cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ex vivo expansion of mafosfamide-purged PBPC products

Background Multiple studies have demonstrated that 'purging' of autografts with 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4HC) or the related compound mafosfamide (Mf), to eradicate residual leukemia, produces the best results associated with autologous blood and marrow transplantation for AML. However, 4HC purging results in prolonged aplasia. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of ex vivo expansion of Mf-treated CD34+ cells from mobilized PBPC. Methods CD34+ cells were isolated from PBPC products and treated with 30 microg/mL Mf. The Mf-treated CD34+ cells were washed and cultured for 14 days in StemLine II-defined media containing recombinant human (rh) SCF, G-CSF and thrombopoietin (Tpo). Results Treatment with Mf resulted in 90% killing of progenitor cells (GM-CFC) but maintenance of SCID-repopulating cells (SRC). Ex vivo culture of the Mf-treated CD34+ cells resulted in decreased cell numbers (10-20% of the starting cell dose) during the first week. Nevertheless, in the second week of culture the total cell numbers expanded to approximately 20-fold above starting cell numbers and progenitor cells returned to approximately pre-treatment levels. Discussion These studies demonstrate the potential of ex vivo culture to expand both total cell numbers and progenitor cells following treatment of PBPC CD34+ cells with Mf. Clinical studies are currently being initiated to evaluate the engraftment potential of these purged and expanded products.
Quality Assurance in Breath-Alcohol Analysis

Evidential breath-alcohol testing requires an adequate quality assurance (QA) program to safeguard the testing process and validate its results. A comprehensive QA program covers (a) test subject preparation and participation; (b) the analysis process; (c) test result reporting and records; (d) proficiency testing, inspections, and evaluations; and (e) facilities and personnel aspects. Particularly important are the following necessary scientific safeguards as components of quality control: (a) a pretest deprivation-observation period of at least 15 minutes; (b) blank tests immediately preceding each breath-collection step; (c) analysis of at least duplicate breath specimens; and (d) a control test accompanying every subject test. These safeguards have withstood adversarial challenges in the judicial system for more than 30 years.
Acid base, electrolyte, glucose, and lactate values during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in dogs and cats.

Objective To report acid base, electrolyte, glucose, and lactate values collected during or immediately after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in dogs and cats. Design Retrospective study. Setting University Teaching Hospital. Animals Thirty-two dogs and 10 cats. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Blood gas, electrolyte, glucose, and lactate values measured during CPR or within 5 minutes of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were retrospectively evaluated. The time of blood collection with respect to the occurrence of cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA), the initiation of CPR or ROSC was noted. Forty-two venous blood samples were analyzed, 24 collected during CPR and 18 samples were collected within 5 minutes of ROSC. Metabolic acidosis and hyperlactatemia were evident in all samples in the study while an increased PvCO2 occurred in 88% of samples collected during CPR and in 61% of samples collected following ROSC. Hyperkalemia occurred in 65% of all cases, decreased ionized calcium was evident in 18%, hypoglycemia was evident in 21% while hyperglycemia was evident in 62%. There was no significant difference in any parameter evaluated between dogs and cats during CPR. There was no significant difference of any variable measured during the first 15 minutes of CPA versus those measured more than 15 minutes following CPA. When the values measured during the first 5 minutes of ROSC were compared to those measured during CPR, the pH and PvO2 were significantly lower in the CPR group. Conclusions Biochemical abnormalities including metabolic acidosis, hyperkalemia, ionized hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia, and hyperglycemia can be identified during CPR and immediately following ROSC. The therapeutic and prognostic relevance of these changes are yet to be defined and may prove to be useful to guide patient management in the future.
Johan Linder (Lindestolpe) (1676–1724), Eponym of the Generic Name Lindera Thunberg (Plantae: Lauraceae)

ABSTRACT Johan Linder (1676–1724), Swedish botanist and physician, is the eponym of the plant generic name Lindera (Lauraceae), dedicated to him in 1783 by Carl Peter Thunberg. The present account of Linder includes biographical data, comments on his position in the development of Swedish floristic botany, and discussion of his best-known botanical work, Flora Wiksbergensis (1716), the fourth printed account of Swedish local flora.
An Interdisciplinary Outreach Model of African American Recruitment for Alzheimer’s Disease Research

Purpose:The African American Outreach Satellite (Satellite) provides educational outreach to facilitate African American recruitment for longitudinal studies at the Washington University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC). This descriptive article characterizes the Satellite’s recruitment methods, plan for community engagement, results of recruitment efforts, and potential for replication.Design and Methods:The Satellite developed a comprehensive outreach and recruitment plan that identifies and addresses barriers to research participation. The Satellite conducts community outreach and recruitment programs and training for health care providers.Results:Enrollment of cognitively healthy and mildly demented African Americans for participation in all ADRC studies increased following implementation of the recruitment plan. Current African American participation rates for ADRC studies include 39% for lumbar puncture, 43% for positron emission tomography with Pittsburgh Compound-B, 52% for magnetic resonance imaging, 95% for apolipoprotein E genotype testing, and 100% for clinical and cognitive assessment.Implications:The Satellite reduces barriers to research participation, encourages retention through sustained interactions with participants and their families, and develops lasting partnerships with community organizations and health professionals who care for African American elders.
Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms

