cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cumulative damage modeling of solid lubricant coatings that experience wear and interfacial fatigue

Solid lubricating coatings comprise a large segment of tribological materials and under a spherical contact the coating/substrate interface experiences cyclic shear stress that leads to delamination of the coatings from the substrate and premature failure. The polymeric solid lubricating coating used in this study is an expanded PTFE/epoxy composite. The coatings experience cumulative damage caused by interfacial fatigue and wear ultimately leading to failure. Using a finite element simulation of the contact conditions and experimental data, a numerical analysis of the coupled failure modes was completed. The results of the modeling offer insight to designers on considerations in extending the lives of coatings subject to cyclic stresses. The experimental data for cycles to failure versus coating thickness fall closely to the fit for the cumulative damage model. This result also shows that these coatings experience failure primarily from interfacial fatigue under these pin-on-disk experimental conditions.
Army ants as research and collection tools.

Ants that fall prey to the raids of army ants commonly respond by evacuating their nests. This documented behavior has been underexploited by researchers as an efficient research tool. This study focuses on the evacuation response of the southwestern desert ant Aphaenogaster cockerelli Andre (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to the army ant Newamyrmex nigrescens Cresson. It is shown that army ants can be used to collect mature colonies of ants. The applicability of this tool to ecologically meaningful areas of research is discussed.
A Multi-Level Approach to Measuring the Benefits of an Erp System in Manufacturing Firms

Abstract This research study examines associations between the business characteristics of manufacturing firms and their perceived benefits from ERP system investments. the perceived ERP benefits are measured at two levels: (1) an enterprise level and (2) a specific IT module level. the perceived value for ERP investments was consistently better explained at the specific IT module level.
Anesthesia and pain management in Russia

There was only limited emphasis on anesthesia and pain management in veterinary colleges in Russia until the last ten years. There is now great interest in improvement by Russia practitioners. This effort is hampered by the lack of approved and available medications and limited instructions. At this time, the small animal practitioners have tranquilizers, alpha2 agonists local anesthetics and NSAID's for their use. Propofol is available through pharmacies and efforts are being made for veterinarians to use ketamine. Only a few practices have inhalant anesthetic units and halothane. During a recent lecture tour of Russia, general clinical principles and specific anesthetic and pain management protocols were taught. The audience, primarily young and progressive veterinarians, actively participated and showed great desire to practice quality anesthesia and pain management for their patients. Teaching young veterinarians how to manage their cases without the availability of opioids, ketamine advanced anesthetic equipment and monitors was indeed challenging. Protocols for perioperative management consisting of medetomidine with or without local anesthesia followed by carprofen for post-operative pain is an improvement. We sometimes spend so much time discussing which of many drug combinations we will use but seldom consider what we would do if we were practicing our specialty in parts of the world where we would have to modify dosages and combinations to achieve humane care with few drug choices.
A Novel Specialized Suture and Inserting Device for the Resuspension of Ptotic Facial Tissues: Early Results

BACKGROUND In the past decade, the popularity of minimally invasive procedures for facial rejuvenation has increased. OBJECTIVE To describe a new specialized suture, and its associated technique, used to elevate sagging tissues of the face and neck. METHODS A detailed description of the technique and the results obtained in 20 patients in whom we have used this novel approach. Attention was given to appropriate patient selection. The primary focus was on the correction of the jowl, jawline, and neck subunits. It involves the percutaneous introduction of a novel 3-0 polypropylene suture that has 10 absorbable hollow cones along its axis that are equally interspersed with knots. Once the absorbable cones are resorbed into the surrounding tissues, the non-absorbable suture component can be removed without compromising the aesthetic outcome. RESULTS All patients demonstrated improvement in these areas, with minimal complications. One patient required resuspension using the open technique. (Excessive ptotic tissue was later excised for an optimal cosmetic result.) CONCLUSION The suture and technique described in this article provide a major contribution to the correction of ptosis of facial tissues. When done in conjunction with other procedures, such as neck and jowl microliposuction, this technique has proven to be a useful addition to facial rejuvenation.
Radial Distribution of Dose

The radial distribution of dose about the path of a heavy ion, principally from delta rays, is one of the central contributions of atomic physics to the systematization of high LET radiation effects in condensed matter, whether the detection arises in chemical, physical, or biological systems. In addition to the radial distribution of dose, we require knowledge of the response of the system to X-rays or gamma-rays or to beams of energetic electrons such that the electron slowing-down spectra from these radiations can approximate the slowing-down spectra from delta rays even at different radial distances from the ion’s path. A combination of these data enables us to calculate the action cross sections for heavy ion bombardments in all detectors for which this information is available. These cross sections are indispensable for the evaluation of effects caused by high LET radiations. In this paper we focus attention principally on the calculation and measurement of the radial distribution of dose and on their limitations.
The Electronic Structure of the Oxygen Donor in Silicon from Piezospectroscopy

