cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plastic Paradise: Transforming Bodies and Selves in Costa Rica's Cosmetic Surgery Tourism Industry

Long popular as a nature tourism destination, Costa Rica has recently emerged as a haven for middle class North Americans seeking inexpensive, state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery. This paper examines "cosmetic surgery tourism" in Costa Rica as a form of medicalized leisure, situated in elite private spaces and yet inextricably linked to a beleaguered national medical program. Through historical context and ethnographic analysis of activities at medical hotels and clinics, I describe how the recovery industry operates on the embodied subjectivities of visiting patients and their local caretakers. Recovery sociality and healing landscapes facilitate patients' transition through a period of post-surgical liminality and provide nostalgic transport to an imagined medical arcadia, while clinicians are attracted by a neoliberal promise of prosperity and autonomy. Ultimately, Costa Rica's transformation into a paradise of medical consumption and self-optimization is contingent on a mythology that obscures growing uncertainties and inequities in the nation's broader medical landscape.
Association of polymorphism within the promoter of the tumor necrosis factor α gene with increased risk of preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes

Abstract Objective: The rarer allele of a polymorphism within the promoter region at position –308 of the gene for tumor necrosis factor α is associated with increased gene transcription. In this study we tested the hypothesis that this rarer allele is associated with spontaneous preterm birth. Study Design: We conducted a case-control study of women admitted to our labor and delivery unit. To assess data from a single racial group with a high incidence of preterm birth we restricted our analysis to African American women, who contributed 73.6% of the samples collected during the study period. Case patients (n = 55) were defined as women who were delivered before 37 weeks' gestation after idiopathic preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes. Control subjects (n = 110) included women who were delivered after 37 weeks' gestation and had no history of preterm delivery. We also performed subgroup analyses of women with idiopathic preterm labor and delivery (n = 29) and women who were delivered preterm after preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes (n = 26). Results: Although carriers (homozygotes plus heterozygotes) of the rarer allele of the polymorphism at position –308 in the gene for tumor necrosis factor α were not significantly more common among women who were delivered preterm (n = 24/55, 44%) than among control subjects (n = 33/110, 30%, P = .08, odds ratio 1.81, 95% confidence interval 0.92-3.54), carriers of the rarer allele were more common among women who were delivered preterm after preterm premature rupture of membranes (n = 15/26, 58%) than among control subjects ( P = .008, odds ratio 3.18, 95% confidence interval 1.33-7.83). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate an association between allelic variants of the polymorphism at position –308 in the gene for tumor necrosis factor α and preterm birth after preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes. We hypothesize that host susceptibility to environmental factors, such as hyperresponsiveness of the gene for tumor necrosis factor α to genital tract infection, may promote preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes and subsequent preterm delivery. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1297-302.)
Modeling and inverse compensation of dynamics of base-excited ionic polymer–metal composite sensors:

Motivated by their structural monitoring and energy harvesting applications, in this article, we study the modeling and inverse compensation of cantilevered ionic polymer–metal composite sensors that are excited at base. The proposed dynamic model is physics based, combines the vibration dynamics of a flexible beam under base excitation and the ion transport dynamics within an ionic polymer–metal composite, and incorporates the effect of a tip mass. Excellent agreement is demonstrated between the model prediction and experimental measurement in both the magnitude and the phase of the frequency response, for the frequency range of 10–150 Hz. For the purpose of real-time signal processing, we further reduce the model to finite dimension by combining techniques of Pade approximation and Taylor series expansion. For the reconstruction of the base excitation signal given the sensor output, we present an inverse compensation scheme for the reduced sensor model, where stable but noncausal inversion and leaky int...
The Portrayal of Migraine in Popular Music: Observations and Implications

Objective.— To describe the manner in which migraine and migaineurs are depicted in popular music. Background.— Prior studies have elucidated the ways in which the popular perception of neurological disorders is shaped by popular culture, from the inflated expectations of the prognosis of coma patients in television dramas to the association of intractable headaches with demonic possession and death by violence in the cinema. Methods.— We searched popular online music sites for songs with the word “migraine” in their titles. Song lyrics were studied for tone, content, and the light in which they portrayed migraine sufferers. Results.— One hundred thirty-four songs met inclusion criteria, representing the work of 126 artists. The majority of the recording artists were male (112 of 126 artists, 89%). One hundred seven of the 134 songs (80%) were recorded since 2000. Of the 79 songs that contained lyrics, 16 (20%) included explicit content; 43 (54%) make reference to hopelessness, despair, or severe pain; and 27 (34%) contained references to killing or death. Only 9 songs (11%) made any reference to successful treatment, resolution, or hope of any sort, the same number that made lyrical references to explosions or bombs. Conclusions.— The portrayal of a disease in popular music can reflect the artist's perceptions, anxieties, and prejudices about the disease and its victims. The public, including patients, may accept these portrayals as accurate. Clinicians familiar with the portrayal of headache sufferers in cinema will not be surprised that popular musicians (both migraineurs and non-migraineurs) portray migraines as intractable, violent, and all-consuming. The lack of any balancing view is disheartening, especially in light of the advances in migraine awareness and treatment over the past decade. Perhaps the most surprising finding is that the vast majority of migraine songs are written and performed by men.
Heterogeneous Ordered-Disordered Structure of the Mesodomain in Frozen Sucrose-Water Solutions Revealed by Multiple Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopies

The microscopic structure of frozen aqueous sucrose solutions, over concentrations of 0-75% (w/v), is characterized by using multiple continuous-wave and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic and relaxation techniques and the paramagnetic spin probe, TEMPOL. The temperature dependence of the TEMPOL EPR line-shape anisotropy reveals a mobility transition, specified at 205 K in pure water and 255 ± 5 K for >1% (w/v) added sucrose. The transition temperature is >>Tg, where Tg is the homogeneous water glass transition temperature, which shows that TEMPOL resides in the mesoscopic domain (mesodomain) at water-ice crystallite boundaries and that the mesodomain sucrose concentrations are comparable at >1% (w/v) added sucrose. Electron spin-echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy of TEMPOL-(2)H2-sucrose hyperfine interactions also indicates comparable sucrose concentrations in mesodomains at >1% (w/v) added sucrose. Electron spin-echo (ESE) detected longitudinal and phase memory relaxation times (T1 and TM, respectively) at 6 K indicate a general trend of increased mesodomain volume with added sucrose, in three stages: 1-15, 20-50, and >50% (w/v). The calibrated TEMPOL concentrations indicate that the mesodomain volume is less than the predicted maximally freeze-concentrated value [80 (w/w); 120% (w/v)], with transitions at 15-20% and 50% (w/v) starting sucrose. An ordered sucrose hydrate phase, which excludes TEMPOL, and a disordered, amorphous sucrose-water glass phase, in which TEMPOL resides, are proposed to compose a heterogeneous mesodomain. The results show that the ratio of ordered and disordered volume fractions in the mesodomain is exquisitely sensitive to the starting sucrose concentration.
Cytoplasmically inherited parasites and reproductive success in Tribolium flour beetles

Abstract Abstract. Numerous insect species harbour cytoplasmic microorganisms, Wolbachia pipientis , that mediate reproductive incompatibility. Males infected with this parasite are reproductively incompatible with uninfected females. All other crosses are fertile; however, the microorganism seems to have a measurable negative effect on fitness. This study determines whether the presence of the microorganism causes deviations from non-random fertilization. Such deviations may benefit either the parasite or the host. Fertilization was found to be non-random in a way that benefits the parasite. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that parasites manipulate host behaviour to enhance their rate of spread through a population.
Assessment of macular function using the SKILL Card in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE To evaluate the impact of reduced contrast and reduced luminance on visual acuity (VA) using the Smith-Kettlewell Institute Low Luminance (SKILL) Card in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS We studied adults aged 27 to 65 years, 32 with T2DM and no retinopathy (NoRet group), 22 with T2DM and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR group), and 38 healthy control subjects. Monocular high-contrast (SKILL light) and low-contrast, low-luminance (SKILL dark) near visual acuities were tested. The SKILL score was calculated as the difference between dark chart and light chart acuities and was corrected for age. Contrast sensitivity (CS) was also measured. Subject group differences were examined using ANOVA and Tukey honestly significant difference test. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the ability of the SKILL Card and CS to discriminate the subject groups. RESULTS The SKILL score and CS were significantly worse in both diabetes groups compared with the controls (P < 0.01). SKILL scores in the NPDR group were poorest (highest) and significantly worse than those in the NoRet group (P < 0.05). SKILL scores discriminated NPDR and NoRet patients from the controls with high accuracy (99% and 88%, respectively), which was significantly (P < 0.03) better than CS (78% and 74%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The SKILL Card demonstrated vision function changes in diabetes even in the absence of clinically evident retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy led to a further increase in the SKILL score, while high-contrast VA remained unchanged.
An interview model for the psychosituational assessment of children's behavior.

An interview strategy is presented with primary focus on the analysis of behavior and the concomitant uncovering of antecedent and consequent conditions that elicit, reinforce and perpetuate that behavior. Its goal is to acquire relevant information that will contribute to decisions about desired changes in behavior.
Antidotes for Infidelity and Prescriptions for Long Lasting Relationships: Four Couples' Activities

Issues regarding infidelity are examined in terms of antidotes for avoiding unfaithful behavior. Several self-assessment activities are described in which couples can be honest and direct with each...
Iron Absorption from an Intrinsically Labeled Lentil Meal Is Low but Upregulated in Women with Poor Iron Status

