cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with receipt of hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Aim: To evaluate practice patterns of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Materials & methods: We utilized the National Cancer Database to extract patient-level data of adults (aged 18–80 years) diagnosed with acute lymbhoblastic leukemia between 2003 and 2012. We performed multivariable logistic regression to determine variables associated with the use of HCT. Results: Out of a total of 11,871 patients, 12.7% received HCT. In a multivariate analysis, older age, male sex, higher Charlson co-morbidity score, nonacademic treatment center, poor education and Medicare/Medicaid or no insurance were associated with lower likelihood of receiving HCT. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates variations in the utilization of HCT based on socioeconomic and health system factors.
Bronchial blood flow during changes in inhaled oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in conscious sheep

Bronchial artery blood flow index (BFI) was measured in an unanesthetized sheep model using a chronically implanted ultrasonic flow probe. The bronchial circulation was monitored during changes of the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in inhaled air. Control BFI was 15.9 +/- 3.8 ml/min/m2 during normoxic breathing with 0% CO2 (n = 6) and 18.0 +/- 1.6 ml/min/m2 while breathing 28% O2 and 0% carbon dioxide (n = 6). Hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.10) significantly increased BFI to 25.8 +/- 4.9 ml/min/m2 with a decrease in the bronchovascular resistance index (BVRI) from a baseline of 7.85 +/- 1.73 to 4.75 +/- 0.86 mm Hg/(ml/min)/m2. Hyperoxia (FIO2 = 1.0) raised BFI to 30.5 +/- 10.1 ml/min/m2 without a significant decrease in BVRI. Changing the inhaled carbon dioxide concentration from 0 to 10% resulted in a significant increase in BFI from 18.0 +/- 1.6 to 43.6 +/- 10.3 ml/min/m2 and a decrease in BVRI from 5.56 +/- 0.44 to 4.63 +/- 2.18 mmHg/(ml/min)/m2 (not significant). The change in BFI varies directly with lymph flow for hypoxia and hypercarbia. This is consistent with changes in cardiac index, indicating probable changes in surface area being perfused in the lung. Changes in BFI with hyperoxia did not follow changes in systemic vascular resistance or cardiac index. Similarly, lymph flow elevation did not occur during hyperoxia. These data suggest that BFI changes with hyperoxia are not related to changes in total systemic vascular resistance, or cardiac index, and a different mechanism may control bronchovascular flow for this condition.
The Genomes of Recombinant Inbred Lines: The Gory Details

Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) can serve as powerful tools for genetic mapping. Recently, members of the Complex Trait Consortium have proposed the development of a large panel of eight-way RILs in the mouse, derived from eight genetically diverse parental strains. Such a panel would be a valuable community resource. The use of such eight-way RILs will require a detailed understanding of the relationship between alleles at linked loci on an RI chromosome. We extend the work of Haldane and Waddington (1931) on twoway RILs and describe the map expansion, clustering of breakpoints, and other features of the genomes of multiple-strain RILs as a function of the level of crossover interference in meiosis.In this technical report, we present all of our results, in their gory detail. We don't intend to include such details in the final publication, but want to present them here for those who might be interested.
Viewpoint: Why you should provide HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at your college health center.

By providing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP (a single daily oral pill), in a primary care college health setting, clinical providers can make a dramatic contribution to the current and long-...
Economic conditions during pregnancy and preterm birth: A maternal fixed‐effects analysis

BACKGROUND Making causal inference regarding impacts of macrolevel economic conditions during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes is hampered by the presence of unmeasured variables that may influence women's probability of giving birth under certain economic conditions (ie, exposure) as well as her pregnancy outcomes. Maternal fixed-effects (FE) analyses, in which the association between exposure and outcomes is estimated within mothers who had discordant outcomes, can control for such unmeasured variables when they are invariant across pregnancies. METHODS We utilised a maternally linked data set of all singleton births in Michigan from 1990 to 2012 (n = 2 657 272 for full sample; n = 269 943 for FE analytic sample) to examine the relationship between state-level unemployment rates during pregnancy and preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks' gestation). Measured maternal characteristics that change across pregnancies, for example, age, marital status, education, parity, and infant sex, were included as covariates in the model. RESULTS Using an FE approach, we found that each one percentage point increase in state unemployment in the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with a modest 3% increase in odds of PTB. Our results were consistent with previously published results in a national sample and held across random- versus fixed-effect models, analytic samples, and outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide further evidence that economic downturn during early pregnancy may be associated with modest increases in PTB.
Operative Injury to the Lower Urinary Tract

Operative injury to the lower urinary tract is extremely common. Most of these injuries occur during the course of gynecologic surgery and involve the bladder. Urethral injury is most commonly found following urethral diverticulectomy or with urologic endoscopic procedures. Correction of specific injuries to the bladder and urethra are discussed.
Tuning residual metal in partially etched carbide-derived carbons for enhanced acid gas adsorption

