cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Civil Society and Religion

This chapter undertakes an historical and comparative review of both the internal and external factors shaping religion and civil society in Africa. While most observers agree that civil society in Africa is “poorly developed,” few have explored whether religious institutions have anything to do with this weakness. Although colonial and postcolonial regimes in Africa took a heavy hand in weakening labor unions, media, and other secular associations, religious institutions have grown stronger on the continent and in the international arena as the faith-based development agenda has become a favored outlet for American and other aid to Africa. The chapter is organized around three goals: (1) to show the dynamic but persistent interpenetration of Africa’s many religious traditions and forms of political authority; (2) to analyze the religious language and practices of organizing collective power and interests; and (3) to look more closely into cases in which religious institutions have become closely aligned to states to become facilitators of political discrimination and violence against citizens. The analysis focuses on religious practices and ideas—such as charisma, prosperity, and reform—as processes of unequal capital accumulation and dissemination. Religious authority and state power have been cocreated in modern Africa, but the creative and important tension between them, that Africans have used for political reform and renewal, has increasingly been eroded as international and some local actors have defined faith in increasingly narrow and ahistorical terms associated with neoliberal development discourses.
Application of Ultrasonic Image to the Evaluation of Temperature Distribution in Metal Powder Compacts During Spark Plasma Activated Sintering

Spark Plasma Activated Sintering, SPAS, is a newly developed sintering method for both metal and ceramic powders. An advantage of the SPAS is that a powder can be consolidated in a very short time within several hundreds seconds, because the powder is pressurized in a mold and is heated by direct electric resistance heating of the powder, using pulsative electric current. Another advantage of the SPAS is that the sintering temperature is lower than conventional sintering methods such as hot press and HIP. For instance, a titanium-aluminide powder has to be sintered at 1473K by HIP, while well sintered at 1223K by the SPAS. However, so called “sintering temperature” of the SPAS is usually measured at the mold in place of the powder itself, because direct measurement of the powder’s temperature is much difficult from a technical point of view. It is considered that the powder is heated more rapidly than the mold and therefore the heat flows from the powder to the mold during sintering. Consequently, a temperature distribution is generated in the powder and therefore “true sintering temperature” cannot be clear.
British Ethical Theorists from Sidgwick to Ewing, by Hurka, Thomas

Thomas Hurka's new book provides a very serious and detailed defence of a view that he has been carefully nurturing for some years—namely, that what deserves to be called a ‘distinctive school in t...
Nonlinear response of the semiconductor quantum-confined structures near and below the middle of the band gap

The two-photon absorption coefficient and the intensity-dependent refractive index associated with it are calculated for semiconductor quantum wells and quantum wires. It is shown analytically that in the limit of large dimensions the nonlinear response of quantum-confined structures becomes isotropic and approaches the nonlinear response of the bulk semiconductor despite the different gauges used in the calculations. The theoretical results are compared with the experiment, and the practical implications are discussed.
Growth Mode and Defects in Aluminum Nitride Sublimated on (0001) 6H-SiC Substrates

The effect of substrate preparation on the sublimation growth of AlN on 6H-SiC was investigated at about 1800°C and 400 torr. Short and long-time sublimation growths of AlN indicated that the nucleation, growth mode, and defects formed depended on the substrate surface preparation. Growth on an off-axis 6H-SiC substrate with 6H-SiC epilayer was in the step flow growth mode in contrast to the island growth mode on as-received substrates, while the 2-D growth was achieved on substrates first coated with an AlN epitaxial layer. Cracks due to the lattice and mainly large thermal expansion coefficient mismatch were always observed in the deposited AlN crystal, as characterized by SEM and optical microscopy.
Abstract 89: Prostaglandin E2 promotes intestinal tumor growth via DNA methylation

Both chronic inflammation and DNA methylation have been implicated as early events during colorectal cancer (CRC) carcinogenesis. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduces the risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) by 40-50%. NSAIDs exert some of their anti-inflammatory or anti-tumor effects by inhibiting prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS) 1 and 2. PTGS2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a pro-inflammatory mediator and promotes tumor progression. Promoter DNA methylation may promote tumor growth through silencing tumor suppressor or DNA repair genes. Whether chronic inflammation, specifically in this study the pro-inflammatory factor PGE2, plays a role in DNA methylation and contributes to CRC carcinogenesis is unknown. Here we demonstrated that PGE2 upregulated DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 1 and 3B, which resulted to increased DNA methylation in the promoters of target genes O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1), CDKN2B, and MutL homolog 1 (MLH1) in CRC cell lines. Meanwhile, the expression of MGMT, CNR1, CDKN2B, and MLH1 were decreased. EP4 antagonist blocked the upregulation of DNMT1 and DNMT3B while knockdown of DNMT1 or DNMT3B attenuated the dwonregulation of MGMT, CNR1, CDKN2B, and MLH1 by PGE2 in LS-174T cells. In ApcMin/+ mice, PGE2 treatment also increased the expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3B and the DNA methylation of MGMT, CNR1, CDKN2B, and MLH1 promoters, and reduced their expression. All these alterations were accompanied by increases in both polyp number and size in the intestines of ApcMin/+ mice. More intriguingly, a demethylating agent 5-Aza-dC blocked the PGE2-induced DNA methylation and tumor growth in ApcMin/+ mice. And a combination treatment with a selective PTGS2 inhibitor celecoxib and 5-Aza-dC more effectively reduced the polyp number and size in ApcMin/+ mice in comparison with either single agent. Furthermore, the levels of PTGS2 and PGE2 correlated with the expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3B; The DNA methylation of MGMT, CNR1, and MLH1 correlated with the levels of PTGS2, PGE2, DNMT1, and DNMT3B in human colorectal carcinomas. These results suggest that PGE2 can silence tumor suppressor or DNA repair genes via DNA methylation to promote CRC carcinogenesis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4074. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4074
Jamaica Kincaid and the Canon: In Dialogue With Paradise Lost and Jane Eyre

