cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The African Methodist Episcopal Church: A History

In this book, Dennis C. Dickerson examines the long history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and its intersection with major social movements over more than two centuries. Beginning as a religious movement in the late eighteenth century, the African Methodist Episcopal Church developed as a freedom advocate for blacks in the Atlantic World. Governance of a proud black ecclesia often clashed with its commitment to and resources for fighting slavery, segregation, and colonialism, thus limiting the full realization of the church's emancipationist ethos. Dickerson recounts how this black institution nonetheless weathered the inexorable demands produced by the Civil War, two world wars, the civil rights movement, African decolonization, and women's empowerment, resulting in its global prominence in the contemporary world. His book also integrates the history of African Methodism within the broader historical landscape of American and African-American history.
Current Treatment Options for Older Patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma

Older adults with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), commonly defined as age ≥ 60 years, represent approximately 20% of the total HL population. Historically, they have significantly inferior outcomes compared with younger patients. The cause of this is multifactorial, including biologic differences (e.g., mixed cellularity and EBV-related disease); high incidence of advanced stage disease; and frequency of comorbidities and decreased organ reserve leading to poorer tolerability of therapy with increased toxicity, including treatment-related mortality. Pretreatment evaluation for older HL patients should entail a geriatric assessment (GA), with evaluation of functional status and comorbidities (e.g., geriatric cumulative illness rating scale, CIRS-G) to determine fitness. Furthermore, treatment selection should be based in part on GA, with fit older patients receiving curative chemotherapy-based regimens and unfit or frail patients considering less intensive or non-chemotherapy-based platforms. Additionally, there may be consideration for pre-phase of therapy (e.g., pulse steroids) in order to improve performance status. The inclusion of anthracycline therapy appears important, while bleomycin-containing regimens (e.g., ABVD) may be associated with prohibitive pulmonary toxicity, and intensive therapies such as BEACOPP are too toxic. benefit ratio/benefit ratio, a priori omission of bleomycin may also be considered (i.e., AVD), especially for patients older than 70 years of age. In addition, newer regimens for older HL patients integrating novel therapeutic agents into frontline treatment have emerged as effective and tolerable options. Data incorporating brentuximab vedotin sequentially before and after AVD chemotherapy represent the best-reported outcomes in older HL patients to date. In the relapsed/refractory setting, salvage chemotherapy regimens followed by autologous stem cell transplantation should be considered for fit patients, while less intensive treatment, including the use of novel targeted agents, is an option for unfit or frail patients. In this review, we examine the epidemiology, importance of GA, and current treatment options for older HL patients.
Analysis of Source Detectability With Fast-Moving Sensors

We provide a comprehensive upper-bound analysis of radioactive source detection capabilities by characterizing performance of an idealistic system configuration. Specifically, we analyze scenarios where the sensors are moving relative to the source. We first present a simplified analytical model which allows us to compute a rough, yet comprehensive estimate of the minimum detectable amount (MDA) of source material for any given configuration. To our knowledge, this is the first analytical model to simultaneously account for and mutually relate sensor design parameters, physical properties of the environment, desired detection system performance, and application characteristics, all in one equation. For instance, for flyover applications, the model shows that if we reduce altitude of flight by half, we can increase the speed of the pass-by by a factor of approximately 8, while maintaining the same source detectability. We show the distributions of MDA that are feasible to attain across a variety of common sensor transport modalities and designs. By demonstrating what can possibly be attained in terms of detectability of sources of radiation when the ideal conditions are met, we can inform system design and perform comparative analysis of alternative designs, in particular. Our results are directly applicable to support system design, engineering, policy, and strategy decisions. They can mitigate risks and prevent time, resources, and funds from being directed toward attempts to achieve unrealistic goals in the broad range of applications of radiation detection technology.
COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients: Dynamics of disease progression and inflammatory markers in ICU and non-ICU admitted patients.

Background COVID-19 infection varies in severity from minimal symptoms to critical illness associated with a hyperinflammatory response. Data on disease progression in immunosuppressed solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are limited. Methods We examined the electronic medical records of all SOT recipients with COVID-19 from 12 Massachusetts hospitals between February 1, and May 6, 2020. We analyzed the demographics, clinical parameters, course, and outcomes of illness in these patients. Results Of 52 COVID-19-positive SOT patients, 77% were hospitalized and 35% required ICU admission. Sixty-nine percent of hospitalized patients had immunosuppression reduced, 6% developed suspected rejection. Co-infections occurred in 45% in ICU vs 5% in non-ICU patients (P = .037). A biphasic pattern of evolution of laboratory tests was observed. In the first 5 days of illness, inflammatory markers were moderately increased. Subsequently, WBC, CRP, ferritin, and D Dimer increased with increasing stay in the ICU, and lymphocyte counts were similar. Five patients (16%) died. Conclusions Our data indicate that SOT is associated with high rate of hospitalization, ICU admission, and death from COVID-19 compared to data in the general population of patients with COVID-19. Despite reduction in immunosuppression, suspected rejection was rare. The clinical course and trend of laboratory biomarkers is biphasic with a later, pronounced peak in inflammatory markers seen in those admitted to an ICU. CRP is a useful marker to monitor disease progression in SOT.
Topological Peripheral Shapes and Distance-Based Characterization of Fullerenes C20-C720: Existence of Isoperipheral Fullerenes

