cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antisense Blockade of p21/WAF1 Decreases Radiation-Induced G2 Arrest in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction. The p21 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor arrests the cell cycle following DNA damage at the G1-S checkpoint. Recent literature has also demonstrated a role for p21 in G2 arrest. Studies with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESSC) lines have shown that radiation-induced p21 protein induction is associated with G2 arrest. The aim of this study was to determine if p21 blockade would affect this G2 arrest pattern. Method. We transfected the ESSC line KYSE 170 with antisense p21 mRNA oligonucleotides or scrambled 20-mer p21 control oligonucleotides using a lipofectant reagent. Cells were exposed to 6 Gy or used as controls. p21 levels were determined by ELISA. Cell cycle arrest pattern was determined via flow cytometry. Student's t test and ANOVA were used to compare p21 levels and percentages of G2 arrest. Results. Irradiated/scrambled cells expressed 10.1 ng/ml of p21 protein compared to irradiated/antisense cells at 2.1 ng/ml (P < 0.05), demonstrating successful blockade of p21. Irradiated cells displayed prominent G2 arrest following 6 Gy doses, but there was a decrease from 65 to 44% G2 phase when p21 was blocked (P < 0.05). Conclusions. We have demonstrated that G2 arrest accompanying irradiation of ESSC cells decreases when p21 protein production is blocked via antisense oligonucleotides. These data support a role for p21 in mediating G2 arrest in these cells.
Sacral nerve stimulation for the overactive bladder

Abstract Pharmacotherapy is the first-line treatment for overactive bladder, but many patients discontinue drug therapy because of intolerable side effects, expense, or lack of longterm adherence. Alternative treatments are needed for patients who are unable to tolerate pharmacotherapy or who do not derive the desired benefits. Sacral nerve stimulation therapy has evolved into one of the most widely accepted treatment modalities in the arena of neurourology. Sacral nerve stimulation activates or "resets" the somatic afferent inputs that play a pivotal role in the modulation of sensory processing for micturition reflex pathways in the spinal cord. This minimally invasive technology offers a safe, reliable, and durable treatment for lower urinary tract dysfunction.
Precision Statements for Ignition Oven for Use with Plant-Produced Mixtures

The current precision values given in Florida Method FM 5-563 for the determination of asphalt binder content by use of the ignition oven are based on laboratory-fabricated specimens with known binder contents and gradations. A study was conducted to determine precision values for both asphalt binder content and gradation for use with plant-produced mixtures. This approach would encompass the variability associated with (a) differences in an asphalt mixture within the truck bed, (b) collection of samples from the truck, (c) splitting of the mixture into samples for testing, (d) differences in ignition oven equipment, and (e) the operator. The current precision values include only the variability associated with the last two items and the variability associated with batching and mixing of laboratory-prepared specimens. Twelve laboratories tested nine different mixtures containing a wide variety of gradations and aggregate types. The results of the study indicate that the allowable difference between two te...
Forgiveness and Moral Reckoning

Charles Griswold’s seminal work, Forgiveness, is the focus of the present essay. Following Griswold, I distinguish the relevant virtue of character from something that is more like an act or process. The paper discusses a number of hesitations I have about Griswold’s analysis, at the level both of detail and of underlying conception.
Validity and interpretation of Amsler grid reports.

• Objective. —To compare the reports of scotomas and metamorphopsia in standard and threshold Amsler grid testing with the location and extent of scotomas in the macular region as determined by standard and threshold fundus perimetry. Design. —Fundus perimetry determined the existence, size, and retinal location of macular scotomas. Amsler grid testing was performed with the scanning laser ophthalmoscope and the TA-300 system (Stereo Optical, Chicago, III). All testing was done at both standard and threshold light conditions. Patients. —Fifty-five patients with vision loss in the macular region and 10 normally sighted subjects. Results. —Nearly half of the standard and threshold scotomas were not detected by Amsler grid testing. For scotomas of 6° or less in diameter, 77% of standard and 87% of threshold scotomas were not detected by Amsler grid testing. Of the eyes with central scotomas involving the fovea, 66% used an eccentric preferred retinal locus for fixating the center of the grid. Finally, more than half of the distortion reported in Amsler grids was at the retinal area that corresponded to the scotoma area, not a nonscotoma retinal area. Conclusion. —Amsler grid reports have poor validity and cannot be accurately interpreted for use in the clinical diagnosis of retinal defects.
Ancylostoma caninum: analysis of antigens of the canine hookworm.

