cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell-free fetal DNA and maternal serum analytes for monitoring embryonic and fetal status.

Biomarkers can be employed for screening for fetal genetic disorders, identifying individuals at sufficiently high risk for a confirmatory invasive procedure. In this article we discuss prenatal genetic aneuploidy screening. Maternal serum analytes and ultrasound have long been routinely offered, providing detection rates of 80% to 93% for trisomy 21; however, an invasive procedure (false-positive) must be performed in 5% of pregnancies screened. Recovering fetal cells from maternal blood initially proved inconsistent, but new methods recovering trophoblasts offer promise for detecting disorders using a single fetal cell, analogous to preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Current emphasis is focused predominantly on cell-free fetal DNA, which accounts for 5% to 10% of total cell-free DNA in maternal blood. Analysis of maternal blood results in detection rates of over 99% for fetal trisomy 21, and also very high rates for trisomy 18 and sex chromosomal abnormalities. Such detection rates are substantively higher than with maternal serum analytes, and are accompanied by a much lower (
Histologic Classification of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Primary Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma A Study of Interobserver Agreement

The density and distribution of lymphocytes infiltrating the vertical growth phase of primary cutaneous melanomas has been suggested by several studies to be of prognostic significance. However, few pathologists comment on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and there is the perception that the assessment of TILs is subject to great interobserver variability. We studied interobserver agreement on the categorization of TILs; 20 cases of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma with a vertical growth phase component were circulated among 3 pathologists and 3 dermatologists. For each case, TILs were classified as brisk, nonbrisk, or absent according to Clark. Only 1 pathologist (a dermatopathologist) was familiar with the classification of TILs. Observers were given written guidelines and a brief tutorial before their examination of the slides. Our results show that with little instruction, overall agreement among observers was good (kappa values, 0.6 or more), especially among pathologists (kappa values, > 0.7). Three observers had excellent agreement among each other (kappa values, > 0.75). These findings suggest that the categorization of TILs can be easily taught and can be applied with an acceptable level of reproducibility in routine diagnostic practice.
Ethnic Differences in Job Quality Among Contract Forest Workers on Six National Forests

For more then a decade, the Forest Service and community forestry organizations have sought to create high quality jobs for public lands communities restoring national forests. Critics have argued that this strategy ignores the existence of a mobile, Hispanic workforce that undertakes the most laborious tasks in the woods under the worst working conditions. This article compares the working conditions of white and Hispanic forest restoration and maintenance workers from businesses that contracted with six national forests between 1998 and 2002. It finds that Hispanics are a disproportionately large part of the workforce, particularly the labor-intensive workforce, and are more likely than whites to work seasonally, away from home, and work for companies that do not offer health insurance. However, this study found few high quality jobs regardless of ethnicity.
Factors contributing to hypoxia in rivers, lakes, and streams

We investigated physical, chemical, and biological variables contributing to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in 17 North Carolina lotic and lentic water bodies affected by mild to severe hypoxia. Phytoplankton production created the dominant reservoir of labile carbon driving BOD, and subsequent hypoxia, in a Piedmont river subject to algal blooms, three urban streams, a set of anthropogenically affected tidal creeks, and two urban lakes. Autotrophic phytoplankton production contributed to the BOD load in some rural streams. Autochthonous heterotrophic processes, stimulated primarily by phosphorus and secondarily by nitrogen loading, were the major influences on BOD in two large black water rivers and some rural black water streams. Inputs of biochemical oxygen-demanding materials from storm water runoff contribute to BOD in some urban and rural streams and black water rivers. We suggest that reductions of hypoxia can be better achieved by a system-specific approach based on an array of factors that potentially influence BOD, including both autochthonous and allochthonous variables. In some circumstances targeting the nutrient(s) stimulating phytoplankton blooms will suffice to reduce hypoxia, but in other situations targeting nutrient(s) limiting bacterial production will be necessary. Reduction of non‐point source inputs of biochemical oxygen-demanding materials derived from urbanization or other land disrupting activities will be critical in some cases.
High-Throughput Layered LDPC Decoding Architecture

This paper presents a high-throughput decoder architecture for generic quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check (QC-LDPC) codes. Various optimizations are employed to increase the clock speed. A row permutation scheme is proposed to significantly simplify the implementation of the shuffle network in LDPC decoder. An approximate layered decoding approach is explored to reduce the critical path of the layered LDPC decoder. The computation core is further optimized to reduce the computation delay. It is estimated that 4.7 Gb/s decoding throughput can be achieved at 15 iterations using the current technology.
Approaches for the Estimation of Pulse Wave Velocity in the Spinal Canal

This pilot study describes approaches for the estimation of the pulse wave velocity (PWV) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the upper spinal canal. The movement of CSF was non-invasively measured using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PCMRI) technique. Two main approaches were used to calculate PWV. The approaches relied on different types of images: sagittal and axial images. For the method using axial images, the PWV was calculated using four different time delays. This preliminary investigation indicated that the most reliable method used axial images and the waveforms' onset times to calculate PWV. CSF's PWV may be of importance in a condition known as Chiari Malformation (CM), a brain disorder in which the cerebral tonsils herniate into the spinal canal. The present study investigated the PWV of CSF in five healthy volunteers compared to that of five symptomatic CM patients.
Nicotine Enhances the Hypnotic and Hypothermic Effects of Alcohol in the Mouse.