Abstract An in-depth study on post-synthetic modification of residual metal in carbide-derived carbons (CDCs) from an Al4C3 starting material has been performed. Ambient temperature high humidity studies reveal the conversion of residual parent nanoparticles to poly(aluminum chloride) (PAC). Alkaline modification was employed resulting in the formation of amorphous Al(OH)3 nanoparticles within 24 h of reaction. After aging for up to 11 days, amorphous nanoparticles convert to well-crystallized α-Al(OH)3 (bayerite). Al4C3-CDCs with amorphous Al(OH)3 display significantly-enhanced interactions with SO2 and CO2 while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy indicated no significant change in the surface chemistry of the carbon. SO2 breakthrough results at 1000 ppm SO2 exhibit uptakes near 2 mmol g−1, displaying viability for these adsorbents in flue gas remediation applications. The results of this work provide detailed modification strategies for tuning the extent and type of residual metal embedded in the final CDC structure, along with further insights into the ramifications of oxygen functionalities and pore size distribution of CDCs for SO2 adsorption.
A saga das "vidas nuas" em O mundo à solta, de Felipe Fortuna: um estado de exceção permanente

O proposito deste trabalho e empreender a analise de alguns poemas de O mundo a solta, de Felipe Fortuna, evidenciando refl exoes sociais neles implicadas, por meio da saga das “vidas nuas” (AGAMBEM, 2010), aquelas que vivem em estado de excecao permanente. Uma situacao de individuos em constante status de exclusao, que sobrevivem na fronteira entre o humano e o nao-humano, e tem as suas existencias suspensas de direitos fundamentais. Assim, a abordagem de tres poemas – “A fome fica”, “Morrer na rua” e “Os meus respeitos” – evidenciara a realidade de muitos oprimidos, de cidadaos que vivem em constante abandono, a margem do socius. Para tanto, os ensinamentos do fi losofo italiano Giorgio Agamben (2010), sobre o homo sacer, o poder soberano e a vida nua, serao entrelacados aos versos do poeta carioca para fundamentacao teorica do texto.
Junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum motility in adult mouse ventricular myocytes

Excitation-contraction (EC) coupling is the coordinated process by which an action potential triggers cardiac myocyte contraction. EC coupling is initiated in dyads where the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (jSR) is in tight proximity to the sarcolemma of cardiac myocytes. Existing models of EC coupling critically depend on dyad stability to ensure the fidelity and strength of EC coupling, where even small variations in ryanodine receptor channel and voltage-gated calcium channel-α 1.2 subunit separation dramatically alter EC coupling. However, dyadic motility has never been studied. Here, we developed a novel strategy to track specific jSR units in dissociated adult ventricular myocytes using photoactivatable fluorescent proteins. We found that the jSR is not static. Instead, we observed dynamic formation and dissolution of multiple dyadic junctions regulated by the microtubule-associated molecular motors kinesin-1 and dynein. Our data support a model where reproducibility of EC coupling results from the activation of a temporally averaged number of SR Ca2+ release units forming and dissolving SR-sarcolemmal junctions. These findings challenge the long-held view that the jSR is an immobile structure and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying its motility.
The future of African languages in Namibia: is there a plan?

After independence in 1990, Namibia made English, spoken by 0.8% of its 1.6 million inhabitants, the new sole official language. However, there is a gap between the ideological position of English and the status of indigenous languages. The gap requires a very clear, well-balanced policy such that the indigenous languages would also play their meaningful roles. Regarding language-status planning, the allocative decisions to develop and use certain indigenous languages have not been made, the policy itself being vague in the first place. The purpose of this article is to examine the cost-effectiveness of the policy.
Collaterals in STEMI patients: An uncommon but critical lifeline

Angiographically visible collaterals are seen in a minority of STEMI patients, predominantly to the RCA and in patients with delays to reperfusion. Patients with visible collaterals were less likely to have cardiogenic shock and tended to have a longer survival. Further studies will determine the mechanisms of collateral formation and their protective associations.
Forelimb musculature and function in the therizinosaur Nothronychus (Maniraptora, Theropoda)

Therizinosaurs are unusual theropods from the Upper Cretaceous of Asia and North America. North American representatives include Falcarius utahensis from central Utah, Nothronychus mckinleyi from west central New Mexico, and N. graffami from southern Utah. Nothronychus was quite large, with well-developed forelimbs and pectoral girdle. In many respects, however, these structures were typical for conventional carnivorous theropods, although therizinosaurs have been hypothesized to be herbivorous using anatomical and functional inferences. There is no indication of increased range of motion within the forelimbs, as might be predicted for derived non-avian theropods. The muscular anatomy of the pectoral girdle and forelimb of Nothronychus is reconstructed using visible muscle scars, data from extant birds and crocodilians, and models for other theropods. The osteology and inferred musculature is a mosaic of primitive and derived characters for theropods. A fossa pneumotricipitales may have been present in the proximal humerus. There was a well-developed fossa brachialis in the distal humerus. The epicleidium of the furcula is deflected, reflecting either taphonomic deformation or possibly accommodation of M. supracoracoideus in a triosseal canal, but such a development has yet to be described in any non-avian theropod. In many respects, the other muscular results were quite similar to those inferred for dromaeosaurs.
Impact of the Aryl Amphiphile Hydrophobe Size on Controlling the π-Conjugated Microcrystal Growth along the π-Stack Direction

Morphology of organic π-conjugated microcrystals (MCs) controls the direction of light-guided, emission intensity, lasing threshold, and optical losses in the organic π-conjugated MCs. Control over...
Epidemiology of youth and high school American football-related injuries presenting to United States emergency departments: 2010-2019.

