cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flt3-Ligand–Mobilized Peripheral Blood, but Not Flt3-Ligand–Expanded Bone Marrow, Facilitating Cells Promote Establishment of Chimerism and Tolerance

Facilitating cells (CD8+/TCR−) (FCs) enhance engraftment of limiting numbers of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The primary component of FCs is precursor-plasmacytoid dendritic cells (p-preDCs), a tolerogenic cell expanded by Flt3-ligand (FL). In this study, we evaluated the function and composition of FL-expanded FCs. FL treatment resulted in a significant increase of FCs in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB). When FL-expanded FCs were transplanted with c-Kit+/Sca-1+/Lin− (KSL) cells into allogeneic recipients, BM-FCs exhibited significantly impaired function whereas PB-FCs were potently functional. A significant upregulation of P-selectin expression and downregulation of VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1) were present on FL-expanded PB-FCs compared with FL BM-FCs. Stromal cell–derived factor-1 (SDF-1), and CXCR4 transcripts were significantly increased in FL PB-FCs and decreased in FL BM-FCs. Supernatant from FL PB-FCs primed HSC migration to SDF-1, confirming production of the protein product. The FL PB-FCs contained a predominance of p-preDCs and natural killer (NK)–FCs, and NK-FCs were lacking in FL BM-FCs. The impaired function for BM-FCs was restored within 5 days after cessation of treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that FCs may enhance HSC homing and migration via the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis and adhesion molecule modulation. These findings may have implications in development of strategies for retaining function of ex vivo manipulated FCs and HSCs.
The influence of failure criteria on the design optimization of stacked-ply composite flywheels

This paper presents some approaches to the optimal design of stacked-ply composite flywheels. The laminations of the disk are constructed such that the principal fiber direction is either tangential or radial. In this study, optimization problems are formulated to maximize the energy density of the flywheel. This is accomplished by allowing arbitrary, continuous, variation of the orientation of the fibers in the radial plies. The paper compares designs based on minimizing cost functions related to the (1) the maximum stress, (2) the maximum strain, and (3) the Tsai–Wu failure criteria. It is shown that the optimized designs provide an improvement in the flywheel energy density when compared to a standard stacked-ply design. The results also show that, for a given disk design, the estimate of the energy density can vary greatly depending on the failure criteria employed.
Leadership and Responses to Organizational Crisis

The tragic failure of Penn State University to effectively respond to years of child sex abuse perpetrated by Jerry Sandusky was both a breakdown of leaders and of leadership systems. Numerous individual leaders at Penn State had the knowledge, power, and interpersonal influence to effectively intervene in support of Jerry Sandusky's victims. However, fully understanding how this tragedy occurred also requires an examination of the organizational system of leadership that enabled each leader to rationalize the cover up of the sexual abuse of children. Alderfer's (2011) laws of embedded intergroup relations are useful for understanding the organizational dysfunction at Penn State; especially when those laws are integrated with other theories of organizational psychology, including the social identity maintenance theory of groupthink, the romance of leadership, and authentic leadership. The integration of these theories suggests specific strategies and tactics for preventing similar lapses of ethical behavior in the future through the development of leaders and leadership systems.
Differential maturation of murine bone-marrow derived dendritic cells with lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor-α

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the interface between the innate and acquired immune systems. In response to both exogenous as well as endogenous signals, DCs undergo a programmed maturation to become an efficient, antigen-presenting cell. Yet little is known regarding the differential responses by endogenous versus exogenous stimuli on DC maturation. In the present report, we have compared the phenotypic, functional, and genome-wide expression responses associated with maturation by bone marrow derived DCs to either an endogenous danger signal, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), or a microbial product, bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Examination of the cell surface expression of DCs as well as cytokine production demonstrated that patterns of DC maturation varied dramatically depending upon the stimulus. Whereas LPS was highly effective in terms of inducing phenotypic and functional maturation, TNF-α exposure produced a phenotypically distinct DC. Gene expression patterns in DCs 6 and 24 h aft...
Conception, sense, and reference in Peircean semiotics

In his Logical Investigations Edmund Husserl criticizes John Stuart Mill’s account of meaning as connotation, especially Mill’s failure to separate the distinction between connotative and non-connotative names from the distinction between the meaningful and the meaningless. According to Husserl, both connotative and non-connotative names have meaning or “signification”, that is, what Gottlob Frege calls the sense (“Sinn”) of an expression. The distinction between connotative and non-connotative names is a distinction between two kinds of meaning (or sense), attributive and non-attributive meaning (“attributive und nicht-attributive Bedeutung”). Attributive (connotative) names denote (refer to) objects through their attributes, whereas a non-attributive name means a thing directly (“direkt”). In this paper I examine the concepts of attributive and non-attributive meaning by means of the semiotic theory of Charles S. Peirce, and compare Peirce’s account with the views of Frege, Husserl, Alexius Meinong, and David Kaplan and Gareth Evans.
Available screening tools for adults suffering from bipolar affective disorder in primary care: An integrative literature review

