cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neutralization of Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-2 Attenuates Neutrophil Recruitment and Bacterial Clearance in Murine Klebsiella Pneumonia

The role of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) in bacterial pneumonia was characterized. Mice were challenged with Klebsiella pneumoniae intratracheally, and organs were harvested at 8, 24, and 48 h. Inoculation with K. pneumoniae resulted in the time-dependent expression of MIP-2 mRNA and protein within the lung, which was maximal 48 h after inoculation. Mice were then passively immunized with rabbit anti-murine MIP-2 serum intraperitoneally 2 h before administration of K. pneumoniae. Treatment with anti-MIP-2 serum resulted in a 60% decrease in lung neutrophil (PMNL) influx and a significant increase in K. pneumoniae colony-forming units in both lung and liver homogenates. Finally, treatment with anti-MIP-2 serum decreased early (48-72 h) but not late (after 72 h) survival in animals with Klebsiella pneumonia. This study indicates that MIP-2 is produced during Klebsiella pneumonia and inhibition of MIP-2 bioactivity in vivo results in decreased PMNL influx and lung bacterial clearance in murine Klebsiella pneumonia. MIP-2 is produced during Klebsiella pneumonia and inhibition of MIP-2 bioactivity in vivo results in decreased PMNL influx and lung bacterial clearance in murine Klebsiella pneumonia.
Integration of plasticity equations for singular yield functions

Abstract An algorithm is described which properly handles integration of stress-strain laws at singular points in a yield surface. Koiter's requirements for such points are incorporated exactly within the proposed algorithm. The conditions for which the stress, after correction for plastic flow, exactly satisfies the yield function are discussed. The algorithm is elaborated for the Mohr-Coulomb and Tresca yield criteria and an explicit expression is provided to decide whether the current regime is a corner of the yield surface or not.
Isolation of Proteins for Microsequence Analysis

This unit presents a method for determining the amino-terminal sequence of polypeptides or proteins. It is particularly appropriate for large fragments of insoluble or hydrophobic proteins or proteins that cannot be purified to >90% molar purity without electrophoresis. If the protein is blocked at the amino terminus, chemical cleavage or partial enzymatic digestion must be performed prior to electrophoresis. Upon isolation, the internal amino acid sequence is analyzed as described.
Statements of Teaching Philosophy

Well-defined teaching philosophy is essential to creating and maintaining a campus culture supportive of teaching. Presented in this paper are reasons for statements of teaching philosophy as well as descriptions of how the statements are beneficial to students, faculty, and university administrations. Described are ways of creating a statement of teaching philosophy and dimensions that may be included in such statements. This article begins a discussion of roles, composition, and evaluation of statements of teaching philosophy.
2006 Federal Tax Update

This update explains several developments in the federal income, estate and gift taxes affecting individual taxpayers and small businesses. It contains summaries of significant cases, rulings, regulations, legislation and other matters from August, 2005, through September, 2006. This update generally does not discuss developments in the areas of qualified plans or the taxation of business entities (except to very limited extents).
Comparison of Measured and Simulated Flight of a Flap Controlled Closed Box in Atmospheric Flight

3 2 1 0 , , , q q q q : Quaternion orientation parameters of box. w v u , , : Components of velocity vector of mass center in body reference frame. r q p , , : Components of angular velocity vector in body reference frame. Z Y X , , : Total applied force components in body reference frame. N M L , , : Total applied moment components about mass center in body reference frame. A A A w v u , , : Relative aerodynamic velocity components of mass center in body reference frame. A V : Magnitude of relative aerodynamic velocity vector of mass center.
Abstract 1175: Persistent upregulation of U6 small RNA in the serum of breast cancer patients

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Serum microRNAs have the potential to be valuable biomarkers of cancer. This investigation addresses two issues that impact their utility: a) appropriate normalization controls and b) whether their altered levels persist in patients who are clinically free of disease. Sera from 40 age-matched healthy women and 39 breast cancer patients without clinical disease at the time of serum collection were analyzed for microRNAs let-7f, miR-16, miR-21, and miR-155 using quantitative real-time PCR. U6 and 5S, which are transcribed by RNA polymerase III (RNAP-III), and the small nucleolar RNA44 (SNORD44), were also analyzed for normalization. Sera from additional 14 healthy and 15 patients with overt metastasis were examined for U6, miR-16, and miR-195 levels. SNORD44 and miR-16 did not vary significantly in the sera of patients and healthy volunteers and thus served as normalization controls. Unexpectedly, we observed upregulation of U6 (2.4 fold, p=0.001) and 5S RNAs (1.7-fold, p=0.02) but not any of the other microRNAs analyzed in the sera of patients without active disease. U6 level was significantly elevated in the sera of patients with overt metastasis compared to healthy women. Elevated serum U6 levels in patients who are clinically cancer-free suggest persistently altered systemic RNAP-III activity in cancer patients and that cancer cells may not be the only primary source of serum U6. Additionally, U6 and 5S, to some extent, are of limited value for normalization. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1175. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1175
Toward high-fidelity modeling of the fluid-structure interaction for insect wings

