cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biofilter treatment of volatile organic compound emissions from reformulated paint : Complex mixtures, intermittent operation, and startup

Abstract Two biofilters were operated to treat a waste gas stream intended to simulate off-gases generated during the manufacture of reformulated paint. The model waste gas stream consisted of a five-component solvent mixture containing acetone (450 ppmv), methyl ethyl ketone (12 ppmv), toluene (29 ppmv), ethylbenzene (10 ppmv), and p-xylene (10 ppmv). The two biofilters, identical in construction and packed with a polyurethane foam support medium, were inoculated with an enrichment culture derived from compost and then subjected to different loading conditions during the startup phase of operation. One biofilter was subjected to intermittent loading conditions with contaminants supplied only 8 hr/day to simulate loading conditions expected at facilities where manufacturing operations are discontinuous. The other biofilter was subjected to continuous contaminant loading during the initial start period, and then was switched to intermittent loading conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that both sta...
Terrorism, Social Movements, and International Security: How Al Qaeda Affects Southeast Asia

This paper argues that international security studies can most profitably engage the issue of international terrorism by considering terrorist groups as transnational social movement organizations. It takes as its case Al Qaeda's role in Southeast Asia, focusing especially on the efforts of Al Qaeda leaders to align the demands and grievances of local Islamist movements and to spread a set of tactics and methods of political violence. In so doing, the paper builds on the often-neglected literature on the politics of terrorism while tying the argument to prevailing debates over social movements. The paper thus aims at clarifying the ways in which Southeast Asian organizations have adopted Al Qaeda's tactics and language but appear to be addressing primarily local or provincial concerns. This perspective also draws terrorism into current discussions of international security while maintaining a detailed focus on the interactions of individual agents and larger violent movements.
A Method for Selecting Velocity Filter Cut-Off Frequency for Maximizing Impedance Width Performance in Haptic Interfaces

This paper analyzes the effect of velocity filtering cut-off frequency on the Z-width performance of haptic interfaces. Finite difference method (FDM) cascaded with a low pass filter is the most commonly used technique for estimating velocity from position data in haptic interfaces. So far, there is no prescribed method for obtaining the FDMþ filter cut-off frequency that will maximize Z-width performance. We present a simulation based method to demonstrate that there exists such an ideal FDMþ filter cut-off frequency, and that it can be predicted by numerical simulation based on an identified model of a haptic interface. Experiments are conducted on a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) linear haptic interface to validate the simulation results. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4028526]
THE RE(PUBLIC) OF SALSA : AFRO-CUBAN MUSIC IN FIN-DE-SIECLE DAKAR

This article explores why, despite its diminished popularity, Afro-Cuban music remains among the most performed musics in Senegalese music clubs. Since the Second World War, many Senegalese have associated Afro-Cuban music with cosmopolitanism and modernity. In particular, Senegalese who came of age during the Independence era associate Latin music with a new model of sociability that emphasized ‘correct’ behaviour – elegant attire and self-discipline. Participating in an emerging ‘cafe society’ was especially important. The rise of m'balax music in the late 1970s, deemed more culturally ‘authentic’ by a younger generation coming into its own, challenged many of the values associated with Senegalese salsa. As an enlarged Senegalese public embraced m'balax, the older generation stopped going out to Dakar's nightclubs where they felt increasingly uncomfortable. However, the model of sociability this generation has championed calls for public displays of distinction and refinement. In fin-de-siecle Dakar, a number of venues emerged where Afro-Cuban music is played and powerful older Dakarois congregate, even if less frequently than formally. This article describes these venues and documents their patrons and the performances that take place there.
Alkene epoxidation catalyzed by cytochrome P450 BM-3 139-3

We recently reported conversion of cytochrome P450 BM-3, a medium-chain (C12 -C18) fatty acid monooxygenase, into a highly efficient alkane hydroxylase by directed evolution (Nat. Biotechnol. 2002, 20, 1135). P450 BM-3 mutant 139-3 exhibited high activity towards a variety of fatty acid and alkane substrates, including C3 -C 8 alkanes. We report here that mutant 139-3 is also active on benzene, styrene, cyclohexene, 1-hexene, and propylene. Benzene is converted to phenol, while styrene is converted to styrene oxide. Propylene oxidation generates only propylene oxide, but cyclohexene oxidation produces a mixture of cyclohexene oxide (85%) and 2-cyclohexene-1- ol (15%), and 1-hexene is converted to the allylic hydroxylation product, 1-hexene-3-ol. Initial rates of NADPH oxidation for 139-3 in the presence of the substrates greatly (17- to .100-fold) surpass the wild-type in all cases. However, NADPH consumption is only partially coupled to product formation (14- 79%). This cytochrome P450 epoxidation catalyst is a suitable starting point for further evolution to improve coupling and activity. q 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Three Variable Multiple Output Tree Circuits

