cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction. Primo Levi and the Question of the Animal

This first chapter serves as introduction to Primo Levi’s work as well as to the main shift in perspective that this book provides. Some of the chief terms and concepts of the book in its entirety—such as “Humanism,” “testimony,” and “identification”—are presented and contextualized within both Levi’s scholarship and the contemporary debate on non-human animals and animality. The chapter begins by challenging the common interpretation of Levi as a humanistic “hero” and reframing his work within the question of the animal. It then considers the genre of Holocaust testimony in its relationship with both the ethical issue of literary identification and the epistemological function of literary animals. Finally, it discusses the significance of modern Italian literature for Animal Studies and provides a rationale for the structure of the book.
RICHARDSON EXTRAPOLATION FOR PARABOLIC GALERKIN METHODS

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the Richardson extrapolation for parabolic Galerkin methods. The chapter discusses that approximations generated by certain discrete Galerkin procedures can be modified using Richardson extrapolation to obtain approximations whose time discretization error is 0((Δt)p(s+1)), where s is a positive integer. As an example, the heat equation in the cylinder D × (0,T] subject to homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions is considered. D is a bounded domain in Rn. The techniques described in the chapter can be used to analyze a family of three-level methods proposed by Dupont, Fairweather, and Johnson. These methods are algebraically linear even for nonlinear problems. It can be shown that for a wide class of nonlinear problems one extrapolation may be performed to obtain an approximation which is fourth-order correct in time.
Estimating out-of-hospital mortality due to myocardial infarction.

We developed a model to estimate out-of-hospital deaths due to Myocardial Infarction (MI), which was based on a detailed database of MI admissions to Pennsylvania hospitals during 1998. Our estimation method addresses the problem of geographical selection bias in inpatient databases, which occurs when MI patients with poor geographic access are undersampled. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to determine travel times between hospitals and patients, based on patients' zip code of residence. Nearness to a hospital was positively associated with in-hospital mortality (P<0.01) and emergency admissions (P<0.01) and negatively associated with out-of-hospital mortality (P<0.01). Model predictions were made for a range of input values and validated using empirical data.
The Future of Computer-Based Interactive Technology for Teaching Individuals with Moderate to Severe Disabilities: Issues Relating to Research and Practice:

There are a number of community adjustment and transition models that indicate individuals with disabilities will require instruction across numerous domains that represent skills such as community literacy, mobility, purchasing, social interactions, and safety. To accomplish the instruction of such skills, community-based activities have been increasingly employed to teach these transition skills. However, the amount of time and the number of community-based learning trials needed for students with moderate to severe disabilities to acquire targeted skills can be in excess of the fiscal resources allotted. To overcome many of the logistical and fiscal problems associated with community-based instruction, educators have developed simulated activities that involve training in non-target environments with materials that simulate the targeted, or natural, settings. These simulated activities may or may not be successful depending on the attention given to strategies that promote generalization. These strateg...
IMPROVED OFF-LINE INTRUSION DETECTION USING A GENETIC ALGORITHM

One of the primary approaches to the increasingly important problem of computer security is the Intrusion Detection System. Various architectures and approaches have been proposed including: Statistical, rule-based approaches; Neural Networks; Immune Systems; Genetic Algorithms; and Genetic Programming. This paper focuses on the development of an off-line Intrusion Detection System to analyze a Sun audit trail file. Off-line intrusion detection can be accomplished by searching audit trail logs of user activities for matches to patterns of events required for known attacks. Because such search is NP-complete, heuristic methods will need to be employed as databases of events and attacks grow. Genetic Algorithms can provide appropriate heuristic search methods. However, balancing the need to detect all possible attacks found in an audit trail with the need to avoid false positives (warnings of attacks that do not exist) is a challenge, given the scalar fitness values required by Genetic Algorithms. This study discusses a fitness function independent of variable parameters to overcome this problem. This fitness function allows the IDS to significantly reduce both its false positive and false negative rate. This paper also describes extending the system to account for the possibility that intrusions are either mutually exclusive or not mutually exclusive.
Framing equity through a closer examination of critical science agency

Science for all has been touted as the primary path to equity in science education in the USA. We argue that without attention to the power imbalances that both create and sustain dominant views of science education; such an approach is not equity-oriented but rather science colonizing. In this manuscript, we draw upon critical views of justice to argue that a more equity-oriented approach to science education focuses on critical science agency (CSA)—using science knowledge and other forms of distributed expertise to redress instances of injustice. Using critical participatory ethnography methodology with a social practice theory lens, we suggest that youth enact forms of CSA by directly incorporating their developing understandings of intersecting scales of injustices into their scientific knowledge and practice in an iterative and generative way. This process enabled the girls to reshape scientific knowledge and authority hierarchies in their science community. Finally, partly due to the disruption of dominant norms of science teaching and learning, the girls in our study utilized and shared expansive expertise enacting CSA. These findings advance our fields’ understanding of CSA, and its potential for pushing science education to be more justice-oriented.
Lumbar Laminectomy in the Outpatient Setting Is Associated With Lower 30-Day Complication Rates:

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objectives:To compare the incidence of complications in patients undergoing single-level and 2-level lumbar laminectomy in either the inpatient or outpatient...
Synthesis and liquid membrane transport properties of photolabile molecular clips based on dithiane-spiro-crown ethers.

