cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some sources of contaminants in the shuttle bay measured with temperature-controlled quartz crystal microbalances

The sources of molecular deposits on a Temperature-Controlled Quartz Crystal Microbalance (TQCM) attached to the shuttle bay wall at some distance from the payload and pointing out of the bay have been investigated. Explored as possible sources are: (1) the outgassing of the shuttle tiles treated with the water proofing di-methyl-ethoxy-silane (DMES) compound, scattered back by the ambient molecules into the bay; (2) The ambient scattered return flux of the outgassing, from the RTV 560 silicone which is used as the adhesive for the tiles; (3) the ambient scattered return flux of the payload outgassing; (4) the return C, flux from outgassing source originating near, below, or adjacent to the package containing the TQCM; and (5) the self-scattering of venting plumes and outgassing above the monitor package depositing on the TQCM. In all of these sources, the magnitudes of the outgassing, of the leakage rates, and venting had to be estimated in the absence of data. The resulting analyses which can be useful for similar investigations, indicates that the outgassin- from the tiles, the RTV, the payloads, or the shuttle may not have been the sources of the deposit (about 1 micro g/cm(sup 2) during a the period from bay door opening and payload release from the bay). It appears more probable that the origin is the self- and/or ambient-scattered return fluxes originating near, below, or internal to the monitor package.
Class Power and Participatory Equality: Attitudes towards Economic Democracy in Denmark and Sweden*

Proposals for capital sharing (i.e. the spreading of ownership rights to productive assets), also known as ‘economic democracy’, have been advanced by the trade unions in both Denmark and Sweden. In view of their redistributive intent, these schemes have met surprisingly little enthusiastic response in traditional labor constituencies. The article makes an attempt to explain why. An examination of wage earner attitudes (which goes into greater detail for Denmark) shows that the presently entertained proposals appeal in a cross-cutting manner to conflictual notions of class power and participatory opportunity. The result is a fragmentation of wage earner support.
Novel protein-disulfide isomerases from the early-diverging protist giardia lamblia

Protein-disulfide isomerase is essential for formation and reshuffling of disulfide bonds during nascent protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum. The two thioredoxin-like active sites catalyze a variety of thiol-disulfide exchange reactions. We have characterized three novel protein-disulfide isomerases from the primitive eukaryote Giardia lamblia. Unlike other protein-disulfide isomerases, the giardial enzymes have only one active site. The active-site sequence motif in the giardial proteins (CGHC) is characteristic of eukaryotic protein-disulfide isomerases, and not other members of the thioredoxin superfamily that have one active site, such as thioredoxin and Dsb proteins from Gram-negative bacteria. The three giardial proteins have very different amino acid sequences and molecular masses (26, 50, and 13 kDa). All three enzymes were capable of rearranging disulfide bonds, and giardial protein-disulfide isomerase-2 also displayed oxidant and reductant activities. Surprisingly, the three giardial proteins also had Ca2+-dependent transglutaminase activity. This is the first report of protein-disulfide isomerases with a single active site that have diverse roles in protein cross-linking. This study may provide clues to the evolution of key functions of the endoplasmic reticulum in eukaryotic cells, protein disulfide formation, and isomerization.
Stress regulation of mineralocorticoid receptor heteronuclear RNA in rat hippocampus

Abstract Localization and regulation of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) heteronuclear RNA (hnRNA) was assessed in rat hippocampus using an intron-directed in situ hybridization approach. The presence of hnRNA in the cell nucleus reflects recent gene transcriptional events and can be used as an index of neuronal transcriptional activation or inhibition. In the present study, sections incubated with an MR intron probe labeled cells in all regions known to contain MR mRNA. Signal generated by the intron probe was localized specifically to the nuclear compartment, consistent with recognition of hnRNA. Analysis of distribution across hippocampus indicated that MR hnRNA was particularly abundant in dentate gyrus (DG). In contrast, MR mRNA shows similar levels of expression across all hippocampal subfields. Exposure of animals to acute restraint markedly reduced MR hnRNA levels in CA1 and DG 60 min and 120 min following stress exposure, consistent with reduced gene transcription. These data support the hypothesis that stress-induced glucocorticoid secretion can rapidly affect transcription of between transcriptional changes and changes in cytoplasmic mRNA pools or stimulus-driven alterations in post-transcriptional RNA processing.
Stability of solitons in birefringent optical fibers. I: Equal propagation amplitudes

The effect of birefringence on soliton propagation in single-mode optical fibers is considered. Emphasis is on solitons with multipicosecond widths that are appropriate for communications applications. It is shown that while linear birefringence will lead to a substantial splitting of the two polarizations over 20 km, this effect can be eliminated by use of the Kerr nonlinearity. Above a certain amplitude threshold, the central frequency of each polarization shifts just enough to lock the two polarizations together.
Experimental investigation of velocity slip near an arcjet exit plane

A simple approach, for the purpose of evaluating slip in a hydrogen-fueled arcjet, is to seed the flow with a species that is accessible with the same laser used to probe atomic hydrogen.In the present study,helium was chosen as the seed species owing to its inertness,its relative mass and its convenient electronic transitions in the visible wavelength region.Velocity and temperature are measured by LIF of both helium and atomic hydrogen .Absence of slip between helium and atomic hydrogen would suggest that slip is not a dominant mechanism in the nozzle or exit plane vicinity of our hydrogen arcjet.
A descriptive survey of lesions from cull sows harvested at two Midwestern U.S. facilities.

