cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct and reflex cardiostimulating effects of hydralazine

Increased cardiac output and heart rate after administration of hydralazine have been attributed to reflex activation of the cardiac sympathetic nerves secondary to the decrease in arterial pressure. However, some studies suggest that hydralazine has an additional direct cardiostimulatory effect. The present study was designed to investigate this possibility. Mean arterial pressure, percent change in myocardial contractile force using a Walton-Brodle strain gauge and heart rate were measured in eight open chest dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. After intravenous administration of hydralazine, 20 mg, myocardial contractile force increased on average by 27 percent and heart rate by 7 percent; mean arterial pressure decreased less than 10 percent. The same reduction of mean arterial pressure with sodium nitroprusside resulted in increases of only 10 percent in myocardial contractile force and 2 percent in heart rate. The differences between the drugs were statistically significant for heart rate (P < 0.05) and myocardial contractile force (P < 0.01). After reductions in mean arterial pressure exceeding 10 percent, the increases in heart rate and myocardial contractile force with either hydralazine or sodium nitroprusside were insignificantly different. Direct injection of 0.8 mg of hydralazine into a coronary artery in four dogs consistently increased myocardial contractile force in the area perfused whereas administration of sodium nitroprusside even in large doses exerted no local inotropic activity. The local effect of hydralazine was blocked by intravenous administration of propranolol. These results suggest that the increase in myocardial contractile force and heart rate after administration of hydralazine is the result not only of a reflex response to a decrease in blood pressure, as occurred with sodium nitroprusside, but also of direct beta adrenergic stimulation of myocardium.
In vitro65Zn-binding capacities of normal, hyperplastic, and carcinomatous human prostate gland☆

Abstract Both normal and diseased human prostatic tissue have a demonstrable affinity for zine, and evidence is presented that this affinity is due to acidic substances within the prostatic tissue, notably sulfated acid mucopolysaccharides. Additionally, there appears to be an inverse relationship between the in vivo concentration of zinc and in vitro zinc-binding capacity in cancerous and hyperplastic tissues. The higher the concentration of zine found in vivo , the less is the affinity of such tissue for zinc in vitro . It is possible that the low in vitro uptake of zinc in hyperplastic tissues is an expression of the in vivo saturation of zinc-binding sites, whereas the high in vitro uptake of zinc by carcinomatous prostatic tissue is an indication that these sites in vivo may not be readily accessible to zinc.
The Shortform Assessment for Children: An Assessment and Outcome Measure for Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice:

This study describes the design and psychometric characteristics of the Shortform Assessment for Children (SAC). The SAC is an efficient and easy-to-use tool for monitoring the overall mental healt...
Submicron particles from a pulverized coal fired boiler

Abstract Size distribution of submicron particles emitted from a pulverized coal-fired power plant were measured using two types of cascade impactors. Scanning electron microscope photographs show particles were spherical with mean sizes entering and leaving the electrostatic precipitator of 5 and 2−1 4 μm although the slope of curve for each impactor differed. The presence of masses of 0.1 μm particles with large particles which collect on some impaction surfaces were very interesting and were speculated to be condensation of vapors.
The Mariner 5 ultraviolet photometer experiment - Analysis of hydrogen Lyman alpha data

Lyman alpha measurements of the Venus exosphere made by the Mariner-5 ultraviolet photometer on Oct. 19, 1967 are analyzed. The radiative-transfer exospheric model deduced from this analysis is highly asymmetrical with the exospheric temperature varying from 275 K on the day side to 150 K on the night side. The exobase density is 2 x 10 to 5/cu cm on the day side and at the terminator and probably increases toward the dark limb. A hot component was observed in the exosphere which is characterized by models with exospheric temperatures of 1000 K, 1500 K and 1130 K respectively. The column densities calculated from these hot models indicate an increase in abundance from bright limb to dark limb, and then a decrease downwind of Venus.
Wigner phase-space distribution as a wave function

We demonstrate that the Wigner function of a pure quantum state is a wave function in a specially tuned Dirac bra-ket formalism and argue that the Wigner function is in fact a probability amplitude for the quantum particle to be at a certain point of the classical phase space. Additionally, we establish that in the classical limit, the Wigner function transforms into a classical Koopman-von Neumann wave function rather than into a classical probability distribution. Since probability amplitude need not be positive, our findings provide an alternative outlook on the Wigner function's negativity.
Men (aged 40-49 years) with a single baseline prostate-specific antigen below 1.0 ng/mL have a very low long-term risk of prostate cancer: results from a prospectively screened population cohort.

