cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metastatic colonization: Settlement, adaptation and propagation of tumor cells in a foreign tissue environment

Disseminated tumor cells must negotiate multiple situations that challenge their viability and/or proliferative capacity before they can successfully colonize distant organ sites. Thus, the shear stress caused by the blood flow may physically damage tumor cells during their translocation from primary tumors to distant organs via the circulation. In addition, the tissue microenvironment of distant organs is generally unfamiliar to tumor cells, limiting their proliferation within the parenchyma of these organs. Each of these situations involves various types of interactions between tumor cells and host components, which either support or inhibit the establishment and subsequent progression of metastases. The initial formation of micrometastases, as well as their subsequent growth--often termed colonization--therefore require complex adaptations by tumor cells to various host components, most of which are never encountered by these cells during their growth within primary tumor sites. These difficulties explain why the colonization of distant organs by disseminated tumor cells is an extraordinarily demanding task and thus inefficient, and suggests a number of potential targets that might be used in the future to interfere therapeutically with this process. Studying the details of tumor-host interactions at each of the steps leading up to successful metastatic colonization may therefore pave the way for designing therapeutic strategies to counteract the metastatic spread of malignant tumors.
Efficacy of signal pathway inhibitors alone and in combination with Cisplatin varies between human non-small cell lung cancer lines.

Background Signal pathway inhibitors (SPI) are designed to act synergistically with conventional cytotoxic drugs to control cancer progression. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of various SPI, both alone and in combination with cisplatin, on three different non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Materials and methods Cell lines (A549, 201T, 273T) representing NSCLC were treated for 72 h in the presence or absence of inhibitors to PI3K (LY-294002; Tocris Bioscience, Ellisville, MO), BCL-2 (Gossypol; Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO), Cox-2 (NS-398 [Sigma-Aldrich] or Celecoxib [Pfizer]), MAPK (U0126 [Sigma-Aldrich]), and EGFR (Iressa; AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, United Kingdom) both alone and in combination with 10 or 30 μ m cisplatin (Sigma-Aldrich) (18 possible regimens for each cell line). MTT assay (Trevigen, Gaithersburg, MD) was used to measure cytotoxicity. Controls were represented by cells with either a pure culture medium (monotherapy regimen control) or culture medium with the corresponding dose of cisplatin (combination regimen control). Unpaired t-test was used to classify response to therapy as highly sensitive (P Results The concordance rate was 50% between each of the three cell lines when SPI were used as monotherapy. In combination regimens, the concordance rates were 33% (A549 and 273T), 17% (A549 and 201T), and 75% (273T and 201T). The 273T cells were most susceptible to therapy, having 11 (61%) highly sensitive responses, whereas A549 cells were least susceptible with 14 (78%) resistant responses. Conclusions There is a substantial degree of variability between NSCLC cell lines in response to SPI, both alone and in combination with cisplatin.
Beneficial effects of eosinophils in colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium

Abstract Rationale Eosinophils produce a number of proinflammatory mediators and factors, such as IL-4 and TGF-beta, that regulate immune and inflammatory responses. However, little is known regarding the physiological significance of these eosinophil-derived cytokines and growth factors. Infiltration by eosinophils is a common feature of inflammatory bowel diseases. To examine the role of eosinophils in colitis, we used a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model of colitis. Methods IL-5 transgenic (TG) and littermate wild-type (WT) mice were given 2% DSS (m.w. 36,000-50,000) in their drinking water for 5 days and then switched to water. Mice were monitored for 3 more days for pathological changes in the large intestine, for signs and symptoms of colitis and for immunological parameters in the colon. Results When compared to WT mice, the IL-5 TG mice showed a marked infiltration of eosinophils into the intestinal mucosa. In contrast, the IL-5 TG mice showed less pronounced pathologic features of colitis, including weight loss, hemoccult, and intestinal mucosal damage (crypt loss) compared to WT mice. IL-5 TG mice showed decreased intestinal levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, but increased levels of IL-13. Anti-IL-5-treatment of DSS-treated IL-5 TG mice showed decreased colon eosinophilia and IL-13 levels, more severe weight loss and higher hemoccult scores, suggesting potential protective effects of IL-5, IL-13 and eosinophils in colitis. Finally, when stimulated with IL-5, isolated mouse eosinophils produced IL-13. Conclusions By producing a Th2 cytokine, IL-13, eosinophils may inhibit the development of colitis induced by DSS. Eosinophils may play a protective role in some gastrointestinal inflammation.
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases, most commonly found in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, have increased markedly in the past decade, particularly in the intensive care unit setting. The problem has been significant in the United States but is even more prevalent in parts of Latin America and Asia. These plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases confer resistance to broad-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics, including third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, aztreonam, and extended-spectrum penicillins. Other resistances, such as aminoglycoside resistance and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance, are often cotransferred on the same plasmid. Fluoroquinolone resistance is often associated, resulting in an organism that is resistant to most of the usual antimicrobial options. Although carbapenems are currently considered the drugs of choice for these pathogens, widespread use of these agents may lead to other resistance problems. Due to limited therapeutic options, prevention and control measures are important. Traditional infection control measures, such as contact precautions, are recommended to prevent spread in intensive care units. In addition, because this type of antimicrobial resistance appears to be particularly influenced by antibiotic utilization, antibiotic control measures may also be a very important intervention in limiting the spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.
The formation and maturation of synapses in the visual cortex of the rat. II. Quantitative analysis.

