cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The vascular endothelium in diabetes—a therapeutic target?

Insulin resistance affects the vascular endothelium, and contributes to systemic insulin resistance by directly impairing the actions of insulin to redistribute blood flow as part of its normal actions driving muscle glucose uptake. Impaired vascular function is a component of the insulin resistance syndrome, and is a feature of type 2 diabetes. On this basis, the vascular endothelium has emerged as a therapeutic target where the intent is to improve systemic metabolic state by improving vascular function. We review the available literature presenting studies in humans, evaluating the effects of metabolically targeted and vascular targeted therapies on insulin action and systemic metabolism. Therapies that improve systemic insulin resistance exert strong concurrent effects to improve vascular function and vascular insulin action. RAS-acting agents and statins have widely recognized beneficial effects on vascular function but have not uniformly produced the hoped-for metabolic benefits. These observations support the notion that systemic metabolic benefits can arise from therapies targeted at the endothelium, but improving vascular insulin action does not result from all treatments that improve endothelium-dependent vasodilation. A better understanding of the mechanisms of insulin’s actions in the vascular wall will advance our understanding of the specificity of these responses, and allow us to better target the vasculature for metabolic benefits.
Anaesthetic implications for bone marrow transplant recipients.

The bone marrow transplant recipient is unique. Multiple sequelae may arise as a result of the procedure and many of these effects may be pertinent to the planning and administration of anaesthesia. The results indicate that knowledge of these idiosyncrasies accompanied by careful and directed evaluation of each patient should permit the delivery of safe anaesthesia.
AN ELECTRICAL FLUX PUMP FOR POWERING SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNET COILS

A method is described which allows stepwise flux accumulation in superconducting magnet coils. A maximum field of 5.4 koe achieved with one coil corresponds to a current of 1070 amperes. (J.R.D.)
Transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale associated with paradoxical embolism using the amplatzer PFO occluder: Initial and intermediate-term results of the U.S. multicenter clinical trial

Closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been proposed as an alternative to anticoagulation in patients with presumed paradoxical emboli. We report the immediate and mid-term results of the phase 1 U.S. Multicenter Clinical Trial of patients who underwent transcatheter PFO closure for paradoxical embolism using the new Amplatzer PFO device. Fifty patients (28 male/22 female) underwent catheter closure of their PFOs at a mean age of 41 ± 11 years. Thirty-six patients had ischemic stroke, 10 had transient ischemic attack, and 4 had peripheral embolism. Seventeen patients had atrial septal aneurysm. The implantation procedure was successful in 49/49 patients; one patient did not have a PFO. Complete closure was seen immediately after the procedure in 26/49 patients; 17 had minimal residual shunt, 4 had moderate and 2 had large residual shunts. The median fluoroscopy time was 10.5 min (2.8–43 min). There were no complications related to the device. One patient developed an arteriovenous fistula at the catheter site requiring surgical repair. At a mean follow-up interval of 16.5 ± 7.2 months, there were no deaths or recurrent neurological or peripheral embolic events. Eight patients reported an episode of dizziness or palpitations (four of them within 18 days of the procedure). No episodes of atrial dysrhythmias were noted. Contrast bubble study at last follow-up documented complete closure in 45/48 patients; one patient had minimal, one had moderate residual shunt, and one had a large shunt. One patient was lost to follow-up. We conclude that catheter closure of PFO associated with stroke/transient ischemic attack or peripheral embolism using the new Amplatzer PFO device is a safe and effective method in preventing recurrence of such episodes. Randomized clinical trials comparing device closure versus continued medical therapy are underway. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2003;60:524–528. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Personality correlates of prejudice against AIDS victims

For a variety of reasons, the classic personality psychology construct of the authoritarian personality ought likely to be linked with prejudicial attitudes toward persons with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In this study of 177 college students, we tested that relation, while at the same time we included a number of likely correlates of authoritarianism: tough-mindedness (e.g., low n nurturance, high n aggression), low intelligence, absolutist ethical thinking, self-righteousness, sexual conservatism, and religiosity. Nearly all of the predictors accounted for small portions of variance in prejudice. The five best predictors of prejudice—authoritarianism, low nurturance, ethical absolutism, low intelligence, and male gender—yielded a multiple R of.57.
Analytic spin-orbit coupling matrix element formulae in FLAPW calculations

Abstract The full-potential, linearized augmented, plane wave (FLAPW) method is used widely for accurate electronic structure calculations. For the electronic structure of solids with heavy elements, it is necessary to include spin-orbit coupling interactions. We present simple analytic formulae for calculating FLAPW spin-orbit matrix elements. These will serve to simplify the calculations and save computational time.
The child as witness: competency and credibility.