We have presented topological peripheral shape and distance-based distance measures of 82 fullerene cages C20 through C720 on the basis of indices computed from distance matrices such as Szeged ind...
Experimental Validation of CT-Snubber for Multichip SiC MOSFET Power Module

Recently, a "CT-snubber" circuit was shown to enable high bandwidth current measurements and ringing suppression in silicon carbide MOSFETs multi-chip power modules. Preliminary designs increased damping but also increased the voltage overshoot during switching transients. In this work, the associations between CT-snubber impedance characteristics and dynamic performance (e.g. settling time and voltage overshoot) during double-pulse testing are explored using a simulation study. A fabricated CT-snubber prototype is then implemented and integrated into double-pulse testing of a silicon carbide multi-chip power module at a bus voltage of 1 kV and 400 A load, achieving damping ratios with up to 2.78x improvement over tests without the CT-snubber.
“Stories for Reproductive Freedom:” A Rhetorical Analysis of Storytelling on NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Website

In the debate on abortion access in the United States of America, the pro-life movement tends to dominate strong appeals to emotion while the pro-choice movement relies more heavily on facts and appeals to logic. This division of the rhetorical landscape ignores key present-day pro-choice advocacy efforts involving appeals to pathos. I consider how storytelling is used in the pro-choice movement to share the perspectives of people who have been impacted by abortion access, dispel myths surrounding abortion, and give concrete examples of the who, why, and how of abortion. In my article, I examine thirty-three stories from the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) Pro-Choice America’s “Stories for Reproductive Freedom” webpage. I argue that the various strategies for women to share their personal experiences present in the stories I analyze demonstrate how the pro-choice movement claims a voice in the rhetorics of emotion surrounding abortion that has been dominated by the pro-life movement for decades. As the legal battle for abortion access still rages today, it is vital for pro-choice advocates to understand how and why storytelling is an important tool in the continuous fight for access to abortion.
Behavior of Metals at High Temperatures and Pressures

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the behavior of metals at high temperatures and pressures. A number of interesting results have come from high temperature and pressures activity, such as synthesis of diamond and cubic boron nitride; the determination of melting points of a number of metals as a function of pressure; the extension of the phase diagrams of a few metals to higher temperatures and pressures; and some further measurements of the effect of pressure on thermal electromotive force (emf). The prerequisite for these investigations is the development of apparatus and techniques that make the required pressures and temperatures available in the laboratory. The chapter discusses technique that has pressures of about 20 kilobars, temperatures of room value and above, and conditions of equilibrium or near equilibrium.
Ecotype-Specific Expression of a Flowering Mutant Phenotype in Arabidopsis thaliana

The majority of mutations that delay flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana have been identified in studies of the Landsberg erecta (Ler) ecotype. In this report we describe a gene (referred to as FLD) that, when mutated, delays flowering in the Columbia ecotype but has a minimal phenotype in the Ler genetic background. The late-flowering phenotype of fld mutants requires a non-Ler allele of another gene involved in the control of flowering time, Flowering Locus C. fld mutants retain a photoperiod response, and the flowering time of fld mutants can be reduced by cold treatment and low red/far-red light ratios.
Immigration Preemption after United States v. Arizona

Professors Kit Johnson and Peter Spiro debate the role states should play in immigration enforcement after the Supreme Court's decision in Arizona v. United States.
Precision protein assays on compartmentalized biosensor arrays

A biological measurement microsystem enables precision protein assays by compartmentalization of biosensors in a sensor array. Using a PDMS microfluidic interface on an 8 by 8 Giant Magnetoresistive sensor array, this compartmentalization technique performs all required measurements, including biological references, on a single sensor chip alongside the actual sample(s) to be measured. All data is acquired simultaneously on a single chip, circumventing a range of possible errors currently present in sequential biosensor measurement approaches. With our approach, we achieve a low concentration estimation error of 11%. Additionally this compartmentalization technique enables high throughput measurements using multiple samples on a single chip with a large-scale array of solidstate sensors.
Doppler spread estimation for wireless OFDM systems

