cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Amphibian Presence In A Montane Lake After Fish Removal, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

During the period 1996–2003, a population of introduced Salvelinus fontinalis was eradicated from a montane lake in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA. Using mostly gill-nets, 2185 fish were removed. Snorkel and visual encounter surveys (n = 10 and 6, respectively) were completed 1996–2001, to document the apparent abundances of amphibian species present in the lake and an adjacent shallow pond during fish presence and removal. During this period only 7 Ambystoma gracile larvae and 6 Rana cascadae adults were observed in the lake; no amphibians were observed in the pond. After fish removal, lake snorkel and visual encounter surveys (n = 9 and 10, respectively) conducted between 2004 and 2015 collectively documented the apparent increase in abundances of A. gracilie (n = 398), A. macrodactylum (n = 68), Ambystoma spp. (n = 184), Rana cascadae (n = 357), and Ascaphus truei (n = 12). Pond visual encounter surveys conducted between 2005 and 2012 documented the increased presence of Ambystoma spp. (n = 110) and Rana cascadae (n = approximately 5600 ) larvae. Although the number of amphibian species detected and their apparent abundances varied among surveys and years, the abundances of the amphibian species in Hidden Lake increased markedly after removal of the introduced fish population.
It’s the End of the World as We Know It: The Advance of Climate Change from a Criminological Perspective

There has been little meaningful action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, even though it is perhaps the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced. Many assume that meaningful action will only occur once the very harmful effects of climate change become apparent. This chapter draws on the major crime theories to make a rather different argument—that the advance of climate change will reduce rather than increase the likelihood of meaningful action. The chapter first provides brief overviews of the effects of climate change, the inadequate response to such change, and the reasons for this inadequate response. It then discusses certain of the consequences of climate change from a criminological perspective, consequences such as increased strain, reduced control, and greater social conflict. These consequences are said to reduce the ability and willingness of individuals and groups to take meaningful action on climate change. The chapter concludes by describing an alternative, more hopeful narrative.
Functionally compromised synovium-derived mesenchymal stem cells in Charcot neuroarthropathy

Charcot neuroarthropathy (CNA) often presents as a diabetic foot complication. The role of synovial mesenchymal stem cells (syn-MSCs) in the pathogenesis of CNA is unclear. Synovial samples were collected, for isolation of syn-MSCs, from diabetic patients with CNA (n=7) and non-diabetic patients with intra-articular fracture or normal joints (non-CNA; n=7) during foot surgery. The syn-MSCs in the CNA and non-CNA groups were characterized comparatively. The average number of colonies formed in the CNA group was 6±3.5 per half plate (10mm in diameter), while it was 43±21.6 in the non-CNA group (p<0.05). The average size (pixels) of the colonies in the CNA group was smaller than that in the non-CNA group. When the colonies were stratified into high-, medium- and low-density subgroups, colonies in the high-density subgroup of the CNA group were reduced in density. Expression of PPAR-γ, RUNX2, Sox9 and type II collagen by syn-MSCs in the CNA group was decreased during adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation as compared with the non-CNA group. In conclusion, syn-MSCs in CNA joints were reduced in number, with declined differentiation potentials. The high-density subpopulation of the syn-MSCs was particularly affected by the pathology of CNA.
Association of Caliciopsis pinea Peck and Matsucoccus macrocicatrices Richards with eastern white pine ( Pinus strobus L.) seedling dieback

Abstract Matsucoccus macrocicatrices Richards (Hemiptera: Matsucoccidae) is the only species within this genus that feeds and reproduces on eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), and at the time of its description, was not observed or known to cause serious damage. With eastern white pine dieback occurring extensively throughout the Appalachian Mountains, researchers are now in search of the contributors to this dieback phenomenon. Since its recent discovery (2007) far outside its historical range, M. macrocicatrices, and cankers associated with Caliciopsis pinea Peck, are regularly present on symptomatic trees throughout the range of eastern white pine. Little is known about the relationship between M. macrocicatrices and the fungal cankers commonly found on eastern white pines expressing dieback symptoms. For this study, we evaluated the relationships between both focal organisms and the extent of dieback symptoms on tree seedlings to identify contributing factors affecting symptomatic trees. We assessed the insect-pathogen complex on 270 eastern white pine seedlings from nine states that include the Appalachian Mountain range. There were positive correlations between M. macrocicatrices and seedling dieback, cankers and seedling dieback, and M. macrocicatrices and cankers in both the southern and northern portions of the Appalachians. About 95% of the observed M. macrocicatrices cysts and shells were associated with cankers, especially C. pinea-dominated cankers, which were exceptionally abundant on severely affected seedlings. The most prevalent fungi isolated from cankers without apparent fruiting bodies of C. pinea were in the genus Phaeomoniella. Trials were conducted to test the pathogenicity of C. pinea and other fungal isolates. Of the 15 fungal species tested, C. pinea was the only pathogenic species that formed girdling cankers on eastern white pine seedlings. We postulate that there is a facultative relationship between M. macrocicatrices and C. pinea, forming an insect-pathogen complex that is contributing to eastern white pine dieback and significantly impacting its regeneration dynamics in North America.
On the discovery of mathematical theorems

