cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phatic labor, infrastructure, and the question of empowerment in Cairo

In this article, I draw on ethnographic research in Cairo to analyze outcomes of Egyptian women's practices of sociality. In Cairo, “phatic labor” creates a social infrastructure of communicative channels that are as essential to economy as roads, bridges, or telephone lines. Projects to empower Egyptian women via finance made these communicative channels visible as an economic infrastructure for projects oriented around the pursuit of profit. A social infrastructure that had functioned as a kind of semiotic commons became visible as a resource that could be privatized or formatted as a public good.
The Behavior of Horse Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Guanidine Hydrochloride Solutions

Abstract The z-average molecular weight of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase in dilute neutral buffer is 78,200 by sedimentation equilibrium. Guanidine hydrochloride, 1 m, reversibly inhibits enzymatic activity. The inhibition with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is competitive and with ethanol is mixed. When ethylenediaminetetraacetate is added to the enzyme in 1 m guanidine hydrochloride, zinc is removed, followed by aggregation. Sedimentation velocity experiments indicate that no subunit is formed under these conditions. In 3 m guanidine hydrochloride, the sedimentation equilibrium data suggest the presence of a reversible association-dissociation system. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate removes zinc but has no effect on sedimentation equilibrium behavior of the enzyme in 3 m guanidine hydrochloride. Reduction and alkylation of the enzyme in 3 m guanidine hydrochloride results in almost complete dissociation into two subunits. Thus, it appears that sulfhydryl residues may be involved in subunit association, whereas zinc plays little or no role. After correction for guanidine binding, the z-average molecular weight of the enzyme in 5 m guanidine hydrochloride containing mercaptoethanol is 41,000. Measurements of molecular weight, sedimentation coefficient, and intrinsic viscosity of the enzyme in 5 m guanidine hydrochloride all indicate that the structure of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase is composed of two subunits.
Cutting Edge: Receptors for C3a and C5a Modulate Stability of Alloantigen-Reactive Induced Regulatory T Cells

CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are critical regulators of immune homeostasis and self-tolerance. Whereas thymic-derived or natural Treg stably express Foxp3, adaptive or induced Treg (iTreg) generated from peripheral CD4 T cells are susceptible to inflammation-induced reversion to pathogenic effector T cells. Building upon our previous observations that T cell–expressed receptors for C3a (C3aR) and C5a (C5aR) drive Th1 maturation, we tested the impact of C3aR/C5aR signaling on induction and stability of alloreactive iTreg. We observed that genetic deficiency or pharmacological blockade of C3aR/C5aR signaling augments murine and human iTreg generation, stabilizes Foxp3 expression, resists iTreg conversion to IFN-γ/TNF-α–producing efffector T cells, and, as a consequence, limits the clinical expression of graft-versus-host disease. Taken together, the findings highlight the expansive role of complement as a crucial modulator of T cell alloimmunity and demonstrate proof-of-concept that targeting C3a/C3aR and C5a/C5aR interactions could facilitate iTreg-mediated tolerance to alloantigens in humans.
Wyrtki Jet dynamics: Seasonal variability

[1] This study examines the dynamics of the Wyrtki jets, which are strong equatorial zonal flows that occur typically during boreal spring and fall in the Indian Ocean. Our diagnosis relies primarily on a continuously stratified linear longwave ocean model driven by QuikSCAT zonal winds. Model results, which compare well with satellite altimetry and in situ current observations, indicate that the zonal currents propagate westward along the equator at semiannual periods with an average speed of ―1.5 m s ―1 . This propagation speed is three times faster than the propagation speed of the dominant wave mode in model zonal velocity, namely the first meridional, second baroclinic mode Rossby wave. We interpret this result in terms of a superposition of Rossby waves on a wind-forced jet, with the jet stronger than the waves by a factor of 2. Sea surface height (SSH), on the other hand, shows propagating features that vary in both speed and direction from region to region. This contrasting behavior between SSH and zonal velocity results from differing influences of Kelvin and Rossby wave dynamics on the variability. These results are in many respects analogous to the distinction between SSH and zonal current behavior found in previous studies of the equatorial Pacific and Atlantic oceans on seasonal time scales.
Increased proteoglycan synthesis by the cardiovascular system of coarctation hypertensive rats

