cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Value of Higher Education for Individuals and Society in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Central to this study is an exploration of the degree to which higher education is perceived as an individual and/or a collective value. Seminal literature supports the notion that colleges and universities are Western institutions. Throughout the Asia Pacific, higher education is expanding in a hybrid form in collectivist societies. This qualitative phenomenological study was guided by two questions: How is economic value shaped by cultural values and Western and Asian constructs? How is the value of higher education constructed as an individual and/or collective good by colleges and universities in the Asia-Pacific region? Using notion of disjunctures, scapes, and flows as a framework of analysis, we interviewed 25 participants in higher education across the Asia-Pacific region. The findings yielded themes of Western dominance, Asian distinctions, and the complicated perceptions of higher education as an individual or collective benefit. The theoretical framework of scapes and flows provided a lens to e...
LONG QT SYNDROME IN THE HISPANIC POPULATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a common inherited arrhythmia syndrome that predisposes patients to sudden death. There are known gender and racial differences in the manifestations of LQTS. To date, there has been no data surrounding disease characteristics or severity of LQTS in Hispanic populations.
Pythagorean Triples: A New, Easy-to-Derive Formula With Some Geometric Applications.

ONE of the oldest and most famous theorems of mathematics is the Pytha gorean theorem, which dates from around 500 B.C. and asserts that a2 + b2 = c2 when a, 6, and c are the lengths of the two legs and hypotenuse, respectively, of a right triangle. According to a legend, when Pythagoras discovered the theorem he was so overjoyed that he offered a sacrifice of oxen. But the subsequent discovery that V2 is irrational?and there fore that the length of the hypotenuse of an isosceles right triangle whose legs are of integral length can not be represented by a ratio of integers?greatly troubled Pythagoras and his followers, for they devoutly believed that any two lengths were integral multiples of some unit length. Attempts were made to suppress the knowledge that V2 is irrational, and it is said that the man who divulged the secret was drowned at sea. Positive integral triples that satisfy the equation a2 + b2 = c2 are called Pytha gorean triples. That is:
Theoretical and Experimental Studies of the Remote Field Eddy Current Effect

Conventional eddy current (EC) nondestructive testing methods, based on the principle of electromagnetic induction have been used over the years for defect detection. A low frequency alternating current is fed to the excitation coil which induces eddy currents in the material. These eddy currents generate a magnetic field, inducing a secondary voltage in the sensor coil. The change in the impedance of the sensor coil is used to indicate the presence of material inhomogeneities (Figure 1). Figure 2 shows a conventional eddy current probe and a remote field eddy current (RFEC) probe. The difference between the two is that in the conventional EC probe the exciter and the sensor are the same coil, normally operating between 1KHz and 10 MHz, while in the RFEC probe the exciter and the sensor coils are several pipe diameters apart with a frequency of operation from 40 to 160 Hz. The RFEC probe does not measure the change in the impedance of the sensor coil, rather the steady state A.C phase angle difference between the exciter and the sensor is monitored (Figure 3). Skin effect characteristics limit the eddy currents to the surface of the material, restricting the conventional EC testing methods to the detection of near surface inhomogeneities. The RFEC probe in contrast overcomes the above limitation due to its apparent sensitivity to both inner and outer diameter (ID and OD) defects [1]. Recently numerical models have been developed to develop a better understanding of the physics of the phenomenon [2–8].
Does guanxi influence firm performance

It is widely acknowledged that guanxi constitutes a key strategic factor affecting firm performance in the greater China area. However, very little empirical research on the issue has been done in the literature. In this study we explore the systematic linkage between guanxi and firm performance from a business strategy perspective. The evidence shows that guanxi-based business variables have a profound and positive impact on firm efficiency and growth.
Using Code Generation to Enforce Uniformity in Software Delivery Pipelines

Common approaches to implementing software delivery pipelines include hand-written scripts, domain-specific languages (DSLs), and the integration of specialized tools, each of which has been developed to automate one or more stages of these pipelines. However, each application is often treated as a proverbial snowflake – different from all other applications, even those within the same organization, or those using the same technology stack. Such pipelines are often technology-specific, making them time-consuming to change should the need arise. This paper describes SPaaS, an extensible DSL- and template-based pipeline generator, capable of producing software delivery pipelines for Jenkins. This paper examines how such generated pipelines can embody, facilitate, and enforce an organization’s technical and governance policies, while also enabling product teams to inject specialized activities during pipeline execution. A preliminary proof-of-concept called SPaaS, is described and the advantages, disadvantages, and some inherent technical challenges of the overall approach are discussed.
On posthuman materiality: art-making as rhizomatic rehearsal

ABSTRACTOn posthuman materiality: art-making as rhizomatic rehearsal engages art-making as a methodology for rehearsing the aesthetics and thematic arguments of the show Animal Parade. The followin...
Bleomycin hydrolase protects mice from bleomycin induced death and is involved in bleomycin induced lung fibrosis

