cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptations of macrophytes to life in moving water: upslope limits and mechanical properties of stems

Structural properties of vascular aquatic macrophyte stems were studied from a mechanical perspective using data from Jackson Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Stem tensile strength, extensibility and cross sectional width were measured for seven vascular freshwater species. Mean values for these properties were significantly different when all species were compared. Moreover, tensile strength and extensibility were significantly different when deep water species were compared with shallow water species. Extensibility was significantly different when species duplicating by clone production were compared with species switching between clonal and sexual duplication, but tensile strength was not statistically different. Force to break a stem was modeled as a significantly increasing power function of stem cross sectional area (R2 = 86.0%). Species specific tensile properties are considered as factors that can regulate the upslope distribution of macrophytes in moving water.
Reversal of π-face selectivity in the Evans aldol reaction with fluoral: A computational study on the transition states using semiempirical calculations

Abstract Transition states for aldol reactions of boron enolate derived from N -acyloxazolidinone with acetaldehyde and fluoral were located by semiempirical molecular orbital calculation. For reaction with acetaldehyde, a chair transition structure was found, while two open transition structures were obtained with fluoral. The transition states reproduced the experimental results such that acetaldehyde and fluoral react preferentially on the re and si faces of the double bond of the boron enolate.
Performance of layered synthetic microstructures in monochromator applications in the soft X-ray region

Abstract Wide bandwidth, high throughput monochromators for synchrotron radiation applications have been developed using layered synthetic microstructures (LSMs). Double crystal LSM monochromators have been demonstrated for both the soft X-ray and XUV regions of the spectrum with tuning ranges of 0.8 to 3.5 keV and 60 to 100 eV, respectively.
Seasonal nutrient element distribution in leaves of ‘ace’ and. ‘Nellie White’ cultivars of the Easter Lily, L. longiflorum L. 1

Abstract Seasonal changes in leaf element content of the ‘Ace’ and ‘Nellie White’ cultivars of the Easter Lily were measured at monthly intervals from March through October at five locations along the southern Oregon and northern California coasts during a three year period. Nitrogen, P, K, and Zn concentrations decreased from March through October while concentrations of Ca, Mg, and Cu increased. Manganese and B concentrations were stable until June/July and then increased through October. Iron decreased from March to April and then remained constant throughout the remainder of the sampling period. Diagnostic procedures such as leaf analysis should be performed as early in the spring as possible so that corrective measures can be instituted in time to influence canopy development which occurs from January ‐ June. Seasonal nutrient trends during the March ‐ April period were stable for Mn, B, Zn, and Mg, whereas N, P, K, and Fe decreased, and Ca and Cu increased in concentration during this period. The ch...
Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways and cardiac surgery

Abstract Mitogen-activated protein kinases are serine-threonine protein kinases that are involved in several processes important to cardiac surgery such as vascular permeability, cytokine production, vasomotor function, and reperfusion injury. Mitogen-activated protein kinases are expressed in multiple cell types including cardiomyocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells. Mitogen-activated protein kinases function in cellular signal transduction cascades and are activated by a diverse range of stimuli including ischemia, shear stress, and vasoactive agents. Three major mitogen-activated protein kinase families were identified as the extracellular signal-regulated kinases, c-Jun NH 2 -terminal protein kinases, and p38 kinases. Extensive investigation has established roles for extracellular signal-regulated kinases, c-Jun NH 2 -terminal protein kinases, and p38 kinases in cardiovascular signal transduction pathways. Activity of these signal cascades may contribute to the increased pulmonary vascular permeability and myocardial reperfusion injury observed after cardiac surgery with cardioplegia and cardiopulmonary bypass. Recent findings from our laboratory suggest that alterations in the activity of myocardial extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways occur as a result of cardioplegia–cardiopulmonary bypass in humans. In addition, these differences in extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity were shown to mediate coronary microcirculatory dysfunction associated with cardioplegia–cardiopulmonary bypass. The resulting deficit in coronary microcirculatory regulation may potentially lead to detrimental effects on organ perfusion and function. As mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways are further characterized, our potential to develop methods to prevent morbidity associated with cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass may be greatly improved.
Stroboscopic illumination and dark rearing block the sharpening of the regenerated retinotectal map in goldfish

