cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Greek and Roman in dialogue: the pseudo-Lucianic Nero*

The short dialogue entitled Nero or on the digging of the Isthmus, preserved in the manuscripts of Lucian, is an intriguing piece. The contents are quickly summarised. Nero's abandoned attempt to dig through the Isthmus of Corinth is discussed by the two interlocutors, a certain Menecrates and the philosopher Musonius Rufus, who is said to have taken part in the digging (1). The scene is apparently the rugged Aegean island of Gyara to which the historical Musonius was exiled. The discussion broadens out to include Nero's tour of Greece, with a particular focus upon his singing; and it concludes as the news breaks of Nero's death (11). Menecrates' role in the discussion is limited to that of ‘prompter’, while Musonius assumes the authoritative, pedagogic role in the dialogue. Is there any unified meaning to this text? And why the dialogue form (given that Menecrates' role in it is so perfunctory)? This paper proposes one set of answers to these questions, by siting the Nero in the context of the cultural history of Greco-Roman relations, an area that has attracted much attention over the years (and has been further reinvigorated in the light of post-colonial theory).
Lower calyceal and renal pelvic stones in preschool children: A comparative study of mini‐percutaneous nephrolithotomy versus extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy

Objectives To compare outcomes of the mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for lower calyceal and renal pelvic stones in preschool children. Methods From January 2010 to December 2014, single renal pelvic or lower calyceal calculi 10–25 mm in size in children (age ≤6 years) treated by either extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (64 patients) or the mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique (54 patients) were included. Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy was carried out by using a Dornier electromagnetic lithotripter. The mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique was through 14-Fr renal access using a 9.5-Fr semirigid ureteroscope with holmium:yttrium aluminium garnet lithotripsy. The two study groups were compared using Mann–Whitney, χ2-test or Fisher's exact test. Results Stone parameters were similar in the mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy groups in all patients, and in the pelvic (39 Miniperc, 52 extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy) and lower calyceal (15 Miniperc, 12 extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy) subgroups. Stone-free rates in the mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy groups were 88.9% versus 43.8% (P < 0.001) and 94.4% versus 81.2% (P = 0.032) after first and last sessions, respectively. In the renal pelvis, they were 87.2% versus 50% (P < 0.001) and 94.9% versus 84.6% (P = 0.179), whereas in the lower calyx, they were 93.3% versus 16.7% (P < 0.001) and 93.3% versus 66.7% (P = 0.139) after first and last sessions, respectively. Retreatment rates in the mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique versus extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy were 7.4% versus 50% (P < 0.001), 7.7% versus 46.2% (P < 0.001), and 6.7% versus 66.7% (P = 0.003) in all patients, renal pelvic and lower calyceal stones, respectively. No significant difference was found in complications (P = 0.521). Auxiliary procedures were required in 9.4% and 1.9% of children in the extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy and mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique groups, respectively. Conclusions The mini-percutaneous nephrolithotripsy technique has significantly higher stone-free rates than extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for renal pelvic and lower calyceal stones (10–25 mm), with a lower retreatment rate and without a significant increase in complications.
Acid secretion after gastric operations.

In the early 20th century, the commonest surgical treatment of peptic ulcer was gastroenterostomy. Crohn and Wilensky demonstrated that this operation did not achieve its aim of markedly reducing gastric acidity or of accelerating motility. These results were highly controversial, but led to Lewisohn visiting Haberer in Austria in 1922, and convincing Dr. A.A. Berg to abandon gastroenterostomy and use partial gastrectomy as the standard ulcer operation, with additional vagotomy in those patients with duodenal ulcer with high acidity. In 1929, a few patients were treated by vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy by Dr. Ralph Colp, with discouraging results. It was only in the 1940s that Mount Sinai surgeons adopted transthoracic or subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and gastroenterostomy (or later, pyloroplasty) as their standard, effective acid-lowering treatment of peptic ulcers.
Nodular Fasciitis of the Bladder

Nodular fasciitis is a nonneoplastic swelling consisting of fibroblastic proliferation and commonly occurring in the subcutaneous tissue of the extremities. We report a case of nodular fasciitis involving the wall of the bladder. It is important to be aware of the histological characteristics of this essentially benign condition so that unnecessary radical therapies can be avoided.
Antibody-Drug Conjugates: A Historical Review

This chapter reviews the development of antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) before 1980s. Focus is on the early exploratory approaches to prove the concept of antibody-mediated “magic bullets.” Progress of ADC development correlated closely with the advances of the knowledge and technology in immunology, conjugation chemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology. Results from diverse studies in different scientific disciplines during the past half century have slowly established ADCs as a new category of biotherapeutics in cancer treatment.
Replies to comments on Judgment and Agency

This paper is part of a book symposium on my Judgment and Agency (Oxford University Press, 2015). Here I reply to the comments of three commentators: Jason Baehr, Imogen Dickie, and Hilary Kornblith.
Cancer pain: a review of epidemiology, clinical quality and value impact.

