cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attitudes as nonentities

L'A. propose une alternative au point de vue standard selon lequel la defintion materialiste des croyances comme etats du cerveau se fonde sur leur explication causale. D'accord avec le materialisme cartesien pour affirmer que les croyances ne sont pas des etats immateriels de l'âme, l'A. n'est pourtant pas satisfait de la definition des croyances comme etats du cerveau, et propose de depasser cette dichotomie entre etats du cerveau et etats de l'âme
Evidence for the self-interstitial model of liquid and amorphous states from lattice parameter measurements in krypton

Abstract One of the most unexpected and surprising predictions of a recently proposed interstitialcy model for condensed matter states is that the self-interstitial concentration just below the melting point should be only an order of magnitude below the vacancy concentration. This prediction can be tested using existing lattice parameter measurements if a suitable method of estimating the defect-free crystal expansion is found. We have developed such a test and deduce an interstitial concentration of 7 × 10−4 near the triple point of krypton. This value is a striking confirmation of one of the boldest predictions of the interstitialcy model of condensed matter states. For copper, silver, gold and aluminum, where the defect density is smaller, less certain but positive evidence for interstitials in thermal equilibrium is also obtained.
GRAPHICAL INDUCTION OF QUALIFIED MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

The introduction of electronic medical records (EMRs) enabled the access of unprecedented volumes of clinical data, both in structured and unstructured formats. A significant amount of this clinical data is expressed within the narrative portion of the EMRs, requiring natural language processing techniques to unlock the medical knowledge referred to by physicians. This knowledge, derived from the practice of medical care, complements medical knowledge already encoded in various structured biomedical ontologies. Moreover, the clinical knowledge derived from EMRs also exhibits relational information between medical concepts, derived from the cohesion property of clinical text, which is an attractive attribute that is currently missing from the vast biomedical knowledge bases. In this paper, we describe an automatic method of generating a graph of clinically related medical concepts by considering the belief values associated with those concepts. The belief value is an expression of the clinician's assertion that the concept is qualified as present, absent, suggested, hypothetical, ongoing, etc. Because the method detailed in this paper takes into account the hedging used by physicians when authoring EMRs, the resulting graph encodes qualified medical knowledge wherein each medical concept has an associated assertion (or belief value) and such qualified medical concepts are spanned by relations of different strengths, derived from the clinical contexts in which concepts are used. In this paper, we discuss the construction of a qualified medical knowledge graph (QMKG) and treat it as a BigData problem addressed by using MapReduce for deriving the weighted edges of the graph. To be able to assess the value of the QMKG, we demonstrate its usage for retrieving patient cohorts by enabling query expansion that produces greatly enhanced results against state-of-the-art methods.
Marketing Resources and Firm Performance among SMEs

According to the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, strategically relevant resources are the basis for organizational performance. This paper examines the link between seven marketing resources associated with customer orientation and performance. Results suggest that two resources—a customer orientation philosophy and a structure that supports coordination among departments and divisions—are most critical in fostering superior firm performance.
Studies of the stimulation by helper of λ site-specific recombination in lytic crosses

In a lytic phage cross λimm434 helper can enhance site-specific recombination between λN− phages while λimm21 helper cannot. An analysis of the reciprocal products of the phage crosses shows that formation of each reciprocal product is stimulated by λimm434. The deficiency of λimm21 has been observed for recombination involving several att pairs: attL x attR, attP x attR, attL x attL, and attP x attP. No deficiency was observed for attP x attB.
Methodological note: Allocation of disability items in the American Community Survey

Abstract Background Determining the prevalence and correlates of disability requires the use of sample surveys in data analysis. In an effort to generate complete datasets, allocation procedures (i.e., the assignment of values to missing or illogical responses) are frequently used for missing or inconsistent responses. Objectives The goal of this investigation was to explore how six disability-related questions vary in their degree of allocation and how research results may be sensitive to this procedure. This is important because many researchers using large disability information banks are not survey methodologists and may be unaware of how the Census Bureau's editing procedures can influence research findings. Methods We use 2010 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample files from the American Community Survey (ACS). We investigated the allocation rates of the following disability items: self-care; hearing; vision; independent living; ambulatory; and cognitive ability. We also asked how allocation rates varied by demographic characteristics and whether the allocated values could influence multivariate results. Results Disability item allocation in ACS data have detectable patterns, where the rate of disability allocation is higher for mail surveys, males, older people, groups who speak English not well or not at all, US citizens, Latinos(as), and for people living in or near poverty. Multivariate models may be sensitive to how these allocated values are treated. Conclusions The rate of allocations varies as a function of demographic variables because of methodological procedures and survey participation behaviors. Because allocation rates may affect research and policy about the disabled population, more research is required.
Gating Currents of the Sodium Channels: Three Ways to Block Them

Preceding the opening of the sodium channels of axon membrane there is a small outward current, gating current, that is probably associated with the molecular rearrangements that open the channels. Gating current is reversibly blocked by three procedures that block the sodium current: (i) internal perfusion with zinc ions, (ii) inactivation of sodium conductance by brief depolarization, and (iii) prolonged depolarization.
Angular directivity of thermal coagulation using air-cooled direct-coupled interstitial ultrasound applicators.

