cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ischemia—silent or manifest: does it matter?

Clinical expressions of myocardial ischemia are protean and include angina and symptoms related to ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction and arrhythmia. The consequences of ischemia are also variable and range from no immediate adverse effects to sudden death, myocardial infarction and severe impairment of cardiac performance and heart failure. However, myocardial ischemia can occur without any clinical manifestations and can be clinically totally silent. There is a multitude of evidence for the existence of “silent” myocardial ischemia (1). Reversible left ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities, either stress-induced or spontaneous, in the absence of angina, provide evidence for silent myocardial ischemia. Global and regional myocardial lactate production, a metabolic marker of ischemia, has been documented in the absence of angina. Reversible myocardial thallium perfusion defects at rest or during dipyridamole or exercise stress occur rather frequently without associated angina. On the basis of wall motion abnormalities, metabolic dysfunction, reversible scintigraphic perfusion defects and ischemic changes on the stress electrocardiogram (ECG), the incidence rate of silent myocardial ischemia has been estimated to be approximately 34% in patients with coronary artery disease (2). However, recently popularized ambulatory electrocardiography in studies to detect ischemia have revealed a much higher incidence of silent ischemia (3). It has been documented that ST segment shifts, both depression and elevation. on the ambulatory ECG correlate well with other markers of myocardial ischemia (4). Electrocardiographic monitoring has revealed that in patients with stable exertional angina resulting from obstructive coronary artery disease, approximately 70% of episodes of ischemia are asymptomatic. In postinfarction patients and in patients with
Early experience with cyclosporine: a historic perspective

Cyclosporine, a new antilymphocyte peptide, was tested in heterotopic heart transplantation between two different strains of rats. Prolongation of rat heart allograft survival was observed in treated hosts as compared with untreated controls (P < .001). These pioneering studies in pedicle animal grafts proved that cyclosporine is an extremely potent immunosuppressive drug. Its ability to suppress allograft rejection episodes could be applied to other species of animals and to humans.
Everyday Government in Extraordinary Times: Persistence and Authority in Gaza's Civil Service, 1917–1967

In September 1964 cAli Taleb, an employee in the Agricultural Directorate in Gaza, petitioned the civil service administration for what he claimed was a long overdue promotion. On the face of it, there is nothing particularly surprising about such a petition-'Ali was certainly not the first employee to feel he deserved more recognition for his work. What makes his petition peculiar were the circumstances which generated it. The Gaza Strip, the territory in whose civil service 'Ali was employed, came into existence in 1948 as a result of the war over the establishment of Israel. Before 1948, Gaza was a district of Palestine, governed like the rest of the country as a mandate granted to the British government by the League of Nations. When the 1948 war ended in defeat for the Arab forces, the Egyptian army occupied the Gaza area, which it administered for the next twenty years. cAli was hired in 1937 by the Mandate government-and under its rules of promotion-but it was the Egyptian Administration (henceforth "Administration") which he expected to fulfill the obligations of this system. "I was nominated to be promoted to Grade 3 under the previous Mandate government," 'Ali explained, noting that, "before my turn arrived the Mandate ended and the Arab Administration came to the Strip." Given the enormous upheavals that Gaza, and no doubt 'Ali himself, experi-
Parallel interrogation of covalent intermediates in the biosynthesis of gramicidin S using high‐resolution mass spectrometry

For determination of multiple covalent intermediates bound to the ultra-large enzymes responsible for biosynthesis via nonribosomal peptide synthesis, mass spectrometry (MS) is a promising method to provide new mechanistic insight. Application of a quadrupole-Fourier-transform instrument (Q-FTMS) for direct analysis of aminoacyl intermediates is demonstrated for the first two modules (127 and 120 kDa) involved in the nonribosomal synthesis of gramicidin S. Cyanogen bromide digestions of recombinant proteins afforded detection of two active site peptides (both ~13 kDa) that provided direct evidence for modules copurifying with their preferred amino acid substrates. Given the ability to detect multiple covalent intermediates in tandem, a competition experiment among several nonnatural substrates in parallel was performed using the first module. This defined mixture of acyl-enzyme intermediates was used to probe the selectivity of the condensation step producing a diversity of noncognate dipeptides on the second module.
Balance of bacterial pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators dictates net effect of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli on intestinal epithelial cells

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) virulence requires a type III secretion system (TTSS) to deliver effector molecules in host cells. Although the TTSS is crucial to EPEC pathogenesis, its fu...
Nutrient digestion, biohydrogenation, and fatty acid profiles in blood plasma and milk fat from lactating Holstein cows fed canola oil or canolamide

