cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Philosopher's Corner: Beyond Epistemology and Methodology - A Plea for a Disciplined Metatheoretical Pluralism

The DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems has sponsored a series of articles on the thought of Paul Feyerabend (Treiblmaier, 2018, 2019; Gregor, 2018; Burton-Jones, 2018; Myers, 2018). Treiblmaier and the respondents discuss the actual meaning and implication of Feyerabend's ideas for information systems. In the series, the authors argue we already employ diverse methodologies. However, it is also apparent that a truncated view of philosophy as only concerned with epistemology and all methods as commensurable is employed. This paper argues we do not have a real diversity in the IS field and we should commit to the practice of a disciplined metatheoretic pluralism. Our methodology must not only be rigorously executed but also correctly interpreted in accord with our metatheoretic assumptions. We need to be open to all types of metatheory as well as methods and research topics. The paper provides four suggestions for how to implement disciplined metatheoretic pluralism: 1) Educate doctoral students into the various philosophical paradigms; 2) Require authors to state their metatheoretic assumptions and review for conformance to them; 3) Open publication venues to all authors, methodologies, metatheoretic commitments, and ideas; 4) Change the evaluation mechanism to reduce the pressure to conform to normal science.
Severe Maternal Morbidity, Race, and Rurality: Trends Using the National Inpatient Sample, 2012–2017

Background: Severe maternal morbidity is related to maternal mortality and an important measure of maternal health outcomes. Our objective was to evaluate differences in rates of severe maternal morbidity and mortality (SMMM noncore rural aOR 1.24 [1.18-1.31]). Among White women, the highest odds of SMM&M were in noncore rural counties (aOR 1.20 [1.12-1.27]), while among Black women the highest odds were in urban (aOR 1.21 [1.11-1.31]) and micropolitan areas (aOR 1.36 [1.19-1.57]). Findings were similar for Hispanic, Native American, and other race women. Rates of SMM&M increased from 2012 to 2017, especially among urban patients. Conclusions: Women in the most urban and most rural counties experienced higher odds of SMM&M, and these relationships differed by race. These findings suggest particular areas for clinical leaders and policymakers to target to reduce geographic and racial disparities in maternal outcomes.
Comprehensive Analysis to Uncover Determinants of Patient Appointment Compliance in Ophthalmology at the Kresge Eye Institute, USA

Introduction Appointment compliance (AC) has a significant impact on patient care; however, determinants of AC in Ophthalmology and its subspecialties remains elusive. Methods We performed a five-year retrospective analysis across Kresge Eye Institute (KEI) and its affiliated Michigan locations. A total of 597,364 appointments across >13 subspecialties were included. AC was the primary outcome of interest. Compliant (CO) and non-compliant (NC) groups were compared to the following variables: patient characteristics (gender, race, age, insurance), appointment rank (relative to patient history), scheduling location, month, and ophthalmic specialty, in regard to arrival and no-show. Results Among all appointments, 59.77% were associated with a female patient and 79.16% of the total number of appointments depicted patient compliance. AC differed concerning specialty, with retina representing the highest compliance across all appointments. Among 200+ insurance providers, Medicare was most frequently used and represented the highest share of CO appointments. African Americans were the primary ethnicity served by KEI and had the highest number of NC appointments. Conclusion Our study demonstrates the impact of patient demographics, appointment characteristics, and ophthalmic subspecialty on AC. A better understanding of these determinants could allow for an increased CO for Ophthalmology practices.
Genetic Dissection of the RNA Polymerase II Transcription Cycle

How DNA sequence affects the dynamics and position of RNA Polymerase II during transcription remains poorly understood. Here we used naturally occurring genetic variation in F1 hybrid mice to explore how DNA sequence differences affect the genome-wide distribution of Pol II. We measured the position and orientation of Pol II in eight organs collected from heterozygous F1 hybrid mice using ChRO-seq. Our data revealed a strong genetic basis for the precise coordinates of transcription initiation and promoter proximal pause, which was composed of both existing and novel DNA sequence motifs, and allowed us to redefine molecular models of core transcriptional processes. Our results implicate the strength of base pairing between A-T or G-C dinucleotides as key determinants to the position of Pol II initiation and pause. We reveal substantial differences in the position of transcription termination, which frequently do not affect the composition of the mature mRNA. Finally, we identified frequent, organ-specific changes in transcription that affect mRNA and ncRNA expression across broad genomic domains. Collectively, we reveal how DNA sequences shape core transcriptional processes at single nucleotide resolution in mammals.
Are stable isotope ratios suitable for describing niche partitioning and individual specialization

As concerns about anthropogenic and natural disturbance grow, understanding animal resource use patterns has been increasingly prioritized to predict how changes in environmental conditions, food web structure, and population dynamics will affect biological resilience. Among the tools used to assess resource use, stable isotope analysis has proliferated in ecological studies, particularly in relation to describing intra- and interspecific variation in trophic interactions. Despite a growing need to disseminate scientific information, the inherent limitations of stable isotope ratios and inappropriate synonymizing of distinct evolutionary and ecological processes may mislead ecological inferences in natural systems. This situation necessitates a re-evaluation of the utility of stable isotope ratios to address certain ecological questions. Here, we assess the efficacy of stable isotope ratios to describe two fundamental ecological processes, niche partitioning and individual specialization. Investigation of these processes has increased substantially in accordance with increased access to stable isotope data. This article discusses the circumstances and approaches that are necessary to evaluate niche partitioning and individual specialization, and outlines key considerations for the associated application of stable isotope ratios.
The PNPLA3 rs738409 Variant but not MBOAT7 rs641738 is a Risk Factor for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese U.S. Children of Hispanic Ethnicity.

