cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The 'Worst': A Closer Look at Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment

Both international and domestic laws have long forbidden the abuse and torture of prisoners. Specifically, international law forbids 'cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,' a form of illegal abuse that has no codified definition in international law. In this dissertation chapter, I argue that many courts and scholars have failed to adequately conceptualize this prohibition, mistakenly lumping inhuman and degrading treatment under the category of cruelty. I conclude that because of this blurring of the distinction between cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, the scope of the treatment that is understood to be legally prohibited has been unnecessarily narrowed, permitting many forms of institutional abuse to remain unrecognized by courts. I also conclude that this narrow approach overlooks many forms of institutional treatment that should be prohibited, in part for legal consistency, and in part to safeguard the wellbeing of prisoners. Drawing on 78 interviews with former Guantanamo detainees, I demonstrate that “the worst” prison treatment, for many prisoners, is not physical cruelty as often assumed, but treatment that can be categorized as inhuman and/or degrading, and thus that these phenomena are necessarily distinct. Based on this finding, I make the normative argument that society’s understanding of the prohibition against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment must be refined and reconsidered, if some of the worst prison-based atrocities are to be avoided.
Classifying discoid lupus erythematosus: background, gaps, and difficulties☆☆☆★

To inform our ongoing efforts to develop defining features to be incorporated into a novel set of classification criteria for discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), we conducted a literature review using the Ovid MEDLINE database. A search was performed to identify studies reporting criteria used to distinguish DLE from other cutaneous lupus erythematosus subtypes. We examined which clinical, histopathologic, and serologic features have data to support their use as effective features in distinguishing DLE from other potential disease mimickers and cutaneous lupus subsets. Through our search, we were also able to identify gaps that exist in the literature which can inform future directions for research endeavors. We found that localization of lesions, characteristic features of damage, and the absence of high titer Ro/SSA antibody seem most effective in differentiating DLE from other cutaneous lupus erythematosus subtypes. Histopathologic features and class of immunoreactant deposition appear to be less helpful.
Mode of Presentation Affects Infants’ Preferential Attention to Singing and Speech

Almost from birth, infants prefer to attend to human vocalizations associated with speech over many other sounds. However, studies that have focused on infants’ differential attention to speech and singing have failed to show a speech listening bias. The purpose of the study was to investigate infants’ preferential attention to singing and speech presented in audiovisual and auditory mode. Using an infant-controlled preference procedure, 11-month-olds were presented with audiovisual stimuli depicting a woman singing or reciting a song (Experiment 1, audiovisual condition). The results showed that infants attended significantly longer to singing than to speech. In Experiment 2 (visual condition), infants watched the same videos presented with no sound and in Experiment 3 (auditory condition), they listened to the singing and speech stimuli in English and a foreign language. No differences in length of attention to singing and speech were found in either experiment. The results of the study reconcile the seemingly contradicting findings of previous investigations and show that mode of presentation affects infants’ preferential attention to speech and singing. The facilitating effects of facial cues on infants’ processing of speech and singing are discussed.
Zoogeography and the predator-prey ‘arms race:’ A comparison of eriphia and nerita species from three faunal regions

We measured maximum shell diameters and thicknesses of Nerita funiculata Menke and N. scabricosta Lamarck (Gastropoda: Neritidae), and claw sizes and carapace widths of the predatory crab Eriphia squamata Stimpson (Brachyura: Xanthidae), from the Gulf of California (Eastern Pacific). We also tested the ability of E. squamata to crush Nerita shells of various sizes. We compared this data on predator-prey counteradaptations with previously published data for congeneric species from the Western Atlantic and Indo-West Pacific regions. In relative abilities of the crabs to crush gastropod shells, and of the gastropod shells to resist such crushing, the Eastern Pacific species were ‘stronger’ than their counterparts in the Western Atlantic, but ‘weaker’ than their Indo-West Pacific congeners, indicative of an intermediate level of ‘faunal dominance’ or predator-prey ‘arms race’ escalation.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ION DEPOSITION OF EPITAXIAL SEMICONDUCTOR FILMS FROM LASER-INDUCED PLASMAS.

Primary and secondary ion deposition of epitaxial semiconductor films from laser-induced plasmas is reported Laser plasmas were generated by focusing 15 ns, 107 to 108 W/cm2 pulses of 5 eV photons from a KrF excimer laser onto Ge and Si wafer targets. Time-of-flight, current-voltage, and film thickness measurements at secondary (i.e., ion) targets indicated that the ions were emitted, with an average energy of ∼40 eV, in a distribution which was strongly peaked in the normal direction. Primary ion deposition was performed by placing substrates on an ion target/substrate heater biased to give additional ion acceleration as required. Secondary deposition was achieved by biasing the ion target, in this case a wafer of the same material as the laser target, sufficiently negative to sputter target material onto a third electrode. Epitaxial Si on (100) Si and Ge on (100) Si and (100) GaAs were obtained by both methods. Hall effect measurements on heteroepitaxial Ge grown at 1 µm/hr on GaAs substrates by primary deposition showed that the films were p-type with hole concentrations of ∼1018 cm−3 and mobilities of ∼150 cm2/V-sec.
Time course of insulin resistance associated with feeding dogs a high- fat diet