To study the the aeroelasticity of insect wings and the effect of the wing flexibility on the aerodynamic forces, dynamic deformation of the wing needs to be addressed in addition to the static patterns caused by wing flexion such as the effective angle of attack and camber. We present an integrated modeling approach that combines three-dimensional fluid–structure interaction and experimental approaches providing the necessary measurements of the modeling parameters. Scaling of the wing properties is also discussed. The numerical solver is based on the immersed-boundary method for simulation of a viscous incompressible flow and a nonlinear finite-element method for dynamics of thin-walled structures. To specify the input parameters, the mass distribution and stiffness of the major structural elements (membrane and vein network) need to be measured, and the wing-root kinematics has to be described. We demonstrate these measurements using cicadas in our case study. High-speed videos are used to extract the root kinematics and obtain the deformation pattern of the insect. The result shows that the characteristic deformation has been captured by our model. The current work can be regarded as a step toward the future high-fidelity modeling of the insect wing aerodynamics.
Aloofness or Dirty Hands? Administrative Culpability in the Making of the Second Ghetto

This article takes a critical look at the actions of American public administrators affecting African Americans in inner cities in the mid-twentieth century. It compares these actions to those of British imperialist functionaries in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. We argue that domestic American administrators and imperialist functionaries shared an ethos of serving expansion and capital, sometimes as a means to achieve what they deemed to be the public interest. They also shared the use of race as a weapon in their drive to suppress the masses of what they viewed as superfluous expendable subject races—imperialized natives by British administrators or African Americans by U.S. administrators. Using Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism, this article traces the role of administrators in the alliance between mob and capital that resulted in the resegregation and dispossession of African-American communities in much of urban America. This article argues that the combination of ra...
Clinical utility of testing AQP4-IgG in CSF: Guidance for physicians

Objective: To define, using assays of optimized sensitivity and specificity, the most informative specimen type for aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) detection. Methods: Results were reviewed from longitudinal service testing for AQP4-IgG among specimens submitted to the Mayo Clinic Neuroimmunology Laboratory from 101,065 individual patients. Paired samples of serum/CSF were tested from 616 patients, using M1-AQP4-transfected cell-based assays (both fixed AQP4-CBA Euroimmun kit [commercial CBA] and live in-house flow cytometry [FACS]). Sensitivities were compared for 58 time-matched paired specimens (drawn ≤30 days apart) from patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or high-risk patients. Results: The frequency of CSF submission as sole initial specimen was 1 in 50 in 2007 and 1 in 5 in 2015. In no case among 616 paired specimens was CSF positive and serum negative. In 58 time-matched paired specimens, AQP4-IgG was detected by FACS or by commercial CBA more sensitively in serum than in CSF (respectively, p = 0.06 and p 1:100 predicted CSF positivity ( p p = 0.03). No control specimen from 128 neurologic patients was positive by either assay. Conclusions: FACS and commercial CBA detection of AQP4-IgG is less sensitive in CSF than in serum. The data suggest that most AQP4-IgG is produced in peripheral lymphoid tissues and that a critical serum/CSF gradient is required for IgG to penetrate the CNS in pathogenic quantity. Serum is the optimal and most cost-effective specimen for AQP4-IgG testing. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with NMO or NMOSD, CSF is less sensitive than serum for detection of AQP4-IgG.
High-quality InN films on GaN using graded InGaN buffers by MBE

The growth of high-quality thick InN films is challenging because of the lack of native substrates. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a linearly graded InGaN buffer layer for the growth of InN films on GaN substrates. A 500 nm InN film with <0.1 nm RMS roughness is obtained with a peak mobility of 1410 cm2/(Vs) at 300 K. A strong room temperature photoluminescence showing a bandgap of 0.65 eV with 79 meV linewidth is observed. A graded InGaN buffer is found to lead to extremely smooth and high-quality InN films.
Predicting the outcome of hospitalization for elderly persons: home versus nursing home.

ABSTRACTFifty elderly persons who had been admitted to an acute care hospital from Home and discharged to nursing homes were compared with 50 elderly persons who had been admitted to the same hospital from home and discharged to home during the same period. Discriminant function analyses were done t
Quantitation of left ventricular ejection fraction reserve from early gated regadenoson stress Tc-99m high-efficiency SPECT

Background Ejection fraction (EF) reserve has been found to be a useful adjunct for identifying high risk coronary artery disease in cardiac positron emission tomography (PET). We aimed to evaluate EF reserve obtained from technetium-99m sestamibi (Tc-99m) high-efficiency (HE) SPECT.
Growth failure as the first expression of malnutrition in children with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

