cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fitness Costs of Drug Resistance Mutations in Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Household-Based Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND The projected long-term prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis depends upon the relative fitness of MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, compared with non-MDR strains. While many experimental models have tested the in vitro or in vivo fitness costs of various drug resistance mutations, fewer epidemiologic studies have attempted to validate these experimental findings. METHODS We performed a case-control study comparing drug resistance-associated mutations from MDR M. tuberculosis strains causing multiple cases in a household to matched MDR strains without evidence of secondary household cases. RESULTS Eighty-eight multiple-case and 88 single-case household MDR strains were analyzed for 10 specific drug resistance-associated polymorphisms previously associated with fitness effects. We found that the isoniazid-resistant katG Ser315Thr mutation occurred more than twice as frequently in multiple-case households than in single-case households (odds ratio [OR], 2.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-4.70), corroborating previous experimental findings. However, strains carrying both the katG Ser315Thr mutation and the rpsL Lys43Arg mutation were less likely to be found in multiple-case households (OR, 0.09; 95% CI, .01-.73), suggesting a negative epistatic interaction which contrasts previous findings. CONCLUSIONS The case-control design presents a useful approach for assessing in vivo fitness effects of drug resistance mutations.
Differential involvement of endocytic compartments in the biosynthetic traffic of apical proteins

Newly synthesized basolateral markers can traverse recycling endosomes en route to the surface of Madin–Darby canine kidney cells; however, the routes used by apical proteins are less clear. Here, we functionally inactivated subsets of endocytic compartments and examined the effect on surface delivery of the basolateral marker vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G), the raft-associated apical marker influenza hemagglutinin (HA), and the non-raft-associated protein endolyn. Inactivation of transferrin-positive endosomes after internalization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-containing conjugates inhibited VSV-G delivery, but did not disrupt apical delivery. In contrast, inhibition of protein export from apical recycling endosomes upon expression of dominant-negative constructs of myosin Vb or Sec15 selectively perturbed apical delivery of endolyn. Ablation of apical endocytic components accessible to HRP-conjugated wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) disrupted delivery of HA but not endolyn. However, delivery of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored endolyn was inhibited by >50% under these conditions, suggesting that the biosynthetic itinerary of a protein is dependent on its targeting mechanism. Our studies demonstrate that apical and basolateral proteins traverse distinct endocytic intermediates en route to the cell surface, and that multiple routes exist for delivery of newly synthesized apical proteins.
Neural network ensembles

Several means for improving the performance and training of neural networks for classification are proposed. Crossvalidation is used as a tool for optimizing network parameters and architecture. It is shown that the remaining residual generalization error can be reduced by invoking ensembles of similar networks. >
Development of empirical and analytical fragility functions using kernel smoothing methods

Summary Fragility functions that define the probabilistic relationship between structural damage and ground motion intensity are an integral part of performance-based earthquake engineering or seismic risk analysis. This paper introduces three approaches based on kernel smoothing methods for developing analytical and empirical fragility functions. A kernel assigns a weight to each data that is inversely related to the distance between the data value and the input of the fragility function of interest. The kernel smoothing methods are, therefore, non-parametric forms of data interpolation. These methods enable the implicit treatment of uncertainty in either or both of ground motion intensity and structural damage without making any assumption about the shape of the resulting fragility functions. They are particularly beneficial for sparse, noisy, or non-homogeneous data sets. For illustration purposes, two types of data are considered. The first is a set of numerically simulated responses for a four-story steel moment-resisting frame, and the second is a set of field observations collected after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The results demonstrate that these methods can develop continuous representations of fragility functions without specifying their functional forms and treat sparse data sets more efficiently than conventional data binning and parametric curve fitting methods. Moreover, various uncertainty analyses are conducted to address the issues of over-fitting, bias, and confidence intervals. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Remembering the Kwangju Incident

Books reviewed in this article: William H. Gleysteen Jr., Massive Enganglement, Marginal Influence: Carter and Korea in Crisis John A. Wickham, Korea on the Brink: From the “12/12 Incident” to the Kwangju Uprising, 1979–1980
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection rates and heroin trafficking: fearful symmetries

There is mounting evidence that the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with heroin trafficking routes. The relationship between the two is best illustrated by the routes leading from the two primary regions for the illicit opium poppy cultivation and heroin manufacture: the Golden Triangle of South-East Asia and the Golden Crescent of Central Asia. The producers in the Golden Triangle are the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Myanmar, and those in the Golden Crescent are Afghanistan and Pakistan. Together, those States accounted for perhaps 80–90 percent of the world heroin supplies in 2007. HIV outbreaks resulting from unsafe injection practices among injecting drug users (IDU) in trafficking zones have been documented in Myanmar itself, in Belarus, China, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Thailand, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and in several States in Eastern Europe. Heroin trafficking in those States has led to serial epidemics: first of heroin use, then of injection, then of blood-borne pathogens, including hepatitis C and HIV. Ethnic and trade relationships in heroin trafficking zones appear to facilitate such epidemics, as does drug testing by petty traders in market nodes. Policy responses, or the lack thereof, have increased the vulnerability of users and their communities, as have the limited drug treatment options available in those zones. While “supplyside” approaches, including interdiction and policing, are likely to continue, those HIV epidemics will require improved drug treatment, access to HIV prevention services, including harm reduction, and new approaches to the prevention of HIV in areas where heroin trafficking occurs.
Overdrive pacing of early ischemic ventricular tachycardia: evidence for both reentry and triggered activity