The current study evaluated both the time course of insulin resistance associated with feeding dogs a high-fat diet and the relationship between the development of insulin resistance and the increase in blood pressure that also occurs. Twelve adult mongrel dogs were chronically instrumented and randomly assigned to either a control diet group (n = 4) or a high-fat diet group (n = 8). Insulin resistance was assessed by a weekly, single-dose (2 mU.kg-1.min-1) euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp on all dogs. Feeding dogs a high-fat diet was associated with a 3.7 +/- 0.5 kg increase in body weight, a 20 +/- 4 mmHg increase in mean blood pressure, a reduction in insulin-mediated glucose uptake [(in mumol-kg-1.min-1) decreasing from 72 +/- 6 before to 49 +/- 7 at 1 wk, 29 +/- 3 at 3 wk, and 30 +/- 2 at 6 wk of the high-fat diet, P < 0.01]. and a reduced insulin-mediated increase in cardiac output. In eight dogs (4 high fat and 4 control), the dose-response relationship of insulin-induced glucose uptake also was studied. The whole body glucose uptake dose-response curve was shifted to the right, and the rate of maximal whole body glucose uptake was significantly decreased (P < 0.001). Finally, we observed a direct relationship between the high-fat diet-induced weekly increase in mean arterial pressure and the degree to which insulin resistance developed. In summary, the current study documents that feeding dogs a high-fat diet causes the rapid development of insulin resistance that is the result of both a reduced sensitivity and a reduced responsiveness to insulin.
Mechanism of hemoglobin-induced protection against endotoxemia in rats: a ferritin-independent pathway.

Hemoglobin (Hb) induces heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which catalyzes the breakdown of heme to bilirubin, and ferritin. Rats pretreated with Hb have been shown to survive lethal doses of lipopolysacchar...
The Effect of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) on (NZB × NZW)F1 Lupus Nephritis

The (NZB × NZW)F1 hybrid mouse develops severe autoimmune disease characterized by fatal glomerulonephritis, antibody to nuclear antigens, and female predominance, remarkably similar to systemic lupus erythematosus in humans. (NZB × NZW)F1 × NZB backcross studies by Kotzin and Palmer have shown that the major genetic contribution from NZW mice maps within the H-2 region but may be separate from the class II loci (1). Since the I-Az β chain from the NZW parental strain has an identical sequence to the normal I-Au haplotype (Acha-Orbea and McDevitt) and it was postulated that levels of Ia expression in affected tissues may be involved in autoimmune pathogenesis (2), the regulatory role of cytokines was tested in vivo. We present evidence suggesting the immunoregulation by interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) may be involved in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis in the (NZB × NZW) model system.
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy versus nasogastric tube feeding during neurorehabilitation. Ifs, ands, or buts.

In a rehabilitation setting, dysphagia secondary to neurological disorders is considered to be one of the significant impairments affecting patient quality of life. Addressing deficits related to swallowing is a challenge for patients, health care providers, and caregivers. The anticipated delirious outcomes of dysphagia may not get optimal attention during acute care as the focus is mainly on the primary ailment. A slowly progressive and somewhat ‘silent’ complication of dysphagia is malnutrition which is a rampant condition affecting up to 40% of hospitalized patients. 1 Malnutrition can contribute to deconditioning, muscle wasting and cardiovascular dysfunction with consequential higher risks of thromboembolism, chest infection, and pressure sores. 1 These effects usually become obvious during the sub acute or rehabilitation phase of treatment and can significantly affect functional outcomes. They may even go unnoticed for months to years in underdeveloped health systems. Long-term nutritional deficits from dysphagia in neurological disorders remain less emphasized in inpatient settings. It is also an understated topic in medical education as well. Enteral nutrition is indicated in patients with dysphagia due to neurological conditions including stroke, acquired brain injury (ABI), movement disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental disability, dementia, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). 1 However, patients with neurological ailments may require enteral feeding due to non-neurological indications as well. For instance, long-term enteral feeding may be needed in patients with associated anorexia, malabsorption, head, and neck cancers, or excessive catabolism. 1 Dysphagia can also occur as a result of various pharmacological and surgical interventions. In this report, we emphasize the need to consider percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding as an alternate to nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding when long-term swallowing deficits are expected. It also highlights the rehabilitation challenges associated with PEG and NGT in patients with neurological disorders. Risks associated with prolonged NGT include aspiration, ulceration, and infection in posterior cricoid region causing vocal cord dysfunction, pharyngeal discomfort, erosion of nares, epistaxis, sinusitis,
Frontotemporal dementia treatment: a review -

