cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 705: Tumor intrinsic PD-L1 is mediated byBRAFV600Eand can regulate drug-induced apoptosis in human colon cancer

Resistance to chemotherapy remains a major obstacle to improving outcomes of cancer treatment. Recent data suggest intrinsic functions of immune checkpoint proteins, including PD-L1, that may be distinct from their immunoregulatory roles. We found that colorectal cancer (CRC) cells with mutant BRAF(V600E) or KRASalleles show increased PD-L1 transcripts and expression of cell surface PD-L1 protein compared to those with wild-type copies. Furthermore, ectopic expression of BRAFV600E or mutant KRAS induced PD-L1 whose upregulation was attenuated by inhibition of RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling. Combined knockdown of MEK/ERK effectors c-JUN and YAP markedly reduced PD-L1. Knockout of PD-L1 in RKO cells resulted in a reduction in chemotherapy-induced DNA double strand breaks (pH2AX) and caspase-3 cleavage compared to parental cells. Results were confirmed in PD-L1 knockout MC38 murine CRC cells where re-expression of PD-L1, but not its deletion mutants, was shown to induced pH2AX and apoptosis. In cells with knockout of PD-L1, reductions in p-AKT and the BH3-only proteins BIM and BIK were observed that could be restored by re-expression of PD-L1. Treatment of cells with an anti-PD-L1 antibody reduced p-AKT, BIM and BIK, and also attenuated chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Re-expression of BIM in PD-L1 knockout cells restored apoptosis. Murine tumor xenografts generated from cells with knockout of PD-L1 displayed resistance to oxaliplatin-induced tumor regression compared to tumors derived from parental cells. Using TCGA datasets, human CRCs with high vs low PD-L1 mRNA levels were significantly associated with better survival. In summary, we identified a non-immune function of tumor cell-intrinsic PD-L1 that upregulates BH3-only proteins BIM and BIK to promote apoptosis, thereby suggesting its potential as a predictive biomarker. Citation Format: Daofu Feng, Krishnendu Pal, Debabrata Mukhopadhyay, Xin Liu, Haidong Dong, Shengbing Huang, Frank A. Sinicrope. Tumor intrinsic PD-L1 is mediated by BRAFV600E and can regulate drug-induced apoptosis in human colon cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 705.
Anticipatory effects on lower extremity kinetics during a land and cross step maneuver in female volleyball players.

Background Anticipation has been previously shown to affect lower extremity mechanics during both landing and cutting maneuvers. However, little research has been conducted looking at the effects of anticipation on lower body kinetics and kinematics during a land and cross step maneuver, which due to similar kinematics, may elicit injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate competitive female volleyball players and the effect of anticipation on lower extremity mechanics during a landing and subsequent cross stepping maneuver. Methods Twelve female, college-level volleyball players performed right and left cross step maneuvers following a landing under anticipated and unanticipated conditions. Kinetics were measured for the ankle, knee and hip of the dominant limb during the landing phase of the land and cross step anticipatory conditions. Results An interaction effect (anticipation x direction; P=0.001) was observed for vertical ground reaction force (VGRF), in which greater VGRF was found during unanticipated pivoting maneuvers. Additional interaction effects were determined for ankle (P=0.004) and hip (P=0.037) power absorption, in which greater absorption was found during anticipated, push off conditions. Frontal plant knee kinetics revealed a higher-order interaction, as a larger knee adduction moment was shown during anticipated, push off trials (P=0.001). Conclusions High risk cross step maneuvers were found during unanticipated and anticipated conditions, as athletes demonstrated movement mechanics that may increase the risk of knee injury when performing movements away from the dominant limb. Consideration should be given to drills familiarizing volleyball players with unanticipated and anticipated changes of direction, as well as improving strength of the lower extremity muscles required to effectively decelerate the body, as both training modalities may minimize injury risk during cross step maneuvers.
Limiting spectral measures for random matrix ensembles with a polynomial link function

Consider the ensembles of real symmetric Toeplitz matrices and real symmetric Hankel matrices whose entries are i.i.d. random variables chosen from a fixed probability distribution p of mean 0, variance 1, and finite higher moments. Previous work on real symmetric Toeplitz matrices shows that the spectral measures, or densities of normalized eigenvalues, converge almost surely to a universal near-Gaussian distribution, while previous work on real symmetric Hankel matrices shows that the spectral measures converge almost surely to a universal non-unimodal distribution. Real symmetric Toeplitz matrices are constant along the diagonals, while real symmetric Hankel matrices are constant along the skew diagonals. We generalize the Toeplitz and Hankel matrices to study matrices that are constant along some curve described by a real-valued bivariate polynomial (other authors refer to the dependencies among the matrix elements as arising from a link function). Using the Method of Moments and an analysis of the resulting Diophantine equations, we show that the spectral measures associated with linear bivariate polynomials converge in probability and almost surely to universal non-semicircular distributions. We prove that for certain choices these limiting distributions approach the semicircle in the limit of large values of the polynomial coefficients. We then prove that the spectral measures associated with the sum or difference of any two real-valued polynomials with different degrees converge in probability and almost surely to a universal semicircular distribution.
Human Langerhans-Type Dendritic Cells Break Tolerance against the Tumor Antigen, WT1, by a Largely IL-15-Dependent Mechanism.

The Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1) gene encodes a transcription factor essential for cell growth and development, but overexpression in many leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, and solid tumors correlates with poor prognosis. The WT1 protein could therefore serve as a therapeutic target, if tolerance could be broken against this self-differentiation, tumor-associated antigen (TAA). Vaccination protocols using peptide-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) to induce anti-tumor responses present only defined epitopes restricted to certain human leukocyte antigens (HLA). In contrast, vaccination with mRNA-electroporated DCs supports processing and presentation of multiple TAA epitopes tailored to patient-specific HLA. Human Langerhans-type dendritic cells (LCs) derived from CD34 + hematopoietic progenitors are superior to other conventional DC subtypes, like monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs), in producing IL-15 to generate MHC-restricted, Ag-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL). Mature LCs transcribe 3 to 5-fold higher amounts of IL-15R-alpha mRNA and express the highest levels of IL-15R-alpha protein compared with other conventional DCs as measured by real-time RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence microscopy (P in trans to stimulate lytic T cell responses. We therefore compared the ability of LCs and moDCs electroporated with WT1 mRNA to break tolerance against this self-differentiation TAA by generating CTLs against WT1 + tumor cells. After a single 7-day round of stimulation at T cell:LC ratio of only 10:1 to 30:1 and in the absence of exogenous IL-15, T cells stimulated by WT-1-electroporated LCs lyse 85–95% of a WT-1 + tumor cell line. MoDCs are completely incapable of generating WT-1-specific CTL under comparable conditions and require exogenous IL-15 10ng/ml to generate 70–80% specific lysis of WT-1 + targets. Lysis of a WT-1- HLA-A*0201 + target cell line or NK cell-sensitive LCL721.221 targets is at background levels ( + HLA-A*0201 + blasts from a patient with AML after 7 days’ coculture at a T cell:LC ratio of 10:1 without exogenous IL-15. These results demonstrate a major role for the IL-15R-alpha-IL-15 complex on LCs in expanding anti-tumor cytolytic T cells and breaking tolerance against self-differentiation Ags like WT1. These data also support the use of IL-15-producing LCs in active immunization or expansion of T cells ex vivo for adoptive immunotherapy.
Textured Lives: Women, Art, and Representation in Modern Mexico

During the eight decades in the evolution of the modern Mexican nation, shifting relations of power have constantly met with voices of opposition that challenge the national vision of progress and unity. Textured Lives explores some of these cracks in the Mexican national edifice through the cultural practices of women in literature and the arts, focusing on individuals who represent crucial phases in Mexico's cultural history: Frida Kahlo and postrevolutionary nationalism, Rosario Castellanos and the promises of institutionalized revolution, Elena Poniatowska and the legacy of 1968, and Angeles Mastretta and the "golden age" of the oil boom.CONTENTS1. Frida Kahlo's Cult of the Body: Self-Portrait, Magical Realism, and the Cosmic Race2. Rosario Castellanos and the Confessions of Literary Journalism3. Updating the Epistolary Canon: Bodies and Letters, Bodies of Letters in Elena Poniatowska's Querido Diego, te abraza Quiela and Gaby Brimmer4. Popular Music as the Nexus of History, Memory, and Desire in Angeles Mastretta's Arrancame la vida"
Factors associated with antibiotic prescribing for acute bronchitis at a university health center.

Antibiotics are not indicated for treating acute bronchitis cases, yet up to 70% of adult acute bronchitis medical visits in the USA result in an antibiotic prescription. Reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for acute bronchitis is a key antibiotic stewardship goal set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Understanding what factors influence prescribing for bronchitis cases can inform antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. The goal of this study was to identify factors associated with antibiotic prescribing at a high-volume student health center at a large US university. The Pennsylvania State University Health Services offers on-campus medical care to a population of over 40,000 students and receives over 50,000 visits every year. We conducted a retrospective chart review of acute bronchitis visits for the 2015–2016 academic year and used a multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify variables associated with antibiotic prescribing. Findings during lung exams increased the likelihood of an antibiotic prescription (rales OR 13.95, 95% CI 3.31–80.73; rhonchi OR 5.50, 95% CI 3.08–10.00; percussion abnormality OR 13.02, 95% CI 4.00–50.09). Individual clinicians had dramatically different rates of prescribing (OR range 0.03–12.3). Male patients were more likely than female patients to be prescribed antibiotics (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.17–2.41). Patients who reported longer duration since the onset of symptoms were slightly more likely to receive prescriptions (OR 1.04 per day, 95% CI 1.03–1.06), as were patients who reported worsening symptoms (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.03–3.10). Visits with diagnoses or symptoms associated with viral infections or allergies were less likely to result in prescriptions (upper respiratory tract infection (URI) diagnosis OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.18–0.58; sneezing OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.17–0.86; vomiting OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.10–0.83). An exam finding of anterior cervical lymphadenopathy was associated with antibiotic prescribing (tender OR 3.85, 95% CI 1.70–8.83; general OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.25–5.54). Suspicious findings during lung examinations (rales, rhonchi, percussion abnormality) and individual healthcare providers were important factors influencing antibiotic prescribing rates for acute bronchitis visits. Patient gender, worsening symptoms, duration of illness, symptoms associated with viral infections or allergies, and anterior cervical lymphadenopathy also influenced prescribing rates.
Toward the Golden Bull and against the Pope: The Role of Custom and Honor in King Ludwig IV's Nuremberg and Frankfurt Appellations (1323–24)

