cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR AN ACADEMIC ONLINE SERVICE: THE'M.1.T. EXPERIENCE

Following a brief review of the history of online search service provided by the M.I.T. Libraries, the authors present guidelines for the planning and implementation of search service at academic libraries, illustrated with examples from their experience. Topics range from selection of database vendors to promotion of the service and fee structure.
Investigation of growth, coverage and effectiveness of plasma assisted nano-films of fluorocarbon

Abstract Plasma-assisted functional films have significant potential in various engineering applications. They can be tailored to impart desired properties by bonding specific molecular groups to the substrate surface. The aim of this investigation was to develop a fundamental understanding of the atomic level growth, coverage and functional effectiveness of plasma nano-films on flat surfaces and to explore their application-potential for complex and uneven shaped nano-materials. In this paper, results on plasma-assisted nano-scale fluorocarbon films, which are known for imparting inertness or hydrophobicity to the surface, will be discussed. The film deposition was studied as a function of time on flat single crystal surfaces of silicon, sapphire and graphite, using microwave plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used for detailed study of composition and chemistry of the substrate and coating atoms, at all stages of deposition. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed in parallel to study the coverage and growth morphology of these films at each stage. Combined XPS and AFM results indicated complete coverage of all the substrates at the nanometer scale. It was also shown that these films grew in a layer-by-layer fashion. The nano-films were also applied to complex and uneven shaped nano-structured and porous materials, such as microcellular porous foam and nano fibers. It was seen that these nano-films can be a viable approach for effective surface modification of complex or uneven shaped nano-materials.
University/industry relationships at San Jose State University to produce industry's ideal new hire

In this paper, we describe the ideal traits of a new hire in the IC field and the various university/industry relationships that we use to educate our students. We describe briefly a sequence of courses used to give students practical design experience on campus.
Dabrafenib Therapy for Advanced Melanoma

Objective: To summarize the clinical development of dabrafenib and to highlight the clinically relevant distinct characteristics of dabrafenib in contrast to vemurafenib. Data Source: An English-language literature search of MEDLINE/PubMed (1966-June 2013), using the keywords GSK2118436, dabrafenib, vemurafenib, selective BRAF inhibitor, and advanced melanoma, was conducted. Data were also obtained from package inserts, meeting abstracts, and clinical registries. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All relevant published articles on dabrafenib and vemurafenib were reviewed. Clinical trial registries and meeting abstracts were used for information about ongoing studies. Data Synthesis: BRAFV600E mutation confers constitutive BRAK kinase activation in melanoma cells, promoting tumor growth. This discovery led to the development of BRAF kinase inhibitors like vemurafenib and dabrafenib. Dabrafenib has been approved to treat patients with BRAFV600E-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma based on its cl...
Virus-Induced Dormancy in the Archaeon Sulfolobus islandicus

ABSTRACT We investigated the interaction between Sulfolobus spindle-shaped virus (SSV9) and its native archaeal host Sulfolobus islandicus. We show that upon exposure to SSV9, S. islandicus strain RJW002 has a significant growth delay where the majority of cells are dormant (viable but not growing) for 24 to 48 hours postinfection (hpi) compared to the growth of controls without virus. We demonstrate that in this system, dormancy (i) is induced by both active and inactive virus particles at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI), (ii) is reversible in strains with active CRISPR-Cas immunity that prevents the establishment of productive infections, and (iii) results in dramatic and rapid host death if virus persists in the culture even at low levels. Our results add a new dimension to evolutionary models of virus-host interactions, showing that the mere presence of a virus induces host cell stasis and death independent of infection. This novel, highly sensitive, and risky bet-hedging antiviral response must be integrated into models of virus-host interactions in this system so that the true ecological impact of viruses can be predicted and understood. IMPORTANCE Viruses of microbes play key roles in microbial ecology; however, our understanding of viral impact on host physiology is based on a few model bacteria that represent a small fraction of the life history strategies employed by hosts or viruses across the three domains that encompass the microbial world. We have demonstrated that rare and even inactive viruses induce dormancy in the model archaeon S. islandicus. Similar virus-induced dormancy strategies in other microbial systems may help to explain several confounding observations in other systems, including the surprising abundance of dormant cell types found in many microbial environments, the difficulty of culturing microorganisms in the laboratory, and the paradoxical virus-to-host abundances that do not match model predictions. A more accurate grasp of virus-host interactions will expand our understanding of the impact of viruses in microbial ecology.
Branched-chain amino acid catabolism fuels adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis

Adipose tissue plays important roles in regulating carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis, but less is known about the regulation of amino acid metabolism in adipocytes. Here we applied isotope tracing to pre-adipocytes and differentiated adipocytes to quantify the contributions of different substrates to tricarboxylic acid (TCA) metabolism and lipogenesis. In contrast to proliferating cells, which use glucose and glutamine for acetyl-coenzyme A (AcCoA) generation, differentiated adipocytes showed increased branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolic flux such that leucine and isoleucine from medium and/or from protein catabolism accounted for as much as 30% of lipogenic AcCoA pools. Medium cobalamin deficiency caused methylmalonic acid accumulation and odd-chain fatty acid synthesis. Vitamin B12 supplementation reduced these metabolites and altered the balance of substrates entering mitochondria. Finally, inhibition of BCAA catabolism compromised adipogenesis. These results quantitatively highlight the contribution of BCAAs to adipocyte metabolism and suggest that BCAA catabolism has a functional role in adipocyte differentiation.
Field Performance of Permeable Breakwater

A semipermeable removable submerged breakwater was successfully installed at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Accretion of sand in the area between the device and the shoreline was minor. Excessive water depth above the structure allowed most of the incident wave energy to pass over. During a 13-month period, wave height, longshore current velocity, and sand size were monitored at the test site and at comparison areas to the north and south. Statistical tests show that there is no significant difference in the measured characteristics in the lee of the structure and at nearby comparison areas. Apparently an effective wave shadow zone was not created by the structure. Beach width measurements and the reslts of grain size analysis showed no significant relation to the structure. Increase in elevation of the bottom during the study period was l.42 ft (0.43 m) greater at the test site than at comparison areas. Corresponding sand volume is 20,000 cu yd (15,300 m³).
Mooring Analysis of a Turret Moored FPSO in a Squall Environment

The transient dynamic response of a FPSO in a squall environment is dependent on several input parameters. Because the response’s dependence on these input parameters is unclear prior to performing the analysis, a large number of parameter combinations need to be considered to find the combination that gives a worst-case load or response as required by reference [1]. Because the required time-domain simulations are computationally intensive, there is often a practical need to limit the number of simulations that are performed, raising questions about how many are necessary to meet the analysis objectives.This study investigates the effect of different squall scenarios on a turret moored FPSO in the West African offshore environment. A large number of cases with selected vessel headings, squall types, squall approach directions and vessel drafts are studied and parameters affecting the critical mooring loads and turret positions are identified. Possible reductions in the load case matrix along with a sensitivity study of a few parameters affecting the results are also discussed.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Nanoengineering with DNA

DNA is a tractable medium for controlling the structure of matter on the nanometer scale. We have explored ligating together stable branched DNA molecules to form geometrical objects. By this means, we have assembled a 3-connected molecule whose helix axes have the connectivity of a cube. The construct is a hexacatenane, each of whose cyclic strands corresponds to a face of the object. Each of its twelve edges contains a unique recognition site for cleavage by a restriction enzyme; these sites are used to demonstrate the assembly of the object. The plectonemic structure of DNA also permits the directed synthesis of molecular knots. Recently, we have constructed trefoil knots from B-DNA and an amphichiral figure-8 knot whose helical domains contain both B-DNA and Z-DNA. We have developed a solid-support methodology for the synthesis of geometrical objects. This approach provides greater control over products and topological purity, and lends itself better to automation. Branched molecules containing 3–6 double helical arms can be formed from equimolar mixtures of their component strands, thereby enabling the construction of 3–6 connected networks. The goals of this work include the construction of periodic multiply-connected networks of DNA. The aims of these DNA constructions include using them as scaffolding to build periodic macromolecular arrays for diffraction purposes, as well as directing the assembly of molecular electronic devices. There are well-characterized molecular transformations of DNA that make nano-scale machines feasible to build in this molecular context. These materials are likely to be useful for understanding crystallization processes and structure-function relationships.
LES Study on the Mechanism of Vortex Rings behind Supersonic MVG with Turbulent Inflow

In this study, we investigate the interaction between vortex rings behind MVG and the oblique shocks in the MVG controlled ramp flow at M=2.5 and Re θ=5760. Implicit large eddy simulation (ILES) method is used by solving the unfiltered form of the Navier-Stokes equations with the 5th order Bandwidth-optimized WENO scheme. The fully developed inflow is given by a series of turbulent profiles obtained from previous DNS simulation. It shows that the ring structure does not break down and keeps its topology after penetrating the strong shock wave and the oblique shocks is influenced a lot by the induced flow field from rings. The bump of the 3D shock wave surface is discovered and its mechanism is explained.
Adenosine Cardiac Imaging

This is the fourth article in a four-part series on nuclear medicine updates. Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (1) explain the purpose for using adenosine, (2) list the types of patients who would benefit from an adenosine stress, and (3) describe the technique used in adenosine cardiac imaging.
I remember you: female Siamese fighting fish recognise prior social partners

