cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incident-mass dependence of temperature-enhanced ion-induced sputtering in liquid metals

Abstract The sputtering yield of liquid tin due to heavy-ion bombardment has been found to have significantly reduced dependence on the sample temperature than that of light-ion bombardment. These results, combined with previous light-ion data, show that the mechanisms that increase the sputtering yield of materials under ion irradiation are diminished or surpassed by the effects of heavy-ion bombardment. Beams of 700 eV Ne+ and 500–1000 eV Ar+ ions irradiated high-purity tin at temperatures from 20–340 °C at oblique incidence; a pair of quartz–crystal microbalances performed real-time measurement of the mass ejected from the surface. Monte Carlo atomistic simulations were also performed for comparison and to help interpret the experimental results. We discuss the results of this series of experiments and the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms behind temperature-dependent sputtering in light of these results.
Nano-Bio-Chip sensor platform for examination of oral exfoliative cytology

Oral cancer is a deadly and disfiguring disease that could greatly benefit from new diagnostic approaches enabling early detection. In this pilot study, we describe a nano-bio-chip (NBC) sensor technique for analysis of oral cancer biomarkers in exfoliative cytology specimens, targeting both biochemical and morphologic changes associated with early oral tumorigenesis. Here, oral lesions from 41 dental patients, along with normal epithelium from 11 healthy volunteers, were sampled using a noninvasive brush biopsy technique. Specimens were enriched, immunolabeled, and imaged in the NBC sensor according to previously established assays for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) biomarker and cytomorphometry. A total of 51 measurement parameters were extracted using custom image analysis macros, including EGFR labeling intensity, cell and nuclear size, and the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio. Four key parameters were significantly elevated in both dysplastic and malignant lesions relative to healthy oral epithelium, including the nuclear area and diameter ( P P P
Comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay in the determination of content uniformity of digoxin tablets

Digoxin 0.25-mg tablets were dissolved and assayed by the standard high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method specified in USP XX and by a radioimmunoassay (RIA) method modified for the assay of tablet solutions. For the RIA method, the filtrate was diluted to a theoretical concentration of 5 ng/ml. Aliquots of this dilution were then assayed for digoxin content using a commercial digoxin 125I RIA kit. Results from both methods were extrapolated to total tablet content and compared with the labeled amount for 20 individual tablets. All tablet assay results were within the USP standards for content uniformity of individual tablets. The individual tablet deviations from labeled amount by the RIA method were smaller when compared with the USP XX-specified HPLC method. Comparison of individual tablet assays show the RIA method to be both as precise and as accurate as the USP XX-specified HPLC method.
The Causal Analysis Framework: Refining Approaches and Expanding Multidisciplinary Applications

ABSTRACT This series of articles provides perspectives and recent case examples reflective of the growing interest in and need for formal causal analysis procedures that narrow the uncertainties associated with understanding cause and effect relationships in environmental and health matters. That understanding is important for guiding prevention, remediation, and/or restoration efforts pertaining to environmental stressors. A defensible establishment or refutation of causes is often needed to support legal opinions and/or reach decisions on specific regulatory actions. For complex environmental and health matters, the ability to support cause and effect relationships to a reasonable degree of certainty depends not only on the existence of the relationships but also on the analyst's ability to examine alternative possibilities and to use available evidence to support scientific opinion. Formal casual analyses have evolved to provide analysts with organized frameworks for weighing evidence and decreasing th...
Visualization of the intact interface between neural tissue and implanted microelectrode arrays.

This research presents immunohistochemical strategies for assessing the interactions at the immediate interface between micro-scale implanted devices and the surrounding brain tissue during inflammatory astrogliotic reactions. This includes preparation, microscopy and analysis techniques for obtaining images of the intimate contact between neural cells and the surface of implantable micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. The ability to visualize the intact interface between an implant and the surrounding tissue allows researchers to examine tissue that is unchanged from its native implanted state. Conversely, current popular techniques involve removing the implant. This tends to cause damage to the tissue immediately surrounding the implant and can hinder one's ability to differentiate inflammatory responses to the implant versus physical damage occurring from removal of the implant from the tissue. Due to advances in microscopy and staining techniques, it is now possible to visualize the intact tissue–implant interface. This paper presents the development of imaging techniques for visualizing the intact interface between neural tissue and implanted devices. This is particularly important for understanding both the acute and chronic neuroinflammatory responses to devices intended for long-term use in a prosthetic system. Non-functional, unbonded devices were imaged in vitro and in vivo at different times post-implantation via a range of techniques. Using these techniques, detailed interactions could be seen between delicate cellular processes and the electrode surface, which would have been destroyed using conventional histology processes.
Analysis of planar shapes using geodesic paths on shape spaces