BACKGROUND To define the onset, pattern, and earliest manifestations of malnutrition related to HIV infection. METHODS A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of changes in weight and growth in a group of 54 children with perinatally acquired HIV infection was conducted. Eight children had asymptomatic HIV infection, 26 had symptomatic infection, and 20 had symptomatic infection and were referred for nutritional support. RESULTS We found an early decline in the rate of linear growth with a relative preservation of the weight-for-age. Weight-for-height measurements were preserved until there was advanced HIV-related disease. CONCLUSIONS This pattern can result in a false impression of adequate nutrition and emphasizes the importance of longitudinal growth data of the child with HIV infection. Evidence of linear growth failure before clinical wasting is apparent is an absolute indication for aggressive nutritional support.
Imaging pancreatic islet cells by positron emission tomography

It was estimated that every year more than 30000 persons in the United States - approximately 80 people per day - are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). T1D is caused by autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic islet (β cells) cells. Islet transplantation has become a promising therapy option for T1D patients, while the lack of suitable tools is difficult to directly evaluate of the viability of the grafted islet over time. Positron emission tomography (PET) as an important non-invasive methodology providing high sensitivity and good resolution, is able to accurate detection of the disturbed biochemical processes and physiological abnormality in living organism. The successful PET imaging of islets would be able to localize the specific site where transplanted islets engraft in the liver, and to quantify the level of islets remain alive and functional over time. This information would be vital to establishing and evaluating the efficiency of pancreatic islet transplantation. Many novel imaging agents have been developed to improve the sensitivity and specificity of PET islet imaging. In this article, we summarize the latest developments in carbon-11, fluorine-18, copper-64, and gallium-68 labeled radioligands for the PET imaging of pancreatic islet cells.
Metal–Metal Single Bonds with the Magnetic Anisotropy of Quadruple Bonds: A Systematic Series of Heterobimetallic Bismuth(II)–Rhodium(II) Formamidinate Complexes

The first set of five heterobimetallic MM'(form)4 (form = formamidinate) complexes has been successfully synthesized containing a BiRh core. The Bi-Rh bond distances lie between 2.5196(6) and 2.572[2] A, consistent with Bi-Rh single bonds. All complexes have rich electrochemistry, with the [BiRh]4+/5+ redox couples spanning ~ 700 mV and showing a strong correlation to remote ligand substitution. Visible spectroscopy shows two features for complexes 1 - 5 at ~ 459 and ~ 551 nm, unique to BiRh paddlewheel complexes that are attributed to LMCT bands into the Bi-Rh * orbital. The large spin-orbit coupling (SOC) of Bi creates a massive Bi-Rh magnetic anisotropy, Δ, ~ -4800 x 10-36 m3/molecule, which is the largest value reported for any single bond to date.
Interactions Between Drugs and Nutrients

Publisher Summary Certain clinical conditions, where prolonged medication is prescribed, can accentuate such potential interactions. There is, however, no reason to believe that genetically engineered foods differ significantly from natural foodstuffs with regard to drug-nutrient interactions. Perhaps the impact of plant genetic engineering on foods and nutrition is too embryonic to accurately forecast. Plant genetic engineering can improve agronomic and quality traits such as nutritional value, yet virtually nothing is known about potential nutrient-drug interactions. Increasing attention has focused on nutrient-drug interaction due perhaps to drugs becoming more and more potent and having greater specificity. Drugs and nutrients share a host of characteristics including physico-chemical properties that may affect certain biochemical actions and other dose-related toxicities. Frequently, the mechanism of action of a drug may involve a nutrient(s) in a manner comparable to a nonnutrient component(s). Food-induced changes in the bioavailability of some drugs may partially depend on hepatic biotransformation as evidenced by absorbed nutrients competing with drugs for first-pass metabolism in the intestine or in the liver. Altered drug metabolism has been studied extensively among different populations. Among the many conditions to which the human organism must adapt is the nutritional environment. Genetic variation can impact certain nutritional states. Undoubtedly, nutritional status plays a significant role in a drug's pharmacologic response.
Envenoming by Viridovipera stejnegeri snake: a patient with liver cirrhosis presenting disruption of hemostatic balance

In most cases of envenoming by the green habu Viridovipera stejnegeri in Taiwan coagulopathy is not observed. Herein, we describe the case of a patient with liver cirrhosis who developed venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy after V. stejnegeri bite. Laboratory investigation revealed the following: prothrombin time > 100 s (international normalized ratio > 10), activated partial thromboplastin time > 100 s, fibrinogen 80 μg/mL. The patient recovered after administration of bivalent hemorrhagic antivenom, vitamin K, fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate. The liver, directly involved in the acute phase reaction, is the main responsible for neutralization of animal toxins. Any patient with history of liver cirrhosis bitten by a venomous snake, even those whose venoms present low risk of coagulopathy, should be very carefully monitored for venom-induced consumptive coagulopathy (VICC), since the hemostatic balance may be disrupted.
Earth Optimism: Success Stories in Plant Conservation