Background Ethanol (EtOH) and nicotine abuse are 2 leading causes of preventable mortality in the world, but little is known about the pharmacological mechanisms mediating co-abuse. Few studies have examined the interaction of the acute effects of EtOH and nicotine. Here, we examine the effects of nicotine administration on the duration of EtOH-induced loss of righting reflex (LORR) and characterize the nature of their pharmacological interactions in C57BL/6J mice. Methods We assessed the effects of EtOH and nicotine and the nature of their interaction in the LORR test using isobolographic analysis after acute injection in C57BL/6J male mice. Next, we examined the importance of receptor efficacy using nicotinic partial agonists varenicline and sazetidine. We evaluated the involvement of major nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes using nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine and nicotinic α4- and α7-knockout mice. The selectivity of nicotine's actions on EtOH-induced LORR was examined by testing nicotine's effects on the hypnotic properties of ketamine and pentobarbital. We also assessed the development of tolerance after repeated nicotine exposure. Last, we assessed whether the effects of nicotine on EtOH-induced LORR extend to hypothermia and EtOH intake in the drinking in the dark (DID) paradigm. Results We found that acute nicotine injection enhances EtOH's hypnotic effects in a synergistic manner and that receptor efficacy plays an important role in this interaction. Furthermore, tolerance developed to the enhancement of EtOH's hypnotic effects by nicotine after repeated exposure of the drug. α4* and α7 nAChRs seem to play an important role in nicotine–EtOH interaction in the LORR test. In addition, the magnitude of EtOH-induced LORR enhancement by nicotine was more pronounced in C57BL/6J than DBA/2J mice. Furthermore, acute nicotine enhanced ketamine and pentobarbital hypnotic effects in the mouse. Finally, nicotine enhanced EtOH-induced hypothermia but decreased EtOH intake in the DID test. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that nicotine synergistically enhances EtOH-induced LORR in the mouse.
The effect of hydrocortisone and cortisone on fixation of S35 in the stomach

Abstract Administration of hydrocortisone acetate and cortisone acetate to hypophysectomized rats reduced the incorporation of S 35 into the tissue of the stomach by approximately one-third to one-half of the values noted in control animals. The dose of hydrocortisone used, 25 to 100 μg per day, corresponds to levels used clinically in human subjects, while the dose of cortisone acetate, 2,500 μg, exceeds that in usual clinical practice. This influence of the steroid hormones is discussed as a significant factor in the etiology of ulcers by reducing the formation and the protective action of the mucin and by inhibiting factors which normally maintain connective tissue.
A commentary on Grazia Ietto-Gillies' paper: 'The Theory of the Transnational Corporation at 50+'

This paper offers a splendid overview and a succinct summary of the theory of international business. It should be especially helpful for Ph.D. students in this field, and perhaps for other scholars that are coming into the area from other specialisms, or considering doing so. The article extends the author’s recently revamped book, Transnational Corporations and International Production: Trends, Theories, Effects (Ietto-Gillies, 2012), which book I commend and indeed which I use myself as a central text on my own doctoral course in the Theory of International Business. The author knows already of my views on many of the issues she discusses, both because she refers to some of my earlier work in the paper, and from some direct correspondence that we had in the past over her book, when she was writing it or re-writing it. Ietto-Gillies is right to recognise that the issues addressed by the theory have altered over the 50+ years as the environment has changed, and with it the nature of the subject; and by the migration of the subject from departments of economics, and to a slightly lesser degree from departments of marketing and of finance, to becoming incorporated in its own right in business schools – most often within departments of management and sometimes in standalone departments of international business. I detect in the paper some sense of disappointment on the part of the author that the subject areas of economics and international business have diverged over the period described. As Ietto-Gillies has described, the theory of international business was spawned from economics a little over 50 years ago. The subsequent narrowing of the discipline of economics that has moved it away from the domain of international business studies will be well known to World Economics Association members. The philosophically deep, historically rich and complex thinking of scholars such as John Dunning or Dick Nelson, impoverished if overly formalised, which was so welcomed in the economics profession of the 1960s (or in any earlier era) would not be so welcome today. Nelson has termed what has been lost or relegated to a secondary place within the economics discipline as ‘appreciative theory’ (see e.g. Nelson, 1998). Appreciative theory is closer to the complexity of real-world social and economic systems – and to their changing historical context – than is the deductive logic, axioms and more restrictive assumptions of formal theory. Evolutionary economics in the tradition of Nelson and Winter, in common with international business studies, has instead returned to the traditions of classical political economy in relying on appreciative theory as the primary driver of analysis that explains realworld processes, and which, in modern terminology, we would call multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature. International business as a subject area has moved steadily further down this road of multidisciplinary theory-building grounded on empirical observation, despite adopting some
Chapter 6: Identifying Physical Injuries