Purpose The rs641738 C>T in membrane-bound O-acyltransferase domain-containing protein 7 (MBOAT7) is implicated, along with the rs738409 C>G polymorphism in patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3), in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The association of these polymorphisms and NAFLD are investigated in Hispanic children with obesity. Methods Obese children with and without NAFLD were enrolled at a pediatric tertiary care health system and genotyped for MBOAT7 rs641738 C>T and PNPLA3 rs738409 C>G. NAFLD was characterized by the ultrasonographic presence of hepatic steatosis along with persistently elevated liver enzymes. Genetic variants and demographic and biochemical data were analyzed for the effects on NAFLD. Results Among 126 enrolled subjects, 84 in the case group had NAFLD and 42 in the control group did not. The two groups had similar demographic distribution. NAFLD was associated with abnormal liver enzymes and elevated triglycerides and cholesterol (p G had an additive effect in NAFLD; however, MBOAT7 rs641738 C>T had no effects alone or synergistically with PNPLA3 polymorphism. NAFLD risk increased 3.7-fold in subjects carrying PNPLA3 GG genotype and decreased in MBOAT7 TT genotype. Conclusion In Hispanic children with obesity, PNPLA3 rs738409 C>G polymorphism increased the risk for NAFLD. The role of MBOAT7 rs641738 variant in NAFLD is less evident.
Forty Acres and a Mule: Reparation Blues1:

This one-act play occurs on Juneteenth 2021, a day when protest directed at the Catholic Church and statues of Saint Junipero. Serra swept through the California mission system. Our play centers on...
Mechanisms of Lung Injury Induced by SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

The lung is the major target organ of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes COVID-19. Here, we outline the multi-step mechanisms of lung epithelial and endothelial injury induced by SARS-CoV-2: direct viral infection, chemokine/cytokine-mediated damage, and immune cell-mediated lung injury. Finally, we discuss the recent progress in terms of anti-viral therapeutics as well as the development of anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory therapeutic approaches. This review also provides a systematic overview of the models for studying SARS-CoV-2 infection, and discusses how an understanding of mechanisms of lung injury will help identify potential targets for future drug development to mitigate lung injury.
The Obvious Invisibility of the Relationship between Technology and Social Values

We all too often assume that technology is the product of objective scientific research and that technology's moral value lies in only the moral character of its user. To remove technology from a moral realm, we assume value and context neutrality. Yet the power of technology is a reflection of the values that exist in its developmental context. Technology's moral realm is visible in the reciprocal relationship between culture and technology in the epidemiology of AIDS, clinical research and practice regarding heart disease, and DNA research. Cultural values decide what counts as a scientific question. When we look at the 1980s epidemiological model for AIDS, we see how the presuppositions within a culture frame the type of question asked; that is "In what population does AIDS occur?" This question initially leads scientific research away from individual behavior until a different question is asked. Secondly, that which constitutes a scientific problem in turn directs the kinds of technologies developed. Men who were dying of heart disease showed symptoms in large arteries of the heart when using technologies designed to find these symptoms. Women were also dying of heart disease, but be- cause the large arteries were not overwhelmingly compromised, women were not properly diagnosed until recently. If large arteries are the "problem," seeing smaller vessels as problematic is more difficult. If the cultural standard of the healthy body is a male body, technologies responsive to that body are developed. Thirdly, a type of technology developed will in turn create new or enhanced values. A bio- logical/genetic basis for race or intelligence is a scientific answer to a culturally defined problem, and the cultural issue of race is defined as problematic by scientific fact. Technology directs human values and behaviors in predictable ways; thus, technologies are ethically valenced.
Campylobacter cinaedi is normal intestinal flora in hamsters.

During the course of studies to reproduce proliferative enteritis in hamsters, Campylobacter cinaedi was recovered from the feces of the majority of healthy hamsters obtained from two commercial sources. The organisms were cultured by using filtration, a nonselective medium, and a microaerophilic atmosphere containing hydrogen. Isolation was hindered by the fastidious nature of C. cinaedi and by the presence of other Campylobacter species in the hamster intestine. All hamster C. cinaedi isolates were phenotypically similar to C. cinaedi ATCC 35683. Comparison of whole-cell protein profiles of one hamster isolate with a reference strain of C. cinaedi by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting with C. cinaedi-specific rabbit antiserum supported the phenotypic identification of these isolates. Hamsters may be an animal reservoir for human C. cinaedi infections. Images
Prognostic value of lymphocyte surface markers in acute myeloid leukemia.

