cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differences of globin transgene expression in stably transfected cell lines and transgenic mice

Previous studies demonstrated that DNase I hypersensitive site -40 (HS-40) of the α-globin locus is capable of greatly enhancing expression of a hybrid β/γ-globin transcriptional unit in plasmid-transfected murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. However, as reported here, this same γ-globin gene expression cassette was only transcribed at trace amounts in erythroid cells of transgenic mice. This lack of expression was not directly attributable to the β/γ-globin transcriptional unit, since this same unit linked to a composite β-globin locus control region was expressed at high levels in transgenic mice. This lack of expression was also not directly attributable to chromosomal position effects, since addition of chromatin insulators failed to increase the frequency of expression. DNase I hypersensitivity and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that the lack of expression was correlated with a closed chromatin structure. We hypothesize that transgenes undergo dynamic changes in chromatin conformation following chromosomal integration and that the discrepant results reported here can be attributed to the relatively high level of chromatin remodeling that occurs in the transgenic mouse model, coupled with the relative inability of the HS-40 element to maintain an open chromatin state under such conditions. (Blood. 2005;105: 3346-3352)
Enhanced solubility of impurities and enhanced diffusion near crystal surfaces.

Any defect or impurity has some inherent stress, so near a free surface its energy is reduced by relief of this stress. The defect stress also couples to the intrinsic surface stress. In general, the result is to enhance impurity solubility and diffusion near the surface. With certain assumptions regarding the kinetics, the high impurity density near the surface can be frozen in as the crystal grows, permitting the growth of highly supersaturated solid solutions, e.g., high dopant concentrations in semiconductors. Calculations for carbon near the Si(001) surface illustrate the solubility enhancement.
Energetics of magnetic domains in bulk medium containing grain boundaries

Abstract The plausible path of domain wall movement, based on energetics, is discussed. The planar feature of the domain wall is relaxed to include the two-dimensional propagation of the type similar to the Neel wall breathing mode. A strategy to combat the hinderance of grain boundary is suggested.
Enhanced etching of InP by cycling with sputter etching and reactive ion etching

A new etch technique which oscillates between sputter etching and RIE modes of etching was investigated. Extensive studies for InP using BCl/Ar and Cl/BCl/Ar gas systems were performed with standard RIE equipment. The etching sequence was performed with a programmable controller which automates the cycling sequence. The time period and sputter duty cycle or percent sputter time are two important factors that were studied in these experiments. Using this cyclic technique an etch rate of 300 A/mm was obtained which is an order of magnitude higher than our standard RIE etch rate for InP. Standard optical photoresists can be used as masks for this technique although metal masks are more feasible. The resulting wall shape is vertical with smooth morphology. Etch enhancements may be explained by the removal of an indium chloride layer. Surface analysis was performed to verify that chlorine is forming on the surface.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The impact of sociodemographics, comorbidity and symptom recency on health-related quality of life in alcoholics.

Objective: To obtain estimates of the relationship between alcoholism and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in twin pairs discordant for alcohol dependence. Method: In 1995, 1,258 male-male twin pair members of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry (total Registry N = 7.375 pairs) were administered a modified Medical Outcomes Study 36 Item Short Form (SF-36) and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) to obtain measures of HRQL and a DSM-III-R criteria lifetime diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Mean within pair differences on eight separate SF-36 subscales were calculated for 436 remitted (no alcohol symptoms in the past 5 years) alcohol-dependent discordant twin pairs and for 194 recent (at least one alcohol symptom in the past 5 years) alcohol-dependent discordant pairs before and after adjustment for covariates. Covariates included lifetime physical illness, lifetime psychiatric disorders, lifetime drug dependence, lifetime nicotine dependence, current marital status, current income and severity. Results: I...
Structural Adjustment as Development Strategy? Bananas, Boom, and Poverty in Somalia

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have become the most powerful macroeconomic development strategists in the Third World. Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) is the code term for t...
Respiratory control in mitochondria from Crithidia fasciculata.

Summary The trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata contains a single bifurcated mitochondrial organelle, and a method is described for its isolation as a relatively intact structure. These preparations carry out oxidative phosphorylation and show respiratory control with succinate as substrate. The oxidation and phosphorylation efficiency of succinate and α-glycerophosphate, as well as NAD+-linked substrates, are affected by antimycin A, mCl-CCP, and rutamycin.
INGUINAL MICROSURGICAL VARICOCELECTOMY IN THE ADOLESCENT: TECHNIQUE AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS

AbstractPurpose: In large series of adults microsurgical varicocelectomy has been associated with extremely high success rates, combined with minimal incidence of postoperative hydrocele. We report our initial experience of inguinal varicocelectomy using an intraoperative microscope in adolescents.Materials and Methods: From 1994 to 1996, 32 adolescents (mean age 15.3 years) underwent inguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy. An operative microscope and Doppler probe were used during spermatic cord dissection to identify and preserve the testicular artery and lymphatics.Results: All patients were available for followup, which ranged from 2 to 35 months (mean 20). There were no intraoperative complications. A temporary reactive hydrocele, which subsequently completely resolved, was observed in 1 patient. There were no palpable recurrent varicoceles.Conclusions: The operative microscope permits reliable identification of the testicular artery and lymphatics, as well as venous channels in adolescents. As a res...
Cytoskeletal and functional changes in bioreactor assembled thyroid tissue organoids exposed to gamma radiation

Fischer rat thyroid cells were grown under low-shear stress in a bioreactor to a stage of organization composed of integrated follicles resembling small thyroid glands prior to exposure to 3 Gray-gamma radiation. Bioreactor tissues and controls (both irradiated and non-irradiated) were harvested at 24, 48, 96 and 144 hours post-exposure. Tissue samples were fixed and fluorescently labeled for actin and microtubules. Tissues were assessed for changes in cytoskeletal components induced by radiation and quantified by laser scanning cytometry. ELISA's were used to quantify transforming growth factor-beta and thyroxin released from cells to the culture supernatant. Tissue architecture was disrupted by exposure to radiation with the structural organization of actin and loss of follicular content the most obviously affected. With time post-irradiation the actin appeared disordered and the levels of fluorescence associated with filamentous-actin and microtubules cycled in the tissue analogs, but not in the flask-grown cultures. Active transforming growth factor-beta was higher in supernatants from the irradiated bioreactor tissue. Thyroxin release paralleled cell survival in the bioreactors and control cultures. Thus, the engineered tissue responses to radiation differed from those of conventional tissue culture making it a potentially better mimic of the in vivo situation.
All-optical clock recovery from RZ-format data by using a two-section gain-coupled DFB laser

High-speed all-optical clock recovery using a two-section gain-coupled distributed feedback laser is demonstrated operating in the coherent and the incoherent modes. It is found that the coherent mode has a much better performance compared with the incoherent mode. The performance of the coherent clock recovery scheme at 12 and 40 Gb/s, including wavelength and polarization insensitivity, timing jitter, and phase noise; power penalty; sensitivity; dynamic range; locking bandwidth; detuning range of the injection wavelength; and lockup time are described in detail. A comparison between the performances of the two modes of operation is also presented.
Introducing Islamic Banks into Coventional Banking Systems

Over the last decade, Islamic banking has experienced global growth rates of 10-15 percent per annum, and has been moving into an increasing number of conventional financial systems at such a rapid pace that Islamic financial institutions are present today in over 51 countries. Despite this consistent growth, many supervisory authorities and finance practitioners remain unfamiliar with the process by which Islamic banks are introduced into a conventional system. This paper attempts to shed some light in this area by describing the main phases in the process, and by flagging some of the main challenges that countries will face as Islamic banking develops alongside conventional institutions.
The Effect of the Focus of Comparison on Consumer Preferences

The authors propose that the attractiveness and choice probability of an alternative can be enhanced by making it the focus of a comparison (the focal option) with a competing alternative. This pro...
Wild Turkey Movements During Flooding After Opening of the Morganza Spillway, Louisiana

Abstract The opening of the Morganza Spillway in Louisiana on 18 May 2011 to relieve historic flooding along the lower Mississippi river subsequently inundated thousands of acres of bottomland forest in the Atchafalaya basin. Since 2001, we have conducted Meleagris gallopavo silvestris (Eastern Wild Turkey) population ecology research on the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area, located approximately 30 km south of the Morganza spillway. In expectation of the Morganza spillway opening, between 11 and 14 May, we captured and fitted 5 (1 M, 4 F) adult Eastern Wild Turkeys with µGPS transmitters to monitor turkey response to basin flooding. By 19 May 2011, our study area was inundated with >3 m of flood waters, and remained completely inundated until 11 June 2011. Via radio-telemetry, we confirmed one female was depredated immediately before flood waters inundated our study site, and one female survived and reached dry ground created by receding water on 16 June. A second female lived 21 days and made circuito...
Epistemic Democracy and Its Challenges

Epistemic democracy defends the capacity of “the many” to make correct decisions and seeks to justify democracy by reference to this ability. Epistemic democrats marshal substantial evidence from the history of political thought and a set of models to support their claims. The essay assesses this evidence and argues in favor of more empirical testing. It also cautions against using the contextually limited evidence of wise decisions as a basis for justifying democratic decision making. Instead, the article sketches a “deflationary model” that relies on neither an independent standard of correctness nor the more ambitious assertions of the reliability of the mechanisms. That model, termed judgment democracy, retains epistemic democracy's attractive respect for individual judgments and concern with institutional design, while eschewing its least plausible features.
Adaptive network coded cooperation (ANCC) for wireless relay networks: matching code-on-graph with network-on-graph