The terms competency and credibility are defined as they relate to child witnesses. The criteria employed by the courts in assessing a child's competency to testify are discussed, and research into the effect on children's testimony of limitations of memory, and of suggestibility, susceptibility to external influence, emotional arousal and long delay, is summarized. A systematic approach to the clinical evaluation of credibility is described, and the concept of a specific biopsychosocial syndrome associated with sexual abuse critically discussed.
Influence of complexation on the emission and electronic relaxation of acridine

Abstract The modification of molecular luminescence from acridine was investigated by studying its 1:1 EDA complex with boron trichloride. A twenty-fold increase in fluorescence is attributed to the movement of n, φ∗ states to higher energies, thereby preventing S2(n, φ) → T3(φ, φ) from being a dominant relaxation route. The fluorescence yield of the complex was determined to be 0.59±0.05 and its formation constant is (1.4±0.5)X105. A comparative study of the luminescence behavior of BCl3 complexes of nitrogen heterocyclics indicates increasing n-electron donicity in the order of acridine > pyridine > quinoline.
Matching- and Nonmatching-to-Sample Concept Learning in Rats using Olfactory Stimuli

Previous research has shown that rats can learn matching-to-sample relations with olfactory stimuli; however, the specific characteristics of this relational control are unclear. In Experiment 1, 6 rats were trained to either match or nonmatch to sample in a modified operant chamber using common household spices as olfactory stimuli. After matching or nonmatching training with 10 exemplars, the contingencies were reversed with five new stimuli such that subjects trained on matching were shifted to nonmatching and vice versa. Following these reversed contingencies, the effects of the original training persisted for many trials with new exemplars. In Experiment 2, 9 rats were trained with matching procedures in an arena that provided for 18 different spatial locations for comparison stimuli. Five subjects were trained with differential reinforcement outcomes and 4 with only one type of reinforcer. Differential outcomes and multiple exemplars facilitated learning, and there was strong evidence for generalization to new stimuli for most rats that acquired several conditional discriminations. Performances with novel samples were generally above chance, but rarely reached the high levels obtained during baseline with well-trained stimulus relations. However, taken together, the data from the two experiments extend previous work, show that rats can learn both match and nonmatch relations with different experimental protocols, and demonstrate generalization to novel sample stimuli.
Dynamic full-field infrared imaging with multiple synchrotron beams.

Microspectroscopic imaging in the infrared (IR) spectral region allows for the examination of spatially resolved chemical composition on the microscale. More than a decade ago, it was demonstrated that diffraction-limited spatial resolution can be achieved when an apertured, single-pixel IR microscope is coupled to the high brightness of a synchrotron light source. Nowadays, many IR microscopes are equipped with multipixel Focal Plane Array (FPA) detectors, which dramatically improve data acquisition times for imaging large areas. Recently, progress been made toward efficiently coupling synchrotron IR beamlines to multipixel detectors, but they utilize expensive and highly customized optical schemes. Here we demonstrate the development and application of a simple optical configuration that can be implemented on most existing synchrotron IR beamlines to achieve full-field IR imaging with diffraction-limited spatial resolution. Specifically, the synchrotron radiation fan is extracted from the bending magnet...
Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Buchnera aphidicola (Endosymbiont of aphids): Cloning and sequencing of a DNA fragment containing aroH-thrS-infC-rpmI-rplT

A 4.5-kilobase DNA fragment from Buchnera aphidicola, the endosymbiont of the aphid Schizaphis graminum, was cloned and sequenced. On the basis of homology to Escherichia coli, the following genes were found in the order listed: aroH-thrS-infC-rpmI-rplT. AroH corresponds to the E. coli tryptophan-inhibited 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase. Evidence was presented indicating that this is the sole gene for DAHP synthase in the B. aphidicola genome. This enzyme initiates the complex branched pathway leading to aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. The presence of aroH is consistent with past observations indicating that aphid endosymbionts are able to synthesize tryptophan for the aphid host. thrS, infC, rpmI, and rplT correspond to genes for threonine tRNA synthase, initiation factor-3, and large ribosome subunit proteins L35 and L20, respectively. Sequence comparisons indicate some differences and similarities between E. coli and B. aphidicola with respect to the possible regulation of synthesis of these proteins.
Response of the Arecibo ionosphere to large HF-induced electron temperature enhancements

Abstract During recent experiments at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, large (1000 - >2500 K) enhancements in electron temperature have been observed when high-power radio waves reflect near the nighttime F region peak. The electron temperature enhancements are accompanied by significant (50 – 200 K) increases in ion temperature, large (10 – 25%) reductions in electron density, and strong HF-induced spread F . When large electron temperature enhancements develop, the ionosphere appears to become dynamically unstable resulting in the production of geomagnetic field-aligned striations having elevated electron temperatures and depleted electron densities. In the present work, a theoretical description of the F region thermal response is provided along with several new experimental results. An interesting aspect of this type of radio wave heating experiment is that it offers the possibility of directly measuring aeronomic parameters that are difficult to determine with other techniques.
A prospective randomized comparison of two skin closure techniques in acetabular fracture surgery.

