cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Slaves of the Shah: New Elites of Safavid Iran

The Savafid dynasty represented, in political, cultural and economic terms the pinnacle of Iran's power and influence in its early modern history. The evidence for this -the creation of a nation state, military expansion and success, economic dynamism and the exquisite art and architecture of the period - is well-known. What is less understood is the extent to which the Safavid success depended on - and was a product of - a class of elite originating from outside Iran: the slaves of Caucasian descent and the Armenian merchants of New Julfa in the city of Isfahan. It was these groups, bolstered by Shah Abbas the Great (1589 - 1629) and his successors, who became the pillars of Safavid political, economic and cultural life. This book describes how these elites, following their conversion to Islam, helped to form a new language of Savafid absolutism. It documents their contributions, financed by the Armenian trade in Safavid silk, to the transformation of Isfahan's urban, artistic and social landscape. The insights provided here into the multi-faceted roles of the Safavid royal household offer an original and comprehensive study of slave elites in imperial systems common to the political economies of the Malmuk, Ottoman and Safavid courts as well as contributing to the earlier Abbasid, Ghaznavid and Saljuq eras. As such this book makes an original and important contribution to our understanding of the history of the Islamic world from the 16th to the 18th centuries and will prove invaluable for students and scholars of the period.
Information Literacy, Personal Epistemology, and Knowledge Construction

ABSTRACT Librarians working to develop information literacy skills in their students recognize a relationship between information literacy and the knowledge construction process. Educational psychologists define how an individual's understanding of knowledge impacts knowledge construction and learning through personal epistemology theory. This paper presents an overview of the personal epistemology literature and the move toward knowledge construction in information literacy. It also recognizes connections between library and information science theory and personal epistemology.
The Maximum Negative Hypergeometric Distribution

An urn contains a known number of balls of two different colors. We describe the random variable counting the smallest number of draws needed in order to observe at least $\,c\,$ of both colors when sampling without replacement for a pre-specified value of $\,c=1,2,\ldots\,$. This distribution is the finite sample analogy to the maximum negative binomial distribution described by Zhang, Burtness, and Zelterman (2000). We describe the modes, approximating distributions, and estimation of the contents of the urn.
Evolving evolution [software evolution]

Software is changing and software evolution is going to change with it. In considering software and the problems of software evolution today we make the tacit assumption that we control the software and hence can control its evolution. Current trends point to a world where we only control a small fraction of our own software and the remainder evolves in unpredictable and uncontrolled ways. Current work in addressing evolution is addressing yesterday's problems. What we need to prepare ourselves for the coming problems are techniques that can cope with uncontrolled evolution. In this position paper we point out several of the problems that need to be addressed and hint at possible techniques for addressing them.
Increased isolevuglandin-modified proteins in glaucomatous astrocytes.

PURPOSE Lipid oxidation has been proposed to be a factor in the pathophysiology of glaucoma. We investigated whether elevated levels of isolevuglandin (iso[4]LGE(2)) protein adducts are associated with astrocytes derived from the glaucomatous optic nerve head. In addition, we examined whether the iso[4]LGE(2) protein adducts are altered following exposure of astrocytes to elevated pressure. METHODS Astrocytes were isolated from rat brain cortex and human optic nerve and were subjected to pressure treatments, western blot analyses, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS Elevated levels of isolevuglandin (iso[4]LGE(2)) protein adducts were associated with astrocytes derived from the glaucomatous (n=10) optic nerve head when compared to those from controls (n=6). Astrocytes subjected to in vitro pressure treatment resulted in increased levels of iso[4]LGE(2) protein adducts. Pressure exposure and the recovery period affect iso[4]LGE(2) protein modification, and pyridoxamine was effective in decreasing the appearance of iso[4]LGE(2) protein adduct immunoreactivity when applied immediately after pressure treatment. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the elevated iso[4]LGE(2) protein adduct immunoreactivity observed in glaucomatous astrocytes may be due to chronic and/or prolonged exposure to pressure, and pyridoxamine may have prophylactic utility against such oxidative protein modification.
Cell Growth and Protein Expression Kinetics

Typical experimental data on the mammalian cell growth and protein expression kinetics in batch and continuous bioreactors are discussed with the focus on maximizing the protein production. Two strikingly different patterns of growth-associated and inverse-growth-associated production kinetics observed in continuous bioreactors at steady state are discussed along with plausible mechanisms for explaining this difference such as the specific cell cycle phase-dependent gene expression models. Unstructured kinetic models developed for kinetics of mammalian cell growth, substrate utilization, and protein expression are discussed to highlight the successes and failures of this modeling approach in simulating the dynamics of cell growth and production. Structured kinetic models, which are more detailed and hence capable of addressing the complex metabolism of mammalian cells, are introduced briefly along with their difficulty of estimating the values for the increasing number of model parameters. Keywords: mammalian cell culture; batch culture kinetics; kinetic models; continuous culture kinetics; growth-associated production kinetics
First Things First: Female Literacy as the Key to Women’s Advancement

