cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assay for glucosamine 6-phosphate using a ligand-activated ribozyme with fluorescence resonance energy transfer or CE-laser-induced fluorescence detection.

A naturally occurring aptazyme, the glmS ribozyme, is adapted to an assay for glucosamine 6-phosphate, an effector molecule for the aptazyme. In the assay, binding of analyte allosterically activates aptazyme to cleave a fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide substrate. The extent of reaction, and hence analyte concentration, is detected by either fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) or capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF). With FRET, assay signal is the rate of increase in FRET in presence of analyte. With CE-LIF, the assay signal is the peak height of cleavage product formed after a fixed incubation time. The assay has a linear response up to 100 (CE-LIF) or 500 μM (FRET) and detection limit of ∼500 nM for glucosamine 6-phosphate under single-turnover conditions. When substrate is present in excess of the aptazyme, it is possible to amplify the signal by multiple turnovers to achieve a 13-fold improvement in sensitivity and detection limit of 50 nM. Successful signa...
Orthogonal Frequency Ultrasound Vibrometry

New vibration pulses are proposed to increase the power of shear waves induced by ultrasound radiation force in a tissue region with a preferred spectral distribution. The new pulses are sparsely sampled from an orthogonal frequency wave composed of several sinusoidal signals. Those sinusoidal signals have different frequencies and are orthogonal to each other. The phase and amplitude of each sinusoidal signal are adjusted to control the shape of the orthogonal frequency wave. Amplitude of the sinusoidal signal is increased as its frequency increases to compensate for higher loss at higher frequency in the tissue region. The new vibration pulses and detection pulses can be interleaved for array transducer applications. The experimental results show that the new vibration pulses significantly increases induced tissue vibration with the same peak ultrasound intensity, compared with the binary vibration pulses.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
SACR: Scheduling-Aware Cache Reconfiguration for Real-Time Embedded Systems

Dynamic reconfiguration techniques are widely used for efficient system optimization. Dynamic cache reconfiguration is a promising approach for reducing energy consumption as well as for improving overall system performance. It is a major challenge to introduce cache reconfiguration into real-time embedded systems since dynamic analysis may adversely affect tasks with real-time constraints. This paper presents a novel approach for implementing cache reconfiguration in soft real-time systems by efficiently leveraging static analysis during execution to both minimize energy and maximize performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to integrate dynamic cache reconfiguration in real-time scheduling techniques. Our experimental results using a wide variety of applications have demonstrated that our approach can significantly (up to 74%) reduce the overall energy consumption of the cache hierarchy in soft real-time systems.
Lobbying of the International Accounting Standards Board: An Empirical Investigation

This paper provides evidence on how the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) generates accounting standards in the presence of lobbyists with differing preferences. I use theories from the political science and economics fields to develop hypotheses regarding the associations between attributes of lobbyists and their lobbying activity, and their lobbying success. I find that lobbying success is positively related to the ability of the lobbyist to provide information to the IASB; however, this success is dependent on the credibility of the lobbyist. I also find evidence that lobbying success is associated with the impact that the lobbyists have on the viability of the IASB, measured by their financial contributions and the size of the capital market in their home country. However, this association is not present when I look only at cases where lobbyists disagree with IASB proposal drafts. This evidence is useful in evaluating the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) recent considerations regarding the adoption of IFRS by the U.S..
Immunohistochemical Diagnosis of Epithelioid Mesothelioma: An Update

Abstract Objective.—Several new immunohistochemical markers that can assist in the diagnosis of mesotheliomas have been recognized recently. This article reviews the current information available on these markers and also provides a practical approach to the immunohistochemical diagnosis of epithelioid mesotheliomas. Data Sources.—Current literature concerning immunohistochemical markers for epithelioid mesotheliomas was collected and reviewed. Study Selection.—Literature emphasizing immunohistochemical diagnosis of epithelioid mesotheliomas was selected. Data Extraction.—Data deemed helpful to the general surgical pathologist for the diagnosis of epithelioid mesothelioma were included in this review. Data Synthesis.—Markers identified as potentially useful in the diagnosis of epithelioid mesothelioma include positive markers (namely, calretinin, keratin 5/6, D2-40, podoplanin, mesothelin, and Wilms tumor 1 protein [WT1]) and negative markers (namely, carcinoembryonic antigen, MOC-31, B72.3, and Ber-EP4)....
Federal efforts to combat discrimination in the housing and mortgage markets federal enforcement and judicial review of the fair housing amendments act of 1988

Abstract This paper assesses the impact of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. First the shortcomings of the original 1968 law are considered, and the new amendments are described and analyzed to determine whether they answer those shortcomings. Second, the paper reviews the current Administration's implementation of the new law and the initial experience of judicial review. Implementation of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 could have been the single most successful domestic achievement of the Bush Administration. The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Justice Department, due to the lack of adequate enforcement, resources and initiatives, have failed to provide an effective enforcement effort. Additional initiatives, including a heightened federal enforcement effort and the strengthening of state, local, and private enforcement capacity, will be required to curtail continued pervasive discrimination in housing and provide adequate relief for the victims of such discrimination.
No difference in the prevalence of cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) between first-episode schizophrenia patients, offspring of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls

The reported prevalence of cavum septum pellucidum (CSP), is extremely variable (from 0.1% to 85%) depending upon the measurement method or imaging resolution. Higher prevalence of CSP has been found in schizophrenia. In this study, we examined the prevalence of CSP in a large number of first-episode schizophrenia patients, young relatives of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. We manually measured CSP using 1.5 mm T1 MRI scans from ongoing studies at University of Pittsburgh in 89 first-episode patients with schizophrenia (age=23.8+/-7.4, M/F=61/28), 64 genetically at-risk individuals (offspring and siblings of schizophrenia patients, age 15.2+/-3.7, M/F=29/32) and 120 comparison subjects (n=120, age=22.1+/-7.9, M/F62/50). CSP was present in 64% of the first-episode patients (mean length 1.87+/-2.3 mm), 64.6% of the at-risk individuals (1.64+/-1.96 mm) and 64.2% of the normal controls (1.88+/-2.0 mm). There was no difference in the prevalence of CSP exceeding 4 mm. We also did not find any influence of the sex or age in the presence or size of CSP. Our data cast doubt on the significance of CSP as markers of neurodevelopmental pathology in schizophrenia.
Jupiter's Tropospheric Thermal Emission. II. Power Spectrum Analysis and Wave Search

We study power spectra and search for planetary waves in images of Jupiter's cloud opacity. The observation wavelength of 4.9 μm senses thermal emission from the ∼5-bar level; overlying clouds attenuate the emission. Our companion paper (J. Harrington, T. E. Dowling, and R. L. Baron, 1996,Icarus124, 22–31) describes 19 nights of observations (6 with 360° longitude coverage) and new reduction techniques. Atmospheric seeing limits resolution to ∼2500 km. Zonal power spectral density at planetary wavenumbers higher than ∼25 follows a power law in the wavenumber. Eastward jet–power laws average −2.71 ± 0.07 and westward jet–power laws, excluding cloud-obscured regions, average −3.14 ± 0.12. Wavenumbers 1–24 roughly follow power laws near −0.7 for both jet directions, but with many superposed discrete features. The meridional spectrum similarly breaks around wavenumber 25, with power law trends of −0.36 and −3.27. However, a pattern of undulations is superposed over its linear trends. L. D. Travis (1978,J. Atmos. Sci.35, 1584–1595) established an empirical correspondence between power spectra of atmospheric kinetic energy and those of cloud opacities for the Earth and analyzed Venus cloud data under this assumption. We do the same for Jupiter. If the Rossby deformation radius,Ld, were an energy input scale, as baroclinic instability theory predicts, one would expect energy and enstrophy cascades (power laws of −5/3 and −3, respectively) on opposite sides of the wavenumber corresponding toLd. If the top of our high-wavenumber power law isLd, its value is ∼2100 km at 45° latitude. Our spectra show persistent features with phases moving linearly over the 99-day observation period. Some of these can be identified with periodic features such as vortex chains and the equatorial plumes. The origin of others is less certain. We present a table of our best wave candidates.
Prediction of wafer state after plasma processing using real-time tool data

Empirical models based on real-time equipment signals are used to predict the outcome (e.g., etch rates and uniformity) of each wafer during and after plasma processing. Three regression and one neural network modeling methods were investigated. The models are verified on data collected several weeks after the initial experiment, demonstrating that the models built with real-time data survive small changes in the machine due to normal operation and maintenance. The predictive capability can be used to assess the quality of the wafers after processing, thereby ensuring that only wafers worth processing continue down the fabrication line. Future applications include real-time evaluation of wafer features and economical run-to-run control. >
Pioglitazone acutely stimulates adiponectin secretion from mouse and human adipocytes via activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase.

Abstract Aims Thiazolidinediones increase circulating adiponectin. We have previously demonstrated the involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway in insulin-stimulated adiponectin secretion. We therefore investigated the effects of the thiazolidinedione pioglitazone on acute adiponectin secretion, and the involvement of the PI3K signaling pathway in this action. Main methods We treated murine 3T3-L1 and human primary adipocytes with 1–10 uM pioglitazone for 2 h, +/− PI3K inhibition by Wortmannin (WT). Secreted adiponectin was measured by Western blot. PI3K activity following 15-minute treatments with 1–10 uM pioglitazone was measured by thin layer chromatography. Pioglitazone's effect on adiponectin synthesis and on secretion of newly synthesized adiponectin was studied in 3T3-L1 adipocytes using a pulse-chase technique. Key findings Pioglitazone was found to increase adiponectin secretion and PI3K activity in a dose-dependent manner from 3T3-L1 and human adipocytes. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, 10 uM pioglitazone increased adiponectin secretion by 84 +/− 14% ( p p p p = 0.02) and human adipocytes. Significance Our data show that pioglitazone acutely stimulates adiponectin secretion from both 3T3-L1 and human adipocytes. This acute effect of pioglitazone is PI3K-dependent.
Cross-National Differences in the Skills-Earnings Relationship: The Role of Labor Market Institutions

