics ameliorate experimental pancreatitis. Our objective was to study how probiotics affect oxidative stress, inflammation, and acinar cell injury during the early phase of AP. Fifty-three male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into groups: 1) control, 2) sham procedure, 3) AP with no treatment, 4) AP with probiotics, and 5) AP with placebo. AP was induced under general anesthesia by intraductal glycodeoxycholate infusion (15 raM) and intravenous cerulein (5 [micro]g x [kg.sup.-1] x [h.sup.-1], for 6 h). Daily probiotics or placebo were administered intragastrically, starting 5 days prior to AP. After cerulein infusion, pancreas samples were collected for analysis including lipid peroxidation, glutathione, glutamate-cysteine-ligase activity, histological grading of pancreatic injury, and NF-[kappa]B activation. The severity of pancreatic injury correlated to oxidative damage (r = 0.9) and was ameliorated by probiotics (1.5 vs. placebo 5.5; P = 0.014). AP-induced NF-[kappa]B activation was reduced by probiotics (0.20 vs. placebo 0.53 [OD450.sub.nm]/mg nuclear protein; P < 0.001). Probiotics attenuated AP-induced lipid peroxidation (0.25 vs. placebo 051 pmol malondialdehyde/mg protein; P < 0.001). Not only was AP-induced glutathione depletion prevented (8.81 vs. placebo 4.1 [micro]mol/mg protein, P < 0.001), probiotic pretreatment even increased glutathione compared with sham rats (8.81 vs. sham 6.18 [micro]mol/mg protein, P < 0.001). Biosynthesis of glutathione (glutamate-cysteine-ligase activity) was enhanced in probiotic-pretreated animals. Probiotics enhanced the biosynthesis of glutathione, which may have reduced activation of inflammation and acinar cell injury and ameliorated experimental AP, via a reduction in oxidative stress. reactive oxygen species; Lactobacillus; Bifidobacterium; glutamatecysteine ligase; lipid peroxidation

The influence of parental socio-economic background on the risk of entry into out-of-home care among Swedish children and youth is presented. Results showed that low maternal education and receipt of social assistance were strongly associated with more odds for care entries.

In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii several nucleus-encoded proteins that participate in the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are targeted to the organelle by unusually long mitochondrial targeting sequences. Here, we explored the components of the mitochondrial import machinery of the green alga. We mined the algal genome, searching for yeast and plant homologs, and reconstructed the mitochondrial import machinery. All the main translocation components were identified in Chlamydomonas as well as in Arabidopsis thaliana and in the recently sequenced moss Physcomitrella patens. Some of these components appear to be duplicated, as is the case of Tim22. In contrast, several yeast components that have relatively large hydrophilic regions exposed to the cytosol or to the intermembrane space seem to be absent in land plants and green algae. If present at all, these componentes of plants and algae may differ significantly from their yeast counterparts. We propose that long mitochondrial targeting sequences in some Chlamydomonas mitochondrial protein precursors are involved in preventing the aggregation of the hydrophobic proteins they carry.

We propose a method for measuring hyper-Rayleigh scattering employing pulse trains produced by a Q-switched and mode-locked Nd:YAG laser. The use of the entire pulse train under the Q-switch envelope avoids the need of any device to scan the irradiance, as is usually done with nanosecond and femtosecond single-pulse lasers. To verify the feasibility of the technique, we performed measurements in different solutions of para-nitroaniline and compared the results with those obtained with nanosecond pulses. In both cases, the agreement with the hyperpolarizability values reported in the literature is about the same, but the measurements carried out with pulse trains are at least 20 times faster. Besides the advantage of acquisition speed, the use of pulse trains also allows the instantaneous inspection of slow luminescence contributions arising from multiphoton absorption. OCIS codes: 190.0190, 190.4400, 190.4720.

Internalization and subcellular localization in HeLa cells of gold nanoparticles modified with the SV40 large T antigen were quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Internalization was monitored as a function of incubation time, temperature, nanoparticle diameter, and large T surface coverage. Increasing the amount of large T peptides per gold nanoparticle complex, by either increasing the coverage at constant nanoparticle diameter or by increasing the nanoparticle diameter at constant large T coverage, resulted in more cellular internalization. In addition, nuclear fractionation was performed to quantify nuclear localization of these complexes as a function of large T coverage. In contrast to our prior qualitative investigations of nuclear localization by video-enhanced color differential interference contrast microscopy (VEC-DIC), ICP-OES was able to detect nanoparticles inside fractionated cell nuclei. Although increasing the large T coverage was found to afford higher cell internalization and nuclear targeting, quantitative evaluation of cytotoxicity revealed that higher large T coverages also resulted in greater cytotoxicity. The ICP-OES and nuclear fractionation techniques reported here are valuable tools that can add important quantitative information to optical and electron imaging methods such as VEC-DIC and transmission electron microscopy regarding the fate of nanoparticles in cells.

