cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Globalisation and Poverty in Latin America: Some Channels and Some Evidence

This paper provides an overview of the main mechanisms through which globalisation can affect poverty and household welfare in Latin America and presents supporting evidence from different case studies in the region. One case study explores the impacts of agricultural trade liberalisation in world markets on poverty in Argentina, with an emphasis on labour income effects via real wages. The second case study examines the impacts of CAFTA on net producers and net consumers among the indigenous population in Guatemala. The analysis explores short-run impacts as well as medium-run impacts as households adjust farm decisions. Finally, a last exercise is set up to study the role of agricultural liberalisation on wages, employment and unemployment when there are frictions in labour markets. These case studies show that the impacts of trade on developing countries are heterogeneous. In Argentina, there are gains from liberalisation of world agriculture and higher food prices. In Guatemala, instead, the indigenous population would benefit from lower food prices. It is clear that household adjustments and complementary factors are fundamental ingredients of any reasonable evaluation of the welfare impacts of trade reforms.
Transatrial lead placement for endocardial pacing in children

Transvenous placement of endocardial leads in children may be difficult due to restrictions and complications of vascular access. We have placed endocardial leads from a transatrial approach in 5 children with various cardiac malformations. The usual surgical approach involved an anterolateral thoracotomy and, under fluoroscopic guidance, passage of the lead tip directly through the right atrial wall and across the tricuspid valve to the apex of the right ventricle. At a mean follow-up time of 23.2 months (range, 12.0 to 27.9 months), all patients have low thresholds for myocardial capture, and there have been no complications. We conclude that placement of endocardial leads by a transatrial approach provides an excellent alternative to an epicardial system in children destined for lifelong pacing.
The use of cognitive task analysis to improve instructional descriptions of procedures.

Background Surgical training relies heavily on the ability of expert surgeons to provide complete and accurate descriptions of a complex procedure. However, research from a variety of domains suggests that experts often omit critical information about the judgments, analysis, and decisions they make when solving a difficult problem or performing a complex task. In this study, we compared three methods for capturing surgeons’ descriptions of how to perform the procedure for inserting a femoral artery shunt (unaided free-recall, unaided free-recall with simulation, and cognitive task analysis methods) to determine which method produced more accurate and complete results. Cognitive task analysis was approximately 70% more complete and accurate than free-recall and or free-recall during a simulation of the procedure. Methods Ten expert trauma surgeons at a major urban trauma center were interviewed separately and asked to describe how to perform an emergency shunt procedure. Four surgeons provided an unaided free-recall description of the shunt procedure, five surgeons provided an unaided free-recall description of the procedure using visual aids and surgical instruments (simulation), and one (chosen randomly) was interviewed using cognitive task analysis (CTA) methods. An 11th vascular surgeon approved the final CTA protocol. Results The CTA interview with only one expert surgeon resulted in significantly greater accuracy and completeness of the descriptions compared with the unaided free-recall interviews with multiple expert surgeons. Surgeons in the unaided group omitted nearly 70% of necessary decision steps. In the free-recall group, heavy use of simulation improved surgeons’ completeness when describing the steps of the procedure. Conclusion CTA significantly increases the completeness and accuracy of surgeons’ instructional descriptions of surgical procedures. In addition, simulation during unaided free-recall interviews may improve the completeness of interview data.
PREDICTIONS OF CRUSTAL DEFORMATION AND OF GEOID AND SEA-LEVEL VARIABILITY CAUSED BY OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC LOADING

SUMMARY In this paper we consider several small effects related to oceanic loading of the Earth and atmospheric loading of the oceans. Non-tidal ocean loading induces changes in oceanic bottom pressure, which in turn deform the geoid and the nearby crust. Changes in bottom pressure are derived from estimates of sea-surface height variability and density changes output from an oceanic general circulation model. Sea-surface heights measured by the TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter are also used to infer changes in bottom pressure. We estimate that non-tidal ocean loading can typically cause % 5 mm of peak-to-peak (2 mm root-mean-square, rms) vertical motion at sites near the shore, with displacements of up to 10 mm possible. Amplitudes of horizontal displacements are about one-third those of vertical ones. Deformation-associated gravity changes are usually of the order of 2-3 pGal; however, peak-to-peak changes of 5 pGal are also predicted. Loading-induced geoid perturbations in mid-ocean regions are typically 5-10 mm peak-to-peak (3 mm rms) and can extend over a region of 20". In the case of atmospheric loading of the oceans, we estimate the difference between the inverted barometer correction, usually used to describe the ocean's response to atmospheric pressure, and the complete equilibrium response. There are two sources of this difference. One is that the inverted barometer correction does not conserve oceanic mass. We use National Meteorological Center (NMC) global pressure data to estimate the time-dependent, average change in pressure over the oceans. A time-series of the net pressure over the oceans contains an annual signal with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 1.2 mbar superimposed on a linear trend of 0.09 mbar yr-'. The secular signal is caused by a redistribution of atmospheric mass from over continental land masses to the oceans. We conclude that this effect introduces additional variability into the ocean's response to pressure at annual, secular, and multi-year timescales, with a total peak-to-peak amplitude of a few tens of millimetres. The second difference between the inverted barometer response and the complete equilibrium response is due to gravitational forcing by the atmosphere and by the displaced mass in the solid Earth and oceans caused by the atmospheric loading. This effect is largest within about 1000 km of the coast and at high latitudes. We use NMC pressure data to estimate the effect, and find that it causes differences from the inverted barometer solution in those regions of up to 10-30mm peak-to-peak, with values as large as 50-60 mm possible at certain locations. The time dependence of this effect is negatively correlated with the inverted barometer response. The effect causes an apparent reduction of the inverted barometer response by a few per cent within a few hundred kilometres of the coast, with reductions of more than 6-7 per cent at a few places.
Cross-Cultural Training Effectiveness: A Review and a Theoretical Framework for Future Research

