cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is Zhuangzi a Wanton? Observation and Transformation of Desires in the Zhuangzi

This essay considers how the Zhuangzi 莊子 sheds light on a new direction to the contemporary discussion of desires. Harry Frankfurt proposes an account of personhood based on a hierarchy of desires. He defines a wanton as a being that does not have second-order volitions, the desires that a certain desire of action becomes her will. J. David Velleman proposes, in the context of the Zhuangzi, that when a Daoist sage performs her skills she can be regarded as a “higher” wanton because her actions are spontaneous flows of skillful actions. In this essay, I propose along the line of Velleman a constructive interpretation of the Zhuangzian way to deal with desires from my reading of the Zhuangzi. I argue that there are two roles a Daoist sage can play: the observer and the performer. A Daoist sage can be an observer at a certain time and a performer at other times. Although a performer can be regarded as a higher wanton, it is inappropriate to regard an observer as a wanton. Also, I propose that observation is a means to transform desires—once the practitioner achieves high spirituality, one does not need to possess second-order volitions because one’s first-order desires are transformed such that they are in accordance with the Dao 道.
Nomograms for Predicting Overall and Recurrence-free Survival From Pathologic Stage IA and IB Lung Cancer After Lobectomy.

Abstract Background Stage I non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is potentially curable with surgical resection. Significant proportions of patients may still experience recurrence and death despite undergoing curative surgery. This study describes predictive nomograms for recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after lobectomy. Patients and Methods A total of 301 patients with the American Joint Committee on Cancer pathologic stage IA and IB NSCLC who underwent open, thoracoscopic, or robotic lobectomy from January 2011 to April 2017 were analyzed. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to create nomograms for OS and RFS. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated for OS and RFS comparing high-risk and low-risk cohorts based on nomogram scores. Results Histology (hazard ratio [HR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10-0.56; P = .002), lymphovascular invasion (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29-0.74; P = .001), smoking status (HR, 3.46; 95% CI, 1.25-9.55: P = .02), and total lymph nodes removed (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10; P = .021) were significant predictors for OS in a multivariate model. Lymphovascular invasion (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.36-0.83; P = .0040), smoking status (HR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.16-5.62; P = .02), total lymph nodes removed (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.08; P = .029), and tumor size (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.30-1.68; P = .047) were significant predictors of RFS in a multivariate model. Conclusion Nomograms can predict OS and RFS for pathologic stage IA and IB NSCLC after lobectomy regardless of operative approach. The risk for death and recurrence after stratification by the nomogram scores may provide guidance regarding adjuvant therapy and surveillance.
Endemic risks: influenza pandemics, public health, and making self-reliant Indian citizens

This article focuses on the politics of epidemics, health and development in the years between two pandemics of influenza in India, the so-called ‘Asian’ flu (1957) and the ‘Hong Kong’ flu (1968). I explore how public health and risk-focused cosmologies were constructed about urban life, and anchored in economic priorities about development planning, industrial productivity, and self-reliance in a modernizing Indian nation. How were pandemics ‘seen’ and identified among urban populations that were already suffering from endemic risks? Were they viewed as a continuum of local, natural hazards or through wider geopolitical insecurities? The influenza crises were characterized by incapacitation and absenteeism from work rather than high mortality rates in Indian cities, causing worries about industrial plans. The Indian state intervened minimally, and articulated ideas and rhetoric about individual responsibility and ‘cooperative citizenship’ that set the stage for later manifestations of neoliberalism.
Engineering a Chemically Defined Hydrogel Bioink for Direct Bioprinting of Microvasculature

Vascularizing printed tissues is a critical challenge in bioprinting. While protein-based hydrogel bioinks have been successfully used to bioprint microvasculature, their compositions are ill-defined and subject to batch variation. Few studies have focused on engineering proangiogenic bioinks with defined properties to direct endogenous microvascular network formation after printing. Here, a peptide-functionalized alginate hydrogel bioink with defined mechanical, rheological, and biochemical properties is developed for direct bioprinting of microvascularized tissues. An integrin-binding peptide (RGD) and a vascular endothelial growth factor-mimetic peptide with a protease-sensitive linker are conjugated onto a biodegradable alginate to synergistically promote vascular morphogenesis and capillary-scale endothelial tube formation. Partial ionic crosslinking before printing converts the otherwise unprintable hydrogel into a viscoelastic bioink with excellent printability and cytocompatibility. We use the bioink to fabricate a compartmentalized vascularized tissue construct, wherein we observe pericyte-endothelial cell colocalization and angiogenic sprouting across a tissue interface, accompanied by deposition of fibronectin and collagen in vascular and tissue components, respectively. This study provides a tunable and translational "off-the-shelf" hydrogel bioink with defined composition for vascularized bioprinting.
Black and (Thin) Blue (Line): Corruption and Other Political Determinants of Police Killings in America