We consider user cooperation in a relay network that comprises a large collection of transmitters sending wireless data to a common receiver. A new framework exploiting the network coding technology, referred to as adaptive network coded cooperation (ANCC), is proposed to combat the lossy nature of wireless links and to adapt to the changing network topology. The central idea is to match network-on-graph, i.e. instantaneous network topologies described in graphs, with the well-known class of code-on-graph, i.e. low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes and LDPC-like codes. Both achievable rates and outage probabilities are evaluated for ANCC, and closed-form expressions are derived for the asymptotic case where the network size increases without bound. Compared with the existing schemes, ANCC significantly outperforms repetition-based schemes and performs on par with space-time coded cooperation (STCC), but obviates the need for stringent inter-user synchronization at the bit/baud level.
HTDMA analysis of multicomponent dicarboxylic acid aerosols with comparison to UNIFAC and ZSR

[1] The deliquescence and hygroscopic growth of laboratory-generated aerosols containing inorganic salts and/or mixtures of 1–10 different multifunctional dicarboxylic acids were observed using an hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA), and the results were compared to predictions from the Zdanovskii-Stokes-Robinson (ZSR) mixing rule and Universal Quasi-Chemical Functional Group Activity Coefficient (UNIFAC) group contribution method. Dicarboxylic acids were chosen because of their atmospheric ubiquity. The results show that mixtures of five or more multifunctional dicarboxylic acids exhibit similar hygroscopic growth, to within experimental uncertainty, despite different chemistries. UNIFAC predictions of water uptake were observed to be in good agreement with the complex organic mixture data, while Modified UNIFAC overpredicted water uptake. Continuous growth curves for these mixtures indicate that particles are likely hydrated even at low RHs. Predictions were inconsistent for fewer-component mixtures, and ZSR was used to model incomplete dissolution of some species to better approximate the HTDMA data. Individual mixture species do not necessarily contribute equally to overall water uptake and are discussed in detail. Finally, it was observed that the deliquescence point and water uptake were significantly depressed for mixtures of organics and an inorganic salt, relative to the pure inorganic salt. Predictions from the ZSR mixing rule based on experimental measurements were in good agreement with the data. These results suggest that the behavior of complex mixtures of dicarboxylic acids exhibit water uptake consistent with the total number of moles present in solution, but irrespective of individual component hygroscopicity. This simplification will aid in incorporating these compounds into parameterizations of aerosol growth.
Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology of Antiestrogen Action and Resistance

Antiestrogen therapy remains one of the most widely used and effective treatments for the management of endocrine responsive breast cancers. This reflects the ability of antiestrogens to compete with estrogens for binding to estrogen receptors. Whereas response rates of up to 70% are reported in patients with tumors expressing estrogen and progesterone receptors, most responsive tumors will eventually acquire resistance. The most important factor in de novo resistance is lack of expression of these receptors. However, the mechanisms driving resistance in tumors that express estrogen and/or progesterone receptors are unclear. A tamoxifen-stimulated phenotype has been described, but seems to occur only in a minority of patients. Most tumors (>80%) may become resistant through other, less well defined, resistance mechanisms. These may be multifactorial, including changes in immunity, host endocrinology, and drug pharmacokinetics. Significant changes within the tumor cells may also occur, including alterations in the ratio of the estrogen receptor alpha:beta forms and/or other changes in estrogen receptor-driven transcription complex function. These may lead to perturbations in the gene network signaling downstream of estrogen receptors. Cells may also alter paracrine and autocrine growth factor interactions, potentially producing a ligand-independent activation of estrogen receptors by mitogen-activated protein kinases. Antiestrogens can affect the function of intracellular proteins and signaling that may, or may not, involve estrogen receptor-mediated events. These include changes in oxidative stress responses, specific protein kinase C isoform activation, calmodulin function, and cell membrane structure/function.
A new generation of high frequency receivers for civil aeronautics communications

One of the most obvious ways to make air travel more green is to save fuel. The best place to save fuel is a reduction in the size, weight, and power of equipment which must be carried on all air transport aircraft, every flight. New technologies allow substantial size, weight and power savings for HF Transceivers by allowing the receiver section to directly sample the 2–30 MHz spectrum using a high speed analog-to-digital converter. Using this technology, new generation receivers can simultaneously receive multiple signals on different frequencies, allowing a single HF transceiver to provide both the ATC voice operations and datalink (HFDL). This can permit the reduction of the number of HF transceivers on board from two to one, saving power and weight. This paper will address how direct sampling receivers work and describe the implementation of one. It will cover some history in order to understand the revolutionary nature of these design techniques.
On Feasibility of Fingerprinting Wireless Sensor Nodes Using Physical Properties