The Graph Theorist, GT, is a system which performs mathematical research in graph theory. This paper focuses upon GTs ability to conjecture and prove mathematical theorems from the definitions in its input knowledge base. Each class of graphs is defined in an algebraic notation with a semantic interpretation that is a stylized algorithm to generate the class correctly and completely. From a knowledge base of such concept definitions, GT is able to conjecture and prove such theorems as "The set of acyclic, connected graphs is precisely the set of trees" and "There is no odd-regular graph on an odd number of vertices." Conjecture and proof are driven both by examples (specific graphs) and by definitional form (algorithms).
Assessment of patient knowledge on immunotherapy before and after an educational intervention: A comparison of two methods

Abstract Rationale Immunotherapy (IT) is an invaluable therapy for allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and hymenoptera hypersensitivity. It is however, not without risks, with systemic reactions occurring in 0.3-15% of patients. Our purpose was to examine our patients' knowledge regarding IT and determine the most effective educational method to improve their knowledge. Methods An original, self-administered, patient questionnaire was distributed to all patients on IT. After completion of the initial questionnaire, patients were randomly assigned to either a control group, an intervention group that received an educational handout monthly for two months, or an intervention group that was given a one-on-one educational session with a physician or nurse practitioner. After three months, all patients completed an identical follow-up questionnaire. Scores were compared with one another before and after educational intervention and between the different groups to determine which method was more effective. Results Repeated measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA) was used to determine the effect of instruction type on differences in pre- and post-test knowledge scores. All three groups significantly improved their mean overall knowledge score (p Conclusions Baseline immunotherapy knowledge of allergy shot patients was better than expected and further educational interventions did not significantly improve this knowledge.
Recent Developments in the Quest for Novel Microbial Natural Products

Abstract Natural products (NPs) remain one of the major sources of clinically relevant drugs. While numerous NPs have been developed into pharmaceutical products directly, others have offered frameworks for synthetic modifications to yield semisynthetic pharmaceuticals, or serve as pharmaceutical leads and offer guidance for the development of synthetic pharmaceuticals. Even though NPs have exerted considerable influence on the development of pharmaceuticals, NPs based drug discovery has experienced a notable deceleration ever since the late 20th century. Numerous factors such as labor-intensive isolation, multistep purification and characterization procedures, poor product recovery, low production titer, rediscovery of known molecules, and the prohibitive cost of the NPs development pipeline deemphasized industrial NPs programs. Collectively, these factors signaled a transition from NPs based drug discovery in industry to high-throughput chemical synthesis. Despite the major shift in focus on chemical synthesis in industry, academia has revitalized interest in this field by achieving new insights into the structural complexity and molecular diversity afforded by NPs. In the new century, NPs drug discovery is a vehicle to explore unknown chemical space. A variety of new approaches and techniques including automation of preliminary screenings, assembly of NPs databases for identification/dereplication of new molecules, modernization of follow-on isolation and purification processes, selection of new/unusual NPs sources, engineering of biosynthetic pathways, reverse biosynthesis, and directed evolution of enzymes (via site directed/saturation mutagenesis) to yield new varieties of products are being incorporated in the discovery efforts. These new approaches resulted in a notable success on isolation of novel NPs/new NP analogs many of which are moving through the pipeline of clinical development. This chapter will summarize some of the recently developed approaches that have significantly boosted the efficiency of microbial NPs discovery process. In addition to analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of each approach, representative examples of newly discovered NPs of notable clinical potential will be discussed throughout the chapter.
Automated Security Configuration Checklist for Apple iOS Devices Using SCAP v1.2