As a social species, humans rely on a safe, secure social surround to survive and thrive. Perceptions of social isolation, or loneliness, increase vigilance for threat and heighten feelings of vulnerability while also raising the desire to reconnect. Implicit hypervigilance for social threat alters psychological processes that influence physiological functioning, diminish sleep quality, and increase morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this paper is to review the features and consequences of loneliness within a comprehensive theoretical framework that informs interventions to reduce loneliness. We review physical and mental health consequences of loneliness, mechanisms for its effects, and effectiveness of extant interventions. Features of a loneliness regulatory loop are employed to explain cognitive, behavioral, and physiological consequences of loneliness and to discuss interventions to reduce loneliness. Loneliness is not simply being alone. Interventions to reduce loneliness and its health consequences may need to take into account its attentional, confirmatory, and memorial biases as well as its social and behavioral effects.
Edge-bandwidth of grids and tori

The edge-bandwidth of a graph G is the smallest number B' for which there is a bijective labeling of E(G) with {1,...,e(G)} such that the difference between the labels at any adjacent edges is at most B'. Here we compute the edge-bandwidth for rectangular grids: B'(Pm⊕Pn)=2 min(m,n) - 1 if max(m,n) ≥ 3, where ⊕ is the Cartesian product and Pn denotes the path on n vertices. This settles a conjecture of Calamoneri et al. [New results on edge-bandwidth, Theoret. Comput. Sci. 307 (2003) 503-513]. We also compute the edge-bandwidth of any torus (a product of two cycles) within an additive error of 5.
Thermal fatigue analysis of a CBGA package with lead-free solder fillets

Reliability performance of a ceramic ball grid array (CBGA) package using lead-free solder fillets is numerically examined from the viewpoint of viscoplastic deformation and thermal fatigue life. Three lead-free solder alloys, nearly peritectic antimony-tin (Sb5-Sn95), eutectic silver-tin (Ag3.5-Sn96.5) and eutectic zinc-tin (Zn9-Sn91), were considered in this study. A finite element model was used to analyze a 32 mm single chip module (SCM) CBGA package under a 0/100/spl deg/C accelerating thermal cycling (ATC) load with a frequency of 2 cycles per hour. Model validation shows that the predicted mean solder joint fatigue life of a standard CBGA package using Pb37-Sn63 solder fillets has good agreement with experimental data. The prediction results also indicate that these lead-free alloys can be used as alternative solder fillet materials to improve the resistance to creep and fatigue of CBGA solder joints compared to that of the standard CBGA package. The predicted mean fatigue life of a CBGA package with lead-free solder fillets of Sb5-Sn95 is 1.69/spl times/, Ag3.5-Sn96.5 is 2.62/spl times/, and Zn9-Sn91 is 3.01/spl times/ relative to that of Pb37-Sn63 soldered CBGAs.
Central Venous Catheter Sepsis Caused by Unusual Gordona (Rhodococcus) Species: Identification with a Digoxigenin-Labeled rDNA Probe

We describe central line sepsis caused by Gordona (Rhodococcus) species in two patients, which complicated receipt of long-term total parenteral nutrition at home. Species identification was attempted by conventional biochemical analysis and analysis of polymorphisms in the ribosomal RNA genes with use of a digoxigenin-labeled rDNA probe. Using these techniques, we identified our first patient's isolate as Gordona terrae. The isolate from our second patient was biochemically atypical and could not be reliably matched to any of the recognized Gordona (Rhodococcus) species. To our knowledge, these patients are the first to have been reported with systemic infection caused by Gordona (Rhodococcus) species. The first patient's infection resolved after 6 weeks of intravenous therapy with vancomycin with the catheter left in situ; however, infection in the second patient required catheter removal for cure. These cases show that immunocompetent patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition may develop central line infections with these unusual species of microorganisms.
On Spending Money

An ever present concern is at what rate can one spend money if one currently has a given amount and one wishes to have a certain amount at some time in the future. Initially we view the problem in ...
Analysis Of Variance With Summary Statistics In Microsoft Excel

Students regularly are asked to solve Single Factor Analysis of Variance problems given only the sample summary statistics (number of observations per category, category means, and corresponding category standard deviations). Most undergraduate students today use Excel for data analysis of this type. However, Excel, like all other statistical software packages, requires an input data set in order to invoke its Anova: Single Factor procedure. The purpose of this paper is therefore to provide the student with an Excel macro that, given just the sample summary statistics as input, generates an equivalent underlying data set. This data set can then be used as the required input data set in Excel for Single Factor Analysis of Variance.
Balancing Liberty and Equality Justice Kennedy’s Decisive Vote in Fisher v. University of Texas, Part II

For the second time in three years, the Supreme Court is reviewing the constitutionality of a race-conscious admissions policy at the University of Texas, Austin. While the case, Fisher v. University of Texas, raises questions specific to UT Austin, the Court’s second review could change the ways higher education institutions across the nation can legally consider race in their admissions policies. This essay considers the potential ramifications of the Court’s second review. While one cannot predict what the Court will decide, the voting patterns in the first opinion, which sent the case back to the lower court and left prior decisions upholding the constitutionality of race-conscious policies in place, may not hold. Assuming that the justices’ votes are consistent with their previous interpretations of the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions, the decision likely will depend on Justice Kennedy. This essay therefore focuses on Kennedy’s positions in previous cases addressing the use of race in ...
Anticonvulsant Properties of Hydroxylamine and Elevation of Cerebral γ-Aminobutyric Acid in Cats.

