cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Historical legacies, institutional change, and policy leadership: the case of Alexandre Millerand and the French factory inspectorate

Focusing on Alexandre Millerand’s reform of the French factory inspectorate, this article highlights the dilemmas of mezzo-level administrative leadership and policy reform in states that have strong administrative capacity, but low public trust and weak associational life. Building on the insights of theories of political and bureaucratic entrepreneurship derived from studies of American political development, the article challenges their taken-for-granted assumptions and comparative applicability, and demonstrates the explanatory potential of the older sociological institutionalism exemplified in the work of Philip Selznick. In particular, the article highlights the unintended consequences of the formal and informal cooptation of targeted social groups for the reputational autonomy of administrative leaders, the (re)definition of institutional mission, and organizational success or failure.
Long-term performance of high-albedo roof coatings

Abstract ooling energy savings of 10 to 70% have been achieved by applying high-albedo coatings to residential buildings in California and Florida. Since dirt accumulation can alter the performance of high-albedo roofs as an energy efficiency measure, we examined some high-albedo coatings at various stages of exposure to determine the magnitude of this effect. We conclude that most of the albedo degradation of coatings occurred within the first year of application, and even within the first two months of exposure. On one roof, 70% of the drop in albedo for the entire first year occurred within the first two months. After the first year, the degradation slowed, with data indicating small losses in albedo after the second year. We use measured data to estimate the effects of weathering of white roofs on seasonal cooling energy savings and estimate a 20% reduction from first year energy savings for all subsequent years (2–10). Although washing the roofs with soap is effective at restoring original albedo, calculations show that it is not cost-effective to hire someone to clean a high-albedo roof only to achieve energy savings. Instead, it would be useful to develop and identify dirt-resistant high-albedo coatings.
Age and Work Performance in Nonmanagerial Jobs: The Effects of Experience and Occupational Type

This study examined the relative explanatory powers of age and total years of experience in an occupation for predicting supervisory ratings of work performance. As predicted, results indicated that experience was a better predictor of performance than age. A breakdown of jobs into five occupational groupings revealed a moderating effect for occupational type. Findings also showed that age and experience exhibit nonlinear relationships with performance.
Significant decrease of the lattice thermal conductivity due to phonon confinement in a free-standing semiconductor quantum well

Lattice thermal conductivity of a quantum well limited by umklapp, impurity, and boundary scattering was investigated theoretically by taking into account dispersion of confined acoustic-phonon modes. We show that strong modification of phonon group velocities due to spatial confinement leads to a significant increase in the phonon relaxation rates. From the numerical calculations, we predict a decrease by an order of magnitude of the lattice thermal conductivity in a 100-\AA{}-wide free-standing quantum well. Our theoretical results are consistent with recent experimental investigations of the lateral thermal conductivity of nitride/silicon/oxide membranes conducted in our group.
The vibrational spectrum of tetrafluoropropyne

Abstract The i.r. spectrum of gaseous tetrafluoropropyne has been measured from 4000 to 100 cm −1 , and all of the observed bands have been assigned. The e mode frequencies of the CF 3 group are similar to those of other CF 3 CCX species, and even though the a 1 modes are less regular, the variations can be explained without changes in force constants other than those involving the CX bond. Several bands, particularly ν 1 and combinations with ν 1 , show pronounced sequence structure due to excited levels of ν 10 , the CCC skeletal bend.
Quantifying the phenotype in autism spectrum disorders

Twin and family studies suggest that familial transmission in autism extends to a spectrum of social and behavioral deficits that characterize individuals who have significant impairments within the autism spectrum, but do not meet formal criteria for autistic disorder. Standardized diagnostic instruments, including the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-WPS Edition), offer the opportunity to quantify deficits across the autism spectrum, controlling effects of language and cognitive delay, in individuals with significant impairments. It is suggested that quantitative measures of social reciprocity and repetitive behaviors and interests, with separate quantification of expressive language level and nonverbal intelligence, most accurately reflect the range of behavioral phenotypes in autism spectrum disorders.
Spectacular transcendence: Abundant means in the cinematic representation of African American Christianity

The transcendental style used to express the exuberant nature of African American Christian faith in the cinema has been neglected both in ethnic film studies and religious perspectives on film. This article explores the passion and spectacle of transcendence found in the cinematic images of African American religious practices. In discussing different representations of spirituality in different cultures, the authors examine the use of abundance and affirmation, as opposed to sparseness and stasis. Through analysis of Vidor's Hallelujah (1929) and Pearce's The Long Walk Home (1990), the authors construct a means of abundance that includes the spectacular, charisma, and renewal.
The Clinical Impact of Gynecologic MRI

