cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional regulation by iron of a Vibrio cholerae virulence gene and homology of the gene to the Escherichia coli fur system.

Abstract We have previously described an iron-regulated virulence determinant in Vibrio cholerae. Strain MBG40, which contains a TnphoA insertion mutation in the iron-regulated gene irgA, has reduced virulence in a newborn mouse model and has lost the major 77-kDa iron-regulated outer membrane protein. We report here the cloning of the irgA'-'phoA gene fusion, the sequencing of the 5'-proximal portion of irgA, and the definition of its promoter region by primer extension. The deduced amino acid sequence of the amino-terminal portion of IrgA is homologous to the ferrienterochelin receptor of Escherichia coli (FepA), suggesting that IrgA may be the iron-vibriobactin outer membrane receptor. Iron regulation of irgA in an E. coli background and that of the E. coli gene slt-IA in a V. cholerae background are reciprocal, suggesting a common mechanism of iron regulation. Regulation of irgA by iron in V. cholerae occurs at the transcriptional level, and there is an interrupted dyad symmetric sequence in the vicinity of the promoter that is homologous to Fur binding sites of E. coli. Unlike iron-regulated genes in E. coli, however, transcription of irgA requires an additional 900 bp of upstream DNA that contains an open reading frame in inverse orientation to irgA.
Segregation in dense sheared flows: gravity, temperature gradients, and stress partitioning

It is well-known that in a dense, gravity-driven flow, large particles typically rise to the top relative to smaller equal-density particles. In dense flows, this has historically been attributed to gravity alone. However, recently kinetic stress gradients have been shown to segregate large particles to regions with higher granular temperature, in contrast to sparse energetic granular mixtures where the large particles segregate to regions with lower granular temperature. We present a segregation theory for dense gravity-driven granular flows that explicitly accounts for the effects of both gravity and kinetic stress gradients involving a separate partitioning of contact and kinetic stresses among the mixture constituents. We use discrete-element-method (DEM) simulations of different-sized particles in a rotated drum to validate the model and determine diffusion, drag, and stress partition coefficients. The model and simulations together indicate, surprisingly, that gravity-driven kinetic sieving is not active in these flows. Rather, a gradient in kinetic stress is the key segregation driving mechanism, while gravity plays primarily an implicit role through the kinetic stress gradients. Finally, we demonstrate that this framework captures the experimentally observed segregation reversal of larger particles downward in particle mixtures where the larger particles are sufficiently denser than their smaller counterparts.
Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity and Immunity Against Aerogenic Tuberculosis in Guinea Pigs

In experiments described herein, it was observed that guinea pigs with delayed-type hypersensitivity to tuberculoproteins under various experimental conditions, with or without passive transfer of serum from immune donors, manifested no acquired immunity against aerogenically induced tuberculosis. These results are discussed in relation to the previous observations of other investigators and to the general problem of cellular hypersensitivity and immunity against facultative intracellular bacteria.
To Move or Not to Move: Relationships to Place and Relocation Choices in HOPE VI

Abstract As the HOPE VI (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere) program redevelops public housing, residents must relocate. Little is known about how they make the choice to stay or to go, if they are given one. Survey interviews with 200 residents of Seattle's High Point HOPE VI project provide the data to address four questions about such moves. First, what factors predict residents’ initial choice to stay on site during redevelopment or to move permanently away? Second, how does the initial choice predict actual behavior? Third, what is the role of place attachment and place dependence on residents’ relocation choices? Fourth, what is the role of other trade‐offs in decision making? Findings suggest that family situations and place‐dependent considerations shape initial relocation preferences of public housing residents and that their family situations may be a more important influence on the actual move. Implications for the HOPE VI program are discussed.
Marcello Malpighi and the discovery of the pulmonary capillaries and alveoli.

Marcello Malpighi (1628–1694) was an Italian scientist who made outstanding contributions in many areas, including the anatomical basis of respiration in amphibia, mammals, and insects and also in ...
Preoperative Evaluation And Management Of The Emergency Surgical Small Animal Patient

The initial management and stabilization of the emergency surgical patient is challenging. A consistent systematic evaluation of the four major body systems, determination of the underlying cause, and aggressive stabilization before surgery can optimize the outcome.
A Self-selection Technique for Flooding and Routing in Wireless Ad-hoc Networks