As a child schooled in the British colonial system, West Indian writer Jamaica Kincaid was nourished on a diet of English classics, reading from Shakespeare and Milton by the age of five (Cudjoe 398). Sometimes the canonical works of English literature were administered as punishment; for her schoolgirl crimes Kincaid was forced to copy large chunks of John Milton's Paradise Lost. Other works, such as Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, were Kincaid's best friends and she read them over and over (Garis 42). In her relation to the English language and the English literature with which colonial children were so assiduously inculcated, Kincaid presents a paradox. The emphasis on England, Kincaid has said, the constant inference that England was the center of the universe, robbed colonial children of a sense of their own worth. Further, the rigorous study of English only enhanced the power of what Kincaid has called "the language of the criminal." This language, she writes in her long essay, A Small Place, is inherently biased in favor of those who enslaved and continue to dominate her people:
Application of the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology to the evidence for developmental and reproductive toxicity of triclosan.

Abstract Background There are reports of developmental and reproductive health effects associated with the widely used biocide triclosan. Objective Apply the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology to answer the question: Does exposure to triclosan have adverse effects on human development or reproduction? Methods We applied the first 3 steps of the Navigation Guide methodology: 1) Specify a study question, 2) Select the evidence, and 3) Rate quality and strength of the evidence. We developed a protocol, conducted a comprehensive search of the literature, and identified relevant studies using pre-specified criteria. We assessed the number and type of all relevant studies. We evaluated each included study for risk of bias and rated the quality and strength of the evidence for the selected outcomes. We conducted a meta-analysis on a subset of suitable data. Results We found 4282 potentially relevant records, and 81 records met our inclusion criteria. Of the more than 100 endpoints identified by our search, we focused our evaluation on hormone concentration outcomes, which had the largest human and non-human mammalian data set. Three human studies and 8 studies conducted in rats reported thyroxine levels as outcomes. The rat data were amenable to meta-analysis. Because only one of the human thyroxine studies quantified exposure, we did not conduct a meta-analysis of the human data. Through meta-analysis of the data for rats, we estimated for prenatal exposure a 0.09% (95% CI: − 0.20, 0.02) reduction in thyroxine concentration per mg triclosan/kg-bw in fetal and young rats compared to control. For postnatal exposure we estimated a 0.31% (95% CI: − 0.38, − 0.23) reduction in thyroxine per mg triclosan/kg-bw, also compared to control. Overall, we found low to moderate risk of bias across the human studies and moderate to high risk of bias across the non-human studies, and assigned a “moderate/low” quality rating to the body of evidence for human thyroid hormone alterations and a “moderate” quality rating to the body of evidence for non-human thyroid hormone alterations. Conclusion Based on this application of the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology, we concluded that there was “sufficient” non-human evidence and “inadequate” human evidence of an association between triclosan exposure and thyroxine concentrations, and consequently, triclosan is “possibly toxic” to reproductive and developmental health. Thyroid hormone disruption is an upstream indicator of developmental toxicity. Additional endpoints may be identified as being of equal or greater concern as other data are developed or evaluated.
A Note on the Use of Mixture Models for Individual Prediction

Mixture models capture heterogeneity in data by decomposing the population into latent subgroups, each of which is governed by its own subgroup-specific set of parameters. Despite the flexibility and widespread use of these models, most applications have focused solely on making inferences for whole or sub-populations, rather than individual cases. The current article presents a general framework for computing marginal and conditional predicted values for individuals using mixture model results. These predicted values can be used to characterize covariate effects, examine the fit of the model for specific individuals, or forecast future observations from previous ones. Two empirical examples are provided to demonstrate the usefulness of individual predicted values in applications of mixture models. The first example examines the relative timing of initiation of substance use using a multiple event process survival mixture model whereas the second example evaluates changes in depressive symptoms over adolescence using a growth mixture model.
Agent-oriented analysis method based on AUML and its application

