cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pibloktoq (hysteria) and Inuit nutrition: possible implication of hypervitaminosis A.

The hysterical reaction among Eskimo peoples known as pibloktoq, one of a group of aberrant behaviors occuring among Arctic and Circumarctic societies termed ‘arctic hysterias’, has been explained by a variety of theories: ecological, nutritional, biological-physiological, psychological-psychoanalytic, social structural and cultural. The study hypothesizes the possible implication of vitamin intoxication, namely, hypervitaminosis A, in the etiology of some cases of pibloktoq. Its biocultural approach implicates elements of several explanatory classes, which are not mutually exclusive. Experimental and clinical studies of nonhumans and humans reveal somatic and behavioral effects of hypervitaminosis A which closely parallel many of the symptoms reported for Western patients diagnosed as hysterical and Inuit sufferers of pibloktoq. Eskimo nutrition provides abundant sources of vitamin A and lays the probable basis in some individuals for hypervitaminosis A through ingestion of livers, kidneys, and fat of arctic fish and mammals, where the vitamin often is stored in poisonous quantities. Possible connections between pibloktoq and hypervitaminosis A are explored. A multifactorial framework may yield a more compelling model of some cases of pibloktoq than those that are mainly unicausal, since, among other things, the disturbance has been reported for males and females, adults and children, and dogs.
The impact of monetary policy on oil process parameters and market expectations

Abstract Following record low interest rates and a depreciating US dollar, crude oil prices came under increasing pressure during the period 2003M5–2007M10. Oil price process parameters changed dramatically toward consistently rising prices. Short-term forecasting implied the persistence of the observed trend, as market fundamentals and underlying monetary policy were supportive of these trends. Market expectations derived from option prices anticipated further surge in oil prices and indicated a significant probability of right tail events. A tightening of monetary policy may be essential for restoring stability to oil markets and in turn for sustained economic growth.
Tool embedded thin film microsensors for monitoring thermal phenomena at tool-workpiece interface during machining

Existing thermal sensors for machining processes are having difficulties to reliably provide high spatial and temporal resolutions for monitoring and control of the dynamic thermal phenomena at the tool-workpiece interface during machining. This paper presents a novel approach to obtain transient tool internal temperature data reliably from a very close distance to the tool-workpiece interface. An array of nine microthin film thermocouples, fabricated using standard microfabrication methods, has been embedded into polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) cutting inserts by means of diffusion bonding. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to examine thin film sensor and host material interactions at the bonding interface and to determine optimal bonding parameters. The thin film microthermal sensors were statically and dynamically characterized by heating in a tube furnace and application of pulsed laser radiation. The embedded thin film thermal sensors exhibit good linearity, sensitivity, and extremely fast response time. The instrumented PCBN inserts were applied in machining of aluminum alloy 6061 disks at various cutting speeds and feed rates. Embedded into the PCBN inserts at numerous distances of 75-450 μm from tool rake face and 100-500 μm from tool flank face, these microsensors enabled the sensing of transient cutting temperature fields with high spatial and temporal resolutions. The temperature data obtained during cutting demonstrate the functionality of the tool embedded microthermal sensors and their value for fast, accurate, and reliable monitoring, which will be of significance for both fundamental study and in-process control of machining operations.
Synthesis and characterizations of oligomeric (4,4′-dialkyl-2,2′-bithiazole) carboxylic acids and their LB-film behavior

Abstract The synthesis of series of 4,4′-dialkyl-2,2′-bithiazole oligomers, (ABTz) 1,2 , and their 5-carboxylic acid derivatives is described. The Langmuir–Blodgett film-forming behavior of the several of the bithiazole dimer carboxylic acids was explored. The compounds form LB films with areas per molecule increasing from 32 to 40 A 2 as the length of the alkyl side chain increases from ethyl to hexyl.
The first 22 base pairs of the proximal promoter of the rat class I alcohol dehydrogenase gene is bipartite and interacts with multiple DNA-binding proteins

The rat class I alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) gene is primarily expressed in the liver. We previously showed that the liver-enriched transcription factor, the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), binds to the proximal promoter of the rat class I ADH gene between positions -11 and -22 relative to the start site of transcription. We now demonstrate that another transcription factor, the liver activator protein (LAP), also interacts with the same region of the promoter based on the following observations: (1) LAP synthesized by in vitro transcription and translation of cloned cDNA sequence forms complexes with an oligonucleotide containing the C/EBP-binding sequence within the ADH promoter as determined by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), (2) purified LAP interacts with the proximal ADH promoter when analyzed by the DNase I protection assay, and (3) an ADH promoter-reporter gene construct containing the C/EBP-binding site is transactivated by an eukaryotic expression vector containing the LAP sequence. EMSA of an oligonucleotide containing the first 22 base pairs (between positions -1 and -22) of the ADH promoter with rat liver nuclear extracts (RLNE) resulted in the formation of two major complexes. Complex 1 was competed away by a heterologous oligonucleotide containing a C/EBP-binding site within the promoter of the adipocyte 422 (aP2) gene, while complex 2 was not. Additional competition experiments with the ADH or 422 (aP2) oligonucleotide using either RLNE or extracts from 3T3-L1 adipocytes demonstrated that complex 1 contains either C/EBP or LAP, while complex 2 contains a DNA-binding protein that binds to a novel sequence 5'-TGGCCCAGTT-3' between positions -1 and -10 of the ADH promoter. Ultraviolet cross-linking between RLNE and a labeled oligonucleotide containing the above sequence indicates that this protein, designated EDBP (for enhancer-site downstream binding protein), has an estimated molecular weight of 47 kDa, which is larger than that reported for either C/EBP (42 kDa) or LAP (36 kDa).
cDNA Microarray analysis of vascular gene expression after nitric oxide donor infusion in rats: Implications for nitrate tolerance mechanisms