There is a fundamental difference between wireless and wired networks, since the latter employ point-to-point communication while the former use broadcast transmission as the communication primitive. In this paper, we describe an algorithm, called self-selection, which takes advantage of broadcast communication to efficiently implement the basic operation of selecting a node possessing some desired properties among all the neighbors of the requestor. Self-selection employs a prioritized transmission back-off delay scheme in which each node's delay of transmitting a signal is dependent on the probability of the node's ability to best perform a pertinent task, and in turn, enables the node to autonomously select itself for the task. We demonstrate the benefits of self-selection in two basic wireless ad hoc network communication algorithms: flooding and routing. By relating back-off delay to the signal strength of a received packet, we design an efficient variant of conventional flooding called Signal Strength Aware Flooding. By using distance-to-destination to derive back-off delay, we design a novel and fault-tolerant wireless ad hoc network routing protocol named Self-Selective Routing.
Effects of prior exercise on postprandial lipemia: A quantitative review

The purpose of this report is to synthesize the results from studies examining the effect of exercise on postprandial lipemia to summarize the existing data and provide direction for future research. A quantitative review of the literature was performed using meta-analytic methods to quantify the effect sizes. Moderator analyses were performed to examine features of the studies that could potentially influence the effect of exercise on postprandial lipemia. Thirty-eight effects from 555 people were retrieved from 29 studies. The mean weighted effect was moderate as indicated by Cohen's d (d = -0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.71 to -0.43), indicating that people who perform exercise before meal ingestion exhibit a 0.5 standard deviation reduction in the postprandial triglyceride (TG) response relative to persons in comparison groups. There was no significant effect of study design, gender, age, type of meal ingested, exercise intensity, exercise duration, or timing of exercise on the postprandial response (P >.05). There was, however, significant variation in the effect sizes, for women for exercise performed within 24 hours of meal ingestion, and for exercise performed more than 24 hours before meal ingestion (P <.01). For studies that reported the energy expenditure of exercise, there was a significant relationship between effect size and energy expenditure (r = -.62, P =.02). Results from this quantitative review of the literature suggest that exercise has a moderate effect on the postprandial lipemic response and that the energy expenditure of prior exercise may play a role in the magnitude of this effect. Other factors that may affect the response remain to be clarified.
Efficient detection of space time block codes in time-selective channels via Adaptive Sphere Decoder

In this paper we consider symbol detection in Alamouti's space-time block coding (STBC) scheme by using Adaptive Sphere Decoder (ASD) which carries out adaptive radius search over time-selective fading channels. Once the channel is time-varying in nature, the channel co-efficients vary from one signaling interval to another, a conventional Maximum Likelihood (ML) detector carries out exhaustive search and thus becomes computationally expensive specially for higher modulation schemes in a multi-antenna system. Use of SD in time-selective fading channel results in optimal performance with moderate computational complexity. We evaluate the bit-error rate (BER) performance of ASD as compared to the exhaustive search ML detector as well as the generalized simplified ML (GSML) detector, proposed by Tran et al. over time-varying channels. Simulation results suggest that the use of ASD algorithm based on Fincke and Pohst method improves system performance but at expense of marginal computational complexity.
Cause-Specific Mortality and Survival of White-Tailed Deer Fawns in Southwestern Lower Michigan

Abstract Understanding white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawn survival is critical for managing herd dynamics and setting effective harvest regulations. We fitted white-tailed deer fawns with radiocollars during spring 2001 (n = 35) and 2002 (n = 40) to quantify cause-specific mortality, survival, and home-range size and composition in the southwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, USA. We monitored fawns a minimum of twice a week until they died, were censored, or the tracking period ended. Seventeen of 75 fawns died. The primary causes of mortality were legal hunting (n = 5) and deer–vehicle collisions (n = 5). Other causes included dehydration, bacterial infection, suspected coyote (Canis latrans) predation, drowning, and malnutrition. Survival probabilities for 2001 and 2002 radiocollared fawns to 30 days postcapture were 0.97 and 0.93, respectively. Capture-to-prehunt (127 days) fawn-survival probabilities were 0.91 for 2001 fawns and 0.90 for 2002 fawns. Posthunt (220 days) fawn survival pro...
Food intake, hunger, and satiety after preloads in women with eating disorders

Food intake, food selection, macronutrient intake, sensory-specific satiety, and ratings of hunger and satiety were measured after high- and low-energy salad preloads (2414 kJ, or 172 kJ) or no preload to determine whether patients with eating disorders compensate appropriately for different energy intakes. Subjects were female patients with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of anorexia nervosa with bulimic features or bulimia nervosa, or non patient, normal-weight, nondieters (n = 9/group). At a self-selected lunch 30 min after the preloads, all of the groups reduced intake after the high-energy preload, with the bulimics showing the best compensation. The anorexics chose low-energy foods and in some conditions ate a smaller proportion of fat than did the other groups. The bulimics ate more high-energy foods than did the anorexics. The anorexics demonstrated sensory-specific satiety only after the high-energy salad and the bulimics only after the low-energy salad. Overall, these data suggest that while many of their responses to food are abnormal, patients with eating disorders have some capacity to respond to physiological hunger and satiety cues.
Monoparesis Is a Rare Initial Manifestation of Gitelman's Syndrome (P07.038)