Fingerprinting wireless devices using physical properties has been recently suggested as an alternative for device identification and authentication. It has been found that the clock skew caused by the frequency discrepancy of the quartz crystals in different devices can be used as a reliable source for fingerprinting. Researchers have studied the application of the clock skew-based fingerprinting in sensor networks and claimed that it can detect fake identities, wormholes, and node replicas. However, the study in this paper draws a completely opposite conclusion, i.e., the clock skew of sensor nodes can be easily forged by adversaries to evade the detection. This paper then studies the feasibility of using the distribution of signal power in space to fingerprint sensor nodes. The result shows that a sensor node's signal power distribution in space is not only reliable for being used as a source for fingerprinting but also very hard to forge. Finally, the paper discusses the application of using signal power distribution for detecting various attacks as well as the limitations and open problems.
A Repeated Sampling Technique in Assessing the Validity of Benefit Transfer in Valuing Non-Market Goods

This paper applies the hedonic technique to investigate the effectiveness of bene- fit transfer methodologies in a statistically controlled, repeated sampling scheme. Benefit transfers are carried out on several sets of 1,000 pairs of random, non-overlapping sub-samples drawn from a Chicago housing sample. The study finds that even under extremely favorable transfer conditions, quality of transferred benefits is poor, and there is no gain in precision in adopting function transfer over unit value transfer. In the presence of dissimilarities between two sites, however, quality of transferred benefits deteriorates further and function transfer appears more appropriate than unit value transfer.
Isolation of Nitrofurantoin-Resistant Mutants of Nitroreductase-Producing Clostridium sp. Strains from the Human Intestinal Tract

Five spontaneous nitrofurantoin-resistant mutants (one each of Clostridium leptum, Clostridium paraputrificum, two other Clostridium spp. strains from the human intestinal microflora, and Clostridium perfringens ATCC 3626) were selected by growth on a nitrofurantoin-containing medium. All of the Clostridium wild-type and mutant strains produced nitroreductase, as was shown by the conversion of 4-nitrobenzoic acid to 4-aminobenzoic acid. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the mutants during incubation with 50 μg of nitrofurantoin per ml showed the gradual disappearance of the nitrofurantoin peak. The nitrofurantoin peak also disappeared when cell-free supernatants instead of cultures of each of the resistant and wild-type bacteria were used, but it persisted if the cell-free supernatants had been inactivated by heat. At least two of the mutants converted nitrofurantoin to metabolites without antibacterial activity, as was shown by a bioassay with a nitrofurantoin-susceptible Bacillus sp. strain. Nitrofurantoin at a high concentration (50 μg/ml) continued to exert some toxicity, even on the resistant strains, as was evident from the longer lag phases. This study indicates that Clostridium strains can develop resistance to nitrofurantoin while retaining the ability to produce nitroreductase; the mutants metabolized nitrofurantoin to compounds without antibacterial activity.
Nurses Leading the Fight Against Ebola Virus Disease

The current Ebola crisis has sparked worldwide reaction of panic and disbelief in its wake as it decimated communities in West Africa, particularly in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, including its health care workers. This article affirms the crucial role nurses play in maintaining health and preventing diseases, connects the devastating havoc of the Ebola virus disease to another issue of nursing shortage in underdeveloped countries, and asserts the key leadership nurses play in protecting the communities they serve while maintaining their safety and those of other health care workers. Nurses must actively seek a place at the table, as echoed by the American Academy of Nursing and American Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association, when decisions are being made regarding Ebola virus disease: at care settings, in the board room, and at federal, state, and local levels.
The Role of Oncogenes in Hematologic Malignancies

Oncogenes are activated forms of cellular genes involved in normal cell growth and development. Some oncogenes play a role in human malignancies. In hematologic malignancies, researchers have identified many transcription factors as oncogenes based on one of the following criteria: their association with transforming retroviruses in animals, their translocation into either the immunoglobulin or T-cell receptor loci, or the production of fusion proteins resulting from chromosomal translocations. The molecular characterization of oncogenes in hematologic malignancies has led to the discovery of new methods for diagnosis and detection of minimal residual disease. In the future, researchers probably will develop novel treatment strategies to interfere with the function of these oncogenes.
Computing Blocking Probabilities in Multi-class Wavelength Routing Networks

We present an approximate analytical method to compute efficiently the call blocking probabilities in wavelength routing networks with multiple classes of calls. The model is fairly general and allows each source-destination pair to serve calls of different classes, with each call occupying one wavelength per link. Our approach involves two steps. The arrival process of calls on some routes is first modified slightly to obtain an approximate multi-class network model. Next, all classes of calls on a particular route are aggregated to give an equivalent single-class model. Thus, path decomposition algorithms for single-class networks may be extended to the multi-class case. Our work is a first step towards understanding the issues arising in wavelength routing networks that serve multiple classes of customers.
Women as Victims of Violence and Terrorism

