cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Fate of Explanatory Reasoning in the Age of Big Data

In this paper, I critically evaluate several related, provocative claims made by proponents of data-intensive science and “Big Data” which bear on scientific methodology, especially the claim that scientists will soon no longer have any use for familiar concepts like causation and explanation. After introducing the issue, in Section 2, I elaborate on the alleged changes to scientific method that feature prominently in discussions of Big Data. In Section 3, I argue that these methodological claims are in tension with a prominent account of scientific method, often called “Inference to the Best Explanation” (IBE). Later on, in Section 3, I consider an argument against IBE that will be congenial to proponents of Big Data, namely, the argument due to Roche and Sober Analysis, 73:659–668, (2013) that “explanatoriness is evidentially irrelevant.” This argument is based on Bayesianism, one of the most prominent general accounts of theory-confirmation. In Section 4, I consider some extant responses to this argument, especially that of Climenhaga Philosophy of Science, 84:359–368, (2017). In Section 5, I argue that Roche and Sober’s argument does not show that explanatory reasoning is dispensable. In Section 6, I argue that there is good reason to think explanatory reasoning will continue to prove indispensable in scientific practice. Drawing on Cicero’s oft-neglected De Divinatione, I formulate what I call the “Ciceronian Causal-nomological Requirement” (CCR), which states, roughly, that causal-nomological knowledge is essential for relying on correlations in predictive inference. I defend a version of the CCR by appealing to the challenge of “spurious correlations,” chance correlations which we should not rely upon for predictive inference. In Section 7, I offer some concluding remarks.
Copyright, Digital Media, and Libraries

Article offering a brief bibliography on the subject of copyright and digital media in the context of libraries.
Improvements in one-dimensional grounding-line parameterizations in an ice-sheet model with lateral variations (PSUICE3D v2.1)

Abstract. The use of a boundary-layer parameterization of buttressing and ice flux across grounding lines in a two-dimensional ice-sheet model is improved by allowing general orientations of the grounding line. This and another modification to the model's grounding-line parameterization are assessed in three settings: rectangular fjord-like domains – the third Marine Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project (MISMIP + ) and Marine Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for plan view models (MISMIP3d) – and future simulations of West Antarctic ice retreat under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP)8.5-based climates. The new modifications are found to have significant effects on the fjord-like results, which are now within the envelopes of other models in the MISMIP + and MISMIP3d intercomparisons. In contrast, the modifications have little effect on West Antarctic retreat, presumably because dynamics in the wider major Antarctic basins are adequately represented by the model's previous simpler one-dimensional formulation. As future grounding lines retreat across very deep bedrock topography in the West Antarctic simulations, buttressing is weak and deviatoric stress measures exceed the ice yield stress, implying that structural failure at these grounding lines would occur. We suggest that these grounding-line quantities should be examined in similar projections by other ice models to better assess the potential for future structural failure.
A venetoclax bench-to-bedside story

Inhibition of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 has emerged as a highly effective treatment for acute myeloid leukemia; approved lower-intensity venetoclax combination therapies are now being rapidly incorporated into an improved standard of care for this cancer. Here we recount an abbreviated history of venetoclax for acute myeloid leukemia, focusing on a selection of key studies along the path from development into the clinic.
From Theory to Practice and Back: How the Concept of Implicit Bias was Implemented in Academe, and What this Means for Gender Theories of Organizational Change:

Implicit bias is one of the most successful cases in recent memory of an academic concept being translated into practice. Its use in the National Science Foundation ADVANCE program—which seeks to p...
Mental and Physical Health of Older Incarcerated Persons Who Have Aged in Place in Prison.

This study describes physical and mental health of incarcerated males aged ≥50 years who spent at least 20 consecutive years in prison, comparing those with life sentences (“lifers”) with those exp...
Physical Activity: A Feasibility Study on Exercise in Men Newly Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer.

Background Physical activity (PA) has been shown to improve patient-centered care for cancer-related symptoms, treatment-related side effects, and health-related quality of life. Objectives This feasibility study aimed to explore PA preferences and changes in functional capacity and symptoms during a two-week self-prescribed PA intervention prior to treatment in men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. Methods Men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited from a community hospital, part of an academic comprehensive cancer center in the southeastern United States. An individualized PA intervention prescription was developed using baseline measures. Baseline and two-week measures consisted of functional capacity, PA participation, and symptom impact. Descriptive statistics and t tests were used. Findings Thirteen men aged an average of 66.14 years (SD = 6.82) participated. Participants significantly improved functional capacity. Most common PAs were walking (n = 9) and yard work (n = 6).
ID2-of-3: Constructive Induction of M-of-N Concepts for Discriminators in Decision Trees

Abstract We discuss an approach to constructing composite features during the induction of decision trees. The composite features correspond to m-of-n concepts. There are three goals of this research. First, we explore a family of greedy methods for building m-of-n concepts (one of which, GS, is described in this paper). Second, we show how these concepts can be formed as internal nodes of decision trees, serving as a bias to the learner. Finally, we evaluate the method on several artificially generated and naturally occurring data sets to determine the effects of this bias.
Lessons learned from balloon aortic valvuloplasty experience from the pre-transcatheter aortic valve implantation era.