OBJECTIVE: To recognize monoparesis as a rare initial manifestation of Gitelman9s syndrome, thus encouraging evaluation of serum electrolytes in patients who present with monoparesis. BACKGROUND: Gitelman9s syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by a mutation in the SLC12A3 gene encoding the sodium chloride co-transporter, results in hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypocalciuria and metabolic alkalosis typically in young adults. Clinical manifestations range from being asymptomatic to generalized muscle weakness, paresthesia, tetany and increased thirst. Symptoms can be precipitated by vomiting or diarrhea. Diagnosis is on a biochemical and clinical basis and can be confirmed by genetic analysis. Patients with severe symptoms respond well to short term intravenous magnesium and potassium supplementation. DESIGN/METHODS: A 17 year old girl with no past medical history, presented with acute onset of left leg weakness, pain and tightness over left thigh and repeated falls for 3 days. She reported increased craving for salt. She denied any sensory symptoms, alcohol intake, illicit drug use, seizures or bowel or bladder incontinence. Examination revealed intact cranial nerves, 4/5 strength in left iliopsoas and hamstrings, but otherwise full strength in distal muscle groups of left lower extremity, right lower extremity and bilateral upper extremities. She had intact reflexes except an absent left quadriceps reflex, intact sensation to all modalities, normal coordination and impaired gait due to left leg weakness. Blood tests revealed hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, serum potassium 1.8 mmol/L, serum magnesium 0.9 mg/dl, serum calcium 8.9 mg/dl and decreased urinary calcium/creatinine ratio of 0.03 mg/mg. The patient9s symptoms rapidly resolved with intravenous replacement of potassium and magnesium. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first case of a patient with Gitelman9s syndrome presenting with monoparesis. Typical symptoms include generalized or bilateral limb weakness, tetany and paresthesias but spreading awareness regarding monoparesis would accelerate early diagnosis: specifically serum electrolyte analysis and initiation of prompt treatment. Disclosure: Dr. Vittal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gautreaux has nothing to disclose. Dr. Conravey has nothing to disclose.
Analysis of mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis mutant libraries reveals loci-dependent transposition biases and strategies for novel mutant discovery

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), the aetiological agent of Johne's disease, is one of the most important bacterial pathogens in ruminants. A thorough understanding of MAP pathogenesis is needed to develop new vaccines and diagnostic tests. The generation of comprehensive random transposon mutant libraries is a fundamental genetic technology to determine the role of genes in physiology and pathogenesis. In this study, whole MAP genome analysis compared the insertion sites for the mycobacterial transposon Tn5367 derived from the Mycobacterium smegmatis insertion sequence IS1096 and the mariner transposon MycoMarT7 carrying the Himar1 transposase. We determined that only MycoMarT7 provides a random representation of insertions in 99 % of all MAP genes. Analysis of the MAP K-10 genome indicated that 710 of all ORFs do not possess IS1096 recognition sites, while only 37 do not have the recognition site for MycoMarT7. Thus, a significant number of MAP genes remain underrepresented in insertion libraries from IS1096-derived transposons. Analysis of MycoMarT7 and Tn5367 mutants showed that Tn5367 has a predilection to insert within intergenic regions, suggesting that MycoMarT7 is the more adequate for generating a comprehensive library. However, we uncovered the novel finding that both transposons have loci-dependent biases, with Tn5367 being the most skewed. These loci-dependent transposition biases led to an underestimation of the number of independent mutants required to generate a comprehensive mutant library, leading to an overestimation of essential genes. Herein, we also demonstrated a useful platform for gene discovery and analysis by isolating three novel mutants for each transposon.
Performance of a commercial Macro Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm for determining output factors of clinical electron fields.

We compare measured output factors of clinical electron fields to those calculated by a commercial treatment planning system based on an electron Monte Carlo algorithm. The measured data is comprised of 195 fields with energies 6 to 18 MeV, applicator sizes 6 × 6 cm2 to 25 × 25 cm2, and source to surface distances (SSDs) of 97 to 107 cm. Due to a scarcity of clinical fields for the highest energies and the largest applicator sizes, additional measurements were made at arbitrarily chosen large field sizes at previously not used energies, for a total of 223 output factors. The difference between calculation and measurement ranged from −2.9% to 3.9%, with a mean difference of −0.2%. Half of the field shapes had a difference with magnitude less than 0.8%. Only 7 (3%) of the field shapes were outliers, having differences greater than 2%. All outliers had field widths at the normalization point 100 cm, were inserts for the 25 × 25 cm2 applicator, or had more than one of these ch...
An Efficient Unsupervised Index Based Approach for Mapping Urban Vegetation from IKONOS Imagery