Target 14 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation calls for an increase in the communication of the importance of plant diversity and conservation by education and public awareness programs. An unrelenting torrent of bad news about the environment and the loss of plant biodiversity, however, have led to despair among conservation practitioners and the public. Much of the damage to terrestrial habitats and the loss of plant biodiversity stem from problems that both biologists and the public can do something about. Indeed, the past decades have witnessed a growing number of successes in describing new species, saving species, protecting places, and restoring habitats. A number of plant species have come back from the brink of extinction and are being delisted. Priority areas for conservation are being identified and these areas are being established as protected nature reserves. Habitats once degraded by farming have been ecologically restored with native plant species. These and other examples underpin the Earth Optimism initiative that seeks to recognize, learn from, replicate, scale up, and celebrate our successes as a means to motivate further action.
Bonobos respond prosocially toward members of other groups

Modern humans live in an “exploded” network with unusually large circles of trust that form due to prosociality toward unfamiliar people (i.e. xenophilia). In a set of experiments we demonstrate that semi-free ranging bonobos (Pan paniscus) – both juveniles and young adults – also show spontaneous responses consistent with xenophilia. Bonobos voluntarily aided an unfamiliar, non-group member in obtaining food even when he/she did not make overt requests for help. Bonobos also showed evidence for involuntary, contagious yawning in response to videos of yawning conspecifics who were complete strangers. These experiments reveal that xenophilia in bonobos can be unselfish, proactive and automatic. They support the first impression hypothesis that suggests xenophilia can evolve through individual selection in social species whenever the benefits of building new bonds outweigh the costs. Xenophilia likely evolved in bonobos as the risk of intergroup aggression dissipated and the benefits of bonding between immigrating members increased. Our findings also mean the human potential for xenophilia is either evolutionarily shared or convergent with bonobos and not unique to our species as previously proposed.
Effects of anode and cathode surface treatments on vacuum breakdown between metal electrodes with 50-ns high voltage pulses

Well diagnosed measurements of electrical breakdown between metal electrodes in vacuum have been made using a 1-MV, 50-ns pulse-generator-based test stand [1]. Results with bare, as-machined electrodes showed that cathode surface finish and material have little to no effect on the breakdown electric field. However, changing the AK gap did affect the breakdown field level, suggesting that the anode is involved in cathode turn on. Further tests showed that applying a carbon coating to the anode can dramatically decrease the breakdown field [2]. Here, we report on other anode and cathode surface treatments and how they can enhance or suppress breakdown. Polishing of the anode can prevent breakdown at certain field strengths and decrease the breakdown current at higher fields. Marring a small spot on a polished anode is shown to initiate cathode turn on at a location opposite that spot. The effects of other surface treatments such as metallic and dielectric coatings on anode and cathode surfaces will also be discussed.
Patient-specific multiscale computational fluid dynamics assessment of embolization rates in the hybrid Norwood: effects of size and placement of the reverse Blalock-Taussig shunt.

The hybrid Norwood operation is performed to treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Distal arch obstruction may compromise flow to the brain. In a variant of this procedure, a synthetic graft (RBTS) is placed between the pulmonary trunk and innominate artery to improve upper torso blood flow. Thrombi originating in the graft may embolize to the brain. In this study we used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and particle tracking to investigate the patterns of particle embolization as a function of the anatomic position of the RBTS. The degree of distal arch obstruction as well as position of particle origin influence embolization probabilities to the cerebral arteries. Cerebral embolization probabilities can be reduced by as much as 20% by optimizing graft position, for a given arch geometry, degree of distal arch obstruction and particle origin. There is a tradeoff, however, between cerebral pulmonary and coronary embolization probabilities.
Cambios necesarios en las entidades financieras del siglo XXI

La banca espanola ha hecho un importante esfuerzo en los ultimos anos para adaptarse a un entorno que exige a las instituciones financieras ser mas flexibles, eficientes y centradas en satisfacer las necesidades de un cliente cada vez mas exigente. En este entorno, el tradicional modelo de negocio de las entidades debe variar hacia una estructura basada en componentes, que permita sacar el maximo rendimiento de sus estrategias comerciales y encontrar nuevas fuentes de eficiencia.
Moving beyond compliance: measuring ethical quality to enhance the oversight of human subjects research.

The procedural requirements of the U.S. federal regulations designed to protect human subjects are now well institutionalized.' These requirements include the mandate that an Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approve research studies before investigators recruit individuals for, and enroll them in, their studies. Over the last decade, lapses in compliance with various regulatory provisions and the highly publicized deaths of a few research subjects resulted in federal regulators temporarily suspending human subjects research at major academic medical centers. In addition to the regulatory action, investigations by several national advisory bodies raised questions about whether IRBs can adequately protect individuals who participate in research. Several reports concluded that the IRB system is in need of reform and made numerous recommendations-from global restructuring of the entire IRB system to tinkering with components of the administrative review process.2 Yet there is no empirical evidence that the enhancement of regulatory compliance will improve the ethical quality of the IRB oversight system. Indeed, procedural compliance may inadvertently divert an IRB's attention from its assessment of the ethics of the human subjects research under review. Although attention to regulatory compliance is necessary, a robust measure does not yet exist for determining whether IRB review of proposed research achieves the ethical goals of research review derived from the Belmont Report3-protecting the welfare of subjects, promoting respect, and attending to justice in human research. An effort to develop such a measure should be initiated. A measure of ethical quality would be valuable to human subjects protection programs, social scientists, and public agencies interested in enhancing the IRB review process. Finally-and perhaps most importantly in terms of the impact of this proposal on public policy-the swing toward regulatory compliance among IRB
Histologic changes with breast ultrasound-assisted liposuction

