cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Utility and Inference in the Evolution of Functional Information

Functional information means an encoded network of functions in living organisms from molecular signaling pathways to an organism’s behavior. It is represented by two components: code and an interpretation system, which together form a self-sustaining semantic closure. Semantic closure allows some freedom between components because small variations of the code are still interpretable. The interpretation system consists of inference rules that control the correspondence between the code and the function (phenotype) and determines the shape of the fitness landscape. The utility factor operates at multiple time scales: short-term selection drives evolution towards higher survival and reproduction rate within a given fitness landscape, and long-term selection favors those fitness landscapes that support adaptability and lead to evolutionary expansion of certain lineages. Inference rules make short-term selection possible by shaping the fitness landscape and defining possible directions of evolution, but they are under control of the long-term selection of lineages. Communication normally occurs within a set of agents with compatible interpretation systems, which I call communication system. Functional information cannot be directly transferred between communication systems with incompatible inference rules. Each biological species is a genetic communication system that carries unique functional information together with inference rules that determine evolutionary directions and constraints. This view of the relation between utility and inference can resolve the conflict between realism/positivism and pragmatism. Realism overemphasizes the role of inference in evolution of human knowledge because it assumes that logic is embedded in reality. Pragmatism substitutes usefulness for truth and therefore ignores the advantage of inference. The proposed concept of evolutionary pragmatism rejects the idea that logic is embedded in reality; instead, inference rules are constructed within each communication system to represent reality, and they evolve towards higher adaptability on a long time scale.
Idiotype vaccination following ABMT can stimulate specific anti-idiotype immune responses in patients with B-cell lymphoma.

Vaccination with the idiotype (Id) protein derived from B-cell malignancies can produce Id-specific immune responses that correlate with improved remission duration and survival rates in patients with follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). A state of minimal or no residual disease correlates strongly with the laboratory detection of a cellular or humoral immune response. High-dose cytotoxic therapy (HDCT) with autologous stem cell support (autologous bone marrow transplantation [ABMT]) can provide profound cytoreduction of B-cell NHL, but the potential immune suppression associated with myeloablative therapy may compromise a patient’s ability to mount a specific immune response. To determine whether patients with NHL could mount detectable immune responses following ABMT, Id vaccines were administered at 2 to 12 months following myeloablative therapy to a series of patients with relapsed or resistant B-cell NHL. Two different vaccination strategies produced robust immune responses against KLH in all patients, supporting the capacity of the reconstituted immune system following HDCT to react against a strong antigen. Combining the results from both vaccination strategies, 10 of 12 patients mounted Id-specific humoral or cellular responses. Vaccinations were consistently well tolerated. Of the 12 patients, 7 have experienced prolonged remissions with a follow-up from HDCT ranging from 3 to more than 11 years. Our experience serves to document the ability of the recovering immune system to react against both self and xenotypic antigens and supports the feasibility and safety of antigen-specific vaccination following myeloablative therapy in patients with B-cell NHL.
TAM Receptor–Dependent Regulation of SOCS3 and MAPKs Contributes to Proinflammatory Cytokine Downregulation following Chronic NOD2 Stimulation of Human Macrophages

Microbial-induced cytokine regulation is critical to intestinal immune homeostasis. Acute stimulation of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2), the Crohn’s disease–associated sensor of bacterial peptidoglycan, induces cytokines. However, cytokines are attenuated after chronic NOD2 and pattern recognition receptor stimulation of macrophages; similar attenuation is observed in intestinal macrophages. The role of Tyro3, Axl, and Mer (TAM) receptors in regulating chronic pattern recognition receptor stimulation and NOD2-induced outcomes has not been examined. Moreover, TAM receptors have been relatively less investigated in human macrophages. Whereas TAM receptors did not downregulate acute NOD2-induced cytokines in primary human macrophages, they were essential for downregulating signaling and proinflammatory cytokine secretion after chronic NOD2 and TLR4 stimulation. Axl and Mer were similarly required in mice for cytokine downregulation after chronic NOD2 stimulation in vivo and in intestinal tissues. Consistently, TAM expression was increased in human intestinal myeloid-derived cells. Chronic NOD2 stimulation led to IL-10– and TGF-β–dependent TAM upregulation in human macrophages, which, in turn, upregulated suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 expression. Restoring suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 expression under TAM knockdown conditions restored chronic NOD2-mediated proinflammatory cytokine downregulation. In contrast to the upregulated proinflammatory cytokines, attenuated IL-10 secretion was maintained in TAM-deficient macrophages upon chronic NOD2 stimulation. The level of MAPK activation in TAM-deficient macrophages after chronic NOD2 stimulation was insufficient to upregulate IL-10 secretion; however, full restoration of MAPK activation under these conditions restored c-Fos, c-Jun, musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog K, and PU.1 binding to the IL-10 promoter and IL-10 secretion. Therefore, TAM receptors are critical for downregulating proinflammatory cytokines under the chronic NOD2 stimulation conditions observed in the intestinal environment.
Language in motion: a framework for unifying spoken language, signed language, and gesture

In this article I describe a framework for unifying spoken language, signed language, and gesture. Called the language as motion framework, it relies on three broad theories: cognitive grammar, dynamic systems, and cognitive neuroscience. The foundational claim of the language in motion framework is that language and gesture are manifestations of a general human expressive ability which is grounded in embodied cognition and the need for mobile creatures to make sense of their environment.
"It's an Uphill Battle Everyday": Intersectionality, Low-Income Black Heterosexual Men, and Implications for HIV Prevention Research and Interventions.

