cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for recurrent glioblastoma

In a healthy host, the programmed cell death (PD) pathway serves to regulate T cell activity in order to prevent damage secondary to chronic inflammation and the development of autoimmunity. This pathway is often exploited by human cancers to suppress infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and evade the anti-tumor immune response (1). Cancers, including glioblastoma (GBM), upregulate the expression of PD-L1, which upon binding to PD-1 expressed on the surface of T cells, results in the attenuation of T cell activity (2). The resulting attenuation of the anti-tumor T cell response is achieved through the suppression of T cell proliferation and cytokine release as well as the induction of T cell anergy, promotion of T cell apoptosis and expansion of the regulatory T cell (Tregs) population (1,2).
Rapid and directed group motility in B. subtilis does not rely on individual motility or chemotaxis

Microbes routinely face the challenge of acquiring territory and resources on wet surfaces. Cells move in large groups inside thin, surface bound water layers, often achieving speeds of 30 μm/s within this environment, where viscous forces dominate over inertial forces (low Reynolds number). The canonical Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is a model organism for the study of directed, collective migration over surfaces with groups exhibiting motility on length scales three orders of magnitude larger than themselves within a few doubling times. Genetic and chemical studies clearly show that the secretion of endogenous surfactants and availability of free surface water are required for this ultrafast group motility. However, the relative importance of individual motility, chemosensing, and the presence of exogenous nutrient gradients in precipitating group surface motility are largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that, contrary to models, simulations and observations of surface motility in other bacterial species, (i) B. subtilis does not rely on chemotaxis to determine group motility direction, that (ii) the rate of dendritic expansion has only a weak dependence on motility and that rapid dendritic group motility is possible even with non-motile cells, and that (iii) water availability is likely a sensitive control parameter modulating an abiotic jamming transition that determines whether the group remains fluidized and therefore collectively motile. These data suggest that rapid surface motility does not result from individual motility and chemotaxis properties of the bacteria, but rather that a combination of biologically generated surface tension gradients and abiotic granular jamming regulate this ubiquitous ecological process.
Detecting Local Insights from Global Labels: Supervised & Zero-Shot Sequence Labeling via a Convolutional Decomposition

We propose a new, more actionable view of neural network interpretability and data analysis by leveraging the remarkable matching effectiveness of representations derived from deep networks, guided by an approach for class-conditional feature detection. The decomposition of the filter-ngram interactions of a convolutional neural network and a linear layer over a pre-trained deep network yields a strong binary sequence labeler, with flexibility in producing predictions at -- and defining loss functions for -- varying label granularities, from the fully-supervised sequence labeling setting to the challenging zero-shot sequence labeling setting, in which we seek token-level predictions but only have document-level labels for training. From this sequence-labeling layer we derive dense representations of the input that can then be matched to instances from training, or a support set with known labels. Such introspection with inference-time decision rules provides a means, in some settings, of making local updates to the model by altering the labels or instances in the support set without re-training the full model. Finally, we construct a particular K-nearest neighbors (K-NN) model from matched exemplar representations that approximates the original model's predictions and is at least as effective a predictor with respect to the ground-truth labels. This additionally yields interpretable heuristics at the token level for determining when predictions are less likely to be reliable, and for screening input dissimilar to the support set. In effect, we show that we can transform the deep network into a simple weighting over exemplars and associated labels, yielding an introspectable -- and modestly updatable -- version of the original model.
Tall Fescue and E. coenophiala Genetics Influence Root-Associated Soil Fungi in a Temperate Grassland.

A constitutive, host-specific symbiosis exists between the aboveground fungal endophyte Epichloe coenophiala (Morgan-Jones & W. Gams) and the cool-season grass tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.), which is a common forage grass in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and temperate European grasslands. New cultivars of tall fescue are continually developed to improve pasture productivity and animal health by manipulating both grass and E. coenophiala genetics, yet how these selected grass-endophyte combinations impact other microbial symbionts such as mycorrhizal and dark septate fungi remains unclear. Without better characterizing how genetically distinct grass-endophyte combinations interact with belowground microorganisms, we cannot determine how adoption of new E. coenophiala-symbiotic cultivars in pasture systems will influence long-term soil characteristics and ecosystem function. Here, we examined how E. coenophiala presence and host × endophyte genetic combinations control root colonization by belowground symbiotic fungi and associated plant nutrient concentrations and soil properties in a 2-year manipulative field experiment. We used four vegetative clone pairs of tall fescue that consisted of one endophyte-free (E-) and one E. coenophiala-symbiotic (E+) clone each, where E+ clones within each pair contained one of four endophyte genotypes: CTE14, CTE45, NTE16, or NTE19. After 2 years of growth in field plots, we measured root colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate endophytes (DSE), extraradical AMF hyphae in soil, total C, N, and P in root and shoot samples, as well as C and N in associated soils. Although we observed no effects of E. coenophiala presence or symbiotic genotype on total AMF or DSE colonization rates in roots, different grass-endophyte combinations altered AMF arbuscule presence and extraradical hyphal length in soil. The CTE45 genotype hosted the fewest AMF arbuscules regardless of endophyte presence, and E+ clones within NTE19 supported significantly greater soil extraradical hyphae compared to E- clones. Because AMF are often associated with improved soil physical characteristics and C sequestration, our results suggest that development and use of unique grass-endophyte combinations may cause divergent effects on long-term ecosystem properties.
Prevalence and Severity of Anemia in Haiti