Abstract The effects of feeding protected or unprotected canola oil on intake, nutrient digestibility, duodenal fatty acid flows, milk yield, and milk composition were evaluated using four Holstein cows cannulated in the rumen and proximal duodenum. Cows were fed a control diet (CON) or the control diet supplemented at 3.3% of dry matter with canola oil (OIL), canolamide (AMD) (made by reacting canola oil with ethanolamine), or a mixture of equal amounts of canola oil and canolamide (MIX) in a 4×4 Latin square with four 21-day periods. Milk yield and dry matter intake averaged 38 and 24 kg per day, when OIL or MIX were fed, but decreased to 33 and 19 kg per day when cows were fed AMD as the only supplemental source of cis 9–18:1. Total tract digestibility of dry matter (70%), crude protein (71%), and fiber (49%) was not affected by treatments. Oleic acid intake was higher due to feeding AMD (438 g per day), OIL (530 g per day), or MIX (531 g per day) compared with CON (120 g per day). Biohydrogenation of cis 9–18:1 (40 versus 77%) increased when all forms of supplemental oleic acid were fed. Cis 9, trans 11–18:2, trans 11–18:1, and 18:0 flows to the duodenum were greater when OIL (3, 104, and 647 g per day) was fed compared with AMD (0, 29, and 372 g per day). Flow of cis 9–18:1 to the duodenum was greater (103 g per day) in response to supplemental fat compared with CON (65 g per day). Plasma total fatty acids and cis 9–18:1 increased 15 and 61% in response to supplemental oleic acid. Milk fat percentage was not affected by treatments, but concentrations of saturated 8:0 to 16:0 in milk fat were lower when cows were fed supplemental cis 9–18:1 (41%) compared with CON (58%). Cis 9, trans 11–18:2 and trans 11–18:1 concentrations in milk fat were greater when OIL (1.1 and 4.5%) was fed compared with AMD (0.7 and 2.9%). Concentrations of cis 9–18:1 in milk fat ranked by treatment were AMD (28%)=OIL (26%)>MIX (24%)>CON (16%). Converting canola oil to an amide provided partial protection against biohydrogenation of cis 9–18:1. Whether fed as an oil or amide, however, supplemental cis 9–18:1 elevated concentrations of oleic acid in plasma and milk fat.
Between East and West: Trieste, the United States, and the Cold War, 1941–1954

The city of Trieste in the northern Adriatic was the center of long-standing Italo-Yugoslav territorial struggle at the end of World War II. The United States assumed a key role in this dispute by joining Britain in taking on temporary military administration of the city to prevent its occupation by Tito's Yugoslavia until a settlement could be reached at the peace table. This "temporary" Anglo-American control of Trieste lasted nearly a decade, until the sovereignty question was finally resolved in 1954 in favor of Italy.Rabel explains the causes, significance, and consequences of American involvement in this classic European territorial dispute. The author sees U.S. involvement as closely linked to the larger issues of American participation in World War II and belief in democracy and self-determination, as well as to the subsequent unfolding of the Cold War. After 1945, Rabel asserts, American policy interest shifted to concern for Trieste due to its geographic and symbolic position between the Eastern and Western blocs. U.S. policies toward the Trieste issue were therefore shaped by several factors; a commitment to the principle of self-determination; the exigencies of maintaining stability and effective administration under the occupation; the need for close cooperation with the British; and the larger realities of the Cold War, especially in terms of American perceptions of the changing roles of Italy and Yugoslavia in that conflict. By examining the dynamic interplay of these factors, Between East and West seeks to explain the origins and evolution of U.S. Cold War policy, as well as its impact on the traditional American liberal principles of democracy and self-determination.
A nested Matrosov theorem for hybrid systems

We show that for time-invariant hybrid systems given by a flow map, flow set, jump map, and jump set, uniform global stability of a compact set plus the existence of Lyapunov-like functions and continuous functions satisfying a nested condition imply uniform global asymptotic stability of the compact set ("uniform" in the sense that bounds on the solutions and on the convergence time depend only on the distance to the compact set of interest). The required nested condition is a combination of the conditions in nested Matrosov theorems for time-varying continuous-time and discrete-time systems available in the literature. Our result also shows that Matrosov's theorem is a reasonable alternative to LaSalle's invariance principle for time-invariant hybrid systems to conclude attractivity to a compact set. We illustrate the application of our main result by examples.
Node voltage dependent subthreshold leakage current characteristics of dynamic circuits

The subthreshold leakage current characteristics of domino logic circuits is evaluated in this paper. The strong dependence of the subthreshold leakage current on the node voltages is discussed. In a standard low threshold voltage domino logic circuit with stacked pulldown devices, a charged state rather than a discharge state of the dynamic node is preferred for lower leakage current. Alternatively, the subthreshold leakage current of a dual threshold voltage domino logic circuit is significantly reduced provided that the dynamic node is discharged. A dual threshold voltage circuit has degraded noise immunity characteristics as compared to a standard low threshold voltage circuit. Both keeper and output inverter sizing are necessary to compensate for this degradation in noise immunity. An alternative dual threshold voltage domino circuit technique employing a low threshold voltage keeper for enhanced noise immunity is also considered in this paper. Under similar noise immunity conditions as compared to a standard low threshold voltage domino logic circuit, the savings in subthreshold leakage current offered by a dual threshold voltage circuit technique with a high threshold voltage keeper is significantly higher than the savings offered by a dual threshold voltage circuit technique with a low threshold voltage keeper.
Geometry, kinematics, and displacement characteristics of tear-fault systems: An example from the deep-water Niger Delta

