cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell types in the mustached bat auditory cortex.

Cells in the auditory cortex of the mustached bat were studied with Golgi stains. No cell types appeared to be unique to the mustached bat auditory cortex or to specialized functional areas, but the laminar proportions and distributions of cell types were somewhat different from that reported for primary sensory cortex of other species. Two major cell types were distinguished, those with dendritic spines and those without spines. Non-spiny neurons were concentrated deep in layer IH/TV and in layer V, and had three types of dendritic patterns, multipolar, bitufted and bipolar. Many of the non-spiny neurons were large; some nearly equaled the largest pyramidal neurons in size. Five types of spiny neurons were identified, pyramidal cells, extraverted pyramidal cells, 'spiny stellate-like' neurons, and multiform cells. In the narrow, densely packed, 'accentuated' layer II, slightly more than half of the spiny neurons were extraverted pyramidal cells, which are characterized by multiple, widely diverging apical dendrites. The high concentration of layer II extraverted pyramidal neurons is consistent with descriptions of the 'accentuated' layer II previously reported in other bat species and 'basal' insectivores. The remaining spiny neurons in layer II, and the preponderance of spiny neurons in layers III-VI, were typical pyramidal neurons that had single apical dendrites and tufts of basal dendrites. The thalamic recipient zone (deep layer III/IV) contained few candidates for spiny stellate cells, so a major constituent of the thalamic recipient zone in primary sensory cortex of many species is only a minor cellular component in the mustached bat auditory cortex.
An Assessment of Neutron Sensor Channel in-Situ Performance Testing Methods

An overall comparative assessment of in-situ methods for performance verification of neutron sensor channels is presented. This assessment includes ongoing research being conducted by the authors and their associates in the following techniques: modulation of the high voltage bias supply, analysis of detector signal noise, time domain reflectometry, and "traditional" methods such as saturation curve analysis. Results of an experimental program involving detector testing techniques in a laboratory and operating power reactor environment are discussed. Recommendations relative to the optimum methods available for a given test situation, as well as a possible "integrated" surveillance/testing program, are made.
Disruption of pregnancy in rabbits serving as hosts for feeding ticks

The effect of tick infestation on reproductive success of mammals was studied by using rabbits bred after they had served as hosts for Dermacentor variabilis . Mating success, pregnancy incidence, litter size and neonatal viability were reduced in tick-exposed rabbits, and the proportional number of abnormalities found in preimplantation-stage embryos was much higher than in unexposed controls. Fecundity was restored by prolonging the interval between tick exposure and breeding or by treatment with an acaricide.
The Soluble Acyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthetase of Vibrio harveyi B392 Is a Member of the Medium Chain Acyl-CoA Synthetase Family†

The gene encoding the unique soluble acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase (AasS) of the bioluminescent Vibrio harveyi strain B392 has been isolated by expression cloning in Escherichia coli. This enzyme catalyzes the ATP-dependent acylation of the thiol of acyl carrier protein (ACP) with fatty acids with chain lengths from C4 to C18. The gene (called aasS) encodes a protein of 60 kDa, a hexahistidine-tagged version of which was readily expressed in E. coli and purified in large quantities. Surprisingly, the sequence of the encoded protein was significantly more similar to that of an acyl-CoA synthetase of the distantly related bacterium, Thermus thermophilus, than to that of the membrane-bound acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase of E. coli, an enzyme that catalyzes the same reaction from a more closely related organism. Indeed, the AasS sequence can readily be modeled on the known crystal structures of the T. thermophilus acyl-CoA synthetase with remarkably high levels of conservation of the catalytic site residues. To test the possible role of AasS in the fatty aldehyde-dependent bioluminescence pathway of V. harveyi, the chromosomal aasS gene of the organism was disrupted by insertion of a kanamycin cassette by homologous recombination. The resulting aasS::kan strains retained low levels of acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase consistent with prior indications of a second such activity in this bacterium. The mutant strains grew normally and had normal levels of bioluminescence but were deficient in the incorporation of exogenous octanoic acid into the cellular phospholipids of V. harveyi, particularly at low octanoate concentrations. These data indicate that AasS is responsible for a high-affinity and high-capacity uptake system that efficiently converts exogenous fatty acids into acyl-ACP species competent to enter the fatty acid biosynthetic cycle.
Lactation status influences expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein isoform mRNA in the mouse mammary gland

The CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs) are a highly conserved family of DNA binding proteins implicated in the transcriptional control of genes involved in cell growth and differentiation in a variety of tissues. The expression of C/EBP-alpha, beta, and delta mRNA in the normal mouse mammary gland was investigated during pregnancy, lactation, and involution via Northern blotting and in situ hybridization. Mammary gland C/EBP-alpha mRNA is detectable at low levels during pregnancy and postlactational involution. C/EBP-beta mRNA levels are elevated during pregnancy, decline slightly in midlactation, and are induced within 48 hours of the onset of involution. C/EBP-delta mRNA content is low throughout pregnancy and lactation, but increases dramatically (>100-fold) within 12 hours after the onset of postlactational involution. In situ hybridization demonstrates that mammary epithelial cells are responsible for the expression of C/EBP-delta mRNA during involution. In contrast to mammary gland, C/EBP-alpha is the predominate isoform expressed in liver with relatively low expression of C/EBP-beta and C/EBP-delta mRNA. Liver C/EBP isoform mRNA levels are unaffected by lactation status. These results demonstrate the tissue-specific regulation of C/EBPs. The pronounced sequential induction of C/EBP-delta and C/EBP-beta during postlactational involution is consistent with a role for C/EBPs in the regulation of mammary epithelial cell apoptosis.
Interactions between the spatial and temporal clumping of food affect the intensity of aggression in Japanese medaka

Abstract Previous studies have largely supported the predictions that an animal's aggressiveness increases as the clumping of resources increases in space but decreases in time. Such tests of resource defence theory, however, have manipulated only one aspect of resource distribution at a time. We tested for an interaction between the effects of the spatial and temporal clumping of food by allowing groups of 10 Japanese medaka fish, Oryzias latipes , to compete for food in a 2×2 factorial design. There was a significant interaction between the effects of the spatial and temporal clumping of food on both the total rate of aggression in tanks and on the per capita rate of aggression by fish in the feeding patch. Despite these interactions, all trends in per capita rate of aggression in the feeding patch were consistent with the predictions. In contrast, total rate of aggression in the tank, which included fish that were not competing for food, apparently contradicted a key prediction. Our results suggest that powerful tests of resource defence theory should take into account an animal's opportunity to be aggressive. In addition, it may be difficult to extrapolate the results of single-factor tests of resource defence theory to multi-factor or field situations.
Embracing risk as a core competence: The case of CEMEX

Abstract In this paper we argue that risk management can be an important source of competitive advantage for firms. For this to happen, managers must overcome four deep-seated notions about the management of risk: the myopic conception that risk is a collection of unconnected threats to the survival of a firm, the belief that risk management is largely a financial activity, the idea that risk management is solely a top management team task, and a blind faith that CEOs can continuously anticipate the risks that firms must address on an ongoing basis. Challenging these four misconceptions reveals that risk management can be an activity that is value creating, not just value preserving. Indeed, rather than indiscriminately shedding all types of risks, companies can develop new sources of competitive advantage by embracing those risks that they are relatively better at managing than their rivals. We illustrate our arguments by analyzing the risk management practices at CEMEX, the Mexican cement manufacturer.
The Rectal Sac of the Red-Legged Grasshopper, Melanoplus Femur-Rubrum DeGeer

An examination of many sections cut through the rectal sac of the red-legged grasshopper, and a perusal of the literature written on the structure of this part of the alimentary tract, led to the conclusion that another study might be of interest. This is a histological study, and one object in view was that concerning the function of the rectal glands, could any conclusions be drawn from a microscopical study without the more important physiological experiments.
Adolescent development alters stressor-induced Fos immunoreactivity in rat brain

Abstract Adult-typical behavioural responses to environmental challenges as well as the stressor responsiveness of several neural systems emerge over adolescent development. The present study was undertaken to determine whether stressors might activate different neural populations in adult vs juvenile male rats. Fos-immunoreactivity was determined in various forebrain nuclei following 15 min or 2 h of restraint in 28- and 60-day-old male rats (representing late juvenile and young adult ages, respectively) and compared to non-restrained control animals at each age. Few Fos-positive cells were identifed in unrestrained controls at either age. Restraint, however, induced the production of Fos in several areas. Fos immunoreactivity was marked in parvocellular regions of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus following both restraint periods and at both ages, an observation consistent with previous observations that restraint increases plasma corticosterone at both ages. And at both ages, Fos immunoreactivity was evident in magnocellular regions of the hypothalamus only following the longer restraint period. Fos immunoreactivity, however, clearly varied as a function of adolescent age in several regions. Moderate to intense Fos immunoreactivity was observed in adults in all divisions of the anterior olfactory nucleus, cortical and medial amygdaloid nuclei, pyriform cortex and tenia tecta. In contrast to the adult, only a few Fos positive cells were observed in any of these regions in juveniles. Exposure to the same stressor induced Fos in a broader spectrum of neurons in young adult than in juvenile male rats. The lack of Fos-positive cells in specific areas of juveniles may relate to maturation in specific amygdaloid nuclei, which project to many of the other regions that showed age-related differences in Fos production. The emergence over adolescence of Fos-positive cells in specific areas in response to stressors may underlie the emergence of adult-typical behavioural and neural stressor-responsiveness.
12.2 3D gesture-sensing system for interactive displays based on extended-range capacitive sensing

