cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Policy Fundamentals in Fostering Economic Growth in Developing Countries

This paper examines the role of policy fundamentals in fostering economic growth in developing countries. Based on data from the World Bank for the 2000-2011 period and a sample of sixty-two developing economies we find that the growth rate of per capita GDP is dependent on a country’s investments in human capital as measured by the share of the public sector in total health expenditure and by the relative size of public education in the government’s budget, on an enabling business environment as measured by two Doing Business indicators, namely the cost of starting a business as a percent of per capita income and the number of days required to enforce contracts, and by the share of losses due to theft, robbery, vandalism, and arson in sales as reported in the enterprise surveys, on the depth of the credit information index and the share of domestic credit provided by the banking sector in the GDP, on the initial level of per capita GDP, and on the share of the net inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the GDP. We observe that the coefficient estimates of two explanatory variables, namely, the share of the public sector in total health expenditure and by the relative size of public education in the government’s budget, do not have their expected sign, possibly to the collinearity between these variables and the cost of starting a business as a percent of per capita income as well as with the initial level of per capita GDP. In addition, the share of the public sector in total health expenditure is not significant via using the t-test. We suspect that this is also due to the collinearity between this variable and the cost of starting a business as a percent of per capita income as well as with the initial level of per capita GDP. Statistical results of such empirical examination will assist governments in developing countries and focus on appropriate policy fundamentals in order to foster economic growth.
An easy way to relate optical element motion to system pointing stability

The optomechanical engineering for mounting lenses and mirrors in imaging systems is frequently driven by the pointing or jitter requirements for the system. A simple set of rules was developed that allow the engineer to quickly determine the coupling between motion of an optical element and a change in the system line of sight. Examples are shown for cases of lenses, mirrors, and optical subsystems. The derivation of the stationary point for rotation is also provided. Small rotation of the system about this point does not cause image motion.
Surgical Principles in the Direct Reconstruction of Left Coronary Flow

irect coronary surgery in Milwaukee .began in October, 1967. Two segmental obstructions in the proximal right coronary D artery were treated with the patch graft technique as described by Crafoord [ll and subsequently by Effler [Z]. In both instances, and in most cases since that time, nonobstructing atherosclerosis was found to extend well above and below the stenotic area. Rather than suturing into diseased artery, it seemed logical to expose a normal portion of the artery distally, make a simple arteriotomy, and suture a tapered vein graft to the side of the coronary artery in a manner similar to that used for a patch graft. The other end of the vein would be attached to the aorta. The concept of the end-to-side anastomosis to a normal segment of a distal coronary artery thus evolved. The use of vein graft interposition in proximal right coronary reconstruction was first reported at that time [3], lending further support to the use of veins as coronary substitutes. However, our concept of the end-to-side distal anastomosis differed considerably from the interposition procedure. The procedure now utilized has been the same, with only minor variation, since we originated our endeavors in direct coronary surgery. Venous-coronary anastomoses to small distal right coronary branches were so consistently successful that the methods were first applied to the left coronary system beginning in September, 1968. With the improved techniques, it has been possible to carry out one or more vein bypass grafts in 97% of patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. Many of the principles of this surgical technique, including the types of patients operated upon, have been presented elsewhere [4-61. It is the purpose of this report to present in detail the operative techniques that first made approach to the left coronary system practical.
Comparing panic disorder uncomplicated and panic disorder with agoraphobia in cardiology patients with atypical or nonanginal chest pain

Abstract Thirty-eight cardiology patients with either atypical or nonanginal chest pain and current panic disorder were divided into two groups, those with agoraphobia ( N = 8) and those without agoraphobia ( N = 30). The agoraphobia group reported marginally longer duration of panic disorder (17.0 ± 21.1 years vs. 3.0 ± 3.2 years) and significantly more panic symptoms (10.6 ± 3 vs. 7.3 ± 2.2) during the last major attack. The agoraphobia group also scored significantly higher on measures of anxiety, depression, phobic avoidance, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychoticism and also scored higher on three of three global measures of distress. This agoraphobia group differed from previously reported agoraphobics with panic attacks in that they all had current panic disorder, while previously reported groups were categorized according to DSM-III, which required only a history of panic attacks. These findings suggest that patients who have current panic disorder and agoraphobia are more symptomatic. Of interest is the low proportion of agoraphobics compared to nonagoraphobics found in this panic disorder population.
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy and a new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a large group of neurodegenerative disorders that affect both humans and animals. [1] The transmissible agent has been identified as an isoform of a normal brain protein PrPc designated PrP sup sc, or the prion protein. [2] These disorders have common pathologic features, including, as the name implies, spongiform change in the brain associated with astrogliosis, neuronal loss, and the deposition of proteinase-resistant amyloid protein (PrP) in brain plaques, usually with a characteristic distribution. In humans, the most common spongiform encephalopathy, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), occurs sporadically with a frequency of approximately one case per million population per year. [1] In addition, there are a number of genetically determined forms of spongiform encephalopathy caused by mutations in the PrP gene. [1,3] The transmissibility of scrapie between sheep with use of nervous tissue was reported as early as 1936 in France. [4] Pathologic similarities between scrapie in sheep and kuru in humans were noted by Hadlow in 1959. [5] Landmark experiments by Gajdusek and colleagues [6,7] demonstrated the transmissibility of CJD and kuru to a number of nonhuman primate and other mammalian hosts. Human-to-human transmission was described for kuru associated with ritualistic cannibalism in the highlands of New Guinea [6] and a number of iatrogenic transmissions were described in association with corneal and dura mater transplants, inadequately sterilized neurosurgical instruments, and contaminated growth hormone prepared from cadaveric pituitary tissue. [1] The appearance in 1986 of a new spongiform encephalopathy in British cattle, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), [8] raised the concern of possible transmission of this disorder to the human population by consumption of beef or other tissues from infected cattle. This concern was, in part, balanced by the knowledge that scrapie-infected sheep in large numbers had been consumed for many decades with no documented transmission of …
Synthesis of 5-substituted indolizidines and approaches to 3- and 8-substituted indolizidines from a common intermediate accessed via the remote dianion of 4-PSBA

