cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of orally dosed commercial silver nanoparticles on human ex vivo platelet aggregation

AbstractEnhanced in vitro human and ex vivo rat platelet aggregation from direct exposure to silver nanoparticles is previously reported. Given the increasing human use of engineered silver nanoscale products, platelet aggregation prompted by silver nanoparticles may contribute to human cardiovascular events. To understand how direct washed platelet exposure to silver nanoparticles translates to ex vivo platelet aggregation, the authors conducted a placebo-controlled, single-blind, dose-monitored, cross-over study design in 18 healthy human volunteers. After 2 weeks of daily oral silver nanoparticle ingestion, platelet aggregation was evaluated by light transmission aggregometry in response to collagen and ADP agonists, both at baseline and after silver nanoparticle or placebo diluent oral dosing. Final percent aggregation (PA) and the changes in PA were determined using a paired design (i.e., active and placebo solutions). Enhanced ex vivo platelet activation was not detectable at peak serum silver conce...
Experimental pathogenesis for chickens, turkeys, and pigeons of exotic Newcastle disease virus from an outbreak in California during 2002-2003.

Exotic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from chickens during the 2002-2003 California outbreak (CA exotic Newcastle disease (END) virus) was inoculated into 4-week-old specific- pathogen-free (SPF) White Leghorn chickens, 3-week-old SPF Beltsville White turkeys, 6-week-old commercial Broad Breasted White turkeys, and 10- to 20-week-old racing pigeons, and the clinicopathologic features of disease were compared. Birds were monitored clinically and euthanized sequentially with collection of tissues. Tissues were examined by histopathology, by immunohisto- chemistry to detect viral nucleoprotein, and by in situ hybridization to detect viral mRNA. Clinically, infected chickens and SPF turkeys showed severe depression, and all died or were euthanized because of severe clinical signs by day 5 postinoculation. In these birds, histologic lesions were widespread and virus was detected in multiple organs. All infected commercial turkeys showed mild depression, and incoordination was observed in some birds. Histologic lesions were mild, and viral distribution was limited. In pigeons, only 1 bird showed overt clinical disease, and histologic lesions and viral distribution were present in limited organs. Consequently, susceptibility to highly virulent NDV was shown to vary among chickens, SPF turkeys, commercial turkeys, and pigeons. Additionally, we have evidence of CA END virus subclinical infections that suggest pigeons could be subclinical carriers of other virulent NDV.
The BioAssay network and its implications to future therapeutic discovery

Despite intense investment growth and technology development, there is an observed bottleneck in drug discovery and development over the past decade. NIH started the Molecular Libraries Initiative (MLI) in 2003 to enlarge the pool for potential drug targets, especially from the “undruggable” part of human genome, and potential drug candidates from much broader types of drug-like small molecules. All results are being made publicly available in a web portal called PubChem. In this paper we construct a network from bioassay data in PubChem, apply network biology concepts to characterize this bioassay network, integrate information from multiple biological databases (e.g. DrugBank, OMIM, and UniHI), and systematically analyze the potential of bioassay targets being new drug targets in the context of complex biological networks. We propose a model to quantitatively prioritize this druggability of bioassay targets, and literature evidence was found to confirm our prioritization of bioassay targets at a roughly 70% accuracy. Our analysis provide some measures of the value of the MLI data as a resource for both basic chemical biology research and future therapeutic discovery.
Politics and grammar: agency in Samoan political discourse

This article proposes that we integrate ethnographic with grammatical analysis in order to study the constitution of “agency” in legal and political discourse. Much of the political and juridical process of conflict management in a Samoan fono involves the definition of certain “facts” and the assignment of certain semantic roles to key participants. Morpho-syntactic elements of Samoan grammar hence become powerful tools in the political arena, where social actors compete by either constituting or resisting definitions of agency.
Corporate Governance, Cash holdings and Value of a Firm: Evidence from Australian Firms

The present study analyses influence of board structure and cash holdings on the value of Australian firms for the period 2004 to 2010. Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) adopted the Principles of Good Corporate Governance Guidelines in 2003 and Australian firms have started adopting these principles starting 2004. Similarly the reporting framework of Australian firms is harmonized with the rest of the world with adoption of Australian International Financial Reporting Standards (AIFRS) starting in 2004. Corporate cash holdings despite their significance have not been considered extensively in prior literature outside the US. Cash holdings may have significant influence on the value of the firm as too much excess cash may lead to misuse of these funds by entrenched managers. Corporate governance has a role to play in maintaining appropriate cash holdings and their use. The present has two objectives: it considers the influence of corporate cash holdings on the value of Australian firms; and it examines the role of board structure on the relationship between cash holdings and value of the firm. The present study considers all non-financial firms that are part of the All Ordinaries Index (AOI). The present study constructs Fama French 25 portfolio and estimate the excess return as the difference between actual return and the average return of the relevant FF portfolio. OLS analyses show that board independence has no significant impact on the value of the firm though cash holdings have significant influence. Analysing using panel data methods however unearth the significant influence of board independence on the value of Australian firms.
Respiratory epithelial cell invasion by group B streptococci.