Entrainment can be a useful method to identify reentry as a mechanism of ventricular tachycardia (VT). In this study, we evaluated the effect of gradually decreasing cycle lengths of overdrive pacing for stable VT induced in a canine model 1-3 h after coronary occlusion. Intact dogs underwent anterior descending coronary artery occlusion after instrumentation of the risk zone with 21 multipolar plunge needles, each recording 6 bipolar electrograms. Overdrive pacing was attempted if the animals had sustained hemodynamically stable VT, looking for evidence of entrainment. Subsequent three-dimensional mapping determined the mechanism of VT. Fifteen of the 21 dogs studied demonstrated entrainment with overdrive pacing by progressive QRS fusion alone (1), the first nonpaced QRS entrained to the paced cycle length only (7), or both (7). Five of these 15 dogs also had postpacing acceleration of the VT at a subsequent faster pacing cycle length. The mechanism of acceleration in four was a change to a VT with a focal origin. The prepacing mechanism in all 15 dogs was subsequently mapped to reentry. Regarding the six VTs, which demonstrated no evidence for entrainment, the site of earliest activity was mapped to a focal origin in all. These data showing entrainment of inducible reentrant VTs and lack of such for focal VTs support that the focal VTs seen in this study are unlikely the result of microreentry but possibly a mechanism as triggered activity.
Meaningful Use of Electronic Behavioral Health Data in Primary Health Care

In August 2011, scientists and policy-makers held a conference entitled “Using IT to Improve Community Health: How Health Care Reform Supports Innovation.” One of the conference sessions was entitled “Electronic health records: Meaningful use implementation challenges, innovation, and regulations.” This Meeting Report discusses the meaningful use of behavioral health data for the treatment of mental health and substance abuse conditions and optimization of behavioral wellness by primary care physicians.
Application of nonlinear mixed effects modeling in allometric interspecies scaling of emtricitabine

Background/Aims Allometry successfully predicted human pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of nucleoside analogues due to efficient renal excretion and low plasma protein binding. We aim to characterize the allometric relationships that explain PK species differences of emtricitabine ((−)-FTC), an anti-HIV and anti-HBV nucleoside analogue. Methods A 2-compartment open model was simultaneously fit to drug concentrations after IV administration to mice, rats, woodchucks and monkeys using NONMEM®, with body weight as a covariate according to power law. Results Including woodchuck resulted in a deficient fit and mispredicted all species (model 1). Estimating woodchuck clearance outside the allometric relationship (model 2), based on known low renal clearance of nucleoside analogues, significantly improved the fit. Accounting for circannual adipose changes with a weight multiplier parameter (model 3) further improved the fit. The allometric exponents were not significantly different from theoretical values of ¾ and 1 for flows and volumes, and human clearance was accurately predicted. Predicted human PK parameters varied by 2 fold between the models, and were 28 and 22 L/h for total and distributional clearances, and 40 and 33 L for central and peripheral volumes, respectively, for model 3. Conclusions Accounting for species-specific properties can better characterize the allometric relationships of PK parameters, and may help predict human properties more accurately. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P80–P80; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.197
Effects of Low-Quality Computation Time Estimates in Policed Schedulers

Researchers conducting computer simulations can often provide estimates of computation time for a given type of simulation, which may be used by the compute cluster to aid in resource allocation and scheduling. However, the low quality of these estimates can cause deadline misses and unpredictable behavior. This problem is exacerbated on complex compute resources, clusters, and grids. Past-deadline jobs may be killed to provide resources for others, but the effect on the throughput of whole batches not fully understood. In this paper, we examine models for simple job schedulers and examine the quality of the deadline guarantee given. Simulation results based on actual runtimes are provided and discussed
The Native Population of the Americas in 1492

Research by some scholars provides population estimates of the pre-contact Americas as high as 112 million in 1492, while others estimate the population to have been as low as eight million. In any case, the native population declined to less than five million by 1650. In this collection of essays, historians, anthropologists and historical demographers discuss the discrepancies in the population estimates and the evidence for the post-European decline. Woodrow Borah, Angel Rosenblat and William T. Sanders, among others, examine such topics as the Indian slave trade, disease, military action and the disruption of the social systems of the native peoples. Offering varying points of view, the contributions critically analyse major hemispheric and regional data and estimates for pre- and post-European contact.
Control-oriented modeling and analysis of automotive transcritical AC system dynamics