Capacitive touch screens have enabled compelling interfaces for displays. Three-dimensional (3D) sensing, where user gestures can also be sensed in the out-of-plane dimension to distances of 20 to 30cm, represents new interfacing possibilities that could substantially enrich user experience. The challenge is achieving sensitivity at these distances when sensing the small capacitive perturbations caused by user interaction with sensing electrodes. Among capacitive-sensing approaches, self capacitance enables substantially greater distance than mutual capacitance (i.e., between electrodes), but can suffer from ghost effects during multi-touch. For gesture recognition, however, processing via classifiers can overcome such effects, enabling a rich dictionary of gestures. Nonetheless, the sensing distance of such systems has been too limited for 3D sensing.
An introduction to this special section—West Africa

In November 2002, THE LEADING EDGE published a special issue on exploration and development in West Africa. The articles spanned a wide array of topics including regional studies ranging from discussion on structural styles and depositional environments, to field specific interpretations emphasizing seismic analysis and expounding the value of high-quality seismic data as a result of high-resolution acquisition and processing.
A Method for Enhancing Student Interest in Large Introductory Classes.

A common problem for teachers of large sections of introductory psychology is developing high levels of student interest in course content. In this article, we describe a method for creating and maintaining such interest involving students' written responses to a single question: "What one thing in your life, if you could change it today, would have the most immediate and profound positive impact in your life?" Students' responses to this question can be analyzed according to response category and incorporated into classroom discussions of many psychological principles. Infusing student responses into classroom discussion increases student awareness of important issue in the lives of their classmates, increases their knowledge of psychological principles and theory apply to these issues, and enhances student interest in the course.
The Human Rights Responsibilities of the World Bank A Business Paradigm

This article proposes a model for understanding the appropriate role of intergovernmental organizations in the promotion of human rights, using the World Bank as an example. Most critiques of the Bank’s record on human rights fail because they implicitly treat the institution as a pseudo-governmental agency, with the authority to choose among competing social goals. It is more accurate and instructive to see it as similar to a large corporation, with clear but limited responsibilities to society. As such it is obligated to consider human rights only when they are directly impacted by projects. The article then examines the Bank’s human rights policies. Both in its direct policies and its emphasis on ‘governance’ reform, the institution is acting as we would expect from a corporation in the same situation. Its failures to live up to even its stated guidelines reinforce the need to understand its organizational nature.
Geometric analysis of soft thresholds in action potential initiation and the consequences for understanding phase response curves and model tuning

Recent mathematical and computational work on the space-clamped Hodgkin-Huxley (H-H) model of neural excitability identifies major dynamic features of the changing nullclines in 2D phase plane projections during action potential (AP) initiation [1,2]. Such analysis provides novel mechanistic and geometric understanding (in terms of interplay between variables and currents) of the “soft threshold” dynamics. We perform visualization of the nullcline dynamics around threshold, and characterize important geometric properties via “dominant scale analysis” [3], which avoids the need to make asymptotic approximations. In particular, we analyze the transient dynamics during the passage through the ghost of a saddle-node bifurcation in the (V, m) phase-plane projection of a local 3D approximation to the 4D H-H equations (where sodium inactivation h is held constant). Linear analysis of the moving V-nullcline in these projections indicates that a necessary condition for AP initiation is the eventual holding of the following inequalities in the neighborhood of the ghost of the saddle node:
Four methods for completing the conceptual development phase of applied theory building research in HRD

The purpose of this article is to describe four methods for completing the conceptual development phase of theory building research for single or multiparadigm research. The four methods selected for this review are (1) Weick's method of “theorizing as disciplined imagination” (1989); (2) Whetten's method of “modeling as theorizing” (2002); (3) Chermack's method of “scenario planning as theorizing” (2006); and (4) Storberg- Walker's method of “five components of conceptual development” (2007b). Each method is described in detail with a goal of providing readers with four alternative ways of approaching and completing the conceptual development phase. We present the methods from more to less abstract, beginning with a method illuminating the imaginative aspects of conceptual development and ending with a method that illuminates specific and interdependent cognitive tasks involved with conceptual development. These four methods cover a broad spectrum of ideas on how to best complete this most challenging component of theory building.
Joffre Lanning Coe (1916‐2000)

