cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
US–Afghanistan Internal Threat Alliance (2001–2012)

This chapter applies the theory to the U.S.-Afghanistan internal threat alliance. It traces U.S.-Afghanistan cooperation to defeat Taliban insurgents and secure associated U.S. interests. It shows that the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai sought U.S. assistance to thwart rising threats to his survival from Taliban militants, while the U.S. aligned in order to ensure terrorists could not again use Afghanistan as a base to plan and launch attacks (as they did on September 11, 2001) and ensure access to natural resources in the region. Regarding bandwagoning, the chapter shows that while some elements of the Afghan Army fought against the Taliban (balanced), others actively cooperated with them (bandwagoned). Similarly, while some subnational governors and elements of the national police resisted Taliban incursions, others aligned with the worst of the terrorist organization. Finally, the chapter shows that the alliance was largely ineffective due to insufficient resources and Karzai’s inadequate efforts to stop elements of his regime from colluding (bandwagoning) with the belligerents.
Misdirection and Misconception in the Scientific Realism Debates

The scientific realism debates have been plagued by misrepresentations of both realist and empiricist positions, sometimes by their adherents as well as by their critics. When positions are presented as contraries, there must be an isolatable question to which each gives its answer, in opposition to the other. Since philosophy does not provide a way to answer factual questions about the world, that common question must be about the character of science and scientific practice, rather than about what there is. Once what is at issue has been clarified, realists and empiricists can cooperate on an inquiry into what science is, what the criteria of adequacy are in scientific practice, and what epistemic or doxastic attitudes toward scientific theories are within the bounds of reason. In this inquiry, the writings of Weyl, Glymour, and Suppe provide an excellent guide. Just what is scientific realism, and what are its contraries? Despite, or perhaps because of, the many formulations of such positions that are found in the literature, it is not as easy to answer this as it might seem.
The Impact of Distance to Treatment Center on the Outcome of AML

Abstract Abstract 4742 Introduction While the distance patients travel to a treatment center (DTC) adversely impacts survival of patients with trauma, cardiac, or neurological disorders, as well as certain solid tumors, less is known of its influence in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Care for patients with AML involves frequent emergent and urgent management, often complicating primary therapy provided in distant tertiary referral centers. We therefore hypothesized that increased DTC has a negative impact on outcome. We tested this hypothesis by assessing the effect of DTC on survival of patients with AML receiving care at a single institution. Patients and Methods Within the Stanford Leukemia Database, we identified 884 consecutive adult patients between 1993 and 2009 meeting the following criteria: age >=18, newly diagnosed AML (excluding APL), clinical management at Stanford University Medical Center (SUMC), and verified residence location available for DTC determination. Of these, 571 were deemed fit by the admitting physician to receive myelosuppressive induction chemotherapy. DTC was calculated by straight-line journey distance between home address at the time of diagnosis and treatment center. Results The median age for the entire cohort is 55 years and 322 patients (36%) are older than 60 years of age. Median survival for the entire cohort was 14.0 months. DTC was not univariately associated with outcome as a continuous variable. When testing for a critical DTC threshold impacting outcomes across the entire cohort, we found a significant correlation between longer DTC and adverse outcomes, shorter DTC was associated with lower OS. Patients living within 20 miles of SUMC had a worse median overall survival (10.4 months versus 15.0 months, HR 1.23, corrected p-value 0.02). However, when adjusted for administration of induction chemotherapy (p Conclusion After accounting for confounding factors, DTC has no significant impact on the outcome of newly diagnosed AML patients receiving care at our institution. Unlike non-hematologic malignancies, distance to treatment center likely does not adversely influence outcomes for patients with AML. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
National Fish and Wildlife Environmental Information Transfer in Network

To enhance the effectiveness with which information is transferred into and utilized in land and water use and resource development planning, decision making and operational processes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is developing an information transfer network integrated with 3 national system of inter expertise focusing on areas of major ecological disciplinary concern. This paper describes the approach underway and plans for continuing development and expansion of the network including the identification, evaluation and utilization of available on-line computerized data bases, support and guidance for modifying emerging data bases and the development of new data bases to support improved environmental impact assessment and prediction. Plans for advancing the state-of-the-art in habitat classification and evaluation through application of remote sensing and computerized gee-based data systems are discussed.
Agent-Based in Silico Evolution of HCV Quasispecies

Intra-host genetic diversity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) plays crucial role in disease progression and treatment outcome. Development of new treatment strategies, generation and validation of new biomedical hypothesis, development of algorithms and models for analysis of viral data and understanding of viral evolution require studying of thousands of intra-host viral populations. Since such amounts of experimental data are not readily available, simulated data are required. However, to the best of our knowledge, currently, there is no a general framework for generation of realistic intra-host HCV populations, which takes into account complex interactions between virus and host, impact of dynamic selection pressures and statistical effects, such as bottleneck and genetic drift.
Response to intervention: Instructional challenges for teachers in high need contexts

