cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activated clotting time of thrombelastography (T-ACT) predicts early postinjury blood component transfusion beyond plasma

The bloody vicious cycle of death from trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) was described more than 30 years ago and inspired the concept of pre-emptive fresh-frozen plasma in civilian trauma centers.1,2 Combat experience in Iraq3 refocused interest in early plasma for patients at risk for TIC. Subsequently, fibrinogen deficiency4 and platelet (Plts) dysfunction5 have been implicated in TIC, suggesting that pre-emptive fibrinogen (cryoprecipitate) and Plts transfusions may be important in addition to plasma. Thrombelastography (TEG) is superior to conventional laboratory measures for the assessment of TIC.6,7 Developed in the 1940s, this device allows for identification of the key phases of coagulation starting from clot initiation through clot propagation and strengthening and ending with clot degradation. The activated clotting time (T-ACT) in rapid TEG (r-TEG) represents this initial phase of clot formation. Prolongation of T-ACT has been associated with increased likelihood of requiring a massive transfusion (MT).8 This is an appealing point-of-care test because results are available within minutes. As we have matured our understanding of TIC, phenotypes of bleeding disorders after major injury are becoming apparent.9 This observation caters to improving patient outcomes by personalizing trauma care. The success of personalized medicine is dependent on a reliable and clinically relevant product.10 We therefore wanted to determine the clinical value of T-ACT to guide early cryoprecipitate (Cryo) and Plts transfusions in patients at risk of TIC. Our hypothesis is prolongation of T-ACT represents a global coagulation disorder that would identify patients who will benefit from early product administration beyond plasma to correct deficient fibrinogen and dysfunctional Plts.
Community-based HCV screening: knowledge and attitudes in a high risk urban population

In an attempt to curtail the rising morbidity and mortality from undiagnosed HCV (hepatitis C virus) in the United States, screening guidelines have been expanded to high-risk individuals and persons born 1945–1965. Community-based screening may be one strategy in which to reach such persons; however, the acceptance of HCV testing, when many high-risk individuals may not have access to HCV specific medications, remains unknown. We set out to assess attitudes about HCV screening and knowledge about HCV disease at several community-based testing sites that serve high-risk populations. This assessment was paired with a brief HCV educational intervention, followed by post-education evaluation. Participants (n = 140) were surveyed at five sites; two homeless shelters, two drug rehabilitation centers, and a women’s "drop-in" center. Personal acceptance of HCV testing was almost unanimous, and 90% of participants reported that they would still want to be tested even if they were unable to receive HCV treatment. Baseline hepatitis C knowledge was poor; however, the brief educational intervention significantly improved knowledge and increased acceptability of testing when medical access issues were explicitly stated. Despite inconsistencies in access to care and treatment, high-risk communities want to know their HCV status. Though baseline HCV knowledge was poor in this population, a brief on-site educational intervention improved both knowledge and acceptability of HCV testing and care. These data support the establishment of programs that utilize community-based screening, and also provide initial evidence for acceptance of the implementation of the recently expanded screening guidelines among marginalized communities.
Constructed Wetland Treatment of Nitrates: Removal Effectiveness and Cost Efficiency

A constructed wetland (CW) was strategically placed to treat nitrates in groundwater as part of a watershed-based farmer engagement process. Using stream water quality data collected before and after installation, this CW was found to reduce stream concentrations of nitrogen from nitrate (NO3-N) during the growing season by about 0.14 mg/l at mean streamflow, a 17% reduction. Based upon realistic ecological and economic assumptions, about 80 kg of NO3-N were removed annually by the CW at a cost of around US$30/kg. This per unit cost is at the low range of small wastewater treatment plant costs for nitrates, but higher than the costs of reduced fertilizer application.
Influence of Temperature on the Physiology and Virulence of the Insect Pathogen Serratia sp. Strain SCBI

The physiology of a newly recognized Serratia species, termed South African Caenorhabditis briggsae Isolate (SCBI), which is both a nematode mutualist and an insect pathogen, was investigated and compared to that of Serratia marcescens Db11, a broad-host-range pathogen. The two Serratia strains had comparable levels of virulence for Manduca sexta and similar cytotoxic activity patterns, but motility and lipase and hemolytic activities differed significantly between them.
Measurement of the W + jet cross section at CDF

A measurement of W ® en + n-jet cross sections in p$\bar{p}$ collisions at Os = 1.96 TeV using the Collider Detector at Fermilab in Run II is presented. The measurement is based on an integrated luminosity of 320 pb-1, and includes events with jet multiplicity from > 1 to > 4. In each jet multiplicity sample the differential and cumulative cross sections with respect to the transverse energy of the nth-leading jet are measured. For W+ > 2 jets the differential cross section with respect to the 2-leading jets invariant mass mj1j2 and angular separation DRj1j2 is also reported. The data are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo simulations.
Polymorphism of human plasma thyroxine binding prealbumin.