This interview study, the initial qualitative phase of a larger mixed methods HIV prevention study focused on Black heterosexual men, used intersectionality as a theoretical framework to explore: (1) How a sample of Black heterosexual men describe and experience the multiple intersections of race, gender, and SES; and (2) How these descriptions reflected interlocking systems of social inequality for Black men at the social-structural level. Participants were 30 predominantly low-income self-identified Black heterosexual men between the ages of 18 and 44. Analyses highlighted four themes that demonstrate how participants’ individual-level experiences as Black men reflect macro social-structural inequality: (1) racial discrimination and microaggressions; (2) unemployment; (3) incarceration; and (4) police surveillance and harassment. We discuss the study’s findings within the context of social-structural factors that disproportionately and adversely impact Black men. We also highlight the implications of the intersectionality perspective for HIV prevention research and interventions for Black heterosexual men.
Learning and memory impairment in cocaine-dependent and comorbid schizophrenic patients

Abstract Impairments in verbal learning and memory functioning have been found to be cardinal features among individuals with schizophrenia as well as among non-schizophrenic cocaine abusers. Cognitive deficits in these areas, moreover, have been associated with poor treatment response and short-term outcome. Little is known, however, about the acute effects of cocaine abuse on schizophrenic patients' learning and memory functioning. Consequently, a potentially reversible and treatable source of cognitive impairment has been virtually ignored. The present study examined the extent of verbal learning and memory impairment in a group of cocaine-dependent schizophrenic patients ( n =42) and a group of non-schizophrenic cocaine-dependent patients ( n =21) within 72 h of the last cocaine use using the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Schizophrenic patients ( n =34) without any substance-use disorders were also tested in an identical time frame and served as a comparison group. Results revealed that all groups demonstrated significant learning and memory impairment relative to CVLT published age and gender corrected norms. Both cocaine-dependent and non-substance abusing schizophrenic groups presented a very similar pattern of impaired learning and recall performance across all CVLT task domains. Comorbid patients, in contrast, presented with marked deficits in their ability to learn and recall verbal information relative to either schizophrenic or cocaine-only groups. Moreover, the cocaine-abusing schizophrenic patients showed significant forgetfulness of the information that they did acquire during delayed recall conditions. The performance deficits exhibited by cocaine-abusing schizophrenic patients differed not only in relative severity of impairment, but also qualitatively in their increased rates of forgetfulness of acquired information. These results are interpreted in terms of the neurobiological substrates of learning and memory and the neurobiological impact of cocaine on schizophrenic patients' cognition during the early phase of inpatient hospitalization. These results suggest that comorbid patients should be targeted for specialized remediation efforts at the beginning phases of inpatient treatment.
Mixed-mode stress degradation mechanisms in pnp SiGe HBTs

An investigation of the high-voltage/high-current mixed-mode (M-M) stress-induced damage mechanisms of pnp silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) is presented. Different accelerated stress methods, including mixed-mode stress, reverse emitter-base (EB) stress, and forward collector plus reverse EB stress, were applied to pnp SiGe HBTs from a state-of-the-art complementary-SiGe BiCMOS process technology platform. The operative damage mechanism from the M-M stress method is identified. Experimental evidence of collector current change due to the M-M stress, and the experimental proof of the type of hot carriers (electrons vs. holes) responsible for the observed M-M stress damage are presented.
OWSS multiple-access system for 100 Mbps wireless LANs

This paper develops a signaling system for high bit rate wireless LANs made possible by a new class of signaling pulses. Called OWSS pulses, they are generated through a combination of orthogonal wavelet-division multiplexing (OWDM) and spread-spectrum concepts. Specifically, they are derived from the OWDM pulses by spreading them in the wavelet domain, using a suitable family of PN codes. Unlike the pulses used in OFDM, TDMA, and even OWDM, these new pulses have both a wide time support and a wide frequency support. Some of the advantages realized are: (a) single or multiple user capability, (b) inherent frequency diversity for overcoming frequency selective fading, (c) continuously pipelined operation (in contrast to OFDM), and (d) a high bandwidth (BW) efficiency, which is about twice that for DS-CDMA (assuming rectangular chips for DS-CDMA). The target bit rates for this work range from 100 Mbps upwards, in the 5.7 GHz band.
Practical broadcast authentication in sensor networks