SummaryHydroxylamine when administered to immobilized cats in acute experiments in doses of 10-20 mg/kg markedly reduced duration and spread of electrically-induced afterdischarges while increasing cerebral levels of γ-aminobutyric acid. These findings increase the probability that a causal relationship may exist between metabolism of γ-aminobutyric acid in a particular cerebral area and its excitability.
Use of simulation tools to illustrate the effect of data management practices for low and negative plate counts on the estimated parameters of microbial reduction models.

In the last 20 years, the use of microbial reduction models has expanded significantly, including inactivation (linear and nonlinear), survival, and transfer models. However, a major constraint for model development is the impossibility to directly quantify the number of viable microorganisms below the limit of detection (LOD) for a given study. Different approaches have been used to manage this challenge, including ignoring negative plate counts, using statistical estimations, or applying data transformations. Our objective was to illustrate and quantify the effect of negative plate count data management approaches on parameter estimation for microbial reduction models. Because it is impossible to obtain accurate plate counts below the LOD, we performed simulated experiments to generate synthetic data for both log-linear and Weibull-type microbial reductions. We then applied five different, previously reported data management practices and fit log-linear and Weibull models to the resulting data. The resu...
Which route to nursing is most cost-effective?

Does one type of basic nursing education produce greater financial rewards than another over time? Moreover, is a BSN worth the extra time and money spent if a nurse has already obtained an RN via another route? To find the answers, I studied employed nurses to see if a significant relationship exists between salary levels and years of education. My study is based on the human capital theory, with "capital" referring to a person's skills and knowledge. The theory holds that investment in education leads to greater productivity and thus to higher earnings(1). According to Schultz, education, in addition to having cultural values, is also an investment in people to the extent that it improves their capabilities and thereby increases their future earnings. (Another important source of earning differentials among people who have completed the same level of education is age or the amount of time spent in employment[2]). An additional important factor suggesting the need for such a study is that many nurses from diploma and AD programs are seeking further education. The baccalaureate in nursing is seen by many RNs as essential for subsequent advancement and to enhance career opportunities and economic security. Hence, nurses are investing more years in education than if they had initially
Study on Cytotoxicity and Chromosomal Aberration of A New Natural Borneol with Chl Cells

To Study cytotoxicity of natural borneol with Chinese Hamster Lung(CHL)Cells by MTT method.At the same time,the effects of natural borneol on chromosomal aberration were also studied.The results showed that the reduction of MTT was decreased,and the amount of formazane produced depended on the concentration of natural borneol.The 50% inhibition(IC50) of natural borneol for 24 hours.was achieved at 207.86 μg.mL-1(r0.9).By the chromosomal aberration test,CHL cells were treated with natural borneol at the concentration of 200,100,50,25,12.5(μg.mL-1) After 24 hours(in the presence of S9mix or not respectively),the proportion of chromosomal aberration was always less than 5% with the alteration of dose.There was not significant difference between these results obtained from the Borneol assay and the negative control assay(P0.05),and however,the frequency of chromosome aberration in the positive control assay were obviously higher than 20%.Conclusion: Natural Borneol was not display the potential to lead to the chromosomal aberration of CHL cells.
A new simple morphology-based risk score is prognostic in stage I/II colon cancers.

A portion of stage I/II colon cancers (10-20%) exhibit an adverse clinical course. The administration of adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended only in certain high-risk situations. However, these risk factors recently failed to predict benefit from adjuvant therapy. We composed a new morphology-based risk score that includes pT1/2 versus 3/4 stage, vascular or lymphovascular invasion, invasion type according to Jass, tumor budding and paucity (less than two) of lymph nodes larger than 5 mm. The occurrence of each of these factors accounts for one point in the score (Range 0-5). This score was evaluated in a retrospective study that included 301 cases. The overall survival differed significantly between the three groups with median survival times of 103, 90, and 48 months, respectively. Multivariable analysis revealed morphology-based risk-high risk and low risk-as the sole independent factors for the prediction of death. Morphology-based risk scoring was superior to microsatellite status and NCCN risk stratification. This method identifies a group of patients that comprises 18% of the stage II cases with an adverse clinical course. Further studies are necessary to confirm its prognostic value and the possible therapeutic consequences.
239 URINARY BIOMARKERS FOR ACUTE RENAL ALLOGRAFT REJECTION.