Anemia is a serious health concern worldwide, affecting about 25% of the world9s population. Anemia is most common in financially underdeveloped countries such as Haiti, where lack of income and improper sanitation lead to nutritional deficiencies, gastrointestinal infections, and anemia. These conditions cause anemia from insufficient iron and vitamin intake, increased utilization of nutrients by the infectious organism, and blood loss. Reports of anemia prevalence in Haiti are few, represent select communities, and focus mostly on children. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of anemia in Haiti by analyzing samples from a wider population, including mostly adults, and from multiple communities distributed across Haiti. These data include 1500 samples from adult subjects residing in 15 communities distributed across most of Haiti. Either hematocrit or hemoglobin was measured depending on whether electricity was available. Hematocrit was measured by the microhematocrit method and hemoglobin was measured by the MissionPlus Reflectance point-of-care instrument. Data were reported as hemoglobin, so hematocrit was converted to hemoglobin by dividing hematocrit by three. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin below 12.4 g/dL and represented 49.27% of the study population. Anemia cases were then subdivided into mild (11.0g/dL-12.3g/dL; 30.67%; n=460), moderate (8.0g/dL-10.9g/dL; 15.73%; n=236), and severe (
Decreasing Time from Decision to Intubation in Premedicated Neonates: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Endotracheal intubation carries the risk of discomfort, decompensation, oral trauma, and endotracheal tube malposition. Treatment with premedications reduces complications, increases overall intubation safety, improves pain control, and improves first-pass success. However, time is frequently a barrier to administration. We aimed to decrease the decision-to-intubation time interval from a baseline of 40 minutes to less than 35 minutes over 6 months. Methods We used the Model for Improvement with multiple plan-do-study-act cycles to reduce the time from decision to successful intubation in nonemergent neonatal intubations. Key drivers were timely administration of medications, availability of skilled personnel and equipment, and efficient use of time. Results During this project, time from the decision to successful intubation decreased from a historical mean of 40 minutes to a new baseline of 27 minutes. This change represents a 33% decrease, with 80% of intubations occurring within 35 minutes. During this time, success rates remained stable, and medication errors and side effects did not increase. Conclusions Standard processes to prepare and administer premedications decreased the time from decision to intubation without significant adverse effects, allowing the benefit of premedication administration in a safe and timely manner in nonemergent neonatal intubations.
Selective sequestration of signalling proteins in a membraneless organelle reinforces the spatial regulation of asymmetry in Caulobacter crescentus.

Selective recruitment and concentration of signalling proteins within membraneless compartments is a ubiquitous mechanism for subcellular organization1–3. The dynamic flow of molecules into and out of these compartments occurs on faster timescales than for membrane-enclosed organelles, presenting a possible mechanism to control spatial patterning within cells. Here, we combine single-molecule tracking and super-resolution microscopy, light-induced subcellular localization, reaction-diffusion modelling and a spatially resolved promoter activation assay to study signal exchange in and out of the 200 nm cytoplasmic pole-organizing protein popZ (PopZ) microdomain at the cell pole of the asymmetrically dividing bacterium Caulobacter crescentus4–8. Two phospho-signalling proteins, the transmembrane histidine kinase CckA and the cytoplasmic phosphotransferase ChpT, provide the only phosphate source for the cell fate-determining transcription factor CtrA9–18. We find that all three proteins exhibit restricted rates of entry into and escape from the microdomain as well as enhanced phospho-signalling within, leading to a submicron gradient of activated CtrA-P19 that is stable and sublinear. Entry into the microdomain is selective for cytosolic proteins and requires a binding pathway to PopZ. Our work demonstrates how nanoscale protein assemblies can modulate signal propagation with fine spatial resolution, and that in Caulobacter, this modulation serves to reinforce asymmetry and differential cell fate of the two daughter cells. In an interesting demonstration of how bacterial subcellular organization influences physiology, polar accumulation of PopZ protein in a membraneless microdomain is found to drive asymmetric phosphorylation of CtrA-P, which creates a gradient that is responsible for asymmetric cell division in Caulobacter.
Realization of Enhanced Phase Locked Loop using Raspberry Pi and LabVIEW