We use three-dimensional seismic reflection data and new map-based structural restoration methods to define the displacement history and characteristics of a series of tear faults in the deep-water Niger Delta. Deformation in the deep-water Niger Delta is focused mostly within two fold-and-thrust belts that accommodate downdip shortening produced by updip extension on the continental shelf. This shortening is accommodated by a series of thrust sheets that are locally cut by strike-slip faults. Through seismic mapping and interpretation, we resolve these strike-slip faults to be tear faults that share a common detachment level with the thrust faults. Acting in conjunction, these structures have accommodated a north –south gradient in westward-directed shortening. We apply a map-based restoration technique implemented in Gocad to restore an upper stratigraphic horizon of the late Oligocene and use this analysis to calculate slip profiles along the strike-slip faults. The slip magnitudes and directions change abruptly along the lengths of the tear faults as they interact with numerous thrust sheets. The discontinuous nature of these slip profiles reflects the manner in which they have accommodated differential movement between the footwall and hanging-wall blocks of the thrust sheets. In cases for which the relationship between a strike-slip fault and multiple thrust faults is unclear, the recognition of this type of slip profile may distinguish thin-skinned tear faults from more conventional deep-seated, throughgoing strike-slip faults.
Regulation of reproductive hormone secretion in primates by short-term changes in nutrition

In primates, as in nonprimates, it is well established that periods of chronic or severe undernutrition can lead to a suppression of reproductive hormone secretion. Recent studies in monkeys and humans indicate that reproductive hormone secretion begins to be suppressed with even very brief periods of undernutrition. Specifically, in male monkeys reproductive hormone secretion responds to missing a single meal, eating a single meal, and to a change in the timing of daily meal intake. These findings suggest that nutritional/metabolic signals that are linked to food intake are part of the normal physiological mechanism regulating the daily activity of the reproductive axis, rather than simply signals that influence the activity of the reproductive axis in pathological conditions of severe undernutrition. The nature of the metabolic cue(s) linking reproductive hormone secretion to subtle changes in the metabolic status of the body remains unknown, as does the route by which metabolic information reaches the central hypothalamic neurones governing reproductive hormone secretion. However, recent studies indicate that the metabolic cue transmitting information to the reproductive axis is dependent on calorie intake, but is not dependent on changes in body mass or composition, changes in intake of a specific nutrient, changes in plasma glucose or insulin concentrations, or signals emanating from the taste or smell of food or the physical process of food ingestion.
Online course design: a statistics course example

Classroom-based learning has great value, but online classes are becoming quite popular in the academic world because of the tremendous opportunities they offer. This article outlines the author's journey through the planning, development and execution of an online statistics course.
Routing in vehicular ad hoc networks: A survey

Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is an emerging new technology integrating ad hoc network, wireless LAN (WLAN) and cellular technology to achieve intelligent inter-vehicle communications and improve road traffic safety and efficiency. VANETs are distinguished from other kinds of ad hoc networks by their hybrid network architectures, node movement characteristics, and new application scenarios. Therefore, VANETs pose many unique networking research challenges, and the design of an efficient routing protocol for VANETs is very crucial. In this article, we discuss the research challenge of routing in VANETs and survey recent routing protocols and related mobility models for VANETs.
CHILDREN, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND LAND: IN THE LONG RUN AND SHORT RUN

The paper uses an overlapping generations model to examine the effects of an increase in a household's land ownership on child labor. Consistent with previous studies, it found that small increases in land lead to increased child labor. However, as land continues to increase child labor declines. Further, even when an increase in land ownership causes an immediate rise in child labor, there are contexts where long-run child labor (that is aggregated over progenies) declines. (JEL: O10, D13, E20)
Antimicrobial Stewardship: Philosophy Versus Practice

To promote the judicious use of antimicrobials and preserve their usefulness in the setting of growing resistance, a number of policy-making bodies and professional societies have advocated the development of antimicrobial stewardship programs. Although these programs have been implemented at many institutions in the United States, their impact has been difficult to measure. Current recommendations advocate the use of both outcome and process measures as metrics for antimicrobial stewardship. Although patient outcome metrics have the greatest impact on the quality of care, the literature shows that antimicrobial use and costs are the indicators measured most frequently by institutions to justify the effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship programs. The measurement of more meaningful outcomes has been constrained by difficulties inherent to these measures, lack of funding and resources, and inadequate study designs. Antimicrobial stewardship can be made more credible by refocusing the antimicrobial review process to target specific disease states, reassessing the usefulness of current metrics, and integrating antimicrobial stewardship program initiatives into institutional quality and safety efforts.
Establishment of switchgrass in corn across a landscape gradient: Establishment, yield, and quality of biomass feedstock

