cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rethinking education in a changing world: Emerging issues and critical insights

In light of ongoing political upheavals around the world and the narrowing views of international higher education within mercenary and nationalistic terms, this chapter highlights the exigency for developing bolder, more multidimensional, and visionary frameworks. We ask questions that go beyond the economic and political framework in which international higher education is increasingly thought of and advanced. What does it mean, for instance, for prestigious “world-class” universities to consider their position as “global leaders” in higher education or even leaders in certain disciplines of knowledge internationally? Does that invite or challenge the institutions to bear certain responsibilities toward the world of education or areas of it, toward the people who trust the institutions’ “global” positions and prestige, toward the students who come to their gates with that trust? What responsibilities does any institution participating in the “internationalization” of higher education bear toward being accessible for students in war-torn nations in far-away places, to students who are politically displaced and economically unable to pay for “international education”? What professional, ethical, and humanistic obligations do the “international scholars” have toward students across political borders and economic stratifications who aspire to pursue their dreams to learn, regardless of their political status? We address these questions while exploring a variety of issues, urging scholars to take on intellectual and ethical responsibilities of diversifying the discourse about international education, so they may influence practice accordingly.
Assessment of the Male Partner

Male infertility is the only factor in up to 20% of couples with infertility and contributes to an additional 30% of cases.
Prevalence of Third-Party Tracking on COVID-19-Related Web Pages.

This study uses webXray, an automated tool that detects tracking on websites, to describe the prevalence and characteristics of third-party data requests and cookies on the top 20 COVID-19–related websites, including academic and government sites, from US-based search results in May 2020.
Dynamic Response and Tuning

HVAC system control systems can be especially difficult to adjust or tune because the process gain of the control loop varies with the control point and with a range of other variables. For example, if the air flow rate over a hot-water heating coil is cut in half (as in a multizone application), the gain of the coil (the ratio of the change in outlet temperature to the change in valve position) will increase significantly.
More Than A Logo: Reflections on AIHA's New Branding and Outreach Initiatives

The term Industrial Hygiene has historically been an apt reference for professionals charged with ensuring conditions conducive to maintaining health in industrial environments. However, the decline of manufacturing and expansion of professional roles suggests Industrial Hygiene is an antiquated term and could benefit from revision. Demand for Occupational Health and Safety professionals is anticipated to continue growing considering current professionals reaching retirement age; however, many in the general population do not understand the role of Industrial Hygiene which may hinder recruitment in the future. AIHA® recently implemented several rebranding initiatives to include changing the title Industrial Hygienist to Occupational Health and Safety Scientist, updating the AIHA® logo, and AIHA® tagline to Healthier Workplaces. A Healthier World to improve awareness and education of the profession and to improve recruitment for the profession.
Posterior Interosseous Nerve Graft: Utilizing External Landmarks and Anthropometric Ratios to Predict Available Length for Digital Nerve Reconstruction in a Cadaveric Study:

Objective:In digital nerve defects that require grafting, autografts remain the efficacious option. The sensory posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) is an ideal choice as it is of similar caliber to ...
103 Influence of weather on the dry matter intake of horses and cattle fed a similar diet

Dry matter intake (DMI) by horses and cattle is known to be affected by seasonal weather changes. Also, voluntary DMI differs among herbivore species. The study objective was to compare changes in voluntary DMI of cattle and horses fed a similar forage diet to changes in temperature (TEMP) and precipitation (PRECP) during summer-fall season in Central Kentucky, USA. Twelve Holstein steers participated in period 1 (P1; Oct-Nov 2019), 6 TB geldings in period 2 (P2; Sep-Oct 2020), and 6 TB mares in period 3 (P3; Oct-Nov 2020). Animals were blocked by body weight within period and randomly assigned to TRT. Dietary TRT consisted of timothy hay (P1 n = 4, P2 n = 2, P3 n = 2), timothy hay and red clover hay (20% of total diet) with corn (P1 n = 4, P2 n = 2, P3 n = 2), and timothy hay with corn (P1 n = 4, P2 n = 2, P3 n = 2). Forage was provided ad libitum and limited supplements were provided as needed to meet nutrient requirements. Corn was added at 3g/kgBW/d for the final week for specified TRT to meet other study objectives not reported here. Daily DMI was measured, including all feedstuffs offered and orts weighed. Daily TEMP and PRECP were measured by University of Kentucky Spindletop weather station. Intake and weather data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and DMI data were analyzed as repeated measures ANOVA across days with main effect of TRT (SAS 9.4), by species. The average DMI of steers was 2.2%BW (range 1.5–2.8), while the average DMI of horses was 1.6%BW (range 0.9–2.4). There was a TRT by time interaction on DMI of steers (P 0.05). The average TEMP was 12.1°C (range 3.9–16.4), 19.8°C (range 12.8–25), and 11.1°C (range 2.2–19.4) for each period, respectively. The average rainfall was 0.30 mm (range 0–1.33), 0.04 mm (range 0–0.59), and 0.24 mm (range 0–2) for each period, respectively. Intake and TEMP within period had moderate negative correlations (P 0.05). The lack of correlation of DMI with PRECP may be due to being fed in a covered area. Geldings experienced higher daily TEMP and lower PRECP compared with the other periods, which may have influenced DMI differently than for steers and mares. Data suggests that DMI of horses and cattle consuming similar forage diets are influenced by TEMP changes in the same way, with an increased DMI with decreased TEMP. However, PRECP may have limited influence on DMI of horses and cattle when offered under a covered area.
Review of A Field Guide to Grad School: Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum

Why do my cookies never taste like my mom’s? I follow her recipe, but it is just never quite the same. It is because she does not follow the recipe. There are parts of her process that are not writ...
In vitro immune blastogenesis during contact sensitivity in tumor-bearing mice. II. Mechanism of inhibition.

Abstract The addition of optimal concentrations of normal or tumor-bearing host (TBH) splenic macrophages to 2,4-dinitro-1,5-difluorobenzene (DN2FB) immune spleen cells augmented the responsiveness of these cells during in vitro antigen stimulation. At supraoptimal in vitro and in vivo concentrations, however, macrophages were highly inhibitory of immune blastogenesis. Suppressor T-cells were detected in the spleens and thymuses of fibrosarcoma-bearing BALB/c mice. These cells produced a soluble factor which impaired in vitro responsiveness to the sensitizing antigen, and did not absorb to macrophages. Both, adoptively transferred, macrophages and suppressor T-cells were capable of suppressing antigen responsiveness of normal immune recipient spleen cells. Suppressor T-cell inhibition was apparently expressed at the molecular level of DNA polymerase enzymes.
Modulation of protein expression in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells by in vitro exposure to estradiol and progesterone.

Abstract Protein maps of in vitro hormone-modulated adenocarcinoma cells from an endometrial tumor are described. It is noted that mapping of tumor tissues by means of the two-dimensional analysis described by O'Farrell and associates 6 of 35 S-methionine-labeled proteins can provide a characteristic map for each tumor and that the methionine-containing proteins of tumor cells can be independently modulated by the in vitro additions of estradiol and progesterone. Such protein modulation could be indicative of hormonal therapeutic responsiveness of individual endometrial adenocarcinomas and other hormone receptor-positive tumors. Tumor maps may further provide data for the identification and isolation of new tumor markers which might be correlated with the radiotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic sensitivity of the malignancy.
Civil Adjudication in China, Past and Present:

Qing and post-1949 Chinese courts adjudicated civil disputes far more than Confucian or Maoist representations or formalist-modernist expectations might lead us to expect. Qing law placed the moral ideals of societal mediation and no litigation in the foreground but then included many practical provisions that diverged from those to guide adjudication. Contemporary Chinese law, similarly, has emphasized the ideal of mediation, and in the reform era also imported formalist rights principles but included practical provisions that diverged from those. Case records from both periods show that the courts adjudicated readily. Such an approach to law, which may be termed “practical moralism,” is predicated on a persistent mode of legal reasoning that gives priority to fact situations and practical reality even while emphasizing moral ideals. It is predicated on an epistemological method that goes from fact to principle back to fact/practice, which may be contrasted sharply with the legal formalism of the Contine...
Five Golden Rings

The antibiotic nisin bears five rings of different sizes in its structure. The enzyme that catalyzes the five distinct cyclization reactions is flexible, yet stringent, enough to form each ring in the correct order and conformation.
Acculturation and overweight-related attitudes and behavior among obese Hispanic adults in the United States

Objective US Hispanics bear a disproportionate burden of excess body weight and associated morbidity, making obesity prevention and control in this population a public health priority. Development of culturally appropriate weight loss interventions requires understanding the influence of acculturation on attitudes and behavior related to obesity and weight loss. Design and Methods Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001–2004), we analyzed the associations of country of birth and language usage with weight perception, weight dissatisfaction, intention to lose weight, and intended weight loss of clinical significance among obese Hispanic adults (>20 years of age; unweighted n = 675) in multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results US birth was significantly associated with correct weight perception (odds ratio [OR], 4.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.16–9.17) and weight dissatisfaction (OR = 2.95; 95% CI = 1.63–5.35). Compared with Spanish-speaking only, obese Hispanics, bilingual, obese Hispanics were more likely to attempt weight loss (OR = 2.78; 95% CI = 1.43–5.40) and achieve clinically significant weight loss (OR = 3.94; 95% CI = 1.51–10.3). Conclusions The findings suggest that lack of acculturation as measured by foreign birth and limited English proficiency may contribute to within-ethnicity health inequality among obese Hispanics, even after controlling for a variety of sociodemographic characteristics, including education and income, differential healthcare access and use, and health status. Further studies should examine the underlying mechanisms, thereby informing culturally competent intervention strategies targeted at obese US Hispanics.
The Distribution of Electromigration Failures