This article addresses the onset of a decades-long conflict between the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire King Ludwig IV of Bavaria and the papacy. When Ludwig intervened on behalf of antipapal factions in northern Italy in 1323, Pope John XXII issued an ultimatum demanding that Ludwig immediately cease to exercise the royal power and title on the pretext that he had never received papal approval of his royal election. Failure to comply meant that the king would fall under sentence of excommunication. Ludwig responded with nearly identical appeals issued in Nuremberg and Frankfurt. Against previous arguments that these appeals were either legal documents operating within the confines of Roman Canon law or artifacts of protomodern realpolitik, this article argues that the “Nuremberg” and “Frankfurt Appellations” emerged from the king's preoccupation with his honor. His Appellations utilized the language and form of Roman Canon law to defame his opponent while he sought to ennoble and justify his actions with a rhetoric mirroring that in supposed repositories of imperial customary law such as the Sachsen- and Schwabenspiegel. In arguing that German custom superseded the jurisdiction of papal law in his Appellations, Ludwig elevated a discourse concerning royal elections to the highest levels of imperial politics where it would remain and find inclusion, in intent if not precise formulation, in the famed Golden Bull of 1356.
Role of von Willebrand Factor in COVID-19 Associated Coagulopathy.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) can present with symptoms ranging from none to severe. Thrombotic events occur in a significant number of patients with COVID-19, especially in critically ill patients. This apparent novel form of coagulopathy is termed COVID-19 associated coagulopathy and endothelial derived von Willebrand factor (vWF) may play an important role in its pathogenesis. CONTENT: vWF is a multimeric glycoprotein molecule that is involved in inflammation, primary and secondary hemostasis. Studies have shown that patients with COVID-19 have significantly elevated levels of vWF antigen and activity, likely contributing to an increased risk of thrombosis seen in CAC. The high levels of both vWF antigen and activity have been clinically correlated with worse outcomes. Furthermore, the severity of a COVID-19 infection appears to reduce molecules that regulate vWF level and activity such as ADAMT-13 and high density lipoproteins (HDL). Finally, studies have suggested that patients with blood group O (a blood group with lower than baseline levels of vWF) have a lower risk of infection and disease severity compared to other blood groups; however, more studies are needed to elucidate the role of vWF. SUMMARY: CAC is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality. Endothelial dysfunction with the release of pro-thrombotic factors, such as vWF, needs further examination as a possible important component in the pathogenesis CAC.
Making Citizens in Africa: Ethnicity, Gender, and National Identity in Ethiopia

Introduction Part I. The Challenge: Unequal Citizenship: 1. Comparative perspectives on citizen-creation in Africa 2. The historical context for modern Ethiopian citizenship Part II. The Response: The State and Its Citizens: 3. Popular responses to unequal citizenship 4. A referendum on ethnic identity and the claims of citizenship 5. No going back on self-determination for the Oromo 6. Ethiopian women and citizenship rights deferred Conclusion.
Ring Expansions of Oxiranes and Oxetanes

This chapter is focused on recently published (2006–2014) oxirane and oxetane ring-expansion reactions. The majority of these advances employ oxirane substrates, the discussion of which is broken into five thematic sections representing insertions, cascades, metal-free, metal-catalyzed, and miscellaneous strategies. Oxetane ring-expansion reactions are still rare and are discussed together in one section. A concise graphical summary has been created for every new contribution to this area, highlighting reagents, reaction conditions, scope, mechanistic proposals, and asymmetry where applicable. This review chapter should enable researchers new to the field to quickly assess the current state of the art.
Ease of suturing surgical fabrics: A quantitative evaluation

Summary Based on the definition that suturability is the amount of force required to puncture a graft using a surgical needle, a simple testing procedure was devised, using an Instron testing machine to measure the suturability of a number of vascular graft materials. The grafts tested, in order of preference were Cooley double velour, Weavenit, Sauvage filamentous, Cooley knitted, DeBakey woven, and Cooley woven. It has been shown that the suturability of a graft is directly related to its water porosity and the size of the needle used.
Average case analysis of learning k -CNF concepts

