cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurosurgical applications of ion beams

Abstract The program at Donner Pavilion has applied nuclear medicine research to the diagnosis and radiosurgical treatment of life-threatening intracranial vascular disorders that affect more than half a million Americans. Stereotactic heavy-charged-particle Bragg peak radiosurgery, using narrow beams of heavy ions, demonstrates superior biological and physical characteristics in brain over X-and γ-rays, viz., improved dose distribution in the Bragg peak and sharp lateral and distal borders and less scattering of the beam. Examination of CNS tissue response and alteration of cerebral blood-flow dynamics related to heavy-ion Bragg peak radiosurgery is carried out using three-dimensional treatment planning and quantitative imaging utilizing cerebral angiography, computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cine-CT, xenon X-ray CT and positron emission tomography (PET). Also under examination are the physical properties of narrow heavy-ion beams for improving methods of dose delivery and dose distribution and for establishing clinical RBE/LET and dose-response relationships for human CNS tissues. Based on the evaluation and treatment with stereotactically directed narrow beams of heavy charged particles of over 300 patients, with cerebral angiography, CT scanning and MRI and PET scanning of selected patients, plus extensive clinical and neuroradiological followup, it appears that Stereotactic charged-particle Bragg peak radiosurgery obliterates intracranial arteriovenous malformations or protects against rebleeding with reduced morbidity and no mortality. Discussion will include the method of evaluation, the clinical research protocol, the Stereotactic neuroradiological preparation, treatment planning, the radiosurgery procedure and the protocol for followup. Emphasis will be placed on the neurological results, including the neuroradiological and clinical response and early and late delayed injury in brain leading to complications (including vasogenic edema, arterial occlusion, venous thrombosis and radiation necrosis). Clinical results in both children and adults will be illustrated and health outcome will be related to the advantages of charged-particle treatment planning, the radiosurgical procedure, dose distribution and dose localization.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TREAD ELEMENT FLEXIBILITY TO THIN FILM WET TRACTION

Abstract An analysis is presented for the action of individual tire tread elements on polished sections of pavement covered by thin fluid films. Tread element flexibility, wheel slip, and time‐dependent loading are incorporated. The effect of the lateral expansion of tread elements on groove closure is also studied.
Identification of a Physiologically Relevant Endogenous Ligand for PPARα in Liver

The nuclear receptor PPARalpha is activated by drugs to treat human disorders of lipid metabolism. Its endogenous ligand is unknown. PPARalpha-dependent gene expression is impaired with inactivation of fatty acid synthase (FAS), suggesting that FAS is involved in generation of a PPARalpha ligand. Here we demonstrate the FAS-dependent presence of a phospholipid bound to PPARalpha isolated from mouse liver. Binding was increased under conditions that induce FAS activity and displaced by systemic injection of a PPARalpha agonist. Mass spectrometry identified the species as 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (16:0/18:1-GPC). Knockdown of Cept1, required for phosphatidylcholine synthesis, suppressed PPARalpha-dependent gene expression. Interaction of 16:0/18:1-GPC with the PPARalpha ligand-binding domain and coactivator peptide motifs was comparable to PPARalpha agonists, but interactions with PPARdelta were weak and none were detected with PPARgamma. Portal vein infusion of 16:0/18:1-GPC induced PPARalpha-dependent gene expression and decreased hepatic steatosis. These data suggest that 16:0/18:1-GPC is a physiologically relevant endogenous PPARalpha ligand.
FACTORS RELATING TO THE VIRULENCE OF STAPHYLOCOCCI II. OBSERVATIONS ON FOUR MOUSE-PATHOGENIC STRAINS

Four clumping factor-negative strains of Staphylococcus aureus were found to closely resemble the diffuse colonial variant of the Smith strain. All produced fatal intraperitoneal infections in mice, all grew in diffuse, streaming colonies in plasma or serum soft agar, and all behaved like encapsulated microorganisms in in vitro opsonic systems. These staphylococci were resistant to phagocytosis in the peritoneal cavities of normal mice. When mice were immunized with heat-killed vaccines prepared from the Smith diffuse variant these strains were rapidly ingested by peritoneal leukocytes and the animals survived. This observation suggests that these strains share the same or a similar phagocytosis-retarding antigen. While most pathogenic staphylococci isolated from human material do not behave like these unusual mouse-virulent strains, indirect evidence is cited to support the suggestion that other staphylococci may acquire similar phagocytosis-resisting characteristics during in vivo multiplication. Studies to support or refute this thesis are in progress.
Anger/frustration, task persistence, and conduct problems in childhood: a behavioral genetic analysis.