Proteoglycan (PG) synthesis in the cardiovascular system of coarctation hypertensive rats was examined by in vivo and in vitro labeling of glycosaminoglycans with 35SO4 in rats made hypertensive for short (4 days) and longer (14 days) durations. With in vivo labeling, only tissues directly exposed to elevated pressure (left ventricle, LV and aorta above the clip, AOR increases) exhibited elevated PG synthesis after 4 days of hypertension. By 14 days, tissues both exposed to (LV and AOR increases) and protected from elevated pressure (right ventricle and kidney) exhibited elevated PG synthetic rates. Slight elevations in the proportion of galactosaminoglycans were observed with a concurrent proportional decrease in heparan sulfate PGs. Using the in vitro labeling procedure, no significant increases in PG synthesis were observed in any tissue at either 4 days or 14 days of hypertension. These data indicate that: 1) coarctation hypertension stimulates PG production that is dependent initially on increased pressure and later, on additional non-pressure related factors, 2) these other factors are responsible for enhanced PG production in tissues not directly exposed to pressure overload, 3) pressure and/or these other factors are essential for enhanced PG production in coarctation hypertension, and 4) synthesis of all GAG types appears to be affected.
Use of a computer-based provider order entry (CPOE) intervention to optimize laboratory testing in patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

Abstract Introduction Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a rare but frequently considered diagnosis in hospitalized patients. Despite the availability of clinical prediction tools, HIT is often over-diagnosed and patients can be subjected to unnecessary and expensive testing. Methods A decision-support tool requiring providers to calculate the 4Ts (HIT risk) score prior to ordering laboratory-based tests for anti-PF4/heparin antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing was implemented at our institution in January 2014. Charts of adult patients who underwent ELISA or serotonin release assay (SRA) testing during the 8-month time periods prior to and following this intervention were reviewed and 4Ts scores at the time of ELISA or SRA testing were calculated. Results A total of 443 ELISA and SRA tests were sent for 411 patients during the time periods studied. We observed a significant decrease from 43 tests/month before to 22 tests/month (p Discussion Over-testing and treatment for HIT are frequent and potentially harmful occurrences in hospitalized patients. Our study demonstrates that a clinical decision support tool embedded within the electronic ordering process can decrease unnecessary testing for HIT.
Resource management for real-time communication: making theory meet practice

This paper focuses on bridging the gap between theory and practice in the management of host CPU and link resources for real-time communication. Using our implementation of real-time channels, a paradigm for real-time communication in packet-switched networks, we illustrate the tradeoff between resource capacity and channel admissibility, which determines the number and type of real-time channels that can be accepted for service and the performance delivered to best-effort traffic. We demonstrate that this tradeoff is affected significantly by the choice of implementation paradigms and the grain at which CPU and link resources are multiplexed amongst active channels. To account for this effect we extend the admission control procedure for real-time channels originally proposed using idealized resource models. Our results show that practical considerations significantly reduce channel admissibility compared to idealized resource models. Further, the optimum choice of multiplexing grain depends on several factors such as resource preemption overheads, the relationship between CPU and link bandwidth, and the interaction between link bandwidth allocation and CPU bandwidth allocation.
Initial combination therapy in early Crohn's disease

See Articles page 660 extensive preclinical studies of the particular probiotic regimen in the setting of severe systemic disease before further studies in human beings. Another question is whether Besselink and colleagues’ probiotic regimen was somehow spoiled. The investigators routinely examined probiotic and placebo sachets for pathogens and toxic doses of endotoxins. But can we exclude the possibility of a harmful interaction between the probiotic and the enteral-feeding formula with which it was mixed? In all patients, the preparation of probiotics and placebo was similar during a 15-min preparation time. But, there must have been a period for interaction during the infusion before the probiotics enter the gut. This possibility should be excluded before further clinical studies. Regardless of the explanation, high mortality in the study group due to complications (here bowel ischaemia in the probiotic group) raises the question of safety in any clinical therapeutic trial. Although Besselink and colleagues are top professionals in the specialty, we question the importance of reporting of adverse events strictly according to ethics committee regulations.
A Shared Transcription Termination Signal on Negative and Ambisense RNA Genome Segments of Rift Valley Fever, Sandfly Fever Sicilian, and Toscana Viruses

