cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical resident involvement in foot and ankle surgery

Background Surgical resident participation in the operating room is necessary for education and progression toward safe and independent practice. However, the impact of resident involvement on patient outcomes in foot and ankle surgery is unknown. Methods The American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database (2005-2012) was used to identify common foot and ankle procedures (by Current Procedural Taxonomy (CPT) code) performed by orthopedic surgeons. Resident participation was determined using the NSQIP-collected variable 'pgy'; cases missing the pgy variable were excluded. Multivariate regression models were constructed to determine an association between resident involvement and 30-day morbidity (total, medical, and surgical complications) and 30-day mortality, when controlling for patient demographics, comorbidities, American Society for Anesthesiologist (ASA) status, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status. Results A total of 13,685 cases were analyzed for 24 common foot and ankle operations. Overall mortality rate was 3.60%. Overall complication rate was 16.9%; 10.9% had medical and 8.3% had surgical complications. Residents were involved in 55.6% of cases. In unadjusted analyses, resident cases were less likely to be emergent, but were performed on more complicated patients (i.e. higher comorbidity burden, higher ASA scores). Resident cases had increased total morbidity (18.8% vs. 14.6%, p Conclusions Resident involvement in foot and ankle surgery is not associated with changes in 30-day mortality, 30-day total morbidity, or 30-day surgical complication rates. Residents operate on more medically complex patients who experience higher medical complication rates and longer postoperative length of stay; however, the cause and directionality of this relationship remains to be determined. Efforts to improve the quality of foot and ankle surgery with resident involvement should target reductions in post-operative medical complications. Level of evidence Prognostic study, Level II.
First- and Second-Order Methodological Developments from the Coleman Report

Equality of Educational Opportunity was a watershed for sociological engagement with public policy, yet the questions the project addressed drew attention to several challenging methodological issues. Statistical advances, such as the multilevel model, were important first-order developments from the Coleman Report. Second-order developments, however, may be far less visible but perhaps even more important. Second-order developments of the Coleman Report stem from two sources: (1) social scientists’ reactions to proposed resolutions of the statistical challenges that the report navigated, and (2) Coleman’s own (perhaps implicit) theoretical response to criticisms of such works as Equality of Educational Opportunity. Heightened interest in the challenge of identification serves as an example of the former type of second-order effect, whereas “Coleman’s boat” (Coleman 1990)—and the social analytics that adopt, among other approaches, simulation strategies of inquiry consistent with Coleman’s typology of causal pathways—serves as an example of the latter. First-order developments take the questions as given and see the challenge as a practical, technical issue; second-order developments explicitly or implicitly reassess the question, treating the challenge as epistemological or social-theoretic. Second-order developments therefore may change the game, upsetting or rejecting routine practice at a fundamental level. I contend that as knowledge of second-order developments and their means of practical implementation in analyses diffuses among social analysts, they will prove of far more value than first-order developments to social understanding, sociology, and social policy.
“Involve me and I learn”: Teaching and applying anthropology

The role of anthropology to inform and shape public discourse has never been more necessary. Yet, the discipline struggles, at times, to remain relevant and accessible to students. It is increasingly important to provide students with skills that are useful outside academia. The ability to make the anthropological research process accessible is a critical determinate of the future of our discipline. This introduction situates the articles of this issue in a discussion of mentorship and hands-on training for students. Drawing on discussions within anthropology, social sciences, and education, it addresses the importance of training undergraduate and graduate students in methods that connect professional and community needs. Examples of engaging students and communities with “hands-on” anthropological experiences are highlighted within diverse themes including health, community, gender, volunteer tourism, online virtual worlds, and technology, serving as frameworks for extending and connecting research with students, faculty, and community members.
Lightning current arresters in DC power supply systems

Class I surge protective devices (SPDs) - for the diversion of direct lightning currents - are frequently used for the protection of low-voltage AC power systems. Nowadays DC power systems are used frequently in many telecommunication systems (e. g. mobile phone base stations). The standards which describe the requirements and the test conditions for surge protective devices [1, 2] do not address SPDs connected to DC power systems. In this paper special requirements for SPDs, connected to 48 V DC power systems are defined and described. Tests carried out with different high performance Class I lightning current arresters, connected to a newly designed test circuit, show the possibilities and restrictions for the use of these arresters in DC power systems.
CONCENTRATION AND SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF AIRBORNE PARTICLES IN A BROILER HOUSE

Airborne dust particles were sampled in a broiler house using the quartz crystal microbalance cascade impactor designed for the measurement of mass concentration and size distribution from 0.05 to 25 gm. No significant difference was noticed in the dust concentration from morning to evening or at different sampling sites in the broiler house. The concentration of airborne dust particles decreased as the age of the chickens increased. Ratio of dust particles smaller than 0.8 pm to the total dust ranged from 10 to 50%. The highest concentration of dust was in the particle size range of 3.2 μm. The fogging system in use reduced the concentration of larger particles but not that of the smaller particles.
“Can I Talk about That?” Factors Influencing Spiritual and Religious Identity Exploration in Public Higher Education