Background—Individual differences in conduct problems arise in part from proneness to anger/ frustration and poor self-regulation of behavior. However, the genetic and environmental etiology of these connections is not known. Method—Using a twin design, we examined genetic and environmental covariation underlying the well-documented correlations between anger/frustration, poor attention regulation (i.e., task persistence), and conduct problems in childhood. Participants included 105 pairs of MZ twins and 154 pairs of same-sex DZ twins (4–8 year olds). Independent observers rated child persistence and affect based on behavior during a challenging in-home cognitive and literacy assessment. Teachers and parents provided reports of conduct problems. Results—Persistence, anger/frustration, and conduct problems included moderate heritable and nonshared environmental variance; conduct problems included moderate shared environmental variance as well. Persistence and anger/frustration had independent genetic covariance with conduct problems and nonshared environmental covariance with each other. Conclusions—The findings indicate genetically distinct though inter-related influences linking affective and self-regulatory aspects of temperament with behavior problems in childhood.
Mothers’ and adolescents’ perceptions of AIDS vulnerability:

The authors examined perceived vulnerability to AIDS among mothers and adolescents. One hundred and eleven mother-adolescent dyads of Latino descent participated in the study, completing questionnaires about perceived AIDS vulnerability, exposure to people with AIDS, AIDS knowledge, and mother-adolescent communication about AIDS and sexuality. Mothers reported lower levels of AIDS vulnerability than did their adolescents, although mothers were more knowledgeable about AIDS than were their adolescents. The results of this study have implications for the role of perceived vulnerability in health behaviour models and for future interventions aimed at preventing HIV in adolescents.
Column: AT Education Listserv Highlights

The following is a brief review of selected topics discussed on the Athletic Training Education listserv. It is not necessary to be a member of this listserv to access the archived messages and discussions. To view this listserv, to go http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/athletic_training_education. To post messages you must join the listserv.
Epiphytic macrolichens of the greater Cincinnati metropolitan area—part II: distribution, diversity and urban ecology

The contributions of both biotic and abiotic factors to the "urban" effect on the ecology of epiphytic macrolichens of the greater Cincinnati, Ohio metropolitan area were evaluated. Abundance, as percent cover, and several diversity indices were used to evaluate the distribution of these lichens among urban and non-urban (both rural and suburban) sites. The measures of diversity examined in this study include species richness, the Shannon-Wiener index, evenness, Simpson's index and the Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP). A significant difference in abundance and diversity among the eleven study sites was established. This significance was maintained when the sites were grouped into urban vs. non-urban classes. It was found that the diversity of the epiphytic lichens examined in this study was associated with tree species, tree size and annual vehicle traffic, but not with human population density of the study site, or side of the tree observed (cardinal direction). Finally a comparative review was performed of epiphytic urban lichens as reported in a sampling of published surveys from North America.
Man portable power needs of the 21st century: I. Applications for the dismounted soldier. II. Enhanced capabilities through the use of hybrid power sources

Abstract The Army is facing a number of challenges now and in the future. One of the major challenges is in the power sources arena. As the Army continues to move toward digitizing the battlefield, the need for portable power is increasingly becoming a technological hurdle that must be overcome in order for a soldier to exercise his electronics capabilities without being overburdened by the power sources size, weight and operating/logistical costs. Advanced electronic devices are becoming a critical piece of the soldier's personal battlefield equipment. A soldier with the latest version of the Single-Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) is one of the most dangerous weapon systems on the modern battlefield. The ability to accurately navigate and communicate multiplies the soldier's advantage over a less electronic capable enemy. Keeping his personal electronics operational is crucial to giving the soldier the capability to complete his mission successfully. Inherent in keeping the electronic equipment operating is keeping it supplied with batteries. Due to the increased emphasis placed on the modern soldiers electronic equipment, the importance of the portage of the power sources needed to keep this equipment operational has also increased. Recent efforts have focused on hybrid power sources that may enhance discussed capabilities by taking advantage of both high energy sources and high power systems for intermittent power application. This development could lead to a power source with enough energy to meet the Army's preference for a 72-h mission life before the need for resupply.
Hybrid Coronary Revascularization

Hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) is a treatment strategy for revascularization of multi-vessel coronary artery disease that utilizes minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) techniques in conjunction with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), integrating the advantages of both. The long-term symptom relief and survival benefit of an internal mammary artery (IMA) graft to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery are attained in this approach, as well as the durability of PCI with drug-eluting stents (DES) to non-LAD targets. This chapter will review the range of minimally invasive surgical techniques that form the basis of the surgical leg of HCR, address pharmacologic issues unique to HCR, and finally to review logistical considerations in the sequencing of each leg of HCR, surgical and percutaneous.
A comparative study of five immunologic pregnancy tests: an analysis of 1,863 cases.