Abstract Group B streptococci (GBS) are the most common cause of pneumonia and sepsis during the neonatal period; however, the pathogenesis of this infection is poorly understood. We investigated the ability of GBS to enter epithelial cells in culture. Two strains of GBS were capable of invading immortalized respiratory epithelial cell lines in vitro at different levels, suggesting strain differences in invasiveness. Intracellular replication was not observed. Invasion required actin microfilaments but not microtubular cytoskeletal elements. Active bacterial protein, DNA, and RNA syntheses were required for invasion. These findings are consistent with our previous observation of intracellular GBS in the lungs of infected primates. We hypothesize that this organism may access the bloodstream by direct invasion of the epithelial cell barrier.
Calcium Currents in Retrogradely Labeled Pyramidal Cells From Rat Sensorimotor Cortex

Our previous studies of calcium (Ca2+) currents in cortical pyramidal cells revealed that the percentage contribution of each Ca2+ current type to the whole cell Ca2+ current varies from cell to ce...
Regeneration of marrow tissue in chronic iron deficiency in postweanling rats.

The regenerative potential of chronically iron-deficient rat marrow was studied in extramedullary marrow autotransplants and intramedullary cavity after ablation. Subcutaneous implantation of normal marrow results consistently in establishment of a marrow nodule with a mean weight ratio of 30.7% of the implanted tissue. In iron deficiency, the mean weight ratio was 7.1%, and the take was 11%. After ablation of femoral marrow, the regenerative process proceeds distally from the uninjured marrow at the femoral head. The process of regeneration reached the midshaft after 11 days in iron-deficient animals but took only 5 days for normal animals. Iron repletion accelerated the process toward normal. These results are consistent with biochemical data from iron-deficient marrow (low nucleic acid content, decreased incorporation of 3 H-thymidine into DNA, and decreased utilization of 59 Fe and 14 C-glycine for heme synthesis) and suggest that the reported hypercellularity of the marrow in iron deficiency may reflect sequestration of erythroid precursors, rather than the compensatory mechanism of increased cell proliferation.
Rectifier Capacity

THE LOAD CAPACITY of mercury arc rectifiers must be known in order to utilize them to fullest extent and best advantage. Knowledge of the factors affecting rectifier capacity and the relations between them has increased so that it is now possible to specify the rectifier capacity in definite terms.
Effects of Deformed Gun Tubes on Projectile Launch Dynamics

Gun barrel centerline variations have been known to impact projectile in-bore behaviors. A deterministic analysis on a 60-mm projectile fired with a gun barrel having characteristic centerline variations was performed. Certain in-bore dynamic responses were obtained and compared with those for a perfectly straight gun tube. To gain a better understating of the projectile in-bore dynamics due to the flexure of gun tubes, the technique of design of experiments was adopted to simulate an array of gun barrels. The barrel centerline variations were modeled with four independent shape variables, i.e. four factors to be considered in the design. The values of each factor were assigned a certain number of levels that were determined by the pattern discovered from a large number of existing gun barrel data. The combination of the levels of the factors constituted a good representation of the barrel centerline variations profile. The focus of this study falls on how the shape variables influence the muzzle responses of the projectile. Analysis of variance method was utilized to identify the sources of variability and to determine the significance of each shape variable. The main effects of each controlled factor were studied and their interactions contributing to the muzzle responses were also discussed.
Generalized Functions and Kirchhoff Formulas

The theory of generalized functions was developed by L. Schwartz in the forties. It has had a major impact in many areas of mathematics, physics, and engineering. In particular, the solution of many of the problems of wave propagation in acoustics can be simplified by using generalized function theory. In this theory, mathematical objects other than ordinary functions, such as the Dirac delta function and its derivatives, are treated rigorously. One begins by thinking of a function f(x) not as a table of ordered pairs (x,f(x)) but as a table of the action of f(x) on functions in a suitable space of functions D. This action is defined by the integral of the product of f and any function in D. This integral is a functional since it maps D into scalars. After selecting D, we define generalized functions as the space of all continuous linear functionals on D. Each functional produces a generalized function by the table of the functional values on D . The operational properties of generalized functions make them very useful in applications. For our purpose in acoustics, the most important generalized functions are the Dirac delta function and its derivatives with support on f=0, where f is a closed or open moving surface. The theory part of this paper is based on NASA Technical Paper 3428 (May 1994) by the author. Next the derivation of the subsonic and supersonic Kirchhoff formulas are briefly discussed. This part of the paper is based on two works of Farassat and Myers (JSV, Vol. 123 (3), 1988, 451-460 and on a paper presented at the First Joint CEAS/AIAA Aeroacoustics Conference, June 12-15, 1995, Munich, Germany). These latter articles are included as an appendix to the present paper. Finally, some remarks on the development and validation of codes based on Kirchhoff formulas are made to help in the application of these results.
Improved Sampling Plans for Monitoring Alfalfa Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Larva Infestations in Kentucky