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2007.01297.x Byline: LAUREL A. FRANZEN, KIMBERLY J. RODGERS, TIMOTHY T. SIMIN (*) Abstract: ABSTRACT Because of upward trends in research and development activity, accounting measures of financial distress have become less accurate. We document that (1) higher research and development spending increases the likelihood of misclassifying solvent firms, (2) adjusting for conservative accounting of research and development increases the number of correctly identified distressed firms, and (3) adjusted measures of distress alleviate previously documented anomalously low returns of large, high distress risk, low book-to-market firms. The results hold after updating stale parameters and under various tax assumptions. Our evidence raises concerns about interpretation of extant literature that relies on accounting measures of distress. Article note: (*) Franzen is at the University of Texas at Dallas, Rodgers is at New York University, and Simin is at Pennsylvania State University. The authors are grateful for comments from Edward Altman, Diane Denis, Stacie Laplante, Michael Lemmon, Karl Muller, Micah Officer, and the workshop participants at the University of Texas at Dallas, with special thanks to Robert Stambaugh and an anonymous referee.

An oligonucleotide mimic of the origin of assembly (OAS) sequence is attached to Au, Ce[Fe.sub.2][O.sub.4] and CdSe nanoparticles, followed by addition of RNA-1 in order to form a synthetic OAS to direct the virion-like assembly by Red clover necrotic mosaic virus (RCNMV) caspid protein (CP). The flexibility of the RCNMV CP to encapsidate different materials is a vital factor that should be considered as a drug delivery and diagnostic vehicle in biomedical applications.

Gold nanoparticles have shown great promise as therapeutics, therapeutic delivery vectors, and intracellular imaging agents. For many biomedical applications, selective cell and nuclear targeting are desirable, and these remain a significant practical challenge in the use of nanoparticles in vivo. This challenge is being addressed by the incorporation of cell-targeting peptides or antibodies onto the nanoparticle surface, modifications that frequently compromise nanoparticle stability in high ionic strength biological media. We describe herein the assembly of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and mixed peptide/ PEG monolayers on gold nanoparticle surfaces. The stability of the resulting bioconjugates in high ionic strength media was characterized as a function of nanoparticle size, PEG length, and monolayer composition. In total, three different thiol-modified PEGs (average molecular weight (MW), 900, 1500, and 5000 g [mol.sup.-1]), four particle diameters (10, 20, 30, and 60 nm), and two cell-targeting peptides were explored. We found that nanoparticle stability increased with increasing PEG length, decreasing nanoparticle diameter, and increasing PEG mole fraction. The order of assembly also played a role in nanoparticle stability. Mixed monolayers prepared via the sequential addition of PEG followed by peptide were more stable than particles prepared via simultaneous co-adsorption. Finally, the ability of nanoparticles modified with mixed PEG/RME (RME = receptor-mediated endocytosis) peptide monolayers to target the cytoplasm of HeLa cells was quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Although it was anticipated that the MW 5000 g [mol.sup.-1] PEG would sterically block peptides from access to the cell membrane compared to the MW 900 PEG, nanoparticles modified with mixed peptide/PEG 5000 monolayers were internalized as efficiently as nanoparticles containing mixed peptide/PEG 900 monolayers. These studies can provide useful cues in the assembly of stable peptide/ gold nanoparticle bioconjugates capable of being internalized into cells.

We apply a genetic algorithm to optimize the pump cavity of a complex miniaturized diode-pumped laser to find a balance between the efficient energy transfer of the pump light and the homogeneous illumination of the laser crystal. These two points are in contradiction to each other, whereby a complex optimization situation is given. The genome determines the geometry of the internal optical elements of the pump cavity in which a laser rod is placed. After optimization of the internal optical elements, a homogeneous illumination over the crystal length and a coupling efficiency of 59% were achieved. The results showed that genetic algorithms can find solutions and blueprints for laser pump cavities of consistent quality. [c] 2007 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 140.3480, 140.3500, 140.5560, 220.2740.

This article discusses how the official communist position on the Zionist project in Palestine went from hostile condemnation in the early 1920s to wary support after World War II. In so doing, it focuses on the ideological struggle between the traditional party line and 'Yishuvism,' a theory that sought to reconcile Zionist and communist ideas, as it played out in the two bodies most closely involved in shaping Comintern policy on Palestine (the Palestine Communist Party and the Communist Party of Great Britain). In following the tortured justifications for evolving positions, the author identifies the key actors shaping the debate and turning points impacting it, especially the 1936-39 Arab Revolt, Britain's 1939 White Paper, and the wartime fight against fascism. The author contends that an important reason for the USSR's post-war about-face on Palestine was the success of the Yishuvist ideological campaign.

