cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental Cardiology Comes of Age

Over the last 10 years, significant progress has been made in the understanding of molecular and genetic determinants of heart formation. An ever growing number of genes have been identified that are required for cardiogenesis, as evidenced by severe abnormalities in cardiac development produced by inactivation in the mouse or inhibition of gene function in other model organisms.1 In general, scientists have identified these genes because of their expression in early cardiac tissues or because of the severe phenotype produced by mutation or inactivation. Gross abnormalities of cardiac development lead to embryonic demise either during midgestation or in the peripartum period, and the underlying severe defects in cardiac structure or function have been relatively easy to determine and describe.1 2 3 Similar defects in the human versions of these genes may account for embryonic lethal forms of human congenital heart disease. It has been hypothesized that hypomorphic mutations or reduction in gene dosage may result in less severe forms of congenital heart disease, such as those seen in surviving newborns and adults. Alternatively, clinically relevant cardiovascular developmental defects affecting infants and adults generally may result from mutations in genes entirely unrelated to those critical during early stages of cardiac specification and heart morphogenesis, making these factors less attractive for intensive study as disease-causing genes. Data to support the former hypothesis have recently come to light. Perhaps the most intriguing example comes from the study of a mammalian homologue of a gene first described in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster . This organism has an open circulation in which hemolymph is distributed with the assistance of a contracting dorsal aorta. Although structurally dissimilar from the …
Vaccinia Virus Morphogenesis: A13 Phosphoprotein Is Required for Assembly of Mature Virions

The 70-amino-acid A13L protein is a component of the vaccinia virus membrane. We demonstrate here that the protein is expressed at late times of infection, undergoes phosphorylation at a serine residue(s), and becomes encapsidated in a monomeric form. Phosphorylation is dependent on Ser40, which lies within the proline-rich motif SPPP. Because phosphorylation of the A13 protein is only minimally affected by disruption of the viral F10 kinase or H1 phosphatase, a cellular kinase is likely to be involved. We generated an inducible recombinant in which A13 protein expression is dependent upon the inclusion of tetracycline in the culture medium. Repression of the A13L protein spares the biochemical progression of the viral life cycle but arrests virion morphogenesis. Virion assembly progresses through the formation of immature virions (IVs); however, these virions do not acquire nucleoids, and DNA crystalloids accumulate in the cytoplasm. Further development into intracellular mature virions is blocked, causing a 1,000-fold decrease in the infectious virus yield relative to that obtained in the presence of the inducer. We also determined that the temperature-sensitive phenotype of the viral mutant Cts40 is due to a nucleotide transition within the A13L gene that causes a Thr48→Ile substitution. This substitution disrupts the function of the A13 protein but does not cause thermolability of the protein; at the nonpermissive temperature, virion morphogenesis arrests at the stage of IV formation. The A13L protein, therefore, is part of a newly recognized group of membrane proteins that are dispensable for the early biogenesis of the virion membrane but are essential for virion maturation.
Capital Market Liberalization and Exchange Rate Regimes: Risk without Reward

This paper examines the consequences of capital mar- ket liberalization, with special reference to its effects under different exchange rate regimes. Capital market liberalization has not lead to faster growth in developing countries, but has led to greater risks. It describes how International Monetary Fund policies have exacer- bated the risks, as a result of the macro-economic response to crises, with bail-out packages that have intensified moral hazard problems. The paper provides a critique of the arguments for capital market lib- eralization. It argues that capital flows give rise to large externali- ties, which affect others than the borrower and lender, and whenever there are large externalities, there is potential scope for government interventions, some of which are welfare increasing.
Interactions between CBP, NF-κB, and CREB in the lungs after hemorrhage and endotoxemia

The transcriptional regulatory factor nuclear factor (NF)-κB has a central role in modulating expression of proinflammatory mediators that are important in acute lung injury. In vitro studies have ...
INVITED REVIEW: Carbohydrate and fat: Considerations for energy and more

ABSTRACT Historically, carbohydrates and fats were valued on their caloric contributions to diets. Feeding recommendations for these feed fractions now address inclusion levels as well as consideration of the positive and negative effects of specific types of these nutrients. Feed carbohydrate characterization has expanded beyond fiber and nonfiber carbohydrates. Fiber now encompasses ADF, NDF, physically effective fiber, and fiber digestibility to describe effects on diet composition, rumination, rumen fill, potential fermentability, and nutrient contribution. The nonfiber carbohydrates are now parsed into sugars and fructans (both in water-soluble carbohydrates), starch, pectins, and others, all of which can differ in their effects on rumen pH or support of microbial growth. Dietary fat has the advantage of providing energy without increasing the risk of ruminal acidosis. However, there are specific considerations for amounts and types fed in high-versus low-forage diets. Fats can affect ruminal fermentation, having the potential to depress fiber digestion or affect ruminal methane production. Considerable research in recent years has focused on providing specific dietary fatty acids to alter the metabolic function of specific tissues or to alter the fatty acid content of milk for nutraceutical purposes. Rising grain prices and diversion of fats for biofuel are driving livestock industries to seek alternative nutrient sources. Most of the nutritional research on which current recommendations are based involved use of traditional diets that tended to be rich in grains. Fat and carbohydrate feeding recommendations might need to change with diets high in low-starch by-products. We need to learn how diets with substantially more by-product feedstuffs ferment and pass from the rumen and how they affect nutrient supply and feed efficiency. We can then better predict digestion and the effects on metabolism and thus target supplementation to have the greatest positive effect on food-animal production.
Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance of Arsenic Antisites in GaAs MBE Layers Grown at Low Temperatures

