cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comic Aischrology and the Urbanization of Agroikia

In the preceding chapter, Helen Cullyer has lucidly shown just how complex, even contradictory, the concept of agroikia was in ancient Greek culture. On the one hand, the harsh realities of a rural life in antiquity often gave rise to the notion that agroikoi were perennially dyspeptic and incapable of experiencing pleasure; on the other hand, lacking the kind of education and socialization of their urban counterparts, the agroikos was often conceptualized as lacking self-control and so prone to vices of an opposite kind, such as unrestrained indulgence in bodily pleasures or shameful speech. Cullyer is certainly correct, therefore, to see agroikia as a multivalent term that could connote quite different things depending on who was using it, and for what purpose. But one point is perfectly clear: whether the agroikos was conceptualized as a pleasure-seeking rustic boor, or a humorless misanthrope broken by the harshness of rural life, the term itself was rarely actively positive. The word belongs predominantly to the vocabulary of opprobrium and mockery, especially, as Cullyer has shown, among ancient ethicists such as Aristotle and Theophrastus, who found little philosophically or aesthetically appealing about a rustic life. Comments Reprinted from City, Countryside, and the Spatial Organization of Value in Classical Antiquity, edited by Ralph M. Rosen and Ineke Sluiter (Leiden: Brill, 2006), pages 219-238. This book chapter is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/classics_papers/29
Relation Between Pulmonary Venous Flow and Left Atrial Pressure During Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair With the MitraClip

Pulmonary venous (PV) flow may provide valuable information in terms of the severity of mitral regurgitation and left atrial (LA) pressure. We sought to find PV flow determinants of LA pressure during MitraClip procedure. We analyzed 575 PV flows in 290 patients using transesophageal echocardiography before and after MitraClip procedure. We measured peak systolic velocity (Sv), diastolic velocity (Dv), systolic velocity time integral (Svti), diastolic velocity time integral (Dvti), and those systolic to diastolic ratio as PV flow parameters. Systolic PV flow velocity was lower than diastolic PV flow velocity before the procedure, but systolic PV flow velocity markedly increased after the procedure. Peak Sv/Dv ratio and Svti/Dvti ratio after the procedure were significantly higher than those before the procedure (peak Sv/Dv; 1.06 [inter-quartile range (IQR) 0.73 to 1.34] vs 0.32 [IQR 0.03 to 0.55], p <0.001, Svti/Dvti; 1.06 [IQR 0.76 to 1.61] vs 0.26 [IQR 0.02 to 0.51], p <0.001). Peak Sv/Dv ratio and Svti/Dvti ratio were negatively correlated with mean LA pressure and LA pressure V wave, respectively (peak Sv/Dv ratio; r = -0.50 and r = -0.59, Svti/Dvti ratio; r = -0.47 and r = -0.58, p <0.001). In receiver operating characteristics curve assessing the ability of PV flow to predict mean LA pressure ≥20 mm Hg after the successful procedure, the area under the curve of peak Sv/Dv ratio was 0.76 (p <0.001). Peak Sv/Dv ratio <0.98 best predicted LA pressure ≥20 mm Hg with 77% sensitivity and 71% specificity. In conclusion, systolic PV flow velocity immediately increased in response to mitral regurgitation reduction during MitraClip procedure. PV flow velocity, specifically systolic to diastolic ratio, was useful to evaluate invasively determined LA pressure.
Particle-induced viscous fingering: Review and outlook

When a mixture of noncolloidal particles and oil displaces air inside a Hele-Shaw cell, particles accumulate on the interface and cause fingering by generating an unstable viscosity gradient inside the suspension. A review and new data of the fingering onset and evolution are presented.
Reverse Engineering of Split Manufactured Sequential Circuits Using Satisfiability Checking

Split Manufacturing was proposed as a promising strategy to thwart reverse engineering and Trojan insertion at untrusted foundries. However, attack methods based on physical design hints have been proposed to reverse engineer a combinational circuit with Front-End-Of-line (FEOL) layers only. But none of them can guarantee 100% recovery of BEOL signals since no validation can be done during the attack process. In this paper, we introduce an attack flow that can recover 100% BEOL signals for sequential circuits effectively. Our approach shows promising results in attacking sequential circuits without access to flip-flop outputs. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the new attack method on a set of sequential benchmarks from ISCAS-89 and ITC-99 sets which have been widely used in related research. Results show logic equivalence between the original circuit and the recovered circuit for all benchmarks.
The Associations Between Clinical Respiratory Outcomes and Ambient Wildfire Smoke Exposure Among Pediatric Asthma Patients at National Jewish Health, 2012–2015