Biofuel production in the United States is expected to offset a significant portion of current fuel use through continued use of corn (Zea mays L.) grain and increasingly from alternative feedstocks. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is one such species with potential to be used as an alternative feedstock, but establishment is slow and requires long term commitment of land to reach maximum productivity. Switchgrass can be established while producing a corn crop using 2-4-D and atrazine herbicide and seeding switchgrass prior to corn planting, reducing the risk of producing switchgrass as a crop. Relative performance of both corn and switchgrass in the landscape can vary and can influence productivity. An experiment was conducted which examined performance of corn during establishment of ‘Cave-in-Rock’ and ‘Kanlow’ switchgrass, stand frequency in the following year, subsequent yield, and composition of harvested switchgrass biomass across a toposequence of landscape positions. Seeding switchgrass reduced yields from 11.6 Mg·ha -1 to 9.6 Mg·ha -1 and from 10.8 Mg·ha -1 to 8.3 Mg·ha -1 , for grain and stover, respectively. Establishment stand frequencies were adequate in all landscape positions and frequencies ranging from 39 to 82 percent. Yield and cellulose concentration of subsequent year switchgrass biomass was greater for ‘Kanlow’. Nitrogen concentration was lower in ‘Kanlow’, but overall N removal was greater due to higher yield. Landscape position effect was demonstrated in the floodplain only, with floodplain position higher in total dry matter yield, ash content, N removal, and cellulose. Floodplain position biomass was lower in hemicellulose and total C. Switchgrass can be established in all landscape position when seeded prior to corn planting, subsequent composition of switchgrass varied by variety and landscape position. More years of data are needed to confirm these biomass quality differences between variety and landscape position.
A pragmatic approach to biochemical systems theory applied to an α-synuclein-based model of Parkinson's disease

Abstract This paper presents a detailed systems model of Parkinson's disease (PD), developed utilizing a pragmatic application of biochemical systems theory (BST) intended to assist experimentalists in the study of system behavior. This approach utilizes relative values as a reasonable initial estimate for BST and provides a theoretical means of applying numerical solutions to qualitative and semi-quantitative understandings of cellular pathways and mechanisms. The approach allows for the simulation of human disease through its ability to organize and integrate existing information about metabolic pathways without having a full quantitative description of those pathways, so that hypotheses about individual processes may be tested in a systems environment. Incorporating this method, the PD model describes α-synuclein aggregation as mediated by dopamine metabolism, the ubiquitin–proteasome system, and lysosomal degradation, allowing for the examination of dynamic pathway interactions and the evaluation of possible toxic mechanisms in the aggregation process. Four system perturbations: elevated α-synuclein aggregation, impaired dopamine packaging, increased neurotoxins, and α-synuclein overexpression, were analyzed for correlation to qualitative PD system hypotheses present in the literature, with the model demonstrating a high level of agreement with these hypotheses. Additionally, various PD treatment methods, including levadopa and monoamine oxidase inhibition (MAOI) therapy, were applied to the disease models to examine their effects on the system. Future additions and refinements to the model may further the understanding of the emergent behaviors of the disease, helping in the identification of system sensitivities and possible therapeutic targets.
Tip-enhanced infrared nanospectroscopy via molecular expansion force detection

Mid-infrared spectroscopy with nanometre spatial resolution is highly desired for materials and life sciences applications. A nanoscale mid-infrared spectrometer is demonstrated that detects mechanical forces exerted by molecules on an atomic force microscope tip upon light excitation. It operates under ambient conditions with a high sensitivity and a spatial resolution of better than 25 nm.
EFFECTS OF PLATELETS AND WHITE BLOOD CELLS AND ANTIPLATELET AGENT C7E3 (ReoproTM) ON A NEW TEST OF PAF PROCOAGULANT ACTIVITY OF WHOLE BLOOD.

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of varying concentrations of platelets, white blood cells (WBC) and Fab fragments of a monoclonal antibody (c7E3, Reopro) directed at the platelet GpIIb-IIIa receptor complex on ACT-based clot ratio values (hemoSTATUS assay) in healthy volunteers. These measurements were made in heparinized whole blood from 10 normal volunteers in which either platelet or WBC concentrations had been varied by differential centrifugation. In addition, blood collected in either heparin or argatroban was incubated with varying concentrations of c7E3 (Reopro). Clot ratio values (%Maximal) in normal blood did not decrease until average platelet counts were less than 50,000. A marked reduction in clot ratios was observed when WBC concentration increased above or decreased below baseline clot ratios within each patient. Strong linear relationships were observed between white cell concentration and clot ratio values when white cell concentrations were either less or greater than baseline values. When argatroban was used as an anticoagulant, inverse relationships were demonstrated between clot ratio values and increasing c7E3 concentration (Ch 3: r = -0.33, Ch4: r = -0.84, Ch5: r = -0.87, Ch 6: r = -0.71). ACT-based clot ratio values determined in heparinized whole blood presumably reflecting PAF inducible platelet procoagulant activity, are affected by platelet concentration when counts are less than 50,000/microliter. The hemoSTATUS test was also found to be affected by WBC concentration since clot ratio values decreased when WBC counts were below 4,000/microliter or above 9,000/microliter. A dose-dependent reduction in clot ratio values was also observed with increasing concentrations of c7E3. This test can reliably detect platelet dysfunction only if the platelet count is > 50,000 and the WBC is normal.
Pesticide residues in food crops analyzed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in 1989.