This article treats the tree circuit synthesis problem for families F = {f 1 , f 2 , . . ., f m } of Boolean functions f j of the same three variables. In addition to the development of criteria for determining the most economical of the three possible tree circuit decompositions: f j (X 3 , X 2 , X 1 ) = F 3j ,(G 3j (X 2 , X 1 ), H 3j (X 2 , X 1 ), X 3 ) f j (x 3 , X 2 , X 1 ) = F 2j (G 2j (x 3 , x 1 ), H 2j (x 3 , X 1 ), X 2 ) f j (X 3 , X 2 , X 1 ) = F 1j (G 1j (X 3 , X 2 ), H 1j (X 3 , X 2 ), X 1 ) (j = 1, 2, ..., m) of a given family, certain upper bounds B T (3, m) are obtained on the ``tree circuit cost'' T(F) of such a family; these have the property that regardless of the members of F, the inequality T(F)?B T (3, m) holds and furthermore, a family F exists which actually attains this upper bound. These upper bounds or estimates are known to have a wide application in switching theory generally, and in particular in the theory of tree circuits and in the decomposition theory of Boolean functions.
The seismic structure beneath the Yellowstone Volcano Field from ambient seismic noise

We evaluate Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion (5–40 s) around the Yellowstone Volcano Field with ambient noise tomography, measured from vertical component noise correlation functions. We include broadband data from 239 seismic stations (1999–2012), including USArray's Transportable Array and the Noise Observatory for Imaging the Subsurface beneath Yellowstone (NOISY). Short-period (<13 s) group velocity anomalies are imaged for the Bighorn Basin (~25% slow) and Range (~20% fast), and the Yellowstone Plateau (~10% fast). Beneath the Yellowstone caldera, Rayleigh wave group velocities are ~25% slower than the regional average with slow anomalies (<−15%) observed from 5 to 24 s. These values are consistent with a magmatic body being heated from below by an underlying plume.
Performance of RS encoded TCM-D8PSK on a vegetatively shadowed land mobile satellite channel (U)

A Reed-Solomon/trellis coded concatenated (RS/TCM) scheme is investigated for a land mobile satellite system (LMSS). The inner code of the RS/TCM is a rate 2/3, 4-state TCM and the outer code is a rate 56/63 RS code. The modulation scheme used is differential 8 phase shift keying (D8PSK). Performance of this scheme is investigated by computer simulation for a vegetatively shadowed (VS) channel that typifies a satellite to mobile down-link. It is shown that the proposed RS/TCM scheme performs 4 dB better than rate 4/6, multiplicity 2, TCM (MTCM) and 10 dB better than conventional rate 2/3 TCM at a BER of 10/sup -3/. >
Concord grape juice attenuates platelet aggregation, serum cholesterol and development of atheroma in hypercholesterolemic rabbits

Intake of Concord grape juice (CGJ), rich in polyphenolics, inhibits platelet aggregation (PA), a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), in normocholesterolemic animals and humans. It is unclear whether CGJ can attenuate hypercholesterolemia-enhanced PA. The effects of daily CGJ consumption on hypercholesterolemia-enhanced PA and the development of atherosclerosis were investigated. Two groups of rabbits (Control and Treated; n=10 each) were fed a hypercholesterolemic diet for 48 days. Treated group then received supplemental CGJ (225mL/day) while Control group received supplemental iso-caloric sugar water for 48 days. Collagen-, collagen+epinephrine- and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced whole blood PA responses were measured on Days 0, 48 and 96; total serum cholesterol and blood pressure were also measured. The development of aortic atheroma was quantified at the end. Both groups showed significant increases in PA and serum cholesterol at Day 48. However, at Day 96, Treated group showed significantly lower PA and development of atheroma (30.7+/-3.9% lower (p<0.001)) than Control group; Treated group also had significantly lower total serum cholesterol and blood pressure than Control group. In conclusion, daily consumption of CGJ attenuates hypercholesterolemia-enhanced PA, blood pressure, total serum cholesterol and development of atheroma in rabbits.
CPEB Regulation of TAK1 Synthesis Mediates Cytokine Production and the Inflammatory Immune Response

The cytoplasmic-element-binding (CPEB) protein is a sequence-specific RNA-binding protein that regulates cytoplasmic polyadenylation-induced translation. In mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) lacking CPEB, many mRNAs encoding proteins involved in inflammation are misregulated. Correlated with this aberrant translation in MEFs, a macrophage cell line depleted of CPEB and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to stimulate the inflammatory immune response expresses high levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is due to prolonged nuclear retention of NF-κB. Two proteins involved in NF-κB nuclear localization and IL-6 expression, IκBα and transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), are present at excessively low and high steady-state levels, respectively, in LPS-treated CPEB-depleted macrophages. However, only TAK1 has an altered synthesis rate that is CPEB dependent and CPEB/TAK1 double depletion alleviates high IL-6 production. Peritoneal macrophages isolated from CPEB knockout (KO) mice treated with LPS in vitro also have prolonged NF-κB nuclear retention and produce high IL-6 levels. LPS-injected CPEB KO mice secrete prodigious amounts of IL-6 and other proinflammatory cytokines and exhibit hypersensitivity to endotoxic shock; these effects are mitigated when the animals are also injected with (5Z)-7-oxozeaenol, a potent and specific inhibitor of TAK1. These data show that CPEB control of TAK1 mRNA translation mediates the inflammatory immune response.
Foreign Outposts of Colleges and Universities

