cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Lady Has a Price: Charity and Gratitude in Alencar's Diva

In his novel Diva, nineteenth-century Brazilian romanticist Jose de Alencar re-articulates the sentimental notions of charity and gratitude, investing them with new ideological contours, different from the ones they assumed in European sentimental fiction. In Alencar's text, charity and gratitude cease to be an expression of bourgeois ideology in order to function as instruments to support patriarchal power. While in European sentimental discourse they paved the way for the establishment of the contract as an ideological construct that was seen as the basis for modern social relations, in Alencar's nineteenth-century Brazil they appear as elements that resist the idea of contractual social relations.
Imaging Features of Common and Uncommon Bladder Neoplasms

In this article, the authors discuss imaging features of common and less-common epithelial and nonepithelial bladder neoplasms. Epithelial tumors include entities, such as urothelial cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma, along with less-common entities, such as small cell and carcinoid tumors. Nonepithelial or mesenchymal tumors are also less commonly encountered and include benign entities, such as leiomyoma and neurofibroma, and malignant entities, including leiomyosarcoma and lymphoma. Their imaging features with an emphasis on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are described.
Recruiting Teachers--Future Prospects.

Abstract Because of the conditions of the teaching occupation and changes in society and the larger occupational structure, teaching is unable to command the salary or the status necessary to attract outstanding college graduates. Comprehensive and fundamental reform in the ways teachers are trained, evaluated, and rewarded are required if this situation is to be improved and if the present quality of education is to be improved or, indeed, even maintained. Specifically, what is needed is a career structure that provides for the systematic training and induction of new teachers as well as for career options, increased status, and substantial salary increases for teachers who demonstrate outstanding performance in the classroom.
Psychopharmacology of neuroses.

Abstract The author reviews a number of neurotic disorders, including generalized anxiety disorders, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, the phobic anxiety-depersonalization syndrome, depressive neurosis, and psychophysiologic disorders, with regard to the effectiveness of various classes of psychopharmacologic agents and the current understanding of the pharmacologic basis for their therapeutic effects.
The decay of 147Nd

Abstract Precision energy measurements on 8 gamma rays in the 147 Nd→ 147 Pm decay were made with a 2m curved-crystal spectrometer. Energies of the 6 other gamma rays were determined with a Ge(Li) spectrometer. The relative intensities of all gamma rays were determined. A level scheme is proposed for 147 Pm which includes a new level at 680.4 keV. Evidence is given to support the exclusion of several levels reported by earlier investigators. Results are compared with predictions of intermediate coupling theory.
Effect of a calcium chelator on morphine tolerance development.

To assess the effects of calcium ion chelation on narcotic tolerance development, adult Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with i.c.v. cannulae connected to osmotic minipumps for continuous infusions of saline or EGTA (2 mumol/24 h) during chronic morphinization by s.c. pellet implantation. Additional rats receiving the same morphine pellet treatment but without minipumps served as non-surgical controls. After 64 h the minipumps and pellets were removed and narcotic tolerance was assessed by the tail-flick technique. A positive analgetic response to an 8.50 mg/kg s.c. dose of morphine sulfate was noted in 6/12 no-minipump controls and 4/9 saline-infused controls. In placebo-treated rats caused no alteration of either baseline tail-flick latencies or in analgetic responsiveness to lower doses of morphine. It is concluded that the enhancement of morphine tolerance by EGTA (a calcium-specific chelator) results from a facilitation of certain adaptive changes of calcium ion disposition that are related to the neurochemical mechanisms of narcotic tolerance and dependence development.
Two-dimensional fluorescence correlation in capillary electrophoresis for peak resolution and species identification

A new spectroscopic dimension-fluorescence intensity correlation--is introduced to enhance peak resolution and species identification in capillary electrophoresis. In two-dimensional correlation CE, a conventional electropherogram is spread into two dimensions through cross-correlation analysis of fluorescence time response. A laser that is sinusoidally modulated in intensity is used as the excitation source. Three channels of information are collected during a CE run: the steady-state intensity, the ac amplitude, and the phase-resolved fluorescence intensity. The correlation between two chosen channels is then evaluated. A two-dimensional correlation electropherogram consists of a plot of the correlation intensity versus two axes of migration time. Through correlation analysis, species discrimination and peak resolution are significantly enhanced without having to physically separate the solutes. Two-dimensional correlation CE showed complete resolution between two overlapping sample peaks with a resolution of 0.28 in the conventional one-dimensional electropherogram. In separations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), two-dimensional correlation analysis resolved all overlapping elution peaks unseparable by one-dimensional MEKC, demonstrating the utility of 2D correlation in separation method development. The capability of 2D correlation CE in species identification is demonstrated with a sequence of 39 consecutively injected peaks containing four fluorescent dyes. Species identification in sequencing is achieved without complex data treatment in two-dimensional correlation CE.
Role of the tip vortex in the force generation of low-aspect-ratio normal flat plates