Abstract Soluble antigens of A. caninum infective larvae and adults were enumerated and characterized by immunoelectrophoretic analysis with antisera produced in rabbits. The larval antigen was separated into 18 distinct components with homologous antisera, and an adult A. caninum antigen yielded 13 components with its homologous antisera. Reaction of the larval and adult antigens with respective heterologous antisera indicated the presence of 12 cross-reactive components. A Necator americanus adult antigen formed five precipitin bands in reaction with larval A. caninum antisera and four with adult A. caninum antisera. Serum from a patient infected with N. americanus formed four precipitin bands in immunoelectrophoresis with the homologous adult antigen and one band each with the A. caninum antigens. A bacterial contaminant ( Proteus sp.) of the A. caninum antigens was shown by antibody absorption tests to be immunologically unrelated to the worm antigens. Treatment of the larval A. caninum antigen at various pH levels (4.0, 6.0, 10.0, and 12.0) resulted in denaturation of some components, particularly at the lower pH levels. The larval antigenic components were nondialyzable against the stock buffer system. The larval antigen was largely protein in composition and extremely heat-labile at 100 °C for 1 hour and under autoclave conditions. The polysaccharide nature of two heat-stable components was suggested.
Soft X-ray appearance-potential spectroscopy studies of DyFe2 and ErFe2 intermetallics

Abstract The soft X-ray appearance-potential spectra (SXAPS) of the M4,5 levels of Dy and Er and the L2,3 levels of Fe in pure metals and their intermetallics DyFe2 and ErFe2 have been obtained in the energy range of 700–1500 eV. SXAPS probes the binding energies of the core levels and the distribution of local unfilled conduction-band states. Both the constituents of DyFe2 show negative shifts with respect to the pure metals while those of ErFe2 show a negative shift for Er and a positive shift for Fe. The widths of the Dy and Er peaks increase and that of the Fe decreases on alloying. The results are interpreted in terms of the Fermi level changes and the charge transfer from the rare earth to Fe. The discrepancy in Fe chemical shifts has been correlated to the electronic specific heat capacity coefficient reported for these intermetallics.
Lineage selection and the evolution of multistage carcinogenesis

A wide array of proto–oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes are involved in the prevention of cancer. Each form of cancer requires mutations in a characteristic group of genes, but no single group controls all cancers. This lack of generality shows that the control of cancer is not an ancient, fixed property of cells. By contrast, it supports a dynamic evolutionary model, whereby genetic controls over unregulated cell growth are recruited independently through evolutionary time in different tissues within different taxa. The complexity of this genetic control can be predicted from a population genetic model of lineage selection driven by the detrimental fitness effects of cancer. Cancer occurs because the genetic control of cell growth is vulnerable to somatic mutations (or ‘hits’), particularly in large, continuously dividing tissues. Thus, compared to small rodents, humans must have evolved more complex genetic controls over cell growth in at least some of their tissues because of their greater size and longevity; an expectation relevant to the application of mouse data to humans. Similarly, the ‘two–hit’ model so successfully applied to retinoblastoma, which originates in a small embryonic tissue, is unlikely to be generally applicable to other human cancers; instead, more complex scenarios are expected to dominate, with complexity depending upon a tissue's size and its pattern of proliferation.
The palliative care consultation service of the Medical College of Wisconsin

Palliative care has not become a routine aspect of US academic medicine due to lack of reimbursement for clinical services, little research funding, and the perception that care for the terminally ill is not important in academic medical centers. This article describes the clinical activities of a new Palliative Care Consultation Service (PCS) for inpatients and outpatients, which was started at the Medical College of Wisconsin in April 1993. The goals of the PCS are to provide symptom control, assist with end-of-life decision making, and serve as a resource for appropriate discharge planning for all dying patients, not only those with cancer. Since its inception, an average of five consultations per week have been seen. Pain and end-of-life decisions were the most frequent reasons for consultation. Thirteen different clinical services consulted the PCS, most commonly internal medicine and oncology. Cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were the most frequent diagnoses. The PCS has also been used as a resource for assessment of inpatients with chronic nonmalignant pain who were believed to be drug addicts. The PCS has received widespread acceptance by the medical, nursing, and support staffs. The clinical and educational role of a dedicated palliative care service in academic medicine is discussed.
A study of the size-effect on plastic energy dissipation and toughness in 2024-T3 aluminum alloy sheets

Abstract The plastic energy dissipation before crack growth initiation and during stable crack growth was determined in centercracked thin sheet specimens of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy with different width and crack length-to-width ratios. The plastic energy dissipation rate versus stable crack growth curve was found to be approximately linear, but the slope decreased considerably with increase in crack length. No correlation was observed between plastic energy dissipation rate and the linear toughness ( G c ), the nonlinear energy toughness ( G c ) or the R- curve toughness ( G R ). The role of net section yielding on the decrease in stable crack growth and toughness values in small specimens is discussed.
Oculocutaneous albinism and schizophrenia.