Recent publications have shown an infection rate of 5–7 % for acetabular fractures treated with the Kocher-Langenbeck (K-L) approach. Using metallic staples to close hip skin incisions has been considered the gold standard. The purpose of this study was to answer the following: (1) will closure of a K-L incision after acetabular fracture surgery with a running subcuticular monocryl suture, then sealing the wound with 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (OCA), result in a lower infection rate compared to metallic staple closure? (2) Do incisions closed with subcuticular monocryl and OCA exhibit decreased drainage? (3) Is there a cost difference between these two methods? In a prospective clinical study, 103 patients with acetabular fractures treated using the K-L approach were randomized into two groups: skin closure with metallic staples (n = 52) versus subcuticular running monocryl suture sealed with OCA (n = 51). Two postoperative deep infections (4 %) in the staples group required multiple debridements; no infections developed in the OCA group. However, there was no statistical difference between the groups, (p = 0.495). There was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.032) comparing days from surgery to a dry incision favoring OCA (4.2 versus 5.85 days). The patient charge was approximately $900 greater on average in the OCA group due to the increased time in the operating room required for the subcuticular closure. Closure with OCA and subcuticular monocryl showed no clinical disadvantages and appears to have a clinical advantage when compared to standard metallic staple skin closure in acetabular fracture surgery. However, additional patient costs may be incurred. II.
Calorimetric measurements of the heat of sorption of water vapor on dry swollen cellulose

Calorimetric measurements of the heat of sorption of water vapor on a dry swollen cellulose sample have been made for various swelling states of the sample. The state of swelling was characterized by the surface area of the sample as determined by nitrogen adsorption (B.E.T.) Six runs were made with the surface area varying from 140 m.2/g. to 2 m.2/g. The initial heats do not vary significantly with change in surface area and were found to be 15 to 16 kcal. per mole of water sorbed. The energetics of water sorption and the water regain, at low water concentrations, are entirely independent of the surface area range (swelling state) of the cellulose. The surface area was found to decrease logarithmically with the quantity of water sorbed on the cellulose. It is concluded that the interaction of water and cellulose is a bulk rather than a surface effect.
Damascus steel, part I: Indian wootz steel

Abstract Available literature on the ancient Indian wootz process for producing the steel believed to have been used in Damascus blades is reviewed. There is uncertainty in the literature as to whether the wootz metal had an as-cast carbon composition of around 1.6% or a composition in the 2.5 to 3.5% range which was then reduced to 1.6% by decarburization. Some arguments are presented which favor the lower as-cast carbon level, and therefore imply that crucible temperatures in the 1400°–1450°C range must have been achieved in the wootz process.
Holocaust Film before the Holocaust: DEFA, Antifascism and the Camps

The period prior to the 1970s has frequently been portrayed internationally as one of public disavowal of the Jewish catastrophe politically and cinematically and as one in which there was a dearth of filmic representations of the Holocaust. In addition to the Hollywood productions The Diary of Anne Frank (1960), Stanley Kramer’s Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) and Sidney Lumet’s The Pawnbroker (1965), one often spoke of just a few East and West European films emerging within a political and cultural landscape that was viewed by many as unable or unwilling to address the subject. This article takes issue with these assumptions by focusing on feature films made by DEFA between 1946 and 1963 in East Berlin’s Soviet Zone and in East Germany which had as their subject matter the persecution of Jews during the Third Reich.
Determination of the optical absorption coefficient of powdered materials whose particle size distribution and refractive indices are unknown.

A method has been devised, based on the Kubelka-Munk theory of diffuse reflectance, for obtaining an estimate of the optical absorption coefficient of a finely powdered material that has been collected on the surface of a membrane filter. The procedure does not require any knowledge of either the real refractive index or particle size distribution of the material. No mechanical or chemical processing is involved, and only one sample is required. Results of experimental tests on materials of known absorption coefficient are presented.
Package-die co-optimization for improved performance and lower cost: A 32nm 10-core Xeon CPU case study

Increased current consumption and greater fragmentation of power domains in high performance microprocessors have led to higher supply noise profiles. This not only increases the net power dissipation of the chip but also degrades frequency performance. Optimization of the power supply networks for improved efficiency is therefore a key challenge. This paper describes a methodology and results for simultaneous optimization of die and package power supply networks leading to considerable power savings. The methodology is also shown to improve cost of the product through reduced warpage and improved yield.
Prevention of post-surgical adhesions by implementation of a crosslinked Hyaluronan film

Post-surgical adhesions occur most often after abdominal and gynecological surgeries. The causes of adhesions range from surgeon technique to inflammation. The goal of this project was to investigate the implementation of a hyaluronan (HA), cross-linked film to prevent post surgical adhesion in a rat cecum abrasion protocol. Twenty-nine rats underwent midline-laparotomies, the cecum was abraded, and a 1 cm2 piece of abdominal wall was removed. Control animals did not receive the HA film placed between damaged surfaces. The animals were sacrificed after 21 days and the extent of adhesion was quantified using a scale of 0-3. The mean score of the control animals was 0.82 and the HA film was 0.25. In this ongoing study, the HA films show potential in abdominal adhesion prevention.
Multiple target discrimination using E-pulse techniques