BACKGROUND Low iron absorption from important staple foods may contribute to iron deficiency in developing countries. To date, few studies have examined the iron bioavailability of pulse crops as commonly prepared and consumed by humans. OBJECTIVE The objectives were to characterize the iron absorption from a test meal of intrinsically labeled (57)Fe lentils prepared as dal, to compare the bioavailability of iron from (57)Fe in dal with that observed for a reference dose of (58)Fe as ferrous sulfate, and to assess associations between iron absorption and iron status indicators. METHODS This crossover study included 19 nonpregnant women (n = 6 anemic; hemoglobin: <12.0 g/dL) who consumed 2 test meals on consecutive days in a counter-balanced order, ferrous sulfate (7 mg FeSO4 plus 1 mg (58)Fe) and 330 g dal (lentils enriched to 85.1% with (57)Fe, 8 mg native (57)Fe). Iron absorption was determined by analyzing blood samples taken 14 d after dosing with the use of magnetic sector thermal ionization mass spectrometry. RESULTS We found that the mean iron absorption from the dal was 2.20% ± 3.40% and was significantly lower than the 23.6% ± 13.2% observed from the same iron load given as ferrous sulfate (P < 0.001). Absorption of non-heme iron from dal and from ferrous sulfate was inversely associated with serum ferritin (SF; r = -0.50, P = 0.05 and r = -0.81, P < 0.001, respectively) and serum hepcidin (r = -0.45, P = 0.05 and r = -0.60, P = 0.007, respectively). Anemic women absorbed more iron from either source (1.20% from dal, P = 0.10; 18.3% from ferrous sulfate, P = 0.001) compared with women who were iron replete. CONCLUSIONS Iron absorption from the dal was low overall but upregulated in anemic women. Both SF and hepcidin were inversely associated with iron absorption from both a supplemental and a food-based non-heme iron source in nonanemic and anemic women.
High-speed silicon electrooptic Modulator design

An electrically driven Mach-Zehnder waveguide modulator based on high-index contrast silicon split-ridge waveguide technology and electronic carrier injection is proposed. The excellent optical and carrier confinement possible in high-index contrast waveguide devices, together with good thermal heat sinking and forward biased operation, enables high-speed modulation with small signal modulation bandwidths beyond 20 GHz, a V/sub /spl pi// times length figure of merit of V/sub /spl pi//L=0.5 V/spl middot/cm and an insertion loss of about 4 dB. The modulator can be fabricated in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible way.
Production of phenols and biofuels by catalytic microwave pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass.

Catalytic microwave pyrolysis of biomass using activated carbon (AC) was investigated to determine the effects of pyrolytic conditions on the yields of phenol and phenolics. Bio-oils with high concentrations of phenol (38.9%) and phenolics (66.9%) were obtained. These levels were higher than those obtained by pyrolysis without AC addition and were closely related to the decomposition of lignin. A high concentration of esters (42.2% in the upgraded bio-oil) was obtained in the presence of Zn powder as catalyst and formic acid/ethanol as reaction medium. Most of the esters identified by GC–MS were long chain fatty acid esters. The high content of phenols and esters obtained in this study can be used as partial replacement of petroleum fuels after separation of oxygenates or as feedstock for organic syntheses in the chemical industry after purification.
Techniques to achieve semiconductor reliability in unique power equipment

Power semiconductors are opening up vast new areas of electrical engineering which were too complex, or too unreliable, or too costly to be attractive previously. Often the standard semiconductor ratings are not applicable. The paper discusses the design engineers reliability problems and covers one approach to this problem. Design charts for surge networks are included.
Intussusception caused by metastatic cervical cancer

Intussusception inadultsisuncommon.Itisprimarily observed in children, with 95% of cases occurring before the age of 17 years. In contrast to children, where intussusceptions presentwiththe classictriad of abdominalpain, vomiting, and currant-jelly stools, adultspresent with nonspecific symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and constipation (1,2). The majority of adult intussusceptions are secondary to tumor and require surgery for reduction and/or resection. A predisposing pathologic cause or lead point is found in up to 90%of adultintussusceptions, whereasmostchildintussuscep- tions are idiopathic (3). A 34-year-old woman presented with abdominal bloating 14 months after radical hysterectomy and lymph node dissection for FIGO stage IB1 cervical adenocarcinoma with negative lymph nodes. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an omental tumor and ascites. The patient under- went 6 cycles of chemotherapy with a complete clinical response. Seven months later the patient was admitted with nausea and poor oral intake. An abdominal X-ray suggested a small bowel obstruction and a CT scan revealed multiple hepatic lesions, confirmed by biopsy as recurrence. The patient was discharged after 9 days of conservative manage- ment and chemotherapy was reinitiated. The patient presented 2 months later with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distension despite normal bowel
Heterologous expression of proteins from Plasmodium falciparum: Results from 1000 genes

