cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
German academic science and the mandarin ethos, 1850-1880

During the nineteenth century an intellectual elite formed in Germany which owed its status primarily to educational qualifications rather than to hereditary rights or wealth. With the ascendency of this elite, which Fritz Ringer has called the German ‘mandarins’, came their acceptance as the spiritual bearers of culture in German life. Politically they controlled the life of the Reichstag and hence were the spokesmen of the nation. As an intellectual elite they fed a diet of German idealistic philosophy to the educational class. The university professors, as the most influential members of this class, spoke for the mandarin elite as a whole; and most cultivated Germans looked to the academicians for their understanding of political and cultural issues. Hence, German academic opinion became a sort of ‘mandarin ideology’.
Coupled-wave small-signal transient analysis of GaAs distributed amplifier

The analysis takes into consideration the effect of c/sub dg/ in the active device, leading to a coupled-mode formulation. Dispersions within the transmission lines and the presence of two normal modes make it impractical to obtain broadband matching. Numerical results for specific terminations and various degrees of passive and active coupling clearly indicate the influence of c/sub dg/ and the necessity for coupled-mode analysis. The numerical scheme, which is based on Bromwich integration, can be incorporated into CAD routines for time-domain response optimization. >
Secondary electron production at the SNS storage ring collimator

Secondary electron (SE) production is briefly reviewed. If the collimator of the SNS storage ring allows proton beam scraping to take place, the electron yield might be quite large. At the AGS Booster, by steering the Au/sup 31+/ ion beam into the electrostatic inflector, beam scraping effect on SE production is studied. The results of this experiment can be translated into the situation of proton beam scraping at the SNS collimator. It seems sufficient to support a new look of the SNS ring collimator design.
Differential Effects of Denileukin Diftitox IL-2 Immunotoxin on NK and Regulatory T Cells in Nonhuman Primates

Denileukin diftitox (DD), a fusion protein comprising IL-2 and diphtheria toxin, was initially expected to enhance antitumor immunity by selectively eliminating regulatory T cells (Tregs) displaying the high-affinity IL-2R (α-β-γ trimers). Although DD was shown to deplete some Tregs in primates, its effects on NK cells (CD16(+)CD8(+)NKG2A(+)CD3(-)), which constitutively express the intermediate-affinity IL-2R (β-γ dimers) and play a critical role in antitumor immunity, are still unknown. To address this question, cynomolgus monkeys were injected i.v. with two doses of DD (8 or 18 μg/kg). This treatment resulted in a rapid, but short-term, reduction in detectable peripheral blood resting Tregs (CD4(+)CD45RA(+)Foxp3(+)) and a transient increase in the number of activated Tregs (CD4(+)CD45RA(-)Foxp3(high)), followed by their partial depletion (50-60%). In contrast, all NK cells were deleted immediately and durably after DD administration. This difference was not due to a higher binding or internalization of DD by NK cells compared with Tregs. Coadministration of DD with IL-15, which binds to IL-2Rβ-γ, abrogated DD-induced NK cell deletion in vitro and in vivo, whereas it did not affect Treg elimination. Taken together, these results show that DD exerts a potent cytotoxic effect on NK cells, a phenomenon that might impair its antitumoral properties. However, coadministration of IL-15 with DD could alleviate this problem by selectively protecting potentially oncolytic NK cells, while allowing the depletion of immunosuppressive Tregs in cancer patients.
Haggard Criticism since 1980: Imperial Romance Before and After the Postcolonial Turn

This paper surveys a selection of criticism of H. Rider Haggard, late Victorian British writer of imperial romances known for King Solomon’s Mines (1885) and She (1887). In a period spanning from 1980 to the present, Haggard criticism has evinced a continued interest in issues of gender and imperialism. This fascination was to a great extent influenced by the popularity of postcolonial criticism after 1985. While works by Wendy Katz and Norman Etherington show that earlier discussions of imperialism in Haggard were motivated by debates about Haggard’s status as an author and the literary value of his works, subsequent publications beginning in the late 1980s highlight the complicated and often ambivalent nature of Haggard’s relationship with imperial discourse. As multiple critics from the 1990s have shown, Haggard’s works, whether understood in relation to the literary culture of the imperial capital or the colonized spaces of South Africa, often reflect anxieties about Britain’s imperial power as well as Britain’s imperial designs on the places and peoples of Africa. Critics after 2000, however, must contend with a field saturated by postcolonial approaches to Haggard. Rather than return to the issues of imperialism and gender, recent critics of Haggard rely on approaches from textual studies and cultural history to explore newer, more specific aspects of Haggard’s work.
Environmental contaminants and chromosomal damage associated with beak deformities in a resident North American passerine

