cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of a whole-blood lymphocyte stimulation test in detection of Brucella infection in an outbreak

A whole-blood lymphocyte stimulation test (WBLST), the standard plate and tube agglutination tests, the Brucella buffered antigen test, the 2-mercaptoethanol agglutination test, the Rivanol plate precipitation test and bacteriological isolation were utilized in a brucellosis outbreak investigation in a beef herd. Three of the animals were classified as not infected serologically. However, these 3 animals were classified as infected on the WBLST, andBrucella abortus biotype 1 (not strain 19) was isolated from their lymph nodes. The WBLST exhibited significant sensitivity in this investigation and more observations of this nature might strengthen the application of this assay in similar situations.
Transcription: A Mechanism for Short-Term Memory

Yeast growing for a considerable time in glucose 'remember' a previous exposure to galactose, the inducer of its galactose-utilization (GAL) genes. This memory is conveyed by a cytoplasmically transmitted galactokinase working as a signal transducer.
A novel role of the pulmonary Clara cell secretory 10 kD protein (CC10) in the regulation of T-cell responses

Abstract Rationale Pulmonary Clara cell secretory protein, CC10, is a steroid-inducible and potentially anti-inflammatory cytokine, but its direct involvement in the regulation of T cell responses remains unknown. Methods Mouse CD4 + T cells were isolated from Balb/c mice with positive selection using anti-CD4 magnetic beads and polarized into Th1 and Th2 conditions. Cells were stimulated with 1 μg/ml of anti-CD3 and 1 μg/ml of anti-CD28 mAbs with or without the pre-treatment of the cells with varying doses of recombinant CC10 (rCC10; 0.3-300 ng/ml) for 2 hrs. Cells were harvested at 4, 6, and 24 hours for RT-PCR, Western blot and ELISA to detect the changes in Th2 cytokines and IFN-γ. Results A significant, dose-dependent suppressive effect of CC10 on Th2 cytokine expression (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) was seen in polarized CD4 + Th2 cells, but not in naive CD4 + T cells. In contrast, CC10 was able to induce IFN-γ expression in naive CD4 + T cells, but not in polarized Th1 cells. Furthermore, the suppression of Th2 cytokine expression is concomitant with reduction of a critical transcription factor, GATA-3. Of significance is the finding that while no significant change was found in the decay kinetics of Th2 cytokine transcripts, a significant decrease in mRNA stability of GATA-3 was seen in CC10-treated cells. Conclusions These results suggest that CC10 plays a direct role in the regulation of T cell-mediated inflammatory responses.
Evidence for Inefficient Chain-to-Chain Coupling in Electron Tunneling through Liquid Alkanethiol Monolayer Films on Mercury

Distance dependence and the intervening medium effects continue to pin the attention of a large number of scientists as the key unresolved problems in the area of electron transfer kinetics.1-3 In this communication, we report electrochemical results describing long-range electron transfer kinetics across two types of alkanethiol monolayer films of variable thickness. Our data show that the geometric distance decay constant involving a chain-to-chain tunneling pathway obtained for liquid monolayers is approximately 5 times smaller than the throughchain decay constant characteristic for ordered alkylthiol monolayers. Many recent advances in the studies of intervening medium effects in electron tunneling have been made using the following two experimental approaches. In the first, synthetic donor/ acceptor pairs are separated by rigid molecular spacer groups of controlled length and structure.4-6 In the second, investigations involve redox proteins in which an electron acceptor (or donor) is attached to a specific site on the periphery of a protein.3,7,8 In addition, electrochemical measurements in which molecules are tethered to the electrode surface at a specific distance have also been successfully explored.9 In related research, recent studies of electron tunneling using selfassembled monolayers of alkanthiols as barrier films on gold electrodes have been particularly successful.10-15 The experiments described below rely on alkanethiol monolayers assembled on mercury. The use of Hg electrodes allows us, for the first time, to vary the thickness of the monolayers in two different ways. The first involves the usual formation of ordered monolayers of thiols with alkyl chains of different length.16 The second method is intrinsic only to Kublik type hanging mercury drop electrodes (HMDE).17 Variation of the monolayer thickness is accomplished by careful expansion of the mercury drop using a micrometric screw that controls the volume of mercury extruded at the tip of the HMDE capillary. Formation structure and properties of alkanethiol monolayers on gold are well documented in the literature.18-21 Similar procedures lead to the formation of ordered thiol monolayers on mercury.22,23 Indeed, our results suggest that impermeable monolayers of alkanethiols with chain length from 9 to 18 carbon atoms are formed essentially instantaneously on HMDE.24 As shown in Figure 1, analysis of the differential capacitance (C) measurements25 gave linear plots of 1/C vs number of the alkyl chain carbon atoms. This is consistent with the Helmholtz model of the double layer in which its capacitance is dominated by the hydrocarbon film of variable thickness (d)12,26 and is expressed by C ) oA/d (1)
Bringing Religion into International Relations