Abstract Amyloid fibrils from an individual with heredofamilial amyloidosis were found to be composed of plasma prealbumin. To study this protein a three step procedure to isolate prealbumin from plasma was developed. It entailed ion exchange chromatography on DEAE Sephadex, affinity chromatography on Affi-gel Blue and gel filtration on AcA-34. Trypsin Digests of prealbumin were separated by reverse phase HPLC and the pattern compared to that from the normal protein. Only one unexpected peptide was found and it represented the substitution of a methionine for a valine at position 30 in the molecule. This substitution accounts for about 1 3 of the isolated molecules and it represents the first point mutation identified in human plasma prealbumin.
A novel delay differentiation QoS architecture

In this paper, we present a delay differentiation based QoS architecture for supporting real-time multimedia services in the core-stateless IP networks. The key component of our approach is a three-level class-based scheduling scheme. Based upon it, we propose the Delay Differentiation with Earliest-Deadline-First (DD-EDF) QoS architecture. Simulation shows that our approach can achieve better end-to-end/per-hop average queueing delay performance with higher link utilization, when compared with the scheme without DD-EDF.
Experimental and numerical study of pressure drop and heat transfer in a single-phase micro-channel heat sink

The pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of a single-phase micro-channel heat sink were investigated both experimentally and numerically. The heat sink was fabricated from oxygen-free copper and fitted with a polycarbonate plastic cover plate. The heat sink consisted of an array of rectangular micro-channels 231 lm wide and 713 lm deep. Deionized water was employed as the cooling liquid and two heat flux levels, q 00 ¼ 100 W=cm 2 and q 00 ¼ 200 W=cm 2 , defined relative to the planform area of the heat sink, were tested. The Reynolds number ranged from 139 to 1672 for q 00 ¼ 100 W =cm 2 , and 385 to 1289 for q 00 ¼ 200 W =cm 2 . The three-dimensional heat transfer characteristics of the heat sink were analyzed numerically by solving the conjugate heat transfer problem involving simultaneous determination of the temperature field in both the solid and liquid regions. Also presented and discussed is a detailed description of the local and average heat transfer characteristics of the heat sink. The measured pressure drop and temperature distributions show good agreement with the corresponding numerical predictions. These findings demonstrate that the conventional Navier–Stokes and energy equations can adequately predict the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of micro-channel heat sinks. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effect of hydrogen peroxide on the uptake of chlordane by Cucurbita pepo

Background and aims Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L. ssp. pepo) is capable of removing percent level amounts of chlordane from soil. It is known that aquaporins in plants and algae can mediate the transport of certain organic molecules and that these transport proteins are closed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of H2O2 exposure on the uptake of chlordane by C. pepo.
Maximum likelihood estimation of molecular motor kinetics from staircase dwell-time sequences

Molecular motors, such as kinesin, myosin, or dynein, convert chemical energy into mechanical energy by hydrolyzing ATP. The mechanical energy is used for moving in discrete steps along the cytoskeleton and carrying a molecular load. High resolution single molecule recordings of motor steps appear as a stochastic sequence of dwells, resembling a staircase. Staircase data can also be obtained from other molecular machines such as F1-ATPase, RNA polymerase, or topoisomerase. We developed a maximum likelihood algorithm that estimates the rate constants between different conformational states of the protein, including motor steps. We model the motor with a periodic Markov model that reflects the repetitive chemistry of the motor step. We estimated the kinetics from the idealized dwell-sequence by numerical maximization of the likelihood function for discrete-time Markov models. This approach eliminates the need for missed event correction. The algorithm can fit kinetic models of arbitrary complexity, such as uniform or alternating step chemistry, reversible or irreversible kinetics, ATP concentration and mechanical force-dependent rates, etc. The method allows global fitting across stationary and nonstationary experimental conditions, and user-defined a priori constraints on rate constants. The algorithm was tested with simulated data, and implemented in the free QuB software.
Liquid‐Phase Reaction‐Bonding of Silicon Carbide Using Alloyed Silicon‐Molybdenum Melts

The authors have investigated reaction-forming of silicon carbide by the infiltration of carbonaceous preforms using alloyed silicon melts, in order to synthesize composite materials free of the residual silicon phase that has previously limited mechanical properties and upper use temperatures. In this approach, rejection of the alloying component(s) from the primary silicon carbide phase into the remaining melt results in the formation of a secondary refractory phase, such as a silicide, in place of residual free silicon. Experiments conducted in the Si-Mo melt system show that relatively dense ({gt}90%) silicon carbide-molybdenum silicide materials free of residual silicon and residual carbon can be obtained. A model for reactive infiltration based on time-dependent permeabilities is proposed. Processing variables important for control of the reaction rate relative to the infiltration rate, and associated processing flaws, are discussed.
Determining the Geometry of Boundaries of Objects from Medial Data