The performance characteristics and thermal coagulation of tissue produced by directional air-cooled, direct-coupled interstitial ultrasound (US) applicators were evaluated. Prototype applicators (2.2 mm o.d.) were constructed using cylindrical transducers sectored into angular active zones of 90 degrees, 200 degrees, 270 degrees, and 360 degrees. Acoustic characterization of the applicators showed the beam output to be angularly directed from the active sector of the transducer and collimated within the axial extent. Empirical determination of the average convective heat transfer coefficient, resulting from airflow cooling the inner surface of the transducer, showed significantly high levels of transfer (> 700 W m(-2) degrees C(-1)) with a flow rate of 5.6 L min(-1). Thermal performance of the applicators was characterized through high temperature heating in vivo (porcine thigh muscle, 11 trials) and in vitro (bovine liver, 46 trials). Results demonstrated directional coagulation of tissue, with good correlation between the angular extent of the lesions and the active acoustic sector. Radial depth of coagulation with a 200 degrees applicator extended 8-17 mm, with a heating time of 1-10 min, respectively. Angular and axial lesion shape remained similar over the course of 1-10 min heating trials. Implementation of air-cooling within direct-coupled interstitial US applicators provided enhanced directivity of heating in angular and axial dimensions, and significantly increased the power handling and radial depth of tissue coagulation.
Release of Superoxide from Nucleoside Peroxyl Radicals, a Double-Edged Sword?

5,6-Dihydrothymidin-5-yl (1) and 2‘-deoxyuridin-1‘-yl (3) were independently generated in solution under aerobic conditions. The release of superoxide (O2•-) from the respective peroxyl radicals derived from 1 and 3 was determined spectrophotometrically. Competition studies enable one to estimate that the rate constant for elimination of O2•- from the peroxyl radical (4) derived from 3 is ∼1 s-1. This process is competitive with the anticipated rate of trapping of 4 in DNA by glutathione. Relative rate studies indicate that O2•- generation resulting from the formation of 1 under aerobic conditions competes effectively with trapping of the peroxyl radical by Bu3SnH. Superoxide elimination from the peroxyl radical of 1 (2) restores the damaged nucleoside to its unaltered form, implying that this reactive intermediate has a naturally occurring detoxification pathway available to it. However, the freely diffusible superoxide can react further to generate other reactive species capable of damaging nucleic acid...
Organizational-skills interventions in the treatment of ADHD

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience problems with temporal and materials organization. These difficulties remain prominent throughout development. For children, organizational problems are most apparent in the school setting and result in impairments such as lost and forgotten homework assignments and inadequate planning for tests. Temporal aspects of organization tend to be most salient for adults with ADHD and manifest as procrastination and missed appointments and deadlines. Skills and strategy training interventions have been developed to address the organizational problems of children and adults with ADHD. Patients are taught systems for managing their time and materials more effectively. Contingency management is often used in conjunction with organizational skills training to promote the use of organizational skills and their generalization. Organizational skills interventions have been evaluated as standalone interventions and part of multicomponent inter...
Cooperativity of TMPRSS2-ERG with PI3-kinase pathway activation in prostate oncogenesis

The TMPRSS2-ERG fusion, present in approximately 50% of prostate cancers, is less common in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), raising questions about whether TMPRSS2-ERG contributes to disease initiation. We identified the translational start site of a common TMPRSS2-ERG fusion and showed that transgenic TMPRSS2-ERG mice develop PIN, but only in the context of PI3-kinase pathway activation. TMPRSS2-ERG-positive human tumors are also enriched for PTEN loss, suggesting cooperation in prostate tumorigenesis.
Near- versus mid-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for determination of minerals in dried poultry manure.

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine if accurate calibrations for mineral content in dried poultry manures could be developed using near- or mid-infrared spectra. Samples (n = 124) were obtained from a commercial testing laboratory along with conventionally determined values for Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, P, S, and Zn. Samples were blended in a food blender, dried at 60 C, ground to 20 mesh, and scanned in the near-infrared (rotating sample cup) on a scanning monochromator. Samples were also scanned in the mid-infrared on a Fourier transform spectrometer using a custom-made sample transport. Results showed that calibrations based on nearor mid-infrared spectra were not satisfactory for the accurate determination of Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, P, S, or Zn in dried poultry manures. At best, most of the calibrations would be suitable for only gross estimates, although the mid-infrared calibration for P might be suitable for some needs in which only a limited degree of accuracy was needed. Either spectral range could be used to separate dried poultry manure samples into those containing less than 3% and greater than 8% Ca but not to accurately differentiate samples within those two groupings. Finally, although the mid-infrared calibrations were the more accurate for five of the eight minerals studied, the differences between the two sets of calibrations were so varied that it would be difficult to say that one region is better for mineral content measurement.
Activated coagulation factors: in-vivo and in-vitro studies.