It has been known for more than 40 years that annealing Czochralski-grown silicon (with [O] ≈ 1018cm-3) at temperatures near 450°C produces shallow “oxygen donor” defects with concentrations up to lO16cm-3 [1, 2]. Since this early discovery there have been numerous studies performed to determine the oxygen donor’s structure and the mechanism for its formation [3,4]. In spite of a tremendous amount of effort, the atomic structure of the oxygen donor and an explanation of its formation kinetics remain controversial. This paper focusses on what has been learned about the electronic structure of the oxygen donor from experiments in which uniaxial stress was used in conjunction with infrared absorption [5–7], DLTS [8–11], and EPR [12] spectroscopies. These piezospectroscopic results have shown that the spectra measured by infrared absorption, DLTS and EPR are indeed due to the same oxygen donor defect and that the ground state of the oxygen donor is constructed from the effective-mass wave functions associated with a single pair of conduction band valleys. In this paper, a survey of the piezospectroscopic results is presented.
Mannheimia haemolytica and Its Leukotoxin Cause Macrophage Extracellular Trap Formation by Bovine Macrophages

Human and bovine neutrophils release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are protein-studded DNA matrices capable of extracellular trapping and killing of pathogens. Recently, we reported that bovine neutrophils release NETs in response to the important respiratory pathogen Mannheimia haemolytica and its leukotoxin (LKT). Here, we demonstrate macrophage extracellular trap (MET) formation by bovine monocyte-derived macrophages exposed to M. haemolytica or its LKT. Both native fully active LKT and noncytolytic pro-LKT (produced by an lktC mutant of M. haemolytica) stimulated MET formation. Confocal and scanning electron microscopy revealed a network of DNA fibrils with colocalized histones in extracellular traps released from bovine macrophages. Formation of METs required NADPH oxidase activity, as previously demonstrated for NET formation. METs formed in response to LKT trapped and killed a portion of the M. haemolytica cells. Bovine alveolar macrophages, but not peripheral blood monocytes, also formed METs in response to M. haemolytica cells. MET formation was not restricted to bovine macrophages. We also observed MET formation by the mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 and by human THP-1 cell-derived macrophages, in response to Escherichia coli hemolysin. The latter is a member of the repeats-in-toxin (RTX) toxin family related to the M. haemolytica leukotoxin. This study demonstrates that macrophages, like neutrophils, can form extracellular traps in response to bacterial pathogens and their exotoxins.
Want to inspire science students to consider a research career? Host a scientist in your classroom.

Most biology students have limited exposure to research since this is not a public activity and the pace of science does not lend itself to television dramatization. In contrast, medicine is the subject of numerous TV shows, and students’ experience visiting doctors may lead them to think they want to become physicians. One effective way to encourage these students to consider a research career is to invite engaging scientists to speak about their career paths and lives during class. Students are most likely to be influenced by people they consider to be like themselves. While this method is well-suited to a lecture format where the scientist can address a larger audience, the laboratory would also be appropriate.
Omega: A General Formulation of the Rand Index of Cluster Recovery Suitable for Non-disjoint Solutions

Cluster recovery indices are more important than ever, because of the necessity for comparing the large number of clustering procedures available today. Of the cluster recovery indices prominent in contemporary literature, the Hubert and Arabie (1985) adjustment to the Rand index (1971) has been demonstrated to have the most desirable properties (Milligan & Cooper, 1986). However, use of the Hubert and Arabie adjustment to the Rand index is limited to cluster solutions involving non-overlapping, or disjoint, clusters. The present paper introduces a generalization of the Hubert and Arabie adjusted Rand index. This generalization, called the Omega index, can be applied to situations where both, one, or neither of the solutions being compared is non-disjoint. In the special case where both solutions are disjoint, the Omega index is equivalent to the Hubert and Arabie adjusted Rand index.
Young Children Infer Causal Strength From Probabilities and Interventions

We examine the interaction of two cues that children use to make judgments about cause-effect relations: probabilities and interventions. Children were shown a "detector" that lit up and played music when a block was placed on its surface. We varied the probabilistic effectiveness of the block, as well as whether the experimenter or the child was performing the interventions. In Experiment 1, we found that children can use probabilistic evidence to make inferences about causal strength. However, when the results of their own interventions are in conflict with the overall frequencies, preschoolers favor the results of their own interventions. In Experiment 2, children used probabilistic evidence to infer a hidden causal mechanism. Though they again gave preference to their own interventions, they did not do so when their interventions were explicitly confounded by an alternative cause.
Effects of Visual and Auditory Stimulation on Subsequent Visual Preferences in Neonates