State pesticide regulatory programs in the U.S. vary widely in authority, size, and scope. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has the most comprehensive of the state regulatory programs. The regulatory system of CDFA includes pesticide evaluation and registration, pesticide dealer and pest control operator licensing, pesticide use surveillance, worker safety, environmental studies and monitoring, biological control activities, and a multi-functional pesticide residue monitoring program, the largest in the country.
Induction of CD14 in Tubular Epithelial Cells During Kidney Disease

Analysis of gene expression in a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) revealed significant induction of CD14 mRNA in kidneys with obstructed ureters. Immunocytochemical analysis indicated that CD14 was upregulated in tubular epithelial cells and this upregulation was not attributable to infiltration of the kidneys by mononuclear cells. This induction of CD14 mRNA was found to occur in BALB/C, C57BL/6, C3H/HeN, and C3H/HeJ mice during UUO. Ischemia/reperfusion of kidneys also induced CD14 mRNA. Mice lacking either of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor (TNFR) genes were also studied; the induction of CD14 was blunted in TNFR 1-knockout mice but not in TNFR2-knockout mice. Apoptosis of tubular cells in lipopolysaccharide-resistant CH3/HeJ mice was significantly (P: < 0. 05) less than that in lipopolysaccharide-responsive CH3/HeN mice during UUO. These results suggest that CD14 is acutely induced in tubular epithelial cells in two mouse models of renal injury. This induction is regulated by tumor necrosis factor-alpha, through TNFR1. CD14 may participate in the apoptosis of tubular epithelial cells on a more chronic basis by activating a pathway that is absent or deficient in C3H/HeJ mice.
The Core of the Apple: Degrees of Monopoly and Dark Value in Global Commodity Chains

The capitalist world-economy takes the form of an iceberg. The most studied part which appears above the surface is supported by a huge underlying structure that is out of sight. Unlike the iceberg, the world-economy is a dynamic system based on flows of value from the underside toward the top. These include drains of surplus (expropriated value) that take two forms: visible monetarized flows of bright value and hidden un(der)costed flows that carry dark value (the unrecorded value of cheap labor, labor reproduction and ecological externalities). Commodity chains are central mechanisms for these surplus drains in the world-economy. At each node of the chain, participants attempt to maximize their capture of bright value through wages, rent and profit. They do this by constructing differential degrees of monopoly (control of the markup between cost and sale price) and degrees of monopsony (control of markdowns of production costs). However, this process depends upon the transformation of dark value into bright value for capture. Via an examination of the Apple iPad commodity chain, I show how the bright value captured by Apple depends on the dark value extracted by its suppliers. Dark value is estimated by measurements of the value of under-payments for wage labor, reproductive labor and environmental damage in Asian countries, especially China. Surprisingly, most dark value embedded in the iPad is captured by final buyers (mostly in the core) as consumer surplus.
Uncharged Helical Modular Polypeptide Hydrogels for Cellular Scaffolds.

Grafted synthetic polypeptides hold appeal for extending the range of biophysical properties achievable in synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogels. Here, N-carboxyanhydride polypeptide, poly(γ-propargyl-l-glutamate) (PPLG) macromers were generated by fully grafting the “clickable” side chains with mixtures of short polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains terminated with inert (−OH) or reactive (maleimide and/or norbornene) groups, then reacting a fraction of these groups with an RGD cell attachment motif. A panel of synthetic hydrogels was then created by cross-linking the PPLG macromers with a 4-arm PEG star molecule. Compared to well-established PEG-only hydrogels, gels containing PPLG exhibited dramatically less dependence on swelling as a function of cross-link density. Further, PPLG-containing gels, which retain an α-helical chain conformation, were more effective than standard PEG gels in fostering attachment of a human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) line for a given concentration of RGD in the gel. T...
The Testicular Excurrent Duct System: An Historical Outlook

Research on the epididymis has had a long history. Mention of the epididymis can be traced as far back as Aristotle, 2,400 years ago (Orgebin-Crist, 1998). Not much new knowledge accumulated between then and the 17th century when de Graaf (1668), after meticulous dissection, first described the ductuli efferentes and reported that numerous ductuli connected the testis and the single, coiled tubule of the epididymis. Later, von Haller (1765), using a mercury injection technique showed definitively the patency between the epididymis and testis by way of the efferent ducts. In the same century, John Hunter made a retrograde injection of mercury from the human (and other animals) vas deferens into the epididymis and showed that the epididymis was a single, long coiled tubule (Hunter’s specimens can be seen in the Hunterian Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, London). Hunter also apparently speculated that the epididymis can absorb semen (Allen et. al., 1993), although like other physicians/ scientists of his time, this observation was based more on intuition than on experimental facts.
Buying Put Options to Insure Against Bankruptcy