Summary: In the course of serial coagulation studies on patients with acute leukaemia, defibrination was frequently encountered in the lymphoblastic, myeloblastic and promyelocytic varieties of the disease. Factor-VIII levels were often high and varied very considerably, a particular phenomenon being the association at times of very high one-stage levels with decreased two-stage levels. In one patient heparin infusion was associated with a rise in the two-stage Factor-VIII level and cessation of the infusion with a prompt drop in level. Less frequently, gross elevation of one-stage Factor-XI activity occurred compared with two-stage (eluate test) levels. In order to study possible mechanisms for the phenomena observed, the effect of adding various pro-coagulants to normal plasma on the one- and two-stage methods for measuring Factors VIII, IX and XI was studied. Thrombin caused a marked rise in one-stage Factor-VIII activity and a much smaller rise in one-stage Factor IX and XI measurements. Two-stage Factor-VIII activity was reduced and Factors IX and XI little affected. These findings simulate some of the findings in vivo. The effect of activated Factors IX, X and XI on the one-stage activity of Factors VIII, IX and XI may be explained by assuming that an activated product increases the one-stage activity of any factor which participates in the clotting reaction sequence at a stage preceding the formation of the product. The actual findings were that an activated Factor-X preparation increased one-stage Factors VIII, IX and XI measurements; an activated Factor-IX preparation considerably increased one-stage Factor IX and XI measurements but affected Factor-VIII activity only when used at very high concentrations; an activated Factor-XI preparation did not affect Factor VIII, IX or XI one-stage activity. None of these three activated products influenced the two-stage measurements of Factors VIII, IX and XI. Tissue thromboplastin increased one-stage Factor VIII, IX and XI activity to a similar extent, did not influence two-stage Factor VIII and IX measurements and slightly increased two-stage Factor-XI activity.
Reductions in contaminant mass discharge following partial mass removal from DNAPL source zones.

Although in situ remediation technologies have been used to aggressively treat dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zones, complete contaminant removal or destruction is rarely achieved. To evaluate the effects of partial source zone mass removal on dissolved-phase contaminant flux, four experiments were conducted in a two-dimensional aquifer cell that contained a tetrachloroethene (PCE) source zone and down-gradient plume region. Initial source zone PCE saturation distributions, quantified using a light transmission system, were expressed in terms of a ganglia-to-pool ratio (GTP), which ranged from 0.16 (13.8% ganglia) to 1.6 (61.5% ganglia). The cells were flushed sequentially with a 4% (wt.) Tween 80 surfactant solution to achieve incremental PCE mass removal, followed by water flooding until steady-state mass discharge and plume concentrations were established. In all cases, the GTP ratio decreased with increasing mass removal, consistent with the observed preferential dissolution of PCE ganglia and persistence of high-saturation pools. In the ganglia-dominated system (GTP = 1.6), greater than 70% mass removal was required before measurable reductions in plume concentrations and mass discharge were observed. For pool-dominated source zones (GTP 50%) in mass discharge were realized after only 50% mass removal.
Morphotype analysis of deep-sea benthic foraminifera from the Northwest Gulf of Mexico

An analysis of benthic foraminiferal morphotypes, based on test shape, mode of coiling and presence or absence of surface pores, was carried out on benthic foraminiferal data collected from the Gulf of Mexico by Phleger (1951). The morphotypes show distinct depth patterns and are used to determine the depth distribution of foraminiferal microhabitats in the Gulf of Mexico. The plano-convex morphotype has generally low values ({le}10%) in relatively shallow depths ( 1,000 m). The biconvex morphotype has values of 2,000 m, with the 1,300-2,000 m interval being transitional with variable values. The infaunal-epifaunal depth pattern is similar to that observed in the Norwegian Sea. The infaunal-epifaunal transition between 1,300 and 2,000 mmore » is close to the upper or lower depth limits of many species, and the authors suggest that these depth limits are related in part to the microhabitat preferences of the taxa.« less
Temporal information reduces children's pain reports during a multiple-trial cold pressor procedure

An experiment was conducted to determine whether providing children with information about the time remaining in each of 9 cold pressor trials would modify their pain reports. The study design included an experimental group and 2 control groups. The experimental group was given visual information about time remaining in each cold pressor trial using cartoon images presented on a computer screen. Control groups viewed either no images or randomly presented images. Temporal information reduced children's self-reported pain during short (10 to 15 s) duration cold pressor trials, but did not increase the number of trials completed. This study suggests that providing time-remaining information during brief clinical procedures may decrease children's discomfort.
Tyrosyl Peptide Models for Acidic Protein-DNA Interactions

