cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Demon rum and saintly women: Temperance fiction of the early nineteenth century

Although America was most famously temperate in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the temperance movement was not something created by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. The roots were men controlling men for economic advancement in pre-Revolutionary War America. The goal of temperance remained thus until speakers during the Second Great Awakening began preaching on the topic of temperance and calling on women to further the cause. Temperance became a woman’s issue with women as the natural leaders of the movement because of the place women— as moral authorities—occupied in society. Literature written by women in the 1830s and 40s furthered the cause and helped women relate to the movement, using the accepted religious rhetoric and sentimental “womanly” emotionalism to convert new female activists. Religion empowered temperance, temperance empowered women, and women then used temperance and the new religious rhetoric to justify their cause and to further woman’s entry into politics.
Editorial Commentary: Platelet-Rich Plasma and Knee Meniscal Repair—The Use of Biologics Has Not Progressed Substantially Since 1983

When it comes to meniscal repair, optimizing the local biological environment at the repair site by performing trephination to create bleeding from the extracapsular capillary network, by rasping to abrade the local synovial tissue, or by creating bleeding from the intercondylar notch is recommended. The addition of platelet-rich plasma probably also helps, especially absent the bleeding when meniscal repair is performed concomitantly with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. However, pending future research, there is not enough data to recommend platelet-rich plasma augmentation for meniscal repair in all cases.
Functionally distinct roles for T and Tbx6 during mouse development

The mouse T-box transcription factors T and Tbx6 are co-expressed in the primitive streak and have unique domains of expression; T is expressed in the notochord, while Tbx6 is expressed in the presomitic mesoderm. T-box factors are related through a shared DNA binding domain, the T-domain, and can therefore bind to similar DNA sequences at least in vitro We investigated the functional similarities and differences of T and Tbx6 DNA binding and transcriptional activity in vitro and their interaction genetically in vivo We show that at one target, Dll1, the T-domains of T and Tbx6 have different affinities for the binding sites present in the mesoderm enhancer. We further show using in vitro assays that T and Tbx6 differentially affect transcription with Tbx6 activating expression tenfold higher than T, that T and Tbx6 can compete at target gene enhancers, and that this competition requires a functional DNA binding domain. Next, we addressed whether T and Tbx6 can compete in vivo First, we generated embryos that express Tbx6 at greater than wild-type levels embryos and show that these embryos have short tails, resembling the T heterozygous phenotype. Next, using the dominant-negative TWis allele, we show that Tbx6+/- TWis/+ embryos share similarities with embryos homozygous for the Tbx6 hypomorphic allele rib-vertebrae, specifically fusions of several ribs and malformation of some vertebrae. Finally, we tested whether Tbx6 can functionally replace T using a knockin approach, which resulted in severe T null-like phenotypes in chimeric embryos generated with ES cells heterozygous for a Tbx6 knockin at the T locus. Altogether, our results of differences in affinity for DNA binding sites and transcriptional activity for T and Tbx6 provide a potential mechanism for the failure of Tbx6 to functionally replace T and possible competition phenotypes in vivo.
Voltage-Triggered Ultrafast Phase Transition in Vanadium Dioxide Switches

Electrically driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) in vanadium dioxide (VO2) is of interest in emerging memory devices, neural computation, and high-speed electronics. We report on the fabrication of out-of-plane VO2 metal-insulator-metal structures and reproducible high-speed switching measurements in these two-terminal devices. We have observed a clear correlation between the electrically driven on/off current ratio and the thermally induced resistance change during MIT. It is also found that sharp MIT could be triggered by the external voltage pulses within 2 ns at room temperature and the achieved on/ off ratio is greater than two orders of magnitude with good endurance.
Simple vs. Generalized Interest Rate and Purchasing Power Parity Models of Exchange Rates

We construct a model in which the real exchange rate is affected by the real interest rate and price differentials as well as real factors that cause shocks to the expected flexible-price equilibrium value of the real exchange rate. The model is then employed to test for the "generalized" uncovered interest rate parity and purchasing power parity relations using the data for eight advanced countries and the cointegration technique. Simple versions of the parity conditions are also tested for the purpose of comparisons. We find evidence of cointegration only for the generalized version of the parity relations. Also, out-of-sample forecasts generated from error-correction models indicate that they are more accurate relative to those obtained from a random walk model for half of the countries in the sample.
3094 – ROLE OF BONE MARROW INJURY IN PROMOTING TET2-MEDIATED CLONAL HEMATOPOIESIS OF INDETERMINATE POTENTIAL (CHIP)