An analysis of 1863 cases in a comparative study of 5 immunologic pregnancy tests is presented. 724 of the 1863 urine specimens were specifically selected because of interfering substance in the specimen or because of a clinical state capable of causing such substances to be excreted. The specimens were subjected to 2 hemagglutination-inhibition tube tests (UCG - urine chorionic gonadotropin - and Pregnosticon) 2 latex agglutination-inhibition slide tests (Gravindex and Pregnosticon) and a direct latex agglutination slide test (DAP). Maximum accuracies based on correct test results in uncomplicated first trimester pregnancies and a control group of nonpregnant patients were 98.8% for Pregnosticon tube test 98.6% for the UCG test 96.7% for the Pregnosticon slide test 93.8% for the Gravindex test and 93.2% for the DAP test. These results demonstrate greater sensitivity of tube tests and therefore indicate that tube tests should be used for all patients having elective gynecologic surgery or curettage in the childbearing period. Of the 3 slide tests the Pregnosticon slide test gave the least number of false positive results. Most false positive or inconclusive latex agglutination-inhibition results were related to protein or blood in the urine specimens.
Financial Reporting Discussions and Debates: A Series of Review Tasks

These instructional materials are positioned to be a useful means for reviewing certain aspects of financial reporting. They are purposeful, yet a bit playful; discussion-oriented, yet focused on the important dimensions of the financial reporting world. In particular, the six tasks presented pertain to: The nature of the different sets of books companies keep in order to comply with external financial reporting requirements, income tax laws, and internal operating decision-making needs; Seven recurring components of a typical corporate annual report; Foundational accounting concepts; Perspectives of various constituencies regarding the financial reporting standards-making process; The issue undergirding the adoption of international financial reporting standards; Highlight several contemporary, hot-button financial reporting issues.
Human Capital and the Growth of the Roman Economy

Over the past 50 years economists have increasingly emphasized investment in human capital as a fundamental cause of sustained economic growth, because investments in education, training and health make the labor force more productive. This paper examines Roman education and training, and argues that Roman investment in human capital was higher in the early empire that at any time in Europe before 1500 CE, but noticeably lower than in the fastest growing economies of the early modern era (e.g., the Netherlands).
Low-cost computing and network communication for a point-of-care device to perform a 3-part leukocyte differential

Point-of-care approaches for 3-part leukocyte differentials (granulocyte, monocyte, and lymphocyte), traditionally performed using a hematology analyzer within a panel of tests called a complete blood count (CBC), are essential not only to reduce cost but to provide faster results in low resource areas. Recent developments in lab-on-a-chip devices have shown promise in reducing the size and reagents used, relating to a decrease in overall cost. Furthermore, smartphone diagnostic approaches have shown much promise in the area of point-of-care diagnostics, but the relatively high per-unit cost may limit their utility in some settings. We present here a method to reduce computing cost of a simple epi-fluorescence imaging system using a Raspberry Pi (single-board computer, <$40) to perform a 3-part leukocyte differential comparable to results from a hematology analyzer. This system uses a USB color camera in conjunction with a leukocyte-selective vital dye (acridine orange) in order to determine a leukocyte count and differential from a low volume (<20 microliters) of whole blood obtained via fingerstick. Additionally, the system utilizes a "cloud-based" approach to send image data from the Raspberry Pi to a main server and return results back to the user, exporting the bulk of the computational requirements. Six images were acquired per minute with up to 200 cells per field of view. Preliminary results showed that the differential count varied significantly in monocytes with a 1 minute time difference indicating the importance of time-gating to produce an accurate/consist differential.
Mechanosensitive tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin and focal adhesion kinase in tracheal smooth muscle

We investigated the role of the integrin-associated proteins focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin as mediators of mechanosensitive signal transduction in tracheal smooth muscle. In muscle strips contracted isometrically with ACh, we observed higher levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin at the optimal muscle length (Lo) than at shorter muscle lengths of 0.5 or 0.75 Lo. Paxillin phosphorylation was also length sensitive in muscles activated by K+ depolarization and adjusted rapidly to changes in muscle length imposed after contractile activation by either ACh or K+ depolarization. Ca2+ depletion did not affect the length sensitivity of paxillin and FAK phosphorylation in muscles activated with ACh, indicating that the mechanotransduction process can be mediated by a Ca2+-independent pathway. Since Ca2+-depleted muscles do not generate significant active tension, this suggests that the mechanotransduction mechanism is sensitive to muscle length rather than tension. We conclude that FAK and paxillin participate in an integrin-mediated mechanotransduction process in tracheal smooth muscle. We propose that this pathway may initiate alterations in smooth muscle cell structure and contractility via the remodeling of actin filaments and/or via the mechanosensitive regulation of signaling molecules involved in contractile protein activation.
Rh Thin-Film Nanocatalysts as Chemical Sensors — The Hot Electron Effect