Three alfalfa fields were sampled for alfalfa weevil (AW), Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), larvae to determine if reducing the number of stems per sample or subsampling the field would significantly influence the estimation of larva populations as determined by the standard whole-field, 30-stem sampling method. Results indicated that estimates of mean AW populations using 6- or 12-stem samples taken from 100-or 2,500-m2 subunit areas were not significantly different from those of the standard 30-stem, whole-field method. Analysis of variance indicated that mean AW population estimates of the 6- and 12-stem samples were not significantly different; nor were mean population estimates from the 100- and 2,500-m2 subunit sizes significantly different. However, less time was required to collect stems from a 100-m2 subunit using the 6-stem sampling method and to count larvae that were recovered from the 6-stem sample. Also, total effort required to estimate AW larva populations with a precision of 0.2 was least for the 6-stem, 100-m2 method.
The Hormonal Regulation of Fetal Lung Maturation

The overall rate of maturation of the fetal lung appears to be regulated by a number of hormones and to be mediated in some way by the mesenchymal tissue. Recent information on these factors and on the biosynthesis of pulmonary phospholipids is presented.
Therapeutic options for cutaneous lupus erythematosus: recent advances and future prospects.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Treatment and prevention are of critical importance in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), as the disease can have a devastating effect on patient well-being and quality of life.Areas Covered: We conducted a selective search of the PubMed database for articles published between December 2010 and November 2015. This review encompasses both non-pharmaceutical (photoprotection, smoking cessation, drug withdrawal, and vitamin D replacement) and pharmaceutical (topicals, antimalarials, immunosuppressives, biologics, etc.) interventions used in the treatment of CLE.Expert Commentary: Recent work has expanded our understanding of established therapies as well as introduced new treatments for consideration, though existing medications still prove inadequate for a subset of patients. Changes in trial design may help to alleviate this issue.
Chromatic Sensitive Epilepsy

A study of 4 boys with cartoon-evoked epileptic seizures, conducted at Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan, was prompted by a report of 685 Japanese children and some adults who suffered generalized convulsions while watching an animated TV program called “Pocket Monsters.”
Ideology: The Prisoner

Several different interpretations of the term “ideology” are offered, and Marxist notions about the impact of ideology on various aspects of contemporary culture and society are considered. Teun A. van Dijk is quoted on the need for linguistic/discourse analyses of ideologies. This leads to a discussion of the evolution of critical discourse analysis.
Narcolepsy and 2009 H1N1 Pandemic in China

Onset of narcolepsy in China (1998–2010) is seasonal, with a 6.7-fold increase from November (least frequent) to April (peak frequency).
Ecologies of fiber-work: Animal technologies and invisible craft practices in prehistoric Southwest Asia

Direct evidence for the use of plant and fiber technologies is rare in prehistoric Southwest Asia. The inferred existence of such technologies is made through the analysis of microwear traces on animal bone objects, impressions of long-perished objects in soils and clay, phytolith remains, and the pioneering techniques of archaeothanatology used in the taphonomic study of mortuary/burial practices. This article discusses the range of invisible craft practices brought to light via these methods and suggests that they can be used to write small-scale microhistories that have interpretive value quite aside from current overarching narratives about the Epipalaeolithic and Early Neolithic periods in the region.
Factors Affecting Length of Stay Following Elective Anterior and Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery.

Background Disease of the cervical spine is widely prevalent, most commonly secondary to degenerative disc changes and spondylosis. Objective The goal of the paper was to identify a possible discrepancy regarding the length of stay (LOS) between the anterior and posterior approaches to elective cervical spine surgery and identify contributing factors. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 587 patients (341 anterior, 246 posterior) that underwent elective cervical spinal surgery between October 2001 and March 2014. Pre- and intraoperative data were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 5 (GraphPad Software, Inc., La Jolla, CA) and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). Results Average LOS was 3.21 ± 0.32 days for patients that benefited from the anterior approach cervical spinal surgery and 5.28 ± 0.37 days for patients that benefited from the posterior approach surgery, P-value < 0.0001. Anterior patients had lower American Society of Anesthesiologists scores (2.43 ± 0.036 vs. 2.70 ± 0.044). Anterior patients also had fewer intervertebral levels operated upon (2.18 ± 0.056 vs. 4.11 ± 0.13), shorter incisions (5.49 ± 0.093 cm vs. 9.25 ± 0.16 cm), lower estimated blood loss (EBL) (183.8 ± 9.0 cc vs. 340.0 ± 8.7 cc), and shorter procedure times (4.12 ± 0.09 hours vs. 4.47 ± 0.10 hours). Chi-squared tests for hypertension, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma showed no significant difference between groups. CONCLUSIONS Patients with anterior surgery performed experienced a length of stay that was 2.07 days shorter on average. Higher EBL, longer incisions, more intervertebral levels, and longer operating time were significantly associated with the posterior approach. Future studies should include multiple surgeons. The goal would be to create a model that could accurately predict the postoperative length of stay based on patient and operative factors.
Ytterbium-doped multicomponent fluorosilicate optical fibers with intrinsically low optical nonlinearities