We consider a region ? in R2 or R3 with generic smooth boundary B and Blum medial axis M, on which is defined a multivalued "radial vector field" U from points x on M to the points of tangency of the sphere at x with B. We introduce a "radial shape operator" Srad and an "edge shape operator" SE which measure how U bends along M. These are not traditional differential geometric shape operators, nonetheless we derive all local differential geometric invariants of B from these operators. This allows us to define from (M, U) a "geometric medial map" on M which corresponds, via a "radial map" from M to B, to the differential geometric properties of B. The geometric medial map also includes a description of the relative geometry of B. This is defined using the "relative critical set" of the radius function r on M. This set consists of a network of curves on M which describe where B is thickest and thinnest. It is computed using the covariant derivative of the tangential component of the unit radial vector field. We further determine how these invariants are related to the differential geometric invariants of M and how these invariants change under deforming diffeomorphisms of M.
Tolerance to morphine analgesia: decreased multiplicative interaction between spinal and supraspinal sites.

Abstract Mice injected with morphine at both a supraspinal (intracerebroventricular)and a spinal (intrathecal) site showed a multiplicative interaction between sites for the tail-flick analgesic response. In morphine pellet-implanted mice, the decrease in this interaction was the source of tolerance developed to subcutaneous morphine whereas the separate sites showed no tolerance. During morphine withdrawal (after removal of the morphine pellet) synergism between sites returned but the separate sites showed development of tolerance.
Randomized clinical trial comparing epidural anaesthesia and patient-controlled analgesia after laparoscopic segmental colectomy

Background This randomized clinical trial compared the use of thoracic epidural anaesthesia–analgesia (TEA) with morphine patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) for pain relief after laparoscopic colectomy. Methods Patients scheduled for segmental laparoscopic colectomy were randomized to receive TEA or PCA. Patients in the TEA group received bupivacaine and fentanyl before incision and after surgery by continuous infusion for 18 h. Patients in the PCA group self-administered morphine using an intravenous pump. The postoperative care plan was otherwise identical for the two groups. Postoperative pain was measured during ambulation using a visual analogue pain score. Results The study included 38 patients (18 TEA, 20 PCA), 16 of whom underwent right hemicolectomy or ileocolectomy and 22 sigmoid colectomy. Operating times, patient weight and distribution of American Society of Anesthesiologists grade were similar in the two groups. The mean(s.e.m.) total dose of drugs administered was 64(41) mg morphine in the PCA group, and 79(42) mg bupivacaine and 205(140) µg fentanyl in the TEA group. Postoperative pain scores were significantly better in the TEA group at 6 h (mean(s.e.m.) 2·2(0·4) versus 6·6(0·5) with PCA; P = 0·001) and 18 h (2·2(0·3) versus 4·0(0·4); P = 0·003). Hospital stay was similar in the two groups. Conclusion TEA significantly improved early analgesia following laparoscopic colectomy but did not affect the length of hospital stay. Copyright © 2003 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A modular approach to constructing protocol converters

A modular approach is proposed for constructing a converter for two protocols that go through different phases, performing separate functions in each phase. The construction of such a converter consists of three steps: (1) the decomposition of protocols into distinct functions; (2) the construction of functional converters for each pair of functions selected by the converter designer; and (3) the merging of local functions with functional converters to construct the final converter. The final converter not only contains a common subset of functions of the two protocols, but also includes functionalities specified to each protocol. >
The heat flow and harmonic maps between complete manifolds

We consider the existence, uniqueness and convergence for the long time solution to the harmonic map heat equation between two complete noncompact Riemannian manifolds, where the target manifold is assumed to have nonpositive curvature. As an application, we solve the Dirichlet problem at infinity for proper harmonic maps between two hyperbolic manifolds for a class of boundary maps. The boundary map under consideration has finite many points at which either it is not differentiable or has vanishing energy density.
Weight, Perceived and Desired Body Size, and Self-Reported Medical Weight Loss Advice in Female Food Stamp Recipients Living in Southeast Louisiana