Real-time data is gaining more importance in engineering. With archived data and the real-time data, utilities are making systems more robust by developing new methods for controlling and monitoring. Frequency information of the system is one of the key factors for better controlling and monitoring purpose. Acquiring real-time frequency information at a low cost is of timely important. This paper presents Raspberry Pi based data acquisition for frequency measurement through enhanced Phase-Locked-Loop (PLL). This paper discusses elements: (i) The complete procedure for acquiring the real-time data using Raspberry Pi, Multi-chip package (MCP) 3008 and LabVIEW. (ii) Modeling of Enhanced PLL with the data acquisition system for processing the real-time data to extract the frequency and amplitude information.
Chapter 68 – Retinal Degeneration

Retinal degenerations are typically characterized by loss of highly differentiated cells within the neurosensory retina, such as photoreceptors, or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). RPE loss is the final common pathway in a number of degenerations including the leading cause of new blindness in the developed world: age-related macular degeneration. Targeting the RPE for transplantation with stem cell derived tissue presents a reasonable therapeutic opportunity in a variety of important, otherwise untreatable, blinding conditions. This chapter presents the pathophysiologic case for this strategy, the preclinical data substantiating the hypothesis, and the initial clinical trials safety data from early human trials.
Foolish silence: Reflecting on the ecology of silent collaboration with injustice

The prevalence of injustice in society should be understood as the outcome of both individual and household level forces as well as those that take place at various levels of societal interaction. ...
The impact of neoliberal globalisation on (global) citizenship teacher education in Norway

Norway has been going through numerous changes in its education system. In the last 10 years, Norway has retrained its teachers to obtain master’s degrees, redrawn its curricula objectives, and ins...
Hyperoxia Inhibits the Growth of Mouse Forebrain Oligodendrocyte Progenitors

NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan positive oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) reside throughout the brain. They divide asymmetrically and differentiate into myelinating oligodendrocytes throughout adulthood. OPCs have been successfully isolated from rodents using several techniques including magnetic beads, immunopanning and exploiting differential centripetal adhesion. Whereas rat OPCs are relatively simple to propagate in vitro, it has been difficult to expand mouse OPCs. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of oxygen levels, growth factors and extracellular matrix components to produce a simple and reproducible method to prepare large numbers of nearly homogenous cultures of primary mouse OPCs from postnatal day 0-2 mouse telencephala. Using the McCarthy and de Vellis mechanical separation method OPCs were separated from mixed culture of glial cells. When the OPCs were plated onto fibronectin coated tissue culture plates in a biochemically defined medium that contained fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and platelet derived growth factor AA (PDGFAA), and they were maintained in a standard tissue culture incubator, they proliferated very slowly. By contrast, mouse OPCs doubled approximately every 7 days when maintained in a 2% oxygen, nitrogen buffered environment. After 3 passages, greater than 99% of these OPCs were NG2+/PDGFRα+. In medium containing only FGF-2, mouse OPCs progressed to late stage OPCs whereupon A2B5 expression decreased and O4 expression increased. When these cells were differentiated between passages 1 and 3, the majority of the OPCs differentiated into MBP+ mature oligodendrocytes However, cells that were repeatedly passaged beyond 4 passages progressed to a late O4+ OPC (even with mitogens present) and when differentiated by mitogen removal a minority of the OPCs differentiated into MBP+ cells. These studies reveal significant differences between mouse and rat OPCs and an inhibitory role for oxygen in mouse OPC proliferation.
Sn4−δB12Se12[Qx], Q = Se, Te, a B12 Cluster Tunnel Framework Hosting Neutral Chalcogen Chains

We report the open framework semiconductor, Sn4B12Se12, synthesized using a Sn/Se flux method. The framework in this compound features the rare icosahedral [B12Se12]14– anion assembled into a 3D tu...
Safe, Sound, and Private: Promoting Data Protection for Students

In an effort to slow the spread of the highly infectious disease coronavirus (COVID-19), school districts around the world closed school buildings, thrusting educators into emergency remote teachin...
A Clinical Advantage: Experience Informs Recognition and Adaptation to a Novel Talker With Dysarthria.

Purpose Perceptual training paradigms, which leverage the mechanism of perceptual learning, show that naive listeners, those with no prior experience with dysarthria, benefit from explicit familiar...
Gender Differences and Their Influences on T2DM Self-Management Among Spanish-Speaking Latinx Immigrants.

Introduction:Evidence suggests that gender may influence many aspects of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) self-management (SM) and we posit that limited English language–proficient Latinx immigrants face add...
Conclusion: Destroy All Monsters!