For analyzing shapes of planar, closed curves, we propose differential geometric representations of curves using their direction functions and curvature functions. Shapes are represented as elements of infinite-dimensional spaces and their pairwise differences are quantified using the lengths of geodesics connecting them on these spaces. We use a Fourier basis to represent tangents to the shape spaces and then use a gradient-based shooting method to solve for the tangent that connects any two shapes via a geodesic. Using the Surrey fish database, we demonstrate some applications of this approach: 1) interpolation and extrapolations of shape changes, 2) clustering of objects according to their shapes, 3) statistics on shape spaces, and 4) Bayesian extraction of shapes in low-quality images.
Hypoxia-induced intrapulmonary arteriovenous shunting at rest in healthy humans

Intrapulmonary arteriovenous (IPAV) shunting has been shown to occur at rest in some subjects breathing a hypoxic gas mixture [fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) = 0.12] for brief periods of time. ...
Determination of nucleic acids with concentrated H-2-SO4. II. Simultaneous determination of ribo- and deoxyribonucleic acid.

Abstract A method is deseribed for simultancous determination of RNA and DNA. After reaction with concentrated H 2 SO 4 , DNA is determined from the absorption at 470 mμ and RNA from that at 320 mμ, after applying a correction for the absorption due to DNA at the latter wavelength. In some liver and kidney RNA preparations contaminating carbohydrates appeared to interfere with the reaction. These substances could, however, be removed by treating the RNA with 2-methoxyethanol. Optimal conditions for the reaction are described.
Communication and cytopathology--Part IV: Cytohistologic correlation and patient care.

“The laboratory … must compare all pre-malignant and malignant gynecological (cytology) reports with the histopathology report, if available, in the laboratory (either on site or in storage) and determine the causes of any discrepancies.” [CLIA '88 493.1257(d)(2)]1.
Mitochondrial proteome remodelling in pressure overload-induced heart failure: the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress

Aims We investigate the role of mitochondrial oxidative stress in mitochondrial proteome remodelling using mouse models of heart failure induced by pressure overload. Methods and results We demonstrate that mice overexpressing catalase targeted to mitochondria (mCAT) attenuate pressure overload-induced heart failure. An improved method of label-free unbiased analysis of the mitochondrial proteome was applied to the mouse model of heart failure induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). A total of 425 mitochondrial proteins were compared between wild-type and mCAT mice receiving TAC or sham surgery. The changes in the mitochondrial proteome in heart failure included decreased abundance of proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism, an increased abundance of proteins in glycolysis, apoptosis, mitochondrial unfolded protein response and proteolysis, transcription and translational control, and developmental processes as well as responses to stimuli. Overexpression of mCAT better preserved proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism and attenuated the increases in apoptotic and proteolytic enzymes. Interestingly, gene ontology analysis also showed that monosaccharide metabolic processes and protein folding/proteolysis were only overrepresented in mCAT but not in wild-type mice in response to TAC. Conclusion This is the first study to demonstrate that scavenging mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) by mCAT not only attenuates most of the mitochondrial proteome changes in heart failure, but also induces a subset of unique alterations. These changes represent processes that are adaptive to the increased work and metabolic requirements of pressure overload, but which are normally inhibited by overproduction of mitochondrial ROS.
Estimation of total body water by bioelectrical impedance analysis

Total body water (TBW) measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was directly compared with deuterium-isotope dilution in a total of 58 subjects. First, sex-specific and group equations were developed by multiple regression analysis in (10 each) obese and nonobese men and women. Height/resistive impedance was the most significant variable used to predict deuterium-dilution space (D2O-TBW) and, combined with weight, yielded R = 0.99 and SE of estimate = 1.75 L. Equations predicted D2O-TBW equally well for obese and nonobese subjects. Second, the equations were prospectively tested in a heterogeneous group of 6 males and 12 females. Sex-specific equations predicted D2O-TBW with good correlation coefficients (0.96 and 0.93), total error (2.34 and 2.89 L), and a small difference between mean predicted and measured D2O-TBW (-1.4 +/- 2.05 and -0.48 +/- 2.83 L). BIA predicts D2O-TBW more accurately than weight, height, and/or age. A larger population is required to validate the applicability of our equations.
A distinct atomic structure–catalytic activity relationship in 3–10 nm supported Au particles

Bulk Au is very inert but Au nanoparticles less than 5 nm in size have been found to be catalytically active for several reactions, in particular for low-temperature oxidation of CO. Using high-energy X-ray diffraction coupled with atomic pair distribution function analysis and computer simulations we determine the structure of 3 nm and 10 nm Au particles supported on titania and silica as typical representatives of reducible and irreducible supports, respectively. We find that the synthesis protocol adopted in our work affects strongly and differently the structure of the Au nanoparticles on the different supports. This leads to clearly distinct dependences of the catalytic activity of the nanoparticles on their size. In the case of the silica support the catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles increases and in the case of the titania support it decreases with decreasing nanoparticle size. The experimental results are considered in terms of current theoretical predictions and found to be in good accord with them.
Efficacy and safety of SAGA in the treatment of breast cancer