Bringing Religion into International Relations. By Jonathan Fox and Shmuel Sandler. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. 224p. $55.00. With this book, Jonathan Fox and Shmuel Sandler offer the most comprehensive meditation to date on the question of religion as a factor in international relations. Stating as their central purpose a desire to “expand the boundaries of international relations theory by the inclusion of religion as a variable in the research of international politics” (p. 4), the authors provide a superbly structured overview of a topic that has been crying out for sustained engagement for some time now. While the questions asked (and many of the answers eventually posited) are by no means wholly original, Bringing Religion Into International Relations finally offers IR a systematic baseline of inquiry that subsequent scholarship on religion and international affairs can build upon or challenge.
Generation of gelatin aerosol particles from nebulized solutions as model drug carrier systems.

Purpose Aerodynamically stable, nebulized aerosols are desirable to achieve optimum asthma therapy. Stabilizing droplet size using gel-forming polymers may assist in achieving this goal. Semisolid particles may be generated through aerosolization of a polymer solution. Gelatin was employed as a model polymer in a process optimization study using the marker, disodium fluorescein, and the drug, budesonide delivered from two commercially available air-jet nebulizers. Methods The aerosol delivery system consisted of either of the air-jet nebulizers attached to a 30 cm drying column. The nebulizers employed were the Aerotech II and Salter SL8900. Two gelatin solutions (0.1 and 0.7% w/v) were evaluated following initial density and viscosity measurements. Particle characterization was conducted by scanning electron microscopy, eight-stage cascade impaction (CI), and phase-Doppler analysis. Disodium fluorescein (NaF, 5 and 7% w/v) and budesonide (B, 0.05% w/v) were added to the gelatin solutions in a 2(4)-factorial design study and the follow-up drug formulation study, respectively. The factorial design experiment evaluated the influence of device, operating pressure, marker, and gelatin concentrations on mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and fine particle fraction (FPF). Spectrophotometry of the CI samples was performed at wavelengths of 486 (NaF) and 254 (B) nm. Results The factorial design experiment utilizing NaF showed that MMADs were not influenced significantly be the device, operating pressure, marker, or gelatin concentrations (p > 0.05). However, FPFs were significantly influenced by marker concentration and device (p Conclusions A range of semisolid particle sizes were produced (1.3
Riker and Federalism

Forty years since its publication, William Riker’s Federalism: Origin, Operation, Significance (1964) remains one of the most influential volumes on the politics of federalism. However, in assessing Riker’s federal theory, scholars tend to focus on the specific hypotheses, the famous claim that the “military threat” constitutes a necessary condition for federal success, and upon rejecting the validity of that claim, by association, quickly dismiss the general theoretical argument. But Riker’s federal theory does much more for our understanding of federalism as a form of government than simply connect, rightly or not, federal success with the presence of a military threat. In the paper I argue that the most innovative feature of Riker’s analysis, defining for his contribution to the field and accountable for the emergence of new and original insights was the successful application for the first time of the principle of methodological individualism to institutional and constitutional analysis. Riker’s theory of federalism, when viewed in the context of his intellectual contribution to the studies of democratic institutions, is, indeed, the original point of departure. In the paper, I review Riker’s theory of federalism as embedded in and an integral part of his broader theory of democratic institutions, in order to highlight some of its merits that remained underappreciated until current research has generated the conceptual framework consistent with Riker’s insights. Second, I draw some implications from Riker’s theory for the contemporary challenges of federal constitutional design.
Using Video Self-Analysis to Improve the “Withitness” of Student Teachers

AbstractAlthough video self-analysis has been used for years in teacher education, the camera has almost always focused on the preservice teacher. In this study, the researcher videotaped eight preservice teachers four times each during their student-teaching internships. One camera was focused on them while another was focused on their students. Their perspectives both before and after watching DVDs of themselves and their students' responses provided the qualitative data for this study. Findings indicate that the participants strongly believe in the effectiveness of video selfanalysis to help them notice classroom interactions and improve their “withitness.” Specific benefits included seeing themselves from the students' perspective, reducing annoying mannerisms, improving classroom management, becoming better able to notice how well students understood, and becoming more aware of their reflection-in-action.
An Overview of Current Cytochrome P450 Technology for Assessing the Safety and Efficacy of New Materials

Studies of xenobiotic biotransformation by in vitro techniques are destined to play an increasingly important role in assessing the safety and efficacy of drugs and other new chemical entities. The first part of this article summarizes some of the in vitro techniques that have been developed to evaluate xenobiotics as inducers of liver microsomal cytochrome P450. The second part provides an overview of reaction phenotyping, an in vitro technology for determining which human P450 enzyme or enzymes are involved in the biotransformation of xenobiotics.
CHEMICAL FORM OF CIRCULATING ANTIDIURETIC HORMONE IN RATS

