cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinate composition of FMUs for co-simulation

In this paper, we explain how to achieve deterministic execution of FMUs (Functional Mockup Units) under the FMI (Functional Mockup Interface) standard. In particular, we focus on co-simulation, where an FMU either contains its own internal simulation algorithm or serves as a gateway to a simulation tool. We give conditions on the design of FMUs and master algorithms (which orchestrate the execution of FMUs) to achieve deterministic co-simulation. We show that with the current version of the standard, these conditions demand capabilities from FMUs that are optional in the standard and rarely provided by an FMU in practice. When FMUs lacking these required capabilities are used to compose a model, many basic modeling capabilities become unachievable, including simple discrete-event simulation and variable-step-size numerical integration algorithms. We propose a small extension to the standard and a policy for designing FMUs that enables deterministic execution for a much broader class of models. The extension enables a master algorithm to query an FMU for the time of events that are expected in the future. We show that a model can be executed deterministically if all FMUs in the model are either memoryless or implement one of rollback or step-size prediction. We show further that such a model can contain at most one "legacy" FMU that is not memoryless and provides neither rollback nor step-size prediction.
Was the south pivotal? situated partisanship and policy coalitions during the new deal and fair deal

Committed to a situated historical approach to studies of Congress, this article demonstrates how the 17-state Jim Crow South composed a structurally pivotal bloc during the New Deal and Fair Deal (1933–52) due to its size and cohesion and the need for southern votes to constitute majority coalitions. Empirically, it asks how southern members deployed this capacity and with what consequences. Utilizing a multilevel coding of policy substance, it tracks whether southern roll-call behavior was consistent with Democratic Party positions and traces changes over time with consequences for lawmaking and party politics. Analytically, the article moves beyond central current debates about parties and preferences that provide no distinctive place for the South and advances “situated partisanship,” an approach that privileges temporality and policy substance to understand when and with regard to which issues political parties are able to organize the preferences of their members and control lawmaking.
On representation of chaotic and non-chaotic sequences of the iterated logistic map

It has been demonstrated by a number of investigators that there is a relationship between chaotic signals and systems and communications and information theory. In particular, it has been shown that the output sequences of chaotic non-linear dynamic systems can be exploited for encoding information, for modulating waveforms in spread spectrum applications, and for masking information-bearing waveforms in secure communication applications. An information theoretic relationship can be obtained from the concepts of Markov partitions, metric entropy, symbolic dynamics, and topological entropy. >
Kinase-likeness and Kinase-Privileged Fragments: Toward Virtual Polypharmacology

Small molecule protein kinase inhibitors are widely employed as biological reagents and as leads in the design of drugs for a variety of diseases. We investigated the phenomenon of kinase-likeness, i.e., the propensity of ligands to inhibit protein kinases, in the context of kinase-specific substructural fragments. The frequency of occurrence of multiple structural fragments in kinase inhibitor libraries relative to nonkinase compounds has been analyzed. A combination of structural fragment counts, termed the "2-0" kinase-likeness rule, provides approximately 5-fold enrichment in kinase active compounds. This rule has been validated using in-house kinase counterscreening data and applied prospectively to uncover kinase activities in marketed drugs. In addition, the role of discriminating fragments in kinase recognition was interrogated using available structural data, providing an insight into their effect on inhibitor potency and selectivity. One of these fragments, bisarylaniline, has been characterized as a kinase-privileged fragment with specific binding preferences and a link to increased activity within kinases.
Vita Aeschyli 9: Miscarriages in the Theatre of Dionysos

Anonymous, Vita Aeschyli 9 ( =TGF 3 T Al.30–32 Radt) preserves the following startling report concerning Aeschylus:Some say that at the performance of the Eumenides, by bringing on the chorus one by one, as he did, he terrified the audience so that children swooned and fetuses were aborted.
Five Phases in a Personal Journey Through the Troubled Waters of Academic Values in a World of Business: Where's the Beef?

Abstract The author's major disagreement with Gaski's commentary hinges on its tendency to ignore the broader context of the debate about managerial relevance. The author reviews this larger set of issues, with admittedly self-reflective attention to his own participation in this debate over the past quarter century.
A timing-driven module-based chip design flow

A Module-Based design flow for digital ICs with hard and soft modules is presented. Versions of the soft modules are implemented with different area/delay characteristics. The versions represent flexibility that can be used in the physical design to meet timing requirements. The flow aims at minimizing the clock cycle of the chip while providing quicker turn-around time. Unreliable wiring estimation is eliminated and costly iterations are reduced resulting in substantial reductions in run time as well as a significant decrease in the clock periods.
DEVELOPMENT, PERSISTENCE, AND SIGNIFICANCE OF TYPE 2, POLIOMYELITIS COMPLEMENT-FIXING ANTIBODY IN MAN