2257 Survivin , a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family of proteins, is widely expressed in transformed cell lines and in different primary cancer cells. It is not expressed in many non-malignant adult tissues, but is essential for fetal development, as demonstrated by conventional gene-deletion experiments in mice that show embryonic lethality at day 4-6 of development. In adult cancers, including lymphoma and many epithelial carcinomas (colon, breast, gastric) the expression level of survivin, as assayed by immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR, correlates with overall survival. We designed a suicide gene therapy approach driven by the survivin promoter to express the active form of the cytolytic gene granzyme B, emulating in part the mode of action of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells, and designated this SAGA. We performed in vitro studies to test the efficacy of this system on model breast cell lines in a panel encompassing neoplastic and non-transformed cells. SAGA induced apoptosis exclusively in the malignant cancer cell lines. Following SAGA treatment multiple granzyme B inducible pathways were activated. These included caspase 3, mitochondrial potential changes, and activation of ICAD, as evidenced by DNA fragmentation. The failure of SAGA to induce apoptosis in a non-transformed cell line created from healthy breast tissue (MCF10A) suggests that SAGA will not adversely affect surrounding healthy mammary tissue in a breast tumor undergoing SAGA-treatment. We also evaluated of the safety of SAGA treatment in vivo . To this end, we injected SAGA hydrodynamically into the tail vein of immunocompetent mice (FVB). We confirmed the presence of the plasmid in a range of different tissues by PCR. SAGA-treated mice were healthy with no weight loss, no signs of anemia or alopecia, and no increased apoptosis observed in select tissues including thymus, spleen and bone marrow. Additionally, SAGA-treated mice had no behavioral changes, and fed ad libitum as prior to injection with no detectable diarrhea. No adverse symptoms were detected during the study period of 60 days. Overall our data suggests that SAGA is a highly efficient and safe therapeutic alternative at inhibiting tumor cell growth and decreasing tumor cell number, in a tumor-specific fashion. Testing in subcutaneous and orthotopic breast cancer mouse xenograft models is currently under way. Taken together, our data suggests a promising future for SAGA in the treatment of breast cancer.
Metal impurity-assisted formation of nanocone arrays on Si by low energy ion-beam irradiation

Abstract Fabrication of nanocone arrays on Si surfaces was demonstrated using grazing incidence irradiation with 1 keV Ar+ ions concurrently sputtering the surface and depositing metal impurity atoms on it. Among three materials compared as co-sputtering targets Si, Cu and stainless steel, only steel was found to assist the growth of dense arrays of nanocones at ion fluences between 1018 and 1019 ions/cm2. The structural characterization of samples irradiated with these ion fluences using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy revealed that regions far away from co-sputtering targets are covered with nanoripples, and that nanocones popped-up out of the rippled surfaces when moving closer to co-sputtering targets, with their density gradually increasing and reaching saturation in the regions close to these targets. The characterization of the samples' chemical composition with Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy revealed that the concentration of metal impurities originating from stainless steel (Fe, Cr and Ni) was relatively high in the regions with high density of nanocones (Fe reaching a few atomic percent) and much lower (factor of 10 or so) in the region of nanoripples. Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry measurements showed that higher concentrations of these impurities are accumulated under the surface in both regions. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy experiments showed no direct evidence of metal silicide formation occurring on one region only (nanocones or nanoripples) and thus showed that this process could not be the driver of nanocone array formation. Also, these measurements indicated enhancement in oxide formation on regions covered by nanocones. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the difference in concentration of metal impurities in the thin near-surface layer forming under ion irradiation might be responsible for the differences in surface structures.
Commerce and Orthodoxy: A Spanish Response to Portuguese Commerical Penetration in the Viceroyalty of Peru, 1580-1640