Cancer-related pain, reported by more than 70% of patients, is one of the most common and troublesome symptoms affecting patients with cancer. Despite the availability of effective treatments, cancer-related pain may be inadequately controlled in up to 50% of patients. With the growing focus on ‘value’ (healthcare outcomes achieved per dollar spent) in healthcare, the management of cancer-related pain has assumed novel significance in recent years. Data from initiatives that assess the quality of pain management in clinical practice have shown that effective management of cancer-related pain improves patient-perceived value of cancer treatment. As a result, assessment and effective management of cancer-related pain are now recognized as important measures of value in cancer care.
Computation of solenoidal (divergence-free) vector fields

In many important scientific applications (e.g., incompressible fluids) the diivergence-free property is not preserved by the partial differential equations describing the flow. Accordingly projection of a vector field v onto its solenoidal (divergence-free) part plays a fundamental role and in some respects is one of the most difficult aspects in the numerical analysis of such problems.
Automatic representation changes in problem solving

We explore methods for improving the performance of AI problem-solving systems by changing problem representations. Researchers have accumulated much evidence of the importance of appropriate representations for the efficiency of AI systems. The same problem may be easy or difficult, depending on the way we describe it and on the search algorithm that we use. Previous work on the automatic improvement of representations has mostly been limited to the design of individual learning algorithms. The user has traditionally been responsible for the choice of algorithms appropriate for a given problem. We describe a system that integrates multiple representation-changing and problem-solving algorithms. The purpose of our research is to formalize the concept of representation, explore its role in problem solving, and confirm the following general hypothesis: An effective representation-changing system can be constructed out of three parts: (1) a library of problem-solving algorithms; (2) a library of algorithms that improve problem representations, by static analysis and learning; (3) a top-level control module that selects appropriate representation changers and a problem solver for each given problem. We have supported this hypothesis by building a system that changes representations in the PRODIGY problem-solving architecture. The library of problem solvers consists of several search engines available in the PRODIGY architecture. The library of representation changers includes novel algorithms for selecting primary effects, generating abstractions, and discarding irrelevant elements of the domain encoding. The control module chooses and applies appropriate representation changers, stores and reuses new representations, and selects problem solvers. To identify effective algorithms, it performs statistical analysis of the past results, as well as heuristic comparisons of the available representations.
Rebellion and Reconstruction in Newark

Fifty years after the explosive summer of July 1967, the causes and consequences of the Newark Rebellion remain not only controversial but also congested with conflicting narratives. Mark Krasovic’...
Profiling the in vitro drug-resistance mechanism of influenza A viruses towards the AM2-S31N proton channel blockers.

Abstract The majority of human influenza A viruses currently in circulation carry the amantadine-resistant AM2-S31N channel mutation. We previously discovered a series of AM2-S31N inhibitors with potent antiviral activity against both oseltamivir-sensitive and -resistant influenza A viruses. To understand the drug-resistance mechanism of AM2-S31N inhibitors, we performed serial viral passage experiments using the influenza virus A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) to select drug-resistant AM2 mutations against two representative AM2-S31N channel blockers (1 and 2). Unlike amantadine, which gives rise to resistance after a single passage, compounds 1 and 2 selected for partially resistant viruses at passages 05 and 04 with a V27I and L26I mutation, respectively. This appears to suggest compounds 1 and 2 have a higher genetic barrier to resistance than amantadine at least in cell culture. Passage with a higher drug concentration of compound 2 selected higher level resistant viruses with a double mutant L26I + A30T. The mechanism of resistance and replication fitness for mutant viruses were evaluated by electrophysiology, reverse genetics, growth kinetics, and competition assays. AM2-S31N/V27I and AM2-S31N/L26I channels achieved similar specific proton conductance as AM2-S31N, but the AM2-S31N/L26I/A30T triple mutant had drastically reduced specific proton conductance. Viral replication fitness of AM2-S31N/V27I and AM2-S31N/L26I double mutant viruses were similar to AM2-S31N containing viruses in cell culture. However, AM2-S31N/L26I/A30T viruses displayed attenuated growth as well as inability to compete with AM2-S31N viruses. The results herein offer insight regarding the resistance mechanism of AM2-S31N inhibitors, and may help guide the design of the next-generation of AM2-S31N inhibitors with a higher genetic barrier to drug resistance.
Die Diaspora des Diaspora-Konzepts

Die Verwendung des Konzepts ‚Diaspora‘ hat im Laufe des vergangenen Jahrzehnts deutlich zugenommen. Als Folge dieser Entwicklung wurde der Bedeutungsgehalt von ‚Diaspora‘ in unterschiedliche Richtungen ausgeweitet.
Fuzzy Data Envelopment Analysis: A Credibility Approach