A large cluster of beak abnormalities among black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in Alaska raised concern about underlying environmental factors in this region. Metals and trace elements, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD-Fs) were analyzed in adults, nestlings, and eggs of the affected population; local bird seed was also tested for organochlorine pesticides. The results offered no support for the hypothesis that selenium or any other inorganic element was responsible for beak deformities among chickadees, but some evidence that organochlorine compounds may be contributing factors. Adults with beak deformities had an elevated level of chromosomal damage, which was correlated with lipid level and concentrations of several organochlorine compounds. Multivariate analyses of pesticides and PCBs did not distinguish abnormal from normal adults, but subsequent univariate analysis demonstrated higher concentrations of heptachlor epoxide and PCB-123 in abnormal adults. Concentrations of all organochlorine compounds were low, and none is known to cause beak or keratin abnormalities. Patterns of PCB congener concentrations differed between nestlings with normal and abnormal parents. Eggs from clutches with low hatchability had higher concentrations of hexachlorobenzene and PCDD-Fs than those with high hatching success, and hexachlorobenzene was found in seeds. Additional testing for PCDD-Fs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other emerging contaminants, including brominated compounds, is needed to rule out environmental contaminants as a cause of beak deformities in chickadees in Alaska.
Use of computed tomography image processing for mapping of human cervical facet surface geometry

Vertebral facets transmit a significant percent of spinal loading, provide translational, rotational, and axial stability for the spine, and are responsible for the coupling between lateral bending and rotational motions. The shape and the orientation of vertebral facets vary with level and are influenced by degenerative processes. These variations may play an important role in many cases of neck pain, back pain, and instability. To determine whether the shape and orientation of cervical facets can be accurately measured from computed tomography (CT) data, the surfaces of 39 human cervical facets were non-invasively digitized from reconstructed three-dimensional CT data and then invasively digitized using a hand-held three-dimensional probe before and after bleaching away the cartilage. Digitized data describing the facet surfaces were fit to both plane and spherical surfaces. For the adult cervical vertebrae that we measured, the presence of cartilage had no significant effect on the measured shape or orientation of the facets. The orientation of the facet surfaces measured from CT data was within 11 deg of that measured using the hand-held probe. Quantitative measurements of facet shape (flat or spherical) and surface irregularity were similar between CT and hand digitized surfaces. These results suggest that individual facet geometries can be accurately quantified using non-invasive CT examinations. Non-invasively determined variations in facet geometries may assist in the diagnosis of back pain, neck pain and instability.
Superconditioning and Overshadowing

Abstract Conditioned lick suppression by water-deprived rats was used to investigate the phenomenon of superconditioning. In Experiment 1, animals received explicitly unpaired conditioned inhibition training with CS A or CS B and a footshock US. Both groups then received pairings of a CS A-light compound with shock. In testing, animals for which CS A was inhibitory displayed enhanced responding to the light, relative to animals for which CS A was associatively neutral. Thus, superconditioning relative to the conventional control group was demonstrated. However, an additional control group that first received inhibitory training with CS A and then the light alone paired with shock exhibited as much suppression to the light as the superconditioning group. This control, which was omitted from previous demonstrations of superconditioning, suggests that superconditioning is merely attenuated overshadowing of the added element by CS A as a result of prior inhibitory training with CS A. In Experiment 2, superconditioning was not obtained when partial reinforcement of CS A occurred during negative contingency training, despite the fact that in prior research the identically trained CS A had passed both summation and retardation tests for inhibition. In Experiment 3, exposure to CS A alone (i.e., latent inhibition treatment) sufficed to produce a superconditioning-like effect with respect to the light when the CS A-light compound was later paired with shock. In Experiment 4, conditioned inhibition and latent inhibition treatments of CS A were found to yield equivalent superconditioning-like effects with respect to the added element. Collectively, these studies suggest that superconditioning arises from a reduction in overshadowing and a comparable effect can be obtained through any initial treatment that diminishes the associability of the overshadowing CS.
Initial management of complex urological disorders: bladder exstrophy.

Bladder exstrophy is a rare condition associated with lifelong issues including infection, renal insufficiency, incontinence, and fertility. Despite its seriousness, many affected children lead normal lives. With new operative techniques, children require fewer surgeries and have more hope for continence. With close follow-up, no child should develop renal insufficiency. Families should be reassured that a normal life and parenthood with normal sexual function are possible.
Specific Regulation of Intestinal Nutrient Transporters by their Dietary Substrates

