cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Women's perceptions of the safety of the pill: a survey in eight developing countries: Report of the perception of the pill survey group*

In January 1985 a Gallup poll sponsored by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists reported that 76% of US women sampled thought that there were substantial risks with using the pill 31% thought the pill caused cancer and 64% thought the risk of childbearing was =or< that of taking the pill. To assess the perceptions of the pills safety internationally a survey of 100-150 urban middle class women aged 18-45 years was conducted in each of 8 countries in the developing world. There were striking similarities in perceptions of the pills health effects between countries: 1) taking the pill is considered to have substantial health risks by 50-75% and is thought to be more hazardous than childbearing by over 40% of respondents except those in the African samples; 2) women who had used the pill are as unaware as those who had not of possible serious cardiovascular adverse effects; 3) the protective effects of the pill are virtually unknown; 4) the greatest inconsistency with scientific evidence concerns the risks of sterility and birth defects attributed to pill use. With information from this survey family planning programs can rectify almost universal misperceptions of the pills safety when counseling new and continuing pill users. Countries which were polled included Thailand Sri Lanka Egypt Senegal Nigeria Costa Rica Chile and Mexico. (authors modified)
"Per omnia saecula saeculorum" or "Inkaba yakho iphi?": Indigeneity in Alex La Guma and Aidan Higgins

"Both Alex La Guma, in relation to South Africa, and Aidan Higgins, in relation to Ireland, stress a vital relationship between subjectivity and territory. Both also vividly bond social consciousness to an indigenous sense of rootedness in place, and for both it is a place of ancestors from which subjectivity emerges and to which it returns. This surprises given the metaphysical rather than materialist concepts with which this figuration aligns. They also share a complex decolonizing vision contextualized in both instances by the Marxist understandings of class and settler colonialism that shaped postcolonial discourses of the 1960s. Hence, this article draws on theories of indigeneity in contrast to theories of social conflict based on class to consider the importance of situatedness and belonging in two colonial and postcolonial novels of South Africa and Ireland."
Category Formation in Autism: Can Individuals with Autism Form Categories and Prototypes of Dot Patterns?

There is a growing amount of evidence suggesting that individuals with autism have difficulty with categorization. One basic cognitive ability that may underlie this difficulty is the ability to abstract a prototype. The current study examined prototype and category formation with dot patterns in high-functioning adults with autism and matched controls. Individuals with autism were found to have difficulty forming prototypes and categories of dot patterns. The eye-tracking data did not reveal any between group differences in attention to the dot patterns. However, relationships between performance and intelligence in the autism group suggest possible processing differences between the groups. Results are consistent with previous studies that have found deficits in prototype formation and extend these deficits to dot patterns.
Personal decision aiding: Some observations about the Beach birth-planning procedure

The decision-aiding procedure developed by Beach and his colleagues for birth planning is reviewed. It is shown that the models underlying the Beach procedure have some unusual and problematic formal consequences. Contrary to the claims of Beach et al., the procedure cannot rely on a simple interpretation of standard utility theory for its justification. It is noted that, despite its formal difficulties, the Beach procedure has a unique feature for alerting the decision maker to potentially significant outcomes which could be adapted profitably in other decision-aiding settings besides birth planning. Suggestions for how to address the theoretical shortcomings of the Beach technique are offered. Decision analytic procedures grounded in the basic notion of expected utility (EU) maximization (von Neumann & Morgenstern, 1944; Savage, 1954) have become commonplace in many settings. Most applications of these decision aids have been restricted to such "public" arenas as business, engineering, medicine, and government (Schlaifer, 1969; Morris, 1977; Weinstein & Fineberg, 1980). It seems that a primary reason for the restriction of their use to these domains is that these procedures are often difficult and expensive to apply. Decision analysts have implicitly or explicitly appropriately argued that such methods should be used only when the stakes, that is, the opportunity costs of making poor decisions, are high enough to warrant the great expenditure of resources required (e.g., Winkler, 1972, p. 220). It is thus a challenging task to try to develop cost-effective versions of standard decision analytic tools that can be usefully applied to "small," personal decision problems. It appears that to date one of the most systematic attempts to construct, test, and implement a personal decisionaiding routine predicated on formal decision theoretic ideas is that made by Beach and his colleagues (Beach, Townes, Campbell, & Keating, 1976; It is our pleasure to acknowledge the useful discussions about the issues of this paper we have had with other members of the Human Performance Center Decision Group, Peter Politser, Stephen Eraker, and Keith Levi. We also appreciate the helpful comments of Lee Beach on an earlier draft of the paper. The opinions expressed in the paper are ours; the individuals mentioned above may not agree with all of those opinions. Requests for reprints
An agent-based diffusion model with consumer and brand agents