The results of this study indicate that UAL does cause a 1–2-mm zone of minor distortion of breast parenchymal tissue, and that this tissue damage is identical to that caused by electrocautery. We conclude that UAL of the breast should be a safe procedure. Its histologic effects are identical to those caused by electrocautery devices, and electrocautery use and the subsequent tissue damage are both well tolerated and have no long-term risks.
Nitric Oxide Stress as a Metabolic Flux

Nitric oxide (NO) is an antimicrobial metabolite produced by immune cells to prohibit infection. Due to its reactivity, NO has numerous reaction routes available to it in biological systems with some leading to cellular damage and others producing innocuous compounds. Pathogens have evolved resistance mechanisms toward NO, and many of these take the form of enzymes that chemically passivate the molecule. In essence, bacteria have channeled NO flux toward useful or harmless compounds, and away from pathways that damage cellular components. Pathogens devoid of detoxification enzymes have been found to have compromised survival in different infection models, which suggests that diverting flux away from NO defenses could be a viable antiinfective strategy. From this perspective, potentiation of NO stress mirrors challenges in metabolic engineering where researchers endeavor to divert flux away from endogenous pathways and toward those that produce desirable biomolecules. In this review, we cast NO stress as a metabolic flux and discuss how the tools and methodologies of metabolic engineering are well suited for analysis of this bacterial stress response. We provide examples of such interdisciplinary applications, discuss the benefits of considering NO stress from a flux perspective, as well as the pitfalls, and offer a vision for how metabolic engineering analyses can assist in deciphering the economics underlying bacterial responses to multistress conditions that are characteristic of the phagosomes of immune cells.
Abstract 3845: 24R,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduces tumor burden and metastasis in ER+ breast cancer in vivo

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (24,25), on tumor growth and metastasis in an in vivo estrogen receptor positive (ER+) orthotopic breast cancer model. 1α,25(OH)2D3 has been shown to have pro-apoptotic effects on breast cancer both in vitro and in vivo. 24,25, a naturally occurring metabolite, is present in human serum at concentrations up to 10 times higher than 1,25. Moreover, 1,25 regulates production of 24,25 by stimulating expression of the 24-hydroxylase. 6-8 week old female nod scid gamma IL2R mice were kept on an ad libitum vitamin D deficient diet. 15 days before surgery, mice were implanted with 1.7mg 0-order release estrogen (E2) pellets. In the first experiment, mice were given a fast-release pellet (45 days). In the second experiment, mice were given a slow-release (90 day) pellet. After 15 days of acclimation (day 0), mice were injected in the T4 mammary fat pad with 1M fluorescently labeled MCF7 cells (an ER+ breast cancer cell line) and cells in 50:50 PBS:Matrigel solution. Tumors were measured once a week starting at day 14 and tracked throughout the course of the study. On day 30, 24,25 treatment was initiated. Each experiment was divided into three groups: 0 ng 24,25, 25 ng 24,25, or 100 ng 24,25 per injection, with n=6-8 mice per group. Treatments were administered three times a week in a 50µL intraperitoneal injection. On day 70, mice were harvested and assessed for tumor burden and metastasis by fluorescence detection microscopy. Fluorescent tissues were marked ‘metastasis positive9 and harvested for future immunohistochemical analysis. Mice that were given 24,25 three times weekly showed decreased tumor burden and metastasis as compared to controls. In the first experiment (45 day E2), 25ng and 100ng 24,25 treated mice had significantly lower relative tumor volumes than controls beginning on day 70. These 24,25 treated mice also showed significantly lower rates of left axial lymph node metastasis, and had statistically longer survival rates. The second experiment (90 day E2) had similar results. Mice treated with 25ng and 100ng 24,25 had decreased tumor burden as compared to 0ng controls on day 70. Mice given 24,25 had decreased lung metastasis; however, mice treated with 100ng 24,25 had increased rates of right axial lymph node metastasis. Altogether, mice in both groups that were treated with 100ng of 24,25 had decreased rates of left axial lymph node metastasis and lung metastasis as compared to controls, and statistically longer survival rates. Thus 24,25 could play a role in 1,259s anti-apoptotic effect on breast cancer, potentially via upregulation of 24,25. Citation Format: Anjali Verma, David Joshua Cohen, Chandana Muktipaty, Barbara D. Boyan, Zvi Schwartz. 24R,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 reduces tumor burden and metastasis in ER+ breast cancer in vivo [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3845.
Emulsion polymerization of acrylonitrile in aqueous methanol

