cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of CD14 polymorphisms on the development of soluble CD14 levels during infancy.

CD14 is a receptor involved in the recognition of lipopolysaccharide and other bacterial wall components that may be involved in the balance between infectious and allergic disease and the early polarization towards TH1. Our group has shown an association between polymorphisms in the 5′ flanking region of the CD14 gene and plasma soluble CD14 (sCD14) levels at 11 years of age. However, whether this association is present at birth and in infancy remains to be determined. In this study, we measured sCD14 levels in plasma from the umbilical cord (n=387) and at 3 months (n=357) and 1 year (n=312) of age in non-selected healthy infants to assess their relationship with CD14 genotypes at −4190, −2838, −1720 and −260 (relative to translation start site). There was no relation of CD14 genotypes with sCD14 at birth. However, there was a significant association between CD14 genotypes and sCD14 as early as 3 months. Longitudinal analysis suggests that CD14 polymorphisms modulate sCD14 levels up to 1 year of age. This association early in life may have an impact on TH1 polarization and subsequent protection against allergic disease.
Ineffective regulation of granulopoiesis masquerading as congenital leukemia in a mongoloid child.

A patient is described who presented soon after birth with the findings of Mongolism and acute granulocytic leukemia. However, he recovered completely from this condition and at his death, at the age of 33/4 years, there was no evidence of leukemia. Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase was increased initially but subsequently became normal. On a review of the literature, only 1 case was found which closely resembled this one. The known disorders of the leukocytes and previously reported in vitro studies of leukocyte growth in Mongolism suggest that there is ineffective regulation of granulopoiesis in Mongolism, perhaps related to trisomy of chromosome 21. The case described here may represent an accentuation of this defect.
Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 is an Intermediate Modulator of Serotonin Neurotransmission

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter with broad functions in brain development, neuronal activity, and behaviors; and serotonin is the prominent drug target in several major neuropsychiatric diseases. The multiple actions of serotonin are mediated by diverse serotonin receptor subtypes and associated signaling pathways. However, the key signaling components that mediate specific function of serotonin neurotransmission have not been fully identified. This review will provide evidence from biochemical, pharmacological, and animal behavioral studies showing that serotonin regulates the activation states of brain glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) via type 1 and type 2 serotonin receptors. In return, GSK3 directly interacts with serotonin receptors in a highly selective manner, with a prominent effect on modulating serotonin 1B receptor activity. Therefore, GSK3 acts as an intermediate modulator in the serotonin neurotransmission system, and balanced GSK3 activity is essential for serotonin-regulated brain function and behaviors. Particularly important, several classes of serotonin-modulating drugs, such as antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics, regulate GSK3 by inhibiting its activity in brain, which reinforces the importance of GSK3 as a potential therapeutic target in neuropsychiatric diseases associated with abnormal serotonin function.
What else do college students “do” while studying? An investigation of multitasking

Abstract We investigated the frequency and duration of distractions and media multitasking among college students engaged in a 3-h solitary study/homework session. Participant distractions were assessed with three different kinds of apparatus with increasing levels of potential intrusiveness: remote surveillance cameras, a head-mounted point-of-view video camera, and a mobile eyetracker. No evidence was obtained to indicate that method of assessment impacted multitasking behaviors. On average, students spent 73 min of the session listening to music while studying. In addition, students engaged with an average of 35 distractions of 6 s or longer over the course of 3 h, with an aggregated mean duration of 25 min. Higher homework task motivation and self-efficacy to concentrate on homework were associated with less frequent and shorter duration multitasking behaviors, while greater negative affect was linked to longer duration multitasking behaviors during the session. We discuss the implications of these data for assessment and for understanding the nature of distractions and media multitasking during solitary studying.
Cooperative Surveillance of a Moving Target using a Formation Framework

Abstract In this paper we address the formation control problem of generating a formation for a group of nonholonomic mobile agents. The formation control scheme which is proposed in this paper is based on a fusion of leader-follower and the virtual referenced approaches. This scheme gives a formation error representation that is independent of the number of agents in the formation and the resulting control algorithm is scalable. The proposed controller is based on feedback linearization, and formation errors are guaranteed to be globally asymptotically stable. As a possible application, the proposed algorithm is implemented on the cooperative ground moving target surveillance problem. The controller design algorithm is verified through computer simulations.
Renormalization-Group Corrections to a Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory for Pure Fluids Near to and Far from the Critical Region

A perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory (PC-SAFT) equation of state has been extended to include a crossover correction, based on White’s work with renormalization-group (RG) theory, that accounts for the contributions of long-wavelength density fluctuations in the critical region. In the critical region, the improved crossover equation of state provides the correct nonclassical critical exponents. Away from the critical region, the crossover equation reduces to the original PC-SAFT equation, therefore maintaining the accuracy of PC-SAFT in this region. No modifications to the original PC-SAFT molecular parameters are necessary, therefore allowing for an accurate description of thermodynamic properties from the triple point to the critical point. Excellent agreement with vapor−liquid equilibrium experimental data for the n-alkane family is obtained inside and outside the critical region, and all critical constants Tc, Pc, and ρc are calculated within their respective experimental errors. Th...
Guiding paths and time-dependent basis sets for wavefunction propagation

Abstract Two methods are explored for evolving wavefunctions using short-time propagators of Herman–Kluk form [M.F. Herman, E.K. Kluk, Chem. Phys. 91 (1984) 271]. At each time step the wavefunction is expanded in a set of coherent states distributed in phase space about a guiding trajectory. A harmonic approximation for the potential allows the stability analysis to be done analytically. A Monte Carlo `path integral' form for the long-time propagator is derived and tested for a simple harmonic system. Another approach, where the entire wavefunction is evolved one step at time, is applied to wavepacket motion in a Morse potential.
Development of a small field-of-view scintimammography camera: Measurements and simulations

The authors report on studies of a small field of view scintimammography camera based on a position sensitive PMT and a crystal scintillator array. A 5-inch R3292 Hamamatsu PMT was coupled to a variety of scintillators, including pixelized NaI(TI), Csi (Na) and YAP. Laboratory and phantom studies were performed to compare performances of the above scintillator sensors with special emphasis on spatial resolution and scatter rejection. The results of Monte Carlo simulations for different pixel sizes are also presented.
The pure flaw model for chopped fibre composites

The pure flaw model for chopped fibre composites is mathematically and numerically investigated. The emphasis of the paper is upon proving asymptotic results for large composites. There is mathematical and numerical justification for expressing the statistical behaviour of the strength of large chopped fibre composites in the weakest link form, in terms of a characteristic distribution function that depends upon the load, the failure criterion, and material parameters. Applications of the model are discussed in terms of specific examples.
Molecular mechanics assessment of the configurational statistics of polyoxyethylene

Previous investigators have shown that statistical mechanical averages for configuration-dependent physical properties of long unperturbed polyoxyethylene chains are sensitive to the gauche–trans energy difference for rotation about CC bonds. Agreement between theory and experiment could be obtained only by significant adjustment of this energy away from values predicted by semiempirical conformational energy computations. The present work examines the success of MM2 in evaluating conformational properties of long unperturbed polyoxyethylene chains. Calculations are performed which identify the rotational isomers, and their energies, for the indicated bonds in CH3OCH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH2CH2OCH3. These energies are used to assign statistical weights utilized in the configuration partition function for a rotational isomeric state chain with symmetric threefold interdependent rotations. The customary generator matrix scheme is employed to evaluate the mean-square unperturbed end-to-end distance, mean-square unperturbed dipole moment, and their temperature coefficients. Contrary to computational schemes employed previously, MM2 is found to provide an estimate of the gauche–trans energy difference for rotation about CC which is in harmony with the known dimensions and dipole moments of the unperturbed polymer. MM2 also provides good estimates for most of the other parameters required in the rotational isomeric state treatment. A notable exception is provided by the gauche–trans energy difference for rotation about the CO bond. This energy difference is overestimated by MM2.
Partitioning of Blending Ability Using Two-Way Blends and Component Lines of Soybean

This study was undertaken to evaluate a practical method that describes the relative worth of genotypes in blend combination. Eight adapted soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes and all two-way blend combinations were evaluated in eight environments in North Carolina during 1983 to 1985
Parabolic Relationship between the Basicity of the Nucleophile and π-Face Selection in Addition of the Substituted Acetylide Ions to Cyclohexanone and Cyclohexanethione

Energy changes, structural variation, and electron density shifts during nucleophilic addition to cyclohexanone and cyclohexanethione were examined by means of the ab initio calculations at the HF/6-31G* level. The atomic charge on the carbonyl C was found to become more positive upon approach of the nucleophile; the density deformation maps suggest that the charge polarization occurs to a large extent in the π bond. Since this effect is not compensated for by charge transfer until in the late stage of addition, the reaction site is considerably electron deficient (more so than the carbonyl C in the substrate) for most of the reaction path, and its interactions with the ligands are dominated by hyperconjugation with the vicinal C−H and C−C bonds. Relative stabilities of the axial and equatorial transition-state structures were examined in the series HNC, ON⋮C-, N⋮C-, FC⋮C-, HC⋮C-, SBeC⋮C2-, O3SC⋮C2-, H3AlC⋮C2-, SC⋮C2-, H3BC⋮C2-, and C⋮C2- and found to depend on polarization of the electrophiles, CO vs CS,...
Synthesis and End Group Structure of 2-Deoxydextrans Prepared via the Cationic Ring-Opening Polymerization of an Anhydro Sugar

