cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Left/Right Asymmetric Neuronal Differentiation Program Is Controlled by the Caenorhabditis elegans LSY-27 Zinc-Finger Transcription Factor

Functional diversification across the left/right axis is a common feature of many nervous systems. The genetic programs that control left/right asymmetric neuron function and gene expression in the nervous system are, however, poorly understood. We describe here the molecular characterization of two phenotypically similar mutant Caenorhabditis elegans strains in which left/right asymmetric gene expression programs of two gustatory neurons, called ASEL and ASER, are disrupted such that the differentiation program of the ASER neuron is derepressed in the ASEL neuron. We show that in one mutant strain the LIM homeobox gene lim-6 is defective whereas in another strain a novel member of a nematode-specific, fast-evolving family of C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factors, lsy-27, is mutated, as revealed by whole-genome sequencing. lsy-27 is broadly and exclusively expressed in the embryo and acts during the initiation, but not during the maintenance phase of ASE asymmetry control to assist in the initiation of lim-6 expression.
Communicating Evolution as Science

If you are a scientist or science teacher reading this journal, you almost certainly recognize evolutionary biology as straightforward science and intelligent design and creationism as non-science; which belongs inside the science classroom is clear. Unfortunately, the distinction is a blurry one for many. Most Americans support the teaching of creationism in public schools (Plutzer and Berkman 2008), and around one-fourth of biology teachers in some states think that creationism is scientifically founded (Moore and Kraemer 2005). Some anti-evolution groups have taken things a step further, by not just promulgating misconceptions about creationism’s scientific status, but attempting to redefine science to include creationism. In 2005, the Kansas State Board of Education enacted a change in the state's science teaching standards (Wilgoren 2005). Science went from being “the human activity of seeking natural explanations for what we observe in the world around us” to being “a systematic method of continuing investigation that uses observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, logical argument and theory building to lead to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena.” Though longer and more jargon-laden, the altered definition was less specific about the types of explanations science can build—not just natural explanations, but any sort of explanation deemed “more adequate.” By opening the door of science to supernatural explanations, the new definition threw out one of the key characteristics that make science work: the testability of its explanations. Happily, with the election of a new state board of education, the original definition was restored. These are the sort of battles that the National Center for Science Education and Eugenie Scott have been fighting for decades and that Kenneth Miller fights to keep science textbooks free of ideas that have “failed as science,” as he describes in an article in this issue (Miller 2010). Such conflicts often play out on a political stage, shaping classroom practice in a top-down manner. Is there something that science teachers can do within the walls of their own classrooms to impact the broader discussion of what ideas belong in science class? Science teachers can lighten the load of the next generation of evolution defenders by helping students recognize the distinction between science and non-science. This means finding ways to communicate the fundamental characteristics that set science apart from other endeavors and helping students learn to interpret representations of evolution in the media, such as those described by Carl Zimmer in this issue (Zimmer 2010). Here, we’ll examine what students need to know about these topics, provide evolutionary examples, and discuss how this content can be incorporated into science teaching. In so doing, we will introduce content from the University of California Museum of Paleontology’s Understanding Science website (www.understandingscience.org).
V. On some gaseous spectra:—Hydrogen, nitrogen

(1890). V. On some gaseous spectra:—Hydrogen, nitrogen. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 30, No. 182, pp. 48-58.
Evaluation of connectivity measures and anatomical features for statistical brain networks

Statistical brain connectivity is a relatively new approach for inferring large scale anatomical organization for both cortical and subcortical structures. This paper presents a a comparison of network connectivity measures and anatomical features used for extraction of such networks. In this paper, we use structural information from three cortical features, i) area, ii) gray-matter volume, and iii) cortical thickness. Based upon these features, the connectivity graph is discretized at different sparcity levels and both global and local efficiencies of the network structure are computed using i) correlation, ii) partial-correlation, and iii) mutual information. The results show that different aspects of the connectivity is captured by different structural features and connectivity measures.
Flashover torque of a D-C generator

THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS have witnessed a rapid increase in the use of diesel-electric locomotives. In the course of day-to-day operation, the electrical drive of these locomotives is subject to frequent and severe transient load surges. This type of operation — particularly in a locomotive environment conducive to the accumulation of dirt, dust, oil, and moisture — results in commutator flashing to a degree not encountered in usual d-c machine applications.
Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) electronic Informed Consent Form (eICF) is compliant and feasible in a clinical research setting