We studied the expression of cell surface antigens associated with myeloid and lymphoid leukemias on bone marrow-derived blast cells from 339 patients with newly diagnosed de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) enrolled on Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) chemotherapy protocols. Surprisingly, of 211 cases studied for the expression of CD2 (T-cell marker, sheep erythrocyte binding receptor for T lymphocytes) 45 were positive (21%). In addition, of 298 patients studied for CD19 (B-lymphocyte marker), 41 were positive (14%). Overall, of 170 patients studied for both CD2 and CD19, 56 (33%) were positive. Interestingly, central review of the French-American-British (FAB) morphology of the CD2- and CD19-positive cases showed that FAB M3 was twice as frequent, and M4E eight times as frequent compared with the CD2- and CD19-negative cases. Of 22 lymphocyte antigen-positive cases in which cells were available for studies of Ig or T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement, 20 were germline, one had a rearranged Ig heavy chain gene, and one had rearranged TCR beta and Ig heavy chain genes. The presence of messenger RNA for CD2 was demonstrated in four CD2 surface antigen-positive cases, thus validating the cell surface data. Lymphocyte antigen-positive cases had karyotypes commonly seen in AML; 71% of cases with an abnormal clone had t(8;21)(q22;q22), inversion 16(p13q22), t(15;17)(q22;q12), or t(9;11)(p22;q23). The patients with lymphocyte markers had a significantly higher incidence of these karyotypic abnormalities compared with patients with lymphocyte antigen-negative AML (34% v 15%, P less than .02). When the outcome to therapy of the lymphocyte antigen-positive cases was compared with that for the CD2, CD19-negative cases, we found that the CD2, CD19-positive cases actually had higher complete remission rates (75% v 59%, P = .04), and significantly longer time to failure (P = .02; 32.4% +/- 6.0% v 18.0% +/- 4.1% at 2 years) and overall survival (P = .02; 43.5% +/- 6.3% v 26.0% +/- 4.5% at 2 years). CD2 antigen-positive cases also had a significantly superior survival (P = .02; 43.8% +/- 7.9% v 29.8% +/- 3.8% at 2 years). There were no significant differences (P less than or equal to .05) between the two groups in age, leukocyte count at diagnosis, incidence of extramedullary disease, or FAB classification.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Mechanisms of Lactose Utilization by Lactic Acid Streptococci: Enzymatic and Genetic Analyses

The apparent instability of beta-galactosidase in toluene-treated cells or cell-free extracts of lactic streptococci is explained by the fact that these organisms do not contain the expected enzyme. Instead, various strains of Streptococcus lactis, S. cremoris, and S. diacetilactis were shown to hydrolyze o-nitrophenyl-beta-d-galactoside-6-phosphate (ONPG-6-P), indicating the presence of a different enzyme. In addition, lactose metabolism in S. lactis C(2)F was found to involve enzyme I (EI), enzyme II (EII), factor III (FIII), and a heat-stable protein (HPr) of a phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-dependent phosphotransferase system analogous to that of Staphylococcus aureus. Mutants of S. lactis C(2)F, defective in lactose metabolism, possessed the phenotype lac(-) gal(-). These strains were unable to accumulate (14)C-thiomethyl-beta-d-galactoside, to hydrolyze ONPG, or to utilize lactose when grown in lactose or galactose broth. In addition, these mutants contained EI and HPr, but lacked EII, FIII, and the ability to hydrolyze ONPG-6-P. This suggested that the defect was in the phosphorylation step. Lactose-negative mutants of S. lactis 7962, a strain containing beta-galactosidase, could be separated into several classes, which indicated that this organism is not dependent upon the PEP-phosphotransferase system for lactose metabolism.
Assessing the Accuracy of Spatiotemporal Epidemiological Models

To demonstrate an approach that allows for the assessment of models and their accuracy, a numerical experiment was designed to generate a "control" data set and treated it as if it were "real" data. The open source spatiotemporal epidemiological modeler (STEM) was used to develop a control scenario depicting the spread of influenza in the state of Vermont; this scenario was then compared to three alternative models using such tools as root mean square differences and phase space analysis. This approach may prove helpful in responding to global pandemics and arriving at necessary policy decisions.
Why machine learning algorithms fail in misuse detection on KDD intrusion detection data set