When two radar targets are illuminated together, they act as a system with natural frequencies different from those of the isolated targets. Mutual coupling could thus reduce the effectiveness of discrimination since the E-pulses are generated from measurement of isolated targets. To study this effect, the special case of a system of parallel thin cylinders was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The trajectory of the lowest order modes associated with a system of two wires of differing length is shown. The system sn's (natural mode frequencies) are seen to spiral around the sn's of the isolated targets and then diverge toward the origin as separation distance is increased. Since the system sn's spiral near the isolated target sn's for close spacing, it seems plausible that discrimination of a system of closely spaced targets might be possible using E-pulses based on the sn's of the isolated targets. >
User-friendly password methods for computer-mediated information systems

Violations of published strictures on password use have led to widespread unauthorized access to computer systems. The problem may compound as inexpert users, handicapped by inadequate guidance and ignorance of computers, are increasingly involved on networked, supposedly ''user-friendly'' workstations. The literature on password methods reflects a technocentric focus emphasizing security without due regard for user comfort, i.e., a ''user-hostile'', system perspective. We present a ''user-friendly'' model for the password selection and re-creation processes rooted in cognitive psychology. The model suggests two approaches to password selection - one rooted in a nomothetic, or particularized, the other in an idiographic, or generalized, treatment of experience - that exploit principles of recall, memory aids and simple formal transformations. A third approach, exploiting environmental cues - hence recognition rather than recall - is also considered. Intermediate approaches enable tradeoffs between password security and memorability appropriate to the context and cognitive style of the user. The reduction of the approaches to practice is illustrated in numerous examples. The approaches yield passwords more vulnerable to discovery than those envisioned in system-oriented theory, yet operationally superior to many prompted by strictures reflecting a technocentric system perspective. We recommend that guidance materials on password use be made available on systems.
Experimental considerations for temperature modulated DSC at low temperature

Temperature modulated DSC (TMDSC) at low temperatures requires attention to the selection of experimental parameters that are within the capability of the instrumentation as well as special care in calibration of heat capacity measurement when high precision is required. Data are presented to facilitate selection of appropriate modulation periods and amplitudes at low temperature when using a mechanical cooling accessory. The standard error of the mean heat capacity measurement for a sapphire standard increased with decreasing temperature, decreasing period, and increasing pan mass. For ice in hermetically sealed pans, the standard error of the mean heat capacity measurement was larger than for sapphire and did not follow a predictable trend with changes in temperature and period of modulation. This was attributed to changes in sample geometry between successive measurements due to melting and resolidification. A simple one-point temperature calibration by TMDSC may be unsuitable for precise measurement of heat capacity because of the random error caused by sample placement and the systematic error caused by cell asymmetry, temperature dependence of the calibration constant, and different sample thermal conductivities. An alternative calibration procedure using standard DSC and either a linear or second order fit of the calibration constant over the temperature range of interest is proposed.
Implementing a fast-track protocol for patients undergoing bowel resection: not so fast.

Abstract Background Multimodality fast-track protocols have been shown to enhance recovery after bowel resection. However, it remains unclear which of the components impact outcomes and whether processes actually occur as intended. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent elective bowel resection at a university teaching hospital under a standardized fast-track recovery protocol were compared with patients who underwent similar procedures before protocol initiation. Compliance was measured with the 7 major elements of the protocol: administration of nonopioid analgesia, perioperative lidocaine, nasogastric tube removal, early feeding, early ambulation, and fluid restriction. Results Eighty pathway patients were compared with 87 conventional patients. Only 3 of the 7 major components were successfully implemented. Fluid restriction was achieved in only 2 patients. Pain scores and ileus-related morbidities were comparable with the exception of nasogastric tube reinsertion, which was required twice as often in pathway patients (17 vs 8, P = .02). Thirteen pathway patients were readmitted compared with 7 control patients ( P = .11). Conclusions The delivery of expected care cannot be assumed. There was no discernible benefit in patient outcomes.
A SIMILARITY SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM IN NONLINEAR ION TRANSPORT WITH A NONLOCAL CONDITION

We derive an initial–boundary value problem with a nonlocal condition to model mass and charge transport in a controlled potential experiment called chronoamperometry. The charge is carried by ions set in motion by a change in the applied electrode potential. The resulting electric current is called the current response. When the charge flux arises from diffusion alone, the model reduces to an initial–boundary value problem for the heat equation. We consider diffusion and migration (motion under the influence of an electric field). This latter component of the total flux gives rise to a nonlinearity in the transport equations. Experimentalists have noted the current response to be proportional to the square root of the time with or without migration. It is shown that the initial–boundary value problem has a unique similarity solution that accounts for this observation.
Overview of open shortest path first, version 2 (OSPF V2) routing in the tactical environment