Chapter Seven concludes with readings of Logan (2017), Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), and Amazon Prime’s The Boys (2019–) as distinctly reflective fantasy narratives that offer a critical take on the superhero fantasy phenomenon. All three of these reflective superhero fantasies explore the toxic results of fantasy-as-ideology in the name of corporate capitalism. These texts suggest disruptive moments in superhero fantasy are possible. The chapter ends with a discussion of the streaming cinematic superhero fantasy and the changing nature of superhero narrative as social practice.
Ecological History, Catastrophism, and Human Impact on the Mississippi/Alabama Continental Shelf and Associated Waters: A Review

The MississippilkIabama continental shelf and associated coastal waters together form a complex ecological system of interrelated parts. The: biological system of the area has become established during the period of sea level rise foHowhg the last continental glacial maxi" about 18,000 years ago. Contemporary biologkal populations oftheinshore waters are subject toepisadiccatastrophic events caused by exceptional cold fronts, flooding, major storms, hypoxia,rsd tide outbreaks,andmajordroughts. Most of thesewenhare nothown toaffect the shelfpopulations directly, but inditect effects through had chain disruptions are likely. h a p Current intrusions and entrainment of deep Gulf waters could Tirectly impact the shelf species. Imposed upon these events are various human intrusions which have severely reduced the quality and quantity of inshore habitats. Increme in commercial and recreational fishing pressure in the inside w3kw and on the continental shelf during the past hvo decades has k e n accompanied by dramatic decline in popuia'tions of demersal and pelagic fish species. In order to be able 20 manage resources of the area successfully, lhwe is an urgent need to understand the natural functioning ofthe ensire complex ecological system.
WE-AB-204-11: Development of a Nuclear Medicine Dosimetry Module for the GPU-Based Monte Carlo Code ARCHER

Purpose: To develop a nuclear medicine dosimetry module for the GPU-based Monte Carlo code ARCHER. Methods: We have developed a nuclear medicine dosimetry module for the fast Monte Carlo code ARCHER. The coupled electron-photon Monte Carlo transport kernel included in ARCHER is built upon the Dose Planning Method code (DPM). The developed module manages the radioactive decay simulation by consecutively tracking several types of radiation on a per disintegration basis using the statistical sampling method. Optimization techniques such as persistent threads and prefetching are studied and implemented. The developed module is verified against the VIDA code, which is based on Geant4 toolkit and has previously been verified against OLINDA/EXM. A voxelized geometry is used in the preliminary test: a sphere made of ICRP soft tissue is surrounded by a box filled with water. Uniform activity distribution of I-131 is assumed in the sphere. Results: The self-absorption dose factors (mGy/MBqs) of the sphere with varying diameters are calculated by ARCHER and VIDA respectively. ARCHER’s result is in agreement with VIDA’s that are obtained from a previous publication. VIDA takes hours of CPU time to finish the computation, while it takes ARCHER 4.31 seconds for the 12.4-cm uniform activity sphere case. For a fairer CPU-GPU comparison, more effort will be made to eliminate the algorithmic differences. Conclusion: The coupled electron-photon Monte Carlo code ARCHER has been extended to radioactive decay simulation for nuclear medicine dosimetry. The developed code exhibits good performance in our preliminary test. The GPU-based Monte Carlo code is developed with grant support from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering through an R01 grant (R01EB015478).
Studies of Nicotinic Acid Metabolism in Astasia longa I. INCORPORATION OF NICOTINIC ACID INTO PYRIDINE DERIVATIVES IN EXPONENTIALLY GROWING AND IN SYNCHRONIZED CULTURES

Abstract Astasia longa grown in synthetic media incorporate labeled nicotinic acid into deamido-NMN, deamido-NAD, NAD, and NADP. The specific activities of these pyridine nucleotides after a 2-min pulse are compatible with the operation of the Preiss-Handler pathway of NAD biosynthesis. Label also appeared in nicotinamide, NMN, and the N-methyl derivatives of nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, indicating a high turnover of NAD in this protozoan cell. The relative amounts of deamido-NMN, deamido-NAD, NAD, and NADP were about 1:5:20:2 in both exponentially growing cultures and in cultures synchronized by means of a repetitive temperature cycle. Appreciable synthesis of pyridine nucleotides did not begin until the middle of the warm period, when almost half of the population had divided, and synthesis continued throughout the cold period. The NAD and NADP contents of the cell were relatively constant throughout the synchrony cycle, but the ratio of deamido-NMN to deamido-NAD changed. Growth in the presence of nicotinic acid leads to an increased intracellular concentration of pyridine derivatives, suggesting that the rate of endogenous supply of deamido-NMN precursors is one rate-limiting step in the biosynthesis of NAD in Astasia. The maintenance of a high and relatively constant level of deamido-NAD indicates that the supply of endogenous deamido-NMN precursors is not the only regulatory process controlling the level of pyridine nucleotides. Growth of Astasia in the presence of high nicotinic acid concentrations leads to the synthesis of a pink pigment which does not appear to be present under normal conditions of growth, i.e. in the absence of nicotinic acid. High nicotinic acid during growth also leads to a large increase in the level of an unidentified guanine-containing nucleotide.
Climate Change Policies at the U.S. State Level: Evidence, Complexity, and Challenges to Comprehensive Strategies

