cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 3054: CD47 signaling regulates a DNA damage response pathway by suppressing the expression of Schlafen-11 (SLFN11)

Schlafen-11 (SLFN11) expression was recently shown to determine the sensitivity of human cancer cells to DNA damaging agents including topoisomerase inhibitors, DNA alkylating agents, and DNA synthesis inhibitors. High expression of SLFN11 in cancer cell lines results in increased sensitivity to these agents, whereas depletion of SLFN11 induces cellular protection. In addition, high expression of SHFN11 is associated with greater overall survival than low SLFN11 expression in ovarian patients treated with cisplatin. These observations suggest that SLFN11 may be an integral part of a critical DNA repair pathway. However, the pathways that regulate SLFN11 expression have not been reported. CD47 is an integrin-associated protein widely expressed on mammalian cells and frequently elevated in cancers. Its ligand, thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) induces CD47 signaling that regulates some growth factor receptors, cell fate, viability, and responses to cellular stresses such as radiation and chemotherapy. Our laboratory has previously shown that CD47 deficiency results in protection of nontransformed cells, whereas high CD47 expression sensitizes the same cells to ionizing radiation and DNA-damaging chemotherapy. We identified SLFN11 expression as a potential target of CD47 signaling by microarray analysis of a CD47-deficient mutant cell line and found that CD47 expression also correlates with that of SLFN11 in some human cancers. Thus, we sought to investigate the possible regulation of SLFN11 by CD47 by treating various cell lines with the function-modifying CD47 antibody B6H12 or its physiological ligands TSP1 and signal regulatory protein-α (SIRPα). qRT-PCR analysis revealed significant decreases in SLFN11 expression at 3 and 6 hours post-B6H12 treatment. Furthermore, treatment with TSP1 significantly decreased SHFN11 mRNA expression at the same time points, but SIRPα-Fc did not. Conversely, transient re-expression of CD47 in deficient cells elevated SLFN11 expression. These data demonstrate that pharmacological and physiological modulation of CD47 signaling acutely alters SLFN11 expression and suggests a potential mechanism by which CD47 modulates cellular sensitivity to DNA damaging chemotherapy agents. SLFN11 may in turn be a functional target and useful biomarker for the therapeutic CD47 antibodies currently in clinical trials. Citation Format: Anthony L. Schwartz, Sukhbir Kaur, Sai-Wen Tang, Yves Pommier, David D. Roberts. CD47 signaling regulates a DNA damage response pathway by suppressing the expression of Schlafen-11 (SLFN11). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3054.
Celiac Disease and Abnormal Pubertal Development

Celiac disease is a gluten dependent autoimmune enteropathy occurring in genetically susceptible individuals that may manifest as symptoms related to the gastrointestinal tract as well as other organ systems. It is of utmost importance that clinicians recognize that celiac disease may present with or feature abnormal puberty and reproductive dysfunction. Given the complexity of the disease, investigation and management of this autoimmune enteropathy should be done in concert with a gastroenterologist. Diagnosis is especially important given that adherence to a gluten-free diet in patients with celiac disease produces reversal of symptoms. In asymptomatic individuals, who constitute the largest number of cases, diagnosis and subsequent gluten-free diet can be preventative for many of the adverse effects of untreated conditions including certain malignancies.
A field relevance model for structured document retrieval

Many search applications involve documents with structure or fields. Since query terms often are related to specific structural components, mapping queries to fields and assigning weights to those fields is critical for retrieval effectiveness. Although several field-based retrieval models have been developed, there has not been a formal justification of field weighting.In this work, we aim to improve the field weighting for structured document retrieval. We first introduce the notion of field relevance as the generalization of field weights, and discuss how it can be estimated using relevant documents, which effectively implements relevance feedback for field weighting. We then propose a framework for estimating field relevance based on the combination of several sources. Evaluation on several structured document collections show that field weighting based on the suggested framework improves retrieval effectiveness significantly.
On the Structure of Translation Generalized Quadrangles

Abstract A technical restriction is given on the structure of a translation generalized quadrangle of order (s,t). Two corollaries are: if t is even then 2 s = t or t = s 2 ; the translation group is the full set of elations.
Yahoo's Acquisition of Tumblr

This case works well to provide experience with developing a revenue growth forecast using time series analysis. Students are asked to run several exponential smoothing models to predict the growth in a high-profile social network's traffic from three years of monthly history. The model students select is used to forecast a stream of future revenues in a pro forma cash flow statement. This case is supported by a teaching note, an Excel spreadsheet, a .csv file, and an R file. Excerpt UVA-QA-0818 Sept. 17, 2014 YAHOO'S ACQUISITION OF TUMBLR On May 20, 2013, Marissa Mayer, president and CEO of Yahoo! Inc. (Yahoo), announced Yahoo's $ 1.1billion acquisition of Tumblr on her Tumblr blog: I'm delighted to announce that we've reached an agreement to acquire Tumblr! We promise not to screw it up. Tumblr is incredibly special and has a great thing going. We will operate Tumblr independently. David Karp will remain CEO. The product roadmap, their team, their wit and irreverence will all remain the same as will their mission to empower creators to make their best work and get it in front of the audience they deserve. Yahoo! will help Tumblr get even better, faster. . . .
The Facial Nerve and Lateral Skull Base Disorders

