cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Workshop - rethinking the design of presentation slides

This workshop challenges the traditional design of presentation slides. Consisting of a phrase headline supported by a bullet list, the traditional design often appears in classroom and research presentations. In place of the traditional design, this workshop calls for a new design that consists of a succinct sentence headline supported by visual evidence. A pilot study has revealed that students understand and remember significantly more when the instructor relies on this new design as opposed to the traditional design. Using a template that follows the new design, workshop participants create a small set of teaching or research slides. Following that in the workshop is a peer-critique of these slides. In the past three years, this workshop has been well received at several distinguished agencies and institutions: the Environmental Protection Agency, Los Alamos National Laboratory, United Technologies, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Oslo, and Virginia Tech
The Classification Stable Analysis Pattern

The main goal of this paper is to extract and document the core knowledge of the classification technique, as an analysis pattern that is usable in many different applications, where classification concept is required, rather than repeatedly building the concept from its scratch. The motivation behind the development of this pattern is to write a generic pattern, based entirely on the core classification concept, which is applicable in any application, and in any domain where classification is needed. To achieve this goal, this paper uses the concept of "software stability model" (SSM) to identify and isolate the core knowledge of classification from the application specific knowledge. Several scenarios chosen here to explore and probe will demonstrate the applicability and reusability of the pattern. This paper also provides a detailed documentation of the proposed pattern and demonstrates a number of benefits and advantages by demonstrating two case studies, which describe two completely different applications that use classification to solve specific problem in a specific domain.
STUDIES ON PATHOGENIC B. COLI FROM BOVINE SOURCES : IV. A BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE CAPSULAR SUBSTANCE.

1. The soluble specific substance obtained from a capsulated strain of B. coli is not identical with any specific substance heretofore described. It is a carbohydrate, composed of 80 per cent of hexose, probably partly of dextro- and partly of levorotatory sugar, since the rotation of the hydrolysate is low. Glucuronic acid is probably present in the molecule. 2. Crude "residue" or specific substance obtained from the uncapsulated mutant was about 100 times less active with homologous serum than similar material from the capsulated strain. This supports the view that capsular substance and soluble specific substance are the same. In cases where there is a well marked capsule, the specific substance is probably produced in greater amount and located peripherally. 3. Capsular substance is probably significant for virulence when functioning as a morphological capsule. It is present in filtrates of young culture only in very small amounts.
Graphic Investigation of a Fireball Trajectory

This paper presents a projective graphic method for reconstructing from field observations made by laymen the trajectory of a meteorite thru the atmosphere. Given sufficient data, the method quickly produces the geographic coordinates and the elevation above sea-level of both the beginning and the end point of the trajectory, the curvatures of the path of the meteorite in both the vertical and the horizontal planes, the point of impact with the Earth, and the mean velocity of the meteorite. The solution can be carried out fully under field conditions, and produces results of an accuracy commensurate with the accuracy of the original observations.
Osmotic measurements in whole megagametophytes and embryos of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) during seed development

Water potential (Psi) and osmotic potential (Psis) were measured weekly through the sequence of seed development in megagametophytes of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). A Wescor 5500XRS vapor pressure osmometer, modified with a cycle hold switch, was used to measure Psi for whole megagametophytes containing embryos. The Psi measurements for megagametophytes with embryos removed were also attempted but readings were distorted due to cell lysates from the cut surfaces. Six seasonal sets of megagametophyte Psi profiles were generated. Megagametophytes from most of the trees examined showed a consistent Psi pattern: low measurements of -1.0 to -0.75 MPa during early embryo development in late June to early July when embryo Stages 1-2 occur; an increase for one to several weeks to levels of -0.5 to -0.75 MPa, beginning at Stages 3-5 when apical dome formation occurs; followed by a steady drop from -0.85 to -1.7 to -2.0 MPa from Stage 6 onward from late August until just before cone seed release. The Psis was measured for supernatant from centrifuged frozen-thawed megagametophyte tissue (embryos removed). Megagametophyte Psis profiles were similar for seeds analyzed from two trees and resembled Psi observations starting low, rising around Stages 4-7 and then undergoing a major reduction indicating a strong solute accumulation beginning at Stages 7-9.1. Somatic embryos stop growth prematurely in vitro at Stages 8-9.1. The major change in the accumulation of megagametophyte solutes at Stages 8-9.1 correlates with the halt in somatic embryo maturation and suggests that identifying, quantifying and using the major natural soluble compounds that accumulate during mid- to late-stage seed development may be important to improve conifer somatic embryo maturation.
Hydro‐climatic impacts on the ice cover of the lower Peace River