Increased internationalization in the economic, political, and social arenas has led to greater interpersonal cross-cultural contact. Because much of this contact has not been successful, cross-cultural training has been proposed by many scholars as a means of facilitating more effective interaction. A review of the cross-cultural training literature is presented, and it is determined that cross-cultural training in general is effective. The article also offers a theoretical framework based on social learning theory for understanding past research and for guiding future research; this is important because in this context variables seem to operate differently in international versus domestic areas.
Biomechanical study of traumatic asphyxia due to thoracic load

The purpose of the study was to determine the force-deflection characteristics of the chest of the human surrogate dummy during the loading typical of traumatic asphyxia conditions. The 5th percentile female Hybrid III and 50th percentile male Hybrid III anthropomorphic dummies were used. The vehicle rear bumper impacted the chest of the dummy at idle speed and was allowed to remain in contact with the chest. A total of 14 tests were conducted. The chest force was measured using the load cell and chest deflection was measured using the potentiometer. High-speed photography was used to collect the kinematics data of the dummy. The measured peak deflection was above the proposed injury assessment reference value for chest compression. The peak force was found to be injurious.
Piaget, Pedagogy, and Evolutionary Psychology:

Constructivist pedagogy draws on Piaget's developmental theory. Because Piaget depicted the emergence of formal reasoning skills in adolescence as part of the normal developmental pattern, many constructivists have assumed that intrinsic motivation is possible for all academic tasks. This paper argues that Piaget's concept of a formal operational stage has not been empirically verified and that the cognitive skills associated with that stage are in fact "biologically secondary abilities" (Geary and Bjorklund, 2000) culturally determined abilities that are difficult to acquire. Thus, it is unreasonable to expect that intrinsic motivation will suffice for most students for most higher level academic tasks. In addition, a case is made that educational psychology must incorporate the insights of evolutionary psychology.
Oxidatively Modified Glyceraldehyde-3- Phosphate Dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and Alzheimer's Disease: Many Pathways to Neurodegeneration

Recently, the oxidoreductase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), has become a subject of interest as more and more studies reveal a surfeit of diverse GAPDH functions, extending beyond traditional aerobic metabolism of glucose. As a result of multiple isoforms and cellular locales, GAPDH is able to come in contact with a variety of small molecules, proteins, membranes, etc., that play important roles in normal and pathologic cell function. Specifically, GAPDH has been shown to interact with neurodegenerative disease-associated proteins, including the amyloid-beta protein precursor (AbetaPP). Studies from our laboratory have shown significant inhibition of GAPDH dehydrogenase activity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain due to oxidative modification. Although oxidative stress and damage is a common phenomenon in the AD brain, it would seem that inhibition of glycolytic enzyme activity is merely one avenue in which AD pathology affects neuronal cell development and survival, as oxidative modification can also impart a toxic gain-of-function to many proteins, including GAPDH. In this review, we examine the many functions of GAPDH with respect to AD brain; in particular, the apparent role(s) of GAPDH in AD-related apoptotic cell death is emphasized.
Evaluation of a Commercial Microdilution System for Quantitative Susceptibility Testing of Aminoglycosides Against Multidrug-Resistant, Gram-Negative Bacilli

Susceptibility of clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (29 isolates), Klebsiella species (54 isolates), Escherichia coli (28 isolates), Serratia marcescens (28 isolates), and Enterobacter species (29 isolates) to gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin was determined by the following three methods: commercial broth microdilution trays, standard agar dilution, and disk diffusion susceptibility. A total of 504 tests were performed by each method, and overall susceptibility or resistance determined by the broth microdilution method agreed with that determined by the agar dilution method in 92.7% of the tests, whereas results from the disk diffusion method agreed with those from the agar dilution method in 91.9% of the tests. The broth microdilution and disk diffusion methods agreed with each other 88.7% of the time. The broth microdilution system results varied from the agar dilution method results by more than one dilution in 121 of 504 determinations (24%); however, this altered susceptibility determinations in only 7.3% of the assays. E. coli isolates were found to be quantitatively more resistant to the aminoglycosides with the broth microdilution method than with the agar dilution method. In contrast, the broth microdilution method demonstrated P. aeruginosa to be quantitatively more susceptible to the aminoglycosides than when the results were obtained by the agar dilution method. The Micro-Media Systems method is economical, reliable, rapid, and simple to perform and yields quantitative minimum inhibitory concentrations.
Particle Deposition in a Room-Scale Chamber With Particle Injection

