cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-dependent calcium uptake in isolated chick duodenal cells

Thein vivo andin vitro effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) on calcium uptake by isolated chick duodenal cells were studied.In vivo, 1,25-(OH)2D3 given orally to vitamin D-deficient chicks increased the initial rate of calcium uptake by cells prepared 1 hr after administration of the hormone. The rate was stimulated approximately 100%, 17 to 24 hr after repletion.In vitro, pre-incubation of 1,25-(OH)2D3 with cells from D-deficient chicks increased the cellular rate of calcium uptake in a concentration-dependent relationship. Enhancement was found with 10−15m, was maximal at 10−13m, and was diminished at higher (10−11m) concentrations. Stimulation was observed after a pre-incubation period as brief as 1 hr. The potency order for vitamin D3 analogs was 1,25-(OH)2D3=1-(OH)D3>25-(OH)D3>1,24,25-(OH)3D3>24,25-(OH)2D3>D3. The maximal enhancement in calcium uptake induced by the analogs was the same, only the concentration at which the cell responded was different. The effectiveness of 1,25-(OH)2D3 was five orders of magnitude greater than D3. Kinetically, 1,25-(OH)2D3 increased theVmax of calcium uptake; the affinity for calcium (Km=0.54mm) was unchanged. The enhanced uptake found after the cells were pre-incubated for 2 hr with the hormone was completely blocked by inhibitors of protein synthesis. 1,25-(OH)2D3,in vitro, also increased calcium uptake in cells isolated from D-replete chicks. The maximal rates of uptake were the same in cells from D-deficient and D-replete animals. The hormone had no effect of calcium efflux from cells. Calcium uptake in microvillar brush-border membrane vesicles was increased by 1,25-(OH)2D3. These findings suggest that thein vitro cell system described in this paper represents an appropriate model to examine the temporal relationships between 1,25-(OH)2D3 induction of calcium transport and specific biochemical correlates.
Prenatal diagnosis and therapy for a fetal hepatic vascular malformation.

Background : Congenital hepatic arteriovenous malformations complicated by high-output heart failure and hematologic derangements are associated with up to 90% mortality. Prenatal diagnosis alerts the pediatrician to the need for early neonatal intervention. Case : A fetal hepatic arteriovenous malformation with associated high-output cardiac failure was diagnosed at 29 weeks' gestation using real-time and color flow Doppler sonography. Hydrocortisone injected directly into the umbilical vein and the amniotic sac resulted in appreciable improvement in hemodynamic and hematologic indices. The pregnancy ended in a preterm delivery at 31 weeks with no evidence of heart failure at birth. Conclusion : The compromised preterm fetus with a hepatic arteriovenous malformation can be treated in utero, avoiding early emergency delivery.
Dichlorido(η6-p-cymene)(eth­oxy­diphenyl­phosphane)ruthenium(II)

The title compound, [RuCl2(C10H14)(C14H15OP)], is an RuII complex in which an η6-p-cymene ligand, two chloride anions and the P atom of an ethoxydiphenylphosphane ligand form a piano-stool coordination environment about the central RuII atom.
Competition and Ethnic Conflict: Artifactual?

One of the most important theories of ethnic conflict focuses on the competition hypothesis: conflict occurs between ethnic groups when they interact more rather than when they are kept separated. If true, this theory implies that attempts at desegregation will necessarily be associated with ethnic conflict and violence. The author presents a formal model that suggests that the apparent competition effect uncovered in the empirical literature may, in fact, be spurious. Ethnic conflict can appear to increase with competition, even in the case where individuals are less likely to attack individuals of other ethnicities than members of their own ethnicity. A consideration of some alterations in the basic model suggests that the result is robust. An exploratory exercise shows that after controlling for the selection bias problems involved in studying ethnic conflict, the predicted competition effects disappear.
Observations on the phloem in three species ofMimosa

Anatomische Untersuchungen am Phloem vonMimosa ergaben eine histologische Ubereinstimmung der engen Siebrohren des Aussenphloems mit den Siebrohren des Innenphloems. In den engen Siebrohren bleibt der Zellkern erhalten.
Brain-inspired computing with spin torque devices

In this paper we discuss the potential of emerging spin-torque devices for computing applications. Recent proposals for spin-based computing schemes may be differentiated as 'all-spin' vs. hybrid, programmable vs. fixed, and, Boolean vs. non-Boolean. All-spin logic-styles may offer high area-density due to small form-factor of nano-magnetic devices. However, circuit and system-level design techniques need to be explored that leaverage the specific spin-device characterisitcs to achieve energy-efficiency, performance and reliability comparable to those of CMOS. The non-volatility of nano-magnets can be exploited in the design of energy and area-efficient programmable logic. In such logic-styles, spin-devices may play the dual-role of computing as well as memory-elements that provide field-programmability. Spin-based threshold logic design is presented as an example. Emerging spintronic phenomena may lead to ultra-low-voltage, current-mode, spin-torque switches that can offer attractive computing capabilities, beyond digital switches. Such devices may be suitable for non-Boolean data-processing applications which involve analog processing. Integration of such spin-torque devices with charge-based devices like CMOS and resistive memory can lead to highly energy-efficient information processing hardware for applicatons like pattern-matching, neuromorphic-computing, image-processing and data-conversion. Finally, we discuss the possibility of using coupled spin-torque nano oscillators for low-power non-Boolean computing.
A Threshold Analysis of the Relationship Between Governance and Growth