rodents, albinos showed marked behavioral differences from their pigmented counterparts (Henry and Schlesinger 1967). Greiner and Nicolson (1965) proposed a relationship between hypermelanosis and schizophrenia, noting increased melanogenesis in autopsy material from schizophrenics institutionalized in the prephenothiazine era. They hypothesized that a congenital absence of 5hydroxy-o-methyl transferase in the pineal gland of schizophrenics results in the metabolism of serotonin to harmaline alkaloids, which are known hallucinogens, and to the production of melanin instead of melatonin. The Greiner and Nicolson’s (1965) observation of hypermelanosis in schizophrenia implies that albinos, who are characterized by decreased melanin production, are protected from schizophrenia. After a systematic search in local mental hospitals, Arons et al. (1968) found only one albino patient with a diagnosis of “schizophrenic reaction. chronic, undifferentiated’ (DSM-I criteria). Leibowitz et al. (1978) presented a single case of the coexistence of schizophrenia and albinism in refutation of Greiner and Nicolson’s proposal and its implied corollary. Criteria for the psychiatric diagnosis in this case was unclear. Baron (1976) presented a family pedigree study of an association between albinism and schizophreniform psychosis (but not “process” schizophrenia), utilizing Feighner criteria for the psychiatric diagnosis. He postulated that the enhanced retinal photosensitivity associated with albinism led to decreased pineal secretion of melatonin-stimulating hormone and to the decreased production of melatonin. This change in neuroendocrine function may have lowered the normal tonus of the brain y-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system and increased dopaminergic activity in mesolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways, thus increasing vulnerability to the development of psychosis in these patients. We present a patient with oculocutaneous albinism who meets DSM-I criteria for chronic schizophrenia, disorganized type.
Spectral normalization employing hidden Markov modeling of line spectrum pair frequencies

This paper proposes a spectral normalization approach in which the acoustical qualities of an input speech waveform are mapped onto that of a desired neutral voice. Such a method can be effective in reducing the impact of speaker variability such as accent, stress, and emotion for speech recognition. In the proposed method, the transformation is performed by modeling the temporal characteristics of the line spectrum pair (LSP) frequencies of the neutral voice using hidden Markov models. The overall approach is integrated into a pitch synchronous overlap and add (PSOLA) analysis/synthesis framework. The algorithm is objectively evaluated using a distance measure based on the log-likelihood of observing the input (or normalized input) speech given Gaussian mixture speaker models for both the input and desired neutral voice. Results using the Gaussian mixture model formulated criteria demonstrate consistent normalization using a 10 speaker database.
Pathways Out of and Into Poverty in 36 Villages of Andhra Pradesh, India

Summary Fourteen percent of households in 36 villages of three districts in Andhra Pradesh, India, escaped from poverty over the past 25 years, but another 12% of these 5 536 households fell into poverty during the same time. Escaping poverty and falling into poverty are responsive, respectively, to different sets of factors. Two different sets of poverty policies will be required in future: one set to assist escape, and another set to prevent descent. While ill health and high healthcare costs, social and customary expenses, high-interest private debt, and drought are associated most often with falling into poverty, diversification of income sources and land improvement are most closely related with escape. Some other factors, including industrial growth and education, have had only very slight and indirect effects on poverty in these villages.
Potential of optical coherence tomography for early diagnosis of oral malignancies

With nearly 1,500,000 new patients diagnosed every year in the USA, cancer poses a considerable challenge to healthcare today. Oral cancer is responsible for a sizeable portion of deaths due to cancer, primarily because it is diagnosed at a late stage when the prognosis is poor. Current methods for diagnosing oral cancer need to be augmented by better early detection, monitoring and screening modalities. A new approach is needed that provides real-time, accurate, noninvasive diagnosis. The results of early clinical trials using in vivo optical coherence tomography for the diagnosis of oral dysplasia and malignancy are encouraging.
Burnout and Resilience Among Nurses Practicing in High-Intensity Settings.

Background The high level of stress experienced by nurses leads to moral distress, burnout, and a host of detrimental effects. Objectives To support creation of healthy work environments and to design a 2-phase project to enhance nurses' resilience while improving retention and reducing turnover. Methods In phase 1, a cross-sectional survey was used to characterize the experiences of a high-stress nursing cohort. A total of 114 nurses in 6 high-intensity units completed 6 survey tools to assess the nurses' characteristics as the context for burnout and to explore factors involved in burnout, moral distress, and resilience. Statistical analysis was used to determine associations between scale measures and to identify independent variables related to burnout. Results Moral distress was a significant predictor of all 3 aspects of burnout, and the association between burnout and resilience was strong. Greater resilience protected nurses from emotional exhaustion and contributed to personal accomplishment. Spiritual well-being reduced emotional exhaustion and depersonalization; physical well-being was associated with personal accomplishment. Meaning in patient care and hope were independent predictors of burnout. Higher levels of resilience were associated with increased hope and reduced stress. Resilience scores were relatively flat over years of experience. Conclusions These findings provide the basis for an experimental intervention in phase 2, which is designed to help participants cultivate strategies and practices for renewal, including mindfulness practices and personal resilience plans.
Leading the way towards universal health coverage: a call to action