1,6-Anhydro-3,4-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-β-D-glucose was polymerized using 1-chloroethyl isobutyl ether or cumyl chloride as initiator and ZnI 2 as activator. The resulting polymer contained predominantly α-(1,6) linkages, and the molecular weight distributions were narrow (≤1.25). The kinetics of polymerization was first-order with respect to monomer concentration. There was evidence of slow chain transfer at these polymerization temperatures, although the majority of polymer chains contained the initiator fragment. Mass spectra of the polymer revealed that the initiator fragment at the polymer chain end was an isobutyl group, presumably arising from nucleophilic attack of monomer on the methylene unit of the isobutyl group in the initiating cation with loss of acetaldehyde as opposed to attack at the sp 2 -methylene carbon. Cyclic oligomers were present in the polymer sample as well and could have arisen from two processes: HCl initiation or a backbiting reaction.
Effects of Affective and Informational Characteristics of Work Environments on Worker Satisfaction

Workers in eleven businesses (e.g., a trucking company, a warehouse, a county hospital, a computer company) rated the physical and social environment in which they worked using three nearly independent measures of pleasantness-unpleasantness, dominance-submissiveness inducing quality, and “information rate.” Complexity, novelty, variability, and unpredictable quality of a situation jointly characterize its “information rate” and are positive correlates of the arousal elicited by the setting. Two measures of worker satisfaction used were the Job Satisfaction Index (JSI) and a new Worker Satisfaction Scale (WSS). Internal consistency-reliability was .77 for the WSS and compared favorably with .57 for the JSI. The WSS correlated .60 with the JSI and .71 with a modified version of the JSI from which unsatisfactory items were eliminated. Results with both the WSS and the JSI showed that worker satisfaction was a positive correlate of pleasantness, and information rate, of work environments. In addition, an Inf...
Involvement of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity in inflammatory demyelination in a mouse model of neuromyelitis optica.

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that can cause paralysis and blindness. The pathogenesis of NMO involves binding of immunoglobulin G autoantibodies to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) on astrocytes, which is thought to cause complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and a secondary inflammatory response leading to oligodendrocyte and neuronal damage. Here, we investigate in vivo the role of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) triggered by AQP4 autoantibodies (AQP4-IgG) in the development of NMO pathology. A high-affinity, human recombinant monoclonal AQP4-IgG was mutated in its Fc region to produce ‘NMO superantibodies’ with enhanced CDC and/or ADCC effector functions, without altered AQP4 binding. Pathological effects of these antibodies were studied in a mouse model of NMO produced by intracerebral injection of AQP4-IgG and human complement. The original (non-mutated) antibody produced large NMO lesions in this model, with loss of AQP4 and GFAP immunoreactivity, inflammation and demyelination, as did a mutated antibody with enhanced CDC and ADCC effector functions. As anticipated, a mutated AQP4-IgG lacking CDC, but having tenfold enhanced ADCC, produced little pathology. However, unexpectedly, a mutated antibody with ninefold enhanced CDC, but lacking ADCC, produced much less pathology than the original AQP4-IgG. Also, pathology was greatly reduced following administration of AQP4-IgG and complement to mice lacking the FcγIII receptor involved in effector cell activation during ADCC, and to normal mice injected with an Fcγ receptor blocking antibody. Our results provide evidence for the central involvement of ADCC in NMO pathology and suggest ADCC as a new therapeutic target in NMO.
Consumer Attitudes About Personal and Political Action

People can express their moral views through their purchases or through political action. If a product is morally bad, or bad in other ways, people may refuse to purchase it for themselves, or they may take political action against it. Two questionnaire studies examined the determinants of attitudes toward these two types of action. Both types of action are affected by moral concerns. Political actions are more affected by universalized moral concerns, in which people think that something is wrong for everyone regardless of whether they think it is wrong or not. Some moral principles are seen as absolute values, protected from trade-offs with other values. The studies also found evidence for moralization of many kinds of attributes, including some that affected only the buyer, particularly those that put the buyer at risk of harm.
Pulmonary artery occlusion and reperfusion causes microvascular constriction in the rabbit lung.