Acute renal allograft rejection is a serious and treatable complication of renal transplantation. Currently, renal allograft biopsy is required to establish the diagnosis of acute rejection. The purpose of this study was to identify urinary biomarkers of rejection that can accurately establish a diagnosis of acute rejection. We have identified biomarkers that can differentiate the presence or absence of acute renal allograft rejection in a set of patients who received renal allograft biopsy for suspected rejection. Proteins from urine samples collected from 20 patients just prior to biopsy were separated by 2D gel electrophoresis, and gel spot abundance was analyzed to determine differences in patients with rejection, borderline rejection, or no rejection. Artificial neural network analysis correctly identified 5 of 6 patients with rejection (sensitivity: 83%, specificity 86%), 6 of 7 patients with borderline rejection (sensitivity: 86%, specificity 92%), and 6 of 7 patients with no rejection (sensitivity: 86%, specificity 100%). Protein from 16 spots with differential expression between groups was digested and identified using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and peptide mass fingerprinting. Proteins identified included alpha-1-microglobulin, zinc-alpha-2 glycoprotein 1 (chain D of this protein was identified in a spot separate from the intact protein), and alpha-1-acid glycoprotein 1 precursor. This analysis is able to successfully differentiate between patients with or without rejection and is the first analysis to identify the differentially expressed proteins in these patients.
Research on the effect of Dong Ling Herb Total Flavone on Anti-Sports Fatigue Competence in Mice

To explore the mechanism of resistance of Dong Ling herb total flavone on sport fatigue in mice,the exercise ability of mice and its antioxidant effect were studied.Methods: mice were randomly divided into control group and supplementation of Dong Ling herb total flavone group,after administration of 30d,the time to exhaustion in swimming was recorded mouse serum and skeletal muscle MDA,blood lactic acid content and SOD,GSH-PX,CAT and LDH activity in mouse skeletal muscle were determined.Results: the total of Dong Ling grass flavonoids can significantly enhance various antioxidant enzyme activity in mice,delay sports fatigue and improve exercise capacity.
Molecular defects of factor IX Chicago-2 (Arg 145----His) and prothrombin Madrid (Arg 271----cys): arginine mutations that preclude zymogen activation

Factor IX Chicago-2 and prothrombin Madrid were purified from patients with hemophilia B and congenital dysprothrombinemia, respectively. Each protein displays defects in zymogen activation secondary to the failure to cleave one of the sessile bonds whose cleavage is necessary for full coagulant activity. These proteins were isolated by immunoaffinity chromatography using conformation-specific antibodies directed at either factor IX or prothrombin. Factor IX Chicago-2 is cleaved abnormally by factor XIa, yielding a pattern consistent with the failure to cleave the sessile bond between Arg 145 and Ala 146. Prothrombin Madrid is cleaved abnormally by factor Xa, yielding a pattern consistent with the failure to cleave the sessile bond between Arg 271 and Thr 272. Peptide mapping was performed on reduced and alkylated factor IX, factor IX Chicago-2, prothrombin, and prothrombin Madrid, and the hydrolysates were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The mutant peptide in factor IX Chicago-2 was identified by automated Edman degradation as residues 143 through 188 of factor IX, and had a histidine substituted for arginine at residue 145. The mutant peptide identified in prothrombin Madrid corresponds to residues 267 through 285 of prothrombin and has the substitution of cysteine for arginine at residue 271. These mutations, each occurring at arginines, are identical to those in factor IX Chapel Hill and prothrombin Barcelona. These results suggest that a limited repertoire of point mutations, many affecting arginine residues, may be responsible for hereditary defects of the vitamin K-dependent proteins in patients with normal antigen levels.
Production of pantothenic acid by microorganisms isolated from fermented corn meal

Seven strains of microorganisms out of 35 examined produced pantothenic acid. These included 3 strains of Bacillus licheniformis , 3 strains of Enterobacter cloacae and 1 strain of Hansenula subpelliculosa . Microorganisms not producing pantothenic acid included: Streptococcus faecalis , Lactobacillus brevis , Moraxella sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Agrobacterium spp. The non-producers could not use B-alanine or pantoyl lactone or a combination of the two molecules which constitute pantothenic acid. Addition of sucrose (2%) to the nutrient broth reduced pantothenic acid production by about 68%. Control corn meal contained 0.44±0.02 mg pantothenic acid/100 g, whereas fermented corn meal contained 1.84±0.16 mg/100 g after 3 d and 1.48±0.5 mg/100 g after 5 d of fermentation.
Development Economics as a Social Study

In the way we look at the development process we have perhaps circled around to a position of vantage something like that from which we started. It has been a wide circle and, like any reasonably well-conducted journey through rough country, an educational one; we do not see the world in the same terms as we did when we began, and, as the world at which we look has become very different from that of a century ago, the vision we have is bound to be very different indeed from that of the theoreticians of that time. Yet there are similarities, and in some ways the themes that come into focus now are more like those of an earlier time than they are like the problems that preoccupied economic and social theorists of fifty or even twenty years ago.
Central Role of the Brain in Stress and Adaptation: Allostasis, Biological Embedding, and Cumulative Change