Abstract Despite the increased availability of high resolution satellite image data, their operational use for mapping urban land cover in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be limited by lack of computational resources and technical expertise. As such, there is need for simple and efficient image classification techniques. Using Bamenda in North West Cameroon as a test case, we investigated two completely unsupervised pixel based approaches to extract tree/shrub (TS) and ground vegetation (GV) cover from an IKONOS derived soil adjusted vegetation index. These included: (1) a simple Jenks Natural Breaks classification and (2) a two-step technique that combined the Jenks algorithm with agglomerative hierarchical clustering. Both techniques were compared with each other and with a non-linear support vector machine (SVM) for classification performance. While overall classification accuracy was generally high for all techniques (>90%), One-Way Analysis of Variance tests revealed the two step technique to outperform the simple Jenks classification in terms of predicting the GV class. It also outperformed the SVM in predicting the TS class. We conclude that the unsupervised methods are technically as good and practically superior for efficient urban vegetation mapping in budget and technically constrained regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa.
Single-dose treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea: a comparison of cefonicid and penicillin

Cefonicid, a parenteral semisynthetic cephalosporin, achieves high and sustained serum levels in humans. Activity against strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, including those that produce beta-lactamase, has been shown in vitro. The efficacy of 1.0 g of cefonicid was evaluated noncomparatively in 50 men with gonococcal urethritis; four failed to respond to treatment. Additionally, 57 men and 34 women received either 1.0 g of cefonicid or 4.8 X 10(6) units of procaine penicillin G plus 1.0 g of probenecid in a double-blind study. Among 17 men treated with penicillin, two failed to respond, and one failed among the 33 patients treated with cefonicid. Seventeen women received 1.0 g of cefonicid, and all cervical infections were cured. Among those who received cefonicid, 13 had rectal infections; and four had positive cultures at follow-up four to seven days posttreatment. Among the 17 women receiving penicillin, none failed to respond to therapy; only seven had both cervical and rectal infection. Of the 116 pretreatment and seven posttreatment isolates tested, 45 (37%) were inhibited by less than 0.0625 microgram of penicillin/ml and 121 (98%) were inhibited by less than 1.0 microgram/ml. Forty-one (33%) of the 123 isolates were inhibited by less than 0.0625 microgram of cefonicid/ml and 122 (99%) by less than 1.0 microgram of cefonicid/ml. The median MIC of cefonicid for the strains isolated from the women whose rectal infections were cured was 0.125 microgram/ml; that for the strains isolated from the women with rectal infections who failed to respond was 0.5 microgram/ml. Administration of 1.0 g of cefonicid intramuscularly is effective therapy for uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in men.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Prediction and Validation of Performance of an Entrained Flow Gasifier Model

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of a single stage, dry-feed entrained flow gasifier is carried out to predict several physical and chemical processes within the gasifier. The model is developed using a commercial software package FLUENT. The CFD model is based on an Eulerian-Lagrangian framework, where the continuous fluid phase is modeled in Eulerian approach and the particle flow trajectory is simulated in Lagrangian frame. The two phases are coupled by appropriate source terms in the conservation equations. The gasification process can be divided into the following sub-processes, which are inert heating, moisture release, coal devolatilization, char gasification and gas phase reactions. Discrete Phase Model (DPM) is used to model the coal particles and coupled with heterogeneous particle surface reactions in Species Transport module. The interaction between reaction chemistry and turbulence is described by Finite-rate/Eddy dissipation model. The simulation provides detailed information of temperature field and species concentration profile inside the gasifier. The temperature distribution clearly indicates the three different reaction zones for devolatilization, gasification and reduction. Steady state model predictions are compared with benchmark experimental data from literature. The trend of the predicted species mole fraction distribution is in good agreement within error bound of the experiment. The model thus provides a validated set of model parameters along with an insight to the underlying flow physics and chemical reactions of gasification process that can be employed to improve design of experiments. This study also develops the basis to achieve further accuracy incorporating complex effects such as detailed reaction kinetic mechanisms, proper devolatilization models, effect of ash-slag transition and particle deposition.© 2011 ASME
A groundwater tracing investigation as an aid of locating groundwater monitoring stations on the Mitchell Plain of southern Indiana

