cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sites of Conflict in the Indian Secular State: Secularism, Caste and Religious Conversion

When the British left India in 1947, two new nations were created. The division of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan and again later in 1955, with the division of East Pakistan, which in 1971 became Bangladesh, resulted in mass migrations of people among the new nations. Since then, Pakistan has struggled to define itself as an Islamic republic. In contrast, India currently defines itself constitu tionally as a "secular" republic. Nonetheless, with a population that is over 80 percent Hindu, but also includes the world's second largest Muslim population (e.g. more Muslims currently live in India than in all Middle Eastern countries combined), the role of "religion" in political and public life has been central, and conflicts among religious groups continue in many areas. One of the main sites for religious conflict in modern India involves the issue of religious conversion. Debates about religious conversion have often centered on the issue of caste identity. Conversion from one religious tradition or identity to another indicate a change in caste status and, if so, what kind? Furthermore, what should the role of the self-described "secular" government be in deciding issues of caste affiliation vis-a-vis the legality or illegality of conversion? And most important, what is the government's responsibility in determining the always thorny issue of definitions: who counts as a "Hindu," who counts as a "non-Hindu," who should receive affirmative action benefits from the government, and who, due to religious conversion or to loss of caste status should lose affirmative action, economic, or maintenance privileges? This essay explores important historical issues relevant to the ongoing debates about "Hinduism," caste, and religious conversion
PERIODIC ORBITS IN THE NEWTON–LEIPNIK SYSTEM

This paper considers an autonomous nonlinear system of differential equations derived in [Leipnik, 1979]. A criterion for the existence of closed orbits in similar systems is presented. Numerical results are made rigorous by the use of interval analytic techniques in establishing the existence of a periodic solution which is not asymptotically stable. The limitations of the method of locating orbits are considered when a promising candidate for a closed orbit is shown not to intersect itself.
Row width and plant density effects on Texas High Plains sorghum

(.)Our objectives were to determine sorghum response to a wider-than-normal row spacing and to evaluate the validity of using wide rows as a grain production practice to minimize water stress effects. Dryland sorghum (Hybrid DK-46) was grown for three yr (1986-1988) at Bushland, TX, using 30-(standard) and 60-in. row widths and within-row seed spacings of 3.4- (high density) and 6.7-in. (normal density)(.)
When Hands Speak Louder Than Words: The Role of Gesture in the Communication, Encoding, and Recall of Words in a Novel Second Language

In the interest of clarifying how gesture facilitates L2 word learning, the current study investigates gesture's influence on three interrelated cognitive processes subserving L2 word learning: communication, encoding, and recall. Individuals unfamiliar with Hungarian learned 20 Hungarian words that were either accompanied or unaccompanied by gestures depicting their referents, and taught the meanings of the words to interlocutors who were also unfamiliar with Hungarian. All participants were then tested for their recall of target words. The results show that gesture facilitates all three cognitive processes, supporting the predictions of McNeill's () growth point theory. Furthermore, the results indicate that gesture production facilitates all of the cognitive processes more effectively than gesture viewing. Overall, the results demonstrate that gesture can serve as an effective cognitive aid for L2 word learning by beginning L2 learners, particularly in task-focused, conversational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Isolation and Characterization of cDNAs Expressed in the Early Stages of Flavonol-Induced Pollen Germination in Petunia

Petunia (Petunia hybrida) pollen requires flavonols (Fl) to germinate. Adding kaempferol to Fl-deficient pollen causes rapid and synchronous germination and tube outgrowth. We exploited this system to identify genes responsive to Fls and to examine the changes in gene expression that occur during the first 0.5 h of pollen germination. We used a subtracted library and differential screening to identify 22 petunia germinating pollen clones. All but two were expressed exclusively in pollen and half of the clones were rare or low abundance cDNAs. RNA gel-blot analysis showed that the steady-state transcript levels of all the clones were increased in response to kaempferol. The sequences showing the greatest response to kaempferol encode proteins that have regulatory or signaling functions and include S/D4, a leucine-rich repeat protein, S/D1, a LIM-domain protein, and D14, a putative Zn finger protein with a heme-binding site. Eight of the clones were novel including S/D10, a cDNA only expressed very late in pollen development and highly up-regulated during the first 0.5 h of germination. The translation product of the S/D3 cDNA shares some features with a neuropeptide that regulates guidance and growth in the tips of extending axons. This study confirmed that the bulk of pollen mRNA accumulates well before germination, but that specific sequences are transcribed during the earliest moments of Fl-induced pollen germination.
ApproxHadoop: Bringing Approximations to MapReduce Frameworks