Wildfires are a growing threat in the United States. At a population level, exposure to ambient wildfire smoke is known to be associated with severe asthma outcomes such as hospitalizations. However, little work has been done on subacute clinical asthma outcomes, especially in sensitive populations. This study retrospectively investigated associations between ambient wildfire smoke exposure and measures of lung function and asthma control, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1) and the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Children's Asthma Control Test (CACT) test scores, during nonurgent clinic visits. The study population consisted of pediatric asthma patients (ages 4-21; n = 1,404 for FEV1 and n = 395 for ACT/CACT) at National Jewish Health, a respiratory referral hospital in Denver, Colorado, and therefore represents a more severe asthma phenotype than the general pediatric asthma population. Wildfire smoke-related PM2.5 at patients' residential ZIP codes was characterized using satellite-derived smoke polygons from NOAA's Hazard Mapping System combined with kriging of ground-based U.S. EPA monitors. Mixed effect models were used to estimate associations between clinical outcomes and smoke PM2.5 exposure, controlling for known risk factors and confounders. Among older children aged 12-21 we found that wildfire PM2.5 was associated with lower FEV1 the next day but higher FEV1 the day after. We found no associations between wildfire PM2.5 and FEV1 in younger children or between wildfire PM2.5 and asthma control measured by the ACT/CACT in all ages. We speculate that rescue medication usage by older children may decrease respiratory symptoms caused by wildfire smoke.
Neurological Disorders Associated with Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Antibodies.

Anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies have been discovered in a variety of neurological syndromes with unique presentations. These syndromes include limbic encephalitis (LE), stiff person syndrome (SPS), opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome, cerebellar ataxia, status epilepticus, and palatal myoclonus among others. We present two patients who presented with Guillain-Barre (GBS) and myasthenia gravis (MG) like syndromes, who were found to have anti-GAD antibodies. These case reports highlight the complex presentation of patients with neurological disorders associated with anti-GAD antibodies. The proper identification of anti-GAD antibody's presence has proven to be beneficial in treatment and provide enhanced quality of life.
Malnutrition increases the 30-day complication and re-operation rates in hip fracture patients treated with total hip arthroplasty:

Introduction:This study sought to determine the effect that malnutrition, defined as hypoalbuminemia, has on hip fracture patients treated with total hip arthroplasty (THA). Specifically, we evalua...
When Smart Devices Are Stupid: Negative Experiences Using Home Smart Devices

Household smart devices – internet-connected thermostats, lights, door locks, and more – have increased greatly in popularity. These devices provide convenience, yet can introduce issues related to safety, security, and usability. To better understand device owners' recent negative experiences with widely deployed smart devices and how those experiences impact the ability to provide a safe environment for users, we conducted an online, survey-based study of 72 participants who have smart devices in their own home. Participants reported struggling to diagnose and recover from power outages and network failures, misattributing some events to hacking. For devices featuring built-in learning, participants reported difficulty avoiding false alarms, communicating complex schedules, and resolving conflicting preferences. Finally, while many smart devices support end-user programming, participants reported fears of breaking the system by writing their own programs. To address these negative experiences, we propose a research agenda for improving the transparency of smart devices.
Axisymmetric granular flow on a bounded conical heap: Kinematics and size segregation

Abstract Free surface flows of granular materials in bounded axisymmetric geometries such as a cylindrical silo are poorly understood. In particular, a detailed description of the local three-dimensional velocity field and predictive models for segregation are lacking. Here, the details of the kinematics of flow in a rising conical heap formed by a centrally fed mixture of spherical particles are investigated using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations in a wedge-shaped geometry with periodic azimuthal boundaries. The dependence of the streamwise and surface normal velocity components on the inlet flow rate and silo radius for size-bidisperse and monodisperse mixtures of glass spheres is characterized. Compared to a wedge with frictional sidewalls, the flowing layer is much thicker on average in the axisymmetric case. Using the scalings for kinematics obtained from the DEM simulations, a modified continuum advection-diffusion-segregation model accurately predicts steady-state segregation for axisymmetric conical heap flows of size-bidisperse mixtures.
Institutional Isomorphism in Organizational Cybersecurity: A Text Analytics Approach

This research examines how organizational cybersecurity responses become isomorphic over time. Drawing on institutional theory, this study theorizes that mimetic pressures, normative pressures, and...
HyperGrid: Efficient Multi-Task Transformers with Grid-wise Decomposable Hyper Projections.

Achieving state-of-the-art performance on natural language understanding tasks typically relies on fine-tuning a fresh model for every task. Consequently, this approach leads to a higher overall parameter cost, along with higher technical maintenance for serving multiple models. Learning a single multi-task model that is able to do well for all the tasks has been a challenging and yet attractive proposition. In this paper, we propose \textsc{HyperGrid}, a new approach for highly effective multi-task learning. The proposed approach is based on a decomposable hypernetwork that learns grid-wise projections that help to specialize regions in weight matrices for different tasks. In order to construct the proposed hypernetwork, our method learns the interactions and composition between a global (task-agnostic) state and a local task-specific state. We apply our proposed \textsc{HyperGrid} on the current state-of-the-art T5 model, demonstrating strong performance across the GLUE and SuperGLUE benchmarks when using only a single multi-task model. Our method helps bridge the gap between fine-tuning and multi-task learning approaches.
Habits of Empire: A History of American Expansion and Seizing Destiny: The Relentless Expansion of American Territory