The late Professor Joffre Lanning Coe of the University of North Carolina has been described as the "quiet giant of Southeastern archaeology" (Griffin 1985). While best known for his regional archaeology, especially the middle Atlantic prehistoric sequence, Coe's subtle influence affected all of North American archaeology. In his research, Coe applied clear logic and scientific methods to solve archaeological problems. Beyond this he was a conscientious curator and a pioneer in site preservation and the employment of archaeological research and reconstruction for public education. Also, as with many scholars, his influence on graduate students has produced results that rival and expand his personal research. Since the mid-2Oth century, students of Joffre Coe's archaeology program at the University of North Carolina have been involved in a wide range of archaeological activities throughout the nation and the world. And in the 1960s and 1970s, two of his best-known pupils, Lewis Binford and Stanley South, changed the character of prehistoric and historical archaeology in the United States.
An introductory VR course for undergraduates incorporating foundation, experience and capstone

This paper presents the structure, pedagogy and motivation for an introductory undergraduate course in Virtual Reality. The course is offered as an elective at the 400-level, hence students taking the course are juniors and seniors who have completed a substantial portion of their Computer Science curriculum. The course incorporates multiple components of VR theory and practice, including hardware and software survey and analysis, human perception, and applications. It also contains a semester-long, hands-on development component utilizing a specific virtual reality environment. In addition, because VR is a broad, multidisciplinary field of study, the course provides an ideal environment for incorporating capstone elements that allow undergraduate students to tie together many of the computing principles learned during their undergraduate academic careers.
Factors Affecting Benefits of Implementing Special Signal Timing Plans for Inclement Weather Conditions

Gridlock along arterial systems in cold climates is often the result of adverse weather conditions, which can render the normal signal coordination plans unsuitable as a result of changes in the traffic flow parameters. The current study aims at understanding the impact of different factors on the magnitude of the operational benefits to be expected from implementing special timing plans for inclement weather. The factors investigated include (a) the characteristics of the signalized corridor, (b) the type of the simulation model used in the evaluation, (c) the level of traffic demand, and (d) the duration of the inclement weather event. To achieve the study's objective, two signalized arterial corridors are selected as case studies, and several simulation experiments are conducted. The results show that signal retiming during inclement weather can result in significant operational benefits (as high as a 20% reduction in control delay in some cases). The results also show that the benefits appear to be gr...
Model-based function approximation in reinforcement learning

Reinforcement learning promises a generic method for adapting agents to arbitrary tasks in arbitrary stochastic environments, but applying it to new real-world problems remains difficult, a few impressive success stories notwithstanding. Most interesting agent-environment systems have large state spaces, so performance depends crucially on efficient generalization from a small amount of experience. Current algorithms rely on model-free function approximation, which estimates the long-term values of states and actions directly from data and assumes that actions have similar values in similar states. This paper proposes model-based function approximation, which combines two forms of generalization by assuming that in addition to having similar values in similar states, actions also have similar effects. For one family of generalization schemes known as averagers, computation of an approximate value function from an approximate model is shown to be equivalent to the computation of the exact value function for a finite model derived from data. This derivation both integrates two independent sources of generalization and permits the extension of model-based techniques developed for finite problems. Preliminary experiments with a novel algorithm, AMBI (Approximate Models Based on Instances), demonstrate that this approach yields faster learning on some standard benchmark problems than many contemporary algorithms.
Reducing aggressive responses to social exclusion using transcranial direct current stimulation

A vast body of research showed that social exclusion can trigger aggression. However, the neural mechanisms involved in regulating aggressive responses to social exclusion are still largely unknown. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modulates the excitability of a target region. Building on studies suggesting that activity in the right ventrolateral pre-frontal cortex (rVLPFC) might aid the regulation or inhibition of social exclusion-related distress, we hypothesized that non-invasive brain polarization through tDCS over the rVLPFC would reduce behavioral aggression following social exclusion. Participants were socially excluded or included while they received tDCS or sham stimulation to the rVLPFC. Next, they received an opportunity to aggress. Excluded participants demonstrated cognitive awareness of their inclusionary status, yet tDCS (but not sham stimulation) reduced their behavioral aggression. Excluded participants who received tDCS stimulation were no more aggressive than included participants. tDCS stimulation did not influence socially included participants’ aggression. Our findings provide the first causal test for the role of rVLPFC in modulating aggressive responses to social exclusion. Our findings suggest that modulating activity in a brain area (i.e. the rVLPFC) implicated in self-control and emotion regulation can break the link between social exclusion and aggression.
Detection and quantification of Renibacterium salmoninarum DNA in salmonid tissues by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Renibacterium salmoninarum is an important salmonid pathogen that is difficult to culture. We developed and assessed a real-time, quantitative, polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay for the detection and enumeration of R. salmoninarum. The qPCR is based on TaqMan technology and amplifies a 69-base pair (bp) region of the gene encoding the major soluble antigen (MSA) of R. salmoninarum. The qPCR assay consistently detected as few as 5 R. salmoninarum cells per reaction in kidney tissue. The specificity of the qPCR was confirmed by testing the DNA extracts from a panel of microorganisms that were either common fish pathogens or reported to cause false-positive reactions in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Kidney samples from 38 juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in a naturally infected population were examined by real-time qPCR, a nested PCR, and ELISA, and prevalences of R. salmoninarum detected were 71, 66, and 71%, respectively. The qPCR should be a valuable tool for evaluating the R. salmoninarum infection status of salmonids. th
Lower extremity biomechanical changes associated with symmetrical torso loading during simulated marching.