Physical and reproductive conditions of cull sows (3158) from two U.S. Midwestern harvest plants were assessed. Body condition, feet, shoulders, teeth, lungs, and reproductive tracts were visually evaluated for gross lesions on harvested sows. PROC FREQ (SAS, Cary, NC) was used to calculate the frequency of each binary trait event. Pearson chi-square tests were used to test the alternative hypothesis that a linear association existed between binary traits and body condition score (BCS). The most common foot lesions observed were rear (n = 2064, 67.5%) and front (n = 1024, 32.9%) heel lesions. Cracked hooves were found on the front feet of 703 (22.6%) and rear feet of 552 (18.1%) sows. Rear digital overgrowth was observed in 644 (21.1%) sows. The most common reproductive gross lesion observed among harvested cull sows was acyclic ovaries (n = 277, 9.0%). Presence of acyclic ovaries increased (p < 0.01) as BCS decreased. Cystic ovaries were found in 192 (6.3%) sows, which increased (p < 0.01) as BCS increased. Pneumonia was observed in 298 (9.7%) sows, and increased in frequency as BCS decreased ( p < 0.01). The most frequently observed shoulder lesion among harvested cull sows was shoulder abrasions (n = 394, 12.5%). The presence of shoulder abrasions increased (p < 0.01) as BCS decreased. The prevalence of reproductive lesions detected in the present study was less than the reported percentage of sows culled for reproductive failure from previous studies based on record keeping summaries.
Total synthesis of (+)-porothramycin B

Abstract The first total synthesis of (+)-porothramycin B ( 1b is described. Our synthetic pathway can be readily applied to the synthesis of other members of the pyrrolo[1,4]benzodiazepine antibiotics.
ADOLESCENTS' CHANGING CONCERNS: 1935 TO 1970

This study is substantively a replication of similar surveys conducted dming the past four decades to investigate adolescents! concern over personal attributes and current social and economic conditions. These studies have utilized the 15-item list of issues compiled by Symonds (1936) to study adolescents' responses to changing social parameters. These responses are assessed through analysis of the relative ranks assigned to the issues (Symonds, 1936a, 1936b; Harris, 1959; Kaczkowski, 1962 ) . The earlier studies did not control for serial-order effects on ranks assigned to issues. When Kaczkowski presented the list of issues in reverse order, he found that issues appearing first in the list tended to receive higher rankings. Also, up to the present, these surveys have been carried out in regionally stratified school settings. The studies by Symonds (1936a, 1936b) and Harris (1959) were done in eastern urban areas; Kaczkowski (1962) studied a rural high school in the midwest. The sociologist, Sugarman (1967) warns of a possible extraneous variable in this methodology; teenage groups in the U. S. A. participate in a strong within-school social system. On the other hand, Brittain ( 1963) has observed that adolescents' choices are influenced by both parental and peer opinion and pressure; peer-conformance was found most frequently in areas of changing social value, conformance to parental values was associated with problems seen as more difficult of resolution. The present study was designed to eliminate the methodological problems and sampling limitations mentioned above and to assess whether the socially disrupted decade of the 1960s affected the striking consistency of adolescents' attitudes described in the previous surveys. METHOD Seventy-six students from all parts of California, equally divided in terms of sex and home location (urban and rural), and within the age range of 13 to 19 yr. participated in this survey. Within the limitations of the procedure they comprised a heterogeneous sample of the California adolescent population. Data were gathered by 15 advanced psychology students enrolled in a summer session class. They traveled to all parts of California during the Fourth of July Holiday and had volunteered to ask respondents to perform the ranking
Donor and acceptor competitions in phosphorus-doped ZnO

Phosphorus-doped ZnO films were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy with a GaP effusion cell as dopant source. Three growth regions were identified to obtain ZnO films with different conduction types. In the oxygen-extremely-rich region, phosphorus-doped ZnO films show n-type conduction with dominant donor-bound excitons (DX0) in the low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra. In the oxygen-rich region, a growth window was found to generate p-type ZnO films. The PL spectra show evident competitions between DX0 and acceptor-bound excitons (AX0). In the stoichiometric and Zn-rich region, ZnO films are n-type with dominant DX0 emissions. Thus, phosphorus doping is amphoteric, having the tendency to form both donors and acceptors in ZnO.
Aldosteronism and Precocious Puberty Due to an Ovarian Androblastoma (Sertoli Cell Tumor)