Recognising social partners allows individuals to establish social networks with one another, informs mating decisions, and decreases energy expenditure. Studies rarely examine if females have this ability outside of mate choice. Additionally, it is unknown if familiarity differs when females encounter females versus males. Female Siamese fighting fish were placed into one of six treatment groups that differed based on the sex of the interactant (female or male) and experience (familiar, unfamiliar or no previous exposure). In both female–female and female–male interactions, less behaviour was performed towards familiar individuals. However, the degree to which familiarity had an effect differed depending on the sex of the interactant and the behaviour measured. Familiarity may serve an important function if it increases an individual’s ability to remember the outcome of prior encounters and use this information in later encounters with the same individual. To fully understand social dynamics, both sexes must be examined.
Abstract 248: Aberrant TGFβ Signaling as an Etiology of Left Ventricular Non-compaction Cardiomyopathy

Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is the third most prevalent cardiomyopathy in children and has a unique phenotype with characteristically extensive hypertrabeculation of the left ventricle, similar to the embryonic left ventricle, suggesting a developmental defect of the embryonic myocardium. However, studying this disease has been challenging due to the lack of an animal model that can faithfully recapitulate the clinical phenotype of LVNC. To address this, we showed that patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) generated from a family with LVNC history recapitulated a developmental defect consistent with the LVNC phenotype at the single-cell level. We then utilized hiPSC-CMs to show that increased transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling is one of the central mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of LVNC. LVNC hiPSC-CMs demonstrated decreased proliferative capacity due to abnormal activation of TGFβ signaling (Figs A-B). Exome sequencing demonstrated a mutation in TBX20, which regulates TGFβ signaling through upregulation of ITGAV, contributing to the LVNC phenotype. Inhibition of abnormal TGFβ signaling or genetic correction of the TBX20 mutation (Figs C-D) using TALEN reversed the proliferation defects seen in LVNC hiPSC-CMs. Our results demonstrate that hiPSC-CMs are a useful tool for the exploration of novel mechanisms underlying poorly understood cardiomyopathies such as LVNC. Here we provide the first evidence of activation of TGFβ signaling as playing a role in the pathogenesis of LVNC. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Unplanned Hospital Visits in the First 30 Days After Urethral Sling Procedures

Objective To evaluate unplanned hospital visits within 30 days of urethral sling placement in the form of emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, or repeat surgery. Methods We accessed nonpublic data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development in the state of California for the years 2005-2011. All female patients who underwent an ambulatory urethral sling procedure (Current Procedural Terminology 57288) without concomitant surgery (other than cystoscopy) were included. Any subsequent emergency department visit, inpatient admission, or sling revision operation within 30 days of the original surgery were then examined. Results A total of 28,635 women were identified who underwent outpatient urethral sling placement as a sole procedure. Within 30 days, 1630 women (5.7%) had at least 1 unplanned hospital visit. This included 1327 emergency department visits (4.7%), 295 inpatient admissions (1.0%), and 79 sling revisions (0.28%). Urinary retention and Foley catheter problems were the most common emergency department visit diagnoses (18.7% of visits), followed by urinary tract infection (9.3% of visits). Conclusion One in 18 women will have an unplanned hospital visit within 30 days of urethral sling placement, the majority of which are emergency department visits (~81%). Our findings can be used to improve patient counseling and suggest areas that one might target to decrease unnecessary emergency department visits in the early postoperative period.
Experiential Learning, Bargaining Power, and Exclusivity in Technology Licensing

Licensing has become the central form of interfirm technology transfer and commercialization in the market for inventions. However, despite the large representation and growth of this business mode...
Non-separable states in a bipartite elastic system

We consider two one-dimensional harmonic chains coupled along their length via linear springs. Casting the elastic wave equation for this system in a Dirac-like form reveals a directional representation. The elastic band structure, in a spectral representation, is constituted of two branches corresponding to symmetric and antisymmetric modes. In the directional representation, the antisymmetric states of the elastic waves possess a plane wave orbital part and a 4x1 spinor part. Two of the components of the spinor part of the wave function relate to the amplitude of the forward component of waves propagating in both chains. The other two components relate to the amplitude of the backward component of waves. The 4x1 spinorial state of the two coupled chains is supported by the tensor product Hilbert space of two identical subsystems composed of a non-interacting chain with linear springs coupled to a rigid substrate. The 4x1 spinor of the coupled system is shown to be in general not separable into the tenso...
Evangelista Torricelli and the “Common Bond of Truth” in Greek Mathematics

SummaryIn 1664, Evangelista Torricelli published his Opera Geometrica, one of the most important—yet most unheralded—publications in the history of integral calculus. In the chapter de Dimensione Parabolae, Torricelli uses the newfound analytic techniques of Bonaventura Cavalieri to prove, among other things, that all of the major geometrical works of Archimedes—Quadrature of the Parabola, On the Sphere and the Cylinder, On Spirals, and On the Equilibrium of Planes—are joined by a “common bond of truth.” In this article, we show how Torricelli establishes this connection and discuss briefly the impact it had on subsequent mathematicians such as John Wallis.
Effects of thermal energy harvesting on the human - clothing - environment microsystem