Abstract Introduction . Reperfusion injury of the lung after ischemia is associated with altered alveolar blood flow and ventilation-perfusion mismatch, which is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation. We examined the effect of ischemia and reperfusion on the tone of individual subpleural arterioles in the pulmonary circulation by using video microscopy with polarized epiillumination. Methods . In 11 open-chested rabbits anesthetized with pentobarbital (2.3 to 2.5 kg), we ventilated the lungs through the lower trachea (air or 50% oxygen) and examined the response of subpleural arterioles (diameter 75 ± 13 μm) to ischemia (76 ± 32 min) of the right lung caused by occluding the right main pulmonary artery. Observations were made during baseline, occlusion, and during early (20 to 32 min) and late (48 to 63 min) reperfusion using a long working distance lens (550×) with a dipping cone held at the pleural surface while the lungs were statically inflated (10 cm H 2 O) with oxygen for brief periods. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Results . Arteriolar diameter was decreased 57% ± 19% during early reperfusion. There was a decrease in blood flow and alveolar walls were pale, indicating reduced capillary perfusion. During late reperfusion, arteriolar diameter was diminished (19% ± 26%); flow was still reduced. Overall pulmonary vascular resistance increased during early reperfusion but returned to baseline level during late reperfusion. Arterial partial pressure of oxygen averaged 200 mm Hg during ischemia and reperfusion. Conclusions . Constriction of small arterioles by ischemia and reperfusion can have a significant effect on the early phase of ventilation-perfusion mismatch and pulmonary dysfunction by altering alveolar perfusion. This response does not appear to be mediated by hypoxia because it was not prevented by ventilation with oxygen.
Insights into ovarian function in wild muriqui monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides).

Fecal samples were collected systematically during a 6-week period, from 13 September-24 October, 1990, from four nonlactating female muriquis (Brachyteles arachnoides) inhabiting an 800 ha forest at Fazenda Montes Claros in Minas Gerais, Brazil. All four females were experienced mothers; one had most recently given birth in June 1988; the other three had most recently given birth in August 1988. Fecal assays measuring progesterone, estradiol, and estrone indicated consistently low levels in the one female who had given birth in June 1988 and in two of the three females who had given birth in August 1988. Elevated steroid levels did, however, appear in fecal samples from the fourth female on day 15 of the collection period. Steroid levels subsequently dropped and then began to rise again during what appeared to be a second cycle. The cycling female was the only one of the four females examined observed to copulate during the collection period. These preliminary data indicate that nonlactating female muriquis do not cycle year-round, resumption of cycling is not tightly synchronized among females even when their prior parturitions were tightly synchronized, and resumed sexual activity appears to be associated with resumed cycling. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Precise rank-ordering of all paths through an interconnection network

A method for precisely ranking all the input-to-output transmission paths in an interconnection network is given. It is based upon the superposition principle along with a novel technique for decomposing the network into simpler networks, each having exactly one input-to-output path. The output voltages of the latter networks sum to that of the original network and determine the ranks. The procedure can be used for both DC and AC steady-state regimes. It can also ascertain whether an intended transmission path in a circuit design truly dominates all other paths. >
Influence of Lung Volume on the Airflow-Intensity Relationship

This study reports airflow-intensity relationships observed in crescendo and decrescendo phonations produced at three fundamental frequency levels by l0 men. The purpose of the investigation was to...
Immunohistochemical analysis of vascular prostheses implanted with the left ventricular assist system.

Abstract Background Dacron vascular prostheses are associated with thromboembolic complications and inflammatory responses; impregnation with bovine collagen reportedly stimulates additional inflammatory/immunologic complications. The Novacor (Baxter Healthcare Corp., Oakland, CA, USA) left ventricular assist system uses Dacron inflow and collagen-impregnated Dacron outflow prostheses. Methods Explanted inflow and outflow prostheses were evaluated for inflammatory/immunologic, hemostatic, anticoagulant, and fibrinolytic pathways. Non-implanted prostheses immersed in whole blood or plasma were used as controls. Results Immunoglobulins and complement components were observed in all prostheses with activated macrophages being present only in implanted prostheses. Antithrombin III was observed in all prostheses whereas fibrin, tissue plasminogen activator, and alpha-2 plasmin inhibitor were present only in implanted prostheses. Endothelial and smooth muscle cells associated with vascular structures containing collagen type IV and laminin were observed solely in implanted prostheses. Conclusion An inflammatory response occurs and key components of hemostatic, anticoagulant, and fibrinolytic pathways are present within implanted prostheses. These processes are accompanied by endothelial and smooth muscle cell infiltration which appear to lay the foundation for neovessel development.
Symmetry classification of the layered perovskite-derived AnBnX3n+2 structures

The effects of combinations of octahedral tilts on the symmetries of layered AnBnX3n+2 structures were considered. Two complementary approaches were used to deduce the symmetries. The space groups associated with different tilt systems were determined for structures with different layer thicknesses (n values) and for structures with different layer stacking arrangements. For the most symmetrical tilts about the orthorhombic axes of the AnBnX3n+2 structure, maximal group/subgroup relations were established. Comparison of these results with experimental data available in the literature suggests that the symmetries of most observed AnBnX3n+2 compounds are fully determined by the tilt systems adopted by rigid BX6 octahedra. The most common tilt system observed at room temperature is a combination of an in-phase tilt about an orthorhombic axis parallel to the pseudo-fourfold axis of the octahedron with a tilt about an orthorhombic axis perpendicular to the layers.
Invariance, groups, and non-uniqueness; the discrete case