We investigate experimentally the force generated by the unsteady vortex formation of low-aspect-ratio normal flat plates with one end free. The objective of this study is to determine the role of the free end, or tip, vortex. Understanding this simple case provides insight into flapping-wing propulsion, which involves the unsteady motion of low-aspect-ratio appendages. As a simple model of a propulsive half-stroke, we consider a rectangular normal flat plate undergoing a translating start-up motion in a towing tank. Digital particle image velocimetry is used to measure multiple perpendicular sections of the flow velocity and vorticity, in order to correlate vortex circulation with the measured plate force. The three-dimensional wake structure is captured using flow visualization. We show that the tip vortex produces a significant maximum in the plate force. Suppressing its formation results in a force minimum. Comparing plates of aspect ratio six and two, the flow is similar in terms of absolute distance from the tip, but evolves faster for aspect ratio two. The plate drag coefficient increases with decreasing aspect ratio.
Computer-assisted teaching of marine hydrodynamics

Abstract This paper describes a curriculum development project in the M.I.T. Department of Ocean Engineering to augment and enhance the teaching of undergraduate marine hydrodynamics with the aid of microcomputers. This work has been part of Project Athena, an institute-wide experiment at M.I.T. since May 1983 which has been concerned with the incorporation of modern computer technology into all levels of the educational process. The fundamental educational goals of Project Athena are to help students learn more creatively with the aid of the computers' powerful computational and graphical capabilities and to improve and refine existing teaching methods. For teaching hydrodynamic theory, we have developed an educational software package, HYDRO, which employs a hybrid tutorial/simulation format with a menu-driven, user-oriented interphase and high resolution graphics. Teaching modules have been developed for basic topics in marine hydrodynamics involving surface waves and flow past rigid bodies. Each topic module is divided into tutorial, homework, and design sub-modules. The tutorials provide qualitative introductions or guided tours of each new area, the homework modules expose the students to quantitative problem solving, while the design modules allow the students to perform practical engineering design. HYDRO was used with an advanced undergraduate course at M.I.T., Marine Hydrodynamics I, during the fall semesters of 1985–1987. In addition to our subjective evaluations, student questionnaires and online surveys, as well as a department-wide faculty questionnaire, were conducted to evaluate the pedagogical usefulness of the project. HYDRO has been an invaluable complement to the other learning resources; the students have reported much improved intuitive understanding of the material due to the graphical orientation of the software, while hydro's computational capability has increased the students' quantitative and practical knowledge of marine hydrodynamics. Overall, the project has been a success, while valuable lessons have been learned. In particular, we have learned that making versatile scientific software available to the student does not necessarily ensure that significant educational benefits will be obtained. To achieve these educational benefits, the software must also have tutoring features which will guide the students in learning the material. When used in this way, the software modules present mechanisms whereby the material can be taught more effectively and efficiently than with the other modes of instruction.
The effect of a vocational unit on the exploration of nontraditional career options

Abstract As part of a community college orientation course, a curriculum model was developed to help male and female students explore career goals with an awareness of the influence of sexism and stereotypic attitudes on their occupational choices. This model was compared to a traditional vocational exploration unit that did not include an examination of stereotypic attitudes. Three criterion measures for male and female subjects were used in this study, including the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), an occupational brief selection form, and a three-item questionnaire to evaluate the selected briefs. Additionally, female students completed the Life Style Index. The findings indicated that although no significant impact can be attributed to the experimental treatment, the sex differences found in this study may provide a point of departure for future programs focusing on increasing nontraditional options in vocational exploration. This research does call into question, however, the value of short-term programs which claim to expand nontraditional career options.
A note on unifying absolute and relative perturbation bounds

Abstract Perturbation bounds for invariant subspaces and eigenvalues of complex matrices are presented that lead to absolute as well as a large class of relative bounds. In particular it is shown that absolute bounds (such as those by Davis and Kahan, Bauer and Fike, and Hoffman and Wielandt) and some relative bounds are special cases of `universal' bounds. As a consequence, we obtain a new relative bound for subspaces of normal matrices, which contains a deviation of the matrix from (positive-) definiteness. We also investigate how row scaling affects eigenvalues and their sensitivity to perturbations, and we illustrate how the departure from normality can affect the condition number (with respect to inversion) of the scaled eigenvectors.
The European Union and democratization in Ukraine

Abstract The European Union (EU) has encouraged democratic development in a number of post-communist states. This article examines the extent of EU involvement in Ukraine and its results. It notes that there has been a substantial disconnect between the rhetoric of Ukraine's “European Choice” and authoritarian trends in the country. Ukraine signed a series of agreements with the EU, but membership in the organization was never offered. The EU's interest in Ukraine, however, was rather meager and it never gained means to have much leverage. As authoritarianism became more pronounced, the EU began to disengage from the country. The article argues that part of the problem was that the EU never applied political conditionality to Ukraine as it had with other states. The “Orange Revolution” opens up new possibilities and challenges, and the EU now must come to grips with a more democratically and Western-oriented leadership.
Effect of phenylhydrazine-induced anemia on the appearance of adult hemoglobin inRana catesbeiana tadpoles