The effects of prior exposure to slow or fast temporal frequencies of visual or auditory stimuli on subsequent preferences for visual temporal frequencies were examined in three groups of neonates (N =12 in each group). The 2 Hz group was exposed to lights flashing at 2 Hz prior to half the preference trials and sounds pulsing at 2 Hz prior to the other half of the preference trials. The 8 Hz group was similarly prestimulated with 8 Hz lights and sounds. The control group received no prestimulation prior to preference trials. Preference trials consisted of the presentation of all possible pairs of 2, 4, or 8 Hz flashing lights for 20 sec per pair. Regardless of modality, visual preferences varied systematically with changes in prior stimulation such that there was an inverse relationship between amount of prestimulation and preferred temporal frequency. Infants looked more at slower frequencies and less at faster frequencies as the amount of prestimulation increased from none to 2 Hz to 8 Hz. These effect...
Self-Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies for Doctor of Nursing Practice Students

This study examined the informatics competencies of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) students and whether these competencies differed between DNP students in the post-baccalaureate (BS) and post-master's (MS) tracks. Self-reported informatics competencies were collected from 132 DNP students (68 post-BS and 64 post-MS students) in their first year in the program (2007 to 2010). Students were assessed in 18 areas of 3 competency categories: computer skills, informatics knowledge, and informatics skills. Post-BS students were competent in 4 areas (computer skills in communication, systems, documentation, and informatics knowledge about impact of information management), whereas post-MS students were competent in only 1 area (computer skills in communication). Students in both tracks reported computer skills in decision support as their least competent area. Overall, post-BS students reported slightly higher than or similar competency scores as post-MS students, but scores were statistically significant in only 3 of 18 areas. The assessment indicated that knowledge and skills on informatics competencies need to be improved, especially in computer skills for data access and use of decision support systems. Strategies are suggested to integrate competencies into existing informatics course and DNP curricula. Further studies are recommended using an objective measure of informatics competencies.
A BIOMECHANICAL STUDY OF DIRECTIONAL MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF PORCINE SKIN TISSUES

Skin is a multilayered composite material and composed principally of the proteins collagen, elastic fibers, and fibroblasts. The direction-dependent material properties of skin tissue is important for physiological functions like skin expansion. The current study has developed methods to characterize the directional biomechanical properties of porcine skin tissues. It is observed that skin tissue has a nonlinear anisotropy biomechanical behavior, where the parameters of material stiffness is 378 ±160 kPa in the preferred-fiber direction and 65.96±40.49 kPa in the cross-fiber direction when stretching above 30% strain equibiaxially. The results from the current study will help optimize functional skin stretching for patients requiring large surface area skin grafts and reconstructions due to burns or other injuries.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Urban Secession and the Politics of Growth The Case of Los Angeles

The author argues that the current movement to secede San Fernando Valley from the city of Los Angeles exposes significant weaknesses in the existing literature on urban fragmentation. By construct...
TE Design Lab: A virtual laboratory for thermoelectric material design

Abstract The discovery of advanced thermoelectric materials is the key bottleneck limiting the commercialization of solid-state technology for waste heat recovery and compression-free refrigeration. Computationally-driven approaches can accelerate the discovery of new thermoelectric materials and provide insights into the underlying structure–property relations that govern thermoelectric performance. We present TE Design Lab ( www.tedesignlab.org ), a thermoelectrics-focused virtual laboratory that contains calculated thermoelectric properties as well as performance rankings based on a metric (Yan et al., 2015) that combines ab initio calculations and modeled electron and phonon transport to offer a reliable assessment of the intrinsic material properties that govern the thermoelectric figure of merit zT. Another useful component of TE Design Lab is the suite of interactive web-based tools that enable users to mine the raw data and unearth new structure–property relations. Examples that illustrate this utility are presented. With the goal of establishing a close partnership between experiments and computations, TE Design Lab also offers resources to analyze raw experimental thermoelectric data and contribute them to the open access database.
A Trend Test as a Preliminary to Reliability Estimation

Abstract This paper illustrates the application of a trend test as a first step in the utilization of analysis of variance procedures for the estimation of the reliability of skill tests. Tests for over-all trend and orthogonal components of trend were applied to bowling and softball velocity data. It was demonstrated that systematic linear variation existed from trial to trial in the bowling velocity data. There was no evidence of systematic variation from trial to trial for the softball velocity data.
Scatter correction of vessel dropout behind highly attenuating structures in 4D-DSA