While the traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) requires precise input and output data, available data is usually imprecise and vague. “Fuzzy DEA” integrates the concept of fuzzy set theory with the traditional DEA by representing imprecise and vague data with fuzzy sets. In this paper, a credibility approach is proposed as a way to solve the fuzzy DEA model. The approach transforms a fuzzy DEA model into a well-defined credibility programming model, in which fuzzy variables are replaced by “expected credits” in terms of credibility measures. It is shown that when the membership functions of fuzzy data are trapezoidal, the credibility programming model becomes a linear programming model. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the proposed approach and results are compared with those obtained with alternative approaches.
Discussion on Linear Modeling of Variable Reactance in “Co-Optimization of Transmission Expansion Planning and TCSC Placement Considering the Correlation Between Wind and Demand Scenarios”

The authors of are to be congratulated for their interesting paper, which integrates variable reactance in transmission expansion planning. Among its contributions, [1] develops a fully -linear model of variable reactance within dc optimal power flow (DCOPF). This linear reformulation would considerably enhance computation. Our understanding, however, is that the reformulation is faulty. We provide a brief discussion of the error and would appreciate the authors' response.
A mediation model of green supply chain management adoption: The role of internal impetus

Abstract Previous research provides evidence that the adoption of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) is associated with improved organizational performance, suggesting that GSCM may help companies align environmental and economic goals. Therefore, it becomes important to understand the factors that encourage GSCM adoption. In addition to institutional drivers such as regulations, markets, and suppliers, we suggest that internal impetus, denoting an organization's inner motivation and managerial commitment toward environmental sustainability, is a key driver of GSCM adoption. Combining institutional and self-determination theories, we argue that markets and suppliers as non-coercive institutional drivers stimulate internal impetus while regulations, representing a coercive pressure, do not play this role. This leads us to propose a model of GSCM adoption in which pressures from markets and suppliers are mediated by internal impetus, while regulatory pressures impact adoption directly. We test this model with a sample of 60 manufacturing companies in the U.S. Midwest region using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. Our findings suggest that: (1) suppliers impact GSCM adoption both directly and through the mediating effect of internal impetus; (2) customers and other market pressures on GSCM adoption are fully mediated by internal impetus; (3) regulatory pressures have no impact on GSCM adoption for the companies in our sample. Our results highlight the importance of managerial commitment and the key role of suppliers in successful GSCM adoption. We discuss the implications of these findings and provide recommendations for managers.
Digital Storytelling as Reflexive Sensemaking: Developing Personal Narrative for Moral Leadership

This paper offers a case study of digital storytelling as an approach for engaging students in moral sensemaking in preparation for their future role as organizational leaders. The paper begins by ...
Opportunistic Channel Access Using Reinforcement Learning in Tiered CBRS Networks

The upcoming deployments of devices on the new 3.5 GHz, Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) is expected to enable innovation by lowering the barrier to entry into LTE and other technologies. With a three-tiered spectrum-sharing solution, the CBRS band promises to allow coexistence of federal incumbent users, priority licensees, and general users. While there have been many works studying cellular traffic offloading to unlicensed bands (e.g., Licensed Assisted Access) or minimizing interference in Cognitive Radio Networks, there has been comparatively little work on maximizing spatial reuse of spectrum in a shared spectrum CBRS network. Hence, the essence of this work is to leverage listen-before-talk (LBT) schemes over a CBRS network for increasing the spatial reuse at secondary (general) users while minimizing the interference footprint on higher-tier (incumbent) users. In this work, we propose LBT schemes that allow opportunistic access to licensed, CBRS spectrum and test our LBT schemes on a custom testbed with multiple software-defined radios and a real-time signal analyzer. We find that by allowing LBT spectrum sharing in a two carrier, two eNB scenario, we see upwards of 50% user perceived throughput (UPT) gains for both eNBs. Furthermore, we examine the use of Q-learning to adapt the energy-detection threshold (EDT), combating problematic topologies such as hidden and exposed nodes. When adapting the EDT of opportunistically transmitting nodes, we see up to 350% gains in average secondary node UPT in certain difficult topologies with merely a 4% reduction in primary node UPT.
Diffusion-Based Recycling of Flavins Allows Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 To Yield Energy from Metal Reduction Across Physical Separations.

