cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Future of Systemic and Systematic Training

The problem and the solution. The overriding challenge facing the training profession and the larger human resource development (HRD) profession is to become systemic. There are many rivals to trai...
Evolutionary trends in fossil gymnosperm pollen

Abstract The evolution of cordaite, conifer, and cycadophyte pollen types are discussed relative to germination polarity, external ornamentation, suture organization, saccuscorpus development, and sporoderm ultrastructure. Information is presented in which the development of the microgametophyte is considered together with an analysis of the reproductive biology of several taxa.
Infant Weaning Patterns and Related Maternal‐Infant Health Outcomes

We prospectively investigated the weaning practices and fertility and birth control patterns of 95 educated, middle-class, urban-suburban, married, North American women in the year after the birth of their first child. Mothers recruited from childbirth classes responded to questions about their infant feeding and contraceptive practices during that year. Eighty-nine percent (n = 85) of the infants were initially breast fed, and the mean age of weaning for the 63 infants who had been weaned by 58 weeks was 26.9 weeks. The pattern of weaning was described, including the introduction of solid foods, food-related infant illness, and reasons for weaning. Although 70 percent of the mothers reported using artificial contraception, their fertility rate was higher than that reported for third-world women using only breast feeding as conception control. The data suggest that later weaning, even in this relatively affluent group, may result in direct contraceptive and physical benefits to the health of women and infants. The findings also suggest that the influence of health care practitioners on infant feeding practices may be as great as the influence of cultural values or material resources.
Mechanistic Model for Spade Drills for Wood Drilling Operations, Part 1: Model Development

The purpose of this work is to present an investigation of the force system generated during spade drill-bit drilling processes that is a prerequisite for the design of spade-drills with improved performance. The technical literature offers no references to this type of bit and process; hence an approach based on the well-established mechanistic force prediction methods will be used. The force and torque prediction models are based on a complete analytical model of a generalized spade bit that takes into account the cutting action of all the characteristic cutting edges of the spade bit, namely of its chisel edge, tip and major cutting edges. In conjunction with the model an efficient model calibration method is also introduced and experimentally verified.
1-Phenyl-2-Amino-3-Methoxy-1-Propanol Hydrochloride and Related Compounds*

Abstract A method has been described for the preparation of l-phenyl-2-amino-3-methoxy-1-propanol hydrochloride. It has been shown that the behavior of β-methoxy- propiophenone toward nitrosation is influenced by the reaction solvent. α-Oximino- β-chloropropiophenone reacts with diethylamine and morpholine to form the corresponding β-substituted-amino α-oximinopropiophenones.
Uncoupling proteasome peptidase and ATPase activities results in cytosolic release of an ER polytopic protein.

The 26S proteasome is the primary protease responsible for degrading misfolded membrane proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Here we examine the specific role of β subunit function on polypeptide cleavage and membrane release of CFTR, a prototypical ER-associated degradation substrate with 12 transmembrane segments. In the presence of ATP, cytosol and fully active proteasomes, CFTR was rapidly degraded and released into the cytosol solely in the form of trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-soluble peptide fragments. Inhibition of proteasome β subunits markedly decreased CFTR degradation but surprisingly, had relatively minor effects on membrane extraction and release. As a result, large TCA-insoluble degradation intermediates derived from multiple CFTR domains accumulated in the cytosol where they remained stably bound to inhibited proteasomes. Production of TCA-insoluble fragments varied for different proteasome inhibitors and correlated inversely with the cumulative proteolytic activities of β 1 , β 2 and β 5 subunits. By contrast, ATPase inhibition decreased CFTR release but had no effect on the TCA solubility of the released fragments. Our results indicate that the physiologic balance between membrane extraction and peptide cleavage is maintained by excess proteolytic capacity of the 20S subunit. Active site inhibitors reduce this capacity, uncouple ATPase and peptidase activities, and generate cytosolic degradation intermediates by allowing the rate of unfolding to exceed the rate of polypeptide cleavage.
Randomly branched styrene/divinylbenzene copolymers. II. Solution properties and structure

The [η] of randomly branched PSty/DVB continually decreases from linear polystyrene with increasing conversion. On the other hand, the relation of the 〈S2〉 to M of both low and high conversion series is equivalent, although the actual size is smaller than that of linear polystyrene of the same M. This fact, in conjunction with the previously published reactivity ratios, allows the following interpretation of the mechanism of copolymerization: namely, that branched molecules are formed in which the center core is higher in DVB content than is the periphery. Only about 1/7 of the available DVB units act as effective tetrafunctional branch points. An analysis of GPC data correlated with light scattering and viscosity dimensions allows the g value to be determined in the lightly and highly branched fractions. The viscosity ration is related to gx, where x is 0.65 for low conversion fractions (A series) and becomes 1.41 for high conversion fractions (B series). This change in exponent is postulated to arise from an increase in branching density as conversion increases. The ratio of the hydrodynamic radius to the radius of gyration is higher for branched than for linear polymers. The theta temperature (θ) in cyclohexane for randomly branched polystyrene compared to linear polystyrene is always higher and can be as much as 2° higher.
Design of ferrite/dielectric-loaded CBS antennas

