cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Salmonella enterica Serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A are avirulent in newborn and infant mice even when expressing virulence plasmid genes of Salmonella Typhimurium

Background: Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A are human host-restricted pathogens. Therefore, there is no small susceptible animal host that can be used to assess the virulence and safety of vaccine strains derived from these Salmonella serovars. However, infant mice have been used to evaluate virulence and colonization by another human host-restricted pathogen, Vibrio cholerae. Methodology: The possibility that infant mice host could be adapted for Salmonella led us to investigate the susceptibility of newborn and infant mice to oral infection with S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium causes enteric fever in adult mice and this system has been used as a model for human typhoid. The pSTV virulence plasmid, not present in S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A, plays an essential role in S. Typhimurium colonization and systemic infection of mice. We also conjugated pSTV into S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A serovars and evaluated these transconjugants in newborn and infant mice. Results: We determined that the spv virulence genes from the S. Typhimurium virulence plasmid are expressed in S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A in a RpoS dependent fashion. Also, we determined that S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A with and without pSTV transiently colonize newborn and infant mice tissues. Conclusion: Newborn and infant mice infected with S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A do not succumb to the infection and that carriage of the S. Typhimurium virulence plasmid, pSTV, did not influence these results.
Identification and characterization of 3 novel genital human papillomaviruses by overlapping polymerase chain reaction: candHPV89, candHPV90, and candHPV91

Three novel human papillomaviruses (HPVs), candHPV89, candHPV90, and candHPV91, that were previously identified from short polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragments AE6/CP6108, JC9710, and JC9813, respectively, were cloned and characterized from cervicovaginal cells by use of an overlapping PCR method. The complete nucleotide sequences of candHPV89 (8078 bp), candHPV90 (8033 bp), and candHPV91 (7966 bp) were determined by sequence walking. candHPV89 and candHPV91 were closely related to HPV83 and HPV7 and were placed in the HPV genome homology groups A3 and A8, respectively, by phylogenetic analyses. The genome of candHPV90 was most closely related to HPV71, although these HPV genomes do not seem to form a single lineage, because of the disproportionate divergence of the HPV71 L1 region. On the basis of phylogenetic analyses and available clinical data, these 3 novel HPV genomes appear to have a low oncogenic risk and expand the heterogeneity of HPVs detected in the lower genital tract.
Extent of gas hydrate filled fracture planes: Implications for in situ methanogenesis and resource potential

[1] High-angle gas hydrate filled fracture planes were identified along a 31 m interval in logging while drilling images in two holes located ∼11 m apart drilled during the Indian National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 01, offshore India. Using Monte Carlo simulations to account for uncertainty in hole location, hole deviation, strike and dip, we assert with 95% confidence that the fracture planes in the two holes are not the same. The gas hydrate filled fracture planes likely only extend a few meters laterally from each borehole and occur in an isolated interval in the middle of the gas hydrate stability zone. This suggests gas generated microbially within in the gas hydrate stability zone may have supplied the gas hydrate-filled fracture interval. Production of methane from these reservoirs using conventional methods may be quite challenging.
Multi-dimensional SLA-Based Resource Allocation for Multi-tier Cloud Computing Systems

With increasing demand for computing and memory, distributed computing systems have attracted a lot of attention. Resource allocation is one of the most important challenges in the distributed systems specially when the clients have Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and the total profit in the system depends on how the system can meet these SLAs. In this paper, an SLA-based resource allocation problem for multi-tier applications in the cloud computing is considered. An upper bound on the total profit is provided and an algorithm based on force-directed search is proposed to solve the problem. The processing, memory requirement, and communication resources are considered as three dimensions in which optimization is performed. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed heuristic algorithm.
Information, incentives and multinational firms

Abstract I present a model that explains a multinational firm's choice of organizational form. If a firm in the developed country outsources the production of its intermediate goods to a supplier in the developing country, it faces an adverse selection problem. If it chooses to produce the intermediate goods in its own subsidiary in the developing country, it faces an inefficient monitoring problem. My analysis of this tradeoff provides a new explanation for the observation that FDI is concentrated in capital intensive industries and yields two empirical hypotheses: more firms should adopt outsourcing instead of FDI after trade liberalization; the share of intra-firm trade in total trade should be increasing in the degree of productivity dispersion across intermediate goods suppliers in the developing country.
Optimal Energy-Aware Distributed Estimation in Wireless Sensor Networks

The motes in a wireless sensor network observe the environment, make estimates based on their observations, and then send these estimates to a Cluster-Head (CH). A novel scheme based on dithered quantization and channel compensation is used to ensure that each mote's local estimate received by the CH is unbiased. Then the CH fuses these unbiased local estimates into a global one using a Best Linear Unbiased Estimator (BLUE). We determine the number of bits each node should transmit to reach a prescribed error variance at the CH subject to per-node limits on the energy that can be used and the per-node cost of forwarding a bit to the CH.
EVIDENCE FOR AN ACTIVE STEP IN THYROID HORMONE TRANSPORT TO NUCLEI: DRUG INHIBITION OF L-125I-TRIIODOTHYRONINE BINDING TO NUCLEAR RECEPTORS IN RAT PITUITARY TUMOR CELLS