Vascular nitrate tolerance is often accompanied by changes in the activity and/or expression of a number of proteins. However, it is not known whether these changes are associated with the vasodilatory properties of nitrates, or with their tolerance mechanisms. We examined the hemodynamic effects and vascular gene expressions of 2 nitric oxide (NO) donors: nitroglycerin (NTG) and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP). Rats received 10 μg/min NTG, SNAP, or vehicle infusion for 8 hours. Hemodynamic tolerance was monitored by the maximal mean arterial pressure (MAP) response to a 30-μg NTG or SNAP bolus challenge dose (CD) at various times during infusion. Gene expression in rat aorta after NTG or SNAP treatment was determined using cDNA microarrays, and the relative differences in expression after drug treatment were evaluated using several statistical techniques. MAP response of the NTG CD was attenuated from the first hour of NTG infusion (P .05, ANOVA) or control infusion (P> .05, ANOVA). Student t-statistics revealed that 447 rat genes in the aorta were significantly altered by NTG treatment (P <.05). An adjusted t-statistic approach using resampling techniques identified a subset of 290 genes that remained significantly different between NTG treatment vs control. In contrast, SNAP treatment resulted in the up-regulation of only 7 genes and the downregulation of 34 genes. These results indicate that continuous NTG infusion induced widespread changes in vascular gene expression, many of which are consistent with the multifactorial and complex mechanisms reported for nitrate tolerance.
A spectroscopic study of bonding and structure in dihalotetrakis(tolyl isocyanide)iron(II) complexes

Abstract Both cis and trans isomers of dihalotetrakis(tolyl isocyanide)iron(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used primarily for identification and characterization. The infrared spectra were studied in the isocyanide stretching region and the number of and intensities of the observed bands were used to infer structural information, while the measured spectral shifts were used to discuss the changes in the π-accepting abilities of the isocyanides and the correlation with the electronegativities of the halide ligands. The Mossbauer spectra of these complexes are also reported and the partial center shift and partial quadrupole splitting values of the ligands have been derived. The bonding characteristics of both the isocyanides and the halides are discussed in terms of σ and π contributions. The experimental Mossbauer data is correlated to the other spectroscopic data although it appears to be more informative, especially in the case of indicating the halide π-donor capabilities.
'Cool Your Head, Man': Preventing gender based violence in favelas

Gary Barker presents results from an action-research project that sought to identify more gender-equitable young men in a low income setting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where violence against women (VAW) was common. The research identified factors that may have contributed to the young men's alternative values and were incorporated into a community intervention that seeks to change young men's attitudes toward women.
A simple procedure for the synthesis of three-carbon homologated boronate esters and terminal alkenes via nucleopbilic displacement in α-haloallylboronate ester

Abstract The transfer reactions of α-haloallylboronate ester I with representative organolithium and Grignard reagents provide α-alkyl- or α-aryl-subsfituted aUylboronate esters, readily converted into three-carbon homologated boronate esters and terminal alkenes.
Measuring Water Content in Saline Sands Using Impulse Time Domain Transmission Techniques

This paper discusses two time domain transmission (TDT) electromagnetic methods for measuring soil water content in a sand and examines the impact of pore water salinity on the resulting measurements. The first technique calculates the time taken by an impulse traveling one way through the medium relative to its time taken in air. The second method converts this impulse to the frequency domain via a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and calculates the travel time from the difference in phase measured in air and that measured in the medium at each frequency, resulting in a measurement of the frequency-dependent travel time. The relationship between travel time and water content was determined for pore water electrical conductivities (EC) ranging from 0.5 to 40 dS m −1 . At 0.5 dS m −1 the relationship was similar to that found by previous researchers using time domain reflectometry (TDR) measurements. At pore water EC ≥5 dS m −1 the travel time was faster than that found for 0.5 dS m −1 at the same water content, contradicting traditional thinking based on transmission line theory and differing from results of TDR methods. In addition, for pore water EC ≥5 dS m −1 , the relationship determined between travel time and water content was shown to be independent of pore water EC, to the precision of the TDT measurement technique. As a result, the impulse TDT method and this calibration relationship may improve our ability to measure soil water content under natural field conditions and may encourage further investigation of the impact of salinity on the spectral dielectric response of porous media.
Feline Mammary Sarcoma Composed of Cells Resembling Myofibroblasts