The security content automation includes configurations of large number of systems, installation of patches securely, verification of security-related configuration settings, compliance with security policies and regulatory requirements, and ability to respond quickly when new threats are discovered [1]. Although humans are important in information security management, humans sometimes introduce errors and inconsistencies in an organization due to manual nature of their tasks [2]. Security Content Automation Protocol was developed by the U.S. NIST to automate information security management tasks such as vulnerability and patch management, and to achieve continuous monitoring of security configurations in an organization. In this paper, SCAP is employed to develop an automated security configuration checklist for use in verifying Apple iOS device configuration against the defined security baseline to enforce policy compliance in an enterprise.
Palliative Total Pelvic Exenteration for Gynecologic Cancers: A Cross-sectional Study of Society of Gynecologic Oncology Members.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate contemporary practices and opinions among gynecologic oncologists regarding the use of total pelvic exenteration (TPE) for palliative intent. Methods This cross-sectional study of the membership of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology utilized an electronic survey to assess the opinions and practice patterns of gynecologic oncologists regarding TPEs. The primary outcome was willingness to consider a TPE for palliative intent, and demographic and practice characteristics were collected for correlation. Qualitative data were also collected. Descriptive statistics are presented, and χ2 tests, Fisher exact tests, and logistic regression analyses were used. Results We included 315 surveys for analysis, for a completed response rate of 23.5%. Approximately half (52.4%, n = 165) of respondents indicated willingness to consider palliative TPE. When controlled for all variables, gynecologic oncologists who were more than 10 years out of fellowship were less likely to perform a palliative exenteration (odds ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.30–0.98), whereas those who reported experience with minimally invasive exenteration were more likely to offer it for palliation (odds ratio, 2.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.07–4.73). Fifty-three respondents (16.8%) provided qualitative data. The themes that emerged as considerations for TPE as palliation were (1) symptoms and quality of life, (2) surgical and perioperative morbidity, (3) anticipated overall survival, (4) counseling and informed consent, (5) functional status and comorbidities, (6) likelihood of residual disease, and (7) alternative procedures available for palliation. Conclusion Half of gynecologic oncologists seem to be willing to offer a palliative TPE, although more-experienced gynecologic oncologists are more likely to reserve the procedure for curative intent.
Failure-Aware Protection for Many-to-Many Routing in Content Centric Networks

Network communications can easily be disrupted by the failure of networking equipment, ranging from a single accidental link cut, to a wide swath of links and nodes wiped out simultaneously by a natural disaster. To mitigate the impact of these failures, survivability solutions involving precomputed backup paths can be used to help maintain connectivity and reduce service downtime. Further improvements to reliability can be gained through the use of on-path caching inherent in Content Centric Networking (CCN). CCN is an alternative networking paradigm that puts the focus on efficiently providing consumers access over the network to content held by producers. As content is returned from a producer, it can be cached at the intermediate routers, allowing that content to be replicated and forwarded out to all known consumers asking for that content. We aim to improve the reliability of CCN by proposing routing algorithms for connecting many consumers to a set of producers with paths that are survivable in respect to a flexibly-sized failure set. These survivable routes are enhanced through the use of failure aware on-path caching that allows consumers to access content even after the primary connections to producers are severed.
Leading Dual Language: Twenty Years of Innovation in a Borderland Elementary School

This chapter presents a qualitative case study of authentic and social justice leadership of one exemplary bilingual principal working along the U.S.-Mexico border. The principal at the center of this study nurtured, inspired, and motivated teachers and families to create innovative and inclusive school programs to meet the needs of all students, especially Mexican American ELLs. Two micro-cases are presented to examine the principal’s role in founding a gifted and talented dual language program for ELLs and a merger with a low-performing school. The study’s key findings highlight how the principal developed strategic relationships to advocate for the needs of Latinx students and families. This chapter draws attention to areas where authentic and advocacy-oriented approaches to leadership can mitigate resistance from dominant groups. Implications for future research and principal preparation are discussed at the conclusion of the chapter.
Customer-Driven Engineering; Quality Function Deployment

Quality function deployment is a structured and disciplined process that provides a means for identifying and carrying the customer’s voice through each stage of product and service development and implementation. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is achieved by cross-functional teams who collect, interpret, document, and prioritize customer requirements to identify bottlenecks and/or breakthrough opportunities.
High Capacity Calcium-Binding Proteins as Intermediate Calcium Carriers in Biological Mineralization

High-capacity calcium-binding macromolecules have been identified at mineralization fronts in heterodont bivalves, vertebrate tooth dentin and unicellular algae. They appear to be functionally similar to casein, the mineral ion carrier of milk. The bivalve phosphoprotein studied in this laboratory occurs as discrete high molecular weight (MW) particles in the hemolymph and extrapallial fluid and at the inner shell surface during mineral deposition. The phosphoprotein particles are characterized by a high content of aspartic acid, phosphoserine and histidine residues which comprise 80% or more of the peptide chain. The native particles contain a protected pool of calcium and phosphate ions and an exchangeable pool of calcium and magnesium ions. The phosphoprotein monomers are covalently cross-linked via histidinoalanine residues and ionically cross-linked via divalent cations into compact particles with a MW of about 50 million. High concentrations of phosphoprotein particles accumulate at the mineralization front during stimulated biomineralization, but neither inhibit mineral deposition nor influence the crystal habits. The particles are probably calcium ion transporters. However, the mechanism by which protein bound calcium is utilized to form calcium carbonate crystals is unknown.
Autologous Bone Cranioplasty: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis of Frozen and Subcutaneous Bone Flap Storage Methods.