When added to intact GH4C1 or GH3 cells, cytochalasin b, dansylcadaverine, and chloroquine inhibited the binding of L-125I-triiodothyronine (T3) to nuclear receptors within 30 min. These drugs also reduced the amount of 5 I-T3 in the post-nuclear supernatant fraction of cells lysed with Triton χ-100. If 125I-T3 was added before the drugs, 125I-T3 that was already bound did not dissociate, but further binding was blocked. Inhibition due to 10 μM cytochalasin b or 150 yM dansylcadaverine was reversible within 2 h of drug removal, and inhibition due to 150 μM chloroquine was partially reversible. Drug inhibition was overcome as the T3 concentration was raised. These drugs did not significantly inhibit 125I-T3 binding to isolated nuclei, and nuclei isolated from drug-treated cultures bound as much 125I-T3 as control nuclei. The results suggest that thyroid hormones reach their nuclear binding sites by an active transport process which is inhibited by the drugs studied.
Epigallocatechin gallate protects U937 cells against nitric oxide-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis

Ingesting phenolic phytochemicals in many plant products may promote health, but the effects of phenolic phytochemicals at the cellular level have not been fully examined. Thus, it was determined if the tea phenolic phytochemical, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), protects U937 human pro-monocytic cells against the nitrogen free radical, nitric oxide (*NO). Cells were incubated for 4-6 h with 500 microM S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), which generates *NO, but this did not induce single-strand breaks in DNA. Nevertheless, 82 +/- 4% of GSNO-treated cells, compared to only 39 +/- 1% of untreated cells, were arrested in the G(1)-phase of the cell cycle. However, dosing the GSNO-treated cells with 9, 14, or 18 microg/ml of EGCG resulted in only 74 +/- 8%, 66 +/- 1%, and 43 +/- 3% of the cells, respectively, in the G(1)-phase. Exposing cells to GSNO also resulted in the emergence of a sub-G(1) apoptotic cell population numbering 14 +/- 3%, but only 5 +/- 2%, 5 +/- 1%, and 2 +/- 0% upon dosing of the GSNO-treated cells with 9, 14, and 18 microg/ml of EGCG, respectively. Furthermore, exposing cells to GSNO resulted in greater cell surface binding of annexin V-FITC, but binding was 41-89% lower in GSNO-treated cells dosed with EGCG. Collectively, these data suggest that *NO or downstream products induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis that was not due to single-strand breaks in DNA, and that EGCG scavenged cytotoxic *NO or downstream products, thus reducing the number of cells in a state of cell cycle arrest or apoptosis.
Controlling the dissociation dynamics of acetophenone radical cation through excitation of ground and excited state wavepackets

Time-resolved measurements of the acetophenone radical cation prepared via adiabatic ionization with strong field 1270 nm excitation reveal coupled wavepacket dynamics that depend on the intensity of the 790 nm probe pulse. At probe intensities below W cm−2, out of phase oscillations between the parent molecular ion and the benzoyl fragment ion are shown to arise from a one-photon excitation from the ground D0 ionic surface to the D1 and/or D2 excited surfaces by the probe pulse. At higher probe intensities, a second set of wavepacket dynamics are observed that couple the benzoyl ion to the phenyl, butadienyl, and acylium fragment ions. Equation of motion coupled cluster calculations of the ten lowest lying ionic surfaces and the dipole couplings between the ground ionic surface D0 and the nine excited states enable elucidation of the dissociation pathways and deduction of potential dissociation mechanisms. The results can lead to improved control schemes for selective dissociation of the acetophenone radical cation.
Labor Arbitration of Discrimination Claims After 14 Penn Plaza v. Pyett: Letting Discrimination Defendants Decide Whether Plaintiffs May Sue Them

The Supreme Court has held that a collective bargaining agreement may waive individual employees’ right to sue over discrimination, forcing them instead into labor arbitration. The decision will now lead to a lengthy future chain of cases to determine whether all employee legal claims may be stripped by collective agreements and sent to arbitration, or only some of them; whether particular language in collective bargaining agreements will be needed to strip employees of statutory rights, or not; which demands (if any) to waive claims will constitute demands for individual bargaining, hence bargaining in bad faith; whether all dispute resolution institutions might substitute for arbitration, or only some of them; whether standards for fair representation need to be revised if unions are representing employee statutory claims, or not; and whether the role of courts reviewing arbitration awards changes when these deal with employees’ statutory rights, or not. This Article discusses these issues.
How to Write a $75,000 Brief: A Billable-Hours Fable

This is a fable about the ethics of the billable hour and other professionalism issues. Four attorneys and a paralegal in a large law firm, each billing by the hour, draft a summary judgment brief in a high-stakes case. Through mismanagement, egotism, miscommunication, and inexperience, the bill for the brief exceeds $75,000.
The influence of spatial and feature probability cuing in visual search.