Ytterbium-doped strontium fluorosilicate optical fibers exhibiting intrinsically low optical nonlinearities were fabricated and characterized. Specifically, reductions up to ~1.5 dB, ~9 dB, and ~3 dB in Raman gain, Brillouin gain, and thermo-optic coefficients, respectively, were measured relative to conventional silica optical fibers. Additionally, fluorescence lifetime, and emission and absorption spectra for these fibers are presented and suggest enhanced performance relative to their more commonly employed aluminosilicate and phosphosilicate counterparts. Low quantum defect (<1.5%) operation in these fibers, coupled with their low thermo-optic coefficients, may ultimately yield high power fiber lasers with greater immunity to thermal-based parasitic processes. The results indicate the potential of these fibers and glass materials for high energy fiber-based applications.
Density functional theory modeling of chromate adsorption onto ferrihydrite nanoparticles.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed on a model of a ferrihydrite nanoparticle interacting with chromate ( $$ {\text{CrO}}_{4}^{2 - } $$ ) in water. Two configurations each of monodentate and bidentate adsorbed chromate as well as an outer-sphere and a dissolved bichromate ( $$ {\text{HCrO}}_{4}^{ - } $$ ) were simulated. In addition to the 3-D periodic planewave DFT models, molecular clusters were extracted from the energy-minimized structures. Calculated interatomic distances from the periodic and cluster models compare favorably with Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure spectroscopy values, with larger discrepancies seen for the clusters due to over-relaxation of the model substrate. Relative potential energies were derived from the periodic models and Gibbs free energies from the cluster models. A key result is that the bidentate binuclear configuration is the lowest in potential energy in the periodic models followed by the outer-sphere complex. This result is consistent with observations of the predominance of bidentate chromate adsorption on ferrihydrite under conditions of high surface coverage (Johnston Environ Sci Technol 46:5851–5858, 2012). Cluster models were also used to perform frequency analyses for comparison with observed ATR FTIR spectra. Calculated frequencies on monodentate, bidentate binuclear, and outer-sphere complexes each have infrared (IR)-active modes consistent with experiment. Inconsistencies between the thermodynamic predictions and the IR-frequency analysis suggest that the 3-D periodic models are not capturing key components of the system that influence the adsorption equilibria under varying conditions of pH, ionic strength and electrolyte composition. Model equilibration via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations is necessary to escape metastable states created during DFT energy minimizations based on the initial classical force field MD-derived starting configurations.
Paget’s Disease of the Bone

This is an osteoclastic disease of unknown etiology which results in abnormal bone remodeling and deformity. It can be seen as either a monostotic (single site) or polystotic (multiple sites) disease, which mainly affects long bones, pelvis, and skull. Affecting all races equally, men have twofolds increased risk compared to females for developing disorder. Incidence increases with age and it is uncommon in less than 40 years of age. Early diagnosis, made via blood work and bone scan, leads to early treatment. Bisphosphonates are effective treatment.
A Cooperative Approach to Web Crawler URL Ordering

Uniform Resource Locator (URL) ordering algorithms are used by Web crawlers to determine the order in which to download pages from the Web. The current approaches for URL ordering based on link structure are expensive and/or miss many good pages, particularly in social network environments. In this paper, we present a novel URL ordering system that relies on a cooperative approach between crawlers and web servers based on file system and Web log information. In particular, we develop algorithms based on file timestamps and Web log internal and external counts. By using this change and popularity information for URL ordering, we are able to retrieve high quality pages earlier in the crawl while avoiding requests for pages that are unchanged or no longer available. We perform our experiments on two data sets using the Web logs from university and CiteSeer websites. On these data sets, we achieve a statistically significant improvement in the ordering of the high quality pages (as indicated by Google’s PageRank) of 57.2% and 65.7% over that of a breadth-first search crawl while increasing the number of unique pages gathered by skipping unchanged or deleted pages.
Resistance Spot Weld Failure Loads and Modes in Overload Conditions

The failure modes of two single-weld specimens, the coach-peel and the tensile-shear specimens, were studied in detail. Weld overload experiments, along with optical and scanning electron microscopy, revealed that the coach-peel specimen failed by microvoid coalescence (ductile fracture) near the weld nugget/heat affected zone (HAZ) boundary and that the tensile-shear specimen failed predominately by localized necking (shear localization) near the HAZ/base metal boundary. Empirical data extracted from measurements performed on metallurgical cross sections of interrupted coach-peel and tensile-shear specimens established the deformed characteristic material distance (coach-peel) and the existence of a critical thickness strain for localized necking (tensile-shear). These quantities were used to predict weld failure via finite element analysis as described in Ref I. The work presented here is the first step in a larger project that is focused on developing a methodology for predicting spot weld overload failure in detailed finite element simulations of spot-welded joints. This methodology is based upon the failure phenomena (as reported here) and detailed characterization of the HAZ (as reported in Ref I). The main requirement of this predictive methodology is that it be adaptable to any combination of joint configuration and loading direction. This predictive methodology will serve as the basis for the final step of developing a model of resistance spot weld failure based upon a simpler representation of the spot weld that can be used in car crash simulation models.
Salzregulation und Hypertonie