This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the statistical distribution of electromigration test failures. Large scale life tests were carried out and the natujre of the failure distributions were determined for lines of varying length and width. In all cases, the distribution were found to be log-normal down to at least the 0.3% failure point. Possible reasons for these results and their implications with regard to the design of a cost effective electromigration testing program are discussed.
Economic and anthropological assessments of the health of children in Maya immigrant families in the US

Immigration from developing countries to the US generally increases access to health care and clean water, but it also introduces some unhealthy lifestyle patterns, such as diets dense in energy and little regular physical activity. We present a transdisciplinary model of child health and examine the impact of immigration on the physical growth and health of Maya children in Guatemala and the US. Maya-American children are much taller and have longer legs, on average, than their counterparts in Guatemala. This suggests that immigration to the US improves their health. However, the Maya-American children also are much heavier than both Guatemalan Maya and White American children, and have high rates of overweight and obesity. Quantile regression analysis indicates that Maya are shorter except in the upper tail of the stature distribution, and have higher Body Mass Index (BMI) in the tails, but not in the middle of the BMI distribution. Leisure time spent in front of a television or computer monitor tends to raise BMI in the middle and lower tail of the distribution, but not in the upper tail.
Sensitivity and resolution in proton solid-state NMR at intermediate deuteration levels: Quantitative linewidth characterization and applications to correlation spectroscopy

Abstract We present a systematic study of proton linewidths in rigid solids as a function of sample spinning frequency and proton density, with the latter controlled by the ratio of protonated and perdeuterated model compounds. We find that the linewidth correlates more closely with the overall proton density (ρH) than the size of local clusters of 1H spins. At relatively high magic-angle spinning (MAS) rates, the linewidth depends linearly upon the inverse MAS rate. In the limit of infinite spinning rate and/or zero proton concentration, the linewidth extrapolates to a non-zero value, owing to contributions from scalar couplings, chemical shift dispersion, and B0 field inhomogeneity. The slope of this line depends on the overall concentration of unexchangeable protons in the sample and the spinning rate. At up to 30% protonation levels (∼2 1H/100 A3), proton detection experiments are demonstrated to have a substantial (2- to 3-fold) sensitivity gain over corresponding 13C-detected experiments. Within this range, the absolute sensitivity increases with protonation level; the optimal compromise between sensitivity and resolution is in the range of 20–30% protonation. We illustrate the use of dilute protons for polarization transfer to and from low-γ spins within 5 A, and to be utilized as both magnetization source and detection spins. The intermediate protonation regime enhances relaxation properties, which we expect will enable new types of 1H correlation pulse sequences to be implemented with improved resolution and sensitivity.
Application of the rising-column capillary viscometer to the high-viscosity range☆

Abstract The rising-column capillary viscometer has been adapted to the determination of the viscosity of liquids having viscosities of 103-105 poises or higher. The operation of this instrument has been analyzed, taking into account apparatus constants and sources of error such as kinetic energy, surface tension, annular pressure drop, and possible end effects. Several forms for the equation for the viscosity in terms of apparatus constants and applied pressure are presented and their range of applicability analyzed. Based on this analysis, a set of instruments has been constructed and tested with hydroabietyl alcohol (50,000–75,000 poises) at room temperature. The results were checked by determination of the viscosity by the falling-ball method at comparable maximum shear rates, 0.001-0.015 sec.−1. The results by these independent methods are in good agreement.
Mechanism of Size Limitation of Bacterial Colonies

A bacterial colony that has stopped growing on an agar surface will prevent a neighboring colony from reaching full size, will resume growth either when transferred to a new plate on a Millipore filter or when the medium beneath it is dialyzed against saline, and will permit a new colony to grow on the same spot when the original is scraped away. These experiments indicate that bacterial colonies stop growing because metabolic inhibitors accumulate both within the colony and in the medium but not because of insufficient nutrients or fall in pH. When the medium is renewed and space is provided, colonies expand indefinitely. This implies that the planar configuration of such a colony would provide sufficient surface area for a bacterial population to eliminate its catabolites into the medium if the medium were frequently renewed to permit optimal diffusion of metabolic products. Therefore, a population of organisms in this configuration cannot regulate its own growth in the presence of unlimited medium and space. These experiments suggest that under these conditions, the growth characteristics of a bacterial colony may be analogous to planar tissue culture but different from growth in three dimensions, where cells form spheroidal configurations and where growth is self regulatory.
An estrogen receptor binding site within the human galanin gene