Abstract Quality of governance has been found to be significant in economic growth. We investigate, using a threshold technique, whether the quality of governance matters equally across all levels of economic development. We find that the quality of governance is most significant for only a subset of relatively poor countries, while education is most significant for the poorest countries, and region is most significant for the wealthiest.
Fast additive noise steganalysis

This work reduces the computational requirements of the additive noise steganalysis presented by Harmsen and Pearlman. The additive noise model assumes that the stegoimage is created by adding a pseudo-noise to a coverimage. This addition predictably alters the joint histogram of the image. In color images it has been shown that this alteration can be detected using a three-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the histogram. As the computation of this transform is typically very intensive, a method to reduce the required processing is desirable. By considering the histogram between pairs of channels in RGB images, three separate two-dimensional FFTs are used in place of the original three-dimensional FFT. This method is shown to offer computational savings of approximately two orders of magnitude while only slightly decreasing classification accuracy.
Minority participation in a major residential and intensive outpatient program for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Abstract Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is prevalent among children and adults across racial and ethnic groups, causing significant and pervasive impairment in home life, work, and relationships. This article includes a review of the literature surrounding utilization of mental health care and barriers to treatment for OCD in four specific ethnoracial minority groups, followed by an examination of minority participation in a large intensive/residential OCD treatment facility. Participants included 924 children or adults diagnosed with OCD at Rogers Memorial Hospital between 1999 and 2012. The overwhelming majority of participants were non-Hispanic White (93.3%), indicating a significant mental health disparity. Patients were: 2.4% Hispanic/Latino American, 1.2% Asian American, 0.9% African American, 0.8% biracial/multiracial, 0.7% Indian American, 0.6% other, 0.1% Native American, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. Minority patients required significantly longer stays, despite no differences in mean OCD severity pre- or post treatment. The percentage of minority patients significantly increased over a 13-year span. Implications of findings and recommendations for increasing minority participation are discussed.
Theoretical Expositions of Centralized versus Decentralized Strands of Socialist Economic Systems

Extensions/applications/revisions of the Marxian vision of socialism can broadly be categorized into two polar strands: the centralized and the decentralized strands of socialist economic systems. Explores the main postulates of a decentralized version of a socialist economic system as provided by Kautsky, Luxembourg, Bernstein, Bukharin and Lange. The centralized strand of socialist economic systems has been elaborated drawing mainly from the writings of Lenin, Trotsky, Dobb, Sweezy and Baran.
Epiblast cells that express MyoD recruit pluripotent cells to the skeletal muscle lineage

Embryonic stem cells are derived from the epiblast. A subpopulation of epiblast cells expresses MyoD mRNA and the G8 antigen in vivo. G8 positive (G8pos) and G8 negative (G8neg) populations were isolated by magnetic cell sorting. Nearly all G8pos cells switched from E- to N-cadherin and differentiated into skeletal muscle in culture. G8neg cells were impaired in their ability to switch cadherins and few formed skeletal muscle. Medium conditioned by G8pos cells stimulated skeletal myogenesis and N-cadherin synthesis in G8neg cultures. The effect of conditioned medium from G8pos cultures was inhibited by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 4. Treatment of G8neg cells with a soluble form of the BMP receptor-IA or Noggin promoted N-cadherin synthesis and skeletal myogenesis. These results demonstrate that MyoD-positive epiblast cells recruit pluripotent cells to the skeletal muscle lineage. The mechanism of recruitment involves blocking the BMP signaling pathway.
Diode Laser Sensor for Velocity Measurements in Hypervelocity Flows

4Jiang, G. S., and Shu, C. W., “Ef cient Implementation of Weighted ENO Schemes,” Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 126, No. 1, 1996, pp. 202–228. 5Sommerfeld,M., andMuller, H.M., “Experimental andNumerical Studies of ShockWave Focusing in Water,” Experiments in Fluids,Vol. 6, No. 3, 1998, pp. 209–216. 6Olivier, H., and Gronig, H., “The Random Choice Method Applied to Two-Dimensional Shock Focusing and Diffraction,” Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 63, No. 1, 1986, pp. 85–106. 7Isuzugawa, K., and Horiuchi, M., “Experimental and Numerical Studies of Blast Wave Focusing in Water,” Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Shock Waves, Vol. 1, Springer–Verlag, New York, 1992, pp. 347–350. 8Shu, C. W., Zang, T. A., Erlebacher, G., Whitaker, D., and Osher, S., “High-Order ENO Schemes Applied to Twoand Three-Dimensional Compressible Flow,” Applied Numerical Mathematics, Vol. 9, No. 1, 1992, pp. 45–71. 9Liu, X. D., Osher, S., and Chan, T., “Weighted Essentially NonOscillatory Schemes,” Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 115, No. 1, 1994, pp. 200–212. 10Thompson,W., “Time Dependent BoundaryConditions for Hyperbolic Systems,” Journalof ComputationalPhysics, Vol. 68,No. 1, 1987,pp. 1–24. 11Liang, S.-M., Tsai, C.-J., and Wu, L.-N., “Ef cient, Robust SecondOrder Total Variation Diminishing Scheme,” AIAA Journal,Vol. 34, No. 1, 1996, pp. 193–195.
Measles Virus V Protein Inhibits p53 Family Member p73

