cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implications of agent-based supply chain games

The increased prevalence of network-enabled supply chains and out-sourcing of business processes suggests a stronger role for simulation tools, such as multi-agent systems, in supply chain management. We report on a new supply chain management game in the 2003 Trading Agent Competition and the design and experiences of our agent, PSUTAC. We discuss how using a shared mental model approach can help SCM designers address the role of information flow in an uncertain market environment. We conclude with a discussion about future implications to SCM of such trading agent simulations.
Hyperammonemia in zinc deficiency: activities of urea cycle related enzymes

Abstract An increase in plasma ammonia (NH+4) and a decrease in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) have been reported in zinc deficient animals and human subjects. These observations have prompted us to study the effect of dietary zinc deficiency on the activities of the urea cycle related enzymes in experimental animals. In this study, male rats were randomized into zinc deficient (ZD) and pair-fed (PF) control groups. Dietary zinc levels were 1.5 ppm for ZD and 100 ppm for PF groups. Twelve rats from each group were sacrificed after 4 weeks of dietary treatment. Zinc was measured in plasma, tibia, liver, muscle and brain. We assayed the activities of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and carbamoyl phosphate synthetase-1 (CPS) in the liver. Glutamine synthetase (G1nS) was assayed in liver, muscle and brain. Plasma-NH+4 and BUN were also assayed in experimental groups. Our results showed a significant increase in the activities GDH (p
Abortion and ulcerative posthitis associated with caprine herpesvirus-1 infection in goats in California

Three outbreaks of late-gestation abortions in does and ulcerative posthitis in bucks, associated with caprine herpes virus-1 (CHV-1), in California are described. In herd A, 10 of 17 does aborted in a 7-day period, whereas in herd B, 4 of 130 does aborted in a 45-day period and in herd C, 100 of 300 does aborted in a 3-week period. Most fetuses had multifocal pinpoint depressed foci with a zone of hyperemia on external and cut surfaces of the kidneys, liver, lungs, and adrenal glands. Histologically, scattered multifocal areas of necrosis with mild neutrophilic infiltrate were observed in kidneys, brain, liver, adrenal glands, and lungs of most fetuses of the 3 herds. Large amphophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies, which displaced the chromatin, were observed in cells within and around the necrotic foci in kidneys and adrenal glands. Particles 85-113 nm in size with morphology compatible with herpes virus were observed in the nuclei of these cells when examined by electron microscopy. Irregular, shallow, red ulcers were observed in the prepuce of 1 buck from herd C. Prepuce biopsies from this animal had necrosis of the superficial mucosal epithelium and severe submucosal lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates. Large intranuclear amphophilic inclusion bodies were observed in most cells of the stratum spinosum of the preputial epithelium, but no viral particles were observed in these cells. Caprine herpes virus-1 was isolated from tissue pools of fetuses from the 3 herds but not from prepuce biopsies. Positive results were obtained when tissues of a fetus from herd C were processed by a polymerase chain reaction technique to amplify the amino terminus of the glycoprotein C gene of CHV-1. Sera from aborted does from herds B and C and from the 3 bucks from herd C had high antibody titers to CHV-1. The results presented here support the hypothesis that the male goat is involved in the transmission of CHV-1. However, other forms of transmission cannot be ruled out.
Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Published data confirm that community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are increasing in incidence in both urban and rural settings. The statistical risk is higher for athletes, military personnel, prison inmates, intravenous drug abusers, the homeless, children in daycare, and certain Native American groups, but the infections are by no means restricted to these populations. Roughly 85% of the infections involve the skin and subcutaneous tissue, with the most common presentations being an abscess or folliculitis. The typical associated gene cassette is quite small and codes only for methicillin resistance. Abscesses generally respond to drainage. Learning objective At the conclusion of this learning activity, participants should recognize groups at high risk for community-acquired MSRA infections and manage these infections appropriately.
The California Climate Action Registry

Summary form only given. California has passed legislation, Senate Bills 1771 and 527, that establish a voluntary State Climate Action Registry (Registry). The Registry has already been set up as a nonprofit corporation, the first Board appointed by the Governor, and a timetable for implementing the program outlined. The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is working to develop supporting data and methods that can be used at the option of the Board for attaching greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions to historic patterns of customer energy usage. Energy consumers can voluntarily participate in the Registry by providing details of their energy usage, and a carbon burden can be attached to this energy consumption in a manner officially approved by the State. If customers are able to show reductions in energy use or improved energy efficiency of their operations, a credit has been effectively established that could subsequently be potentially counted against future carbon emission reduction requirements or as a tradable credit. The baseline year for emissions is the Kyoto base year, 1990, and all GHG are covered by the legislation. However, this presentation focuses on the electricity consumption, and the most important GHG emission from the power sector is, of course, carbon. Establishing a carbon equivalence for historical electricity consumption presents many difficult challenges that are well known to power engineers.
21st Century Corporate Board