According to the difference between Agent and object,using object-oriented method,this paper introduces an Agent-oriented analysis and modeling method based on AUML(Agent UML).It has made some extensions to AUML for the models representation.Using use-case model to describe the responsibility assignment;Using Agent class diagram which has five information levels to describe the system's static structure;Using manifold behavior-diagram to describe the system's dynamic behavior from Agent exterior to its interior.By the analysis process of cruise missile weapon control system,the detailed approaches and essentials of analysis and modeling have been clarified.
EFFECT OF MAGNETIC FIELD INTENSITY ON MICROSTRUCTURE OF PROEUTECTOID FERRITE IN Fe-0.76%C ALLOY

The microstructural features of proeutectoid ferrite during transformation from austen- ite to ferrite in Fe-0.76%C alloy under different magnetic field intensities.It was found that the amount of proeutectoid ferrite transformed and the carbon content at eutectoid point increased considerably with the increase of magnetic field intensity.The most possible reason is that the magnetic field shifts the eutectoid point to the side of high carbon content and high temperature,which increases the starting-temperature of the transformation from austenite to ferrite.The proeutectoid ferrite grains are elongated along the magnetic field direction,and the angle between the major axis of proeutectoid ferrite and magnetic field direction is decreased with the increase of magnetic field intensity,which can be explained as follows:the proeutectoid ferrite becomes the magnetic dipolar under high mag- netic field,and then the polarized austenite atoms are more easy to diffusion to ferrite grain along the magnetic field direction.
Preferential Organization of Methacrylate Monomers and Polymer Thin Films at the Air Interface Using Femtosecond Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

Monitoring and understanding monomer conformational changes as substituents are varied is an important step in investigating in situ polymerization and controlling the polymerization process as well as regulating the functionality of polymer surfaces to provide efficient polymer coatings. In this study, the preliminary stage involves characterization of the interfacial structures of methacrylate-based functional monomers and their polymer thin films at the air–liquid interface using femtosecond sum frequency generation spectroscopy (FSFGS). By varying the substituted ethyl group of the methacrylate monomers with hydroxy (−OH), chloro (−Cl), and phenoxy (−OPh), the alpha-methyl (α-CH3), alkene-methylene (alkene-CH2), and methylene (CH2) groups are observed to have preferential surface ordering toward the air interface. A peak positioned at ∼3000 cm–1 was observed in the spectrum of the 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) monomer and assigned to alkene-CH2 group. This functional group signifies that the pure...
In toto imaging of the migrating Zebrafish lateral line primordium at single cell resolution

The zebrafish Posterior Lateral Line primordium (PLLp) has emerged as an important model system for studying many aspects of development, including cell migration, cell type specification and tissue morphogenesis. Despite this, basic aspects of PLLp biology remain incompletely understood. The PLLp is a group of approximately 140 cells which pioneers the formation of the Posterior Lateral Line (LL) system by migrating along the length of the embryo, periodically depositing clusters of epithelial cells, which will go on to form the mature sense organs of the lateral line, called neuromasts. The neuromasts are formed within the migrating PLLp as protoneuromasts: the first protoneuromast is formed close to the trailing end and additional protoneuromasts are formed sequentially, progressively closer to the leading edge of the migrating collective. We imaged the migration of PLL primordia and tracked every cell in the lateral line system over the course of migration. From this data set we unambiguously determined the lineage and fate of every cell deposited by the migrating PLLp. We show that, on average, proliferation across the entire PLLp is weakly patterned, with leading cells tending to divide more slowly than trailing cells. Neuromasts are formed sequentially by local expansion of existing cells along the length of the PLLp, not by self-renewing stem cell-like divisions of a restricted leading population that is highly proliferative. The fate of deposited cells, either within neuromasts or as interneuromast cells (in between deposited neuromasts) is not determined by any obvious stereotyped lineages. Instead, it is determined somewhat stochasitcailly, as a function of a cells distance from the center of a maturing protoneuromast. Together, our data provide a rigorous baseline for the behavior of the PLLp, which can be used to inform further study of this important model system.
Identification and Characterization of a Chemical Compound that Inhibits Methionyl-tRNA Synthetase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen problematic in causing nosocomial infections and is highly susceptible to development of resistance to multiple antibiotics. The gene encoding methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) from P. aeruginosa was cloned and the resulting protein characterized. Methods MetRS was kinetically evaluated and the KM for its three substrates, methionine, ATP and tRNAMet were determined to be 35, 515, and 29 μM, respectively. P. aeruginosaMetRS was used to screen two chemical compound libraries containing 1690 individual compounds. Results A natural product compound (BM01C11) was identified that inhibited the aminoacylation function. The compound inhibited P. aeruginosa MetRS with an IC50 of 70 μM. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of BM01C11 was determined against nine clinically relevant bacterial strains, including efflux pump mutants and hypersensitive strains of P. aeruginosa and E. coli. The MIC against the hypersensitive strain of P. aeruginosa was 16 μg/ml. However, the compound was not effective against the wild-type and efflux pump mutant strains, indicating that efflux may not be responsible for the lack of activity against the wild-type strains. When tested in human cell cultures, the cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) was observed to be 30 μg/ml. The compound did not compete with methionine or ATP for binding MetRS, indicating that the mechanism of action of the compound likely occurs outside the active site of aminoacylation. Conclusion An inhibitor of P. aeruginosa MetRS, BM01C11, was identified as a flavonoid compound named isopomiferin. Isopomiferin inhibited the enzymatic activity of MetRS and displayed broad spectrum antibacterial activity. These studies indicate that isopomiferin may be amenable to development as a therapeutic for bacterial infections.
Long-Term Percutaneous Nephrostomy Management of Malignant Urinary Obstruction: Estimation of Optimal Exchange Frequency and Estimation of the Financial Impact of Patient Compliance.