5127 Bleomycin hydrolase (BH) is a cysteine protease that inactivates the antitumor glycopeptide bleomycin (BLM), which is used in the treatment of human cancers. A dose limiting side effect of BLM treatment is pulmonary fibrosis. Using our mouse genetic model, we previously demonstrated a significant quantitative trait loci (Blmpf2) to BLM induced lung fibrosis on chromosome 11 (LOD = 5.6) in males only. One candidate gene in this linkage region is BH gene. Our previous studies of BH activity showed that this enzyme modulates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, to further demonstrate that the BH gene is a susceptibility gene for BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis, we investigated nucleotide polymorphisms between fibrosis resistant C3Hf/Kam (C3H) and fibrosis prone C57BL/6 (B6) strain, the correlation of the polymorphisms with phenotype in C3H and B6 derived F2 mice, and the effect of BH on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis by using BH KO mice. We analyzed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of BH gene by sequencing BH cDNA from the lungs of C3H and B6 mice, by SNP discovery, and genotyped the F2 mice with restriction fragment length polymorphism. We phenotyped BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in BH KO mice and F2 mice after treatment with 100mg/kg bleomycin given subcutaneously via a 7 day Alzet osmotic mini-pump. Mice were sacrificed when moribund or 56 days after pump implantation, the end of the experiment. The lungs were taken for histological staining and pulmonary fibrosis was quantified as percent fibrosis (%PF) by dividing the fibrotic area by the area of the whole lung. Sequence analysis and SNP discovery revealed a SNP (C in C3H and T in B6) in the third base pair of codon 364 in exon 9. This polymorphism significantly correlated with BLM induced-pulmonary fibrosis in male F2 mice (%PF = 12.5 for T/T alleles and 1.2 for C/C alleles, P=0.0008). There was no association of this polymorphism with BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in female mice (%PF= 2.7 for T/T alleles and 4.1 for C/C alleles P=0.45), consistent with our previous linkage study. Finally, we examined the effect of BLM in a BH KO model. Two thirds(6/9)of the BH-/- mice given 50mg/kg, half of our standard dose, died during of systemic toxicity . In contrast, all BH+/+, BH+/− and B6 mice survived until the end of the experiment after the same dose. The fibrosis score in BH+/− mice (n=4) was 5.6 fold higher than that in the BH+/+ mice (n=3) (%PF= 3.8 for BH+/− and 0.68 for BH+/+). These data suggest that BH gene protects mice from BLM-induced death. This work is supported by NCI grant RO1 CA64193 and LSA
Structural Characterization of Phenoxy Radical with Mass-Correlated Broadband Microwave Spectroscopy.

A combination of broadband microwave spectroscopy and VUV photoionization time-of-flight mass spectra has been used to record rotational spectra of the prototypical phenoxy radical, its per-deuterated isotopomers, and the full set of singly 13C-substituted analogues. Rotational parameters associated with the fits to the full set of isotopomers produce a highly accurate r0 structure for the phenoxy radical. High-level ab initio calculations accurately reproduce the rotational constants and spin-rotation parameters. The structure of the phenoxy radical is distinctly quinoidal, with delocalization of the unpaired electron spin density on the oxygen and phenyl ring. The fitted Fermi contact terms for the 13C atoms reflect a weighting of resonance structures that is 27% on the O atom, 21.5% on each of the two ortho C’s, and 30% on the para C, providing a quantitative measure of its sites for subsequent reactions that will control its abundances in combustion and atmospheric environments.
Pituitary Lesion in a Neonate.

Summary The patient is a term girl who presented at 2 weeks of age with a large segmental facial hemangioma without PHACE syndrome (posterior fossa anomalies, hemangioma, arterial anomalies, cardiac anomalies, and eye anomalies). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 months of age (FIG 1) showed a pituitary hemangioma characterized by an enhancing, T1 isointense, T2 hyperintense sellar/suprasellar mass without susceptibility or diffusion restriction. The patient underwent a course of treatment with oral propranolol, which has previously been shown to be an effective treatment for intracranial hemangiomas. 1 Repeat imaging (FIG 2) after 9 months of treatment showed decreased size of the sellar/suprasellar mass with persistent enhancement.
Discovery of a prevalent picornavirus by visualizing zebrafish immune responses

Abstract The discovery of new viruses currently outpaces our capacity for experimental examination of infection biology. To better couple virus discovery with immunology, we genetically modified zebrafish to visually report on virus infections. After generating a strain that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) under an interferon-stimulated gene promoter, we repeatedly observed transgenic larvae spontaneously expressing GFP days after hatching. RNA sequencing of GFP-positive zebrafish revealed a picornavirus distantly related to known viruses. We detected this virus in publicly available sequencing data from seemingly asymptomatic zebrafish in research institutes world-wide. These data revealed widespread tissue tropism and identified the clonal CG2 strain as notably vulnerable to picornavirus infection. Infection induces the expression of numerous antiviral immune defense genes in zebrafish, an effect also evident in public data. Our study describes a prevalent picornavirus that infects zebrafish, and provides new strategies for simultaneously discovering viruses and their impact on vertebrate hosts.
CARDIAC METASTASIS FROM HEAD AND NECK CARCINOMA, A RARE AND CHALLENGING DIAGNOSIS

