cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Singer's and the Clinician's Perspective on Vitamin B12 Treatment for Vocal Benefits

Summary Introduction There is a belief among vocalists that there are voice benefits from vitamin B12 treatment. Yet there are no previous reports regarding vitamin B12 effects on voice. Objectives To assess the prevalence of vitamin B12 use among singers and their beliefs regarding vitamin B12 therapy. Methods Anonymous online survey administered to singers, singing-teachers, speech-language pathologists, and laryngologists. Results A total of 192 participants completed the surveys; 128 singers (68 singing-teachers, 30 speech-language pathologists) and 64 laryngologists. Among singers, 12% have perceived voice benefits from vitamin B12 treatment taken for any reason. Four percent used vitamin B12 for voice benefits; all perceived voice benefits as a result. The leading voice benefits were improved stamina, reduced effort, confidence, and control. Nineteen percent of the singers would recommend vitamin B12 treatment to a friend; 15% of the singing-teachers would recommend it to a student. Among laryngologists, 33% been asked by a singer to prescribe vitamin B12 for voice benefits; 9% have prescribed it in the past. Yet only 3% would you recommend it to a patient. When asked “Do you believe vitamin B12 therapy improves vocal performance?” 31% of the singers responded “Yes,” compared with none in the laryngologists. When asked “Do you think the singing community believes vitamin B12 therapy improves vocal performance?” 26% of the singers responded “Yes,” compared with 53% of the laryngologists (P = 0.0002). Conclusions There is a discrepancy between the singers' and the laryngologists' beliefs regarding vocal benefits perceived by vitamin B12. Blinded randomized trials are required to verify or refute this belief.
NK T cells promote IL-21 secretion and enhance Ab production and affinity maturation during Plasmodium yoelii infection

NK T cells are a class of lipid antigen-restricted CD4 + T cell possessing qualities of both innate and adaptive immune cells. In addition to rapid production of various effector cytokines, NK T cells have also been shown to play a role in modulating the germinal center (GC) reaction directly by differentiation into NK-Tfh cells, or indirectly by promoting dendritic cell (DC) maturation. Due to their ability to enhance DC expression of MHCII and B7-family co-stimulatory molecules, synthetic glycolipids that target NK T cells are being considered as adjuvants in a number of vaccine approaches designed to facilitate conventional CD4 + T cell activation. During Plasmodium infection, a pathogen for which a vaccine is greatly needed, NK T cells have been shown to be responsive to parasite-derived glycolypids. To assess the contribution of NK T cells to the GC reaction following Plasmodium infection, NK T cells were depleted during murine Plasmodium yoelii infection. Here, we demonstrate that NK T cell depletion did not result in the production of fewer conventional Tfh cells or GC B cells. However, depletion of NK T cells resulted in decreased frequency and total number of IL-21–producing CD4 + T cells. This resulted in NK T cell depleted mice producing a lower quantity and quality of MSP-1 19 -specific IgG Abs when compared to control mice. Ultimately, the decrease in Ab titer was attributed to significantly fewer MSP-1 19 -specific IgG antibody-secreting cells in the bone marrow of NK T cell depleted mice. Collectively, this data suggests NK T cells play an important role in shaping the GC reaction during P. yoelii infection. Successful modulation of NK T cell activity could prove a useful strategy in future Plasmodium vaccine design.
Cesarean section in a patient with familial cardiomyopathy and a cardioverter-defibrillator.

Decrire ľimpact ďun defibrillateur a synchronisation automatique implantable (DSAI) sur ľevolution de la grossesse et discuter de la justification clinique ďune anesthesie regionale chez les parturientes porteuses de DSAI. Une primigeste de 20 ans, aux antecedents de cardiomyopathie familiale et porteuse de DSAI, s’est presentee a 39 semaines de grossesse pour ľinduction reglee du travail. Ľinduction ayant echouee, la patiente a subi une cesarienne. Son DSAI a ete desactive pendant le peripartum tout en gardant active la fonction de stimulation cardiaque, car la frequence cardiaque de base etait de moins de 34 battements-min-1. Un monitorage electrocardiographique continu a ete installe au moyen ďune unite de defibrillation externe a laquelle la patiente est demeuree reliee par des electrodes externes de defibrillateur. Ľanalgesie pour le travail et ľanesthesie chirurgicale ont ete administrees par voie epidurale lombaire en variant les concentrations des doses de bupivacaine. Cette mesure a ete benefique pour la mere et ľenfant. Les defibrillateurs a synchronisation automatique implantable sont plus souvent utilises en obstetrique et ne semblent pas nuire au fœtus. Experience encore tras limitee aupras de ces patientes, on la mentionne surtout avec ľanesthesie generale pour la cesarienne. Ľanesthesie epidurale offre toutefois des avantages distincts en obstetrique, dont la conversion facile de ľanalgesie pour le travail en anesthesie chirurgicale, la preservation de ľhemodynamique fœto-maternelle, la prevention de ľaugmentation des catecholamines plasmatiques a cause de la douleur du travail ou de ľoperation et, enfin, la suppression directe possible des arythmies par des niveaux plasmatiques ďanesthesique local pharmacologiquement actifs.
TOS: The Perspective of the Patient

As all who care for patients with this problem can attest, thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is perhaps the best example of a diagnosis that is slow to be made. Symptoms can be obscure and at first mild, many primary care physicians are unfamiliar with the syndrome, and some even doubt its existence. As a result, the diagnosis is frequently delayed by months or even years, and patients are often told that “it’s all in your head” in one way or another.
Measuring sweet and bitter taste in children: Individual variation due to age and taste genetics.