We present a method for estimating the Doppler spread in mobile orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. The estimation is based on finding the autocorrelation function of time domain channel estimates over several OFDM symbols. In OFDM systems, channel estimation is popularly performed in the frequency domain. Channel frequency response estimates are affected by noise and intercarrier interference (ICI). As a result, Doppler estimates based on frequency domain channel estimates are affected significantly. We show that the use of channel estimates in the time domain can greatly improve the performance of Doppler estimates. The channel impulse response (CIR) can be obtained by taking the IDFT of the channel frequency response (CFR). Consequently, the proposed method reduces processing time and memory usage. Computer simulations support our claim for a broad range of Doppler spread and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values in Rayleigh fading channels
Interest Rate Swaps: An Asset Allocation Perspective

This paper investigates the asset allocation benefits of the interest rate swap market. I use 'convexity-adjusted' Eurodollar futures data to compute monthly holding period 'returns' from positions in the swap market. Spanning test methodology is employed to determine whether, after accounting for short sales constraints and bid-ask spreads, positions in the swap market add value to a well-diversified bond portfolio. I find evidence suggesting both long and short positions in the interest rate swap market (IRS) provide significant value improvements for a mean-variance investor. Moreover, while the value of the IRS market for 'unrestricted' investment in the bond market has disappeared as the IRS market has evolved, long IRS positions remain valuable for investors subject to short sales constraints. Most of these results do not depend on either swap maturity or the specific market conventions used to compute swap sale values. Thus, investors may expect to realize these benefits independent of market frictions and dealer-related idiosyncracies.
Dynamic Common Agency, Vertical Integration, and Investment : The Economics of Movie Distribution

This paper analyzes the impact of vertical integration on investment and other strategies in a dynamic common agency framework. Movie distribution is used as a motivating example. The model matches several facts about movie distribution; distributors avoid head-to-head new hit releases, hits have longer runs than flops, and distributors receive the lion’s share of value generated by hits. Welfare comparisons show that integration is privately profitable and may improve social welfare even though it reduces industry profits. The e.ects of integration on strategies and welfare depend critically on how integration a.ects the bargaining power of the non-integrated firm.
The deacylation of acyl-cycloamyloses: The catalytic effects of benzimidazole derivatives on the rate

Abstract Cycloheptaamylose cinnamate, an intermediate in the hydrolysis of m -nitrophenyl cinnamate by cycloheptaamylose, was isolated in pure form. The deacylation of acyl-cycloamyloses (cinnamate and acetate) catalyzed by noncovalently complexed 6-nitrobenzimidazole ( 1 ) was studied. The reaction was enzyme-like. Saturation of acyl-cycloamylose by 1 was observed; the rate and dissociation constants were determined from Lineweaver-Burk plots. The catalyzed reaction rates at neutral pH were two to three times larger than those of the spontaneous reactions for cycloheptaamylose or cyclohexaamylose cinnamate, respectively. The catalytic effect of 1 on the deacylation rate of cyclohexaamylose cinnamate became smaller as the pH of the solution was raised. The deacylation of cyclohexaamylose acetate was followed by nmr spectroscopy, whereas the deacylation of cycloamylose cinnamates was followed by uv spectroscopy and extraction of trans -cinnamic acid with ether. Thermodynamic parameters for the rates of deacylation of cycloamylose cinnamates and dissociation constants of cycloamylose cinnamate- 1 complexes were obtained and discussed.
A High‐Resolution Survey Of A Deep Hydrocarbon Plume In The Gulf Of Mexico During The 2010 Macondo Blowout

Monitoring and M A Record-Breakin Geophysical Mon Copyright 2011 b 10.1029/2011GM Following destruction of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, while unmitigated blowout from the Macondo well was ongoing, NOAA scientific response cruise GU-10-02 (27 May to 4 June 2010) employed coordinated ship and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) operations to locate and study deep hydrocarbon plumes. The ship hydrocast survey localized maximum optical signals of a deep plume, centered at ~1150 m depth, approximately 13 km southwest of the blowout. Deployed at this location, the AUV conducted a high-resolution survey of plume structure, which indicated small-scale topographic influences on plume transport. Maximum plume intensity was observed along the western slope of Biloxi Dome. The orientation of gradients in plume intensity relative to isobaths indicated flow from the dome slope onto the dome top. In terms of the relative proportions of major hydrocarbon groups, all plume samples southwest of the blowout exhibited similar composition. The chemical composition of the plume southwest of the blowout was significantly different from the composition of a weaker deep plume observed southeast of the blowout. Variation in optical signal from a colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorometer (FCDOM) explained up to 97% (median 88%) of the variance in the concentrations of individual hydrocarbon compounds. AUV data also showed that FCDOM was highly correlated with three other optical measurements (r > 0.97) and oxygen measurements (r = 0.95). The results provide unique perspective on small-scale dynamics of a deep plume and illustrate the potential for studying subsurface plumes of dispersed oil using AUVs with off-the-shelf sensors.
Convergence tradeoffs for EM-type algorithms