Summary Policy innovations and lessons associated with the quest for universal health coverage in Latin America are the result of a complex epidemiological transition, an extended process of democratisation, and high economic growth in recent times that has facilitated additional investments in health. The goal of universal health coverage is part of a third generation of health-system reforms, which implies a comprehensive scope of policy interventions, including the introduction of explicit ethical frameworks, the enhanced attention to financial arrangements, and the transformation of major dimensions of the organisation of health systems. The call for action emphasises the next steps that could help reach the goal of universal health coverage both in the Latin American region and the rest of the developing world.
Exercise Prescription and Proscription for Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Exercise training in patients with cardiovascular disease increases exercise capacity,1–3 reduces cardiac ischemia,1,2 delays the onset of or eliminates angina pectoris,4,5 and improves endothelial function.6 Meta-analyses of exercise-based, cardiac rehabilitation studies have suggested that exercise training reduces cardiac mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.7–10 A recent randomized, controlled comparison of exercise training and angioplasty in selected patients with angina documented fewer cardiac events in the exercise subjects over the year of follow-up.2 Despite these benefits, exercise training is rarely prescribed for cardiac patients, as evidenced by the fact that only ≈20%11,12 of qualified patients are referred to formal cardiac rehabilitation programs. Referral rates are even lower among women and older patients.13 The reasons for this underutilization are not defined but probably include health professionals’ underestimation of the benefits of exercise, a lack of training in exercise therapeutics among many healthcare providers, poor financial reimbursement, the absence of reimbursed advocates for exercise therapy,13 and the absence of a sufficiently large randomized clinical trial documenting a reduction in cardiac events. This review discusses the benefits of exercise training for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. ### Definition of Terms The following terms are used in this article. Physical activity to refer to any bodily movement; exercise is used to indicate physical activity performed to stress primarily the oxygen transport system (aerobic exercise), muscular skeletal system (resistance exercise), or both. Exercise training indicates exercise performed repetitively to increase the maximal capacity of the oxygen transport (aerobic exercise training) or muscular skeletal (resistance exercise training) system. The terms aerobic and resistance are used to classify exercise despite the recognition that aerobic exercise imposes some load on the muscular skeletal system and that resistance exercise also increases oxygen transport. Most research on exercise and cardiovascular disease has examined aerobic exercise, …
The role of steroid hormones in prostate carcinogenesis.

In contrast, the prostate is a rare site of tumor development in carcinogenesis bioassays in rodents (2,3) and in aging male laboratory rodents, with the exception of ventral prostatic neoplasms in some rat strains (4–9). Prostate cancer is also rare in male farm and companion animals, with the notable exception of the dog, which is the only species besides man that develops this malignancy. As will be discussed in this overview, steroid hormones can induce and can substantially enhance prostate carcinoma development in rodents, and this phenomenon has been exploited to further our knowledge about the involvement of hormonal factors and mechanisms in prostate cancer etiology. In this overview, the epidemiologic evidence for a role of steroid hormonal factors in prostate carcinogenesis is summarized first, followed by review of experimental data, a discussion of the possible mechanisms whereby steroid hormones, androgens as well as estrogens, may be involved in prostate cancer causation, and overall conclusions and suggestions for future research. As will be demonstrated, there is no lack of hypotheses about the role of steroid hormones in prostate cancer etiology, but the available data are often contradictory and incomplete, and an in-depth overall mechanistic understanding of how steroid hormonal factors are involved in prostate carcinogenesis is very limited.
A novel, erythroid cell-specific murine transcription factor that binds to the CACCC element and is related to the Krüppel family of nuclear proteins.

Abstract We describe a novel erythroid cell-specific cDNA (EKLF [erythroid Kruppel-like factor]) isolated by enriching for genes expressed in a mouse erythroleukemia cell line but not expressed in a mouse monocyte-macrophage cell line. The complete cDNA sequence is predicted to encode a protein of approximately 38,000 Da that contains a proline-rich amino domain and three TFIIIA-like zinc fingers within the carboxy domain. Additional sequence analyses reveal that the EKLF zinc fingers are most homologous to the Kruppel family of transcription factors and also allow us to predict potential DNA-binding target sites for the EKLF protein. On the basis of this prediction, we show that EKLF is able to bind the sequence CCA CAC CCT, an essential element of the beta-globin promoter. Its tissue distribution establishes that the EKLF transcript is expressed only in bone marrow and spleen, the two hematopoietic organs of the mouse, and analysis of murine cell lines indicates that EKLF expression is limited to erythroid and mast cell lines. Cotransfection assays establish that EKLF transcriptionally activates a target promoter that contains its DNA-binding site. The tissue expression pattern of EKLF, in conjunction with its function as a transcriptional activator, strongly suggests that the EKLF protein may be intimately involved in establishment and/or maintenance of the erythroid cell phenotype.
The rise and fall of the plantation complex : essays in Atlantic history

