cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Significance of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Replication Fitness

The relative fitness of a variant, according to population genetics theory, is that variant's relative contribution to successive generations. Most drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variants have reduced replication fitness, but at least some of these deficits can be compensated for by the accumulation of second-site mutations. HIV-1 replication fitness also appears to influence the likelihood of a drug-resistant mutant emerging during treatment failure and is postulated to influence clinical outcomes. A variety of assays are available to measure HIV-1 replication fitness in cell culture; however, there is no agreement regarding which assays best correlate with clinical outcomes. A major limitation is that there is no high-throughput assay that incorporates an internal reference strain as a control and utilizes intact virus isolates. Some retrospective studies have demonstrated statistically significant correlations between HIV-1 replication fitness and clinical outcomes in some patient populations. However, different studies disagree as to which clinical outcomes are most closely associated with fitness. This may be in part due to assay design, sample size limitations, and differences in patient populations. In addition, the strength of the correlations between fitness and clinical outcomes is modest, suggesting that, at present, it would be difficult to utilize these assays for clinical management.
Local network regulation of orexin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus

Obesity and inadequate sleep are among the most common causes of health problems in modern society. Thus, the discovery that orexin (hypocretin) neurons play a pivotal role in sleep/wake regulation, energy balance, and consummatory behaviors has sparked immense interest in understanding the regulatory mechanisms of these neurons. The local network consisting of neurons and astrocytes within the lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area (LH/PFA), where orexin neurons reside, shapes the output of orexin neurons and the LH/PFA. Orexin neurons not only send projections to remote brain areas but also contribute to the local network where they release multiple neurotransmitters to modulate its activity. These neurotransmitters have opposing actions, whose balance is determined by the amount released and postsynaptic receptor desensitization. Modulation and negative feedback regulation of excitatory glutamatergic inputs as well as release of astrocyte-derived factors, such as lactate and ATP, can also affect the excitability of orexin neurons. Furthermore, distinct populations of LH/PFA neurons express neurotransmitters with known electrophysiological actions on orexin neurons, such as melanin-concentrating hormone, corticotropin-releasing factor, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, neurotensin, and GABA. These LH/PFA-specific mechanisms may be important for fine tuning the firing activity of orexin neurons to maintain optimal levels of prolonged output to sustain wakefulness and stimulate consummatory behaviors. Building on these exciting findings should shed further light onto the cellular mechanisms of energy balance and sleep-wake regulation.
Power flow for spacecraft power systems

A method for constructing the generalized system-level admittance matrix for use with a Newton-Raphson power flow is presented. The network modeling technique presented does not use the standard pi-equivalent models, which assume a lossless return path, for the transmission line and transformer. If the return path cannot be assumed lossless, then the standard algorithms for constructing the system admittance matrix cannot be used. The method presented uses concepts from linear graph theory to combine network modules to form the system-level admittance matrix. The modeling technique is presented, and the resulting matrix is used with a standard Newton-Raphson power flow to calculate all system voltages and current (power) flows. >
Therapist Perspectives: Wii Active Videogames Use in Inpatient Settings with People Who Have Had a Brain Injury.

Abstract Objective: Brain injuries (BIs) are a major public health issue. Clinical experience and literature have identified that it is often challenging to motivate people who have had a BI to engage in repetitive exercises commonly prescribed for rehabilitation. As a result, some therapists include commercial active videogames (AVGs) in their therapy sessions to help make repetitive actions fun and engaging. In this project, we explored how the therapists used commercial AVGs to better understand the major barriers and enablers of use. Materials and Methods: We interviewed 17 therapists from two rehabilitation hospitals who work with people who have had a BI. After the interviews were transcribed, we identified salient themes. Results: At the time of the interviews, therapists were using only the Nintendo® (Kyoto, Japan) Wii™ console. Common therapeutic goals included balance and weight shifting. Several patient factors, such as cognitive and physical abilities, age, and previous gaming experience, were...
Working memory load modulation of parieto-frontal connections: evidence from dynamic causal modeling

Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that working memory load has marked effects on regional neural activation. However, the mechanism through which working memory load modulates brain connectivity is still unclear. In this study, this issue was addressed using dynamic causal modeling (DCM) based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Eighteen normal healthy subjects were scanned while they performed a working memory task with variable memory load, as parameterized by two levels of memory delay and three levels of digit load (number of digits presented in each visual stimulus). Eight regions of interest, i.e., bilateral middle frontal gyrus (MFG), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), inferior frontal cortex (IFC), and posterior parietal cortex (PPC), were chosen for DCM analyses. Analysis of the behavioral data during the fMRI scan revealed that accuracy decreased as digit load increased. Bayesian inference on model structure indicated that a bilinear DCM in which memory delay was the driving input to bilateral PPC and in which digit load modulated several parieto-frontal connections was the optimal model. Analysis of model parameters showed that higher digit load enhanced connection from L PPC to L IFC, and lower digit load inhibited connection from R PPC to L ACC. These findings suggest that working memory load modulates brain connectivity in a parieto-frontal network, and may reflect altered neuronal processes, e.g., information processing or error monitoring, with the change in working memory load. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Men's Help Seeking: Examination of Differences Across Community Size, Education, and Income