The author analyzes the convergence properties of the EM algorithm for iteratively approximating the maximum likelihood estimate. A radius of convergence is specified and the asymptotic rate of convergence of the algorithm derived via the multivariate Taylor expansion with remainder. The radius and rate of convergence generally depend on the choice of complete data. The results can be used to evaluate different choices of complete data space in terms of algorithm performance. >
Psychotherapy and Philosophy of Science

Traditional chapters purveying philosophy of science issues to clinical practitioners have been as boring as their influence has been ephemeral. Taking an attitude similar to the missionary bringing “the true religion” to the heathen, the philosopher or methodologist has often preached the gospel of “true scientific method” to the heathen clinician, pontificating in favor of adequate research design and inveighing against devils such as introspection, intuition, empathy, and the TV of 1 in order to bring what are assumed to be methodological sinners to the salvation of respectable scientific conduct. For their part, clinicians have followed the time-honored approach of the South Seas islanders who wore flowers (at least on Sunday) to assuage their missionary’s desire for clothing (once they had concluded that layers of black linen were not terribly practical in the tropics), both by suffering through their graduate school philosophy course and then dutifully thumbing through the occasional article of philosophical pretension in clinical literature.
Student selected microcontroller and digital design projects

Summary form only given. The goals of the project assignments were to design, build, test, and document a microcontroller-based system or digital system. The microcontroller course is for the first semester sophomore students in electrical engineering and the digital design course is for first semester junior computer science students. Initially, students submitted a project proposal describing their system and product specifications. This proposal was reviewed by the faculty to make sure that the project could be completed in the allotted time. Once the proposal was approved, the project proposal was posted on the Web and shared with classmates and professors. Working in groups of two to four individuals, students selected the digital/microcontroller systems in consultation with the faculty members. Since the end result of this process would ideally include the actual manufacture of the design, the students were required to hand in a technical report documenting their design, a product specification data sheet for use by the marketing group, and a sales brochure. Two management professors addressed the product versus market approaches to marketing and starting up business from technology and financial perspectives. Students had the opportunity to provide the course professor with progress reports and to present their progress orally to their classmates in lab and class. A first draft was submitted and revisions were suggested. After the revisions were made, the final draft was graded and editorial comments were made.
The periciliary ring in polarized epithelial cells is a hot spot for delivery of the apical protein gp135

In polarized epithelial cells, newly synthesized cell surface proteins travel in carrier vesicles from the trans Golgi network to the apical or basolateral plasma membrane. Despite extensive research on polarized trafficking, the sites of protein delivery are not fully characterized. Here we use the SNAP tag system to examine the site of delivery of the apical glycoprotein gp135. We show that a cohort of gp135 is delivered to a ring surrounding the base of the primary cilium, followed by microtubule-dependent radial movement away from the cilium. Delivery to the periciliary ring was specific to newly synthesized and not recycling protein. A subset of this newly delivered protein traverses the basolateral membrane en route to the apical membrane. Crumbs3a, another apical protein, was not delivered to the periciliary region, instead making its initial apical appearance in a pattern that resembled its steady-state distribution. Our results demonstrate a surprising “hot spot” for gp135 protein delivery at the base of the primary cilium and suggest the existence of a novel microtubule-based directed movement of a subset of apical surface proteins.
Patient transfer device for wheelchair user commode accommodation

There is no device currently on the market that can sufficiently assist a handicapped individual in moving from a wheelchair to a toilet seat and back. Toilet seats are often significantly lower than wheelchair seating surfaces, which makes it particularly difficult for wheelchair users to move their own body weight up and down when transferring to the toilet. The group has designed and will construct a device that will afford groundbreaking functionality to handicapped persons so they may comfortably and effortlessly move themselves between a wheelchair and a toilet seat.
Local fluctuations and ordering in liquid and amorphous metals.

A molecular-dynamics study of the structure and dynamics of monatomic liquids and glasses is presented. The local atomic structure and its development during the quenching process are analyzed in terms of fluctuations of atomic-level stresses and their correlations. This approach extends the basis for the description of the local structure from the usually employed scalar quantity, the local density fluctuation, to a tensorial quantity, the local stress fluctuation. It is shown here that the local stress fluctuations and their spatial and temporal correlations provide a detailed picture of the dynamics of the liquid and of the transition from an ideal fluid to a viscous liquid, and then to a glass. In particular, it is demonstrated that the shear stresses which are spatially uncorrelated at high temperatures become correlated below a temperature, Ts, which is about twice the glass transition temperature. At the same time the dynamic behavior of the liquid, characterized by the diffusivity, viscosity, and phonon states, changes sharply at this temperature. Implications of this apparent structural transition and its origin are then discussed. Disciplines Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics | Condensed Matter Physics | Engineering | Fluid Dynamics | Materials Science and Engineering | Physics | Semiconductor and Optical Materials This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/mse_papers/239 PHYSICAL REVIE%' 8 VOLUME 37, NUMBER 5 15 FEBRUARY 1988-I Local fluctuations and ordering in liquid and amorphous metals
Reduction of General Activity in Male Albino Rats from Electro-Convulsive Shock:

SummaryA series of daily electro-convulsive shocks in 13 male rats, for 5-day periods, significantly reduced concurrent activity as compared with (1) preshock activity, (2) 5-day periods of no-shock, interposed between periods of shock, and (3) the post-shock recovery period. There is a cumulative effect of successive periods of shock. The mean level of activity reached during the post-shock period of 30 days was significantly lower than that of the preshock period. Whether this difference was due to natural decline of activity with age or to lingering effects of electro-convulsive shock was not determined.
Discussion of ‘Is the objectivity of internal audit compromised when the internal audit function is a management training ground?’

This article provides a critique of the Rose, Rose, and Norman (2013) article. It focuses on four issues: (i) whether institutional details have been appropriately captured; (ii) whether experiments are an appropriate method to answer the authors' research question; (iii) whether the authors' hypotheses should predict an interaction; and (iv) whether the authors have relied on the appropriate theory.
Commentary regarding “Comment on concepts against mathematics: self-inconsistency in thermodynamic evaluations”

the conventional expression for the relationship between the isobaric and isochoric heat capacities. There is no paradox if the derivatives are taken at constant pressure. I believe that this is what Stepanov intended by his statement ‘‘In the left part of Eq. D42, there is the value Cp dT. This means that we have a system with a constant pressure and want to calculate Cp dT for it, which is unknown to us. In the right part of this equation, there is a value Cv dT which is known to us. To obtain Cp dT, we have to add to Cv dT a term d(PV) which characterizes our system with a constant pressure. Therefore, in this term, P is constant.’’ Stepanov’s treatment though is incomplete in that there are other possibilities for what can be held constant in the differentiation that give an identical result. Second, one can hold the volume constant
Scattering of cold atom coherences by hot atoms: Background gas collision shifts of primary fountain clocks

We theoretically analyze frequency shifts of cold-atom clocks due to background gas collisions. Because nearly all collisions with room-temperature background gases that transfer momentum eject cold atoms from a clock, the frequency shifts for cold atoms are significantly different than those of room-temperature clocks. From general arguments, measurements of the loss of Ramsey fringe amplitude can usefully bound this source of systematic error.
Raman Spectra of Vateritic Calcium Carbonate

Abstract The Raman spectrum of polycrystalline vaterite is presented and compared to spectra of calcite and aragonite, the other two common CaCO3 polymorphs; Raman spectroscopy easily distinguishes between these three polymorphs. An important feature of the Raman spectrum of vaterite is splitting of both the ν1 and ν4 peaks. The splitting of the ν1 peak implies two distinct site symmetries for the CO3 −2 groups. A definitive crystal structure determination of vaterite is not yet available, but none of the three proposed structures for vaterite show such a feature.
Optimal control of quantum systems: Origins of inherent robustness to control field fluctuations

The impact of control field fluctuations on the optimal manipulation of quantum dynamics phenomena is investigated. The quantum system is driven by an optimal control field, with the physical focus on the evolving expectation value of an observable operator. A relationship is shown to exist between the system dynamics and the control field fluctuations, wherein the process of seeking optimal performance assures an inherent degree of system robustness to such fluctuations. The presence of significant field fluctuations breaks down the evolution of the observable expectation value into a sequence of partially coherent robust steps. Robustness occurs because the optimization process reduces sensitivity to noise-driven quantum system fluctuations by taking advantage of the observable expectation value being bilinear in the evolution operator and its adjoint. The consequences of this inherent robustness are discussed in the light of recent experiments and numerical simulations on the optimal control of quantum phenomena. The analysis in this paper bodes well for the future success of closed-loop quantum optimal control experiments, even in the presence of reasonable levels of field fluctuations.
Rapid leaf decay and nutrient release in a chinese tallow forest.