AbstractCollege students are increasingly interested in spiritual and religious identity exploration. Factors influencing such inquiry at public institutions of higher education include rational empiricism, cultural norms, and faculty and student affairs professionals’ uncertainty about what is permissible, as well as their perceived level of preparation to guide such inquiry. Yet, students at public colleges and universities should be provided with opportunities to interrogate issues of purpose, identity, and meaning.
Association of calcium channel blocker use with prostate cancer aggressiveness, progression-free survival, and overall survival.

e15204 Background: Epidemiological studies indicate that the use of calcium channel blockers (CCB) is inversely related to prostate cancer (PCa) incidence. The goal of this study was to examine the association between CCB use and PCa aggressiveness at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) or outcome after RP. Methods: Information on medication use, PCa aggressiveness and outcome after RP was retrieved from a prospective database that contains clinical and follow-up (FU) data for all men that have undergone RP at the Department of Urology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute since 1992. The database was queried for anti-hypertensive medication use at the time of diagnosis for all patients with ≥ 1 year FU. Prostate cancer aggressiveness (risk status) and recurrence were defined using NCCN guideline definitions. Cox regression models were performed to compare the distribution of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with adjustment for covariates. Chi-Square test was used to assess the rela...
Integrating student-made screencasts into computer-aided design education

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the design strategies of an engineering education research project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and discusses its findings. Study participants were the students who enrolled in “Mechanical Engineering Drawing” course and learned about computer-aided design (CAD). We grouped students into the control group and experimental group. Students in the control group received a traditional and teacher-centered instruction. The screencast tutorials were provided to them by their instructors. Students in the experimental group experienced a student-centered instruction. Instead of being provided instructor-prepared screencast tutorials, in the experimental group, students developed their own. They shared their tutorials with one another through an Internet portal; they reviewed and commented on each other’s tutorials. These activities were student-centered. We captured students’ attitudes towards engineering and their life-long learning skills before and after the semes...
Role of genetic testing in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Variability in individual response profiles to antiplatelet therapy, in particular clopidogrel, is a well-established phenomenon. Genetic variations of the cytochrome P450 (CY...
Function by serendipity

Crystallography has provided an unusual route to the characterization of a bacterial signalling agent: the molecule concerned has been accidentally caught in the clutches of its receptor.
Vehicular data offloading for resource-limited delay tolerant networks

With the emergence of big data and the tremendous increase in traffic loads that accompanies it, there is a resurgence in the reliance on “SneakerNet” where data is stored on some sort of storage drive at the source location and the storage drive is physically taken to the destination point, rather than transmitting the data over a network. Validation experiments in a resource-limited, RF-challenged environment were completed to demonstrate the gains that can be achieved when the file size to be transferred is large enough to make it advantageous to offload traffic to a close-by vehicle and physically moving the data to the destination.
Religion and Welfare in Europe: Gendered and Minority Perspectives

The book under review is effectively the third (and perhaps final) volume in a long-standing collaborative research project on the relationship between religion and welfare (broadly defined) in con...
Virologic response with 2 different cidofovir dosing regimens for preemptive treatment of adenovirus DNAemia in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients

ADV is frequently seen in our pediatric SOT population. It presents in a variety of clinical presentation and can cause severe disease. In this population, there are very few studies to determine the safety of CDV as a potential therapeutic agent. We present the findings of our retrospective study evaluating the efficacy and safety of CDV as 2 separate dosing regimens. Regimen A uses the standard 5 mg/kg once a week (Regimen A), and the second uses the 1 mg/kg 3 times per week (Regimen B). Overall, the dosing regimen did not differ in nephrotoxicity, but Regimen B had a higher, although non-significant, rate of viral load clearance. This suggests that more frequent dosing at lower levels may be more efficacious without any significant side effects in our SOT population.
Cholesterol levels, statins, and spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: An interesting but complicated story

The interrelationship among cholesterol levels, statin treatment, and risk of primary (nontraumatic) intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains controversial. Some evidence indicates an inverse relationship between cholesterol levels and risk of ICH. A separate body of evidence suggests that treatment with statins may increase the risk of ICH. These two different, albeit related, observations drive this story and have attracted substantial attention. This interaction could represent an exception to the “rule” that low cholesterol, on its own or after statin treatment, leads to a reduction in risk of cardiovascular events. Furthermore, there are potentially important implications for the clinical management of patients with cerebral small vessel disease, especially vis-a-vis secondary prevention. These observations may point to potentially important new biological pathways and treatment targets for ICH, a condition with a dismal prognosis and limited effective therapies.
Mitigating Moral Hazard in Cyber-Risk Insurance