AbstractPurpose:To assess the efficacy of six tools utilized in primary care for the screening of bipolar affective disorder (BPAD). BPAD has historically been underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed followed by inappropriate treatment leading to detrimental relapses, suicide, and increased risks for comorbi
Levocetirizine for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria in adults and children

Abstract Background: Levocetirizine (LCZ) is a second-generation antihistamine that was approved in January 2008 for the relief of symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR), and chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) in adults and children aged ≥6 years. Objectives: This article reviews the available literature on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, clinical efficacy and tolerability, and effect on quality of life (QoL) of LCZ. Methods: A search of the English-language literature was performed using the following databases: MEDLINE (1966–February 2009), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (19 70–February 2009), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE Drugs & Pharmacology (1991–February 2009), Blackwell Synergy, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect, and Wiley Interscience. The search terms were levocetirizine, allergic rhinitis, chronic idiopathic urticaria, antihistamine, pharmacokinetics, quality of life, drug interactions, case reports, and cost . Publications describing studies of ≥2 weeks' duration that concerned the efficacy, tolerability, pharmacoeconomics, and/or QoL effects of LCZ were included in the review. Results: In 4 studies in adult patients with moderate to severe PAR, LCZ 5 mg/d was associated with significant improvements in symptom scores for sneezing, rhinorrhea, and ocular/nasal pruritus at 4 to 6 weeks compared with placebo ( P ≤ 0.05). In 3 studies, nasal congestion scores were significantly improved within 4 to 6 weeks compared with placebo ( P P ≤ 0.011). In a 6-week study in children with moderate to severe SAR, LCZ 5 mg/d was associated with significant improvements compared with placebo in sneezing, rhin-orrhea, and itchy nose ( P P P P P = 0.009 vs DSL). LCZ was significantly more effective than placebo (but not DSL) in reducing the number and size of wheals (both, P = 0.001). In a 12-week, open-label, crossover study, patients reported significantly longer symptom relief with cetirizine than LCZ ( P Conclusions: In the studies reviewed, LCZ 5 mg/d was effective in reducing symptoms of PAR, SAR, and CIU and improving QoL, with an acceptable tolerabili-ty profile. There is a need for studies of longer durations, head-to-head comparisons against other anti-histamines, drug-interaction studies, safety studies in infants, and cost-effectiveness analyses.
Identification of the minimal essential RNA sequences responsible for site-specific targeting of the Leishmania RNA virus 1-4 capsid endoribonuclease.

The Leishmania RNA virus 1-4 capsid protein possesses an endoribonuclease activity responsible for single-site-specific cleavage within the 450-nucleotide 5′ untranslated region of its own viral RNA transcript. To characterize the minimal essential RNA determinants required for site-specific cleavage, mutated RNA transcripts were examined for susceptibility to cleavage by the virus capsid protein in an in vitro assay. Deletion analyses revealed that all determinants necessary for accurate cleavage are encoded in viral nucleotides 249 to 342. Nuclease mapping and site-specific mutagenesis of the minimal RNA sequence defined a stem-loop structure that is located 40 nucleotides upstream from the cleavage site (nucleotide 320) and that is essential for accurate RNA cleavage. Abrogation of cleavage by disruption of base pairing within the stem-loop was reversed through the introduction of complementary nucleotide substitutions that reestablished the structure. We also provide evidence that divalent cations, essential components of the cleavage reaction, stabilized the stem-loop structure in solution. That capsid-specific antiserum eliminated specific RNA cleavage provides further evidence that the virus capsid gene encodes the essential endoribonuclease activity.
Paving the Road to Mental Health Recovery

In this poignant, insightful, and timely commentary by Larry Davidson and his colleagues, the authors profile individuals who suggest that it would be useful to have a “map” to guide them back from mental illnesses to a normal life. “Map” is a wonderful metaphor for the journey of mental health recovery—a journey of healing and transformation that enables individuals with mental health problems to live in communities of their choice while striving to achieve their full potential. We know there are a number of fundamental barriers on this journey, including poverty, widespread unemployment, and inequitable distribution of health care resources. For individuals with the most serious disorders, loss of health, home, livelihood, and sense of self are all too common. Yet we also know that human beings are amazingly resilient. As Davidson and colleagues note, “Despite their suffering and losses, these were people who continued to dream of better days, who still had aspirations for their future lives, and who still were interested in putting in the effort and taking the risks to rebuild a new life upon the ruins of the old.” We owe it to these individuals, whose indomitable spirit has much to teach us, to understand what mental health recovery is, how we can support recovery, and what recovery means for our human experience. In all of these areas, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stands ready to help. We are promoting prevention, changing practice, and fostering recovery.
In-situ mechanical property evaluation of different stage Drosophila embryos with a minimally invasive microforce sensing tool