In Computed Tomographic (CT) image reconstruction for 4 dimensional digital subtraction angiography (4D-DSA), loss of vessel contrast has been observed behind highly attenuating anatomy, such as large contrast filled aneurysms. Although this typically occurs only in a limited range of projection angles, the observed contrast time course can be altered. In this work we propose an algorithm to correct for highly attenuating anatomy within the fill projection data, i.e. aneurysms. The algorithm uses a 3D-SA volume to create a correction volume that is multiplied by the 4D-DSA volume in order to correct for signal dropout within the 4D-DSA volume. The algorithm was designed to correct for highly attenuating material in the fill volume only, however with alterations to a single step of the algorithm, artifacts due to highly attenuating materials in the mask volume (i.e. dental implants) can be mitigated as well. We successfully applied our algorithm to a case of vessel dropout due to the presence of a large attenuating aneurysm. The performance was qualified visually as the affected vessel no longer dropped out on corrected 4D-DSA time frames. The correction was quantified by plotting the signal intensity along the vessel. Our analysis demonstrated our correction does not alter vessel signal values outside of the vessel dropout region but does increase the vessel values within the dropout region as expected. We have demonstrated that this correction algorithm acts to correct vessel dropout in areas with highly attenuating materials.
A Simple Relation Between Elementary Number-Theory and Elementary Projective Geometry

(1917). A Simple Relation Between Elementary Number-Theory and Elementary Projective Geometry. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 24, No. 7, pp. 317-321.
Effects of pregnancy and streptozotocin diabetes on hepatic fatty acid metabolism.

AbstractNonpregnant female rats and pregnant rats were fed ad libitum. Diabetes was induced by a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin. Pregnant rats received streptozotocin on Day 17 of gestation. The diabetic rats were used 3 days after treatment with streptozotocin. Protamine zinc insulin and crystalline insulin were administered to diabetic rats subcutaneously 24 hr prior to removal of the livers for perfusion. Livers were removed and perfused in vitro in a recirculating liver perfusion apparatus.Diabetes in nonpregnant and pregnant animals decreased the output of triacylglycerol and increased ketogenesis by the isolated perfused liver in comparison to the corresponding nondiabetic group. In agreement with previous data, pregnancy increased output of triacylglycerol and decreased ketogenesis. Livers from pregnant diabetic rats secreted more triacylglycerol and fewer ketones than did livers from nonpregnant diabetic rats. Pretreatment of diabetic rats with insulin reduced ketogenesis toward no...
State Legislative Committees and Economic Connections Expertise and Industry Service

American state legislators commonly remain connected to the market, giving them the potential for unique expertise on how policy affects the industries they are connected to and the opportunity to help enact laws favoring those industries. This paper describes the extent to which state legislative committees are populated by legislators with economic connections to their jurisdiction, and analyzes appointment patterns to help distinguish stacking to tap expertise from stacking to serve an industry. I find that a substantial minority of committees are stacked with connected legislators. Appointment patterns show limited evidence for expertise in education and health care, for industry service in banking, and for both in agriculture.
Red Imported Fire Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Correlation of Ant Density with Damage to Two Cultivars of Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Red imported fire ants, Solenopsis indicts Burden, damaged 12.2-26.1% of ‘Sago’ and ‘Russet’ potatoes ( Solarium tuberose L.) in small-plot field tests in 1983-1985 and caused severe damage to commercial plantings of potatoes in the Hastings area of northeastern Florida. The extent of potato loss in both small plots and commercial fields was positively correlated with numbers of ants caught per bait trap. Average numbers of ants trapped varied from 2 to 205 per bait. The United States Standards for Grades of Potatoes define severe damage as that which results in the loss of >10% of the total weight of the potato; our data indicate severe damage occurs when the average ant catch per trap exceeds 80. This information can be useful to growers for determining when costs of ant control are economically feasible.
Dental caries in children under age three attending a university clinic.

PURPOSE The aim of study was to determine the rates of dental caries and assess the restorative needs of children under three years of age attending an urban university clinic from 1993-1997. METHODS In this retrospective study, data were abstracted from patient records and included demographic information, caries experience, and restorative needs. RESULTS Gender distribution of the sample included 55% males and 45% females. The study population was predominantly African-American (51%) and Hispanic (34%), with a mean age of 20 months. A majority of the population had dental benefits through Medicaid (92%). Nearly one-third of the study population and as many as 56% of the children between 24 and 36 months had dental caries. Among those off the bottle (50%), children with severe dental caries had been weaned off the bottle at a significantly older age compared to those without any caries (16.9 vs. 10 months, P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS This study provides further validity to the early oral health exam and early dental treatment, not only for preventive measures but also for restorative needs. The relatively high prevalence of early childhood caries could have been prevented by appropriate primary preventive strategies.
Biosimilar Naming Conventions: Pharmacist Perceptions and Impact on Confidence in Dispensing Biologics.