Abstract Purpose To estimate the least costly routine exchange frequency for percutaneous nephrostomies (PCNs) placed for malignant urinary obstruction, as measured by annual hospital charges, and to estimate the financial impact of patient compliance. Materials and Methods Patients with PCNs placed for malignant urinary obstruction were studied from 2011 to 2013. Exchanges were classified as routine or due to 1 of 3 complication types: mechanical (tube dislodgment), obstruction, or infection. Representative cases were identified, and median representative charges were used as inputs for the model. Accelerated failure time and Markov chain Monte Carlo models were used to estimate distribution of exchange types and annual hospital charges under different routine exchange frequency and compliance scenarios. Results Long-term PCN management was required in 57 patients, with 87 total exchange encounters. Median representative hospital charges for pyelonephritis and obstruction were 11.8 and 9.3 times greater, respectively, than a routine exchange. The projected proportion of routine exchanges increased and the projected proportion of infection-related exchanges decreased when moving from a 90-day exchange with 50% compliance to a 60-day exchange with 75% compliance, and this was associated with a projected reduction in annual charges. Projected cost reductions resulting from increased compliance were generally greater than reductions resulting from changes in exchange frequency. Conclusions This simulation model suggests that the optimal routine exchange interval for PCN exchange in patients with malignant urinary obstruction is approximately 60 days and that the degree of reduction in charges likely depends more on patient compliance than exact exchange interval.
Black Bass Dispersal Patterns Following Catch-and-Release Tournaments on Lake Champlain

AbstractLake Champlain is consistently ranked as one of the top fisheries for black bass Micropterus spp. in the United States. Tournament fishing on the lake has become increasingly popular, with dozens of tournaments held annually since the early 2000s and at least 60 more planned for 2017. The largest of these tournaments launch from Plattsburgh, New York, and their frequency has generated concerns among fishery managers and the public over post-weigh-in mortality and stockpiling. However, relatively little is known about the disposition of tournament-caught black bass in large (>750 km2) lake systems. To address this information gap, we T-bar-tagged 1,141 Largemouth Bass M. salmoides and 1,160 Smallmouth Bass M. dolomieu collected from tournament anglers launching from Plattsburgh during 2011 and 2012. Additionally, 38 Largemouth Bass and 53 Smallmouth Bass caught during professional bass tournaments were implanted with radio tags prior to release. Angler-reported T-bar recaptures yielded a 9.8% recov...
Providing Dynamic Access to Electronic Tactile Diagrams

A significant problem for individuals who are blind or visually impaired is the lack of access to graphical information. In this paper, we describe our work on components of a system to make this access available in real-time, on demand, and through effective means. We start by discussing our current work on converting visual diagrams and images into a representation that can be more effectively interpreted by individuals who are blind or visually impaired. We then describe previous and ongoing work in our laboratory on computer I/O devices we are developing to provide the given representation to the user immediately and interactively. Finally, we describe dynamic methods that we have developed to help manage the information presented more effectively given the constraints of the tactile system.
Codon usage regulates protein structure and function by affecting translation elongation speed in Drosophila cells

Codon usage biases are found in all eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes and have been proposed to regulate different aspects of translation process. Codon optimality has been shown to regulate translation elongation speed in fungal systems, but its effect on translation elongation speed in animal systems is not clear. In this study, we used a Drosophila cell-free translation system to directly compare the velocity of mRNA translation elongation. Our results demonstrate that optimal synonymous codons speed up translation elongation while non-optimal codons slow down translation. In addition, codon usage regulates ribosome movement and stalling on mRNA during translation. Finally, we show that codon usage affects protein structure and function in vitro and in Drosophila cells. Together, these results suggest that the effect of codon usage on translation elongation speed is a conserved mechanism from fungi to animals that can affect protein folding in eukaryotic organisms.
The Structure-Forming Juncture in Oxidative Protein Folding: What Happens in the ER?