InRana catesbeiana tadpoles increased erythropoietic activity resulting from phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia does not lead to synthesis of frog hemoglobin. Administration of thyroxine to animals recovering from phenylhydrazine-induced anemia results in the appearance of frog hemoglobin at the time expected for nonanemic animals.
Thermal stability of mercaptan terminated self-assembled multilayer films on SiO2 surfaces

Abstract The thermal stability of mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) derived self-assembled multilayer films were investigated as a function of post-deposition anneals (175, 350, 375, 400 and 600 °C) in high vacuum (∼10 −6 Torr) for 60 min each. Mercaptan SAMs are of interest to promote the chemisorption of metal–organics and ultimately to improve the wetting, adhesion, structure, and properties of vacuum deposited metals such as copper and palladium. The surface chemistry of the films were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle goniometry and gas-phase by-products via mass spectrometry. Results indicate that the bonding structure changes as a function of anneal temperature. Evidence exists for C–S bond scission near 350 °C reducing the amount of the desirable disulfide species present at the surface. In contrast, loss of carbon via C–O or C–C bond scission apparently does not take place until higher temperatures ∼400 °C from the XPS C1s spectra. The increase in contact angles for the films at 375–600 °C is correlated well with the loss of sulfur and carbon from the SAMs making the surface more hydrophobic.
Forced Integration of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus DNA with a Mutant Integration Site Occurs through Recombination with VL30 DNA

The integration of retroviral DNA to form the provirus requires the presence of short inverted repeat sequences at the termini of the linear viral DNA. We have previously described the construction of a mutant of Moloney murine leukemia virus, carrying an 8-bp deletion in the U5 terminus, that is defective in establishing the integrated provirus. We have now used a selectable marker to allow recovery of rare proviruses formed after transduction from NIH/3T3 cells by retroviral vectors carrying this mutation. Analysis of two such proviruses showed that both were recombinants between the vector and VL30 DNA and arose such that the VL30 sequences could provide an intact terminal sequence for integration.
Clinical detection of ichthyosis vulgaris in an atopic dermatitis clinic: implications for allergic respiratory disease and prognosis.

Background Recent genetic studies have demonstrated that filaggrin mutations, shown to underlie ichthyosis vulgaris (IV), may also predispose patients with atopic dermatitis to allergic respiratory disease. Objective Our objective was to determine whether the clinical presence of IV influences the severity and age at onset of atopic dermatitis or the probability of having allergic respiratory disease. Methods We reviewed data collected from the initial visits of 1187 patients with atopic dermatitis. Results Asthma symptoms were more common in atopic dermatitis patients with IV than in those without (39.9% vs 32.9%, odds ratio [OR] = 1.35, P = .050) and were most associated with severe IV (OR = 2.52, P = .002). This relationship remained after controlling for the baseline severity of atopic dermatitis. Clinical IV was also associated with symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, earlier onset of atopic dermatitis, severity of atopic dermatitis, hyperlinear palms, and keratosis pilaris. Limitations Our limitations include subjective grading, few data points in some groups, and an inability to demonstrate causality. Conclusion These results suggest that clinical evidence of IV, irrespective of filaggrin genotype, serves as a potential marker for those patients with atopic dermatitis who develop allergic respiratory disease and a more severe skin phenotype.
A Polynomial Expression for the Character of Diagonal Harmonics

Based on his study of the Hilbert scheme from algebraic geometry, Haiman [Invent. Math. 149 (2002), pp. 371–407] obtained a formula for the character of the space of diagonal harmonics under the diagonal action of the symmetric group, as a sum of Macdonald polynomials with rational coefficients. In this paper we show how Haiman's formula, combined with identities involving plethystic symmetric function operators, yields a new formula for this character. Our formula doesn't involve any mention of Macdonald polynomials, and the coefficients are visibly polynomials (not rational functions), although they are not manifestly positive. Our formula can be expressed as either a sum of weighted Tesler matrices, or as the constant term in a multivariate Laurent series.
Taphonomy, Life History, and Human Exploitation of Rhinoceros sinensis at the Middle Pleistocene Site of Panxian Dadong, Guizhou, China

Rhinoceros remains are commonly found in Chinese Pleistocene archaeological localities. This study examines the characteristics of the Rhinoceros sinensis sample from Panxian Dadong, a karst cave in the mountains of western Guizhou province, with a mammalian fauna inassociationwith stoneartefactsandhumanremainsfrom thelateMiddle Pleistocene(MIS6- 8). The distribution of skeletal elements shows a predominance of foot (metapodial and phalanges) and lower limb (carpals and tarsals) bones, while the dental age-at-death profile, constructedusingdentaleruptionandtoothweardata,ischaracterisedbyahighfrequencyof prime age adult teeth. There is little taphonomic evidence for the involvement of non-human carnivores or natural agencies in the formation of the faunal assemblage. Instead, it appears that human activities were responsible for the unexpected prevalence of prime age adults. Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Male choice and competition in Tetraopes tetraophthalmus : effects of local sex ratio variation