This paper presents a dynamic model of a transcritical air-conditioning system, specifically suited for multivariable controller design. The physically based model retains sufficient detail to accurately predict system dynamic response while also being simple enough to be of value in determining appropriate control strategies. The control focus would be quasi-steady transitions between operating states by modulating flow rates of both air and refrigerant to meet changing constraints on capacity, efficiency, noise, etc. Both nonlinear and linearized versions of the model are compared to experimental data. Possibilities for model order reduction are substantiated.
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy for tumor-related hydrocephalus in a pediatric population

Object Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) has become a common alternative for managing hydrocephalus in select patients. Nevertheless, there is still controversy regarding the indications for ETV as the primary procedure, given its variable success rates. The purpose of this study is to review the authors' experience with ETV for a variety of patients. Methods A total of 43 children underwent ETV between July 1992 and June 2003. Their medical records, operative reports, and imaging studies, when available, were retrospectively reviewed with regard to outcome, complications, and patency rate. Treatment failure was defined as the need to place a shunt within 4 weeks of performing ETV in the patient. There were 20 male and 23 female patients with a mean age of 9.6 years (range 8 weeks–21 years). The overall success rate was 69.8%, and the mean follow-up duration was 24.6 months. Six patients underwent eight repeated ETVs at a mean interval of 25 months, with a patency rate of 62.5% after the second proce...
ATLANTO-OCCIPITAL CEREBROSPINAL FLUID COLLECTION IN MACAQUES

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) evaluation can yield important information in behavioral, pharmacologic, and toxic assessment of the nervous system. Recently identified neurotransmitters are available and quantifiable in CSF. CSF collection in macaques is easy to perform and extremely safe for the monkeys. This paper outlines a simple, harmless, and reliable method to collect CSF from the atlanto-occipital cistern of macaques.
Triggered activity and atrial fibrillation

In 1999, Haissaguerre et al published a landmark article showing that atrial fibrillation can be initiated by electrical activity in the pulmonary veins. Not only does it appear that electrical activity in the veins initiates fibrillation, but it also may be responsible for perpetuating fibrillation. Subsequently, similar evidence has suggested that other thoracic veins (vena cavae, coronary sinus, ligament of Marshall) initiate and perpetuate atrial fibrillation. How does electrical impulse initiation occur in the veins? The results of numerous in vivo and in vitro studies on this subject have not conclusively defined a mechanism. Impulse initiation by automaticity and triggered activity as well as impulse initiation resulting from reentry have been suggested. In this article, we focus only on those data suggesting the possibility that triggered activity initiates and/or perpetuates atrial fibrillation.
Compressed sensing of wireless channels in time, frequency, and space

Training-based channel estimation involves probing of the channel in time, frequency, and space by the transmitter with known signals, and estimation of channel parameters from the output signals at the receiver. Traditional training-based methods, often comprising of maximum likelihood estimators, are known to be optimal under the assumption of rich multipath channels. Numerous measurement campaigns have shown, however, that physical multipath channels exhibit a sparse structure in angle-delay-Doppler, especially at large signal space dimensions. In this paper, key ideas from the emerging theory of compressed sensing are leveraged to: (i) propose new methods for efficient estimation of sparse multi-antenna channels, and (ii) show that explicitly accounting for multipath sparsity in channel estimation can result in significant performance improvements when compared with existing training-based methods.
SV40 DNA Replication with Purified Proteins: Functional Interactions Among the Initiation Proteins

Simian virus 40 (SV40), has proved to be a useful model system for the study of mammalian DNA replication (Challberg and Kelly 1989; Hurwitz et al. 1990; Kelly 1988; Stillman 1989). The SV40 genome is replicated by the host machinery in conjunction with a single viral protein, T antigen. Thus, the basic mechanisms involved in the replication of viral DNA are likely to be important for mammalian DNA replication. Synthesis of the viral genome begins at a well-defined origin and, like chromosomal DNA replication, proceeds in a bidirectional and semidiscontinuous manner. The utility of this relatively simple system is exemplified by the development of a cell-free replication system (Li and Kelly 1984; Li and Kelly 1985) which has allowed the identification of factors implicated in the replication of mammalian DNA. Replication in vitro was demonstrated to possess most of the characteristics of in vivo SV40 DNA replication (Li and Kelly 1984; Li and Kelly 1985; Li et al. 1986; Stillman et al. 1985; Stillman and Gluzman 1985; Wobbe et al. 1985). In particular, initiation depended on the viral protein T antigen, occured at the origin of DNA replication, and proceeded bidirectionally. Furthermore, replication intermediates formed in vitro were identical to those found in vivo.
On Maximal Torsion Radicals, IV

It is well-known that if R is a left Noetherian ring, then there is a bijective correspondence between minimal prime ideals of R and maximal torsion radicals of R-Mod. Using the notion of a prime M-ideal, it is shown that this correspondence can be extended to the category σ[M] of modules subgenerated by a module M, provided that M is a Noetherian quasi-projective generator in σ[M]. Furthermore, under this hypothesis the prime M-ideals are the fully invariant submodules P of M such that M/P is semi-compressible.
Environmental Change, Indigenous Knowledge, and Subsistence on Alaska's North Slope