This chapter in The Handbook of Human Rights Investigation covers the identification of physical injuries and the weapons that may have caused them.
FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE AND 401(K) INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY

We explore whether investors who are more financially knowledgeable earn more on their retirement plan investments compared with their less sophisticated counterparts, using a unique new dataset linking administrative data on investment performance and financial knowledge. Results show that the most financially knowledgeable investors: (a) held 18% points more stock than their least knowledgeable counterparts; (b) could anticipate earning 8 basis points per month more in excess returns; (c) had 40% higher portfolio volatility; and (d) held portfolios with about 38% less idiosyncratic risk, as compared with their least savvy counterparts. Our results are qualitatively similar after controlling on observables as well as modeling sample selection. We also examine portfolio changes to assess the potential impact of the financial literacy intervention. Controlling on other factors, those who elected to take the financial literacy survey boosted their equity allocations by 66 basis points and their monthly expected excess returns rose by 2.3 basis points; no significant difference in volatility or non-systematic risk was detected before versus after the survey. While these findings relate to only one firm, we anticipate that they may spur other efforts to enhance financial knowledge in the workplace.
Girls, Aggression, and Delinquency

Historically, research and policy on juvenile offenders in the United States has been primarily the study of males despite the fact that over one in four delinquency arrests involve female offenders (Federal Bureau of Investi-gation, 2002). When attention has been directed to females they have been typecast in the policy realm as status offenders and in research as nvesti-gation primarily internalizing disorders. Both characterizations of the nvesti-gation offender are incomplete, ignoring those girls engaging in aggressive and delinquent acts and the system-level influences on their identification and treatment. In this chapter I review some issues that delinquent girls raise for both research and policy. First, I describe how policy makers and researchers might approach the phenomenon of girls’ delinquency from different vantage points but with common interests. Then, I briefly nvesti-gation three areas that might benefit from policy-relevant empirical research: the nature and extent of offending, system processing, and treatment and intervention.
The effect of capacitively coupled (CC) electrical stimulation on human disc nucleus pulposus cells and the relationship between CC and BMP-7

An in vitro study using human intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells to evaluate the effects of CC stimulation on disc-matrix macromolecule production. Nucleus pulposus cells were cultured in alginate beads and treated with CC stimulation. The effect of BMP on CC stimulation of the cells was evaluated by applying a BMP blocker (noggin) or by applying additional BMP-7 to the culture. The mRNA levels of the disc extracellular matrix genes (collagen I, II, aggrecan) and BMPs were measured by real-time PCR. The protein levels of aggrecan, collagen II, and BMPs were determined by ELISAs and Western blots. Sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) content was assayed using the DMMB method. (1) CC stimulation upregulates the production of the disc-matrix macromolecular components: sGAG, aggrecan and collagen II; (2) CC stimulation increases the ratio of mRNA expression levels of collagen II to collagen I; (3) CC stimulation induces the expression of endogenous BMP-4 and BMP-7; (4) inhibition of BMP activity (using noggin) reduces CC-mediated upregulation of aggrecan and collagen II; (5) CC and BMP-7 act in synergy to increase the upregulation of disc-matrix macromolecules. CC stimulation upregulates the production of the intervertebral disc-matrix macromolecules aggrecan, collagen II, and sGAG by a mechanism involving BMPs. CC stimulation acts in synergy with BMP-7 to increase the upregulation of these disc-matrix macromolecules.
Preoperative Evaluation: Estimation of Pulmonary Risk

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are common after major non-thoracic surgery and associated with significant morbidity and high cost of care. A number of risk factors are strong predictors of PPCs. The overall goal of the preoperative pulmonary evaluation is to identify these potential, patient and procedure-related risks and optimize the health of the patients before surgery. A thorough clinical examination supported by appropriate laboratory tests will help guide the clinician to provide optimal perioperative care.
Contribution of MicroRNAs to autoimmune diseases

MicroRNAs are a class of evolutionarily conserved, short non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally modulate the expression of multiple target genes. They are implicated in almost every biological process, including pathways involved in immune homeostasis, such as immune cell development, central and peripheral tolerance, and T helper cell differentiation. Alterations in miRNA expression and function can lead to major dysfunction of the immune system and mediate susceptibility to autoimmune disease. Here, we discuss the role of miRNAs in the maintenance of immune tolerance to self-antigens and the gain or loss of miRNA functions on tissue inflammation and autoimmunity.
Temporal aliasing in high-speed 3-dimensional digital image correlation vibration measurement