We propose and evaluate a framework for creating and running approximation-enabled MapReduce programs. Specifically, we propose approximation mechanisms that fit naturally into the MapReduce paradigm, including input data sampling, task dropping, and accepting and running a precise and a user-defined approximate version of the MapReduce code. We then show how to leverage statistical theories to compute error bounds for popular classes of MapReduce programs when approximating with input data sampling and/or task dropping. We implement the proposed mechanisms and error bound estimations in a prototype system called ApproxHadoop. Our evaluation uses MapReduce applications from different domains, including data analytics, scientific computing, video encoding, and machine learning. Our results show that ApproxHadoop can significantly reduce application execution time and/or energy consumption when the user is willing to tolerate small errors. For example, ApproxHadoop can reduce runtimes by up to 32x when the user can tolerate an error of 1% with 95% confidence. We conclude that our framework and system can make approximation easily accessible to many application domains using the MapReduce model.
The matching of parallel dielectric plates to free space

An array of parallel dielectric plates of uniform thickness and separation constitutes an anisotropic medium which is useful as a polarizer. Reflections can be minimized by the use of quarter-wave steps at the two faces. A weather protecting skin is also of practical interest. The phase shifts at the boundary discontinuities form the subject of this paper. While in some instances these phase shifts are of marginal significance, nevertheless they cannot be ignored in the design of a polarizer of the highest performance, or if the use of materials having a high dielectric constant is considered. The scattering coefficients are determined by the variational technique of Brown and Collin using an artificial short. Their method is extended to each of the three types of discontinuity enumerated above. A cosine series of two terms has been used as a trial function. Formulas have been developed to simplify the usual Weissfloch calculation.
Protein Kinase C Inhibitors as Modulators of Vascular Function and Their Application in Vascular Disease

Blood pressure (BP) is regulated by multiple neuronal, hormonal, renal and vascular control mechanisms. Changes in signaling mechanisms in the endothelium, vascular smooth muscle (VSM) and extracellular matrix cause alterations in vascular tone and blood vessel remodeling and may lead to persistent increases in vascular resistance and hypertension (HTN). In VSM, activation of surface receptors by vasoconstrictor stimuli causes an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), which forms a complex with calmodulin, activates myosin light chain (MLC) kinase and leads to MLC phosphorylation, actin-myosin interaction and VSM contraction. Vasoconstrictor agonists could also increase the production of diacylglycerol which activates protein kinase C (PKC). PKC is a family of Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent isozymes that have different distributions in various blood vessels, and undergo translocation from the cytosol to the plasma membrane, cytoskeleton or the nucleus during cell activation. In VSM, PKC translocation to the cell surface may trigger a cascade of biochemical events leading to activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and MAPK kinase (MEK), a pathway that ultimately increases the myofilament force sensitivity to [Ca2+]i, and enhances actin-myosin interaction and VSM contraction. PKC translocation to the nucleus may induce transactivation of various genes and promote VSM growth and proliferation. PKC could also affect endothelium-derived relaxing and contracting factors as well as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the extracellular matrix further affecting vascular reactivity and remodeling. In addition to vasoactive factors, reactive oxygen species, inflammatory cytokines and other metabolic factors could affect PKC activity. Increased PKC expression and activity have been observed in vascular disease and in certain forms of experimental and human HTN. Targeting of vascular PKC using PKC inhibitors may function in concert with antioxidants, MMP inhibitors and cytokine antagonists to reduce VSM hyperactivity in certain forms of HTN that do not respond to Ca2+ channel blockers.
Single Mothers and Other Low Earners: Policy Routes to Adequate Wages

This paper addresses the employment environment within which poor single mothers and other low-wage earners work, and identifies policies to foster economic advancement. Low-wage workers, often with minimal education and skills that fail to incorporate knowledge of advancing technology, experience more irregularity in work schedules and more frequent unemployment than do workers who are more highly skilled. Despite recent rises in national productivity, low-wage advancement opportunities remain limited, and inequality in after-tax income distribution between lower- and higher-income families is growing. New policies are needed to extend low-earner career potential. The paper highlights three particularly promising policy approaches to enhancing earnings of single mothers and other low-wage earners—workforce intermediaries that promote specific job advancement programs, community colleges that strengthen vocational and educational foundations, and access to one-stop centers that foster paid work connectedness. We detail the extent, impact, and needed improvements of these policies, and urge expansion of their availability to benefit single mothers and other low earners and their families.
Robust stability of time-variant interval matrices

The stability of time-variant discrete interval matrices is analyzed, and conditions for asymptotic as well as bounded-input bounded-output stability are derived, making it necessary to test the Schur-stability of one of the 2/sup n*/ corner matrices. For certain classes of interval matrices this condition becomes necessary and sufficient. >
Macroeconomic Coordination of Exchange Rate and Wage Movements under Quasi-Sterilization: Singapore Experience

This paper analyzes Singapore’s two-pronged macroeconomic strategy of low-inflation characterized by the quasi-sterilization mechanism and the coordination of exchange rate and wage movements. The monetary authority’s inflation-averse attitude holds the key to the existence of a stable Nash equilibrium of the exchange rate and wages. During both economic upturns and downturns, the exchange rate moves one for one inversely with the growth of wages in the long run. The required steady monetary growth is underpinned by the quasi-sterilization mechanism whereby every dollar increase in net foreign reserves leads to a decrease of 0.84 dollars in net domestic credit.
Projecting, Exposing, Revealing Self in the Digital World: Usernames as a Social Practice in a Moroccan Chatroom

AbstractThis article analyzes the characteristics of 141 usernames in a Moroccan chatroom gathered over sixty days (September 4 2011, through November 3 2011). Analysis of the results of this study identifies eleven categories of usernames, including those using a common Moroccan first name, a first name followed by a last name, a name with a number, usernames referring to Anglo-Saxon and French cultures, and those referring to the Muslim religion. This study offers insights into the construction of Moroccan identity in the virtual world that fluctuates between a traditional local Muslim Moroccan identity and a desire to belong to the global community.
Anatomical feasibility of the anterior obturator nerve transfer to restore bowel and bladder function.