This research shows how firms can issue put options on their own stock to insure against bankruptcy. The analysis demonstrates that equity put options are far cheaper than alternative methods of reducing the chance of bankruptcy. Potential agency problems associated with such puts are discussed and addressed.
WHEN ANIMALS AND TECHNOLOGY ARE BEYOND HUMAN GRASPING

This essay explores the “wealth of openness” Heidegger leaves open for the animals. This other open provides a possible outside beyond the dialectic of human-animal as figured by Agamben's anthropological machine. Producing ways of thinking this beyond serves as the frame by which essays in this collection are then introduced.
Inference of Aerodynamic Loads Under Uncertainty Using Strain Measurements and Bayesian Networks

The aerodynamic loads on a commercial transport aircraft are generally well known for a set of flight conditions. However, external phenomena such as wing contamination or the loss of natural laminar airflow (NLF) can create a slight shift in the aerodynamic loads. Although their effect on the loads is small, their consequence on the flight performance is important and current methods to detect those phenomena are rather complex. This paper presents a method based on Bayesian Networks (BN) to analyze the effect of adding strain sensors in a wing structure for two purposes. First, they could be used to reduce the uncertainty on the aerodynamic load prediction to possibly detect the loss of NLF or wing contamination (anomaly detection). Second, this method could contribute to inferring the flight condition with the objective of increasing the reliability of the monitoring system or reducing the number of sensors required on small aircraft such as Unmanned air vehicles (UAV). The methodology is applied to the Common Research Model (CRM), a B777 size aircraft augmented with an in-house designed structure. It is shown that the uncertainty on the aerodynamic loads can be reduced by 94% and that the flight conditions can be inferred within 5% for the Mach number and 9% for the fuel mass of the initial range by using only five strain measurements in the wing.
The gates of op-ed diplomacy: Newspaper framing the 2011 Egyptian revolution

The op-ed section of the newspaper is unique in that it allows experts to articulate their opinions regarding salient issues without editorial interference. The current study builds upon previous r...
Facebook Use and Social Capital: To Bond, To Bridge, or to Escape.

This study employs the uses and gratification approach to investigate how different forms of Facebook use are linked to bridging social capital and bonding social capital. A survey of 152 college s...
The Spuriousness of Correlations between Cumulative Values

Monte Carlo simulation shows that cumulative values of unrelated variables have a tendency to show spurious correlations. The results have important implications for the theory of anthropogenic global warming because empirical support for the theory that links warming to fossil fuel emissions rests entirely on a correlation between cumulative values.
Robotic and Human Exploraiton - At Odds With Each Other?

[Abstract] The Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) called for a robust robotic and human space exploration program. Over the past year, NASA conducted the Lunar Architecture Team (LAT) study and developed a global strategy for exploration with international involvement. Despite the need for robotic precursor missions to evolve an architecture for the return to and a sustained presence on the Moon, the Lunar Precursor Robotic Program at NASA has all but disappeared in favor of a “human-only” exploration program. In September 2005, NASA selected a team led by the Marshall Space Flight Center to study the breath of robotic lander mission classes and ascertain the “sweet spot” for lander development. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory was responsible for the lander element of the mission. The conclusion reached was to develop a medium-class lunar lander (<$500 million) to follow-up the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) launch in 2008 with a launch and landing on the Moon in 2011. Unfortunately, this project was cut in March 2007, as a “not essential” victim of NASA budget shortfalls. Thus, the series of robotic missions intended by the Administration’s VSE and LAT architecture has been reduced to a single robotic mission, LRO. Is it true that robotic precursors are “not essential,” technically and/or programmatically? This paper challenges that position and discusses how robotic precursors should be well-integrated with the Constellation program and executed within a combined program plan to provide for a successful human flight program, both technically and programmatically. The VSE was to be an incremental “Pay as You Go” but also a “Know as You Go” program, and we examine this through the framework of the formerly planned initial lunar surface precursor robotic mission.
Ketanserin in Essential Hypertension Effects of Blood Pressure on Renal Hemodynamics

Essential hypertension is a multifactorial disorder mediated by multiple mechanisms. Serotonin may cause vasoconstriction either directly or indirectly by amplifying the actions of vasoconstrictor substances. Clinical trials indicate that ketanserin, a serotonin antagonist, is effective in treating hypertension. It is desirable for an antihypertensive agent to enhance or preserve renal hemodynamic function. In this study, we evaluated the acute (1 week) and chronic (8 weeks) effects of ketanserin (20-40 mg twice a day) on glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, and sodium excretion in patients with uncomplicated hypertension. Patients with untreated diastolic blood pressure (greater than 90 mm Hg) received either ketanserin or a placebo during an 8-week double-blind trial. Findings demonstrated that patients treated with ketanserin showed an increase in renal plasma flow compared with those who received placebo. Sodium excretion remained unchanged, indicating the absence of sodium retention during therapy. These results show that ketanserin lowers blood pressure in essential hypertension while preserving renal hemodynamics and function.
Glycine blocks opening of a death channel in cultured hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells during chemical hypoxia

