cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Graft Dysfunction After Lung Transplantation

Primary graft dysfunction is an acute lung injury syndrome occurring immediately following lung transplantation. This review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding of primary graft dysfunction (PGD), including epidemiology, immunology, clinical outcomes, and management. Identification of donor and recipient factors allowing accurate prediction of PGD has been actively pursued. Improved understanding of the immunology underlying PGD has spurred interest in identifying relevant biomarkers. Work in PGD prediction, severity stratification, and targeted therapies continue to make progress. Donor expansion strategies continue to be pursued with ex vivo lung perfusion playing a prominent role. While care of PGD remains supportive, ECMO has established a prominent role in the early aggressive management of severe PGD. A consensus definition of PGD has allowed marked advances in research and clinical care of affected patients. Future research will lead to reliable predictive tools and targeted therapeutics of this important syndrome.
Perioperative Management of the Lung Graft Following Lung Transplantation

Perioperative management of patients undergoing lung transplantation is one of the most complex in cardiothoracic surgery. Certain perioperative interventions, such as mechanical ventilation, fluid management and blood transfusions, use of extracorporeal mechanical support, and pain management, may have significant impact on the lung graft function and clinical outcome. This article provides a review of perioperative interventions that have been shown to impact the perioperative course after lung transplantation.
Activation Energy Determination for Photovoltaic Encapsulant Discoloration by Indoor Accelerated UV Testing

A novel methodology for determining the activation energy of photovoltaic encapsulant discoloration using an indoor accelerated ultraviolet (UV) stress test while simultaneously maintaining multiple module temperatures in a single weathering chamber is presented. The testing was performed on some fresh mini-modules with a glass/EVA/cell/EVA/backsheet construction. The short-circuit current degradation from individual cells was used to quantify transmittance losses due to discoloration. Activation energy determined using indoor accelerated UV test data and Modified Arrhenius model ranges from 26 to 44 kJ/mol (0.27 to 0.46 eV). Activation energy was also determined from the outdoor field degradation data by employing different physical models that consider the individual or combined effects of key environmental factors. The approach here is instrumental to evaluating the reliability studies on encapsulant degradation mechanisms using relatively less time and resources.
Left atrial reverse remodeling following surgical revascularization and mitral valve repair

The results from the analysis of the preoperative cardiac status and postoperative period of 140 patients with ischemic heart disease and significant ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) were presented. In 71 patients, surgical revascularization and simultaneous mitral valve repair was done (group A). The rest 69 patients were subjected to isolated coronary artery bypass procedure (group B). Control transthoracic echocardiographic examinations were performed before discharge from hospital and postoperative follow-up (mean 20 months) was accomplished. The emphasis was made on the left atrial morphology prior to the intervention as well as on the gradual changes following the two types of procedures. It is established that immediately after isolated revascularization, left atrial size decreases, but slightly and temporarily. Later on, dilatation goes on and at patient`s follow-up its mean size is bigger than preoperatively. On the other hand, combined coronary revascularization and mitral valve repair result in more prominent and durable left atrial reduction. Based on this a conclusion can be drawn that combined surgical revascularization and mitral repair may trigger a process of significant left atrial reverse remodeling thus lowering the risk of subsequent cardiovascular accidents.
Tribologically enhanced self-healing of niobium oxide surfaces

Abstract Activating a self-healing process is a viable approach for preventing the failure of ceramics experiencing mechanically-induced crack propagation. Previously, it was demonstrated that niobium oxide (Nb2O5) exhibits self-healing properties activated by the formation of Nb-Ag-O ternary oxide when heated above 945 °C in presence of silver. In this study, we explore the mechanism of lowering the high-temperature healing requirement by assisting the process of crack repair with a normal load and shear stresses. Specifically, we propose to use tribologically-induced local heating as a mechanism to enhance the self-healing ability of Nb2O5. During a pin-on-disk test, whereby a niobium oxide flat was sliding against a silver-coated ball, a sudden lowering of the coefficient of friction was observed at elevated temperatures (~600 °C). The better performance of the coating was associated with a surface reconstruction process initiated inside the wear track. Extensive characterization analysis of the wear track using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of an Nb-Ag-O ternary oxide phase inside the wear track formed at elevated temperature. The formation of an Nb-Ag-O ternary oxide at a much lower than thermodynamically-required temperature suggests that the self-healing process can be initiated directly during mechanically induced stresses. Such a process is a new recipe for improving wear and crack resistance characteristics of ceramic components and may be tuned to provide the desired frictional response.
Abstract P199: Gene Variants in Human Renal Proximal Tubule Alpha ENaC are Associated With Inverse Salt Sensitivity of Blood Pressure

The amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) localizes to the apical membrane of epithelial cells in distal nephron, playing an important role in regulating whole-body Na+ homeostasis a...
The applicability of self-determination theory to health coaching: a qualitative analysis of patient experiences