Background: Electronic consent for research has shown success in clinical trial models, but has not been rigorously evaluated as an alternative to conventional paper consent. We sought to design a 21 CFR Part 11 compliant iPad-based electronic Informed Consent Form (eICF) with Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). As a secondary aim, we sought to compare subject workload between eICF and paper consent groups. Methods: This is a prospective, randomized study of subjects who completed an iPad-based eICF versus paper consent for research. The eICF was designed with REDCap and presented on an iPad. Subject workload was measured with the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and subjective feedback in regards to consent process was collected. Results: A total of 116 subjects were screened for consent. Of which, 51 (44%) subjects provided informed consent and completed all study related procedures. Twenty-five (49%) eICF and 26 (51%) paper consents were completed. The eICF group rated a significantly greater preference to use the eICF for future research studies (6.4±1.5) compared to the paper consent group (5.0±1.9), p<0.01. There were no significant differences in NASA-TLX Weighted Scale or Total-TLX Scores between groups. One error resulted in the eICF group due to an inadvertent submission by a single subject. Conclusion: In summary, we have demonstrated that an iPad-based eICF designed with REDCap is both 21 CFR Part 11 compliant and feasible in the clinical research setting. The eICF does not appear to be more technically difficult or demanding than conventional paper consent.
A perspective of computational fluid dynamics

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is maturing, and is at a stage in its technological life cycle in which it is now routinely applied to some rather complicated problems; it is starting to create an impact on the design cycle of aerospace flight vehicles and their components. CFD is also being used to better understand the fluid physics of flows heretofore not understood, such as three-dimensional separation. CFD is also being used to complement and is being complemented by experiments. In this paper, the primary and secondary pacing items that governed CFD in the past are reviewed and updated. The future prospects of CFD are explored which will offer people working in the discipline challenges that should extend the technological life cycle to further increase the capabilities of a proven and demonstrated technology.
Ethnic Redistribution in Bipolar Societies: The Crafting of Asymmetric Policy Claims in Two Asia-Pacific States

Many post-colonial states use ethnically-based redistribution (EBR) programs to address economic inequalities between dominant minority communities and professedly autochthonous majority communities. Nevertheless, despite considerable efforts such programs have generally failed in terms of advancing the economic status of majorities. In this article I will suggest that EBRs in post-colonial states are not solely intended to ameliorate economic gaps, but rather are also a policy tool used by governing elites to advance a narrative of state ownership, and by extension a decidedly non-liberal notion of democratic citizenship. I explore this claim through an analysis of Malaysia and Fiji, two post-colonial states characterized by persistent asymmetric claims by ethnic majorities who claim legitimacy by virtue of indigenousness. The discussion will focus first on the formation, deployment, and persistence of claims of ethnic hierarchy by professedly indigenous groups. Second, attention will be paid to how such claims are linked to demands for ethnically based redistribution following a direct challenge to extant ethnic hierarchies. Finally, the policies will be assessed both in terms of their stated economic objectives and in terms of their ability to generate a broader sense of autochthonous identity.
The CDC25 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae promotes exchange of guanine nucleotides bound to ras.

Abstract The product of the CDC25 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in its capacity as an activator of the RAS/cyclic AMP pathway, is required for initiation of the cell cycle. In this report, we provide an identification of Cdc25p, the product of the CDC25 gene, and evidence that it promotes exchange of guanine nucleotides bound to Ras in vitro. Extracts of strains containing high levels of Cdc25p catalyze both removal of GDP from and the concurrent binding of GTP to Ras. This same activity is also obtained with an immunopurified Cdc25p-beta-galactosidase fusion protein, suggesting that Cdc25p participates directly in the exchange reaction. This biochemical activity is consistent with previous genetic analysis of CDC25 function.
Reliability Assessment of Through-Silicon Vias in Multi-Die Stack Packages

A thermo-mechanical reliability study of through-silicon vias (TSVs) is presented in this paper. TSVs are used to interconnect stacked dies to achieve 3-D packages. As the core of the TSV contains high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) copper surrounded by low-CTE SiO2 and Si materials, the thermo-mechanical reliability of TSVs is a concern. When dies with such TSVs are stacked and packaged, the presence of additional structures and associated materials could introduce different thermo-mechanical concerns compared with free-standing wafers. This paper presents 3-D finite-element models for studying the thermo-mechanical stresses in TSVs in free-standing wafers and in stacked dies, which are packaged. Warpage measurements have been used to validate the finite-element modeling approach. The results from the finite-element models show that the TSV stresses in a packaging configuration are typically lower than the TSV stresses in a free-standing wafer configuration. In addition, it is seen that the microbumps connecting adjacent dies experience high magnitude of inelastic strain, indicating that such locations are of reliability concern.
Macrophages primed by overnight culture demonstrate a marked stimulation of surfactant protein A degradation

The current study examined whether long-term culture of macrophages affects their metabolism of surfactant components. Compared with freshly isolated resting macrophages in culture for 1 h, macroph...
Immunopathogenesis and Outcomes of Recurrent Hepatitis C