The Chinese tallow tree, Sapium sebiferum, was introduced to the Texas Gulf Coast in the early 1900's and has spread into coastal prairie habitats. Since coastal prairie contains few deciduous trees, we studied leaf fall dynamics, rate of decomposition, and the quantity and rate of nutrient input from decomposing tallow leaves. Among-year leaf fall averaged 382.6 g·m-2·yr-1, similar to other south temperat deciduous forests and about as predicted by Meentemeyer et al.'s (1982) AE-lignin model. Decay of tallow leaves (k=-4.33) was much more rapid than native black willow (k=-0.35) and than other temperate deciduous trees (k=-0.77). The ratio of lignin to initial nitrogen concentration, highly correlated with rate of decomposition for hardwood trees, was low for Chinese tallow and may contribute to rapid leaf decay. Taking AE and lignin content into account, Meentemeyer's (1984) model predicted k=-1.39 for Chinese tallow and k=-0.88 for black willow. Decay of tallow was much faster but decay of willow was slower than predicted, suggesting that decay on the coastal prairie may be controlled by factors other than lignin content and climate. N, P, and K characteristically accumulate as leaves decay. However, these elements did not accumulate as tallow leaves decayed, possibly because high densities of Armadillidium vulgare, a detritivore, reduced immobilization of elements by microbes. This would result in increased turnover of these elements. Accumulation of Al, Fe, Zn, and S in decaying tallow litter may be related to flood-drain cycles on coastel prairie clay soils. Ca, N, K, Mg, and S were added to forest soil in greatest amounts from decaying tallow leaves. Concentrations of P, K, NO3−N, Zn, Mn, and Fe were significantly higher and Mg and Na were significantly lower in forest than in prairie soil, raising the possibility that Chinese tallow trees altered the distribution of nutrients in the soil profile. We conclude that the Chinese tallow tree may enhance productivity in ecosystems to which it has been introduced by addition of nutrients from rapid decay of leaves.
Unique expression pattern of the α6β4 integrin and laminin-5 in human prostate carcinoma

Background The α6β4 integrin and its ligand, laminin-5, are essential gene products for the maintenance and remodeling of a stratified epithelium. Apparent loss of polarized α6β4 integrin and laminin-5 protein expression in invasive prostate cancer as compared to normal prostate glands is known to occur. It is unknown whether these alterations occur in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) lesions and whether this combined defect occurs in other epithelial cancers. Methods Human prostate tissues containing both normal, PIN, and cancerous regions and normal and cancer tissue from breast and colon were obtained at surgery and examined for β4 integrin and laminin-5 using standard immunofluorescence staining methods. Results Both normal prostate glands and PIN lesions contain β4 integrin and laminin-5. Prostate carcinoma was unique in that both β4 integrin and laminin-5 expression was uniformly absent. In contrast, the β4 integrin and its ligand, laminin-5 were detected in all of the colon carcinoma cases and in 60% of the breast carcinomas. Conclusions The β4 integrin and its ligand, laminin-5 are altered during the transition of PIN lesions to invasive prostate carcinoma. These data suggest the loss of these proteins during cancer progression. In both prostate and breast carcinoma, the normal expression pattern of the β4 integrin and laminin-5 is interrupted, in contrast to the persistent β4 integrin and laminin-5 expression detected in colon carcinoma. Prostate 46:240–248, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Potential reasons for differences in CAD effectiveness evaluated using laboratory and clinical studies

Research studies have investigated a number of factors that may impact the performance assessment of computer aided detection (CAD) effectiveness, such as the inherent design of the CAD, the image and reader samples, and the assessment methods. In this study, we focused on the effect of prevalence on cue validity (co-occurrence of cue and signal) and learning as potentially important factors in CAD assessment. For example, the prevalence of cases with breast cancer is around 50% in laboratory CAD studies, which is 100 times higher than that in breast cancer screening. Although ROC is prevalence-independent, an observer’s use of CAD involves tasks that are more complicated than binary classification, including: search, detection, classification, cueing and learning. We developed models to investigate the potential impact of prevalence on cue validity and the learning of cue validity tasks. We hope this work motivates new studies that investigate previously under-explored factors involved in image interpretation with a new modality in its assessment.
Protection of potato from Rhizoctonia canker with binucleate Rhizoctonia fungi.

Fifteen isolates of binucleate Rhizoctonia fungi (BNR) were studied as potential biocontrol agents for protection of potato from Rhizoctonia canker in artificially infested greenhouse soil and potato fields naturally infested with Rhizoctonia solani (AG-3). Eight of the BNR reduced incidence and severity of Rhizoctonia stem canker in greenhouse experiments by an average of 78 and 85%, respectively. In a field naturally infested with R. solani, selected isolates of BNR and the fungicide Tops 2.5D (thiophanate-methyl) were equally protective of potato from Rhizoctonia stem canker. BNR isolates gave protection of potato from Rhizoctonia stolon canker similar to PCNB and superior to Tops 2.5D. Cultivars Atlantic, Irish Cobbler, Kennebec, Norchip, Russet Burbank, and Superior were protected equally from Rhizoctonia stem canker by selected isolates of BNR under field conditions. Isolates of BNR show potential as biocontrol agents for protection of potato from Rhizoctonia canker.
The principle of charity and the problem of irrationality (translation and the problem of irrationality)

