cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How the Land Became the Locus of Major Evolutionary Innovations

Summary Life originated in the sea and evolved its early metabolic pathways in water [1, 2]. Nevertheless, activities of organisms on land have influenced and enriched marine ecosystems with oxygen and nutrients for billions of years [3–7]. In contrast to the history of species diversity in the sea and on land [8–10] and the flows of resources within and between these two realms [11], little is known about the times and places of origin of major metabolic and ecological innovations during the Phanerozoic. Many innovations among multicellular organisms originated in the sea during or before the Cambrian, including predation and most of its variations, biomineralization, colonial or clonal growth, bioerosion, deposit feeding, bioturbation by animals, communication at a distance by vision and olfaction, photosymbiosis, chemosymbiosis, suspension feeding, osmotrophy, internal fertilization, jet propulsion, undulatory locomotion, and appendages for movement. Activity is less constrained in air than in the denser, more viscous medium of water [9, 12–14]. I therefore predict that high-performance metabolic and ecological innovations should predominantly originate on land after the Ordovician once organisms had conquered the challenges of life away from water and later appeared in the sea, either in marine-colonizing clades or by arising separately in clades that never left the sea. In support of this hypothesis, I show that 11 of 13 major post-Ordovician innovations appeared first or only on land. This terrestrial locus of innovation cannot be explained by the Cretaceous to recent expansion of diversity on land. It reveals one of several irreversible shifts in the history of life.
Bandung's Legacy: Solidarity and Contestation in Global Women's Rights

The Bandung Conference brought together leaders from Asia and Africa in 1955. Although the legacy of the conference is contested, scholars and activists credit Bandung as a founding moment in the rise of third world solidarity and the eventual formation of the non-aligned movement (NAM) (Seng 2008). The final communique made a significant statement towards human rights, declaring the full support of the Asia-African Conference to the Charter of the United Nations, and took note of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations (Bandung Final Communique 1955). This chapter reflects on transnational feminist activism in global governance in the decades following the Bandung Conference. The chapter examines both moments of solidarity and points of departure as women’s rights activists sought to develop a unified platform for advocacy in international law following Bandung. First, using the example of the UN conferences on population, I demonstrate how GS feminists allied with GN feminists to bring a fundamental shift away from population control towards a reproductive health frame. Yet, I argue in Part II, tensions remain as feminists contest the centrality of the broader structural contributors to women’s inequality as part of a feminist agenda. This particular feminist debate, between a broader structural approach to women’s inequality and one based on single-issue feminist projects, is especially present in the global movement to end violence against women (VAW), which often places identity-oriented criminal law and security strategies at odds with broader socio-economic solutions to for addressing VAW.
Rate fluctuations not steps dominate LIP activity during decision-making

The idea that lateral intraparietal cortex (LIP) integrates information for and against a decision, is one of the most popular models in neuroscience. However, a recent statistical analysis has suggested that LIP does not integrate information but that individual neurons9 activities jump. The result was based on a model comparison, which is often hard to interpret. There are two worries that can render comparisons problematic. (1) Important aspects of variance are contained in neither model. (2) The analysis is complicated, making it hard to verify. We thus followed up with a simple approach for model comparison: crossvalidation. We find evidence that baseline fluctuations describe much of the variance, which are properly modeled by neither the original paper9s drift-diffusion model, nor simple ramp or step models. Moreover, we find that our straightforward analysis strategy prefers ramping models, both with and without trial-by-trial baseline fluctuations. Our analysis, implementable in a few lines of code, suggests the importance of simple analyses.
The Death and Resurrection: Necessary for Salvation?

In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ, but what does that truly mean? Since the death of Christ, people have been pondering this ultimate question. Whether it has been a personal journey to understand the risen Christ, or if it has been a professional career, all Christians have tried to deepen their understanding of true mystery of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Due to these various inquiries, there have been numerous hypotheses and theories concerning the Resurrection, and in turn sheds light on who God is, who Jesus was, and the meaning of it all. The death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to Christians and their Salvation; however, there are many different definitions and/or analyses of these two events. Some theologians say the death on the cross was sufficient for our Salvation. This analysis will not only point out the various outlooks of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it will also discuss the reasons why we do need the Resurrection to fully receive eternal relationship with God. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol12/iss1/6 The Death and Resurrection: Necessary for
Differences in compaction behavior of three climate classes of snow

