cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biochemical pathways and targeted therapies in basal cell carcinoma: A systematic review

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of human malignancy. It is a slow-growing skin cancer with little ability to metastasize, but it is aggressive and can cause local tissue destruction. Descriptions of Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome (BCNS), characterized by a predisposition to the formation of BCC and other neoplasms, and identification of the genetic defect in this syndrome, has led to significant advancement in our understanding of the pathogenesis of BCC. Unregulated expression of target genes in the sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of BCC. An understanding of the signaling components has allowed for the development of pharmacologic agents that inhibit the SHH pathway. The first inhibitor of the SHH pathway approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of BCC is vismodegib. In this review, we will discuss the biochemical pathways involved in BCC as targets of novel pharmacologic therapies.
PolarGlobe: A web-wide virtual globe system for visualizing multidimensional, time-varying, big climate data

The increasing research interest in global climate change and the rise of the public awareness have generated a significant demand for new tools to support effective visualization of big climate data in a cyber environment such that anyone from any location with an Internet connection and a web browser can easily view and comprehend the data. In response to the demand, this paper introduces a new web-based platform for visualizing multidimensional, time-varying climate data on a virtual globe. The web-based platform is built upon a virtual globe system Cesium, which is open-source, highly extendable and capable of being easily integrated into a web environment. The emerging WebGL technique is adapted to support interactive rendering of 3D graphics with hardware graphics acceleration. To address the challenges of transmitting and visualizing voluminous, complex climate data over the Internet to support real-time visualization, we develop a stream encoding and transmission strategy based on video-compression techniques. This strategy allows dynamic provision of scientific data in different precisions to balance the needs for scientific analysis and visualization cost. Approaches to represent, encode and decode processed data are also introduced in detail to show the operational workflow. Finally, we conduct several experiments to demonstrate the performance of the proposed strategy under different network conditions. A prototype, PolarGlobe, has been developed to visualize climate data in the Arctic regions from multiple angles.
Neurodevelopment: The Impact of Nutrition and Inflammation During Preconception and Pregnancy in Low-Resource Settings

The rapid pace of fetal development by far exceeds any other stage of the life span, and thus, environmental influences can profoundly alter the developmental course. Stress during the prenatal period, including malnutrition and inflammation, impact maternal and fetal neurodevelopment with long-term consequences for physical and mental health of both the mother and her child. One primary consequence of maternal malnutrition, inflammation, and other sources of prenatal stress is a poor birth outcome, such as prematurity or growth restriction. These phenotypes are often used as indications of prenatal adversity. In fact, the original evidence supporting the fetal programming hypothesis came from studies documenting an association between birth phenotype and the development of subsequent physical and mental health problems. Fetal growth restriction in both term and preterm infants is associated with neonatal morbidities and a wide variety of behavioral and psychological diagnoses in childhood and adolescence, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, depression, internalizing and thought problems, poor social skills, and autism spectrum disorder. Improving maternal-child health requires interventions that begin before pregnancy and continue throughout gestation and into the postpartum period. Such interventions might include supporting pregnancy intention, maternal nutrition, health/medical care, mental health, and providing social support. This article discusses the impact of maternal nutrition and inflammation during preconception and pregnancy among women living in low-resource settings, with an emphasis on key knowledge gaps that need to be addressed to guide program and policy decisions at local, regional and global levels.
Marching Home: Union Veterans and Their Unending Civil War. By Brian Matthew Jordan. (New York, NY: Liveright, 2014. Pp. 374. $28.95.)

A reader might assume that a book whose introduction includes the phrase more than 26,000 veterans of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan [that] dwell in homeless shelters; thousands suffering from pos...
Challenges After Natural Disaster for Rural Residents with Disabilities

Natural disasters occur frequently and displace people from their homes; disrupt work, school, and services; create high costs in damages; and cause emotional pain and physical injury. Four primary phases of emergency management of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation are important on the local, organizational/infrastructure, and federal levels. Both prevention and mitigation activities lessen the severity and impact a potential disaster may have on services and operations. In addition, preparedness builds capacity and identifies resources that may be useful in the event of a disaster or emergency (USA Center for Rural Public Health preparedness, Partnering to achieve rural emergency preparedness: A workbook for healthcare providers in rural communities, 2007). Timeliness of response to and recovery after natural disaster are critically important to persons with disabilities in rural setting, especially when considering individuals who have less access to resources and are isolated by geographic barriers and population sparseness. Although this chapter addresses the disruption of natural disasters (e.g., floods, drought, heat waves, tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, mudslides, severe storms including rain, hail, snows, winds, freezing temperatures, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, lightening), many of the same challenges exist for persons with disabilities (PWDs). The purpose of this chapter is to discuss existing preparedness and response protocol in rural communities and the role of the rehabilitation counselor. Incorporated in this discussion is the impact of poverty on response to natural disaster for PWDs. Information will include a review of the national framework for disaster recovery; rural aspects of social vulnerability; the role of rehabilitation counselors in the process of recovery and agency strategies to minimize disruption of services during and after natural disasters including challenges of PWDs in rural, frontier, and territory (RFT) communities; standards for disaster crisis counselors and credentialing and competency; and counselor self-care issues. Attention is given to interagency collaboration and ways to address gaps in response to assist PWDs.
Obstetric Management and Maternal Outcomes of Childbirth Among Patients With Chiari Malformation Type I.