High-speed 3-dimmensional digital image correlation is rapidly becoming a feasible and practical method for vibration measurement. Despite the growing popularity in dynamic DIC, no known studies focusing on temporal aliasing of a DIC measured vibration response exist. Therefore a study on the potential for and methods to deal with aliasing in vibration measurement utilizing high-speed 3D digital image correlation is conducted. In this study both spatial and temporal aliasing in image processing is addressed. To date it was found that despite there being a wealth of spatial anti-aliasing solutions, they have limited to no impact on aliasing of the DIC displacement time signal used for vibration measurement. No known temporal anti-aliasing technique currently exists for digitized high-speed images for the purposes of motion tracking. Temporal aliasing is therefore likely a pitfall that needs to be systematically avoided during DIC vibration measurement.
Monitoring Analysis of Wheat Straw Burning in Henan Province Based on EOS/MODIS Data

In order to obtain dynamics of crop straw burning accurately and quickly,and to improve early warning ability and inspection results,this study monitored wheat straw burning in main wheat production areas of Henan province using MODIS remote sensing data from May 29 to June 14,2008.The results revealed that there were 1 799 wheat fire spots in Henan province,and the fire spots were mainly concentrated in May 31 to June 8,2008 and in Nanyang,Zhumadian and Pingdingshan region,accounting for 97%.The fire spot number in Dengzhou,Fangcheng,Zhenping and Zhengyang were 461,195,181 and 109,respectively.Therefore,the current status and trend of wheat straw burning could be monitored using MODIS remote sensing data.
Riboflavin can protect tissues from oxidative injury

Elevated riboflavin levels have been reported to provide protection against oxidative damage caused by oxidized forms of hemeproteins. This effect of riboflavin may be mediated by an NADPH-dependent methemoglobin reductase.
Effect of leaf digestion and artemisinin solubility for use in oral consumption of dried Artemisia annua leaves to treat malaria.

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Artemisia annua L. produces the antimalarial sesquiterpene lactone, artemisinin (AN), and was traditionally used by the Chinese to treat fever, which was often caused by malaria. Aim of the study To measure effects of plant-based and dietary components on release of artemisinin and flavonoids from A. annua dried leaves (DLA) after simulated digestion. Materials and methods Simulated digestion was performed on DLA in four types of capsules, or in conjunction with protein, and protein-based foods: dry milk, casein, bovine serum albumin, peanuts, peanut butter, Plumpy’nut ® , and A. annua essential oils. Artemisinin and total flavonoids were measured in the liquid phase of the intestinal stage of digestion. Results After simulated digestion, peanuts and Plumpy’nut ® lowered AN and flavonoids, respectively, recovered from the liquid digestate fraction. None of the compositions of the tested capsules altered AN or flavonoid release. Surprisingly, bovine serum albumin (BSA) increased both AN and flavonoids recovered from liquid simulated digestate fractions while casein had no effect. AN delivered as DLA was about 4 times more soluble in digestates than AN delivered as pure drug. Addition of a volume of essential oil equivalent to that found in a high essential oil producing A. annua cultivar also significantly increased AN solubility in simulated digestates. Conclusion These results indicate encapsulating DLA may provide a way to mask the taste of A. annua without altering bioavailability. Similarly, many peanut-based products can be used to mask the flavor with appropriate dosing. Finally, the essential oil fraction of A. annua contributes to the increased AN solubility in DLA after simulated digestion. Our results suggest that use of DLA in the treatment of malaria and other artemisinin-susceptible diseases should be further tested in animals and humans.
Measuring Solar Doppler Velocities in the He ii 30.38 nm Emission Using the EUV Variability Experiment (EVE)

The EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory has provided unprecedented measurements of the solar EUV irradiance at high temporal cadence with good spectral resolution and range since May 2010. The main purpose of EVE was to connect the Sun to the Earth by providing measurements of the EUV irradiance as a driver for space weather and Living With a Star studies, but after launch the instrument has demonstrated the significance of its measurements in contributing to studies looking at the sources of solar variability for pure solar physics purposes. This paper expands upon previous findings that EVE can in fact measure wavelength shifts during solar eruptive events and therefore provide Doppler velocities for plasma at all temperatures throughout the solar atmosphere from the chromosphere to hot flaring temperatures. This process is not straightforward as EVE was not designed or optimized for these types of measurements. In this paper we describe the many detailed instrumental characterizations needed to eliminate the optical effects in order to provide an absolute baseline for the Doppler shift studies. An example is given of a solar eruption on 7 September 2011 (SOL2011-09-07), associated with an X1.2 flare, where EVE Doppler analysis shows plasma ejected from the Sun in the He ii 30.38 nm emission at a velocity of almost $120~\mbox{km}\,\mbox{s}^{-1}$ along the line-of-sight.
Brief, Clinical (Bedside) Examination for Dysphasia