The objectives of designing ferrite/dielectric-loaded cavity-backed slot (CBS) antennas are low resonant frequency, wide bandwidth, and high gain performances. Various parameters, such as the location and shape of the probe, placement of the ferrite and dielectric materials, and the properties of the materials, can affect the performance of the CBS antennas. After many parametric examinations using predictions and measurements, optimal designs were implemented for ferrite/dielectric-loaded rectangular and circular cross-sectional CBS antennas. Several models of CBS antennas were designed and fabricated. The computational predictions were compared with measurements, and they are in good agreement in terms of gain, return loss, and resonant frequency. Guidelines are provided for the design of general ferrite/dielectric-loaded CBS antennas.
Calculation of In Situ Acoustic Wave Properties in Marine Sediments

The importance of estimating compressional wave properties in saturated marine sediments is well known in geophysics and underwater acoustics. As part of the ONR sponsored Geoclutter program, in situ acoustic measurements were obtained using ISSAP (In situ Sound Speed and Attenuation Probe), a device developed and built by the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM). The location of the Geoclutter field area is the mid-outer continental shelf off New Jersey. Over 30 gigabytes of seawater and surficial sediment data was collected at 99 station locations selected to represent a range of seafloor backscatter types. At each station, the ISSAP device recorded waveform data across five acoustic paths with nominal probe spacing of 20 or 30 cm. The transmit/receive probes were arranged in a square pattern and operated at a nominal frequency of 65 kHz. The recorded waveforms were processed for sound speed using two methods, cross-correlation and envelope detection, and compared. The waveforms were also processed for sediment attenuation using the filter-correlation method. Results show considerable variability in the acoustic properties at the same and nearby seafloor locations.
Multi-Decadal Changes in Glacial Parameters of the Fedchenko Glacier in Tajikistan

An accurate estimation of mass balance of mountain glaciers is important to understand global climate change process. The glaciers in the Pamir region are remote, difficult to access, and are often impossible to evaluate using in-situ methods. The objectives of this study are to estimate the extent of glacial retreat of the Fedchenko glacier from 1933 to 2014, and to estimate the mass balance of the Fedchenko in the Pamir region of Tajikistan. ASTER and Landsat satellite images were used in the study. Glacier terminus of the Fedchenko glacier retreated about 1.7 km over the last 81 years. However, in the recent years, the rate of retreat has slowed down. The lower part of the ablation zone, which is mostly debris covered has exhibited higher surface lowering trend compared to the area between the altitude of 3800m to the equilibrium line altitude (ELA).
Identification and dissection of a key enhancer mediating cranial neural crest specific expression of transcription factor, Ets-1

Neural crest cells form diverse derivatives that vary according to their level of origin along the body axis, with only cranial neural crest cells contributing to facial skeleton. Interestingly, the transcription factor Ets-1 is uniquely expressed in cranial but not trunk neural crest, where it functions as a direct input into neural crest specifier genes, Sox10 and FoxD3. We have isolated and interrogated a cis-regulatory element, conserved between birds and mammals, that drives reporter expression in a manner that recapitulates that of endogenous Ets-1 expression in the neural crest. Within a minimal Ets-1 enhancer region, mutation of putative binding sites for SoxE, homeobox, Ets, TFAP2 or Fox proteins results in loss or reduction of neural crest enhancer activity. Morpholino-mediated loss-of-function experiments show that Sox9, Pax7, Msx1/2, Ets-1, TFAP2A and FoxD3, all are required for enhancer activity. In contrast, mutation of a putative cMyc/E-box sequence augments reporter expression, consistent with this being a repressor binding site. Taken together, these results uncover new inputs into Ets-1, revealing critical links in the cranial neural crest gene regulatory network.
Identification of chest pain patients appropriate for an emergency department observation unit.