As part of a structural genomics initiative, 1000 open reading frames from Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most deadly form of malaria, were tested in an E. coli protein expression system. Three hundred and thirty-seven of these targets were observed to express, although typically the protein was insoluble. Sixty-three of the targets provided soluble protein in yields ranging from 0.9 to 406.6 mg from one liter of rich media. Higher molecular weight, greater protein disorder (segmental analysis, SEG), more basic isoelectric point (pI), and a lack of homology to E. coli proteins were all highly and independently correlated with difficulties in expression. Surprisingly, codon usage and the percentage of adenosines and thymidines (%AT) did not appear to play a significant role. Of those proteins which expressed, high pI and a hypothetical annotation were both strongly and independently correlated with insolubility. The overwhelmingly important role of pI in both expression and solubility appears to be a surprising and fundamental issue in the heterologous expression of P. falciparum proteins in E. coli. Twelve targets which did not express in E. coli from the native gene sequence were codon-optimized through whole gene synthesis, resulting in the (insoluble) expression of three of these proteins. Seventeen targets which were expressed insolubly in E. coli were moved into a baculovirus/Sf-21 system, resulting in the soluble expression of one protein at a high level and six others at a low level. A variety of factors conspire to make the heterologous expression of P. falciparum proteins challenging, and these observations lay the groundwork for a rational approach to prioritizing and, ultimately, eliminating these impediments.
Effects of Destination Image on Meeting Participation Intentions: Empirical Findings from a Professional Association and its Annual Convention

Understanding association members' evaluations of site attributes helps prospective meeting destinations to target associations and thus improve their chances of acceptance. Further, associations may need their members' insights into which attributes are more or less important, so they can select a meeting destination based on preferred attributes. With the purpose of helping both associations and meeting destinations achieve their common goal, which is to maximise meeting attendance, this study investigated the role of destination image in association meeting participation, using the intention-based structural model. In addition, destination attributes were comprehensively analysed and their relative influences on image formation were explored. The results of structural model evaluation revealed that destination image is closely linked to expected performance based on destination attributes, and the destination image positively affects association members' intentions to attend the meeting.
Heterologous expression of human mPRα, mPRβ and mPRγ in yeast confirms their ability to function as membrane progesterone receptors

Abstract The nuclear progesterone receptor (nPR) mediates many of the physiological effects of progesterone by regulating the expression of genes, however, progesterone also exerts non-transcriptional (non-genomic) effects that have been proposed to rely on a receptor that is distinct from nPR. Several members of the progestin and AdipoQ-Receptor (PAQR) family were recently identified as potential mediators of these non-genomic effects. Membranes from cells expressing these proteins, called mPRα, mPRβ and mPRγ, were shown to specifically bind progesterone and have G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) characteristics, although other studies dispute these findings. To clarify the role of these mPRs in non-genomic progesterone signaling, we established an assay for PAQR functional evaluation using heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Using this assay, we demonstrate unequivocally that mPRα, mPRβ and mPRγ can sense and respond to progesterone with EC 50 values that are physiologically relevant. Agonist profiles also show that mPRα, mPRβ and mPRγ are activated by ligands, such as 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, that are known to activate non-genomic pathways but not nPR. These results strongly suggest that these receptors may indeed function as the long-sought-after membrane progesterone receptors. Additionally, we show that two uncharacterized PAQRs, PAQR6 and PAQR9, are also capable of responding to progesterone. These mPR-like PAQRs have been renamed as mPRδ (PAQR6) and mPRɛ (PAQR9). Additional characterization of mPRγ and mPRα indicates that their progesterone-dependent signaling in yeast does not require heterotrimeric G-proteins, thus calling into question the characterization of the mPRs as a novel class of G-protein coupled receptor.
Supraventricular tachycardia termination after atrial noncapture: What is the mechanism?

Case presentation A 63-year-old man with a history of palpitations presented for electrophysiology study. Multipolar catheters were placed in the right atrium, His bundle region, right ventricle, and coronary sinus (CS), with the proximal CS electrode positioned at the CS ostium. Normal atrial-His and Hisventricular intervals were recorded during sinus rhythm. Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) at a cycle length of 420 ms was readily inducible with a single atrial extrastimulus. The arrhythmia was sustained and did not terminate during initial diagnostic maneuvers. An attempt at pacing the atrium from the proximal CS catheter (10 mA at a pulse width of 2 ms) terminated the tachycardia (Figure 1). What is the most likely SVT mechanism?
Initial Public Offerings: CFO Perceptions

We examine four issues pertaining to initial public offerings (IPOs) using a survey of 438 chief financial officers (CFOs). First, why do firms go public? Second, is CFO sentiment stationary across bear and bull markets? Third, what concerns CFOs about going public? Fourth, do CFO perceptions correlate with returns? Results support funding for growth and liquidity as the primary reasons for IPOs. CFO sentiment is generally stationary in pre- and post-bubble years. Managers are concerned with the direct costs of going public, such as underwriting fees, as well as indirect costs. We find a negative relation between a focus on immediate growth and long-term abnormal returns.
Chemical and enzymatic triggering of 1,2-dioxetanes. 2: fluoride-induced chemiluminescence from tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy-substituted dioxetanes

Abstract Thermally stable 1,2-dioxetanes bearing tert-butyldimethylsilyloxyaryl groups have been prepared. Reaction of these dioxetanes with fluoride ion at ambient temperature in MeCN and DMSO generates chemiluminescence with efficiencies up to 25%.
Ribosomal DNA in a Nuclear Satellite of Tomato