The present study examined the relationships between traditional Western masculine norms, self-stigma, and attitudes toward counseling among 4,748 men from different community sizes, and different education and income levels. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses suggest that, across all male subgroups, masculine norms were linked to self-stigma and, in turn, attitudes toward counseling. However, several clear differences in the strengths of the relationships between model variables were found, including a relationship between masculine norms and self-stigma that was twice as strong for rural men than for other men. The importance of attending to the varying relationships among masculine norm conformity, self-stigma, and help-seeking attitudes for men from these diverse demographic backgrounds—in the context of clinical practice, prevention, and future research—is discussed.
Vertebral anatomy in the Florida manatee, Trichechus manatus latirostris: A developmental and evolutionary analysis

The vertebral column of the Florida manatee presents an unusual suite of morphological traits. Key among these are a small precaudal count, elongate thoracic vertebrae, extremely short neural spines, lack of a sacral series, high lumbar variability, and the presence of six instead of seven cervical vertebrae. This study documents vertebral morphology, size, and lumbar variation in 71 skeletons of Trichechus manatus latirostris (Florida manatee) and uses the skeletons of Trichechus senegalensis (west African manatee) and Dugong dugon (dugong) in comparative analysis. Vertebral traits are used to define morphological, and by inference developmental, column modules and to propose their hierarchical relationships. A sequence of evolutionary innovations in column morphology is proposed. Results suggest that the origin of the fluke and low rates of cervical growth originated before separation of trichechids (manatees) and dugongids (dugongs). Meristic reduction in count is a later, trichechid innovation and is expressed across the entire precaudal column. Elongation of thoracic vertebrae may be an innovative strategy to generate an elongate column in an animal with a small precaudal count. Elimination of the lumbus through both meristic and homeotic reduction is currently in progress.
HEDS: Hybrid deduplication approach for email servers

While the volume of emails are ever-increasing, email servers tend to have large redundancies demanding huge storage unnecessarily. MS exchange single instance (SIS) attempts storage-efficiency by removing redundant copies of an entire email-level when it is destined for multiple recipients' mailboxes within a server. However, redundant attachments or parts of emails due to threads are left storage-inefficient by SIS. On the other hand, existing deduplication systems are mainly for backup systems, and execute deduplication in block-level that makes it difficult to be used in in-line systems. We propose a hybrid scheme that adaptively performs deduplication at the granularity of either the file-level or chunk-level. We have designed and implemented a hybrid email deduplicaiton system, named HEDS, and evaluated it with real email datasets.We show that it achieves a high data reduction rate while keeping the CPU and memory overhead small;thus, it is feasible to be used as an in-line system on email servers.
The use of ALGEL/spl reg/ as an artificial dura for chronic cortical implant neuroprosthetics

Surgical techniques are a critical contributor to the level of success achieved with chronically implanted cortical neuroprosthetic devices. Many different factors contribute to the amount of irritation the tissue is exposed to from the implanted device. Factors include mechanical irritations, infectious pathogens, dural regrowth, etc. In this paper we describe a novel application of the hydrogel polymer, ALGEL/spl reg/ (Neural Intervention Technologies, Ann Arbor, MI), in conjunction with an implanted Michigan probe (CNCT, University of Michigan). This polymer contains many inherent properties that are beneficial to this type of procedure. Properties include: 1) ease of application, 2) biocompatibility, 3) exemplary mechanical properties, and 4) translucent clarity. We believe that ALGEL has been a large contributor to the high level of success achieved with our chronic electrode implantations.
Pisifform area pain treatment by pisiform excision

Thirty-three patients with pisiform area pain have been treated. Of these, the pisiform bone was excised in 21 patients who had intractable pisiform bone pain that was not relieved by the conservative methods of immobilization, local steroid injection, and anti-inflammatory medication. The indications for excision were painful union or nonunion of pisiform fractures, pisiform-triquetrial arthritis, and tendonitis of the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) insertion. Wrist strength and mobility was maintained by doing a subperiosteal dissection and removal of the pisiform bone. This technique preserves the insertion of the FCU tendon and its distal extension, the piso hamate and the piso metacarpal ligaments.
The Asymptotic Distribution of the Renyi Maximal Correlation