BackgroundThis study adds to our understanding of how elementary school teachers in culturally and linguistically diverse contexts think about the implementation and impact of Response-to-Intervent...
Phe71 in Type III Trypanosomal Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 7 (TbPRMT7) Restricts the Enzyme to Monomethylation

Protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) is unique within the PRMT family as it is the only isoform known to exclusively make monomethylarginine (MMA). Given its role in epigenetics, the mechanistic basis for the strict monomethylation activity is under investigation. It is thought that PRMT7 enzymes are unable to add a second methyl group because of steric hindrance in the active site that restricts them to monomethylation. To test this, we probed the active site of trypanosomal PRMT7 (TbPRMT7) using accelerated molecular dynamics, site-directed mutagenesis, kinetic, binding, and product analyses. Both the dynamics simulations and experimental results show that the mutation of Phe71 to Ile converts the enzyme from a type III methyltransferase into a mixed type I/II, that is, an enzyme that can now perform dimethylation. In contrast, the serine and alanine mutants of Phe71 preserve the type III behavior of the native enzyme. These results are inconsistent with a sterics-only model to explain product s...
Autophagy as a common pathway in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases are associated with a decline in protein quality control systems including autophagy. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron degenerative disease of complex etiology with increasing connections to other neurodegenerative conditions such as frontotemporal dementia. Among the diverse genetic causes for ALS, a striking feature is the common connection to autophagy and its associated pathways. There is a recurring theme of protein misfolding as in other neurodegenerative diseases, but importantly there is a distinct common thread among ALS genes that connects them to the cascade of autophagy. However, the roles of autophagy in ALS remain enigmatic and it is still unclear whether activation or inhibition of autophagy would be a reliable avenue to ameliorate the disease. The main evidence that links autophagy to different genetic forms of ALS is discussed.
Postmodern Transpositions of the Latin American novela de la tierra: Maldito amor by Rosario Ferré and La otra selva by Boris Salazar

This chapter examines how two contemporary Latin American novels (Maldito amor [Sweet Diamond Dust] by Rosario Ferre and La otra selva [The Other Jungle] by Boris Salazar) parody the early twentieth-century “novel of the land” (Enrique Laguerre’s La llamarada [The Flare-up] and Jose Eustasio Rivera’s La voragine [The Vortex], respectively). Weldt-Basson illustrates how Ferre appropriates Laguerre’s text from a feminist and postcolonial perspective, while Salazar’s text, although purporting to give a feminist voice to Rivera’s novel, subscribes to traditional patriarchal ideology in its use of paradigms from masculinist crime and hard-boiled detective fiction. Weldt-Basson also shows how Salazar’s text, more than a transposition of La voragine itself, is a parody of Rivera’s biography written by Eduardo Neale-Silva.
New Transportation Systems

This chapter describes how the new internal combustion engines led to new systems of transportation, such as the automobile industry and the aviation industry. The chapter focuses on the work of Wilhelm Maybach, Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz in Germany and Henry Ford in the United States in the development of the automobile. The chapter also discusses how developments in the engineering science of fluid dynamics led to the invention of the airplane. The chapter focuses on the work of Otto Lilienthal in Germany, Samuel Pierpont Langley, and the Wright brothers in the United States.
Macroglossia, Motor Neuron Pathology, and Airway Malacia Contribute to Respiratory Insufficiency in Pompe Disease: A Commentary on Molecular Pathways and Respiratory Involvement in Lysosomal Storage Diseases

The authors of the recently published, "Molecular Pathways and Respiratory Involvement in Lysosomal Storage Diseases", provide an important review of the various mechanisms of lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) and how they culminate in similar clinical pathologies [...].
INCIDENCE, PREDICTORS, AND IMPACT OF READMISSIONS TO NON-INDEX HOSPITALS AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT ON IN-HOSPITAL OUTCOMES: FROM THE NATIONWIDE READMISSION DATABASE

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients often have multiple comorbidities and readmission rates within 30-days is relatively high. Readmission to non-index hospitals where the initial procedure was not performed could result in fragmentation of care and thus adverse outcomes and
Using principal component analysis for the prediction of tumor response to transarterial chemoembolization