Paramyxovirus V proteins function as host interference factors that inactivate antiviral responses, including interferon. Characterization of cellular proteins that copurify with ectopically expressed measles virus V protein has revealed interactions with DNA binding domains of p53 family proteins, p53 and p73. Specific transcriptional assays reveal that expression of measles virus V cDNA inhibits p73, but not p53. Expression of measles virus V cDNA can delay cell death induced by genotoxic stress and also can decrease the abundance of the proapoptotic factor PUMA, a p73 target. Recombinant measles virus with an engineered deficiency in V protein is capable of inducing more severe cytopathic effects than the wild type, implicating measles virus V protein as an inhibitor of cell death. These findings also suggest that p73-PUMA signaling may be a previously unrecognized arm of cellular innate antiviral immunity.
The Use of Complementary Therapies in Inner-City Asthmatic Children

Use of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) has been increasing, especially among patients with a chronic illness. Although asthma is the most common chronic illness affecting children in the United States, very little is known about the use of CAM in children with asthma. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and correlates of CAM use among inner-city children with asthma. A cross-sectional survey of parents of children with asthma attending an urban health center was performed. Parents were surveyed regarding CAM use over the past year, perceived efficacy of CAM, severity of child's asthma symptoms and demographic information. Differences in proportions were tested by chi-square or Fisher's exact test as appropriate. Three hundred ten parents participated, of whom 61% were Hispanic and 37% were African American. Parental mean age was 33 years and the mean age of the child was 7.2 years; 89% of parents had treated their child in the past year with some form of CAM. However, only 18% had informed a physician of doing so. The most common forms of CAM used were as follows: prayers (53%), rubs (53%), and massage (45%). Of those who used CAM, 59% perceived it to be at least as effective as pharmacotherapy, and 44% used CAM as first treatment of an asthma attack. Mild and moderate persistent asthmatics had significantly higher rates of CAM use than did mild intermittent and severe persistent asthmatics. We found a very high rate of CAM use among children with asthma in this inner-city population. Most importantly, a very high proportion of parents perceived the therapies to be effective, used them as first treatment of an acute exacerbation, and did not inform a physician of doing so. These findings have implications for the care of asthmatic children by pediatricians practicing in urban settings.
Diarrhea Management in Enterally Fed Patients

A prospective review of 158 enterally fed intensive care unit (ICU) patients at the University of Kentucky Medical Center revealed a significant variation in the clinical approach to the diagnosis and management of diarrhea. A standard definition for diarrhea was necessary to develop a cost-effective approach to this problem. A rational treatment algorithm was established for the diagnosis and management of diarrhea in the enterally fed ICU patient.
Outcomes after lung transplantation in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 4 million people in the USA, with a prevalence of 1.4%. The seropositivity rate among potential lung transplant candidates is 1.9%, yet little information is available regarding outcomes of lung transplantation in HCV-positive lung transplant recipients. Our study reports outcomes of lung transplantation in HCV-positive recipients and compares them to HCV-negative controls. Methods A retrospective analysis of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation's lung transplant database (465 patients) identified six HCV-positive patients. Demographic data, etiology of HCV infection, HCV viral load pre- and post-transplant, pre-transplant hepatic pathology, serial transaminases, incidence of acute hepatitis, graft function data and patient survival data were obtained by chart extraction. Results Five HCV-positive recipients had a pre-transplant liver biopsy, none of whom had evidence of cirrhosis pre-transplant. Although HCV RNA levels markedly increased post-transplant, no concomitant increase in transaminases was noted. There was no significant difference in the incidence of acute rejection at 1 year in our HCV-positive cohort compared with the HCV-negative lung transplant recipients from our institution. One patient developed bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) during the follow-up period. Two patient deaths occurred, one at 8 months and the other at 2 years post-transplant. No evidence of hepatic dysfunction was noted in either deceased patient. The four surviving patients are alive at a median 3.2 years (range 1 to 6 years). Conclusions No significant difference in patient or graft survival was noted between the HCV-positive lung transplant recipients and the HCV-negative recipients.
Effect of organic N-halamines on selected membrane functions in intact Staphylococcus aureus cells

Two N-halamine compounds, 3-chloro-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolidinone and 1,3-dichloro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-imidazolidinone, were compared with free chlorine as to their effects on selected membrane functions of intact Staphylococcus aureus cells. Free chlorine was found to cause a loss of permeability control, as measured by the efflux of potassium from the cells and a dramatic increase in hydrogen ion permeability, and to affect cell respiration in a nonreversible fashion, as measured by oxygen uptake. The two N-halamines were found to have very little effect on permeability to either potassium or hydrogen ions but were both found to dramatically inhibit respiration in a reversible manner. It is proposed that the first step in the disinfection process by these N-halamines is an inhibition of respiratory enzymes that, if not reversed, ultimately leads to a loss of cell viability.
Morbidity and mortality as a televideoconference: a randomized prospective evaluation of learning and perceptions.

