cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-operative acute kidney injury is associated with a biomarker of acute brain injury after paediatric cardiac surgery.

Introduction Children with CHD who undergo cardiopulmonary bypass are at an increased risk of acute kidney injury. This study evaluated the association of end-organ specific injury plasma biomarkers for brain: glial fibrillary acidic protein and heart: Galectin 3, soluble suppression of tumorgenicity 2, and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide with acute kidney injury in children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. Materials and methods We enrolled consecutive children undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Blood samples were collected pre-bypass in the operating room and in the immediate post-operative period. Acute kidney injury was defined as a rise of serum creatinine ≥50% from pre-operative baseline within 7 days after surgery. Results Overall, 162 children (mean age 4.05 years, sd 5.28 years) were enrolled. Post-operative acute kidney injury developed in 55 (34%) children. Post-operative plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein levels were significantly higher in patients with acute kidney injury (median 0.154 (inter-quartile range 0.059-0.31) ng/ml) compared to those without acute kidney injury (median 0.056 (inter-quartile range 0.001-0.125) ng/ml) (p = 0.043). After adjustment for age, weight, and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery category, each natural log increase in post-operative glial fibrillary acidic protein was significantly associated with a higher risk for subsequent acute kidney injury (adjusted odds ratio glial fibrillary acidic protein 1.25; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.59). Pre/post-operative levels of galectin 3, soluble suppression of tumorgenicity 2, and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide did not significantly differ between patients with and without acute kidney injury. Conclusions Higher plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein levels measured in the immediate post-operative period were independently associated with subsequent acute kidney injury in children after cardiopulmonary bypass. Elevated glial fibrillary acidic protein likely reflects intraoperative brain injury which may occur in the context of acute kidney injury-associated end-organ dysfunction.
2 – Frequency Distributions and Graphs

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the methods involved in regular frequency distributions, in which every score value is required to be listed the first column with the highest score at the top. For grouped frequency distributions, the class intervals are required to be listed in the first column, and the frequencies are required to be listed in the second column. In such a case, it is usually desirable to have a total of 8–15 class intervals; to use an interval size of 2, 3, 5, or a multiple of 5, selecting the smallest size that satisfies the first rule; and to make the lowest score in each interval a multiple of the interval size. Grouped frequency distributions must not be used if all scores can be quickly and conveniently reported as grouped frequency distributions lose information. Histograms, in which the frequency of any score is expressed by the height of the bar above that score, are particularly appropriate for discrete data. Frequency polygons, in which the frequency of any score is expressed by the height of the point above that score and points are connected by straight lines, are particularly appropriate for continuous data.
All Experiences Matter: Designing Safety Tools for Vulnerable Groups in the Caribbean

Threats to online safety continue to be an extensive problem for social media users. In particular, women and the LGBTQ+ community are often disproportionately affected by severe forms of threats that could transfer to risks to their physical safety. However, safety tools and platform policies often assume users are more homogeneous which may not acknowledge the varying needs of vulnerable populations affected by social oppression. This problem is exacerbated in small closely-knit communities like the Caribbean where it may be difficult to recover from or avoid abusers. Although legislation for online safety exists, they are enforced in few countries throughout the region, and there are few cases of victims being heard in court. My dissertation work attempts to address this problem by developing a holistic understanding of how to design safety tools that acknowledge cultural differences, legislative constraints, and social oppression for vulnerable groups.
Does investing in low-income urban neighborhoods improve sleep?

STUDY OBJECTIVES Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with poor sleep, which may contribute to and exacerbate racial and socioeconomic health disparities. Most prior work has been cross-sectional and thus it has not been possible to estimate causal effects. METHODS We leveraged a natural experiment opportunity in two low-income, predominantly African American Pittsburgh, PA neighborhoods, following a randomly selected cohort of households (n = 676) between 2013 and 2016. One of the neighborhoods received substantial public and private investments (housing, commercial) over the study period, while the other socio-demographically similar neighborhood received far fewer investments. Primary analyses used a difference-in-difference analysis based on neighborhood, to examine changes in actigraphy-assessed sleep duration, efficiency, and wakefulness after sleep onset (WASO), and self-reported sleep quality. Secondary analyses examined whether residents' proximity to investments, regardless of neighborhood, was associated with changes in sleep outcomes. RESULTS Resident sleep worsened over time in both neighborhoods with no significant differences among residents between the two neighborhoods. Secondary analyses, including covariate adjustment and propensity score weighting to improve comparability, indicated that regardless of neighborhood, those who lived in closer proximity to investments (<0.1 mile) were significantly less likely to experience decreases in sleep duration, efficiency, and quality, or increases in WASO, compared to those who lived farther away. CONCLUSIONS While we did not observe sleep differences among residents between neighborhoods, living closer to a neighborhood investment was associated with better sleep outcomes. Findings have relevance for public health and policy efforts focused on investing in historically disinvested neighborhoods.
A New Score for Quantifying Adherence to a Cancer-Preventive Mediterranean Diet.