Synapse formation and maturation were examined in the visual cortex of albino rats from birth to maturity. During the first few days of postnatal life, synapses were sparsely scattered in the subplate zone and in layer I. They appeared immature as judged by the irregular shapes of the presynaptic and postsynaptic profiles, the relatively poorly defined membrane specializations and the presence of only a few synaptic vesicles in the presynaptic structures. As the neuropil matured, synapses were observed throughout the cortex, showing increased thickening of the membrane specializations and more vesicles. However, it was not until the end of the fourth postnatal week that they appeared qualitatively indistinguishable from synapses identified in the adult material. A feature characteristic of the developing visual cortex was the presence of vacant membrane specializations that resembled type I postsynaptic densities. These specializations, which were located either opposite extracellular space or opposite another neuronal process, were only evident during the initial stages of synaptogenesis and their frequency decreased as the number of synapses increased. In addition, transitional forms between these densities and true type I synapses were identified during the first two postnatal weeks. Structures that resembled vacant postsynaptic densities typical of type II synapses were not observed. The earliest identified forms of type II synaptic contacts identified consisted of two profiles that exhibited symmetrical membrane specializations and cleft material. Based on these observations, a scheme has been proposed for the formation of type I and type II synapses in the visual cortex of the rat.
Adiabatic population transfer in a liquid: Taking advantage of a decaying target state

The feasibility of efficient population transfer between an initial state and a decaying target state of the same parity without populating an intermediate state, in the presence of large-amplitude stochastic energy level fluctuations that mimic the dephasing in a solute molecule due to the influence of a solvent, is demonstrated theoretically. In particular, it is shown that a decaying target state, whose decay rate constant is large compared with the band width of picosecond laser pulses but small compared with the associated peak Rabi frequencies, can dramatically suppress the dephasing-induced nonadiabaticity associated with the dynamics of population transfer, resulting in, irrespective of the correlation time of stochastic energy level fluctuations, negligible population in the intermediate state and complete population transfer to the decaying target state. These results should further motivate experimental studies of optical control of molecular dynamics in a liquid. An interesting connection between our results and the quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno effects is also discussed.
Monoclonal antibodies to a purified human transferrin receptor

BALB/c mice were injected with an affinity-chromatography-purified placental transferrin receptor preparation. Spleen cells were fused with NS-1 myeloma cells. Sixteen hybrids producing monoclonal antibodies specific for the transferrin receptor and two hybrids specific for transferrin were identified by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Five hybrids were selected for cloning on the basis of antibody specificity and affinity. None of the antibodies inhibited the binding of transferrin to K562 cells. The binding of antibody ID9 to K562 cells was partially inhibited by transferrin or a polyclonal goat anti-transferrin receptor antiserum. Of the five antibodies, two (IIB6 and IIB2) reacted only with the purified receptor and solubilized cells and not with whole cells. The other three antibodies, when tested with normal human cells and leukaemia and tumour cell lines, showed identical reaction patterns. The antibodies precipitated a glycoprotein from K562 cells with an apparent molecular weight of 94,000, estimated from sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretograms run under reducing conditions, and a molecular weight of 188,000 when run under unreduced conditions. All antibodies have a high affinity with Ka values ranging from 1.44 X 10(9) to 3.56 X 10(10) (l/mol). The antigen precipitated by all five antibodies showed identical peptide maps after partial proteolytic digestion.
Interspecies Conversion of Clostridium botulinum Type C to Clostridium novyi Type A by Bacteriophage

When Clostridium botulinum type C is cured of its prophage it simultaneously ceases to produce toxin. This nontoxigenic culture can then be converted to another toxigenic bacterial species, Clostridium novyi type A or to toxigenic Clostridium botulinum types C or D, by specific bacteriophages. The toxigenicity and type of toxin produced by these cultures depends upon the continued presence of these bacteriophages.
Dolomitization of Brassfield Formation: ABSTRACT