Regulation of galanin gene expression in the anterior pituitary (AP) is positively influenced by estrogen in rodents and undetermined in humans. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism behind estrogen induction of galanin by identifying any putative estrogen receptor (ER) binding sequences within the human galanin promoter that may function as estrogen response elements (ERE). Two regions, gERE1 and gERE2, were identified in the galanin 5'-flanking sequence with similarity to the full 13-base ERE consensus previously defined in the vitellogenin gene (vERE). Both sequences were tested in mobility shift assays for the ability to bind nuclear proteins isolated from rat AP tissue or MtTW-10 pituitary tumors. Only the distal sequence at -527 (gERE1) yielded an ERE-specific DNA/protein complex distinguished by mobility and cross-competition with vERE. The gel mobility pattern of the DNA/protein complex was comparable between the pituitary tissue and tumor extracts. However, DNA/protein affinity estimations demonstrated a greater affinity of pituitary proteins for gERE1 over the vERE sequence. Evidence that the human ER (hER) does recognize the gERE1 sequence in the human galanin gene was provided by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) with Sf9 extracts enriched in recombinant hER. In addition, antibodies specific for the hER recognized the gERE1/protein complex in supershift experiments. Enhancer activity by gERE1 was detected in transient transfections of the rat GH3 pituitary cell line, resulting in a 4-fold induction of expression driven by the heterologous thymidine kinase promoter in the presence of estrogen. Evidence for ER regulation of the gERE1 enhancer was demonstrated by: 1) inhibition of enhancement using the specific ER antagonist ICI 164,384; and 2) enhancement in HeLa cells that was dependent upon coexpression with hER. Enhancement by gERE1 was half the magnitude as that from the vERE element and may reflect a difference in affinity or composition of the ER complex between the two sequences. These data demonstrate the presence of a functional ERE sequence within the human galanin gene that could potentially function as a regulatory element for estrogen action in the AP.
On the mechanism of catalytic hydrogenation and dehydrogenation with rhodium

Mit Hilfe eines neuen Rhodiumpolyvinylalkohol-Katalysators wurde der Mechanismus katalytischer Hydrierungen und Dehydrierungen untersucht. Aus den mitgeteilten Versuchsergebnissen geht hervor, das molekularer Wasserstoff durch Rhodiumionisiert wird, wahrend mit Palladiumatomarer Wasserstoff gebildet wird. Bei der Untersuchung von Dehydrierungen wurde festgestellt, das diese Reaktionen in Gegenwart von elementarem Schwefel beschleunigt werden. Der Schwefel wirkt entweder als Wasserstoffakzeptor oder nimmt an einer Komplexbildung teil.
Early passage neonatal and adult keratinocytes are sensitive to apoptosis induced by infection with an ICP27-null mutant of herpes simplex virus 1

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a enveloped, double stranded DNA virus that is the causative agent of various diseases including cold sores, encephalitis, and ocular keratitis. Previous research has determined that HSV-1 modulates cellular apoptotic pathways. Apoptosis is triggered in infected cells early in infection; however, later in the infection the apoptotic response is suppressed due to the expression of several viral apoptotic antagonists. This sets us a delicate balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic processes during the lytic phase of infection. Several studies have demonstrated that the apoptotic balance can be shifted during infection of certain cell types, leading to apoptosis of the infected cells (HSV-1-dependent apoptosis). For example, HEp-2 cells infected with an ICP27-null recombinant HSV-1 virus undergo HSV-1-dependent apoptosis. Differences in the sensitivity to HSV-1-dependent apoptosis have been revealed. Although many tumor cells have been found to be highly sensitive to this apoptotic response, with the exception hematological cells, all primary human cells tested prior to this study have been shown to be resistant to HSV-1-dependent apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate that early passage neonatal and adult human keratinocytes, which are usually the first cells to encounter HSV-1 in human infection and support the lytic stage of the life cycle, display membrane blebbing and ballooning, chromatin condensation, caspase activation, and cleavage of cellular caspase substrates when infected with an ICP27-null recombinant of HSV-1. Furthermore, caspase activation is needed for the efficient apoptotic response. These results suggest that apoptotic machinery may be a target for modulating HSV-disease in patients.
Population Definition, Sample Selection, and Calibration Procedures for Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

Near infrared spectroscopy relies heavily on the collection of an appropriate population of samples for calibration and the best mathematical procedure to obtain the most accurate calibration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two algorithms (CENTER and SELECT) for defining the population and selecting samples for calibration. The selected samples were used to compare modified partial least squares regression (MPLSR) with modified stepwise regression (MSR) calibration method. The algorithms were developed to (i) establish the boundaries of a population of samples in terms of the standardized Mahalanobis distance (H) from the mean and (ii) select a small, structured set of samples for calibration using the standardized H distance between sample pairs. Two diverse populations of samples were used to test these approaches. Calibrations were performed using MPLSR and MSR. A standardized H distance of 3.0 from the mean was used as a boundary for excluding spectral outliers from a population, and a minimum standardized H distance between samples of 0.6 provided an adequate number of calibration samples for accurate predictions. Both regression methods provided acceptable validation statistics for crude protein, acid detergent fiber, and in vitro dry matter disappearance. The MPLSR calibration method gave an overall 18% improvement in standard error of performance (SEP) compared with the MSR calibration method.
Triple Acceptors in Germanium