Herein a Mediterranean Cancer Preventive Diet Score (MCAP Score) is proposed to quantify adherence to both traditional Mediterranean fat intakes and the current dietary recommendations for cancer p...
Ultrafast Electron Diffraction

Integral to the exploration of nonequilibrium phenomena in solid state systems is the measurement of lattice motion after photoexcitation by a femtosecond laser pulse. For the past two decades, ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) has played a critical role in the field of photoinduced structural dynamics, including the study of non-adiabatic phase transitions, metastable states, and the electron–phonon interaction in correlated systems. This chapter introduces the fundamentals of the UED technique—one of the principal tools employed in this dissertation—accompanied by an overview of recent advances in instrumentation that significantly improve the temporal and momentum resolutions. The design, construction, and characterization of a table-top keV UED setup are discussed in detail. The quality of UED data in the transmission geometry critically depends on fabrication of single-crystalline thin films with a large lateral dimension, and three state-of-the-art fabrication techniques are presented. The chapter is concluded by the data analysis protocol used throughout the dissertation.
Identifying and quantifying tumor burden by in-vivo labeling and surgical specimen PET/CT imaging

1637 Objectives In an ongoing prospective clinical trial, we were able to assess the ability of PET/CT to identify and quantify tumor burden within surgical specimens. This methodology exploits the avidity of PET radiotracers for malignant cells in order to more accurately stage and treat patients with a wide variety of cancers. Methods Sixteen patients with a variety of cancers participated in this study. Each patient received a dose of FDG on the day of surgery. Immediately following resection, the surgical specimen was imaged with a PET/CT. The specimen was then cut in a grid-like fashion to yield 1X1X0.5cm pieces. These pieces were imaged, weighed, and activity quantified in a well counter. The pieces were then sent to pathology for correlation. Results 105 pieces of tissue were microscopically analyzed and correlated with maximum voxel activity (MVox) based on PET/CT and quantification of activity from the well counter (WellCounts). Significant differences were found in the MVox and WellCounts of pieces containing tumor compared to pieces free of tumor on microscopic examination (P Conclusions This methodology allows for identification and quantification of tumor burden within surgical specimens. This information can be used intraoperatively to assess surgical margins, as well as help guide pathology sampling of surgical oncology specimens. Ultimately, this has potential to improve patient outcomes.
Contemporary Sports Marketing

Abstract The term „sports marketing“ developed in the United States as a way to analyze and implement strategies in which innovative as well as tried and true marketing techniques are used to financially support amateur and professional sports. With costs increasing, purveyors of ports must look for additional revenue beyond ticket sales and television fees. Corporations are searching for ways to increase the effective use of the advertising dollar. The partnership of the two parties has never been stronger than today, in the U.S. and abroad. In fact, sports collectively currently make up the 11th largest industry in the country. This article reviews the various aspects of the sports marketing mix including sponsorships, partnerships, the athlete, as well as the upcoming role of the web. The implications to corporations, the rising female athlete, and future challenges and opportunities are discussed
An electron microscopic study of synapse formation, receptor outer segment development, and other aspects of developing mouse retina.

Synapse formation and several other developmental features of potential functional significance were followed by electron microscopy in mouse retina through the postnatal developmental period. Tight junctions between pigment epithelial cells, which are postulated to play a possible role in blood retina barriers, were well established in the newborn animal. Observations pertaining to receptor outer segment development indicated that saccule formation began between the fifth and sixth postnatal days and appeared to occur by a process of plasma membrane invagination. The formation of various types of synaptic complexes in both plexiform layers was studied in an attempt to ascertain the sequence in which these complexes mature in developing retina. Although layering phenomena observed with the light microscope suggest that retinal maturation proceeds from inner to outer levels of the retina, with ganglion cells maturing first and receptors last, this did not appear to be the sequence with which synapses matured. Synaptic developments began early and proceeded rapidly in receptor terminals in contrast to inner retinal components which showed a relative lag in achieving synaptic maturity. This finding is discussed in light of certain electroretinographic data on developing retina which suggest that at least some aspects of functional maturation proceed centripetally from outer to inner levels of the retina.
International Public Management Network Symposium: "New Public Management Has Been Completely Discredited, Thank God!"