In a recent paper (Sturm and others, 1995), a global seasonal snow-cover classification system was developed with each class defined by snow properties like grain-size and type. Here, characteristic bulk density vs time curves are assigned to three classes using snow-course data from Alaskan and Canadian sites. Within each class, curves have similar slopes and intercepts but between classes they are different. The relationship between slope, intercept and snow rheology has been investigated using a finite-difference model in which snow layers are assumed to behave as viscous fluids. Using observed slopes, the density-dependent compactive viscosity of each class has been determined. These are consistent with published values. Results indicate that load and load history are less important to the compaction behavior than grain and bond characteristics, snow temperature and wetness. The study suggests that differences in compaction behavior arise primarily from differences in rheology, the result of climatically controlled differences in the character of the snow. This finding explains why regional snow densities have been successfully predicted from air temperature and wind speed alone, without considering snow depth.
The Aral Sea Crisis

The Aral Sea is a terminal lake amidst the deserts of Central Asia. Its size and water balance are fundamentally determined by river inflow and evaporation from its surface. Until the 1960s, the Aral was the world’s fourth largest lake in surface area. Over the past four decades, this water body has rapidly and steadily shrunk as countries in the Aral Sea Basin have increasingly taken inflow from its two influents, the Syr Dar’ya and Amu Dar’ya, for expansion of irrigation. The Aral’s diminution has directly and indirectly led to an array of severe problems in the surrounding region, ranging from degradation of major terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to deterioration of human health and welfare. National, regional, and international efforts are underway to cope with these, but even their partial alleviation will be enormously costly and require many years. Full restoration of the Aral Sea to its former state is, at best, a remote possibility for the more distant future. However, rehabilitation of portions of it and adjacent areas that would partially restore former ecological functions and economic uses are feasible.
INTRODUCTION: OLD CONCEPTS - NEW CHALLENGES

Scientific research is in an era of expansion in which much of the dogma that we have been using as a frame of reference is being replaced by information at an extraordinarily complex level of molecular organization. The difficulties encountered in any given discipline are further compounded when as bioengineers an attempt is made to interpret data from the life sciences on the basis of the tools of a physical science. Our focus at this Conference is on Circulatory Dynamics and if one has to crystalize the ultimate organizational purpose of the Cardiovascular System, it is to nourish the population of cells that make up the various organs and tissues of the body. In that context, the heart and large arterial blood vessels serve only an ancillary role. The actual dynamics of this life-sustaining activity are accomplished by functional adjustments in the peripheral vessels lying within the tissue that is being supplied with blood. It is therefore fitting that this Conference should begin by focussing on the so-called “microcirculation.”
The Confluence of Factors Doctrine: A Holistic Approach to Wrongful Convictions

A wrongful conviction of a factually innocent person, by definition, suggests that every piece of evidence presented in support of guilt at trial was faulty in some way—either erroneous on its face, misleading, or misinterpreted by the factfinder. Yet, trial and appellate courts have historically failed to take a holistic approach to postconviction review of innocence claims, focusing instead on a single error or a new piece of evidence in isolation, as measured against the otherwise “‘overwhelming’ evidence of guilt.” As the Innocence Movement enters its second quarter century, courts should reevaluate the way postconviction innocence claims are addressed, and favor an approach that accounts for the complex ways in which seemingly independent errors may intersect with and infect one another to generate a wrongful conviction. Victor Rosario’s case illustrates how a cascade of errors can result in the wrongful conviction of an innocent man. A jury convicted Rosario of arson and murder in 1983 based, in large part, on eyewitness identification, forensic expert testimony regarding the alleged cause of the fire, and evidence of a confession to the crime. However, in the wake of his conviction, the Commonwealth’s evidence began to unravel, and the ways in which each faulty piece of evidence had infected the others became increasingly clear. And yet, an analysis of any one piece of challenged evidence in a vacuum—the eyewitness identification, coerced confession, or faulty fire science testimony—would have likely failed to meet the motion for new trial standard on its own. The Rosario court ultimately adopted a new, and more holistic, approach to reviewing both trial errors and new evidence in support of factual innocence. Rather than addressing each error in isolation, the court instead looked at the confluence of factors and the likely collective impact on the jury, and determined that there was a reasonable probability that “justice may not have been done.” Here, the Supreme Judicial Court implicitly recognized that a piecemeal approach would have masked the injustice at the heart of the case, and would have failed to remedy a wrongful conviction. While the Rosario court was notably expansive in developing its new approach to postconviction review, the court also expressly articulated that the confluence doctrine might only apply in “rare cases.” Significantly, the court did not clarify what particular circumstances might warrant this special consideration. For example, should the confluence of factors approach apply every time an innocence claim is raised? Should it apply when multiple bases for a new trial are alleged? Or, alternatively, did the Rosario court anticipate a narrower application of the doctrine? This Article argues in favor of a more expansive application of the confluence of factors approach articulated in Rosario and suggests that courts should, in the interest of justice, abandon the piecemeal analysis of individual errors in favor of this more flexible approach.
Influencing the Relationship between Job Clarity and Turnover Intention through User Training During Enterprise System Implementation