The media often portray women as caught up in a situation of terrorism—not as protagonists but as bystanders or victims. Osama bin Laden’s wives, discussed in Chap. 1, are often discussed collectively, along with their children, as a being influenced by terrorism but not related to it. In 2012, Pakistan placed three of bin Laden’s wives, who were present during the Abbottabad raid, under house arrest for having illegally entered Pakistan. After serving their sentence, it was unclear where these women and children would go. While they were not believed to be active in Al Qaeda, their home countries, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, did not jump to get them back from Pakistan. The two Saudi wives, Khairiah Sabar and Siham Sabar, lost their citizenship along with Osama bin Laden in the 1990s, yet, on humanitarian grounds, Saudi Arabia eventually accepted them and bin Laden’s younger, Yemenese wife, Amal Ahmed al-Sadah. These women and their children were portrayed as passive, bending to the will of governments. In a sense, they were “victims” of association with bin Laden, not actors with their own agency.
Investigating the Impact of Multi-Heme Pyrroloquinoline Quinone-Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Orientation on Direct Bioelectrocatalysis via Site Specific Enzyme Immobilization

To investigate the effect of the orientation of large and complex multi-subunit enzymes (MW > 50 kDa) on direct bioelectrocatalysis, we immobilized enzymes known to be capable of direct electron transfer (DET) via a site specific immobilization technique to form a monolayer of biocatalysts with a uniform orientation toward the gold electrode. Six recombinant pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenases (PQQ-AlDHs) were employed, where the enzymes had been labeled with six-histidine tags (His-tag) at the N- or C-terminus of each of the three subunits. His-tags were utilized as linking sites to perform site specific immobilization of PQQ-AlDHs. Results show that the orientation of multi-subunit enzymes can affect DET greatly by varying the electron tunneling distances. The favorable orientation allowing for a minimal heme c electron transfer distance showed a DET rate 6.6-fold higher than that with the orientation closest to the active site of the enzyme, while the unfavorable attachment to a ...
NORMAL-PRESSURE HYDROCEPHALUS ACCOMPANIED BY A SYNDROME OF INAPPROPRIATE ADH SECRETION: DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF HYPONATREMIA

ABSTRACT Objective: To prompt clinicians to consider the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) in the differential diagnosis of hyponatremia in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Theoretically, hyponatremia may occur in NPH, but only two associated cases of SIADH have previously been reported in the literature. Methods: A case report of an elderly woman with the clinical and radiologic features of NPH accompanied by hyponatremia is presented. The author reports his findings from the extensive workup of the hyponatremia and the treatment. Results: A 78-year-old woman was being evaluated for hyponatremia; she presented with gait disturbance, decline in cognitive function, and urinary incontinence, which constitute the classic triad of NPH, and brain magnetic resonance imaging showed ventriculomegaly and other features consistent with this syndrome. The serum sodium was 129 mEq/L, with osmolality of 270 mOsm/kg, and urine osmolality was 167 mOsm/kg. Serum uric acid level was 3.1 mg/dL, and urea was 5 mg/dL. Other metabolic workup was negative; renal, adrenal, and thyroid functions were normal. Cardiac workup was negative. Chest and brain imaging results were negative for an occult malignancy. SIADH was diagnosed. Serum vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) measurement was 6.2 pg/mL. Based on the patient's preference, a conservative treatment was instituted for both SIADH and NPH, a novel approach for this clinical scenario; it resulted in modest improvement of the hyponatremia. Conclusion: Recognition of occurrence of SIADH in NPH, though an extremely rare metabolic manifestation of the neurologic disorder, is important for the appropriate management of the associated hyponatremia. Abbreviations: ADH = antidiuretic hormone CSF = cerebrospinal fluid NPH = normal pressure hydrocephalus SIADH = syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
Isolation, purification, and identification of protein associated with corn fiber gum.

Corn fiber gum (CFG), an alkaline hydrogen peroxide extract of the corn kernel milling byproduct “corn fiber”, is a proteinaceous arabinoxylan with protein content ranging from ca. 2 to 9% by weigh...
Practical Floating-Point Divergence Detection

Reducing floating-point precision allocation in HPC programs is of considerable interest from the point of view of obtaining higher performance. However, this can lead to unexpected behavioral deviations from the programmer's intent. In this paper, we focus on the problem of divergence detection: when a given floating-point program exhibits different control flow or differs in terms of other discrete outputs with respect to the same program interpreted under reals. This problem has remained open even for everyday programs such as those that compute convex-hulls. We propose a classification of the divergent behaviors exhibited by programs, and propose efficient heuristics to generate inputs causing divergence. Our experimental results demonstrate that our input generation heuristics are far more efficient than random input generation for divergence detection, and can exhibit divergence even for programs with thousands of inputs.
Recommended Augmentative and Alternative Communication Competencies for Special Education Teachers