CHIP is characterized by selective outgrowth of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) in the bone marrow (BM) which frequently harbors oncogenic mutations in genes such as TET2. This leads to aberrant expansion of hyperinflammatory immune cells that can contribute to cardiovascular disease and other comorbidities. Prior genotoxic treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation reportedly correlate with the expansion of CHIP mutant HSPC. However, the mechanism(s) remain poorly understood. To address this question, we modeled human CHIP via adoptively transferring Tet2-/- mouse BM into wild-type (WT) recipient mice. In this setting, Tet2-/- HSPC and their progeny preferentially expanded in the BM and blood. Interestingly, Tet2-/- HSPC also colonized non-hematopoietic organs including lung, liver and gonadal adipose tissue. To test whether genotoxic stress caused by radiation accelerated this process, we subjected Tet2-/- CHIP mice to 2.5Gy radiation. Indeed, radiation accelerated Tet2-/- HSPC expansion in nearly all tissues. To assess the impact of microenvironmental factors induced by radiation on CHIP progression, we modeled radiation-induced inflammation and tissue oxygenation using in vitro HSPC culture. Surprisingly, inflammatory cytokines were not sufficient to drive selective expansion of Tet2-/- HSPC. On the other hand, Tet2-/- HSPC displayed a significant proliferative advantage over WT when cultured at high oxygen tension (20%O2) but not in hypoxic conditions representative of healthy BM (1%O2), suggesting high O2 tension caused by BM injury may play a vital role in the selective expansion of Tet2-/- HSPC. Ongoing studies are aimed at understanding the impact of increased oxygen levels in the BM using non-genotoxic approaches and identifying mechanism(s) by which Tet2-/- HSPC harness high O2 tension to proliferate. Such investigations could provide a basis for preventing CHIP and its associated comorbidities.
Impact of pre-treatment lymphocyte monocyte ratio and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio on pathologic response in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

e12623Background: Hematologic markers have been looked at as potential prognostic biomarkers in a variety of cancers. Ni and colleagues (2014) have shown that an elevated pre-treatment lymphocyte-t...
Shimon Sings-Robotic Musicianship Finds Its Voice

Robotic Musicianship research at Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology (GTCMT) focuses on the construction of autonomous and wearable robots that analyze, reason about, and generate music. The goal of our research is to facilitate meaningful and inspiring musical interactions between humans and machines. The term Robotic Musicianship refers to the intersection of the fields of Musical Mechatronics—the study and construction of physical systems that generate sound through mechanical means, and Machine Musicianship, which focuses on developing algorithms and cognitive models representative of music perception, composition, improvisation, performance, interaction, and theory. Research in Robotic Musicianship at GTCMT addresses the design of autonomous and wearable music-playing robots that have the underlying musical intelligence to support performance and interaction with human musicians. The motivation for our research is not to imitate human creativity or replace it, but rather to supplement it and enrich the musical experience for humans. We aim to explore the possibilities of combining computers with physical sound generators to create systems capable of rich acoustic sound production, intuitive physics-based visual cues from sound-producing movements, and expressive physical behaviors through sound-accompanying body movements. Our work is driven by the artistic potential that is embedded in non-human characteristics of machines, including humanly impossible speed and precision, freedom of physical design, and the ability to explore artificial constructs and algorithms that could surprise and inspire human musicians.
The Acylation of Ketones to Form β‐Diketones or β‐Keto Aldehydes

Under certain conditions, a ketone having an alpha-hydrogen atom may be acylated with an ester, an acid anhydride, or an acid chloride to form a β-ketone or, when the acylating agent is a formic ester, a β-keto aldehyde. The process consists in the replacement of an alpha-hydrogen atom of the ketone by an acyl group. The reaction involves a carbon-carbon condensation. The acylation of ketones with esters has generally been effected by means of a basic reagent, such as sodium, sodium ethoxide, etc. The acylation of ketones to form β-diketones may also occur with acid anhydrides by means of an acidic reagent boron trifluoride. In this chapter the basic reagent and boron trifluoride methods of acylation are considered separately. They are compared with other methods. Keywords: acylation; ketones; β-ketones; β-aldehdyes; basic reagents; boron trifluoride; comparison of methods; experimental procedures
De-mystifying the mechanism(s) of maspin.

Recent findings indicate that p53 regulates the expression of the tumor suppressor gene maspin, providing new mechanistic information about the factors that negatively regulate tumor cell metastasis.
Finite-time stability for positive Markovian jump systems with partly known transition rates

The paper is concerned with finite-time stability for positive Markovian jump systems with partly known transition rates. First, by constructing appropriate linear co-positive Lyapunov-Krasovskii function, sufficient conditions for finite-time stability of underlying system are given. Then, in virtue of the results obtained, an effective method is proposed for the construction of the state feedback controller. All the proposed conditions are derived to ensure the closed-loop Markovian jump system positive and finite-time stability in linear programming. Finally, an example is given to demonstrate the validity of the main results.
Banked human fascia lata for the suburethral sling procedure: A preliminary report