Objective The use of autologous bone for cranioplasty offers superior cosmesis and cost-effectiveness compared with synthetic materials. The choice between 2 common autograft storage mechanisms (subcutaneous vs. frozen) remains controversial and dictated by surgeon preference. We compared surgical outcomes after autologous bone cranioplasty between patients with cryopreserved and subcutaneously stored autografts. Methods Ten-year retrospective comparative analysis of patients undergoing cranioplasty with autologous bone stored subcutaneously or frozen at a tertiary academic medical center. Results Ninety-four patients were studied, with 34 (36.2%) bone flaps stored subcutaneously and 59 (62.8%) frozen. The 2 groups were similar in demographics, comorbidities, and craniectomy indication, with only body mass index and race differing statistically. The mean operation time was greater within the subcutaneous group (P Conclusions Subcutaneous and frozen storage of autologous bone result in similar surgical risk profiles. Cryopreservation may be preferred because of shorter operation time and avoidance of complications with the abdominal pocket, whereas the portability of subcutaneous storage remains favorable for patients undergoing cranioplasty at a different institution. VPS placement prior to cranioplasty should be avoided, if possible, due to the increased risk of hospital-acquired infection.
Combined use of intravascular lithotripsy and brachytherapy: A new approach for the treatment of recurrent coronary in-stent restenosis.

Treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) is challenging and often requires combination of multiple treatment modalities. Coronary intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) has been successfully used for treating stent under-expansion, but is not currently commercially available in the United States. We present three recurrent coronary ISR cases in which multiple treatment modalities (high-pressure balloon inflation, plaque modification balloons, and laser with contrast injection) failed. These patients were treated with a combination of IVL (peripheral IVL catheter used off-label in the coronary arteries) and brachytherapy. Due to the high IVL balloon profile, delivery via femoral or radial access was challenging, requiring 7-8 French guide catheters. IVL was performed delivering 4-8 treatments of 20 pulses each with a favorable final angiographic and intravascular ultrasound result. All patients were angina free 1 month after the procedure.
3-D Printing Structural Electronics With Conductive Filaments

Integrating electronics into the body of complex structural parts through 3-D printing is one of the most promising new technologies in additive manufacturing, giving the potential of lighter weight and smaller electronic systems. Although fused filament fabrication (FFF) is one of the cheapest and most widely available 3-D printing approaches available, FFF has lagged behind alternatives, such as direct write printing for incorporating electronics into 3-D printed parts. In this article, complex structural electronics are demonstrated using FFF. Numerous surface-mount components are integrated into the printing process for 3-D structures, and electrical contact is made using conductive thermoplastic filament with and without copper electroplating for improved conductivity. The electrical contact characteristics and bridging behavior of several commercially available filaments are investigated. A circuit demonstrator, a 555-timer oscillator circuit, is then printed using the process.
The Supreme Court's Evolving Death Penalty Jurisprudence: Severe Mental Illness as the Next Frontier

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent death penalty jurisprudence displays the Court’s willingness to invalidate the death penalty for certain offenses or classes of offenders, including those with mental retardation and those who were under eighteen at the time of the offense. The Court has noted that the death penalty in these cases constitutes a disproportionate punishment because it fails to adequately serve the two primary goals of the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause: retribution and deterrence. Because the cognitive and volitional impairments caused by severe mental illness result in a parallel diminution in culpability and deterrability, severe mental illness is an appropriate next frontier at which to apply the Court’s emerging concept of proportionality. Social attitudes have only recently begun to shift toward opposing the death penalty for those with severe mental illness at the time of the offense. Nonetheless, the Court’s recent death penalty cases teach that the Court may independently determine that execution of these offenders is a disproportionate punishment if it concludes that executing such offenders does not adequately serve the goals of retribution and deterrence.
Filamentous tangles with nemaline rods in MYH2 myopathy: a novel phenotype