ABSTRACT The dose–response relationship between biomechanical variables and the magnitude of external loads is unclear. The use of different load distributions (e.g., pack types) may confound results because of changes in torso center of mass. Therefore, we examined the relationship between load magnitude and sagittal plane lower extremity mechanics of Soldiers walking with two symmetrically distributed loads. Fourteen Soldiers marched on a force-sensing treadmill at 1.34 m/s for 10 minutes with no load (BW_00) and while wearing vest-borne loads of 15 kg (BW_15) and 55 kg (BW_55). The effects of the loads on sagittal plane joint angles and moments were compared using 1-way repeated measures analyses of variance. Compared with BW_00, knee extension moment increased with the 15- and the 55-kg loads (both p < 0.003), confirming previously reported load-related biomechanical responses. Knee moment increases during early stance appeared to be the primary means by which the lower extremity counteracted BW_15 du...
Viral Oncogenes, Noncoding RNAs, and RNA Splicing in Human Tumor Viruses

Viral oncogenes are responsible for oncogenesis resulting from persistent virus infection. Although different human tumor viruses express different viral oncogenes and induce different tumors, their oncoproteins often target similar sets of cellular tumor suppressors or signal pathways to immortalize and/or transform infected cells. Expression of the viral E6 and E7 oncogenes in papillomavirus, E1A and E1B oncogenes in adenovirus, large T and small t antigen in polyomavirus, and Tax oncogene in HTLV-1 are regulated by alternative RNA splicing. However, this regulation is only partially understood. DNA tumor viruses also encode noncoding RNAs, including viral microRNAs, that disturb normal cell functions. Among the determined viral microRNA precursors, EBV encodes 25 from two major clusters (BART and BHRF1), KSHV encodes 12 from a latent region, human polyomavirus MCV produce only one microRNA from the late region antisense to early transcripts, but HPVs appears to produce no viral microRNAs.
Haemostatic mechanisms of the newborn foal: reduced platelet responsiveness.

Summary Whole blood platelet counts, coagulation profiles and in vitro platelet function tests were monitored in newborn foals during the first week of life. Platelet counts, mean platelet volumes and thrombin-induced malondialdehyde production were not different from adult mares. Prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times were slightly, but not significantly, longer for neonatal blood samples than for mare samples. Platelet aggregation responses to serotonin, arachidonic acid or adrenaline did not change during the study. On the other hand, adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation and collagen-induced aggregation increased progressively over the first week of life. Adrenaline exposure diminished adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation only during the first 12 h of life. The results of this study indicate that the haemostatic mechanisms of equine neonates are immature at birth and that, during the maturation period, the equine neonate may be at risk of platelet-associated haemorrhagic disorders.
Infection of Ciliated Cells by Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 in an In Vitro Model of Human Airway Epithelium

We constructed a human recombinant parainfluenza virus type 3 (rPIV3) that expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) and used this virus, rgPIV3, to characterize PIV3 infection of an established in vitro model of human pseudostratified mucociliary airway epithelium (HAE). The apical surface of HAE was highly susceptible to rgPIV3 infection, whereas only occasional cells were infected when virus was applied to the basolateral surface. Infection involved exclusively ciliated epithelial cells. There was little evidence of virus-mediated cytopathology and no spread of the virus beyond the ciliated cell types. Infection of ciliated cells by rgPIV3 was sensitive to a neuraminidase specific for α2-6-linked sialic acid residues, but not to a neuraminidase that cleaves α2-3- and α2-8-linked sialic acid residues. This provided evidence that rgPIV3 utilizes α2-6-linked sialic acid residues for initiating infection, a specificity also described for human influenza viruses. The PIV3 fusion (F) glycoprotein was trafficked exclusively to the apical surface of ciliated cells, which also was the site of release of progeny virus. F glycoprotein localized predominately to the membranes of the cilial shafts, suggesting that progeny viruses may bud from cilia per se. The polarized trafficking of F glycoprotein to the apical surface also likely restricts its interaction with neighboring cells and could account for the observed lack of cell-cell fusion. HAE derived from cystic fibrosis patients was not more susceptible to rgPIV3 infection but did exhibit limited spread of virus due to impaired movement of lumenal secretions due to compromised function of the cilia.
The complex role of nitric oxide in the pathophysiology of focal cerebral ischemia.