In late February 2004, well-known and highly respected Canadian academic Donald Savoie was appointed to assist the Canadian government, "to help overhaul the management and accountability of government in the aftermath of [a] scandal." Among the remarks Savoie made to the press upon appointment was the following excerpt, "New public management has been completely discredited, thank God" (The Ottawa Citizen, 2/27/04). Savoie's comment and the article that carried it were brought to the attention of the IPMN community by Alasdair Roberts. The comment stimulated a dialogue about NPM on the IPMN listserver that is represented in this symposium, in roughly the order in which comments were transmitted, with only minor editing. The dialogue tells much about current views on the utility, or lack thereof, of New Public Management and how the maturation of NPM is perceived by the international community of scholars in the field of public management.
Numerical increases and distributional shifts of Chrysaora quinquecirrha (Desor) and Aurelia aurita (Linné) (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Fisheries resource trawl survey data from the National Marine Fisheries Service from a 11–13-year period to 1997 were examined to quantify numerical and distributional changes of two species of northern Gulf of Mexico scyphomedusae: the Atlantic sea nettle, Chrysaora quinquecirrha (Desor), and the moon jelly, Aurelia aurita (Linne). Trawl surveys were grouped into 10 statistical regions from Mobile Bay, Alabama to the southern extent of Texas, and extended seaward to the shelf break. Records of summertime C. quinquecirrha medusa populations show both an overall numerical increase and a distributional expansion away from shore in the down-stream productivity field of two major river system outflows: Mobile Bay and the Mississippi-Atchafalaya Rivers. In addition, there is a significant overlap between summer C. quinquecirrha and lower water column hypoxia on the Louisiana shelf. In trawl surveys from the fall, A. aurita medusae showed significant trends of numerical increase in over half of the regions analyzed. For both species, there were statistical regions of no significant change, but there were no regions that showed significant decrease in number or distribution. The relationships between natural and human-induced (e.g. coastal eutrophication, fishing activity and hard substrate supplementation) ecosystem modifications are very complex in the Gulf of Mexico, and the potential impact of increased jellyfish populations in one of North America's most valuable fishing grounds is a most critical issue. Several hypotheses are developed and discussed to guide future research efforts in the Gulf of Mexico.
Variation, Within Species: Introduction

Individuals within a species will have similar genes but will differ in phenotypic characteristics and behaviour because of slight differences in the genotype and response to environmental conditions. This was first reported by Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace in the paper ‘On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means’ read to the Linnean Society in London on 1 July 1858. Keywords: DNA; mutations; biodiversity; population dynamics; evolution
Automatic pH Control and Soluble and Insoluble Substrate Input for Continuous Culture of Rumen Microorganisms.

Abstract An artifical rumen continuous culture with pH control, automated input of water-soluble and water-insoluble substrates, controlled mixing of contents, and a collection system for gas is described.
High Yttria–Zirconia and Yttria Ceramics for Petrochemical Reverse‐Flow Reactor Applications

Reverse-flow reactors achieve the desired hydropyrolysis reaction of natural gas and other hydrocarbon feeds at very high temperatures of up to 2000°C, which enables the production of many high-value chemicals. To identify refractory ceramic materials suitable for constructing key components of the reactor, the full range of solid solutions between zirconia and yttria having 18 to 100 mol% yttria have been tested in a laboratory reactor. Conventional yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) materials having 8 mol% Y2O3 appear to accommodate reactor thermal severity, but are prone to a new form of corrosion termed ceramic dusting that is observed when pyrolysis and oxidation cycles are alternated under reverse-flow conditions. Yttria and high yttria–zirconia ceramics having ~80 mol% or more yttria suppress ceramic dusting corrosion in steam-free pyrolysis environments. The addition of low levels of steam of ~5% to the pyrolysis gas stream increases the stability of YSZ materials substantially, so that the stability threshold is closer to 40 mol% Y2O3 in the yttria–zirconia system. The two approaches can be combined to optimize reactor performance. Key experimental results are presented and discussed taking into account the thermodynamic phase stability of the different phases.
Choosing Wisely in Newborn Medicine: Five Opportunities to Increase Value

BACKGROUND: The use of unnecessary tests and treatments contributes to health care waste. The “Choosing Wisely” campaign charges medical societies with identifying such items. This report describes the identification of 5 tests and treatments in newborn medicine. METHODS: A national survey identified candidate tests and treatments. An expert panel of 51 individuals representing 28 perinatal care organizations narrowed the list over 3 rounds of a modified Delphi process. In the final round, the panel was provided with Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) literature summaries of the top 12 tests and treatments. RESULTS: A total of 1648 candidate tests and 1222 treatments were suggested by 1047 survey respondents. After 3 Delphi rounds, the expert panel achieved consensus on the following top 5 items: (1) avoid routine use of antireflux medications for treatment of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease or for treatment of apnea and desaturation in preterm infants, (2) avoid routine continuation of antibiotic therapy beyond 48 hours for initially asymptomatic infants without evidence of bacterial infection, (3) avoid routine use of pneumograms for predischarge assessment of ongoing and/or prolonged apnea of prematurity, (4) avoid routine daily chest radiographs without an indication for intubated infants, and (5) avoid routine screening term-equivalent or discharge brain MRIs in preterm infants. CONCLUSIONS: The Choosing Wisely Top Five for newborn medicine highlights tests and treatments that cannot be adequately justified on the basis of efficacy, safety, or cost. This list serves as a starting point for quality improvement efforts to optimize both clinical outcomes and resource utilization in newborn care.
Characterization of tolloid-related-1: a BMP-1-like product that is required during larval and pupal stages of Drosophila development.