Lie group methods provide a valuable tool for examininginvariance and non-uniqueness associated with geophysical inverseproblems. The techniques are particularly well suited for the study ofnon-linear inverse problems. Using the infinitesimal generators of thegroup it is possible to move within the null space in an iterativefashion. The key computational step in determining the symmetry groupsassociated with an inverse problem is the singular value decomposition(SVD) of a sparse matrix. I apply the methodology to the eikonal equationand examine the possible solutions associated with a crosswelltomographic experiment. Results from a synthetic test indicate that it ispossible to vary the velocity model significantly and still fit thereference arrival times. the approach is also applied to data fromcorosswell surveys conducted before and after a CO2 injection at the LostHills field in California. The results highlight the fact that a faultcross-cutting the region between the wells may act as a conduit for theflow of water and CO2.
Influence of Amorphous Silica Matrices on the Formation, Structure, and Chemistry of Iron and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Fe(CO)5 physisorbs onto Corning’s code 7930 porous Vycor glass (PVG) and dried (≤200 °C), base-catalyzed (NH3) tetramethoxysilane/methanol/water xerogels. Although chemically and structurally similar matrices, 488-nm photolysis of the physisorbed complex yields ca. equal amounts of Fe0 and Fe2O3 in PVG, but only Fe2O3 in the xerogel. Mossbauer, EXAFS, and XANES results give no indication the photoproducts bind to either silica matrix, and consolidation of the PVG matrix leads to Fe0−Fe2O3 nanoparticle formation with little change in the Fe0/Fe(III) ratio. PVG serves as a template defining the particle diameter and interparticle spacing, whereas consolidation of the xerogel does not result in nanoparticle formation. Instead, ca. 20% of the octahedrally coordinated Fe(III) converts to tetrahedral coordination during consolidation. The photoproducts within these porous silica matrices reflect a competition between aggregation and oxidation, where the extent and most likely the rate of aggregation are functio...
Secondary School Curricula Issues: Impact on Postsecondary Students with Disabilities

Supporting and teaching students with disabilities to learn rigorous, standards-based curriculum in secondary school is a complex and difficult issue for educators. This article presents an overview of issues surrounding standards-based curricula and individualized education for youth with disabilities in secondary school settings. Specifically examined are (a) the complex needs of students with disabilities in learning rigorous standards-based curricula, (b) the needs of educators to effectively teach this population standards-based curricula, and (c) the contextual factors that impact teaching and learning standards-based curricula in secondary schools. Also, some exemplary and promising practices that enable students and schools to meet the goals set out by current legislation are described, and recommendations are made for practitioners.
RB tumor suppressor gene expression in hepatocellular carcinomas from patients infected with the hepatitis B virus

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is closely associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but definite mechanisms by which it could play an etiologic role have not yet been identified. Modifications of the function of the RB tumor suppressor gene, which regulates the cell cycle, could provide such a mechanism. In the present study, the expression of the protein product of RB, pRB, was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining in HCC tissues from 25 patients from China and the United States, adjacent nontumorous liver from 19 of those patients, five human HCC cell lines, three human hepatoblastoma cell lines, and five specimens of normal human liver. Representative samples were also evaluated by western blot. Altered expression of RB was detected in eight HCC tissues (pRB undetectable in five HCCs and detected in 90% of nuclei of the other HCC and hepatoblastoma cell lines. The relationship of pRB expression to mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene was also examined. The absence of detectable nuclear pRB by immunohistochemical staining was associated with the presence of presumed mutant p53 detected by immunohistochemical staining in four out of five HCC cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Validity for an integrated laboratory analogue of sexual aggression and bystander intervention.

This study sought to develop and validate an integrated laboratory paradigm of sexual aggression and bystander intervention. Participants were a diverse community sample (54% African American) of heterosexual males (N = 156) between 21 and 35 years of age who were recruited to complete the study with a male friend and an ostensibly single, heterosexual female who reported a strong dislike of sexual content in the media. Participants viewed a sexually explicit or nonsexually explicit film clip as part of contrived media rating task and made individual choices of which film clip to show the female confederate. Immediately thereafter, participants were required to reach consensus on a group decision of which film clip to show the female confederate. Subjecting a target to an unwanted experience with a sexual connotation was operationalized as selection of the sexually explicit video, whereas successful bystander intervention was operationalized as the event of one partner individually selecting the sexually explicit video but then selecting the nonsexually explicit video for the group choice. Results demonstrated that a 1-year history of sexual aggression and endorsement of pertinent misogynistic attitudes significantly predicted selection of the sexually-explicit video. In addition, bystander efficacy significantly predicted men's successful prevention of their male peer's intent to show the female confederate a sexually explicit video. Discussion focused on how these data inform future research and bystander intervention programming for sexual aggression. Aggr. Behav. 00:1-13, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
The heterogeneity of the kinetics of response to ipilimumab in metastatic melanoma: patient cases