Over the last decade, electronically stored data has become both an indispensable asset and emergent liability for companies that transact business online. Almost weekly, data breaches and computer crimes make national headlines, compounding the public’s demand for adequate protection of sensitive consumer information. Increasingly, entities doing business in the information age find that traditional commercial general liability insurance policies do not cover the loss or theft of electronic data, leaving those entities with a sizable gap in insurance coverage in the event of a data breach. In response to this coverage gap, insurers have begun underwriting cyber-risk insurance policies to specifically address the perils of e-commerce. These policies range from coverage for losses and fines associated with data breach notification statutes to comprehensive indemnity from consumer class action suits, infrastructure remediation costs and credit monitoring for affected individuals. Similar to established lines of insurance, however, cyber-risk coverage is not immune from the traditional vulnerabilities of the insurance marketplace including moral hazard and adverse selection.This Article seeks to provide insurers and policymakers with a suggestion for mitigating moral hazard in the cyber-risk insurance market. Through an analysis of information-security regulation and public policy considerations, this Article proposes an information exchange that insurers and regulators may use to share loss data, claim costs, and compliance audits of insureds, in an effort to more effectively price cyber-risk coverage and thereby reduce the moral hazard presented by insureds with insufficient information-security infrastructure. Admission to this information exchange is predicated on two conditions: First, an insurer must pledge to discount premiums for entities that employ information-security infrastructure that sufficiently protects consumer custodial data as matter of public policy and second, insurers writing cyber-risk coverage must contribute their own loss data to this information exchange. The result of this proposal is a recommendation for an information-sharing platform, which encourages insurers to pool loss data and differentiate premiums for preferred risks. Because cyber-risk insurance is neither a market-driven private enterprise engaged in the unrestrained pursuit of profit, nor a tightly regulated, monopolistic public utility, this Article seeks to balance the autonomy of insurers with the public’s need for adequately secured personal information to create a system that simultaneously mitigates moral hazard for insurers while encouraging the adequate protection of consumer data.
Survival Mechanisms of Extremophiles

It is vital for extremophiles to cope with their environments making them viable to withstand under harsh environmental conditions. Extremophiles are known to adapt to the changes in their environment and surroundings that enable them to stabilize the changes in their homeostasis. The adaptability of extremophiles arrives from alteration of varying genes and proteins. Extremophiles produce extremolytes, which helps them to maintain their homeostasis such as ectoine-mediated mechanism, which is produced by halophiles and organisms alike. Evolutionary diversity, increased catalytic activity, amino acid accumulation, aggregation resistance strategies, resistance to cell death, activation of the nuclear factor, the use of heat shock proteins, and cellular compartmentalization, are all vital tools that extremophiles take on in order to conserve their genes.
The Stellar Populations and Dynamics of Elliptical Galaxies in Compact Groups

We present a study of the photometric and spectroscopic properties of elliptical galaxies in compact groups. We find that although some elliptical galaxies are affected by interactions and mergers, the current merger rate is small, even in compact groups of galaxies. We also find tentative evidence that the central velocity dispersions of elliptical galaxies in compact groups are lower than the velocity dispersions of similar galaxies in other environments.
HIV as the Great Magnifier of Maladies: Challenges for Prevention and Compassionate Care

Many persons in the world do not believe that there is still a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic and that epidemics of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), HIV stigma, and AIDSism still exist. However, throughout the world there is evidence of an HIV pandemic: 36.9 million persons are living with HIV despite the fact that HIV and AIDS are entirely preventable. Although HIV is easy to diagnose with rapid HIV testing, 19 million or 54% of persons with HIV are unaware that they are infected. Once diagnosed, persons who were previously unaware of the HIV infection can be referred for medical care and treatment with antiretroviral medication that will enable persons with HIV to live relatively healthy lives. Psychiatric factors play an important role in the transmission of HIV. Psychiatric illnesses are vectors of HIV, and psychiatrists can prevent transmission and decrease suffering, morbidity, and mortality in persons with HIV. If lupus, multiple sclerosis, malaria, Lyme disease, and syphilis can be thought of as “The Great Masqueraders of Maladies” because many of their symptoms are similar to those of other illnesses, HIV/AIDS is “The Great Magnifier of Maladies” of both illness and aspects of health care. HIV magnifies disparities, stigma, and discrimination in health care and leads to both transmission and lack of access to care. An integrated approach to medical and mental health is needed to prevent transmission of HIV and improve care for persons affected by and infected with HIV.
Righting and “Writing” Wrongs: A Postmortem on a Decade of Environmental Justice Activism in Corpus Christi, Texas

Abstract For over a decade, both as academics and activists, we have observed and participated as various attempts have been made to protect the Environmental Justice communities surrounded by heav...
Thread/OpenThread: A Compromise in Low-Power Wireless Multihop Network Architecture for the Internet of Things