[reaction: see text]. Synthesis of novel dithiane-spiro-crown ethers starting from 5,5-di(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dithiane is developed. These compounds can be used as building blocks to assemble photolabile bis-crown ethers via addition to dicarbonyl-containing tethers, e.g., isophthalic aldehyde. It is found that unlike their mono-crown precursors such bidentate bis-crowns are capable of efficient liquid membrane transport of, for example, methyl viologen. The transport can be interrupted photochemically, providing a basis for developing smart light-responsive membranes.
Ultra-high-frequency Ultrasound to Assess Nerve Fascicles in Median Nerve Traumatic Neuroma

A traumatic neuroma is a major cause of persistent neuropathic pain. Diagnostic imaging tools are critical to the success of surgical treatment. Ultra-high-frequency ultrasound is a novel technology that can generate frequencies up to 70 MHz, assessing structures up to 30 μm. We report a unique case of intraoperative use of ultra-high-frequency ultrasound to provide detailed imaging of nerve fascicles, facilitating surgical excision of the mass.
Sinonasal mucosal vasculature in yellow nail syndrome and chronic rhinosinusitis with or without polyps

Background Lymphatic dysfunction is hypothesized to be an underlying factor in the pathophysiology of yellow nail syndrome (YNS) (yellow nails, lymphedema, pleural effusions, and frequently chronic rhinosinusitis [CRS]). It is unclear why some YNS patients develop CRS. We quantified lymphatic and total vasculature of sinonasal mucosa in YNS patients and compared it to controls from CRS patients with (CRSwNP) or without polyps (CRSsNP). Methods Immunohistochemistry was performed on archival sinonasal mucosal samples from 5 patients with YNS and 14 controls with antibodies against podoplanin and CD31, markers of lymphatics. Morphometric assessment was performed on digital images using ImageJ software. Results In YNS, the number of lymphatics/mm2 ranged from 7 to 18/mm2 (controls: 6 to 43/mm2 , p = 0.343), with a mean perimeter between 92 and 201 µm (controls: 42 to 280 µm, p = 0.482). Total vasculature density was higher than lymphatics, ranging between 189 and 1159 vessels/mm2 , average 669 (controls: 139 to 1467/mm2 , average 503, p = 0.257) with smaller average perimeter, 40 to 117 µm, mean 64.8 µm (controls: 42 to 92 µm, mean 65.3 µm, p = 0.965). Lymphatics constituted only a small fragment of the total vasculature, ranging from 1.15% to 4.76%, average 2.34% (controls: 0.81% to 10.58%, average 4.88%, p = 0.156). CRSwNP patients had significantly higher lymphatic density (p = 0.011) and ratio of lymphatics to total vasculature (p = 0.045) than patients with YNS or CRSsNP. Conclusion This is the first histological analysis of sinus mucosa in patients with YNS. Vascular type, density, size, and distribution in the sinonasal mucosa of YNS patients are not statistically significantly different from those of the CRSsNP group. Lymphatic density and ratio to total vasculature is higher in CRSwNP patients.
Safety of Pressurized Intraosseous Blood Infusion Strategies in a Swine Model of Hemorrhagic Shock.