Over a period of several centuries, Europeans overseas developed an intricate system of plantation agriculture - a plantation complex - that was different from the agricultural institutions they normally used at home. This economic and political order, centered on slave plantations in the New-World tropics, reached a peak in the 18th century but its earliest origins can be traced back to the medieval Mediterranean. Its end came only with the abolition of slavery in Brazil and Cuba in the late 1880s, and many aspects lasted well into the 20th century.
Practicle and photon transport in plasmas

This paper presents a unified development of kinetic equations describing particle and photon transport in plasmas. The development proceeds deductively from a conventional quantum field theoretic formulation of electrodynamics, albeit via many approximations-many of which are largely untested. It is found that the equations for the particle distributions are a generalization to the plasma of the equations postulated by Uehling and Uhlenbeck for neutral quantum gases. These equations reduce to the usual Boltzmann equation with self-consistent fields in the classical limit. Similarly it is found that the kinetic equation for the photons is a slightly generalized version of a low-energy limit of the equation deduced by Foldy for the description of the propagation of \gamma -rays in matter. The generalization consists in showing that the photons propagate between events in the plasma with a group velocity which is in general different from c and in the retention of the influence of the density of photons and particles in final states upon emission and scattering processes so that the appropriate thermodynamic solutions are readily demonstrable.
Optimal vibration abatement of mechanical systems

In this paper, a method is presented for forced vibration suppression of multi-degree-of-freedom systems with damping. The technique pursued in this investigation is based on applying control forces at a certain number of the system's degrees of freedom. The problem is organized as an unconstrained, non-linear optimization formulation so that the peak vibration amplitudes of a certain number of degrees of freedom would be minimized. An efficient mathematical programming algorithm is used to solve this optimization problem numerically. It will be shown that the scheme illustrated in this paper is remarkably effective in reducing the vibration of the system. In particular, the vibration amplitudes at selected degrees of freedom may be diminished substantially.
Zementaugmentation bei osteoporotischen Wirbelkompressionsfrakturen

Qualitativ hochwertige evidenzbasierte Studien haben wesentliche Fragen zur weit verbreiteten Anwendung der Vertebroplastie zur Behandlung von osteopenen Insuffizienzfrakturen von Wirbelkorpern aufgeworfen. Weitere Studien verschieben gar die Beweislast fur interventionelle Verfahren, beispielsweise fur die Ballonkyphoplastie. Um ihre Relevanz zu sichern, werden neue prospektive klinische Studien moglicherweise Placeboarme in Betracht ziehen mussen.
Physical-Biological Coupling in Southern Lake Michigan: Influence of Episodic Sediment Resuspension on Phytoplankton

The influence of episodic, sediment resuspension on phytoplankton abundance/volume and composition, the photosynthetic maximum rate P B and efficiency B , and chlorophyll-specific growth Chl was evaluated during the spring isothermal period in southern Lake Michigan Laurentian Great Lakes, USA. Resuspension altered the nutrient and light climate of nearshore waters; light attenuation Kd and phosphorus concentrations corresponded p 0.0001 and p 0.001, respectively with concentrations of suspended particulate matter SPM. Phytoplankton cell volume and diatom cell abundance and volume were not associated with SPM concentrations p 0.05. Diatom composition displayed spatial dissimilarities corresponding with resuspension p 0.001; small centric diatoms exhibiting meroplanktonic life histories and pennate diatoms considered benthic in origin were most abundant within SPM-impacted, nearshore waters whereas taxa typically comprising assemblages in optically-clear, offshore waters and the basin-wide, spring bloom were not. Values of P B and B corresponded p 0.0001 with both Kd coefficients and SPM concentrations, potentially reflecting increased light harvesting/utilization within impacted assemblages. However, integral production was inversely associated with Kd coefficients and SPM concentrations p 0.0001 and photosynthesis was light-limited or nearly so for most assemblages. Although Chl values corresponded with Kd coefficients p 0.05, values were quite low x S.E., 0.10 0.004 d ‐1 throughout the study. Most likely, distinct rate processes between SPM- and nonimpacted assemblages reflected short-term compositional and corresponding physiological variations due to infusion of meroplankton and/or tributary-derived phytoplankton. Overall, resuspension appears to have little, if any, long-term impact upon the structure and function of the lake’s phytoplankton.
Growth of Aligned Single-Crystalline Rutile TiO2 Nanowires on Arbitrary Substrates and Their Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