Background A range of opinions exist in the literature regarding obstetric management of pregnant women with Chiari malformation type I (CM-I). Objective To examine obstetrical practices and outcomes with childbirth of women with CM-I. Methods We examined insurance claims data from a large, privately insured health care network and identified admissions for childbirth from 2004 to 2014. Women with a diagnosis of CM-I as well as normal controls were analyzed for demographic characteristics, type of obstetric management, and complications of childbirth. Results We identified 866 patients with CM-I diagnosis who had 1048 hospitalizations for delivery, including 103 deliveries to 83 patients who underwent performance of CM-I decompression (CMD) either before or after childbirth. Among 400 births that occurred after CM-I diagnosis, rates of caesarean section (C-section) were higher (42.3% vs 36.2%, OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.00-1.66, P = .05) and rates of epidural analgesia were lower (45.3% vs 55.4%, OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.52-0.85, P = .001) compared to 648 births before CM-I diagnosis. The rate of serious maternal morbidity was similar among deliveries to women with CM-I diagnosis (both before and after delivery) compared to 11 000 normal controls. Conclusion A diagnosis of CM-I prior to delivery is associated with a higher rate of C-section and a lower rate of epidural analgesia. Rates of serious maternal morbidity among women with CM-I were similar to those for normal controls. The data suggest a predelivery diagnosis of CM-I may influence obstetric decisions despite no evidence of substantially increased delivery risk in this group.
Comparison Study of Spatiotemporally Resolved Emissions of Nanosecond Pulsed Microplasma Jets

A single needle-electrode helium microplasma jet powered by 5- or 164-ns 8-kV pulses at 500 Hz is investigated to elucidate the impact of nanosecond pulse rising rate and pulse duration on emission behaviors of plasmas. For the 5-ns pulsed plasma, the energy per pulse was measured to be 83 $\mu \text{J}$ , and it is 1.3 times of the 164-ns pulsed plasma. Time-integrated, spatially resolved emissions revealed that the shorter pulsed plasma generated higher production of excited $N_{2}^{+}$ (by a factor of 1.3) but less excited $N_{2}$ , He, O, and OH productions. In addition, all of these species maintained their maximal emissions near the needle nozzle, implying the importance of direct electron impact on generation of these excited species. Temporally resolved emissions showed that comparable or more excited species were produced by the 5-ns pulsed plasma for the first 100 ns, and the additional productions of excited species by the longer pulsed plasma occurred during the failing phase of the 164-ns voltage pulse. These findings suggested that rising and falling rates (≥ 1011 V/s) of a voltage pulse may not only play important roles in energy deposition during the plasma initiation but also influence the plasma chemistry that is associated with the production of excited species. The voltage pulse duration became important for the streamer development and charge transfer, which critically contributed to the total production of the reactive plasma species.
Building Imaging Institutes of Patient Care Outcomes: Imaging as a Nidus for Innovation in Clinical Care, Research, and Education.

Traditionally, radiologists have been responsible for the protocol of imaging studies, imaging acquisition, supervision of imaging technologists, and interpretation and reporting of imaging findings. In this article, we outline how radiology needs to change and adapt to a role of providing value-based, integrated health-care delivery. We believe that the way to best serve our specialty and our patients is to undertake a fundamental paradigm shift in how we practice. We describe the need for imaging institutes centered on disease entities (eg, lung cancer, multiple sclerosis) to not only optimize clinical care and patient outcomes, but also spur the development of a new educational focus, which will increase opportunities for medical trainees and other health professionals. These institutes will also serve as unique environments for testing and implementing new technologies and for generating new ideas for research and health-care delivery. We propose that the imaging institutes focus on how imaging practices—including new innovations—improve patient care outcomes within a specific disease framework. These institutes will allow our specialty to lead patient care, provide the necessary infrastructure for state-of-the art-education of trainees, and stimulate innovative and clinically relevant research.
A perspective on career guidance in the twenty-first century