A satellite DNA of buoyant density 1.704 constitutes approximately 5%–6% of nuclear DNA isolated from cherry tomato leaves. Isolated satellite DNA exhibits a multi-component melting profile. Kinetic complexity measurements indicate that 37% of the satellite consists of repeating units of 10 5 daltons, and 48% of it consists of repeating units of 5.5 x 106 daltons. The latter component is identified as DNA coding for ribosomal RNA on the basis of its buoyant density, kinetic complexity, and abundance in nuclear DNA, 3.2% as determined by saturation hybridization measurements. Saturation studies show that the more rapidly reassociating component of the satellite does not code for 5S RNA. The question of genetic linkage between satellite components is not resolved by this study.
Evaluation of tunneling technology using the “decision aids for tunneling”

Abstract It is desirable to evaluate new tunneling technologies before they are actually implemented. The Decision Aids for Tunneling (DAT) allow one to simulate tunnel construction and to study the effect of changes in tunneling technology. The effects on tunneling cost and time of potential changes in microtunneling and in tunneling with a full-face TBM have been investigated. After calibrating models of these methods using data from actual tunneling projects, various modifications were introduced, both individually and in combination. The study showed that improvements of individual aspects lead to maximum cost or time savings of 10% to 20%. Simultaneous improvements of several aspects can lead to cost and time savings up to 75%. In addition to these results, the study indicates that the DAT are powerful tools with which most effects on tunnel construction can be investigated.
“Get Comfortable With Uncertainty”: A Study of the Conventional Values of Literary Analysis in an Undergraduate Literature Course

This study describes the extent to which shared assumptions of literary scholars form part of an introductory literature course. Fahnestock and Secor, in The Rhetoric of Literary Criticism, describe five special topoi of literary criticism (appearance/reality, paradigm, ubiquity, contemptus mundi, and paradox) that characterize the warrants of literary criticism appearing in a sample of major literary studies journals. This study triangulates ethnographic data of a class's meetings, analyses of students' essays, and questionnaires to discover whether these topoi are communicated to students in a survey course, whether students recognize and use them, and whether students are rewarded for using them. The special topoi of literary criticism appear in the discourse of instructors and students. Though textual analysis did not reveal a connection between using the special topoi in writing assignments and receiving a higher grade, questionnaires revealed that students adept at recognizing literary values and di...
A Simplified Method for Plasma Zinc Determination by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry

A modified method is described for zinc determination in plasma by atomic absorption spectrophotometry using the Boling three-slot burner. Accurate analysis for the element was accomplished after merely diluting the plasma with deionized water (1 part plasma to 1 part water). Sample preparation time was thus greatly decreased. It was found that standards made up in water resulted in an error of 33%. However, standards prepared in 3% dextran solution gave results similar to those obtained with trichloracetic acid filtrates and water standards. Dextran was found not to be contaminated with zinc. The recovery of zinc added to plasma averaged 98.9%. Because of the simplicity of the method, sources of error and possibilities for contamination were reduced.
Emergent Constraints for Cloud Feedbacks

Emergent constraints are physically explainable empirical relationships between characteristics of the current climate and long-term climate prediction that emerge in collections of climate model simulations. With the prospect of constraining long-term climate prediction, scientists have recently uncovered several emergent constraints related to long-term cloud feedbacks. We review these proposed emergent constraints, many of which involve the behavior of low-level clouds, and discuss criteria to assess their credibility. With further research, some of the cases we review may eventually become confirmed emergent constraints, provided they are accompanied by credible physical explanations. Because confirmed emergent constraints identify a source of model error that projects onto climate predictions, they deserve extra attention from those developing climate models and climate observations. While a systematic bias cannot be ruled out, it is noteworthy that the promising emergent constraints suggest larger cloud feedback and hence climate sensitivity.
Metaphor: Psychological Aspects

Psychological studies on metaphor have explored various ideas from linguistics and other fields about the use and understanding of metaphoric language. Contrary to many standard views, psycholinguistic studies reveal that metaphor is quite frequent in speech and writing, and does not necessarily require additional cognitive efforts of production and understanding. Various psychological theories have been proposed to account for these empirical findings, some of which focus on processes by which novel metaphorical mappings are created in verbal metaphors, while others emphasize how metaphor comprehension may be integrated into more comprehensive theories of language understanding. More recent psychological studies have followed the lead of cognitive linguistics in demonstrating how pervasive schemes of metaphorical thought shape different aspects of cognition and people's interpretation of metaphorical language. Metaphor is clearly a fundamental part of language and thought.
Ketoconazole inhibits alveolar macrophage production of inflammatory mediators involved in acute lung injury (adult respiratory distress syndrome).