Both copper and gold introduce three acceptor levels in the forbidden band of germanium. In addition to the levels at 0.04 ev and 0.32 ev from the valence band, Cu introduces a third acceptor level at 0.26 ev from the conduction band. Identification of these levels has been made for a series of samples in which the Cu concentration was varied from ${10}^{13}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ to 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. Evidence is presented confirming Dunlap's observations that Au introduces a donor level 0.05 ev from the valence band and acceptor levels 0.15 ev from the valence band and 0.20 ev from the conduction band. In addition to these, Au also introduces a third acceptor level 0.04 ev from the conduction band. Studies of charged impurity scattering indicate that both Cu and Au sites may be triply charged by compensation. The observation that impurities with an ${s}^{1}$ configuration are triple acceptors is consistent with the hypothesis that the tendency to form tetrahedral bonds determines the acceptor action of impurities in Ge.
Microbead-based electrochemical immunoassay with interdigitated array electrodes.

Abstract The objective of this study was to develop a sensitive and miniaturized immunoassay by coupling a microbead-based immunoassay with an interdigitated array (IDA) electrode. An IDA electrode amplifies the signal by recycling an electrochemically redox-reversible molecule. The microfabricated platinum electrodes had 25 pairs of electrodes with 1.6-μm gaps and 2.4-μm widths. An enzyme-labeled sandwich immunoassay on paramagnetic microbeads with mouse IgG as the analyte and β-galactosidase as the enzyme label was used as the model system. β-Galactosidase converted p -aminophenyl β- d -galactopyranoside to p -aminophenol (PAP). This enzyme reaction was measured continuously by positioning the microbeads near the electrode surface with a magnet. Electrochemical recycling occurred with PAP oxidation to p -quinone imine (PQI) at +290 mV followed by PQI reduction to PAP at −300 mV vs Ag/AgCl. Dual-electrode detection amplified the signal fourfold compared to single-electrode detection, and the recycling efficiency reached 87%. A calibration curve of PAP concentration vs anodic current was linear between 10 −4 and 10 −6 M. A signal from 1000 beads in a 20-μL drop was detectable and the immunoassay was complete within 10 min with a detection limit of 3.5 × 10 −15 mol mouse IgG.
Feedback control of an active material adaptive-tuned vibration absorber using relative phase

Adaptive tuned vibration absorbers for attenuation of harmonic vibration may be realized through the use of active materials in absorber designs. For example, the variable elastic modulus of shape memory alloy may be used to incorporate variable springs in an absorber, such that the absorber natural frequency may be on-line tuned. The difficulty then becomes the control of the tuned condition of the absorber. One method for controlling the tuned condition of the absorber is to drive the relative phase between the primary system and the absorber to a desired value. The classical phase-locked loop is one method that might be used to achieve this control goal. An alternative method is to utilize a simple PI controller that uses the relative phase as an error signal. The map between the control input to the active material elements and the resulting relative phase can be modeled as a first-order linear system in series with a static nonlinearity with certain characteristics. This paper presents an analysis of the stability of the phase tracking of an adaptive tuned vibration absorber made of active material. The necessary characteristics for the map between the control signal and the resulting relative phase are presented. A control algorithm is developed that results in asymptotic stability of the system in the presence of an uncertain fixed excitation frequency. Results of implementation of an experimental ATVA on a primary system are presented.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the elderly.

This study of 110 patients (aged 65 and older) indicates that cardiopulmonary resuscitation is as feasible in the patient with pulmonary disease as it is in the patient with cardiac disease. This applies particularly to the elderly. Early recognition of pulmonary insufficiency in elderly patients may be delayed because of concomitant multiple disease. Yet treatment must be started promptly and intensively if resuscitation is to be successful. Those who treat these patients must have wide experience with respiratory disease and must be intelligent, alert and constant in their attendance. This phase of medical care is truly a team effort.
Function, governance, and trust in successor leadership groups in family firms

Abstract We examine the function and governance of successor leadership groups in family firms. In a qualitative study of nine family firms, in-depth interviews indicated that excessive competition among successor group members will hinder group effectiveness, while a pattern of cooperation, unified implementation of decisions, mutual agreement to share power and authority, and the development of trust will enhance successor leadership group effectiveness. The findings are encapsulated by seven propositions, and a model proposing how successor groups function, govern and develop trust is advanced. The results lead us to conclude that the use of multiple successors can be an indicator of trust on the part of the incumbent family firm leader as well as a catalyst for building mutual trust among members of successor groups.
Ecological correlation of water loss in burrowing reptiles.

