cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Altruism, selfishness, and heterocytosis in cellular slime molds

The cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, undergoes a developmental cycle, with originally independent amoeboid cells aggregating and differentiating into a multicellular fruiting body. Sociobiological theory indicates that amoebae becoming nonreproductive stalk cells are sacrificing their individual fitness on behalf of the spore cells. Spore cell success and relatedness to stalk cells should be providing inclusive fitness benefits which override the individual fitness cost to the stalk cells. Two pure cultures of D. discoideum and a mixture of these cultures were grown under conditions inducing fruiting-body formation, and the ratios of spore capsule diameter to stalk length were determined. The mixed culture possessed a significantly larger spore capsule diameter relative to the stalk length (and thus a higher spore:stalk ratio) than either pure culture. Cellular slime mold amoebae display less altruistic behavior when forming a fruiting body along with less-related amoebae.
Upper abdominal neoplasms: an introduction and selected references.

The organs in the upper half of the abdominal cavity can give rise to a highly heterogeneous collection of neoplasms that encompasses a broad spectrum of clinical features, light microscopic appearances, immunostaining properties, and fine structure. Because of the anatomic proximity of the viscera in this region, the differential diagnosis of an upper abdominal mass may include consideration of tumors that arise from the stomach, duodenum, liver, kidney, adrenal, and pancreas. There are many distinctive ultrastructural features among the various tumors that can be used effectively by the diagnostic electron microscopist, but it is also important to take into account the considerable overlap in fine structure that occurs among different tumors and among similar tumors from different organs. In the session on upper abdominal neoplasms, the electron microscopic characteristics of the common tumors of each viscus were reviewed before the presentation of individual case studies that incorporated original obse...
A Generalized Model for Gravity-Assisted Melting in Enclosures

Gravity-assisted melting in cylindrical and spherical capsules has been studied over the past decade. However, none of these earlier analyses are truly complete. All are based on a number of simplifying assumptions, and have been developed from the studies of Moore and Bayazitoglu (1981, 1982), Emmerman and Turcotte (1983), and Bareiss and Beer (1984). As a consequence, there is a notion that gravity-assisted melting is always dominated by conduction, with natural convection having a minor effect on the overall melting. In the absence of a generalized model for the melting process, there has also been a lack of proper scaling of the governing variables resulting in a proliferation of parameters, and ultimately unnecessary experimentation. In addition, correlations have been presented for different geometries often without any mention of the parameter ranges over which these are valid. In order to provide a stronger basis for the numerous analyses published previously, a more generalized model is presented in this paper. Since this model is based on fewer preliminary assumptions, it can be used to describe a wider variety of engineering problems than was possible with earlier models. Based on the observation that most of the heat transfer occurs through the liquid film,more » a scaling analysis is then done to derive the nondimensional equations and finally the nondimensional numbers governing the process.« less
Gut Microbiota: The Link to Your Second Brain

Serotonin is a highly ubiquitous signaling molecule that plays a role in the regulation of various physiological functions. Several lines of evidence, including the present work from Hsiao and colleagues, demonstrate that, in the gut, microbial-derived metabolites affect the production of serotonin that in turn impacts host physiological functions.
Perioperative and acute care outcomes in morbidly obese patients with acetabular fractures at a Level 1 trauma center.

Background Controversy exists regarding obesity-related injury severity and clinical outcomes after orthopedic trauma.
S6.3 Behavioural interventions among men who have sex with men (MSM): where do we go from here?

Over the last two and a half decades, researchers and public health agencies have invested substantial resources in developing and implementing counselling and behavioural interventions to decrease HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) in higher-income nations. Meanwhile, MSM have substantially altered their sexual risk behaviour, adapting to the HIV epidemic, as well as the technological revolution fuelled by the Internet. This presentation will review the evidence supporting the efficacy of behavioural interventions in MSM, discuss the challenges posed in bringing those interventions to scale, and suggest future research and prevention directions designed to move behavioural interventions from an efficacy to an effectiveness focus.
Theory of polyelectrolytes in solvents.

Using a continuum description, we account for fluctuations in the ionic solvent surrounding a Gaussian, charged chain and derive an effective short-ranged potential between the charges on the chain. This potential is repulsive at short separations and attractive at longer distances. The chemical potential can be derived from this potential. When the chemical potential is positive, it leads to a meltlike state. For a vanishingly low concentration of segments, this state exhibits scaling behavior for long chains. The Flory exponent characterizing the radius of gyration for long chains is calculated to be approximately 0.63, close to the classical value obtained for second order phase transitions. For short chains, the radius of gyration varies linearly with $N,$ the chain length, and is sensitive to the parameters in the interaction potential. The linear dependence on the chain length N indicates a stiff behavior. The chemical potential associated with this interaction changes sign, when the screening length in the ionic solvent exceeds a critical value. This leads to condensation when the chemical potential is negative. In this state, it is shown using the mean-field approximation that spherical and toroidal condensed shapes can be obtained. The thickness of the toroidal polyelectrolyte is studied as a function of the parameters of the model, such as the ionic screening length. The predictions of this theory should be amenable to experimental verification.
Consumer Empowerment Through Occupational Therapy: The Americans With Disabilities Act Title III