Abstract Empirical evidence supports the notion of special education teachers receiving limited pre-service training in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This lack of training is not only evident in the United States but in other countries such as United Kingdom, India, and Israel. Yet the teaching demands for the use of AAC are increasing as more students with complex communication needs are entering the school systems. As a result, this paper outlines four special education teacher competencies needed to effectively address the communication needs of these students. The four competencies consist of the needs for training in the areas of (1) communication development and communicative competencies, (2) teamwork and collaborative practices, (3) role and functions of AAC systems, and (4) AAC assessment and instructional strategies. These competencies are aligned to the standards from the Council for Exceptional Children and the literature available on AAC training. Evidence suggests there i...
Functions of Smad Transcription Factors in TGF-β1-Induced Selectin Ligand Expression on Murine CD4 Th Cells

Selectins are carbohydrate-binding adhesion molecules that control leukocyte traffic. Induction of selectin ligands on T cells is controlled primarily by cytokines, including TGF-β1, and requires p38α MAPK, but transcriptional mechanisms that underlie cytokine-driven selectin ligand expression are poorly understood. In this study, we show, using mice with conditional deletions of the TGF-β1-responsive transcription factors Smad2, Smad3, or Smad4, that induction of selectin ligands on CD4 cells in response to TGF-β1 requires Smad4 plus either Smad2 or Smad3. Analysis of CD4 cells from mice with only one functional Smad4 allele revealed a sharp gene dosage effect, suggesting the existence of a threshold of TGF-β1 signal strength required for selectin ligand induction. Both Smad4 plus either Smad2 or Smad3 were selectively required for induction of Fut7 and Gcnt1, glycosyltransferases critical for selectin ligand biosynthesis, but they were not required for St3gal4 or St3gal6 induction. Smad4 plus either Smad2 or Smad3 were also required for induction of Runx transcription factors by TGF-β1. Enforced expression of Runx2, but not Runx1 or Runx3, in Smad2/Smad3 doubly deficient CD4 cells restored selectin ligand expression to wild-type levels. In contrast, enforced expression of Runx1, Runx2, or Runx3 failed to restore differentiation of TGF-β1-dependent Th cell lineages, including Th17, Th9, and induced regulatory T cells. These results show that Smads are directly required for Th cell differentiation independent of Runx induction but only indirectly required via Runx2 for TGF-β1-induced selectin ligand induction on murine CD4 T cells.
Analytics Capabilities and the Decision to Invest in Analytics

ABSTRACTThe increasing use of data-driven decision making and big data is leading organizations to invest in analytics software and services. However, little is known about the type of analytics capabilities within IT that are required and whether there is a common progression or development model of analytics capabilities. Also unknown is how the level of analytics capabilities and other factors influence a firm’s decision to invest in analytics. The purpose of this research is to explore the relationships between levels of distinct analytics capabilities and to understand how they and other factors influence the analytics investment decision. The findings suggest that there is a distinct progression in the development of analytics capabilities, and that firm size is associated with increased capability. The results suggest that firms more likely to invest in analytics have higher current levels of specific analytics capabilities, are larger, and are located in less-competitive industries.
Peer Support Interventions for Adults With Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Hemoglobin A1c Outcomes

PURPOSE Peer support intervention trials have shown varying effects on glycemic control. We aimed to estimate the effect of peer support interventions delivered by people affected by diabetes (those with the disease or a caregiver) on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in adults. METHODS We searched multiple databases from 1960 to November 2015, including Ovid MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, and Scopus. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of adults with diabetes receiving peer support interventions compared with otherwise similar care. Seventeen of 205 retrieved studies were eligible for inclusion. Quality was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool. We calculated the standardized mean difference (SMD) of change in HbA1c level from baseline between groups using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were predefined. RESULTS Seventeen studies (3 cluster RCTs, 14 RCTs) with 4,715 participants showed an improvement in pooled HbA1c level with an SMD of 0.121 (95% CI, 0.026–0.217; P = .01; I2 = 60.66%) in the peer support intervention group compared with the control group; this difference translated to an improvement in HbA1c level of 0.24% (95% CI, 0.05%–0.43%). Peer support interventions showed an HbA1c improvement of 0.48% (95% CI, 0.25%–0.70%; P CONCLUSIONS Peer support interventions for diabetes overall achieved a statistically significant but minor improvement in HbA1c levels. These interventions may, however, be particularly effective in improving glycemic control for people from minority groups, especially those of Hispanic ethnicity.
Choosing an R&D Consortium

(1990). Choosing an R&D Consortium. Research-Technology Management: Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 35-41.
Quantification of intercellular adhesion forces measured by fluid force microscopy