Broadcast authentication is a critical security service in sensor networks; it allows a sender to broadcast messages to multiple nodes in an authenticated way. /spl mu/TESLA and multi-level /spl mu/TESLA have been proposed to provide such services for sensor networks. However, none of these techniques are scalable in terms of the number of senders. Though multi-level /spl mu/TESLA schemes can scale up to large sensor networks (in terms of receivers), they either use substantial bandwidth and storage at sensor nodes, or require significant resources at senders to deal with DOS attacks. This paper presents efficient techniques to support a potentially large number of broadcast senders using /spl mu/TESLA instances as building blocks. The proposed techniques are immune to the DOS attacks. This paper also provides two approaches, a revocation tree based scheme and a proactive distribution based scheme, to revoke the broadcast authentication capability from compromised senders. The proposed techniques are implemented, and evaluated through simulation on TinyOS. The analysis and experiment show that these techniques are efficient and practical, and can achieve better performance than the previous approaches.
Rational Diagnostic Procedures

When treating a patient with acute abdominal pain, it is tempting to make extensive use of ancillary investigations. This leads to the emergence of “routines” in the emergency room (ER), by which every patient with acute abdominal pain undergoes a plain X-ray of the abdomen (AXR) and a series of blood tests, which typically include a complete blood count, routine blood chemistry, and serum amylase. These “routine” tests have a very low diagnostic yield and are not cost effective. However, they are also an unavoidable part of life in the ER and are often obtained before the surgical consultation.
The Photophysics and Photochemistry of Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a particularly interesting molecule for fundamental photophysical and photochemical studies. Its structure and spectroscopy have been thoroughly studied for the three lowest electronic states. It is small enough so that spectra are fully resolved and laser excitation sources can populate single excited states. The goal of the research described below is a detailed knowledge of the non-radiative transition rates, and of the intermediate and final states involved in predissociation. This knowledge would provide considerable qualitative insight into the nature of radiationless transition processes in small molecules and allow a severe quantitative test of theoretical treatments.
Modelling valued preference relations

A theory of valued weak preference relations is described. The transitivity property of a strict preference relation and an indifference relation associated with a weak preference relation are established. The model presented is based on Lukasiewicz-like multiple-valued logic; it uses triangular norms with zero divisors. A similar approach works in the case of t-norms without zero divisors. >
Segment aberration effects on contrast

High-contrast imaging, particularly the direct detection of extrasolar planets, is a major science driver for the next generation of telescopes. This science requires the suppression of scattered starlight at extremely high levels and that telescopes be correctly designed today to meet these stringent requirements in the future. The challenge increases in systems with complicated aperture geometries such as obscured, segmented telescopes. Such systems can also require intensive modeling and simulation efforts in order to understand the trade-offs between different optical parameters. The feasibility and development of a contrast prediction tool for use in the design and systems engineering of these telescopes is described. The performance of a particular starlight suppression system on a large segmented telescope is described analytically. These analytical results and the results of a contrast predictor are then compared with the results of a full wave-optics simulation.
The use of fear and anger to alter crisis initiation

This paper provides a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the use of fear and anger on the decision to initiate a crisis. The formalization employs the finding that fearful decision-makers are risk-averting across frames and make pessimistic risk assessments, and that angry decision-makers are risk-seeking across frames and make optimistic risk assessments. The work presented here employs a sequential decision analysis based on the two-sided incomplete information version of the Traditional Deterrence Game. The analysis shows when the use of the emotions of fear and anger is effective, ineffective, and counterproductive in altering the decision to initiate or not initiate a crisis.
A highly carboxyphilic di-t-butylphenylsilyl chloride system enables a kit-like F-18 labeling of resin-supported unprotected peptides or small molecules

1167 Objectives To shorten F-18 incorporation times and simplify purifications of radiopharmaceuticals, a highly carboxyphilic di-t-butyl-phenylsilyl chloride system (1) was employed to load unprotected small molecules or peptides onto a resin, enabling their labeling and release in one step (Figure 1). Methods Compound 1-NHS ester reacted with the amine in 17-α-ethynylestradiol derivative (EE2) within 10-20 min at room temperature to give compound 2, without reaction with the phenol or alcohol (Route 1). The silyl chloride in compound 2 was unaffected during silica chromatography and could be quantitatively loaded onto an acidic (H) resin. A copper-free click strategy was adopted to load the unprotected RGD peptide onto the resin (Route 2). DBCO (dibenzocyclooctyne)-COOH was reacted with compound 1 to form the silyl ester, which was subsequently coupled with 0.8 eq. RGD peptide to give compound 3, quantitatively. Finally, compound 3 was loaded onto an azide-functionalized resin with high efficiency using a copper-free click reaction. Results To reduce activity loss due to decay, target water 18F-H2[18O]O was used directly for radiolabeling. After screening a few solvents, a 5:1 ratio of DMSO to F-18 water was found to give good F-18 incorporation into the silyl group, resulting in selective and efficient release of F-18 labeled EE2 and RGD peptide from the resin in very high radiochemical yield. Suprisingly, no F-18 activity remained on the resin. The released F-18 labeled compounds were purified by filtration and monitored by HPLC, and specific activities in the range of 1800-2500 Ci/mmol were routinely obtained. Conclusions This resin-supported F-18 labeling approach, coupled with the direct use of F-18 in target water, could simplify and shorten the whole F-18 labeling process, while maintaining high specific activity. Research Support DOE (DE-SC0005434 and DE-FG02-08ER64671)
A user guide for SLUSCHI: Solid and Liquid in Ultra Small Coexistence with Hovering Interfaces