Studies of bacteria provide most information on the regulation of protein synthesis. Since bacteria are unicellular organisms living in media whose' composition they cannot control, they are exposed to wide variations in substrate levels. Thus, it makes sense that levels of many bacterial enzymes and transporters are regulated by levels of their substrates or products. Cells of multicellular organisms, on the other hand, are bathed in an internal milieu whose composition is maintained constant by the organism itself. Hence, levels of most eukaryotic enzymes are not regulated by sub­ strate levels. The few exceptions mainly involve enzymes of the gastrointes­ tinal (01) tract, which are exposed to a luminal milieu that varies with diet, or of liver, pancreas, and adipocytes, which are exposed to plasma nutrient levels that also vary with diet. Examples of adaptive enzymes in the OJ tract have long been known; in fact, pancreatic amylase and chymotrypsin, which are regulated by dietary carbohydrate and protein, were among the first adaptive enzymes discovered in any organism. Yet little attention has been paid to the regulation of intestinal nutrient transporters despite the vast literature on the transport mechanisms themselves. This chapter summarizes the evidence that levels of most intestinal nutrient transporters are regulated by their substrates. This phenomenon is interesting for at least four reasons: It is physiologically
Mullerectomy for Upper Eyelid Retraction in Graves' Orbitopathy

Conclusions: Muller’s muscle is a sympathetically innervated muscle that inserts upon the upper border of the superior tarsal plate and provides 2 mm of lift. Eyelid retraction is the most common eyelid abnormality in GO. Upper eyelid surgery involves lengthening or weakening of Muller’s muscle and/or the levator aponeurosis. The mullerectomy procedure has received little attention in the otolaryngology literature. Mullerectomy is a safe and effective procedure that has been shown to improve upper eyelid position, lagophthalmos, exposure keratopathy, and patient comfort. The failure rate is low and is most often due to undercorrection. Otolaryngologists should consider mullerectomy as an option for addressing upper eyelid retraction in GO. Mullerectomy was performed via a posterior conjunctival approach. Operative steps include: •Evert the upper eyelid to expose the superior palpebral conjunctiva (Figure 2). •Incise the conjunctiva at the superior tarsal border. •Dissect the conjunctiva from Muller’s muscle by raising a conjunctival flap (Figure 3). •Incise Muller’s muscle above the superior tarsal border. •Dissect Muller’s muscle from the levator aponeurosis (Figure 4). •Excise Muller’s muscle. •Close the conjunctival incision with absorbing sutures.
THE IMPACT OF BIOFUELS POLICY AND DROUGHT ON THE U.S. GRAIN AND LIVESTOCK MARKETS

This article examines the impact of the 2012 drought and the biofuels mandate on the U.S. grain and livestock markets and estimates the mandate waiver required to offset the impact on the corn price. The framework used is a stochastic equilibrium displacement model that integrates the beef, pork, and poultry markets with the corn, distillers' grain, soybean, soymeal, and ethanol markets. The corn and beef markets are found to be the most vulnerable. A mandate waiver of approximately 23% is required to fully negate the impact of the drought on corn prices. The waiver is equivalent to a 13.7% reduction in ethanol consumption.
What do Students Want in Advising? A Policy Capturing Study

A policy capturing approach was used to examine the advising variables that contribute to student satisfaction. Students (N = 468) rated 48 scenarios in which advising approach, relationship, advisor gender, emotional nature of the relationship, and type of advisor were manipulated. Results show that being known to the advisor, having a professional advisor, and receiving warmth and support from the advisor were important factors to advisee satisfaction. Ratings differed by student gender, advising experience, and age. Relational variables can exist across multiple advising approaches, and satisfaction likely depends more on the advisor’s interpersonal skills and style than advising approach.
Dynamics of optomotor responses in Drosophila to perturbations in optic flow

For a small flying insect, correcting unplanned course perturbations is essential for navigating through the world. Visual course control relies on estimating optic flow patterns which, in flies, are encoded by interneurons of the third optic ganglion. However, the rules that translate optic flow into flight motor commands remain poorly understood. Here, we measured the temporal dynamics of optomotor responses in tethered flies to optic flow fields about three cardinal axes. For each condition, we used white noise analysis to determine the optimal linear filters linking optic flow to the sum and difference of left and right wing beat amplitudes. The estimated filters indicate that flies react very quickly to perturbations of the motion field, with pure delays in the order of ~20 ms and time-to-peak of ~100 ms. By convolution the filters also predict responses to arbitrary stimulus sequences, accounting for over half the variance in 5 of our 6 stimulus types, demonstrating the approximate linearity of the system with respect to optic flow variables. In the remaining case of yaw optic flow we improved predictability by measuring individual flies, which also allowed us to analyze the variability of optomotor responses within a population. Finally, the linear filters at least partly explain the optomotor responses to superimposed and decomposed compound flow fields.
Desire for Autonomy and Adolescent Delinquency: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis

Leading criminological theories, including Moffitt’s adolescence-limited delinquency theory and Agnew’s general strain theory, identify adolescents’ need for autonomy as a key factor in shaping the trajectories of delinquency. Few empirical studies, however, approach it from a life course perspective. Applying latent growth curve modeling, this study uses a national longitudinal data set, Add Health, to demonstrate that there is a significant association between delinquency and the desire for autonomy. Prior cross-sectional studies, however, overestimate this linkage. In addition, the association between desire for autonomy and delinquency is offense specific, suggesting that criminology theories and future research need to consider adolescents’ developmental stages and their social environments. Finally, adolescents’ expression of negative emotions partially explains the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between the need for autonomy and delinquency.
New analysis of 14 O β decay: Branching ratios and conserved vector current consistency