Abstract We present an approach to modeling the average case behavior of an algorithm for learning Conjunctive Normal Form (CNF, i.e., conjunctions of disjunctions). Our motivation is to predict the expected error of the learning algorithm as a function of the number of training examples from a known distribution. We extend the basic model to address issues that arise if the data contain attribute noise. We show how the analysis can lead to insight into the behavior of the algorithm and the factors that affect the error. We make certain independence assumptions during the derivation of the average case model and we demonstrate that the predictions of the model account for a large percentage of the variation in error when these assumptions are violated.
Chronic myelocytic leukemia in pregnancy: a case report describing successful treatment using multimodal therapy.

Leukemia during pregnancy is rare, posing a complex series of questions, including appropriate therapy and maternal counseling. Management of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) during pregnancy is limited. Our patient presented at 30 weeks' gestation with anemia, leukocytosis, and a non-productive cough. Polymerase chain reaction performed on a peripheral blood sample confirmed presence of the breakpoint cluster region-Abl1 chromosomal translocation and the diagnosis of CML. Therapy included acute leukocytapheresis, followed by α-interferon and imatinib mesylate. The patient responded to treatment and delivered a viable female infant at term weighing 2613 g. Continued imatinib mesylate chemotherapy post-delivery resulted in complete clinical remission. Successful antepartum management of newly diagnosed CML is possible utilizing leukocytapheresis, α-interferon and, more recently, imatinib mesylate. Definitive treatment should not be delayed due to pregnancy.
An Early Unrecorded London Variant of "The Raven"

A fter appearing in at least thirteen different American publications from February to May 1845 [Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore, “Edgar Allan Poe–The Raven,” http://eapoe.org/works/info/pp073.htm (accessed 9 June 2010)], “The Raven” crossed the Atlantic, appearing in the 14 June 1845 issue of the Critic of London [148]. It did not emerge again in a publication of that country until early 1846 with the London edition of The Raven and Other Poems (hereinafter RAOP) [Charles F. Heartman and James R. Canny, A Bibliography of First Printings of the Writings of Edgar Allan Poe . . . , rev. ed. (Hattiesburg, MS: Book Farm, 1943), 103; also see Works, 1:359– 64, 578–82]. Shortly thereafter, the London Athenaeum reprinted the poem in its entirety within a generally negative review of RAOP in its 28 February 1846 issue [215–16]. Elizabeth Barrett claimed in an April 1846 letter to Poe that the poem “produced a sensation, a ‘fit horror’ ” [see The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe (New York: AMS Press, 1965), 17:229]. Perhaps she was merely exaggerating the poem’s effect as a polite means of thanking Poe for dedicating RAOP to her, but assuming it did indeed create a “fit horror,” such a public reaction would had to have been the result of reprinting the poem in widely circulated magazines in addition to the limited number of copies of RAOP. Furthermore, the poem would have had to appear in a widely distributed periodical with a target audience of intellectual English ladies to reach the members of Elizabeth Barrett’s social group in sufficient number to cause such a stir. Curiously, then, at the date of her letter, the Critic and the Athenaeum are the only two recorded British periodicals that carried the text of the poem. Because the Critic version had been out for almost a year and the
Children's Learning Revisited: The Contemporary Scope of the Modified Spence Discrimination Theory

Publisher Summary This chapter explores a return to the development of learning theory and the study of basic learning processes in children and reviews the current scope of the modified Spence theory. It summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of the theory in its present form. The addition of the stimulus interaction principle and the axioms concerned with cue-producing responses has resulted in an encouragingly significant extension in the scope of the theory, making it a reasonably rigorous competitor for any extant discrimination learning theory. It accounts for a wide range of phenomena involving generalization behavior and discrimination learning. Furthermore, the development of techniques for estimating the values of stimulus parameters in the performance equations provides more precise predictions than are available with most existing learning theories. In spite of its successes, work remains to be done in a number of areas in the context of the existing theory. In its present form, the theory does not provide for systematic change over trials with respect to either the distinctiveness of the response-produced cues or the dimensional values to which the cue-producing responses are made.
On characterizing optimization-based clustering methods

This paper suggests a simplification of a recent approach suggested by Windham to characterizing optimization-based clustering methods. The simplification is based on noting an analogy between certain quantities in Windham's formulation and corresponding quantities in mathematical statistics, particularly sufficient statistics and the exponential family of densities.
Properties of Statistical Equilibrium Equations: Positivity and Uniqueness