A groundwater tracing study was conducted on the Mitchell Plain of southern Indiana to aid in the design of a karst groundwater monitoring program for a proposed landfill facility. Fluorescein and rhodamine WT dyes were introduced into sinkholes at the project site. On-site fluorometric analyses and concentration-dependent sampling were utilized at springs and a local stream for data resolution while minimizing delays between tracing events. As a result of this investigation, springs including a submerged spring that drain groundwater from the site have been identified and two groundwater monitoring stations have been established. The submerged spring was discovered in the streambed at intersections between prominent joints and solution-enlarged bedding-plane partings. It could not have been identified readily during a typical karst hydrogeologic inventory, nor would it have been detected by analyzing charcoal dye receptors with a spectrofluorophotometer.
Rockfill Design - Carters Dam

Detailed field investigation of available sites are required prior to initiating design. Laboratory tests and test fills play an ever increasing part in such a structure. Because of economies gained from small changes in slope, the design of such a structure must be flexible and adaptable to change as abutments and river beds are stripped to sound rock. Plans and specifications must recognize the rapid development and availability of different pieces of compaction equipment. Procedures of borrow and required excavation dictate schedule of timing on availability of materials and these factors must be recognized in zoning the dam.
Immortalization of bovine pancreatic duct epithelial cells.

Pancreatic duct cell lines have been isolated from a number of animal and human tumors, but none appear to express ion transport properties expected for differentiated pancreatic duct epithelial cells. We sought to generate an immortalized ductal cell line from well-differentiated primary cultures of bovine pancreatic duct epithelium. Epithelial cells from the main duct of the bovine pancreas were isolated and immortalized by transfection with a DNA construct encoding simian virus 40 large T antigen. A single clone (BPD1) survived negative selection and was maintained in culture for > 100 passages over 2 yr. The cells grow readily in culture as monolayers and express several properties characteristic of differentiated pancreatic ductal epithelium. The cells do not appear to form a functional tight junction complex, since the transepithelial resistance of the monolayer cultures grown on a permeable support is < 10 omega.cm2. Northern blot analysis revealed that the cells continue to express simian virus 40 large T antigen and contain significant levels of mRNA for proteins thought to be important in transepithelial bicarbonate secretion [carbonic anhydrase II, Cl-/HCO3- exchanger, Na+/H+ exchanger, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)]. In vivo pancreatic ductal secretion is stimulated by the peptide hormone secretin. The secretin receptor is expressed and functionally coupled to adenylate cyclase in the immortalized cells, since secretin caused a dose-dependent accumulation of adenosine 3'5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP; approximately 20-fold increase over basal levels) with a mean effective concentration of 15 nM. Elevation of intracellular cAMP by exposure of the cells to forskolin (10 microM) or secretin (0.1 microM) increase plasma membrane Cl- permeability, most likely mediated by activation of CFTR. The results of these studies demonstrate that the pancreatic duct cell line (BPD1) retains several properties exhibited by the secretory epithelial cells that line the pancreatic ductal tree. This cell line should prove useful for studies of expression, function, and regulation of pancreatic duct cell proteins.
Maternal nutrition and the outcome of pregnancy. A renaissance in research.

Major advances in research related to maternal nutrition and the outcome of pregnancy have been achieved in the past decade. This article highlights these recent advances, summarizes nutritional recommendations for practice, and overviews the body of evidence that implicates aspects of maternal nutrition in the development of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and other disorders in offspring.
New thermodynamic studies on ribonuclease A at low pH.

The Planck-Benzinger thermal work function, ΔW0(T), represents the heat-flux term which is responsible for breaking or forming the noncovalent bonds in macromolecular interactions, while the temperature-invariant chemical bond energy, ΔH0(T0), gives molecules the cohesiveness to form macromolecular structures. A method is described for evaluating ΔH0(T0) at different temperatures for ribonuclease A at low pH in the standard state, in order to determine the effect of pH on the thermodynamic stability of this protein. Ribonuclease A at pH 1.13 has a ΔH0(T0) value of 58 kcal mol-1; at pH 2.50, ΔH0(T0) is 58, at pH 2.77, 59, and at pH 3.15, 60 kcal mol-1. In the conformational thermal transition of ribonuclease A at pH 2.8, the compensatory temperature ranges from 50 to 320 K, and ΔH0(T0) is approximately 5~6 kcal mol-1. This widening temperature range is typical of the unfolding process. Such differences in the magnitude of the temperature-invariant chemical bond energy can be attributed to specific changes in the solvent ordering in the immediate domain of ribonuclease A.
Hydrocarbon Clusters: Building Blocks for New Materials

Publisher Summary While earlier work concentrated on explaining the experimentally observed properties of atoms, small molecules, and periodic arrays of such entities, recent efforts by many researchers have been toward applying existing theories to clusters of 10–100 atoms and to cluster-assembled materials. While many benefits are derived from such efforts, a complementary approach consists of developing computational methods that will aid in identifying clusters with technologically useful properties and in understanding the atomistic interactions that occur during the synthesis of such materials. To carry out such an endeavor, it is first necessary to calculate the ground-state geometry and electronic structure for the cluster in question. A variety of theoretical approaches have been developed for this purpose. This chapter presents such an approach in which one treats the electronic degrees of freedom quantum mechanically and the nuclear degrees of freedom classically.
Beyond the performance rate: Understanding differences in treatment status using the Rapid Quality Reporting System (RQRS).