Certain aspects of a visual search task, such as the location where a target often appears, are learned over time and can serve as a source of attentional guidance. An example of this implicit learning, spatial probability cuing speeds detection of targets that appear in probable locations. The current study investigated target feature probability learning and its relation to implicit spatial probability learning. Results reveal that individuals are sensitive to small changes in the spatial probability of targets, even incidentally learning moderate probabilities. However, feature-based probability differences impacted visual search times much less. Implications for these findings are discussed.
Power Communication: Making an Educated Choice

Using a five-point Likert scale, Speech Pathology/Audiology (SPA) Majors and NON-SPA Majors rated (a) their perceptions of Power Communicators, and (b) themselves as Power Communicators. The overall design was a 2 × 2 mixed model; the two independent variables were Power Communicator (“Them” v. “Us”), as a within-subjects variable, and Major (NON-SPA v. SPA), as a between-subjects variable. The dependent variables were the ratings for each of the 36 items. After balancing the male/female proportion in both groups, the interaction of “Them” v. “Us” by NON-SPA v. SPA in the 2 × 2 analyses of variance yielded a significant interaction of Power Communicator by Major for four items. Clinical supervisors in university training programs should provide information about power communication, especially with respect to gender issues, and offer training to supervisees who elect to modify their communication behavior.
CFD Computation of Fan Interaction Noise

In this study, a 3-D, unsteady, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) CFD code coupled to an acoustic calculation is used to predict the contribution of the exit guide vanes to tonal fan noise downstream. The configuration investigated is that corresponding to the NASA Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) 22-in fan rig. One configuration from the SDT matrix is considered here: the approach condition, and outlet guide vane count designed for cut-off of the blade passage frequency. In this chosen configuration, there are 22 rotor blades and 54 stator blades. The stators are located 2.5 tip chords downstream of the rotor trailing edge. The RANS computations are used to obtain the spectra of the unsteady surface pressure on the exit guide vanes. The surface pressure at the blade passage frequency and its second harmonic are then integrated together with the Green’s function for an annular duct to obtain the pressure at locations in the duct. Comparison of the computed sound power level at the exhaust plane with experiment show good agreement at the cut-on circumferential mode. The results from this investigation validate the use of the CFD code along with the acoustic model for downstream fan noise predictions. This validation enables future investigations such as the effect of duct variation on the exhaust tonal power level and the validity of using this method for predicting broadband noise levels.© 2007 ASME
A Vision for Investigating the Microbiology of Health and Disease

The fields of microbial surveillance, discovery, and pathogenesis are evolving rapidly with introduction of cultivation-independent molecular diagnostic assays and highly multiplexed serologic analyses, as well as the development of animal models and prospective birth cohorts that can provide insights into host and microbial determinants of health and disease. Here, past, present, and future perspectives on these fields are provided.
151 IMMUNOGLOBULIN G FRACTION OF SERUM FROM PREDIABETIC PATIENTS INCREASES REDUCED NICOTINAMIDE-ADENINE-DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE OXIDASE-MEDIATED OXIDATIVE STRESS ON HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS IN VITRO.

The prevailing dogma for the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D) involves the stepwise sequence of autoimmunity, β-cell destruction, insulin deficiency, and hyperglycemia, the chronic effects of which are accepted as the causative and exacerbating factors in diabetic vascular complications. The connection between glycemic control and attenuation of complications in extant T1D has been well established. Recently, however, our description of oxidant stress-mediated endothelial dysfunction in prediabetic, euglycemic nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice has disputed hyperglycemia as the instigating factor in diabetic vascular complications. In this translational study, we asked if serum from patients with anti-β-cell antibodies (prediabetic patients) was capable of increasing the rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in vitro. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were incubated for 1 hour with media containing serum from either prediabetic, diabetic, or control patients. Rate of intracellular ROS generation was determined via spectrofluorometric assessment of a fluorescein diacetate assay. ROS generation was higher in cells incubated with prediabetic serum compared to control serum (+76%). Surprisingly, incubation of cells with diabetic serum yielded little difference from control serum. ROS generation persisted when cells were incubated with the IgG fraction of prediabetic serum but was negligible with the non-IgG fraction. Furthermore, use of DPI, an inhibitor of NAD(P)H oxidase, decreased the rate of ROS generation in all samples. These data implicate IgG activation of a vascular NAD(P)H oxidase, leading to increased production of intracellular ROS in prediabetic patients, prior to extant diabetes. This correlates with our previous findings in prediabetic NOD mice, supporting the conclusion that oxidant stress mediated endothelial dysfunction occurs prior to glycemic dysregulation in a subset of patients.
The importance of the open surgical biopsy in the diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft-tissue tumors