The fruit fly Drosophila is one of the most important model organisms in genetics and developmental biology research. To better understand the biomechanical properties involved in Drosophila embryo research, this work presents a mechanical characterization of living Drosophila embryos through the stages of embryogenesis. Measurements of the mechanical forces of Drosophila embryos are implemented using a novel, in-situ, and minimally invasive force sensing tool with a resolution in the range of μN. The measurements offer an essential understanding of penetration force profiles during the microinjection of Drosophila embryos. Sequentially quantitative evaluation and analysis of the mechanical properties, such as Young's modulus, stiffness, and mechanical impedance of living Drosophila embryos are performed by extracting the force measurements throughout the stages of embryogenesis. The evaluation provides a critical step toward better understanding of the biomechanical properties of Drosophila embryos during embryogenesis, and could contribute to more efficient and significant genetic and embryonic development research on Drosophila.
Passengers and Other Factors Affecting the Safety of Young and Older Drivers

The specific objective of this study was to assess the relative propensity of young (16 to 20 years old) or older (65 years and older) drivers in Connecticut to be at fault in a traffic crash when they (a) travel at night, (b) travel on different classes of roadway (freeway versus state route versus local road), and (c) travel with different numbers of passengers. For young drivers, the age of the passengers was also considered. The quasi-induced exposure technique was used with police-reported crashes between 1997 and 2001. The results show that young driver risk increases at night, on freeways (and for single-vehicle crashes on local roads), as well as with increased numbers of passengers. For older drivers the risk also increases at night and on freeways (and for single-vehicle crashes on local roads); however, older drivers are less likely to cause crashes when traveling with passengers. These results suggest that the new graduated driver licensing restrictions in place in Connecticut will reduce crashes and that there is the potential to improve young driver safety further by extending these restrictions. Furthermore, similar regulations or education programs aimed at older drivers might improve crash experience for these individuals, especially those older than 75.
Mechanisms for Abnormally Slow Release of Some Thyroid Radioiodine; an Autoradiographic Study

Autoradiographs of rat thyroid glands were prepared 1 and 14 days after injection of radioiodide. Follicles could be divided into 2 major classes based on position in the gland and on autoradiographic image density. Most peripheral and isthmic follicles became labeled relatively slowly and retained their label for a relatively long time compared with the remainder of the follicles (central follicles). Exceptional peripheral follicles, mostly those bordering the parathyroid glands, behaved like central follicles. A small fraction of the follicles had unusual autoradiographs 14 days after injection. In addition to dark ring autoradiographs and exceptionally dark images over some small follicles, the unusual images included narrow rings in the interior of lumens, negative rings (images with dark center and pale periphery), and dark images associated with inclusions in the colloid. Exceptional images were interpreted as evidence for follicle growth, spatial heterogeneity of diffusion rates of iodoprotein in i...
Progress in Breeding Low Phytate Crops

Populations that depend on grains and legumes as staple foods consume diets rich in phytic acid (myo-inositol-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexkisphosphate), the storage form of phosphorus in seeds. This compound binds tightly to important mineral nutrients such as iron and zinc, forming salts that are largely excreted. This phenomenon can contribute to mineral depletion and deficiency. As one approach to solving this and environmental problems associated with seed-derived dietary phytic acid, the U. S. Department of Agriculture and others have isolated cereal and legume low-phytic acid mutations and have used these to breed first-generation low-phytate hybrids, cultivars and lines of maize (Zea mays), barley (Hordeum vulgare), rice (Oryza sativa) and soybean (Glycine max). Seed phytic acid is reduced in these crops by 50-95%. The progress in the genetics, breeding and nutritional evaluation of low-phytate crops are reviewed in this article.
Female Prostitution, Customers, and Violence:

Through a critical review of existing research, this article argues that (a) customers have been excluded from many debates surrounding prostitution, and including them will create a more robust dialogue regarding prostitution; (b) though prostitution seeking is often treated as a natural part of masculine sexual experience, most men do not pursue prostitutes, and very few are regular users; (c) many commonsense understandings of men’s motivations for seeking prostitutes are consistent with existing research; (d) a series of attitudinal orientations may help explain why some men meet their desires through prostitution and others do not, and may also help to explain some of the violence experienced by prostitutes; and (e) customers actively construct their encounters with prostitutes in ways that support their understandings of prostitution and their sexual desires, often working to maintain a sense of mutuality and consent. Incorporating customers into academic scholarship on prostitution can lead to more...
Dynamics of excited state electron transfer at a liquid interface using time-resolved sum frequency generation