OBJECTIVE. This study assessed the clinical impact of pelvic MRI performed after the diagnosis of an indeterminate pelvic mass on ultrasound or CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The radiologic records of 567 patients who underwent pelvic MRI at our hospital from 2004 to 2006 were reviewed. Of these patients, 214 patients underwent pelvic MRI for evaluation of a gynecologic mass detected on a preceding ultrasound or CT examination; this group of patients constituted the basis of our study. The imaging and clinical records from the database were used for our analysis. The medical records were reviewed for the impact of the radiologic findings on patient treatment, and the results were tabulated for the findings of the first modality, whether the first modality provided a diagnosis, what management plan would be made according to the first modality, and what management plan would be made as a result of the MRI. The adequacy of the imaging study was assessed on the basis of either obtaining an accurate exact diagnos...
Peer evaluation of student generated content

We will present three similar studies that examine online peer evaluation of student-generated explanations for missed exam problems in introductory physics. In the first study, students created video solutions using YouTube and in the second two studies, they created written solutions using Google documents. All peer evaluations were performed using a tournament module as part of the interactive online coaching system called E2Coach[4] at the University of Michigan. With the theme of LAK 2014 being "intersection of learning analytics research, theory and practice", we think this poster will provide an accessible example that combines a classroom experiment with rigorous analysis to understand outcomes.
Small-Scale Drop-Size Variability: Empirical Models for Drop-Size-Dependent Clustering in Clouds

By analyzing aircraft measurements of individual drop sizes in clouds, it has been shown in a companion paper that the probability of finding a drop of radius r at a linear scale l decreases as l D(r) , where 0 D(r) 1. This paper shows striking examples of the spatial distribution of large cloud drops using models that simulate the observed power laws. In contrast to currently used models that assume homogeneity and a Poisson distribution of cloud drops, these models illustrate strong drop clustering, especially with larger drops. The degree of clustering is determined by the observed exponents D(r). The strong clustering of large drops arises naturally from the observed power-law statistics. This clustering has vital consequences for rain physics, including how fast rain can form. For radiative transfer theory, clustering of large drops enhances their impact on the cloud optical path. The clustering phenomenon also helps explain why remotely sensed cloud drop size is generally larger than that measured in situ.
New editorial leadership of the World Allergy Organization Journal.

This month the World Allergy Organization Journal (WAO Journal) commences its seventh year of publication and second year as an open access journal. I write this editorial from two directions, leaving the post of Editor-in-Chief and assuming the presidency of the World Allergy Organization. The challenges involved in running a newly established, modern journal have been many and in the end rewarding. Our transition from an electronic-only subscription journal to open access was achieved last year and led to listing in PubMed Central and PubMed, which is a critical goal for a journal looking to increase its impact and visibility. The process has gone smoothly with publisher BioMed Central, and I anticipate their continued excellent support of the next editorial team. I am also pleased to welcome the next editorial team to the WAO Journal. Alessandro Fiocchi, MD, of Hospital Bambino Gesu in Rome, Vatican City, and Erika Jensen-Jarolim, MD, of Medical University Vienna and Messerli Research Institute, Austria, are taking over the editorial leadership of the WAO Journal. Professor Fiocchi brings a wide range of clinical and translational research experience to the post of Editor-in-Chief. In addition, he has been an important contributor to a variety of published material on food allergy and clinical approaches to food allergy. His outstanding leadership on two important position papers, “World Allergy Organization (WAO) Diagnosis and Rationale for Action against Cow’s Milk Allergy (DRACMA) Guidelines”, [1] and “Clinical Use of Probiotics in Pediatric Allergy (CUPPA): A World Allergy Organization Position Paper”, [2] is just one example. He is expected to make a significant impact on the quality and nature of reviews, original papers, and position papers to be published in the journal over the next year. The appointment of Professor Erika Jensen-Jarolim as Deputy Editor will contribute to the journal’s goal of including more basic science and translational work worldwide. This will be important to maintain and solidify the journal’s march to greater impact. She has served on the journal’s Editorial Board since its inception, and brings editorial experience from a variety of medical journals to her role. Professor Jensen-Jarolim’s research experience in immunology and pathophysiology complements the clinical and translational background of Professor Fiocchi. It was an honor to be Editor-in-Chief, following in the footsteps of giants in the field such as Alain de Weck, Gunnar Johansson, Allen Kaplan, and Johannes Ring. I hope I have maintained their standard of excellence, and I know that passing our leadership to the new team will result in the same quality we have been building. The Regional Associate Editors and Editorial Board members all have done an outstanding job to support the journal, and it is much appreciated. Special thanks to Managing Editor, Sofia Dorsano, for her unflagging efforts and ongoing excellent work.
Identification of specific EP receptors responsible for the hemodynamic effects of PGE2.