: American football is one of the most popular sports in the United States (US) among youth and high school athletes; however, participation is decreasing due to concerns about safety. This has led...
MICHAEL PSELLOS AND IOANE PETRITSI ON INTELLECT

Michael Psellos exposed his theory on intellect in two major texts: De omnifaria doctrina and Philosophica minora. Psellos’ theory is based on different philosophical sources, including, first and foremost, Proclus’ texts. The younger contemporary of Psellos, Georgian philosopher Ioane Petritsi, who was trained in Byzantine philosophical school and was well acquainted with ancient Greek philosophical tradition, also commented on Proclus and his theory of intellect. For Proclus, Psellos and Petritsi intellect is an important entity because it embraces Forms and is, therefore, a basis for all kinds of beings. The aim of this paper is to analyze Psellos’ and Petritsi’s theories of intellect and their interrelationship taking into consideration their dependence on the common philosophical sources, mainly Proclus’ Elements of theology.
Teaching meiosis with the DNA triangle framework: A classroom activity that changes how students think about chromosomes.

Many biology students struggle to learn about the process of meiosis and have particular difficulty understanding the molecular basis of crossing over and the importance of homologous pairing for proper segregation. To help students overcome these challenges, we designed an activity that uses a newly developed Chromosome Connections Kit® from 3-D Molecular Designs to allow learners to explore meiosis at the molecular level. We took a backwards design approach in constructing an effective classroom activity. We developed evidence-based learning objectives and designed a crossing over activity that targets students' misconceptions and key concepts about meiosis. Assessment questions were designed based on the learning objectives and common student misconceptions. The activity consists of three parts: an interactive introductory video, a model-based activity, and reflection questions. The activity was first beta-tested with a small number of students and revised based on feedback. The revised activity was deployed in a mid-level Cell and Molecular Biology course. Analysis of pre-/post-assessment data from students who completed the activity (n = 83) showed strong learning gains on concepts related to ploidy, homology, segregation, and the mechanism and purpose of crossing over. Additionally, students who participated in the activity outperformed nonparticipants on a Genetics assessment about meiosis the following semester.
Outcomes of Alvimopan Use in Laparoscopic Intra-abdominal Surgery: A Retrospective Review

Background: Postoperative ileus is a transient cessation of bowel motility, occurring after bowel resection, characterized by abdominal distension and pain, nausea, vomiting, and an accumulation of gas/fluids in the bowel. It is associated with a greater incidence of postoperative morbidity and increased length of stay or readmission. Alvimopan, a novel peripheral mu receptor antagonist, is indicated for preventing postoperative ileus in patients undergoing intra-abdominal surgery or bowel resection. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of alvimopan use in laparoscopic abdominal surgeries. Objective: To assess alvimopan use’s impact in laparoscopic abdominal surgeries. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 84 patients who underwent laparoscopic procedures that received alvimopan (September 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018) and compared to patients that did not receive alvimopan (May 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018, due to a national shortage of the medication). The primary outcome was the rate of postoperative ileus. Secondary outcomes included rate of 30-day readmission, length of stay (LOS), postoperative opioid and laxative use, time to initiation of oral diet, and return of bowel function (ROBF) as demonstrated by recorded bowel movement. Results: There was no statistical difference observed in primary outcome of postoperative ileus between alvimopan and no alvimopan groups (2.7% vs 4.3%, p=1). Secondary outcomes such as length of stay (5.4 days vs 5.4 days, p=0.49), length of postoperative stay (5 vs 4.9, p=0.44), days to oral diet (0.9 vs 0.4, p=0.16), time to BM (1.8 vs 2.2, p=0.32), and 30-day readmission were also similar between the two groups. Conclusion: The similar outcome profiles in all primary and secondary outcomes do not support the use of alvimopan in the setting of laparoscopic intra-abdominal surgery.
Instability of coastal currents in the great lakes

Synoptic surveys indicate mesoscale patchiness or meanders in the temperature structures, calcium carbonate precipitation patterns or other properties of the Great Lakes. There are usually recognizable horizontal space scales associated with the patchiness or meanders. A two-layer model with linearly sloping bottom was used to examine the possible existence of baroclinically unstable waves corresponding to observed space scales. It was found that, for values of vertical shear, density ratios, upper and lower layer depths, coastal widths and bottom slope typical for the Great Lakes, baroclinic instability can occur for wavelengths corresponding to the observed space scales. The growth rates of the waves were also found to be large compared to the time scales of persistence of the coastal currents, suggesting that baroclinic instability may play a role in producing the observed patchiness or meanders.
Status and Projections for Foods Imported into the United States