To obtain the maximal diagnostic benefit from a pretreatment biopsy, an adequate amount of tissue should be removed. An open surgical biopsy eminently qualifies for such a diagnostic technique because a careful histologic examination of the bone or soft-tissue tumor is of particular importance for proper treatment. An open biopsy yields the exact diagnosis in most instances.
Is the archivist a “radical atheist” now? Deconstruction, its new wave, and archival activism

Hagglund’s “radical atheism”—innovative thinking within the philosophical current of “speculative materialism”—revitalizes deconstruction and provides an important basis to define parameters for the archivist’s role as activist for social justice. This paper argues postmodern archival theory gets deconstruction wrong by misreading Derrida’s “Archive fever” as a theory of “archontic power”; this misleads archivists on the call for justice. Properly understanding that justice is undecidable, radical atheism explodes the tension between postmodernists’ appreciation of all views and perspectives and their commitment to right unjust relations of power. This paper first advances the negative argument that “Archive fever” is not about power and injustice. It then advances the positive argument that “Archive fever” is Derrida’s effort to look at actual archives to resolve Freud’s problematic theorizing of a “death drive.” In a close and comprehensive reading of “Archive fever,” this paper explores the notion of “archive fever” as a death drive and suggests Derrida’s efforts are inconclusive. Viewed through the lens of radical atheism, the archive’s “traces”—the material of actual archives writ large in the manner of Derrida’s thinking about a universal archive—serve to mark the flow of time. Understanding the structure of the trace reveals the source of internal contradictions, discontinuities, and instabilities in the meaning of all things. It explains why justice is undecidable. In face of the unconditional condition of this undecidability, we as archivists and humans are compelled to make decisions and to act. Deconstruction politicizes our actions and evokes a responsibility that cannot be absolved.
Resource Issues and the East-West Strategic Relationship

The confluence of several critical developments has brought into sharper focus the role of resource access and denial in the East-West strategic relationship. First, the reawakening of concern over the historically vital question of oil supply for economic prosperity and defence, brought about by the decade of the energy crisis, has created a continuing legacy of concern. This concern has, in turn, led to less clear, but nonetheless important, perceptions of Western vulnerability with regard to strategic non-fuel minerals.
Filobasidiella Kwon-Chung

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on Filobasidiella genus and its member species. Asexual reproduction in this process occurs through budding of globose, ovoidal, or apiculate cells. The pseudo- or true mycelium lacks haploid cultures and growth on solid media is white or cream-colored, and commonly mucoid. This genus lacks visible carotenoid pigments, and its cells are encapsulated by polysaccharide, the degree of which varies with strains as well as environmental factors. Sexual reproduction occurs following conjugation between the α-cells and the a–cells. Theconjugated cells produce dikaryotic hyphae with clamp connections. The cross walls of the hyphae contain a typical dolipore, but lack parenthesomes. Repeated mitosis follows meiosis, and uninucleate basidiospores bud basipetally from four spots on the apex of the metabasidium to form four chains of basidiospores. The only member species of this genus is Filobasidiella neoformans, which has two variants, Filobasidiella neoformans and Filobasidiella neoformans var. bacillispora. The haploid cells of Filobasidiella neoformans var. bacillispora, after undergoing growth in in 2% malt extract for 3 days at 25° C, appear mostly as globose or ovoidal, occurring singly or with buds.
An Optimization Approach to Direct Recycle

Chapter 4, An Optimization Approach to Direct Recycle, provided graphical and algebraic approaches to the targeting and synthesis of direct-recycle networks. Graphical tools may become cumbersome for problems with numerous sources or sinks and for problems with a wide range of flowrate or load scale. Additionally, algebraic techniques cannot easily handle problems with multiple fresh resources. Therefore, it is beneficial to develop a mathematical-programming approach to the targeting of material recycle. Such approach can also be integrated with other optimization techniques. This chapter provides an optimization-based formulation for the mathematical solution of the direct recycle problem. First, the problem addressed in Chapter 4, An Optimization Approach to Direct Recycle, will be restated. Then, a structural representation of the solution alternatives will be presented. Next, the mathematical-programming formulation will be discussed along with its solution applied to a case study.
Pseudonym Technology for E-Services

Pseudonym technology is attracting more and more attention and, together with privacy violations, is becoming a major issue in various e-services. Current e-service systems make personal data collection very easy and efficient through integration, interconnection, and data mining technologies since they use the user’s real identity. Pseudonym technology with unlinkability, anonymity, and accountability can give the user the ability to control the collection, retention, and distribution of his or her personal information. This chapter explores the challenges, issues, and solutions associated with pseudonym technology for privacy protection in e-services. To have a better understanding of how the pseudonym technology provides privacy protection in e-services, we describe a general pseudonym system architecture, discuss its relationships with other privacy technologies, and summarize its requirements. Based on the requirements, we review, analyze, and compare a number of existing pseudonym technologies. We then give an example of a pseudonym practice — e-wallet for eservices and discuss current issues. IDEA GROUP PUBLISHING This paper appears in the publication, Privacy Protection for E-Services edited by George Yee © 2006, Idea Group Inc. 701 E. Chocolate Avenue, Suite 200, Hershey PA 17033-1240, USA Tel: 717/533-8845; Fax 717/533-8661; URL-http://www.idea-gr up.com ITB12167
Biosynthetic Timing and Substrate Specificity for the Thiopeptide Thiomuracin