Extending an Internet subnet by connecting resource-constrained nodes (e.g., embedded sensors and actuators) over multiple wireless hops is necessary to support the future Internet of Things (IoT). RPL, the IPv6 routing standard for low-power and lossy networks, tried to achieve this goal but has not seen wide adoption in practice. As an alternative, Thread is a recently standardized low-power network protocol for IoT, driven by the Thread group, an industry consortium led by Google/Nest. We provide a comparative analysis of the technical aspects of RPL and Thread based on their specifications, explaining why using Thread, as opposed to RPL, may make sense for the future Internet. Specifically, the fundamental differences between RPL and Thread are their respective scopes and multihop network architectures, which result in Thread's unique design and advantages over RPL. Lastly, we evaluate Thread in an indoor multihop wireless testbed using OpenThread, an official open source implementation of Thread. This work serves as the first analysis of the Thread protocol in academia.
Correlates of Nonrandom Patterns of Serotype Switching in Pneumococcus.

Background Pneumococcus is a diverse pathogen, with >90 serotypes, each of which has a distinct polysaccharide capsule. Pneumococci can switch capsules, evading vaccine pressure. Certain serotype pairs are more likely to occur on the same genetic background as a results of serotype switching, but the drivers of these patterns are not well understood. Methods We used the PubMLST and Global Pneumococcal Sequencing Project databases to quantify the number of genetic lineages on which different serotype pairs occur together. We also quantified the genetic diversity of each serotype. Regression model were used to evaluate the relationship between shared polysaccharide components and the frequency of serotype co-occurrence and diversity. Results A number of serotype pairs occurred together on the same genetic lineage more commonly than expected. Co-occurrence of between-serogroup pairs was more common when both serotypes had glucose as a component of the capsule (and, potentially, glucuronic acid, any-N-acetylated sugar, or ribitol). Diversity also varied markedly by serotype and was associated with the presence of specific sugars in the capsule. Conclusions Certain pairs of serotypes are more likely to co-occur on the same genetic background. These patterns were correlated with shared polysaccharide components. This might reflect adaptation of strains to produce capsules with specific characteristics.
Abstract A10: Glioma cell-free DNA methylation marker for diagnosis and monitoring

Genome-wide DNA-methylation profiling has shown that epigenetic abnormalities are biologically and clinically important signs in glioma and can be used to classify these tumors into distinct prognostic groups. Thus far, DNA methylation profiling of gliomas has required surgically resected tissue. Because gliomas release tumoral material into biofluids, such as blood, we developed a method using a liquid biopsy (LB) for minimally invasive surveillance of the tumor. We performed a genome-wide CpG methylation profile of cell-free DNA extracted from serum of patients with primary glioma (N=48) and during clinical follow-up (N=33). We used a supervised machine learning (ML) approach to identify glioma-specific epigenetic signatures in the LB (eLB) (N=1000, false-discovery rate Citation Format: Thais Sabedot, Tathiane Malta, James Snyder, Kevin Nelson, Michael Wells, Ana deCarvalho, Abir Mukherjee, Dhan Chitale, Maritza Mosella, Karam Asmaro, Adam Robin, Mark Rosenblum, Tom Mikkelsen, Jack Rock, Laila Poisson, Ian Lee, Tobias Walbert, Steven Kalkanis, Ana Valeria Castro, Houtan Noushmehr. Glioma cell-free DNA methylation marker for diagnosis and monitoring [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Liquid Biopsies; Jan 13-16, 2020; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(11_Suppl):Abstract nr A10.
Attitudes to Cardiac Xenotransplantation by Pediatric Heart Surgeons and Physicians.

Background Cardiac transplantation in early childhood is limited by scarcity of organ donors. Advances in cardiac xenotransplantation (XTx) research suggest that xenografts may one day represent an alternative to allografts. We sought to determine the attitudes among surgeons and cardiologists in the field of pediatric cardiac transplantation toward the potential use of XTx if this clinical option were to become a reality. Methods A Likert-scale anonymous survey addressing the use of XTx in pediatric patients was sent to members of the Congenital Heart Surgeons (CHS) Society and the Pediatric Heart Transplant Society. Results were described and compared between the two surgeon/physician groups. Results Ninety-two CHS and 42 pediatric transplant cardiologists (PTC) responded (N = 134). The potential acceptance of XTx was high in both groups, assuming risks and results were similar to those of cardiac allotransplantation (88% CHS vs 81% PTC; P = .07). When asked if they would recommend a xenograft, if the results were anticipated to be inferior to those of cardiac allotransplantation, as a bridge to a human heart, potential acceptance fell dramatically but remained higher among CHS than PTC (41% vs 17%, p 0.02). Approximately only one-third of CHS and half of PTC preferred primary cardiac XTx for hypoplastic left heart syndrome if there was no waitlist time and had similar outcomes to allotransplantation. Conclusions Our findings suggest that potential acceptance of XTx by CHS and PTC would not be a major barrier if XTx demonstrated similar outcomes to allotransplantation. Acceptance by other congenital heart stakeholders remains to be investigated.
The 13-lipoxygenase MSD2 and the ω-3 fatty acid desaturase MSD3 impact Spodoptera frugiperda resistance in Sorghum