Akzeptierte Theorien zum Salz-Wasser-Haushalt sind, dass extrazellulare Flussigkeit rasch aquilibriert, Elektrolytkonzentrationen in den Kompartimenten konstant sind und die Niere allein fur die Konstanz des „milieu interieur“ verantwortlich ist. Aktuelle Befunde stellen dies in Frage. Werden relevante Mengen an Na+ im Korper gespeichert und durch zusatzliche extrarenale Mechanismen reguliert? Besteht eine Verbindung zu arterieller Hypertonie? Diskussion von Grundlagenarbeiten und ersten klinischen Studien. Aktuelle Befunde aus der Grundlagenforschung und nicht-invasive quantitative 23Na-MRT-Patienten- und Probandenstudien haben gezeigt, dass revelante Mengen an Na+ in Muskulatur und Haut ohne begleitende Wassereinlagerung gespeichert werden. Die erste Ultralangzeit-Na+-Bilanz-Studie beim Menschen zeigte, dass Na+ in endogenen wochentlichen und monatlichen Rhythmen unabhangig von der Kochsalzzufuhr im Korper gespeichert wird. Weitere Experimente haben gezeigt, dass die interstitielle Flussigkeit der Haut im Vergleich zum Blutplasma hyperton ist. Der resultierende interstitielle osmotische Stress verursacht eine lokale, extrarenale und durch Immunzellen und Lymhkapillaren vermittelte Clearance von Elektrolyten, die fur die Regulation des Salz-Wasser-Haushalts und die Kontrolle des systemischen Blutdrucks von Bedeutung ist. Unerwartete Befunde haben das Verstandnis des Salz-Wasser-Haushalts verandert und die Aufmerksamkeit auf immunzellvermittelte, „nierenahnliche“ lymphatische Clearance von interstitieller Flussigkeit gerichtet. Neue Methoden zur klinischen Untersuchung dieser Grundlagenbefunde stehen zur Verfugung. Diese konnten von wichtiger Bedeutung fur die weltweite Problematik kardiovaskularer Erkrankungen sein.
Thermal Unit Commitment with a Nonlinear AC Power Flow Network Model

This chapter presents a formulation of the thermal unit commitment problem that includes nonlinear power flow constraints, thus allowing a more accurate representation of the network than is possible with DC flow models. This also permits potential VAr production to be used as a criterion for commitment of otherwise expensive generators in strategic locations. We use a Lagrangian relaxation framework with duplicated variables for each active and reactive source, permitting the exploitation of the separable structure of the dual cost. Results for medium-sized systems in a parallel processing environment are available.
The Civil Jury: The Disregarded Constitutional Actor

This lecture "The Civil Jury: The Disregarded Constitutional Actor" argues that the significant division of power between the judiciary and the jury should be recognized alongside the separation of powers between the branches and the federalism division between the federal government and the states. While the jury is a separate constitutional actor with important powers, the judiciary and the legislature have not recognized it as such. This has led to the constitutionalization of modern procedures which take away the jury trial right before, during and after trial, including through remittitur, summary judgment, the motion to dismiss and federal caps. This jurisprudence on the civil jury exhibits an odd alignment under which so-called liberal justices may hold a jury trial right does not exist, whereas other so-called conservative justices may hold such a right exists. This appears to result from the tendency of liberal justices to shun originalism, even in the context of the Seventh Amendment where originalism is constitutionalized in the text. Here, the liberal justices should embrace originalism. Moreover, the lecture argues that all of the Justices should recognize the significant division of power between the judiciary and the jury by eliminating modern procedures which impinge this division of power.
Application of the ELISPOT assay to the characterization of CD8+ responses to Epstein-Barr virus antigens

CD8(+) cells have an important role in controlling Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. We adapted the interferon-gamma ELISPOT assay to the quantitative analysis of EBV-specific CD8(+) cells. Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors, we measured both the aggregate response to the virus, using EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) as stimulators, and the specific responses to 2 A2-restricted peptide epitopes: the subdominant latency membrane protein-2 (LMP2) peptide CLGGLLTMV and the early lytic BMLF1 peptide GLCTLVAML. LCL-responsive CD8(+) cells were detected in all EBV-seropositive donors (range 954 to 37 830 spots/10(6) CD8(+) cells). LMP2 peptide-responsive CD8(+) cells were detected in 10 of 11 healthy seropositive A2 donors (range 11 to 83 spots/10(6) PBMC). BMLF1 peptide-responsive CD8(+) cells were detected in all seropositive A2 donors examined (range 13 to 943 spots/10(6) PBMC). Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) lines generated with weekly stimulation of LCLs for therapeutic purposes were also studied. Relative to PBMCs, these CTL lines showed a marked increase in the level of LCL-responsive and LMP2 peptide-responsive CD8(+) cells and a lesser degree of expansion of BMLF1 peptide-responsive CD8(+) cells. Finally, we applied the ELISPOT assay to monitor adoptive infusion of EBV CTL lines. In 2 patients examined, a transient increase in LCL-responsive CD8(+) cells could be detected after infusion. Thus, the ELISPOT assay can be applied to the analysis of CD8(+) responses to EBV antigens in PBMCs, in ex vivo expanded CTL lines, and in PBMCs from patients treated with ex vivo expanded CTL lines. (Blood. 2000;95:241-248)
Abstract 5188: MDM2 and MDMX promote p53-independent initiation of circulating tumor cells from triple negative breast cancers