Abstract From the earliest investigations on the ontogeny of taste, children as a group typically like sweet more than bitter. In this chapter, we summarize the biological basis of the sensitivity to and hedonics for these two prototypical tastes. We highlight the breadth of methodologies used in measuring taste phenotypes, recent advances in taste genetics, and how children differ from adults, as well as how each child is a unique individual due to both genetics and taste experiences. Although the number of taste genotype-phenotype studies conducted to date is limited, the convergence of findings from this line of scientific inquiry reveals how the age of the individual and variation in taste genetics contribute to variation in both sweet and bitter taste perception and hedonics. Understanding the types of childhood experiences needed to promote healthy dietary behaviors may be the single most important aspect of reducing later risks for preventable disease.
Preparing for a post-Roe world.

Changes in the make-up of the Supreme Court make an overturn of the Roe v Wade decision a realistic possibility. In order to mitigate any adverse health consequences that could result from a change in the law, all stakeholders in women’s health have to start to plan for that contingency. These stakeholders include physicians, nurse midwives, nurses, their professional organizations, health advocacy groups, health policy experts, and legislators. Among the tasks for physicians and their professional organization, we include education about the management of women injured by unsafe abortions, post-residency training for physicians with reduced access to residency training in abortion, and planning for the management of medically complicated pregnancies that currently are often terminated (eg, Eisenmenger’s syndrome). In this piece, we argue for preparation for a potential post-Roe world.
Propagating Educational Innovations

Many great teaching techniques are presented every year at SIGCSE and other CS education conferences. Unfortunately, most of them achieve very limited adoption, with few instructors incorporating these ideas into their classrooms. There is significant literature on how to encourage instructors to adopt educational innovations in other STEM fields, but the CS education community has made only limited strides in this area. This session will feature an interactive discussion of some of the barriers that prevent the adoption of good ideas, what solutions are available, and a brief presentation of the results of an ITiCSE working group on this topic. Attendees will leave the session better equipped to promote the adoption of educational innovations, either their own or ones that they have decided to champion.
Visualization of Local Conductance in MoS2/WSe2 Heterostructure Transistors

The vertical stacking of van der Waals (vdW) materials introduces a new degree of freedom to the research of two-dimensional (2D) systems. The interlayer coupling strongly influences the band structure of the heterostructures, resulting in novel properties that can be utilized for electronic and optoelectronic applications. Based on microwave microscopy studies, we report quantitative electrical imaging on gated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)/tungsten diselenide (WSe2) heterostructure devices, which exhibit an intriguing antiambipolar effect in their transfer characteristics. Interestingly, in the region with significant source-drain current, electrons in the n-type MoS2 and holes in the p-type WSe2 segments are nearly balanced, whereas the heterostructure area is depleted of mobile charges. The spatial evolution of local conductance can be ascribed to the lateral band bending and formation of depletion regions along the line of MoS2–heterostructure–WSe2. Our work vividly demonstrates the microscopic origin ...
The Turing and Truth-Table-Degrees are not Elementarily Equivalent*

We prove that no cone of turing degrees is isomorphic to any cone of truth table degrees. Moreover the two structures are not even elementarily equivalent. The same results hold for weak truth table degrees in place of tt degrees but the cones of tt and wtt degrees above O 1 are isomorphic.
A case study on implantation strategies to mitigate coronary obstruction in a patient receiving transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Abstract Coronary obstruction is a life threatening complication during and post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The objective of this preliminary work is to investigate the mechanisms underlying coronary obstruction in a patient after TAVR, in whom coronary obstruction was confirmed in addition to highlighting the importance of pre-procedural planning. The aortic root of an 80-year old male patient with coronary obstruction during TAVR–where a 29 mm SAPIEN 3 was deployed-was segmented from Computed Tomography scans and 3D-printed with compliant material. Flow and pressure data were acquired in this 3D-printed model in-vitro using a pulse duplicator under physiological conditions for the cases: a 29 mm SAPIEN 3, a 26 mm SAPIEN 3 expanded with a 29 mm balloon, and a 31 mm Medtronic-CoreValve deployed annularly, supra and sub-annularly respectively. Only the CoreValve in sub-annular axial position and the 29 mm SAPIEN 3 yielded pressure gradients (PG) lower than 10 mmHg (6.76 ± 0.52 and 5.72 ± 0.13 mmHg respectively) while the 26 mm SAPIEN 3, CoreValve in normal and supra-annular positions yielded higher PGs (15.5 ± 0.48, 12.2 ± 0.15 and 10.8 ± 0.24 mmHg respectively). 29 mm SAPIEN 3 implantation yielded an FFR value of 45.7 ± 0.6%. However, 31 mm CoreValve in any of the three different annular positions yielded FFR values going from 89.6 ± 1.1% in supra-annular position to 98.3 ± 1.1% in sub-annular position. Implantation with a 26 mm SAPIEN 3 expanded with a 29 mm balloon also yielded an FFR of 92.1 ± 1.2%. Coronary obstruction in this patient could have been prevented through usage of different valve types and/or through usage of a different combination of valve size-balloon sizes.
Naloxone Prescriptions Among Commercially Insured Individuals at High Risk of Opioid Overdose.