Linolenic acid produced by the ω-3 fatty acid desaturase MSD3 in sorghum is used for insect-induced jasmonic acid production and is important for resistance against Spodoptera frugiperda. Jasmonic acid (JA) is a phytohormone that regulates both plant development and stress responses. In sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), the ω-3 fatty acid desaturase Multiseeded3 (MSD3) and the 13-lipoxygenase Multiseeded2 (MSD2) are important for producing JA to regulate panicle development and spikelet fertility, but their function in plant defense remains unknown. In this study, we examined whether these genes are important for the production of JA in response to herbivory by the insect pest Spodoptera frugiperda. Compared to wild-type controls, the msd3 mutant accumulated less JA in leaves of both infested and uninfested plants, revealing that MSD3 is involved in stress-induced JA production. In contrast, herbivore-induced JA production in the msd2 mutant was indistinguishable from wild type, indicating that MSD2 does not function in herbivore-induced JA production. An increase of S. frugiperda growth was observed on both the msd3 and msd2 mutants, hinting at roles for both JA and additional oxylipins in sorghum’s defense responses.
The structure of the vorticity field in turbulent channel flow. I - Analysis of instantaneous fields and statistical correlations

An investigation into the existence of hairpin vortices in turbulent channel flow is conducted using a database generated by the large-eddy simulation technique. It is shown that away from the wall the distribution of the inclination angle of vorticity vector gains its maximum at about 45° to the wall. Two-point correlations of velocity and vorticity fluctuations strongly support a flow model consisting of vortical structures inclined at 45° to the wall. The instantaneous vorticity vectors plotted in planes inclined at 45° show that the flow contains an appreciable number of hairpins. Vortex lines are used to display the three-dimensional structure of hairpins, which are shown to be generated from deformation (or roll-up) of sheets of transverse vorticity.
Advances in Mapping and Ablation of Ventricular Fibrillation

Catheter ablation of ventricular fibrillation (VF) is challenging due to the difficulty in interpreting fibrillatory electrograms and the complete hemodynamic collapse with VF precluding detailed mapping. Successful ablation can be performed by eliminating triggers of VF. We review the contemporary advances in VF ablation, especially targeting the substrate for VF. Strategies to map and eliminate the substrate for VF can be applied generally, even in the absence of a reliable trigger. VF substrate can be mapped during sinus rhythm with signature low-voltage, fractionated, and late electrograms. Such substrate can be harbored within regions of scar in structural heart disease, or localized as epicardial microstructural abnormality in Brugada syndrome, inferolateral J-wave syndrome, and unexplained VF. Ablation of such substrate is an effective antiarrhythmic strategy. Furthermore, innovations in expeditious panoramic mapping techniques have generated interest in directly mapping and ablating drivers that sustain VF. Advances in understanding of ablation targets and innovations in mapping techniques are enabling successful ablation of VF in the electrophysiology laboratory. Beyond ablation of VF triggers in a subset of patients, progress is being made in ablating the substrate for VF in patients afflicted by this lethal arrhythmia.
Heterogeneity in tertiary lymphoid structure B-cells correlates with patient survival in metastatic melanoma.

Background Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are immune aggregates in peripheral tissues that may support adaptive immune responses. Their presence has been associated with clinical response to checkpoint blockade therapy (CBT), but it is unknown whether TLS have prognostic significance independent of CBT in melanoma. We hypothesized that TLS in melanoma metastases would be associated with increased intratumoral lymphocyte infiltration, but that the intra-TLS immunological milieu would be distinct from the intratumoral immunological milieu. We also hypothesized that the presence of TLS would be associated with improved survival, and that TLS maturation or intra-TLS lymphocyte activity would also correlate with survival. Methods Cutaneous melanoma metastases (CMM) from 64 patients were evaluated by multiplex immunofluorescence for the presence and maturation status of TLS. Intra-TLS lymphocyte density, proliferation and B-cell Ig somatic hypermutation (AID+) were analyzed, as were markers of T-cell exhaustion and Th1/Tc1 differentiation. Associations between TLS maturation and intra-TLS immunologic activity were assessed, as well as associations with intratumoral immune cell infiltration. Independent associations with overall survival (OS) were assessed using log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models. Results TLS were identified in 30 (47%) of 64 CMM (TLS+) and were associated with increased intratumoral lymphocyte infiltration. However, proliferation of intra-TLS lymphocytes did not correlate with intratumoral lymphocyte proliferation. Most were early TLS; however, subsets of primary or secondary follicle-like TLS were also present. TLS+ lesions were associated with lower risk of tumor recurrence after metastasectomy and with improved OS in multivariate analyses (HR 0.51, p=0.04). OS was longer for TLS with low fractions of CD21+ B-cells (HR 0.29, p=0.02) and shorter for those with low AID+ fraction of B-cells (HR 2.74, p=0.03). Conclusions The presence of TLS in CMMs is associated with improved OS in patients treated with surgery before CBT, but TLS vary widely in maturation state, in proportions of proliferating T and B cells, and in markers of B cell function, including AID and CD21. Importantly, these features have additional prognostic significance, which suggest that some TLS may have regulatory function, while others functioning to support antigen-driven immune responses, depending on the cellular composition and activation status.
Standardization Versus Customizing Services Across Global Markets