Sera from 81 patients with a diagnosis of paralytic or non-paralytic poliomyelitis, and from 159 individuals of similar age groups giving no history of the disease, were tested with a high titered, complement-fixing poliomyelitis antigen of Type 2 (Lansing-like). The antigen consisted of brain tissue from newborn mice injected with the MEF1 strain of virus as previously adapted to these animals. The presence or absence of Type 2 neutralizing antibody in the sera under test was found not to affect the complement fixation. Positive reactions were obtained with 57 per cent of the sera deriving from non-paralytic patients and in 70 per cent from paralytics, when the specimens were tested at a dilution of 1:16. The complement-fixing antibody was often present in highest titer as early as 24 hours after the onset of poliomyelitis, and in almost all instances within 7 days. In about half of the patients a 4-fold or greater drop in titer occurred within 3 months, with little or no change in the others. The incidence of titers of 1:16 or higher with the control sera varied with the season of the year at which they were procured, 3 per cent of the winter samples proving positive and 13 per cent of the summer. The tests of sera from the group of patients from whom poliomyelitis virus was recovered, disclosed no significant differences between those having the paralytic and those having the non-paralytic disease. Type 1 (Brunhilde-like) strains of virus were recovered from many of the patients yielding positive tests, although they presented no evidence of previous or concurrent infection with Type 2 virus. This finding shows that Type 1 virus can give rise in patients to Type 2 complement-fixing antibody. The application of these data to the serologic diagnosis of poliomyelitis infection in man will of necessity be limited until information is obtained on the development, persistence, and significance of complement-fixation reactions with antigens deriving from Type 1 and Type 3 poliomyelitis strains.
Gemcitabine-induced pseudocellulitis in a patient with non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Gemcitabine (2,2-difluorodeoxycytidine) is a nucleoside analogue used as a chemotherapeutic agent to treat various malignancies. The common side effects of gemcitabine include myelosuppression, gastrointestinal disturbances, influenzalike symptoms, and elevation of liver enzyme levels. Gemcitabine is also associated with cutaneous adverse effects such as rash, alopecia, pruritus, radiation recall dermatitis, hypersensitivity reactions, hyperpigmentation, and erysipeloid reactions.1, 2, 3 There are also a few isolated cases of livedo reticularis, sclerodermalike changes, Sweet's syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis.3 Rarely, gemcitabine is associated with pseudocellulitis, a nonnecrotizing inflammation of the dermis and subcutis from a noninfectious etiology, which could be confused clinically for cellulitis.1, 4 We report a case of recurrent gemcitabine-induced pseudocellulitis after the use of gemcitabine and carboplatin combination therapy.
VACCINIUM FUNGI: PSEUDOTRACYLLA FALCATA SP. NOV.

Pseudotracyllafalcata, from dead leaves and rotten fruit of Vaccinium macrocarpon in Massachusetts and New Jersey, is described as the second species in the genus. Pycnothyria of the type species, P. dentata, have upper and lower walls connected by a central columella. A detailed account of pycnothyrial development is given based on study of these two species. A pycnothyrial fungus was found on dead leaves and rotting fruit of Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait. (cranberry) in cultivated bogs in Massachusetts and New Jersey. The pycnothyria of the fungus are composed of an upper and lower wall connected by a central columella. The conidiogenous cells are restricted to the ventral surface of the upper wall. A survey of genera producing pycnothyria indicated that the cranberry fungus does not fit in any extant taxon but is similar to Pseudotracylla Sutton & Hodges. Pseudotracylla is a monotypic genus with the type species P. dentata Sutton & Hodges reported from Eucalyptus leaves in Brazil (Sutton and Hodges, 1976). Sutton and Hodges' description of P. dentata was accompanied by illustrations showing a pycnothyrium with an upper and lower wall, connected to the substrate at the central portion of the lower wall but lacking a central columella. The upper wall of the pycnothyrium was illustrated as composed of sparsely septate, radiating hyphae terminating in a dentate margin; the lower wall was described as one cell thick, composed of dark brown pseudoparenchyma. Examination of holotype material of P. dentata revealed several inconsistencies with the original description, including the presence of a columella and the membranous nature of the lower wall. Based on examination of P. dentata and the fungus occurring on cranberry, an unusual type of conidiomatal formation is described in Pseudotracylla, and the genus is emended accordingly. The fungus on cranberry is described as a new species of Pseudotracylla.
A modular rewriting approach to language design, evolution and analysis