Interactions between acidic proteins and nucleic acids occur at a number of critical points in the molecular biology of the cell, for example repression, DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis and protein synthesis. Very little is known about how the acidic proteins involved in these processes recognize nucleic acids. Recognition could be at the tertiary structure level and could involve the recognition by a nucleic acid of a cleft or a ridge in the acidic protein, or it could be at a lower level of structural complexity involving recognition between amino acids and nucleotides. Previous studies have indicated that strong interactions can occur between purine bases and aromatic amino acids1–4. We wanted to study aromatic amino acid-nucleotide base interactions within the confines of a polypeptide and of a polynucleotide backbone and so we have tailor-made a series of alternating tyrosyl pentapeptides, for example, TyrGlyTyrGlyTyr (TGTGT), in which the tyrosine residues were so spaced that they could intercalate between the bases in B-form DNA.
Managing the Retail Format Portfolio: An Application of Modern Portfolio Theory

Retail firms have increasingly developed portfolio of store types or formats to remain competitive and to attract different market segments. The retail market offering and retail know-how comprise retail format. Examples of retail formats include: (1) specialty stores (e.g., Benneton, Zara), (2) department stores (e.g., Macy’s, Marks & Spencer), (3) discount stores (e.g., Target, RT Mart), (4) off-price stores (e.g., Ross for Less), and (5) catalog retailers (e.g., L.L. Bean, Lands’ End). Wal-Mart Stores, for example, operates several retail formats in its portfolio including supercenters, discount department stores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs.
NORTH CAROLINA MARINE ALGAE. VI. SOME CERAMIALES (RHODOPHYTA), INCLUDING A NEW SPECIES OF DIPTEROSIPHONIA1

SUMMARY Six members of the Ceramiales are added to the flora of North Carolina. Two of these, Acrosorium uncinatum (Turner) Kylin and, Rhododictyon bermudensis Taylor, are also reported from South Carolina for the first time. One species, Mesothamnion boergeseni Joly, was previously known only from Brazil and another, Dipterosiphonia reversa sp. nov., is added to the algal literature for the first time. Evidence is presented for the reassignment of R. bermudensis from the Dasyaceae to the Ceramiaceae.
Device explantation following overdiagnosed and overtreated Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome

Prakriti Gaba, BS, J. Martijn Bos, MD, PhD, Maully J. Shah, MBBS, Michael J. Ackerman, MD, PhD From the Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine/Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, The Cardiac Center, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Department of Medicine/ Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
The use of antithrombotics for acute coronary syndromes in the emergency department: considerations and impact.

Evidence-based guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) identify a central role for unfractionated heparin (UFH) or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). A recent study has suggested that interchanging between UFH and LMWH during the course of treatment may be associated with a worse outcome than continued therapy with either form of heparin. Because this has important implications for physicians in the emergency room, this review examines the current evidence for the efficacy and safety of heparins in ACS. In patients with acute myocardial infarction, several studies have shown that LMWHs represent an effective alternative to UFH as an adjunct to thrombolytic therapy and are not associated with an increased risk of major bleeding. In patients with unstable angina or non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, the ESSENCE (Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous Enoxaparin in Non-Q Wave Coronary Events) and TIMI 11B (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 11B) trials have shown that the LMWH enoxaparin significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular events, compared with UFH, whereas other trials have shown that the combination of enoxaparin and a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist is not associated with an excess risk of bleeding. Recently, newer agents such as fondaparinux and bivalirudin have shown equivalent efficacy to the heparins with less bleeding and appear clinically attractive. Care paths for the use of antithrombotic therapy in patients with ACS are presented based on current US management guidelines and available clinical evidence.
Nonsingular potential model for heavy quarkonia

A nonsingular potential model for heavy quarkonia is described which does not require recourse to an illegitimate perturbative treatment for the investigation of quarkonium spectra. Our overall results for the energy levels, the leptonic widths, and the E1 transition widths are in very good agreement with the experimental data for bb\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} and they are reasonably good for cc\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}. We also find that the confining part of the quarkonium potential is scalar-vector exchange rather than the currently favored scalar exchange.
Host cell entry of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus after two-step, furin-mediated activation of the spike protein

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a newly identified betacoronavirus causing high morbidity and mortality in humans. The coronavirus spike (S) protein is the main determinant of viral entry, and although it was previously shown that MERS-CoV S can be activated by various proteases, the details of the mechanisms of proteolytic activation of fusion are still incompletely characterized. Here, we have uncovered distinctive characteristics of MERS-CoV S. We identify, by bioinformatics and peptide cleavage assays, two cleavage sites for furin, a ubiquitously expressed protease, which are located at the S1/S2 interface and at the S2′ position of the S protein. We show that although the S1/S2 site is proteolytically processed by furin during protein biosynthesis, the S2′ site is cleaved upon viral entry. MERS-CoV pseudovirion infection was shown to be enhanced by elevated levels of furin expression, and entry could be decreased by furin siRNA silencing. Enhanced furin activity appeared to partially override the low pH-dependent nature of MERS-CoV entry. Inhibition of furin activity was shown to decrease MERS-CoV S-mediated entry, as well as infection by the virus. Overall, we show that MERS-CoV has evolved an unusual two-step furin activation for fusion, suggestive of a role during the process of emergence into the human population. The ability of MERS-CoV to use furin in this manner, along with other proteases, may explain the polytropic nature of the virus.
Tiled-aperture coherent beam combining using optical phase-lock loops