Ultra-thin-film 5 nm Rh/TiOx and Rh/GaN catalytic metal−semiconductor Schottky nanodiodes were fabricated using dc magnetron reactive sputtering, rapid thermal annealing, and electron beam evaporation. The diode barrier heights were characterized in different gas mixtures using current−voltage measurements. Barrier heights were found to vary with the local gas composition for Rh/TiOx nanodiodes but did not vary with gas composition for Rh/GaN nanodiodes. The nanodiodes were also studied during the oxidation of CO by O2 and during the oxidation of CO by NO using chemicurrent measurements and gas chromatography. The hot electron chemicurrent was determined from the current in situ during reaction and the thermoelectric current measured in oxidizing conditions. Similar activation energies were measured from both the chemicurrent and gas chromatography, which indicates a correlation between hot electron chemicurrent and catalytic activity.
Responses of Spartina alterniflora to Multiple Stressors: Changing Precipitation Patterns, Accelerated Sea Level Rise, and Nutrient Enrichment

Coastal wetlands, well recognized for their ecosystem services, have faced many threats throughout the USA and elsewhere. While managers require good information on the net impact of these combined stressors on wetlands, little such information exists. We conducted a 4-month mesocosm study to analyze the multiple stressor effects of precipitation changes, sea level rise, and eutrophication on the salt marsh plant Spartina alterniflora. Pots containing plants in an organic soil matrix were positioned in tanks and received Narragansett Bay (RI, USA) water. The study simulated three precipitation levels (ambient daily rain, biweekly storm, and drought), three levels of tidal inundations (high (15 cm below mean high water (MHW)), mean (MHW), and low (15 cm above MHW)), and two nutrient enrichment levels (unenriched and nutrient-enriched bay water). Our results demonstrate that storm and drought stressors led to significantly less above- and belowground biomass than those in ambient rain conditions. Plants that were flooded at high inundation had less belowground biomass, fine roots, and shoots. Nutrients had no detectable effect on aboveground biomass, but the enriched pots had higher stem counts and more fine roots than unenriched pots, in addition to greater CO2 emission rates; however, the unenriched pots had significantly more coarse roots and rhizomes, which help to build peat in organogenic marshes. These results suggest that multiple stressors of altered precipitation, sea level rise, and nutrient enrichment would lead to reduced marsh sustainability.
Nitroglycerin relaxes rat tail artery primarily by lowering Ca2+ sensitivity and partially by repolarization

At least five mechanisms are hypothesized to account for guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP)-induced relaxation of arterial smooth muscle : 1) repolarization, 2) inhibition of Ca 2+ release, 3) inactivation of L-type Ca 2+ channels, 4) enhancement of Ca 2+ efflux/sequestration, and 5) decreasing the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) sensitivity of force. The goal of this study was to investigate the physiological relevance of these five mechanisms in the intact rat tail artery. We stimulated deendothelialized rat tail artery with phenylephrine or high extracellular K + concentration ([K + ] o ) and then relaxed the tissue by adding nitroglycerin to increase guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate concentration. We measured membrane potential(E m ) with microelectrodes, [Ca 2+ ] i with fura 2, and isometric force with a strain-gauge transducer. We found that decreases in the [Ca 2+ ] i sensitivity of force accounted for most of the nitroglycerin-induced relaxation of tissues prestimulated with maximal (1 μM) phenylephrine or 30 mM [K + ] o . In submaximally (0.1-0.3 μM) phenylephrine-prestimulated tissues, nitroglycerin-induced relaxation was caused primarily by a decrease in the [Ca 2+ ] i sensitivity of force and partially by repolarization and the resultant decrease in [Ca 2+ ] i . Nitroglycerin also partially attenuated transient increases in [Ca 2+ ] i and force induced by 100 μM phenylephrine in the absence of extracellular Ca 2+ , indicating that nitroglycerin also inhibited intracellular Ca 2+ release. Nitroglycerin-induced relaxation was not associated with inactivation of Ca 2+ channels or enhancement of Ca 2+ efflux/sequestration. These data suggest that nitroglycerin relaxes precontracted rat tail artery primarily by decreasing the [Ca 2+ ] i sensitivity of force.
SEPTORHINOPLASTY: Form Versus Function

Septorhinoplasty is the most difficult and complicated procedure in facial plastic surgery. Because of the complex interdependency of the anatomical parts, alteration of one may have an impact on another. Three-dimensional relationships are important, as is the maintenance of a proper framework for the internal and external nose. Form and function are completely interwoven in septorhinoplasty.
Diagnosis and treatment of thrombocythemia in myeloproliferative disorders.