To quantitate the tumor blush of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at the time of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) using principal component analysis (PCA), and to correlate the quantitated tumor blush to response to therapy. In this proof-of-concept study, 27 primary HCC tumors in 25 patients (18 men, 7 women; mean age 66 years ± 9) were analyzed. We conducted a retrospective analysis of TACE procedures that were performed during March through July of 2017. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was combined with PCA to condense spatial and temporal information into a single image. The tumor and liver contrast enhancements were calculated, and the ratio was used to determine the relative vascular enhancement of the tumor. Tumor response to therapy was determined at 1-month post procedure. Using PCA-generated fluoroscopic imaging (PCA-FI), we quantitated the tumor blush and assigned a vascular enhancement value (VEV) to each tumor. Tumors that responded to treatment (N = 12) had statistically higher VEVs compared with the nonresponders (N = 15), with a mean value of 0.96 ± 0.455 vs. 0.57 ± 0.309, (p = 0.013). We developed a method for quantitating tumor blush using routine angiographic images. The VEVs calculated using these images may allow for the prediction of tumor response to therapy. This pilot study suggests that there is a correlation between tumor blush intensity and tumor response.
A Multi-Port Dual Polarized Antenna Coupled mm-Wave CMOS Receiver with Element-level Pattern and Notch Programmability and Passive Interferer Rejection Capability

Millimeter-wave based wireless communication and sensing systems for future 5G applications are expected to operate in a complex electromagnetic environment with dynamically changing near-field conditions. This is particularly true for user equipment where presence of near-field blockages and scatterers can significantly affect the front-end antenna and therefore the system performance. Classical beamforming architectures that rely on identical patterns on all elements can be extremely energy inefficient in such cases. Element-level pattern shaping that can dynamically reconfigure the properties of a single antenna can not only allow mitigation of such complex electromagnetic environment, but incorporate system properties that are distinct from classical arrays. In this work, we present a multi-port on-chip dual polarized antenna and a multi-port receiver co-design approach that allows dynamic pattern reconfiguration and element notch control that can reject interferers directly at the antenna surface before beamforming. We demonstrate this in state of the art receiver performance in a 65-nm CMOS process at 70 GHz with element maxima and notch tuning capability of more than 90° while allowing high sensitivity and minimizing impedance mismatches and power losses.
College student peer aggression: A review with applications for colleges and universities

Abstract This review summarizes literature focusing on peer relational and physical aggression in the context of college and university environments. Studies included in the review were published from 2006 to 2016. While some research focused on physical aggression, most focused on relational aggression. Overall, the research reviewed suggested that social-cognitive constructs such as hostile attribution biases, individual traits such as lower agreeableness, impulsivity, and poor mental health, negative emotions such as embarrassment, social characteristics such as exclusivity in friendships, and past relationship experiences correlated with aggressive behavior. In research that focused on aggressive behavior perpetrated on college campuses specifically (such as campus housing), most of the literature focused on relational aggression between college females. Since the quality of students' social relationships relates to student adjustment, further investigation of aggression in college can provide information for administrators who wish to increase retention rates and improve learning outcomes. Future research in this area would do well to focus on interactions between individual factors such as social-cognitive constructs and situational factors relating to aggression, as well as various forms of aggression (reactive; proactive) in context. Research of this kind can provide strong theoretical foundations for intervention efforts that can reduce relational and physical aggression in colleges and universities.
Controlling Mathematica [Software]

With thousands of functions, and a manual large enough to be dangerous if it falls off a desk, Mathematica is a powerful math tool with a steep learning curve, well suited for math gurus but likely to be overwhelming for ordinary mortals [IEEE Spectrum, April 1999, p. 74–75]. Taking aim at users with uncomplicated math needs, Wolfram Research Inc. has developed CalculationCenter, a handsome new program that offers some of the math skills of Mathematica in a user-friendly package.
Multicellular behaviour enables cooperation in microbial cell aggregates

Oligosaccharides produced from the extracellular hydrolysis of biological materials can act as common goods that promote cooperative growth in microbial populations, whereby cell–cell aggregation i...
The heme regulatory motifs of heme oxygenase-2 contribute to the transfer of heme to the catalytic site for degradation

Heme-regulatory motifs (HRMs) are present in many proteins that are involved in diverse biological functions. The C-terminal tail region of human heme oxygenase-2 (HO2) contains two HRMs whose cysteine residues form a disulfide bond; when reduced, these cysteines are available to bind Fe3+-heme. Heme binding to the HRMs occurs independently of the HO2 catalytic active site in the core of the protein, where heme binds with high affinity and is degraded to biliverdin. Here, we describe the reversible, protein-mediated transfer of heme between the HRMs and the HO2 core. Using hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX)-MS to monitor the dynamics of HO2 with and without Fe3+-heme bound to the HRMs and to the core, we detected conformational changes in the catalytic core only in one state of the catalytic cycle-when Fe3+-heme is bound to the HRMs and the core is in the apo state. These conformational changes were consistent with transfer of heme between binding sites. Indeed, we observed that HRM-bound Fe3+-heme is transferred to the apo-core either upon independent expression of the core and of a construct spanning the HRM-containing tail or after a single turnover of heme at the core. Moreover, we observed transfer of heme from the core to the HRMs and equilibration of heme between the core and HRMs. We therefore propose an Fe3+-heme transfer model in which HRM-bound heme is readily transferred to the catalytic site for degradation to facilitate turnover but can also equilibrate between the sites to maintain heme homeostasis.
Metabolism, pharmacokinetics and selected pharmacodynamic effects of codeine following a single oral administration to horses