Background Central morbidity and mortality conferences ensure uniform content and more participants but consume work hours in commuting for programs with multiple teaching hospitals. Internet-based televideoconferencing (TVC) technology has the potential to eliminate commuting and expand participation and retain quality of instruction. Study Design A prospective, randomized pilot study compared a control (home, n=43) group in a live morbidity and mortality conference with an experimental (remote, n=35) group exposed to TVC. After the conference, 78 participants (11 faculty, 38 residents, and 29 medical students) completed a survey assessing learning (6 questions) and conference effectiveness and appeal (7 questions). Results Comparison of pooled scores on the 6 test items showed no difference by home versus remote group (4.9 versus 4.4; p=0.47) or among faculty, residents, and students (4.5 versus 4.7 versus 4.7; p=0.89), indicating that learning was not compromised by TVC. Overall perceptions of TVC were similar for home and remote sites (25.5 versus 23.4; p=0.13); TVC was perceived as slightly less effective as attending a conference in person, but preferable to commuting. Perceptions of TVC grew proportionately more favorable as commuting distances increased. Students had a more positive perception of TVC than did residents, and faculty had the least positive perception (p = 0.048). Participants were comfortable giving a presentation via TVC, but less comfortable asking questions or participating in a discussion. Conclusions This is the first study using televideoconferencing for morbidity and mortality. TVC did not hinder overall learning and was preferable to commuting between facilities. TVC can help maximize educational efficiency and opportunities in programs with multiple training sites.
The effect of inflammation on the generation of plasma DNA from dead and dying cells in the peritoneum

To assess the effects of inflammation on the generation of circulating DNA from dead and dying cells, plasma DNA levels were determined in BALB/c mice, administered apoptotic or necrotic Jurkat cells following induction of peritonitis by treatment with thioglycollate (TG), peptone (PT), or sodium periodate (NaIO(4)). In mice receiving TG or NaIO(4), plasma DNA levels following intraperitoneal administration of Jurkat cells were significantly reduced compared with controls, whereas they were not affected in mice receiving PT. To determine the basis of these differences, the cellular composition of peritoneal fluids prior to the administration of the dead cells was analyzed. Among agents tested, TG administration led to the largest increase in cells, both neutrophils and monocytes. As shown by flow cytometry, the exudates contained apoptotic neutrophils and macrophages, with the highest levels in the TG-induced exudates. Analysis of DNA and caspase 3 in the fluids also showed differences. TG exudates showed increases in DNA and caspase 3, while NaIO(4)-induced exudates had an increase only in DNA. Fluid from PT-treated mice did not have increases in DNA or caspase 3. Together, these results indicate that prior inflammation can affect the generation of blood DNA from apoptotic or necrotic cells, although this effect may vary depending on the composition of the exudates with respect to cells as well as DNA.
Cognitive Mediation of Crime Continuity A Causal Mediation Analysis of the Past Crime–Future Crime Relationship

Utilizing data from two large samples, cognitive variables were evaluated as potential mediators of the past crime–future crime relationship. In the first study, the reconstructed General Criminal Thinking (GCTrc) score of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) was found to mediate the relationship between past adult convictions/juvenile adjudications and future recidivism in 1,101 male federal prisoners. In the second study, a cognitive appraisal of one’s future chances of arrest was found to mediate the relationship between self-reported delinquency between the ages of 13 and 15 and self-reported delinquency between the ages of 17 and 19 in 1,414 male and female members of the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) cohort. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the mediating effects in both studies were reasonably robust to violations of the sequential ignorability assumption. These findings suggest that cognitive factors may play a role in encouraging continuity from the...
An efficient synthesis of methyl 2-cyano-3,12-dioxoursol-1,9-dien-28-oate (CDDU-methyl ester): analogues, biological activities, and comparison with oleanolic acid derivatives

An efficient synthesis of methyl 2-cyano-3,12-dioxoursol-1,9-dien-28-oate (CDDU-methyl ester) from commercially available ursolic acid, which features an oxidative ozonolysis-mediated C-ring enone formation, and provides the first access to ursolic acid-derived cyano enone analogues with C-ring activation. These new ursolic acid analogues show potent biological activities, with potency of approximately five-fold less than the corresponding oleanolic acid derivatives.
Eigenvalue analysis of phased array element patterns

The sidelobe performance of a phased array antenna is usually assumed to be limited by amplitude and phase errors in the transmit/receive modules or the analog beamformer. However, with a digital beamformer, the signals from the array elements can be combined with arbitrary precision. In that case, the sidelobe performance will be limited by other factors, such as differences in the array element patterns. There is a standard formula for calculating the array sidelobe level due to random errors. The formula assumes that all errors are small, uncorrelated and have a normal, Gaussian probability distribution. Unfortunately, these conditions are not met by the element pattern differences. The eigenvalues of phased array element patterns are examined to determine the sidelobe performance. The average sidelobe level prediction is verified by simulations and measurements. >
Transferred Flesh: Reflections on Senga Nengudi's R.S.V.P.