BACKGROUND: Acute inflammatory lung injury (adult respiratory distress syndrome [ARDS]) causes significant morbidity and death in surgical patients. The alveolar macrophage elaborates proinflammatory mediators implicated in acute pulmonary injury. The macrophage products, leukotriene B4 (LTB4), thromboxane A2 (TXA2), and procoagulant activity (PCA), initiate inflammatory cascades that lead to microvascular thrombosis and neutrophil infiltration, two common features of ARDS. One potential method of preventing or attenuating lung injury is to inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators. Preliminary studies indicate that ketoconazole, known primarily for its antifungal properties, may prevent ARDS. METHODS: LTB4, TXB2, and PCA production by rabbit alveolar macrophages was measured after treatment with endotoxin or Ca ionophore and ketoconazole or selective 5-lipoxygenase (MK 886) and thromboxane synthetase (imidazole) inhibitors. RESULTS: Ketoconazole significantly inhibits alveolar macrophage production of LTB4, TXB2, and PCA. Ketoconazole inhibition of PCA is independent of effects on 5-lipoxygenase and thromboxane synthetase. CONCLUSIONS: Ketoconazole inhibition of alveolar macrophage proinflammatory mediators may be of benefit in preventing ARDS by minimizing neutrophil infiltration and microvascular thrombosis. Inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and thromboxane synthetase, without affecting cyclooxygenase, may offer a selective advantage by allowing production of other homeostatic eicosanoids.
The Payment System and Derivative Instruments

This paper examines the basic mechanisms in the financial system that function to manage the risks and costs associated with the clearing and settlement of securities transactions. Transactions risk arises because of failure to consummate a trade, perhaps because the buyer could not arrange financing or because the seller failed to deliver. Transactions costs arise in the form of processing fees and the costs of financing or maintaining collateral. Key mechanisms for managing these costs and risks include mobilization of securities, netting, delivery versus payment, performance guarantees, and the extension of credit. The paper takes a broad view of the payment system, to include not just systems for clearing and settlement, but also derivative instruments, traditionally not viewed as integral to the payment system, except with the respect to their own clearing and settlement. The paper establishes that derivative instruments serve as an important extension of the payment system because they substitute in a variety of ways for trading in cash-market instruments. The paper explicitly compares the payment system demands of cash-market strategies with those of derivatives-based strategies, showing how derivatives-based strategies typically transform payments demands from a small number of large payments to a large number of small payments spread over time. By reducing the occurrence of large funds and securities transfers, derivatives usage can lower substantially the risk of payments failures. The paper concludes by focusing on the interbank foreign exchange market and examining alternatives for dealing with credit risk induced by different time zones ("Herstatt risk"). It illustrates how these alternative approaches the reduction of this risk, including netting and the use of derivatives, can serve as functional substitutes with very different implications for institutional change.
I Bandwidth Compression of Optical Images

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the concept of bandwidth compression of optical images. Because images generally contain a large amount of information, a common problem encountered in the digital transmission and storage of images is that the required channel or storage capacity is often excessive. It is desirable and sometimes mandatory to find ways to reduce this capacity requirement. The reason that this capacity reduction is possible is twofold. First, there is statistical redundancy in images; secondly, there is psycho-visual redundancy in images. Many schemes have been devised in which some of the statistical and psychovisual redundancies of images are removed to reduce the channel (storage) capacity requirement. Some of these schemes are addressed in the chapter, along with exploring that experimental studies in frameto-frame and color coding plays a growing role. On the theoretical side, it is pessimistic about seeing any significant breakthrough, although some progress may be expected through the development of refined psychovisual models and in adaptive coding systems.
Monospermic polyploidy and atypical embryo morphology

Monospermic cleavage-arrested human embryos were analysed by fluorescence in-situ hybridization using specific DNA probes for chromosomes X, Y and 18 simultaneously. Two groups of monospermic polyploid embryos could be distinguished: (i) embryos (n = 13) with only one large cell surrounded by smaller blastomere-sized extracellular fragments. These embryos were polyploid and frequently polyploid mosaic. (ii) Embryos developing from larger than normal oocytes were triploid or triploid mosaics (n = 4). Atypical morphology was not seen in eight other polyploid monospermic embryos. The atypical morphologies described here are quite rare, but are genetically uniform. Polyspermic embryos are the only other known example of a dual genetic-morphological abnormality.
Activities of pyruvate carboxylase and propionyl CoA carboxylase in rat tissues during biotin deficiency and restoration of the activities after biotin administration.

SummaryBoth pyruvate and propionyl CoA carboxylase activities decreased in liver, kidney, brain and heart of the rats with the progress of biotin deficiency. Enzyme activities in liver were severely affected; kidney and brain showed a less marked effect. Pyruvate carboxylase activity in heart was very low but propionyl CoA carboxylase activity was comparable to that of the liver. The activities of the two enzymes in liver, kidney and brain of the biotin deficient rat were restored to normal within 24 hr after biotin injection, but heart propionyl CoA carboxylase activity was restored to only half of the control activity.
Influence of antigens on release of free fatty acids from Arlacel A (mannide monooleate).