Nitrogen monoxide (NO) has recently emerged as an important mediator of cellular and molecular events which impacts the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia. Although tempting to ask whether NO is “good or bad” for cerebral ischemia, the question underestimates the complexities of NO chemistry and physiology as well as oversimplifies the pathophysiology of focal cerebral ischemia. Important vascular and neuronal actions of NO have been defined which both enhance tissue survival and mediate cellular injury and death, and these will be reviewed. Strategies which modify NO synthesis and / or metabolism may someday assume therapeutic importance, but not until the tissue compartments generating NO, the activities of the enzymes that are inducibly and constitutively expressed, and the redox state of NO during the stages of ischemic injury, are defined with greater precision. Our knowledge of these processes is rudimentary. This review will summarize the evidence from animal models which supports an emerging role for NO in ischemic pathophysiology. Important aspects of NO synthesis and inhibitors of this process will also be discussed
UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT IN THE WORKPLACE

Employee empowerment becomes more important in organizations as management styles have shifted to a focus on numerous leaders rather than supervisors within business world. It is a leader’s responsibility to motivate and engage their followers in their work, and can accomplish this through empowering their employees. The topic of employee empowerment has been well explored, and has a clear impact on worker’s performance. This research aims to examine how the empowerment an employee feels they have can affect how they view their leader. The results revealed a correlation in workers opinion of their leader and their perceived level of empowerment; except when it comes to the decision making process. In addition, an overwhelming amount of employees reported that communication with their leader is strained and that is something they would like to strengthen. These findings provide significant insight for leaders, emphasizing the importance of including employees in decision-making processes and establishing clear, honest and open communication with their followers.
Organizational Use of Decision Analysis

This technical note considers three activities that are key to creating value for the organization: (1) making excellent choices, (2) actually bringing about change, and (3) operating effectively with new choices. The note recommends a process that involves lacing together a decision board and a project team as they work together through six work steps. The process focuses on alternative generation, evaluation, and implementation, and is grounded in decision analysis. Tools for creativity enhancement and structuring of analysis are crucial to success; much of this note is about creativity. Collaborative efforts to frame the assessment of risk and make explicit value trade-offs are integral to the process. Risk-management techniques expand the set of alternatives to add value and reduce risk. Companies and consultants have used this process very successfully.
Medical management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a concise review focusing on the past 5 years

ABSTRACTEven though chemotherapy has improved survival in patients with different malignancies, it has short-term side effects as well as toxicity in survivors. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is encountered with neurotoxic chemotherapy agents. It has proven difficult to prevent and, once it is already established, management becomes more challenging. Rationale for medications used to treat CIPN are based on extrapolation of their efficacy in other types of neuropathic pain, whereas duloxetine is the only medication that has a moderate strength of recommendation after a phase III double-blind, randomized controlled trial was published on treatment of CIPN.
The role of continuous low-frequency harmonicity cues for interrupted speech perception in bimodal hearing

Low-frequency acoustic cues have been shown to enhance speech perception by cochlear-implant users, particularly when target speech occurs in a competing background. The present study examined the extent to which a continuous representation of low-frequency harmonicity cues contributes to bimodal benefit in simulated bimodal listeners. Experiment 1 examined the benefit of restoring a continuous temporal envelope to the low-frequency ear while the vocoder ear received a temporally interrupted stimulus. Experiment 2 examined the effect of providing continuous harmonicity cues in the low-frequency ear as compared to restoring a continuous temporal envelope in the vocoder ear. Findings indicate that bimodal benefit for temporally interrupted speech increases when continuity is restored to either or both ears. The primary benefit appears to stem from the continuous temporal envelope in the low-frequency region providing additional phonetic cues related to manner and F1 frequency; a secondary contribution is provided by low-frequency harmonicity cues when a continuous representation of the temporal envelope is present in the low-frequency, or both ears. The continuous temporal envelope and harmonicity cues of low-frequency speech are thought to support bimodal benefit by facilitating identification of word and syllable boundaries, and by restoring partial phonetic cues that occur during gaps in the temporally interrupted stimulus.
Dogmatic thinking and communication skills of student-physicians.