Loss of water to completely dry, flowing air has been measured in ten species belonging to five families of burrowing snakes and amphisbaenians. The marked differences in water loss confirmed earlier suggestions that the loss correlated with differences in the amount of moisture in the habitat rather than the size of the animal.
Political ecology in political geography

The environment remains a central concern for political geographers. Whether in macro-theorization of state conflict centering on resource demand, production, and scarcity, or in micro-case studies focusing on environmental disputes, political geographers have come to increasingly consider non-human actors in political process. Simultaneously, traditional areas of environmental research in Geography— Cultural Ecology, Hazards, Energy, Coastal and Marine Studies, and Medical Geography, among others—have increasingly taken the political elements of human/environment systems far more seriously. It would seem therefore, that there is an increasing convergence of political ecology and political geography. On closer inspection, however, it is clear that environmental researchers with an interest in politics and political geographers with an interest in the environment are on parallel, but distinctly separate tracks. The possibilities for cross-fertilization of concepts, theoretical tools, and methods remain strong, but under-realized therefore This brief essay seeks to summarize the use of “the environment” in political geography and “the political” in political ecology such that possible areas of overlap and mutual exchange are possible. It concludes that political geographers might benefit from the development of better accounts of the role of non-human agents in producing political outcomes and from a richer engagement with the political ecologies of everyday life, while political ecologists must work to better understand state institutions that are too often treated as “black boxes” in their accounts.
Enhanced transfection efficiency of a systemically delivered tumor‐targeting immunolipoplex by inclusion of a pH‐sensitive histidylated oligolysine peptide

Successful cancer gene therapy depends on the development of non-toxic, efficient, tumor cell- specific systemic gene delivery systems. Our laboratory has developed a systemically administered, ligand-liposome complex that can effectively and preferentially deliver its therapeutic payload to both primary and metastatic tumors. To further improve the transfection efficiency of this targeting complex, a synthetic pH-sensitive histidylated oligolysine K[K(H)KKK]5-K(H)KKC (HoKC), designed to aid in endosomal escape and condensation of DNA, was included in the complex. The presence of HoKC increased the in vitro transfection efficiency over that of the original complex. Moreover, no increase in cytotoxicity was observed due to the presence of the HoKC peptide. In a DU145 human prostate cancer xenograft tumor model in athymic nude mice, inclusion of the HoKC peptide did not interfere with the tumor targeting specificity of the i.v. administered ligand/liposome/DNA complex. Most importantly, the level of transgene expression was significantly elevated in the tumors, but not in the normal tissue in those animals receiving the complex incorporating HoKC. The in vivo enhancement of transfection efficiency by this modified gene delivery vehicle could lead to a reduction in the number of administrations required for antitumor efficacy.
Bundled Babies and Bundled Billing: How To Properly Use the New Pediatric Critical Care Codes

CMS introduced new pediatric critical care codes and renumbered neonatal and pediatric critical care Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes in January 2009. Unlike the time-based critical care codes used for adult care, services for many children use bundled codes for all critical care services by a single physician during a calendar day. New codes have been added for 24- to 60-month old children. CPT codes for critical care of neonates and children 28 days to 24 months were renumbered. This article discusses the changes and the impact on physicians providing critical care services.
Cytokine Signaling through Stat3 Activates Integrins, Promotes Adhesion, and Induces Growth Arrest in the Myeloid Cell Line 32D

Hematopoietic cell development and function is dependent on cytokines and on intercellular interactions with the microenvironment. Although the intracellular signaling pathways stimulated by cytokine receptors are well described, little is known about the mechanisms through which these pathways modulate hematopoietic cell adhesion events in the microenvironment. Here we show that cytokine-activated Stat3 stimulates the expression and function of cell surface adhesion molecules in the myeloid progenitor cell line 32D. We generated an erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) isoform (ER343/401-S3) that activates Stat3 rather than Stat5 by substituting the Stat3 binding/activation sequence motif from gp130 for the sequences surrounding tyrosines 343 and 401 in the receptor cytoplasmic region. Activation of Stat3 leads to homotypic cell aggregation, increased expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), CD18, and CD11b, and activation of signaling through CD18-containing integrins. Unlike the wild type EpoR, ER343/401-S3 is unable to support long term Epo-dependent proliferation in 32D cells. Instead, Epo-treated ER343/401-S3 cells undergo G1 arrest and express elevated levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1. Sustained activation of Stat3 in these cells is required for their altered morphology and growth properties since constitutive SOCS3 expression abrogates homotypic cell aggregation, signaling through CD18-containing integrins, G1 arrest, and accumulation of p27Kip1. Collectively, our results demonstrate that cytokine-activated Stat3 stimulates the expression and function of cell surface adhesion molecules, indicating that a role for Stat3 is to regulate intercellular contacts in myeloid cells.
Improved analysis of a multirobot graph exploration strategy