Objective To report our initial experience with allogenic (human cadaver donor) fascia lata for the suburethral sling procedure. Methods Allogenic fascia lata for the suburethral sling procedure has been used in our practice since July 1994. Fascial grafts were obtained from licensed tissue banks. Women who underwent this procedure were followed prospectively to determine the incidence of perioperative complications, the incidence of local wound complications at the sling insertion site, and the subjective and objective cure rates. Results Sixteen women underwent the suburethral sling procedure with allogenic fascia. Fourteen had genuine stress urinary incontinence and two required replacement of a previously placed synthetic graft because of chronic infection. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 1 year. No patient developed sinus tract formation or persistent granulation tissue. Two of 16 patients (12%) developed abdominal wound infections, which resolved with local care. The mean duration of postoperative bladder drainage was 29 days. One patient continued to require intermittent catheterization at 187 days. Among the 14 women with preoperative genuine stress incontinence, the subjective cure rate was 86% and the objective cure rate was 79%. The two patients who required replacement of a chronically infected synthetic graft remained subjectively continent. Conclusions These preliminary data suggest that allogenic fascia lata is an acceptable material for the suburethral sling procedure. This material may be considered as an alternative to autologous fascia, which must be harvested from the patient intraoperatively, and to synthetic materials, which have been associated with local complications in up to 40% of cases.
The electrical capacitance of bilayer membranes: The contribution of transient aqueous pores

Abstract Experiments of others have demonstrated that the electrical capacitance of artificial bilayer membranes has a transmembrane potential dependence of the form C(U) = C(0)[1 + αU2] Elsewhere it is shown that a large population of transient aqueous pores in a bilayer can explain both reversible electrical breakdown and electrically assisted destructive rupture. The population of pores is attributed to thermal fluctuations, such that a bilayer membrane contains many pores which are continually expanding or contracting. Here the contribution of transient aqueous pores to capacitance is calculated. This contribution has the correct transmembrane potential dependence, and can be a significant fraction of the experimental value. An important attribute of such pores is that they are filled with water, not electrolyte. For this reason, the pores in a typical bilayer do not conduct significantly until the transmembrane potential exceeds about 300 mV. Overall, we conclude that the presence of a large population of transient aqueous pores can be consistent with the magnitude and transmembrane potential dependence of the capacitance.
The Challenge & Complexities of Nation-State Sovereignty in the Era of 21st Century Internationalism

For hundreds of years since the enactment of the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, the nation-state has been the mainstay of the international system. The nation-state has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, wars, economic turmoil, and political chaos, yet through it all it has remained relatively stable. Nation-state also has a dark side in the guise of neo-colonialism and the subjection of millions of people through the invoking of political sovereignty as imperial legitimacy. However, nothing has challenged the core foundations of the nation-state then the emergence of globalization in the 21st century. In many respects, globalization has superseded the governmental ability of the nation-state by circumventing it through the integration of commerce, finance, trade, and technology. No longer is the nation-state the conduit by which TNC’s (Trans National Corporation), Diplomats, NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organization), and Supranational organizations must filter through in order to operate in and around its geographical sphere. The legitimacy of the state was its cloak of sovereignty which gave it card Blanche in the international system. The presence of globalization has had an evolutionary impact upon the way nations govern, communicate, negotiate, and interact with each other. These impacts are both positive and negative. In terms of positive attributes, the technological advancements due to globalization has improved commerce through increased FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in economically challenged nations, targeted infrastructure development, advanced literacy, inspired democratic movements via social networks, and created emerging middle class in rising powerhouses such as India and China. The negative effects of globalization is that it has pulled and tugged at the local, social, and economical moral fabrics of a nation-state which in turn causes unrest, financial meltdown, poverty, hunger, dissension, and interstate wars between ethnic, tribal, and religious groups due to the inability of the current structure of the nation-state to effectively harness its destructive elements. In essence, the purpose of this research is to examine the challenges of globalization to the political validity of the nation-state in the 21st century and to create a new political construct of national sovereignty that recognizes the importance of the nation-state and its stability of the international order.
Tobramycin: In Vitro Activity and Comparison with Kanamycin and Gentamicin

Abstract The in vitro activity of the aminoglycoside antibiotic tobramycin was demonstrated by broth dilution and single-disc methods on 50 isolates each of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella or Enterobacter, indole-positive and -negative Proteus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All organisms were inhibited by 6.25 μg or less of the drug/ml. Pseudomonas strains resistant to kanamycin or gentamicin or both were susceptible to tobramycin. Those strains which were inhibited by 6.25 μg of tobramycin/ml by the broth dilution method had zone diameters of 16 mm or more by the single-disc method. Of 313 organisms tested by the disc method, 3 strains were found to be resistant to tobramycin, 73 were resistant to kanamycin, and 18 were resistant to gentamicin. Tobramycin was found to have satisfactory in vitro activity against many clinically important organisms, including strains resistant to gentamicin and kanamycin.
Simple Routine Method for Enzymatic Iodination of Peptide Hormones