While linear statistical equilibrium equations play an important role in the description of nonequilibrium processes in astrophysics, some of their basic mathematical properties, such as uniqueness and positivity, have not been fully explored. In this paper these properties are related to concepts of connectivity from the theory of continuous-time Markov chains. For the irreducible case (in which every state is connected to every other state, either directly or through intermediate states), the solution is shown to be positive and unique when one positive normalization condition is provided. It is then shown how a general linear statistical equilibrium problem can be reduced by dividing the system into inessential and essential states and then partitioning the latter into separate irreducible subproblems. It is shown that: (1) The inessential states all have zero populations. If a positive normalization condition is imposed separately on each irreducible subproblem, then (2) the essential states all have positive populations and (3) the overall solution is unique.
Path Sensitive Analysis for Security Flaws

Despite increasing efforts in detecting and managing software security flaws, the number of security attacks is still rising every year. As software becomes more complex, security flaws are more easily introduced into a software system and more difficult to eliminate. In this talk, I present our research on the development of a framework for detecting and managing security flaws. The key idea is to develop static analysis tools to determine program paths that lead to various types of vulnerabilities. I describe a path-sensitive analysis that can handle a number of software vulnerabilities, including buffer overflow, integer errors, violation of safety properties, and flaws that can cause denial of service. The novelty of the work is that we address the scalability of path-sensitive analysis using a demand-driven algorithm, to provide both precision and scalability. We first develop a general vulnerability model to easily specify new types of vulnerabilities or application specific security flaws to guide our demand-driven analysis. Our analysis starts at the program points where vulnerability could possibly occur. A partial reversal of the dataflow analysis is performed to determine the types of paths with regard to feasibility and vulnerability, including the severity of the vulnerability. With this technique, we are able to more precisely identify vulnerabilities. Our experiments show that we are able to detect and classify more vulnerabilities than current tools and the analysis scales to above 1 million lines of code. We also provide information about the vulnerability to help with the user understand and remove its root cause.
Three Wavelength Optical Alignment Of The Nova Laser

The Nova laser, presently under construction at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, will be capable of delivering more than 100 kJ of focused energy to an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) target. Operation at the fundamental wavelength of the laser (1.05 Am) and at the second and third harmonic will be possible. This paper will discuss the optical alignment systems and techniques being implemented to align the laser output to the target at these wavelengths prior to each target irradiation. When experiments require conversion of the laser light to wavelengths of 0.53 μm and 0.35 μm prior to target irradiation, this will be accomplished in harmonic conversion crystals located at the beam entrances to the target chamber. The harmonic alignment system will be capable of introducing colinear alignment beams of all three wavelengths into the laser chains at the final spatial filter. The alignment beam at 1.05 μm will be about three cm in diameter and intense enough to align the conversion crystals. Beams at 0.53 μm and 0.35 Am will be expanded by the spatial filter to full aperture (74 cm) and used to illuminate the target and other alignment aids at the target chamber focus. This harmonic illumination system will include viewing capability as well. A final alignment sensor will be located at the target chamber. It will view images of the chamber focal plane at all three wavelengths. In this way, each beam can be aligned at the desired wavelength to produce the focal pattern required for each target irradiation. The design of the major components in the harmonic alignment system will be described, and a typical alignment sequence for alignment to a target will be presented.
When a nudge becomes a shove.

Although we agree with Whyte, Selinger, Caplan, and Sadowski (2012) that Thaler and Sunstein's (2008) mandated choice proposal is problematic, we disagree with their views (1) that the most rationa...
Covalent linkage of heparin provides a stable anti-coagulation surface of decellularized porcine arteries

Abstract Introduction: Establishing thrombosis resistant surface is crucial to develop successful tissue engineered small diameter vascular grafts for arterial reconstructive procedures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability and anticoagulation properties of heparin covalently linked to decellularized porcine carotid arteries. Methods: Porcine carotid arteries were obtained from a local abattoir. Cellular components of the arteries were completely removed with a newly developed method of decellularization. Heparin was covalently linked to the decellularized vessels by a chemical reaction of the carboxyl end of amino acids with hydroxylamine sulfate salt and heparin-EDC. Bound heparin contents were measured by a quantitative colorimetric assay of toludine blue staining. Anti-coagulation property of bound heparin was determined with a clotting time assay using both human and pig fresh blood. In vivo platelet deposition of the vessel was carried out with a baboon model of the femoral arteriovenous external shunt and 111 Indium labeling of platelets. Results: The average content of heparin in treated vessels was 35.6 ± 11.6 mg/g tissue (ranging from 31 to 42 mg/g tissue), which represented 6.21 ± 2.03 UPS heparin/cm 2 tissue (ranging from 5 to 8 UPS/cm 2 tissue). The stability of heparin linkage was tested by incubating the heparin linked vessels either in PBS at 37°C or in 70% alcohol at room temperature up to 21 days, showing no significant reduction of heparin content. Furthermore, several vessels were stored in 70% alcohol for more than 2 years and the contents of bound heparin was not reduced. Standardized small pieces (3.3 × 3.3 mm 2 ) of non-heparin bound vessels were clotted in both human and pig fresh blood within 13 min, while all heparin bound vessels did not form clot during 1 hour observation. There were 1.38 ± 0.07 × 10 9 , and 0.64 ± 0.11 × 10 9 baboon platelets deposited on the control and heparin linked vessels, respectively, at 60 min. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that covalent linkage of heparin provides an effective and stable anti-coagulation surface of decellularized porcine carotid arteries. This study may suggest a new strategy to develop tissue engineered biological vascular grafts which could use for human coronary or low extremity artery bypasses.
O-22 - Examining the comorbidity of bipolar disorder and autism spectrum disorders: a large controlled analysis of phenotypic and familial correlates in youth with bipolar disorder