Partial table of contents: GENERAL MOTORS: THE BOARD BLUEPRINT. Roger Smith Loses Some Important Friends. "The Market Will Save Us." John Smale Wants Answers. Corporate Planks and "Lesser Commonwealths." Exit the Owners, Enter the Managers. The Walnut-Paneled Wonderland. Delaware Gives the Board a Break. A Sleeping Giant Is Still a Giant. A Flowering in the Boardroom. Big Blues, and How to Keep Your Job. TOWARD THE 21st CENTURY CORPORATE BOARD. Board Revolution: This Time We Mean It. New Board Needs, New Board Talents. Replacing Old Joe. New Committees for a New Century. The Chair/CEO: How We Achieved Oneness. Boards Without Borders. Directors Discover Serious Money. A New Era in Suing the Board. Why the Commission Now Thinks Your Board Matters. How Many "Stakeholders" Can Dance on the Head of a Pin? The 21st Century Board: Sorting Out the Trends.
Pharmacogenomics of Bortezomib in Multiple Myeloma Patients Reveals that the Ubiquitin Ligase SCF-Skp2 Promotes Drug Resistance

Abstract The ability to couple cancer patients with genetically-targeted therapeutic strategies remains a major challenge due to the heterogeneous and evolvable nature of individual tumors. This is particularly true of the molecularly diverse and complex disease multiple myeloma (MM). Clinical efficacy of the proteasome inhibitor (PI) Bortezomib (VelcadeTM) established the Ub+proteasome system (UPS) as a key target in MM. While the therapeutic benefit of PIs in MM remains unchallenged, many patients do not respond to therapy and drug resistance develops nearly uniformly. Despite marked therapeutic advances for most patients with MM, outcomes remain poor for 15% to 20% of patients presenting with high-risk disease defined by host-related and tumor-related factors and expert guidelines recommend enrollment in a clinical trial for the majority of patients who will ultimately fail approved therapies.The Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein (SCF) ubiquitin ligase SCFSkp2 promotes ubiquitination and degradation of the cell-cycle inhibitor p27. Increased SKP2 expression and reduced p27 levels are frequent in human cancers and are associated with therapeutic resistance and poor prognosis. SCFSkp2 ubiquitination activity is increased by Commd1, a copper metabolism MURR1 domain-containing 1 protein that binds Cul1 and by Cks1B that increases binding of phosphorylated p27 to Skp2. Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor that has remarkably improved multiple myeloma (MM) patient outcome, but dose-limiting toxicities and development of resistance limit its long-term utility. Here, we observed higher CUL1 and COMMD1 mRNA levels in Bortezomib-resistant patient MM cells and correlated higher CUL1, COMMD1, SKP2 and CKS1B levels with decreased survival. Genetic knockdown of CUL1 or COMMD1 disrupted the SCFSkp2 complex, stabilized p27, synergistically increased the generation of annexin-positive cells by bortezomib and enhanced the anti-myeloma effect of PIs against resistant cells. Chemical library screening identified a novel compound, DT204, that reduced Skp2 association with Cul1 and Commd1, inhibited p27 degradation and induced synergistic anti-MM activity combined with Bortezomib in patient tumor cells and chemoresistant stem cell-like cells to overcame Bortezomib resistance. Bortezomib treatment with DT204 also reduced the growth of xenotransplanted myeloma cells in mouse models and prolongs host survival. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the SCFSkp2 -p27 axis represents a major determinant in the ability of Bortezomib to induce apoptosis in MM and provide proof-of-concept for the combination of SCFSkp2 inhibitors with Bortezomib as a strategy to overcome Bortezomib resistance. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
When is “enough” enough? Modeling the information-seeking and stopping behavior of senior arts administrators: Research Articles

Among managers, those who are responsible for nonprofit organizations in general and arts organizations in particular have been an understudied group. These managers have much in common with their for-profit counterparts, but their environment also differs in significant ways. The goal of this exploratory research effort was to identify how senior administrators in fine arts museums and symphony orchestras go about identifying and acquiring the information they want to complete a range of management tasks. Deciding when and where to look for information, obtaining the “right” information at the time it is needed, evaluating its credibility and utility, and determining when “enough” information has been collected are challenges facing this group of information users every day. A multiple-case studies design involving a replication strategy was selected to structure the research process. Data were collected from 12 arts administrators using a pretested interview protocol that included the Critical Incident Technique. Patterns in the data were identified, and the data were further reviewed for disconfirming evidence. The study resulted in a list of the types and sources of information that arts administrators use as well as a list of the factors or “stopping criteria” that influence them to end their information-seeking process. A model describing the way in which arts administrators go about acquiring the information they want was also developed. The main findings of the study are (a) arts administrators do not consider information seeking to be a discrete management task, (b) they rely heavily on direct personal experience to fill their information-seeking needs, and (c) they are “satisficers” when it comes to seeking information. Based on Simon's alternative to rational choice theory, satisficers are people who are willing to pursue a “good enough” option rather than the best possible option (maximizers) (Simon, 1956). Since arts administrators have not been studied in the context of LIS research before, understanding more about where they go for information, what factors influence the level of effort they are willing to invest in seeking information, and how they decide when they have “enough” information provides insights into the information-seeking behavior of a new user group. Furthermore, although this research effort is focused on specific users in a specific field, the results from this study may be compared to what we already know about other user groups to confirm and expand existing models of information-seeking behavior. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Periodismo público y el problema de la objetividad