Understanding the phenomenon of international branch campuses requires expanding our understanding of the various ways universities operate foreign educational outposts. A wide variety of transnational activity exists that represents intriguing variations on the typical branch campus form.
Synthetic Nucleotides as Probes of DNA Polymerase Specificity

The genetic code is continuously expanding with new nucleobases designed to suit specific research needs. These synthetic nucleotides are used to study DNA polymerase dynamics and specificity and may even inhibit DNA polymerase activity. The availability of an increasing chemical diversity of nucleotides allows questions of utilization by different DNA polymerases to be addressed. Much of the work in this area deals with the A family DNA polymerases, for example, Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, which are DNA polymerases involved in replication and whose fidelity is relatively high, but more recent work includes other families of polymerases, including the Y family, whose members are known to be error prone. This paper focuses on the ability of DNA polymerases to utilize nonnatural nucleotides in DNA templates or as the incoming nucleoside triphosphates. Beyond the utility of nonnatural nucleotides as probes of DNA polymerase specificity, such entities can also provide insight into the functions of DNA polymerases when encountering DNA that is damaged by natural agents. Thus, synthetic nucleotides provide insight into how polymerases deal with nonnatural nucleotides as well as into the mutagenic potential of nonnatural nucleotides.
Glow discharge plasma deposited hexafluoropropylene films: surface chemistry and interfacial materials properties

Fluoropolymer films prepared by radio frequency glow discharge (RF-glow discharge) are of interest as biomaterials coatings. Previous studies focused on hexafluoroethane (C2F6, HFE) and tetrafluoroethylene (C2F4, TFE) as the monomer precursor have shown such surfaces to exhibit unique protein binding capabilities. In this study, slow, surface directed deposition of hexafluoropropylene (C3F6, HFP) films is shown to confer surface functional group presentation that promotes high protein retention. The surface chemistry is controllable over a range of values, and C3F6 films prepared by RF-glow discharge are smooth, homogeneous, and defect free. Surface patterns of the fluoropolymer can be created by direct or photolithographic techniques. Scanning probe microscopic analysis indicates a surface modulus in the range of 1:2 , EHFP , 5:5 GPa. These results are discussed in terms of the applicability of C3F6 films for coating biomaterials. q 1999 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
Effects of Tilt Adaptation on the Direction of Voluntary Saccades

Records were taken of the horizontal and vertical amplitudes of eye moments of subjects instructed to move their eyes back and forth from 12 to 6 and from 9 to 3 o'clock without targets. These records were used to compute the angles of the eye-moment paths, and corresponding paths were compared before and after exposure in a hallway to a prism-induced clockwise tilt of 30 degrees. Perceived orientation was also measured, by having the subjects set a luminous line in the dark to the orientations indicated above. Both tasks yielded significant preexposure-postexposure changes in the direction of tilt, such that after exposure the line was set at a tilt and eye movements were made at an angle clockwise with respect to the preexposure orientation. A control group exposed to 0 degrees tilt showed no change on either task. Thus, tilt adaptation is capable of altering the direction of volitional eye movements.
Optically induced magnetization in homogeneous, undoped dielectric media

A widely held viewpoint in optics, namely, that dynamic magnetic effects are extremely weak at optical frequencies, is re-examined. Nonlinear charge motion induced by the optical magnetic field in dielectric systems is analyzed, is predicted to be resonantly enhanced, and is observed experimentally in CCl4, C6H6, and H2O at the fundamental input frequency. Excellent agreement is obtained with a classical magnetic harmonic oscillator model, which shows that the maximum dynamic magnetic dipole (MD) moment at optical frequencies is one half the electric dipole (ED) moment. As a consequence, magnetic dipole radiation generated by the optical magnetic field with an intensity one fourth that of ED radiation, as well as unanticipated nonlinear optical effects such as magnetic white-light generation, can arise in homogeneous transparent dielectrics. The mechanism of MD formation is confirmed experimentally to be second order in the input field, and the strength of the radiation is accounted for as a first-order contribution to the vector potential. Predictions are made of optical magnetic resonance, negative permeability, self-induced magnetic birefringence, and optically induced Faraday rotation.
Coordination of eye and head components of movements evoked by stimulation of the paramedian pontine reticular formation

