cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progranulin derivative Atsttrin protects against early osteoarthritis in mouse and rat models

Atsttrin, an engineered protein composed of three tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-binding fragments of progranulin (PGRN), shows therapeutic effect in multiple murine models of inflammatory arthritis . Additionally, intra-articular delivery of PGRN protects against osteoarthritis (OA) progression. The purpose of this study is to determine whether Atsttrin also has therapeutic effects in OA and the molecular mechanisms involved. Surgically induced and noninvasive rupture OA models were established in mouse and rat, respectively. Cartilage degradation and OA were evaluated using Safranin O staining, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA. Additionally, expressions of pain-related markers, degenerative factors, and anabolic and catabolic markers known to be involved in OA were analyzed. Furthermore, the anabolic and anti-catabolic effects and underlying mechanisms of Atsttrin were determined using in-vitro assays with primary chondrocytes. Herein, we found Atsttrin effectively prevented the accelerated OA phenotype associated with PGRN deficiency. Additionally, Atsttrin exhibited a preventative effect in OA by protecting articular cartilage and reducing OA-associated pain in both nonsurgically induced rat and surgically induced murine OA models. Mechanistic studies revealed that Atsttrin stimulated TNFR2-Akt-Erk1/2-dependent chondrocyte anabolism, while inhibiting TNFα/TNFR1-mediated inflammatory catabolism. These findings not only provide new insights into the role of PGRN and its derived engineered protein Atsttrin in cartilage homeostasis as well as OA in vivo, but may also lead to new therapeutic alternatives for OA as well as other relative degenerative joint diseases.
Progress in Q-carbon and related materials with extraordinary properties

This paper summarizes our research related to Q-carbon and Q-BN and direct conversion of carbon into diamond and h-BN into c-BN. Synthesis and processing of these materials are accomplished by nano...
Research on Teacher Leadership: Assessing the State of the Art

Teacher leadership has become a key element of recent initiatives to reform schools. Opportunities for teacher leadership have come from an array of new programs and policies. They have come from career ladder and teacher mentoring programs. They have come from policies that designate master and lead teachers to direct school improvement. They have also come from efforts of administrators to decentralize and share decision-making authority (Smylie & Denny, 1990).
LUNG DEVELOPMENT | Congenital Parenchymal Disorders

The major congenital parenchymal disorders of the lung include pulmonary agenesis, pulmonary hypoplasia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, bronchogenic cyst, congenital lobar emphysema, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation, and bronchopulmonary malformation. The majority of abnormalities will manifest clinically shortly after birth or within the first year of life. A few anomalies may remain dormant until young adulthood. The advent of prenatal ultrasonography and fetal magnetic resonance imaging has led to earlier detection of these lesions and shed light on their natural history and pathogenesis. Postnatal diagnosis is based on history, physical examination, and radiographic evaluation. Current therapy involves complex medical and surgical management. Select lesions have become amenable to fetal treatment.
Social Dominance in Birds

Most of the behavioral components of what we now term social dominance behavior have long been recognized in animals. Darwin, in his treatise on the emotions of humans and animals, described in detail the suite of behaviors that characterize dominant and subordinate animals, although he did not use those terms (Darwin, 1965). Hoffer (1882, in Wilson, 1975) actually described stable dominance relationships in bumblebees, but his behavioral findings did not stimulate further research. The formal scientific investigation of social dominance relationships in animals began with Thorleif Schjelderup-Ebbe’s studies of captive groups of domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus) in the early 1920s (Schjelderup-Ebbe, 1922). Schjelderup-Ebbe observed that among any two individuals within a group there existed a “peck-right” relationship: a fundamental behavioral asymmetry whereby one of the pair could consistently peck the second and thus force it to yield its position, while the second bird rarely, if ever, was able to gain such an advantage over the first.
Cardiovascular Effects of Methadone

Methadone is a synthetic opioid commercially available as methadone hydrochloride. It is frequently used in the clinical setting as replacement therapy in patients with history of drug abuse and, in the recent past, also as an analgesic. Some of its characteristics, such as a long elimination half-life, good analgesic efficacy, and also low cost have increased the prescription of this medication for patients with chronic pain. Methadone works primarily as an agonist on opiate receptors in the central nervous system and in organs composed of smooth muscle tissue. It shares the potential to cause drug addiction with psychological dependence, physical dependence, and tolerance. Major hazards related to drug overdose include respiratory depression, circulatory depression, respiratory arrest, shock, and cardiac arrest, with the cardiovascular effects being in part secondary to intense sympathomimetic stimulation along with block of important cardiac ion channels, which can result in QT interval prolongation and potentially lethal cardiac arrhythmias. Patients who start or continue chronic therapy with methadone require careful management and monitoring in order to identify and correct undesirable side effects or adverse reactions, as well as unfavorable drug–drug interactions.
Canal System Structure, Development and Activities