The biosynthesis of the thiopeptide thiomuracin is a well-orchestrated process involving a multitude of posttranslational modifications. We show that six Cys residues of a precursor peptide are first cyclodehydrated and oxidized to thiazoles in an ordered, but nonlinear fashion that is leader-peptide-dependent. Then four alcohols are glutamylated and converted to alkenes in a C-to-N terminal directional process that is leader-peptide-independent. Finally, two of these alkenes undergo a formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition to form a trithiazole-substituted pyridine macrocycle. We describe here the factors that govern the substrate specificity and order of biosynthetic events that turn a ribosomal peptide into a powerful antibiotic.
The Dyadic Effects of Supportive Coparenting and Parental Stress on Relationship Quality Across the Transition to Parenthood

The transition to first-time parenthood can be challenging for couples. Using a sample of 848 ethnically diverse couples from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study across the first 3 years of parenthood, we investigated the longitudinal and dyadic associations of each parents’ parental stress, supportive coparenting, and relationship quality. Results from an actor–partner interdependence model indicated that supportive coparenting significantly predicted higher relationship quality for both mothers and fathers. Fathers’ supportive coparenting significantly buffered the effects of mothers’ parental stress on relationship quality. Also, the unique dyadic contexts of each parents’ supportive coparenting, and also both partners’ parental stress were significantly associated with relationship quality. Clinical implications from these findings are discussed through commonly used clinical theories.
Setting Studies Up for Success

“Site engagement” and “strategic site partnerships” are but a few of the trendy phrases capturing the attention of the clinical research enterprise these days, especially as it continues to grapple with the issue of poor trial performance. Sponsors and contract research organizations (CROs)
Pediatric Philadelphia-positive B lymphoblastic leukemia with CD56 expression and L2 morphology: Case report and review of the literature

Abstract We present a unique case of pediatric B lymphoblastic leukemia with Philadelphia chromosome, CD56 expression, and predominantly L2 morphology. A review of the current literature demonstrates that this distinct combination of features is rare and may portend a worse prognosis, although there are too few cases to determine whether these features are prognostically independent of one another.
Proteomics Profiling of Leukemia Derived Exosomes: A Potential Role in Leukemic Transformation

Abstract Exosomes are small sized vesicles (30-100nm) actively secreted by a wide variety of cells in body fluids. Exosomes are known carriers of mRNA, microRNA and proteins, and have been shown to transform the recipient cells. Exosomes are important in regulation of physiological processes in our body and depending on their content they can induce activation, proliferation, differentiation or apoptosis of the recipient cells. Increasingly, exosomes are studied for their potential as both indicators of disease initiation, progression, drug resistance and as a prospective new treatment approach. We hypothesize that identifying proteins that are differentially expressed on the exosomes among normal and leukemic cells will provide signature biomarkers and offer insight into the mechanism(s) contributing to the transformation of the leukemic niche. Exosomes were extracted from the serum samples of healthy and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and were found to be more abundant in AML patients (p=0.049). Western blot analysis of the AML derived exosomes pellet confirmed the presence of CD63 and tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101); two exosomal marker proteins indicating a good exosome preparation. Further, using ultracentrifugation, we prepared exosomes from the peripheral blood of two normal healthy individuals and MV411 (FLT3-ITD+) & KG1A cell lines after culturing in conditioned media in hypoxia for 48 hours. 2-Dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) was performed from lysates of 100 µg of exosomes, and subsequently differently expressed spots were identified using 2D-PAGE analysissoftware. We identified 15 spots showing significantly up-regulated and 8 down-regulated patterns of expression in the exosomes from AML cell lines, relative to the pattern seen from the normal exosome lysates. In gel digestion with trypsin was performed, and proteins were identified in each differentially expressed spot using the Agilent 6510 QTOF Mass Spectrometer. The Scaffold Proteome Software was used to validate MS/MS based peptide and protein identifications. The Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID ) v6.7 was used to interpret the biological functions of these differentially expressed proteins. In up-regulated datasets, the top enriched pathways and annotations (p Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Impact of Intraoperative Monitoring During Elective Complex Spinal Fusions (≥4 Levels) on 30-Day Complication and Readmission Rates: A Single-Institutional Study of 643 Adult Patients with Spinal Deformity.