Objective This study examines the clinical and familial correlates of bipolar disorder (BPD) when it occurs with and without autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comorbidity in a well characterized research referred population of youth with BPD. We hypothesized that in youth with BPD the clinical and familial correlates of BPD will be comparable irrespective of the comorbidity with ASD. Method Clinical correlates and familial risk was assessed using data from a large family study of youth with bipolar I disorder (BPD-I; probands N = 157; relatives N = 487). Findings in BPD-I youth were compared with those of youth with ADHD without BPD-I (probands N = 162; relatives N = 511) and age and sex matched controls without BPD-I or ADHD (probands N = 136; relatives N = 411). All subjects were comprehensively assessed using structured diagnostic interviews and a wide range of non overlapping measures assessing multiple dimensions of functioning. Results Thirty percent (47/155) of the BPD-I probands met criteria for ASD. The age at onset of BPD was significantly earlier in the presence of ASD comorbidity (4.7±2.9 vs. 6.3±3.7 years; p = 0.01). The phenotypic and familial correlates of BPD were similar in youth with and without ASD comorbidity. Conclusion A clinically significant minority of youth with BPD-I suffers from comorbid ASD. Phenotypic and familial correlates of BPD were typical of the disorder in the presence of ASD comorbidity. BPD-I comorbidity with ASD represents a very severe psychopathologic state in youth.
Adenylate cyclase activity of adrenal chromaffin vesicles.

Summary Biochemical studies have provided conflicting interpretation as to the presence of adenylate cyclase in or on the chromaffin vesicle of the adrenal medulla. Various histochemical procedures were employed and a slight amount of reaction product was detected. It is suggested that a small amount of adenylate cyclase is associated with the chromaffin vesicle.
Business Incubators in China: A Financial Services Perspective

The business incubation industry in China has been booming since the mid-1990s. However, the lack of a well-developed financial services sector has become a major bottleneck to the growth of the industry. Based on our visits to 12 Chinese business incubators around the country and interviews with their executives, we present our perspective on the state of the incubator industry in China with special emphasis on incubators' financial services for their incubatees.
Florida Senate Bill 1108: A Case Study and Analysis of Implications and Impact

In the summer of 2013, the State of Florida passed legislation that, among other things, gave parents of students with significant cognitive disabilities the right to refuse a separate curriculum and/or school for their child. This case frames the legal ramifications of Florida Senate Bill 1108 through the lens of the landmark Supreme Court case Schaffer v. Weast. In doing so, it will explore how one family’s struggle to navigate the special education system has taken on a new life in light of this legislation.
The value of a complete blood count in predicting cancer of the colon

Abstract Mortality from colon cancer could be reduced with routine screening, yet screening rates are low. Current screening tools are limited by expense and suboptimal acceptance. A retrospective case–control study of all cases of colon cancer diagnosed at our institution over a 5-year period was performed to determine the frequency of blood count abnormalities in these patients upon presentation. One hundred twenty-seven patients had right-sided colon cancer: 107 (84%) had an elevated red cell distribution width (RDW); 87 (69%) had anemia; and 70 (55%) had a low mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Ninety-eight patients had left-sided colon cancer: 49 (50%) had an elevated red cell distribution width; 43 (44%) had anemia; and 22 (22%) had a low mean corpuscular volume. The red cell distribution width was 84% sensitive and 88% specific for right-sided colon cancer. An elevated red cell distribution width may help better identify those patients who should be referred for full colonoscopy.
Officer Orientations toward the Community: The Impact of Police Bureaucracy

This study examines why police officers have positive or negative orientations toward the communities they serve. Orientations are measured by respondent agreement or disagreement with two statements: "I often encounter situations where my professional standards are in conflict with the expectations of the community" and "The people in this city don't seem to appreciate, on the whole, what good police services are all about." The hypothesis is that officer orientations are much more affected by factors related to their memberships in a department than by their direct, off-duty community involvements and their personal histories. Data were obtained in a survey of rank-and-file officers in two urban departments.
On random oracle separations

Abstract It is shown that (1) if PH ≠ PSPACE, then ProbA[PH(A) and IP(A) are not comparable] = 1, and (2) AM∩co-AM ≠ BPP if and only if there exists a uniform witness to the separation for almost every set A, of NP(A)∩co-NP(A) from P(A).
Variations in the Measured Carrier Lifetimes of n- 4H-SiC Epilayers