Chest pain is the second commonest chief complaint presenting to US emergency departments (ED), accounting for 5.2% of visits in 1996 equal to 5 million people. 25,75,98,106 From 10% to 31% have acute coronary ischemia (ACI) as the cause of their visit. 26,29,68 Acute coronary ischemia (ACI) encompasses the syndromes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina (UA). The challenge is to identify the patient with acute coronary ischemia out of all of those presenting with chest pain and to recognize atypical presentations (e.g., dyspnea, weakness, syncope, palpitations, and confusion). The rate of discharge of AMI patients ranges from 1.9% to 3.8% with up to 25% suffering death or complications. 66,74 Patients inadvertently released with an AMI have a mortality rate of nearly twice those correctly diagnosed and admitted. Failure to diagnose and treat AMI continues to account for the largest amount of dollars paid for claims against emergency physicians. 86 Once the diagnosis of ACI is suspected, the second goal is appropriate triage. This is based on immediate need for intervention, risk of death or serious complications, cost-effectiveness, and resource utilization. The cost of care of patients unnecessarily admitted to the CCU has been estimated at nearly $3 billion annually whereas the total estimated cost of liberal admissions to rule out AMI in low-risk patients has been estimated at up to $13 billion annually. 21,84,104 The setting (e.g., CCU, intermediate care unit, monitored hospital ward, ED Chest Pain Observation Unit [CPOU], or the outpatient setting) and pace of work up for ACI are based on the risk of short-term, life-threatening cardiac events (e.g., myocardial infarction, malignant arrhythmia, recurrent ischemia, need for revascularization, pump failure, and death). The focus on this article is on the clinical factors and technologies currently available in the ED to stratify the probability of ACI for these patients. It discusses the impact of specific features of the history, physical examination, and ECG on decision making as well as existing algorithms and prediction models. Last, it will address the roles of echocardiography and perfusion imaging currently being defined.
Measuring the Physician Perspective on Quality of Care in Health Plans

Physicians provide one source of information about the quality of care in health plans, but concerns exist that physicians cannot distinguish quality from financial considerations or other underlying attitudes. We examined whether physicians can (a) distinguish different domains of health plan quality and (b) distinguish health plan quality from their under-lying attitudes. We analyzed data on 419 generalist physicians from four health plans. Three scales assessed physicians’ perceptions of facilitators and barriers to high-quality care in the plans and the clinical capabilities of plan physicians. Structural equation modeling indicated that physicians could distinguish domains of health plan quality. Physicians could also distinguish plan quality from their attitudes toward the plan, but plan quality was more highly correlated with general managed care attitudes than expected. These data suggest that physicians can provide information about health plan quality, but it will be important to validate these ...
Periodontal innate immune mechanisms relevant to obesity

Summary Obesity affects over 35% of the adult population of the USA, and obesity-related illnesses have emerged as the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Obesity's secondary morbidities include increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and cancer, in addition to increased occurrence and severity of infections. Sedentary lifestyle and weight gain caused by consumption of a high-fat diet contribute to the development of obesity, with individuals having a body mass index (BMI) score > 30 being considered obese. Genetic models of obesity (ob/ob mice, db/db mice, and fa/fa rats) have been insufficient to study human obesity because of the overall lack of genetic causes for obesity in human populations. To date, the diet-induced obese (DIO) mouse model best serves research studies relevant to human health. Periodontal disease presents with a wide range of clinical variability and severity. Research in the past decade has shed substantial light on both the initiating infectious agents and host immunological responses in periodontal disease. Up to 46% of the general population harbors the microorganism(s) associated with periodontal disease, although many are able to limit the progression of periodontal disease or even clear the organism(s) if infected. In the last decade, several epidemiological studies have found an association between obesity and increased incidence of periodontal disease. This review focuses on exploring the immunological consequences of obesity that exacerbate effects of infection by pathogens, with focus on infection by the periodontal bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis as a running example.
Performance of a hardware-assisted real-time garbage collector

Hardware-assisted real-time garbage collection offers high throughput and small worst-case bounds on the times required to allocate dynamic objects and to access the memory contained within previously allocated objects. Whether the proposed technology is cost effective depends on various choices between configuration alternatives. This paper reports the performance of several different configurations of the hardware-assisted real-time garbage collection system subjected to several different workloads. Reported measurements demonstrate that hardware-assisted real-time garbage collection is a viable alternative to traditional explicit memory management techniques, even for low-level languages like C++.
A 17.5-GHz 3-bit phase-shift receive MMIC-fabrication and test results

A high-yield, FET gate fabrication technology is described. The main advantage of this processing approach is that it permits fabrication of devices with gate lengths of less than 0.5 mu m using standard optical photolithography without recourse to deep UV or electron-beam lithography. The process is simple and easy to implement in a manufacturing environment. Exceptionally good gate-length control, typically 10% for a 0.4- mu m-long gate, is demonstrated. Yield of a 300- mu m-wide FET, designed for use in a gain block and in a switch, is found to be 89% on average. Data on wafer-to-wafer and on-wafer variations in device DC and RF parameters and equivalent circuit values are presented. Typical standard deviations are in the 5-10% range. This process technology has been used to fabricate a 17.5-GHz, 3-b phase-shift receive monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) of moderately high complexity. Statistics of RF data on 704 such devices, fabricated over a period of two years, are presented. It is shown that such MMICs can be fabricated with yields sufficient for prototype active phased-array antenna applications. >
Quasi-coplanar plasmonic waveguide for ultracompact photonic integrated circuits