The ground-state Gamow-Teller transition in the decay of $^{14}\mathrm{O}$ is strongly hindered and the electron spectrum shape deviates markedly from the allowed shape. A reanalysis of the only available data on this spectrum changes the branching ratio assigned to this transition by seven standard deviations: Our new result is $(0.54\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02)%$. The Kurie plot data from two earlier publications are also examined, and a revision to their published branching ratios is recommended. The required nuclear matrix elements are calculated with the shell model, and, for the first time, consistency is obtained between the M1 matrix element deduced from the analog \ensuremath{\gamma} transition in $^{14}\mathrm{N}$ and that deduced from the slope in the shape-correction function in the \ensuremath{\beta} transition, a requirement of the conserved-vector current hypothesis. This consistency is obtained, however, only if renormalized rather than free-nucleon operators are used in the shell-model calculations. In the mirror decay of $^{14}\mathrm{C}$, a similar situation occurs. Consistency among the $^{14}\mathrm{C}$ lifetime, the slope of the shape-correction function, and the M1 matrix element from \ensuremath{\gamma} decay can be achieved only with renormalized operators in the shell-model calculation.
Mapping 3D salt using the 2D marine magnetotelluric method: Case study from Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico

The dominant salt body at Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico, has been analyzed by seismic methods, revealing a complex 3D salt volume at depths 1 to 5 km beneath the mud line. Because of the high contrast in electrical conductivity between the salt and surrounding sediments, Gemini is an attractive target for electromagnetic interrogation. Using a broadband magnetotelluric (MT) sensor package developed at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, data in the period band of 1 to 3000 s were collected at 42 sites in a series of profiles over Gemini, one of which was directly over a linear ridgelike salt feature striking roughly northwest–southeast and another orthogonal to it. These two profiles reveal that the strongest MT response arises when the electric field is oriented northeast– southwest. We test the suitability of 2D inversion of these data for recovering the true salt structure by examining inversions of both actual data and synthetic 3D MT responses derived from the seismically inferred salt volume. Occam inversions of the northeast–southwest component result in resistivity images that generally agree with the seismic data, whereas inversions of the complementary component yield significantly poorer fidelity. Disagreement is greatest (1– 2 km) along the salt sides and base. Depth errors for top of salt are less than 500 m. Although thin, deep salt (< 1k m thick at 5 km depth) is not well resolved, the inversions reveal a resistive basement and a shallow subseabed environment rich in electrical heterogeneity that is weakly, if at all, suggested by the seismic data. A notable exception is a correlation between a previously uninterpreted seismic reflector and the base of a shallow resistivity anomaly whose presence is consistent with gas accumulation near the hydrate stability zone.
Integrating Long- and Short-Term Contracting via Business-to-Business Exchanges for Capital-Intensive Industries

This paper surveys the underlying theory and practice in the use of options in support of emerging business-to-business (B2B) markets. Such options, on both capacity and output, play an important role in integrating long- and short-term contracting between multiple buyers and sellers in such markets. This trend is especially important in capital-intensive industries, where improvements in fine tuning the coordination of supply and demand carry large economic benefits. Typically, such options are benchmarked (or defined) on the basis of spot market information conveyed through near real-time B2B transactions. This paper notes broad set of goods and services currently being traded in both B2B short-run markets and long-term contract markets, and reviews economic and managerial frameworks that have been proposed to explain the structure of contracting in these markets. We provide a general framework based on transactions cost economics, and we use this framework to provide review and synthesis of existing literature to explain various types of contracting linked to B2B exchanges in capital-intensive industries. The paper concludes with a discussion of implementation challenges and open research questions.
Partnering as Joint Production

This chapter introduces a theoretical framework that makes sense of behavioural dynamics in global partnerships. By framing partnering as a joint production process it moves the relationship between inputs and outputs – formalized as collaboration functions – into focus. The approach builds on the seminal work on social aggregation by Hirshleifer, Cornes and Sandler, as well as theories of incomplete contracting put forward by Hart and others (Hart and Moore, 1990; Hart, 1995b; Hart et al., 1997). Both theories are introduced in Sections 5.1 and 5.2. Section 5.3 combines these theories to extract some key propositions on how input-output relations translate into behavioural dynamics.
The safety and efficacy of photorefractive keratectomy after laser in situ keratomileusis.

