cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Small-diameter biodegradable scaffolds for functional vascular tissue engineering in the mouse model

The development of neotissue in tissue engineered vascular grafts remains poorly understood. Advances in mouse genetic models have been highly informative in the study of vascular biology, but have been inaccessible to vascular tissue engineers due to technical limitations on the use of mouse recipients. To this end, we have developed a method for constructing sub-1mm internal diameter (ID) biodegradable scaffolds utilizing a dual cylinder chamber molding system and a hybrid polyester sealant scaled for use in a mouse model. Scaffolds constructed from either polyglycolic acid or poly-l-lactic acid nonwoven felts demonstrated sufficient porosity, biomechanical profile, and biocompatibility to function as vascular grafts. The scaffolds implanted as either inferior vena cava or aortic interposition grafts in SCID/bg mice demonstrated excellent patency without evidence of thromboembolic complications or aneurysm formation. A foreign body immune response was observed with marked macrophage infiltration and giant cell formation by post-operative week 3. Organized vascular neotissue, consisting of endothelialization, medial generation, and collagen deposition, was evident within the internal lumen of the scaffolds by post-operative week 6. These results present the ability to create sub-1mm ID biodegradable tubular scaffolds that are functional as vascular grafts, and provide an experimental approach for the study of vascular tissue engineering using mouse models.
Serum Phosphate Levels and Mortality Risk among People with Chronic Kidney Disease

Elevated serum phosphate levels have been linked with vascular calcification and mortality among dialysis patients. The relationship between phosphate and mortality has not been explored among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A retrospective cohort study was conducted from eight Veterans Affairs’ Medical Centers located in the Pacific Northwest. CKD was defined by two continuously abnormal outpatient serum creatinine measurements at least 6 mo apart between 1999 and 2002. Patients who received chronic dialysis, those with a present or previous renal transplant, and those without a recent phosphate measurement were excluded. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Secondary end points were acute myocardial infarction and the combined end point of myocardial infarction plus death. A total of 95,619 veterans with at least one primary care or internal medicine clinic contact from a Northwest VA facility and two or more outpatient measurements of serum creatinine, at least 6 mo apart, between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2002, were identified. From this eligible population, 7021 patients met our definition of CKD. After exclusions, 6730 CKD patients were available for analysis, and 3490 had a serum phosphate measurement during the previous 18 mo. After adjustment, serum phosphate levels >3.5 mg/dl were associated with a significantly increased risk for death. Mortality risk increased linearly with each subsequent 0.5-mg/dl increase in serum phosphate levels. Elevated serum phosphate levels were independently associated with increased mortality risk among this population of patients with CKD.
Essential information about patterns of victimisation among children with disabilities

Implications for practice and research: Children with disabilities are at increased risk for virtually every type of violence that has been measured in this population. Healthcare providers and researchers need to take a more comprehensive, person-centered approach that focuses on the vulnerability to polyvictimisation and the interconnection among forms of violence for children with disabilities.
Effects of estrogen and medroxyprogesterone acetate on subpopulations of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins.

Abstract Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women has been shown to increase both triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. To better understand the effects of conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), the 2 most commonly prescribed hormones in HRT, on the different subpopulations of TG-rich and HDL lipoproteins, we conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized, crossover study consisting of 3 different phases in 14 postmenopausal women. The 3 phases, each 8-week long, included: (1) placebo, (2) CEE 0.625 mg/d, and (3) CEE 0.625 mg/d and MPA 2.5 mg/d. Slight and statistically nonsignificant elevations in TG levels were observed during the CEE treatment. While very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol levels were not significantly affected by CEE and CEE + MPA, both HRT treatments lowered remnant lipoprotein (RLP) cholesterol (−14% and −37%, respectively). Compared with placebo, CEE caused a significant increase in HDL, HDL2, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, LpAI, α1, and preα1 levels (12%, 27%, 17%, 26%, 60%, and 102%, respectively). The combination therapy blunted the CEE effect on all HDL parameters, resulting in HDL, HDL2, and LpAI levels being no longer significantly different from placebo. Apo A-I levels and α1, and preα1 levels were still significantly higher than placebo (+11%, +50%, and +112%, respectively). These results indicate that HRT has beneficial effects on RLP levels and that, while the estrogen component of HRT has a beneficial effect on the HDL subpopulations mostly associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) protection, MPA partially inhibits this effect.
Emotions: from brain to robot