Total sacrectomies are radical procedures required to treat tumorigenic processes involving the sacrum. The purpose of our anatomical study was to assess the feasibility of a novel nerve transfer involving the anterior obturator nerve to the pudendal and pelvic nerves to the rectum and bladder. Anterior dissection of the obturator nerve was performed in eight hemipelvis cadaver specimens. The common obturator nerve branched into the anterior and posterior at the level of the obturator foramen. The anterior branch then divided into two separate branches (adductor longus and gracilis). The branch to the gracilis was on average longer and also larger than the branch to the adductor longus (8.7 ± 2.1 cm vs. 6.7 ± 2.6 cm in length and 2.6 ± 0.2 mm vs 1.8 ± 0.4 mm in diameter). Each branch of the anterior obturator was long enough to reach the pelvic nerves. The novel transfer of the anterior branch of the obturator nerve to reinnervate the bladder and bowel is anatomically feasible. This represents a promising option with minimal donor site deficit. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 34:459–463, 2014.
Expression, purification and characterization of factor IX derivatives using a novel vector system.

Abstract Recent studies have indicated that the loop harboring the S1 specificity site (residues 185–189 in chymotrypsin numbering) of coagulation proteases has several charged residues with important structural and functional roles for the catalytic activity of these proteases. This loop is allosterically linked to the Na + -binding site in both factor Xa and thrombin. There are three candidate residues (His-185, Glu-186, and Arg-188) on this loop of factor IXa (fIXa) whose side chains can influence the Na + binding and the catalytic function of the protease in the intrinsic Xase complex. In this study, we developed a novel expression/purification vector system, substituted all three residues of factor IX individually with Ala, and expressed the mutant zymogens in mammalian cells. Following activation, all three fIXa mutants exhibited normal activity towards a fIXa-specific chromogenic substrate in the presence of Ca 2+ with no obvious requirement for Na + in the reaction. Furthermore, all three mutants interacted with factor VIIIa with near normal affinity and catalyzed the activation of factor X in the intrinsic Xase complex with a normal catalytic efficiency. These results suggest that, unlike thrombin and factor Xa, the charged residues of this loop do not play a functional role in modulating the catalytic function of fIXa in the intrinsic Xase complex.
Approximation Algorithms for Sensor Deployment

We develop an integer linear programming formulation to find the minimum cost deployment of sensors that provides the desired coverage of a target point set and propose a greedy heuristic for this problem. Our formulation permits heterogeneous multimodal sensors and is extended easily to account for nonuniform sensor detection resulting from blockages, noise, fading, and so on. A greedy algorithm for solving the proposed general ILP is developed. Additionally, isin-approximation algorithms and a polynomial- time approximation scheme are proposed for the case of grid coverage. Experiments demonstrate the superiority of our proposed algorithms over earlier algorithms for point coverage of grids by using heterogeneous sensors.
Studies on Popping of Popcorn in a Microwave Oven

The popping performances of five different varieties of popcorn with moisture contents ranging from 8–18% w.b. were studied using a Litton microwave oven. Each variety was found to have different optimum moisture contents for maximum expansion volume and for minimum unpopped kernel ratio. In one variety (M-045) the expansion volume correlated with the size of the kernels. Long term frozen storage increased the popped volume in comparison with storage at room temperature. The effect of salt and oil on the popping performance of popcorn was complex. The presence of any surface damage on the kernels decreased the expansion volume significantly.
The Optimum pH of the Green Snow Algae, Chloromonas Tughillensis and Chloromonas Chenangoensis, from Upstate New York

ABSTRACT The optimum pH of two species of snow algae from Upstate New York were assessed by studying three axenic strains of Chloromonas tughillensis in a pH range of 3.0–7.0 and three non-axenic strains of Cr. chenangoensis in a pH range of 3.0–8.0. Growth was examined at 0.5 pH intervals. Cell counts at the termination of the experiments differed among strains and among pH intervals in individual strains for both species, and strains of Cr. tughillensis responded differently to changes in pH (p < 0.001) while strains of Cr. chenangoensis did not (p = 0.193). Cell counts and absorbance data for Cr. tughillensis indicated an optimum pH of 4.9–6.1 using regression analysis. Strains of Cr. chenangoensis exhibited higher but insignificantly different counts between pH 7.0 and 8.0 with maxima at pH 7.5, but pH optima were not determined. When the range was expanded to include pH 8.5–9.0, an optimal pH of 7.0–8.0 was determined for strain CU 722B, and this is the first snow alga reported to have an optimum a...
Phosphodiesterase sequence variants may predispose to prostate cancer