We fabricated a microfluidic reactor with a nanoporous barrier to characterize electron transport between Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and the metal oxide birnessite across a physical separation. Real-time quantification of electron flux across this barrier by strains with different electron transfer capabilities revealed that this bacterium exports flavins to its surroundings when faced with no direct physical access to an electron acceptor, allowing it to reduce metals at distances exceeding 60 μm. An energy balance indicates that flavins must be recycled for S. oneidensis MR-1 to yield energy from lactate oxidation coupled to flavin reduction. In our system, we find that flavins are recycled between 24 and 60 times depending on flow conditions. This energy saving strategy, which until now had not been systematically tested or captured in environmentally relevant systems, suggests that electron shuttling microorganisms have the capacity to access and reduce metals in physically distant or potentially toxi...
Infectious Disease Hospitalizations United States, 2001 to 2014

Background Infectious disease epidemiology has changed over time, reflecting improved clinical interventions and emergence of threats such as antimicrobial resistance. This study investigated infectious disease hospitalizations in the United States from 2001 to 2014. Methods Estimated rates of infectious disease hospitalizations were calculated by using the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample. Infectious disease hospitalizations were defined as hospitalizations with a principal discharge diagnosis of an infectious disease. Diagnoses according to site of infection and sepsis were examined, as was occurrence of in-hospital death. The leading nonsepsis infectious disease secondary diagnoses for hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of sepsis were identified. Results The mean annual age-adjusted infectious disease hospitalization rate was 1,468.2 (95% CI, 1,459.9-1,476.4) per 100,000 population; in-hospital death occurred in 4.22% (95% CI, 4.18-4.25) of infectious disease hospitalizations. The mean annual age-adjusted infectious disease hospitalization rate increased from 2001-2003 to 2012-2014 (rate ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09), as did the percentage of in-hospital death (4.21% [95% CI, 4.13-4.29] to 4.30% [95% CI, 4.26-4.35]; P = .049). The diagnoses with the highest hospitalization rates among all sites of infection and sepsis diagnoses were the lower respiratory tract followed by sepsis. The most common nonsepsis infectious disease secondary diagnoses among sepsis hospitalizations were "urinary tract infection," "pneumonia, organism unspecified," and "intestinal infection due to Clostridium [Clostridioides] difficile." Conclusions Although hospital discharge data are subject to limitations, particularly for tracking sepsis, lower respiratory tract infections and sepsis seem to be important contributors to infectious disease hospitalizations. Prevention of infections that lead to sepsis and improvements in sepsis management would decrease the burden of infectious disease hospitalizations and improve outcomes, respectively.
Intelligent decision support for lung ventilation

Abstract Computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) have gained increasing significance in medicine in the past few decades. The application of these systems has become more critical and helpful as the amount of patient data for analysis has increased. The intensive care unit (ICU) settings in the hospitals are where numerous patient data need to be analyzed in a timely manner and the decisions made in that setting often make the difference between life and death. One of the main treatments provided to patients in the ICUs is mechanical ventilation. This treatment is used during anesthesia, after major surgical operations, or for respiratory treatment of patients who due to various illnesses are not capable of breathing on their own. Many CDSSs have been developed for use in mechanical ventilation in the past few decades. This chapter provides an overview of CDSSs in medicine with focus on the systems developed for mechanical ventilation and gives a brief description of several examples of those systems.
Signs, Wonders, and Gifts: Divination in the Letters of Paul: by Jennifer Eyl, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2019, ix + 260 pp., $105.00 (hardback) ISBN 978 0 19 092465 2

In this captivating study of Paul, Jennifer Eyl takes the reader along a fascinating journey through ancient religious practices, territory not often traversed in conventional treatments of the Apo...
Notes on harm reduction and the opioid epidemic in the United States

Abstract In this chapter, we present notes on the harm reduction approach to drug use with special focus on the current opioid epidemic in United States. Harm reduction is the most recent, and we believe the most effective, framework for addressing the problems of psychoactive drug use in large, complex societies. Harm reduction arose in opposition to previous perspectives on psychoactive drug use, including an ethnocentric condemnation of people who use certain types of drugs, and an insistence that persons with problematic drug use should not use any psychoactive drugs, including medications. We then examine specific principles of current harm reduction. Harm reduction addresses both illicit and licit drugs, which is vital given the recent prescription opiate epidemic in the United States. Harm reduction incorporates scientific knowledge about drugs. Harm reduction is continuously evolving. We then present an historical timeline for major events in the development of harm reduction in the United States. Finally, we discuss harm interventions for addressing the current opioid epidemic and provide tips for healthcare providers for working with people who use drugs.
COVID-19 and binge eating: Patient perceptions of eating disorder symptoms, tele-therapy, and treatment implications.

COVID-19 has been shown to detrimentally affect eating disorder symptoms, including increased dietary restriction and increased binge eating. However, research in this area is thus far limited. Additionally, as a result of the pandemic, many eating disorder treatments have converted to tele-health platforms, however, little is known about patient perceptions of this modality. The aim of the present, exploratory study was to qualitatively examine: (1) The impact of COVID-19 on binge eating spectrum disorder symptoms (2) Patient perceptions of tele-therapy, and (3) Ways to address COVID-19 in eating disorder treatment. Data were collected through one-on-one, semi-structured interviews (N = 11), conducted as part of a mid-program assessment for those undergoing individual, outpatient therapy for binge eating spectrum disorders. After thematic analysis, it was identified that patients reported both symptom deterioration and improvement during COVID-19. Factors surrounding social distancing and stay-at-home measures were found to both improve and worsen symptoms for different patients. Further, patients reported positive perceptions of tele-therapy, particularly appreciating the convenience of this modality. Finally, patients provided variable feedback on the incorporation of COVID-related concerns into their eating disorder treatment, with some participants wishing for this inclusion, and others viewing COVID-19 and their eating disorder as separate issues. Findings from the present study preliminarily identify ways in which binge eating spectrum disorder symptoms may have improved due to COVID-19 and indicate positive patient perceptions of tele-therapy. Our results may be used to inform the adaptation of future eating disorder treatment during COVID-19.
Efficient projection kernels for discontinuous Galerkin simulations of disperse multiphase flows on arbitrary curved elements