The United States Department of the Army is expected to mandate the use of the open shortest path first, version 2 (OSPF V2) as the interior gateway routing protocol for use across tactical communication systems that use the Internet Protocol (IP). This paper provides an overview of the OSPF V2 routing protocol and analysis of OSPF V2 routing overhead. The paper describes the minimum OSPF V2 routing overhead that can be expected when operating through the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS). The paper also suggests changes that will allow OSPF V2 to operate better in the tactical environment.
Effect of midfacial distraction on the obstructed airway in patients with syndromic bilateral coronal synostosis.

Purpose Le Fort III osteotomy and midfacial advancement expand the nasopharynx and potentially increase airway dimensions in patients with syndromic bilateral coronal synostosis. Distraction osteogenesis allows greater midfacial advancement, and may offer more improvement in airway obstruction, compared with the conventional 1-stage procedure. This study aimed to document the effect of midfacial distraction-advancement on airway obstruction in patients with syndromic bilateral coronal synostosis. Patients and Methods Charts of patients with syndromic bilateral coronal synostosis who had undergone Le Fort III distraction were reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative demographic, cephalometric, polysomnographic, and subjective patient/parental reported data were reviewed. Descriptive and nonparametric bivariate statistics were computed, to document changes in airway parameters. Results Of 25 patients who underwent midfacial Le Fort III distraction, only 18 had preoperative airway obstruction. The mean age at operation for patients with airway obstruction was (±SD) 10.4 ± 4.2 years (range, 2.7 to 17.4 years), and the average advancement was 20.5 ± 7.4 mm (range, 10 to 30 mm). Five of 6 patients with a tracheostomy were decannulated; 1 patient had persistent central apnea that prevented decannulation. The mean respiratory distress index for the group improved from 33.4 ± 37.57 (range, 1.8 to 109.2) to 12.6 ± 26.32 (range, 0.00 to 72.0) ( P P Conclusions Midfacial distraction improves airway obstruction in patients with syndromic bilateral coronal synostosis. Clinicians can counsel patients and families that this procedure usually permits decannulation and discontinuation of continuous or bilevel positive airway pressure.
Housing policy in the emergent socialist mixed economy of Eastern Europe

Abstract The late 1980s signal a qualitatively new stage in the development of socialist economies. Earlier reforms attempted to move away from a monolithic, centrally planned system, to find more effective mechanisms of economic management, in particular to reduce the role of planning and increase the role of the market within the statist economy. But during the last two or three years a significant change has occurred in the reform discourse. The debate over ‘how much plan and how much market’ has come to be replaced by a call for a reform of ownership (Bauer, 1988). A ‘socialist mixed economy’, with a statist sector complemented by a private sector seems to be in the making. This paper has two aims. In the first part I present the trend towards a socialist mixed economy. I will explain the forces pointing in this direction, the likely functioning of a socialist mixed economy, and finally, how different a socialist mixed economy might be from a capitalist one. In the second part I look at the housing ec...
Direct hydrogenation of magnesium boride to magnesium borohydride: demonstration of >11 weight percent reversible hydrogen storage

Conditions have been found whereby it is possible to reversibly store >11 wt% hydrogen through the direct hydrogenation of MgB2 to Mg(BH4)2.
A New Doppler-Echo Method to Quantify Regurgitant Volume

An in vitro technique using color flow imaging and continuous wave Doppler was developed to measure the initial regurgitant flow jet diameter and velocity integral to yield the parameters for a volume calculation. Jets were produced by volume-controlled injection through tubes of various diameters (1.3, 1.9, 2.8, and 3.5 mm) to deliver volumes from 1 to 7 ml over 100 to 300 msec at pressures from 40 to 200 mm Hg. One hundred forty-five samples were obtained. Flow jet diameter consistently overestimated tube diameter by 2 mm when injected volume was 1.5 to 7 ml and by 1.5 mm when injected volume was less than 1.5 ml. This offset was stable with various transducers (2.5, 3.5, 5.0 MHz) at normal gain setting (just under noise). Therefore, corrected flow jet diameter (FJD) = FJD - 2 mm, and Doppler volume=corrected flow jet area x velocity integral. A range of injectates from 1.1 to 7 ml generated Doppler volume of 1.0 to 8.2 ml. The relation between Doppler volume (DV) and injected volume (IV) was DV=1.079 IV - 0.22, r 2 = 0.945, p
Active Learning by Labeling Features

Methods that learn from prior information about input features such as generalized expectation (GE) have been used to train accurate models with very little effort. In this paper, we propose an active learning approach in which the machine solicits "labels" on features rather than instances. In both simulated and real user experiments on two sequence labeling tasks we show that our active learning method outperforms passive learning with features as well as traditional active learning with instances. Preliminary experiments suggest that novel interfaces which intelligently solicit labels on multiple features facilitate more efficient annotation.
Reason for optimism

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that the single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year.1 Such confidence in influenza vaccines seems misplaced for two reasons. Firstly, if CDC viral surveillance data are correct, then in recent years true influenza viruses have caused an …
Characteristics of Second Graders' Mathematical Writing.