Abstract Background Current guidelines support intraosseous access for trauma resuscitation when intravenous access is not readily available. However, safety of intraosseous blood transfusions with varying degrees of infusion pressure has not been previously characterized. Materials and methods Adult female Yorkshire swine (Sus scrofa; n = 36; mean (M): 80 kg, 95% CI: 78-82 kg) were cannulated and then bled approximately 30% total blood volume. Swine were randomly assigned to proximal humerus intraosseous blood infusion with either Rapid Infuser, or Pressure Bag, or Push-Pull methods (n = 12 each). Flow rates, infusion pressures, vitals, biochemical variables, and pulmonary and renal tissue pathology were contrasted between groups. Results Flow rates were greater for the Push-Pull strategy than Pressure Bag (96.5 mL/min versus 72.6 mL/min, P = 0.02) or Rapid Infuser (96.5 mL/min versus 60 mL/min, P = 0.002) strategies. The pressures generated during the Push-Pull transfusion (3058 mmHg) were greater than the other strategies (≤360 mmHg). After the observation period, plasma-free hemoglobin levels were higher in the Push-Pull strategy than in the Rapid Infuser (40 mg/dL versus 12 mg/dL, P = 0.02) or Pressure Bag (40 mg/dL versus 12 mg/dL, P = 0.01). Groups did not significantly differ in vitals, biochemical variables, or tissue pathology. Conclusions Push-Pull conferred the highest flow rates, but with higher infusion pressures and evidence of intravascular hemolysis. Rapid Infuser and Pressure Bag infusions had no increase from baseline in plasma-free hemoglobin. Pressure Bag infusion was noted to confer an advantage in flow rates over Rapid Infuser. Intraosseous blood transfusion with pressure bags can safely bridge toward central access in the early phases of trauma resuscitation.
Valproic acid treatment rescues injured tissues after traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND No agents that are specifically neuroprotective are currently approved to emergently treat patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The histone deacetylase inhibitor, high-dose valproic acid (VPA) has been shown to have cytoprotective potential in models of combined TBI and hemorrhagic shock, but it has not been tested in an isolated TBI model. We hypothesized that VPA, administered after isolated TBI, will penetrate the injured brain, attenuate the lesion size, and activate prosurvival pathways. METHODS Yorkshire swine were subjected to severe TBI by cortical impact. One hour later, animals were randomized to VPA treatment (150 mg/kg delivered intravenously for 1 hour; n = 4) or control (saline vehicle; n = 4) groups. Seven hours after injury, animals were sacrificed, and brain lesion size was measured. Mass spectrometry imaging was used to visualize and quantitate brain tissue distribution of VPA. Sequential serum samples were assayed for key biomarkers and subjected to proteomic and pathway analysis. RESULTS Brain lesion size was 50% smaller (p = 0.01) in the VPA-treated animals (3,837 ± 948 mm) compared with the controls (1,900 ± 614 mm). Endothelial regions had eightfold higher VPA concentrations than perivascular regions by mass spectrometry imaging, and it readily penetrated the injured brain tissues. Serum glial fibrillary acid protein was significantly lower in the VPA-treated compared with the control animals (p < 0.05). More than 500 proteins were differentially expressed in the brain, and pathway analysis revealed that VPA affected critical modulators of TBI response including calcium signaling pathways, mitochondria metabolism, and biosynthetic machinery. CONCLUSION Valproic acid penetrates injured brain tissues and exerts neuroprotective and prosurvival effects that resulted in a significant reduction in brain lesion size after isolated TBI. Levels of serum biomarkers reflect these changes, which could be useful for monitoring the response of TBI patients during clinical studies.
Unsavory medicine for technological civilization: Introducing ‘Artificial Intelligence & its Discontents’

This is, once again, the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Garvey 2018c). AI, the suite of techniques intended to make machines capable of performing tasks considered ‘intelligent’ when performed by ...
Utilizing systems biology to reveal cellular responses to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ ligand exposure

Abstract Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor that, upon activation by ligands, heterodimerizes with retinoid X receptor (RXR), binds to PPAR response elements (PPREs), and activates transcription of downstream genes. As PPARγ plays a central role in adipogenesis, fatty acid storage, and glucose metabolism, PPARγ-specific pharmaceuticals (e.g., thiazolidinediones) have been developed to treat Type II diabetes and obesity within human populations. However, to our knowledge, no prior studies have concurrently assessed the effects of PPARγ ligand exposure on genome-wide PPARγ binding as well as effects on the transcriptome and lipidome within human cells at biologically active, non-cytotoxic concentrations. In addition to quantifying concentration-dependent effects of ciglitazone (a reference PPARγ agonist) and GW 9662 (a reference PPARγ antagonist) on human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cell viability, PPARγ abundance in situ, and neutral lipids, HepG2 cells were exposed to either vehicle (0.1% DMSO), ciglitazone, or GW 9662 for up to 24 h, and then harvested for 1) chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) to identify PPARγ-bound regions across the entire genome, 2) mRNA-sequencing (mRNA-seq) to identify potential impacts on the transcriptome, and 3) lipidomics to identify potential alterations in lipid profiles. Following exposure to ciglitazone and GW 9662, we found that PPARγ levels were not significantly different after 2–8 h of exposure. While ciglitazone and GW 9662 resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in neutral lipids, the magnitude and localization of PPARγ-bound regions across the genome (as identified by ChIP-seq) did not vary by treatment. However, mRNA-seq and lipidomics revealed that exposure of HepG2 cells to ciglitazone and GW 9662 resulted in significant, treatment-specific effects on the transcriptome and lipidome. Overall, our findings suggest that exposure of human cells to PPARγ ligands at biologically active, non-cytotoxic concentrations results in toxicity that may be driven by a combination of both PPARγ-dependent and PPARγ-independent mechanisms.
Role of IQGAP1 in Carcinogenesis

Scaffolding proteins can play important roles in cell signaling transduction. IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) influences many cellular activities by scaffolding multiple key signaling pathways, including ones involved in carcinogenesis. Two decades of studies provide evidence that IQGAP1 plays an essential role in promoting cancer development. IQGAP1 is overexpressed in many types of cancer, and its overexpression in cancer is associated with lower survival of the cancer patient. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the oncogenic roles of IQGAP1. We start by describing the major cancer-related signaling pathways scaffolded by IQGAP1 and their associated cellular activities. We then describe clinical and molecular evidence for the contribution of IQGAP1 in different types of cancers. In the end, we review recent evidence implicating IQGAP1 in tumor-related immune responses. Given the critical role of IQGAP1 in carcinoma development, anti-tumor therapies targeting IQGAP1 or its associated signaling pathways could be beneficial for patients with many types of cancer.
How important are electricity demand charges for cost estimates? An industrial electrification case study