Serum, taken from rats under ether anesthesia after injection of hypertonic saline, contained antidiuretic activity in a concentration equivalent to 1 to 3 millipressor units of pitressin per ml. The active material was retained by a collodion ultrafilter and, on electrophoretic analysis, moved with the beta globulins. Dialysis against 0.2 N acetic acid appeared to dissociate the complex. The antidiuretic factor was found in serum after stimuli known to cause release of pituitary antidiuretic hormone. Inactivation by thioglycolic acid and by proteolytic enzymes paralleled the inactivation of standard pitressin. Control experiments made it unlikely that serotonin, or any other substance released in the clotting of blood, could have contributed to the antidiuretic action. For these reasons it was concluded that the factor studied was native pituitary antidiuretic hormone circulating as a definite protein-peptide complex.
Right Ventricular Morphology and the Onset of Dyspnea: The MESA-Right Ventricle Study

Background: The association of right ventricular (RV) structure and function with symptoms in individuals without cardiopulmonary disease is unknown. We hypothesized that greater RV mass and RV end-diastolic volume (RVEDV), smaller RV stroke volume (RVSV), and lower RV ejection fraction (RVEF) measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in participants free of clinical cardiovascular disease at baseline would be associated with a greater risk of self-reported dyspnea. Methods: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) performed cardiac MRIs on participants without clinical cardiovascular disease between 2000 and 2002. We excluded subjects who reported ‘‘prevalent’’ dyspnea at the first assessment (24 months). The presence of dyspnea was assessed at 24 months, 42 months, and 60 months from baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the relationship between RV measures and incident dyspnea. Results: In the final study sample (N=2763), there were significant interactions between RV measures and sex in terms of the risk of dyspnea (p,0.05). Among men (N=1453), lower RV mass (p=0.003), smaller RVEDV (p,0.001), smaller RV endsystolic volume (RVESV) (p=0.03) and decreased RVSV (p,0.001) were associated with an increased risk of developing dyspnea after adjusting for covariates. Associations remained after adjusting for left ventricular function and lung function. However, there were no significant associations between RV measures and the risk of dyspnea in women. Conclusions: Lower RV mass and smaller RV volumes were associated with an increased risk of dyspnea in men, but not in women.
Development of a novel simian adenovirus 24 based vaccine vector

Methods Neutralizing antibodies against sAd24 were determined using a panel of 106 rhesus macaque sera and 128 human sera from Rwanda and South Africa using a luciferasebased adenovirus neutralization assay. The immunogenicity of a single dose of 10E7, 10E8 or 10E9 virus particles of sAd24-SIV Gag based vector was determined in C57BL/6 mice. SIV-Gag-specific immune responses were assessed by Db/AL11 tetramer binding assays, IFN-g ELISPOT assays and ICS assays.
A new control strategy to improve the performance of a PWM AC to DC converter under unbalanced operating conditions

Abnormal harmonics of significant magnitude are generated at the output and input terminals of a PWM (pulse-width-modulated) AC-to-DC power converter under unbalanced operating conditions. A new control strategy is presented to selectively cancel the generated lower-order abnormal harmonics at the output and input terminals and thereby to preserve the high-performance features of a PWM AC-to-DC power converter. The proposed technique essentially involves computing the sequence components of the unbalanced input supply and suitably counter-unbalances the PWM gating signals of the power converter switches to cancel the generated abnormal harmonics. The technique is essentially a feedforward approach and is suitable for higher-power GTO (gate turn-off thyristor) type PWM AC-to-DC power converters. A procedure for implementing this technique in real time is discussed. Selected results are verified experimentally on a prototype PWM AC-to-DC power converter. >
Antibiotic Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Associates with CRISPR Sequence Type

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium is a leading cause of food-borne salmonellosis in the United States. The number of antibiotic-resistant isolates identified in humans is steadily increasing, suggesting that the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains is a major threat to public health. S Typhimurium is commonly identified in a wide range of animal hosts, food sources, and environments, but little is known about the factors mediating the spread of antibiotic resistance in this ecologically complex serovar. Previously, we developed a subtyping method, CRISPR-multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST), which discriminates among strains of several common S. enterica serovars. Here, CRISPR-MVLST identified 22 sequence types within a collection of 76 S Typhimurium isolates from a variety of animal sources throughout central Pennsylvania. Six of the sequence types were identified in more than one isolate, and we observed statistically significant differences in resistance among these sequence types to 7 antibiotics commonly used in veterinary and human medicine, such as ceftiofur and ampicillin (P < 0.05). Importantly, five of these sequence types were subsequently identified in human clinical isolates, and a subset of these isolates had identical antibiotic resistance patterns, suggesting that these subpopulations are being transmitted through the food system. Therefore, CRISPR-MVLST is a promising subtyping method for monitoring the farm-to-fork spread of antibiotic resistance in S Typhimurium.
Delineating the roles of the GPIIb/IIIa and GP-Ib-IX-V platelet receptors in mediating platelet adhesion to adsorbed fibrinogen and albumin.