Some robots have been given emotional expressions in an attempt to improve human-computer interaction. In this article we analyze what it would mean for a robot to have emotion, distinguishing emotional expression for communication from emotion as a mechanism for the organization of behavior. Research on the neurobiology of emotion yields a deepening understanding of interacting brain structures and neural mechanisms rooted in neuromodulation that underlie emotions in humans and other animals. However, the chemical basis of animal function differs greatly from the mechanics and computations of current machines. We therefore abstract from biology a functional characterization of emotion that does not depend on physical substrate or evolutionary history, and is broad enough to encompass the possible emotions of robots.
ANNALS MAP SUPPLEMENT NUMBER ELEVEN: TAIWAN POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, 1965

A LTHOUGH a majority of the Annals map supplements have focused on either a physical or a cultural subject, some have attempted to successfully combine both of these major divisions of geography. Such is the case with the present map, which, while emphasizing population, makes important use of a landform base. As in the case of other areas of bold relief, of which detailed population maps have been made in recent years, Taiwan's population is best viewed against the major landform features of the area. Professor Hsu has provided us with the following acount of her map:
Biomimetic image processing for retinal prostheses: Peripheral saliency cues

Retinal prosthesis recipients may still have degraded vision, such that additional information about their surroundings may help them perform certain tasks. We evaluate a system that provides cues that point towards important objects. Using a simulated vision grid of 6 × 10 pixels, subjects perform object location and mobility tasks with and without the help of cues. The velocity of head movement in degrees per second and the time taken by subjects to finish the tasks are recorded. Results show that a cueing system may help to reduce and organize the head movements of the subjects, whereas a time benefit exists in object location but not in mobility tasks.
Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Based on preclinical data, cell-based therapy with bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells (MSCs) is a potentially attractive new therapeutic option for treating patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome. Small and large animal models of acute lung injury from endotoxin, live bacteria, and sepsis have shown that MSCs can decrease lung injury and increase survival. The mechanisms for benefit are mediated in part by paracrine release of several antiinflammatory cytokines, keratinocyte growth factor, angiopoietin-1, as well as the release of antimicrobial peptides. There is also evidence that MSCs can transfer mitochondria and restore normal bioenergetics to injured alveolar epithelium. Some of the beneficial effects are mediated by microvesicles. A phase 1 safety and dose-escalation trial was completed and a randomized, double-blind clinical trial is currently underway.
Collection understanding for OAI-PMH compliant repositories

We briefly discuss the architecture and design of a collection understanding tool that utilizes information visualization and the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting to help users in understanding the essence of image collections in OAI-PMH compliant repositories.
A Case Study of Surviving Puerperal Group A Sepsis

Poster Presentation Background Suspected group A sepsis should be regarded as an obstetric emergency given the high mortality associated with the condition. Case We describe the anonymous case of a woman who survived puerperal sepsis following a 16‐day hospital course, including obstetric history and birth summary, and review of atypical subjective symptoms of group A strep (GAS) sepsis. Clinical findings are presented, including vital signs, lab abnormalities (leukopenia), diagnostic testing, and the major goals of sepsis management. We discuss GAS as pathogen and associated virulence factors that enable it to evade phagocytosis and increase the ability to multiple in blood and cause disease. Group A strep is the leading pathogen linked to maternal mortality, and when associated with sepsis there is a 30% to 50% mortality rate; once shock develops the mortality rate approaches 60%. Conclusion The occurrence of GAS sepsis remains low. However, given the combination of relative rarity and atypical presentation, recognition is frequently a stumbling block to treatment. Therefore, special attention to the identification of the atypical symptoms associated with GAS sepsis is important due to the high risk of associated mortality. It is recommended that pregnant and postpartum women who present with atypical symptoms be evaluated with consideration of eliminating GAS infection from the differential before seeking other causes. Nurses are the front‐line staff caring for childbearing women and need to be aware of the threat of GAS sepsis. If we improve awareness, early recognition, and rapid treatment, lives can be saved.
Selective Surgical Management of Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (Byler's Disease)

Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) presents in early childhood with pruritus, jaundice, hepatomegaly, and growth failure. Medical therapy is unsuccessful, with progression from cholestasis to hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately death before the age of 10 years. Because of evidence that biliary diversion can arrest or reverse progression to hepatic fibrosis, we have used partial biliary diversion (PBD) as primary therapy in PFIC, reserving orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for children who have progressive disease or established cirrhosis. Seventeen children with PFIC (aged 2 months to 19 years) have been treated. PBD was performed in eight cases. In these procedures, a 10-cm properistaltic jejunal segment was anastomosed to the side of the gallbladder, terminating as an end stoma for the collection and discard of bile. Eleven patients with hepatic insufficiency (or end-stage cirrhosis) received OLT using standard techniques, at the average age of 4 years. Six of the eight children treated with PBD had complete resolution of clinical symptoms and remain well 1 to 13 years postoperatively. These six patients have conjugated bilirubin values of less than 0.3 mg/dL, normal transaminases, and a serum bile salt concentration of less than 10 nmol/mL. All have had either reversal or no progression of the hepatic fibrosis. Postoperative bleeding complications occurred in two (25%), which required reoperation. One patient had an adhesive intestinal obstruction that was managed surgically 9 months postoperatively. Two patients had no benefit from PBD, and all of them had severe bridging fibrosis (1) or cirrhosis (3). These and nine others with cirrhosis at the time of presentation received orthotopic liver transplantation; of these, eight are alive (1 to 5 years postoperatively). These results show the importance of establishing a correct diagnosis in children with cholestasis. Clinical symptoms often are severe in children with PFIC before the development of irreversible hepatic fibrosis. Because several patients who appear to have been cured with PBD initially were scheduled for OLT, it is important that transplant surgeons recognize the feasibility of this approach.
A Minimum-Impact Method for Measuring Corrosion Rate of Steel-Hulled Shipwrecks in Seawater