Since the late 1960s, a paucity of ice-jam flooding in the lower Peace River has resulted in prolonged dry periods and considerable reduction in the area covered by lakes and ponds that provide habitat for aquatic life in the Peace–Athabasca Delta (PAD) region. Though major ice jams occur at breakup, antecedent conditions play a significant role in their frequency and severity. These conditions are partly defined by the mode of freezeup and the maximum thickness that is attained during the winter, shortly before the onset of spring and development of positive net heat fluxes to the ice cover. Data from hydrometric gauge records and from field surveys are utilized herein to study these conditions. It is shown that freezeup flows are considerably larger at the present time than before regulation, and may be responsible for more frequent formation of porous accumulation covers. Despite a concomitant rise in winter temperatures, solid-ice thickness has increased since the 1960s. Using a simple ice growth model, specifically developed for the study area, it is shown that porous accumulation covers enhance winter ice growth via accelerated freezing into the porous accumulation. Coupled with a reduction in winter snowfall, this effect can not only negate, but reverse, the effect of warmer winters on ice thickness, thus explaining present conditions. The present model is also shown to be a useful prediction tool, especially for extrapolating incomplete data to the end of the winter. Copyright © 2007 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Applying Semantic Web Services to Web-Based IS and Applications

Semantic Web and Web Services are emerging Web- based technologies, each having its niche contribution within the context of developing Web-based information systems and applications. Their combination, called Semantic Web Services (SWS), provides several potential opportunities and challenges to all individual stakeholders of e-business. This study aims to bring awareness and discussion of important issues related to the impact SWS would likely have on the design, development, and utilization of e-business systems. Additionally, the research sheds some light for IS researchers and practitioners by identifying several research areas for further advancement of SWS technology applications within e-business.
Fine Tuning PDK1 Activity by Phosphorylation at Ser163

3-Phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1) mediates phosphorylation and activation of members of the AGC protein kinase family and plays an essential role in insulin signaling and action. However, whether and how PDK1 activity is regulated in cells remains largely uncharacterized. In the present study, we show that PDK1 undergoes insulin-stimulated and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent phosphorylation at Ser244 in the activation loop and at a novel site: Ser163 in the hinge region between the two lobes of the kinase domain. Sequence alignment studies revealed that the residue corresponding to Ser163 of PDK1 in all other AGC kinases is glutamate, suggesting that a negative charge at this site may be important for PDK1 function. Replacing Ser163 with a negatively charged residue, glutamate, led to a 2-fold increase in PDK1 activity. Molecular modeling studies suggested that phosphorylated Ser163 may form additional hydrogen bonds with Tyr149 and Gln223. In support of this, mutation of Tyr149 to Ala is sufficient to reduce PDK1 activity. Taken together, our results suggest that PDK1 phosphorylation of Ser163 may provide a mechanism to fine-tune PDK1 activity and function in cells.
Innate immune responses to Chlamydia pneumoniae infection: role of TLRs, NLRs, and the inflammasome

Chlamydiae are important human pathogens that are responsible for a wide rage of diseases with a significant impact on public health. In this review article we highlight how recent studies have increased our knowledge of Chlamydia pneumoniae pathogenesis and mechanisms of innate immunity directed host defense against C. pneumoniae infection.
Anthropometry and Standards for Wheeled Mobility: An International Comparison

Space requirements for accommodating wheeled mobility devices and their users in the built environment are key components of standards for accessible design. These requirements typically include dimensions for clear floor areas, maneuvering clearances, seat and knee clearance heights, as well as some reference dimensions on wheeled mobility device sizes. Recent research from four countries was reviewed and compared with their prevailing accessibility standards to identify needs for improving standards. Findings from ongoing anthropometry research on wheeled mobility in the U.S. were used for evaluating the adequacy of existing U.S. accessibility standards. Preliminary analysis suggests that the U.S. standards, which are based on research conducted in the 1970s, need to be updated to address advances in wheeled mobility technology and changes in user demographics. The analysis highlights the importance of integrating research with standards development, organizing international collaborations, and developing international standards.
Abundance of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) After the Complete Removal of Deer from an Isolated Offshore Island, Endemic for Lyme Disease

Monhegan is an isolated 237-ha island lying 16 km off the coast of Maine. Introduced to the island in 1955, white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman, reached a density of approximately 37/km2 by the mid-1990s. Black-legged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, first noticed in the late 1980s, flourished thereafter. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout) on Monhegan are highly infected with Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner, the agent of Lyme disease. By 1996, 13% of year-round residents had contracted the disease. The community's subsequent decision to eliminate deer from the island provided a unique opportunity to monitor the abundance of vector ticks in response to the complete and permanent removal of the primary hosts of their reproductive stage. With the exception of humans and their dogs and cats, there are no other potential hosts for adult I. scapularis on Monhegan. From November 1996 to March 1999, all deer were removed from the island. Previous annual fall flagging of vegetation from 1990 to 1998 produced 6-17 adult ticks/h, of which 24-41% were infected with the Lyme disease spirochete. During this same period, up to 18 larvae and 4 nymphs were removed per Norway rat live-trapped on the island each July. With the absence of deer in the fall of 1999, both the density of host-seeking adult ticks and infection prevalence rose substantially to 28/h and 75.0%, respectively. By the summer of 2003, however, no sub-adult ticks were found on rats, and that fall, only 0.67 adult ticks/h were flagged. Of the 68 adults collected from 2002 to 2003, 20 (29.4%) were infected. Over this same period, adult tick abundance on a deer-populated, reference island continued to gradually increase.
Using Reforecasts to Improve Forecasting of Fog and Visibility for Aviation