Police violence is not uncommon in America, and the risk of civilians’ being killed by police is considerably higher here than in similar countries, making it a major public health issue. For Black Americans the risk is significantly higher. In this study, we analyze the political determinants of police killings of Black Americans, with a specific focus on corruption in American states. Our evidence suggests that police can kill Black Americans with impunity because of a lack of accountability – exemplified by corruption – that is largely determined by political influences. Our findings point to ways in which the responsibility for police violence and killings is deeply rooted and influenced by the values of the wider society.
Promoting Quality E-Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic via an Award-Winning Webinar Series for Faculty Transitioning to Teaching Online

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Columbia University's School of Social Work created a webinar series to support faculty who had to quickly transition to online teaching without prior e-learning experience. The award-winning series was freely open to all faculty anywhere, and shared the School's expertise from running a high quality online master's degree program and intensive online faculty training institute. This article describes the series' goals, planning, logistics, sessions, and impact.
Existence and uniqueness of global solutions to the stochastic heat equation with super-linear drift on an unbounded spatial domain.

We prove the existence and uniqueness of global solutions to the semilinear stochastic heat equation on an unbounded spatial domain with forcing terms that grow superlinearly and satisfy an Osgood condition $\int 1/|f(u)|du = +\infty$ along with additional restrictions. For example, consider the forcing $f(u) = u \log(e^e + |u|)\log(\log(e^e+|u|))$. A new dynamic weighting procedure is introduced to control the solutions, which are unbounded in space.
On Longitudinal Waves in an Elastic Plate

Problem discussed by applying method of internal constraints and by taking into account second order terms in equations of constraints; numerical results obtained by applying this theory compared with those obtained by applying exact theory given by H.LAMB (1937). See also Engineering Index 1957 p 650, under Mechanics, and p 1198, under Vibrations.
Abstract 19928: Surgical Myectomy for Patients with Noonan Syndrome and Symptomatic Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction: A Case Control Series

Introduction: Approximately 20-30% of patients (pts) with Noonan syndrome (NS) have asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and LV outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO). The role of surgical myectomy in patients with NS and symptomatic LVOTO is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical features and outcomes of pts with NS and LVOTO with age and gender matched patients with non-syndromic, obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) after myectomy. Methods: Two cohorts were selected and retrospectively analyzed using Mayo Clinic databases from 1996-2014. Subjects included NS pts with LVH and LVOTO. Controls included 25 non-syndromic patients with obstructive HCM, matched to age, gender, and body surface area, who had myectomy during the same timeframe. Results: 23 patients with NS and LVH were identified, of whom 12 underwent myectomy (8 males) for severe LVOTO [10 pediatric, 2 adult; 13 ± 10 yrs old (range 1 - 39)]. Pre and post-operative clinical and imaging data are shown in the Table. Ten septal and 2 combined septal/apical myectomies were performed in NS pts. Similar clinical and echocardiographic improvements were noted in both groups and most had only mild residual LVOTO (Table). There were no perioperative deaths. The majority showed improvement in NYHA class (7/8 NS versus 18/22 controls, 12 ± 13 months follow up). Decreased left atrial (LA) volume index was noted in HCM controls and was not found in NS pts (p < 0.05). Complications were rare: second myectomy was needed in 2 NS pts versus 1 control pt; heart block occurred in 1 control pt, and arrhythmias in 1 control pt. Only 1 late death in an NS pt occurred. Conclusion: In NS pts with LVH and symptomatic LVOTO, myectomy reduces both gradient and NYHA class similar to results seen in pts with non-syndromic HCM. Post-operative morbidity was not increased. Residual gradients were slightly higher and greater LA dilation persisted in NS pts, but myectomy should not be avoided simply because of the presence of NS. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Visualization of Time-Varying Waveform Distortions with Wavelets

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Steady-state and time-varying waveform distortions and Fourier analysis Dealing with time-varying waveform distortions Wavelet multiresolution decomposition The selection of the mother wavelet Impact of sampling rate and filter characteristic Time-varying waveform distortions with wavelets Application to an isolated power system time-varying distortions Conclusions References ]]>
Nanosecond pulse, injection laser bar stack driver

Injection laser diode bars consisting of 50 or more injection lasers in parallel are used primarily for pumping of solid state lasers such as Nd:YAG. These injection laser bars are commonly stacked in electrical series to increase the conduction voltage drop. The bar stacks are commonly pulsed for several hundred microseconds such that the average optical power from an individual laser bar is on the order of tens of watts. A ten-bar stack thus produces a relatively steady state optical power on the order of 100 watts. The thermalization or temperature equalization time for the energy dissipated in the injection laser structure and the thermal energy removed via a cooling system is on the order of 200 ns. This paper describes the design of a very high speed driver for an injection laser bar stack that produces a 10 ns pulse with less than I ns rise and fall times. The current and optical pulse length is much less than the time required for the laser structure to reach equilibrium so that the laser's output power and thus the thermal dissipation can exceed that possible in the steady state conditions. In this manner, the laser bar stack can produce a peak optical power of over 1000 watts. The circuit design and modeling are presented and components for the circuit are specified.
The cobT gene of Salmonella typhimurium encodes the NaMN: 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole phosphoribosyltransferase responsible for the synthesis of N1-(5-phospho-alpha-D-ribosyl)-5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, an intermediate in the synthesis of the nucleotide loop of cobalamin.