The Phlebovirus genus (family Bunyaviridae) is composed of a diverse group of arboviruses that cause disease syndromes ranging from mild febrile illness to hemorrhagic fever with high fatality. Although antigenically similar, these viruses differ by approximately 25% at the genome level, and their ecologies, including geographic ranges, preferred vector species, and hosts, vary considerably. In contrast to other ambisense viruses, where RNA hairpin structures which serve as transcription termination signals are frequently found separating the opposite-sense open reading frames, no evidence of predicted high-energy hairpin structures was found at the ambisense junctions of phlebovirus S RNA segments. However, a conserved sequence motif was identified on both negative and ambisense genome segments that functions as a transcription termination signal for the N, NSs, and GPC mRNAs in three diverse phleboviruses, namely, Rift Valley fever, sandfly Sicilian, and Toscana viruses. The exact termination of nascent virus mRNA molecules was determined by 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Surprisingly, analysis of the termini of mRNAs from both S and M segments of these three viruses revealed that transcription termination occurred immediately upstream of a conserved sequence motif with the general features 3'-C(1-3)GUCG/A-5'. In contrast, no corresponding sequence motif was found in the L segments, and analysis indicated a "runoff" transcript approach to L mRNA termination. The absolute requirement of the identified transcription termination motif was demonstrated by using a highly efficient Rift Valley fever virus reverse genetics system to generate live recombinant viruses with S segments lacking the termination signal motif for the NP or NSs mRNA and showing that these recombinant viruses generated mRNAs that failed to terminate correctly.
Automatic Mapping of Multiple Applications to Multiple Adaptive Computing Systems

Adaptive computing systems (ACSs) can serve as flexible hardware accelerators for applications in domains such as image and digital signal processing. However, the mapping of applications onto ACSs using the traditional methods can take months for a hardware engineer to develop and debug. To enable application designers to map their applications automatically onto ACSs, a software design environment called CHAMPION was developed at the University of Tennessee. This environment permits high-level design entry using the Cantata graphical programming environment from KRI and hides from the user the low-level details of the hardware architecture. Thus, ACSs can be utilized by a wider audience and application development can be accomplished in less time. Furthermore, CHAMPION provides the means to map onto multiple ACS platforms, thereby exploiting rapid advances being made in hardware.
Tandem catalysis for the production of alkyl lactates from ketohexoses at moderate temperatures

Retro-aldol reactions have been implicated as the limiting steps in catalytic routes to convert biomass-derived hexoses and pentoses into valuable C2, C3, and C4 products such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, 2-hydroxy-3-butenoic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybutanoic acid, and alkyl esters thereof. Due to a lack of efficient retro-aldol catalysts, most previous investigations of catalytic pathways involving these reactions were conducted at high temperatures (≥160 °C). Here, we report moderate-temperature (around 100 °C) retro-aldol reactions of various hexoses in aqueous and alcoholic media with catalysts traditionally known for their capacity to catalyze 1,2-intramolecular carbon shift (1,2-CS) reactions of aldoses, i.e., various molybdenum oxide and molybdate species, nickel(II) diamine complexes, alkali-exchanged stannosilicate molecular sieves, and amorphous TiO2–SiO2 coprecipitates. Solid Lewis acid cocatalysts that are known to catalyze 1,2-intramolecular hydride shift (1,2-HS) reactions that enable the formation of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids from tetroses, trioses, and glycolaldehyde, but cannot readily catalyze retro-aldol reactions of hexoses and pentoses at these moderate temperatures, are shown to be compatible with the aforementioned retro-aldol catalysts. The combination of a distinct retro-aldol catalyst with a 1,2-HS catalyst enables lactic acid and alkyl lactate formation from ketohexoses at moderate temperatures (around 100 °C), with yields comparable to best-reported chemocatalytic examples at high temperature conditions (≥160 °C). The use of moderate temperatures enables numerous desirable features such as lower pressure and significantly less catalyst deactivation.
Chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus-6 in kidney transplant recipients

Background. During primary infection, human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) may become integrated into the chromosome. This entity, termed chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (CIHHV-6), is often mistaken as active infection and treated unnecessarily. The prevalence of CIHHV-6 in kidney transplant recipients is not known. Methods. We performed quantitative HHV-6 polymerase chain reaction assay on whole blood samples collected from 47 kidney recipients. CIHHV-6 was defined as HHV-6 DNA levels >1 3 10 6 genomes/mL. Results. One of 47 kidney recipients was found to have CIHHV-6. The prevalence of CIHHV-6 was calculated at 2.1% (95% confidence interval, <0.01–12.1%). Despite an increase in HHV-6 DNA level after transplant, the patient did not develop clinical HHV-6 disease. Conclusions. CIHHV-6 may be observed in kidney transplant recipients. Clinicians should be aware of this entity so as not to provide unnecessary treatment to asymptomatic patients with CIHHV-6.
Promoting self-compassionate attitudes toward eating among restrictive and guilty eaters.