Femtosecond time resolved vibrational sum frequency generation has been used for the first time to probe a chemical reaction involving interfacial molecules pumped into their excited electronic states. The ultrafast dynamics of electron transfer from ground state N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) to photoexcited coumarin 314 at a water/DMA monolayer interface was obtained. The forward electron transfer time constant is 16 ± 2 ps, which is faster than electron transfer in bulk DMA. The faster rate is attributed to a lower reorganization free energy, which is a consequence of lower interfacial polarity. The back electron transfer time constant is 174 ± 21 ps.
Sorbitol accumulation and transmembrane efflux in osmotically stressed JS1 schwannoma cells

Sorbitol accumulation and transmembrane efflux in JS1 schwannoma cells were examined during osmotic stress in the presence of a sorbitol dehydrogenase (SD) inhibitor and following return to iso-osmotic conditions. SD inhibition promoted sorbitol accumulation under hyperglycemic and/or hyperosmotic conditions, and sorbitol efflux during iso-osmotic incubation was prevented by cooling to 4°C or by quinidine. It appears that sorbitol levels in JS1 cells are dependent on SD activity and that sorbitol is rapidly removed upon restoring iso-osmotic conditions.
Power transformations to induce normality and their applications

random variables can have heavily right-skewed finite sample distributions even though they might be asymptotically normally distributed. We provide a simple method of determining an appropriate power transformation to improve the normal approximation in small samples. Our method contains the Wilson-Hilferty cube root transformation for x2 random variables as a special case. We also provide some important examples, including test statistics of goodness-of-fit and tail index estimators, where such power transformations can be applied. In particular, we study the small sample behaviour of two goodness-of-fit tests for time series models which have been proposed recently in the literature. Both tests are generalizations of the popular Box-Ljung-Pierce portmanteau test, one in the time domain and the other in the frequency domain. A power transformation with a finite sample mean and variance correction is proposed, which ameliorates the small sample effect. It is found that the corrected versions of the tests have markedly better size properties. The correction is also found to result in an overall increase in power which can be significant under certain alternatives. Furthermore, the corrected tests also have better power than the Box-Ljung-Pierce portmanteau test, unlike the uncorrected versions.
Entanglement and excluded volume effects in rubber elasticity

The role of interchain excluded volume and entanglement in the elastic behavior of polymeric networks is theoretically examined. A three-chain network model is used, with each chain confined within an infinite, rectangular cylinder. The cylinders and the network crosslinks are assumed to deform affinely. When the cross sections of the cylinders are small, the network elastic free energy equation has the form ..delta..F/sub e/ = A(lambda/sub x//sup 2/ + lambda/sub y//sup 2/ + lambda/sub z//sup 2/ - 3) + B(lambda/sub x//sup -2/ + lambda/sub y//sup -2/ + lambda/sub z//sup -2/ - 3) + C 1n(lambda/sub x/lambda/sub y/lambda/sub z/). The lambdas represent the macroscopic deformation ratios. The constants A, B and C are functions of the number of each type of network chain (i.e., A contains the number of tie chains; C contains the number of loops and tie chains; B contains the number of dangling chain ends, unattached chains, loops and tie chains), their unperturbed dimensions and the sizes of the cylinders which confine them.
Cardiovascular aging in health

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes available data from studies of humans as well as from animal models and synthesizes information gained from diverse sources ranging from intact human physiology to the cellular and molecular biology of cultured animal cells. To determine the reason aging is a risk factor for heart failure, cardiovascular aging in health must be clearly defined. Specific changes in cardiovascular structure and function occur with advancing age in otherwise healthy humans and animals, including coordinated changes in several key steps of excitation–contraction coupling and its regulation by receptor stimulation. Many age-associated structural and functional changes can be interpreted as adaptive in nature as they also occur in the hypertrophied myocardium of younger animals adapted to experimentally-induced chronic hypertension. While these changes, per se, do not cause cardiovascular disease in older individuals, the clinical manifestations of disease become altered due to interactions of age-associated changes and specific pathophysiologic mechanisms that underlie cardiovascular diseases. The transition from stable, compensated hypertrophy to heart failure in the aging spontaneously hypertensive rat is presented as an example of the interaction of “normal aging” and disease.
Effects of assertion training on depression

This was a non-analogue study of the effects of assertion training on depression. Twenty-six moderately depressed females (X = 21.3 years) were assigned randomly to assertion training or delay-control groups. Results partially supported the effectiveness of treatment. Experimental Ss became significantly more assertive and engaged in significantly more activities than controls, and effects of treatment continued after treatment ended. Eight weeks after treatment, the experimental Ss' scores indicated significantly less depression than at posttesting. Both experimental Ss and delay controls reported a significant decrease in depression from pre- to posttest. The two groups were not significantly different in reported depression at posttesting. Other findings included: (1) significant negative correlations between measures of depression and assertiveness; (2) no significant interactions between S type (client and volunteer) and outcome; and (3) no significant interactions between length of time depressed and outcome.
ℒ 1 adaptive control for positive LTI systems