To identify the E-prostanoid (EP) receptors that mediate the hemodynamic actions of PGE2, we studied acute vascular responses to infusions of PGE2using lines of mice in which each of four EP recept...
The intercalated cells of the amygdala

The intercalated cell groups, or massa intercalata, of the amygdala have been studied in rodent brains with Golgi methods. They also have been examined in gallocyanin-chromalum-, AChE-, and Timm-stained rat brains. The Golgi data indicate that the intercalated cells are not confined to a series of isolated cell clumps but form a neuronal net that covers the rostral half of the lateral-basolateral nuclear complex, stretches across a major portion of rostral amygdala, and continues rostrally beneath the anterior commissure. There are two general types of intercalated neuron--medium and large neurons. The medium intercalated neurons are more common. They have round to elongate somata, 9-18 microns in diameter, and round to bipolar dendritic trees, depending on their location. Most of the dendrites are spine-bearing, as are 20% of the somata. Their axons often have locally ramifying collaterals. The parent axons apparently terminate in either the lateral-basolateral or central nuclei and some of them appear to enter the external capsule. There is a unique medium intercalated neuron that has nearly spine-free, varicose dendrites and an axon that is typical of short axon (Golgi II) cells. There are two varieties of large intercalated neuron-spiny and aspiny. Most of them are aspiny, although they usually have a few spines scattered along their dendrites. Both varieties have elongate, sometimes round, somata that can be as much as 60 microns long. Their dendrites are long, thick, and have few branch points. Only the initial part of the large aspiny cell axon has been impregnated. The large spiny cell axons have several local collaterals; the destination of the parent axons is unknown. The intercalated cells occur along fiber bundles, which are probably afferent to them. The axons that travel among the intercalated cells give off short collaterals and boutons en passant. The sources of these fibers are not known. From the published experimental data, it is likely that they originate in the piriform and entorhinal cortices, the lateral preoptic area, lateral hypothalamus, and ventral pallidum. Axon collaterals of basolateral nucleus pyramidal cells appear to terminate among the intercalated cells. It is suggested that the intercalated cells serve as sites for integration of the output of these various areas and, in turn, communicate it to the lateral-basolateral and central amygdaloid nuclei. The intercalated cells closely resemble neurons in the corpus striatum. Thus the question is raised and discussed of whether the intercalated cells are a ventral extension of the corpus striatum.
Occupational Radiation Dosimetry Assessment Using an Automated Infusion Device for Positron-Emitting Radiotracers

Handling and administration of radiopharmaceuticals are a key contributor to staff radiation dose. Shielded automated infusion devices potentially standardize and reduce radiation exposure during procedures. However, loading the devices adds incremental radiation exposure, which may mitigate dose savings. We measured radiation doses from the loading and use of an automated infusion device and compared these with those from manual injection of 18F radiotracers. Methods: Adult patients were administered 18F-FDG or 18F-FLT before 3-dimensional PET whole-body or brain imaging, respectively. Radioactivity amounts from manual injections performed with protective syringe shields and vial holders were measured by a standard dose calibrator before and after injection. Automated infusions were performed using the shielded infusion device. Staff wore electronic dosimeters at the wrist and trunk. Electronic dosimeters were also worn while multidose 18F-FDG vials were loaded and unloaded. For each task, background radiation was determined and subtracted from the electronic dosimeter values. Results: Twenty-seven manually injected unit doses yielded a mean administered dose to patients of 480.7 ± 66.2 MBq (12.99 ± 1.79 mCi), compared with 431.9 ± 22.7 MBq (11.67 ± 0.61 mCi) in 34 automated injections. The mean difference was statistically significant. To control for this difference, results were expressed as a standardized dose per unit of activity. With the automated infusion device, the mean extremity dose per injection was 0.003 ± 0.002 μSv/MBq, compared with 0.026 ± 0.017 μSv/MBq with manual injections. Mean body dose per procedure with automated infusion was 0.001 μSv/MBq, versus 0.011 μSv/MBq with manual injection (P
Antigen-Conjugated Human IgE Induces Antigen-Specific T Cell Tolerance in a Humanized Mouse Model

Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in immune homeostasis through their ability to present Ags at steady state and mediate T cell tolerance. This characteristic renders DCs an attractive therapeutic target for the induction of tolerance against auto-antigens or allergens. Accordingly, Ag-conjugated DC–specific Abs have been proposed to be an excellent vehicle to deliver Ags to DCs for presentation and tolerance induction. However, this approach requires laborious reagent generation procedures and entails unpredictable side effects resulting from Ab-induced crosslinking of DC surface molecules. In this study, we examined whether IgE, a high-affinity, non–cross-linking natural ligand of FceRI, could be used to target Ags to DCs and to induce Ag-specific T cell tolerance. We found that Ag-conjugated human IgE Fc domain (Fce) effectively delivered Ags to DCs and enhanced Ag presentation by 1000- to 2500-fold in human FceRIα-transgenic mice. Importantly, this presentation resulted in a systemic deletion of Ag-specific T cells and prevented these mice from developing delayed-type hypersensitivity, which is critically dependent on Ag-specific T cell immunity. Thus, targeting FceRI on DCs via Ag-Fce fusion protein may serve an alternative method to induce Ag-specific T cell tolerance in humans.
Isolated Magnetohydrodynamic Thermal Eddies in a Thermally Stratified Fluid