This study compared the characteristics of second graders' mathematical writing between an intervention and comparison group. Two six-week Project M2 units were implemented with students in the intervention group. The units position students to communicate in ways similar to mathematicians, including engaging in verbal discourse where they themselves make sense of the mathematics through discussion and debate, writing about their reasoning on an ongoing basis, and utilizing mathematical vocabulary while communicating in any medium. Students in the comparison group learned from the regular school curriculum. Students in both the intervention and comparison groups conveyed high and low levels of content knowledge as indicated in archived data from an open-response end-of-the-year assessment. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated several differences favoring the intervention group. Both the high- and low-level intervention subgroups outperformed the comparison group in their ability to (a) provide reasoning, (b) attempt to use formal mathematical vocabulary, and (c) correctly use formal mathematical vocabulary in their writing. The low-level intervention subgroup also outperformed the respective comparison subgroup in their use of (a) complete sentences and (b) linking words. There were no differences between groups in their attempt at writing and attempts at and usage of informal mathematical vocabulary.
The real estate turn in policy and planning: Land monetization and the political economy of peri-urbanization in Asia

Abstract This paper argues that one of the fundamental forces shaping contemporary periurban political and spatial change in Asia is the rapid escalation of land values. These land price increases present state actors with acute opportunities and challenges, leading them to develop new strategies of land management that seek to exploit urbanization processes in the interest of extending state power. Specifically, governments in much of Asia have sought to monetize land—to use government powers of land management to realize substantial increases in land values, in order to extend state power either by directly extracting revenue for government from land development, or by distributing the profits of land development to powerful corporate backers of the state. Focusing attention on this comparative political economy of land monetization can therefore provide powerful explanatory insights into emergent patterns of social and spatial inequality and political contestation. The paper further compares state land monetization strategies in Jakarta, Chongqing, and Kolkata, and uses the findings to sketch out a comparative framework for understanding these strategies and their implications for spatial and political development.
Transnational Mobilities and Patterns of Ideational Circulation: On the Myth of the Static African Agent

It has become axiomatic to claim that the demonization of homosexuality and the ubiquity of hateful rhetoric concerning homosexuality across Africa are a direct function of mobilization by Western, specifically American-based, evangelical groups and organizations. It is therefore assumed that, but for these pernicious externalities, African countries would most probably be free of homophobia. In this presentation, I put this claim under some pressure. Although I accept that certain external agents have played a role in the inflation of discourse about homosexuality in Africa, I suggest that the role of a variety of African agents is no less important. In challenging the uni-directionality inherent in mainstream analyses, I depict instead a complex transnational social field in which a diversity of Northern and Southern agents jostle for influence, capital, and power against an undeniable backdrop of global inequality. Second, while it is often implied that African groups and communities have ‘learned’ their antipathy towards homosexuality from foreigners, I argue that this is a simplification, if not distortion, of the reality of the African past, where cultural attitudes towards sexual ‘abnormality’ have always been ambivalent.
Nickel requires hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, not redox signaling, to induce plasminogen activator inhibitor-1

Human epidemiological and animal studies have associated inhalation of nickel dusts with an increased incidence of pulmonary fibrosis. At the cellular level, particulate nickel subsulfide inhibits fibrinolysis by transcriptionally inducing expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1, an inhibitor of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator. Because nickel is known to mimic hypoxia, the present study examined whether nickel transcriptionally activates PAI-1 through the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α signaling pathway. The involvement of the NADPH oxidase complex, reactive oxygen species, and kinases in mediating nickel-induced HIF-1α signaling was also investigated. Addition of nickel to BEAS-2B human airway epithelial cells increased HIF-1α protein levels and elevated PAI-1 mRNA levels. Pretreatment of cells with the extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor U-0126 partially blocked HIF-1α protein and PAI-1 mRNA levels induced by nickel, whereas antioxidants and NADPH oxidase inhibitors had no effect. Pretreating cells with antisense, but not sense, oligonucleotides to HIF-1α mRNA abolished nickel-stimulated increases in PAI-1 mRNA. These data indicate that signaling through extracellular signal-regulated kinase and HIF-1α is required for nickel-induced transcriptional activation of PAI-1.
Capturing subregional variability in regional-scale climate change vulnerability assessments of natural resources