The brain is the central organ of stress and adaptation because it perceives what is threatening and determines behavioral and physiological responses. Brain circuits are remodeled by stress–which changes the ability to self-regulate anxiety and mood–to perform working and episodic memory, as well as executive function and decision making. The brain regulates the body via the neuroendocrine, autonomic, immune, and metabolic systems, and the mediators of these systems and those within the brain and other organs activate epigenetic programs that alter expression of genetic information so as to alter cellular and organ function. While the initial active response to stressors promotes adaptation (“allostasis”), there can be cumulative change (e.g., body fat, hypertension) from chronic stress and resulting unhealthy behaviors (“allostatic load”) that can lead to disease, e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular disease (“allostatic overload”). Besides the embedding of early life experiences, the most potent of stressors are those arising from the social and physical environment that affects both brain and body. Gradients of socioeconomic status reflect the cumulative burden of coping with limited resources, toxic environments, and negative life events, as well as health-damaging behaviors that result in chronic activation of physiological systems that lead to allostatic load and overload. Can we intervene to change this progression? After describing the new view of epigenetics that negates the old notion that “biology is destiny,” this chapter summarizes some of the underlying cellular, molecular, and neuroendocrine mechanisms of stress effects upon brain and body. It then discusses integrative or “top down” approaches involving behavioral interventions that take advantage of the increasing ability to reactivate plasticity in the brain. At the societal level, policies of government and the private sector affect health directly or indirectly and must be redirected, to allow people to make choices that improve their chances for a healthy life.
Urgent Workup of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding occurs at a rate of 20 cases per 100,000 persons per year with a similar overall mortality to upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Prognosis is favorable, with the majority of bleeding episodes ceasing without intervention. The etiology of bleeding varies by age, and the correct diagnosis is paramount in subsequent management. The most common etiologies are colonic diverticulosis, benign anorectal disease, inflammatory bowel disease, malignancy, and angiodysplasia. Prompt resuscitation and implementation of critical care provide stability for subsequent diagnostics including colonoscopy, arteriography, and tagged red blood cell scan.
Application of classification rules to hybrid marine electrical propulsion plants

With the advent of advanced power electronics converters, energy storage devices, and alternative fuel technologies on marine vessels, hybrid electric propulsion plants are becoming a more common alternative for vessel owners seeking ways to improve electric plant efficiency, reduce emissions (both noise and pollution), and improve safety in emergency egress and blackout recovery situations. Hybrid marine electric propulsion plants offer flexible usage alternatives to traditional electrical plant configurations to allow vessel operators more options for optimizing the electrical plant configuration to best service the required load profile during different modes of plant operation. Additionally, just as they have in other transportation industries, the efficiency of marine electrical plants can be dramatically improved to save on fuel costs, and air pollution emissions can be significantly reduced to comply with the new stringent MARPOL Annex VI pollution regulations required in environmentally sensitive areas. Lastly, hybrid electric plants using stored energy as a backup for the main power sources allow vessel operators to enhance safety in response to emergency scenarios where all main power is lost, or in situations such as explosive natural gas buildups where internal combustion engines/other rotating machinery may not be able to be operated safely. Applying traditional rules and regulations for sizing of these types of electrical plants requires some special considerations with regard to the interpretation of the sizing criteria for main power sources as they apply to stored energy devices. Traditional methods of determining the minimum size and quantity of main electrical power sources must be tailored to include the non-spinning reserve provided by hybrid electrical plants in the form of energy storage. This paper will provide background information on the development of hybrid electric plant designs, discuss the advantages of this emerging technology, explain the different types of hybrid plants currently available, describe typical applications where hybrid electric plants are used, provide examples of how the current ABS Rules are applied to hybrid electrical plants, and suggest future possible rule changes to better, more directly address these types of power plants.
Use of words and visuals in modelling context of annual plant

ABSTRACTThis study looks at the various verbal and non-verbal representations used in a process of modelling the number of annual plants over time. Analysis focuses on how various representations such as words, diagrams, letters and mathematical equations evolve in the mathematization process of the modelling context. Our results show that (1) visual representations such as flowcharts are used not only in the process to symbolization, but also used in the justification of symbols, (2) some of the visual representations serve as a bridge between the words in the problem context and the symbols that represent the mathematical equations of the number of annual plants and (3) words and context help to introduce visual representations and symbols. Also, once students come up with the visual representations and symbols, they show better understanding about words used in the problem context. These observations imply that the modelling and mathematization process is not just one-directional and linear from words ...
RhoA knockdown by cationic amphiphilic copolymer/siRhoA polyplexes enhances axonal regeneration in rat spinal cord injury model