Abstract A simple enzymatic method for iodinating peptide hormones usable in radioimmunoassays is evaluated. We iodinated human LH, human FSH, human and rat prolactin multiple times over the past year using similar conditions. In every instance we obtained an iodinated protein which had little damage and high specific activity and was useful in the respective radioimmunoassay. We recommend this method of iodination for laboratories continually performing multiple peptide hormone radioimmunoassays because of the method's simplicity, consistency and wide versatility. In addition, radio-iodination to desired specific activity is possible with this method.
Restoration of Sinus Rhythm After Mitral Valve Replacement Correlations with Left Atrial Pressure and Size

Factors relating to the successful and sustained restoration of sinus rhythm were examined in 100 patients following mitral valve replacement. Of the 30 patients who established sinus rhythm in the postoperative period, 24 were in sinus rhythm before operation and 6 converted spontaneously. All 30 had normal mean left atrial pressure at rest and only mild or moderate roentgenographic evidence of left atrial enlargement. All 70 patients with atrial fibrillation following valve replacement had been in atrial fibrillation preoperatively; in 24 of them cardioversion was not attempted. In the other 46 patients, electrical conversion was attempted on one or more occasions; in 31 (68%), sinus rhythm was maintained for at least 24 hours, but only 9 were in sinus rhythm 18 months later. Two additional patients maintained sinus rhythm on a long-term basis after conversion with maintenance quinidine. Among the 15 patients refractory to countershock, the mean left atrial pressure averaged 11.1 ± 1.3 mm Hg, and among ...
The design of a technology platform for custom VLIW embedded processors

The center of gravity in computing is shifting down once again, largely as a result of improving circuit density, which lowers the cost and size of computers, and enables them to be deployed in entirely new ways. Change on this scale has happened several times before, as we look back on the move from mainframes to minicomputers and then to desktop systems. Every generational change has driven an orders of magnitude increase in the range of applications and number of systems sold. We have already started the next generational move, which puts an entire system on a single chip, together with many other peripheral functions. This will make general-purpose machines even more affordable, but the really exciting thing will be the infusion of computers into a wide range of products that you do not think of as computers. The activities at HP Labs Cambridge (http://www. hpl.hp.com/cambridge) are centered on technologies at the border of CPU architectures, compilers and tools. We currently have projects on: dynamic optimization in a practical environment, embedded CPU cores customized for their intended use, retargetable ILP compiler backends in a product environment. This paper explores the design aspects of Lx, a Technology Platform for Custom VLIW Embedded Processors.
Dyspnea: the heart or the lungs? Differentiation at bedside by use of the simple Valsalva maneuver.

Thirty-seven patients with dyspnea, clinical chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and abnormal pulmonary function tests demonstrating an obstructive airways pattern underwent six-foot posteroanterior chest radiography, radionuclide ventriculography and sphygmomanometer-monitored arterial pressure response during a bedside Valsalva maneuver. Patients could be separated into three groups (square wave, absent overshoot, sinusoidal) on the basis of their Valsalva response which corresponded to left ventricular ejection fractions on radionuclide ventriculography of 0.19 ± 0.05, 0.42 ± 0.20, 0.64 ± 0.13 (p
Race, Plasma Renin Activity, and Morning Blood Pressure Surge—Results From the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Trial

BACKGROUND The association of preawake (difference between pre- and postwaking blood pressure (BP)) and sleep-through surge (difference between sleeping nadir and postwaking BP) with cardiovascular events is unclear. Examination of factors associated with surge may provide novel insights. We examined the association of race, which associates with nocturnal dipping, and plasma renin activity (PRA) with preawake and sleep-through surge among individuals on a controlled diet.
Assessment of Bone Quality Associated With Loosely and Tightly Bound Water

Previous studies have shown that the age-related increase in bone porosity results a decrease in bone strength, and porosity is related to the volume of mobile water in the pores. In addition, since water is also bound to collagen and mineral, changes in the amount of bound water will potentially affect the bone strength. It is known that the removal of the loosely bound water (via hydrogen bonding) requires less energy than the water molecules trapped inside collagen molecules, which in turn requires similar or less energy than water molecules bound to the surface charges of mineral apatite (more ionic in nature). Also, water that is imbedded in the lattice of hydroxyapatite (more covalent in nature) requires the highest energy to dislodge. However, there is no traditional method that can determine mobile and bound water, further for loosely and tightly bound ware accurately, non-destructively and non-invasively. Here, we propose that by using NMR Car-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) spin-spin relaxation measurement to determine the mobile water, and the NMR inversion T2-FID spectrum derived from NMR free induction decay (FID) measurements for estimating the bound and free water distribution. Furthermore, after comparison of the total water lost (weighing method) within tissue by using drying (free dry) on the air to the total mobile water lost measured by NMR CPMG method, then, the total loosely bound water lost can be estimated. Following this, the mechanical test will be used to evaluate the bone quality related to the tightly and loosely bound water within bone. This information can be used to further assessment of bone quality.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Development of an underwater in-situ spectrophotometric sensor for seawater pH