Finite-amplitude Alfven waves in a thermally stratified fluid were discussed by Parker (1984) in the Boussinesq approximation. We note that the convective force (due to the uniform vertical temperature gradient) plays an analogous role, as the “β force” (due to the variation of Coriolis parameter) does in the motion of a “Rossby modon” in the β-plane approximation (Rossby 1939, Larichev and Reznik 1976). By a similar mathematical treatment, we obtain a two-dimensional nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solution for an isolated thermal vortex moving horizontally along the direction of a background magnetic field in a thermally stratified fluid. This kind of isolated MHD thermal vortex is driven primarily by convective force modified by the presence of magnetic field, and can be regarded as a form of convection. In the absence of magnetic field, the solution reduces to an isolated hydrodynamic thermal vortex which moves horizontally. These kinds of eddy phenomena may well exist in the Earth’s core and in a convective overshoot layer in the solar atmosphere (with magnetic field), or in the troposphere and mesosphere of the Earth (without magnetic field).
Responsibility within civil society and range of urban poverty

The decentralized, subsidiary action of the urban poor within the neighborhood articulates the responsibility of these citizens within the metropolis. This article makes use of the work of J. Habermas, R. Blank, and W.J. Wilson in order to show how such citizen action on the part of the poor can, in the face of devastation, be resistant, communal, located action. Collaborative engagement assists them in coming to their own vision and in determining their world’s material and symbolic framework. In their collaboration and through the resulting interpretive community, they achieve a responsibility which engages them in caring for the future of the common life. Upon the basis of their action from within their neighborhoods, the urban poor, as they rebuild their neighborhoods, move into civil society so that the entire metropolis may benefit.
A statistical approach to TCP session classification

Government computer networks need a real-time network traffic monitoring tool to detect anomalies in network traffic patterns to improve security. Specifically, they need a tool to determine if a host is using a network connection for something other than the intended use. A key step in developing this tool is creating statistical models to accurately identify the application protocols of sessions in a network without relying on port numbers, which conventionally identify them. This paper outlines the construction of these models. Specifically, it focuses on the methods used to build them, which included: structuring network data in a database, aggregating packet level data into sessions, and then identifying the key variables. The models employ variables such as the inter-arrival time between packets, the variance of those times, the distribution of TCP control flags and other information available from the packet headers. The paper examines the significance of these explanatory variables and attempts to determine which would be useful in a real-time implementation.
Dissolution and solubility behavior of fenofibrate in sodium lauryl sulfate solutions.

The solubility of fenofibrate in pH 6.8 McIlvaine buffers containing varying concentrations of sodium lauryl sulfate was determined. The dissolution behavior of fenofibrate was also examined in the...
Boosting phase contrast with a grating Bonse-Hart interferometer of 200 nanometre grating period.

We report on a grating Bonse–Hart interferometer for phase-contrast imaging with hard X-rays. The method overcomes limitations in the level of sensitivity that can be achieved with the well-known Talbot grating interferometer, and without the stringent spectral filtering at any given incident angle imposed by the classic Bonse–Hart interferometer. The device operates in the far-field regime, where an incident beam is split by a diffraction grating into two widely separated beams, which are redirected by a second diffraction grating to merge at a third grating, where they coherently interfere. The wide separation of the interfering beams results in large phase contrast, and in some cases absolute phase images are obtained. Imaging experiments were performed using diffraction gratings of 200 nm period, at 22.5 keV and 1.5% spectral bandwidth on a bending-magnetic beamline. Novel design and fabrication process were used to achieve the small grating period. Using a slitted incident beam, we acquired absolute and differential phase images of lightly absorbing samples. An advantage of this method is that it uses only phase modulating gratings, which are easier to fabricate than absorption gratings of the same periods.
Marginal Utility and Marginal Disutility as Ultimate Standards of Value

The current theory of value fails to take account of inequality, 547. — Value as a "ratio in exchange" to be qualified, 549. — Utility as the ultimate standard of value, 552. — Disutility as the ultimate standard; labor, 557. — The sacrifices of capitalists, 560. — The valuation of services, 462. — Non-competing groups, 569. — Conclusion: The ultimate standard of value does not exist in a modern society, 575.
Glutamic acid decarboxylase-67-positive hippocampal interneurons undergo a permanent reduction in number following kainic acid-induced degeneration of ca3 pyramidal neurons.