Importance As opioid-related mortality continues to increase, naloxone remains a critical intervention in preventing overdose death. Opportunities to expand access through the health care setting should be optimized. Objective To determine the characteristics of naloxone prescribing for US patients at high risk of opioid overdose. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used Truven Health MarketScan data from October 1, 2015, through December 31, 2016, of individuals withInternational Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revisioncodes related to opioid use, misuse, dependence, and overdose. The cohort included 138 108 commercially insured individuals aged 15 years or older in the United States with claims related to opioid misuse or dependence, opioid-related overdose, or both. Exposures Outpatient naloxone pharmacy claims. Main Outcomes and Measures Demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, health care service use, and proportion prescribed naloxone were included in multivariable logistic regression analyses to test the association of opioid risk group with naloxone claim. Results Of 138 108 high-risk individuals (mean [SD] age, 43.4 [0.4] years; 72 435 [52.4%] men), 2135 (1.5%) were prescribed naloxone. Having prior diagnoses of both opioid misuse or dependence and overdose was associated with a greater likelihood of receiving naloxone (odds ratio [OR], 2.32; 95% CI, 1.98-2.72;P Conclusions and Relevance Patients at high risk of opioid overdose rarely received prescriptions for naloxone despite numerous interactions with the health care system. Prescribing in emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings represents an opportunity to improve access.
A direct comparison of divalent metal-ion transporter (DMT1) and hinokitiol, a potential small molecule replacement

Hinokitiol, a natural lipophilic chelator, appears capable of replacing several iron transporters after they have been genetically ablated. Divalent metal-ion transporter (DMT1) is the major iron importer in enterocytes and erythroblasts. We have compared DMT1 and hinokitiol in multiple fashions to learn if the smaller molecule is a suitable substitute using two HEK293 cell lines engineered to overexpress different isoforms of DMT1. Both the macromolecule and the lipophilic chelator enable import of ferrous ions into HEK293 cells. Hinokitiol also mediates ferric ion import but DMT1 cannot do so. While DMT1 can also import Mn2+ ions, hinokitiol lacks this ability. The Michaelis-Menten analysis for kinetics of macromolecular catalysis is also suitable for hinokitiol-supported iron import. To compare hinokitiol to DMT1 relative to other metal ions that DMT1 can transport, we employed an organic extraction procedure with which we initially matched the results obtained for Fe2+, Fe3+ and Mn2+, and then showed that multiple other cations were unlikely to enter via hinokitiol. The small chelator thus shares some functional properties with DMT1, but distinct difference were also noted.
Cases in Precision Medicine: APOL1 and Genetic Testing in the Evaluation of Chronic Kidney Disease and Potential Transplant

This article discusses potential indications for genetic testing in an African American patient with chronic kidney disease who is being evaluated for a kidney transplant. Two known risk variants in the APOL1 (apolipoprotein L1) gene predispose to kidney disease and are found almost exclusively in persons of African ancestry. APOL1 risk variants are considered, including whether clinicians should incorporate genetic testing in the screening process for living kidney donors. In addition to APOL1 testing, the role of diagnostic exome sequencing in evaluating potential transplant recipients and donors with a positive family history of kidney disease is discussed.
Multi Layer Optical Coating Fabrication By Dc Magnetron Reactive sputtering

A conventional box coating chamber has been equipped with three dc magnetron sputtering cathodes, reactive gas (02, N2, H2) pressure and flow control, a planetary substrate holder, and optical monitoring to produce a low-temperature batch coating system for multilayer optical coating fabrication using oxides, nitrides, semi-conductors, and semitransparent metals. The system realizes the benefits traditionally derived from this geometry: maximum area of uniform coating thickness, spatially averaged coating flux impingement angles, and precise thickness monitoring. The use of sputtering cathodes adds the benefits of increased flexibility in choice of materials deposited, increased adatom energy at the substrate, and increased chemical reactivity in a gas discharge. Dense, durable, fully reacted dielectric coatings are achieved at low processing temperatures. Metal targets (sources) are used for ease of fabricatton, and dc power avoids radio frequency (rf) impedance matching requirements. In this paper, the chamber and components are described; operation of the cathodes is explained; and thickness uniformity profiles, deposition rates, and substrate temperature data are related. A list of materials investigated to date is presented with pertinent optical properties and intrinsic mechanical stress values. Illustrative performance examples for multilayer coatings on glasses and plastics are included.
Directed assembly of nanomaterials using electrospray deposition and substrate-level patterning

