cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insights into the Molecular Mechanism of Mitochondrial Toxicity by AIDS Drugs

Several of the nucleoside analogs used in the treatment of AIDS exhibit a delayed clinical toxicity limiting their usefulness. The toxicity of nucleoside analogs may be related to their effects on the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase (Pol gamma), the polymerase responsible for mitochondrial DNA replication. Among the AIDS drugs approved by the FDA for clinical use, two are modified cytosine analogs, Zalcitabine (2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC)) and Lamivudine (beta-d-(+)-2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine ((-)3TC])). (-)3TC is the only analog containing an unnatural l(-) nucleoside configuration and is well tolerated by patients even after long term administration. In cell culture (-)3TC is less toxic than its d(+) isomer, (+)3TC, containing the natural nucleoside configuration, and both are considerably less toxic than ddC. We have investigated the mechanistic basis for the differential toxicity of these three cytosine analogs by comparing the effects of dideoxy-CTP), (+)3TC-triphosphate (TP), and (-)3TC-TP on the polymerase and exonuclease activities of recombinant human Pol gamma. This analysis reveals that Pol gamma incorporates (-)3TC-triphosphate 16-fold less efficiently than the corresponding (+)isomer and 1140-fold less efficiently than dideoxy-CTP, showing a good correlation between incorporation rate and toxicity. The rates of excision of the incorporated analogs from the chain-terminated 3'-end of the DNA primer by the 3'-5'-exonuclease activity of Pol gamma were similar (0.01 s(-)1) for both 3TC analogs. In marked contrast, the rate of exonuclease removal of a ddC chain-terminated DNA occurs at least 2 orders of magnitude slower, suggesting that the failure of the exonuclease to remove ddC may play a major role in its greater toxicity. This study demonstrates that direct analysis of the mitochondrial DNA polymerase structure/function relationships may provide valuable insights leading to the design of less toxic inhibitors.
Creep crack growth in technical alloys at elevated temperature—A review☆

Abstract Creep crack growth is a phenomenon of quasi-static growth of cracked structural components at elevated temperature under sustained load that is much less than its critical value for fast crack propagation. The literature on creep crack growth in alloys, such as Inconel 718, SS 304, IN 100, etc. that are often used in energy systems and military structures at elevated temperature is examined within the framework of fracture mechanics. The importance of creep crack growth is highlighted by the fact that fatigue crack growth (FCG) rates are found to be frequency dependent at elevated temperature. A transition from transgranular to intergranular failure modes is noted as frequency decreases. The time-dependent effect on FCG rates comes from oxidation damage and creep crack growth. In extrapolating the low-cycle fatigue laboratory test data to service conditions, the interaction with creep and oxidation can drastically modify the predicted behavior. Experimental work that demonstrates the relevance of creep crack growth in regard to fatigue crack growth at elevated temperature is first briefly reviewed. Microscopic description and empirical results of creep crack growth are next reviewed. Quasi-static crack growth is often observed at elevated temperature at stress intensity levels well below the material fracture toughness Klc. The creep exponent n is found to play an important role in defining creep brittle vs creep ductile behaviors. Finally, the theoretical models based upon phenomenological parameters are reviewed.
Euler/Navier-Stokes zonal scheme with applications to separated and isolated-vortex flows

An Euler/Navier-Stokes zonal scheme with boundary-layer compatibility conditions is developed to economically compute separated and vortex flows. The scheme is based on dividing the flow region into zones, where different levels of mathematical approximations of the governing equations are used in each zone. The scheme is applied to two specific problems: the two dimensional flow over a blunt leading-edge plate and the quasi-axisymmetric flow of an isolated vortex core. In the first problem, the computational domain is divided into inner and outer zones where the Navier-Stokes and Euler equations are used, respectively. On the downstream boundary of the computational domain, boundary-layer compatibility conditions are used. In the second problem, boundary-layer-like equations for slender, compressible, vortex flows are developed. A compatibility condition has been used to ensure consistency of the boundary and initial conditions. The outer boundary conditions of the flow are derived from Euler equations for a stream surface.
Upper semicontinuity properties of variable sets in optimal control

In existence theorems for optimal solutions in control theory, concepts of upper semicontinuity of variable sets in Euclidean spaces have been used. In the present paper, a scale of concepts is introduced which is intermediate between Kuratovski's upper semicontinuity and Cesari's upper semicontinuity. First, the relationships and properties of the concepts are studied. Then, examples of problems of control with distributed and boundary parameters are given showing the relevance of the same concepts.
“On the beach of elsewhere”: Angela carter's moral pornography and the critique of gender archetypes