They have made themselves masters of commerce. The Merchant's Street is almost theirs; the Merchant's Lane is all theirs, as are most of the retail booths. … As a result, they have gained control of merchandising. … The Spaniard who has not a Portuguese as a business partner has limited chances for success. This remarkable statement, issued by the Lima Inquisition, suggests the extent to which Portuguese and their descendants had penetrated the Peruvian commercial system during the six-decade union of the Spanish and Portuguese Crowns. Spanish concern over the presence of Portuguese merchants in the viceroyalty extended to the royal bureaucracy and Lima Consulado. For example, one important government functionary writing to the King in 1619 assessed the situation as follows: “These Portuguese … in the Provinces of Peru are many of them rich, powerful, and very intelligent in all aspects of commerce. They maintain communication with many other Portuguese retail and wholesale merchants who reside in the stated realms. …” The Consulado issued numerous complaints against Portuguese merchants and often agitated for their expulsion on the grounds that they increasingly dominated trade to the detriment of Spaniards. By 1639, the majority of Portuguese merchants had been expelled from Lima and from many other parts of the viceroyalty thanks to a rapid and far-reaching expurgation by the Inquisition. Indeed, Spanish merchant monopolists and their government-sanctioned trading association, the Consulado, acted in concert with the Lima Inquisition to harass and eventually to oust their Portuguest competitors. The establishment of Portuguese merchants in Peru and their subsequent purge by the Holy Office comprise a crucial chapter in the business history of imperial Spain.
Characterization of Si MBE Layers Doped in Situ by As ION Beams

To achieve high concentrations and electrical activation of As in Si without subsequent annealing, 500–3000 eV As ions were implanted during MBE growth of Si at 450–840°C. The epitaxial layers were characterized by Rutherford backscattering/channeling, transmission electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and electrical measurements. Samples containing 1.2×1020 As cm grown at 700°C showed little damage, high As substitutionality and high electrical activation. However, similarly doped layers grown at 460°C showed lower As activation and varying amounts of structural damage. In one case, a band of damage near the Si substrate was observed which persisted even after rapid thermal annealing at 1120°C (10 s); the damage was characterized by a dechanneling step, non-substitutional As atoms and dislocation loops. A sample grown at 460°C with a high implantation energy (3 keV) was highly defected.
Inhibition of the binding of cystine to proteins by glutamic acid.

SummaryThe reaction of 35S-cystine with sulfhydryl groups of both native and denatured proteins is inhibited in the presence of low concentrations of glutamic acid. Identical inhibitory activity is displayed by N-substituted derivatives of this amino acid, but not by derivatives in which either carboxylic acid group is blocked. Aspartic acid does not interfere with this reaction. The effect of glutamic acid is greatest at pH 7.4 and decreases markedly in more acidic or more basic media. It is suggested that glutamic acid may regulate metabolic processes by affecting the activity of sulfhydryl-activated enzymes.
The Brief Student–Teacher Classroom Interaction Observation: Using Dynamic Indicators of Behaviors in the Classroom to Predict Outcomes and Inform Practice

Measures that can be used to identify malleable, dynamic indicators of teacher practices that lead to or are associated with student outcomes are needed to inform classroom interventions and consultation practices with teachers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and validate the Brief Student–Teacher Classroom Interaction Observation in elementary classrooms (Grades K–3). A universal sample of 896 students was observed during classroom instruction. The measure was utilized to gather information on how teachers interacted with students with regard to their use of positive versus negative feedback during a 5-min window at the start of the school year. Findings indicate that students who received more negative feedback than positive feedback from their teacher were rated at the end of the year as having a significant increase in problems with emotion regulation, concentration problems, and observed disruptive behavior, whereas students who received more positive feedback demonstrated significant incr...
Is Virtual Reality (VR) Becoming an Effective Application for the Market Opportunity in Health Care, Manufacturing, and Entertainment Industry?

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how virtual reality technology has been blossoming and applying in the past few years to quickly become the next big new products development in high technology industry. Thanks to this technology being backed by major tech and manufacturing firms, such as Facebook, Ford, and Sony, it has shown much promise in impacting our lives by bringing something completely new to our experience of processing data. There are three sectors in particular where it benefits most; healthcare, manufacturing, and entertainment. The paper explains in detail how these areas are positively impacted and applied.
Building Resilience or Providing Sustenance: Different Paths of Emergent Ventures in the Aftermath of the Haiti Earthquake

Disaster events threaten the lives, economies, and wellbeing of those they impact. Understanding the role of emergent organizations in responding to suffering and building resilience is an importan...
Management of Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

■ Endoscopic surgery for lacrimal outflow obstruction is a safe and effective alternative to traditional external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery in most patients, and offers the advantages of excellent visualization, the ability to thoroughly evaluate the location and size of the rhinostomy site, and the avoidance of a facial scar.
P033 Quantification of CMV-specific T cell responses in immunosuppressed renal transplant recipients