We hypothesized that mutations that inactivate phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity and lead to increased cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP) levels may be associated with prostate cancer (PCa). We sequenced the entire PDE coding sequences in the DNA of 16 biopsy samples from PCa patients. Novel mutations were confirmed in the somatic or germline state by Sanger sequencing. Data were then compared to the 1000 Genome Project. PDE, CREB and pCREB protein expression was also studied in all samples, in both normal and abnormal tissue, by immunofluorescence. We identified 3 previously described PDE sequence variants that were significantly higher in PCa. Four novel sequence variations, one each in the PDE4B, PDE6C, PDE7B and PDE10A genes, respectively, were also found in the PCa samples. Interestingly, PDE10A and PDE4B novel variants that were present in 19% and 6% of the patients, respectively, were found in the tumor tissue only. In patients carrying PDE defects, there was pCREB accumulation (p<0.001), and an increase of the pCREB/CREB ratio (patients 0.97± 0.03; controls 0.52± 0.03; p-value < 0.001) by immunohistochemical analysis. We conclude that PDE sequence variants may play a role in the predisposition and/or progression to PCa at the germline and/or somatic state, respectively. Larger such studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Frost layer growth based on high-resolution image analysis

We report the results of experiments using high-resolution imaging and digital analysis of transient frost growth to obtain quantitative information on frost thickness. The measurement technique provides faster data acquisition and much higher accuracy than traditional approaches. An empirical model of frost growth that captures the fast and slow growth periods is developed based on this data. The key physical and correlating parameter is the ratio of sensible heat transfer-to-total heat transfer, and the growth rate varies inversely with this ratio. The resulting correlation faithfully captures measured growth rates across a wide spectrum of frosting conditions and gives better predictive capability than that of existing correlations. The present model eliminates the need for specifics of the experimental apparatus and test surface as factors in prediction, as well as the necessity of measuring the frost–air interface temperature.
Characterization of Li7La3Zr2O12 Thin Films Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition

A pulsed laser deposition system was employed to fabricate thin films of Li7La3Zr2O12 solid electrolyte. The deposition process was carried out at room-temperature, resulting in amorphous films. These as-deposited films had a large optical band gap of 5.13 eV, and exhibited a lithium-ion conductivity of 3.35×10-7 S/cm. The films were then annealed, and the effect of annealing on the optical and electrical properties of the films was examined. After annealing at 1000 °C, the films were found to be cubic with a narrower band gap of 3.64 eV. In addition, these annealed films showed an inferior ionic conductivity than the as-deposited ones.
Metastable Defects in a-SiOx:H and a-SiCx:H

Metastable defects are created in hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloys presumably by the same mechanism as in a-Si:H. We find metastable defects created in a-SiCx:H and a-SiOx:H by hopping injection of photocarriers from adjacent a-Si:H layers. In a-SiCx:H the defects can be created only below T=150K, they anneal at TE=400K. In a-SiOx:H they are created at or below T=300K, they anneal at TE=480K. The anneal temperature is nearly independent of the creation temperature. The defects are detected by their charge exchange with adjacent a-Si:H layers whose conductance is thereby changed.
Modeling of Water-Spray Application in the Forced Dispersion of LNG Vapor Cloud Using a Combined Eulerian–Lagrangian Approach

The safety and security of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities has prompted the need for continued study of LNG mitigation systems. Water-spray curtains are widely recognized as an effective mea...
Systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by diffuse alveolar haemorrhage: risk factors, therapy and survival

Objectives While diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) is recognised as a life-threatening complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), little is known about its risk factors and response to treatment. We describe 22 cases of DAH in a US lupus cohort of approximately 1000 patients, and compare them to 66 controls from the same outpatient cohort. Methods We captured variables pertaining to diagnoses of SLE and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and analysed them by univariate testing. Those variables with p values Results Of the 22 patients with DAH, 59% were diagnosed with DAH within 5 years of lupus diagnosis. By univariate testing, several manifestations of SLE and APS were more common in patients with DAH, including history of thrombocytopenia, cardiac valve disease, low C3, leucopenia, neuropsychiatric features, haemolysis, arterial thrombosis, lupus anticoagulant, secondary APS and low C4. On multivariate analysis, history of thrombocytopenia and low C3 were maintained as independent risk factors. Importantly, only two patients had platelet counts Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest case–control study of lupus DAH to date. History of thrombocytopenia was strongly predictive of DAH (OR ∼40). A number of APS manifestations correlated with DAH by univariate analysis, and deserve further consideration in larger studies.
Pollution status of aluminium in main foods in Shenzhen City