Review of: "Habits of Empire: A History of American Expansion," by Walter Nugent, and "Seizing Destiny: Relentless Expansion of American Territory," by Richard Kluger.
Time course of the effects of vibration on quadriceps function in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract Quadriceps dysfunction is a common, chronic complication following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) that contributes to aberrant gait biomechanics and poor joint health. Vibration enhances quadriceps function in individuals with ACLR, but the duration of these effects is unknown. This study evaluated the time course of the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) on quadriceps function. Twenty-four volunteers with ACLR completed 3 testing sessions during which quadriceps isometric peak torque, rate of torque development, and EMG amplitude were assessed prior to and immediately, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 min following a WBV, LMV, or control intervention. WBV and LMV (30 Hz, 2g) were applied during six one-minute bouts. WBV increased peak torque 5–11% relative to baseline and control at all post-intervention time points. LMV increased peak torque 6% relative to baseline at 10 min post-intervention and 4–6% relative to control immediately, 10 min, and 20 min post-intervention. The interventions did not influence EMG amplitudes or rate of torque development. The sustained improvements in quadriceps following vibration, especially WBV, suggest that it could be applied at the beginning of rehabilitation sessions to “prime” the central nervous system, potentially improving the efficacy of ACLR rehabilitative exercise.
An Introduction to Undergraduate Research in Computational and Mathematical Biology Edited by Hannah Callender Highlander, Alex Capaldi, and Carrie Diaz Eaton; and A Project-Based Guide to Undergraduate Research in Mathematics. Edited by Pamela Harris, Erik Insko, and Aaron Wootton

Which comes first: the undergraduate research problem or the mentoring style? There are a variety of ways to answer this question. A problem-first strategy may see the mathematics as primary. In ot...
Selection on X1 + X2 + ⋯ + Xm via Cartesian product trees.

Selection on the Cartesian product is a classic problem in computer science. Recently, an optimal algorithm for selection on A + B, based on soft heaps, was introduced. By combining this approach with layer-ordered heaps (LOHs), an algorithm using a balanced binary tree of A + B selections was proposed to perform selection on X1 + X2 + ⋯ + Xm in o(n⋅m + k⋅m), where Xi have length n. Here, that o(n⋅m + k⋅m) algorithm is combined with a novel, optimal LOH-based algorithm for selection on A + B (without a soft heap). Performance of algorithms for selection on X1 + X2 + ⋯ + Xm are compared empirically, demonstrating the benefit of the algorithm proposed here.
Congenital tooth-bearing tumor of the eyelid leading to lacrimal system obstruction.

Abstract Purpose We present an unusual case of a congenital lesion presenting with concomitant chronic dacryocystitis. The clinical presentation, examination, management, and histopathology are reviewed. Observations A healthy male infant born at 37 weeks gestation presented with an isolated painless 5mm congenital mass of the left medial lower eyelid. Parents also reported episodic epiphora and discharge from the left eye. A surgical excision of the mass revealed an underlying dacryocystitis and the presence of a formed tooth. A dacryocystorhinostomy was performed together with a repair of the soft tissue defect. Histopathology revealed components of disorganized epithelial and mesenchymal tissues including a tooth, skeletal muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, nonkeratinized epithelium, and myelinated nerves. A diagnosis of an odontogenic choristoma of the eyelid was made. Furthermore, a lacrimal sac culture was positive for oxacillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus with pathological evidence of chronic dacryocystitis. Conclusions and Importance Odontogenic choristoma is a very rare finding in the periocular region with only a few cases reported in the literature. Awareness of clinical findings from this case may allow for a more accurate clinical diagnosis and understanding of the embryologic mechanisms underpinning eyelid and nasolacrimal development. Timely management of this condition is critical to ensure normal oculofacial development and prevent future complications.
Journalism in the Civil War Era by David W. Bulla and Gregory A. Borchard New York: Peter Lang, 2010, 256 pp. First Hand: Civil War Drawings from the Becker Collection Edited by Judith Bookbinder and Sheila Gallagher Boston: McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College, 2009, 272 pp

(2011). Journalism in the Civil War Era by David W. Bulla and Gregory A. Borchard New York: Peter Lang, 2010, 256 pp. First Hand: Civil War Drawings from the Becker Collection Edited by Judith Bookbinder and Sheila Gallagher Boston: McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College, 2009, 272 pp. American Journalism: Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 126-129.
Lo local, lo global y el mall: la lógica de la exclusión y la interdependencia

This paper plans to describe and analyze the influence of globalization in the localization and working conditions of post-public spaces; using in this case, the example of the mall. In first place, I will discuss different narratives related to the relationship between globalizing tendencies that push towards the homogenization of social structures; and local or heterogenizing tendencies in the world system. Once the literature on globalization is discussed attention will be concentrated in different aspects of the mall industry throughout the world. In first place I will describe two specific mall realities corresponding to two geographical and sociopolitical specificities: The Far East and its scarcity of urban space, and the countries of Eastern Europe in the transition period. Then, I will consider three aspects of the mall industry that transcend regional borders: architectural design, capital for development, and incorporation of local practices. At the end, I will draw a conclusion about the relationship between the contrasting tendencies of local and global, and the impact of this, upon future research on Chilean malls.
Flexibly exploiting prior knowledge in empirical learning