Electroneuronography (evoked electromyography (EMG)) to test the facial nerve is not useful until 2–3 days after injury when Wallerian degeneration occurs. Necrotizing otitis externa can be diagnosed with a Technetium-99 scan looking for osteomyelitis, and gallium scans are used to follow the resolution of disease during treatment. Vestibular schwannomas histologically show Antoni A cells with parallel palisading nuclei and Antoni B cells with histologically less uniform appearances.
Reading Strategies and Academic Success: The Case of First-Semester College Males:

Research has shown that males often struggle with the demands of college, one of which involves comprehending academic texts. Many males, however, do understand course readings and are successful s...
Professional Identity Formation in a Liberal Israeli Rabbinical Seminary: Spiritual Transformers in the Learned Curriculum

ABSTRACTWe examined Israeli Reform rabbis' reflections on what components of their training most influenced the development of their rabbinical identity. Theoretical perspectives applied in planning the study and analyzing the data were: professional identity formation; pedagogies of training clergy; and taught vs. learned curriculum. We identified four common learning experiences as important in rabbinical identity formation: introspection; gaining ownership of classical texts; partner/group study; and teachers who were mentors/models. We argue that these ‘spiritual transformers’ express a search by the rabbinical students for a sense of connectedness, with themselves, with each other, and with the tradition and its bearers.
Computer Science at the Interdisciplinary/Interprofessional Education Crossroad: Informatics at Texas Woman's University (Abstract Only)

It is projected that over 51% of all STEM jobs will be in CS-related fields by 2018 (Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce Report). CS4All is the initiative to "empower a generation of American students with the computer science skills they need to thrive in a digital economy" (Computer Science for All, 2016). While embracing this initiative enthusiastically, the undergraduate computer science education community faces many challenges including the curriculum and program development to meet the non-CS major's background and retain their interests in computer science skills in their own degree program. One starting implementation point in the CS4All initiative is to broaden the awareness of computer science in other disciplines. Efforts such as CS+X focus on the joint majors/degree plans between CS and other humanities disciplines (Joint Majors: CS+X). At Texas Woman's University, the Mathematics and Computer Science department developed several new Informatics degree programs that were crafted to be interprofessional and interdisciplinary with a core of traditional computer science courses. In this poster, the authors describe the holistic design and development of those programs, the obstacles and challenges during the degree program approval process, the competency based education practice, and corresponding challenges observed on the traditional undergraduate CS program in the department.
Structural Violence: An Important Factor of Maternal Mortality Among Indigenous Women in Chiapas, Mexico

In Chiapas, Mexico’s poorest state, indigenous Maya women are twice more likely to die in childbirth than are nonindigenous women. To comply with international development goals and diminish Chiapas’ high maternal mortality rates, indigenous midwives are trained in detecting risk factors in pregnancy and birth, while women are encouraged to give birth in hospitals. This chapter analyzes the consequences of such policies, which might unintentionally exacerbate the structural violence indigenous women face in their lives. In Chiapas, 74.7% of the population lives in poverty and extreme poverty, compared to the national 43% rate. This extreme poverty, the lack of infrastructure, and engrained racism are all factors reproducing violence in the lives of poor women. In the state, the maternal mortality rate of women in reproductive age group has increased between 2010 and 2013 and that of indigenous women has almost doubled (1.7 times) over the same time period. Using an anthropological approach, this chapter examines the institutional and cultural changes in childbirth practices that are occurring in Highlands Chiapas and sheds a light on the structural factors that expose Mayan women to unsafe births, increasing the likelihood that they will suffer mistreatment in childbirth.
Validation of fluorouracil metabolite analysis in excised tumor. Lability of anabolites.