Frontotemporal Dementia is characterized by social and behavioural symptoms, in addition to aphasia. FTD, being the fourth most common cause of dementia, is mostly prevalent in younger population. FTD is diagnosed clinically. The various pharmacological treatment options are antidepressants, cholinesterase inhibitors, and mood stabilizers. Sometimes, nursing, and psychotherapy can also be implemented.
New Insights into How Cholesterol and Unsaturation Control Lipid Domain Formation

In this issue, Engberg et al. (1) study the question of the lipid dependence of ordered domain formation by sphingomyelin (SM) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) when mixed with various unsaturated phosphatidylcholines, with and without cholesterol. The patterns they detect add considerably to our knowledge of when spontaneous lipid domain formation occurs, and reveal a close relationship between cholesterol affinity for different lipids and the triggering of domain formation.
The Impact of Military Life on Young Children and Their Parents

Military infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are perhaps one of the least examined populations in the military literature. In this chapter, we attempt to shed light on the existing knowledge base regarding these children and their caregivers and provide guidance for future researchers and service providers working with this population. The chapter begins with a review of salient developmental factors spanning this age range with a particular emphasis on socio-emotional development within the caregiving context. Using this developmental framework, we then review the known literature regarding the impacts of military life on young children and their caregivers. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research as well as points to guide clinicians and parents in fostering optimal development and coping throughout early childhood in the military environment.
Variety of fruit and vegetables is related to preschoolers' overall diet quality.

Children are encouraged to eat a specific amount of fruits and vegetables to optimize health. The purpose of this study was to assess whether consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables, respectively, was associated with a greater diet quality among preschool-aged children. Analyses were performed using a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of US children. Dietary intakes from 24-h dietary recalls of two-five year old children (n = 2595) in 2005-2010 NHANES were examined. Diet quality was evaluated using MyPlate equivalents and the Healthy Eating Index 2010 (HEI-2010). Variety categories were determined based on children's fruit, fruit juice, and vegetable consumption on the recalled day. Differences in diet quality were examined using t-tests. Variety of fruits and vegetables was linked to higher overall diet quality. Children who consumed whole fruit had better diet quality scores for total fruit, whole fruit, whole grains, dairy, seafood, refined grains, sodium, and empty calories (P ≤ 0.018). Significantly higher HEI-2010 scores for total fruit, whole fruit, fatty acids, sodium, and empty calories, but a lower dairy HEI-2010 score, were identified in children who drank fruit juice (P ≤ 0.038). Vegetable consumption was significantly associated with higher total vegetables, greens/beans, and empty calories, but a lower sodium score (P ≤ 0.027). Children who consumed whole fruit, fruit juice and non-starchy vegetables (P ≤ 0.017), but not white potatoes, had significantly higher total HEI-2010 scores. Reinforcing fruit and 100% fruit juice consumption may indirectly support healthier diets among children. However, underlying associations between fruit and vegetable intakes and overall diet quality should be examined further.
Elementary students’ perceptions of their classroom activities in China: A validation study

ABSTRACTThis study is to investigate whether My Class Activities (MCA; Gentry & Gable, 2001a), an instrument developed to measure students’ perceptions of their classroom activities, yields valid data when used with elementary students in China after translation into Chinese. The four factors measured by the instrument (Interest, Challenge, Choice, and Enjoyment) are related closely to students’ motivation and optimal learning as described in Chinese literature. Data from 943 elementary students from a school in mid-China were used in the analyses from an elementary school. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a four correlated factor model with all 31 items was not a good fit to the data. Factor loadings were checked, and two items were removed from the “challenge” factor. A second four correlated factor model with 29 items generated better goodness-of-fit indices. Measurement equivalence of this model was tested between the Chinese and the U.S. sample of 943 students randomly selected from the origi...
Activation of Dioxygen by Chromium and Cobalt Complexes

Complexes of chromium(II) and cobalt(II) react rapidly with dioxygen to yield metal superoxo ions as initial products, $$({\text{L)M + }}{{\text{O}}_2} \rightleftarrows ({\text{L}}){\text{M}}{{\text{O}}_2}{\text{ K}}$$ (1)
Dynamic roles for the N-terminus of the yeast G protein-coupled receptor Ste2p

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-factor receptor Ste2p has been used extensively as a model to understand the molecular mechanism of signal transduction by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Single and double cysteine mutants of Ste2p were created and served as surrogates to detect intramolecular interactions and dimerization of Ste2p using disulfide cross-linking methodology. When a mutation was introduced into the phylogenetically conserved tyrosine residue at position 26 (Y26C) in the N-terminus of Ste2p, dimerization was increased greatly. The amount of dimer formed by this Y26C mutant was greatly reduced by ligand binding even though the ligand binding site is far removed from the N-terminus; the lowering of the dimer formation was consistent with a conformational change in the N-terminus of the receptor upon activation. Dimerization was decreased by double mutations Y26C/V109C or Y26C/T114C indicating that Y26 is in close proximity to V109 and T114 of extracellular loop 1 in native Ste2p. Combined with earlier studies, these results indicate previously unrecognized roles for the N-terminus of Ste2p, and perhaps of GPCRs in general, and reveal a specific N-terminus residue or region, that is involved in GPCR signaling, intrareceptor interactions, and receptor dimerization.
Treatment of racemose neurocysticercosis.