The MYH2 gene encodes the skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (MyHC-IIA) isoform, which is expressed in the fast twitch type 2A fibers. Autosomal dominant or recessive pathogenic variants in MYH2 lead to congenital myopathy clinically featured by ophthalmoparesis and predominantly proximal weakness. MYH2-myopathy is pathologically characterized by loss and atrophy of type 2A fibers. Additional myopathological abnormalities have included rimmed vacuoles containing small p62 positive inclusions, 15–20 nm tubulofilaments, minicores and dystrophic changes. We report an adult patient with late-pediatric onset MYH2-myopathy caused by two heterozygous pathogenic variants: c.3331C>T, p.Gln1111* predicted to result in truncation of the proximal tail region of MyHC-IIA, and c.1546T>G, p.Phe516Val, affecting a highly conserved amino acid within the highly conserved catalytic motor head relay loop. This missense variant is predicted to result in a less compact loop domain and in turn could affect the protein affinity state. The patient’s genotype is accompanied by a novel myopathological phenotype characterized by centralized large myofilamentous tangles associated with clusters of nemaline rods, and ring fibers, in addition to the previously reported rimmed vacuoles, paucity and atrophy of type 2A fibers. Electron microscopy demonstrated wide areas of disorganized myofibrils which were oriented in various planes of direction and entrapped multiple nemaline rods, as corresponding to the large tangles with rods seen on light microscopy. Nemaline rods were rarely observed also in nuclei. We speculate that the mutated MyHC-IIA may influence myofibril disorganization. While nemaline rods have been described in myopathies caused by pathogenic variants in genes encoding several sarcomeric proteins, to our knowledge, nemaline rods have not been previously described in MYH2-myopathy.
The Economic Effects of Emigration and Aging Population: The Case of Lithuania

The labor and economic market has several areas of concern for Lithuania; an aging population, low minimum wage, emigration, labor supply shortage, and a high unemployment rate. As far as recruitment of the workforce, half of all employers recruit based on referral of friends and relatives, not based on skills and education. Emigration of workforce towards higher paying jobs is a current concern for the Lithuanian economy. With a shrinking domestic market, this poses market challenges and discourages investors. The Lithuanian President is in favor of labor market liberalization, which we agree, is the best solution for the market economy of the country.
Transient behavioral recovery in hemiparkinsonian primates after adrenal medullary allografts.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes and examines resulting changes in volitional and drug-induced motor function after an interval of six months using hemiparkinsonian monkeys as recipients for adrenal medullary allografts. The results indicate that adrenal medullary allografts into the caudate nucleus of l-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridin (MPTP) hemiparkinsonian monkeys affect transient improvement in function of the basal ganglia as measured by volitional arm use and reduction in apomorphine-induced turning activity, which is apparent three months after implantation. The transient improvement in motor performance after adrenal medullary implants may be attributed to early survival of catecholamine-producing cells and release of dopamine from the chromaffin cells. Placement of a tissue implant, whether adrenal medulla, cortex, or fat, or the creation of a surgical wound in the head of the caudate, appears to cause dopamine fiber growth from intact dopaminergic neurons into the damaged caudate nucleus. The chapter suggests that implantation of fetal tissue into the caudate induces sprouting from the ventral striatum and can produce bilateral functional improvement in monkeys with the full parkinsonian syndrome after intravenous MPTP, and in hemiparkinsonian monkeys.
Conservation Laws and the Weak Topology

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some results concerning the convergence of approximate solutions to the hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. A standard strategy for convergence seeks to establish uniform estimates on both the amplitude and derivatives of the approximate solutions in appropriate metrics and then appeal to a compactness argument to produce a subsequence that converges in the strong topology. One may regard convergence of the entire sequence as a question of the uniqueness of the limit. The chapter presents new compactness theorems for the sequences of approximate solutions generated by diffusive systems and conservative difference schemes. In the framework of conservation laws, the goal is to show that the representing measures associated with a family of exact or approximate solutions reduces to a point mass or is contained in a set whose geometry allows one to deduce the continuity of the special nonlinear maps appearing in the equations.
Endothelial Driven Inflammation in Metabolic Disease: A Dissertation

Obesity has been on the rise over the last 30 years, reaching worldwide epidemic proportions. Obesity has been linked to multiple metabolic disorders and co-morbidities such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and various cancers. Furthermore, obesity is associated with a chronic state of low-grade inflammation in adipose tissue (AT), and it is thought that insulin resistance (IR) and T2DM is associated with the inflammatory state of AT. Endothelial cells (ECs) mediate the migration of immune cells into underlying tissues during times of inflammation, including obesityand cardiovascular disease-associated inflammation. Cytokines and chemoattractants released from inflamed tissues promote EC activation. Upon activation, ECs increase the expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules (LCAMs) including intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin (E-sel) and P-selectin (P-sel). Increased expression of these LCAMs and increased infiltration of inflammatory cells such as macrophages, have been linked to IR, diabetes and atherosclerosis in obese individuals. Preliminary data from our lab suggests that lipolysis induced by the β-adrenergic receptor agonist CL 316,243 causes an increase in endothelial LCAM gene expression. In addition, histological analyses show increased content of immune cells within AT after the ECs become activated.
The Changing Geography of Russian/Soviet Naval Construction, 1890-1989