The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the aspects that makes Public Journalism ambiguous and makes it possible to criticize and deny it by journalist. The author discusses the compromise and the responsibility that should enclose journalism as the objectivity that the journalist should practice; both are qualities of the Public Journalism.
Storytelling with Data: Examining the Use of Data by Non-Profit Organizations

Despite the growing promotion of the “open data” movement, the collection, cleaning, management, interpretation, and dissemination of open data is laborious and cost intensive, particularly for non-profits with limited resources. In this paper, we describe how non-profit organizations (NPOs) use open data, building on prior literature that focuses on understanding challenges that NPOs face. Based on 15 interviews of staff from 10 NPOs, our results suggest that NPOs use data to develop narratives to build a case for support from grantors and other stakeholders. We then present empirical results based on the usage of a data portal we created, which suggests that technologies should be designed to not only make data accessible, but also to facilitate communication and support relationships between expert data analysts and NPOs.
Habitat Overflow, a Source of Larval Mortality for Aedes sierrensis (Diptera: Culicidae)

In laboratory and field tests, larvae of the western tree hole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis (Ludlow), were flushed by rainfall from both glass containers and natural tree holes. After 7 d and an accumulated rainfall of 7.9 cm (3.1 in), between 0 and 327 Ae. sierrensis immatures were recovered in collection devices placed below four natural tree holes. Habitat overflow affected all larval stages and may be an important, but overlooked, density-independent source of larval mortality for mosquitoes developing in some water-filled containers.
Underground object characterization based on neural networks for ground penetrating radar data

In this paper, an object characterization method based on neural networks is developed for GPR subsurface imaging. Currently, most existing studies demonstrate detecting and imaging objects of cylindrical shapes. While in this paper, no restriction is imposed on the object shape. Three neural network algorithms are exploited to characterize different types of object signatures, including object shape, object material, object size, object depth and subsurface medium’s dielectric constant. Feature extraction is performed to characterize the instantaneous amplitude and time delay of the reflection signal from the object. The characterization method is evaluated utilizing the data synthesized with the finite-difference timedomain (FDTD) simulator.
Progesterone Versus Treatment by High Intensity Sound as Methods of Controlling Broodiness in Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys

Abstract THE problem of broodiness in turkeys continues to be one of the more perplexing and least understood in the production of turkey hatching eggs. Excessive broodiness results in loss of production, pre-empting of nest space by “broodies” and increased losses through broken and soiled eggs. A better understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved might make possible the therapeutic treatment of the condition until turkey breeders eliminate the problem. Riddle, Bates and Lahr (1935) reported that prolactin induced broodiness in the laying fowl. Gonadotrophin and thyrotrophin were ineffective. Burrows and Byerly (1936) reported that broody hens’ pituitaries contained more prolactin than did the pituitaries from non-broody hens or cocks. Broodiness has been induced in cocks by the injection of prolactin (Nalbandov, 1945). Saeki and Tanabe (1955) reported the prolactin potency of the pituitary rose immediately after the hen showed nesting behavior. It was reported that in doves broodiness was induced by …
Friction and the continuum limit - Where is the boundary?