We demonstrate a novel metal-dielectric structure called quasi-coplanar waveguide for subwavelength scale confinement and guiding of surface plasmon-polaritons. 2D/3D simulations show that various nanoscale photonic integrated circuit elements can be implemented with the structure.
Establishing the coherence of an explanation to improve refinement of an incomplete knowledge base

The power of knowledge acquisition systems that employ failure-driven learning derives from two main sources: an effective global credit assignment process that determines. when to acquire new knowledge by watching an expert's behavior, and an efficient local credit assignment process that determines what new knowledge will be created for completing a failed explanation of an expert's action. Because an input (e.g., observed action) to a failure-driven learning system can generate multiple explanations, a learning opportunity to extend the incomplete domain theory can go unobserved. This paper describes a failure-driven learning with a context analysis mechanism as a method to constrain explanations and thereby increase the number of learning opportunities. Experimentation using a synthetic expert system as the observed expert shows that the use of context analysis increases the number of learning opportunities by about 47%, and increases the overall amount of improvement to the expert system by around 10%.
Social Background, Personality, and Attitudinal Factors Influencing the Decision to Volunteer and Level of Involvement Among Adult 4-H Leaders

The research examined the social background, personality and attitudinal factors influencing the decision to volunteer and level of involvement among adult 4-H leaders. The Smith Sequential Specifi...
Kinship change in the Belgian Congo

SYNOPSIS In the Lake Leopold II district of the Belgian Congo, patrilineal tribes occupy the forest region, matrilineal tribes the savannah, and groups with a mixed culture the zone of transition around the lake itself. The nkumu are a characteristic institution of the patrilineal tribes, and their non‐hereditary status may be the result of culture change among aborigines reduced to a collective slavery status by patrilineal conquerors. In the transitional zone, change takes place from tribe to tribe in a gradual way, which may be a geographical reflection of how change takes place in the course of time. At Leopoldville, the same tribes developed an intertribal system, the most characteristic feature of which, as in other African towns, is the extreme importance of the dowry. Native French terminology reflects significant differences from European kinship, and further change than now obtains is not. expected in the near future.
On dimer coverings of rectangles of fixed width

For fixed k let A n denote the number of dimer coverings of a k × n rectangle. Various properties of the generating function ]~ An xn are obtained, in particular answering questions of Klarner and Pollack and of Hock and McQuistan. An explicit expression for the molecular freedom for dimers on a saturated k × n lattice space is also obtained. The results are consequences of the explicit formula for An obtained by Kasteleyn and by Temperley and Fisher. Let k be a fixed positive integer, and let A n =An, k denote the number of ways to tile a k × n rectangle with nk/2 dimers (or dominoes). (Of course A n = 0 if nk is odd.) Form the generating function Fk(X)= ~ Anx n. n>__O It is well known (e.g., [5]) that Fk(X) represents a rational function, say Fk(x)= Pk(x)/Qk(X) with Pk, Qk polynomials with integer coefficients, and Qg(O)= 1. We do not assume that Fk(X) is reduced to lowest terms. If
Inhibition of the alpha-amidation of gastrin: effects on gastric acid secretion.

Formation of biologically active amidated gastrin from glycine-extended progastrin processing intermediates (G-Gly) is achieved via the action of peptidyl-glycyl alpha-amidating monooxygenase. Since this enzyme requires copper for optimal activity, we examined the effects of a known copper chelator, diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), on gastrin posttranslational processing and gastric acid secretion in vivo. DDC (400 mg.kg-1.day-1 ip X 3 days) administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats decreased antral amidated gastrin content, but increased antral G-Gly content. The ratio of amidated gastrin to G-Gly, which reflects in situ amidating activity, was decreased in DDC-treated rats. In contrast, tissue amidating potential, assayed directly under optimal copper concentrations in vitro, was increased in the antrum and unchanged in the pituitary. DDC markedly increased both basal and gastrin-stimulated gastric acid outputs despite the presence of normal serum amidated gastrin levels. These results suggest that copper chelation with DDC inhibits amidating activity in situ but selectively increases antral amidating enzyme synthesis. The marked increase in acid secretion despite normal circulating amidated gastrin concentrations, combined with the enhanced secretory response to exogenously administered gastrin, suggests the possibility that gastrin receptors are upregulated by the events precipitated via DDC administration.
Predictors of the Utilization of Oral Health Services by Children of Low-income Families in the United States: Beliefs, Cost, or Provider?