Platelet adhesion to adsorbed plasma proteins, such as fibrinogen (Fg), has been conventionally thought to be mediated by the GPIIb/IIIa receptor binding to Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-like motifs in the adsorbed protein. In previous studies, we showed that platelet adhesion response to adsorbed Fg and Alb was strongly influenced by the degree of adsorption-induced protein unfolding and that platelet adhesion was only partially blocked by soluble RGD, with RGD-blocked platelets adhering without activation. Based on these results, we hypothesized that in addition to the RGD-specific GPIIb/IIIa receptor, which mediates both adhesion and activation, a non-RGD-specific receptor set likely also plays a role in platelet adhesion (but not activation) to both Fg and albumin (Alb). To identify and elucidate the role of these receptors, in addition to GPIIb/IIIa, we also examined the GPIb-IX-V receptor complex, which has been shown to mediate platelet adhesion (but not activation) in studies by other groups. The platelet suspension was pretreated with either a GPIIb/IIIa-antagonist drug Aggrastat® or monoclonal antibodies 6B4 or 24G10 against GPIb-IX-V prior to adhesion on Fg- and Alb-coated OH- and CH3-functionalized alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer surfaces. The results revealed that GPIIb/IIIa is the primary receptor set involved in platelet adhesion to adsorbed Fg and Alb irrespective of their degree of adsorption-induced unfolding, while the GPIb-IX-V receptor complex plays an insignificant role. Overall, these studies provide novel insights into the molecular-level mechanisms mediating platelet interactions with adsorbed plasma proteins, thereby assisting the biomaterials field develop potent strategies for inhibiting platelet-protein interactions in the design of more hemocompatible cardiovascular biomaterials and effective anti-thrombotic therapies.
‘You fix my community, you have fixed my life’: the disruption and rebuilding of ontological security in New Orleans

Using the concept of ontological security, this paper examines the physical and psychological loss of home and community following Hurricane Katrina. This qualitative longitudinal study includes 40 heads of households with school-age children who lived in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Participants describe a breakdown in their social fabric at the individual and structural/community levels that contributes to a sense of community loss and social displacement, disrupting their ontological security-their notion of safety, routine and trust in a stable environment. Three interrelated reactions were common: 1) experiencing nostalgia for their old neighbourhoods specifically and New Orleans in general; 2) experiencing a sense of loss of people and things that represented a level of security or constancy; 3) initiation of a process for re-establishing ontological security whether or not they returned to New Orleans. The paper concludes that intangible losses have an important psychological effect on community redevelopment and recovery from trauma. Language: en
Changing beginning teachers’ content knowledge and its effects on student learning

Background: Lack of content knowledge (CK) is problematic in teaching in classroom subject areas and in physical education. There is a dearth of data-based research on interventions aimed at helping teachers acquire CK and, in turn, on the effects of CK on student learning.Aim: To investigate the effect of professional development, in the form of a CK workshop, on the quality of instruction and student learning.Participants: Two beginning middle-school physical education teachers of both genders who had no experience in playing or teaching badminton were purposefully selected. A total of 48 students (2 teachers × 4 classes × 6 students) participated in this study.Data collection and analysis: Descriptive statistics for students’ and teachers’ data were reported. General linear models with a nested design structure were used to examine the statistical differences of the mean percentage of students’ correct or incorrect performances between the comparison and experimental classes.Findings: Most students rar...
Expanding the Indications of Partial Nephrectomy

Partial nephrectomy has emerged as a standard of care treatment for small renal masses offering equivalent oncologic control to radical nephrectomy with preservation of renal function and evidence of improved survival [1,2]. Radical nephrectomy can lead to an increased risk of chronic kidney disease [3], which is associated with increased risks of adverse cardiac events, hospitalization, and death [4]. More data are now available suggesting that expanding the indications of partial nephrectomy to larger tumors is safe. Partial nephrectomy has been shown in multiple studies to be safe and feasible in select patients with 4- to 7-cm renal tumors with comparable oncologic outcomes to radical nephrectomy [5,6] and with similar benefits of improved cardiovascular events and survival over radical nephrectomy [7]. Thus nephron-sparing surgery is an overriding theme in the management of clinical T1 renal masses when it is considered technically feasible. We have accepted elective partial nephrectomy as a standard of care for small renal masses and even select patients with T1b tumors, but what about even larger tumors >7 cm? The study by Becker and colleagues [8] in this issue of European Urology adds to growing evidence that elective partial nephrectomy may be a reasonable option for select patients with larger tumors, even tumors 7 cm. This multi-institutional retrospective study analyses the feasibility, morbidity, and short-term oncologic outcomes after partial nephrectomy for renal tumors with a pathologic size 7 cm. The cohort of 91 patients undergoing nephronsparing surgery for tumors 7 cm is remarkable, and the authors are to be commended for their success in managing such challenging tumors. The Becker study should also be commended for careful patient selection. Patients managed with elective partial nephrectomy were young (mean age: 58 yr) with a median tumor size of 8.0 cm, so most of the tumors were only marginally outside the T2 range. The tumors in this study tended to be peripheral and exophytic (>70%) and in a polar location, which indicates good patient selection in choosing tumors most amenable to a partial nephrectomy. Tumor characteristics such as location and the percentage of the mass that is endophytic may be greater determinants of feasibility of partial nephrectomy than tumor size. Other papers have also addressed the subject of partial
A quasi-steady-state analysis for the electrophotographic discharge process