The no-slip boundary condition, believed to describe macroscopic flow of low-viscosity fluids, overestimates hydrodynamic forces starting at lengths corresponding to hundreds of molecular dimensions when water or tetradecane is placed between smooth nonwetting surfaces whose spacing varies dynamically. When hydrodynamic pressures exceed 0.1-1 atmospheres (this occurs at spacings that depend on the rate of spacing change), flow becomes easier than expected. Therefore solid-liquid surface interactions influence not just molecularly-thin confined liquids but also flow at larger length scales. This points the way to strategies for energy-saving during fluid transport and may be relevant to filtration, colloidal dynamics, and microfluidic devices, and shows a hitherto-unappreciated dependence of slip on velocity.
Selective Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 1 Modulation Attenuates Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— Preclinical studies and a proof-of-concept clinical study have shown that sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) modulator, fingolimod, improves the clinical outcome of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the specific subtype of the S1PRs through which immune modulation provides protection in ICH remains unclear. In addition, fingolimod-induced adverse effects could limit its use in patients with stroke because of interactions with other S1PR subtypes, particularly with S1PR3. RP101075 is a selective S1PR1 agonist with superior cardiovascular safety profile. In this study, we investigated the impact of RP101075 treatment in a mouse model of ICH. Methods— ICH was induced by injection of autologous blood in 294 male C57BL/6J and Rag2−/− mice. ICH mice randomly received vehicle, RP101075, or RP101075 plus S1PR1 antagonist W146 by daily oral gavage for three consecutive days, starting from 30 minutes after surgery. Neurodeficits, brain edema, brain infiltration of immune cells, blood–brain barrier integrity, and cell death were assessed after ICH. Results— RP101075 significantly attenuated neurological deficits and reduced brain edema in ICH mice. W146 blocked the effects of RP101075 on neurodeficits and brain edema. RP101075 reduced the counts of brain-infiltrating lymphocytes, neutrophils, and microglia, as well as cytokine expression after ICH. Enhanced blood–brain barrier integrity and alleviated neuronal death were also seen in ICH mice after RP101075 treatment. Conclusions— S1PR1 modulation via RP101075 provides protection in experimental ICH. Together with the advantageous pharmacological features of RP101075, these results warrant further investigations of its mechanisms of action and translational values in ICH patients.
Reliable H_∞ control for discrete-time delayed fuzzy systems via scaled small gain theorem

The reliable H∞control is investigated for discrete-time T–S(Takagi-Sugeno) fuzzy systems with timevarying delay and actuator faults based on input-output approach. A realistic discrete-time homogeneous Markov chain is used to represent the stochastic behavior of actuator faults. First, the discrete-time delayed T–S fuzzy system is transformed to the form of interconnected two subsystems by a new model transformation. Furthermore, the scaled small gain theorem is employed to analyze the stochastic stability of interconnected subsystems. By constructing a parameter-dependent Lyapunov function, we established sufficient conditions for achieving input-output mean-square stability with H∞performances. Meanwhile, the reliable H∞fuzzy controller design method is also presented. Two numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Smart Drill Down.

We present smart drill-down, an operator for interactively exploring a relational table to discover and summarize “interesting” groups of tuples. Each group of tuples is described by a rule. For instance, the rule (a, b, ?, 1000) tells us that there are a thousand tuples with value a in the first column and b in the second column (and any value in the third column). Smart drill-down presents an analyst with a list of rules that together describe interesting aspects of the table. The analyst can tailor the definition of interesting, and can interactively apply smart drill-down on an existing rule to explore that part of the table. We demonstrate that the underlying optimization problems are NP-HARD, and describe an algorithm for finding the approximately optimal list of rules to display when the user uses a smart drill-down, and a dynamic sampling scheme for efficiently interacting with large tables. Finally, we perform experiments on real datasets to demonstrate the usefulness of smart drill-down and study the performance of our algorithms.
Effects of ingestion of ponderosa pine needles by late-pregnant cows on uterine blood flow and steroid secretion.

Consumption of Ponderosa pine needles by late-pregnant beef cows results in the premature delivery of a viable calf. We have demonstrated the presence of a factor(s) in plasma from cows fed pine needles that specifically increased uterine arterial tone (i.e., decreased arterial diameter) in vitro. This study was designed to investigate changes in uterine blood flow and steroid secretion/uptake by the gravid uterus of cows fed pine needles to induce premature parturition. Sixteen beef cows were laparotomized on d 240 of gestation, and an electromagnetic blood-flow probe was placed around the uterine artery supplying the gravid horn. Cows were randomly assigned on d 250 of gestation to a control (n = 8; 8.2 kg/d of alfalfa hay) or pine needle (n = 8; 2.7 kg/d of pine needles + 5.5 kg/d of alfalfa hay) diet. Uterine blood flow was monitored, and systemic blood (uterine arterial and[or] jugular venous) and uterine venous blood samples were collected daily between 0630 and 0800, just before feeding. Five of eight cows fed pine needles calved prematurely (average day of gestation = 260.2 +/- .6) compared with cows fed the control diet, which calved on 287.6 +/- 3.4 d of gestation. Uterine blood flow in the control cows remained constant from d 250 through the day of parturition. In contrast, uterine blood flow of cows fed pine needles that calved early decreased progressively (P less than .01), declining to 25.2% of its original value by the day of parturition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Ocean Zone Characteristics and Conflicts

In this chapter the military and arms control activities in each of the seven major ocean zones are summarised using ‘analytical catalogues’ (see tables 5.1 and 5.2). Economic aspects which have military implications are included in the discussion. Each zone is then considered in the context of the naval hierarchy with a view to deriving arms control implications. These are discussed in Chapter 6.
Investigating the relationship between aluminium toxicity, root growth and root-generated ion currents