Positive systems represent a class of systems whose state variables are nonnegative. This paper presents an ℒ 1 adaptive controller for such systems. The control objective is to force the system output track a given nonnegative reference signal. In the analysis of the ℒ 1 adaptive controller, we first show the positivity of the constructed reference system, and then demonstrate that the controlled system states track those of the reference system. We provide the uniform transient and steady-state performance bounds on the system state and the control signals, which can be systematically improved by increasing the adaptation rate, under the assumption that the unknown system parameters are positive. Simulations are presented to corroborate our results.
Transcriptional Regulation of Cell-specific Expression of the Human Cystathionine β-Synthase Gene by Differential Binding of Sp1/Sp3 to the −1b Promoter

Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) catalyzes the condensation of serine and homocysteine to form cystathionine, an intermediate step in the synthesis of cysteine. We previously characterized the CBS −1b minimal promoter (−3792 to −3667) and found that Sp1/Sp3, nuclear factor Y, and USF-1 were involved in the regulation of basal promoter activity (Ge, Y., Konrad, M. A., Matherly, L. H., Taub, J. W. (2001) Biochem. J. 357, 97–105). In this study, the critical cis-elements and transcription factors in the CBS −1b upstream region (−4046 to −3792) were examined in HT1080 and HepG2 cells, which differ ∼10-fold in levels of CBS transcripts transcribed from the CBS −1b promoter. In DNase I footprint and gel shift analyses and transient transfections of mutant CBS −1b promoter constructs into HT1080 and HepG2 cells, transcriptionally important roles for Sp1/Sp3 binding to three GC boxes and one GT box and for binding of myeloid zinc finger 1-like proteins to two myeloid zinc finger 1 elements were indicated. In gel shift assays, very low levels of Sp1/Sp3 DNA-protein complexes were detected in HT1080 cells compared with HepG2 cells despite comparable levels of nuclear factor Y and USF-1 binding and similar levels of Sp1 and Sp3 proteins on Western blots. Mixing of HT1080 and HepG2 nuclear extracts resulted in no difference in total Sp factor binding in gel shift assays, thus excluding a role for an unknown activator or inhibitor in the disparate Sp1/Sp3 binding between the lines. Increased Sp1/Sp3 binding in gel shift assays was observed upon treatment of HT1080 nuclear extracts with protein kinase A, and decreased Sp1/Sp3 binding resulted from treatment of HepG2 nuclear extracts with calf alkaline phosphatase, suggesting a role for changes in Sp1/Sp3 phosphorylation in transcription factor binding and transactivation of the CBS −1b promoter. Characterization of CBS promoter structure and function should clarify the molecular bases for variations in CBS gene expression in genetic diseases and the relationship between CBS and Down syndrome.
Chester Crocker and the South African Border War, 1981–1989: A Reappraisal of Linkage**

Between 1981 and 1989, United States Assistant Secretary of State Chester Crocker pursued a highly controversial ‘linkage’ strategy that aimed to secure an end to the universally condemned South African occupation of Namibia by offering as a prerequisite a US demand for the withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola. This policy was heavily influenced by the Reagan administration's Cold War objectives, and was derided by critics as granting an ineffectual and unwarranted concession to Pretoria that delayed Namibian independence. Although the peace agreement ultimately signed in 1989 largely followed Crocker's plan, most of the relatively few analyses to subsequently revisit linkage have continued to deny the importance of Crocker's diplomacy in bringing about a regional settlement, while others have supported his policies without devoting sufficient attention to the role of external factors in determining the eventual outcome. Both supporters and detractors of Crocker's policy have maintained an excessive foc...
Numerical Study of Vortical Separation From a Three-Dimensional Hill Using Eddy-Viscosity Models

Turbulent flow over an axisymmetric hill is highly three-dimensional (3D) due to the presence of both streamwise and spanwise pressure gradients. Complex vortical separations and reattachments of the turbulent boundary layer are observed on the lee side, accurate prediction of which presents a demanding task for linear eddy-viscosity models (EVMs) when compared to attached boundary layer flows. In this study, an axisymmetric hill is investigated using three Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models — fully turbulent model (SST k-ω), transition-sensitive model (k-kL-ω), and a new four-equation model (k-kL-ω-v2). The new model is designed to exhibit physically correct responses to flow transition, streamline curvature, and system rotation effects. The test case includes a hill mounted in a channel with hill height H = 2δ, where δ is the approach turbulent boundary layer thickness. The flow Reynolds number (Re) based on the hill height is ReH = 1.3 × 105. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results obtained using the new model are compared with the other two RANS models and with experimental data. Improved mean flow statistics are obtained using the new model that match well with the experiments. The results from this study highlight the need for a model that is able to resolve both flow transition and streamline curvature effects over blunt/curved bodies with reasonable engineering accuracy and computational cost.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Impact on student knowledge following implementation of a pediatric core curriculum during a pediatric APPE: Pilot data