atrician. Regular dental visits were significantly related to household income, provider availability on weekends, and insurance coverage. The extended clinic hours in the evenings, and the belief in the importance of the child’s regular dentist visits increased the likelihood of continuing care. The mothers perceiving a cost burden for the child’s dental care were also less likely to return to the dentist. Conclusion. The available care delivery system, coordinated medical care, and health beliefs were among important predictors of the health service use. The study findings suggest need for culturally competent dental health interventions to enhance access to oral health care among particularly vulnerable populations such as low-income children in Korean communities.
Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal chemistry of the new strontium uranyl selenites, Sr[(UO2)3(SeO3)2O2]•4H2O and Sr[UO2(SeO3)2]

The reaction of UO 3 with SeO 2 in the presence of SrCl 2 • 6H 2 O and Sr(OH) 2 • 8H 2 O in supercritical water at 425 °C for 3 d results in the formation of the new strontium uranyl selenites, Sr[(UO 2 ) 3 (SeO 3 ) 2 O 2 ]•4H 2 O (1) and Sr[UO 2 (SeO 3 ) 2 ] (2). The single crystal X-ray structures of type 1 and type 2 were solved by direct methods and refined by full-matrix least-squares methods. Crystallographic data (193 K): (1), monoclinic, space group C 2/ m , a = 17.014(2), b = 7.0637(7), and c = 7.1084(7) A, β = 100.544(2)°, Z = 2, R ( F ) = 0.0361 for 79 parameters with 1132 reflections with I > 2σ( I ), wR 2 = 0.0998 for all data; (2), triclinic, space group P 1, a = 5.6722(4), b = 6.7627(5), and c = 11.2622(8) A, α = 104.698(1)°, β = 93.708(1)°, γ = 109.489(1)°, Z = 2, R ( F ) = 0.0373 for 110 parameters with 1902 reflections with I > 2σ( I ), wR 2 = 0.0856 for all data. The structure of type 1 contains two-dimensional \(^{2}_{{\infty}}{[}(UO_{2})_{3}(SeO_{3})_{2}O_{2}{]}^{2{-}}\) sheets with the same topology as those found in guilleminite, Ba[(UO 2 ) 3 (SeO 3 ) 2 O 2 ]•3H 2 O, and marthozite, Cu[(UO 2 ) 3 (SeO 3 ) 2 O 2 ](H 2 O) 8 . Sr 2+ cations and H 2 O groups occur between the layers. In contrast, the structure of type 2 contains one-dimensional \(^{1}_{{\infty}}{[}UO_{2}(SeO_{3})_{2}{]}^{2{-}}\) ribbons with Sr 2+ cations residing between them. This compound is isostructural with its Ca 2+ -containing analog.
Characterization of the a-SN/CDTE(110) Interface by Angle-Resolved X-Ray Photoemission

Stoichiometric and atomically clean CdTe(110) surfaces have been prepared by suitable chemical etching, followed by argon sputtering, and sample annealing in ultra-high vacuum. Cubic (α) -tin was grown on CdTe(110) by tin evaporation from a tungsten filament at a substrate temperature of 30 °C. Angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS) was used to determine the a-Sn growth mechanism and the composition profile of this semiconductor heterostructure nondestructively. From our analyses, we conclude that a-Sn grows on CdTe(110) at 30 °C by a layer by layer mechanism and forms an abrupt junction with CdTe(110).
The Consideration of Operational Limits in Power Transmission with Shunt Reactive Power Compensation

This paper presents a systematic procedure to determine the range of shunt compensation that can be added at the load end of a transmission line to maintain various operational limits of power systems which include the voltage stability limit. In this procedure different load characteristics are also considered.
Ivermectin Lotion (Sklice) for Head Lice

Topical ivermectin is safe, effective, and easy to administer because it involves only a single application-rinse cycle and does not require nit combing. However, it is significantly more expensive than nonprescription treatments and its benefits may not be worth the cost for most patients.
Hyperrotation and deflexion of the head in breech presentation; with a new and more descriptive terminology for breech presentation.

Abstract Two instances of hyperrotation and deflexion of the fetal head in breech presentation have been described. In both instances, spontaneous flexion and corrective counterrotation occurred before delivery. Roentgenographs taken prior to the onset of labor should not be allowed to overinfluence the management of the patient. The diagnosis of hyperrotation and deflexion of the fetal head in breech presentation does not seem to warrant active interference. Such attitudes probably are the result of chance movements and require no corrective maneuvers. The terms “ultimate presentation,” “ultimate position,” and “ultimate attitude” are suggested to denote the presentation, position, and attitude at the onset of labor. The nomenclature of attitude in breech presentation has been discussed and a more specific terminology is suggested.
Visualizing Outcomes: Portfolio-Based Instructional Design and Assessment Strategies for an On-line Instructional Technology Master’s Program