(2000). “On the beach of elsewhere”: Angela carter's moral pornography and the critique of gender archetypes. Women's Studies: Vol. 29, No. 6, pp. 717-740.
BODIES DON'T JUST TELL STORIES, THEY TELL HISTORIES: Embodiment of Historical Trauma among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Increasingly, understanding how the role of historical events and context affect present-day health inequities has become a dominant narrative among Native American communities. Historical trauma, which consists of traumatic events targeting a community (e.g., forced relocation) that cause catastrophic upheaval, has been posited by Native communities and some researchers to have pernicious effects that persist across generations through a myriad of mechanisms from biological to behavioral. Consistent with contemporary societal determinants of health approaches, the impact of historical trauma calls upon researchers to explicitly examine theoretically and empirically how historical processes and contexts become embodied. Scholarship that theoretically engages how historically traumatic events become embodied and affect the magnitude and distribution of health inequities is clearly needed. However, the scholarship on historical trauma is limited. Some scholars have focused on these events as etiological agents to social and psychological distress; others have focused on events as an outcome (e.g., historical trauma response); others still have focused on these events as mechanisms or pathways
Theory of the effect of third-harmonic generation on three-photon resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization in focused beams

Multiphoton ionization in the region near a three-photon resonance is treated for focused, plane-polarized Gaussian beams with diffraction-limited beam divergence. In this situation, a third-harmonic field is generated within the laser beam. At, and very near, three-photon resonance the driving rate for the upper-state probability amplitude due to one-photon absorption of third-harmonic light becomes nearly equal to the corresponding three-photon rate due to the laser field, but these effects are 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} out of phase. As a consequence of this cancellation between two pumping terms, the three-photon resonance line essentially disappears at moderate concentrations and the observed ionization has a line shape that is close to the phase-matching curve for third-harmonic generation. The ionization signal, near but not on the resonance, is due almost entirely to absorption of third-harmonic photons plus other laser photons; three-photon resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization by the laser is much weaker. This is particularly true on the blue side of the three-photon resonance at detunings where phase matching occurs. The problem is treated quite generally with predictions of the full line shape for $n$-photon ionization and third-harmonic light generation near three-photon resonance, including the rather strong influences of positively dispersive buffer gases. We also show that the cancellation between the one-photon and the three-photon process is partially spoiled in the presence of a counterpropagating beam at the same frequency.
Perceptual Control and Social Power

This article explores a new psychological perspective on human behavior, a cybernetic approach called “perceptual control theory” (PCT). After detailing the PCT model, I demonstrate one application of PCT to sociological theory by applying this perspective to questions of power and interpersonal control. I argue that social power should be distinguished from interpersonal use of force, coercion, incentives, or influence. Rather, power derives from an alignment of goals by humans acting as independent control systems. The article closes with a discussion of connections between PCT and several strands of current sociological theory.
Random effects regression mixtures for analyzing infant habituation

Random effects regression mixture models are a way to classify longitudinal data (or trajectories) having possibly varying lengths. The mixture structure of the traditional random effects regression mixture model arises through the distribution of the random regression coefficients, which is assumed to be a mixture of multivariate normals. An extension of this standard model is presented that accounts for various levels of heterogeneity among the trajectories, depending on their assumed error structure. A standard likelihood ratio test is presented for testing this error structure assumption. Full details of an expectation-conditional maximization algorithm for maximum likelihood estimation are also presented. This model is used to analyze data from an infant habituation experiment, where it is desirable to assess whether infants comprise different populations in terms of their habituation time.
RESPONSE OF PEKIN AND MALLARD DUCKS AND CANADA GEESE TO EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION WITH DUCK PLAGUE VIRUS

Studies show that duck plague virus elicits comparable clinical and pathologic responses in domestic White Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus), wild mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), and Canada geese (Branta canadensis). All these birds were infected by oral inoculation or contact exposure. The antibody response was similar in both duck species. Clinical signs were ruffled feathers, increased lachrymation, nasal secretion, diarrhea, and reddening of the cloacal mucosae. The mortality rate was high in Pekin ducks and Canada geese, while mallard ducks were more resistant. Serums from birds that survived infection had a relatively high antibody level. The pathologic changes were qualitatively comparable in all three waterfowl species and were characterized by generalized congestion, hemorrhages in the serous and mucous membranes and necrosis of the gastrointestinal mucosae as well as the liver. Intranuclear inclusion bodies having staining characteristics of DNA viruses were found in the hepatic ce...
Antagonism between alloxan and caffeine.

IT has been reported1 that mice with the hereditary obese hyperglycaemic syndrome react paradoxically to alloxan administration. (The obese hyperglycaemic syndrome entails, inter alia, extreme adiposity (with weight up to 120 g instead of about 30 g in non-obese littermates), pancreatic islets hyperplasia, moderate hyperphagia, extreme inactivity, a high blood glucose (generally 250–450 mg per 100 c.c.) despite high pancreatic and circulating insulin-like activity, insulin resistance and extreme sensitivity to cold2. The adipose tissue of animals with this syndrome shows a number of metabolic idiosyncrasies, in particular, enormously increased capacity for lipogenesis despite decreased glucose uptake3 and an absence of increase in fat mobilization by epinephrine or FMS4. It appears likely that the primary inborn error is the lack of the normally present repressor to glycerokiiiase in the white adipose tissue5 with the pancreatic hyperplasia, hyperinsulinism, increased hepatic lipogenesis, etc., secondary. Contrary to what could be expected on the basis of countless experiments by many investigators working with alloxan in many species, administration of a dose of alloxan which is diabetogenic to the non-obese littermates (or of twice that dose) causes a marked decrease in blood glucose lasting many months and a massive regranulation of the otherwise completely degranulated hyperplastic beta cell tissue of the islets of Langerhans1.
Animation of Human Diving