Abstract Objective To describe the pharmacokinetics and selected pharmacodynamic variables of codeine and its metabolites in Thoroughbred horses following a single oral administration. Study design Prospective experimental study. Animals A total of 12 Thoroughbred horses, nine geldings and three mares, aged 4–8 years. Methods Horses were administered codeine (0.6 mg kg–1) orally and blood was collected before administration and at various times until 120 hours post administration. Plasma and urine samples were collected and analyzed for codeine and its metabolites by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, and plasma pharmacokinetics were determined. Heart rate and rhythm, step counts, packed cell volume and total plasma protein were measured before and 4 hours after administration. Results Codeine was rapidly converted to the metabolites norcodeine, codeine-6-glucuronide (C6G), morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G). Plasma codeine concentrations were best represented using a two-compartment model. The Cmax, tmax and elimination t½ were 270.7 ± 136.0 ng mL–1, 0.438 ± 0.156 hours and 2.00 ± 0.534 hours, respectively. M3G was the main metabolite detected (Cmax 492.7 ± 35.5 ng mL–1), followed by C6G (Cmax 96.1 ± 33.8 ng mL–1) and M6G (Cmax 22.3 ± 4.96 ng mL–1). Morphine and norcodeine were the least abundant metabolites with Cmax of 3.17 ± 0.95 and 1.42 ± 0.79 ng mL–1, respectively. No significant adverse or excitatory effects were observed. Conclusions and clinical relevance Following oral administration, codeine is rapidly metabolized to morphine, M3G, M6G, C6G and norcodeine in horses. Plasma concentrations of M6G, a presumed active metabolite of morphine, were comparable to concentrations reported previously following administration of an analgesic dose of morphine to horses. Codeine was well tolerated based on pharmacodynamic variables and behavioral observations.
Economic Benefits of Empowering Women in Agriculture: Assumptions and Evidence

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses generally focus on intervention impacts or outcomes. Less common, however, are reviews of the assumptions and theory underlying the pathways between interventio...
Incidence and Association of Reperfusion Therapies With Poststroke Seizures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Purpose: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the incidence and risk of seizures following acute stroke reperfusion therapy (intravenous thrombolysis [IVT] wi...
White Supremacist Terrorism in Charlottesville: Reconstructing ‘Unite the Right’

The “Unite the Right” rally that subsumed Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 will be remembered for its haunting torch-lit rally, massive display of neo-Nazi and white nationalist paraphernalia, blo...
Factors That Influence Climate Change-Related Mortality in the United States: An Integrative Review

Global atmospheric warming leads to climate change that results in a cascade of events affecting human mortality directly and indirectly. The factors that influence climate change-related mortality within the peer-reviewed literature were examined using Whittemore and Knafl's framework for an integrative review. Ninety-eight articles were included in the review from three databases-PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus-with literature filtered by date, country, and keywords. Articles included in the review address human mortality related to climate change. The review yielded two broad themes in the literature that addressed the factors that influence climate change-related mortality. The broad themes are environmental changes, and social and demographic factors. The meteorological impacts of climate change yield a complex cascade of environmental and weather events that affect ambient temperatures, air quality, drought, wildfires, precipitation, and vector-, food-, and water-borne pathogens. The identified social and demographic factors were related to the social determinants of health. The environmental changes from climate change amplify the existing health determinants that influence mortality within the United States. Mortality data, national weather and natural disaster data, electronic medical records, and health care provider use of International Classification of Disease (ICD) 10 codes must be linked to identify climate change events to capture the full extent of climate change upon population health.
Quantifying diagnostic and etiologic management costs of perimenopausal abnormal uterine bleeding and postmenopausal bleeding