A large set of machine learning and pattern classification algorithms trained and tested on KDD intrusion detection data set failed to identify most of the user-to-root and remote-to-local attacks, as reported by many researchers in the literature. In light of this observation, this paper aims to expose the deficiencies and limitations of the KDD data set to argue that this data set should not be used to train pattern recognition or machine learning algorithms for misuse detection for these two attack categories. Multiple analysis techniques are employed to demonstrate, both objectively and subjectively, that the KDD training and testing data subsets represent dissimilar target hypotheses for user-to-root and remote-to-local attack categories. These techniques consisted of switching the roles of original training and testing data subsets to develop a decision tree classifier, cross-validation on merged training and testing data subsets, and qualitative and comparative analysis of rules generated independently on training and testing data subsets through the C4.5 decision tree algorithm. Analysis results clearly suggest that no pattern classification or machine learning algorithm can be trained successfully with the KDD data set to perform misuse detection for user-to-root or remote-to-local attack categories. It is further noted that the analysis techniques employed to assess the similarity between the two target hypotheses represented by the training and the testing data subsets can readily be generalized to data set pairs in other problem domains.
A practical integration of automatic generation control and Demand Response

For a power grid to operate properly, electrical frequency must be continuously maintained close to its nominal value. Increasing penetration of distributed generation, such as solar and wind generation, introduces fluctuations in active power while also reducing the natural inertial response of the electricity grid, creating reliability concerns. While frequency regulation has traditionally been achieved by controlling generators, the control of Demand Response (DR) resources has been recognized in recent smart grid literature as an efficient means for providing additional regulation capability. To this end, several control methodologies have been proposed recently, but various features of these proposals make their practical implementations difficult. In this paper, we propose a new control algorithm that facilitates optimal frequency regulation through direct control of both generators and DR, while addressing several issues that prevent practical implementation of other proposals. In particular, i) our algorithm is ideal for control over a large, low-bandwidth network as communication and measurement is only required every 2 seconds, ii) it enables DR resources to recover energy lost during system transients, and iii) it allows the market to immediately respond to disturbances through feedback of the system frequency. We demonstrate the viability of our approach through dynamic simulations on a 118-bus grid model.
Microphotonic spectrum-splitting & concentration for high-efficiency photovoltaics

We present a diffractive microphotonic element that can split solar spectrum into 2 or more spectral bands, and concentrate these bands onto optimal absorbers. We experimentally demonstrated an increase in output power of 35% with a 3-band configuration.
Immunophenotypic stability of CD200 expression in plasma cell myeloma

To the Editor We read with interest the article “Diagnostic Usefulness and Prognostic Impact of CD200 Expression in Lymphoid Malignancies and Plasma Cell Myeloma” by Alapat et al.1 The authors presented as one of their findings flow cytometric data on CD200 expression in 52 cases of plasma cell myeloma (PCM), and the proportion of CD200+ cases (71%) was similar to that previously reported by our group (in a cohort of 76 patients)2 and by other authors.3 In addition, the authors correlated CD200 immunophenotypic expression findings with gene expression profiling (GEP) information; of 27 patients with serial GEP analyses, 5 (19%) had a change in CD200 gene expression, and this change (particularly loss of CD200 expression) may have occurred during disease progression.1 However, no serial evaluation of CD200 expression by flow cytometry (FC) was available in their cohort. The authors incorrectly state that there are no literature data on the FC stability of CD200 in PCM. In our previous article, we reported the stable expression of CD200 in 19 patients with PCM who had serial FC analyses.2 Because there are no additional data reported on the stability of CD200 expression in PCM, we chose to expand and detail our findings in a cohort of 32 PCM bone marrow biopsy specimens (from 21 newly diagnosed cases and 11 treated patients with residual disease). We serially studied the CD200 expression patterns in neoplastic plasma cells by using 4-color FC with antibodies against the following …
Examining Asian Outbound Travelers' Consumption Patterns After the 1997 Asian Economic Crisis

Abstract This research delineates the change of Asian outbound travelers' consumption patterns due to the effect of the economic crisis prevailing in Asian countries since late 1997. The study populations are Japanese, Taiwanese, and South Korean travelers to the U.S. between 1997 and 1998. Four consumption patterns are examined by logit analyses. The resulting data reveal that Japanese travelers have significant changes in information acquisition; Taiwanese travelers exhibit significant change in the length of trip; and South Korean travelers show the changes of consumption patterns in three categories, including information acquisition, transportation mode, and length of trip. Tour package is the only consumption pattern that has not changed among the three groups of tourists after the crisis. In the conclusion, marketing strategies are provided for international tourism practitioners focusing on Japanese, Taiwanese, and South Korean outbound travelers to the U.S.
A pilot study of carboplatin and mitoxantrone in blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia.