The motion of a human platform diver was simulated using a dynamic model and a control system. The dynamic model has 32 actuated degrees of freedom and dynamic parameters within the range of those reported in the literature for humans. The control system uses algorithms for balance, jumping, and twisting to initiate the dive, sequences of desired values for proportional-derivative servos to perform the aerial portion of the dive, and a state machine to sequence the actions throughout the dive. The motion of the simulated diver closely resembles video footage of dives performed by human athletes. The control and simulation techniques presented in this paper are useful for providing realistic motion for synthetic actors in computer animations and virtual environments and may someday be useful for analysis of sports performance.
Geoarchaeology at Gi, a middle stone age and later stone age site in the Northwest Kalahari

Abstract Gi with sealed middle stone age and later stone age occurrences is located in the Dobe Valley along the Botswana-Namibia border. The phases of middle stone age settlement were linked to a semiarid streamway during the early Upper Pleistocene. A major humid interval followed, when a large lake was ponded in the Dobe Valley. Later stone age settlement appeared after this lake disappeared and was replaced by a mosaic of pans (ephemeral lakes). Subsequently, another period of humid environment favoured another valley-wide lake during the late Upper Pleistocene. Later stone age settlement resumed when this second lake deteriorated into the modern pan terrains of the Dobe Valley. In total, the Gi beds record multiple environmental changes both more humid and more arid than present during the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene, as well as a variable array of adaptive opportunities for prehistoric settlement.
The enhanced frontalis sling for blepharoptosis repair

PURPOSE: To describe a simple modification of the frontalis sling procedure. DESIGN: Interventional case reports. METHODS: The fascia lata strips are passed superiorly with a Richard-Allan needle rather than trimmed at the central incision in the inferior forehead. RESULTS: Satisfactory and stable eyelid positions have been achieved in six patients. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the area of contact between the fascia lata strips and the frontalis muscle should enhance the muscle's action in elevating the ptotic eyelid.
Synthesis and turnover of lysosomal glycoproteins. Relation to the molecular heterogeneity of the lysosomal enzymes

Many, if not all, of the lysosomal acid hydrolases exist in several molecular forms. For example, using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [l] and isoelectric focusing [2,3] we found two to five distinct forms of seven different hydrolases in rat kidney lysosomes. That this molecular heterogeneity may have biological importance is strongly suggested by the recent discovery that the acidic (A) form of a lysosomal hydrolase is lacking in two inherited lipid storage diseases, namely aryl sulfatase A in metachromatic leukodystrophy [4,5] and hexosaminidase A in TaySachs disease [6,7] . Apparently the corresponding basic (B) form of these hydrolases which is present in normal or elevated amounts in these diseases is incapable of hydrolyzing the accumulated sphingolipid, cerebroside sulfate in metachromatic leukodystrophy [4,5] and GM, ganglioside (and its asialo derivative) in Tay-Sachs disease [6,7] . These observations imply that the different molecular forms may display divergent substrate specificities and hydrolytic activities in vivo. We have shown that the various acid hydrolases in purified lysosomal fractions from rat kidney and liver are glycoproteins (GPs) [ 1,8,9] . A study of the effects of bacterial neuraminidase on the electrophoretic mobility [8] , and pIs [3] of a number of lysosomal hydrolases indicated that N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) residues are largely responsible for the solubility and electronegative charge of these enzymes. On the basis of the solubility and electrophoretic mobility of five acid hydrolases in rat kidney subcellular fractions [9, lo] , and
Borrelia burgdorferi elicited-IL-10 suppresses the production of inflammatory mediators, phagocytosis, and expression of co-stimulatory receptors by murine macrophages and/or dendritic cells.

Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) is a tick-borne spirochete that is the causative agent for Lyme disease. Our previous studies indicate that virulent Bb can potently enhance IL-10 production by macrophages (MOs) and that blocking IL-10 production significantly enhances bacterial clearance. We hypothesize that skin-associated APC types, such as MOs and dendritic cells (DCs) are potent producers of IL-10 in response to Bb, which may act in autocrine fashion to suppress APC responses critical for efficient Bb clearance. Our goal is to delineate which APC immune functions are dysregulated by Bb-elicited IL-10 using a murine model of Lyme disease. Our in vitro studies indicated that both APCs rapidly produce IL-10 upon exposure to Bb, that these levels inversely correlate with the production of many Lyme-relevant proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and that APCs derived from IL-10-/- mice produced greater amounts of these proinflammatory mediators than wild-type APCs. Phagocytosis assays determined that Bb-elicited IL-10 levels can diminish Bb uptake and trafficking by MOs, suppresses ROS production, but does not affect NO production; Bb-elicited IL-10 had little effect on phagocytosis, ROS, and NO production by DCs. In general, Bb exposure caused little-to-no upregulation of several critical surface co-stimulatory markers by MOs and DCs, however eliminating Bb-elicited IL-10 allowed a significant upregulation in many of these co-stimulatory receptors. These data indicate that IL-10 elicited from Bb-stimulated MOs and DCs results in decreased production of proinflammatory mediators and co-stimulatory molecules, and suppress phagocytosis-associated events that are important for mediating both innate and adaptive immune responses by APCs.
Glucocorticoids Stimulate Growth of Human Papillomavirus Type 16 (HPV16)-Immortalized Human Keratinocytes and Support HPV16-Mediated Immortalization without Affecting the Levels of HPV16 E6/E7 mRNA

Abstract We investigated the effects of the glucocorticoids hydrocortisone and dexamethasone on human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-mediated human cell carcinogenesis using normal human keratinocytes (HKc) and HKc immortalized by transfection with HPV16 DNA (HKc/HPV16). Normal HKc did not require glucocorticoids for proliferation. In contrast, growth of early passage HKc/HPV16 strictly required these hormones, although glucocorticoid dependence became less stringent during in vitro progression. Glucocorticoid dependence was acquired by HKc early after immortalization with HPV16 DNA, and glucocorticoids were required for efficient HKc immortalization. However, treatment of HKc/HPV16 with hydrocortisone or dexamethasone did not increase the steady-state levels of HPV16 E6/E7 mRNA or protein. Firefly luciferase activity expressed under the control of the HPV16 upstream regulatory region and P97 promoter increased by about fourfold following dexamethasone treatment of HeLa, but only twofold in HKc/HPV16, and less than twofold in SiHa. However, all of these cell lines expressed sufficient endogenous glucocorticoid receptors to allow for a dexamethasone response of the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter. These results indicate that mechanisms other than a direct influence by glucocorticoids on HPV16 early gene expression may contribute to the striking biological effects of these steroids on HPV16-mediated human cell carcinogenesis.
A Treiman-Yang test for the pole approximation in 6Li(p, pd)4He at 19 MeV

Abstract The 6 Li(p, pd) 4 He reaction was tested for dominance of a pole diagram by measurement of the Treiman-Yang distribution at an incident energy of 19 MeV. The resulting T-Y distributions were consistent with the isotropic pole predictions in the 0–60 MeV/ c region of deuteron cluster momentum in 6 Li. Absolute cross sections were obtained in the region of the test and were fitted with a plane wave impulse approximation and surface cutoff as prescribed by Shapiro. The reduced width for a deuteron in 6 Li obtained for a cutoff radius of 5.7 fm was θ d 2 = 0.23±0.09 corresponding to an effective deuteron cluster number N eff = 0.13±0.05.
A study of methods for in situ X-ray energy dispersive analysis of polyphosphate bodies in Plectonema boryanum

A variety of preparative methods for in situ X-ray energy dispersive analysis were tested to determine their effects on the elemental composition of polyphosphate bodies in P. boryanum. The bodies were found to contain large amounts of P and K and small amounts of Ca and Mg. Air drying, freeze-drying and freeze-drying from a liquid nitrogen slush all gave similar results. Fixation of the cells in glutaraldehyde and/or OsO4 resulted in loss of the K and enhancement of the Ca peak. Magnesium was lost during embedding in epoxy.
On the covering radius of a code and its subcodes

Abstract Let C 0 be a subcode of codimension i of a binary code C . We show that the covering radius ϱ ( C 0 ) of C 0 and the covering radius ϱ ( C ) of C satisfy ϱ ( C 0 )⩽ ϱ ( C )( i +1)+ i . When i  1, we determine the exact range of values for ϱ ( C 0 ) and ϱ ( C ). We also obtain an improved inequality for large i .
Phase Ib/II Trial of Gemcitabine, Cisplatin, and Lenalidomide as First-Line Therapy in Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma

Background. Outcomes with current chemotherapy in met- astatic urothelial carcinoma (MUC) remain poor. Lenalido- mide, an antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory agent, enhances the effects of chemotherapy in preclinical studies. In this phase Ib/II study, we sought to determine a tolerable dose of lenalidomide in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GCL) in patients with MUC and to explore the safety and activity of this regimen. Methods. Patients with chemotherapy-na¨ive MUC received gemcitabine1,000mg/m 2 ondays1and8andcisplatin70mg/ m 2 onday1every21days.InphaseIb,therewerefourplanned escalating dose levels of lenalidomide (10, 15, 20, and 25 mg) daily on days 1-14. Results. Seven patients received GCL in phase Ib.The dose of lenalidomide was not escalated beyond 10 mg because of cytopenias requiring repeated dose delays and reductions. TwoadditionalpatientswereenrolledinphaseII,butthestudy was ultimately terminated due to poor tolerability and slow accrual. The most frequent grade $3 adverse events were cytopenias and diarrhea.Three of the nine patients experi- enced an objective response (one complete response, two partial responses). Conclusion. Chronic administration of the GCL regimen was poorly tolerated because of additive and cumulative myelo- suppression.The Oncologist 2014;19:915-916
Hybrid control of spherical orientation