Objective To study the use of a baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination in men (aged 40-49 years) in predicting long-term prostate cancer risk in a prospectively followed, representative population cohort. Patients and Methods Since 1990, a random sample of men in Olmsted County (aged 40-49 years) has been followed up prospectively (n = 268), with biennial visits, including a urologic questionnaire, PSA screening, and physical examination. The ensuing risk of prostate cancer (CaP) was compared using survival analyses. Results Median follow-up was 16.3 years (interquartile range 14.0-17.3, max 19.1). For men with a baseline PSA Conclusion Men (aged 40-49 years) can be stratified with a baseline PSA. If it is below 1.0 ng/mL, there is very little risk for developing a lethal CaP, and as many as 75% of men might be able to avoid additional PSA screening until 55 years. Conversely, men aged 40-49 years with a baseline PSA level >1.0 ng/mL had a significant risk of CaP diagnosis and should be monitored more closely.
ADAMTS13, lucky to have a hydrophobic pocket

In this issue of Blood, de Groot et al identify a hydrophobic pocket in the Cys-rich domain of ADAMTS13 that appears to interact with the hydrophobic pocket in the central A2 domain of von Willebrand factor (VWF) for its proteolysis.
Defending Against Barrier Intrusions with Mobile Sensors

Deploying wireless sensor networks has been recognized as one of the effective and cost-efficient ways to defend remote barrier regions such as international territorial borders. It has also been demonstrated recently that, by introducing sensor mobility into the wireless sensor network, the network coverage performance can be greatly improved. In this paper, we employ a game theoretic approach to study the problem of defending against barrier intrusions with mobile sensors, and demonstrate the equilibriums between barrier intrusions and sensor movement strategies in both non-obstructed and obstructed barriers. In particular, we derive the optimal sensor movement strategy to defend non-obstructed barriers, and propose a Dijkstra-like algorithm to generate a sensor movement strategy that performs well in defending obstructed barriers. We verify the correctness of our theoretic analysis by conducting in-depth simulations under various barrier intrusion and sensor movement scenarios.
A Study of Methadone Failures in an Abstinence Program

The methadone maintenance approach to the treatment of chronic heroin addiction has become exceedingly popular. Evaluations of such programs, however, have been generally inadequate and are particularly remiss in delineating the profile and fate of the methadone dropout. The present report focuses on a group of chronic heroin abusers who: (1) previously had failed on a methadone program (2) subsequently were institutionalized in a correctional facility, and (3) were paroled to a community-based abstinence program. The study addresses itself to the following questions: What are some of the experiences (expectations, fears, drug effects, disappointments, etc) that ex-methadone patients retrospectively associate with their methadone participation? Do methadone dropouts differ on social-demographic and criminal history variables from addict-parolees who never participated in a methadone maintenance program ? What will be the adjustment course in an abstinence program of ex-methadone patients compared to a coh...
Studies on the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin: with notes on the cation requirement for this reaction.

Abstract The present study examines the reaction leading to the formation of thrombin from its precursor, prothrombin. The data demonstrate that the amount of thrombin generated from a mixture of prothrombin and the "prothrombin-converting principle," derived from the interaction of activated Stuart factor and proaccelerin in the presence of phospholipid and calcium ions, is directly related to the amount of prothrombin initially present. The rate of generation of thrombin, however, is a function of the concentration of the "prothrombin-converting principle," and is greatly retarded at a temperature of 0 ° C. These data provide experimental evidence that the activation of prothrombin is enzymatic, a view long held by many investigators. The cations calcium or strontium must be present for thrombin to evolve from prothrombin under the conditions used in this study.
QUANTITATION OF VIRUSES BY THE PLAQUE TECHNIQUE

Berg, Gerald (Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center, Cincinnati, Ohio), Eugene K. Harris, Shih L. Chang, and Kenneth A. Busch. Quantitation of viruses by the plaque technique. J. Bacteriol. 85: 691–700. 1963.—This paper presents the results of a study on overcrowding as it occurred with several strains of enteroviruses on monkey kidney cell layers. Each cell sheet area was 4,500 mm 2 . Dispersion analysis of all plaque counts in the study revealed that the percentage error, in the absence of overcrowding, fluctuated within a range of 7 to 36% about a mean value of about 17%, which is close to what is expected from purely statistical variation in sampling. Overcrowding with Mahoney virus, a mixture of particles producing either rapidly or slowly expanding plaques, resulted primarily from the obscuring effect produced as rapidly expanding plaques obliterated infected foci produced by virus particles responsible for slow-forming plaques. Overcrowding occurred at plaque levels in excess of 35 to 40 per cell sheet. Overcrowding with Mahoney LP virus, a strain derived from a rapidly expanding Mahoney plaque which produced uniformly expanding plaques, did not occur until counts in excess of 60 to 70 per cell sheet were reached. Plaque obscuring was again responsible. Apparent overcrowding with Coxsackie A9 virus, when plaques were not permanently marked from the first day of counting, resulted from coalescence at levels above about 40 to 50 plaques per cell sheet. When plaques were permanently marked, overcrowding resulted from plaque obscuring which did not occur until levels in excess of about 120 per cell sheet were reached.
Mammalian Ric-8A (Synembryn) Is a Heterotrimeric Gα Protein Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor

The activation of heterotrimeric G proteins is accomplished primarily by the guanine nucleotide exchange activity of ligand-bound G protein-coupled receptors. The existence of nonreceptor guanine nucleotide exchange factors for G proteins has also been postulated. Yeast two-hybrid screens with Gαo and Gαs as baits were performed to identify binding partners of these proteins. Two mammalian homologs of the Caenorhabditis elegans protein Ric-8 were identified in these screens: Ric-8A (Ric-8/synembryn) and Ric-8B. Purification and biochemical characterization of recombinant Ric-8A revealed that it is a potent guanine nucleotide exchange factor for a subset of Gα proteins including Gαq, Gαi1, and Gαo, but not Gαs. The mechanism of Ric-8A-mediated guanine nucleotide exchange was elucidated. Ric-8A interacts with GDP-bound Gα proteins, stimulates release of GDP, and forms a stable nucleotide-free transition state complex with the Gα protein; this complex dissociates upon binding of GTP to Gα.
Ethics for the pediatician: disorders of sex development: optimizing care.

1. Katrina Karkazis, PhD, MPH* 2. Wilma C. Rossi, MD† 1. *Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif. 2. †Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Philadelphia School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa. Disorders of sex development (DSD) are “congenital conditions in which development of chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex is atypical.” (1) Standard practice from the 1950s to the 1990s had been to identify the cause, assess intervention possibilities, and determine the optimal gender assignment for the child. Surgery usually was performed to make the infant's genitals more typical for the sex of rearing and to remove gonads discordant with the sex of rearing. Traditional practice also tended toward paternalistic decision-making and incomplete disclosure to parents and affected individuals about the condition and its treatment. Beginning in the 1990s, adults cared for as children voiced concerns about their care, citing problems with sexual function due to surgical complications, feelings of being on medical display, lifelong struggles with depression and shame, incomplete information about their condition, and insufficient attention by medical caregivers to quality of life issues. Based on patients' criticisms of care, medical experts and patient advocates convened to revise the model of care for DSD, resulting in the “Consensus Statement on the Management of Intersex Disorders.” (1) The Consensus Statement reflects the current standard of care for DSD and is used as the basis for the following discussion, highlighting important shifts from previous treatment paradigms. Children born with DSD need a specialized approach to facilitate the highest quality of decision-making required to achieve the best possible care. ### Team Approach Care for children who have DSD requires an experienced multidisciplinary team comprised of a range of pediatric subspecialists (eg, endocrinology, urology/surgery, psychology/psychiatry, social work, nursing, bioethics, and child life). (1)(2) The team also should include the child's pediatrician (or other primary medical …
Gut-associated lymphoid T cell suppression enhances bacterial translocation in alcohol and burn injury.

The mechanism of alcohol-mediated increased infection in burn patients remains unknown. With the use of a rat model of acute alcohol and burn injury, the present study ascertained whether acute alc...
Use of the Titles Ms., Miss or Mrs.: Does It Make a Difference?.

In a study of sexism and language 112 persons at a shopping mall were asked to read a paragraph about an achieving woman who was either given the title Miss, Mrs., or Ms., or not given a title. Persons receiving the paragraph with the Ms. title rated the woman as less honest. No effect of the title variation was obtained on a number of other rating dimensions. The results were interpreted as reflecting public acceptance of the use of the Ms. title.
Werner Complexes Viewed Anew: Utilizing Cobalt Coordination Chemistry for ‘Traceless’ Stimuli-Responsive Bioconjugation Involving Therapeutic Nanoparticles, Protein PEGylation, and Drug-(Bio)polymer Conjugates

Alfred Werner received the Nobel Prize in 1913 for his pioneering work in developing coordination theory for metal complexes. A crucial experiment leading to the widespread acceptance of Werner's theory involved the resolution of a set of chiral cobalt complexes, specifically cis-[Co(en)2(NH3)X]X2 (X˭Cl, Br). The kinetic inertness of the Co complexes studied was likely a major contributor to the success of this endeavor by providing a robust system to probe ligand geometry. Here, we revisit this classic coordination chemistry and show how it can be utilized in the field of targeted drug delivery for the bioconjugation of amine-containing (bio)molecules. The chemistry proved to be quite robust, and could be used to crosslink albumin into nanoparticles (20-500 nm in diameter) that exhibited exceptional stability under physiological conditions. The chemistry was pursued as a “traceless” linker that would degrade under reducing conditions, which was observed experimentally through the degradation of our cobal...
Optimal design of digital filters with embedded signal processors

Digital filters are systems that modify certain frequencies relative to others either by a digital computational process or by implementation of an algorithm. A band-limited signal which is continuos-time is sampled at the Nyquist rate and converted to discrete-time by a digital filter. This paper deals with the design of digital filters which include specification, approximation and realization of the desired properties of a causal discrete time system using a new generation of Intel 80C196 embedded controller with digital signal processing capabilities. The 80C196, in addition to its register to register architecture, has a hardware based accumulator and multiply/accumulate instructions suitable for signal processing. Key features of the instruction set to perform signal processing functions are described. Fast I/O operations and software implementation of digital filters in hard disk drive servo operations, optimized for performance and memory are discussed, along with a high level overview of both the architecture and software.
Michel de Montaigne's Contributions to Cultural Anthropology