Enterprise system (ES) implementations introduce pervasive and disruptive change to organizations. End-users struggling to cope with such change often develop an internal self-preservation narrative that, if not managed, can lead to employee turnover. Turnover is a visibly-assertive response to ES implementations that has lasting negative effects on organizations. The job role literature suggests that an individualâ€™s intention to leave an organization is greater when they lack clarity concerning their own work tasks and their role in achieving broader organizational goals. These clarity perceptions evolve during ES implementations as individuals become aware that their existing job context is no longer relevant to the post-implementation organization. It seems likely that the strength of relationship between job clarity and turnover intention will also evolve during this time. Accordingly, this study uses PLS-SEM multi-group analysis to examine changes in this relationship during an ES implementation at a Fortune 100 manufacturer and finds a significant increase in the influence of job clarity deficiencies on turnover intention following end-user training. These results suggest that ES implementation teams should focus their efforts on building job clarity of the post-implementation work context.
Itô’s Synthesis Theorem

In this chapter we will prove Ito’s synthesis theorem to the effect that under certain hypotheses the paths of a Poisson point process of excursions can be linked together to make up a Markov process.
Exploring Diversity in Forest Management Outlooks of African American Family Forest Landowners for Ensuring Sustainability of Forestry Resources in the Southern United States

African American forest landowners in the southern United States (US) are typically considered a homogenous group in current studies. Our research challenges this assumption by identifying four distinct forest management outlooks among African American forest landowners using Q Method. Sustainable Harvesters focus on balanced land use with a long-term outlook; Back 40ers appreciate the presence of forests on their property but focus on alternative land use; Land Use Pragmatists are also interested in alternative land use and primarily view forest as an economic resource; Recreationalists value their forestland not for economic value but as a place for personal use. Finally, Indecisive landowners are not sure about how to best manage their forestland. We argue that an understanding of different forest management outlooks will improve sustainable forest management by better targeting extension and outreach efforts for African American forest landowners.
Early Structural Valve Degeneration of Trifecta Bioprosthesis

Background Structural valve degeneration (SVD) is a major flaw of bioprostheses. An apparent increase in the SVD rate has been observed among patients who received the Trifecta bioprosthesis (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA). Methods This study retrospectively reviewed 1058 consecutive patients who underwent aortic valve placement with a stented bioprosthesis between January 2011 and December 2015. Patients were grouped into a Trifecta group (508 [48.0%] patients with Trifecta bioprostheses) and a non-Trifecta group (550 [52.0%] patients with other bioprostheses). Results Patients in the Trifecta group were older (69.7 years vs 64.6 years; P = .001), were more likely female (40.4% vs 28.0%; P = .001), more often had aortic stenosis (85.1% vs 77.1%; P = .001), and received smaller valves (23.0 mm vs 25.0 mm; P Conclusions The SVD rate of the Trifecta bioprosthesis has been greater than expected, compared with other bioprostheses, particularly in younger patients. In view of the large number of Trifecta bioprostheses implanted worldwide, further investigation involving other institutions is warranted.
Prenatal exposure to metal mixture and sex-specific birth outcomes in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study.

Background In utero exposure to individual metals may impact fetal growth, though little is known about the effects of exposure to metal mixtures. Therefore, we investigated joint effects of in utero exposure to a mixture of As (arsenic), Mn (manganese), and Pb (lead) on newborn outcomes in a United States population. Methods Concentrations of As, Mn, and Pb were determined in maternal postpartum toenail samples, a biomarker of in utero exposure, from 989 maternal-infant pairs (492 females and 497 males). Newborns' anthropometric characteristics, including head circumference, length, and weight, were obtained from medical records. The joint effects of the three metals were modeled using Bayesian kernel machine regression and linear regression. Both sex-combined and sex-stratified statistical analyses were performed. Results We observed an inverted-U-shape association between maternal toenail Mn concentrations and newborn head circumference, particularly among female infants. Concentrations of Pb were related to reduced head circumference, weight, and length, especially among females at lower concentrations of the other metals. Overall, toenail As concentrations were related to reduced head circumference, especially among males, and an increase in birth length and weight among females. We found little evidence of As interactions with other metals within the mixture. Conclusions Our findings suggest that in utero metal mixture exposures may influence birth outcomes, and that such relations may differ by infant sex.
“I’m on a Rollercoaster”: Women’s Social Construction of Time

ABSTRACTThis study examines how women communicate perceptions of their socially constructed busy lifestyles. Qualitative interview results revealed six themes: 1) busyness is normal; 2) busyness is...
The role of nontechnical skills in providing value in analytics-based decision culture

The worldwide big data and analytics investment market continues to grow, with projections indicating strong compound annual growth rates over the next decade. To achieve true competitive advantage...
The Use of Short, Supplemental Content Videos in the Ad/PR Classroom.