In this article we discuss an ongoing research project that links the knowledge and experience of Inupiat Eskimo elders, hunters, and berry harvesters with scientific observations and methods, to better understand environmental change on the Arctic Coastal Plain.[2] Quantitative scientific questions about climate-related changes to the Alaskan tundra are at the heart of our study, but this is also an interview-intensive interdisciplinary project that utilizes mixed methods and generates a range of "secondary" findings. Our primary goal here is to provide a preliminary presentation of some of the important qualitative data that has emerged from our interviews with Inupiat participants concerning climate change, subsistence, community values, and women's roles. We also provide detail on the background, methods, and objectives of our research, to help readers better understand the situation in northern Alaska, and to present our methodology for assessment by a multidisciplinary and multicultural audience.
Discovery of sarolaner: A novel, orally administered, broad-spectrum, isoxazoline ectoparasiticide for dogs.

Abstract The novel isoxazoline ectoparasiticide, sarolaner, was identified during a lead optimization program for an orally-active compound with efficacy against fleas and ticks on dogs. The aim of the discovery program was to identify a novel isoxazoline specifically for use in companion animals, beginning with de novo synthesis in the Zoetis research laboratories. The sarolaner molecule has unique structural features important for its potency and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties, including spiroazetidine and sulfone moieties. The flea and tick activity resides in the chirally pure S-enantiomer, which was purified to alleviate potential off-target effects from the inactive enantiomer. The mechanism of action was established in electrophysiology assays using CHO-K1 cell lines stably expressing cat flea ( Ctenocephalides felis ) RDL (resistance-to-dieldrin) genes for assessment of GABA-gated chloride channel (GABACls) pharmacology. As expected, sarolaner inhibited GABA-elicited currents at both susceptible (CfRDL-A285) and resistant (CfRDL-S285) flea GABACls with similar potency. Initial whole organism screening was conducted in vitro using a blood feeding assay against C. felis. Compounds which demonstrated robust activity in the flea feed assay were subsequently tested in an in vitro ingestion assay against the soft tick, Ornithodoros turicata . Efficacious compounds which were confirmed safe in rodents at doses up to 30 mg/kg were progressed to safety, PK and efficacy studies in dogs. In vitro sarolaner demonstrated an LC 80 of 0.3 μg/mL against C. felis and an LC 100 of 0.003 μg/mL against O. turicata . In a head-to-head comparative in vitro assay with both afoxolaner and fluralaner, sarolaner demonstrated superior flea and tick potency. In exploratory safety studies in dogs, sarolaner demonstrated safety in dogs ≥ 8 weeks of age upon repeated monthly dosing at up to 20 mg/kg. Sarolaner was rapidly and well absorbed following oral dosing. Time to maximum plasma concentration occurred within the first day post-dose. Bioavailability for sarolaner was calculated at >85% and the compound was highly protein bound (>99.9%). The half-life for sarolaner was calculated at 11–12 days. Sarolaner plasma concentrations indicated dose proportionality over the range 1.25–5 mg/kg, and these same doses provided robust efficacy (> 99%) for ≥35 days against both fleas ( C. felis ) and multiple species of ticks ( Rhipicephalus sanguineus , Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus ) after oral administration to dogs. As a result of these exploratory investigations, sarolaner was progressed for development as an oral monthly dose for treatment and control of fleas and ticks on dogs.
Luminescent Flash Avoidance in the Nocturnal Crab Portunus Xantusii: II. Cardiac and Visual Responses to Variations in Simulated Luminescent Flashes

Cardiac responses of Portunus xantusii (Stimpson) (Crustacea: Decapoda) to simulated luminescent flashes were similar to responses to real flashes produced by the sea pansy Renilla kollikeri (Pfeffer). Tethering the crabs did not significantly affect cardiac responses to light flashes and allowed for more control over stimulus presentation. Crabs were maximally responsive to wavelengths from 500 to 510 nm 175 nm width at half-maximum response). The wavelength of maximal sensitivity based on the electroretinogram was 510nm. The critical fusion frequency for P. xantusii was 25.6 Hz. Pulse rate and train duration of light flashes were the most important features of the stimulus for eliciting maximal cardiac responses, with pulse duration and inter-pulse interval having minor effects on flash effectiveness. Pulse rates of 4–5 Hz within a train elicited the largest cardiac responses. Increases in train duration from 1 to 5 s resulted in a linear increase in heart response, but stimuli with train durations longer than 5 s did not elicit concomitant increases in heart response. Habituation to pairs of stimulus trains occurred if inter-train intervals were less than 8–10 min. The characteristics of the luminescent signals produced by benthic invertebrates are well matched to the characteristics of light stimuli that are most effective at eliciting physiological and behavioral responses from Portunus xantusii .
The ultrastructure of chromatin fibers: I. The effect of spreading conditions☆

