cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heparin binding, internalization, and metabolism in vascular smooth muscle cells: I. Upregulation of heparin binding correlates with antiproliferative activity.

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) hyperplasia is an important component in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerotic lesions and is responsible for the failure of many vascular surgical procedures. SMC proliferation is inhibited by the glycosaminoglycan heparin; however, the precise mechanisms of action are still not understood. One important question in this regard is whether binding, internalization, and metabolism of heparin are necessary for the antiproliferative activity. In this study, we have analyzed SMC rendered resistant to the antiproliferative effect of heparin by drug selection and retroviral infection of SMC. We first examined the ability of heparin to bind to SMC. Experiments using [3H]heparin indicate the presence of saturable, heparin-displaceable, protease-sensitive binding sites on both sensitive and resistant SMC. The affinity of heparin binding does not correlate with the antiproliferative response. Using fluorescent and radiolabeled heparin probes, we observed that early heparin internalization kinetics in both sensitive and resistant SMC is similar, indicating that resistanace to heparin is not due to changes in the ability of cells to take up heparin. In contrast, we observed during the continuous incubation with heparin that binding to resistant SMC is rapidly downregulated, whereas sensitive cells continue to bind and internalize heparin. These results suggest that upregulation of heparin binding to the SMC surface is required for an antiproliferative response. In an accompanying paper (Letourneur et al. [1995] J. Cell. Physiol., 165:687–695, this issue), we describe the degradation and secretion of internalized heparin in both sensitive and resistant SMC. © 1995 Wiley-Liss Inc.
The impact of supply chain analytics on operational performance: a resource-based view

This study seeks to better understand the role of supply chain analytics (SCA) on supply chain planning satisfaction and operational performance. We define the architecture of SCA as the integration of three sets of resources, data management resources (DMR), IT-enabled planning resources and performance management resources (PMR), from the perspective of a resource-based view. Based on the data collected from 537 manufacturing plants, we test hypotheses exploring the relationships among these resources, supply chain planning satisfaction, and operational performance. Our analysis supports that DMR should be considered a key building block of manufacturers’ business analytics initiatives for supply chains. The value of data is transmitted to outcome values through increasing supply chain planning and performance capabilities. Additionally, the deployment of advanced IT-enabled planning resources occurs after acquisition of DMR. Manufacturers with sophisticated planning technologies are likely to take adva...
Mice Lacking Phosphatidylinositol Transfer Protein-α Exhibit Spinocerebellar Degeneration, Intestinal and Hepatic Steatosis, and Hypoglycemia

Phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs) regulate the interface between lipid metabolism and cellular functions. We now report that ablation of PITPα function leads to aponecrotic spinocerebellar disease, hypoglycemia, and intestinal and hepatic steatosis in mice. The data indicate that hypoglycemia is in part associated with reduced proglucagon gene expression and glycogenolysis that result from pancreatic islet cell defects. The intestinal and hepatic steatosis results from the intracellular accumulation of neutral lipid and free fatty acid mass in these organs and suggests defective trafficking of triglycerides and diacylglycerols from the endoplasmic reticulum. We propose that deranged intestinal and hepatic lipid metabolism and defective proglucagon gene expression contribute to hypoglycemia in PITPα– / – mice, and that hypoglycemia is a significant contributing factor in the onset of spinocerebellar disease. Taken together, the data suggest an unanticipated role for PITPα in with glucose homeostasis and in mammalian endoplasmic reticulum functions that interface with transport of specific luminal lipid cargoes.
NAD+-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase in cardiac membranes

Abstract NAD+ significantly enhances adenylate cyclase activity in crude cardiac membrane preparations. This increase is dose-dependent, does not occur in the presence of nicotinamide, ADP-ribose or NADP+, and can be effected by a 30 min pre-incubation period with NAD+. Time course studies are consistent with an enzymatically mediated modification that uses NAD+ as substrate. Furthermore, inhibition of the NAD+-mediated activation by arginine suggests that this modulation of cardiac adenylate cyclase is analogous to that catalyzed by endogenous ADP-ribosyl transferases.
Scenario-oriented design for single chip heterogeneous multiprocessors

The design of next generation single chip computers may require the selection, programming and coordination of tens to hundreds of individual processing elements (PEs) of several or tens of heterogeneous types. This paper outlines differences in the design process for these next generation single chip systems from that of traditional designs. Then it focuses on a novel design strategy, scenario-oriented design (SOD). SOD is just one design strategy that arises because of the potential of considering applications, schedulers, and hardware as they interact to form a system instead of viewing them as separate design domains. By leveraging one against the other, the system and its design process can be optimized in new ways. This is made possible by reducing the modeling detail of each design domain within a system in high level simulation.
Dispersive effects of a thin metal-insulating layer in MMIC structures