The potential for women’s literacy to reshape the developing world remains an untapped developmental resource. This paper illustrates the positive effects of female literacy, such as increased economic security, solidarity among women, and enhanced status in the family. In addition, educated women are less likely to fall into early marriage, early motherhood, HIV infection, and street life. Mothers who are literate are much more able to run their households well and understand health education materials that directly impact the lives of their children. The second half of this paper explores some of the most effective ways of achieving increased education and literacy for women. Financial incentives prove very successful in recruitment and retention of female students. In addition, the most effective development initiatives tend to educate women with the goal of transforming them into agents, mentors, and teachers so that the legacy of literacy will extend to future generations.
Plasma cell granuloma: An entity within the spectrum of IgG4-related disease

Plasma cell granuloma (PCG) is a relatively rare, mass-forming lesion comprised of polyclonal plasma cells set in a background of storiform fibrosis and spindle cell proliferation. While uncommon, this lesion may occur within any site and should be included in the list of differential diagnoses for plasma cell neoplasms. As this entity can be mistaken for a plasma cell neoplasm, surgical pathologists should consider ancillary studies to assess clonality of plasma cell proliferations, especially during intraoperative consultation.Although the etiology of these lesions is unclear, recent literature and immunohistochemical stains performed on our own cases suggest that PCG falls within the spectrum of IgG4 related diseases, which would have significant clinical significance impacting treatment and the potential for associated disease at distant body sites. We present two cases of head and neck PCG encountered at a tertiary academic medical center with immunohistochemical staining demonstrating increased IgG4-secreting plasma cells.
Adaptive SERS substrates for protein sensing

Adaptive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates exhibit unique properties which make them well suited for SERS studies of proteins on surfaces. Specifically, adaptive silver films (ASFs) allow nanoscale restructuring of metal particles during protein deposition which yields a three-fold benefit of soft protein adsorption, protein-metal complex stabilization, and increased SERS signal. In this work ASF fabrication and characterization methods are introduced, with special attention paid to characterization methods that provide insight into the adaptive nature of the substrates, such as UV-vis spectrophotometry, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These ASF substrates show SERS enhancement factors in the range of 10 6 for an area-averaged signal, and have been successfully used for sub-monolayer protein detection. The addition of a thick metal layer in the ASF fabrication structure typically increases the SERS signal by a factor of four or five. Finally, several examples of current SERS protein studies using ASF substrates are provided.
Engineers, development, and engineering education : From national to sustainable community development

In October 2007, Norman Borlaug wrote in Science magazine that ‘more than 200 science journals throughout the world will simultaneously publish papers on global poverty and human development – a collaborative effort to increase awareness, interest, and research about these important issues of our time’. Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and father of the green revolution, was demonstrating that the scientific community is at last taking questions seriously of sustainability and development. Borlaug's own contentious role in the history of ‘development,’ however, points to the complexity of the term and the contested role scientists and engineers have played in that history. As engineering education initiatives incorporating sustainable development practices proliferate, it becomes ever more important to understand the historical lessons of development and the contributions of engineers. This paper outlines a history of engineering practice and education in relationship to development, sustainable develo...
The effect of oral 5-HTP administration on 5-HTP and 5-HT immunoreactivity in monoaminergic brain regions of rats

5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), which is the rate-limiting precursor in serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) biosynthesis, is used as an oral supplement to enhance serotonin levels in humans. To evaluate its effects on serotonin levels and localization, 5-hydroxytryptophan was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats either orally or via intraperitoneal injection. 5-Hydroxytryptophan-immunoreactivity was co-localized with serotonin-immunoreactivity in the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus of control animals and this was not changed in animals given 5-hydroxytryptophan. Oral 5-HTP administration increased the intensity of both 5-HTP and serotonin immunoreactivity in raphe neurons. However, 5-HTP treatment also caused ectopic 5-hydroxytryptophan-immunoreactivity and serotonin-immunoreactivity in normally dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra par compacta. Serotonin-immunoreactivity was confined to neurons that also displayed amino acid decarboxylase immunoreactivity, but in a small percentage of substantia nigra neurons, serotonin immunoreactivity was not co-localized with tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactivity. The intensity of the immunoreactivity to serotonin and 5-hydroxytryptophan in the substantia nigra was maximal within 2h of 5-hydroxytryptophan administration and returned to control levels by 24h. This time course mirrored changes in HPLC measurements of 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin, and the metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the urine. 5-Hydroxytryptophan administration did not cause ectopic appearance of either serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptophan in the noradrenergic locus coeruleus. These results suggest that a single oral dose of 5-HTP increases the 5-HTP and serotonin content of serotonergic neurons and causes the transient ectopic appearance of serotonin in some normally non-serotonergic neurons.
Sialidase activity and related properties of influenza A2 viruses.