Novel tiled-aperture coherent beam combining architectures using heterodyne optical phase-lock loops (OPLLs) are demonstrated. Two 50 mW off-the-shelf commercial DFB lasers are combined with a Strehl ratio of 0.87. The use of OPLLs for the active phase control eliminates the expensive and bulky optical phase or frequency shifters and enables compact phase-controlled apertures for beam steering.
Simulation of polar cap field‐aligned electron density profiles measured with the IMAGE radio plasma imager

[1] The radio plasma imager (RPI) on board the IMAGE satellite measured a set of field-aligned electron density profiles at polar latitudes during a weak magnetic storm on 4 March 2003. Several of those density profiles as well as a density profile measured under moderately quiet conditions are compared with those simulated by a dynamic fluid semikinetic (DyFK) model. In this DyFK model, the collision-dominated portion of the flux tube is treated with a moment-based fluid model for altitudes from 120 to 1100 km, while the generalized semikinetic model is used for the 800 km to 3 RE region. The effects of auroral soft electron precipitation, convection-driven frictional ion heating, centrifugal acceleration, and wave-driven transverse ion heating are incorporated into simulations of ion field-aligned flows within flux tubes drifting along empirical model specified convection trajectories across the polar ionosphere. It is found that using reasonable parameters for the indicated energization processes allows agreement between the modeled field-aligned electron density profiles and those measured by IMAGE/RPI. The simulation results suggest that for the cases considered, the IMAGE/RPI measured electron density profiles may consist primarily of contributions from O+ ions. The O+ dominance in the simulated polar cap density profiles resulted from cleft ion fountain effects. The simulated enhancement of the O+ density accounts for the electron density enhancement in the polar cap during the magnetic storm.
The Missing Heir at Yaxchilán: Literary Analysis of a Maya Historical Puzzle

The site of Yaxchilan (Chiapas, Mexico) is one of the best-known Classic Maya cities, despite relatively little stratigraphic excavation. The dynastic history of the site is recorded in numerous legible inscriptions and was worked out more than 30 years ago by Tatiana Proskouriakoff (1963, 1964) in her epoch-making historical interpretations. A historical puzzle left by Proskouriakoff and later investigators is a 10-year gap (A.D. 742-752) between the death of a Late Classic king, Shield Jaguar II, and the accession of his successor and son, Bird Jaguar IV. Various explanations have been offered for this interregnum, often suggesting a rival heir to the throne, as Bird Jaguar was the son of his father's late, secondary, foreign wife. Nevertheless, no evidence has been put forth concerning a child by the king and his earlier, primary wife, a woman known as Lady Xok. This paper reexamines the epigraphic evidence by applying what is now known about Classic Maya grammar and the canons of Classic Maya literature to an inscription on the house of Lady Xok. Viewed from this perspective, a well-known inscription yields the name of the missing heir, and other evidence suggests the nature of his fate and the reason he did not take the throne.
RECLAIMING THE MUNDANE: COMMENTS ON ALBERT BORGMANN'S REAL AMERICAN ETHICS

Like much of his work, Albert Borgmann’s Real American Ethics defies easy categorization. Neither analytic nor Continental in style, it bridges these traditions while remaining firmly connected to the issues and concerns facing real people in contemporary life. In particular, the book is of deep relevance to the development of an ethics that attends to the material conditions of human existence. In its attention to the physical, social, and technological dimensions of moral life, the book emphasizes issues of central importance to environmental ethics. Professor Borgmann integrates philosophy, culture, and everyday life into his work in an original spirit that counters much of the contemporary philosophical orthodoxy. Borgmann exchanges the abstractness typical of mainstream Anglo-American philosophy for a theoretically-informed but practically-grounded philosophy that takes seriously both popular culture and the mundane aspects of everyday life. In doing so, Borgmann invites us to a philosophy that is engaged rather than detached, and more synthetic than analytic. Real American Ethics exemplifies this practical and engaged approach to philosophy in its clarity of style, breadth of sources, and use of specific, real world examples, many of which are grounded in Borgmann’s own experience. The book interweaves philosophical theory with vignettes recalling Saturdays at the Missoula, Montana farmer’s market, observations on architecture, design, and ways of life, and reflections on the distractions faced by writers in the internet age. These features give the book a refreshing and down-to-earth quality. Rather than attempt to construct an impenetrable fortress of argument, Borgmann lays out for his readers a framework for thinking about ethics in the 21st century United States. While critical, he is also constructive, and he refrains from the temptation to rant and to polarize, instead appealing to a set of ideals that he believes will resonate with most, if not all, Americans. As signalled by the title, Borgmann opens his book by arguing that ethics must be made real, and that neither theoretical nor practical ethics has achieved this task. In the theoretical ethics of Kant, Mill, and Rawls, we find frameworks for approaching moral decisions and moral life. But theoretical
Volume of tobacco advertising in African American markets: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective.African Americans currently bear the greatest burden of morbidity and mortality due to smoking, and exposure to pro-tobacco media messages predicts smoking. This study compared the concen...
The Problem Solving Environments of TeraGrid, Science Gateways, and the Intersection of the Two