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in permanent loss of motor and sensory function due to developmentally-related and injured-induced changes in the extrinsic microenvironment and intrinsic neuronal biochemistry that limit plasticity and axonal regeneration. Our long term goal is to develop cationic, amphiphilic copolymers (poly (lactide-co-glycolide)-g-polyethylenimine, PgP) for combinatorial delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) and drugs targeting these different barriers. In this study, we evaluated the ability of PgP to deliver siRNA targeting RhoA, a critical signaling pathway activated by multiple extracellular inhibitors of axonal regeneration. After generation of rat compression SCI model, PgP/siRhoA polyplexes were locally injected into the lesion site. Relative to untreated injury only, PgP/siRhoA polyplexes significantly reduced RhoA mRNA and protein expression for up to 4 weeks post-injury. Histological analysis at 4 weeks post-injury showed that RhoA knockdown was accompanied by reduced apoptosis, cavity size, and astrogliosis and increased axonal regeneration within the lesion site. These studies demonstrate that PgP is an efficient non-viral delivery carrier for therapeutic siRhoA to the injured spinal cord and may be a promising platform for the development of combinatorial TNA/drug therapy.
CHAPTER 163 – Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptors

The endothelial differentiation gene (EDG) family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprises high-affinity receptors for the lysophospholipids, lysophosphosphatidic acid (LPA), and sphingosine-1-phosphate (SIP). Molecular modeling and targeted mutagenesis have shown that S1PRs and LPARs use very similar motifs for binding of ligands, with one amino acid primarily determining the difference in specificity. The focus of this chapter is on lipid signaling to and through S1PRs. S1P is formed by sphingosine kinase (SphK), of which there are two known mammalian isoforms. SphKs are evolutionarily conserved and catalyze the ATPdependent phosphorylation of the primary hydroxyl of sphingosine, the common backbone of mammalian sphingolipids. S1P is an interesting molecule that is an intercellular messenger and an intracellular second messenger. A preponderance of studies have indicated that many of the biological effects of SIP are mediated by specific S1PRs and the lack of confirmed intracellular targets appears to bolster these claims. However, others have suggested that certain results are better explained by receptor-independent intracellular effects of S1P.
Installation and Vessel Spread Requirements

The vessels used in offshore wind development evolved from those used in the offshore oil and gas industry, and there continues to be overlap between the two sectors. Many vessel types and spreads can be utilized across each stage of the installation process, and developers seek the minimum cost at an acceptable risk from the fleet of available vessels. Installation strategies in the U.S. are expected to be broadly similar to European processes, but the availability of specialized vessels in the two regions differs and this will have implications for processes and costs. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the marine vessels required to develop offshore wind farms. We classify and describe the main vessel types, discuss factors impacting vessel selection and spread composition, and discuss vessel procurement strategies in the U.S.
A Model for Teaching Value Creation in Law School

As lawyers and company leaders recognize the increasing importance of law in value creation, law schools that incorporate strategy into the curriculum have an opportunity to play a leadership role in legal education. Through the three pillar model that is based on the leadership course at Harvard Business School, they can encourage strategic thinking in existing courses, such as Contracts and Torts, and/or in a third year capstone course that covers an array of legal topics that have value creation potential.
Effects of head-worn display lateral position on visual comfort while reading

We conduct a study on visual comfort while reading using an opaque head-worn display (HWD) displaced laterally at 0°, 10°, 20° and 30°. Participants completed 30 minute sessions while reading fictional stories and rated their comfort level every five minutes. The 30° condition showed significantly worse comfort ratings than the other three conditions.
New Concepts Related to Disease Appreciation in Multiple Sclerosis

In the past several decades, MRI has become an indispensable tool in the field of multiple sclerosis (MS) for clinicians and researchers. However, the MS field still faces several challenges. This review focuses on 2 current areas of difficulty: 1) discriminating MS from other diseases when the clinical history and imaging features are atypical or nonspecific, and 2) the lack of quantitative imaging metrics with which to follow MS patients over time in clinical practice. This review highlights promising MRI and postprocessing techniques that have potential applications in these areas. With further study, these tools could be usefully integrated into clinical care.
‘A Fanatical Reverence for Gandhi’: Nationalism and Police Militancy in Bengal during the Non-cooperation Movement

ABSTRACTPolice militancy and strike actions featured prominently throughout the British Empire in the years after the First World War. While the demands of police for greater pay and better conditi...
Feature extraction and analysis using memristor networks

Approaches toward feature extraction and image analysis using memristor networks will be discussed. Through hardware implementation of a sparse coding algorithm in a fabricated 32×32 memristor array, lateral inhibition among neurons is obtained and allows the network to settle to a more optimal, sparse solution from many possible solutions. This capability enables the network to identify the hidden features that constitute the input real-world image. By utilizing the internal dynamics of the device, temporal features can also be learned and processed.
Transmission-clearance trade-offs indicate that dengue virulence evolution depends on epidemiological context