Abstract The mechanics of cancer cell adhesion to its neighboring cells, homotypic or heterotypic, have significant impact on tumor progression and metastasis. Intercellular adhesion has been quantified previously using atomic force microscopy-based methods. Here we show the feasibility of the recently developed fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM) to measure adhesive forces exerted by breast cancer cells. Multiple cell pairs were assessed at precisely controlled, increasing contact durations by pressure-dependent immobilization of a cell at the probe tip. Eliminating chemical fixation of the cell at the tip ensured repeated use of the same probe and also minimized changes in cell physiology. Our data indicates distinct trends of adhesion forces between homotypic breast cancer cells compared to heterotypic adhesion between cancer-fibroblast and cancer-epithelial cell pairs. Adhesion forces were similar for all three cell pairs at short contact duration (
Ambiguous Multi-symmetric Cryptography Proof of Concept and Experiments

In this paper we present and describe all theexperiments and results that are done on "Ambiguous Multi-Symmetric Cryptography" (AMSC). We compare AMSC tosymmetric and asymmetric conventional algorithms includingAES and RSA. We explain AMSC core methods in detailsalong with the experimental setup and execution. Furthermore, we design and implement a real time application as a proofof concept for AMSC. The application uses TCP/IP Multicastprotocol to send multiple messages in one cipher-text using theAMSC algorithm.
Global Catastrophic Biological Risks: Toward a Working Definition

The Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security is working to analyze and deepen scientific dialogue regarding potential global catastrophic biological risks (GCBRs), in a continuation of its mission to reduce the consequences of epidemics and disasters. Because GCBRs constitute an emerging policy concern and area of practice, we have developed a framework to guide our work. We invited experts from a variety of disciplines to engage with our underlying concepts and assumptions to refine collective thinking on GCBRs and thus advance protections against them.
Early carotid endarterectomy performed 2 to 5 days after the onset of neurologic symptoms leads to comparable results to carotid endarterectomy performed at later time points

Abstract Background Timing of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) after onset of neurologic symptoms remains controversial. We assessed the association of CEA timing with postoperative outcomes. Methods The Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE) database (2003-2014) was queried to identify CEA performed for symptomatic carotid stenosis during the same hospitalization. Cases were divided into four groups based on the time from onset of neurologic symptoms to CEA: group I, χ 2 test and t -test were used to compare demographics, medical history, modified Rankin scores, and outcomes (30-day postoperative death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and aggregate events [stroke/myocardial infarction]). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare the association of time to surgery with outcomes while adjusting for confounding variables. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed at 1 year to evaluate survival and stroke rates between the groups. Results There were 989 of 14,864 VSGNE CEA cases that fit the inclusion criteria. The frequency of cases was highest in group II (36.6%), followed by groups I (31.9%), III (18.9%), and IV (12.4%). Age, gender, and comorbidity compositions were similar between groups, although group III had the highest rates of diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass graft procedures, congestive heart failure, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class 4 and the highest modified Rankin score ( P P = .016), whereas group III had the highest rate of discharges to nursing facilities (37.2%; P Conclusions Our results suggest that CEAs performed 2 to 5 days after a neurologic event have similar outcomes to CEAs performed ≥6 days later. Early CEA should be considered an area for quality improvement among these patients.
Rate-constrained Relaying: A Model for Cooperation with Limited Relay Resources

In this paper, the impact of limited resources on achievable rates in relay channels is investigated. Resource limitation is modeled as a rate constraint, R, which constrains the rate at which a relay can reliably decode or source-code data. With this constraint in hand, the achievable rates for several protocols are derived and compared: decode-and-forward, estimate-and-forward, a Markovian amplify-and-forward and a hybrid scheme that combines decode-and-forward and amplify-and-forward. The key result is that the relative performance of these protocols in the unconstrained case is not maintained in rate constrained scenarios. The case of severe resource limitation (R → 0) is also considered. Previously established rates for unconstrained decodeand-forward and estimate-and-forward are re-examined in the context of optimal parameters and asymptotic performance. For most relay locations (topologies), either decode-and-forward and estimate-and-forward offers superior performance. However, for severe rate constraints, amplifyand-forward generally offers the best performance. ∗This research has been funded in part by the following grants and organizations: ONR N-000140410273, NSF ITR CCF-0313392, a Texas Instruments Visiting Faculty Fellowship, and the University of Southern California.
Methodological Perspectives for the Study of Outdoor Recreation