In this paper, we present an algorithm for exploring an unknown graph with opaque edges by multiple robots. We show that this algorithm is near optimal on graphs with n vertices and superlinear number of edges (i.e., ω(n) edges), and give an adversarial construction to show that the algorithm does not perform well on cyclic graphs with O(n) edges.
Initial Performance of SPRINT: A Single Photon System for Emissi on Tomography

SPRINT is a transaxial tomograph for use with single photon emitting nuclides. It consists of an aperture cylinder surrounded by a ring of NaI(Tl) detectors. The singles count rate for each detector is correlated with the aperture cylinder position. This provides a view of the image plane activity distribution from each detector's perspective. These views are then combined to form a slice image. Preliminary operation of the device has recently been accomplished. The structure of operation and calibration procedures has been defined. The statistical behavior of single detector data agrees with expectations. Individual point source data for a variety of positions agree with calculations for both resolution and sensitivity. These data arrays have been used with a modified ART routine to provide two dimensional source images.
QuEST for information fusion

Qualia-based Exploitation of Sensing Technology (QuEST) is an approach to create a cognitive exoskeleton to improve human-machine decision quality. In this paper, we discuss the motivation of QuEST as it pertains to man-machine information fusion. Operator-based situation awareness includes both elements of external sensory perception and internal cognitive explanation. We outline QuEST elements and tenets towards a reasoning approach that achieves human intelligence amplification (IA) as opposed to data aggregation from machine artificial intelligence (AI). In a use case example for automatic target exploitation, we showcase the need for enhanced understanding of the man (mind-body cognition) and the machine (sensor-based reasoning) for establishing a cohesive narrative of situational activities.
INTERPRETATIONS ON AUTOMATIC: A DIFFERENT VIEW OF STRATEGIC ISSUE DIAGNOSIS*

Models of strategic decision-making and environmental scanning typically assume that decision-makers diagnose issues actively, using conscious and intentional effort to identify and to interpret potentially significant events, developments and trends. This article establishes that conditions in organizations put decision-makers ‘on automatic’in their diagnosis of strategic issues, with direct implications for the process and content of strategic action. Implications for theory and practice are established.
Phosphorylation of Raf-1 by Kinase Suppressor of Ras Is Inhibited by “MEK-Specific” Inhibitors PD 098059 and U0126 in Differentiating HL60 Cells

Abstract Determination of the involvement of MAP kinase cascades in signaling cell growth or differentiation is aided by the use of the inhibitors PD 098059 [2-(2′-amino-3′-methoxyphenyl)oxananphthalen-4-one] and U0126 [1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(2-aminophenylthio)butadiene], believed to be MEK-specific kinase inhibitors. We report here that the activity of kinase suppressor of ras (KSR-1), a kinase upstream of raf-1, is inhibited by both these compounds at concentrations similar to those that inhibit MEK-1. Further, in HL60 cells induced to differentiate with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 raf-1 and p90RSK, but not ERK1/2, are coregulated, and their expression as well as monocytic differentiation is inhibited in parallel by PD 098059. Thus, in this system raf-1 is phosphorylated by KSR-1, and PD 098059 as well as U0126 inhibits this phosphorylation. This suggests great caution in the interpretation of experiments that utilize these pharmacological inhibitors of kinase activity as evidence for a role for the MEK–ERK module in ras or raf-1 signaling.
Designing Police: Interpol and the Study of Change in International Organizations

On those rare occasions when scholars of international organizations (IOs) consider the issue of change, they typically highlight the centrality of states. Although states are important for understanding when and why there is a change in the tasks, mandate, and design of IO, IOs themselves can initiate change. Drawing from sociological institutional and resource dependence approaches, in this article we treat IOs as strategic actors that can choose among a set of strategies in order to pursue their goals in response to changing environmental pressures and constraints that potentially threaten their relevance and resource base. We delineate six strategies—acquiescence, compromise, avoidance, defiance, manipulation, and strategic social construction, and suggest that the strategic choice by IOs is contingent on the level of both organizational insecurity and the congruence between the content of environmental pressures and organizational culture. We emphasize how IOs must make a trade-off between acquiring the resources necessary to survive and be secure, on the one hand, and maintaining autonomy, on the other. We apply this framework to the case of Interpol, investigating how different calculations of these trade-offs led Interpol staff to adopt different strategies depending on its willingness to accept, resist, or initiate changes that demand conformity to external pressures.
Cytokine and Growth Factor Responses After Radiotherapy for Localized Ependymoma