[Objective]To understand the pollution status of aluminium in main foods in Shenzhen City,provide the basic data for assessment of dietary exposure to aluminium.[Methods]763 foods sample were collected randomly from 2009-2011,and the aluminium content was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS).[Results]The aluminium content in wheaten food was 106.6 mg/kg,the eligible rate of wheaten food in roadside stalls was 22.8%,and the aluminium contents in tea and snails were higher.[Conclusion]Aluminium is detected in all kinds of foods,so it is necessary to develop the assessment of dietary exposure to aluminium.
REHYDROGENATION OF THE DECOMPOSED NaAlH_4

In situ X-ray diffraction showed that Ti catalyst can reduce not only the dehydrogena- tion temperature of NaAlH4,but also that of Na3AlH6 from 250℃to 160℃．The rehydrogenation of the decomposed NaAlH4 is reversible theoretically, but the intermediate hydride,Na3AlH6,is not fully converted into NaAlH4 because of the physical separation of NaH and Al formed in the decompo- sition,especially the formation of the large Al crystallites．These, therefore,result in a decrease in the hydrogen storage capacity as observed in the following cycling．Additional measurements have showed that those A1 crystallites larger than 2.3μm are no longer effective for rehydrogenation．
Differential mechanisms in the regulation of endogenous levels of thrombopoietin and interleukin-11 during thrombocytopenia: insight into the regulation of platelet production

The regulation of megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombopoiesis appears to be under the control of an array of hematopoietic growth factors. To determine the relationship of endogenous thrombopoietic cytokine levels and circulating platelet (PLT) counts, we measured the levels of thrombo-poietin (TPO), interleukin-11 (IL-11), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with significant thrombocytopenia secondary to both marrow hypoplasia and increased PLT destruction. Increased endogenous levels of TPO and IL-11, but not IL-6, were detected in bone marrow transplant patients with thrombocytopenia following myeloablative therapy (BMT/MAT) (TPO: 1,455.5 +/- 87.3 pg/mL, [PLT 39,600 +/- 7,800/microL], P .05, n = 4] v normal donors [TPO .05, n = 62). In patients with immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), with decreased PLT survival, but intact bone marrow megakaryocytopoiesis, endogenous IL-11 levels were significantly increased (328.0 +/- 92.6 pg/mL, [PLT: 20,900 +/- 3,000/microL], P < .05, n = 25). However, endogenous TPO levels remained undetectable (< 150 pg/mL, [PLT 30,500 +/- 5,500/microL], n = 15). These results suggest that there may be differential mechanisms regulating endogenous TPO, IL-11, and IL-6 levels during acute thrombocytopenia and suggest that the absolute number of circulating PLTs may not always be the sole regulator of endogenous TPO levels. Other mpl-expressing cells of the megakaryocyte lineage may contribute to the regulation of circulating TPO levels as well. Our results also suggest IL-11 levels may in part, be regulated by a negative feedback loop based on circulating PLT counts, but also may, in part, be regulated by a variety of inflammatory agonists. Both TPO and IL-11, therefore, appear to be active thrombopoietic cytokines regulating, in part, megakaryocytopoiesis during states of acute thrombocytopenia.
Isomer yield ratios of 115mCd and 115gCd

Abstract The cumulative isomer yield ratios σm/σg of the 115Cd isomers have been measured for the reactions 116Cd (n, 2n), 118Sn (n, α), 232Th (n, f) and 238U (n, f) by 14·8 MeV neutrons. The ratios of the 43 day 115mCd (11/2−) yield to the 2·3 day 115gCd ( 1 2 + yield are 0·71±0·06, 1·48±0·20, 0·088± 0·015 and 0·12±0·02 for the respective reactions. The most probable excitation energies of the compound nuclei, in the formation of 115Cd isomers from various reactions have been calculated. From the knowledge of the threshold energies for these reactions, it is suggested that there is a relation between cumulative isomer yield ratios and excitation energies above the threshold.
Clinical Endpoint Bioequivalence Study

The goal of the clinical endpoint bioequivalence study is to perform a comparison of clinical effects of a test and reference drug in order to infer bioequivalence. The clinical endpoint bioequivalence study is a complex compromise method of determining bioequivalence of products that cannot be evaluated by means of a pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic study, or, in some cases, an in vitro study. A clinical study is subject to a very high degree of variability and requires a careful consideration of all aspects of design and data analysis. This chapter discusses the background and special considerations of the clinical endpoint bioequivalence study. Some case examples are discussed in order to highlight special considerations that must go into the development of a protocol for a clinical endpoint bioequivalence study.
Rôle de la distribution d’énergie dans l’ADN sur la mutagénèse des radiations ionisantes

Le profil local du depot d’energie et les dommages moleculaires residuels affectent considerablement les effets mutagenes causes par des radioisotopes lies de facon covalente a l’ADN. Quoique des cassures doubles d’ADN mal reparees peuvent etre a l’origine de lesions mutagenes importantes, la plupart des mutations proviennent d’evenements genetiques a grande echelle. Ce fait souligne l’importance des rearrangements et des deletions chromosomiques lors des effets mutagenes induits par les radiations ionisantes.
Goethe and Psychoanalysis