Software is becoming a pervasive presence in our lives, powering computing systems in the home, in businesses, and in safety-critical settings. In response, languages are being defined with support for new domains and complex computational abstractions. The need for formal techniques to help better understand the languages we use, correctly design new language abstractions, and reason about the behavior and correctness of programs is now more urgent then ever. In this dissertation we focus on research in programming language semantics and program analysis, aimed at building and reasoning about programming languages and applications. In language semantics, we first show how to use formal techniques during language design, presenting definitional techniques for object-oriented languages with concurrency features, including the Beta language and a paradigmatic language called KOOL. Since reuse is important, we then present a module system for K, a formalism for language definition that takes advantage of the strengths of rewriting logic and term rewriting techniques. Although currently specific to K, parts of this module system are also aimed at other formalisms, with the goal of providing a reuse mechanism for different forms of modular semantics in the future. Finally, since performance is also important, we show techniques for improving the executable and analysis performance of rewriting logic semantics definitions, specifically focused on decisions around the representation of program values and configurations used in semantics definitions. The work on performance, with a discussion of analysis performance, provides a good bridge to the second major topic, program analysis. We present a new technique aimed at annotation-driven static analysis called policy frameworks. A policy framework consists of analysis domains, an analysis generic front-end, an analysis-generic abstract language semantics, and an abstract analysis semantics that defines the semantics of the domain and the annotation language. After illustrating the technique using SILF, a simple imperative language, we then describe a policy framework for C. To provide a real example of using this framework, we have defined a units of measurement policy for C. This policy allows both type and code annotations to be added to standard C programs, which are then used to generate modular analysis tasks checked using the CPF semantics in Maude.
A stochastic model of acute-care decisions based on patient and provider heterogeneity

The primary cause of preventable death in many hospitals is the failure to recognize and/or rescue patients from acute physiologic deterioration (APD). APD affects all hospitalized patients, potentially causing cardiac arrest and death. Identifying APD is difficult, and response timing is critical - delays in response represent a significant and modifiable patient safety issue. Hospitals have instituted rapid response systems or teams (RRT) to provide timely critical care for APD, with thresholds that trigger the involvement of critical care expertise. The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) was developed to define these thresholds. However, current triggers are inconsistent and ignore patient-specific factors. Further, acute care is delivered by providers with different clinical experience, resulting in quality-of-care variation. This article documents a semi-Markov decision process model of APD that incorporates patient and provider heterogeneity. The model allows for stochastically changing health states, while determining patient subpopulation-specific RRT-activation thresholds. The objective function minimizes the total time associated with patient deterioration and stabilization; and the relative values of nursing and RRT times can be modified. A case study from January 2011 to December 2012 identified six subpopulations. RRT activation was optimal for patients in “slightly concerning” health states (NEWS > 0) for all subpopulations, except surgical patients with low risk of deterioration for whom RRT was activated in “concerning” states (NEWS > 4). Clustering methods identified provider clusters considering RRT-activation preferences and estimation of stabilization-related resource needs. Providers with conservative resource estimates preferred waiting over activating RRT. This study provides simple practical rules for personalized acute care delivery.
Anesthetic inhibition in ischemic and nonischemic murine heart: comparison with conscious echocardiographic approach

It is well known that the level of anesthesia obtained by intraperitoneal injection is variable and may alter cardiac function. In this study, we compared the effects of different anesthetics on cardiac function with the conscious state using high-resolution two-dimensional echocardiography in nonischemic and ischemic mice. Eighty-four mice were tested before and after surgery with ligation of the coronary artery. All 84 mice were studied in the conscious state and under high-dose intraperitoneal anesthesia. Twenty-two of 84 mice were studied under low-dose intraperitoneal anesthesia. Another 22 mice were also studied under gas anesthesia and spontaneous breathing. Experiments in the conscious state were performed by two investigators before the administration of anesthesia: one investigator held the animal and the transducer and the other operated the ultrasound equipment. Left ventricular systolic function was measured, and measurements obtained after surgery were compared with infarcted areas assessed by histological staining. Results showed that both high- and low-dose intraperitoneal anesthesia significantly reduced heart rates and left ventricular contractility in both pre- and postsurgical mice as opposed to conscious mice (P < 0.01). There were significantly higher correlation coefficients between mean fractional area change (FAC) and infarcted area in conscious state compared with high-dose intraperitoneal anesthesia (P < 0.05). The correlation coefficient between FAC and infarcted area during gas anesthesia was also significantly higher compared with high-dose intraperitoneal anesthesia (P < 0.05). In conclusion, conscious experiments or the use of gas anesthesia is preferred for echocardiographic assessment of cardiac function in mice because intraperitoneal injection significantly induces a significant reduction in heart rate and left ventricular systolic function.
Studies on the Mechanism of Action of the Mitochondrial Energy-Linked Nicotinamide Nucleotide Transhydrogenase

This is a brief summary of the recent work of our laboratory on the structure and function of a unique energy-transducing enzyme of mammalian mitochondria, the nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (TH) (see 1,2 for reviews).
Understanding Spatial Media: Locative and Sousveillant Media