This study examines cross-national differences in returns to literacy skills and explores possible explanations for such differences. Data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) are analyzed using multilevel models. Returns to literacy skills are higher in liberal market economies (LMEs) than in social market economies (SMEs). Collective bargaining coverage emerges as the most potent predictor of cross-national variation in returns to skill. Cross-national differences in workers' skill demands, skill profiles and welfare state regimes do not explain the observed differences in returns to skill.
Theological hegemony and oppositional interpretive codes: The case of evangelical Christian feminism

This paper examines how theological discourse creates particular types of interpretive codes. Dominant religious communities rely upon received theological traditions to enforce a hegemony of acceptable thought and action upon their members. Within that hegemonic structure, alternative communities offer oppositional interpretive codes to reinterpret the received theology and thus call into question the dominant tradition. Evangelical Christian feminist literature is examined as an exemplar of how one such alternative community articulates oppositional interpretive codes. This study investigates hegemony and opposition in religious discourse by stressing the interplay among texts and audiences in creating meaning, and by highlighting the social dimensions of religious belief and spiritual experience.
Rapidly Convergent Representations for 2D and 3D Green's Functions for a Linear Periodic Array of Dipole Sources

Hybrid spectral-spatial representations are introduced to rapidly calculate periodic scalar and dyadic Green's functions of the Helmholtz equation for 2D and 3D configurations with a 1D (linear) periodicity. The presented schemes work seamlessly for any observation location near the array and for any practical array periodicities, including electrically small and large periodicities. The representations are based on the expansion of the periodic Green's functions in terms of the continuous spectral integrals over the transverse (to the array) spectral parameters. To achieve high convergence and numerical efficiency, the introduced integral representations are cast in a hybrid form in terms of: (i) a small number of contributions due to sources located around the unit cell of interest; (ii) a small number of symmetric combinations of the Floquet modes; and (iii) an integral evaluated along the steepest descent path (SDP). The SDP integral is regularized by extracting the singular behavior near the saddle point of the integrand and integrating the extracted components in closed form. Efficient quadrature rules are established to evaluate this integral using a small number of quadrature nodes with arbitrary small error for a wide range of structure parameters. Strengths of the introduced approach are demonstrated via extensive numerical examples.
Nano-Scale On-Chip Irregular Network Analysis

Shrinking CMOS feature sizes and the integration of novel nanotechnologies onto silicon platforms are both likely to increase fabrication defects. As a result, on-chip networks become more and more irregular due to defects and it becomes more challenging to map computation and data onto the networks. One way to overcome this challenge is to configure the irregular network into a more conventional regular topology. In this paper we analyze nano-scale on-chip irregular networks to determine the regular topology most similar to a given irregular network. The results show that an irregular network is most similar to a tree. Further analysis is conducted based on configuring an irregular network into a tree structure to show whether there are opportunities to utilize links that are not included in the tree.
Anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology of the basal ganglia

The basal ganglia consist of five interconnected nuclei in the basal forebrain that influence cortical control of voluntary movement. Synaptic information travels through the basal ganglia using distinct pathways from the input structure, the striatum, to the output nuclei, the substantia nigra pars reticulata and the globus pallidus internal segment. The activity of the striatal output pathways is influenced by glutamatergic input from the cerebral cortex, dopaminergic input from the substantia nigra pars compacta, and cholinergic interneurons. Since the basal ganglia output nuclei tonically inhibit the motor nuclei of the thalamus, the basal ganglia facilitate motor activity by disinhibiting the thalamus.
A climatology of tornado intensity assessments

An increasing number of significant and violent tornado events in the United States have been documented and mapped at extremely high resolution by government, research and private entities using remotely sensed and post-event damage surveys; however, these assessments often generate inconsistent spatial measures of tornado strength, even for the same event. This investigation assembles a portfolio of contemporary tornado events that contain spatially comprehensive damage and/or wind velocity information from a diverse set of sources. Thereafter, the relationship between land-use/cover and tornado intensity is examined in order to quantify spatial measures of damage indicator bias in post-event tornado damage surveys. A climatology of both significant and violent tornado intensity assessments is then created, promoting the generation of synthetic, or model, paths with observationally constrained damage length and width metrics by the Enhanced Fujita scale magnitude. Results from the climatology and collection of synthetic paths are compared to previous observed, empirical and theoretical assessments, revealing differences in the spatial scale of the overall tornado footprint, as well as percentage contribution of swaths by Enhanced Fujita scale magnitude. The range of synthetic paths produced may be used to assess potential tornado damages to the population, the built environment and insurance portfolios.
Dysmenorrhea in adolescents and young adults: an update on pharmacological treatments and management strategies