In a short examination for dysphasia six language skills should be tested: spontaneous speech, repetition, naming, comprehension of spoken language, reading, and writing. The following examination can be completed in 10–15 minutes at the bedside.
Shift current bulk photovoltaic effect in polar materials—hybrid and oxide perovskites and beyond

The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) refers to the generation of a steady photocurrent and above-bandgap photovoltage in a single-phase homogeneous material lacking inversion symmetry. The mechanism of BPVE is decidedly different from the typical p–n junction-based photovoltaic mechanism in heterogeneous materials. Recently, there has been renewed interest in ferroelectric materials for solar energy conversion, inspired by the discovery of above-bandgap photovoltages in ferroelectrics, the invention of low bandgap ferroelectric materials and the rapidly improving power conversion efficiency of metal halide perovskites. However, as long as the nature of the BPVE and its dependence on composition and structure remain poorly understood, materials engineering and the realisation of its true potential will be hampered. In this review article, we survey the history, development and recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of BPVE, with a focus on the shift current mechanism, an intrinsic BPVE that is universal to all materials lacking inversion symmetry. In addition to explaining the theory of shift current, materials design opportunities and challenges will be discussed for future applications of the BPVE.
A Predictive Risk Score for Cancer-Associated Thrombosis: Role of Screening In A Prospective Study

Abstract Abstract 3173 Background: We evaluated the utility of screening for VTE using a previously developed clinical risk score (Khorana et al, Blood 2008) in a prospective cohort of cancer patients initiating outpatient chemotherapy but not receiving thromboprophylaxis. Methods: Cancer patients initiating a new chemotherapy regimen and deemed high-risk based on a predictive risk model (score ≥3) were enrolled on an ongoing prospective cohort study with informed consent. Patients were evaluated with baseline and Q4 (± 1) week serial ultrasonography for upto 16 weeks; additionally, computed tomography scans for restaging were also evaluated for VTE. Results: Of 30 patients enrolled on study, 8 (27%) developed a VTE. This included 5 patients with DVT alone (17%), 1 patient with PE alone (3%) and 2 (7%) with both. Twenty-seven patients underwent a baseline ultrasound. Of these, 3 asymptomatic DVTs were identified (11%). Subsequent ultrasounds were performed in 18 patients at week 4 (0 DVT), 17 patients at week 8 (0 DVT) and 15 patients at week 12 (1 DVT, 7%). An additional two patients developed symptomatic DVT between weeks 1 and 4. Restaging CT scans identified an asymptomatic PE in 1 patient at week 6 and asymptomatic PE in 1 patient at week 9 with subsequent symptomatic DVT at week 10. Conclusions: In a prospective observational study, 27% of cancer outpatients deemed high-risk using a clinical risk score developed VTE, a rate much higher than observed even in hospitalized acutely ill patients. Thus, this study confirms the validity of a previously described risk score. The role of thromboprophylaxis in this population is currently being tested. The value of screening ultrasonography should be considered in high-risk patients based on this risk score. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Biochemical, physiological and clinical effects of l-methylfolate in schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial.

Folic acid supplementation confers modest benefit in schizophrenia, but its effectiveness is influenced by common genetic variants in the folate pathway that hinder conversion to its active form. We examined physiological and clinical effects of l-methylfolate, the fully reduced and bioactive form of folate, in schizophrenia. In this randomized, double-blind trial, outpatients with schizophrenia (n=55) received l-methylfolate 15 mg or placebo for 12 weeks. Patients were maintained on stable doses of antipsychotic medications. The pre-defined primary outcome was change in plasma methylfolate at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included change in symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms, Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia), cognition (Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia composite) and three complementary magnetic resonance imaging measures (working memory-related activation, resting connectivity, cortical thickness). Primary, mixed model, intent-to-treat analyses covaried for six genetic variants in the folate pathway previously associated with symptom severity and/or response to folate supplementation. Analyses were repeated without covariates to evaluate dependence on genotype. Compared with placebo, l-methylfolate increased plasma methylfolate levels (d=1.00, P=0.0009) and improved PANSS Total (d=0.61, P=0.03) as well as PANSS Negative and General Psychopathology subscales. Although PANSS Total and General Psychopathology changes were influenced by genotype, significant PANSS Negative changes occurred regardless of genotype. No treatment differences were seen in other symptom rating scales or cognitive composite scores. Patients receiving l-methylfolate exhibited convergent changes in ventromedial prefrontal physiology, including increased task-induced deactivation, altered limbic connectivity and increased cortical thickness. In conclusion, l-methylfolate supplementation was associated with salutary physiological changes and selective symptomatic improvement in this study of schizophrenia patients, warranting larger clinical trials. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01091506.
An Adlerian Family Therapist Reflects on Family Therapy Theories and Mentors