Many human breast cancers overexpress the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 and its homolog MDMX. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) shows that high MDM2 and MDMX expression correlates with both estrogen receptor positive (ER+) and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes. Overexpression of MDM2 and MDMX can drive breast cancer progression through molecular pathways that do not require wild-type p53 degradation. ER positive breast cancers often express wild-type p53 but 80% of TNBC express mutant p53 (mtp53). It has not been determined how MDM2 and MDMX expression in different sub-types of breast cancer, with mutant p53, influence proliferation and metastasis. We compared MDM2 and MDMX-dependent biological outcomes for mtp53 expressing ER+ T47D (mtp53 L194F) and TNBC cell type MDA-MB-231 (mtp53 R280K). In the ER+ cells no change was detected for real time cell migration or E-cadherin protein levels when MDM2 was knocked down by stable shRNA expression but cell proliferation was reduced. In support of this in vitro data, these MDM2 knockdown cells tested in an orthotopic xenograft model in NSG mice demonstrated no MDM2-mediated change in primary tumor invasiveness but did show a reduced tumor volume. Importantly, in the TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells, knocking down either MDM2 or MDMX did not reduce cell proliferation in vitro but greatly blocked cell migration. In support of this in vitro data, these MDA-MB-231 cells with either MDM2 or MDMX knockdown in NSG mice did not show a reduced primary tumor volume but showed a significant inhibition of the production of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Our data shows that in different subtypes of breast cancers, MDM2 and MDMX can promote alternative p53-independent biological outcomes. The estrogen-activated MDM2 strongly promotes cell proliferation while MDM2 and MDMX overexpression in TNBC promotes circulating tumor cells and potentially metastasis. Understanding the alternative p53-independent roles of MDM2 and MDMX in ER+ and triple negative breast cancers will provide insight for the development of MDMs-targeted theranostics. Citation Format: Chong Gao, Gu Xiao, Ale Piersiga, Jiangtao Gou, Olorunseun Ogunwobi, Jill Bargonetti. MDM2 and MDMX promote p53-independent initiation of circulating tumor cells from triple negative breast cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5188.
The impact of chronic kidney disease on lower extremity bypass outcomes in patients with critical limb ischemia.

Abstract Objective Patient selection for open lower extremity revascularization in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a clinical challenge. This study investigates the impact of CKD on early graft failure, postoperative complications, and mortality in patients undergoing lower extremity bypass for critical limb ischemia. Methods The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all patients with critical limb ischemia from 2012 to 2015 who underwent lower extremity bypass using the targeted vascular set. The glomerular filtration rate was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration Study equation. CKD categories were determined from the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative staging criteria. Patients were classified into three groups: CKD stages 3 or lower (mild to moderate CKD), CKD stages 4 or 5 (severe CKD), and on hemodialysis (HD). Multiple variable analysis was used to examine graft failure, mortality, and postoperative complications. Results The Surgical Quality Improvement Program database identified 6978 patients who underwent infrainguinal lower extremity arterial bypass during the study period. There were 6101 patients (87.4%) with mild to moderate CKD, 327 (4.7%) with severe CKD, and 550 (7.9%) on HD. Patients with severe CKD and on HD were more likely to have revascularization for tissue loss (54.9% vs 68.8% and 74.7%; P Conclusions CKD is a significant predictor of perioperative morbidity after lower extremity bypass. Patients with severe CKD have worse postoperative outcomes without increased mortality. Those on HD have worse survival and postoperative outcomes.
Sexual Orientation and Gender Differences in Aging Perceptions and Concerns Among Older Adults.