A pH sensor based upon spectrophotometric techniques has been developed for in-situ analysis of surface seawater. This sensor utilizes a spectrophotometric pH indicator (Thymol Blue) which has been calibrated for use in seawater as a function of temperature and salinity. Shipboard spectrophotometric pH analyses routinely demonstrate a precision on the order of plus or minus 0.0004 pH units. In- situ analysis of seawater pH has demonstrated a precision on the order of plus or minus 0.001 and an accuracy, using shipboard measurements as a standard, on the order of plus or minus 0.01. The sensor is a self-contained system which pumps seawater, meters in indicator, spectrophotometrically determines indicator absorbance and stores data with a 1 Hz acquisition frequency. The sensor employs two absorbance cells, each with three wavelength channels, to obtain the spectrophotometric absorbance. The sensor system, rated for depths up to 500 m, provides pH, conductivity, temperature and can be operated via computer or in a standalone mode with internal data storage. The sensor utilizes less than 12 watts of power and is packaged in a 29' long by 4.5' diameter aluminum housing.
Intelligent Biosynthetic Nanobiomaterials (IBNs) for Hyperthermic Gene Delivery

Purpose Intelligent biosynthetic nanobiomaterials (IBNs) were constructed as recombinant diblock copolymers, notated as K8-ELP(1–60), containing a cationic oligolysine (VGK8G) and a thermosensitive elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) block with 60 repetitive pentapeptide units [(VPGXG)60; X is Val, Ala and Gly in a 5:2:3 ratio].
Prologue: The Perils and Possibilities of ‘Quarterbacking While Mexican’: A Brief Introduction to the Participation of Latino/a Athletes in US Sports History

In the annals of collegiate football in the United States, few teams lay claim to a more storied past than the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. Beginning in football's earliest year...
Some standard errors in item response theory

The mathematics required to calculate the asymptotic standard errors of the parameters of three commonly used logistic item response models is described and used to generate values for some common situations. It is shown that the maximum likelihood estimation of a lower asymptote can wreak havoc with the accuracy of estimation of a location parameter, indicating that if one needs to have accurate estimates of location parameters (say for purposes of test linking/equating or computerized adaptive testing) the sample sizes required for acceptable accuracy may be unattainable in most applications. It is suggested that other estimation methods be used if the three parameter model is applied in these situations.
A web-based neurological pain classifier tool utilizing Bayesian decision theory for pain classification in spinal cord injury patients

Pain is a common complication after spinal cord injury with prevalence estimates ranging 77% to 81%, which highly affects a patient’s lifestyle and well-being. In the current clinical setting paper-based forms are used to classify pain correctly, however, the accuracy of diagnoses and optimal management of pain largely depend on the expert reviewer, which in many cases is not possible because of very few experts in this field. The need for a clinical decision support system that can be used by expert and non-expert clinicians has been cited in literature, but such a system has not been developed. We have designed and developed a stand-alone tool for correctly classifying pain type in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, using Bayesian decision theory. Various machine learning simulation methods are used to verify the algorithm using a pilot study data set, which consists of 48 patients data set. The data set consists of the paper-based forms, collected at Long Beach VA clinic with pain classification done by expert in the field. Using the WEKA as the machine learning tool we have tested on the 48 patient dataset that the hypothesis that attributes collected on the forms and the pain location marked by patients have very significant impact on the pain type classification. This tool will be integrated with an imaging informatics system to support a clinical study that will test the effectiveness of using Proton Beam radiotherapy for treating spinal cord injury (SCI) related neuropathic pain as an alternative to invasive surgical lesioning.
Analysis of heat release rate in the partially premixed flame structures during autoignition of unstrained, laminar mixing layers

Autoignition in an unstrained, laminar mixing layer of methanol/air is investigated using detailed reaction mechanism and full multicomponent mass diffusion formulation. The temperature of the fuel stream is varied from 400 K to 1200 K, whereas the oxidizer stream is held at a fixed temperature of 1200 K. The calculations are performed for pressure p = 1 bar. Transient evolution of the autoignition kernel from initial partially premixed flame structures to final diffusion flame is demonstrated. The flame structures have been analysed for individual heat release rates. For equal fuel and oxidizer stream temperatures (1200 K), heat release in extremely fuel rich locations (with mixture fraction values up to 0.8) is found. A transient triple flame structure (two deflagrations and, one diffusion flame) is shown to exist even in cases when the temperature difference between the two streams is large. The heat release rates in the deflagrations depend on the temperatures of the two streams. When compared with the surviving diffusion flame, the heat release rate in the short-lived deflagrations is one to two orders of magnitude higher. It is shown that increasing the fuel stream temperature also decrease the ignition delay time in the mixing layer.© 2012 ASME
Pneumonia, friend of the elderly.