This chapter describes changes in imports of selected food categories, changes in the imported volume of specific foods, and reasons for the imports of red meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and nuts to the United States and identifies differences and similarities among exporting countries with implications for the risk of potential microbiological contamination in the domestic food supply. The description distinguishes among food categories and countries of origin with regard to the growth of food product imports. A description of the general conditions of the economic and social development in exporting countries is included as an indication of risk associated with the introduction of food-borne pathogens into the food supply system. In fruit and vegetable production, especially for fresh consumption, labor costs during harvest represent a major expense to a grower. The chapter presents several general measures developed by international organizations to address selected aspects of economic and social development. The short-term projections regarding vegetable imports were quite accurate in the past, but fruit import predictions were less accurate, especially in the category of fresh and frozen fruit (USDA, 2007). The consumption of selected fresh and processed vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish was affected by dissemination of research reports linking substances contained in these foods to confirmed or implied health benefits. The intended use of the different indexes in the chapter is to enable the process of designing and enforcing a system for detecting microbial contamination and, under the best-case scenario, preventing contaminated food from reaching the distribution system.
Role of thrombin exosites in inhibition by heparin cofactor II.

Abstract We determined the role of specific thrombin "exosites" in the mechanism of inhibition by the plasma serine proteinase inhibitors heparin cofactor II (HC) and antithrombin (AT) in the absence and presence of a glycosaminoglycan by comparing the inhibition of alpha-thrombin to epsilon- and gamma T-thrombin (produced by partial proteolysis of alpha-thrombin by elastase and trypsin, respectively). All of the thrombin derivatives were inhibited in a similar manner by AT, either in the absence or presence of heparin, which confirmed the integrity of both heparin binding abilities and serpin reactivities of epsilon- and gamma T-thrombin compared to alpha-thrombin. Antithrombin activities of HC in the absence of a glycosaminoglycan with alpha-, epsilon, and gamma T-thrombin were similar with rate constants of 3.5, 2.4, and 1.2 x 10(4) M-1 min-1, respectively. Interestingly, in the presence of glycosaminoglycans the maximal inhibition rate constants by HC with heparin and dermatan sulfate, respectively, were as follows: 30.0 x 10(7) and 60.5 x 10(7) for alpha-thrombin, 14.6 x 10(7) and 24.3 x 10(7) for epsilon-thrombin, and 0.017 x 10(7) and 0.034 x 10(7) M-1 min-1 for gamma T-thrombin. A hirudin carboxyl-terminal peptide, which binds to anion-binding exosite-I of alpha-thrombin, dramatically reduced alpha-thrombin inhibition by HC in the presence of heparin but not in its absence. We analyzed our results in relation to the recently determined x-ray structure of D-Phe-Pro-Arg-chloromethyl ketone-alpha-thrombin (Bode, W., Mayr, I., Baumann, U., Huber, R., Stone, S. R., and Hofsteenge, J. (1989) EMBO J. 8, 3467-3475). Our results suggest that the beta-loop region of anion-binding exosite-I in alpha-thrombin, which is not present in gamma T-thrombin, is essential for the rapid inhibition reaction by HC in the presence of a glycosaminoglycan. Therefore, alpha-thrombin and its derivatives would be recognized and inhibited differently by HC and AT in the presence of a glycosaminoglycan.
Self-Regulatory Strategies in Daily Life: Selection, Optimization, and Compensation and Everyday Memory Problems

The effective use of self-regulatory strategies, such as selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) requires resources. However, it is theorized that SOC use is most advantageous for those experiencing losses and diminishing resources. The present study explored this seeming paradox within the context of limitations or constraints due to aging, low cognitive resources, and daily stress in relation to everyday memory problems. We examined whether SOC usage varied by age and level of constraints, and if the relationship between resources and memory problems was mitigated by SOC usage. A daily diary paradigm was used to explore day-to-day fluctuations in these relationships. Participants (n=145, ages 22 to 94) completed a baseline interview and a daily diary for seven consecutive days. Multilevel models examined between- and within-person relationships between daily SOC use, daily stressors, cognitive resources, and everyday memory problems. Middle-aged adults had the highest SOC usage, although older adults also showed high SOC use if they had high cognitive resources. More SOC strategies were used on high stress compared to low stress days. Moreover, the relationship between daily stress and memory problems was buffered by daily SOC use, such that on high-stress days, those who used more SOC strategies reported fewer memory problems than participants who used fewer SOC strategies. The paradox of resources and SOC use can be qualified by the type of resource-limitation. Deficits in global resources were not tied to SOC usage or benefits. Conversely, under daily constraints tied to stress, the use of SOC increased and led to fewer memory problems.
Growing School Networks for Instructional Improvement in Jordan, 2009-2010