This report describes a 9-year-old girl with precocious puberty and aldosteronism associated with an ovarian Sertoli cell tumor. After excision of the neoplasm there was amelioration of the manifestations of early feminization and aldosteronism. It is our impression that both endocrinopathies were induced by secretions from the ovarian tumor. Grossly both adrenals, and microscopically the simultaneously excised right adrenal, were normal. Transient hyperkalemia and absence of urinary aldosterone shortly after surgery suggested previous suppression of the remaining adrenal by an abnormal source of aldosterone. Functional ovarian neoplasms are a rare cause of early feminization. Sertoli cell tumors are uncommon; they are functional and secrete estrogens, but have not been shown to possess adrenocortical activity. Homogenates of this tumor exhibited low levels of aldosterone-forming and other adrenal steroidogenic enzymatic activities.
A programmable turbidistat for suspended particles in laboratory aquaria

Abstract A system for precise control of suspended particle concentrations in laboratory aquaria is described. It comprises an air-lift dosing system, a transmissometer to measure particle concentration, and a microcomputer which calculates the dose required to achieve a programmed turbidity.
Age-severity relationships in families linked to FCD2 with retroillumination photography.

Fuchs corneal dystrophy (FCD) is an inheritable, progressive disorder of the corneal endothelium that affects approximately 4% of the population older than 40 years in the Western world.1,2 Typified by stromal edema and decreasing visual integrity, FCD leads to the overall progressive loss of corneal endothelial function and contributes significantly to the total number of corneal transplantations in the United States.3 Phenotypically, FCD is characterized by the presence of corneal guttae, histologically defined as drop-like excrescences of Descemet membrane, the collagen-rich basal lamina of the corneal endothelium.4,5 FCD is genetically heterogeneous, exhibiting an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance with variable penetrance and expressivity. The rare form of early-onset FCD is causally associated with mutations in COL8A2, whereas the more common late-onset FCD has been localized to four loci, FCD1, FCD2, FCD3, and FCD4 on chromosomes 13, 18, 5, and 9, respectively.6–11 In addition, recent data have indicated that late-onset FCD overlaps genetically with earlier forms of clinically distinct corneal dystrophies. Mutational analysis and subsequent functional evaluations showed that, in contrast to null alleles in the transcription factor TCF8 that cause posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy, missense changes can cause adult-onset FCD.11,12 Similarly, heterozygous mutations in SLC4A11, a gene mutated in recessive congenital hereditary corneal dystrophy, have been found in patients with late-onset FCD.13 Aside from the clinical and morphologic differences noted in L450W COL8A2 early-onset and late-onset FCD, there are no reports of differences in presentation among FCD contributing loci and genes using retroillumination photography. Retroillumination photography is an effective means to document and quantify corneal guttae, and using this technique we previously have shown an exponential age-severity relationship in a family linked to FCD1.14,15 Here, we investigate the age-severity relationship in FCD2-linked families, document the distribution of corneal guttae with retroillumination photography, and compare the characteristics of the FCD1 and FCD2 disease phenotypes.
Nonulcerated, Sessile Nodule of the Lower Lip

The intraoral lipoma is a slow-growing, usually asymptomatic, neoplasm of adipose tissue origin. The superficially located lipoma is fairly characteristic in its clinical appearance, a smooth-surfaced, yellowish-pink mass covered by a readily visible vascular network. The deep-seated tumors do not have this characteristic clinical appearance, and consequently are more difficult to detect and remove. Patients tend to overlook these lesions because they are so innocuous. Clinicians, however, should be aware of this uncommon neoplasm and consider it when diagnosing nonulcerated, soft tissue masses in the oral cavity. Surgical excision and microscopic examination are recommended for these lesions.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of hemoglobins. VIII. Evidence for preferential ligand binding to β chains within deoxyhemoglobins

Abstract When deoxyhemoglobin is titrated with n-butyl isocyanide in the presence of inositol hexaphosphate at pD 7.1, the intensity of the heme proton resonance positioned at ∼-18 ppm downfield from HDO decreases more rapidly than that at ∼-12 ppm. The lower field line was previously designated as a β heme methyl resonance and the other line an α heme methyl resonance. It has also been reported that in the presence of inositol hexaphosphate n-butyl isocyanide is bound preferentially to the β chains within native human hemoglobin. The results presented here support both these previous conclusions.
SCIENTISM, INTERPRETATION, AND CRITICISM

. What is the relationship between natural science, social science, and religion? The dominant paradigm in contemporary social science is scientism, the attempt to apply the methods of natural science to the study of society. However, scientism is problematic: it rests on a conception of natural science that cannot be sustained. Natural scientific understanding emerges from an instrumental and objectifying relation to the world; it is oriented toward control and manipulation of the physical world. Social-scientific understanding, by contrast, must begin with a practical and meaningful relation to the world: it is oriented toward the mediation of values and objective possibilities in the social world. Social science is therefore a form of practical reason based on objective claims. But while social-scientific understanding starts with interpretation, its possibilities by no means end there. In particular, by developing abstract and objectified models of society as a system, social science opens existing social organization to critical reflection. Religion, by contrast, is a form of speculative reason about ultimate values, based on subjective claims of religious experience. Social science nevertheless shares with religion an orientation toward values and concern with the “good life.”
Resection of oligometastatic lung cancer to the pancreas may yield a survival benefit in select patients--a systematic review.