Common formulations of the principle of charity in translation seem to undermine attributions of irrationality in social scientific accounts that are otherwise unexceptionable. This I call “the problem of irrationality”. Here I resolve the problem of irrationality by developing two complementary views of the principle of charity. First, I develop the view (ill-developed in the literature at present) that the principle of charity is preparatory, being needed in the construction of provisional first-approximation translation manuals. These serve as the basis for explanatory accounts and associated refinements in the translation manual. In developing such explanatory accounts, the principle of charity is no longer constraining. Thus, the principle of charity applies only in the early stages of constructing translation manuals, and there is no problem of irrationality in the later stages of constructing translation manuals. Second, I reduce the principle of charity, where it does apply, to a special case of what I call “the principle of explicability”: so translate as to attribute explicable beliefs and practices to the speakers of the source-language. I show that the appropriate formulation of the principle of charity counsels just what the principle of explicability requires in the early stages of social scientific investigation.
Pluripotent Stem Cells as a Platform for Cardiac Arrhythmia Drug Screening

Since the first demonstrations of the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells to produce functional human cellular models such as cardiomyocytes, the scientific community has been captivated [1, 2••, 3]. In the time since that seminal work, the field has been catapulted forward by the demonstration that adult somatic cells can be reprogrammed to an induced state of pluripotency [4••], and more recently by the development of efficient and sophisticated genome editing tools [5••, 6••, 7], which together afford a theoretically unlimited supply of relevant genetic disease models. In particular, many of the early successes with induced pluripotent stem cell technology have been realized with cardiac arrhythmia syndromes [8••, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]. There is interest in applying stem cell models in large-scale screens to discover novel therapeutics or drug toxicities. This manuscript aims to discuss the potential role of hPSC-derived cardiomyocyte models in therapeutic arrhythmia screens and review recent advances in the field that bring us closer to this reality.
Therapeutic reversal of chronic alcohol-related steatohepatitis with the ceramide inhibitor myriocin

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is associated with steatohepatitis and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance impairs growth and disrupts lipid metabolism in hepatocytes. Dysregulated lipid metabolism promotes ceramide accumulation and oxidative stress, leading to lipotoxic states that activate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways and worsen inflammation and insulin resistance. In a rat model of chronic alcohol feeding, we characterized the effects of a ceramide inhibitor, myriocin, on the histopathological and ultrastructural features of steatohepatitis, and the biochemical and molecular indices of hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance and ER stress. Myriocin reduced the severity of alcohol-related steatohepatitis including the abundance and sizes of lipid droplets and mitochondria, inflammation and architectural disruption of the ER. In addition, myriocin-mediated reductions in hepatic lipid and ceramide levels were associated with constitutive enhancement of insulin signalling through the insulin receptor and IRS-2, reduced hepatic oxidative stress and modulation of ER stress signalling mechanisms. In conclusion, ceramide accumulation in liver mediates tissue injury, insulin resistance and lipotoxicity in ALD. Reducing hepatic ceramide levels can help restore the structural and functional integrity of the liver in chronic ALD due to amelioration of insulin resistance and ER stress. However, additional measures are needed to protect the liver from alcohol-induced necroinflammatory responses vis-a-vis continued alcohol abuse.
Coronary artery stent outcomes in a Medicare population: Less emergency bypass surgery and lower mortality rates in patients with stents

Abstract Background Randomized trials of coronary stents versus conventional balloon angioplasty have demonstrated improved short- and long-term outcomes for selected patients receiving stents. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes in patients receiving stents with those undergoing conventional balloon angioplasty in everyday clinical practice. Methods and Results This study uses information from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review files for fiscal years 1994 and 1996, the first year the coronary stent code was used. For patients 65 years of age and older, 165,657 cases in 1994 and 201,869 in 1996, including 74,836 cases with stent placement, were identified. Outcomes included hospital deaths, use of same- admission coronary artery bypass surgery, and either or both. Analyses were performed separately for those with and those without a principal diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Hospital mortality rates were similar in both years, but the use of same-admission coronary artery bypass surgery was lower in 1996. In that year, for both patients with and those without acute myocardial infarction, hospital death and the use of same-admission coronary artery bypass surgery were lower in the stent group. Additionally, results in the stent group were generally better at high-volume (>200 cases per year) institutions, as was the case for the prestent, 1994 results. Conclusions This study documents improved short-term outcomes in older patients who undergo coronary stent placement. Stenting did not eliminate the finding of improved outcomes at high-volume centers. (Am Heart J 1999;138:437-40.)
Methadone Deaths: Risk Factors in Pain and Addicted Populations

Methadone is highly effective in treating opioid dependence, and it is also used as an analgesic for second-line management of chronic pain. However, recent increases in methadone-related deaths have instigated controversy about the use of this medication. In this paper, we evaluate risk factors for methadone mortality in opioid dependent and pain populations and present guidelines for initiating methadone treatment in these two populations to minimize the risk of death. Early research with methadone-maintained patients revealed that methadone fatalities occur primarily due to respiratory arrest during methadone induction and in the context of polysubstance use. Recent reports of methadone deaths emphasize chronic pain populations, methadone-related QTc prolongation, and the possibility of inducing Torsade de pointes (TdP), a potentially fatal ventricular arrhythmia. Retrospective analyses of these deaths show that patients who develop TdP often present with multiple risk factors, including high methadone doses, use of other medications that cause QTc prolongation, and electrolyte abnormalities. To minimize fatalities, guidelines are presented for initiating methadone in opioid treatment and pain populations that consider the drug’s pharmacology along with behavioral, medical and psychiatric risk factors.
Employee Voice Behavior: Integration and Directions for Future Research