Observation of Arsenic antisites (AsGa) in GaAs layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) at low substrate temperatures (~ 200°C) is reported, using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), magnetic circular dichroism in absorption (MCDA), and MCDA tagged by optically detected magnetic resonance (MCDA-ODMR). This experiment confirms that there is a MCD absorption band directly associated with AsGa in the GaAs layers. The AsGa concentration in the GaAs layers is found to decrease by about one order of magnitude after annealing at 600°C for two minutes.
Use of Agent-Based Modeling To Explore the Mechanisms of Intracellular Phosphorus Heterogeneity in Cultured Phytoplankton

There can be significant intraspecific individual-level heterogeneity in the intracellular P of phytoplankton, which can affect the population-level growth rate. Several mechanisms can create this heterogeneity, including phenotypic variability in various physiological functions (e.g., nutrient uptake rate). Here, we use modeling to explore the contribution of various mechanisms to the heterogeneity in phytoplankton grown in a laboratory culture. An agent-based model simulates individual cells and their intracellular P. Heterogeneity is introduced by randomizing parameters (e.g., maximum uptake rate) of daughter cells at division. The model was calibrated to observations of the P quota of individual cells of the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, which were obtained using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF). A number of simulations, with individual mechanisms of heterogeneity turned off, then were performed. Comparison of the coefficient of variation (CV) of these and the baseline simulation (i.e., all mechanisms turned on) provides an estimate of the relative contribution of these mechanisms. The results show that the mechanism with the largest contribution to variability is the parameter characterizing the maximum intracellular P, which, when removed, results in a CV of 0.21 compared to a CV of 0.37 with all mechanisms turned on. This suggests that nutrient/element storage capabilities/mechanisms are important determinants of intrapopulation heterogeneity.
Distributed Task Assignment for Mobile Agents

This note demonstrates how the distributed auction algorithm can be modified to assign mobile agents to spatially distributed tasks despite communication delays and the fact that agent movement may cause the benefit associated with each possible agent-task assignment to vary during the execution of the algorithm. Bounds on the convergence time of the algorithm and the sub-optimality of the resulting solution are provided. Monte Carlo simulations are provided to show the conditions under which the modified distributed auction can outperform centralized calculation
R.A.R.E.: Round-About Risk Evaluation

With risk assessment such a crucial part of any IT operation, it is necessary to re-evaluate some of the methods used to procure genuine responses from those under assessment. Many current risk assessment methodologies are set up to fail from the beginning. When performing a risk assessment, the evaluator is dependent on the integrity of the IT team s/he is questioning as part of the assessment. A new methodology called the Round-About Risk Evaluation (R.A.R.E.), implements techniques to reduce the Social Desirability Bias (SDB) that can lead to an assessment that does not represent the depth of security vulnerabilities. Implementation of R.A.R.E. prior to the start of a new a risk assessment, can be used to help the risk assessment team discover vulnerabilities that might otherwise go unreported.
Child Survivorship and Pregnancy Spacing in Iran

It has been argued that declines in infant and childhood mortality are necessary before populations adjust their fertility downward. It follows that family planning programs will be increasingly successful as mortality declines, because more women will want to control the number of births they have. In an environment in which infant and child death rates are high, couples may compensate by having extra births in anticipation that some children will die1,3. Such a strategy discourages the use of contraception. Couples who actually suffer child loss may replace lost children; such couples will have a higher fertility than those whose children survive. Couples experiencing child loss may delay using contraceptives until the lost child has been replaced. Reduction in mortality will lessen the impact of these motivations for having children and raise the demand for contraception6. The effect of child survival on pregnancy intervals has been assessed and is examined in this chapter.
Cultural Diversity: Implications For Workplace Management

The acceptance and management of cultural diversity have been promoted and touted as a positive tool in social and organizational engineering aimed at solving and preventing group dynamics problems in both business organizations and society as well. Positive attributes of cultural integration in business organizations have received fair and significant attention in the past two decades. What have not been sufficiently presented are the challenges and pitfalls inherent in the management of culturally diverse work groups. For the practicing manager, there is a need to know when and where mono- and multi-cultural arrangements may be preferred. This paper reviews relevant research findings that can be used for building effective paradigms in the management of cultural diversity in the workplace.
The Microarchitecture of Cerebral Vessels