SummaryWith use of the modified method of Dumcombe for assay of FFA, it was found that water-in-oil emulsified tetanus toxoids, cholera and typhoid vaccines which induced abscesses in human beings contained more FFA than did emulsified products not inducing abscesses. The purer the parent tetanus toxoid, the lower was the free fatty acid content of the emulsified antigen. C. tetani culture filtrates, cholera vaccine, one typhoid vaccine and several types of allergenic extracts promoted the release of FFA from the emulsifier, Arlacel A. Preliminary data suggest that the hydrolytic component of C. tetani filtrates is an enzyme. The relationship of FFA released by the interaction of antigens on the emulsifying agent of the oil adjuvant to untoward reactivity remains to be determined.
Hughes Group Viruses (Bunyaviridae) from the Seabird Tick Ixodes (Ceratixodes) Uriae (Acari: Ixodidae)

Viruses isolated from Ixodes (Ceratixodes) uriae collected in seabird colonies in the United Kingdom, Faeroe Islands, and Iceland are closely related to Great Saltee virus, a member of the Hughes serogroup (Bunyaviridae) isolated from Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) maritimus from Eire. With one exception, Hughes group viruses associated with seabirds have been recorded only from soft ticks of the O. (A.) capensis complex. The isolation of Hughes serogroup viruses from the hard tick I. uriae extends the host and geographical ranges of a group of viruses that have been associated with disease in humans.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children Born Preterm and With Poor Fetal Growth

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood, with a recent international pooled prevalence rate of 7.2%. It is associated with significant adverse effects on academic achievement, social competence, community participation, health, and family functioning. The etiology of ADHD is complex, and known risk factors include genetics, environmental toxins, psychosocial adversity, and pre- and perinatal risks, including low birthweight and prematurity. ADHD is the most common sequela of prematurity/very low birthweight for school-age children, with a prevalence rate of 11.5% to 31%. Recent research has focused on ADHD risks associated with being small for gestational age at birth and with late preterm birth. Clinicians working with infants born too early and too small should be able to counsel families about their infants’ prognosis, including the risk for ADHD. In addition, clinicians caring for children born prematurely or those who were small for gestational age should have an increased index of suspicion for ADHD and should be familiar with well-established ADHD screening and management guidelines.
An Exploratory Study on Instructor Conduct and Characteristics in the Online Classroom as Predictors of Student Participation

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the relationship between instructors’ defining characteristics (including conduct, personality traits, and past experiences of ingratitude) a...
A long term follow-up of one of the first arterial homografts.

OBJECTIVE To report a successful long term homograft of an artery. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Surgical arterial homograft with a long term follow up. SETTING General surgery wards of two general hospitals. PATIENTS 2 patients, one with a recurrent sarcoma of the thigh, the other with an osteogenic sarcoma of the humerus. INTERVENTION Surgical removal of all tissue of the groin including femoral and external iliac artery and vein, femoral nerve, lymphatics, muscle and ligaments. Arterial replacement with homograft from second patient. RESULTS Successful function of arterial homograft for 40 years. CONCLUSIONS It is possible that arteries could be added to the list of organs that are harvested for transplantation.
Calculation of compressible indicial response

The present paper addresses the problem of extracting indicial response functions from solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. Two approaches are considered. In the first, the indicial response is computed directly by modifying the local grid velocity to reflect the step change in plunge velocity. The computed data are then fitted using an assumed form for the response function and numerical optimisation techniques. In the second (indirect) approach, the general form of the lift transfer operator is determined analytically from the functional form of the assumed response. Using the lift transfer operator explicit solutions of the in-phase and quadrature components of the normal force time history can be obtained. The unknown coefficients in the response function are then extracted from computed data for harmonic motion by fitting the time history using the explicit solution. Computed response functions are presented for a range of Mach numbers and are compared with analytical results and indicial models currently used within the rotorcraft community. For the cases considered there is no significant difference between the response functions determined using the direct or indirect approach. Comparison of the computed results with existing models suggests that generalisation of the response to step changes in incidence using a two-pole approximation of the circulatory response together with the Prandtl-Glauert factor is not possible. However, comparison with higher order semi-empirical models is much improved, providing some justification for the use of such models. In addition to these observations, the extracted response functions suggest improvements to piston theory to account for thickness effects. The proposed modification of piston theory is based upon properties of the static pressure distribution and so can be used in conjunction with both CFD and experimental data.
On the structure of p -adic subanalytic functions and sets

We prove a p-adic version of the Lion–Rolin preparation theorem. As a consequence, we obtain a cell decomposition theorem, which can be viewed as an extension of Denef’s cell decomposition theorem to the p-adic analytic case. Using these theorems, we give shorter and more explicit proofs of some of the results by Denef and van den Dries on p-adic subanalytic sets.
Extracting economics from Roman marble quarries