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a negative regulator of T-cell mediated immune responses and is the target of new anti-tumor immunotherapy strategies. Ipilimumab is a fully human, antagonistic monoclonal antibody directed against CTLA-4. Results from preclinical and early clinical trials support current phase II/III testing of ipilimumab as first- and second-line therapy for metastatic melanoma. Ipilimumab promotes durable objective responses and/or stable disease in patients with metastatic melanoma. Adverse events are medically manageable, largely immune-related, and presumably linked to the drug's mechanism of action. As more patients are treated with ipilimumab, it is becoming clear that the kinetics of responses are heterogeneous and significantly different from those of chemotherapy and other immunotherapy. Though objective response or stable disease is observed within 'conventional' time frames, responses have been observed weeks to months after therapy initiation. Response or stable disease may be preceded by apparent early disease progression, or may occur simultaneously with different progressing lesions within the same patient (a 'mixed' response). It is likely that the unique kinetics of response is a result of the time required to enhance and maintain an anti-tumor immune response to ipilimumab therapy. Consequently, patients may benefit from continued ipilimumab treatment through clinically known relevant disease progression or non-response during the full induction dosing schedule (12 weeks), without additional therapies. Understanding the kinetics of response to ipilimumab will help clinicians to manage patients who may benefit from treatment. In this article, several cases that illustrate the kinetics of response to ipilimumab are discussed.
Use of biphase-coded pulses for wideband data storage in time-domain optical memories

We demonstrate that temporally long laser pulses with appropriate phase modulation can replace either temporally brief or frequency-chirped pulses in a time-domain optical memory to store and retrieve information. A 1.65-μs-long write pulse was biphase modulated according to the 13-bit Barker code for storing multiple bits of optical data into a Pr3+:YAlO3 crystal, and the stored information was later recalled faithfully by using a read pulse that was identical to the write pulse. Our results further show that the stored data cannot be retrieved faithfully if mismatched write and read pulses are used. This finding opens up the possibility of designing encrypted optical memories for secure data storage.
Evaluating the source and seasonality of submarine groundwater discharge using a radon-222 pore water transport model

ARTICLE I NFO Pore water radon ( 222 Rn) distributions from Indian River Lagoon, Florida, are characterized by three zones: a lower zone where pore water 222 Rn and sediment-bound radium ( 226 Ra) are in equilibrium and concentration gradients are vertical; a middle zone where 222 Rn is in excess of sediment-bound 226 Ra and concentration gradients are concave-downward; and an upper zone where 222 Rn concentration gradients are
A game theory based risk and impact analysis method for Intrusion Defense Systems

An enormous amount of functions in our everyday life became dependent on computer networks. Network attacks become more sophisticated and perplexing. Defending against multi-stage attacks is a challenging process in Intrusion Defense Systems (IDS) due to their complexity. This paper presents a game theory method to analyze the risk and impact of multi-stage attacks in IDS. In this method, the interactions between the attacker and the administrator are modeled as a non-cooperative zero-sum multi-stage game and it is modeled as a min-max game tree where the attacker is the leader and the administrator is the follower. Alternating the actions between the administrator and the attacker forms the game tree, each of them will be allowed to play a single action at any given time. In this work, a new multi-stage attacker defender (MAD) algorithm is developed to help the administrator in defending against multi-stage attacks. The believes of the attacker and the administrator are updated based on the analysis of the life-cycle for the multi-stage attacks to reduce the horizon effect.
Religious Attendance and Mortality: An 8-Year Follow-Up of Older Mexican Americans

Objectives. Studies in the area of religion and mortality are based primarily on data derived from samples of predominantly non-Hispanic Whites. Given the importance of religion in the lives of Hispanics living in the United States, particularly older Hispanics, we examine the effects of religious attendance on mortality risk among Mexican Americans aged 65 and older. Methods. We employ data from the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly to predict the risk of all-cause mortality over an 8-year follow-up period. Results. Overall, the results show that those who attend church once per week exhibit a 32% reduction in the risk of mortality as compared with those who never attend religious services. Moreover, the benefits of weekly attendance persist with controls for sociodemographic characteristics, cardiovascular health, activities of daily living, cognitive functioning, physical mobility and functioning, social support, health behaviors, mental health, and subjective health. Discussion. Our findings suggest that weekly church attendance may reduce the risk of mortality among older Mexican Americans. Future research should focus on identifying other potential mediators of the relationship between religious involvement and mortality risk in the Mexican-origin population.
Clinical assessment is an accurate predictor of which patients will need septoplasty