Abstract This study investigated the possibility that inducing a state of self–compassion would attenuate the tendency for restrained eaters to overeat after eating an unhealthy food preload (the disinhibition effect). College women completed measures of two components of rigid restrained eating: restrictive eating (desire and effort to avoid eating unhealthy foods) and eating guilt (tendency to feel guilty after eating unhealthily). Then, participants were asked either to eat an unhealthy food preload or not and were induced to think self–compassionately about their eating or given no intervening treatment. Results showed that the self–compassion induction reduced distress and attenuated eating following the preload among highly restrictive eaters. The findings highlight the importance of specific individual differences in restrained eating and suggest benefits of self–compassionate eating attitudes.
Ferroelectric Properties of Vertically Aligned Nanostructured BaTiO3–CeO2 Thin Films and Their Integration on Silicon

Epitaxial (BaTiO3)0.5(CeO2)0.5 films have been deposited in vertically aligned nanocomposite form on SrTiO3/TiN buffered Si substrates to achieve high-quality ferroelectrics on Si. The thin TiN seed layer promotes the epitaxial growth of the SrTiO3 buffer on Si, which in turn is essential for the high-quality growth of the vertically aligned nanocomposite structure. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy characterization show that the films consist of distinct c-axis oriented BaTiO3 and CeO2 phases. Polarization measurements show that the BaTiO3–CeO2 films on Si are actually ferroelectric at room temperature, and the ferroelectric response is comparable to pure BaTiO3 as well as the BaTiO3–CeO2 films on SrTiO3 single-crystalline substrates. Capacitance-voltage measurements show that, instead of decreasing, the Curie temperature increases to 175 and 150 °C for the samples on SrTiO3 and Si substrates, respectively. This work is an essential step towards integrating novel nanostructured mater...
Criminal Case Outcomes, Incarceration, and Subsequent Intimate Partner Violence

Given the centrality of court interventions to the U.S. response to intimate partner violence (IPV), it is crucial to evaluate their impact on reabuse. To do so, this study examined whether female IPV victims’ experiences of abuse in the year following a criminal court case against their partner varied by case outcome or by whether the batterer had or had not been incarcerated. Consistent with prior research, we found no main effect differences in reabuse trajectories by court case outcome or by incarceration. We also examined variables that might moderate the impact of case outcome and incarceration on reabuse and found that although batterer legal history did not affect the impact of case outcome, his age, Time 1 employment status, the couple’s Time 1 living arrangement, and duration of abuse did interact with case outcome. No variables tested moderated the relationship between incarceration and reabuse over time. Findings suggest that in certain cases there may be benefits to case outcomes that leave potential consequences hanging over the offender’s head. These results also add to the growing body of evidence questioning the efficacy of one-size-fits-all approaches to IPV cases.
North Korea & Hysteria, Madness

The symbolic value of North Korea in contemporary global politics is discussed in historic and cultural context. The relationship of Japan, China and invasions and trade relations is considered over the past 2000 years as well as in the past century. The role of Japanese and Chinese competition for the Korean peninsula is incorporated into the post-WWII anti-Americanism and anti-communism of the area especially post-WWII dictatorships in South Korea. The post-Cold War image of North Korea has become increasingly tragicomic and irrational. It is the essential “Other” today and reflects all that is not embodied the nature of a modern humanity. This characterization extends from the leaders to the people who are illustrated in the news, films and other media in the west as childish, animal-like or brutalized as if devoid of intelligence or humanity. The effect has only to continue conflict and isolation.
Two by Two: Co-Regulating Adjacent Gene Pairs in Yeast and Beyond