Chromatin from sea urchin sperm has been used to study the morphological variations of chromatin produced by the ions and the ionic concentrations present in the spreading solutions. A standard procedure for the spreading of chromatin that includes a previous chelation of divalent cations with EDTA is described. Chromatin spread on 0.01 M NaCl and on 0.07 M NaCl shows folding and aggregation of the 30 A fibrils, stronger in the latter solution. Chromatin spread on water without pretreatment with EDTA, as well as chromatin treated with low concentrations of divalent cations, shows little spreading and strong folding and aggregation of the 30 A fibrils. Spreading on high salt concentrations produces fibrils different in morphology to the chromatin fibrils. OsO4 stains the chromatin lightly and fixes the fibrils in a state dependent on the buffer solution. Phosphotungstic acid fails to give a negative staining of the chromatin without fixation. The plastic behaviour of the chromatin fibril is in agreement with the existence of a continuous axis bearing negative charges in each chromatin fibril.
Twofold enhancement of the hidden-order/large-moment antiferromagnetic phase boundary in the URu 2 − x Fe x Si 2 system

Electrical resistivity, specific heat, and magnetization measurements on URu${}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}$Fe${}_{x}$Si${}_{2}$ reveal a twofold enhancement of the ``hidden-order'' (HO)/large-moment antiferromagnetic (LMAFM) phase boundary ${T}_{0}(x)$. The ${T}_{0}({P}_{\text{ch}})$ curve, obtained by converting $x$ to ``chemical pressure'' ${P}_{\text{ch}}$, is strikingly similar to the ${T}_{0}(P)$ curve, where $P$ is applied pressure, for URu${}_{2}$Si${}_{2}$ both exhibit a ``kink'' at 1.5 GPa and a maximum at $\ensuremath{\sim}$7 GPa. This similarity suggests that the HO-LMAFM transition at 1.5 GPa in URu${}_{2}$Si${}_{2}$ occurs at $x$ $\ensuremath{\approx}$ 0.2 (${P}_{\text{ch}}\ensuremath{\approx}1.5$ GPa) in URu${}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}$Fe${}_{x}$Si${}_{2}$. URu${}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}$Fe${}_{x}$Si${}_{2}$ provides an opportunity for studying the HO and LMAFM phases with methods that probe the electronic structure [e.g., scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), and point-contact spectroscopy (PCS)] but cannot be used under pressure.
Co-fired Platinum High Temperature Sensor Element

Abstract In recent years, initiatives for improving the fuel consumptions have been accelerated to reduce the CO2 emissions in exhaust gas from an automotive engine; as a measure against global warming. One of the known techniques to reduce CO2 emissions, is more accurate temperature measurement of the engine. For such application, sensors such as thermistors or thin-film platinum temperature sensors have been widely used for sensing exhaust gas temperature. Especially, the thin-film platinum temperature sensors were favorable because of its linearity in resistance to temperature dependensy and accuracy in temperature measurements. However, the deformation of a resistor circuit in thin-film platinum temperature sensor elements have been observed after used in high temperature. The deformation causes the resistance drifts which leads to less accurate temperature measurements. In this study, durability of the co-fired platinum temperature sensor element was examined for high temperature application. As of r...
Making a Difference: TPSR, a New Wave of Youth Development Changing Lives One Stroke at a Time

This article was inspired by a belief in the need to connect physical education with community-based physical activity programming in minority communities. The initial steps of this reflective narrative were described in a previous article. This article describes a program called Project Guard: Make A Splash E.N.D. (End Needless Drowning), a unique collaboration among a school district and several community-based organizations. Project Guard was designed to address two goals: (1) to combine physical education, swimming instruction, water safety and lifesaving skills to prevent drowning in minority communities (i.e., African American and Hispanic/Latino populations); and (2) to equip high school students with relevant and inspiring educational experiences that will enable them to take control of their lives, shape their career goals, imagine future endeavors, and become active participants in their scholastic journey. In this article I will describe how and why I was encouraged to create an urban initiativ...
A Brief Study on the Economic Impact of the US Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington-Normal

This research can be used to identify which events generate the most attendance for The US Cellular Coliseum, which can ultimately lead to more profits for the Coliseum and in the neighboring community.
A Comparison of Health Visualization Evaluation Techniques with Older Adults

Aging-associated changes in visual acuity, cognition, and motor control in addition to attitudinal and affective perceptions of technology impact the design of information systems for older adults. Although design guidelines and cognitive theories on information visualization exist, they are often understudied for use with older adults. In an effort to evaluate interactive health visualizations with older adults, the authors applied and compared a benchmark evaluation, an insight-based evaluation, and a subjective usability questionnaire. They were unable to identify statistically significant differences between visualizations using the benchmark evaluation, but found moderate differences with the perceived usability scale and more granular differences through the insight evaluation.
Inferring Censored Geo-Information with Non-Representative Data

The goal of this study is to develop a method that is capable of inferring geo-locations for non-representative data. In order to protect privacy of surveyed individuals, most data collectors release coarse geo-information (e.g., tract), rather than detailed geo-information (e.g., street, apt number) when sharing surveyed data. Without the exact locations, many point-based analyses cannot be performed. While several scholars have developed new methods to address this issue, little attention has been paid to how to correct this issue when data are not representative. To fill this knowledge gap, we propose a bias correction method that adjusts for the bias using a bias factor approach. Applying our method to an empirical data set with a known bias associated with gender, we found that our method could generate reliable results despite the non-representativeness of the sample.
MBPE for speeding up the computation of plasmonic structurs