Modern cultural anthropology was not established until the 19th century. But some of the basic questions in cultural anthropology about man and culture were discussed by the precursors of the field. Questions such aswhy peoples and their cultures are different and how these differences should be dealt with. In this article the author posits that Michel de Montaigne has made significant contributions to the questions and the notions of man and culture in cultural anthropology. Drawing on Montaigne’s major essays “Of Experience,” “Of Customs,” “Of Coaches,” and “Of Cannibals,” the author demonstrates that Montaigne is a strong believer in understanding and evaluating an individual culture in its own context. His beliefs are grounded in his epistemological skepticism and his views of reason, experience, difference, resemblance, customs, man, culture, and nature. Expanding the discussion of Montaigne’s concepts of man and culture in the context of some relevant cultural approaches in modern cultural anthropology, the author argues that Montaigne may be well associated with the cultural pluralist approach in anthropology.
Recent Advances of Curcumin and its Analogues in Breast Cancer Prevention and Treatment

More than 230,000 diagnosed cases of invasive breast cancer in women was estimated in 2014 and an expected 40,000 deaths attributed to the aggressive carcinoma. An effective approach to diminish the morbidity and mortality of breast cancer is the development of chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. Nutraceuticals have demonstrated their ability to proficiently halt carcinogenesis. The administration of natural compounds able to effectively serve as chemoprevention and chemotherapeutics without causing harm or adverse effects is imperative. Curcumin derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., is a common spice of India, used for centuries because of its medicinal properties. The main component of curcumin possesses a wide range of biological activities; anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and apoptotic characteristics modulated through the inactivation of pathways such as EGK and Akt/mTOR. In addition, curcumin alters the expression of cytokines, transcription factors, and enzymes involved in cell vitality. The in vivo application of curcumin in breast cancer is hindered by its limited bioavailabiity. The synthesis of curcumin analogues and delivery via nanoparticles has demonstrated enhanced bioavailability of curcumin in the malignancy. This review focuses on recent developments in the use of curcumin, curcumin analogues, and novel delivery systems as a preventive and therapeutic method for breast cancer.
Technical Assistance Needs for Successful Implementation of Couples HIV Testing and Counseling (CHTC) Intervention for Male Couples at US HIV Testing Sites

The African couples HIV testing and counseling (CHTC) model, which focuses on heterosexual couples, was adapted for same-sex male couples in the US. This paper presents the results of a follow-up survey conducted with representatives of the agencies that received CHTC training. The paper aims to understand the post-training implementation and identify critical technical assistance gaps. There are clear needs for continual learning opportunities, focused on the key skills required for CHTC, and for resources aimed at tackling agency-level concerns about service provision and integration. Central to this is the need for implementation science research that can identify the messages that are effective in encouraging couples to utilize CHTC and test models of service integration.
An efficient method for inverse dynamics of manipulators based on the virtual work principle

The computational efficiency of inverse dynamics of a manipulator is important to the real-time control of the system. For serial manipulators, the recursive Newton-Euler method has been proven to be the most efficient. However, for more general manipulators, such as serial manipulators with closed kinematic loops or parallel manipulators, it must be modified accordingly and the resultant computational efficiency is degraded. This article presents a computationally efficient scheme based on the virtual work principle for inverse dynamics of general manipulators. The present method uses a forward recursive scheme to compute velocities and accelerations, the Newton-Euler equation to calculate inertia forces/torque, and the virtual work principle to formulate the dynamic equations of motion. This method is equally effective for serial and parallel manipulators. For serial manipulators, its computational efficiency is comparable to the recursive Newton-Euler method. For parallel manipulators or serial manipulators with closed kinematic loops, it is more efficient than the existing methods. As an example, the computations of inverse dynamics (including inverse kinematics) of a general Stewart platform require only 842 multiplications, 511 additions, and 12 square roots.
Technology and the French Glass Industry, 1640–1740

Industrial expansion depends upon the state of the industrial arts. If we are to explain the rise of “modern industry” we must know precisely what the technological developments were in particular industries during those periods that are recognized as having been extremely important in the development of modern industrial techniques. This study, therefore, deals with the growth, structure, and technology of the French glass industry during a critical period (1640–1740).
Search-based buffer management policies for streaming in continuous media servers

In this paper we propose efficient buffer prefetching and replacement policies for continuous-media servers that support content-based search and retrieval. The new policies are based on the knowledge collected from the content-based search manager and the streaming manager. We show that by integrating the knowledge from the search and streaming components, we can achieve better caching of media streams, thus minimizing initial latency and reducing disk I/O. We test the search-based policies on a prototype video database system developed at Purdue University. The results show that initial latency is reduced on the average by 20%, compared to the traditional policies.
THE “TROGLOPAGURUS GROUP” OF DIOGENES (DECAPODA: ANOMURA: PAGUROIDEA: DIOGENIDAE) REVISITED