Myeloproliferative disorders originate in the clonal expansion of a transformed pluripotential hematopoietic progenitor cell. This results in a group of syndromes that include polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia,
Teaching Note: Ethnic Sharing: Laying the Foundation for Culturally Informed Practice With BSW Students

This article describes the use of ethnic sharing, a structured, narrative exercise designed to increase cultural competence among students in social work programs. The premise of this facilitated exercise is that self-awareness and cultural awareness create the foundation for culturally informed practice. Twenty-five BSW students from diverse backgrounds participated in this guided group learning session and experienced brief cultural immersion. A content analysis of participant feedback about the exercise indicated that students engaged in self-examination, gained cultural awareness, and demonstrated a beginning understanding of culturally informed practice. Analyzing the students' written responses according to a phenomenological perspective revealed the following themes: (a) Don't stereotype or make assumptions, (b) remain open minded and refrain from making judgments, and (c) be aware of cross-cultural similarities and differences. The utility of ethnic sharing as an experiential learning exercise for...
The Final Crisis of the Stuart Monarchy: The Revolutions of 1688–91 in their British, Atlantic and European Contexts. Edited by Tim Harris and Stephen Taylor. (Woodbridge, United Kingdom: Boydell Press, 2013. Pp. ix, 315. $115.00.)

This original and engaging volume by eleven specialists in the field represents the first collaborative attempt to analyze the 1688 Revolution in its broadest historical context. Encompassing high ...
Why women are dying from unsafe abortion : narratives of Ghanaian abortion providers : original research article

In Ghana, despite the availability of safe, legally permissible abortion services, high rates of morbidity and mortality from unsafe abortion persist. Through interviews with Ghanaian physicians on the front lines of abortion provision, we begin to describe major barriers to widespread safe abortion. Their stories illustrate the life-threatening impact that stigma, financial restraints, and confusion regarding abortion law have on the women of Ghana who seek abortion. They posit that the vast majority of serious abortion complications arise in the setting of clandestine or self-induced second trimester attempts, suggesting that training greater numbers of physicians to perform second trimester abortion is prerequisite to reducing maternal mortality. They also recognized that an adequate supply of abortion providers alone is a necessary but insufficient step toward reducing death from unsafe abortion. Rather, improved accessibility and cultural acceptability of abortion are integral to the actual utilization of safe services. Their insights suggest that any comprehensive plan aimed at reducing maternal mortality must consider avenues that address the multiple dimensions which influence the practice and utilization of safe abortion, especially in the second trimester. Au Ghana, en depit de la disponibilite des services d'avortement surs et autorisees par la loi, des taux eleves de morbidite et de mortalite suite a des avortements persistent. Grâce a des entrevues avec des medecins ghaneens qui jouent un role important dans la dispensation de services d'avortement, nous commencons a decrire les principaux obstacles a l'avortement sans risque generalise. Leurs histoires illustrent l'impact potentiellement mortel que la stigmatisation, les contraintes financieres, et la confusion en ce qui concerne la loi sur l'avortement ont sur les femmes ghaneennes qui recherchent l'avortement. Ils postulentque la grande majorite des complications de l'avortement graves se posent dans le cadre de tentatives clandestines ou autoinduites du deuxieme trimestre, ce qui suggere que la formation de plus grand nombre de medecins pour pratiquer un avortement du second trimestre est une condition prealable a la reduction de la mortalite maternelle. Ils ont egalement reconnu qu'un nombre suffisant des dispensateurs de services d'avortement autonomes est une etape necessaire mais non suffisante a la reduction du deces occasionne par l'avortement dangereux. Plus exactement, une meilleure accessibilite et acceptabilite culturelle de l'avortement font partie integrante de l'utilisation reelle des services non dangereux. Leurs points de vue donnent a penser que toute tentative globale visant a reduire la mortalite maternelle doit envisager des voies qui s'adressent aux multiples dimensions qui influencent la pratique et l'utilisation de l'avortement medicalise, surtout dans le deuxieme trimestre.
The Effect of Real Exchange Rate Volatility on the Trade of Educational Services

This article finds that high levels of real exchange rate volatility between two trading partners significantly decrease the amount of educational services traded. Many academic institutions are actively looking to expand exports of educational services as a means of increasing revenues. Internal policies that reduce real exchange rate uncertainty may help encourage trade of educational services between countries where volatility is high. The discovery that real exchange rate volatility serves as a significant barrier to attracting educational export opportunities to certain countries underscores an obstacle that should and/or could be addressed as academic institutions strive to expand their international enrollments.
Associated Primes and Primary Decomposition

As we have suggested in Chapter 1, the earliest impulse toward the development of what is now commutative algebra came from the desire of the number theorists to make use of unique factorization in rings of integers in number fields other than Q. When it became clear that unique factorization did not always hold, the search for the strongest available alternative began. The theory of primary decomposition is the direct result of that search. Given an ideal I in a Noetherian ring R, the theory identifies a finite set of “associated” prime ideals of R, and tells how to “decompose” I as an intersection of “primary” ideals that are closely connected with these prime ideals. More generally, the theory produces such a set of associated primes and a decomposition of any submodule of a finitely generated R-module.
Purification, Biochemical Characterization and Comparative Enzyme Kinetics of Recombinant Human CYP2D6 1 and CYP2D6 2 Variants