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea is the most common gynecologic complaint among adolescents/young adults. Dysmenorrhea is usually primary and is associated with normal ovulatory cycles and with no pelvic pathology. Potent prostaglandins and potent leukotrienes play an important role in generating primary dysmenorrhea symptoms. Adolescents/young adults with severe dysmenorrhea symptoms may have pelvic abnormalities, such as endometriosis or uterine anomalies (secondary dysmenorrhea). Areas covered: This review provides an update on treatments and management strategies of dysmenorrhea in adolescents/young adults. Medical literature articles were retrieved using a Medline search on primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Original articles from peer-reviewed journals were selected based on relevance. Expert opinion: Treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is the preferred initial treatment for dysmenorrhea in nonsexually active adolescents/young adults. Adolescents/young adults with symptoms that d...
Pharmacotherapy in Conjunction with a Diet and Exercise Program for the Treatment of Weight Recidivism or Weight Loss Plateau Post-bariatric Surgery: a Retrospective Review.

Bariatric surgery is an effective therapeutic option for management of obesity. However, weight recidivism (WR) and weight loss plateau (WLP) are common problems. We present our experience with the use of two pharmacotherapies in conjunction with our standard diet and exercise program in those patients who experienced WR or WLP. From June 2010 to April 2014, bariatric surgery patients who experienced WR or WLP after undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), and who were treated with phentermine (Ph) or phentermine–topiramate (PhT), were reviewed retrospectively. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare patient weights through 90 days between initial surgery type and medication type. Patient weights, medication side effect, and co-morbidities were collected during the first 90 days of therapy. Fifty-two patients received Ph while 13 patients received PhT. Overall, patients in both groups lost weight. Among those whose weights were recorded at 90 days, patients on Ph lost 6.35 kg (12.8 % excess weight loss (EWL); 95 % confidence interval (CI) 4.25, 8.44) and those prescribed PhT lost 3.81 kg (12.9 % EWL; CI 1.08, 6.54). Adjusting for baseline weight, time since surgery, and visit through 90 days, patients treated with Ph weighed significantly less than those on PhT throughout the course of this study (1.35 kg lighter; 95 % CI 0.17, 2.53; p = 0.025). There were no serious side effects reported. Phentermine and phentermine–topirimate in addition to diet and exercise appear to be viable options for weight loss in post-RYGB and LAGB patients who experience WR or WLP.
Fachkräftemangel als Herausforderung

Die groste Herausforderung neben dem globalisierten Markt ist die demografische Entwicklung Deutschlands. Uns werden die Fachkrafte in den nachsten Jahren ausgehen, da die Geburtenzahlen seit vielen Jahren stagnieren. Von 2005 bis 2010 werden wir 1,6 Mio. Menschen in Arbeit verlieren, bis 2015 werden es sogar 3,5 Mio. sein. Deutschland hat leider zu wenig junge Menschen, die nachwachsen. Wir brauchen jedoch dringend hoch qualifizierte Fachkrafte, um unsere Kernkompetenz in komplexen Technologien auf dem Weltmarkt zu sichern und auszubauen. Ziel von HR Managern sollte sein, unsere Position an der Weltspitze zu halten. Daher mussen ambitionierte Unternehmen heute Masnahmen einleiten, um morgen bei einer geringer werdenden Bevolkerung uber genugend Fachkrafte zu verfugen. Und morgen wird bereits 2010 sein. Dann wird die Demografie einen deutlicheren Mangel an Fachkraften hervorbringen, der sich in den weiteren Jahren noch verschlimmern wird.
Private Monitoring of Gatekeepers: The Case of Immigration Enforcement

This article shows how the enlistment of private monitors can overcome the limits of public enforcers in overseeing gatekeeper compliance with liability-induced duties. Gatekeepers are private actors who possess skills or advantages that allow them to detect and prevent wrongdoing in a more cost-effective way than the state. The problem enforcers face is that the same skills or advantages that equip gatekeepers with the ability to identify wrongdoing often provide them with the means and incentives to subvert their duties and to evade public oversight. Policymakers have largely attempted to remedy this challenge by increasing sanctions against gatekeepers and have ignored the potential for heightened monitoring of compliance. This article shows how governments may overcome their inability to oversee gatekeepers by providing private actors, such as victims, qui tam litigants, informants, or even the targeted wrongdoers, with incentives to monitor gatekeeper compliance. This article puts this private monitoring approach to the test by showing how private monitoring of gatekeepers can redress the chronic failure of efforts to enlist employers as verifiers of employees' immigration status. It suggests that the most effective way to induce employer compliance is to divide the interests of undocumented aliens from employers by offering undocumented aliens immunity and temporary worker status in exchange for reporting their illegal employment. This decentralized, de facto sting operation would make large-scale amnesty serve a productive enforcement purpose. The article also suggests how competitors may serve a similar function as in anti-trust law by serving as qui tam litigants who are empowered to prosecute wayward competitors.
Effect of feeding kelp on growth and profitability of group-fed calves in an organic production system