Within organizations, employees continually confront situations that put them face to face with the decision of whether to speak up (i.e., voice) or remain silent when they have potentially useful information or ideas. In recent years, there has been a rapidly growing body of conceptual and empirical research focused on better understanding the motives underlying voice, individual, and situational factors that increase employee voice behavior, and the implications of voice and silence for employees, work groups, and organizations. Yet this literature has notable gaps and unresolved issues, and it is not entirely clear where future scholarship should be directed. This article, therefore, is an attempt to review and integrate the existing literature on employee voice and also to provide some direction for future research.
Planar silicon field-effect transistors with Langmuir-Blodgett gate insulators

Abstract The use of a planar fabrication process in the semiconductor industry has been the single most important factor in the phenomenal growth of the complexity level of integrated circuits (ICs). We report herein the first insulated-gate field-effect transistors (IGFETs) with Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) gate insulators to be fabricated on silicon in a manner which utilizes standard planar IC technology. This allows the manufacture of many (in this case 11) IGFETs and associated test structures on a single chip with a large number of chips per wafer. These devices are aluminum-gate enhancement-mode n-channel transistors with phosphorus-diffused sources and drains on a boron-doped (100) p-type silicon substrate. Preliminary results indicate a breakdown voltage of about 6 V for a ten-layer polymerized 10,12-nonacosadiynoic acid (16-8 diacetylene) gate insulator. The electrical parameters of these devices are comparable with that of the conventional IGFETs using SiO2 as the gate insulator. Potential applications of these LB-film IGFETs include ultrathin gate devices for very-large-scale integration and chemical microsensors.
Assistive Technology and Supports Provision: A Selective Review of the Literature and Proposed Areas of Application

Thirty-one research articles were examined to investigate the empirical evidence supporting the use of assistive technology as a type of support for people with intellectual disability in relation to the seven domains of support provision identified in the Supports Intensity Scale. Results indicated that assistive technology devices can be a viable source of support to individuals throughout the lifespan and across a wide range of intellectual levels. Gaps in the research literature are discussed along with implication of findings for practitioners and future research.
Rapid clot removal for acute stroke therapy: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE: Endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke offers hope to those patients who do not meet the strict inclusion criteria for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. Because no approach or device can be optimal for every patient, it is desirable to have options. This case is the first report on a novel retrieval device which proved to be very effective in our patient. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old woman with an acute ischemic stroke was excluded from treatment with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator because of an elevated international normalized ratio. INTERVENTION: We successfully treated this patient endovascularly using a device newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration. We achieved rapid recanalization and an excellent clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Using a new retrieval device, we were able to rapidly and successfully treat an acute ischemic stroke in a patient not eligible for intravenous thrombolysis. This may offer another alternative in endovascular acute stroke therapy.
Surgical-wound infection.

"MY most cordial thanks for having, by your brilliant researches, demonstrated to me the truth of the germ theory of putrefaction, and thus furnished me with the principle upon which alone the anti...
TrfA-Dependent, Inner-Membrane-Associated Plasmid RK2 DNA Synthesis in Escherichia coli Maxicells

Abstract Previous results of experiments in which plasmid-encoded proteins were selectively labeled in ultraviolet sensitive "maxicell" mutants suggested that the essential initiation proteins of RK2 (33 and 43 kDa) were bound to the inner membrane of Escherichia coli (D. Kostyal et al., 1989, Plasmid21, 226-237). However, in the present studies using a specific polyclonal antibody against the TrfA initiation proteins, significant levels of these proteins were also detected for the first time in the outer membrane fraction as well as the inner membrane fraction. Only in the cytosol fraction were the initiation proteins relatively absent. In order to determine whether initiation and replication were also associated with either or both of the membrane fractions, it was necessary to develop a replicating system more active than the one previously extracted from minicell membranes, which did not separate the membrane into its component parts (J. A. Kornacki and W. Firshein, 1986, J. Bacteriol.167, 319-326). In addition, it was also necessary to devise an extraction procedure that did not degrade the supercoil DNA template during the separation of the inner from the outer membrane fraction. Both criteria were met, first by the use of maxicells containing a miniplasmid derivative of RK2 and second by disrupting cell envelopes in the French pressure cell using low pressure. Under these conditions, not only were the two major membrane fractions separated successfully from the cytosol fraction, but supercoil DNA template was also preserved in both fractions, detergents were avoided, and replication was significantly higher than that described in the earlier experiments. TrfA-dependent initiation of DNA replication was associated primarily with the inner membrane fraction.