In the last decade, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has made a substantial commitment to improving the quality of its public education system. The main vehicle for this work has been the Education Reform for Knowledge Economy (ERf KE) initiative. To date, key investments have been made in early childhood education, school infrastructure, technology, and curriculum development. The emphasis has been placed on the development of skills essential to Jordan’s emerging knowledge economy and the use of technology both as a skill set and a delivery platform for the new curriculum. The second phase of this initiative, ERf KE II, which is underway at this writing, is focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning. The primary challenge facing Jordan is the improvement of the quality of instruction provided by the current teacher work force. Thus, a major priority for ERf KE II is the provision of high quality in-service training for current teachers. In 2009, the Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA) and Teachers College of Columbia University (TC/ CU) formed a new partnership, which was facilitated by the Columbia University Middle East Research Center (CUMERC), to contribute to meeting this challenge. Funded by the Jordan Ministry of Planning and United States Agency for International Development, and supported by the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Partnership is developing and demonstrating a model of high quality professional development that is scalable within Jordan and supports the use of effective instruction in Jordan elementary and secondary schools. The Partnership creates and supports networks of schools as vehicles for providing professional development for teams of teachers in core content areas as well as leadership training for principals and education supervisors to support the desired changes in classroom practice. This strategy aims to support the implementation of the ERf KE curriculum. Reaching these goals will take a number of years. The purpose of this interim report is to summarize the key activities of the Partnership and the development of the school network strategy to date. It also examines available evidence on the progress of the Partnership towards its goals with particular attention to the start-up and first year implementation of the cohort 1 school networks, April 2009 to May 2010. Disciplines Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Administration and Supervision | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Leadership | Educational Methods | Education Economics | Education Policy | International and Comparative Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development Comments View on the CPRE website. This report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/cpre_researchreports/61
Transfer of stress from main beams to intermediate stiffeners in metal sheet covered box beams

The authors have obtained by experimental methods an effective sheer modulus for the sheet in a stiffened plane sheet beam combination under bending loads. For the combinations tested it was found that the modulus decreases rapidly under light loadings from the elastic value to some asymptotic value depending upon the sheet thickness. The thick sheet combination gave higher values of the effective shear modulus than the thin sheet.
Sequence-specific transcriptional antirepression of the Drosophila Krüppel gene by the GAGA factor.

We have analyzed the proximal promoter of the Drosophila Kruppel (Kr) gene. A 44-base pair fragment containing the RNA start sites contains significant promoter activity, and this minimal promoter is flanked both upstream and downstream by binding sites for the GAGA factor. The GAGA factor is the predominant sequence-specific DNA binding factor that interacts with the Kr promoter region, and the purified protein activates Kr transcription in vitro. However, strong transcriptional activation of Kr as well as of Ultrabithorax, another GAGA factor-responsive gene, requires the presence of a DNA binding transcriptional repressor. The GAGA factor is able to relieve this repression in a binding site-dependent manner, and, thus, these data suggest that the GAGA factor functions as an antirepressor, rather than an activator, of the Kr gene.
Severe Hemolytic Anemia in Black Children with Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency

The clinical spectrum of hemolytic anemia as a consequence of oxidant stress in black children deficient in erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) has not been well described in the pediatric literature. During a 3 1/2-year period 14 hospitalized black G-6-PD-deficient children with moderate to severe hemolytic reactions were studied. The vast majority (13/14) were boys and were less than 3 years of age. Nine of the patients required blood transfusion. Eleven of the 14 episodes occurred with infection (five bacterial, six viral); those children with viral syndromes tended to have more severe hemolysis. Naphthalene was responsible for three episodes, but oxidant drugs were implicated in no instances. Findings on the blood smears of most subjects included irregular dense misshapen erythrocytes with asymmetrical distribution of hemoglobin and an adjacent membrane-bound clear zone ("eccentrocytes"). It is concluded that hemolytic reactions in the black G-6-PD-deficient child may be severe, are most commonly associated with infection, and are frequently characterized by distinctive erythrocyte morphology.
Nature versus Nurture

Nature and nurture refer to the two factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of form and function in organisms. In current discussions, this is also referred to as heredity and environment, or biological and cultural determinism, respectively. The recognition that both factors are involved in the normal development of any organism, and their juxtaposition as mutually exclusive, has given rise to the nature–nurture (or heredity–environment) debate from classical times to the present.
Jerks at work [workplace ethics]

This paper discusses how to recognize jerks in the workplace. A description of the character of a jerk is given and the reasons why they usually succeed in the workplace. It also gives advice on how to deal with jerks and how to confront one if you really need to.
IQ Zoo and Teaching Operant Concepts.