Abstract The Drosophila tolloid (tld) gene product belongs to a family of developmentally important proteins that includes bone morphogenetic protein-1 (BMP-1). In Drosophila, tld is required at the blastoderm stage to establish pattern within the dorsal half of the embryo. Genetic analysis suggests that the major function of tld is to augment the activity of the decapentaplegic gene product, a close relative of the TGF-β superfamily members, BMP-2 and BMP-4. In this report, we describe a new gene called tolloid-related-1 (tlr-1) that maps immediately proximal to tld . Sequence analysis indicates that tlr-1 has a large N-terminal extension relative to tld , but otherwise shows the same general organization of sequence motifs found in tld and other BMP-1 family members. These include a region of similarity to astacin, a crayfish metalloprotease, five copies of a repeat first found in complement proteins C1r and C1s, and two copies of an epidermal growth factor-like sequence. In situ hybridization experiments show that tlr-1 expression partially overlaps tld expression in early embryos, but shows unique transcriptional patterns in late stage embryos that are not seen with tld . In larval stages, both genes are expressed in identical patterns in imaginal discs and in the optic lobes of the brain, but tlr-1 is more abundant than tld . Deletions that eliminate tlr-1 expression cause lethality during larval and pupal stages of development. A small proportion of homozygous mutant flies eclose and show wing veination defects. Transgenic animals in which a tlr-1 cDNA is driven by the tld promoter fail to rescue tld mutations, and extra copies of tld fail to rescue tlr-1 mutations, implying that these genes have evolved functionally distinct features. We propose that tld and tlr-1 arose by gene duplication and that each has evolved independently to acquire distinct tissue specific roles in Drosophila development.
Effects of extracts from Italian medicinal plants on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and adherence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract Aim of study One-third of botanical remedies from southern Italy are used to treat skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of SSTI, has generated increasing concern due to drug resistance. Many plants possess antimicrobial agents and provide effective remedies for SSTI. Our aim was to investigate plants from different ethnobotanical usage groups for inhibition of growth and biofilms in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Materials and methods Three groups were assessed: plant remedies for SSTI, plant remedies not involving the skin, and plants with no ethnomedical application. We screened 168 extracts, representing 104 botanical species, for activity against MRSA (ATCC 33593). We employed broth dilution methods to determine the MIC after 18 h growth using an optical density (OD600nm) reading. Anti-biofilm effects were assessed by growing biofilms for 40 h, then fixing and staining with crystal violet. After washing, 10% Tween 80 was added and OD570nm readings were taken. Results Extracts from 10 plants exhibited an IC50 ≤ 32 μg/ml for biofilm inhibition: Lonicera alpigena, Castanea sativa, Juglans regia, Ballota nigra, Rosmarinus officinalis, Leopoldia comosa, Malva sylvestris, Cyclamen hederifolium, Rosa canina, and Rubus ulmifolius. Limited bacteriostatic activity was evident. Conclusion This study has demonstrated that the anti-biofilm activity of medicinal plants used for SSTI is significantly greater than plants without any ethnomedical applications.
Semiclassical quantization using Bogomolny's quantum surface of section

The efficacy and accuracy of Bogomolny's method of the quantum surface of section are evaluated by applying it to the quantization of the motion of a particle in a smooth two-dimensional potential. This method defines a transfer operator T in terms of classical trajectories of one Poincar\'e crossing; knowledge of T provides information about the eigenstates of the quantum system. By using a more robust quantization criterion than the one proposed by Bogomolny, we are able to locate more than 500 quantum states in both the regular and the chaotic regimes\char22{}in most cases unambiguously\char22{}and see no reason why the spectra could not be continued indefinitely. The errors of the predictions are comparable in the two regimes, and are roughly constant for increasing excitation, but they grow as a fraction of the (shrinking) mean level spacing. We also show the computed surface of section wave functions, and present other theoretical and practical results related to the technique.
Regulation of protein kinase C δ by estrogen in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line

Abstract We have previously shown that estrogen up-regulates expression of protein kinase C (PKC) δ in the rat and rabbit corpus luteum as well as in luteinized rat granulosa primary cell cultures. To determine whether a similar regulation of the PKC δ isoform by estrogen occurred in another estrogen responsive system, we investigated the estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. In a characterization of PKC isoforms in MCF-7 cells we determined that PKC δ was the predominant PKC isoform. However in contrast to the effect of estrogen on PKC δ expression in ovarian cells, estrogen treatment of MCF-7 cells resulted in a significant decrease in PKC δ protein and mRNA expression in a time and dose dependent manner. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with 10 −10 –10 −8 M estrogen for 7 days down-regulated specifically PKC δ mRNA and protein while expression of other PKC isoforms was unchanged. The opposite regulation of PKC δ expression in ovarian and breast cancer cells prompted us to evaluate the type of estrogen receptor present in both cell types. Results showed that luteinized rat granulosa cells expressed predominantly estrogen receptor β while the MCF-7 cells expressed predominantly estrogen receptor α and barely detectable levels of estrogen receptor β. These results suggest that the differential ability of estrogen to regulate PKC δ expression could potentially be a result of differential signaling through the two estrogen receptor subtypes.
A case study of radar observations and WRF LES simulations of the impact of ground-based glaciogenic seeding on orographic clouds and precipitation. Part I: Observations and model validations