Medical students' performance on Carkhuff's Communication and Discrimination Indexes improved significantly as a result of a 9-wk. training program. However, students who performed better on these measures in relation to their peers were not more open-minded as measured by Rokeach's Dogmatism Scale.
119 Challenges in Pediatric Triage at the Emergency Department

Triage aims to identify patients in the emergency department who need immediate care and those who can safely wait in order to decrease mortality and morbidity. The Manchester Triage system (MTS) is based on expert opinion. It is based on flowcharts and specific decision rules which allocate urgency level (1 to 5) for a broad population visiting the emergency department. The reliability is dependent of the clinical experience and MTS training of the triagist, unambiguous of the system and diversity in flowcharts and discriminators to match the patients. The fundamental problem in studies to validate triage tools is the lack of consensus of the reference standard for “true urgency”. Does the MTS urgency predicts true urgency? A proxy reference standard can be a combination of vital signs, disease severity, resource use and follow-up or just hospitalization. The validity of the MTS in a large prospective study of 17600 children in the Netherlands was moderate and low for febrile children compared to the combined reference standard. Age related fever modifications were validated in a new sample and improved specificity while sensitivity remained similar. The modified MTS agreed in 37% with the reference standard of urgency and 36% were overtriage and 13% undertriage (2% by > 1 category). Over and undertriage need to be balanced to have a safe triage system. Performance of the MTS in different settings and in large populations need to be studied. New modifications on flowchart or subgroup level might further improve the MTS.
Thoracotomy for complicated foreign bodies in bronchi

OBJECTIVE To discuss the reasons of foreign bodies in bronchi which need to remove with thoracotomy.METHODS The clinical data of 20 cases underwent thoracotomy in order to remove the foreign bodies in bronchi from 1993 to 2005 were studied.There were 17 boys and 3 girls.RESULTS Rigid bronchoscopy could not remove the foreign bodies in bronchi out in 16 cases before thoracotomy.Eleven cases had complications such as pneumonia and /or atelectasis before operation.All the foreign bodies of the 20 cases were non-planted.Most of the cases have a long history.The foreign bodies were successfully removed in 19 patients with thoracotomy,but the location of foreign body in one case changed and couldn’t be removed during the thoracotomy and finally removed with rigid bronchoscopy.CONCLUSION Thoracotomy was a useful alternative method in removing the foreign bodies in bronchi with a long history,compilations and special kinds.
Lipid–Protein Interactions in Membranes

Three linked functions connect the two major components of biological membranes, lipids and proteins. They are: lipid–lipid interactions, lipid–protein interactions, and protein–protein interactions. These interactions are not independent. An alteration in one will affect the others. The membrane protein can therefore influence lipid bilayer properties. The lipid bilayer can influence membrane proteins. For example, the lipid bilayer can influence the membrane protein through bilayer thickness. The hydrophobic mismatch between the two will lead to distortion of protein structure. Specific binding sites on membrane proteins for reversible binding of specific lipids to the protein exist. Binding of specific lipids to those sites alters protein function. X-ray crystal structures of membrane proteins provide the evidence for such specific lipid binding sites. Boundary lipid, another type of lipid–protein interaction, constitutes a single layer of lipid bilayer around the entire transmembrane domain of the membrane protein. Reconstitution of membrane proteins into defined lipid bilayers must take into account adequately purifying the protein in an active form and removing all the detergent used in the former from the reconstituted membrane. The product must be characterized for lipid/protein ratio and lipid and protein content.
Measurement of Mitochondrial Respiration and Motility in Acute Care Sepsis, Trauma, and Poisoning

Metabolic biomarkers have potentially wider use in disease diagnosis and prognosis as well as in monitoring disease response to treatment. While biomarkers such as interleukins, microRNA, and lactate have been proposed for disease surveillance, there are still conflicting results regarding their clinical utility. Treatment of commonly encountered disease of acute care such as sepsis, trauma, and poisoning often relies on clinical diagnosis and therapy guided by use of surrogate markers of illness severity. The measurement of mitochondrial function, including respiration and motility, may offer superior alternatives to such markers. Assessing mitochondrial function in a clinical context has the potential to impact the area of acute care in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The study of mitochondrial bioenergetics has become critical in understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of complex diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.
In Vivo Cannulation Methods for Cardiomyocytes Isolation from Heart Disease Models

Isolation of high quality cardiomyocytes is critically important for achieving successful experiments in many cellular and molecular cardiology studies. Methods for isolating cardiomyocytes from the murine heart generally are time-sensitive and experience-dependent, and often fail to produce high quality cells. Major technical difficulties can be related to the surgical procedures needed to explant the heart and to cannulate the vessel to mount onto the Langendorff system before in vitro reperfusion can begin. During this period, transient hypoxia and ischemia may damage the heart, resulting in low yield and poor quality of cells, especially for heart disease models that have fragile cells. We have developed novel in vivo cannulation methods to minimize hypoxia and ischemia, and fine-tuned the entire protocol to produce high quality ventricular myocytes. The high cell quality has been confirmed using important structural and functional criteria such as morphology, t-tubule structure, action potential morphology, Ca2+ signaling, responsiveness to beta-adrenergic agonist, and ability to have robust contraction under mechanically loaded condition. Together these assessments show the preservation of the cardiac excitation-contraction machinery in cells isolated using this technique. The in vivo cannulation method enables consistent isolation of high-quality cardiomyocytes, even from heart disease models that were notoriously difficult for cell isolation using traditional methods.
The view from the middle: lively relations of care, class, and medical labour in Maputo