Constant frequency microstimulation of the paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF) in head-restrained monkeys evokes a constant velocity eye movement. Since the PPRF receives significant projections from structures that control coordinated eye-head movements, we asked whether stimulation of the pontine reticular formation in the head-unrestrained animal generates a combined eye-head movement or only an eye movement. Microstimulation of most sites yielded a constant-velocity gaze shift executed as a coordinated eye-head movement, although eye-only movements were evoked from some sites. The eye and head contributions to the stimulation-evoked movements varied across stimulation sites and were drastically different from the lawful relationship observed for visually-guided gaze shifts. These results indicate that the microstimulation activated elements that issued movement commands to the extraocular and, for most sites, neck motoneurons. In addition, the stimulation-evoked changes in gaze were similar in the head-restrained and head-unrestrained conditions despite the assortment of eye and head contributions, suggesting that the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain must be near unity during the coordinated eye-head movements evoked by stimulation of the PPRF. These findings contrast the attenuation of VOR gain associated with visually-guided gaze shifts and suggest that the vestibulo-ocular pathway processes volitional and PPRF stimulation-evoked gaze shifts differently.
Echocardiography in the use of noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring

Invasive pulmonary artery catheter measurements are the standard method for assessment of hemodynamic evaluation at the present time. However, this invasive approach is associated with an increase in patient morbidity and without evidence of a reduction in mortality. Doppler echocardiography is a noninvasive method that provides robust data regarding patients' hemodynamic indices. Several parameters are available for noninvasive hemodynamic evaluation using Doppler echocardiography. Most of these measurements are easily obtained and provide a safe alternative to invasive hemodynamic assessment. As Doppler echocardiography is able to provide additional valuable information, such as cardiac systolic and diastolic function, and the presence of pericardial and pleural effusions, which can play a significant role in the patients' hemodynamic status, using this noninvasive modality in the daily practice for hemodynamic assessment can prove an alternative to invasive measures in selected patients as well as a complementary tool for those still in need of invasive monitoring.
Compensating for elastic deformation of the indenter in hardness tests of very hard materials

The current method of analysis for hardness measurements by indentation is examined. Although the method is based on Sneddon’s solution for an elastic stress field within a homogeneous half space indented by an elastically deformable indenter, it implicitly assumes a fixed indenter geometry. Therefore, if indentations are made on materials whose hardness or elastic modulus are close to those of the indenter, this method underestimates the contact area and, thus, overestimates the hardness and modulus values of the indented materials. A new method, based on the Hertz contact theory, is proposed that accounts for the elastic deformation of the indenter and provides a simple way to calculate the tip radius. The restrictions of this method are also indicated and discussed. Finally, the hardness and modulus for two recently developed films are measured by this method, and the results are compared with published finite element method (FEM) results.
EST! EST!! EST!!!

A recently published study has identified a set of candidate genes for human diseases based on findings from Drosophila. Each human expressed sequence tag (EST) in a large database was compared with all known Drosophila genes. After eliminating matches between genes of already known function, the remaining sequences were mapped in the human genome. In each region, the phenotypes of all known human diseases were compared with the phenotypes of known Drosophila mutations in order to identify candidate genes for the human diseases. Are the correspondences real or coincidental?
Regulation of adenine nucleotide concentration at endothelium-fluid interface by viscous shear flow

The action of adenine nucleotides on vascular endothelial cells is apparently mediated by the local flow conditions. Because nucleotides are sequentially degraded from ATP-->ADP-->AMP-->adenosine by ecto-enzymes at the endothelial surface, it has been hypothesized that the observed flow effect is caused by the flow-dependent change of nucleotide concentration at the cell surface. In this study, we have calculated the concentration profiles of adenine nucleotides at the cell surface under flow conditions encountered in an in vitro parallel-plate flow system, as has been used in several related experimental studies. When medium containing uniformly distributed ATP is perfused over endothelial monolayers, our results show that ATP concentration in the cell vicinity gradually decreases in the streamwise direction as a result of enzymatic degradation. This hydrolysis of ATP results in the generation of ADP, and ADP concentration in turn gradually increases at the cell surface. The concentration profiles of nucleotides are dependent on the levels of applied wall shear rate. As the corresponding shear stress increases from 0.1 to 30 dynes/cm2, ATP concentration at the cell surface at the center of coverslip increases from 0.66 to 0.93. Under no-flow conditions, our model predicts a steady decline of ATP concentration and a transient increase of ATP-derived ADP, comparable to the published results of previous experiments. These numerical results, combined with our recent experimental data, provide insights into the cellular mechanisms by which hemodynamic flow modulates the effects of vasoactive agents on endothelium.
General Matrix Inversion Technique for the Calibration of Electric Field Sensor Arrays on Aircraft Platforms