A Model-Based Parameter Estimation (MBPE) technique is described to accelerate numerical simulations of electromagnetic structures. The adaptive MBPE algorithm is based on Cauchy's formula and operates in the frequency domain to extrapolate or interpolate from a narrowband set of data to a broadband set of data. The data can be either computed or measured over a specified frequency range. For computed data the sampled values of the function and a few low order derivatives are calculated from a Maxwell solver and are then used to reconstruct the function. For measured data, only measured values of the parameter set are used to create broadband information. In this case derivatives are avoided as they are too noisy. Adaptive MBPE belongs to the class of auxiliary techniques and can be added to any field solver. In this paper the technique is combined with two semi-analytic field solvers working in the frequency domain, the Method of Auxiliary Sources (MAS) and the Multiple Multipole Program (MMP). A dielectric waveguide as well as Channel Plasmon-Polariton (CPP) structures are analyzed to demonstrate the efficiency of adaptive MBPE.
Fabrication of crystalline articles of aromatic polycarbonate by hot powder‐compaction

Polycarbonate is well known for forming amorphous, transparent, and exceptionally tough articles by conventional methods such as injection molding and extrusion. It is not possible to extrude polycarbonate from the melt into crystalline, shaped articles. A novel method to fabricate crystalline polycarbonate articles from acetone-crystallized powder was devised. The method was adapted from powder metallurgy and it involved compacting acetone-crystallized polycarbonate powder above the glass transition temperature (Tg) and below the melting peak temperature (Tm). The hot powder-compaction process yielded shaped articles, which retained the crystallinity of the original polycarbonate powder. Although the crystallinity of the powder and the articles was less than 20%, surprisingly the articles were non-sticking above the Tg and so could be released from the mold at the compaction temperature. Furthermore, the crystalline polycarbonate articles had a Vicat softening temperature above 180°C, excellent shape and dimension retention above Tg, increased hardness, as well as resistance to acetone and other solvents. That is, the properties were different from those of conventional amorphous polycarbonate articles. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
The Role of the Compiler in the Paris Psalter

ABSTRACTThe so-called Paris Psalter is best known for the Old English Prose Psalms and their vernacular introductions, but the Latin tituli that run through both the prose and verse potions of the psalter reveal much about the compilation of the manuscript and the way its sources were used. The compiler has been sufficiently attentive to the Old English introductions to the first fifty psalms to be able to draw on their source, the pseudo-Bedan In psalmorum librum exegesis, in composing the tituli. In some cases, the compiler has incorporated material to fill gaps where the introductions did not utilize historical or other material from the pseudo-Bedan Argumenta, whereas the compiler has, in other cases, adjusted material from the Argumenta in order to bring it into alignment with the Old English introductions.
Self-directed okay in mathematics lectures

Abstract This article investigates the inter-personal and intra-personal functions of the discourse marker (DM) okay in sequences of self-directed talk during university Mathematics lectures. This article takes a conversation analytic approach to the use of okay in the self-directed talk of three graduate students giving Mathematics lectures at a U.S university. While research focuses on okay almost exclusively as a transition, our microanalysis reveals that self-directed okay appears in three general locations and functions intra-personally to direct the teachers’ attention and inter-personally to mark transitions, to open self-repair sequences, and to verbalize thought processes in sections of discourse in which the lecturer is using non-verbal resources to emphasize information or demonstrating how to do math, which we call pedagogically-directed talk. By using self-directed okay, the three instructors focus their own attention while giving their students insight to their cognitive processes, emphasizing key information, and maintaining joint attention to the interactive practice of the university lecture at a point when student attention could become diverted from the task at hand. Findings suggest that self-directed okay is not merely a transition but concurrently serves critical intra- and inter-personal functions and that resources like self-directed okay should be taught as instructional practices for novice teachers in teacher preparation programs.
Applications in Economics

This chapter presents three projects that may highlight the applications of calculus in economics. The first project is related to monopoly pricing. When there is only one firm that produces a certain product, that one firm is called a monopoly. Monopolists have the advantage over firms that must compete as, without regulation, they might have the ability to control the price of their service by controlling the quantity produced. This project uses the case of cable companies and enables the examination of how monopolies set prices and whether the cable companies should be regulated by the government. The second project on discrete dynamics of price adjustment studies the model economy where there is a discrete price adjustment mechanism. The third project on continuous production and exchange involves a model that examines what happens in an economy with production and exchange.
Nonlinear CO2 flux response to 7 years of experimentally induced permafrost thaw

