cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A behaviorally-explicit approach for delivering vaccine baits to mesopredators to control epizootics in fragmented landscapes.

Despite the widespread use of aerial baiting to manage epizootics among free-ranging populations, particularly in rabies management, bait acceptance and seroconversion rates often are lower than required to eliminate spread of disease. Our objectives in this study, therefore, were to evaluate the performance of stratified bait distribution models derived from resource selection functions (RSF) on uptake of placebo rabies baits by raccoons (Procyon lotor) and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), as well as the probability of bait uptake as a function of proximity to bait distribution areas in fragmented agricultural ecosystems. Among 478 raccoons and 108 opossums evaluated for presence of Rhodamine B (RB) across 8 sites, only 26% of raccoons and 20% of opossums exhibited marking consistent with bait consumption 14–24 days post-baiting. The effective area treated, based on 90% kernel density estimators of marked individuals, ranged from 99–240 ha larger than bait distribution zones, with RB marked individuals captured up to 753m beyond the bait zone. Despite incorporation of RSF data into bait distribution models, no differences in uptake rates were observed between treatment and control sites. These data likely reflect the underlying constraints imposed by the loss and fragmentation of habitat on animal movement in heterogeneous landscapes, forcing individuals to optimize movements at coarse (i.e., patch-level) rather than fine spatial scales in highly fragmented environments. Our data also confirm that the probability of bait acceptance decreases with increasing distance from bait zone interiors, even within the zone itself. Thus, although bait acceptance was confirmed beyond bait zone boundaries, the proportion of vaccinated individuals may comprise a small minority of the population at increasing distances from baiting interiors. These data suggest focal baiting creates a buffered area of treated individuals around bait zones or bait stations, but repeated treatments may be needed to achieve sufficient uptake to eradicate disease.
Are Health&Related Quality-of-life Measures Affected by the Mode of Administration?

While measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are increasingly being used as outcomes in clinical trials, it is unknown whether HRQOL assessments are influenced by the method of administration. We compared telephone, face-to-face, and self-administration of a commonly-used HRQOL measure, the SF-36. Veterans (N = 172) receiving care in the General Medicine Clinic were randomized into groups differing only in order of administration. All patients were asked to complete the SF-36 three times over a 4-week period. The SF-36 demonstrated high internal consistency, regardless of mode of administration, but showed large variation over short intervals. This variation may: (1) increase dramatically sample size requirements to detect between-group differences in randomized trials and (2) reduce the SF-36's usefulness for clinicians wishing to follow individual patients over time.
A comparative acoustic study of English and Spanish vowels

Languages differ widely in the size of their vowel inventories; however, cross‐linguistic surveys indicate that certain vowels and vowel system configurations are preferred. A cross‐linguistic comparison of the acoustic vowel categories of two languages that differ in vowel inventory size, namely, English and Spanish, was performed in order to reveal some of the language‐specific and/or universal principles that determine the acoustic realization of the vowels of these two languages. This comparison shows that the precise location in the acoustic space of similar vowel categories across the two languages is determined, in part, by a language‐specific base‐of‐articulation property. These data also suggest that the relatively crowded acoustic vowel space of English may be expanded with respect to the relatively uncrowded acoustic vowel space of Spanish; however, this effect is variable depending on the syllable context of the English vowels. Finally, the data indicate no difference in the tightness of within‐category clustering for the large versus the small vowel inventory.
Tamoxifen in liver disease: Potential exacerbation of hepatic dysfunction

Tamoxifen, a non-steroidal anti-estrogen, has been used successfully for a decade as post-operative adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Tamoxifen is generally well tolerated with few side effects, especially at the typical dose of 10 mg twice daily. However, hepatic effects have been reported after tamoxifen administration and are usually found to be cholestatic in nature. Although previous reports concentrate on tamoxifen as a probable cause of drug-induced hepatotoxicity, very little attention has been focused on the use of tamoxifen in patients with pre-existing liver dysfunction and the possible need for dose adjustment. We present the case of a 48-year-old woman with an acute exacerbation of her pre-existing liver dysfunction and subsequent elevations of tamoxifen blood levels after approximately one year of tamoxifen therapy for adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. Tamoxifen dosing was adjusted based on serum levels.
N-cadherin Gene Expression in Prostate Carcinoma Is Modulated by Integrin-Dependent Nuclear Translocation of Twist1

