cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microbial indicator reductions in alternative treatment systems for swine wastewater

Bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens in swine wastes are of public health concern because many are able to infect humans. Hence, treatment processes must be effective in removing or destroying these microbes before wastewater discharge. Primary treatment by anaerobic lagoon is the current best management practice (BMP) for swine wastewater in the USA but alternative processes were also investigated for their potential to improve treatment. Wastewater samples were collected approximately monthly from March-December 1997 at a North Carolina swine nursery. Geometric mean concentrations for bacterial indicators (faecal coliforms, E coli , enterococci and C perfringens spores) in lagoon effluent were 3.3×105, 2.8×105, 3.4×105 and 2.2×104 CFU/100mL respectively. For somatic and male-specific coliphages they were 1.4×105 and 5.0×103 PFU/100mL respectively. Bacterial indicator levels in swine lagoon effluents are much higher than allowed for municipal wastewater effluents discharged to land or water. The anaerobic lagoon achieved reductions of 1.1–2.2 log10 for all indicators except C perfringens spores (0.2 log10). Of the secondary treatment processes, constructed wetlands achieved the best indicator microbe reductions ranging from 1.1–2.5 log10. A media filter and an overland flow system achieved mean indicator reductions of only 0.2–1.2 and 0.2–0.8 log10, respectively. The results indicate that a primary-secondary treatment system, an anaerobic lagoon and constructed wetlands, can achieve reductions of 2.9–4.8 log10 for bacterial and viral indicators and 1.5 log10 for C perfringens spores.
Candida albicans-infected oral epithelial cells augment the anti-fungal activity of human neutrophils in vitro

Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is the most common opportunistic infection in immunosuppressed patients. In OPC, Candida albicans persists intraepithelially triggering inflammatory events, without generally causing invasive infection. Since neutrophils play an important role in preventing invasive infection and since they establish contact with the microorganisms only within the epithelial cell layer, we examined the ability of Candida-infected oral epithelial cells to augment neutrophil-mediated hyphal damage in vitro. We found that challenge of neutrophils with hyphal organisms in the presence of C. albicans-infected oral epithelial cell supernatants resulted in a significantly greater suppression of hyphal cell metabolic activity compared to basal neutrophil anti-fungal function. Anti-hyphal activity in response to these supernatants was partly inhibited by neutralizing anti-IL-1α antibody and IL-1 receptor antagonist. Control supernatants from uninfected oral epithelial cells, as well as C. albicans c...
Anomalous hall resistivity of monocrystalline gadolinium and its pressure effect

Abstract The Hall resistivity of monocrystalline gadolinium at 210°, 273° and 295°K has been measured at pressures up to 6 kb. The absolute value of resistivity decreases with increasing pressure. The decrease is explained qualitatively to be the result of a transition of 4f-electrons to the 5d state.
Transmission of direct cortical responses.

Abstract 1. 1. Micro-electrodes were used to laminarly excite direct cortical responses (DCRs) in rabbit cortices where various cuts were made between stimulating and responding sites to study the neural transmission link involved. 2. 2. The negative wave type of response (N wave DCR) excited by stimulation of the upper layers is transmitted by neuronal elements present in the molecular layer. This was shown by the use of a molecular layer preparation where the cortical layers below the uppermost layer and, in addition, the cortico-cortical fiber paths below the cortex were cut. Such cuts did not block transmission of the N wave DCR. Another type of transmission link was shown after making cuts through the upper cortical layers or through the whole of the cortex. The deeper links were more dependent on the excitability of the cortex. The responses transmitted were positive-negative DCRs or negative wave DCRs with a longer latency and preceded by small fast spike wave. 3. 3. Laminar stimulation below the surface on one side of a molecular layer preparation also excited N wave DCRs which were transmitted to the other side of the cut via the molecular layer. Topical application of GABA was ineffective on the element in the molecular layer transmitting the N wave DCR or in exciting the response while it caused the unusual rapid block or inversion of the response in the responding area. 4. 4. Micro-electrode laminar recordings in the area of GABA inversion showed evidence of only a small sink in layers below the surface. The results were discussed with respect to the distribution of the cells in the cortex giving rise to the N wave DCR.
The sonographic diagnosis of infravesical obstruction in children : Evaluation of bladder wall thickness indexed to bladder filling