Background and Objectives Ageism (negative attitudes and behavior toward older adults) is a serious social issue and is of growing concern as the population of older adults continues to increase. Research demonstrates that negative aging perceptions and aging concerns are associated with poor health and well-being among older adults; yet, few studies have examined sexual orientation or gender differences in aging perceptions and concerns among older adults. Research Design and Methods The current online study examined aging perceptions and concerns among a national community sample of 821 (female = 464) participants (76 lesbian, 159 gay, 88 bisexual, 498 heterosexual participants) ranging from 45 to 80 years of age (M = 55.56). Results and Discussion Older women reported more aging anxiety and endorsement of aging stereotypes while older sexual minority individuals reported heightened general aging concerns compared to their heterosexual peers. Among sexual minority participants, discrimination based on age and sexual orientation predicted greater sexual minority-specific aging concerns, anxiety, and depression. Experiencing sexual orientation discrimination buffered age discrimination's impact on sexual minority-specific aging concerns, suggesting that experiencing discrimination based on one stigmatized identity (sexual minority) may promote effective coping with discrimination based on another stigmatized identity (older adult). Conversely, age and sexual orientation discrimination had multiplicative effects on anxiety and depression. Implications Overall, findings point to the importance of examining sexual orientation and gender differences in aging perceptions and concerns to more fully understand the experiences, health, and well-being of the growing older population. Implications for future directions are discussed.
Endotracheal Intubation: Oral and Nasal

The indications for airway management include protecting the airway from aspiration, providing adequate oxygenation, and providing adequate ventilation (removing carbon dioxide). Adequate preoxygenation is the key principle to avoiding desaturation during the apneic period associated with rapid sequence induction. Patients should breathe 10 L of oxygen for 2 min or five vital capacity breaths, prior to induction. Simple airway examination can help to determine the likelihood of a difficult airway. A difficult airway is suggested by Mallampati (MP) score III or IV, thyromental (TM) distance <6 cm, limited range of motion of the cervical spine, small chin, overbite, short thick neck, pathology of the airway, and radiation to the neck. Mallampati score when looking into an open mouth: I = able to visualize all of the soft palate II = able to visualize all of the uvula III = able to visualize only the base of the uvula IV = soft palate not visible Further predictors of difficulty with mask ventilation include beard, obesity, no dentition/edentulous, and history of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In the event that a potentially difficult airway is identified, then consider expert consultation immediately. The usual size of endotracheal tube used is a #7.0 for adult women and #7.5 for adult men. Endotracheal tube size for children = (age/4) + 4. Children have a more superior and anterior larynx. The pediatric epiglottis can be larger and more “floppy”; therefore consider the use of a Miller (straight) blade.
Brain networks and endogenous pain inhibition are modulated by age and sex in healthy rats

Endogenous pain inhibition is less efficient in chronic pain patients. Diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC), a form of endogenous pain inhibition, is compromised in women and older people, making them more vulnerable to chronic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we used a capsaicin-induced DNIC test and resting-state functional MRI to investigate the impact of aging and sex on endogenous pain inhibition and associated brain circuitries in healthy rats. We found that DNIC was less efficient in young females compared with young males. Diffuse noxious inhibitory control response was lost in old rats of both sexes, but the brain networks engaged during DNIC differed in a sex-dependent manner. Young males had the most efficient analgesia with the strongest connectivity between anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and periaqueductal gray (PAG). The reduced efficiency of DNIC in young females seemed to be driven by widespread brain connectivity. Old males showed increased connectivity between PAG, raphe nuclei, pontine reticular nucleus, and hippocampus, which may not be dependent on connections to ACC, whereas old females showed increased connectivity between ACC, PAG, and more limbic regions. These findings suggest that distinct brain circuitries including the limbic system may contribute to higher susceptibility to pain modulatory deficits in the elderly population, and sex may be a risk factor for developing age-related chronic pain.
Dyadic profiles of posttraumatic stress symptoms in mothers and children experiencing intimate partner violence

Children who witness intimate partner violence (IPV) develop posttraumatic stress disorder at alarmingly high rates. Research suggests that caregivers' symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSS) often co-occur alongside children's PTSS, a phenomenon termed "relational posttraumatic stress." The goal of this study is to use dyad-centered analyses to examine heterogeneity in relational PTSS presentations in mother-child dyads, and to determine factors differentiating relational PTSS profiles. Data were drawn from a sample of 231 IPV-exposed, ethno-racially diverse mother-child dyads, with children ranging from ages 4 to 12. The results of a latent profile analysis indicated that a two-profile model was the best fit with the data. Both profiles indicated similar levels of PTSS across the dyad; however, they differed in overall symptom severity. Parenting and IPV severity significantly predicted profile membership; however, age did not. Results suggest that similarities in PTSS presentation should be expected in mother-child dyads, at least in families who experience IPV.
A Theory of Policy Sabotage

We develop a theory of policy implementation and elections that examines the conditions under which observable policy sabotage --- that is, the deliberate choice by an opposition party to block the implementation of a policy --- can be an effective electoral strategy. From the perspective of theoretical models of accountability, such behavior poses a puzzle: how can observable sabotage succeed, when rational voters can update on its deployment as a strategy? In our model, a potential saboteur chooses whether to sabotage an incumbent's policy by blocking its implementation. Following this decision, a voter decides whether to retain the incumbent, who is of unknown quality, or to select a challenger. We find that the incentives for sabotage are broadly shaped by the underlying popularity of the incumbent --- it is most attractive when an incumbent is moderately unpopular. If so, sabotage may decrease the probability the incumbent is re-elected, even though sabotage is observable to the voter. This occurs because sabotage prevents the voter from using policy outcomes to update her beliefs about the incumbent's type, which in some cases will lead to voter to choose the challenger. We illustrate our theory with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act since its passage in 2010.
Multi-level Evaluation of Smart City Initiatives Using the SUMO Ontology and Choquet Integral