We present in vitro evidence which demonstrates that CobT is the nicotinate nucleotide:5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB) phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.21) that catalyzes the synthesis of N1-(5-phospho-alpha-D-ribosyl)-5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, a biosynthetic intermediate of the pathway that assembles the nucleotide loop of cobalamin in Salmonella typhimurium. Mutants previously isolated as DMB auxotrophs are shown by physical and genetic mapping studies and complementation studies to carry lesions in cobT. Explanations for this unexpected phenotype of cobT mutants are discussed. The expected nucleotide loop assembly phenotype of cobT mutants can be observed only in a specific genetic background, i.e., cobB deficient, an observation that is consistent with the existence of an alternative CobT function (G. A. O9Toole, M. R. Rondon, and J. C. Escalante-Semerena, J. Bacteriol. 175:3317-3326, 1993). Computer analysis of CobT homologs showed that at the amino acid level, enteric CobT proteins were 80% identical whereas Pseudomonas denitrificans and Rhizobium meliloti CobT proteins were 95% identical. Interestingly, the degree of identity between enteric and nonenteric CobT homologs was only 30%. The same pattern of homologies was reported for the S. typhimurium CobA, Escherichia coli BtuR, and P. denitrificans CobO proteins (S.-J. Suh and J.C. Escalante-Semerena, Gene 129:93-97, 1993), suggesting evolutionary divergence between the cob genes found in the enteric bacteria E. coli and S. typhimurium and those found in P. denitrificans and R. meliloti. Images
Permeabilization Strategies to Study Protein Phosphorylation

This unit deals with the use of nucleotide triphosphates to label proteins in vitro in permeabilized cells and isolated cellular fractions. These experiments generally utilize [g-(32)P]ATP as an exogenously added phosphate donor, although [g-(32)P]GTP can be used in specific cases. Procedures are outlined for performing a protein phosphorylation experiment using permeabilized cells and isolated intracellular organelles. Both of these procedures result in lysates from which the protein of interest may be easily immunoprecipitated; however alternative techniques are described for preparing the final lysate for electrophoretic analysis. A related procedure that does not involve permeabilization is outlined for direct analysis of cytosolic or membrane-bound kinases. Two different methods for determining the specific radioactivity of (32)P -containing compounds are also included.
The Paths of Extratropical Cyclones Associated with Wintertime High-Wind Events in the Northeastern United States*

AbstractThis study analyzes the association between wintertime high-wind events (HWEs) in the northeastern United States and extratropical cyclones. Sustained wind maxima in the daily summary data from the National Climatic Data Center’s integrated surface database are analyzed for 1979–2012. For each station, a generalized Pareto distribution is fit to the upper tail of the daily maximum wind speed data, and probabilistic return levels at 1, 3, and 5 yr are derived. Wind events meeting the return-level criteria are termed HWEs. The HWEs occurring on the same day are grouped into simultaneous wind exceedance dates, termed multistation events. In a separate analysis, extratropical cyclones are tracked using ERA-Interim. The multistation events are associated with the extratropical cyclone tracks on the basis of cyclone proximity on the day of the event. The multistation wind events are found to be most often associated with cyclones traveling from southwest to northeast, originating west of the Appalachian...
When are amniotic fluid viral PCR studies indicated in prenatal diagnosis

Objective To determine which prenatal ultrasound findings indicate the need to also obtain PCR studies for viral genome in women undergoing midtrimester amniocentesis. Methods This was a retrospective observational study on women that underwent amniotic fluid karyotyping and viral PCR testing for history or ultrasound based indication. Amniotic fluid was tested for adenovirus, cytomegalovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, enterovirus, Epstein–Barr virus, and parvovirus B19 using multiplex PCR study with multiple appropriate controls. Ultrasound findings were coded as normal or abnormal with 34 categories of ultrasound abnormality stratified into 18 subgroups. Relationships between these subgroups and karyotype/PCR results were tested by Pearson chi-square method or Fisher's exact test and overall logistic regression analysis. Results Amniotic fluid samples from 1191 patients were obtained for the study. Abnormal karyotype was detected in 5.4% of cases (64/1191), and PCR was positive in 6.5% of cases (77/1191). Abnormal fetal ultrasonographic findings were observed in 28.4% of cases (338/1191). There was an association between intrauterine growth restriction, nonimmune hydrops fetalis, hand/foot anomalies or neural tube defects (NTDs), and PCR positivity. NTDs were associated with PCR positivity in fetuses with normal karyotype and nuchal thickening, cardiac or ventral wall defects were specifically associated with aneuploidy. Conclusion Amniotic fluid viral PCR testing should be considered for fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction, nonimmune hydrops fetalis, hand/foot anomalies, or NTDs. After aneuploidy is excluded, NTDs are associated with PCR positivity. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of variation in NF-κB genes and expression levels of NF-κB-regulated molecules