PURPOSE: To determine the safety and efficacy of performing photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in corneas previously treated with laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery. METHODS: Fifteen eyes of 14 patients who had initially received LASIK for the treatment of myopia and compound myopic astigmatism were evaluated. Variables included existence of and/or type of flap complication associated with the original LASIK procedure, refractions before and after (3 and 6 months) PRK, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), and the development of complications after PRK such as haze, scarring, double vision, or ghosting. RESULTS: All 15 eyes were available for analysis at 6 months. Eleven eyes had experienced flap complications during the initial LASIK procedure and 4 eyes had experienced complications in the LASIK postoperative period. Characteristics prior to performing PRK included 11 myopic and 4 hyperopic eyes. By 6 months after PRK treatment, 87% of eyes had UCVA > or = 20/40, 53% had > or = 20/25, and 40% had > or = 20/20. All eyes had BSCVA of > or = 20/30, with 73% being > or = 20/20. No eye had lost 2 lines of BSCVA and only 1 eye lost 1 line of BSCVA. Sixty percent of eyes were within 1.0 diopters (D) of emmetropia, and 40% were within 0.5 D of emmetropia. A trend towards undercorrection and surgical induction of astigmatism as confirmed by vector analysis was noted. No eye developed significant haze or scarring. CONCLUSIONS: Photorefractive keratectomy may be a safe procedure to perform in corneas previously treated with LASIK surgery. Results show good reduction of refractive error and improvement of UCVA and BSCVA. A significant undercorrection of astigmatism was attributed to surgically induced astigmatism. Further studies are necessary to determine the long-term safety and stability of outcomes.
An EKF-SLAM method with filter consistency test for mobile robots using a 3D camera

This paper presents a new Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) of a mobile robot using a 3D Time Of Flight (TOF) camera. The proposed method employs an egomotion estimation algorithm to estimate the camera's egomotion, which is then used as the motion model by the EKF to estimate the camera's pose in the world coordinate system by tracking a set of visual features from the previous intensity images. Unlike the existing work that attempts to maintain the EKF's consistency by building local maps and then joining the maps into a global one, the proposed method tests the EKF's consistency at each step and restarts the filter whenever it fails the test. By doing so, the proposed EKF retains its consistency and therefore improve the accuracy of SLAM. The filter consistency is evaluated online by a chi-square test on the time-averaged normalized innovation squared of each stable feature's observation. Experimental results in various indoor and outdoor terrains demonstrate that proposed approach substantially improves the accuracy of SLAM and thus the accuracy of 3D maps of the environments.
CX9C proteins as new stress-responsive bi-organellar regulators and disease modifiers

CX9C proteins are typically found in the mitochondrial intermembrane space. We have discovered that two members of this family, CHCHD2 (MNRR1) (1) and CHCHD10, are mitochondrial stress-responsive regulators that are physically bound to cytochrome c oxidase (COX), and to each other, within the mitochondria, and also serve as modulators of transcription in the nucleus. MNRR1 activates a novel oxygen responsive element (ORE) in the promoter for COX4I2, maximally at 4% oxygen (2). MNRR1 levels determine oxygen consumption, ROS production, growth rate, and mitochondrial shape (1). MNRR1 requires Tyr-99 phosphorylation, carried out in vivo by Abl kinase, for efficient binding to COX. A related CX9C protein, CHCHD10, recently found associated with peripheral neuropathies (e.g. 3, 4), is also present in both the mitochondria and the nucleus. In the mitochondria it also binds to COX and also causes increased oxygen consumption. A family with a severe form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease (PMP22 duplication) additionally carries a Q112H mutation in MNRR1. This mutation reduces phosphorylation at Y99, reduces the ability of MNRR1 to bind to COX, and reduces transcription of a COX4I2 reporter. This mutation thus represents a modifier gene whereby a reduction of mitochondrial function can exacerbate the phenotype of a non-mitochondrial disease mutation.
Cinematic Collecting: The Continuous Discontinuity of the Still Frame in Oskar Fischinger’s Walking from Munich to Berlin

The contingent instant that Walter Benjamin, among others, claims photography uniquely makes palpable has no place in film. Cinema relies on the impermanence of such elusive moments to generate con...
GENETIC CHANGES IN EFFICIENCY OF FEED UTILIZATION OF CHICKS MAINTAINING BODY WEIGHT CONSTANT