An extensive body of theory addresses the topic of pathogen virulence evolution, yet few studies have empirically demonstrated the presence of fitness trade-offs that would select for intermediate virulence. Here we show the presence of transmission-clearance trade-offs in dengue virus using viremia measurements. By fitting a within-host model to these data, we further find that the interaction between dengue and the host immune response can account for the observed trade-offs. Finally, we consider dengue virulence evolution when selection acts on the virus's production rate. By combining within-host model simulations with empirical findings on how host viral load affects human-to-mosquito transmission success, we show that the virus's transmission potential is maximized at production rates associated with intermediate virulence and that the optimal production rate critically depends on dengue's epidemiological context. These results indicate that long-term changes in dengue's global distribution impact the invasion and spread of virulent dengue virus genotypes.
A Nomenclature for Multipolymer Systems

The previous two chapters briefly described a number of two-polymer combinations: polymer blends, blocks, grafts, and IPNs. A few somewhat more complicated systems were alluded to: blends of a homopolymer with a block copolymer, or a mixture of a graft copolymer with one or both homopolymers. This chapter will explore some of the more complex (and interesting) structures, and provide a nomenclature scheme where one now does not exist.(1)
Occurrence of Fusarium and fumonisins on food grains and in foods.

Fusarium moniliforme Sheldon occurs worldwide on corn intended for human and animal consumption. A closely related species Fusarium proliferatum also occurs frequently on corn. Yellow dent corn, white dent corn, white and yellow popcorn and sweet corn may be contaminated. Both organisms are capable of producing fumonisins, including Fumonisin B1 (FB1), Fumonisin B2 (FB2) and Fumonisin B3 (FB3). Fumonisins have been found in corn and corn based foods worldwide. Fumonisins may be found in sound whole kernel corn at levels at or below 1.0 μg/g. By contrast animal disease problems begin to occur at fumonisin levels above 5.0 to 10.0 μg/g. Corn based food products that have the most frequent and highest fumonisin levels, besides whole kernel corn, are corn meal, corn flour and corn grits. In the U.S., corn meal and flour have been found contaminated with FB1 at levels from 0.5 to 2.05 μg/g, and grits from 0.14 to 0.27 μg/g. Corn flakes, corn pops, corn chips and tortilla chips have typically been found negative when tested for fumonisins. Popcorn, sweet corn and hominy corn have been found contaminated with sporadic, low levels (0.01 to 0.08 μg/g) of fumonisins. Contamination levels of corn based foods in Europe appear to be similar to slightly lower than similar products in the U.S., with the possible exception of Italy, where their corn hybrids and corn-based foods appear to be more frequently contaminated with higher levels of fumonisins.
Applications of 2D materials in interconnect technology

Along with the scaling of VLSI, the dimensions of interconnects need to be scaled as well. To maximize the Cu volume in its trench for lower line resistance, the thickness of the diffusion barrier material should be reduced accordingly. However, conventional barrier materials lose their capability of blocking Cu diffusion as their thickness is extremely reduced. It is well understood that ultra-thin diffusion barrier materials less than 1 nm are highly demanded. In this talk, we will show that the diffusion properties of several 2D materials are investigated by various characterization methods including time-dependent dielectric breakdown measurements. Besides significantly extended lifetime of the dielectrics surrounding Cu electrodes, reduced surface scattering is also observed at some 2D/Cu interfaces, providing strong evidence for promising alternative barrier solutions.
Photosynthetic Stems of Nonsucculent Plants

Photosynthesis by nonsucculent green stems contributes a major portion of annual carbon assimilation in numerous C3 and some C4 desert perennials. For example, in the Sonoran Desert, stem photosynthesis was responsible for 40% of net annual assimilation in Cercidium floridum (Adams and Strain 1969) and for 72% in C. microphyllum, mostly by twigs less than 6 mm in diameter (Szarek and Woodhouse 1978a, 1978b). Because precipitation in deserts is sporadic, in leafy species large seasonal and year-to-year fluctuations have been observed in the relative contribution of stems to net carbon assimilation. In shrubs with ephemeral microphylls, e.g., Thamnosma montana and Salazaria mexicana, annual stem assimilation accounted for 83% of net carbon assimilation (Comstock et al. 1988). Species of Ephedra, Castela emoryi, and Koeberlinia spinosa, in which leaf biomass is negligible, and aphyllous, fleshy-stemmed Chenopodiaceae, such as Hammada scoparia, can be expected to depend almost entirely on stem photosynthesis (Kappen et al. 1976; Schulze et al. 1976). Drought deciduous perennials, such as Gutierrezia sarothrae (DePuit and Caldwell 1975), Hymenoclea salsola (Comstock and Ehleringer 1988), and other common chamaephytes (Comstock et al. 1988; Schmitt et al. 1993) may also depend substantially upon stem photosynthes.
HHMM Parsing with Limited Parallelism

Hierarchical Hidden Markov Model (HHMM) parsers have been proposed as psycholinguistic models due to their broad coverage within human-like working memory limits (Schuler et al., 2008) and ability to model human reading time behavior according to various complexity metrics (Wu et al., 2010). But HHMMs have been evaluated previously only with very wide beams of several thousand parallel hypotheses, weakening claims to the model's efficiency and psychological relevance. This paper examines the effects of varying beam width on parsing accuracy and speed in this model, showing that parsing accuracy degrades gracefully as beam width decreases dramatically (to 2% of the width used to achieve previous top results), without sacrificing gains over a baseline CKY parser.
Induction of Drug Metabolism: II. Qualitative Differences in the Microsomal N-Demethylating Systems Stimulated by Polycyclic Hydrocarbons and by Phenobarbital