A model simulating the deposition of small particles with turbulent transport, sedimentation, and coagulation, is presented. Experimental measurements were conducted in a room-scale chamber using a specially designed sequential sampler. The measured deposition-rate data are compared with the simulation results. Distributions of particle-number density at different times are plotted in several viewing planes to facilitate discussion of the particle distribution patterns.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Ionized Gas in Damped Lyα Protogalaxies. II. Comparison between Models and the Kinematic Data

We test semianalytic models for galaxy formation with accurate kinematic data of damped Lyα protogalaxies presented in a companion paper. The models envisage centrifugally supported exponential disks at the centers of dark matter halos, which are filled with ionized gas undergoing radial infall to the disks. The halo masses are drawn from cross section weighted mass distributions predicted by cold dark matter (CDM) cosmogonies, or by the null hypothesis that the dark matter mass distribution has not evolved since z ~ 3 (i.e., the Tully-Fisher [TF] models). In our models, C IV absorption lines detected in damped Lyα protogalaxies arise in infalling ionized clouds, while the low-ion absorption lines arise from neutral gas in the disks. Using Monte Carlo methods, we find that: (1) The CDM models are incompatible with the low-ion statistics at more than 99% confidence, whereas some TF models cannot be ruled out at more than 88% confidence. (2) Both CDM and TF models are in general agreement with the observed distribution of C IV velocity widths. (3) The CDM models generate differences between the mean velocities of C IV and low-ion profiles that are compatible with the data, while the TF model produces differences in the means that are too large. (4) Both CDM and TF models produce ratios of C IV to low-ion velocity widths that are too large. (5) Neither CDM nor TF models generate C IV versus low-ion cross-correlation functions compatible with the data. While it is possible to select model parameters resulting in agreement between the models and the data, the fundamental problem is that the disk-halo configuration assumed in both cosmogonies does not produce significant overlap in velocity space between C IV and low-ion velocity profiles. We conjecture that including the angular momentum of the infalling clouds will increase the overlap between C IV and low-ion profiles.
Aggregated LDL in Contact With Macrophages Induces Local Increases in Free Cholesterol Levels That Regulate Local Actin Polymerization

Objective— Interaction of macrophages with aggregated matrix-anchored lipoprotein deposits is an important initial step in atherogenesis. Aggregated lipoproteins require different cellular uptake processes than those used for endocytosis of monomeric lipoproteins. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that engagement of aggregated LDL (agLDL) by macrophages could lead to local increases in free cholesterol levels and that these increases in free cholesterol regulate signals that control cellular actin. Methods and Results— AgLDL resides for prolonged periods in surface-connected compartments. Although agLDL is still extracellular, we demonstrate that an increase in free cholesterol occurs at sites of contact between agLDL and cells because of hydrolysis of agLDL-derived cholesteryl ester. This increase in free cholesterol causes enhanced actin polymerization around the agLDL. Inhibition of cholesteryl ester hydrolysis results in decreased actin polymerization. Conclusions— We describe a novel process th...
The complex and specific pMHC interactions with diverse HIV-1 TCR clonotypes reveal a structural basis for alterations in CTL function

Immune control of viral infections is modulated by diverse T cell receptor (TCR) clonotypes engaging peptide-MHC class I complexes on infected cells, but the relationship between TCR structure and antiviral function is unclear. Here we apply in silico molecular modeling with in vivo mutagenesis studies to investigate TCR-pMHC interactions from multiple CTL clonotypes specific for a well-defined HIV-1 epitope. Our molecular dynamics simulations of viral peptide-HLA-TCR complexes, based on two independent co-crystal structure templates, reveal that effective and ineffective clonotypes bind to the terminal portions of the peptide-MHC through similar salt bridges, but their hydrophobic side-chain packings can be very different, which accounts for the major part of the differences among these clonotypes. Non-specific hydrogen bonding to viral peptide also accommodates greater epitope variants. Furthermore, free energy perturbation calculations for point mutations on the viral peptide KK10 show excellent agreement with in vivo mutagenesis assays, with new predictions confirmed by additional experiments. These findings indicate a direct structural basis for heterogeneous CTL antiviral function.
Work In Progress: Life after National Science Foundation Fellowships: The Implications for a Graduate Students' Professional Endeavors