Several dozen human drug-metabolizing enzyme (DME) genetic polymorphisms have been characterized (Nebert et al 1997; Gonzalez et al 1994). Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6), representing perhaps the first generally recognized polymorphic phase I DME, is involved in the metabolism of more than 50 drugs (Parkinson 1996). In fact, human CYP2D6 may be important in the processing of about 25% of drugs (Benet et al 1996 ntiarrhythmics, antihypertensives, β-blockers, opioids, antipsychotics, and tricyclic antidepressants.
Toward Pragmatic Conservatism

Where do pragmatism and conservatism intersect? What does pragmatism offer conservatives? Following Seth Vannatta, I argue that, as a methodology, pragmatism concerns itself with the situated, the embedded, the contextual, the experiential, the fallible, the social, and the customary. Chief among its concerns is lived experience. It recalls philosophical modes associated with Michael Oakeshott, Edmund Burke, F. A. Hayek, and Russell Kirk. This chapter explains and evaluates Vannatta’s arguments about pragmatism and conservatism with an eye toward animating a pragmatic conservative tradition within libertarianism.
A case of idiopathic eosinophilic pneumonia in a Quarter Horse gelding

Summary A 16-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was presented to the Kansas State Veterinary Health Center for acute onset of diffuse, nonpruritic, generalised and coalescing urticaria. A single dose of dexamethasone resulted in resolution of the urticaria within 24 h; however, 48 h after discharge, he presented with mild colic. The patient was febrile and thoracic ultrasound was abnormal, evidenced by bilateral pleural echogenic irregularities, mild pulmonary consolidation and slight unilateral pleural effusion. Thoracic radiographs also revealed caudoventral soft tissue opacity in the same region of the ultrasonographic abnormalities. Transtracheal wash was performed and broad spectrum antimicrobials initiated. Poor clinical response to therapy and marked peripheral eosinophilia resulted in the necessity for bronchoalveolar lavage, which revealed a predominance of pulmonary eosinophils. A diagnosis of acute idiopathic eosinophilic pneumonia was made. Treatment included a tapering dose of dexamethasone over 4 weeks. Due to incomplete disease resolution, the patient was moved to an alternate environment which resulted in disease resolution.
Design of Experiments: A Key to Successful Innovation

An important theme in this chapter is that the use of statistical methodology, such as design of experiments, can aid innovation. Design of experiments is viewed as part of a process for enabling both breakthrough innovation and incremental innovation, without which Western society will fail to be competitive. Quality engineering technology in general is part of a broader approach to innovation and business improvement called statistical engineering. The most powerful statistical technique in statistical engineering is design of experiments. Several important developments in this field are reviewed, the role of designed experiments in innovation examined, and new developments and applications of the methods discussed.
Implementation of the REACH model of dementia caregiver support in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

The Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregivers Health in the VA (REACH VA) dementia caregiving intervention has been implemented in the VA, in community agencies, and internationally. As identified in the 2013 and 2015 National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease, REACH is being made available to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Implementation activities are carried out by local Public Health Nursing programs operated by Indian Health Service and Tribal Health programs, and Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging funded Tribal Aging program staff already working in each community. The implementation is described using the Fixsen and Blase implementation process model. Cultural, community, health system, and tribe-specific adaptations occur during the six implementation stages of exploration and adoption, program installation, initial implementation, full operation, innovation, and sustainability. Adaptations are made by local staff delivering the program. Implementation challenges in serving AI/AN dementia caregivers include the need to adapt the program to fit the unique communities and the cultural perceptions of dementia and caregiving. Lessons learned highlight the importance of using a clinically successful intervention, the need for support and buy-in from leadership and staff, the fit of the intervention into ongoing routines and practices, the critical role of modifications based on caregiver, staff, and organization needs and feedback, the need for a simple and easily learned intervention, and the critical importance of community receptivity to the services offered.
Comparison of Point Placement by Veterinary Professionals with Different Levels of Acupuncture Training in a Canine Cadaver Model

Abstract Veterinary acupuncture is becoming increasingly implemented for various disease processes, with growing numbers of veterinarians pursuing advanced training to meet the rising demand for this relatively new intervention. Accurate acupoint placement remains challenging, with individual practitioners relying on varying methods of point identification, often compounded by the transpositional nature of points for companion animals. The aim of this study was to assess for differences in acupuncture needle placement of select points between veterinary professionals with three different levels of acupuncture training in an academic teaching environment. Seven participants placed a total of six acupoints on a canine cadaver. Digital radiography was used to document each participant's point placement. Each participant's point location was then compared to a control "correct" point, and the distance between the two points was measured. A significant difference in placement accuracy was identified between the participants when grouped by training level ( p = 0.03). These results indicate that veterinary patients receiving acupuncture treatment from veterinarians with different levels of training may subsequently experience varying effects, although further studies are warranted on more specific acupoint description as well as the clinical implications of needle placement accuracy.
A Model Victorian Survey Course