A recurrent mammary sarcoma from an 1 1-year-old, female domestic cat was studied by light and electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The tumor consisted of interlacing bands of spindle cells with elongated blunt-ended nuclei and variable amounts of stroma. Multinucleated tumor giant cells and mitoses were common. Ultrastructurally, tumor cells had abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum with dilated cisternae, a prominent Golgi complex, frequent mitochondria, bundles of intracytoplasmic filaments with focal densities, and discontinuous basal lamina-like material and cell junctions. These findings suggest that myofibroblast-like cells were the predominant type of tumor cell. Failure to demonstrate immunoreactivity for cytokeratins attested to the non-epithelial origin of these neoplastic cells. Uniform immunoreactivity with anti-vimentin antibodies and specific labelling of some tumor cells with antiserum to actin are compatible with an origin of this tumor from modified fibroblasts (i.e., myofibroblast-like cells). Tumors composed largely of myofibroblasts may be unique and warrant separate classification from other types of fibroblastic tumors in animals. The myofibroblast, a unique type of contractile cell with the combined structural and functional charac- teristics of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells, has been documented most often in basic pathobiologic processes in humans, namely: wound healing, pseudo- neoplastic proliferative conditions, and stromal re- sponses to neoplasia.11x21 Of the above conditions, nod- ular fasciitis exemplifies a classic example of pure myofibroblastic proliferation. Among various human neoplasms, myofibroblasts are reported to occur in ep- ithelioid sa~coma,~ malignant fibrous histiocytoma5,lo and certain tumors of fibroblastic origin, including fi- brosarc~ma.~~~~ Since myofibroblasts are more com- mon in tumor-like proliferations and in some soft tis- sue sarcomas of low-grade malignancy, the relative abundance of myofibroblasts in various lesions may indicate a more favorable prognosis.24 Although soft tissue sarcomas composed of abun- dant myofibroblasts were reported in human^,^,^^ too few of these tumors have been studied to allow valid assessment of whether (a) a distinct sarcoma of myofi- broblasts exists (i.e., myofibrosarcoma), (b) these tu- mors are a variant of fibrosarcoma, or (c) these lesions represent a pseudo-neoplastic proliferative reaction. The role of myofibroblasts in various neoplasms of domestic animals has not been previously reported. This report documents the morphologic and immu- nohistochemical properties of a feline mammary sar- coma composed of cells with ultrastructural features of myofibroblasts. Clinical History
A littoral enclosure for replicated field experiments

A design for 5 × 10 m littoral enclosures that extend 10 m from the shoreline into the zone of submergent vegetation and incorporate undisturbed natural sediments for the bottom is presented and construction techniques are described. This type of enclosure was used to study the responses of caged and free-living pond biota and the physical and chemical environment to a single application of Dursban® (chlorpyrifos) during the summer of 1986 as part of the development of a field testing protocol for pesticides needed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs. Chlorpyrifos was added to 12 littoral enclosures built within a mesotrophic, 2-ha pond near Duluth, Minnesota, at nominal concentrations of 0.0, 0.5, 5.0 or 20.0 mg/L. The enclosures proved to be both economical and durable and were useful for detecting direct and indirect (ecological) effects of the pesticide. Coefficients of variation (C.V.) associated with the chemical and biological response variables typically ranged from 10 to 40%. The ability to simultaneously monitor many response variables in replicate enclosures at a relatively low cost suggests that the littoral enclosure design should be useful for studying the effects of pesticide or other pollutant additions to natural aquatic systems.
Vanishing Moment Method and Moment Solutions for Fully Nonlinear Second Order Partial Differential Equations

This paper concerns with numerical approximations of solutions of fully nonlinear second order partial differential equations (PDEs). A new notion of weak solutions, called moment solutions, is introduced for fully nonlinear second order PDEs. Unlike viscosity solutions, moment solutions are defined by a constructive method, called the vanishing moment method, and hence, they can be readily computed by existing numerical methods such as finite difference, finite element, spectral Galerkin, and discontinuous Galerkin methods. The main idea of the proposed vanishing moment method is to approximate a fully nonlinear second order PDE by a higher order, in particular, a quasilinear fourth order PDE. We show by various numerical experiments the viability of the proposed vanishing moment method. All our numerical experiments show the convergence of the vanishing moment method, and they also show that moment solutions coincide with viscosity solutions whenever the latter exist.
Commentary on “Thermodynamic modeling of activity coefficient and prediction of solubility. Parts 1 and 2.”