AbstractFifteen years of forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Second-Generation Global Medium-Range Ensemble Reforecast (GEFS/R) dataset were used to develop a statistical model that generates probabilistic predictions of cloud ceiling and visibility. Four major airports—Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (KSEA), San Francisco International Airport (KSFO), Denver International Airport (KDEN), and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH) in Houston, Texas—were selected for model training and analysis. Numerous statistical model configurations, including the use of several different machine learning algorithms, input predictors, and internal parameters, were explored and verified through cross validation to develop skillful forecasts at each station. The final model was then compared with both probabilistic climatology-based forecasts and deterministic operational guidance. Results indicated significantly enhanced skill within both deterministic and probabilistic framewo...
Stress-induced neuroinflammatory priming is time of day dependent

Circadian rhythms are endogenous cycles of physiology and behavior that align with the daily rotation of the planet and resulting light-dark cycle. The circadian system ensures homeostatic balance and regulates many aspects of physiology, including the stress response and susceptibility to and/or severity of stress-related sequelae. Both acute and chronic stressors amplify neuroinflammatory responses to a subsequent immune challenge, however it is not known whether circadian timing of the stressor regulates the priming response. Here, we test whether stress-induced neuroinflammatory priming is regulated by the circadian system. As has been previously shown, exposure to 100 inescapable tails shocks (IS) increased hippocampal cytokines following a subsequent inflammatory challenge. However, this effect was limited to animals that experienced the stressor during the light phase. Rats exposed to stress during the dark phase did not alter inflammatory potential following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. To determine whether microglia might be involved in diurnal differences in neuroinflammatory priming, microglia were isolated 24h after stress that occurred either during the middle of the light or dark phase. Only microglia isolated from animals stressed during the light phase demonstrated an exaggerated inflammatory response when treated ex vivo with LPS. To determine possible circadian dependency of microglia responsiveness to glucocorticoids - the likely proximal mediator for stress associated neuroinflammatory priming - microglia were isolated during the middle of the light or dark phase and treated ex vivo with corticosterone. Glucocorticoids treatment downregulated CX3CR1 and CD200R, two genes involved in microglial inflammatory "off" signaling; however, there was no effect of time of day on expression of either gene. Importantly, while absolute concentrations of corticosterone were comparable following IS during the light and dark phase, the magnitude of change in corticosterone was greater during the light phase. This work highlights the importance of studying circadian rhythms to elucidate biological mechanisms of stress.
Radial access for cerebrovascular procedures: Case report and technical note.

BackgroundAdvantages of radial access over brachial/axillary or femoral access have been well described for several decades and include decreased cost, patient preference, and decreased major access site complications. Despite these advantages, radial access is rarely employed or even considered for neurointerventional procedures. This attitude should be reconsidered given several recent large, randomized, controlled trials from the cardiovascular literature proving that radial access is associated with statistically lower costs, decreased incidence of myocardial infarctions, strokes, and even decreased mortality. Radial access is now considered the standard of care for percutaneous coronary interventions in most US centers. Although radial access has been described for neurovascular procedures in the past, overall experience is limited. The two major challenges are the unique anatomy required to access the cerebral vasculature given very acute angles between the arm and craniocervical vessels and limitat...
The Relationship of Bacterial Biofilms and Capsular Contracture in Breast Implants

Capsular contracture is a common sequelae of implant-based breast augmentation. Despite its prevalence, the etiology of capsular contracture remains controversial. Numerous studies have identified microbial biofilms on various implantable materials, including breast implants. Furthermore, biofilms have been implicated in subclinical infections associated with other surgical implants. In this review, we discuss microbial biofilms as a potential etiology of capsular contracture. The review also outlines the key diagnostic modalities available to identify the possible infectious agents found in biofilm, as well as available preventative and treatment measures.
Scope and Methods of Research in Land Utilization