The content of the preceding articles touches upon many concerns which are likely to confront operators of career guidance programs through the first quarter or so of the next century. Which of those is regarded as suitable for inclusion in the discussion that follows is certain to reflect the biases of the one who makes the selection. Hence, what follows inevitably reflects my own peculiar point of view. In making the selections, however, I have tried to identify topics that arise not only in the manuscripts included in this issue, but ones that are likely to be relevant in a wide range of settings. In reviewing the materials for ideas to focus on, I found myself repeatedly asking the question: “In what ways will the operation of career guidance programs be markedly different in 10, 20, or 30 years than it has been in the recent past?” With that question in mind, I have selected three areas for consideration, each of which, I think, offers a partial answer: (1) the continuing impact of technological progress on the delivery of career guidance services; (2) diversity, not only in the populations served by career guidance programs, but also among the professionals who provide the service; and (3) the guidelines used in evaluating effectiveness in order that program operators can be held accountable for their actions.
A Simple Means of Distinguishing the Tremor of Parkinson Disease from Essential Tremor: The Alien Finger (P05.039)

OBJECTIVE: Develop a simple means of distinguishing, at the bedside, the tremor of Parkinson disease (PD) from essential tremor (ET). BACKGROUND: Frequently it is difficult to distinguish the tremor of PD from ET, hence the need for a simple test. DESIGN/METHODS: We studied 50 consecutive tremor-preponderant PD patients and 30 consecutive ET patients. Mean age of PD patients was 63.4 years (range 43-81) with mean duration of 4.9 years (range 2-13). 33 were on levodopa, 31 patients had a bilateral tremor, and 19 had a unilateral tremor. In 29 patients with bilateral tremor, one-side dominated. Mean age of ET patients was 63.9 years (range 29-86) with mean duration 13.7 years (range 2-40). 16 had a family history and 28 patients had bilateral tremor. In 23 patients with bilateral tremor, one-side dominated. Patients sat opposite the examiner and pointed both index fingers at the examiner9s index fingers. Then they closed their eyes. Within 15 seconds the patient9s index finger levitated or deviated laterally: the alien finger. None of the patients had impaired sensation including 2-point discrimination. The alien finger appeared only with bilateral simultaneous pointing of the patient9s fingers. RESULTS: All the PD patients had levitation or deviation of their index finger. In 46 patients, it occurred on the side of the dominant tremor, in 4 it occurred bilaterally. In 4 of 30 ET patients it occurred unilaterally on the side of the dominant tremor. In 26 of 30 ET patients no levitation or deviation occurred: Odds ratio 0.0017, 95% confidence level (0.0001, 0.0324). CONCLUSIONS: The alien finger can distinguish the tremor of PD from ET. The alien finger, like the alien limb implies that the tremor of PD unlike ET encompasses circuits involving frontal, anterior-parietal, and supplementary motor loops. Disclosure: Dr. Lieberman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Krishnamurthi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dhall has received personal compensation for activities with Teva Neuroscience. Dr. Santiago has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dhanani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pan has nothing to disclose.
Wishful Thinking - Finding suggestions and 'buy' wishes from product reviews

This paper describes methods aimed at solving the novel problem of automatically discovering 'wishes' from (English) documents such as reviews or customer surveys. These wishes are sentences in which authors make suggestions (especially for improvements) about a product or service or show intentions to purchase a product or service. Such 'wishes' are of great use to product managers and sales personnel, and supplement the area of sentiment analysis by providing insights into the minds of consumers. We describe rules that can help detect these 'wishes' from text. We evaluate these methods on texts from the electronic and banking industries.
Genetic Control of the Biosynthesis of IgG and IgM

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the genetic control of the biosynthesis of IgG and IgM. It presents evidence that suggests that IgG and IgM are synthesized by cells belonging to the same normal clone and that a unique structural relationship may exist between molecules of the two classes synthesized within a clone. The chapter discusses a genetic switching mechanism to account for the proposed structural relationship. A similar switching mechanism may occur during normal immunoglobulin biosynthesis, that is, cells belonging to a single line of cells producing antibodies of a given specificity are capable of synthesizing IgG or IgM (and perhaps other immunoglobulin classes) and that the IgG and IgM molecules share identical light chains and identical VII regions while differing only in the constant segments of their heavy chains. A single cell usually produces IgG or IgM, but not both, at a given moment.
STABILITY ANALYSIS OF FLOATING AND SUBMERGED ICE FLOES

The mathematical model is based on the moment equilibrium of an ice floe resting beneath a uniformly thick ice cover. It is argued that the expression derived for incipient motion of ice block is similar to the relation developed for the stability of prisms resting on the riverbed. The critical thickness, densimetric Froude number for floe transport is compared with that for the submergence of a floe at the upstream end of an ice cover, and with Ashton's streamwise force balance analysis for ice floe stability beneath an ice cover. A nondimensional graph (Froude number versus black thickness-flow depth ratio) is presented to summarize the results. The analysis presented herein indicates that fragmented ice covers thicken generally by internal collapse rather than by transport of floes beneath the floating cover. /Author/
Smart Snacks Fundraiser Exemption Policies: Are States Supporting the Spirit of Smart Snacks?