The objective of this work is to perform an in depth investigation of garment-based thermal energy harvesting. The effect of human and environmental factors on the working efficiency of a thermal energy harvesting devices, or a thermoelectric generator (TEG), placed on the body is explored.. Variables that strongly effect the response of the TEG are as follows: skin temperature, human motion or speed, body location, environmental conditions, and the textile properties surrounding the TEG. In this study, the use of textiles for managing thermal comfort of wearable technology and energy harvesting are defined. By varying the stitch length and/or knit structure, one can manipulate the thermal conductivity of the garment in a specific location. Another method of improving TEG efficiency is through the use of a heat spreader, which increases the effective collection area of heat on the TEG hot side. Here we show the effect of a TEG on the thermal properties of a garment with regard to two knit stitches, jersey and 1 × 1 rib.
A multigroup SEM analysis of moderating role of task uncertainty on budgetary participation-performance relationship: Evidence from Korea

Abstract This study examines the effects of motivational and cognitive factors of budgetary participation on performance concurrently under different conditions of task uncertainty. Drawing upon prior literature, goal acceptance and job-relevant information were identified as mediators conveying the motivational and cognitive influence of participation to performance, while task uncertainty as a moderator conditioning such mediated relationships. Multigroup structural equation modeling on survey data collected from 229 Korean managers revealed that the motivational and cognitive effects of participation on performance vary significantly between high and low task uncertainty conditions. When there was low task uncertainty, the motivational factor was more important than the cognitive factor in determining performance. When there was high task uncertainty, however, both motivational and cognitive factors were important determinants of performance. In addition, the intervening role of these two factors, in general, appeared more significant under high than low task uncertainty conditions.
Obesity as a Disease, Not a Behavior.

The American Heart Association (AHA) defines ideal cardiovascular health in its 2020 Impact Goals for cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention to include a body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2, which they recognize as an ideal health behavior.1 We urge the AHA as it begins setting its 2030 goals to move beyond the concept of BMI as a health behavior. Equating BMI with behavior confuses the now widely accepted association between BMI and the mechanistically complex disease of obesity.2 In our opinion, it makes little sense to establish goals and metrics that ignore a broad evidence base that supports the view of obesity as a complex, multifactorial disease and expect to achieve meaningful success in managing BMI to promote ideal cardiovascular health. Despite the growing recognition of the complexity of obesity, like cancer decades ago, obesity has been treated as a single disease process with universal prevention and treatment strategies, rather than a fundamentally heterogeneous process with numerous underlying mechanisms and etiologies, each requiring unique prevention and treatment modalities. Obesity and related coronary artery disease, stroke, and other sequelae lead to increased health burden and billions of dollars in healthcare costs in the United States. Examining sources of heterogeneity in the etiology of obesity …
Gevrey regularity for the Navier–Stokes in a half-space

Abstract We consider the Navier–Stokes equations posed on the half space, with Dirichlet boundary conditions. We give a direct energy-based proof for the instantaneous space–time analyticity and Gevrey-class regularity of the solution, uniformly up to the boundary of the half space.
Optimal Policies and Approximations

For the inventory systems investigated in the previous chapters, the stationary optimal policy can be determined in principle by finding the global minimum of the corresponding cost rate function. (For previous work in this area, see, for example, Veinott and Wagner, 1965; Archibald and Silver, 1978; and Federgruen and Zipkin, 1984). However, computational difficulties make the exact models unattractive in practice. This has motivated several approaches for the determination of approximately optimal (s, S) policies that require less computational effort and demand information. For continuous review systems, most of the earlier work was confined to the unit demands case under an order-quantity, reorder-point policy. This literature is based on approximations derived by Hadley and Whitin (1963) and Wagner (1969) which require the simultaneous iterative solution of two equations (cf. Gross and Ince, 1975; Gross, Harris and Roberts, 1972; Nahmias, 1976; and others). For periodic review systems, approximately optimal policies that require little computational effort were proposed previously by Naddor (1975, 1980), Ehrhardt (1979), Ehrhardt and Kastner (1980), Ehrhardt and Mosier (1984), Freeland and Porteus (1980), Federgruen and Zipkin (1983), and others. These and other approaches have been reviewed by Porteus (1985).
Clipping our dogmatic wings: The role of religion’s Parerga in our moral education

AbstractIn a note introduced into the second edition of Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason (1794), Kant assigns a systematic role to the General Remarks at the end of each Part of his bo...
A numerical study of the electromechanical response of liquid metal embedded elastomers

Liquid metal embedded elastomers (LMEE) are soft, stretchable materials that become conductive upon application of a compressive force. The conductance stems from the compression-induced percolation of the liquid metal inclusions. Interestingly, a recent work showed that once the elastomer becomes conductive, its resistance is independent of stretch. This work aims to understand these phenomena. We start by simulating the response of an elastomer composite with two soft inclusions subjected to a compressive force. It is shown that the presence of the inclusions can give rise to a tensile stress in the elastomer, leading to rupture and percolation. Next, we study the dependence of the resistance and the conductivity on an applied uniaxial stretch in LMEEs with several microstructures. The simulations are in good qualitative agreement with experimental findings. It is also demonstrated that the electromechanical properties highly depend on the microstructural arrangement of the inclusions and can therefore be tuned by microstructural design.
Brachytherapy and survival in small cell cancer of the cervix and uterus.