A full-wave finite element analysis is used to examine the dispersive effects of a thin metal-insulating layer in CPW and microstrip MMICs. This layer is often encountered in the MMIC manufacturing process residing on top of a semiconducting substrate. The effects of metallization thickness are also examined.
Loss of Protein Kinase PKR Expression in Human HeLa Cells Complements the Vaccinia Virus E3L Deletion Mutant Phenotype by Restoration of Viral Protein Synthesis

The E3L proteins encoded by vaccinia virus bind double-stranded RNA and mediate interferon resistance, promote virus growth, and impair virus-mediated apoptosis. Among the cellular proteins implicated as targets of E3L is the protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR). To test in human cells the role of PKR in conferring the E3L mutant phenotype, HeLa cells stably deficient in PKR generated by an RNA interference-silencing strategy were compared to parental and control knockdown cells following infection with either an E3L deletion mutant (E3L) or wild-type (WT) virus. The growth yields of WT virus were comparable in PKR-sufficient and -deficient cells. By contrast, the single-cycle yield of E3L virus was increased by nearly 2 log10 in PKR-deficient cells over the impaired growth in PKR-sufficient cells. Furthermore, virus-induced apoptosis characteristic of the E3L mutant in PKR-sufficient cells was effectively abolished in PKR-deficient HeLa cells. The viral protein synthesis pattern was altered in E3L-infected PKR-sufficient cells, characterized by an inhibition of late viral protein expression, whereas in PKR-deficient cells, late protein accumulation was restored. Phosphorylation of both PKR and the subunit of protein synthesis initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) was elevated severalfold in E3L-infected PKR-sufficient, but not PKR-deficient, cells. WT virus did not significantly increase PKR or eIF-2 phosphorylation in either PKR-sufficient or -deficient cells, both of which supported efficient WT viral protein production. Finally, apoptosis induced by infection of PKR-sufficient HeLa cells with E3L virus was blocked by a caspase antagonist, but mutant virus growth was not rescued, suggesting that translation inhibition rather than apoptosis activation is a principal factor limiting virus growth.
Self-Interest, Ideological/Symbolic Politics, and Citizen Characteristics: A Cross-National Analysis of Support for Privatization

In this essay, the authors explore attitudes toward government privatization of electric utilities across two sets of nations: developed market economies (DMEs) and transition economies (TEs). They utilize generalized hierarchical linear model to analyze individual attitudes nested within these two groups of polities and discover a wide gap between the DME and TE nations in terms of preferences for privatization, with attitudes in DME nations being far more favorable. Attitudes toward the privatization of electricity are explained by a combination of ideological/symbolic predispositions, self-interest, and citizen values/characteristics. The most consistent variables in the model are the ideological/symbolic predispositions, while the weakest are citizen characteristics/values. In terms of self-interest, the analysis indicates that those who work for the public service or a public firm are more likely than others to oppose the privatization of electricity. In contrast to some public administration literature that asserts well-informed and interested citizens will oppose privatization, the authors find no convincing relationships. Instead, the most educated and politically efficacious citizens, as well as those who have confidence in the way democracy works within their nation, are more prone than others to support privatization of electricity.
For Our Children: A Study And Critical Discussion Of The Influences On American Indian And Alaska Native Education Policy

Inequities in educational opportunities, resources, research, and meaningful discussion are widespread for American Indian and Alaska Native students in the overarching context of American education. From a policy perspective, many might question the relative non-existence of this population outside a few select education circles. We seek to determine and describe the baseline influential studies, organizations, information sources, and people for American Indian/Alaska Native education policy through the lens of indigenous education experts in the field. Methods include web-based surveys and citation index. The dearth of literature in this field is evidence enough that more can be done to meet the needs of this diverse and unique set of students. The study seeks to move American Indian/Alaska Native issues into the general education policy conversation and to serve as a catalyst for critical conversations about the education of American Indian and Alaskan Native students. By understanding the origins of education policy affecting American Indian/Alaskan Natives, this study advances critical scholarship and practice providing insight into the people themselves; what they value, who they trust, and what is most influential and important to them in terms of the future of their children.
Victimization, survival and the impunity of forced exile: A case study from the Rwandan genocide

A case study of a Rwandan genocide survivor and a review of the cultural and historical contexts of that crime are presented. The case study examines not only the events that occurred during the genocide, but also the post-victimization reflections of the respondent. It is argued that neither survival nor victimization in genocide are bounded events, but a set of processes. Survival during genocide is accomplished only by navigating through a series of lethal threats. Victimization is perceived to continue after the genocide through the impunity granted to perpetrators.
A distributed scheme for achieving energy-delay tradeoffs with multiple service classes over a dynamically varying network

