UNIFIL Peacekeeping in Southern Lebanon

Since 1978, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has been working to help bring peace and security to the region. UNIFIL began humanitarian mine-action activities and cluster-munitions clearance in Lebanon in 2006. It also began to demine parts of the Blue Line, which is the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon. This overview discusses a few UNIFIL project

Creating a Standard of Practice for License Alternatives

Citation: Geuther, Christina & Greene, Mira (2015). Creating a Standard of Practice for License Alternatives. In B.R. Bernhardt, B.R. Hinds, & K.P. Strauch (Eds.), Proceedings from Where Do We Go from Here? : Charleston Conference. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press.A gap exists in library literature for license alternative practices. Although licensing processes are a new concept, there is enough knowledge of best practices that will apply to alternatives. Much of the life cycle of electronic resources with and without licenses remains the same; therefore, a workflow can be framed for alternatives. Kansas State University created a standard workflow for managing license alternatives in its management systems Verde and Alma. We based this standard on the differences between licenses and their conventional alternatives, the NISO Shared Electronic Resource Understanding, and terms of use without registered or signed agreement. Aspects of this presentation will also apply to institutions without electronic resource management (ERM) systems. After considering the acquisition and review practices of license alternatives, a discussion of interlibrary loan as well as enforcing terms in the patron community will be offered. Interlibrary loan staff will easily interpret their procedures of fair use based on documentation in the ERM

Inclusive Recovery in US Cities

Some cities have harnessed economic recoveries to improve on inclusion, or the opportunity for all residents—particularly historically excluded populations—to benefit from and contribute to economic prosperity. In this report, we conduct the first empirical analysis of how economic health and inclusion interact in US cities over several decades. We report on trends in economic health and inclusion across many cities and within a smaller subset of cities that have experienced an economic recovery. To better understand whether and how an economic recovery can support inclusive outcomes, we delve deeper into four cities that improved on inclusion measures during their recovery. Through discussions with individuals, an in-person convening, and a review of literature, we identify key lessons and common building blocks that can support progress on inclusion during a city's economic recovery

Associations between First Year Medical Students’ Lifestyles, Resting Blood Pressure, and Resting ECGs

Introduction: There is considerable evidence that psychological stressors can impact cardiovascular health. Medical students experience a high degree of stress based upon their responses to survey questionnaires, although there are few physiological studies that support this association that are targeted specifically to medical students. Medical students in general represent an underrepresented age group in the context of cardiovascular treatment guidelines. Therefore, medical students are a pertinent cohort for study based upon these findings. Objective:The purpose of this study was to analyze whether medical student lifestyles impact normal baseline cardiovascular measurements of blood pressures and electrocardiograms in this population. Methods: Twenty five Medical students in the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating class of 2017 were recruited and met inclusion criteria. Blood pressure and lifestyle factor surveys were obtained on a weekly basis and ECGs were recorded biweekly. All ECGs were read by a cardiologist. Participation by the cardiologist and the subjects was voluntary and without compensation. BP and Heart Rate data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and the ECG analyses using Fisher Exact Test. Data obtained throughout the study was compared to the subjects’ initial data gathered at the beginning of the academic year. Data was organized into the male gender category, the female gender category, and a category that combined the data for both genders. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the amount of caffeine consumption and systolic BP abnormalities (p=0.05), and also a statistically significant difference in the amount of strength training exercise and diastolic BP abnormalities (p=0.04) for the male gender category. There were statistically significant differences in the amount of strength training exercise and prevalence of early repolarization (p=0.01), and the amount of study hours and bradycardia (p= 0.04) for the female gender category.There were statistically significant differences between the amount of aerobic exercise and T wave inversions (p=0.03), anxiety level and voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (p=0.05), the amount of strength exercise and systolic BP abnormalities (p=0.02), the amount of strength exercise and diastolic abnormalities (p=0.004), the amount of study hours and bradycardia (p=0.034), and the amount of study hours and inverted T waves (p=0.008) for the combined gender category. Conclusion: Changes in both blood pressure and ECGs in association with both behavioral and curriculum lifestyle factors were demonstrated. Whether the behavioral habits that differed significantly from baseline were due to the curriculum cannot be determined from these preliminary analyses. However, these findings in this population are concerning with respect to younger adults as a discrete and unique population, and may warrant closer scrutiny in conjunction with the American Heart Association Guidelines to determine whether a new category of recommendations for younger adults may be warranted with respect to blood pressure and heart rate parameters

Sexual maturation protects against development of lung inflammation through estrogen.