Background Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common parasitic infection of the central nervous system, caused by the tapeworm Taenia solium. It is endemic to certain parts of the world, including Central America, South America, Asia, and Africa. The racemose form, characterized by extraparenchymal location, increased morbidity and mortality, and large loculated cystic lesions, is rarely seen in industrialized countries, such as the United States. The management of racemose neurocysticercosis (RNCC) differs from that of the typical parenchymal variant. The ideal course of treatment is debated by experts, but typically includes either surgical intervention with subsequent medical therapy or medical therapy alone. Case description We present the case of a 34-year-old male diagnosed with RNCC and treated successfully with surgical cyst drainage, resection, and subsequent medical therapy. Conclusion Currently, no standardized evidence-based protocol exists that dictate appropriate treatment for extraparenchymal or racemose NCC. We present a case of RNCC treated successfully with surgical and medical intervention. Further research encompassing well-designed clinical trials is necessary to delineate appropriate and standardized protocols for treatment of this disease.
Introduction: Home, Community and Identity

This chapter provides an introductory theoretical framework that explains the complex intertwining relationship among community, home and identity as elaborated in the eleven chapters of the book. Each chapter explores the formation of different types of communities, ranging from neighborhoods, cities, nations, to sexual minority groups and virtual groups on the internet, as people develop homes through expressing and struggling with their sense of belonging and identities. All chapters collectively demonstrate human life as a social reality that reflects a tightly woven social mosaic encompassing overlapping fragments of home and communities. The framework suggests that the sense of home and community cannot easily escape the rapid expansion of urban development, human mobility, and globalization. In response, some homes have become compressed into a private, isolated, and alienated milieu but others have extended and adapted the sense of home and community by using resources at hand. Though limited, the sense of power, control, hope, and personal expression give ourselves the meaning of home through which identities are formed and where people can become. The transformation of living space and places to homes culminate in meanings and emotions we attach to them. Home then, becomes both a journey and a destiny.
IRB as Poetry

In this series of poems, the authors reflexively explore experiences with the institutional review board (IRB) through the use of various poetic forms, including autoethnographic, literature review...
Cultivating Consumer Restraint in an Ecologically Full World: The Case of “Take Back Your Time”

Ours is an ecologically full world of some 6.5 billion people, more than half of whom live in material poverty. It is a world where the capacity of environmental systems to absorb abuse while delivering vital goods and services is more than fully taxed. Current patterns of global consumption deplete natural resources (like fisheries or ground water) faster than they regenerate. Prevailing networks of production create waste in volumes that overwhelm the absorptive capacity of natural systems (leading to problems like climate change). Taken together, 1.4 planets of ecosystem capacity and natural resource stocks are required to sustain human society, and we are quickly heading to 1.5 and beyond.1 Growing affluence among the world’s poor is yielding a class of “new consumers” for whom automobiles, a diet rich in meat, and larger homes with more possessions are the looming norm,2 and transnational corporations faced with saturated markets in the rich world work diligently to cultivate new consumer appetites among the new consumers of the poor world. Humanity seems locked on a collision course with massive ecological decline, destabilizing crisis, and authoritarian (even draconian) social and political response.3
The Young Einstein and the Old Einstein

In 1911 Einstein, then thirty-two years old, held the post of Professor of Theoretical Physics in the German University at Prague. He had indicated to his friend and former classmate Marcel Grossmann his interest in returning to Zurich to teach at the Polytechnic (The Federal Institute of Technology).
Unexplained elevations of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein in women with antiphospholipid antibodies: a harbinger of fetal death.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether unexplained elevations of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) in women with antiphospholipid antibodies are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was used to compare pregnancy outcomes between women with second-trimester MSAFP values equal to or greater than 2.5 multiples of the median (MoM) and less than 2.5 MoM. The cohort included 60 pregnancies in 47 women with medium to high positive levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) G anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, or both. RESULTS: Thirteen pregnancies (22%) had elevated MSAFP values (median 3.6 MoM, range 2.5-12.6). Of these, amniotic fluid AFP was normal in seven and elevated in one. None of the elevated MSAFP levels were explained by fetal anomalies, current fetal death, multiple gestation, incorrect dates, or vaginal bleeding. Pregnancies with elevated MSAFP values had a significantly higher incidence of fetal death (eight of 13, 62%, versus three of 47, 6%) and perinatal loss (ten of 13, 77%, versus seven of 47, 15%) than those with normal MSAFP (P < .001, Fisher exact test). In these women, the sensitivity and specificity of an unexplained elevated MSAFP level in ascertaining fetal death were 73 and 90%, respectively. For perinatal loss, the sensitivity was 59% and the specificity was 93%. Of the placentas studied, infarction occurred in eight of nine (89%) among the women with elevated MSAFP. CONCLUSIONS: Unexplained second-trimester elevations of MSAFP are common in women with antiphospholipid antibodies and are significantly associated with fetal loss. Abnormalities in the fetoplacental barrier are implicated as part of the pathophysiology of antiphospholipid antibody-mediated pregnancy loss.
MRS. HARVEY'S PARROT AND SOME PROBLEMS OF SOCIOENDOCRINE RESPONSE