During the past decade, there has been a significant change in the discourse and approaches to the problem of global climate change in the United States and internationally. While at the federal level the United States has not produced a comprehensive national policy, but rather focused on research and pubic-private partnerships, many U.S. states and regions have introduced a variety of steps that contribute to the overall green-house-gases intensity reduction goal. Forty two states created Emission Inventories; twenty-nine states developed Climate Action Plans; and twenty-three states have Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards. Yet, only four states have a Power Plant carbon dioxide Emission Cap and only one state, California, has a Statewide GHG Emission Cap. This paper analyzes factors affecting U.S. states’ responses to mitigating global climate change. It addresses the following questions: What are the driving forces for the introduction of sub-national climate strategies? What explains different trajectories of climate change strategies among the U.S. states?, and Why might or might not these initiatives serve as an inducement for national policy? In contrast to multiple accounts in the literature that merely commend state-level efforts, this paper claims that several distinct and competing principles vie for dominance in the U.S. climate policy. It argues that notwithstanding states’ leadership and initiative there is a lack of a coherent strategy among the states due to 1) legal constraints, such as the distribution of rights and competencies in the federal system, and authority in international agreements, 2) resource limitations, which can jeopardize long-term climate policy efforts; and 3) political constraints, such as the lack of the political grounding, acceptance in the constituencies, and competing priorities for launching policy innovation. The paper concludes by examining a range of drivers that may contribute to an increase of influence at a federal level to adopt a nationwide policy. Among them are increasing uncertainty, which creates costs among consumers and producers with regard to long term investment; diffusion of policy strategies, which may reduce the problems associated with spillover effects across jurisdictions caused by environmental legislation; and the emergence of interests, which promote demonstration of innovations to reduce the heterogeneity of standards across the country.
Using stream semantics for continuous queries in media stream processors

In the case of media and feature streams, explicit inter-stream constraints exist and can be exploited in the evaluation of continuous queries in the spirit of semantic query optimization. We express these properties using a media stream declaration language MSDL. In the demonstration, we present IMMERSI-MEET, an application built around an immersive environment. The IMMERSI-MEET system distinguishes between continuous streams, where values of different types come at a specified data rate, and discrete streams where sources push values intermittently. In MSDL, any dependence declaration must have at least one dependency specifying predicate in the body. As stream declarations are registered, the stream constraints are interpreted to construct a set of evaluation directives.
Using epigenomics data to predict gene expression in lung cancer

Epigenetic alterations are known to correlate with changes in gene expression among various diseases including cancers. However, quantitative models that accurately predict the up or down regulation of gene expression are currently lacking. A new machine learning-based method of gene expression prediction is developed in the context of lung cancer. This method uses the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450K Beadchip CpG methylation array data from paired lung cancer and adjacent normal tissues in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and histone modification marker CHIP-Seq data from the ENCODE project, to predict the differential expression of RNA-Seq data in TCGA lung cancers. It considers a comprehensive list of 1424 features spanning the four categories of CpG methylation, histone H3 methylation modification, nucleotide composition, and conservation. Various feature selection and classification methods are compared to select the best model over 10-fold cross-validation in the training data set. A best model comprising 67 features is chosen by ReliefF based feature selection and random forest classification method, with AUC = 0.864 from the 10-fold cross-validation of the training set and AUC = 0.836 from the testing set. The selected features cover all four data types, with histone H3 methylation modification (32 features) and CpG methylation (15 features) being most abundant. Among the dropping-off tests of individual data-type based features, removal of CpG methylation feature leads to the most reduction in model performance. In the best model, 19 selected features are from the promoter regions (TSS200 and TSS1500), highest among all locations relative to transcripts. Sequential dropping-off of CpG methylation features relative to different regions on the protein coding transcripts shows that promoter regions contribute most significantly to the accurate prediction of gene expression. By considering a comprehensive list of epigenomic and genomic features, we have constructed an accurate model to predict transcriptomic differential expression, exemplified in lung cancer.
Parametric Offset Surface Approximation

Offset surfaces are of interest in a variety of engineering applications. The formulation of a parametric offset surface involves division by the square root of a parametric equation, therefore, the offset surface is typically non-polynomial. Because of this complexity, offset surfaces cannot, in general, be written as members of the same class of functions or their generating or progenitor surface. Approximation of the offset surface is therefore desirable. Three contemporary methods of offset surface approximation are described which serve as models for the development of a new approximation algorithm. An adaptive offset surface approximation method based on a visually smooth triangular interpolant to position and tangent plane data defined in a triangular mesh is then developed. The criteria used to develop the approximation method are discussed, the components of the algorithm are described and the results of an implementation are illustrated. A conclusion about the success and possible refinement of the triangular offset surface approximation method is drawn and ideas for further research are outlined.
Compliance issues and IS degree programs