Objectives: The evaluation of perimenopausal AUB and PMB for underlying neoplasia is not standardized and can vary widely among patients. Similarly, costs for workup and management of underlying cause may vary. This study aimed to quantify costs of perimenopausal AUB/PMB evaluation and treatment according to ultimate tissue-based diagnosis. Methods: Women ≥45 years of age presenting to a single institution gynecology clinic with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) or postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) for an office endometrial biopsy were prospectively enrolled from February 2013 to October 2018 for a lower genital tract biospecimen research study. Clinical workup of their AUB or PMB was per provider discretion. CPT and ICD-10 codes were abstracted retrospectively at a minimum of 90 days post enrollment. Medicare reimbursement rates were assigned to all professional billed services to estimate standardized costs with inflation adjustment to 2017 dollars. The study cohort was stratified based on final diagnosis as endometrial cancer (EC), atypical hyperplasia (AH), hyperplasia without atypia, polyp, benign or disordered proliferative endometrium (DPE), no biopsy preformed, and inadequate biopsy. Only disease related costs were considered in the analysis. Descriptive statistics of cost at 7 day, 30 day, and 90 day follow up timeframes were completed for each diagnosis. Results: In total, there were 1017 women included with 5.6% diagnosed with AH or EC. The patient demographics included mean age 55.2 years (standard deviation (SD) 7.9), mean body mass index (BMI) 30.3 (SD 8.0), 431 (42.4%) BMI greater than or equal to 30, 541 (53.2%) postmenopausal, 161 (15.8%) nulliparous, 253 (24.9%) with hypertensive disease, 73 (7.2%) with diabetes mellitus, and 212 (20.9%) with history of hormone replacement therapy or tamoxifen use. Within the full cohort, costs for perimenopausal AUB/PMB workup and management were as follows: 7 day median $628 (interquartile range (IQR) $333-2,298), 30 day median $1,959 (IQR $431-3,653), and 90 day median $2,279 (IQR $512-4,828). Among patients with a diagnostic biopsy, median 90 day costs ranged from $2,203 (IQR $499-3604) for benign/DPE diagnosis to $21,039 (IQR $19,084-24,536) for a diagnosis of EC. Among women with a non-diagnostic office-based endometrial biopsy, the median 90 day cost was $2205 (IQR $424-2972). Table 1 details 7-day, 30-day, and 90-day costs per office-based tissue diagnosis. Conclusions: The costs for diagnostic evaluation and management of perimenopausal AUB and PMB vary greatly according to ultimate tissue diagnosis. Even reassuring benign findings that do not require further intervention-the most common in this study's cohort-yield substantial costs. The development of sensitive, specific, and more cost effective diagnostic strategies is warranted. Download : Download high-res image (102KB) Download : Download full-size image
Self-dual Codes-Theme and Variations

Self-dual codes over GF(2), GF(3) and GF(4) were classified from the early 70's until the early 80's. A method for how to do this and efficient descriptions of the codes were developed [3, 4, 17, 20, 21]. New results related to the binary classifications have recently appeared. New formats and classifications have also recently occurred. These events, their relations to the old classifications and open problems will be given.
Disparities between black and white patients in functional improvement after hospitalization for an acute illness.

The aim of this study was to determine whether older black and white patients experience different rates of improvement in functioning after being acutely hospitalized. Of the 2,364 community-living patients in this prospective cohort study, 25% self-reported their race/ethnicity to be black. The outcomes were improvement in basic activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) from admission to discharge and 90 days postdischarge. Multivariable models that included statistical adjustment for age, illness severity, in-hospital social service referral, dementia, admission level of functioning, and change in functioning from 2 weeks before admission were computed to determine whether black and white patients experienced significantly different rates of recovery at discharge and 90 days after discharge in ADL and IADL functioning. Black patients were as likely as white patients to improve in ADL functioning by discharge (odds ratio (OR) = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.76-1.24) or by 90 days after discharge (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.73-1.24) but significantly less likely to improve IADL functioning by discharge (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.56-0.93) or by 90 days after discharge (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.51-0.90). The findings suggest that differential rates of recovery in functioning after an acute hospitalization may contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in IADL functioning, which has implications for the setting of future interventions oriented toward reducing these disparities.
Near-symmetry in _{∞} and refined Jones factorization

We use variants of the Hardy-Littlewood maximal and the Cruz-Uribe-Neugebauer minimal operators to give direct characterizations of A 1 and RH ∞ that clarify their near symmetry and yield elementary proofs of various known results, including Cruz-Uribe and Neugebauer's refinement of the Jones factorization theorem.
Vexed puzzle solver: developing a program incrementally

The game of Vexed offers students an interesting programming exercise for at any level of education. It also offers instructors a project with incremental development opportunities and a context for introducing a wide range of topics throughout the undergraduate program. Instructors introduce students to techniques and optimizations in each class through the motivating search for performance.
Electrical Engineering Education

The sections in this article are 1 A Brief History of Electrical Technology Evolution 2 Objectives for Higher Education and Engineering Education 3 Student Educational Needs, Outcomes, and Metrics–and Program Accreditation 4 Summary
Persistent degenerative changes in thymic organ function revealed by an inducible model of organ regrowth

The thymus is the most rapidly aging tissue in the body, with progressive atrophy beginning as early as birth and not later than adolescence. Latent regenerative potential exists in the atrophic thymus, because certain stimuli can induce quantitative regrowth, but qualitative function of T lymphocytes produced by the regenerated organ has not been fully assessed. Using a genome-wide computational approach, we show that accelerated thymic aging is primarily a function of stromal cells, and that while overall cellularity of the thymus can be restored, many other aspects of thymic function cannot. Medullary islet complexity and tissue-restricted antigen expression decrease with age, representing potential mechanisms for age-related increases in autoimmune disease, but neither of these is restored by induced regrowth, suggesting that new T cells produced by the regrown thymus will probably include more autoreactive cells. Global analysis of stromal gene expression profiles implicates widespread changes in Wnt signaling as the most significant hallmark of degeneration, changes that once again persist even at peak regrowth. Consistent with the permanent nature of age-related molecular changes in stromal cells, induced thymic regrowth is not durable, with the regrown organ returning to an atrophic state within 2 weeks of reaching peak size. Our findings indicate that while quantitative regrowth of the thymus is achievable, the changes associated with aging persist, including potential negative implications for autoimmunity.
Smooth Muscle Calcium Signaling and Contraction in the Small Airways of the House Dust Mite Asthma Mouse Model