Market members interact within a complex, adaptive system to effect adoption decisions and the resulting diffusion of innovations. Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a methodology well suited for simulating this system. It complements and extends econometric approaches by incorporating interactions among system members, and adaptation in the system, revealing emergent results. Since ABM allows study at the individual unit level, heterogeneity among system members is reflected and modeling at the brand level is possible. Here an ABM with consumer and brand agents is described. The brand and product diffusion curve output allows study of diffusion at micro and macro levels, respectively.
High‐Performance Organic Single‐Crystal Transistors on Flexible Substrates

The electronic properties of organic single crystals have been intensely studied for well over 40 years. Until recently, organic single-crystal field-effect transistors have generated results that are comparable to and sometimes better in performance than hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Organic thin-film transistors are being actively pursued for a broad area of electronic applications, but their charge-carrier mobilities are limited by structural imperfections (i.e., grain boundaries) and impurities. Organic single crystals, on the other hand, have been limited to charge-transport studies mainly because the fabrication of single-crystal transistors poses a technological challenge. Novel methods for fabricating single-crystal devices include the flip-crystal technique, elastomeric stamp platforms, and freestanding devices, where the source–drain electrodes, dielectric, and gate are all fabricated onto the crystal surface. For the most part, a relatively thick and rigid single crystal is employed (5–500 lm thick). Because the fragility makes them difficult to handle, their use has been restricted to simple and basic devices and wide-ranging applications in sensors or plastic transistors for flexible electronics have not yet been possible. Thus, there is a strong need for the development of mechanically flexible, nondestructive, single-crystal devices with prospective applications in organic electronics while maintaining the intrinsic properties and characteristics of organic single crystals. We demonstrate field-effect transistors fabricated from thin and conformable organic single crystals. We report on proofof-concept “flexible” organic single-crystal field-effect transistors with performance exceeding those of previously reported organic thin-film flexible devices. Rubrene single-crystal devices constructed on low-cost flexible substrates (Fig. 1b) yielded mobilities as high as 4.6 cm V s and on/off ratios of approximately 10.
Vaginal opening and early estrous cycles in rats raised at a low ambient temperature

Rats raised from day 2 of life at an ambient temperature of 10 degrees showed delayed vaginal opening when compared to controls raised at 22 degrees. Cold-raised animals were also lighter in weight at the time of vaginal opening and had significantly longer estrous cycles. Low temperature may cause these effects either by suppressing prolactin secretion or, more probably, by elevating thyroid hormone levels which in turn suppress serum gonadotropin concentrations.
The Stigma of Epilepsy as a Self‐Concept

To study the extent to which persons with epilepsy feel stigmatized by the disorder, a sample of 445 individuals with epilepsy is analyzed. By first defining stigma in quantifiable terms and then by assessing the prevalence of stigma among the individuals studied, two alternative models that postulate the causes of stigma are investigated. The first model, a simple medical approach, assumes that because epilepsy is stigmatizing for an individual with the disorder, a direct relationship exists between the severity of the individual's seizure and the perception of stigma. The second model, a sociopsychological approach, assumes that the effects of seizure severity on the perception of stigma are mediated by other individual characteristics. The results of the study suggest, first, that persons with epilepsy do not universally feel stigmatized by the disorder. Second, by investigating the validity of these assumptions with regression and path analysis techniques, the findings support the premise of the sociopsychological model. The relationship between the severity of seizures and the perception of stigma due to the disorder is found to be highly dependent on other characteristics in the individual with epilepsy, such as the perception of employment discrimination, the perception of limitations imposed by the disorder, and the years of school attained by the individual.
Numerical Simulation of the Howard Street Tunnel Fire

The paper presents numerical simulations of a fire in the Howard Street Tunnel, Baltimore, Maryland, following the derailment of a freight train in July, 2001. The model was validated for this application using temperature data collected during a series of fire experiments conducted in a decommissioned highway tunnel in West Virginia. The peak predicted temperatures within the Howard Street Tunnel were approximately 1,000°C (1,800°F) within the flaming regions, and approximately 500°C (900°F) averaged over a length of the tunnel equal to about four rail cars.
Interruptions of Chest Compressions During Emergency Medical Systems Resuscitation

Background— Survival after nontraumatic out-of-hospital (OOH) cardiac arrest in Tucson, Arizona, has been flat at 6% (121/2177) for the decade 1992 to 2001. We hypothesized that interruptions of chest compressions occur commonly and for substantial periods during treatment of OOH cardiac arrest and could be contributing to the lack of improvement in resuscitation outcome. Methods and Results— Sixty-one adult OOH cardiac arrest patients treated by automated external defibrillator (AED)–equipped Tucson Fire Department first responders from November 2001 through November 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Reviews were performed according to the code arrest record and verified with the AED printout. Validation of the methodology for determining the performance of chest compressions was done post hoc. The median time from “9-1-1” call receipt to arrival at the patient’s side was 6 minutes, 27 seconds (interquartile range [IQR, 25% to 75%], 5 minutes, 24 seconds, to 7 minutes, 34 seconds). An additional 54 seconds (IQR, 38 to 74 seconds) was noted between arrival and the first defibrillation attempt. Initial defibrillation shocks never restored a perfusing rhythm (0/21). Chest compressions were performed only 43% of the time during the resuscitation effort. Although attempting to follow the 2000 guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, chest compressions were delayed or interrupted repeatedly throughout the resuscitation effort. Survival to hospital discharge was 7%, not different from that of our historical control (4/61 versus 121/2177; P =0.74). Conclusions— Frequent interruption of chest compressions results in no circulatory support during more than half of resuscitation efforts. Such interruptions could be a major contributing factor to the continued poor outcome seen with OOH cardiac arrest.
A novel pathway spatiotemporally activates Rac1 and redox signaling in response to fluid shear stress.