Abstract Electric utilities in the United States often charge industrial users not only for energy, but also for peak power demand, in the form of demand charges that vary substantially across utilities. Cost analyses focused on benchmarking rarely consider the effects of demand charges on overall costs. This analysis uses an illustrative case study to demonstrate the relevance of demand charges for industrial sector cost estimates, in the context of ongoing decarbonization.
Dynamics of Photoisomerization

There has recently been a good deal of theoretical [1–3] and experimental [4–7] interest in activated barrier crossing processes in liquids. The best known model is that of Kramers [8] who derived expressions for the escape of particles over a barrier in various limiting cases. Combining Kramers ideas with recent kinetic theory calculations [1–3] leads to the following general picture. At low friction (viscosity) the rate of barrier crossing increases with viscosity (inertial region) until it turns over and begins to decrease with increasing friction (intermediate friction). Finally at high friction values the rate decreases linearly with increasing friction (Smoluchowski limit region).
Extrauterine pregnancy: A résumé of 103 cases☆

Abstract 1. 1. One hundred and three cases of extrauterine gestation are reported, a five-year hospital incidence of 1 in every 85 pregnancies. 2. 2. From an etiologic viewpoint the following was noted: (a) Presence of a tumor of the fallopian tube. (b) History of infection in 4 cases, macroscopic evidence of infection in 12 cases. (c) History of previous laparotomy in 19 cases. (d) The finding of a period of relative sterility, 19 per cent. 3. 3. Symptoms of ectopic gestation usually occur within nine weeks following the last normal menstrual period. 4. 4. Four cases had had a previous ectopic gestation. 5. 5. Sixty-five per cent of the cases showed a leucocytosis. 6. 6. The Friedman test was negative in 23 per cent of the 13 cases in which it should have been positive. 7. 7. The preoperative diagnosis was correct in 74 per cent of the cases. 8. 8. The predominancy of right-sided extrauterine gestation. 9. 9. Tubal rupture was more frequent than tubal abortion (questionable). 10. 10. Total mortality, 2.91 per cent; operative mortality, 1.96 per cent. 11. 11. Blood transfusion was utilized in 26 per cent of the cases. 12. 12. Three cases of advanced extrauterine pregnancy, one case of combined pregnancy, and one case of primary ovarian pregnancy are included in this series.
Energy and Environment Performance Task

We have presented an overview of the QR STEM project so STEM professional development leaders and teachers reading this have a sense of the big picture, including our goals, methods, and expected outcomes. We now turn to providing a detailed discussion of leading teachers in developing a performance task within the context of energy and environment using the Understanding by Design assessment framework (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005).
Hypertension in pregnancy: toxemia or pheochromocytoma?

Abstract Four cases of pregnancy complicated by pheochromocytoma are presented. The close similarity between pheochromocytoma and other forms of hypertension of pregnancy is discussed and the pitfalls in the differential diagnosis are emphasized. An early differentiation is important to both the maternal and fetal outcome. The current methods of diagnosis are reviewed. The need for a safe, accurate screening test for pheochromocytoma is emphasized. Although pregnancy may obscure the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, it also appears to unmask the biologic activity of the tumor and makes possible its recognition.
Hysteresis compensation in piezoelectric actuator positioning control based on the uncertainty and disturbance estimator

Robust and precise control of piezoelectric actuators is quite challenging due to the existence of strong hysteresis nonlinearities. In this paper, a control strategy is proposed based on the uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE) to improve the performance of the positioning control of piezoelectric actuators. Compared to the existing hysteresis inversion based or other robust control strategies, the UDE-based controller can achieve excellent positioning precision without the knowledge of the bound and shape of hysteresis. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the UDE-based controller, where the system dynamics of the piezoelectric actuator are characterized by a second order linear system preceded by a symmetric or an asymmetric generalized Prandtl-Ishlinskii (GPI) input hysteresis model. The extraordinary capability of the UDE-based controller is further demonstrated on other smart material-based actuators, e.g., magnetostrictive, shape memory alloys (SMA), where the hysteresis is characterized by a saturated GPI model.
'Trifecta' after radical prostatectomy: Is there a standard definition?