The small intrapulmonary airways are the major contributors to reversible airflow limitation in asthma. However, the mechanisms responsible for the increased small-airway responsiveness to bronchoc...
A comprehensive sounding of the ionospheric HF radio link from Antarctica to Spain

[1] Since 2003, our group has been investigating the performance of different transmission techniques for low-power low-interference High Frequency (HF) ionospheric communication systems. Specifically, we have focused on the link between the Spanish Antarctic Station (SAS) Juan Carlos I in Livingston Island and Ebro Observatory (OE) in Spain, in order to transmit the data gathered from some geomagnetic sensors. These transmission techniques require a valuable knowledge of the channel behavior, thus a comprehensive narrowband and wideband sounding of the ionospheric channel is needed. Some significant improvements both in the system and in the signal processing have been done to achieve this goal. The analysis time and the frequency band have been extended to 24 hours per day and to the whole HF band (2-30 MHz). Moreover, new measurements of the absolute propagation time and the Doppler frequency shift are introduced. In this paper, the sounding results obtained using the new system are presented.
The placental transfer of progesterone-4-C14 in human term pregnancy.

Abstract Progesterone-4-C 14 was administered intravenously to human mothers at term. Determinations of radioactivity in the maternal and fetal organism before and after labor indicated a free diffusion of the radioactivity. The radioactivity was identified as progesterone and pregnanediol. The progesterone and pregnanediol plasma concentrations in the fetus were similar to those obtained in the mother.
Effect of proximal gastric vagotomy and truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty on gastric functions and growth in puppies after massive small bowel resection.

The effects of truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty and proximal gastric vagotomy on gastric acid hypersecretion, hypergastrinemia, and growth after massive bowel resection were studied in beagle puppies. In puppies with 80% enterectomy, neither type of vagotomy alters significantly the postprandial hypersecretion of acid from the Heidenhain pouch or the concentration of serum gastrin. Proximal gastric vagotomy tended to decrease the hypersecretion more than did truncal vagotomy. In beagle puppies undergoing 70% small bowel resection, growth was significantly decreased but survival was not impaired. Neither proximal gastric vagotomy nor truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty reversed completely the impaired growth produced by massive resection. Proximal gastric vagotomy caused a small improvement in growth, while truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty resulted in a slight decrease in growth. It remains possible that proximal gastric vagotomy could be of value in the management of growing infants with hypersecretion of acid due to short bowel syndrome.
A Schiff base of cycloserine.

Vond-Cycloserin ist die erste Schiffsche Base isoliert und charakterisiert worden. Bei Erhitzen in Athylalkohol unterbleibt die Umlagerung in einen Cycloserindimerenabkommling und ergibt Racemisierung. Es wird gefolgert, dass Aldehyde nicht auf das Stickstoffatom des Isoxazolidons reagieren und dass Dimerisation von Cycloserinnicht fur die Reaktion mit Aldehyden erforderlich ist.
Novel microstrip, rectangular ferrite, circulator

This letter presents a microstrip circulator topology with a rectangular ferrite region. Optimized networks are designed to maximize transducer power gain and to satisfy the perfect circulation condition with a 50 Ohm termination. The design is validated with measured data showing that 20% bandwidth centered at 10 GHz with a 14 dB isolation specification is achievable. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 1036–1039, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22338
Effect of landfill characteristics on leachate organic matter properties and coagulation treatability

Abstract This work spans landfill characteristics, leachate organic matter properties, and coagulation chemistry to provide new insights into the physical–chemical treatability of stabilized landfill leachate. Furthermore, leachate organic matter is viewed in terms of dissolved organic matter (DOM) present in the natural environment, and coagulation chemistry is evaluated based on previous leachate and water treatment coagulation studies. Stabilized leachate was collected from four landfills for a total of seven leachate samples, and samples were coagulated using ferric chloride, ferric sulfate, and aluminum sulfate. Landfill characteristics, such as age, leachate recirculation, and cover material, influenced properties of DOM present in the leachate, as measured by specific ultraviolet (UV) absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA 254 ) and fluorescence excitation–emission matrices. The coagulation performance of the metal salts was ferric sulfate > aluminum sulfate > ferric chloride, and DOM removal followed the trend of color > UV 254 > dissolved organic carbon > chemical oxygen demand (COD). Finally, a strong association was found between increasing SUVA 254 and increasing DOM removal for coagulation of both leachate and natural surface water. Thus, SUVA 254 is expected to be a better predictor of leachate treatability, in particular DOM removal, than the traditionally used ratio of biochemical oxygen demand to COD.
Measurement of the high-field Q drop in a high-purity large-grain niobium cavity for different oxidation processes