Abstract The dianion of 4-(phenylsulfonyl)butanoic acid (1: 4-PSBA) was used to prepare a pivotal intermediate 5 that was used in novel syntheses of indolizidines containing alkyl substituents in a variety of patterns at the 3-, 5- and, 8-positions.
The 40 kDa carboxy-terminal domain of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 forms catalytically competent homo- and heterodimers in the absence of DNA.

Abstract The 40 kDa carboxy-terminal catalytic domain (CD) of avian poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) was cloned, expressed in a baculovirus expression system, and purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography. The purified polypeptide synthesized covalent CD-poly(ADP-ribose) conjugates in the absence of DNA. Electrophoretic analysis of the ADP-ribose chain length distribution generated indicated that recombinant CD was able to catalyze the initiation, elongation, and branching reactions of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis, although at a 500-fold lower efficiency than wild-type PARP-1. Kinetic evaluation of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis showed that the enzymatic activities of CD increased for up to 60 minutes in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, the rates of CD auto-poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation increased with second-order kinetics as a function of the protein concentration with either βNAD + or 3′-deoxyNAD + as a substrate. Furthermore, the formation of catalytically competent CD-[PARP-1] heterodimers was also observed in specific ultrafiltration experiments. Thus, we conclude that the 40 kDa carboxy terminus of PARP-1 forms a competent catalytic dimer in the absence of DNA, and that its automodification reaction is intermolecular.
An Information Processing Analysis of Organization Information Adequacy/Abundance

Penley (1982) attempted to clarify the understanding of information adequacy/abundance by examining the relationship between the internal and external systems of an organization and the match between the information processing requirements of a system and its capacity. His model did not consider the effect of communication effectiveness on the relationship. This article expands the model proposed by Penley by considering both the place of communication effectiveness as well as the potential for interactions between communication effectiveness and the internal and external systems of an organization. While support is found for the importance of communication effectiveness in the model, no interactions were found to be significant. In general, the results provide support and expand on Penley's results.
The role of cumulative trauma, betrayal, and appraisals in understanding trauma symptomatology.

Poor psychological outcomes are common among trauma survivors, yet not all survivors experience adverse sequelae. The current study examined links between cumulative trauma exposure as a function of the level of betrayal (measured by the relational closeness of the survivor and the perpetrator), trauma appraisals, gender, and trauma symptoms. Participants were 273 college students who reported experiencing at least one traumatic event on a trauma checklist. Three cumulative indices were constructed to assess the number of different types of traumas experienced that were low (LBTs), moderate (MBTs), or high in betrayal (HBTs). Greater trauma exposure was related to more symptoms of depression, dissociation, and PTSD, with exposure to HBTs contributing the most. Women were more likely to experience HBTs than men, but there were no gender differences in trauma-related symptoms. Appraisals of trauma were predictive of trauma-related symptoms over and above the effects explained by cumulative trauma at each level of betrayal. The survivor's relationship with the perpetrator, the effect of cumulative trauma, and their combined impact on trauma symptomatology are discussed.
Effects of Nonplanar Fault Topology and Mechanical Interaction on Fault-Slip Distributions in the Ventura Basin, California