Abstract A direct method for estimating the sialidase activity of myxoviruses is described. By this method Asian (A2) strains of influenza virus have been shown to be more active enzymatically than other myxoviruses. The NWS strain of influenza A showed no sialidase activity. The sialidases of Japan 305/57, other A2 strains, and Swine were found to be more stable to heat than were the hemagglutinins of these strains. The cytotoxicity of Japan 305/57 was also more stable on heating than that of PR8. There was no direct correlation between sialidase activity and any of the following: rate of elution from red cells, sensitivity to heat-stable hemagglutination inhibitors in human and horse serum, and sensitivity to the hemagglutination inhibitory property of urine mucoprotein.
Research in the Real World: Studying Chicago Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team Program:

Police agencies across the country are struggling to respond to significant number of persons with serious mental illness, who are landing on their doorsteps with sometimes tragic consequences. Arguably, the most widely adopted approach, the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model, is a specialized police-based program designed to improve officers’ ability to safely and effectively respond to mental health crises. Conducting research on CIT is challenging; thus, the evidence base is limited. In this article, the author reviews the emerging literature, present a conceptual model of CIT effectiveness, and describe a study of CIT in Chicago. Findings from Chicago suggest that CIT is increasing linkage to services and reducing use of force in encounters with persons with mental illness. Lessons learned are discussed.
On the application of optimal control theory to financial planning and forecasting

Abstract This study interprets, summarizes, and applies to the financial planning and forecasting problem a completely general yet operational approach to the analysis of econometric models by control methods that has been developed by Gregory Chow. It is shown that his methodology is not only well suited for the study of the general financial planning and forecasting problem facing business firms but also suggests a sound approach to the assessment of alternative models.
Priorities for development of research methods in occupational cancer.

Occupational cancer research methods was identified in 1996 as 1 of 21 priority research areas in the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). To implement NORA, teams of experts from various ...
Mandibular implants: a new method of attachment.

Abstract Methods of attachment of implants for the mandible have needed further study. A preliminary evaluation of a new experimental attachment using methyl methacrylate and metallic screws was reported. Results indicate that the attachments remain secure. The attachment is still in its developmental stages and additional research relating to it are in progress.
Critical success factors for advanced manufacturing systems

Abstract This is a field study that surveyed several United States manufacturing firms to investigate the relationship between advanced manufacturing systems (AMS) implementation success and factors that may affect implementation success. Success is measured by such indicators as better return on equity, reduced throughput, and reduced cost, improved quality, enhanced competitiveness, improved work conditions, better control, and quick response. The determinants of AMS implementation success fall into four categories: the triple “C” factors (communication, commitment, coordination), the housekeeping factors (action plan, effective team, vendor support, cost justification, functions integration, and effective facilitator), the self interest factors (employee morale, satisfaction, belief in AMS, appropriate reward), and the literacy factors (understanding of AMS, understanding of firm's business, training, clarity of goals/objectives of AMS, expectations).
Theorem of L-fuzzy H-sets

Abstract The concept of H-set was introduced by N.V. Velicko. In this paper we generalize it and introduce the concept of L-fuzzy H-set. We prove that the concept is hereditary for regular closed subsets, is an L-good extension and topologically invariant.
Alleviating suffering in the face of death: Insights from constructivism and a transpersonal narrative approach

Summary Confronting one's mortality is at the heart of much human suffering. Building upon her previous development and testing of an exploratory model of psychospiritual distress, the author explores the confrontation of death in light of a transpersonal narrative with four new dimensions: (a) normalization of death, (b) divine intention, i.e., a belief in a supernatural force of higher power that provides a cosmic order, (c) surrender, i.e., the ability to let go of the outcome of events and to accept the unknown, and (d) transpersonal existence, i.e., a belief in a continued existence beyond the known mortal self. Through a constructivist perspective on this transpersonal narrative, one can understand how personal reality is constructed and how affect flows from core beliefs that mediate events. This offers an explanatory model of how annihilation vulnerability of personhood can be mediated, resulting in diminished suffering. It suggests implications for practice to alleviate the actual suffering a per...
Effects of phencyclidine, pentobarbital, and d-amphetamine on the acquisition and performance of conditional discriminations in monkeys.