This paper presents a method to incorporate knowledge from possibly imperfect models and domain theories into inductive learning of decision trees for classification. The approach assumes that a model or domain theory reflects useful prior knowledge of the task. Thus the default bias should accept the models predictions as accurate even in the face of somewhat contradictory data which may be unrepresentative or noisy. However our approach allows the system to abandon the model or domain theory, or portions thereof in the fact of sufficiently contradictory data. In particular we use C4.5 to induce decision trees from data that has heen augmented by model or domaintheory-derived features. We weakly bias the system to select model-derived features during decision tree induction but this preference is not dogmatically applied. Our experiments very imperfection in a model the representativeness of data and the veracitv with which model-demed feature are preferred.
Post-spaceflight recovery of biomechanical properties of murine intervertebral discs

Introduction: Prolonged exposure to microgravity during spaceflight is thought to adversely affect the human spine because of reports that disc herniation risk is increased post-spaceflight. The increased herniation risk is highest during the first post-spaceflight year, and gradually subsides thereafter. Consequently, we hypothesized that the biomechanical properties of the intervertebral disc (IVD) deteriorate during spaceflight but then recover after acclimation to normal gravity. To test this hypothesis, we compared the compressive creep properties of caudal IVDs of murine subjects that had returned from a 13-day Shuttle mission (STS-133) to those of ground-based control mice. Methods: Spaceflight (n=6) and control (n=10) groups consisted of 13-week-old, BALB/c mice (11 weeks at launch). Mice were sacrificed +1 day, +5 days, or +7 days after the landing of STS-133. Disc height was measured in situ, and compressive creep rate was fit to a fluid transport model to determine disc biomechanical properties. Results: Compared to controls, spaceflight mice had 12% lower disc height and 21% lower strain-dependence on swelling pressure. Biomechanical properties did not recover significantly over the 7-day post-flight period. Discussion: Biomechanical properties of the murine caudal IVD were diminished by spaceflight, consistent with observations that prolonged exposure to microgravity increases disc herniation risk. These properties did not recover after short-term re-acclimation to 1g loading.
Deposition and mobilization of clay colloids in unsaturated porous media

[1] We report results on the effects of porewater pH and transients in porewater flow on the deposition and mobilization of colloid-sized clay particles within unsaturated sand columns. The deposition rates of illite under steady-flow conditions were essentially independent of pH, while the deposition rates of kaolinite nearly doubled as the pH decreased from 7.4 to 4.6. Mobilization of kaolinite colloids was slow or negligible under steady-flow conditions; however, transients in porewater flow induced rapid colloid release. A model that accounts for rate-limited deposition reactions and that links colloid mobilization to variations in moisture content and porewater velocity describes the effluent colloid concentrations measured during the steady-flow and transient-flow stages of the column experiments. On the basis of these results we infer that the effects of pH on clay-colloid deposition depend on the mineralogy of the clay colloids and that perturbations in flow are critical in mobilizing clay colloids within the vadose zone.
“Chemistry for all, instead of chemistry just for the elite”: Lessons learned from detracked chemistry classrooms

Within the already limited literature on instructional practices in detracked classrooms, there are even fewer research-based studies of detracked science classrooms. This article attempts to address this gap in the research literature, delving into the unique challenges and instructional responses to teaching detracked science. The authors report on a case study of two chemistry teachers' heterogeneous classrooms at a racially diverse, public high school in California, where all students have been required to take chemistry since the school's founding in 1994. The authors highlight the following four beliefs and instructional practices that were instrumental in teachers' successful efforts to teach detracked chemistry classes: (1) teachers' true belief in a developmental conception of ability and intelligence; (2) a focus on an inquiry-based pedagogical approach to chemistry foregrounding real-world contexts; (3) a focus on teaching students study skills; and (4) a strong sense of community in the classroom, where students are held responsible for their own and each other's learning. To illustrate each of these findings, the authors select vivid examples from fieldnotes of classroom observations as well as interviews of teachers and students that make clear how teachers enacted and students experienced these elements in chemistry classrooms. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed91:683–709, 2007
Using cross-dating techniques to validate ages of aurora rockfish ( Sebastes aurora ): estimates of age, growth and female maturity