Abstract Kainic acid (KA)-induced degeneration of CA3 pyramidal neurons leads to synaptic reorganization and hyperexcitability in both dentate gyrus and CA1 region of the hippocampus. We hypothesize that the substrate for hippocampal inhibitory circuitry incurs significant and permanent alterations following degeneration of CA3 pyramidal neurons. We quantified changes in interneuron density ( N v ) in all strata of the dentate gyrus and the CA1 and CA3 subfields of adult rats at 1, 4, and 6 months following intracerebroventricular (icv) KA administration, using glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 (GAD-67) immunocytochemistry. At 1 month postlesion, GAD-67-positive interneuron density was significantly reduced in all strata of every hippocampal region except stratum pyramidale of CA1. The reduction in GAD-67-positive interneuron density either persisted or exacerbated at 4 and 6 months postlesion in every stratum of all hippocampal regions. Further, the soma of remaining GAD-67-positive interneurons in dentate gyrus and CA3 subfield showed significant hypertrophy. Thus, both permanent reductions in the density of GAD-67-positive interneurons in all hippocampal regions and somatic hypertrophy of remaining GAD-67-positive interneurons in dentate gyrus and CA3 subfield occur following icv KA. In contrast, the density of interneurons visualized with Nissl in CA1 and CA3 regions was nearly equivalent to that in the intact hippocampus at all postlesion time points. Collectively, these results suggest that persistent reductions in GAD-67-positive interneuron density observed throughout the hippocampus following CA3 lesion are largely due to a permanent loss of GAD-67 expression in a significant fraction of interneurons, rather than widespread degeneration of interneurons. Nevertheless, a persistent decrease in interneuron activity, as evidenced by permanent down-regulation of GAD-67 in a major fraction of interneurons, would likely enhance the degree of hyperexcitability in the CA3-lesioned hippocampus.
RML1 and RML2, Arabidopsis Genes Required for Cell Proliferation at the Root Tip

New cells are produced from the meristematic tissues located at the shoot and root tip throughout the life of higher plants. To investigate the genetic mechanism regulating meristematic activity, we isolated and characterized four single-gene, recessive mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana called root meristemless (rml). Complementation tests identified two RML loci; RML1 maps to chromosome IV and RML2 maps to chromosome III. These mutants produce normal embryonic roots that either did not undergo or experienced limited cell division following germination, resulting in primary roots of less than 2.0 mm in length. Mutants can produce lateral and adventitious roots, which can grow to a length comparable to the embryonic root and arrest, indicating that the growth arrest is unrelated to the embryonic dormancy process. Neither the addition of growth regulators to the media nor the removal of shoots can rescue mutant roots from growth arrest, indicating that the mutant phenotype is not caused by a shortage of known growth regulators or by a transmissible shoot inhibitor. Normal cell division ability in mutant embryo, shoot, and callus cells indicates that the RML gene functions are not part of the general cell division processes; rather, they are involved specifically in activating the cell division cycle in the root apical cells.
Cytoplasmic male sterility in Mimulus hybrids has pleiotropic effects on corolla and pistil traits

The mechanisms underlying genetic associations have important consequences for evolutionary outcomes, but distinguishing linkage from pleiotropy is often difficult. Here, we use a fine mapping approach to determine the genetic basis of association between cytonuclear male sterility and other floral traits in Mimulus hybrids. Previous work has shown that male sterility in hybrids between Mimulus guttatus and Mimulus nasutus is due to interactions between a mitochondrial gene from M. guttatus and two tightly linked nuclear restorer alleles on Linkage Group 7, and that male sterility is associated with reduced corolla size. In the present study, we generated a set of nearly isogenic lines segregating for the restorer region and male sterility, but with unique flanking introgressions. Male-sterile flowers had significantly smaller corollas, longer styles and greater stigmatic exsertion than fertile flowers. Because these effects were significant regardless of the genotypic composition of introgressions flanking the restorer region, they suggest that these floral differences are a direct byproduct of the genetic incompatibility causing anther abortion. In addition, we found a non-significant but intriguing trend for male-sterile plants to produce more seeds per flower than fertile siblings after supplemental pollination. Such pleiotropic effects may underlie the corolla dimorphism frequently observed in gynodioecious taxa and may affect selection on cytoplasmic male sterility genes when they initially arise.
Mechanism of Extracellular K+-Induced Local and Conducted Responses in Cerebral Penetrating Arterioles

Background and Purpose— Extracellular concentration of potassium ion ([K + ] o ) may have a significant influence on the cerebral circulation in health and disease. Mechanisms of [K + ] o -induced conducted vasomotor responses in cerebral arterioles, possibly linking microvascular regulation to neuronal activity, have not been examined. Methods— We analyzed vascular responses to small increases of [K + ] o (up to 5 mmol/L) in isolated, cannulated, and pressurized rat cerebral arterioles (36.5±1.4 μm). [K + ] o was elevated globally through extraluminal application or locally through micropipette, while arteriolar diameter was measured online. Results— Elevation of [K + ] o (5 mmol/L) produced dilation that was inhibited by ouabain but not BaCl 2 . Locally applied [K + ] o (3 to 5 mmol/L) produced a biphasic response (initial constriction followed by dilation), both of which were conducted to the remote site (distance 1142±68 μm). Endothelial impairment inhibited conducted but not local biphasic responses. Extraluminal ouabain attenuated local and conducted secondary dilation but not initial constriction. The local biphasic response was unaffected by extraluminal or intraluminal BaCl 2 . Extraluminal but not intraluminal BaCl 2 impaired both conducted constriction and dilation. Conclusions— In rat penetrating arteriole, (1) [K + ] o (3 to 5 mmol/L) strongly regulates arteriolar tone and causes conducted vasomotor responses; (2) local responses to elevated [K + ] o are endothelium independent but conducted responses are dependent on an intact endothelium; (3) smooth muscle Na + -K + -ATPase activation is the generator of conducted dilation; and (4) smooth muscle inward rectifier potassium channels sustain conduction. Our findings suggest that potassium-induced conducted vasomotor responses may link local neuronal activity to microvascular regulation, which may be attenuated in pathological conditions.
What is urban about critical urban theory