To assess the control of fault geometry and mechanical interactions on fault-slip distributions in a complex natural system, we present results from three- dimensional mechanical models incorporating both nonplanar and rectangular planar representations of active faults within the Ventura basin region of southern California. We find that the incorporation of geologically constrained nonplanar fault surfaces into numerical models of active deformation results in a better match to available geologic slip-rate data than models utilizing rectangular planar fault surfaces. The model results demonstrate that nonplanar fault geometry and mechanical interactions exert a strong control on resultant slip distributions. Additionally, we find that slip rates at most locations along the surface trace of Ventura faults are not likely to rep- resent average values for the entire fault surface. We propose that results from three- dimensional mechanical models using realistic (i.e., nonplanar) fault geometry can be used to both predict slip rates at specific locations and determine whether existing site- specific slip-rate estimates are representative of average fault-slip rates. Although geo- metric irregularities along-fault surfaces should resist slip, planar faults can have lesser slip than nonplanar faults due to the differing mechanical interactions among nearby faults in the two representations. This suggests that models using simplified or planar fault geometry are likely to inaccurately simulate regional deformation. We assert that detailed knowledge of three-dimensional fault shape as well as the geometry and con- figuration of deep fault intersections is essential for accurate seismic hazard char- acterization of regions of complex faulting such as the Ventura basin of southern California.
Detection of Huanglongbing disease using differential mobility spectrometry.

The viability of the multibillion dollar global citrus industry is threatened by the “green menace”, citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing, HLB), caused by the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter. The long asymptomatic stage of HLB makes it challenging to detect emerging regional infections early to limit disease spread. We have established a novel method of disease detection based on chemical analysis of released volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that emanate from infected trees. We found that the biomarkers “fingerprint” is specific to the causal pathogen and could be interpreted using analytical methods such as gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography/differential mobility spectrometry (GC/DMS). This VOC-based disease detection method has a high accuracy of ∼90% throughout the year, approaching 100% under optimal testing conditions, even at very early stages of infection where other methods are not adequate. Detecting early infection based on VOCs precedes visual symp...
A Theory on Flat Histogram Monte Carlo Algorithms

The flat histogram Monte Carlo algorithms have been successfully used in many problems in scientific computing.However, there is no a rigorous theory for the convergence of the algorithms. In this paper, a modified flat histogram algorithm is presented and its convergence is studied. The convergence of the multicanonical algorithm and the Wang-Landau algorithm is argued based on their relations to the modified algorithm. The numerical results show the superiority of the modified algorithm to the multicanonical and Wang-Landau algorithms.
Identifying strategies to improve access to credible and relevant information for public health professionals: a qualitative study

Movement towards evidence-based practices in many fields suggests that public health (PH) challenges may be better addressed if credible information about health risks and effective PH practices is readily available. However, research has shown that many PH information needs are unmet. In addition to reviewing relevant literature, this study performed a comprehensive review of existing information resources and collected data from two representative PH groups, focusing on identifying current practices, expressed information needs, and ideal systems for information access. Nineteen individual interviews were conducted among employees of two domains in a state health department – communicable disease control and community health promotion. Subsequent focus groups gathered additional data on preferences for methods of information access and delivery as well as information format and content. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes in the interview and focus group transcripts. Informants expressed similar needs for improved information access including single portal access with a good search engine; automatic notification regarding newly available information; access to best practice information in many areas of interest that extend beyond biomedical subject matter; improved access to grey literature as well as to more systematic reviews, summaries, and full-text articles; better methods for indexing, filtering, and searching for information; and effective ways to archive information accessed. Informants expressed a preference for improving systems with which they were already familiar such as PubMed and listservs rather than introducing new systems of information organization and delivery. A hypothetical ideal model for information organization and delivery was developed based on informants' stated information needs and preferred means of delivery. Features of the model were endorsed by the subjects who reviewed it. Many critical information needs of PH practitioners are not being met efficiently or at all. We propose a dual strategy of: 1) promoting incremental improvements in existing information delivery systems based on the expressed preferences of the PH users of the systems and 2) the concurrent development and rigorous evaluation of new models of information organization and delivery that draw on successful resources already operating to deliver information to clinical medical practitioners.
Preoperative Risk Assessment for Patients with Liver Disease

Patients with underlying liver disease often present for non-liver-related surgery and are at risk for postoperative decompensation. Several predictive models exist to determine the risk of morbidity and mortality after surgery in such patients, but the risk depends on the severity of liver disease and also the type and urgency of the surgery. Clinicians should be cognizant of the various risk assessment tools and incorporate them into their practice when encountering patients with liver disease undergoing surgery.
Interaction of musleblind, CUG‐BP1 and hnRNP H proteins in DM1‐associated aberrant IR splicing