To examine the fit between core concepts of self-determination theory and patient experiences with health coaching, 18 participants at one large United States Veterans Affairs medical centre comple...
A discrete-time switched linear model of the particle swarm optimization algorithm

Abstract In this paper, the convergence issue of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is investigated. Most of the models of PSO algorithms are time-invariant linear models with the assumption the local and global best solutions do not change, i.e., the stagnation assumption. However, in this paper, a discrete-time switched linear model is introduced to study the stability and convergence of the PSO algorithm without the stagnation assumption. By considering the updates of local best positions and global best solutions, a sequence of state transform matrixes is generated during the searching process. The semistability of the proposed switched linear system is studied. The conditions of the convergence in mean and convergence in probability are derived by using the recently developed results in paracontraction. Moreover, numerical examples are provided to verify the results proposed in this paper.
Perceived Stress in First-Year Medical Students and its Effect on Gut Microbiota

Medical students are constantly under stress caused by strenuous medical programs, which may exert persistent physical and psychological effects on their well-being. Using medical students as a model population, this work explores the gut microbiome as a potential contributing mechanism for why individuals exposed to similar stimuli react variably. We evaluated the relationship of gut microbiome composition of first year medical students and stress resilience over a period of 4 months. Our objective was to identify gut microbiome characteristics of individuals that showed long-term stress resilience. Students were voluntarily recruited and screened for lifestyle and environmental factors at 3 timepoints during the first semester. Fecal samples were also collected at each timepoint. In order to identify candidates with stress resilience, their perceived stress and depression levels were normalized and summed to produce a psychologic index score. The most notable finding is a correlation between psychologic resiliency of Bacteriodete:Firmicute abundance as well as a relationship between durable resiliency and microbiome stability. Phylogenetic assembly of participants by microbiome relatedness found that 100% of subjects who were resilient to stress across all timepoints (n=8) were phylogenetically clustered in adjacent positions, showing a high degree of temporal stability. Of participants who were not durably resilient to stress, only 62% of participants (n=8) showed microbiomes that were phylogenetically related across the same 4 month period. We identified 2,102 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) which were unique to the durable resilience group and 94 OTUs which were unique to the susceptible group. Of the 4,794 observed OTUs, 6.1% (n=294) were significantly different between groups. These findings support that the gut microbiome may play an important role in stress resilience at a time scale of 4 months. A better understanding of the role of the gut microbiome in stress resilience may shed light on potential treatment to reduce stress/anxiety in general, as well as to promote wellbeing of our future health care providers and physicians.
Format Effects of iPad Administration of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition: Cross-Sectional Evidence for Score Equivalency in Routine Clinical Practice.

Objective The literature lacks independent investigations of the influence of tablet administration of cognitive assessments in applied clinical settings. The present study examined the influence of iPad administration on (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition) WAIS-IV core subtest scores in a university-based clinic. Method Record review was conducted for a convenience sample (N = 66) of university students who were administered the WAIS-IV via iPad or traditional format. Bayesian difference testing was used to evaluate the strength of the evidence for subtest score equivalence across groups. Results Evidence supported score equivalency for the 10 core subtests across administration groups (BF > 3). The one exception was digit span-forward condition, for which equivalence was supported (BF = 2.44), but did not meet cut-off criteria. Conclusions iPad administration of WAIS-IV is unlikely to influence subtest scores in routine clinical practice with healthy young adults. Further independent research in diverse clinical populations is recommended.
Synthesis, spectroscopy, and X-ray structures of fac-(CO)3(dppe)MnSC(S)H, fac-(CO)3(dppe)ReSC(S)H, fac-(CO)3(dppp)ReSC(S)H, and fac-(CO)3(dppb)ReSC(S)H

The monodentate dithioformato complexes, fac-(CO)3(dppe)MnSC(S)H (1), fac- (CO)3(dppe)ReSC(S)H (2), fac-(CO)3(dppp)ReSC(S)H (3), and fac-(CO)3 (dppb)ReSC(S)H (4), where dppe is 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, dppp is 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane, and dppb is 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane, were synthesized from the treatment of the corresponding hydrides, fac-(CO)3 (P-P)MSC(S)H with CS2. Compounds 1–4 crystallize in the monoclinic crystal system: for 1, space group = P21/c, a = 15.3139(3) A, b = 9.7297(4) A, c = 19.0991(6) A, β = 105.928(1)○, V = 2736.5 A3, Z = 4; for 2, space group = P21/c, a = 15.6395(8) A, b = 9.8182(5) A, c = 19.4153(11) A, β = 106.741(1)○, V = 2854.9(3) A3, Z = 4; for 3, space group = P21/n, a = 11.3570(10) A, b = 19.465(2) A, c = 15.5702(14) A, β = 104.776(2)○, V = 3328.3(5) A3, Z = 4; and for 4, space group = C2/c, a = 32.078(2) A, b = 10.4741(6) A, c = 19.0608(9) A, β = 94.315(2)○, V = 6386.1(6) A3, Z = 8.
On Municipalities as Technologies