AbstractProfiling airborne radar data and accompanying large-eddy-simulation (LES) modeling are used to examine the impact of ground-based glaciogenic seeding on cloud and precipitation in a shallow stratiform orographic winter storm. This storm occurred on 18 February 2009 over a mountain in Wyoming. The numerical simulations use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model in LES mode with horizontal grid spacings of 300 and 100 m in a domain covering the entire mountain range, and a glaciogenic seeding parameterization coupled with the Thompson microphysics scheme. A series of non-LES simulations at 900-m resolution, each with different initial/boundary conditions, is validated against sounding, cloud, and precipitation data. The LES runs then are driven by the most representative 900-m non-LES simulation. The 100-m LES results compare reasonably well to the vertical-plane radar data. The modeled vertical-motion field reveals a turbulent boundary layer and gravity waves above this layer, as observe...
Rectal Reconstruction Using the Turnbull-Cutait Abdominoperineal Pull-Through Anastomosis: Indications and Outcomes

Rectal reconstruction with abdominoperineal pull-through and immediate anastomosis has been introduced and developed by many surgeons for more than a century. The Turnbull-Cutait abdominoperineal pull-through procedure with delayed anastomosis was originally described in 1961 for the treatment of low rectal cancers. With the advent of stapling devices and better patient selection, this approach has been considered outmoded and has largely been jettisoned from the repertoire of many even expert surgeons who perform colorectal procedures. A primary colorectal or coloanal anastomosis is now the preferred technique in most patients. We believe that this method is deserving of continued consideration under certain circumstances, however, to salvage patients with nonmalignant complex and septic anorectal conditions that might otherwise mandate permanent diversion. This article presents current indications, technical aspects and outcomes of this historical procedure, the Turnbull-Cutait abdominoperineal pull-through anastomosis, and reviews the relevant literature.
Near-Optimal Power Control in Wireless Networks: A Potential Game Approach

We study power control in a multi-cell CDMA wireless system whereby self-interested users share a common spectrum and interfere with each other. Our objective is to design a power control scheme that achieves a (near) optimal power allocation with respect to any predetermined network objective (such as the maximization of sum-rate, or some fairness criterion). To obtain this, we introduce the potential-game approach that relies on approximating the underlying noncooperative game with a "close" potential game, for which prices that induce an optimal power allocation can be derived. We use the proximity of the original game with the approximate game to establish through Lyapunov-based analysis that natural user-update schemes (applied to the original game) converge within a neighborhood of the desired operating point, thereby inducing near-optimal performance in a dynamical sense. Additionally, we demonstrate through simulations that the actual performance can in practice be very close to optimal, even when the approximation is inaccurate. As a concrete example, we focus on the sum-rate objective, and evaluate our approach both theoretically and empirically.
Endovascular Management of Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas

Classification, pathophysiology, and endovascular treatment of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas are discussed. Risk for neurologic deterioration is based on the presence and extent of cortical venous reflux. Previous endovascular techniques relied heavily on transvenous coil embolization. Recent advances in endovascular materials have facilitated the treatment and cure of many of these lesions via transarterial approaches. Penetration of liquid embolic agent into the nidus and foot of the draining vein is crucial for long-term angiographic cure.
ON THE WELL‐POSEDNESS OF THE TWO‐DIMENSIONAL HYDRODYNAMIC MODEL FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

Some results concerning the well‐posedness of the hydrodynamic model of semiconductor devices in two dimensions are given. We show the non‐ellipticity of the stationary model; give representations which exhibit its elliptic and hyperbolic components, and obtain some appropriate boundary conditions from an examination of the time‐dependent problem.
Conversing with customers

In the challenging business of customer service, it can be difficult to gauge how well you and your employees are doing. Since you don't usually create a physical product, measuring the somewhat intangible results of your work can be a challenge-particularly when you provide support in other than face-to-face interactions. The bottom line is often how happy or satisfied your customers are. To assist in measuring customer satisfaction, we developed a real-time survey that is sent to each person who contacts the Solution Center at Iowa State University. Each customer then gets an opportunity to rate us on how we did and whether we were able to help them. In addition, the customer can ask that a manager contact them to follow up on the situation. This effort to reach out creates a channel of communication that lets the customer know we care about their experience and the quality of help they receive. Additionally, it also allows us to see where there are opportunities to improve our processes and helps us to assess potential problem areas. The real-time survey has been beneficial in the development of our student employees as future IT support professionals. The survey yields real-life responses to employees' performance in an environment where they can learn from their experience. This session is intended for all levels of user support staff.
[Pharmaceutical research in the early stages of drug discovery--significance and practice]