James Robert Bitter has more than 38 years of teaching experience and has authored numerous publications focused on marriage and family therapy. Bitter credits Adlerian therapy and the early pioneers of marriage and family therapy for his professional development in the field. Mentored and heavily influenced through his training with master therapists, Virginia Satir and Michael White, Bitter reflects on the history of family therapy, its theories and practices, and his anticipation of future developments.
“No Strangers to Adjusting, We Old Women”: On the Representation of Indian Elderly in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Mistress of Spices and “Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter”

(2002). “No Strangers to Adjusting, We Old Women”: On the Representation of Indian Elderly in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Mistress of Spices and “Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter”. South Asian Review: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 13-14.
Provability and Refutability

We now turn our attention to the practical problems of proving theorems of first-order logic. If one has unlimited resources and patience, one can simply enumerate proofs until one finds a proof of the wff under consideration (provided, of course, that it actually is a theorem). As a practical matter, however, one usually wishes to find a proof as quickly and easily as possible, so various methods have been devised to facilitate efficient searches for proofs. We shall discuss some of these methods in this chapter, along with various results related to them.
On Summer Cyclogenesis in the Lee of the Rocky Mountains

About twice in an average summer season, it is observed that sea-level cyclones of extraordinary intensity develop in the lee area of the northern Rocky Mountains. These cyclones differ from the customary frontal waves in that the onset of the development is sudden, the development period is short and the system remains quasi-stationary until full maturity is reached. In common with the frontal waves and most minor disturbances in the same region is the feature that the geneses are preceded by a forward march of an upper cold low or trough from the northeastern Pacific Ocean. An analysis of individual cases shows that the sea-level development begins at the time when an area of positive vorticity advection aloft spreads over the eastern slopes of the mountain range. The movement of the upper cold low is found to be strongly influenced by the behavior of the next cold upper low or trough upstream.
Laboratory measurements of methanol photolysis branching ratios to guide astrochemical models

Methanol is ubiquitous in star-forming regions, and has recently been detected in a protoplanetary disk. Astrochemical models have shown that methanol photolysis contributes to complex organic chemistry in interstellar ices. While some methanol photolysis branching ratios have been measured, infrared condensed-phase measurements rely on assumptions about the chemistry, and mass spectrometric measurements cannot distinguish structural isomers. To address these challenges, we are using pure rotational spectroscopy to quantitatively probe the methanol photolysis products. We use a VUV laser to dissociate methanol in the throat of a supersonic expansion, and probe the products downstream after cooling is complete. We then use a rotational diagram analysis to determine the relative density of each product relative to methanol. We have detected the methoxy, hydroxymethyl, and formaldehyde photolysis products. We present here the experimental setup and the initial results and discuss these results in the context of interstellar chemistry.
Diabetes in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Preexisting diabetes is common in kidney transplant recipients as it is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Hyperglycemia is present in nearly 90% of kidney transplant recipients in immediate postoperative period but it is not sustained in the majority. In addition to the general risk factors for diabetes, certain transplantation related variables (e.g. specific immunosuppressive agents, surgical stress and inflammation, nutritional interventions) place this patient population at elevated risk for hyperglycemia. Preexisting diabetes and posttransplantation diabetes confer reduced patient and graft survival in kidney transplant recipients.
Contrast and Entailment: Abstract logical relations constrain how 2- and 3-year-old children interpret unknown numbers

Abstract Do children understand how different numbers are related before they associate them with specific cardinalities? We explored how children rely on two abstract relations – contrast and entailment – to reason about the meanings of ‘unknown’ number words. Previous studies argue that, because children give variable amounts when asked to give an unknown number, all unknown numbers begin with an existential meaning akin to some. In Experiment 1, we tested an alternative hypothesis, that because numbers belong to a scale of contrasting alternatives, children assign them a meaning distinct from some. In the “Don’t Give-a-Number task”, children were shown three kinds of fruit (apples, bananas, strawberries), and asked to not give either some or a number of one kind (e.g. Give everything, but not [some/five] bananas). While children tended to give zero bananas when asked to not give some, they gave positive amounts when asked to not give numbers. This suggests that contrast – plus knowledge of a number’s membership in a count list – enables children to differentiate the meanings of unknown number words from the meaning of some. Experiment 2 tested whether children’s interpretation of unknown numbers is further constrained by understanding numerical entailment relations – that if someone, e.g. has three, they thereby also have two, but if they do not have three, they also do not have four. On critical trials, children saw two characters with different quantities of fish, two apart (e.g. 2 vs. 4), and were asked about the number in-between – who either has or doesn’t have, e.g. three. Children picked the larger quantity for the affirmative, and the smaller for the negative prompts even when all the numbers were unknown, suggesting that they understood that, whatever three means, a larger quantity is more likely to contain that many, and a smaller quantity is more likely not to. We conclude by discussing how contrast and entailment could help children scaffold the exact meanings of unknown number words.
Symposium on political communication and social movements: audience, persuasion, and influence