The field of land utilization has as its objective the determination of the causes and effects of different types of land utilization with the end in view of generalizing the findings in plans for public or private action with respect to the use of land. To be more specific, the development of technique in land utilization involves the determination of the economic significance of the natural and artificial environmental factors of an area. A wide-spread interest has recently been shown in the subject and this interest has manifested itself in definite steps taken to develop more knowledge concerning the effect of soil physics, soil chemistry, moisture supply, temperature, light, topography, location, markets, character of population, price conditions, comparative advantage, friction of economic adjustment, and financial conditions, upon the optimum use to which land may be dedicated. This new interest recognizes no administrative lines and is confined to no recognized field of science. At present it is "'no man's land" and everybody's ambition. It is not entirely a job for economists. The present disculssion is a brief statement of the way in which a number of soil (specialists, economic geographers, land economists, foresters, ecologists, and farm o'rganization experts in different parts of the United States are approaching this important question. Soils specialists are naturally interested in following up their work to the point of measuring the economic significance of the differences they have found in the physical character of the soil. There has therefore been a tendency for soils men to break away, from time to time, from the original objective of classifying (soils on the basis of their inherent physical characteristics and to inquire further into their
Computational Study of Ethanol Conversion on Al8O12 as a Model for γ-Al2O3

Correlated molecular orbital theory at the coupled cluster CCSD(T) level with density functional theory geometries is used to study ethanol dehydration, dehydrogenation, and condensation reactions on an the Al8O12 cluster which is a model for γ-Al2O3. The Al in the active site on the cluster is a strong Lewis acid. The reactions begin with formation of a very stable Lewis acid–base ethanol–cluster adduct. Dehydration proceeds by β-H transfer to a bicoordinate oxygen leading to the direct formation of ethylene and two OH groups following an E2 mechanism. Dehydrogenation proceeds directly by α-H transfer to the active metal center and a proton transfer to a bicoordinate bridge O to form acetaldehyde plus a metal hydride and a hydroxyl, again an E2 mechanism. After addition of a second ethanol, diethyl ether is generated by an α-C transfer from the first to the second ethanol, an acid-driven SN2 mechanism. Condensation and dehydration with two alcohols have comparable energy barriers. The addition of a secon...
Removal of Polarization Fatigue Due to Electrical Fixing in Ferroelectric Photorefractive Crystals

It has been reported that after several sequential recording-revealing-poling processes, polarization fatigue is often observed in ferroelectric photorefractive crystals. A direct consequence of this is a reduction in the diffraction efficiency from one recording cycle to the next. The effect of crystal fatigue on the diffraction efficiency of electrically fixed photorefractive gratings in a cerium-doped SBN:60 is studied. We have observed that applying an AC field to the crystal eliminates crystal fatigue in ferroelectrics and improves diffraction efficiency of electrically fixed volume gratings. We demonstrate the benefits of utilizing the hysteresis loop and electrical fixing process to remove polarization fatigue.
Cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase protects the liver from inflammation and fibrosis by maintaining cholesterol homeostasis

Cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) plays a critical role in control of bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis. Bile acids activate farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) to regulate lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism. However, the role of bile acids in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis remains unclear. In this study, we showed that adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Cyp7a1 ameliorated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in WT and TGR5-deficient (Tgr5-/-) mice, but not in FXR-deficient (Fxr-/-) mice, suggesting that bile acid signaling through FXR protects against hepatic inflammation. Nuclear factor κ light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB)-luciferase reporter assay showed that FXR agonists significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced NF-κB activity. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation and mammalian two-hybrid assays showed that ligand-activated FXR interacted with NF-κB and blocked recruitment of steroid receptor coactivator-1 to cytokine promoter and resulted in inhibition of NF-κB activity. Methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet increased hepatic inflammation, free cholesterol, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrosis in CYP7A1-deficient (Cyp7a1-/-) mice compared with WT mice. Remarkably, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Cyp7a1 effectively reduced hepatic free cholesterol and oxidative stress and reversed hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in MCD diet-fed Cyp7a1-/- mice. Current studies suggest that increased Cyp7a1 expression and bile acid synthesis ameliorate hepatic inflammation through activation of FXR, whereas reduced bile acid synthesis aggravates MCD diet-induced hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Maintaining bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis is important for protecting against liver injury and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
An Efficient Method to Simulate Threshold-Crossing Events

In this work, a new and efficient method is developed to simulate threshold-crossing events (for example, the cross event in Verilog-A/MS). The method converges directly to the solution at the crossing without the need of computing additional timepoints. The violated cross condition is solved together with the circuit equations as one system of nonlinear equations and the timestep is treated as an independent variable. This method has very little overhead and can be easily integrated into an existing simulation flow. Simulation results show good convergence rate-less than two extra Newton iterations needed to accurately locate the crossing. This method could speedup transient simulation significantly when there are a large number of threshold-crossing events.
Organocatalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis of 2-Amino-4H-chromene Derivatives