Relative to psychoanalysis, Goethe is straightforwardly divisible into partes tres: for he proto-psychoanalyzed several of his contemporaries, including himself; he has been analyzed and misanalyzed repeatedly; and he has metapsychologically influenced the Freudian tribe and certainly ought to have. Freud, in fact, has been our Caesar in this, for he wrote two quite short pieces on Goethe rather neatly confirming these divisions. In the first, he begins a pleasant ramble by citing the following line from the first pages of Goethe’s Dichtung und Wahrheit: “If we try to recollect what happened to us in the earliest years of childhood, we often find that we confuse what we have heard from others with what is really a possession of our own derived from what we ourselves have witnessed” (Freud, 1953f, 17, p. 147).
Comparison of RNA extraction kits for the purification and detection of an enteric virus surrogate on green onions via RT-PCR

Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) offers a rapid and sensitive molecular method for detection of enteric viruses. Unfortunately, these assays are often hampered by the low virus titre found in foods and PCR inhibition due to matrix carryover during RNA extraction. Four commercial RNA extraction kits (Qiagen's QIAamp Viral RNA Mini and UltraSens Virus kits, MoBio UltraClean Tissue & Cells RNA Isolation kit, and Ambion MagMAX Viral RNA Isolation kit) were evaluated for their ability to extract and purify MS2 bacteriophage RNA, an enteric virus surrogate, from inoculated green onions, a food which has been associated with viral gastroenteritis outbreaks. Inoculated green onion wash concentrates and green onion pieces with and without Qiagen QIAshredder homogenization were assayed in the kit comparison. MS2 detection and PCR inhibition were evaluated using a duplex real-time RT-PCR for MS2 and an exogenous internal amplification control (IAC) assay. Without homogenization, MS2 inoculated at 40pfu/g was detected in at least 4 lots of green onion wash concentrates using the silica-membrane spin-column kits. Inhibition was a factor for the magnetic silica-based MagMAX kit, which resulted in detection of MS2 in 1 of 5. Addition of QIAshredder homogenization prior to extraction did not adversely affect the silica-membrane kit results but improved the MS2 detection by MagMAX to 5 of 5 lots. Use of a 1:10 dilution of primary RNA extracts also improved detection. The QIAamp Viral RNA Mini and MagMAX kits were further compared for detection of MS2 from green onion pieces inoculated at 20 and 5pfu/g. Using homogenization, the MagMAX kit detected 20pfu/g in only 1 of 2 green onion lots, whereas the QIAamp Viral RNA kit detected 2 of 2 lots at 5 pfu/g without homogenization.
Content analysis of resident evaluations of faculty anesthesiologists: supervision encompasses some attributes of the professionalism core competency.

Anesthesiology departments need an instrument with which to assess practicing anesthesiologists’ professionalism. The purpose of this retrospective analysis of the content of a cohort of resident evaluations of faculty anesthesiologists was to investigate the relationship between a clinical supervision scale and the multiple attributes of professionalism. From July 1, 2013 to the present, our department has utilized the de Oliveira Filho unidimensional nine-item supervision scale to assess the quality of clinical supervision of residents provided by our anesthesiologists. The “cohort” we examined included all 13,664 resident evaluations of all faculty anesthesiologists from July 1, 2013 through December 31, 2015, including 1,387 accompanying comments. Words and phrases associated with the core competency of professionalism were obtained from previous studies, and the supervision scale was analyzed for the presence of these words and phrases. The supervision scale assesses some attributes of anesthesiologists’ professionalism as well as patient care and procedural skills and interpersonal and communication skills. The comments that residents provided with the below-average supervision scores included attributes of professionalism, although numerous words and phrases related to professionalism were not present in any of the residents’ comments. The de Oliveira Filho clinical supervision scale includes some attributes of anesthesiologists’ professionalism. The core competency of professionalism, however, is multidimensional, and the supervision scale and/or residents’ comments did not address many of the other established attributes of professionalism.
Rose’s Gift: Slavery, Kinship, and the Fabric of Memory

One of the most evocative objects in the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is an embroidered cloth bag that has come to be known as “Ashley’s Sack”. Stitch-work on the bag, signed “Ruth Middleton”, recounts the bag’s painful history, as a gift presented by an enslaved woman, Rose, to her daughter Ashley, when Ashley was sold at age nine in South Carolina. This paper explores ‘Ashley’s sack’ as an object of history, memory, ritual action, and aesthetic creativity.
Evaluating alignment and variant-calling software for mutation identification in C. elegans by whole-genome sequencing

Whole-genome sequencing is a powerful tool for analyzing genetic variation on a global scale. One particularly useful application is the identification of mutations obtained by classical phenotypic screens in model species. Sequence data from the mutant strain is aligned to the reference genome, and then variants are called to generate a list of candidate alleles. A number of software pipelines for mutation identification have been targeted to C. elegans, with particular emphasis on ease of use, incorporation of mapping strain data, subtraction of background variants, and similar criteria. Although success is predicated upon the sensitive and accurate detection of candidate alleles, relatively little effort has been invested in evaluating the underlying software components that are required for mutation identification. Therefore, we have benchmarked a number of commonly used tools for sequence alignment and variant calling, in all pair-wise combinations, against both simulated and actual datasets. We compared the accuracy of those pipelines for mutation identification in C. elegans, and found that the combination of BBMap for alignment plus FreeBayes for variant calling offers the most robust performance.
Novel thermal efficiency-based model for determination of thermal conductivity of membrane distillation membranes