The gain of N-cadherin expression in carcinomas has been shown to be important in the regulation of cell migration, invasion, and survival. Here, we show that N-cadherin mRNA expression in PC-3 prostate carcinoma cells is dependent on beta(1) integrin-mediated cell adhesion to fibronectin and the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Twist1. Depletion of Twist1 mRNA by small interfering RNA resulted in decreased expression of both Twist1 and N-cadherin and the inhibition of cell migration. Whereas Twist1 gene expression was independent of beta(1) integrin-mediated adhesion, Twist1 protein failed to accumulate in the nuclei of cells cultured in anchorage-independent conditions. The increased nuclear accumulation of Twist1 following cell attachment was suppressed by treatment with an inhibitor of Rho kinase or a beta(1) integrin neutralizing antibody. The effect of Twist1 on induction of N-cadherin mRNA required an E-box cis-element located within the first intron (+2,627) of the N-cadherin gene. These data raise the possibility that integrin-mediated adhesion to interstitial matrix proteins during metastasis differentially regulates the nuclear/cytoplasmic translocation and DNA binding of Twist1, activating N-cadherin transcription.
Notes from the Library Volume 12:2

"Philip Milledoler Papers" by Richard P. McCormick "The Author of the First Rutgers Football Song" by Oliver Kip Westling
Active storage networks

High performance data processing clusters use parallelism to accelerate computation. Often, these computation processes require the transmission of data across networks. In this paper, we propose the use of computation within the network switch to perform computation on data on the fly and further accelerate computation. We call networks built with these compute switches Active Storage Networks (ASN) and they provide an opportunity to optimize storage system and computational performance by offloading some computation to the network switch. We present an approach to perform transformation and reduction data operations in a network switch comprised of FPGAs. In this paper, we demonstrate an ASN using representative data processing applications, namely data search, data sort, k -min/max, and k -means clustering. Computation within a network switch accelerates data processing.FPGA implementations of modules to process data on the fly through the network.Data processing modules include data search, sort, k -min/ k -max, and k -means clustering.
A5 noradrenergic neurons and the carotid sympathetic chemoreflex

Inhibition of neural activity in the caudal ventrolateral pons (A5 area) by microinjection of muscimol (Mus) attenuates (-65%) the carotid sympathetic chemoreflex (SChR) without altering the concomitant activation of the phrenic nerve (PND). The present study, performed in urethan-anesthetized rats, explores the possibility that activation of the noradrenergic (NE) neurons of the A5 area is involved in the SChR. The NE neuron-selective toxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was microinjected bilaterally into the spinal cord at T2 level (4 micrograms). This dose reduced the SChR by 55% (n = 5) 90 min after injection, while 0.4 microgram of 6-OHDA produced no effect (n = 5). In seven rats that had received 250 micrograms 6-OHDA intracisternally 2 wk before, Mus injections into the A5 area failed to attenuate the SChR. These rats also had a lower resting mean arterial pressure than controls (97 vs. 112 mmHg). Spinal intrathecal injection of alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists (prazosin, 10 and 20 micrograms) or phentolamine (20 and 40 micrograms) attenuated resting sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) and SChR in a roughly proportional manner (25-40%); the beta-adrenergic antagonist nadolol (10 and 20 microgram(s) intrathecally) attenuated the SChR selectively but modestly (-10%). The results are generally compatible with the hypothesis that A5 NE neurons and particularly their spinal cord projection could play a facilitating role in the SChR. However, clear evidence that A5 cells contribute selectively to sympathoactivation during chemoreceptor stimulation by releasing NE in the spinal cord could not be obtained.
Policy Considerations for Increasing Compatibilities between Agriculture and Wildlife

Implicit in efforts to increase the quantity and quality of wildlife habitat associated with U.S. agricultural lands is the notion that society would benefit if farmers and ranchers allocated more land and water resources to wild species. Farmers and ranchers, however, generally have a limited ability to capture the economic value of wildlife goods and services produced on agricultural lands. As a result, wildlife impacts are only partially reflected in most farm land-use decisions. Where market conditions and government farm programs do not provide for the socially optimal mix of wildlife goods and services, policy actions aimed at protecting or enhancing wildlife on agricultural lands may be justified. To be successful, such policies must provide for the basic biological requirements of desired species and habitats and account for the economic considerations that affect producers? resource-use decisions.
Scattering from Gas-Phase Synthesized Particles

Rational design and optimization for the next generation of fiber optics requires fundamental knowledge of the processes at each step of production [1], not the least of which is the formation and deposition of the glass precursor particles. Currently, gas-phase synthesis dominates the industry, owing, in part, to the high purity possible for gaseous reagents. However, the production engineer has relatively little control over the microstructure of the boule from which the fiber is drawn because many complex mechanisms take part in the growth and thermophoretic deposition of the precursors. Although it is desirable, for example, to obtain a porous boule in order to facilitate the removal of deleterious hydroxyls, connected porosity is by no means guaranteed. The successful attainment of high porosity depends on a number of variables such as the size distribution [2], internal structure, shape distribution, viscosity, and surface tension of the particles at the instant of deposition.
Medikamentöse Therapie supraventrikulärer und ventrikulärer Arrhythmien