In each of two components of a multiple schedule, monkeys were required to respond on a right or left lever depending upon the stimulus combination (a color and a geometric form) presented. Reinforcement of a response in the presence of one stimulus (the form) was therefore conditional upon the other stimulus (the color). The completion of a two-member chain of discriminations produced a food pellet. Errors produced a brief timeout. One component of the multiple schedule was a repeated-acquisition task where the discriminative stimuli for left- and right-lever responses wer changed each session (learning). In the other component, the discriminative stimuli for left- or right-lever responses were the same each session (performance). Phencyclidine, pentobarbital, and d-amphetamine each produced dose-related decreases in the overall rate of responding in both components of the multiple schedule. At high doses each drug increased the percent errors in each component. At lower doses, however, the three drugs produced selective effects on accuracy. Errors were increased in the learning component at lower doses than those required to disrupt the discrimination in the performance component. A signal detection analysis of the data revealed that none of the drugs tested increased errors by selectively affecting either discriminability or bias.
Subantimicrobial Doses of Tetracycline

To the Editor: The April issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology contains an article by Brown et al regarding the use of “subantimicrobial doses of doxycycline” as an inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, using 40 mg of doxycycline (20 mg twice a day).1 This group has claimed in the past and intimated in this article that such doses are too low to affect bacteria and hence will not disturb the indigenous microbial flora or induce or select microbial resistance. Such claims are simply inaccurate. Such 20-mg, twice daily doses of doxycycline daily produce blood levels of 0.79 micrograms/mL (±0.285 micrograms/mL), as clearly stated by the proponents of this dosing for the “management” of periodontal disease.2,3 Doxycycline is effective in the management of infectious diseases at serum dose levels ≥0.04 micrograms per ml4 and has been …
Functional Expression and Characterization of the Assimilatory-Type Sulfite Reductase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough)

By use of a conjugational transfer method, the gene encoding the assimilatory-type sulfite reductase (ASiR) from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough) has been functionally expressed in Desulfovibrio hosts using the broad-host-range plasmid pDSK519. Production is increased greater than 50-fold relative to natural expression levels. Recombinant enzyme has been characterized by standard biochemical methods, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, electronic absorption, and activity measurements. It cannot be distinguished from the native enzyme on the basis of spectroscopic characteristics or enzyme activity.
Success-biased social learning: Cultural and evolutionary dynamics

Success bias is a social learning strategy whereby learners tend to acquire the cultural variants of successful individuals. I develop a general model of success-biased social learning for discrete cultural traits with stochastic payoffs, and investigate its dynamics when only two variants are present. I find that success bias inherently favors rare variants, and consequently performs worse than unbiased imitation (i.e. random copying) when success payoffs are at least mildly stochastic and the optimal variant is common. Because of this weakness, success bias fails to replace unbiased imitation in an evolutionary model when selection is fairly weak or when the environment is relatively stable, and sometimes fails to invade at all. I briefly discuss the optimal strength of success bias, the complicated nature of defining success in social learning contexts, and the value of variant frequency as an important source of information to social learners. I conclude with predictions regarding the prevalence of success bias in different behavioral domains.
Effect of testosterone, sex and age on experimentally induced arterial thrombosis

THE widespread use of large doses of oestrogenic steroids as contraceptive agents or for maintenance therapy in post-menopausal women has led to damaging effects on the cardiovascular system. Most of the reports relate to the increased thromboembolic phenomena which have been observed in both women and men treated with female hormones1,2. In sharp contrast there are no data on the effect of androgenic steroids on the development of arterial thrombosis, in spite of the fact that the incidence of ischaemic heart disease in human males is much greater than in the pre-menopausal females3.
Demographics and beef preferences affect consumer motivation for purchasing fresh beef steaks and roasts

Surveys completed by 1370 consumers determined the motivational factors affecting consumer purchasing decisions for fresh beef steaks and roasts in three regions in the United States. Females placed greater importance on tenderness, ease of preparation, and nutritional value of steaks and roasts when compared to males. Age influenced tenderness, product consistency, and nutritional value of steaks, but influenced flavor, product consistency, and nutritional value of roasts. Consumers felt juiciness, nutritional value, and natural products were less important in determining their purchasing choices of steaks and roasts as their level of education increased. The preferred degree of doneness of steaks influenced the value placed on six of the nine purchasing motivators. Beef preferences and demographics influenced consumer purchasing decisions for fresh beef steaks and roasts. Results from this study can be used to help identify factors to positively influence purchasing decisions within targeted market segments.
Reactive Oxygen Species and the Regulation of Hyperproliferation in a Colonial Hydroid