Renyi (1959) defined the maximal correlation ρ between a pair of random variables (U, W) as where the supremum is taken over all functions of U and W with finite second moments. In this paper we derive the asymptotic distribution of the estimate of the Rbnyi correlation coefficient based on a sample of independent observations under the assumption that (U, W) are independent and assume only a finite number of values.
Inhibition of Cytokine Gene Transcription by the Human Recombinant Histamine-Releasing Factor in Human T Lymphocytes

Human recombinant histamine-releasing factor (HrHRF) preincubation enhances the secretion of histamine, IL-4, and IL-13 from FcepsilonRI-stimulated human basophils. In GM-CSF-primed human eosinophils, HrHRF increases IL-8 production. Our recent experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of HrHRF on human T cell cytokine production. Purified T cells were preincubated with GST-tagged HrHRF, followed by stimulation with PMA and A23187 overnight. A partial inhibition of IL-2 and IL-13 production (30 and 75%, respectively) was detected compared with that in cells treated with PMA/A23187 alone. However, the production of IFN-gamma was similar in PMA/A23187 stimulated cells with or without HrHRF. The inhibition of cytokine protein production was dose dependent and specific to the HrHRF portion of GST-HrHRF. The inhibition was not due to endotoxin, since preincubation with polymyxin B and HrHRF gave similar results to that with HrHRF alone. The same pattern and specificity of cytokine regulation were replicated in the Jurkat T cell line as for primary T cells. The PMA/A23187-stimulated activity of a proximal promoter IL-13, IL-4, or IL-2 luciferase construct transfected into Jurkat cells was partially inhibited (60, 32, or 70%, respectively) upon GST-HrHRF preincubation, suggesting that HrHRF functions to inhibit cytokine production in Jurkat cells by preventing gene transcription. The inhibition of IL-2 promoter activation was specific to the HrHRF portion of GST-HrHRF. We conclude that HrHRF, in addition to functioning as a histamine-releasing factor, can differentially modulate the secretion of cytokines from human basophils, eosinophils, T cells, and murine B cells, suggesting that it may induce a complex array of responses at sites of allergic inflammation.
Elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: relationship of hospital teaching status to repair type, resource use, and outcomes.

Background There has been a dramatic increase in the use of endovascular technology for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), but practice patterns have not been well-evaluated. Hospital resource use and outcomes after elective endovascular abdominal aortic repair (EVAR) and open surgical repair were assessed by hospital type, ie, major teaching (MT), teaching affiliate, and nonteaching (NT). Study Design Elective, nonruptured AAA repairs were identified in the State Inpatient Databases for New Jersey (2001 to 2006). Descriptive statistics, univariate, multivariable, trend, and case-mix–adjustment analyses were employed. Results A total of 6,227 subjects were identified; 4,698 patients (mean age 73.0 ± 8.01 years; 79.2% men) underwent elective repair of AAA. EVAR was performed 2.6 times more often in MT compared with NT (p Conclusions Hospital teaching status was significantly associated with repair type, overall mortality, and hospital resource use. MT hospitals were considerably more likely to use EVAR for elective AAA repair, offered an improvement in survival, were more likely to treat women and minorities with EVAR, and demonstrated decreased length of stay and cost.
PRECISION OF SIMULTANEOUS MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES

Abstract We consider the problem of measurement under the following conditions: The process of gathering the data is such that on any given item only one opportunity for measurement occurs, but simultaneous observation by several instruments is possible. The items to be measured are variable so that one cannot obtain replicate observations with the same instrument which would show directly the variance of the instrument readings. Procedures are discussed for estimating the precisions of the instruments and the variability of the items being measured.
26-Year creep and recovery of poly(vinyl chloride) and polyethylene

Creep experiments on two thermoplastics at constant values of tensile stress, temperature, and relative humidity previously reported for 132,000 h were continued to about 230,000 h. An equation of the form ϵ = ϵo + ϵ+tn was used to predict the creep, where t is time and ϵo, ϵ+, and n are constants for a given stress. ϵo, ϵ+, and n were determined from the first 1900 h of data and were used to predict the creep to 230,000 h. The subsequent recovery on unloading was predicted using the same equation together with the superposition principle. Also reported are creep and recovery of companion specimens aged for about 98,000 h.
Composition and Structural Studies of Strong Glow Discharge Polymer Coatings

OAK A271 COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF STRONG GLOW DISCHARGE POLYMER COATINGS. An investigation of the chemical composition and structure of strong glow discharge (GDP) polymer shells made for cryogenic experiments at OMEGA is described. The investigation was carried out using combustion and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The strongest coatings were observed to have the lowest hydrogen content or hydrogen/carbon H/C ratio, whereas the weakest coatings had the highest hydrogen content or H/C ratio. Chemical composition results from combustion were used to complement FTIR analysis to determine the relative hydrogen content of as-fabricated coatings. Good agreement was observed between composition results obtained from combustion and FTIR analysis. FTIR analysis of coating structures showed the strongest coatings to have less terminal methyl groups and a more double bond or olefinic structure. Strong GDP coatings that were aged in air react more with oxygen and moisture than standard GDP coatings. In addition to a more olefinic structure, there may also be more free-radial sites present in strong GDP coatings, which leads to greater oxygen uptake.
Decision development in small groups: III. A multiple sequence model of group decision development.