The Brassfield Formation (Lower Silurian), which crops out in southwestern Ohio, through parts of Indiana and Kentucky, to western Tennessee, is a transgressive sequence consisting of interbedded shales, limestones, and dolostones. Shales dominate the eastern edge of the outcrop, whereas carbonate sediments are characteristic of the western and southern exposures. A detailed study of outcrops in southwestern Ohio shows that two separate dolomitizing processes have altered the rocks. Elsewhere, the Brassfield Formation appears to be dolomitized by a single process. In southwestern Ohio, initial dolomitization was restricted to the basal Belfast Member and probably occurred penecontemporaneously in a supratidal environment similar to a modern sabkha. Dolomite in the Belfast member occurs as small (10 to 40 µm), cloudy, anhedral crystals. Thinly laminated sediments with a few gypsym casts are characteristic of this unit. Regional dolomitization was a later diagenetic event related to the formation of a freshwater and seawater mixing zone beneath a landmass created by upwarping of the Cincinnati arch and Nashville and Ozark domes. Intensity of dolomitization in the outcrop belt is controlled by the proximity of the original carbonate sediments to the source of dolomitizing fluids in the mixing zone. The Brassfield is undolomitized away from these structural highs. Dolomite from this portion of the formation is typically large (> 10µm), limpid, euhedral rhombs replacing bioclasts and sparry calcite cement. This "Dorag" type of dolomitization suggests the presence of landmasses in the areas of the Cincinnati arch and the Ozark and Nashville domes during the time of dolomitization of the Brassfield Formation. End_of_Article - Last_Page 638------------
Diffusional–thermal instability of cylindrical burner-stabilized premixed flames

Abstract Steady burning behavior and diffusional–thermal instability of cylindrical burner-stabilized premixed flames are studied via activation energy asymptotics. For the steadily burning flame, the analysis yields a solution of the flame temperature and standoff distance as functions of the mass flow rate supplied by the burner. The result shows that the flame may be stabilized by either heat loss to the burner or flow divergence, in agreement with an earlier investigation by Eng et al. In addition, the flame exhibits two dual flame behaviors; namely, there exist two flame speeds either for the same heat loss rate to the burner or at the same standoff distance, which is consistent with earlier investigations on the one-dimensional, planar burner-stabilized flame. The linear stability analysis reveals that there exists a critical wave number on both the angular and axial directions for which the flame is the most unstable, that the critical wave number on the angular direction increases with increasing flow supply rate from the burner, that the effect of flow divergence–induced flame curvature is to stabilize the flame so that the cylindrical burner-stabilized flame is more stable than its one-dimensional counterpart, that the stability boundaries of a cylindrical flame approach those of the adiabatic, freely propagating planar flame by continuously increasing the burner supply rate, and that a flame stabilized by a larger burner is less stable than that supported by a smaller burner.
Ocular perfusion pressure and glaucoma: clinical trial and epidemiologic findings.

Purpose of reviewA possible connection between ocular perfusion pressure and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) has been hypothesized. This review summarizes the scientific rationale for the proposed relationship, presents recent data, and outlines potential implications.Recent findingsPopulation-based epide
Intra-firm transfer of best practices in moral reasoning: a conceptual framework.

In this paper, we develop a conceptual framework of the intra-firm transfer of best practices in moral reasoning by integrating three streams of literature: internal knowledge transfer in strategic management, moral reasoning and epistemology in philosophy and business ethics, and leader–member exchange in human resource management. We propose that characteristics of moral reasoning (nature of moral knowledge, tacitness of moral reasoning and causal ambiguity), source characteristics (moral development of leaders), target characteristics (integrity capacity and moral development of subordinates), leader–member exchange and internal ethical climate influence the transfer of best practices in moral reasoning.
Developing a curriculum for emergency medicine residency orientation programs.

Abstract Background New residents enter emergency medicine (EM) residency programs with varying EM experiences, which makes residency orientation programs challenging to design. There is a paucity of literature to support best practices. Objective We report on a curriculum development project for EM residency orientation using the Kern Model. Curriculum Components of the revised curriculum include administrative inculcation into the program; delivering skills and knowledge training to ensure an entering level of competence; setting expectations for learning in the overall residency curriculum; performing an introductory performance evaluation; and socialization into the program. Results Post-implementation resident surveys found the new curriculum to be helpful in preparing them for the first year of training. Conclusions The Kern Model was a relevant and useful method for redesigning a new-resident orientation curriculum.
A Bayesian framework for knowledge attribution: evidence from semantic integration.