Although there is a history in urban thought wherein scholars view cities as technologies, the encompassing character of such views inherently limits them. In turn, their usefulness does not efficiently support the kind of thinking that is required to deliver worthwhile outcomes that can promote social justice and human flourishing. However, narrowing the focus through examining municipalities as technologies offers possibilities that can help us achieve such goals. To maximize the utility of this endeavor, employing the structural-ethics approach provides a way to assess urban technologies to achieve success. In this paper, the author explores the ideas above, revealing how they advance our thinking when it comes to remaking, planning, and building existing and future cities. The article concludes by linking these claims to other lessons in urban studies and geography.
Diversion of Tourism Flows in the Asia & Pacific Region: Lessons for COVID-19 Recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a collapse in international tourism, severely impacting the tourism-dependent economies in the Asia & Pacific region. Once countries start reopening, tourism diversion effects could accelerate the recovery in countries that establish themselves as more attractive travel destinations than competitors. We investigate the impact of previous shocks in tourism competitor countries on visitor inflows, with a particular focus on tourism-dependent Pacific Island Countries (PICs). We find that PICs were generally resilient to external shocks and benefitted from diversion effects for certain types of shocks. For example, the share of departures from Australia to PICs increased by 12 percent during the SARS outbreak. We then derive policy implications for the post-COVID-19 revival of inbound tourism to PICs and lessons for the future.
From single-target to cellular niche targeting in Crohn's disease: intercepting bad communications.

Abstract The mainstay of moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD), anti-TNF treatment, shows no clinical benefit in ∼40% of patients, likely due to incomplete cellular targeting and delayed treatment institution. While single-target therapeutics have been highly effective for some CD patients, substantial limitations with respect to safety, efficacy, and long-term, complete remission remain. Deconvolution of the cellular and molecular circuitry of tissue lesions underscores the importance of combinatorial strategies targeting cellular niches. This review aims to evaluate current therapeutic approaches used to manage CD, and highlight recent advances to our cellular, genetic, and molecular understanding of mechanisms driving pathogenic niche activation in CD. We propose new frameworks outlining that combinatorial therapies, along with serial tissue sampling and studies guided by genetics and genomics, can advance on current treatment approaches and will inform newer strategies upon which we can move towards precision therapeutics in IBD.
Outcomes of cingulate epilepsy surgery: insights from an institutional and patient-level systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE Due to their deep and medial location, range of seizure semiologies, and poor localization on ictal electroencephalography (EEG), cingulate gyrus seizures can be difficult to diagnose and treat. The aim of this study was to review the available evidence on postoperative outcomes after cingulate epilepsy surgery. METHODS A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted to identify studies that investigated postoperative outcomes of patients with cingulate epilepsy. Seizure freedom at the last follow-up (at least 12 months) was the primary endpoint. The literature search was supplemented by the authors' institutional series (4 patients). RESULTS Twenty-one studies were identified, yielding a total of 105 patients (68 with lesional epilepsy [65%]). Median age at surgery was 23 years, and 56% of patients were male. Median epilepsy duration was 7.5 years. Invasive EEG recording was performed on 69% of patients (53% of patients with lesional epilepsy and 97% of those with nonlesional epilepsy, p < 0.001). The most commonly resected region was the anterior cingulate (55%), followed by the posterior (17%) and middle (14%) cingulate. Lesionectomy alone was performed in 9% of patients. Additional extracingulate treatment was performed in 54% of patients (53% of patients with lesional epilepsy vs 57% of those with nonlesional epilepsy, p = 0.87). The most common pathology was cortical dysplasia (54%), followed by low-grade neoplasm (29%) and gliosis (8%). Seizure freedom was noted in 72% of patients (median follow-up 24 months). A neurological deficit was noted in 27% of patients (24% had temporary deficit), with the most common deficit being motor weakness (13%) followed by supplementary motor area syndrome (9.5%). Univariate survival analysis revealed significantly greater probability of seizure freedom in patients with lesional epilepsy (p = 0.015, log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS Surgical treatment of drug-resistant focal epilepsy originating from the cingulate gyrus is safe, leads to low rates of permanent adverse effects, and leads to high rates of long-term seizure freedom in carefully selected patients. These data may serve as a benchmark for surgical counseling of patients with cingulate epilepsy.
Optimizing Inductive Interconnect for Low Power

The width of an interconnect line affects the total power consumed by a circuit. A trade off exists between the dynamic power and the short-circuit power dissipated in inductive interconnect. The optimum line width that minimizes the total transient power dissipation is determined in this paper. A closed form solution for the optimum width with an error less than 5% is presented. For a specific set of line parameters and resistivities, a reduction in power approaching 78% is achieved as compared to the minimum wire width. Considering the driver size in the design process, the optimum wire and driver size that minimizes the total transient power is also determined.
Are There Distinct Employment Systems? New Evidence from American Firms

