Concepts of Democracy and Elitism in American Intellectual History

This article examines how American intellectuals such as Jonathan Edwards, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William James, John Dewey, and Walter Lippmann have recognized reality as well as human nature through both experiential and transcendental approaches. Understanding their recognitions of reality and man, this article argues that throughout American intellectual history the antithesis of the concept of democracy had been not necessarily that of elitism, for both concepts, rather, had been needed in reaching equilibrium between whole and parts which American intellectuals had sought as the most desirable state in the relation of man and God, and of individual and society. In fact, even when they stressed the excellence of whole and the heroism of man, they did so considering their relationships of mutual consent between all parts. In this respect, they were not elitist thinkers like Pareto, Mosca, and Michels who established a systematic distinction between elite and masses in society and politics. They believed that the theological and philosophical concepts of democracy and elitism can be, and should be, reconciled and applied for the full growth of individuals and the entire progress of society. The aim of this article is to criticize a current intellectual ethos which denies reality as well as human subject due to the belief that the processes of historical formation have been dominated by elite persons, elite values, and elite culture

Recurrence of Completely Excised Arteriovenous Malformation: Review of the Literatures and Possible Explanation

The authors report a case of recurrent arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which has been completely removed and disappeared on postoperative angiography four years ago. Initially, at the age of nine years, she presented intracerebral hematoma. The angiography demonstrated an aneurysm and AVM nidus located in the posterior frontal area, fed by the branches of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries. Eleven days after the ictus, rebleeding occurred, so left fronto-parietal craniotomy was done emergently. The hematoma and AVM nidus with aneurysm were removed. Her postoperative course was uneventful and postoperative angiography showed that the AVM had been completely excised. However, four years later, sudden focal motor seizure on right leg developed. Magnetic resonance (MR) images and angiography demonstrated that the AVM reappeared on the previously operated region. Extirpation of the recurrent AVM was carried out. We do emphasize a long term follow-up MR images or a repeated angiography is essential to confirm the complete absence after excision of the AVM

Solid–liquid interface temperature measurement of evaporating droplet using thermoresponsive polymer aqueous solution

The present study aims to measure the solid–liquid interface temperature of an evaporating droplet on a heated surface using a thermoresponsive polymer. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) was used owing to its sensitive optical and mechanical properties to the temperature. We also measured the refractive index variation of the pNIPAM solution by using the surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi). In particular, the present study proposed a new method to measure the solid–liquid interface temperature using the correlation among reflectance, refractive index, and temperature. It was found that the reflectance of a pNIPAM solution decreased after the droplet deposition. The solid–liquid interface temperature, estimated from the reflectance, showed a lower value at the center of the droplet, and it gradually increased along the radial direction. The lowest temperature at the contact line region is present because of the maximum evaporative cooling. Moreover, the solid–liquid interface temperature deviation increased with the surface temperature, which means solid–liquid interface temperature should be considered at high temperature to predict the evaporation flux of the droplet accurately

One-pot Enzymatic Synthesis of Deoxy-thymidine-diphosphate (TDP)-2-deoxy-∝-d-glucose Using Phosphomannomutase

Production of deoxy-thymidine-diphosphate (TDP)-sugars as substrates of glycosyltransferases, has been one of main hurdles for combinatorial antibiotic biosynthesis, which combines sugar moiety with aglycon of various antibiotics. Here, we report the one-pot enzymatic synthesis of TDP-2-deoxy-glucose employing high efficient TMP kinase (TMK; E.C. 2.7.2.12), acetate kinase (ACK; E.C. 2.7.1.21), and TDP-glucose synthase (TGS; E.C. 2.7.7.24) with phosphomannomutase (PMM; E.C. 5.4.2.8). In this study, replacing phosphoglucomutase (PGM; E.C. 5.4.2) by PMM from Escherichia coli gave four times higher specific activity on 2-deoxy-6-phosphate glucose, suggesting that the activity on 2-deoxy-glucose-6-phosphate was mainly affected by PMM activity, not PGM activity. Using an in vitro system starting from TMP and 2-deoxy-glucose-6-phosphate glucose, TDP-2-deoxy-glucose (63% yield) was successfully synthesized. Considering low productivity of NDP-sugars from cheap starting materials, this paper showed how production of NDP-sugars could be enhanced by controlling mutase activity

Petrosal Approach for Aneurysms on the Vertebrobasilar Artery Junction and Mid-Basilar Artery: Technical Note

The aneurysms located on vertebra-basilar artery junction and mid-basilar artery are not common. These aneurysms may be surgically clipped through a variety of approaches. The suboccipital approach has potential morbidities due to retraction of cerebellum and brain stem. The supratentorial approach may have retraction damage to the temporal lobe and the vein of Labbe. Resection of petrous bone in combined approach of supratentorial and infratentorial route has some advantages. There is minimal retraction of cerebellum, brain stem and temporal lobe, preservation of the vein of Labbe and shortening of the operative distance. Thus the petrosal approach may be helpful for the surgery of aneurysms arising around vertebro-basilar artery junction and mid-basilar artery. We have clipped an aneurysm on the vertebro-basilar artery junction and mid-basilar artery with petrosal approach and discuss its usefulness for the approach to aneurysms on vertebro-basilar artery junction and mid-basilar artery

AKARI Detection of the Infrared-Bright Supernova Remnant B0104-72.3 in the Small Magellanic Cloud

We present a serendipitous detection of the infrared-bright supernova remnant (SNR) B0104-72.3 in the Small Magellanic Cloud by the Infrared Camera (IRC) onboard AKARI. An elongated, partially complete shell is detected in all four observed IRC bands covering 2.6-15 um. The infrared shell surrounds radio, optical, and X-ray emission associated with the SNR and is probably a radiative SNR shell. This is the first detection of a SNR shell in this near/mid-infrared waveband in the Small Magellanic Cloud. The IRC color indicates that the infrared emission might be from shocked H2 molecules with some possible contributions from ionic lines. We conclude that B0104-72.3 is a middle-aged SNR interacting with molecular clouds, similar to the Galactic SNR IC 443. Our results highlight the potential of AKARI IRC observations in studying SNRs, especially for diagnosing SNR shocks.Comment: 12 pages with 3 figures, accepted for publication in AKARI PASJ special issu

Molecular cloning and expression of a novel human cDNA related to the diazepam binding inhibitor

AbstractIn order to isolate the unidentified autoantigens in autoimmune diabetes, a human pancreatic islet cDNA library was constructed and screened with the sera from the diabetic patients. From the library screening, one clone (DRS-1) that strongly reacted with the sera was isolated. Subsequent sequence analysis revealed that the clone was a novel cDNA related to the diazepam binding inhibitor. DRS-1 was expressed in most tissues including liver, lung, tonsil, and thymus, in addition to pancreatic islets. DRS-1 was in vitro translated and the recombinant DRS-1 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The size of the in vitro translated or bacterially expressed DRS-1 protein was in agreement with the conceptually translated polypeptide of DRS-1 cDNA. Further studies are required to test whether or not DRS-1 is a new autoantigen in autoimmune diabetes