TEXT: Understanding the complex relationship among food insecurity, overweight/obesity, and body image is necessary to design and implement programs that address these problems in low-income individuals. Food security status of 66 female food stamp recipients (94% black) living in Southeast LA was determined using a modified USDA short-form. There was no difference among mean ages of food secure (FS, n 30) 44.03 15.26 years, food insecure (FIS, n 27) 40.26 13.44, or food insecure with hunger (FISH, n 9) 37.67 14.41 groups. Body mass indices (BMI) were calculated; perceived and desired BMIs were determined using a silhouette panel. Actual and perceived BMI of FS, FIS, and FISH women were 34.28 11.56, 28.28 7.59 (p 0.0002); 37.07 13.18, 28.32 7.9 (p 0.00001); and 34.66 10.44, 29.37 4.74 (p 0.05), respectively. The average BMI of all groups was in the obese range. On average, desired BMI was within normal weight range for FS (22.77 3.56), FIS (22.21 3.28), and FISH (23.11 2.77) groups. Women self-reported whether a physician had informed them of their overweight/obese status and if so, had the doctor given weightrelated advice or weight loss medication. In FS, FIS, and FISH groups, 11 (37%), 6 (22%), and 5 (56%) of the overweight/obese subjects, respectively, reported their doctor had never told them they were overweight. In the same groups, 7 (23%), 10 (37%), and 2 (22%) had been told that they had a weight problem, but were not given treatment for weight loss. Although some women recognized they were overweight/ obese, they did not fully understand the advantage of nutrition and exercise in weight loss and health promotion.
Long-distance dispersal of a subantarctic brooding bivalve (Gaimardia trapesina) by kelp-rafting

The probability of successful dispersal by sessile benthic invertebrates is thought to strongly influence their geographic distribution and population genetics. Generally, species with long-lived planktonic larvae are expected to exhibit wider distribution patterns than those species which brood their young, due to their presumably greater potential for dispersal. In some cases, however, brooding species exhibit broad distributions and show evidence of genetic exchange with geographically distant populations. One potential factor that has been invoked as an expianation is dispersal by floating and rafting of adults and egg masses. Several studies have shown that it is possible for sessile adults to disperse on the order of several to many thousand kilometers by rafting on debris in ocean currents. With very few exceptions, however, direct evidence of rafting in the open ocean has been lacking. We present evidence of long-distance (1300 to 2000 km) dispersal of a brooding pelecypod,Gaimardia trapesina (Lamarck, 1819), in the Southern Ocean in the vicinity of Cape Horn, the Falkland Islands, and the antarctic island South Georgia (54°S; 37°W). Data on survival and fecundity rates ofG. trapesina and the prevalence of kelp rafts collected during the austral winter of 1993 indicate that dispersal by rafting can occur over ecologically relevant time scales and could potentially serve as a significant means of genetic exchange between populations.
MRI of Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to present current clinical and research issues in MRI evaluation of nonischemic cardiomyopathy, a diverse set of diseases, many of which have a genetic basis.CONCLUSION. Cardiac cine MRI along with delayed myocardial enhancement MRI and other MRI techniques can provide information beyond echocardiography for tissue characterization. MRI is increasingly being used for evaluation of genetically positive, phenotypically negative patients as well as for risk stratification.
A study of bridging defect probabilities on a Pentium (TM) 4 CPU

Presents an experimental study of bridging fault locations on the Intel Pentium (TM) 4 CPU as determined by an inductive fault analysis tool. The study focuses on the location and distribution of probable bridging defects and attempts to explain the findings in the context of the characteristics of the design and its implementation. The coverage obtained against these faults by manually generated functional patterns is compared against that achieved by ATPG vectors.
Vitamin A and cancers of the breast, large bowel, and prostate: epidemiologic evidence

In this review we have examined epidemiological data from a variety of sources to assess the relation between vitamin A intake and cancer risk. The potential for recall bias in case-control studies makes their interpretation difficult, particularly if we are searching for modest associations. Prospective data are preferable, but sparse. Studies of blood levels of carotenoids may be informative if the blood is stored at ultra-low temperatures; however, studies of blood retinol levels are largely uninformative as an index of dietary intake because blood retinol is not well correlated with intake except in vitamin A-deficient populations. We have also reviewed the evidence for an influence of vitamin A intake on the incidence of cancer at the three major cancer sites accounting for a substantial portion of cancers in developed countries. The available data are compatible with a modest inverse association between intake of vitamin A and breast cancer, although it is not clear whether this effect may be due to preformed vitamin A, carotenoids, or both. The evidence that vitamin A protects against colon cancer is unconvincing. In the case of prostate cancer, early suggestions that vitamin A may increase incidence have not been confirmed by subsequent studies. Fortunately, prospective data from a number of large ongoing cohort studies in the United States and Europe should be available within the next 5 years or so. These data will permit further assessment of potential correlations between vitamin A and cancer at various sites by analysis of much larger numbers of cases than are presently available.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Comparison of the Effects of Nitric Oxide, Nitroprusside, and Nifedipine on Hemodynamics and Right Ventricular Contractility in Patients With Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension

Study objectives: The effects of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) on hemodynamics and right ventricular (RV) contractility were compared with those of nitroprusside and nifedipine in 14 patients with severe chronic pulmonary hypertension. Study design: Micromanometer and balloon-tipped right heart catheterization were performed. Inhaled NO, IV nitroprusside, and sublingual nifedipine were administered sequentially while patients breathed > 90% oxygen. Setting: Cardiac catheterization laboratory in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Patients: Fourteen patients with severe pulmonary hypertension unrelated to left ventricular dysfunction. Measurements and results: During NO inhalation, mean systemic arterial pressure (MAP) was unchanged, but pulmonary artery (PA) pressure ([mean 6 SEM] 49 6 2m m Hg vs 446 2m m Hg; p< 0.01), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR; 829 6 68 vs 669 6 64 dyne z s z cm 25 ;p < 0.01) and RV end-diastolic pressure (RVEDP; 12 6 1v s 106 1 mm Hg; p < 0.01) decreased. Stroke volume index (SVI; 31 6 2v s 35 6 3m L/m 2 ;p < 0.05) increased, and the first derivative of RV pressure at 15 mm Hg developed pressure (RV 1dP/dt at DP15) was unchanged. During nitroprusside administration, MAP decreased (105 6 5v s 766 5m m Hg; p< 0.01), PA was unchanged (48 6 2v s 456 3m m Hg; p5 not significant), and PVR decreased (791 6 53 vs 665 6 53 dyne z s z cm 25 ;p < 0.01). RV 1dP/dt at DP15 increased (425 6 22 vs 465 6 29 mm Hg/s; p < 0.05), but SVI was unchanged. Nifedipine decreased MAP (103 6 5v s 946 5m m Hg; p< 0.01), PA and PVR were unchanged, RVEDP increased (12 6 1v s 14 6 2m m Hg; p< 0.01), and RV 1dP/dt at DP15 decreased (432 6 90 vs 389 6 21 mm Hg/s; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Inhaled NO is a selective pulmonary vasodilator in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension that improves cardiac performance without altering RV contractility. Nitroprusside caused a similar degree of pulmonary vasodilation. In contrast to inhaled NO, nitroprusside caused systemic hypotension associated with an increase in RV contractility. Acute administration of nifedipine did not cause pulmonary vasodilation, but RVEDP increased and RV contractility decreased. (CHEST 2001; 119:128‐136)
SOUTHWESTERN WILLOW FLYCATCHERS (EMPIDONAX TRAILLII EXTIMUS) IN A GRAZED LANDSCAPE: FACTORS INFLUENCING BROOD PARASITISM

Abstract Brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater; hereafter “cowbirds”) is an important factor contributing to the endangered status of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus, hereafter “flycatcher”). We report on factors that influence brood parasitism on the flycatcher using seven seasons of nest data (n = 491 nests) collected in riparian patches comprising cottonwood (Populus fremontii), willow (Salix spp.), and boxelder (Acer negundo) along the Gila River in southwest New Mexico. We quantified habitat and landscape characteristics that might be associated with higher levels of parasitism and assessed the correlation between those and the observed incidence of nest parasitism. Given that cowbirds associate with cattle, we were particularly interested to determine whether the distance to active summer grazing would influence the frequency of brood parasitism. We found an apparent negative trend between the distance to grazing and brood parasitism, but this trend...
Design and synthesis of a C7-aryl piperlongumine derivative with potent antimicrotubule and mutant p53-reactivating properties.

Small molecules that can restore biological function to the p53 mutants found in human cancers have been highly sought to increase the anticancer efficacy. In efforts to generate hybrid anticancer drugs that can impact two or more targets simultaneously, we designed and developed piperlongumine (PL) derivatives with an aryl group inserted at the C-7 position. This insertion bestowed a combretastatin A4 (CA4, an established microtubule disruptor) like structure while retaining the piperlongumine configuration. The new compounds exhibited potent antiproliferative activities against eight cancer cell lines, in particular, were more cytotoxic against the SKBR-3 breast cancer cells which harbor a R175H mutation in p53 suppressor. KSS-9, a representative aryl PL chosen for further studies induced abundant ROS generation and protein glutathionylation. KSS-9 strongly disrupted the tubulin polymerization in vitro, destabilized the microtubules in cells and induced a potent G2/M cell cycle block. More interestingly, KSS-9 showed the ability to reactivate the p53 mutation and restore biological activity to the R175H mutant protein present in SKBR3 cells. Several procedures, including immunocytochemistry using conformation-specific antibodies for p53, immunoprecipitation combined with western blotting, electrophoretic shift mobility shift assays showed a reciprocal loss of mutant protein and generation of wild-type like protein. p53 reactivation was accompanied by the induction of the target genes, MDM2, p21cip1 and PUMA. Mechanistically, the redox-perturbation in cancer cells by the hybrid drug appears to underlie the p53 reactivation process. This anticancer drug approach merits further development.
The Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein (LRP) Mediates Clearance of Coagulation Factor Xa In Vivo