They justify its use by showing that it satisfies the Gibbs–Duhem equation. However, that is a necessary but not sufficient condition for thermodynamic validity. Another condition is that in a multicomponent mixture, the expression for the Gex of an m component mixture should reduce to that for the remaining m − 1 component mixture as the mole fraction of one of the species goes to zero. The Mirmehrabi–Rohani–Perry model of Eq. 1 fails this test because if the mole fraction of any one (or more) component(s) goes to zero, Gex in the equation goes to zero rather than to the
Long-term Examination of Cats with Perineal Urethrostomy

Perineal urethrostomies were performed on 35 cats. All cats were asymptomatic when examined an average of 48.4 months following surgery. Eleven cats (31%) had episodes of dysuria during the postoperative period. Two of the 11 and six additional cats (23%) had positive urine cultures (> 105 organisms/ml) at the time of examination.
Motivation in Educational Organizations

During the past twenty years substantial progress has been made in understanding work motivation. However, the knowledge has not been adequately transferred to the study of educational administrati...
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for Bothriochloa ischaemum (Poaceae)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Microsatellite primers were developed for Bothriochloa ischaemum to investigate the structure of invasive populations within Texas and determine the origin of introduction from within the native range. METHODS AND RESULTS: We adapted the biotinylated nucleotide method of developing an enriched genomic library to isolate and characterize 10 polymorphic microsatellite markers. The number of alleles per locus (A) ranged from five to 18 (mean A = 10.45), expected heterozygosity (H(E)) ranged from 0.620 to 0.895 (mean H(E) = 0.785), and expected heterozygosity corrected for sample size (H(EC)) ranged from 0.635 to 0.909 (mean H(EC) = 0.799). The primers were also tested for amplification in Schizachyrium scoparium var. scoparium, Andropogon gerardii, Bothriochloa saccharoides, and Dichanthium annulatum. CONCLUSIONS: The use of microsatellite markers may assist in understanding the pattern of spread, determining the source of invasive populations, and developing biological control agents for invasive populations of Bothriochloa ischaemum.
Gallium arsenide deep-level optical emitter for fibre optics.

Fibre-optic components fabricated on the same substrate as integrated circuits are important for future high-speed communications. One industry response has been the costly push to develop indium phosphide (InP) electronics. However, for fabrication simplicity, reliability and cost, gallium arsenide (GaAs) remains the established technology for integrated optoelectronics. Unfortunately, the GaAs bandgap wavelength (0.85 μm) is far too short for fibre optics at 1.3–1.5 μm. This has led to work on materials that have a large lattice mismatch on GaAs. Here we demonstrate the first light-emitting diode (LED) that emits at 1.5 μm fibre-optic wavelengths in GaAs using optical transitions from arsenic antisite (AsGa) deep levels. This is an enabling technology for fibre-optic components that are lattice-matched to GaAs integrated circuits. We present experimental results showing significant internal optical power (24 mW) and speed (in terahertz) from GaAs optical emitters using deep-level transitions. Finally, we present theory showing the ultimate limit to the efficiency-bandwidth product of semiconductor deep-level optical emitters.
Ion chamber absorbed dose calibration coefficients, ND,w, measured at ADCLs: Distribution analysis and stability

Purpose: To analyze absorbed dose calibration coefficients, N D,w , measured at accredited dosimetry calibration laboratories (ADCLs) for client ionization chambers to study (i) variability among N D,w coefficients for chambers of the same type calibrated at each ADCL to investigate ion chamber volume fluctuations and chamber manufacturing tolerances; (ii) equivalency of ion chamber calibration coefficients measured at different ADCLs by intercomparing N D,w coefficients for chambers of the same type; and (iii) the long-term stability of N D,w coefficients for different chamber types by investigating repeated chamber calibrations. Methods: Large samples of N D,w coefficients for several chamber types measured over the time period between 1998 and 2014 were obtained from the three ADCLs operating in the United States. These are analyzed using various graphical and numerical statistical tests for the four chamber types with the largest samples of calibration coefficients to investigate (i) and (ii) above. Ratios of calibration coefficients for the same chamber, typically obtained two years apart, are calculated to investigate (iii) above and chambers with standard deviations of old/new ratios less than 0.3% meet stability requirements for accurate reference dosimetry recommended in dosimetry protocols. Results: It is found that N D,w coefficients for a given chamber type compared among different ADCLs may arise from differing probability distributions potentially due to slight differences in calibration procedures and/or the transfer of the primary standard. However, average N D,w coefficients from different ADCLs for given chamber types are very close with percent differences generally less than 0.2% for Farmer-type chambers and are well within reported uncertainties. Conclusions: The close agreement among calibrations performed at different ADCLs reaffirms the Calibration Laboratory Accreditation Subcommittee process of ensuring ADCL conformance with National Institute of Standards and Technology standards. This study shows that N D,w coefficients measured at different ADCLs are statistically equivalent, especially considering reasonable uncertainties. This analysis of N D,w coefficients also allows identification of chamber types that can be considered stable enough for accurate reference dosimetry.
1H NMR and 19F NMR chemical shifts of fluorinated retinals, Schiff bases and protonated Schiff bases