According to Dan Evans of Cisco, 2008 marked a turning point in humanity’s relationship to the internet, for the first time there were more devices connected than human beings currently alive (Evans 2011). These devices aren’t simply phones, tablets, and computers, but rather reflect a system of sensors that increasingly monitor everything from earthquakes (Cochran et al. 2009) to cattle (Grobart 2012) to steps taken by an individual. This brief chapter examines two interrelated, but distinct, types of digital data generated through sensors: sousveillant and locative. Sousveillant data is data created through self-monitoring via digital technologies (Mann et al. 2003). It refers to data which are “consciously employed and controlled by an individual for personal fulfillment” and has wide overlaps with the quantified self movement (Kitchin 2014). Locative data refer to any digital media which contains location information; which, in turn, refers to information about places conceived of as points, lines, and areas (Tobler 1979). In modern databases, location information is predominantly stored in terms of X, Y point coordinates of latitude and longitude. Any sousveillant device that records location in addition to whatever else it is monitoring – heartrate, steps taken, etc. – is generating locative data. While there is broad overlap between these types of data, they remain distinct; it is possible to have sousveillant data which is not locative and locative data which is not sousveillant. To explore the significance of these two types of data, the chapter proceeds in three parts. First, it briefly demonstrates the significance of sousveillant and locative data and argues that a key means for understanding their societal significance is through their role as spatial media. Second, it examines current approaches to sousveillant and locative media through the lens of actions and knowledges enabled and constrained (Feenberg 1999). Finally, it briefly turns to the future, speculatively exploring the forms and roles this spatial media seems most likely to take. This speculation creates a launching point for a necessary and broad discussion on the role this spatial media will play both today and in the future.
Fundamental considerations in ski binding analysis.

1. The static adjustment of a ski binding by hand or by available machines is only an adjustment and is neither a static nor a dynamic evaluation of the binding design. Bindings of different design with identical static adjustments will perform differently in environments in which the forces are static or dynamic. 2. The concept of binding release force is a useful measure of binding adjustment, but it is inappropriate as a criterion for binding evaluation. First, it does not direct attention toward the injury causing mechanism, strain, or displacement in the leg. Second, it is only part of the evaluation in dynamic problems. 3. The binding release decision in present bindings is displacement controlled. The relative displacement of the boot and ski is the system variable. For any specified relative displacement the binding force can be any of an infinite number of possibilities determined by the loading path. 4. The response of the leg-ski system to external impulses applied to the ski is independent of the boot-ski relative motion as long as the boot recenters quickly in the binding. Response is dependent upon the external impulse plus system inertia, damping and stiffness. 5. When tested under half sinusoidal forces applied to a test ski, all bindings will demonstrate static and impulse loading regions. In the static region the force drives the binding to a relative release displacement. In the impulse region the initial velocity of the ski drives the binding to a release displacement. 6. The transition between the static and impulse loading regions is determined by the binding's capacity to store and dissipate energy along the principal loading path. Increased energy capacity necessitates larger external impulses to produce release. 7. In all bindings examined to date, the transmitted leg displacement or strain at release under static loading exceeds leg strain under dynamic or impact loading. Because static loading is responsible for many injuries, a skier should be able to release his bindings in every mode by simply pulling or twisting his foot outward. If that cannot be done without injury, the skier has identified for himself one type of fall that will result in injury. 8. And lastly, a little advice from Ben Franklin--"Carelessness does more harm than a want of knowledge." Language: en
Comparative analysis of tumor spheroid generation techniques for differential in vitro drug toxicity

// Shreya Raghavan 1 , Pooja Mehta 1, * , Eric N. Horst 2, * , Maria R. Ward 1, * , Katelyn R. Rowley 2 , Geeta Mehta 1, 2, 3 1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 3 Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Geeta Mehta, e-mail: mehtagee@umich.edu Keywords: ovarian cancer, breast cancer, high throughput, multicellular tumor spheroids, preclinical drug testing Received: December 01, 2015 Accepted: February 11, 2016 Published: February 24, 2016 ABSTRACT Multicellular tumor spheroids are powerful in vitro models to perform preclinical chemosensitivity assays. We compare different methodologies to generate tumor spheroids in terms of resultant spheroid morphology, cellular arrangement and chemosensitivity. We used two cancer cell lines (MCF7 and OVCAR8) to generate spheroids using i) hanging drop array plates; ii) liquid overlay on ultra-low attachment plates; iii) liquid overlay on ultra-low attachment plates with rotating mixing (nutator plates). Analysis of spheroid morphometry indicated that cellular compaction was increased in spheroids generated on nutator and hanging drop array plates. Collagen staining also indicated higher compaction and remodeling in tumor spheroids on nutator and hanging drop arrays compared to conventional liquid overlay. Consequently, spheroids generated on nutator or hanging drop plates had increased chemoresistance to cisplatin treatment (20-60% viability) compared to spheroids on ultra low attachment plates (10-20% viability). Lastly, we used a mathematical model to demonstrate minimal changes in oxygen and cisplatin diffusion within experimentally generated spheroids. Our results demonstrate that in vitro methods of tumor spheroid generation result in varied cellular arrangement and chemosensitivity.
THE IMPACT OF SELECTED INDICES OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE TREATMENT ON ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY

Two important questions regarding the results of the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program are: 1) how much of the difference in mortality between stepped care and referred care can be attributed to treatment for hypertension, and 2) was there a relationship between treatment of hypertension in the program and the risk of subsequent mortality of the participants? Neither of these questions can be answered within the original randomization scheme of the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program; however, statistical techniques can address these two questions. Crude analyses of blood pressures of survivors and deaths in each year of follow-up indicate that survivors had lower blood pressure than persons dying during the interval. An analysis using life table regression with time-dependent covariates suggests that well over half of the excess risk in the referred care group can be attributed to differences in factors related to hypertension treatment. Simultaneously testing the coefficients of the time-dependent variables (diastolic and systolic pressures, blood pressure goal, and medication status) suggests a highly significant relationship between these variables and the risk of subsequent mortality.
Genetics and Functional Genomics of the Pseudomonas fluorescens Group

Fluorescent pseudomonads are found widely in soils and often live in a commensal relationship with plants, utilizing plant-exuded nutrients and occupying sites provided by the architecture of the plant. Such commensal species, in turn, can have profound effects on plant health by suppressing phytopathogens, enhancing local access to nutrients, degrading environmental pollutants, or inducing systemic resistance in the plant host. In addition to the basic biology of these ubiquitous bacteria, the capacity of members of the Pseudomonas fluorescens group to produce an array of bioactive secondary metabolites, including antibiotics that thwart plant pathogens and hormones which promote plant growth, is of particular interest. As concern over the ecological and health risks associated with the use of chemical pesticides in agriculture continues to mount, members of the P. fluorescens group are touted for their potential in biocontrol. While the genetics underlying some biocontrol processes is well established, many questions remain regarding ecology, gene expression, and metabolism of these organisms in natural environments. The advent of genomic approaches has allowed interrogation of sequence and expression data, which has begun to reveal the details of processes required for interactions of P. fluorescens with its environment and the considerable complexity of these interactions. Furthermore, genome comparisons and genome mining approaches have identified new features which are likely critical to the success of these organisms, but had remained undetected using other approaches. Genetic and functional genomic analyses of P. fluorescens in natural environments are giving us new insight into the way of life of these bacteria outside of the laboratory and have great potential to reveal new approaches to increasing the efficacy of P. fluorescens biocontrol.
Similar adaptation effects in primary visual cortex and area MT of the macaque monkey under matched stimulus conditions

Recent stimulus history, or adaptation, can alter neuronal response properties. Adaptation effects have been characterized in a number of visually responsive structures, from the retina to higher visual cortex. However, it remains unclear whether adaptation effects across stages of the visual system take a similar form in response to a particular sensory event. This is because studies typically probe a single structure or cortical area, using a stimulus ensemble chosen to provide potent drive to the cells of interest. Here we adopt an alternative approach and compare adaptation effects in primary visual cortex (V1) and area MT using identical stimulus ensembles. Previous work has suggested these areas adjust to recent stimulus drive in distinct ways. We show that this is not the case: adaptation effects in V1 and MT can involve weak or strong loss of responsivity and shifts in neuronal preference toward or away from the adapter, depending on stimulus size and adaptation duration. For a particular stimulus size and adaptation duration, however, effects are similar in nature and magnitude in V1 and MT. We also show that adaptation effects in MT of awake animals depend strongly on stimulus size. Our results suggest that the strategies for adjusting to recent stimulus history depend more strongly on adaptation duration and stimulus size than on the cortical area. Moreover, they indicate that different levels of the visual system adapt similarly to recent sensory experience.
Light Scattering Changes Follow Evoked Potentials From Hippocampal Schaeffer Collateral Stimulation

Rector, David M., Gina R. Poe, Morten P. Kristensen, and Ronald M. Harper. Light scattering changes follow evoked potentials from hippocampal Schaeffer collateral stimulation. J. Neurophysiol. 78: ...
Determining Optimization-Risk Profiles for Individual Decision Makers

Investment funds typically vary with regard to the emphasis that the managers place on acceptable risk and expected returns on investment. This chapter highlight a nonlinear analytic strategy, orbital decomposition (ORBDE) for identifying and extracting patterns of categorical events from time series data. The contributing constructs from symbolic dynamics, chaos, and entropy are described in conjunction with the central ORBDE algorithm. A study in task switching, which can alleviate or induce cognitive fatigue, is used an illustrative example of the basic mode of analysis. The aggregate more of ORBDE allows category codes from multiple variables to be assigned to each event in a time series. An illustrative example of the aggregate mode is presented for risk profile analysis in financial decisions. The results open up many possibilities for studying sequences of decisions made by fund managers and individual investors to determine profiles of risk acceptance, expected returns, and other features of portfolio management.
Opportunity, Group Structure, Temporal Patterns, and Successful Outcomes of Far-Right Terrorism Incidents in the United States