Abstract Purpose Small cell cancer involving the cervix and uterus is considered the same rare disease, but management is controversial and disparate. Patterns of care and outcomes in the United States are unclear. Methods and Materials Clinical data from patients with small cell cancer of the cervix and uterus were abstracted from the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2014. Patients with missing clinical stage, incomplete followup, or receiving treatment >90 days from diagnosis were excluded. Results There were 621 cervical and 95 uterine patients with cancer treated from 2004 to 2014. Compared to patients with a cervix primary site, patients with a uterine primary site were older (median age 64 years vs. 47 years), more likely to present with distant metastatic disease (47% vs. 33%), less likely to receive any pelvic radiation (31% vs. 64%), less likely to receive brachytherapy (3% vs. 27%), more likely to have at least a total hysterectomy (58% vs. 28%), and less likely to receive chemotherapy (74% vs. 88%), all p Conclusions Brachytherapy may improve OS for Stage II–IVA small cell cancer of the cervix but appears underutilized. Brachytherapy was not commonly delivered for uterine primaries.
Reconfiguration of distribution network based on basic loop matrix considering new energy access

Based on the construction of the mathematical model and constraint conditions of the distribution network, this paper proposed an automatic generation basic loop matrix algorithm to encode the distribution network with new energy access, thereby avoiding the generation of infeasible solutions. The novel self-adaption chaos harmony search algorithm was used to solve the distribution network reconfiguration model, this method introduced the chaotic sequence to optimize the initial population at initializing the harmony memory, improved the determination method to considering probability and trimming probability of the harmony bank, thus both probabilities are adaptive with particle information changes. The simulation results of 33-node system indicate that the proposed method can keep the voltage relatively stable with new energy access, which also has better feasibility and optimization. It also verifies the effectiveness of the proposed reconfiguration model.
Carotid Artery Stenting Versus Endarterectomy for Atherosclerosis: An Evidence-Based Review

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid angioplasty and stenting are widely performed revascularization procedures for the prevention of future stroke secondary to moderate to severe atherosclerotic carotid artery disease. Both procedures have been the focus of numerous prospective trials that have aimed to explore the safety and efficacy of these techniques. In this chapter we explore the methods and results of these trials. We provide current recommendations for treatment of carotid atherosclerotic disease based on the most recent trial evidence.
Precise determination of Ar, Kr and Xe isotopic fractionation due to diffusion and dissolution in fresh water

Abstract Dissolved noble gases are ideal conservative tracers of physical processes in the Earth system due to their chemical and biological inertness. Although bulk concentrations of dissolved Ar, Kr, and Xe are commonly measured to constrain physical models of atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial hydrosphere processes, stable isotope ratios of these gases (e.g. 136Xe/129Xe) are seldom used because of low signal-to-noise ratios. Here we present the first results from a new method of dissolved gas sampling, extraction and analysis that permits measurement of stable Ar, Kr, and Xe isotope ratios at or below ∼5 per meg amu−1 precision (1σ), two orders-of-magnitude below conventional Kr and Xe isotopic measurements. This gain in precision was achieved by quantitative extraction and subsequent purification of dissolved noble gases from 2-L water samples via helium sparging and viscous dual-inlet isotope ratio mass spectrometry. We have determined the solubility fractionation factors ( α sol ) for stable Ar, Kr, and Xe isotope ratios between ∼2 and 20 °C via laboratory equilibration experiments. We have also conducted temperature-controlled air-water gas exchange experiments to estimate the kinetic fractionation factors ( α kin ) of these isotope ratios. We find that both α sol and α kin , normalized by isotopic mass difference (Δm), decrease in magnitude with atomic number but are proportional to Δm for isotope ratios of the same element. With the new ability for high precision isotopic measurements, we suggest that dissolved Kr and Xe isotope ratios in groundwater represent a promising, novel geochemical tool with important applications for groundwater modeling, water resource management, and paleoclimate.
Liver fibrosis during clinical ascertainment of glycogen storage disease type III: a need for improved and systematic monitoring