Abstract In this work, we develop projection kernels for Euler-Lagrange point-particle simulations of disperse multiphase flows on arbitrary curved elements. These kernels are employed in a high-order discontinuous Galerkin framework for projecting the action of the particles to the Eulerian mesh. Instead of commonly used isotropic kernels, such as a Gaussian-type kernel, we construct an anisotropic polynomial-based smoothing function that preserves the compactness of the discontinuous Galerkin method on high-aspect-ratio elements and maintains an acceptable computational cost. At the same time, it mitigates inaccuracies associated with larger particles and numerical instabilities arising from the Dirac delta function and low-order kernels. Specifically, the geometric mapping of a physical element to the reference element is exploited to construct a kernel that is elliptical in 2D and ellipsoidal in 3D. We also develop a strategy to conserve interphase transfer near boundaries, particularly on curved elements. This strategy employs a high-order polynomial approximation to appropriately rescale the interphase source terms in an efficient manner. The compatibility of the proposed methodology with different types of meshes is investigated. We then apply it to a number of particle-laden flow configurations, including supersonic dusty flow over a flat plate, moving shocks interacting with clouds of particles, and hypersonic dusty flows over blunt bodies.
Baseball, Softball, Cricket

Baseball, softball, and cricket are a popular group of sports which share the sports-specific demands of throwing and catching a ball as well as the use of a bat to hit the ball. While throwing mechanics vary between the sports, the demand of throwing elevates the percentage of upper extremity injuries in these sports compared to many other sports. The fact that each sport uses a bat to hit a ball thus launching a projectile at high speeds introduces the risk of ball contact and injury to the list of potential injuries in each of these sports. Targeting injury prevention in baseball, softball, and cricket includes thorough rehabilitation of prior injuries and a focus on optimizing an efficient kinetic chain sequence during the throwing movement. Overuse should be carefully monitored via pitch counts, load assessment, and athlete perceptions of effort and fatigue as each has been directly associated with increased risk of injuries in these athletes.
Can Adverse Childhood Experiences Heighten Risk for Problematic Internet and Smartphone Use? Findings from a College Sample.

Background: College students are among the heaviest users of smartphones and the Internet, and there is growing concern regarding problematic Internet (PIU) and smartphone use (PSU). A subset of adverse childhood experiences, household dysfunction [(HHD) e.g.; parental substance use, mental illness, incarceration, suicide, intimate partner violence, separation/divorce, homelessness], are robust predictors of behavioral disorders; however, few studies have investigated the link between HHD and PIU and PSU and potential protective factors, such as social support, among students. Methods: Data are from a diverse California student sample (N = 1027). The Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version and Internet Addiction Test assessed dimensions of addiction. Regression models tested associations between students’ level of HHD (No HHD, 1–3 HHD, ≥4 HHD) and PSU and PIU, and the role of extrafamilial social support in these relationships, adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, SES, employment loss due to COVID-19, and depression. Results: Compared to students reporting no HHD, students with ≥4 HHD had twice the odds (AOR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.21–3.40) of meeting criteria for PSU, while students with 1–3 HHD and ≥4 HHD had three and six times the odds of moderate to severe PIU (AORs: 2.03–2.46, CI:1.21–3.96) after adjusting for covariates. Extrafamilial social support was inversely associated with PIU and moderated the HHD–PSU association for students with 1–3 HHD. Conclusion: Students exposed to HHD may be especially vulnerable to developing behavioral addictions such as PSU and PIU. Extrafamilial social support offset the negative effects of HHD for PSU among the moderate risk group; implications for prevention efforts are discussed.
The development of individuals’ map-reading skill: what research and theory tell us

Map-reading skill is relevant to education and professions in many disciplines. Understanding how individuals develop map-reading skill has useful educational applications for the intentional devel...
CHAPTER 191 – Guanylyl Cyclases