The effects of measurement technique and measurement conditions (injection level, temperature) on the measured carrier lifetimes in n- 4H-SiC epilayers are investigated. For three optical measurement techniques, it is shown that the high and low injection lifetimes can vary dramatically. Differences in the lifetime for varying injection level and temperature are approached both experimentally and via carrier dynamics simulations, assuming Z1/Z2 as the dominant defect. Reasonable agreement between measured and calculated behavior is obtained, as is insight into the recombination kinetics associated with the lifetime limiting defect.
New multiagent coordination optimization algorithms for mixed-binary nonlinear programming with control applications

Mixed-binary nonlinear programming (MBNP), which can be used to optimize network structure and network parameters simultaneously, has been seen widely in applications of cyber-physical network systems. However, it is quite challenging to develop efficient algorithms to solve it practically. On the other hand, swarm intelligence based optimization algorithms can simulate the cooperation and interaction behaviors from social or nature phenomena to solve complex, nonconvex nonlinear problems with high efficiency. Hence, motivated by this observation, we propose a class of new computationally efficient algorithms called coupled spring forced multiagent coordination optimization (CSFMCO), by exploiting the chaos-like behavior of two-mass two-spring mechanical systems to improve the ability of algorithmic exploration and thus to fast solve the MBNP problem. Together with the continuous version of CSFMCO, a binary version of CSFMCO and a switching version between continuous and binary versions are presented. Moreover, to numerically illustrate our proposed algorithms, a formation control problem and resource allocation problem for cyber-physical networks are investigated by using the proposed algorithms.
Fermi Surface and Electronic Structure of Indium

The available cyclotron-resonance, size-effect, and de Haas-van Alphen data in indium are compared with the geometry of the Fermi surface defined by secular equations of up to sixth order. The principal Fourier coefficients appearing in the secular equation are found from a simple form factor with a single adjustable parameter. The possible topologies of the Fermi surface are considered systematically in terms of structure plots appropriate to the points of high symmetry in the zone. It is found that a form factor consistent with transport properties, and which accurately reproduces the experimental dimensions on the $\ensuremath{\beta}$-arms, is sufficiently strong to remove all but minute, disconnected remanants of the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-type arms near the symmetry points $K$. Band structure, density of states, and cyclotron masses are calculated, and the electron-phonon enhancement of these and of the specific-heat mass is estimated from the final form factor.
Timing synchronization in high mobility OFDM systems

OFDM systems are sensitive to timing synchronization errors. Utilizing pilot-aided channel estimators in OFDM systems can further increase this sensitivity. This is shown in Y. Mostofi et al. (Oct. 2002) where authors have analyzed the-effect of such errors on a pilot-aided channel estimator in a fixed wireless environment. They proposed an algorithm that exploits this sensitivity to improve timing synchronization without additional training overhead. The effect of these errors and design of suitable synchronization algorithms for high mobility applications, however, have not been studied before. In this paper we extend the analysis in Y. Mostofi et al. (Oct. 2002) to high mobility environments. Timing synchronization becomes more challenging for mobile applications since power-delay profile of the channel may change-rapidly due to the sporadic birth and death of the channel paths. We find analytical expressions for channel estimation error in the presence of timing synchronization errors and mobility. We show that the sensitivity of the channel estimator can still be exploited to improve timing synchronization in high mobility environments. Then we extend the algorithm proposed in Y. Mostofi et al. (Oct. 2002) to high mobility applications. Finally simulation results show the performance of the algorithm in high delay and Doppler spread environments.
Applications of acoustics in insect pest management

Acoustic technology has been applied for many years in studies of insect communication and in the monitoring of calling-insect population levels, geographic distributions and species diversity, as well as in the detection of cryptic insects in soil, wood, container crops and stored products. Acoustic devices of various sizes and power levels have been used successfully to trap insect pests that exhibit phonotaxis or other orientation behaviours, including mosquitoes, midges, mole crickets, field crickets, moths, cockroaches and Tephritid fruit flies. The attractiveness of traps depends on the behaviour, physiological state and age of the target insect, and varies with several environmental factors, including temperature and light level. Widespread adoption of acoustics for trapping has been limited by the costs of instrumentation and the relatively small segments of insect populations (e.g. mate-seeking adults of a limited age-range) that are attracted to a sound source, but trapping effectiveness often can be improved by adding swarm markers, chemical attractants or black lights, and by precisely timing temporal and frequency patterns to match the natural communication signals. There remains potential for using ultrasonic bat-cry signals to disrupt behaviour of night-flying insects, but ultrasonic signals have little effect on insects that are not normally preyed upon by bats. Potential areas for growth in the use of acoustic technology in pest management include the production of signals that disrupt vibrational communication, particularly in the Hemiptera, and the development of control treatments that combine pheromones and precisely patterned sonic or vibrational signals.
An intermediate-temperature direct ammonia fuel cell with a molten alkaline hydroxide electrolyte