The morphology of microvascular systems within the brain is routinely studied in two dimensions using light microscopy or transmission electron microscopy. Limited to height and width, the flat images generated by these techniques lack the depth necessary to visualize the complete architecture of cerebral microvascular beds. To sculpture a “truer” representation, we integrated multiple-sequential, two-dimensional microscopic pictures to reconstruct a three-dimensional image of the microvascular network of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.
Rationing Human Life: Health Care Reform and Disabled People

Peter Singer has proposed health care rationing that includes an invidious discrimination against people with disabilities. Unfortunately, Congress has codified the potential for such discrimination in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. But why should any public official have the discretion to treat the lives of people with disabilities as of "lower value" than the lives of anyone else. There must be a comprehensive limitation in the law against the misuse of comparative clinical effectiveness research to support the rationing of human life.
Existence and Uniqueness Theorems for Solutions of Difference Equations

(1964). Existence and Uniqueness Theorems for Solutions of Difference Equations. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 71, No. 8, pp. 859-862.
Adaptive windowing in contrast-enhanced intravascular ultrasound imaging.

Abstract Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is one of the most commonly-used interventional imaging techniques and has seen recent innovations which attempt to characterize the risk posed by atherosclerotic plaques. One such development is the use of microbubble contrast agents to image vasa vasorum , fine vessels which supply oxygen and nutrients to the walls of coronary arteries and typically have diameters less than 200 μm. The degree of vasa vasorum neovascularization within plaques is positively correlated with plaque vulnerability. Having recently presented a prototype dual-frequency transducer for contrast agent-specific intravascular imaging, here we describe signal processing approaches based on minimum variance (MV) beamforming and the phase coherence factor (PCF) for improving the spatial resolution and contrast-to-tissue ratio (CTR) in IVUS imaging. These approaches are examined through simulations, phantom studies, ex vivo studies in porcine arteries, and in vivo studies in chicken embryos. In phantom studies, PCF processing improved CTR by a mean of 4.2 dB, while combined MV and PCF processing improved spatial resolution by 41.7%. Improvements of 2.2 dB in CTR and 37.2% in resolution were observed in vivo . Applying these processing strategies can enhance image quality in conventional B-mode IVUS or in contrast-enhanced IVUS, where signal-to-noise ratio is relatively low and resolution is at a premium.
Dynamic EROI Assessment of the IPCC 21st Century Electricity Production Scenario

The Energy Return on Investment (EROI) is an important measure of the energy gain of an electrical power generating facility that is typically evaluated based on the life cycle energy balance of a single facility. The EROI concept can be extended to cover a collection of facilities that comprise a complete power system and used to assess the expansion and evolution of a power system as it transitions from one portfolio mix of technologies to another over time. In this study we develop a dynamic EROI model that simulates the evolution of a power system and we perform an EROI simulation of one of the electricity production scenarios developed under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) covering the global supply of electricity in the 21st century. Our analytic tool provides the means for evaluation of dynamic EROI based on arbitrary time-dependent demand scenarios by modeling the required expansion of power generation, including the plowback needed for new construction and to replace facilities as they are retired. The results provide insight into the level of installed and delivered power, above and beyond basic consumer demand, that is required to support construction during expansion, as well as the supplementary power that may be required if plowback constraints are imposed. In addition, sensitivity to EROI parameters, and the impact of energy storage efficiency are addressed.
The Dimensionality of Visual Space

The empirical study of visual space (VS) has centered on determining its geometry, whether it is a perspective projection, flat or curved, Euclidean or non-Euclidean, whereas the topology of space consists of those properties that remain invariant under stretching but not tearing. For that reason distance is a property not preserved in topological space whereas the property of spatial order is preserved. Specifically the topological properties of dimensionality, orientability, continuity, and connectivity define “real” space as studied by physics and are the spatial properties that characterize the physical universe as being an integral whole. By contrast the geometrical analysis of VS has taken little cognizance of its topology. Instead such properties have been presupposed a priori rather than being established a posteriori by empirical means, perhaps because these properties are self-evident. Applying the method of coordinative definition expounded by Hans Reichenbach for determining geometrical and topological properties of physical space (PS), it can be shown that VS fulfills the topological criteria of being a “real” space sui generis. Though theorized to be produced by the brain, the topology of VS is not topologically equivalent (homeomorphic) with the structure and activity of the brain because, as will be shown, the topology of VS cannot be formed from the topology of the brain without tearing and/or cutting and pasting.
Clinical Analysis of Hemorheology and Blood Lipid of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

[Objective]To observe the effect of blood lipid and hemorheology on type 2 diabetes mellitus.[Methods]Blood glucose and blood lipid were tested with the 7020 automatic biochemistry analyzer,various indexes of hemorheology were detected with the SA6000 cone-plate blood flow analyzer,hematocrit and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were tested with the EHK erythrocyte sedimentation hematocrit analyzer.[Results]The indexes of hemorheology,blood lipid and erythrocyte sedimentation rate of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus all increased.[Conclusion]The simultaneous detection of blood glucose,blood lipid and indexes of hemorheology can be used as a detection means of diabetes mellitus and its complications.
Abstract B064: The effects of tumor-associated calreticulin mutants on antigen presentation