The performance of Senga Nengudi’s sculptural work R.S.V.P ., as part of the exhibition Radical Presence: Black Performance in Contemporary Art , explores the limits of sculptural form, while also submitting idealized representations of the black body in contemporary performance to abstract interrogation.
Integrating Services for Injection Drug Users Infected with Hepatitis C Virus with Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among drug users enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment programs, few drug users are being treated with combination therapy. The most significant barrier to treatment is lack of access to comprehensive HCV-related care. We describe a pilot program to integrate care for HCV infection with substance abuse treatment in a setting of maintenance treatment with methadone. This on-site, multidisciplinary model of care includes comprehensive screening and treatment for HCV infection, assessment of eligibility, counseling with regard to substance abuse, psychiatric services, HCV support groups, directly observed therapy, and enhanced linkages to a tertiary care system for diagnostic procedures. Our approach has led to high levels of adherence, with liver biopsy and substantial rates of initiation of antiviral therapy. Two cases illustrate the successful application of this model to patients with HCV infection complicated by active substance abuse and psychiatric comorbidity.
A spatial sampling criterion for sonar obstacle detection

A spatial sampling criterion for sonar systems that allows all obstacles within a given radius from the sensor to be detected is described. The environment considered is a two-dimensional floor plan that is extended into the third dimension, in which the scanning is performed in the horizontal plane. In this environment, edgelike reflectors, such as edges of doors or doorways, and oblique surfaces are the most difficult to detect. By considering the physics of sound propagation, the sonar scanning density required to detect these objects is determined. An experimental verification is included. The limitations of detecting objects with sonar in a more general environment are discussed. These results can be used to determine the necessary spacing in a transducer ring array and the maximum step size that a mobile robot can translate without danger of collision. >
"Special Sessions: To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth in 1906 of Raymond D. Mindlin

Recounts the life and professional achievements of Raymond D. Mindlin (1906-1987). He was elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1958), of the ASME (1962), and of the Accoustical Society of America (1963); member of the National Academy of Engineering (1966) and of the National Academy of Sciences (1973); and Honorary Member of the ASME (1969). He received the Research Prize (1958) and the von Karman Medal (1961) of the ASCE; the Timoshenko Medal (1964) and the ASME Medal (1976) from the ASME; the Trent-Crede A ward of the Acoustical Society of America (1971); the Frocht Award of the SESA (1974); the Great Teacher Award (1960) and the Egleston Medal (1971) from Columbia University; and an Honorary D.Sc. degree from Northwestern University (1975); also, a Naval Ordnance Development Award (1945) and the C.B. Sawyer Award of the Army Electronics Command (1967). Remarkably, prestigious as these are, all but one were sandwiched between his most noteworthy honors, both bestowed by the US Government: the Presidential Medal for Merit (1946), as noted earlier the highest civilian decoration of the second World War, and his ultimate accolade, the National Medal of Science, which he received in 1979.
HbA1c and heart failure risk among diabetic patients.

Context: Diabetes is an independent risk factor for heart failure (HF); however, it is not known whether tight glycemic control can reduce the occurrence of HF among diabetic patients. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the race-specific association of different levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) with the risk of HF among patients with diabetes. Design, Setting, and Participants: We prospectively investigated the race-specific association of different levels of HbA1c at baseline and during an average of 6.5 years of follow-up with incident HF risk among 17 181 African American and 12 446 white diabetic patients within the Louisiana State University Hospital System. Main Outcome Measure: We measured incident HF until May 31, 2012. Results: During follow-up, 5089 HF incident cases were identified. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios of HF associated with different levels of HbA1c at baseline (<6.0% [reference group], 6.0–6.9%, 7.0–7.9%, 8.0–8.9%, 9.0–9.9%, and ≥10.0%,) were 1.00,...
Taking Root in the Rubble: Trauma and Moral Subjectivity in the Book of Lamentations*