Abstract Although various approaches for melting point calculations from first principles have been proposed and employed for years, their practical implementation has hitherto remained a complex and time-consuming process. The SLUSCHI code (Solid and Liquid in Ultra Small Coexistence with Hovering Interfaces) drastically simplifies this procedure into an automated package, by implementing the recently-developed small-size coexistence method and putting together a series of steps that lead to final melting point evaluation. Based on density functional theory, SLUSCHI employs Born–Oppenheimer molecular dynamics techniques under the isobaric–isothermal ( NPT ) ensemble, with interface to the first-principles code VASP . In order to make this useful code available to a wide community of researchers who could benefit from it, this paper outlines the procedure to perform melting point calculations, and presents a detailed user guide to the code.
Growth Arrest Specific-1 (GAS1) Is a C/EBP Target Gene That Functions in Ovulation and Corpus Luteum Formation in Mice

Ovulation and luteinization are initiated in preovulatory follicles by the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge; however, the signaling events that mediate LH actions in these follicles remain incompletely defined. Two key transcription factors that are targets of LH surge are C/EBPalpha and C/EBPbeta, and their depletion in granulosa cells results in complete infertility. Microarray analyses of these mutant mice revealed altered expression of a number of genes, including growth arrest specific-1 (Gas1). To investigate functions of Gas1 in ovulation- and luteinization-related processes, we crossed Cyp19a1-Cre and Gas1(flox/flox) mice to conditionally delete Gas1 in granulosa and cumulus cells. While expression of Gas1 is dramatically increased in granulosa and cumulus cells around 12-16 h post-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation in wild-type mice, this increase is abolished in Cebpa/b double mutant and in Gas1 mutant mice. GAS1 is also dynamically expressed in stromal cells of the ovary independent of C/EBPalpha/beta. Female Gas1 mutant mice are fertile, exhibit enhanced rates of ovulation, increased fertility, and higher levels of Areg and Lhcgr mRNA in granulosa cells. The morphological appearance and vascularization of corpora lutea appeared normal in these mutant females. Interestingly, levels of mRNA for a number of genes (Cyp11a1, Star, Wnt4, Prlr, Cd52, and Sema3a) associated with luteinization are decreased in corpora lutea of Gas1 mutant mice as compared with controls at 24 h post-hCG; these differences were no longer detectable by 48 h post-hCG. The C/EBP target Gas1 is induced in granulosa cells and is associated with ovulation and luteinization.
The Effect of Fuel Film Thickness on Coal Water Slurry Atomization

Presentation et discussion de resultats experimentaux obtenus dans differentes conditions de pulverisation (rapport air/combustible, vitesse de l'air)
Dysfunction of M2-muscarinic receptors in pulmonary parasympathetic nerves after antigen challenge.

The effect of antigen challenge on the function of neuronal M2-muscarinic autoreceptors in the lungs was studied in anesthetized guinea pigs. Guinea pigs were injected intraperitoneally with saline...
Acrolein-mediated conduction loss is partially restored by K+ channel blockers

Acrolein-mediated myelin damage is thought to be a critical mechanism leading to conduction failure following neurotrauma and neurodegenerative diseases. The exposure and activation of juxtaparanodal voltage-gated K(+) channels due to myelin damage leads to conduction block, and K(+) channel blockers have long been studied as a means for restoring axonal conduction in spinal cord injury (SCI) and multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we have found that 100 μM K(+) channel blockers 4-aminopyridine-3-methanol (4-AP-3-MeOH), and to a lesser degree 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), can significantly restore compound action potential (CAP) conduction in spinal cord tissue following acrolein-mediated myelin damage using a well-established ex vivo SCI model. In addition, 4-AP-3-MeOH can effectively restore CAP conduction in acrolein-damaged axons with a range of concentrations from 0.1 to 100 μM. We have also shown that while both compounds at 100 μM showed no preference of small- and large-caliber axons when restoring CAP conduction, 4-AP-3-MeOH, unlike 4-AP, is able to augment CAP amplitude while causing little change in axonal responsiveness measured in refractory periods and response to repetitive stimuli. In a prior study, we show that 4-AP-3-MeOH was able to functionally rescue mechanically injured axons. In this investigation, we conclude that 4-AP-3-MeOH is an effective K(+) channel blocker in restoring axonal conduction following both primary (physical) and secondary (chemical) insults. These findings also suggest that 4-AP-3-MeOH is a viable alternative of 4-AP for treating myelin damage and improving function following central nervous system trauma and neurodegenerative diseases.
Political Contestability, Capture, and Knowledge Transfer in Municipal Public-Private Partnerships