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether occupational therapists (a) value a role educating consumers about the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA; Public Law 101-336); (b) are knowledgeable regarding Title III of the ADA; and (c) implement provisions and empower consumers who use wheelchairs to access public accommodations. METHOD A random sample of 510 occupational therapists was surveyed, with 229 responding. Of those surveys returned, 152 respondents who serve clients who use wheelchairs met inclusion criteria. RESULTS Although 90% of the participants agreed that occupational therapists should have ADA knowledge and should educate consumers, the mean score of ADA accessibility knowledge on a 10-point quiz was 1.85. The mean score of reported actions to implement ADA provisions with clients was 11.78 of a possible 40 points. There was a significant positive correlation between implementation and attitude (r = .3609, p = .01) and between implementation and knowledge (r = .3376, p = .01); however, the correlation between attitude and knowledge (r = .1673, p = .05) was not significant. CONCLUSION Therapists' lack of knowledge and their self-reported inaction with regard to ADA Title III may affect the accessibility of the environment, independence, and empowerment of clients who are wheelchair mobile and, therefore, may impede progress toward fully inclusive communities.
Evidence-based care for breast cancer survivors: communicating the Institute of Medicine Guidelines in medical practice.

Abstract Objective To investigate patient reports of physician communication about the 2006 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Guidelines for Survivorship Care, and patient follow-up care behaviors in a sample of African American and Caucasian breast cancer survivors. Methods Fifteen-minute telephone interviews were conducted in a cross-sectional study with a sample of African American ( n =30) and Caucasian ( n =69) breast cancer patients, who were within 5 years of their diagnosis and primary treatment for breast cancer at two Baltimore, Maryland medical centers, during the summer of 2006. Multiple items assessed patient reports of physician discussions about IOM Guidelines, their recurrence concerns, and their follow-up treatment, screening, diet and exercise practices. Results Patients with higher incomes, more education, female physicians, and of younger ages reported more complete physician discussions of the IOM Guidelines. No significant differences were noted between African American and Caucasian patients. Conclusion Patients at greatest risk for breast cancer recurrence – those with less education, income, and resources – report limited guidance from their physicians about evidence-based, follow-up care guidelines, designed to minimize their risk. Practice implications Physicians need strategies for effectively delivering the IOM Guidelines for Survivorship Care to disadvantaged breast cancer patients, to promote enhanced quality of life and reduced risk of recurrence.
Exercise reverses ethanol inhibition of neural stem cell proliferation.

Neural stem cells in the adult brain may contribute to learning and neural plasticity, to stress-induced neuropathologic changes, to mood and affective disorders, and to other complex brain functions. Learning, an enriched environment, and exercise (as modeled by running) all increase neural stem cell proliferation in the hippocampus and improve performance on learning tests, whereas acute ethanol consumption decreases neural stem cell proliferation in the hippocampus. To explore the interaction of exercise and ethanol consumption (two behaviors important for mental health), C57BL/6 mice were given access to ethanol, a running wheel, or both, and neural stem cell proliferation was investigated in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, corpus callosum, and forebrain subventricular zone of these mice. Mice given access to ethanol consumed large amounts of ethanol, and mice given access to a running wheel ran long distances, with the combined groups’ behavior being comparable to that of the ethanol access alone group and of the running wheel access alone group. Neural stem cell proliferation was assessed by treating mice with bromodeoxyuridine (12 days, 300 mg/kg/day, i.p.) and evaluating consequent immunoreactivity. Exercise increased bromodeoxyuridine immunoreactivity in dentate gyrus, but not in other brain regions studied. Selfadministration of ethanol decreased bromodeoxyuridine immunoreactivity by approximately 60% (P .01) in dentate gyrus; 70% (P .001), in forebrain; and 80% (P .001), in corpus callosum. Findings for exercise and ethanol consumption combined were remarkably similar to those for exercise alone. The opposing effects of ethanol consumption and exercise on neurogenesis could contribute to the CNS pathology and health benefits, respectively, of these two behaviors. 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Honey bee kin recognition: learning self and nestmate phenotypes

Abstract It is known that there is a genetic basis to the labelling of individuals for kin recognition in the honey bee, Apis mellifera . This study shows that individual workers reared in total isolation are able to discriminate between their full sisters and maternal half sisters. When individuals were reared with a half sister, recognition of their own patritype persisted, together with a comparable awareness of the patritype of their half sisters. Workers, when reared in mixed patritype groups of 10, showed no tendency to discriminate between full and half sisters, i.e. they appeared to learn both nestmate patritypes equally well. However, the labelling phenotypes of individuals reared together became more uniform, possibly through the transfer of substances during trophallaxis and mutual grooming. Workers exposed to 10 patritypes from their full sister patriline were more likely to accept an unfamiliar full sister than workers exposed to only five. Finally, workers reared in the hive appeared to retain an ability to discriminate their own patritype; i.e., even though the hive consisted of two worker patritypes, they discriminated between unfamiliar full and half sisters that had been reared under the same controlled conditions in an incubator.
The effect of endogenous proteases on the spectrin binding proteins of human erythrocytes