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding kelp on growth and economics of group-fed organic dairy calves. Heifer calves born at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, Morris, organic dairy during the fall of 2012 (n = 52) and the spring of 2013 (n = 64) were used to evaluate the effect of feeding kelp on growth and profitability of group-fed calves fed once per day in an organic production system. The treatment groups were (1) control calf starter (18% CP as fed; CON = 5 groups), (2) calf starter plus 56.7 g/d of kelp per calf daily (K2 = 4 groups), or (3) calf starter plus 113.5 kg/d of kelp per calf daily (K4 = 4 groups). Calf groups were fed organically produced milk once daily at 1.5% (DM basis) of the combined birth weight of calves in the group. Body weight and hip height were recorded at birth, once per week, at weaning (60 d), and at 90 d of age. Calf group ADG to weaning and weaning BW were 0.67, 82.2; 0.62, 78.8; and 0.63, 80.7 kg for CON, K2, and K4, respectively. Hip heights at weaning were 94.2, 90.7, and 91.1 cm for CON, K2, and K4, respectively. Daily gains from d 0 to 90 d of age were 0.78, 0.73, and 0.71 kg for CON, K2, and K4, respectively. The cost per kilogram of gain from d 0 to 90 d of age was greater (P = 0.07) for the K4 ($4.13) group compared with the CON ($3.69) group. In summary, calves fed a control calf-starter ration had greater (P = 0.06) ADG than calves fed calf-starter rations with kelp. Feeding kelp in calf-starter rations for organic dairy calves may not be economically justified.
GROWTH AND STRUCTURE OF BONE DISTAL TO AN ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULA: QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF TETRACYCLINE-INDUCED TRANSVERSE GROWTH PATTERNS

Puppies in the second half of their growing period have been observed for one and a half to four and a half months after creation of a superficial femoral arteriovenous fistula on the right side. From measurements of the whole bone and from microradiographic and tetracycline-fluorophore studies of the diaphysial bone, it is believed that the following statistically significant phenomena may be attributed to the influence of the arteriovenous fistula. 1. All bones distal to the fistula are influenced in their growth. The tibia and metatarsals become heavier and larger, but retain normal shape. Although stimulation of longitudinal growth is small, it is significant for the tibiae and nearly significant for the femora in these short-term experiments. 2. The histological structure of the bones remains normal but quantitative changes are induced. The compact bone is more porous because of an increased number of osteones. Haversian turnover itself is affected in that the individual formation time of osteones tends to become longer, especially in the metatarsals. 3. Periosteal new bone formation is immediately stimulated, producing a flare of new bone. This accounts for the increase in diaphysial weight in the tibia but not in the metatarsals, where the same effect results from decreased resorption of old bone. 4. Endosteal new bone formation is depressed, especially in the metatarsals, resulting in an enlarged medullary cavity.
Preventing Online Victimization: College Students' Views on Intervention and Prevention

Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites have changed the way we interact online. Technological advances have also facilitated the emergence of cyberstalking and online harassment, a growing issue on college campuses. This study utilizes focus group data to examine college students' experiences with online harassment and cyberstalking. Students voiced concerns with online tracking, falsifying identities, and harassment. They also noted that incoming first-year students and those negotiating some of their first romantic relationships are especially vulnerable. In addition, students were asked to propose appropriate prevention, education, and intervention strategies at the college level. Surprisingly, many students recommended offline programs to battle this online problem.
Reading and Revelation in Hans Frei and David Tracy

Most maps of theology in the twentieth century, particularly theology in North America, would include the delineation of revisionist theology and postliberal theology as mutually exclusive, opposed options in theological method. This article begins to challenge the contours of this received map through a comparison of David Tracy and Hans Frei, pre-eminent figures in revisionist and postliberal theology, respectively. I show that, for all their differences, both Tracy and Frei posit the reader–text relationship as the site and even in some sense the source of revelation. Their turn to reading is motivated by the perception of a certain loss or estrangement characterising contemporary religiosity. Though the scope and details of their description of the problem differ, there is a similarity in the vision of Christian life which stands in contrast to the contemporary situation. For both, their visions of Christian life can be articulated through the notion of orthodoxy, understood in its full sense as referring to a coherent, vibrant and all-encompassing immersion in Christian doctrine and practice. Engagement in proper reading practice becomes for each the entrance into and sign of full participation in religious life, analogous to the role of belief in traditional notions of orthodoxy. I suggest that Tracy and Frei represent two forms of ‘theology of ortholexis’ or ‘right reading’. The turn to reading is most obvious in Frei, who explicitly links the modern difficulty in attaining a sense of the coherence of Christian history, doctrine and lived life to a misconstrual of the nature of the biblical text which leads to a misguided reading practice. Yet Tracy also places the model of reading as conversation at the centre of his revisionist account of the possibility of a contemporary experience of the authority of the Bible and the power of the Christian tradition more generally. In these ‘theologies of ortholexis’, a constellation of modern anxieties concerning the limits and possibilities of our knowledge and experience of the divine are addressed through positing the reader–text relationship forged through proper reading practice as the place of and way to authentic revelation.
Improving Communication: An Experiment in Deliberative Democracy