Abstract Blocking activity with intraocular tetrodotoxin prevents the sharpening of the retinotectal map formed during regeneration of the optic nerve. If (under normal conditions) the initially diffuse map sharpens because of correlated activity in neighboring but not distant ganglion cells, then sharpening should also be prevented merely by disrupting the spatiotemporal correlation in the pattern of activity. To test this idea, fish were exposed during regeneration to stroboscopic illumination in a featureless environment, or were maintained in complete darkness. The regenerating cells remained visually responsive after axotomy, and the xenon strobe effectively drove each ganglion cell at a constant latency. The maps formed in the strobe-reared fish were normally oriented, but the multiunit receptive fields were greatly enlarged, averaging 32°. In control regenerates, multiunit receptive fields averaged only 11–12°, nearly the same as for single units. Dark rearing, which allows only spontaneous activity, also resulted in enlarged multiunit receptive fields, averaging more than 28°. Both effects parallel those reported previously with tetrodotoxin block. The mature projection did not become diffuse as a result of the strobe rearing, and the sensitive period corresponded to the early stage of synaptogenesis (20–34 days). Periods of normal visual exposure after 35 days produced very little sharpening of the diffuse maps produced during either strobe or dark rearing. The results are attributed to an activity-dependent stabilization of developing synapses. The correlated firing of neighboring ganglion cells could allow postsynaptic summation of their responses, and the retention of those more effective, retinotopically placed synapses might then occur via a Hebbian mechanism.
An experimental determination of the instability of a flexible rotor in four-lobe bearings

Abstract A pair of preloaded four-lobe bearings were experimentally tested with a simple flexible rotor and the unbalance response and instability threshold were determined. Ten orientations of the bearings were used. Before each test the bearings were repositioned circumferentially. Measurements included total response, synchronous response and frequency spectra at various running speeds. The rotor—bearing system exhibited the highest and lowest instability threshold for approximately load-off-pad and load-on-pad operating conditions respectively. The critical speed of the rotor system was 3000 rev min−1 and oil whip occurred at speeds of 6600 rev min−1 to more than 12500 rev min−1 depending on bearing orientation. The results showed moderate agreement with theoretical predictions.
Pharmacokinetics of esmolol and ASL-8123 in renal failure

The effect of renal function on the pharmacokinetics of esmolol, an ultra-short-acting beta-adrenergic blocker, and its major metabolite, ASL-8123, was examined in six healthy control subjects, six patients maintained on hemodialysis, and six patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). In addition, the impact of hemodialysis and CAPD on removal of esmolol and ASL-8123 was determined. Multiple blood, urine, and dialysate samples were collected during a 72-hour period and assayed for esmolol and ASL-8123 by HPLC. The pharmacokinetic disposition of esmolol was not significantly altered by renal failure. Mean (+/- SD) total body clearance for esmolol was 171.4 +/- 69.8, 249.8 +/- 176.3, and 265.3 +/- 143.1 ml/min/kg for the control, hemodialysis, and CAPD patients, respectively. Mean elimination half-life (t1/2) was 7.2 minutes in control subjects compared with 7.1 and 8.0 minutes for the hemodialysis and CAPD groups, respectively. The apparent volume of distribution of esmolol did not differ significantly among the three groups. ASL-8123 was shown to accumulate in patients with renal failure, as evidenced by a mean maximum blood concentration of 42.8 +/- 12.2 micrograms/ml in the control group compared with 76.1 +/- 23.9 and 87.1 +/- 20.4 micrograms/ml in the hemodialysis and CAPD groups, respectively (p less than 0.05). The elimination t1/2 of ASL-8123 was prolonged in patients with renal failure, averaging more than 42 hours compared with only 4 hours in the control subjects. Approximately 20% of the esmolol dose as ASL-8123, was removed by either hemodialysis or CAPD, contributing minimally to the elimination of the drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Effective Clinical Conference.

Clinical conference can make a significant contribution to the total learning experience of the nursing student. These group events contribute to the achievement of course and clinical objectives, and provide settings for the student to explore personal feelings and attitudes related to client care.
The Consequences of Gender Stereotypes for Women Candidates at Different Levels and Types of Office

Despite the recent electoral success of female candiates in local, state, and national elections, we find that voters' gender stereotypes have potentially negative implications for women candidates, especially when running for national office. We test the political impact of stereotypes by examining the relative importance of typical "male" and "female" personality traits and areas of issue competence for "good" politicians and a hypothetical candidate at different types and levels of office. Overall, we find a preference for "male" characteristics at higher levels of office. We attempt to reconcile the existence of gender stereotypes, which portray women candidates as insufficiently aggressive or less competent in their dealings with the military with the recent electoral success of women in national and statewide elections.
The subspace iteration method - Revisited

The objective in this paper is to present some recent developments regarding the subspace iteration method for the solution of frequencies and mode shapes. The developments pertain to speeding up the basic subspace iteration method by choosing an effective number of iteration vectors and by the use of parallel processing. The subspace iteration method lends itself particularly well to shared and distributed memory processing. We present the algorithms used and illustrative sample solutions. The present paper may be regarded as an addendum to the publications presented in the early 1970s, see Refs. [1,2], taking into account the changes in computers that have taken place.
Locally modular theories of finite rank

On generalise aux theories localement modulaires de rang fini quelques theoremes (coordination et identite de rang fondamental)
Comparison of Enrichment and Plating Media for Isolation of Yersinia