Abstract Ambiguity in the purported diagnostic attributes utilized to identify species of the poorly known “Troglopagurus group” of the hermit crab genus Diogenes prompted a review and critical reassessment of the morphological characters used to differentiate the nine recorded taxa. For this, an analysis was conducted based on 122 individuals including the majority of type specimens. The data clearly showed that the intraspecific variation inherent in these taxa rendered the presumably diagnostic characters ineffective in differentiating among the seemingly distinct species. As a result of the investigation, Diogenes setocristatus and Diogenes stenops were found to be junior subjective synonyms of Diogenes jousseaumei. Similarly, Diogenes platyops proved to be a junior subjective synonym of Diogenes jubatus. The incorrectly interpreted D. manaarensis was reappraised, based on the remaining syntype, herein designated the lectotype, and variations in the morphologies of the inadequately described D. persic...
Activation of MAPK by modified low-density lipoproteins in vascular smooth muscle cells.

A high concentration of circulating low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. Native LDL and LDL modified by glycation and/or oxidation are increased in diabetic in...
The evolutionary and embryologic basis for the development and anatomy of the cavum veli interpositi.

I read with interest the recent article by Chen et al entitled, “Sonographic Characteristic of the Cavum Velum Interpositum” [(1)][1]. The regional anatomy of the cavum veli interpositi is complex and difficult to understand. I would like to point out the following anatomic information that is
A preliminary investigation of racial differences in body talk in age-diverse U.S. adults.

Abstract To compare racial similarities and differences in conversations about body image, this online study surveyed U.S. adult men (n = 1928) and women (n = 1965) on 1) exposure to and 2) pressure to engage in body talk using vignettes featuring unfavorable body talk (e.g., “fat talk”) or favorable self-accepting body talk. Black women reported less unfavorable body talk compared to White, Hispanic, and Asian women. Conversely, Black and Hispanic women reported more experience with favorable body talk compared to White women. Asian men reported more experience with favorable and unfavorable body talk compared to White men, and Black men reported more experience with favorable body talk compared to White men. Findings for Black women and men are largely consistent with body image literature espousing personal individualization of beauty and style (e.g., “She's got it going on”). Given the dearth of research on body talk among men, conclusions regarding racial differences among men are tentative. Further exploration of varying forms of body talk holds promise for the development of culturally-sensitive prevention and treatment efforts for body image and disordered eating among culturally diverse groups of men and women.
Mutational analysis of the C8-guanine adduct of the environmental carcinogen 3-nitrobenzanthrone in human cells: critical roles of DNA polymerases η and κ and Rev1 in error-prone translesion synthesis

3-Nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA), a potent mutagen and suspected human carcinogen, is a common environmental pollutant. The genotoxicity of 3-NBA has been associated with its ability to form DNA adducts, including N-(2′-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-3-aminobenzanthrone (C8-dG-ABA). To investigate the molecular mechanism of C8-dG-ABA mutagenesis in human cells, we have replicated a plasmid containing a single C8-dG-ABA in human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T) cells, which yielded 14% mutant progeny. The major types of mutations induced by C8-dG-ABA were G → T > G → A > G → C. siRNA knockdown of the translesion synthesis (TLS) DNA polymerases (pols) in HEK293T cells indicated that pol η, pol κ, pol ι, pol ζ, and Rev1 each have a role in replication across this adduct. The extent of TLS was reduced with each pol knockdown, but the largest decrease (of ∼55% reduction) in the level of TLS occurred in cells with knockdown of pol ζ. Pol η and pol κ were considered the major contributors of the mutagenic TLS, because the mutati...
The Sarcophagidae of Barro Colorado Island, Panama (Diptera)

Four Miltogramminae and 68 Sarcophaginae are keyed and recorded, of which 7 genera and 33 species are new. Most of the specimens were taken by Carl W., and Marian E. Rettenmeyer, over swarm raids of Eciton and Labidus (army ants), by Malaise trap, or laboratory reared. One species is metallic green; all other Sarcophaginae have (1) body gray or yellow-gray-pollinose, not glaucous-gray; (2) thorax trivittate, the vittae neither greatly broadened nor reduced; (3) antennae black, the arista long plumose, and (4) legs black, the tibial cicatrix moderate to small. Of the new species of Sarcophaginae 40% have males with a typical female head. New taxa are: Anapunaphyto apicata , Chactoravinia postnoda (Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica), Dexosarcophaga ecitocola, varia, currani, halli, lopesi, malaisei, Duochaeta veniseta, Ectomyia jubilator , Emdenimyia banksi , Helicobia ajax (Panama, El Salvador, Colombia), Metopia astuta, macrocera , Nephochactopteryx aurescens, distincta, hyalina, marianae, maxima, rettenmeyeri, spinosa , Notochaeta bisetosa, frontalis, monochaeta, palpalis, panamensis, vexator , Oxysarcodexia jamesi, Panava inflata , Pessoamyia emblemasoma, Rettenmeyerina serrata Varcophaga varenna (Panama, Brazil), Xarcophaga xon .
Commissions of Inquiry in Germany