Must we rescue everyone we can? Should our ability to do something work against us, at times obliging us to act against our better judgment? We can cure even elderly, demented people of pneumonia, but not everyone will consider this a morally compelling argument for doing so. In the decades since we learned to treat pneumonia, the life expectancy in western nations has increased significantly. More and more elderly people will come down with pneumonia in the years to come. How should we think of pneumonia, in the elderly or anyone else? There is good reason to think of pneumonia as a blessing in some cases, specifically in elderly, demented persons. This is not the place to argue for the morality of this perspective. The article by van der Steen and colleagues begins from the reasonable premise that pneumonia may signal a welcome way out of suffering. Their article will do nothing to change the mind of anyone who insists we must always work to cure elderly persons of pneumonia. It will, however, offer useful guidance to families of elderly, demented nursing-home patients and the physicians who treat such patients. The very idea of a checklist rests on the notion that decisions should be made on the basis of persons, who will naturally differ in circumstances, as opposed to principles, which by definition do not vary. The checklist seeks to guide caretakers of incompetent patients to make arduous decisions about both curative and palliative care. The checklist responds to the absence of an advance directive or “living will.” Relatively few Americans have prepared such documents: many do not know about them whereas others avoid thinking about them. Even if we do prepare advance directives, physicians do not always honor them. Presumably any physician who would agree to withhold treatment from an elderly, demented patient would also agree to honor an advance directive requesting this be done. The advance directive would make this decision easier for all concerned. The most important benefit of this checklist from the Netherlands is to help break up a complex question into more manageable segments. Faced with a difficult decision, many of us will respond in the same way as the daughter in case 1—we may feel morally compelled to do everything possible for a demented parent in a nursing home. On further reflection, specifically on the questions brought out by the checklist, we may feel more reluctant than compelled. This is progress. Beyond guiding our deliberation in an enormously trying moment, the checklist serves a broader purpose. It gives us permission to think in concrete terms about the quality of someone else's life. The checklist facilitates the enormously difficult task of deciding for others. It allows us to consider whether pneumonia may be a blessing instead of a burden. This checklist returns us to a familiar debate over the morality of withholding and withdrawing medical treatment. Most primary care physicians and bioethicists in the United States will likely embrace this checklist as a useful and welcome resource.
Acute and Chronic Chorea in Childhood

This review discusses diagnostic evaluation and management of chorea in childhood. Chorea is an involuntary, hyperkinetic movement disorder characterized by continuous, jerky, or flowing movement fragments, with irregular timing and direction. It tends to be enhanced by voluntary actions and generally causes interference with fine motor function. The diagnostic evaluation begins with accurate classification of the movement disorder followed by consideration of the time course. Most previously healthy children presenting with acute/subacute chorea have an autoimmune etiology. Chronic chorea usually occurs as part of encephalopathies or diseases causing more global neurologic symptoms. We review the management of acute/subacute and chronic choreas, with special emphasis on Sydenham chorea and benign hereditary chorea.
Secondary transport of metal-citrate complexes: the CitMHS family.

Primary and secondary transport of citrate has been extensively studied in pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. Primary transporters of citrate complexed with metal ions, particularly Fe, have also garnered attention, with the fec system of E. coli being a classic example. In contrast, little is known about secondary transporters of metal–citrate complexes. Recently, a family of proteins responsible for secondary metal–citrate transport in bacteria was discovered and designated as the CitMHS transporter family. Several members have been functionally characterized to date and serve as the foundation for understanding this family. Three subfamilies have been categorized, depending on the main metal ion transported. These subfamilies are the Mg2+–citrate transporter, the Ca2+–citrate transporter, and the Fe3+–citrate transporter. Each subfamily is believed to be substrate-selective due to the metal–citrate complexes being abundantly present in their environment and/or the ability of the complex to be meta...
Absorption of Sugars by Plant Tissues.