AbstractColonies of Podocoryna carnea circulate gastrovascular fluid among polyps via tubelike stolons. At polyp-stolon junctions, mitochondrion-rich cells in part regulate this gastrovascular flow. During competition, colonies hyperproliferate nematocytes and stolons; nematocysts are discharged until one colony is killed. Hyperproliferation then ceases, and normal growth resumes. Here, competing colonies were treated with azide, which inhibits respiration and upregulates reactive oxygen species (ROS). After the cessation of competition, azide-treated colonies continued to hyperproliferate. In azide-treated competing colonies, however, mitochondrion-rich cells were found to produce similar amounts of ROS as those in untreated competing colonies. Subsequent experiments showed that both azide treatment and competition diminished the lumen widths at polyp-stolon junctions, where mitochondrion-rich cells are found. In competing colonies, these diminished widths may also diminish the metabolic demand on these ...
Midline Radiofrequency Tissue Reduction of the Palate for Bothersome Snoring and Sleep-Disordered Breathing: A Clinical Trial

This study is a prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial initiated to assess the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency tissue reduction of the palate for the treatment of bothersome snoring and sleep-disordered breathing. Twelve healthy volunteers with socially disruptive snoring underwent a baseline polysomnogram along with a battery of visual analog scales (VASs) to measure daytime sleepiness, snoring level, pain, and disturbances of speech and swallowing. After radiofrequency tissue reduction of the palate, they were re-evaluated with a mean follow-up after the final procedure of 15.7 ± 5.1 (mean ± SD) weeks. As rated by the bed partner, a significant reduction in the level of snoring occurred in all 12 patients, with a mean pretreatment snoring level of 8.3 ± 2.1 to a mean posttreatment snoring level of 2.1 ± 1.4. (Student t test, P < 0.0001) These patients required an average of 2.3 treatment sessions each. Nine of 12 had a reduction in snoring from a bothersome level (VAS range 5-10) to a nonbothersome level (VAS range 0-3). Daytime sleepiness as measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (0-24) decreased from 10.8 ± 4.4 to 8.3 ± 4.1 (P = 0.011). Posttreatment pain was considered absent or minimal in 11 of 12 patients and was managed with acetaminophen. No significant adverse events or complications were reported. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;122:387-94.)
The primitive carpus

There is as yet no proof that the prepollex and postminimus ever occurred as actual digits. Romer's discovery of previous confusion of the preaxial with the postaxial fin border of Sauripterus allows a more accurate interpretation of primitive conditions. The latter involved essential asymmetry. The carpal cartilages of the Sauripterus type offin must have split into transverse rows. When the radius and ulna had become of equal length there was redistribution of the most proximal carpals, thus displacing elements in the other rows. It seems that eventually the original first carpale assumed the position and function of a first metacarpal, while the original fifth metacarpale assumed the position and function of a fifth carpale.
Readers react to "action /spl ne/ reaction"

This paper describe the reaction of the reader in June column (R. Bansal, 2005) explored MIT physicist Frank Wilczek's statement that Newton's law isn't universally true: "it fails for magnetic forces between charged particles". The column provided a thought experiment from the Feynman Lectures on Physics (R. Feynman et al., 1964), where two charged particles were moving at right angles to each other and one of them had an unopposed magnetic force acting on it
Role of the host defense system and intestinal microbial flora in the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Abstract Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease that affects primarily the intestine of premature infants. Despite recent advances in neonatology, NEC remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Neonatal mucosal defenses and adherence of bacterial pathogens may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NEC. Methods: Review and synthesis of pertinent literature. Results: Putative factors that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NEC include abnormal patterns of gut colonization by bacteria, immaturity of the host immune system and mucosal defense mechanisms, intestinal ischemia, formula feeding, and loss of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. Conclusion: Host defenses and intestinal microbial ecology are believed to play important roles in the pathogenesis of NEC. Commensal bacteria and probiotic therapy may be of therapeutic utility in the maintenance of the gut epithelial barrier.
Method of lines transpose: An implicit solution to the wave equation

We present a new method for solving the wave equation implicitly. Our approach is to discretize the wave equation in time, following the method of lines transpose, sometimes referred to as the transverse method of lines, or Rothe’s method. We differ from conventional methods that follow this approach, in that we solve the resulting system of partial differential equations using boundary integral methods. Our algorithm extends to higher spatial dimensions using an alternating direction implicit (ADI) framework. Thus we develop a boundary integral solution, that is competitive with explicit finite difference methods, both in terms of accuracy and speed. However, it provides more flexibility in the treatment of source functions, and complex boundaries. We provide the analytical details of our one-dimensional method herein, along with a proof of the convergence of our schemes, in free space and on a bounded domain. We find that the method is unconditionally stable, and achieves second order accuracy. A caveat of the analysis is the derivation of a unique and novel optimal quadrature method, which can be viewed as a Lax-type correction.
The single particle potential in nuclear matter