We have developed a matrix calibration procedure that uniquely relates the electric fields measured at the aircraft with the external vector electric field and net aircraft charge. Our calibration method is being used with all of our aircraft/electric field sensing combinations and can be generalized to any reasonable combination of electric field measurements and aircraft. We determine a calibration matrix that represents the individual instrument responses to the external electric field. The aircraft geometry and configuration of field mills (FMs) uniquely define the matrix. The matrix can then be inverted to determine the external electric field and net aircraft charge from the FM outputs. A distinct advantage of the method is that if one or more FMs need to be eliminated or de-emphasized (for example, due to a malfunction), it is a simple matter to reinvert the matrix without the malfunctioning FMs. To demonstrate our calibration technique, we present data from several of our aircraft programs (ER-2, DC-8, Altus, Citation).
Gemstones Formed Directly from Molten Rock: The Ruby Deposits of Chanthaburi-Trat, Thailand

Molten lava erupting from fissures or volcanoes on the earth’s surface may be a source for gemstones. These hot lavas may contain gems in one of three ways: (1) Gemstones such as moonstone may be an essential constituent of the lava and crystallize as such as the lava cools; (2) in the final stages of cooling; when much of the magma has solidified, minerals such as topaz may crystallize in lithophysal (gas) cavities formed in the cooling lava; and (3) the lava may simply act as the vehicle that transports materials that crystallized at great depth to the surface. Such is the case with many alkaliolivine basalts, which may bring peridot, zircon, sapphire, or ruby up from 100-km depths (Fig. 5-1).
SAR codes

SAR codes are designed for transmission by a portable wireless device to provide high reliability and data rates on a wireless channel, while maintaining low human exposure to electromagnetic radiation. We provide design criteria and examples of SAR codes and show that a 3 dB reduction in exposure is within reach on some devices versus standard single-antenna methods or spacetime codes. This reduction in exposure can be used to boost the transmitted power and extend the usable range of a portable device while maintaining a prescribed exposure level.
A Review of Nutritional Tracking Mobile Applications for Diabetes Patient Use.

Abstract Diabetes, a prevalent disease in the United States, is greatly impacted by lifestyle choices, notably nutrition. The goal of this research was to determine which of the nutritional tracking applications (apps) available for Apple (Cupertino, CA) iOS, Android® (Google, Mountain View, CA), and Windows (Microsoft, Redmond, WA) platforms should be a first recommendation to diabetes patients searching for a smartphone app to aid in dietary logging and, for some apps, other varying lifestyle and health data. This project did so by identifying the smartphone apps available on the iTunes® (Apple), Google Play, and Microsoft stores that have nutritional tracking capabilities and are of potential benefit to a patient with diabetes based on certain criteria. Each of the individual apps was then evaluated to determine which would be of most benefit to a diabetes patient. The apps were assessed based on several parameters, such as their food databases, logging options, additional tracking options, interoperab...
Retrievals of Cloud Optical Properties from a Two-Channel Narrow-Field-of-View Radiometer

We have pioneered a surface-based passive method for retrieving cloud optical depth in a fully three-dimensional cloud situation. This method uses zenith radiance at two channels and requires some vegetative cover in the surrounding area.
HOMOTHALLISM IN COPRINUS PATOUILLARDII. DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION

Strains of Coprinus patouillardii were isolated from moist-chamber cultures. All those which fruited in culture were homothallic. Variability between isolates was assessed with esterase isozymes and morphometric characters. Variation was seen among dung isolates, but three isolates from banana peel had identical isozyme profiles. Hyphal fusions were very rare. Implications of homothallism for the coprophilous habit and for gene flow are discussed.
Effect of Macromolecular Material from Chick Embryos on Growth Rate of Mouse Heart Fibroblast Cultures.

SummaryIt is shown that a macromolecular fraction isolated from chick embryo extracts by differential high-speed centrifugation essentially according to Claude, exerts a distinct growth-stimulating effect on cultures of mouse heart fibroblasts.The writers wish to acknowledge the technical assistance of Miss E. Carter and of Mr. H. Nelson in these experiments.
Constancy of intracellular water as a function of dry weight.

SummaryRat atria were incubated for one hour in the presence of the extracellular marker mannitol. These atria were blotted either two times or twenty times resulting in markedly different values for the calculated “extracellular space.” The ratios between the intracellular water and the dry weights were also determined for these same tissues and these ratios were not significantly different for the two blotting procedures. Therefore, although extracellular space values may vary, the intracellular water to dry weight ratio remains a constant, and thus a useful value under a specified set of conditions.This investigation was supported by U.S. Public Health Service Grant HE 07718. We thank Dr. W. McD. Armstrong for stimulating discussions concerning this report.
EPISTATIC INTERACTIONS CAN LOWER THE COST OF RESISTANCE TO MULTIPLE CONSUMERS