The phenomenon of antigen processing and presentation aids the immune system in distinguishing between normal and malignant cells. In cancer cells, Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) proteins present tumor- associated antigens (TAAs) that may serve as targets of immunotherapy. Antigen presentation by MHC class I-β2m heterodimers (MHC-I) requires peptide association to occur in in the ER. Binding is facilitated by the Peptide Loading Complex (PLC), which consists of the TAP transporter, tapasin, the thiol-oxidoreductase ERp57, and a lectin chaperone, calreticulin (CRT). CRT associates with MHC-I via the single, conserved, glycan present on MHC-I, drawing it into the PLC to facilitate peptide loading. CRT is comprised of an N-terminal lectin domain, a proline-rich central P domain, and a negatively charged C-terminal domain (CTD) that is also contains an ER retention motif. Two recent studies report a mutant CRT associated with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). These MPNs carry a somatic frame-shift CRT mutation (CRTFS) that generates a novel CTD that lacks the ER-retention signal and renders it positively charged. Previous studies have shown that ablation of CRT expression in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells result in decreased surface expression of MHC-I, which is reversed on reconstitution of full-length CRT. Interestingly, reconstitution of CRT lacking the CTD did not restore MHC-I expression, indicating a role for the CTD in MHC-I expression. We therefore suspect that antigen presentation in MPNs carrying the CRTFS is altered. To address the role of CRTFS in antigen presentation in a human cell line, we have generated a CRT knockout of HEK293T cells using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The CRT−/− cells exhibit reduced surface levels of MHC-I. We used these calreticulin-deficient cells to generate stable cell lines expressing CRT or CRTFS. We find that expression of CRT restores surface MHC-I, but expression of CRTFS does not. We are currently assessing the reason behind the alterations in MHC-I expression in these cell lines using various biochemical techniques. Future experiments include analysis of the peptide repertoire displayed on the surface of these cells as well as changes in the molecular interactions of the mutant CRT with other members of the PLC. After a preliminary study in HEK293T cells, we will study the effect of CRTFS in antigen presentation in MPN cell lines to identify unique TAAs to facilitate the specific targeting of these cells by immunotherapy. Citation Format: Najla Arshad, Peter Cresswell. The effects of tumor-associated calreticulin mutants on antigen presentation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A060.
Protein Packing Code for DNA Recognition Based on the Knob-Socket Model

Understanding protein-nucleic acid packing interactions is a fundamental step in deciphering how proteins specifically recognize and bind DNA. A knob-socket analysis of protein-DNA interfaces simply and clearly identifies the packing contributions to binding specificity. All of the approximately 3,500 protein-DNA complexes in the NDB database were evaluated using the knob-socket approach, where this study focuses on α-helix binding to DNA. Amino acid and DNA base composition in sockets and knobs is presented as well as a protein-DNA packing surface topology map. Generally, DNA packing naturally divides into specific interactions with the nucleic acid bases and non-specific interactions with the phosphate backbone groups. The ∼280,000 four-body packing cliques were found to be the dominant packing interaction similar to protein-protein packing interfaces. Among these four-body cliques, about 9% are DNA sockets formed by 2 adjacent bases packing with a knob from a protein and about 27% are protein sockets packing against a DNA base acting as a knob. A general pattern can be characterized for α-helix binding to DNA. The α-helical knobs are aligned along the i±4 ridge and pack into very regular diamond pockets (multiple sockets) on the DNA double helix. This i±4 ridge of knobs divides the binding of the α-helix into 2 regions of sockets that recognize blocks of DNA bases: one on the coding strand and the other on the non-coding strand. Therefore, an α-helix splits DNA sequence recognition to a part on the coding and the other part on the non-coding strands. The pocket pattern and amino acid composition on α-helices provide specificity for DNA base recognition. The results demonstrate that the knob-socket model can rationally investigate and produce clear insight into protein-DNA binding interfaces.
Perceptions of organizational politics: Theory and research directions

Organizational politics has intrigued academicians and practitioners for decades. Yet, serious scholarship on politics in organizations has emerged as a viable body of scientific inquiry just within the past twenty years. In general, theory and research on organizational politics has been sorted into the two categories of political behavior and its effects, and the nature of organizational politics perceptions. With few exceptions, these areas of inquiry have been treated as largely independent of one another. Whereas it is useful periodically to take stock of the current status of our knowledge base in particular areas of inquiry, we are often remiss in not engaging in such activity frequently enough. The present paper seeks to address this void by determining the status of theory and research on perceptions of organizational politics. First, we report on a comprehensive review of the literature designed to convey the current state of the field with respect to theory development, testing, and validation, as well as methodological considerations, including levels of analysis issues. Then, we propose future challenges with respect to construct expansion and validation, theory refinement, multi-level considerations, and integration with other constructs in the organizational sciences. Other issues that need to be addressed in future work are also examined in an effort to propose a revised model of politics perceptions to guide future research.
Reply to letter to the editor of Gut.