Blood coagulation factor X plays a pivotal role in the clotting cascade. When administered intravenously to mice, the majority of activated factor X (factor Xa) binds to α2-macroglobulin (α2M) and is rapidly cleared from the circulation into liver. We show here that the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) is responsible for factor Xa catabolism in vivo. Mice overexpressing a 39-kD receptor-associated protein that binds to LRP and inhibits its ligand binding activity displayed dramatically prolonged plasma clearance of 125I-factor Xa. Preadministration of α2M-proteinase complexes (α2M*) also diminished the plasma clearance of125I-factor Xa in a dose-dependent fashion. The clearance of preformed complexes of 125I-factor Xa and α2M was similar to that of 125I-factor Xa alone and was also inhibited by mice overexpressing a 39-kD receptor-associated protein. These results thus suggest that, in vivo, factor Xa is metabolized via LRP after complex formation with α2M.
Neurologic Complications of Stem Cell Transplants

The incidence and risk factors of severe neurologic events (SNE) were evaluated in 272 consecutive children who received allogeneic or autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for hematologic or nonhematologic diseases at the G Gaslini Children’s Research Institute, Genova, Italy.
Spectral Processing for Step Scanning Phased-Array Radars

On phased-array radars, scanning is done by stepping the beam from one direction to the next direction and dwelling long enough at each direction to achieve acceptable errors of estimates. Combining data from the three directions is suggested to obtain superresolution similar to that available on the national network of weather radar (Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler or WSR-88D). Spectral analysis of such data is addressed, and it is demonstrated that the Doppler spectra of simply concatenated time series have very strong sidebands due to the discontinuity of the signals from the three beam positions. This artifact degrades the performance of the spectral clutter filters and other methods that rely on spectral processing to enhance the weather signal. Special adjustments of the signals at each range location before concatenating (splicing) are proposed to mitigate the effects of discontinuities in time and thus improve clutter filtering. The adjustment is such that the total information contained in the signal can be preserved in subsequent processing. Spectral quality of the concatenated signals is quantified via results from simulations. Samples of spectra obtained with the National Weather Radar Testbed are presented to substantiate the predictions. A ground clutter detector/filter accepted by the National Weather Service is applied to the conditioned time series data, and the ensuing fields of reflectivity factor and Doppler velocity are compared to the fields from which clutter had not been removed.
Successful large volume leukapheresis on a small infant allogeneic donor.

We successfully performed a hematopoietic stem cell apheresis on the smallest allogeneic donor reported to date, a 6.1 kg female. After placement of a dialysis catheter in the left femoral vein, the COBE Spectra was primed with one unit of paternal whole blood. Heparin and anticoagulant citrate dextrose, solution A (ACD-A) were slowly administered to the patient. Ionized calcium levels were checked hourly and calcium gluconate was given for hypocalcemia. Coagulation parameters were checked throughout the procedure. We collected 4.4 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg (recipient). The donor tolerated the procedure well and was discharged the following day. Five months later, the child manifests no obvious late effects. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 26, 339–341.
The role of chronic pain and current substance use in predicting negative social support among disadvantaged persons living with HIV/AIDS

Chronic pain and substance use can strain the supportive relationships of persons with serious chronic illness, which may increase the likelihood of receiving negative, rather than positive, social support from informal caregivers and social network members. To our knowledge, this is the first study to longitudinally examine the effects of chronic pain and substance use on negative social support. The sample (N = 383) comprised disadvantaged, primarily African-American, persons living with HIV/AIDS with a history of injection drug use, 32.4% of whom reported frequent or constant pain in the prior 6 months. Using factor analysis and structural equation modeling, current substance use and greater levels of chronic pain positively predicted negative social support 12 months later, after controlling for baseline negative support, viral load, age and sex. We also found a significant interaction effect such that among those not using substances, there was a significant positive association between pain and negative support, but no such association among those currently using substances. The findings emphasize the importance of treatment of chronic pain and substance use in the supportive functioning of social networks of a disadvantaged population with serious chronic conditions and persistent health disparities.
Optimal Airborne Trajectories for Data Collected from Emplaced Ground Sensor Arrays

The optimal flight trajectory of an unmanned aerial vehicle acting as a primary central communication node for multiple randomly placed unattended ground sensors in minimum time is considered. An algorithm is developed to ensure minimum required data transfer between an airborne agent and a sparse unattended ground sensor network. In this modified travelling salesman problem, the control policy enables the airborne vehicle to change altitude, heading and velocity to best communicate with each ground sensor via an on-board omni-directional antenna. Optimal flight trajectory planning algorithms are proposed to ensure the unmanned aerial vehicle successfully receives the required data transmission from each ground sensor in minimum time.
On Laotze's “Abiding by Rules and Customs” Virtue Thoughts

Although different people have different opinions about whether law determines morality or morality determines law, nobody doubts the inherent relationship between law and morality."Rule of law"not only depends on fear of law, but also on the people's consciousness of abiding by law. Laotze's "abiding by rules and customs"virtue thoughts can help people to form the habit of "abiding by rules and customs", so it is important cultural resources which we should value in the strategy of"strengthening state by culture".
Difference, Diversity, and the Discourse(s) of Color: Rereading Colorism in the Black Press