Cardiac tumors are divided into primary tumors and secondary metastasis from a distant malignancy. Cardiac metastases from head and neck SCCs are extremely rare and pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to clinicians. In this case, we aim to highlight the importance of prompt cardiac testing
5.501 – Scaffolds: Flow Perfusion Bioreactor Design

Limited mass transfer within scaffolds is an extremely common issue in tissue engineering. Oftentimes, cells cultured statically on scaffolds develop a shell of viable cells and extracellular matrix, with the interior portion of the construct relatively devoid of cells. Flow perfusion bioreactors have been designed to overcome the challenge of mass transfer within scaffolds. In general, all of the challenges in the design of flow perfusion bioreactors arise from the central goal of having to provide proper culture conditions for a three-dimensional scaffold. These culture conditions include complete perfusion of the scaffold, media flow pathway, environmental control, and maintenance of sterility. Currently, flow perfusion bioreactors are used for two primary purposes: dynamic cell seeding of scaffolds and long-term tissue culture. The scaling up of flow perfusion bioreactors to achieve clinically relevant amounts of tissue will be a major challenge. Standardization of flow perfusion bioreactors will be necessary to make their transition from the research level to an industrial scale successful. Also, the efficiency of current systems, with regard to space constraints, throughput, and media volumes, must be improved. Likewise, in the future, it will be necessary to report media flow in terms of internal shear stresses that occur within the scaffolds.
Postmortem Aging Time and Marbling Class Effects on Flavor of Three Muscles From Beef Top Loin and Top Sirloin Subprimals

This study evaluated postmortem aging time and marbling class effects on flavor attributes of longissimus lumborum, gluteus medius, and biceps femoris steaks. Carcasses selected to have Lower Small (Small00 to Small49; n = 50) or Upper Slight (Slight50 to Slight99; n = 50) marbling were assigned to aging treatments (14, 21, 28, or 35 d) in an incomplete block arrangement. A trained sensory panel evaluated longissimus lumborum, gluteus medius, and biceps femoris steaks for tenderness, juiciness, and 31 flavor notes. Tenderness increases with aging time were linear (P < 0.001) in longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius steaks and quadratic (P = 0.001) in biceps femoris steaks. Aging response of rancid flavor in longissimus lumborum steaks was cubic (P = 0.01), whereas the aging response of bloody/serumy flavor in biceps femoris steaks was quadratic (P = 0.03). Compared with Upper Slight marbling, carcasses with Lower Small marbling produced longissimus lumborum steaks with greater (P < 0.01) beef flavor and lesser (P = 0.001) bitter flavor, gluteus medius steaks with greater (P = 0.05) brown/roasted flavor, and biceps femoris steaks with greater (P = 0.02) fat-like flavor, although differences were small. Principal component analysis indicated that bloody/serumy, sour, metallic, and bitter flavor attributes were the strongest contributors to a factor explaining 38% of longissimus lumborum flavor variation. Barnyard, bitter, sour, rancid, and bloody/serumy were the greatest contributors to a principal component explaining 41% of gluteus medius flavor. Barnyard, rancid, sour, bloody/serumy, and bitter were contributors to a component explaining 63% of biceps femoris sirloin cap flavor variance. Sample score plots indicated that neither aging time nor marbling class was associated with principal components and identified production lot as contributing to principal components explaining flavor variation in all 3 muscles. Results indicate that, in strip loin and top sirloin subprimals from carcasses with Upper Slight and Lower Small marbling scores, aging time and marbling class had little impact on beef flavor. Thus, increased aging times could be used to enhance tenderness with no adverse effects on other important palatability attributes.
Choice-Based User Interface Design of a Smart Healthy Food Recommender System for Nudging Eating Behavior of Older Adult Patients with Newly Diagnosed Type II Diabetes

Information Retrieval (IR) and Recommender System (RS) has its potential to assist patients to make an informed decision on healthy food and influence their food choices which inferring the chance of nudging dietary behavior. However, the potential users of the system, older adult patients, is a unique group of people with heterogeneity of the computer proficiency and the latency of technology acceptance. In this context, the effective User Interface (UI) design of such a personal health decision support system for older adults remains undetermined. To fill in the research gap, a choice-based UI of healthy food recommender system for older adults was proposed based on the literature review of ageing-centered design principles. A further user testing study was conducted to systematically examine the effectiveness of the critical UI design variables, search result layouts and nutrition information formats, in a 2 × 2 full factorial experiment. Fifteen older adults aged 60 years and older (mean = 66.8) were recruited to participate a scenario-based evaluation of the proposed prototype system, another fifteen college students between the ages of 20–35 (mean = 28.6) were recruited as the control group of the study. The results are collected by both quantitative data of subjective questionnaires and qualitative data of the transcriptions from interview and think aloud notes. This article presented and discussed the results of older adults’ perceptions of the system collected by mixed methods in comparison to the student groups.
A Collective Review of Gore Bio-A Absorbable Synthetic Mesh in Cruroplasty Reinforcement.