We consider a dynamical probabilistic traffic model for the number of users transmitting at any time. This model captures both user mobility and traffic burstiness. Moreover, we assume no centralized controller, such as a scheduler, is available. When multiple users transmit simultaneously, multiple-access interference (MAI) affects throughput considerably. Most queue control schemes assume individual users know the states of their own queues (local queue information) along with the states of other users queues (shared queue information) and address issues of scheduling; but this sharing of information may be onerous in a practical system. While shared queue information has recently been shown (Me/spl acute/dard et al., 2004) not to affect the capacity of such systems, it has a considerable impact on delay. We introduce a scheme, where for each user, a bit of shared queue information specifies whether its queue length is above or below a threshold. Our scheme relies on two different service classes implemented through a superposition coding scheme (first proposed with Me/spl acute/dard and Goldsmith, 1999, further studied and expanded with Me/spl acute/dard et al., 2004). The first class experiences no delay due to multiple-access interference, while the second class requires retransmissions when such an event occurs. We show how our scheme affords an energy-delay tradeoff. Moreover, when configured properly, our scheme can attain boundary points of the region corresponding to minimum energy with no shared queue information for zero delay along with minimum energy subject to system stability. We derive bounds on the performance of the multiple-access system using our proposed scheme by introducing Lyapunov function bounds in a manner similar to Bertsimas et al., 2001.
Low temperature binder-aggregate adhesion and mechanistic characteristics of polymer modified asphalt mixtures

In this study, binder-aggregate adhesion and mechanistic characteristics of neat and polymer modified asphalt mixtures were investigated at low temperatures. The lap-shear test and environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) in situ tensile test were conducted to examine the adhesion and fracture morphology of neat and modified binders. The mechanistic properties were obtained from indirect tensile strength test and indirect tensile cyclic load test. It was found that lap-shear strength and toughness energy were functions of temperature and polymer concentration. The ESEM in situ tensile test indicated that the modified binders exhibited improved adhesion properties and had higher number of asphalt fibrils with longer lengths relative to the neat asphalt. In general, the improvements in the mechanistic properties were due to the improvements in the binder-aggregate adhesion behavior at low temperatures. It was found that the horizontal plastic deformation rates of modified mixtures were lower than the neat ones and were related to the lap-shear strength and toughness energy.
Psychological Distress and Occupational Injury: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey 2000-2003

Objectives : This study examined whether serious psychological distress (SPD) is associated with occupational injury among US employees. Methods : The employed population aged 18-64 years was examined (n=101,855) using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2000-2003. SPD was measured using the Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K-6), a screening scale designed to identify persons with serious mental illness. The predicted marginal prevalence of psychological distress and occupational injury with the adjusted odds ratio were estimated using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results : The age-adjusted 3-month prevalence of occupational injury was 0.80!0.12% in workers with SPD, which was 37% greater than in workers without SPD (0.58 !0.03%). The odds of occupational injury in workers with SPD were higher compared to workers without SPD (OR=1.34, 95% CI=0.93-1.92), after controlling for sex, age, race, education, occupation, and activity limitation by at least one medical condition. Male, service and blue collar occupation, and activity limiation by co-morbidity showed significantly higher odds of occupational injury for workers with SPD. Conclusions : The findings suggest that SPD accounts for an increased likelihood of occupational injury among US employees. A further longitudinal study is needed to differentiate the mechanism or causal pathways linking individual injury risk at the workplace, SPD, and socioeconomic factors.
Acute inhalation toxicity of T-2 mycotoxin in mice

Experiments were conducted to study the acute inhalation toxicity of T-2 mycotoxin in both young adult and mature mice. For a 10-min aerosol exposure, the 24-hr LC50 of T-2 mycotoxin in young adult mice was 0.08 +/- 0.04 mg T-2/liter air and that for mature mice was 0.325 +/- 0.1 mg T-2/liter air. Deaths among mice exposed to the higher aerosol concentrations used in this study (i.e., 1.5 to 2.4 mg T-2/liter air) occurred in less than 5 hr. General clinical symptoms in these animals immediately postexposure were tremors, lethargy, stilted gait, and, in some animals, prostration. In experiments separate from the concentration-response studies, total deposition of T-2 aerosol and selective retention of T-2 in the respiratory tract and nasal turbinates were determined analytically from 3H-labeled T-2. When total deposition of T-2 was quantitated, there was excellent agreement between that amount of T-2 deposited and that amount of T-2 predicted from calculations based on aerosol size and animal minute volume. Based on the aerosol deposition data, the LD50 values of T-2 mycotoxins was 0.24 mg/kg for young adult mice and 0.94 mg/kg for mature mice. For mice, inhalation of T-2 mycotoxin is at least 10 times more toxic than systemic administration (LD50 approximately 4.5 mg/kg) and at least 20 times more toxic than dermal administration (LD50 greater than 10 mg/kg).
Real-time image processing of TOF range images using a single shot image capture algorithm