AbstractThis article presents a brief overview of our efforts to design and implement a web-based portfolio as part of an on-line instructional tet hnology graduate program for practicing professional educators. The role that these electronic portfolios have played in the design, implementation, management, and assessment of achievement in the program will be described. In addition, a mid-program formative evaluation “report card” presenting the overall strengths and areas for continued improvement will be reviewed.
Phase Transitions in Diffusion of Light

It has been a long time belief that, with increasing the scattering strength of multiple scattering media, the transport of light gradually slows down and, eventually, comes to a halt corresponding to a localized state. Here we present experimental evidence that different stages emerge in this evolution, which cannot be described by classical diffusion with conventional scaling arguments. A microscopic model captures the relevant aspects of electromagnetic wave propagation and explains the competing mechanisms that prevent the three-dimensional wave localization. We demonstrate that strong evanescent-field couplings hinder the localization of wave resonances and, therefore, impede the slowing down of diffusion. The emerging out of equilibrium steady-state process resembles the diffusion of classical particles in spatially correlated random potentials and the thermalization of matter waves due to atomic collisions.
Treatment with Lenalidomide Has a Positive Immunomodulatory Effect in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Abstract Lenalidomide (Revlimid) is known to downregulate TNF-a, IL-6, IL-8, and VEGF, impair bone marrow microenviroment-neoplastic cell interaction, activate NK cells, and stimulate T-cell activity. Based on these properties, we sought to further evaluate the immumodulatory activity of treatment with lenalidomide in patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia age 65 and older. Nineteen patients enrolled in a phase II clinical trial were treated with lenalidomide, given orally at the dose of 5mg daily for 28 days followed by individual titration up of 5mg increments every 28 days to reach a maximum dose of 25mg daily. Patients were evaluated for response after 3 months and if an objective response or disease stability was obtained, the treatment was continued until obvious disease progression. Peripheral blood (15ml) was collected at baseline, after three months and every six months thereafter while on treatment in patients that agreed to optional correlative studies. Data at baseline and after three months of treatment are presented. Plasma cytokine levels were determined by Luminex Multiplex assay system. Percentages of CD3, CD4, and CD8 T cells and natural regulatory T cells (TR, CD4+CD25hiFoxP3+) cells, and the ability of anti-CD3 activated T cells to synthesize of IL-2, IFN-g, TNF-a, and IL-10 were measured by multi-color flow cytometry. Eleven patients had a partial response (responder, R) and 8 patients failed to respond (non-responder, NR) after 3 months of therapy. All patients had significantly higher percentages of CD3+ and CD4+ T-cells (P = 0.012) after three months of treatment respect to baseline, but only R patients had a significantly higher percentage of TR cells (P = 0.041). Both R (P = 0.016) and NR (P = 0.025) patients had higher percentages of IFN-g-producing CD8+ T cells after three months of therapy. Moreover in NR patients, the percentage of TR cells negatively correlated with the percentages of CD4+ T cells that produced IL-2 and TNF-a, and of CD8+ T cells that produced IFN-g and TNF-a. Following 3 months of therapy, plasma levels of IL-10 were significantly increased in both R (P =0.012) and NR (P = 0.05); IL-1b plasma level was elevated in NR (P = 0.012) but not in R; IL-17 plasma level was decreased in R (P = 0.006); neither R nor NR had changes in plasma levels of IL-1RA, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-a, TNF-R1, VEGF, and VEGF-R (R1, R2, R3). In conclusion treatment with lenalidomide increased the percentages of T-helper cells in both R and NR patients and of TR cells in R patients. Treatment with lenalidomide also increased the function of CD8+ T cells as exhibited by the synthesis of IFN-g in both R and NR patients. These preliminary data suggest that lenalidomide has a favorable immunomodulatory effect on patients with B-CLL. Sample collection is ongoing for further analyses.
152 A time-series study of firearm purchasing following mass shooting events in the us

Statement of Purpose Increases in gun acquisitions have been observed following major events, such as select mass shootings and presidential elections. We examined all major mass shootings in the US over the past two decades, to identify events and their characteristics that may affect gun purchasing. Methods/Approach Data on all background checks for firearm purchases between 1998–2016 were obtained from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and arrayed as a monthly time series. We also identified all mass shootings with â‰¥5 victims over the study period. Interrupted ARIMA modelling, considering various lags and decays to optimally fit the pattern and timing of interruptions, was used to identify those events associated (p Results 119 mass shootings and 233,996,385 background checks occurred over the study period. 28 mass shooting events evidently impacted total gun purchases, 25 impacted handgun purchases, and 23 impacted long gun purchases. The most common interruption pattern was an immediate, temporary increase in gun purchases that decayed over 5 months. Only 22 mass shootings led to a decrease in gun purchasing. Only 2 of the 8 characteristics examined – shootings that involved exclusively long guns or received extensive media coverage – were found to be associated with handgun purchasing increases. Conclusions 41% of recent mass shootings led to changes, typically increases, in gun purchasing in the US Reasons for these increases, which may relate to media coverage and shooters using long guns, are not clear and, if understood, might be used to stabilise gun purchase behaviour. Significance/Contributions to Injury and Violence Prevention Science Finding that gun purchasing often increases after mass shootings occur could guide public health planning regarding firearms.
Innovating Development Strategies in Africa