ABSTRACTPurpose: The pathophysiological changes that result from posterior urethral valves depend primarily on the degree and duration of infravesical obstruction. Delayed diagnosis may result in progressive bladder dysfunction, renal parenchymal loss or sepsis. Specific radiographic and clinical criteria predictive of a diagnosis of infravesical obstruction are available in the form of voiding cystourethrography and cystoscopy. However, these modalities share the disadvantage of being invasive in nature. Although noninvasive, sonographic evaluation of bladder thickness has a high degree of variability and it markedly depends on the degree of bladder filling.Materials and Methods: Bladder wall thickness and bladder diameter were assessed in 15 children with posterior urethral valves, and 10 age and sex matched children with no bladder dysfunction. Ultrasound was performed before intervention (that is catheter placement or valve ablation).Results: A positive predictive value of 93% was achieved between the...
Peering through the cracks in the Baburnama: The textured Lives of Mughal sovereigns

This article examines the intertwined literary and political processes that moulded the texts of Mughal sovereignty and shaped the lives of Mughal sovereigns. In historical terms it considers the lives of Babur (d. 1530) and his grandson Akbar (d. 1605) and the ‘books’ associated with them, the Baburnama and Akbarnama. However, in order to connect the two pairs, this article follows an unconventional and less trodden path through Safavid political history, Iranian Sufism and the Persian epic and storytelling tradition. By doing so, it reveals new, less intuitive perspectives on the cultures that produced these texts and their protagonists. Specifically, it shows how Babur’s work and others like it were not only products of new literary tastes and reading practices but also participated in the making of new institutions of kingship and sainthood that evolved together in Mughal India and Safavid Iran over the sixteenth century.
The effect of hypothalamic lesions on thyroid function in the dog.

IT HAS been suspected for some time that the thyroid was at least in part under the control of the nervous system (Uotila, 1940). However, it remained for Greer (1952) to show that anterior hypothalamic lesions in rats prevent the usual thyroid hypertrophy upon the administration of propylthiouracil. Because his animals also showed normal thyroidserum iodide ratios, he postulated the existence of two thyrotrophic hormones. Bogdanove and Halmi (1953) have since confirmed these results, but feel that they can be interpreted as due only to a decrease in the amount of thyrotrophin released in response to propylthiouracil administration. No studies are at present available on the effect of hypothalamic lesions on the thyroid in animals that have not been treated with propylthiouracil. In the course of other investigations on the relationship of the hypothalamus to the anterior lobe of the pituitary, the following studies were carried out in dogs.
Mammalian vestigial-like 2, a cofactor of TEF-1 and MEF2 transcription factors that promotes skeletal muscle differentiation.

Expression of many skeletal muscle-specific genes depends on TEF-1 (transcription enhancer factor-1) and MEF2 transcription factors. In Drosophila, the TEF-1 homolog Scalloped interacts with the cofactor Vestigial to drive differentiation of the wing and indirect flight muscles. Here, we identify three mammalian vestigial-like genes,Vgl-1, Vgl-2, and Vgl-3, that share homology in a TEF-1 interaction domain. Vgl-1 andVgl-3 transcripts are enriched in the placenta, whereasVgl-2 is expressed in the differentiating somites and branchial arches during embryogenesis and is skeletal muscle-specific in the adult. During muscle differentiation, Vgl-2 mRNA levels increase and Vgl-2 protein translocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In situ hybridization revealed co-expression of Vgl-2 with myogenin in the differentiating muscle of embryonic myotomes but not in newly formed somites prior to muscle differentiation. Like Vgl-1, Vgl-2 interacts with TEF-1. In addition, we show that Vgl-2 interacts with MEF2 in a mammalian two-hybrid assay and that Vgl-2 selectively binds to MEF2 in vitro. Co-expression of Vgl-2 with MEF2 markedly co-activates an MEF2-dependent promoter through its MEF2 element. Overexpression of Vgl-2 in MyoD-transfected 10T½ cells markedly increased myosin heavy chain expression, a marker of terminal muscle differentiation. These results identify Vgl-2 as an important new component of the myogenic program.
The hiding virtues of ambiguity: quantifiably resilient watermarking of natural language text through synonym substitutions