This essay takes as its provocation a question posed by the feminist philosopher Nancy Fraser: “What’s Critical about Critical Theory?” In urban studies, this question has been usefully reframed by Neil Brenner to consider what is critical about critical urban theory. This essay discusses how the “urban” is currently being conceptualized in various worlds of urban studies and what this might mean for the urban question of the current historical conjuncture. Launched from places on the map that are forms of urban government but that have distinctive agrarian histories and rural presents, the essay foregrounds the undecidability of the urban, be it geographies of urbanization or urban politics. What is at stake is a critical urban theory attentive to historical difference as a fundamental constituting process of global political economy and deconstruction as a methodology of generalization and theorization.
Transcatheter Removal of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Adherent to the Ventricular Septum

We describe an unusual case of a young child with peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) adherent to the ventricular septal wall 5 days following insertion. The impacted PICC was successfully retrieved using a transcatheter procedure. The technique describes the freeing of an intracardiac central line with closed ends.
Thoracoscopically-assisted doxycycline sclerotherapy for a microcystic thoracoabdominal lymphatic malformation in a 3-month-old patient

Here we report successful thoracoscopic-assisted sclerotherapy of a large, prenatally diagnosed microcystic thoracoabdominal lymphatic malformation in a 3-month-old infant born at 38 weeks gestational age. Compression of the inferior vena cava and aortic displacement was demonstrated on imaging. Treatment options include medical management, percutaneous sclerotherapy, or surgical resection. The latter options were complicated by the location of this lesion. Therefore, sclerotherapy under direct visualization via thoracoscopy was performed with near resolution of the lesion after one treatment. This is the first description of treatment of a lymphatic malformation via this approach reported in the literature.
The epidemiology of injuries to bicycle riders.

Over half a million injuries related to bicycle crashes were seen in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 1982. The data reviewed show a strong link between bicycle/motor vehicle collisions, head injury, and serious morbidity and mortality.
Hairpin Furans and Giant Biaryls.

The thermal reaction of two cyclopentadienones with 5,5′-binaphthoquinone or 6,6′-dimethoxy-5,5′-binaphthoquinone in refluxing nitrobenzene (210 °C) gives, in a single synthetic step that includes two Diels–Alder additions, two decarbonylations, and two dehydrogenations, giant biaryl bisquinones (compounds 13, 14, 15, 18, and 21). However, when two cyclopentadienones react with 6,6′-dimethoxy-5,5′-binaphthoquinone in nitrobenzene at higher temperatures (250–260 °C), the resulting products are molecular ribbons composed of two twisted aromatic systems fused to a heteropentahelicene (19, 20, and 22). These molecules are representatives of a new class of chiral polycyclic aromatic compounds, the “hairpin furans”. Interestingly, reheating a dimethoxy-substituted giant biaryl (e.g., 21) in nitrobenzene at 260 °C does not yield the corresponding hairpin furan (22), and mechanistic studies indicate that some intermediate or byproduct of the synthesis of the giant biaryls is a reagent or catalyst necessary for th...
Asleep at the Switch

Our central premise so far is one of enlightened capitalism. This notion recognizes the uncanny ability of self-interested individuals to make superior market decisions. This flow of resources to their most profitable employment is the “invisible hand” that has enamored economists since Adam Smith in 1776. If markets are so clever, why do we need regulation or government?
A multi-attribute approach to assess homeland security risk

The United States Department of Homeland Security manages a wide spectrum of risks involving crime, terrorism, accidents, and natural disasters. This paper supports disaster management by identifying which attributes should be used to describe risks comprehensively and assessing the need to incorporate such multiattribute information into risk management processes. Attributes for describing homeland security risks were selected through a literature review. These attributes were then used in a risk assessment of homeland security hazards that informed risk ranking sessions conducted with members of the general public. The results taken together support the use of a range of attributes and perspectives. While aspects of life/health and economic damage were considered most important by both experts and the lay public, other attributes were of widespread importance, including attributes related to dread and uncertainty. These results demonstrate how to present risks in a deliberative risk management process a...
Witchcraft pictographs from near Salem, Massachusetts

Pictographs providing protection from the Evil Eye and Satan are described and provisionally dated to the period of New England’s witch-hunts.
Validation of the International Harmonization Project (IHP) Guidelines in Early Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) Treated with Adriamycin, Vinblastine and Gemcitabine (AVG) (CALGB 50203): Early Results.