Psychology texts often cite the work of Marian and Keller Breland and their business, Animal Behavior Enterprises (ABE), to demonstrate operant conditioning and the “misbehavior of organisms” from an evolutionary perspective. Now available on the Internet at the official IQ Zoo website (http://www3.uca.edu/iqzoo/), the artifacts of ABE’s work, in the form of photographs, documents, and audio/video recordings, provide a wealth of concrete examples of operant and evolutionary contingencies. Included in this site is the related work of Robert E. Bailey. These exhibits and their associated learning materials are relevant to many courses, including introductory psychology, psychology of learning, behavior modification, and history and systems of psychology.
Domain Decomposition Models for Parallel Monte Carlo Transport

We present a strategy for parallelizing computations that use the transport method. It combines spatial domain decomposition with domain replication to realize the scaling benefits of replication while allowing for problems whose computational mesh will not fit in a single processor's memory. The mesh is decomposed into a small number of spatial domains—typically fewer domains than there are processors—and heuristics are used to estimate the computational effort required to generate the solution in each subdomain using Monte Carlo. That work estimate determines the number of times a subdomain is replicated relative to the others. Timing of runs for two problems show that the new method scales better than traditional domain decomposition.
In vitro determination of the 30 nm chromatin fiber structure (564.1)

To be able to fit 6 ft. of human DNA into a cell’s nucleus, an elaborate organizational system is necessary to compact the genomic DNA first into nucleosomes, and then into a 30 nm chromatin fiber. The ability to figure out the spatial conformation between these nucleosomes is vital in understanding gene regulation of underlying DNA. Literature data support two different models of the chromatin fiber that differ in their geometry and possible impact on the accessibility of the underlying DNA sequence. The “zig-zag” model uses a straight linker DNA region, while the “solenoid” model illustrates a bent DNA linker, greatly influencing which nucleosomes are in close space in relation to one another. However, there is debate about which of these models actually represents the true structure. High resolution in vivo nucleosome maps show that the length of DNA between two nucleosomes is not constant across a genome. Computational studies have shown that changing this linker-length can drastically change the avai...
Enabling high-performance internet-wide measurements on windows

This paper presents analysis of the Windows kernel network stack and designs a novel high-performance NDIS driver platform called IRLstack whose goal is to enable large-scale Internet measurements that require sending billions of packets and managing millions of outstanding connections on inexpensive commodity hardware available to any research lab. Our results show that with just 75% of one modern CPU core, IRLstack can saturate a gigabit link with SYN packets (i.e., 1.48M pps) and achieve 3.52 Gbps (i.e., 5.25 Mpps) with a quad-core CPU. IRLstack's transmission performance exceeds that of Winsock by a factor of 92-174, batch-mode WinPcap by a factor of 4.7-6.7, and the latest optimized PF_RING/TNAPI Linux kernel by up to 30%.
The mechanism of action of ethanolamine ammonia-lyase, a B12-dependent enzyme. Evidence for two intermediates in the catalytic process.

Abstract Ethanolamine ammonia-lyase, an enzyme catalyzing the adenosylcobalamin-dependent deamination of ethanolamine, also catalyzes the conversion of l-2-aminopropanol to propionaldehyde and ammonia. In this reaction, tritium is transferred from enzyme·[5'-3H]adenosylcobalamin to the C-1 position of l-2-aminopropanol, as well as to the α carbon of the product aldehyde. The labeling pattern is consistent with the mechanism of hydrogen transfer deduced with other substrates. Tritium transfer also occurs between enzyme·[5'-3H]adenosylcobalamin and propionaldehyde in the presence of NH4+. Unlike the deamination of ethanolamine, the conversion of 2-aminopropanol to propionaldehyde and NH4+ is reversible, since tritiated 2-aminopropanol was isolated from reaction mixtures originally containing only propionaldehyde, ammonia, and enzyme·[5'-3H]adenosyl cobalamin. The partitioning of tritium derived from enzyme·[5'-3H]-adenosylcobalamin between l-2-aminopropanol and propionaldehyde was determined in reactions begun with l-2-aminopropanol as well as in reactions begun with propionaldehyde and ammonia. In the first case, the ratio [3H]propanolamine to [3H]propionaldehyde is 1.8:1; in the second case, the ratio is 0.3:1. This difference in the partitioning of tritium from the tritiated enzyme complex is consistent with the notion that there are at least two intermediates in the catalytic process, each exchanging tritium with coenzyme, which interconvert slowly with respect to the rate of tritium exchange.
Hungarian Folk Instruments

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Robert Mandel Translators: Arle Lommel Year: 2008 Pages: 174 Publisher: Kossuth Publishing ISBN: 978-963-09-5799-1 (hard cover).
Application of neural networks to detecting misfire in automotive engines

This paper presents a novel application of neural networks to a vexing practical problem in the automotive industry. By government regulations, automobiles are required to be equipped with instrumentation to detect engine misfires and to alert the driver whenever the misfire rate has the potential to affect the health of emission control systems. A relevant model for the powertrain dynamics is developed in this paper as well as an explanation of the instrumentation. The basis for using a neural network to detect these misfires is explained and experimental system performance data (including error rates) are given. It is shown in this paper that the present method has the potential to meet the government mandated requirements. >
Dynamic tracking of functional gene modules in treated juvenile idiopathic arthritis