Contractual flexibility in public-private partnerships increases plausible political contestability and industry capture. The anticipation of political hazards, hold-up, and knowledge-transfer barriers redounds to regulatory and contractual rigidities that reduce managerial efficiency and often impede implementing public-private partnerships. Based on 20 projects embarked upon by the city of Warsaw, I examine the management of public-private partnerships in emerging economies to minimize political hazards and contractual inefficiencies. Key policy implications are (1) integrated headquarters, (2) accountable project selection criteria, (3) involvement of consultants to legitimize the process to subsequent administrations, (4) ex ante risk allocation and ex post performance measurement procedures, (5) predetermined termination clauses, (6) commitment to learning-by-doing, and (7) established knowledge transfer and retention mechanisms. Thereby, modern public management of public-private arrangements requires balancing service provision efficiency and political hazards from interested third parties.
Primary malignant melanoma of the lower respiratory tract: endoscopic identification

Primary malignant melanoma of the lower respiratory tract is a very rare disease (fewer than 15 reported cases). An autopsy-documented case is presented, along with a discussion of endoscopic and pathologic features.
EASY5 Model of Two Position Solenoid Operated Cartridge Valve

The two position solenoid operated cartridge valve is widely used in the applications, such as process control systems, pavers, agricultural machinery, where response and installed costs are more important than precise control through electronic position feedback. In recent years, the combination of multiple cartridge valves, so called ‘smart valve’ or ‘programmable valve’, which is able to break the mechanical linkage between the meter-in and meter-out orifices and enables high precision control as well as optimal usage of energy, is gaining engineering interests. But the control of such combination is far from trivial. It demands good knowledge of the valve dynamics and nonlinear flow properties. Unlike servo valve or proportional directional control valve, a mathematic model of solenoid operated cartridge valve, or even a thorough understanding of the dynamics and nonlinear performance, are not available. This paper presents an EASY 5 model for the two position solenoid operated cartridge valve. The model, which includes the solenoid force, spring force, damping force, flow force and nonlinear mass flow rate, can be used to analyze cartridge valve as well as simulate system or controller performance. It is also able to connect with Matlab for more complicated simulation.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Outpatient DSA in Cerebrovascular Disease Using Transbrachial Arch Injections

Experience with intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) has proven disappointing in the outpatient evaluation of cerebrovascular disease. Vessel superimposition, patient motion, and poor vascular opacification all prevent definitive studies in a significant percentage of patients. These problems were addressed by turning to an intraarterial outpatient DSA technique composed of several elements: (1) right transbrachial catheterization of the ascending aorta using a thin, multiple side-hole, straight catheter; (2) arch injections of relatively small volumes of contrast material; (3) pulsed digital image acquisition with multiple projections; and (4) a limited period of postprocedure observation. A total of 43 outpatients and 16 inpatients was studied in this manner with only two complications, both local. Images of definitive quality and completeness were obtained in 82%–98% of cases, and included the major intracranial as well as the extracranial vessels and their circulatory dynamics. Because the iodine load per injection was relatively low, up to 10 angiograms per case were available for delineating superimposed anatomy and motion degradation. Variations in cardiac output had little impact on image quality, and the average case required less than 60% of the contrast load routinely used for intravenous DSA. The transbrachial approach proved as safe and convenient as intravenous DSA but was more thorough and dependable.
Coordinated Scheme for Automatic Voltage Control of Hunan Power Grid

In order to optimize voltage regulation ability of Hunan Power Grid,a voltage and reactive power optimal control model,in which the least network loss is taken as objective,and a voltage correction control model independent of the state estimation results are built.Taking Hunan power grid for example,a coordinated scheme for voltage control in which the reactive power at high voltage side is taken as coordinative variable is proposed.The(automatic voltage control) AVC system in provincial dispatching center transmits the reactive power regulation range at the gateway and the command of reactive power compensation direction to the AVC system of regional dispatching department.The coordinated voltage control results in Hunan power grid show that the proposed scheme can effectively reduce network loss and decrease the off-limit probability of voltage.
Determination of three kinds of alkanes in working site with gas chromatography