Aim Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most problematic pathogens in the immunocompromised host after solid organ and stem cell transplantation, increasing morbidity and mortality risk, and graft loss. In order to accurately quantify immunity to CMV, both antibody titers and measures of virus-specific T cell activation are needed. While CMV-specific IgG and IgM antibodies are routinely tested in the clinic, assays enumerating CMV-specific T cells are not well standardized. We developed a method to measure CMV-specific T cell activation in both whole blood and isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Methods CMV-specific responses were quantitated by incubating the samples with a pool of nine immunodominant peptides from the following CMV proteins: UL55, UL83 or pp65, UL99, UL36, UL48_sub1, UL48_sub2, UL122 or IE-2, UL123 or IE-1, and US32. Peptides were selected to stimulate both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Responses were determined by three methods: (i) IFN-g release in supernatants 18 h after peptide exposure; (ii) intracellular staining for IFN-g in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (gated from total PBMCs), at the same time point; and (iii) proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (gated from total PBMCs) after 5 days of stimulation. Results The blood stimulation can be effectively performed in cell culture plates or Truculture tubes, a whole blood collection and culture tube for standardized stimulation and immunophenotyping. The assays were optimized in adult healthy controls and then validated in a cohort of twelve immunosuppressed adult kidney transplant recipients and a second cohort of CMV-vaccinated adult kidney transplant recipients. All patients who were seropositive because of pre-exposure or who became seropositive upon vaccination responded to CMV peptides by producing detectable levels of IFN-g. Conclusions We developed a method to measure CMV-specific responses that is easily amenable to translational and clinical research and that works well in immunosuppressed patients.
Factors associated with oncology patients' involvement in shared decision making during chemotherapy.

Objective Oncology patients are increasingly encouraged to play an active role in treatment decision making. While previous studies have evaluated relationships between demographic characteristics and decision-making roles, less is known about the association of symptoms and psychological adjustment characteristics (eg, coping styles and personality traits) and decision-making roles. Methods As part of a larger study of symptom clusters, patients (n = 765) receiving chemotherapy for breast, gastrointestinal, gynecological, or lung cancer provided information on demographic, clinical, symptom, and psychological adjustment characteristics. Patient-reported treatment decision-making roles (ie, preferred role and role actually played) were assessed using the Control Preferences Scale. Differences among patients, who were classified as passive, collaborative, or active, were evaluated using χ2 analyses and analyses of variance. Results Over half (56.3%) of the patients reported that they both preferred and actually played a collaborative role. Among those patients with concordant roles, those who were older, those with less education and lower income, and those who were less resilient were more likely to prefer a passive role. Several psychological adjustment characteristics were associated with decision-making role, including coping style, personality, and fatalism. Conclusions Oncology patients' preferences for involvement in treatment decision making are associated with demographic characteristics as well as with symptoms and psychological adjustment characteristics, such as coping style and personality. These results reaffirm the complexities of predicting patients' preferences for involvement in decision making. Further study is needed to determine if role or coping style may be influenced by interventions designed to teach adaptive coping skills.
Changes in cognitive function after pediatric intensive care unit rounds: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND Mental fatigue is impaired cognitive function induced by engaging in cognitively demanding activities. Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) rounds are demanding and may be a cause of impaired cognitive functioning. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if PICU rounds induce poorer performance on cognitive tasks after rounds compared to before rounds and assess the feasibility of cognitive testing in the PICU. METHODS This was a prospective study of residents in the PICU. Participants were evaluated before and after rounds on a single day, consisting of two tests of cognitive function that are sensitive to mental fatigue, the cognitive estimation test (CET) and the repeatable episodic memory test (REMT). RESULTS Thirty residents participated. The mean length of rounds was 191 min (SD 33.8 min), the mean number of patients rounded on by the team was 14.9 (SD 2.3) and the median patients presented by the participant was two (range 0-6). The average number of words recalled on the REMT was significantly lower after rounds compared to before (29.6 vs. 31.2, p < 0.05). There were significantly more falsely recalled words after rounds (1.3 vs. 0.7, p=0.02). There was a correlation between worsening performance and later time of testing in the 4-week PICU rotation (r=0.42, p < 0.02). There were no differences in performance on the CET. CONCLUSIONS PICU rounds induced impairments on cognitive testing but the effect size is small and not consistent across tests. There is an increased susceptibility to impaired cognition induced by rounds over the course of a rotation, this finding merits further investigation.
Graph Spectra of Carbon Nanotube Networks

Sensor coverage will benefit from finding better ways to communicate among smaller sensors. Also, as development in nanotechnology progresses, the need for low-cost, robust, reliable communication among nano-machines will become apparent. Communication and signaling within newly engineered inorganic and biological nano-systems will allow for extremely dense and efficient distributed operation. This paper examines these potential benefits from the perspective of using individual nanotubes within random carbon nanotube networks (CNT) to carry information. One may imagine small CNT networks with functionalized nanotubes sensing multiple elements inserted into a cell in vivo. The information from each nanotube sensor can be fused within the network. This is clearly distinct from traditional, potentially less efficient, approaches of using CNT networks to construct transistors. The CNT network and routing of information is an integral part of the physical layer. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are modeled as linear tubes positioned in two dimensions via central coordinates with a specified angle. A network graph is extracted from the layout of the tubes and the ability to route information at the level of individual nanotubes is considered. The impact of random tube characteristics, such as location and angle, upon the corresponding network graph and its impacts are examined.
Turnout and weather disruptions: Survey evidence from the 2012 presidential elections in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