A description of the electrophotographic discharge process is presented for a homogeneous photoconductor characterized by constant free-carrier lifetimes and trapping times. The physical model is described by a set of one-dimensional nonlinear differential equations with appropriate boundary conditions. It is shown that a quasi-steady-state approximation can be derived which is valid for most of the decay process under typical electrophotographic conditions. In this quasi-steady state, the photoconductor layer can be described by an equivalent circuit which consists of a capacitance in parallel with a two-terminal element whose current-voltage characteristic is directly related to the field-dependent photoinjection efficiency. A numerical analysis using large-scale computation of the solutions to the differential equations has been done for a hypothetical but typical material. The results of this computation, which describe the initial transient behavior and the subsequent quasi-steady-state behavior of the photoconductor, are presented. The results of the quasi-steady-state analysis agree with the actual behavior of amorphous Se. It is suggested that measurement of the quasi-steady-state photodischarge process can be used as a convenient technique for obtaining the field-dependent characteristics of the photoinjection process.
Investigation of psychophysical measure for evaluation of similar images for mammographic masses: Preliminary results

We investigated a psychophysical similarity measure for selection of images similar to those of unknown masses on mammograms, which may assist radiologists in the distinction between benign and malignant masses. Sixty pairs of masses were selected from 1445 mass images prepared for this study, which were obtained from the Digital Database for Screening Mammography by the University of South Florida. Five radiologists provided subjective similarity ratings for these 60 pairs of masses based on the overall impression for diagnosis. Radiologists' subjective ratings were marked on a continuous rating scale and quantified between 0 and 1, which correspond to pairs not similar at all and pairs almost identical, respectively. By use of the subjective ratings as "gold standard," similarity measures based on the Euclidean distance between pairs in feature space and the psychophysical measure were determined. For determination of the psychophysical similarity measure, an artificial neural network (ANN) was employed to learn the relationship between radiologists' average subjective similarity ratings and computer-extracted image features. To evaluate the usefulness of the similarity measures, the agreement with the radiologists' subjective similarity ratings was assessed in terms of correlation coefficients between the average subjective ratings and the similarity measures. A commonly used similarity measure based on the Euclidean distance was moderately correlated (r=0.644) with the radiologists' average subjective ratings, whereas the psychophysical measure by use of the ANN was highly correlated (r=0.798). The preliminary result indicates that a psychophysical similarity measure would be useful in the selection of images similar to those of unknown masses on mammograms.
The force on a small sphere in slow viscous flow

The force on a small sphere translating relative to a slow viscous flow is found to O(Re½) for two different fluid flows far from the sphere, namely pure rotation and pure shear. For pure rotation, the O(Re½) correction to the Stokes drag consists of an increase in the drag. For pure shear, the O(Re½) force contains a component perpendicular to the Stokes drag force.
Genomic Localization of Tomato Genes That Control a Hypersensitive Reaction to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Doidge) Dye

Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria causes bacterial spot, one of the most serious diseases of tomatoes. The lycopersicon esculentum accession 'Hawaii 7998' is the only reliable source of resistance to race 1 strains of the pathogen. This resistance is associated with a hypersensitive reaction controlled by multiple nondominant genes. The inoculated area becomes fully necrotic 24 hr after inoculation in 'Hawaii 7998,' whereas full necrosis is observed 5 and 4 days after inoculation in the susceptible species L. pennellii (LA 716) and their F1, respectively. An interspecific backcross population, using 'Hawaii 7998' as the recurrent parent, was analyzed to determine the linkage relationships between the resistance genes and 135 molecular marker loci. The range of responses of the BC1 population included those of the parents. Linkage to a hypersensitive response factor was assessed by comparing the rates of necrosis development between homozygous and heterozygous plants at 8 hr-intervals. Three factors that affect the hypersensitive response of 'Hawaii 7998' were detected. One factor is on the short arm of chromosome I, another on the long arm of chromosome I, and a third on the long arm of chromosome 5. These factors appeared to act independently and to have additive effects.
7 Things You Need to Know About: Torts (Lecture Slides)

These slides help explain the seven most important aspects of tort law. They include coverage of: intentional torts against persons and property, dignitary torts such as invasion of privacy, business torts such as fraud as well as negligence and strict liability. The idea is to make tort law understandable to the lay reader, undergraduate and graduate student and law student.
The Economic Reconstruction of Iraq