In the Western world, hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related end-stage liver disease is the leading indication for liver transplantation (LT). Based on the presence of HCV RNA in the serum, recurrence is immediate and universal, with nearly all patients developing some evidence of histological recurrence. (Acute hepatitis occurs in 60–80% at a median of 4–6 mo post transplantation and chronic hepatitis in 80–100% by 1–4 yr [1, 2, 3]. Reports indicate that 20 to 40% of recipients with recurrent HCV disease progress to allograft cirrhosis within 5 yr compared with less than 5% of nontransplant chronic HCV patients; thus, the natural history of recurrent HCV is accelerated compared with the nontransplant setting (4, 5). Once cirrhosis develops in the transplant setting, two-thirds will develop decompensation (ascites, variceal hemorrhage, encephalopathy) within 3 yr (15, 6). The development of decompensation is associated with a very poor outcome, with only about 10% surviving for 3 yr. Despite this accelerated course, approximately a third of patients demonstrate only minimal fibrosis after 5 yr of follow-up (7). The use of protocol liver biopsies is justified in patients transplanted for HCV based on the increasing probability of severe histological findings (stage 3 or 4) (8, 9).
De-Commodification Revisited: On the Absence of Emancipation in Europe

Is the European Union undermining the national European social welfare state? Or has it succeeded at balancing the project of market building with social concerns? An answer to this question presupposes a clarification of what social policy is to be about. Two conceptions can be distinguished. Social policy in a weak sense is aimed at enabling market-participation or compensating for the loss of a market-income; in a strong sense, social policy is designed to establish independence from market-demand. The distinction between these two conceptions can be developed by juxtaposing the notion of de-commodification (Polanyi, Esping-Andersen) with Eduard Heimann's attempt to attribute to social policy an emancipatory objective. On this basis, it can be seen how European integration has consistently contributed to the weakening of social policy in Europe. It should not come as a surprise, then, that European integration has not been perceived by European citizens as a process of emancipation. This matter is of constitutional significance, at any rate, for an organisation that has an economic constitution.
Epistemic Violence in the Process of Othering: Real-World Applications and Moving Forward

From the work of Pierre Bourdieu on symbolic violence came the study of epistemic violence, which is at the core of the process of othering marginalized groups. Epistemological scholars including Kristie Dotson, Miranda Fricker, Cynthia Townley, and Gayatri Spivak have done extensive work on the theory of the phenomenon; it is necessary to analyze the classifications of epistemic violence through their application in empirical settings. Addressing three case studies of “othering” highlights the importance of greater integration of marginalized groups into the education system as the necessary first step towards eliminating othering by targeting epistemic violence at a base level.
NHL Sidesteps NLRA but Creates Issues

NHL owners' effort to foster discussion between players and NHL executives about the current CBA proposals may have violated federal law. The NHL overstepped the well-established bargaining procedures under the National Labor Relations Act by failing to bargain in good faith with union elected representatives. However, the NHLPA will have to establish acute bad faith bargaining to successfully seek judicial reprieve.
Letter by Al-Kindi and Oliveira regarding article "cardiac sarcoidosis: epidemiology, characteristics, and outcome over 25 years in a nationwide study".

We read with interest the article by Kandolin and colleagues1 published in Circulation . In a nationwide study in Finland, they report that the annual detection rate of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) has increased >20-fold over a 25-year period. Interestingly, these findings are in alignment with our own data regarding the increased incidence of heart transplantation (HT) for CS in the United States. Using the United Network …
Microfluidic Device for the Measurement of Amino Acid Secretion Dynamics from Murine and Human Islets of Langerhans.

Islets of Langerhans are the regulators of in vivo blood glucose levels through the secretion of endocrine hormones. Amino acids, released from various cells within islets or from intrapancreatic neurons, are hypothesized to further adjust hormone secretions. In contrast to the well-accepted mechanism of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, several questions remain as to the function of amino acids in the regulation of hormone release from islets. To understand the autocrine and paracrine roles that amino acids play in islet physiology, a microfluidic system was developed to perform online monitoring of the secretion profiles of amino acids from 2–5 islets. The device contained an islet chamber with the ability to perfuse stimulants and an amino acid measurement system with derivatization and electrophoretic separation integrated on a single microchip. The setup was optimized to allow −15 kV to be applied to the device for high efficiency and rapid separations of derivatized amino acids. The compositions...
Low-Probability/High-Consequence Risks: Issues in Credibility and Acceptance

Low-probability/high-consequence (LP/HC) risks present special policy problems. Policies driven by the consideration of low risk probabilities will, on the whole, lead to low investment strategies to prevent a hazard from being realized or to mitigate the hazard’s consequences. By comparison, policies driven by the consideration of high consequences, despite low probabilities, will lead to high levels of public investment. To better understand such policy conflicts it would be valuable if research could help determine whether people (1) are primarily and systematically sensitive to probabilities, or (2) are mainly affected by images of consequences.
Caruncular fixation in medial canthal tendon repair: the minimally invasive purse string suture for tendinous laxity and medial ectropion.