Each year hundreds of Fellows participate in National Science Foundations (NSF) GK-12 grants throughout the country. These Fellowship opportunities provide professional training for university students in order to improve their communication skills, teaching proficiency, team building skills, and expand their interest in community outreach efforts within K-16 education. Over the course of the past four years, Project STEP (Science and Technology Enhancement Program) has funded 18 graduate and undergraduate Fellows. This study examines the long term impact of participation in an NSF Fellowship and impact that it has on their educational and professional choices once Fellows leave the program. The theoretical framework surrounding this study is framed around Preparing Future Faculty Literature, sociocultural cognition, and other GK-12 projects. Interviews, historical tracking documents, and attitude surveys are being used in order to ascertain themes that will be further studied as the Work in Progress develops. The expected date of completion is December of 2006.
Reversible Thrombocytopenia Associated with Eptifibatide

OBJECTIVE:To report a patient who experienced severe, reversible thrombocytopenia after receiving eptifibatide for acute coronary syndrome.CASE SUMMARY:A 61-year-old white man with a past medical history of coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, insulin-dependent diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia was treated with eptifibatide as an adjunct to standard antiischemic therapy for acute coronary syndrome. On administration of eptifibatide, the patient experienced chills accompanied by sharp pains that radiated throughout his body. The infusion was immediately stopped and the symptoms resolved. A platelet count obtained 11 hours later showed a decrease from a baseline of 230 to 3 × 103/mm3 (normal 160–360). Multiple platelet analyses confirmed profound thrombocytopenia. Over the course of the hospitalization, the patient's platelet count returned to normal; he experienced no other adverse hematologic sequelae.DISCUSSION:All of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists are associated w...
The Influence of Food Fat of Varyying Degrees of Unsaturation upon Blood Lipids and Milk Fat

Summary The course of the changes in the iodine numbers of the blood lipids and milk fat was followed with cows fed in alternate periods rations containing fats of a high and low degree of unsaturation. In half of the cases a marked change in the iodine number of the milk was noted in a composite of the milk secreted during the first 18 hours following a change in ration, and in all cases within the next 24 hours, the maximum change being attained within three or four days. Corresponding but less marked changes were found in the blood. The data reveal a close relationship between food fat and milk fat, and indicate that the course of fat metabolism in lactation must be a very direct one or that the various processes must take place very rapidly.
Diamonds and Decline: Post-Boom Extraction in Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo

People in the Democratic Republic of Congo¹s (DRC) diamond mining city of Mbujimayi often remember words attributed to former President Laurent Kabila at the height of the 1998-2003 conflict: ³If Mbujimayi falls, the Congo falls too. Thanks largely to assistance from foreign troops, Mbujimayi never fell into rebel hands. Today, however, the city is a shadow of its former self, no longer considered to have the same strategic importance it did during the conflict. The parastatal Societe Miniere de Bakwanga (MIBA) declared bankruptcy in 2008, and slowly started production again in 2010. The city¹s artisanal diamond mining economy, which experienced a boom beginning in the early 1980s, has been in steep decline for at least 10 years. Yet diamonds still animate local imaginaries of wealth, and artisanal mining continues to undergird the city¹s struggling economy. This paper asks how and why artisanal diamond mining continues in the midst of decline. Through ethnographic analysis I examine the ways in which the artisanal mining economy continues to function, and how it produces imaginaries, lifeworlds, and notions of value. In so doing, I also address the question of what the case of Mbujimayi ­ a definitively post-boom mining town ­ can teach us about lifecycles of extraction in the DRC more generally.
Small-solute transport across specific peritoneal tissue surfaces in the rat.

On the basis of a theoretical analysis of peritoneal transport, the tissue-specific mass transfer coefficients (MTC) for sucrose were calculated, and the MTCliver was found to be five times the magnitude of other tissue MTC. It was hypothesized that the liver was potentially the most significant single transport organ for small solutes during peritoneal dialysis. To test this hypothesis, diffusion chambers were affixed to the peritoneal surface of the rat cecum, liver, stomach, or abdominal wall to measure the in vivo bidirectional mass transfer rates of 14C-mannitol between the plasma and the fluid contained in the diffusion chambers. It was determined that the rate of mannitol transport in either direction of transport was similar for all four tissues. The MTC for plasma-to-chamber transport varied between 1.59 x 10(-3) and 2.36 x 10(-3) cm/min with MTCliver = 1.87 +/- 0.24 x 10(-3) cm/min. MTC in the opposite direction ranged between 1.73 x 10(-3) and 2.68 x 10(-3) cm/min with the MTCliver = 2.34 +/- 0.06 x 10(-3) cm/min. The authors9 hypothesis concerning the MTCliver was therefore disproved. Peritoneal dialysis was also carried out in a separate series of rats, in which the area of the dissected peritoneal tissues was measured and the mass transfer-area coefficient (MTAC) for 14C-mannitol was determined to be 0.364 +/- 0.068 cm3/min (cavity to plasma) and 0.240 +/- 0.039 cm3/min (plasma to cavity). The tissue-specific MTC were then multiplied by the corresponding tissue areas and summed to estimate an MTAC of 1.0 cm3/min, which is 3 to 4 times the measured MTAC. It was concluded that the importance of a particular tissue to plasma-peritoneal transport is primarily dependent on the surface area exposed to the dialysis solution. However, only 25 to 30% of the dissected-organ tissue area may be in contact with the dialysate fluid.
Unitary Equivalence of Composition C $$^*$$ ∗ -Algebras on the Hardy and Weighted Bergman Spaces