Theorizing in strategic human resource management has identified a "configurational" perspective in which firms put together distinct bundles of HRM practices called "employment systems" in order to exploit complementarities and synergies. This paper provides the most sophisticated and in-depth empirical test of this hypothesis to date. After surveying various typologies of employment systems, we select the one providing the most detailed predictions on alternative configurations of specific HRM practices. Using recent data on HRM practices among several hundred American firms, we find strong support for this particular model, the general idea of employment systems, and the configurational perspective.
Standing with functional neuromuscular stimulation: effect of foot placement and feedback variables

The long-term goal of this investigation is to enhance the functional abilities of individuals that stand using functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS). A target-acquisition paradigm was used to evaluate two postural variables, center of pressure (COP) and the position of the pelvis (POP) for the sensing of postural adjustments. These variables were examined under two different foot placements: normal and modified tandem stance. Subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) stood using FNS and made postural adjustments using voluntary upper body control to move a cursor that represented either their COP or POP to a given target displayed on a monitor. Performance and strategy indexes were compared for four stance conditions. Results indicate that the POP feedback provided improved quality of control for many movement directions. Measurements of reaction forces at the hands did not indicate consistent changes across stance conditions. When using the POP feedback, subjects effectively utilized a load/unload strategy in which weight was shifted from one foot to the other in order to execute the posture shift. Thus, sensing and controlling the translation of the pelvis may prove to be a useful approach to enhance the functionality of FNS standing systems.
Observations on the rare earths—LXXXIX: A spectral study of neodymium(III) complexes of aminecarboxylic acids

Abstract The probable structures of the protonated and non-protonated 1:1 and 2:1 complexes of neodymium(III) and triethylenetetraamine-N,N,N′,N″,N‴,N‴-hexaacetic acid (H6TTHA) have been deduced, based upon a comparison of the visible spectra of the neodymium(III) complexes of the related ligands ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (H4EDTA), N′-hydroxyethylethylenediamine-N,N,N′-triacetic acid (H3HEDTA), diethylenetriamine-N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentaacetic acid (H5DTPA), iminodiacetic acid (H2IMDA) and H6TTHA. One internal aminecarboxylate group is uncoordinated in the protonated 1:1 complex, Nd(H)TTHA2−, resulting in a ligand configuration similar to that present in the DTPA5− complex, wherein all eight donor sites are coordinated. The unprotonated complex has an arrangement of amine nitrogen atoms and carboxylate groups around the neodymium(III) which is similar to that found in the species NdEDTA−.
Simple Scattering Dynamics

In this chapter we attempt to reinforce some of the main ideas of scattering dynamics which were introduced in the last chapter. While particle spin is certainly an essential complication in working out the details of any realistic scattering model, we shall ignore it here in order to stress the essential features of scattering quantities such as the S-matrix. We shall discuss partial-wave expansions, low-energy s-wave scattering with and without the presence of bound states, resonance scattering, the Born approximation, form factors and high-energy optical-model scattering.
Some Notes on The Proper Place of Men and Machines in Language Translation

Martin Kay's classic paper has hardly aged at all. Our society and our language have changed more than the relative status of people and machines. The title of the Kay paper would now be considered sexist in the USA, but it is still the case that the dream of MT "fires the imagination but it does not, except under very special circumstances, produce useful results," as he put it. There has been progress, however, in defining what those "very special circumstances" are. Two contrasts are useful in defining those circumstances. The first contrast is between controlled domain-specific language at one end of a spectrum of text types and dynamic general language at the other. A sublanguage could be considered to be a case of domain-specific language that is naturally rather than artificially controlled. MT techniques that work well for texts at the "domain" end of the spectrum do not work well for texts at the "general" end of the spectrum. Unfortunately for MT and fortunately for human translators, the majority of texts to be translated fall into a region of the spectrum where current linguistic theory and current techniques of computational linguistics do not fully apply and therefore do not result in high-quality raw output when these texts are translated by computer. This comment on translation quality brings us to another contrast that is relevant in defining the circumstances under which MT is useful: the contrast between highquality and "indicative" translation. It has often been assumed that for a translation to be useful it must be of sufficiently high quality to be comparable to the work of a professional human translator. Not so. Low-quality MT that is produced quickly and used only to get an indication of the content of the original text and which is then often discarded is sometimes called "indicative translation." Surprisingly, indicative translation is perhaps the fastest growing use for MT. However, it is important to point out that the increasing use of indicative translation at the European Union administrative centers and elsewhere has not reduced the need for high-quality translation by humans; it has at most slowed its growth. It should be remembered that when an indicative translation shows a document to be relevant, that document is often submitted for human translation and re-translated from the source text. Thus, indicative translation does not replace human translation; it complements it.
Relationships of Thyrotropin to Exophthalmic-producing Substance: PURIFICATION OF HOMOGENEOUS GLYCOPROTEINS CONTAINING BOTH ACTIVITIES FROM [3H]-LABELED PITUITARY EXTRACTS