Written in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 bce, the book of Lamentations considers moral subjectivity primarily in terms of the Deuteronomic covenant, which attributes the fall of Jerusalem to the sins of the people. While largely affirming this traditional view, this article argues that Lamentations at several points appears to question its adequacy in accounting for the lived experiences of the community. Instead of blaming the community as a whole for wrongdoing, several verses differentiate the righteous actions of the community as a whole from the sinful actions of the priests and prophets (2.14; 4.13), as well as the ancestors (5.7). Further, Lamentations begins to question God's own exercise of moral subjectivity, suggesting that God has acted under the influence of outside forces (3.32–33) and without proper openness to the intervention from the people in the form of prayer (3.43–44). While these isolated challenges to the Deuteronomic model of moral subjectivity ultimately co...
Uptake, recycling, and antioxidant actions of α-lipoic acid in endothelial cells

α-Lipoic acid, which becomes a powerful antioxidant in its reduced form, has been suggested as a dietary supplement to treat diseases associated with excessive oxidant stress. Because the vascular endothelium is dysfunctional in many of these conditions, we studied the uptake, reduction, and antioxidant effects of α-lipoic acid in cultured human endothelial cells (EA.hy926). Using a new assay for dihydrolipoic acid, we found that EA.hy926 cells rapidly take up and reduce α-lipoic acid to dihydrolipoic acid, most of which is released into the incubation medium. Nonetheless, the cells maintain dihydrolipoic acid following overnight culture, probably by recycling it from α-lipoic acid. Acute reduction of α-lipoic acid activates the pentose phosphate cycle and consumes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). Lysates of EA.hy926 cells reduce α-lipoic acid using both NADPH and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) as electron donors, although NADPH-dependent reduction is about twice that due to NADH. NADPH-dependent α-lipoic acid reduction is mostly due to thioredoxin reductase. Pre-incubation of cells with α-lipoic acid increases their capacity to reduce extracellular ferricyanide, to recycle intracellular dehydroascorbic acid to ascorbate, to decrease reactive oxygen species generated by redox cycling of menadione, and to generate nitric oxide. These results show that α-lipoic acid enhances both the antioxidant defenses and the function of endothelial cells.
Germ cell loss in the XXY male mouse: Altered X-chromosome dosage affects prenatal development

Male mammals with two X chromosomes are sterile due to the demise of virtually all germ cells; however, the underlying reasons for the germ cell loss remain unclear. The use of a breeding scheme for the production of XXY male mice has allowed us to experimentally address the question of when and why germ cells die in the XXY testis and whether the defect is due to the presence of an additional X chromosome in the soma, the germ cells themselves, or both. Our studies demonstrate that altered X-chromosome dosage acts to impair germ cell development in the testis at a much earlier stage than suggested by previous studies of XX sex-reversed males or XX/XY chimeras. Specifically, we noted significantly reduced germ cell numbers in the XXY testis during the period of germ cell proliferation in the early stages of testis differentiation. Although the somatic development of the XXY testis is morphologically and temporally normal, our studies indicate that germ cell demise reflects a defect in somatic/germ cell communication, since, in an in vitro system, the proliferative potential of fetal germ cells from XXY males is indistinguishable from that of normal males.
The primal-dual method for approximation algorithms

In this survey, we give an overview of a technique used to design and analyze algorithms that provide approximate solutions to NP-hard problems in combinatorial optimization. Because of parallels with the primal-dual method commonly used in combinatorial optimization, we call it the primal-dual method for approximation algorithms. We show how this technique can be used to derive approximation algorithms for a number of different problems, including network design problems, feedback vertex set problems, and facility location problems.
A Cost Analysis of Ambulatory Antenatal Testing in a Tertiary Care Center

The purpose of this reprospective study was to determine the cost of antenatal testing in an ambulatory setting for the most common indications for testing. A cost analysis based on abnormal test results leading to intervention to deliver was done for the various high risk indications. The population consisted of 467 high risk patients who were divided into five categories based on the indications for testing: Postdate pregnancy, risk for Uteroplacental Insufficiency, Diabetes, Twins, and Other. The cost to detect one patient with an abnormal test for a marker utilizing fetal heart rate, breathing movement, body movement, and tone was $13,536. For the marker oligohydramnios, the cost was $2,707. Significant differences in cost were noted among each of the five groups within the study population. Future studies of antenatal fetal surveillance should consider the cost of testing and attempt to direct a specific patient to the most appropriate test to enhance utilization of resources.
In Defense of Ethnohistory

Ethnohistory offers a valuable approach to the understanding of native American cultures and Indian?white contact. However, from H. C. Porter's review essay 'Reflections on the Ethnohistory of Early Colonial North America' (Journal of American Studies, 16 (August 1982), pp. 243?54), one would take American ethnohistorians to be a pretentious, closed circle who specialize in moral indignation and whose interpretations are dictated by dogmas handed down from the leading exponents of the discipline. It is implied that they adopt a double standard in their treatment of ethnocentricism and acculturation and expect the rest of us to fall into line behind their peculiar view of Indian society. Moreover, they seem determined to reinterpret the history of Indian-white relations in the light of modern developments, notably white American guilt over past treatment of the 'first Americans', fuelled by the Red Power movement and the war in Vietnam. Some criticisms certainly are in order. Lengthy acknowledgments, in which the main purpose seems to be to list those authorities in the field with whom the author is on 'nickname' terms, are annoying, but are by no means the monopoly of ethnohistorians. More serious, of course, is the frequent failure, when dealing with the interaction of cultures, to accord European and Indian societies the same degree of consideration. Sometimes European culture, beliefs and motivations receive the type of blanket condemnation which causes an outcry when applied to Indians. The works reviewed lend themselves to the kind of wry comment offered by Mr Porter. James Axtell's autobiographical passages and his attempts to define the discipline of ethnohistory leave him open to charges of pretentious self-satisfaction. * Francis Jennings' admitted anti-Puritan bias, his provocative style and historical moralizing come in for attack, as do Bernard Sheehan's indignation and rhetoric.2
Overview of 511 traveller information systems