BACKGROUND: The approval of the first biosimilar in the United States has placed increased pressure on the FDA to provide guidance on the naming convention that will be assigned to current and future biosimilars. The release of the FDA draft guidance on nonproprietary naming of biosimilars in August 2015 established a naming convention for all biologic products, including biosimilars. However, the draft guidance is nonbinding while the FDA continues to receive input from stakeholders, and it does not address the naming convention that will be used for products designated as interchangeable biologics. OBJECTIVES: To (a) determine pharmacist perceptions of biosimilar naming conventions and their impact on confidence to dispense biosimilars and (b) measure the burden that is created by laws and regulations requiring pharmacists to complete postdispense notifications. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 781 members of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy and the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association was c...
Focus: Epigenetics: Ecological Developmental Biology: The Environmental Regulation of Development, Health and Evolution

With rapid evolution ongoing in the field of epigenetics, clinicians, hindered by time constraints, are often unable to adequately keep up with the new developments that apply to their patients and practice. Epigenetics in Psychiatry aims to tackle this precise problem. With near absolute completeness, the text covers not only the most recent developments in epigenetics related to psychiatric disorders, but also lays an effective and thorough foundation explaining the basics of molecular epigenetics and the historical development of psychiatric epigenetics. Herein the authors have carefully evaluated, synthesized, analyzed, and interpreted concise summaries of a multitude of hundreds of investigative articles that would otherwise take interested clinicians months to study and evaluate. To address controversies in the field, the articles presented are examined under an objective lens in regards to scientific and statistical validity. Biases and study limitations are factored into the interpretation of all articles presented.
The effect of radiation dose on the onset and progression of radiation-induced brain necrosis in the rat model

AbstractPurpose: To provide a comprehensive understanding of how the selection of radiation dose affects the temporal and spatial progression of radiation-induced necrosis in the rat model.Materials and methods: Necrosis was induced with a single fraction of radiation exposure, at doses ranging between 20 and 60 Gy, to the right hemisphere of 8-week-old Fischer rats from a linear accelerator. The development and progression of necrosis in the rats was monitored and quantified every other week with T1- and T2-weighted gadolinium contrast-enhanced MRI studies.Results: The time to onset of necrosis was found to be dose-dependent, but after the initial onset, the necrosis progression rate and total volume generated was constant across different doses ranging between 30 and 60 Gy. Radiation doses less than 30 Gy did not develop necrosis within 33 weeks after treatment, indicating a dose threshold existing between 20 and 30 Gy.Conclusion: The highest dose used in this study led to the shortest time to onset of ...
The Aylwin Administration: Doing As Much As Possible

This chapter starts with a discussion of the limited nature of the transition to democracy, the nature of politics during Aylwin’s four years; the limited political space given to President Aylwin due to the restrictions imposed by the 1980 Constitution; and the inability of the Concertacion politicians to modify the charter. In turn, the limited power of the President, the Amnesty Decree, and the presence of General Pinochet as Commander in Chief of the Army restricted, both legally and psychologically, the nature of human rights policies. The chapter focuses on President Aylwin’s notion that he did whatever he could, or as much as he could, in the very narrow political space given to him by the threatening and subversive actions of the former dictator and the uncompromising opposition of Union Democratica Independiente. As a result, those involved in the crimes committed between 1973 and 1989 continued to enjoy power and impunity. The chapter analyzes specific human rights policies, including the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the role of the courts, and a failed set of legislative actions to consolidate the architecture of impunity.
Stable Isotope Analysis of Dietary Overlap between the Endangered Red Wolf and Sympatric Coyote in Northeastern North Carolina

Abstract The only remaining wild Canis rufus (Red Wolf) are part of an experimental population inhabiting the Albemarle peninsula of northeastern North Carolina. This population was established in the late 1980s as part of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Recovery Program. Recently, controversy has arisen over whether to maintain, expand, or end the recovery program. This controversy is complex, but one source of concern about the program is the perception among some local stakeholders that, compared to the smaller, sympatric C. latrans (Coyote), Red Wolves put greater pressure on game species, such as Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer). However, previous research comparing fecal remains indicated a broad dietary overlap between sympatric populations of the 2 species. In this study, we investigated the question of dietary overlap between Red Wolves and Coyotes using stable isotope analysis. Our results are consistent with those based on fecal analyses in showing that sympatric populatio...
Valuing Stakeholder Governance: Property Rights, Community Mobilization, and Firm Value