The efficacy and toxicity of carboplatin plus mitoxantrone in blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukemia (CMLBC) were evaluated. Between 1990 and 1996, 20 patients (11 males and nine females, median age of 49 years [range 30–75 years]) were treated with carboplatin, 250 mg/m2/day × 5 days as an infusion and mitoxantrone, 10 mg/m2/day × 3 days, IV bolus. Median time from diagnosis of CML to BC was 4.25 years (range 0–11 years). CMLBC was myeloid in 13 patients, lymphoid in six, and megakaryocytic in one. All patients were Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome positive; four had a single Ph chromosome, five had double Ph chromosome, three had abnormalities of chromosome 17, and eight had complex cytogenetic abnormalities. Prior treatment for chronic phase included hydroxyurea (12 patients), interferon-α (11 patients), cytarabine or all-trans retinoic acid, three patients each and other agents (four patients). Eight patients (five myeloid and three lymphoid) had an objective response (median duration, 3 months). Five had complete responses (CR) of 2, 3, 3, 6, and 6+ months duration, and three had partial responses (PR) for 1, 2, and 4 months. Seven patients died too early to evaluate (TETE): three died pancytopenic in 30 days but had only blasts in their day 30 bone marrow, and two patients were pancytopenic >30 days but demonstrated trilineage marrow regeneration. Three of eight responders survived ≥1 year. Toxicity was primarily hematologic. The objective response rate was 61% (8/13) among those who did not die TETE and 40% among all treated patients. Carboplatin plus mitoxantrone are highly active in CMLBC, with marrow aplasia as the dose-limiting toxicity, and these agents deserve further study in CMLBC, perhaps in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Amplitude modulation of the nightly melatonin rise in the neonatal lamb and the subsequent timing of puberty.

Spring-born female lambs require a decrease in day length for the normal timing of puberty the following autumn. If this decrease occurs early in postnatal life (i.e. 0-10 weeks), puberty is delayed. This study tested the hypothesis that failure of the neonatal lamb to respond to the critical long-day to short-day signal is due to inadequate nocturnal melatonin secretion. The approach was to artificially increase, to adult levels, the low nighttime rises of melatonin during the early postnatal period. Eight female lambs served as controls; they were raised on short days until 17 wk of age, and then exposed to 5 wk of long days, after which they were returned to short days. This alternating sequence of photoperiods during mid-development would be expected to induce normal puberty. Sixteen experimental females were exposed to the critical block of long days much earlier; they were placed in long days between 2 and 7 wk of age and in short days thereafter. Half (n = 8) received no further treatment. The other half (n = 8) were infused nightly with melatonin during the 8-h dark phase of the 5-wk, long-day photoperiod. This increased the amplitude of the natural nighttime melatonin rises 3- to 4-fold, well into the adult range.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Segmental acute tubular necrosis in a living renal allograft with a single artery transplanted following laparoscopic procurement

On radionuclide scanning, acute tubular necrosis (ATN) commonly manifests as adequate perfusion represented by persistently diffuse radiotracer activity throughout the parenchyma of renal allograft transplanted with a single artery with no or poor excretion of radiotracer. Following transplantation, the abnormal “wedge-shaped” finding of radiotracer retention in an isolated arterial segment of the graft kidney on Tc-99 m mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) scan with significant clearance on sequential study demonstrates vascular etiology of tubular dysfunction and represents segmental ATN rather urinary extravasation or artifact. Dial. Transplant. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Core loss prediction using magnetic circuit model for fractional-slot concentrated-winding interior permanent magnet machines

This paper presents a promising technique for estimating the cores losses of a fractional-slot concentrated-winding (FSCW) interior permanent magnet (IPM) machine using a simplified lumped-parameter magnetic circuit model (MCM). This model incorporates several key nonlinear phenomena including (i) magnetic saturation; (ii) cross-saturation effects between the d- and q-axes affecting both flux linkages and inductances; (iii) stator slotting effects; and (iv) localized effects due to rotor bridges. The MCM is configured to predict the flux densities waveforms in the iron as the rotor rotates. Fourier transformation is then applied to extract the frequency components of the flux density in each iron core permeance element, followed by estimation of the losses in each element. These permeance losses can then be combined to provide the estimated iron losses in the total core. Very good agreement is demonstrated between core loss predictions delivered by this model for a target FSCW-IPM machine and those provided by finite element (FE) analysis.
Relative Accuracy of Fine‐Needle Aspiration and Frozen Section in the Diagnosis of Well‐Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

The need for and extent of thyroid surgery for a thyroid nodule is usually primarily based on fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and frozen section diagnosis. The relative role of these modalities in 66 patients who had undergone FNA and subsequent thyroidectomy with frozen section was investigated. Cases that demonstrated discordance between FNA and frozen section (n = 22; 33%) were identified, and all slides were re-reviewed by a cytopathologist using current established cytologic criteria. A change in diagnosis was made in 13 cases with an increase in accuracy of FNA from 71% to 88%. The accuracy of frozen section (92%) did not change appreciably with re-review (94%). The accuracy of FNA and frozen section combined was found to be 98%. The rate of discordance decreased from 33% to 13% with re-review. When strict histologic and cytologic criteria are applied, FNA and frozen section are accurate and complementary methods that help in determining the operative management of thyroid masses. However, when FNA yields a diagnosis of "follicular neoplasm," frozen section is unlikely to change this diagnosis.
Elastic, plastic and creep deformations in long, thick-walled cylinders of workhardening material subjected to transient thermal and mechanical loading