Earlier research suggests that deliberative democratic theory makes the mistaken assumption that individuals have the requisite capacities to participate competently in deliberative policymaking. In this study, we examine if facilitation can improve the quality of individuals' attempts to communicate with one another. To this end, we study the deliberations of 12 groups of college students who met 9 times to discuss how to address two problems on their campus. The resulting recommendations were forwarded to the relevant administration officials. Each group was assigned to one of three types of facilitative conditions: self-run, competitive advocacy and collaboration. All participants were pre-tested and post-tested for a number of relevant attitudes and cognitive abilities. The 2nd and 8th discussions of all groups were videotaped and analyzed for the quality of the discourse. The results of the research suggest that forms of facilitation can have a significant impact on the quality of deliberation and its effect on individual participants
Production Networks and Varieties of Institutional Change: The Inequality Upswing in Post-Socialism Revisited

In this article, we elucidate two new mechanisms for the rise in earnings inequality during post-socialist transition. First, the integration of transition country firms into globalized production networks (GPNs) should increase inequality independent of foreign direct investment (FDI). Second, because EU integration hastened the transition from Soviet-era labor-market practices, the distributional effects of private markets and world-economic integration should be larger among acceding countries. A longitudinal analysis of Gini coefficients among sixteen transition countries from 1991 to 2009 supports these interventions: GPN integration increases inequality independent of FDI, and both private markets and world-economic integration have stronger effects in EU transition countries. These results are robust to a host of alternative explanations, to varying operationalizations of the labor-market effects of EU integration, and to alternative estimators. Through counterfactual analysis, we show that inequality would have increased less dramatically in the absence of EU integration.
Factors Related to Successful Transition to Practice for Acute Care Nurse Practitioners

The transition from student to acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) has been recognized as a time of stress. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational-comparative design pilot study was to examine: (1) the relationships among personal resources, community resources, successful transition, and job retention; (2) the difference between ACNPs with 0 to 4 years and ACNPs with more than 4 years of prior experience as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit or emergency department; and (3) the skills/procedures that ACNPs found difficult to perform independently. Thirty-four participants were recruited from a social media site for nurse practitioners. Organizational support, communication, and leadership were the most important elements of successful transition into the ACNP role. This information can help ACNP faculty and hospital orientation/fellowship program educators to help ACNPs transition into their first position after graduation.
Analysis of Helminth Infection Status and Epidemic Characteristics in Guangzhou from 2004 to 2007

Objective To study the helminth infection status and the epidemic characteristics in different groups in Guangzhou, and to assist to establish the strategy for prevention and treatment. Method Based on the geographic distribution, in Guangzhou, different batch of occupational groups were selected for the study at different periods in 4 successive years. Helminthes were detected by the method of Kato-Katz thick pachy-smear of stool samples. Result 4200 stool samples were tested and 336 showed alvine helminthes infection, with an infection rate of 8.00%. In all these infection, the infection rate of Clonorchis sinensis was 6.98 %, hookworm was 0.50%, ascarid was 0.31% and whipworm was 0.26%. The infection rate among citizen is getting higher and higher in recent years; Industry and business groups show the highest infection rate of 18.39%. The infection rates of farmers, doctors and government staff were 9.53%, 9.01% and 7.88%, respectively. The infection rates of male and female were 10.24% and 5.22% , respectively. Conclusion The future prevention and treatment of the helminthes infections should be concentrated on the C. sinensis and the clay origin eelworm. In order to lower the infection rate of helminthes, an effective combined prevention and control measurement should be implemented. Helping people to change their eating habits and improving the sense of prevention are also important.
Caloric Intake and Unconjugated Hyperbilirubinemia

Reduction in caloric intake was associated with a greater absolute rise in the serum bilirubin concentration in patients with Gilbert's syndrome and partial hepatic bilirubin uridine diphosphate glucuronyltransferase (UDPG-T) dysfunction compared to patients with hemolytic unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia and normal subjects. Two patients with overt hemolysis but an exaggerated response to caloric deprivation had reduced UDPG-T activities comparable to Gilbert's syndrome. The UDPG-T activities in the other patients with hemolytic jaundice were normal. The combination of fasting and novobiocin in 2 normal subjects produced a greater increase in bilirubin level than either fasting or novobiocin alone. These data suggest that the underlying UDPG-T dysfunction, rather than the prefasting level of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia, is responsible for the diet-induced hyperbilirubinemia in Gilbert's syndrome. The diet test appears to differentiate Gilbert's syndrome from hemolytic jaundice as well as from normal subjects, irrespective of the initial serum bilirubin concentration.
Jelly contraceptives: A three-year investigation