Die wichtigsten Therapieprinzipien bei supraventrikularen wie ventrikularen Arrhythmien sind die konsequente Behandlung einer vorhandenen Grundkrankheit, die Abschatzung des potenziellen Risikos fur den einzelnen Patienten durch eine antiarrhythmische Therapie sowie ein engmaschiges Monitoring bei Neueinstellung auf eine antiarrhythmische Medikation zur fruhzeitigen Erkennung moglicher Proarrhythmie oder sonstiger bedeutsamer Nebenwirkungen. β-Rezeptorenblocker stellen bei den meisten Arrhythmien die Basismedikation dar, bei allen anderen Antiarrhythmika mussen vorhandene Kontraindikationen und Medikamenteninteraktionen genau berucksichtigt werden. Problematisch bleibt die Behandlung junger Frauen mit Kinderwunsch, auch hier durfen aber β-Rezeptorenblocker in vielen Fallen eingesetzt werden. Bei allen Patienten sollte immer wieder gepruft werden, ob nicht ein Reduktion oder ein Auslassversuch der medikamentosen antiarrhythmischen Therapie zu vertreten ist. Durch die technische Weiterentwicklung der Katheterablation bietet sich bei einigen Rhythmusstorungen eine kurative Behandlungsmoglichkeit, die eine antiarrhythmische Medikation erlasslich machen kann.
PS2-11: Estimating Population Level Impact of Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Initiatives in Colorado

Background/AimsTo promote health through the prevention and reduction of obesity, organizations are implementing healthy eating and active living (HEAL) strategies in local communities. LiveWell Colorado (LWC), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire and advance policy, environmental, and lifestyle changes to prevent and reduce obesity, provides funding to 24 underserved communities across Colorado to develop place-based interventions focused on built environment, food access, and policy changes that support HEAL.MethodsThe Kaiser Permanente Evaluation Team (KPET) assists LWC communities in designing and measuring HEAL interventions that will have positive impact on population health. Working with community coordinators and local evaluators to identify key strategies, KPET estimates the impact of community efforts to prevent and reduce obesity at the population level. This evaluation methodology is referred to as “Population Dose.” Dose is an estimate of the impact of community level interventions on an average resident’s behavior. It is initially measured by individual strategy to determine both potential dose, based on the planned strategy, and actual dose, based on analysis of the implemented strategy. To assess Population Dose, community strategies are then clustered by behavioral outcome and given a quantitative Dose Rating that is based on reach and strength data for all strategies in each outcome category. The rating is used to estimate the impact of HEAL interventions across the entire population, not just for those that were directly affected by the intervention.ResultsUsing the Population Dose framework, KPET has seen shifts in HEAL behaviors at both the school and community levels. One example is in LiveWell Longmont, where strategies focusing on Safe Routes to School, Physical Activity Breaks, and Physical Education have an overall dose rating of 6.63% which is considered “High Dose”. This rating indicates that it is highly likely that there has been an increase in physical activity of school-aged children in Longmont.ConclusionsThe Population Dose framework is an informative tool for assessing population level impact of HEAL strategies. It can be used to assess planned or current strategies to address obesity and assist in decisions about which outcome will have the most impact on obesity.
INTERNATIONAL SERVICES ADVERTISING (ISA): Defining the Domain and Reviewing the Literature

The differences between services and goods are generally well understood. These differences, however, suggest that advertising strategies for goods cannot be automatically applied to services. Yet services are the fastest-growing segment of the expanding global market, and to compete effectively across cultural boundaries, these businesses need to understand appropriate marketing and advertising strategies designed especially for services. This paper evaluates the existing literature on international services advertising (ISA) to provide an assessment of the current state of the research on the topic, with a goal of determining specific areas of research inquiry. A comprehensive review of the international services advertising literature from 1970 to 2002 is provided, and directions for future research are offered.
South Pacific hydrologic and cyclone variability during the last 3000 years

Publisher's version/PDF must be used in Institutional Repository 6 months after publication.
Characterization of the Binding Site for a Novel Class of Noncompetitive α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid Receptor Antagonists

The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor is an ionotropic glutamate receptor that mediates fast excitatory synaptic transmission throughout the central nervous system. In addition to the glutamate binding site, allosteric modulatory sites on the receptor are inferred from the ability of synthetic compounds to affect channel function without interaction with the glutamate binding site. We have identified a novel class of potent, noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonists typified by CP-465,022 and CP-526,427. The latter compound was radiolabeled and used to elucidate the pharmacology of one allosteric modulatory site. [3H]CP-526,427 labels a single binding site in rat forebrain membranes with aKd value of 3.3 nM and aBmax of 7.0 pmol/mg of protein. The [3H]CP-526,427 binding site does not seem to interact directly with the glutamate binding site but overlaps with that for another class of AMPA receptor antagonists, the 2,3-benzodiazepines. This binding site is distinct from that for the antagonist Evans blue and for several classes of compounds that modulate AMPA receptor desensitization. These results indicate the existence of at least two physically distinct allosteric sites on the AMPA receptor through which channel activity or desensitization is modulated.
Implementation of Distributed Transaction Based on the JTA Database