Current research on USS Arizona is focused on a minimum-impact technique for calculating corrosion rate of the battleship's steel hull by analysing physical and chemical properties of marine encrustation covering the exposed hull. An equation is derived that allows concretion thickness, density, and total iron content to be used to calculate corrosion rate of steel hull plate. © 2006 The Authors
The stereoselective crotylboration of alpha-oxocarboxylic acids

Abstract Crotylboronates react with alpha-oxocarboxylic acids in a highly stereocontrolled manner. The reaction presumably proceeds through a bicyclic transition state. The alpha-carboxylic substituent exerts a remarkable effect on the rate, regio- and stereoselectivities of the reaction; homoallylic alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids are formed with regio- and stereoselectivities approach 100%.
Molecular Mechanisms Regulating the Vascular Prostacyclin Pathways and Their Adaptation during Pregnancy and in the Newborn

Prostacyclin (PGI2) is a member of the prostanoid group of eicosanoids that regulate homeostasis, hemostasis, smooth muscle function and inflammation. Prostanoids are derived from arachidonic acid by the sequential actions of phospholipase A2, cyclooxygenase (COX), and specific prostaglandin (PG) synthases. There are two major COX enzymes, COX1 and COX2, that differ in structure, tissue distribution, subcellular localization, and function. COX1 is largely constitutively expressed, whereas COX2 is induced at sites of inflammation and vascular injury. PGI2 is produced by endothelial cells and influences many cardiovascular processes. PGI2 acts mainly on the prostacyclin (IP) receptor, but because of receptor homology, PGI2 analogs such as iloprost may act on other prostanoid receptors with variable affinities. PGI2/IP interaction stimulates G protein-coupled increase in cAMP and protein kinase A, resulting in decreased [Ca2+]i, and could also cause inhibition of Rho kinase, leading to vascular smooth muscle relaxation. In addition, PGI2 intracrine signaling may target nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and regulate gene transcription. PGI2 counteracts the vasoconstrictor and platelet aggregation effects of thromboxane A2 (TXA2), and both prostanoids create an important balance in cardiovascular homeostasis. The PGI2/TXA2 balance is particularly critical in the regulation of maternal and fetal vascular function during pregnancy and in the newborn. A decrease in PGI2/TXA2 ratio in the maternal, fetal, and neonatal circulation may contribute to preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), respectively. On the other hand, increased PGI2 activity may contribute to patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and intraventricular hemorrhage in premature newborns. These observations have raised interest in the use of COX inhibitors and PGI2 analogs in the management of pregnancy-associated and neonatal vascular disorders. The use of aspirin to decrease TXA2 synthesis has shown little benefit in preeclampsia, whereas indomethacin and ibuprofen are used effectively to close PDA in the premature newborn. PGI2 analogs have been used effectively in primary pulmonary hypertension in adults and have shown promise in PPHN. Careful examination of PGI2 metabolism and the complex interplay with other prostanoids will help design specific modulators of the PGI2-dependent pathways for the management of pregnancy-related and neonatal vascular disorders.
Physical Effectiveness of the Neutral Detergent Fiber of Whole Linted Cottonseed Relative to that of Alfalfa Silage at Two Lengths of Cut

The effectiveness of the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of whole linted cottonseed to stimulate chewing was examined relative to the effectiveness of the NDF of alfalfa silage at two lengths of cut. Twelve Holstein cows (125 d of lactation) were fed diets containing alfalfa silages differing in theoretical length of cut, with or without cottonseed substituted for alfalfa silage at 27% of alfalfa NDF. The experiment was a replicated (n = 3) 4 x 4 Latin square design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Length of cut had no effect on milk production or composition, and substitution of cottonseed increased milk production but did not affect milk composition. An interaction was observed between treatment effects for dry matter intake, total chews per day, and total chewing time (minutes per day). Physical effectiveness of cottonseed NDF was calculated by dividing the total chewing time per unit of cottonseed NDF by total chewing time per unit of alfalfa silage NDF. Physical effectiveness of cottonseed NDF was calculated to be 50% of long-cut and 127% of short-cut alfalfa silage NDF. The interaction observed between main effects for total chewing time per day indicated that the physical effectiveness of whole linted cottonseed was relative and depended on the characteristics of the forage that it replaced.
A case report of a scalp arteriovenous malformation after trauma.