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is the most widely utilized precursor for carbon fiber (CF) production. Though the CF market is growing, increased adoption is impeded by the high cost of the primary raw material, acrylonitrile (AN). AN is manufactured today via propylene ammoxidation, which produces several byproducts (hydrogen cyanide, acetonitrile, acrolein) that require multi-step separations to produce polymerization-grade AN. Recently, a new approach to manufacture bio-based AN from sugars was proposed based on catalytic nitrilation, which produces AN from C3-acrylate esters at >98% yield with alcohol and water as coproducts. The proposed nitrilation process included a 2-stage separation and purification scheme for AN recovery. Here, we hypothesize that in addition to offering a green alternative to propylene ammoxidation with higher product yield, nitrilation of methyl acrylate to produce AN could also enable direct AN polymerization without the proposed separation steps, since water can act as the solvent and MeOH as the chain transfer agent (CTA). Because AN, water, and MeOH form a ternary azeotrope, the heat duty required for separation is substantial and removal of this separation step reduces the heat demand significantly. To that end, we report AN polymerization via emulsion polymerization in aqueous methanol at varying concentrations of CTA. High molecular weight, low polydispersity (e.g., 331.7 kDa, PDI = 1.88) PAN copolymers were produced from AN–MeOH–water emulsions, in the absence of additional CTAs. These PAN copolymers demonstrated thermal properties and carbon mass yields comparable to PAN copolymers prepared via conventional emulsion polymerization. By polymerizing AN in aqueous MeOH, the alcohol acts as the CTA, obviating the need for toxic, malodorous thiol-based CTAs (mercaptans). Utilizing the MeOH coproduct as the CTA results in a substantial heat demand reduction for the overall nitrilation process by 35%, leading to a 40% reduction imported process electricity demand, as the heat-intensive distillation steps required post-ammoxidation and previously proposed post-nitrilation are avoided. This polymerization method offers the opportunity to reduce the energy requirements of renewable AN production to improve both the sustainability and overall economics of bio-based CF precursor production.
Adam Smith’s Treatment of Criminal Law

During the century since Smith’s Lectures on Jurisprudence first became available only one of Smith’s commentators has given any consideration whatsoever to his views on criminal law, and that was a scant ten pages devoted mainly to Smith’s ‘theory of punishment.1 By relying primarily upon Smith’s strategic and programmatic remarks, Haakonssen understandably concluded that Smith supported basically a retributive approach to criminal law.2
Updated limits on the electron neutrino mass and large angle oscillations from SN1987A

We supplement Maximum Likelihood methods with a Monte-Carlo simulation to re-investigate the SN1987A neutrino burst detection by the IMB and Kamiokande experiments. The detector simulations include background in the the latter and “dead-time” in the former. We consider simple neutrinosphere cooling models, explored previously in the literature, to explore the case for or against neutrino vacuum mixing and massive neutrinos. In the former case, involving kinematically irrelevant masses, we find that the full range of vacuum mixing angles, 0 ≤ sin2 2θv ≤ 1, is permitted, and the Maximum Likelihood mixing angle is sin2 2θv = 0.45. In the latter case we find that the inclusion of “dead-time” reduces previous mνe upper bounds by 10%, and supplementing the Maximum Likelihood analysis with a Monte-Carlo goodness-of-fit test results in a further 15% reduction in the mνe upper limit. Our 95% C.L. upper limit for mνe is 19.6 eV, while the best fit value is ∼ 0 eV.
Abstract P3063: Reduced 5-ht3r Signaling In The Nodose Ganglia Neurons Of Adult Shr

Introduction: Gut dysbiosis is linked to hypertension (HTN), but the precise mechanisms of host-microbiota interactions are not known. Gut and brain communicate via the vagal axis, of which seroton...
The State Wildlife Grant Program: Measuring the Public Value of a Proactive Conservation Program

Abstract The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's State Wildlife Grant (SWG) Program was designed as a proactive species conservation program to aid state fish and wildlife agencies in preventing nonpl...
Correlation of Multiplicity and Chemistry in AlxGa1−xN Heterostructure via Atom Probe Tomography

In this work, the correlation between composition and relative evaporation field was investigated by tracking the statistics of multi-hit detector events in atom probe tomography (APT). This approach is applied systematically to a GaN-based nitride heterostructure with five AlxGa1-xN layers of varying Al composition. The relative field evaporation and the percentage of multi-hit events were found to increase with higher Al concentration. Furthermore, the comparison of the relative evaporation fields of AlN with respect to the constituent ions is found to be less than GaN with respect to its constituent ions. Despite equivalent compositions between opposing interfaces of the same AlxGa1-xN interlayer, the rate of change in multiplicity exhibits a consistent asymmetric trend with a steeper slope across the AlxGa1-xN/GaN interface compared to the GaN/AlxGa1-xN interface. The AlxGa1-xN/GaN heterostructure serves as a test structure for exploring field evaporation and neighborhood chemistry, which can be applied to any material chemistry and particularly other nitride systems.
Trends in inferior vena cava filter placement and retrieval at a tertiary care institution.