Dear editor, A systematic review of studies mostly evaluating the role of fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMS) for drainage of pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs) reported a pooled adverse event rate of 23%.1 To overcome the limitations of FCSEMS and to minimise adverse events, a lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) was recently developed. The new stent is a single-step drainage device that is very different in design and mechanics from FCSEMS and hence warranted a change in the terminology, so that …
Murine NK Cells Require Activation-Dependent Expression of Granzyme B and Perforin To Become Potent Cytotoxic Effectors.

Abstract NK cells predominantly utilize the granule exocytosis pathway to kill virus-infected and malignant target cells. Current paradigms suggest that resting NK cells have pre-formed granules containing granzymes A, B, and perforin and are ready to kill targets immediately upon proper recognition by NK receptors. Here, we report that resting murine NK cells in the spleen exhibit poor cytotoxicity (5.4±1.6% target cell death, 20:1 E:T ratio and 4 hour incubation), compared with cytokine-activated (IL-15, 48 hours) splenic NK cells (59.7±10.6% target cell death), against the RMAS tumor cell line in vitro as measured by a flow-based killing assay. In addition, using intracellular flow cytometric analysis with monoclonal antibodies specific for granzymes A, B, and perforin, we find that resting murine NK cells express abundant granzyme A (86.2±1.9% positive), but little or no granzyme B (4.4±5.4% positive) or perforin (2.6±1.8% positive). Activation of murine NK cells with IL-15 induces robust expression of both perforin (59.1±2.0% positive) and granzyme B (91.5±7.9% positive), which correlates with increased cytotoxicity. Further, granzyme B cluster −/− (26±6.7% target cell death) and perforin −/− (5.7±1.3% target cell death) NK cells have poor cytotoxicity in vitro despite IL-15 activation. Poly I:C simulates RNA virus infection and activates NK cell cytotoxicity in vivo through TLR3 and cytokine cascades. NK cell granzyme B and perforin expression is induced in vivo 24 hours after poly I:C injection, correlating with increased in vitro NK killing of tumor targets. In wild type mice infected with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), NK cell expression of both perforin (83.5±4.9% positive) and granzyme B (89.3±2.1% positive) is upregulated in the spleen, peaking 2–4 days post-infection and returning to baseline by 8 days post-infection. In addition, MCMV titers are significantly elevated at day 3 post-infection in both granzyme B cluster −/− (P Download : Download high-res image (70KB) Download : Download full-size image
Accretion shocks in the laboratory: Design of an experiment to study star formation

Abstract We present the design of a laboratory-astrophysics experiment to study magnetospheric accretion relevant to young, pre-main-sequence stars. Spectra of young stars show evidence of hotspots created when streams of accreting material impact the surface of the star and create shocks. The structures that form during this process are poorly understood, as the surfaces of young stars cannot be spatially resolved. Our experiment would create a scaled “accretion shock” at a major (several kJ) laser facility. The experiment drives a plasma jet (the “accretion stream”) into a solid block (the “stellar surface”), in the presence of a parallel magnetic field analogous to the star’s local field. We show that this experiment is well-scaled when the incoming jet has ρ ∼ 10 − 6 − 10 − 5 g cm − 3 and u ∼ 100 − 200 km s − 1 in an imposed field of B ∼ 10 T. Such an experiment would represent an average accretion stream onto a pre-main sequence star with B ∼ 700 G.
The Prognostic Importance of Pre and Post Dendritic Cells in Autologous Transplantation for Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.

Abstract Pre and post transplant dendritic cell (DC) levels may correlate with survival, GVHD, and relapse in allogeneic BMT. Whether they have prognostic importance in autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) is unknown. We prospectively collected pre and post dendritic cell levels, including DC1 and DC2 levels in 53 patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) to investigate their potential prognostic importance. Pre-transplant analysis of DC1 and DC2 by flow cytometry was obtained 24 hours prior to the initiation of VP-16 (2 gm/m2) or G-CSF (10 mcg/kg/d) (n=4) for PBPC mobilization; post transplant samples were obtained 6 weeks after transplant. 51 of 53 (96%) were sensitive to chemotherapy at the time of transplant; 34% received prior radiation therapy; 15% had an elevated LDH at transplant. 49 of 53 received VP-16 + G-CSF for stem cell mobilization and 4 patients received G-CSF alone. 98% received a preparative regimen of Bu/Cy/VP and one patient received Busulfan alone. In a univariate analysis, higher numbers of pre-transplant DC1 cells and pre-transplant total DC (DC1 + DC2) cells correlated with improved survival, as shown graphically below: Download : Download high-res image (141KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure Patients received a median CD34+ cell dose of 8.7 x 106/kg. DC values did not correlate with CD34+ cell yield. Post-transplant DC1 (p=0.03), DC2 (p=0.035), and post-transplant total DCs (p=0.04) also correlated with improved survival. In all cases, more DCs was associated with a better outcome. In a multivariable model, pre-transplant total DC number (p=0.028), and a normal LDH at the time of transplant (p=0.017) correlated with improved outcome. Median follow up of surviving patients is 15 months. Of 26 patients with pre-transplant total DC numbers greater than 9.10 x 106/mL, 77% of patients are alive, as compared to 56% of patients with pre-transplant total DC numbers less than 9.10 x 106/mL (n= 27)(p=0.022). The high DC group had fewer relapses and fewer late infections. We conclude that higher pre-transplant total DC numbers are associated with improved outcome in ABMT for DLBCL.
En route intraosseous access performed in the combat setting.