Abstract Selection based on individual feed conversion ratio was made for three generations in a chicken population previously selected for rate of growth and for one generation in a randombred population which had not been selected for rate of growth. Two sets of high (HL) and two sets of low (LL) feed conversion ratio lines were selected in each population: one set selected so that body weight was constant over generations (HLWK, LLWK), while in the other set (HLWV, LLWV) body weight was allowed to vary. In the three generations of selection in the chicken population the units of feed required for a unit of gain was increased .12 in the HLWV line over that of non-selected controls and .08 in the HLWK line. In the low feed conversion ratio lines the units of feed required for a unit of gain was decreased .11 in the LLWK line and .07 in the LLWV line. In both low lines more progress was made in females than in males. In the randombred stock, which had no previous selection for growth, as much progress in lowering the feed conversion ratio was made in one generation of selection as was made in three generations in the broiler population (decreased .12 in the LLWK and .13 in the LLWV) with no sex difference in response. The realized heritabilities for feed conversion for the lines selected from the broiler population were .20, .21, .33 and .26 for the LLWV, LLWK, HLWV, HLWK, respectively. In the lines selected from the randombred population the realized heritabilities were .56, .45, .35 and .31, respectively. The magnitude of the heritability values obtained indicate that even in lines previously selected for growth there is sufficient variation in efficiency of feed utilization to allow progress in selection without further change in body weight.
On the Trail of Voodoo: African Christianity in Africa and the Americas

Scholars have long taken interest in the conversion of African slaves to Christianity in the New World which have mixed, to one degree or another, African religious forms with Christianity. The process has been studied in greatest depth by sociologists, such as Roger Bastide, anthropologists like Melville Herskovitts or art historians such as Robert Farris Thompson. Although the most devoted of the scholars concerned with this have not been historians, and much of the basic research has been in current practices rather than historic origins of African and Afro-New World religions, all scholars share some vision of the historical process. In this vision African and European religions and world views meshed in a past which is far beyond the memory of modern informants and probably dates back to the early days of Afro-European contacts.
Infectious complications of ventricular assist device use in children in the United States: Data from the Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs).

Background Infections are frequent in pediatric ventricular assist device (VAD) patients. In this study we aimed to describe infections in durable VAD patients reported to Pedimacs. Methods Durable VAD data from the Pedimacs registry (September 19, 2012 to December 31, 2015) were analyzed. Infections were described with standard descriptive statistics, Kaplan–Meier analysis and competing outcomes analysis. Results There were 248 implants in 222 patients, with a mean age and a median follow-up of 11 ± 6.4 years and 2.4 patient-months ( Conclusions Infection was the most common AE after pediatric VAD implantation. Non-device infections were most common. The best predictor of a future infection was a past infection. CF patients have higher risk of death after an infection.
Significance and effects of taurine on plasma procalcitonin after cardiopulmonary bypass in infants

Objective:By the effects of taurine on plasma procalcitonin after cardiopulmonary bypass in infants with congenital heart disease,to evaluate the significance of taurine reduce the level of systemic in flammatory response syndrome.Methods:Sixty infants with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac surgery were divided into control group(group C,n=30) and taurine group(group T,n=30) in which patients received 15.5 mg/(kg·d) of taurine was given before operation,plasma procalcitonin in venous blood were measured at the time of before operation,the time of operation termination,12,24,48 and 72 hours after operation.Results:Plasma procalcitonin increased in the two groups,the comparison of within groups at 12 hours after operation reach statistical significance.C group 's plasma procalcitonin was higher than those in group T at 12 hours after operation(P0.05).T group and C group,the incidence of systemic in flammatory response syndrome were 13.33% and 16.67% respectively.Conclusion:Taurine is beneficial for procalcitonin to improve the excessive release induced by cardiopulmonary bypass and to reduce the incidence of systemic in flammatory response syndrome,
Demography of an Insular Population of Spotted Owls

We studied the dynamics of an insular California spotted owl (Strixoccidentalis occidentalis) population in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California, USA. We located owls at 128 sites and banded 367 individuals between 1987-1990. We captured and color banded at least 70 percent of the territorial spotted owls in the mountain range. We measured territory occupancy, social status, nesting rate, fledging rate, fecundity, territory turnover and replacement rates, and survivorship. California spotted owls in the San Bernardino Mountains had variable annual reproduction. Survival rates were the lowest yet reported for a spotted owl population. We calculated λ=0.769 using a two stage Leslie projection matrix and this value was significantly different than 1.0. In this paper we assess the effect of sample size on the estimates of vital rates of this owl population. We discuss the relevance of insular studies of spotted owl populations to the understanding of the demographics of contiguous spotted owl populations.
'Compassionate use' protocol for auditory brainstem implantation in neurofibromatosis type 2: Early House Ear Institute experience.

Objective: To report the preliminary outcomes of auditory brainstem implantation (ABI) under a compassionate use protocol for two ABI devices that are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.Methods: A retrospective review was performed of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) patients who underwent microsurgery for vestibular schwannoma (VS) and placement of either the Cochlear ABI541 or Med-El Synchrony ABIs. Peri-operative and device- related complications were reviewed. Audiometric performance was also evaluated.Results: Seven patients received either the Cochlear ABI541 (6) or the Med-El Synchrony ABI (1) after the resection of VS. No device or patient-related complications occurred to date. Surgical times and early audiological performance are similar to our previous experience with the Cochlear ABI24 device.Conclusions: Early experience with the Cochlear ABI541 and Med-El Synchrony ABI devices under a compassionate use protocol suggest that both devices are safe with comparable utility to the ...
Allogeneic Transplantation for Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) with Rituximab or Campath I-H.