PURPOSE To describe a surgical technique for repair of medial ectropion that simply and reliably addresses tendinous laxity and punctal eversion. METHODS Prospective, single-blind, consecutive case study of 54 patients (79 eyes) by 3 surgeons. The subject population consisted of 33 males and 21 females, with a mean age of 81 years (SD = 9, range = 64-97). The presenting mechanisms of ectropion were as follows: cicatricial (n = 10), paralytic (n = 1), involutional (n = 62), mechanical (n = 3), and congenital (n = 3). Ectropion and punctal eversion was surgically addressed by use of a purse string suture that incorporated closure of a medial spindle incision and deep fixation to the base of the caruncle. RESULTS The average postoperative follow-up period was 147 days (SD = 291, range 8-2,352). Sixty-four eyes had a presenting complaint of tearing (81%), with 50 eyes (78%) achieving complete resolution (p = 0.0001). Eyelid malposition was determined to be anatomically corrected in 34 of 35 eyes (97%, p = 0.0001). Four of the 79 operated eyelids had recurrence of ectropion (5%). All other reported complications were minor, resolved without sequalae. CONCLUSION The technique demonstrated safety, efficacy, and reproducibility, regardless of ectropion mechanism. Incorporation of a purse string suture between the lower eyelid portion of the medial canthal tendon and the caruncle produces a reliable posterior-superior fixation parallel to the vectors of the posterior limb of the medial canthal tendon. This technique is equally effective as a primary correction method or when used in combination with other procedures.
Viscosity of aqueous NaCl solutions in the temperature range 25–200 °C and in the pressure range 0.1–30 MPa

New precise viscosity data are presented for aqueous solutions of NaCl; these data cover the temperature range 25–200 °C, the pressure range 0.1–30 MPa, and the concentration range 0–6 mol · kg−1. The experimental precision is ±0.5%; a comparison of the present results with data available in the literature indicates that the accuracy of the present data is also of the order of ±0.5%. Two empirical correlations that reproduce the data within the precision are also given.
Quinian bootstrapping or Fodorian combination? Core and constructed knowledge of number

According to Carey (2009), humans construct new concepts by abstracting structural relations among sets of partly unspecified symbols, and then analogically mapping those symbol structures onto the target domain. Using the development of integer concepts as an example, I give reasons to doubt this account and to consider other ways in which language and symbol learning foster conceptual development.
Image charge detection mass spectrometry: pushing the envelope with sensitivity and accuracy.

A novel image charge detection mass spectrometer (CDMS) with improved sensitivity and mass accuracy is described. The improved detector design and method of data analysis allow us to measure a reliable mass for a single macroion that is an order of magnitude smaller than previously achieved with CDMS. The apparatus employs an image charge detector array consisting of 22 detectors. The detectors are divided into two groups that can be floated at different potentials. The signals from the detector array are analyzed using a correlation approach to yield the velocities in the two groups of detectors and the charge. These quantities, together with the voltage difference between the two groups of detectors, provide a value for the mass. The mass, m/z, and charge distributions recorded for 300 kDa poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG) are presented. The mass distribution shows a peak at around 300 kDa with a width close to that expected from the polymer size distribution. In addition, there are broad peaks in the mass dis...
Analysis of the Innovative Ability of Engineering Scientists and Technicians

According to the characteristics of engineering,the three dimensions of innovative ability of engineering scientists and technicians are analyzed,which consists of knowledge base,thought style and spirit. It points that to cultivate engineering scientists and technicians is the task for both universities and enterprises,and we should build new socialized cultivate system.
Mapping Protein–DNA and Protein–Protein Interactions of ATP-Dependent Chromatin Remodelers

Chromatin plays a key regulatory role in several DNA-dependent processes as it regulates DNA access to different protein factors. Several multisubunit protein complexes interact, modify, or mobilize nucleosomes: the basic unit of chromatin, from its original location in an ATP-dependent manner to facilitate processes, such as transcription, replication, repair, and recombination. Knowledge of the interactions of chromatin remodelers with nucleosomes is a crucial requirement to understand the mechanism of chromatin remodeling. Here, we describe several methods to analyze the interactions of multisubunit chromatin-remodeling enzymes with nucleosomes.
Glucocorticoid-induced atrophy is not due to impaired excitability of rat muscle.

We explored the possibility that glucocorticoid-induced muscle weakness and atrophy resulted from impaired muscle membrane excitability. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received intramuscular injections o...
Does where you live play an important role in cancer incidence in the U.S.