Abstract We report on the use of electrospray deposition and electrostatic focusing provided by a patterned photoresist layer to direct the assembly of nanomaterials on to a target substrate. Metallic (silver), semiconducting (titanium dioxide), and dielectric (polystyrene) particles were electrospray printed onto silicon and glass substrates with periodic photoresist patterns. The assembly and structure of the deposit was governed by the spray time, print material, substrate electrical properties, and geometry of the photoresist layer. The deposited particles could maintain an excess electric charge that influenced the assembly of subsequent particles. Tall, tree-like structures with high aspect ratio were formed on the silicon substrate when using silver and titanium dioxide particles. The growth of the deposit was inhibited for the polystyrene particles or when the target was glass. This technique was used to build two-layer deposits of different materials without having to align one layer to the next.
Why Do We Need Industrial AI

An introduction to the systematic discipline of Industrial AI and its transformational approach to problem solving in industry.
Management of side effects of oral appliance therapy for sleep-disordered breathing: summary of American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine recommendations.

Citation:Sheats RD. Management of side effects of oral appliance therapy for sleep-disordered breathing: summary of American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine recommendations. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020...
DEDICATED MARKETING ETHICS COURSE: DESIGN AND TEST

To explore the best structure for a dedicated marketing ethics course, two field experiments were conducted in which two case types (i.e., small business/personal decision-making versus corporate-w...
Cleaning and Re-Use of cobas® 6800/8800 Processing Plates for the SARS-CoV-2 Assay

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is the primary method used for the detection and diagnosis of infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since SARS-CoV-2s entrance into the United States, numerous clinical laboratories and in vitro diagnostic companies have developed rRT-PCR assays, some requiring specialized materials and reagents. One such assay includes the cobas(R) SARS-CoV-2 Qualitative Assay for use on the cobas(R) 6800/8800 (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.). Since initiation of this assay at our facility, our ability to run testing at full capacity has been limited due to restricted supply of the omni cobas(R) Processing Plate (Product Number 05534917001), a 96 deep well plate used for all sample processing and total nucleic acid extraction via MagNA Pure magnetic beads. To work around this limiting factor, we have successfully designed and tested a cleaning protocol utilizing the widely available laboratory resources of bleach, ethyl-alcohol and autoclaving, for omni cobas(R) Processing Plate re-use.
Stability of personality traits in bipolar disorder: Findings from a longitudinal cohort.

Abstract Background Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) show different personality profiles compared to non-psychiatric populations, but little is known about the temporal stability of personality traits over time, and if changes in mood state drive changes in personality. Methods Participants were 533 BD and 185 healthy controls (HC) who completed the NEO-Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R) and clinician-administered measures of mood at baseline. One-hundred-eighty BD and 79 HC completed the measures at 5-year follow-up and 60 BD and 16 HC completed the measures at 10-year follow-up. The above measures and demographic information, but not other clinical status indicators the BD illness, were used in analyses. Results The BD group has higher Neuroticism (N)/N facets and lower Extraversion (E)/E facets and Consciousness (C)/C facets compared to HC. Significant mean-level changes existed within groups but were small in magnitude, and groups showed similar moderate-to-high rank-order stability. Change in (N)/N facets shows an association with change in depression, but changes in all other NEO-PI-R scores are not associated with changes in mood. Personality traits are clinically stable in part of our bipolar sample using clinically relevant interpretation of changes in T scores; however, some BD subjects did show more reliable changes in personality traits than the healthy controls. Limitations Reliance on self-report measurement and not all our participants completed the 5- and 10-year follow-up personality assessment who were eligible to do so. Conclusions Mean-level and rank-order personality scores show only modest changes, so most personality changes over time are not systematic. Observed changes in personality traits are not explained by changes in mood with the exception of Neuroticism, suggesting other factors influence changes in personality.
Prominent decidualization following progestin treatment for endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma as a mimic of large residual tumor: A cautionary tale

Abstract Objective Progestin-based therapy is common for patients with endometrial neoplasia who desire fertility preservation, but some patients ultimately require surgery. Intraoperative assessment, which can use gross lesion size, may impact the extent of surgery performed. We sought to characterize the extent to which grossly identified lesions in the setting of progestin therapy correspond to microscopic findings. Methods Thirteen hysterectomy specimens with progestin-treated atypical hyperplasia or endometrioid carcinoma were identified. Clinicopathologic factors were collected by chart review. Slides were assessed for the extent to which decidualized stroma (DS) comprised grossly identified lesions and comparisons were drawn with tumor size, age, and menopausal status. Results Mass lesions were described in 11 cases with a median of 4.5 cm (range 1–8.2) and the 2 cases without discrete masses had diffuse thickening. Two patients had only focal residual hyperplasia despite having mass lesions (7 & 2.2 cm). DS was more prominent in premenopausal patients (median 65%, range 10–90%) than in postmenopausal patients (median 18%, range 10–40%; p = 0.06). The distribution of DS throughout mass lesions was variable. Conclusions Large mass lesions following progestin therapy may histologically consist of DS with little to no residual neoplastic disease, such that perceived tumor size does not necessarily reflect extensive residual disease, especially in pre-menopausal patients. Intraoperative gross assessment alone may lead to unnecessary lymphadenectomy and/or oophorectomy, but this can potentially be prevented by using frozen section.
COVID-19 Tweets of Governors and Health Experts: Deaths, Masks, and The Economy