New graduates of IS degree programs are entering a profession which is increasingly bound by legal and regulatory requirements and this fact may come as a big surprise to many of these young people. This paper provides a brief overview of compliance issues and suggests that coverage of these issues be integrated into existing courses within the IS curriculum. Since compliance topics may not at first glance appear relevant to the more technically oriented IS students, news reports of security violations with associated compliance implications can be used to emphasize the urgency, relevance and impact of compliance issues.
Financing Community Development in the US: A Comparison of "War on Poverty" and 1990s-Era Policy Approaches

This paper first analyzes the role of finance in community development, and then contrasts 1990s development-financing policies with those undertaken decades earlier in the context of the federal “War on Poverty.” It is shown that the Clinton-Bush era programs in support of community development were less extensive than War on Poverty programs. Further, they were weighted toward large banks and large commercial real-estate projects, and did not take into account the implications of the changing strategies and activities of private-sector banking firms. Consequently, programs implemented in the 1990s and afterward by the Clinton and Bush Administrations had relatively little impact. This paper then suggests some lessons for the new Administration.
Urban health: discipline or field-does it matter?

Urban health does not need to be a discipline for the health of urban populations to be important. As the presentations at the Second International Conference on Urban Health amply demonstrated, the earth’s population is increasingly concentrated in cities, urban environments create physical and social problems of enormous consequence for human health, and disparities in health must be addressed. Of equal importance was the celebration of the assets of the world’s cities: excitement, energy, diversity, and complexity. Most of us would not want to live anywhere else. The fundamental arguments for urban health as an academic discipline are as follows: First, other disciplines have failed to fully explore the role that the urban context itself played in health. Second, other disciplines do not share a common language or vocabulary about urban health. Finally, there has been no forum for discussing the unique features of urban health. As demonstrated in any university catalog, most disciplines end in “ology” (e.g., sociology, psychology, biology, epidemiology, etc.). There are, of course, notable exceptions, including economics, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and the like. There is no “urbanology,” although the disciplinary case might be made for geography, urban studies, or urban planning. There are such departments in universities. Their common feature is that they grant degrees. What seems to be at the heart of a discipline is a method of inquiry that is unique to its members and taught by its graduates. Epidemiologists go from one disease to another and from one population to another, but always use epidemiological methods to carry out their studies. The same can be said of demographers and engineers. In multidisciplinary fields, however, it is the topic, or in this case the population, that is central. Members of a “field” use whatever methods are needed to solve its intellectual problems. Although the success of disciplinary research is clear, the fundamental problem with this approach is that it creates boundaries. Once set in place, disciplinary practitioners defend their boundaries against incursion. Disciplinary philosophic perspectives and disciplinary heuristics often limit the ability to think critically in a transdisciplinary fashion. Thus, scholars from one discipline may not be able or may simply refuse to get involved with a second discipline. Furthermore, although researchers may separate their research conceptualizations and methodologies, in
Comparative biochemical studies of milk—VI. Constituent fatty acids of milk fats of additional species

Abstract 1. 1. Fatty acid analyses of the milk fats of 34 species are reported, 32 of them for the first time. 2. 2. These fatty acid compositions in general confirm the pattern of taxonomic and ecological differences previously observed.
The interaction of ethylene with surface carbonate and hydroxide intermediates on silver

Abstract The surface chemistry of the intermediates formed from the adsorption of CO 2 and H 2 O on an oxygen-atom-covered Ag(110) surface was investigated with surface spectroscopic techniques. Carbon dioxide complexed with adsorbed oxygen atoms to form a surface carbonate intermediate, and the associative adsorption of water led to the formation of surface hydroxides. CO 2 adsorption on the oxygen atom covered Ag(110) surface produced two-dimensional rearrangements of the surface species. Ethylene was not found to react with CO 3ads and OH ads below room temperature, but did exhibit some reactivity toward CO 3ads at room temperature. This investigation showed that the formation of CO 3ads and OH ads on the silver surface are responsible for the inhibiting effects of CO 2 and H 2 O during ethylene oxidation over silver catalysts.
Sonoluminescence: Proton-Tunneling Radiation

A new radiative mechanism, proton-tunneling radiation, is proposed to explain the subnanosecond bursts of broadband light seen in single-bubble sonoluminescence. Proton tunneling occurs as water undergoes a phase transition in the abrupt pressure transient coincident with the bubble reaching minimum size. A classical electrodynamic treatment of the current impulses of proton tunneling provides close agreement with observed spectra.
Electrochemistry in nanovials fabricated by combining screen printing and laser micromachining

The coupling of screen-printing and laser micromachining technology has been used to create a nanovial with “built-in” working and reference electrodes. The volume of the nanovial was calculated to...
Gender matters in transition to adulthood: A survey study of adolescents with disabilities and their families