Objective: To describe and compare vascular access practices used by en route care providers during medical evacuation (MEDEVAC). Design: This was a retrospective cohort study. Medical records of US military personnel injured in combat and transported by MEDEVAC teams were queried. Patients: The subjects were transported by military en route care providers, in the combat theater during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) between January 2011 and March 2014. The authors reviewed 1,267 MEDEVAC records of US casualties and included 832 subjects that had vascular access attempts. Main outcome measures: The outcome measures for this study were vascular access success rates, including intravenous (IV) and intraosseous (IO) attempts. Subjects were grouped by type of vascular access: None, peripheral intravenous (PIV), IO, and PIV + IO (combination of PIV and IO) and by vascular access (PIV or IO) success (No versus Yes). Survival rate, in-flight events, ventilator, intensive care and in hospital days, and 30-day outcomes were compared among groups. Statistical analysis: The authors used chi-square or Fisher's exact tests to evaluate categorical variables. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for continuous variables. Results: Vascular access was attempted in 832 (66 percent) of the 1,267 subjects transported by MEDEVAC during this study period. The majority (n = 758) of the access attempts were PIV of which 93 percent (706/758) were successful. In 74 subjects, IO was the only access attempted with an 85 percent (n = 63) success rate. The overall success rate with IO placement was 88 percent. Conclusions: Intraosseous access has been used successfully in the combat setting and accounts for approximately 12 percent of vascular access in the MEDEVAC population the authors studied.
Lust as Prerequisite: Eroticism in The Story of the Stone

In chapter 1 of The Story of the Stone , the internal narrator notably censures erotic fiction and draws a line between his own narrative and the filthy obscenities. Yet the novel does the exact opposite. In the Stone , eroticism is not only part of a physiological act, but it is also highlighted as a narrative act, in which a network of textual and intertextual references is made to emphasize the significance of physical desire. Focusing on this network, this article examines the importance of eroticism in the making of the novel and explores how the Stone reinterprets and positions itself in the genealogy of lust.
3D bioprinting of soft materials-based regenerative vascular structures and tissues

Abstract Vascularization is a leading limitation for the clinical application of in vitro engineered tissue constructs because of the insufficient blood supply in the initial phase after implantation. In spite of decades of progress in the tissue engineering field, vascularization is a major issue that remains unsolved. The advent of 3D bioprinting technology provides a powerful means to resolve the vascularization problem for its advanced time and spatial control, capacity to be changed in size or scale, as well as reproducibility, compared to traditional fabrication processes. This paper aims to review the recent progress of 3D bioprinting technology in the fabrication of blood vessel, vasculature and vascularized tissue constructs. 3D bioprinting methods and the engineered bioinks for vascular-structure constructions are discussed and compared, followed by a concise discussion of limitations and challenges encountered towards current 3D bioprinting of vascularized tissue. Finally, future research directions on the development of 3D bioprinting processes and bioinks for natural tissue constructions are also discussed.
Prevalence and Factors Associated With Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Organisms in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE Infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms (MDRGNOs) have been increasing every year. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of MDRGNOs and factors associated with MDRGNOs in patients with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D). DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) electronic health record data from 142 VA facilities were evaluated for 19,642 patients with SCI/D. Multivariable cluster-adjusted models were fit to identify factors associated with MDRGNO. RESULTS Gram-negative (GN) cultures occurred in 44% of patients with SCI/D receiving care at VA facilities, and 11,527 (41.3%) GN cultures had an MDRGNO. The most frequent GN organisms (GNOs) were Escherichia coli (28.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.0%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.0%). Two-thirds of GN cultures were from the outpatient setting, where MDRGNO prevalence was 37.6%. Significant geographic variation in the prevalence of MDRGNOs was identified (South, 44.7%; Northeast, 44.3%; West, 36.8%; Midwest, 34.4%). Other factors associated with an MDRGNO were older age, injury characteristics, comorbidities, specimen type, healthcare setting, and healthcare exposure. Black (odds ratio [OR], 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39–1.78) and Hispanic race (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.28–1.95), polymicrobial culture (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 2.46–2.90), and antibiotic use in the previous 90 days (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.50–1.76) were also associated with having an MDRGNO. CONCLUSIONS MDRGNOs were common in community and healthcare settings among veterans with SCI/D, with significant geographic variation. Health care and antibiotic exposures were significant factors associated with MDRGNOs. Priority should be given to controlling the spread of MDRGNOs in this special population, including a focus on judicious use of antibiotics. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1464–1471
Neighborhoods and Environmental Determinants of Infectious Diseases