In myotonic dystrophy (DM1), both inactivation of muscleblind proteins and increased levels of CUG-BP1 are reported. These events have been shown to contribute independently to aberrant splicing of a subset RNAs. We demonstrate that steady-state levels of the splice regulator, hnRNP H, are elevated in DM1 myoblasts and that increased hnRNP H levels in normal myoblasts results in the inhibition of insulin receptor (IR) exon 11 splicing in a manner similar to that observed in DM1. In normal myoblasts, overexpression of either hnRNP H or CUG-BP1 results in the formation of an RNA-dependent suppressor complex consisting of both hnRNP H and CUG-BP1, which is required to maximally inhibit IR exon 11 inclusion. Elevated levels of MBNL1 show RNA-independent interaction with hnRNP H and dampen the inhibitory activity of increased hnRNP H levels on IR splicing in normal myoblasts. In DM1 myoblasts, overexpression of MBNL1 in conjunction with si-RNA mediated depletion of hnRNP H contributes to partial rescue of the IR splicing defect. These data demonstrate that coordinated physical and functional interactions between hnRNP H, CUG-BP1 and MBNL1 dictate IR splicing in normal and DM1 myoblasts.
B4C solid target boronization of the MST reversed-field pinch

Abstract A solid rod of hot-pressed boron carbide is being used as the source of boron during boronization of MST. The most striking result of this procedure is the reduction in oxygen contamination of the plasma (OIII radiation, characteristic of oxygen at the edge, falls by about a factor of 3 after boronization.). The radiated power fraction drops to about half its initial value. Particle reflux from the wall is also lowered, making density control simpler. The rod (12.7 mm diameter) is inserted into the edge plasma of normal high-power RFP discharges. B 4 C is ablated from the surface of the rod and deposited in a thin film (a-B/C:H) on the walls and limiters. The energy flux carried by “superthermal” (not “runaway”) electrons at the edge of MST appears to enhance the efficient, nondestructive ablation of the boron carbide rod.
Love, Lust, and Lies under Communism: Family Values and Adulterous Liaisons in Early East Germany

According to a joke that made the rounds in the former Soviet Union, women from different countries held on to their husbands in different ways: the German by her skills as a housewife, the Spaniard by her passionate lovemaking, the Frenchwoman by her refined elegance—and the Russian by the party committee. This sexist quip was a not so oblique reference to the ways in which the communist party intervened in the private domestic affairs of its members. But—even leaving aside the obviously offensive—it was not entirely accurate, for the practice was just as common in other communist countries as well. This included the eastern half of postwar Germany, where, as in the Soviet Union, the wives of adulterous members of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) sometimes appealed to local functionaries for assistance with their straying husbands.
Swelling studies of crosslinked poly(p‐phenylene terephthalamide) copolymers in sulfuric acid

In an attempt to improve the mechanical properties of extended chain polymers such as poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA), a crosslinkable terephthalic acid derivative (XTA) has been developed which can be incorporated into copolymers in various concentrations and activated after polymerization. The crosslinking of PPTA-co-XTA copolymer particles was investigated through a series of swelling experiments in concentrated H2SO4. The data show a systematic decrease in equilibrium swelling with increasing XTA content, indicating the XTA units are in fact acting as crosslink sites. Values for crosslink density were calculated from the Flory-Rehner theory of polymer swelling and compared with previous findings on crosslinked rigid polymer network systems. The effective number of crosslinks per XTA unit (efficiency) predicted by the Flory-Rehner theory increases and then decreases with % XTA. The decrease in crosslinking efficiency at high XTA concentrations is consistent with differential scanning calorimetry data which show the enthalpy of XTA reaction decreasing slightly with % XTA. The deviations at low % XTA may represent a failure of the Flory-Rehner theory to properly describe the rubbery elasticity of extended chain polymers. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Advances in cardiac biomarkers.

The use of cardiac biomarkers for the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients in the emergency department (ED) is evolving rapidly. Previously, the role of cardiac enzymes was restricted to the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The identification of new biomarkers and more sensitive assays has extended the use of biomarkers beyond the diagnosis of cardiac necrosis. As novel biomarkers are identified, emergency physicians should be aware of both the potential clinical usefulness and the limitations of promising biomarkers. Testing should always be guided by a patient’s history and physical examination to avoid misusing biomarkers as ‘‘screening’’ tools in critically ill patients. This update focuses on the present and future value of cardiac biomarkers in the care of patients who have suspected cardiac and cardiac-related diseases in the emergency department.
Magnetic resonance imaging in pseudotumor cerebri