Inquiries are ventures into the unknown. As instrumentalities of government, officially organized investigations are a relatively recent addition to the mechanism of politics. Leaving aside regular agencies of criminal procedure such as the grand jury, one may say that the emergence of investigating committees is closely connected with the growth of representative government. Parliamentary inquiries have come to be regarded as essential implements of legislative control over the executive branch. The present brief survey of German experience undertakes to show the potentialities and limitations of a different type of officially organized investigation: the executive inquiry.
Mid-infrared optical constants of clinopyroxene and orthoclase derived from oriented single-crystal reflectance spectra

We have determined the mid-IR optical constants of one alkali feldspar and four pyroxene compositions in the range of 250–4000 cm−1. Measured reflectance spectra of oriented single crystals were iteratively fit to modeled spectra derived from classical dispersion analysis. We present the real and imaginary indices of refraction ( n and k ) along with the oscillator parameters with which they were modeled. While materials of orthorhombic symmetry and higher are well covered by the current literature, optical constants have been derived for only a handful of geologically relevant monoclinic materials, including gypsum and orthoclase. Two input parameters that go into radiative transfer models, the scattering phase function and the single scattering albedo, are functions of a material’s optical constants. Pyroxene is a common rock-forming mineral group in terrestrial bodies as well as meteorites and is also detected in cosmic dust. Hence, having a set of pyroxene optical constants will provide additional details about the composition of Solar System bodies and circumstellar materials. We follow the method of Mayerhofer et al. (2010), which is based on the Berreman 4 × 4 matrix formulation. This approach provides a consistent way to calculate the reflectance coefficients in low-symmetry cases. Additionally, while many models assume normal incidence to simplify the dispersion relations, this more general model applies to reflectance spectra collected at non-normal incidence.
On the Davey-Stewartson system with competing nonlinearities

This paper is concerned with the blow-up solutions for the Davey-Stewartson system with competing nonlinearities, which results in the loss of scaling invariance. The best constant of a new gG-N type inequality is given to find the sharp threshold mass of blow-up and global existence. Moreover, under the sharp threshold mass, the dynamical behavior of blow-up solutions is investigated, including L2-concentration, L2 weak limits, and limiting profile.
Thin Nitride Films: Pushing the Limits Using Rapid Thermal Processing

Silicon nitride, a celebrated dielectric material in semiconductor processing, is used extensively in almost all of today’s key technologies (DRAM, microprocessor, SRAM, Flash memories, etc.). The physical and electrical properties of this material are well understood, and integration of silicon nitride in a given process is simple. As a result of these benefits, alternate dielectric material technologies have found limited acceptance. As feature sizes shrink, the formation of reliable thin nitride films is critical and the performance of these nitride films is very dependent on the technology used for their preparation. In this paper, we show that an incremental and overall improvement in the physical and electrical properties of nitride films can be attained by using rapid thermal processing technology. We present the nucleation behavior of the <100 A nitride films on polysilicon surfaces. We investigate the integrity of these films as a function of predeposition environment and discuss the oxidation and punch-through resistance of cluster tool-deposited films. The results of our studies of the conduction mechanism in thin silicon nitride films and scaling limits for these films are shown. We also discuss the structural and electrical changes these films undergo during the subsequent reoxidation process performed for leakage current reduction.
Discussion on the sterilization temperature of rice wine

The factors determining the sterilization temperature of rice wine were introduced, and compared with those of beer and Japanese sake. It was proposed that the spoilage of rice wine resulted from lactobacilli and measures controlling spoilage of products were provided. The principle of producing ethyl lactate for cell-stored jar wine and sour wine, and fermentation process was given.
Acute renal failure in cardiovascular and other surgical patients.

The acute onset of oliguria and azotemia postoperatively may be caused by prerenal or postrenal causes or intrinsic renal damage. Certain simple laboratory tests are of tremendous value in differentiating these conditions. Pathologic findings, recognition, and treatment are considered.
Case report 461

Over a 3-month period this 25-year-old man noted the presence of a gradually enlarging, painless mass in his left thigh, which he initially attributed to minor trauma suffered at work. He also complained of a recent loss of 8 pounds. On physical examination an 8 x 12 cm firm, nontender mass was palpated in the anterolateral segment of the lower portion of the right thigh. The mass was fixed to the underlying bone. The laboratory studies were normal. Radiographs of the thigh showed cortical irregularity along the lateral aspect of the distal end of the femoral diaphysis, with an adjacent soft tissue mass as well as spiculated and
Serengeti Micromammal Communities and the Paleoecology of Laetoli, Tanzania