In application system development,transaction is an indispensable component model,which ensures that the user ACID operation(i.e.,atomic,consistent,isolation,lasting)attribute.For large cross-database applications,a distributed transaction must be used.The JTA for the J2EE platform provides a distributed transaction service.This paper discusses the JTA architecture,and introduces its realizing mechanism,through the detailed code.
Licensed Dengue Vaccine: Public Health Conundrum and Scientific Challenge

A tetravalent live attenuated vaccine composed of chimeras of yellow fever 17D and the four dengue viruses (chimeric yellow fever dengue [CYD]) manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur has completed phase III clinical testing in over 35,000 children 2-16 years of age. The vaccine was recently licensed in four countries. During the first 2 years of observation, CYD vaccine efficacy ranged between 30% and 79% in 10 different countries with an overall efficacy of 56.8%. During year 3, there was an overall efficacy against hospitalization of 16.7%, but a relative risk of hospitalization of 1.6 among children younger than 9 years and 4.95 in children 5 years of age and younger. Vaccination of seronegative children resulted in universal broad dengue neutralizing antibody responses, but poor protection against breakthrough dengue cases. Unless proven otherwise, such breakthrough cases in vaccinated subjects should be regarded as vaccine antibody-enhanced (ADE). The provenance of these cases can be studied serologically using original antigenic sin immune responses in convalescent sera. In conventional dengue vaccine efficacy clinical trials, persons vaccinated as seronegatives may be hospitalized with breakthrough ADE infections, whereas in the placebo group, dengue infection of monotypic immunes results in hospitalization. Vaccine efficacy trial design must identify dengue disease etiology by separately measuring efficacy in seronegatives and seropositives. The reason(s) why CYD vaccine failed to raise protective dengue virus immunity are unknown. To achieve a safe and protective dengue vaccine, careful studies of monotypic CYD vaccines in humans should precede field trials of tetravalent formulations.
Forecasting the Innovation of Complex Technologies

The innovation of complex technologies is now widely regarded as the major “engine” of modern economies. Complex technologies are those that cannot be understood in full detail by an individual expert sufficiently to communicate all the details across time and distance to other experts. The trend toward complexity is suggested by Figure 1, which shows that in 1970 complex technologies comprised 53% of the thirty most valuable world manufactures exports. By 1996, that number had grown to 76%.
A Question from Emilio: Hypotheses, Hope, and the Legacy of Dominick P. Purpura

As a scientist, one is taught to be creative and to challenge old ideas, while at the same time to be data-driven and intellectually rigorous, carefully delineating what we know from what we don’t know, what is possible from what might be possible or is not possible. As a practicing doctor, on the other hand, one is schooled in making the most of what we know now, using knowledge—even if incomplete—to improve the lives of our patients. And as a physician, one learns about the importance of giving patients hope.
Ludwig Looks at the Necker Cube: The Problem of ‘Seeing as’ as a Clue to Wittgenstein’s Philosophy

In a joint book, entitled Investigating Wittgenstein (Basil Blackwell, Oxford, 1986), we have presented an overall interpretation of the development of Wittgenstein’s philosophy and of its several stages. In this paper, we shall show that our interpretation is strongly supported by what Wittgenstein says of one particular problem, the problem of seeing as. This problem is seen in its clearest form in ambiguous figures like the Necker Cube. (See the figure in section 2 below.) This line drawing can be seen as a representation of a cube with two different orientations. You can see either aaaa or bbbb as the front. Why this perceptual ambiguity should present a problem for Wittgenstein or possess other kinds of philosophical relevance for him is far from clear, and remains to be investigated. In fact, the attention paid by Wittgenstein to the phenomenon of seeing as may prima facie seem excessive.
Towards “cognitively complex” problem‐solving: Six models of public service reform

This paper proposes ‘cognitively complex problem-solving’ as a refinement of the recent problem- solving approach to public service reform, and as an addition to existing political and institutional explanations for the frequent failure of reform. In order to substantiate the new problem-solving model, it identifies and selectively reviews six models of reform that have been practiced in developing countries over the past half- century: public administration; decentralization; pay and employment reform; New Public Management; integrity and corruption reforms; and “bottom-up” reforms. A short case study of Myanmar is presented to illustrate the problem-solving approach in practice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Nanostructure evolution of magnetron sputtered hydrogenated silicon thin films

Hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) thin films have been prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The effect of hydrogen gas concentration during sputtering on the resultant film structural and optical properties has been investigated by real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD). The analysis of in-situ RTSE data collected during sputter deposition tracks the evolution of surface roughness and film bulk layer thickness with time. Growth evolution diagrams depicting amorphous, nanocrystalline, and mixed-phase regions for low and high deposition rate Si:H are constructed and the effects of process parameter (hydrogen gas concentration, total pressure, and RF power) variations on the deposition rate have been qualified. Virtual interface analysis of RTSE data provides nanocrystalline volume fraction depth profiles in the mixed-phase growth regime. GIXRD measurements show the presence of (111) and (220) oriented crystallites. Vibrational mode absorption features from Si-Hn bonding configurations at 590, 640, 2000, and 2090 cm−1 are obtained by ex-situ infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry. Hydrogen incorporation decreases as films transition from amorphous to nanocrystalline phases with increasing hydrogen gas concentration during sputtering.Hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) thin films have been prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The effect of hydrogen gas concentration during sputtering on the resultant film structural and optical properties has been investigated by real time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD). The analysis of in-situ RTSE data collected during sputter deposition tracks the evolution of surface roughness and film bulk layer thickness with time. Growth evolution diagrams depicting amorphous, nanocrystalline, and mixed-phase regions for low and high deposition rate Si:H are constructed and the effects of process parameter (hydrogen gas concentration, total pressure, and RF power) variations on the deposition rate have been qualified. Virtual interface analysis of RTSE data provides nanocrystalline volume fraction depth profiles in the mixed-phase growth regime. GIXRD m...
Combined selective emitter and filter for high performance incandescent lighting

The efficiency of incandescent light bulbs (ILBs) is inherently low due to the dominant emission at infrared wavelengths, diminishing its popularity today. ILBs with cold-side filters that transmit visible light but reflect infrared radiation back to the filament can surpass the efficiency of state-of-the-art light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, practical challenges such as imperfect geometrical alignment (view factor) between the filament and cold-side filters can limit the maximum achievable efficiency and make the use of cold-side filters ineffective. In this work, we show that by combining a cold-side optical filter with a selective emitter, the effect of the imperfect view factor between the filament and filter on the system efficiency can be minimized. We experimentally and theoretically demonstrate energy savings of up to 67% compared to a bare tungsten emitter at 2000 K, representing a 34% improvement over a bare tungsten filament with a filter. Our work suggests that this approach can be competitive with LEDs in both luminous efficiency and color rendering index (CRI) when using selective emitters and filters already demonstrated in the literature, thus paving the way for next-generation high-efficiency ILBs.
Build It and They Will Come? Patron Engagement Via Twitter at Historically Black College and University Libraries

Abstract This study is a social media analysis on the use of Twitter at Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) libraries. While information science researchers have begun examining how libraries use social media, the vast majority of these studies are situated at large flagship research-intensive universities. Additionally, there currently exist deficiencies in research on social media deployment at HBCU libraries. We leverage, the IBM Watson's analytic engine, to systemically examine over 23,000, tweets over an eighteen-month period, around a set of objective measures including propagation of retweets and sentiment to assess follower engagement. The analysis found little evidence of follower engagement with library generated content. However, we observed a substantial volume of library tweets coalesced around institutional boosterism, rather than library related phenomena. This non-library related content represented the vast majority of retweets, but paradoxically was propagated by non-followers. Additionally, tweets relating to institutional boosterism produced the most positive sentiment within the data.
Detection and confirmation of α-cobratoxin in equine plasma by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry

α-Cobratoxin (CTX) is a large peptide (71 amino acids) with strong analgesic effect and may be misused in sports such as horse racing. To prevent such misuse, a sensitive method is required for detection and confirmation of the toxin in equine samples. CTX was extracted from equine plasma using an optimized mixed-mode solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure. Extracted CTX was reduced with dithiothreitol and alkylated with iodoacetamide, and then was digested by trypsin at 56°C for 30min. The digest was analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and tryptic peptides T2 (3CFITPDITSK12) and T4 (24TWCDAFCSIR33) were monitored for detection and confirmation of CTX. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.05ng/mL for CTX in plasma, and the limit of confirmation (LOC) 0.2ng/mL. Unlike small peptides consisting of the 20 canonical amino acids, CTX was stable in equine plasma at ambient temperature for at least 24h. The developed analytical method was successfully applied to analysis of incurred plasma samples; CTX was detected in plasma collected 15min through 36h post subcutaneous administration of CTX (2.0mg dose) to a research horse, and confirmed 30min through 24h. Additionally, an approach named "reliable targeted SEQUEST search" has been proposed for assessing the specificity of T2 at product ion spectrum level for confirmation of CTX. T2 is uniquely specific for CTX, as evaluated with this approach and BLAST search. Furthermore, the effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a mobile phase additive on electrospray (ESI) response of T2 and T4, background noise level and signal to noise ratio (S/N) was examined; DMSO increased signal intensity of T2 and T4 by a factor of less than 2. It is the first report that DMSO raised background noise level and did not improve S/N for the peptides, to the authors' knowledge. The developed analytical method may be applicable for analysis of CTX in plasma from other species such as greyhound dogs or even human beings.
Whole-Person Formation: An Integrative Approach to Christian Education:

This article introduces a comprehensive Christian formation model, drawing from the Genesis narrative of being created in the imago Dei (image of God) through godly love. Applicable in the Christia...
The Lighthouse and the Observatory: Islam, Science, and Empire in Late Ottoman Egypt

Historians of science have long been interested more in the pre-modern than the modern Middle East. Many popular writers have situated the golden age of Arabic and Islamic science in the Middle Age...
The Pedagogical Implications of Orality on Refugee ESL Students

Many refugee students come from traditionally oral cultures, where reading and writing have little or no impact. This situation is not simply illiteracy; scholars instead call it “orality.” Orality is widespread, as even countries that report widespread literacy often have populations that function mostly orally. Scholars claim that literacy transforms human thinking and consciousness, and that people who are illiterate think and learn in ways that often sharply contrast with literate ways. This paper summarizes research on orality, posits some of its implications for pedagogy, and presents the challenges and assets of orality in the ESL classroom.
Signal Temporal Logic-Based Attack Detection in DC Microgrids

Emerging converter-dominated dc microgrids employ distributed cooperative control strategies and communication network. Since there is no central entity to monitor and assess the global cyber scenario, microgrids employing distributed control are prone to cyber attacks. This work presents signal temporal logic (STL) detection of two major types of cyber attacks, namely false-data injection attacks and denial-of-service attacks. Such cyber attacks can compromise voltage regulation and load sharing in dc microgrids. STL is a formalism to monitor the output voltages and currents of dc microgrids against the defined specifications, such as operational bounds, over time. Besides detection, the proposed approach also quantifies the attack impact. Moreover, it can be effectively employed for a complex dc microgrid without prior knowledge of its dynamics. This detection technique is successfully demonstrated using a physical microgrid setup or in a hardware-in-the-loop environment, where various attacks are formalized, detected, and quantified.
Advancing Learning in International Business Related to a Global Mindset: An Introduction

Globalization is a trend in the business world. There are no businesses that can be “pure” domestic. Stakeholders voluntarily or involuntarily are affected by globalization. With a mandate to “go g...
Weld Quality Monitor and Control System

A non-contact Weld Quality Monitor (WQM) system is being developed to detect, identify, and correct for deviations from established welding procedures and conditions which lead to weld defects in real time. The WQM continually measures with conventional transducers all primary process parameters such as current, voltage, and travel speed, and computes weld quality parameters such as heat input and weld bead geometry. In addition, the WQM monitors the spectral signature of the welding arc by means of a high resolution microprocessor controlled spectrograph. Here, the presence of weld pool and arc atmosphere contaminants, flux and shield gas effectiveness, arc energy input, and penetration/dilution into the base material can be determined. The spectral response from the welding arc and measurements of process parameters are then normalized, compared to. preset operating limits, and processed in real time. Necessary adjustments to primary process parameters will be made by automated compensation devices to eliminate weld defects in real time. When necessary, the specific location of discontinuities will be provided to facilitate further inspection.
Using cancer incidence and mortality data to guide cancer control program.

largest of any country in the world. There are more than 55 ethnic minority subgroups besides Han Chinese. It is unfortunate that the report did not present cancer data specific from each of these ethnic subgroups; otherwise these unique data would shed some lights on urban rural or any other differences in cancer burden in specific areas in China. Case ascertainment by morphologically verified was reported to be 67% in China which is a concern in the modern world. As noted in cancer trends in five continents from 2003-2007 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), China submitted data from 26 registries, but only 12 registries were accepted by the IARC strict criteria. The follow up data from China, only 14 registries got accepted. Therefore, quality control of collected data is critical which shall include comparability,
Surgery for Tethered Cord

The tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is a constellation of symptoms resulting from an abnormal fixation and restricted movement of the spinal cord. The immobility of the spinal cord results from attachment to inelastic structures such as a thickened filum terminale, adhesions (developmental or post-surgical), lipomeningomyelocele, intradural lipomas, or arachnoiditis [1]. It is interesting to note that the embryological origins of the spinal cord are twofold: the proximal segment is formed when the ectoderm overlying the notochord forms the neural plate, which involutes and closes to form the neural tube with cranial and caudal neuropores; distal to the caudal neuropore is the caudal cell mass which differentiates into the distal neural tube, the end of which is the ventriculus terminalis. The caudal cell mass forms the conus medullaris, filum terminale, and cauda equina.
The Influence of Pain in Other Major Joints and the Spine on 2-Year Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy.