There is already evidence that processes other than simple diffusion contribute to the uptake of sugars by some plant cells. For example, the preferential absorption of particular sugars by Scenedesmus (21, 22), Peltigera (12), and tomato roots (8), and the effects of metabolic inhibitors on uptake (5, 11, 15) are well established. Moreover, accumulation against apparent concentration gradients has been shown for sugar cane tissue (4) and the ability of carrot tissues, rich in sugar, to take up all of the glucose from dilute glucose solutions is of interest (9). Nevertheless, on the basis of the present information, it is not possible to draw general conclusions about transport against gradients (15) or to make deductions about the mechanism of transport. In this paper experiments with carrot slices and corn root tips are described in which the abilities of these tissues to absorb different monosaccharides, the effects of other sugars and inhibitors on the absorption process, and the responses to anaerobiosis and temperature were measured. Internal concentrations of entering sugars have been determined to test if active transport against a gradient occurs and some deductions are made about compartmentation of sugars in these 2 tissues.
Management of nine cases of Wilms’ tumour with intracardiac extension — a single centre experience

Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to review the management of children with Wilms' tumour who have intracardiac extension. Patients and Methods Data were collected from patient notes regarding presentation, operative details, and outcome. Results From 1984 through 2011, 264 children with Wilms' tumour were treated at our hospital. Nine (3.4%) had cavo-atrial extension of the tumour thrombus. The thrombus extended into the right ventricle in two children and involved the hepatic veins in both, and also two others. Pre-operative chemotherapy was administered in eight children with complete regression of the intra-cardiac tumour thrombus in two cases. One child died preoperatively of septicaemia and respiratory failure after two doses of chemotherapy. Six children with intra-cardiac tumour were operated on under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest (DHCA). The mean ischemic time was 30min. There was one peri-operative death in a child with hepatic vein involvement and Budd–Chiari syndrome. All others made a good postoperative recovery. All tumours were favourable histology. To date four children are still alive and disease free. Three children have died as a result of pulmonary metastases. Conclusion Intracardiac extension of Wilms' tumour is rare, and the management is technically challenging. Pre-operative chemotherapy is effective. CPB and DHCA for excision of the cavo-atrial tumour thrombus may be necessary. Distant metastatic disease is common and determines long term prognosis. Hepatic vein extension complicates surgery and remains challenging.
On Making and Keeping Promises

Do the conditions under which promises are made determine whether they ought to be kept? Philosophers have placed a number of conditions on promising which, they hold, must be met in order to make promise-keeping obligatory. In so doing, they have distinguished valid promises from invalid promises and justified promises from promises that are not justified. Considering such conditions, one by one, we argue that they are mistaken. In the first place, the conditions they lay down are not necessary for either valid or justified promise-making. In the second place, promises need not meet such conditions in order to create moral obligations. In general, such analyses of promising fail because they suffer from a confusion between promise-making and promise-keeping. Philosophers have wrongly supposed that obligations to keep promises are dependent upon, or derivable from, the quality of the promises themselves, at the time they are made, instead of focusing on conditions that must be satisfied at the time when promises are supposed to be kept. It is not the quality of a promise that determines an obligation to keep it but the rightness or wrongness of performing the promised act.
Displacement cascades and defects annealing in tungsten, Part I: defect database from molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to generate a comprehensive database of surviving defects due to displacement cascades in bulk tungsten. Twenty-one data points of primary knock-on atom (PKA) energies ranging from 100 eV (sub-threshold energy) to 100 keV (∼780 × E d , where E d = 128 eV is the average displacement threshold energy) have been completed at 300 K, 1025 K and 2050 K. Within this range of PKA energies, two regimes of power-law energy-dependence of the defect production are observed. A distinct power-law exponent characterizes the number of Frenkel pairs produced within each regime. The two regimes intersect at a transition energy which occurs at approximately 250 × E d . The transition energy also marks the onset of the formation of large self-interstitial atom (SIA) clusters (size 14 or more). The observed defect clustering behavior is asymmetric, with SIA clustering increasing with temperature, while the vacancy clustering decreases. This asymmetry increases with temperature such that at 2050 K (∼0.5 T m ) practically no large vacancy clusters are formed, meanwhile large SIA clusters appear in all simulations. The implication of such asymmetry on the long-term defect survival and damage accumulation is discussed. In addition, 〈1 0 0〉{1 1 0} SIA loops are observed to form directly in the highest energy cascades, while vacancy 〈1 0 0〉 loops are observed to form at the lowest temperature and highest PKA energies, although the appearance of both the vacancy and SIA loops with Burgers vector of 〈1 0 0〉 type is relatively rare.
Development credit corporations: Not-for-profit development finance institutions in the postwar United States

Development credit corporations (DCCs) were innovative not-for-profit organisations first set up in the United States in the years after World War II. DCCs borrowed from financial institutions and lent on a long-term basis to small companies that needed funds to expand or maintain their operations but did not qualify for long-term credit from conventional lenders. DCCs were private-sector bodies created at the state level under charters issued by state governments. The organisations were established in more than half the American states. DCCs continue to function in the contemporary era, and have thus proved to be a permanent fixture in the landscape of development entities and not-for-profit financial institutions.
Less is more: strategies to remove marker genes from transgenic plants