Fluorine-induced shifts of neighbouring protons were studied by comparing the 1H NMR data of 20 fluorinated retinal isomers and their non-fluorinated counterparts. Concurrent 19F NMR data of various isomers, analysed with respect to those of the all-trans fluorinated isomers, showed an interactive effect between the γ-protons and F. Successful application of the observed trends in 1H NMR and 19F NMR chemical shifts to retinylidene Schiff bases and protonated Schiff bases demonstrates their importance as practical aids in assigning configuration and predicting relative 1H NMR and 19F NMR resonances.
Stimulated Rayleigh-Bragg scattering in a three-photon absorbing medium and its phase-conjugation property

We show that the backward-stimulated Rayleigh-Bragg scattering (SRBS) can be efficiently generated in a three-photon absorbing medium. Compared with all other known stimulated (such as Brillouin and Raman) scattering effects, the observed effect exhibits the following three features: (i) no frequency shift, (ii) a lower pump threshold, and (iii) no critical requirement for pump spectral linewidths within a range of Δv¯≤1cm−1. The specific nonlinear scattering medium is a three-photon absorbing chromophore solution (PRL-OT04 in chloroform), pumped by 1064nm laser pulses of nanoseconds duration but with three different spectral linewidths. The mechanism for generating backward SRBS in a three-photon active medium is the formation of a stationary Bragg grating enhanced by three-photon-absorption-associated refractive index changes. A superior optical phase-conjugation property of the backward SRBS beam has been experimentally demonstrated by employing two different optical setups. In both cases, a specially introduced aberration influence of 4-5 mrad can be basically removed by the backward SRBS beam that retains a much smaller beam divergence of ≤0.4 mrad.
Sex-specific expression of alternative transcripts in Drosophila

Background: Many genes produce multiple transcripts due to alternative splicing or utilization of alternative transcription initiation/termination sites. This 'transcriptome expansion' is thought to increase phenotypic complexity by allowing a single locus to produce several functionally distinct proteins. However, sex, genetic and developmental variation in the representation of alternative transcripts has never been examined systematically. Here, we describe a genome-wide analysis of sex-specific expression of alternative transcripts in Drosophila melanogaster. Results: We compared transcript profiles in males and females from eight Drosophila lines (OregonR and 2b, and 6 RIL) using a newly designed 60-mer oligonucleotide microarray that allows us to distinguish a large proportion of alternative transcripts. The new microarray incorporates 7,207 oligonucleotides, satisfying stringent binding and specificity criteria that target both the common and the unique regions of 2,768 multi-transcript genes, as well as 12,912 oligonucleotides that target genes with a single known transcript. We estimate that up to 22% of genes that produce multiple transcripts show a sex-specific bias in the representation of alternative transcripts. Sexual dimorphism in overall transcript abundance was evident for 53% of genes. The X chromosome contains a significantly higher proportion of genes with female-biased transcription than the autosomes. However, genes on the X chromosome are no more likely to have a sexual bias in alternative transcript representation than autosomal genes. Conclusion: Widespread sex-specific expression of alternative transcripts in Drosophila suggests that a new level of sexual dimorphism at the molecular level exists.
Relativity and Quantum Field Theory

Relativistic quantum field theories (RQFTs) are invariant under the action of the Poincare group, the symmetry group of Minkowski spacetime. Non-relativistic quantum field theories (NQFTs) are invariant under the action of the symmetry group of a classical spacetime; i.e., a spacetime that minimally admits absolute spatial and temporal metrics. This essay is concerned with cashing out two implications of this basic difference. First, under a Received View, RQFTs do not admit particle interpretations. I will argue that the concept of particle that informs this view is motivated by non-relativistic intuitions associated with the structure of classical spacetimes, and hence should be abandoned. Second, the relations between RQFTs and NQFTs also suggest that routes to quantum gravity are more varied than is typically acknowledged. The second half of this essay is concerned with mapping out some of this conceptual space.
3D cardiac μtissues within a microfluidic device with real-time contractile stress readout

We present the development of three-dimensional (3D) cardiac microtissues within a microfluidic device with the ability to quantify real-time contractile stress measurements in situ. Using a 3D patterning technology that allows for the precise spatial distribution of cells within the device, we created an array of 3D cardiac microtissues from neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. We integrated the 3D micropatterning technology with microfluidics to achieve perfused cell-laden structures. The cells were encapsulated within a degradable gelatin methacrylate hydrogel, which was sandwiched between two polyacrylamide hydrogels. The polyacrylamide hydrogels were used as “stress sensors” to acquire the contractile stresses generated by the beating cardiac cells. The cardiac-specific response of the engineered 3D system was examined by exposing it to epinephrine, an adrenergic neurotransmitter known to increase the magnitude and frequency of cardiac contractions. In response to exogenous epinephrine the engineered cardiac tissues exhibited an increased beating frequency and stress magnitude. Such cost-effective and easy-to-adapt 3D cardiac systems with real-time functional readout could be an attractive technological platform for drug discovery and development.
Smoking policies in health science schools.