In glycogen storage disease type III (GSD III), liver aminotransferases tend to normalize with age giving an impression that hepatic manifestations improve with age. However, despite dietary treatment, long-term liver complications emerge. We present a GSD III liver natural history study in children to better understand changes in hepatic parameters with age. We reviewed clinical, biochemical, histological, and radiological data in pediatric patients with GSD III, and performed a literature review of GSD III hepatic findings. Twenty-six patients (median age 12.5 years, range 2–22) with GSD IIIa (n = 23) and IIIb (n = 3) were enrolled in the study. Six of seven pediatric patients showed severe fibrosis on liver biopsy (median [range] age: 1.25 [0.75–7] years). Markers of liver injury (aminotransferases), dysfunction (cholesterol, triglycerides), and glycogen storage (glucose tetrasaccharide, Glc4) were elevated at an early age, and decreased significantly thereafter (p < 0.001). Creatine phosphokinase was also elevated with no significant correlation with age (p = 0.4). Liver fibrosis can occur at an early age, and may explain the decrease in aminotransferases and Glc4 with age. Our data outlines the need for systematic follow-up and specific biochemical and radiological tools to monitor the silent course of the liver disease process.
Study of 700 Referrals to a Lymphedema Program

Background: Lymphedema results from inadequate lymphatic function due to failure of lymphatic development or injury to a functioning lymphatic system. Patients suffer enlargement of the affected area, psychosocial morbidity, infection, and functional disability. The purpose of this study was to characterize the disease in a cohort of patients referred to a specialized center. Methods and Results: Our Lymphedema Program database was reviewed for all referrals between 2009 and 2019. Diagnosis was determined based on history, physical examination, and lymphoscintigraphy. Lymphedema type (primary, secondary, and obesity-induced), location of swelling, morbidity, previous management, accuracy of referral diagnosis, the geographic origin of the patients, and treatment in our center were analyzed. Seven hundred patients were referred with a diagnosis of "lymphedema"; 71% were female and 38% were children. Lymphedema was confirmed in 71% of the cohort: primary (62%), secondary (22%), and obesity-induced (16%). Twenty-nine percent of individuals labeled with "lymphedema" had another condition. One-half of patients had not received treatment, and 36% resided outside of our local referral area. One-third of subjects with lymphedema had an infection and 30% had >1 visit to the center. Patients with confirmed lymphedema were managed with compression stockings (100%), pneumatic compression (69%), and/or an excisional procedure (6%). Conclusions: Patients with lymphedema typically are adequately managed with conservative compression therapies and rarely require excisional operations. Diagnostic confusion is common and individuals with possible lymphedema are best managed by physicians focused on the disease.
24 – Water Jetting

Publisher Summary Water jetting is the process of providing a high-pressure water jet at the tip of the pile. Water jetting may ease the pile-driving process by loosening the soil and creating a lubricating effect on the side walls of the pile. Water jets can be external or internal. In ideal water pathway, the water should return to the surface along the gap existing between the pile wall and soil. In some cases, water may stray and fill up nearby basements or resurface at a different location. The chapter describes the water jetting in different soil types such as sand, silt, clay, and gravel.
Examining the Clearance Rates of Violent and Non-Violent Offences in the United States: A Trend Analysis, 2011-2018.

The main objective of this study was to examine the clearance rates of violent and non-violent offenses in the United States for the years 2011 to 2018. This study focused specifically on the diffe...
Current State of Fetal Intervention for Obstructive Uropathy–Focus on Bladder

The authors present an overview of the mostly formative and latest literature on the current fetal management of lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) and postnatal renal outcome with a special focus on the bladder. Since the PLUTO trial [1] in 2013, only a few retrospective studies have been published which compared fetal cystoscopy with the placement of a vesicoamniotic shunt (VAS) and showed that both interventions are superior to conservative management because they improve the 6 months survival rates in severe LUTO. In contrast, only fetal cystoscopy provides a trend of better renal outcome compared with VAS [2••, 3, 4]. The current studies focus mainly on postnatal renal function; data on bladder function are still missing. The data available today are insufficient on giving adequate answer about bladder outcome following fetal intervention and whether vesicoamniotic shunt (VAS) or fetal cystoscopy is adequate to decompress and protect the bladder. In addition to renal outcome studies, there is need for long-term bladder studies.
A role for gut microbiota in early-life stress-induced widespread muscle pain in the adult rat.

Adult rats that experienced neonatal limited bedding (NLB), a form of early-life stress, experience persistent muscle mechanical hyperalgesia. Since there is a growing recognition that the gut micr...
Ibalizumab-uiyk as a bridge therapy for a patient with drug-resistant HIV-1 infection receiving chemotherapy: A case report