An article tracing the evolving spatial pattern of military shipbuilding during the late Tsarist and Soviet periods focuses on developments occurring within five 20-year periods from 1890 to 1989. Changing patterns of output are assessed within the context of natural site conditions and relative location of the shipyard, geopolitical developments in nearby foreign states, technological advances, proximity to markets and sites where necessary inputs are produced, locational intertia, and conditions of wartime mobilization and recovery. The situation in the industry following the disintegration of the USSR is examined as well. 5 maps, 35 references.
Political movements and violence in Central America

This book offers an in-depth analysis of the confrontation between popular movements and repressive regimes in Central America during the three decades beginning in 1960, particularly in El Salvador and Guatemala. Examining both urban and rural groups as well as both nonviolent social movements and revolutionary movements, this study has two primary theoretical objectives. First, to clarify the impact of state violence on contentious political movements. Under what conditions will escalating repression provoke challengers to even greater activity (perhaps even the use of violence themselves) and under what conditions will it intimidate them back into passivity? Second, to defend the utility of the political process model for studying contentious movements, indeed, finding in this model the key to resolving the repression-protest paradox. The study is based on the most thorough set of events data on contentious political activities collected from Latin American countries.
A management development model

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature of organizational commitment and the impact on executive's motivational level in providing job satisfaction within a learning organization.Design/methodology/approach – A management development model examines the relationship between the measurable constructs. The model explores the relationship between the executive's motivation level and their outcome with job satisfaction and organizational learning.Findings – The results indicate there is a goodness‐of‐fit for the research model. The path coefficients explained a significant amount of variation along with the identification that organizational commitment is a significant attribute in the management development model.Research limitations/implications – Limitations include the self‐report methodology that measures perceptual data with a series of questionnaire items.Originality/value – The study examines executive's perceptions and the significance of organizational commitment. Management ...
El abismo del ser y la indeterminación de los valores: Sartre y Ricoeur

El siguiente articulo es un primer intento de reconstruir las teorias de Sartre y Ricoeur en sus caracteristicas principales, asi como para compararlas y llegar a una serie de conclusiones con respecto a la recepcion de Ricoeur de Sartre. De esta manera, la tarea consiste en llenar el vacio existente en la investigacion contemporanea, ya que rara vez se ha examinado la teoria del valor de Sartre, mientras que la de Paul Ricoeur sigue siendo un punto ciego en el estudio de su obra; la recepcion de Ricoeur de Sartre ha sido discutida muy poco, aunque no en un contexto axiologico explicito. A diferencia de Francoise Dastur, el siguiente analisis demuestra que en Le volontaire et l’involontaire Ricoeur no simplemente se pone de lado de Marcel al argumentar en contra de Sastre, sino que tambien trato de mediar entre las posiciones de ambos pensadores. Por ultimo, el autor muestra que el concepto axiologico de Ricoeur, que surgio de este intercambio, se mantuvo parcialmente en sus ultimas obras precisamente en esa parte, la cual lo acerca mas a Sartre y lo aleja mas de Marcel.
Energy investments and environmental implications: Key policy issues in developing countries

Abstract Energy investments imply changes in the physical, social, and economic environment. Hence, both the short-term and the long-term costs and benefits of these investments must be taken into account. These changes may affect not only the immediate environment of the investment site but may extend geographically far beyond national borders as well as beyond the lifetimes of the people for whom the investments are intended. This paper reviews the issues relevant to developing countries. General conceptual and policies issues are discussed. Issues about the measurement of costs and benefits (including issues of ‘sustainability’ and the internalization of externalities resulting from environmental changes) as well as the role of opportunity costs in deciding a country's energy investment strategies are raised. The macroeconomic and institutional issues relevant to environmental impacts that might be incorporated in energy planning are suggested.
Bandwidth enhancements for the army network through laser

Current on-the-move network applications rely heavily on RF solutions to maintain mobility while providing adequate voice, video and data solutions. These applications demand the ability to quickly establish a network infrastructure and to be able to break down and move on when required. While existing RF technologies allow the user to remain mobile in the field, the future of on-the-move communications will demand a higher bandwidth than the current RF solutions can handle. This work explores the current efforts being made by the army in the exploration of laser communications as a solution for these high bandwidth applications.
Sequence-specific DNA primer effects on telomerase polymerization activity

The ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase synthesizes one strand of telomeric DNA by copying a template sequence within the RNA moiety of the enzyme. Kinetic studies of this polymerization reaction were used to analyze the mechanism and properties of the telomerase from Tetrahymena thermophila. This enzyme synthesizes TTGGGG repeats, the telomeric DNA sequence of this species, by elongating a DNA primer whose 3' end base pairs with the template-forming domain of the RNA. The enzyme was found to act nonprocessively with short (10- to 12-nucleotide) primers but to become processive as TTGGGG repeats were added. Variation of the 5' sequences of short primers with a common 3' end identified sequence-specific effects which are distinct from those involving base pairing of the 3' end of the primer with the RNA template and which can markedly induce enzyme activity by increasing the catalytic rate of the telomerase polymerization reaction. These results identify an additional mechanistic basis for telomere and DNA end recognition by telomerase in vivo.
Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease Involves a Cysteinyl Leukotriene-Driven IL-33-Mediated Mast Cell Activation Pathway

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), a severe eosinophilic inflammatory disorder of the airways, involves overproduction of cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs), activation of airway mast cells (MCs), and bronchoconstriction in response to nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitors that deplete homeostatic PGE2. The mechanistic basis for MC activation in this disorder is unknown. We now demonstrate that patients with AERD have markedly increased epithelial expression of the alarmin-like cytokine IL-33 in nasal polyps, as compared with polyps from aspirin-tolerant control subjects. The murine model of AERD, generated by dust mite priming of mice lacking microsomal PGE2 synthase (ptges(-/-) mice), shows a similar upregulation of IL-33 protein in the airway epithelium, along with marked eosinophilic bronchovascular inflammation. Deletion of leukotriene C4 synthase, the terminal enzyme needed to generate cysLTs, eliminates the increased IL-33 content of the ptges(-/-) lungs and sharply reduces pulmonary eosinophilia and basal secretion of MC products. Challenges of dust mite-primed ptges(-/-) mice with lysine aspirin induce IL-33-dependent MC activation and bronchoconstriction. Thus, IL-33 is a component of a cysLT-driven innate type 2 immune response that drives pathogenic MC activation and contributes substantially to AERD pathogenesis.
The CAT-exact data transfer to DDS-generated clock domains in a single-chip modular solution

Mixed-signal testing requires exact synchronization between digital and analog clock domains. A unique ASIC, the CAT, has been developed to automate the vector handoff for analog instrument control and synchronization, while producing arbitrary precision analog clocks.
Establishing χ2 Properties of Sums of Squares Using Induction

Abstract The between-classes sum of squares in a between- and within-classes analysis of variance has, under normality, a χ2 distribution. Although “substantial mathematical machinery” (Stigler 1984) is often used in classroom derivation of this distribution, it can be avoided by using induction and independence properties of standard normal variables. This is the derivation given here for unequal subclass numbers data. Independence of the between- and within-classes sums of squares is also shown.
Mode-locked laser as a combined radio-grequency and optical clock, stabilized to a reference cavity, and calibrated through coherent interaction with rubidium

The feasibility of ultrafast (10 THz) communication by time multiplexing using femtosecond pulses is discussed.Such a system calls for stable mode-locked sources in frequency and repetition rate, that can by synchronizedwith sub fs jitter. Preliminary experiments and theory show this goal to be achievable.Keywords: Ultrashort pulses, Ultra-fast communication, Atomic clock, stabilization, mode-locked lasers
Use of aminoglycosides in immunocompromised patients

Abstract For much of the last decade, combination therapy with aminoglycosides has been accepted as the therapeutic approach of choice in immunocompromised hosts. Improved clinical results have also correlated with the presence of synergistic interactions between the aminoglycoside and beta-lactam components of a regimen. Differences between the aminoglycosides and beta-lactam agents remain a subject of controversy. Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center suggest that amikacin interacts more frequently in a synergistic manner with beta-lactams than do alternative aminoglycosides. Amikacin has been used experimentally and (following licensure) without reservation at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center since 1973. Almost 100 blood isolates of both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae collected during the last 12 years have been retested, and no evidence of increased aminoglycoside resistance was found. A relatively new development is interest in empiric therapeutic regimens that employ two beta-lactam agents. In a large, recently completed study, less satisfactory results were observed in P. aeruginosa infections treated with the "double beta-lactam" than in those treated with the regimen containing amikacin; furthermore, nephrotoxicity and eighth nerve damage occurred no more commonly in the group receiving amikacin than in recipients of the double beta-lactam regimen.
Reversal of acute cellular rejection after renal transplantation with Campath-1H.