Colorism as a phenomenon of mostly intraracial discrimination has a long and complex history in Black America. Puff offers a unique take on the issue by examining how Ebony and Essence, two long-standing periodicals of the Black press, have dealt with skin color politics throughout time, both in their advertising and their editorial content. Placed in its appropriate historical context, a critical rereading of selected articles on colorism as well as advertisements for skin-lightening products printed in the magazines reveals persisting contradictions regarding Black beauty standards. Puff shows the extent to which light skin gets commodified and discourses of skin color are entangled with a capitalist beauty industry, even in African-American magazines that pride themselves for celebrating Black beauty in all its shades.
Protecting the Jewish throat: Hebrew accent and hygiene in the Yishuv

AbstractIn 1913 the Hebrew Language Council (Va’ad ha-lashon ha-ivrit) instituted guidelines for the pronunciation of Hebrew, based on the Sephardic accent. Immigrants struggled to master the new sounds, especially the guttural phonemes, and to repress their native accents. Their pronunciation was frequently criticized as ugly and in need of correction. In the 1930s, Yitzhak Epstein (1862–1943) developed a new approach to the problem of standardizing and beautifying the Hebrew accent that drew on medical evidence to argue that the mispronunciation of various phonemes could damage the vocal cords and cause throat ailments. In the 1940s, Epstein’s “hygienic Hebrew” program was endorsed by a special committee of the Hebrew Language Council, chaired by Shlomo Dov Goitein (1900–1985) and included several of Epstein’s associates, that had been formed to address problems of “speech culture” in the Yishuv. Although the committee enjoyed a successful start, its mission was soon interrupted by the events of 1948–49...
Patchiness of Ciliate Communities Sampled at Varying Spatial Scales along the New England Shelf

Although protists (microbial eukaryotes) provide an important link between bacteria and Metazoa in food webs, we do not yet have a clear understanding of the spatial scales on which protist diversity varies. Here, we use a combination of DNA fingerprinting (denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis or DGGE) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to assess the ciliate community in the class Spirotrichea at varying scales of 1-3 km sampled in three locations separated by at least 25 km-offshore, midshelf and inshore-along the New England shelf. Analyses of both abundant community (DGGE) and the total community (HTS) members reveal that: 1) ciliate communities are patchily distributed inshore (i.e. the middle station of a transect is distinct from its two neighboring stations), whereas communities are more homogeneous among samples within the midshelf and offshore stations; 2) a ciliate closely related to Pelagostrobilidium paraepacrum 'blooms' inshore and; 3) environmental factors may differentially impact the distributions of individual ciliates (i.e. OTUs) rather than the community as a whole as OTUs tend to show distinct biogeographies (e.g. some OTUs are restricted to the offshore locations, some to the surface, etc.). Together, these data show the complexity underlying the spatial distributions of marine protists, and suggest that biogeography may be a property of ciliate species rather than communities.
Toward facial re-identification: Experiments with data from an operational surveillance camera plant

Person re-identification (ReID) is a popular topic of research. Almost all existing ReID approaches employ local and global body features (e.g., clothing color and pattern, body symmetry, etc.). These ‘body ReID’ methods implicitly assume that facial resolution is too low to aid in the ReID process. We assert that faces, even when captured in low resolution environments, may contain unique and stable features for ReID. Such ‘facial ReID’ approaches are relatively unexplored in the literature. In this work, we explore facial ReID using a new dataset that was collected from a real surveillance network in a municipal rapid transit system. It is a challenging ReID dataset, as it includes intentional changes in persons' appearances over time. We conduct multiple experiments on this dataset, exploiting deep neural networks to extract dense, low resolution facial features to boost matching stability. We conclude that in cases where pedestrian appearance changes, low resolution faces can be utilized to improve ReID matching performance.
Service-learning: In service of whom? A professor of business reflects on resolving an underlying tension in service-learning

AbstractA first-time service-learning instructor explores balancing the obligation to help students achieve approved learning outcomes with ensuring that the service-learning partner receives value from the project. This is a vexing issue because few students deliver professional work. The author recommends that while students must be the instructor’s top priority, the instructor also has an obligation to use his or her expertise to help the service-learning partner glean value from students’ efforts. To meet this obligation, the instructor must be very generous with his or her time. This investment of time will pay off for everyone involved in service-learning courses.
STRUCTURAL SAFETY OF SHIPS