Since fishery management regulations have shifted much of the groundfish trawl effort in the northeastern Pacific from the continental shelf to the slope, fishery impacts on unassessed demersal slope rockfish species like the aurora rockfish (Sebastes aurora) may have increased. Understanding the life history of these species is a critical first step in developing management strategies to protect them from overharvest. In this study we employ cross-dating methods to validate the annual periodicity of growth increments and investigate the age, growth and maturity of aurora rockfish, a species for which life history information is quite limited. Specimens were collected on an opportunistic basis from Oregon commercial landings and from research cruises, over the years 2003–2006. Age was estimated for 438 individuals using otoliths processed via the break-and-burn method. The maximum estimated age was 118 years for females (n = 324) and 81 years for males (n = 114). The von Bertalanffy growth function showed that males grow faster and reach a smaller maximum size than females (males: L inf = 34, K = 0.09, t 0 = −1.9; females: L inf = 37, K = 0.06, t 0 = −5.5), though both sexes demonstrate relatively slow growth. Visual assessment of ovaries showed that the aurora rockfish is a synchronous spawner with parturition occurring in May and June off Oregon. Female age and length at 50% maturity were calculated at 12.6 years and 26 cm, respectively (n = 307). Maturity and age data provided evidence for a protracted adolescence in this species.
The solubility and isotopic exchange equilibrium for hydrogen isotopes in lithium

Abstract The individual solubilities of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium in lithium have been measured as a function of temperature (700–1000°C) and pressure (0.1 to 760 torr). When the mole fraction of LiH, LiD, or LiT is less than about 0.1 (Sieverts region), the temperature dependence of the individual solubilities can be expressed as ln ( N LiH −1 P H 2 1 2 ) = 9.842 – 6242/T(° K ) , ln ( N LiT −1 P D 2 1 2 ) = 9.515–5644/T(° K ) , and ln ( N LiT −1 P T 2 1 2 ) = 9.226 – 5085/TR(° K ) respectively. In these equations, N is the mole fraction in the liquid phase, P is the equilibrium pressure of the gaseous hydrogen isotope (torr), and T is temperature (°K). The mutual solubilities and isotopic exchange equilibria of hydrogen and deuterium in lithium have been measured at temperatures between 700 and 900°C. Both the total pressure and individual partial pressures of H2, HD, and D2 have been determined as a function of the mole fraction of LiH and LiD in the lithium solution with varying hydrogen-to-deuterium ratios. In the plateau region, the hydrogen and deuterium could be treated as a single chemical species. However, in the Sieverts region the hydrogen and deuterium dissolved independently of each other. The equilibrium isotope exchange constant, K, given by the relationship P D 2 1 2 /P H 2 1 2 = KN LiD /N LiH varied from 1.28 at 700°C to 1.17 at 850°C.
High flux solid-liquid mass transfer

Abstract The effect of large concentration gradients upon the rate of mass transfer from a rotating disc has been measured experimentally and compared with theory. Measured rates were found to agree with the numerical solutions of the variable property, finite interfacial velocity diffusion equation. The data were also compared with approximate perturbation and integral solutions of the diffusion equation. The systems investigated were benzoic acid, potassium bromide, sucrose, and copper sulfate in water. Variations in density, viscosity and diffusivity and the existence of a diffusion-induced interfacial velocity can result in differences between the constant property, zero interfacial velocity and the actual Sherwood numbers as large as a factor of two.
Video small bowel enteroscopy: early experience with a prototype instrument

A commercial grade of India ink was used and prepared in the following manner: Higgins black India (4418) waterproof drawing ink was diluted with sterile bacteriostatic water in a ratio of 5 parts ink to 2 parts water. This was done to allow the ink to pass through a filter more easily. Ink (114 ml) was mixed with 46 ml of water in a 250-ml Vioflex bag. The solution was then passed through a Travenol 5-/-Lm pore size particulate filter into sterile lO-ml vials to remove any large particulate material. The vials were then autoclaved for 40 min. Sterility of opened vials was 2 hours in duration, and unopened vials were considered sterile for 6 months. Colonic injection catheters (Wilson Cook Inc., WinstonSalem, N.C. or Olympus Corporation of America, Lake Success, N.Y.) were used with a 3-ml syringe to inject 0.1 ml of ink into the submucosa at points just proximal and distal or to the right and left of the excised lesion after the polypectomy in order to bracket the area to be re-examined (Fig. lC). If this area is within the reach of a flexible sigmoidoscope, esophageal variceal injection needles can be used.
Extragalactic radio sources, IGM magnetic fields, and AGN‐based energy flows

I review the interconnections between extragalactic radio sources and extragalactic magnetic fields in large-scale structure. I focus on energy flows and magnetic fields arising from AGN-powered radio sources. A new combined Faraday rotation (RM) and galaxy count analysis is described which provides the first Faraday RM test for magnetic field strengths in regions of local cosmological large-scale structure. I also describe both recent and new results that probe intergalactic magnetic fields via faint synchrotron radiation at the lowest detectable levels. Evidence for the cosmologically early generation of significant magnetic fields in galaxy systems is briefly reviewed, including initial results of a new global RM probe out to redshifts greater than 3. In the course of reviewing these new results, I comment on some desirable specifications of next-generation instruments. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Norepinephrine suppresses wound macrophage phagocytic efficiency through alpha- and beta-adrenoreceptor dependent pathways.