Hemodynamic forces regulate embryonic organ development, hematopoiesis, vascular remodeling, and atherogenesis. The mechanosensory stimulus of blood flow initiates a complex network of intracellular pathways, including activation of Rac1 GTPase, establishment of endothelial cell (EC) polarity, and redox signaling. The activity of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase can be modulated by the GTP/GDP state of Rac1; however, the molecular mechanisms of Rac1 activation by flow are poorly understood. Here, we identify a novel polarity complex that directs localized Rac1 activation required for downstream reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Vav2 is required for Rac1 GTP loading, whereas, surprisingly, Tiam1 functions as an adaptor in a VE-cadherin–p67phox–Par3 polarity complex that directs localized activation of Rac1. Furthermore, loss of Tiam1 led to the disruption of redox signaling both in vitro and in vivo. Our results describe a novel molecular cascade that regulates redox signaling by the coordinated regulation of Rac1 and by linking components of the polarity complex to the NADPH oxidase.
Pretreatment with hydromorphone, a mu-opioid agonist, does not alter the acute behavioral and physiological effects of ethanol in humans.

Background: Endogenous opioid systems are thought to mediate at least some of the behavioral effects of ethanol. Opioid antagonists, like naloxone and naltrexone, decrease ethanol self-administration under a variety of conditions in different species of laboratory animals (e.g., rodents and nonhuman primates). Opioid agonists, like morphine, also alter ethanol consumption. However, the dose-response functions for opioid agonists are complex in that low doses increase ethanol self-administration, whereas moderate to high doses decrease ethanol self-administration. The results of prospective human laboratory studies that assessed the behavioral effects of ethanol after pretreatment with an opioid antagonist are mixed. The aim of the present study was to assess the acute subject-rated effects of ethanol (0, 0.5, and 1 g/kg) after pretreatment with hydromorphone, a μ-opioid agonist. Methods: In the present experiment, the acute subject-rated, performance-impairing, and physiological effects of ethanol (0, 0.5, and 1 g/kg) were examined after pretreatment with hydromorphone (0, 1, and 2 mg), a μ-opioid agonist, in nine healthy volunteers. Volunteers received one of the nine possible ethanolhydromorphone combinations during each of nine experimental sessions. Results: Ethanol produced prototypical subject-rated drug effects (e.g., dose dependently increased ratings of high), impaired performance, and increased heart rate. Hydromorphone pretreatment generally did not significantly alter the subject-rated, performance-impairing, or physiological effects of ethanol. Conclusions: The results of the present experiment suggest that hydromorphone pretreatment does not significantly affect the subject-rated effects of ethanol. Future human laboratory studies should test higher doses of hydromorphone. Future studies also might use more sophisticated behavioral procedures like self-administration, or perhaps drug discrimination, to determine if opioid agonists can modulate the behavioral effects of ethanol in humans.
A technology-agnostic MTJ SPICE model with user-defined dimensions for STT-MRAM scalability studies

The development of a scalable and user-friendly SPICE model is a key aspect of exploring the potential of spin-transfer torque MRAM (STT-MRAM). A self-contained magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) SPICE model is proposed in this work which can reproduce realistic MTJ characteristics based on user-defined input parameters such as the free layer's length, width, and thickness. Using the propose model, scalability studies of both in-plane and perpendicular MTJs can be performed across different technology nodes with minimal effort, which differentiates this model from most previously reported models.
Enhancing adoptive T cell immunotherapy with microRNA therapeutics

Adoptive T cell-based immunotherapies can mediate complete and durable regressions in patients with advanced cancer, but current response rates remain inadequate. Maneuvers to improve the fitness and antitumor efficacy of transferred T cells have been under extensive exploration in the field. Small non-coding microRNAs have emerged as critical modulators of immune system homeostasis and T cell immunity. Here, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the role of microRNAs in regulating T cell activation, differentiation, and function. We also discuss how microRNA therapeutics could be employed to fine-tune T cell receptor signaling and enhance T cell persistence and effector functions, paving the way for the next generation of adoptive immunotherapies.
A FUNGUS-LIKE ALGA

The organism described as the fungus Veralucia brasiliensis Reynolds & Dunn is rec? ognized as the alga Cephaleuros parasiticus Karsten. The similarity of fungal and algal struc? tures is discussed. Other misidentifications of Cephaleuros as fungoid are reviewed.
Development of Scalable Syntheses of Selective PI3K inhibitors