We propose a Bayesian framework for the attribution of knowledge, and apply this framework to generate novel predictions about knowledge attribution for different types of ‘‘Gettier cases’’, in which an agent is led to a justified true belief yet has made erroneous assumptions. We tested these predictions using a paradigm based on semantic integration. We coded the frequencies with which participants falsely recalled the word ‘‘thought’’ as ‘‘knew’’ (or a near synonym), yielding an implicit measure of conceptual activation. Our experiments confirmed the predictions of our Bayesian account of knowledge attribution across three experiments. We found that Gettier cases due to counterfeit objects were not treated as knowledge (Experiment 1), but those due to intentionally-replaced evidence were (Experiment 2). Our findings are not well explained by an alternative account focused only on luck, because accidentally-replaced evidence activated the knowledge concept more strongly than did similar false belief cases (Experiment 3). We observed a consistent pattern of results across a number of different vignettes that varied the quality and type of evidence available to agents, the relative stakes involved, and surface details of content. Accordingly, the present findings establish basic phenomena surrounding people’s knowledge attributions in Gettier cases, and provide explanations of these phenomena within a Bayesian framework.
Identification of Relations in Region Connection Calculus: 9-Intersection Reduced to 3 + -Intersection Predicates

The intersection between objects relates to a class of problems where either precise intersection is required or imprecise intersection is acceptable. The calculation of intersection between two 2D/3D objects is a computation-intensive process. For qualitative spatio-temporal reasoning, it is sufficient to know the existence of intersection instead of the precise intersection. In order to identify RCC8 relations, the 9-Intersection model considers the pairwise intersection of interiors, boundaries, and exteriors of objects. It was determined that the 9-Intersection is sufficient for identifying spatial relations. Later, it was shown that a 4-Intersection model is sufficient to achieve the same results making the definition (and implementation) of the RCC8 relations worth studying in greater detail. Herein we prove that the 9-Intersection model can be further reduced to almost three intersection predicates, producing a 3 + -Intersection model. This results in improved algorithmic and computational efficiency as a consequence of fewer predicates and faster intersection operations.
Endothelial dysfunction in coronary heart disease is more than a systemic process.

This editorial refers to ‘Coronary endothelial dysfunction in patients with early coronary artery disease is associated with the increase in intravascular lipid core plaque,[†][1]’ by B.-J. Choi et al. , on page 2047 Since its initial description by our laboratory, now 27 years ago, much has been learned about the causes and consequences of human endothelial dysfunction.1 Impairment of endothelial function assessed by nitric oxide bioavailability (referred to as endothelial dysfunction) has been observed in atherosclerosis,1 is associated with traditional risk factors,2,3 and has been described in the setting of various systemic inflammatory disorders linked to high rates of coronary heart disease.4 Endothelial dysfunction exerts a key role in precipitating myocardial ischaemia during daily activities.2,3 Endothelial dysfunction confers adverse cardiovascular prognosis independently of known risk factors and also by becoming a pathophysiological target for both known and unknown cardiovascular risk factors.2 Fortunately, endothelial function can be restored with treatments that also improve long-term outcomes.2,3 Notably, failure of treatments to re-establish normal endothelial function among individuals with coronary heart disease or in individuals with hypertension identifies a subset of individuals who remain at high risk for adverse clinical events.5 Thus, endothelial function testing may ultimately be used to identify the non-responders and to individualize treatment with the purpose of preventing future clinical events.5 The pharmaceutical industry has recognized the importance of endothelial function testing as a tool for development of antiatherosclerotic drugs as endothelial function can change rapidly in response to interventions.6 Lastly, ‘endothelial biopsies’ which allow for the isolation of human endothelial cells are enabling investigators to characterize the biology of the endothelium on a molecular level. During this procedure, endothelial cells are removed from blood vessels using guidewires and analysed, for example, for protein … [1]: #fn-2
Scenario analysis of demand in a technology market using leading indicators

This paper proposes an approach to analyzing demand scenarios in technology-driven markets where product demands are volatile, but follow a few identifiable lifecycle patterns. After examining a large amount of semiconductor data, we found that not only can products be clustered by lifecycle patterns, but in each cluster there exists a leading indicator product that provides advanced indication of changes in demand trends. Motivated by this finding, we propose a scenario analysis structure in the context of stochastic programming. Specifically, the demand model that results from this approach provides a mechanism for building a scenario tree for semiconductor demand. Using the Bass growth model and a Bayesian update structure, the approach streamlines scenario analysis by focusing on parametric changes of the demand growth model over time. The Bayesian structure allows expert judgment to be incorporated into scenario generation while the Bass growth model allows an efficient representation of time varying demands. Further, by adjusting a likelihood threshold, the method generates scenario trees of different sizes and accuracy. This structure provides a practical scenario analysis method for manufacturing demand in a technology market. We demonstrate the applicability of this method using real semiconductor data.
Mechanism of the central stimulant action of α-methyl-meta-tyrosine

1. The psychomotor stimulant action of α-methylmetatyrosine is produced after some delay by its metabolic amines. 2. The analogous amino acids α-methylDOPA and α-methyltyrosine do not exert any psychomotor stimulant action but inhibit the effect of α-MMT. 3. Either (+) m-hydroxy amphetamine or (−) metaraminol formed from α-MMT in the brain may be responsible for the psychomotor stimulants action or m-methoxy amphetamine formed in the liver.
New verse or the same old chorus?: looking holistically at distance education research