Increasing levels of estrogen and progesterone are suggested to play a role in the gender switch in asthma prevalence during puberty. We investigated whether the process of sexual maturation in mice affects the development of lung inflammation in adulthood and the contributing roles of estrogen and progesterone during this process. By inducing ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation in sexually mature and immature (ovariectomized before sexual maturation) adult mice, we showed that sexually immature adult mice developed more eosinophilic lung inflammation. This protective effect of \u22puberty\u22 appears to be dependent on estrogen, as estrogen supplementation at the time of ovariectomy protected against development of lung inflammation in adulthood whereas progesterone supplementation did not. Investigating the underlying mechanism of estrogen-mediated protection, we found that estrogen-treated mice had higher expression of the anti-inflammatory mediator secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) and lower expression of the proasthmatic cytokine IL-33 in parenchymal lung tissue and that their expressions colocalized with type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECII). Treating AECII directly with SLPI significantly inhibited IL-33 production upon stimulation with ATP. Our data suggest that estrogen during puberty has a protective effect on asthma development, which is accompanied by induction of anti-inflammatory SLPI production and inhibition of proinflammatory IL-33 production by AECII

Radiostereometric Analysis of Tantalum vs. Titanium Acetabular Shells in Young THR Patients

Introduction: In the active total hip replacement (THR) population, maintaining acetabular component stability and limiting polyethylene wear are crucial components to preventing premature implant failure. Titanium with Co/Cr/Mo fiber metal coating is among the most common materials used in cementless THR. Trabecular metal, composed of porous tantalum, has a metallic strut design resembling trabecular bone, designed to improve tissue infiltration and limit migration. This study assesses the stability and clinical outcomes of tantalum versus titanium acetabular shells using radiostereometric analysis (RSA) technology. Methods: In this IRB approved, prospective, randomized, blinded study, 46 patients received a primary THR by a single surgeon (DCA). Each patient was randomized to receive a titanium (23) (Trilogy, Zimmer) or tantalum (23) (Modular tantalum shell, Zimmer) uncemented hemispheric cup and either a highly-crosslinked or conventional polyethylene liner. Tantalum RSA markers were implanted around the liner periphery, femur, and periacetabular bone in each patient. RSA examinations, Harris Hip, UCLA, WOMAC, SF-36 scores were obtained at 10 days, 6 months, and annually with the furthest patients evaluated through 5 years. Results: Median translation was greater at all time points for the tantalum mesh cups except for the 3-year follow-up, however due to large standard errors, there was no significant difference between the two designs (p\u3e0.05). These large standard errors were predominantly caused by two outliers, neither of which had clinical evidence of loosening at 5 years follow-up. Mean UCLA, WOMAC, Harris Hip, and SF-36 PCS and MCS scores improved similarly in both groups. Conclusions: In this young THR population, both titanium and tantalum acetabular shells demonstrated excellent stability at five years follow up. Tantalum shells demonstrated slightly greater micromotion, but there was no statistically significant difference in shell migration. Outstanding clinical outcomes with statistically significant improvements in function and pain relief were observed in both groups

Radiostereometric Analysis of Femoral Head Penetration in Cross-Linked Polyethylene in THR Patients