The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) family of transcription factors regulates the expression of a variety of genes involved in apoptosis and immune response. We examined relationships between genotypes at five NF-κB subunits (NFKB1, NFKB2, REL, RELA, and RELB) and variable expression levels of 15 NF-κB regulated proteins with heritability greater than 0.40: BCL2A1, BIRC2, CD40, CD44, CD80, CFLAR, CR2, FAS, ICAM1, IL15, IRF1, JUNB, MYC, SLC2A5, and VCAM1. SNP genotypes and expression phenotypes from pedigrees of Utah residents with ancestry from northern and western Europe were provided by Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 and supplemented with additional genotype data from the International HapMap Consortium. We conducted association, linkage, and family-based association analyses between each candidate gene and the 15 heritable expression phenotypes. We observed consistent results in association and linkage analyses of the NFKB1 region (encoding p50) and levels of FAS and IRF1 expression. FAS is a cell surface protein that also belongs to the TNF-receptor family; signals through FAS are able to induce apoptosis. IRF1 is a member of the interferon regulatory transcription factor family, which has been shown to regulate apoptosis and tumor-suppression. Analyses in the REL region (encoding c-Rel) revealed linkage and association with CD40 phenotype. CD40 proteins belong to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor family, which mediates a broad variety of immune and inflammatory responses. We conclude that variation in the genes encoding p50 and c-Rel may play a role in NF-κB-related transcription of FAS, IRF1, and CD40.
Simultaneous selection and estimation in general linear models

The problem of selecting the largest treatment parameter, and simultaneously estimating the selected treatment parameter, in a general linear model is considered in the decision theoretic Bayes approach. Both cases, where the error variance is known or unknown, are included. Bayes decision rules are derived for noninformative priors and for normal priors. The problem of finding Bayes designs, i.e. designs that have minimum Bayes risk, within a given class of designs is also discussed.
Three component velocity measurements in an axisymmetric jet using LDA

A commercial three-component laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) has been used to acquire a detailed set of three-dimensional mean and fluctuating velocity measurements in a low-speed air jet entering a stagnant ambient, over the first 15 jet exit diameters along the jet trajectory. These data are consistent with previous measurements in axisymmetric, turbulent jets. Mean velocity and Reynolds stress data approach a self-preserving behavior by x/D equal to about 15. However, the RMS turbulence fluctuations were not self-preserving at this axial location, as expected based upon previous experimental studies. These data confirm the ability to obtain reliable three-dimensional velocity data using the present three-dimensional LDA system.
Matched ring diblock and linear triblock copolymers in dilute solution

A unique diblock copolymer ring and its linear triblock copolymer precursor composed of polystyrene and polydimethylsiloxane have been characterized by static and dynamic light scattering in dilute solution. The measurements were carried out with cyclohexane as the solvent over a temperature range of 12–35°C. Cyclohexane has the useful property that it is nearly isorefractive with the PDMS so that the PDMS block segments are invisible to the light-scattering technique and it is a theta solvent for polystyrene at 34.5°C. The block polymers in this work contain 35.1 wt % of styrene as determined by proton NMR. In the linear triblock polymer, the polystyrene is the center block with PDMS blocks on each side. Static light scattering measurements give 4.31 × 104 for the average molecular weight of the whole polymer. Light scattering also shows that the apparent theta temperature for the linear triblock is shifted by 15°C to a value of 20°C at which point the second virial coefficient drops sharply and phase separation begins to induce aggregation. The diblock ring, however, shows a strongly positive second virial coefficient and no aggregation even at 12°C which is the limit of these experiments. The diffusion coefficients of cyclic diblock (Dc) and linear triblock copolymer (D1) are measured by dynamic light scattering. The ratio of diffusion coefficients of cyclic and linear copolymers at 14.9°C and 30°C are Dc/Dl = 1.13 and 1.107 respectively. These compare well with prediction of 1.18 for this ratio from consideration of the hydrodynamics of matched linear and cyclic polymer chains. Dynamic light scattering quantitatively confirms that the linear copolymer experiences a solvent quality change near 20°C but the cyclic polymer remains in good solvent over the entire experimental temperature range. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Rhetorical strategies of continuity and change in the music of popular artists over time

This essay analyzes certain aspects of the music of Bruce Springsteen to determine the impact of rhetorical strategies of continuity and change on musical artists’ appeal over time. Three general observations emerged from this analysis. First, Bruce Springsteen's musical stories and styles have undergone several disjunctive shifts during the course of his career. In making these shifts, Springsteen has remained true to himself as a maturing adult without sacrificing listener appeal. Second, musical score strongly impacts the ultimate message conveyed depending on whether it emotionally reinforces or contradicts the lyrical message. Finally, other musical performers should be mindful of the effect of their rhetorical choices regarding (a) the intensity and release patterns they use within a musical score and (b) why, when, and where they might allow their stories or styles to shift, and what effect those shifts are likely to have on the integrated messages they are attempting to communicate.
Is fiber the answer to constipation problems in the elderly? A review of literature.