Abstract Objective To determine whether magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can be used to predict the presence of elevated intracranial pressure. Design Retrospective case series. Participants Twenty patients with pseudotumor cerebri and 20 control subjects. Intervention Magnetic resonance imaging. Main outcome measures The presence or absence of the following six neuroimaging signs was measured: (1) flattening of the posterior sclera; (2) enhancement of the prelaminar optic nerve; (3) distension of the perioptic subarachnoid space; (4) intraocular protrusion of the prelaminar optic nerve; (5) vertical tortuosity of the orbital optic nerve; and (6) empty sella. Results The MR imaging disclosed flattening of the posterior sclera in 80% of patients with pseudotumor cerebri, empty sella in 70%, distension of the perioptic subarachnoid space in 45%, enhancement of the prelaminar optic nerve in 50%, vertical tortuosity of the orbital optic nerve in 40%, and intraocular protrusion of the prelaminar optic nerve in 30%. Each neuroimaging sign was detected in 5% of control subjects, except for enhancement of the prelaminar optic nerve, which was not detected in control subjects. Based on these MR imaging signs, the examiner was able to predict the presence of elevated intracranial pressure in 90% of cases with pseudotumor cerebri and the absence of elevated intracranial pressure in all control subjects. Conclusions Elevated intracranial pressure produces a constellation of MR imaging signs that can assist in establishing the diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri.
Efficacy after sequencing of brain radiotherapy and enhanced antibody targeted chemotherapy delivery in a rodent human lung cancer brain xenograft model

Abstract Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sequencing radiation therapy (RT) and antibody targeted chemotherapy (BR96-DOX) in nude rats bearing human lung cancer (B.5 LX-1) intracerebral (i.c.) xenografts. Methods and Materials: Our approach was to administer RT using 20 Gy single-fraction cranial irradiation either before, concurrent with, or after BR96-DOX treatment via osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption to enhance immunoconjugate delivery. All rats were inoculated with i.c. B.5 LX-1 tumors and were randomly assigned to treatment groups. Results: BR96-DOX alone on Day 6 or Day 12 significantly increased survival compared to negative control rats receiving no treatment (25.9 ± 2.1 and 23.3 ± 2.5 days vs. 14.8 ± 1.9 days, p Conclusions: Enhanced delivery of immunoconjugates is more effective in combination with RT for the treatment of experimental metastatic brain tumors. Moreover, BR96-DOX administration prior to RT significantly increased survival compared to those receiving RT and chemotherapy concurrently ( p
Generation-recombination noise in semiconductors&#8212;The equivalent circuit approach

Generation-recombination noise in semiconductors in thermal equilibrium is treated from the standpoint of thermal fluctuations in equivalent electrical circuits. For the general volume recombination model, a method based on network reduction is presented which allows one to calculate the spectral density of the electron and hole fluctuations without solving for the spectra of the fluctuations in occupancy of the recombination centers and traps. The method is extended to a surface recombination model, thereby avoiding the ambiguities found in previous formal treatments. It is shown that the concept of ambipolar diffusion, the location and spectral density of the random sources, and the spatial correlation of Fourier coefficients of carrier density fluctuations all have simple significance in electrical terms. Using transmission line techniques, the generation-recombination (GR) spectrum is calculated for a two-level semiconductor where recombination occurs at opposite plane surfaces. This new result is examined in detail for the limiting cases approached when the recombination process is 1) volume-limited, 2) surface-limited, and 3) diffusion-limited. It is shown that in the first two cases, the spectrum is identical with that obtained from a zero-dimensional analysis provided the time constant is properly defined. For the diffusion-limited case, however, the spectrum varies as 1/ω3/2at high frequencies, and at low frequencies the noise is 5/6 that predicted by the simple theory. The new result is shown to compare favorably with measurements reported previously by Hill and van Vliet.
Confirmation Bias: Roles of Search Engines and Search Contexts

Prior work shows that confirmation bias, defined as the tendency to seek confirming evidence, is prevalent on the Web as well. While this has been attributed to individuals' psychological needs or cognitive limitations, the roles of search engines and search contexts have largely been neglected. The goals of this study are to examine how search contexts may change the composition of search results, and how – if at all – search engines may contribute to confirmation bias. Results of two studies show that search engines may exacerbate confirmation bias by generating results that consist only of confirming evidence for search contexts where disconfirming evidence is identified using different terms or phrases. This induces individuals to make biased decisions. Findings of this study deepen our understanding of the ways in which confirmation bias unfolds on the Web when individuals use search engines.
Mechanisms potentially contributing to the reduction in mortality associated with ticagrelor therapy.

In this issue of the Journal , Held et al. ([1][1]) report the outcomes of patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) after being randomly assigned to clopidogrel or ticagrelor in the PLATO (Platelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes) trial. The primary finding of reduced
Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma–Associated Semaphorin 4D Induces Expansion of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells

One of the mechanisms by which malignancies can induce immune suppression is through the production of cytokines that affect the maturation and differentiation of inflammatory cells in the tumor microenvironment. Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) is a proangiogenic cytokine produced by several malignancies, which has been described in the regulation of the immune system. In the present study, we examined the role of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)-secreted Sema4D on myeloid cell differentiation. CD33(+) cells cultured in HNSCC cell line-derived conditioned medium differentiated into myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) (CD33(+)CD11b(+)HLA-DR(-/low)). The addition of anti-Sema4D Ab to HNSCC conditioned medium significantly reduced the expansion of the MDSC population. Similarly, knockdown of Sema4D in an HNSCC cell line resulted in a loss of MDSC function as shown by a decrease in the production of the immune-suppressive cytokines arginase-1, TGF-β, and IL-10 by MDSC, concomitant with recovery of T cell proliferation and IFN-γ production following stimulation of CD3/CD28. Importantly, CD33(+) myeloid and T cells cultured in conditioned medium of HNSCC cells in which Sema4D was knocked down promoted antitumor inflammatory profile, through recovery of the effector T cells (CD4(+)T-bet(+) and CD8(+)T-bet(+)), as well as a decrease in regulatory T cells (CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+)). We also showed that Sema4D was comparable to GM-CSF in its induction of MDSC. Collectively, this study describes a novel immunosuppressive role for Sema4D in HNSCC through induction of MDSC, and it highlights Sema4D as a therapeutic target for future studies to enhance the antitumorigenic inflammatory response in HNSCC and other epithelial malignancies.
‘That Cross's Children, Which Our Crosses Are’: Imitatio Christi, Imitatio Crucis

How does one rightly name and discern imitatio Christi, imitatio crucis, and the relation between them? In one provocative attempt to answer this question, John Howard Yoder identifies Christ-imaging in vulnerable enemy love and rejects all other criteria. This essay reads the iconoclasm of Yoder's approach through poetry of the cross by William Mure and John Donne. It then proceeds to repair Yoder's Mure-like posture with Donne, as well as the writings of Margaret Ebner and Margery Kempe. These texts destabilise the dichotomies that sustain Yoder's iconoclasm and illustrate the inadequacy of a single criterion for imitatio Christi. Yet Kempe and Ebner's texts are also infected with violence such that they, too, need repair. Vulnerable enemy love thus returns as a negative condition for Christ-imaging, and Yoder's strong iconoclasm is moderated to a weaker iconoclasm that breaks images purporting to be Christ-like but are, in fact, violent.
'Lawful Activity' Laws

U.S. law proceeds from the assumption that, absent restriction by positive law, an employee has ceded to an employer the right to regulate the employee's engagement in lawful off-duty activities, on pain of discharge. Four states have legislated in general derogation of that rule. This paper explores the economic and ideological assumptions of the rule and examines how the laws directed against it have fared juridically. It compares the approach taken in Europe using three countries - France, Germany, and the United Kingdom - for illustrative purposes. It argues that the United States could and should recast the conception of the employee embodied in the U.S. rule toward the one adopted in Europe and legislated here in a very few states.
Water and Waste

Life on earth depends on the continuous circulation of the earth’s water. This movement of water from the oceans, lakes, and streams as water vapor to the atmosphere, its condensation and precipitation back to the earth’s surface, its flow over the land and return to the ocean, its penetration into the ground and use by plants, which return part of the water to the atmosphere through transpiration, and its subsurface return to the sea is known as the hydrologic cycle or water cycle (Fig. 22.1). Man and animals enter this cycle as users of water and producers of waste in many forms.
Dibaxu: a comparative analysis of Clarisse Nicoïdski'ʹs and Juan Gelman'ʹs bilingual poetry

This essay reads Argentine poet Juan Gelman'ʹs 1994 bilingual Ladino-­Castellano book Dibaxu in light of its intertextual relationship with Franco-­Bosnian author Clarisse Nicoidski'ʹs work, especially her 1986 bilingual Ladino-­English poetry collection Lus ojus, las manus, la boca. I return to Gelman'ʹs text, written in a foreign, diasporic, and Jewish language in order to acknowledge Nicoidski'ʹs work not only as a pre-­text, but as a fundamental intertextual source forDibaxu. In doing so, I observe the different reasons these two poets have to use the Ladino language: while Nicoidski seeks to establish a link with her Sephardic community, Gelman uses the language to escape the limited trappings of a national identity. Both, however, work towards the maintenance, or survival, of Ladino.
ETRE NOIR/E EN FRANCE: DU QUARTIER LATIN A LA DEPARTEMENTALISATION DE LA SEINE

Cet article examine le regard porte sur les Noirs en France de l'ere coloniale a la periode actuelle, du racisme le plus outrageusement affiche aux stereotypes encore presents de nos jours
Downtown Los Angeles 52-Story High-Rise and Free-Field Response to an Oil Refinery Explosion

The ExxonMobil Corp. oil refinery in Torrance, California, experienced an explosion on 18 February 2015, causing ground shaking equivalent to a magnitude 2.0 earthquake. The impulse response for th...
Both cognition and emotions: Disentangling the mechanisms of the conflict-creativity link

To disentangle the conflicting theoretical predictions about conflict and creativity in diverse teams, I examined mechanisms of the relationship between conflict and creativity. In a three -wave study of diverse teams engaged in a complex new product development task, I found that both cognitive and affective team emergent states mediated the relationship between conflict and team creativity. While negative emotions engendered by task conflict in the presence of high relationship conflict interfered with team creativity, task conflict spurred creativity through its effects on assumptions diversity and transactive memory systems.
Effect of Bias on Recovery Rates of Stressed Amorphous Silicon Mis Structures