We have previously shown that childhood-onset rheumatic diseases show aberrant patterns of gene expression that reflect pathology-associated co-expression networks. In this study, we used novel computational approaches to examine how disease-associated networks are altered in one of the most common rheumatic diseases of childhood, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Using whole blood gene expression profiles derived from children in a pediatric rheumatology clinical trial, we used a network approach to understanding the impact of therapy and the underlying biology of response/non-response to therapy. We demonstrate that therapy for JIA is associated with extensive re-ordering of gene expression networks, even in children who respond inadequately to therapy. Furthermore, we observe distinct differences in the evolution of specific network properties when we compare children who have been treated successfully with those who have inadequate treatment response. Despite the inherent noisiness of whole blood gene expression data, our findings demonstrate how therapeutic response might be mapped and understood in pathologically informative cells in a broad range of human inflammatory diseases.
"I AM a Man": Manhood, Minority Men's Health and Health Equity.

Objective: To consider how manhood is a key social determinant of minority men’s health. Design: This commentary explicates how manhood intersects with other determinants of health to shape minority men’s stress responses, health behaviors and health outcomes across the life course. Results: Manhood, which perpetu­ally needs to be proven, is an aspirational identity that is defined by the intersection of age, race/ethnicity and other identities. Mi­nority men seek to and successfully embody US-cultural and ethnic-specific aspects of manhood in their daily lives by engaging in behaviors that constantly reaffirm their gen­der identity through a complex internal and social calculus that varies by intra-personal characteristics and context. Manhood and health are relational constructs that highlight how the salience of masculinities are shaped by perceived and actual social norms and expectations. A life course perspective adds a framework for considering how some gendered beliefs, goals and behaviors change over time while others remain static. Three life course frameworks highlight dif­ferent mechanisms through which minority men’s life experiences and physiological and behavioral responses to gendered social norms, beliefs and expectations become embodied as premature mortality and other health outcomes over the life course. Conclusion: Manhood represents an impor­tant lens to understand how minority men’s identities, goals and priorities affect their health, yet the role of manhood in minority men’s health is understudied and under­developed. To achieve health equity, it is critical to consider how manhood shapes minority men’s lives and health across the life course, and to address how man­hood affects gendered and non-gendered mechanisms and pathways that explain minority men’s health over time. Ethn Dis. 2015;25(3):287-293.
Evaluation of the clinical, immunologic, and biochemical effects of nitroso sulfamethoxazole administration to dogs: a pilot study

Sulfonamide antimicrobials such as sulfamethoxazole (SMX) have been associated in humans with hypersensitivity reactions, to include fever, skin eruptions, hepatotoxicity, and blood dyscrasias. These reactions also occur in dogs, the only non-human species known to develop a similar spectrum of sulfonamide hypersensitivity. Sulfonamide hypersensitivity is not well understood, but has been hypothesized to be due to the generation of the reactive oxidative metabolite, nitroso sulfamethoxazole (SMX-NO). SMX-NO, unlike the parent sulfonamide, is cytotoxic in vitro, haptenizes tissue proteins, and is immunogenic in rodents. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether SMX-NO, when administered to dogs, would lead to drug-tissue adducts, anti-drug antibodies, antioxidant depletion, or clinical evidence of drug hypersensitivity. Four dogs were randomized to one of four treatments: SMX-NO 1 mg/kg; SMX-NO 3 mg/kg; SMX-NO 10 mg/kg; or vehicle control. Dosing was by the intraperitoneal route, once daily for four consecutive days per week, for 2 weeks total, followed by a third week of observation. Following this, all dogs were challenged with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 25 mg/kg for 12 h for 2 weeks. No dog developed clinical or biochemical evidence of drug hypersensitivity. Plasma cysteine and leukocyte reduced glutathione were not depleted during dosing; however, ascorbate was significantly depleted by week 2 following SMX-NO at 10 mg/kg. Anti-SMX antibodies (IgG or IgM by ELISA) were not detected in any dogs at any time points. SMX-hemoglobin adducts were detected in the spleen in SMX-NO dosed dogs; however, these adducts were not accompanied by an immunologic or systemic response. The results of this pilot study indicate that SMX-NO dosing in dogs, using a dosing protocol shown to be immunogenic in other species, produces modest ascorbate depletion and hemoglobin adduct formation, but is insufficient to produce an immunologic response or a clinical syndrome of sulfonamide hypersensitivity in this susceptible species.
Effects of hypoxia on the distribution of calcium in arterial smooth muscle cells of rats and swine.