As COVID-19 spread throughout the United States, governors and health experts (HEs) received a surge in followers on Twitter. This paper seeks to investigate how HEs, Democratic governors, and Republican governors discuss COVID-19 on Twitter. Tweets dating from January 1st, 2020 to October 18th, 2020 from official accounts of all fifty governors and 46 prominent U.S.-based HEs were scraped using python package Twint (N = 192,403) and analyzed using a custom-built wordcount program (Twintproject, 2020). The most significant finding is that in 2020, Democratic governors mentioned death at 4.03 times the rate of Republican governors in their COVID-19 tweets. In 2019, Democratic governors still mentioned death at twice the rate of Republicans. We believe we have substantial evidence that Republican governors are less comfortable talking about death than their Democratic counterparts. We also found that Democratic governors tweet about masks, stay-at-home measures, and solutions more often than Republicans. After controlling for state-level variations in COVID-19 data, our regression model confirms that party affiliation is still correlated with the prevalence of tweets in these three categories. However, there isn’t a large difference between the proportion of COVID-19 tweets, tweets about the economy, tweets about vaccines, and tweets containing “science-like” words between governors of the two parties. HEs tweeted about death and vaccines more than the governors. They also tweeted about solutions and testing at a similar rate compared to governors and mentioned lockdowns, the economy, and masks less frequently.
Novel morphologic findings in PLAG1-rearranged soft tissue tumors.

Oncogenesis in PLAG1-rearranged tumors often results from PLAG1 transcription factor overexpression driven by promoter-swapping between constitutively expressed fusion partners. PLAG1-rearranged tumors demonstrate diverse morphologies. This study adds to this morphologic heterogeneity by introducing two tumors with PLAG1 rearrangements that display distinct histologic features. The first arose in the inguinal region of a 3-year-old, appeared well-circumscribed with a multinodular pattern, and harbored two fusions: ZFHX4-PLAG1 and CHCHD7-PLAG1. The second arose in the pelvic cavity of a 15-year-old girl, was extensively infiltrative and vascularized with an adipocytic component, and demonstrated a COL3A1-PLAG1 fusion. Both showed low-grade cytomorphology, scarce mitoses, no necrosis, and expression of CD34 and desmin. The ZFHX4-/CHCHD7-PLAG1-rearranged tumor showed no evidence of recurrence after 5 months. By contrast, the COL3A1-PLAG1-rearranged tumor quickly recurred following primary excision with positive margins; subsequent re-excision with adjuvant chemotherapy resulted in no evidence of recurrence after 2 years. While both tumors show overlap with benign and malignant fibroblastic and fibrovascular neoplasms, they also display divergent features. These cases highlight the importance of appropriate characterization in soft tissue tumors with unusual clinical and histologic characteristics.
Precision Timing with Low Gain Avalanche Detectors for the CMS MTD Endcap Timing Layer: on behalf of the CMS collaboration

The Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is undergoing an upgrade program to prepare for the upcoming High-Luminosity era of the LHC. The design of a new timing layer used to measure minimum ionizing particles (MIPs) with a time resolution of (~) 30 ps) and coverage up to pseudo-rapidity |η| = 3.0 is presented. The MIP timing detector (MTD) will be composed of a central barrel region instrumented with LYSO:Ce crystals, and two end-caps instrumented with radiation tolerant low gain avalanche detectors (LGADs). The precision timing information from the MTD will be used to reduce the effects of high pileup on object reconstruction.
Teaching character education through literature : awakening the moral imagination in secondary classrooms

This book shows how secondary and post-secondary teachers can help students become more responsive to the ethical themes and questions that emerge from the narratives they study. It helps teachers to integrate character education into the classroom by focusing on a variety of ways of drawing instructive insights from fictional life narratives. The case studies and questions throughout are designed to awaken students' moral imagination and prompt ethical reflection on four protagonists' motivations, aspirations, and choices. The book is divided into two parts. The first provides a theoretical approach while the second features case studies to apply this approach to the study of four literary characters: Sydney Carton from Tale of Two Cities Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice Janie Crawford from Their Eyes Were Watching God The questions, ideas and approaches used in these case studies can also be applied to protagonists from other narrative works in the curriculum.
Managing manmade system disasters with advanced cybernetics