The objective of the research reported in this article was to evaluate the usefulness of supplemental videos in the advertising and public relations (PR) classroom, featuring luminaries in these sa...
Leading the people and leading the work: Practical considerations for ethical research

Scientific work is demanding and complex, requiring those leading research to be simultaneously innovative and ethical in their work. Along with this, those leading scientific teams need to be able to influence both the work being done and lab members doing the work. Thus, both leadership and management skills are necessary to navigating the organizational, social, and ethical components of the research process in order to do rigorous, ethical, and high-quality scientific work. This paper recommends a number of practices that leaders of research teams should engage in, including management behaviors for "leading the work" and leadership behaviors for "leading the people" that foster excellence and integrity in research labs. Researchers can take an intentional approach to leadership and management to create a robust environment for ethical research. Overall, a researcher's routine behaviors as leaders of their labs should establish a healthy work environment and promote effective interpersonal interactions among lab members. Further, the lab requires routine procedures and structure to provide adequate oversight of the research. This paper also addresses challenges that may arise when implementing leadership and management practices, along with strategies for overcoming these strategies. Avenues for future research and policy development related to leadership and management in scientific contexts are discussed.
Using preliminary data and prospective power analyses for mid-stream revision of projected group and subgroup sizes in pragmatic patient-centered outcomes research.

Abstract Pragmatic clinical trials are commonly used in patient-centered outcomes research to assess heterogeneity of treatment effects. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) methodology standards for assessing heterogeneity of treatment effects are extremely rigorous, but their implementation in real-world settings can be difficult. Predicting recruitment effectiveness and subgroup characteristics is often challenging and may require mid-stream revision of projected group and subgroup sizes. Yet, little real-world data are available to demonstrate methodologically valid approaches to address situations where such revisions are necessary. These data were used for mid-stream revision of group and subgroup sizes in the Management of Diabetes in Everyday Life (MODEL) clinical trial. The planned number of randomized participants retained over the one-year study period was reduced from 800 to 581 due to recruitment difficulties among potential participants residing in rural areas. Prospective power analyses are based on the revised target of 581 participants retained and the proportions of 167 participants with various key baseline characteristics, who had been randomized in MODEL by January 2018, as reported to the Patient Center Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the MODEL Data Safety and Monitoring Committee. Power calculations are based on two-sided t-tests with type-I error rates of 0.05 and the assumption that effect sizes will range from small (standardized difference = 0.36) to medium (= 0.50). The primary outcome variables are how many days in the previous week participants 1) ate healthy meals, 2) participated in at least 30 minutes of physical activity, and 3) took medications as prescribed. The POWER procedure of SAS 9.4 was used for all analyses. These data, along with the approach, can assist statisticians as they plan future pragmatic clinical trials evaluating heterogeneity of treatment effects. These data can help inform investigators, conducting patient-centered outcomes research, as they define subgroups for either confirmatory analyses for testing heterogeneity of treatment effects or for exploratory analyses where estimation of confidence bounds may be useful for generating future hypotheses. (This work was supported through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Project Program Award (SC15-1503-28336), www.ClinicalTrials.gov and Identifier: NCT02957513 [1] .)
Impact of the affordable care act's medicaid expansion on burn outcomes and disposition.

Abstract Background We aimed to analyze the impact of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid Expansion on clinical outcomes and patient disposition after burn injury. We hypothesized that increased insurance coverage results in improved outcomes and higher rates of discharge to inpatient rehabilitation. Methods We reviewed the University of Washington Regional Burn Center registry data for patients admitted from 2011 to 2018. Patients were grouped into two categories: before (2011–2013) and after (2015−2018) Medicaid expansion; we excluded 2014 data to serve as a washout period. Outcomes assessed included length of hospital stay, patient disposition, and mortality. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models with covariates for sex, age, burn size, ethnicity ethnicity, distance from burn center, etiology of burn, and presence of inhalation injury were used to determine the impact of Medicaid expansion on outcomes. Results Rates of uninsured patients decreased while Medicaid coverage increased. Despite increased median burn size after Medicaid expansion, inpatient mortality rates did not change, but average acute care length of stay increased. More patients were discharged to rehabilitation centers. Conclusions Our study corroborates prior findings of increased insurance coverage since Medicaid expansion. Increased insurance coverage is associated with higher rates of discharge to inpatient rehabilitation programs after burn injury.
Civil Liability for Injuries Caused by Dogs after Tracey v. Solesky: New Path to the Future or Back to the Past?