6088 Background: RQRS is a cancer registry based tool for rapid case ascertainment and real-time care tracking using 5 National Quality Forum approved quality measures for breast (BC) and colon cancer (CC) and 1 American Society of Clinical Oncology, National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Commission on Cancer (CoC) endorsed rectal cancer (RC) measure. RQRS was introduced in 2009 for testing at selected CoC accredited programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the proportion of cases with treatment administered for 4 measures where care is concordant with treatment either “administered” or “considered but not administered” (CNA). Methods: Case information on 19,631 breast, colon and rectal cancer patients diagnosed from 2009 – 2010 submitted by 64 RQRS participating sites were reviewed for 4 measures: (1) hormone therapy within 1 year of diagnosis (dx) for AJCC T1c, N0M0, or stage II or II; hormone receptor positive BC (HT), (2) multi-agent chemotherapy within 4 months of dx; age < 70; hormone ...
An International Comparison of Corporate Social Responsibility

As globalization has increased, so have the increased pressures and expectations for companies to participate in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Using a new database, SustainalyticsGlobal Platform (SGP), we examined how a globalized economy affects CSR rankings,including the categories of environmental, social, and governance for 4,643 companies in thesix international regions of Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America andSouth America. We found that the regions of Africa, Europe and South America hadconsistently higher CSR scores for Total CSR and all categories, followed by North America,while the regions of Latin America and Asia-Pacific had the lowest CSR scores. Additionally,we found that the CSR category of governance had the highest CSR scores while theenvironmental category has the lowest.
Jk3 alloantibodies during pregnancy-blood bank management and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn risk.

Background The Kidd-null phenotype, Jk(a-b-), occurs in individuals who do not express the JK glycoprotein. Jk(a-b-) individuals can make an antibody against the Jk3 antigen, a high-incidence antigen present in more than 99.9% of most populations. This presents many challenges to the blood bank including identification of the antibody, masking of other antibodies, and how to provide transfusion support given the rarity of Jk3-negative blood products. Kidd antibodies may cause acute and delayed hemolytic reactions as well as hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). In this article, we present a series of four practical cases of pregnant women with the anti-Jk3 alloantibody that demonstrate a range of clinical presentations of Kidd-related HDFN. Study design and methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and blood bank records for four patients and their newborns encountered at institutions in Tennessee, Missouri, Hawaii, and Guam with an anti-Jk3 identified during pregnancy. Results Two cases showed no significant evidence for HDFN, while two cases were of mild-to-moderate severity requiring early delivery due to elevated middle cerebral artery (MCA) flow velocities but requiring only phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia. No intrauterine or neonatal transfusions were necessary. Anti-Jk3 alloantibody titers ranged from 2 to 128. Conclusion Clinical manifestations of anti-Jk3 HDFN are generally mild to moderate. Anti-Jk3 titers were not found to correlate directly with HDFN severity. We suggest a titer of 16 to 32 as a cutoff for implementing enhanced monitoring of fetal MCA flow velocities, as such titers may be indicative of elevated HDFN risk.
Understanding aneuploidy in cancer through the lens of system inheritance, fuzzy inheritance and emergence of new genome systems

In the past 15 years, impressive progress has been made to understand the molecular mechanism behind aneuploidy, largely due to the effort of using various -omics approaches to study model systems (e.g. yeast and mouse models) and patient samples, as well as the new realization that chromosome alteration-mediated genome instability plays the key role in cancer. As the molecular characterization of the causes and effects of aneuploidy progresses, the search for the general mechanism of how aneuploidy contributes to cancer becomes increasingly challenging: since aneuploidy can be linked to diverse molecular pathways (in regards to both cause and effect), the chances of it being cancerous is highly context-dependent, making it more difficult to study than individual molecular mechanisms. When so many genomic and environmental factors can be linked to aneuploidy, and most of them not commonly shared among patients, the practical value of characterizing additional genetic/epigenetic factors contributing to aneuploidy decreases. Based on the fact that cancer typically represents a complex adaptive system, where there is no linear relationship between lower-level agents (such as each individual gene mutation) and emergent properties (such as cancer phenotypes), we call for a new strategy based on the evolutionary mechanism of aneuploidy in cancer, rather than continuous analysis of various individual molecular mechanisms. To illustrate our viewpoint, we have briefly reviewed both the progress and challenges in this field, suggesting the incorporation of an evolutionary-based mechanism to unify diverse molecular mechanisms. To further clarify this rationale, we will discuss some key concepts of the genome theory of cancer evolution, including system inheritance, fuzzy inheritance, and cancer as a newly emergent cellular system. Illustrating how aneuploidy impacts system inheritance, fuzzy inheritance and the emergence of new systems is of great importance. Such synthesis encourages efforts to apply the principles/approaches of complex adaptive systems to ultimately understand aneuploidy in cancer.
Advanced Distribution Theory