Abstract Development and selection of membranes for membrane distillation (MD) could be accelerated if all performance-determining characteristics of the membrane could be obtained during MD operation without the need to recur to specialized or cumbersome porosity or thermal conductivity measurement techniques. By redefining the thermal efficiency, the Schofield method could be adapted to describe the flux without prior knowledge of membrane porosity, thickness, or thermal conductivity. A total of 17 commercially available membranes were analyzed in terms of flux and thermal efficiency to assess their suitability for application in MD. The model described the flux with an average %RMSE of 4.5%, which was in the same range as the standard deviation of the measured flux. The redefinition of the thermal efficiency also enabled MD to be used as a novel thermal conductivity measurement device for thin porous hydrophobic films that cannot be measured with the conventional laser flash diffusivity technique.
A Bibliography of Executive Branch War Powers Opinions Since 1950

This is an update to an earlier version of the paper, now published in the Tulane Law Review. Intended as an aid to scholarship, it is a bibliography of executive branch legal opinions on war powers since 1950. They are listed in chronological order. Most have been published as public documents, although some were confidential at the time they were written and are available only from presidential libraries. The Tulane Law Review has generously published eight appendices to the original article, providing the full text of the unpublished opinions. These appendices are available from the various online sources in which the Tulane Law Review is published. This article provides the bibliography and a brief commentary, but without the appendices.
Cross and Christ: Faithfulness and Effectiveness in Leadership

Ethical leadership is strengthened when we see Jesus as the model human, holding two contrasting visions in place. First, Jesus occupies the authority of Son of Man, modeling true humanity against the beastly visions of leadership and authority (Daniel 7). Second, Jesus occupies the position of the Suffering Servant, modeling true humanity when power cannot be used faithfully (Isaiah 52–53; Mark 10:34–35). Ethical leadership involves a paradoxical blend of strength for justice and willingness to suffer against injustice.
A Novel Closure Technique for Complex Abdominal Wounds.

Introduction Abdominal wound closure is a challenge in patients undergoing colorectal surgery with a complex history of multiple abdominopelvic operations. Loss of domain of the abdominal fascia because of prior laparotomies precludes the use of simple, everyday abdominal wound closure techniques. Furthermore, ongoing intra-abdominal sepsis, with or without a concurrent entero- or colocutaneous fistula, increases the risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality in this patient population. We propose an abdominal wound closure technique for patients with multiple previous complex operations and subsequent ongoing abdominopelvic sepsis. Technique Following completion of the intra-abdominal component of the operation, the abdominal wall fascial edges are identified and mobilized to allow for a smooth skin closure. The skin is brought together with a small amount of subcutaneous tissue in the abdominal wound line and sutured with a 1.0 Prolene stitch by using the vertical mattress technique. For both wound edges, a dental roll is inserted between the entry and exit points of the suture, with the suture material placed above and over the dental roll, and thus the dental roll is incorporated within the stitch when it is tied down. These stitches and dental rolls are placed along the length of the wound. No mesh is utilized, and the technique achieves skin closure with development of a subsequent ventral hernia. Results Good postoperative short-term and long-term overall outcomes were achieved in 14 patients who underwent complex abdominal wound closure. Two patients required further late operative intervention because of the incarceration of the known ventral hernia (at 34 and 120 months postoperatively). Conclusions Complex abdominal wound closure in this setting is safe and feasible to achieve a healthy abdominal wall closure and enable healing by primary intention after colorectal surgery.
Expected Irrigation Reductions Using Multiple-Inlet Rice Irrigation under Rainfall Conditions of the Lower Mississippi River Valley

AbstractMultiple-inlet rice irrigation (MIRI) decreased irrigation applications by an average of 24% over an 86-day flood when compared to single-inlet (SI) rice flood distribution. Even in the abs...
Geometrical optics of some ostracod eyes