Abstract Clinical trials are underway using FDG PET imaging as a response surrogate for risk-adapted treatments to achieve favorable long term outcome while reducing therapy-related toxicities in patients with HL. The IHP provided “guidelines” to standardize FDG PET-based response evaluation. Before implementation in clinical practice, further validation of these guidelines is necessary. Our objective was to validate IHP criteria for response evaluation after 2 cycles of therapy with prospectively collected data in CALGB 50203, a trial of AVG for the initial treatment of stages I and II non-bulky HL. IHP-based PET interpretation was also compared with CT-based lesion size changes. Methods: Treatment consisted of doxorubicin 25 mg/m2, vinblastine 6 mg/m2 and gemcitabine 800mg/m2 every 2 weeks for 12 treatments (6 cycles). Responses were assessed according to the International Workshop criteria (JCO 1999: 17: 1244–53). FDG-PET imaging (PET/CT: 60 pts, PET alone: 15 pts) and a separate dedicated diagnostic CT scan of involved sites was performed at baseline and after two cycles of AVG (PET-2). No treatment change was allowed on the basis of the PET-2 results. Of 99 assessable patients, 75 had PET-alone (14) or PET/CT (61) after 2 cycles; median age:34 yrs (18–80), 32% were ≥45 yrs, stages: 78% IA-IIA, 22% IIB. The primary interpretation of PET-2 studies was based on IHP criteria (JCO 2007; 25:571). The % change in the sum of the products of the diameter (%SPD) of all measurable lesions were compared between baseline and at cycle-2 CT. PET-2 and cycle-2 CT data were correlated with progression free survival (PFS). Results: Fifty-six patients (75%) achieved a CR/CRu, 21% a partial response (PR), 4% had stable disease (SD). After a median follow up of 2.1 yrs (1.2–3.4 years), 19 of 75 patients relapsed/progressed, with an estimated 2-year PFS of 0.87 (95% CI [0.74,0.94]Only 10 of 56 patients (18%) with CR/CRu were PET positive at PET-2 compared to 13/19 (68%) of those with SD or PR (p 70% change vs. 0.55 [95% CI (0.36,0.71)] in those with Conclusion: IHP-based interpretation of FDG PET after 2 cycles of chemotherapy yields a high correlation with 2-year PFS, in particular for combined PET/CT, thus, it could be used as a response surrogate for risk-adapted treatments. The prediction of PFS using FDG-PET is superior to %SPD change after 2 cycles of therapy. Ongoing studies will prospectively define the role of interim FDG PET in tailoring treatment to optimize benefits and minimize risks.
Young Adolescents as Likely to Die from Suicide as Traffic Accidents.

There has been an increase in the rate of suicide among U.S. middle school students based on the data from the National Vital Statistics System. From 1999 to 2014 the age-adjusted rate of suicides increased from 10.5 to 13 per 100,000. This increase was greatest among females aged 10–14. This column examines possible explanations for this increase.
Mesenchymal-Epithelial Interactions: The Subepithelial Fibroblastic Sheath as a Paracrine Modulator of Inflammation-Induced Intestinal Secretion

Publisher Summary Mesenchymal cells are known to synthesize and secrete prostaglandins. Both fibroblasts and endothelial cells have been reported to respond to bradykinin and other stimulants with prostaglandin production. The fibroblasts of the intestinal lamina propria form a continuous, interconnected sheath that lies just below the basal lamina which separates the fibroblasts from the overlying palisading intestinal epithelial cells. Although initially considered to be important only as the scaffolding infrastructure that gives form and substance to the intestine, it is now clear that this fibroblastic sheath has many important functions in addition to a structural one. For example, intestinal fibroblasts are known to synthesize both the extracellular matrix and components of the basal lamina. These extracellular proteins have important effects on the growth and differentiation of the enterocyte. It has been demonstrated that an important response to injury in the small intestine is contraction of the fibroblastic sheath, thereby reducing villus surface area and thus, decreasing the area that must be epithelialized by the processes of restitution and mitosis.
Phenology: From Natural History to Climate Change