Research summary: While research has shown that good stakeholder relations increase the value of a firm, less is known about how specific types of stakeholder governance affect firm value. We examine the value of one such governance mechanism—community benefits agreements (CBAs) signed by firms and local communities—intended to minimize social conflict that disrupts access to valuable resources. We argue that shareholders evaluate more positively CBAs with local communities with strong property rights and histories of institutional action and extra-institutional mobilization because these communities are more likely to cause costly disruptions and delays for a firm. We evaluate these arguments by analyzing the cumulative abnormal returns associated with the unexpected announcement of 148 CBAs signed between mining companies and local indigenous communities in Canada. Managerial summary: With firms across many industries facing escalating costs associated with social conflict, new tools are emerging to help firms mitigate these risks by seeking the support of the local communities in which they operate. Community benefits agreements (CBAs) are contracts in which a community provides consent for a new investment in return for tangible benefits, such as local hiring and revenue sharing. We argue that although CBAs are costly for the firm, they are particularly valuable when communities can cause costly disruptions and delays for a firm. Our study of investor reactions to the announcement of 148 CBAs signed between mining companies and local indigenous communities in Canada shows that investors value more CBAs signed with communities with strong property rights and histories of protest. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abstract 2002: Disrupting immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via stealthy nanobombs to enhance T-cell anticancer efficacy

Despite the fact that the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (ISTME) has long been recognized as a major hurdle that significantly limits the anticancer efficacy of various therapeutic strategies, including T-cell-based immunotherapy, there is currently no effective way to address this challenge. In this work, we prove that sequential photothermal therapy (PTT), mediated with stealthy laser-triggerable nanobombs composed of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) following systemic delivery, can remove both pre-resident and also newly triggered immunosuppressor cells in established tumors to enhance the efficacy of T-cell anticancer therapy. Using flow cytometry to study various T-cell populations in tumor tissues 48 h post PTT in a 4T1 mouse model, our data suggest that IONP-mediated PTT could significantly reduce the CD4+FoxP3+ regulatory T-cell population. Our data also suggest that CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell populations in PTT-treated tumor tissues return to those of non-treated tumors, and are believed to be newly activated at the tumor site or recruited from periphery blood following PTT. Our data further suggest that PTT twice spaced by a 24 h interval has the best anticancer efficacy, compared to PTT once or three times at 24 h increments. This enhanced anticancer effect from the sequential IONP-mediated PTT (twice) is believed to be due to an enhanced ability to eliminate triggered immunosuppressor cells that respond faster than cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells. Furthermore, our Luminex analysis of chemokine serum concentrations indicates that IONP-mediated PTT can decrease suppressor-cell-attractive protein secretion, such as G-CSF. In addition, our immunohistochemistry data from tumor tissue staining indicate that IONP-mediated PTT down-regulates tumor cell PD-L1 expression to disrupt tumor-cell-mediated immunosuppression. The capability of IONP-mediated PTT to disrupt ISTME can significantly enhance T-cell anticancer efficacy toward both treated established tumors and distal tumor cells. When combining IONP-mediated PTT with anti-CTLA-4 therapy to block CD8+ T-cell inhibition, our data suggest that combination treatment significantly inhibits tumor growth (p Citation Format: Hongwei Chen, Hayley J. Paholak, Xin Luan, Joseph P. Burnett, Nicholas O. Stevers, Kanokwan Sansanaphongpricha, Duxin Sun. Disrupting immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via stealthy nanobombs to enhance T-cell anticancer efficacy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2002. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2002
Quantifying and visualizing site performance in clinical trials.

