cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loa loa (Cobbold 1864)

Loa loa, the filarial worm causing loaiasis, is limited to Central and West Africa, where it infects some 20 million individuals. The adult worms live in subcutaneous tissues. Their main vectors are dipteran flies of the genus Chrysops; there are no reservoir hosts.
Sintering of Crystalline Oxides

The general theory of sintering accounts fairly well for various aspects of sintering of metallic particles. The experiments on sintering of spheres of various oxides revealed that although the predominant mechanism of the process seems to be that of volume diffusion, the actual sintering rates are often much faster than those which could be expected from the measured diffusion coefficients. This augmentation of diffusivity may be quite large. For instance, in sintering of A12O3 spheres, the rates observed were consistently 102 to 104 times higher than those calculated from the known oxygen diffusivity which, being slower than that of aluminum, should control the sintering rate. In Fe2O3, the effect was even larger.
Droplet Clustering in Shallow Cumuli: The Effects of In–Cloud Location and Aerosol Number Concentration

Abstract. Aerosol–cloud interactions are complex, including albedo and lifetime effects that cause modifications to cloud characteristics. With most cloud–aerosol interactions focused on the previously stated phenomena, there has been no in–situ studies that focus explicitly on how aerosols can affect droplet clustering within clouds. This research therefore aims to gain a better understanding of how droplet clustering within cumulus clouds can be influenced by in–cloud droplet location (cloud edge vs. center) and aerosol number concentration. The pair–correlation function (PCF) is used to identify the magnitude of droplet clustering from data collected onboard the Center for interdisciplinary Remotely–Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS) Twin Otter aircraft, flown during the 2006 Gulf of Mexico Atmospheric Composition and Climate Study (GoMACCS). Time stamps (at 10 −4 m spatial resolution) of cloud droplet arrival times were measured by the Artium Flight Phase–Doppler Interferometer (PDI). Using four complete days of data with 81 non–precipitating cloud penetrations organized into two flights of low (L1, L2) and high (H1, H2) pollution data shows more clustering near cloud edge as compared to cloud center for all four cases. Low pollution clouds are shown to have enhanced overall clustering, with flight L2 being solely responsible for this enhanced clustering. Analysis suggests cloud age plays a larger role in the clustering amount experienced than the aerosol number concentration, with dissipating clouds showing increased clustering as compared to growing or mature clouds. Results using a single, vertically developed cumulus cloud demonstrate more clustering near cloud top as compared to cloud base.
Obstacles to Implementation of Information Security Governance

Information security leadership has struggled for almost two decades to demonstrate that investment in information security capabilities would return a tangible value to the organization. The efforts to govern and manage security have not resulted in the value statement that has been desired. A critical look at literature reveals that the struggles with governance can be consolidated into three main topics: practitioners do not have guidance on how to implement security governance; security governance models and methods are failing to address the dynamic environment that security works within, and; there lacks a method to measure governance, alignment, and the proposed value that governance brings. This paper examines these issues in the literature, the gaps in the literature, and identifies opportunities to address these gaps.
Multi-resonant Optical Nanocavities by Out-of-plane Magnetic Plasmon Hybridization

In vertically-stacked double-cavity metal-insulator-metal nanostructures, the strong optical interaction between magnetic plasmon modes in each of the nanocavities results in new hybridized modes with individually tunable energy levels.
Inactivity induces resistance to the metabolic benefits following acute exercise

In people who are physically inactive and sitting for a majority of the day, a 1-h bout of vigorous exercise failed to improve lipid, glucose, and insulin metabolism measured the next day. It seems...
Effect of germination and parboiling treatment on distribution of water molecular, physicochemical profiles and microstructure of rice

The effect of germination and parboiling treatment on distribution of water molecular, physicochemical profiles and microstructure of rice was investigated. The results showed that the water molecular was evenly distributed in rice kernel after germination, but after subjecting to parboiling treatment, mobile water molecular might be confined to small region, which diffused from the outer regions into the rice kernel core. The reason may be that parboiling treatment produced macromolecular matrix where dispersed amylose chains form double-helical associations between starch granules so that water molecular is restrained and not entrapped within the starch crystallites. Meanwhile, the changes of microstructure and distribution of water molecular may be attributed to softness of germinated rice and hardness of parboiling rice. In addition, parboiling treatment had significant (p < 0.05) effect on the physicochemical properties of germinated rice. The viscosity and pasting temperature significantly (p < 0.05) increased. The storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G′′), tan δ and shear stress had lower value compared to untreated germinated rice. Colour difference significantly (p < 0.05) increased, the microstructure of surface became smoother and compacter.
The Anatomy of the Biceps Pulley