Let \(\varphi \) be an arbitrary linear-fractional self-map of the unit disk \({\mathbb {D}}\) and consider the composition operator \(C_{-1, \varphi }\) and the Toeplitz operator \(T_{-1,z}\) on the Hardy space \(H^2\) and the corresponding operators \(C_{\alpha , \varphi }\) and \(T_{\alpha , z}\) on the weighted Bergman spaces \(A^2_{\alpha }\) for \(\alpha >-1\). We prove that the unital C\(^*\)-algebra \(C^*(T_{\alpha , z}, C_{\alpha , \varphi })\) generated by \(T_{\alpha , z}\) and \(C_{\alpha , \varphi }\) is unitarily equivalent to \(C^*(T_{-1, z}, C_{-1, \varphi }),\) which extends a known result for automorphism-induced composition operators. For maps \(\varphi \) that are not automorphisms of \({\mathbb {D}}\), we show that \(C^*(C_{\alpha , \varphi }, {\mathcal {K}}_{\alpha })\) is unitarily equivalent to \(C^*(C_{-1, \varphi }, {\mathcal {K}}_{-1})\), where \({\mathcal {K}}_{\alpha }\) and \({\mathcal {K}}_{-1}\) denote the ideals of compact operators on \(A^2_{\alpha }\) and \(H^2\), respectively, and apply existing structure theorems for \(C^*(C_{-1, \varphi }, {\mathcal {K}}_{-1})/{\mathcal {K}}_{-1}\) to describe the structure of \(C^*(C_{\alpha , \varphi }, {\mathcal {K}}_{\alpha })/\mathcal {K_{\alpha }}\), up to isomorphism. We also establish a unitary equivalence between related weighted composition operators induced by maps \(\varphi \) that fix a point on the unit circle.
Narcissism and Hypomania Revisited: a Test of the Similarities and Differences in Their Empirical Networks

The goal of the present research was to clarify the relationship between narcissism and hypomania, both of which are multidimensional in nature. More specifically, this study examines the relations between two narcissism dimensions (grandiose and vulnerable) and three hypomania dimensions (social vitality, mood volatility, and excitement) in relation to adverse developmental experiences, affective experiences, a multidimensional model of impulsivity, and general personality traits. The absolute similarities across the patterns of correlations manifested by the narcissism and hypomania subscales were then examined. Like the multidimensionality found in narcissism in which grandiose and vulnerable narcissism manifest unrelated or negatively related empirical networks, the same was true for the hypomania dimensions. Grandiose narcissism manifested substantially similar empirical profiles with the hypomania components of social vitality and, to a lesser extent, excitement. Conversely, vulnerable narcissism manifested a profile quite similar to a third hypomania component – mood volatility. These findings are discussed in the context of the difficulty in developing robust and coherent research literatures when using multidimensional total scores for either narcissism or hypomania.
Comparison of the effects of enucleation and orbital reconstruction using free-fat grafts, dermis grafts, and porous polyethylene implants in infant rabbits

Twenty-nine infant rabbits from four litters were randomly assigned to three groups. No surgery was performed on left eyes. All right cyes were enucleated. Group 1, the control group, had no right-socket reconstruction. Group 2 had reconstruction using free-fat and dermis grafts. Group 3 had reconstruction using porous polyethylene implants. On attaining adult size, rabbits were killed, decapitated, and prepared for measurements. Orbital volume measurements were performed twice and orbital entrance areas were determined once. No significant differences were noted between first and second measurements of orbital volumes. Right orbital volumes were significantly smaller than left orbits in all groups except for the second measurement of the polyethylene implant group. Right orbital entrance arcas were significantly smaller than left areas in the control and the free-fat and dermis graft groups. Right orbital entrance areas of the polyethylene group were not significantly smaller than the corresponding left orbital entrance areas. The use of free-fat and dermis grafts for orbital reconstruction in anophthalmic infant rabbits did not significantly stimulate orbital bone growth. In one trial, the polyethylene implant group displayed right orbital volumes and orbital entrance areas that were not significantly smaller than controls.
High speed OH PLIF applied to multiphase combustion (Review)

Multiphase reactive systems can exhibit highly dynamic combustion phenomena that could be better understood by using recently developed high-repetition-rate optical diagnostic and imaging approaches. Here, we present an overview of recent activities using high-speed (5 kHz) OH planar laser-induced fluorescence to visualize and make measurements in several multiphase reactive systems. This technique is used to visualize the dynamically changing OH concentration in the gas phase near the surface of solids, liquids, and gels. In addition to gas-phase OH imaging, condensed phases of various solid propellants, gels, and liquids are found to fluoresce when exposed to the laser radiation centered at 283.2 nm. Simultaneous imaging of condensed phases and gasphase OH radical fluorescence has proven to be particularly useful for various measurements, and several examples are presented.
In the Footsteps of the Master: Confucian Values in Anime and Manga