Abstract Background One of the keys to running a successful clinical trial is the selection of high quality clinical sites, i.e., sites that are able to enroll patients quickly, engage them on an ongoing basis to prevent drop-out, and execute the trial in strict accordance to the clinical protocol. Intuitively, the historical track record of a site is one of the strongest predictors of its future performance; however, issues such as data availability and wide differences in protocol complexity can complicate interpretation. Here, we demonstrate how operational data derived from central laboratory services can provide key insights into the performance of clinical sites and help guide operational planning and site selection for new clinical trials. Methods Our methodology uses the metadata associated with laboratory kit shipments to clinical sites (such as trial and anonymized patient identifiers, investigator names and addresses, sample collection and shipment dates, etc.) to reconstruct the complete schedule of patient visits and derive insights about the operational performance of those sites, including screening, enrollment, and drop-out rates and other quality indicators. This information can be displayed in its raw form or normalized to enable direct comparison of site performance across studies of varied design and complexity. Results Leveraging Covance's market leadership in central laboratory services, we have assembled a database of operational metrics that spans more than 14,000 protocols, 1400 indications, 230,000 unique investigators, and 23 million patient visits and represents a significant fraction of all clinical trials run globally in the last few years. By analyzing this historical data, we are able to assess and compare the performance of clinical investigators across a wide range of therapeutic areas and study designs. This information can be aggregated across trials and geographies to gain further insights into country and regional trends, sometimes with surprising results. Conclusions The use of operational data from Covance Central Laboratories provides a unique perspective into the performance of clinical sites with respect to many important metrics such as patient enrollment and retention. These metrics can, in turn, be used to guide operational planning and site selection for new clinical trials, thereby accelerating recruitment, improving quality, and reducing cost.
Genetics' influence on patient experiences with a rare chronic disorder: a photovoice study of living with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

The MUSC Alpha-1 Community Research Partnership succeeded in data collection and analysis because of the mixed methods and use of technology in addressing the needs of this geographically distant rare disease community. The process of infusing the study with online technology and communication, including private webinars, secured drop boxes, e-mails, digital cell phone and camera photos, and digital audio narratives that can be sent via online technology kept the study exciting for the participants and allowed remote individuals to feel empowered. The authors have been able to demonstrate the feasibility of collecting qualitative research using voices and images of patients, caregivers, and community members living with this genetically inherited chronic condition. Importantly, the authors were able to simultaneously address the challenges of geographic distance and privacy in communications between each other. Additionally, the authors' partnership was able to develop themes from the narrative and photographic content that help prioritize future CBPR initiatives. The CBPR partnership will use these themes to shape future research and disseminate these conclusions to other populations living with a genetically inherited chronic health condition. Finding 5 themes from this relatively small study indicates more research is warranted to advance clinical and public health interventions that mitigate social burden and support resiliency for living with a chronic condition that is genetically inherited and rare.
Employment, Unemployment, and Underemployment in Africa

This paper documents and analyses the predominance of informal employment in Africa and shows that lack of demand for labour rather than worker characteristics is the main reason for pervasive underemployment. Integration into the global economy and exports of labour-intensive products are vital to boosting the demand for labour in Africa. Africa has some potential to become competitive in light manufacturing, but the most promising avenue for export-led growth of employment in many African countries is agriculture, including traditional cash crops such as cotton, coffee, cocoa, and groundnuts. Contrary to common perceptions, traditional cash crops, which are the source of livelihood for millions of Africans, have many of the features of manufacturing exports: high labour-intensity; potential for quality improvements through technological transfer; and quality-sensitive markets in developed countries. Improvements in the business climate are the key to boosting investment and technology transfer in labour-intensive tradable industries, and thus raising labour demand and employment.
Generating trading agent strategies: analytic and empirical methods for infinite and large games

A Strategy Generation Engine is a system that reads a description of a game or market mechanism and outputs strategies for participants. Ideally, this means a game solver---an algorithm to compute Nash equilibria. This is a well-studied problem and very general solutions exist, but they can only be applied to small, finite games. This thesis presents methods for finding or approximating Nash equilibria for infinite games, and for intractably large finite games. First, I define a broad class of one-shot, two-player infinite games of incomplete information. I present an algorithm for computing best-response strategies in this class and show that for many particular games the algorithm can be iterated to compute Nash equilibria. Many results from the game theory literature are reproduced---automatically---using this method, as well as novel results for new games. Next, I address the problem of finding strategies in games that, even if finite, are larger than what any exact solution method can address. Our solution involves (1) generating a small set of candidate strategies, (2) constructing via simulation an approximate payoff matrix for the simplification of the game restricted to the candidate strategies, (3) analyzing the empirical game, and (4) assessing the quality of solutions with respect to the underlying full game. I leave methods for generating candidate strategies domain-specific and focus on methods for taming the computational cost of empirical game generation. I do this by employing Monte Carlo variance reduction techniques and introducing a technique for approximating many-player games by reducing the number of players. We are additionally able to solve much larger payoff matrices than the current state-of-the-art solver by exploiting symmetry in games. I test these methods in small games with known solutions and then apply them to two realistic market scenarios: Simultaneous Ascending Auctions (SAA) and the Trading Agent Competition (TAC) travel-shopping game. For these domains I focus on two key price prediction approaches for generating candidate strategies for empirical analysis: self-confirming price predictions and Walrasian equilibrium prices. We find that these are highly effective strategies in SAA and TAC, respectively.
Longer life for nuclear plants

The author identifies and discusses conditions for extending the life of nuclear power plants. The studies discussed conclude that, first, the utility must undertake vigorous monitoring and maintenance programs to keep the plant in good condition and to minimize component wear. Second, replacing major components such as steam generators must be technically feasible. In most cases, this has proved possible, but difficult and expensive. Third and most important, the studies conclude, any life-extension program should begin early and focus on the entire plant.
Pathophysiological relevance of deiodinase polymorphism.