Vision in some ostracods involves a lens (eyespot) of fixed focal length and a tapetal layer. Simply, the eyespot can be considered as a thin converging lens in front of a reflecting spherical segment. To provide a final formed image (real), the eyespot must provide an intermediate image that is proximal to the curved tapetal layer. The cardinal points of the ostracod's lens-mirror combination can be calculated from the general thick-lens formulas of Jenkins and White (1976). The focal lengths of the eyespot and reflecting layer are substituted, respectively, in place of those for the distal and proximal thick-lens surface. The tapetal layer alone would form a real inverted image, but the addition of the eyespot displaces the image toward the reflecting layer. The shorter the focal length of the eyespot, the closer will be the final image to the reflecting surface and the larger and dimmer will be the final image. The shortest possible focal length of the eyespot is R , given for an eyespot focal length of the same value. If the focal length of the eyespot is increased, the system focal length would decrease rapidly and approach the value, R /2, the focal length of the tapetal layer alone. Because the focal length of the system is within the limits R /2≨ f s ,≨ R , the image size can vary by a factor of two. The illuminance or brightness of the final image with an extended light source has an f number or relative aperature of from 0.50 to 0.25, where there is a hemispherical tapetum. The larger value represents the strongest possible converging lens, and the smaller value represents no lens at all. Thus, regardless of the focal length of the eyspot, ostracod eyes seem to be well adapted for efficient viewing of dim extended sources. Ostracod eyes have f -values that are among the smallest known for those organisms with eyes.
Crime and punishment in the Russian Revolution: mob justice and police in Petrograd

The centenary of Russia’s Revolutions of 1917 has spurred the release of new monographs and scholarly reflections about their origins and legacy from prominent figures in the field. This study is a...
Tribological Properties of Fly Ash-Based Green Friction Products

Growing concern for the environment coupled with the increasing cost of petro-based resources and advancements in the fields of biotechnology, nanotechnology and materials science, and engineering has led to the development of green materials for various applications. Fly ash is a particulate waste by-product formed as a result of coal combustion in power plants. Worldwide, more than 65% of fly ash produced from coal power stations is disposed off in landfills and ash ponds. The recycling of fly ash has become an increasing concern in recent years due to increasing landfill costs and the current interest in sustainable development. The use of fly ash as a filler or reinforcement for composites is desirable from an environmental standpoint. Recently, fly ash was successfully used in metal matrix composites to reduce overall weight and these composites are successfully used in automotive and aerospace applications. The polymer matrix composites developed using fly ash can be used as low cost green friction materials. This study is a review on the tribological behavior of fly ash-based green friction composites to understand their usability for various automotive applications.
‘Optimism bias’ in contemporary national clinical trial network phase III trials: are we improving?

Author(s): Zakeri, Kaveh; Noticewala, Sonal; Vitzthum, Lucas; Sojourner, E; Shen, Hanjie; Mell, Loren | Abstract: BackgroundPrevious studies have found that overestimating treatment effects (i.e. 'optimism bias') leads to underpowered clinical trials. The prevalence of 'optimism bias' in contemporary National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) cancer clinical trials is unknown.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of NCTN phase III randomized trials published from January 2007 to January 2017. We compared the hypothesized versus observed treatment effects in each trial, and examined whether trial-related factors were correlated with the study results. We also reviewed the methods of each protocol to assess whether a rationale for the hypothesized effect size was provided.ResultsWe identified 161 clinical trials, of which 130 were eligible for analysis. Original protocols could not be located for 8 trials (5.0%). Twenty-eight trials (21.5%) observed a statistically significant difference in the primary end point favoring the experimental treatment. The median ratio of observed-to-expected hazard ratios among trials that observed a statistically significant effect on the primary end point was 1.07 (range: 0.33-1.28) versus 1.32 (range: 0.86-2.02) for trials that did not, compared with 1.34 and 1.86, respectively, for National Cancer Institute (NCI) trials published between 1955 and 2006. An effect size at least as large as the one projected in the protocol trials was observed in 9.8% of trials, compared with 17% of NCI trials published from 1955 to 2006. Most trials (64.6%) provided no rationale to support the magnitude of the proposed treatment effect in the protocol.ConclusionsDespite a reduction in 'optimism bias' compared with previous eras, most contemporary NCTN phase III trials failed to establish statistically significant benefits of new cancer therapies. Better rationalization of proposed effect sizes in research protocols is needed.
Population-based Study Determining Predictors of Cancer-Specific Mortality and Survival in Pediatric High-grade Brainstem Glioma.

Background Pediatric high-grade brainstem gliomas are aggressive tumors with dismal prognoses. Large-scale studies are needed to further characterize these tumors and determine factors influencing cancer-specific mortality and survival at varying time points. Methods We used the SEER (Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) database to conduct a population-based study of pediatric patients with histologically confirmed anaplastic astrocytoma or glioblastoma tumors located within the brainstem. Multivariate analyses incorporating patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatments were used to determine predictors of cancer-specific mortality and survival at 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and 2 years. Results We included 154 patients from the SEER database: 72 patients with anaplastic astrocytoma (47%) and 82 (53%) with glioblastoma. Median survival for the entire cohort was 10.0 months. Glioblastoma histology, developmental stage, and large tumor size were significantly associated with cancer-specific mortality. Six-month, 9-month, 1-year, and 2-year survival was 75%, 57%, 42%, and 20%, respectively. Glioblastoma histology was associated with worsened survival at 6 months (odds ratio [OR], 0.19; P = 0.0081), 9 months (OR, 0.18; P Conclusions This population-based study showed that glioblastoma histology is associated with a poor prognosis in pediatric patients with high-grade brainstem gliomas. Regardless of histology, radiation therapy improved survival at 6 and 9 months but not long-term.