Objective The aim of this study is to determine if there are differences in 30-day postoperative complication and readmission rates between patients with spinal deformity undergoing complex spinal fusion with and without intraoperative monitoring (IOM). Methods The medical records of 643 adult patients with spine deformity undergoing elective complex spinal fusion (≥4 levels) at a major academic institution from 2005 to 2015 were reviewed. We identified 122 cases (19%) that involved IOM including electromyography, somatosensory evoked potential, and/or transcranial motor evoked potential and 521 (81%) that did not (IOM, n = 122; no-IOM, n = 521). The primary outcome investigated was the rate of 30-day postoperative complications and readmission. Results Patient demographics and comorbidities were similar between both groups, including age, gender, body mass index, and smoking status. IOM cases had significantly increased operative time (IOM, 360.9 ± 153.8 minutes vs. no-IOM, 290.3 ± 127.1 minutes; P P = 0.015). There was no significant difference in 30-day readmission between the cohorts (IOM, 8.2% vs. no-IOM, 12.3%; P = 0.27) or differences in sensorimotor deficits. Although the overall 30-day complication rate trended to be higher in the no-IOM cohort, these factors were not attributed to IOM use. Conclusions Our study suggests that the use of IOM may not have a significant impact on overall surgical outcomes and 30-day readmission rates.
Abstract IA07: Single cell functional proteomics and metabolomics: A conduit to physicochemical models of tumor biology

Advances in single cell methods have opened up fundamentally new ways to think about biology. One new concept involves specific experiments that provide a direct and quantitative bridge between complex biological phenomena and the physico-chemical laws. To this end, we have developed microchip-based methods for measuring large panels of functional proteins and metabolites from statistical numbers of single cells. Functional proteins include secreted signaling proteins that provide measures of immune cell behaviors, and phosphorylated (activated) enzymes that reflect intracellular signaling flux and are often hyperactivated (and thus constitute drug targets) in cancers. For metabolites, we have focused on those associated with cellular energy flux. Importantly, cells sense and respond to their environments by adjusting the levels of such analytes. The following observations are the basis for connecting such measurements to the physico-chemical laws: 1. Cells are finite systems in a thermodynamic sense. This means that otherwise identical cells will have different numbers of the measured analytes. 2. A histogram of levels of the analytes versus frequency of observation across many single cells represents the fluctuations of those cells. In the maximum entropy formulation of thermodynamics, fluctuations can be used to identify the stable steady state of the cells (the state of minimum free energy), as well as constraints that prevent (constrain) the cells from reaching that steady state. 3. When many analytes are measured from the same cells, analyte-analyte correlations are extracted. If the measurements are quantitative (as are ours), then relationships between the chemical potential of a given analyte and its copy numbers is established. These to values represent cognate intensive and extensive parameters, and can allow for precise predictions for how cells respond to a weak perturbation through the Principle of Le Chatelier. They also provide an approach for distinguishing between weak and strong perturbations, since strong perturbations cause a cell-state change, while weak perturbations do not. In this talk, I will discuss provide detail on the above described experimental platforms, and describe how analyses based on these concepts can yield insight into clinically meaningful problems associated with therapy resistance in glioblastoma and melanoma. Citation Format: James R. Heath. Single cell functional proteomics and metabolomics: A conduit to physicochemical models of tumor biology. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Engineering and Physical Sciences in Oncology; 2016 Jun 25-28; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA07.
Parallel Selectivity Estimation for Optimizing Multidimensional Spatial Join Processing on GPUs

Processing large-scale data is typically memory intensive. The current generation of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) has much lower memory capacity than CPUs which is often a limiting factor in processing large-scale data on GPUs. It is desirable to reduce memory footprint in spatially joining large-scale datasets through query optimization. In this study, we present a parallel selectivity estimation technique for optimizing spatial join processing on GPUs. By integrating the multi-dimensional cumulative histogram structure and the summed-area-table algorithm, our data parallel selectivity estimation technique can be efficiently realized on GPUs. Experiments on spatially joining two sets of Minimum Bounding Boxes (MBBs) derived from real point and polygon data, each with about one million MBBs, have shown that selectivity estimation at four grid levels took less than 1/3 of a second on a Nvidia GTX Titan GPU device. By using the best grid resolution, our technique saves 38.4% memory footprint for the spatial join.
Predictors of late aortic intervention in patients with medically treated type B aortic dissection.