It is surprising that so few detailed studies of the components of the canal system have been accomplished. Numerous descriptions of certain aspects appear in many systematic and other monographs (Vacelet, 1964; Connes, 1968; Thiney, 1972; Pottu-Boumendil, 1975; Diaz, 1979a; Hart- man, 1958a; Sollas, 1888; and others) but few of these data are comprehensive. The general absence of thoroughgoing, quantitative data is emphasized by the fact that there has not been a full, three-dimensional reconstruction of the canal system in any sponge. Until such reconstructions have been accomplished we will not have available all of the essential, quantitative and configurational information that is required for detailed biophysical analyses of water flow and other physiological parameters. The dynamics of water flow is somewhat better documented than morphology but only in a few species. The morphogenesis of the canal system is the major process during growth and development and there are only incomplete data on this highly complex phenomenon.
Occupational Therapy in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Resumption of Daily Life Activities

Comprehensive rehabilitation of the cardiac patient involves consideration of the patient's residual functional capacity and daily life routine. Occupational therapists play an important role in assisting individuals in the restoration of independence through functional activities. Phase I and II interventions may include self-care training, initiation of an exercise program, education in activity modification, energy conservation techniques, and stress management. With advances in technology and decreased length of stay, there is a greater need for the involvement of occupational therapists to assist in maximizing the functional level of individuals after cardiac events.
Daily Sedentary Behavior Predicts Pain and Affect in Knee Arthritis.

Background Sedentary behavior (SB), which has been linked with numerous adverse health outcomes, is prevalent among adults with osteoarthritis (OA). The associations between SB and daily physical and psychological health outcomes for OA patients, however, have received little attention. Purpose Using accelerometer and self-report data, the current study examined how the amount of time OA patients spent in SB was associated with their pain and affect in daily life, independent of physical activity. Methods Over 22 days, 143 older adults (mean age = 65 years) with knee OA wore an accelerometer to measure SB and physical activity, and also reported their pain and affect three times a day using a handheld computer. Multilevel analyses were conducted to examine the prospective within-person associations between SB and subsequent pain or affect within the same day and across days, independent of physical activity. Results The time spent in SB daily predicted less pain but worse affect at the end of that day, above and beyond the effects of physical activity, as well as demographics and individual differences in general health and depression. Moreover, cross-day lagged analyses indicated that time spent in SB on 1 day predicted higher negative affect the next morning. Finally, the average level of SB was also associated with worse average affect at the between-person level. Conclusions SB may be related to less pain in the short term but detract from patients' emotional well-being. Future intervention should aim to reduce daily SB to improve OA patients' emotional well-being.
Coupling the Uintah Framework and the VisIt Toolkit for Parallel In Situ Data Analysis and Visualization and Computational Steering.

Data analysis and visualization are an essential part of the scientific discovery process. As HPC simulations have grown, I/O has become a bottleneck, which has required scientists to turn to in situ tools for simulation data exploration. Incorporating additional data, such as runtime performance data, into the analysis or I/O phases of a workflow is routinely avoided for fear of excaberting performance issues. The paper presents how the Uintah Framework, a suite of HPC libraries and applications for simulating complex chemical and physical reactions, was coupled with VisIt, an interactive analysis and visualization toolkit, to allow scientists to perform parallel in situ visualization of simulation and runtime performance data. An additional benefit of the coupling made it possible to create a “simulation dashboard” that allowed for in situ computational steering and visual debugging.
Attachment styles in college students and depression: The mediating role of self differentiation

Abstract Attachment theory has been critical in conceptualizing the development of human relationships and affect regulation. Previous research has reported relationships between insecure attachments, depressive symptoms, and self-differentiation. Insecure attachment refers to patterns of bonding that are dysfunctional in some way. Self-differentiation refers to the capacity of an individual to handle emotions and thoughts in relationships. This study explored the role of self-differentiation as a possible mediator between insecure attachment in romantic relationships and depressive symptoms among a sample of 175 college undergraduates. Participants completed the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECRS), the Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Preacher and Hayes’ (2008) test for indirect effects was used to test the mediational model. As hypothesized, degree of insecure attachment predicted depressive symptoms through affect regulation. Implications of results in regards to mental health prevention among college students and future research are discussed.
Adjunctive Nd:YAG Laser Irradiation for Ridge Preservation and Immediate Implant Procedures: A Consecutive Case Series.