新薬の物性測定，結晶スクリーニング，製剤技術の応用といった薬剤学的検討は，吸収性・薬物動態・製造性・安定性に大きな影響を与える．創薬研究を効率よく行うには，探索段階のステージに応じた，脂溶性・酸塩基解離定数・溶解度・溶解速度測定などの分子物性測定，結晶化・塩・結晶多形のスクリーニング，製剤技術の応用といった項目を実施することが重要である．また，それぞれの項目について科学的理解と最新の技術（テクノロジー）の把握，さらに創薬研究への応用についての正しい戦術策定があってこそ，新規スクリーニングの開発と導入，適切なプロジェクトへの応用といった意味のある研究が可能になる．それらを可能にするには科学技術・プロジェクトチーム両面から見た人材育成も必要であり，そのためにはマネージメントも大きな役割を果たす．探索段階における薬剤学的研究の意義とファイザー株式会社中央研究所（愛知県）における実践例を紹介する．
Phase distribution studies using energy dispersive X-ray spectral analysis

Etude de la distribution de phases dans les ceramiques par spectrometrie RX a dispersion d'energie
Aluminum stress on sorghum growth and nutrient relationships

Sorghum plants were grown in the greenhouse in modified Steinberg nutrient solution containing ten Al rates (0 to 297 μM) and harvested 28 days after transplanting. Top and root dry weight were not affected by added Al up to 74 μM; but decreased sharply at concentration of 148 μM and greater. Aluminum concentrations in blade 1 (recently matured blade) and plants remained constant from 0 to 297 μM added Al. Root Al concentration increased as added Al increased. No correlation existed between top dry weight and Al concentration in blade 1 or in plant. Root Al concentration was related to top dry weight and root dry weight to estimate the Al critical toxicity level. The Al critical toxicity levle in the root was 54 mmol kg−1 root dry weight basis for either top or root dry weight. In blade 1 Cu concentration negatively correlated with Al while Fe and P were positively correlated. In roots Ca, Mg, Mn and Fe concentrations were negatively correlated with Al while Zn, Cu, P, and K were positively correlated with Al concentration.
Interfacial Aspects of Polymer Coating by Electropolymerization

Abstract Polymer coatings were produced on graphite fiber electrodes by electroinitiated polymerization in an electrolytic cell containing monomer. The adhesion of the coated graphite fibers to an epoxy matrix has been measured by single fiber pull-out tests. The measured values of the pull-out force, and scanning electron micrographs of pulled-out fibers reveal three modes of failure and degrees of adhesion independent of the type of polymer coating. It is seen that the initial formation of a resin cone on the embedded fiber contributes significantly to the measured values of the pull-out force for fine, 5–10 μm carbon fibers but not for larger diameter (>50μm) fibers. The effect of the surface treatment on the interfacial properties of composites prepared from the coated fibers was manifested in variations of the interlaminar shear and impact strengths of epoxy composite specimens which were sensitive to the type of coating polymer. Polymer coating of carbon fibers by electrodic processes is thus seen a...
Reactivities of tantalum oxide cluster cations with unsaturated hydrocarbons

Abstract The reactivities of tantalum oxide cluster cations with unsaturated hydrocarbons have been probed using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled with a laser vaporization source. The reaction pathways observed for the tantalum oxide clusters with 1,3-butadiene (C4H6), 1-butene (C4H8), and (D6)benzene (C6D6) include association, atomic and molecular oxygen loss, cracking, minor dehydration, and possible dehydrogenation with the reactivities of different clusters varying from species to species. In the case of 1,3-butadiene, the major reaction product involves cracking of the C2–C3 bond to give TaxOy+(C2H4) reaction channels. The major reaction of tantalum oxide clusters with 1-butene is again cracking of the C2–C3 bond to give TaxOy+(C2H4) reaction products. Lastly, cracking of the stable benzene ring to give TaxOy+(C4D4) is the major reaction pathway for tantalum oxide clusters interacting with (D6) benzene.
The Stereoselectivity of the Dehydrogenation of Alkyl Groups on Pt(111) Single-Crystal Surfaces

The thermal chemistry of erythro- and threo-2-butyl-3-d1 species adsorbed on Pt(111) single-crystal surfaces was studied under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The alkyl intermediates were prepared via thermal activation of the appropriate erythro- and threo-2-iodobutane-3-d1 precursors, which were made in house via a three-step synthesis starting with cis- and trans-2,3-epoxybutanes, respectively. Several products were detected in the TPD experiments, including butenes and butanes with different degrees of isotope substitutions and hydrogen from deep dehydrogenation reactions. At least two distinct temperature regimes were identified at higher coverages for the β-hydride elimination steps that produce the olefins, the focus of this work, but one single high-temperature regime could be isolated by working with low coverages of the iodoalkanes. On clean Pt(111), an inverse kinetic isotope effect was observed for the conversion of 2-butyls to 2-butenes, and a slight prefere...
Shock-tube study of pressure broadening of the A2∑+ - X2Π (0,0) band of OH by Ar and N2