The fossil deposits at Laetoli provide critical paleoanthropological insights that can be better understood in light of the modern Serengeti ecosystem. Earlier paleoenvironmental reconstructions of the site depicted it as a semi-arid grassland, similar to the modern Serengeti plains. Subsequent analyses, however, have converged around an interpretation emphasizing a greater wooded component in a more humid climate, suggesting that the adaptations of A. afarensis remain linked to a more closed and wooded biome. The range of proposed paleoenvironments encompasses the range seen in the modern Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem today and thus the Serengeti serves as a natural analogy for comparisons with Laetoli. Our understanding of past environments is informed by the study of modern mammalian communities where it is possible to observe species distributions, adaptations and community composition. As paleoenvironmental indicators, micromammals provide a signal of local paleoenvironments at a smaller spatial grain than large mammals and thus may prove critical to resolving some of the ambiguities of paleoenvironmental interpretations at Laetoli. This chapter presents findings on the modern rodent biodiversity in Serengeti based on material recovered from owl roosting sites distributed throughout the ecosystem. The Serengeti experiences strong ecological gradients, which influence vegetation patterns and the distribution of rodent genera. Examining the interplay between habitats and rodent community composition provides the necessary baseline perspective for interpreting Laetoli paleoenvironments.
Population Dynamics of Mitochondria in Mammalian Cells

Mitochondria are organelles located inside eukaryotic cells that play several key cellular roles, including providing energy (i.e., ATP), participating in cell signaling, triggering cell differentiation, and initiating apoptosis. All organisms are believed to have low levels of variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and repeated mitotic segregation and clonal expansion can enable a mitochondrion to eventually dominate the mtDNA pool. Alterations in mtDNA are connected to a range of human health conditions, including: epilepsy, heart failure, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Therefore, understanding how changes in mtDNA accumulate over time and are correlated to changes in mitochondrial function and cell properties can have a profound impact on our understanding of fundamental mammalian cell biology and the origins of some human diseases. Motivated by this, we develop and study a mathematical model to determine which cellular parameters have the largest impact on mtDNA population dynamics. The model consists of coupled differential equations to describe subpopulations of healthy and dysfunctional mitochondria subject to mitochondrial fission, fusion, autophagy, and mutation, and varying levels of cellular ATP, which depend on ATP generation during fusion and energy dissipation by fission and other cellular mechanisms. We study the time evolution of each sub-population under specific selection biases and pressures by tuning specific terms in our model and obtain a phase diagram in the parameter space of the ratio of the rates of fusion, mutation, and autophagy of the healthy and dysfunctional populations. The study complements experiments, where it is often difficult to tune one parameter at a time. Our results may provide insights into how sub-populations of mitochondria survive and evolve under different selection pressures and with time.
The Causal Impact of Grammatical Gender Marking on Gender Wage Inequality and Country Income Inequality

In this study, we investigate, both theoretically and empirically, the impact of language gender marking on gender wage inequality and country income inequality. We find that nations with a higher ...
MakeAmericaGreatAgain: ideological fantasy, American exceptionalism and Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s unlikely rise to the Presidency of the United States has been beguiling for politicians, pundits and scholars alike. In this paper, I argue that Trump’s appeal is best understood through a Lacanian reading of ideological fantasy. Combining a political logic of ideology and antagonism in combination with a Lacanian reading of fantasy, ideological fantasy suggests that while language is infused with materiality, there is an intractable disconnect between the body and the symbolic order. In order to make this disconnect palatable, fantasmatic narratives are constructed that seek to explain away the presence of lack, principally by reproducing antagonisms positioned as responsible for this discontent. In this regard, the power of Trump’s appeal was that he provided compelling explanations for the disruption of the foundational American myth of exceptionalism by isolating antagonisms that explain its apparent fracture, as well as offering the possibility of overcoming these antagonisms to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain!
Applying Intergroup Relations Research to Understanding LGB Health Disparities

This article describes how intergroup processes and stigma contribute to pervasive health disparities that exist between LGB and heterosexual individuals. In particular, we focus on how the hierarchical organization of groups and the intergroup dynamics that arise from this structure operate at structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal levels to impact psychological and physiological processes that negatively influence health among LGB individuals. We focus on how these various manifestations of stigma act as additional stressors with which LGB individuals must contend and how this stress impacts health via stress-related physiological reactivity, coping strategies, and health care interactions. Throughout we highlight how specific aspects of LGB identities (i.e., concealability and “nontribal” nature) present concerns that diverge from those documented in research on race and gender-based stigmas. We end by discussing areas for future research and implications for social policy and interventions.
Smart Home Cyberattack Detection Framework for Sponsor Incentive Attacks

Sponsor incentive pricing is an emerging pricing scheme in smart home energy systems. It allows a supplier of smart appliances to co-pay the electricity bills of customers due to using their products, which boosts the sales of smart appliances in the sponsor program. More importantly, it facilitates to shift energy usage of incentive customers from peak to non-peak hours by designing the time-varying rate, which is inversely proportional to the total demand. Despite its effectiveness in bill reduction and load balancing, the sponsor incentive pricing scheme is vulnerable to various forms of cyberattacks. In this paper, we develop the first detection technique for cyberattacks that exploits the sponsor incentive pricing scheme. Our short-term detection algorithm uses binary logistic regression for learning the energy usage patterns and identifying anomaly ones. Leveraging the partially observable Markov decision process framework, our long-term detection algorithm optimizes the utility’s decision of on-site inspections while minimizing the labor cost and the financial loss due to cyberattacks. The simulation results demonstrate that, for detection of rebate rate cyberattacks, the proposed algorithm reduces the peak-to-average ratio of the aggregate energy usage profile by 26.57% and 9.58%, compared with the no-detection scenario and a natural heuristic detection technique, respectively. For detection of sponsor incentive abuse, the maliciously elevated electricity bill is reduced by 46.03% and 15.30%, respectively.
Orthopedic Surgery Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Study to Identify Risk Factors, Sex Differences, and Time Trends.