Introduction Whether or not laser use provides any meaningful benefit at immediate implant and ridge preservation sites remains an open question in periodontics. However, various lasers have been used in conjunction with tooth extraction and immediate implant placement. Evidence supporting adjunctive laser irradiation at immediate implant and ridge preservation sites is mostly limited to preclinical studies and a small number of case reports. Case series Adjunctive neodymium‒doped: yttrium, aluminum, garnet (Nd:YAG) laser irradiation was used at six immediate implant sites and five ridge preservation sites. Three immediate implants were in maxillary incisor positions and three were in premolar positions, two maxillary and one mandibular. All cases exhibited favorable healing and satisfactory clinical outcomes. Conclusions Nd:YAG laser energy application with 650-µs pulse duration consistently supported rapid clot formation and graft containment at immediate implant and ridge preservation sites. Histologic analyses and controlled clinical trials comparing ridge preservation and immediate implant procedures with and without laser use are needed. Because cellular responses and clinical outcomes may be exquisitely sensitive to irradiation parameters, studies should report materials and methods in detail.
The North Korean Crisis: Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Threat of Nuclear War

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, two unpredictable leaders who control weapons of mass destruction, have repeatedly exchanged personal insults and threatened nuclear war. Through the first year of the Trump presidency, they acted as though the world were zero-sum and their relations were a game of chicken. Surprisingly, given this context, in early 2018 both leaders indicated a willingness to meet to negotiate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. That meeting, which took place in Singapore in June 2018, produced broad promises to pursue peace and to work toward “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula, but no definitive end to the threat North Korea poses. This chapter focuses on the evolution of this ever-evolving nuclear crisis between North Korea and the United States. It begins by discussing the origins of Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program and then turns to Washington’s diplomatic efforts to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. It then examines how the issue affects key actors in the region, including South Korea, Russia, Japan, and China in their relations with the United States. This chapter concludes by analyzing the approaches available to Washington in dealing with North Korea.
The community reinvestment act and real municipal bond interest rate yields in the united states: evidence from the municipal bond market

This exploratory empirical study investigates the validity of a claim by the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (2014) that The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 may have acted to reduce the interest rate on high grade municipal bonds in the United States. The model also investigates the interest-rate effect of the federal budget deficit (as well as various other control variables). The estimates for the 1973–2016 study period reveal that The Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 may well have reduced the ex post real interest rate yield on high grade municipals.. The evidence also implies that the ex post real interest rate yield on high grade municipals has been an increasing function of the federal budget deficit (expressed as a percent of GDP). Federal public policy actions appear to exercise very important impacts on the market for municipal bonds.
Historical Perceptions of the Meaning of Work

Studs Terkel was known to many as author, actor, and radio personality. But, the one-time scholar-in-residence for the Chicago History Museum was also a noted historian, recording American History in radio and books (Corley, 2008). Among his many top-selling and Pulitzer prize-winning books is the book Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do (2011). Terkel’s book broadly interviews various types of workers as they engage in their work. These voices include: executives, receptionists, stewardesses, financial planners, chiefs, actors, welders, and gas meter readers to name only a few. The indication from these interviews was that work can vary in importance, but work does provide meaning for those performing the work. Besides taking on personal meaning for each person, work takes on varying degrees of meaningfulness. One voice, Bill Talcott, an organizer, thinking on the nature of work said, “history is a lot of people getting together to work deciding they want a better life for themselves and their kids” (Terkel, 2011, p. 355). And, as valid as this simple perspective may be, the collective historical understanding of work can be viewed as evolving based on changes in culture and society, as well as having a formative effect on the same.
Misapplying Equity Theories: Dress Codes at Work

This Article provides a new perspective on Title VII caselaw concerning employer-mandated, sex-specific dress codes. With few exceptions, courts have held that employer dress codes do not constitute sex discrimination even when they expressly differentiate based solely on an employee's sex. In other contexts, courts readily acknowledge that facially sex-based practices and policies are presumptively unlawful under Title VII. When it comes to dress codes, however, nearly the opposite is true. Courts generally presume a sex-based dress code to be permissible, and the burden falls heavily on the employee to show, beyond the mere fact of differential treatment, some additional disparity or harm, such as that the particular requirements at issue are more burdensome for women than for men or that they perpetuate stereotyped views of women as inferior or as sexual objects. This pervasive attitude of judicial laissez-faire toward sex-based dress codes is increasingly anomalous in the wider context of sex discrimination caselaw, and yet shows no signs of abating. This Article argues that this doctrinal blind spot is an unintended-and unfortunate-by-product of "second generation" equality theory, which downplays formal equality and focuses on anti-subordination principles as the purpose of equality law. While affirming the continuing importance and viability of second generation equality theory in the areas of affirmative action and disparate impact, the Author argues that an over-emphasis on anti-subordination theories has skewed dress code caselaw and prevented courts from seeing the discriminatory harms caused by sex-specific dress requirements. Prescriptively, the Article suggests ways for litigants to refocus courts on first generation principles in dress code cases. This includes strategies for identifying the harm caused by the formal labeling of difference, a harm ignored in cases of sex discrimination but well understood for race. Such a litigation strategy would be more effective than pursuing the currently popular sex stereotyping theory, which has largely failed to expose the detrimental impact of sex-based dress codes on employees.
Posttraumatic stress and alexithymia: A meta-analysis of presentation and severity.