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to examine practice patterns of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter insertion and retrieval at a tertiary care institution. Methods A retrospective review of all IVC filter procedures performed at the University of Pennsylvania and entered into the Penn cohort of the Vascular Quality Initiative registry between January 2013 and September 2017 was performed. Data collected included demographics, venous thromboembolism risk factors, indications for filter placement, and presence and timing of retrieval. Trend analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to evaluate factors associated with failure to retrieve the filter. Results During the study period, 627 IVC filters were inserted. The mean age was 52.8 ± 16.9 years, and 49.3% were male; 39.2% were placed for a major indication, whereas 58.1% were placed for prophylaxis. There was a significant decline in overall frequency of filter placement during the period observed, with a 33% decrease from 2015 to 2016 and a 26% decrease from 2016 to 2017 (P Conclusions These results show both a decline in overall IVC filter placement and an increase in overall IVC filter retrieval at our institution. These trends are predominantly due to a decrease in prophylactic filter placement as well as an overall increase in filter retrieval. Further study should be dedicated to increasing the retrieval rate in this population of patients.
Pectoralis major muscle flap use in a modern head and neck free flap practice.

Abstract Purpose Pectoralis major muscle flaps (PMMF) are a commonly used reconstructive modality to repair head and neck defects. As the use of free flap reconstruction is increasingly practiced in the head and neck, the role of the PMMF may be changing as well. This study sought to analyze indications and outcomes for PMMF following head and neck resections from one surgeon's experience. Materials and methods Retrospective review from December 1, 2013 through September 30, 2017 at a tertiary care academic medical center. Indications for the PMMF were examined as well as surgical outcomes. Basic demographic data, patient head and neck cancer history, history of radiation and/or chemotherapy, and history of previous reconstructive procedures were obtained and compared across all subjects. Results Forty patients underwent a PMMF within the designated time frame. The majority of patients were male (83%) and the average age was 65 years (range 55.4–74.6 years). Of the 40 cases, 9 of the PMMFs were performed as primary reconstruction of the defect. In the remaining 31 cases, these flaps were utilized as a secondary reconstructive option following fistula formation (13), dehiscence (6), need for an additional flap for recurrent disease (6) infection (4), or major bleeding (2). In every case that it was utilized, the PMMF was the definitive reconstruction. Within the same time frame, 429 free flaps were performed by the same surgeon, with an average of 125 free flaps performed yearly. The rate of total flap failure overall was 3.9%. The other failed free flap reconstructive options used besides a PMMF were secondary free flaps (11), local wound care (4), or obturator placement (2). The secondary pectoralis flaps occurred following 7.2% of free flaps with total or partial failure that were performed within the same time range. The indications for the PMMF did not change or evolve during the time frame of the study. Conclusions Although free flaps were performed with far greater frequency than PMMFs at our institution, the PMMF demonstrated continued utility as a secondary reconstructive option. For a surgeon who performs a high volume of free flaps, preservation of the pectoralis muscle and associated vasculature for possible later secondary reconstruction should be considered due to its strong efficacy.
The Clinical and Pathologic Relevance of a Prostate MRI Diagnosis of "Prostatitis".

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging evidence of prostatitis with clinical symptomatology. Non-malignant abnormalities in peripheral zone are common in prostate multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). These findings are sometimes reported as “prostatitis” or “inflammation” and lead to patient anxiety and urologic referral. METHODS Retrospective review of patients undergoing prostate mpMRI (2016-2017) was performed. Two cohort groups based on the presence of “prostatitis” or “inflammation” in the radiology report were identified. Clinical characteristics included age, prostate specific antigen, biopsy/intervention history, true lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), pain, use of urologic medications, prostate volume, and PIRADS score. Pathologic finding of inflammation was recorded. Groups were compared using chi-square for dichotomous variables and t-tests for continuous variables. RESULTS One hundred and four patients were identified with “prostatitis/inflammation” and 273 without. Report of LUTS was high in both groups (58% and 62% for prostatitis and no prostatitis respectively, P= .49), though report of moderate/severe LUTS (physician description or IPSS of 8-19 and 20+) was more common in the no prostatitis group (7% vs 18%, P= .008). Use of urologic medication was similar between the 2 groups (31% and 37% for prostatitis and no prostatitis respectively, P = .23). Biopsy finding of inflammation was more common in the prostatitis group (57% vs 43% P = .027). Reports of pelvic pain, dysuria, or urinary findings of inflammation were uncommon in both groups. CONCLUSION While mpMRI findings of prostatitis may indicate NIH Category IV prostatitis, there is no evidence of correlation with categories I, II or III prostatitis nor with symptomatic LUTS, and patients should be reassured that further investigation is not warranted.
Effect of acquired rectoperineal fistula in female children with transrectal approach fistulectomy