Abstract We have demonstrated that in human erythrocyte ghosts endogenous proteolytic activity is responsible for the digestion of the spectrin binding proteins (bands 2.1 to 2.6). The pH optimum, cofactor requirements and inhibitor sensitivity have been established. Our results indicate that proteolysis of bands 2.1 to 2.6 and the formation of 3′, a fragment containing an active spectrin binding site, can occur through two enzymatic pathways: a cascade of consecutive proteolytic cleavages of the spectrin binding proteins inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride or a Ca 2+ -stimulated, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride-insensitive, EDTA-inhibited cleavage of band 2.1 to band 2.3, followed by digestion to band 3′ by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride-inhibitable enzymes. These findings may provide the techniques necessary to prevent proteolysis of the spectrin binding proteins during purification and reconstitution experiments and provide insight into how they are formed in vivo.
Activation of tyrosine hydroxylase in rat striatal slices by K+-depolarization--effect of ethanol.

Abstract Slices from rat corpus striatuum were incubated for 10 min at 37° in freshlyy oxygenated Krebs-Ringer phosphate (KRP) media or KRP-high K + (55mM) media both in the presence and absence of ethanol (0.2 to 0.8%, w/v). Thereafter, the slices were homogenized and tyrosine hydroxylase activity and kinetic parameters were determined in the 105,000 g supernatant fraction. The presence of K + (55 mM) in the incubation media increased about 3-fold the activity of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase, assayed in the presence of subsaturating concentrations of tyrosine and pterin cofactor, when compared to that found in striatal slices incubated in normal KRP media. Incubation of striatal slices in a KRP-high K + media also produced changes in the kinetic properties of tyrosine hydroxylase. The K m of the enzyme for 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteridine HCl (DMPH 4 ) was decreased from 0.82 to 0.09 mM and the K i of the enzyme for dopamine (DA) was increased from 0.13 to 3.52 mM. Ethanol (0.2 to 0.8%, w/v) added directly to the KRP-high K + media markedly blocked the K + -induced activation of tyrosine hydroxylase as well as the kinetic alterations in the enzyme observed after K + -depolarization of the striatal slices. In contrast, the presence of ethanol did not modify the activity and kinetic characteristics of tyrosine hydroxylase isolated from slices incubated in normal KRP media. The results reported in this work suggest that the increase in DA synthesis observed in striatal slices after K + -depolarization might be mediated in part via an allosteric activation of tyrosine hydroxylase. This activation appears to be mediated by an increase in the affinity of the enzyme for the pterin cofactor and a decreased affinity for the end-product inhibitor DA. Also, the blocking effect of ethanol upon the kinetic activation of tyrosine hydroxylase after K + -depolarization seems to offer a likely explanation for the inhibitory effect of ethanol on K + -induced increase in DA synthesis reported recently by Gysling et al. (Biochem. Pharmac. 25 , 157 (1976)).
Concave nanomagnets: investigation of anisotropy properties and applications to nanomagnetic logic

Emerging applications for nanomagnets demand increasingly precise control of magnetic anisotropy. To date, many of the available mechanisms for controlling anisotropy have placed restrictions on a nanomagnet’s material, size, or thickness, particularly when more than one easy axis is required. This gives rise to practical and fundamental challenges to designing nanomagnet-based devices. Here, we review an experimental investigation of configurational anisotropy in concave nanomagnets, motivated by the finding that, in concave geometries, small adjustments to a nanomagnet’s shape result in large, predictable changes in its anisotropy profile. We first employ magnetooptical techniques to characterize nanomagnets with concave shapes. We then design and test a nanomagnetic logic architecture using concave nanomagnets that exhibits improved reliability relative to existing designs.
A spectrophotometric reaction-rate method for determination of silicate as β-12-molybdosilicic acid

Abstract A new method for the determination of silicate is described based on measurement of the initial rate of formation of the heteropoly complex, β-12-molybdosilicic acid, from the reaction of silicate with molybdate-perchloric acid reagent. The relative precision for 3 p.p.m. of silicon was better than 1%, and for 0.3 p.p.m., the lower concentration limit, better than 4%. The β-l2-molybdosilicic acid is formed under conditions where the reaction rate is independent of the hydrogen-ion concentration. The method is simple and rapid, requiring only 10–30 sec of reaction time. A study of diverse ions is presented.
IMA: an R package for high-throughput analysis of Illumina's 450K Infinium methylation data.