The folding of disulfide bond containing proteins proceeds in a biphasic manner. Initially, cysteines are oxidized to form disulfide bonds. Structure is largely absent during this phase. Next, when a minimally correct number of native linkages of disulfide bonds have been acquired, the biopolymer conformationally folds into the native, or a native-like, state. Thus, at the end of this “oxidative folding” process, a stable and biologically active protein is formed. This review focuses on dissecting the “structure-forming step” in oxidative protein folding. The ability to follow this pivotal step in protein maturation in somewhat detail is uniquely facilitated in “oxidative” folding scenarios. We review this step using bovine pancreatic Ribonuclease A as a model while recognizing the impact that this step has in subcellular trafficking and protein aggregation.
Apparent Age is a Reliable Assessment Tool in 20 Facelift Patients

Background Although the literature is replete with favorable facelift results, there are few validated facial rejuvenation outcome measures. Apparent age (AA), a visual estimate of age by objective observers, has been utilized in several studies; although attractive, AA lacks validation. Objective The aim of this study is to examine the reliability of AA, highlighting the importance of the exclusive use of validated outcome measures in future studies. Methods Ten blinded reviewers assessed pre- and postoperative photographs of 32 patients who underwent facelift. Each reviewer completed 3 surveys at 3-month intervals composed of 40 randomly ordered photos; totaling 1200 photographs assigned an AA. The intra-class correlation coefficient was classified as "excellent," "good," "fair," or "poor." The accuracy of assigned AA, agreement within 5 years, and reduction in AA were also evaluated. Results The mean difference of preoperative true age from assigned AA was 2.74 ± 4.36 years. Forty-three percent of raters were within 5-years (±2.5) of the mean. Intra-rater reliability preoperatively and postoperatively were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.82-0.72) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.79-0.71), respectively. Inter-rater reliability preoperatively was 0.98 (95% CI, 0.99-0.96), while postoperatively was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.99-0.95). Mean AA reduction was 5.23 ± 2.81, with an intra-rater reliability 0.15 (95% CI, 0.03-0.34) and inter-rater reliability 0.65 (95% CI, 0.84-0.38). Conclusion Using current statistical measures and analysis, AA is an acceptable tool for pre- and postoperative facial evaluation when assessed by a group of 10 reviewers. Therefore, apparent age represents a reliable and valid objective observer assigned measure for evaluation of facelift outcomes.
How bilingual development is the same as and different from monolingual development

Based on data from two longitudinal studies of 2- to 5-year-old Spanish- and English-learning bilingual children and English-learning monolingual children, we compare the processes and outcomes of simultaneous bilingual development to those of monolingual development. We find, in essence, that the processes are the same. The outcomes differ, however, because the immediate environments and larger sociocultural contexts of bilingual and monolingual development differ. Common processes include a dependence of language growth on the quantity and quality of language exposure and a relation between children’s own language use and their language growth. Differences in outcomes include the rate of language development and the profiles of expressive and receptive skills.
Nanoscale imaging of chromatin with Labeled and Label- Free super-resolution microscopy and partial-wave spectroscopy

We demonstrate a multimodal imaging system that combines partial-wave spectroscopic microscopy and spectroscopic super-resolution microscopy to study chromatin topology. This instrument allows nanoscale visualization of labeled and unlabeled chromatin with molecular and structural contrast.
Evaluating Degradable Mulches for Muskmelon Production

Introduction Plastic mulches can provide vegetable growers with earlier crop maturity, increased yields and quality, improved disease, insect and weed control, and more efficient fertilizer and water use. However, standard polyethylene mulches must be removed and disposed of at the end of each season, which is a dirty and costly undertaking. One solution to this problem has been the development of degradable mulches that can be left in the field after harvest to disintegrate and be incorporated into the soil. Unfortunately, degradable mulch performance hasn’t always met expectations. And now there are different types of degradable mulches being aggressively marketed creating questions about which one is best. The objective of this study was to evaluate three types of degradable mulches for ease of use, speed of breakdown, and how they influence transplanted muskmelon performance.
Stimulation of growth by intravenous injection of copper in weanling pigs.

This study was conducted to examine whether Cu could exert its growth-promoting effect when injected, rather than being fed, and thus bypass the gastrointestinal tract. In two 18-d experiments, pigs were injected every 2 d with a Cu histidinate or histidine solution. Amounts of Cu injected were calculated to simulate varying absorption rates in pigs fed 250 ppm of dietary Cu. In Exp. 1, 44 pigs were randomly assigned to four groups of 11 pigs each. Pigs were injected with four levels of Cu histidinate (0, 5, 10, and 15% estimated apparent absorption coefficients based on calculated feed intake). Average daily gain responded quadratically (P < .05) to levels of Cu histidinate; maximum growth was seen in the 5% group. At d 6, serum mitogenic activity also exhibited a similar quadratic response (P < .05). In Exp. 2, estimated Cu absorptions of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% were tested. Forty-five pigs were randomly assigned to five groups of nine pigs each and injected as in Exp. 1. Both ADG and serum mitogenic activity displayed a quadratic response (P < .05); the maximum response was seen in the 4% group. Liver Cu content, superoxide dismutase activity, and serum Cu concentrations were linearly increased (P < .05) with increasing dosage of Cu in both Exp. 1 and 2. Also, brain Cu content linearly increased (P < .05) with increasing dosage of Cu in both Exp. 1 and 2. Also, brain Cu hormone mRNA concentrations in Exp. 2 were not significantly influenced by treatments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Crystallization of poly (ether ether ketone) and its blends with poly (ether imide)