Since their introduction to Japan in the Sixth Century, the teachings of Confucius have played an important role in the creation and sustenance of societal values and order. While Japanese society has changed much since the dawn of the postwar era, these same basic principles are still highly influential, but are seen in some surprising forms. Geared primarily at pre-teen and teen-age boys, recent shonen anime, especially Naruto and Bleach , evince Confucian values while encouraging the viewer to identify with and embrace them. While some critics of contemporary culture are quick to point out some of the societal breakdowns and subcultural variances common to the Otaku phenomenon, Confucianism is still alive and well, albeit in reinterpreted forms. Using shonen anime in the classroom to examine traditional values creates a useful device for understanding Japanese popular culture and its connection to larger anthropological and historical themes.
Charging and discharging characteristics of electric vehicles as well as their impacts on distribution systems

With the policy support in developed countries and advances in electric vehicle technologies,especially high energy and power density batteries,the penetration level of electric vehicles(EV) in a power system associated is expected to grow rapidly.The large-scale deployment of electric vehicles will have significant impacts on the power system,especially the distribution system associated.The Monte Carlo simulation method is first utilized to study the charging load in the uncoordinated charging mode and the discharging capacity curve in the vehicle-to-grid(V2G) mode.Then,the impacts in terms of the load profile,power losses and voltage deviations are analyzed in both the uncoordinated charging mode and the V2G mode.Finally,the PGE 69-node distribution system is employed to study the charging and discharging impacts on this system from aspects such as the load profile,power losses,voltage deviations under several EV penetration level scenarios.Simulation results indicate that the uncoordinated charging at a high EV penetration level will pose great pressures on the distribution system and that reasonable management of the charging and discharging of EVs will be helpful for improving the secure and economic operation of the distribution system.
Numerical Simulation of Turbine Blade Tip Leakage Flows

By using the three-dimensional CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) calculation program based on Reynolds-averaged N-S equation and coupled with the method of a turbulent flow model based on Spalart-Allamras single equation or k-e dual equations plus wall surface functions,a numerical calculation study has been performed of the blade tip leakage flow field of a turbine plane cascade and rotor.The influence of different blade tip clearance heights and forms as well as the blade tip clearance with an incidence of cold air on the turbine blade tip clearance flow field and performance was studied in detail.The calculation results show that the blade tip clearance has a conspicuous influence on the blade loss at locations from about 70% blade height to blade tip.Under the condition of an identical blade tip clearance,the isentropic efficiency of an excess height clearance blade is approximately one percentage point higher than that of an equal height clearance blade while the isentropic efficiency of a turbine having a blade tip clearance with an incidence of cold air is about two percentage points higher than that of a turbine without an incidence of cold air.
Countervailing incentives in value-based payment

Payment reform has been at the forefront of the movement toward higher-value care in the U.S. health care system. A common belief is that volume-based incentives embedded in fee-for-service need to be replaced with value-based payments. While this belief is well-intended, value-based payment also contains perverse incentives. In particular, behavioral economists have identified several features of individual decision making that reverse some of the typical recommendations for inducing desirable behavior through financial incentives. This paper discusses the countervailing incentives associated with four behavioral economic concepts: loss aversion, relative social ranking, inertia or status quo bias, and extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation.
Separation and Purification of Furfuryl Alcohol Monomer and Oligomers Using a Two-Phase Extracting Process

Aqueous two-phase extraction processes were applied for the first time for the separation and purification of furfuryl alcohol monomer and oligomers. Deionized water was used as the liquid–liquid extraction solvent whereas magnesium sulfate acted as the salting-out reagent. Furfuryl alcohol preferentially partitioned to the water phase and could be further extracted from its aqueous solution due to the decreased solubility in salt rich phase. Various influences, such as partition coefficient and extractability, were studied during the liquid–liquid extraction. The extraction by using deionized water resulted in a high oligomer content around ∼94 wt % in the separated furfuryl alcohol oligomer solution whereas the salting-out furfuryl alcohol showed a purity of ∼92 wt %.
Data Mining in Materials Science and Engineering

Data mining is the process of uncovering patterns, associations, anomalies, and statistically significant structures and events in data. It borrows and builds on ideas from many disciplines, ranging from statistics to machine learning, mathematical optimization, and signal and image processing. Data mining techniques are becoming an integral part of scientific endeavors in many application domains, including astronomy, bioinformatics, chemistry, materials science, climate, fusion, and combustion. In this chapter, we provide a brief introduction to the data mining process and some of the algorithms used in extracting information from scientific data sets.
Any second-line therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer? Highlights from the "2010 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium". Orlando, FL, USA. January 22-24, 2010.