Summary: The Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip is a newly designed high-density microarray for quantifying the methylation level of over 450 000 CpG sites within human genome. Illumina Methylation Analyzer (IMA) is a computational package designed to automate the pipeline for exploratory analysis and summarization of site-level and region-level methylation changes in epigenetic studies utilizing the 450K DNA methylation microarray. The pipeline loads the data from Illumina platform and provides usercustomized functions commonly required to perform exploratory methylation analysis for individual sites as well as annotated regions. Availability: IMA is implemented in the R language and is freely available from http://www.rforge.net/IMA. Contact: song.liu@roswellpark.org
Differences in MinC/MinD Sensitivity between Polar and Internal Z Rings in Escherichia coli

In Escherichia coli the Z ring has the potential to assemble anywhere along the cell length but is restricted to midcell by the action of negative regulatory systems, including Min. In the current model for the Min system, the MinC/MinD division inhibitory complex is evenly distributed on the membrane and can disrupt Z rings anywhere in the cell; however, MinE spatially regulates MinC/MinD by restricting it to the cell poles, thus allowing Z ring formation at midcell. This model assumes that Z rings formed at different cellular locations have equal sensitivity to MinC/MinD in the absence of MinE. However, here we report evidence that differences in MinC/MinD sensitivity between polar and nonpolar Z rings exists even when there is no MinE. MinC/MinD at proper levels is able to block minicell production in Δmin strains without increasing the cell length, indicating that polar Z rings are preferentially blocked. In the FtsZ-I374V strain (which is resistant to MinCC/MinD), wild-type morphology can be easily achieved with MinC/MinD in the absence of MinE. We also show that MinC/MinD at proper levels can rescue the lethal phenotype of a min slmA double deletion mutant, which we think is due to the elimination of polar Z rings (or FtsZ structures), which frees up FtsZ molecules for assembly of Z rings at internal sites to rescue division and growth. Taken together, these data indicate that polar Z rings are more susceptible to MinC/MinD than internal Z rings, even when MinE is absent.
DWARF BUNT: politics, identification, and biology.

▪ Abstract Dwarf bunt is a disease of wheat caused by the smut fungus Tilletia controversa Kuhn. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the primary host of economic significance. Although the total acreage affected by dwarf bunt is small relative to total wheat production worldwide, the disease has assumed attention disproportionate to its economic impact because it has become a matter of contention in world trade in cereals. This review describes the political and economic issues underlying the study and identification of T. controversa.
Metalloproteinase-Dependent Predegeneration In Vitro Enhances Axonal Regeneration within Acellular Peripheral Nerve Grafts

Injury to peripheral nerve initiates a degenerative process that converts the denervated nerve from a suppressive environment to one that promotes axonal regeneration. We investigated the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in this degenerative process and whether effective predegenerated nerve grafts could be produced in vitro. Rat peripheral nerve explants were cultured for 1-7 d in various media, and their neurite-promoting activity was assessed by cryoculture assay, in which neurons are grown directly on nerve sections. The neurite-promoting activity of cultured nerves increased rapidly and, compared with uncultured nerve, a maximum increase of 72% resulted by 2 d of culture in the presence of serum. Remarkably, the neurite-promoting activity of short-term cultured nerves was also significantly better than nerves degenerated in vivo. We examined whether in vitro degeneration is MMP dependent and found that the MMP inhibitor N-[(2R)-2(hydroxamidocarbonylmethyl)-4-methylpantanoyl]-l-tryptophan methylamide primarily blocked the degenerative increase in neurite-promoting activity. In the absence of hematogenic macrophages, MMP-9 was trivial, whereas elevated MMP-2 expression and activation paralleled the increase in neurite-promoting activity. MMP-2 immunoreactivity localized to Schwann cells and the endoneurium and colocalized with gelatinolytic activity as demonstrated by in situ zymography. Finally, in vitro predegenerated nerves were tested as acellular grafts and, compared with normal acellular nerve grafts, axonal ingress in vivo was approximately doubled. We conclude that Schwann cell expression of MMP-2 plays a principal role in the degenerative process that enhances the regeneration-promoting properties of denervated nerve. Combined with their low immunogenicity, acellular nerve grafts activated by in vitro predegeneration may be a significant advancement for clinical nerve allografting.
Presidential rhetoric: Definition of a field of study

Professor Windt surveys journal articles published since 1960, divides them into four categories of critical analysis, evaluates our knowledge of presidential rhetoric, and suggests directions for future research in this field of study.
Membrane Initiated Estrogen Signaling in Breast Cancer

Recent research has focused on effects of the estrogen receptor acting at the level of the cell membrane in breast cancer. In this review we describe 17beta-estradiol (E2)-initiated membrane signaling pathways involving the activation of several kinases that contribute to the regulation of cell proliferation and prevention of apoptosis. Although classical concepts had assigned priority to the nuclear actions of estrogen receptor, recent studies document the additional importance of estrogen receptor residing in or near the plasma membrane. A small fraction of estrogen receptor is associated with the cell membrane and mediates the rapid effects of E2. Unlike classical growth factor receptors, such as insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), estrogen receptor has no transmembrane and kinase domains and is known to initiate E2 rapid signals by forming a protein complex with many signaling molecules. The formation of the protein complex is a critical step, leading to the activation of the MAPK1/3 (also known as MAP kinase) and AKT1 (also known as Akt) pathways. A full understanding of the mechanisms underlying these relationships, with the ultimate aim of abrogating specific steps, should lead to more-targeted strategies for treatment of hormone dependent-breast cancer.
FAULT-TOLERANT RECONFIGURABLE ETHERNET-BASED IP NETWORK PROXY