TiO2 is a wide band gap semiconductor with important applications in photovoltaic cells and photocatalysis. In this paper, we report synthesis of single-crystalline rutile phase TiO2 nanowires on arbitrary substrates, including fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), glass slides, tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), Si/SiO2, Si(100), Si(111), and glass rods. By controlling the growth parameters such as growth temperature, precursor concentrations, and so forth, we demonstrate that anisotropic growth of TiO2 is possible leading to various morphologies of nanowires. Optimization of the growth recipe leads to well-aligned vertical array of TiO2 nanowires on both FTO and glass substrates. Effects of various titanium precursors on the growth kinetics, especially on the growth rate of nanowires, are also studied. Finally, application of vertical array of TiO2 nanowires on FTO as the photoanode is demonstrated in dye-sensitized solar cell with an efficiency of 2.9 ( 0.2%.
How Race Affects Dismissals of College Football Coaches

We employ a discretetime hazard model and a Blinder-decomposition approach to explore the possibility of racial discrimination in the dismissal and retention of college football coaches by university administrations. A rich data set consisting of 81 institutions over an 11-year period (1990–2000) that contains, in addition to a coach's race, variables on cumulative winning records, annual on-the-field improvements, and pre-/post-season game participation by institutions and their coaches is employed. Our study finds that black coaches, on average, face a dismissal probability that is 9.6 percentage points below that of their nonblack counterparts, ceteris paribus, suggesting that black head coaches may be the beneficiaries of favorable treatment by university administrators. Such a result likely stems from universities ' approach to social concerns involving race and gender issues. This finding also fits a construct that considers workplace discrimination as multi-dimensional. For example, black representation in the college football coaching ranks may be disproportionately low, possibly as a result of discrimination. However, once hired, black coaches are given more time to succeed than nonblacks, other things constant.
A distributed broadcast algorithm for binary De Bruijn networks

Broadcasting in a particular class of networks, namely binary De Bruijn networks (BDN), is examined. A binary De Bruijn network has 2/sup n/ processing nodes with no more than four connections at each node. These networks are extremely versatile in the sense that they contain many useful topologies as subnetworks. The authors present a distributed algorithm for broadcasting in BDN that requires exactly (2n-1) time steps regardless of the broadcast originator. The algorithm can easily be implemented in hardware, and the overhead in the broadcast message is minimal. >
Use of intramuscular 15(S)-15-methyl prostaglandin F2α in failed abortions

Abstract Forty-five of 49 patients were aborted successfully with 15(S)-15-Me-PGF 2α after previous techniques to induce abortion had met with failure in 39. Nine patients had spontaneous premature rupture of membranes without onset of labor. The majority of patients aborted within 7 hours following initiation of this method of treatment.
El Periquillo Sarniento y sus cuates: el "éxtasis misterioso" del ambiente homosocial en el siglo diecinueve

En 1868, cuando Ignacio Ramirez se quejo de la "literatura hermafrodita" que contaminaba la expresion nacional en Mexico, su empleo retorico del genero1 para aludir a una falla en "la mision patriotica" de la literatura no es tan extrano como parece. ?No es la misma palabra, "patria", en espanol, un hermafrodita lexico ("patria" de pater, "padre", pero un padre femenino, " la patria")? De hecho, el genero sexual es empleado con gran frecuencia en la literatura mexicana del siglo diecinueve, alegoricamente, en los muchos intentos de forjar una nocion de Mexico como nacion, como cultura propia, y muchas veces en maneras bastante curiosas.
A metabolic monitor: an application of the microcomputer to critical care instrumentation.

A metabolic monitor that measures oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production has been developed for critical care applications. Exploiting the power of the microcomputer, the monitor uses unconventional techniques to make the respiratory measurements. Examples of the utility of the microcomputer in transducer optimization, nonlinear feedback control, and computation of metabolic parameters are presented.
Variability in carbon nanotube transistors: improving device-to-device consistency.

The large amount of hysteresis and threshold voltage variation in carbon nanotube transistors impedes their use in highly integrated digital applications. The origin of this variability is elucidated by employing a top-coated, hydrophobic monolayer to passivate bottom-gated devices. Compared to passivating only the supporting substrate, it is found that covering the nanotube channel proves highly effective and robust at improving device-to-device consistency—hysteresis and threshold voltage variation are reduced by an average of 84 and 53%, respectively. The effect of gate and drain–source bias on hysteresis is considered, showing strong dependence that must be accounted for when analyzing the effectiveness of a passivation layer. These results provide both key insight into the origin of variability in carbon nanotube transistors and a promising path for resolving this significant obstacle.
Linear Viscoelasticity of Spherical SiO2 Nanoparticle-Tethered Poly(butyl acrylate) Hybrids

The melt state linear viscoelastic properties of spherical silica nanoparticles with grafted poly(n-butyl acrylate) chains of varying molecular weight were probed using linear small amplitude dynam...
Empirical Spectral Model of Surface Pressure Fluctuations beneath Adverse Pressure Gradients