While other chapters in this volume detail highly specialized, creative, and novel approaches to teaching Victorian literature, this chapter offers a basic guide to teaching a “standard” course focused on canonical texts and traditional pedagogy. New instructors teaching the literature of the period will find in it a basic model survey course in Victorian literature. Its week-by-week format demonstrates how instructors might organize thematic units around issues such as genre, faith and doubt, the Woman Question, and imperialism. It offers suggestions on canonical textual selection and provides recommendations for pedagogical practices.
Harnessing Structures in Big Data via Guaranteed Low-Rank Matrix Estimation: Recent Theory and Fast Algorithms via Convex and Nonconvex Optimization

Low-rank modeling plays a pivotal role in signal processing and machine learning, with applications ranging from collaborative filtering, video surveillance, and medical imaging to dimensionality reduction and adaptive filtering. Many modern high-dimensional data and interactions thereof can be modeled as lying approximately in a low-dimensional subspace or manifold, possibly with additional structures, and its proper exploitations lead to significant cost reduction in sensing, computation, and storage. In recent years, there has been a plethora of progress in understanding how to exploit low-rank structures using computationally efficient procedures in a provable manner, including both convex and nonconvex approaches. On one side, convex relaxations such as nuclear norm minimization often lead to statistically optimal procedures for estimating low-rank matrices, where first-order methods are developed to address the computational challenges; on the other side, there is emerging evidence that properly designed nonconvex procedures, such as projected gradient descent, often provide globally optimal solutions with a much lower computational cost in many problems. This survey article provides a unified overview of these recent advances in low-rank matrix estimation from incomplete measurements. Attention is paid to rigorous characterization of the performance of these algorithms and to problems where the lowrank matrix has additional structural properties that require new algorithmic designs and theoretical analysis.
U.S. drug policy and Mexican civil-military relations: A challenge for the mutually desirable democratization process

As an institution of thegovernment the military has an obligationto be useful to its society. Yet the use ofthe military in an internally oriented drugwar is problematic for any democracy,especially one in transition fromauthoritarianism to democracy. This articleexamines U.S. and Mexican decisions tomilitarize the Drug War in light ofMexico's democratic transition. Itcritiques the Fox administration's relianceon active duty military officers to staffDrug War administrative positions as wellas U.S. promotion of the myth that themilitary has a special ability for fightingdrug production and trafficking.
Performance evaluation of market-based resource allocation for Grid computing: Research Articles

Resource allocation is an important aspect of Grid computing. Over the past few years, various systems have been developed which use market mechanisms to allocate resources. However, the performance of such policies has not been sufficiently studied. In this paper, we investigate under which circumstances market-based resource allocation by continuous double auctions and by the proportional share protocol, respectively, outperforms a conventional round-robin approach. We develop a model for clients, servers and the market, and present simulation results. Factors which are studied include the amount of load in the system, the number of resources, different degrees of resource heterogeneity, and communication delays. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetic etiology of posterior urethral valves.

Abstract Several congenital urological anomalies have been shown to be present in monozygotic twins and to have familial tendencies. Most of these disorders are associated with maldevelopment of the mesonephric (wolffian) duct and their genetic predisposition suggests an interaction of many genes of small effect. The etiology of type I posterior urethral valves is unknown. Some authors postulate that these valves result from anomalous development of the mesonephric duct, while others believe that they originate from the urogenital sinus. There are only a few reports in the literature on familial posterior urethral valves. We report on 2 more pairs of monozygotic twins and suggest that posteriorurethral valves also may have polygenetic factors similar to other anomalies of the mesonephric duct. Based on this observation, we propose that posterior urethral valves likely arise from maldevelopment of the mesonephric duct.
Newton Polytopes and Chow Polytopes

Suppose we have a complicated (Laurent) polynomial f(x 1,..., x k ) in k variables. Let A be the set of monomials in f with non-zero coefficients. As we have seen in Chapter 5, to understand the structure of f, it is natural to consider it as a member of the space C A of all polynomials whose monomials belong to A.
Heme Oxygenase-1 in Acute Lung Injury