This paper argues that traditional models of group decision making as a series of discrete, consecutive phases are inadequate. It advocates replacing them by a more complex and accurate model of continuously‐developing threads of group activity. In section I the phasic model is evaluated in view of recent research on decision development in small groups. To overcome several problems with the phasic model section II develops a new model, which conceptualizes decision development as a set of continuously evolving tracks of activity, intertwining over time. Based on previous research, this model advances a new descriptive system, which specifies (a) three tracks of group activity, (b) several types of “breakpoints” which mark changes in the development of the strands, and (c) a structural model of task accomplishment. The interrelations among the three descriptive components give a more complex and accurate picture of decision development than the phasic model. In section III, two explanatory factors which d...
An Analytical Interpretation of Welding Linear Heat Input for 2D Residual Stress Models

Welding residual stress simulation using finite element analysis has become increasingly common in supporting fitness-for-service assessment. Two dimensional (2D) cross-section models, such as using generalized plane strain assumptions for linear welds in plate structures and axisymmetric assumptions for piping and vessel girth welds are typically used due to their computational efficiency and simplicity in data reduction process, especially for performing a large amount of parametric analyses. However, there seem no consistent procedures in place for translating actual weld linear heat input used in practice to a 2D cross-section model in which heat loss in welding travel direction is unaccounted for, often resulting in overheating to a significant degree if actual welding heat input is used.This paper starts with the introduction of a two-part analytical linear heat input representation for a simplified 2D weld residual stress modeling procedure in which weld metal is deposited at a preset temperature such as melting with a hold time. The first part is based on a simple thermodynamics concept, which describes the heat required for elevating a weld pass from room temperature to deposition temperature. The second part is based on an equivalent transient heat transfer solution that measures the amount of heat needed to sustain deposit temperature during hold time. With this proposed method, linear heat input involved in a 2D residual stress model can be inferred for relating to actual welding conditions, typically specified in terms of current, voltage, and welding speed. By the same token, for a given set of welding parameters, welding heat flow modeling procedure involved in a 2D FE residual stress model can be consistently defined in terms of deposit temperature and hold time. A number of validation case studies are presented and the results have showed that the proposed procedure provides an effective means for inter-relating actual welding linear heat input and heat content associated with 2D residual stress models.© 2015 ASME
What's So Hard About Sex Equality?: Nature, Culture, and Social Engineering

Why is sex equality so hard to achieve? Social cooperation between women and men in various domains of life is assumed to be a fundamental and necessary building block of society, but proves hard to secure on terms of equality. One answer is that feminist quests for equality in private and public life are a form of misguided social engineering that ignores natural sex difference. This chapter examines arguments that nature and culture constrain feminist law reform. Appeals to nature argue that brain science and evolutionary psychology find salient differences between women and men, limiting what social engineering can achieve in fostering sex equality or reforming family law. Appeals to culture argue that constructions of masculinity and femininity are tenacious; challenging them threatens women’s and men’s sense of identity and causes resistance to equality. Contemporary society may espouse a commitment to a “gender neutral society,” but men’s and women’s “unofficial desire” (as Harvey Mansfield puts it) stands in the way. I discuss three examples of cultural resistance: the debate about egalitarian marriage, work/life conflict, and popular novels and films about heterosexual romance. Often at work in discussions about sex inequality is the notion of a proper equilibrium between the sexes that is upset when sex roles change or differences are minimized. However, even as critiques of feminist social engineering invoke nature and culture, problems posed by nature feature as a reason to embrace social engineering in the form of the social institution of marriage: Marriage is fundamental, yet fragile. I illustrate this by examining arguments (in case law and the marriage movement) against allowing same-sex couples to marry. The chapter then considers how feminist or female-centered work in evolutionary science challenges the presentation of nature and evolution in popularizing accounts and in public policy arguments. This work cautions about the politics of prehistory, or how certain gender biases or stereotypes may shape the study of human origins and impose a “paleolithic glass ceiling.”
Toward Successful Management of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for People with Disabilities: A Data Mining Approach