Background: Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) has been used as a bridge to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). Such patients are now being referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We sought to study the indications and outcomes of BAV in patients with severe AS in the pre-TAVI era. Methods: We analyzed consecutive patients with severe AS undergoing BAV from 1990 to 2005. In these patients with no immediate surgical option, BAV was attempted to temporarily improve hemodynamics, with a goal to improve general health of the patient, and ultimately AVR. Results: A total of 99 BAVs (eight repeats, one second repeat) were performed in 90 consecutive patients. Baseline ejection fraction was ≤25% in 36 (36%) patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 17% (n = 17). Of the 99 patients, 27 (30%) underwent AVR. Average follow-up of patients with and without AVR was 55 ± 57 months and 16 ± 23 months, respectively. The 6-month and 1-year survival rates in patients who underwent AVR were 81% and 78%, respectively, versus 57% and 44% in patients who did not undergo AVR (P = 0.024). Conclusion: BAV can be used successfully to clinically improve the health of some nonsurgical patients with severe symptomatic AS, and a proportion of these patients improve to a point where AVR can be performed. Bridging to TAVI will provide further options to high-risk patients who cannot be bridged to conventional AVR. The role of BAV in bridging to TAVI merits further study. (J Interven Cardiol 2010;23:499–508)
Regulatory light chains and scallop myosin. Form of light chain removal or reuptake is dependent on the presence of divalent cations.

Abstract Readdition of regulatory light chains to regulatory light chain denuded scallop myofibrils, in the presence of magnesium, results in a negatively co-operative restoration of calcium sensitivity as a function of regulatory light chain content. The form of the stoichiometry curves obtained in the presence of 10 m m -EDTA, by light chain removal from scallop myofibrils at various temperatures, are parabolic in shape, consistent with a random removal process. However, in the presence of EDTA at low temperatures, regulatory light chains are removed in a biphasic manner, indicating that the binding constants of the light chains for each myosin head are not equivalent under these conditions. It is shown here that as the temperature is raised, light chain removal by EDTA approaches that of a random process. The stoichiometry curves obtained in the presence of 10 m m -EDTA may therefore be seen as a composite of both a biphasic removal process (temperatures below 20 °C) and a random removal process (temperatures above 20 °C), there being a temperature-dependent switch in the myosin molecule between 17 and 23 °C that governs the mode of light chain removal. These results indicate that both myosin heads must contain light chains for calcium sensitivity and are consistent with our earlier proposals for head-head co-operativity within the scallop myosin molecule.
Exogenous lactate interferes with cell-cycle control in BALB/3T3 mouse fibroblasts

Purpose Previous studies have shown that exogenous lactate may influence proliferation rates, radiation sensitivity, and postirradiation repair capacity of mammalian cells. In the present study, we addressed the question of potential underlying mechanisms and, therefore, examined effects of exogenous lactate on proliferation rates and cell-cycle distribution in immortal but nontumorigenic mammalian cells. Methods and materials Cells were grown at 37 degrees C in an incubator with 5% CO2 and 95% air, in a culture medium supplemented or not with lactate at a 10 mM concentration. Daily, we changed the culture medium and counted cells per dish. On selected days, cell-cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. Balb/3T3 mouse fibroblasts were used. Results During the exponential phase of cell proliferation, mean population doubling time was significantly increased from 17.7 to 19.9 h, due to selective prolongation of G2/M. However, in density-inhibited cultures, exogenous lactate stimulated entry into S and proliferation to a significantly higher saturation density. Conclusions These findings indicate that exogenous lactate interferes with mechanisms of cell-cycle control at two different points in the cell-cycle, depending on cell density and the resulting absence or presence of inhibition of cell proliferation. Interference with cell-cycle control may underly the modification by exogenous lactate of radiosensitivity and postirradiation repair capacity in mammalian cells.
Fighting Environmental Racism: a Selected Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography of English language materials on environmental discrimination against people of color and the poor
New fat Higgs: Increasing the MSSM Higgs mass with natural gauge unification

In this paper we increase the minimal supersymmetric standard model tree level Higgs mass bound to a value that is naturally larger than the LEP-II search constraint by adding to the superpotential a $\ensuremath{\lambda}S{H}_{u}{H}_{d}$ term, as in the next to minimal supersymmetric standard model, and UV completing with new strong dynamics before $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ becomes nonperturbative. Unlike other models of this type, the Higgs fields remain elementary, alleviating the supersymmetric fine-tuning problem while maintaining unification in a natural way.
Evidence for the presence of 17-hydroxypregnenedione isomerase in beef adrenal cortex.