Abstract Objectives To conduct a systematic review of the existing literature regarding surgical therapy for oligometastatic lung cancer to the pancreas. Methods Data was collected on patients with singular pancreatic metastases from lung cancer from papers published between January 1970 and June 2014. This was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Kaplan–Meier and Cox Regression analyses were then used to determine and compare survival. Results There were 27 papers that fulfilled the search criteria, from which data on 32 patients was collected. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was the most prevalent type of primary lung malignancy, and metachronous presentations of metastases were most common. Lesions were most frequently located in the pancreatic head and consequently the most common curative intent metastasectomy was pancreaticoduodenectomy. There was a statistically significant survival benefit for patients whose metastasis were discovered incidentally by surveillance CT as opposed to those whose metastasis were discovered during a work up for new somatic complaints (p = 0.024). The overall median survival for patients undergoing curative intent resection was 29 months, with 2-year and 5-year survivals of 65% and 21% respectively. Palliative surgery or medical only management was associated with a median survival of 8 months and 2-year and 5-year survivals of 25% and 8% respectively. Conclusions Curative intent resection of isolated pancreatic metastasis from lung cancer may be beneficial in a select group of patients.
Management Prediction - Can Software Science Help?

Nearly a generation ago, I was involved in sizing and scheduling a Navy programming project. Because it was estimated to be "half-again" as complicated as the one we had just done, it was predicted that it would require 75 man-years. When the system went to sea on time and on budget, those of us who had participated in the scheduling thought that we had demonstrated scheduling ability. None of us realized that we might instead have only demonstrated that a tossed coin can come up heads five times in a row.
One-step rainbow hologram.

A one-step rainbow holography process, which uses the technique of aerial imaging of a lens, is presented. Experimental results of both pseudoscopic and orthoscopic holographic imaging are included. A brief discussion of the results of this new technique is also given.
Control of Systemic Iron Homeostasis by the Hemojuvelin-Hepcidin Axis

Systemic iron homeostasis is maintained by the coordinate regulation of iron absorption in the duodenum, iron recycling of senescent erythrocytes in macrophages, and mobilization of storage iron in the liver. These processes are controlled by hepcidin, a key iron regulatory hormone. Hepcidin is a 25-amino acid peptide secreted predominantly from hepatocytes. It downregulates ferroportin, the only known iron exporter, and therefore inhibits iron efflux from duodenal enterocytes, macrophages, and hepatocytes into the circulation. Hepcidin expression is regulated positively by body iron load. Although the underlying mechanism of iron-regulated hepcidin expression has not been fully elucidated, several proteins have been identified that participate in this process. Among them, hemojuvelin (HJV) plays a particularly important role. HJV undergoes complicated post-translational processing in an iron-dependent manner, and it interacts with multiple proteins that are essential for iron homeostasis. In this review, I focus on the recent findings that elucidate the role of HJV and its interacting partners in the modulation of hepatic hepcidin expression.
NUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES AND SIGNIFICANCE OF VITAMIN GLYCOSIDES

Glycosylated forms of pyridoxine, vitamin D, niacin, pantothenate, and riboflavin exist in nature, whereas glycosides of retinol and ascorbic acid are products of in vitro transglycosidation. Beta-Glucosides of pyridoxine (a) are prevalent in plant-derived foods, (b) contribute to human nutrition as partially available sources of vitamin B6, (c) undergo partial hydrolysis by a novel mammalian cytosolic beta-glucosidase, and (d) exert a weak antagonistic effect on the utilization of free pyridoxine. Niacin exists in grains as complexed forms with low bioavailability, whereas vitamin D glycosides are toxic components of certain calcinogenic plants of importance in animal health. Glycosides of pantothenate and riboflavin appear to be minor products of mammalian metabolism. Glycosylation of retinol or other hydrophobic alcohols may facilitate glycolipid turnover, whereas a stable ascorbyl glucoside may have nutritional applications. Glycosylation of vitamins exerts widely ranging chemical and biological effects, with great nutritional and metabolic significance.
TE Versus TM for the Shape Reconstruction of 2-D PEC Targets Using the Level-Set Algorithm