Studying distributions of functions of several random variables is of primary interest in probability and statistics. For example, the original variables X 1, X 2, …, X n could be the inputs into some process or system, and we may be interested in the output, which is some suitable function of these input variables. Sums, products, and quotients are special functions that arise quite naturally in applications. These are discussed with a special emphasis in this chapter, although the general theory is also presented. Specifically, we present the classic theory of polar transformations and the Helmert transformation in arbitrary dimensions, and the development of the Dirichlet, t- and the F-distribution. The t- and the F-distribution arise in numerous problems in statistics, and the Dirichlet distribution has acquired an extremely special role in modeling and also in Bayesian statistics. In addition, these techniques and results are among the most sophisticated parts of distribution theory.
Pulmonary Manifestations of Neurological Disease

Breathing is a complicated act that requires sophisticated control mechanisms. The nervous system coordinates 3 fundamentally important components of respiration. The central nervous system has a central pattern generator that, along with appropriate feedback mechanisms, establishes both the resiratory rate and the depth of respirations. The peripheral nervous system facilitates transmission of these respiratory commands to the ventilatory muscles. The nervous system also contributes to the control of airway size. Laryngeal function is coordinated with inspiration, and local nerves in the lung have a major role in determining bronchial patency. Finally, the nervous system acts in incompletely understood ways to regulate perfusion of the lungs and to match local pulmonary blood flow with ventilation. Failure of the nervous system to adequately control these 3 different aspects of respiration may result in lifethreatening illness. Understanding how the nervous system affects control of ventilation, airway p...
Visual Ethnography Assessment of Departments of Animal Sciences at Three Land Grant Universities: Who is Welcome?

Physical artifacts present in educational settings make visible the values of the institution. These messages signal the institution’s desire for a culturally inclusive and supportive environment. Given the land grant mission of inclusive education, the labor heritage of agriculture, and the saliency of stereotype threat in creating an inclusive learning environment, critically assessing the equity climate of departments of animal sciences in land grant universities is overdue. This study utilizes Banning et al.’s 2008 taxonomy based on visual ethnography methodology to interpret the equity climate of three departments of animal sciences at land grant institutions to answer the critical question: who is welcome? The systematic coding and thematic analysis reveal exclusive learning environments clearly communicated by the physical artifacts present.
Head Registration Techniques for Image-Guided Surgery

Localization of the pathological structures in relation to the surrounding anatomy and understanding of the surgical anatomy are probably the most important keys to successful neurosurgery. Image-g...
Incorporating quantitative reliability engineering measures into tradespace exploration

Recently, tradespace analysis and exploration has emerged as an important focus area within the Department of Defense Engineered Resilient System initiative, which draws upon engineering concepts, science, and design tools to produce trusted and effective solutions for a wide range of operational contexts. Most of the previous research on tradespace analysis, including those developed for rotorcraft, emphasize performance. However, non-functional requirements such as reliability, availability, and maintainability have received minimal consideration, despite their direct influence on program level concerns such as operation and support as well as affordability. This paper proposes a strategy to incorporate reliability engineering into tradespace analysis. We also develop a subsystem-level reliability investment model that is illustrated through a simplified example. Our results suggest that reliability investment could achieve significant savings over a systems lifecycle, thereby enabling improved fleet availability and a larger fleet size.
A Musical Suite Composed by an Electronic Brain: Reexamining the Illiac Suite and the Legacy of Lejaren A. Hiller Jr.

In 1956, Lejaren A. Hiller, Jr., and Leonard Isaacson debuted the Illiac Suite, the first score composed with a computer. Its reception anticipated Hiller’s embattled career as an experimental composer. Though the Suite is an influential work of modern electronic music, Hiller’s accomplishment in computational experimentation is above all an impressive feat of postwar conceptual performance art. A reexamination of theoretical and methodological processes resulting in the Illiac Suite reveals a conceptual and performative emphasis reflecting larger trends in the experimental visual arts of the 1950s and 1960s, illuminating his eventual collaborations with John Cage and establishing his legacy in digital art practices.
Influence of Photon and Ion Induced Secondary Yields on Transient Plasma Formation