Natural resource vulnerability to climate change can depend on the climatology and ecological conditions at a particular site. Here we present a conceptual framework for incorporating spatial variability in natural resource vulnerability to climate change in a regional-scale assessment. The framework was implemented in the first regional-scale vulnerability assessment conducted by the US Forest Service. During this assessment, five subregional workshops were held to capture variability in vulnerability and to develop adaptation tactics. At each workshop, participants answered a questionnaire to: 1) identify species, resources, or other information missing from the regional assessment, and 2) describe subregional vulnerability to climate change. Workshop participants divided into six resource groups; here we focus on wildlife resources. Participants identified information missing from the regional assessment and multiple instances of subregional variability in climate change vulnerability. We provide recommendations for improving the process of capturing subregional variability in a regional vulnerability assessment. We propose a revised conceptual framework structured around pathways of climate influence, each with separate rankings for exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. These revisions allow for a quantitative ranking of species, pathways, exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity across subregions. Rankings can be used to direct the development and implementation of future regional research and monitoring programs. The revised conceptual framework is equally applicable as a stand-alone model for assessing climate change vulnerability and as a nested model within a regional assessment for capturing subregional variability in vulnerability.
An Evaluation of Federal Tax Policy Based on Judeo-Christian Ethics

This article severely criticizes the Bush Administration's tax policies under the moral principles of Judeo-Christian ethics. I first document that Judeo-Christian ethics is the most relevant moral analysis for tax policy because almost eighty percent of Americans and well over ninety percent of the Congress, including President Bush, claim to adhere to the Christian or Jewish faiths. I also show that evaluating federal tax policy under Judeo-Christian principles not only passes constitutional muster but is also appropriate under the norms of a democracy. I then provide a complete theological framework that can be applied to any tax policy structure. Using sources that include leading Evangelical and other Protestant scholars, Papal Encyclicals and Jewish scholars, I prove that tax policy structures meeting the moral principles of Judeo-Christian ethics must raise adequate revenues that not only cover the needs of the minimum state but also ensure that all citizens have a reasonable opportunity to reach their potential. Among other things, reasonable opportunity requires adequate education, healthcare, job training and housing. Using these theological sources, I also establish that flat and consumption tax regimes which shift a large part of the burden to the middle classes are immoral. Consequently, Judeo-Christian based tax policy requires the tax burden to be allocated under a moderately progressive regime. I discuss the difficulties of defining that precisely and also conclude that confiscatory tax policy approaching a socialistic framework is also immoral. I then apply this Judeo-Christian ethical analysis to the first term Bush Administration's tax cuts and find those policies to be morally problematic. Using a wealth of sources, I then establish that the moral values driving the Bush Administration's tax policy decisions reflect objectivist ethics, a form of atheism that exalts individual property rights over all other moral considerations. Given the overwhelming adherence to Christianity and Judaism, I conclude that President Bush, many members of Congress and many Americans are not meeting the moral obligations of their faiths, and, I argue that tax policy must start reflecting genuine Judeo-Christian values if the country is to survive in the long run.
Iron isotope investigation of hydrothermal and sedimentary pyrite and their aqueous dissolution products

Abstract Oxidative dissolution experiments were carried out on pyrite from multiple petrogenetic environments (hydrothermal, sedimentary, and coal-related nodules) to investigate possible variations in the iron isotopic composition of pyrite and the products of pyrite dissolution. The experimental materials were leached under carefully controlled abiotic conditions, and a subset of leachates and starting materials from these experiments was analyzed for 56Fe/54Fe by multicollector ICP-MS. Bulk pyrite δ56Fe values (relative to IRMM-014) ranged from − 0.1 to + 1.3‰, with hydrothermal bulk pyrite values
Pentoxifylline does not alter the response to inhaled grain dust.