Copyright: © 2013 McAlear MA. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Ever since Jacob, Monod and their colleagues described how the multiple, tandemly arranged genes of the Lac operon from E. coli are co-regulated in response to different sugar substrates [1], one of the main pursuits of molecular biology has been to dissect the myriads of mechanisms whereby cells control and effect gene regulation. The importance of this question is evident across diverse areas of cellular and organismal biology, from the control of progression through the cell cycle in unicellular organisms, to the processes of development and differentiation in complex metazoans. Indeed, the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was recently awarded, in part, for research aimed at understanding and manipulating the regulatory circuits that can be used to reprogram the gene expression patterns of differentiated adult cells into those of so-called ‘induced’ pluripotent stem cells [2]. If anything, the significance of understanding how organisms ‘use’ their genes appropriately is as important as ever given that advancing, massively parallel DNA sequencing technologies continue to provide an ever-increasing catalog of new and diverse genomes.
An Investigation of Individual Differences in Relation to Warning Compliance and User Affect: Preliminary Findings

Consumers frequently encounter warning labels and safety precautions on the products they purchase, whether it is at home or in the workplace. Studies on the physical aspects of warning labels have been extensively considered, such as variability in font size, weight, size contrast, etc. Although it is important to consider the physical characteristics of the warning label, individual characteristics as they pertain to consumers are also important to consider. For example, Weaver, et al. found that health orientation and sensation seeking were significantly related to behavioral compliance to warnings. The current study investigated the extent to which participant characteristics would relate to warning compliance when exposed to a noise stressor.
Cultivation of toxoplasma in the developing chick embryo.

SummaryA laboratory-adapted strain of toxoplasma was successfully propagated in the embryonated hen's egg. Uniform mortality was obtained and the majority of deaths occurred between Sand 6 days after inoculation. The concentration of organisms in the chick embryo gave LD50 titers of 10-4.5 to 10-5.0 which approximated that usually attained in mice. Repeated passage through eggs resulted in no modification of pathogenicity for animals.
Effect of leukotriene D4 on blood flow to cerebrum and choroid plexus.

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of leukotriene D4 on blood flow to the cerebrum and choroid plexus. Blood flow was measured with microspheres in anesthetized rabbits. Under control conditions, blood flow to the cerebrum was 37 +/- 4 ml. min-1.100 g-1 (mean +/- SE) and blood flow to the choroid plexus was 428 +/- 52 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Intra-atrial infusion of leukotriene D4 at 0.1 and 1.0 microgram.kg-1.min-1 did not alter blood flow to the brain or choroid plexus, but produced a 49 +/- 3% and 69 +/- 5% decrease in blood flow to the bowel. We also examined effects of intracerebroventricular administration of leukotriene D4. Intraventricular injection of 1.0 microgram of leukotriene D4 did not affect blood flow to the cerebrum or choroid plexus. In contrast, intraventricular injection of 1.0 microgram of angiotensin II produced a 42 +/- 4% decrease in blood flow to the choroid plexus. In summary, neither intravascular nor intraventricular administration of leukotriene D4 affects blood flow to the brain or choroid plexus.
The Practice of Designing Qualitative Research on Educational Leadership: Notes for Emerging Scholars and Practitioner-Scholars

This article addresses a gap in methodological writing, concerning typical practice in designing qualitative inquiry, especially in research on educational leadership. The article focuses on how qu...
Application value of brain ultrasonography in cerebral palsy children with cerebral white matter injury

Objective To investigate the in application value of brain ultrasonography in children with cerebral palsy cerebral white matter injury. Methods 90 cases cerebral palsy children who were treated in the department of neurological rehabilitation od our hospital from 2011 january to 2012 December were chosen as the research object,then theny were divided into group A and group B,all patients given scalp acupuncture therapy,the application value in cerebral palsy children with cerebral white matter injury were compared by head color Doppler ultrasound,and MRI(outer court). Results 10 cases wereⅠinjury in group A before treatment,it accounted for 22.2%,10 cases were II injury,it accounted for 22.2%,20 cases were mild injury,it accounted for 44.4%,but 13 cases wereⅠinjury in group A before treatment,it accounted for 28.9%,17 cases wereⅡinjury,it accounted for 37.8%,30 cases were mild injury,it accounted for 66.7%,the head ultrasound results and clinical manifestations in children with cerebral palsy activity limitation grading matching effect is good before and after treatment in group A,18 cases were mild injury in group Bbefore treatment,it accounted for 40.0%,14 cases were moderate injury,it accounted for 31.1%,13 cases were severe injury,it accounted for 28.9%,but 29 cases were mild injury in group B before treatment,it accounted for 64.4%,9 cases were moderate injury,it accounted for 20.0%,7 cases were severe injury,it accounted for 15.6%,the brain MRI results and clinical manifestations in children with cerebral palsy activity limitation grading matching effect is good before and after treatment in group B. Conclusion The craniocerebral color ultrasonic can dynamically observe the cerebral palsy children with cerebral white matter damage repair,it is economic, convenient and safe compared to MRI,it is high value in clinical application.
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Gene Therapy Attenuates Liver Fibrosis Induced by Bile Duct Ligation