Because of potential synergy with chemotherapy and non-overlapping toxicity, we investigated the addition of Rituximab or Campath 1-H to the standard myeloablative conditioning regimen of cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg daily x 2) and total body irradiation (12.0 Gy in four fractions) prior to allogeneic transplantation for ALL. Transplantation was performed on day 0. Rituximab was added if patients’ disease expressed CD20+ > 20% by flow-cytometry. It was administered (375 mg/m 2 ) on days −6, −1, +7 and +14. Campath I-H (10 mg daily intravenously, days −6 to −2) was added if patients’ CD20 expression was 20%. Thirty-two adult consecutive patients were studied. Eleven were in first remission with poor prognostic features, 11 in 2 nd remission, and 10 were ≥ 3 rd remission, or in relapse. Twenty-nine patients had B-cell, two had T-cell and one had an undifferentiated phenotyping. The study group included 19 males and 13 females of median age 35 yrs (range, 19–57). Median # of prior chemoregimens received was 2 (range, 1–6). In both groups of patients, prophylaxis for GVHD consisted of a combination of tacrolimus and methotrexate. Pharmacokinetic studies in patients who received Campath I-H showed no detectable level of the antibody one-day prior to- or after the infusion of the donor graft. Median follow-up for survivors was 19 months. Outcomes were: No prognostic factor was found to be of significance for survival, disease-free survival, or relapse. This included: age (
Tutorial 4B: ADC design - from system architecture to transistor level design

Pipelined and Delta-Sigma (ΔΣ) ADCs are increasingly becoming popular in mixed-signal system-on-chip (SoCs). This tutorial combines theoretical as well as practical perspectives on ADC design with special focus on two types of ADCs, viz., CT-ΔΣ ADC and pipelined ADC. The goal is to provide a complete picture to the audience, starting from system level architecture to their transistor-level design. The tutorial will cover basics of ΔΣ modulation, both continuous-time (CT) as well as discrete-time, and pipelined ADCs. System-level behavioral modeling using Matlab/Simulink environment will be presented. The top-down design approach will discuss circuit implementation and include circuit non-idealities in the behavioral modeling. Case studies will be presented for CT ΔΣ ADCs and various digital calibration techniques for pipelined ADCs.
An ecological framework for temporal and individual differences in color preferences.

Abstract There are well-known and extensive differences in color preferences between individuals, but there are also within-individual differences from one time to another. Despite the seeming independence between these individual and temporal effects, we propose that they have the same underlying cause: people’s ecological experiences with color-associated objects and events. Our approach is motivated by the Ecological Valence Theory (EVT; Palmer & Schloss, 2010) which states that preference for a given color is determined by the combined valence (liking/disliking) of all objects and events associated with that color. We define three ecologically-based hypotheses for explaining temporal and individual differences in color preferences concerning: (1) differences in object valences, (2) differences in color-object associations, and (3) differences in object activations in the mind when preferences are measured. We review prior studies that support these hypotheses and raise open research questions about untested predictions. We also extend the computational framework of the EVT by defining a single weighted average equation that captures both individual and temporal differences in color preferences. Finally, we consider other factors that potentially contribute to color preferences, including abstract symbolic associations, color in design, and psychophysical and/or physiological factors.
Altered carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and coronary heart disease among men in Tecumseh, Michigan.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the altered carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and coronary heart disease among men in Tecumseh, Michigan. In a study described in the chapter, a random sample of 282 men 30–69 years of age, who were stratified according to a decade of age, was selected for comprehensive biochemical studies. Men were not included if they were receiving insulin, oral hypoglycemic drugs, or other medications that alter glucose tolerance. The men with angina or infarction were leaner and had lower mean glucose and insulin values than the controls. They also had a lower proportion of abnormal insulin curves. Men with myocardial infarction had higher mean cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations than controls or men with angina. In the 50–59-year age group, there were 54 controls, 10 men with myocardial infarction, and five with angina pectoris. Men with angina were slightly fatter and had much higher mean insulin concentrations than men with infarctions or controls. Men with myocardial infarction differed from the other two groups because of a much higher mean blood glucose and a very high proportion of abnormal insulin curves.
Internal Stakeholders' Claims on Branding a State University

Educational institutions, as part of the service sector, face unique challenges in developing and implementing an internal brand management (IBM) program. Internal stakeholders generally resist bra...
Fostering Reflective Future Healthcare Professionals

The Masters of Biomedical Science (MBS) at Duke University School of Medicine has an integrated yearlong course, Essentials for Healthcare Practice and Professional Development (EHPPD), that offers pre-health profession students written and verbal reflection experiences in self-awareness and cultivation of self-care habits which are necessary to well-being in healthcare careers.
New Mechanism of Extractive Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Heterogeneous Solid Particles