What is known and objective Treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in persons with AIDS consists of chemotherapy alongside antiretroviral therapy (ART). To determine optimal HIV treatment, drug-drug interactions, toxic effects and ART resistance must be considered. Case description A 40-year-old man with drug-resistant HIV and DLBCL initiating chemotherapy which had drug interactions with his ART. During chemotherapy, darunavir/cobicistat was held and ibalizumab-uiyk was started to ensure he was on three active HIV medications. What is new and conclusion Ibalizumab-uiyk has no known drug-drug interactions and may be used as bridge therapy for patients with drug-resistant HIV undergoing chemotherapy.
Large-scale analysis of tumor necrosis factor α levels in systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by a wide variety of clinical manifestations, including inflammation of the skin, renal, hematologic and musculoskeletal organ systems. Differences in the prevalence of particular clinical and serologic manifestations of disease by ancestral background have long been appreciated (1). Some of the clinical differences observed between ancestral backgrounds likely represent differences in biological pathways related to disease pathogenesis, although little is currently known about the molecular mediators of these differences. Previous studies have documented elevated serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels in some patients with SLE, and these levels have been correlated with clinical disease activity and anti-dsDNA antibodies (2, 3), and TNF-α is over-expressed in renal tissue in lupus nephritis (4). Although TNF-α is present at sites of inflammation, the role TNF-α plays in human SLE pathogenesis remains controversial. The role of TNF-α in murine models of SLE has been similarly controversial. In some models TNF-α improved disease features, while in others TNF-α blockade has been beneficial (4). Interferon alpha (IFN-α) and TNF-α appear to cross-regulate each other in vitro (5). TNF-α inhibits peripheral dendritic cell generation and secretion of IFN-α by these cells (5). In healthy PBMCs, culture with etanercept led to an increase of IFN-α and IFN-α-inducible genes, and IFN-α inhibits secretion of TNF-α (5, 6). Many lines of evidence support the idea that IFN-α is a primary pathogenic factor in SLE, including the development of SLE in patients given recombinant IFN-α to treat viral infections and malignancy, and familial aggregation of high serum IFN-α in SLE families (7, 8). Thus, there is some reasonable concern that SLE-like features which have arisen during anti-TNF-α therapy may relate to increased IFN-α (9), and that this increase in IFN-α could catalyze a change of the clinical syndrome from rheumatoid arthritis to SLE. Clinical trials in human SLE suggest that short-term TNF-α blockade may have benefit in lupus nephritis, as well as transient benefit in SLE arthritis (4), but some significant side effects have been reported in a small group of patients who have received long term anti-TNF-α therapy (10). In the present study, we examine relationships between serum TNF-α levels and simultaneous IFN-α measurements, serologic, and clinical parameters in SLE. Given the interrelated nature of many of the clinical and serologic characteristics in SLE and the potential for a relationship between TNF-α and IFN-α, we used multivariate regression models to account for between-variable relationships.
Abstract 4265: The landscape of somatic hypermutation in human cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Somatic hypermutation is present in the tumor genomes of a subset of human cancers. Nevertheless, the extent as well as the biological and clinical impact of hypermutation in cancer patients is unknown. Moreover, in an age of precision oncology, there is a pressing need to understand the catastrophic mutational burden of sporadically hypermutated tumors to ensure an accurate clinical interpretation of candidate actionable lesions thereby facilitating genomically driven oncology in these patients. To explore these questions, we assembled a curated repository of cancer genome data consisting of the sequenced tumor exomes and whole genomes of 10,852 patients representing 36 tumor types from 90 unique cohorts. Through integrative genomic analyses of mutational and DNA copy number profile data, we identified 395 hypermutated tumors, representing ∼3.6% of all cancers. Of these, 47% of patient tumors possessed somatic hypermutation that could not be explained by an established exogenous mutagen, environmental exposure, or known defect in DNA repair. Our analysis of this unknown class of hypermutated cancers revealed six distinct mutational signatures, which may be associated with specific mechanisms driving hypermutation. From allelic abundance data, the temporal sequence of multiple mutational processes accumulated over the lifespan of a tumor was apparent. Our analyses also revealed that despite a high mutational burden, abnormalities cluster to reveal biologic and therapeutic dependencies. Overall, we exploit big data to explore uncommon cancer phenotypes like somatic hypermutation, bridging the gap between complex mutational landscapes and rational therapeutic choices for molecularly defined cancer patients. Citation Format: Jocelyn S. Chapman, Matthew T. Chang, Saurabh Asthana, Kriti Lall, Nikolaus Schultz, Barry S. Taylor. The landscape of somatic hypermutation in human cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4265. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4265
Adsorption and Formation of BaO Overlayers on γ-Al2O3 Surfaces