In recent decades, new flows of private and philanthropic capital – including those that fund ‘global health’ interventions – are impacting public health in Mozambique. In addition to transforming ...
New approaches in biochemical sensing using photonic crystals in the terahertz region

Peculiar properties of photonic crystals open up the potential applicability of them for bio-sensing purposes. We carried out electromagnetic simulations of two-dimensional photonic-crystal waveguide (PCW) and coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW) structures created by changing the radii of air holes in a given row to investigate the effects in the terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum of introducing small quantities of molecules, such as DNA, in the air holes.
Stenting in Aortopathies

Transcatheter stent deployment within the aorta is generally used for two purposes: (1) relief of aortic obstruction as seen in aortic coarctation and (2) the use of covered stents to exclude an aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm of the aorta. For the purpose of relieving obstruction, balloon angioplasty alone is associated with reasonable short-term improvement in stenosis severity but limited by a high incidence of restenosis and aneurysm formation. Uncovered large diameter stent platforms are a more durable alternative for relief of stenosis but do not obviate the risk of aneurysm formation and do not protect the aorta in cases of rupture, dissection, or pseudoaneurysm formation. Covered balloon expandable stent platforms are ideal for relief of stenosis and reduce the risk of extravascular hemorrhage, dissection, and aneurysm formation. Transcatheter stent placement has become the treatment modality of choice for most children and adults with native coarctation or those with postsurgical sequelae or complications. The advent of large diameter self-expanding covered stent grafts allows for treatment of complex aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, and dissections. Hybrid transcatheter and surgical techniques can also be utilized to treat hypoplasia and focal coarctations of the aortic arch. This chapter will review the role of transcatheter stenting for the treatment of aortopathies that are manifested by obstruction, aneurysm formation, or both.
Resonant photonic structures in porous silicon for biosensing

The formation of resonant photonic structures in porous silicon leverages the benefit of high surface area for improved molecular capture that is characteristic of porous materials with the advantage of high detection sensitivity that is a feature of resonant optical devices. This review provides an overview of the biosensing capabilities of a variety of resonant porous silicon photonic structures including microcavities, Bloch surface waves, ring resonators, and annular Bragg resonators. Detection sensitivities > 1000 nm/RIU are achieved for small molecule detection. The challenge of detecting molecules that approach and exceed the pore diameter is also addressed.
INCREMENTAL PROGNOSTIC UTILITY OF LATE GADOLINIUM ENHANCEMENT IN HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

Background: We sought to assess the incremental prognostic utility of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. Methods: We studied 1424 consecutive HCM patients (≥18 years) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, mean age 66±14 years, 60%
High pT inclusive charged hadron spectra from Au+Au collisions at GeV

The STAR Collaboration presents new measurements of inclusive charged hadron distributions for pT < 12 GeV/c from Au+Au collisions at SNN=200. Charged hadron suppression at high pT is similar in shape and magnitude at all centralities to that observed previously at SNN=130 for pT < 6 GeV/c. The ratio of spectra from central and peripheral Au+Au collisions shows that hadron suppression is approximately constant within 6 < pT < 12 GeV/c. The ratios of charged hadron spectra at the two beam energies show a 15–20% increase in yield at low pT. At high pT, the ratios show a larger increase that agrees well with pQCD calculations of the SNN dependence of particle production in Au+Au collisions.
Homophobic Nationalism: The Development of Sodomy Legislation in Uganda

Literature on sexuality and citizenship has demonstrated the myriad of ways that states use legislation to produce, regulate, and protect a sexually and racially "pure" citizen. In the context of the European imperial powers, this citizen is heterosexual, monogamous, and white. In the postcolonial Ugandan context, the development of sodomy legislation shows that this ideal citizen is heterosexual, monogamous, and yet untarnished by contemporary Western ideals (which is undoubtedly paradoxical). This work engages with colonial legislative texts, most notably the Ugandan Penal Code Act of 1950. The author then triangulates this with an analysis of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and Act and parliamentary record from 1999-2013. With this data, it is argued that the Ugandan construct of an ideal citizen is not only a reactionary result of colonialism, but that it is also demonstrative of the anti-globalization ideology that has heightened in the wake of rapid ngoization of the global lgbti rights movement.