Background The systemic response to injury is characterized by massive release of norepinephrine (NE) into the circulation as a result of global sympathetic activation. We have recently demonstrated that NE modulates the recruitment of macrophages to the cutaneous wound. We hypothesized that NE suppresses wound macrophage phagocytic function through canonical adrenergic signaling pathways. Methods Murine wound macrophages were harvested at 5 days after injury and treated with physiologic and pharmacologic dose norepinephrine. Phagocytosis of green fluorescent protein-labeled Escherichia coli was assayed by flow cytometry. The signaling pathways mediating NE modulation of wound macrophage phagocytosis were interrogated by pharmacologic manipulation of alpha- and beta-adrenoreceptors (ARs), intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and protein kinase A (PKA). Tissue specificity was determined by comparison of wound macrophages to splenic macrophages. Results Both physiologic and pharmacologic dose NE suppressed wound macrophage phagocytic efficiency. This effect was mediated by alpha- and beta-ARs in a dose-dependent fashion. Direct stimulation of cAMP-suppressed phagocytic efficiency and blockade of PKA signaling prevented NE-mediated suppression of phagocytic efficiency. Splenic macrophage phagocytic efficiency was less than that of wound macrophages and was not altered by NE. Conclusions NE has a profound immunosuppressive effect on wound macrophage function that is tissue specific and appears to be mediated through adrenergic receptors and their canonical downstream signaling pathway. Attenuation of post-injury immunosuppression represents another potential mechanism by which beta-AR blockade may reduce morbidity and mortality after severe injury.
Computer-Based Assessment of Cognitive Abilities: Current Status/Future Directions

Rapid advances in the computer industry and the concomitant knowledge explosion have created a revolution in the information handling electronics industry. The continued proliferation of computer technology in the educational environment appears inevitable. There seems to be little doubt that recent advances in educational technology will have important consequences for educational institutions at all levels during the coming decades. Students, teachers, and administrators alike have already come to rely on bibliographic and statistical data bases, automated dictionaries, micrographic storage and retrieval systems, and specialized interactive cable and videotext systems for information access. Despite the impact of computer technology in the school environment, guidelines for planning and developing useable software for assessing cognitive abilities has warranted little attention in educational literature. This article suggests that computer-based support systems are now available which could be instrumen...
Reducing physical inactivity and promoting active living: from the voices of East African immigrant adolescent girls

Little is known about the beliefs, desires, and barriers related to physical activity of East African adolescent girls. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences with and beliefs about physical activity of East African adolescent female participants and suggestions for promoting active living. A phenomenological research design was employed, which included semi-structured interviews with East African adolescent girls (n = 19) 12–18 years of age. Deductive and inductive content analysis revealed that East African girls desired to be physically active and perceived a wide range of physical activities to be culturally relevant and desirable, yet faced an array of personal, social, environmental, and cultural barriers to active living. To help increase physical activity, many culturally relevant programming strategies that align closely with the characteristics of optimal positive youth development settings outlined by the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine were offered by the ...
Osteochondrosis in fetuses of ewes overfed calcium.

Ewes were fedad libitum (up to maximum of 2.5 kg/day) a complete feed containing either 1.52% calcium (High Ca) or 0.59% calcium (Normal Ca) on a dry matter basis from day 50 of pregnancy, and the fetuses were removed at 133–135 days. Thyroid C cells, identified by indirect immunofluorescence, were more numerous (P<0.001) and plasma levels of 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [24,25(OH)2D] were higher (P<0.09) in fetuses of High Ca ewes. These fetuses also had retarded cartilage differentiation in the proximal humeral epiphysis and metaphysis as well as transverse trabeculation in the epiphysis. These entities are two of the hallmarks of osteochondrosis. It was shown that feeding high dietary calcium to pregnant ewes caused osteochondrosis in their fetuses. Hypercalcitoninism and/or an adverse effect of supraphysiological levels of 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol may have been contributory to the skeletal abnormalities.
Black Artistic Invisibility A Black Composer Talking ’Bout Taking Care of the Souls of Black Folk While Losing Much Ground Fast

This article follows a long pattern of works where authors (e.g., Alain Locke, The New Negro; Harold Cruse, The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual; Amiri Baraka, Blues People) write to provide an aesthetic inquiry and examine what constitutes the politics of the documentation of Black concert music and culture (i.e., symphonies, opera, chamber work, etc.). Writings like these have taken a stab as well at American cultural institutions, which have in the past choked and blocked artistic voices of color and consciousness. The author addresses, celebrates, and critiques some current values carried within the traditional institutional culture around Black composers in contemporary concert music. This piece is a historical essay outlining thematic threads and trends in the concert music circles, and it poses questions to the industry and common listeners interested in music who do not yet recognize or celebrate these important and unique artists.
Rapid and accurate calculation of small‐angle scattering profiles using the golden ratio

Calculating the scattering intensity of an N-atom system is a numerically exhausting O(N2) task. A simple approximation technique that scales linearly with the number of atoms is presented. Using an exact expression for the scattering intensity I(q) at a given wavevector q, the rotationally averaged intensity I(q) is computed by evaluating I(q) in several scattering directions. The orientations of the q vectors are taken from a quasi-uniform spherical grid generated by the golden ratio. Using various biomolecules as examples, this technique is compared with an established multipole expansion method. For a given level of speed, the technique is more accurate than the multipole expansion for anisotropically shaped molecules, while comparable in accuracy for globular shapes. The processing time scales sub-linearly in N when the atoms are identical and lie on a lattice. The procedure is easily implemented and should accelerate the analysis of small-angle scattering data.
Development and application of ab initio QM/MM methods for mechanistic simulation of reactions in solution and in enzymes.