The most challenging issue for understanding the performance of superconducting radio-frequency (rf) cavities made of high-purity (residual resistivity ratio $g200$) niobium is due to a sharp degradation (``$Q$-drop'') of the cavity quality factor ${Q}_{0}({B}_{p})$ as the peak surface magnetic field (${B}_{p}$) exceeds about 90 mT, in the absence of field emission. In addition, a low-temperature ($100\char21{}140\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$) in situ baking of the cavity was found to be beneficial in reducing the $Q$-drop. In this contribution, we present the results from a series of rf tests at 1.7 and 2.0 K on a single-cell cavity made of high-purity large (with area of the order of few ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$) grain niobium which underwent various oxidation processes, after initial buffered chemical polishing, such as anodization, baking in pure oxygen atmosphere, and baking in air up to $180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$, with the objective of clearly identifying the role of oxygen and the oxide layer on the $Q$-drop. During each rf test a temperature mapping system allows measuring the local temperature rise of the cavity outer surface due to rf losses, which gives information about the losses location, their field dependence, and space distribution. The results confirmed that the depth affected by baking is about 20\char21{}30 nm from the surface and showed that the $Q$-drop did not reappear in a previously baked cavity by further baking at $120\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ in pure oxygen atmosphere or in air up to $180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$. These treatments increased the oxide thickness and oxygen concentration, measured on niobium samples which were processed with the cavity and were analyzed with transmission electron microscope and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Nevertheless, the performance of the cavity after air baking at $180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$ degraded significantly and the temperature maps showed high losses, uniformly distributed on the surface, which could be completely recovered only by a postpurification treatment at $1250\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$. A statistic of the position of the ``hot spots'' on the cavity surface showed that grain boundaries are not the preferred location. An interesting correlation was found between the $Q$-drop onset, the quench field, and the low-field energy gap, which supports the hypothesis of thermomagnetic instability governing the $Q$-drop and the baking effect.
An optimal control problem with unbounded control operator and unbounded observation operator where the Algebraic Riccati Equation is satisfied as a Lyapunov equation

We provide an optimal control problem for a one-dimensional hyperbolic equation over Ω = (0, ∞), with Dirichlet boundary control u(t) at x = 0, and point observation at x = 1, over an infinite time horizon. Thus, both control and observation operators B and R are unbounded. Because of the finite speed of propagation of the problem, the initial condition y0(x) and the control u(t) do not interfere. Thus, the optimal control u0(t) ≡ 0. A double striking feature of this problem is that, despite the unboundedness of both B and R, 1. (i) the (unbounded) gain operator B∗P vanishes over D(A), A being the basic (unbounded) free dynamics operator, and 2. (ii) the Algebraic Riccati Equation is satisfied by P on D(A), indeed as a Lyapunov equation (linear in P).
Rydberg constant and fundamental atomic physics

A detailed report on the current status of measurements of the Rydberg constant is given. Our recently reported value of R/sub infinity/ = 109 737.315 73(3) cm/sup -1/ has been confirmed by three other laboratories within experimental error. An additional check on the iodine cell, the heart of our wavelength and frequency reference, confirms a negligible pressure shift. The possible role of the Rydberg constant in fundamental atomic physics lies in tests of quantum electrodynamics and in improvement of the realization of the meter. We propose that the hydrogen spectrum be used to realize the meter in the optical domain, as an alternative to the current frequency chains. For the realization to be useful, improvement of the current precision of the Rydberg constant by a factor of 2 or more is required.
On the Role and Value of Intercollegiate Athletics in Universities

This paper challenges Professor Myles Brand’s position on the role and value of intercollegiate athletics in U.S. colleges and universities on the ground that it fails to account for considerations of deep fiscal responsibility. It presents both a philosophical and ethical criticism of his position that broadens the discussion beyond athletics to include a particular kind of higher educational institution more generally.
Cognitive Strategies and Learning from the World Wide Web.