The transverse electric (TE) polarization for shape reconstruction of perfect electric conducting 2-D targets is presented. The deformation velocity for the TE polarization case is implemented in the level-set algorithm. A comparison between the reconstruction CPU time between the TE and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations is discussed. The numerical results show that retrieving the shape and location of multiple targets of arbitrary cross sections becomes computationally intensive when illumination with TE-polarized waves is used. If the orientation of the unknown cylinders is a priori known, the TM-polarized waves provide faster reconstruction results with the same accuracy compared with the TE-polarized waves. Upon corrupting the synthetic data with Gaussian noise up to signal-to-noise ratio of 5 dB, the TM polarization seems to provide more accurate results compared with the TE case.
Review: Ipratropium is not more effective than β2 agonists for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Data sources Studies were identified by searching Medline, EMBASE/ Excerpta Medica, CINAHL, and the Cochrane COPD Trials Register, using the terms bronchodilator, ipratropium, and oxitropium; and by scanning bibliographies of relevant studies. Study selection Studies were selected if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing anticholinergic agents (ipratropium or oxitropium bromide, given by inhalation by nebuliser or metered dose inhaler) with an appropriate control (eg, placebo, other bronchodilating agents, or combination therapies) and assessed adults with a diagnosis of COPD having symptoms of acute exacerbation of COPD. Studies of patients with acute asthma or those receiving ventilation were excluded.
Coffee Consumption: It Does a Body Good

A cup of joe may do more than give you a caffeinated jump start to the day; it may help lower the risk of diabetes. Prior research found an inverse association between coffee and tea consumption—major sources of caffeine—and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Now, Bhupathiraju et al. examine the association of caffeinated versus caffeine-free beverages with T2D risk, to see if caffeine is the beneficial factor. The authors specifically compared caffeinated and noncaffeinated forms of coffee, tea, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and carbonated, artificially sweetened beverages. They prospectively observed 74,749 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (1984–2008) and 39,059 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986–2008) who were free of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer at baseline. Consumption of SSBs, irrespective of the caffeine content, was significantly associated with a higher risk of T2D in women and in men, with relative risk per serving ranging from 11 to 23%. Consumption of coffee, either caffeinated or decaffeinated, was associated with a lower risk of T2D in men and women (relative risk per serving ranging from 4 to 8%). Caffeinated tea consumption affected the groups differently: It was associated with a 5% lower T2D risk in women, but not men. The association between higher SSB consumption and a higher risk of T2D may be due to the high content of sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup of SSBs that increase blood glucose and insulin concentrations. The protective effects of coffee and tea on T2D may be explained by the content of flavonoids in tea and chlorogenic acid in coffee—antioxidants that prevent oxidative stress, which has been linked to the development of diabetes. This study is limited by the use of an observational study design and self-reported measure of beverage intake. How the different beverages affect T2D is also speculation, with the link between caffeine and diabetes yet unresolved. Despite limitations, these findings by Bhupathiraju et al. could have an impact on public health: All SSBs—caffeinated or not—contribute to a higher risk of T2D; conversely, encouraging people to stick to their morning coffee or tea, rather than replacing with an SSB, may protect the body and thus lower the risk of T2D. S. N. Bhupathiraju et al. , Caffeinated and caffeine-free beverages and risk of type 2 diabetes. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. , published online 14 November 2012 (10.3945/ajcn.112.048603). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2012/11/14/ajcn.112.048603.long
Toward Parsimony in Shoreline Change Prediction (I): Basis Function Methods

Abstract Single-transect methods of shoreline change prediction are unparsimonious, i.e., they tend to overfit data by using more parameters than necessary because they assume that both signal and noise at adjacent transects are independent. Here we introduce some new methods that reduce overfitting by expressing change rate as a linear sum of basis functions. In the method of IC-binning, the basis functions are boxcars—an information criterion is used to assign contiguous alongshore locations into bins within which change rate is constant; the resulting rate is discontinuous but may be useful for beach management. In the polynomial method, the basis functions are polynomials in alongshore distance, and the change rate varies continuously along the beach. In the eigenbeaches method, the basis functions are the principal components of the matrix of shorelines. To choose the number of basis functions in each method, and to compare methods with each other, we use an information criterion. We apply these new ...
Determinants of ganglion-receptor cell interaction during development of the inner ear: A heterochronic ganglia study

It has been suggested that inner ear sensory receptors produce attractant fields that guide neurite outgrowth from statoacoustic ganglion (SAG) neurons to appropriate target sites within the developing labyrinth. This experiment tested the temporal limitations of SAG neurons in their ability to respond to these attractant fields. Statoacoustic ganglia were excised from 12, 13, 14 and 15 gestation day (GD) mouse embryos. This temporal series of SAG was implanted into aganglionic 12 GD otocysts. All cultures were grown for 7 days in vitro, then fixed and processed for nerve fiber staining. Specimens were evaluated for the presence of neurites associated with the inner ear sensory receptors that developed within the otic explants. All of the implanted heterochronic ganglia (i.e. 13, 14 or 15 GD) as well as the homochronic (i.e. 12 GD) ganglion controls extended neurites to sensory epithelium of both vestibular and auditory character. Neurites made contact with the base of hair cells in all of the sensory structures. These findings demonstrate that SAG neurons are capable of extending processes in response to otic attractant fields for an extended period during the embryonic development of this ganglion. This observation supports the hypothesis that the onset and duration of receptor generated attractant fields may act as a controlling factor in establishing patterns of innervation within the developing inner ear.
Accurate image reconstruction in circular cone-beam computed tomography by total variation minimization: a preliminary investigation