Yersinia enterocolitica (Serotypes 0:3 or 0:8), Yersinia frederiksenii, Yersinia kristensenii, or Yersinia intermedia along with 10(8) cells of each of three extraneous organisms (Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas fragi), all commonly found on market poultry, were inoculated into five enrichment media followed by streaking onto 11 plating media to determine the most-efficacious combinations for future surveys or assessment studies. For Yersinia enterocolitica (0:8), infrequent recoveries were made using yeast extract-rosebengal-bile oxalate sorbose broth and phosphate-buffered saline (4 C) followed by plating onto pectin, DNase-Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate)-sorbitol, MacConkey-Tween 80, or cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin (CIN) agars. With Y. enterocolitica (0:3), recoveries were most frequently made using phosphate-buffered saline, sorbitol bile (incubated for 17 days) and yeast extract-rosebengal-bile oxalate sorbose broth followed by plating onto pectin, CIN, bismuth sulfite (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, MI), or modified Rimler-Shotts agar. For Y. frederiksenii, Y. kristensenii, and Y. intermedia, incubation in sorbitol bile for 17 days or in yeast extract-rosebengal-bile oxalate sorbose broth, followed by plating onto CIN, pectin, DNase-Tween/80-sorbitol, cellobiose-arginine-lysine agar, or MacConkey-Tween 80 agar yielded the most-frequent recoveries. Overall, the CIN and pectin agars performed best for the recovery of the Yersinia bacterium; the modified selenite broth and the bismuth-sulfite plating agars were unsatisfactory in the present study.
The Male Sex Role: Definitions, Problems, and Sources of Change

This article examines some persistent paradoxes in the definition of the male role, and proposes a distinction between traditional and modern male roles. Four current perspectives on the problems of the male role are distinguished: individual-level sex-role identity, cultural-level sex-role identity, contradictory socialization role strain, and inherent role strain. Finally, sources and forms of change in the male role are analyzed in terms of a distinction between the male role in relationship to women and the male role in other areas of life experience.
Packaging and qualification of single photon counting avalanche photodiode focal plane arrays

Avalanche Photodiode (APD) photon counting arrays are finding an increasing role in defense applications in laser radar and optical communications. As these system concepts mature, the need for reliable screening, test, assembly and packaging of these novel devices has become increasingly critical. MIT Lincoln Laboratory has put significant effort into the screening, reliability testing, and packaging of these components. To provide rapid test and measurement of the APD devices under development, several custom parallel measurement and Geiger-mode (Gm) aging systems have been developed. Another challenge is the accurate attachment of the microlens arrays with the APD arrays to maximize the photon detection efficiency. We have developed an active alignment process with single µm precision in all six degrees of freespace alignment. This is suitable for the alignment of arrays with active areas as small as 5 µm. Finally, we will discuss a focal plane array (FPA) packaging qualification effort, to verify that single photon counting FPAs can survive in future airborne systems.
Fluorescence-Based Assays of Lipases, Phospholipases, and Other Lipolytic Enzymes

In choosing an assay, one needs to consider the following questions: What level of sensitivity is required? Must the assay be continuous? Is the substrate readily available; can it be purchased or must it be custom synthesized? How specific is the substrate? How convenient is the method? How compatible is it with monomolecular, micellar, or vesicular substrates? How tolerant is it of added detergents and proteins that may be present? What is the cost of substrates, fluorescent probes, and instrumentation? Of the many methods described in this review, discontinuous assays using natural substrates and derivatization of the products with fluorescent probes are probably the most reliable and most tolerant of reaction conditions. A drawback is the involvement of tedious and time-consuming steps which limit the number of trials that can be performed. Continuous assays, in which changes in fluorescent properties of the probe are monitored, are most convenient for kinetic studies, although they are also most sensitive to reaction conditions and intolerant of added detergents and proteins. One has to carefully consider all of these issues and choose a method best suited to the enzyme, the particular information one wants to obtain, and the availability of substrates, probes, and instrumentation. Hopefully, increased commercial availability of fluorescent substrates and probes will make these choices easier. Nevertheless, the search goes on for better, more sensitive and convenient fluorescent assays.
Quasi-Monte Carlo filtering in nonlinear dynamic systems

We develop a new framework for Bayesian filtering in general nonlinear dynamic systems based on the quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) numerical techniques. We first propose a general approach to deterministic filtering called the quasi-Monte Carlo Kalman filter (QMC-KF), which unifies several existing advanced filtering methods in the literature, such as the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) and the quadrature Kalman filter (QKF). The computationally expensive step of calculating the Jacobian matrix involved in the extended Kalman filter (EKF) is avoided in the proposed QMC-KF approach. We also propose sequential quasi-Monte Carlo (SQMC) filtering techniques which is analogous to the sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) or particle filtering methods in the literature. We show in particular how to effectively combine deterministic filtering and adaptive importance sampling schemes, which lead to powerful SQMC filtering strategies. The properties of the proposed SQMC and SQMC/IS methods in terms of almost sure convergence and numerical error propagation behavior are analyzed. Finally, numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed new QMC-based filtering algorithms.
Utility of an abbreviated questionnaire to identify individuals with ADHD at risk for functional impairments.