The pulley has recently been described as a structure that aids in the prevention of biceps instability. The biceps pulley or “sling” is a capsule ligamentous complex that acts to stabilize the long head of the biceps tendon in the bicipital groove. The pulley complex is composed of the superior glenohumeral ligament, the coracohumeral ligament, and the distal attachment of the subscapularis tendon and is located within the rotator interval between the anterior edge of the supraspinatus tendon and the superior edge of the subscapularis tendon.
Bardasis-Schrieffer polaritons in excitonic insulators

Bardasis-Schrieffer modes in superconductors are fluctuations in subdominant pairing channels, e.g., $d$-wave fluctuations in an $s$-wave superconductor. This Rapid Communication shows that these modes also generically occur in excitonic insulators. In $s$-wave excitonic insulators, a $p$-wave Bardasis-Schrieffer mode exists below the gap energy, is optically active, and hybridizes strongly with photons to form Bardasis-Schrieffer polaritons, which are observable in both far-field and near-field optical experiments.
Role of Sensory Evaluation in Consumer Acceptance of Plant-Based Meat Analogs and Meat Extenders: A Scoping Review

Growing demand for sustainable food has led to the development of meat analogs to satisfy flexitarians and conscious meat-eaters. Successful combinations of functional ingredients and processing methods result in the generation of meat-like sensory attributes, which are necessary to attract non-vegetarian consumers. Sensory science is a broader research field used to measure and interpret responses to product properties, which is not limited to consumer liking. Acceptance is evaluated through hedonic tests to assess the overall liking and degree of liking for individual sensory attributes. Descriptive analysis provides both qualitative and quantitative results of the product’s sensory profile. Here, original research papers are reviewed that evaluate sensory attributes of meat analogs and meat extenders through hedonic testing and/or descriptive analysis to demonstrate how these analytical approaches are important for consumer acceptance. Sensory evaluation combined with instrumental measures, such as texture and color, can be advantageous and help to improve the final product. Future applications of these methods might include integration of sensory tests during product development to better direct product processing and formulation. By conducting sensory evaluation, companies and researchers will learn valuable information regarding product attributes and overall liking that help to provide more widely accepted and sustainable foods.
Soft X-Ray Absorption by Fe$^{0+}$ to Fe$^{15+}$ in Active Galactic Nuclei

A full set of calculations is presented for inner-shell n = 2 to 3 photoexcitation of the 16 iron charge states: Fe I through Fe XVI. The blend of the numerous absorption lines arising from these excitations (mainly 2p - 3d) forms an unresolved transition array (UTA), which has been recently identified as a prominent feature between 16 - 17 \AA in the soft X-ray spectra of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Despite the blending within charge-states, the ample separation between the individual-ion features enables precise diagnostics of the ionization range in the absorbing medium. Column density and turbulent velocity diagnostics are also possible, albeit to a lesser accuracy. An abbreviated set of atomic parameters useful for modeling the Fe 2p - 3d UTA is given. It is shown that the effects of accompanying photoexcitation to higher levels ($n \ge$ 4), as well as the associated photoionization edges, may also be relevant to AGN spectra.
ϕ Meson Measurements at RHIC with the PHENIX Detector

The measurement of ϕ mesons provides key information on the phase of the hot and dense medium created in the relativistic heavy ion collisions. It has a relatively small hadronic interaction cross section and is sensitive to the increase of strangeness (strangeness enhancement), a phenomenon associated with soft particles in bulk matter. Measurements in the dilepton channels are especially interesting since leptons interact only electromagnetically, thus carrying the information from their production phase directly to the detector. Measurements in different nucleus-nucleus collisions allow us to perform a systematic study of the nuclear medium effects on ϕ meson production. The PHENIX detector provides the capabilities to measure the ϕ meson production in a wide range of transverse momentum and rapidity to study these effects.In this proceeding, we present measurements of the ϕ mesons in a variety of collision systems at SNN = 200 GeV. In case of small systems, the data are compared with AMPT calculations to study the various cold nuclear medium effects involved in ϕ meson production.
Improving the Usability of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Fluorescence-Guided Surgery by Adding an Optimized Secondary Light Source