A 16-year-old boy from juvenile hall presented to the Emergency Department complaining of a right scalp “bump” for approximately 2 months. The “bump” was not painful but, on occasion, felt “sore.” It apparently started after he was kicked in the head in the same area during a fight 2 months prior. He reported no loss of consciousness, headache, neck or facial pain, hearing or vision changes, or balance or gait abnormalities. Review of systems was otherwise negative. The patient’s past medical and surgical histories were unremarkable. He admitted to occasional alcohol and marijuana use. He denied a family history of bleeding disorders, strokes, or chronic diseases. He took no prescription or over-thecounter medications. On physical examination, the patient was a welldeveloped 16-year-old boy, able to walk around the examination room comfortably with normal balance and gait. He stepped up and sat on the table without difficulty. The head, ears, eyes, nose and throat examination (HEENT) was significant for a 3–4 cm 1 cm right posterolateral scalp mass with a palpable thrill. The mass was soft, pulsatile, mobile, non-tender, and had no overlying skin changes. His HEENT examination was otherwise unremarkable, as was the remainder of his physical examination. The patient had normal coagulation studies and complete blood count. With a preliminary diagnosis of scalp
Downstream control of upstream open reading frames

Department of Environmental and Biomolecular Systems, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97201, USA; Divisions of Human Biology and Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA; Department of Microbiology and Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98115, USA
Phototropism: Growing towards an Understanding of Plant Movement

Phototropism, or the differential cell elongation exhibited by a plant organ in response to directional blue light, provides the plant with a means to optimize photosynthetic light capture in the aerial portion and water and nutrient acquisition in the roots. Tremendous advances have been made in our understanding of the molecular, biochemical, and cellular bases of phototropism in recent years. Six photoreceptors and their associated signaling pathways have been linked to phototropic responses under various conditions. Primary detection of directional light occurs at the plasma membrane, whereas secondary modulatory photoreception occurs in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Intracellular responses to light cues are processed to regulate cell-to-cell movement of auxin to allow establishment of a trans-organ gradient of the hormone. Photosignaling also impinges on the transcriptional regulation response established as a result of changes in local auxin concentrations. Three additional phytohormone signaling pathways have also been shown to influence phototropic responsiveness, and these pathways are influenced by the photoreceptor signaling as well. Here, we will discuss this complex dance of intra- and intercellular responses that are regulated by these many systems to give rise to a rapid and robust adaptation response observed as organ bending.
Neurotransmitter Receptor and Transporter Binding Profile of Antidepressants and Their Metabolites

Several new antidepressants that inhibit the serotonin (SERT) and norepinephrine transporters (NET) have been introduced into clinical practice the past several years. This report focuses on the further pharmacologic characterization of nefazodone and its metabolites within the serotonergic and noradrenergic systems, in comparison with other antidepressants. By use of radioligand binding assays, we measured the affinity (Ki) of 13 antidepressants and 6 metabolites for the rat and human SERT and NET. The Ki values for eight of the antidepressants and three metabolites were also determined for the rat 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and muscarinic cholinergic receptors, the guinea pig histamine1 receptor and the human alpha-1 and alpha-2 receptors. These data are useful for predicting side effect profiles and the potential for pharmacodynamic drug-drug interactions of antidepressants. Of particular interest were the findings that paroxetine, generally thought of as a selective SERT antagonist, possesses moderately high affinity for the NET and that venlafaxine, which has been described as a "dual uptake inhibitor", possesses weak affinity for the NET. We observed significant correlations in SERT (r = 0.965) or NET (r = 0.983) affinity between rat and human transporters. Significant correlations were also observed between muscarinic cholinergic and NET affinity. There are several significant correlations between affinities for the 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, histamine1, alpha-1 and alpha-2 receptors. These novel findings, not widely described previously, suggest that many of the individual drugs studied in these experiments possess some structural characteristic that determines affinity for several G protein-coupled, but not muscarinic, receptors.
Design and Characteristics of a Novel Close-Spaced Reactor for Organometallic Epitaxy