Abstract 1. 1. Since 17α-hydroxypregnenolone is a precursor in the biosynthesis of corticosteroids, an attempt was made to determine whether 17α-hydroxypregn-5-ene-3,20-dione was isomerized by the same enzyme as was pregn-5-ene-3,20-dione or whether a separate enzyme, 17α-hydroxypregn-5-ene-3,20-dione Δ 5(6) −Δ 4(5) isomerase, also existed in the adrenal gland. 2. 2. Several fractions prepared from bovine adrenal cortex were assayed for 17α-hydroxypregn-5-ene-3,20-dione Delta; 5(6) −Δ 4(5) -isomerase and pregn-5-ene-3,20-dione gD 5(6) −Δ 4(5) -isomerase activities. Some fractions were free of 17α-hydroxypregn-5-ene-3,20-dione Δ 5(6) −Δ 4(5) -isomerase activity, yet contained pregn-5-ene-3,20-dione Δ 5(6) −Δ 4(5) -isomerase activity. From this and other findings it is inferred that 17α-hydroxypregn-5-ene-3,20-dione and pregn-5-ene-3,20-dione were isomerized by two distinct enzymes in the adrenal cortex. 3. 3. A scheme is presented indicating the different roles of 17α-hydroxypregn-5-ene-3,20-dione Δ 5(6) −Δ 4(5) -isomerase, pregn-5-ene-3,20-dione Δ 5(6) −Δ 4(5) -isomerase, and androst-5-ene-3,17-dione Δ 5(6) −Δ 4(5) -isomerase in the biosynthesis of cortisol and aldosterone and in the metabolism of adrenal androgens.
Oxotremorine treatment reduces repetitive behaviors in BTBR T+ tf/J mice

Repetitive behaviors with restricted interests is one of the core criteria for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current pharmacotherapies that target the dopaminergic or serotonergic systems have limited effectiveness in treating repetitive behaviors. Previous research has demonstrated that administration of muscarinic cholinergic receptor (mAChR) antagonists can exacerbate motor stereotypies while mAChR agonists reduce stereotypies. The present study determined whether the mAChR agonist, oxotremorine affected repetitive behaviors in the BTBR T+ tf/J (BTBR) mouse model of autism. To test the effects of oxotremorine on repetitive behaviors, marble burying and grooming behavior were measured in BTBR mice and compared to that in C57BL/6J (B6) mice. The effects of oxotremorine on locomotor activity was also measured. Thirty minutes before each test, mice received an intraperitoneal (ip) injection of saline, 0.001 mg or 0.01 mg of oxotremorine methiodide. Saline- treated BTBR mice exhibited increased marble burying and self-grooming behavior compared to that of saline-treated B6 mice. Oxotremorine significantly reduced marble burying and self-grooming behavior in BTBR mice, but had no significant effect in B6 mice. In addition, oxotremorine did not affect locomotor activity in BTBR mice, but significantly reduced locomotor activity in B6 mice at the 0.01 mg dose. These findings demonstrate that activation of mAChRs reduces repetitive behavior in the BTBR mouse and suggest that treatment with a mAChR agonist may be effective in reducing repetitive behaviors in ASD.
Sexual Dimorphism in the Hormonal Control of Aggressive Behavior of Rats

Male and female rats housed together in small groups both became aggressive toward strange rats placed into their cages. However, male rats mainly attack male intruders and female rats mainly attack female intruders. The hormonal requirements for this aggression are also sexually dimorphic. Castration of the male residents causes a decrease in aggressive behavior, but ovariectomy of the female residents has little effect on their aggression. Replacement therapy to castrated males with 500 microgram/day of testosterone propionate (TP) restores all components of aggressive behavior within 2-3 weeks. Replacement therapy with 5 microgram/day of estradiol benzoate for 3 weeks had no effect on castrated males' aggressive behavior, nor did it cause the males to start attacking female intruders. Replacement therapy to ovariectomized females had a quite different effect. Treatment with EB or EB and progesterone reduced or blocked attack toward intruder females but did not alter the low level of attack toward males. Treatment with TP for 3 weeks also slightly reduced attack toward female intruders but increased the probability of attack toward male intruders. The sex-specificity of aggression and the differential influence of hormones suggests that different mechanisms may be responsible for aggression in males and in females.
Cell kinetics, development of stomata and some effects of colchicine in barley.

The developmental sequence of the formation of stomatal complexes in the leaf epidermis of barley was studied. Cell-kinetic parameters were obtained from two genotypes — “Early Bonus” and eceriferum-g, a mutant with an abnormal stomatal pattern. The distribution of mitotic frequencies as a function of position in the stomatal rows was analyzed at each stage of development leading to mature stomata. Regression curves obtained for each stage showed that the distributions were stage-specific. Thus, the mitotic frequencies presented similar values throughout the portion of the file where the first asymmetrical divisions take place, had a parabolic distribution for the stage of subsidiary formation, and showed a linear shape, with a negative slope, for the stage of guard-mother-cell divisions. The mutant genotype differed from the normal by having a faster rate of ordinary guard-mother-cell divisions as a function of position in the row. The higher level of subsidiary cell formation in the mutant was interpreted as a consequence of a displacement of the used markers, suggesting a precocious initiation of subsidiary-cell formation in eceriferum-g. Time estimations of the length of the cell cycles were obtained by cell-population studies after a pulse with colchicine. Eceriferum-g appeared to have slower cell cycles. The leaves treated with colchicine showed a shift in the elongation axis of the cells. Autoradiography after treatment with 3H-thymidine showed ineorporation of the label in the portions of the row proximal to all three peaks of divisions indicating that all mitoses were preceded by the usual period of DNA synthesis. Labelling of lateral cells at a mature stage suggested DNA synthesis leading to endoploidy.
Plasma Androgen Response to hCG Stimulation in Prepubertal Boys with Hypospadias and Cryptorchidism