Receptor guanylyl cyclases and their ligands together with guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP), and its effectors compose signal transduction pathways regulating essential tissue and cell functions. For example, cGMP is the docu-mented second messenger for NO- and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-induced vascular smooth muscle relaxation, and in the kidney cGMP mediates ANP-induced natriuresis and diuresis. Likewise, pathologic elevations of cGMP in intestinal mucosal cells result in severe diarrhea in response to secretion of a heat-stable peptide (Sta) from pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli; Sta is a potent agonist of a guanylyl cyclase in these cells. And disruption of the murine C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) gene, a ligand for a chondrocyte guanylyl cyclase, results in dwarfism and early death, while disruption of a photoreceptor guanylyl cyclase results in cone-specific dystrophy in the mouse. Therefore, the various guanylyl cyclase/cGMP signaling pathways are physiologically important, but the relevance of the interactions with other signaling pathways has been less clear. Recently, cGMP signaling pathways have been shown to impact on signaling systems that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation.
Christian and Critical English Language Educators in Dialogue: Pedagogical and Ethical Dilemmas by Mary Shepard-Wong and Suresh Canagarajah

As this book is the first of its kind in seeking to establish a public dialogue between English language teachers on matters of religious motives and practices, it is necessarily a work in progress...
¿Claúsulas relativas o construcciones de realce? Información conocida y sobreespecificación.

Within the framework provided by the Cognitive Grammar (Langacker (1987)), this article analyzes clauses like (1) ?Y vos viste la casa ? in contrast with clauses like (1’ ) ?Viste la casa que construyeron el mes pasado en Rodriguez Pena? We argue that (1) is an emphatic construction in which the speaker, in order to emphasize the ‘antecedent’, not only picks it up with a ‘left hand’ (a determiner different from an indefinite article) and a right hand (a form que –that-) but also orientates the hearer to the ‘antecedent’ giving him redundant information in the que (that) clause. We also prove that provided that (1) and (1’ ) are used with different communicative objectives, they have to be classified in different types of clauses. Then (1) remains classified with the emphatic strategies that present iconicity between syntax and the act of pick in up something and tripartite structure, while (1’ ) is a relative (adjective) clause.
Functionality, usability, and accessibility

Purpose – Usability, functionality, and accessibility testing of digital library information services and products is essential for providing high quality services to users. This paper aims to detail a long‐term, evolving effort to develop meaningful evaluations for assessing digital libraries.Design/methodology/approach – A multi‐year study to determine appropriate evaluation techniques, tools, and methodologies for the Florida Electronic Library (FEL) and other digital library efforts. The evaluation protocols and approaches were designed iteratively over time through assessment efforts with other digital library initiatives and with multiple versions of the FEL. The research described in this paper relies on a combination of functionality, usability, and accessibility evaluation strategies applied iteratively to assess libraries from the perspective of patron needs.Findings – By combining these three methodologies, the researchers found that they were able to create a rich and robust evaluation of digi...
A modified parallel thinning algorithm

A parallel thinning algorithm of C.M. Holt et al. (1987) is compared with an algorithm of D. Rutovitz (1966) and one by T.Y. Zhang and C.Y. Suen (1984). Analyses and experiments show that the Holt algorithm is similar to the Rutovitz algorithm. A heuristic modification to Rutovitz' algorithm is also proposed and the modified algorithm is faster than Holt's algorithm.
Hydrogeochemistry of the New Jersey Coastal Plain: 2. Transport and deposition of iron, aluminum, dissolved organic matter, and selected trace elements in stream, ground- and estuary water

The geochemical controls on the transport and deposition of iron, organic carbon, and certain trace elements have been examined in bogs, streams, groundwater and estuaries of the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Surface waters are unusually dilute (total dissolved solids ∼ 25 ppm) and acidic (pH 4–5) and contain relatively high concentrations of organic C and Fe. Liquid chromatographic analyses show that from 10 to 70% of total “dissolved” Fe ( 0.2 μm) Fe-oxyhydroxide or -oxyhydroxides admixed with insoluble organic material. The proportion of organically-complexed Fe present varies seasonally with the DOC content of the water. These stream waters are near saturation with respect to amorphous Fe(OH)3; groundwaters are uniformly undersaturated with respect to amorphous Fe(OH3). Both stream and groundwaters are near saturation with respect to halloysite, slightly supersaturated with respect to gibbsite, and highly supersaturated with respect to kaolinite. Bog iron deposits are common in streams and swamps where Fe precipitation is catalyzed by iron-oxidizing bacteria. Fe and Al precipitate rapidly within both estuaries, with ionic strength rather than increased pH exerting the prime control on estuarine deposition. Estuarine floccules contain very little or no organic matter, suggesting that inorganic Fe- and Al-oxyhydroxides are the primary precipitates. The high contents of “dissolved” (< 0.2 μm) Fe and Al suggest that both are either organically complexed or in the form of small (< 0.2 μm) oxyhydroxide colloids in the estuaries.
Phosphorylation of the β′ Subunit of RNA Polymerase and Other Host Proteins upon φCd1 Infection of Caulobacter crescentus