Objectives To determine the extent of variability in the definitions of the ‘trifecta’ after radical prostatectomy (undetectable PSA, urinary continence and potency) to be found in the literature. To establish a consensus definition of the trifecta in an effort to standardize criteria and reporting. Materials and Methods A systematic review of published articles found in the PubMed database for the period from January 2003 to March 2012 was performed. The search queries included the keywords ‘radical prostatectomy,’ ‘prostatectomy outcome,’ and ‘trifecta’. Results A total of 86 publications were identified of which 14 were used for analysis. Eight different definitions of biochemical recurrence were reported, the most common definition being PSA ≥0.2 ng/mL. The definition of potency was the most variable. Ten different definitions of potency were found, with the most common being ‘having erections sufficient for intercourse with or without a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor’. Nine different definitions of continence were found. The most common definition of continence was ‘wearing no pads’. Only six of the 14 articles used validated questionnaires in their outcome measures. Conclusions The definitions of trifecta reported in the literature are highly variable. We propose the following consensus definition based on our analysis: (1) PSA >0.2 ng/mL with confirmatory value; (2) attainment of erections sufficient for intercourse with or without oral pharmacological agents; (3) wearing zero pads. This consensus definition should be considered when designing studies and reporting outcomes of radical prostatectomy.
Studies on the Mechanisms of Shear-Induced Platelet Activation

The importance of flow-related phenomena in thrombotic and thrombembolic events has been appreciated by a number of workers for several years. In the last decade, a series of studies have focused specifically on the action of shear stress due to fluid motion on human blood platelets. The shear field may modify the platelet directly, in addition to the role of increasing platelet motion, collision, and contact with solid surfaces. Also, it is clear that both the rates and the extent of response of platelets to various agonists depend heavily on the shear field. A review is available [24], as well as several recent papers [5–7, 21, 25, 35, 37, 44–47].
Executive compensation: Excessive or equitable?

The eighties and nineties have seen much debate about CEO compensation. Critics of CEO compensation support their contention of excessive and inequitable CEO pay based on a number of factors and premises. This paper examines the validity of these arguments. We show why many of these arguments fail to persuade, in part, because they attempt to determine propriety of CEO pay without having a definitive standard for comparison. Arguments based on comparisons between CEO pay and the pay of other individuals or jobs or between CEO pay and firm performance are shown to be an insufficient mechanism to determine the appropriateness of CEO compensation.
What's so special about figs?

Fruit-eating animals regularly prefer to eat figs even when other food is abundant. We propose that high calcium levels contribute to the desirability of figs as food for many forest animals.
Advances in X-Ray Optics —’87

This contribution is the third in a series of review articles, Ceglio [1,2], on recent developments in x-ray optics by the Advanced X-ray Optics Group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and its collaborators. [3] In the past three years significant progress has been made in the development of novel x-ray sources, x-ray optical components, and x-ray detectors.
Aspects of non-equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics: An introduction

A. Remarks These lectures are an introduction to non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. The emphasis will be on quantum statistical mechanics since the microscopic world is quantum mechanLcal and classical statistical mechanics is but an interesting limit. The fundamental tool of quantum statistical mechanics is the density operator, 0, whose time evolution is governed by the yon Neumann equation. Its matrix elements, , describe probabilities as well as correlations in the system. It was first introduced by yon Neumann [I] and Landau [2] in the early years of quantum mechanics.* In a sense a more general quantum mechanics may be formulated by means of this density operator allowing for a description of "mixtures" as well as "pure states". It also has the added appeal of being more directly observable in that it contributes linearly to expectation values rather than in a "quadratic" fashion as the wave function. Mixtures are states of incomplete quantum mechanical knowledge. They form the foundation of quantum statistical mechanics. Just as in classical statistical mechanics in most experiments in a many-body system it is a practical impossibility to determine the maximal quantum mechanical knowledge (the pure state) initially [5].** It must
A New Thermodynamic Parameter to Predict Formation of Solid Solution or Intermetallic Phases in High Entropy Alloys (Postprint)

Abstract A simple thermodynamic criterion is proposed to predict the presence or absence of equilibrium intermetallic phases in a high entropy alloy at a given temperature T. The criterion was verified using 45 currently available HEAs, for which equilibrium phases and respective annealing temperature are reported. The present model shows good correlation with experiment and gives an improved ability to predict formation of solid solution and intermetallic phases compared to earlier models.
Characterizing the Hadley circulation response through regional climate feedbacks

The robust weakening of the tropical atmospheric circulation in projections of anthropogenic warming is associated with substantial changes in regional and global climate. The present study focuses on understanding the response of the annual-mean Hadley circulation from a perspective of interactions between climate feedbacks and tropical circulation. Simulations from an ensemble of coupled ocean–atmosphere models are used to quantify changes in Hadley cell strength in terms of feedbacks, radiative forcing, ocean heat uptake, atmospheric eddies, and gross moist stability. Climate feedbacks are calculated for the model integrations from phase 5 of CMIP (CMIP5) using radiative kernels. Tropical mean circulation is found to be reduced by up to 2.6% K^(−1) for an abrupt quadrupling of carbon dioxide concentration. The weakening is characterized by an increase in gross moist stability, by an increase in eddy heat flux, and by positive extratropical feedbacks, such as those associated with lapse rate and sea ice response. Understanding the impact of radiative feedbacks on the large-scale circulation provides a framework for constraining uncertainty in the dynamic climate response, including the hydrological cycle.
Counterexamples to the poset conjectures of Neggers, Stanley, and Stembridge

We provide the first counterexamples to Neggers' 1978 conjecture and Stembridge's 1997 conjecture that the generating functions for descents and peaks in the linear extensions of naturally labeled posets should have all real zeros. We also provide minimum-sized counterexamples to a generalization of the Neggers conjecture due to Stanley that was recently disproved by Branden.
The well-posedness of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation

The Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation arises in a variety of applications, among which are modeling reaction-diffusion systems, flame-propagation and viscous flow problems. It is considered here, as a prototype to the larger class of generalized Burgers equations: those consist of quadratic nonlinearity and arbitrary linear parabolic part. We show that such equations are well-posed, thus admitting a unique smooth solution, continuously dependent on its initial data. As an attractive alternative to standard energy methods, existence and stability are derived in this case, by “patching” in the large short time solutions without “loss of derivatives”.
Statistical geochemistry reveals disruption in secular lithospheric evolution about 2.5 Gyr ago

Statistical sampling of a large geochemical database reveals a pervasive discontinuity about 2.5 billion years ago, indicating marked changes in mantle and deep-crustal melting, and providing a link between deep Earth processes and the rise of atmospheric oxygen on the Earth. Brenhin Keller and Blaire Schoene apply statistical sampling techniques to a geochemical database of about 70,000 samples from continental igneous rocks to produce a record of secular geochemical evolution throughout Earth's history. They find, superimposed on the expected gradual geochemical evolution attributable to secular cooling of Earth, a pervasive geochemical discontinuity approximately 2.5 billion years ago. This discontinuity is indicative of dramatic decreases in mantle melt fraction in basalts and in deep crustal melting/fractionation indicators. The Archaean/Proterozoic geochemical transition revealed by this analysis coincides with sudden atmospheric oxygenation at the end of the Archaean aeon, providing a temporal link between deep Earth geochemistry and the rise of atmospheric oxygen. The Earth has cooled over the past 4.5 billion years (Gyr) as a result of surface heat loss and declining radiogenic heat production. Igneous geochemistry has been used to understand how changing heat flux influenced Archaean geodynamics1,2, but records of systematic geochemical evolution are complicated by heterogeneity of the rock record and uncertainties regarding selection and preservation bias3,4,5. Here we apply statistical sampling techniques to a geochemical database of about 70,000 samples from the continental igneous rock record to produce a comprehensive record of secular geochemical evolution throughout Earth history. Consistent with secular mantle cooling, compatible and incompatible elements in basalts record gradually decreasing mantle melt fraction through time. Superimposed on this gradual evolution is a pervasive geochemical discontinuity occurring about 2.5 Gyr ago, involving substantial decreases in mantle melt fraction in basalts, and in indicators of deep crustal melting and fractionation, such as Na/K, Eu/Eu* (europium anomaly4) and La/Yb ratios in felsic rocks. Along with an increase in preserved crustal thickness across the Archaean/Proterozoic boundary6,7, these data are consistent with a model in which high-degree Archaean mantle melting produced a thick, mafic lower crust and consequent deep crustal delamination and melting—leading to abundant tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite magmatism and a thin preserved Archaean crust. The coincidence of the observed changes in geochemistry and crustal thickness with stepwise atmospheric oxidation8 at the end of the Archaean eon provides a significant temporal link between deep Earth geochemical processes and the rise of atmospheric oxygen on the Earth.
Role of Kupffer cells in gut ischemia/reperfusion-induced hepatic microvascular dysfunction in mice

Abstract Kupffer cells (KCs) have been implicated in the leukocyte recruitment and microvascular dysfunction associated with liver inflammation. The overall objective of this study was to assess the role of KCs in the leukocyte adhesion and oxidative stress elicited in the liver by gut ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). The accumulation of rhodamine-6G-labeled leukocytes and the number of nonperfused sinusoids (NPS) were monitored (by intravital microscopy) in mouse liver for 1 hour after a 15-minute period of normothermic intestinal ischemia. Autofluorescence of pyridine nucleotide [NAD(P)H] was measured as an index of mitochondrial O2 consumption and redox status. Leukostasis, as well as increases in NPS and NAD(P)H autofluorescence (indicating hypoxia), were observed in the liver at 60 minutes after gut I/R. Pretreatment with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3), which reduces KC function, attenuated the liver leukostasis and NPS elicited by gut I/R. The platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonist, WEB2086, and a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-specific antibody were also effective in attenuating the gut I/R-induced leukostasis and NAD(P)H autofluorescence. The findings of this study suggest that KCs play an important role in mediating the leukocyte recruitment, impaired sinusoidal perfusion, and tissue hypoxia elicited in the liver after gut I/R. These KC-mediated responses appear to involve the participation of both PAF and TNF-alpha. (Hepatology 1997 Dec;26(6):1499-505)
New power relations served here: the growth of food banking in Chicago.