Serum levels of testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone were measured before and after 5 days of treatment with hCG (2000 IU/d) in 36 prepubertal boys with cryptorchidism and 11 with hypospadias in order to determine whether a defect in androgen synthesis could be a common cause for these disorders. Baseline and stimulated levels of testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone were similar in patients with unilateral cryptorchidism, monorchism and hypospadias; baseline and stimulated levels of testosterone were lower in boys with bilateral cryptorchidism. Testosterone levels did not correlate with either the anatomical location of the testis in patients with unilateral cryptorchidism or with the site of the urethra in boys with hypospadias. Seven of 36 patients with cryptorchidism had a positive family history of a similar disorder; testosterone levels were similar in patients with and without a family history. It is concluded: 1) in all patients studied, the gonadotropin dependent phase of testosterone production is present; 2) hCG stimulation cannot detect unilateral Leydig cell dysfunction; and 3) in familial cases of cryptorchidism, some factor other than an abnormality in androgen synthesis may be responsible for the hereditary tendency.
Investigation of web server access as a basis for designing video-on-demand systems

The performance of a video-on-demand server is affected by the dynamics of user accesses behavior. Most existing efforts consider static user request distributions in their design which can lead to poor performance if the accesses are different from that predicted. Even the use of a video store model to characterize user requests fails to account for the interactive nature of access. This suggests that better models for characterizing user behavior are necessary. In the recent past, the World Wide Web has become the most popular means for interactive information delivery. The World Wide Web represents a truly interactive medium with the user having complete control over presentation. Moreover, the performance bottleneck in the World Wide Web is more often the network than the server making it an ideal candidate to understand issues in serving interactive video. In this paper we study access behavior in a World Wide Web server and techniques to apply these observations in the design of a video-on-demand server.
Subsidence of normal oceanic lithosphere, apparent thermal expansivity, and seafloor flattening

Abstract Seafloor topography has been a key observational constraint on the thermal evolution of oceanic lithosphere, which is the top boundary layer of convection in Earth's mantle. At least for the first ~ 70 Myr, the age progression of seafloor depth is known to follow the prediction of half-space cooling, and the subsidence rate is commonly believed to be ~ 350 m Ma − 1/2 . Here we show that, based on a new statistical analysis of global bathymetry, the average subsidence rate of normal oceanic lithosphere is likely to be ~ 320 m Ma − 1/2 , i.e., ~ 10% lower than the conventional value. We define the ‘normal’ seafloor as regions uncorrelated with anomalous crust such as hotspots and oceanic plateaus, but the lower subsidence rate appears to be a stable estimate, not depending on how exactly we define the normal seafloor. This low subsidence rate can still be explained by half-space cooling with realistic mantle properties, if the effective thermal expansivity of a viscoelastic mantle is taken into account. In light of a revised model of half-space cooling, the normal seafloor unperturbed by the emplacement of anomalous crust exists for all ages, and the so-called seafloor flattening seems to be mostly caused by hotspots and oceanic plateaus.
Distortion of sensed electric field by conducting sensor platforms

Charged objects such as aircraft and projectiles create a moving electric field which can be detected by sensors in the vicinity of such objects. Arrays of these sensors can be used to estimate charge, position, and velocity of the charged objects. Sensor platforms generally distort these electric fields. For some applications, it is beneficial to know how the platforms distort these electric fields. Several closed form, analytical solutions for electric fields around simple geometries were constructed and compared to equivalent Method of Moments (MoM) numerical solutions. Other MoM models permit analysis of fields that cannot be solved in closed form. These models can be used to design electric-field sensor systems used to detect, localize, and range charged aircraft or projectiles.
Attentional consequences of outcome-related motivational states: Congruent, incongruent, and focusing effects

Two experiments employed a game context to examine the effects of positive and negative feedback on the processing of targets varying in incentive properties. While half the targets carried no value, the others were assigned either a positive incentive value (where points could be gained) or a negative value (where points could be lost), and either a large incentive size (worth 5 points) or a small size (worth 2 points). Feedback from the previous trial was found to exert three effects on subsequent targets. A congruent effect appeared in the faster processing of large targets that matched the positive or negative valence of the previous feedback signal. An incongruent effect was evident in the delays in shifting attention from pretarget cues that contrasted in valence to the previous feedback. A focusing effect was reflected in the general delays following negative feedback in responding to targets with no value. In addition to these outcome influences, processing was generally more efficient for targets carrying positive than negative incentive value, and for targets of large than small size. These findings are discussed in terms of contemporary models of motivation and information processing.
New method for analysis of pyrethroid insecticides: esfenvalerate, cis-permethrin, and trans-permethrin, in surface waters using solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography.