Optically active 2-amino-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carboxylates, 2-amino-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles, and 2-amino-8-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles were synthesized. Using cinchona alkaloid-derived bifunctional catalysts, the corresponding 2-amino-4H-chromene derivatives were obtained in high yields and moderate to high ee values (up to 82% ee) from the tandem Michael addition–cyclization reaction between 1,3-cyclohexanediones or 1,2-cyclohexanediones and (E)-3-aryl-2-cyanoacrylate or alkylidene malononitrile derivatives.
Correction factor to improve agreement between point-of-care and laboratory International Normalized Ratio values

Purpose Results of a research project to quantify and improve the accuracy of point-of-care (POC) International Normalized Ratio (INR) values are reported. Methods The accuracy of POC INR values relative to laboratory-measured INR values was retrospectively assessed in a cohort of patients with same-day INR determinations by both methods. Univariate linear regression was performed to derive a correction factor for POC INR values of >3; this correction factor was validated in a second cohort. Results In the derivation cohort (259 patients and 344 paired INR results), agreement of POC values with corresponding laboratory INR values at two specified thresholds (±15% and ±25%) was 51.2% and 66.6%, respectively; for POC INR values of >3 ( n = 205), agreement was lower (24.9% and 44.9%, respectively). Univariate linear regression yielded a coefficient of 0.77 (95% confidence interval, 0.76–0.79; p 3 relative to laboratory values (from 7% to 71.1% at the lower threshold and from 23.5% to 88.8% at the higher threshold, p < 0.0001 for both comparisons). Conclusion Agreement between POC and laboratory INR results in one institution was poor, especially when POC INR values exceeded 3. Application of an institution-specific correction factor to POC INR values of >3 improved agreement with laboratory INR results but would not have significantly reduced differences in protocol-based warfarin dosage adjustments.
The gluttonous king: the effects of prey size and repeated feeding on predatory performance in kingsnakes

Constriction is an evolutionarily and functionally important behavior that many snakes use to subdue a variety of prey. However, little work has examined the effects of prey size on constriction performance. Furthermore, many snakes are known to feed even while previously consumed prey remain in the stomach. This temporary increase in mass may place constraints on subsequent performance. To test these effects, I investigated constriction performance in eastern kingsnakes Lampropeltis getula handling different sizes and quantities of rodent prey in two experiments by measuring coil length and peak constriction pressure. In the first experiment, constriction coil length and peak constriction pressure did not differ significantly between snakes feeding on either ‘small’ (5% relative prey mass, RPM) or ‘large’ (15% RPM) rodent prey. However, there was a significant interaction between prey size and repeated feeding. Snakes that had previously consumed large meals had significantly shorter coil lengths and lower peak constriction pressures when fed for a second time (reductions of 60 and 51%, respectively). In Experiment 2, snakes offered five sequential, similarly sized prey (@ 7% RPM), showed a regular decrease in coil length and peak constriction pressure across sequential feeding trials. During the final (fifth) trials, snakes used 45.7% shorter coils and exerted 50.1% lower peak constriction pressures. Thus, prey size alone did not affect constriction performance, but predation performance was significantly affected by the prior consumption of prey ≥7% RPM, and performance was further reduced during additional feeding trials.
Kruppel Like Factor 7 Suppresses Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Function

Abstract 2356 Kruppel like factor 7 (KLF7) expression is an independent predictor of poor outcome in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Flotho, et al; Blood 2007). In addition, KLF7 overexpression is associated with Imatinib-resistant CML (Cammarata, et al; Clinical Leukemia 2007). The kruppel like factor (KLF) family of transcription factors are involved in regulating cellular growth and differentiation in multiple tissue types. KLF7 is important for neurogenesis, and mice lacking KLF7 die perinatally with severe neurologic defects (Laub, et al; Mol Cell Biol 2005). While no specific role for KLF7 in hematopoiesis has been previously reported, loss of the closely related family member KLF6 is associated with defective blood cell production (Matsumoto, et al; Blood 2006), and other KLF family members are involved in multiple aspects of hematopoiesis. Targets of KLF7 include known regulators of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) function including TRKA, Cebp/a, and CDKN1A (p21). Normal HSPCs appear to have a low level of KLF7 expression based on RNA expression profiling of populations enriched for these cells. Given these findings, we hypothesized that KLF7 may play a role in regulating normal HSPC function, and may contribute to leukemogenesis or resistance to therapy. To test this hypothesis, we first analyzed the effect of the loss of KLF7 on hematopoiesis. Specifically, we generated Klf7 −/− fetal liver chimeras and characterized their hematopoiesis. Long-term multilineage engraftment of Klf7 −/− cells was comparable to control cells. Moreover, HSC self-renewal, as assessed by serial transplantation was not effected by the loss of KLF7. To model the effect of KLF7 overexpression on HSPC function, we generated retroviral and lentiviral vectors that express KLF7. KLF7 expression in wild type bone marrow cells transduced with KLF7 retrovirus was increased approximately 10-fold. Overexpression of KLF7 was associated with a marked suppression of myeloid progenitor cell growth, as assessed using colony-forming cell assays. Relative to the initial transduction efficiency, the number of myeloid colonies produced from KLF7-transduced cells compared to vector-alone transduced cells was reduced 5.7 ± 1.9 fold. We next assessed short- and long-term engraftment of KLF7-transduced cells by bone marrow transplantation. In experiments using bone marrow cells transduced with high efficiency (≥ 60% transduced cells), overexpression of KLF7 resulted in impaired radioprotection. Whereas all (12 of 12) recipients transplanted with control transduced cells survived, only 42% (5 out of 12) of recipients of KLF7 transduced cells survived more than two weeks after transplantation (P Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Should I Share That? Prompting Social Norms That Influence Privacy Behaviors on a Social Networking Site