BACKGROUND Under Smart Snacks, state agencies can adopt a policy regulating infrequent school-sponsored fundraisers. Fundraiser exemptions allow noncompliant foods and beverages to be sold during the school day. This article examines fundraiser exemption policies in each state as of September 1, 2017. METHODS Laws were collected for all 50 states and the District of Columbia using Boolean searches of LexisNexis and Westlaw. Informal state-level policies (eg, memos) were collected through searches of state department of education and child nutrition program websites. Policies were analyzed to determine the number of exempt fundraisers allowed in each state. RESULTS By September 1, 2017, 47 states adopted a fundraiser exemption policy; 21 states adopted a zero exemption policy; 19 states regulated the number of exempt fundraisers; five states regulated the number of exempt fundraising days; one state regulated the number of exempt events; and one state approved all requested exemptions. Four states had not adopted a policy and default under the rule to zero exemptions allowed. CONCLUSIONS A patchwork of state policies governs the school food-related fundraiser landscape. However, the overall goal of improving the school food environment should persist as an important factor in determining how many, if any, will be allowed each school year.
Prostaglandin E2 and Bradykinin contribute to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma carcinogenesis via EGFR dependent and independent mechanisms.

169 The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is upregulated in majority of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines and tumors. Overexpression of EGFR increases cellular proliferation and is associated with decreased survival. EGFR inhibitors are currently under clinical investigation for the treatment of several cancers including HNSCC. The anti-tumor efficacies of EGFR inhibitors depend upon several factors including the status of activating mutations of EGFR in tumors. The mechanisms that tumor cells employ to circumvent the effects of EGFR inhibition would be of primary importance in developing novel therapeutic strategies. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) are present on many cell types. Recently others and we have demonstrated that GPCR ligands promote tumor cell growth via activation of the EGFR pathway. In this study we have investigated the effect of GPCR-ligands prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and bradykinin (BK) on HNSCC tumorigenesis. Both GPCR ligands stimulated growth of HNSCC cells in vitro. In addition an increase in EGFR and MAPK activation was observed by immunoblotting. EGFR-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors reduced GPCR-ligand-mediated MAPK activation indicating that GPCRs activate MAPK at least in part, via EGFR phosphorylation. Blocking the extracellular domain of EGFR with antibody C225, reduced GPCR-mediated MAPK activation indicating that extracellular ligand binding to the EGFR is required to trigger the EGFR-axis. We further demonstrate that EGFR ligand TGF-α but not HB-EGF is involved in GPCR-mediated EGFR activation and that EGFR ligand release is mediated by matrix metalloproteases. To delineate the pathways triggered by GPCR ligand stimulation independent of EGFR, we downmodulated EGFR with a siRNA approach followed by GPCR ligand stimulation. Activation of MAPK and STAT3 was partially inhibited on EGFR downmodulation. Activation of Akt however was completely abrogated on EGFR siRNA treatment. Thus, GPCR ligands stimulate Akt primarily via EGFR and STAT3 and MAPK via EGFR dependent as well as independent mechanisms. HNSCC cells were tested in cytotoxicity assays for sensitivity to EGFR inhibitor ZD1839 and BK antagonist CU201. HNSCC cells were sensitive to both inhibitors ZD1839 (IC50 of 10 μM) and CU201 (8 μM). Combined blockade of both EGFR and GPCR pathways at low inhibitor concentrations (3μM ZD1839 and 4μM CU201 respectiely) resulted in additive inhibitory effects on HNSCC cell growth compared to either treatment alone. This is consistent with the finding that pathways downstream of both EGFR and GPCR may contribute to HNSCC tumor growth. Combined blockade of both EGFR and GPCRs may be a rational strategy to treat cancers that demonstrate activation of EGFR by GPCRs including HNSCC.
The Bifocal Microwave Microscope

Millimeter-wave imaging radar is becoming increasingly popular for sensing and security applications. Usually full phased arrays, synthetic apertures, or focusing reflect-arrays are employed to sense a given image space. One new approach is to generate an axially-scanning focal spot using an axial nearfield bifocal dual reflector. The bifocal has two perfect foci on the symmetry axis, each corresponding to the two perfect feed points on the axis, made possible when two degrees of freedom – two reflectors – are employed. With two perfect foci, the optical aberrations for other image points between them must be of even order, which leads to a reasonable focal region bounded by the perfect foci. It is envisioned that a small feed moving along the axis might interrogate the image region, with better precision and speed, and less force than the full focusing stage. Alternatively, an electronically selective line source could scan the image space at nanosecond rates using only one dimension of sensing hardware. The concept is referred to as a microscope, because it maps rays diverging from the image space to rays converging at the observation points much like an optical microscope.
Revenge as Revenant: Titus Andronicus and the Rule of Law