Objective:To explore the best trial condition for alkanes determination in air of working site.Methods: DEGS chromatographic column was employed,the flow rate of high purity nitrogen was 45 ml/min,the flow rate of hydrogen was 65 ml/min and the air was 55 ml/min.Results: The linear relation was good for three kinks of alkanes within 0.005 μg/ml～10.0 μg/ml,the precision was in the range of 1.2%～6.3%.Conclusion: This is a convenient,speedy and accurate method,suitable for alkanes measurement in working site.
Alterations in Human Endometrial Protein Synthesis During the Menstrual Cycle and in Progestone-Stimulated Organ Culture

The cytoplasmic protein content of endometrium from women at various times in the menstrual cycle has been examined by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using a double-label isotope technique. Analysis of the gels for altered label ratios suggests an increase in the concentration of a single protein band during the immediate postovulatory period that can be duplicated by the addition of progesterone to organ cultures of preovulatory endometrium. An alteration in the protein content is also observed in the same section of these gels when they are stained and scanned. The protein band of interest migrates on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels at a rate that establishes its approximate molecular weight as 51,500.
Transformation of Sintered CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals to Cubic CsPbI3 and Gradient CsPbBrxI3-x through Halide Exchange.

All-inorganic cesium lead halide (CsPbX3, X = Br–, I–) perovskites could potentially provide comparable photovoltaic performance with enhanced stability compared to organic–inorganic lead halide species. However, small-bandgap cubic CsPbI3 has been difficult to study due to challenges forming CsPbI3 in the cubic phase. Here, a low-temperature procedure to form cubic CsPbI3 has been developed through a halide exchange reaction using films of sintered CsPbBr3 nanocrystals. The reaction was found to be strongly dependent upon temperature, featuring an Arrhenius relationship. Additionally, film thickness played a significant role in determining internal film structure at intermediate reaction times. Thin films (50 nm) showed only a small distribution of CsPbBrxI3–x species, while thicker films (350 nm) exhibited much broader distributions. Furthermore, internal film structure was ordered, featuring a compositional gradient within film. Transient absorption spectroscopy showed the influence of halide exchange ...
Cyberbullying: Adolescents' Experiences, Responses, and Their Beliefs about Their Parents' Recommended Responses

A total of 116 adolescents, ranging in age from 15 to 19 years, completed a questionnaire that assessed their experiences with cyberbullying, what they would do if they were a victim of cyberbullying, and what they believed their parents would recommend they do if they were a victim of cyberbullying. The proportion of adolescents who reported ever being cyberbullied was larger than the proportion of adolescents who reported ever cyberbullying another person. In addition, the adolescents reported that they were more frequently cyberbullied by same-sex peers than by opposite-sex peers. Although the adolescents’ preferred response to a cyberbully was congruent with the response they believed their parents would recommend (i.e., ignore the cyberbully), the adolescents anticipated that they and their parents would disagree on the individuals from whom the adolescents should seek advice if they were cyberbullied. Specifically, whereas the adolescents anticipated that their parents would want to be the primary advice-providers, the adolescents indicated that they would be more likely to seek advice from their friends than their parents or teachers if they were a victim of cyberbullying.
Public and Population Health Genomics

Public health seeks to improve health at a population level through interventions that increase the net health benefit to the population as a whole. Advances in genomics knowledge and technologies can add to this endeavor, but also pose a challenge when faced with often conflicting public health (population) and genomic medicine (individual) perspectives. Combining the fields of genomic, population, and social sciences, population genomics or public health genomics looks at the promotion of health and prevention of disease using genomic knowledge through the lens of populations rather than individuals. In this chapter we will survey the three major disciplines contributing to population genomics (genomics, population, and social sciences) and explore two cross-cutting issues: global health and population versus individual health, using specific examples from diseases such as asthma, colon cancer, and cystic fibrosis.
Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α Is over Expressed in CLL B Cells Because of an Impaired Proteasome Pathway Associated with Defective Interaction with von Hippel-Landau Protein.