During the last years, Time-of-Flight sensors achieved a significant impact onto research fields in machine vision. In comparison to other common 3D sensing devices they combine the advantages of active sensors providing accurate distance measurements and camera-based systems recording a 2D matrix at a high frame rate. This paper focuses on the currently implemented 4-phase-shift algorithm to calculate the range image in this type of sensors. A new approach is presented which increases the range calculation time by a factor of four. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is well suited for real-time processing of the range images of TOF cameras.
Distinct Roles for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mismatch Repair Proteins in Heteroduplex Rejection, Mismatch Repair and Nonhomologous Tail Removal

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae mismatch repair (MMR) protein MSH6 and the SGS1 helicase were recently shown to play similarly important roles in preventing recombination between divergent DNA sequences in a single-strand annealing (SSA) assay. In contrast, MMR factors such as Mlh1p, Pms1p, and Exo1p were shown to not be required or to play only minimal roles. In this study we tested mutations that disrupt Sgs1p helicase activity, Msh2p-Msh6p mismatch recognition, and ATP binding and hydrolysis activities for their effect on preventing recombination between divergent DNA sequences (heteroduplex rejection) during SSA. The results support a model in which the Msh proteins act with Sgs1p to unwind DNA recombination intermediates containing mismatches. Importantly, msh2 mutants that displayed separation-of-function phenotypes with respect to nonhomologous tail removal during SSA and heteroduplex rejection were characterized. These studies suggest that nonhomologous tail removal is a separate function of Msh proteins that is likely to involve a distinct DNA binding activity. The involvement of Sgs1p in heteroduplex rejection but not nonhomologous tail removal further illustrates that subsets of MMR proteins collaborate with factors in different DNA repair pathways to maintain genome stability.
A Predictive Theory of Intentions to Exit Street-Level Prostitution

Street-level prostitution is notoriously difficult to escape and rarely do women exit prostitution on their first attempt or without experiencing serious negative consequences to their physical or mental health. Unfortunately, few theories exist that explain the exiting process and those that do exist are difficult to test quantitatively. This article applies the integrative model of behavioral prediction to examine intentions to exit prostitution through attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy beliefs that underlie a woman’s intention to exit prostitution. Constructs unique prostitution—agency and societal context—enhance the model. This theory may explain and predict an exit from street-level prostitution.
Immigration and national identities in Latin America

This volume proposes to position itself as the groundwork for further analysis and theorising by demonstrating that national identities can be created sociologically and politically. As such, one c...
Is There Any Scientific Basis for Accounting? Implications for Practice, Research and Education

This essay is based on a keynote speech at the 2014 Journal of International Accounting Research (JIAR) Conference. That talk was built upon a 2009 American Accounting Association (AAA) annual meeting panel presentation titled “Is there any scientific legitimacy to what we teach in Accounting 101?” I evaluate whether accounting practice, regulation, research and teaching have a strong underlying scientific basis. I argue that recent accounting research, regulation and teaching are often based on unscientific ideology but that evolved accounting practice embeds scientific laws even if accountants are largely unaware of them. Accounting researchers have an opportunity to expand scientific inquiry in accounting by improving their research designs and exploring uses of accounting outside formal capital markets using field studies and experiments.
Vasopressin in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit.

Although nearly 10% of patients experience profound vasodilatory shock after cardiopulmonary bypass, some patients remain refractory to traditional resuscitation. Among this subset are patients who have inappropriately low levels of endogenous vasopressin. Thus, vasopressin replacement is an intuitively attractive intervention. The purposes of this review are to outline the pathophysiology of vasodilatory shock after cardiopulmonary bypass, to discuss the physiological role of endogenous vasopressin, to explore the clinical basis for vasopressin replacement, and to review the pharmacology and dosing guidelines. (American Journal of Critical Care. 2002;11:326-332)
Multiscale characterization and experimentation on particulate reinforced composites

The addition of particulate additives has long been used as a method to adjust and design material systems for specific loading conditions. The transfer of loading to particulate additives can result in added toughness and can change ductility, among other properties. These changes are a function of many factors including the size, concentration, mechanical properties, interaction strength and dispersion of the particles. Recent advancements in scientific knowledge and manufacturing techniques have guided research towards the inclusion of particles with characteristic lengths measuring less than 100 nm and a renewed interested in particulate reinforced materials. This reduction in particle size can provide a drastic increase in the surface area between particle and matrix, which can theoretically provide increased load transfer and increased toughening. The reduction in particle size does result in a series of additional manufacturing and analysis challenges, namely the dispersing of particles for optimum load transfer and bulk response and the imaging of the particles in a representative and repeatable manner. In addition, the large surface area interactions tend to cause the particles to agglomerate, creating areas of high stress concentration and a reduction in bulk properties. Three novel characterization techniques will be presented in this article to discuss the effects of ZnO nanoparticle reinforcement of polymer materials and discussion over varying length scales.
Selective binding of Zn2+ complexes to human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA.