One of the primary initial symptoms of Al toxicity is inhibition of root growth. Also, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that natural electric currents play a major role in the differentiation and growth of cells, tissues, and organs, including apical growth of roots. In this study, we are using a highly sensitive extracellular vibrating microelectrode system to map the ion current patterns surrounding growing root apices of wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L. ‘Atlas 66’ and ‘Scout 66’) which differ in Al tolerance. When the seedlings were grown in a solution consisting of 0.6 mol m−3 CaCl2 (pH 4.50), a positive current (1-2 μA cm−2) was measured entering the root cap, apical meristem, and region just behind the apical meristem in both ‘Scout’ and ‘Atlas’. Exposure of the roots to 10 mmol m−3 AlCl3 elicited a significant inhibition of this inward current in ‘Scout’ after approx. 3 hours exposure to Al. This same level of Al inhibited root growth in ‘Scout’; the time course for Al-induced inhibition of root growth and ion currents were nearly identical. In ‘Atlas’, 10 mmol m−3 Al had no effect on root-generated currents or root growth. A higher level of Al (50 mmol m−3 AlCl3), that had some inhibitory effect on ‘Atlas’ root growth, was also used. This level of Al more dramatically inhibited ‘Scout’ root growth and the ion currents associated with the root apex. However, an exposure period of about 3 hrs was still necessary to observe an inhibition of growth and root currents. This same Al level caused a moderate inhibition of both ‘Atlas’ root growth and inward current with similar time courses. The striking similarities between the time course of Al-induced inhibition of root growth and root-associated currents strongly suggest that the ion transport processes resulting in inward current at the root apex are involved in root growth, and Al-induced alteration of these transport processes may be an important aspect of the early stages of Al toxicity.
Detection of Polymer-shelled ultrasound contrast agents using a signal subtraction method

Polymer-shelled contrast agents demonstrate unique properties because the enclosed gas oscillates freely only after the shell is damaged. We have observed this behavior optically using a high-speed camera, and hypothesize that it leads to the observed acoustical property that the response of a polymer-shelled bubble to a two-pulse sequence depends on the order of pulse transmission. We have observed this property in two different polymer-shelled contrast agents. Based on these findings, we designed a pulse sequence to detect polymer-shelled bubbles, "signal subtraction", in which two same-phase single-cycle pulses are transmitted in succession and the resulting echoes subtracted. This subtraction results in the cancellation of tissue echoes, even in the presence of tissue harmonic generation, with only a small reduction in bubble signal amplitude.
Treatment of Pediatric Diaphyseal Femur Fractures: Spica Casting and Traction

Femoral shaft fractures remain a common musculoskeletal injury requiring inpatient care for children. The use of casting and traction in the treatment of femoral shaft fractures has a long and storied tradition in the history of orthopedic surgery. National trends in orthopedics have shifted away from traction and hip spica casting despite continued satisfactory clinical outcomes with this treatment. Current recommendations are for immediate hip spica casting in children between ages of 6 months and 5 years. In children of this age with more than 2 cm of shortening on injury films, traction may be done for a period of time prior to hip spica casting in order to obtain stability and alignment. In children aged 6–12, the use of traction and hip spica casting is losing favor. Flexible nails, external fixators, submuscular plating, and at some institutions lateral- or trochanteric-entry rigid nailing are replacing traction and casting in this age group. Factors associated with preference toward operative treatment, rather than traction and casting in this age group, include shorter hospital stays, early mobilization, and a smaller burden on caretakers. Despite this trend away from traction and hip spica casting, management of pediatric femoral shaft fractures with traction and casting still has an important place in the armamentarium of the pediatric orthopedic surgeon.
Perceptual Consciousness, Materiality, and Idealism

As Husserl never tired of repeating and clarifying, a systematic yet descriptive approach to experience must pay heed to an intrinsic duality which pertains to consciousness. To express it as Alfred Schutz once formulated it, we would have to say, on the one hand, that we are to note the “relationship between theme and horizon within the field of consciousness at any given moment of inner time,”1 i.e., that which obtains in the particular province of meaning or finite province of reality with which we happen to be concerned for a reasonably protracted period, according to the “degree of tension of consciousness and attention a la vie”2 characteristic of the way of access which is suitable to the province of meaning in question.3 But, on the other hand, we would also and necessarily find “the motives by means of which this structurization has been initiated,”4 namely, the in-order-to and because-motivational systems being worked out and established in the history of consciousness, and precisely as articulated by the events of turning to and away from certain events for consciousness, thus making them “thematic or non-thematic, i.e., horizonal….”5
Lessons Learned on Trust Building in Northern Ireland