Background Tumors that take up and metabolize 5-aminolevulinic acid emit bright pink fluorescence when illuminated with blue light, aiding surgeons in identifying the margin of resection. The adoption of this method is hindered by the blue light illumination, which is too dim to safely operate under and therefore necessitates switching back and forth from white-light mode. The aim of this study was to examine the addition of an optimized secondary illuminant adapter to improve usability of blue-light mode without degrading tumor contrast. Methods Color science methods were used to evaluate the color of the secondary illuminant and its impact on color rendering index as well as the tumor-to-background color contrast in data collected from 7 patients with high-grade gliomas (World Health Organization grade III and IV). A secondary illuminant adapter was built to provide 475–600 nm light the intensity of which can be controlled by the surgeon and was evaluated in 2 additional patients. Results Secondary illuminant color had opposing effects on color rendering index and tumor-to-background color contrast; providing surgeon control of intensity allows this trade-off to be balanced in real time. Demonstration in 2 high-grade glioma cases confirms this, showing that additional visibility adds value when intensity can be controlled by the surgeon. Conclusions Addition of a secondary illuminant may mitigate surgeon complaints that the operative field is too dark under the blue light illumination required for 5-aminolevulinic acid fluorescence guidance by providing improved color rendering index without completely sacrificing tumor-to-background color contrast.
Predicting the Need for Basal-Bolus Insulin in Hospitalized Patients With Hyperglycemia: Is Sliding Scale Sometimes the Answer?

Uncontrolled blood glucose (BG) is associated with increased risk of infection, complications, and mortality in hospitalized patients. American Diabetes Association guidelines currently recommend basal insulin for all hospitalized, non-critically ill patients requiring insulin and state that “use of only a sliding scale insulin regimen in the inpatient hospital setting is strongly discouraged”. In practice, however, sliding scale only is used not infrequently. Here, we challenge the recommendation for universal basal insulin use and leverage machine learning to predict which inpatients would indeed benefit from basal insulin at time of admission. Querying inpatient electronic health record data for hospitalizations between 2008–2020, we identified a cohort of 16,868 unique patients who achieved a day of “good control”, defined as ≥ 3 BGs that were within 100–180 mg/dL without any values outside that range. Inclusion criteria were adult inpatients receiving subcutaneous insulin with BG of 100-180mg/dL on one calendar day. If patients had more than one “good day”, the first day of their most recent hospitalization was chosen. We excluded patients ordered for insulin pumps, insulin infusion, any insulin type that is rarely used (ordered < 25 times), TPN or PPN, or tube feeds. We also excluded patients with missing weights. We aimed to predict which patients would require > 6 units of insulin. We chose this threshold clinically, as patients with a total daily dose (TDD) of insulin < 6 units could reasonably be managed on sliding scale insulin alone. Using the threshold of 6 units, we used an ensemble machine learning method, called SuperLearner, to model a binary classification for high vs. low insulin users. Features included in the algorithm were collected prior to prediction time, including weight, height, age, sex, race, insurance status, A1c categories (normal, high, panic high, and missing), creatinine, diet, steroid use in prior 48 hours, admission BG, summary statistics of BG, numerous counts of relevant lab values in quantiles, history of basal insulin use, and counts of major diagnosis code groups. Prior insulin doses were not considered to better simulate admission insulin dosing. Compared to using only weight in the model, with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) of 0.59, our machine learning algorithm showed excellent predictive ability, with an AUROC of 0.85 (95% CI: 0.84 - 0.87) and area under the precision recall curve (AUPRC) of .65 (95% CI: 0.64 - 0.68) vs 0.29 with the weight-only model. Although it will need to be validated prospectively, our algorithm could be used to emphasize basal-bolus insulin on admission in patients predicted to require more insulin, whereas those predicted to require less could be started on sliding scale insulin or considered for oral anti-hyperglycemics.
Collective action for changing forests: A spatial, social-ecological approach to assessing participation in invasive plant management

Abstract Environmental governance research has discovered much about what drives collective action to address human-environment issues, including factors such as risk perceptions and self-efficacy. Yet the design of many studies limits our ability to draw conclusions about collective action under conditions of environmental change, especially across spatial or temporal scales. In this study, we integrate social and biophysical data—assessing data over time and examining the influence of space—to analyze efforts by community members to manage rapid environmental change in the form of an invasive plant (Mikania micrantha) in community forests in Chitwan, Nepal. Invasive species are an increasingly complex ethical, cultural, and ecological issue that is becoming more pressing with global environmental and social changes. We combine household surveys, ecological surveys, and spatial data in Bayesian hierarchical linear models to explore changes in the drivers of collective action since initial household surveys in 2014. We find that risk perceptions, reliance on forest resources, perceptions of forest safety, and M. micrantha abundance were the most influential factors in our models. Additionally, our findings suggest that the influence of M. micrantha abundance on collective action varies across spatial scales, indicating important interactions between social and biophysical drivers of collective action. Ultimately, our results highlight the importance of considering social and biophysical factors across space and time to inform the design of institutions that will be effective in addressing collection action problems tied to environmental change.
Activity of ecto-5'-nucleotidase in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from carriers of congenital X-linked agammaglobulinemia.