Purpose: To determine the time course and clinical significance of cytokines and peptide growth factors in pediatric patients with ependymoma treated with postoperative radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials: We measured 15 cytokines and growth factors (fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], interleukin [IL]-1{beta}, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon-{gamma}, tumor necrosis factor-{alpha}, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-{alpha}) from 30 patients before RT and 2 and 24 h, weekly for 6 weeks, and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the initiation of RT. Two longitudinal models for the trend of log-transformed measurements were fitted, one during treatment and one through 12 months. Results: During RT, log IL-8 declined at a rate of -0.10389/wk (p = 0.0068). The rate of decline was greater (p = 0.028) for patients with an infratentorial tumor location. The decline in IL-8 after RT was significant when stratified by infratentorial tumor location (p = 0.0345) and more than one surgical procedure (p = 0.0272). During RT, the decline in log VEGF was significant when stratified by the presence of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. After RT, the log VEGF declined significantly at a rate of -0.06207/mo.more » The decline was significant for males (p = 0.0222), supratentorial tumors (p = 0.0158), one surgical procedure (p = 0.0222), no ventriculoperitoneal shunt (p = 0.0005), and the absence of treatment failure (p = 0.0028). Conclusion: The pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 declined significantly during RT and the decline differed according to tumor location. The angiogenesis factor VEGF declined significantly during the 12 months after RT. The decline was greater in males, those without a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and in those with favorable disease factors, including one surgical procedure, supratentorial tumor location, and tumor control.« less
Impurity-assisted photoproduction of isolated V k centers at the uv band edge in NaI

Using a technique in which recombination luminescence is stimulated with red or infrared light in a crystal which has been exposed to ultraviolet light, evidence is found that copper impurity \ensuremath{\lesssim} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ molar fraction acts as a "catalyst" for producing intrinsic luminescence upon excitation in the low-energy tail of the exciton absorption peak and possibly at higher energies. This is explained with a model in which a hole is ionized from a ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+}$ center with an energy \ensuremath{\sim} 0.25 eV less than that necessary to create a ${V}_{k}$ center in the perfect crystal. It is also shown that at least some of the copper luminescence at 370 nm excited in the low-energy tail of the exciton absorption peak is due to recombination of an electron with a hole at a copper center. The stimulated intrinsic and impurity luminescences in crystals with detectable copper concentrations exhibit a peak in intensity after preexposure in the low-energy tail of the exciton absorption peak. The energy of this peak is found to be a function of the absorption coefficient and to shift with temperature in accordance with Urbach's rule. A simple model for this behavior is given. No stimulated luminescence is observed after preexposure in the copper absorption band at 4.85 eV or in the thallium $A$ or $D$ bands. Stimulated luminescence is observed after preexposure in the thallium $C$ band.
Political Viability, Contestation and Power: Islam and Politics in Indonesia and Malaysia

This article explores the impact of Muslim organizations and Muslim political parties in Indonesia and Malaysia and their relationship to democracy. Questions addressed are as follows: How does the political system (broadly described) facilitate or constrain the goals of various Muslim organizations (both groups in society and political parties)? What roles do these Muslim organizations play in impacting politics and where (or in what areas of) in the political process are they most effective? Under what circumstances have Muslim associations and/or parties been a force for (or antagonistic to) democratization? Given the ethnic and regional diversity in Malaysia and Indonesia, the initial hypotheses for these questions are as follows: under authoritarian and semi-authoritarian rule Muslim organizations actually have greater opportunities to polarize rhetoric as they appeal to citizens based on claims of moral supremacy, fulfillment of social welfare needs, and some level of criticism of a restricted or corrupted political order. At different times the Pan-Malayan Islamic Association (PAS), the leading Muslim party in Malaysia (and a dominant opposition party) has had limited appeal to voters. Under more democratic conditions, Islamic groups or parties may need to moderate their appeals, and/or build coalitions with secular or non-Islamic groups in order to win power and influence in the larger political system. Muslim political parties exist in both Malaysia and Indonesia; their power and influence have varied over time. This project aims to explain why these parties have had more support at some times than others and under what conditions they may moderate their demands and policy choices to accommodate pluralist leanings.
Cerebral myiasis associated with angiosarcoma of the scalp: case report.

Objective Primary human cerebral myiasis is an exceedingly rare condition and is almost never encountered by physicians in developed countries. The case report summarizes a case of extensive cerebral myiasis in a periurban community in the United States. Clinical presentation After a minor motor vehicle accident, police brought a 75-year-old man to the emergency room because he was observed to have a large cranial lesion. Examination revealed a 15 x 17 cm frontal bone defect with eroded frontal dura, exposed cortex, and massive cortical maggot infestation. Intervention The patient was empirically treated with intravenous antibiotics for meningitis. Maggots (Phaenicia sericata, or the green bottle fly) were removed by suction, attrition, and gentle contact exposure to a mild bleach solution. Biopsy of the scalp and cranium revealed angiosarcoma, for which operative treatment was refused. The patient was transferred to a skilled nursing facility for palliative care where he died 3 months later. Conclusion This is the first published case of cerebral myiasis in the United States. Although human cerebral myiasis is rare, conditions do exist in this country that permit myiasis.