This study proposes a multi-level data analysis approach to identify both superficial and latent relationships among variables in the data set obtained from a vocational rehabilitation (VR) services program of people with significant disabilities. At the first layer, data mining and statistical predictive models are used to extract the superficial relationships between dependent and independent variables. To supplement the findings and relationships from the analysis at the first layer, association rule mining algorithms at the second layer are employed to extract additional sets of interesting associative relationships among variables. Finally, nonlinear nonparametric canonical correlation analysis (NLCCA) along with clustering algorithm is employed to identify latent nonlinear relationships. Experimental outputs validate the usefulness of the proposed approach. In particular, the identified latent relationship indicates that disability types (i.e., physical and mental) and severity (i.e., severe, most severe, not severe) have a significant impact on the levels of self-esteem and self-confidence of people with disabilities. The identified superficial and latent relationships can be used to train education program designers and policy developers to maximize the outcomes of VR training programs.
Topological Structures for Studying Dynamic Equations on Time Scales

We construct the topological framework within which we can study the solution space for a given dynamic equation on time scales. We call these the Hausdorff-Fell topologies. The space of finite time scales is dense in the space of all time scales under the Hausdorff-Fell topology. The natural projection from solutions to their domains is a homeomorphism when all solutions are unique.
Orientation Patterning of II-VI Semiconductor Films for Quasi-phasematched Nonlinear Devices

Waveguide frequency conversion based on quasi-phasematched (QPM) nonlinear optical interactions has been actively studied over the past several years as a means for efficiently generating radiation at wavelengths where no convenient source exists. Quasiphasematching requires modulation of the nonlinear susceptibility every coherence length (typically several microns), so these devices require media with nonlinear susceptibilities that can be spatially patterned. All efficient QPM waveguide devices fabricated to date have used ferroelectrics with periodically reversed domains to accomplish the necessary modulation of the effective nonlinear coefficient.
Transgressive and negotiated White racial knowledge

AbstractThis critical case study investigated the experiences of six White preservice teachers as they learned about race and racism during the first semester of an urban-focused teacher preparation program. The author identified two broad themes of transgressive White racial knowledge and negotiated White racial knowledge to capture the participants’ engagement with the topic of race. By detailing the complexities of the racial knowledge of a group of race-conscious White teachers, the project helps to de-homogenize conceptualizations of White teachers’ racial identities. The transgressive knowledge displayed by the participants largely occurred in their intellectual understandings of issues related to urban education. When the participants discussed their antiracist practice and their own complicity in racism, their negotiations with critical understandings of race emerged. These findings suggest that educators working with race-conscious White teachers should emphasize the messiness inherent in enactin...
Why Has Wind Power Capacity Been Overinvested Under Uncertainty in China

There are many uncertainties associated with the investment in wind power capacity in China. Nevertheless, wind capacity in China has been overinvested in the past several years and continues to be invested. This study attempts to explore the reasons why overinvestment has occurred under uncertainty. The analytical result implies that it would be optimal to invest more under uncertainty than in the corresponding risk-free world if an increase in the capital stock of wind capacity can significantly reduce the risk of wind abandonment. Since the majority of the investors are SOEs, it is very likely that the investors believe that higher wind capital stock can help to significantly reduce the risk, and thus have incentives to invest more under uncertainty. This belief is mainly backed up by the fact that SOEs play a special role in the economy. Therefore, overinvestment in wind capacity can hardly be avoided.
Research on product technological labour division planning based on Web

Aiming at the problems of product technological labour division in the manufacturing enterprises ally,the planning system of product technological labour division based on Web was studied and developed.This thesis expounded the designing method of technological labour division and brought forward new concepts of logical manufacturing unit and logical processing path etc..A detailed discussion has been carried out on systematic structure and functional composition of product technological labour division system,the modeling method of parts and logical manufacturing unit based on the network synthesized manufacturing resources,the design of logical processing path and the generative method of executable processing path based on knowledge.
On Improvement of Snow Water Equivalence Estimation for Passive Microwave Instrument—AMSR/E

In this paper,we evaluate the capability of a multi-scattering microwave emission model that includes the Dense Media Radiative Transfer Model(DMRT) and Advanced Integral Equation Model(AIEM) to simulate dry snow emission with the Matrix Doubling approach.We compared the predictions of this model with ground experimental measurements.The comparison showed that our snow microwave emission model agreed well with the experimental measurements.In order to develop retrieval snow properties:snow depth or snow water equivalence(SWE) retrieval algorithm,we carried out the sensitivity test between the emission models with the different scattering-order:the zeroth-order,the first-order and the multi-scattering models.The results indicated that the multi-scattering effects have to be taken into account in the snow emission model,especially for large grain size.Due to the complexity of the multi-scattering model,we developed a parameterized inversion model using our multi-scattering emission model with a wide range of snow and under-ground properties for algorithm development purpose.
Scattering of a plane elastic compressional pulse by a cylindrical cavity