Patients with congenital X-linked agammaglobulinemia (CAG)* have 1/2 to 1/3 the normal activity of ecto-5′-nucleotidase (ecto-5′-NT) in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (1,2). Since peripheral B cells have at least 3 times more ecto-5′-NT activity than peripheral T cells (2,3) this deficiency can be largely explained by the absence of circulating B cells in these patients (4). In an attempt to develop a biochemical test for detection of carriers for CAG, ecto-5′-NT was measured in peripheral B cells and in lymphoblastoid (B) cell lines established from mothers and sisters of patients with CAG.
Management of Pain After Spinal Cord Injury

Chronic pain affects most people with spinal cord injury (SCI). It often impedes performance of activities of daily living and negatively impacts quality of life. Pain after SCI can be classified into subtypes through use of the International SCI Pain Classification with key attributes of the pain necessary for effective monitoring and treatment collected within the International SCI Pain Basic Data Set. Many nociceptive causes of pain seen after SCI are potentially treatable and preventable through the implementation of strategies for preventing overuse injuries. Neuropathic pain, in contrast, has been historically difficult to treat. Options for the treatment of neuropathic pain types which have demonstrated some effectiveness include various adjuvant pharmacological agents, neuromodulatory techniques, and psychological approaches.
Nitric Oxide Influences Injury-Induced Microglial Migration and Accumulation in the Leech CNS

Damage to the leech or mammalian CNS increases nitric oxide (NO) production and causes accumulation of phagocytic microglial cells at the injury site. The aim of this study was to determine whether NO plays a role in microglial migration and accumulation at lesions in which NO is generated by a rapidly appearing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in leeches. Immunohistochemistry and cytochemistry demonstrated active eNOS before and throughout the period of microglial accumulation at the lesion. Decreasing NO synthesis by application of the NOS inhibitorNw-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (1 mm) significantly reduced microglial accumulation, whereas its inactive enantiomerNw-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester (1 mm) resulted in microglial accumulation similar to that in crushed controls. Increasing NO with the donor spermine NONOate (SPNO) (1 mm) also inhibited accumulation, but not in the presence of the NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-teramethylimidazoline-oxyl-3-oxide (50 μm). The effect of SPNO was reversed by washout. SPNO application reduced average microglial migratory speeds and even reversibly arrested cell movement, as measured in living nerve cords. These results suggest that NO produced at a lesion may be a stop signal for microglia to accumulate there and that it can act on microglia early in their migration. Thus, NO may assume a larger role in nerve repair and recovery from injury by modulating accumulation of microglia, which appear to be important for axonal regeneration.
Reactions of ketones on oxide surfaces. II. Nature of the active sites of alumina

The nature of the active sites of alumina for the reaction of cyclohexanone was investigated by the introduction of selective poisoning agents both on the surface of the alumina as well as in the reactant itself. Thus additives which are basic in nature such as sodium ions, ammonia, pyridine, as well as acidic additives such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, cyclohexanol, and isoproponal were used. Dual acid-base sites seem to be responsible for the catalytic properties. The sites responsible for the aldol condensation reaction giving a dimer seem to be similar to those sites responsible for the formation of ethers from alcohols, while the sites responsible for the formation of cyclohexene from cyclohexanone seem to be similar to those sites responsible for the formation of a carboxylate species on the adsorption of alcohols on alumina surfaces. A mechanism is proposed for the reaction of cyclohexanone which does involve the intermediacy of cyclohexanol to account for the formation of cyclohexene.
Endotoxins and other sepsis triggers.

Endotoxin, or more accurately termed bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is recognized as the most potent microbial mediator implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis and septic shock. Yet despite its discovery well over a century ago, the fundamental role of circulating endotoxin in the blood of most patients with septic shock remains enigmatic and a subject of considerable controversy. LPS is the most prominent ‘alarm molecule’ sensed by the host’s early warning system of innate immunity presaging the threat of invasion of the internal milieu by Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. In small doses within a localized tissue space, LPS signaling is advantageous to the host in orchestrating an appropriate antimicrobial defense and bacterial clearance mechanisms. Conversely, the sudden release of large quantities of LPS into the bloodstream is clearly deleterious to the host, initiating the release of a dysregulated and potentially lethal array of inflammatory mediators and procoagulant factors in the systemic circulation. The massive host response to this single bacterial pattern recognition molecule is sufficient to generate diffuse endothelial injury, tissue hypoperfusion, disseminated intravascular coagulation and refractory shock. Numerous attempts to block endotoxin activity in clinical trials with septic patients have met with inconsistent and largely negative results. Yet the groundbreaking discoveries within the past decade into the precise molecular basis for LPS-mediated cellular activation and tissue injury has rekindled optimism that a new generation of therapies that specifically disrupt LPS signaling might succeed. Other microbial mediators found in Gram-positive bacterial and viral and fungal pathogens are now appreciated to activate many of the same host defense networks induced by LPS. This information is providing novel interventions in the continuing effots to improve the care of septic patients.
Literary study and evolutionary theory