Rapid Arctic warming is expected to increase global greenhouse gas concentrations as permafrost thaw exposes immense stores of frozen carbon (C) to microbial decomposition. Permafrost thaw also stimulates plant growth, which could offset C loss. Using data from 7 years of experimental Air and Soil warming in moist acidic tundra, we show that Soil warming had a much stronger effect on CO2 flux than Air warming. Soil warming caused rapid permafrost thaw and increased ecosystem respiration (Reco ), gross primary productivity (GPP), and net summer CO2 storage (NEE). Over 7 years Reco , GPP, and NEE also increased in Control (i.e., ambient plots), but this change could be explained by slow thaw in Control areas. In the initial stages of thaw, Reco , GPP, and NEE increased linearly with thaw across all treatments, despite different rates of thaw. As thaw in Soil warming continued to increase linearly, ground surface subsidence created saturated microsites and suppressed Reco , GPP, and NEE. However Reco and GPP remained high in areas with large Eriophorum vaginatum biomass. In general NEE increased with thaw, but was more strongly correlated with plant biomass than thaw, indicating that higher Reco in deeply thawed areas during summer months was balanced by GPP. Summer CO2 flux across treatments fit a single quadratic relationship that captured the functional response of CO2 flux to thaw, water table depth, and plant biomass. These results demonstrate the importance of indirect thaw effects on CO2 flux: plant growth and water table dynamics. Nonsummer Reco models estimated that the area was an annual CO2 source during all years of observation. Nonsummer CO2 loss in warmer, more deeply thawed soils exceeded the increases in summer GPP, and thawed tundra was a net annual CO2 source.
T Cell Mediated Suppression of Hematopoiesis in Myeloproliferative Neoplasm

Background: Increased inflammation is an established feature of MPN, but its precise role in disease pathogenesis has yet to be clearly defined. T cell mediated insult on hematopoietic stem cells can drive expansion of clones that have mutated in such a way as to escape these suppressive and/or apoptotic cues (this mechanism is clearly illustrated in aplastic anemia). To investigate whether T cell mediated suppression of hematopoiesis occurs in MPN we interrogated the T lymphocyte compartment of MPN patients, guided by abnormalities known to be present in aplastic anemia. Methods and Results: We first asked how selective depletion of T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC) would affect myeloid colony formation in MPN as compared to normal controls. MNC were depleted of T cells using CD3 magnetic beads or mock depleted and plated side by side in methylcellulose (+SCF, IL-3, Epo). Removal of CD3 + T cells from bulk MNC reduced colony formation in all 29 normal control samples tested, consistent with the ability of normal lymphocytes to enhance colony formation. In contrast, removal of CD3 + T cells from MPN MNC resulted in an increase in colony formation in 20 out of 51 MPN patient samples (containing an equal distribution of polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and myelofibrosis). From JAK2 V617F -positive MPN patients, colonies were plucked and genotyped for JAK2 V617F mutational status. The fraction of JAK2 WT colonies increased with removal of T cells, demonstrating that JAK2 WT progenitors are more sensitive to T cell mediated suppression as compared to their JAK2 V617F counterparts. The observation that removal of T cells enhances myeloid colony forming ability of some MPN patients suggests that T mediated suppression of hematopoiesis may be occurring in MPN. Next, we tested whether MPN T cells have the ability to suppress colony formation of normal hematopoietic progenitors. CD3 + T cells from MPN (n=2) and normal controls (n=2) were added to normal control mobilized peripheral blood CD34 + cells (n=3). Each CD34 + sample was plated in methylcellulose by itself, with the addition of 100,000 MPN T cells/1.1ml or with the addition of 100,000 normal control T cells/1.1ml. For each CD34 + sample a unique MPN patient and normal control was used as the source of T cells. Addition of MPN T cells reduced colony formation in one of three CD34 + samples, whereas normal control T cells enhanced colony formation of all three CD34 + samples. In the remaining two CD34 + samples MPN T cells had an attenuated ability to enhance colony formation as compared to the normal control T cells. Conclusion: T-cell mediated suppression of myelopoiesis in vitro is demonstrable in MPN and may be a contributor to the anemia associated with myelofibrosis. Taken together, these data provide the rationale for further investigation into T mediated suppression of hematopoietic progenitors in MPN patients. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
T Cell Depletion as an Alternative Approach for Patients 55 Years or Older Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation as Curative Therapy for Hematologic Malignancies

Abstract T cell–depleted (TCD) allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is curative treatment for hematologic malignancies in adults, shown to reduce graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) without increased relapse. We retrospectively reviewed a single-center, 11-year experience of 214 patients aged ≥ 55 years to determine tolerability and efficacy in the older adult. Most patients (70%) had myeloid diseases, and most acute leukemias were in remission. Median age was 61 years, with related and unrelated donors ≥8/10 HLA matched. Hematopoietic cell transplantation–specific comorbidity index scores were intermediate and high for 84%. Conditioning regimens were all myeloablative. Grafts were peripheral blood stem cells (97%) containing CD3 dose ≤103-4/kg body weight, without pharmacologic GVHD prophylaxis. With median follow-up of 70 months among survivors, Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall and relapse-free survival were 44% and 41%, respectively (4 years). Cumulative incidence of nonrelapse mortality at day +100 was only 10%. Incidence of GVHD for acute (grades II to IV) was 9% at day +100 and for chronic was 7% at 2 and 4 years (8 extensive, 1 overlap). Median Karnofsky performance status for patients > 2 years post-transplant was 90%. As 1 of the largest reports for patients ≥2 aged ≥55 years receiving TCD HSCTs, it demonstrates curative therapy with minimal GVHD, similar to that observed in a younger population.
Abstract WMP105: Human Monocyte Derived Macrophage Phagocytize Eryptotic Erythrocytes in a Phosphotidylserine Dependent Mechanism