Constipation is a common problem encountered in all areas of nursing, but it is especially prominent in the geriatric population (Brocklehurst and Khan, 1969). Maintaining bowel function in geriatric patients who are hospitalized for long periods of time is a major duty and responsibility of the nursing staff. Yet, few nurses have any systematic approach to help patients to establish regular bowel habits with minimal medication. Why are geriatric patients in long-term care facilities such excellent candidates for constipation? Often constipation can be related to decreased physical activity, inadequate bulk and fluid in the diet, stress, or constipating medications (Sklar, 1972). According to Sklar, the gastrointestinal problems of older patients do not differ greatly from those of the young and constipation can not be attributed to the ‘wearing out’ of the digestive tract. Although there is a tendency for gastric secretion to decrease with age, there is no evidence that hypochlorhydria induces symptoms. The output of other digestive enzymes may decrease, but ample quantities remain for digestive function (Spence, 1961). References as late as 1976 (Clark and Scott, 1976) refer to ‘dyschezia’ in the aged. Yet, this condition of atonic, lax colon with decreased peristalsis has been difficult to document in clinical research and despite considerable progress in electrophysiology and pharmacology of the colon, regulation of human colonic motility in health and disease is still not well understood (Misiewicz, 1975). Bowel function seems to be a complex and individualized phenomena. It is so individualized and culturally dependent that experts such as Thompson (1976) write that
A participação norte-americana no tráfico transatlântico de escravos para os Estados Unidos, Cuba e Brasil

O presente artigo explora as caracteristicas do envolvimento norte- -americano no trafico transatlântico de escravos para Brasil, Cuba e Estados Unidos da America. Tal participacao apresentou importantes transformacoes ao longo do seculo XIX, como resultado de crescentes tensoes trazidas pela expansao de novas sensibilidades em relacao ao trafico transatlântico de escravos. Atencao especial e dada ao papel do estado de Rhode Island no trafico e o impacto de legislacoes abolicionistas na comunidade de traficantes da regiao norte dos EUA.
Allochthonous organic matter supplements and sediment transport in a polymictic reservoir determined using elemental and isotopic ratios

Because allochthonous organic matter (OM) loading supplements autochthonous OM in supporting lake and reservoir food webs, C and N elemental and isotopic ratios of sedimenting particulate OM were measured during an annual cycle in a polymictic, eutrophic reservoir. Particulate organic C and N deposition rates were greatest during winter and lowest during spring. C:N ratios decreased through our study indicating that OM largely originated from allochthonous sources in winter and autochthonous sources thereafter. δ13C were influenced by C4 plant signatures and became increasingly light from winter through autumn. δ15N indirectly recorded the OM source shift through nitrate utilization degree with maximum values occurring in May as nitrate concentrations decreased. Unlike relationships from stratified systems, δ13C decreased with increasing algal biomass. This relationship suggests that minimal inorganic C fixation relative to supplies maintained photosynthetic isotopic discrimination during productive periods. Water column mixing likely maintained adequate inorganic C concentrations in the photic zone. Alternatively, OM isotopic composition may have been influenced by changing dissolved inorganic nutrient pools in this rapidly flushed system. δ15N also recorded increased N2 fixation as nitrate concentrations declined through autumn. Secondary sediment transport mechanisms strongly influenced OM delivery. Particulate organic C and N deposition rates were 3× greater near the sediment-water interface. Isotopic ratio mixing models suggested that river plume sedimentation, sediment resuspension, and horizontal advection influenced excess sediment deposition with individual mechanisms being more important seasonally. Our findings suggest that allochthonous OM loading and secondarily-transported OM seasonally supplement phytoplankton production in productive reservoirs.
Editorial Comment: Fractures of the Acetabulum

The author certifies that he, or any member of his immediate family, has no funding or commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research ® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and do not reflect the opinion or policy of CORR ® or the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons®.
EXTRACTION of SALT and ALKALI SOLUBLE PROTEINS FROM MECHANICALLY DEBONED TURKEY RESIDUE: EFFECT of SOME VARIABLES USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY1