This paper analyzes the economic reconstruction of Iraq following the 2003, U.S.-led invasion. Tracing the foundations and trajectory of the reconstruction, we explain how efforts have fallen prey to the four reconstruction traps identified by Coyne and Mathers (2010) and Coyne and Pellillo (2011). These traps have hampered attempts to rebuild Iraq’s economy. We conclude with forward-looking policy suggestions regarding Iraq’s economy.
The Social Development of the Synanon Cult: The Managerial Strategy of Organizational Transformation*

This paper reviews the developmental history of Synanon Foundation Inc. from its inception in 1958 as an Alcoholics Anonymous alternative through its three transformations into a therapeutic community, an alternative society, andfinally into a religion. The growth of the organization in terms of population and economic history is reported. A sketch of a theory to account for the recent controversy surrounding the organization is presented. That explanation rests on an understanding of Synanon's three transformations as strategic moves of organizational management to expand, solidify and consolidate control of the group. It began in early 1958 and by September of that year was incorporated as Synanon Foundation, a non-profit charity. This organization has been moved by its founder, Charles E. Dederich, through four periods during which there were distinguishable, central public goals for the organization. From its earliest beginnings through incorporation it was a voluntary association of former alcoholics and a few narcotic addicts modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous (Casriel, 1963; Yablonsky, 1965). From about the point of incorporation through 1968, it was described as a therapeutic community (Yablonsky, 1965; Lang, 1978; Simon, 1978). From 1969 forward, the organization was generally classified as asocial movement or intentional society (Simon, 1978; Kanter, 1972). From 1975 to the present the organization has been representing itself as the body through which the Synanon religion is manifest (Garfield, 1977). This paper is organized in two parts. First, I summarize some of the major events and dominant trends in each period of Synanon's 21 -year history. That summary includes material both on the social demographic and economic development within the organization and on its public image among scholars, the media and civil authorities. Second, I analyze the three major shifts in Synanon's identity with a view toward developing a theory of organizational transformation to account not only for Synanon's development but also for what the media have labeled "The Synanon Horrors" (Anson, 1978) -events which culminated in allegations of an attempted murder described by a national news commentator as a crime "that is bizarre even by cult standards" (Cronkite, 1978). These dramatic events and the organizational shifts which preceded them, I suggest, can best be understood as strategic moves of organizational management to expand, solidify and consolidate control of the group.
Abstract LB-520: PTPN14 interacts with and negatively regulates the oncogenic function of YAP

ABSTRACT The Hippo signaling pathway regulates cellular proliferation and survival, thus exerting profound effects on normal cell fate and tumorigenesis. The pivotal effector of this pathway is YAP, a transcriptional co-activator amplified in mouse and human cancers where it promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and malignant transformation. Using IP Mass-spec analysis, we have identified a novel regulatory mechanism for the YAP oncogenic function via direct interaction with non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase 14 (PTPN14). PTPN14 interacts with YAP through PPxY domain, and overexpression of PTPN14 increases the inactive cytoplasmic form of YAP and decreases the transcriptional co-activator activity of YAP. Moreover, knockdown of PTPN14 induces nuclear retention of YAP and increases YAP-dependent cell migration. In summary, our study indicate a potential tumor-suppressor role for PTPN14 in the Hippo pathway and demonstrate a novel mechanism in YAP regulation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-520. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-520
Expression of inflammatory cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase in brains of SIV-infected rhesus monkeys: applications to HIV-induced central nervous system disease.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of the central nervous system (CNS) can lead to severe impairments in cognition, behavior, and motor skills. The mechanism(s) by which HIV-1 induces CNS disease are not well understood. Recent evidence suggests that expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) may contribute to HIV-1-induced neurologic disease. We sought to determine if these factors were present in the CNS of rhesus monkeys with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-induced CNS disease. Total NO production in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) from infected monkeys was determined by measuring nitrite (NO2−) and nitrate (NO3−) (stable NO degradation products) utilizing Greiss reagents. In situ hybridization revealed iNOS, interferon-γ (IFNγ), and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) mRNA in the brains of SIV-infected monkeys. Microglia were isolated from animals infected with SIV. Following stimulation with LPS, induction of iNOS mRNA in isolated microglia was analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Serial CSF samples from an SIV-infected monkey reveal increased levels of NO2−/NO3−. In situ hybridization demonstrated iNOS, IFNγ, and DL-1β mRNAs in post-mortem brain tissue of SIV-infected monkeys. Furthermore, stimulated microglia from an SIV-infected monkey could produce iNOS mRNA. The presence of iNOS in the brain and NO2−/NO3− in the CSF indicates that NO is produced in the CNS of SIV-infected monkeys. The data suggest that iNOS and NO may be contributing to SIV-induced CNS disease.
Vascular Reconstruction Is Not Warranted in Most Civilian Traumatic Shank Vascular Injuries