Objectives/Hypothesis: Septoplasty is a frequently performed surgical procedure with the most common indication being nasal airway obstruction. Almost universally, health insurance companies mandate a trial of medical therapy consisting of intranasal corticosteroids prior to performance of septoplasty regardless of clinical assessment. Evidence for this requirement is lacking. We sought to evaluate the initial clinical assessment as a predictor of response to this mandated trial of medical treatment. Study Design: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data on 137 consecutive patients who presented with symptoms of nasal obstruction and a deviated nasal septum on physical examination. Methods: Patients were placed into one of three cohorts based on prediction of 1) failure of medical therapy with subsequent septoplasty, 2) success of medical therapy without subsequent septoplasty, or 3) unable to make a prediction. Patients from each cohort were assessed for subsequent response to medical therapy and ultimate need for septoplasty. Results: Overall clinical assessment had a sensitivity of 86.9%, specificity of 91.8%, positive predictive value of 93.6%, and negative predictive value of 96.4% for detecting/predicting need for septoplasty. The accuracy of the overall clinical assessment is considerably better than severe deviation at any one septal anatomical site. Of patients whose response to medical therapy could not be predicted, 61.3% failed medical therapy and needed surgery; this is statistically equivalent to a 50/50 distribution between either needing septoplasty or not. Conclusions: Clinical assessment at initial presentation of patients with nasal obstruction and deviated septum is highly accurate in predicting which patients will need septoplasty. Laryngoscope, 2013
LIMITATION OF INFARCT SIZE BY MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIC PRECONDITIONING

Myocardial ischemic preconditioning (IP) has caught the attention and imagination of researchers throughout the world (7). And for good reason: the magnitude of protection against ischemic injury conferred by IP is tremendous, far surpassing that offered by past pharmacological therapies. Although the original description of IP focused on limitation of myocardial infarction following acute coronary occlusion and reperfusion, IP may also decrease the incidence of ischemia-induced arrhythmias and improve post-ischemic cardiac function. However, in this article the discussion will be confined to the infarctlimiting effect of IP. Upon suffering a brief episode of ischemia, the myocardium instigates some change in itself which protects it from subsequent ischemic events. On an organ level the visible end-point is a decrease in infarct. This grossly visible change is the result of the cellular transduction of a signal and the institution of an adaptive cellular modification. But what precisely is that cellular process?
Integration of mechanical testing PC instrumentation with a DEC PDP-11 laboratory information management system

Abstract This article describes the means by which two PC-based mechanical testing instruments were integrated into an existing PDP-11™-based laboratory information management system (LIMS) using a systematic approach through which the data acquisition and machine control burden on the LIMS was eliminated while the integrity of the existing work request management, results reporting, data base management, and support functions of the system were maintained. The introduction of an Ethernet network and network communications software, and the development of data flow control and local data processing software were essential parts of the integration process.
Synthesis of ribonucleic acid in normal bone in vitro

Abstract 1. The incorporation of [2-14C]uridine into nucleic acids of bone cells was studied in rat and pig trabecular-bone fragments surviving in vitro. 2. The rapid uptake of uridine into trichloroacetic acid-soluble material, and its subsequent incorporation into a crude nucleic acid fraction of bone or purified RNA extracted from isolated bone cells, was proportional to uridine concentration in the incubation medium over a range 0·5–20·0μm. 3. During continued exposure to radioactive uridine, bulk RNA became labelled in a curvilinear fashion. Radioactivity rapidly entered nuclear RNA, which approached its maximum specific activity by 2hr. of incubation; cytoplasmic RNA, and particularly microsomal RNA, was more slowly labelled. The kinetics of labelling and rapid decline of the nuclear/microsomal specific activity ratio were consistent with a precursor–product relationship. 4. Bulk RNA preparations were resolved by zonal centrifugation in sucrose density gradients into components with approximate sedimentation coefficients 28s, 18s and 4s. 5. Rapidly labelled RNA, predominantly nuclear in location, demonstrated a polydisperse sedimentation pattern that did not conform to the major types of stable cellular RNA. Material of highest specific activity, sedimenting in the 4–18s region and insoluble in 10% (w/v) sodium chloride, rapidly achieved its maximum activity during continued exposure to radioactive precursor and decayed equally rapidly during `chase' incubation, exhibiting an average half-life of 4·3hr. 6. Ribosomal 28s and 18s RNA were of lower specific activity, which increased linearly for at least 6hr. in the continued presence of radioactive uridine. There was persistent but variable incorporation into ribosomal RNA during `chase' incubation despite rapid decline in total radioactivity of the acid-soluble pool containing RNA precursors.
Bacteremia in granulocytopenic patients in a tertiary-care general hospital.