This article argues that an important contribution that political communication can offer social movement studies is a more variegated understanding of social movement audiences and their role in s...
Energy-conserving perfect-conductor boundary conditions for an implicit, curvilinear Darwin particle-in-cell algorithm

Abstract We propose a conservative prescription for perfect-conductor boundary conditions for a Darwin particle-in-cell (PIC) model on curvilinear meshes and arbitrarily shaped boundaries. The Darwin model is a subset of Maxwell's equation in which the electromagnetic mode (light wave) has been analytically removed. This renders the Darwin formulation elliptic, instead of hyperbolic. Historically, Darwin-PIC practitioners have had difficulty implementing a well-posed set of boundary conditions for realistic applications. In this study, we demonstrate the well-posedness and effectiveness of a simple boundary-condition prescription for perfect conductors of specified potential and of arbitrary shape in multiple dimensions, using a recently developed conservative, implicit Darwin-PIC algorithm. The boundary conditions conserve the electromagnetic energy, and preserve the Coulomb gauge of the vector potential, ∇ ⋅ A = 0 exactly. We demonstrate that global energy is exactly conserved in curvilinear, simply-connected domains in the specific case of particles reflecting off perfect conductors.
Seasonality of Life History Events and Behavior Patterns in the Island Endemic Hawaiian Duck (Anas wyvilliana)

Year-round behavioral observations and surveys were used to investigate the temporal dynamics of life history events and associated variation in behavioral activities of the endangered, island-endemic Hawaiian Duck (Anas wyvilliana) on Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, USA. Although breeding activity occurred throughout the year, backdated brood observations (n = 67) revealed that birds initiated 94% of nests during the 9-month period from September through May, their peak nesting season. A greater proportion of females (n = 149) were paired during the peak nesting season (75%) than the off-peak season (48%). Behavioral patterns (n = 984; 329 hr) differed between seasons for males but not for females. Males allocated more time to vigilance and less time to foraging during the peak nesting season than the off-peak season. Activity budgets also differed between sexes, but only during the peak nesting season. During this period, females spent more time foraging than males, whereas males allocated more time to vigilance, locomotion, and social activities. Current management objectives for the Hawaiian Duck aim to provide resources for multiple life history stages concurrently throughout the year, and although this approach is largely appropriate, our results suggest refinements in the timing of certain activities (e.g., managing nesting habitat to be available during September-May).
Fairness in Social Influence Maximization

Algorithms for social influence maximization have been extensively studied for the purpose of strategically choosing an initial set of individuals in a social network from which information gets propagated. With many applications in advertisement, news spread, vaccination, and online trend-setting, this problem is a central one in understanding how information flows in a network of individuals. As human networks may encode historical biases, algorithms performing on them might capture and reproduce such biases when automating outcomes. In this work, we study the social influence maximization problem for the purpose of designing fair algorithms for diffusion, aiming to understand the effect of communities in the creation of disparate impact among network participants based on demographic attributes (gender, race etc). We propose a set of definitions and models for assessing the fairness-utility tradeoff in designing algorithms that maximize influence through a mathematical model of diffusion and an empirical analysis of a collected dataset from Instagram. Our work shows that being feature-aware can lead to more diverse outcomes in outreach and seed selection, as well as better efficiency, than being feature-blind.
Inelastic Torsional Buckling of H-Columns

The inelastic torsional buckling strength of axially loaded H-columns is studied. The influence of residual stresses on both the torsional and flexural buckling strength of structural steel members are examined. For inelastic torsional buckling, it was necessary for the residual stresses to satisfy one more equilibrium condition than those that are required for the consideration of flexural buckling. When this additional condition is imposed, the well-known "reduction in elastic torsional buckling load" due to the presence of residual stresses disappears. It was found that the torsional buckling strength depends not only upon the column dimensions, but also upon the yield stress level of the material.
Advanced Practice Providers in Neurocritical Care

The specialty of neurocritical care by its nature involves a multidisciplinary approach to the management of critically ill patients with acute neurological and neurosurgical disease states (Mayer SA. Neurological intensive care emergence of a new specialty. Neurocrit Care. 2006;5(2):82–4). The establishment of a physician subspecialty in neurocritical care and the continued development of the specialty for advanced practice providers (APPs), a term used to define the roles of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs), has contributed to a growing body of highly skilled, multidisciplinary professionals trained in the field of neurocritical care (Moheet et al., Neurocrit Care 29:145–60, 2018). Thus, it is of utmost importance to understand how best to optimize the use of APPs in the creation of multidisciplinary practice models that serve to provide safe and effective care to patients with neurocritical illness states. This chapter will: (1) detail the roles and responsibilities of the APP in neurocritical care; (2) discuss APP integration and opportunities within neurocritical care practice models; (3) review strategies for successful and effective implementation of a neurocritical care APP program; and (4) explore future directions for the role of APPs in neurocritical care.
Do tumor exosome integrins alone determine organotropic metastasis