On the basis of a more practical and scalable route to an iodothiophene, an efficient and reliable synthesis has been developed for three selective PI3K inhibitors. From this advanced intermediate, the three title compounds were each prepared in five additional steps. Key learnings also include: high throughput experimentation (HTE) screening toward a more robust Suzuki coupling, a more efficient triazole synthesis, and an acid/base cleanup developed to purify the final compounds. The final enabled synthesis required no column chromatography.
The True Role of the Marketing Executive

This article is based on a Charles Coolidge Parlin Memorial Lecture given under the auspices of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Marketing Association on May 27, 1958. On that same occasion...
Optimal Strategy for Serving in Tennis

(1971). Optimal Strategy for Serving in Tennis. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 197-199.
The Specific Red Cell Adherence Test in Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder Before and After Radiotherapy in Patients With Blood Group A

AbstractSerial formalin-fixed specimens of bladder tumors before and after irradiation from 19 patients with blood group A were tested for the presence or absence of antigen by the the specific red cell adherence test. All patients had at least grade B transitional cell cancer of the bladder. The specific red cell adherence test was negative before radiotherapy in 9 patients, 4 of whom (44 per cent) had positive tests after treatment. However, the test was positive before radiotherapy in 10 patients (56 per cent) and became negative after radiotherapy in only 1. Of the patients 47 per cent had tumors that were positive for specific red cell adherence before and after radiotherapy, and 26 per cent had tumors that were consistently negative for antigen.
Intergenically Spliced Chimeric RNAs in Cancer

Gene fusions and their encoded products (fusion RNAs and proteins) are viewed as one of the hallmarks of cancer. Traditionally, they were thought to be generated solely by chromosomal rearrangements. However, recent discoveries of trans-splicing and cis-splicing events between neighboring genes, suggest that there are other mechanisms to generate chimeric fusion RNAs without corresponding changes in DNA. In addition, chimeric RNAs have been detected in normal physiology, complicating the use of fusions in cancer detection and therapy. On the other hand, "intergenically spliced" fusion RNAs represent a new repertoire of biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Here, we review current knowledge on chimeric RNAs and implications for cancer detection and treatment, and discuss outstanding questions for the advancement of the field.
PAPP-A in normal human mesangial cells: effect of inflammation and factors related to diabetic nephropathy

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are implicated in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and are shown to increase proliferation and extracellular matrix production in mesangial cells. The IGF system is complex and is composed of ligands, receptors, six binding proteins (IGF BPs) and a novel zinc metalloproteinase - pregnancy-associated plasma protein (PAPP)-A. PAPP-A increases the local bioavailability of IGF through the cleavage of IGF BP-4. Mesangial expansion is a major component of DN, and PAPP-A is shown to be increased in the glomeruli of patients with DN. Therefore, we determined the expression of PAPP-A and components of the IGF system in normal human mesangial cells (HMCs) and their regulation by factors known to be involved in DN. Under basal conditions, HMCs expressed PAPP-A, IGF1 receptor and all six IGF BPs. Interleukin (IL)-1β was the most potent stimulus for PAPP-A expression (5-fold) followed by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (2.5-fold). This PAPP-A was secreted, cell associated and proteolytically active. IL1β also increased IGF BP-1expression (3-fold) with either reduction or no effect on other IGF BPs. Generally, TNF-α treatment decreased IGF BP expression. No treatment effect on PAPP-A or IGF BPs was seen with IL6, IGFs, advanced glycation end products or prolonged hyperglycemia. In addition, stimulation of HMCs with IGF1 alone or IGF1 complexed to wild-type, but not protease-resistant, IGF BP-4 led to increased [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation. In conclusion, these novel findings of PAPP-A and its regulation by proinflammatory cytokines, as well as the comprehensive analysis of the IGF system regulation in HMCs, suggest a mechanism by which inflammatory states such as DN can impact IGF activity in the kidney.
How People Write Together Now: Beginning the Investigation with Advanced Undergraduates in a Project Course

Today's commercially available word processors allow people to write collaboratively in the cloud, both in the familiar asynchronous mode and now in synchronous mode as well. This opens up new ways of working together. We examined the data traces of collaborative writing behavior in student teams’ use of Google Docs to discover how they are writing together now. We found that student teams write both synchronously and asynchronously, take fluid roles in the writing and editing of the documents, and show a variety of styles of collaborative writing, including writing from scratch, beginning with an outline, pasting in a related example as a template to organize their own writing, and three more. We also found that the document serves as a place where they share a number of things not included in the final document, including links or references to related materials, the assignment requirements from the instructor, and informal discussions to coordinate the collaboration or to structure the document. We computed a number of measures to depict a group's collaboration behavior and asked external graders to score these documents for quality. We found that the documents that included balanced participation and/or exhibited leadership were judged higher in quality, as were those that were longer. We then suggested system design implications and behavioral guidelines to support people writing together better, and concluded the paper with future research directions.
Polymeric Nanoparticle-Mediated Gene Delivery for Lung Cancer Treatment