Among females of many bird species, increased ovarian activity, ovulation, and egg-laying occur only in the presence of critical conditions in the external environment. Often these responses follow a period of complex social interaction between the female and her mate. In some instances females lay eggs in response to their human keepers. Because egg-laying is the culmination of major changes in neuroendocrine activity, it is of considerable interest to determine the mechanisms whereby these neuroendocrine responses can be influenced by the social world. Insofar as this activity can be set in motion by biologically inappropriate stimuli, it is important to understand how such a metabolically expensive response can misfire. I shall support the contention of Cohen and Cheng that ovarian activity and ovulation are directly stimulated by the overt courtship behavior of the female herself. If this assumption is accepted, several puzzling aspects of avian behavior can be explained.
Microstructural evolution of the 21Cr32Ni model alloy under irradiation

Abstract The microstructural evolution of the 21Cr32Ni model alloy under ion irradiation is investigated. A set of bulk materials were irradiated at the Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory using single beam (5 MeV Fe++) to 1, 10 and 20 dpa at 440 °C and dual beam (5 MeV Fe++ plus energy degraded 1.95 MeV He++ ions) to 16.6 dpa at 446 °C. The average diameter and number density of the faulted loops and cavities formed under irradiation were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The behavior of faulted loop in the model alloy was also investigated in-situ using the Intermediate Voltage Electron Microscope (IVEM) at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Results show that the average faulted loop diameter decreases, but the faulted loop number density increases with increasing dose. In-situ experiments showed that the faulted loops become unfaulted during ion irradiation by interacting with network dislocations. Although the average faulted loop diameter after 16.6 dpa dual beam irradiation at 446 °C was found to be similar to those seen in samples irradiated with single beams to 10 and 20 dpa, the faulted loop number density was significantly higher in the dual beam irradiated sample. Moreover, the dual beam irradiated model alloy exhibits a significantly higher density of smaller cavities. It is also found that the size and density of the faulted loops and voids calculated for the dual beam irradiation of 21Cr32Ni model alloy at 446 °C are in better agreement with those measured in a sample neutron irradiated at 375 °C. Further discussion is presented in this study.
Advances in Real-Time Weather Radar and Ground Sensor Data with Chords

The Cloud-Hosted Real-Time Data Services for the Geosciences project (CHORDS) seeks to enable researchers collecting data in field experiments by providing a lightweight, cloud-based, and easy-to-use way to transfer, store, and visualize data in real-time from multiple time series sensor nodes. In preparation for the upcoming release of version 1.0, a set of specifications has been agreed upon for the ingest, storage, standards, and visualization of real-time image data, such as weather radar scans. This work serves to provide an update on CHORDS development and use cases, specifically focusing on the addition of two-dimensional image data and its applications in real-time visualization of the complex observation space, along with its integration with existing time series sensor functionality.
DGAT1 inhibits retinol-dependent regulatory T cell formation and mediates autoimmune encephalomyelitis

The balance of effector versus regulatory T cells (Tregs) controls inflammation in numerous settings, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Here we show that memory phenotype CD4+ T cells infiltrating the central nervous system during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a widely studied animal model of MS, expressed high levels of mRNA for Dgat1 encoding diacylglycerol-O-acyltransferase-1 (DGAT1), an enzyme that catalyzes triglyceride synthesis and retinyl ester formation. DGAT1 inhibition or deficiency attenuated EAE, with associated enhanced Treg frequency; and encephalitogenic, DGAT1-/- in vitro-polarized Th17 cells were poor inducers of EAE in adoptive recipients. DGAT1 acyltransferase activity sequesters retinol in ester form, preventing synthesis of retinoic acid, a cofactor for Treg generation. In cultures with T cell-depleted lymphoid tissues, retinol enhanced Treg induction from DGAT1-/- but not from WT T cells. The WT Treg induction defect was reversed by DGAT1 inhibition. These results demonstrate that DGAT1 suppresses retinol-dependent Treg formation and suggest its potential as a therapeutic target for autoimmune inflammation.
Community Health Workers and Community Based Research [Capstone College of Nursing, The University of Alabama]