Although cigarette smoking has decreased significantly in the last 25 years in the United States, it continues to be a major contributor to morbidity and premature mortality. All 704 U.S.-accredited health science schools were surveyed to determine the existence and scope of smoking policies, smoking cessation programs, and related activities in these schools. The aim was to encourage health care-related organizations, institutions, and professionals to accept leadership roles in smoking prevention and cessation. Of 517 (73%) respondents, 339 reported some form of smoking policy; however, restriction was primarily prohibited in classrooms and elevators. Vending of cigarettes was reported in up to 17% of schools, and smoking-related illness complaints were reported by 31%. Smoking programs and information were minimally offered. Health science schools must be more aggressive in their approaches to dealing with smoking prevention and cessation, and assume a more proactive leadership role toward achieving a smoke-free environment.
The Way it was, the Way it is

There was a time when becoming a teacher was more hopeful, more noble, and more rewarding than it is now. There was a time when teachers were respected as professionals, when they were not forced to slavishly follow the senseless mandates of politicians and policymakers who knew nothing about education. There was a time when teachers had some autonomy in what, when, and how they taught.
Medical Observations During 20 Days at 3,800 Meters

Twenty-five healthy young men were studied during 20 days of continuous residence at an elevation of 3,800 meters. Hematocrit levels increased for two weeks, then stabilized. Subjects who were moderately active during their first two days at altitude adapted more rapidly than those whose activity was limited. A number of serum enzyme levels were significantly affected by the exposure. Virtually all subjects reported symptoms of altitude sickness; four were incapacitated at some point. Level of physical fitness prior to going to altitude was not related to incidence or severity of acute mountain sickness. Alarming and sometimes serious symptoms were observed when subjects attempted to work at their sea level capacity; these symptoms responded immediately when oxygen was given.
Older adults' hemodynamic responses to an acute emotional stressor: short report.

Background/Study Context: Vascular and myocardial activation can each increase blood pressure responses to stressors, but vascular responses are uniquely associated with negative affect, pernicious coping processes, and cardiovascular risk. These hemodynamic correlates of coping in response to acute stressors have not been well characterized in older adults. Methods: Adults 65 to 97 years of age (N = 74) either engaged in written disclosure about a distressing event (acute stressor) or wrote objectively about a neutral topic (control). Blood pressure, impedance cardiography, and affect measures were assessed at baseline and in response to writing. Moderating effects of age on affect, blood pressure, and vascular and myocardial responses to the acute stressor were tested using multiple linear regression models. Results: Follow-up tests of Age × Writing Group interactions indicated that the expected effects of written disclosure on systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses were diminished with increas...
Two Stachylina and two Smittium species (Trichomycetes) from Montana

Four new species of Harpellales are described from the midgut and hindgut of aquatic Diptera larvae: Stachylina manicata and Stachylina lotica (Harpellaceae), and Smittium gigasporus and Smittium ouseli (Legeriomycetaceae). Stachylina lotica is the first Harpellales reported from Psychodidae; the other three were found in Chironomidae. Stachylina manicata was collected in a cattail swamp, whereas the other species were taken from clear mountain streams. Stachylina species are found attached to the peritrophic membrane in the midgut region of dipteran larvae (usually Chironomidae). They are characterized by having unbranched, holocarpic thalli whose trichospores, with or without a collar, produce a single appendage; zygospores are unknown in this genus. Smittium species are found in the hindgut of dipteran larvae (Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, Culicidae, and Simuliidae). They are branched and produce trich? ospores with a collar and a single appendage. Species known to reproduce sexually produce biconical zygospores with a collar and a single appendage. Stachylina manicata Williams & Lichtwardt, sp. nov. Figs. 1-4 Thalli ad 100 ^m longi, 6.5-8 pm diametro, a retinaculo simplici, quam thallus tenuiore, ad membranam peritrophicum larvarum Chironomidarum affixi, usque ad 8 trichosporas ellipsoidales vel subconicas 17.5-20 x 4-5 /xm, collari parvo instar manicae 1-1.5 x 0.5 ^m praeditas, gignentes. Zygosporae ignotae. Mature thalli up to 100 /xm long x 6.5-8 ixm diam, producing up to 8 trich? ospores, attached to the peritrophic membrane of Chironomidae larvae by a simple disk-like holdfast with a smaller diam than the thallus. Trichospores ellipsoidal to sub-biconical, 17.5-20 x 4.5 fxm, with a small sleeve-like collar 1-1.5 x 0.5 ixm surrounding the single appendage which narrows toward the distal end and is generally at least 5 times the length of the spore. Generative cell usually shorter than the trichospore. Zygospores unknown.
Comparison Of A Recombinant Endotoxin-Neutralizing Protein With A Human Monoclonal Antibody To Endotoxin For The Treatment Of Escherichia Coli Sepsis In Rats