Abstract The energy dependent real part of the optical potential for particles and holes in nuclear matter is calculated from a realistic nuclear hamiltonian that explains the nucleon-nucleon scattering data and equilibrium properties of nuclear matter. The variational method is used with Fermi-hypernetted and single-operator-chain summation techniques. The results are comparable with empirical Woods-Saxon well depths at energies ≲ 150 MeV. At higher energies the potential has a density dependence suggesting a “wine-bottle” shaped nucleon-nucleus potential.
IscA, an Alternate Scaffold for Fe−S Cluster Biosynthesis†

An IscA homologue within the nif regulon of Azotobacter vinelandii, designated NifIscA, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Purified NifIscA was found to be a homodimer of 11-kDa subunits that contained no metal centers or other prosthetic groups in its as-isolated form. Possible roles for NifIscA in Fe−S cluster biosynthesis were assessed by investigating the ability to bind iron and to assemble Fe−S clusters in a NifS-directed process, as monitored by the combination of UV−vis absorption, Mossbauer, resonance Raman, variable-temperature magnetic circular dichroism, and EPR spectroscopies. Although NifIscA was found to bind ferrous ion in a tetrahedral, predominantly cysteinyl-ligated coordination environment, the low-binding affinity argues against a specific role as a metallochaperone for the delivery of ferrous ion to other Fe−S cluster assembly proteins. Rather, a role for NifIscA as an alternate scaffold protein for Fe−S cluster biosynthesis is proposed, based on the NifS-...
Authors' responses to commentaries.

restrict my response to the Koenig and Hogle commentary, and only as it applies to my article. I do take as nonproblematic, and therefore not requiring extended discussion, that humans feel a connection between their physical bodies and their personal identities. I do not claim that this connection is static, nor that the particular linkages underlying notions of self-body integrity are invariable (e.g., my comments on the cultural variation regarding which body parts are separable from self). I spent relatively little space on what exactly seems so wrong about the commodification of body parts because my principal objective was to document, not resolve, the ideological debate. I do cite the relevant bioethical discussions of the issue.
Open revascularization procedures are more likely to influence smoking reduction than percutaneous procedures.

Background Among patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), smokers have a higher incidence of life- and limb-threatening complications, including lower extremity ischemic rest pain, myocardial infarction, and cardiac death, highlighting the need for smoking reduction. Several studies have previously investigated the perioperative period as a teachable moment for smoking cessation. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the type of revascularization for PAD (percutaneous versus open) is associated with smoking reduction. Methods Study participants included patients seen at a tertiary academic medical center in Providence, RI, between 2005 and 2010 and assigned International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code diagnoses indicative of PAD. This study uses patient-answered surveys and retrospective chart review to assess changes in smoking habits after medical, percutaneous, or open revascularization. Surveys also assessed patient perceptions regarding the influence of intervention on smoking reduction and how strongly patients associate PAD with their smoking habits. Results Of 54 patients who were active smokers at the time of intervention, 8 (67%) in the medical management group, 12 (50%) in the percutaneous group, and 15 (83%) in the open intervention group reduced smoking by 50% after intervention. After controlling for several confounders, open revascularization was independently associated with smoking reduction when compared with percutaneous intervention (odds ratio, 8.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.18, 76.7; P = 0.043). Surveys revealed that 94% of the patients believed that smoking was a significant contributor to their PAD. Conclusions Patients with PAD who undergo open revascularization are more likely to reduce smoking than those who undergo percutaneous revascularization. The perioperative period provides an opportunity to improve rates of smoking reduction.
Coalescence of bunches in a synchrotron to change acceleration harmonic number

Abstract The accelerating harmonic number in an ion accelerator can be reduced by half during acceleration by generating an rf waveform which is a composite of the initial frequency and the lower harmonic frequency. The computer simulation described in this paper shows how the rf bunches are combined.
Medication absorption considerations in patients with postpyloric enteral feeding tubes.

Purpose The gastrointestinal absorption sites of medications administered via postpyloric enteral feeding tubes were examined. Summary Many issues must be considered when administering medications via the postpyloric route, including interactions with enteral feeds, additional toxicities, and the concern of whether the medication will be absorbed. Despite the potential clinical significance of this information, data regarding the gastrointestinal site of absorption for most medications are lacking. Gastrointestinal absorption sites for all drugs for which requests for information on absorption sites were received at our institution since 2008 ( n = 124) were evaluated by reviewing the package insert, consulting tertiary references, conducting primary literature searches, or contacting the drug manufacturer. Seventy (56.5%) of the 124 drugs reviewed had information available regarding the site of absorption. Just 2 drugs required acid for absorption and thus should be administered only through the stomach, while 2 other drugs were found to bind extensively to tubing and should not be administered in this manner. For 3 drugs, increased absorption may occur when they are administered directly into the small bowel. Seven medications had decreased absorption when administered directly to the small bowel, and 10 drugs were clearly not absorbed when administered through either the duodenal or the jejunal route. Conclusion The implications of absorption site should be considered for all patients receiving medications via postpyloric feeding tubes. Several medications cannot be administered through alternative routes because gastric acid is needed for their absorption, the medications may bind to the tubing, or drug absorption is altered at the intestinal site.
Micro-PIV Measurements of an Airway Closure Model