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a core curriculum on student knowledge of pediatric pharmacotherapy during a pediatric advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE). Methods An exam was developed to assess student knowledge of five core topics. Students took a pre-test at the beginning of the rotation, core topics were covered through lectures and topic discussions, and students retook the exam at the end of the rotation (post-test). A comparison of student performance on the pre- and post-tests was evaluated using a paired t -test, with a significance level set at p ≤ 0.05. Results Students performed significantly better on the post-test compared to the pre-test (mean improvement 13.6%, p Conclusions A core curriculum of pediatric-specific topics improved student knowledge of pediatric pharmacotherapy when administered during the course of a pediatric APPE.
Peer Influences on the Development of Communicative Competence

Eavesdropping on the conversations of young children not only provides the substance for scientific investigations but is a fascinating experience as well. The predictable unpredictability, unpretentiousness, and ingenuous qualities of many of these conversations have a unique and rare capacity for exposing basic assumptions and feelings not found in more sophisticated interactions. This is not to say that these conversations are simple and straightforward or are unaffected by the intricate relationships that exist among speakers, their context, characteristics of listeners, or other complex factors that impinge on a given situation. On the contrary, when our scientific pursuits prevail over the pure enjoyment of listening to the conversations of young children, we are struck by the remarkable communicative competence that characterizes these interactions. Although they are no match for the inveterate and accomplished cocktail-party conversationalist, ample evidence in support of young children’s abilities to initiate, maintain, repair, and terminate conversations can be gathered. Similarly, the coherence, balance, reciprocal nature, and sensitivity to many subtle situational variations displayed by their conversations, as well as the application of social “rules” in shaping these interactions, further suggest a well-developed competence.
Detection of stealthy TCP-based DoS attacks

Denial of service (DoS) attacks are among the most crippling of network attacks because they are easy to orchestrate and usually cause an immediate shutdown of whatever resource is targeted. Today's intrusion detection systems check if specific single scalar features exceed a threshold to determine if a specific TCP-based DoS attack is underway. To defeat such systems we demonstrate that an attacker can simply launch a combination of attack threads, each of which on its own does not break a system down but together can be very potent. We demonstrate that such attacks cannot be detected by simple threshold based statistical anomaly detection techniques that are used in today's intrusion detection systems. We argue that an effective way to detect such attacks is by jointly considering multiple features that are affected by such attacks. Based on this, we identify a possible set of such features and design a new detection approach that jointly examines these features with regards to whether each exceeds a high threshold or is below a low threshold. We demonstrate that this approach is extremely effective in detecting stealthy DoS attacks; the true positive rate is close to 100 % and the false positive rate is decreased by about 66 % as compared to traditional detectors.
Underwater laser filamentation and guiding of electrical discharges

A technique to laser trigger and guide electrical discharges in an underwater environment is currently being developed at the Naval Research Laboratory. This work has potential applications in advanced micromachining, similar to that currently performed using electric discharge machining and water-assisted femtosecond laser machining, and low-jitter pulsed power generator switches1.
Abortion and the Placenta in Chromosomal Anomalies

For purposes of the present discussion, an abortion will be defined as a conceptus expelled, removed or delivered before the 20th week of gestation. Local statutes and regulations, particularly state regulations, vary in the definition of what constitutes an abortion and thus viability, but 20 weeks is most commonly used. Furthermore, the definitions of abortion and the age of viability are vastly different from country to country, even reaching the level of 28 weeks in some countries, rendering the statistics on abortions, pregnancy loss, and neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality completely useless in comparing populations worldwide.
Painless Labeling with Application to Text Mining

Labeled data is not readily available for many natural language domains, and it typically requires expensive human effort with considerable domain knowledge to produce a set of labeled data. In this paper, we propose a simple unsupervised system that helps us create a labeled resource for categorical data (e.g., a document set) using only fifteen minutes of human input. We utilize the labeled resources to discover important insights about the data. The entire process is domain independent, and demands no prior annotation samples, or rules specific to an annotation.
A Model Predictive Framework for Thermal Management of Aircraft