Two years ago, the Maryland Court of Appeals issued an opinion in a case called Tracey v. Solesky in which it modified the common law of the state related to strict liability in cases involving injuries caused by dogs. Although Solesky was neither a big departure from the applicable law at the time nor an adoption of the alternative, and more prevalent, view in other jurisdictions, the Maryland legislature eventually abrogated its holding entirely. As a result, the current applicable doctrine is a collage of different approaches and it is difficult to see how it protects victims of dog attacks more than they were protected before Solesky. This article reviews the tort law doctrines that operate to manage the costs of injuries caused by dogs and discusses the consequences of the approval of the new statute in Maryland. It concludes that instead of reverting back to the common law predating Solesky, a more careful balancing of the interests involved should have resulted in either adopting the prevalent view in the majority of jurisdictions or in an understanding of how Solesky actually advanced a better public policy than the common law it modified.
An Historical Perspective on the Control of Robotic Manipulators

This article is an historical overview of control theory applied to robotic manipulators, with an emphasis on the early fundamental theoretical foundations of robot control. It discusses properties...
Previous Preterm Birth and Current Maternal Complications as a Risk Factor of Subsequent Stillbirth

Purpose. To examine the association between previous preterm birth and the risk of stillbirth. Methods. This population-based retrospective cohort study analyzed live births and stillbirth records in Missouri (1989–1997). The main outcome of interest was stillbirth occurrence while the exposures were prior preterm birth. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were computed using logistic regression. Results. Women who had a previous preterm birth have 63% increased odds of stillbirth in singleton pregnancies and 75% increased odds in twins as compared to those who did not have a preterm birth in a prior pregnancy (AOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.41–1.88 and AOR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.20–2.56), respectively. The most significant risk factor for stillbirth in singleton pregnancies was uterine bleeding (AOR = 5.89, 95% CI = 5.13–6.76). In twin pregnancies, it was the condition hydramnios/oligohydramnios (AOR = 4.72, 95% CI = 3.70–6.02). Eclampsia was associated with a heightened risk of stillbirth in singletons (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.41–4.12), but not in twins (AOR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.13–7.00). Black mothers were more likely than white to experience stillbirth (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.99–2.22 for singletons and AOR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.27–1.79 for twins). Conclusion. Stillbirth is a vital public health issue and its etiology is not well understood. Previous history of preterm birth was found to be associated with future stillbirth. Targeted early medical and obstetric care and interventions among women with preterm birth history may potentially reduce the likelihood of stillbirth.
Action of parathyroid hormone on mitochondria. Magnesium- and phosphate-independent respiration.

Abstract Parathyroid hormone added in vitro stimulates mitochondrial respiration in the complete absence of magnesium and phosphate. This response is completely blocked by the addition of magnesium, but not phosphate, and does not appear related to ion transport. However, when phosphate is added to the magnesium-inhibited system, the respiratory response to hormone is restored. Under these conditions the respiration is coupled to the translocation of magnesium phosphate. Neither sodium nor potassium ions are necessary for the hormonal responses, and their complete replacement with tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane greatly improves hormone-dependent accumulation of magnesium phosphate. It is suggested that magnesium is necessary to couple the parathyroid hormone system to ion translocation in the mitochondria, and that, in its absence, the hormone acts as an uncoupler of oxidation from phosphorylation.
MECHANISMS CONTROLLING COMPRESSIBILITY OF CLAYS

The consolidation characteristics of clays are controlled by mechanical and physico-chemical effects. Although these effects operate simultaneously one-dimensional consolidation tests indicate that one or the other usually dominates. The consolidation characteristics of sands, mica, and kaolinite are mechanically controlled whereas those of smectite are physico-chemically controlled. Illite occupies an intermediate position in that the virgin compression curve seems to be controlled by mechanical variables, whereas the swelling curve is influenced by both effects; the physico-chemical effect is more important when the adsorbed cations are monovalent and the pore water electrolyte concentration is low.
A Site of Auditory Experience-Dependent Plasticity in the Neural Representation of Auditory Space in the Barn Owl's Inferior Colliculus