The development of trust between politicians and leaders as part of a peace process is usually seen as an essential, if difficult part of achieving a political agreement. While such trust building between politicians and societal leaders was not completely absent in Northern Ireland, it was usually fleeting in the face of on-going and apparently intractable social and political violence. It was the development of institutions that helped develop trust among and between the wider communities through governmental, security, educational and community institutions that was eventually to prove the critical factor in achieving enough trust in the region to embark upon a sustainable peace process. In addition, the development of ‘bridging’ and ‘linking’ social capital through a more robust and interconnected civil society was also crucial to the eventual development of a political peace deal. Such work provided many necessary conduits for communications between the traditional politicians. In addition it spawned a new breed of community politicians mainly from working class communities, and from women community leaders, who were essential to the eventual peace agreement.
Inflammation, Immune Activation, and Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV

This review focuses on the differential effects of contemporary antiretrovirals on systemic inflammation as heightened immune activation is linked to important co-morbidities and mortality with HIV infection. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces dramatically systemic inflammation and immune activation, but not to levels synchronous with HIV-uninfected populations. In one ART initiation trial, integrase inhibitors appear to reduce inflammation to a greater degree than non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs); however, it is not clear that there are beneficial effects on inflammation resulting from treatment with integrase inhibitors compared to PIs, between PIs and NNRTIs, between specific nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, or with maraviroc in ART-naive patients. In ART switch studies, changing to an integrase inhibitor from a PI-, NNRTI-, or enfuvirtide-containing regimen has resulted in improvement in several markers of inflammation. Additional research is needed to conclusively state whether there are clear differences in effects of specific antiretrovirals on inflammation and immune activation in HIV.
Developing a Mass Casualty Surge Capacity Protocol for Emergency Medical Services to Use for Patient Distribution.

Objectives Metropolitan areas must be prepared to manage large numbers of casualties related to a major incident. Most US cities do not have adequate trauma center capacity to manage large-scale mass casualty incidents (MCIs). Creating surge capacity requires the distribution of casualties to hospitals that are not designated as trauma centers. Our objectives were to extrapolate MCI response research into operational objectives for MCI distribution plan development; formulate a patient distribution model based on research, hospital capacities, and resource availability; and design and disseminate a casualty distribution tool for use by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to distribute patients to the appropriate level of care. Methods Working with hospitals within the region, we refined emergency department surge capacity for MCIs and developed a prepopulated tool for EMS providers to use to distribute higher-acuity casualties to trauma centers and lower-acuity casualties to nontrauma hospitals. A mechanism to remove a hospital from the list of available resources, if it is overwhelmed with patients who self-transport to the location, also was put into place. Results The number of critically injured survivors from an MCI has proven to be consistent, averaging 7% to 10%. Moving critically injured patients to level 1 trauma centers can result in a 25% reduction in mortality, when compared with care at nontrauma hospitals. US cities face major gaps in the surge capacity needed to manage an MCI. Sixty percent of "walking wounded" casualties self-transport to the closest hospital(s) to the incident. Conclusions Directing critically ill patients to designated trauma centers has the potential to reduce mortality associated with the event. When applied to MCI responses, damage-control principles reduce resource utilization and optimize surge capacity. A universal system for mass casualty triage was identified and incorporated into the region's EMS. Flagship regional coordinating hospitals were designated to coordinate the logistics of the disaster response of both trauma-designated and undesignated hospitals. Finally, a distribution tool was created to direct the flow of critically injured patients to trauma centers and redirect patients with lesser injuries to centers without trauma designation. The tool was distributed to local EMS personnel and validated in a series of tabletop and functional drills. These efforts demonstrate that a regional response to MCIs can be implemented in metropolitan areas under-resourced for trauma care.
Encountering the Self, Encountering the Other: Narratives of Race and Ethnicity

This chapter presents a narrative perspective on issues of race and ethnicity, and explores the socially constructed meaning and implications of these constructs for clinical social work practice. This includes a discussion of the concept of Otherness and its impact on human relationships. Racial and ethnic varieties of Otherness are examined as well as their manifestations in and impact on the therapeutic relationship. Clinical case illustrations are provided.
Regulation of PERK signaling and leukemic cell survival by a novel cytosolic isoform of the UPR regulator GRP78/BiP generated by intron retention

LB-29 The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an essential cellular compartment for protein synthesis and maturation and also functions as a Ca 2+ storage organelle. The perturbation of ER functions results in accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins and the failure of the ER to cope with the excessive protein load, which leads to ER stress. As an evolutionarily conserved intracellular signaling cascade in response to ER stress, the unfolded protein response (UPR) is activated to reduce the unfolded protein load and at the same time increase protein folding capacity. Activation of PERK (PKR-like eIF2α kinase) signaling and induction of ER chaperone GRP78/BiP (glucose-regulated protein 78kDa) represent two major survival arms of the UPR. Here, we report the fortuitous discovery of a novel cytosolic isoform of GRP78, designated as GRP78va, generated by intron retention of the Grp78 pre-mRNA and alternative translational initiation. Expression of GRP78va is enhanced by ER stress and is notably elevated in human leukemic cells and leukemia patients. Unlike the canonical form of GRP78 which is primarily localized in the lumen of the ER, this new isoform of GRP78 is located outside the ER. GRP78va is a potent promoter of cell survival under ER stress, which could be in part due to a previously unanticipated positive feedback of the PERK pathway through interacting with a PERK antagonist. These studies provide the first evidence of modulation of UPR signaling via alternative pre-mRNA splicing and reveal a fundamentally new concept for survival mechanism in leukemic cells and other cell types where GRP78va is expressed.
Miller and Freund's Probability and Statistics for Engineers, 6th Ed.