It is widely assumed that resistance to consumers (e.g., predators or pathogens) comes at a "cost," that is, when the consumer is absent the resistant organisms are less fit than their susceptible counterparts. It is unclear what factors determine this cost. We demonstrate that epistasis between genes that confer resistance to two different consumers can alter the cost of resistance. We used as a model system the bacterium Escherichia coli and two different viruses (bacteriophages), T4 and Λ, that prey upon E. coli. Epistasis tended to reduce the costs of multiple resistance in this system. However, the extent of cost savings and its statistical significance depended on the environment in which fitness was measured, whether the null hypothesis for gene interaction was additive or multiplicative, and subtle differences among mutations that conferred the same resistance phenotype.
Hypoparathyroidism: First of Three Parts

This paper reviews cases of hypoparathyroidism seen at a university and a veterans hospital for the last 30 years, discusses the presenting symptoms and signs, and tells how to distinguish the post-thyroidectomy, idiopathic and pseudohypoparathyroid types.
Tailed RT-PCR for the Quantitation of Chloramphenicol Acetyl Transferase (CAT)mRNA.

Reporter gene plasmids have been used extensively to monitor gene expression and elucidate intracellular pathways (1-4). They have been particularly useful in understanding the architecture of promoter regions and the interactions between promoter elements and cellular or viral regulatory factors (5-9). The conventional strategy has been to transfect host cells transiently with a plasmid bearing the sequences of interest linked to a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene. Subsequently, CAT activity is measured as a readout by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) or the levels of CAT protein are determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, most transfections-whether stable or transient-result in low levels of CAT gene expression, as long as no activation signal is provided (10-12). Although this is an ideal situation to study gene activation pathways, it is poorly suited to monitor gene repression or negative regulatory mechanisms. To overcome this problem, investigators use cell-activating agents, such as phorbolester and phytohemagglutinin, or transfect a second plasmid expressing a transactivator (e.g., viral transactivator). However, use of such agents might interfere with the pathway(s) being studied and could provide erroneous results. Also, current assays such as TLC or CAT ELISA are often not able to quantitate such low levels of expression, thus hampering studies aimed at dissecting the down modulation of gene expression (13-15).
Venous bullet embolus to the left pulmonary artery

We report a venous bullet embolus into the left pulmonary artery following a gunshot wound to the right chest. The diagnosis and surgical management of migrating venous bullet emboli are reviewed.
The development of American attitudes toward securities trading, 1720–1792

Shares of government debt and of business enterprises were not traded in North America on a significant scale until the later part of the eighteenth century, nearly a century after the development of organized securities trading in England. Long before they copied these English institutional arrangements, however, Americans inherited English ideas that would bear upon securities trading. These ideas and the processes by which they were transmitted to North America are discussed in section I of this chapter. Section II will describe the American securities market from its beginnings in the 1770s through the crash of 1792, with an emphasis on the experiences which shaped American attitudes toward securities trading. The resulting pattern of thought, copied from English sources and then modified in light of more recent local experience, will be analyzed in section III. England's North American colonies were largely populated by emigrants from England, of course, who brought with them English attitudes toward speculation and toward securities markets. Communication between England and the colonies, moreover, was frequent enough in the eighteenth century to permit the colonies to share in contemporary trends in English thought, including the thought generated by the effects of the South Sea Bubble, and to permit the wealthiest Americans to invest in English securities. For these reasons, when the American economy became large enough to permit the development of securities trading, that practice was born into a world of preexisting thought. Colonial attitudes toward speculation exhibited the same ambivalence as in England.
Nation of Islam (NOI)

Founded in Detroit (1930), NOI is the largest body of unorthodox US black Muslims. Relocating it to Chicago, Elijah Muhammad was imam from 1934 to 75. He oversaw construction of its home mosque and headquarters while preaching Islam, racial separatism, and black self-sufficiency. He converted Malcolm X in 1952, appointed him national spokesman, and opened dozens of mosques. Alongside the Clara Muhammad Schools (honoring his wife) and Muhammad Speaks , the official newspaper, NOI owned businesses, farms, and real estate in America and abroad. Muhammad rejected the civil rights movement and racial integration as “self-destruction, death, and nothing else.” Echoing that message, Malcolm X stressed black nationalism and armed self-defense before resigning in 1964. By 1975 NOI had an estimated 120,000 members, 75 mosques, and assets of $40 million. Its prison education and antidrug programs transformed the lives of countless blacks. Rejecting its orthodox Islam affiliation, which followed Muhammad's death, Louis Farrakhan became imam of a walkout membership (20,000–50,000) in 1978. Restoring NOI's name and separatist and nationalist traditions, and publishing The Final Call , he has made NOI a controversial force in politics.
Research on experiment and simulation of charged spherical metal particle collision characteristic under DC electric field