A novel, close-spaced, inverted, stagnation flow, organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) reactor has been designed and fabricated for achieving high deposition efficiency and good large-area uniformity for solar cell applications. A computer model for this reactor, which is based on the conservation of mass, momentum, energy and species equations, has been used for predicting its operating characteristics. Due to the close spacing between the nozzle and susceptor, extensive measurements of the nozzle temperature were carried out for different reactor conditions and compared with simulation results. The maximum nozzle temperature was about 110°C showing the feasibility of GaAs growth from trimethylgallium and arsine. GaAs epitaxial layers were grown at different susceptor-nozzle distances, gas flow rates, reactor pressures and susceptor temperatures. The morphology, electrical properties and thickness uniformity of the layers were found to be of an acceptable quality. The measured and computed deposition efficiencies were found to be independent of reactor pressure and increasing with decreasing gas flow rates. The highest gallium deposition efficiency achieved was about 42%.
Comparison of vertical ground reaction forces at impact while vertical jumping using soft and pretensed landing mechanics

The authors compared the effects of soft and pretensed landing mechanics on ground reaction forces (GRFs) at impact while performing repetitive manual vertical jumps. They found that the GRFs at impact after a maximal vertical jump were greater for jumps using a pretensed landing than a soft landing in preparation for a maximal repetitive jump. The time of impact and slope of impact loading exhibited during pretensed and soft landings were found to be similar due to a large variability in the landing technique employed by average jumpers. A faster propulsive phase was found for the second jump using a pretensed landing than a soft landing. Greater GRFs were applied to the floor during the propulsive phase of the repetitive jump as a result of the storage of elastic energy in the muscle for the pretensed landing than the soft landing. Pretensed landings during repetitive jumping increased the impact and propulsive GRFs while reducing the propulsion time without affecting the flight time or vertical height. Therefore, pretensed landings may be desirable for faster repetitive maximal jumps but the increased impact forces may increase the potential for fatigue fractures.
Resource Accessibility and Walkability Among Older Adults in Extended-Stay Hotels

Older adults represent a large and growing population group in the United States. This population cohort is projected to grow to 72.1 million, or 19% of the total population, by 2030, up from 40 million in 2010 (Administration on Aging, 2011; Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2012). Despite reported decreases in the proportion of older adults living in poverty in recent years, inequities prevail. Approximately 40% of older American households reported housing cost burdens1Cost burdens are expenditures on housing and utilities that exceed 30% of household income. (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2012). Many of these low-income older adults live in socially and economically marginalized positions, and housing them remains a major challenge complicated by (a) limited affordable housing options and (b) chronic health conditions that seriously undermine long-term health and mobility. In a study on the impacts of public housing transformation in Atlanta, Oakley, Reid,...
Utilizing FUCCI reporters to understand pluripotent stem cell biology

The fluorescence ubiquitination cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system provides a powerful method to evaluate cell cycle mechanisms associated with stem cell self-renewal and cell fate specification. By integrating the FUCCI system into human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) it is possible to isolate homogeneous fractions of viable cells representative of all cell cycle phases. This method avoids problems associated with traditional tools used for cell cycle analysis such as synchronizing drugs, elutriation and temperature sensitive mutants. Importantly, FUCCI reporters allow cell cycle events in dynamic systems, such as differentiation, to be evaluated. Initial reports on the FUCCI system focused on its strengths in reporting spatio-temporal aspects of cell cycle events in living cells and developmental models. In this report, we describe approaches that broaden the application of FUCCI reporters in PSCs through incorporation of FACS. This approach allows molecular analysis of the cell cycle in stem cell systems that were not previously possible.
Depolarization of Hippocampal Neurons Induces Formation of Nonsynaptic NMDA Receptor Islands Resembling Nascent Postsynaptic Densities

Depolarization of neurons in 3-week-old rat hippocampal cultures promotes a rapid increase in the density of surface NMDA receptors (NRs), accompanied by transient formation of nonsynaptic NMDA receptor clusters or NR islands. Islands exhibit cytoplasmic dense material resembling that at postsynaptic densities (PSDs), and contain typical PSD components, including MAGUKS (membrane-associated guanylate kinases), GKAP, Shank, Homer, and CaMKII detected by pre-embedding immunogold electron microscopy. In contrast to mature PSDs, islands contain more NMDA than AMPA receptors, and more SAP102 than PSD-95, features that are shared with nascent PSDs in developing synapses. Islands do not appear to be exocytosed or endocytosed directly as preformed packages because neurons lacked intracellular vacuoles containing island-like structures. Islands form and disassemble upon depolarization of neurons on a time scale of 2-3 min, perhaps representing an initial stage in synaptogenesis.
Current complications and challenges in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis screening and diagnosis