Many aquatic organisms (fish, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, and microinvertebrates) are highly susceptible to pyrethroid intoxication, and applications typically occurring throughout the spring and summer months coincide with the spawning period of several fish species in California (Moyle, 1976). Esfenvalerate has exhibited detrimental effects to aquatic organisms, by reducing and/or eliminating test populations of crustaceans, chironomids, juvenile bluegills, and larval cyrinids at exposure levels of 1 ppb (Lozano, 1992). Permethrin, applied as a mixture of cis- and trans- isomers, has also been shown to adversely impact aquatic species, giving a LC50 (48 hr) of 5.4 ppb and 1.8 ppb for rainbow trout and bluegill sunfish, respectively (Kidd and James, 1995). Since certain pyrethroids have been shown to enter the aquatic environment from agricultural runoff or drift from aerial or ground-based spraying (Tanner, 1996), applications may pose a serious threat to fish populations by direct exposure of young fish, which tend to be less tolerant to pesticides (Kumaraguru, 1981), and indirectly by the reduction of sensitive invertebrate populations serving as prey for young fish (Kreutzweiser, 1987). Therefore, it is important to develop a sensitive and selective method for determining these pesticides to monitor their possible contaminations in a surface water. In the present study, a fast, selective, and sensitive method of esfenvalerate, cispermethrin, and trans-permethrin analysis in surface waters using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography (GC) with electrolytic conductivity detection (ELCD) was developed.
A syllabus for fellowship education in palliative medicine

Recent years have seen significant growth in palliative medicine training programs and positions.1 There are plans to pursue palliative medicine specialty status with the American Board of Medical ...
Optical rotatory dispersion of E. coli sRNA in the far ultraviolet region.

Abstract The anomalous rotatory dispersion (ORD) of E. coli sRNA has been recently reported by Lamborg et al . (1965) , and of yeast sRNA by Samejima and Yang (1965) . It was observed by the former authors that with respect to the Cotton effect centered at 264 mμ, a bathochromic shift and loss of amplitude resulted from such various conditions as treatment with urea, heating, acid or base titration, bromination in aqueous media, and alkaline hydrolysis. It was concluded that a large component of that Cotton effect was due to the conformational asymmetry of the macromolecule. This communication reports the presence at 198 mμ of an additional ORD peak which is at least three times larger than the 278 mμ peak. The relative contribution of secondary structural asymmetry to the various E. coli sRNA Cotton effects is discussed.
Visual assessment of procedural results following treatment with Sr-90 β-radiation for instent restenosis

Abstract Background: Visual assessment (VA) of postprocedural % diameter stenosis (DS) is used routinely in clinical practice to determine the adequacy of coronary intervention. Although VA has been shown to underestimate final %DS after balloon angioplasty compared to quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), the impact of this effect on clinical outcomes following treatment with intracoronary radiation therapy (IRT) with Sr-90 for instent restenosis (ISR) is unknown. Methods: To determine the effect of VA on the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) after IRT for ISR, we compared the clinical outcomes of 102 consecutive patients based on postprocedural %DS by QCA vs. %DS by VA. MACE was defined as death, MI or need for target vessel revascularization (TVR). Results: MACE rates for the 102 consecutive patients grouped according to postprocedural %DS by QCA and VA were compared. The mean %DS by QCA was 30.7%, while the mean %DS by VA was 12.5%. The mean %DS by VA across the QCA subgroups were 13.67%, 10.71% and 13.37%, respectively (P=.244). Fifty-two patients (51.0%) had %DS ≥30% by QCA with the highest MACE percentage occurring in this subgroup. Conclusion: VA underestimated the %DS compared to QCA, and it was associated with worse MACE following treatment with Sr-90 for ISR.
Family structure with composite quarks and leptons

Abstract A theory of composite quarks and leptons as composites of three spin - 1 2 preons is proposed. It is argued that the persistent mass condition is a natural requirement in such models. A specific realistic model in constructed that predicts up to 8 SO(10) families in the spinor representation, for which masses are generated by explicit small breaking of the underlying chiral symmetries. The small masses of the families are explained as being due only to SU(3)C⊗SU(2)W⊗U(1)W symmetry.
New CEO intervention and dynamics of deliberate strategic change

Growing evidence in the executive succession literature and the business press makes clear that new CEOs often attempt to introduce strategic change upon entering their jobs. Yet strategy researchers have generally neglected to document the internal dynamics of these interventions, and many scholars remain pessimistic about the likelihood of success. This paper presents an empirical case study where a new CEO succeeds at strategic change, using an intervention approach we call ‘comprehensive/collaborative’. A set of testable propositions is inferred to explain the unfolding dynamics within this intervention approach, followed by an overall theoretical framework based on a series of phases and underlying themes involving the interplay between the CEO'S actions, rational synoptic planning, and emergent political behavior. Future research needs to expand upon this beginning framework to test our propositions and evaluate other intervention approaches.
Hypercholesterolemia Impairs a Detoxification Mechanism Against Peroxynitrite and Renders the Vascular Tissue More Susceptible to Oxidative Injury