Between September 2002 and February 2004, 40 kidney transplant (27 from deceased and 13 from living donors) recipients (25 male and 15 female, aged 50.3 ± 15.1 years) were treated with Campath 1H (C 1H; 30 mg/dose IV) for biopsy-proven steroid-resistant rejection (SRR) or rejections equal to or worse than Banff 1B. All transplantations occurred between August 2001 and May 2003. All patients had received antibody preconditioning (RATG 5 mg/kg, n = 34; C 1H 60 mg, n = 4; C 1H 30 mg, n = 2) preoperatively and were treated with Tacrolimus monotherapy (target level 10 ng/ml) postoperatively and subsequent spaced weaning. Elevated creatinine levels at follow-up were evaluated by renal transplant biopsy. Rejection was treated with steroids, reversal of weaning, addition of sirolimus, and/or antibody treatment, depending on grade of rejection. The mean duration of follow-up was 453 ± 163 days after C 1H administration. Twenty-nine patients received C 1H for SRR and 11 patients for Banff 1B or worse rejections; 26 patients received more than 1 dose of C 1H. Graft survival was 62.5% (25 patients); 6 of the 15 allografts (40%) that failed had presented with rejections because of noncompliance. Graft survival in compliant patients with SRR or rejections equal to or worse than Banff 1B was 73.5% (25 of 34). Fourteen patients (35%) had infectious complications, of whom 2 patients (5%) died. C 1H is an effective agent for SRR and Banff 1B or worse rejections, with 95% patient survival and 73.5% graft survival (in compliant patients). The number of doses of 30 mg C 1H should be restricted to two, as there is a high incidence of potentially fatal infectious complications.
The physical web

Too often when we discuss "interaction" we think of it as a desktop vs tablet vs mobile issue. However, with the plummeting cost of both processing and connectivity, our understanding of a 'smart device' is rapidly changing. The challenge is that this new, amazing category of devices will blind side us, requiring entirely new ways of interacting. This talk will discuss the exploding new area of smart devices, how the Internet of things is a UX disaster, and how we are on the verge of an entirely new way of interacting with devices.
An alternative method for continuous line segment curve-fitting

In a recent paper, the writer described an algorithm for determining the best least squares fit of N + 1 continuous line segments to a curve g(x) in an interval (α, β). The method involved the solution of functional equations in which the functional was defined over a two-dimensional space. In this paper is formulated an alternative algorithm, using a different criterion function, that reduces to consideration of a functional of one variable. The criterion function gives the best least squares fit of (constant) slopes of line segments to the derivative g′(x) of the function g(x); this leads to a class of solutions, from which is selected that which minimizes the original criterion function. An analogy to control theory along lines recently pointed out by Aoki is discussed.
Chaperone–Mediated Gene Therapy with Recombinant AAV-PPCA in a New Mouse Model of Type I Sialidosis

The lysosomal storage disease sialidosis is caused by a primary deficiency of the sialidase N-acetyl-α-neuraminidase-1 (NEU1). Patients with type I sialidosis develop an attenuated, non-neuropathic form of the disease also named cherry red spot myoclonus syndrome, with symptoms arising during juvenile/ adult age. NEU1 requires binding to its chaperone, protective protein/cathepsin A (PPCA), for lysosomal compartmentalization, stability and catalytic activation. We have generated a new mouse model of type I sialidosis that ubiquitously expresses a NEU1 variant carrying a V54M amino acid substitution identified in an adult patient with type I sialidosis. Mutant mice developed signs of lysosomal disease after 1year of age, predominantly in the kidney, albeit low residual NEU1 activity was detected in most organs and cell types. We demonstrate that the activity of the mutant enzyme could be effectively increased in all systemic tissues by chaperone-mediated gene therapy with a liver-tropic recombinant AAV2/8 vector expressing PPCA. This resulted in clear amelioration of the disease phenotype. These results suggest that at least some of the NEU1 mutations associated with type I sialidosis may respond to PPCA-chaperone-mediated gene therapy.
Development of a high energy crowbar for the Los Alamos free electron laser

Abstract A 135 kV, 2.5 μs crowbar has been developed to protect the TH2095A klystrons used on the Los Alamos free electron laser. The klystron power supply consists of a 135 kV, 8.75 μF capacitor bank with a stored energy of approximately 80 kJ. The TH2095A specifications require that the dissipated energy in a klystron arc be limited to less than 10 J. The crowbar design is based upon a series stack of pressurized spark gaps immersed in an oil tank. The spark gaps are triggered by an SCR-switched high voltage trigger transformer. Input triggers are provided by current-monitoring transformers. The following currents are sensed for input triggers: total system current, integrated system current (long pulse sensing), cathode current, and modulator-anode current. Trigger levels are set to approximately 150% of nominal current levels. Unique features of this design are its modulator-anode trigger, noise immunity, and ability to print out the energy dissipated in the klystron arc. Typical operation of this system limits the energy dissipated in an arc to less than 2 J. This paper describes the original design requirements, mechanical layout and fabrication, main trigger circuit design, modulator-anode trigger design, noise immunity circuit, integrated energy monitor, diagnostics, and recent developments. Performance data are also included.