Objective To observe the clinical effects of transrectal partial fistula resection in the treatment of infective rectoperineal fistula in girls. Methods The clinical data of 26 girls with infective rectoperineal fistula admitted to Shanxi Children’s Hospital from April 2014 to May 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients’ age ranged from 7 months to 8 years with a mean age of 14 months. Preoperative intestinal preparation was adequate. All girls underwent partial fistula resection via transrectal approach and early enteral nutrition support after operation. Results Following up for 3 months to 4 years after operation, 24 of the 26 cases (92.3%) had primary healing of fistula and 2 cases (7.7%) had infection. After conservative treatment, the fistula healed 3 to 4 weeks after operation. All the children had good appearance of perineum, and none of them had fecal incontinence or dirty feces. Conclusions Transrectal partial fistula resection for infectious rectoperineal fistula in girls has the advantages of less injury, simple operation, satisfactory appearance of perineum and low recurrence rate. The operative effect is definite and worth further promotion. Key words: Rectoperineal fistula; Transrectal approach surgery; Anal ultrasound; Fast track surgery
Cross-Correlation Analysis and Phase-Locking in a Model of the Ventral Cochlear Nucleus Stellate Cell

There is now considerable evidence that stellate cells in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) receive auditory-nerve inputs on or near their cell bodies (Cant,’ 81, Liberman,’ 92, Ryugo, this volume). Furthermore, auditory-nerve fibers (ANFs) from all spontaneous rate (SR) groups appear to project to AVCN stellate cells (Ryugo, this volume), although it is not known whether a single stellate cell receives inputs from more than one SR group. This morphological evidence raises a number of issues with regard to our understanding of the physiological properties of stellate cells. For example, results of cross-correlation analysis of spike trains from simultaneously recorded ANFs and AVCN chopper units, which are recorded from stellate cells (Roullier and Ryugo,’ 84, Smith and Rhode,’ 89), are consistent with the hypothesis that there are monosynaptic excitatory connections between high SR ANFs and stellate cells, whereas no such evidence exists for connections between low SR ANFs and stellate cells (Young and Sachs,’ 88). Another issue involves phase-locking in chopper units. It is well known that phase-locking in choppers is degraded with respect to that in ANFs at frequencies above about 500 Hz (Blackburn and Sachs,’ 89, Bourk,’ 76, Rhode and Smith,’ 86). It has been suggested that this reduction in phase-locking results from low-pass filtering of AN inputs by the dendritic tree of the stellate cell (White, et al.,’ 90, Young, et al.,’ 88b). The evidence for ANF synapses on and near the soma of these cells raises the question of whether dendritic filtering is sufficient to produce the observed reductions. In this chapter we will examine both of these issues in terms of a simulation model for the stellate cell (Banks and Sachs,’ 91).
E-135 Endovascular management of epistaxis: time for consensus? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Recently, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) published evidence-based recommendations to improve the quality and management variation for patients who suffer from epistaxis, however, there were no clear guidelines on timing and techniques of endovascular management. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Our primary outcome was the proportion of patients who had immediate bleeding control after endovascular management. Secondary outcomes included percentage of major adverse events following embolization. Sensitivity analysis was conducted according to center protocol (materials used, unilateral vs. bilateral approach, and timing of treatment). Results Fourteen case series (with 719 patients) met our inclusion criteria for primary and secondary outcome. The pooled event rate for immediate control was 86% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82%-89%). Major adverse events (stroke, craniofacial skin necrosis, and retro-peritoneal hemorrhage) had an overall event rate of 2.4% (95% CI 1.4%-4%). Most embolizations were targeting distal portion of the internal maxillary (>95% of cases). Sensitivity analysis revealed that bilateral approaches were associated with less recurrence rates, however, higher rates of major adverse events were notes. Several factors were identified for heterogeneity between studies, including outcomes definitions, follow-up time, angiographic protocol, target vessels and embolization’s materials. Conclusions The best available evidence for endovascular management of epistaxis is based on retrospective observational studies. Deficiency of standardized reporting methods is a significant drawback to understand the exact role of endovascular treatment for epistaxis and whether it is superior to other operative methods. Disclosures N. Alotaibi: None. P. Harker: None. F. Robertson: None. J. Vranic: None. M. Koch: None. C. Stapleton: None. T. Leslie-Mazwi: None. A. Patel: None.
Inferential modeling and soft sensors

Abstract It is often difficult or expensive to directly measure product properties or qualities in real time, and soft sensors provide a way to infer critical process variables for process monitoring and control. With the increasing availability of process data, through the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), soft sensors are playing an increasingly role in advanced (smart) manufacturing. This chapter discusses the impacts of soft sensors based on historical trends and future opportunities. Characteristics of process data and their influence on soft sensor development are discussed. A comprehensive review of both first-principles and data-driven methods for soft sensor modeling is given, including state estimation, principal component analysis, partial least squares, artificial neural networks, and support vector machines. New challenges and opportunities in the age of “big data” are demonstrated.