OBJECTIVE Improving treatment outcomes for posttraumatic stress necessitates consideration of factors that may impede treatment progress. Previous research suggests alexithymia-an emotion-processing deficit characterized by difficulties in identifying, describing, and attending to emotional information-may be a therapeutically relevant correlate of posttraumatic stress. METHOD Building upon previous work in this area, meta-analysis was used to investigate (a) how alexithymic traits typically present among those with a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis, (b) the strength of association between alexithymic trait severity and posttraumatic stress severity independent of diagnosis, and (c) alexithymia subdimensions most closely associated with posttraumatic stress. A total of 43 samples encompassing 5,069 participants were included in analyses. RESULTS Results suggest individuals diagnosed with PTSD tend to experience alexithymic traits that, while just below the clinical cutoff, are 1.32 standard deviations more severe than the general population. These alexithymic traits are particularly prominent in male and veteran samples and for difficulties in identifying feelings. Independent of diagnosis, posttraumatic stress was moderately associated with alexithymic traits, and stronger associations were noted between posttraumatic stress and difficulties in identifying feelings than between posttraumatic stress and difficulties in describing feelings or externally oriented thinking. CONCLUSIONS Results attest to the importance of considering, conceptualizing, and treating posttraumatic stress and alexithymia in tandem. Implications for ongoing treatment development for posttraumatic stress are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Effectiveness of a New Neonatal Endotracheal Tube Clearing Device

Background: Previously no device existed to manage partial occlusions of the neonatal endotracheal tube (ETT). Suctioning with or without lavage could be used with potential consequences of the lavage. An ETT that is partially obstructed and causing difficult ventilation would require elective or emergent reintubation as the only option. A new device has been designed to clear the ETT lumen of secretions causing a partial obstruction. We wanted to determine if this new device could clean the neonatal ETT lumen after secretions had partially occluded the tube. Methods: A bench study was performed to test the new device (Restore Neonate, endOclear LLC) to clean neonatal ETTs. A Drager VN500 with pressure-controlled settings was connected to an ASL 5000 test lung via an ETT. Three sizes of ETTs were tested: 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 with a sequence of 3 partial occlusions each. The occlusions were created with simulated mucus (a propylene glycol mixture that was colored blue and was within the published range of human mucus viscosity). The occlusions were created by depositing 0.25 to 0.75 mL of simulated mucus until there was a brief airway occlusion as noted on the ventilator. A single pass of the catheter was used to clear the ETT each time. Flow-volume loops as well as breath to breath resistance measurements from the ventilator were used to evaluate effectiveness of the device to clean the ETT lumen. Results: Average ventilator resistance measurements (cm H2O/L/s) from the 3 simulated occlusions for each of the ETT were as follows. Size 2.5 ETT resistance measurements: 130-new ETT, 175-partial ETT occlusion, 135-post ETT cleaning. Size 3.0 ETT resistance measurements: 106-new ETT, 206-partial ETT occlusion, 108-post ETT cleaning. Size 3.5 ETT resistance measurements: 87-new ETT, 190-partial ETT occlusion, 86-post ETT cleaning. See figure for a representative set of flow-volume loops for the new ETT, the partial occlusion and the ETT after cleaning. Conclusions: The Restore Neonate appears to have fully recovered the lumen of the neonatal ETT in our bench study with a partial occlusion of simulated mucus as evidenced by resistance measurement returning to values similar to the new ETT as well as the flow-volume loops returning to the same shape as the new ETT. This new device may be valuable for cleaning the ETT of neonates instead of having to reintubate when partial obstructions occur.
A Dramaturgical Approach to Online Activism within Youth Empowerment Organizations

Social Networking Sites (SNS) offer youth activists and youth empowerment organizations (where adults help youth address community issues) opportunities for civic action. Impression management is critical to youth empowerment organizations' work online, as they attempt to influence the opinions of their audience. However, there is a dearth of research characterizing online impression management in the context of youth empowerment organizations. To address this research gap, we conducted a qualitative study investigating the use of SNS in a youth empowerment organization. Using Goffman's dramaturgical model, we characterized how youth tried to hack SNS algorithms, and their desire to better identify their audience. Our findings reveal how youth use SNS to create authentic images and connections with their audience. On the other hand, we discuss adults' desire to convey a curated organizational image and challenges that arose. We conclude with design implications for tools that support impression management online for youth activists.
Haute Couture's Paper Shield: The Madrid Protocol & the Absence of International Trademark Enforcement Mechanisms