Since there exist discharge problems in gas insulated metal-enclosed switchgear due to internal metal particle movement, the study in this paper thus, conducted an experiment and simulation research on the movement characteristics of particles, where the charge on particle and the collision recovery coefficient (CRC) was obtained. When the electrode is brass, the charge on the particle is close to the theory one and the CRC of aluminum, stainless steel and particle are 0.52, 0.75 and 0.79 respectively. Accordingly, the study, in order to take the particle charge and its collision process into consideration, established a particle movement model, and conducted a test has thereof. The results show that there exists excellent consistency between charge and its collision. According to the research, the relationship between particle size, material and collision characteristics was revealed. The result shows that under DC voltage the metal particle collision frequency decreases with the increase of particle size when the material of the particles is the same. The time difference between particles' moving to high voltage electrode and ground electrode becomes greater with the increase of the size of the particle. When the particle material is different, the collision characteristics are influenced by its density and collision recovery coefficient of restitution. Particle motion velocity loss becomes less before and after the collision when its collision recovery coefficient of restitution is larger. So the collision frequency is higher. The research results in this paper can offer some reference value to particles suppression measures in gas insulated metal-enclosed transmission line.
Who owes what to war refugees

ABSTRACTThe suffering of war refugees is often regarded as a wrong-less harm. Although war refugees have been made worse off in severe ways, they have not been wronged (in some cases), because no one intentionally caused their suffering. In military parlance, war refugees are collateral damage. As such, nothing is owed to them as a matter of justice, because their suffering is not the result of intentional wrongdoing; rather, it is the regrettable and unintended result of necessary and proportionate wartime actions. So, while the warring national or extra-national groups might help war refugees, such aid is regarded as humanitarian, not as justice.I challenge the view that war refugees are harmed but not wronged when those harms directly result from necessary and proportionate wartime actions. War refugees are innocent bystanders, and so are an exception to the principle that permits defense by any necessary and proportionate means. Just as an individual may not kill or seriously harm an innocent bystande...
Remarks on Balancing Legitimate Regulation of Nonprofits with First Amendment Freedoms: Exceptional Nonprofits and Nonprofit Exceptionalism

Exceptional Nonprofits and Nonprofit Exceptionalism: This set of remarks was prepared for a colloquium designed to explore whether recent proposals to heighten proscriptive regulation and general supervision of nonprofit organizations trenches inappropriately on First Amendment Freedoms.
Bioavailability and Metabolism of Bioactive Compounds From Foods

Abstract Bioactive components present in edible plants are of particular interest for the prevention of disease. Their prevalence in diet and supplements has the potential to impact human health on both the individual and population level. Dietary phytochemicals can be generally classified into two distinct classes based on their absorption properties: water-soluble (e.g., phenolics and polyphenols) and lipid-soluble (e.g., carotenoids and tocochromanols). The bioavailability of dietary phytochemicals is a measurement of their prevalence in body fluids and exposure to tissues following consumption, and is often considered when assessing their potential for beneficial activity. Interest in the biological activities and resultant health benefits from phytochemical-rich foods has generated great interest in the elucidation of factors that impact their bioavailability. The aim of such research is primarily to identify food factors (macro- and microcomposition, physical form, phytochemical concentration, etc.) and physiological factors (stability, digestion, absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion processes) that can limit or promote bioavailability. More recently, the impact of health status on the absorption and metabolism of dietary phytochemicals has drawn increased attention as modification of bioavailability may complicate translation of potential benefits from these compounds to at-risk populations. Knowledge of these factors is used to improve strategies that promote optimal bioavailability of dietary phytochemicals, and by extension, their activities at the tissue of interest. This chapter will briefly discuss the factors contributing to the bioavailability of dietary phytochemicals, as well as the measurement of bioavailability and its implications on health and disease.
On Jiang Qing: Guest Editor's Introduction

Jiang Qing's proposal of the kingly way (wangdao;) is probably the most detailed Chinese alternative to both the current PRC (People's Republic of China) regime and liberal democracy. The nucleus of the kingly way is the idea of threefold legitimacy (sanchong hefaxing;): a government must have sacred, popular, and historical-cultural legitimacy. For Jiang, this is a universal and invariant political principle, though how it is realized in concrete political institutions varies according to culture. Jiang is critical of democracy for emphasizing only popular legitimacy and neglecting the other two sources, and believes the kingly way is the solution to the problems of democracy, particularly neglect of the environment and the interests of noncitizens. Jiang's proposals have aroused significant controversy. A number of contemporary Ruists have expressed skepticism or outright rejection of Jiang's ideas. Others are more sympathetic to his attempts to revive Ruism in Chinese politics and society.
Cryptocercus punctulatus (Dictyoptera: Cryptocercidae) from Monadnocks in the Piedmont of North Carolina

The wood-feeding cockroach, Cryptocercus punctulatus Scudder, is endemic to the Southern Appalachian Mountains where its range extends from southwestern New York to Alabama. Here, it is reported fr...
Extended Radical Pelvic Surgery Including Sacral Resection