The incidence of infectious disease is unevenly distributed in time and space. The combined influences of environmental context and population composition affect where and when diseases occur. Studying the interactions between people and their environment at a neighborhood level can help to determine what neighborhood effects on health exist beyond individual-level risk factors and can also reveal how disease cycles can be broken. Defining an individual's neighborhood and the spatial scale relevant to studying a disease can be a complex process, and definitions may be based on factors such as governmental administrative units, historical boundaries, social networks, or daily activity spaces. Using various quantitative and qualitative methods, public health researchers can uncover what human–environment interactions are taking place at the neighborhood level that result in disease outcomes.
Physics-Based Breakdown Voltage Optimization of Trench MOS Barrier Schottky Rectifiers

A comprehensive study of the breakdown voltage optimization of trench MOS barrier Schottky (TMBS) rectifiers is performed by means of drift-diffusion simulations. First, the principles of operation are explained in terms of the charge-sharing effect between the Schottky and trench MOS components of the unit cell, and correlated with the profiles of the electric field along the drift region ${E}_{\textsf {Sch}}$ and the MOS capacitor ${E}_{\textsf {TMOS}}$ . Then, the systematic variation of relevant design parameters is used to determine breakdown voltage and leakage current trends, which are analyzed in terms of the electric field. Our results show that ${E}_{\textsf {Sch}}$ is the dominating component in structures with thick oxides, shallow trenches, or high-doping concentrations, whereas ${E}_{\textsf {TMOS}}$ is the limiting factor for devices with thin oxides, deep trenches, or low doping. Finally, optimum $\textit {BV}$ is found when the peak value of ${E}_{\textsf {Sch}}$ and ${E}_{\textsf {TMOS}}$ is approximately the same, and this condition can be reached in a wide range of trench depths for devices with long drift regions and high doping, but in a very narrow window for thin epi-layers or low-doping concentration.
Design study of a MWIR/LWIR mulitple FOV lens

Single aperture multispectral systems are becoming prevalent thanks to advances in multispectral detectors, new optical materials, and new methods for selecting materials that minimize chromatic and thermal focal shift. This design study focuses on design of a three field-of-view, multispectral lens operating across the MWIR and LWIR spectral regions. The lens in question will have an f-number of f/3 with a 3X zoom ratio. The narrow full field-ofview of the lens is 3.33° with a wide full field-of view of 9.99°, the length of the system is 163 mm. The performance goal for the lens is diffraction limited over the thermal region. The study will provide an overview of material selection using an updated γv-v diagram, to provide achromatic and athermal characteristics. The study will then step through first order layout, optimization with key constraints, and tolerancing for manufacturability. Finally, the study will provide detailed analysis of system performance including as-built MTF over temperature, aberration analysis, and NETD contributions from narcissus.
A Commentary on Charles Goodwin's Co-Operative Action for Learning Scientists

ABSTRACTThis commentary summarizes the argument Charles Goodwin presents in Co-Operative Action (Co-A, 2018), his most recent book. Through exploration of the breadth of conceptual and methodological tools that he has built over the course of his career and represents in this book, we suggest paths forward for Learning Sciences towards engaging in more equitable and relational research.
Mathematics as Propaganda

One night several years ago while watching TV, I was surprised to see a mathematical equation make an appearance on the Tonight Show. The occasion was an interview with Paul Ehrlich, author of The Population Bomb and popularizer of population control as a solution to the world’s problems. At that time the ecology movement had just started to capture the attention of the public, and Mr. Ehrlich was arguing that the solution, as always, was in population control.
Influences of season and artificial photoperiod on stallions: luteinizing hormone follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone.