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the structural safety of ships, focusing on tankers and bulk carriers, two ship types that have been the subject of structural safety in recent years. The motivating forces behind many of the technical developments that have affected structural design and safety of tankers and bulk carriers over the years are discussed by considering several questions about the economic and regulatory forces, the industry, and the future of structural safety. MARPOL 73 Convention and amendments established the need for segregated ballast tank capacity for new tankers over 73,000 deadweight tons, to be implemented in a phased manner by 1979. The amendments placed a limit on the size of cargo oil tanks, set limits on the oil outflow in the event of a collision or grounding, and set other operational requirements to minimize pollution. Following Oil Pollution Act (OPA)-90 and the requirement for double hull tankers, the regulatory pressure had shifted to a new emphasis on the human element in the marine safety equation. Within International Maritime Organization (IMO), two initiatives were developed. One was the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, which defined a management system approach for the management and operation of all vessels. The other was major revisions to the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) of seafarers. Structural safety has been largely reactive, rather than proactive. In some cases, this is necessary because the types of problems encountered are new and unexpected, such as the fatigue problems in very large crude oil carriers (VLCCs).
Identifying the prevalence of adverse drug events associated with potentially inappropriate medications using the Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions criteria

Objectives The study's primary objective was to determine the prevalence of adverse drug events (ADEs) that could be identified using the Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria. Secondary objectives included characterizing and identifying the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and ADEs in the study population, classifying each of the identified ADE using the Naranjo scale, and identifying the time required to use this tool in the clinical setting. Methods The STOPP criteria were used to identify PIMs in elderly patients’ charts with a documented ADE. Patients who were found to have at least one PIM were reviewed to determine whether the documented ADE could be attributed to the PIM. Key findings A total of 290 PIMs were identified across three points of care: admission, hospital stay and discharge. The most prevalent types of PIMs were proton pump inhibitors (21%), benzodiazepines (14.1%) and duplicate drug class (7.9%). The most common ADEs that could be attributed to a PIM were incontinence associated with alpha-blockers (37.5%) and constipation associated with calcium-channel blockers (14.6%). The median time required for chart review on admission, hospital stay and discharge was 2, 2, and 1 minute, respectively. Conclusions The study suggests a large number of patients are affected by PIMs and secondary ADEs. With the short time that is needed to review patients’ medications, the STOPP criteria may be beneficial in reducing the number of ADEs associated with PIMs.
Abstract 5482: Constitutive overexpression of nrf2 in esophageal adenocarcinoma protects cancer cells from bile salts-induced DNA damage and favors cancer cell survival

Background: Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is the major type of malignant cancer of esophagus in the USA. The incidence rate has increased 4-10% per year among men since 1976 in the USA, more rapidly than for any other type of cancer. EAC is known to originate from premalignant Barrett’s esophagus (BE) through BE-dysplasia-EAC process. Normal cells have intact anti-oxidative mechanisms, among which NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a pivotal role in regulating cellular response to various stimuli. Cancer cells have high levels of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress due to activation of oncogenes, inflammatory microenvironment, and dysfunction of anti-oxidative mechanisms. However, the role of NRF2 in Barrett’s related esophageal carcinogenesis is barely known. Methods and Results: We have found that Nrf2 protein expression is significantly upregulated in EAC cell lines as compared to BE cell lines (CPA, BAR10T) and normal esophageal squamous cell lines. We detected a similar overexpression of NRF2 in primary EAC tissue samples. Using luciferase reporter assay, we demonstrated significant induction of NRF2 transcription activity in EAC cells in response to exposure to acidic bile acids, as compared to controls (P Citation Format: Dunfa Peng, Tianling Hu, Shoumin Zhu, Wael El-Rifai. Constitutive overexpression of nrf2 in esophageal adenocarcinoma protects cancer cells from bile salts-induced DNA damage and favors cancer cell survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5482. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5482
Sensory characteristics of youth at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Aim To identify and compare the sensory characteristics of young people at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis to those of peers at clinical low risk (CLR), and to national normative data. CHR and CLR participants were recruited from 6 US regions. Method A descriptive cohort design was used to analyse baseline data collected as part of the Early Detection and Intervention for the Prevention of Psychosis Program (EDIPPP). Raw scores on the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) were analysed for 205 young people with CHR and 87 with CLR in 2 age groups: 12 to 17 years (N = 203) and 18 to 25 years (N = 89). ANOVA procedures were used to determine whether differences in AASP scores existed across CLR, CHR, and normative groups by age group. Results CHR participants differed significantly from the normative group for all 4 AASP quadrant scores (Low Registration, Sensory Seeking, Sensory Sensitivity and Sensory Avoiding) in both age groups. CLR participants were similar to norms, except for Sensory Seeking scores that were significantly lower than norms in both age ranges. Conclusion Young people with CHR demonstrate active avoidance, heightened sensitivity, reduced seeking, and reduced registration of sensations in everyday life compared to typical peers. This pattern of differences may be a valuable marker for identifying individuals who are at high risk for developing a psychotic illness, and may also inform interventions designed to prevent or minimize the illness process and accompanying dysfunction.