We propose a hybrid controller ensuring robust global asymptotic stability of a desired spherical orientation in a kinematic setting-a task that is impossible by continuous or memoryless discontinuous state-feedback due to topological obstructions. The hybrid control structure relies on hysteretically switching between locally stabilizing control laws that are generated by a “synergistic” family of potential functions. We propose a parametrized diffeomorphism as a means of generating such a synergistic family. This construction is accomplished by composing an existing potential function with the diffeomorphism invoked with different parameters, thus generating new potential functions that have different critical behavior. A salient feature of the construction is that it can produce a synergistic family of potential functions from a single potential function.
Searching an appropriate template size for multimodal image clustering

It has been shown by researchers that using a multimodality approach can help in identifying better clusters in an image collection. The multimodal image features include low-level image features and available text annotations. This approach helps in identifying inherent relationships among different types of features associated with an image. In our approach, we divide images into small tiles and create visual keywords using a high-dimensional clustering algorithm. These visual keywords act the same as text keywords. One of the challenges of this approach is to identify an appropriate size for visual keywords. In this paper, we report our results in finding a suitable template size that can be used to create tiles for visual keywords. These visual keywords are combined with text keywords to create a multimodal image representation before applying clustering.
Adaptive Wavelength Assignment Using Wavelength Spectrum Separation for Distributed Optical Networks

As an optical signal propagates along a lightpath to its destination in distributed wavelength-routed optical networks, the signal's quality is degraded by transmission impairments, such as node crosstalk, which is induced by power leaking in the network nodes. Consequently, the bit error rate of the received signal at the destination can be unacceptably high. In this paper, a new adaptive wavelength assignment scheme based on wavelength spectrum separation technique is proposed to combat physical impairments in distributed optical networks. The proposed algorithm outperforms traditional techniques as measured by the blocking probability, adding little complexity.
Gabriel Harvery’s 16th Century Theory of Curriculum

Curriculum is typically understood to be a 20th century construct organized around the modern content disciplines. Gabriel Harvey’s 16th century oration on rhetoric disrupts this understanding by demonstrating that the practice of thinking about and developing the course of study that students engage is a much older phenomenon. Harvey further presents a way of thinking about curriculum outside of the content disciplines by organizing the teaching and study of rhetoric around the ancient three-fold tool of education, Nature, Art, and Exercise. While these concepts do not appear explicitly in modern curriculum studies, they continue to underlie our current ideas about education and recur in the works of John Dewey, Alfred North Whitehead, and William E. Doll.
Linear invariants of a Cartesian tensor

The number of linear invariants under S0(3) as well as S0(2) of a Cartesian tensor of an arbitrary rank is studied. A linear form is defined in terms of elements of a tensor. It is established that the number of linear invariants of a tensor of rank n under S0(3) equals the dimension of the space of isotropic tensors of rank n. Formulas for the number of invariants in the two cases are also derived. For the elasticity tensor, our analysis confirms the results of Morris.
Automated Production of High-Volume, Real-Time Political Event Data

This paper summarizes the current state-of-the-art for generating high-volume, near-real-time event data using automated coding methods, based on recent efforts for the DARPA Integrated Crisis Early Warning System (ICEWS) and NSF-funded research. The ICEWS work expanded by more than two orders of magnitude previous automated coding efforts, coding of about 26-million sentences generated from 8-million stories condensed from around 30 gigabytes of text. The actual coding took six minutes. The paper is largely a general "how-to" guide to the pragmatic challenges and solutions to various elements of the process of generating event data using automated techniques. It also discusses a number of ways that this could be augmented with existing open-source natural language processing software to generate a third-generation event data coding system.
Fluctuations in densities of the invasive gill parasite Centrocestus formosanus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) in the Comal River, Comal County, Texas, U.S.A.

abstract: Centrocestus formosanus (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) is an invasive fish parasite in the Comal River, Texas, and is considered a threat to the federally endangered fountain darter, Etheostoma fonticola. Monitoring densities of C. formosanus cercariae is crucial to determining levels of infection pressure. We sampled 3 sites in the Comal River during 2 sampling periods, the first during 2006–2007, and again during 2009–2010. Two of the sites were located in the upstream reach of Landa Lake, sites HS and LA, and the third site was located downstream of Landa Lake in the old channel of the river. Cercariae densities were highest at the downstream most site (EA), followed by sites LA and HS, during both sampling periods, but a significant decline in cercariae density was observed between the first and second sampling periods. Several abiotic factors were monitored, including total stream discharge, wading discharge, temperature, and dissolved oxygen, but no river-wide trends were observed. Therefore,...
Private Governance as Public Policy: A Paradigmatic Shift