Exposure to hypoxia caused an increase in the hematocrit and right heart weight of experimental rats, but did not affect calcium-45 uptake by pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. However, autoradiographic studies showed that hypoxia apparently caused a shift of 45-Ca from primarily extracellular sites in arteries of control rats to intracellular sites in tissues of hypertensive rats. Cytochemical studies of calcium distributions in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells support the autoradiographic data and show that in both rats and swine the majority of pyroantimonate granules occur extracellularly in control tissues. In contrast, hypoxic tissues displayed a greatly reduced number of granules in extracellular sites and an increase in the amount of precipitate in intracellular sites. In pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells from hypoxic rats most of the precipitate was associated with the caveolae intracellulares, while in corresponding cells from hypoxic swine the majority of the pyroantimonate granules were localized to the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Hypoxia may produce pulmonary hypertension by interfering with the ability of the arterial smooth muscle cells to maintain transmembrane ionic gradients, thus producing an effective increase in cytoplasmic calcium levels. The increased calcium may then activate the contractile apparatus to produce a sustained vasoconstriction.
Iron binding ligands in the catalytic site of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase

The tryptophan fluorescence maximum for holoprotocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase(holo PCD) is blue-shifted slightly (3 nm) from that of the apoenzyme. In the preparation of apoenzyme, increases in tryptophan fluorescence intensity coincided with decreases in enzyme activity and decreases in iron content. The tryptophan emission intensity of reconstituted enzyme having full enzyme activity was about 90% of that of the holoenzyme. Although apo PCD has similar molecular weight, amino acid content and essentially the same gross quaternary conformation as holo PCD, the absence of iron in apo PCD causes the changes in emission intensity of tryptophan. Findings indicate that some tryptophan residues may be (or may be near) the iron-binding ligands in the catalytic site of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase.
Group treatment of adolescent inpatients: A pilot study using a structured therapy approach

The article describes a research pilot study using a structured group therapy approach vs. a discussion group on an adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit. The results were measured using the Global Assessment Scale and the Inventory of Interpersonal Relationships. The authors discuss the data, the difficulties inherent in doing research with adolescent groups, and recommendations for future studies.
The surgical implications of nonrespiratory lung function.

Abstract Interest in nonrespiratory lung function has increased with the realization that the injured lung might influence pathological processes in distant vascular beds. Alterations in the lung's ability to metabolize or release biologically active compounds (prostaglandins, kinins) may influence distant cellular metabolism, local blood flow, and vascular permeability. Fortunately, pharmacological manipulation of these systems which may contribute to systemic hypotension during sepsis, positive pressure ventilation, trauma, and anaphylaxis is feasible. Furthermore, since the lung is an important way station in the storage and metabolism of many drugs, the contribution of the lung must be recognized when attempting to unravel complex drug interactions. Indeed, an understanding of the lung's handling of airborne pollutants has led to the development of a simple blood test to identify individuals with increased risk of developing bronchogenic carcinoma. Acute respiratory insufficiency is a multifaceted malady from which 66,000 people died in 1977. Clearly, nonrespiratory pulmonary dysfunction contributes to respiratory disease and may exacerbate nonpulmonary disorders. The vulnerability of the lung to insult and the ability of the injured lung to influence distant organ function is now better appreciated. The systemic manifestations of altered pulmonary metabolism are manifested characteristically in acute injury and should therefore be appreciated and incorporated into a rational, surgical approach to therapy.
Mineral‐nutrient synergism and dilution responses to nitrogen fertilizer in field‐grown maize

Nitrogen (N)-fertilizer applications to field-grown maize may result in a dilution response whereby essential mineral-element concentrations in shoots would decrease as shoot-dry-matter accumulation increased. To investigate this, the effect of N-fertilizer treatments (no N or fertilizer rate based upon 5.3 or 8.5 t ha–1 yield goal) on maize (Zea mays L.) shoot dry weight and shoot mineral concentrations (N, P, K, S, Mg, Ca, and Mn) at the sixth leaf (V6), twelfth leaf (V12), and tassel (VT) development stages were investigated in a 2-year study conducted at Brookings, South Dakota (USA). With increasing N-fertilizer application rates, shoot dry weight was greater and shoot P and K concentrations decreased. A possible explanation of this dilution response is that planting-time P and K fertilizers, which were applied in a band near the seed furrow, may have enhanced the uptake of P and K in a manner that was independent of N-fertilizer treatments. Increased shoot-dry-weight production due to the application of N fertilizers, if P and K uptake were similar across N-fertilizer treatments, would lead to decreased shoot P and K concentrations in N-sufficient compared with N-deficient plants. Conversely, N-fertilizer-induced increases in shoot dry weight were accompanied by increased shoot concentrations of N, Ca, and Mn. This synergistic response between dry-weight accumulation and shoot N concentration was present at all leaf developmental stages studied, while that for Ca was present only at VT. Thus, N fertilizer applications that increase shoot dry weight can affect the dilution and synergistic responses of specific mineral nutrients in maize shoots. Crop developmental stage as well as the location of these specific mineral nutrients in the soil profile might play important roles in mediating these responses.