In recent years, researchers have focused on targeted gene therapy for lung cancer, using nanoparticle carriers to overcome the limitations of conventional treatment methods. The main goal of targeted gene therapy is to develop more efficient therapeutic strategies by improving the bioavailability, stability, and target specificity of gene therapeutics and to reduce off-target effects. Polymer-based nanoparticles, an alternative to lipid and inorganic nanoparticles, efficiently carry nucleic acid therapeutics and are stable in vivo. Receptor-targeted delivery is a promising approach that can limit non-specific gene delivery and can be achieved by modifying the polymer nanoparticle surface with specific receptor ligands or antibodies. This review highlights the recent developments in gene delivery using synthetic and natural polymer-based nucleic acid carriers for lung cancer treatment. Various nanoparticle systems based on polymers and polymer combinations are discussed. Further, examples of targeting ligands or moieties used in targeted, polymer-based gene delivery to lung cancer are reviewed.
Endoscopic Resection: When Is EMR/ESD Sufficient?

Endoscopic treatment of malignant lesions in the gastrointestinal tract can be treated curatively if the risk for lymph node metastasis is lower than 1%. In the lower gi-tract (colon and rectum) the low risk criteria for this situation are well-defined (G1/G2, LO, invasion depth ≤1000μm). However, en-bloc R0-resection is also mandatory. Benign lesions such as lateral spreading tumors (granular-type) can be also treated with piecemeal EMR, however, recurrence rate is up to 30%. All other cases, regardless of size, such as non-granular type lesions or mixed type lesions should be treated with endoscopic submucosal dissection. The definitive histopathology of the resected specimen allows further decision (e.g., surgery if invasion depth of tumor is >1000μm).
Hepatitis B vaccine nonresponders: Possible mechanisms and solutions.

Abstract Objective Hepatitis B (HBV) is a viral illness that chronically infects 240 million people worldwide, leads to cirrhotic liver disease, and increases risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. The HBV vaccine has decreased HBV infection and along with human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine are the only vaccines that prevent cancer. Despite the effectiveness of HBV vaccine, some populations do not develop protective responses. The risk groups for poor response include those with immunosuppression or dialysis-dependent, end-stage renal disease. Five percent of normal people do not respond. These subjects are deemed HBV "non-responders". Multiple strategies to improve the immunogenicity of the HBV vaccine are currently being pursued, including vaccine adjuvants, recombinant vaccines, and immune enhancement via up-regulation of dendritic cells. Data Sources PubMed was searched for peer-reviewed publications published from January 1980 to September 2017. Study Selections: Studies retrieved for inclusion summarized potential mechanisms behind HBV vaccine non-responsiveness and potential solutions. Results The mechanisms behind HBV vaccine non-responsiveness vary between each subject population. There are many current and future strategies that may provide protective immunity against HBV in each of these populations. Conclusion This review will provide a background on the immunology of HBV infection, the possible immunologic mechanisms to explain HBV vaccine non-responsiveness, current research aimed at improving vaccine effectiveness, and possible future approaches for providing non-responders protection from HBV.
p53 Protein and Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of human cancer today, and its incidence has been increasing with an astonishing rate. It is estimated that about 70% of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC) are induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as a consequence of exposure to sunlight. Stratospheric ozone blocks UVC (below 290 nm) radiation from reaching the surface of the earth, but UVB (290–320 nm) and UVA (320–400 nm) component of sunlight reach the earth’s surface, and causes DNA damage, sunburn, mutations, immunosuppression and skin cancer. To counteract carcinogenic effects of UV, epidermal cells activate mechanisms that control cell proliferation, DNA repair, and apoptosis.
Aqueous geochemistry at gigapascal pressures: NMR spectroscopy of fluoroborate solutions

Abstract Aqueous geochemistry could be extended considerably if nuclear-magnetic resonance (NMR) methods could be adapted to study solutions at elevated temperatures and pressures. We therefore designed an NMR probe that can be used to study aqueous solutions at gigapascal pressures. Fluoride solutions were chosen for study because 19F couples to other nuclei in the solutions (31P and 11B) in ways that make peak assignments unequivocal. Correspondingly, NMR spectra of 19F- and 11B were collected on aqueous HBF4-NH4PF6 solutions to pressures up to 2.0 GPa. At pressure, peaks in the 19F spectra were clear and assignable to the BF4−(aq), F−(aq) and BF3OH− (aq) ions, and these aqueous complexes varied in signal intensity with pressure and time, for each solution. Peaks in the 11B spectra at pressure could be assigned to the BF4−(aq) and BF3OH−(aq) species. Additionally, there is a single peak that is assignable to H3BO3o(aq) and B(OH)4−(aq) in rapid-exchange equilibria. These peaks broaden and move with pressure in ways that suggest reversible interconversion of borate and fluoroborate species. The PF6− ion was found to provide a suitable 19F shift and intensity standard for high-pressure spectra because it was chemically inert. The positions and intensities of the doublet peak also remains constant as a function of pressure and pH. Addition of electrolytes considerably distorts the phase diagram of water such that the stability region of the aqueous solution expands to well beyond the 0.8 GPa freezing pressure of pure water; some fluoroborate solutions remain liquid until almost 2.0 GPa.
Function of wild-type or mutant Rac2 and Rap1a GTPases in differentiated HL60 cell NADPH oxidase activation