Abstract 1. 1. It has been shown by Stix that birth control measures are not equally effective in reducing the risk of pregnancy in the various social classes. She concluded that the condom is only 65 per cent effective in relief recipients in comparison with 88 per cent effectiveness in whitecollar workers. The clientele represented in our study was drawn essentially from families on relief. 2. 2. Of the 310 patients who registered in our Birth Control Clinic at Mandel Clinic, 231 remained active for a period ranging from three months to three years. They made a total of 816 clinic visits. Most of the patients who accepted the method and cooperated with us were contented with it. 3. 3. An analysis of preclinic experience revealed that two-thirds of the patients had previously used various birth control methods, both single and combined, with unsatisfactory results. 4. 4. A total of 47 pregnancies occurred in the active clinic group, but when these histories were analyzed, only 20 could be charged against the jelly-alone method. 5. 5. The results of this study confirm our opinion regarding the value of the jelly-alone method which was based upon our previous experience with this method a decade ago. 6. 6. The effectiveness of jelly alone as a contraceptive is shown by the 87.1 per cent reduction in fertility. This compares most favorably with the results of the diaphragm and jelly method which Stix has shown was only 76 per cent effective in relief recipients, a clientele similar to ours. 7. 7. Acceptability of the method is proved by the fact that while 37 per cent of the total group, or 50 per cent of the group active in the clinic for some time, used the method, a very small number had any real objection to or complaint against the method. Because of the low acceptability of any single method of birth control, multiple techniques should be available in birth control clinics. 8. 8. In our opinion, it is the jelly and not the diaphragm that is the potent factor in the diaphragm and jelly technique of contraception.
Consequences of the Zincblende-Diamond Order-Disorder Transition for (GaAs)1-xGe2x and other Alloys

Zincblende-diamond order-disorder phase transitions have been proposed as the explanation of an observed V-shaped dependence of the direct gap Eo (x) of (GaAs)1-xGe2X alloys. In disordered Ge-rich alloys, the stable phase is one in which either Ga or As atoms can occupy nominal cation and anion sites with approximately equal probability; in ordered GaAs-rich material, Ga (As) atoms preferentially occupy nominal cation (anion) sites. The order parameter of the transition is calculated using a three-component spin Hamiltonian and mean-field theory. A modified virtual-crystal approximation is described and used to determine the interesting consequences of this transition for the electronic structure of (GaAs)1-xGe2x and other (III-v)1-x(IV)2x alloys.
Flappy Breath: A Smartphone-Based Breath Exergame

Clinical studies [?] has shown that patients with breathing disorders can have a better standard of living through breathing exercises. To this end, this paper presents an interactive game, Flappy Breath, in which users can learn and practice breathing exercises in a gamified manner. The game is meant to be not only beneficial to users health, but also enjoyable to play and easy to understand. The testing application is a Flappy Bird [?] like game developed for the Android OS. The User inhales and exhales in order to dodge obstacles. This application is targeted on making lung rehabilitation exercises accessible to anyone with an Android device, providing patient breathing data, and a simple interface for exercising. Throughout the applications lifetime, inhaling and exhaling data is saved and can be used to construct a model of the patients breathing cycle. Therefore, the application could provide vital information to aid in patient breathing exercises and lung health.
A neuromorphic ASIC design using one-selector-one-memristor crossbar

The applications of memristors in neuromorphic computing have been extensively studied for its analogy to synapse. To overcome sneak path issue, nonlinear resistive selectors have been introduced to the design of memristor crossbar, enabling a high integration density and robust computing capability. However, the nonlinearity of such selectors also influences the computation accuracy of the vector-matrix multiplication performed on the memristor crossbar. In this work, we evaluate the impact of nonlinear resistive selectors on the computation robustness of a Hopfield spike-based pattern recognition system based on memristor crossbar technology. The methods that can suppress the adverse impact of the nonlinear selector on the system performance are also studied.
Can Inequality Be Reduced by Building Better Markets

The growth in wage inequality within many late-industrial countries is one of the most spectacular and consequential developments of our time, spectacular because the turnaround was so sudden and undermined the conventional view that economic development would bring about widely diffused affluence, consequential because it is affecting the lives of so many people and in such profound ways. During the early stages of this takeoff in inequality, the dramatic changes in remuneration were happening largely under the radar, indeed the public was not just unconcerned by the changes but in fact largely unaware of them.1 But that’s no longer the case. We are now in the midst of a historic moment in which public debates about the legitimacy of extreme poverty and inequality have taken on a new prominence and urgency.
Oxytocin receptor neurotransmission in the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis facilitates the acquisition of cued fear in the fear-potentiated startle paradigm in rats.