Terrorism prevention has become the top priority among law enforcement and homeland security officials. To date, however, little empirical research has been conducted that directly compares the characteristics of successful terrorist attacks to failed and foiled terrorism incidents. To address this limitation in prior research, the current study examines the impact of opportunity, group structure, and temporally patterned precursor activities on far-right terrorism outcomes in the United States using data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS). Our findings partially support expectations that attractive and vulnerable targets, loners, conventional weaponry, and relatively fewer precursor activities are significantly associated with successful incidents.
Some Words of Advice

In the hope that 35 years as a medical educator and practitioner justifies some privilege in pontificating, I offer the following thoughts. I would hesitate to do so if I thought that the interviews contained in this book did not warrant them. My trepidation is not diminished, however, when I think about the anecdote of the eight-year-old who, when asked who Socrates was, responded, “He was an old man who went around giving advice to everybody. They poisoned him.”
The Moment of Power

New Labour went to its moment of electoral glory in 1997 behind a manifesto that carried the title New Labour: Because Britain Deserves Better. It went to its moment of power armed with what its leader defied anyone to say was ‘anything other than a radical programme’. But it was a programme that stood, he told the opening press conference of the election campaign, ‘in the radical centre of politics: modern, forward-looking, utterly in tune with the times and instincts of today’s Britain’.1 And in electoral terms, it clearly was. For by any standards, Labour’s electoral performance in May 1997 must stand as one of the most remarkable of the democratic age.
White blood cell concentrations during lower body negative pressure and blood loss in humans.

New Findings What is the central question of this study? Is lower body negative pressure a useful surrogate to study white blood cell responses to haemorrhage in humans? What is the main finding and its importance? We found that lower body negative pressure appears to be a useful surrogate to study the early white blood cell mobilization response during blood loss. Hypovolaemia has been associated with an immune response that might be secondary to sympathoexcitation. We tested the hypothesis that simulated hypovolaemia using lower body negative pressure (LBNP) and real hypovolaemia induced via experimental blood loss (BL) cause similar increases in the white blood cell concentration ([WBC]). We measured [WBC] and catecholamine concentrations in 12 men who underwent an LBNP and a BL protocol in a randomized order. We compared 45 mmHg of LBNP with 1000 ml of BL; therefore, [WBC] and catecholamine concentrations were plotted against central venous pressure to obtain stimulus–response relationships using the linear regression line slopes for both protocols. Mean regression line slopes were similar for total [WBC] (LBNP 183 ± 4 μl−1 mmHg−1 versus BL 155 ± 109 μl−1 mmHg−1, P = 0.15), neutrophils (LBNP 110 ± 2 μl−1 mmHg−1 versus BL 96 ± 72 μl−1 mmHg−1, P = 0.15) and lymphocytes (LBNP 65 ± 21 μl−1 mmHg−1 versus BL 59 ± 38 μl−1 mmHg−1, P = 0.90). Mean regression line slopes for adrenaline were similar (LBNP 15 ± 5 pg ml−1 mmHg−1 versus BL 16 ± 4 pg ml−1 mmHg−1, P = 0.84) and were steeper during LBNP for noradrenaline (LBNP 28 ± 6 pg ml−1 mmHg−1 versus BL 9 ± 6 pg ml−1 mmHg−1, P = 0.01). These data indicate that central hypovolaemia elicits a relative leucocytosis with a predominantly neutrophil-based response. Additionally, our results indicate that LBNP models the stimulus–response relationship between central venous pressure and [WBC] observed during BL.
Mario Vargas Llosa and the novela de la selva

AbstractThis article considers the Nobel prize-winner Mario Vargas Llosa's four Amazonian novels within the context of other twentieth-century works set in the region, especially the Latin-American novela de la selva, or jungle novel. Vargas Llosa's employment of techniques such as shifting, unreliable narrators, irony, parody and intertextuality are similar to jungle novels such as Jose Eustasio Rivera's La voragine, Romulo Gallegos' Canaima, and Alejo Carpentier's Los pasos perdidos. Moreover, the presentation of Amazonia as a site of adventure, unbridled sexuality, violence and injustice clearly links Vargas Llosa's works to the Latin-American telluric novels of the 1920s and 1930s, despite the author's proclaimed low opinion of that genre. In fact, Vargas Llosa composes a literary wilderness that reveals his fractious and long-standing relationship with the novela de la selva. By examining the Peruvian writer's novelistic production over the course of fifty years, this article shows that Vargas Llosa'...
Microalgae as embedded environmental monitors.