First-principles density functional theory slab calculations were used to investigate adsorption, clustering and overlayer formation of BaO on the gamma-Al2O3 surfaces. Multiple stable adsorption configurations were identified for the adsorbed BaO molecule and (BaO)2 on both (100) and (110) surfaces of gamma-Al2O3. Adsorption of BaO and (BaO)2 induces significant relaxation of the gamma-Al2O3 surfaces. At high BaO coverage, up to the ratio of BaO units to surface Al atoms being unity, the adsorbed BaO molecules were organized to form a buckled monolayer-like overlayer on the surface. Aggregation energy was used to characterize the organization of adsorbed BaO on the surface. Our results showed that the initial BaO adsorption configuration had a strong effect on clustering and overlayer formation. A weakly adsorbed BaO molecule will thermodynamically favor clustering over being isolated. On the fully dehydrated gamma-Al2O3(100) surface, the formation of BaO overlayer was thermodynamically unfavorable until 4.26 BaO/nm2 if the additional BaO was from the most stable site, corresponding to a low BaO loading, whereas aggregation became favorable if the additional BaO was from less stable sites, corresponding to a high BaO loading. On the fully dehydrated gamma-Al2O3(110) surface, the formation of a BaO dimer was found to have the highestmore » energy cost. On the other hand, the presence of hydroxyls on the surface enhances the stability of the adsorbed BaO molecules. As such, isolated BaO islands, rather than a complete BaO overlayer, were expected on the hydroxylated gamma-Al2O3 surfaces, consistent with recent experimental observations. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory operated by Battelle for the U. S. Department of Energy.« less
Organizing scientific meetings

Preface 1. Introduction: What can go wrong? 2. The decision: To run or not to run 3. Scientific and related events: variety delights 4. Social events: something for every taste and budget 5. The program: how to accommodate pigs in a poke 6. Selection of the meeting site: a touch of Russian roulette 7. The dates of the meeting: you can't win 8. Publications: cruel and unusual punishment 9. Selection of participants: how to lose old friends and make new enemies 10. Committees: you have to live with them 11. Accompanists: you better love'm 12. Office and staff: don't take chances 13. The budget: a jungle with pitfalls 14. Fund raising: some would rather see their dentist 15. Allocation of travel support: not much fun either 16. Schedule of preparations: from dream to reality 17. Announcements and other information: clarity pays 18. Design of forms, name tags, tickets, signs and stickers: how about using some common sense? 19. Satellite meetings: think twice 20. Checklist of important no-nos List of appendixes Appendixes A-R Index.
Effect of phenobarbital administration on the oxygen requirement for hexobarbital metabolism in the isolated, perfused rat liver and in the intact rat☆

Abstract Rates of hexobarbital metabolism at various oxygen tensions were studied in the isolated, perfused liver of the rat and in the intact animal. Both untreated and phenobarbital-treated rats were employed. The rate of hexobarbital metabolism remained constant in livers from both untreated and phenobarbital-treated animals when oxygen tensions of the perfusate were above 45 mm of Hg. At tensions below 45 mm of Hg the rate declined sharply. A similar decline in the rate of hexobarbital metabolism was observed in intact rats when the oxygen tension of the arterial blood was reduced below 45 mm of Hg. Regardless of oxygen tension, the rates of hexobarbital metabolism in livers from phenobarbital-treated rats were about twice those seen in livers from untreated rats. In the intact animal hexobarbital was metabolized more rapidly at any given arterial oxygen tension in the phenobarbital-treated animals than in untreated animals. The livers from the phenobarbital-treated rats contained 2·9 times more cytochrome P-450 than the livers from untreated animals. The finding that hexobarbital is metabolized more rapidly in phenobarbital-treated rats than in untreated rats when oxygen is rate limiting is interpreted to mean that the higher level of cytochrome P-450 in the liver of the treated rats enables this cytochrome to compete more successfully with other terminal oxidases and thus channel oxygen into the drug metabolizing system.
Seasonal and environmental variation in Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn content of Spartina alterniflora

Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn in shoot tissue of Spartina alterniflora Loisel. were analyzed for seasonal trends and relationships to dry matter standing crop. Two brackish marshes in Virginia were sampled four times between April and September 1975. Between early April and late May shoots accumulated Mn, Cu, and Zn at a faster rate than dry matter standing crop increased. Fe followed this trend at Bennett's Marsh but matched standing crop increase at Taskinas Marsh. Tissue concentrations of Mn, Cu and Zn declined over the growing season at both marshes; Fe declined at Bennett's Marsh and increased at Taskinas Marsh.
Stressed out over possible failure: The role of regulatory fit on claimed self-handicapping

Abstract The self-protective mechanism of self-handicapping appears to be motivated by the need to protect ability attributions in the face of concern about possible failure. Indeed, the present research finds a correlation between trait self-handicapping and chronic prevention focus. Moreover, the present research examines the role of “regulatory fit” on the use of claimed self-handicapping by exposing high and low trait self-handicappers to performance situations framed in prevention or promotion terms. Consistent with our regulatory fit hypothesis, high self-handicappers (HSHs) handicapped significantly more (by reporting higher levels of stress) when the task was framed in prevention focus rather than promotion focus terms, and did so even when the viability of the handicap was dubious. Self-handicapping in the prevention focus condition was mediated by elevated feelings of evaluative concern. The findings suggest that conditions of regulatory fit (i.e., HSHs under prevention focus) can lead to increased use of self-handicapping.