The total variation (TV) minimization image reconstruction algorithm for inverting the divergent-beam x-ray transform is applied to image reconstruction in circular cone-beam computed tomography (CT). Reconstructions for the disk phantom are shown and compared with that of projection onto convex sets (POCS). The preliminary results appear to show that TV-minimization yields accurate image reconstructions that are robust against data inconsistencies due to noise or mismatch in the system matrix.
Nondestructive Moisture Sensing in Peanut Kernels from Microwave Permittivity Measurements on Unshelled Pods

A method for moisture determination in peanut kernels from permittivity measurement at microwave frequencies on unshelled peanut pods is presented. The method is nondestructive and instantaneous. This method is particularly suitable for in-line routine measurement on large quantities of peanuts.
Does Linezolid Cause Lactic Acidosis by Inhibiting Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis

Linezolid, an oxazolidinone antibiotic, inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA). We studied 3 patients who experienced lactic acidosis while receiving linezolid therapy. The toxicity may have been caused by linezolid binding to mitochondrial 16S rRNA. Genetic polymorphisms may have contributed to the toxicity in 2 patients.
Prenatal diagnosis of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection in a patient with Fryns syndrome.

We describe the prenatal diagnosis of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) at 27 weeks' gestation in a patient with Fryns syndrome. The fetus had an associated perimembranous ventricular septal defect and coarctation of the aorta. There was PAPVC with the right upper pulmonary vein to the right superior vena cava and right atrial junction. The remaining pulmonary veins were connected to the left atrium. The pulsed Doppler pattern at the site of the anomalous connection was suggestive of a pulmonary vein. The fetus had associated other anomalies in the form of cystic hygroma, a single umbilical artery, and an absent left kidney. The cardiac diagnosis was confirmed on postnatal echocardiography. Postnatal diagnosis of Fryns syndrome was made.
Introduction: Beyond Invisibility and Disaster

August 29, 2005 marked the worst natural disaster in US history. While millions across the world watched their televisions in horror and disbelief, a greater tragedy began to unfold. Centuries of neglect and disinvestment in the indigenous and tribal communities of Louisiana would reach an all-time high in the aftermath of the storm forever known as Katrina. This collection of essays draws on the work of scholars and Native community members from the state of Louisiana and beyond. Although Hurricane Katrina has had an enormous impact on Native American communities in the Gulf Coast area, it also highlights a reality that existed long before the storm struck the region. For mixed-blood communities like the Atakapa/Creole people from Grand Bayou, the storm was a reminder of the social, economic, and political underpinnings that have erased the voices of Native American peoples in the state. According to Atakapa/Creole tribal member Paul Sylvie:
Abstract W P121: Patterns Of Vessel Involvement In Patients With Intracranial Atherosclerosis Across Ages

Introduction: Intracranial atherosclerosis has been well studied in the aging population, much less is known about atherosclerotic stenosis in the young. Clinicians seek to control traditional vascular risk factors in this population, but differences in patterns of stenosis may call for varied treatment approaches. This study sought to compare age to the distribution of vessel involvement in patients with moderate-severe intracranial stenosis. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with intracranial stenosis seen in the stroke clinic of a tertiary center from 2008-2013. Inclusion criteria were moderate-severe intracranial stenosis clinically felt to be due to atherosclerosis with ≥3 traditional vascular risk factors. Patients with other mechanisms of intracranial stenosis were excluded. Stenosis location and severity were based on cerebral angiography, CTA, or MRA. Patients were divided into young ( 65 yr). All 69 patients ≤50 yr were included; a random sample of 69 patients > 50 were selected for this analysis. Results: There were similar rates of vascular risk factors except HTN, which was less common in the young group (81.2% young, 100% middle, 96.8% older, p=0.0006). The location of stenoses varied by age category. Older patients had more posterior circulation involvement compared to the younger groups (p = 0.046), with more frequent involvement of vertebral and basilar arteries (p = 0.012) (Table). The occurrence of stenosis in the distal ICA and MCA vessels were similar among age groups. The frequency of ACA stenosis was highest in the young category (p = 0.026). Conclusion: There are differences in anatomic locations of presumed intracranial atherosclerosis across age groups with older patients (> 65 yrs) having a higher rate of posterior circulation disease. This suggests potential differences in pathophysiological mechanisms. These findings warrant further investigation.
Is serious mental illness associated with earlier death among persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)? A ten year follow up in Maryland Medicaid recipients