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) are widely utilized within public health to serve their target populations in various capacities. Based on the specific intervention and target population, a CHW’s role can be modified to include health education, public health initiatives, patient advocacy, and specific topic knowledge. A long-standing obstacle is the retention of CHWs and the efficacy of their work in the community. Purpose: The purpose of this review was to distinguish the most effective characteristics of CHWs. This framework will be used to improve and evaluate a current CHW program in rural Alabama that targets breast cancer awareness in African American women. Methods: Two major databases, PubMed and Google Scholar, were used to identify studies that met inclusion criteria from the years 2010 through 2017. From the search, 15 relevant articles were found that highlight the qualities of effective community health worker interventions. Results: There were five prominent themes which emerged from the literature. Traits that were seen as important for an effective CHW included having knowledge of the topic, being a member of the community, having social and cultural competency, taking a personalized approach with the participants, and the efficiency of incentive-based interventions. Implications for Women’s health: It is important to take into account the CHWs, stakeholders, and participants opinions on what makes the interventions most effective. CHWs are often the link between rural communities and healthcare access. The traits found in this review of literature can be implemented in choosing effective CHWs in future rural women’s health programs. Choosing culturally competent, knowledgeable women to bring breast cancer education to rural communities aids these women in improving their health, preventing future health problems, and providing them with knowledge for early detection of health issues.
A boundary divisor in the moduli spaces of stable quintic surfaces

We give a bound on which singularities may appear on Kollar–Shepherd-Barron–Alexeev stable surfaces for a wide range of topological invariants and use this result to describe all stable numerical quintic surfaces (KSBA-stable surfaces with K2 = χ = 5) whose unique non-Du Val singularity is a Wahl singularity. We then extend the deformation theory of Horikawa to the log setting in order to describe the boundary divisor of the moduli space ℳ¯5,5 corresponding to these surfaces. Quintic surfaces are the simplest examples of surfaces of general type and the question of describing their moduli is a long-standing question in algebraic geometry.
Challenges for base excision repair enzymes: Acquiring access to damaged DNA in chromatin

Abstract Repair of damaged DNA plays a crucial role in maintaining genomic integrity and normal cell function. The base excision repair (BER) pathway is primarily responsible for removing modified nucleobases that would otherwise cause deleterious and mutagenic consequences and lead to disease. The BER process is initiated by a DNA glycosylase, which recognizes and excises the target nucleobase lesion, and is completed via downstream enzymes acting in a well-coordinated manner. A majority of our current understanding about how BER enzymes function comes from in vitro studies using free duplex DNA as a simplified model. In eukaryotes, however, BER is challenged by the packaging of genomic DNA into chromatin. The fundamental structural repeating unit of chromatin is the nucleosome, which presents a more complex substrate context than free duplex DNA for repair. In this chapter, we discuss how BER enzymes, particularly glycosylases, engage in the context of packaged DNA with insights obtained from both in vivo and in vitro studies. Furthermore, we review factors and mechanisms that can modify chromatin architecture and/or influence DNA accessibility to BER machinery, such as the geometric location of the damage site, nucleosomal DNA unwrapping, histone post-translational modifications, histone variant incorporation, and chromatin remodeling.
The Legacy of Peacekeeping on the Liberian Security Sector

On December 23, 2016, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for a final period until March 30, 2018. This resolution marked the e...
National Patterns in Prescription Opioid Use and Misuse Among Cancer Survivors in the United States.

Importance Prescription opioids are frequently prescribed to treat cancer-related pain. However, limited information exists regarding rates of prescription opioid use and misuse in populations with cancer. Objectives To estimate the prevalence and likelihood of prescription opioid use and misuse in adult cancer survivors compared with respondents without cancer and to identify characteristics associated with prescription opioid use and misuse in adult cancer survivors. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study is a retrospective, population-based study using data from 169 162 respondents to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from January 2015 to December 2018. Survey data sets were queried for all respondents aged 18 years or older. Those with a reported history of cancer were termedcancer survivorsand further divided intomore recent(had cancer within 12 months of survey) andless recent(had cancer more than 12 months prior to survey) cohorts. Respondents with nonmelanoma skin cancer were excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures Prescription opioid use and misuse within the past 12 months. Results Among 169 162 respondents, 5139 (5.2%) were cancer survivors, with 1243 (1.2%) and 3896 (4.0%) reporting having more recent and less recent cancer histories, respectively. Higher rates of prescription opioid use were observed among more recent cancer survivors (54.3%; 95% CI, 50.2%-58.4%; odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% CI, 1.57-2.20;P Conclusions and Relevance In this study, prescription opioid use was higher among more and less recent cancer survivors compared with the population without a history of cancer. Rates of prescription opioid misuse were low and similar among all 3 cohorts. These findings suggest that higher prescription opioid use among cancer survivors may not correspond to increased short-term or long-term misuse.
26. DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY CONTINUITY CURRICULUM: USING A QUESTION OF THE WEEK MODEL TO INCREASE RESIDENT PARTICIPATION, MEASURE MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE ATTAINMENT, TRACK REPORTED PRACTICE CHANGES, AND OBTAIN IMPLEMENTATION FEEDBACK