This study examines how explicit and implicit cues to social norms affect disclosure and privacy decisions in a Social Network Site SNS context. Study 1 revealed that participants' disclosure behavior adhered to explicit cues indicating disclosure frequency norms, while implicit social norm cues i.e., surveillance primes acted to increase overall disclosure frequency and affect disclosure accuracy when explicit cues discourage disclosure. Study 2 explored how these cues affected privacy-setting decisions and found that explicit cues indicating others' privacy settings could increase how strictly participants set their privacy settings, but the implicit cues had no effect. These results suggest that explicit cues about SNS norms can trigger bandwagon heuristic processing, and that, under limited circumstances, surveillance primes can affect self-disclosure.
A Novel Redox Based Therapy Targets the Malignant Cellular Redox State

Redox active antioxidants offer a novel method of targeted cancer treatment. The altered redox state between cancer and normal cells provides a means for antioxidant compounds that can redox cycle to target the highthen redox state within malignant tissues via pro-oxidant effects, inducing cell death mechanisms. Conversely, the same treatment activates servival pathways in normal cells. We demonstrate the therapeutic effect of a MnSOD mimetic, Mn(III) mesotetrakis (N-n-butoxyethylpyridinium-2yl) porphyrin, MnBuOE (MnP) in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Quantitation of intracellular glutathione species demonstrates a difference in normal and malignant cellular redox states (Δ-13mV). MnP treatment results in cellular glutathione depletion leading to a change in the 2GSH/GSSG ratio and the cellular reduction potential. MnP treatment (20 μM) induces significant cytotoxicity in MDSL cells (p=2.0 E-6). Similar treatment of healthy cells isolated from human bone marrow increases cell viability in the CD34+CD38- (p=0.016) and CD34+CD38+ (p= 0.001) stem/progenitor cell populations. Transcriptional activity array analysis indicates that MnP activates the transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) in normal Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells but activates the activator protein 1 (AP-1) in MDSL cells. Biochemical analysis confirms AP-1 pathway activation in MnP treated MDSL cells and identifies JunB as a transcriptional mediator of MnP induced cytotoxicity. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis of JunB with its binding partners reveals a redox-based mechanism of JunB transcriptional activation via Ref-1; a protein specifically involved in the redox-modification of the JunB DNA binding region. The finding that MnP can target malignant cell redox states and exert selective cytotoxicity via differential activation of molecular pathways controlling cell fate will significantly aid development of safe, effective redox-active therapeutics for clinical applications.
Vagrancy and the Fantasy of Unproductive Writing in David Copperfield

Andrew Willson, “Vagrancy and the Fantasy of Unproductive Writing in David Copperfield” (pp. 192–217) Recent criticism of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield (1849–50) has often drawn attention to the eponymous character’s rise to respectable and productive professional authorship. This essay, however, considers the fact that one of David’s most formative experiences, the flight from London to Dover that removes him from the blacking warehouse and sets him on the path to a middle-class life, casts him as an instance of the most disrespectable, unproductive member of Victorian society: the vagrant who chooses not to work. As invested, then, as David Copperfield is in promoting traditional Victorian values such as earnestness and industriousness, it is equally committed to recuperating the value of unproductive acts in an industrial society. Yet, as the novel itself is evidence of Dickens’s abundant productivity, it clearly cannot do so without complications. From the complexities inherent in Dickens’s competing fascinations with participating in and escaping from the economic sphere, this essay argues, a picture emerges of the imaginative tools that Dickens uses to conceptualize literary value and provide solutions for his vexed relationship to the market. In David Copperfield, Dickens uses David’s vagrancy and mediating effects as narrator to suggest that even though his own novel is produced for the market, it is not defined by the market’s logic.
Refocusing Graduate Public Affairs Education: A Need for Diversity Competencies in Human Resource Management

It is generally agreed that diversity is a critical challenge for managers and that advancing organizational diversity is both an ethical and a pragmatic requirement for effective public administra...
Looting: The Puzzle of Private Equity