Rapid excision and freezing of tissue commonly is assumed to preserve the molecular composition of the tissue just prior to its removal from the host. We examined the lability of radiolabeled 5-fluorouracil (FUra) and its anabolites during excision and freeze-clamping in a rat tumor model. Acid-soluble metabolites were identified by HPLC. Two rats, each bearing multiple, subcutaneously-implanted colon tumors, were treated with eniluracil (an inactivator of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase) to prevent catabolism of FUra and then injected intravenously with [3H]FUra. After 2 hr, tumors were harvested sequentially and segmented. The tumor pieces were kept at room temperature for various times up to 4 min prior to freezing. These specimens showed a decrease (P < 0.01) in labeled nucleoside triphosphate content of 13 ± 2%/min and commensurate increases (P < 0.005) in labeled nucleoside monophosphates and nucleosides with increasing time-to-freeze. The amounts of labeled macromolecules, nucleoside diphosphates, and FUra each remained approximately constant. The study indicates that substantial errors may occur in measured tissue concentrations of pyrimidine nucleosides and nucleotides due to lability during tissue excision and freeze-clamping. Such errors can be corrected using data of the type obtained in this study.
Wall Growth Strategies for Gram-Negative Cells

The Gram-negative cell has a thinner murein wall than the Grampositive bacterium. It does have an envelope with four components: The cytoplasmic membrane, the monolayered murein wall, the periplasmic space, and the outer membrane. Each of these has many functions to perform. However, only the murein wall is strong enough to give the cell shape and resist turgor pressure. The foremost questions about the wall are: How thick is it? How metabolically stable are the sidewall and the poles? How elastic is it? How stretched is the murein in a growing cell?
Genomics and Systems Biology Analysis of Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142, a Unicellular, Diazotrophic Cyanobacterium with Robust Metabolic Rhythms

Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142, is a unicellular, diazotrophic cyanobacterium with a versatile metabolism and pronounced diurnal rhythms. When grown under 12 h lightdark (LD) periods, it performs photosynthesis during the day and N2 fixation and respiration at night, with carbohydrate and amino acids compartmentalized in granules in the light and dark, respectively. This strain also grows very well heterotrophically (on glycerol) and can fix N2 when grown under continuous light conditions. The excellent synchrony of a culture under LD diazotrophic conditions permits analysis of cellular morphology, mRNA levels, proteomics and metabolomics as a function of time. For this reason, Cyanothece is the target organism for a Membrane Biology Grand Challenge through DOE and the Pacific Northwest National Labs (PNNL).
Non-Electric Applications of the Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Concept

AbstractElectrical energy is not the only commercial product that can be produced by the fusion of light elements. The reaction products from many fusion fuels can be used to provide products that can be of a near-term benefit to society well before practical fusion power plants are a reality. The use of fusion products (neutrons and protons) in Homeland Security applications to detect clandestine materials or the production of short half life Positron Emission Tomography isotopes for medical diagnostics of abnormalities (e.g. cancers) in the human body are but a few of the near term examples of the near term use of fusion energy. This paper shows how one of the many ways to promote fusion, namely the use of the Inertial Electrostatic Confinement concept, is uniquely suited to this task worldwide.
Modeling Concurrent Functionality

This chapter presents a set of built-in operators that will allow logic to be modeled within the VHDL architecture. This chapter then presents a series of combinational logic model examples.
Nonadiabatic Investigation of the Electronic Spectroscopy of trans-1,3-Butadiene

Low-lying UV spectroscopy of trans-1,3-butadiene has been extensively studied by experimentalists and theorists. Though a host of techniques has been applied to understand its lowest electronic states, there are still important open questions. Among these are the positions of the two lowest valence excited states and the factors responsible for the spectral shape of the lowest allowed transitions. We present results from EOM-CC calculations in extended basis sets that are used to parametrize a three-electronic-state Koppel, Domcke, and Cederbaum (KDC) model. We test the sensitivity of the KDC model to a variety of parameters and address several outstanding questions regarding the spectrum. We find that the overall shape of the spectrum is determined primarily by the Franck–Condon envelope of the 11Bu state and that the princple impact of the doubly excited 21Ag state is to broaden the 11Bu peaks. There is only modest sensitivity to the relative position of these two states. We find that the lowest Rydberg...
Decrease in LDL-C is associated with decrease in all components of noncalcified plaque on coronary CTA

Abstract Background and aims LDL-C reduction has been associated with a decrease in noncalcified plaque (NCP) by serial quantitative coronary CT angiography (CTA). We evaluated the effect of LDL-C reduction on specific components of noncalcified plaque (NCP). Methods We analyzed 154 patients undergoing serial CTAs (118 men, 60 ± 10 years, interval 4 ± 2 years) with baseline LDL-C≥70 mg/dl. Semi-automated software was used for quantifying plaque components based on CT attenuation in Hounsfield units (HU): 30-75, low attenuation plaque (LAP); 76–130, medium-low attenuation plaque (MLAP); 131–350, medium attenuation plaque (MAP); >350, calcified plaque (CP). Decrease in LDL-C was defined as a reduction >10% of baseline LDL-C. Plaque volume changes were compared between patients with (n = 85) and without (n = 69) LDL-C decrease. Results There was interval reduction in total plaque, LAP, MLAP, and MAP volumes in patients with LDL-C decrease vs. patients without LDL-C decrease before and after adjusting for differences between the two groups (all p ≤ 0.001). An increase in CP volume occurred in both groups (p = 0.42). Conclusions Decrease in LDL-C was associated with reduction in all components of NCP measured by quantitative CTA. Change in total NCP volume may be the optimal measurement for assessing changes over time of coronary plaque on CTA.
The Relationship Between Chief Risk Officer Expertise, ERM Quality, and Firm Performance:

Financial volatility and the most recent financial crisis turned the spotlight on enterprise risk management (ERM), yet, high-quality ERM is difficult to define and in many ways, poorly understood....
THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE N2O4 SPECTRUM

Abstract Results from recent investigations of the infrared and Raman spectra of N 2 O 4 in the liquid and solid phases at low temperatures are presented and discussed. An assignment of the fundamental modes is made and with this the heat capacities of the solid from 20 to 262°K (the melting point) and the entropy of the solid at the m. p. have been calculated. These calculations agree well with the experimental values. A normal coordinate calculation using a modified valence force field has been attempted and these results are discussed.
Depressive symptoms associated with physical health problems in midlife women: A longitudinal study

Abstract Background : It is unclear if the relationship between depression and physical health problems in women is related to age, reproductive stage, obesity or socio-demographic risk factors. Methods Longitudinal data were obtained every 6 months for 36 months in 264 midlife African American, Caucasian and Latina women who began the study as healthy regularly menstruating 40 to 50-year-olds; 75 transitioned to peri- or post-menopause by 36 months. Scores of 16 or higher on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale were used to estimate depression risk. Results Depression risk was 28% at study initiation and 25% at 36 months. Significantly more women at risk for depression were unemployed, obese, or hypertensive. Women at risk were more likely to become peri- or post-menopausal during the study period. A higher percentage (38%) of overweight and obese women had CES-D scores ≥ 16 compared to normal weight women (23%; p Limitations This was a secondary analysis of data from a relatively healthy sample of women in the decade before menopause. Chronic illness was self-reported and the CES-D is a screening tool for depressive symptoms rather than a clinical diagnostic tool. Conclusions Health care providers may be underestimating the impact of unemployment on depressive symptoms, obesity and chronic health problems in midlife women.
Changing trends in the management of proximal humerus fractures in New York State.

Abstract Purpose Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) as an alternative to hemiarthroplasty (HA) as treatment for proximal humerus fractures has prompted a re-evaluation of utilization trends. Methods Operative treatment for proximal humeral fractures were analyzed using a New York State database. Results After introduction as an ICD-9 code, RSA increased to 39.3% (m = +5.2%/year, r = 0.984). When stratifying by age ≥65, HA decreased to 7.7% (m = −2.8%/year, r = 0.962) while RSA increased to 50.6% (m = +6.4%/year, r = 0.985). Conclusion RSA overtook HA as the arthroplasty procedure of choice for proximal humerus fractures. In patients ≥65, RSA passed ORIF as the most prevalent procedure in 2017. Level of evidence III, Descriptive Epidemiology Study, Large Database Analysis.
A Reproducible Trigger for the Measurement of Trigeminal Latencies Elicited by a Glabellar Tap1

In order to develop a screening test of trigeminal latencies which could be used in the field, a stimulator which delivered a “tap“ consisting of a focused puff of air to the glabella was compared with a tap delivered by means of a lightweight hammer with a piezoelectric trigger similar to that described by Shahani (Shahani and Young, 1972, Neurology 22, 149–154). Results were similar for both methods although the mechanical tap failed to elicit a response from the left side in one subject. The benefit of the air tap is in the reproducible force of the tap and better aim than is possible with the hammer. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.
Current status of solid-state single crystal growth

Fabrication of single crystals has long been limited to melt- and solution-growth techniques. However, in recent years solid-state single crystal growth (SSCG) has appeared as a promising alternative to the conventional techniques due to its cost-effectiveness and simplicity in terms of processing. Moreover, the SSCG technique has enabled the fabrication of single crystals with complex chemical compositions and even incongruent melting behavior. A recently proposed mechanism of grain boundary migration known as the “mixed control mechanism” and the associated principles of microstructural evolution represent the basis of the SSCG technique. The mixed control mechanism has been successfully used to control the key aspects of the SSCG technique, which are the grain growth and the development of the microstructure during the conversion process of the single crystal from the polycrystalline matrix. This paper explains in brief basis of the mixed control mechanism and the underlying principles of microstructural evolution in polycrystalline materials and provides a comprehensive overview of the most recent research on single crystal materials fabricated via the solid-state single crystal growth technique and their properties.
Constructing Temporal Equivalence Partitionings for Keyword Sets

Identifying keyword associations from text and search sources is often used to facilitate many tasks such as understanding relationships among concepts, extracting relevant documents, matching advertisements to web pages, expanding user queries, etc. However, these keyword associations change continually change with time. In this paper, the authors define an equivalence relationship among keywords and develop methods to construct a temporal view of the equivalence relationship by constructing optimal temporal equivalence partitionings for keyword sets. They describe efficient algorithms to construct an optimal temporal equivalence partitioning for a keyword pair. They use the fact that the equivalence relationship is transitive to extend these algorithms to obtain an optimal temporal equivalence partitioning for a larger set of keywords. The authors show the effectiveness of the approach by constructing the temporal equivalence partitionings of several sets of keywords from the Multi-Domain Sentiment data set and the ICWS2009 Spinn3r data set.
Output-Weighted Sampling for Multi-Armed Bandits with Extreme Payoffs.