This Article examines the shortcomings of trademark enforcement and the international trademark registration system of the Madrid Protocol, particularly within the fashion industry, and suggests two possible ways to cure this inadequacy. Analysis proceeds in eight parts, laying out the basics of trademark law, examining the international trademark system of the Madrid Protocol, and exploring issues that have arisen in enforcing internationally recognized trademarks in the fashion context. Further considerations involving issues in counterfeiting, dilution, and trade dress infringement are also taken into account.
Laryngeal Force Sensor for Suspension Microlaryngoscopy: A Prospective Controlled Trial.

ObjectivesThe laryngeal force sensor (LFS) provides real-time force data for suspension microlaryngoscopy. This study investigates whether active use of the LFS can prevent the development of compl...
Recommending More Efficient Workflows to Software Developers.

Existing recommendation systems can help developers improve their software development abilities by recommending new programming tools, such as a refactoring tool or a program navigation tool. However, simply recommending tools in isolation may not, in and of itself, allow developers to successfully complete their tasks. In this paper, I introduce a new recommendation system that recommends workflows, or sequences of tools, to developers. By learning more efficient workflows, the system could make software developers more efficient.
The Psychometric Properties of the Assertive Community Treatment Transition Readiness Scale (ATR)

Assertive community treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based practice for individuals living with severe mental illnesses. Originally conceptualized as a lifetime service, there is a need for standardized measures to help ACT teams identify clients who are potentially ready for a transition to less intensive services. Here, to address this gap in the literature, the psychometric properties of the Assertive Community Treatment Transition Readiness Scale (ATR) were examined. Data on the ATR were collected from ACT staff from across the country who had experience transitioning ACT clients to less intensive services. Results from an exploratory factor analysis suggested a one-factor solution and that items on the ATR demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability as well as predictive criterion validity and known-groups validity. The ATR is an easy-to-use, 18-item measure that has the potential, in combination with clinical judgment and practice wisdom, to be a useful tool for identifying ACT clients who could transition to a less intensive level of care.
Viability of MS2 and Phi6 Bacteriophages on Carpet and Dust

Respiratory viral illnesses are commonly spread in the indoor environment through multiple transmission routes, including droplets, aerosols, and direct/indirect contact. Indoors, resuspension of dust from flooring is a major source of human exposure. However, it is critical to determine viral persistence on dust and flooring to better characterize human exposure. The goal of this work is to determine viral viability on two carpet types (cut and looped) and house dust over time and after four different cleaning methods. MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages were used to represent non-enveloped and enveloped viruses, respectively. These viral surrogates were placed in an artificial saliva solution and nebulized onto carpet or dust. Viability was measured at various time points (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 24, and 48 hours) and after cleaning (vacuuming, hot water extraction with stain remover, steam, and a disinfection spray). Viability decay was modeled as first-order. MS2 bacteriophages showed slower viability decay rates in dust (-0.11 hr-1), cut carpet (-0.20 hr-1), and looped carpet (-0.09 hr-1) compared to Phi6 (-3.36 hr-1, -1.57 hr-1, and - 0.20 hr-1 respectively). The difference between phages was statistically significant in dust and cut carpet (p 0.05). Viable viral concentrations were reduced to below the detection limit for steam and disinfection for both MS2 and Phi6 (p 0.05). This study used viral surrogates and did not model risk of viral transmission via dust. Overall, these results demonstrate that MS2 and Phi6 bacteriophages can remain viable in carpet and dust for several hours to days, and cleaning techniques with heat and disinfectants may be more effective than standard vacuuming for viral removal. Future work should model risk from exposure via dust and flooring for various viruses such as influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=99 SRC="FIGDIR/small/444479v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (31K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1cc0ad9org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@dc440corg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f787dcorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f8bda3_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG
Outcomes of Pregnancy in Autoimmune Hepatitis: A Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) disproportionately affects young women, which may have implications in pregnancy. However, data on pregnancy outcomes in women with AIH are limited. APPROACH & RESULTS Using weighted discharge data from the United States National Inpatient Sample from 2012-2016, we evaluated pregnancies after 20 weeks gestation and compared outcomes in AIH to other chronic liver diseases (CLD) or no CLD in pregnancy. The association of AIH with maternal and perinatal outcomes was assessed by logistic regression. Among 18,595,345 pregnancies, 935 (<0.001%) had AIH (60 with cirrhosis) and 120,100 (0.006%) had other CLD (845 with cirrhosis). Temporal trends in pregnancies with AIH remained stable from 2008-2016 with 1.4-6.8/100,000 pregnancies per year (p=0.25). On adjusted analysis, the odds of gestational diabetes (GDM) and hypertensive complications (pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, or hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets) were significantly higher in AIH compared to other CLD (GDM: OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.5-3.9, p<0.001; hypertensive complications: OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.2, p=0.05) and also compared to no CLD in pregnancy (GDM: OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.6-3.6, p<0.001; hypertensive complications: OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3-4.1, p=0.003). AIH was also associated with preterm births when compared to women without CLD (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.5, p=0.01). AIH was not associated with postpartum hemorrhage, maternal, or perinatal death. CONCLUSIONS Rates of pregnancy in women with AIH have remained stable in recent years, though AIH is associated with notable maternal and perinatal risks, such as GDM, hypertensive complications, and preterm birth. Whether these risks are influenced by steroid use and/or AIH disease activity warrants evaluation. These data support a low risk of postpartum hemorrhage, and favorable survival of mothers and infants.
St. Augustine’s Free Will Theodicy and Natural Evil