Many well-known manmade system disasters exhibit a common path to catastrophe. These functional failures resulted from the gaps that eventually contribute to the development of a tragedy and essentially exist between human and machine capabilities, responses and interfaces and between control processes and control systems. Conducting an analysis of the typical contingency control structures, the authors suggest that management adopt a pessimistic and quasiintelligent orientation to control and monitor critical systems. This research proposes a threat-driven model base with decision support technologies to enhance conventional control systems and supplement management and operational responses so that the sphere of damage can be minimized.
El modelo español de democratización

The Spanish model of transition from authoritarianism was constructed on a base of negotiation and a pact between political elites to establish a democratic regime with a wide-ranging social consensus. In contrast with other histories of regime change, violence, retaliation and vengeance were ruled out. This strategy of negotiation and pact is rational when the balance of forces between the ruling and opposition elites produces uncertainty regarding the resulting winners and losers. For each one of the actors, choosing the strategy of confrontation involves the risk of ending up as an absolute loser. Each side must also consider the high costs associated with a destructive confrontation. Because of the fear of instability and conflict, the democratic institutions that were established in Spain during the transition at the end of the 1970s have emphasized government stability. Paradoxically, this has given way to polarization and concentration of power in contrast with the pluralist consensus that surrounded the transition.
Histone acetyl-lysine reader Brwd1 regulates Igκ accessibility and recombination (HEM2P.260)

The hallmark of B lymphopoiesis is sequential rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy (Igμ) and the light chain (Igκ and then Igl). We recently demonstrated that downstream of IL-7R signaling, STAT5 represses Igκ transcription and recombination by recruiting Ezh2 and marking Igκ with H3K27me3 (Nat Immunol 12:1139). In addition to Igκ, there was a restricted program of genes similarly repressed by STAT5. Among these, Brwd1 which encodes a BROMO domain containing histone acetyl-lysine reader molecule, demonstrated a similar expression pattern to Igκ. Brwd1-/- mice had defective lymphopoiesis starting at the pre-B cell stage. Strikingly, there was a 10-fold reduction in Igκ recombination in Brwd1-/- small-pre B cells and this was associated with severely reduced H3K16 acetylation. Genome wide analyses of WT pre-B cells indicated that Brwd1 bound at the highest density to Igκ and other loci marked with both H3K9 acetylation and H3S10pK14 acetylation. Phosphorylation of H3S10 was dependent on pre-BCR mediated Erk activation. Interestingly, Brwd1 binding sites were highly enriched in extended GAGA motifs that, in Drosophila, are associated with Trl recruitment and enhanced chromosomal accessibility. These findings identify the epigenetic reader Brwd1 as a critical mediator of Igκ accessibility whose expression and recruitment to the Igκ locus are coordinately controlled by the IL-7R and pre-BCR.
Bridges and Barriers: Language in African Education and Development

Recent decades have seen sub-Saharan Africa decline in both economic and human terms. The rich North has responded with a barrage of well-publicized initiatives, from pop concerts to international commitments on debt relief, aid, trade and good governance. Among the complex of factors necessary to sustain economic and human development, education receives little media coverage, although it is crucial. However, education must be effective. This book argues that in 'Anglophone' Africa, education is not effective because of the use of English, rather than children's first languages, both as the medium of instruction, and also as the language in which children are first taught to read. Research is presented from Malawi and Zambia, countries with contrasting language policies, using evidence from tests in English and African languages, small-group discussions and classroom observation. The findings show that English-medium policies in Africa do not give students any advantage in English over first-language policies, while the use of English discriminates against girls and rural children. The book concludes that much education in Africa is a barrier rather than a bridge to learning because of the prevailing language ideology, which has resulted in massive over-estimation of the value of English. While appropriate language policies alone will not solve education and development difficulties in Africa, they do have a positive contribution to make. The evidence presented here suggests they are failing to make that contribution.
Innovative Pricing Strategies: A Primer

This article demonstrates how various concepts derived from marketing and behavioral economics can be useful to accountants and others whose advice is sought on the setting of prices. In particular, it shows that a one-price policy may not always be ideal. Using price as a strategic tool can increase both profit and customer satisfaction. Pricing strategies discussed include segmented (tier) pricing, pay-what-you-want pricing, pricing digital products, and peak-user pricing. The ethical implications of pricing decisions are also discussed.
Taking Care: How Concerns about Prior Knowledge Affect the Financing of Novel Projects

Agents may propose bad projects because they unwittingly rely on defective prior knowledge. Concern about these honest mistakes encourages principals to examine track records of the agents' use of the same prior knowledge. But, such track records cannot exist for novel projects (or routine projects proposed under novel circumstances). Therefore agents may fail to obtain outside financing. This argument helps explain why highly novel ventures that are initially self-financed can subsequently attract outside financing without any decrease in standard 'incentive' or moral hazard problems. It also provides new insights about the differences in the novelty and other attributes of projects financed by individual 'angel' investors, venture capital partnerships and large public companies.
Contribution of Endogenous Enkephalins to the Enhanced Analgesic Effects of Supraspinal μ Opioid Receptor Agonists after Inflammatory Injury