Studies of neutrophil nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activation in a cell-free system showed that the low molecular-weight guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Rac was required, and that Rap1a may participate in activation of the catalytic complex. Full-length posttranslationally modified Rac2 was active, whereas only the 1-166 truncated form of Rap1a was functional in the cell-free system, and thus, clarification of the function of Rap1a and Rac2 in intact human phagocytes is needed to provide further insight into their roles as signal transducers from plasma membrane receptors. In the present studies, oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis was used to introduce a series of mutations into human rap1a or rac2 in the mammalian expression vector pSR alpha neo. HL60 cells transfected with wild-type or mutated rac2 or rap1a cDNA constructs and control HL60 cells transfected with the pSR alpha neo vector containing no inserted cDNA were selected in G418-containing media, then subclones were isolated. Compared with the parent HL60 cells, each of the stable transfected cell lines differentiated similarly into neutrophil-like cells and expressed comparable levels of NADPH oxidase components p47-phox, p67-phox and gp91-phox. The differentiated vector control cell line produced O2. in response to receptor stimulation at rates that were not significantly different from parent HL60 cells. O2-. production by differentiated cell lines expressing mutated N17 Rap1a or N17 Rac2 dominant-negative proteins was inhibited, whereas O2-. production by the subline overexpressing wild-type Rap1a was increased by fourfold. O2-. production by the differentiated cell line expressing GTPase-defective V12 Rap1a was also significantly inhibited, a finding that is consistent with a requirement for cycling between guanosine diphosphate- and GTP-bound forms of Rap1a for continuous NADPH oxidase activation in intact neutrophils. A model is proposed in which Rac2 mediates assembly of the p47 and p67 oxidase components on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane via cytoskeletal reorganization, whereas Rap1a functions downstream as the final activation switch involving direct physical interaction with the transmembrane flavocytochrome component of the NADPH oxidase.
CGRPergic Nerve TRPA1 Channels Contribute to Epigallocatechin Gallate-Induced Neurogenic Vasodilation.

Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), promotes vasodilation and reduces blood pressure, mechanisms of which are not fully resolved. Recent reports suggested that EGCG can activate heterologously expressed mouse and zebrafish TRPA1 channels. Activation of TRPA1 in sensory neurons triggers the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a potent vasodilator. Whether CGRP-containing (CGRPergic) sensory nerves contribute to EGCG-induced reduction in vascular resistance remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that intravenous infusion of EGCG elevated the plasma level of CGRP in mice, an effect that was attenuated by TRPA1 channel blocker A-967079. EGCG-induced increase in mesenteric artery blood flow and reduction in mean arterial pressure were reversed by A-967079, CGRP receptor antagonist CGRP8–37, and CGRP depletion in perivascular nerves. Moreover, EGCG stimulated TRPA1-dependent intracellular Ca2+ elevation and CGRP release in a differentiated rat embryonic dorsal root gangl...
Study of plasma induced nanostructure formation and surface morphology changes on tungsten and stainless steel at atmospheric pressure

The formation of nanostructures such as “fuzz,” holes, and flakes was observed on tungsten and stainless steel anodes in a 1 atm glow discharge with helium as the feed gas. The structures exhibited morphology similar to the tungsten fuzz growth observed in experiments that simulate wall conditions in fusion reactors, suggesting that similar physics may be present in both scenarios. The anode surface temperature ranged between 1000 and 1300 K with an ion fluence rate of order 1024 s−1 m−2. In this work, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope were used to characterize the evolution of nanostructure formation as a function of time. Observed nanostructures were found to vary with the morphology of the discharge plasma attachment. The composition of the structures was found to be predominantly the native metal by using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. This work gives some insight into the formation of nanostructures at atmospheric pressure, which not only has applications for material processing, but also provides potentially another avenue to study fuzz formation processes relevant to fusion plasma-wall interactions.The formation of nanostructures such as “fuzz,” holes, and flakes was observed on tungsten and stainless steel anodes in a 1 atm glow discharge with helium as the feed gas. The structures exhibited morphology similar to the tungsten fuzz growth observed in experiments that simulate wall conditions in fusion reactors, suggesting that similar physics may be present in both scenarios. The anode surface temperature ranged between 1000 and 1300 K with an ion fluence rate of order 1024 s−1 m−2. In this work, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope were used to characterize the evolution of nanostructure formation as a function of time. Observed nanostructures were found to vary with the morphology of the discharge plasma attachment. The composition of the structures was found to be predominantly the native metal by using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. This work gives some insight into the formation of nanostructures at atmospheric pressure, which not only has applications for ma...
An Analysis of Simplifying Model Assumptions for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