The challenge of managing heat dissipation and enforcing operational constraints on temperature within a high-performance tactical aircraft is considered. For these systems, power density of the electrical equipment and the associated thermal loads are quickly outpacing the means of conventional thermal management systems (TMS) to provide on-demand cooling and in order to prevent thermal run away. The next generation of tactical aircraft is projected to include an order of magnitude greater thermal and electrical power magnitudes, and the time scale over which thermal loads will change is expected to shrink. To meet this rapidly evolving challenge, designing a TMS for the “worst case” scenario based on a steady-state thermal analysis will be infeasible. Rather, a holistic systems perspective is needed with new control methodologies that capture and even exploit the transient thermal behavior. To this end, a model predictive control strategy is presented that utilizes preview of upcoming loads and disturbances to prevent violation of temperature constraints. A simulation case study demonstrates that the predictive thermal controller can dramatically reduce constraint violations while reducing the work required by the TMS when compared to a cascaded PI feedback controller.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
THE BURDEN OF THE STRONG BLACK WOMAN

Angelina woke up feeling just a little bit tired. It was always difficult managing the lives of her people. What with disentangling three sets of bad marriages, deciding on punishments for the kids who had stolen the keys to the space ship ’s orbiting controls, and formulating new laws for treatment of the elderly she hadn ’t gotten to bed until three a.m. And without a proper dinner at that. A measly little snack of half a cow, eight loaves of bread, and a cake or two were just not enough for a two-thousand year-old, seven-foot tall, four hundred pound, strong black woman. She would have to speak to her cook about having more food available when she returned from her duties as leader of this clan of settlers. Even immortals had to eat. She needed her strength to fight off galactic invaders and to continue to have four babies a year. And she really needed to be well nourished when she returned to tackling the problem of how to realign the planets. — Trudier Harris (2001, p. 173)
Fixed and live visualization of RNAs in Drosophila oocytes and embryos

The ability to visualize RNA in situ is essential to dissect mechanisms for the temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression that drives development. Although considerable attention has been focused on transcriptional control, studies in model organisms like Drosophila have highlighted the importance of post-transcriptional mechanisms - most notably intracellular mRNA localization - in the formation and patterning of the body axes, specification of cell fates, and polarized cell functions. Our understanding of both types of regulation has been greatly advanced by technological innovations that enable a combination of highly quantitative and dynamic analysis of RNA. This review presents two methods, single molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization for high resolution quantitative RNA detection in fixed Drosophila oocytes and embryos and genetically encoded fluorescent RNA labeling for detection in live cells.
Plasmonic Nanogels for Unclonable Optical Tagging

We demonstrate the fabrication of novel functional gel coatings with randomized physical and chemical patterns that enable dual encoding ability to realize unclonable optical tags. This design is based on swelling-mediated massive reconstruction of an ultrathin responsive gelatinous polymer film uniformly adsorbed with plasmonic nanostructures into a randomized network of interacting folds, resulting in bright electromagnetic hotspots within the folds. We reveal a strong correlation between the topology and near-field electromagnetic field enhancement due to the intimate contact between two plasmonic surfaces within the folds, each of them representing a unique combination of local topography and chemical distribution caused by the formation of electromagnetic hotspots. Because of the efficient trapping of the Raman reporters within the uniquely distributed electromagnetic hotspots, the surface enhanced Raman scattering enhancement from the morphed plasmonic gel was found to be nearly 40 times higher compared to that from the pristine plasmonic gel. Harnessing the nondeterministic nature of the folds, the folded plasmonic gel can be employed as a multidimensional (with dual topo-chemical encoding) optical taggant for prospective anticounterfeiting applications. Such novel optical tags based on the spontaneous folding process are virtually impossible to replicate because of the combination of nondeterministic physical patterns and chemical encoding.
Does Mutual Fund Size Matter? The Relationship Between Size and Performance

Berk and Green (2004) make a theoretical argument that performance persistence should not exist since new money flows into well-performing mutual funds and there are diseconomies of scale, or because successful funds capture excess returns by raising fees. We find that performance prediction continues when we examine samples of larger and larger funds and that past performance predicts future performance for holding periods up to three years. Funds that outperform index funds of the same risk can be identified. We find that expense ratios are lower for large funds, and decrease as funds get larger or perform well.
Late Pre-Inkaic Ethnic Groups in Highland Peru: An Archaeological-Ethnohistorical Model of the Political Geography of the Cajamarca Region

A model of late pre-Inka political geography of the region surrounding Cajamarca, in the north highlands of Peru, is presented. This model, based on ethnohistoric data and archaeological research, can be projected back through time to help delineate the culture history of the Cajamarca ethnic group. Several chiefdoms emerged during the Late Intermediate period, following a time of sociopolitical disintegration. The region that became the Inka province of Cajamarca had been occupied by five or six chiefdoms during the latter part of the Late Intermediate period. The data are equivocal on the subject of whether political centralization had developed in the region before the Inka conquest, but suggest that at least some form of confederation existed. Comparison with other regions of the Peruvian Highlands reveals that the Cajamarca ethnic group was modest in population, but controlled a very large area. Other groups, such as the Wanka and Lupaqa, appear to have been undergoing a similar process of sociopolitical centralization. The Inka reorganized the region upon its incorporation into the empire, creating an economic and religious center for several surrounding provinces.
Definitional Distinctions in Response to Perinatal Loss and Fertility Barriers