Pentoxifylline (PTX) has been shown to reduce sepsis-induced neutrophil sequestration in the lung and inhibit endotoxin-mediated release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Previously, we have shown that endotoxin appears to be the principal agent in grain dust causing airway inflammation and airflow obstruction following grain dust inhalation. To determine whether PTX affects the physiologic and inflammatory events following acute grain dust inhalation, 10 healthy, nonsmoking subjects with normal airway reactivity were treated with PTX or placebo (PL) followed by corn dust extract (CDE) inhalation (0.08 mL/kg), using a single-blinded, crossover design. Subjects received PTX (1,200 mg/d) or PL for 4 days prior to CDE inhalation and 400 mg PTX or PL on the exposure day. Both respiratory symptoms and declines in FEV 1 and FVC occurred following CDE exposure in both groups, but there were no significant differences in the frequency of symptoms or percent declines from baseline in the FEV 1 and FVC at any of the time points measured in the study. Elevations in peripheral blood leukocyte and neutrophil concentrations and BAL total cell, neutrophil, TNF-α, and interleukin-8 concentrations were measured 4 h following exposure to CDE in both the PTX- and PL-treated subjects, but no significant differences were found between treatment groups. These results suggest that pretreatment with PTX prior to inhalation of CDE, in the doses used in this study, does not alter the acute physiologic or inflammatory events following exposure to inhaled CDE.
Phase II Trial Of Cladribine and Low-Dose AraC (LDAC) Alternating With Decitabine In Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Background Treatment of AML in older patients is often complicated by poor tolerance to intensive chemotherapy, high early mortality, and resistant disease. Lower intensity approaches employing more active combinations are needed. Cladribine has been shown to have single-agent activity in AML, and to modulate deoxycytidine kinase, making ara-C more effective. Cladribine has recently been shown to improve survival when combined with standard-dose araC (Holowiecki JCO 2012). Methods We designed a low-intensity, prolonged-maintenance program investigating the combination of cladribine and low-dose araC (LDAC) alternating with decitabine in patients aged > 60. Patients with adequate organ function and newly diagnosed AML (except APL), including secondary- (s-AML) and therapy-related AML (t-AML), and high risk MDS were eligible. Induction consisted of cladribine 5 mg/m2 IV over 1-2 hours on days 1-5 followed by araC 20mg SQ BID on days 1-10. Consolidation/maintenance consisted of 2 cycles of cladribine 5 mg/m2 IV over 1-2 hours on days 1-3 + araC 20 mg SQ BID on days 1-10 alternating with 2 cycles of decitabine 20 mg/m2 on days 1-5, for a maximum of 18 cycles. One cycle was 4 weeks and up to 2 cycles of induction were allowed. Results Forty-five patients have been enrolled thus far with a median age of 69 years (range, 60-85), including 20 pts (44%) ≥ age 70. 20 pts (44%) had secondary- (s-AML) or therapy related AML (t-AML), 8 pts (18%) had therapy for an antecedent hematologic disorder, and 4 pts (9%) had a concurrent active second malignancy while on study. Patient characteristics are listed in [table 1][1]. Of the 36 pts evaluable for response, there were 21 CR (58%), 1 CRi (3%), and 2 PR (6%) for an overall response rate of 67% (24/36). 38% of patients (5/13) with an abnormal karyotype at the start of therapy achieved a complete cytogenetic response (CyR) and 1 (8%) had partial CyR at the time of CR. MRD negativity by flow cytometry was achieved in 12/23 pts (52%) in whom it was measured at the time of CR. All 5 patients (100%) with FLT3+ AML achieved a CR/CRi (4CR, 1CRi). With a median followup of 3.2 months, median OS and median CR duration have not been reached. ([Figure 1][2]) The 1-year OS estimate is 51%. The regimen was very well tolerated, with 0% 4-week mortality. There were no treatment-related grade 3/4 non-hematologic adverse events (AEs). Most common non-heme AEs were elevated bilirubin, constipation, nausea/vomiting, mucositis, diarrhea and rash. View this table: Table 1 Patient Characteristics (N=45) ![Figure 1][3] Figure 1 Conclusion The low intensity induction/consolidation/maintenance program of cladribine+LDAC alternating with decitabine is a highly effective, well-tolerated ambulatory regimen for older patients, including those with unfavorable-risk features. The study continues enrollment and updated data will be presented. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. [1]: #T1 [2]: #F1 [3]: pending:yes
Improved trapping of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in light traps supplemented with dry ice in a neotropical rain forest.

The use of dry ice to improve trapping of phlebotomine sand flies in light traps was tested in a mature Neotropical rain forest in Panama. Light traps with controlled flow of CO2 were significantly more productive than traps without CO2. When dry ice was exposed above the traps, there were no significant differences from the control traps.
The Spiritual Well-Being Scale: Portuguese Translation and Suggestions for Use

In recent years the study of the relationships between religion and health has expanded to include the study of the relationships between spirituality and health. “Spirituality” is typically thought of as the more inclusive of the two terms. Meanwhile, the concept of spiritual well-being (SWB) has been invoked to reflect someone’s self-perception of well-being in terms that the person understands “spiritual” to mean – whether religious or existential in connotation. Thus, spirituality and SWB should not be confused with each other. Measures of each construct differ in psychological dimensions they are trying to tap and in the kind of assessments they are intended to yield. This paper explains each construct, presents the Portuguese translation of the SWBS, and notes suggestions for its use.
Auro-digital-anal syndrome

Two unrelated South Australian families are presented who have a syndrome involving deafness, anal and digital abnormalities, with affected individuals in 2 generations. There is a single family reported in the literature with identical physical findings and a second family has been reported with digital and anal defects only. The syndrome consists of sensorineural deafness, bifid and/or triphalangeal thumbs and either imperforate anus or anterior placed anus. One affected individual has unilateral coronal synostosis which has not previously been recorded in the 2 families referred to in the literature. The inheritance is consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance with varying expression. There was full penetrance but some individuals were asymptomatic and hearing loss was only detected audiologically. A family history of thumb abnormalities should be an indication for future audiological assessment in an individual with an imperforate or malpositioned anus.