The literature exammmg services standardization or customization is reviewed from a global perspective. Eleven propositions focusing on standardization or customization of the marketing mix on a global basis are developed. It is argued that the standardization of the marketing mix elements are appropriate for the core service and for the service process. Customization of services occurs with the augmented aspects of the service and with the service content. The type of global marketing strategy used will affect the extent of standardization or customization depending on whether control of the marketing mix elements occurs within the firm or is imposed by the environment.
Lymphokine-activated Killer Activity Induced by in Vivo Interleukin 2 Therapy: Predominant Role for Lymphocytes with Increased Expression of CD2 and Leu19 Antigens but Negative Expression of CD16 Antigens

The phenotype and function of lymphocytes from cancer patients treated with repetitive weekly cycles of continuous i.v. infusions of recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2) were examined. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) obtained after IL-2 therapy showed an increased percentage of cells bearing the CD16 and leu19 markers which are associated with natural killer cells. These PBL mediated significantly increased levels of IL-2-dependent lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activity against the Daudi cell line. Depletion of CD16+ cells from PBL obtained after in vivo IL-2 caused only slight inhibition of their LAK activity or their proliferative response to IL-2 in vitro . This indicates that CD16+ cells are involved but play only a minor role in these responses. In contrast, depletion of leu19+ cells, from PBL activated in vivo with IL-2, virtually abrogated their LAK activity and their proliferative response to IL-2. Two-color flow cytometry studies showed that a leu19+/CD16- population was expanded by in vivo IL-2 therapy and was responsible for the majority of LAK activity by in vivo -activated PBL. Moreover, this CD16- population showed an increased density of leu19 and CD2 (E rosette receptor) antigens when compared to the resting PBL obtained prior to IL-2 treatment. These data show that the predominant population mediating in vitro LAK activity, induced by in vivo IL-2 therapy, consists of activated natural killer cells with a high density of leu19 and CD2 antigens but negative for the CD16 antigen.
High efficiency relativistic magnetron with diffraction output operating with a virtual cathode

In simulations using the particle-in-cell (PIC) code MAGIC [1] in [2] we found that a magnetron with diffraction output (MDO) with a transparent cathode is capable of operating with electronic efficiency exceeding 70%, which was recently verified in experiments [3]. The transparent cathode is transparent to the operating TE-modes in magnetrons and consists of separate longitudinal emitters periodically placed about the cathode radius. The strong azimuthal electric field of the operating wave acts on electrons drifting around the cathode to provide rapid conversion of electron potential energy to electromagnetic energy. In addition, the periodic structure of this cathode promotes the interaction of electrons with the slow wave structure. Furthermore, this cathode operates as a wiggler since the self-magnetic field around each emitter creates an additional interaction of the rotating electron flow in a periodic magnetic field. It was our motivation to replace this physical cathode with a virtual cathode (VC) that is transparent to any wave. For this we insert an additional anode section containing a solid cylindrical cathode axially upstream of the magnetron interaction space. The radius of this new anode section is less than the radius of the MDO anode block, such that the input electron beam current exceeds the sum of the space-charge-limiting current and the anode current in the interaction space, a condition that supports the creation of a VC at the location where a physical cathode would normally be placed. Since in [2] we found the optimal design of an MDO, here in our PIC simulations we used the same MDO configuration. We found that an MDO with VC operates in the π-mode with applied voltage 460 kV with axial magnetic field B = 0.325 − 0.37 T. When the uniform field B = 0.36 T in the interaction space the electronic efficiency (that is related to the anode current) of stationary generation achieves 72%, whereas the total efficiency (accounting for leakage current that does not participate in the interaction) is about 24%. In order to increase the total efficiency the uniform magnetic field can be enlarged up to the widest cross section of the horn antenna. Then the total efficiency increases up to 35%, but the electronic efficiency decreases to 50%.
Protein uptake by the intestine: evidence for absorption of intact macromolecules.