Response surface methodology was used to study the extraction of proteins from mechanically deboned turkey residue (MDTR). the extraction conditions investigated were the solvent/MDTR (vol/wt) ratio, the duration of extraction, and the temperature and pH of the extraction medium. During the extraction of proteins from MDTR using an aqueous 1% sodium chloride solution, the amount of proteins extracted increased with increase in solvent/MDTR ratio, extraction temperature and pH. However, extractions carried out for longer than about 30 min did not increase the amount of proteins extracted into solution. Maximum extraction was achieved using a solvent/MDTR ratio of 5, and a duration of extraction of about 16 min at 37C and pH 10, leading to the extraction of 9.58 mg proteins per gram MDTR. This represented 5% of the total MDTR proteins.
Contributions of Trabecular Rods of Various Orientations in Determining the Elastic Properties of Human Vertebral Trabecular Bone

Trabecular bone networks consist of two basic microstructural types: plates and rods. Although trabecular rods represent only a small fraction of total bone volume, their existence has important roles in failure initiation and progression. The goal of this study was to quantitatively examine the contributions of trabecular rods in various orientations to the anisotropic elastic moduli of human vertebral trabecular bone. Twenty-one human vertebral trabecular bone specimens were scanned by microcomputed tomography (microCT). A coordinate system of orthotropic axes representing the best elastic orthotropic symmetry was determined for each sample. Individual trabeculae segmentation (ITS), a 3D image analysis technique, was performed to identify each individual trabecular rod and determine its orientation in the orthotropic coordinate system. Next, three rod-removed images were created where longitudinal, oblique, or transverse trabecular rods were removed, respectively, from the original microCT images. The original and three categories of rod-removed images were then converted to finite element (FE) models for evaluation of their elastic moduli and anisotropy. Both the transverse and oblique rod-removal caused significant decreases in all six elastic moduli. However, the removal of longitudinal rods only caused significant changes in E(33), G(23), and G(31) but not in any transverse/in-plane elastic properties (E(11), E(22), and G(12)). The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with repeated measures was applied to detect the moduli change in the different models caused by the effects beyond just bone volume loss. The results suggested that the loss of transverse rods induced a significant decrease in in-plane mechanical competence, which was greater than what could be explained only by the associated bone volume loss. In contrast, the reduction in the axial Young's modulus caused by the loss of transverse rods was proportional to the bone volume decrease. Furthermore, the loss of longitudinal rods affected the axial Young's modulus through both bone volume loss and architectural change. With aging, the reduction in in-plane mechanical competence would be magnified by the preferential loss of transverse rods. The predictive ability of bone mineral density, a surrogate of BV/TV in clinical measurements, may reduce more quickly for transverse mechanical properties than for the axial mechanical properties.
Own Not Loan: Different Request Sources for Purchase Lists

The interlibrary loan (ILL) department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign implemented an Own Not Loan program in 2002. The program failed due to slow turnaround time and was suspended until a better workflow could be designed. In 2008, librarians reassessed the program when the following resources became available: an acquisitions librarian who had previously worked in ILL, funding through an internal grant, and a graduate assistant trained in ILL processes. The major change between the original program and the second one was the source of the requests. In 2002, the requests were generated through the ILL department, which—unlike many other ILL operations—processes only those difficult requests that cannot be handled through I-Share, the statewide consortial borrowing program. In 2008, however, requests were generated from those requests that I-Share had been unable to fill. The article discusses the differences between the 2002 and the 2008 programs and explains how the changes made the cu...
Effects of co-occurring non-native invasive plant species on old-field succession.

Old fields are diverse forb-dominated ecosystems transitioning into woody-dominated forested ecosystems. However, the susceptibility of old fields to high levels of plant invasion can lead to the co-occurrence of multiple non-native invasive plant species at the fine-scale of plant neighborhoods, which can alter native species co-occurrence patterns and successional trajectories into forest communities. Community disassembly by invasive species occurs when the presence of one or more invaders shifts co-occurrence patterns of native species from structured to random. Disassembly can imply a loss of existing co-evolved interactions among native species, which has ramifications for community dynamics and trajectories of invaded ecosystems. Here, we quantify relationships among multiple invasive plant species and two indicators of community succession in old-field plant communities in East Tennessee: co-occurrence patterns of native and non-native species and successional trajectories. First, we examine how biotic and abiotic factors shape the abundance of invasive species, as well as native and invasive functional groups across old fields. Second, we ask whether invasive species influence co-occurrence patterns among native species and whether invasive species are associated with altered herbaceous:woody foliar cover ratios. We found that biotic and abiotic predictors associated with invasive species were not consistent in identity or direction of association, indicating that predicting which sites or suite of biotic and abiotic variables are associated with invasive species will be challenging. Importantly, as the number of invasive plants increased in 1-m2 plots, native species co-occurrence patterns shifted from structured to random, whereas invasive species co-occurrence patterns remained random irrespective of the number of invasive species. Plots containing three or more invaders had significant changes in native and invasive herbaceous:woody foliar cover ratios. The herbaceous:woody foliar cover ratio of native species was 4× lower and of invasive species was 2× greater compared to plots with one or two invaders, and this shift was in part explained by an increase in foliar cover of non-native woody species. Our data suggest that increased number of invasive species in old fields alters both native species interactions and the trajectories of old-field communities, which could influence the developing understory community as old fields transition into forests. We recommend that management of fields during succession should focus on decreasing the total number of invasive species to restore species co-occurrence patterns and prevent altered successional trajectories, including accelerated succession of non-native woody species.
Elections and the size of the public sector