While there continues to be a proliferation in the number of studies conducted on various aspects of distance education, we are often left with little understanding of the holistic planning and effects of it. This paper draws lessons learned from the literature on distance education over the past five years. This review did not seek to be exhaustive in presenting the findings of every study, but instead focuses on specific instruction we can take from past research at the institutional, faculty, and student levels.
Bivalirudin versus heparin in patients planned for percutaneous coronary intervention: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Summary Background Bivalirudin is an alternative to heparin in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We aimed to define the effects of a bivalirudin-based anticoagulation regimen compared with a heparin-based anticoagulation regimen on ischaemic and bleeding outcomes. Methods We searched Medline, the Cochrane Library, and relevant meeting abstracts (search done on April 9, 2014) for randomised trials that assessed bivalirudin versus heparin in patients planned for PCI. The primary efficacy endpoint was the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) up to 30 days. Secondary efficacy endpoints were death, myocardial infarction, ischaemia-driven revascularisation, and stent thrombosis. The primary safety endpoint was major bleeding up to 30 days. We calculated pooled risk ratios and 95% CIs using random-effects models. Findings We included data from 16 trials involving 33 958 patients, of whom 2422 experienced MACE and 1406 had a major bleed. There was an increase in the risk of MACE with bivalirudin-based regimens compared with heparin-based regimens (risk ratio 1·09, 95% CI 1·01–1·17; p=0·0204), which was largely driven by increases in myocardial infarction (1·12, 1·03–1·23) and seemingly also by ischaemia-driven revascularisation (1·16, 0·997–1·34) with bivalirudin compared with heparin, with no effect on mortality (0·99, 0·82–1·18). Bivalirudin increased the risk of stent thrombosis (risk ratio 1·38, 95% CI 1·09–1·74; p=0·0074), which was primarily due to an increase in acute cases in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (4·27, 2·28–8·00; p Interpretation Compared with a heparin-based regimen, a bivalirudin-based regimen increases the risk of myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis, but decreases the risk of bleeding, with the magnitude of the reduction depending on concomitant glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use. Physicians should weigh the trade-off between ischaemic and bleeding events when choosing between different anticoagulant regimens. Funding None.
Dating Violence Victimization and Perpetration Rates Among High School Students

This school-based sample provides the largest estimate of physical and psychological dating violence (DV) victimization and the only report of DV perpetration among high school students. Among 14,190 students in relationships, 33.4% disclosed DV by a partner (victimization) and 20.2% used these same behaviors against a partner (perpetration) in the past 12 months. Physical DV victimization (13%) was less frequently disclosed than psychological DV (23%). Rates of DV victimization and perpetration were highest among females, those receiving free or reduced-price meals, those not exclusively attracted to the opposite sex, students reporting parental or guardian partner violence, binge drinking, and bullying.
Vectorization of the DLMS transversal adaptive filter

The subject of high sampling rate realizations for transversal adaptive filters is addressed. In particular, a vectorized version of the delayed least mean squares (DLMS) algorithm is derived using look-ahead computation techniques. The resulting parallel algorithm is then mapped onto a linear array of highly pipelined processing modules, which can accept an input vector of arbitrary length, and compute the corresponding output vector in a single clock cycle. The proposed system is shown to be capable of implementing transversal adaptive filters at sampling rates which are theoretically without bound. The performance of the proposed system is analyzed and simulation results are presented to verify the convergence properties of the algorithm under varying degrees of vectorization. >
Those That Live by the Work of Their Hands: Labour, Ethnicity and Nation-State Formation in Nicaragua, 1850–1900

This study examines the relationship between labour and nation in nineteenth-century Nicaragua by exploring how the state’s institutional efforts to control labour coincided with a prevailing discourse of nation that idealised farmers (agricultores) and wage labourers ( jornaleros and operarios) at opposite ends of the spectrum of national citizenship. The article focuses on the towns of the ethnically diverse region of the Prefecture of Granada, an area that included the present-day departments of Granada, Carazo and Masaya, and where coffee production first boomed in Nicaragua. It is argued that labour coercion rested not simply on the building of national, regional and municipal institutions of labour control, but also on defining the political and social role of labourers within the national community. At the same time, subaltern communities, especially indigenous ones, contested these efforts not merely through evasion and subterfuge, but by engaging the discourse of nation-state to claim citizenship as farmers and assert independence from landlords. ‘Vagrancy is more a danger to society than a suffering, ’ wrote Liberato Dubon, the prefect of Leon, in a characteristic display of nineteenth-century Liberal warmth and charity.1 Although Nicaraguan elites had lamented the scarcity of cheap labour since the earliest days of the colonial period, relatively easy access to land, the state’s inability to control its extensive agricultural frontier and the post-independence end of the repartimiento compounded the problem.2 But what at first blush appears simply to be the Justin Wolfe is Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Tulane University. * The author is grateful to Aldo Lauria-Santiago and Lowell Gudmundson for comments on an earlier draft of this article. Research for this study was supported by grants from IIE-Fulbright and the UCLA Latin American Center. 1 Liberato Dubon, Gaceta de Nicaragua (Managua), 5 March 1864. 2 See, e.g., German Romero Vargas, Las estructuras sociales de Nicaragua en el siglo XVIII (Managua, 1988), p. 158 ; Murdo J. MacLeod, Spanish Central America : A Socioeconomic History, 1520–1720 (Berkeley, 1973), pp. 204–31, 288–309 ; E. Bradford Burns, Patriarch and Folk : The Emergence of Nicaragua, 1798–1858 (Cambridge, 1991), pp. 8–9, 31 ; Linda A. Newson, Indian Survival in Colonial Nicaragua (Norman, 1987), pp. 277–8. J. Lat. Amer. Stud. 36, 57–83 f 2004 Cambridge University Press 57 DOI: 10.1017/S0022216X03007077 Printed in the United Kingdom
Analytic Network Process for model elicitation in nation-building simulations