The problem of evil is an obstacle to justified belief in an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent God (O3G). According to Saint Augustine’s free will theodicy (AFWT), moral evil attends free ...
Fault identification in robust data structures

An optimal algorithm is presented for the identification of faulty attributes in a robust data structure. The algorithm does not use any fault syndrome table since the size of such a table could be large, particularly when faults can compensate one another arbitrarily. The data structure is viewed as a collection of data elements related via some attributes. The relationships are specified by a set of axioms in first-order logic. Faults in attributes invalidate some of the axioms. The invalidated axioms are used to identify the faulty attributes. The authors show that the identification is possible in time proportional to the number of axioms even when faults compensate one another arbitrarily. This is optimal since their method of axiom generation does not yield any redundant axioms. >
The social and environmental responsibilities of multinationals: evidence from the Brent Spar case

This paper argues that multinational corporations face levels of environmental and social responsibility higher than their national counterparts. Drawing on the literatures of stakeholder salience, corporate reputation management, and evidence from the confrontation between Shell and Greenpeace over the Brent Spar, in 1995, two mechanisms – international reputation side effects, and foreign stakeholder salience – are identified and their contribution in creating an environment more restrictive, in terms of environmental and social responsibility, is elaborated on. The paper concludes with discussing the links of the work presented here with a number of ongoing debates within the filed of international business ethics, and the managerial implications of the two mechanisms identified.
Efficient insertion from an internal long terminal repeat (LTR)-LTR sequence on a reticuloendotheliosis virus vector is imprecise and cell specific

To examine the fidelity and efficiency of integration from a covalently closed long terminal repeat (LTR)-LTR sequence in vivo, we isolated individual spleen necrosis virus proviruses that arose following infection of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) and sequenced the provirus-cell DNA junctions. Some but not all CEF preparations allowed efficient insertion from the internal sequence. Moreover, in contrast to integration from the normal ends of the viral DNA, which occurs with precision with respect to the viral DNA, insertion from the internal sequence was not precise. In particular, there were short deletions of variable size from the viral DNA and these proviruses were not flanked by short direct repeats. Although this imprecise insertion can be efficient in CEFs, such integration is very inefficient in two other cell types (D17 and QT47) that support the replication of reticuloendotheliosis viruses. Thus, it is possible that there is a cell-specific factor(s) in CEFs required for efficient but imprecise insertion or, alternatively, D17 and QT47 cells contain a factor that abrogates integration from an internal LTR-LTR junction. Virus particles released from CEFs do not efficiently use the LTR-LTR junction following infection of D17 cells. Therefore, if there is a CEF-specific factor required for insertion, it does not appear to be transferred through particles.
Deviant globalization and the rise of diverse interests in the multilateral protection of intellectual property

The combined forces of globalization and digitization have brought into the mulilateral process a multiplicity of previously under-represented interests, including most notably those of the participants and beneficiaries of “deviant globalization.” With its emphasis on trade and innovation across socio-economic levels, and its focus on unmet consumer demands, deviant globalization, also referred to as the “informal economy,” brings new understandings of the relationship between compensation, access, and distributional innovation. These new interests have already impacted the norms governing the informal digital market. They will play an increasing role in ongoing efforts to recalibrate domestic and multilateral IP norms as well. Such recalibrations will not require that the needs of intellectual property owners be ignored. They will, however, require that IP owners’ interests be balanced against the practical operating principles governing the informal economy. New distribution techniques and products will be given “elbow room” to grow. Compensatory streams for the unauthorized use of IP works will be adjusted to reflect the right of consumers and producers to ensure reasonable access to desired works. Ultimately, the interests of deviant globalization will impose a regulatory scheme on intellectual property rights based on guiding norms that place economic opportunity for all — IP owners, developing economies, and consumers — at the center of the analysis.
The case of the fake Picasso: preventing history forgery with secure provenance