Using commonly available hardware and software, we present a proxy scheme for IP over Ethernet networks that provides a fault-tolerant solution without the need for modification of existing networking equipment. This type of fault-tolerant reconfigurable Ethernet-based proxy (FREP) is transparent to current applications and provides full redundancy with minimal packet loss and fast reconfiguration times. A prototype implementation yielded a reconfiguration time of 1.55 sec. Used in conjunction with optimized dynamic routing protocols, an average recovery time of 3 seconds can be seen. The proposed proxy scheme can be deployed in any network based on a topology that allows two connections between a subnet and the backbone. The solution relies on a dynamic routing protocol to provide backbone level routing around the malfunctioning inter-network link.
sRAGE, inflammation, and risk of atrial fibrillation: results from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Objective Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) may cause inflammation by binding to their cellular receptors (RAGE). Soluble RAGE (sRAGE) acts as a decoy receptor for AGEs and may prevent inflammation. Chronic low-grade inflammation is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including atrial fibrillation (AF).
Cultured human trabecular meshwork cells express aquaporin-1 water channels

The identification and characterization of aquaporin-1 water channels and other related proteins has provided a molecular explanation for the enhanced permeability of a variety of epithelial tissues. Previously, we documented the distribution of aquaporin-1 in the human eye, which included the trabecular meshwork; the primary outflow channel for aqueous humor. The goal of this study was to determine if aquaporin-1 could be detected in cultures of human trabecular meshwork cells. Using primers specific for aquaporin-1, reverse transcription combined with polymerase chain reaction yielded a product of the appropriate size with total RNA prepared from the human trabecular meshwork cells. The presence of this product and its size (298 base pairs), is consistent with the presence of an aquaporin-1 message in these cells. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy with affinity purified antibodies against a fusion protein containing the carboxy tail of aquaporin-1 showed specific labeling of the plasma membrane and immunoblotting identified a band of Mr 28,000 which agrees with the molecular size of aquaporin-1. The presence of aquaporin-1 in human trabecular meshwork cells, the predominant cell-type of the primary outflow region of the human eye, suggests that water channels may be involved with the movement of aqueous fluid out of the eye. In addition, the existence of aquaporin-1 on cultures of human trabecular meshwork cells provides an in vitro model to study the endogenous expression of aquaporin-1 and its possible role in the regulation of aqueous outflow.
Investigation and Presentation of Autonomic Neuropathies in HIV Infection

The autonomic nervous system is a complex and widespread neuronal network with multiple functions. Autonomic dysfunction predisposing to orthostatic hypotension may be quite common in HIV infection, as several studies have shown impaired ability to maintain blood pressure. Autonomic testing is used both to confirm that autonomic dysfunction is present and to delineate the anatomical and physiological distribution of the deficit. This chapter reviews the ways in which these tests have been used to evaluate autonomic dysfunction in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Although, in general, the severity of autonomic dysfunction correlates with advancing HIV infection, the progression in individual patients is less clear and appears slow. The transient appearance of hyperactive autonomic function may occur for a limited period over weeks to months in patients with autonomic nervous system degeneration, probably secondary to denervation supersensitivity. The exaggerated normal response observed in the early stages of HIV infection may reflect this phenomenon. The peripheral nervous system is involved in up to 80% of patients with AIDS, with 95% involvement noted postmortem. Although it may present at any stage of HIV infection, the distal sensory polyneuropathy is relatively uncommon early in the course of HIV disease and becomes more prevalent in immunologically compromised HIV-infected persons. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) and mononeuritis multiplex, two other neuropathic accompaniments of HIV infection, are not likely to cause autonomic dysfunction.
SIMPLE-fying middlebox policy enforcement using SDN

Networks today rely on middleboxes to provide critical performance, security, and policy compliance capabilities. Achieving these benefits and ensuring that the traffic is directed through the desired sequence of middleboxes requires significant manual effort and operator expertise. In this respect, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) offers a promising alternative. Middleboxes, however, introduce new aspects (e.g., policy composition, resource management, packet modifications) that fall outside the purvey of traditional L2/L3 functions that SDN supports (e.g., access control or routing). This paper presents SIMPLE, a SDN-based policy enforcement layer for efficient middlebox-specific "traffic steering''. In designing SIMPLE, we take an explicit stance to work within the constraints of legacy middleboxes and existing SDN interfaces. To this end, we address algorithmic and system design challenges to demonstrate the feasibility of using SDN to simplify middlebox traffic steering. In doing so, we also take a significant step toward addressing industry concerns surrounding the ability of SDN to integrate with existing infrastructure and support L4-L7 capabilities.
Cyclic shearing interferometer for collimating short coherence-length laser beams