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00506.x Byline: JEREMY S. BROOKS (*), MARGARET A. FRANZEN (*), CHRISTOPHER M. HOLMES (*[dagger]), MARK N. GROTE ([double dagger]), MONIQUE BORGERHOFF MULDER (*[double dagger]s.**) Keywords: conservation monitoring; decentralization; integrated conservation and development; market access; protectionism Abstract: Abstract: Evaluations of the success of different conservation strategies are still in their infancy. We used four different measures of project outcomes-ecological, economic, attitudinal, and behavioral-to test hypotheses derived from the assumptions that underlie contemporary conservation solutions. Our hypotheses concerned the effects of natural resource utilization, market integration, decentralization, and community homogeneity on project success. We reviewed the conservation and development literature and used a specific protocol to extract and code the information in a sample of papers. Although our results are by no means conclusive and suffer from the paucity of high-quality data and independent monitoring (80% of the original sample of 124 projects provided inadequate information for use in this study), they show that permitted use of natural resources, market access, and greater community involvement in the conservation project are all important factors for a successful outcome. Without better monitoring schemes in place, it is still impossible to provide a systematic evaluation of how different strategies are best suited to different conservation challenges. Abstract (Spanish): Probando Hipotesis para el Exito de Diferentes Estrategias de Conservacion Resumen: Las evaluaciones del exito de diferentes estrategias de conservacion aun estan en su infancia. Utilizamos cuatro medidas diferentes de resultados de proyectos-ecologicos, economicos, de actitud y conductuales-para probar hipotesis derivadas de las suposiciones que subyacen en las soluciones de conservacion contemporaneas. Nuestras hipotesis se relacionaron con los efectos de la utilizacion de recursos naturales, la integracion de mercados, la descentralizacion y la heterogeneidad de la comunidad sobre el exito del proyecto. Revisamos la literatura de conservacion y desarrollo y utilizamos un protocolo especifico para extraer y codificar la informacion en una muestra de articulos. Nuestros resultados, aunque no son concluyentes y sufren la escasez de datos de alta calidad y el monitoreo independiente (80% de la muestra original de 124 proyectos proporciono informacion inadecuada para este estudio), muestran que el uso autorizado de recursos naturales, el acceso al mercado y una mayor participacion de la comunidad en el proyecto de conservacion son factores importantes para un resultado exitoso. Sin mejores esquemas de monitoreo in situ todavia es imposible proporcionar una evaluacion sistematica de como las diferentes estrategias estan mejor adaptadas a los diferentes retos de la conservacion. Author Affiliation: (*)Graduate Group in Ecology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A. ([dagger])Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Biology (ICTE), Department of Anthropology, SUNY Stony Brook, New York, NY 11794, U.S.A. ([double dagger])Department of Anthropology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A. (s.)Center for Population Biology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A. Article History: Paper submitted May 18, 2005; revised manuscript accepted November 7, 2005. Article note: (**) Address correspondence to M. Borgerhoff Mulder, email mborgerhoffmulder@ucdavis.edu

Using multiple analytic methods, we examined the fit between 2 concurrent policy mandates in Florida--the adoption of core reading programs in high-poverty schools, and the retention of third graders who scored at the lowest levels on the state assessment. We first examined 2 contemporary third-grade basal reading programs for the guidance offered teachers who teach a range of learners. We found that 1 program (F) included significantly more preparation for reading and independent practice, and more instruction in vocabulary and fluency; the other program (C) included significantly more comprehension segments, particularly questioning to develop interpretations. In the second phase of the study, we examined the relation between these programs and student achievement. We found an inverse relation between poverty and achievement, regardless of program. Similarly, there were no significant differences between programs for students who achieved at average levels. Nonetheless, significantly more students in program C achieved at the lowest test level, failing third grade, and significantly more students in program F achieved at the highest level. Juxtaposing our analysis of the core programs against the achievement test results, we offer tentative explanations of the differential influence and limitations of both core programs, suggesting that such curriculum standardization may further disadvantage the lowest-achieving readers.

The first two structurally, magnetically, and spectroscopically characterized dinuclear valence tautomerism (VT) complexes wherein the bridging ligand is the ancillary diimine and all three possible valence tautomeric forms and exist below 500K are reported. A combination of magnetic susceptibility, electronic absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Co K-edge to probe the effects of environment on VT equilibria.

The infrared emissivity of Au and silica-coated Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) deposited on indium tin oxide substrates was investigated. NPs were irradiated with laser light at a frequency close to the Au plasmon resonance band, and the blackbody radiation emitted as a result was monitored with an IR camera equipped with an InAs array detector. The differences in temperature before and after laser irradiation were recorded (T-jumps) and were found to be directly proportional to the number of particles present on the slide and to the laser power used in the experiment. Coating Au NPs with silica increased the measured T-jumps 2-5 times, depending on the thickness of the silica shell. This was in agreement with the observation that silica has a much higher IR emissivity than Au. Both Au and silica-coated Au NPs were then tested as labels for thermographic DNA detection. Target DNA concentrations as low as 100 pM were recorded when Au NPs were used as labels and as low as 10 pM when silica-coated Au NPs were used.

Abstract: Semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus (L., 1758)) is the primary prey of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx (L., 1758)) in northern Sweden. The reindeer migrate between winter range in the [...]

A mild, thermal Alder-ene reaction of enalles is developed. The allenic double bond acts as the 'ene' and generates a carbon-carbon bond to an unactivated olefinic 'enophile' in DMF at 120 degree Celsius to give [n.3.0]bicyclic systems (n = 3 -5) in good yields.