Abstract Objective To discern whether a subset of items from the 99-item Current Behavior Scale (CBS) of behaviorally defined Executive Function Deficits (EFDs) in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can identify a group at risk for poor outcome. Methods Subjects were 200 adults with ADHD participating in a family study of ADHD in adults. Factor analysis was used to reduce the number of items in the 99-item CBS. Results The one factor solution provided eight items with factor loadings above 0.70. This abbreviated set of items was highly correlated with the 99-item CBS (0.91) and was similarly related to functional outcomes compared to the 99-item CBS (average correlation of 0.30 versus 0.32). Conclusion For adults with ADHD, a set of eight empirically-derived from the CBS similarly correlated with negative outcomes compared to the 99-item CBS, raising the possibility of utilization as a mechanism for identification of EFDs in adults with ADHD.
A general framework for continuous media transmission control

One of the major problems experienced with LAN-based videoconferencing systems is the degradation of conference latency and fidelity due to network congestion. In this paper, we present a comprehensive transmission control framework describing the relationship of latency and fidelity to properties of human perception and network congestion. We discuss how network factors such as physical link capacity and size of maximum transmission units may exacerbate the effects of congestion on the conference and how the impact of congestion can be ameliorated through judicious adaptation of the media streams' bit and message rates. Finally, we demonstrate the ability of an adaptive transmission control algorithm based upon the framework to produce low-latency, high-fidelity conferences over congested internetworks.
Best match algorithm with radial basis functions (BMRBF)

Summary form only given, as follows. The authors discuss an algorithm for implementation of a best match radial basis function (BMRBF) neural network. The algorithm is based on the modified Kullback-Leibler information number with nearest-neighbor density estimate and the well-known supervised least mean square (LMS) method. The network architecture is a single hidden layer with RBF nodes. BMRBF is easy to implement and time-efficient and can be used for chaotic time series prediction and classification. >
Seasonality and Socioecology: The Importance of Variation in Fruit Abundance to Bonobo Sociality

The assumption that nonseasonal, evergreen, rain forests contain more continuously available food resources than seasonal rain forests is fundamental to comparisons made between the socioecology of the male-bonded Pan troglodytes and the female-based social system of the Pan paniscus. Chimpanzee females may be less social due to the high costs of feeding competition, whereas in the more food-rich central African rain forests such as the Lomako forest, female bonobos can associate and socially bond. The Lomako Forest experiences two wet and two dry seasons a year. Data on fruit abundance and sociality show that despite monthly variation in fruit availability, there was no consistent seasonal variation in fruit abundance or dietary breadth. Bonobo use of nonfig fruits, figs, THV, and leaves did not follow seasonal patterns. Leaves and THV may act as complementary sources of plant protein and their use was inversely correlated. Monthly variation in fruit abundance was associated with a significant decrease in the number of males in a party but not in the number of females. Focal males were frequently solitary during 1 of the 3 months with the smallest party sizes. In contrast, females remained social with each other throughout the year. Therefore, seaonality at Lomako appeared to be less marked than at comparable chimpanzee sites, such that the variation in fruit abundance did not fall below a level that prohibits female sociality.
Highly transparent mixed electron and proton conducting polymer membranes

The exploration of transparent electron and proton transport polymer membranes can lead to novel technological advances. We demonstrate the development of highly transparent proton and electron conducting polymer composites of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/sulfonated poly(2,6-dimethyl 1,4-phenylene oxide) (PEDOT:sPPO). The conductivity, optical, and mechanical properties of PEDOT:sPPO can be easily tuned by varying the ratio of the two polymeric components and by solvent treatment with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). 100 nm thick films of PEDOT:sPPO with a ratio of 1 : 2 exhibit transparency above 92%, with 97% transmittance at 550 nm, high protonic conductivity up to 20 mS cm−1 and lithium ion conductivity of 1 mS cm−1. Interestingly, after DMSO treatment, polymer electrical conductivity dramatically increased to 10 S cm−1 without jeopardizing the protonic conductivity. We further investigated the proton transport mechanism of PEDOT:sPPO. These polymer materials are suitable for membrane applications for solar water splitting, battery electrode applications, and photovoltaic devices, as well as other potential electrochemical devices.
Impact of knee OA on meeting physical activity guidelines

s / Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 23 (2015) A17eA25 A18 with any therapeutic candidate development paradigm, toxicologic and safety pharmacology evaluations should indicate a low level of risk associated with dosing and administration procedures, thereby enhancing the rationale for investing in such a modality for the treatment of OA. I-3 IMPACT OF KNEE OA ON MEETING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES D.K. White. Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA Purpose: Physical activity has irrefutable health benefits. For people with knee osteoarthritis (OA), pain is a well-known cause of functional limitation in people with knee (OA), however it is unclear whether it is also responsible for a reduction in physical activity behaviors. Anecdotally, pain is thought to be responsible for less physical activity. We will review the literature investigating whether knee OA-related pain is in fact a risk factor for less physical activity. As well, we will investigate whether physical activity is responsible for changes in pain. Methods: We will summarize studies of objectively measured physical activity among people with knee OA from well-established cohort studies. We will also review the association of physical activity with knee pain and function from clinical intervention trials and observational studies among people with knee OA. Results: Physical activity guidelines, i.e., participation in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), was met by 12.9% of men and 7.7% of women from the Osteoarthritis initiative. However, a similarly low proportion met guidelines from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Furthermore, a similar proportion of people with and without knee pain met guidelines from daily walking from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis (MOST) study. These data suggest the presence of knee painmay not fully account for low levels of physical activity in knee OA. Clinical trials incorporating physical activity interventions, such as aerobic walking, reduce knee pain. We have previously reported a strong association between walking at least 6,000 steps/day and the prevention of functional limitation 2 years later in the MOST study. Conclusions: Knee pain alone may not lead to a reduction in physical activity among people with knee OA. However, the benefits of adopting a physically active lifestyle include reducing existing knee pain and preventing the development of functional limitation in knee OA. I-4 THE AGING PROCESS AND EPIGENETICS: RELATIONSHIP WITH OA L. Reynard. Inst. of Cellular Med., Newcastle Univ., Newcastle upon Tyne,
Conductance Microscopy for Electric Conduction Study of Bio-Inspired Hybrid Nanostructures under Ambient Conditions

Electrical conductance of single stranded DNA (5′-TTT TTT TTT T/3 Thio MC3-D/-3′) monolayer patterns on Au surface is compared with those of various organic molecular patterns via the conductance microscope (CM) technique that allows one to take nanoscale conductance images utilizing a conducting AFM tip in contact mode AFM. In the experiment, reference molecules and ssDNA are patterned on the same substrate via direct deposition methods such as dip-pen nanolithography and microcontact printing. Then, conductance microscope image is recorded revealing the relative conductivity of ssDNA patterns relative to various reference molecules. 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid and 2-mercaptobenzimidazole patterns are found conducting better than the ssDNA patterns. This result indicates that the ssDNA with 10T bases is a relatively poor electrical conductor. The capabilities of CM technique are also tested on various nanostructures including the single wall carbon nanotube junction.
Enhanced X-Ray Visualization of Coronary Stents: Clinical Aspects

Coronary stent under expansion is a major contributor to in-stent restenosis and acute stent thrombosis. StentBoost and IC Stent are advanced x-ray image enhancing techniques that provide improved stent visualization by eliminating motion artifact. These techniques can be useful in the detection of inadequate stent expansion. These motion-corrected x-ray stent (MXS) visualization techniques are more time-efficient compared to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), require less training of catheterization laboratory personnel, and have lower procedural costs. However, little clinical or outcome data evidence exist for MXS. Though IVUS remains the gold standard for evaluation of the adequacy of stent expansion, MXS may be a viable adjunctive imaging tool in certain clinical scenarios.
Hormone-like fibroblast growth factors and metabolic regulation

The family of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) consisting now of 22 members is generally considered to control a wide range of biological functions such as development, differentiation and survival. However, research during the past decade provided substantial evidence that a so called "hormone-like" subgroup of FGFs, comprised of FGF19, FGF21 and FGF23, is involved in the regulation of diverse metabolic pathways to control glucose, lipid, bile acid, phosphate and vitamin D metabolism. The unique properties of these FGFs include predominant production of the factors in selective tissues, their abundance in the blood due to the lack of extracellular heparin-mediated sequestration, and highly specific tissue-targeted action via engagement of their respective co-receptors. The important metabolic context of FGF19, FGF21, and FGF23 actions has revealed important novel roles for FGFs and provided significant means to explore an opportunity for therapeutic targeting of these factors and their corresponding pathways.
The “African Enslavement of Anglo-Saxon Minds”: The Beechers as Critics of Augustine

Harriet Beecher Stowe, who achieved international fame for her 1852 antislavery novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, is best known to historians of American religious thought as a critic of New England Calvinism and its leading light, Jonathan Edwards. But in airing her frustrations with the Puritan tradition, Stowe also singled out a much earlier source of the problem: Augustine, the fifth-century bishop of Hippo. At his worst, Augustine typified for Stowe not only theological rigidity but also the obdurate refusal of the male system-builders to take women's perspectives seriously. Consequently, in the New England of the early republic, when “the theology of Augustine began to be freely discussed by every individual in society, it was the women who found it hardest to tolerate or assimilate it.” In leveling such criticism, Stowe echoed her elder sister Catharine Beecher, a prominent educator and social reformer, whose well-known writings on the role of women in the home have often overshadowed her two companion volumes of theology, in which she devotes more attention to Augustine than to any other figure. Yet for all her extended critiques of Augustinian themes, Beecher buried her most provocative rhetorical flourish, as one might conceal a dagger, in the last endnote on the last page of the second volume. Seizing upon the African context of Augustine's career as a metaphor for his deleterious influence on Christian theology, she concluded that reasonable people have a duty to resist the “African enslavement of Anglo-Saxon minds” no less than to combat the “Anglo-Saxon enslavement of African bodies.”
A wideband 10-bit, 20 Msps pipelined ADC using current-mode signals