Abstract Determining the free energies and mechanisms of chemical reactions in solution and enzymes is a major challenge. For such complex reaction processes, combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method is the most effective simulation method to provide an accurate and efficient theoretical description of the molecular system. The computational costs of ab initio QM methods, however, have limited the application of ab initio QM/MM methods. Recent advances in ab initio QM/MM methods allowed accurate simulation of the free energies for reactions in solution and in enzymes and thus paved the way for broader applications of the ab initio QM/MM methods. We review here the theoretical developments and applications of the ab initio QM/MM methods, focusing on the determination of reaction path and the free energies of the reaction processes in solution and enzymes.
PURCHASING POWER PARITY IN LESS‐DEVELOPED AND TRANSITION ECONOMIES: A REVIEW PAPER

Abstract The concept of purchasing power parity (PPP) has been the subject of numerous studies, many of which have been unable to prove conclusively this core principle of international finance. Although industrialized countries have received most of the attention, studies that focus on less-developed and transition economies have also attained mixed results. This study surveys trends in this branch of the literature, highlighting the econometric advances that have sought to solve this puzzle, while pointing out that more needs to be done to address the reasons that might cause PPP not to hold.
USA corn yields, the El Niñmo and agricultural drought: 1867–1988

The magnitude of spatial and lagged correlation between the sea-surface temperature anomalies of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (El NinMo) and corn yield in the USA is presented. The record is not homogeneous in that the correlation level varies quite strongly over time. The period between 1910 and 1950 shows completely uncorrelated behaviour. In the most recent 40 years the correlation is found to be strongest in the region just south of the Great Lakes in the states of Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana. Correlation maps are presented that show the degree of association for the corn yield in those 41 states for which records are available. For the entire record the highest correlations occur with the sea-surface temperature anomalies appearing after the corn is harvested in September to February of the following year. Since corn yields are a proxy for summer agricultural drought in the central part of the USA, the droughts during the period 1910 to 1950 must have had some other cause.
Subcellular sizing with polarized light spectroscopy

We measure the size distribution of mitochondria in cervical cancer cells using polarized light spectroscopy. We extend this technique to noninvasive skin measurements to distinguish dysplastic and normal tissue based on the particle size distribution.
Relationships among ergot alkaloids, cytochrome P450 activity, and beef steer growth

Determining a grazing animal’s susceptibility to ergot alkaloids has been a research topic for decades. Our objective was to determine if the Promega™ P450-Glo assay could be used to indirectly detect ergot alkaloids or their metabolites in urine of steers. The first experiment validated the effects of ergot alkaloids [0, 20, and 40 μM of ergotamine (ET), dihydroergotamine (DHET), and ergonovine (EN)] on human CYP3A4 using the P450-Glo assay (Promega™ V9800). With this assay, luminescence is directly proportional to CYP450 activity. Relative inhibition of in vitro cytochrome P450 activity was affected (P < 0.001) by an interaction between alkaloids and concentration. That interaction resulted in no concentration effect of EN, but within ET and DHET 20 and 40 µM concentrations inhibited CYP450 activity when compared with controls. In experiment 2, urine was collected from Angus-sired crossbred steers (n = 39; 216 ± 2.6 d of age; 203 ± 1.7 kg) after grazing tall fescue pastures for 105 d. Non-diluted urine was added to the Promega™ P450-Glo assay, and observed inhibition (3.7 % ± 2.7 of control). Urine content of total ergot alkaloids (331.1 ng/mg of creatinine ± 325.7) was determined using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Urine inhibition of CYP450 activity and total alkaloids were correlated (r = -0.31; P < 0.05). Steers were genotyped at CYP450 single nucleotide polymorphism, C994G. Steer genotype affected (P < 0.03) inhibition of CYP450 activity by urine; heterozygous steers had the least amount of CYP450 inhibition suggesting that genotyping cattle may be a method of identifying animals that are susceptible to ergot alkaloids. Although, additional research is needed, we demonstrate that the Promega™ P450-Glo assay is sensitive to ergot alkaloids and urine from steers grazing tall fescue. With some refinement the P450-Glo assay has potential as a tool for screening cattle for their exposure to fescue toxins.
Cost-effective dynamic telepathology in the Mohs surgery laboratory utilizing iChat AV videoconferencing software.