Until now there has not been an accurate method for measuring the radius of curvature, R, of a short coherence-length light source, such as a short-pulse or broadband laser. We show that the easily aligned cyclic shearing interferometer (CSI) solves this problem. The CSI produces a stable fringe pattern from which R can be determined and can be used on beams with short coherence times down to 300 fs because the two beams in the interferometer follow nearly the same path. Comparison with data from a broadband XeCl laser (30-ps coherence time) confirms that the CSI performs as theory predicts.
Stress-Driven Endocytosis of Tyrosine-Phosphorylated EGFR Leads to Tumorigenesis: The Critical Role of Oxidative Stress

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) dysregulation drives several human pathological conditions, such as glioblastoma and non-small cell lung cancer, and as a result, EGFR activation, internalization, and downregulation are extensively studied for their contributions to tumorigenesis. However, while the mechanisms for ligand-dependent EGFR activation and internalization are quite well understood, current knowledge of ligand-independent mechanisms for EGFR activation and trafficking is obscured by somewhat conflicting data. Thus, unraveling the “unorthodox” machinery driving stress-induced EGFR activation and trafficking remains a very important task.
Risk Analysis of Coordinated Cyber Attacks on Power Grid

The supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) network provides adversaries with an opportunity to perform coordinated cyber attacks on power system equipment as it presents an increased attack surface. Coordinated attacks, when smartly structured, can not only have severe physical impacts, but can also potentially nullify the effect of system redundancy and other defense mechanisms. This chapter proposes a vulnerability assessment framework to quantify risk due to intelligent coordinated attacks, where risk is defined as the product of probability of successful cyber intrusion and resulting power system impact. The cyber network is modeled using Stochastic Petri Nets and the steady-state probability of successful intrusion into a substation is obtained using this. The model employs a SCADA network with firewalls and password protection schemes. The impact on the power system is estimated by load unserved after a successful attack. The New England 39-bus system is used as a test model to run Optimal Power Flow (OPF) simulations to determine load unserved. We conduct experiments creating coordinated attacks from our attack template on the test system and evaluate the risk for every case. Our attack cases include combinations of generation units and transmission lines that form coordinated attack pairs. Our integrated risk evaluation studies provide a methodology to assess risk from different cyber network configurations and substation capabilities. Our studies identify scenarios, where generation capacity, cyber vulnerability, and the topology of the grid together could be used by attackers to cause significant power system impact.
Mouse MRP8 and MRP14, two intracellular calcium-binding proteins associated with the development of the myeloid lineage

MRP8 and MRP14 are two S100-like calcium-binding proteins of unknown function, associated with numbers of human inflammatory disorders. Both molecules have been described as L1 complex, cystic fibrosis antigen, or p8 and p14. We report here the cloning of mouse MRP8 and MRP14 and their pattern of expression during hematopoiesis. Mouse MRP8 and MRP14 proteins share 59% identity with their human counterparts, but they are more divergent than the other members of the S100 protein family. Mouse MRP proteins are coexpressed in fetal myeloid progenitors, where they are detected as early as day 11 of gestation. In fetal liver and yolk sac, MRP+ cell populations increased in number, in association with the development of the myeloid lineage. In adult mouse, we identified MRP8 and MRP14 proteins in immature myeloid cells of the bone marrow, myeloid cells in the splenic red pulp and marginal zone, in addition to monocytes and blood neutrophils. However, MRP expression is lost as cells terminally differentiate into tissue macrophages. In addition, using thioglycollate-induced peritoneal inflammatory exudates, we showed that MRP8 and MRP14 proteins are highly expressed in recruited neutrophils and monocytes.
Use of Stem Cells in Ischemic Heart Disease

Summary/Abstract Heart disease continues be one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States largely due to increasing life expectancy, increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, and changing life style. Significant advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic heart disease as well as cardiomyopathy in the past few decades. While these therapies which include pharmacological intervention, percutaneous coronary intervention, cardioverter-defibrillators, and mechanical circulatory support increase longevity by preventing further damage, they have a somewhat limited role in healing cardiac damage and have variable adverse effects. In recent years, considerable meaningful research has been done with stem cells with the goal of repairing cardiac cells. In this chapter, we review the data regarding the techniques and clinical applications of stem cell therapy.
Remediation in the Undergraduate Library

ABSTRACT Teaching information literacy requires reference to and use of computers. Computer literacy, defined as the ability to skillfully use computers and their programs to perform a variety of learning and information-based tasks, focuses on improving one's performance with the technology itself. However, the widely varying computer skills of entering students may go largely unnoticed by instructors, and could impact the successful integration and absorption of information literary instruction. This study addresses two questions with regard to a diverse population of first-time freshmen entering an urban college. Are first-time freshmen ready to learn information literacy skills, or do they require computer literacy instruction first? Secondarily, do their age, ethnicity and gender contribute at all to our understanding of their computer literacy? Survey results of this study suggest that some first-time freshmen may lack sufficient computer literacy to effectively be successful at college. Consequentl...
TIMING OF PULMONARY VALVE REPLACEMENT: CAN WE USE THE SAME VOLUMETRIC THRESHOLDS IN REPAIRED TETRALOGY OF FALLOT AND PULMONARY STENOSIS?