Abstract Background Patients with medically managed type B aortic dissection (TBAD) have a high incidence of aorta-related complications over time. Whereas early thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) to seal the entry tear can promote aortic remodeling and prevent late aneurysm formation, there are sparse data as to which patients will benefit from such therapy. The goal of this study was to identify clinical and anatomic factors that are associated with the need for subsequent aortic intervention in patients who present with uncomplicated TBAD. These factors could guide the selection of patients who will benefit from TEVAR in the subacute phase. Methods Patients who presented with acute uncomplicated TBAD and were initially managed medically from January 2000 to December 2013 were included in the study. Timing of intervention was stratified into early (within 180 days of initial presentation) and late (181 days and later) cohorts. All patients had follow-up axial imaging studies. These imaging studies were reviewed for anatomic criteria in a retrospective fashion. Predictors of aortic intervention were determined using Cox regression analyses. Results There were 254 patients (65% men) with medically managed acute TBAD. The average age at presentation was 66.3 years, and 82.5% had a history of hypertension. Mean follow-up was 6.8 years (range, 0.1-13.6 years). There were a total of 97 (38%) patients who required an aortic intervention during follow-up; 30 (12%) patients required an early intervention, and 67 (26%) were treated during late follow-up (100% for aneurysmal degeneration). Predictors of late aortic intervention included entry tear >10 mm (odds ratio [OR], 2.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-3.8; P = .03), total aortic diameter >40 mm at time of presentation (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.8-4.3; P = .02), false lumen diameter >20 mm (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.3-4.7; P = .03), and increase in total aortic diameter >5 mm between serial imaging studies (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5; P = .02). Complete thrombosis of the false lumen was protective against late operative intervention (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.11-0.48; P Conclusions Nearly 40% of patients who present with an uncomplicated TBAD will ultimately require an aortic intervention. All of the late interventions were performed for aneurysmal degeneration. A variety of readily available anatomic features can predict the need for eventual operative intervention in TBAD; accordingly, these parameters can guide the desirability of early TEVAR.
[Scientific change in times of political upheaval: Germany in the 20th century].

Until recently, the development of the modern sciences has usually been described as a continuous unfolding of constantly expanding and differentiating research institutions on the one hand, and the accumulation of more and better knowledge on the other. The changes that have occurred both in scientific institutions and in the direction and content of research in the course of revolutions or comparable political changes pose significant challenges to such accounts.
Transverse tubular network structures in the genesis of intracellular calcium alternans and triggered activity in cardiac cells.

Abstract Rationale The major role of a transverse-tubular (TT) network in a cardiac cell is to facilitate effective excitation-contraction coupling and signaling. The TT network structures are heterogeneous within a single cell, and vary between different types of cells and species. They are also remodeled in cardiac diseases. However, how different TT network structures predispose cardiac cells to arrhythmogenesis remains to be revealed. Objective To systematically investigate the roles of TT network structure and the underlying mechanisms in the genesis of intracellular calcium (Ca2 +) alternans and triggered activity (TA). Methods and results Based on recent experimental observations, different TT network structures, including uniformly and non-uniformly random TT distributions, were modeled in a cardiac cell model consisting of a three-dimensional network of Ca2 + release units (CRUs). Our simulations showed that both Ca2 + alternans and Ca2 + wave-mediated TA were promoted when the fraction of orphaned CRUs was in an intermediate range, but suppressed in cells exhibiting either well-organized TT networks or low TT densities. Ca2 + alternans and TA could be promoted by low TT densities when the cells were small or the CRU coupling was strong. Both alternans and TA occurred more easily in uniformly random TT networks than in non-uniformly random TT networks. Subcellular spatially discordant Ca2 + alternans was promoted by non-uniformly random TT networks but suppressed by increasing CRU coupling strength. These mechanistic insights provide a holistic understanding of the effects of TT network structure on the susceptibility to arrhythmogenesis. Conclusions The TT network plays important roles in promoting Ca2 + alternans and TA, and different TT network structures may predispose cardiac cells differently to arrhythmogenesis.
Visualization of IFN-β mRNA in Chlamydia-infected and adjacent uninfected cells and the contribution of CX43 in intercellular transfer of cGAMP

Background IFNβ has been implicated a key effector of oviduct pathology after genital chlamydial infection in mice. We reported that the host DNA sensor cGAS (cGAMP synthase) is essential for IFNβ expression during Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Sensing during infection leads to generation of the second messenger, 2′3-cGAMP, which can migrate to uninfected adjacent cells via gap-junction mediated transfer. cGAMP binding to central adaptor molecule, STING drives IFNβ induction. The goals of this study were to visualize the mechanism of c-GAMP transfer and to identify the DNA source triggering this response. Methods cGAMP production was detected by mass spectrometry. The contribution of gap junction proteins, connexins CX43 and CX45 in intercellular transfer of cGAMP was assayed by siRNA depletion and subsequent co-culture experiments. view RNA TM methodology was used to detect IFNβ mRNA transcripts in Hela cells. Mitochondrial DNA as IFNβ inducer was assessed in mtDNA depleted cell lines. Results Mass spectroscopy confirmed cGAMP in infected host cytosol. Connexin depletion studies revealed that CX43 but not CX45 was essential for optimal IFNβ expression during infection. IFNβ mRNA transcripts were visualized in infected and adjacent, uninfected cells. In contrast, distal uninfected cells lacking cell-cell contact were negative. IFNβ induction after chlamydia infection was unchanged in mtDNA depleted cells. Conclusion Overall, our results confirm the production of cGAMP in chlamydia-infected cells and its transfer via CX43 to adjacent cells resulting in IFNβ production. Our studies exclude mtDNA as a potential source initiating this response. We are currently investigating the role of Chlamydial-DNA as an initiator.
Hadronic Physics of q\({\bar q}\) Light Quark Mesons, Quark Molecules and Glueballs