The barn owl9s optic tectum contains a map of auditory space that is based, in part, on a map of interaural time difference (ITD). Previous studies have shown that this ITD map is shaped by auditory experience. In this study, we investigated whether the plasticity responsible for experience-induced changes in ITD tuning in the tectum occurs within the tectum itself or at an earlier stage in the auditory pathway. We altered auditory experience in young owls by implanting an acoustic filtering device in one ear that caused frequency-dependent changes in sound timing and level. We analyzed the representation of ITD in normal and device-reared owls in two nuclei in the ascending pathway: the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICX), the primary source of ascending auditory input to the tectum, and the lateral shell of the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (ICCls), the primary source of input to the ICX. In the ICX, device rearing caused adaptive, frequency-dependent changes in ITD tuning, as well as changes in frequency tuning. These changes in tuning were similar to changes that occurred in the optic tectum in the same owls. In contrast, in the ICCls, tuning for ITD and frequency was unaffected by device rearing. The data indicate that plasticity at the level of the ICX is largely responsible for the adaptive adjustments in ITD tuning and frequency tuning that are observed in the optic tecta of owls raised with abnormal auditory experience.
Fatal hemorrhage from an arterio-portal-peritoneal fistula after percutaneous liver biopsy

Exsanguinating hemorrhage complicated a percutaneous needle biopsy in a 64-yr-old woman with a probable collagen vascular disease. Angiography performed before Gelfoam embolization demonstrated a hepatic arterio-portal venous-peritoneal fistula, a lesion not previously described, to be a cause of the hemorrhage. Although surgery remains the treatment of choice, the role of selective hepatic arteriography and Gelfoam embolization in patients with serious hemorrhage who are poor surgical risks needs evaluation.
Drotrecogin Alfa Activated (Recombinant Human Activated Protein C, Xigris)

Our understanding of the immunopathophysiology of sepsis has made extraordinary progress during the past several decades, although therapeutic advances during the similar period have been extremely slow. During the past decade several clinical trials demonstrated promising results showing reduced morbidity and mortality in sepsis, although some had mixed outcomes. These trials have supported four major approaches: (1) maintenance of good tissue oxygenation by aggressive management of fluid and blood transfusion, (2) intensive insulin therapy to maintain the euglycemia, (3) low-dose corticosteroids, and (4) treatment with human recombinant activated protein C. These options will be briefly summarized in this chapter, but we will concentrate on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of sepsis with emphasis on the use of drotrecogin alfa activated (DAA) in the management of sepsis. Keywords: sepsis; drotrecogin alfa activated (DAA); insulin therapy; low-dose corticosteroids; human recombinant activated protein C
Neurotrophins and development of the rod pathway: an elementary deduction.

The rodent retina is a particularly attractive model for the study of neuronal developmental processes since considerable neurogenesis, cellular migration, phenotypic differentiation of retinal cell types and synaptogenesis occurs postnatally. In addition, the retina is readily accessible to surgical intervention, pharmacological manipulation, and local suppression of gene expression-tools that can be utilized to study mechanisms underlying the development of retinal neurons and their interconnections that form distinct functional circuits. Here, I review our studies describing the ontogeny of a specific retinal interneuron, the AII amacrine cell, an integral element in the rod (scotopic) pathway. Specifically, we used a number of approaches to examine the potential role of neurotrophic factors on the morphological and neurochemical differentiation of the AII.
Transesterification of RNA by Cu(II) terpyridine

Abstract We have used an RNA/DNA chimera, reffered to as embRNA, to study the transesterification of RNA catalyzed by aqueous terpyridyl Cu(II). This substrate is clevaed in only one position, but it contains the polyanionic charge and many of the metal binding sites of an RNA polymer. The pH rate profile and substrate dependence of the reaction are reported. Kinetic results are consistent with the active agent being the monohydroxy form of the Cu(II) complex.
Controlling integration specificity of a yeast retrotransposon

Retrotransposons and retroviruses integrate nonrandomly into eukaryotic genomes. For the yeast retrotransposon Ty5, integration preferentially occurs within domains of heterochromatin. Targeting to these locations is determined by interactions between an amino acid sequence motif at the C terminus of Ty5 integrase (IN) called the targeting domain, and the heterochromatin protein Sir4p. Here we show that new Ty5 integration hot spots are created when Sir4p is tethered to ectopic DNA sites. Targeting to sites of tethered Sir4p is abrogated by single amino acid substitutions in either IN or Sir4p that prevent their interaction. Ty5 target specificity can be altered by replacing the IN-targeting domain with other peptide motifs that interact with known protein partners. Integration occurs at high efficiency and in close proximity to DNA sites where the protein partners are tethered. These findings define a mechanism by which retrotransposons shape their host genomes and suggest ways in which retroviral integration can be controlled.
Structural characterization and diameter-dependent oxidative stability of single wall carbon nanotubes synthesized by the catalytic decomposition of CO