The fluctuating surface pressures acting on a body from turbulent boundary layer flow are a source of vibration and radiated sound. This study investigated the unsteady aerodynamic forcing which occurs near the trailing edge of airfoils with chordwise Reynolds numbers between 2 and 6 million. Static pressure, unsteady surface pressure, and velocity measurements were made throughout the trailing edge region of an airfoil model with three, interchangeable, symmetric trailing edge sections. The data of the present study was utilized to develop a new model that provides the predictive capability for the fluctuating surface pressure auto-spectral density beneath 2-D boundary layer flow experiencing an adverse pressure gradient of variable strength. This new model has been utilized to compare with data from six separate experimental investigations from literature, and has been compared against a separately developed empirical model of the fluctuating surface pressure.
Effect of Polymer Microstructure on the Nucleation Behavior of Alumina via Atomic Layer Deposition

Atomic layer deposition is a technique that is able to integrate nanoscale inorganic coatings to organic polymers. Through this process a number of different inorganic coating morphologies are able to form during ALD nucleation on a wide variety of polymers. In this work, we provide a systematic analysis of the ALD nucleation characteristics on polymers that have subtle variations in microstructure, such as, the addition of pendant groups or change in length of the polymer repeat unit. Specifically, in situ quartz crystal microgravimetry is employed to understand the nucleation behavior of alumina ALD in a series of poly n-methacrylate and polyester thin films. The work indicates the effect that a subtle change in polymer microstructure has on the properties of the polymer film. The data indicates that the glass transition temperature of the polymer, as influenced by variations in microstructure, has a significant impact on the absorption/desorption characteristics during TMA/water exposures. Through this...
The Impact of Decision Type on the Number of Acceptable and Biddable Vendors

This article reports the findings of a survey on the influence of the complexity of the purchase decision upon number of vendors considered acceptable and bid by purchasing agents. The results indicate that the more complex the purchase decision, the fewer vendors considered acceptable and bid. Furthermore, the results show that buyers are highly consistent in the difference between the number acceptable and bid regardless of the type of purchase decision. Lastly, contrary to expectations, the characteristics of the individual buyer and the firm had little influence on the number of suppliers that were acceptable or bid.
Is Routine Electrocardiography Necessary Before Initiation of Propranolol for Treatment of Infantile Hemangiomas

Background In recent years propranolol has become the treatment of choice for infantile hemangiomas (IHs). There is broad variation in the approach to propranolol initiation in clinical practice. This retrospective study explored the effectiveness of routine pre-treatment ECG in screening infants being considered for systemic treatment with propranolol. Methods All patients seen in the outpatient pediatric dermatology clinics at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) and The Mayo Clinic Rochester (MCR), as well as those seen in multidisciplinary vascular anomalies clinics, who had ECGs obtained prior to planned initiation of propranolol for treatment of IH from 2008 to 2013, were identified. A total of 162 patients were included in the study. Results We found that 43% (69) of routine ECGs were read as abnormal, leading to 28 formal consultation appointments with pediatric cardiologists. After either formal consultation or informal discussion with cardiology, no patients with initially “abnormal” ECGs were ultimately excluded from treatment with propranolol based on routine ECG findings. Additionally no patients in our cohort experienced an adverse effect during treatment that could have been predicted or prevented by ECG prior to initiation of the propranolol. Conclusion Our findings suggest that routine ECG may not be necessary or helpful in the vast majority of patients treated with propranolol for IHs.
Analysis Based Coding of Image Transform and Subband Coefficients

Image coding requires an effective representation of images to provide dimensionality reduction, a quantization strategy to maintain quality, and finally the error free encoding of quantized coefficients. In the coding of quantized coefficients, Huffman coding and arithmetic coding have been used most commonly and are suggested as alternatives in the JPEG standard. In some recent work, zerotree coding has been proposed as an alternate method, that considers the dependece of quantized coefficients from subband to subband, and thus appears as a generalization of the context-based approach often used with arithmetic coding. In this paper, we propose to review these approaches and discuss them as special cases of an analysis based approach to the coding of coefficients. The requirements on causality and computational complexity implied by arithmetic and zerotree coding will be studied and other schemes proposed for the choice of the predictive coefficient contexts that are suggested by image analysis.
A nanoindentation study of the viscoplastic behavior of pure lithium

Abstract Applying mechanical stresses is a possible approach to suppress dendrite and mossy lithium (Li) in Li metal electrodes. We conducted, in this work, nanoindentation tests on pure Li metal in an argon-filled glove box to study its viscoplastic behavior at room temperature. Both load-controlled and strain rate-controlled nanoindentations showed clear viscoplastic characteristics of Li. Based on an iterative finite element (FE) modeling approach, we determined a viscoplastic constitutive law for Li. In addition, we demonstrated by FE modeling that elastic modulus, on the order of GPas, has a negligible influence on the nanoindentation response of Li at ambient temperature.
Two Heads are Better than One, and Three is a Magic Number in Economics