Objective To identify risk factors for large-joint surgery (LJS) versus small-joint surgery (SJS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and evaluate trends in surgery rates over time. Methods A retrospective medical record review of all orthopedic surgeries following first fulfillment of the 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria for adult-onset RA among residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota between 1980 and 2013 was performed. Risk factors were examined using Cox models adjusted for age, sex, and calendar year of RA incidence. Trends in incidence of joint surgeries were examined using Poisson regression models. Results A total of 1,077 patients with RA (mean age 56 years, 69% female, 66% seropositive for rheumatoid factor [RF] and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide [anti-CCP] antibodies) were followed for a median of 10.7 years, during which 112 patients (90 women) underwent at least 1 SJS and 204 (141 women) underwent at least 1 LJS. Risk factors included advanced age, and RF and anti-CCP antibody positivity for both SJS and LJS, and body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 for LJS. Risk factors for SJS and LJS at any time during followup included the presence of radiographic erosions, large-joint swelling, and methotrexate use. SJS rates decreased by calendar year of incidence (hazard ratio 0.53, P = 0.001), with significant decline in the rates of SJS after 1995. The cumulative incidence of SJS was higher in women than men (P = 0.008). Conclusion In recent years, there has been a significant decline in the rates of SJS but not LJS in patients with RA. The incidence of SJS is higher among women. Traditional RA risk factors are strong predictors for SJS and LJS. Increasing age and obesity are predictive of LJS.
Acute Postoperative Renal Failure Following Insertion of an Antibiotic-Impregnated Cement Spacer in Revision Total Joint Arthroplasty: Two Case Reports.

Chronic periprosthetic infection is one of the most feared and difficult to treat complications of total joint arthroplasty1-3. Although treatment is controversial, a two-stage revision with interim placement of an antibiotic-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spacer is considered the so-called “gold standard4-6.” Vancomycin and tobramycin are two of the most common antibiotics admixed with PMMA. Spacers with this combination of antibiotics have been demonstrated to elute bactericidal concentrations of antibiotics locally7-10. While systemic concentrations of antibiotic used in this technique are generally low8,9,11-13, several factors can lead to high serum concentrations, including the amount of antibiotic implanted14, combining vancomycin and an aminoglycoside10,15, and manual mixing, which causes variation in elution pharmacodynamics15. Both vancomycin and tobramycin have been associated with renal failure when used systemically in 13.5% (thirty-nine of 289) and 12.9% (275 of 2130) of cases, respectively16,17; there is a synergistic effect when both are used concurrently18,19. To the best of our knowledge, although previous series have not demonstrated nephrotoxicity when these antibiotics were used in PMMA spacers8,13-15,20, previous case reports have21-24. In this report, we present two cases of nephrotoxicity and elevated serum tobramycin levels that developed after the implantation of a PMMA spacer with high doses of vancomycin and tobramycin. Improvement in renal function occurred following removal of the spacers. Both patients were informed that data concerning their cases would be submitted for publication, and they provided consent. Case 1. A seventy-seven-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, gout, a seizure disorder, and a right total knee arthroplasty presented to our …
Cinematic Thanatourism and the Purloined Past: The “Game of Thrones Effect” and the Effect of Game of Thrones on History

With an average weekly viewership of twenty-three million people from 170 different countries, HBO’s ultra-bloody fantasy series Game of Thrones is the most-watched television show on the planet. Despite Westeros’s high body count (or some would say because of it), fans of the show are flocking in unprecedented numbers to the locales where the show is filmed. This chapter argues that the Game of Thrones virtual dark tourism industries in contemporary Iceland and Northern Ireland appropriate the identity and history of fictional places in order to invent a new model of national identity that destabilizes the definition of “history” through the act of overwriting it.
Applications of the Epimorphism Theorem

We denote by R n the n-dimensional Euclidean space, by x=(x1,..., x n ) the variable point in R n , by N n the subset of R n consisting of the n-tuples p=(p1,...,p n ) where the p j are integers ≥0. We set |p|=p1+...+p n (whereas \( \left| x \right| = {(x_{1}^{2} + ... + x_{n}^{2})^{{1/2}}} \). If ƒis a C∞ functions in R n , say with complex values, we write $$ {f^{{(p)}}}for{(\partial /\partial {x_{1}})^{{p1}}}...{(\partial /\partial {x_{n}})^{{Pn}}}f $$