Several recent books have claimed to integrate literary study with evolutionary biology. All of the books here considered, except Robert Storey’s, adopt conceptions of evolutionary theory that are in some way marginal to the Darwinian adaptationist program. All the works attempt to connect evolutionary study with various other disciplines or methodologies: for example, with cultural anthropology, cognitive psychology, the psychology of emotion, neurobiology, chaos theory, or structuralist linguistics. No empirical paradigm has yet been established for this field, but important steps have been taken, especially by Storey, in formulating basic principles, identifying appropriate disciplinary connections, and marking out lines of inquiry. Reciprocal efforts are needed from biologists and social scientists.
An Unthrottled Gaseous Fuel Conversion of a 2-Stroke Diesel Engine

The feasibility of converting a conventional unthrottled 2-stroke diesel engine to gaseous fuel was investigated. The development work was performed in two phases. In phase 1 the conversion concepts were built and tested on a single-cylinder engine. In phase 2 one of these was put into effect in a 6-cyl (DDA 6V-71) engine. The design concept with the most promise includes a divided combustion chamber utilizing a gas inlet valve in each chamber and a spark plug ignition source located in the prechamber. The concept has the potential of reducing the exhaust emissions well below the levels new existing in commercial diesels without exhaust smoke and odor and with equivalent fuel consumption and horsepower, as demonstrated in the single-cylinder conversion.
Reforming Cost-Benefit Calculations

Retaking Rationality . How Cost-Benefit Analysis Can Better Protect the Environment and Our Health. By Richard L. Revesz and Michael A. Livermore . Oxford University Press, New York, 2008. 262 pp. $34.95, £18.99. ISBN 9780195368574. The authors argue that despite the biased way cost-benefit analyses have been applied to environmental and health regulations, the approach can and should be used to further the public good.
Viral damage or 'molecular mimicry'-placing the blame in myocarditis.

Coxsackieviruses have long been associated with myocarditis. Recent studies have attempted to determine whether this autoimmune response to heart antigens is initiated by the virus itself, or by host antigens released during viral damage (pages 693–697).
Effect of CD14 blockade in rabbits with Escherichia coli pneumonia and sepsis.

CD14, a pattern recognition receptor found on myeloid cells, is a critical component of the innate immune system that mediates local and systemic host responses to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial products. Previous studies in normal animals have tested the effect of CD14 blockade on the systemic response to i.v. LPS. The goals of the study were to determine whether CD14 blockade protected against the deleterious systemic response associated with Escherichia coli pneumonia and to determine whether this strategy affected the pulmonary response to tissue infection. Rabbits were pretreated with either anti-CD14 mAb or isotype control mAb at 2.5 mg/kg. E. coli (1 x 109 CFU) was inoculated into the lungs, and the animals were observed for either 4 or 24 h. The blockade of CD14 improved the mean arterial blood pressure (p = 0.001) and decreased the i.v. fluid requirements (p = 0.01). Although this therapy protected the vascular compartment, rabbits treated with anti-CD14 mAb had increased bacterial burdens in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid recovered from the instilled lung (p = 0.005) and widened alveolar-arterial oxygen difference. Blockade of CD14 prevents the deleterious systemic responses that occur in sepsis; however, other measures are necessary to control bacterial proliferation at the primary site of infection.
Effects of Neutron Irradiation on the Microstructure of Niobium and Niobium-Base Alloys

The microstructure and microhardness of niobium and commercial prototype niobium-base alloys have been investigated following fast neutron irradiation to a fluence of 1.1 X 10 2 2 neutrons (n)/cm 2 ( 0.1 MeV). The observation from the present experiments that molybdenum and zirconium additions were effective in the suppression of void formation suggests that a vacancy trapping mechanism was operative in the present alloys. The smaller hardness increase observed for the ternary alloys suggests that these alloys may maintain good engineering properties in addition to their improved resistance to void formation.
Sexual reproduction and crossing barriers in white pines: the case between Pinus lambertiana (sugar pine) and P. monticola (western white pine)

The sexual reproductive process in Pinus lambertiana has not been completely described, and previous attempts to generate hybrids with Pinus monticola and other North American pines have not been successful. The nature of incompatibility barriers between P. lambertiana and P. monticola is unknown. This needs to be understood if strategies are to be developed to overcome the said barriers. In this paper, development on interspecific crosses is compared with that on intraspecific crosses on the same parent trees. Pollen grains of both species germinated on the nucellus of both species within a week after pollination. Seed cone receptivity in P. lambertiana came approximately 2 weeks after receptivity in P. monticola, and this delay was perpetuated throughout ovule development in the first year of the reproductive process. Development of the second-year seed cones proceeded more gradually in P. lambertiana. However, seed cones reached maturity only for P. monticola x P. lambertiana. In both crosses, the barriers to hybridization occurred during the second year of the reproductive process. With the P. lambertiana as the seed parent, it was manifested through the failure of the megaspores at the free-nuclear stage to resume development. When P. monticola was used as the seed parent, the male and female gametes failed to fuse. Our results clearly show that the barriers to hybridization in these species occur before or at fertilization. However, the exact mechanisms behind these are still unknown. Based on the results of this study, we present several strategies to bypass the developmental barriers and possibly produce hybrid progenies.
Bandwidth quantization and states reduction in the broadband ISDN