Our conceptions of Hadronic Physics have been changing drastically in the past two decades. The patterns discernible in elementary particles such as nonets of mesons and octets and decuplets of baryons led to SU(3) and then the original three flavor fractionally charged quark model. The statistics problem (in the quark model), the ratio $$R = \frac{{\sigma \left( {{e^ + }{e^ - } \to hadrons} \right)}}{{\sigma \left( {{e^ + }{e^ - }} \right) \to {\mu ^ + }{\mu ^ - }}}$$ and the decay rate \({\pi ^o} \to 2\gamma \) led to the three colors of quarks.
Response to Franck and White

The insightful and helpful remarks of Professors Franck and White raise a great many questions, and I obviously cannot deal with all of them in this brief response. I shall focus on their claims that neither the common law nor Judaic law rules governing the patient-physician relation are captured by either the commercial contract or the status model.
Socioeconomic Status and Other Factors Associated with Childhood Obesity

Background: Childhood obesity in the United States is a critical public health issue. Although multiple child and parental factors are associated with childhood obesity, few models evaluate how socioeconomic status influences these risk factors. We aimed to create a model to examine how socioeconomic status modifies risk factors for child obesity. Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Birth Cohort. Using logistic regression, we modeled childhood obesity status from known parental and child risk factors for childhood obesity and tested interactions with socioeconomic status. Results: Compared with healthy-weight children, socioeconomic status, race, birth weight, parental smoking, and not eating dinner as a family were associated with kindergarten-aged children being overweight or obese. Parental smoking increased the odds of a child being overweight or obese by 40%, and eating dinner as a family reduced the odds of a child being overweight or obese by 4%. In addition, black or Hispanic children had a 60% increased odds of being overweight or obese when compared with their white counterparts. Native American children had almost double the odds of being overweight or obese compared with white children. Socioeconomic status did not modify any of these associations. Conclusion: Parental smoking, birth weight, and not eating dinner as a family were two modifiable factors associated with overweight and obesity in kindergarten-age children, regardless of socioeconomic status. Changing these life-style factors could reduce the child9s risk for obesity.
A comparison of the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer by testicular ablation or total androgen blockade

In 1941 Huggins and Hodges discovered that prostatic cancer was androgen dependent [1,2]. They reasoned that if the normal prostate were androgen dependent, then prostatic cancer also should be similarly dependent, and that androgen deprivation should inhibit the growth of the tumor. This hypothesis was tested by many investigators in the hope that the gloomy prognosis associated with advanced prostatic cancer could be altered. Indeed, the dramatic responses initiated by castration or the administration of large doses of estrogens suggested to early investigators that this form of therapy might cure the disease. However, subsequent larger trials inevitably recorded that, while this therapy played a major palliative role, most patients with advanced prostatic cancer treated with hormonal ablation soon died of their disease [3,4]. This observation suggested that either the theory that the tumor was androgen dependent was not entirely true or that the method of achieving androgen deprivation was imperfect.
Teaching for equity in complex times: Negotiating standards in a high-performing bilingual school, by J. Stillman and L. Anderson, with J. L. Beltramo, K. S. Struthers, and J. Gómez-Najarro: 2017. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

In their book, Teaching for Equity in Complex Times: Negotiating Standards in a High-Performing Bilingual School, Jamy Stillman, Lauren Anderson, and their colleagues highlight the complexities of ...
An Analog CMOS Silicon Photomultiplier Using Perimeter-Gated Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes

Perimeter-gated single-photon avalanche diodes (PGSPADs) have been shown to mitigate premature edge breakdown without unduly increasing the area of the device. PGSPADs are three terminal devices. In this paper, we develop a probability-based SPICE model for the PGSPAD and fully characterize an $18 \times 18$ pixel analog PGSPAD-based CMOS silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). The noise model is derived using theories of carrier thermal generation, carrier diffusion, and inter-band tunneling. Parameters are derived using fabricated PGSPAD devices and model validity is verified with experimental measurements. The designed PGSPAD SiPM is implemented in standard $0.5~\mu \text{m}$ 2-poly, 3-metal CMOS process, and is characterized for dark current, sensitivity, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) throughout the visible spectral range for varying bias voltages. Models show that the reduction of dark events in the PGPSAD is primarily caused by a reduction in band-to-band tunneling. Thus, as a function of the applied gate voltage the PGPSAD shows an improvement of SNR over a range of 1 to 1150. The sensitivity of the presented SiPM is $1.06 \times 10^{3}$ A/W/cm2. The designed PGSPAD SiPM shows great promise over standard SiPM for applications, such as neutron detection which requires high sensitivities and high SNRs.