Male milkweed beetles (Tetraopes tetraophthalmus) are shown to exhibit choice between potential mates. Males, however, also exhibit direct competition for access to potential mates. These differences in male behavior are dependent on the local sex ratio, with males becoming increasingly choosy when the sex ratio is female-biased, and more competitive when the sex ratio is malebiased. Females show neither choice nor competition. In both the laboratory and in the field, body size is important in determining patterns of competition and choice. Larger males win most aggressive encounters, and males generally prefer large females as mates. The combination in a single sex, of competition for mates and mate choice is not predicted by classical sexual selection theory. Male choice and competition may have evolved in T. tetraophthalmus due to the combination of (1) the mating system (2) the pattern of variation in female fecundity, and (3) the spatially and temporally variable operational sex ratios. This explanation is not dependent on high heritability of body size.
Core knowledge and its limits: The domain of food

Adults, preschool children, and nonhuman primates detect and categorize food objects according to substance information, conveyed primarily by color and texture. In contrast, they perceive and categorize artifacts primarily by shape and rigidity. The present experiments investigated the origins of this distinction. Using a looking time procedure, Experiment 1 extended previous findings that rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) generalize learning about novel food objects by color over changes in shape. Six additional experiments then investigated whether human infants show the same signature patterns of perception and generalization. Nine-month-old infants failed to detect food objects in accord with their intrinsic properties, in contrast to rhesus monkeys tested in previous research with identical displays. Eight-month-old infants did not privilege substance information over other features when categorizing foods, even though they detected and remembered this information. Moreover, infants showed the same property generalization patterns when presented with foods and tools. The category-specific patterns of perception and categorization shown by human adults, children, and adult monkeys therefore were not found in human infants, providing evidence for limits to infants’ domains of knowledge.
Constitutive endocytosis and recycling of NKCC2 in rat thick ascending limbs

The Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (NKCC2) mediates NaCl absorption by the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop (THAL). Exocytosis and endocytosis regulates surface expression of most transporters. However, little is known about the mechanism of NKCC2 trafficking in the absence of stimulating hormones and whether this mechanism contributes to regulation of steady-state surface expression of apical NKCC2 in the THAL. We tested whether NKCC2 undergoes constitutive endocytosis that regulates steady-state surface NKCC2 and NaCl reabsorption in THALs. We measured steady-state surface NKCC2 levels and the rate of NKCC2 endocytosis by surface biotinylation and Western blot and confocal microscopy of isolated perfused rat THALs. We observed constitutive NKCC2 endocytosis over 30 min that averaged 21.5 ± 2.7% of the surface pool. We then tested whether methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), a compound that inhibits endocytosis by chelating membrane cholesterol, blocked NKCC2 endocytic retrieval. We found that 30-min treatment with MβCD (5 mM) blocked NKCC2 endocytosis by 81% (P < 0.01). Blockade of endocytosis by MβCD induced accumulation of NKCC2 at the apical membrane as demonstrated by a 60 ± 16% (P < 0.05) increase in steady-state surface expression and enhanced apical surface NKCC2 immunostaining in isolated, perfused THALs. Acute treatment with MβCD did not change the total pool of NKCC2. MβCD did not affect NKCC2 trafficking when it was complexed with cholesterol before treatment. Inhibition endocytosis with MβCD enhanced NKCC2-dependent NaCl entry by 57 ± 16% (P < 0.05). Finally, we observed that a fraction of retrieved NKCC2 recycles back to the plasma membrane (36 ± 7%) over 30 min. We concluded that constitutive NKCC2 trafficking maintains steady-state surface NKCC2 and regulates NaCl reabsorption in THALs. These are the first data showing an increase in apical membrane NKCC2 in THALs by altering the rates of constitutive NKCC2 trafficking, rather than by stimulation of hormone-dependent signaling.
The Future of Clinical Science Training: New Challenges and Opportunities

Two clinical science training issues that are relevant to the Delaware Project on Clinical Science Training are addressed: (a) the value of problem-based learning for training clinical scientists a...
Chain: a dynamic double auction framework for matching patient agents

In this paper we present and evaluate a general framework for the design of truthful auctions for matching agents in a dynamic, two-sided market. A single commodity, such as a resource or a task, is bought and sold by multiple buyers and sellers that arrive and depart over time. Our algorithm, CHAIN, provides the first framework that allows a truthful dynamic double auction (DA) to be constructed from a truthful, single-period (i.e. static) double-auction rule. The pricing and matching method of the CHAIN construction is unique amongst dynamic-auction rules that adopt the same building block. We examine experimentally the allocative efficiency of CHAIN when instantiated on various single-period rules, including the canonical McAfee double-auction rule. For a baseline we also consider non-truthful double auctions populated with "zero-intelligence plus"-style learning agents. CHAIN-based auctions perform well in comparison with other schemes, especially as arrival intensity falls and agent valuations become more volatile.
Rapid mass spectrometric analysis of 15N-Leu incorporation fidelity during preparation of specifically labeled NMR samples.