The equations of motion for an autonomous underwater vehicle can be written compactly by invoking several simplifying assumptions, such as top-bottom symmetry. For a typical streamlined tail-controlled autonomous underwater vehicle, the simplifying assumptions are well-motivated. For vehicles that possess a less conventional shape, the same simplifying assumptions may not be appropriate. For the specific case of the Trawl-Resistant Self-Mooring AUV, which has an unconventional shape, we experimentally assess the efficacy of invoking typical assumptions to simplify the equations of motion. Using data acquired during field trials, we show that the simplified equations of motion adequately represent the motion of the Trawl-Resistant Self-Mooring AUV when performing decoupled motions.
The Sports Preparticipation Evaluation

1. Shane M. Miller, MD, FAAP* 2. Andrew R. Peterson, MD, MSPH, FAAP† 1. *Departments of Orthopaedics and Pediatrics, UT Southwestern, and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Sports Medicine Center, Dallas, TX 2. †Departments of Pediatrics and Orthopaedics/Rehabilitation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA * Abbreviations: AAP: : American Academy of Pediatrics AAS: : anabolic-androgenic steroid AHA: : American Heart Association BP: : blood pressure CDC: : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DM: : diabetes mellitus ECG: : electrocardiography FDA: : Food and Drug Administration LVH: : left ventricular hypertrophy PES: : performance-enhancing substance PPE: : preparticipation physical evaluation SCAT5: : Sports Concussion Assessment Tool, Version 5 SCD: : sickle cell disease SCT: : sickle cell trait Lack of familiarity with current recommendations diminishes the confidence to perform a preparticipation physical evaluation (PPE). In a 2014 survey, Madsen et al (1) reported, “Only 37% of physicians reported an awareness of the PPE Monograph.” (2) Clinicians should be aware of current guidelines for performing a PPE and identify children who may be at increased risk from sport participation. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Perform a preparticipation history and physical examination and identify children and adolescents who may be at increased risk for morbidity or mortality from sport participation. 2. Recognize that the mandatory preparticipation physical evaluation serves as an opportunity to address medical and psychosocial issues not necessarily associated with sport participation and as an entry point for healthy adolescents into the health-care system. 3. Recognize the cardiac risks associated with sport participation and when additional cardiac evaluation is required. 4. Understand the importance of assessing and documenting neurocognitive function before sport participation. 5. Identify which sports are appropriate for athletes with some common medical conditions. 6. Recognize the effect of a febrile illness on sport participation. In the United States, sport participation is increasing, with more than 60 million children and adolescents competing in organized sports every year. The number of high school athletes has increased from 7.2 million to 7.9 million during the past 10 years. (3) The physical and psychosocial benefits of sport participation are well-documented, and pediatricians serve a vital role …
Development of a Benefits Ambassadors programme to leverage coworker relationships to increase employee knowledge

ABSTRACTEmployees are often unaware of the majority of benefits available to them. At a large midwestern organisation, a new programme uses interpersonal peer influencers - Benefits Ambassadors - t...
Adroitness: An Android-based Middleware for Fast Development of High-performance Apps

As smartphones become increasingly more powerful, a new generation of highly interactive user-centric mobile apps emerge to make user's life simpler and more productive. Mobile phones applications have to sustain limited resource availability on mobile devices such as battery life, network connectivity while also providing better responsiveness, lightweight interactions within the application. Developers end up spending a considerable amount of time dealing with the architecture constraints imposed by the wide variety of platforms, tools, and devices offered by the mobile ecosystem, thereby diverting them from their main goal of building such apps. Therefore, we propose a mobile-based middleware architecture that alleviates the burdensome task of dealing with low-level architectural decisions and fine-grained implementation details. We achieve such a goal by focusing on the separation of concerns and abstracting away the complexity of orchestrating device sensors and effectors, decision-making processes, and connection to remote services, while providing scaffolding for the development of higher-level functional features of interactive high-performance mobile apps. We demonstrate the powerfulness of our approach vs. Android's conventional framework by comparing different software metric
Relationship between Nanostructure-Magnetic Property Induced by Temperature for Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Vacuum, Ar and O2 Environments

Abstract It is known that superparamagnetic magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) become ferromagnetic under Si2+ ion irradiation due to particle size growth and microstructure evolution; it has been proposed that this feature could be used for in situ high temperature (up to 500 °C) radiation monitoring in the core of nuclear reactors. Herein, magnetite NPs synthesized by a nanocluster deposition system are heated to 800 °C in three different environments (argon, oxygen and vacuum), and nanostructure-magnetic property correlations are investigated by vibrating sample magnetometry, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Magnetization of the NPs is increased due to the sintering and overall size growth by the agglomeration of the particles, while the morphology remains nearly unchanged up to 800 °C, with the one anomaly that zerovalent Fe appeared due to the reduction of the Fe3O4 at 800 °C in vacuum. In argon and oxygen at high-temperature, antiferromagnetic hematite is created, which causes a reduction of the magnetization, and abrupt growth of particle size above 500 °C.
The Changing Face of the Art Market: A Khalduni Approach