Using confocal microscopy, we investigated mechanisms underlying loss of plasma membrane integrity during necrotic death of cultured hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells exposed to 2.5 mM potassium cyanide (chemical hypoxia). After 2-3 h, the anionic fluorophore calcein abruptly began to enter the cytosol, and nuclei labeled with cationic propidium after another 2-5 min. As calcein permeated, growth of blebs on the plasma membrane accelerated. Lucifer yellow, another anionic fluorophore, entered identically to calcein, whereas high molecular weight dextrans (40-2000 kDa) entered like propidium. Glycine slowed, but did not prevent calcein entry, whereas permeation of propidium and high molecular weight dextrans was blocked completely by glycine. These findings suggest that opening of a glycine-sensitive organic anion channel, or death channel, precipitates a metastable state characterized by rapid cell swelling and bleb growth. This metastable state culminates in non-specific breakdown of the plasma membrane permeability barrier and irreversible cell death.
Structure-Dependent Electrochemistry of Reduced Graphene Oxide Monolayers

While graphene and other carbonaceous nanomaterials have shown promise in a variety of electrochemical applications, measurement of their intrinsic performance is often confounded with effects related to the complexities due to diffusion in a porous medium. To by-pass this limitation, we use effectively non-porous tiled monolayers of reduced graphene oxide as a model platform to study how rates of heterogeneous electron transfer evolve as a function of graphene structure/chemistry. A variety of electrochemical systems are investigated including the standard ferri/ferrocyanide redox probe, several common biomolecular redox systems as well as copper electrodeposition. We show that the rates of heterogeneous electron transfer can vary by as much as 3 orders of magnitude depending on the reduction or annealing conditions used and the redox system investigated. Performance changes are linked to graphene chemistry, and we show that the graphene oxide reduction procedure must be chosen judiciously to maximize the electrochemical
Clark, EmilyThe Strange History of the American Quadroon: Free Women of Color in the Revolutionary Atlantic World

In her latest book, The Strange History of the American Quadroon: Free Women of Color in the Revolutionary Atlantic World, Emily Clark pins down significant parts of an elusive scholarly project: h...
A Pilot Study of a Brief Motivational Intervention for Incarcerated Drinkers

Almost half of convicted jail inmates have an alcohol use disorder and many are released to environments that put them in contact with network members and cues that make them more likely to relapse on alcohol or drugs. Given the high-risk period immediately following release, the purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a brief motivational intervention administered just prior to release to increase substance use treatment entry and attendance, decrease alcohol and drug use, and change social networks for inmates with alcohol use disorders. Forty adult male inmates with AUDs were consented into the study and randomized to a motivational intervention or the control condition (an educational intervention), and then were contacted to do a 1-month follow-up interview (62.5% completed this interview). Results indicated that conducting these interventions was feasible and considered extremely helpful by participants. Although there were no significant group differences, medium to large effect sizes suggest possible benefits from the motivational intervention in decreasing days of alcohol and drug use and increasing abstinence, and reducing the proportion of heavy drug users or users of any kind in the social network. Future studies should replicate these findings in larger sample sizes and over longer follow-up time periods. Results may have implications for the use of brief intervention strategies at jails for inmates with AUDs.
Menstruation in Adolescents: What's Normal?

Clinicians need to be aware of evidence-based norms for pubertal development and menstrual function. Parameters for normal and abnormal menstrual bleeding in adolescents are listed in Table 2. Informing adolescents and their parents about these parameters and encouraging prospective charting of bleeding can help to determine whether the bleeding pattern is unusual enough to warrant diagnostic testing or therapy. Physicians and women should be encouraged to consider the menstrual cycle as a “vital sign.”[19,35] Just as abnormalities in pulse, respiration, or blood pressure can signal the need for medical evaluation, so too can menstrual abnormalities. It may be helpful to suggest to an adolescent that menstrual abnormalities in the absence of hormonal therapies should warrant attention: “Your body is telling you something.” Abnormal bleeding while on hormonal contraception has a very different pathophysiology from abnormal bleeding without hormonal contraception. Appropriate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment have the potential to prevent future morbidities and to significantly improve an adolescent's quality of life.[36] Table 2 Quick Guide to Periods in Adolescents: What's Normal/What's Not
Turmeric (Curcuma longa, Curcuma domestica)

Turmeric, a perennial herb prevalent in South Asia, is ubiquitous in Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. It is also used in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammation, burns, and disorders of the digestive system.
Distribution of IgG subclasses among human autoantibodies to Sm, RNP, dsDNA, SS-B and IgG rheumatoid factor.