Information-hiding in natural language text has mainly consisted of carrying out approximately meaning-preserving modifications on the given cover text until it encodes the intended mark. A major technique for doing so has been synonym-substitution. In these previous schemes, synonym substitutions were done until the text "confessed", i.e., carried the intended mark message. We propose here a better way to use synonym substitution, one that is no longer entirely guided by the mark-insertion process: It is also guided by a resilience requirement, subject to a maximum allowed distortion constraint. Previous schemes for information hiding in natural language text did not use numeric quantification of the distortions introduced by transformations, they mainly used heuristic measures of quality based on conformity to a language model (and not in reference to the original cover text). When there are many alternatives to carry out a substitution on a word, we prioritize these alternatives according to a quantitative resilience criterion and use them in that order. In a nutshell, we favor the more ambiguous alternatives. In fact not only do we attempt to achieve the maximum ambiguity, but we want to simultaneously be as close as possible to the above-mentioned distortion limit, as that prevents the adversary from doing further transformations without exceeding the damage threshold; that is, we continue to modify the document even after the text has "confessed" to the mark, for the dual purpose of maximizing ambiguity while deliberately getting as close as possible to the distortion limit. The quantification we use makes possible an application of the existing information-theoretic framework, to the natural language domain, which has unique challenges not present in the image or audio domains. The resilience stems from both (i) the fact that the adversary does not know where the changes were made, and (ii) the fact that automated disambiguation is a major difficulty faced by any natural language processing system (what is bad news for the natural language processing area, is good news for our scheme's resilience). In addition to the above mentioned design and analysis, another contribution of this paper is the description of the implementation of the scheme and of the experimental data obtained.
Goals of family therapy.

A review of family therapy goals is presented and discussed. Therapy goals are divided into two major categories: 1) Specific Goals for Specific Families; and 2) General Goals. The latter category is further divided into goals having to do with family interaction and those related to symptoms and character traits of individual family members. Familial and individual goals are discussed in relation to the concept of interrelated, hierarchically arranged systems.
Adult age differences in free recall and category clustering

Abstract This experiment used free recall and category clustering methodologies to determine whether older adults, relative to younger adults, are less adept at organizing the to-be-learned material. To assess the role of categorical versus associative relationships upon organization, items that were clear exemplars of their respective categories and had one of two levels of interitem associative strength were used. Analyses of the recall data indicated that younger adults recalled more categories, more instances per category, and more total words than did the older adults. Analyses of organizational measures, including both molar and molecular measures of category clustering (a type of secondary organization) and seriation (a type of primary organization), provided evidence for age differences in multiple and divergent modes of organization. Subjects, particularly the younger adults, initially evidenced a seriation strategy and then used one based on category membership.
L1Estimation of the median of a survey population

Improved estimates of a survey population parameter can be obtained by using information about a co-related auxiliary variable. The standard version of this problem concerns estimation of the population mean where ratio, difference, and regression methods for incorporating auxiliary information have been studied. Recently there has been interest in the related problem in which the median is the parameter of interest. Median versions of mean-based methods have been proposed and analyzed. Not yet considered however are methods based on the least absolute value (L1) criterion for defining estimators. This approach is motivated by the criterion's close connection to the median. In this paper we introduce these methods and present properties in the context of the standard superpopulation model.
SURPRISES IN SIMPLE DRIVEN SYSTEMS: PHASE TRANSITIONS IN A THREE-STATE MODEL

Motivated by several physical systems, driven models with three states (i.e., lattice gases with two species of particles) are considered. We study a non-interacting system in which the two species are driven in opposite directions. As the overall particle density is varied, a transition occurs, from a disordered phase with high particle current, to ordered, locked phases with minimal current. Further, there are several locked states, with the frequency of their occurrence depending on the aspect ratio of the system. Many of the novel phenomena can be understood in terms of a simple continuum theory. Variations and generalizations, as well as the physical systems they model, are discussed.
Hydration and mental performance.

Abstract: This chapter discusses the literature on hydration status and the contribution of hydration to mental function across the lifespan. Maintaining water balance is regulated by both physiological and psychosocial factors. Individuals are most at risk for dehydration under extreme climate condition or following physical activity. Some research shows that mild levels of dehydration negatively affect cognitive performance and mood, but these findings are inconsistent. Measuring the relationship between hydration status and brain function is complicated by a lack of clear and consistent methods in altering and measuring hydration status, particularly with respect to inducing dehydration. A lack of firm recommendations on fluid intake to maintain adequate hydration further complicate the development of well-designed, rigorous studies on this important topic.
Self‐Referenced Fear and Guilt Appeals: The Moderating Role of Self‐Construal

Results from 2 studies on advertising to reduce the incidence of drinking and driving show that the effect of self- vs. other-referencing on the persuasiveness of fear and guilt appeals is moderated by definitions of the self (independent vs. interdependent self-construals). For people who hold a predominantly independent self-construal, superiority of self- vs. other-referencing holds for guilt appeals, but the opposite is true for fear appeals. For people who hold a predominantly interdependent self-construal, other-referenced and selfreferenced messages are equally recalled and equally favorable for both fear and guilt
ARP considered harmful: manycast transactions in ad hoc networks

ARP handles neighbor discovery and address resolution in infrastructure networks, but is inadequate for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Thus, many MANET routing protocols include a neighbor discovery mechanism. This separation of neighbor discovery and address resolution is a fundamental design problem that causes packet loss, particularly when the communication is manycast, a novel variant of multicast communication. Our approach, automatic address resolution, moves address resolution into the routing protocol along with neighbor discovery, correcting these problems.
Evolution of twist-3 multiparton correlation functions relevant to single transverse-spin asymmetry