Abstract This paper describes the development and testing of a direct ammonia fuel cell utilizing a molten alkaline hydroxide electrolyte at temperatures between 200 and 450 °C. The advantages of a molten hydroxide fuel cell include the use of a highly conductive and very low-cost electrolyte, inexpensive base metal electrocatalysts, a wide operating temperature range, fuel flexibility, and fast electrode kinetics. The direct use of ammonia in such a fuel cell, even at temperatures as low as 200 °C, is made possible due to the very chemically aggressive nature of the melt. A test cell was constructed using a KOH–NaOH eutectic mixture and produced approximately 40 mW cm −2 of power at 450 °C while operating on a stream of pure ammonia fed to the anode and compressed ambient air fed to the cathode.
New Perspectives on Immigrant Adaptation.

Abstract Perspectives on immigrant adaptation have evolved according to changes in the needs of the U.S. labor market and the nature of immigrant groups themselves. For over 50 years, explanations of acculturation and assimilation emphasized individualistic factors reflecting the stratification achieved by immigrants. More recent studies focus on changes in the U.S. economy and the mode of incorporation by immigrants. Immigrant adaptation depends less upon individual characteristics than whether they are incorporated into the primary, secondary, or enclave sectors of the economy.
Chemical equilibrium studies on the copper-sulfuric acid-kelex 100-xylene system

A thermodynamic equilibrium model is developed for the distribution of copper between the phases for the system copper-sulfuric acid-xylene-/3-alkenyl 8-hydroxyquinoline. Chemical equilibrium data were obtained for the range of experimental parameters of [Cu] aq, i T (0.005 to 0.02 mol/dm3), [S]T (0.05 to 0.2 mol/dm3), extractant (0.02 to 0.06 mol/dm3), and temperature (20 to 50 ‡C). The nonlinear regression analysis best fit model is ln(Dαo/γCusu++) = 3.83 + 642(1/T - 1/308) +2 ln([HR]/[H+]γH +) whereD is the distribution coefficient, αo is the reciprocal of the degree of formation of copper ion, and γ refers to activity coefficients of ionic species. The analysis of the data considers the aqueous phase ionic equilibria and a technique to estimate the impurities present in the reagent. The results indicate that the enthalpy of the reaction and the entropy change are -5338 J/mol and 14.5 J/mol · K, respectively. Also, the stoichiometric coefficient of two, determined for the extractant with cupric ion, is in agreement with other investigators.
The Evaluation and Treatment of Lower Eyelid Paralysis

The lower eyelid conforms precisely across its length to the complex topography of the cornea, conjunctiva, and globe. Along with the upper eyelid, it protects the eye from foreign bodies, prevents desiccation, and helps circulate the tear film from its origin in the lacrimal gland to its drainage at the lacrimal puncta. Paralysis of the lower eyelid may result in ectropion, lid laxity, epiphora, and lagophthalmos. This article presents a structural approach to the evaluation and treatment of lower eyelid paralysis and describes the surgical procedures designed to correct the three-dimensional anatomic abnormalities underlying this disorder. These procedures are frequently performed in conjunction with upper lid procedures that are described in a previous article by Bergeron and Moe in this issue of the journal.
L-Deprenyl inhibits tumor growth, reduces serum prolactin, and suppresses brain monoamine metabolism in rats with carcinogen-induced mammary tumors

Previously, we have reported thatL-deprenyl decreased the incidence of mammary tumors and pituitary tumors in old acyclic rats. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects ofL-deprenyl, a monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitor, treatment on the development and growth of tumors and on the metabolism of catecholamines and indoleamine in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) and the striatum (ST) of rats bearing 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors. Female Sprague-Dawley rats with DMBA-induced mammary tumors were injected (sc) daily with 0.25 mg or 5.0 mg of deprenyl/kg BW or the vehicle (saline; control) for 12 wk. Tumor diameter, tumor number, body weight, and feed intake were measured every week of the treatment period. Serum PRL and the concentrations of catecholamines, indoleamine, and their metabolites were measured by RIA and HPLC, respectively. Treatment with 5.0 mg deprenyl decreased the tumor diameter, tumor number,and serum prolactin (PRL) level. Although the body weight increased in all three groups, the body weight gain in the 5.0 mg group was smaller than that in the control and 0.25 mg groups. Deprenyl treatment had no effect on feed intake. The concentrations of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were decreased in the MBH and the ST, and the concentration of 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was decreased in the MBH of deprenyl-treated rats. Treatment with 5.0 mg deprenyl enhanced the concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) in the MBH and in the ST, and the concentration of dopamine (DA) in the MBH. These results suggest that the suppression of the development and growth of DMBA-induced mammary tumors by chronic deprenyl treatment may be mediated through alterations in the synthesis and metabolism of catecholamines and indoleamine in the MBH and inhibition of PRL secretion.