Metastasis is the most life-threatening event in cancer patients, so the key strategy to treat cancer should be preventing tumor spread. Predicting the site of probable hematogenous metastasis is important for determining the therapeutic algorithm that could prevent the spread of tumor cells. Certain hopes for solving this problem appeared owing to study showing the association between specific integrins on tumor exosomes surface and the site of future metastasis. Numerous experimental data indicate the ability of exosomes to transfer various phlogogenic factors to the target organ, which can lead to the formation of inflammatory foci. Studies of T-lymphocytes homing show that expression of various adhesion molecules including ligands for integrins highly increases on the endothelium during inflammation. Such a mechanism underlies not only in leukocyte transvasation, but, apparently, in the accumulation of bone marrow precursor cells and the formation of a premetastatic niche. This review summarizes the most significant data on the role exosomes to induce inflammation, which leads to the recruiting of bone marrow precursors and the establishment of premetastatic niches.
Antitumor Effects of CAR T Cells Redirected to the EDB Splice Variant of Fibronectin.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has had limited success in early-phase clinical studies for solid tumors. Lack of efficacy is most likely multifactorial, including a limited array of targetable antigens. We reasoned that targeting the cancer-specific extra domain B (EDB) splice variant of fibronectin might overcome this limitation because it is abundantly secreted by cancer cells and adheres to their cell surface. In vitro, EDB-CAR T cells recognized and killed EDB-positive tumor cells. In vivo, 1 × 106 EDB-CAR T cells had potent antitumor activity in both subcutaneous and systemic tumor xenograft models, resulting in a significant survival advantage in comparison with control mice. EDB-CAR T cells also targeted the tumor vasculature, as judged by IHC and imaging, and their antivascular activity was dependent on the secretion of EDB by tumor cells. Thus, targeting tumor-specific splice variants such as EDB with CAR T cells is feasible and has the potential to improve the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy.
Globalization and Income Convergence

The income convergence literature suggests that poor countries can catch-up to rich ones conditional on sharing certain characteristics with rich countries. Good institutions such as strong property rights and rule-of-law are key amongst those characteristics. From a policy perspective this is disheartening because economists have little understanding of how to transplant those institutions to developing countries. Worse, good informal institutions seem to be a necessary condition for formal institutions to "stick". However, to the extent that good institutions can arise as a "spontaneous order" from individuals interacting with one another, allowing for an "open society" may be an effective development policy. To evaluate this proposition we explore whether or not increased globalization fosters income convergence. Based on a panel of up to 184 countries covering the years 1970 to 2009 we conclude that it does. In particular, the social dimension (as opposed to the economic or political dimensions) of globalization is robustly related to income convergence.
Lenalidomide plus rituximab in patients with rituximab-resistant indolent B-cell and mantle cell lymphomas: 10-year follow-up.

7539Background: Lenalidomide (len) plus rituximab is now a standard-of-care option for indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (iNHL) and mantle cell lymphomas (MCL). We previously demonstrated the e...
Long-term air pollution exposure and incident dementia in older adults in the Gingko Evaluation of Memory Study

Introduction: Air pollution is associated with reduced cognitive performance and accelerated cognitive decline in older adults. Less is known regarding air pollution’s contribution to all-cause dem...
Who can lead the revolution?: Re-thinking anticolonial revolutionary consciousness through Frantz Fanon and Pierre Bourdieu

While several scholars have explored the connections between the work of Frantz Fanon and Pierre Bourdieu through their shared relationship to French Colonial Algeria, comparatively less work has examined the shared perspectives on colonialism from which they both draw and where the discontinuities emerge. This paper explores the differences between these two thinkers, namely in their conceptualizing of the potential for a revolutionary consciousness to emerge from colonial populations during anticolonial actions. I argue in this article that where Bourdieu conceives of the horror of colonialism as a violent clash of cultures producing ‘hysteresis’ and a level of socio-political alienation from the most dispossessed sectors of society, Fanon conceives of a revolutionary consciousness emerging from the threat of racialized violence genocide and colonial subjection. Bourdieu however suggests that anticolonial revolutionary fervor cannot emerge from populations most dispossessed by the violence of colonization. While Bourdieu’s analysis drew solely from the Algerian case, Fanon recognized anticolonial struggle to be a fundamental type of revolution that could be theorized. In this, Fanon analyzed the Algerian revolution in the context of other anticolonial actions taking place across Africa and the world. Fanon thereby lays out a theory of the role of racism in structuring colonialism and fostering a revolutionary consciousness that is distinct. This cleavage of perspectives from two seemingly similarly inclined theorists emerges from a divergent view of the role of racism in dehumanizing and structuring colonial subjectivities and the effects of colonialism on those most aggrieved by it to spur political action.