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can lead to complications such as liver failure, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The diagnostic gold standard for NASH is liver biopsy; however, other noninvasive methods have been developed. In this article, the authors evaluate current methods in NASH screening and diagnosis. Routine radiologic modalities were found to detect hepatic steatosis accurately, but were unable to establish the diagnosis of NASH or stage of fibrosis. Newly developed elastography based techniques seem promising to estimate liver fibrosis. Other noninvasive tests such as FibroTest, ELF, Hepascore, FIB-4, NFS, FLI and ION (biochemical panels) have AUROCs ranging between 0.80-0.98 for detecting advanced fibrosis but lack specificity for detecting mild fibrosis. Noninvasive tools, especially elastography, identify NASH associated advanced fibrosis potentially reducing liver biopsies. More research is needed to validate the clinical utility of these tests.
A Family Law Revolution: Changing Attitudes About Parentage in Nontraditional Families' Use of Collaborative Reproduction

This article discusses the impact on modern concepts of parenthood created by the use of collaborative reproduction in non-traditional families, especially same-sex unions. It notes how the courts in California and elsewhere have urged the legislature to enact statutory guidelines regarding the use of this technology to assist in sorting out conflicting parentage claims in circumstances in which the older laws of parenthood simply do not any longer fit. Courts in California have had to struggle and conceive of new categories of parenthood, along with a few other states (such as Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) with little statutory guidance. Cases cited in the article have involved issues of support, custody, visitation, pre-birth orders of parentage and post-death use of gametes. The author cites provisions from the still largely un-enacted 2002 amendments to the Uniform Parentage Act as providing some hoped-for guidance. He also mentions the new American Bar Association Model Act on Assisted Reproduction as a potential source of clarifying legislation. Author's Note: The Model Act Governing Assisted Reproductive Technology, which was referenced in this article as a proposal, was finalized and approved by the A.B.A. House of Delegates in 2008. See Charles P. Kindregan, Jr. and Steven H. Snyder, Clarifying the Law of ART: The New American Bar Association Model Act Governing Assisted Reproductive Technology, 42 Family Law Q. 203 (2008), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1275999.
Secret Law: The Politics of Appointments to the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the politics of appointments to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the court established under the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to review secret federal government requests for warrants related to national security investigations. Since the FISA Court's creation, its members have been appointed entirely at the discretion of the Chief Justice of the United States, who selects FISA Court judges from among the pool of existing U.S. District Court judges. Using data on the common space scores of the federal district judges appointed to the court, and the limited information available on the court's decisions, we explore the implications of this, both for the ideological makeup of the FISA Court's judges and for the oversight function they perform. The results suggest that the court has become decidedly more conservative in recent years, far more so than the district courts overall, with potentially serious implications for its abilit...
Can Online International Simulations Improve Global Awareness

Research on the use of simulations to enhance global-specific student outcomes is linked to an overall effort to enhance global citizenship in the classroom. Phrases like globalizing and internationalizing have been increasingly included in strategic plans of higher education institutions. In addition, the movement towards assessment has introduced a variety of desired student outcomes, including global learning, education, or citizenship. This project relies on the popular International Communication & Negotiation Simulations (ICONS) international system simulation as a tool to improve global awareness as a student outcome. A set of survey tools adapted from similar research on the effect of online simulations on global empathy and learning in secondary education is used to assess changes in global awareness as a result of participation in this online simulation. In addition, this paper identifies key aspects of pedagogical design of simulations in support of that outcome and makes recommendations for further research linking simulations to student outcomes. Finally, the class evaluated for this project experienced major disruptions to their simulation experience, the direct impact of Superstorm Sandy and the unrelated death of a student in the class. This paper also includes successful strategies for dealing with serious disruptions in a way that enhances rather than hurts student experiences in simulations.
Techniques and Purposes of Price Discrimination

TN A PREVIOUS article,1 the nature of price discrimination was explained and the difficulties involved in its practice were exposed. In addition, it was demonstrated that monopoly is not a requisite to the practice of price discrimination; at the same time, the requirements upon which the practicability of the device rests were set down. This article is an attempt to classify price discrimination from the points of view of the various techniques employed in its practice and the several purposes underlying its use.
Habits of the Ground Squirrel Citellus Lyratus on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska

The following observations were made in the course of archeological excavations at the ancient village site of Kukuliak on St. Lawrence Island, conducted for the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, and these excerpts from my field notes appear worthy of placing on record. On July 9, 1932, during the process of excavating behind a meat cellar at an approximate depth from the surface of three and one half feet, we encountered the nest of a ground squirrel, Citellus lyratus, containing five tiny young, evidently just born. The nest consisted of a bunch of dried grass. The mother had also carried in green tips of grasses and weeds gathered near by. This nest was exposed for a short time and I could see the five young crawling about. It was evident that none of the young could see, although they could smell and appeared to identify the grass tips as food and nibbled at them. They seemed quite clumsy but after a minute or so all had worked their way to the interior of this grassy ball. The ball was approximately the size of a man's derby hat. The mother repeatedly came within a few feet of me and I could observe her closely. She was with the young when the Eskimos uncovered the nest, by removing a rock over it, and she came out at once and ran away. Repeatedly she ran back and forth but would not enter the nest until I had replaced the rock and built up the front of the den, which also was open, with wood and bones. A minute or so later she returned and immediately went through the little opening I left for her and remained with the young for a while. I could hear the young crying, although I cannot describe the peculiar sound. Every now and then the mother would come forth again and would appear not to be disturbed at all by the Eskimo men working with shovels nearby or by my own presence. Later, towardc evening, the mother kept running toward the mouth of the excavation, disappearing and returning from time to time, while during the morning she had been running toward the north of the excavation dump. I surmised she was trying to find a new abode for her youngsters. Therefore I set out to watch her for a while. In a nearby meat cellar which belonged to a house just outside our excavation, she had evidently found an abandoned runway, which she was preparing and cleaning out. She seemed to work very rapidly, but every now and then ventured forth to visit her young again. Evi306
A Role For MMP-3 In The Modulation Of Early T Cell Responses In Gvhd

Introduction During graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), activated alloreactive T cells recirculate from the secondary lymphoid organs and extravasate via the blood vessels into target tissues, causing pathology which if severe enough can ultimately lead to mortality. Extensive work from our laboratory has shown that lethal GVHD can be induced between MHC-matched murine strains expressing multiple minor histocompatibility antigen (miHA) differences. In the C57BL/6y (B6)–>BALB.B model, both CD4+ and CD8+ donor T cells can mediate lethal GVHD, whereas in the B6 –>CXB-2 model, only CD8+ T cells are lethal. CXB-2 mice are a recombinant inbred strain which expresses a subset of the same miHA as BALB.B mice, and B6 CD4+ T cells do initially respond by proliferation in both recipients, yet tissue pathology, particularly in the intestinal tract is much more limited in CXB-2 mice. We therefore hypothesized that differences at the level of the host issue may have an influence on GVHD development. In order for alloreactive T cells to infiltrate target tissues, they must traverse the extracellular matrix (ECM), which makes up the majority of the intercellular space in solid tissues. While the role of various T cell subsets has been studied extensively in GVHD, the involvement of ECM structural and regulatory proteins, specifically matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), is much less defined. MMP not only participate in ECM turnover, but also are also capable of influencing immune responses through the cleavage and activation of inflammatory mediators. Specifically, MMP-3 has been demonstrated to not only cleave ECM structural proteins such as collagens, fibronectin and laminin, but also can activate other MMP, TNF-α precursors and IL-1β. We therefore examined the expression patterns and potential function of MMP-3 in the development of GVHD. Methods Small intestine tissue samples were collected from either lethally irradiated (9 Gy, split dose) BALB.B or CXB-2 mice receiving only 2 X 106 anti-Thy 1 mAb + C’ treated (T cell- depleted) B6 bone marrow cells (ATBM) for hematopoietic reconstitution, or from BALB.B and MMP3-KO mice (on a BALB.B background) exposed to irradiation (9 Gy, split dose) and transplanted with 1 X 107 BALB.B presensitized B6 T cells along with 2 X 106ATBM. Samples were collected on days 8, 20 and 30 post-irradiation and homogenized using a mechanical dissociator (Miltenyi Biotec). Total RNA was converted into cDNA using oligo(dT) as a primer for reverse transcription. Expression of MMP-3 was determined using real time PCR analysis. IFN-γ production by donor T cells was evaluated using ELISPOT assays where responder presensitized B6 enriched T cells were cocultured with either BALB.B or MMP-3 KO stimulator splenocytes (exposed to 15 Gy irradiation). Results Relative gene expression of MMP-3 using GAPDH as an endogenous control was significantly lower (39.9% decrease, p BALB.B model; and 2) a potential involvement of both tissue and immune associated MMP-3 in the development of GVHD. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A System That Supports Using Student-Drawn Diagrams to Assess Comprehension of Mathematical Formulas

Graphical communication by students can provide important clues to teachers about misconceptions in fields like mathematics and computing. We have built a facility called INFACT-SKETCH that permits conducting experiments in the elicitation and analysis of student-drawn diagrams. A goal of our project is to achieve the integration of a construction-oriented image processing and programming system with a combination of automatic and manual assessment tools in order to have a highly effective learning environment for information technology concepts. Some of the diagrams we elicit from students represent image processing algorithms, and others represent predictions of what particular mathematical formulas will do to images. In order to serve its educational assessment and research purposes, INFACT-SKETCH provides an unusual combination of features: tight integration with a web-based textual communication system called INFACT-FORUM, administrative control of which drawing tools students will be permitted to use (freehand, rectangles, ovals, text labels, lines, etc.), complete event capture for timed playback of the drawing process for any sketch in the system, graphical quoting option in message replies, and structured annotations for educational assessment. We describe the rationale, intended use, design, and our experience so far with INFACT-SKETCH.
The Relation of Blood Platelet Survival and Distribution to 14C-Serotonin Distribution and Excretion