Advances in NMR spectroscopy have enabled the study of larger proteins that typically have significant overlap in their spectra. Specific 15N-amino acid incorporation is a powerful tool for reducing spectral overlap and attaining reliable sequential assignments. However, scrambling of the label during protein expression is a common problem. We describe a rapid method to evaluate the fidelity of specific 15N-amino acid incorporation. The selectively labeled protein is proteolyzed, and the resulting peptides are analyzed using MALDI mass spectrometry. The 15N incorporation is determined by analyzing the isotopic abundance of the peptides in the mass spectra using the program DEX. This analysis determined that expression with a 10-fold excess of unlabeled amino acids relative to the 15N-amino acid prevents the scrambling of the 15N label that is observed when equimolar amounts are used. MALDI TOF-TOF MS/MS data provide additional information that shows where the “extra” 15N labels are incorporated, which can be useful in confirming ambiguous assignments. The described procedure provides a rapid technique to monitor the fidelity of selective labeling that does not require a lot of protein. These advantages make it an ideal way of determining optimal expression conditions for selectively labeled NMR samples.
Initial experiments with a streaked spherically bent crystal X-ray spectrometer on the cobra pulsed power generator

X-ray spectroscopy is an invaluable tool for diagnosing the conditions of high energy density plasmas in the laboratory. A time integrated, space-resolved spectrometer, known as the WB-FSSR1, is routinely used on the 1 MA COBRA to estimate density and temperature of the various high energy density (HED) plasmas that are produced. However, time-resolved spectroscopy is difficult to implement and has not been routinely used to this date. We present here the design and setup of an x-ray streak camera equipped with a spherically bent crystal spectrometer for time resolved studies of the HED plasmas generated on COBRA. We outline the techniques used to focus, align and synchronize the camera. The spectral and temporal resolution of the system is estimated both theoretically and for the actual experimental arrangement. The degradation of resolution due to imperfect focusing in the electron optics and photocathode quality is discussed. Preliminary results are shown and compared with time-integrated spectra obtained on the same experiments. Finally, applications and future plans for time-resolved spectroscopy on COBRA are presented.
Principles and Strategies of Behavioral Observation

Behavioral observation is the systematic recording of behavior by an external observer. The systematic nature of behavioral observation is characterized by carefully detailed procedures that are designed to collect reliable and valid data on client behavior and the factors that control it (Barrios, 1993; Tryon, 1998). For example, nursing staff in a hospital setting might record the number of times that a patient yells or acts aggressively so that the effects of a behavioral management program can be evaluated. Similarly, a clinician may request that the parents of a child with enuresis record the time, date, and location of incontinent occurrences so that the timing of prompts and bathroom trips can more effectively be arranged in an intervention. Finally, observers may be stationed in a classroom to record the extent to which a child with behavioral problems exhibits on-task and off-task behaviors.
Estrogen receptor-α mediates estrogen facilitation of baroreflex heart rate responses in conscious mice

Estrogen facilitates baroreflex heart rate responses evoked by intravenous infusion of ANG II and phenylephrine (PE) in ovariectomized female mice. The present study aims to identify the estrogen r...
Thrombotic events associated with C1 esterase inhibitor products in patients with hereditary angioedema: investigation from the United States Food and Drug Administration adverse event reporting system database.

Study Objective To investigate reports of thrombotic events associated with the use of C1 esterase inhibitor products in patients with hereditary angioedema in the United States. Design Retrospective data mining analysis. Source The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adverse event reporting system (AERS) database. Measurements and Main Results Case reports of C1 esterase inhibitor products, thrombotic events, and C1 esterase inhibitor product–associated thrombotic events (i.e., combination cases) were extracted from the AERS database, using the time frames of each respective product's FDA approval date through the second quarter of 2011. Bayesian statistical methodology within the neural network architecture was implemented to identify potential signals of a drug-associated adverse event. A potential signal is generated when the lower limit of the 95% 2-sided confidence interval of the information component, denoted by IC025, is greater than zero. This suggests that the particular drug-associated adverse event was reported to the database more often than statistically expected from reports available in the database. Ten combination cases of thrombotic events associated with the use of one C1 esterase inhibitor product (Cinryze) were identified in patients with hereditary angioedema. A potential signal demonstrated by an IC025 value greater than zero (IC025 = 2.91) was generated for these combination cases. Conclusion The extracted cases from the AERS indicate continuing reports of thrombotic events associated with the use of one C1 esterase inhibitor product among patients with hereditary angioedema. The AERS is incapable of establishing a causal link and detecting the true frequency of an adverse event associated with a drug; however, potential signals of C1 esterase inhibitor product–associated thrombotic events among patients with hereditary angioedema were identified in the extracted combination cases.
Athlete Screening for Cardiomyopathies: Recent Insights and Latest Guidelines