Low T oxidation followed by brief sonication in hot HCl has been optimized to remove Fe catalyst residues from HiPco material with minimal loss of tubes. One pass reduces Fe from 6–10 to 0.6–1.6 at.% with 60% yield, most of the loss being Fe. Raman scattering reveals a broad diameter distribution with a mean of 1.0–1.1 nm. After purification we find excellent correlation between oxidation temperature and Raman spectra whereby the oxidation rate varies inversely with tube diameter. This can be explained by the larger strain associated with greater curvature of small tubes.
Wind damage to envelopes of houses and consequent insurance losses

Abstract Examination of insurance claim files from Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew has revealed that most wind damage to houses is restricted to the envelope of the building. Rain entering the building then causes the insurance loss to be magnified by a factor ranging from two, at lower wind speeds, to nine at higher speeds. In wooded and urban areas near the coast, damage to buildings and their contents generally begins when the gradient wind speed reaches 40 m/s. There is a linear increase in the average insurance loss with wind speed until the gradient speed reaches about 70 m/s, at which point the average loss is approximately 12% of the insured value. Between 70 and 82 m/s (the upper limit observed in Hurricane Andrew) the average loss increases rapidly to 75%, although some small areas may experience losses over 90%. This rapid increase is associated with the loss of roof sheathing and damage to windows and doors. Probabilistic relationships are developed for expected insurance losses. These show that most hurricane-prone cities are more vulnerable to damage than inland cities, but South Florida represents an extreme risk. To reduce the vulnerability of future housing, it is recommended that envelopes be designed for the same probability of failure as the main structural system. A program to determine design loads and envelope component resistance is described. However, improvements in the wind resistance of the building stock will be slow and hurricane losses will remain high, unless large and aggressive retro-fitting programs are iniated.
Ethical behavior of indian purchasing managers

Abstract As the global marketplace continues its relentless growth, ethical purchasing behavior assumes greater significance for both domestic and international firms. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the ethics of purchasing management professionals in India. A questionnaire, based on prior research, was developed by the authors for obtaining the information. An analysis of data from 69 respondents indicated that the Indian purchasing managers reacted less ethically to questionable situations than has been reported in previous studies conducted in the United States. The disparity in the results can be attributed to the difference in the perception of ethical and unethical behavior between Indian and U.S. purchasing managers. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
Characterization of alumina-supported palladium oxide catalysts used in the oxidative coupling of 4-methylpyridine

Abstract A number of palladium and palladium oxide on alumina catalysts for the oxidative coupling of 4-methylpyridine were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to obtain more information about the properties that govern these reactions. The most active catalysts, the impregnated and precipitated PdO/n-Al2O3(+), were found to have very broad Pd 3d peaks, suggesting the presence of both PdO2 and Pd0, in addition to PdO, on the surface. This could be due to strong metal–support interactions, which result in more electrophilic palladium or a reduced palladium catalyst that is easier to reoxidize, both of which are expected to result in high catalytic activities. As the PdO is completely reduced to Pd metal on spent catalysts (according to XPS and XRD), facilitated reoxidation could be important in this reaction. While reoxidation is a potential deactivation pathway, carbon deposition is also evident in the XPS spectra and this could block active sites. In contrast, both the XPS and the XRD data indicate that Pd leaching into the reaction solution is not a significant deactivation pathway in the PdO/n-Al2O3(+) catalyst system. The nm-sized fine structure observed in the supports of the PdO/γ-Al2O3 and PdO/n-Al2O3(+), together with their measured activities compared to the poorly active PdO/n-Al2O3(−) catalyst with no such fine structure, supports our hypothesis that low-coordination sites on a support can result in strong metal–support interactions and very active catalysts. Highly active crystalline PdO particles with sizes of 5 nm or below may explain the observed lack of correlation between the measured Pd surface area (which should correlate with the PdO surface area) and the catalytic activity.
Electric Field-Assisted Processing of Anisotropic Polymer Nanocomposites

The performance of nanocomposites is affected by dispersion and patterning of the nanoinclusions in the polymer matrix. In this work, electrical and mechanical properties of single wall carbon nanotube polymer composites are tailored using AC electric fields. While the electric field is applied, the polymer is cured to freeze-in the alignment. The specific objectives are: to achieve efficient dispersion of the nanoinclusions in the polymer solutions; to investigate the alignment in liquid polymers in terms of electric field magnitude and frequency; and to quantify the alignment using electrical characterization in the liquid state and mechanical characterization in the solid state.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
MEMORY TRAINING IN THE COMMUNITY AGED: EFFECTS ON DEPRESSION, MEMORY COMPLAINT, AND MEMORY PERFORMANCE