Abstract A rapid-tuning, frequency-doubled ring dye laser was used to make fully-resolved lineshape measurements of OH generated behind reflected shock waves in H 2 -O 2 -Ar and H 2 -O 2 -N 2 mixtures. Values of the collisional linewidth were deduced by fitting the observed lineshapes to Voigt profiles. Lines corresponding to transitions with lower-state rotational quantum numbers ranging from 1.5 to 17.5 in the A 2 ∑ + - X 2 Π (0,0) band near 307 nm were probed in order to evaluate a possible J ″-dependence in the observed broadening. The temperature range investigated was 1400–4100 K. The collisional broadening parameter, 2γ, was measured at fixed temperature and did not exhibit a strong dependence on the rotational quantum number for either Ar or N 2 . The temperature dependence of 2γ for specific J ″-values was measured and fit to a power law with an average value of the temperature exponent of 0.8 for both species.
Viscous overstabilities in dense narrow planetary rings.

Abstract We present a study of viscous overstabilities that can arise in a narrow ring whose particles are tightly packed, so that the pressure tensor exhibits a behavior different than that in a more dilute ring. The main objective of this work is to investigate the role of viscous overstabilities in the excitation of (azimuthal) eccentric modes in narrow rings. The problem is studied through an analytical study of a 2-streamline model and supported by a 10-streamline numerical simulation. There are two possible regimes of instabilities, one in which the mean eccentricity of the ring (i.e., of its azimuthal mode) decreases to a small but finite and nearly constant value, while internal modes of libration reach comparable amplitudes ("small eccentricity regime"), and the other one in which the mean eccentricity of the ring increases to a much larger asymptotic value ("large eccentricity regime") while internal librations are strongly reduced, but not fully damped. This is to be contrasted with the behavior of viscously stable rings, in which both the librations and the mean eccentricity are fully damped, if one neglects the role of the shepherd satellites. Whether one or the other of these regimes is obtained depends on the initial conditions, but the final state in each regime is controlled by the viscous and self-gravitational evolution and not by these initial conditions. In both regimes, there is no rotating frame in which the ring looks stationary, in opposition to the assumption made in data analyses and in previous theoretical modeling. The large eccentricity regime is generically able to produce rings with stabilized mean eccentricities and mean eccentricity gradients quite similar to those of the eccentric rings of Uranus; however, this regime cannot be reached from an initially circular state, so that if viscous overstabilities alone are to account for the eccentricity of narrow rings, then the ring material must have been in eccentric motion at the time of formation, The residual librations in the large eccentricity regime may explain the problems of the standard self-gravity model for the rigid precession for the e ring, but this appears much more difficult to accomplish for the α and β rings; these residual librations may account for some of the kinematic residuals of the uranian rings, and may also relate to the absence of width-longitude relation in the smaller eccentric rings.
General case simulation instruction and the establishment and maintenance of work performance

This study was conducted to determine whether general case simulation instruction on selected job task sequences and teaching examples, which sampled the range of stimulus/response variation encountered in two community jobs, resulted in the generalized performance of specific community job requirements by four young adults with severe handicaps. A multiple baseline across subjects and behaviors design was used to assess subject performance in simulation instruction, on concurrent and subsequent actual job probes, and in actual job instruction. Data indicated that simulation instruction on two representative teaching examples for each of two job task sequences resulted in concurrent generalized performance on six response examples for each task sequence, and in subsequent improvements in job entry skills which were maintained and extended during actual job instruction and instructor withdrawal phases. Results are discussed in terms of potential uses and misuses of general case simulations of community job skills.
A contemporary understanding of progesterone receptor function.

Following the discovery of coactivators for nuclear receptors and the identification of a significant number of progesterone receptor (PR) target genes, our understanding of PR action has extended from its normally recognized functions to a wide variety of seemingly unlinked biological processes. Recent advances in defining the action of PR coactivators has revealed important mechanisms involving multiple layers of regulation in PR- mediated transcription. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of PR physiology and the molecular basis of coactivator function in PR signaling events.
Accelerating Learning with Distance Education and Open Courseware

What will happen if academia disrupts traditional teaching methods by providing students with online and free academic materials?
Oxidation of 9-alkylanthracenes by cytochrome P450 2B1, horseradish peroxidase, and iron tetraphenylporphine/iodosylbenzene systems: anaerobic and aerobic mechanisms.