This study examined a mechanism responsible for the enhanced antihyperalgesic and antinociceptive effects of the mu opioid receptor agonist (ORA) [D-Ala(2), NMePhe(4), Gly(5)-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) microinjected in the rostroventromedial medulla (RVM) of rats with inflammatory injury induced by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in one hindpaw. In rats injected with CFA 4 hr earlier, microinjection of the mu opioid receptor antagonist D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH(2) (CTAP) in the RVM antagonized both the marginal enhancement of the potency of DAMGO and its antinociceptive effect. The delta opioid receptor antagonist naltriben (NTB) was without effect. In rats injected with CFA 2 weeks earlier, CTAP antagonized the effects of DAMGO to a lesser extent. However, NTB completely prevented the enhancement of the potency of DAMGO, whereas it did not antagonize DAMGO's antinociceptive effects. Microinjection of NTB alone, but not CTAP in the RVM of CFA-treated rats, enhanced the hyperalgesia present in the ipsilateral hindpaw and induced hyperalgesia in the contralateral, uninjured hindpaw. These results suggest that persistent inflammatory injury increased the release in the RVM of opioid peptides with preferential affinity for the delta opioid receptor, which can interact in a synergistic or additive manner with an exogenously administered mu opioid receptor agonist. Indeed, the levels of [Met(5)]enkephalin and [Leu(5)]enkephalin were increased in the RVM and in other brainstem nuclei in CFA-treated rats. This increase most likely presents a compensatory neuronal response of the CNS of the injured animal to mitigate the full expression of inflammatory pain and to enhance the antinociceptive and antihyperalgesic effects of exogenously administered mu opioid receptor analgesics.
Bromacil and Its Lithium Salt

Bromacil (CAS 314-40-9) is a herbicide used for brush control primarily for land management purposes. It is also used for selective weed control in pineapple and citrus crops. Its herbicidal activity is due to inhibition of photosynthesis in several species of weeds and brush. It has low-to-moderate acute oral toxicity, low dermal and inhalation toxicity, and is a mild eye irritant and a moderate skin irritant. The lithium salt has a similar toxicity profile. In chronic dietary studies, the most sensitive effect was decreased body weight gain. Marginal increases in tumors were observed after long-term treatment at high doses, where body weight gain was depressed and factors such as increased longevity and cytotoxicity played a likely role.
Characterization of the energy-dependent, mating factor-activated Ca2+ influx in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract The yeast mating pheromones, a and α factors, bind to specific G protein-coupled receptors in haploid cells and bring about both growth arrest in the early G 1 phase of the cell cycle and differentiation into mating capable cells. This induces an increase in Ca 2+ influx leading to elevated intracellular calcium concentrations, which has been shown to be essential for subsequent downstream events and the mating process itself [1]. We have characterized the α factor induced increase in cellular Ca 2+ in wild type S. cerevisiae and in the temperature-sensitive cell division cycle mutants cdc7 and cdc28 which are growth-arrested at the G 0 –G 1 border at the nonpermissive temperature. We observed a 2–4 fold increase in the initial velocity of Ca 2+ influx in α factor-treated wild-type cells and in cdc7 and cdc28 cells grown at the nonpermissive temperature. Calcium influx was energy dependent, inhibited by membrane depolarization and slightly increased by hyperpolarization. Furthermore, Ca 2+ influx was sensitive to both divalent and trivalent cations, but was unaffected by nifedipine and verapamil. These data demonstrate that budding yeast possesses a regulated Ca 2+ transport mechanism, the activation of which is dependent upon exit out of the cell cycle and growth cessation. This transport mechanism has many similarities to that observed in mitogen-stimulated mammalian cells.
Economic Advocacy for Survivors of Domestic Violence

With great uncertainty about the effects of the federal welfare reform law on survivors of domestic violence, researchers and activists have recommended that domestic violence program staff work closely with welfare workers in implementing new policies. This article describes the collaboration between aWisconsin domestic violence shelter and a county welfare program in providing direct services to survivors who need economic assistance.
Using cost‐analysis techniques to measure the value of nurse practitioner care

Nurse practitioners are in a unique position to deliver high-quality care to a variety of populations and are being utilized in many countries worldwide. Although certain aspects of the nurse practitioner role may differ from country to country, limited financial support and competition for access to patients make it incumbent on nurse practitioners to document the cost-effectiveness of their care. Cost analysis, a business tool that can be used by any practitioner in any health care system, was used to examine business practices of an academic-based nurse-managed centre. In order for this tool to be effective, nurse practitioners must become comfortable with using cost-analysis techniques in their practices. Linking outcome data with cost data was found to be one method for explicating the value of nurse practitioner practice. Nurse practitioners must also recognize that they are competing with primary-care physician practices and other primary health-care practices. It is vital for nurse practitioners to document both the quality and the costs of their care in order to compete with physicians and other health care providers, in order to influence policy and other health-care decision makers.
Nonlinear inversion of phase and amplitude coherence functions at NORSAR for a model of nonuniform heterogeneities