We construct two sets of twist-3 correlation functions that are responsible for generating the novel single transverse-spin asymmetry in the QCD collinear factorization approach. We derive evolution equations for these universal three-parton correlation functions. We calculate evolution kernels relevant to the gluonic pole contributions to the asymmetry at the order of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}$. We find that all evolution kernels are infrared safe as they should be and have a lot in common with the Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Alterelli-Parisi evolution kernels of unpolarized parton distributions. By solving the evolution equations, we explicitly demonstrate the factorization scale dependence of these twist-3 correlation functions.
A technique for distal in situ vein graft anastomosis.

This is a technique we have found useful when constructing an anastomosis at the distal end of a vein graft especially when performing an in siti vein graft where the distal anastomosis is performed last
A Longitudinal Study of Superior-Subordinate Communication During Job Transfers

Based on an assimilation perspective and leader-member exchange model, this study explores superior-subordinate communication during job transfers. Using a longitudinal research design of questionnaires and brief interviews, the study examines the impact of supervisor communication on transferees during their first year at new locations. Results suggest that supervisor relationships have a significant impact on the feedback and social support transferees report experiencing, on their physical, psychological, and cognitive adjustment to their new roles, and on the type of peer relationships they develop. In particular, middle-group supervisor relationships appear to have the most positive impact on transferees.
A new system for computing dentition-based age profiles in Sus scrofa

Reconstructing demographic profiles is valuable for revealing animal exploitation strategies at archaeological sites. For pig (Sus scrofa), the method presented by Grant (1982) demonstrates a promising technique for estimating age through dental wear pattern analysis. Grant’s study is, however, limited as it requires complete or nearly complete mandibles, exclusively uses mandibular teeth, and offers only a relative scale for aging. While some work has been done to establish useful age classes based on tooth eruption and wear patterns in S. scrofa, a systematic study producing a standardized and comprehensive methodology for using tooth wear to age pigs remains to be conducted. The study presented here is part of ongoing research aimed at developing new methods for the construction of S. scrofa demographic profiles based on both dentition and long bone fusion. In this paper, we present the results of a study of eruption and wear patterns in a large modern assemblage of wild boar which provides the basis for a new method for constructing pig harvest profiles and addresses some of the most serious limitations of Grant’s earlier study. The utility of this method in detecting subtle differences in pig prey/harvest profiles is demonstrated through its application to three Near Eastern archaeological assemblages from three distinct time periods: Bronze Age Tell Leilan, Halafian Banahilk, and Epipaleolithic Hallan Cemi, where residents likely employed widely different pig exploitation strategies. The results of these case studies demonstrate the ability of this method to reliably reconstruct age demography and distinguish age profiles between sites with different animal procurement strategies. This method provides a standardized means of collecting accurate and reliable age data crucial in examining patterns of past pig exploitation.
Law and Finance: A Theoretical Perspective

Finance is traditionally studied by lawyers as well as by economists from the vantage point of the premise that a market economy has, at its core, a single natural and necessary institutional form, expressed, for example, in the basic rules and doctrines of contract and property. The literature about "varieties of capitalism" has proved insufficient to challenge this assumption. A corollary of this view is the idea that, barring particular market defects, a market economy will channel the savings of society to its most efficient possible uses. The first task of regulation is supposedly to redress such localized flaws in the competitive allocation of resources.This brief text outlines the rudiments of another way of thinking about finance. It does so in the form of a list of connected propositions. Under prevailing arrangements, finance has become increasingly decoupled from the real economy. The production system is largely self-financed on the basis of the retained and reinvested earnings of private firms. Financial intermediation is largely self-directed, oriented to asset trading and position taking by highly leveraged financial institutions, supported in good times and bad by favorable monetary and regulatory policies. It need not be this way. A series of innovations in our present institutions and practices could greatly enhance the usefulness of finance and mitigate its dangers. Regulation, as conventionally understood and practiced, is not enough. Regulation better understood and directed is the first step toward institutional reorganization. The reorganization of finance should in turn be judged by the standard of its service to broader aims. One aim is the organization of socially inclusive economic growth. Another is the power of a national economy to participate actively in the global economy without accepting an unfavorable niche in the international division of labor or abdicating its potential for strategies of development that go against the institutional formulas favored in the world today.A crucial test of every program of reform is success in forming the appropriate institutional vehicles for carrying its agenda forward. From this imperative arises the need to re-invent comparative law as a handmaiden of institutional innovation. The institutional details matter, and they exist only as law.
Nonlinear Hydrostatic Conditional Symmetric Instability: Implications for Numerical Weather Prediction