Purpose To determine whether patients who have pain in other major joints or the spine have poorer postsurgical outcomes than patients without comorbid orthopaedic pain. Methods We performed a review of a prospectively maintained institutional surgical registry of patients who underwent hip arthroscopy between January 1, 2012, and July 16, 2015, by a single surgeon, with a minimum of 2 years of postoperative follow-up. A musculoskeletal morbidity (MSM) score was assigned to each patient preoperatively based on the presence of pain in other joints and the spine (grade 1, hip only; grade 2, hip and other major joints without spine; grade 3, hip with spine; and grade 4, hip and other major joints with spine). Preoperatively and at 2 years postoperatively, functional outcomes were measured using the Hip Outcome Score–Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL), and the percentages of patients achieving a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and patient-acceptable symptom state (PASS) were calculated. Results In total, 821 patients were identified, of whom 700 (85.3%) completed 2-year follow-up. Preoperatively, MSM grade 1 patients had a higher HOS-ADL than grade 2 patients (P = .02), but there was no difference between grade 1 and grade 3 patients (P = .63) or between grade 1 and grade 4 patients (P = .14). Likewise, there was no difference in the preoperative HOS-ADL among grades 2, 3, and 4. Patients with MSM grades 1 and 2 were younger than those with grades 3 and 4. At 2 years postoperatively, MSM grade 1 patients had higher HOS-ADL values than grade 3 (P = .01) and grade 4 (P = .02) but not grade 2 (P = .07) patients. Overall, 84% of patients showed an MCID and 72% of patients achieved a PASS with regard to the HOS-ADL. There were no statistically significant differences among MSM grades in terms of the MCID or PASS. Conclusions Overall, 84% of patients improved with hip arthroscopy by MCID criteria for the HOS-ADL. Patients with no pain in other joints (MSM grade 1) had better 2-year postoperative HOS-ADL values after hip arthroscopy than patients with spine pain (grades 3 and 4). However, there were no significant differences in the MCID or PASS among patients with regard to MSM grade. A total of 40.5% of patients who underwent hip arthroscopy had pain in another joint. A limitation, however, is that there is potential for a type II error, in that there may not have been a sufficient number of patients studied to detect a significant difference in outcome among patients with different grades of musculoskeletal comorbidity. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic case series.
Abstract P016: Lifestyle Factors Substantially Contributed to Urban-Rural Disparity in All-Cause Mortality Among the Oldest-Old in China

Introduction: With rapid population aging, the number of the oldest old population (≥ 80 years old) will increase dramatically in the coming decades in China. In this population, previous studies h...
Development of a Platform to Evaluate Principles of Bipedal Locomotion Using Dynamical Movement Primitives

The control of bipedal locomotion is often considered to arise from the optimization of variables related to energetic cost and stability. However, developing model-based predictions of optimal strategies can be challenging due to the high-dimensionality of the control space and challenges associated with optimizing potentially conflicting objectives. Here, we present a framework for simulating bipedal gait which can ultimately be used predictive simulations of optimal gait patterns. We modeled a human-like biped and a treadmill in Matlab Simscape and used Dynamical Movement Primitives (DMP) to generate control joint-level controllers from demonstrations of human walking. DMPs facilitate the optimization of gait patterns through a small number of free parameters, such as the amplitude and timing of the patterns. We also implemented a simple feedback controller that variated the amplitude of the DMPs to stabilize the biped based on the deviation from a reference point on the treadmill. Optimizing of this controller allowed us to generate a human-like gait and ultimately contributed to the development of a platform with which we can explore optimization principles during locomotion.
What is the evidence for cannabis use in otolaryngology?: A narrative review.

Abstract Objectives Review of the English literature for all studies involving cannabis and Otolaryngology. Methods PubMed was searched using a combination of the terms cannabis, marijuana, otolaryngology, hearing, tinnitus, vestibular, rhinology, sinusitis, laryngology, voice, airway, head and neck, head and neck cancer, facial trauma, spasm, pediatric otolaryngology, sleep medicine, obstructive sleep apnea, and other variations. Literature included in the review provided substantive research on cannabis in Otolaryngology. Results Seventy-nine unique publications were found in the literature. The majority were published in the last decade and pertain to the subspecialty of Head and Neck; specifically, its association with incident cancers. A small number of studies exist that suggest cannabis may be a useful therapy for Otolaryngological patients suffering from blepharospasm, the effects of radiation, and the psychological sequelae of receiving a cancer diagnosis. Conclusion Further research is required to determine the potential therapeutic roles and adverse effects of cannabis on conditions related to Otolaryngology. This study serves the Otolaryngological researcher with the most current, comprehensive literature review for the exploration into possible projects to undertake.
Multidisciplinary approach to immune related adverse events as a potential biomarker: Single institution experience in non-small cell lung cancer.

e14124Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has emerged as a novel systemic treatment for advanced cancers. As ICI modulates immune signaling pathways by targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte an...
Optimal estimation of slope vector in high-dimensional linear transformation models

Abstract In a linear transformation model, there exists an unknown monotone, typically nonlinear, transformation function such that the transformed response variable is related to the predictor variables via a linear regression model. This paper presents CENet, a new method for estimating the slope vector and simultaneously performing variable selection in the high-dimensional sparse linear transformation model. CENet is the solution to a convex optimization problem which can be computed efficiently from an algorithm with guaranteed convergence to the global optimum. It is shown that when the joint distribution of the predictors and errors is elliptical, under some regularity conditions, CENet attains the same optimal rate of convergence as the best regression method in the high-dimensional sparse linear regression model. The empirical performance of CENet is shown on both simulated and real datasets. The connection of CENet with existing nonlinear regression/multivariate methods is also discussed.
Fare Ra Lankhi: The Circle Is an Indigenous Pedagogical and Choreographic Space for West African Dance.