The Zn2+ complex of 5-(1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecan-1-ylsulfonyl)-N,N-dimethylnaphthalen-1-amine, Zn(DSC), binds selectively to the biologically relevant human telomeric (H-Telo) G-quadruplex. An increase in the Zn(DSC) dansyl group fluorescence with a simultaneous shift in emission is consistent with the complex binding to H-Telo. The H-Telo G-quadruplex has two binding sites for Zn(DSC) with binding constants in the low micromolar range (2.5 μM). Isothermal calorimetric titrations confirm low micromolar dissociation constants with a 2:1 stoichiometry. The interaction between H-Telo and Zn(DSC) is highly pH-dependent, consistent with binding to the unpaired thymines in the G-quadruplex loops. As a result, Zn(DSC) selectively binds to H-Telo over duplex DNA. In contrast to Zn2+, Fe2+ and Co2+ do not complex to the DSC macrocycle appreciably under the conditions of the experiment. The Cu2+ complex of DSC does not interact measurably with the H-Telo G-quadruplex. Interestingly, the H-Telo-Zn(DSC) adduct se...
Chemical Exacerbation of Light-induced Retinal Degeneration in F344/N Rats in National Toxicology Program Rodent Bioassays:

Retinal degeneration due to chronic ambient light exposure is a common spontaneous age-related finding in albino rats, but it can also be related to exposures associated with environmental chemicals and drugs. Typically, light-induced retinal degeneration has a central/hemispherical localization whereas chemical-induced retinal degeneration has a diffuse localization. This study was conducted to identify and characterize treatment-related retinal degeneration in National Toxicology Program rodent bioassays. A total of 3 chronic bioassays in F344/N rats (but not in B6C3F1/N mice) were identified that had treatment-related increases in retinal degeneration (kava kava extract, acrylamide, and leucomalachite green). A retrospective light microscopic evaluation of the retinas from rats in these 3 studies showed a dose-related increase in the frequencies of retinal degeneration, beginning with the loss of photoreceptor cells, followed by the inner nuclear layer cells. These dose-related increased frequencies of degenerative retinal lesions localized within the central/hemispherical region are suggestive of exacerbation of light-induced retinal degeneration.
Measuring Humanized Antibodies in Plasma of Patients Treated With Antibody-Based Therapy Using Bead-Based Flow Cytometry

Alemtuzumab (Campath), the humanized rat monoclonal antibody that targets the CD52 surface antigen, is currently used for treatment of patients with resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Monitoring levels of the antibody in plasma/serum could provide insight into the optimal dosing and scheduling of therapy. Current methods of detecting alemtuzumab in serum or plasma are complicated and difficult to adapt to high-throughput testing. We describe a novel bead-based assay that measures circulating alemtuzumab by taking advantage of remnant rat sequence in the antibody. Levels of total alemtuzumab complexed with CD52, and free alemtuzumab are quantitated in the serum or plasma by flow cytometry. This approach is applicable to the measurement of other humanized antibodies that contain an appropriate remnant animal sequence.
The Politics of Property Rights Institutions in Africa: Varying Responses by Ghanaian and Batswana State Leaders

Residents of the prestigious Airport Residential Area in Accra, Ghana, woke up to a bewildering sight on April 12, 1999. With protection from well-armed members of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was using bulldozers to demolish a newly constructed, $3-million-dollar, 65-bedroom hotel. In the days that followed, Ghanaians were to learn that the Salaam Hotel was owned by a certain Alhaji Yusuf. The AMA made strenuous efforts to convince Ghanaians that the demolition was nothing out of the ordinary, and that it was carried out after Alhaji Yusuf failed to comply with an order to stop building in a water-logged area. Given the widespread practice of building with little attention to building codes in the capital, many Ghanaians refused to believe the story that it was a normal demolition. Besides, all the other buildings in close proximity to the Salaam Hotel, which were clearly sitting in waterlogged plots too, were left untouched by the AMA. Suspicion that the demolition was part of very high Ghanaian politics over control of the state was strengthened as the days unfolded. President Jerry Rawlings and his vociferous strongman, Tony Aidoo, both publicly defended the demolition. Their efforts at justifying the demolition took it out of the realm of ordinary AMA business. The use of well-armed soldiers instead of the police to provide protection for the demolition team also fueled suspicion that very senior government officials had a hand in the demolition.
Evaluation of Voice Acoustics as Predictors of Clinical Depression Scores.