Abstract A simplified two-dimensional version of the Pennsylvania State University-NCAR Mm scale Model (MM4) was used to investigate the nonlinear evolution of unforced conditional symmetric instability (CSI). Sensitivity tests examines the effects of the model resolution, the magnitudes and formulation of the vertical and horizontal diffusion, and the Prandtl number on various aspects of the CSI circulations. Aspects of the circulations that are considered include the transverse velocity, the growth rate, and the updraft slope, as well as the existence of a CSI circulation. With the fairly unstable initial conditions used in these tests, unstable CSI modes are explicitly resolved with horizontal grid spacing of at most 30 km, using a fairly weak horizontal diffusion. The vertical grid spacing needs to be no greater than 340 m to be consistent with the horizontal grid spacing and the sloping thermal structures. To resolve the most unstable nonlinear CSI modes, horizontal resolutions of no more than 15 km ...
Neutronic evaluation of coating and cladding materials for accident tolerant fuels

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. In severe accident conditions with loss of active cooling in the core, zirconium alloys, used as fuel cladding materials for current light water reactors (LWR), undergo a rapid oxidation by high temperature steam with consequent hydrogen generation. Novel fuel technologies, named accident tolerant fuels (ATF), seek to improve the endurance of severe accident conditions in LWRs by eliminating or at least mitigating such detrimental steam-cladding interaction. Most ATF concepts are expected to work within the design framework of current and future light water reactors, and for that reason they must match or exceed the performance of conventional fuel in normal conditions. This study analyzed the neutronic performance of ATF when employed in both pressurized and boiling water reactors. Two concepts were evaluated: (1) coating the exterior of zirconium-alloy cladding with thin ceramics to limit the zirconium available for reaction with higherature steam; (2) replacing zirconium alloys with alternative materials possessing slower oxidation kinetics and reduced hydrogen production. Findings show that ceramic coatings should remain 10-30 μm thick to limit the neutronic penalty. Alternative cladding materials, with the exception of SiC, enhance neutron loss compared to zirconium-alloys. An extensive parametric analysis concluded that reference performance metrics can be met by employing 300-μm or less thick cladding or increasing fuel enrichment by up to 1.74% depending on material and geometry.
Model for Estimating Relative Abundance of Periplaneta fuliginosa (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) by Using House and Landscape Characteristics

The relationship between smokybrown cockroach, Periplaneta fuliginosa (Serville), abundance and habitat was quantified using canonical correlation. Cockroach habitat was described, using 18 house and landscape characteristics based on a sample of 60 homes. Cockroach abundance, estimated by three monthly mean trap catches at each home, was correlated With habitat. After preliminary analysis, only 11 of the house and landscape characteristics were retained in the model. No characteristics dominated the description of habitat (an index) but some contributed positively and others negatively. The characteristics having the largest standardized weights in the habitat index were percentage of lot occupied by home, tree density, number of pets, number of residents, chemical pest control, age of house, and obvious cockroach harborages on tilt' property. Unbiased estimates of variables weights of the habitat index obtained by the Jackknife method demonstrated the fit of the model and revealed minimal effect of outliers; of 14 weights, 11 had standard deviations <20% of the mean. We produced that cumulative cockroach abundance would increase linearly with cockroach habitat index. Regressions of a control data set (n = 44) and a validation data set (n = 16) both produced positive slopes and, in addition, neither slopes nor intercepts were significantly different between these two data sets. These results validated the correlation model and indicated that it is applicable to all homes in Auburn, not just those in the control data set. Use of untransformed data produced similar results and showed that a cockroach habitat index may be used readily by pest control operators or homeowners.
Democratic Party Leadership in the Senate

Party leadership in Congress has been one focal point for the sustained attack on the structure and performance of the American party system that has gone on for a decade and a half. Academic critics and members of Congress, individually and in committees, supplemented by a wide array of interested citizens and groups, have laid out blueprints for institutional reorganization. While there is some variety in their prescriptions, it is not hard to construct a composite model of party leadership in legislation on which there has been a fairly wide consensus among the reformers.The fount of party policy would be a reformed national convention, meeting biennially at the least. The obligation of the majority party in Congress, spurred by the president if he were of the same party, would be to carry out the platform put together by the convention. For this purpose frequent party conferences would be held in each house to consider specific measures. Some would be for the purpose of discussion and education, but on important party measures the members could be bound by a conference vote and penalized in committee assignments and other party perquisites for disregarding the will of the conference. Party strategy, legislative scheduling, and continuous leadership would be entrusted to a policy committee made up, in most schemes, of the elective officers of the house and the chairmen of the standing committees. Some have suggested a joint policy committee, made up of the policy committees of the respective houses, which might then meet with the president as a kind of legislative cabinet. The committee chairmen would not be exclusively, and perhaps not at all, the products of seniority.
Abstract 3254: Novel bivalent Smac mimetics as a new class of anticancer agents