This survey study explored gender differences in transition imperatives and opportunities for youth with disabilities (N = 521). Results indicated that males and females differ in terms of the adult outcomes they hope to achieve, transition training opportunities they have received, and their access to teachers and other nonfamilial adults to assist them. Youth and parents who responded to the survey indicated that gender stereotypes continue to exist and that these stereotypes result in lowered expectations for girls. Gender stereotypes were found to vary by ethnicity. Access to health insurance and a good doctor were rated as top priorities for all youth transitioning to adulthood. Implications for educators, psychologists, and counselors are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fall Cacodylic Acid Treatments to Produce Lethal Traps for Spruce Beetles

Cacodylic acid, applied to basal frills on Picea engelmanni Parry in autumn, resulted in trap trees lethal to Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby). Green trees were treated and felled in September and October; beetles attacking the following summer produced significantly fewer progeny than untreated checks. Larval numbers were lowest where arsenic concentrations were highest in the phloem of treated trees.
In-Plane Impedance Spectroscopy of Doped Polyaniline Films

In-plane impedance measurements were made on lightly doped polyaniline (PANI) films. A Debye-like conductivity relaxation was observed for HCl-doped PANI samples. The relaxation shifts to higher frequency as the doping level is increased. The conductivity shows a dramatic increase at low doping levels and levels off at higher doping levels. The in-plane conductivity is over three orders of magnitude higher than the through-plane conductivity.
Racial and ethnic influences on real estate practices

Abstract A 1982 survey of Anglo, Black, and Hispanic real estate agents in the Denver metropolitan area suggested that race and ethnicity influence the attitudes and business practices of real estate agents. Minority real estate agents tended to gain listings from minority sellers and in areas of minority concentrations. They also have closer business relationships with other agents of the same minority group. One possible indicator of their integration into the dominant community, however, is the finding that minority agents were more likely to select personal residences in non- minority neighborhoods.
Parotid gland sialograms in cystic fibrosis

Summary Sialograms of the parotid salivary glands of 45 patients with long-established histories of cystic fibrosis were performed and studied. The majority (64 per cent) were considered normal. No clear-cut evidence of sialoangiectasis was seen. There was no correlation of the severity of pulmonary disease with the sialographic picture.
Descriptive Study of Precursors to Sex Offending among 813 Boys and Girls: Antecedent Life Experiences

Abstract In order to understand the precursors to sexual offending among youth and the associated gender differences, the records of 813 sexually abusive children (659 boys and 154 girls) referred for an evaluation of their sexually inappropriate and coercive behavior were reviewed and coded. These children ranged in age from 3 to 18 when they committed their first hands-on offenses. All were under the care of the Massachusetts Department of Social Services either prior to or as a result of their behavior. Principle findings included: (1) a high proportion of girls (19 percent) in a sample of children flagged as sexually abusive to other children, (2) an exceptionally high base rate of severe maltreatment and associated clinical and psychiatric sequelae, and (3) girls were significantly more likely to be sexually abused, and when sexually abused the abuse lasted longer, was more severe, and involved more perpetrators. In addition, the girls were significantly more likely to witness domestic violence and t...
Infectious complications of indwelling vascular catheters.

Vascular catheters are the most frequently used indwelling medical devices and' have become necessary tools for the successful treatment of patients with chronic or critical illness. It is estimated that vascular catheters are inserted in more than 20 million patients who are admitted to hospitals in the United States each year [1]. Several complications, however, prevent the prolonged maintenance of vascular catheters. Infection is one of the leading complications, and catheter-related septicemia represents the most frequent lifethreatening complication of vascular catheters [2-4].
IMAGING FINDINGS IN PANCREATIC NEOPLASIA AND NODULAR HYPERPLASIA IN 19 CATS

Pancreatic neoplasia in cats is rare and associated with a poor prognosis, but pancreatic nodular hyperplasia is a common incidental finding. The purpose of this study was to describe radiographic and ultrasonographic findings in cats with pancreatic neoplasia or nodular hyperplasia. Fourteen cats (age 3-18 years) were diagnosed with malignant pancreatic tumors: carcinoma/adenocarcinoma (n = 11), lymphoma (n = 1), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 1), and lymphangiosarcoma (n = 1). The most common radiographic findings were an abdominal mass or mass effect (6/6) and lack of serosal margin detail (4/6). On ultrasound, the most common finding was a focal pancreatic mass or nodule, with a size range from 0.4 cm to more than 7.0 cm (8/14). Lymphadenopathy (7/14) and abdominal effusion (7/14) were frequently seen. Five cats (age 10-16 years) with adenomatous/nodular hyperplasia had an abdominal mass or mass effect as the most common radiographic finding (3/3). On ultrasound, all cats had multiple hypoechoic nodules between 0.3 and 1.0 cm associated with the pancreas. Other common findings were pancreatic thickening (2/5), lymphadenopathy (2/5), and abdominal effusion (2/5). The only imaging finding unique to malignant pancreatic tumors was the presence of a single pancreatic nodule or mass exceeding 2cm in at least one dimension (4/14). Although there was a tendency for neoplastic lesions to manifest as single larger lesions and for nodular hyperplasia to manifest as multiple smaller lesions, there was overlap of the imaging findings in both entities. Radiographs and ultrasound can complement but not replace cytology and histopathology in the diagnosis of feline pancreatic neoplasia.
LINK HOMOTOPY INVARIANT QUANDLES