Abstract Previous studies have shown that glutathione (GSH) plays a central role in the protection against peroxynitrite (ONOO−) toxicity. The present study evaluated the changes of the GSH cytoprotective system against ONOO− in hypercholesterolemia and determined the effects of carvedilol, a β-blocker with free radical–scavenging activity, on these hypercholesterol-induced changes. New Zealand White rabbits were fed either a normal diet, a high-cholesterol diet, or a high-cholesterol diet supplemented with either carvedilol or propranolol. Eight weeks later, the rabbits were killed, and the thoracic aortas were isolated. Total GSH content of aortic tissue, vasorelaxation response of aortic rings to exogenous ONOO−, ·NO regeneration from ONOO− by aortic homogenate, and ONOO−-induced aortic tissue injury were examined. Hypercholesterolemia decreased tissue GSH content (0.52±0.08 versus 0.86±0.04 μmol/g in control, P<.01), attenuated the vasorelaxation response to ONOO− (40±4.1% versus 76±3.2%, P<.01), redu...
Initial findings from a study of socio-behavioral preparations and planning for acute chemical hazard disasters☆

Abstract This paper generally describes research just initiated on the socio-behavioral aspects of disasters resulting from chemical agents, and reports preliminary findings from the first phase of study. These initial observations are about the community and organizational preparations and planning for acute chemical hazard disasters. The results are drawn from data gathered on disaster preparedness in 14 communities and six major threats or actual disasters involving chemical agents in American society. A model for describing and analysing community and organizational disaster planning is outlined. Some initial observations are stated about how communities rank the probability of different kinds of disasters including chemical ones. We then present in general terms a series of findings about community and organizational perceptions and reactions with respect to chemical threats, resources to deal with such threats, the social organization of emergency related groups using such resources and the social climate in which the emergency groups operate. Some implications for planning are then indicated.
Abstract C30: Resistance to fluid shear stress is a conserved biophysical property of malignant cells

During metastasis, cancer cells access distant tissues via the circulation but how this fluid microenvironment influences cancer cell biology is poorly understood. It has been suggested that physical destruction of carcinoma cells due to exposure to hemodynamic forces during circulation is a barrier to metastasis. Here we report that transformed cells are remarkably resistant to fluid shear stress (FSS) in a novel microfluidic protocol. When subjected to a series of millisecond pulses of high FSS, transformed cells exhibit a biphasic decrease in viability. Significantly, human red and white blood cells survived the forces in this protocol. In stark contrast, non-transformed epithelial cells are markedly more susceptible to death under FSS. Accordingly, we show that FSS resistance is a property conferred by oncogenes. We reveal FSS resistance to be a transient and adaptive response triggered by plasma membrane damage and mediated by both extracellular calcium influx and dynamic reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. This property of malignant cancer cells may facilitate hematogenous metastasis and indicates, contrary to expectations, that cancer cells are quite resistant to FSS. Thus, destruction of circulating cancer cells by hemodynamic shear is not likely to limit metastasis. Our data suggest that FSS resistance is a biophysical biomarker which may be used to rapidly discriminate between malignant and benign cells and, by virtue of representing phenotypic integration of oncogenic transformation, may be more tractable than conventional molecular biomarkers. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 436. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-436
Measurements of a Multicomponent Variate in Assessing Evolving Damage States in a Polymeric Material

This paper presents a novel approach in assessing material damage resulted from micro- and mesostructural variations. We measured acoustic signals of randomly generated microscopic events (RGMEs) due to these variations and extracted the acoustic signals that represent the most physical essence of the RGME. To integrate the components of the measurements, we defined a variate D such that it establishes the spectrum of the RGME amplitude. We then employed Gibbs probabilistic entropy s to quantify the spectrum. When correlated with the applied stress, we proposed a novel s-σ relationship. This relationship depicts the evolving state of RGME as the stress field varies. We evidenced that entropy can be used to assess the material's damage states such that if the current stress level does not exceed the previous maximum, damage is in the states of “not-yet-the-maximum” by being either in “equientropy” or “vertical increment” processes using a sample polymer material. We also evidenced that the essence of the well-known Kaiser effect is its “memory” of damage. The significance of this variate or is that it takes into account the effects of the RGME on the material macroscopic behavior. A broader merit of our proposed approach lies within its great practical potential that connects the micro- and macrobehaviors of the materials through a set of simple mechanical tests.
Linear and nonlinear irregular waves and forces in a numerical wave tank