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (Smac) is a protein released from mitochondria in response to apoptotic stimuli which functions as an endogenous inhibitor of several members of inhibitor of apoptotic proteins (IAPs), including XIAP, cIAP-1 and cIAP-2. Smac interacts with IAPs by binding of its N-terminal AVPI tetrapeptide to one or more BIR domains in IAPs. We designed and synthesized a series of non-peptidic, cell-permeable, bivalent small-molecules which mimic the dimeric Smac protein for targeting IAPs (bivalent Smac mimetics) and performed extensive evaluations of these bivalent Smac mimetics for their interaction with IAP proteins and their activity and mechanism of function in cancer cells. Our studies show that these Smac mimetics bind to XIAP, cIAP-1 and cIAP-2 with low nano-molar affinities. They function as extremely potent XIAP antagonists by concurrently targeting both the BIR2 and BIR3 domains of XIAP and nullify its inhibition to both caspase-9 and caspase-3/-7 and potently and effectively induce rapid degradation of these two proteins in cancer cells. The most potent bivalent Smac mimetics inhibit cell growth with IC50 values at low nanomolar and effectively induce apoptosis in a subset of cancer cell lines through TNFα dependent mechanism. Furthermore, bivalent Smac mimetics can dramatically enhance the antitumor activity of TRAIL in both TRAIL-sensitive and -resistant cancer cell lines. The combination of one such bivalent Smac mimetic, SM-164 with TRAIL induces rapid tumor regression in vivo in a breast cancer xenograft model in which either agent is ineffective. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that while RIP1 plays a minimal role in TRAIL's activity as a single agent, it is required for the synergistic interaction between TRAIL and SM-164. XIAP and cIAP1 work in concert to attenuate the activity of TRAIL and SM-164 strongly sensitizes TRAIL by concurrently targeting XIAP and cIAP1. Taken together, our data suggest that bivalent Smac mimetics may have a great therapeutic potential for the treatment of human cancer by targeting multiple IAPs, either alone or in combination with TRAIL. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3254. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3254
Prevalence of Antibody to Trypanosoma cruzi in Women Delivering Infants at Parkland Health and Hospital System, Dallas, Texas, USA

Recent increases in the immigration of persons from Latin America into North America, particularly from regions endemic for Chagas disease, suggest the possibility that pregnant women may be latently infected with Trypanosoma cruzi . This study was undertaken to assess the magnitude of seropositivity in parturient women in our institution. Umbilical cord blood was collected from Hispanic surnamed women delivering infants at Parkland Health and Hospital System (PHHS), the public hospital serving Dallas County, Texas, and affiliated with UT Southwestern. When possible the specimens were collected from consecutive deliveries. Serum was tested for antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi by commercial systems. Two hundred delivering women were tested as described. Of those tested, 4 were found to be positive for T. cruzi antibody (2%). This confirms a potential risk for transplacental transmission of T. cruzi in populations residing outside the traditional endemic zone, such as those seeking medical care at PHHS.
Lessons on the Second Cancers Resulting from Cancer Chemotherapy

In this paper we explore some of the insights into the mechanisms of human carcinogenesis and into the assessment of cancer risk that could be obtained by the study of individuals at risk of development of a second cancer due to treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. We urge a concerted effort to study the processes by which cancer chemotherapeutic agents result in the production of a second cancer.
Perfluoroalkyl substances and endometriosis in US women in NHANES 2003–2006

Exposure to endocrine-active perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), is nearly ubiquitous, but data on the association between PFASs and endometriosis diagnosis are limited. We aimed to examine the relationship between PFASs and endometriosis. Women aged 20-50 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2006) were selected (n=753). Serum PFAS levels were measured and endometriosis status was determined by self-report of doctor diagnosis. Weighted survey sampling logistic regression was used. Women reporting endometriosis were older (39.4 vs. 33.7 years), and more likely to be non-Hispanic white. Geometric mean levels of perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were significantly higher among women reporting endometriosis. Endometriosis was associated with select quartiles of PFOA, PFNA, and PFOS. Sensitivity analyses had similar results but wider confidence intervals. These findings suggest that PFOA, PFNA, and PFOS may be of interest in future studies with improved endometriosis diagnostic criteria and prospectively measured exposure.
Synthesis and characterization of surrogate nuclear explosion debris: urban glass matrix