Background Operative management of traumatic shank vascular injuries (SVI) evolved significantly in the past few decades, thereby leading to a dramatic decrease in amputation rates. However, there is still controversy regarding the minimum number of patent shank arteries sufficient for limb salvage. Methods Between January 2006 and September 2011, 191 adult trauma patients presented to an urban level I trauma center in Miami, Florida, with traumatic lower extremity vascular injuries. Variables collected included age, gender, mechanism of injury, and clinical status at presentation. Surgical data included vessel injury, technical aspects of repair, associated complications, and outcomes. Results A total of 48 (25.1%) patients were identified comprising 66 traumatic shank arterial injuries. Mean age was 38.2 ± 13.4 years, and the majority of patients were men (40 patients, 83.3%) presenting with blunt injuries (35 patients, 72.9%). Ligation was performed in 38 injured arteries (57.6%) and no vascular intervention was required in 20% of the patients. Vascular reconstruction was performed in only 6 patients (9.1%): 4 (6.1%) with concurrent popliteal trauma, 1 (1.5%) isolated anterior tibial, and 1 (1.5%) 3-vessel injury. Autogenous venous interposition conduit and polytetrafluoroethylene grafting were performed in 5 (7.6%) and 1 (1.5%) patient, respectively. All amputations (8 patients, 16.7%) occurred in blunt trauma patients presenting with unsalvageable limbs. The overall mortality rate in this series was 2.1%. Conclusions Civilian shank arterial injuries are associated with acceptable rates of limb loss. Patients with a single-vessel patent inflow did not require vascular reconstruction in this series. Arterial reconstruction may no longer be determinant for successful management of isolated and double arterial SVI, whereas it is yet essential in the presence of 3-vessel or concurrent above-the-knee vascular injuries. Further investigation including larger number of patients is still warranted to define the role of conservative management in these complex injuries.
Non-Invasive Papillary Carcinoma of the Bladder Associated with Carcinoma in Situ

We evaluated 129 patients with low grade, low stage transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with a minimum followup of 5 years. In addition to the phenomena recognized as indicators of a serious clinical problem (grade greater than I, rapid recurrence, multiple tumors and lamina propria invasion) the identification of carcinoma in situ and/or atypia in normal, incidentally resected mucosa adjacent to the tumor was found to be a positive predictor for subsequent muscle invasion. Ten of 12 patients with carcinoma in situ and 9 of 25 patients with atypia were among 39 who experienced invasion.
Ground Motion From A Magnitude 3.5 Earthquake Near Massena, New York: Evidence For Poor Resolution of Corner Frequency For Small Events

We present analysis of a magnitude 3.5 event which occurred at 9 km epicentral distance from a digital strong motion instrument operated by the National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research. Although the size of this isolated event is such that it can scarcely be considered to be a significant earthquake, a careful analysis of this high quality recording does yield several interesting results: 1) the S-wave spectra can be interpreted in terms of a simple omega-squared source spectrum and frequency-independent attenuation, 2) there is the suggestion of a poorly-resolved resonance in the P-wave spectrum, and perhaps most importantly, 3) the apparently simple S-wave spectra can be fit almost equally well with a surprisingly wide range of seismic corner frequencies, from roughly 5 to 25 Hz. This uncertainty in corner frequency translates into uncertainties in inferred Q values of almost an order of magnitude, and into uncertainties in stress drop of two orders of magnitude. Given the high quality of the data and the short epicentral distance to the station, we consider it likely that resolution of spectral decay and corner frequency will be at least as poor for any other recording of earthquakes with comparable or smaller magnitudes.
On Perpetuities, Paradigms, and a Creative Life in the Law

In this interview with Professor Bridget Crawford, retired estate planning attorney Jonathan Blattmachr discusses a variety of compelling (and not uncontroversial) topics including estate planning paradigms, asset protection trusts, community property and the repeal of the rule against perpetuities. Mr. Blattmachr played a key role in drafting the Alaska Trust Act (1997) and the ultimate adoption of consensual community property in Alaska. This interview serves as an important primary source for anyone interested in the evolution of American trusts and estates law over the last 20 years. Mr. Blattmachr details the origins of his interest in trust law reform, highlights from his career, and how conventional ways of thinking thwart legal innovation.
Anesthesia in Experimental Stroke Research

Anesthetics have enabled major advances in development of experimental models of human stroke. Yet, their profound pharmacologic effects on neural function can confound the interpretation of experimental stroke research. Anesthetics have species-, drug-, and dose-specific effects on cerebral blood flow and metabolism, neurovascular coupling, autoregulation, ischemic depolarizations, excitotoxicity, inflammation, neural networks, and numerous molecular pathways relevant for stroke outcome. Both preconditioning and postconditioning properties have been described. Anesthetics also modulate systemic arterial blood pressure, lung ventilation, and thermoregulation, all of which may interact with the ischemic insult as well as the therapeutic interventions. These confounds present a dilemma. Here, we provide an overview of the anesthetic mechanisms of action and molecular and physiologic effects on factors relevant to stroke outcomes that can guide the choice and optimization of the anesthetic regimen in experimental stroke.
The Ups and Downs of Small Business Employment: Big Data on Payroll Growth and Volatility