Background: Laparoscopic repair of hiatal hernia (HH) is associated with a considerable failure rate. Compared to suture repair alone, mesh-reinforced cruroplasty may be associated with fewer short-term recurrences, yet its use remains controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the current literature assessing the use of Bio-A absorbable synthetic mesh in the reinforcement of primary crural closure after laparoscopic HH repair. Methods: A systematic review of primary literature in the MEDLINE and PubMed databases was conducted. We searched for investigations reporting patient outcomes in laparoscopic HH repair with onlay Gore Bio-A tissue reinforcement (W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.) published between January 2008 and December 2019. The primary outcome was anatomical recurrence rate. Secondary outcomes were complication rate, symptomatic outcomes, and mortality. Results: Eight studies met inclusion criteria. There were two prospective and six retrospective cohort studies. In the included studies, laparoscopic HH repair was performed with Bio-A absorbable synthetic mesh in 734 patients. The anatomical recurrence data were extracted across all studies, and an objective recurrence was identified in 21/280 (7.5%) patients. There was only 1 (0.17%) mesh-related complication in the included studies. Conclusions: The use of Bio-A absorbable synthetic mesh in the repair of HHs may be promising, as it offers low rates of anatomical recurrence and mesh-related complications, but more data are still necessary to validate these findings. This collective review of literature is a basis for future randomized controlled trials to identify the most effective and safe mesh in the long term.
Insights into the lipidome and primary metabolome of the uterus from day 14 cyclic and pregnant sheep

In ruminants, conceptus elongation requires the endometrium and its secretions. The amino acid, carbohydrate, and protein composition of the uterine lumen during early pregnancy has been defined in sheep; however, a comprehensive understanding of metabolomic changes in the uterine lumen is lacking, particularly with respect to lipids. Here, the lipidome and primary metabolome of the uterine lumen, endometrium, and/or conceptus was determined on day 14 of the estrous cycle and pregnancy. Lipid droplets and select triglycerides were depleted in the endometrium of pregnant ewes. In contrast, select ceramides, diglycerides, and non-esterified fatty acids as well as several phospholipid classes (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerols, and diacylglycerols) were elevated in the uterine lumen of pregnant ewes. Lipidomic analysis of the conceptus revealed that triglycerides are particularly abundant within the conceptus. Primary metabolite analyses found elevated amino acids, carbohydrates, and energy substrates, among others, in the uterine lumen of pregnant ewes. Collectively, this study supports the hypothesis that lipids are important components of the uterine lumen that govern conceptus elongation and growth during early pregnancy.Summary sentence: There are dynamic changes in the lipid and metabolite composition of the uterine lumen during early pregnancy in sheep.
Fecal microbiota transplantation increases colonic IL-25 and dampens tissue inflammation in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile

ABSTRACT Background Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the most common hospital-acquired infection in the United States. Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis is the primary cause of susceptibility and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as an effective therapy for recurrence. We previously demonstrated in the mouse model of CDI that antibiotic-induced dysbiosis reduced colonic expression of IL-25, and that FMT protected in part by restoring gut commensal bacteria-mediated IL-25 signaling. Here we conducted a prospective clinical trial to test the impact of FMT on immunity, specifically testing in humans if FMT induced IL-25 expression in the colon. Methods Subjects received colonic biopsies and blood sampling at the time of FMT and 60-days later. Colon biopsies were assayed for IL-25 by immunoassay, for mRNA by RNAseq, and for bacterial content by 16 S rDNA sequencing. High dimensional flow cytometry was also conducted on peripheral blood mononuclear cells pre- and post-FMT. Results All 10 subjects who received FMT had no CDI recurrences over a 2 year follow-up post FMT. FMT increased alpha diversity of the colonic microbiota and was associated with several immunologic changes. The cytokine IL-25 was increased in colonic tissue. In addition, increased expression of homeostatic genes and repression of inflammatory genes was observed in colonic mRNA transcripts. Finally, circulating Th17 cells were decreased post-FMT. Conclusion The increase in the cytokine IL-25 accompanied by decreased inflammation is consistent with FMT acting in part to protect from recurrent CDI via restoration of commensal activation of type 2 immunity.
Does Worrying Matter? Priming and Attitudes Toward Mask Wearing in a Midwestern State

Due to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the use of protective measures (e.g., mask wearing and social distancing) has become an important public health concern. Despite being ...
Management of infantile esotropia.