Abstract 1. The distribution of 14C-5-HT following infusion is different from that of endogenous serotonin. One hour after infusion it is, in major part, a function of the distribution of blood platelets. 2. The spleen in rats is the site of a pool of platelets. Based on both 14C and platelet recovery data in normal and splenectomized animals, this pool approximates 40 per cent of the total circulating platelets. 3. Postsplenectomy thrombocytosis may relate to removal of a platelet reservoir with shift of the platelets normally contained therein to the peripheral circulation. 4. The shape of platelet survival curves in rats is neither strictly linear nor curvilinear but normally is determined primarily by age-related processes in the platelet. Platelet survival curves tend to become curvilinear in thrombocytopenic animals, indicating that there is probably an additional small, fixed random loss of platelets from the circulation. 5. The disappearance of 14C-5-HT from blood platelets approximates but is not completely representative of the disappearance of the platelets themselves. It is probable that elution from platelets and possibly reutilization of platelet label occurs.
The Bursa of Fabricius in Lymphocyte Maturation

Bruce Glick discovered that the bursa of Fabricius, a hindgut, lymphoepithelial structure in chickens, is responsible for the development of antibody-producing B lymphocytes. Glick published his results in 1956; however, they remained obscure for another 5 years. Glick and a fellow graduate student, Timothy Chang, serendipitously discovered the function of the bursa while preparing an undergraduate immunology laboratory. When they needed animals to demonstrate antibody production, the only animals available were adult chickens that had been bursectomized as hatchlings. Injection of these chickens with antigen resulted in no antibody production. The students sent a manuscript to the journal Science , which returned it with a request for additional information on the mechanism. The paper was finally published in the journal Poultry Science . Rediscovery of the role of the bursa in the late 1950s and early 1960s by several groups, along with the studies of Jacques Miller on the role of the thymus, led quickly to an understanding of the division of lymphocytes into separate, functional populations. Ivan Roitt and colleagues in London reviewed these data and introduced the terms B and T lymphocytes in 1969. This functional division of the lymphocytes of the immune system shed light on the origins of several congenital immunodeficiency diseases and stimulated the development of cellular immunology as a discipline.
Modeling of Disordered Binary Alloys Under Thermal Forcing: Effect of Nanocrystallite Dissociation on Thermal Expansion of AuCu $$_{3}$$ 3

Disordered binary alloys are modeled as a randomly close-packed assembly of nanocrystallites intermixed with randomly positioned atoms, i.e., glassy-state matter. The nanocrystallite size distribution is measured in a simulated macroscopic medium in two dimensions. We have also defined, and measured, the degree of crystallinity as the probability of a particle being a member of nanocrystallites. Both the distribution function and the degree of crystallinity are found to be determined by alloy composition. When heated, the nanocrystallites become smaller in size due to increasing thermal fluctuation. We have modeled this phenomenon as a case of thermal dissociation by means of the law of mass action. The crystallite size distribution function is computed for AuCu $$_{3}$$ as a function of temperature by solving some 12 000 coupled algebraic equations for the alloy. The results show that linear thermal expansion of the specimen has contributions from the temperature dependence of the degree of crystallinity, in addition to respective thermal expansions of the nanocrystallites and glassy-state matter.
A survival guide to the children's diabetes clinic

Abstract Over the last 10 years the model of optimal care for children with diabetes has undergone significant changes in the UK. These changes include the introduction of Best Practice Tariff (BPT), the adoption of electronic patient records for diabetes in many centres and other rapidly evolving technology. The changes hope to optimise and standardise care, however they also have had an important impact on the running of diabetes clinics. This review is intended to help prepare healthcare professionals for the complex demands of a modern paediatric diabetes clinic and should help with understanding the multiple facets.
DTSA-II EDS Software

Reading about a new subject is good but there is nothing like doing to reinforce understanding. With this in mind, the authors of this textbook have designed a number of practical exercises that reinforce the book’s subject matter. Some of these exercises can be performed with software you have available to you—either instrument vendor software or a spreadsheet like MS Excel or LibreOffice/OpenOffice Calc. Other exercises require functionality which may not be present in all instrument vendor’s software. Regardless, it is much easier to explain an exercise when everyone is working with the same tools.