The benefits of regular moderate exercise to improve health are undisputed. However, in individuals harboring underlying cardiac disorders, there is an increased risk of adverse cardiac events during exertion, including sudden cardiac death (SCD). Subclinical cardiomyopathies are amongst the most common causes of SCD in young athletes and, importantly, SCD may be the initial presentation of a cardiomyopathy. While these tragic events are rare, the emotional effect on the athlete’s family and the community at large is profound and devastating. Therefore, pre-participation screening programs to detect silent cardiac disorders are in place in many countries. However, the optimal structure of such programs, particularly whether or not a 12-lead ECG should be included as an initial screening test, is an area of controversy. This review discusses the most recent insights and latest guidelines regarding pre-participation screening to detect cardiomyopathies in athletes.
Neutrophil–macrophage cross-talk in acute myocardial infarction

This editorial refers to ‘Neutrophils orchestrate post-myocardial infarction healing by polarizing macrophages towards a reparative phenotype’, by M. Horckmans et al . on doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehw002 Neutrophils are the first immune cells arriving at the site of infection or injury. These early responders are effective in fighting pathogens via several mechanisms: they phagocytose antibody- or complement-coated pathogens and kill them by NADPH oxidase-dependent mechanisms or antibacterial proteins that are released from granules into the phagosome. The content of these granules, i.e. various inflammatory mediators including neutrophil-derived lipocalin (NGAL), is also released to fight extracellular pathogens. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), composed of chromatin, histones, and proteases, are yet another mechanism to capture and kill microorganisms.1 In sterile injury after ischaemia, danger-associated molecules released by necrotic tissues trigger the same Toll-like receptor-induced activation of neutrophils. After myocardial infarction (MI), neutrophils are the first to enter the damaged tissue in large numbers, and peak at day 1 after onset of ischaemia.2 While neutrophils initially help to clear cellular debris, their inflammatory mediators result in tissue damage and further leucocyte recruitment.3 Neutrophils may support recruitment and activation of Ly-6Chi monocytes,4 which dominate ischaemic tissue on days 1–4 after injury. Ly-6Chi monocytes are initially …
Studies on the Progress of Boll Weevil Infestation at Various Distances from Hibernation Quarters

The rapidity of boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis Boh.) spread was determined by a study of the degree of infestation, and screen trap collections of weevils in cotton at various distances from hibernation quarters. The catch on traps located in fields not planted to cotton, but in the vicinity of cotton, indicates the degree of movement from field to field. Shortly after the peak of catch occurs on these screen traps in the non-cotton fields, distribution of weevils has become general throughout such sections regardless of what the previous infestation in cotton has been; and there are present a considerable number of weevils to go into hibernation at places where favorable shelter occurs.
Spray and Emission Characteristics Near Lean Blow Out in a Counter-Swirl Stabilized Gas Turbine Combustor

An experimental study of a single, swirl cup burner is carried out to improve understanding of the lean reacting flow field near idle conditions for an annular spray combustor. The counter-swirler is mounted horizontally in a trapezoidal cross-section combustor with quartz plate walls. Liquid fuel, Jet-A, is initially atomized using a simplex nozzle, and then a designed re-atomization occurs from the swirler hardware. Measurements of non-reacting and reacting gas phase velocities enable the direct comparison of critical flow features at various power settings. Droplet diameter and exhaust composition measurements confirm that the initial droplet size is a key factor in emission levels. Smaller droplets in the spray periphery tend to evaporate and burn premixed, while larger droplets in the spray core convect downstream and burn with a sheath-type, non-premixed flame. The presence of small fuel droplets in the spray may ensure more complete combustion and improve combustor stability at lean, low power settings.© 2006 ASME
The Columbian Exchange as a source of adaptive introgression in human populations.