If a network supports only certain rates, we say its bandwidth is quantized. In a quantized-bandwidth network, a customer may be forced to use the next higher rate if the requested rate is not supported. The result is a higher blocking probability and a lower throughput. The throughput loss due to quantization is called the quantization loss, and its related issues are the focus of this paper. We show that the quantization loss is insensitive to capacity scaling and traffic-loading. More important, it is hardly as large as is thought. Even for a network, such as ATM, intending to support a continuous bit rate, bandwidth quantization can be a powerful tool for states reduction. States reduction is shown to be indispensable for solving many problems, such as routing and capacity planning, of a broadband network. >
Feminist Reflections on Vulnerability: Disrespect, Obligation, Action

����� ��� to or the risk of an attack by hostile forces or, recently, terrorism. 2 From natural disasters to political catastrophes, from economic/political disempowerment to the weakness of military defense, the patterns and the causes of vulnerability have to be measured, prevented, or at least managed in order to protect populations. Indeed, this is the goal of global vulnerability studies, whether located in academia or in political, national, or international organizations. 3 Since such studies aim to control and protect populations and natural environment across the globe, vulnerability thus conceived represents the expansion of biopolitics on the global scale. The protection of vulnerable people (the emblem of which are often racialized women and children) and nature always occurs in the name of security, which, according to Hardt and Negri, represents a constructive aspect of biopower and the new means of its legitimation (18-31). Since the mobilization of the military or police power in the name of security requires a constant threat, the vulnerability of populations to internal or external dangers, from terrorism and the influx of illegal immigrants to drug wars, provides the means of such legitimation. At the other end of the spectrum and no doubt connected to the security of populations as its “dialectical other,” vulnerability occupies the self-help terrain. From books to talk shows, vulnerability signifies a risk that has to be managed by individuals themselves or is reclaimed as a new virtue to be cultivated. 4 As a moral virtue, vulnerability loses its negative connotations and becomes associated instead with empathy and the ability to connect with others—that is, with the capacities traditionally associated with middle-class white femininity. Thus the security
Quantitative analysis of neuronal development in the lateral motor column of mouse spinal cord. I. Genetically associated variations in somal growth patterns

The relative somal and nuclear sizes of neurons in the lateral motor column (LMC) of adult and embryonic mouse brachial spinal cord were determined by light microscopic morphometry. Three genetically varying mouse strains, previously shown to differ in the development of a forelimb reflex pathway, were studied. In adults, the size distribution of somata, nuclei, and nucleoli were bimodal for each strain, indicating that there are two distinct size classes of LMC neurons. The size division between large and small LMC neurons differed among strains with more large LMC neurons occurring in strain CBA/CaJ than in either LP/J or C57BL/6J. In embryos, the growth of LMC cells was studied by determining the average area of nuclear profiles for specimens ranging in age from embryonic day 11 (E11) to 16. The average nuclear profile area increased significantly during this period in all three strains, and differences were found in the initial size and apparent rate of growth among strains. Early in development (E11-12), strain differences in apparent cell size were: C57BL/6J greater than CBA/CaJ greater than LP/J, and this strain order corresponds to observed strain differences in the onset of reflexogenesis and synaptogenesis (Vaughn et al., '75). Later in development (E16), strain differences in apparent cell size were: CBA/CaJ greater than LP/J greater than or equal to C57BL/6J, and this relationship corresponds to a more rapid increase of presumptive afferent synapses in CBA/CaJ than in the other two strains between E15 and E16. Possible causal relationships among neuronal size, growth, and synaptogenesis are suggested by these strain differences.
Benzodiazepine effects on heart rate conditioning in the rabbit

The present experiment was undertaken to assess the ways in which benzodiazepine administration alters heart rate responding during Pavlovian aversive conditioning in the rabbit. Each of three benzodiazepine compounds (chlordiazepoxide, flurazepam, diazepam) reliably attenuated the magnitude of the conditioned bradycardia response as compared to vehicle controls. Lower doses of two of these compounds significantly potentiated the conditioned bradycardia response. Benzodiazepine treatment did not significantly alter baseline heart rate, the expression and habituation of the heart rate orienting response, or heart rate responding during unpaired stimulus presentations. The effects of benzodiazepines under these conditions therefore appeared to be selective to those heart rate responses that were conditioned. These results are consistent with evidence suggesting the involvement of benzodiazepine-sensitive processes in the expression of emotional responses, including concomitant cardiovascular alterations.
Spirocyclic hypervalent iodine(III)-mediated radiofluorination of non-activated and hindered aromatics