The scattering of a plane pulse by a circular cylindrical cavity in an infinite homogeneous, isotropic, linear elastic solid is a basic problem of current interest in studies on protective construction. Information exists in the literature on the stress, displacement, and velocity fields in the problem. Baron, Matthews, and Parnes [2, 3] evaluated, except for early time, the circumferential stress, displacements, and velocities at the cavity wall for the case of the incident plane step pressure, and also extended the work to the related shear wave input [4], Also, in the case of incident step pressure, approximations for the circumferential stress and displacements were given by Gilbert [5] for high frequency-short time, and by Soldate and Hook [6] for low freauencv-lons time.
Neutrophils from patients after burn injury express a deficiency of the oxidase components p47-phox and p67-phox

Infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients after thermal injury. This predisposition to infections is related, in part, to abnormal polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function and a diminished respiratory burst. To evaluate the biochemical basis for the defective respiratory burst after major burns, the status of the oxidase enzyme system and its components was investigated. PMNs were isolated from 24 patients with 12% to 62% burns. Oxidase activity of intact PMNs, measured as superoxide anion (O2-) generation or oxygen consumption, was decreased in burn compared with healthy controls. Subcellular fractions from patient PMNs generated less O2- in the sodium dodecyl sulfate cell-free system, and this was related to a diminished contribution by cytosol but not by plasma membrane. Subsequently, cytosol was separated with CM-Sepharose, yielding two fractions; one contained the p47-phox and p67-phox (47/67 mix) and the other contained the remaining cytosolic components (run through [RT]). Although the contribution to oxidase activity made by RT from patient cytosol was similar to that of control, the activity of p47/67 mix from PMNs of burn patients was deficient. Quantitative assays using an immunoautoradiographic technique showed a consistent, but significant decrease in both p47-phox and p67-phox. The addition of purified or human recombinant p47-phox but not p67-phox corrected the diminished oxidase activity of cytosol from burn patients. Thus, decreased respiratory burst activity found in PMNs from individuals with thermal injury was associated with a specific, quantitative deficiency of p47- phox.
Vernacular Craft of the North American Great Lakes

Over the last 30 years, East Carolina University’s Program in Maritime Studies has conducted historical archaeology research on the Great Lakes. The results of this research summarize and describe both the niches and ship adaptations of various watercraft developed there in the nineteenth century and serve to advertise the large amount of literature available concerning these craft in the so-called “gray literature” of unpublished Masters theses, collaborative “in-house” reports, as well as published reports and books. Discussion of this research includes brief descriptions plus archaeological examples of Grain, Canal, and Scow Schooners, along with Steamers, Steam Barges, Passenger/Freight Propellers, and Bulk Freighters. Research suggests that maritime development on the Great Lakes in the nineteenth century was shaped to a large degree by both economic and geologic/geographic circumstances.
Substance Use in Adolescents 10 Years After the World Trade Center Attacks in New York City

ABSTRACTWe examined prevalence of and factors associated with substance use 10 to 11 years post-9/11 among adolescents in the World Trade Center Health Registry. Logistic regression analyses showed that adolescents who witnessed a disturbing event on 9/11 were twice as likely to report ever drinking and almost three times as likely to have ever used marijuana. Among those ≥5 years of age on 9/11, fear for personal safety on 9/11 was significantly associated with having ever smoked cigarettes, ever drank, and ever used marijuana. Intervention and education for adolescents particularly focused on substance use and coping strategies may be warranted after large-scale disasters.
Abstract 4957: Next generation sequencing demonstrates association between tumor suppressor gene aberrations and poor outcome in patients with cancer

Next generation sequencing is advancing at a breathtaking pace, and is transforming patient care by allowing physicians to customize and match treatment to their patients’ tumor alterations. Our goal was to study the association between key molecular alterations and outcome parameters. We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathologic and clinical outcomes of 392 patients for whom molecular testing had been performed. Potential associations between clinical characteristics and outcome parameters (overall survival (OS), time to metastasis/recurrence, and best progression-free survival (PFS)) were examined. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models were used for our analysis, and results were subjected to internal validation using a resampling method (bootstrap analysis). In a multivariable analysis (Cox regression model), the parameters that were statistically associated with a poorer overall survival were the presence of metastases at diagnosis (P = 0.014), gastrointestinal histology (P Citation Format: Maria Schwaederle, Gregory A. Daniels, David E. Piccioni, Paul T. Fanta, Richard B. Schwab, Kelly A. Shimabukuro, Barbara A. Parker, Razelle Kurzrock. Next generation sequencing demonstrates association between tumor suppressor gene aberrations and poor outcome in patients with cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4957. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4957
Tetrodotoxin Resistance: Natural Experiments to Understand Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Structure and Function