We present a new type of acquisition functions for online decision making in multi-armed and contextual bandit problems with extreme payoffs. Specifically, we model the payoff function as a Gaussian process and formulate a novel type of upper confidence bound (UCB) acquisition function that guides exploration towards the bandits that are deemed most relevant according to the variability of the observed rewards. This is achieved by computing a tractable likelihood ratio that quantifies the importance of the output relative to the inputs and essentially acts as an \textit{attention mechanism} that promotes exploration of extreme rewards. We demonstrate the benefits of the proposed methodology across several synthetic benchmarks, as well as a realistic example involving noisy sensor network data. Finally, we provide a JAX library for efficient bandit optimization using Gaussian processes.
Dermatology Residency Applicants’ Concerns Due to COVID-19

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused substantial disruptions to medical education. We hypothesized that these disruptions may affect students applying to competitive residencies such as dermatology. Methods: A 24-question IRB-exempt, online, anonymous survey was distributed to 240 eligible medical students via social media to assess dermatology residency applicants’ concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to collect student-proposed solutions to assist with the virtual application cycle. Eligibility consisted of US MD students applying to dermatology residency in the 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 application cycles. Statistical significance was calculated using the Chi-squared procedure, T-test/ANOVA, Mann Whitney test, and Kruskil Wallis tests with post-hoc Tukey and Mann Whitney tests. Results: Of 240 eligible students, 77 students attempted the survey whereas 69 students completed it (response rate 32%, completion rate 89%). Salient findings include students without home dermatology departments (WHD; n=24) who demonstrated concerns about research project changes (p=0.00). Students under-represented in medicine (UIM; n=34) concerned about lack of in-person interviews (p=0.00; p=0.04). MS3 (n=14), concerned about test cost (p=0.00), and effect on test scores because of COVID-19 (p=0.03). WHD and UIM applicants showed concerns about changes in clinical experiences (p=0.03, p= 0.03, respectively). Lastly, WHD, UIM and MS3 expressed concerns about obtaining quality recommendation letters (p=0.00, p=0.04, and p=0.03, respectively). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the various concerns shared by dermatology residency applicants because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The suggested solutions offered by participants in our study can be used to improve processes for candidates in the 2021-2022 residency application cycle.
Diverse patient trajectories during cytotoxic chemotherapy: Capturing longitudinal patient-reported outcomes

Background High-value cancer care balances effective treatment with preservation of quality of life. Chemotherapy is known to affect patients' physical and psychological well-being negatively. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide a means to monitor declines in a patients' well-being during treatment. Methods We identified 741 oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy in our electronic health record (EHR) system who completed Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys during treatment at a comprehensive cancer center, 2013-2018. PROMIS surveys were collected before, during, and after chemotherapy treatment. Linear mixed-effects models were performed to identify predictors of physical and mental health scores over time. A k-mean cluster analysis was used to group patient PROMIS score trajectories. Results Mean global physical health (GPH) scores were 48.7 (SD 9.3), 47.7 (8.8), and 48.6 (8.9) and global mental health (GMH) scores were 50.4 (8.6), 49.5 (8.8), and 50.6 (9.1) before, during, and after chemotherapy, respectively. Asian race, Hispanic ethnicity, public insurance, anxiety/depression, stage III cancer, and palliative care were predictors of GPH and GMH decline. The treatment time period was also a predictor of both GPH and GMH decline relative to pre-treatment. Trajectory clustering identified four distinct PRO clusters associated with chemotherapy treatment. Conclusions Patient-reported outcomes are increasingly used to help monitor cancer treatment and are now a part of care reimbursement. This study leveraged routinely collected PROMIS surveys linked to EHRs to identify novel patient trajectories of physical and mental well-being in oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy and potential predictors. Supportive care interventions in high-risk populations identified by our study may optimize resource deployment. Novelty and impact This study leveraged routinely collected patient-reported outcome (PROMIS) surveys linked to electronic health records to characterize oncology patients' quality of life during chemotherapy. Important clinical and demographic predictors of declines in quality of life were identified and four novel trajectories to guide personalized interventions and support. This work highlights the utility of monitoring patient-reported outcomes not only before and after, but during chemotherapy to help advert adverse patient outcomes and improve treatment adherence.
Assessing the Value of Cooperative Membership: A Case of Dairy Marketing in the United States