The term “Columbian Exchange” refers to the massive transfer of life between the Afro-Eurasian and American hemispheres that was precipitated by Columbus’ voyage to the New World. The Columbian Exchange is widely appreciated by historians, social scientists and economists as a major turning point that had profound and lasting effects on the trajectory of human history and development. I propose that the Columbian Exchange should also be appreciated by biologists for its role in the creation of novel human genomes that have been shaped by rapid adaptive evolution. Specifically, I hypothesize that the process of human genome evolution stimulated by the Columbian Exchange was based in part on selective sweeps of introgressed haplotypes from ancestral populations, many of which possessed pre-evolved adaptive utility based on regional-specific fitness and health effects. Testing of this hypothesis will require comparative analysis of genome sequences from putative ancestral source populations, with genomes from modern admixed populations, in order to identify ancestry-specific introgressed haplotypes that exist at higher frequencies in admixed populations than can be expected by chance alone. Investigation of such ancestry-enriched genomic regions can be used to provide clues as to the functional roles of the genes therein and the selective forces that have acted to increase their frequency in the population. Critical interrogation of this hypothesis could serve to underscore the important role of introgression as a source of adaptive alleles and as a driver of evolutionary change, and it would highlight the role of admixture in facilitating rapid human evolution. This article was reviewed by Frank Eisenhaber, Lakshminarayan Iyer and Igor B. Rogozin
Technique for CT Fluoroscopy-Guided Lumbar Medial Branch Blocks and Radiofrequency Ablation.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to describe the procedure for CT fluoroscopy–guided lumbar medial branch blocks and facet radiofrequency ablation. CONCLUSION. CT fluoroscopic guidance allows more-precise needle tip positioning and is an alternative method for performing medial branch blocks and facet radiofrequency ablation.
Towards a More Robust Understanding of the Uncertainty of Wind Farm Reliability

Understanding wind farm reliability from various data sources is highly complex because the boundary conditions for the data are often undocumented and impact the outcome of aggregation significantly. Sandia National Laboratories has been investigating the reliability of wind farms through the Continuous Reliability Enhancement Wind (CREW) project since 2007 through the use of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) data from multiple wind farms in the fleet of the USA. However, data streaming from sample wind farms does not lead to better understanding as it is merely a generic status of those samples. Economic type benchmark studies are used in the industry, but these do not yield much technical understanding and give only a managerial cost perspective. Further, it is evident that there are many situations in which average benchmark data cannot be presented in a meaningful way due to discrete events, especially when the data is only based on smaller samples relative to the probability of the events and the sample size. The discrete events and insufficient descriptive tagging contribute significantly to the uncertainty of a fleet average and may even impair the way we communicate reliability. These aspects will be discussed. It is speculated that some aspects of reliability can be understood better through SCADA data-mining techniques and considering the real operating environment, as, it will be shown that there is no particular reason that two identical wind turbines in the same wind farm should have identical reliability performance. The operation and the actual environmental impact on the turbine level are major parameters in determining the remaining useful life. Methods to normalize historical data for future predictions need to be developed, both for discrete events and for general operational conditions.
Ethanol Values During College Football Season: University Policy Change and Emergency Department Blood Ethanol Values From 2006 Through 2014.

BACKGROUND: Tailgating [pregaming] is popular at many college football games. However, it is known to contribute to binge drinking and alcohol intoxication, which are common public health challenges. OBJECTIVE: To use laboratory data to measure changes in plasma ethanol levels observed in a large state university emergency department after a series of reforms were enacted to reduce binge drinking. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review on all serum ethanol levels measured at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics on weekends from 2006 through 2014. Data were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression after controlling for significant covariates. RESULTS: A total of 5437 patients had ethanol levels recorded on weekends. After the implementation of policy changes, there was a significant reduction in the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of ethanol values reported in the severe intoxication range (≥240 mg/dL; AOR = 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-0.92). CONCLUSION: The policy changes implemented in 2009 in an attempt to reduce binge drinking are associated with a decreased likelihood of an ethanol result being in the severe intoxication range.© American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected]/* */ Language: en
Learning from clergy who have been forcibly terminated

AbstractWorkplace bullying is a detrimental practice that has long-term negative effects. Previous research on the topic has focused on workplace bullying between management and subordinates or colleagues but not executive leaders as the target. Recent research shows 28% of ministers have experienced a forced termination at least once during their career. This study surveyed 582 ministers to learn from those who experienced a forced termination. The analysis revealed ministry demands, and the interaction between self-esteem, depression, and emotional exhaustion were found to have a significant relationship with forced termination. In addition, depression, ministry demands, and stress were found to be significant indicators of general health problems. The results of this study point toward a process of forced termination that may include: unresolved conflict as an antecedent to a period of bullying by members of a church, detrimental events leading up to a forced termination, and long-term and ongoing heal...
A study of clinically related open source software projects.