Here we report data from our long-term studies of naturally occurring tetrodotoxin (TTX) resistant voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) in TTX-resistant metazoans. These results identify critical biophysical properties in individual members of the VGSC gene family as well as differences between members. Members of the VGSC gene family are expressed in different excitable tissues and encode proteins with different biophysical properties. Characterizing isoform-specific properties is critical for understanding functional differences between excitable cells because, in nerve and muscle cells, the compliment of VGSCs expressed controls cell excitability. TTX is a neurotoxin used by diverse taxa including octopuses, newts, and fishes. The toxin causes paralysis and death by binding to and blocking the pore of VGSCs. Amino acid substitutions in the channel pore alter TTX binding as well as change biophysical properties such as voltage-dependence of activation and slow inactivation. Multiple species have evolved resistance to TTX through pore substitutions in their VGSCs. We have used these natural experiments to identify shared substitutions in TTX-resistant VGSC orthologs (e.g. NaV1.4) and paralogs (e.g. NaV1.5 and NaV1.7) of multiple TTX-resistant animals. By characterizing the properties of channels encoded by synthesized snake NaV1.4 genes, our work identifies interactions between pore residues and demonstrates that multiple convergent amino acid substitutions are compensatory. Specific amino acid changes rescue channel function when they occur in combination with substitutions that dramatically increase TTX resistance. Additionally, our work confirms that TTX resistance evolved prior to ecological exposure in snake and salamander lineages. These patterns suggest that selective pressures on channel function rather than a requirement for TTX resistance supported alterations in channel structure in our study taxa. By comparing convergent and divergent substitutions, we identify critical biophysical differences between members of the VGSC gene family.
The mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo2 is selectively expressed in enterochromaffin (EC) cells of the human and mouse gastrointestinal mucosa

BACKGROUNDEnterochromaffin (EC) cells are enteroendocrine cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) epithelium that release serotonin (5-HT) in response to a variety of stimuli including mechanical force....
Nonparametric-Condition-Based Remaining Useful Life Prediction Incorporating External Factors

The use of condition monitoring (CM) signals to predict the remaining useful life of in-service units plays a critical role in reliability engineering. Many models assume that CM signals behave under similar external conditions or that external factors have no effect on the evolution of these signals. These assumptions might not hold in real-life applications. In this paper, we propose a nonparametric framework for modeling the evolution of CM signals under different external factors. The unique feature of our model is that it does not assume any functional form for CM signals and is able to incorporate the effect of external factors through a reparametrization technique called hypersphere decomposition. Through extensive numerical studies and a case study on automotive lead-acid batteries, we demonstrate the advantageous features of our proposed method specifically when the evolution of CM signals is impacted by external factors.
Effects of propofol and surgery on neuropathology and cognition in the 3xTgAD Alzheimer transgenic mouse model

Abstract Background Previous work suggests that anaesthesia and surgery amplify the pathology and cognitive impairment of animals made vulnerable via age or specific transgenes. We hypothesized that surgery under propofol anaesthesia, a widely used i.v. general anaesthetic, has minimal delayed cognitive and neuroinflammatory sequelae in a vulnerable mouse transgenic model. Methods We conducted caecal ligation and excision surgery in cognitively presymptomatic (11-month-old) 3xTgAD mice under i.p. propofol anaesthesia. Age-matched 3xTgAD control mice received vehicle or propofol without surgery. Morris water maze testing was conducted 3 and 15 weeks later. Brains were examined with quantitative immunohistochemistry for amyloid β plaques, tau pathology, and microglial activation. Acute changes in neuroinflammatory cytokines were assessed in separate cohorts at 6 h. Results We detected no significant differences between groups in escape latencies at either 3 or 15 weeks, but detected a significant effect of surgery in the probe test at both 3 and 15 weeks. Spatial working memory was unaffected at 16 weeks in any group. No effects of either propofol alone or propofol with surgery were detected on plaque formation, tau aggregates, or neuroinflammation. Acute biochemical assays detected no effects in brain interleukin-10 or interleukin-6 concentrations. Conclusions Surgery in a vulnerable transgenic mouse under propofol anaesthesia was associated with minimal to no changes in short- and long-term behaviour and no changes in neuropathology. This suggests that propofol anaesthesia is associated with better cognitive outcomes in the aged, vulnerable brain compared with inhalation anaesthesia.
Lung-Infiltrating Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells Are Quantitatively and Qualitatively Different during Eosinophilic and Neutrophilic Allergic Airway Inflammation but Essential To Control the Inflammation.