The crystallization behavior of poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK) and its blends with poly (ether imide) (PEI) have been investigated by thermomechanical analyzer (TMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Real-time measurement of the dimensional shrinkage associated with PEEK crystallization using TMA indicates the splitting of PEEK crystallization into two distinct stages.
The Illinois Story: How the University of Illinois School of Physical Education Won its Fight to Keep the Challenged Physical Education Requirement

(1957). The Illinois Story. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 28, No. 7, pp. 15-76.
Primary melanoma histologic subtype (HS) impacts melanoma specific survival (MSS) and response to systemic therapy.

9577Background: Unlike other solid tumors, the impact of primary HS on melanoma survival and response to systemic therapy is not well studied. Nodular melanoma (NM) has a worse prognosis than super...
Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Is Dependent on Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Signaling

About 40% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus experience diffuse neuropsychiatric manifestations, including impaired cognition and depression. Although the pathogenesis of diffuse neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) is not fully understood, loss of brain barrier integrity, autoreactive antibodies, and pro-inflammatory cytokines are major contributors to disease development. Fingolimod, a sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator, prevents lymphocyte egress from lymphoid organs through functional antagonism of S1P receptors. In addition to reducing the circulation of autoreactive lymphocytes, fingolimod has direct neuroprotective effects such as preserving brain barrier integrity and decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion by astrocytes and microglia. Given these effects, we hypothesized that fingolimod would attenuate neurobehavioral deficits in MRL-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice, a validated neuropsychiatric lupus model. Fingolimod treatment was initiated after the onset of disease, and mice were assessed for alterations in cognitive function and emotionality. We found that fingolimod significantly attenuated spatial memory deficits and depression-like behavior in MRL/lpr mice. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated a dramatic lessening of brain T cell and macrophage infiltration, and a significant reduction in cortical leakage of serum albumin, in fingolimod treated mice. Astrocytes and endothelial cells from treated mice exhibited reduced expression of inflammatory genes, while microglia showed differential regulation of key immune pathways. Notably, cytokine levels within the cortex and hippocampus were not appreciably decreased with fingolimod despite the improved neurobehavioral profile. Furthermore, despite a reduction in splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and circulating autoantibody titers, IgG deposition within the brain was unaffected by treatment. These findings suggest that fingolimod mediates attenuation of NPSLE through a mechanism that is not dependent on reduction of autoantibodies or cytokines, and highlight modulation of the S1P signaling pathway as a novel therapeutic target in lupus involving the central nervous system.
Intrinsic limits of information transmission in biochemical signalling motifs

All living things have evolved to sense changes in their environment in order to respond in adaptive ways. At the cellular level, these sensing systems generally involve receptor molecules at the cell surface, which detect changes outside the cell and relay those changes to the appropriate response elements downstream. With the advent of experimental technologies that can track signalling at the single-cell level, it has become clear that many signalling systems exhibit significant levels of 'noise,' manifesting as differential responses of otherwise identical cells to the same environment. This noise has a large impact on the capacity of cell signalling networks to transmit information from the environment. Application of information theory to experimental data has found that all systems studied to date encode less than 2.5 bits of information, with the majority transmitting significantly less than 1 bit. Given the growing interest in applying information theory to biological data, it is crucial to understand whether the low values observed to date represent some sort of intrinsic limit on information flow given the inherently stochastic nature of biochemical signalling events. In this work, we used a series of computational models to explore how much information a variety of common 'signalling motifs' can encode. We found that the majority of these motifs, which serve as the basic building blocks of cell signalling networks, can encode far more information (4-6 bits) than has ever been observed experimentally. In addition to providing a consistent framework for estimating information-theoretic quantities from experimental data, our findings suggest that the low levels of information flow observed so far in living system are not necessarily due to intrinsic limitations. Further experimental work will be needed to understand whether certain cell signalling systems actually can approach the intrinsic limits described here, and to understand the sources and purpose of the variation that reduces information flow in living cells.
On the Diastereoselectivity of Intramolecular Pd-Catalyzed TMM Cycloadditions. An Asymmetric Synthesis of the Perhydroazulene (−)-Isoclavukerin A