A 10-b BiCMOS analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is used to demonstrate a current-mode pipeline system that overcomes some of the limitations of high-speed multiple-flash architectures. Although multistage ADCs are efficient in both die area and power, a track-and-hold amplifier (T/H) is required to prevent the input from changing while a conversion is taking place. If the ADC is pipelined (operating on more than one sample at a time), a T/H is required between each pipeline stage. Additionally, for resolution greater than about 8 b interstage amplification is required. The settling behavior of the T/Hs and amplifiers dominates the performance of these ADCs. To address these problems, a differential current-mode architecture incorporates current-mode T/Hs, obviating the need for interstage amplifiers. The prototype chip achieves 10 b of resolution at 20 Msample/s with an 80-MHz input bandwidth and dissipates 1 W. >
Collateral damage: toxic effects of targeted antiangiogenic therapies in ovarian cancer

Summary First-line chemotherapy fails in more than 20% of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and about 40–50% of women who respond to initial treatment relapse within 2 years. In the recurrent setting, second-line chemotherapeutic agents have a 15–20% response rate with no cures. Fortunately, clinical investigations that have assessed the efficacy of new, biologically targeted therapies have reinvigorated therapeutic options for patients living with ovarian and other malignancies. In view of the fact that ovarian cancer is one of the most angiogenic neoplasms, there is great hope that implementing targeted agents with antiangiogenic properties will improve outcomes. However, as experience grows with the antitumour activity of these drugs, new toxic effects are emerging. The effects of antiangiogenic agents on molecules and processes that also have physiologically important roles in healthy tissues are at the crux of these toxic effects, or "collateral damage". This review discusses the leading toxic effects encountered and anticipated in clinical investigation and practice with antiangiogenic agents in patients with ovarian cancer, with particular focus on potential management strategies.
Brassica rapa Has Three Genes That Encode Proteins Associated with Different Neutral Lipids in Plastids of Specific Tissues

Plastid lipid-associated protein (PAP), a predominant structural protein associated with carotenoids and other non-green neutral lipids in plastids, was shown to be encoded by a single nuclear gene in several species. Here we report three PAP genes in the diploid Brassica rapa; the three PAPs are associated with different lipids in specific tissues. Pap1 and Pap2 are more similar to each other (84% amino acid sequence identity) than to Pap3 (46% and 44%, respectively) in the encoded mature proteins. Pap1 transcript was most abundant in the maturing anthers (tapetum) and in lesser amounts in leaves, fruit coats, seeds, and sepals; Pap2 transcript was abundant only in the petals; and Pap3 transcript had a wide distribution, but at minimal levels in numerous organs. Immunoblotting after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that most organs had several nanograms of PAP1 or PAP2 per milligram of total protein, the highest amounts being in the anthers (10.9 microg x mg(-1) PAP1) and petals (6.6 microg x mg(-1) PAP2), and that they had much less PAP3 (<0.02 microg x mg(-1)). In these organs PAP was localized in isolated plastid fractions. Plants were subjected to abiotic stresses; drought and ozone reduced the levels of the three Pap transcripts, whereas mechanical wounding and altering the light intensity enhanced their levels. We conclude that the PAP gene family consists of several members whose proteins are associated with different lipids and whose expressions are controlled by distinct mechanisms. Earlier reports of the expression of one Pap gene in various organs in a species need to be re-examined.
Utility of Extinction-induced Response Variability for the Selection of Mands

Functional communication training (FCT; Carr & Durand, 1985) is a commonly used differential reinforcement procedure for replacing problem behavior with socially acceptable alternative responses. Most studies in the FCT literature consist of demonstrations of the maintenance of responding when various treatment components (e.g., extinction, punishment) are present and absent (e.g., Fisher et al., 1993; Wacker et al., 1990). Relatively little research on FCT has (a) evaluated the conditions under which alternative responses are acquired or (b) described procedures with technological precision. Thus, additional research on a cogent technology for response acquisition appears to be warranted. In the current study, we evaluated the efficacy of exposing problem behavior to extinction for inducing response variability as a tool for selecting an alternative response during FCT. Once participants engaged in appropriate alternative responses, the reinforcer identified in the functional analysis as maintaining problem behavior was delivered contingent on the alternative behavior. Results showed that exposing problem behavior to extinction was a useful method for producing alternative behaviors during FCT.
Application of network simulation method to viscous flows: The nanofluid heated lid cavity under pulsating flow

Abstract In this paper, the Network Simulation Method (NSM) is used to model an unsteady, viscous, flow problem: the heated lid-driven filled with nanofluid and in the presence of a pulsating flow. Through this method is analyzed the influence of the amplitude, wave number and oscillation frequency of sinusoidal velocity waves at the lid on the convection performance of the cavity. It is stated that this method is simple and efficient for solving unsteady, viscous, Navier–Stokes equations, through the design and resolution of an electrical circuit network whose equations are formally equivalent to the ones of the fluid flow problem. Results show that, for the case of Pr = 3.93, Re = 50, Ri = 11.82, sinusoidal velocity waves at the lid increase the time-averaged Nusselt number in the cavity with respect to the non-pulsating case up to a 16%. This is due to enhancement of the transport phenomena induced by the pulsating flow.
Hypoxia sensing goes gauche.