Objective: To exam the therapeutic efficacy of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene therapy in a bile duct ligation liver fibrosis model. Methods: Male CD-1 mice were randomized into 3 groups, the normal group merely underwent surgery without bile duct ligation, the other 2 groups underwent bile duct ligation, received biweekly injection of pCMV-HGF (1μg/g), or pcDNA3 respectively. The severity of liver fibrosis was evaluated at 3 months after bile duct ligation. Results: HGF gene therapy markedly attenuated collagen deposition, as showed by Masson-Trichrome staining and immunofluorescence staining of collagen Ⅰ,Ⅲ in the peri-biliary region. Compared with pcD-NA3 treated group, HGF gene therapy could significantly suppress hepatic myofibroblast activation, which was demonstrated by reduction of α-SMA expression (0.32 ± 0.05 vs. 0. 84 ± 0.14, P0.05), decrease the hydroxyproline content (0.48 ± 0.04 μg/mg vs. 1.37 ± 0.06μg/mg, P0.05), suppress expression of transforming growth factor-pi (0.69 ± 0.11 vs.1.31 ± 0.23, P0.01). Conclusion: It suggested that HGF gene therapy could attenuate liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation and HGF may provide an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of chronic liver fibrosis.
Mechanisms of neutrophil apoptosis in uremia and relevance of the Fas (APO‐1, CD95)/Fas ligand system

The regulation of neutrophil apoptosis in chronic renal failure (CRF) has not been clearly defined. The Fas/FasL system is an important apoptotic regulatory pathway in a wide variety of cells. Fas is a widely expressed cell surface protein that transduces an apoptotic signal after interaction with its natural ligand FasL. In contrast to the extensive tissue distribution of Fas, constitutive expression of FasL is relatively limited. We examined Fas and FasL expression by neutrophils in healthy subjects, patients with CRF, and patients on hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Fas expression was significantly higher among patients with CRF compared with control subjects, HD patients, and PD patients. FasL expression was significantly higher among patients with CRF compared with control subjects. At 24 h, neutrophil apoptosis was higher among patients with CRF compared with control subjects. Furthermore, high-neutrophil Fas expression was paralleled by a higher sensitivity to Fas-mediated apoptosis. There was a strong correlation between Fas-stimulated apoptosis and creatinine clearance as well as Fas expression. Finally, we found that uremic serum increased the expression of neutrophil-associated Fas and FasL proteins, when compared with normal serum. Further studies are under way to examine the regulation of this pathway in the uremic environment.
Laser activation of tissue sealant in hand-sewn canine esophageal closure.

Dehiscence rates of esophageal anastomoses are between 5% and 20%. Because small leaks between sutures might promote microabscess formation and lead to dehiscence, we postulated that a better initial physical seal might be beneficial. Reinforcement with laser activation of tissue sealant (LATS) is a new technique that has been shown to increase the bursting strength of anastomoses in other tissues. The tissue sealant is composed of 0.4 ml of hyaluronic acid and 0.2 ml of albumin, to which 3 drops of indocyanine green dye are added to give the sealant a peak absorbance of 805 nm, matching the wavelength (808 nm) of a small, hand-held diode laser. Since tissues do not absorb at this wavelength, laser energy is focused in the sealant, minimizing collateral thermal damage. To extend this concept, we assessed LATS in a canine model of esophageal closure. The esophagus was exposed via a right thoracotomy in 20 dogs, and two transverse incisions, 2 cm in length, were made in each esophagus (n = 40 closures). Both sites were closed with a single layer of interrupted 4-0 polyglycolic acid suture. Either the proximal or distal incision was randomly chosen to receive laser activation of tissue sealant. Tissue sealant was applied to the reapproximated edges of the hand-sewn closure, which was then exposed to diode laser energy. The end point was visible shrinking and desiccation of the sealant, which required about 2 minutes. Each esophagus was recovered at 0, 2, or 7 days postoperatively (n = 10, 5, and 5 dogs, respectively), bursting pressure was measured, and the closures were examined histologically. At all three time points LATS closures had significantly higher bursting pressures than control closures (time 0: 251 ± 87 versus 105 ± 46, p horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;103:781-3)
The ConNECtion Between Abdominal Signs and Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Infants 501 to 1500 g.