A time-domain higher-order boundary element scheme was utilized to simulate the linear and nonlinear irregular waves and diffractions due to a structure. Upon the second-order irregular waves with four Airy wave components being fed through the inflow boundary, the fully nonlinear boundary problem was solved in a time-marching scheme. The open boundary was modeled by combining an absorbing beach and the stretching technique. The proposed numerical scheme was verified by simulating the linear regular and irregular waves. The scheme was further applied to compute the linear and nonlinear irregular wave diffraction forces acting on a vertical truncated circular cylinder. The nonlinear results were also verified by checking the accuracy of the nonlinear simulation.
Electrochemical Assessment of the Stability of [Os(NH3)5(OH2)]2+ in Aqueous Solutions

The [Os(NH3)5(OH2)]2+ complex in aqueous acid has been widely regarded as short-lived on the basis of results reported in an early pioneering electrochemical study.1 More recently, a much longer-li...
Incidence of deep sternal wound infections after tracheostomy in cardiac surgery patients.

Background Tracheostomy after median sternotomy is associated with an increased risk of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI). However, associated comorbidities in these patients make the exact risk of tracheostomy difficult to discern. Therefore, we performed a retrospective review to determine the risk of DSWI in our cardiac surgery patients who underwent postoperative tracheostomy. Methods Our cardiac surgery database was queried from January 1996 to July 2003. Perioperative morbidities were identified for all patients who underwent tracheostomy after cardiac surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using χ 2 analysis and Fisher's exact test. Results During the study period, 16,277 cardiac procedures were performed through a median sternotomy. Tracheostomy was performed in 291 patients (1.8%). Deep sternal wound infections occurred in 0.8% of all patients and in 3.4% of patients (9 of 268) who underwent tracheostomy. Mean number of days to tracheostomy was 14.2 in the DSWI group and 15.8 in the non-DSWI group ( p = 0.45). In patients with a tracheostomy, preoperative renal failure was the only perioperative comorbidity found to be significantly associated with DSWI ( p = 0.03). Overall operative mortality was 3.6%. Mortality was 16.5% for patients with DSWI, 22.7% for patients requiring tracheostomy, and 55% for patients with DSWI and tracheostomy. Conclusions The incidence of DSWI after tracheostomy, in our experience, is not as high as previously reported. Tracheostomy can be performed safely after median sternotomy with a low morbidity and mortality rate. However, if DSWI occurs after tracheostomy, mortality is significant.
Role of insulin-like growth factor-I in regulating estrogen receptor-alpha gene expression.

The role of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in regulating estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) gene expression and activity was investigated in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Treatment of cells with 40 ng/ml IGF-I resulted in a 60% decrease in ER-alpha protein concentration by 3 h, and the amount of ER-alpha remained suppressed for 24 h. A multiple-dose ligand-binding assay demonstrated that the decrease in ER-alpha protein corresponded to a similar decrease of 50% in estradiol-binding sites with no effect on the binding affinity of ER-alpha. The dissociation constant of the estradiol-ER-alpha complex in the absence of IGF-I (K(d) = 3 x 10(-10) +/- 0.5 x 10(-10) M) was similar to the dissociation constant in the presence of IGF-I (K(d) = 6 x 10(-10) +/- 0.3 x 10(-10) M). The decrease in ER-alpha protein concentration was paralleled by an 80% decrease in the steady-state amount of ER-alpha mRNA by 3 h. The IGF-I induced decrease in ER-alpha mRNA was due to the inhibition of ER-alpha gene transcription. When an 128-base pair ER-alpha-promoter-CAT construct was transfected into MCF-7 cells, treatment with IGF-I resulted in a 40% decrease in CAT activity. In contrast to the effects on ER-alpha, treatment with IGF-I induced two endogenous estrogen-regulated genes, progesterone receptor and pS2, by 4- and twofold, respectively. The pure antiestrogen ICI-164, 384 blocked this induction, suggesting that ER-alpha mediates the effects of IGF-I. Transient co-transfections of wild-type ER-alpha and an estrogen response element-CAT reporter into COS-1 cells demonstrated that IGF-I increased reporter gene activity. This effect was also blocked by ICI 164,384. Protein kinase A and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors blocked the IGF-I effects on ER-alpha expression and activity, suggesting that these kinases may be involved in the cross-talk between the IGF-I and ER-alpha pathways.
Entrepreneurial finance: an overview of the issues and evidence

Abstract This article provides an overview of the rapidly growing entrepreneurial finance literature. The studies reviewed in the article focus on four primary areas of inquiry: (i) alternative sources of capital, (ii) financial contracting issues, (iii) public policy, and (iv) the dynamics of private equity returns. Although much has been learned in each area, this survey highlights several areas in which our understanding of the issues remains incomplete.
Model for the Kinetics of Cluster Nucleation in Irradiated Materials