Abstract This paper relates the size of the public sector to the volatility of the private sector and the political constraints of the current policymaker. I model a government which, in the absence of electoral uncertainty, uses public debt in order to smooth private and public consumption across time. Under full information about the `competence' level of political candidates, the optimal expected level of public debt is shown to depend on the volatility of the private sector, the `competence' differential of political candidates and the re-election probability of the incumbent. Under asymmetric information between voters and candidates about the competence of the candidates, the incumbent can affect the probability of being re-elected by signalling his competence to the voters through a higher level of taxes and public debt.
Chemical vapor deposition of TiSi2 using SiH4 and TiCl4

Abstract An experimental approach for optimizing process parameters for TiSi 2 chemical vapor deposition is described that combines measurements under ultrahigh vacuum conditions and at normal processing pressures. This approach has given an unprecedented detailed view of the chemical mechanisms underlying this deposition system.
Medea and the reformation of the tragic polis

Abstract In the period between the Solonic and the Kleisthenic political reforms, tragedy began to emerge, beginning with Thespis and finding full expression in Aeschylus. As hoplite-democracy expressed the power of political legitimacy in unmistakable military victories over the Persians and in the creation of the Athenian Empire, Attic tragedy and its three greatest exponents flourished. No ornament of a newly rich society, tragedy was a substantive part of the development of Athens. Tragedy was the school of Athenian democracy, training its citizens in emerging forms of the political in an era of unprecedented change. Not only did tragedy help to legitimate new forms of decision-making based on new political structures in the face of rapidly changing events, it altered the Homeric warrior ethic to the needs of hoplite-democracy. More reliable and cooperative heroes were needed and in ever greater numbers if Athens were to win and hold its wealth and power to say nothing of its empire. Tragedy educated Athenians to the requirements of reconciling the individual with the needs of the society, the hero with the army, and the household with the state. Euripides, who fully appreciated the possibilities which flowed from the resolution of age-old human dilemmas, including the expansion of freedom, feared that Athens would not continue to develop. He wished to alert Athenians to the need to reform the polis by expanding the freedom of its citizens. It was time to bring women into the political.
Pulmonary response to inhaled hexamethylphosphoramide in rats

Abstract Dose-related nasal tumors, rhinitis, nasal epithelial degeneration, squamous metaplasia, and dysplasia were found in rats exposed to hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) by inhalation at 50, 100, 400, and 4000 ppb ( v v ) for 6 to 24 months. No pathological lesions were observed in rats exposed for 24 months at 10 ppb. One adenocarcinoma and one papilloma were found in the tracheal epithelium at 400 and 4000 ppm, respectively. Tracheitis, degeneration of the tracheobronchial epithelium, and murine pneumonia were dose related at the levels of 100, 400, and 4000 ppb but not at the levels of 10 and 50 ppb. Keratinized squamous metaplasia developed in the trachea at 4000 ppb. Damage to the tracheobronchial epithelium gradually decreased toward peripheral air passages and no pathological changes were observed in the alveolar walls. Microscopically, the tracheobronchial epithelium was lined with degenerative cells and regenerative cuboidal or flattened cells resembling squamous cells. Under electron microscopy, ciliated epithelial cells appeared to be sensitive to HMPA and showed degenerative changes with abnormal cilia. The desquamated tracheobronchial epithelium was initially repaired by undifferentiated glandular and microvillous cells, but not by ciliated cells. Extensive destruction of the mucociliary apparatus in the air passages appeared to be responsible for the increased incidence of the murine pneumonia in rats exposed to HMPA.
Invariant measures and disintegrations with applications to Palm and related kernels

Consider a locally compact group G acting measurably on some spaces S and T. We prove a general representation of G-invariant measures on S and the existence of invariant disintegrations of jointly invariant measures on S × T. The results are applied to Palm and related kernels associated with a stationary random pair (ξ,η), where ξ is a random measure on S and η is a random element in T.
Abstract 4410: Apoptosis in Ovarian Cancer Cells Induced by Polyclonal Antibodies to Secreted Frizzle-related Protein 2