Methodological perspectives for the study of outdoor recreation are classified according to (1) the social aggregate level, (2) the social-psychological level, (3) the types of social organization,...
What are the Short-Term Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis Patients after Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Due to the paucity of evidence, this study was conducted to evaluate: (1) unique characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and (2) short-term clinical outcomes, of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with MS (MS-TKA) compared with matched non-MS patients. MS patients who underwent TKA were identified using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The study sample consisted of 10,884 patients with MS and 56,45,227 control cohort. Various patient factors were compared. To control for potential confounders, with the use of propensity scores, MS-TKA patients were matched (1:3) to non-MS-TKA patients and regression analyses were performed to compare perioperative complications, length of stay (LOS), and discharge dispositions. Patients with MS were younger, more likely to be females, on corticosteroids, and more likely to have muscle spasms and gait abnormalities. Annual frequency of TKAs in MS patients increased from 1.16/1,000 TKAs in 2002 to 2.48/1,000 TKAs in 2013 ( p
Results from the 2013 Senior's Health Services Survey: Rural and Urban Differences.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast health education needs of rural Oklahomans aged 65 and older compared to urban and sub-urban populations. Methods: Surveys were distributed to a list of registered voters age 65 and older in Oklahoma with a total of 1,248 surveys returned. Survey items asked about interests in services, classes and activities, plus current barriers to accessing and/or engaging in such programs. Findings: Survey respondents living in large rural towns (23.7%) and the urban core (21.5%) were significantly more likely than those in small rural towns (14.0%) or sub-urban areas (15.5%) to have attended a free health information event in the past year (P=0.0393). Older Oklahomans in small towns and isolated rural areas reported more frequently than those in the urban core that they would participate in congregate meals at a center (small town/isolated rural: 14.4%, urban core: 7.2%) (P=0.05). Lack of adequate facilities was more frequently reported by those residing in small town and isolated rural areas compared to urban core areas (16.4% vs. 7.8%, P=0.01). Finally, older Oklahomans in the large rural towns (0.6%) and small town and isolated rural locations (2.13%) less frequently reported use of senior information lines (Senior Infoline) than those in the urban core (6.0%) and in sub-urban areas (7.1%) (P=0.0009). Conclusions: Results of this survey provide useful data on senior interests and current barriers to community programs/activities have some unique trends among both urban and rural populations.
Do They Matter? The Impact of Atmospherics on Farmers' Market Consumers' Purchase Intention and Word-of-Mouth

This study applied Baker, Parasuraman, Grewal, and Voss's (2002) comprehensive store patronage model to the farmers' market channel. It was hypothesized that design and social perceptions would have positive influences on food quality perceptions (H1 and H2). Food quality perceptions would in turn have positive and significant influences on the endogenous constructs of purchase intention and word-of-mouth (H3 and H4). A national sample of consumers (n=485) who had purchased local foods at a farmers' market completed a web-based survey. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). All hypothesized paths were significant. Design and social perceptions impacted consumers' perceptions of food quality. Food quality perception significantly impacted purchase intention and word-of-mouth. This research is a first attempt to apply the work of Baker, et al. (2002) from the formal retail environment to the informal environment of farmers' market retailing. This research holds implications for farmers' market vendors and market managers.
Analyzing Transmission Lines Robustness and Resilience Prediction Accuracy with Line Graph Based Model

We examine the resilience prediction accuracy of differential centrality and spectral graph measurements, applied to a power systems line-graph based model (LGBM). We test LGBM robustness and related metrics using IEEE test cases. We consider predictive resilience for the LGBM of different IEEE systems. and analyze the accuracy of Sum of Flow Robustness when facing Degree-based attacks (SFRD) and we introduce the Sum of Flow Robustness facing Eigenvalue-based attacks (SFRE). Results show that number of links, average path length, and radius, provide accurate predictions for resilience. We use the weighted networks based on admittance matrix (electrical characteristics) to predict the resilience based on BBM and LGBM. Results show that clustering coefficient, provides accurate predictions for resilience in BBM weighted network, and average path length provides accurate predictions for resilience in LGBM weighted network.
Testing the Limits of Sex Differences Using Variable Stress

Abstract Depression is a chronic disease that affects nearly twice as many women as men, and symptoms can differ by sex. Preclinical models disproportionately use male subjects and test a single behavioral endpoint immediately at the cessation of stress. We conducted variable stress in male and female mice for 6, 28, and 56 days, and measured behavior with a battery chosen to match research domain criteria. To examine individual differences, we generated a composite z score to measure stress susceptibility across behavioral tests. We also tested behavior following a 30-day recovery period to evaluate the duration of the stress effects. Females, but not males, were susceptible to 6 days of variable stress when behavioral testing started 24 h later. If behavioral testing was conducted 30 days later both males and females expressed stress related behaviors. Males and females were stress susceptible to 28 days of variable stress and effects were long lasting. Both sexes habituated to 56 days of variable stress, but anxiety associated measures still showed persistence. Performance on specific behavioral tests was often different between individuals and between sexes, and not all stressed animals were susceptible to all tested behaviors. These studies confirm that behavioral sex differences are detected in response to variable stress, and reveal information about individual differences. Use of a test battery that measures varying endophenotypes can be combined into a single stress susceptibility score as a tool similar to the scales/inventories used for the study of depression in humans. We present these data with the goal of furthering the field’s understanding sex differences and how they shape the biology of mood disorders.