Problem solving environments (PSEs) are increasingly important for scientific discovery. Today's most challenging problems often require multi-disciplinary teams, the ability to analyze very large amounts of data, and the need to rely on infrastructure built by others rather than reinventing solutions for each science team. The TeraGrid Science Gateways program recognizes these challenges and works with science teams to harness high-end resources that significantly extend a PSE's functionality.
Double-row loop-coil configuration for EDS maglev suspension, guidance, and electromagnetic guideway directional switching

A new suspension and guidance configuration for a high speed, electrodynamic suspension (EDS) maglev system is discussed. The configuration can also be used to develop an electromagnetic guideway directional switch. The performance of the system is predicted using the dynamic circuit model. General expressions of the magnetic forces based on the harmonic approximation are obtained. The principle of the electromagnetic guideway directional switch for the EDS maglev system is discussed. >
Host location and selection cues in a generalist tachinid parasitoid

Tachinid flies are diverse and ecologically important insect parasitoids. However, the means by which tachinid species locate and select hosts are poorly known. Many tachinids exhibit unusually wide host ranges and they also possess well-developed visual systems. These characteristics suggest that tachinids differ from parasitic wasps in their reliance on various sensory modes and types of cues. A series of behavioral assays using the generalist tachinid Exorista mella Walker (Diptera: Tachinidae) were conducted to examine what types of cues this parasitoid uses to locate and accept hosts, and how the cues used may reflect its ecological relationships with hosts. Female E. mella responded strongly to host motion in assays using both live hosts and host corpses, and this cue is shown to be an important elicitor of attack behavior. Females also responded to volatile chemicals associated with damaged food plants of their host in an olfactometer. Flies responded only weakly to direct visual contact with stationary hosts and odors directly associated with hosts. The behavior of female E. mella changed with experience such that more experienced flies recognized and attacked hosts more readily than did inexperienced flies. The use of general olfactory and visual cues by E. mella may be an effective strategy by this polyphagous parasitoid to locate a broad range of potential hosts.
Assembly line enzymology by multimodular nonribosomal peptide synthetases: the thioesterase domain of E. coli EntF catalyzes both elongation and cyclolactonization.

Background EntF is a 142 kDa four domain (condensation-adenylationpeptidyl carrier protein-thioesterase) nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) enzyme that assembles the Escherichia coli N -acyl-serine trilactone siderophore enterobactin from serine, dihydroxybenzoate (DHB) and ATP with three other enzymes (EntB, EntD and EntE). To assess how EntF forms three ester linkages and cyclotrimerizes the covalent acyl enzyme DHB-Ser-S-PCP (peptidyl carrier protein) intermediate, we mutated residues of the proposed catalytic Ser-His-Asp triad of the thioesterase (TE) domain. Results The Ser1138→Cys mutant (k cat decreased 1000-fold compared with wild-type EntF) releases both enterobactin (75%) and linear (DHB-Ser) 2 dimer (25%) as products. The HiResultThe Ser1138→Cys mutant (k cat decreased 1000-fold compared with wild-type EntF) releases both enterobactin (75%) and linear (DHB-Ser) 2 dimer (25%) as products. The His1271→Ala mutant (k cat decreased 10,000-fold compared with wild-type EntF) releases only enterobactin, but accumulates both DHB-Ser-O-TE and (DHB-Ser) 2 -O-TE acyl enzyme intermediates. Electrospray ionization and Fourier transform mass spectrometry of proteolytic digests were used to analyze the intermediates.71→Ala mutant (k cat decreased 10,000-fold compared with wild-type EntF) releases only enterobactin, but accumulates both DHB-Ser-O-TE and (DHB-Ser) 2 -O-TE acyl enzyme intermediates. Electrospray ionization and Fourier transform mass spectrometry of proteolytic digests were used to analyze the intermediates. Conclusions These results establish that the TE domain of EntF is both a cyclotrimerizing lactone synthetase and an elongation catalyst for ester-bond formation between covalently tethered DHB-Ser moieties, a new function for chain-termination TE domains found at the carboxyl termini of multimodular NRPSs and polyketide synthases.
The Pedagogical Enhancement of Open Education: An Examination of Problem-Based Learning.