Discrete-event simulation models are the current main tools for nation-building analysis due to the complexity of the problem. However, it is difficult to study the input-output relations in these models because of the numerous parameters as well as the complicated model structure. Model elicitation can be considered as an approximate study of the significant effects of the model without spending excessive time in multiple replications of discrete event simulation. In this paper, Analytic Network Process (ANP) is applied to model elicitation in large-scale nation-building models. It can be used to study the factor significance and the inter-influence among different kinds of factors. This new approach is strictly based on the quantitative analysis instead of the expert knowledge, which greatly improves the traditional ANP method that uses possibly conflicting human expertise. The numeric results show that this methodology provides good solutions at significantly reduced computational time compared with traditional discrete-event simulations.
Do servant-leaders help satisfy follower needs? An organizational justice perspective

While theoretical work has discussed the link between servant-leadership and the satisfaction of follower needs, empirical research has yet to examine this relationship. The present article seeks to fill this void by reporting on a survey study (n = 187) linking servant-leadership to follower need and job satisfaction through the mediating mechanism of organizational justice. Drawing on the multiple needs model of justice, self-determination theory, needs-based theories of job satisfaction, and the servant-leadership literature, we find support for a theoretical model linking servant-leadership to job satisfaction with organizational justice and need satisfaction as mediators of this relationship.
Sputum quality: Can you tell by looking?

Abstract Background: Nurses are responsible for the collection of sputum samples for culture in most institutions, yet they receive little formal training on what a good specimen looks like. Methods: Three hundred thirty-three consecutively collected expectorated sputum samples and tracheal aspirates were examined to determine the relationship of macroscopic specimen appearance (watery, mucoid, mucopurulent) to specimen quality (good, fair, poor). Results: Of the expectorated sputum samples, 21% were watery, 65% were mucoid, and 14% were mucopurulent. Sixty-five percent of the expectorated sputum samples were good or fair, regardless of appearance. Eighty-seven percent of mucopurulent expectorated sputum samples were good or fair. In the remaining nonmucopurulent specimens, however, there were no predictable markers of specimen quality. Conclusions: The only specimens that were predictably good were those that were mucopurulent yellow, yellow, or tracheal aspirates.
Haploinsufficiency‐based large‐scale forward genetic analysis of filamentous growth in the diploid human fungal pathogen C.albicans

Candida albicans is the most prevalent human fungal pathogen. Here, we take advantage of haploinsufficiency and transposon mutagenesis to perform large-scale loss-of-function genetic screen in this organism. We identified mutations in 146 genes that affect the switch between its single-cell (yeast) form and filamentous forms of growth; this switch appears central to the virulence of C.albicans. The encoded proteins include those involved in nutrient sensing, signal transduction, transcriptional control, cytoskeletal organization and cell wall construction. Approxim ately one-third of the genes identified in the screen lack homologs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other model organisms and thus constitute candidate antifungal drug targets. These results illustrate the value of performing forward genetic studies in bona fide pathogens.
Commentary on "Leadership, Production, and Exchange: An Evaluation of World-Systems Theory in a Global Context"

As we expand and extend our applications of world-system theory, as we explore the shifting interplay between cores and peripheries, as we see boundaries emerge and dissolve, we also fix world-systems theory itself on the map table. What is its core? What are its peripheries, or would it claim that all human interactions fall within its sway?Thomas Hall, for example, does not take quite the entire map, but takes "intersocietal interaction" as the world-systems domain.
Shaking Table Performance of a New Bridge System with Pretensioned Rocking Columns

AbstractA new bridge bent system has been developed to reduce on-site construction time, minimize residual displacements even after a large earthquake, and reduce seismic damage in comparison with conventional cast-in-place construction. Accelerated construction is achieved through the use of precast columns and cap beams that can be assembled quickly. Postearthquake residual displacements are reduced by pretensioning the columns with partially unbonded tendons. Damage in the columns is nearly eliminated by concentrating flexural deformations to specially detailed regions at the top and bottom of the columns. In this study, the seismic performance of the new system was evaluated with a multi-shaking table test of a quarter scale, two-span bridge at the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) Earthquake Engineering Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno. The maximum displacements of the bents were similar to those expected for a conventional bridge through the 100% design-level event [pe...
The Marginal Price of Risk With a Cvar Constraint