This paper examines the rational choice reasoning that is used to explain the correlation between low voter turnout and the disruptions caused by weather related phenomena in the United States. Using in-person as well as phone survey data collected in New York City where the damage and disruption caused by Hurricane Sandy varied by district and even by city blocks, we explore, more directly than one can with aggregate data, whether individuals who were more affected by the disruptions caused by Hurricane Sandy were more or less likely to vote in the 2012 Presidential Election that took place while voters still struggled with the devastation of the hurricane and unusually low temperatures. Contrary to the findings of other scholars who use aggregate data to examine similar questions, we find that there is no difference in the likelihood to vote between citizens who experienced greater discomfort and those who experienced no discomfort even in non-competitive districts. We theorize that this is in part due to the resilience to costs and higher levels of political engagement that vulnerable groups develop under certain institutional conditions.
“The aura of capability”: Gender bias in selection for a project manager job

Abstract There have been numerous studies examining the various manners in which female managers are subjected to negative stereotypes and bias, and how such bias influences hiring decisions. We sought to study the job selection challenge within the specific context of project management, a discipline that has historically been viewed as male-dominated, focusing on perceived differences in male and female job candidates based on a set of critical personal/managerial characteristics, including perceived competence, trust, likeability, and lack of perceived self-interest. We developed a scenario-based survey questionnaire and a between-subjects research design, sampled 312 project management personnel and tested subjects' reactions to two candidates for a project management position, employing identical descriptions and language while only changing the candidate's name: Susan or Stan. Our results suggested that all independent variables are significant predictors of the likelihood of a project manager candidate being hired. We only found evidence of gender bias in relation to perceived technical competence; in situations where the perceived technical competence of the job candidate was low, the female candidate was less likely to be hired over a male counterpart. On the other hand, as a candidate's perceived technical competence increased, the resulting attributions were significantly more beneficial for the female job seeker, who was more likely to be hired over a male candidate.
Classes of Piperidine-Based Drugs

This chapter describes piperidine-based drugs in accordance with their pharmacological classes and in order of their prevalence, which looks like this:
Allergic asthma in children

Childhood asthma appears characterised by interactions of viral infections, action of allergens, environmental influences and their isolated or combined influence on bronchial hyperresponsiveness as the pathophysiologically measurable substrate of the disease. In view of lack of direct evidence of airway inflammation in children assessment of indirect markers either in the form of eosinophil products or late bronchial reactions have become more important. Both variables will allow for definition of disease activity and treatment responses. Little is known as to the onset of bronchial responsiveness and the differential weight of variables mentioned above. Although a genetic basis for atopy and asthma has become likely recently its relative contribution to the individual disease expression remains questionable. From a practical point antiinflammatory prophylactic medication influencing the longterm bronchial hyperresponsiveness has moved up in the ladder of therapeutic regimes. Future treatment will possibly be directed towards suppression of IgE/IL4 formation while at present balanced drug regimes, prevention of infection and environmental sanitation remain major tools for modulation of asthma severity.
Advancing chemical risk assessment decision-making with population variability data: challenges and opportunities

Characterizing population variability, including identifying susceptible populations and quantifying their increased susceptibility, is an important aspect of chemical risk assessment, but one that is challenging with traditional experimental models and risk assessment methods. New models and methods to address population variability can be used to advance the human health assessments of chemicals in three key areas. First, with respect to hazard identification, evaluating toxicity using population-based in vitro and in vivo models can potentially reduce both false positive and false negative signals. Second, with respect to evaluating mechanisms of toxicity, enhanced ability to do genetic mapping using these models allows for the identification of key biological pathways and mechanisms that may be involved in toxicity and/or susceptibility. Third, with respect to dose-response assessment, population-based toxicity data can serve as a surrogate for human variability, and thus be used to quantitatively estimate the degree of human toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic variability and thereby increase confidence in setting health-protective exposure limits. A number of case studies have been published that demonstrate the potential opportunities for improving risk assessment and decision-making, and include studies using Collaborative Cross and Diversity Outbred mice, as well as populations of human cell lines from the 1000 Genomes project. Key challenges include the need to apply more sophisticated computational and statistical models analyzing population-based toxicity data, and the need to integrate these more complex analyses into risk assessments and decision-making.
Deleuze, Žižek, Spring Breakers and the Question of Ethics in Late Capitalism