The USA is composed of 50 states. Currently, 13 USA states and five urban areas have implemented the 511 traveller information system, reaching 50 million citizens (16% of the population). Thirty-one other states have received federal government grants to plan and implement 511 systems. When the system is fully deployed, motorists anywhere in the nation will dial 5-1-1 on landline or cellular phones and receive interactive, voice recognition-based, computerised information concerning construction activities, crash incidents, congestion and weather conditions for requested routes. The same information is available on internet sites accessible via standard internet browsers. The standards of 511 ensure that content and format are consistent throughout the country, which in the future will allow computerised sharing of data between systems. The 511 systems information allows motorists to plan their routes to minimise congestion and maximise safety for the price of a local telephone call.
Ethylamine and ammonia as catalysts in the in-situ precipitation of silica in silicone networks†

Both ethylamine and ammonia in aqueous solutions catalyze the hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate to precipitate silica filler within poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomers. The rate of filler precipitation can vary in a complex manner, possibly due to loss of colloidal silica and, in the case of the ethylamine solutions, deswelling of the networks. Increase in catalyst concentration increases the precipitation rate, and increase in amount of filler precipitated dramatically increases the modulus and ultimate strength of the networks, thus demonstrating the desired reinforcing effects.
Genetically size-scaled growth and composition of Dorset and Suffolk rams

Thirty-four Dorset and 34 Suffolk rams were slaughtered in pairs within breed at birth, weaning, at monthly intervals to 420 days and then at bimonthly intervals until 600 days to compare factors used to estimate mature size and to determine how genetic size-scaling affects the comparison of body composition between breeds. At equal empty body weights there were no detectable differences between the breeds in amounts of water, protein or ash but Dorsets contained more lipid. Dorset and Suffolk asymptotic values of water (40 and 61 kg), water-plus-protein-plus-ash (51 and 77 kg), metacarpal bone length (127 and 147 mm) and metacarpal bone weight (59 and 101 g) were used to estimate mature size. Regardless of the estimator of mature size, there were no significant differences between breeds in degree of maturity at a given metabolic age. At the same degree of maturity within the estimators of mature size, there were no differences between breeds in the degree of maturity of water, protein or ash, with the exception of small differences in protein for two of the mature size indicators. Because lipid appeared to accumulate without limit in these sheep, the mature body was assumed to contain 300 g lipid per kg. Using this proportion to estimate amount of mature lipid, there was a higher degree of maturity of lipid for Suffolk than for Dorset rams at equal degrees of maturity of water, water-plus-protein-plus-ash or metacarpal bone weight. Thus, Dorsets with greater lipid content at equivalent empty body weights were leaner than Suffolks when adjusted for mature size.
Addressing the Sustainability of Austin, Texas, Water Policy

This research looks at sustainability of water policies using Austin, Texas, as a case study. Austin has been classified by Sustainability Tools for Assessing & Rating Communities, the League of Cities—Sustainable Cities Institute, and Popular Science 2008—America's Greenest Cities as one of the most sustainable cities in the United States. With water being an integral part of sustainable practices, one might expect its water policy to reflect that status. To test this assumption, water policy was examined using a sustainability framework that incorporated concerns of social equity, economic stability, and environmental protection. Results indicate that Austin's water policy focuses primarily on protecting human health and reducing water pollutants, while limited attention is devoted to the other sustainability topics. The findings suggest that Austin's water policy could be better integrated with sustainability concepts.
Ven Te Chow and Deterministic Hydrology

The author first reviews the situation in hydraulics and hydrology in the early 1950s and calls to mind the impact of the publication of Chow’s “Open Channels Hydraulics” in 1959 and of the publication of the “Handbook of Applied Hydrology” in 1964. The team of graduate students K.P. Singh, V.C. Kulandaiswamy, M.H. Diskin and R. Prasad played an important role in the development of the Handbook chapter on “Runoff”. Their works are reviewed as well as that of A.R. Rao, who completed his dissertation after the Handbook publication but who is a good example of the excellent work that took place in Dr. Chow’s group in the 1960s. The work of Dr. Ben C. Yen illustrates the legacy of Dr. Ven Te Chow in deterministic hydrology. Some of the elementary concepts of the unit hydrograph are summarized before the overview of Dr. Chow’s graduate students work and some later development are summarized as well.
Rehabilitation of fractures in the elderly