The development of materials microstructures during the initial stages of irradiation is important in the overall irradiation performance of the material. The incubation dose to the onset of measurable void swelling is critical for assessing the material's useful life in design situations. Several numerical models, based on void and interstitial loop nucleation and early growth theories, have been developed to predict experimental observations of void and interstitial loop number densities and size distributions evolved during irradiation. These models are complicated and difficult to implement. In this paper, a model describing interstitial dislocation loop nucleation and growth kinetics is presented. The model involves the solution of the Fokker-Planck equation which represents a continuum description of the process. The solution is found through an eigenfunction expansion after applying a suitable transformation to the equation. Boundary values are chosen to properly represent the physical problem. An approximation for the point defect agglomeration is necessary to pose the problem for solution. This model is applied to materials and irradiation conditions that represent those of the first wall of a fusion reactor.
Decomposition of trihaloacetic acids and formation of the corresponding trihalomethanes in drinking water

Abstract The decomposition of trihaloacetic acids [bromodichloroacetic acid (BDCAA), dibromochloroacetic acid (DBCAA), tribromoacetic acid (TBAA)], and the formation of the corresponding trihalomethanes [bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), tribromomethane (TBM)] were studied. Like TBAA, the two mixed chlorobromo-species, BDCAA and DBCAA, were found to decompose to form BDCM and DBCM, respectively, via a decarboxylation pathway. The decomposition of BDCAA, DBCAA and TBAA in water at neutral pH follows a first-order reaction, with rate constants of 0.0011, 0.0062 and 0.040 day−1 at 23°C, respectively; and 0.000028, 0.00014 and 0.0016 day−1 at 4°C, respectively. The activation energies for the decomposition reaction of BDCAA, DBCAA and TBAA in water at neutral pH were found to be 35.0, 34.5 and 29.2 kcal/mol, respectively. The effect of pH in the range of 6–9 and the effect of a drinking water matrix on the decomposition of BDCAA, DBCAA, and TBAA in water were found to be insignificant. Measurement and health implications due to decomposition of trihaloacetic acids and formation of the corresponding trihalomethanes were discussed. By applying the technique of quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSAR), the decomposition rate constants of six iodinated trihaloacetic acids were estimated.
Unusual defect and domain structure in YBa2Cu4O8 (Y124) single crystals

Abstract Bulk single crystals of YBa2Cu4O8 (Y124) have been investigated using conventional, high resolution and analytical electron microscopy techniques. Complex and profuse dislocation structures are observed in the as-grown crystals. At least two different types of dislocations are identified, with two different Burgers vectors and slip planes. The analysis of the dislocation geometry strongly suggests that they are (or were) probably quite mobile, at least at some elevated temperature. An unusual domain structure contrast is also observed in some areas. The local chemistry and crystallography of such regions appear to be close to that of Y124. EELS O K core loss analysis indicates that such regions are devoid of holes as reflected in the lack of a pre-edge peak in O K EELS spectra. These observations are discussed in terms of the influence of microstructural details on the physical properties of Y124.
The buzz on caffeine in invertebrates: effects on behavior and molecular mechanisms.

A number of recent studies from as diverse fields as plant–pollinator interactions, analyses of caffeine as an environmental pollutant, and the ability of caffeine to provide protection against neurodegenerative diseases have generated interest in understanding the actions of caffeine in invertebrates. This review summarizes what is currently known about the effects of caffeine on behavior and its molecular mechanisms in invertebrates. Caffeine appears to have similar effects on locomotion and sleep in both invertebrates and mammals. Furthermore, as in mammals, caffeine appears to have complex effects on learning and memory. However, the underlying mechanisms for these effects may differ between invertebrates and vertebrates. While caffeine’s ability to cause release of intracellular calcium stores via ryanodine receptors and its actions as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor have been clearly established in invertebrates, its ability to interact with invertebrate adenosine receptors remains an important open question. Initial studies in insects and mollusks suggest an interaction between caffeine and the dopamine signaling pathway; more work needs to be done to understand the mechanisms by which caffeine influences signaling via biogenic amines. As of yet, little is known about whether other actions of caffeine in vertebrates, such as its effects on GABAA and glycine receptors, are conserved. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetics of caffeine remains to be elucidated. Overall behavioral responses to caffeine appear to be conserved amongst organisms; however, we are just beginning to understand the mechanisms underlying its effects across animal phyla.
Calcium exerts an indirect effect on ATP‐dependent proteolysis of rat liver mitochondria

The ATP-dependent proteolysis of rat liver mitochondria prepared in electrolyte-poor sucrose media requires the presence of Ca2+. Lanthanum, an inhibitor of Ca2+ uptake, inhibits the proteolysis. In contrast, proteolysis of mitochondria prepared in a salt medium does not require Ca2+, nor is it inhibited by lanthanum. It is concluded that Caa+ exerts its effect in an indirect manner, by causing swelling and thereby increasing the accessibility of the membrane proteins of the inner mitochondrial membrane.
A Review Reviewed

I AM rather astonished at the criticism of my use of the term mineraliser in my book on the “Economic Geology of the United States,” made by a reviewer in a recent number of NATURE. Surely the sanction of the Century, Webster, and Worcester dictionaries, besides several scientific works, should be considered as warranting my use of the term, unless some very serious objection can be urged.