Abstract A protein kinase activity is induced early after infection of Caulobacter crescentus by the DNA phage Cd1. After phage infection at least 40 proteins are phosphorylated; these include DNA-binding proteins, a membrane-associated protein, and several ribosomal proteins. One of the phosphorylated DNA-binding proteins was identified as the β′ subunit of the host RNA polymerase.
What the public thinks it knows about science

Popular culture probably does more than formal science education to shape most people's understanding of science and scientists. It is more pervasive, more eye‐catching, and (with rare exceptions) more memorable. No genetics textbook can hope to compete with Jurassic Park , and no lecture on biophysics can match the sight of Dr Frankenstein pulling lightning down from the stormy sky to animate his creature. What messages about science, then, is the public likely to draw from popular culture? This essay discusses some of the most common, but there are of course many others. Science is complex and multi‐faceted, and so is popular culture's portrayal of it. ![][1] The idea that natural laws are constant across space and time is the philosophical foundation of modern science. Mainstream popular culture takes a more relaxed approach, flexing the laws of nature when required. It creates exceptions to natural laws, or ignores them altogether, whenever they threaten to conflict with the story being told. Most suspensions of natural law in popular culture are casual and—except to audiences with scientific backgrounds—obscure. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, but action heroes like Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry (1971) and Sylvester Stallone's Rambo ( First Blood , 1982) barely flinch when they fire bullets that seconds later knock a villain off his feet. There is no air in space to carry sound waves, yet spaceships routinely blow up with a thunderous roar or make a ‘whoosh’ sound like an express train when they pass. Light travels at around 300,000 km s−1, but in a Star Wars ‐style gun battle, the heroes can dive away from a laser beam after it is fired. Ecosystems on Earth require large populations of prey to sustain even modest populations of predators, but the ecosystems of alien planets include abundant … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
ACTION OF CRUDE PAPAIN ON ACTIN AND MYOSIN HEAVY CHAINS ISOLATED FROM CHICKEN BREAST MUSCLE

The individual myofibrillar proteins, myosin and actin, were digested with crude papain (1:125 w/w for 0–3 min). The sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoretic patterns and the rate of proteolytic hydrolysis were observed. Actomyosin, natural actomyosin and both contracted and uncontracted glycerinated myofibrils were also studied. It was found that the gel pattern of the actin proteolytic digestion suggested that two populations of actin exist; that although actin had the highest rate of hydrolysis in the pH stat, the gels suggested only a very limited proteolysis; that actomyosin is less rapidly digested than myosin; and that the proteins of the myofibrils, especially when contracted, are rapidly cleaved.
Treatment of acne vulgaris without antibiotics: tertiary amine-benzoyl peroxide combination vs. benzoyl peroxide alone (Proactiv Solution).

Background Concerns have arisen over the development of antibiotic-resistant organisms due to the prolonged use of oral and topical antibiotics in acne vulgaris. We have previously demonstrated that benzoyl peroxide used in consort with a chemical with an accessible tertiary amine, such as an allylamine, increases radical activity and biological effect. Objectives The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the efficacy of two nonantibiotic topical remedies for mild to moderate acne, with one of the agents being a combination of benzoyl peroxide with butenifine, an allylamine. Methods In an open-label, patient-satisfaction, 8-week comparative study, 23 patients demonstrating mild to moderate facial acne were given randomly either benzoyl peroxide in Proactiv Solution or the combination of benzoyl peroxide with an allylamine. Results The allylamine–benzoyl peroxide combination therapy outperformed Proactiv Solution during each 2-week stage of evaluation in terms of reduction of comedones, inflammatory lesions, and degree of oiliness. There was a marked preference for the allylamine–benzoyl peroxide combination in terms of patient satisfaction. Conclusions Benzoyl peroxide used in consort with antimicrobial agents that contain an accessible tertiary amine, such as erythromycin, has previously been shown to increase radical activity and biological effect. Trials of short duration with small numbers of patients do not adequately inform practitioners about whether the combination of allylamines with benzoyl peroxide is a viable alternative to topical antibiotic therapy for acne. Nevertheless, the higher satisfaction with the allylamine–benzoyl peroxide combination certainly warrants further investigation.
Novel nanoenergetic system based on iodine pentoxide

Abstract We report the first study of the gas generation and thermal wave behavior during the performance of the novel nanoenergetic system based on aluminum and iodine pentoxide nanoparticles. The homogeneous mixture of Al/I2O5 ignited in the range of 605–620 °C and generated a thermal front that propagated through the sample with a velocity of ∼2000 m/s. The maximum peak pressure of up to 11 MPa (m = 0.5 g) was generated by a mixture containing ∼78 wt% of I2O5. The maximum pressure × volume PV-value for a 0.5 g sample was ∼3.8 kPa m3 is comparable to that generated by the same sample mass of the Bi2O3/Al system.
Interannual waves in the sea surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean

Various oscillatory modes of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) observed over a period of 8.8 years with the NASA Nimbus 7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and for 13 years with the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), the latter sensing in the thermal infrared band, are described for the Pacific Ocean. The various modes are isolated by a combination of techniques designed also to accommodate non-stationary phenomena. After detrending and removing the seasonal cycle from each grid map element of the data, singular value decomposition (SVD) is used to separate the data into spatial and temporal parts to facilitate the modal analysis. Empirical Mode Decomposition is then used to separate the temporal parts of the data into approximately seven intrinsic modal functions (IMFs) for the temporal parts of the first five principal components (PCs) resulting from the SVD. A filtered time sequence of SST grids is then obtained by selecting IMFs with periods longer than 1.5 years and ...
Intercellular attachments of cockroach nymph epidermal cells.

Junctional complexes on the surfaces of the cockroach nymph epidermal cells are described in detail. Although there are slight modifications, most of the specialized junctions reported in vertebrate and invertebrate epithelial cells are present. In this particular group of epidermal cells, close or gap junctions (20–30 A gap between unit membranes) are reported for the first time in the invertebrates. An unusual finding is the presence of collagen in the intercellular space of the myoepidermal junction. This study suggests morphologically that these epidermal cells are securely anchored to both muscle cells and the cuticle and, furthermore, that they may have lateral communications through septate and gap junctions.
Does Terrorism Pay? An Empirical Analysis

Does terrorism help perpetrators to achieve their demands? Few research questions about terrorism generate as much controversy. This study contributes to the debate in two main ways. First, we identify major limitations within the burgeoning literature on the effectiveness of terrorism. Specifically, we highlight the main methodological problems vexing empirical assessments of whether terrorism promotes government concessions. Second, we present a research design that circumvents those recurrent methodological shortcomings. In short, we find no empirical evidence to suggest that terrorism pays. In fact, multiple variants of the tactic in hostage standoffs impede the perpetrators from coercing government compliance. The negative effect of terrorism on the odds of compliance is significant and substantial across logistic and multilevel logistic model specifications, particularly when civilians are killed or wounded in the coercive incident. These findings have important implications for both scholars and pr...
A developmental gradient of dendritic loss in the avian cochlear nucleus occurring independently of primary afferents

Cochlear nerve axons and their target neurons in nucleus magnocellularis (NM) of the chicken undergo extensive parallel structural transformations during development. Between embryonic days 12 and 17 (E12–E17), each immature highly branched axon condenses into a mature calyxlike ending applied to a single NM neuron. Simultaneously, NM neurons are transformed from multipolar cells with many long dendrites into spherical unipolar neurons with only an axon. We tested the hypothesis that cochlear nerve input is necessary for the transformation of NM cells by surgically destroying one otocyst on E3, thereby preventing formation of the nerve. Nucleus magnocellularis neurons from embryos at E11–E12, E13–14, and E17–18 were stained by horseradish peroxidase injected into their axons or by a Golgi-Hortega method. In camera lucida drawings, the number of dendrites on each cell was counted and the cell's position along the posteriorto-anterior and lateral-to-medial axes of the nucleus quantified. At E11–12, neurons throughout NM on both the deafferented and normally innervated sides of the brain have about ten dendrites. At E13–14, there is a steep spatial gradient in dendritic number bilaterally; cells at anteromedial positions have about two dendrites, while cells in posterolateral positions have an average of nine dendrites. By E17–18, only 14% of the neurons on either side have a dendrite, and these cells are evenly distributed throughout the nucleus. We conclude that cochlear nerve axons are not required for normal spatio-temporal gradients of dendritic loss, even though the absence of these axons causes severe atrophic changes in NM. Thus, it appears that the characteristic forms of the afferent axon and target neuron in this system must develop in one of two ways. Either NM cells control the structural differentiation of their cochlear nerve afferents, or the forms of axon terminals and their target cells develop independently. These alternative, hypotheses can be evaluated experimentally.
Multi-level regulation of cellular recognition of viral dsRNA

Effective antiviral immunity depends on accurate recognition of viral RNAs by the innate immune system. Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) often accumulates in virally infected cells and was initially considered a unique viral signature that was sufficient to initiate antiviral response through dsRNA receptors and dsRNA-dependent effectors such as Toll-like receptor 3, retinoic acid inducible gene-1, protein kinase RNA-activated and oligoadenylate synthetase. However, dsRNA is also present in many cellular RNAs, raising a question of how these receptors and effectors discriminate between viral and cellular dsRNAs. Accumulating evidence suggests that innate immune sensors detect not only dsRNA structure but also other and often multiple features of RNA such as length, sequence, cellular location, post-transcriptional processing and modification, which are divergent between viral and cellular RNAs. This review summarizes recent findings on the substrate specificities of a few selected dsRNA-dependent effectors and receptors, which have revealed more complex mechanisms involved in cellular discrimination between self and non-self RNA.