The IgG subclass distribution of human autoantibodies to Sm, double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA), ribonucleoprotein (RNP), SS-B (La), and IgG rheumatoid factor (RF) have been determined using sensitive ELISA or by indirect immunofluorescence on Crithidia lucilia in sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjogren's syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis. For anti-Sm and anti-RNP, IgG1 was the predominant isotype. For anti-ds-DNA and anti-SS-B, IgG1 and a lesser contribution of IgG3 was found. In contrast, IgG1 and IgG4 were the predominant isotypes of human IgG RF. The preponderance of isotypes noted for these autoantibodies did not extend to the IgG subclass distribution for antibodies to trinitrophenol-bovine serum albumin (TNP), tetanus toxoid (Tet. tox.), pneumococcal polysaccharides (Pneumo), and group A streptococcal cell walls (Strep.). The restriction of human humoral responses as well as autoantibodies has both pathogenetic and immunoregulatory implications, and suggests that for these autoantibodies, T-cell-dependent responses, probably driven by antigen, are of importance.
Preface: A Renaissance of Virtue

What is character but the determination of incident? What is incident but the illustration of character? Henry James The 1990s were a good time for virtue. Not because people behaved especially well; like other decades, the decade saw its share of moral lapses, from the horrific to the pathetic. The difference was that folks were talking about virtue more often, and more earnestly, than they had in generations. Rather churchy tomes on character began to shoulder aside sex and scandal on the best-seller lists, and virtue, as one columnist put it, was in fashion. By then, virtue — at least talk of virtue — had been fashionable in academic philosophy for some time; philosophers in English-speaking university departments have been calling for increased attention to such notions since the 1950s. Of course, this agenda was something less than radical even then; neoteric discussion of virtue and character has antiquarian roots, most especially in Aristotle's monumental Ethics . The new wisdom, apparently, is much the same as the old wisdom. I regard this renaissance of virtue with concern. Like many others, I find the lore of virtue deeply compelling, yet I cannot help noticing that much of this lore rests on psychological theory that is some 2,500 years old. A theory is not bad simply because it is old, but in this case developments of more recent vintage suggest that the old ideas are in trouble.
The 1965 immigration act: Family unifi cation and nondiscrimination fifty years later

In 1965, Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act and revolutionized immigration law by not only eliminating national origins quotas but also by establishing family ties as the primary means of immigrating to the United States. By promoting a policy of family unification, the 1965 Immigration Act enabled millions of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to bring their families to the United States. Notably, it also helped to significantly change the racial and ethnic make-up of our country. On the eve of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1965 Immigration Act, this Chapter reflects on and evaluates the impact that this law had on American families. It argues that the 1965 Immigration Act should be celebrated for promoting family unification and racial diversity. Yet, this celebration should be done with caution. Family unification has not been meaningfully realized by millions of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents and their families. Many families continue to be separated as a result of the visa backlog. Both the 1965 Immigration Act’s achievements and shortcomings should be explored as we consider the ways in which immigration law could be reformed to ensure a more effective policy of family unification.
Mode-II total fatigue life model for unidirectional IM7/8552 carbon/epoxy composite laminate

Abstract This paper presents a method of developing Total Fatigue Life Model (TFLM) for a unidirectional composite laminate with a delamination subjected to mode-II stress state. The model includes three domains of delamination growth rates: the middle Paris domain and the two end, onset and fracture, domains. The constants in the equation were determined from fracture and fatigue test data of End Notched Flexure (ENF) specimens for IM7/8552 carbon/epoxy composite laminate. The mode-II fracture toughness, G IIc was determined from fracture test and it was found to be 0.978 kJ/m 2 . The fatigue crack growth rate data was generated for different initial G IIimax values by load controlled constant amplitude cyclic load fatigue tests for a stress ratio (R) of 0.1. The fatigue threshold energy release rate, G IIth based on 1% compliance change for one million cycles (N) was found to be 0.167G IIc . The generated fatigue test results da/dN versus G IImax /G IIc was found to follow the equation 0.8( G IImax / G IIc ) 5.8 ((1 − ( G IIth / G IImax ) 12 )/(1 − ( G IImax / G IIc ) 3 )) for IM7/8552 carbon/epoxy composite laminate. The Paris law exponent (β) agreed well with the values reported in the literature. The test data also demonstrated that a single fatigue test at G IIimax = 0.3G IIc , would be sufficient to generate the complete da/dN growth rate data instead of multiple specimen tests at different values of G IIimax .
Bottom-Up Strategy To Prepare Nanoparticles with a Single DNA Strand

We describe the preparation of cross-linked, polymeric organic nanoparticles (ONPs) with a single, covalently linked DNA strand. The structure and functionalities of the ONPs are controlled by the synthesis of their parent linear block copolymers that provide monovalency, fluorescence and narrow size distribution. The ONP can also guide the deposition of chloroaurate ions allowing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to be prepared using the ONPs as templates. The DNA strand on AuNPs is shown to preserve its functions.