Oxytocin (OT) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that modulates fear and anxiety-like behaviors. Dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTdl) plays a critical role in the regulation of fear and anxiety, and expresses high levels of OT receptor (OTR). However, the role of OTR neurotransmission within the BNSTdl in mediating these behaviors is unknown. Here, we used adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to investigate the role of OTR neurotransmission in the BNSTdl in the modulation of the acoustic startle response, as well as in the acquisition and consolidation of conditioned fear using fear potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm. Bilateral intra-BNSTdl administration of OT (100 ng) did not affect the acquisition of conditioned fear response. However, intra-BNSTdl administration of specific OTR antagonist (OTA), (d(CH2)51, Tyr(Me)2, Thr4, Orn8, des-Gly-NH29)-vasotocin, (200 ng), prior to the fear conditioning session, impaired the acquisition of cued fear, without affecting a non-cued fear component of FPS. Neither OTA, nor OT affected baseline startle or shock reactivity during fear conditioning. Therefore, the observed impairment of cued fear after OTA infusion resulted from the specific effect on the formation of cued fear. In contrast to the acquisition, neither OTA nor OT affected the consolidation of FPS, when administered after the completion of fear conditioning session. Taken together, these results reveal the important role of OTR neurotransmission in the BNSTdl in the formation of conditioned fear to a discrete cue. This study also highlights the role of the BNSTdl in learning to discriminate between threatening and safe stimuli.
Checkpoint inhibition in CNS lymphoma.

In this issue of Blood , Nayak et al 1 report the clinical outcomes for 5 patients with relapsed or refractory primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma (PCNSL) and primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) with secondary central nervous system involvement who were treated with nivolumab, a programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor.
Development of a chemically-defined minimal medium for studies on growth and protein uptake of Gemmata obscuriglobus

We experimentally determined minimal media requirements for Gemmata obscuriglobus, a Gram-negative Planctomycete bacteria with several unusual physiological features. We find that supplementing media with the usual vitamins solution does not improve viability, but does result in an increased growth rate in liquid cultures and a larger colony size on agar plates. By systematically including individual vitamins, or omitting individual vitamins, from media we find that the addition of only two vitamins, biotin and cyanocobalamin, are sufficient to restore colony growth to comparable rates as other commonly used media. Overall, our findings define minimal media requirements for the culturing of this low-nutrient organism. One of G. obscuriglobus unusual physiological features is the ability to internalize fully-folded proteins. Using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometery we show that this physiological behavior is dependent on media state and composition. The percentage of cells exhibiting internalization of GFP when grown on a particular, solid minimal medium is far greater than cells grown in liquid medium of similar composition or other solid media with different compositions.
Microbiological Evaluation of Copper : Silver Disinfection Units for Use in Swimming Pools

The bactericidal effects of electrolytically generated copper:silver ions on pathogenic bacteria of concern in swimming pools, hot tubs and cooling towers were evaluated in disinfection experiments. Copper:silver ion concentrations generated in well water were 400:40 µg/L, respectively. Pure cultures of Legionellapneumophila, Staphylococcusaureus, Pseudomonasaeruginosa, Escherichiacoli, and Streptococcusfaecalis, were individually tested in water containing copper:silver ions alone, copper:silver ions with free chlorine, and free chlorine alone. Greater numbers of organisms were killed after exposure to copper: silver ions with 0.2 mg/L free chlorine than in either the copper:silver ions or free chlorine alone. L. pneumophlla showed greater than a 5 log10 reduction in numbers after 7 minutes exposure to copper:silver ions with 0.2 mg/L free chlorine. In comparison, less than a 2 log10 decrease was obtained after exposure to free chlorine alone. E.coli numbers decreased over 4 log10 after 1 minute exposure to copper:silver ions with 0.2 mg/L free chlorine and less than a 3 log10 decrease after exposure to free chlorine alone. The majority of the other organisms tested showed the same effect. Electrolytically generated copper:silver ions with low levels of free chlorine appear to have greater bactericidal activities than either disinfectant alone.
Magic Angle Spinning NMR Studies of Protein Assemblies: Recent Advances in Methodology and Applications

Abstract In living organisms, many processes are executed through tightly regulated networks of multi-component macromolecular complexes. Knowledge of structure and dynamics of such assemblies is essential to understanding their biological mechanisms. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is a prime method for studying macromolecular assemblies, at atomic-level resolution, particularly in systems that are insoluble and lack long-range order. In this report, we review the contemporary magic-angle-spinning (MAS) NMR methods for investigation of proteins assemblies. We describe the progress in multidimensional correlation spectroscopy, recoupling, and decoupling techniques. We discuss emerging methods for recording spectra at MAS frequencies of 40 kHz and faster. We review techniques for sensitivity enhancement and fast data collection. We address isotopic labelling approaches to alleviate spectral congestion, facilitate assignments, and highlight specific intra- and intermolecular interactions. Finally, we present recent case studies on exciting and challenging systems, including assemblies of bacteriophages and HIV-1 proteins, cytoskeleton-associated proteins, gas vesicles, type III secretion system, and protein–RNA complexes.