Some studies have shown disproportionate cancer incidence burden in rural areas which may be attributable partly due to the use of 'rural' as a generic term implying homogeneity of risk/protective factors across wide geographic spans. Counties in SEER 18 registries (years 2001-2011) were classified by their Rural-Urban Continuum Code (RUCC) and aggregated into urban, adjacent rural, and non-adjacent rural and were also aggregated into 3 regions: North, South, and West. Two-way ANCOVA was performed with region and RUCC as factors with adjustment for rates of common risk factors obtained from the County Health Rankings (2013). RUCC has a significant effect on incidence rate in urban areas on breast (P =0.001) and prostate (P =0.009). Colorectal significantly varies by region (P<0.0001), and the effect of rurality significantly varies across regions with North highest (P=0.0005). Lung rates significantly vary across both region and RUCC (P<0.0001 and P=0.0001, respectively). The analysis shows that risk-adjusted cancer incidence varies significantly across regions. However, we also found that rural cancer incidence significantly varied across otherwise-similar rural areas implying that 'rural' is not a homogeneous classification.
Pharmacist-managed anemia program in an outpatient hemodialysis population

Purpose: Epoetin alpha is the standard of care for anemia treatment in stage 5 chronic kidney disease patients. A pharmacist-managed anemia program was developed to allow initiation and adjustment of epoetin and iron therapy. The goal of this study was to describe the pharmacist-managed anemia program in an outpatient hemodialysis clinic and evaluate the program by comparing the results to the US averages. Methods: Dosing was completed by a clinical pharmacist using a psysician-approved protocol. Data were collected from May 2002 to June 2004. Results: Two hundred seventy-eight patients and 1,379 patient monitoring-months were evaluated. The study population was 68.2% male, 86.3% African-American, and had an average age of 46 ′ 13 years. The most common causes of renal disease were hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The average initial hemoglobin was 9.5 g/dL and was 11.8 gm/dL at 6 months. Iron parameters show an initial average ferritin of 280.9 ′ 326.4 ng/mL with an iron saturation of 21 ′ 7.9%. These parameters improved to a ferritin of 431 ′ 232.1 ng/mL and iron saturation of 33 ′ 8% at 6 months. Eighty percent of patients had a hemoglobin greater than 11 gm/dL compared to the US average of 75%. The average epoetin dose in this group was 121 units/kg/wk (9,300 units) compared to the US average of 229 units/kg/wk (16,000 units). The reduced epoetin doses used in this program resulted in an annual cost avoidance of $3,000 per patient. Conclusions: Pharmacist management of anemia can provide cost-effective care in the chronic kidney disease population.
Community College Developmental Writing Programs Most Promising Practices: What the Research Tells Educators

ABSTRACTStudents at community colleges are being placed into developmental writing classes at significantly high rates, as high as 80% at some colleges. Many of these students are students of color, and the need to help them persist and succeed is of increasing importance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the most promising practices by community college developmental writing programs. This article presents a review of more than 245 publications from over 450 authors, synthesized down to 36 validated studies with the goal of informing scholars and practitioners of the current state of the field. Themes emerging from these studies and a conceptual model through which findings can be viewed are presented. The analysis, with a focus on the structural, curricular, andragogical, and relational domains, documents only validated studies about the most promising practices. This article supports, challenges, and recommends how to better serve students in the developmental writing context. This author h...
Optimal pediatric dosing of anti-platelet agents for pipeline stent embolization —a case report and review of the literature

Various strategies are emerging for dosing antiplatelet therapies in preparation for pipeline stent embolization in adults. Hyper-response is associated with hemorrhagic complications. Hypo-response is associated with thromboembolic events. Dosing of antiplatelet agents is highly variable, with little consensus among experts for adults–and even more so for children. To date, pipeline stents have been deployed in 11 pediatric patients, ages 4–15. A variety of clopidogrel and aspirin dosing regimens have been used, with response tested in only three patients, who were all therapeutic. Thrombotic events occurred in two patients, neither of whom were tested. We describe here the first case of a hemorrhagic complication in a hyper-responsive pediatric patient undergoing placement of a pipeline stent. As the use of endovascular therapies requiring dual anti-platelet agents becomes more established, there is an increasing need to develop titration protocols that minimizes the risk of thrombotic and hemorrhagic events.
On the incorporation of the geometric phase in general single potential energy surface dynamics: A removable approximation to ab initio data

For two electronic states coupled by conical intersections, the line integral of the derivative coupling can be used to construct a complex-valued multiplicative phase factor that makes the real-valued adiabatic electronic wave function single-valued, provided that the curl of the derivative coupling is zero. Unfortunately for ab initio determined wave functions, the curl is never rigorously zero. However, when the wave functions are determined from a coupled two diabatic state Hamiltonian Hd (fit to ab initio data), the resulting derivative couplings are by construction curl free, except at points of conical intersection. In this work we focus on a recently introduced diabatization scheme that produces the Hd by fitting ab initio determined energies, energy gradients, and derivative couplings to the corresponding Hd determined quantities in a least squares sense, producing a removable approximation to the ab initio determined derivative coupling. This approach and related numerical issues associated with the nonremovable ab initio derivative couplings are illustrated using a full 33-dimensional representation of phenol photodissociation. The use of this approach to provide a general framework for treating the molecular Aharonov Bohm effect is demonstrated.
Approach to Establish Long Term Anti-Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Immune Responses by Inducing Central Memory AML Specific CD4 T Cells.