A thin liquid layer coating the airway can be unstable and forms a plug. Airway closure usually happens at the small airways near the end of expiration, often accompanied with hypersecretion or/and surfactant deficiency in the airway in a variety of lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Modeling work by Halpern and Grotberg [1] has shown that several forces could contribute to airway closure, such as the surface tension instability and the wall compliance. Experiments in a capillary tube were conducted by Cassidy et al. [2] who found that adding surfactant increased the airway closure time and the critical film thickness. In vitro studies [3] [4] illustrated that exposure of primary human airway epithelial cells to plug propagation and rupture led to significant cell injury. Experimental studies [5] [6] on excised lungs or in vivo animal models have shown that severe tissue damage was found in surfactant-deficient lungs due to the repetitive airway reopening. However, mechanical forces induced by airway closure have not been experimentally evaluated.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Reply to Duryea.

Although we are in agreement with the need for improved methods, several of Duryea's criticisms do not apply. Our conclusions regarding the value of media announcements appear to stand in the absence of supportive data
Behind the Movement

This year, the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award will be shared by Michael Sheetz, James Spudich, and Ronald Vale for discoveries concerning the biophysical actions of cytoskeletal motor-protein machines that move cargo within cells, contract muscles, and enable cell motility.
On Reduced Exceptional Simple Jordan Algebras

In this paper we shall be concerned only with finite dimensional algebras over an arbitrary field \( \mathfrak{F} \) of characteristic not two. Let \( \mathfrak{A} \) be an associative algebra over \( \mathfrak{F} \) and ab the associative product composition of \( \mathfrak{A} \). Then the vector space \( \mathfrak{A} \) is a Jordan algebra \( {\mathfrak{A}^{\left( + \right)}} \) relative to the composition a·b = 1/2(ab + ba), that is, this composition satisfies the defining identities $$ a \cdot b = b \cdot a,\,\left[ {\left( {a \cdot a} \right) \cdot } \right] \cdot a = \left( {a \cdot a} \right) \cdot \left( {b \cdot a} \right) $$ (1) The algebra \( {\mathfrak{A}^{\left( + \right)}} \) and its subalgebras are called special Jordan algebras.
Metallothionein-cross-linked hydrogels for the selective removal of heavy metals from water

The diverse functional repertoire of proteins promises to yield new materials with unprecedented capabilities, so long as versatile chemical methods are available to integrate biomolecules with synthetic components. As a demonstration of this potential, we have used site-selective strategies to cross-link polymer chains using the N- and C-termini of a metallothionein derived from a pea plant. This arrangement directly relates the swelling volume of the polymer to the folded state of the protein. The material retains the protein's ability to remove heavy metal ions from contaminated water samples, and can be regenerated through the subsequent addition of inexpensive chelators. The change in hydrogel volume that occurs as metal ions are bound allows the detection of contaminants through simple visual inspection. The utility of this bulk property change is demonstrated in the construction of a low-cost device that can report heavy metal contamination with no external power requirements. Most importantly, the generality of the protein modification chemistry allows the immediate generation of new hybrid materials from a wide range of protein sequences.
Use of 320-Detector Computed Tomographic Angiography for Infants and Young Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Pediatric patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) face a lifetime of treatment with interventional therapeutic and palliative procedures. Echocardiography remains the mainstay for noninvasive imaging of congenital heart lesions. This often is supplemented with diagnostic cardiac catheterization for additional anatomic and physiologic characterization. However, recent technological improvements in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have led to an increased focus on the use of these techniques given their better safety profile. This study aimed to review the authors’ experience with a 320-slice multidetector CT scanner in the evaluation of CHD in children. This retrospective case study investigated 22 infants and young children with a provisional diagnosis of CHD. Their anatomic evaluation was performed using a 320-slice Aquilon ONE CT scanner. Of these 22 patients, 14 were examined without cardiac gating. This was subsequently modified to a prospective gated, targeted protocol to decrease the radiation dose. The images were interpreted by an experienced radiologist and a pediatric cardiologist. Continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation or range, and the two imaging protocols were compared. A comparison of exposure rates with those from other pediatric studies that had used the 64-slice CT angiography also was performed. For the first group of patients, with nongated CT examinations, the mean effective whole-body radiation dose was 1.8 ± 0.71 millisieverts (mSv) (range, 0.96–3.2 mSv). For the second group, the mean was 0.8 ± 0.39 mSv (range, 0.4–1.5 mSv). Although the radiation dose was reduced dramatically, clinicians must be vigilant about the cumulative risk of radiation exposure.
Gravitational Aharonov-Bohm effect in three dimensions.