Abstract We have found that CLL B cells spontaneously secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and that a VEGF autocrine pathway can induce apoptosis resistance in these cells. Recently, we also found that hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is highly expressed in CLL B cells. Since this protein is a potent transcription factor for the induction of VEGF, we were interested in further definition of HIF-1α regulation and its function in CLL B cells. CLL blood B cells overexpress HIF-1α protein but not mRNA for HIF-1α compared to normal blood and splenic B cells. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed that circulating blood CLL B cells and a subset of CLL marrow cells uniformly express HIF. Hypoxic conditions (i.e., 1% O2) did not increase the protein levels of HIF-1α nor mRNA for HIF-1α in CLL B cells, indicating that the high HIF-1α protein level is due to post-translation modification. Blockade of signaling pathways known to increase HIF-1α levels also did not alter the high levels of HIF-1α in CLL B cells. IHC and nuclear extraction assay demonstrated that HIF-1α was predominantly located in the CLL B cell nucleus. In addition, the nuclear extract when immunoprecipitated for HIF-1α was shown to be complexed with the co-activator p300, indicating that HIF-1α is transcriptionally active. Co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that HIF-1α from CLL B cells does not associate and form a complex with von Hippel-Landau protein tumor suppressor (pVHL), indicating that the proteasome dependent degradation pathway for HIF-1α protein in CLL B cells is dysfunctional. Using immunoblot or IHC methods, we were unable to detect pVHL protein in CLL B cells; however, we were able to use immunoprecipitation of CLL B cell lysates to demonstrate there is pVHL in CLL B cells. Prolyl hydroxylases (PHD 1, 2, and 3) are negative regulators for HIF-1α via hydroxylation of amino acid prolines in the oxygen degradation domain (ODD) which permits interaction with pVHL. RT-PCR results revealed that there is a subset of CLL patients who had ≥ 50% reduction of PHD 1 and 3 mRNA levels. However using a hydroxylation specific polyclonal antibody we found that HIF-1α from CLL B cells is indeed hydroxylated. Finally, silencing of HIF-1α by RNA interference in CLL B cells was associated with a selective decrease in VEGF mRNA levels but not VEGF-R1, Mcl-1 and prolyl hydroxylases (PHD 1–3) other downstream target genes of HIF-1α. These data show that the high endogenous HIF-1α levels in CLL B cells are due to a defect in HIF-1α degradation via the proteosomal pathway. We believe that this abnormality is linked to the autocrine VEGF pathway in CLL B cells and ultimately results in increases in their apoptotic resistance. Inhibition of HIF-1α levels may be of therapeutic benefit to CLL patients.
New Supported Catalysts for Stereoregular Polymerization of α-Olefins

Shortly after the polymer industry had adopted one version or another of the Ziegler-Natta Catalysts for manufacturing polypropylene) and in a few instances, poly(butene-l) and poly(4-methylpentene-1), there were efforts to develop new catalysts. The motives are based on the realization that the Ziegler-Natta catalyst is relatively inefficient in the utilization of the metal ions, only a few tenths of a percent of the titanium being thought to participate in a polymerization. Therefore, polymer yields are low and the metal and chlorine residue contents are high. Various deashing procedures have been developed and patented in polyolefin manufacturing processes. The principal research objective is to develop high activity catalysts without loss of stereospecificity. Other goals are better control of molecular weight, polydispersity, particle size and distribution, and bulk density.
Gestational Weight Gain and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Underweight Pregnant Women: A Population-Based Historical Cohort Study

Objective Limited data are available that estimate the effect of gestational weight gain on maternal and neonatal outcomes in underweight women according to revised 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines. Methods A population-based historical cohort study of 21,674 underweight women in Missouri delivering liveborn, singleton, term infants in 2002–2008 was conducted. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated for gestational weight gain categories with multiple logistic regression, using the 2009 IOM recommended 28–40 pounds as the reference group. Results Women gaining >40 pounds compared to women gaining 28–40 pounds had significantly higher odds for preeclampsia (aOR 1.94, 95% CI 1.56–2.42, p < 0.001), cesarean delivery (aOR 1.40, 95% CI 1.28–1.53, p < 0.001), large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infant (aOR 2.32, 95% CI 2.00–2.70, p < 0.001), and 1 min APGAR score <4 (aOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.01–1.83, p < 0.05) and significantly lower odds for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant (aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.48–0.59, p < 0.001). Women gaining <28 pounds compared to women gaining 28–40 pounds had significantly higher odds for SGA infant (aOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.69–2.03, p < 0.001) and significantly lower odds for preeclampsia (aOR 0.72, 95% CI 0.53–0.96, p < 0.05) and LGA infant (aOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.39–0.63, p < 0.001). Conclusion Women gaining more than the IOM recommendation were at higher risk for many adverse outcomes, but at lower risk for SGA infants. Women gaining less than the IOM recommendation were at higher risk for SGA infants but were protective for preeclampsia and LGA infants. Prospective studies of other short- and long-term maternal/infant outcomes are needed to evaluate the efficacy of the IOM guideline.
Optical Properties of the Blue Phase of Cholesteric Liquid Crystals

Although the blue phase — a stable liquid crystal phase appearing over a small temperature region between the cholesteric and isotropic phases — was first observed long ago, only in the last few years has an understanding of its structure begun. It is now known1 that the blue phase only occurs in short pitch cholesterics and that it usually appears in two forms, BPI and BPII, in the sequence Ch — BPI — BPII — Iso. A third phase, BPIII, has also been reported between BPII and the isotropic phase.2 Both theory3 and experiment4,5 indicate that the symmetry of these phases generally is cubic, however, the exact nature of the structure is still under investigation.
Use of the laser in the oral cavity

Literature on head and neck oncology continues to support the use of lasers in surgery of malignant and premalignant lesions of the oral cavity. This article explores the indications, techniques, results, and complications of laser use for surgery involving these lesions. Highlighted is the carbon dioxide laser, which is well suited for transoral resections of premalignant lesions and early carcinomas in the oral cavity. In this study the local control, the 5-year survival rates, and the postoperative function with the carbon dioxide laser are at least comparable with those obtained using other surgical methods. The neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser, which has specific advantages in the treatment of large vascular malformations of the oral cavity because of its unique characteristics, is also discussed.
Short communication: Pseudomonas azotoformans causes gray discoloration in HTST fluid milk