The efficacy of adoptive cell therapy of cancer and leukemia is often limited by the failure of cultured T cells, particularly cloned CD8+ T cells, to persist in vivo, and insight into the basis for the poor survival of the transferred cells is lacking. We previously reported a novel culture method that induces AML dendritic cell differentiation and primes in situ AML-reactive T cells (AMLDC culture) (Zhong et al. Exp Hematol2008, 36:486). Highly reactive anti-AML T-cell lines were generated. These T-cell lines caused specific lysis of autologous AML cells, but not autologous LCL or allogeneic AML cells, and they depleted autologous AML colony-forming cells (CFC), but not normal CFC. The culture procedure has been further optimized in this study. We found that by the addition of the TLR-4 agonist LPS,(1–100 ng/ml) in the last 24 hours of AMLDC culture (day 6), CD80, CD86, CD53, CD83 or HLA-Dr expression of AML cells pre-induced by cytokine combination GM-CSF/IL-4 or GM-CSF/IL4/IL2/IL7/IL12 could be significantly enhanced (n=6, P Conclusions: Timely exposure of AMLDC culture to TLR-4 agonists, followed by T cell expansion, may promote the generation of AML-reactive T cells and differentiation toward the central memory phenotype. Theoretically, this should promote long-term maintenance and potential of regulation of both humoral and cellular immune responses against AML upon infusion of AML reactive autologous T cells derived from such cultures and may therefore enhance the therapeutic efficacy of these cells.
Ecological impacts of Pogonomyrmex on woody vegetation of a Larrea-Ambrosia shrubland

Plant species richness, diversity, and frequency were quantitatively examined within Pogonomyrmex rugosus (seed-harvester ant) nest discs and at various distances from nest discs in a Larrea tridentata-Ambrosia dumosa (creosote bush-white bursage) shrubland in southern Nevada. Woody vegetation at and near the edge (perimeter) of nest discs showed decreased species richness, density, and frequency compared with vegetation in adjacent reference areas (nonnest; 4 m beyond discs). Four of 17 species were found with significantly lower density and frequency on nest discs than at greater distances from the nest. Thirteen of 17 species were not found on nest discs at all. Species richness, density, and frequency were significantly and negatively correlated with distance from nests. Woody vegetation was sparse and less variable in composition when occurring at discs and edges of discs. Local disturbance caused by P. rugosus nests may largely alter immediate surrounding vegetation in the L. tridentata-A. dumosa shrub land of southern Nevada.
The importance of appropriate initial bacterial colonization of the intestine in newborn, child, and adult health

The fetus does not reside in a sterile intrauterine environment and is exposed to commensal bacteria from the maternal gut/blood stream that cross the placenta and enter the amniotic fluid. This intestinal exposure to colonizing bacteria continues at birth and during the first year of life and has a profound influence on lifelong health. Why is this important? Intestinal crosstalk with colonizing bacteria in the developing intestine affects the infant's adaptation to extrauterine life (immune homeostasis) and provides protection against disease expression (allergy, autoimmune disease, obesity, etc.) later in life. Colonizing intestinal bacteria are critical to the normal development of host defense. Disrupted colonization (dysbiosis) due to maternal dysbiosis, cesarean section delivery, use of perinatal antibiotics, or premature delivery may adversely affect the gut development of host defense and predispose to inflammation rather than to homeostasis, leading to increased susceptibility to disease later in life. Babies born by cesarean section have a higher incidence of allergy, type 1 diabetes, and obesity. Infants given repeated antibiotic regimens during the first year of life are more likely to have asthma as adolescents. This research breakthrough helps to explain the shift in disease paradigms from infections to immune-mediated in children from developed countries. This review will develop this research breakthrough.
Pediatric Human Immunodeficiency Virus Continuum of Care: A Concise Review of Evidence-Based Practice

Children and adolescents living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) represent a population that requires a unique approach to HIV care. Prevention, testing, initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and retention and engagement in care are critical steps. Each step requires providers to address age-specific barriers, so that successful and prolonged viral suppression can occur. Adherence to ART, disclosure of HIV-positive status, and stigma are examples of struggles faced by youth, their families, and health care providers. A multifaceted approach and thoughtful transitions of care are needed, but with sustained ART, youth living with HIV can survive and thrive with the expectation of a normal lifespan.
Public attention, social media, and the Edward Snowden saga

Although prior research indicated the power of social media in drawing attention to particular issues, little research explored precise patterns by which an issue sustains its salience in mediated social platforms. We dissected the issue-attention cycle of Snowden revelations over a one-year period. We tackled this, using real-time large-scale Twitter data, and found that social media attention varied dramatically over time by the specificities of issue. Volumes of attention associated with — instead of being independent from — traditional media mention of the issues. Directions for future studies as well as implications for using social media for civil rights issues are addressed.
Ethnic Variation in Satisfaction and Appearance Concerns in Adolescents With Idiopathic Scoliosis Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion With Instrumentation.