Heme oxygenase (HO) was first described, in 1968, as the enzyme responsible for the rate-limiting step in the catalytic breakdown of the heme moiety of hemoglobin, and understandably, initial work focused on the regulation and function of this enzyme in heme metabolism (1). That HO could be important for much more than the color changes of a bruise as heme was broken down through biliverdin to bilirubin, was not suspected until the work of Tyrrell and his colleagues. These researchers showed that HO-1 could be vigorously induced not just by heme, its natural substrate, but by a variety of agents that had as their common feature the ability to generate reactive oxidant species (ROS) (2). Examples of the broad spectrum of agents capable of inducing HO include lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phorbol esters, sodium arsenite, hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet radiation, hyperthermia, hyperoxia, sulfhydryl reagents, heat shock, and heavy metals. This extraordinary variety of inducers is surprising for an enzyme subserving a seemingly housekeeping function of heme turnover, and speculation arose that the enzyme was also vital to cellular homeostasis.
Mucopolysaccharides in odontogenesis. Histochemical and autoradiographic study.

Localization of sulfomucopolysaccharides in developing teeth of Swiss albino mice was detected by S35 autoradiography and histochemistry. A positive correlation was found to exist between autoradiographic and histochemical data with regard to the localization of sulfomucopolysaccharides. Autoradiography, however, revealed some sites of localization which were not detectable by histochemistry, namely, the odontoblasts and stratum intermedium. Fetuses which received the isotope via maternal injection at the cap stage of tooth development and were sacrificed after 2 hours of isotope action displayed rapid incorporation of the isotope in the components of the dental papilla. In the enamel organ, however, only moderate activity was recorded. When the time interval between injection and sacrifice of the experimental animals was increased to 20 hours, intense activity was observed in the enamel organ. With progressively longer intervals between injection and sacrifice, S35 was demonstrable first in odontoblasts and later in the predentin. This occurred as a band or active zone which migrated toward the dentino-enamel junction. With the increasing intervals between injection and sacrifice, first the odontoblasts were active, then predentin was active while the odontoblasts became reduced in activity, after which the dentin matrix gained activity while the predentin decreased somewhat in activity. This pattern is consistent with appositional growth. A linear band of activity was not observed in the enamel matrix; rather, the activity was present as a diffuse stippling over a relatively large area of the matrix. The sulfomucopolysaccharide which existed in dentin matrix was postulated to have originated from the cells of both the odontoblastic layer and the dental papilla.
Human infant imitation as a social survival circuit

Human infants rapidly and effortlessly learn from other people. Imitation provides a direct avenue for transmitting information across generations, before language. Infants learn about people, objects, and themselves through imitation. A large body of behavioral experiments has provided insights about the development, functions, and psychological mechanisms underlying human infant imitation. Infants not only imitate other people, but also recognize when they are being imitated. Reciprocal imitation between infants and caregivers promotes interpersonal affiliation and bonding. New cognitive neuroscience research complements the behavioral work by providing evidence about infant cortical body maps. These body maps help explain how infants match the behaviors they see with their own corresponding bodily acts. Imitation is a distinctive channel for early human learning. It links human infants to their caregivers who are conduits of cultural information. Infant imitation serves as a social survival circuit with evolutionary roots and socio-cultural consequences.
Brain activity associated with social exclusion overlaps with drug-related frontal-striatal circuitry in cocaine users: A pilot study.

Abstract Background Exposure to various types of stress can elevate craving for cocaine and hasten relapse among substance dependent individuals. This investigation evaluated the effects of social exclusion on brain activity in cocaine dependent individuals. Method Forty three individuals (18 crack-cocaine users, 25 controls) were recruited from the community to participate in functional neuroimaging study in which they performed a simulated 3 person ball-tossing game (Cyberball). Each participant was told that the other 2 players were in nearby MRI scanners. Task blocks included: Inclusion (likelihood of our participant receiving the ball = 50%), Exclusion (likelihood gradually decreases to 0%), and Rest. Self-worth variables (e.g self-esteem, locus of control) were measured before and after the ball-tossing game. General linear model-based statistics were used to measure the brain response to inclusion and exclusion within and between the groups with respect to rest. Results Relative to controls, cocaine users had significantly more activity during Exclusion versus Inclusion in 3 areas: the right medial frontal gyrus (Brodmann Area 9,10), left ventral lateral frontal gyrus (Brodmann Area 10,47) and right caudate. This was driven by a higher response to social exclusion in the cocaine users. There was no difference between groups in the brain reactivity to social inclusion. Conclusion Cocaine dependent individuals have an amplified brain response to social exclusion stress in cortical regions associated with emotional regulation, arousal, craving and perception of physical pain. These data suggest that there may be a neurological basis for the well-established relationship between social stress and addiction.
Legislative pay and voluntary retirement in the American states

The analysis indicates that while legislative salary exerts a significant effect motivating individuals to continue their grueling task of public service, despite the disparity in legislative pay which exists across the American states, substantively the impact of pay is rather small regardless if a member is serving in the most poorly or generously paid legislature.