By converting prolyl to 4-hydroxyprolyl residues, prolyl hydroxylases induce a conformational bias into proteins. This conformational preference is a result of a stereoelectronic gauche effect and is crucial for protein-protein recognition in oxygen sensing.
Modeling frequency dependence of GaAs MESFET characteristics

We present a new method of modeling the output conductance dispersion of GaAs MESFET's. High frequency model parameters are extracted and then used to model high frequency output conductance over a wide range of bias conditions. The model is then used to simulate and analyze the effect of output conductance dispersion on the performance of DCFL and SCFL logic gates. Whereas the DCFL performance is not significantly affected by the high frequency effects, the noise margin of SCFL decreases by almost a factor of 30% above 100 kHz, with an associated decrease in the voltage swing and gate delay. >
Sleeve gastrectomy surgery in obese patients post–organ transplantation

Abstract Background Among organ transplant recipients, a common side effect of immunosuppressive therapy is the development of obesity, which affects a third of the patients within 3 years after transplantation. Bariatric surgery represents a possible surgical option for weight loss among posttransplant patients. Objectives The aim of this study was to examine percent excess weight loss (%EWL), and percent weight loss (%WL) and perioperative and postoperative complications in posttransplant obese patients after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) compared with nontransplant patients. We hypothesize that transplant patients who undergo SG will not significantly differ in their perioperative or postoperative complications or in their %EWL and %WL compared with nontransplant patients who undergo SG. The second aim was to evaluate the impact of SG on graft function and immunosuppressive therapy in transplant patients. Setting University hospital. Methods Among 500 consecutive patients who underwent SG from January 2008 to June 2014, 10 patients were organ transplant recipients. The following variables were compared between groups: patient demographic characteristics and co-morbidities, type of transplant surgery, date of transplant surgery, pretransplant body mass index (BMI), date of bariatric surgery, prebariatric surgery BMI, operative time, length of hospitalization, postoperative complications, and change in BMI, %EWL, and %WL. Data were also collected on renal, liver, and pancreas graft function parameters and changes in immunosuppressive medications. Results Six patients had a kidney transplant, 2 patients had a liver transplant, and 2 had a pancreas transplant. No significant differences were observed in %EWL or %WL at 6 and 12 months follow-up between transplant and nontransplant patients. No transplant patients were lost to follow-up at 6 and 12 months. Among nontransplant patients, 36.7% and 35.7% were lost to follow-up at 6 and 12 months, respectively. No postoperative complications were registered in the transplant group. SG did not negatively affect the graft function. Conclusion Initials results found that there were no significant differences in %EWL or %WL at 6 and 12 months follow-up between transplant and nontransplant patients. There were also no perioperative and postoperative complications among transplant patients after SG.
Single-Agent Brentuximab as Bridging Therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients With Hepatic Impairment.

Abstract Background: Patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) can rarely present with hepatic impairment which may preclude administration of definitive therapy (ABVD, or other cytotoxic regimens). Brentuximab Vedotin (BV) is an antibody drug conjugate directed at CD30 and is approved for the treatment of refractory HL after failure of at least two prior chemotherapy regimens or after failure of autologous stem cell transplant. We report our experience of patients presenting with advanced stage HL and moderate to severe hepatic impairment who were unfit to receive ABVD therapy. Methods: Patients with HL, unfit to receive definitive ABVD therapy, treated with BV between 5/2014 and 5/2015, were included in the study. Patient charts were reviewed for administration of BV; and those with baseline hepatic impairment were included in the study. Structured forms were used to abstract relevant clinical data. Results: Five patients were included in this study; median age 38 (range 27-71 years); all were male. Three were Hispanic and two were African-American. Two had known history of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) infection. All had stage 4 disease at presentation, 3 had bone marrow involvement, while four reported 'B' symptoms. All had hepatocellular and cholestatic pattern of liver injury on admission laboratory exam, and were not considered candidates for standard ABVD therapy. Two patients had HIV infection controlled by antiviral therapy. Liver biopsy showed hepatic HL infiltrate in two patients, VBDS in two patients, and suspected drug induced liver injury (DILI) in one patient. Patients with intrahepatic HL and VBDS had not received any therapy for HL; the patient with DILI had recently received therapy with gemcitabine. Due to concern for potential ABVD-related toxicity, all patients were treated with BV. Therapy was continued every 3 weeks till normalization of serum bilirubin to Conclusions: Treatment with BV provided successful bridging to definitive chemotherapy in patients with HL with hepatic involvement. In HL patients, liver biopsy may help distinguishing liver injury related to HL, requiring aggressive chemotherapy, from liver injury related to HL treatment, which necessitates alternative regimens. BV can successfully be used as a bridging therapy in advanced HL patients presenting with liver injury who may be unfit to receive more cytotoxic chemotherapy. This was seen in both HIV negative and positive patients. Further studies to establish the safety and efficacy of BV in this scenario is warranted. Disclosures Off Label Use: Brentuximab Vedotin is an antibody drug conjugate directed at CD30 and is approved in the treatment of refractory Hodgkin lymphoma after failure of at least 2 prior chemotherapy regimens. We describe the use of Brentuximab Vedotin in Hodgkin lymphoma after no (4 patients) or 1 therapy (1 patient)..
Converts, not ideologues? The Khmer Rouge practice of thought reform in Cambodia, 1975–1978