Introduction: After intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), erythrocytes contribute to secondary injury by releasing toxic hemoproteins. Our lab has previously shown that blood derived macrophages play an important role in ICH clearance but mechanisms of phagocytosis by human macrophages are unknown. This study aims to quantify eryptotic (phosphatidylserine (PtdSer)-expressing) red blood cells (RBCs) in an in vivo model of ICH, and to investigate the mechanisms that play a role in autologous eryptotic phagocytosis by human monocyte derived macrophages (huMDMs). Methods: ICH was induced in mice by autologous blood injection. The mice were sacrificed at 1 day after ICH. The brains were separated into hemispheres and digested into a single cell suspension for analysis by flow cytometry. Cells were stained with antibodies to cell surface markers and annexin V to quantify externalized PtdSer expression. Human monocytes were cultured with M-CSF for 7 days to generate huMDMs. Autologous RBCs were heat shocked (HS) to induce eryptosis. The huMDMs were cocultured with HS RBCs, HS RBCs treated with annexin V, or control RBCs. After 1 hour of coculture, the huMDMs were washed, stained and erythrophagocytosis quantified by microscopy. Results: The proportion of cells that externalized PtdSer increased by almost 20 fold at day 1 after ICH. Control brains mixed with fresh RBCs and subjected to tissue prep did not show PtdSer expression, ensuring that the PtdSer expression detected was induced in vivo (Fig A). HS RBCs increased PtdSer expression and were efficiently phagocytosed by huMDMs. Treatment of HS RBCs with annexin V to antagonize PtdSer-receptor interactions decreased RBC phagocytosis to levels comparable to control RBCs (Figs B and C). Conclusions: In vivo after ICH, erythrocytes externalize PtdSer, a cue to be engulfed by macrophages. Human macrophages phagocytose RBCs in a PtdSer-dependent mechanism. These findings highlight potential targets to enhance ICH clearance.
Self-Diffusivity Along Edge-Dislocation Singular Lines in Silver

Use was made of a recently developed surface-accumulation diffusion technique to measure the self-diffusivity of edge-type dislocation singular lines (Burgers vector along ) in a bent and polygonized single crystal of silver. Two factors are involved in obtaining a number for the diffusivity. One factor, the dislocation-line density, was measured by a microscopic technique recently developed, and the value of the other parameter, the effective “diameter” of a dislocation pipe, was estimated. With these parameters equal to 7.3×106 dislocations per sq cm and 10−7 cm, respectively, it was found that the self-diffusivity along edge-type dislocation lines was a factor of about two times the average grain-boundary self-diffusivity. The dislocation-pipe diffusivity is about 7×10−7 sq cm per sec at 450°C.
Carrot, Celery, and Other Vegetable Umbels

There are about 250 genera and more than 2500 species of the widely distributed Apiaceae. Most are cool season plants, although some species and cultivars are adaptive to subtropical environments and are grown at high elevations in tropical areas. Vegetable Apiaceae are recognized for their aromatic flavor characteristics. Usually it is the seed that contain the essential oils responsible for the flavor; for some species, all plant parts are aromatic. The composition of the essential oils are fairly specific for each species. Several species, in addition to vegetable use, also are widely used for flavoring. Nearly all of the vegetable Apiaceae have had some medicinal attributes assigned to them; some are also used as ornamentals. On the other hand, some species contain furanocoumarins, compounds that can caused dermatitis. Although not all individuals are sensitive, the dermatitis response is intensified with exposure to ultraviolet light and can result in skin discoloration.
Idiopathic Inflammatory Orbital Pseudotumor in Childhood: II. Results of Diagnostic Tests and Biopsies

Twenty-nine patients with pediatric orbital pseudotumor underwent a wide variety of diagnostic tests including biopsies. The following abnormalities were discovered: peripheral blood eosinophilia (9/29 patients); elevated ESR (17/27); elevated antinuclear antibody titres in the Tolosa-Hunt variant (2/2); hypercomplementemia (2/3); and mild CSF pleocytosis (2/6). Thyroid function tests were normal in nine patients so studied. B-mode ultrasonography performed on 12 patients displayed abnormalities in all cases (some combination of Tenonitis, myositis, perioptic inflammation, or mass effect). Computed tomography in seven patients provided higher resolution confirmation of these findings. Orbital bone changes and serious sinus disease were absent on routine radiographic studies. Biopsies performed on 16 patients disclosed mild lymphocytic inflammation in all cases, fibrosis and tissue eosinophilia in 9 biopsies (6 correlating with peripheral blood eosinophilia). Nine biopsies demonstrated a lipogranulomatous response to damaged fat cells. A true vasculitis or extensive lymphoid hyperplasia was not identified in any biopsy specimen.