Surrogate nuclear explosive debris was synthesized and characterized for major, minor, and trace elemental composition as well as uranium isotopics. The samples consisted of an urban glass matrix, equal masses soda lime and cement, doped with 500 ppm uranium with varying enrichments. The surface and cross section morphology were measured with SEM, and the major elemental composition was determined by XPS. LA-ICP-MS was used to measure the uranium isotopic abundance comparing different sampling techniques. The results provide an example of the utility of LA-ICP-MS for forensics applications.
No blast from the past

Thawing of Arctic soils liberates ancient organic carbon and can facilitate massive greenhouse gas emissions from adjacent aquatic ecosystems. Research now shows that Arctic lakes are generally not releasing very much ancient carbon to the atmosphere.
Inflammatory arthritis in pediatric patients with morphea

Background Morphea or localized scleroderma is an inflammatory disorder resulting in fibrosis of the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Joint contractures, arthralgias, and functional compromise are recognized associations of pediatric morphea. The co-existence of inflammatory arthritis and morphea is not well-described in the literature. Objective To investigate the relationship between pediatric morphea and inflammatory arthritis with regards to cutaneous, musculoskeletal, and laboratory findings and treatment regimens. Methods A systematic retrospective chart review of 53 patients with pediatric morphea was performed and analyzed for morphea subtypes, arthritic joint involvement, serum autoantibodies, and therapeutic interventions. Results Eleven out of 53 patients had polyarthritis that involved joints unrelated to the site of the cutaneous morphea. These patients were mostly girls with either the linear or generalized subtypes of morphea. Serum levels of antinuclear antibodies were more significantly elevated in patients with arthritis. All children were treated with methotrexate in addition to other systemic or topical immunosuppressive agents. Limitations This was a small, single-center retrospective study. Conclusion Pediatric morphea co-existed with inflammatory arthritis in 11 of 53 children. Further understanding and appreciation of this relationship may direct more intensive therapy and musculoskeletal screening.
Older and wiser? Changes in unprofessional content on urologists' social media after transition from residency to practice.

Objective To characterize changes in the frequency and nature of unprofessional content on urologists' Facebook accounts during the transition from residency to practice. Methods Facebook was queried with the names of all 2015 US urology graduates 1 year after completion of residency. We identified unprofessional and potentially objectionable content on the public Facebook accounts using a rubric based on professionalism guidelines by the American Urological Association, the American Medical Association and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Comparisons of unprofessional content were made with data from this cohort collected at the completion of residency. To assess how professional identities were reflected on social media, we determined which urologists self-identified as a urologist on Facebook and any changes in their unprofessional content. Results Of 281 urologists, 198 (70%) had publicly identifiable Facebook accounts. Of these, 85 (43%) contained any unprofessional or potentially objectionable content, including 35 (18%) with explicitly unprofessional content. Examples included images of and references to intoxication, explicit profanity, and offensive comments about patients. Of the 201 Facebook accounts that had been publicly identifiable at the completion of residency, most profiles (182, 91%) had remained public; of the 19 that were no longer public, about half had previously contained unprofessional content. Similarly, of the 80 urologists without public profiles 1 year previously, most (64, 80%) had remained unidentifiable on Facebook; of the 16 accounts that had since become publicly identifiable, half had unprofessional content. Among the urologists on Facebook overall, 11 (6%) had posted new unprofessional or potentially objectionable content since entering practice. Comparing this cohort in practice vs at the completion of residency, there were no significant differences in how many urologists had public Facebook accounts (70% vs 71%) or whose accounts had concerning content (43% vs 40%). The presence of unprofessional content at the completion of residency strongly predicted having unprofessional content later in practice. More urologists overall self-identified as being a urologist on Facebook, and a larger proportion of these profiles also displayed unprofessional content (53% vs 47% 1 year previously). Conclusion Most urologists maintained public Facebook accounts after the transition to practice, and about half of these contained unprofessional or potentially objectionable content. Amidst their increasing self-identification as urologists on social media, the majority of practising urologists had posted concerning content, which could have an impact on their professional identities and public perceptions of the specialty.
Students’ Perceptions of Learning About Qualitative Inquiry in Online Contexts

This paper reports findings from a 2-year study of online coursework in a graduate certificate program in qualitative research methods in the USA. Thirty-four interviews with students enrolled in c...
Dermoid Cysts of the Nose: Review of 21 Cases