The existence of cooperative organizations in today’s business environment, particularly in agriculture, signals their continued ability to provide value to their member owners. However, due largely to data limitations, we know very little about the monetary value of cooperative ownership held by members and how that value may change across members of differing characteristics. Through a discrete choice experiment with more than 200 dairy farmers in the United States we examine this issue explicitly for dairy marketing cooperatives that purchase their members’ milk and process it into finished dairy products. Results suggest that dairy farmers, on aggregate, are willing to accept lower per hundredweight compensation, 2.3% of the average milk price, to be cooperative members relative to selling to independent handlers. Estimated partworth utilities also suggest dairy farmers actively consider the industry wide impacts within pricing offers on preferences for other milk pricing attributes. Finally, the inclusion of demographic covariates in our modeling highlights trends important to understanding heterogeneous member interests across U.S. dairy farmers and informing improved cooperative governance strategies and decision making to address them.
Seeing Through the FOG: A Classroom Exercise Illustrating the Challenges of Sharing Information as Facts, Opinions, and Guesses in Teams:

Information sharing is a critical aspect of effective team functioning. However, it can be challenging to discern whether the information communicated is fact, opinion, or someone’s best guess (FOG...
Interleukin-6 Signaling Mediates Cartilage Degradation and Pain in Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) and post-traumatic OA (PTOA) are prevalent joint disorders and leading causes of chronic pain. The disease pathology of OA/PTOA is caused by imbalanced catabolic and anabolic responses and pro-inflammatory changes; however, their connection to pain is not well studied. Since IL-6 is involved in cartilage degradation and conditions of inflammatory pain, we set out to identify whether IL-6 and IL-6 signaling mechanisms contribute to both PTOA-associated cartilage degradation and pain. We performed a modified destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery, a model of PTOA, on conventional IL-6 KO and control mice and assessed both cartilage degradation and pain-associated phenotypes. Genetic removal of Il6 in males attenuates PTOA-associated cartilage catabolism, decreases innervation of soft tissues associated with the knee joint, and reduces nociceptive pain signaling, without improving subchondral bone sclerosis or chondrocyte apoptosis. We further demonstrate that specific downstream mediators of IL-6 signaling, the Janus kinases (JAKs), are critical in regulating both cartilage catabolism and pain signaling. We identified STAT3 as a key regulator of cartilage catabolism downstream of JAK; however, inhibition of STAT3 decreases cartilage anabolism while enhancing pain signals. ERK was found to be important for neurite outgrowth and pain signaling; however, inhibition of ERK was less effective in reducing cartilage catabolism. Therefore, our data demonstrate that IL-6 mediates both PTOA-associated cartilage degradation and pain, and provides critical details regarding the downstream mediators of IL-6 signaling as therapeutic targets for disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs. Single Sentence Summary IL-6 mediates PTOA-associated cartilage degradation and pain via specific downstream signaling mechanisms in a gender specific manner.
All the Mathematics You Missed: But Need to Know for Graduate School

Few beginning graduate students in mathematics and other quantitative subjects possess the daunting breadth of mathematical knowledge expected of them when they begin their studies. This book will offer students a broad outline of essential mathematics and will help to fill in the gaps in their knowledge. The author explains the basic points and a few key results of all the most important undergraduate topics in mathematics, emphasizing the intuitions behind the subject. The topics include linear algebra, vector calculus, differential and analytical geometry, real analysis, point-set topology, probability, complex analysis, set theory, algorithms, and more. An annotated bibliography offers a guide to further reading and to more rigorous foundations.
A Greener Revolution: Using the Right to Food as a Political Weapon Against Climate Change

This paper discusses the use of human rights, specifically the right to food, as tools for political leverage to encourage states to act on climate change. The right to food is especially appropriate because of the direct impacts it suffers from climate change; as the climate shifts, much scientific research suggests that food production will incur certain deleterious effects. Yet, as the example of India shows, the right to food has been difficult to adjudicate in the past. Indeed, despite favorable caselaw from India's Supreme Court, and despite an intensive Court-run program designed to force Indian states to distribute food according to the welfare schemes in place, little progress has been made. This is due in part to the unwillingness or inability of the political branches of government to ensure food security to certain segments of the population. At the same time, Brazil has shown a marked improvement in the implementation of the right to food; it has done so well, in fact, that the FAO has held up Brazil as a model for other states. Much of Brazil's success on the right to food comes from the fact that the program is almost entirely political, rather than judicial. Indeed, buy-in from the political branches of government is arguably the essential component of a successful program to ensure less-justiciable rights like the right to food. For that reason, I suggest that the connection between climate change and the right to food be used by domestic and international activists to increase political pressure on the governments of large, greenhouse-gas-producing states, in an effort to make some of the costs of inaction visible to politicians through the ballot box and the media. Such campaigns are not perfect, and they should not be used to the exclusion of court-focused activism; they should, however, be the backbone of a comprehensive assault on the political status quo regarding climate change.
An Antibody Paradox, Resolved