(2001). Miller and Freund's Probability and Statistics for Engineers, 6th Ed. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 122-122.
The performance implication of obsessive work passion: unpacking the moderating and mediating mechanisms from a conservation of resources perspective

ABSTRACTWork passion is an important determinant of work performance. While harmonious work passion (HWP) shows its consistent predictive value, obsessive work passion (OWP) appears to have a mixed relationship with work performance. To address this puzzle, we integrate research on OWP and emotional exhaustion with conservation of resources (COR) theory. Specifically, we argue that OWP determines emotional exhaustion, whose relationship with work performance is attenuated by leader-member exchange (LMX). By conducting a field study with a sample of 262 US employees, we found supportive evidence, even when controlling for psychological detachment from work. The findings somewhat reconcile the inconsistent results about OWP and work performance in the literature, shed light on research on work passion, LMX, and emotional exhaustion, and provide implications for managerial practice.
The Viscoplasticity Theory Based on Overstress Applied to Ratchetting and Cyclic Hardening

The cyclic neutral version of the theory of viscoplasticity based on over-stress (VBO) is introduced and applied to predict the zero-to-tension ratchetting behavior of a Tialloy at room temperature. The experiments show ratchetting to depend on stress rate and this fact together with the accumulated ratchet strains is well represented by VBO. A cyclic hardening version of the theory is shown to correlate the out-of-phase hardening of type 304 stainless steel at room temperature. This is accomplished through the use of two new measures for path length one of which accumulates only in nonproportional loading.
Left Behind: The Public Education Crisis in the United States

This book addresses the harmful influences that the cultural, social, economic, political and ideological dimensions, in current ‘American’ society, have upon the delivery of elementary, secondary and university education. It examines the effects of poverty, funding at the local, state and federal levels and racial and ethnic discrimination. Arguing against the continuation of standardized testing—an ill-conceived methodology to measure the performance of children—the author advocates more one-on-one teaching and evaluation. He charges that students’ rights to education are not respected and, in elementary and high school, receive little in the way of instruction that translates into life skills and proposes what some of those skills should be. A critique of the extreme ethnocentric approach to education in the United States, Left Behind advocates strong instruction in the Humanities and foreign languages and the establishment of education abroad as a permanent program in high school and university. The author identifies Capitalism as the basic influence that, in the form of employing ‘business model’ constructs, has slowly transformed our children into obedient consumers. Physical Education has waned and become a major contributor to adolescent obesity. Seeking to replace children’s complacency with critical thinking instruction, the author demonstrates how the corporate mass media occupy their minds. He also fears the erosion of the profession of teaching by an ‘online’ instruction frenzy. The book explores the possibilities for a viable nation-wide education institution, in which decision-making is in the hands of teachers, parents and education experts, instead of politicians and business people. The remedies that could be taken up by ordinary people are accessible at the commonsense level; what prevents change are the lack of political will and economic greed, bolstered by the ideological power of the mass media.
Comparing the Nonlinear Dynamic Acoustic Parameters of Healthy Adult and Pediatric Voices.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to compare nondysphonic adult and pediatric voices using linear and nonlinear acoustic parameters and to evaluate the ability of adult spectrum convergence ratio (SCR) and rate of divergence (ROD) reference values to correctly identify a pediatric voice type as periodic or aperiodic. METHODS: Twenty adult and 36 pediatric nondysphonic voice samples were collected and analyzed using linear and nonlinear acoustic parameters. Absence of voice disorder was confirmed using perceptual acoustic and spectral analysis. Mean values for jitter, shimmer, SCR, and ROD were compared between adults and children, across specific age groups, and within genders. Using adult reference values for SCR and ROD, samples were classified as primarily periodic or aperiodic and typed using spectral analysis. Rates of accurate typing were also compared between subject groups. RESULTS: Overall, jitter and shimmer were similar among the adult and pediatric age groups. ROD was significantly different among the 3 pediatric and 1 adult group; the pediatric age groups were similar to one another. Adult SCR was also significantly different from all of the pediatric age groups. In adult men, ROD and SCR were significantly different from all of the pediatric age groups; the pediatric age groups were similar to one another. In female subjects, ROD was significantly different among all age groups. The ROD and SCR reference values were significantly better at categorizing adult voice types compared with pediatric voice types. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy subjects, SCR and ROD have discriminatory power for identifying adult versus pediatric voices, while jitter and shimmer cannot differentiate between the 2 groups. However, age- and gender-specific pediatric reference values must be determined to accurately classify voice types using SCR and ROD.
Air Quality and Visitor Behavior in U.S. Protected Areas