A Marquardt, nonlinear, iterative inversion is applied to obtain the best-fit parameters for 7 spectral models of heterogeneities under NORSAR using the observed TCF (Transverse Coherence Functions) and ACF (Angular Coherence Functions) at NORSAR. The simplest model is a single-layer model with one power-law spectrum; the most complex model is a two-overlapped-layer model with two different power-law spectra specified by 6 unknown parameters. F-tests are performed for different pairs of models; the two-layer model with two different spectra is a significant improvement over the single layer, one spectrum model. The final results of nonlinear inversion agree with the Flatte-Wu spectral model for heterogeneities under NORSAR.
Statistical thermodynamics of polymer solutions. VIII. Effect of intermolecular correlations on rayleigh scattering

The effect of intermolecular correlations on the angular dependence of the intensity of Rayleigh scattering from a dilute solution of a flexible-chain polymer in a good solvent is studied for an approximate model that retains the random-flight intramolecular segment-pair correlation while probabilities of multiple intermolecular contacts are simplified as products of probabilities of single contacts, all conditional on a common “initial” contact. This model, unlike one in which a polymer chain is represented as a spherically symmetrical cloud of segments, gives very little deviation from Zimm's “single-contact” approximation in light scattering: i.e., the initial concentration dependence of the concentration/intensity ratio is almost the same at all scattering angles. This behavior, which appears to underestimate the intermolecular correlations, can be accounted for by the symmetry of the bimolecular cluster as represented by the model.
Mineralization of erythromycin A in aquaculture sediments.

Mineralization of erythromycin A was studied using two differently 14C-labeled erythromycins A, which were added to aquaculture sediment samples obtained from the two salmon hatchery sites in Washington state. The added erythromycin A did not significantly alter the numbers of the total viable colonies and erythromycin-resistant bacteria. Erythromycin-resistant Pseudomonas species contained a constitutive erythromycin esterase activity contributing to the inactivation of biologically active erythromycin A in aquatic and sediment environments. The initial rate of mineralization of erythromycin A appeared to be governed by the rate of release of soil-sorbed erythromycin A. After a prolonged lag time, the S-curves of erythromycin A mineralization were observed probably because of the increase in the population density metabolizing it. This study suggests that erythromycin A is partially or completely mineralized by the sediment microbial populations.
Echocardiographic characterization of the reversible cardiomyopathy of hypothyroidism.

Abstract Nineteen patients with untreated hypothyroidism were evaluated by M-mode echocardiography. Asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH), defined as a ratio of interventricular septal thickness to left ventricular posterior wall thickness (IVS/LVPW) equal to or greater than 1.3, was identified in 17 cases. Additional abnormalities recognized by echocardiography included reduced amplitude of systolic septal excursion (SSex)[13 patients], reduced per cent of systolic septal thickening (%SST)[19 patients] reduced left ventricular outflow tract dimension (LVOT)[five patients] and systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve (SAM)[five patients]. These findings are similar to some of the echocardiographic features of idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS). In 10 patients who returned to euthyroid state with L-thyroxine therapy, these abnormalities resolved. We conclude that long-standing hypothyroidism leads to a reversible cardiomyopathy, manifested by asymmetric septal hypertrophy with or without other echocardiographic features of a hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. This previously unrecognized features of hypothyroidism has important diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
Determination of accurate electroosmotic mobility and analyte effective mobility values in the presence of charged interacting agents in capillary electrophoresis.

A method for determining the accurate effective mobility value of an analyte in the presence of a charged interacting agent, such as a charged cyclodextrin, a micellar agent, a protein, or a DNA fragment that binds the traditional electroosmotic flow markers, is presented. Part of the capillary is filled with the charged interacting agent-containing background electrolyte; the other part is filled with the charged interacting agent-free background electrolyte. The analyte band is placed in the charged interacting agent-containing background electrolyte zone, while a neutral marker (electroosmotic flow marker) is placed in the adjacent charged interacting agent-free background electrolyte zone. The initial, preelectrophoresis distance between the analyte band and the neutral marker band is determined by pressure mobilizing the bands past the detector and recording the detector trace. Subsequently, by applying reverse pressure, the bands are moved back into the first portion of the capillary and a brief ele...
A biotin-avidin based screening test for methamphetamine in urine

Abstract A biotin—avidin based screening test for methamphetamine in urine samples has been developed. The assay method utilizes the immunoprecipitin reaction between an antibody to methamphetamine and a conjugate prepared by complexing avidin with a biotinyl amphetamine derivative. The rate of the immunoprecipitin reaction is monitored on the Beckman ARRAY® 360 nephelometer. Methamphetamine inhibits the precipitin reaction, and the extent of inhibition allows the quantitation of methamphetamine in the urine samples. Using a cut-off value of 0.7 μg ml −1 , the assay correctly predicted 83 of 84 samples (98.8%) confirmed to be positive by GC—MS (>500 ng ml −1 ). Of 59 GC—MS confirmed negative samples, 46 samples were found to be negative by this method as compared to 34 samples determined with the EMIT® assay. Within-run and between-run relative standard deviations near the cut-off value were less than 4%. Cross-reactivity with amphetamine was