The immune effect of a cytokine bound to an antibody is paradoxically much stronger than that of the cytokine alone, suggesting a way to lower therapeutic doses and thereby reduce side effects.
Decreased activity of the antioxidant heme oxygenase enzyme: implications in ischemia and in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Heme oxygenase (HO) is the rate-limiting enzyme for the degradation of heme, a prooxidant, coming from a multitude of heme-containing proteins/enzymes. With the action of cytochrome P 450 reductase, HO cleaves the heme ring into biliverdin which is converted into bilirubin, both have been shown to have intrinsic radical scavenger activities. Iron is also released from the heme core and in its free form can act as a catalyst for oxidative stress damage or can be sequested by several iron-binding proteins. Under physiological conditions, the newly generated iron can be neutralized within the cell. The third product of the opening of the porphyrin ring is carbon monoxide, which role has been puzzling. It has been reported as a potential neuromodulator, it modulates guanylate cyclase activity and has vasodilation, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. In the brain, HO2 accounts for the vast majority of HO activity. By decreasing HO2 activity, one would expect more neuronal damage after oxidative stress injury with possible direct implications to acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders. Pharmacological ways to increase neuronal HO activity is likely to have therapeutic applications.
Immunopathogenesis of HIV Infection

We examined the in vitro effects of ethyl alcohol and a recombinant HIV-1, fusion peptide, env-gag, corresponding to portions of the gp-41 envelope (env) and internal core (gag) proteins on the natural killer (NK) cell activities of lymphocytes from healthy donors. Preculture of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) from normal donors with 0.3% alcohol for 72 hr significantly inhibited NK activity compared to untreated controls. Direct addition, without preculture, of alcohol (0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3%) and env-gag peptide (10 ng/ml) at concentrations which did not affect NK activity when either was added alone, produced a significant, synergistic, inhibitory effect on NK activity when added together. This synergis­tic effect of alcohol and HIV-derived soluble products is consistent with a model proposing that alcohol abuse may be a co-factor involved in the progression of HIV infections.
In Situ Raman evidence for a barium solid state phase that is active in nitric oxide decomposition: influence of preparation parameters

Barium on MgO and CaO and, to a lesser extent, pure barium are effective catalyst for NO decomposition. A very distinct catalytic activity is observed on MgO and CaO, depending on the barium loading. Identical Ba loadings on amphoteric Al2O3 or basic La2O3 with comparable specific surface areas give inactive materials. Barium loadings on MgO and CaO, exceeding 12 mol%, and pure BaO, result in an unusual steady-state behavior. The N2 formation rate goes through a sharp maximum. This behavior is not observed for comparable Ba loadings on Al2O3 or La2O3 or barium loadings below 12 mol% on MgO and CaO. The exact temperature, at which the maximum conversion occurs, depends on the NO concentration: it increases with increasing NO pressure from 630 °C in 1% NO/He to 700°C in 4% NO/He over 14 mol% Ba/MgO. The rate of reaction also undergoes an unusual transient effect with respect to changes in the NO partial pressure. In situ Raman spectroscopic characterization of 14 mol% Ba/MgO, Ba/CaO and pure BaO shows the presence of a coordinatively bound nitro species (Ba-NO2) on the catalyst. Its Raman intensity varies on the same time scale as the rate of N2 formation. This strong temporal correlation of the Raman intensity variation and the N2 formation rate suggests that the Ba- nitro species plays an active role as an intermediate in the catalytic reaction. The Raman intensity variations of ionic Ba(NO3)2 and nitrito species (Ba-ONO) do not correlate with the changes in NO conversion. These species, therefore, are considered to play no active role in the catalytic reaction. At the critical temperature, at which the sharp decrease in catalytic activity is observed, the Raman bands of all three species exhibit a sharp decrease in intensity and the spectrum of BaO is detected. Therefore, the sharp reduction in catalytic activity is related to a type of phase transition, which only can occur within Ba particles of considerable size. This active Ba-nitro species and the related phase transitions could not be detected in Ba/ Al2O3 and Ba/ La2O3 materials, despite comparable specific surface areas. The importance of support specific surface area and support basicity/acidity, thus, can be excluded for catalytic activity. The support structure, therefore, is suggested to play an important role in the development of active NO decomposition catalysts.
Top Ten Interaction Challenges in Extreme-Scale Visual Analytics