Private governance and a variant, public-private governance, produce a significant portion of the rules that govern citizens’ lives day-to-day. Yet political science has not paid sufficient attention to the full array of governance arrangements (beyond formal government) that impress themselves on the lives of ordinary people. Why not, why is this matter important, and what is the appropriate response to this deficiency? The conceptual framework within which practitioners work and the language they use—specifically, using the phrase “public policy” to refer exclusively to policy made by government—unduly limit the scope of political science. Those who do study policymaking activities of private groups encounter a conceptual and linguistic poverty that constrains their work. A recounting of a particular study of private governance in the global arena demonstrates the insufficiency of language as it is currently deployed. An extended example in the area of pension accounting, a highly technical field, is us...
Sensitivity of oral fluids for detecting influenza A virus in populations of vaccinated and non‐vaccinated pigs

Please cite this paper as: Romagosa et al. (2011) Sensitivity of oral fluids for detecting influenza A virus in populations of vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. Background/objective We evaluated the sensitivity of PCR on oral fluids in detecting influenza virus in vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs. Methods Three-week-old influenza-free pigs were divided into three groups: (i) control, non-vaccinated, (ii) vaccinated with a commercial, heterologous vaccine, and (iii) vaccinated with an experimental, homologous vaccine. After vaccination, an influenza-infected pig was placed in contact with each of the groups. Individual nasal swabs and pen oral fluids were collected daily. Viral RNA was tested for the presence of influenza by RRT-PCR and virus isolation attempted from oral fluids. A pen was considered positive if at least one nasal swab was positive. Results Based on nasal swab results, 43·8% of pens were detected positive but only 35% based on oral fluids. Overall sensitivity of oral fluids was 80%, and virus was isolated from 51% of RRT-PCR-positive oral fluids. The kappa coefficient for agreement (ĸ) between oral fluids and nasal swabs was 0·82. Among groups, ĸ was 1 (95% CI, 1–1), 0·74 (95% CI, 0·55–0·92), and 0·76 (95% CI, 0·5–1) for control, heterologous, and homologous-vaccinated groups, respectively. There was less agreement when within pen prevalence was 10% or less. Probability of detecting influenza virus in oral fluids was 99% when within pen prevalence was higher than 18% and decreased to 69% when prevalence was 9%. Conclusions Results indicated that pen-based collection of oral fluids is a sensitive method to detect influenza even when within pen prevalence is low and when pigs have been vaccinated and highlight the potential use of oral fluids for influenza surveillance.
Regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene) conducting block copolymers

Regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophenes) (PATs) represent an important class of polymers that are environmentally stable and display high electrical conductivity. Despite their excellent electrical properties, PATs do not exhibit very good mechanical and processing properties. This issue is addressed here by integrating poly(3-alkylthiophene) in copolymer structures with various polymer blocks that display better mechanical properties, leading to a variety of polymeric materials with desired properties. We describe a new method for the synthesis of poly(3-alkylthiophene) block copolymers using vinyl terminated regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene) as precursors via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).
Survival After Resection for Metastatic Testicular Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Cancer to the Lung or Mediastinum

Background Since the advent of cisplatin-based chemotherapy, nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) have been considered one of the most curable solid neoplasms and a model for multimodality cancer therapy. We undertook an institutional review of testicular NSGCT patients who underwent operations to remove lung or mediastinal metastases after chemotherapy in the cisplatin era to determine outcomes. Methods From 1980 to 2006, 431 patients underwent 640 postchemotherapy surgical procedures to remove lung (n = 159, 36.8%), mediastinal (n = 136, 31.6%), or both lung and mediastinal (n = 136, 31.6%) metastases within 2 years of chemotherapy. Multiple variables potentially predictive of survival were analyzed. Results The overall median survival was 23.4 years, with 295 (68%) patients alive and well after an average follow-up of 5.6 years. There was no survival difference in patients who underwent removal of lung or mediastinal metastases. Pathologic categories of resected residual disease were necrosis (21.5%), teratoma (52.7%), persistent NSGCT (15.0%), and degenerative non-germ cell cancer (10.1%). Multivariable analysis identified older age at time of diagnosis (p = 0.001), non-germ cell cancer in testes specimen (p = 0.004), and pathology of residual disease (p Conclusions Patients who undergo resection of residual lung or mediastinal disease for metastatic testicular NSGCT as a planned approach after cisplatin-based chemotherapy have overall excellent long-term survival. Survival is equivalent comparing hematogenous and lymphatic routes of metastases but depends on the pathology of the resected disease. These results justify an aggressive surgical approach, particularly to remove residual teratoma in the lung or mediastinum after chemotherapy, including multiple surgical procedures if necessary.
Occult hematologic malignancy in routine tonsillectomy specimens: a single institutional experience and review of the literature.