Variously substituted alkylanthracenes were studied as models for polycyclic hydrocarbon oxidations. 9-Methylanthracene was oxidized to 9-(hydroxymethyl)anthracene, 10-methyl-10-hydroxy-9-anthrone, and anthraquinone in several systems, including (i) NADPH- and O2-fortified rat liver microsomes, (ii) cytochrome P450 (P450) 2B1 supported by either iodosylbenzene (PhIO) or a mixture of NADPH−P450 reductase, NADPH, and O2, (iii) horseradish peroxidase and either H2O2 or ethyl hydroperoxide, and (iv) a mixture of iron tetraphenylporphine (FeTPP) and PhIO (in anhydrous CH2Cl2/MeOH). The microsomal system also formed dihydrodiols from 9-methyl- and 9-ethylanthracenes. The formation of the three oxidized products by the P450/NADPH/O2 system was dependent upon O2, label from 18O2 was incorporated into the products, and no label from H218O was incorporated. No label from 18O2 was incorporated into the three products in the FeTPP/PhIO system. In the horseradish peroxidase/H2O2 system, the formation of the three prod...
Toughening strategies for MoSi2-based high temperature structural silicides

Abstract The key materials issue associated with the future of high temperature structural silicides is the improvement in the low temperature fracture toughness of these materials. Many industrial applications require materials with fracture toughness levels in the vicinity of 10 MPa m1/2, while turbine applications require toughness levels of 15 MPa m1/2 or higher. Two important routes currently being pursued to increase silicide fracture toughness are the composite approach and the alloying approach. Composites based on the reinforcement of MoSi2 with ceramics are discussed. Alloying approaches for MoSi2 based on limited theoretical guidance are outlined.
Some ideas related to magnetism in the rare earths

Abstract In 1962 it was found that rare earth metal single crystals could be grown by the strain anneal method. This breakthrough made it possible to obtain illuminating magnetic and transport data on these metals. We give a brief summary of some of the results obtained and then discuss some more recent findings about Lifshitz points, “double” ferromagnetism and the suppression of superconductivity in lanthanum by the magnetic rare earths.
Transplantation and Gene Therapy: Combined Approaches for Repair of Spinal Cord Injury:

Motor and sensory functions are lost after spinal cord injury because neurons die or atrophy and axons fail to regenerate. Until fairly recently, it was believed that damaged neurons could not be replaced and injured axons could not regenerate, and, therefore, functions dependent on injured neurons could not be recovered. We now know that damaged neurons can be rescued by providing therapeutic factors or replaced by grafting. In addition, the adult CNS contains a population of precursor cells with a potential to generate new neural cells, whose numbers and composition can be modified by extrinsic factors. The pioneering studies of Aguayo demonstrated that CNS axons could regenerate in the right environment. Subsequent studies have revealed the identity of some of the inhibitory molecules in myelin and scar tissue, and we now have a better understanding of how the CNS environment can be modified to become more permissive to regeneration. Axons that regenerate must find an appropriate target, but it may not...
Mucosal immunization with a replication-deficient adenovirus vector expressing murine cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B induces mucosal and systemic immunity.

The murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) glycoprotein B (gB) gene was expressed in an adenovirus replication-deficient vector. This virus, designated Ad-gB, was used to immunize BALB/c and B6 mice by the intranasal (i.n.) route to induce an immune response. Following primary immunization, antibody was detected in serum of 100% of vaccinees, as well as the bronchoalveolar lavage, fecal suspensions and vaginal washings. The viral titer of lung and salivary gland of vaccinees 10 days after intranasal challenge with MCMV at 10(5) or 10(3)plaque forming units (PFU) were significantly reduced compared to controls. Re-exposure of vaccinees to Ad-gB 30 days after primary immunization induced a remarkable boost of serum and mucosal antibody responses and further reduction of MCMV titers in the lung and salivary glands. The ability to induce both a systemic and mucosal immune response to a specific gene product may be important in reducing horizontal transmission of CMV infections across mucosal surfaces and in altering host immunity to CMV.
Labour’s Paradoxical Interests and the Evolution of Corporate Finance

Because both unionized and non-union workers have pension fund investments composing about 35 per cent of United States equity, workers' role in the economy has a new dimension. This paper explores whether or not this new role employees as capital 'owners' can be used by workers, their organizations and representatives to raise labour standards in the form of productivity-linked wage increases, improved working conditions, greater job stability, and enhanced education and training, while at the same time increasing economy-wide productive investment and therefore long-term sustained growth. Is it possible for employees to leverage 'labour's capital' to the benefit of workers as a group? The rise of what we term 'fiduciary capitalism' has given institutional shareholders new status and power over management. By fiduciary capitalism we mean the dramatically increased importance of various fiduciary institutions (for example, mutual funds, pension funds, insurance companies, bank trusts) which must, in the performance of their legal and 'prudential' duties, act in the interests of their ultimate beneficiaries in the ownership of publicly traded equity and debt. However, though workers have entered the manager-owner nexus as pension-fund beneficiaries, it is through the emergence of fiduciary capital, the exercise of power and influence, that labour's traditional and narrower interests may be significantly altered by their role as property owner. The first part of the paper sets up this paradox and defines some dimensions of this new position by examining labour's role (and often lack thereof) in United States corporate governance developments. The second part of the paper examines whether corporate governance affects financial performance, and whether institutional investors (and pension funds in particular) have the ability to develop and implement plans aimed at solving problems such