A recombinant endotoxin-neutralizing protein (ENP) from Limulus polyphemus and a monoclonal IgM anti-lipid A antibody (HA-1A) were compared in a rat model of Escherichia coli sepsis. One hour after intraperitoneal challenge with 10(6) cfu of E. coli O18ac K1, animals were sensitized to endotoxin with lead acetate and treated with ENP, HA-1A, or saline, followed by ceftriaxone and gentamicin. Before treatment, 95% of rats had high-grade bacteremia and high serum endotoxin concentrations, which were similar in all treatment groups (P > .60). One hour after treatment, there was no bacterial growth in any blood sample, and endotoxin concentrations were significantly lower in the ENP group than in the HA-1A and saline groups (P < .01). At 24 h after challenge, survival in the ENP group was significantly higher than in the HA-1A saline group (P < .001). ENP improved survival in a rat model of E. coli sepsis with high mortality despite effective antibiotic therapy.
Critical Infrastructures, High Reliability and Their Enemy, Economism

This Forum contribution explains why economism – a form of bad economics – has become the enemy of reliable critical infrastructures and what must be done to remedy this. The perspective here is critical, but moves beyond critique to recommendation and proposals. The suggestions centre around taking advantage of the unique expertise of reliability professionals in infrastructures to catch big mistakes before they happen in real time. While economists call for greater efficiencies in critical service provision (see especially the long-standing New Public Management literature), the most underutilized resource we have as a society are these reliability professionals. Without their expertise we would not have the infrastructure stability necessary for markets to function in the first place.
Survey of the status of the occupational hazards in 211 industrial enterprises in Huating Town of Jiading

Objective: To learn the status of the occupational hazards in Huading Community to provide a scientific basis for studying prevention and treatment of occupational diseases. Methods: The industrial enterprises with toxic and hazardous environment in Huading community were investigated with unified questionnaire. Results: There were 211 enterprises with occupational hazards involved in 384 categories of occupational hazards in Huading Community. The hazardous factors were mainly productive dust and chemical toxins. Two thousand eight hundred and four workers exposed to occupational hazards, however only 89 factories had occupational health check. The rate of factories with individual protective equipment was 77.25%. The rate of the factories with protection facilities was 63.98%. Conclusion: Occupational health supervision and management should be strengthened in Huating town.It is imperative to improve detection and evaluation of occupational hazards and coverage of occupational health check. The effective supervision system and the coordination mechanisms of the prevention of occupational diseases should be established and improved.
Targeting, import, and processing of nuclear gene-encoded proteins into mitochondria and peroxisomes.

I have herein discussed two gene-enzyme families in maize whose protein products participate to purge toxic oxidants from cells, and are thus of importance to all aerobic organisms. We have demonstrated that plant mitochondria import precursor proteins (i.e., preSOD-3) in a manner analogous to other eukaryotic cells. The "transit peptide" (TP) of preSOD-3 is 31 amino acids long and has similar properties to other reported TPs for mitochondrial and chloroplastic proteins. Import to peroxisomes is uniquely different from that for mitochondria and chloroplasts in that no consensus presequence seems to be involved. Instead, targeting signals seem to be integral parts of peroxisomal proteins. These studies are important from a genetic engineering perspective in that it is not only important to express genes in specific tissues, but also within specific subcellular compartments. Expression of donor genes in appropriate cellular compartments of host cells will be critical for maintaining a stable, functional protein in the plant. Manipulation of metabolic pathways in plants requires that engineered proteins be efficiently and effectively expressed in the correct subcellular compartment and during the appropriate developmental time frame. The use of engineered proteins with altered topogenicity may not only prove useful in studying the role(s) of such proteins in metabolism, they may also serve to enhance our understanding of inter-organellar communication within the cell.
Targeting Liposomes for Uptake into CEACAM-Expressing Human Cells using a Bacterial Membrane Protein

The pathogenic bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis induce their own phagocytosis into human host cells prior to replication. Bacterial cell entry is promoted by the binding of Neisserial outer membrane opacity-associated (Opa) proteins to human carcinoembryonic antigen-like cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM) receptors, a widely-distributed class of cell receptors in the human body. Binding of Opa proteins to either CEACAM1, CEACAM3, CEACAM5, or CEACAM6 generates intracellular signalling events which lead to bacterial internalization by both phagocytes and epithelial cells. We are interested in determining whether purified and folded Opa proteins stabilized in liposomes retain the ability to promote liposomal entry into epithelial cells similar to Neisseria. The ability to target CEACAM+ cells for Opa proteoliposome uptake may prove valuable in targeted therapeutic delivery. Our results demonstrate that Opa-proteoliposomes target surface CEACAM receptors on transfected HeLa cells for binding and preliminary data indicate the liposomes are taken into the cells. This internalization is dependent on metabolic energy, suggesting the cells may employ active-uptake mechanisms to internalize the liposomes. Our work shows that Opa proteoliposomes deserve further consideration as a platform for targeted delivery to CEACAM-expressing cells.
Synthesis of β-Turn Mimetics: [5,5]-Fused Bicyclic γ-Lactam Dipeptide Analogues