Objectives Handling of tonsillectomy specimens often includes gross and histologic examination. The published incidence of occult malignancy in benign-appearing tonsils is vanishingly rare, and consequently some propose omitting histologic analysis in young patients without clinical risk factors for malignancy or grossly suspicious features. Methods At our institution, an occult Burkitt lymphoma in a grossly benign-appearing tonsil from an otherwise healthy 5-year-old prompted review of our cases. We retrospectively reviewed tonsillectomy findings over a 5-year period, excluding patients with known lymphoma or head and neck malignancies. A total of 740 patients were identified. All cases underwent gross and histologic examination. Results Four additional malignancies were diagnosed, including a clinically unsuspected lymphoma in a 14-year-old patient. In our experience, although most tonsillar malignancies present with suspicious clinical or gross findings, occult malignancies do occur. Conclusions Recognition of these occult findings may facilitate early diagnosis and treatment; thus pathologic study of these specimens may still be justified.
Fiber optic ultrasonic sensor using Raman-Nath light diffraction

A novel fiber optic ultrasonic sensor using the principle of Raman-Nath light diffraction has been developed. The sensor does not perturb the acoustic field and exhibits a wideband frequency response. In addition to the remote sensing of the field, it is suitable for measurements of both continuous and pulsed ultrasonic waves. The experimental results obtained with the sensor were compared to those measured using a calibrated PVDF needle hydrophone, showing excellent agreement. The sensor's frequency response in the range from 3 to 15 MHz, typical of that used in medical ultrasound imaging, was determined using the time delay spectrometry (TDS) technique. It appears that the fiber optic sensor provides a useful alternative to the widely used PVDF ultrasonic probes in specific applications where any perturbation between acoustic field and sensor is undesirable. Also, since the active element diameter of the sensor can be made comparable to the core diameter of an optical fiber, the fiber optic sensor minimizes the spatial averaging effects and offers significant improvement in comparison with the present state-of-the-art hydrophones which have a minimum diameter on the order of 300 /spl mu/m. >
Streaming Solutions for Fine-Grained Network Traffic Measurements and Analysis

Streaming network traffic measurements and analysis is critical for detecting and preventing any real-time anomalies in the network. The high speeds and complexity of today's network make the traditional slow open-loop measurement schemes infeasible. We propose an alternate closed-loop measurement paradigm and demonstrate its practical realization. To the heart of our solution are three streaming algorithms that provide a tight integration between the measurement platform and the measurements. The algorithms cater to varying degrees of computational budgets, detection latency, and accuracy. We empirically evaluate our streaming solutions on a highly parallel and programmable measurement platform. The algorithms demonstrate a marked 100% accuracy increase from a recently proposed MRT algorithm in detecting DoS attacks made up of synthetic hard-to-track elephant flows. Our proposed algorithms maintain the worst case complexities of the MRT, while empirically demonstrating a moderate increase in average resource utilization.
Stimulus-response compatibility in the programming of speech

Subjects chose between sequences of one syllable (e.g.,/gi/vs./bi/), two syllables (e.g.,/gibi/ vs./gubu/), and three syllables (e.g.,/gibidi/ vs. gubudu/), when/i/sequences were signaled by high-pitched tones and/u] sequences were signaled by low-pitched tones (high compatibility), or the reverse (low compatibility). Choice times were additively affected by sequence length and compatibility. A second experiment showed attenuated compatibility effects for sequences with different vowels in the first and second syllables. These results replicate previously reported results for choices between finger sequences, which suggests that the same programming methods are used in both output domains. Evidently, choices between response sequences can be achieved by selecting a distinguishing parameter and assigning it in a serial fashion to partially prepared motor subprograms.
Antipredator Adaptations of Salamanders: Evolution and Convergence Among Terrestrial Species

“The exceptional standard of defence has been only reached through the pressure of an exceptional need” (Poulton, 1890). Poulton realized that any new defensive mechanism acquired by a prey species would be followed by the evolution of more effective predatory mechanisms or increased resistance by its predators. A result of these ever present selective pressures on both predator and prey is the evolution of intricate and efficient antipredator mechanisms.
Self-regulation of adult thalamocortical neurons

The thalamus acts as a conduit for sensory and other information traveling to the cortex. In response to continuous sensory stimulation in vivo, the firing rate of thalamocortical neurons initially...
Performance of an Image Intensifier System

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the performance of an image intensifier system. A cascaded system of image intensifier tubes is designed to record particle tracks in a scintillation chamber. The chamber may be constructed of plastic filament scintillators or a homogeneous NaI(Tl) crystal and is intended for nuclear physics experiments. The image intensifier system can be characterized by: (1) a spatial resolution of about, 1 mm over a field of about 10 cm diameter; (2) an ability to store an input image for a few tenths of a microsecond, the image being then either recorded on command from an external counter array or cleared from the storage element. The results show that the best track pictures are obtained with a net quantum gain between the first cathode and the intensifier orthicon of about 400. The measurement of spatial resolution is done with a line pattern consisting of sets of black and white lines of equal width and 100% contrast projected on the photocathode. Although the method is subjective, reproducibility to 15% or better is usually obtained.
Mohs versus surgical excision in nonmelanoma skin cancers: does location matter?