Although it put Shakespeare on the map in the 1590s, subsequent critics have found The Most Lamentable Romaine Tragedie of Titus Andronicus1 “lamentable” in more ways than one. T.S. Eliot called it “one of the stupidest and most uninspired plays ever written.”2 Others have argued that the play was not written by Shakespeare, that Shakespeare “touched up” another playwright’s work, or that Shakespeare penned it when he was young and needed the money.3 While most critics now admit Shakespeare composed it, Titus remains the “black sheep” of the Bard’s canon.4 Critics take aim at the play’s lurid violence. Over its course, the Goth prince Alarbus is sacrificed to the gods, the Roman general Titus’s son Mutius is stabbed to death, the Roman prince Bassianus is murdered, Titus’s daughter Lavinia is raped and mutilated, Titus’s sons Quintus and Martius are decapitated, the Goths Demetrius and Chiron are murdered and their heads are baked into a pie, their mother Tamora is served the pie before being killed, Lavinia is killed, Titus is killed, the Roman emperor Saturninus is killed, and the Goth Aaron is buried alive. This play is Shakespeare’s ultimate exploration of violence—religious violence, domestic violence, political violence, sexual violence, punitive violence.
Autonomous Mobility-on-Demand Systems for Future Urban Mobility

This chapter discusses the operational and economic aspects of autonomous mobility-on-demand (AMoD) systems, a transformative and rapidly developing mode of transportation wherein robotic, self-driving vehicles transport customers in a given environment. Specifically, AMoD systems are addressed along three dimensions: (1) modeling, that is analytical models capturing salient dynamic and stochastic features of customer demand, (2) control, that is coordination algorithms for the vehicles aimed at throughput maximization, and (3) economic, that is fleet sizing and financial analyses for case studies of New York City and Singapore. Collectively, the models and methods presented in this chapter enables a rigorous assessment of the value of AMoD systems. In particular, the case study of New York City shows that the current taxi demand in Manhattan can be met with about 8000 robotic vehicles (roughly 70 % of the size of the current taxi fleet), while the case study of Singapore suggests that an AMoD system can meet the personal mobility need of the entire population of Singapore with a number of robotic vehicles roughly equal to 1/3 of the current number of passenger vehicles. Directions for future research on AMoD systems are presented and discussed.
Oxidative Stress in DNA Repeat Expansion Disorders: A Focus on NRF2 Signaling Involvement

DNA repeat expansion disorders are a group of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases that arise from the inheritance of long tracts of nucleotide repetitions, located in the regulatory region, introns, or inside the coding sequence of a gene. Although loss of protein expression and/or the gain of function of its transcribed mRNA or translated product represent the major pathogenic effect of these pathologies, mitochondrial dysfunction and imbalance in redox homeostasis are reported as common features in these disorders, deeply affecting their severity and progression. In this review, we examine the role that the redox imbalance plays in the pathological mechanisms of DNA expansion disorders and the recent advances on antioxidant treatments, particularly focusing on the expression and the activity of the transcription factor NRF2, the main cellular regulator of the antioxidant response.
Characterizing mixing and stress in a laboratory volume using CFD models

Laboratory instruments used to measure velocity within a fluid, such as Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV) or Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), often only gather data at one or a few points in the fluid, if using ADV, or values within a plane, when PIV is used. To get a complete picture of the total shear stress inside a container for the study of coupled biophysical interaction and stress impact on phytoplankton cells, it is best to complement measurements with a numerical model. Since the total shear stress is the primary driver in mechanical bioluminescence production, it is important to be able to accurately quantify fluid flow and dynamics at small spatial and temporal scales across the fluid domain. In this work, the fluid domains of different laboratory beakers were studied. They were modeled in Solidworks, and exported into a multi-physics software package (COMSOL) to be solved numerically. A rotating domain setup was used, and solved with a multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, using both laminar and turbulent flow, as well as various rotational velocities. We further compare the model data to individual data points from measurements using a fiber flow sensor, to verify the model and constrain the total shear stress within the container.
When grandparents move in: Consequences of growing up with older adults.

Abstract. This paper explores the impact of growing up with an older adult in the home on one’s attitudes toward older adults. We surveyed 309 participants for their opinions on older adults, wheth...
When We Keep Going.