The “secondary structure approach” to the de novo design of peptide rnimetics is guided by the simple elegance which nature has employed in the molecular architecture of peptide and protein species [1]. s-Turns offer the significant synthetic advantage that they are relatively compact and in principle can be more readily mimicked by conformationally constrained or rigidified small organic molecules. To truly mimic different types of s-turns requires stereo- and enantiocontrolled introduction of a minimum of four asymmetric centers, with different backbone geometry and side chain topography. Among the interesting approaches toward s-turn rnimetics, the design of azabicycloalkane amino acids have been shown to have unique potential advantages, and numerous bicyclic derivatives of this general class have been synthesized [2]. Although s-lactam bicyclic analogues have well-known antibacterial activities, most γ-lactams without appropriate side chain moieties have not shown significant biological activities. Obviously, side chains play important roles in s-turns and we have proposed [3], that introduction of side-chains on the bicyclic scaffold would generate expected biological activities. Here we report a simple but potentially general method to generate in 5 steps [5,5]-bicyclic dipeptide, which not only have both C- and N-terminals but also have side chain groups on both rings.
Refugee Rights, Protection, and Existing Instruments

The previous chapter has analyzed and outlined the theoretical nexus between refugee safety and humanitarianism. This chapter deals with one of the most critical areas, namely, RSI related to refugee rights, protection, and existing protection instruments. It further analyzes burden-sharing instruments and the responsibilities of states to protect refugee rights. It suggests that the existing instruments for protecting refugee rights are insufficient as they do not properly encompass human rights nor address the reasons for the refugees’ flight. This chapter outlines the scope, successes, and failures of the contemporary international refugee regime.
Racial Difference in Symptom Onset to Door Time in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background There are poorer outcomes following ST elevation myocardial infarction in blacks compared to white patients despite comparable door‐to‐reperfusion time. We hypothesized that delays to hospital presentation may be contributory. Methods and Results We conducted a retrospective analysis of the 1144 patients admitted for STEMI in our institution from 2008 to 2013. The door‐to‐balloon time (D2BT) and symptom‐onset‐to‐door time (SODT) were compared by race. Bivariate analysis was done comparing the median D2BT and SODT. Stratified analyses were done to evaluate the effect of race on D2BT and SODT, accounting for insurance status, age, sex and comorbidities. The mean age was 59±13 years; 56% of this population was black and 41% was white. Males accounted for 66% of this population. The median D2BT was 60 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 42–82), and median SODT was 120 minutes (IQR 60–720). There was no significant difference in D2BT by race ( P =0.86). Black patients presented to the emergency room (ER) later than whites (SODT=180 [IQR 60–1400] vs 120 [IQR 60–560] minutes, P <0.01) and were more likely to be uninsured ( P <0.01). After controlling for comorbidities, insurance, and socioeconomic status, blacks were 60% more likely to present late after a STEMI (OR 1.6, P <0.01). A subset analysis excluding transferred patients showed similar results. Conclusions Black patients present later to the ER after STEMI with no difference in D2BT compared to whites. This difference in time to presentation may be one of the factors accounting for poor outcomes in this population.
Compact Tunable Current-Mode Analog Circuits Using DGMOSFETs

Double-gate (DG) MOSFET has vast potential in analog circuit applications as a four-terminal device, where the top-gate response may be conveniently tuned via bottom gate bias (Reddy et al., 2005) and (Mathew et al., 2004). This has a number of important implications for circuit design: i) increased functionality out of a given set of devices; ii) reduction of device layout area and parasitics; and iii) higher-speed operation and low-power consumption with respect to equivalent conventional circuits. Despite such advantages, however, analog applications of DGMOSFETs have not received the due attention compared to digital reconfigurable systems (Kaya et al., 2006) and (Beckett, 2003). In the present work we address this issue and show how compact low-power analog circuits may be built using DG-MOSFETs together with current-mode design techniques
Compression Algorithms for Log-Based Recovery in Main-Memory Data Management

With the dramatic increases in performance requirement of computer hardware and decreases in its cost in recent years, the relevant research in main-memory database is becoming more and more popular and has a prosperous future. Log-based recovery, which is one of its most important research directions, is a set of problems accompanied by volatile memory. Its problem of stagnation in memory/CPU resulted from the slow I/O speed of non-volatile storage now needs to be addressed urgently. However, there is no specific platform for log-based recovery research. So the study aims to address this issue.