Smart city initiatives from different administrative levels have varying perspectives. Evaluating initiatives in isolated administrative levels limits understanding of the systemic implications of initiatives on policy analysis and development. This paper focuses on the use of natural language processing and knowledge elicitation techniques as the means to evaluate smart city initiatives at various administrative levels including multinational, national, and local city levels. By building ontological knowledge maps, study evaluates alignment of multi-level smart city initiatives which ultimately supports smart city governance and policy analysis.
Biliary Excretion–Mediated Food Effects and Prediction

Many orally administered drugs with negative food effects (i.e., lower exposure under fed conditions) are often primarily or partially eliminated by biliary excretion. The aim of this study is to assess the potential correlation between a negative food effect and biliary excretion. Correlation analysis was conducted using a training dataset containing 27 drugs which met the following criteria: (1) immediate-release formulations, (2) shows a negative food effect, (3) > 10% biliary clearance, and (4) does not undergo extensive metabolism. A correlation between fed-state biliary clearance (CLb,fed) and fasted-state biliary clearance (CLb,fast) (y = 1.81*x, R2 = 0.68) was observed. The 1.8-fold increase in biliary clearance was then used as a correction factor to improve physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) prediction of food effects for 12 test drugs. The mean deviations of predicted fed/fasting AUC ratio and Cmax ratio from clinically observed values were reduced from 32.4 to 17.2% and from 63.3 to 54.3%, respectively. In contrast to the positive food effects on most biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class II drugs for which food-stimulated bile flow increases drug solubility and absorption, our results suggest that the elimination of biliary excreted drugs is increased by food-stimulated bile flow, resulting in negative food effects.
Selective Content Removal for Egocentric Wearable Camera in Nutritional Studies

Automatic Ingestion Monitor v2 (AIM-2) is an egocentric camera and sensor that aids monitoring of individual diet and eating behavior by capturing still images throughout the day and using sensor data to detect eating. The images may be used to recognize foods being eaten, eating environment, and other behaviors and daily activities. At the same time, captured images may carry privacy concerning content such as (1) people in social eating and/or bystanders (i.e., bystander privacy); (2) sensitive documents that may appear on a computer screen in the view of AIM-2 (i.e., context privacy). In this paper, we propose a novel approach based on automatic, image redaction for privacy protection by selective content removal by semantic segmentation using a deep learning neural network. The proposed method reported a bystander privacy removal with precision of 0.87 and recall of 0.94 and reported context privacy removal by precision and recall of 0.97 and 0.98. The results of the study showed that selective content removal using deep learning neural network is a much more desirable approach to address privacy concerns for an egocentric wearable camera for nutritional studies.
Here Comes the Flood

Advancements in technology over the past few decades have changed the ways in which society approaches communication, eclipsing even the most progressive science fiction from Yesteryear. Too much enlightenment, however, can create fundamental shifts across society, the full extent of which may remain unknown for decades. Today, identities blur with avatars, propaganda is fake news, and anyone can learn about Monowi, a village in Boyd County, Nebraska with a population of one.
Creating an Immersive and Active Educational Experience for Generation Z: Adapting the Introductory Information Technology Course for Digital Natives

An introductory information technology (IT) course (ITEC 101) was designed to engage IT students and attract non-degree students. Student feedback suggests an update was needed. A survey gauged student sentiment and solicited positive and negative feedback, and recommendations for change. Results suggests students prefer active learning and want more emphasis on meaningful content and assignments. We discuss the course redesign. Active learning is emphasized, incorporating a flipped classroom model to engage and build student enthusiasm for information technology.
The Study of Soft-Mode Transitions at High Pressure

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a study on soft-mode transitions at high pressure. The chapter presents a brief theoretical background with some of the essential results needed for the interpretation. The chapter discusses displacive ferroelectric transitions with emphasis on the behavior of the soft ferroelectric mode and the vanishing of the transition at high pressure. The chapter presents reviews on results of displacive antiferroelectric and antiferrodistortive transitions and contrasts their pressure behavior with that of the ferroelectric transitions. The chapter discusses results on hydrogen-bonded ferroelectrics and antiferroelectrics of the KH2PO4 family. In these materials, the important feature is the coupling between proton and phonon modes. Among the most important pressure results are (1) the resolution of long-standing questions concerning the nature of the soft mode and (2) the vanishing of the ordered state. The chapter presents a summary on pressure results on a few interesting, but unrelated soft-mode transitions, specifically, transitions in TeO2 the rare earth pentaphosphates, and the A-15 superconductors. In many crystals as the frequency of a soft mode decreases on approaching the transition, this mode interacts with other degrees of freedom of the crystal. The chapter also presents reviews on the effects of pressure on mode couplings in a number of crystals.