Abstract Preparations of thyrotropin which are purified by standard procedures of column chromatography contain several electrophoretically distinct components which have exophthalmogenic activity and contain galactose. Although preparative disc gel electrophoresis can resolve these heterogeneous preparations into individual glycoproteins, several of the resultant components still have both thyrotropic and exophthalmogenic activity. Two such glycoproteins, each with both activities, are homogeneous in the ultracentrifuge, with a molecular weight of 27,000 ± 3,000. They have a similar, if not identical, amino acid composition. Previous suggestions that the determinants for both thyrotropic and exophthalmogenic activity can reside on the same glycoprotein molecule are reinforced by these data. Terminal galactose residues of glycoproteins may be enzymatically labeled with tritium. This procedure involves a preliminary exposure of the glycoprotein to galactose oxidase and subsequent reduction with (3H) sodium borohydride. Application of this technique has established the terminal nature of galactose in the multiactive but homogeneous preparations obtained by preparative gel electrophoresis. Both the thyrotropic and the exophthalmogenic activities are preserved in the tritiated glycoproteins. The procedure is applicable to crude pituitary preparations, the tritium serving as a convenient marker of the individual thyrotropic and exophthalmogenic species once the several contaminant glycoproteins have been removed. Thyroid-stimulating hormone derived from mouse transplantable tumors also contains terminal galactose which can be labeled by tritiation. Distinct differences from bovine thyrotropin can otherwise be shown in its sugar composition.
Insulin-specific tolerance induction. I. Abrogation of helper T cell activity is controlled by H-2-linked Ir genes

Murine antibody responses to heterologous insulins are under H-2-linked immune response (Ir) gene control. We have found that the immune response to insulin in adjuvant can be inhibited by prior i.v. injection of soluble insulin. The effect of i.v. injection of insulin is antigen-specific and dose-dependent and requires the same doses of insulin that are immunogenic if administered with adjuvant. In addition, the inhibitory effect of soluble insulin is dependent upon the route of injection; if soluble insulin is injected i.p., the subsequent response to insulin in adjuvant is augmented rather than inhibited. Unresponsiveness requires at least 4 days after i.v. injection to develop and once induced, it is maintained for 4 wk or more. Unresponsiveness is caused by T cell, but not B cell, tolerance, and we have been unable to demonstrate any role for suppressor T cells in this unresponsiveness. More importantly, analysis of the ability of numerous insulin variants to induce unresponsiveness in several H-2k and H-2b strains of mice has demonstrated that only the variants that were immunogenic in a given strain when administered with adjuvant were able to cause tolerance. This report is, to our knowledge, the first describing that induction of helper T cell tolerance, like the induction of immunity, is controlled by H-2-linked Ir genes.
Experiences with Eclipse IDE in programming courses

This paper reports our experiences using Eclipse for Java in our two-semester Java programming course sequence. Eclipse for Java is a fully featured professional Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with many advanced features. These features may overwhelm some of our students, especially those who have no programming background. In order to balance the use of an IDE that connects potential programmers with a professional community and our students' learning needs, we have conducted various experiments for the last two years. We found that for teaching-oriented colleges like ours, one effective way to reach that balance is to introduce Java concepts and syntax using the JDK directly for several weeks at first and then gradually present IDE features using Eclipse for Java for the rest of the course sequence. Students who have gone through this process were able to learn language syntax and problem solving skills in addition to understanding the value of an IDE, giving them a level of confidence and excitement for using a professional development tool.
The Relationship of Teacher Use of Critical Sociocultural Practices with Student Achievement

This exploratory study examined whether teacher use of critical sociocultural practices improved student performance on a criterion-referenced English/Language Arts exam or the LAS Links assessments of English language proficiency for English Language Learners. Fifteen urban elementary teachers participated in a year of professional development, which used an instructional coaching model to increase teacher use of critical sociocultural practices. Using a new scale called Critical Stance , observers measured the degree of fidelity teachers exhibited in using critical practices. Teachers’ Critical Stance post-intervention and growth scores were significantly and positively correlated with increased student performance on the English/Language Arts exam as well as on five LAS Links assessments. Both native and non-native English speakers benefited from increased teacher use of Critical Stance. Teacher use of Critical Stance was also a stronger predictor of ELLs’ gains in English proficiency than teacher use of higher order thinking.
Hybrid Connections: An Immigrant Researcher Maneuvering' Access to a Refugee Community

Ausgehend von eigenen Erfahrungen im Prozess des Aushandelns von Zugangsmoglichkeiten zu Mitgliedern von Fluchtlingsgemeinschaften versuche ich in diesem Beitrag zu zeigen, welche besondere Bedeutung explorativen Forschungsphasen insbesondere im Feld interkultureller Forschung zukommt. Hierzu veranschauliche ich anhand meiner Feldnotizen die vielfaltigen ethischen und praktischen Dilemmata, in die ich als relativ unerfahrene und selbst immigrierte Forscherin geraten bin. Als besonders nutzlich erwiesen sich in diesem Prozess Interaktionen auserhalb des eigentlichen Forschungssettings, die flexible Formen der Zugehorigkeit und im Weiteren des interkulturellen Verstehens eroffneten. Zugleich gab es nicht das eine, "richtige" Handeln: vor allem junge Wissenschaftler/innen jonglieren im Feld der interkulturellen Forschung kontinuierlich zwischen Piraterie und freundlicher Reisebegleitung. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs090277
Democratic legitimacy, legal expressivism, and religious establishment