Purpose of reviewSurgical treatment has been the accepted mode of treatment for infantile esotropia for decades. The present review of recent literature evaluates the current standing of: type of surgery performed and best timing of surgery to achieve optimal results.Recent findingsRecent studies su
Activities of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory During Fiscal Year 1977-78: A Summary Report

Eleuterius, Charles K. 1978. Classification of Mississippi Sound as to estuary type by vertical salinity structure. Journal o j the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Eleuterius, Lionel N. 1978. Population variation in the salt 23(Sup.):9 1. marsh rush, Juncus roemerianus. Journal of the Mississippi Academy ojSciences 23(Sup.):6. . 1978. Observations on the red alga, Caloglossa Ieprieurii, in salt marshes. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 23(Sup.):7. Foster, Carolyn A. and T. G. Sarphie. 1978. Ectocommensal relationship of the peritrichous ciliate Zoothamnium sp. to Penaeid shrimp: electron microscopic observations. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Fusco, Alan C. 1977. Hemoglobins of the nematode Spirocamallanus sp. and its piscine host ,Micropogon undulatus. Program and Abstracts of the American Society of Parasitologists 52ndAnnualMeeting, 14-1 9August 19 77, p. 63. Higgins, George G. and Charles K. Eleuterius. 1978. Mississippi Sound: volume, surface area and bathymetric statistics. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Hossler, F. E., J . R. Ruby and T. D. McIlwain. 1978. Surface morphology of the gill filaments of the mullet, Mugil cephalus. Proceedings of the 7th Annual Texas Society of Electron Microscopy-Louisiana Society of Electron Microscopy Symposium 7( 1):40. Lofton, S. R. and D. W. Cook. 1978. Evaluation of the 48hour IMViC plate procedure for identification of Escherichia coli from seafoods. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 23(Sup.):77. Lukens, Ron. 1978. Notes on Stenopus scutellatus and S. hispidus (Decapoda, Stenopodidae) from Mississippi. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 23(Sup.):113. McGraw, Katherine A. 1977. Oyster growth and survival study in Mississippi Sound. University of Washington (Seattle), College of Fisheries, 1977 Research in Fisheries. Contribution No. 470:75. Ogle, John T. 1978. Predator prey relationship betwecn blue crabs and cultchless oyster seed. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 23(Sup.): 112. Otvos, E. G. and Wade Howat. 1978. Surface and nearsurface Pleistocene littoral-marine deposits, Mississippi coast. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Overstreet, Robin M. 1977. Infections of the trypanorhynch cestode Poecilancistrium caryophyllum in flesh of a marine fish. Program and Abstracts of the American Society of Parasitologists 52nd Annual Meeting, 14-1 9 August 1977, p. 52. Snazelle, Theodore E. and David W. Cook. 1978. Carbohydrate inhibition of pigment formation in a pigmented, asporogenous mutant of Bacillus cereus. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Sciences 53(2):61. Stapp, Dennis S. 1978. A method of thermal structure prediction for estuaries. Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 23(Sup.):90. 23(Sup.): 1 11.
Characterization and Properties of an Inhibitor of Factor VIII in the Plasma of Patients with Hemophilia A Following Repeated Transfusions

A circulating anticoagulant, which specifically inhibits Factor VIII (AHF), has been detected in some patients with hemophilia A who had received multiple transfusions. The inhibitor was quantitated by measurement of the degree of inactivation of Factor VIII. The data presented provide strong evidence for the antibody nature of the Factor VIII inhibitor in hemophilia: (1) All specific inhibitory activity of serum was detected in the γG globulin obtained by chromatography of the sera on DEAE cellulose. (2) Fab fragments obtained by digestion of the γG globulin with papain, contained 18-22 per cent of the specific inhibitory activity, while Fc fragments contained 0.4-3 per cent. F(ab')2 fragments obtained by digestion with pepsin contained 36-61 per cent of the specific inhibitory activity of γG globulin. (3) The level of the inhibitor of Factor VIII increased sharply following transfusions of blood and decreased slowly to its preinfusion level. (4) When small amounts of inhibitor were incubated in vitro with excess Factor VIII, the inhibitor activity was decreased. Infusion of Factor VIII into a patient with a low level of inhibitor decreased the inhibitor activity. (5) Clearance of the isologous inhibitor from the circulation of a normal subject was rapid.
Opportunities and Challenges in Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy

Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the most serious complication of Chagas disease. More than a century after the astute clinician-scientist Carlos Chagas published the etiologic, pathological, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of the disease that now bears his name [1], much scientific progress has been made. Nevertheless, many challenges still remain. In this article, we provide a brief perspective on the clinical and public health successes as well as a summary of the biomedical research portfolio supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Finally, we explore the compelling research questions and critical challenges for better understanding CCC and tackling its prevention and treatment.
Online Dynamic Value System for Machine Learning

A novel online dynamic value system for machine learning is proposed in this paper. The proposed system has a dual network structure: data processing network (DPN) and information evaluation network (IEN). The DPN is responsible for numerical data processing, including input space transformation and online dynamic data fitting. The IEN evaluates results provided by DPN. A dynamic three-curve fitting (TCF) scheme provides statistical bounds to the curve fitting according to data distribution. The system uses a shift register communication channel. Application of the proposed value system to the financial analysis (bank prime loan rate prediction) is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed system.
¿Qué es el decisionismo? Reflexiones en torno a la doctrina política de Carl Schmitt

This essay is a critique of the so called “decisionist” theory by Carl Schmitt, first expounded on his main political works during the Weimar period. The author explains that Schmitt's idea of “decisionism” is not, as it has often been pondered a simple variant of ethical voluntarism associated with both existentialist and positivist moral philosophies. “Decisionism” is a particular political doctrine based on the claim that the state is the absolute source of legal and moral decisions in political life. From this perspective, the author demonstrates that Schmitt’s “decisionism" is a purely negative doctrine, based on the symmetrical negation of all the political values of liberalism.
Modulation of memory processing by cholecystokinin: dependence on the vagus nerve