Influence of day length on seasonal endocrine responses were studied using stallions (seven per group). Treatments included 1) control, with natural day length; 2) 8 h light and 16 h dark (8:16) for 20 wk beginning July 16, 1982 then 16:8 from December 2, 1982 until March 5, 1984 (S-L); or 3) 8:16 from July 16, 1982 until March 5, 1984 (S-S). Blood was sampled hourly for 5 h every 4 wk; sera were pooled within horse, and luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone were quantified. Blood was collected every 20 min for 24 h every 8 wk and 2 wk before and after the December light shift. Samples were assayed for LH. Stallions in all groups underwent seasonal changes (P less than .05) in concentrations of LH, FSH, testosterone and basal concentrations of LH and amplitude of LH pulses. Season X treatment (P less than .05) reflected on early recrudescence of LH, FSH and testosterone concentrations in S-L stallions followed by earlier regression. Except for FSH hormone concentrations were depressed in S-S stallions. Number of LH pulses per 24 h was unaffected by season, treatment or their interaction. Mean amplitude of LH pulses was affected (P less than .05) by season X treatment; maximal values occurred in April vs February for control and S-L stallions, and minimal values occurred in December vs April. The season X treatment interaction (P less than .05) similarly affected basal concentrations of LH. Thus, seasonal changes in concentrations of LH, FSH and testosterone can be driven by photoperiod. Increased peripheral concentrations of LH during seasonal recrudescence of reproductive function apparently results from more LH secreted per discharge without an increased frequency of LH discharges.
Straw as a Fuel

A recent study has been carried out to determine the current production and uses for straw. This was conducted by the largest straw contracting and merchanting organisation in the country and funded by the Department of Trade and Industry through the New and Renewable Energy Programme managed by the Energy Technology Support Unit, ETSU (Anon, 1995a)
Approaching controversial issues with reason and feeling: Down the rabbit hole of democracy, diversity, and discussion

The mother–daughter team of Nel Noddings and Laurie Brooks gave themselves an extraordinary task when they set out to provide thoughtful guidance, reflection, and suggestions about the teaching of ...
Using Profiles of Human and Social Capital to Understand Adult Immigrants' Education Needs: A Latent Class Approach.

With the U.S. adult education system providing education services to millions of immigrants annually, understanding the unique skills and assets among adult immigrant learners is important. Using d...
An Introduction to Applied Multivariate Analysis

This comprehensive text introduces readers to the most commonly used multivariate techniques at an introductory, non-technical level. By focusing on the fundamentals, readers are better prepared for more advanced applied pursuits, particularly on topics that are most critical to the behavioral, social, and educational sciences. Analogies betwe
“Ebooks for the Classroom+” at University of South Florida Libraries: A Case Study of Database Management

AbstractThe University of South Florida Libraries has supported a campus-wide “Textbook Affordability Project” initiative by creating and maintaining an ebooks database called “Ebooks for the Class...
Replacement of BF4- by PF6- Makes Selectfluor Greener.

Changing the counterion in Selectfluor® from tetrafluoroborate to hexafluorophosphate significantly reduces catalyst loading in amide oxidation reactions.
On solutions of equations with measurable coefficients driven by α- stable processes

We prove the existence of solutions for the stochastic differential equation d X t = b ( t , X t − ) d Z t + a ( t , X t ) d t , X 0 ∈ I R , t ≥ 0 , with the measurable coefficients a and b satisfy...
Principles of REBOA

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of aorta (REBOA) is a minimally invasive means of obtaining proximal aortic control in exsanguinating patients. Indications for its use continue to be investigated, but it has shown promise in management of subdiaphragmatic and pelvic hemorrhage in trauma, as well as management of hemorrhage in obstetric and oncologic procedures. The procedure is predicated upon rapidly obtaining femoral arterial access which can be challenging due to physiologic or physical characteristics of the patient. All phases of the procedure, access, sheath placement, balloon positioning, management while occluded, balloon deflation, and post-resuscitation care, present opportunities for unique potential complications and challenges in patient management. REBOA is a field ripe with ongoing research, with efforts chiefly aimed at safely expanding the duration of safe aortic occlusion and mitigation of complications.
A New Mechanism of Metal-Ligand Cooperative Catalysis in Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones.

Abstract We report iridium catalysts IrCl(η5-Cp⁎)(κ2-(2-pyridyl)CH2NSO2C6H4X) (1-Me, X = CH3 and 1-F, X = F) for transfer hydrogenation of ketones with 2-propanol that operate by a previously unseen metal-ligand cooperative mechanism. Under the reaction conditions, complexes 1 (1-Me and 1-F) derivatize to a series of catalytic intermediates: Ir(η5-Cp⁎)(κ2-(C5H4N)CHNSO2Ar) (2), IrH(η5-Cp⁎)(κ2-(2-pyridyl)CH2NSO2Ar) (3), and Ir(η5-Cp⁎)(κ3-(2-pyridyl)CH2NSO2Ar) (4). The structures of 1-Me and 4-Me were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A rate-determining, concerted hydrogen transfer step (2 + R2CHOH ⇄ 3 + R2CO) is suggested by kinetic isotope effects, Eyring parameters (ΔH≠ = 29.1(8) kcal mol−1 and ΔS≠ = −17(19) eu), proton-hydride fidelity, and DFT calculations. According to DFT, a nine-membered cyclic transition state is stabilized by an alcohol molecule that serves as a proton shuttle.
Move quickly to detach: Strain rate–dependent myosin detachment and cardiac relaxation

Chung considers a new model that describes how a muscle responds to stretch and its implications on myosin detachment and physiology.