The chapter presents ten selected user interface and interaction challenges in extreme-scale visual analytics. The study of visual analytics is often referred to as “the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces” in the literature. The discussion focuses on applying visual analytics technologies to extreme-scale scientific and non-scientific data ranging from petabyte to exabyte in sizes. The ten challenges are: in situ interactive analysis, user-driven data reduction, scalability and multi-level hierarchy, representation of evidence and uncertainty, heterogeneous data fusion, data summarization and triage for interactive query, analytics of temporally evolving features, the human bottleneck, design and engineering development, and the Renaissance of conventional wisdom. The discussion addresses concerns that arise from the different areas of hardware, software, computation, algorithms, and human factors. The chapter also evaluates the likelihood of success in meeting these challenges in the near future.
Malaria drug resistance: new observations and developments

Drug-resistant micro-organisms became widespread in the 20th Century, often with devastating consequences, in response to widespread use of natural and synthetic drugs against infectious diseases. Antimalarial resistance provides one of the earliest examples, following the introduction of new medicines that filled important needs for prophylaxis and treatment around the globe. In the present chapter, we offer a brief synopsis of major antimalarial developments from two natural remedies, the qinghaosu and cinchona bark infusions, and of synthetic drugs inspired by the active components of these remedies. We review some contributions that early efficacy studies of antimalarial treatment brought to clinical pharmacology, including convincing documentation of atebrine-resistant malaria in the 1940s, prior to the launching of what soon became first-choice antimalarials, chloroquine and amodiaquine. Finally, we discuss some new observations on the molecular genetics of drug resistance, including delayed parasite clearances that have been increasingly observed in response to artemisinin derivatives in regions of South-East Asia.
Preservation of Libraries and Archives

The deterioration of books and other paper-based records is discussed. Reasons are given why machine made papers generally deteriorate more readily than earlier hand made papers. While bleaching methods have improved in regard to paper permanence, sizing continues to be a problem. The isolation of cellulose from wood launched the paper industry. Cheaper paper, made largely from groundwood pulp, is weak and deteriorates rapidly. Various accelerated ageing experiments are discussed. The damage caused by acidic additives and oxidized cellulose additives is described, as is that caused by air pollution, ozone and light. The stability of various inks is discussed. Leather is also plagued by acid from within and poor storage conditions. The control of environment for storage, use and exhibit is most important in paper preservation. Different deacidification methods are discussed as are various methods for reinforcing brittle paper, including lamination and encapsulation. Several methods of making copies of documents for use are described.
Bilingual and Proud of It: College-Bound Latinos/as and the Role of Interpreting in Their Success.

With a focus on bilingual students’ sociocultural learning and cultural assets, the current study presents in-depth interview data from five bilingual Latino/a graduating seniors at a public high school in California. All five participants come from immigrant families and are first-generation college-bound students. Their voices speak to the role of bilingualism in their lives, its presence in many different cultural contexts, and its impact on their academic success. Results are discussed in relation to the importance of recognizing bilingual youths’ cultural and linguistic assets at school and disseminating research that documents their successes.
Quantum-noise randomized data encryption for wavelength-division-multiplexed fiber-optic networks

We demonstrate high-rate randomized data-encryption through optical fibers using the inherent quantum-measurement noise of coherent states of light. Specifically, we demonstrate $650\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Mbit}∕\mathrm{s}$ data encryption through a $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Gbit}∕\mathrm{s}$ data-bearing, in-line amplified 200-km-long line. In our protocol, legitimate users (who share a short secret key) communicate using an $M$-ry signal set while an attacker (who does not share the secret key) is forced to contend with the fundamental and irreducible quantum-measurement noise of coherent states. Implementations of our protocol using both polarization-encoded signal sets as well as polarization-insensitive phase-keyed signal sets are experimentally and theoretically evaluated. Different from the performance criteria for the cryptographic objective of key generation (quantum key-generation), one possible set of performance criteria for the cryptographic objective of data encryption is established and carefully considered.
Community Colleges: The Preferred Provider of Career and Technology Education and Training

Community colleges are recognized by business and industry as the prime provider of career and technology education. This recognition has been earned by the strong links formed between these entities and the responsiveness of community/junior colleges to workforce needs. An important consideration in maintaining this preferred provider status is the recent emphasis on the development and adoption of industry validated skill standards and the strengthening of partnerships between educational institutions and industry. Collaborative efforts between education and industry stakeholders–facilitated by established skill standards organizations–strive to assure quality workforce development. Such efforts guide and promote the development, validation, and voluntary adoption of critical standards as a model for workforce training and development programs in community/junior colleges.
Loose parts signal theory

Abstract A loose parts signal model was developed using Hertz impact theory and equations for plate wave propagation, accelerometer response, and signal filtering. The detected signal frequency content, amplitude, and dispersion were calculated for impacts representative of loose part size and energy on typical reactor structures. Effects of accelerometer mounting, component dimensions, multiple path transmission, and filtering were investigated. The results of this study provide insight to loose part signal properties and methods for more quantitative monitoring and diagnostics.