The effect of Fermi level position on the annealing of defects created by electron accumulation is investigated. Results indicate that holes accelerate the annealing of defects created by electrons confirming the theoretical understanding of the proximity compensated layer. Capacitance-voltage curves indicate that hole accumulation tends to create defect states located closer to the conduction band than electron accumulation-a result in agreement with energetics of defect formation.
Oxygen diffusion in ThO2–CeO2 and ThO2–UO2 solid solutions from atomistic calculations

We elucidate oxygen diffusivity in ThO2–CeO2 and ThO2–UO2 solid solutions across their whole concentration ranges in the phase diagram using static pair-potential calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. Between pure CeO2 (and UO2) and pure ThO2, oxygen diffusivity is higher in CeO2 (and UO2) due to lower oxygen migration barriers. With the addition of Th to CeO2 (and UO2) in the phase diagram, the diffusivity decreases due to the increase in the migration barriers introduced by a larger ionic radius of Th. On the other side of the phase diagram, with the addition of Ce to ThO2 oxygen diffusion decreases due to oxygen vacancy binding with Ce, even though the migration barriers decrease due to the smaller size of Ce than the host Th. Using these calculations, we provide a schematic of high oxygen diffusivity regions in the phase diagram. We also compare the impact of tetravalent dopants (e.g. actinides) on oxygen vacancy energetics to that of trivalent dopants (e.g. lanthanides). We find that trivalent dopants bind much more strongly with oxygen vacancy than the tetravalent dopants. We also find that the tetravalent dopants that have larger radii than the host cation have negative oxygen vacancy binding energy, whereas all trivalent dopants have positive binding energy irrespective of their ionic radii. This work thus highlights key differences in the oxygen vacancy energetics between the trivalent and tetravalent cations.
Organic Iodide Formation During Severe Accidents in Light Water Nuclear Reactors

The description of containment iodine behavior in reactor accident sequences involves a combination of iodine volatility effects, deposition/revaporization processes, and mass transport of iodine s...
Improving Undergraduate Writing

Sniping at the desire and ability of undergraduates is common sport at most institutions of higher learning. Get a few professors together, and the talk soon turns to the fluffy heads of our youthful charges. Often we try to outdo each other's dumb student stories. Perhaps less common are special efforts to make things better. It is, after all, easy to complain about the product the high schools send us, but far more difficult to improve it. This is particularly true of student writing ability. Grading papers and essay exams takes time which few of us have. Besides, it can be awfully depressing to confront the mangled sentences of all too many students. It's better, or at least more comforting, to pretend the problem isn't there. At large institutions with credible graduate programs, teaching assistants often allow professors to remain blissfully ignorant of bad undergraduate writing. At smaller, less prestigious schools, there is an analogous temptation to live and die by the multiple guess/short answer format. The students certainly won't complain, and colleagues and administrators are usually busy with problems of their own.
Measuring 10-20 T magnetic fields in single wire explosions using Zeeman splitting.

We have shown that the Zeeman splitting of the sodium (Na) D-lines at 5890 A and 5896 A can be used to measure the magnetic field produced by the current flowing in an exploding wire prior to wire explosion. After wire explosion, the lines in question are either not visible in the strong continuum from the exploding wire plasma, or too broad to measure the magnetic field by methods discussed in this paper. We have determined magnetic fields in the range 10-20 T, which lies between the small field and Paschen-Back regimes for the Na D-lines, over a period of about 70 ns on a 10 kA peak current machine. The Na source is evaporated drops of water with a 0.171 M NaCl solution deposited on the wire. The Na desorbs from the wire as it heats up, and the excited vapor atoms are seen in emission lines. The measured magnetic field, determined by the Zeeman splitting of these emission lines, estimates the average radial location of the emitting Na vapor as a function of time under the assumption the current flows only in the wire during the time of the measurement.
The meaning of "rare" and "endangered" in the evolution of western shrubs

In the evolutionary process, species continually come and go. Consequently, all species on earth today were, at one time, "rare and endangered" while in their infancy, and most will become "rare and endangered" once more as they are replaced. Therefore, decisions relative to protecting rare and endangered species are largely meaningless if based on numbers alone. They must include information about their biology and evolutionary history. Lists of endangered forms currently being prepared apparently include only those which are (1) scarce (rare and of restricted distribution), (2) named, and (3) sponsored. Their biological, economic, and academic values may be more important, but apparently are not often considered. As abundantly illustrated in western shrubs, genetically rich genotypes are sometimes maintained by only a few individuals, whereas uniform, and therefore rare, genotypes may in some circumstances, be represented by many individuals in uniform environments. Wise management decisions cannot, therefore, come from numbers alone.
H/D exchange mass spectrometry and statistical coupling analysis reveal a role for allostery in a ferredoxin-dependent bifurcating transhydrogenase catalytic cycle