Valvar pulmonary stenosis (PS) is a common form of congenital heart disease in which relief of PS can result in pulmonary regurgitation and right ventricular dilation. While similarities with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) exist, the RV outflow patch in TOF patients complicates use of TOF-based
Giant magnetoresistance-based biosensor for detection of influenza A virus

We have developed a simple and sensitive method for the detection of influenza A virus based on giant magnetoresistance (GMR) biosensor. This assay employs monoclonal antibodies to viral nucleoprotein (NP) in combination with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Presence of influenza virus allows the binding of MNPs to the GMR sensor and the binding is proportional to the concentration of virus. Binding of MNPs onto the GMR sensor causes change in the resistance of sensor, which is measured in a real time electrical readout. GMR biosensor detected as low as 1.5 × 10(2) TCID50/mL virus and the signal intensity increased with increasing concentration of virus up to 1.0 × 10(5) TCID50/mL. This study showed that the GMR biosensor assay is relevant for diagnostic application since the virus concentration in nasal samples of influenza virus infected swine was reported to be in the range of 10(3) to 10(5) TCID50/mL.
Ecumenism or Distinctiveness? Seventh-Day Adventist Attitudes to the World Missionary Conference of 1910

For the Seventh-day Adventist Church, whose doctrines are rooted in eschatological and apocalyptic theology, ecumenism is problematic. While the Church sees itself as one heir of the historic tradition of Christianity and so welcomes recognition as part of the mainstream, it also claims to be the organization through which God proclaims a special message to the modern age. Put simply, sometimes Seventh-day Adventists are happy to be part of the universal Church and at other times they claim to be members of the only true Church. Obviously, the latter, exclusivist attitude is in contradiction to the ethos of the ecumenical movement.
The controversial second impact syndrome: a review of the literature

Abstract Background Second impact syndrome is a devastating injury that primarily affects athletic children and young adults. It occurs when a second concussion occurs before symptoms from the first concussion have resolved. Diffuse and often catastrophic cerebral edema results. Reports of second impact syndrome are few, and some argue that second impact syndrome is simply diffuse cerebral swelling unrelated to the first concussion. Methods Ovid and PubMed were searched from years 1946 to 2015 using the terms "second impact syndrome," "repeat concussion," and "catastrophic brain injury." In addition, review articles were found using a combination of the terms, "concussion," "second impact syndrome," and "repetitive head trauma." Results Seventeen patients in seven publications met the criteria of having two witnessed hits and persistent symptoms from the first to the second concussion. Ten of the 17 (59%) included individuals were football players. All were male. Ages ranged from 13 to 23 years. All children with poor outcomes (death or permanent disability) were younger than 20 years, while four of the five players with good outcomes were older than 19 years. The lag time from first to second concussion ranged from one hour to four weeks, and in many cases, at least one of the two hits appeared minor. Conclusions American football, male gender, and young age appear to be associated with second impact syndrome. Controversies surrounding this syndrome are discussed. There is a need for prospective studies to clarify risk factors and outcomes of second impact syndrome to guide return-to-play recommendations for young athletes.
Engineered Crumpled Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Membrane Assemblies for Advanced Water Treatment Processes

In this work, we describe multifunctional, crumpled graphene oxide (CGO) porous nanocomposites that are assembled as advanced, reactive water treatment membranes. Crumpled 3D graphene oxide based materials fundamentally differ from 2D flat graphene oxide analogues in that they are highly aggregation and compression-resistant (i.e., π–π stacking resistant) and allow for the incorporation (wrapping) of other, multifunctional particles inside the 3D, composite structure. Here, assemblies of nanoscale, monomeric CGO with encapsulated (as a quasi core–shell structure) TiO2 (GOTI) and Ag (GOAg) nanoparticles, not only allow high water flux via vertically tortuous nanochannels (achieving water flux of 246 ± 11 L/(m2·h·bar) with 5.4 μm thick assembly, 7.4 g/m2), outperforming comparable commercial ultrafiltration membranes, but also demonstrate excellent separation efficiencies for model organic and biological foulants. Further, multifunctionality is demonstrated through the in situ photocatalytic degradation of ...
Different paths to protest: predictors of collective action in the Occupy Movement

This study investigated the variables that shaped people's willingness to engage in collective action in the context of the Occupy Movement. Data were collected in 2011 from nonprotesting supporters at the New York City Occupy encampment and active occupiers at the New York and Atlanta encampments. Participants distinguished between different kinds of collective action based on cost. Furthermore, different predictors motivated distinct kinds of collective action. Identity and anger predicted low-cost collective action. Efficacy predicted relatively costly collective action and mediated the link between identity and costly collective action. This study provides evidence that people draw distinctions between different actions based on cost and that, when it comes to predicting collective action, these distinctions matter.
Using Informational and Narrative Picture Walks to Promote Student-Generated Questions

The purpose of this article is to explore the use of picture walks in narrative and informational text as a method to encourage question generation. This article overviews the instructional benefits of having students generate their own questions before, during, and after reading. Featured are two classrooms where students pose questions through narrative and informational text features.
Psychiatric Disease Preceding Intracranial Tumor Diagnosis: Investigating the Association.