Majority of pancreatic cancers are unresectable upon diagnosis. Palliative chemotherapy is usually administered in an attempt of prolonging survival potentially and providing quality of life. Gemcitabine has been the solo player in the field of pancreatic cancer treatment after replacing 5-FU since 1997. How to treat a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer failing to respond or progressing after gemcitabine is a true challenge. No established second-line treatment exists yet. Chinese herbal medicine PHY906 provides cytoprotective effects without dampening the anti-tumor activity of chemotherapeutic agents. Several combinations such as S-1/gemcitabine, GTX, FOLFIRINOX showed promising results in retrospective studies. Among single agents, erlotinib and Src inhibitor failed to show seemingly benefit, while abraxane and pemetrexed deserve further investigation. Image: Yale Cancer Center. New Haven, CT, USA.
Identification and Characterization of a Putative Chemotaxis Protein, CheY, From the Oral Pathogen Campylobacter rectus

Campylobacter rectus is an understudied oral bacterium that contributes to periodontitis. Processes that contribute to the disease-causing capabilities of pathogens, such as chemotaxis, are largely unknown in C. rectus. The aim of this study was to better understand C. rectus chemotaxis, by examining the C. rectus genome for the presence of a cheY gene. CheY proteins play a part in chemotaxis by acting as two-component response regulators. Significantly, CheY proteins from several pathogens, including the related species Campylobacter jejuni, have been shown to contribute to bacterial virulence. Degenerate PCR, RT-PCR, sequence analyses, and structural modeling showed that C. rectus encodes a gene (Cr-CheY) which shares significant homology with previously characterized CheY proteins. Functional studies of a recombinant form of the protein supports a likely role of Cr-CheY in C. rectus chemotaxis. Cr-CheY is the first CheY characterized from the oral campylobacters.
MiR-146a promotes remyelination in a cuprizone model of demyelinating injury

The death of mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) which are the sole myelinating cells of the central nervous system (CNS), leads to demyelination and functional deficits. Currently, there is lack of effective remyelination therapies for patients with demyelinating diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) mediate OL function. We hypothesized that miR-146a, by inactivating interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1), promotes differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and thereby enhances remyelination. To test this hypothesis, a demyelination model induced by a cuprizone (CPZ) diet was employed, in which C57BL/6J mice were fed with a CPZ diet for 5weeks. After termination of CPZ diet, the mice were randomly treated with continuous infusion of miR-146a mimics or mimic controls into the corpus callosum for 7days. Compared to the mimic control, infusion of miR-146a mimics facilitated remyelination assessed by increased myelin basic proteins in the corpus callosum, which was associated with augmentation of newly generated mature OLs. Infusion of miR-146a mimics also substantially elevated miR-146a levels in the corpus callosum and fluorescently tagged miR-146a mimics were mainly detected in OPCs. Western blot and double immmunofluorescent staining analysis showed that the miR-146a treatment considerably reduced IRAK1 protein levels and the number of IRAK1-positive cells, respectively. Collectively, these data indicate that exogenous miR-146a enhances remyelination, possibly by promoting OPCs to differentiate into myelinated OLs via targeting IRAK1.
Critical Pedagogy In Libraries: A Unified Approach

Critical pedagogy originated in the social sciences during the mid-twentieth century with the foundational work of Paolo Friere. More recently in information science, James Elmborg and others have framed critical pedagogy through the lens of information literacy instruction. As a whole the philosophy is one which considers economic, political, and societal systems which influence the entire information life cycle from creation to consumption. Central to the adoption was the incorporation of learners as equals with valid and highly individualized experiences in academic discourse. Beyond information literacy instruction, critical pedagogy has the potential to also benefit and define the librarian's outreach and support role for the scholarly communications process. Scholarly communications encompasses both traditional academic publishing models (peer reviewed journals, conference presentations, etc.) and nontraditional channels (social media, open access, etc.) and is concerned with the information lifecycle as it relates to teaching research and scholarly work. In consideration of scholarly communications processes, issues of critical pedagogy including external market forces, privilege of information, systems of access, and consumption all play a defining role. A move to a more unified approach of critical pedagogy in libraries would highlight crucial issues of information literacy and scholarly communications while simultaneously augmenting the library's role across campus. The evolution of critical pedagogy in libraries is briefly discussed. Current scholarly communications practices in academic libraries as seen through the literature and by examining U.S. library websites is also reviewed. The author makes suggestions for meaningful inclusion of critical pedagogy in libraries through a unified approach to scholarly communications and information literacy programs.
The Politics of Hate: Ultranationalist and Fundamentalist Tactics and Goals

Ultranationalist and religious fundamentalist movements frequently use hate to mobilize people. These groups possess a sophisticated understanding of the importance of appealing to the emotions. Leaders often employ xenophobic language intended to inspire fear and justify a defensive reaction. The movements also rely heavily upon symbols, myths, and public events to simplify and communicate the “truths” of their ideologies. The leaders convey messages with tremendous affective appeal. Yet, measures exist to counter and contain the politics of hate. The development of civil society, group rights, a free media, and integrated institutions can contribute to a durable solution in cases of ethnic or religious conflict. Finally, the option of humanitarian intervention exists when the politics of hate leads to extremist violence.
Maternal low-protein diet decreases brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the brains of the neonatal rat offspring