Abstract Study Design Cohort analysis. Objective Document satisfaction with management and appearance concerns in children of different ethnicity who underwent spinal fusion/instrumentation for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Summary of Background Data Scoliosis Research Society Questionnaire (SRS-30) outcomes in AIS indicate a link between appearance and satisfaction as well as ethnic variation in appearance domain. Exploration of these findings in the Scoliosis Appearance Questionnaire (SAQ) will allow better understanding of ethnic variation in appearance concerns. Methods Children with AIS who underwent posterior-only operations and completed the SAQ's question 31 were identified. Univariate logistic regression of SAQ questions 12-30 was used to assess relationships with ethnicity. Results 1,977 children [boys: 281, girls: 1,290, unspecified: 406; average age 15.1 ± 2.0 years preoperatively and 817 children (boys: 113, girls: 569, unspecified: 135; average age 15.1 ± 2.0 years) at 2 years' follow-up met inclusion criteria. The majority were Caucasian (57.3%). Few were Hispanic (3.4%). Preoperatively, the largest percentage of patients in each ethnic group answered “very true” to “wanting to be more even.” Preoperatively, Asians were least likely to be concerned about evenness of shoulders, hips, waist, ribs, and chest in back (p Conclusions Ethnicity influenced appearance concerns in pre- and postoperative SAQ evaluation. Ethnic variation in appearance concerns should be taken into account and differentiated when counseling patients about AIS and surgical correction. Level of Evidence Level III.
Bighorn sheep response to ephemeral habitat fragmentation by cattle

We studied seasonal cattle grazing as an agent of ephemeral habitat fragmentation on a newly reintroduced population of California bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis californiana ) in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Idaho, 1988-89. We evaluated the hypothesis that bighorn sheep avoid cattle. We documented sheep response to the proximity to cattle by direct observation. The core areas used by bighorn and distances to escape terrain generally decreased as cattle moved closer to sheep. Likewise, sheep moved from cattle as cattle approached them. Severity of response we observed is in marked contrast with that reported for established bighorn populations, suggesting that newly reintroduced bighorn sheep are more highly sensitive to the presence of cattle.
Proximal/Cervical Esophageal Cancer

The management of proximal/cervical esophageal cancer is challenging and differs from that of cancers of the remaining esophagus. Most cervical esophageal cancers are locally and/or regionally advanced at the time of presentation. Histologically, cervical esophageal cancers are most likely to be squamous cell carcinoma. Due to proximity to critical organs, they are often not amenable to surgery and are usually managed similarly to locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with concurrent chemoradiation, which offers similar locoregional control and survival as compared to surgical resection, with lesser functional impairment and better quality of life. Radiation techniques have improved tremendously over the past several decades, resulting in less acute and late complications. This chapter provides a practical guide for evidence and treatment planning considerations for proximal/cervical esophageal cancers.
Interoperability of Disease Concepts in Clinical and Research Ontologies: Contrasting Coverage and Structure in the Disease Ontology and SNOMED CT.

Objectives To contrast the coverage of diseases between the Disease Ontology (DO) and SNOMED CT, and to compare the hierarchical structure of the two ontologies. Methods We establish a reference list of mappings. We characterize unmapped concepts in DO semantically and structurally. Finally, we compare the hierarchical structure between the two ontologies. Results Overall, 4478 (65%) the 6931 DO concepts are mapped to SNOMED CT. The cancer and neoplasm subtrees of DO account for many of the unmapped concepts. The most frequent differentiae in unmapped concepts include morphology (for cancers and neoplasms), specific subtypes (for rare genetic disorders), and anatomical subtypes. Unmapped concepts usually form subtrees, and less often correspond to isolated leaves or intermediary concepts. Conclusion This detailed analysis of the gaps in coverage and structural differences between DO and SNOMED CT contributes to the interoperability between these two ontologies and will guide further validation of the mapping.
Features and Limitations of Passive Measurements

Passive measurement of spontaneously emitted radiation is one of the simplest methods which can reveal nuclear threats such as the presence of special nuclear material. However, passive measurements are typically hampered by the relatively small magnitude of signal embedded in a large and variable background, which can be naturally occurring or originate from human activities. The magnitude of various passive signatures from special nuclear materials is reviewed and compared to typical backgrounds. Next, the concepts of gross radiation counting, energy resolution, and imaging are introduced and their value in the context of passive measurements is discussed. The difficulty of passive detection of even a sizable amount of special nuclear material in real environments is illustrated by examples, and the relative value of detection efficiency, energy resolution, and background suppression is discussed.
Undrained cylindrical cavity expansion in anisotropic critical state soils

This paper develops a rigorous semi-analytical approach for the undrained cylindrical cavity expansion problem using an anisotropic critical state clay plasticity model. The model, originally propo...
A 678- $\mu$ W Frequency-Modulation-Based ADC With 104-dB Dynamic Range in 44-kHz Bandwidth