Fluorine-18 (t½=109.7 min) is the most commonly used isotope to prepare radiopharmaceuticals for molecular imaging by positron emission tomography (PET). Nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions of suitably activated (electron-deficient) aromatic substrates with no-carrier-added [18F]fluoride ion are routinely carried out in the synthesis of radiotracers in high specific activities. Despite extensive efforts to develop a general 18F-labelling technique for non-activated arenes there is an urgent and unmet need to achieve this goal. Here we describe an effective solution that relies on the chemistry of spirocyclic hypervalent iodine(III) complexes, which serve as precursors for rapid, one-step regioselective radiofluorination with [18F]fluoride. This methodology proves to be efficient for radiolabelling a diverse range of non-activated functionalized arenes and heteroarenes, including arene substrates bearing electron-donating groups, bulky ortho functionalities, benzylic substituents and meta-substituted electron-withdrawing groups. Polyfunctional molecules and a range of previously elusive 18F-labelled building blocks, compounds and radiopharmaceuticals are synthesized. Fluorine-18 containing molecules are important for PET imaging, but due to the short half-life it is necessary to develop rapid methods for its introduction. Here, the authors use spirocyclic iodine(III) precursors, allowing direct 18F labelling of highly functionalized non-activated arenes and PET radiopharmaceuticals.
Gutzwiller projection with embedded clusters.

We present a method for computing expectation values of local operators in fully Gutzwiller-projected states that allows accurate extrapolation to the thermodynamic limit for states with sufficiently short-range correlations. We then calculate static spin-spin correlations in a variety of one- and two-dimensional states as well as the effective kinetic energy of holons in a chiral spin liquid.
Liquid--liquid extraction of zinc with high-molecular-weight amines from alkaline cyanide solutions

Abstract Quaternary amines are unique in their ability to extract metal cyanides from highly alkaline solutions. Zinc cyanide extracts essentially quantitatively at both the subnanogram and macro levels. Regeneration of the amine solvent is achieved by stripping the zinc with sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite, or alkaline or acidic formaldehyde solutions. Because they readily extract free cyanide as well as anionic metal cyano complexes, the high-molecular-weight quaternary amines show considerable promise for industrial pollution abatement applications.
Studies on peak width measurement-based FIA acid-base determinations

Studies on Peak Width Measurement-Based FIA Acid-Base Determinations Peak width measurement is employed to determine strong acid or base concentrations by injection into an aqueous indicator flowstream. Investigated parameters include concentration and pK of the indicator, dimensions and nature of the dispersion tube, signal level employed for peak width measurement, sample volume, carrier flow rate, viscosity of the carrier stream and the diffusion coefficient of the analyte.
Effects of testosterone on body weight and adipose tissue: Role of aromatization

Abstract Treatment of castrated male rats with low doses of testosterone propionate (TP; 0.2 mg/day) increases food intake and body weight gain, but long-term treatment with a higher dose of TP (1 mg/day) reduces body weight gain and carcass fat content. Concurrent treatment with androsta-1,4,6-triene-3, 17-dione (ATD), which blocks the aromatization of androgens to estrogens, prevents the weight-reducing effects of high doses of TP. Long-term treatment with 1 mg TP/day also depletes cytoplasmic estrogen receptors and reduces lipoprotein lipase activity in epididymal fat pads. Both of these effects are blocked by concurrent treatment with ATD. These findings suggest that in male rats given high doses of TP, estrogenic metabolites of the androgen may reduce body weight gain by direct effects on adipose tissue metabolism, including lipoprotein lipase activity. These mechanisms may underlie the reductions in body weight and carcass fat content seen in gondadally-intact, sexually-active male rats.
The globalization of medical education

Healthcare providers are moving more freely across borders than at any time in our history, and healthcare and academic institutions are establishing clinical facilities around the world. A new kind of migration is emerging, due to rising cost and other factors, in which students from developed countries are seeking education and training opportunities abroad. Medical education is undergoing rapid globalization, with several well-known United States institutions establishing programs and facilities around the world. A generation of 20 to 30 year-olds in the United States, referred to as the “First Globals,” see themselves as citizens of the world and seek to train anywhere and live anywhere. Consequently, there are methods under development to benchmark physician competence at a much more granular level, regardless of where the student is trained and practices.
Peptide delivery using phospholipid micelles