Applying the approach used by Eisenberg (2007) to derive the marginal price of risk for an expected value maximizing manager who has a Var constraint, I derive the marginal price of risk given a Cvar (Acerbi and Tasche, 2001), also known as an expected shortfall constraint. Despite the criticism that Var is not as good a measure of risk as Cvar, under typical conditions the marginal price of risk with a Cvar constraint is approximately the same as the price with a Var constraint.
A Comparison of Raw and Cooked Dried Egg White as a Source of Protein for the Chick

Abstract When raw dried egg white (RDEW) was the source of protein for chicks fed a 6 or 30 ppm zinc diet for 21 days, lack of feathering and poor weight gains occurred, despite a level of biotin 14 times the requirement, in contrast to chicks fed RDEW cooked at 80 C. Variations in source and type of chick, source of egg white, and the main source of energy were made in an attempt to correct these conditions. When zinc was limiting and sucrose was the source of energy, consistent differences in growth between RDEW and CDEW-chicks were not found for either Leghorn or broiler-type chicks. When zinc was high, CDEW-chicks were significantly improved in weight and feathering than RDEW-chicks, regardless of type or source of chick or source of egg white. When dextrin was fed, the feather scores of all RDEW-fed chicks were significantly improved. Those of low-zinc chicks did not differ significantly from CDEW-chicks fed sucrose. When zinc was not limiting, CDEW + sucrose chicks were significantly larger in weight and lower in feather scores than RDEW + dextrin chicks and did not differ from chicks on casein-based diets. These experiments do not pinpoint the reason for the poor performance of chicks fed RDEW plus 30 ppm Zn diets but suggest that when RDEW is used as a protein source for young chicks, another protein source should also be fed to check the growth potential of the chicks.
Abiotic mechanism for the formation of atmospheric nitrous oxide from ammonium nitrate.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas and a primary cause of stratospheric ozone destruction. Despite its importance, there remain missing sources in the N2O budget. Here we report the...
Blood leucocyte response in rats fed a magnesium deficient diet.

SummaryRats fed a magnesium deficient diet develop a leucocytosis during the hyperemic phase of the syndrome. Mononuclear leucocytes and neutrophiles contribute to the leucocytosis but eosinophiles...
Skin allergic reaction and serum immunoglobulin changes in guinea pigs treated with trichloroethylene

Objective:To study the skin allergic reaction and serum immunoglobulin changes in guinea pigs after treated with trichloroethylene(TCE).Methods:Guinea pig maximization test(GPMT) was applied in this study,guinea pigs were divided into 3 groups,namely negative control,positive control and TCE treatment.the animals of 3 groups were administrated with olive oil,2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene(DNCB),and TCE,respectively,by intradermal injection.The animal skin was observed and blood was collected after various treatment,the levels of serum immunoglobulin IgM,IgG,IgA,C3,C4 were detected with automatic biochemical analyzer.Results: Obvious skin impairment was observed in the groups of positive control and TCE treatment,the skin impairment included erythema and edema,the sensitization rate was 100% in positive control and 83.3% in TCE treatment group.Additionally,IgG levels elevated significantly in the groups of positive control and TCE treatment when compared with the negative control.Conclusion: Trichloroethylene is one of the strong hypersensitizing substances,it could induce skin allergic reaction and serum immunoglobulin changes in guinea pigs.
Translation of Instance Data using RDF and Structured Mapping Definitions.

We present a healthcare information interoperability project in development. The idea behind the system is achieving semantic interoperability of different healthcare data models, by enabling translation of instance data based on structured mapping definitions, and using RDF as a common information representation. We have developed a framework that allows the domain experts to define linkages between different data elements and utilizes the mappings to translate the data models from one format to another.
Beyond the Use of Robotics: Operations and Supply Chain Control for Effective Inventory Management in a Health System Pharmacy

This study describes a process improvement initiative conducted at Sanford Health Medical Center—Fargo an academic tertiary hospital that recently implemented an inventory management system. The objective of this project is to identify opportunities for improvement in inventory management and use of various drug dispensing technologies. Data was collected from wholesaler purchases, patient charge histories, as well as reporting from a robot, carousel system, and automated dispensing cabinets. Ultimately, the initiative uses supply chain management techniques to identify and implement appropriate inventory levels through utilization of a periodic inventory system. This reveals inventory cost history, cost upon initiation of automation, and forecasted costs with appropriate inventory levels upon implementation. The primary outcome upon implementation showed a 25.96 % decrease in cycle stock. Secondary outcomes included an increase frequency of drug being ordered (116.7 orders/week vs. 200 orders/week for top 100 drugs), supporting evidence showing 0.95 % of drugs have a weekend rate greater than one unit larger than the weekday rate and a decrease in whole orders sent to the wholesaler from 5/week to 4/week.
NanoSIP: NanoSIMS applications for microbial biology.