I argue that some instances of constitutional religious establishment can be consistent with an expressivist interpretation of democratic legitimacy. Whether official religious endorsements disparage or exclude religious minorities depends on a number of contextual considerations, including the philosophical content of the religion in question, the attitudes of the majority, and the underlying purpose of the official status of the religious doctrine.
The component structure of a self-adapting numerical software system

Self-Adapting Numerical Software (SANS) systems aim to automate some of the laborious human decision making involved in adapting numerical algorithms to problem data, network conditions, and computational platform. In this paper we describe the structure of a SANS system that tackles automatic algorithm choice, based on dynamic inspection of the problem data. We describe the various components of such a system, and their interfaces.
Temporal regulation of microRNA expression in Drosophila melanogaster mediated by hormonal signals and Broad-Complex gene activity

lin-4 and let-7 are founding members of an extensive family of genes that produce small transcripts, termed microRNAs (miRNAs). In Caenorhabditis elegans, lin-4 and let-7 control the timing of postembryonic events by translational repression of target genes, permitting progression from early to late developmental programs. To identify Drosophila melanogaster miRNAs that could play similar roles in the control of developmental timing, we characterized the developmental expression profile of 24 miRNAs in Drosophila, and found 7 miRNAs that are either upregulated or downregulated in conjunction with metamorphosis. The upregulation of three of these miRNAs (mir-100, mir-125, and let-7), and the downregulation of a fourth (mir-34) requires the hormone ecdysone (Ecd) and the activity of the Ecd-inducible gene Broad-Complex. Interestingly, mir-125 is a putative homologue of lin-4. mir-100, -125, and let-7 are clustered within an 800-bp region on chromosome 2L, suggesting that these three miRNAs may be coordinately regulated via common cis-acting elements during metamorphosis. In S2 cells, Ecd and the juvenile hormone analog methoprene exert opposite effects on the expression of these four miRNAs, indicating the participation of both these hormones in the temporal regulation of mir-34, -100, -125, and let-7 expression in vivo.
2′,3′-cAMP, 3′-AMP, 2′-AMP and adenosine inhibit TNF-α and CXCL10 production from activated primary murine microglia via A2A receptors

Abstract Background Some cells, tissues and organs release 2′,3′-cAMP (a positional isomer of 3′,5′-cAMP) and convert extracellular 2′,3′-cAMP to 2′-AMP plus 3′-AMP and convert these AMPs to adenosine (called the extracellular 2′,3′-cAMP-adenosine pathway). Recent studies show that microglia have an extracellular 2′,3′-cAMP-adenosine pathway. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether the extracellular 2′,3′-cAMP-adenosine pathway could have functional consequences on the production of cytokines/chemokines by activated microglia. Methods Experiments were conducted in cultures of primary murine microglia. In the first experiment, the effect of 2′,3′-cAMP, 3′-AMP, 2′-AMP and adenosine on LPS-induced TNF-α and CXCL10 production was determined. In the next experiment, the first protocol was replicated but with the addition of 1,3-dipropyl-8- p -sulfophenylxanthine (DPSPX) (0.1 μM; antagonist of adenosine receptors). The last experiment compared the ability of 2-chloro- N 6 -cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA) (10 μM; selective A 1 agonist), 5′- N -ethylcarboxamide adenosine (NECA) (10 μM; agonist for all adenosine receptor subtypes) and CGS21680 (10 μM; selective A 2A agonist) to inhibit LPS-induced TNF-α and CXCL10 production. Results (1) 2′,3′-cAMP, 3′-AMP, 2′-AMP and adenosine similarly inhibited LPS-induced TNF- α and CXCL10 production; (2) DPSPX nearly eliminated the inhibitory effects of 2′,3′-cAMP, 3′-AMP, 2′-AMP and adenosine on LPS-induced TNF-α and CXCL10 production; (3) CCPA did not affect LPS-induced TNF-α and CXCL10; (4) NECA and CGS21680 similarly inhibited LPS-induced TNF-α and CXCL10 production. Conclusions 2′,3′-cAMP and its metabolites (3′-AMP, 2′-AMP and adenosine) inhibit LPS-induced TNF-α and CXCL10 production via A 2A -receptor activation. Adenosine and its precursors, via A 2A receptors, likely suppress TNF-α and CXCL10 production by activated microglia in brain diseases.
The influence of cell size on marine bacterial motility and energetics.