Peptide based drugs are an important class of therapeutic agents but their development into commercial products is often hampered due to their inherent physico-chemical and biological instabilities. Phospholipid micelles can be used to address these delivery concerns. Peptides self-associate with micelles that serve to thwart the aggregation of these biomolecules. Self-association with micelles does not modify the peptide chemically; therefore the process does not denature or compromise the bioactivity of peptides. Additionally, many amphiphilic peptides adopt α-helical conformation in phospholipid micelles which is not only the most favorable conformation for receptor interaction but also improves their stability against proteolytic degradation, thus making them long-circulating. Furthermore, the nanosize of micelles enables passive targeting of peptides to the desired site of action through leaky vasculature present at tumor and inflamed tissues. All these factors alter the pharmacokinetic and biodistribution profiles of peptides therefore enhance their efficacy, reduce the dose required to obtain a therapeutic response and prevent adverse effects due to interaction of the peptide with receptors present in other physiological sites of the body. These phospholipid micelle based peptide nanomedicines can be easily scaled-up and lyophilized, thus setting the stage for further development of the formulation for clinical use. All things considered, it can be concluded that phospholipid micelles are a safe, stable and effective delivery option for peptide drugs and they form a great promise for future peptide nanomedicines.
Influence of extracellular matrix on the proliferation of human amniotic fluid cells in vitro

Factors which influence the proliferation of human amniotic fluid cells in vitro have potential importance in reducing the time for prenatal diagnosis. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) has been shown to be mitogenic for human amniotic fluid cells. The observation that cells which respond to FGF in vitro produce their own extracellular matrix (ECM), led to the use of an ECM as a substrate to assess proliferation. Pooled amniotic fluid cells maintained on an ECM prepared from bovine corneal endothelial cells demonstrated a significant increase in proliferation when compared with cells maintained on plastic substrate in the presence or absence of FGF. If FGF was added to cultures of amniotic fluid cells maintained on ECM, further increases in proliferation were noted compared with cells maintained on ECM in the absence of FGF. These results indicate that the substrate upon which amniotic fluid cells are maintained can have a profound influence on their proliferation.
Tolerance to the hypothermic effects of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol as a function of age in the chicken

1. (-)-Delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol was administered to chicks (Gallus domesticus) of various ages and body temperature and tolerance to the hypothermic effects of the drug were examined as a function of age.2. The hypothermic effects were found to be greater in neonatal than older animals and likewise tolerance took longer to develop in younger chicks.3. The rate of tolerance development, however, could be increased in the neonate by preadministration of a high dose of the drug.
Tissue culture media supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum contains a castrate level of testosterone.

BACKGROUND: Human prostate cancer cells are routinely maintained in media supplemented with 10% Fetal Calf Serum (FCS) to provide androgen. In the present study, total and free testosterone levels in 10%FCS supplemented tissue culture media were determined and compared to levels in intact and castrated human males. Dextran-coated charcoal stripped FCS (i.e., DC-FCS) is often used instead of FCS to minimize the level of androgen provided in 10% serum supplemented media. Therefore, total and free testosterone levels in 10%DC-FCS containing media were likewise determined. METHODS: Total testosterone, free testosterone, and total dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were determined on RPMI-1640 media supplemented with either 10%FCS or 10%DC-FCS by ELISA assays before and after exposure to LNCaP human prostate cancer cells in culture. The growth and PSA secretion by these cells was also determined. RESULTS: Ten percentage FCS supplemented media contains a castrate level of testosterone. However, even with this castrate starting level of testosterone, LNCaP cells concentrate and metabolize the testosterone to produce a physiologic (i.e., 10 nM) level of intracellular DHT which optimally stimulates the growth of these cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: The present studies document that prostate cancer cells auto-regulate their androgen metabolism so that an optimal level of DHT for growth is maintained during both up and down fluctuations in the supply of testosterone. These results have significant implications for whether exogenous androgen should be added to the 10%FCS supplemented media to grow prostate cancer cells from intact versus castrated patients.
Developmental trajectories of childhood anxiety: Identifying continuity and change in anxious emotion ☆

Abstract This paper outlines a way for thinking about continuity and change in childhood anxiety symptoms. Considerations for a model of continuity and change in anxious emotion are discussed first. Then, a perspective which may resolve inconsistencies across studies on the stability of childhood anxiety problems overtime is presented. The perspective views dysregulation of the anxiety response system and distress/negative affect as the core primary and necessary features of maladaptive anxious emotion and views the disorder-specific symptoms (generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, separation anxiety, panic disorder, and simple phobia) as secondary characteristics of maladaptive anxious emotion. The perspective emphasizes ordered complexity in the developmental expression of anxious emotion, and delineates expectations for continuity and change in the features of anxious emotion by describing major normative trajectories across childhood and positing multiple sub-trajectories.