Allowing mice access to food immediately after an aversive training session enhances memory retention. Cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8), which is a gastrointestinal hormone released during feeding, also enhances memory retention when administered intraperitoneally. This memory-enhancing effect of CCK-8 is blocked when the vagus nerve is cut, indicating that CCK-8 may produce its effect on memory retention by activating ascending fibers in the vagus nerve. Thus, CCK-8, a peripherally acting peptide, may mediate the memory-enhancing effects of feeding.
Fate of solitons, polarons and bipolarons in conjugated polymers: The role of interchain coupling

Abstract The effect of interchain coupling on the relative order of dimerization on neighboring chains and on the local states in conjugated polymers is studied within the framework of the SSH model including interchain electron transfer. Parallel ordering is preferred for alternating interchain hopping integrals. In this case neutral solitons on neighboring chains are strongly bound, whereas polarons are destabilized even for weak interchain coupling.
Micropropagation of Acacia mearnsii

A micropropagation system was developed forAcacia mearnsii De Wild., which is the principal source of the world’s tanbark and an excellent firewood. Shoot tips 5-mm long from 3-wk-old seedlings germinated in vitro served as explants. The seeds were germinated on hormone-free MS medium and the shoot tips were cultured on three-fourth-strength MS medium supplemented with combinations of auxins [indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) andα-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA)] and cytokinins [kinetin and benzylaminopurine (BAP)]. Cultures were maintained at 25° ± 5° C and exposed to 12-h photoperiods of cool-white fluorescent light (70 µEm−2·s−1). Multiple shoot formation was promoted by BAP at 2 mg · liter−1 (8.87µM) and higher combined with or without 0.01 mg · liter−1 (0.049µM) IBA. Cytokinins at concentrations of less than 1 mg · liter−1 combined with 0.01 to 0.1 mg · liter−1 auxin inhibited multiple shoot formation and promoted rooting of the shoot tip explants. Shoot multiplication cultures were maintained by transferring segments of multiple-shoot clusters onto a medium containing 2 mg · liter−1 BAP and 0.01 mg · liter−1 IBA. Although higher levels of BAP promoted more multiple shoot formation, this BAP level allowed shoot elongation as well as multiplication. In-vitro-produced shoots were induced to root on a range of NAA concentrations (0.0 to 0.8 mg · liter−1[4.3µM]) supplemented to half- or full-strength MS medium. The highest frequency of root proliferation was on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 0.6 mg · liter−1 (3.22µM) NAA. Plantlets survived in potting soil and exhibited normal growth under greenhouse conditions.
A sex pheromone mixture for the bertha armyworm moth, Mamestra configurata : (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate and (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol acetate.

An abdominal tip extract of female bertha armyworm moths, Mamestra configurata (Walker), was found to contain two sex pheromone components. One corresponded to (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol acetate, previously identified from this source, and the other to a tetradecen-1-ol acetate, identified by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. Data obtained from the EAG profile of isomeric tetradecen-1-ol acetates indicated the active component to be (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate. Neither of these two acetates was by itself attractive to males in field tests; however, mixtures were attractive, with the best attraction occurring with a C 16 :C 14 acetate ratio of about 19:1.
Engineering of AlGaN-Delta-GaN Quantum-Well Gain Media for Mid- and Deep-Ultraviolet Lasers

The gain characteristics of AlGaN-delta-GaN quantum wells (QWs) with varying delta-GaN positions and AlGaN QW compositions are analyzed. The use of optimized AlGaN-delta-GaN QWs resulted in ~ 7-times increase in material gain over that of conventional AlGaN QWs for gain media emitting at ~ 240 nm. By employing asymmetric AlGaN-delta-GaN QWs, the optimized optical gain can be achievable for AlGaN-delta-GaN QW structure with realistic design applicable for mid- and deep-ultraviolet (UV) lasers. The threshold properties and differential gains are also studied for optimized AlGaN-delta-GaN QWs UV lasers.
Feeding ecology of the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus)

Proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) feeding behavior and ecology were studied at the Natai Lengkuas Station, Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia. Data on feeding behavior were collected using scan sampling during group follows. Three vegetational plots containing 1,732 trees were established and monitored monthly for changes in fruit, flower, and young leaf production. Basal area and canopy cover were calculated and used in estimating food abundance. Proboscis monkeys were found to be folivore/frugivores, specializing in seed consumption. At least 55 different plant species were used as food sources, with a marked preference for Eugenia sp. 3/4,Ganua motleyana and Lophopetalum javanicum. These tree species were among the most frequent and most dominant. However, proboscis monkeys were selective feeders; use of tree species as food sources was not based simply on relative density. During times of low food abundance and/or availability proboscis monkeys switched dietary strategies and increased dietary diversity. The average total home range was estimated to be 130.3 ha, with an average group density of 5.2 groups per km2. The average biomass per km2 was estimated to be 499.5 kg. Given their high biomass and predilection for consuming seeds of dominant species, proboscis monkeys may help to maintain and increase vegetational diversity.
Graphs of polyhedra; polyhedra as graphs