Understanding functions of Foxp3 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) during allergic airway inflammation remains incomplete. In this study, we report that, during cockroach Ag–induced allergic airway inflammation, Foxp3 + Tregs are rapidly mobilized into the inflamed lung tissues. However, the level of Treg accumulation in the lung was different depending on the type of inflammation. During eosinophilic airway inflammation, ∼30% of lung-infiltrating CD4 T cells express Foxp3, indicative of Tregs. On the contrary, only ∼10% of infiltrating CD4 T cells express Foxp3 during neutrophilic airway inflammation. Despite the different accumulation, the lung inflammation and inflammatory T cell responses were aggravated following Treg depletion, regardless of the type of inflammation, suggesting regulatory roles for Tregs. Interestingly, however, the extent to which inflammatory responses are aggravated by Treg depletion was significantly greater during eosinophilic airway inflammation. Indeed, lung-infiltrating Tregs exhibit phenotypic and functional features associated with potent suppression. Our results demonstrate that Tregs are essential regulators of inflammation, regardless of the type of inflammation, although the mechanisms used by Tregs to control inflammation may be shaped by environmental cues available to them.
Impact of sex on 30-day complications and long-term functional outcomes following ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for chronic ulcerative colitis

To determine the impact of patient sex on operative characteristics, short-term complications, and long-term functional outcomes following ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for chronic ulcerative colitis (CUC). A retrospective review was performed on all patients undergoing two- or three-stage IPAA for CUC at our institution between January 2002 and August 2013. Patient demographics, operative characteristics, 30-day postoperative complications, and long-term functional outcomes from annual survey data were analyzed comparing men and women patients. During the study period, 911 IPAAs (542 men, 369 women) were performed. Men were older and were more often obese (both p < 0.01). Use of a three-stage approach and laparoscopic approach were similar between men and women, but operation length, intraoperative blood loss, and hospital length of stay were all higher in men (all p < 0.05). At 30 days, women had increased rates of superficial surgical site infections and urinary tract infections (both p < 0.05), while men had increased rates of urinary retention (p = 0.03). Five hundred forty-six patients (60%; 307 men, 239 women) responded to the annual post IPAA survey with a median follow-up of 5.1 and 5.0 years in men and women, respectively. Women reported increased frequency of daytime stools in the early follow-up period, but this difference resolved with time. Other functional outcomes were similar. Patient sex impacts intraoperative complexity, postoperative length of stay, 30-day postoperative outcomes, and initial long-term function. These findings underscore the need to adjust preoperative counseling regarding IPAA outcomes based on sex.
The Photodissociation of Chlorofluoromethanes in the Stratosphere

Publisher Summary The industrial production of the chlorofluoromethane (CFM) gases CF2C12 and CFCI3 has been increasing rapidly in the past few decades. These gases have two properties which make them very useful for certain applications: (1) they are very chemically stable and (2) they can be easily liquified. The CFMs are not affected by radiation in the lower atmosphere, they do not absorb visible light, and nor do they absorb near ultraviolet radiation of the type that reaches the earth's surface. They absorb shorter wavelength UV radiation and break apart into molecular fragments to photodissociate upon absorption of this higher energy radiation. The sun emits this type of high-energy UV radiation, but it only penetrates to the upper stratosphere, as it is effectively removed by the rather small amounts of ozone which are naturally present in the stratosphere. The CFMs are destroyed as they reach the ozone layer at altitudes where short wavelength UV radiation penetrates with sufficient intensity. The average altitude at which photodissociation of CFM such as FC-12 occurs is about 30 km.
Don't Tread on Me: Increasing Compliance with Off-Road Vehicle Regulations at Least Cost

In a world of diminished enforcement resources, how can environmental regulators get the most bang for their buck? Off-road vehicle use is the fastest growing and most contentious form of recreation on America’s public lands. Motorized recreationists have enjoyed access to National Forests and BLM land for almost a century, but regulators, property owners, and environmental groups have voiced opposition to unconstrained off-road vehicle use. Law enforcement on these lands is underfunded and ineffective, and the individualist culture of off-road vehicle users is said to foster an attitude of non-compliance — trailblazing in the literal sense. Endorsing and building upon work in law and social norms and cognate disciplines, this Article draws principally on the social psychology of effective messaging outlined in Chip and Dan Heath’s 2007 work, Made to Stick, to propose a partnership-based campaign based on the exhortatory theme, “Don’t Tread on Me.”
Human Activity Recognition

A fundamental goal of work in recognition is to discover easily-computed visual features which are efficient indices of members of the class which is to be recognized. The hypothesis behind work in motion-based recognition is that features describing motion in the input can be efficient indices for large classes of objects and activities of interest to the computer vision and biological vision communities. Motion-based recognition encompasses the recognition of objects, object movements, situations, etc., when motion information is used as the primary cue for recognition. For example, optic flow can be used to recognize an imminent collision situation, without any prior recognition of objects or how they are moving. Similarly, objects could be recognized using characteristic motion parameters without prior determination of shape, texture, etc.