AbstractWhile mistaken as zealot ideologues of Marxist ideals fused with Khmer rhetoric, the Khmer Rouge (KR) cadres’ collective profile better fits that of the convert subjected to intense thought reform. This research combines insights from the process and the context of thought reform informed by local cultural norms with the social type of the convert in a way that captures the KR phenomenon in both its general and particular dimensions. Relying on textual analysis of KR party cadres’ notebooks and their own self-confessions during state-sanctioned ‘lifestyle’ meetings, this article provides new insight into how conversion and radicalization happened at a mass level. This process of conversion allowed the KR to establish its social influence over the mass and to carry out its social engineering plans. These KR notebooks provide a window to peer into the everyday practices of KR thought reform and assess its social-psychological impact on lower level cadres at that time. Towards the end of the KR regim...
The Problem of the Non-Exhanging Shareholder

T HERE have been innumerable cases of corporate mergers, consolidations, and reorganizations requiring the holders of shares of predecessor corporations to exchange their certificates for ones of the successor or surviving corporation.' Most merger, consolidation, and reorganization agreements stipulate how the exchanges are to be accomplished, but many do not state how much time the shareholder has in which to make the exchange or what happens if no exchange is made. As a result, many corporations are forced to spend significant sums of money each year on these "lost" or "non-exchanging" shareholders, 2 maintaining records, paying transfer agents, sending out notices of meetings, and attempting to persuade such shareholders to exchange their shares and collect dividends that have accumulated. Problems are also likely to be found when the successor corporation wishes to merge or consolidate. Successor corporations, therefore, may have to spend substantial amounts on legal fees in attempts to determine how they can resolve problems concerning the non-exchanging shareholders.Despite the continuing and obvious need for a solution, the problem has remained largely unsolved. This article will present the alternative approaches and problems that exist under present law, and offer a possible solution. Special attention will be paid to the relevant law of Delaware and New York, although cases addressing the problem of the non-exchanging shareholder in other jurisdictions will be considered.
The solution of the dynamic field of the Haskell fault model reconsidered

A method of obtaining the displacement field of the Haskell model of an earthquake source, based on the well-known equivalence of seismic dislocations and body force, is described. It is shown that the solution of Madariaga (1978) can be generalized and that the two methods are equivalent for the problem of a rectangular dislocation expanding on a plane in an infinite space with a variable rupture speed and variable slip in the direction of rupture. One of the advantages of the equivalent body force method is that it can be used to readily obtain the transformed solution to the Haskell model in a half-space for a rectangular dislocation, expanding with variable rupture speed and variable slip.
Air-Side Heat Transfer Enhancement by a Novel Winglet-Type Vortex Generator Array in a Round-Tube Plain-Fin Heat Exchanger

The impact of vortex generator (VG) arrays for air-side heat transfer enhancement is experimentally investigated by full-scale wind-tunnel testing of a plain-fin-and-tube heat exchanger. The VG array is deployed in a “V” to try to create a constructive interference between vortices. Each array is composed of two delta-winglet pairs (four VGs), and placed at an attack angle of 10° or 30°. The frontal air velocity considered is between 2.3–5.4 m/s, corresponding to a Reynolds number range based on the hydraulic diameter of 1500–3400. The thermal-hydraulic performance of the heat exchanger with and without VG enhancement is provided under dry-surface conditions. The experimental results indicate little impact at a relatively small attack angle of 10°. While for the 30° array, a 25–55% augmentation in air-side heat transfer coefficient is measured, but with a pressure drop penalty of 100%. Nevertheless, performance evaluation using the area goodness factor and the volume goodness factor both indicate the superiority of the enhanced heat exchanger by the 30° array over the entire Reynolds number range. The proposed array is found more effective at comparatively low Reynolds numbers, representative of many HVAC&R applications and compact heat exchanger designs.© 2009 ASME
The Laboratory Evaluation of Allergic Diseases: Part I: Measurement Methods for IgE Protein

The use of laboratory testing in the diagnosis of allergic diseases is discussed in this article. This is the first part of a two-part series.