Real-time in situ mass spectrometry analysis of airborne particles is important in several applications, including exposure studies in ambient air, industrial settings, and assessing impacts on visibility and climate. However, obtaining molecular and 3D structural information is more challenging, especially for heterogeneous solid or semisolid particles. We report a study of extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (EESI-MS) for the analysis of solid particles with an organic coating. The goal is to elucidate how much of the overall particle content is sampled, and determine the sensitivity of this technique to the surface layers. It is shown that, for NaNO3 particles coated with glutaric acid (GA), very little of the solid NaNO3 core is sampled compared to the GA coating, whereas for GA particles coated with malonic acid (MA), significant signals from both the MA coating and the GA core are observed. However, conventional ESI-MS of the same samples collected on a Teflon filter (and then extracted) detects much more core material compared to EESI-MS in both cases. These results show that, for the experimental conditions used here, EESI-MS does not sample the entire particle but, instead, is more sensitive to surface layers. Separate experiments on single-component particles of NaNO3, GA, or citric acid show that there must be a kinetics limitation to dissolution that is important in determining EESI-MS sensitivity. We propose a new mechanism of EESI solvent droplet interaction with solid particles that is consistent with the experimental observations. In conjunction with previous EESI-MS studies of organic particles, these results suggest that EESI does not necessarily sample the entire particle when solid, and that not only solubility but also surface energies and the kinetics of dissolution play an important role.
Fatigue loading of wind turbines

Abstract: Wind turbine structures need to be designed with careful consideration of the fatigue strength and loading on critical load-bearing components. Each material in the various components of a wind turbine will potentially use different damage models to map the cyclic fatigue loadings into progressive deterioration of the material. In most cases, linear damage models using a Miner’s Rule type approach are prevalent in design. The loadings of a particular turbine can be described as a function of the inflow conditions, which are considered to be weakly stationary for short periods, typically 10 minutes. These characteristic response statistics of the turbine are aggregated into a long-term distribution of loads using the theory of random variables and probability distribution functions. The long-term distribution is applied to the damage model to produce an estimate of fatigue lifetime. The design criteria require that the estimated stresses be amplified by safety factors to account for unfavourable deviations of action and material properties, as well as modeling uncertainties.
TRANSPORT OF VIRAL GLYCOPROTEINS AND ITS MODULATION BY MONENSIN

Publisher Summary Distinct pathways of membrane glycoprotein transport exist in polarized epithelial cell monolayers, differing in their sensitivity to monensin, a sodium ionophore. Monensin blocks the transport of secretory and membrane glycoproteins at the level of the Golgi complex, which appears dilated as an effect of the drug. Influenza hemagglutinin (HA) protein continues to be transported to the surface of monensin-treated cells, is cleaved into HA 1 and HA 2 and is incorporated into budding influenza virus particles. On the other hand, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) glycoprotein appears to accumulate in the membranes of the dilated Golgi apparatus of monensin-treated cells. This chapter discusses the effects of monensin on the kinetics of transport of viral membrane glycoproteins to the cell surface. It also discusses the effect of the ionophore on the directional transport of viral glycoproteins in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells doubly-infected with influenza virus and VSV and on the replication of viruses that are assembled at intracellular membranes.
Parenting intervention effects on reunification: A randomized trial of PMTO in foster care.

Abstract Evidence-supported parenting interventions (ESPIs) have expanded into child welfare because a growing research base has demonstrated positive results among children with serious emotional and behavioral problems. Despite a clear federal policy emphasis on reunification, few randomized trials have tested ESPIs with biological families of children in foster care; even fewer studies have investigated the distal outcomes of ESPIs. The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of Parent Management Training, Oregon (PMTO) model on reunification. Children in foster care with emotional and behavioral problems were randomized to in-home PMTO (n = 461) or services as usual (SAU) (n = 457). Cox regression models tested whether children in the PMTO group achieved higher rates of reunification. We applied life tables data for integrals calculations to estimate days saved in foster care. Analyses were conducted as intent-to-treat (ITT), and per protocol analysis (PPA). ITT results showed reunification rates were 6.9% higher for the PMTO group (62.7%) than the SAU group (55.8%) with 151 days saved per typical child. PPA indicated that intervention completion strengthened effects as PMTO completers’ reunification rates (69.5%) were 13.7% higher than the SAU group (55.8%), and were 15.3% higher than non-completers (54.2%). Days saved were also greater for completers as compared to the SAU group (299 days) and non-completers (358 days). Overall, findings suggest that an in-home parenting intervention positively affected reunification as delivered to biological parents of children and youth in foster care with serious emotional and behavioral problems. Implications and future considerations for research are discussed.