This chapter in the volume illustrates how Benedict’s own trajectory of collaboration began in a doctoral program and blossomed in an academic environment. For Benedict, collaboration encompassed a wide spectrum of associations: colleagues, students, friends, and her husband. She makes the point that criticism among closely related collaborators, while often reserved, can be successful.
Estimates of stress in an underground coal mine determined from seismic velocity measurements

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of using seismic velocity measurements to estimate stress underground. An in-seam seismic survey was conducted in the Dutch Creek mine in the Coal Basin of Colorado. Seismic waves were transmitted under a gob produced by an advancing longwall panel. Stress levels were evaluated from seismic velocities in both the high velocity wall rock and in a coal seam located under the gob. To measure stress in the wall, velocity was determined from the first arriving refracted waves. To measure stress in the coal, velocity was determined from SH channel waves. Stress levels were evaluated from velocities using empirical relationships defined from ultrasonic analysis on core samples.
Unearthing HIFs in a hardy marsh fish

![Graphic][1] When it comes to surviving hypoxia, or low oxygen, animals get by with a little help from their factors – hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), that is. HIFs are useful molecules that, when activated by hypoxia, help form switches to crank gene expression up or down as needed,
Cell–Cell Contact and Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling

The behavior of cells within tissues is governed by the activities of adhesion receptors that provide spatial cues and transmit forces through intercellular junctions, and by growth-factor receptors, particularly receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), that respond to biochemical signals from the environment. Coordination of these two activities is essential for the patterning and polarized migration of cells during morphogenesis and for homeostasis in mature tissues; loss of this coordination is a hallmark of developing cancer and driver of metastatic progression. Although much is known about the individual functions of adhesion and growth factor receptors, we have a surprisingly superficial understanding of the mechanisms by which their activities are coordinated.
Tackling child poverty in Latin America: rights and social protection in unequal societies

For more than a decade, Latin American economies experienced a period of sustained growth, and most governments invested in new social welfare programs. Numerous local and international experts hav...
Elite Business Schools and the Uses of Visibility

Elite business schools use ensembles of images, texts, video, and audio not only to shape how others see them, but to teach students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds how to recognize one another as potential members of shared elite projects. Focusing on the website visibilities of two top-rated business schools in the United States, Harvard Business School (HBS) and the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, this chapter examines how elite business schools use visibility ensembles to provide a “socially organized way of seeing and understanding events that are answerable to the distinctive interests of a particular social group” (Goodwin 1994, p. 606), to “direct” the viewer “towards a meaning chosen in advance” (Barthes 2004, p. 156).
Profiles of hope: How clusters of hope relate to school variables

Abstract In a diverse sample of 297 adolescents, four clusters based on the agency and pathways subscales of the Children's Hope Scale were derived via cluster analysis: high hopers (n = 105), high agency thinkers (n = 73), high pathway thinkers (n = 57), and low hopers (n = 62). We examined differences among clusters on psychological (consideration of future consequences, perceived life chances, perceived stress, and self-esteem) and educational constructs (academic self-concept, academic investment, and self-reported academic achievement). We also examined differences among hope clusters by sex, grade, and socioeconomic status. Results indicated that (a) the hope clusters derived were theoretically consistent with hope theory, (b) there were differences in the demographic makeup of the hope clusters with effect sizes ranging from small to medium, (c) students with different hope profiles differed on the outcome variables with about 50% of the effect sizes ranging from medium to large, and (d) high hopers and high agency thinkers had the most adaptive outcomes. The findings suggest that hope may be a useful variable for determining academic and psychological risk as well as a potential avenue for intervention in adolescence.
Multifunctional metasurfaces nanoantennas by gate-tunable materials

Here, advanced approaches based on the concept of gate-tunable materials are presented in order to implement and design novel real-time controllable and multifunctional metasurfaces of nanoantennas. A tunable dual-band bifunctional (bending/focusing) reflectarray antenna is implemented by the integration of a thin layer of indium tin oxide (ITO) into plasmonic double metal/insulator/metal nanoribbons (bi-MIM) unit-cells. The double-resonance nature of the unit-cell is employed to attain two distinct operating frequencies wherein the robust control over the phase of the reflected beam is achieved by the tunable gate biasing of ITO. The design is carried out based on the phased array principle and the desired phase profiles for bending and focusing are realized by proper tuning of one-dimensional (1D) biasing network. The plasmonic-based design suffers from the inherent high-level losses which degrade the reflection efficiency. To overcome this vulnerable imperfection, an electrically controlled all-dielectric nanostructured metasurface loaded with gate-tunable material is proposed which operates based on dielectric-type Mie resonance and can drastically improve the reflection performance.