This article examines Harmony Korine's 2012 film, Spring Breakers. Arguing that Korine's film explores the bankruptcy of ethics in advanced capitalism, the article considers two predominate and con...
Sterol and Steroid Metabolism

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the metabolism of cholesterol, adrenocortical hormones, androgens, progesterone, and estrogens. The biosynthesis of cholesterol is most complex and has challenged the ingenuity of investigators for many years. With the availability of isotopes, however, some indication of the pathway by which this molecule is synthesized has been revealed. The direct precursors of cholesterol are relatively simple molecules. The knowledge of the metabolism of androgens has been derived principally from the studies of the isolation of these steroids from tissues and urine, the characterization of urinary excretion products after administration of 19-carbon steroids, and in vitro studies with tissues. The use of isotopically labeled steroids affords more direct evidence for their metabolism, but as yet, the reports in the literature on tracer studies with 19-carbon steroids have been meager. No information dealing with the biosynthesis of progesterone from smaller molecules is available. However, in a study described in the chapter, when deuterium-labeled cholesterol was fed to a woman in the eighth month of pregnancy, isotopically labeled pregnane-3α, 20α- diol, a recognized metabolite of progesterone, was obtained from the urine. When the isotopic content of the urinary pregnanediol was related to that of blood cholesterol, it was calculated that at least 68% of the diol was derived from cholesterol.
Multiple Myopias, Multiple Selves, and the Under-Saving Problem

In both public policy debate and the academic literature, there is widespread, though not universal, agreement that millions of Americans are saving too little for their own retirements. If this is true, we could potentially increase such individuals’ welfare through the adoption of policies that resulted in their saving more. A key dilemma, however, is that, unless one understands why people are under-saving, it is hard to evaluate the likely responses to or merits of a given policy.Possible explanations for systematic under-saving include at least the following: (1) naive myopia, (2) sophisticated or self-aware myopia, (3) procrastination, or putting off any active decision because deciding is difficult or stressful, (4) mistake aversion, or not wanting to risk regret of an “active” decision that turns out poorly, and (5) acting as if one had multiple selves with distinct utility functions, causing decisions to depend on which is dominant at a given time.These causal accounts differ predictively, with regard to how they suggest people subject to them would respond to a given policy. They also differ diagnostically, with regard to whether the increased saving induced would be by the “right” people (i.e., those whom we believe are under-saving). Yet they can be hard to tell apart in practice. What is more, the same individual may be subject to several at once, or to alternative ones at different times.The alternative explanations for systematic under-saving can have very differing implications for such issues in U.S. public policy debate as the following:1) Should income tax benefits for retirement saving be reduced or even repealed?2) Should the U.S. federal income tax be partly or fully replaced by a consumption tax?3) Should “nudges” such as automatic enrollment be used to increase employee participation in employer-run retirement savings plans?4) Should Social Security retirement benefits be scaled back for long-term fiscal plans, or alternatively expanded?5) Should the design of Social Security be changed, such as by making the relationship between payroll taxes paid and benefits received both actually and optically clearer?The paper’s aim is not to offer definite answers to any of these questions, but simply to improve understanding of the likely relationship between leading theoretical explanations for under-saving and the above issues.
Hospital Competition and Financial Performance: A Meta-Analytic Approach

The relationship between competition and hospital financial performance has been investigated by many researchers for the last 20 years. Although considerable research has been devoted to understanding the relationship between competition and hospital financial performance, less attention has been paid to summarizing the mixed and sometimes conflicting findings of these studies and defining an overall effect of competition on hospital performance. This study is designed to evaluate the magnitude of the competition effect on hospital financial performance by using meta-analytic methods. As a measure of competition, we focused on the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), the most frequently used measure of competition in the empirical literature. As financial performance indicators, we examined cost, profitability, and revenue ratios. In our final meta-analysis, we utilized 60 comparisons in 41 studies using random effect models. The results indicated overall effect size at positive 1% for profitability, at -1% for cost, and -3% for revenue, with only revenue being significant due to considerable heterogeneity across studies. The study findings suggest that hospitals located in less competitive markets (high HHI) experience higher profitability, lower cost, and lower revenue. Further advanced meta-analyses were also performed to understand underlying factors that led to high heterogeneity across studies.
The thin prep rat aortic ring assay: a modified method for the characterization of angiogenesis in whole mounts