Episodes of bacteremia in granulocytopenic patients during 1985 and 1986 at a tertiary-care general hospital were reviewed to assess the adequacy of current empiric antimicrobial therapy. The major pathogens in these cases were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae organisms, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. This combination of pathogens differed from that found at the same facility from 1975 to 1977, when Staphylococcus aureus and streptococci predominated. When apparent, the sources of infection were predominantly venous catheters, the lower respiratory tract, and the urinary tract; most frequently there was no identifiable focus. S. epidermidis and streptococci were isolated more frequently during initial episodes of febrile bacteremia, and P. aeruginosa was isolated more often during subsequent episodes. If a narrow definition for therapeutic outcome is used, only 38% of episodes had a favorable response; response rates were no different with appropriate or inappropriate therapy. The low response rate may have been related to the use of data from the previous review to guide empiric therapy and to the subsequent inadequate treatment of infections caused by Pseudomonas and Enterobacter organisms. The overall mortality per total bacteremic episodes was 19%, and the primary factor associated with mortality was pneumonia (P less than .0001). This study emphasizes the need for ongoing surveillance of local patterns of bacteremia to direct empiric therapy.
The Production of Spasms of the Diaphragm in Animals with a Streptococcus from Epidemic Hiccup

In a preliminary report,1 attention was directed to the isolation of a streptococcus from 3 cases of epidemic hiccup, with which spasms of the diaphragm were reproduced in animals. The close relationship of this condition to epidemic lethargic encephalitis, as suggested by clinical and epidemiologic observations, was discussed, and experimental results in support of this view were reported. Thus far, I have found only one reference in the literature on experimental research in epidemic hiccup, and that is the one by Pontano and Trenti,2 who inoculated volunteers with blood, spinal fluid, and throat washings obtained during the febrile period of epidemic singultus. The results were negative. In this paper I shall record details of an experimental study of 8 cases of epidemic hiccup. Technic
Message Strategies in Military Recruitment Advertising: A Research Note

This study investigates message strategies used in U.S. military commercials using Taylor’s six-segment strategy wheel. A content analysis of 125 military television commercials reveals that (1) majority of military commercials employed transformational strategy rather than informational strategy; (2) military commercials only used high involvement message strategies (i.e., ration, ego, and social) and no acute need, routine, and sensory commercials were observed; and (3) message strategies in military advertising varied across the number of wars and recruiting targets. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
The Doctor is In: Prescriptions for Teaching Writing in a Live-Client In-House Clinic

This Essay discusses the reasons for having an advanced writing program as part of a clinical law program and describes one way to incorporate advanced writing instruction into an existing or new clinical law curriculum. Specifically this article describes the genesis, the goals, the facets, and the benefits of the Advanced Clinical Writing Program the author developed for the live-client in-house clinics at the University of Baltimore School of Law.Part I of this Article briefly describes the similar histories of legal writing programs and clinical programs at American law schools. Part II discusses the benefits of integrating a writing program into a clinical law program. Part III describes the various components of my Advanced Clinical Writing Program. Part IV explains two approaches to teaching writing and argues that both are appropriate for use in an advanced clinical writing program. Part V explores the related issues of intervention and supervision in the clinical setting, and Part VI concludes the Article with a vignette that exemplifies the value of having an advanced clinical writing program.
Wiener Filtering Image Restoration Technology Research and Improvement

Image restoration in image processing is an important problem,and is of great significance to improve image quality.There are a lot of important image restoration technologies that already proved to be effective in the actual application,but wiener filtering algorithm provides an optimal method that can derive the deconvolution transfer function in the situation of noise.It is the most commonly used recovery method in the frequency domain.The adaptation and improvement of wiener filtering algorithm in detail are analyzed and researched it and studied and discussed,then,proposed an modified method in the light of fuzzy boundary or ringing effect produced when restoring the motion noise blurred images that can restore important information of images better,producing satisfactory visual effects.
Adolescent engagement during assent for exome sequencing

ABSTRACTBackground: Research focused on describing the content of informed consent interactions has shed little light on how to best to encourage, support, and nurture adolescent participation in genomic sequencing. Research addressing adolescents' comprehension and agency is needed because sequencing may have significant implications for an adolescent's own future health status, as well as for other members of the adolescent's family. This article explores adolescent participation and decision making during informed consent for exome sequencing. Methods: Investigators recruited 25 adolescents with unexplained hearing loss, cardiac arrhythmias, mitochondrial disease, or neurodevelopmental disorders from an urban teaching and research hospital for participation in a research project offering whole exome sequencing. Twenty-five adolescents ages 12–19 years and their parents completed informed consent sessions with study clinicians lasting up to 90 minutes. Sessions were digitally recorded, transcribed, and ...