Open education, as embodied in open educational resources (OER) and OpenCourseWare (OCW), has met and dealt with several key problems. The movement now has a critical mass of available content. Leveraging no small amount of funding and associated development, open education has the tools to collect, disseminate, and support the discovery of open materials. Now that the foundation for openness has been laid, practitioners are experimenting with new kinds of education and pedagogies associated with open content (Weller, 2009; di Savoia, 2009). Problem-based learning is one of many progressive pedagogies that might be combined with open education. This paper defines problem-based learning in the context of open education. Unique challenges are presented and discussed alongside possible solutions, realistic limitations, and calls for implementation in the future to test validity.
Curcumin Inhibits Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae through Iron Chelation

Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from turmeric, is an ancient therapeutic used in India for centuries to treat a wide array of ailments. Interest in curcumin has increased recently, with ongoing clinical trials exploring curcumin as an anticancer therapy and as a protectant against neurodegenerative diseases. In vitro, curcumin chelates metal ions. However, although diverse physiological effects have been documented for this compound, curcumin's mechanism of action on mammalian cells remains unclear. This study uses yeast as a model eukaryotic system to dissect the biological activity of curcumin. We found that yeast mutants lacking genes required for iron and copper homeostasis are hypersensitive to curcumin and that iron supplementation rescues this sensitivity. Curcumin penetrates yeast cells, concentrates in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes, and reduces the intracellular iron pool. Curcumin-treated, iron-starved cultures are enriched in unbudded cells, suggesting that the G(1) phase of the cell cycle is lengthened. A delay in cell cycle progression could, in part, explain the antitumorigenic properties associated with curcumin. We also demonstrate that curcumin causes a growth lag in cultured human cells that is remediated by the addition of exogenous iron. These findings suggest that curcumin-induced iron starvation is conserved from yeast to humans and underlies curcumin's medicinal properties.
The use of atmospheric cosmogenic 35S and 7Be in determining depositional fluxes of SO2

The authors explore the use of two cosmogenically produced nuclides in the atmosphere, [sup 35]S (half-life = 87 days) and [sup 7]Be (half-life = 53 days), as tracers of gaseous SO[sub 2] and aerosol SO[sub 4] and Be removal processes to the Earth's surface. Based on [sup 35]S and [sup 7]Be wet precipitation fluxes and [sup 35]SO[sub 2], [sup 35]SO[sub 4] and [sup 7]Be concentrations in air samples in the planetary boundary layer at New Haven, Connecticut (USA) the authors determine coefficients for in-cloud scavenging of [sup 35]SO[sub 2], oxidation of [sup 35]SO[sub 2] to [sup 35]SO[sub 4] in both the planetary boundary layer and the free troposphere, and dry deposition. In addition, the distributions of [sup 35]SO[sub 2], [sup 35]SO[sub 4] and [sup 7]Be between the planetary boundary layer and the free troposphere are determined as well as the air exchange coefficient between the two reservoirs. Application to stable S yields a dry deposition flux to total flux ratio of about 0.20 for August, 1990. 11 refs., 4 tabs.
Association of heat index and patient volume at a mass gathering event.

In 1999, a department of emergency medicine was asked to provide medical care at a football stadium with a capacity of 61,625. Over four seasons, the department's experience has been that the number of patients seen during a game correlates closely with game-time heat andhumidity (heat index). Objective. To determine how closely the heat index is associated with the number of patients who will require care at a mass gathering event. Methods. This was a retrospective review of all patient care from 1999 to 2003 at a Division I college football stadium located in the southeastern United States. All patrons seen in two emergency care centers (ECCs) were included. To control for stadium attendance, the Pearson product–moment correlation (PPMC) was calculated for each game. This statistical tool determines whether there is a positive correlation between heat index andratio of number of patients cared for per 10,000 patrons. Results. A total of 20 games occurred, andthe heat index ranged from 33 to 92. Number o...
The Grass Carp

The grass carp model is a large one. It combines insight from the herbivore-algae model discussed in the previous chapter with the need for human management of the predator-prey releationships. A management practice known as biomanipulation has sprung from the idea of manipulating predator-prey relationships and is gaining popularity among lake management organizations. The model was motivated by the need of controlling the growth of grass in ponds and lakes. Nutrient-rich waters flow into these bodies, producing prodigious growth rates of a variety of plants. Plant growth is so luxuriant that sport fish cannot find food. To control the grass, carp are introduced to eat the plants. To prevent the waterway from being overrun by the carp, they are bred to be sterile. Such sterile carp are called triploid in this model. The carp can overdo it as well; if they eat all of the plants, they will starve and the young sport fish become easy prey for the large fish. When the carp reduce the grass biomass to about 35% to 45% of the unregulated biomass, on average, the optimum level of control is reached. The problem becomes one of finding the appropriate number, size, and time of introduction of the carp into the waterway. If such a method can be found, then biological control can successfully displace chemical vegetation control.
Gender-Based Wage Differentials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey Manufacturing, 1900–1950