BACKGROUND Dynamic telepathology is the real-time transmission of histologic images from one pathologist to another by means of telecommunications technology. OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine whether dynamic telepathology can be accomplished accurately and inexpensively by use of readily available off-the-shelf consumer products and software. METHODS We attached a standard, consumer-grade, digital video camera to a microscope in the Mohs surgery laboratory and then transmitted via the Internet real-time histologic video images and audio to a consultant dermatopathologist by means of iChat AV videoconferencing software (Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA). In the first part of the study, 20 unknown formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded slides from tumors typically seen in a Mohs practice were evaluated by the consultant dermatopathologist. In the second part of the study, the Mohs surgeon consulted the dermatopathologist on 20 Mohs frozen section slides in which the surgeon had a particular question (e.g., "Is this part of a pilosebaceous unit or is this basal cell carcinoma?"). RESULTS The video images were adequate for pathologic interpretation. There was agreement between conventional light microscopy and dynamic telepathology diagnosis in 19 of 20 tumors. There was complete agreement for all 20 Mohs frozen section consultations. CONCLUSION Dynamic telepathology can be accomplished accurately and inexpensively by use of readily available consumer products and software.
Glutamine synthetase deadenylylation: A phosphorolytic reaction yielding ADP as nucleotide product

Abstract Previous studies showed that in Escherichia coli detachment of adenylyl groups from the adenylylated form of glutamine synthetase is catalyzed by a complex deadenylylation enzyme system composed of at least two protein components, and is activated by α-ketoglutarate, ATP and UTP. It is now found that cleavage of the energy-rich adenylyl-0-tyrosyl bond of adenylylated glutamine synthetase is coupled with the esterification of orthophosphate to form ADP as the deadenylylation product. No deadenylylation occurs in the absence of orthophosphate. When arsenate is substituted for orthophosphate, AMP is the only product of deadenylylation.
“CONVENT THOUGHTS”: AUGUSTA WEBSTER AND THE BODY POLITICS OF THE VICTORIAN CLOISTER

I N AN ESSAY SHE ORIGINALLY published in the Examiner and later reissued in the collection A Housewife's Opinions , the Victorian feminist poet Augusta Webster imaginatively fuses two female figures: the medieval cloistered saint and the saintly, cloistered wife of her own age. Her “Saint Opportune” is a parody, the life of a most “unobtrusive saint,” whose name (taken from a street in Poitiers) is “the epitome of her virtues, her charter of beatification” (“Opportune” 203). “In all things always acceptable,” Saint Opportune “was, of course, not a martyr,” because “in her day anybody could have been that, and her grace was an exceptional one” (203–04). Rather, she led “an existence of honourable safety” (204), being a child so trouble-free that her clothes always fitted just right, and “she neither lagged behind her teachers' hopes nor prematurely outshot their skill” (206), “a girl about whom it was remarkable that she never was remarked” (208), eventually becoming medieval version of the Victorian domestic saint: St. Opportune's career as a wife was the perfect accomplishment of the highest auguries of her youth. No matter at what moment of unpunctuality her husband came in bent upon his dinner, whether a quarter of an hour before time or three-quarters of an hour behind, the soup was steaming ready in the tureen, the boiled fish firm and flaky or the fried fish at the evanescent perfect phase of crispness, the joint done to a turn as he liked it, the entrees at their harmonious prime, nothing soddened, nothing hurried, all ready and right with no too much and no too little, according to the variable standard of the tastes of the master of the house. (210) Capping her career of “inspired unobtrusiveness” (208), Saint Opportune withdraws to a convent when her first wrinkle appears (so her husband can be remarried to “a damsel of pleasing aspect who reminded him of her in her fairer days” [211]), only to die soon afterwards so as to oblige her order: She did not live long in the cloister. A neighbouring convent lost a nun of great sanctity, who on her burial began working miracles. St. Opportune's convent, till then the leading one in those parts, was much mortified but saw no remedy. St. Opportune at once died and instantly worked a miracle. What that miracle was this investigator has failed to discover; but it restored the convent to its former supremacy and proved to all after ages the right of St. Opportune to beatification. (212)
A completely automatic segmentation method for breast ultrasound images using region growing

In this paper, we propose a fully automatic segmentation algorithm of masses on breast ultrasound images by using region growing technique. First, a seed point is selected automatically from the mass region based on both textural features and spatial features. Then, from the selected seed point, a region growing algorithm based on neutrosophic logic is implemented. The whole algorithm needs no manual intervention at all and is completely automatic. Experiment results show that the proposed segmentation algorithm is efficient in both selecting seed point and segmenting region of interests (ROIs).
Proton Donor Acidity Controls Selectivity in Nonaromatic Nitrogen Heterocycle Synthesis

Piperidines are prevalent in natural products and pharmaceutical agents and are important synthetic targets for drug discovery and development. We report on a methodology that provides highly substituted piperidine derivatives with regiochemistry selectively tunable by varying the strength of acid used in the reaction. Readily available starting materials are first converted to dihydropyridines via a cascade reaction initiated by rhodium-catalyzed carbon-hydrogen bond activation. Subsequent divergent regio- and diastereoselective protonation of the dihydropyridines under either kinetic or thermodynamic control provides two distinct iminium ion intermediates that then undergo highly diastereoselective nucleophilic additions. X-ray structural characterization of both the kinetically and thermodynamically favored iminium ions along with density functional theory calculations provide a theoretical underpinning for the high selectivities achieved for the reaction sequences.