What does it feel like to have acidic blood? In medical school we learned that a pH below 6.8 is generally thought to be incompatible with life. But is it painful? Nauseating? Before my fellowship in palliative care, I completed my residency in emergency medicine. In the ED, diabetic patients presenting with vomiting from ketoacidosis could clock in a pH below 7 and recover quickly. But that was before the hospital ran out of residents to staff the COVID ICU and drafted many of us as fellows to fill in. It was my second to last day covering in the ICU when I saw Mr. L's pH dip below seven. I wondered again what it felt like to have acidic blood.
Pharmacy Phamilies as a Component of a Co-Curricular Program for Doctor of Pharmacy Students.

Background: Pharmacy student professional growth depends heavily on co-curricular involvement, in addition to classroom learning. Co-curricular programming can be supported by an innovative structure using self-directed learning and a unique mentorship process. Innovation: A novel faculty and peer mentorship structure, called Pharmacy Phamilies, is integrated into a credited Lifelong Learning course that spans the 4 years of our PharmD program. This course is comprised of student-chosen activities to meet requirements in six domains, as well as reflections and other assignments. Recent changes include a new Pharmacy Phamily group reflection process and the use of co-curricular logs to document student activities. Findings: Based on a student survey, the majority of respondents were satisfied with their level of engagement with their Pharmacy Phamily (72%) and with their advisor (76%). The majority also reported that the Pharmacy Phamily program is meeting its goals of establishing a sense of community at the college (76%) and enhancing students’ professional development (72%). A total of 86% of students preferred the Pharmacy Phamily group reflection over the former six individual reflections and 93% of students agreed the co-curricular log was a useful tool to document involvement in professional activities. Conclusion: Pharmacy Phamilies and peer-reviewed, group reflection can provide an inclusive structure of support and social connection for students at the college of pharmacy.
Fostering Radiation Oncology Physician Scientist Trainees within a Diverse Workforce: The Radiation Oncology Research Scholar Track

There is a need to foster future generations of radiation oncology physician scientists, but the number of radiation oncologists with sufficient education, training, and funding to make transformative discoveries is relatively small. A large number of MD/PhD graduates have entered he field of radiation oncology over the past 2 decades, but this has not led to a significant cohort of externally funded physician scientists. Because radiation oncologists leading independent research labs have the potential to make transformative discoveries that advance our field and positively affect patients with cancer, we created the Duke Radiation Oncology Research Scholar (RORS) Program. In crafting this program, we sought to eliminate barriers preventing radiation oncology trainees from becoming independent physician scientists. The RORS program integrates the existing American Board of Radiology Holman Pathway with a 2-year post-graduate medical education instructor position with 80% research effort at the same institution. We use a separate match for RORS and traditional residency pathways, which we hope will increase the diversity of our residency program. Since the inception of the RORS program, we have matched 2 trainees into our program. We encourage other radiation oncology residency programs at peer institutions to consider this training pathway as a means to foster the development of independent physician scientists and a diverse workforce in radiation oncology.
Velocity and temperature fluctuations in a high-speed shock–turbulence interaction

Shock-wave–turbulence interactions are important problems with ubiquitous applications in high-speed flight and propulsion. The complex physical processes during the interaction are not fully understood, where contemporary high-fidelity numerical simulations have brought into question classical linear interaction analyses (LIA). The differences are most pronounced at high Mach number (2). The objective of this study was to experimentally examine the role of a normal shock wave on the modification of velocity and temperature fluctuations to provide an empirical basis to help close the emerging knowledge gap between classical and contemporary theories. The experiments were performed in a pulsed wind tunnel facility at Mach 4.4. The free-stream disturbances provided the test bed for the study. A Mach-stem normal shock was generated through the interaction of two mirrored oblique shock waves. Molecular tagging velocimetry and two-line planar laser induced fluorescence thermometry were conducted upstream and downstream of the normal shock wave and the fluctuating intensities were compared. The measured axial velocity fluctuation amplification factor was nominally 1.1–1.2 over the Reynolds number range tested. The measured values were more consistent with LIA than contemporary theory. The temperature fluctuation amplification factor was found to vary between 3.0 and 4.5, where the lowest Reynolds number condition saw the highest free-stream disturbances and largest amplification. The free-stream fluctuations were primarily in the entropic mode, which is believed to lead to the significantly higher amplification of the entropic mode reported in these measurements.
Development of thermostable vaccine adjuvants.