In Making Payroll: Big Data on Small Business Payroll Growth and Volatility, we provide a new look at the employment challenges small businesses continue to face through the lens of payroll, growth, and volatility in this critical sector. Leveraging data from over 45,000 anonymized Chase small business customers that had electronic payroll outflows for each of the nine non-holiday months of 2015, we provide a granular view of payroll growth and volatility and their impact on employment at the individual business level. First, we find that payroll for most small employer businesses grew by less than the equivalent of one full-time employee in a calendar year, with median annualized payroll growth of 8.5 percent. Second, payroll expenses were a material outflow for employer small businesses, which held fewer cash buffer days than nonemployer small businesses. Third, most small employer businesses experienced unstable payroll and employment volatility including job gains and losses and other spikes and dips in payroll. Fourth, the typical small employer business experienced substantial volatility in payroll outflows, and volatility was highest for younger small employer businesses. Fifth, small employer businesses with more volatile payroll patterns tended to have fewer cash buffer days. These findings suggest that those who seek to help small businesses should focus not only on new business creation but specifically on minimizing payroll volatility, which can benefit both small business owners and employees. Moreover, they shed light on trade-offs inherent in policies that improve wages of small business employees but impose costs on small business owners.
Genome-Wide Interaction Study of Omega-3 PUFAs and Other Fatty Acids on Inflammatory Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Health in the Framingham Heart Study

Numerous genetic loci have been identified as being associated with circulating fatty acid (FA) levels and/or inflammatory biomarkers of cardiovascular health (e.g., C-reactive protein). Recently, using red blood cell (RBC) FA data from the Framingham Offspring Study, we conducted a genome-wide association study of over 2.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 22 RBC FAs (and associated ratios), including the four Omega-3 FAs (ALA, DHA, DPA, and EPA). Our analyses identified numerous causal loci. In this manuscript, we investigate the extent to which polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels moderate the relationship of genetics to cardiovascular health biomarkers using a genome-wide interaction study approach. In particular, we test for possible gene–FA interactions on 9 inflammatory biomarkers, with 2.5 million SNPs and 12 FAs, including all Omega-3 PUFAs. We identified eighteen novel loci, including loci which demonstrate strong evidence of modifying the impact of heritable genetics on biomarker levels, and subsequently cardiovascular health. The identified genes provide increased clarity on the biological functioning and role of Omega-3 PUFAs, as well as other common fatty acids, in cardiovascular health, and suggest numerous candidate loci for future replication and biological characterization.
Discourses Available to Sullivan: The Kinsey Reports and The Transsexual Phenomenon

While the Kinsey reports (1948 and 1953)—as they came to be known—neglected a distinction between transvestism and transsexuality, Harry Benjamin’s The Transsexual Phenomenon (1966) made up for this omission. However, Benjamin focused his analyses on what he called “high intensity” transsexuals, in spite of his own descriptions of various types of trans experience. These texts normalized certain sexual embodiments while leaving others marginalized, if not impossible to conceive, and they were major influences on the context within which Sullivan was “coming out.” Analyses and responses arising especially from trans studies, however, reveal limitations exercised upon trans people—even still today—especially by medical and psychiatric institutions. Given that those who are marginalized or impossible to conceive still manage to recognize their lack of representation in dominant discourses, though, the question then becomes how this is possible if embodiment is fully discursive, and further, how to negotiate between these different experiences of embodiment, from the materiality presumed by scientific approaches, to the model of discursivity and performativity employed in the humanities, to individual embodied experiences that include both rudimentary, sensory experience and concrete, lived situations.
The United States of Nebraska: Are Bicameral State Legislatures Necessary and Could Unicameralism Serve Other States Well

While the political science literature has addressed the general philosophical debate of unicameralism vs. bicameralism (see, for example Riker 1992), it has left the more practical discussion of unicameral legislative structure for state governments, for the most part, alone. Political science discussion has tended to focus, though not exclusively, on the benefits of bicameralism in national legislatures. Some discussion of unicameralism has appeared in legal journals (for example Ross 2010), and from time to time in local periodicals as reformers have reanimated the debate in various U.S. state government reform efforts. Alaska and Minnesota are two such states where the issue was part of the discussion about reforms of state government and, in Alaska, considered by a state constitutional convention. Of course, there is the state of Nebraska, which still stands, since 1934,1 as the only state with a unicameral legislature. Some may argue that the debate is settled and bicameralism is the appropriate legislative form, while others will point to the predominance of unicameral legislatures in all forms of local governments as evidence that unicameral governance is a more effective and efficient structural choice. In this paper, which is the development of a larger treatment of the issue, I revisit the debate and argue that some states may find the unicameral approach a better choice.
Does perception of authenticity attract visitors to agricultural settings

In the context of social and cultural relativity, there has been ample discussion about the fluidity and complexity of authenticity. This debate, termed ‘dilemma of authenticity’, centres around co...