Pseudomonas species are well recognized as dairy product spoilage organisms, particularly due to their ability to grow at refrigeration temperatures. Although Pseudomonas-related spoilage usually manifests itself in flavor, odor, and texture defects, which are typically due to production of bacterial enzymes, Pseudomonas is also reported to cause color defects. Because of consumer complaints, a commercial dairy company shipped 4 samples of high temperature, short time (HTST)-pasteurized milk with distinctly gray colors to our laboratory. Bacterial isolates from all 4 samples were identified as Pseudomonas azotoformans. All isolates shared the same partial 16S rDNA sequence and showed black pigmentation on Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol agar. Inoculation of one pigment-producing P. azotoformans isolate into HTST-pasteurized fluid milk led to development of gray milk after 14 d of storage at 6°C, but only in containers that had half of the total volume filled with milk (∼500 mL of milk in ∼1,000-mL bottles). We conclusively demonstrate that Pseudomonas can cause a color defect in fluid milk that manifests in gray discoloration, adding to the palette of color defects known to be caused by Pseudomonas. This information is of considerable interest to the dairy industry, because dairy processors and others may not typically associate black or gray colors in fluid milk with the presence of microbial contaminants but rather with product tampering (e.g., addition of ink) or other inadvertent chemical contamination.
Host genetic background influences diverse neurological responses to viral infection in mice.

Infection by Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) is a model for neurological outcomes caused by virus infection because it leads to diverse neurological conditions in mice, depending on the strain infected. To extend knowledge on the heterogeneous neurological outcomes caused by TMEV and identify new models of human neurological diseases associated with antecedent infections, we analyzed the phenotypic consequences of TMEV infection in the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse population. We evaluated 5 different CC strains for outcomes of long-term infection (3 months) and acute vs. early chronic infection (7 vs. 28 days post-infection), using neurological and behavioral phenotyping tests and histology. We correlated phenotypic observations with haplotypes of genomic regions previously linked to TMEV susceptibility to test the hypothesis that genomic diversity within CC mice results in variable disease phenotypes in response to TMEV. None of the 5 strains analyzed had a response identical to that of any other CC strain or inbred strain for which prior data are available, indicating that strains of the CC can produce novel models of neurological disease. Thus, CC strains can be a powerful resource for studying how viral infection can cause different neurological outcomes depending on host genetic background.
Potentially inappropriate medication use in elderly non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients is associated with reduced survival and increased toxicities.

Summary Survival outcomes for elderly lymphoma patients are disproportionally inferior to those of younger patients. We examined medication usage at diagnosis for 171 elderly patients (median age 70 years) with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated between 2009 and 2014. At least one potentially inappropriate medication was used in 47% of patients according to the Beers Criteria, 59% experienced treatment delays and/or dose reduction and 65% experienced ≥ grade 3 treatment-related toxicities. We report here for the first time that potentially inappropriate medication use was associated with reduced progression-free survival and overall survival, and increased ≥ grade 3 treatment-related toxicities in multivariate analysis.
The Impact of Survey Non-response on Survey Accuracy

A perennial criticism of political polls is that they overrepresent supporters of Democratic candidates. In fact political polling in the U.S. has a very good track record, and while polls have occasionally failed there is no evidence of a consistent partisan bias in either direction. The problem of nonresponse bias is a serious concern in an era of low response rates, however, but considerable scholarly and practitioner evidence has shown the response rates are not closely correlated with nonresponse bias. Consistent with results from academic research, studies conducted by Pew Research Center have found that low response rate surveys tend to overrepresent the politically and civically engaged but do not overrepresent people with a particular political point of view.
A method for achieving blood pressure control expeditiously with oral minoxidil

Twelve patients with essential hypertension were treated aggressively with oral minoxidil in order to achieve blood pressure control as expeditiously as possible. Pretreatment blood pressure ranged from 159/109 to 238/161 mm Hg. Following an initial dose of 5 mg, subsequent dosage increments were administered every 6 hr until a fall in blood pressure was observed. The size of additional doses was determined by the magnitude of, and response to, the lowest effective dose and the therapeutic objective. Over a time interval of 24 to 42 hr, the blood pressure was reduced to normal or near normal in each case. Untoward hypotension was uniformly avoided. Analysis of the relationship between blood pressure response and cumulative dose indicates that at suboptimal blood pressure responses, it is safe and efficacious to give half the antecedent cumulative dose as a single dose in arriving at the therapeutic objective. The use of such a regimen should be considered as an alternative to parenteral drug administration in severe hypertension when immediate control of blood pressure is not required.