Objective Here, we examine rates of intracranial tumor diagnoses in patients with and without comorbid psychiatric diagnoses to better understand how psychiatric disease may alter risk profiles for brain tumor diagnosis. Methods We used a longitudinal version of the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) database, which includes all inpatient admissions in California from 1995 to 2010. We examined patients with confirmed hospital admissions from 1997 to 2004. Patients with an intracranial tumor or psychiatric diagnosis on their first hospital admission were excluded. The primary outcome of interest was the diagnosis of intracranial tumor on any subsequent hospitalization within 5 years. Risk of tumor diagnosis was determined via Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and comorbidity burden. Subset analyses were performed for various tumor types. Results The risk for diagnosis of an intracranial tumor within 5 years, as determined by the hazard ratio, was 1.61 (95% CI, 1.28-2.04) for bipolar, 1.59 (95% CI, 1.41-1.72) for anxious, and 1.34 (95% CI, 1.25-1.43) for depressed cohorts relative to controls. More specifically, the risk for diagnosis of a primary benign neoplasm was elevated in depressed patients, while the risk for diagnosis of a meningioma was elevated in depressed, anxious, and bipolar disorder patients. Conclusions Patients admitted with certain psychiatric diagnoses appear more likely to be readmitted within 5 years with specific types of intracranial tumor diagnoses. The association between certain psychiatric diagnoses and subsequent brain tumor diagnosis most likely reflects the long-held belief that slow-growing tumors may first present as psychiatric symptoms before being diagnosed. Primary care physicians should consider the possibility of an underlying intracranial tumor in patients with new psychiatric diagnoses.
320. Adenovirus Expansion of Radioiodine Therapy to Non-Thyroid Cancer Treatment and Diagnostics

Radioiodine therapy has successfully treated and diagnosed cancers over the last 50 years. The clinical scope of radioiodine is limited in thyroid cancers because of restricted iodine uptake. Our lab proposes to expand the clinical use of radioiodine into non-thyroid cancer theranostics by targeting cancers (e.g. pancreatic and prostate) with oncolytic adenovirus to over express the human sodium iodine symporter (NIS). The adenovirus expression of the symporter allows iodine to concentrate into the targeted cancer cells providing diagnostic imaging with I123 and therapy with I131.We designed infectivity-enhanced oncolytic Adenoviruses (NIS-OAd), Ad5/3_TSP_E3_ADP_NIS, to express NIS and adenovirus death protein (ADP) from the E3 region. The Ad5/3 fiber modification enables the infection of CAR negative cells. Vector replication is controlled through a tumor specific promoter (TSP, e.g. COX2 in pancreatic and Pb in prostate cancer). We have shown the specificity of our viruses with TSPs in vitro with multiple pancreatic and prostate cancer cell lines. The expression of ADP resulted in an increase in oncolytic activity and transgene expression. The functionality of NIS-OAds was tested with in vitro radioiodine uptake assay and showed up to a 10-fold increase in radioiodine uptake in prostate and pancreatic cancer cell lines. This endorses that oncolytic viruses increase functional NIS expression in tumors.Our animal model experiments included nude mice xenographs to evaluate therapeutic and imaging affects with i.v. injections of NIS-OAds in A549 lung and LnCap prostate cancer cells. In A549 models, the combination of NIS-OAds and I131 had an increase in therapeutic effect over virus alone signifying functional NIS expression in solid tumors. LnCap xenographs had SPECT/CT images taken after NIS-OAds and non-replicating virus administration with I123. NIS-OAds had the highest tumor specific signal confirming that NIS-OAds can be diagnostic in tumors.Viral functionality in human tissue was evaluated by PCR in ex vivo tissue slices showing that virus replication was specific to cancerous tissues and did not occur in normal tissue. This study supports the high-level replication control of NIS-OAds in non-thyroid cancer tissues. A related non-replicating NIS expressing Ad is also being evaluated in prostate cancer by Dr. Morris, our collaborator, in a stage I clinical trial. Together the virus specificity, imaging, and therapeutic data support the potential of NIS-OAds as cancer theranostics.In sum, this data provides key functionality and safety support of NIS expressing Ad use in humans. Current projects include therapeutic and imaging animal studies with radioiodine in pancreatic cancer immuno-competent Syrian hamsters, and human xenographs in nude mice. Further studies will evaluate the distribution of NIS expression in vivo and cytotoxicity of virus with radiation. Ultimately the goal of our research is to form a multimodal therapy with radiation and oncolytic virus for diagnosis and therapy of cancers.