The factors that influence the stereocontrol of trimethylenemethane (TMM) cycloadditions are examined in the context of a synthesis of a perhydroazulene. The diastereofacial selectivity with respect to the acceptor is established in an intramolecular [3 + 2] reaction with a five-carbon tether. When a doubly activated acceptor is utilized, complete selectivity is observed wherein the Z-situated activating group is proposed as a diastereoselectivity control element. Further, the use of trimethylstannyl acetate as a cocatalyst for cycloadditions to electron deficient alkenes is illustrated for the first time. A one-pot, three-component coupling protocol provides a facile new entry into acyl-substituted TMM precursors specifically and α-hydroxy ketones more generally. The methodology led to a total synthesis of (−)-isoclavukerin A. The shortest version of the synthesis involves eleven steps from methallyl alcohol.
Intensity Warping for multisite MRI Harmonization

Abstract In multisite neuroimaging studies there is often unwanted technical variation across scanners and sites. These “scanner effects” can hinder detection of biological features of interest, produce inconsistent results, and lead to spurious associations. We assess scanner effects in two brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies where subjects were measured on multiple scanners within a short time frame, so that one could assume any differences between images were due to technical rather than biological effects. We propose mica (multisite image harmonization by CDF alignment), a tool to harmonize images taken on different scanners by identifying and removing within-subject scanner effects. Our goals in the present study were to (1) establish a method that removes scanner effects by leveraging multiple scans collected on the same subject, and, building on this, (2) develop a technique to quantify scanner effects in large multisite trials so these can be reduced as a preprocessing step. We found that unharmonized images were highly variable across site and scanner type, and our method effectively removed this variability by warping intensity distributions. We further studied the ability to predict intensity harmonization results for a scan taken on an existing subject at a new site using cross-validation.
The Influence of Diabetes Status on the Rate of Cataract Surgery Following Pars Plana Vitrectomy.

Purpose We aimed to evaluate the association between diabetic status and the rates of cataract extraction (CE) following pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). Design Retrospective cohort, multicenter database study. Participants Patients were selected from an insurance claims database (PharMetrics LifeLink) that included persons who had filed claims between 2006 and 2015 in the United States. Methods We analyzed the records of 22 146 patients who underwent PPV performed by 2705 retina physicians. The vitrectomy group included patients ≥18 years of age who had undergone PPV. The control group included patients who were matched to the vitrectomy group 1:2 based on sex, diabetes mellitus (DM) status, region of the United States, and Charleston Comorbidity Index. Main Outcome Measures Hazard ratios (HRs) and rates of cataract surgery in patients with and without diabetes who had undergone prior PPV. Results The hazard ratio for post-PPV CE was lower among patients with diabetes (3.307; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.051–3.583) than among patients without diabetes (4.889; 95% CI, 4.670–5.119). This association was significant for all subgroups of patients with diabetes except in patients with diabetes and without retinopathy (4.086; 95% CI, 3.511–4.754). There was a significantly longer time between PPV and CE in patients with diabetes (537 days; 95% CI, 459–677 days) compared with those without diabetes (295 days; 95% CI, 278–312 days). The type of DM (type 1 vs. type 2) did not influence the rate of post-PPV cataract surgery. In persons with diabetes who underwent PPV, we observed a trend for a lower HR of cataract surgery in eyes with proliferative retinopathy (0.903; 95% CI, 0.725–1.124), and nonproliferative retinopathy (0.965; 95% CI, 0.721–1.290) compared with eyes with no retinopathy. Conclusions Eyes of patients with diabetes had a significantly decreased risk of undergoing CE after PPV surgery compared with eyes of patients without diabetes.
Two novel adenoviruses found in Cave Myotis bats (Myotis velifer) in Oklahoma

Bats are carriers of potentially zoonotic viruses, therefore it is crucial to identify viruses currently found in bats to better understand how they are maintained in bat populations and evaluate risks for transmission to other species. Adenoviruses have been previously detected in bats throughout the world, but sampling is still limited. In this study, 30 pooled-guano samples were collected from a cave roost of Myotis velifer in Oklahoma. A portion of the DNA polymerase gene from Adenoviridae was amplified successfully in 18 M. velifer samples; however, DNA sequence was obtained from only 6 of these M. velifer samples. One was collected in October 2016, one in March 2017, and 4 in July 2017. The October and March samples contained viral DNA that was 3.1% different from each other but 33% different than the novel viral sequence found in the July 2017 samples. Phylogenetic analysis of these fragments confirmed our isolates were from the genus Mastadenovirus and had genetic diversity ranging from 20 to 50% when compared to other bat adenoviruses.
Practicing SAFE Radiology