Rehabilitation is the most important aspect of care after a fracture in an older person. Epidemiology, contributing factors, general principles of management are discussed in this article. Proper management requires knowledge of various mechanisms of injury, different forms of orthopedic treatments, interpretation of radiographs, and familiarity with available therapeutic modalities.
Disorientation and Inferred Autonomy: Kant and Schelling on Torture, Global Contest, and Practical Messianism

I show the two central techniques of modern scientific torture as paradigmatic not only of ‘the masses’ generalized quotidian experience of globalization, but as stemming directly from the Enlightenment legacy of the conflict between faith and reason. These two torture techniques—extreme sensory deprivation and stress positions—work to generate, on the one hand, ‘disorientation’ and, on the other, what I name ‘inferred autonomy.’ I argue that Kant’s account of orientation as a mediating analog between faith and reason is key not only for understanding this tension within the Enlightenment, but perhaps even more so for articulating globalization’s own internal contestation, particularly in view of faith as ‘orientation’ and in the simultaneous drive for ‘dis-orientation’ present in the technology of speed and in the ‘science of torture.’ I continue to expand this line of inquiry through Schelling’s account of ‘temporal orientation’ in The Ages of the World, suggesting that he offers us a latent messianism that stands as a prescient precursor to Derrida’s contemporary account of the structure of messianic possibility within the contest of globalization.
Identification of virulence determinants in pathogenic mycobacteria.

Few infectious organisms have wreaked so much suffering upon the human race as members of the genus Mycobacterium. From ancient times, the major pathogenic mycobacterial species, M. tuberculosis and M. leprae; have afflicted humans, causing not only overt disease, but also immeasurable fear and distress. Lesions suggestive of spinal tuberculosis have been found in the skeleton of a neolithic man (c. 4000 B.C.) and in Egyptian mummies dating from 3700–1000 B.C.(Morse et al. 1964; Grange 1989). Ancient medical writings from China (c. 250 B.C.) and India (between 600 and 400 B.C.) describe skin diseases characterized by nodulation, hair loss, disturbed pigmentation, anesthesia, and ulceration that are suggestive of leprosy (Grange 1989; Wong and Wu 1932; K.N.N.S. Gupta 1909), although skeletal lesions characteristic of leprosy have not been identified in skeletons earlier than one dating from 350 A.D. (Grange 1989). Grange (1989) pointed out that the term “lepra” or “lepros” used in the Talmud and Old and New Testaments was different from the words used to describe leprosy in biblical times; “lepra” or “lepros” referred to specific scaling skin diseases such as psoriasis. However, the context in which the words “lepra” or “lepros” were used in biblical times served to link these words with defilement in general and led to the association of repugnance that remains associated with leprosy even today and has contributed to untold stress and psychological suffering among the victims of this disease (Grange 1989).
Conduction currents on insulators during pulsed higli voltage stress

An interesting phenomenon has been observed during the application of microsecond high voltage pulses across ceramic vacuum diodes (Figure 1). This phenomenon involves high level conduction and positive wall charging of the insulator. The phenomenon can be explained by a physical model involving field emission from the triple junction (insulator-cathode-vacuum interface) followed by electron avalanches on the insulator surface. The avalanche process has been studied with steady state voltages by Tourreil1 and Boersch.2
Abstract A01: Socioeconomic and Survival Differences among Minorities With Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Florida

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality with racial disparities in survival after its diagnosis. It has been suggested that racial disparities in survival reflect socioeconomic disparities. We aimed to determine associations between race, socioeconomic characteristics and survival in patients with HCC in Florida. Methods: We identified HCC cases diagnosed between 1/1/2004 - 12/31/2013 in the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS). We linked FCDS to the 2010-2014 US Census American Community Survey by census tract and the 2013 Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System by county to ascertain population-level characteristics. We performed univariate, bivariate and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to describe the association between race and survival. Results: Of 10,852 patients with HCC, 77.4% were men, 13.4% were Black, 67.1% non-Hispanic White, 15.7% Hispanic, 3.2% Asian and One-year survival was 45.6% in Blacks, 52.1% in Whites, 55.4% in Hispanics, 58.1% in Asians, and 57.3% in others, p In our sample, Blacks and Asians were more frequently uninsured, 11.6%, compared to 8.1% of Hispanics and 6.3% of Whites, p In regards to community health, in the counties where Blacks live, a higher percentage of adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, elevated cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and are obese than in the counties where Hispanic patients live, p Conclusions: Access to care and socioeconomic differences may help explain survival differences in some settings; however, despite living in areas with similar or worse socioeconomic features, Hispanics with HCC survive longer than Blacks and Whites in Florida. Although access to transplant may inform these findings, additional contributors must be identified. Citation Format: Patricia D. Jones, Valery Muenyi, Joselin Gonzalez-Diaz, Paul Martin, Erin Kobetz. Socioeconomic and Survival Differences among Minorities With Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Florida. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A01.