The author has attempted to apply the relatively old concepts of aggregate mechanics (Bishop and Hill1, Bohnenblust and Duwez2, Whitman3, and others) to obtain a more realistic solution to the cylinder problem. The assumption that a solid is composed of a number of domains obeying simple stress-strain laws has been used frequently to explain certain aspects of inelastic deformation. This is mainly a result of the inability to formulate the problem from the elements of plasticity theory. Besseling4 and White5 have extended the concepts of aggregate mechanics to multiaxial analysis, but relatively little has been done to apply these techniques toward the solution of practical problems. In this paper, equations are developed for the stress rates in thick-walled cylinders subjected to transient thermal and mechanical loading. The aggregate equations are based on the generalized response of two parallel coupled domains—one elastic and the other elastic, viscous, perfectly plastic (Ref. 6). A numerical procedure for integrating the equations is given and then applied to a problem of interest.
The metabolic role of leucovorin

Interest in determining if leucovorin, known chemically as 5-formyltetra-hydrofolate, plays a role in one-carbon metabolism is reemerging. While investigations in the 1940s suggested it was an important donor of one-carbon units in folate-mediated biosynthetic reactions, studies between the 1950s and 1980s disproved this hypothesis and dismissed its presence in biological systems as artifactual. Recently, new data has focused attention on the possible biological function of this compound that is widely used in cancer chemotherapy.
Coronary artery disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background A 24-year-old woman with an 11-year history of systemic lupus erythematosus presented with exacerbation of chronic abdominal pain followed by substernal chest pain. She had a history of pericarditis secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus and of varicella-zoster reactivation secondary to immunosuppression. Long-term medications included prednisolone, hydroxychloroquine, aspirin, and mycophenolate mofetil. Investigations Physical examination, mesenteric angiography, CT of the abdomen, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, pelvic ultrasound, laboratory testing, serologic testing, cardiac echocardiography, electrocardiography and coronary angiography. Diagnosis Acute myocardial infarction secondary to severe multivessel atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Management Intra-aortic balloon pump followed by emergent four-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting. Aspirin, hydroxychloroquine, and mycophenolate mofetil were continued and a judicious tapering of prednisolone was initiated.
Regulation of the CCL2 Gene in Pancreatic β-Cells by IL-1β and Glucocorticoids: Role of MKP-1

Release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from both resident and invading leukocytes within the pancreatic islets impacts the development of Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Synthesis and secretion of the chemokine CCL2 from pancreatic β-cells in response to pro-inflammatory signaling pathways influences immune cell recruitment into the pancreatic islets. Therefore, we investigated the positive and negative regulatory components controlling expression of the CCL2 gene using isolated rat islets and INS-1-derived β-cell lines. We discovered that activation of the CCL2 gene by IL-1β required the p65 subunit of NF-κB and was dependent on genomic response elements located in the -3.6 kb region of the proximal gene promoter. CCL2 gene transcription in response to IL-1β was blocked by pharmacological inhibition of the IKKβ and p38 MAPK pathways. The IL-1β-mediated increase in CCL2 secretion was also impaired by p38 MAPK inhibition and by glucocorticoids. Moreover, multiple synthetic glucocorticoids inhibited the IL-1β-stimulated induction of the CCL2 gene. Induction of the MAP Kinase Phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) gene by glucocorticoids or by adenoviral-mediated overexpression decreased p38 MAPK phosphorylation, which diminished CCL2 gene expression, promoter activity, and release of CCL2 protein. We conclude that glucocorticoid-mediated repression of IL-1β-induced CCL2 gene transcription and protein secretion occurs in part through the upregulation of the MKP-1 gene and subsequent deactivation of the p38 MAPK. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory actions observed with MKP-1 overexpression were obtained without suppressing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Thus, MKP-1 is a possible target for anti-inflammatory therapeutic intervention with preservation of β-cell function.
New challenges for nurses in clinical trials

LINICAL TRIALS in oncology have been a motivating influence in differentiating the role of the oncology nurse and in establishing the professional subspecialty in nursing. ‘,2 The interaction of the medical-surgical nurse in the conduct of therapeutic oncology clinical trials began in the 195Os, and demonstrated the unique abilities of nurses to contribute to the effective implementation, quality, cost-effectiveness, and timely completion of studies designed to determine better treatments for malignant disease. 3-5 Traditionally, oncology clinical trials have been directed at treatment of the malignancy. However, clinical trials now include cancer control research evaluating the efficacy of agents in preventing cancer, ie, chemoprevention studies, such as the upcoming trial of tamoxifen in the prevention of breast cancer. Oncology clinical trials also test interventions that will result in earlier detection of malignant disease, optimize the impact of screening programs, and induce behavioral changes for risk reduction .6-9 Recently, companion studies have evolved to study the most effective interventions for the complications of cancer and its treatment. Participation in clinical research protocols is gaining wider acceptance by the public. Patients increasingly view participation in a clinical trial as a mechanism to receive state-of-the-art cancer treatment. lo The dissemination of clinical trials research into the community and its increasing acceptance by the public have expanded the professional roles for the oncology nurse. Cancer control research initiatives, a changing health care environment, and economic realities provide new challenges to nurses interested and involved in clinical trials.
Singular solutions of a transmission problem in plane linear elasticity for wedge-shaped regions