Selectable marker genes (SMGs) and selection agents are useful tools in the production of transgenic plants by selecting transformed cells from a matrix consisting of mostly untransformed cells. Most SMGs express protein products that confer antibiotic- or herbicide resistance traits, and typically reside in the end product of genetically-modified (GM) plants. The presence of these genes in GM plants, and subsequently in food, feed and the environment, are of concern and subject to special government regulation in many countries. The presence of SMGs in GM plants might also, in some cases, result in a metabolic burden for the host plants. Their use also prevents the re-use of the same SMG when a second transformation scheme is needed to be performed on the transgenic host. In recent years, several strategies have been developed to remove SMGs from GM products while retaining the transgenes of interest. This review describes the existing strategies for SMG removal, including the implementation of site specific recombination systems, TALENs and ZFNs. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of existing SMG-removal strategies and explores possible future research directions for SMG removal including emerging technologies for increased precision for genome modification.
Crystal plasticity simulations using discrete Fourier transforms

Abstract In this paper, we explore efficient representation of all of the functions central to crystal plasticity simulations in their complete respective domains using discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs). This new DFT approach allows for compact representation and fast retrieval of crystal plasticity solutions for a crystal of any orientation subjected to any deformation mode. The approach has been successfully applied to a rigid–viscoplastic Taylor-type model for face-centered cubic polycrystals. It is observed that the novel approach described herein is able to speed up the conventional crystal plasticity computations by two orders of magnitude. Details of this approach are described and validated in this paper through a few example case studies.
Potassium current expression during prenatal corticogenesis in the rat

Using in situ patch-clamp techniques, we have studied K current expression in rat telencephalon from embryonic day 12 to 21. For cells recorded in the ventricular zone, the K current consisted of a delayed rectifier and a large-conductance calcium-activated component, and displayed little variation from embryonic day 12 to 21. Cells recorded in pial regions could be separated into two classes: radially oriented, putatively migrating cells, and cells tangentially oriented in layer I, which were assumed to be Cajal-Retzius cells. When using a voltage-clamp protocol that included a prepulse to -120 mV, Cajal-Retzius cells displayed a larger density of total K current than radial cells, and both types revealed an inactivating component (IA). The proportion of this component increased from embryonic day 18 to 21 in both cell types, although the amplitude of total K current, in the respective cell type, did not vary. This suggested a concomitant decrease in delayed rectifier current, which was verified directly with an appropriate protocol. The activation rate of the delayed rectifier current was slower for ventricular zone cells than for radial or Cajal-Retzius cells. IA was studied in Cajal-Retzius cells and displayed a strikingly negative (approximately -100 mV) voltage of half-maximal steady-state inactivation. Tetraethylammonium ions only blocked the non-inactivating component(s) of K current whereas 4-aminopyridine appeared to decrease both inactivating and non-inactivating components. The quantitative changes in K current expression are likely to underlie the overall increase in excitability of differentiating cells. On the other hand, the observation of qualitative differences among channel properties opens an interesting area of investigation into their physiological significance.
Gulf Stream cross-frontal exchange: possible mechanisms to explain interannual variations in phytoplankton chlorophyll in the Slope Sea during the SeaWiFS years

During the first 4 years of the SeaWiFS mission (September 1997 through August 2001), the spring blooms in the Slope Sea increased in magnitude. During the same time, the mean path of the Gulf Stream shifted northward. The northward trend of the Gulf Stream is evidenced in satellite sea-surface temperature imagery as well as in situ temperature, salinity, and current vector information collected by the merchant vessel Oleander on its weekly trip between New Jersey and Bermuda. Surface temperature and salinity increased in the Slope Sea over the 4 years. It surprised us to find a collective increase in phytoplankton chlorophyll, temperature, and salinity, contrary to the commonly observed inverse relationship between temperature and chlorophyll in surface waters of this region. While the Gulf Stream surface waters are depleted of nutrients and low in biomass content, waters at depth are rich in nutrients. Although the Gulf Stream usually serves as a barrier between Sargasso waters to the south and Slope waters to the north, cross-stream exchange occurs when there is upward flow along isopycnals toward the surface waters of the Slope Sea. Under certain conditions, warm-core rings and associated streamers shed by the Gulf Stream may also bring nutrient-rich water up into the euphotic zone. The outflow of surface water from the Labrador Sea appears to influence both the size and horizontal transport of the Slope Sea. When the Slope waters are warm and saline there is less Labrador water present, resulting in less dilution of the Gulf Stream waters leaking into the Slope Sea and less horizontal advection within its cyclonic gyre. While the intensity of the spring blooms during this period has dramatic interannual variability, we found the total surface chlorophyll concentration integrated over the Slope Sea remains nearly unchanged. This suggests that the Labrador is not the major supplier of nutrients, but rather that the Slope Sea receives a steady nutrient supply from the sub-surface Gulf Stream waters.