Relations between graph theory and polyhedra are presented in two contexts. In the first, the symbiotic dependence between 3-connected planar graphs and convex polyhedra is described in detail. In the second, a theory of nonconvex polyhedra is based on a graph-theoretic foundation. This approach eliminates the vagueness and inconsistency that pervade much of the literature dealing with polyhedra more general than the convex ones.
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE IL6 −174G>C AND ESR2 1730G>A POLYMORPHISMS AND THE RISK OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

The -174G>C (rs1800795) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of the interleukin-6 (IL6) gene and the 1730G>A (rs4986938) SNP in the estrogen receptor beta (ESR2) may influence the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated these SNPs in 380 unrelated US Caucasian PD cases and 522 controls, including 452 individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) origin (260 PD, 192 controls). The G allele of the -174G>C SNP was more common in AJ PD cases (p=0.033) as well as in Non-Jewish (NJ) men with PD (p=0.022). The GG genotype increased the risk of PD by over two fold in NJ men (OR=2.11, 95%CI: 1.14-3.89, p=0.017), and approached significance in the total AJ group with PD (OR=1.42, 95%CI: 0.97-2.06, p=0.067). The A allele of the ESR2 1730G>A SNP was associated with a decreased risk for PD in AJ women, and in this group, having the AA genotype decreased the risk of PD by half (OR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.22-0.92, p=0.029). Our data supports a role for the IL6 -174G>C G allele in AJ individuals overall. In NJ Caucasians, this role appears to be gender mediated. In both groups, the effect is independent from ESR2 1730G>A. A separate association for the ESR2 1730G>A SNP was found exclusively in women of AJ descent. Other polymorphisms in tight linkage disequilibrium with the SNP differentially influencing expression, ethnic differences in allele distribution, and gender differences in genetic load related to PD, may underlie our findings. Larger studies in diverse populations, including analysis of surrounding regions are recommended.
"Personality, Intelligence and Negotiation Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of the Evidence"

A broad consensus among researchers dismisses the value of individual differences in intelligence and personality as explanations for negotiation outcomes. A careful investigation of the studies cited in the narrative literature review that gave rise to this consensus reveals numerous mistakes and improper inference. A systematic meta- analysis of negotiation studies incorporating measures of individual differences revealed a number of significant associations. These included the positive association between cognitive ability and “economic joint gains” from negotiated agreement and a significant positive association between measures of emotional intelligence and socio-psychological outcome measures. The personality traits of extraversion and agreeableness were positively associated with socio- psychological outcomes though the effect on economic outcomes is moderated by the underlying nature of the negotiation. Extraversion has a positive association when the task has considerable integrative potential bu...
Degradation of Carmustine in Aqueous Media

The degradation rate of carmustine was investigated in buffered aqueous media at several pH values. The buffering agents studied were those with potential use in parenteral formulations of this drug: acetate, citrate, and phosphate. The apparent first-order degradation rate constants were calculated using a linear regression procedure. A pH range over which minimum degradation occurred was ascertained. General acid and specific base catalysis was demonstrated for the degradation of carmustine. From the data at 5, 22, and 37 degrees, the apparent activation energies for carmustine degradation in buffered aqueous media were computed and were strongly pH dependent.
Synthesis and viscometric properties of low charge density ampholytic ionomers

Abstract The addition of ionic groups onto the molecular structure of a macromolecule produces marked changes in its physical properties. A large volume of literature exists pertaining to the solution and solid phase properties of these charged species spanning a broad range of charge densities. Until recently, however, little work has been published on ionomers containing opposite chargess (i.e., polyampholytes) except with regard to highly charged species. In this study, we focus on the synthesis and solution properties in fresh and high ionic strength solutions of low charge density acrylamide-based polyampholytes not necessarily possessing an equimolar ratio of anionic and cationic units. The results show that the separation of these oppositely-charged monomer units via neutral acrylamide moieties establishes a control over physical properties not readily attainable in the highly-charged polyampholytes (generally insoluble in fresh water) or conventional polyelectrolytes. At low charge densities, typically
MinK-KvLQT1 fusion proteins, evidence for multiple stoichiometries of the assembled IsK channel.