Prenatal exposure to a maternal low-protein (LP) diet has been known to cause cognitive impairment, learning and memory deficits. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been identified. Herein, we demonstrate that a maternal LP diet causes, in the brains of the neonatal rat offspring, an attenuation in the basal expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin indispensable for learning and memory. Female rats were fed either a 20% normal protein (NP) diet or an 8% LP 3 weeks before breeding and during the gestation period. Maternal LP diet caused a significant reduction in the Bdnf expression in the brains of the neonatal rats. We further found that the maternal LP diet reduced the activation of the cAMP/protein kinase A/cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway. This reduction was associated with a significant decrease in CREB binding to the Bdnf promoters. We also show that prenatal exposure to the maternal LP diet results in an inactive or repressed exon I and exon IV promoter of the Bdnf gene in the brain, as evidenced by fluxes in signatory hallmarks in the enrichment of acetylated and trimethylated histones in the nucleosomes that envelop the exon I and exon IV promoters, causing the Bdnf gene to be refractory to transactivation. Our study is the first to determine the impact of a maternal LP diet on the basal expression of BDNF in the brains of the neonatal rats exposed prenatally to an LP diet.
Heparin and Heparin-Derivatives in Post-Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Brain Injury: A Multimodal Therapy for a Multimodal Disease

Pharmacologic efforts to improve outcomes following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) remain disappointing, likely owing to the complex nature of post-hemorrhage brain injury. Previous work suggests that heparin, due to the multimodal nature of its actions, reduces the incidence of clinical vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia that accompany the disease. This narrative review examines how heparin may mitigate the non-vasospastic pathological aspects of aSAH, particularly those related to neuroinflammation. Following a brief review of early brain injury in aSAH and heparin’s general pharmacology, we discuss potential mechanistic roles of heparin therapy in treating post-aSAH inflammatory injury. These roles include reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury, preventing leukocyte extravasation, modulating phagocyte activation, countering oxidative stress, and correcting blood-brain barrier dysfunction. Following a discussion of evidence to support these mechanistic roles, we provide a brief discussion of potential complications of heparin usage in aSAH. Our review suggests that heparin’s use in aSAH is not only safe, but effectively addresses a number of pathologies initiated by aSAH.
Mortality, rehospitalization, and post-transplant complications in gender-mismatched heart transplant recipients.

Abstract Background Limited research has been published on outcomes in heart transplant (HT) recipients with gender-mismatched donors. Objective Compare 3-year post-transplant outcomes in 2 groups of gender-mismatched HT recipients and a no-mismatch group. Methods Sample: 347 HT recipients: 21.3% (74) received a heart from the opposite gender: Group 1: same gender donor/recipient (273, 78.7%); Group 2: female donor/male recipient (40, 11.5%); Group 3: male donor/female recipient (34, 9.8%). Outcomes: mortality, hospitalization, and complications. Results Female patients with male heart donors had shorter 3-year survival, were rehospitalized more days after HT discharge, and had more treated acute rejection episodes and cardiac allograft vasculopathy. No differences were found in: HT length of stay, respiratory failure, stroke, cancer, renal dysfunction, steroid-induced diabetes, number of IV-treated infections, or the timing of infection and rejection. Conclusion Female HT recipients with male donors had worse 3-year outcomes as compared to male-mismatch and no-mismatch groups.
Dexmedetomidine-mediated neuroprotection against sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity extends to several brain regions in neonatal rats.

Abstract Background Exposure of infant animals to clinically used anaesthetics is associated with acute structural brain abnormalities and development functional alterations. The α2-adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine (DEX) induces sedation, analgesia, and provides neuroprotection in experimental brain injury models. However, it is unknown whether DEX also affords protection in the developing brain against anaesthesia using sevoflurane (SEVO), which is commonly used in paediatric anaesthesia. Methods Infant rats were exposed on postnatal day seven for six h to 2.5% SEVO and were given i.p. injections of saline or DEX (1–50 µg kg−1) three times during the exposure. Level of anaesthesia, respiratory rates, and arterial blood gasses were assessed for each animal. Apoptosis was determined in brain slices immunostained for activated caspase-3 (AC-3) using a computerised approach. Results SEVO alone induced a surgical plane of anaesthesia, and all animals survived the study. SEVO induced an approximately 10-fold increase in AC-3 positive cells in several cortical and subcortical brain regions compared with untreated control animals. Co-administration of DEX 1 µg kg−1 with SEVO significantly reduced apoptosis in all brain areas, affording the highest protection in the thalamus (84% reduction) and lowest in the hippocampus and cortical areas (∼50% reduction). DEX 5–25 µg kg−1 plus SEVO dose-dependently increased infant rat mortality. Conclusions SEVO anaesthesia induced widespread apoptosis in infant rat brain. Co-administration of DEX (1 µg kg−1) provided significant protection, whereas DEX (5 µg kg−1 or higher) plus SEVO increased mortality. Our findings suggest that DEX could be an attractive therapeutic for future studies investigating its neuroprotective potential in a translational animal model.