Recent investigations into ferredoxin-dependent transhydrogenases, a class of enzymes responsible for electron transport, have highlighted the biological importance of flavin-based electron bifurcation (FBEB). FBEB generates biomolecules with very low reduction potential by coupling the oxidation of an electron donor with intermediate potential to the reduction of high and low potential molecules. Bifurcating systems can generate biomolecules with very low reduction potentials, such as reduced ferredoxin (Fd), from species such as NADPH. Metabolic systems that use bifurcation are more efficient and confer a competitive advantage for the organisms that harbor them. Structural models are now available for two NADH-dependent ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase (Nfn) complexes. These models, together with spectroscopic studies, have provided considerable insight into the catalytic process of FBEB. However, much about the mechanism and regulation of these multi-subunit proteins remains unclear. Using hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) and statistical coupling analysis (SCA), we identified specific pathways of communication within the model FBEB system, Nfn from Pyrococus furiosus, under conditions at each step of the catalytic cycle. HDX-MS revealed evidence for allosteric coupling across protein subunits upon nucleotide and ferredoxin binding. SCA uncovered a network of co-evolving residues that can provide connectivity across the complex. Together, the HDX-MS and SCA data show that protein allostery occurs across the ensemble of iron‑sulfur cofactors and ligand binding sites using specific pathways that connect domains allowing them to function as dynamically coordinated units.
What is Flawed Perfection

The Christian view is that all humans have equal dignity and worth — regardless of age, sex, race, size, wealth, health or mental condition. This dignity is not based on our achievement or ability. We are not the source of our own dignity; it comes from our creator. This paper provides a history and overviews the author's book: Flawed Perfection: What It Means To Be Human & Why It Matters For Culture, Politics, And Law.
Preparing Educators for Developing Culturally and Linguistically Responsive IEPs

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the cornerstone for documenting the appropriate education being provided to students who qualify for special education and related services under the In...
Management of placenta percreta in a Jehovah’s Witness patient

Placenta percreta is increasing in incidence and is associated with the risk of life-threatening haemorrhage. Patients who do not accept blood products present a unique challenge to obstetrician-gynaecologists. In this case report, we present the case of a 42-year-old pregnant Jehovah’s Witness with a complete placenta previa and confirmed percreta at 26 weeks’ gestation. Due to her religious beliefs against the use of blood products, she was managed with a stepwise surgical approach which involved caesarean delivery with internal iliac (hypogastric) artery ligation, weekly methotrexate and delayed hysterectomy 6 weeks later. Non-traditional, alternative approaches to the management of abnormal placentation in patients declining blood products warrant exploration.
The Rise and Fall of Recurrent Particles: Hydrodynamics of Circulation

ABSTRACT Hydrodynamics of circulating systems can be organized according to the scale of phenomena of interest. The micro scale of individual particle motion can be applied with considerable confidence to systems of only a few particles but becomes unwieldy as the number increases. The meso scale of bubbles, slugs, and radial concentration profiles is fairly well understood at low voidage, can be empirically represented at high voidage, and is subject to great conjecture at intermediate voidage. The macro scale considers the entire circulating apparatus including up and downflow portions, co-existence of regions of differing voidage, and interactions of elements in the circulation system. Many aspects of circulating and “fast” fluidized beds are strongly influenced by macro scale phenomena.
Behavior and sleep disturbance in Smith-Magenis syndrome.

Purpose of reviewTo provide an update of the most recent studies on Smith–Magenis syndrome (SMS) with a focus on the unique pattern of behavioral and sleep disturbances associated with the condition.Recent findingsThe recent literature on SMS has focused on the characteristic severe behavioral and s
Resolving local configurational contributions to X-ray and neutron radial distribution functions within solutions of concentrated electrolytes - a case study of concentrated NaOH.

Extreme conditions of complex materials often lead to a manifold of local environments that challenge characterization and require new advances at the intersection of modern experimental and theoretical techniques. In this contribution, highly caustic and viscous aqueous NaOD solutions were characterized with a combination of X-ray and neutron radial distribution function (RDF) analyses, molecular dynamics simulations and sub-ensemble analysis. While this system has been the topic of some study, the current work expands upon the state of knowledge regarding the extent to which water is perturbed within this chemically extreme solution. Further, we introduce analyses that goes beyond merely identifying the different local environments (ion solvation and coordination environments) that are present, but toward understanding their relative contributions to the ensemble solution RDF. This integrated approach yields unique insight into the experimental sensitivity of RDFs to changes in local geometries, the composition of solvation environments about ions, and the challenge of experimentally differentiating the ensemble of all superimposed local environments—a feature of increasing importance within the extreme condition of high ionic strength.