In 2007, The Blackstone Group (Blackstone), a publicly traded private equity firm, paid its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Steven Schwarzman roughly $350 million in cash compensation. Including the stock he received in connection with Blackstone’s public offering, Schwarzman’s personal compensation for the year was over $5 billion. 1 Five billion dollars is a stunningly large sum. For comparison, in 2007– 08, the Chicago public school system spent only $4.648 billion to fund 44,417 employees, including 24,664 teachers, to educate 408,601 students in 655 schools. 2 Alternatively, Schwarzman’s pay, by itself, could have paid for a Nimitz class aircraft carrier (approximately $4.5 billion), with enough left over to operate Princeton University for six months—all 5,400 employees and 160 buildings necessary to educate 7,085 students, publish 2,000 scholarly works per year, run a 6.5 million volume library and a museum with over 72,000 works of art, and generally operate one of the world’s great research universities. In 2006, four American hedge fund managers—James Simons, Kenneth Griffen, Edward Lampert and George Soros—reportedly received more
Abstract 2490: Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Infection in Patients With Non-Staphylococcus aureus Gram-Positive Coccal Bacteremia

Introduction: Infection is a serious complication of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) placement and requires device removal for attempted cure. The infection rate of and risk factors associated with cardiovascular implantable electronic device infection (CIEDI) in patients with gram-positive coccal (GPC) bacteremia excluding that due to Staphylococcus aureus have not been well studied. Methods: We retrospectively identified 74 consecutive patients with a permanent pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and non- S. aureus GPC bacteremia between 2001 and 2007. CIEDI was defined as presence of signs of infection at a generator site, lead vegetations on echocardiography or microbiological growth from device cultures. Results: CIEDI was present in 22 (30%) patients with bacteremia. The majority (n=18, 81%) of CIEDI occurred greater than 3 months after device implantation or manipulation. Risk factors associated with CIEDI are summarized in the table. The number of leads was associated with CIEDI (p=0.03). The rate of CIEDI in patients with coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CoNS) bacteremia was almost two-fold that of non-CoNS bacteremia (36% vs 20%, p=0.13). Community-acquired CoNS bacteremia was associated with a higher rate of CIEDI compared to health care-associated and nosocomial bacteremias combined (67% vs 25%, p=0.005). Among 44 patients without identifiable CIEDI who did not undergo device removal, 5 experienced relapse of bacteremia within 12 weeks of completing antibiotic therapy. CoNS accounted for all relapses (relapse rate =23%). Conclusion: CIEDI occurred in 30% of patients with non- S. aureus GPC bacteremia. A higher number of implanted leads was associated with a greater risk of CIEDI. Although the rate of CIEDI due CoNS bacteremia was not statistically significantly higher than that due to non-CoNS bacteremia, the almost 2-fold difference is likely clinically relevant and warrants further study.
A retrospective analysis of the impact of antithrombin III supplementation on the incidence of pegaspargase-induced venous thromboembolism.

e19006Background: Pegaspargase (PEG), a key component in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), can cause venous thromboembolism (VTE). Limited studies have explored the benefit of an...
Jeffrey Gil. (2017) Soft Power and the Worldwide Promotion of Chinese Language Learning: The Confucius Institute Project

This article reviews Soft Power and the Worldwide Promotion of Chinese Language Learning: The Confucius Institute Project 9781783098057
Bayesian deep learning for single-cell analysis.

A recent approach for single-cell RNA-sequencing data uses Bayesian deep learning to correct technical artifacts and enable accurate and multifaceted downstream analyses.
ClinTAD: a tool for copy number variant interpretation in the context of topologically associated domains

Standard clinical interpretation of DNA copy number variants (CNVs) identified by cytogenomic microarray involves examining protein-coding genes within the region and comparison to other CNVs. Emerging basic research suggests that CNVs can also exert a pathogenic effect through disruption of DNA structural elements such as topologically associated domains (TADs). To begin to integrate these discoveries with current practice, we developed ClinTAD, a free browser-based tool to assist with interpretation of CNVs in the context of TADs ( www.clintad.com ). We used ClinTAD to examine 209 randomly selected single-nucleotide polymorphism microarray cases with a total of 236 CNVs. We compared 118 CNVs classified as variants of uncertain clinical significance (VUS), where additional insight into pathogenicity of these CNVs would be of greatest utility, to 118 CNVs classified as benign. We found that a higher proportion of VUS had at least two genes in a nearby TAD related to a phenotype seen in the patient based on Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) annotation. We present example cases demonstrating scenarios where ClinTAD may either increase or decrease clinical suspicion of pathogenicity for VUS, depending on disruption of TAD boundaries and HPO phenotype match. ClinTAD is an easy-to-use tool, based on emerging research in chromatin architecture, that can help inform CNV interpretation.
Overview of results from the PHENIX Collaboration

Abstract At the Quark Matter 2018 conference, the PHENIX Collaboration gave 10 parallel talks and 19 posters on a wide variety of topics in small and large systems. In these proceedings we discuss a few key results shown at the conference.
Perineal excision of rectal procidentia in elderly high-risk patients: A ten-year experience