Introduction The importance of vaccine thermostability has been discussed in the literature. Nevertheless, the challenge of developing thermostable vaccine adjuvants has sometimes not received appropriate emphasis. Adjuvants comprise an expansive range of particulate and molecular compositions, requiring innovative thermostable formulation and process development approaches. Areas covered Reports on efforts to develop thermostable adjuvant-containing vaccines have increased in recent years, and substantial progress has been made in enhancing the stability of the major classes of adjuvants. This narrative review summarizes the current status of thermostable vaccine adjuvant development and looks forward to the next potential developments in the field. Expert opinion As adjuvant-containing vaccines become more widely used, the unique challenges associated with developing thermostable adjuvant formulations merit increased attention. In particular, more focused efforts are needed to translate promising proof-of-concept technologies and formulations into clinical products.
The Political Economy of Dependency and Class Formation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories Since 1967

This chapter argues that an appropriate framework to understand the Palestinian economy is through a dependency lens, accompanied by an understanding of class formation in the Palestinian society. In a nutshell, dependency theory explains how the movement of resources from the periphery to the center and the movement of final goods from the center to the periphery locks the latter in a vicious cycle where it cannot develop its productive base, increases its trade deficit, and remains “dependent” on the labor and goods markets of the center. To understand this dependency relationship, the chapter discusses, among others, the evolution of the Palestinian labor and goods markets, the contribution of economic sectors to employment and output, trade relations, and the economic implications of policies implemented by Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Not unrelated, and equally important, the chapter studies the parallel process of class formation within Palestinian society, and examines both the proletarianization process that proliferated after the Arab-Israeli War in 1967, as well as the class transformations that accompanied the political process in the early 1990s.
Genome-wide ChIPseq analysis of AhR, COUP-TF, and HNF4 enrichment in TCDD-treated mouse liver

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor known for mediating the toxicity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related compounds. Although the canonical mechanism of AhR activation involves heterodimerization with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator, other transcriptional regulators that interact with AhR have been identified. Enrichment analysis of motifs in AhR-bound genomic regions implicated co-operation with COUP transcription factor (COUP-TF) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4). The present study investigated AhR, HNF4 and COUP-TFII genomic binding and effects on gene expression associated with liver-specific function and cell differentiation in response to TCDD. Hepatic ChIPseq data from male C57BL/6 mice at 2 hrs after oral gavage with 30 {micro}g/kg TCDD were integrated with bulk RNA-sequencing (RNAseq) time-course (2 - 72 hrs) and dose-response (0.01 - 30 {micro}g/kg) datasets to assess putative AhR, HNF4 and COUP-TFII interactions associated with differential gene expression. TCDD treatment resulted in the genomic enrichment of 23,701, 11,688, and 9,547 binding regions for AhR, COUP-TFII and HNF4, respectively, throughout the genome. Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified differential binding enrichment for AhR, COUP-TFII, and HNF4a to regions within liver-specific genes suggesting intersections associated with the loss of liver-specific functions and hepatocyte differentiation. Analysis found that the repression of liver-specific, HNF4 target and hepatocyte differentiation genes, involved increased AhR and HNF4 binding with decreased COUP-TFII binding. Collectively, these results suggested TCDD-elicited loss of liver-specific functions and markers of hepatocyte differentiation involved interactions between AhR, COUP-TFII and HNF4.
Seeds of SEED: H-CRAM: In-memory Homomorphic Search Accelerator using Spintronic Computational RAM

Growing use of cloud raises privacy concerns for search in sensitive databases such as bioinformatics, where homomorphic encryption can help through direct computation –hence search/pattern matching–on the encrypted data. The recently proposed homomorphic secure content-addressable memory (SCAM) exploits this principle. Data dependencies in SCAM, however, lead to a memory bottleneck which has been addressed by various near-memory computing solutions. In this paper we demonstrate a more efficient alternative based on the true in-memory computing substrate spintronic Computational RAM (CRAM). The resulting SCAM accelerator, H-CRAM, achieves significant speedup and energy reduction.
Positive aspects of caregiving in incident and long-term caregivers: Role of social engagement and distress

Objectives Positive caregiver adaptation over time may be associated with reports of positive aspects of caregiving (PAC). We examined differences in PAC by caregiving duration and social engagement, controlling for measures of distress. Methods Participants included 283 African American or White caregivers from the Caregiving Transitions Study with a wide range of caregiving durations. PAC are defined as positive appraisals that caregivers report about their role, such as feeling appreciated or confident. We fit multivariable linear models with the total PAC score as the outcome to assess its association with years of caregiving and social engagement (social network, monthly social contact). Models were adjusted for age, sex, race, marital status, relationship to care recipient, care recipient's dementia status, perceived stress and caregiving strain. Results Caregivers with higher social engagement reported significantly higher PAC. A non-significant trend was found in most analytic models for caregivers with longer duration of care to report higher PAC. African American caregivers reported higher PAC compared to White caregivers. Dementia caregivers reported lower PAC than non-dementia caregivers in models adjusting for demographics and social network size, but the association was attenuated with the addition of caregiving strain. Discussion Higher social engagement and longer duration of care tend to be associated with higher PAC after adjusting for demographics and measures of distress. Future studies should aim to leverage longitudinal data to understand whether caregivers shift appraisal to positive aspects of their role and explore implementation of caregiving interventions targeting PAC in order to improve the caregiving experience.
International Human Resource Development: A Leadership Perspective