Past research has documented the harmful impacts of air pollution on endemic species, ecosystem functions, and human health. Far less is known about how degraded air quality influences the behaviors of visitors who frequent protected areas, such as National Parks. The aim of this study was to survey United States federal land management agency professionals to better understand the dynamic interplay between social and ecological factors leading to air quality-related visitor behavior. We analyzed professionals’ (n = 38) perceptions of the process of air quality degradation, management actions, and visitor responses, specifically the behavioral strategies visitors employ to reduce their exposure to degraded air quality. Results indicate a preponderance of context and source-specific behaviors. Additionally, many professionals shared their concerns regarding lingering gaps in social science scholarship regarding broad air quality-related behavioral patterns in protected areas. Implications for federal land managers, protected area researchers, and policy makers are discussed.
Human neutrophil peptide-1 inhibits thrombus formation under arterial flow via its terminal free cysteine thiols.

Essentials Biological activity of human neutrophil peptide (HNP)-1 in hemostasis under physiological conditions is not fully understood. HNP-1 inhibits the adhesion/aggregation of murine platelets on a fibrillar collagen surface or an activated endothelial cell surface under flow. The anti-adhesion activity appears to depend on the terminal free thiols of HNP-1, which may inhibit VWF-VWF lateral associations. Our results suggest a protective role and potential novel therapeutic use of HNP-1 for arterial thrombosis. SUMMARY: Background Human neutrophil peptides (HNPs), also known as α-defensins, are released from degranulated neutrophils and play an important role in innate immunity. However, their biological roles in hemostasis under flow are not fully explored. Objective This study aims to determine the role of HNP-1 on platelet adhesion and aggregation on a collagen surface or ultra large von Willebrand factor (ULVWF) on endothelium under flow and elucidate the structural elements required for its activity. Methods Anticoagulated whole blood from wild-type or Adamts13-/- mice was incubated with a fluorescein-conjugated anti-human CD41 in the presence of increasing concentrations of a synthetic HNP-1 and perfused over a collagen surface or a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α activated murine endothelial cell surface under arterial flow. The rate of accumulation and the final surface coverage of fluoresceinated murine platelets or the rate of forming platelet-decorated ULVWF strings were determined using the BioFlux microfluidic system. Results HNP-1 inhibited the rate and final coverage of fluorescein-labeled murine platelets on a fibrillar collagen surface under flow (100 dyne/cm2 ) in a concentration-dependent manner and the anti-adhesive activity of HNP-1 depended on its terminal free cysteine thiols. HNP-1 (20 μM) also dramatically inhibited the formation of platelets-decorated ULVWF strings on TNF-α activated murine endothelial surface under arterial flow. Conclusions Our results demonstrate for the first time an antiplatelet adhesion or antithrombotic activity of HNP-1; this activity depends on its terminal free thiols, likely affecting VWF-VWF lateral associations. These findings may suggest a potential novel therapeutic strategy for arterial thrombosis.
Mode of delivery in antepartum stillbirths.

Objective Stillbirth complicates 1 in 160 pregnancies in the United States. We sought to determine the rate of cesarean delivery in pregnancies complicated by antepartum stillbirth and to identify characteristics associated with cesarean delivery. Study Design This was a population-based retrospective cohort study of all stillbirths in the United States during the year of 2014. Frequency of cesarean delivery was stratified by week of gestation. Maternal, obstetric, and fetal characteristics were compared between women with antepartum stillbirth who underwent cesarean delivery compared with vaginal delivery. Multivariate logistic regression estimated the relative influence of maternal, obstetric, and fetal factors on the outcome of cesarean delivery. Results There were 16,160 nonlaboring women diagnosed with stillbirth during 2014 in the United States. Of the 16,160 stillbirths, 2449 (15.2%) underwent cesarean delivery. At 20–23, 24–27, 28–31, 32–36, and >36 weeks of gestation, the cesarean delivery rate was 4.0%, 16.2%, 23.7%, 30.8%, and 28.8%, respectively. Factors associated with cesarean delivery included gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, use of assisted reproductive technology, history of prior cesarean delivery, and increasing gestational age at delivery. Conclusion Approximately 15% of women diagnosed with a stillbirth after 16 weeks of gestation underwent a cesarean delivery in 2014. The stillbirth cesarean delivery rate peaked during the third trimester, during which more than 1 in 4 women underwent a cesarean birth.