Developing and delivering high-quality curriculum to residents during continuity clinic can be a challenge, particularly in large programs with multiple continuity sites. There are additional challenges in measuring the success of implementation such as participation and effectiveness of the content. This new curriculum is delivered online utilizing a customizable, hospital-based learning management system. This system allows content to be delivered systematically and enables tracking of participation and responses. Each topic begins with a multiple-choice question to assess baseline knowledge followed by an open-ended question designed to engage learners and give insight into topic expertise. This is followed by structured educational content after which the multiple-choice question is repeated, thus allowing measurement of knowledge attainment. Each topic includes measures related to topic relevance and anticipated practice habit changes. These follow-up questions allow targeting of topics which are reported as being high or low-yield and provide insight into resident practice habits. Since instituting this curriculum, resident participation increased from 71% (2017-2018) to 100% (2019-2020). For the 2019-2010 academic year we observed an increase in knowledge attainment in 8 out of 11 categories (ranging from 4-74%). Due to small sample size of questions (n=11) statistical significance is not yet applicable. Topic relevance was measured using a Likert scale. Most topics were found to be moderately (26%) to very (67%) relevant to our resident's general pediatric practice. Across all topics, 86% of residents reported an anticipated change to practice habits based on knowledge attained. Moving forward, this curriculum will grant the ability to seek topic-by-topic feedback allowing us to continually edit and improve to best fit the needs of our residents and maximally enhance their primary care knowledge in a systematic and measurable way.
Essential Principles of Preoperative Assessment in Internal Medicine: A Case-Based Teaching Session.

Introduction Preoperative assessment is a core competency for internal medicine residents, but one with limited educational resources available presently. Ideally, residencies would provide an intr...
Multifunctional landscapes: Site characterization and field-scale design to incorporate biomass production into an agricultural system

Abstract Current and future demand for food, feed, fiber, and energy require novel approaches to land management, which demands that multifunctional landscapes are created to integrate various ecosystem functions into a sustainable land use. We developed an approach to design such landscapes at a field scale to minimize concerns of land use change, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with production of food and bioenergy. This study leverages concepts of nutrient recovery and phytoremediation to place bioenergy crops on the landscape to recover nutrients released to watersheds by commodity crops. Crop placement is determined by evaluating spatial variability of: 1) soils, 2) surface flow pathways, 3) shallow groundwater flow gradients, 4) subsurface nitrate concentrations, and 5) primary crop yield. A 0.8 ha bioenergy buffer was designed within a 6.5 ha field to intercept concentrated surface flow, capture and use nitrate leachate, and minimize use of productive areas. Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) simulations show that on average, a switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L.) or willow (Salix spp.) buffer within this catchment according to this design could reduce annual leached NO3 by 61 or 59% and N2O emission by 5.5 or 10.8%, respectively, produce 8.7 or 9.7 Mg ha−1 of biomass respectively, and displace 6.7 Mg ha−1 of corn (Zea mays L.) grain. Therefore, placement of bioenergy crops has the potential to increase environmental sustainability when the pairing of location and crop type result in minimal disruption of current food production systems and provides additional environmental benefits.
Emission and Dispersion of Bioaerosols from Dairy Manure Application Sites: Human Health Risk Assessment

In this study, we report the human health risk of gastrointestinal infection associated with inhalation exposure to airborne zoonotic pathogens emitted following application of dairy cattle manure to land. Inverse dispersion modeling with the USEPA’s AERMOD dispersion model was used to determine bioaerosol emission rates based on edge-of-field bioaerosol and source material samples analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Bioaerosol emissions and transport simulated with AERMOD, previously reported viable manure pathogen contents, relevant exposure pathways, and pathogen-specific dose-response relationships were then used to estimate potential downwind risks with a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) approach. Median 8-h infection risks decreased exponentially with distance from a median of 1:2700 at edge-of-field to 1:13 000 at 100 m and 1:200 000 at 1000 m; peak risks were considerably greater (1:33, 1:170, and 1:2500, respectively). These results indicate that bioa...
Childhood-Related Disorders

This chapter reviews various childhood-related mental disorders within cross-cultural contexts. Disorders that are attributed more to sociopsychological factors such as child abuse, sexual abuse, parent-abuse by children, or emotional problems associated with sociocultural expectations, such as the so-called narraw-gate syndrome vary greatly cross-culturally in prevalence and variations in the nature of the problems. Of all the different kinds of childhood psychopathology, child abuse is relatively easy to compare and discuss cross-culturally as the concept of abuse is rather explicit, even though its actual definition and clinical recognition are subject to cultural variations. Certain facts in the cultural context can act either to increase the incidence of child abuse and neglect or to diminish the likelihood of their occurrence. The factors are the cultural value of children, beliefs about the categories of children, beliefs about child capabilities and developmental stages of children, and embeddedness of child rearing in kin and community networks. A unique form of child and adolescent psychopathology is observed in some Asian societies, including Japan and mainland China. It is called parent-abuse syndrome, and refers to the physical violence of an older child or adolescent toward his parents, mostly his mother. A boy growing up in such a situation, overprotected and exposed infrequently to a father figure for the required discipline, tended to become bullying, if not tyrannical. When he reached adolescence, he tended to exhibit violent behavior toward his parents if his needs were not satisfied, or when his parents tried to set limits on his behavior.
Optimal robust H/sub /spl infin// control