The influence of Brownian motion on marine bacteria was examined. Due to their small size, marine bacteria rotate up to 1,400 degrees in one second. This rapid rotation makes directional swimming difficult or impossible, as a bacterium may point in a particular direction for only a few tens of milliseconds on average. Some directional movement, however, was found to be possible if swimming speed is sufficiently great, over approximately 100 μm sec−1. This led to the testable hypothesis that marine bacteria with radiii less than about 0.75 μm should exceed this speed. The result of the increased speed is that marine bacteria may spend in excess of 10% of their total energy budget on movement. This expenditure is 100 times greater than values for enteric bacteria, and indicates that marine bacteria are likely to be immotile below critical size-specific nutrient concentrations.
Supraphysiological hyperinsulinaemia is necessary to stimulate skeletal muscle protein anabolism in older adults: evidence of a true age-related insulin resistance of muscle protein metabolism

Aims/hypothesis The physiological increase in muscle protein anabolism induced by insulin is blunted in healthy, glucose-tolerant older adults. We hypothesised that the age-related defect in muscle protein anabolism is a true insulin resistance state and can be overridden by supraphysiological hyperinsulinaemia.
Initial experiences with RoSS surgical simulator in residency training: a validity and model analysis

Robotic surgery is an important new tool in many surgical procedures, and training curriculums must adapt to this new technology. Robotic surgical simulators have been developed as a means of providing training without the inherent risks of actual surgery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the construct validity of the RoSS surgical simulator by correlating simulator performance with amount of time in training and to create a performance model in which time in training is a parameter. A total of eight residents with varying amounts of training were given access to the RoSS surgical simulator and were evaluated on performance of a simulated surgical task. This data was then used to create Akaike information criteria to compare goodness of fit. Participants were also given a questionnaire as to their experience with the simulator and their feelings about the use of simulators in training. Training time and performance within the simulator were shown to have a linear relationship. Correlations were high, with R 2 values of 0.95, 0.94, and 0.86 for each of the three performance metrics. Likelihood ratios were similarly high at 4.25 × 109, 10,950, and 362. Participant opinion showed that residents feel that robotic training is an important part of their education and that the simulator is an effective supplement. The RoSS surgical simulator accurately corresponds to training level and is a valid evaluation tool of training experience. These findings are encouraging for the use of robotic simulators in surgical training.
Cutaneous Paecilomyces lilacunis infection in a hospitalized patient taking corticosteroids

A 72-year-old Caucasian man presented with tender, hyperkeratotic, violaceous, ill-defined, scattered plaques associated with minimal pitting edema of the right upper extremity. He had been discharged 3 days earlier from an outlying community hospital after a 33-day admission for exacerbation of chronic obstructive lung disease requiring large doses of systemic corticosteroids. A right subclavian central venous line for intravenous access was placed after he developed a gastrointestinal bleed and myocardial infarction. The clinical differential diagnosis of the eruption on the right upper extremity at the time he presented to our service included cellulitis, deep venous thrombosis, and brachial plexus neuropathy. Brachial plexus neuropathy was ruled out with normal electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and cervical spine radiographs. Deep venous thrombosis was never completely eliminated, because the patient refused a venogram and the venous Doppler exam was nondiagnostic. Treatment for a presumed bacterial cellulitis was initiated with Nafcillin intravenously. As there was clinical disease progression without appreciable improvement by day nine ( Fig. 1 and 2), a skin biopsy was performed and topical Nystatin powder was added for possible yeast etiology. Bacterial cultures were negative; however, fungal cultures on Sabouraud’s agar were positive for Paecilomyces lilacunis after 15 days. Histologic sections demonstrated skin with an essentially normal epidermis. Within the dermis, there was an extensive, mixed, granulomatous inflammatory infiltrate with abundant multinucleated giant cells. Necrosis was not abundant. Occasional 8–12 μm yeast-like organisms were apparent within the cytoplasm of multinucleated cells and in an extracellular location, together with occasional hyphal forms with irregular branching. Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) with diastase and Gomori methenamine silver accentuated the staining and confirmed the fungal nature of the organisms ( Fig. 3). The histologic differential included various other fungi. Cryptococcus is usually smaller, endospores characteristic of coccidiomycosis were not present, and a thick capsule usually seen in blastomycosis was not observed in these organisms. The diagnosis of Paecilomyces lilacunis was established, and itraconazole 200 mg orally twice a day was instituted. Clinical improvement as measured by decreased edema, increased range of motion, and resolution of cutaneous lesions was dramatic during the first week. Itraconazole was decreased to 200 mg a day and the patient continued to improve. He was discharged to home. He has followed up in our clinic every month with complete resolution to date 7 months after discharge. Figure 1. Right upper extremity demonstrating violaceous hue, edema, and scale taken after 9 days of Nafcillin. Note progression of disease to involve the left upper extremity Figure 3. Gomori methenamine silver stain reveals multiple 8–12 μm organisms. Original magnification, 400×
SU‐GG‐J‐125: Monte Carlo Simulation of Dose Enhancement in Tumors Using Gold Nanoparticles