Women of childbearing age may face unanticipated perinatal losses and fertility barriers which challenge emotional well-being. However, the conceptual fit of perinatal and reproductive loss into contemporary grief theory is less well defined. This article utilizes secondary data from the National Survey of Fertility Barriers (NSFB) (Johnson & White, n.d.) to examine the definitional distinctions between depression, complicated grief, and personal growth. In the study (N = 4,712), approximately one-third of participants (34%) had experienced a pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or infant/child death, while another one-third (33%) experienced some degree of fertility challenge other than miscarriage. Through descriptive multi-group comparisons and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we explore definitional distinctions between these groups within constructs of depression, complicated grief, and personal growth. Study findings highlight the complex interrelationships among grief, depression, and personal growth whi...
The Challenge of Clostridium difficile Infection

Clostridium difficile infection is a major problem in the United States, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality, and financial costs to the health care system. This commentary provides an update regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis, current recommended management, and challenges surrounding C. difficile infection.
Propertics of Electronic Localized State of Dopants in Polyacetylene

AbstractThe properties of the electronic localized state of dopants in polyacetylene have been studied by Green function method. The results show that the position, width and density of state for energy levels of the localized electronic states depend on the concentration of the dopants and the potential generated by the dopants. The results can explain the change of conductive feature from insu lator to conductor in polycetylene.
Abstract B22: Focal brain radiation induces systemic lymphopenia in an animal model

Background: Approximately half of patients with solid tumors develop severe and prolonged lymphopenia after beginning standard radiation and this lymphopenia is associated with shortened survival. An animal model to understand the mechanisms behind radiation-induced lymphopenia has not previously been reported. Methods: Using the small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice approximately 7-12 weeks old received focal brain irradiation with prolonged and abbreviated schemes: 2 Gy x 30 fractions and 4 Gy x 10 fractions. Blood was collected weekly via peripheral tail vein. Lymphocytes were labelled with antibodies to CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD45 and analyzed by Hemavet, Flow Cytometry and TruCount. Results: In all four groups (n=12) - C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice receiving prolonged and abbreviated schemes: 2 Gy x 30 fractions and 4 Gy x 10 fractions - lymphopenia was achieved but not sustained. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice total lymphocyte counts decreased by 72% and 63% of baseline respectively, after 6 weeks of radiation. C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice total lymphocyte counts decreased by 85% and 87% of baseline respectively, after 2 weeks of radiation. Within 3 weeks of the completion of radiation, counts returned to 60-80% of baseline. All animals had a similar magnitude of change in total lymphocyte counts. Conclusion: This animal model is a practical way to study the reduction in lymphocytes related to radiation. CD4 counts in BALB/c mice receiving prolonged radiation show a linear decline. Future immunology studies should assess T cell subsets and cytokines. The clinically observed phenomenon persistent radiation-induced lymphopenia is challenging to model in mice. Citation Format: Anna F. Piotrowski, Esteban Velarde, Stuart Grossman. Focal brain radiation induces systemic lymphopenia in an animal model. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Brain Cancer Research; May 27-30, 2015; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(23 Suppl):Abstract nr B22.
High throughput genomic sequencing of bioaerosols in broiler chicken production facilities

Chronic inhalation exposure to agricultural dust promotes the development of chronic respiratory diseases among poultry workers. Poultry dust is composed of dander, chicken feed, litter bedding and microbes. However, the microbial composition and abundance has not been fully elucidated. Genomic DNA was extracted from settled dust and personal inhalable dust collected while performing litter sampling or mortality collection tasks. DNA libraries were sequenced using a paired-end sequencing-by-synthesis approach on an Illumina HiSeq 2500. Sequencing data showed that poultry dust is predominantly composed of bacteria (64-67%) with a small quantity of avian, human and feed DNA (< 2% of total reads). Staphylococcus sp. AL1, Salinicoccus carnicancri and Lactobacillus crispatus were the most abundant bacterial species in personal exposure samples of inhalable dust. Settled dust had a moderate relative abundance of these species as well as Staphylococcus lentus and Lactobacillus salivarius. There was a statistical difference between the microbial composition of aerosolized and settled dust. Unlike settled dust composition, aerosolized dust composition had little variance between samples. These data provide an extensive analysis of the microbial composition and relative abundance in personal inhalable poultry dust and settled poultry dust.