The rat aortic ring model has gained broad acceptance as an angiogenic assay. This system can be used to study the activity of angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors, and investigate the molecular mechanisms of the angiogenic process. We describe here a thin prep modification of the aortic ring model, which significantly simplifies the procedure and allows staining of aortic outgrowths as whole mounts. Using this procedure, intact preparations of angiogenic outgrowths are successfully and reproducibly stained with endothelial cell (anti-CD-31 and -Tie2 antibodies, Griffonia Simplicifolia isolectin-B4) and smooth muscle cell (anti-α-smooth muscle actin antibody) markers. Combined use of double immunostaining and confocal microscopy allows concurrent visualization of endothelial and mural cells in the same cultures. Whole mount immunostains of rat aorta cultures are an effective way to rapidly characterize the cellular composition of the angiogenic outgrowths, and localize proteins implicated in the regulation of angiogenesis. This method should facilitate the work of the many vascular biologists that have adopted the rat aorta model as a tool to study angiogenesis and its mechanisms.
Time-resolved measurements of surface flashover of conical insulators

The voltage at which an insulator in vacuum flashes over depends on the angle between the insulator-vacuum interface and the electric field.1,3 In the work reported here, fast high-voltage pulses (3 ns risetime) and nanosecond time resolution permit measurement of the time delay between voltage application and breakdown. Measurements indicate that much of the angular variation in breakdown voltage observed under fast-pulsed conditions is associated with a seconary electron emission avalanche1 5 at the insulator surface preceding breakdown. The voltage dependence of the time delay provides insight into the transition from electron avalanche to low-impedance discharge. Furthermore, there is evidence that a different mechanism may lead to surface flashover within a restricted range of electric field angles.
Transition-Metal-Free, Visible-Light-Promoted C-S Cross-Coupling through Intermolecular Charge Transfer.

C–S cross-couplings are an important class of reactions ­applied across organic synthesis, materials science, and pharma­ceuticals. Several different methodologies have been developed to achieve this significant transformation. However, currently available synthetic procedures significantly rely on transition metals. This article describes historical developments in the field of transition-metal-catalyzed C–S cross-coupling reactions, the development of a visible-light-driven and catalyst-free approach to C–S bond formation, and future outlooks.
SMYD2 glutathionylation contributes to degradation of sarcomeric proteins

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to the etiology of multiple muscle-related diseases. There is emerging evidence that cellular stress can lead to destabilization of sarcomeres, the contractile unit of muscle. However, it is incompletely understood how cellular stress induces structural destabilization of sarcomeres. Here we report that glutathionylation of SMYD2 contributes to a loss of myofibril integrity and degradation of sarcomeric proteins mediated by MMP-2 and calpain 1. We used a clickable glutathione approach in a cardiomyocyte cell line and found selective glutathionylation of SMYD2 at Cys13. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that SMYD2 upon oxidation or glutathionylation at Cys13 loses its interaction with Hsp90 and N2A, a domain of titin. Upon dissociation from SMYD2, N2A or titin is degraded by activated MMP-2, suggesting a protective role of SMYD2 in sarcomere stability. Taken together, our results support that SMYD2 glutathionylation is a novel molecular mechanism by which ROS contribute to sarcomere destabilization.
The rise and fall of Scottish common sense realism

Douglas McDermid’s The Rise and Fall of Scottish Common Sense Realism gives a historically lush and analytically careful exposition of Thomas Reid’s philosophical project, but in the end the book c...
Autologous Fat Transfer to the Eyelids and Face

Volume depletion has become a vital hallmark of facial aging in conjunction with gravitational descent. Using autologous fat as a facial augmentation tool has long been an accepted form of facial volumization. Unlike nonfat filler material, autologous fat can be readily available and minimizes the risk of immunologic rejection. A main limitation of this procedure is grafted adipocyte viability resulting in contour inconsistency, making vascular supply, preparation, and proper technique vital to fat survival. Adding fat grafting to other eyelid and rhytidectomy procedures can add for a more three-dimensional enhancement with a natural appearing result. Continued advances have allowed finer instrumentation with smaller cannulas, thus leading to lower complication rates and enhanced outcomes. Facial volumization continues to be vital tool in the cosmetic surgery armamentarium that can have a lasting impact on facial appearance.
The Immigration Dilemma; Legal, Ethical and Practical Issues in Creating a Living, Growing Archive

Immigration is a widespread concern throughout the world and San Diego State University is located in the U.S.-Mexico border region, one of the most controversial areas. Also, located in this region is the Otay Mesa Detention Center which detains immigrants, asylum seekers, and undocumented persons seeking to cross legally into the U.S. With daily news stories about immigrants and border chaos, a group of concerned citizens, Detainee Allies, began to write and exchange letters with the detainees at the center in July 2018. The response from the detainees was immediate and continues to grow and the group quickly understood the import of the letters. They asked the SDSU library to archive, digitize, redact, and make the letters available to the public. This paper outlines a number of the legal and ethical issues surrounding this complex collection including the safety and privacy of the detainees, informed consent, the role of metadata, and the management of an archive growing in real time. Perhaps the collection will lead to a better understanding of the immigrants, or even help change public policy. At the very least the collection will be important for future research on immigration and the study of failed public policy.