In plane elasticity, when two different wedge-shaped elastic materials (isotropic, homogeneous) are bonded together along a common edge and subject to tractions on the boundary, the stress field ? will become infinite at the apex. In fact, asymptotically, the displacementu satisfies $$u \approx \sum\limits_{j = 1}^n {r^{ - i\lambda _j } } \sum\limits_{k = 0}^{\eta _j - 1} {\ln ^k } (r)\Phi _{jk} (\theta )asr \to 0,$$ where (r, ?) are the polar coordinates with origin at the wedge apex and the complex numbers? j are the roots with positive imaginary part and multiplicity? j of an explicitly given transcendental equation:G(?)=0. For applications it is desirable to understand how the number of terms that give rise to unbounded stresses in the above expansion depends on the elasticity constants and on the wedge angles. Setting $$N(q) = \sum\limits_{0< \operatorname{Im} (\lambda _j )< q} {\eta _j } $$ , the problem is then to studyN(1) as a function of the material constants and wedge angles. A rigorous analysis is presented here for the case in which the wedge angles are equal (symmetric domains). Using the fact thatG is an entire function of ? which depends continuously on the parameters of the problem, we develop a "continuity method" which enables us to evaluate the functions $$N\left( {\frac{\pi }{a}} \right)$$ and $$N\left( {\frac{\pi }{{2a}}} \right)$$ wherea is the measure of each wedge angle. This yields bounds onN(1) as well as some information on the zeros ofG that correspond to higher order singularities.
Fjords as temporary sediment traps: History of glacial erosion and deposition in Muir Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park, southeastern Alaska

Glacimarine sedimentary deposits within the basins of Muir Inlet, a 48-km-long silled fjord, are interpreted from complimentary sets of high-resolution, seismic-reflection profiles using known glacial-advance and retreat history. Two prominent glacial erosion surfaces are identified: the lowest attributed to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) advance and the upper coincident with the Little Ice Age (LIA) advance. The LGM ice sheet, which advanced onto the continental shelf, was 1700 m thick in Muir Inlet and eroded bedrock, whereas the thinner LIA ice did not. LGM deposits >300 m thick occur beneath the LIA erosion surface in the deepest basins. Evidence for earlier Neoglacial advances is present in subaerial deposits; however, Neoglacial sediments preserved within the marine record are restricted to one depositional package on the entrance sill. Volumes of LIA retreat sediments were calculated within basins. An average annual sediment flux was calculated by modeling the duration of sediment contributed from Muir Glacier and from tributary glaciers and side-entry sources. The annual sediment flux ranged from 1.3 × 10 6 m 3 /yr to 4.6 × 10 7 m 3 /yr and increases logarithmically with increasing drainage basin area, similar to fluvial systems. This sediment flux does not only represent bedrock erosion. Additional sediment is contributed from persistent tributary glaciers and from LGM sediment stored within deeper basins. Basin-wide reflections characterize the most common seismic facies and indicate that strata are horizontal and continuous across each basin, confirming the importance of sediment gravity flows originating from sills and sloping fjord walls.
AutoMate: Enabling Autonomic Applications on the Grid

The increasing complexity, heterogeneity, and dynamism of emerging pervasive Grid environments and applications has necessitated the development of autonomic self-managing solutions, that are inspired by biological systems and deal with similar challenges of complexity, heterogeneity, and uncertainty. This paper introduces Project AutoMate and describes its key components. The overall goal of Project Automate is to investigate conceptual models and implementation architectures that can enable the development and execution of such self-managing Grid applications. Illustrative autonomic scientific and engineering Grid applications enabled by AutoMate are presented.
Role of oat beta-glucan in lowering cholesterol

Angie Jefferson reviews the role of oats and their constituent fibre beta-glucan in cholesterol reduction, and provides practical advice for supporting patients with dietary change
A reproducing kernel particle method for meshless analysis of microelectromechanical systems

Many existing computer-aided design systems for microelectromechanical systems require the generation of a three-dimensional mesh for computational analysis of the microdevice. Mesh generation requirements for microdevices are very complicated because of the presence of mixed-energy domains. Point methods or meshless methods do not require the generation of a mesh, and computational analysis can be performed by sprinkling points covering the domain of the microdevice. A corrected smooth particle hydrodynamics approach also referred to as the reproducing kernel particle method is developed here for microelectromechanical applications. A correction function that establishes the consistency and the stability of the meshless method is derived. A simple approach combining the constraint elimination and the Lagrange multiplier technique is developed for imposition of boundary conditions. Numerical results are shown for static and dynamic analysis of microswitches and electromechanical pressure sensors. The accuracy of the meshless method is established by comparing the numerical results obtained with meshless methods with previously reported experimental and numerical data.
A gender comparison on the association of adolescent emotional autonomy with educational expectations and self-esteem