Purpose of review To assess new findings and clinical implications of deiodinase gene polymorphism. Deiodinases are enzymes that can activate or inactivate thyroid hormone molecules. Whereas the types 1 and 2 deiodinase (D1 and D2) activate thyroxine (T4) to 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) via deiodination of T4's outer ring, D1 and D3 inactivate both T4 and T3 and terminate thyroid hormone action via deiodination of T4's inner molecular ring. A number of polymorphisms have been identified in the three deiodinase genes; the most investigated and likely to have clinical relevance is the Thr92 substitution for Ala substitution in DIO2 (Thr92Ala-DIO2). There are a number of reports describing the association between the Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism and clinical syndromes that include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, mental disorders, lung injury, bone turnover, and autoimmune thyroid disease; but these associations have not been reproduced in all population studies. Recent findings A new report indicates that carriers of the Thr92Ala-DIO2 polymorphism exhibit lower D2 catalytic activity and localized/systemic hypothyroidism. This could explain why certain groups of levothyroxine-treated hypothyroid patients have improved quality of life when also treated with liothyronine (LT3). Furthermore, Ala92-D2 was abnormally found in the Golgi apparatus, what could constitute a disease mechanism independent of T3 signaling. Indeed, brain samples of Thr92Ala-DIO2 carriers exhibit gene profiles suggestive of brain degenerative disease. In addition, African American carriers of Thr92Ala-DIO2 exhibit an about 30% higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Summary The finding of deiodinase polymorphisms that can diminish thyroid hormone signaling and/or disrupt normal cellular function opens the door to customized treatment of hypothyroidism. Future studies should explore how the racial background modulates the clinical relevance of the Thr92Ala-DIO2 gene polymorphism.
Network-on-Chip Validation and Debug

Network-on-Chip (NoC) has become the standard interconnect solution to address the communication requirements of many-core Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs). It is well known that the network performance and power consumption depend critically on the traffic behavior in the interconnection network. The more critical the NoC becomes, the more reliable it needs to be. NoC architectures available in commercial System-on-Chip (SoC) such as Intel Xeon E5 have shown 25.6% NoC errors out of the total post-silicon errors. In addition to the common challenges of verifying any SoC component, NoC possesses a unique set of challenges arising from its inherently parallel communication nature, security concerns, dynamic behavior, and added measures for reliable data transfers. This makes the task of NoC verification ever more cumbersome. This chapter outlines the unique NoC verification challenges and describes the ways to counter them. Solutions such as increasing observability through trace buffers, boundary scan, as well as both functional and non-functional validation techniques are presented. It also describes pitfalls of traditional methods and how recent research improved them. This chapter provides an overview of the existing NoC verification methodologies and outstanding research problems.
Efficacy of a Home-Based Parent Training-Focused Weight Management Intervention for Preschool Children: The DRIVE Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Abstract Objectives To pilot-test a home-based parent training intervention aimed at maintaining body weight among children at risk for obesity (> the 75th body mass index percentile). Methods Sixteen parent–child dyads were randomized to a health education or Developing Relationships that Include Values of Eating and Exercise (DRIVE) intervention arm. The DRIVE curriculum was a structured parenting program to promote healthy weight in children by relying on behavioral principles to promote skill acquisition in the family's natural setting. Body weight and waist circumference were measured at baseline and weeks 9 and 19. Results Body mass index z-score, body weight, and percent body weight increased in children in the health education arm vs DRIVE at weeks 9 and 19. Body weight, percent body weight, and waist circumference decreased in parents in DRIVE vs the health education arm at week 19, whereas no differences were shown at week 9. Conclusions and Implications The DRIVE program mitigated weight gain in a small sample of at-risk children and showed promising results in reducing weight in parents. Home-based interventions emphasizing parent–child interactions are indicated as a practical model to deliver weight management in children.
The Use of Time-Based Data in Instructional Programs for the Severely Handicapped.

Data collection procedures employed in formative classroom evaluation systems frequently focus only on the accuracy dimension of pupil performance. This article suggests that accuracy data alone provide insufficient information upon which to base instructional decisions. It also discusses the merits of data that relate behavior to a time base. Characteristics of various time-based measures are described, and data collection examples are presented.