Somatic memoirs from the author’s participation at dance intensives with acclaimed dancer-choreographer Moustapha Bangoura in the West African Republic of Guinea reveal how solo dance experiences ...
Single institutional analysis of resectable pancreatic cancer.

706Background: In recent years, there has been a shift towards neo-adjuvant treatment (NAT) of non-metastatic pancreas cancer in the hopes of improving negative margin rate, lymph node negativity, ...
Abstract P2-16-09: Residual cancer burden in patients with early stage triple negative breast cancer who progress on anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in an ongoing clinical trial (ARTEMIS)

BACKGROUND: Current treatment for early stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) includes neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (NAST), which is used to assess disease biology and the need for adjuvant treatment in case of residual disease at the time of surgery, also known as residual cancer burden (RCB). Patients with TNBC who experience RCB-0 (pathologic complete response [pCR]) or RCB-I after NAST have an excellent prognosis whereas patients with significant residual disease (RCB-II or RCB-III) are at a high risk of relapse. Standard NAST for TNBC achieves pCR in 30-50% of cases. NAST typically consists of anthracycline-based chemotherapy followed or preceded by a taxane +/- carboplatin. Disease progression (PD) is uncommon in TNBC patients receiving NAST and little is known regarding outcomes in patients who have PD during the initial phase of NAST. METHODS: Total 316 TNBC patients were evaluated from two prospectively accrued clinical trials of NAST (NCT02276443 and NCT01334021). The ARTEMIS trial (NCT02276443) aims to improve pCR rates by adding targeted therapy to chemotherapy as the second phase of NAST for those patients who do not experience at least a 70% volumetric reduction after 4 cycles of doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC). Unique histopathologic features including % stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTIL), presence of mesenchymal histology (high vimentin expression by IHC), and androgen receptor expression are used to guide second phase therapy. RESULTS: 31 TNBC patients had PD while receiving AC as the first phase of NAST (10%; 95% CI= 6.69-13.31%). 9 of 31 patients proceeded to standard chemotherapy and all had RCB II/III disease. 22 of 31 patients were enrolled to targeted therapy trials. 6 were treated with the EGFR inhibitor panitumumab + carboplatin/paclitaxel, 9 with atezolizumab + nab-paclitaxel, and 7 with everolimus, bevacizumab, and liposomal doxorubicin (DAE). Of these 22 patients, 3 (13.6%) had pCR/RCB-0, 1 (4.5%) RCB-I and 18 (81.8%) had RCB II/III. All 4 patients who experienced RCB-0/I had T2N0 disease at diagnosis. 2 had sTIL Citation Format: Haven Garber, Gaiane Rauch, Beatriz Adrada, Rosalind Candelaria, Elizabeth Mittendorf, Alastair Thompson, Jennifer Litton, Senthil Damodaran, Bora Lim, Banu Arun, Naoto Ueno, Vicente Valero, Nuhad Ibrahim, Rashmi Murthy, Debu Tripathy, Helen Piwnica-Worms, Fraser Symmans, Lei Huo, Stacy Moulder. Residual cancer burden in patients with early stage triple negative breast cancer who progress on anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in an ongoing clinical trial (ARTEMIS) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-16-09.
On-farm adoption of irrigation technologies in two irrigated valleys in Central Chile: The effect of relative abundance of water resources

Abstract This paper examines the adoption of irrigation technologies and the underlying diversity in terms of intensity of adoption in 2 irrigated valleys in Central Chile. Results show a low and narrow range of adoption, with only 30 % of farmers adopting technologies. Through a Latent Class Analysis, 2 types of farmers were identified, a small group comprising moderate to intensive users, and a second one consisting of the majority of farmers mostly constrained in natural capital. Furthermore, the econometric analysis indicates that education, diversification, continuous access to water, and perception of water reliability increase the adoption. Conversely, higher water-land ratios, presence of community reservoirs, and earthen canals reduce the uptake. Overall, the dominance of fruit and horticulture production, access to agricultural credits, and full irrigation of the farm are the main drivers of adoption. The latter is a critical factor, indicating a relative abundance of water resources, which, alongside contextual characteristics, discourages farmers from implementing technologies. The low adoption rate, as well as the hindering factors, will challenge public and private organizations to design and implement policies aiming to improve water reliability and management. To generate incentives and increase awareness on the scarcity of the resource in the light of the predicted reductions in water availability because of climate change will be crucial as well.