During the second half of the twentieth century, African states shifted away from state-led development strategies, and are now moving towards a strategy of regional economic integration. In this book, Landry SignA© explores the key drivers of African policy and economic transformation, proposing a preeminent explanation of policy innovations in Africa through the examination of postcolonial strategies for economic development. Scholars and practitioners in fields as varied as development studies, political science and public policy, economics, sociology and African studies will benefit from SignA©'s unprecedented comparative analysis, including detailed cases from the often understudied Francophone Africa. First studying why, how and when institutional or policy change occurs in Africa, SignA© explores the role of international, regional and national actors in making African economic development strategies from 1960 to date, highlighting the economic transformations of the twenty-first century.
Identification of Candidate Iron Transporters From the ZIP/ZnT Gene Families in the Mosquito Aedes aegypti

Mosquito-transmitted viral pathogens, such as dengue and Zika, afflict tens of thousands of people every year. These viruses are transmitted during the blood-feeding process that is required for mosquito reproduction, the most important vector being Aedes aegypti. While vertebrate blood is rich in protein, its high iron content is potentially toxic to mosquitoes. Although iron transport and sequestration are essential in the reproduction of vector mosquitoes, we discovered that culicine mosquitoes lack homologs of the common iron transporter NRAMP. Using a novel cell-based screen, we identified two ZIP and one ZnT genes as candidate iron transporters in the mosquito A. aegypti, the vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. We determined the organ-specific expression pattern of these genes at critical time points in early reproduction. The result indicates modulation of these genes upon blood feeding, especially a ZIP13 homolog that is highly up-regulated after blood feeding, suggesting its importance in iron mobilization during blood digestion and reproduction. Gene silencing resulted in differential iron accumulation in the midgut and ovaries. This study sets a foundation for further investigation of iron transport and control strategies of this viral vector.
Measurement and analysis of spywave in a university environment

Over the past few years, a relatively new computing phenomenon has gained momentum: the spread of "spyware." Though most people are aware of spyware, the research community has spent little effort to understand its nature, how widespread it is, and the risks it presents. This paper is a first attempt to do so. We first discuss background material on spyware, including the various types of spyware programs, their methods of transmission, and their run-time behavior. By examining four widespread programs (Gator, Cydoor, SaveNow, and eZula), we present a detailed analysis of their behavior, from which we derive signatures that can be used to detect their presence on remote computers through passive network monitoring. Using these signatures, we quantify the spread of these programs among hosts within the University of Washington by analyzing a week-long trace of network activity. This trace was gathered from August 26th to September 1st, 2003. From this trace, we show that: (1) these four programs affect approximately 5.1% of active hosts on campus, (2) many computers that contain spyware have more than one spyware program running on them concurrently, and (3) 69% of organizations within the university contain at least one host running spyware. We conclude by discussing security implications of spyware and specific vulnerabilities we found within versions of two of these spyware programs.
Accommodating generation 1.5 in the 21st century academy: new approaches to writing pedagogy

En los paises con grandes grupos demograficos de inmigrantes, se aprecia un aumento de estudiantes considerable con residencia permanente y de herencia multilingue que acceden a la universidad. En Estados Unidos, estos estudiantes que son idetinficados generalmente como generacion 1.5, pueden haber inmigrado de ninos, recibiendo toda o casi toda su instruccion escolar en ingles y en las escuelas locales. Sin embargo, tambien puede darse que hablen otro idioma en sus casas. Muchos hablan ingles con facilidad y demuestran competencia academica, pero aun tienen dificultades cuando se trata de escribir a un nivel universitario. Cuando se intenta ubicar a estos estudiantes en los programas de redaccion universitaria, el dilema consiste, por una parte, en ubicarlos en los diferentes programas de ensenanza enfocada al aprendizaje de la gramatica y redaccion o, por otra, en integrarlos con el resto de los estudiantes. Tambien existen algunos problemas de identidad relacionados con este dilema; un numero elevado de estudiantes se resisten a que se les identifique como estudiantes de ingles para extranjeros junto con estudiantes de otros paises, dado que son residentes locales. Tampoco se identifican como aprendices de la escritura de ingles a nivel “basico” o “de recuperacion.” Asi pues, este trabajo, en primer lugar, hace una recopilacion a modo de resumen de lo publicado anteriormente sobre este tema y, al mismo tiempo, evalua los metodos pedagogicos e intervenciones que se han propuesto, incluyendo algunos metodos practicos, en una pequena universidad de Estados Unidos. Este trabajo propone un acercamiento inclusivo con el proposito de mejorar los resultados para todos los estudiantes.
ENHANCEMENT OF COAL GASIFICATION ACTIVITY BY COAL-CATALYST INTERACTIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the enhancement of coal gasification activity by coal–catalyst interactions. Catalyzed coal gasification requires the adsorption of the catalyst precursor onto the coal surface as the first step in a series of consecutive reactions. The chapter presents a study in which the reactivities of chars were derived from Illinois No. 6 bituminous coal; these were strongly dependent upon the coal surface charge and the pH at which Ca or K was adsorbed onto the coal. This study has been expanded to include two other coals: (1) North Dakota lignite and (2) Montana subbituminous coal. The purpose was to determine if generalized conclusions can be made regarding the influence of these variables on char reactivity. With the exception of the lignite char, catalyst addition at pH 1 reduces carbon gasification compared to that of the unloaded coal. A common feature of the figures is that catalysts loaded at pH 6 exhibited the highest activities while those adsorbed at pH 10 show activities that are intermediate between those adsorbed at pH 1 and pH 6.
A component coupling approach to dynamic analysis of a buckled, bistable vibration energy harvester structure