As increasing amounts of valuable information are produced and persist digitally, the ability to determine the origin of data becomes important. In science, medicine, commerce, and government, data provenance tracking is essential for rights protection, regulatory compliance, management of intelligence and medical data, and authentication of information as it flows through workplace tasks. In this paper, we show how to provide strong integrity and confidentiality assurances for data provenance information. We describe our provenance-aware system prototype that implements provenance tracking of data writes at the application layer, which makes it extremely easy to deploy. We present empirical results that show that, for typical real-life workloads, the run-time overhead of our approach to recording provenance with confidentiality and integrity guarantees ranges from 1%-13%.
Rethinking Diversity and Proxies for Economic Disadvantage in Higher Education: A First Generation Students' Project

On the fiftieth anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, this Article argues for a renewed focus on disadvantage and social mobility in passage of the Civil Rights Act and originally advocated affirmative action, the goals of rooting out discrimination and ensuring social mobility for all Americans motivated him. Over time, these goals receded in law and policy. Courts justified affirmative action on grounds of diversity. More recently, commentators urged consideration of "class-based" affirmative action or advocated policies that favor "low-income" students. Both initiatives can help open up access to selective institutions of higher education. However, neither is a dependable proxy for disadvantage in education. Race-based affirmative action justified on grounds of diversity is a vital tool for ameliorating racial inequality, but it does not necessarily address class-based disadvantage. Class- or income-based policies do not necessarily benefit the neediest students. The demographic makeup of selective institutions of higher education today suggests that neither effort is particularly effective in ensuring social mobility. Campuses are more racially heterogeneous, but largely economically homogeneous. If the social mobility objectives of the Civil Rights Act are to be more fully realized, universities must supplement current admissions and aid policies. Today's costly, ultra-competitive, and strategically managed admissions environment makes it even more vital to create pathways for talented students from truly disadvantaged backgrounds to selective institutions. To avoid the crowding out of the neediest students, disadvantage must be identified more precisely and attacked at its roots instead of indirectly. Favorable treatment of first-generation, Pell Grant-eligible students in three areas - admissions, financial aid, and institutional outreach - can facilitate greater access for truly educationally disadvantaged students. Through initiatives focused on these students, colleges can simultaneously tackle social problems related to income, socio-culture, place, and race, advance equal educational opportunity and pursue the national interest in social mobility.
Induced thermotolerance and tissue Hsc70 in juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch

We examined Hsc70 in gill, liver and caudal fin from coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) before (ambient, ~12 °C) and after a sublethal heat shock of 25 °C for 1 h. Increased levels were observed for at least 48 h in all three tissues. Attempts to demonstrate isoforms of this heat-shock protein were not successful using four different antibodies. However, one of these antibodies recognized isoforms in brine shrimp and oysters, two organisms in which the heat-shock response has been well characterized. Extracts of those organisms and coho salmon tissues were run on the same gels and evaluated on the same Western blots, at the same time. We believe that our results provide a reliable account of Hsc70 in these fish under these conditions. Limited experiments showed that induced thermotolerance was achieved in these coho salmon, lasting for about 1 week after the sublethal heat shock. These data suggest that increased levels of Hsc70 are correlated with induced thermotolerance in these fish.
LIMITING FACTORS IN BACTERIAL PHAGOCYTOSIS BY HUMAN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES

Limiting factors in neutrophil phagocytosis were studied using a sensitive assay by which attachment, ingestion and intracellular killing of bacteria could be separated. Phagocytosis was found to be limited by the attachment capacity of neutrophils. Ingestion and intracellular killing proceeded at a constant rate proportional to the number of bacteria attached to the neutrophils.
The D. C. Schools Project

the psychological trauma associated with violence in their native country, the harrowing experience of migration to the United States, and indefinite separation from family members. Moreover, oftentimes financial problems not only force parents to work two full-time jobs but also pressure the students into entering the work force at a young age. The decision to initiate a tutorial program was based on (a) the immigrant students' immediate need for survival English language skills, as well as general academic assistance, and (b) the teachers' and administrators' need for continual reinforcement of their efforts to retain and educate these students with unique educational and developmental needs. The principal roles of the volunteers in the D.C. Schools Project are (a) to provide students with the individualized attention they are not afforded in their crowded classrooms, (b) to act as a liaison between the students and families and the various human service agencies in the community, and (c) to serve as role models and friends to students. Volunteers are encouraged to develop relationships that extend beyond the tutoring setting and in this way to assist in the students' personal as well as academic development. Through the encouragement and support of their tutors, the students gain confidence in themselves and their abilities and become more aware of the importance of learning English and excelling in school in order to better their future educational and employment opportunities.
Regulation of TGF-β1/MAPK-mediated PAI-1 gene expression by the actin cytoskeleton in human mesangial cells