Open source software development has recently gained significant interest due to several successful mainstream open source projects. This methodology has been proposed as being similarly viable and beneficial in the clinical application domain as well. However, the clinical software development venue differs significantly from the mainstream software venue. Existing clinical open source projects have not been well characterized nor formally studied so the ‘fit’ of open source in this domain is largely unknown. In order to better understand the open source movement in the clinical application domain, we undertook a study of existing open source clinical projects. In this study we sought to characterize and classify existing clinical open source projects and to determine metrics for their viability. This study revealed several findings which we believe could guide the healthcare community in its quest for successful open source clinical software projects.
Understanding Modern Money: The Key to Full Employment and Price Stability

(2000). Understanding Modern Money: The Key to Full Employment and Price Stability. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 739-746.
216. TLR9-Targeted STAT3 Silencing Abrogates Immunosuppressive Activity of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells from Prostate Cancer Patients

Recent advances in immunotherapy of advanced human cancers underscored the need to eliminate tumor-induced immunosuppression. The myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are important negative regulators of T cell responses in advanced solid tumors, such as prostate cancers. Targeting MDSCs proved challenging due to heterogeneity and phenotypic similarities between myeloid cell lineages. Here, we identify a population of Lin–CD15HICD33LO granulocytic MDSCs that accumulate in patients’ blood during prostate cancer progression from localized to metastatic disease. The prostate cancer-associated MDSCs potently inhibit autologous CD8+ T cell proliferation, IFNg and Granzyme-B production. The circulating MDSCs have high levels of activated STAT3, a central immune checkpoint regulator. As shown by immunofluorescent microscopy, the CD15+/pSTAT3+ cells are also important component of immune infiltrate in primary tumor and tumor-draining lymph node tissues in these patients. We previously generated an original strategy to silence genes specifically in TLR9+ cells using naked CpG-siRNA conjugates. Here, we demonstrate that the CpG-STAT3siRNA is quickly internalized by human MDSCs effectively reducing STAT3 expression. The TLR9-dependent STAT3 blocking abrogates immunosuppressive effects of patients-derived MDSCs on CD8+ T cells. Our further studies demonstrated that these effects resulted from reduced expression and enzymatic activity of Arginase-1, a downstream STAT3 target gene and T cell inhibitor. Overall, we demonstrate the feasibility of using targeted STAT3 blockade to alleviate MDSC-mediated immunosuppression without depletion of myeloid cells in prostate cancer patients. We anticipate that further development of this oligonucleotide strategy will generate safer and more effective immunotherapy for advanced prostate cancers and potentially other solid tumors.
Myelodysplasia Following Therapy with Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF α) Inhibitors - An Uncommon Occurence.

Abstract Introduction-Tumour necrosis factor- alpha (TNF α) inhibitors such as infliximab & etanercept have various applications such as severe rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthritis, vasculitis, crohn's disease & psoriasis. There have been few reports of haematological complications arising in patients treated with anti-TNF a therapies. There has been only one reported case of development of acute myeloid leukaemia after initiation of etanercept therapy. Case report-A 57year old gentleman with HLA B27 negative ankylosing spondylitis presented with chest infection. His full blood count showed Hb 5.9 g/l WBC 3.8 × 10^9/L Neutrophil count 2.7 × 10^9/L Lymphocyte count 0.7 × 10^9/L Platelet count 89 × 10^9/L & Reticulocyte count 21 × 10^9/L. Occasional myeloblasts were seen on the blood film. He had been on biological therapy for ankylosing spondylitis with infliximab 5mg/kg infusion on 8 weekly basis for 18 months which was stopped due to lack of efficacy. Subsequently he had been treated with etanercept 50 mg subcutaneous once weekly for the past 16 weeks prior to this presentation. His full blood count prior to initiation of infliximab & etanercept was Hb 11.6 g/l WBC 16 × 10^9/L Neutrophil count 12.8 × 10^9/L Lymphocyte count 2.1 × 10^9/L Platelet count 655 × 10^9/L and Hb 11.0 g/l WBC 8.2 × 10^9/L Neutrophil count 4.9 × 10^9/L Lymphocyte count 2.4 × 10^9/L Platelet count 591 × 10^9/L, respectively. He underwent bone marrow investigations. Bone marrow aspirate was aparticulate with dyshaemopoeisis. Dyserythropoeisis in form of irregular nuclei, occasional binucleated cells & delayed nucleo-cytoplasmic maturation was seen along with dysmyelopoeisis in form of binucleated cells & pelger forms. Blasts amounted to 14% of nucleated cells. Overall, impression was in keeping with refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB-2). Trephine biopsy showed mildly hypocellular bone marrow with markedly disordered haemopoeisis. There was trilineage dysplasia with abundant micromegakaryocytes with immunocytochemistry for CD117 showing increased number of progenitors (10–20%). The appearances were in keeping with myelodysplasia with excess of CD117 positive progenitors. Cytogenetic study failed. The sepsis responded to broad spectrum antibiotics but he continues on red cell & platelet support on a weekly basis. Conclusion The chronology points to a TNF α inhibitor mediated effect in this patient. Despite the close temporal association between exposure to TNF α inhibitor therapy and the presentation of myelodysplasia in this patient, a causal relationship cannot be established with confidence. Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors find wide applications in inflammatory conditions with high TNF. Such treatment may be associated with uncommon complications. It is of interest to note there are ongoing trials using TNF α inhibitors in myelodysplastic syndrome. Checking a full blood count periodically, and immediately if the patient is unwell is recommended.