The influence of different quantum yields for photons and secondary emission yields for ions striking a surface is investigated. Using a one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, these secondary emission coefficients are varied to observe the impact on discharge current. The discharge is assumed to occur in pure helium gas at a pressure of 75 torr. To handle binary particle interactions, the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is utilized. The model includes electron-neutral interactions, neutral-neutral interactions, and photon-neutral interactions. It is observed that the discharge current in the early stages of discharge is heavily dependent upon the quantum yield due to photon impact. In the later stages of discharge, the current depends on both the quantum yield and secondary emission coefficient for ion impact.
Pressure variations in cerebral venous sinuses of idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the alteration of pressure characteristics in the cerebral venous sinuses before and after venous sinus stenting (VSS) using mean sinus pressures (MSP), sinus pressure gradient (SPG) and sinus pressure pulsatility (SPP) parameters among the idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) patients. Materials and Methods: Prospective evaluation of forty-five consecutive IIH patients who underwent VSS at our institution. A written informed consent approved by the Weill Cornell institutional review board (IRB) was signed by the study participants. All patients (n=45) were evaluated for mean sinus pressures (MSP) and sinus pressure gradient (SPG). In a subgroup of twelve (n=12) consecutive patients, sinus pressure pulsatility (SPP) was measured. MSP was measured using microcatheter at superior sagittal sinus (SSS), transverse sinus (TS) and sigmoid sinus (SS). SPG was measured as trans-stenotic gradient and trans-torcular gradient. SPP was recorded in the dominant transverse sinus with a 6 French intermediate catheter. Statistical analysis was performed using paired student t-test and two sample t-test tested for both equal and unequal variance. P values below 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The mean age of the study population was 30.6±10 years (7-59 years) and 43 out of 45 are female patients. The mean weight and BMI of the study population were 96±24.7 kilograms (30.8-144 kgs) and 35.6±8.3 kg/M 2 (16.4-51.4kg/M 2 ) respectively. VSS in IIH patients resulted in immediate reduction of MSP in the SSS (Δ Mean: -8.1 mm Hg [95% CI: -5.0-11.7 mm Hg], p<0.001) and TS (Δ Mean: -11.8 mm Hg [95% CI: -7.5-13.4 mm Hg], p<0.001) and increase of MSP in SS (Δ Mean: 7.5 mm Hg [95% CI: 6-10.1 mm Hg], p<0.001). Significant reduction of trans-stenotic SPG reduction (Δ Mean: -15.7 mm Hg [95% CI: -13.6-17.8 mm Hg], p<0.001) and SPP (Δ Mean: -8 mm Hg [95% CI: -2.5-13.4 mm Hg], p<0.05) was observed following VSS. Conclusion: Venous sinus stenting resulted in immediate alteration of the cerebral venous sinus pressure measurements in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
Photoelastic and strain-gage investigation of penetration of thin plates

An experimental investigation of the central normal impact and penetration of plates of Columbia Resin No. 39, simply supported at the corners, was conducted using both photoelastic and strain-gage techniques. Both conically-pointed and blunt-nosed steel projectiles of 1/4-in. diam were employed at initial velocities ranging from 191 to 272 fps. Sequences of fringe photographs were obtained by repeating shots on different plates, using various predetermined time intervals between impact and photograph. A dynamic value of Young's modulus has been calculated from the velocity of propagation of tension waves, and a strain-optic coefficient of 398 microinches per fringe for the material was determined from a quasi-static test. Both fringe order and strain histories for various impact conditions have been ascertained and are compared.
Some Thoughts on the Relation of Aesthetics and Ethics: A Possible Christian Perspective

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "One of, if not the, major questions that I have been working on recently is the relation between aesthetics and ethics. In question form, it reads something like this: Can, and if so to what extent, aesthetics be said to be ethically evaluated or ethically informative? In some sense this question has been on the table (at least in the west) since the time of Plato. Such a question is not an easy one to answer given various factors that must be taken into account. For my purpose here, I wish only to offer what I believe to be the most convincing Christian answer to this ongoing debate. I will argue that Christianity is, at its core, a religion of ethical action (praxis). Christianity also requires a life commitment. If one is to be a Christian, s/he accepts a life that strives toward the full integration of Christ in her/his day to day dealings with the world. Such a take on Christian life is what Paul described when he said, “...it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20). I will close by allowing the aforementioned discussion to guide our thinking about the relation of aesthetics and ethics. This will provide us with the answer that I find most convincing for a committed follower of Christ. Due to time and length restrictions I will not be able to go into the depth that some of these points deserve. This will therefore be a brief presentation of what I view as the Christian answer to ethical evaluation of the aesthetic and aesthetics usefulness for ethics." This original essay is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol8/iss2/3