Twenty-one cases of histologically confirmed dermoid cysts of the nose are reviewed. The sites involved were the dorsum (18), septum (5), glabella (2), nasal tip (2), and columella (1), with several patients having multiple sites of involvement. Bony or cartilaginous destruction occurred in 14 patients (67%). A sinus tract was evident in ten patients (48%). Complete excision of these lesions is necessary for prevention of recurrence. The differential diagnosis includes hemangiomas, gliomas, encephaloceles, epidermoid cysts, neurofibromas, and lipomas.
Teaching Evolution While Aiming at the Cautious Middle

As astounding as it sounds, especially to people outside of the USA (and the Middle East, and much of Africa), 13 % of US high school teachers actively advocate creationism and so-called intelligent design theory in their classrooms; another 28 % does the right thing and teaches evolution, but a whopping 60 % falls in the middle: These teachers accept evolutionary theory (though they may be fuzzy on the details), and yet do not teach it in their classrooms, in order to avoid ‘‘the controversy’’ (Berkman and Plutzer 2010). It is largely at this 60 %, and to interested undergraduate and graduate students, that Kampourakis’ new book is aimed. As the author quickly acknowledges, there are plenty of good books on evolution out there: from introductions aimed at the general public (Coyne 2009) to sophisticated textbooks (Futuyma 2013), from philosophical analyses (Ruse 2003) to discussions of the so-called evolution–creation controversy (Pigliucci 2002), and many, many more. So why another one, other than because—as the ancient Romans were fond of saying—repetita iuvant (to repeat does good)? Because, argues Kampourakis, contra to a widespread assumption among educators, the biological theory of evolution is actually counterintuitive, and if not properly taught, it immediately runs into incomprehension and generates conceptual confusion. The author is not as naive as to suggest that the only, or indeed even the primary, reason why we still have a creation–evolution debate 90 years after the scopes trial and more than a century and a half after the publication of the Origin of Species is that people are confused about what the theory actually says. Surely social and especially ideological forces, particularly religious fundamentalism and its connection with extreme right-wing politics, get a lot of the blame here. But very good books on that aspect of the problem have already come out, and Kampourakis has identified a lacuna in the recent literature: It is hard to find a clear compelling explanation of why exactly evolution is so difficult to understand for so many people. The chief goal of his book, then, becomes to fill this lacuna. This is attempted in six chapters that cover how we know what we know about evolution (i.e., that it is a fact), why there is religious resistance to accepting the idea, what
Design optimization of a novel elastomeric baffle magnetorheological fluid device

This article details the design optimization of a novel magnetorheological fluid device, which incorporates a rolling elastomeric baffle to contain the fluid and minimize cost and complexity. The a...
Book Review: Bulletproofing the Psyche: Preventing Mental Health Problems in Our Military and Veterans

Mental health issues have always plagued military veterans. For years there was very limited access and available means for veterans to do something about the various mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual issues that had an influence on their well-being, because of a lack of government funding and public awareness. In 2008, the RAND Corporation conducted a comprehensive study of the mental health and cognitive needs of returning service members and veterans. RAND found that one third of returning service members report symptoms of a mental health or cognitive condition and approximately 300,000 veterans are suffering from PTSD (Tanielian T. et al., 2008, p. 2). Over the last decade, many programs and courses have been implemented by not only the Department of Defense (DoD), but also by many other social, academic, and political groups, to help reduce the number of service members and veterans who are struggling with coping after stressful and traumatic experiences. It is evident however, that there is still a need to assist active duty and retired service members as they transition through their years in the service and out of the military. Kate Hendricks Thomas and David L. Albright present a possible answer to this ever-growing issue in their book Bulletproofing the Psyche: Preventing Mental Health Problems in Our Military and Veterans.
The Indian Constitution: The Core and the Core Issues

This article seeks to examine the core issues in the actual working of the Indian Constitution. It is organized in four parts. The first Part will identify the fundamental principles of the Indian Constitution by looking at the reasons for adopting the Constitution. The second Part will identify the core content of the Constitution from the overarching goals of the Constituent Assembly. In this Part, I will argue that the guarantees of “Fundamental Rights” in Part III of the Constitution, the “Directive Principles of State Policy” set out in Part IV and the amending formula contained in Part XX together determine the essence of the Constitution. The third Part will examine core constitutional issues in the working of the Constitution. In this part, I will argue that the constitutional deferral of the problem of reconciling the conflicting constitutional provisions to future generations, without providing for proper mechanisms to resolve it, is the major constitutional issue in India. The fourth Part will examine how problematic the deferral is, and it will point toward a possible resolution.
Of Peaceable Kingdoms and Lawless Frontiers: Exploring the Relationship between History, Mythology and Gun Culture in the North American West

The United States is more violent than Canada and it always has been. Even in the face of mass shootings, most Americans remain culturally and politically resistant to the sorts of gun control meas...