Summary Objective The aim of the present study was to determine if acoustic measures of voice, characterizing specific spectral and timing properties, predict clinical ratings of depression severity measured in a sample of patients using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Study Design This is a prospective study. Methods Voice samples and clinical depression scores were collected prospectively from consenting adult patients who were referred to psychiatry from the adult emergency department or primary care clinics. The patients were audio-recorded as they read a standardized passage in a nearly closed-room environment. Mean Absolute Error (MAE) between actual and predicted depression scores was used as the primary outcome measure. Results The average MAE between predicted and actual HAMD scores was approximately two scores for both men and women, and the MAE for the BDI-II scores was approximately one score for men and eight scores for women. Timing features were predictive of HAMD scores in female patients while a combination of timing features and spectral features was predictive of scores in male patients. Timing features were predictive of BDI-II scores in male patients. Conclusion Voice acoustic features extracted from read speech demonstrated variable effectiveness in predicting clinical depression scores in men and women. Voice features were highly predictive of HAMD scores in men and women, and BDI-II scores in men, respectively. The methodology is feasible for diagnostic applications in diverse clinical settings as it can be implemented during a standard clinical interview in a normal closed room and without strict control on the recording environment.
Interface-induced superconductivity at ̃25 K at ambient pressure in undoped CaFe2As2 single crystals

Superconductivity has been reversibly induced/suppressed in undoped CaFe2As2 (Ca122) single crystals through proper thermal treatments, with Tc at ∼25 K at ambient pressure and up to 30 K at 1.7 GPa. We found that Ca122 can be stabilized in two distinct tetragonal (T) phases at room temperature and ambient pressure: PI with a nonmagnetic collapsed tetragonal (cT) phase at low temperature and PII with an antiferromagnetic orthorhombic (O) phase at low temperature, depending on the low-temperature annealing condition. Neither phase at ambient pressure is superconducting down to 2 K. However, systematic annealing for different time periods at 350 °C on the as-synthesized crystals, which were obtained by quenching the crystal ingot from 850 °C, reveals the emergence of superconductivity over a narrow time window. Whereas the onset Tc is insensitive to the anneal time, the superconductive volume fraction evolves with the time in a dome-shaped fashion. Detailed X-ray diffraction profile analyses further reveal mesoscopically stacked layers of the PI and the PII phases. The deduced interface density correlates well with the superconducting volume measured. The transport anomalies of the T-cT transition, which is sensitive to lattice strain, and the T-O transition, which is associated with the spin-density-wave (SDW) transition, are gradually suppressed over the superconductive region, presumably due to the interface interactions between the nonmagnetic metallic cT phase and the antiferromagnetic O phase. The results provide the most direct evidence to date for interface-enhanced superconductivity in undoped Ca122, consistent with the recent theoretical prediction.
Habits of the Heart(rate): Social Interpretation of Biosignals in Two Interaction Contexts

We investigate interpretations of a biosignal (heartrate) in uncertain social interactions. We describe the quantitative and qualitative results of a randomized vignette experiment in which subjects were asked to make assessments about an acquaintance based on an imagined scenario that included shared heartrate information. We compare the results of this experiment in adversarial and non-adversarial contexts of interaction. We find that elevated heartrate transmits cues about mood in both contexts, but that these cues do not appear to impact assessments of trustworthiness, reliability and dependability. Counter to our expectations, we find that normal (rather than elevated) heartrate leads to negative trust-related assessments, but only in an adversarial context. Our qualitative analysis points to the role of social expectations in shaping contextual interpretations of heartrate, and reveals individual differences in the way interpretations are constructed. We unpack some of the ways that social meanings can arise from biosensor data, and discuss considerations for those designing interactions with wearables.
Lessons on doing science from my father, Gerry Brown

My father Geny Brown practiced science in a certain way during his life, but much of his approach to work and research was not clearly articulated. In this article I convey some of the lessons I learned growing up with him.
A preliminary study in the alterations of mitochondrial respiration in patients with carbon monoxide poisoning measured in blood cells

AbstractObjectives: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas responsible for poisoning mortality and morbidity in the United States. At this time, there is no reliable method to predict the severity of poisoning or clinical prognosis following CO exposure. Whole blood cells, such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and platelets, have been explored for their potential use to act as sensitive biomarkers for mitochondrial dysfunction which may have a role in CO poisoning.Design: The objective of this study was to measure mitochondrial respiration using intact cells obtained from patients exposed to CO as a potential biomarker for mitochondrial inhibition with results that can be obtained in a time frame useful for guiding clinical care. This was a prospective, observational pilot study performed from July 2015 to July 2016 at a single academic tertiary care center that is the location of the region’s only multi chamber hyperbaric.Measurements: Clinical characteristics, patient demograp...
Circulating soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor levels and peripheral arterial disease outcomes