This study compares the effects of two types of training programs on memory complaints, memory performance, and affective status in the community elderly. Prior research has suggested that although there are some age differences in memory, the memory complaints of older persons are related to depression and not to actual memory performance. In the present project subjects were randomly assigned into one of two treatment groups: (1) memory training, which received instruction in specific memory enhancement techniques, and (2) growth, which dealt with interpersonal and affective issues. The sample was comprised of women over SO, who responded to advertisements for a memory clinic. The results indicate that both training groups significantly reduced concerns about memory and resulted in improved memory performance. Further analysis suggested that changes in depression, not memory performance, were significantly associated with lessened complaints about memory following training. These results indicate the ef...
Fluctuating lymphocyte chimerism, tolerance and anti-tumor response in a patient with refractory lymphoma receiving non-myeloablative conditioning and a haploidentical related allogeneic bone marrow transplant

A 51-year-old patient with refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) received non-myeloablative conditioning and a two of six (A, B, DR) human leucocyte antigen (HLA) mismatched donor BMT. Post-BMT lymphocytes showed fluctuating T- and natural killer (NK)-cell chimerism, which culminated in mainly donor lymphocytes by Day +100. Changes in lymphocyte chimerism correlated with anti-donor and anti-host responses in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). On Day +100, a strong anti-host response was observed in MLR in the absence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), together with near complete regression of the patient's lymphoma. A mild chronic GVHD later developed and, eventually, by 680 days post-BMT, the lymphoma had relapsed and MLR reflected a state of global immune unresponsiveness. These observations demonstrate evolving host-versus-graft and graft-versus-host tolerance that correlates with fluctuating lymphoid chimerism and graft-versus-lymphoma (GVL) effects, in the absence of severe GVHD. Eventual lymphoma re...
Influences of forest harvest and environmental gradients on aquatic invertebrate communities of seasonal ponds.

During 1999–2005, we studied aquatic invertebrate communities in 24 small, seasonally flooded wetlands (seasonal ponds) in aspen (Populus spp.)-dominated landscapes in north central Minnesota, USA. Sites were chosen from 2 different landforms, with 6, 6, and 12 wetlands selected from stands estimated to have been harvested 10–34 (young age), 35–58 (mid-age), and 59+ (old age) years before onset of the study, respectively. Of 12 ponds in the old age group, six were clear-cut during the winter of 2000–2001. Direct gradient analysis indicated that invertebrate communities were influenced by canopy openness, total phosphorus, total alkalinity, maximum depth, and hydroperiod, although relationships were complex, with no single environmental variable explaining > 9.3% of invertebrate variance. Invertebrate taxon richness was negatively correlated with stand age and was also lower during the period following tree removal. However, taxon richness declined to a lesser extent in harvested old age stands relative to unharvested controls during the post-harvest time period. Our results indicated the presence of weak relationships between invertebrate communities and environmental characteristics of seasonal ponds and adjacent uplands. Innovative research strategies are needed because adaptations of aquatic invertebrates may limit interpretation of responses to natural and anthropogenic gradients in these habitats.
Continental tectonics in the aftermath of plate tectonics

It is shown that the basic tenet of plate tectonics, rigid-body movements of large plates of lithosphere, fails to apply to continental interiors. There, buoyant continental crust can detach from the underlying mantle to form mountain ranges and broad zones of diffuse tectonic activity. The role of crustal blocks and of the detachment of crustal fragments in this process is discussed. Future areas of investigation are addressed.
The Emperor's New Clothes: PDE5 and the Heart

Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) is highly expressed in the pulmonary vasculature, but its expression in the myocardium is controversial. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) activates protein kinase G (PKG), which has been hypothesized to blunt cardiac hypertrophy and negative remodeling in heart failure. Although PDE5 has been suggested to play a significant role in the breakdown of cGMP in cardiomyocytes and hence PKG regulation in the myocardium, the RELAX trial, which tested effect of PDE5 inhibition on exercise capacity in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) failed to show a beneficial effect. These results highlight the controversy regarding the role and expression of PDE5 in the healthy and failing heart. This study used one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis and Western blotting to examine PDE5 expression in mouse (before and after trans-aortic constriction), dog (control and HFpEF) as well as human (healthy and failing) heart. We were unable to detect PDE5 in any cardiac tissue lysate, whereas PDE5 was present in the murine and bovine lung samples used as positive controls. These results indicate that if PDE5 is expressed in cardiac tissue, it is present in very low quantities, as PDE5 was not detected in either humans or any model of heart failure examined. Therefore in cardiac muscle, it is unlikely that PDE5 is involved the regulation of cGMP-PKG signaling, and hence PDE5 does not represent a suitable drug target for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy. These results highlight the importance of rigorous investigation prior to clinical trial design.