Urbanization across the Roman Empire created a demand for building materials on an unprecedented scale. Quarrying was largely conducted by municipalities, institutions, or landed aristocrats, who owned or inherited the valuable land from which stone was extracted. By using principles of economics as a guide, and with greater coordination between theory and written and archaeological sources, this article examines the decision-making processes involved in opening a quarry. Theories of economic rationality, resource economics, and statistical methods are helpful for understanding the prices for marble recorded in Diocletian's Edict, Roman jurists’ writings about exploitation on private land, and newly discovered quarries in the region of Aphrodisias, Turkey. Here it is argued that the exchange of local building stone took place in a competitive market where landowners actively tried to improve their financial situation, but did so at considerable risk. At Aphrodisias, examples of failed attempts exist alongside long-running and successful enterprises. Entrepreneurs there did not extract a homogeneous set of resources, but chose to target marbles with inconsistent physical properties at increasing distances from the city in response to greater demand and rising prices. Roman jurists, primarily interested in protecting property value, made landowners calculate whether potential profits earned from sales outweighed the degradation of land.
Effects of IVS6-1 Mutation in MYl2 Associated with Cardioskeletal Myopathy and Early Cardiac Death of Infants

The homozygous appearance of intronic mutation (IVS6-1) in MYL2 encoding myosin ventricular/slow skeletal myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) was recently linked to the development of slow skeletal muscle fiber type I hypotrophy. The affected infants died between 4 and 6 months of age due to dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In this report we have investigated, the molecular mechanism and functional consequences associated with IVS6-1 using recombinant human cardiac IVS6-1-RLC reconstituted in RLC-depleted porcine cardiac muscle preparations. The results were compared with those obtained for recombinant human cardiac WT-RLC. Despite the ability of the mutant to become phosphorylated, IVS6-1 displayed a significantly lower Vmax of the actin-activated myosin ATPase activity compared with WT (0.18±0.2 s-1 vs. 0.25±0.02 s-1; n=3), indicating a slower myosin cross-bridge turnover rate of the mutant. Likewise, stopped flow kinetics of the ATP induced dissociation of the acto-myosin complex showed a significantly reduced slope of the kobs-[MgATP] relationship for IVS6-1 reconstituted myosin (4.3±0.02×105 M-1 s-1, n=5), depicting slower second-order MgATP binding rates compared with WT (5.3±0.02×105 M-1 s-1, n=5). Steady-state fluorescence binding experiments of mutant vs. WT reconstituted myosin to pyrene labeled F-actin under rigor conditions demonstrated significantly reduced binding affinity of IVS6-1 (Kd=16.7±2.8 nM, n=3) compared with WT (Kd=4.6±1.3 nM, n=3). In skinned porcine cardiac muscles, a significant decrease in maximal force was observed for IVS6-1 reconstituted fibers compared with WT (27.1±1.0 kN/m2 vs. 34.9±2.4 kN/m2, n=6). The Ca2+ sensitivity and cooperativity were significantly different in IVS6-1 (pCa50=5.66±0.01, nH=2.9±0.15) vs. WT (pCa50=5.48±0.01, nH=2.2±0.14). In conclusion, we demonstrate that IVS6-1 may lead to cardiac dysfunction by disrupting the acto-myosin interaction (steady-state and kinetics) and compromising the ability of the mutant myosin to develop contractile force.
Developing Reflective Thought in Preservice Educators: Utilizing Role-Plays and Digital Video:

This study was designed to investigate the role of video in the growth of written reflective responses between two groups of preservice teachers. Fifty-four students enrolled in four sections of a ...
Negative bias temperature instability lifetime prediction: Considering frequency, voltage and activation energy via novel methodology of MSM-SFMF

NBTI is a well-known reliability issue. Therefore, which approach adopted for lifetime assessment becomes very important. Slow measurement overestimate lifetime due to recovery, and fast technique suppress recovery result to obtain less degradation slope. So these two methods cannot give reliable lifetime prediction. This paper discusses a new measuring skill that helps us to realize characteristic of traps via measure frequency and stress frequency. After considering the activation energy (Ea), traps can be divided into three types. It includes simple concept of Reaction-Diffusion (RD) and two-stage models, and doesn't need complicated mathematics operations. Then we can do accurate lifetime assessment through different trap characteristic. Consequently, it benefits the study of transistor NBTI behavior.
‘Quantum valley’ receives C$100m funding boost

Mike Lazaridis – who founded the company now known as BlackBerry (previously Research in Motion, or RIM) – has established a new C$100m fund in Canada that could push forward the development of quantum computing.
Human behavioral ecology: I

New fields of inquiry rarely spring fully grown from the forehead of a single genius, and in addition, it is often difficult to decide when a related set of inquiries has coalesced sufficiently to define a field. As measured by the solicitation and publication of review articles, human behavioral ecology has recently become a self-conscious field, for this is the third essay to review it1,2 and a book-length survey will appear later this year.3 In this two-part article, I will try to give readers a sense of the field by outlining its theoretical and methodological principles and key issues and by summarizing representative studies and unresolved questions in three main topical areas: subsistence strategies (Part I) and reproductive strategies and social interactions (Part II).