Abstract This article examines gender differences in the relation between emotional autonomy and adolescent outcomes in educational expectations and self-esteem. “Individuation,” the subscale that reflected a parental lack of knowledge and understanding of the adolescent, was found to be associated with lower educational expectations and lower self-esteem for both boys and girls, with the effects being stronger among girls. On the other hand, “Deidealization” was related to higher educational expectations for both boys and girls, with the effect more salient among girls. The results supported the arguments that because girls were more socialized to value family closeness, and were facing more conflicting future roles in contemporary society, an emotional detachment from parents reflected by “individuation” appears to be more of a deprivation for their career expectations and sense of self-worth.
Beliefs about the causes of alcohol-related problems among alcoholic and nonalcoholic women

Both problem drinker and non-problem drinker college students and adult women assigned major responsibility for problem drinking internally to the problem drinker (N = 479). A distressing event and present or past environment received the next highest responsibility ratings in all groups. Actor-observer differences predicted by Jones and Nisbett (1971) did not occur. However, persons were likely to rate several causes as responsible for drinking problems. Female college students were more likely to perceive drinking problems as due to external factors and less likely to believe them due to heredity than were older women.
Nγ-Aryl glutamine analogues as probes of the ASCT2 neutral amino acid transporter binding site

Analogues of L-glutamine were designed and synthesized to test a hydrogen-bond hypothesis between ligand and neutral amino acid transporter ASCT2. The key design feature contains a substituted phenyl ring on the amide nitrogen that contains electron withdrawing and electron donating groups that alter the pKa of the amide NH. Through this study a preliminary binding site map has been developed, and a potent commercially available competitive inhibitor of the ASCT2 transporter has been identified.
Static Analysis of Mechanisms with Ball Joints

Equations of static equilibrium are developed for the ball joint, which is a complex joint in that the coordinates in which its displacements are naturally expressed are stated in different coordinate frames. The implications of this are examined, and the generalized slider-crank mechanism (RSSP mechanism) is given as an example.
Comparison of the morphology of physiologically identified abducens motor and internuclear neurons in the cat: A light microscopic study employing the intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase

Abducens motoneurons and internuclear neurons were identified electrophysiologically in anesthesized, paralyzed cats and stained by intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase. Neurons were reconstructed and surface area of selected cells measured by light microscopy. Surface area of motoneurons and internuclear neuron with similar soma size and shape were roughly comparable. Dendrites of motoneurons were highly tapered and highly branched. By contrast, dendrites of internuclear neurons were less tapered and less branched. Axons of motoneurons had no collaterals within the brainstem. Internuclear axons crossed the midline at the level of their parent somata and ascended in the medial longitudinal fasciculus toward the oculomotor nucleus. Approximately 30% of the internuclear axons branched in the contralateral medial longitudinal fasciculus sending a fine collateral caudal toward the prepositus hypoglossi nucleus. The results suggest that, on the average, structural correlates of injected neurons (i.e., soma-dendritic morphology) can account at least in part for the earlier firing and higher intraburst frequencies of internuclear neurons versus motoneurons during on-direction rapid eye movements in alert cats.
EVOLUTION OF LEAF FORM IN MARSILEACEOUS FERNS: EVIDENCE FOR HETEROCHRONY

Using an explicit phylogenetic framework, ontogenetic patterns of leaf form are compared among the three genera of marsileaceous ferns (Marsilea, Regnellidium, and Pilularia) with the outgroup Asplenium to address the hypothesis that heterochrony played a role in their evolution. We performed a Fourier analysis on a developmental sequence of leaves from individuals of these genera. Principal components analysis of the harmonic coefficients was used to characterize the ontogenetic trajectories of leaf form in a smaller dimensional space. Results of this study suggest that the “evolutionary juvenilization” observed in these leaf sequences is best described using a mixed model of heterochrony (accelerated growth rate and early termination at a simplified leaf form). The later stages of the ancestral, more complex, ontogenetic pattern were lost in Marsileaceae, giving rise to the simplified adult leaves of Marsilea, Regnellidium, and Pilularia. Life-history traits such as ephemeral and uncertain habitats, high reproductive rates, and accelerated maturation, which are typical for marsileaceous ferns, suggest that they may be “r strategists.” The evidence for heterochrony presented here illustrates that it has resulted in profound ecological and morphological consequences for the entire life history of Marsileaceae.
Listening to your heart: interoceptive awareness as a gateway to feeling.

Does awareness of the internal state of one's body relate to the conscious experience of feeling? A new imaging study suggests that body awareness mediated by activity in the anterior insular cortex may contribute to the intensity of negative emotions.
Exploiting celebrity to produce delight in multimedia tools

The goal of multimedia research ought to be more than just understanding and classifying content, more than finding goals in a soccer match, or detecting jokes in a situation comedy. The real goal should be to merge the understanding of stories with the understanding of viewers' reaction to stories. This higher level representation will make multimedia tools more relevant in the long run because it considers both the what and why of content. By understanding both the elements that make up stories as well as audience reactions, systems can move past simple classification to the more distant horizon of story creation. Exploring features surrounding celebrities takes a step in this direction.