Workforce mobility and cultural diversity within contemporary international organizations pose unique challenges for managers and HR professionals. Overcoming the challenges of developing and training such a workforce requires the ability to bridge diverse working, learning and communication styles. In contrast with conventional organizational approaches to international HRD, International Human Resource Development: A Leadership Perspective explores workforce development from a personal perspective, challenging practitioners to develop their own leadership, learning and communication skills. As a point of departure, the book uses a demographic analysis of the workforces of a number of key countries in order to examine cultural implications for training and development, and for best practice. Drawing on a unique anthropological perspective and complete with case studies, exercises and an extensive glossary this text will prove an important resource for students of human resource development, human resource management and international business.
Control of fungal development: II. Kinetics of growth during dikaryosis in Schizophyllum commune

Abstract This paper describes a method for mating colonies of Schizophyllum commune so that the mating process in sets of individual colonies occurs synchronously. This technique has permitted us to define the kinetics of growth during dikaryosis, the transition from the homokaryotic to the dikaryotic stage of the life cycle. Homokaryons and established dikaryons have essentially the same exponential growth rates. We find that, during the transition from the homokaryon to the dikaryon, there is a period of distinctly slower growth, and it is during this period that the morphology typical of the dikaryon first becomes apparent. Growth kinetics for the transition from the homokaryon to the common-A heterokaryon are also established. This method will permit us to study sequential biochemical and physiological events occurring during these two developmental transitions.
A Synthetic Peptide Administered with IL-12 Elicits Immunity to Listeria monocytogenes

IL-12 is a pivotal cytokine signal for the development of Th1-type cellular responses that are required for control of intracellular pathogens. We previously demonstrated that coinjection of IL-12 with heat-killed Listeria monocytogenes, which was not immunogenic when injected alone, elicited intense Ag-specific T cell responses that conferred protection against subsequent challenge with Listeria. Herein we describe the remarkable finding that a nonimmunogenic synthetic peptide corresponding to a dominant MHC class II (H-2k)-restricted listerial determinant, when coinjected i.p. with murine IL-12, elicited potent Ag-specific immune responses that conferred protective immunity against Listeria.
The Ethics of Accepting a Bribe: An Empirical Study of Opinion in the USA, Brazil, Germany and China

This paper presents the results of an empirical study of attitudes toward bribe taking in the largest economies on four continents – the USA, Brazil, Germany and China. The authors use the Human Beliefs and Values Survey data to examine several demographic variables, including gender, age, ethnicity, religion, education, occupation, social class and confidence in government to determine whether these variables make a difference. Country comparisons are also conducted. The study found that women, older people, whites, Protestants, married, widowed and retired people were most opposed to bribery. People who worked for government, those in the upper middle class or those who lived in small towns were more opposed to bribery than were other groups. Happy people and those who had the most confidence in the police and the justice system were more opposed to bribery than other groups. Those with the most education and those with the least education were the two groups most strongly opposed to bribery. Variables that were not significant included confidence in government, position on the left-right political spectrum, religiosity, income level and health.
Genital Appearance Dissatisfaction: Implications for Women’s Genital Image Self-Consciousness, Sexual Esteem, Sexual Satisfaction, and Sexual Risk

Findings regarding the link between body image and sexuality have been equivocal, possibly because of the insensitivity of many of body image measures to potential variability across sensory aspects of the body (e.g., appearance versus odor), individual body parts (e.g., genitalia versus thighs), and social settings (e.g., public versus intimate). The current study refined existing methods of evaluating women's body image in the context of sexuality by focusing upon two highly specified dimensions: satisfaction with the visual appearance of the genitalia and self-consciousness about the genitalia during a sexual encounter. Genital appearance dissatisfaction, genital image self-consciousness, and multiple facets of sexuality were examined with a sample of 217 undergraduate women using an online survey. Path analysis revealed that greater dissatisfaction with genital appearance was associated with higher genital image self-consciousness during physical intimacy, which, in turn, was associated with lower sexual esteem, sexual satisfaction, and motivation to avoid risky sexual behavior. These findings underscore the detrimental impact of negative genital perceptions on young women's sexual wellbeing, which is of particular concern given their vulnerability at this stage of sexual development as well as the high rates of sexually transmitted infections within this age group. Interventions that enhance satisfaction with the natural appearance of their genitalia could facilitate the development of a healthy sexual self-concept and provide long-term benefits in terms of sexual safety and satisfaction.