The ability of the mature small intestine to absorb intact protein was studied in adult rats prepared with duodenal cannulas, mesenteric lymph fistulae, and portal vein cannulas. After infusion of tritiumlabeled bovine serum albumin (3H-BSA) into the duodenum, approximately 2% of the 3H-BSA was transmitted in macromolecular form into the lymph and blood. The amount of 3H-BSA was directly proportional to the amount administered. The molecular weight of the absorbed macromolecule was shown to exceed 50,000 by Sephadex gel filtration. Absorbed protein was identified immunologically as BSA on Ouchterlony plates with monospecific rabbit anti-BSA. The findings provide additional evidence for the concept that intact protein can traverse the mature intestinal epithelium under physiologic conditions.
Global Implications of White Collar Crime

In recent decades there has been an increase in the number and scope of white-collar and non-violent crimes around the world (Kane and Wall, 2005). Criminals who commit these illegal acts have become more sophisticated, there actions more calculated, there approach more strategic and meticulously carried out. While collar crime is a serious problem and has a profound adverse financial impact on individuals, communities, corporations and government agencies, those convicted of these crimes tend to receive relatively shorter sentences when compared to those convicted of similar criminal acts (U.S. Sentencing Commission, 2005). There are a number of factors which may have contributed to the increase in white collar criminal acts world wide. The global economic recession has certainly forced many to seek unorthodox means to generate revenue. The primary objective of this chapter is to examine factors which have lead to an increase in white collar crimes. This chapter also evaluates the social, economic and political consequences of white collar crime. Historically, white collar crime has been viewed as non violent and in many cases victimless crimes. It is clear that white collar crime has serious social, economic and political implications. It is also clear that white collar crime is on the rise and, for various reasons, is far more difficult to detect and deter. More importantly, it is clear that white collar crimes are not always victimless and can result in serious injury and death. These crimes cost governments, civilians, major corporations and small businesses more than $10 trillion annually worldwide (Millennium Project, 2008). It is also clear that with the current global economic recession the number of white collar crimes will continue to increase. As such, this chapter will outline viable, cost effective actions, particularly by government, which can be employed to reduce white collar crime globally.
Dendritic Cells Expressing Transgenic Galectin-1 Delay Onset of Autoimmune Diabetes in Mice

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a disease caused by the destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas by activated T cells. Dendritic cells (DC) are the APC that initiate the T cell response that triggers T1D. However, DC also participate in T cell tolerance, and genetic engineering of DC to modulate T cell immunity is an area of active research. Galectin-1 (gal-1) is an endogenous lectin with regulatory effects on activated T cells including induction of apoptosis and down-regulation of the Th1 response, characteristics that make gal-1 an ideal transgene to transduce DC to treat T1D. We engineered bone marrow-derived DC to synthesize transgenic gal-1 (gal-1-DC) and tested their potential to prevent T1D through their regulatory effects on activated T cells. NOD-derived gal-1-DC triggered rapid apoptosis of diabetogenic BDC2.5 TCR-transgenic CD4+ T cells by TCR-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Intravenously administered gal-1-DC trafficked to pancreatic lymph nodes and spleen and delayed onset of diabetes and insulitis in the NODrag1(-/-) lymphocyte adoptive transfer model. The therapeutic effect of gal-1-DC was accompanied by increased percentage of apoptotic T cells and reduced number of IFN-gamma-secreting CD4+ T cells in pancreatic lymph nodes. Treatment with gal-1-DC inhibited proliferation and secretion of IFN-gamma of T cells in response to beta cell Ag. Unlike other DC-based approaches to modulate T cell immunity, the use of the regulatory properties of gal-1-DC on activated T cells might help to delete beta cell-reactive T cells at early stages of the disease when the diabetogenic T cells are already activated.
A categorification of quantum sl(2) at prime roots of unity

Abstract We categorify the Beilinson–Lusztig–MacPherson integral form of quantum sl ( 2 ) specialized at a prime root of unity.
Surface Characterization of Simulated Low-Level Radioactive Waste Glasses Corroded in Water and LiOH Buffer Solution

Chemical durability of simulated radioactive low-level waste (LLW) baseline glass, 6- 5412, was found to decrease with the addition of either phosphate or sulfate, or chromium oxide. Scanning electron microscopic study of corroded samples suggests that the effect of these components on glass chemical durability may be attributed to cluster formation of: Na-O-P-O or Na-O-S-O, or (O 0 ) 3 -Cr 3+ (O − ) 3 groups. Preferential corrosion attack was severe on certain corroded sample surface areas that are possibly enriched in these clusters. Durability tests in a solution with LiOH as a buffer suggest that chlorine in the glass slightly improved glass corrosion resistance, while fluorine significantly deteriorated glass corrosion resistance.
Human lymphoblast and erythrocyte multicatalytic proteases" differential peptidase activities and responses to the 11S regulator

The multicatalytic protease (MCP) or 20S proteasome was purified from human red blood cells and two lymphoblastoid cell lines, 721.45 which constitutively expresses protease subunits LMP2 and LMP7, and 721.174 in which genes for these subunits are deleted. Each MCP was assayed using a series of fluorogenic peptides. The hydrophobic peptides gGGF-MCA, sRPFHLLVY-MCA and sLY-MCA were particularly good substrates for 721.45 MCP as compared to the enzyme from 721.174 and red blood cells. In addition, hydrolysis of gGGF-MCA and sLY-MCA was activated by human red blood cell and recombinant regulators to a greater extent using MCP from 721.45 lymphoblasts. Thus, LMP2/LMP7 and regulator appear to act synergistically in the enhanced degradation of gGGF-MCA and sLY-MCA by the multicatalytic protease.
Attitudes about the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery among patients with type 2 diabetes and a body mass index of 30–40 kg/m2