In marine ecosystems, microalgae are an important component as they transform large quantities of inorganic compounds into biomass and thereby impact environmental chemistry. Of particular relevance is phytoplankton's sequestration of atmospheric CO2, a greenhouse gas, and nitrate, one cause of harmful algae blooms. On the other hand, microalgae sensitively respond to changes in their chemical environment, which initiates an adaptation of their chemical composition. Analytical methodologies were developed in this study that utilize microalgae's adaptation as a novel approach for in-situ environmental monitoring. Longterm applications of these novel methods are investigations of environmental impacts on phytoplankton's sequestration performance and their nutritional value to higher organisms feeding on them. In order to analyze the chemical composition of live microalgae cells (Nannochloropsis oculata), FTIR-ATR spectroscopy has been employed. From time series of IR spectra, the formation of bio-sediment can be monitored and it has been shown that the nutrient availability has a small but observable impact. Since this bio-sediment formation is governed by several biological parameters of the cells such as growth rate, size, buoyancy, number of cells, etc., this enables studies of chemical environment's impact on biomass formation and the cells' physical parameters. Moreover, the spectroscopic signature of these microalgae has been determined from cultures grown under 25 different CO2 and NO3- mixtures (200 ppm-600 ppm CO2, 0.35 mM-0.75 mM NO3-). A novel, nonlinear modeling methodology coined 'Predictor Surfaces' is being presented by means of which the nonlinear responses of the cells to their chemical environment could reliably be described. This approach has been utilized to measure the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere over the phytoplankton culture as well as the nitrate concentration dissolved in their growing environment. The achieved precision of concentration predictions were a few percent of the measurement range. Moreover, the Predictor Surface itself allows for a chemical interpretation of the cells' response to a shift in their chemical environment. This will open new approaches to study the link between concentration levels in an ecosystem and the biological consequences for this ecosystem.
Nonperturbative B -spline R -matrix-with-pseudostates calculations for electron-impact ionization-excitation of helium to the n =3 states of He +

We present fully differential cross-section ratios for electron-impact ionization of helium without excitation and with simultaneous excitation of the residual ion. The results are obtained from a nonperturbative close-coupling formalism, with the resulting equations being solved by a $B$-spline $R$-matrix-with-pseudostates approach. Very encouraging agreement is obtained with directly measured cross-section ratios for ionization leaving the residual ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ ion in either the $1s$ ground state or the $n=3\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}(3s+3p+3d)$ excited states.
Elastic-pulse propagation in thin hollow cones: discussion

range between holding temperature and cooling temperature. Furthermore, the measurement of err(X) and e~r by the simplified optical method is as easy as the ordinary two-dimensional photoelastic method, and more expedient than the layer-removal method which is essentially a destructive method. Therefore, we are confident that the simplified optical method in which the proposed fundamental equations are used is very effective for the experimental evaluation of residual stress and residual strain by rapid cooling in thermosetting resin strips.
Hitting the nail on the head: combining oncolytic adenovirus-mediated virotherapy and immunomodulation for the treatment of glioma

// Wojciech K. Panek 1 , J. Robert Kane 1 , Jacob S. Young 2 , Aida Rashidi 1 , Julius W. Kim 1 , Deepak Kanojia 1 and Maciej S. Lesniak 1 1 Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA 2 Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA Correspondence to: Maciej S. Lesniak, email: maciej.lesniak@northwestern.edu Keywords: combinatory therapy, glioma, immunomodulator(s), checkpoint blockade, oncolytic adenovirus Received: July 15, 2017 Accepted: August 26, 2017 Published: September 11, 2017 ABSTRACT Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive malignant brain tumor with a poor prognosis and the median survival 14.6 months. Immunomodulatory proteins and oncolytic viruses represent two treatment approaches that have recently been developed for patients with glioblastoma that could extend patient survival and result in better treatment outcomes for patients with this disease. Together, these approaches could potentially augment the treatment efficacy and strength of these anti-tumor therapies. In addition to oncolytic activities, this combinatory approach introduces immunomodulation locally only where cancerous cells are present. This thereby results in the change of the tumor microenvironment from immune-suppressive to immune-vulnerable via activation of cytotoxic T cells or through the removal of glioma cells immune-suppressive capability. This review discusses the strengths and weaknesses of adenoviral oncolytic therapy, and highlights the genetic modifications that result in more effective and targeted viral agents. Additionally, the mechanism of action of immune-activating agents is described and the results of previous clinical trials utilizing these treatments in other solid tumors are reviewed. The feasibility, synergy, and limitations for treatments that combine these two approaches are outlined and areas for which more work is needed are considered.
Temporal variation in constitutive and inducible heat shock proteins in the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata

Cellular stressors initiate the heat shock response mediated by heat shock proteins (HSPs). There are two main types of HSPs, constitutive (always expressed) and inducible (upon stress), but as many in vivo studies fail to distinguish between them and because temporal expression patterns often differ among various types of HSPs, when to measure HSPs is unclear. In this study, 26 (13/treatment) adult female Zebra Finches Taeniopygia guttata were heat stressed (39 °C) or placed in a control brooder (room temperature) for three hours and were bled one-week prior to and at one, two, four, six and 20 hours post-treatment. Treatment had no effect on levels of either constitutive HSP70 or inducible HSP90, but both HSPs decreased with time relative to baseline, suggesting a possible effect of handling stress and/or circadian variation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Relationship between individual's entrepreneurship intention, and adoption and knowledge of information technology and its applications: an empirical study

Entrepreneurial tendency appears to be influenced by individuals’ adoption and knowledge of information technology (IT) and its applications. This is mainly due to the shift in business environment...
The Effect of Lightly Gripping a Cane on Sit-to-stand Transfer in Post-stroke Patients

Background: Light touch cue is a sensory input that could potentially help in the control of posture. The immediate stimulatory effect of light touch...
Preemergence Application of Dicamba to Manage Dicamba-Resistant Kochia (Kochia scoparia)

Dicamba-resistant crops are being rapidly embraced by growers in the United States to manage glyphosate-resistant and other difficult-to-control broadleaf weeds. However, dicamba resistance in kochia, one of the troublesome weeds of the North American Great Plains, is already widespread. Hence, POST application of dicamba may not adequately control kochia. In recent years in the High Plains Region of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska, dicamba has been widely applied, often in combination with atrazine or metribuzin, in early spring for PRE control of kochia. However, there is concern this use pattern may increase the selection for dicamba-resistant (DR) kochia. Hence, there is need to understand the efficacy of dicamba applied PRE versus POST for managing DR kochia. A greenhouse study was conducted to test the efficacy of PRE-applied dicamba compared with POST application using both DR and dicamba-susceptible (DS) kochia. Efficacies of PRE-applied dicamba were compared at seeding densities of 300, 600, 900 and 1200 viable seed m-2. At eight weeks after PRE and four weeks after POST treatment, control of DR kochia seeded at 300 viable seed m-2 was improved from 10% with 560 g ae ha-1 dicamba applied POST to 94 and 97% with 350 and 420 g ha-1 dicamba applied PRE, respectively. However, the efficacy of PRE-applied dicamba was negatively correlated with seed density. When kochia seeding density was increased from 300 to 1200 seed m-2, the ED50 of PRE-applied dicamba increased from 237 to 705 g ae ha-1 for DR kochia, and from 129 to 361 g ae ha-1 for DS kochia, respectively. Thus, PRE-applied dicamba was effective in controlling the population of DR kochia tested, suggesting that PRE-applied dicamba may still provide substantial control of some DR kochia populations. However, it is not advisable to apply dicamba alone for PRE kochia control.Nomenclature: Dicamba, 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid; kochia, Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.
National REDD+ outcompetes gold and logging: The potential of cleaning profit chains

Abstract Prominent recent evaluations of global research on REDD+ progress (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) conclude that ‘progress has been slower than expected’, ‘deforestation and degradation are deeply-rooted in powerful business-as-usual interests’ and that ‘[f]or the most part, new coalitions calling for change in forest governance have failed to overcome business-as-usual deforestation.’ Others have earlier pointed out that REDD+ will incentivize land grabbing (potentially endangering customary use rights of forest-dependent citizens), and will remain financially uncompetitive against current commercial forest uses. Combining nationwide data over a decade from Guyana’s United Nations-approved Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL) submission and national documents, we found that REDD+ implemented at national level would annually add almost a quarter to the country’s budget, and should not incentivize land grabbing as it places little direct value on forest, but financial penalties (lost income) on forest damage. We show quantitatively that national REDD+ in Guyana is competitive on a hectare basis when viewed from the resource owner’s perspective, even against high value commodities such as gold and timber (the country’s main emission drivers), and at a preliminary US$5 carbon price. Hidden by the latter appears a very lopsided distribution of overall net revenue between the state and private sector commodity chains (∼1:99 and ∼1:1200). We show government or electorate pressure towards more equitable distribution, or ‘cleaning profit chains’, would both be justified and highly worthwhile, without job loss. Investing part of this homegrown finance in further securing lawful and rational management of exhaustible forest-based resources has several additional economic, social and environmental benefits, including for forest-dependent citizens. Society awareness of current revenue ratios, REDD+ income losses, and potential returns of interventions may add helpful (i.e. economic, domestic) motivation for forest governance change in sovereign countries. Weak law enforcement, prevailing across the tropics, enhances lopsided sharing, and linked political leverage could undermine plans that would interfere with private income streams, e.g. rural social development, tenure, forest/biodiversity conservation. Interventions may therefore additionally enhance these sectors’ performances. Assessing and cleaning private profit chains may more generally have potential for REDD+ and global climate change mitigation goals, along with its many associated social and environmental co-benefits.