Gercekligin boyutunun artarak simule edilmesi sanat pazarina hizmet saglama yontemlerinde buyuk bir degisime neden olmaktadir. Pazarin teknolojiye bagimliligi, sanat eserlerinin uretilmesi, erisilmesi ve “tuketilmesi” yollarini degistirmektedir. Bu durum hem arastirmacilar hem de bunu icra edenler piyasanin yeni bolgelere genislemesine yardimci olmak icin sanal gercekligi kullanmanin dogasini, kapsamini ve potansiyellerini arastiriyorlar. Mevcut literature dayanarak ve metinsel tanimlayici analiz yontemini kullanan bu makale sanat pazarinin cagdas pazarlama modellerini, bugun farkli pazarlama sonuclarini anlamada hâlâ gecerli olan kavramlarda ve temel iktisadin tarihsel gelisiminde oynadigi onemli kavramsal ve oncu rol nedeniyle, Ibn Haldun'un ekonomi dusuncesi ile iliskilendirmeyi amaclamaktadir. Ayrica VR pazarinin, siber suclar ve dijital korsanlik tehditlerini goz onunde bulundurarak, sanatin sunulma ve korunma biciminde daha yuksek bir ahlak duzeyini garanti edip etmeyecegini inceler.
Whistleblowing in the Compliance Era

International events over the last year have propelled the importance of whistleblowers to the forefront. It is increasingly evident that whistleblowers provide immense value to society. Yet, for years, whistleblowers have been victims of retaliation, commonly experiencing threats, discrimination, and employment termination due to their reporting. Against the backdrop of a society heavily defined by compliance-focused initiatives—where organizations and industries construct robust compliance programs, internal policies, and codes of conduct—this Article highlights a significant gap in legal protections for would-be whistleblowers. While compliance initiatives demonstrate that active self-regulation is increasingly a staple of organizational governance, this Article pinpoints the problems that arise when such initiatives extend beyond applicable legal thresholds for retaliation protection. This over-extension leaves vulnerable employees and potential whistleblowers without legal recourse following adverse employment actions, even if they comply with their employers' internal policies and compliance programs. We examine this gap in legal protections in the context of compliance initiatives in three domains: equal employment opportunity and sexual harassment; securities fraud; and anti-corruption. We then compare these initiatives with the legal and regulatory compliance postures under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, respectively, to illustrate how most compliance initiatives fail to mirror the retaliation protections under those statutes. To remedy this gap in protections, we propose complementary solutions under contract and tort law frameworks, coupled with soft law initiatives
High precision strike point control to support experiments in the DIII-D small angle slot divertor

Abstract Improvements in strike point control enabled tests with the new small angle slot (SAS) divertor installed at DIII-D with precision as tight as ± 1 mm, barring brief perturbations from ELMs. Aside from being narrower than previous baffle structures in DIII-D, simulations indicate that performance of the SAS divertor should be very sensitive to strike point position, making the improved strike point control essential for experiments with the SAS divertor. Improved control entails regulating more divertor geometry target locations than before and setting higher gain on the strike point target. This is achieved by tasking more poloidal field (PF) shaping coils with divertor topology control, fine tuning of the coil configuration and algorithm gains, and adding regulation of the power supply common rail. The result is that although more variables are controlled, precision is better: high frequency jitter in the strike point position is lower on average compared to related discharges with standard divertor shape control.
meso‐ and β‐Pyrrole‐Linked Chlorin‐Bacteriochlorin Dyads for Promoting Far‐Red FRET and Singlet Oxygen Production

A series of chlorin-bacteriochlorin dyads (derived from naturally occurring chlorophyll-a and bacteriochlorophyll-a), covalently connected either through the meso-aryl or β-pyrrole position (position-3) via an ester linkage have been synthesized and characterized as a new class of far-red emitting fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging, and heavy atom-lacking singlet oxygen-producing agents. From systematic absorption, fluorescence, electrochemical, and computational studies, the role of chlorin as an energy donor and bacteriochlorin as an energy acceptor in these wide-band-capturing dyads was established. Efficiency of FRET evaluated from spectral overlap was found to be 95 and 98 % for the meso-linked and β-pyrrole-linked dyads, respectively. Furthermore, evidence for the occurrence of FRET from singlet-excited chlorin to bacteriochlorin was secured from studies involving femtosecond transient absorption studies in toluene. The measured FRET rate constants, kFRET , were in the order of 1011 s-1 , suggesting the occurrence of ultrafast energy transfer in these dyads. Nanosecond transient absorption studies confirmed relaxation of the energy transfer product, 1 BChl*, to its triplet state, 3 Bchl*. The 3 Bchl* thus generated was capable of producing singlet oxygen with quantum yields comparable to their monomeric entities. The occurrence of efficient FRET emitting in the far-red region and the ability to produce singlet oxygen make the present series of dyads useful for photonic, imaging and therapy applications.