INTRODUCTION Every year, nearly 1.2 million people are affected by nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) in the United States. Most published data focus on comparing the efficacy of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) versus traditional surgical excision (TSE) for NMSCs in H-zone lesions of the face. There is paucity of data regarding the 2 treatments in other areas such as the non-H-zone areas of the face, the trunk, and extremities. Our study focused on the efficacy of the 2 treatments in areas of the body where the skin was not of premium. METHOD A retrospective chart review was performed of patients with NMSCs treated with TSE at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Hospital between 2000 and 2008. Patients with at least a 3-year follow-up were selected for the study. Institutional review board approval was obtained before commencement of the study. Age, sex, and race-matched patients were selected in the MMS group. Data collected included demographic data, tumor characteristics, surgical treatment, reconstructions, recurrence rates, complications, and follow-up course. Data were analyzed using SigmaStat 3.5. RESULTS A total of 588 patients were treated for NMSCs at our institute between 2000 and 2008, of which 289 patients had non-H-zone, extremity, and trunk lesions. The follow-up period for these patients was at least 3 years. Average age of this group was 67.1 (11.4) with 89.9% being males. Age, sex, and race-matched group of 200 patients treated with MMS for NMSCs were randomly chosen from the same time range. Average size of lesions was 17.4 (16.9) mm in the TSE group and 1.1 (0.4) mm in the MMS group (P < 0.05). Primary reconstruction was performed in non-premium areas (ie, non-H-zone areas of the face, the trunk, and extremities) in 98.7% patients in the TSE group and 61.5% patients in the MMS group (P < 0.05). Secondary reconstructive rate was 1.3% in TSE compared to 37.5% in MMS. Overall recurrence rate was 4.8% (compared to 3% with MMS). Of the 29 patients who had recurrences within the TSE group, 27 were H-zone lesions and 2 were non-H-zone lesions. DISCUSSION One of the primary goals of NMSC management is to treat the lesion with adequate oncologic margins, while preserving maximal function and cosmesis. Our data look at the non-premium areas to quantify the clinical efficacy of TSE versus MMS. The size of lesions treated by TSE was significantly larger than those treated by MMS in all areas of the body. The primary closure rates were significantly higher and secondary procedure rates significantly lower in the TSE group compared to the MMS group, in non-premium areas. Our data suggest that patients with NMSCs may be more effectively treated with TSE than MMS in non-premium areas of the body. Additional studies are ongoing, including economic modeling and cost analysis.
Ḥukm bi-mā anzala'llāh: The Forgotten Prehistory of an Islamist Slogan

The phrases ḥukm bi-mā anzala'llāh (‘ruling/judging by that which God has revealed’) and ḥukm bi-ghayri mā anzala'llāh (‘ruling/judging by other than that which God has revealed’) as well as the identities of the kāfirūn, ẓālimūn, and fāsiqūn guilty of the latter have preoccupied Muslim exegetes of Sūrat al-Māʾida, verses 42–8. Among Muʿtazilīs, the verses pointed to the instrumentality of revelation, including that of the Muslims, an idea that some Twelver Shīʿī exegetes preserved. Among Sunnīs, the verses referred specifically to the ideal interaction between Muslim and non-Muslim legal systems. This article will explore how Rashīd Riḍā laid the groundwork for the Islamist appropriation of these verses by taking Twelver Shīʿī exegesis of the verses out of its original context. The religious debate following the assassination of Anwar Sadat dramatised the clash between the traditional Sunnī understanding of the verses and the novel interpretation offered by Riḍā and later Islamist exegetes such as Shaʿrā...
Trends in tobacco use among US adults with chronic health conditions: National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2005-2013.

Abstract Introduction: Chronic conditions are among the most common and costly of all health problems. Addressing tobacco use among adults with chronic conditions is a public health priority due to high prevalence as well as greater potential harm from continued use. Methods: Data were drawn from 9 years (2005–2013) of the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Adult (≥ 18 years) tobacco use included any past 30-day use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or smokeless tobacco. Chronic conditions examined included anxiety, asthma, coronary heart disease, depression, diabetes, hepatitis, HIV, hypertension, lung cancer, stroke, and substance abuse. Controlling for sociodemographics, trends in product use for most conditions and a composite of any condition among those with chronic conditions were compared to respondents with no condition in weighted logistic regression analyses. Results: Cigarette smoking declined significantly over time among adults with no chronic condition. Adults with one or more chronic condition showed no comparable decrease, with cigarette smoking remaining especially high among those reporting anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Cigar and pipe use remained stable and more prevalent among those with any chronic condition, with the exception of pipe use declining among those with heart disease. Smokeless tobacco use increased over time, with higher prevalence among those with asthma, mental health, and substance abuse conditions. Conclusions: These findings have tobacco control and regulatory implications for addressing higher tobacco use among adults with chronic conditions. Provider advice and cessation resources targeting tobacco use among those with chronic conditions are recommended.