Hepatic microsomes N-demethylate ethylmorphine and 3-methyl-4-methylaminoazobenzene (3-MMAB). The administration of phenobarbital to male rats stimulates the N-demethylation of both compounds; 3-methylcholanthrene and 3,4-benzpyrene stimulate the N-demethylation of 3-MMAB only. Studies designed to explain this difference in the inductive properties of phenobarbital and the polycyclic hydrocarbons led to the conclusion that polycyclic hydrocarbons cause the synthesis of a new N-demethylating system. This conclusion was arrived at through three experimental approaches: (a) by observing a differential inhibitory effect of SKF 525-A (2-diethylaminoethyl 2,2-diphenylvalerate HCl), (b) by studying the two-substrate kinetics of N-demethylation reactions, and (c) by noting changes in the spectral properties of the reduced microsomal hemoprotein in the presence of ethyl isocyanide. In the untreated rat, one enzyme system is responsible for the N-demethylation of both ethylmorphine and 3-MMAB. Phenobarbital causes an increase in this enzyme system. 3-Methylcholanthrene causes the appearance of a second enzyme system which is capable of N-demethylating 3-MMAB, but not ethylmorphine. The difference in these two enzyme systems can be explained by the appearance of a second microsomal hemoprotein when polycyclic hydrocarbons are administered. This new hemoprotein (or hemoprotein-lipid complex) has been designated cytochrome P1-450 to distinguish it from cytochrome P-450. Cytochrome P1-450 appears to be present in addition to cytochrome P-450 rather than in place of it in microsomes from rats treated with polycyclic hydrocarbons. When reduced and reacted with ethyl isocyanide, each of these cytochromes exists in two pH-dependent, interconvertible forms. The existence of very small amounts of cytochrome P1-450 in microsomes from untreated and phenobarbital-treated rats has not been excluded.
Defining the NSD2 interactome: PARP1 PARylation reduces NSD2 histone methyltransferase activity and impedes chromatin binding

NSD2 is a histone methyltransferase that specifically dimethylates histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36me2), a modification associated with gene activation. Dramatic overexpression of NSD2 in t(4;14) multiple myeloma (MM) and an activating mutation of NSD2 discovered in acute lymphoblastic leukemia are significantly associated with altered gene activation, transcription, and DNA damage repair. The partner proteins through which NSD2 may influence critical cellular processes remain poorly defined. In this study, we utilized proximity-based labeling (BioID) combined with label-free quantitative MS to identify high confidence NSD2 interacting partners in MM cells. The top 24 proteins identified were involved in maintaining chromatin structure, transcriptional regulation, RNA pre-spliceosome assembly, and DNA damage. Among these, an important DNA damage regulator, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1), was discovered. PARP1 and NSD2 have been found to be recruited to DNA double strand breaks upon damage and H3K36me2 marks are enriched at damage sites. We demonstrate that PARP1 regulates NSD2 via PARylation upon oxidative stress. In vitro assays suggest the PARylation significantly reduces NSD2 histone methyltransferase activity. Furthermore, PARylation of NSD2 inhibits its ability to bind to nucleosomes and further get recruited at NSD2-regulated genes, suggesting PARP1 regulates NSD2 localization and H3K36me2 balance. This work provides clear evidence of cross-talk between PARylation and histone methylation and offers new directions to characterize NSD2 function in DNA damage response, transcriptional regulation, and other pathways.
Carotid Artery Injury during Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery: Lessons from a 15-Year Modern Microsurgery Cohort

Background Internal carotid artery (ICA) injury is a rare but potentially catastrophic complication of transsphenoidal resection (TSR) of pituitary tumors, potentially resulting in a host of deficits due to the risk of hemorrhage, ischemia, or even death. The endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has gained considerable popularity in the modern era, with few busy neurosurgeons remaining committed to practicing transnasal pituitary microsurgery. Our objective was therefore to characterize the overall incidence of ICA injury in a large, longitudinal, single-surgeon microscopic TSR series conducted during the modern EEA era. Methods Retrospective case series. Results Overall TSR volume by the senior author (F.B.M.) was 817 pituitary tumors during the study period, 2002 to 2017. Within that cohort, two instances of ICA injury were identified (0.2%), including one each with Cushing's disease and acromegaly, both of whom ultimately recovered without residual neurologic deficit. No pediatric injuries were identified. Conclusion Vascular injury is an exceedingly rare complication of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. Adjuncts to prevent this complication include careful review of the coronal magnetic resonance imaging, identification of the midline, as needed use of the Doppler, and initial caudal opening of the sellar dura. Although potentially disastrous, good neurologic outcomes may be obtained, with immediate judicious packing followed by immediate digital subtraction angiography to assess vessel patency and secondary complications such as pseudoaneurysm.