Abstract While some non-profits have suffered under the political and economic pressures of neoliberal urban governance reform, others have emerged as important institutional players in local governance regimes. This article highlights how non-profits food banks in Chicago have commercialized in order to respond to increased demand, enhance their institutional independence from government, and reassert their local dominance in emergency food service delivery. From a food bank member agency perspective, the consolidation of food bank institutional power has produced new bureaucratic limitations, user fees, and increased competition. These shifts reveal the rise of metropolitan food banks as important players in neoliberal urban governance regimes, as they control the conceptualization of hunger, management of poverty, and organization of food distribution systems.
Synthesis of the hamigeran skeleton through an electro-oxidative coupling reaction

Abstract The tricyclic core of the hamigerans has been prepared through the use of a two-step electrochemical benzannulation reaction. The annulation proceeds through an initial conjugate addition of a phenethyl cuprate to 3-methylcyclopentenone with in situ silylation of the resulting enolate. Anodic oxidation effectively couples the pendant arene and the silyl enolether to produce a key intermediate for the synthesis of the natural products. Careful optimization revealed that the use of ‘alcohol-free’ conditions during the electrolysis was critical to obtain high yields of the annulated product. This method allowed the preparation of the tricyclic core of hamigeran A and B in just four steps from commercially available starting materials.
Proliferative arrest of neural cells induces prion protein synthesis, nanotube formation, and cell‐to‐cell contacts

Host prion protein (PrP) is most abundant in neurons where its functions are unclear. PrP mRNA transcripts accumulate at key developmental times linked to cell division arrest and terminal differentiation. We sought to find if proliferative arrest was sufficient to cause an increase in PrP in developing neurons. Rat neuronal precursor cells transduced with the temperature sensitive SV40 T antigen just before terminal differentiation (permissive at 33°C but not at 37.5°C) were analyzed. By 2 days, T antigen was decreased in all cells at 37.5°C, with few DNA synthesizing (BrdU+) cells. Proliferative arrest induced by 37.5°C yielded a 4-fold PrP increase. When combined with reduced serum, a 7-fold increase was found. Within 2 days additional neuritic processes with abundant plasma membrane PrP connected many cells. PrP also concentrated between apposed stationary cells, and on extending growth cones and their filopodia. Stationary cells were maintained for 30 days in their original plate, and they reverted to a proliferating low PrP state at 33°C. Ultrastructural studies confirmed increased nanotubes and adherent junctions between high PrP cells. Additionally, some cells shared cytoplasm and these apparently open regions are likely conduits for the exchange of organelles and viruses that have been observed in living cells. Thus PrP is associated with dynamic recognition and contact functions, and may be involved in the transient formation of neural syncytia at key times in embryogenesis. This system can be used to identify drugs that inhibit the transport and spread of infectious CJD particles through the nervous system.
Electroshock Effects on Brain Protein Synthesis: Relation to Brain Seizures and Retrograde Amnesia

The effects of electroshock on brain seizure activity and brain protein synthesis were studied in male mice. A significant but short-lasting inhibition of brain protein synthesis and an increase in the amount of free leucine were produced by electroshock at intensities above the brain seizure threshold. Electroshock at intensities below the brain seizure threshold did not affect brain protein synthesis.
Effect of lipid-lowering agents, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and calcium antagonists on coronary disease risk

Dyslipidemia is a causative, yet modifiable risk factors for the development of adverse outcomes secondary to coronary artery disease. Recent trials have focused on the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) necessary to achieve maximum reduction in clinical events. Data also exist demonstrating that intensive lowering of LDL-C in patients with unstable angina reduces the incidence of adverse clinical events. The statins appear to be fundamental therapy in patients with established coronary disease as well as a mainstay for those with early evidence of atherosclerosis. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have demonstrated a reduction in ischemic events in patients with heart failure. Recent trials of ACE inhibitors in patients with vascular disease who do not have the traditional indications for ACE inhibition have shown a reversal of endothelial dysfunction and a reduction in adverse clinical endpoints. A role for the use of calcium antagonists in patients with atherosclerosis is less well established, despite the evidence of excellent results in patients with symptomatic coronary disease. A recent clinical trial, using a third-generation dihydropyridine calcium antagonist with novel mechanisms, found promising results with regard to its effects on atherosclerosis
Platelet-Activating Factor Induces TLR4 Expression in Intestinal Epithelial Cells: Implication for the Pathogenesis of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care units, however its pathogenesis is not completely understood. We have previously shown that platelet activating factor (PAF), bacteria and TLR4 are all important factors in the development of NEC. Given that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed at low levels in enterocytes of the mature gastrointestinal tract, but were shown to be aberrantly over-expressed in enterocytes in experimental NEC, we examined the regulation of TLR4 expression and signaling by PAF in intestinal epithelial cells using human and mouse in vitro cell lines, and the ex vivo rat intestinal loop model. In intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) lines, PAF stimulation yielded upregulation of both TLR4 mRNA and protein expression and led to increased IL-8 secretion following stimulation with LPS (in an otherwise LPS minimally responsive cell line). PAF stimulation resulted in increased human TLR4 promoter activation in a dose dependent manner. Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis showed PAF induced STAT3 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation in IEC, and PAF-induced TLR4 expression was inhibited by STAT3 and NFκB Inhibitors. Our findings provide evidence for a mechanism by which PAF augments inflammation in the intestinal epithelium through abnormal TLR4 upregulation, thereby contributing to the intestinal injury of NEC.
Rapid and One-Step Synthesis of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Supported Platinum (Pt/SWNT) Using As-Grown SWNTs through Reduction by Methanol

Synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotube-supported platinum (Pt/SWNT) electrocatalyst using a rapid, one-step reduction of an aqueous PtCl42− solution by methanol is reported. Pt nanoparticles are deposited onto SWNTs within 30 min of vigorous stirring with a small amount of methanol. Efficiency of this synthetic method is as high as 98%, and the mass of the Pt nanoparticles deposited on SWNTs is directly proportional to the initial concentration of the metal ion. Cyclic voltammetric analysis indicates excellent catalytic activity of the Pt/SWNT catalyst for methanol oxidation, with a peak current that is 2.5 times larger than a commercial Pt carbon black catalyst. The Pt/SWNT catalyst also exhibits significantly better activity with respect to oxygen reduction in comparison to the commercial Pt catalyst.
Case Article---KEY Electronics---Sourcing and Warehouse Analysis

KEY Electronics is a consumer electronics retailer that generated $1.4 billion in total revenue in 2008. KEY has a limited retail presence in Mexico, which it would like to expand from 30 stores in 2009 to 70 by year-end 2012. As part of its growth strategy, KEY must 1 improve its current sourcing of products for Mexico and 2 revamp its existing warehouse operations. The KEY Electronics case introduces students to a practical inventory modeling scenario with real-life data, where solutions are not solely based on minimum cost but also qualitative factors. By emphasizing a holistic modeling approach, the case demonstrates the interdependencies between sourcing decisions and facility requirements. KEY Electronics can be taught as an in-class discussion, a case write-up, or a course project. Case Teaching Note: Interested Instructors please see the Instructor Materials page for access to the restricted materials. To maintain the integrity and usefulness of cases published in ITE, unapproved distribution of the case teaching notes and other restricted materials to any other party is prohibited.
New Approach to the Quantized String Theory

A new method is proposed to quantize the dual-string theory. A diffusion equation is derived for the string functional where the area plays the role of the evolution parameter. Some exact string propagators are obtained.
Increased mitotic activity in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of adult C57BL/6J mice exposed to the flurothyl kindling model of epileptogenesis.

Abstract Repeated flurothyl-induced generalized forebrain seizures result in a progressive and permanent lowering of the generalized seizure threshold in mice and an increase in the percentage of animals expressing forebrain–brainstem seizures, when rechallenged with flurothyl, after a stimulation-free period. Since this seizure paradigm serves as an excellent model for examining changes in seizure threshold and seizure propagation, we were interested in examining mitotic activity in hippocampal progenitors following flurothyl-induced epileptogenesis. In the present studies, we investigated (1) the effect of one or eight flurothyl-induced seizures on mitotic activity in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of adult mice measured by 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation, (2) the time course of change in hippocampal mitotic activity, (3) the cellular phenotype of these mitotically active cells, and (4) the relationship of changes in mitotic activity to changes in seizure threshold and phenotype. Significant increases in hippocampal mitotic activity were observed in mice exposed to either one or eight flurothyl-induced seizures. Increases were observed at 1 and 3 days following one seizure, and at 0, 1, 3, and 7 days following eight seizures. Confocal analyses, using neuronal and glial markers, suggest that the majority of these mitotic cells are neurons. In addition, no correlation was observed between hippocampal mitotic activity and the final seizure type that animals expressed following incubation and flurothyl retest. A significant correlation was observed between hippocampal mitotic activity and seizure threshold in flurothyl-kindled mice. Overall, these results indicate that both one and eight flurothyl-induced seizures are potent inducers of hippocampal neurogenesis in adult mice. Results further suggest that the increases in hippocampal neurogenesis are not directly related to the processes that underlie the shift in behavioral seizure phenotype, but may be involved in either the establishment or the maintenance of seizure threshold in this flurothyl model of epileptogenesis.
Nonstationary processes on freshly exposed metal surfaces in various electrolytes

Studies have been made on the nonstationary electrochemical processes at an NFS-auxiliary electrode-solution phase boundary. The maximum shift in the electrode potential and in the current density on interaction with the solution may be largely determined by the electrolyte type and pH. Comparison of measurements and calculations shows that the current density in a galvanic pair when NFS is formed exceeds that in the oxidation of iron alone. It is suggested that at the start of interaction, hydroxyl ions are discharged at a high rate with the formation of oxygen, whose specific contribution to the overall anodic current density is much greater than the current density due to the entry of the iron into solution. The data provide a new interpretation of the corrosion cracking mechanisms for metals in various electrolytes.
Time dependent linear transport via green's functions

Abstract The direct problem for time-dependent energy transport in a two dimensional stratified planar slab is considered. An obliquely incident planar field penetrates the slab at one boundary, and the internal energy intensity distribution is determined. The intensity is represented by the Green's function, so that the problem may be solved in terms of a canonical solution. The representation is simple, and leads to a straightforward numerical algorithm. This paper is the first step in the development of a more comprehensive theory of time-dependent transport via the Green's function representation.