The purpose of this study was to identify the strategies used by adult learners in an open-ended hypermedia information system. Four participants were drawn from an introductory educational technology course that incorporated a unit on telecommunications. Participants completed a survey measuring reported knowledge in three domains (metacognitive, system, and subject) as well as self-efficacy toward technology. They then identified a personal search topic, and searched the World Wide Web for information using Netscape®, thinking aloud as they searched. Data collection and analysis occurred in several phases: scripting the search, reading through the data, segmenting according to research question, encoding, and aggregating. Three major findings related to hypermedia information systems resulted from this study: (a) a variety of strategies are used by learners; (b) self-reported knowledge appears to affect the strategies used; and (c) perceptions of disorientation and perceived self-efficacy influence the strategies used. Implications related to emerging information technologies and open-ended learning environments are considered.
Mean-field theory of the many component Potts model

A mean-field theory of the q-component Potts model is given. The transition is first order for q>or=3. For large q the mean-field results agree with all the known exact results in two dimensions for the Potts model. It is conjectured that the mean-field theory provides an accurate description of the transition in two or higher dimensions when the number of components is large.
Paper 24: Dry Wear of Steel as Revealed by Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Diffraction

Low-alloy, medium-carbon steel (AISI 4340) pins have been worn against discs of the same material at various loads under unlubricated (‘dry’) sliding conditions. Shadowed carbon replicas have been obtained from the surfaces of selected pins and discs. Transmission electron microscopy of these replicas revealed several interesting features, the most interesting being the presence of reproducible crack systems occurring in those parts of the surface at which the wear is taking place. These cracks are very similar to those obtained in fatigue failures. X-ray diffraction patterns were also obtained from these specimens, and from the corresponding wear debris. These indicated that oxidation had occurred at temperatures considerably in excess of the measured ambient temperatures. The various topographic and crystallographic features revealed by the electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques are discussed in relation to a possible mechanism of ‘dry’ wear
The value of clinical characteristics and breast-imaging studies in predicting a histopathologic diagnosis of cancer or high-risk lesion in patients with spontaneous nipple discharge.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of breast-imaging studies in identifying cancer and high-risk lesions among patients with spontaneous, single-duct, nipple discharge (SSND). Methods The medical records of 168 cases with SSND treated with duct excision between June 1998 and May 2004 were reviewed. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) of mammogram, ultrasound, and ductogram in predicting high-risk lesions and cancer were calculated. Results The sensitivity of mammography was 10%, the specificity 94%, the NPV 88%, and the PPV 18%. Ultrasongraphy had a sensitivity of 36%, specificity of 68%, PPV of 14%, and NPV of 89%. Ductography had a sensitivity of 75%, specificity of 49%, and NPV and PPV of 93% and 18%, respectively. Conclusions Conventional imaging studies do not accurately identify cancer or high-risk lesions in patients with SSND.All patients with SSND should be offered duct excision.
Glycosaminoglycan Mimetic Biomaterials. 2. Alkene- and Acrylate-Derivatized Glycopolymers via Cyanoxyl-Mediated Free-Radical Polymerization

Cyanoxyl (•OC⋮N)-mediated free-radical polymerization provides an effective and versatile method for engineering a diverse array of water-soluble glycopolymers with high saccharide contents and low polydispersity indexes (1.1 < Mw/Mn < 1.6). Cyanoxyl persistent radicals can be used as chain-growth moderators of the statistical copolymerization of acrylamide with either nonsulfated or sulfated N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-carrying alkene- and acrylate-derivatized unprotected glycomonomers. Moreover, monosaccharide-containing homopolymers can be prepared with some degree of control by polymerization of the acrylic glycomonomers.
Implementing supportive strategies to retain nurse educators

Abstract The nurse educator shortage directly affects the nursing shortage. To adequately prepare future nurses, academia needs to retain qualified nurse educators. Many factors affect the nurse educator shortage, including retirement and competition for qualified nursing educators with clinics and the private sector, as well as dissatisfaction with the multiple stressors and expectations in the academic setting. Academia should implement supportive strategies to aid in the retention of nurse educators.
Computer-integrated manufacturing - key to survival for prototyping and production

Computer-aided manufacturing has moved forward beyond the era when it was regarded as a luxury which few companies could afford. Now, it has become a virtual necessity in order to compete with the schedule and cost constraints demanded by the commercial market arena This paper will describe in detail the computer interfaces inherent in a computer-integrated, prototype manufacturing line. It will also describe a more conventional computer-aided manufacturing system for a production environment which provides up-to-the minute, comprehensive information about the product as it is being built. Yields, statistical process control, technical history, scheduling, defects per unit, defects per process are all available from the CAM system. The system falls just short of complete integration and operation of equipment, but is able to provide dynamic monitoring for cost/yield/and process updating.
Examining the Performance Standards for In-Service Teachers: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Assessment of Teachers' NETS-T Expertise

ABSTRACT The survey Performance Standards for In-service Teachers is widely used to help describe teacher skills relating to instructional technology for assessment or planning of professional development. It is based on the six constructs of the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers, and though used broadly in a variety of contexts, it does not appear to have undergone significant independent evaluation of its psychometric properties. Our analysis found that all six subscales possessed strong internal consistency (all α > 0.93). A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis supported both its current six-factor structure as well as a more parsimonious one-factor model.