I sK, a slowly activating delayed rectifier K+ current through channels formed by the assembly of two channel proteins KvLQT1 and MinK, modulates the repolarization of cardiac action potentials. Mutations that map to theKvLQT1 and minK genes account for more than 50% of an inherited cardiac disorder, the Long QT syndrome (Splawski, I., Tristani-Firouzi, M., Lehmann, M. H., Sanguinetti, M. C., and Keating, M. T. (1997) Nat. Genet.17, 338–340). Despite the importance of these channels to human cardiac function, the molecular basis of their uniquely slow gating properties as well as the stoichiometry and interaction sites of these two subunits are still unclear. We have constructed several fusion channel proteins to begin investigating the stoichiometry of these two subunits and the role of voltage-dependent subunit assembly in channel gating. Functional properties of these constructs were measured using whole cell patch clamp recordings of transiently transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. The constructs we tested are as follows: MK24 (C terminus of MinK linked to N terminus of KvLQT1); KK40 (a tandem homodimer of KvLQT1); and MKK44 (C terminus of MinK linked to N terminus of KK40). In control experiments (no DNA, control DNA, or only MinK), no time-dependent K+ current was observed. Expression of KvLQT1 or KK40 produced currents that activate and inactivate in a voltage-dependent manner as reported by others for KvLQT1. In contrast, expression of MK24 and MKK44 elicited current with activation kinetics and voltage dependence very similar to native I sK and identical to currents expressed by cells co-transfected with independent MinK and KvLQT1 cDNA. Expression of MK24 plus additional MinK significantly slows current kinetics. Our data raise the possibility 1) of multiple MinK/KvLQT1 stoichiometries and 2) indicate that uniquely slow kinetics ofI sK channels is due to voltage-dependent conformational changes of the channel protein and not to assembly of channel subunits.
Baccalaureate Attainment and College Persistence of Community College Transfer Students at Four-Year Institutions

Studying factors that predict bachelor’s degree attainment has generated considerable empirical interest over the past few decades. Relatively few studies, however, have focused on community college transfer students and the unique factors that predict their educational outcomes. Utilizing the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 and Postsecondary Education Transcript Study, this research tested logistic regression models to predict baccalaureate attainment and college persistence among high school graduates of 1992 who attended community colleges first and eventually transferred to four-year institutions. Results indicate that the probability of attaining a bachelor’s degree among these students is significantly associated with gender, SES, high school curriculum, educational expectation upon entering college, GPA earned from community colleges, college involvement, and math remediation. Perceived locus of control and community college GPA are significant predictors of persistence. Implications for policy and future research are also discussed.
Acute Childhood Leukaemia in Relation to the HL–A Human Transplantation Genes

THE expectation that certain human diseases might show a high statistical correlation with certain transplantation genes is based on analogy with mouse systems1. The H–2b gene in mice is associated with a low incidence of tumours and with great longevity in three different inbred strains2. Another transplantation gene, the H–2k gene, confers in homozygous form an almost 100 per cent susceptibility to the Gross leukaemia virus3 and a non-susceptibility to the Tennant leukaemia virus4.
Global Acceptance of Stored-Value Smart Cards: Analysis of Inhibitors and Facilitators

Smart cards offer a wide variety of applications that could revolutionise payment transactions, reduce costs, and spur online purchasing. Despite the benefits these electronic purses offer, a number of issues inhibit their widespread use, especially in open systems. A tested technology, smart cards can store various types of encrypted information as well as cash balances and digital signatures. A secret key can be used to secure e-commerce transactions as well as protect the card contents. These keys are vulnerable to attack, however, and the stored-value feature is attractive to international money launderers. How real is the case against smart cards? When compared to the benefits that facilitate adoption, the negative aspects appear to reflect unfounded fears. This paper presents a case for global acceptance of stored-value smart cards and explains how this affects the competitive positioning of diverse stakeholders.
Developing an information security program for HIPAA compliance

The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 mandates several policy and technology security standards that must be implemented for healthcare organizations that deal, store and process electronic patient medical records. The enforcement of this law can present many organizational and technical challenges to healthcare providers with no formal information security program processes in place. The use of security models, such as NIST SP 800-66 and the formal SecSDLC security program methodology, can help healthcare providers put an information security program in place that enforces HIPAA compliance and ensures the protection of their health information systems.
Evidence that types I and II interferons have different receptors.

Interferons (IFNs) are a class of proteins, secreted by animal cells in response to various inducers1, which confer resistance to viral infections and are designated according to their cellular origin or to the inducing agent. Viruses induce type I Interferon, subdivided into α-interferon, produced by leukocytes (Le) or lymphoblastoid (Ly) cells, and β-interferon, produced by fibroblasts1. Mitogens and antigenic stimuli induce in lymphocytes type II immune IFN-γ. Interferons seem to bind to specific receptors2 to elicit a variety of cellular responses3; several early studies provided indirect evidence for such binding4–6. Direct evidence for specific interferon receptors was presented by Aguet7, who showed that biologically active 125I-labelled mouse (Mu)IFN binds to sensitive L1210-S cells, but not to interferon-resistant L1210-R cells8. The main obstacle in carrying out such studies is the availability of pure interferon. Recently, Maeda et al.9 constructed plasmids containing human interferon sequences. The plasmid p104 was used as a probe to isolate the coding region of a human interferon (IFLrA), which was expressed in Escherichia coli10 and purified with monoclonal antibodies11. This interferon, designated HuIFN-αA, was labelled with 125I for binding assays on human cells. We have determined the specificity of different HuIFNs for the cellular sites which bind HuIFN-αA and show here that HuIFN-γ does not compete for binding, whereas all type I HuIFNs do.