Background: In the young total hip replacement (THR) population limiting polyethylene liner wear is crucial to preventing premature implant failure. Highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (HXLPE) liners were designed to improve wear resistance of polyethylene liners. Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) provides highly precise measurements of liner wear. This study utilized RSA to characterize wear of conventional versus HXLPE liners up to five years following THR. Methods: This IRB-approved, prospective, randomized, blinded study, involved 46 patients with a mean age of 58 and BMI of 30. Each patient was double randomized to receive a conventional or HXLPE liner with an uncemented titanium mesh or tantalum trabecular metal cup. Both liners were prepared from compression-molded GUR 1050 resin without calcium stearate, while HXLPE liners undergo further e-beam irradiation and annealing. At the time of surgery, 1mm tantalum RSA markers were implanted around the liner periphery, femur and periacetabular bone. RSA examinations, Harris Hip, UCLA, WOMAC, SF-36 scores were obtained pre-operatively, post-operatively, at six weeks, six months and annually through five years. Results: All patients had statistically significant improvement in Harris Hip, WOMAC and SF-36 PCS scores following THR with no difference between cohorts. On RSA examination, of titanium shells, HXLPE liners revealed significantly lower femoral head penetration at each follow up except six weeks and six months (p Conclusion: In this young THR population RSA shows significantly less femoral head penetration in the HXLPE liners compared to conventional liners. Novel RSA techniques have been developed to determine polyethylene wear in patients

The GATA1s isoform is normally down-regulated during terminal haematopoietic differentiation and over-expression leads to failure to repress MYB, CCND2 and SKI during erythroid differentiation of K562 cells

Background: Although GATA1 is one of the most extensively studied haematopoietic transcription factors little is currently known about the physiological functions of its naturally occurring isoforms GATA1s and GATA1FL in humans—particularly whether the isoforms have distinct roles in different lineages and whether they have non-redundant roles in haematopoietic differentiation. As well as being of general interest to understanding of haematopoiesis, GATA1 isoform biology is important for children with Down syndrome associated acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia (DS-AMKL) where GATA1FL mutations are an essential driver for disease pathogenesis. <p/>Methods: Human primary cells and cell lines were analyzed using GATA1 isoform specific PCR. K562 cells expressing GATA1s or GATA1FL transgenes were used to model the effects of the two isoforms on in vitro haematopoietic differentiation. <p/>Results: We found no evidence for lineage specific use of GATA1 isoforms; however GATA1s transcripts, but not GATA1FL transcripts, are down-regulated during in vitro induction of terminal megakaryocytic and erythroid differentiation in the cell line K562. In addition, transgenic K562-GATA1s and K562-GATA1FL cells have distinct gene expression profiles both in steady state and during terminal erythroid differentiation, with GATA1s expression characterised by lack of repression of MYB, CCND2 and SKI. <p/>Conclusions: These findings support the theory that the GATA1s isoform plays a role in the maintenance of proliferative multipotent megakaryocyte-erythroid precursor cells and must be down-regulated prior to terminal differentiation. In addition our data suggest that SKI may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of children with DS-AMKL

Sexual and gender-based violence in areas of armed conflict: a systematic review of mental health and psychosocial support interventions.

PMC3750365BACKGROUND: Sexual and other forms of gender-based violence are common in conflict settings and are known risk factors for mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. We present findings from a systematic review of the academic and grey literature focused on the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support interventions for populations exposed to sexual and other forms of gender-based violence in the context of armed conflicts. METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, PubMed/ Medline, psycINFO, and PILOTS, as well as grey literature to search for evaluations of interventions, without date limitations. RESULTS: Out of 5,684 returned records 189 full text papers were assessed for eligibility. Seven studies met inclusion criteria: 1 non-randomized controlled study; 3 non-controlled pre- post-test designs; 1 retrospective cohort with a matched comparison group; and 2 case studies. Studies were conducted in West and Central Africa; Albania; UK and USA, included female participants, and focused on individual and group counseling; combined psychological, medical, social and economic interventions; and cognitive behavioral therapy (two single case studies). CONCLUSIONS: The seven studies, while very limited, tentatively suggest beneficial effects of mental health and psychosocial interventions for this population, and show feasibility of evaluation and implementation of such interventions in real-life settings through partnerships with humanitarian organizations. Robust conclusions on the effectiveness of particular approaches are not possible on the basis of current evidence. More rigorous research is urgently needed.JH Libraries Open Access Fun