This paper briefly introduces and explores "optimal robust H/sub /spl infin// control". The main idea is to obtain optimal guaranteeable H/sub /spl infin// performance given uncertainty about the plant's state space parameters. The uncertainty can be either time-varying or time-invariant; both cases are treated separately. An example is presented which illustrates properties of the optimal robust designs. In the example, we note that the worst-case guaranteeable performance levels for the designs are actually achieved by every allowable (constant) parameter value. The paper ends with a conjecture as to why this property may hold in general. >
Still Patently Unconstitutional: A Reply to Professor Nard

In Defense of Geographic Disparity (also forthcoming, 88 MINN. L. REV., Fall 2003), is Professor Craig Nard's response to Professor Bagley's article Patently Unconstitutional: The Geographical Limitation on Prior Art in a Small World, 87 MINN. L. REV. 679, 680-682 (2003). In this essay, Professor Bagley addresses Professor Nard's contention that the geographic limitation on prior art can be justified by the incentives it provides for U.S. pharmaceutical development which may enhance public welfare. By refocusing on the provision's constitutional deficiencies, expanding on the myriad costs associated with the provision, and discussing the dangers of maintaining this double standard that is out of step with the realities of both modern and traditional societies, Professor Bagley reaffirms her conclusion that elimination of the geographical limitation is a necessity in this small, small world.
Litigation Risk and Voluntary Disclosure: The Use of Meaningful Cautionary Language

This study investigates firms' voluntary disclosure of cautionary language under the safe harbor of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We examine three disclosure attributes indicative of meaningful cautionary language under the statute. Consistent with predictions, we find that firms subject to greater litigation risk disclose more cautionary language, update the disclosure more from year-to-year, and use more readable language. The response to changes in litigation risk is asymmetric; firms increase their use of cautionary language when litigation risk increases but do not remove cautionary language when litigation risk decreases. Taken together, our evidence suggests that firms adopt disclosure policies to reduce the expected costs of litigation.
RE1-Silencing Transcription Factor (Rest) is a Novel Regulator of Osteoblast Differentiation.

RE1-silencing transcription factor (Rest) has been identified as a master negative regulator of neuronal differentiation. Nothing is known about Rest function in bone cells. In this study, we examined the Rest expression levels and role during osteoblast differentiation. We found that Rest is abundantly expressed in bone marrow stromal cells, calvarial osteoblasts and MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Treatment of primary osteoblasts with ascorbic acid (AA) down regulated Rest mRNA expression at an early stage, but not in later stages of differentiation. Consistent with treatment of primary cultures, AA treatment of MC3T3-E1 cells significantly reduced Rest protein expression at day 3 and at day 8 after initiation of osteoblast differentiation. Treatment of bone marrow stromal cells with BMP-2 and dexamethasone, but not IGF-I for 3 days greatly decreased Rest mRNA expression. To test the function of Rest during osteoblast differentiation, Rest expression was knocked down in MC3T3-E1 cells subclones segregated on the basis of ALP activity (differentiation status) using lentivirus expressing shRNA against Rest. An 80% knockdown of Rest expression decreased Osterix (Osx) expression by 52-57% and as a result, increased both basal and AA induced ALP expression and activity in the subclone that expresses low basal level of ALP (undifferentiated). By contrast, a 98% knockdown of Rest expression in cells that express high basal levels of ALP (differentiated cells) caused a significant reduction in Osx expression, basal and AA induced ALP expression and activity. These data suggest that Rest regulates early osteoblast differentiation via modulating Rest expression that is independent of Osx expression. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
The mitochondrial genome of the wood-degrading basidiomycete Trametes cingulata.

We present the 91 500 bp mitochondrial genome of the wood-degrading basidiomycete Trametes cingulata and compare it with the mitochondrial genomes of five additional Basidiomycota species. The Trametes mitochondrial genome encodes 15 proteins, 25 tRNAs and the small and large rRNAs. All of the genes, except one tRNA, are found on the same DNA strand. Several additional ORFs have also been identified; however, their sequences have not been conserved across the species we compared and they show no similarity to any known gene, suggesting that they may not correspond to authentic genes. The presence of endonuclease-like sequences in introns suggests a mechanism that explains the diversity of mitochondrial genome sizes that are unrelated to the gene content.
On almost global existence for nonrelativistic wave equations in 3D

Almost global solutions are constructed to three-dimensional, quadratically nonlinear wave equations. The proof relies on generalized energy estimates and a new decay estimate. The method applies to equations that are only classically invariant, such as the nonlinear system of hyperelasticity. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.