Purpose: In the radiation oncology setting, high atomic number (Z) nanoparticles may provide a local dose enhancement in tumors when combined with low energy x‐rays. At energies near the K‐shell edges of these materials, the mass energy absorption coefficient (μen/ρ) may be significantly higher than that of tissue. For materials such as gold, the K‐shell edge falls in the lower energy spectrum of a conventional CT scanner. Irradiating nanoparticles inside tumor with a CT scanner may provide a high dose to the tumor while sparing healthy surrounding tissue. As a first step, a simulation of goldnanoparticles in a phantom can quantify the magnitude of this effect. Methods:Monte Carlo simulations were performed for different concentrations of gold using the program MCNPX. Simulations were performed using a cylindrical phantom with a tumor having various concentrations of goldnanoparticles. Four concentrations of nanoparticles were used: no gold, 1mg/g, 5mg/g, 10mg/g. The source of radiation was modeled using the spectrum of a 140kVP CT scanner. Each scenario was run using 109 particles. Results: For all cases, the total energy deposited in the target was determined. These calculations indicate that using nanoparticles provides a sizeable increase in the energy deposited inside the target. For 1mg/g, 5mg/g, and 10mg/g nanoparticle concentration the increases were 1.13, 1.78, and 2.58 times relative to no gold.Conclusions:Monte Carlo simulations of a phantom with different concentrations of goldnanoparticles irradiated by an x‐ray source reveal a dose enhancement relative to no nanoparticle presence. Dose enhancements of over 2.5 times for nanoparticle concentrations of up to 10mg/g indicate that localizing nanoparticles in tumor may be effective at providing an improved therapeutic ratio. The results of this simulation can be used to guide measurements for confirmation of this effect. Supported by Dept of the Army — USAMRRA W91ZSQ9081N608.
Extraction, purification and characterization of a peptidoglycan hydrolase from vegetative cells of Clostridium perfringens type A.

A peptidoglycan hydrolase (PGH), which causes the germination and lysis of the coat-stripped spores of Clostridium perfringens, was extracted from perfringens vegetative cells. The enzyme was partially purified and showed an MW of 125, 000 and a pI of 7.6. It was sensitive to a variety of monovalent and divalent cations and was inhibited by sulfhydryl-active agents. The sites of PGH action, the cell wall and the spore-cortex, were determined by the release of free amino groups from cell wall fragments and the release of soluble fluorescent products from fluorescamine-labelled cortical fragments of the C. perfringens spores. The enzyme appears distinct from the extracellular initiation protein produced by C. perfringens. PGH may be an autolysin with corticolytic activity.
Effect of species pool size on species occurrence frequencies: Musical chairs on islands

Abstract If species interactions affect species distributions, then species occurrence frequencies (νi), defined as the fraction of an archipelago's islands that species i inhabits, should vary with species pool size. A “natural experiment” approximating this test is provided by the Bismarck, Solomon, and New Hebrides archipelagoes, whose bird species pools decrease in that order, the species of each archipelago being mostly a subset of those of the next richer archipelago. The average ν for an archipelago's species decreases with archipelago pool size. In the archipelago with the largest pool, most species are on few islands and few species are on most islands, whereas the reverse is true in the archipelago with the smallest pool. For species shared between two or more archipelagoes, νi decreases with pool size or number of species in the same guild. These interarchipelagal differences in νi or average ν reflect differences in level of interspecific competition, which reduces νs in species-rich archipelagoes in two ways: usually, by reducing a species' incidence on small islands and restricting the species to larger islands; less often (for so-called supertramps), by restricting a species to small islands.
An immunoanalysis for kojic acid

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the analysis of kojic acid in aqueous solutions and biological fluids. As little as 100pg kojic acid ml-1 was detected in standard buffer. Analysis of biological fluids containing 1 mg kojic acid ml-1 showed that ELISA could detect the toxin at dilutions of 10-4 in urine, deproteinated plasma, or serum. Urine and plasma samples collected from rabbits dosed intravenously with 56 mg kojic acid kg-1 body weight gave positive tests at dilutions of 10-4. The immunoassay described may be used for detection of kojic acid produced during experimental or clinical aspergillosis.
Cluster formation by barrier discharge in simulated engine exhaust gas at high temperature

Experiments were performed to examine cluster formation when simulated engine exhaust gas passes through an atmospheric pressure plasma discharge cell at 180 °C. The gas composition included N2, NO, CO, CO2, C3H8, C3H6, Ar, H2, H2O, O2 and SO2. Aerosol particles or clusters were measured after the gas was treated with a dielectric barrier discharge, although the quantity of clusters generated was several orders of magnitude smaller than normal engine emissions. The clusters were not formed when water was not present in the mixture. The number and size of clusters increased when hydrocarbons were not present, although the quantity was still very small. Methods to describe cluster formation phenomena are discussed.