PURPOSE: This report presents a ten-year experience with perineal excision and posterior levator ani repair in elderly, high-risk patients with complete rectal procidentia. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with rectal prolapse were treated with perineal excision. Nine presented with acute incarcerated rectal prolapse. Mortality, morbidity, recurrence rates, and improvement of anal continence were assessed. RESULTS: Recurrence rate was 5.5 percent. Improvement in anal continence was seen in 66.7 percent of patients. Morbidity and mortality was low. CONCLUSIONS: Perineal excision of rectal prolapse is safe and has a low recurrence rate. Posterior levator ani repair seems to improve anal continence.
The Impact of Genes on Adolescent Substance Use: a Developmental Perspective

This review discusses the importance of understanding the impact of genetic factors on adolescent substance use within a developmental framework. Methods for identifying genetic factors, relevant endophenotypes and intermediate phenotypes, and gene-environment interplay effects will be reviewed. Prior work supports the role of polygenic variation on adolescent substance use. Mechanisms through which genes impact adolescent phenotypes consist of differences in neural structure and function, early temperamental differences, and problem behavior. Gene-environment interactions are characterized by increased vulnerability to both maladaptive and adaptive contexts. Developmental considerations in genetic investigations highlight the critical role that polygenic variation has on adolescent substance use. Yet, determining what to do with this information, especially in terms of personalized medicine, poses ethical and logistic challenges.
Concurrent Bilateral Anterior Tibial Stress Fractures and Vitamin D Deficiency in an Adolescent Female Athlete: Treatment With Early Surgical Intervention

Case: A 16-year-old African American multi-sport female athlete presents with bilateral worsening activity-related leg pain for 5 months. Multiple bilateral anterior tibial diaphyseal stress fractures and significant vitamin D deficiency were identified. She was treated with a combination of vitamin D supplements and static intramedullary nailing of the bilateral tibias resulting in clinical and radiographic healing and return to sports. Discussion: Vitamin D deficiency and high level of activity in a young athlete may be the etiology to atypical multiple stress fractures. In athletes who may want to return to sport rapidly, early operative intervention and correction of vitamin D deficiency may be treatment options. Level of Evidence: Level V- case report.
O18.6 Prenatal care entry among pregnant women with syphilis who use methamphetamines: a key to congenital syphilis prevention

Background In California, congenital syphilis (CS) increased for the fifth consecutive year in 2017, and contributed one third of CS cases in the United States. In response, state and local STD programs implemented CS prevention strategies. A CS Prevention Cascade monitors impact, assesses prenatal care (PNC) gaps, and estimates CS cases averted. Methods This analysis used 2017 California Project Area surveillance data for women diagnosed with syphilis during pregnancy or at delivery. Cases were assessed for the following, each met≥30 days prior to delivery: documented PNC, syphilis screening, treatment initiation, and treatment adequacy by stage. Data for each cascade bar included women counted in the preceding bar(s). The final bar represented the CS Prevention Ratio (CSPR) – the proportion of pregnant syphilis cases who did not deliver a CS infant. This cascade was then stratified by MU, defined as having either self-reported use upon interview or positive urine toxicology in pregnancy or at delivery. Three groups were identified: Non-MU (NMU); Positive-MU (PMU); Not interviewed (NI). A post-hoc stratified cascade included only pregnant syphilis cases with documented PNC, to explore how MU might impact CS case aversion once PNC is initiated. Results 616 women were included; 239/118/259 were NMU/PMU/NI respectively. Within these groups 95%/86%/71% met PNC criteria, 89%/81%/66% received syphilis screening, 84%/75%/63% initiated treatment, 82%/73%/61% met treatment adequacy, and CSPR were 79%/69%/59% (p Conclusion Compared to NMU, PMU and NI were associated with a decreased CSPR. When considering only those with documented PNC, significant differences between groups were not observed, suggesting PNC entry may be a key intervention for CS prevention. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Layer-by-Layer Freezing of Nanoconfined Water

Nanoconfined water plays a pivotal role in a vast number of fields ranging from biological and materials sciences to catalysis, nanofluidics and geochemistry. Here, we report the freezing and melting behavior of water (D2O) nanoconfined in architected silica-based matrices including Vycor glass and mesoporous silica SBA-15 and SBA-16 with pore diameters ranging between 4-15 nm, which are investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and 2H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results provide compelling evidence that the extreme dynamical heterogeneity of water molecules is preserved over distances as small as a few angstroms. Solidification progresses in a layer-by-layer fashion with a coexistence of liquid-like and solid-like dynamical fraction at all temperatures during the transition process. The previously reported fragile-to-strong dynamic transition in nanoconfined water is argued to be a direct consequence of the layer-by-layer solidification.