Background and aims Circulating soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a marker of immune activation associated with atherosclerosis. Whether suPAR levels are associated with prevalent peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and its adverse outcomes remains unknown and is the aim of the study.
Revision of the Cyprinid Genus Crossocheilus (Tribe Labeonini) with Description of a New Species

The Southeast Asian cyprinid genus Crossocheilus was briefly described by Kuhl and van Hasselt in 1823 and, despite the short description, has remained a valid genus. However, the genus and its species are frequently misidentified in institutional collections, likely due to the absence of a detailed diagnosis and description, as well as the superficial morphological similarity with other cyprinid genera in the region. Crossocheilus and its constituent species are herein revised based on an examination of morphology and pigmentation. Eleven species are recognized, including a new species described from Indonesia. Crossocheilus pseudobagroidesis a junior synonym of C. langei. Crossocheilus tchangi is removed from synonymy with C. reticulatus and is a senior synonym of C. stigmaeus. Phylogenetic relationships among species of Crossocheilus based on sequences from the nuclear encoded recombination activating gene 1 are reconstructed. The resultant phylogeny is the most taxonomically comprehensive estimation o...
Rotation-invariant method for texture matching using model-based histograms and GLCM

Nowadays, researchers are interested in informatics systems that process automatically the information. Image is an interesting research area due to the growth of the technologies. In this paper, we have proposed a new texture analysis method. One of the key problems in image processing is the rotation. Therefore, the proposed method is robust against rotation. The goal of this study is to construct a model from each texture. After that, the system classifies the query texture based on the extracted texture models. In this work, we applied a recent and efficient feature extraction method called rotation invariant neighbourhood-based binary pattern (RINBP). The proposed system combines between two parts. First, extract the RINBP model from the texture. Second, we apply the GLCM method in order to extract statistical measures. In the experiments, we have used the Brodats album database. Experimental parts illustrate the efficiency and the robustness of the proposed system against rotation.
Optimization of three-dimensional modeling for geometric precision and efficiency for healthy and diseased aortas.

The study purpose is to optimize modeling parameters, specifically segmentation spacing and centerline extraction, to efficiently construct accurate 3D aortic models. Models are constructed by cent...
Applying the Entrepreneurial Model of Experiential Learning in Political Science Courses to Encourage Civic Engagement

Despite clear evidence of continued declining civic engagement, especially among young people, most civic engagement projects focus on public service, advocacy, or work in the not-for-profit sector. This emphasis exists despite the fact that these careers are generally held in low-esteem (e.g., lobbyist) or feature below average wages (e.g. non-profit). We suggest that students may be more engaged by the prospect of a career in business that combines a social or political function. Broadly, this can be called social entrepreneurship. Building on the combined scholarship of political scientists such as Richard L. Fox and David A. Kolb, as well as economics and business education research, we propose an entrepreneurial model of experiential learning for the political science classroom. In business and economics curricula, direct interactions with “real-world” community members and internships are central learning opportunities, but are wholly distinct from the kind of knowledge gained though entrepreneurial experiences. In the latter, students analyze market failures and identify opportunities to exploit the current market environment. Their task then is to design and implement new ventures that better fulfill this unmet market need. Regardless of whether the idea fails or spins-off to become a successful company, tremendous learning is gained from working through the authentic start-up process. By contrast, experiential learning literature in political science has focused on traditional internships, community service activities, or consulting projects. While valuable, such experiences only engage an issue through the actors and institutions already existing to address the issue rather than have students develop innovative paths to solve the underlying problem. Our paper describes a new model of experiential learning based on experience with such an effort at Marquette University. In close collaboration with the national social entrepreneurship movement, as well as regional private and public organizations, the entrepreneurial experiential learning model was piloted in the Department of Political Science at Marquette University. In the Spring of 2011, an undergraduate Environmental Policy course was taught following the entrepreneurial experiential learning model. The class was centered on students having to identify a current environmental problem, study the existing interested actors, then create and implement new ventures that looked beyond established advocacy or legislative paths. The result was an award winning innovative platform for water conservation that students continued to champion beyond the end of the semester. Lessons from the pilot class, including its effects on long-term levels of student civic engagement, as well as suggestions for improvements, further research, and implementation will be discussed.
Biological Iron Dioxygen Carriers

In biological systems, dioxygen is carried from the point of entry in the organism to the point of consumption by very specialized molecules. These molecules use either iron or copper to carry the dioxygen. The iron dioxygen carriers are hemoglobin (for a review, see Buchler, 1978; Brunori et at., 1982), which carries dioxygen in the blood of higher animals, and myoglobin, which carries dioxygen in the muscles of higher animals. Hemerythrin carries dioxygen in certain nonvertebrates. Hemoglobin and myoglobin contain the iron chetated as ferrous ion in a protoporphyrin IX bound to the protein. Hemerythrin has no porphyrin; the iron is chelated by amino acids in the proteins.
The Societal Context of the Infant Formula Controversy