Over the past ten years, the energy harvesting community has focused on bistable structures as a means of broadening the working frequency range and, by extension, the effective efficiency of vibration-based power scavenging systems. In the current study, a new method is implemented to statically and dynamically analyze a bistable buckled, multi-component coupled structure designed specifically for low-frequency (< 30 Hz) vibration energy harvesting. First, the system is divided into its individual components and the governing equations for each part are developed based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. These governing equations are then solved in one single system of equations by applying geometrical and force-moment boundary conditions at the connections. Solving the nonlinear static equations gives the critical buckling loads, as well as the exact static, post-buckled configuration of the system about which the dynamic response is formulated. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of the system are obtained by solving the free vibration case of the linearized buckled structure, which are then used as spatial functions in a Galerkin approach to discretize the nonlinear partial differential equations of the coupled system. To validate the modeling approach, the obtained results are compared with the ones captured from both finite element analysis model and the experimental setup, which shows good agreement between them. Furthermore, the amplitude-frequency response of the system and snap-through regime with the variation of various parameters, including exciting frequency, base vibration and buckling loads are investigated based on the developed model. It is shown that for a weakly buckled configuration, bistable motion can be captured for a wide range of frequencies, which is crucial for the performance of energy harvesting devices.
Posterior Pituitary Disorders: Anatomy and Physiology, Central Diabetes Insipidus (CDI), and Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH)

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is vital in the maintenance of the body’s osmolality and water balance. Deficiency and excess of this hormone result in diabetes insipidus and the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), respectively. In this chapter, we describe the physiology of fluid balance abnormalities in these disorders and our approach to evaluating and treating children with these conditions. Oxytocin, another hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland, plays a role in energy balance, and the physiology and possible future clinical roles of this hormone are also reviewed.
(232) Assessing Chronic Pain Onset in Native Americans: Follow-Up Results from the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk (OK-SNAP)

Chronic pain leads to considerable suffering and disability. Epidemiological evidence suggests that Native Americans (NA) suffer from chronic pain at higher rates than any other U.S. racial/ethnic group. However, to our knowledge, no study has examined this issue prospectively to examine whether healthy, pain-free NAs are more likely to develop chronic pain after controlling for other health variables. For the present study, healthy, pain-free participants were enrolled in a study (OK-SNAP) that assessed a variety of variables associated with pain processing and pain risk. Enrollment began in March 2014. Following enrollment, follow-up surveys were administered every 6-months to assess whether chronic pain developed. Of the 139 NA and 147 non-Hispanic white (NHW) participants enrolled, 208 (73%) responded to at least 1 follow-up. Participants were deemed to have chronic pain if they experienced persistent pain for >3 months that did not remit at subsequent follow-ups (N=34; 16%). On average these individuals reported several locations with persistent pain (M=3.71, SD=3.64), including lower (56%) and upper (35%) back, neck (29%), shoulder (29%), feet (29%), knees (26%), legs (21%), and hips (21%). This chronic pain group was compared to those that did not develop chronic pain (N=174). A logistic regression was conducted with race (NHW vs. NA) as a predictor, after controlling for age, BMI, income, and sex. Race emerged as the only significant predictor (OR=3.015, 95% CI: 1.309, 6.945) indicating that NAs were 3x more likely to develop chronic pain than NHWs, an effect that explained 10.4% of the variance in pain onset (Nagelkerke R2=.104). These prospective findings are consistent with prior epidemiological reports that there is a pain disparity within the NA community. Future studies are needed to examine the mechanisms for this disparity.