Phenology refers to the seasonal changes in activity and abundance observed in both plants and animals. This article highlights two animal groups, aquatic insects and frogs, in which phenology can be observed, using data collected directly and via databases. Effects of climate change on phenological patterns are also discussed.
Age exacerbates microglial activation, oxidative stress, inflammatory and NOX2 gene expression, and delays functional recovery in a middle-aged rodent model of spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) among people over age 40 has been steadily increasing since the 1980s and is associated with worsened outcome than injuries in young people. Age-related increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) are suggested to lead to chronic inflammation. The NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) enzyme is expressed by microglia and is a primary source of ROS. This study aimed to determine the effect of age on inflammation, oxidative damage, NOX2 gene expression, and functional performance with and without SCI in young adult (3 months) and middle-aged (12 months) male rats. Young adult and middle-aged rats were assessed in two groups—naive and moderate contusion SCI. Functional recovery was determined by weekly assessment with the Basso, Beattie, and Breshnahan general motor score (analyzed two-way ANOVA) and footprint analysis (analyzed by Chi-square analysis). Tissue was analyzed for markers of oxidative damage (8-OHdG, Oxyblot, and 3-NT), microglial-related inflammation (Iba1), NOX2 component (p47PHOX, p22PHOX, and gp91PHOX), and inflammatory (CD86, CD206, TNFα, and NFκB) gene expression (all analyzed by unpaired Student’s t test). In both naive and injured aged rats, compared to young rats, tissue analysis revealed significant increases in 8-OHdG and Iba1, as well as inflammatory and NOX2 component gene expression. Further, injured aged rats showed greater lesion volume rostral and caudal to the injury epicenter. Finally, injured aged rats showed significantly reduced Basso–Beattie–Bresnahan (BBB) scores and stride length after SCI. These results show that middle-aged rats demonstrate increased microglial activation, oxidative stress, and inflammatory gene expression, which may be related to elevated NOX2 expression, and contribute to worsened functional outcome following injury. These findings are essential to elucidating the mechanisms of age-related differences in response to SCI and developing age-appropriate therapeutics.
“A daughter three thousand miles off”: Transcultural Adoption in Susan Warner’s The Wide, Wide World

Since the publication of Susan Warner’s novel The Wide, Wide World in 1850, its ending has puzzled critics: the orphaned heroine, Ellen Montgomery, is abruptly uprooted from her home in New York, to be adopted by her mother’s wealthy kin in Scotland. Usually read as an unrealistic expression of Warner’s conception of domesticity, in fact (as shown in this chapter) this episode of The Wide, Wide World participates in a long literary tradition of adoption narratives, complicating and problematizing the established tropes, especially those of transnational and transcultural adoption. Ellen’s Scottish adopters offer her wealth and access to education, and lavish affection on her, but denigrate her American habits and expect her to renounce her name and her friends. Negotiating the claims of the adoptive family Ellen remembers in New York and the biogenetic family that adopts her in Scotland, Ellen’s acculturation gives birth to a hybrid version of herself. In The Wide, Wide World, Warner rejects the binary of family versus others, affirming instead an ever-changing identity formed by a web of affiliations that comprise ancestry, friendship, spirituality, circumstances, and choices.
An update on clinical trials targeting human tauopathies

The microtubule-associated protein 'tau' is primarily expressed within axons in the central nervous system where it stabilizes microtubules and aids in cargo transport. While basal phosphorylation of tau is normal, tau modifications, predominantly hyperphosphorylation, are critical in the pathogenesis of numerous neurodegenerative disorders known as the tauopathies. Over the years, tau has been shown to be a valuable and elusive target for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Targeting tau via genetic, biological, and pharmacological approaches in vitro and in vivo may prevent degenerative pathologies. However, to date none of these approaches have been successful in human studies, albeit some promising studies are currently underway. This review aims to briefly discuss the biology and pathology of tau and summarize current treatment strategies in clinical trials.
De novo thrombotic microangiopathy after kidney transplantation

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a serious complication of transplantation that adversely affects kidney transplant recipient and allograft survival. Post-transplant TMA is usually classified into two categories: 1) recurrent TMA and 2) de novo TMA. Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) resulting from dysregulation and over-activation of the alternate complement pathway is a rare disease but the most common diagnosis associated with recurrence in the allografts. De novo TMA, on the other hand, represents an overwhelming majority of the cases of post-transplant TMA and is a substantially more heterogeneous entity than recurrent aHUS. Here, we review the etio-pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment options for de novo post-transplant TMA. It is usually in the setting of calcineurin inhibitor use, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor use, or antibody mediated rejection; recently genetic mutations in complement regulatory genes for Factor H and Factor I similar to those described in aHUS have been reported in up to a third of these patients. Systemic signs of TMA are frequently absent, and a renal allograft biopsy is often needed to establish the diagnosis. Although withdrawal of the offending agents is usually the first line of treatment and resolution of laboratory abnormalities has been documented with this approach in several case reports and case series, available retrospective data demonstrate lack of benefit in long-term graft outcomes. Co-stimulation blockage with belatacept provides an effective alternate immunosuppressive strategy for these patients. Anti-complement therapy with eculizumab is effective in some cases; further work is required to define which patients with TMA (with and without concomitant antibody-mediated rejection) would benefit from receiving this treatment, and what biomarkers can be used to identify them.