The infant formula controversy, more so than any other event, has crystallized the growing internationalization of conflicts between corporations and host country governments, with the intervention of both international organizations and public interest groups representing different constituencies and viewpoints. Another case in point is the issue of the U.S. companies’ operations in South Africa. These have been the subject of intense pressure from a variety of religious and other activist groups because of that country’s apartheid policies. The U.S. government enacted legislation proscribing some types of activities on the part of the U.S. companies’ operations in South Africa. Another impact of these pressures has been the establishment of the Sullivan Principles under which the subscribing companies agreed to abide by various rules of nondiscrimination and corporate social performance. Equally important, these companies have subjected themselves to outside monitoring and public reporting of their performance under these principles. Furthermore, as a consequence of these pressures, a large number of companies withdrew from doing business in South Africa.
The art of observation: impact of a family medicine and art museum partnership on student education.

Background and Objectives: Compared to verbal communication, teaching the skill of observation is often shortchanged in medical education. Through a family medicine-art museum collaboration, we developed an elective course for second-year medical students titled the “Art of Observation” (AOO). To evaluate the course’s effect on clinical skills, we performed a qualitative evaluation of former students during their clinical rotations. Methods: In the spring of 2005, all students who had completed the AOO course in 2003 or 2004 were invited to take part in an online evaluation consisting of eight journaling survey questions. Students were instructed to answer the survey questions with specific examples. Question areas included the most memorable experience, the course’s influence on the doctor-patient relationship, usefulness during clinical years of medical school, and skills unique to AOO. The anonymous data were analyzed qualitatively, coding the responses to categories derived from the data, leading to the formation of themes. Results: Of the 19 students eligible, 17 participated. We found three important themes: (1) the AOO positively influenced clinical skills, (2) both art museum exercises and a clinical preceptorship were necessary to achieve those skills, and (3) the AOO led to a sense of personal development as a physician. In addition, students told us that the training in observation and description skills they learned were unique to the AOO. Conclusions: This collaboration between a department of family medicine and an art museum produced a course that facilitated observational skills used in successful doctor-patient relationships.
MCDM and Sustainable Development: The Case of Water Resources Planning in India

Sustainable development has emerged as the centerpiece of natural resources management and environmental protection. Defined as the use of natural resources today so as not to compromise the ability of future generations to use them, sustainable development is a compelling idea, and of indisputable importance. Translating it into plans and actions, however, is very difficult both because of the value conflicts inherent in sustainable development and the need for new planning and analytical methodologies.
Metric Graph Approximations of Geodesic Spaces

A standard result in metric geometry is that every compact geodesic metric space can be approximated arbitrarily well by finite metric graphs in the Gromov-Hausdorff sense. It is well known that the first Betti number of the approximating graphs may blow up as the approximation gets finer. In our work, given a compact geodesic metric space $X$, we define a sequence $(\delta^X_n)_{n \geq 0}$ of non-negative real numbers by $$\delta^X_n:=\inf \{d_{\mathrm{GH}}(X,G): G \text{ a finite metric graph, } \beta_1(G)\leq n \} .$$ By construction, and the above result, this is a non-increasing sequence with limit $0$. We study this sequence and its rates of decay with $n$. We also identify a precise relationship between the sequence and the first Vietoris-Rips persistence barcode of $X$. Furthermore, we specifically analyze $\delta_0^X$ and find upper and lower bounds based on hyperbolicity and other metric invariants. As a consequence of the tools we develop, our work also provides a Gromov-Hausdorff stability result for the Reeb construction on geodesic metric spaces with respect to the function given by distance to a reference point.
A century of red water: mine waste, legacy contamination, and institutional amnesia in Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range

Beginning in 1910, new technologies for mining and processing low-grade iron ore created novel environmental challenges for Minnesota’s iron mining communities. Unlike earlier high-grade iron ore which required little processing before shipping, low-grade iron ore required extensive processing near mining sites, and that processing created vast quantities of finely-ground tailings that mobilized into nearby streams, lakes, and communities. In Lake Superior’s Mesabi Range, low-grade iron ores brought significant economic benefits, but they were coupled with equally significant environmental transformations. Drawing on archival records from the first legal case in Minnesota over the pollution of surface waters from migrating mine waste, this paper asks: how did communities in the Mesabi Range respond to the new environmental challenges from low-grade iron ore? How did these negotiations between Mesabi communities, mining companies and the state play out in the courts? How did these court battles shape state mining policy? How have local heritage organizations and state agencies remembered and memorialized these environmental legacies?