High-resolution imaging with secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) has become a standard method in systems biology and environmental biogeochemistry and is broadly used to decipher ecophysiological traits of environmental microorganisms, metabolic processes in plant and animal tissues, and cross-kingdom symbioses. When combined with stable isotope-labeling-an approach we refer to as nanoSIP-nanoSIMS imaging offers a distinctive means to quantify net assimilation rates and stoichiometry of individual cell-sized particles in both low- and high-complexity environments. While the majority of nanoSIP studies in environmental and microbial biology have focused on nitrogen and carbon metabolism (using 15N and 13C tracers), multiple advances have pushed the capabilities of this approach in the past decade. The development of a high-brightness oxygen ion source has enabled high-resolution metal analyses that are easier to perform, allowing quantification of metal distribution in cells and environmental particles. New preparation methods, tools for automated data extraction from large data sets, and analytical approaches that push the limits of sensitivity and spatial resolution have allowed for more robust characterization of populations ranging from marine archaea to fungi and viruses. NanoSIMS studies continue to be enhanced by correlation with orthogonal imaging and 'omics approaches; when linked to molecular visualization methods, such as in situ hybridization and antibody labeling, these techniques enable in situ function to be linked to microbial identity and gene expression. Here we present an updated description of the primary materials, methods, and calculations used for nanoSIP, with an emphasis on recent advances in nanoSIMS applications, key methodological steps, and potential pitfalls.
Prevalence of non-HIV cancer risk factors in persons living with HIV/AIDS: a meta-analysis.

Objective:The burden of cancer among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is substantial and increasing. We assessed the prevalence of modifiable cancer risk factors among adult PLWHA in Western high-income countries since 2000.Design:Meta-analysis.Methods:We searched PubMed to identify articles pub
Automatic Detection of Latent Common Clusters of Groups in MultiGroup Regression

We present a flexible non-parametric generative model for multigroup regression that detects latent common clusters of groups. The model is founded on techniques that are now considered standard in the statistical parameter estimation literature, namely, Dirichlet process(DP) and Generalized Linear Model (GLM), and therefore, we name it “Infinite MultiGroup Generalized Linear Models” (iMG-GLM). We present two versions of the core model. First, in iMG-GLM-1, we demonstrate how the use of a DP prior on the groups while modeling the response-covariate densities via GLM, allows the model to capture latent clusters of groups by noting similar densities. The model ensures different densities for different clusters of groups in the multigroup setting. Secondly, in iMG-GLM-2, we model the posterior density of a new group using the latent densities of the clusters inferred from previous groups as prior. This spares the model from needing to memorize the entire data of previous groups. The posterior inference for iMG-GLM-1 is done using Variational Inference and that for iMG-GLM-2 using a simple Metropolis Hastings Algorithm. We demonstrate iMG-GLM’s superior accuracy in comparison to well known competing methods like Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM), Random Forest, Linear Regression etc. on two real world problems.
Eliminating Critical Incident Tracking Network Patient Safety Events at a Veterans Affairs Institution Through Crew Resource Management Training

The objective of this study was to determine whether rates of Critical Incident Tracking Network (CITN) patient safety adverse events change after implementation of crew resource management (CRM) training at a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. CRM training was conducted for all surgical staff at a VA hospital. Compliance with briefing and debriefing checklists was assessed for all operating room procedures. Tracking of adverse patient safety events utilizing the VA CITN events was performed. There was 100% adherence to performance of briefings and debriefings after initiation of CRM training. There were 3 CITN events in the year prior to implementation of CRM training; following CRM training, there have been zero CITN events. Following CRM training, CITN events were eliminated, and this has been sustained for 2.5 years. This is the first study to demonstrate the impact of CRM training on CITN events, specifically, in a VA medical center.
Crustacean zooplankton dynamics in a natural riverine lake, Upper Mississippi River

ABSTRACTZooplankton communities in riverine systems are typically thought to be driven by abiotic forces. However, recent studies have shown that biological controls are capable of structuring these communities in large rivers and may become more influential as a river system becomes more lentic during low discharge. This study uses a long-term data set to examine several environmental variables as potential drivers of zooplankton community structure in a natural riverine lake. We hypothesized that water residence time would be the most important variable influencing zooplankton community structure. To test this, we used non-metric multidimensional scaling and correlation analysis to examine spatial and temporal patterns in zooplankton community structure. Analysis revealed that water residence time was the single most important environmental variable driving zooplankton abundance and community structure. The relationship between water residence time and taxa groups varied indicating that other taxa speci...