Serious mental illness (SMI) is associated with earlier mortality. The objective of this study was to determine if SMI was associated with an increased risk of death among Maryland Medicaid beneficiaries with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This was a retrospective cohort study of adult Maryland Medicaid recipients with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) after January 1, 1997. SMI was defined as a specialty mental health visit and an ICD-9 diagnosis of (1) schizophrenia or related psychoses, (2) bipolar disorder or (3) major depressive disorder.Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios for total mortality. Analyses were adjusted for demographic characteristics, percentage of days on ART, outpatient visits, and comorbid medical conditions. Overall, 623 individuals received ART after treatment inception. The total number of deaths was 271, out of which 60 deaths were in the SMI group (38.5%) and 211 in the non-SMI group (45%) (p = 0.05). In multivariable analysis, SMI was not associated with mortality. Increasing age, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) defining illness, renal failure, cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure, chronic liver disease, and substance abuse were independently associated with mortality, while increased percent days of HIV medication use and number of outpatient medical visits were associated with improved survival. In this sample, SMI is not associated with earlier death in patients with HIV infection. ART use and primary care engagement among HIV infected individuals are associated with improved survival, irrespective of an SMI diagnosis. Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), serious mental illness (SMI), survival.
Employee’s Participation: A Critical Success Factor for Justice Perception under Different Leadership Styles

The present study proposed and tested a model that examines the relationship between leadership style, employee’s participation, and justice perceptions. The paper extended the literature of the justice by connecting three major research areas (leadership style, employee’s participation, and organizational justice), and examined the influences of leadership style and employee’s participation in shaping employee’s perception of justice. Results indicated that transactional, transformational, and dynamic leadership have positive impact on distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Moreover, the effect of leadership style on organizational justice was indirect through employee’s participation. This study synthesized previous leadership studies and argued that leadership style can be categorized into four paradigms: classical leadership, transactional leadership, transformational leadership, and dynamic leadership. This typology provided a broad basis allowing for different forms of leadership to be evolved at different times and in different places. This study showed the importance of leadership in creating the correct atmosphere, and promoting positive or negative employee attitudes during decisionmaking process. This has important implications for the selection, training and development of managers.
In Situ Tracking of Microstructure Spacing and Ordered Domain Compression during the Drying of Solution-Cast Block Copolymer Films Using Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

Changes in the spacing of hexagonally packed cylinders in a poly(styrene-b-butadiene) copolymer film during the continual extraction of toluene under different solvent removal conditions were studied by in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements. As the solvent is removed from the film, the structure spacing increases due to increasing segregation power and then decreases as the polymer chains become kinetically trapped while microdomains continue to deswell. The structure spacing in the vertical film direction decreases more drastically due to compression of the domains as the film thickness decreases. The degree of compression increased with increased polymer concentration because of an increase in the chain relaxation time. Increasing the drying temperature resulted in more severe domain compression, which is ascribed to faster solvent removal. Removing solvent in the presence of a sweep gas further increased the domain compression as a result of the formation of a skin at the film surfac...
Specificity of the Cabbage Looper Sex Attractant

Laboratory bioassays of cis -7-dodecenyl acetate, a natural sex attractant of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), and several related unsaturated esters including the trans isomer of the attractant revealed that any change in structure resulted in a pronounced reduction in activity. There appeared to be a favored stereochemical relationship between the double bond and the carbonyl oxygen that was necessary for activity. The adults of Rachiplusia ou (Guenee), Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), and Autographa biloba (Stephens) were shown to possess or respond to the attractant.
On the quantitative relationships between geophysical parameters and the natural C 14 inventory

The relationships between observed variations of the specific radiocarbon activity in the atmosphere and possible secular variations in (1) C14 production rate, (2) carbon residence times, and (3) carbon reservoir size are calculated. As was shown byde Vries,Wood andLibby, and others, variations in these geophysical parameters which determine the natural C14 activity in the atmosphere are strongly attenuated. Attenuation coefficients and phase shifts are calculated quantitatively and results are shown graphically.
Would you Want your Granddaughter to Marry a Taiwanese Marketing Man

The author explores, for the third time in 21 years, the ethical problems in marketing. This time, second order moral effects of new international marketing frameworks are examined, with somewhat s...
Decreasing Polymer Flexibility Improves Wetting and Dispersion of Polymer-Grafted Particles in a Chemically Identical Polymer Matrix