We examine the effects of parallel transport of spinors and vectors around the known pointlike solutions of three-dimensional gravity. We point out that the massive, zero-spin solution corresponds, when suitably embedded in four dimensions, to a cosmic string.
Synthesis of a copolymer containing adenylic and deoxyadenylic acid residues with polynucleotide phosphorylase

Abstract We report here the synthesis and characterization of copolymers containing both AMP and dAMP residues using polynucleotide phosphorylase from Micrococcus luteus . The copolymerization proceeds most readily when Mn2+ replaces the usual Mg2+ in the reaction. The dAMP residues occupy internal positions in the polymer chain, and the chains are several hundred nucleotide residues long.
Predicting progression to chronic kidney disease after recovery from acute kidney injury.

Purpose of reviewThis review examines the association between acute kidney injury (AKI) and subsequent risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) development. The discussion focuses on patients who fully recover from an episode of AKI, the majority of whom do not receive follow-up care with nephrology se
The independent effect of pain in one versus two knees on the presence of low physical function in a multicenter knee osteoarthritis study.

Objective Although knee pain severity is thought to greatly impact function, the additional contribution of pain in 1 versus 2 knees is not known. We examined the relationship between unilateral versus bilateral pain with low physical functioning at baseline and 30 months while accounting for knee pain severity. Methods The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study is a cohort study of people who have or are at high risk for knee osteoarthritis. We defined low physical function as Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index physical functioning scores ≥28 of 68, consistent with poor functional outcome. Incidence and improvement from low physical function were defined as scores that declined below and improved above this threshold at 30 months. We examined the association between pain in 1 or 2 knees with low physical function with risk ratios (RRs) adjusting for known confounders. Results Of the 2,069 subjects (mean ± SD age 63 ± 8 years, mean ± SD body mass index 31 ± 6 kg/m2, 63% women), the prevalence of low physical functioning was 50% lower among persons with unilateral pain compared with those with bilateral pain (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.5 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.3–0.7]). Of those without low physical functioning at baseline, the risk of incidence at 30 months was 30% less for unilateral compared with bilateral pain (adjusted RR 0.7 [95% CI 0.5–1.0]). Of those with low physical functioning at baseline, improvement was 1.7 times more likely for those with unilateral compared with bilateral pain (adjusted RR 1.7 [95% CI 1.3–2.2]). Conclusion The presence of pain in 1 versus 2 knees provides important information regarding present and future physical functioning.
An EOQ inventory model for items with gamma distributed deterioration

Abstract An inventory model is considered in which inventory is depleted not only by demand, but also by deterioration. The gamma distribution, which is capable of representing constant, increasing and decreasing rates of deterioration, is used to represent the distribution of the time to deterioration.The EOQ formula is derived under conditions of constant demand, instantaneous delivery and no shortages permitted. A computer program is developed to provide the numerical solution and the resulting EOQ values are compared with those of the Weibull distributed deteriorations.
Best practices for survey research reports: a synopsis for authors and reviewers.

We have provided 10 guiding questions and recommendations regarding what we consider to be best practices for survey research reports. Although our recommendations are not minimal standards for manuscripts submitted to the Journal, we hope that they provide guidance that will result in an enhancement of the quality of published reports of questionnaire-based survey research. It is important for both researchers/authors and reviewers to seriously consider the rigor that needs to be applied in the design, conduct, and reporting of survey research so that the reported findings credibly reflect the target population and are a true contribution to the scientific literature.
Ethnobotany and progressive domestication ofjaltomata (solanaceae) in mexico and central america

Members of Jaltomata are herbaceous perennials distributed from southwestern United States into Bolivia, and annuals in the Caribbean and Galapagos Islands. The described species do not fully represent the diversity of this genus. For example, the widespread species, J. procumbens, exhibits morphological variation in several regions of Mexico and Central America. These regions of variation may be in part the result of the plants association with humans. There is a very close match in the geographical distributions of the Tarahumara, Zapotec, Tzeltal, and Chuj cultures and the variant populations of Jaltomata in Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Chiapas (Mexico), and Huehuetenango (Guatemala), respectively. The results of the interaction of Jaltomata and humans are discussed in a general evolutionary context. Observations of Jaltomata among the Tarahumarain Chihuahua are presented as a starting point for further elucidation of progressive domestication. This encouraged weed is recognized as an intermediate between the wild and domesticate. Many vernacular names have been applied to Jaltomata some of these names are also applied to noncongeners (e.g., members of the Solanum nigrum complex).