The importance of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene expression has been established, but the precise intracellular mechanisms are not fully understood. Our hypothesis is that the actin cytoskeleton is involved in TGF-β1/MAPK-mediated PAI-1 expression in human mesangial cells. Examination of the distributions of actin filaments (F-actin), α-actinin, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation revealed that ERK and JNK associate with α-actinin along F-actin and that TGF-β1 stimulation promote the dissociation of ERK and JNK with F-actin. Disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton inhibited phosphorylation of ERK and JNK and modulated PAI-1 expression and promoter activity under both basal and TGF-β1-stimulated conditions. Stabilizing actin prevented dephosphorylation of ERK and JNK. ERK and JNK inhibitors and overexpressed dominant negative mutants antagonized the ability of TGF-β1 to increase PAI-1 expression and promoter activity. Disassembly of F-actin also inhibited AP-1 DNA binding activity as determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay using AP-1 consensus oligonucleotides derived from human PAI-1 promoter. F-actin stabilization prevented loss of AP-1 DNA binding activity. Therefore, changes in actin cytoskeleton modulate the ability of TGF-β1 to stimulate PAI-1 expression through a mechanism dependent on the activation of MAPK/AP-1 pathways.
Hyaluronan synthase‐3 is upregulated in metastatic colon carcinoma cells and manipulation of expression alters matrix retention and cellular growth

HA is a glycosaminoglycan that is synthesized on the inner surface of the plasma membrane and secreted into the pericellular matrix. HA and its biosynthetic enzymes (HAS1, HAS2 and HAS3) are thought to participate in tumor growth and cancer progression. In our study, colon carcinoma cells isolated from a lymph node metastasis (SW620) produced more pericellular HA and expressed higher levels of HAS3 mRNA compared to cells isolated from a primary colon carcinoma (SW480). To assess functionality, HAS3 expression in SW620 cells was inhibited by transfection with an asHAS3 construct. Decreased HA secretion and cell-surface retention by asHAS3 transfectants were confirmed using competitive binding and particle exclusion assays. Anchorage-independent growth, a correlate of tumor growth in vivo, was assessed by colony formation in soft agar. SW620 cells stably transfected with asHAS3 demonstrated significant growth inhibition, as evidenced by fewer colonies and smaller colony area than either SW620 cells or cells transfected with vector alone. Addition of exogenous HA restored growth in asHAS3 transfectants. Thus, we demonstrate that pericellular HA secretion and retention and HAS3 expression are increased in metastatic colon carcinoma cells relative to cells derived from a primary tumor. Inhibition of HAS3 expression in these cells decreased the pericellular HA matrix and inhibited anchorage-independent growth. These data suggest that HA and HAS3 function in the growth and progression of colon carcinoma. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Formation of NOx, CH4, and C2 species in laminar methanol flames

Computational and experimental results at normal atmospheric pressure are reported for methanol-air premixed and diffusion flames, the latter including fuel streams partially premixed to equivalence ratios down to 2, yielding two-stage flames. Measurements of the concentrations of NOx, of CH4, and of the sum of the concentrations of C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6 (collectively termed C2 species) are made for these flames. By employing 184 elementary steps, 52 of which are associated with the nitrogen chemistry, computations are performed for freely propagating premixed flames with equivalence ratios from 0.5 to 1.9 and for counterflowing two-stage flames with equivalence ratios from 2 to infinity at different initial conditions. Most of the elementary rate constants have been validated in previous experimental and computational studies of H2, CO, CH4, and CH3OH flames. Those that have not mainly concern consumption of CH3O and CH2OH, especially notably CH2OH+H→CH3+OH, which is the dominant reaction leading to the formation of both CH4 and C2 species in these experiments and for which the rate parameters are determined herein. Excellent agreements between experiments and predictions are obtained. This completes the determination of elementary rate parameters for methanol-air flames, to the extent possible on the basis of currently available experimental information, and it thereby provides a reaction mechanism for these flames.
Clinical Considerations of Paraphilic Sex Offenders with Comorbid Psychiatric Conditions

Clinical work with paraphilic sex offenders can be further complicated by the presence of additional comorbid psychiatric conditions. This article reviews the prevalence of Axis I and Axis II disorders among paraphilic as well as non-paraphilic sex offenders. The presence of a co-occurring mental disorder informs the need for careful, comprehensive, and individualized clinical conceptualizations of these types of cases. Considerations for assessment and treatment in working with paraphilic sex offenders who present with comorbid mental illness will be offered.