It is no longer good enough to just know how to interpret imaging studies. All imaging modalities have bioeffects on tissue. Many imaging examinations ordered today are unnecessary or inappropriate, inflating healthcare costs. Imaging reports reflect the complexity of the image information and may be difficult to interpret by the ordering providers. Patients are now able to access their imaging information via electronic portals and are holding clinicians and radiologists accountable for the information in those reports.
Iatrogenic Arteriovenous Fistula Formation after Endovenous Laser Treatment Resulting in High-output Cardiac Failure: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Formation of a clinically significant iatrogenic arteriovenous fistula after endovenous laser treatment of the great saphenous vein is an extremely rare complication. Because of the infrequency of reported cases, there is no clear consensus on how to best manage this complication. We present a unique case of an iatrogenic high-output superficial femoral artery-common femoral vein fistula resulting in right heart failure and a distal deep vein thrombosis. Deployment of a covered arterial stent graft resulted in resolution of the arteriovenous fistula and high-output cardiac state. Clinically significant arteriovenous fistulas resulting from inadvertent vessel injury during endovenous laser treatment appear to be amenable to percutaneous endovascular interventions. During these challenging endovascular cases, intravascular ultrasonography can be used to help delineate the morphology of the fistula tract and obtain vessel measurements to ensure accurate endoprosthesis sizing and placement.
Disparities in Students’ Propensity to Consent to Learning Analytics

Use of university students’ educational data for learning analytics has spurred a debate about whether and how to provide students with agency regarding data collection and use. A concern is that students opting out of learning analytics may skew predictive models, in particular if certain student populations disproportionately opt out and biases are unintentionally introduced into predictive models. We investigated university students’ propensity to consent to learning analytics through an email prompt, and collected respondents’ perceived benefits and privacy concerns regarding learning analytics in a subsequent online survey. In particular, we studied whether and why students’ consent propensity differs among student subpopulations bysending our email prompt to a sample of 4,000 students at our institution stratified by ethnicity and gender. 272 students interacted with the email, of which 119 also completed the survey. We identified that institutional trust, concerns with the amount of data collection versus perceived benefits, and comfort with instructors’ data use for learning engagement were key determinants in students’ decision to participate in learning analytics. We find that students identifying ethnically as Black were significantly less likely to respond and self-reported lower levels of institutional trust. Female students reported concerns with data collection but were also more comfortable with use of their data by instructors for learning engagement purposes. Students’ comments corroborate these findings and suggest that agency alone is insufficient; institutional leaders and instructors also play a large role in alleviating the issue of bias.
Corporate Responsibility: The American Experience

About the authors Foreword Preface Introduction: the corporation in the public square Part I. The Seeds of Corporate Responsibility: 1. Foundations of capitalism and the birth of the corporation (1776-1880) 2. The turbulent rise of the corporation (1880-1900) 3. The Progressive Era and a new business-government relationship (1900-18) 4. The corporation's case for social responsibility (1918-29) 5. The corporation and national crisis (1929-45) Part II. Corporate Responsibility Comes of Age: 6. Corporate legitimacy affirmed (1945-63) 7. A revolution of rising expectations (1963-73) 8. Managing corporate responsibility (1973-81) Part III. Taking Account of Corporate Responsibility: 9. Stakeholders and stockholders (1981-9) 10. Corporate responsibility institutionalizes and globalizes (1989-2001) 11. A new social contract for the twenty-first century (2001-11) Conclusion: patterns and prospects Endnotes References List of plates Index.
7 The Chemistry and Biological Activity of α -(N)-Heterocyclic Carboxaldehyde Thiosemicarbazones

Publisher Summary The α-(N)-heterocyclic carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones constitute a class of agents that possess both antineoplastic and antiviral activity. The first agent of this series to be examined for biological activity, 2-fomylpyridine thio semicarbazone, was shown to possess mild antileukemic activity against the L-1210 tumour in mice at levels of drug that produced significant toxicity. α-(N)-Heterocyclic carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones have been shown to be potent inhibitors of the biosynthesis of DNA in mammalian cells. Studies with transplanted murine neoplasms have demonstrated that the enzymatic site responsible for the blockade of DNA replication is at the level of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, an enzyme of critical importance for the generation of the deoxynucleoside triphosphate precursors of these macromolecules. Kinetic studies have been carried out with a partially purified enzyme from a rat tumour in an effort to define the molecular mechanism by which agents of this class inhibit the activity of ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase.
The Earned Income Tax Credit, Health, and Happines

This paper contributes to the small but growing literature evaluating the health effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). In particular, we use data from the National Survey of Families and Households to study the impact of the 1990 federal EITC expansion on several outcomes related to mental health and subjective well-being. The identification strategy relies on a difference-in-differences framework to estimate intent-to-treat effects for the post-reform period. Our results suggest that the 1990 EITC reform generated sizeable health benefits for low-skilled mothers. Such women experienced lower depression caseness, an increase in self-reported happiness, and improved self-efficacy relative to their childless counterparts. Consistent with previous work, we find that married mothers captured most of the health benefits, with unmarried mothers’ health changing very little following the 1990 EITC reform.