This multiple regression study of women's and men's wages in New Jersey and Pennsylvania manufacturing finds that the average pay gap has changed in favor of women from 1900–1950 in several industries and in the aggregate. Technological homogenization of jobs is suggested as a possible explanation of gender-based wage convergence. An overall framework of forces and relations of production is outlined, and future work on this newly introduced body of data is suggested.
Measuring clinician-applied forces during birth using tactile sensing technology

A tactile sensing system (TSS), consisting of a sensing device and a data-acquisition system, is described for measuring fingertip-applied forces. The authors report on using the TSS to measure clinician-applied forces during vaginal delivery of newborns, with particular emphasis on an obstetric emergency called shoulder dystocia. Two prototype versions of the tactile sensing system have been tested in 29 random deliveries at an area teaching hospital. In 28 deliveries, the resultant force measurements correlate with the clinician's subjective evaluation of the type of delivery. Research shows that the tactile sensing system can be used to investigate the relation between clinician-applied forces and the risk of birth injury. >
RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals a Six-Gene SoxR Regulon in Streptomyces coelicolor

The redox-regulated transcription factor SoxR is conserved in diverse bacteria, but emerging studies suggest that this protein plays distinct physiological roles in different bacteria. SoxR regulates a global oxidative stress response (involving >100 genes) against exogenous redox-cycling drugs in Escherichia coli and related enterics. In the antibiotic producers Streptomyces coelicolor and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, however, SoxR regulates a smaller number of genes that encode membrane transporters and proteins with homology to antibiotic-tailoring enzymes. In both S. coelicolor and P. aeruginosa, SoxR-regulated genes are expressed in stationary phase during the production of endogenously-produced redox-active antibiotics. These observations suggest that SoxR evolved to sense endogenous secondary metabolites and activate machinery to process and transport them in antibiotic-producing bacteria. Previous bioinformatics analysis that searched the genome for SoxR-binding sites in putative promoters defined a five-gene SoxR regulon in S. coelicolor including an ABC transporter, two oxidoreductases, a monooxygenase and an epimerase/dehydratase. Since this in silico screen may have missed potential SoxR-targets, we conducted a whole genome transcriptome comparison of wild type S. coelicolor and a soxR-deficient mutant in stationary phase using RNA-Seq. Our analysis revealed a sixth SoxR-regulated gene in S. coelicolor that encodes a putative quinone oxidoreductase. Knowledge of the full complement of genes regulated by SoxR will facilitate studies to elucidate the function of this regulatory molecule in antibiotic producers.
Process structuring, synchronization, and recovery using atomic actions

This paper explores the notion of an atomic action as a method of process structuring. This notion, first introduced explicitly by Eswaren et al [6] in the context of data base systems, reduces the problem of coping with many processes to that of coping with a single process within the atomic action. A form of process synchronization, the await statement, is adapted to work naturally with atomic actions. System recovery is also considered and we show how atomic actions can be used to isolate recovery action to a single process. Explicit control of recovery is provided by a reset procedure that permits information from rejected control paths to be passed to subsequent alternative paths.
The Financial Reform Act: Will It Succeed in Reversing the Causes of the Subprime Crisis and Prevent Future Crises?

The current financial crisis, which could have plunged the world into a financial abyss similar to the Great Depression, is far from resolved. The financial institutions, which this article asserts caused the crisis, have returned to profitability and have paid billions of dollars in bonuses, while ordinary Americans have borne the brunt of the meltdown, with formal unemployment hanging around the 10% mark. This has caused some to comment that profits have been privatized and risk has been socialized. Two years after the economic meltdown, the impact continues as local governments turn off streetlights, cut back on police and fire departments, close down transit systems, return paved roads to gravel, and put schools on a four-day week.Democrats in the House and Senate finally agreed on a financial regulation bill. Opposition to the bill in part was based on the belief that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were the cause of the subprime crisis. However, as this article demonstrates, it was the “big banks,” by funding the subprime lenders, buying their mortgages and securitizing them, slicing them to form CDOs and synthetic CDOs through derivatives, and leaning on the credit rating agencies to get AAA ratings for junk, there were the primary cause of the financial crisis.Parts I and II are fairly dry: they deal with data. But, in a financial crisis, numbers are important. Part I deals with the incredible increase in assets under investment, which created the demand for the toxic mortgages, while Part II analyzes the changing characteristics of the subprime mortgages and their dramatic increase in volume and riskiness, a fact that was not recognized by the financial professionals.In Part III, the roles of the borrowers, the mortgage brokers, the mortgage lenders, Fannie Mae and the investment banks, the credit rating agencies, and derivatives are explored, together with the incentives that drove each participant. The various titles of the Financial Reform Act are analyzed from the standpoint of the impact they will have on the foregoing players in order to prevent future crises.The Conclusion asserts that the Financial Reform Act should prevent a future financial crisis that mirrors the past crisis. However, it does not adequately deal with the underlying issue that drives any financial crisis: management incentives that lead to excessive risk-taking. Nor does it deal with the ever increasing aggregation of financial power in large financial institutions.