Options for resection in patients with pelvic cancer are determined largely by the nature and location of the tumor. Secondary lesions especially may require a full hemipelvectomy or a composite resection. The preoperative evaluation should include assessment of the patient’s mental status as well as medical condition. Adjuvant preoperative or postoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be useful. Considerable morbidity and mortality are associated with abdominosacral resection, but palliation of pain is often achieved and many patients return to their normal lifestyle after rehabilitation.
Attachment behavior in the rotifer Brachionus rubens: induction by Asplanchna and effect on sexual reproduction

Experiments with two strains of the facultative epibiont, Brachionus rubens, tested the ability of this rotifer to avoid predation by the rotifer Asplanchna, and its propensity for sexual reproduction and consequent diapause at different population densities. Unlike some congeners, B. rubens did not have a morphological response to Asplanchna by developing longer spines or a larger body. However, it responded to this predator, and its kairomone, with a behavioral defense: a higher propensity to transition from free-swimming to attachment, typically in dense aggregations. Attached individuals were less likely to be captured and ingested, so that B. rubens outlived Asplanchna in some mixed-species cultures. Although crowding induces sex in some congeners, it did not do so in B. rubens. Instead, the proportion of sexual (mictic) daughters produced by females cultured in different volumes (0.5–60 ml) was density-independent: ~ 0.2 for the Argentina strain and ~ 0.6 for the Australia strain. Such fixed levels of sex have rarely been detected in rotifers. In B. rubens, they may be a strategy to ensure some sex with diapause at all times, but permit continued population growth via female parthenogenesis at the very high densities that normally occur on hosts and other surfaces.
Lambl’s Excrescences and Stroke: A Scoping Study

Stroke / Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Ischemic stroke accounts for 87% of the cases, 14-30% of which is attributed to cardio-embolic stroke. Lambl's excrescences (LE) were first described in 1856 by a Bohemian physician- VilemDusanLambl and is considered a rare cause of cardioembolic stroke subtype. LE are branched filiform structures with undulating movements, 1×4-10 mm in size that are usually found on aortic and mitral valves. An atheroma from LE or LE fragments per se may embolize to cerebrovascular arterial territory causing stroke. Multiple isolated cases of stroke associated with LE have been reported in the literature. We hereby report a scoping study of the findings associated with such cases. A total of 27 cases were identified after various scientific databases including PubMed and Google scholar were searched with keywords "lambi's excrescences, stroke, cerebrovascular accidents". Data from these cases were tabulated and analyzed. The mean age at presentation was 51 ± 14.2 (± SD) years with 55% of patient younger than 55 years of age. 56% of cases were males. Transesophageal echocardiogram was more effective in detecting LE when compared to transthoracic echocardiogram. LE were most often found on aortic valve and LE related stroke was most often noted in middle cerebral artery territory. Recurrent stroke was reported in 30%. Management of these cases was highly variable and likely derived from individual experience as LE management guidelines are largely lacking. Single and dual antiplatelet therapy, anticoagulation and valvularsurgery were among the various management strategies employed. We recommend dual antiplatelet after the first episode of CVA related to LE and an antiplatelet in combination with anticoagulation after the second CVA attributed to LE. Also it is reasonable to offer valve replacement after second CVA related to LE as the reccurence rate of CVA is high. Due to rarity in LE reporting and its management a shared decision making has to be made depending on the clinical status of the patient. The formation of a worldwide registry for LE using standardized reporting criteria for the diagnosis with or without incident stroke, would help establish guidelines for the diagnosis and management of this rare, yet serious disease with increased risk of morbidity and mortality.
Medical Safety Systems in Washington State in the United States of America

The safety system for medicine in Washington State in the United States of America (USA) consists of three systems, namely, hospital-based risk management, county-based death investigation, and state-based quality assurance for the license system. Risk managers in hospitals, medical examiners in counties and medical quality assurance commission in the state government represent those three systems. It has been revealed that each of the three organizational systems functions independently within their own jurisdiction without knowledge or information sharing other than via medical records or death certification for the same event. I also reviewed the re-education program for medical practitioners who committed serious misconducts. There are well organized re-education programs such as the physician assessment and clinical program in California, but the number of re-education programs are very limited all over the USA. It is very important to recognize that the safety system of medical practice is closely linked to the management of medical licenses by the state government to assure a high quality of medicine for patients.
MC2 - Mining Factory Pollution Data through a Spatial-Nonspatial Flow Approach (Honorable Mention for Clarity in Visual Communication)

Mini Challenge 2 of the VAST Challenge 2017 focused on a small industrial area south of the fictional Mistford preserve, specifically around four manufacturing factories. Our main goal was to develop a visual analytics tool to explore the spatio-temporal chemical readings and wind data. Specifically, we wanted to determine which factories were responsible for emitting which chemicals and to determine the performance of the nine sensors in the area. In order to help achieve this goal, we developed a web-based application that utilizes interactive visualizations and path line analysis for revealing sensor errors and chemical reading spikes, along with pinpointing the possible sources of chemical reading spikes.