This brief presents a frequency-modulation-based analog-to-digital converter (FM ADC) that takes advantage of the coding gain resulting from bandwidth expansion in the analog domain of FM systems to achieve high dynamic range and incorporates a highly digital demodulation approach for power efficiency. The novel architecture employs a sinusoidal output voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a relatively low-resolution successive approximation register ADC to sample signals in the FM domain, and then a digital signal processing FM demodulator to recover high-resolution samples of the VCO’s original analog input. The proposed ADC is implemented in 0.5-mm2 of 65-nm CMOS; it achieves 104-dB DR, 99-dB SNR, and 71-dB SNDR in a 44-kHz bandwidth while dissipating $678 ~{\mu } \text{W}$ of power. The architecture of the FM ADC leverages analog domain processing for system performance and digital domain processing for lower power. This novel approach presents a viable alternative to delta-sigma converters for high dynamic range conversion in advanced process nodes.
The Foraged Countryside: Perceptions of Nature and Culture in Four Encounters with Fungi

Reflecting upon a growing trend of mushroom hunting and foraging in Britain, this contribution examines both television portrayals and ethnographic experiences of the activity in order to deconstruct the narrative composition of such encounters. Including analysis of a television program, a tourist day course, a conservation ramble, and a foray with a local fungi enthusiast, the chapter suggests that these encounters with fungi all mediate diverse meanings about how nature and culture interact and what constitutes 'wild' food. Beginning with a narrative analysis of the television program, it becomes possible to read the ethnographic encounters as socially performed narratives as well, each revealing underlying perceptions of rural places and reinforcing the social and material construction of the countryside.
Algorithms for Hypercube Computers

This chapter will study how several problems in image processing and scientific computing can be solved on hypercube computers. All of the problems will be solved using a plain hypercube computer (see Chapter 10) and the hypercube-derived computers (see Chapter 9). Unless stated otherwise, it will be assumed that N = P and that each processor has a constant number of words of memory, each consisting of O(log N) bits. Many of the algorithms in this chapter will make extensive use of the communication primitives given in the previous chapter.
Bone Matrix Proteoglycans and Glycoproteins

Publisher Summary Bone matrix proteoglycans and glycoproteins are proportionally the most abundant constituents of the noncollagenous proteins in bone matrix. Proteoglycan are characterized by the covalent attachment of long chain polysaccharides (glycosaminoglycans, GAGs) to core protein molecules. GAGs are composed of repeating carbohydrate units that are sulfated to varying degrees, and include chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), keratan sulfate (KS), and heparin sulfate (HS). Different subclasses of proteoglycan are generally characterized by the structure of the core protein and by the nature of the GAG. Proteoglycans with protein cores composed of the leucine-rich repeat sequences such as decorin, biglycan, fibromodulin, and osteoadherin, are the predominant form found in mineralized matrix, although hyaluronan-binding forms are present during early stages of osteogenesis. They participate in matrix organization and in regulating growth factor activity. Glycoproteins, such as alkaline phosphatase, osteonectin, RGD-containing proteins (osteoadherin, thrombospondin, fibronectin, vitronectin, osteopontin, bone sialoprotein), fibrillin, and tetranectin are produced at different stages of osteoblastic maturation. They exhibit a broad array of functions ranging from control of cell proliferation, cell-matrix interactions, and mediation of hydroxyapatite deposition. The ectopic expression of bone matrix proteins may also play a significant role in pathological states such as bone metastasis in certain forms of cancer and atherosclerosis.
Practical Considerations in Preimplantation Diagnosis

Anne McLaren, a pioneer in the study of embryo manipulation, wrote the following summary of the prospects for preimplantation genetic diagnosis: “Although possibilities exist for preimplantation diagnosis by means of embryonic biopsy, much research on human material would need to be done to find out whether they were feasible, or whether they reduced unduly the chances of a successful pregnancy. Since they necessarily involve in vitro manipulation and subsequent embryo transfer, it seems unlikely that they would ever become the method of choice except for couples who were undertaking IVF for other reasons, or who had absolute objections to post-implantation termination of pregnancy, combined with considerable determination and financial resources. For most couples, chorionic villus biopsy as early in the post-implantation period as is safe and practicable would seem to offer better prospects.”(1)
Platform Selection of a Manta-Inspired Robot for Mitigating Near-Shore Harmful Algal Blooms

Anthropologic impacts on freshwater have created toxic algal blooms that are challenging to address due to scale and shallow conditions along the shore. Mimicking a manta ray’s motion and structure offers a platform for an environmental service robot that can thrive under such constraints. The structure of the manta enables slow-gliding high-maneuverability in shallow conditions. The fin placement allows periods of gliding through the water, reducing actuation frequency and its disruption to the surrounding environment. This report analyzes various ray inspired robotics and their features, to determine the optimal design for an environmental service robot. By integrating a bioinspired algal filter with a manta-inspired robotic platform, near-shore blooms could be reduced without introducing a new threat to the struggling ecosystem.