We present a molecular dynamics simulation study of nanocomposites containing homopolymer-grafted particles in a homopolymer matrix, where the graft and matrix chemistries are identical, to elucidate the effect of polymer flexibility on the wetting of the grafted layer by the matrix and the nanocomposite morphology. Decreasing flexibility of the graft and matrix causes increased wetting of the grafted layer by the matrix. This increased wetting of the grafted layer with decreasing flexibility is more significantly driven by decreasing the graft flexibility than by decreasing the matrix flexibility. This is due to a large increase in mixing entropy of the graft and matrix upon wetting rather than the reduction in conformational entropy loss of matrix upon wetting. Due to this improved wetting with decreasing flexibility of the graft and matrix, we observe increased particle dispersion in the polymer matrix.
Abstract P2-03-04: Down-regulation of Bcl2-related ovarian killer (BOK) by miR-296-5p protects breast cancer cells from paclitaxel-induced apoptosis

Accumulating evidence shows that miRNAs play a role in drug resistance. Despite these observations, little is known about the identities of the miRNAs involved in drug resistance and their downstream targets. In the present study, we identified miR-296-5p for which a tumor suppressive role has been previously described, as a miRNA that is involved in paclitaxel drug resistance in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Enforced expression of miR-296-5p suppressed cell growth, migration, and invasion in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Using a microarray approach, we identified BCL2-related Ovarian Killer (BOK), a pro-apoptotic gene as a target of miR-296-5p. BOK levels were validated BOK levels in miR-296-5p transfected MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells using real-time PCR and Western blot. Our results demonstrated that over-expression of miR-296-5p down-regulated BOK expression in TNBC cells. Transfection of miR-296-5p significantly suppressed luciferase reporters containing wild-type BOK-39-UTR constructs. In contrast, mutant BOK-39-UTR constructs were unaffected by ectopic miR-296-5p. Furthermore, BOK expression was induced in the presence of paclitaxel, but ectopic miR-296-5p significantly suppressed BOK induction by paclitaxel treatment compared to the control cells. These data provide new insights on the role of miRNAs in drug resistance and suggests that therapeutic strategies against miR-296-5p may be warranted. Citation Format: Onyeagucha BC, Rajamanickam S, Subbarayalu P, Bansal B, Bansal H, Chang Y-F, Timilsina S, Abdelfaltah N, Eedunuri VK, Rao MK. Down-regulation of Bcl2-related ovarian killer (BOK) by miR-296-5p protects breast cancer cells from paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-03-04.
Stones in Orthotopic, Non-obstructing Ureteroceles

A case is presented in which stones were found bilaterally in orthotopic, non-obstructing ureteroceles in a child. This is apparently the first reported instance of this condition occurring in the presence of sterile urine. A review of related literature gives clues to the possible etiology of such an occurrence.
Making sense of science in policy and politics

The central message of this volume is that scientists have choices about if, how, and when they decide to become actively engaged in policy and politics. And how such choices are made has consequences – for individuals, the scientific enterprise as a whole, and the broader society of which they are a part. Recent times have seen increasing demands for scientists to be active in politics and policy. Each of the four idealized roles of scientists in policy and politics described in this book has its place in responding to such demands. However, it seems that one role in particular – the Issue Advocate – overwhelmingly threatens the others, particularly that of the Honest Broker of Policy Alternatives. Issue Advocacy often takes a stealth form in which scientists characterize their role as Pure Scientist or Science Arbiter, but are really using their scientific authority as a tool of advocacy. Issue Advocates have a noble role in any democracy. Like any other citizen, scientists can of course always decide to sign up with their local political party or favorite advocacy group and lend their stature and expertise to their cause. Taking such political action lends the legitimacy and authority of science to a political cause, but it also has consequences for both science and policy. In particular, to the degree that science is simply mapped onto existing political perspectives we will see science overshadowed by politics, and a continued reinforcement of the twin trends of the scientization of political debate and the pathological politicization of science.
Kant on the motive of (imperfect) duty

This paper argues that Kantians face a little discussed problem in accounting for how actions that fulfill imperfect duties can be morally motivated. It is widely agreed that actions that are perfo...
Carotid Endarterectomy to Remove Retained Solitaire Stent Retriever inside Carotid Stent after Mechanical Thrombectomy.

Background Tandem occlusions of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) occur in up to a third of patients with acute ischemic strokes undergoing endovascular mechanical thrombectomy. Understanding open neurosurgical management of associated complications with this procedure is important. Case Report A 67-year-old man with acute onset of left hemiparesis and a tandem right ICA and MCA occlusion. He underwent carotid stent angioplasty of a stenotic ICA, followed by attempted Solitaire stent retrieval of an MCA clot. On withdrawal, the tines of the Solitaire stent lodged inside the Precise carotid stent. The patient was started on aspirin, Plavix, and heparin infusion, and underwent a carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with safe removal of the stents and primary vessel repair. Conclusion This is the first case reported to date of a Solitaire stent becoming lodged inside a Precise carotid stent, salvaged by CEA with safe removal of the stents and primary vessel repair. We discuss the timing, indication, alternatives, and technical nuances of a CEA in this setting.
Catecholamine-induced Ischemic Necrosis of the Hand.

This case highlights the rare complication of ischemic hand necrosis following peripheraladministration of epinephrine and norepinephrine.