We consider several approaches to defining a link homotopy version of the fundamental quandle Q(L) of a link L in S3. We first define the reduced fundamental quandle RQ(L) as a quotient of Q(L). We show that RQ(L) is a link homotopy invariant that carries at least as much information as the meridian-preserving isomorphism class of Milnor's reduced group RG(L). We then show that operator reduction, a plausible alternative approach to defining RQ(L), fails to yield a link homotopy invariant. Finally, we give a geometric characterization of RQ(L), and offer a caveat regarding a seemingly simpler approach.
Deadly radon in montana? A brief note.

A recent headline in a Montana newspaper read that a professor there was about to embark on a study on “deadly radon” in Montana (Schontzler, 2010). To check the veracity of the claim, that radon is deadly in Montana, the author ecologically compares lung cancer death rates in Montana counties having different radon levels.
SHIELDING AND ACTIVATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR A MESON FACTORY

The shielding and activations of a meson factory are estimated by computing the emission spectra of the neutrons produced, and using these spectra to estimate the necessary shielding and the probable activation of the accelerator caused by the captured neutrons. The technique used in making these estimates is explained. It is assumed that a meson factory has an internal circulating beam current of 100 μA of 450-, 600-, or 850-MeV protons. This beam will be assumed to hit an aluminium target of 100 g/cm 2 .
Host Country Resource Availability and Information System Control Mechanisms in Multinational Corporations: An Empirical Test of Resource Dependence Theory

The management of the information systems (IS) function is a complex task, particularly in the case of multinational corporations (MNCs), where installations dispersed across distance, time, and cultures can lead to diverse and incompatible systems spreading among foreign subsidiaries. The need to globally control and coordinate the IS management function is often met with resistance from local IS managers, who may perceive corporate standards as intrusive. Resource dependence theory (RDT) argues that control is made easier when a subsidiary unit is dependent on corporate headquarters for critical resources. This study examined the IS management relationship and the use of various mechanisms of control (formal and informal) between 54 headquarters-subsidiary pairs spread across 19 countries of varying resource-richness. While RDT appears to be valid when subsidiaries are dependent on MNC headquarters for resources, the expected relationship between the mechanisms and host country IS resource availability was not observed. Although there was a significant relationship with the use of informal mechanisms and IS resources, it was in the opposite direction to what would be expected by RDT.
Observed Tropospheric Temperature Response to 11-yr Solar Cycle and What It Reveals about Mechanisms

Using54 yrofNCEPreanalysisglobaldatafrom1000to10 hPa,thisstudyestablishestheexistenceandthe statistical significance of the zonal-mean temperature response to the 11-yr solar cycle throughout the troposphere and parts of the lower stratosphere. Two types of statistical analysis are used: the composite-mean differenceprojectionmethod,whichteststheexistence ofthesolarcyclesignallevelbylevel,andtheadaptive AR(p)-t test, which tells if a particular local feature is statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. A larger area of statistical significancethan that in previous publishedwork is obtained,due to the longer record and a better trend removal process. It reveals a spatial pattern consistent with a ‘‘bottom up’’ mechanism, involvingevaporativefeedbacknearthetropicaloceansurfaceandtropicalverticalconvection, latentheating of the tropical upper troposphere, and poleward large-scale heat transport to the polar regions. It provides an alternative to the currently favored ‘‘top down’’ mechanism involving stratospheric ozone heating.
Studies of Rorschach Content: A Review of Research Literature Part III: Theoretical Formulations

Summary The accumulated yield of Rorschach content research is considered in relation to experimental investigations and theoretical formulations that have originated upon the convergence of the domains of perception, cognition, and personality. The act of meaningfully labeling inkblot stimuli involves perceptual fitting of personality-determined hypotheses, communicated in a specific interpersonal context. Accordingly, perceptual, personality, and social influences upon attribution of content to Rorschach stimuli are discussed. A variety of “false positives” and “false negatives” reduce the degree of correspondence between Rorschach content variables and real-life individual characteristics. Several of the possible sources of the “false positives” and “false negatives” are traced to stylistic, defensive, and other mediating factors that are interposed between the presence of a motivational or personality characteristic and its expression through content on the Rorschach test.
The Development of Tolerance to Appetite Suppressant Medication: New Theory, New Hope

(1978). The Development of Tolerance to Appetite Suppressant Medication: New Theory, New Hope. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 10, Stimulant Use, Misuse and Abuse: A Ten Year Follow-Up, pp. 331-341.