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Objectives: We have previously discovered a novel angiogenesis factor, secreted frizzle-related protein 2 (SFRP2), that is strongly expressed in many human tumors including ovarian carcinoma. SFRP2 protects against endothelial cell apoptosis, and induces endothelial tube formation and migration. We hypothesize that in addition to its paracrine role in stimulating angiogenesis, SFRP2 also has a direct effect in tumor cells, and therefore blocking SFRP2 will induce ovarian cancer apoptosis. Methods: Protein expression of SFRP2 in ovarian cancer cells: SKOV-3 and OVCA −3 ovarian cancer cells were cultured in McCoy's medium with 10% bovine serum albumin. Whole cell protein lysates were obtained and Western blot analysis was performed probing for SFRP2. Apoptosis assay: SKOV3 cells were plated in 96 well plates and allowed to attach overnight. Rabbit polyclonal antibody to SFRP2 (SFRP2 Ab) was run through a column with a saline buffer to remove the sodium azide preservative. Cells were treated with antibody in 1:10, 1:100, and 1:1000 concentrations. McCoy's culture medium with 1% saline was used as a negative control. Cells were incubated at 37°C for 48 hours. Apoptosis was measured by the activity of cleaved caspase-3 by using a caspase-specific fluorogenic substrate. Statistical analysis was performed with a two-tailed student's t-test. Results: SKOV-3 and OVCA-3 ovarian cancer cells strongly express SFRP2 on Western Blot analysis. When SKOV-3 cells were treated with polyclonal antibody to SFRP2 (1:10) there was a 47% increase in apoptosis as compared with negative controls (control = 1509 RFU ± 50, SFRP2 Ab =2221 RFU ± 39, n=4 for both groups, p<0.0001). Conclusions: SFRP2 is a protein endogenously expressed by ovarian carcinoma. Blocking SFRP2 with a polyclonal antibody induces apoptosis in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell line, suggesting that this protein may be a potential target in the treatment of ovarian cancers. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4410.
Folding DNA Origami from a Double-Stranded Source of Scaffold

Combined heat and chemical denaturation of double-stranded DNA scaffold strands in the presence of staple strands, followed by a sudden temperature drop and then stepwise dialysis to remove the chemical denaturant, leads to self-assembly of two distinct DNA-origami structures.
Effect of BW755C in an occlusion-reperfusion model of ischemic myocardial injury

BW755C is a new antiinflammatory agent which predominantly inhibits lipoxygenase over cyclooxygenase. Effects of BW755C have been examined in a canine, occlusion-reperfusion, model of ischemic myocardial injury. In pentobarbital anesthetized open-chest dogs, the proximal left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) was occluded for 90 minutes and slowly reperfused using a micrometer-driven occluder. Thirty minutes before occlusion, animals randomly received BW755C, 3 mg/kg (n = 7), or 10 mg/kg (n = 8), or saline (n = 16) by intravenous infusion. The thoracotomy was closed and the animals subsequently were killed at 24 hours. Infarct size and anatomic area dependent on the occluded LCX were determined by a dual staining technique using triphenyltetrazolium and Evan's blue. Both doses of BW755C significantly reduced the ultimate extent of irreversible myocardial ischemic injury, whether results were expressed as grams of infarcted tissue or as percent of risk region infarcted. No difference in risk region size was observed between groups. No effects of BW755C on heart rate, arterial pressure, or left circumflex flow were observed. BW755C (10 mg/kg) did not significantly inhibit ex vivo platelet aggregation in response to collagen, adenosine diphosphate, or arachidonic acid. These results suggest that inhibition of lipoxygenase may reduce the extent of ischemic damage to the heart.
Limited symmetry found by comparing calculated magnetic dipole spin and orbital strengths in 4He.

Allowing for 2[h bar][omega] admixtures in [sup 4]He we find that the summed magnetic dipole isovector orbital and spin strengths are equal. This indicates a symmetry which is associated with interchanging the labels of the spin with those of the orbit. Where higher admixtures are included, the orbital sum becomes larger than the spin sum, but the sums over the low energy region are still nearly the same.
Velocity Measurements in Unseeded Air Flows by Microwave Scattering from a Laser Generated Micro Volume Plasma

Velocity measurements that rely on Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) or Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) require flow seeding, which for some test facilities is very difficult and for flight applications is often impossible. Even when particles are present in the flow, measurements can only be made when they pass through the region of interest, which is a problem for measurements transient phenomena where the timing is critical. These factors have motivated the development of a new laser/microwave approach to point velocity measurements that is reported here. A pulsed laser is focused to a point in the flow and generates a small region of ionization, so no seeding is required. The laser can be used to select a particular location in the flow and interrogate that location at a specified time. The region is illuminated with an unfocused, low power microwave beam, and microwave scattering from this point occurs because of the presence of unbound electrons. As the flow moves, the small region of ionization is convected with it, and the microwave scattering is Doppler shifted by the motion. Quadrature detection maps the phase of the scattering as a function of time, providing microsecond resolved, single shot measurements of velocity.