Abstract Background Despite increasing awareness within the medical community about the benefits of bariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), little is known about patients' attitudes toward bariatric surgery as a treatment for T2DM. The objective of this study was to investigate the attitudes of individuals with T2DM and a body mass index of 30 to 40 kg/m 2 concerning bariatric surgery for the treatment of T2DM. Methods Patients identified from the Pennsylvania Integrated Clinical and Administrative Research Database (PICARD) were surveyed about perceptions of the safety profile and efficacy of bariatric surgery as a treatment for obesity and T2DM and their willingness to be randomly assigned to receive a surgical procedure. Results A total of 130 individuals of 513 (25.3%) responded. Respondents had a median (interquartile range) age of 58.0 (range 51.0–63.0) years and self-reported body mass index of 32.9 (range 30.9–35.2) kg/m 2 . Roughly half (66 of 130) were female. Overall, only 20.3% of respondents had positive views of bariatric surgery, with few reporting that it is a safe (14.3%) and effective (28.5%) treatment for T2DM. Less than 20% of respondents were willing to be randomly assigned to undergo a surgical procedure for the treatment of diabetes (16.1%) or obesity (17.5%). Conclusions Few obese individuals with T2DM who responded to the survey had positive views about bariatric surgery. Patients' concerns about the procedure's safety profile and efficacy must be addressed to improve the acceptability of bariatric surgery as well as the feasibility of randomized, controlled trials of bariatric surgery for these individuals.
Elements of energy storage capacitor banks

Large magnetic fields are common laboratory tools today mainly because of the increased interest in thermonuclear research and plasma propulsion. Fields are usually generated by passing high currents through solenoid coils, which require large amounts of power during the time of interest. The capacitor bank, the most universal system for storing and delivering this power, can deliver very high currents for short periods and is cheap compared to a high-current generator
Relationship between daily mood and migraine in children.

Background Retrospective and cross-sectional studies have suggested a bidirectional relationship between migraine and mood disturbance. Objective The present prospective daily diary study examined the prevalence and temporal associations between migraine and daily mood, mood and next-day headache, and headache and next-day mood. Methods Sixty-nine children (50 females, 19 males) between the ages of 7 and 12 years and their parents attending neurology clinic appointments and having a diagnosis of migraine as defined by International Headache Classification 2nd edition criteria completed measures on the quality of life, headache disability, child emotions, and child behaviors. Children and parents then recorded children's headache occurrence, headache duration, headache severity, mood, daily hassles, and medication use on paper diaries once a day for 2 consecutive weeks. “Mood” was defined using the Facial Affective Scale, which is a visual representation of negative and positive affect. Data were analyzed using multilevel models. Results Controlling for age, sex, quality of life, headache disability, and medication use, worse mood was associated with same-day occurrence, longer duration, and more severe headache in both child and parent report. Today's mood was not consistently associated with next-day headache, and today's headache was not associated with next-day mood in either child or parent report. Conclusions Results of this study lend support to a complex relationship between mood and headache in children with migraine. More research is needed to further elucidate the temporal nature of this relationship within a given day and over an extended period of time.
Characteristics of plastic scintillators in their use as large area particle detectors

Abstract The characteristics of plastic scintillators of particular relevance to their use as large detectors is briefly discussed. In the last two years some new plastics have appeared on the market. We present the first data on the relative light attenuation by these plastics measured under identical conditions for all the plastics. The results are summarized in table 1 together with some other important qualities of these plastics. It is hoped that these results will assist in the design of large area detectors.
A review categorizing engineering design techniques of plant environmental simulators

Abstract Over the past 30 years, considerable effort has been expended in developing engineering design techniques for partially controlling the total plant environment within growth chambers, phytotrons and greenhouses. In a review covering 126 articles relative to the design, construction, operation, and performance of plant environmental simulators, techniques followed in simulator design are categorized with a view toward the future development of an inclusive environmental design criteria.
The Relationship Between Sleep and Anxiety in Older Adults

Anxiety and sleep problems are major barriers to healthy aging and are frequently comorbid conditions in older adults. In the current review, we present recent advances in understanding the extensive overlap among older adults between anxiety and one specific related sleep problem, insomnia. These proposals suggest that anxiety and insomnia may share a common vulnerability to negative emotionality and at times may act as risk factors for each other in older adults. We also highlight developmental shifts in motivation that are likely to impact cognitive-behavioral mechanisms of anxiety and insomnia. Finally, we characterize the current state of treatment for comorbid anxiety and insomnia among older adults and identify future directions for research and clinical practice.