Background Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) can become severe quickly, making early recognition a priority and understanding the occurrence of abdominal and clinical signs of impending NEC important. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine relationships of abdominal signs up to 36 hours before diagnosis of NEC within subgroups treated medically, surgically, or those who died. Methods A 3-site, descriptive correlational case-control design with retrospective data collection was used matching each NEC case to 2 controls (N = 132). Results NEC cases were exposed to less human milk and fed later. Among them, 61% (n = 27) had at least 1 abdominal sign 36 hours before diagnosis, with fewer numbers having 2 (18%; n = 8) or 3 (5%; n = 2). At 36 hours before NEC, abdominal distension, duskiness, higher gastric residual, and greater count of abdominal signs were associated with severe NEC. No medical NEC cases had abdominal signs 36 or 24 hours before diagnosis. Highest severity of NEC was related to more abdominal signs at the times leading up to and at diagnosis of NEC. Gastric residuals were largely unrelated to NEC except for the most severe NEC at 36 hours before diagnosis. Implications for practice Communicating a count of abdominal signs may support earlier recognition and treatment of NEC. Implications for research More research is needed to explore timing for clinical worsening of status (eg, surgical and NEC leading to death) and to study effective clinical approaches targeting early recognition to support timely action.
Adding scalability to Internet of Things gateways using parallel computation of edge device data

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly growing area with an estimated 25 billion connected devices anticipated by 2020. As more devices join the IoT landscape, the ability to scale from small to large deployments is becoming paramount. In this paper, we investigate the ability to scale an IoT system above the leaf-level by using parallel computing within the gateway devices. The initial task identified for gateway parallel computing is to aggregate and analyze data from end devices. This approach provides a scalable architecture for IoT Systems. Devices such as the Jetson TX1 and TK1 incorporate an ARM multicore plus General Purpose Graphical Processing Unit (GP-GPU) capability to enhance performance for data-parallel computations. We demonstrate the value of this type of hybrid architecture on an example IoT system test bed while achieving non-trivial speedup. This points clearly to the need for gateway devices to move to highly parallel architectures, rather than simply serving as small servers with multiple network adapters.
Modeling multi-agent self-organization through the lens of higher order attractor dynamics

Social interaction occurs across many time scales and varying numbers of agents; from one-on-one to large-scale coordination in organizations, crowds, cities, and colonies. These contexts, are characterized be emergent self-organization that implies higher order coordinated patterns occurring over time that are not due to the actions of any particular agents, but rather due to the collective ordering that occurs from the interactions of the agents. Extant research to understand these social coordination dynamics has primarily examined dyadic contexts performing rhythmic tasks. To advance this area of study, we elaborate on attractor dynamics, our ability to depict them visually, and quantitatively model them. Primarily, we combine difference/differential equation modeling with mixture modeling as a way to infer the underlying topological features of the data, which can be described in terms of attractor dynamic patterns. The advantage of this approach is that we are able to quantify the self-organized dynamics that agents exhibit, link these dynamics back to activity from individual agents, and relate it to other variables central to understanding the coordinative functionality of a system’s behavior. We present four examples that differ in the number of variables used to depict the attractor dynamics (1,2,and 6) and range from simulated to non-simulated data sources. We demonstrate that this is a flexible method that advances scientific study of social coordination dynamics in a variety of multi-agent systems.
Grain orientation effects on the ionic conductivity of neodymia doped ceria thin films

Abstract It is generally accepted that grain boundaries in the path of transport are detrimental to ionic conductivity. To delve deeper into the connection between grain boundaries and ionic transport, the relative orientations of the grains were determined using the transmission Kikuchi diffraction technique. Nanocrystalline (grain size ∼ 40 nm) neodymia doped ceria thin films grown via pulsed laser deposition amplify the effect of these intrinsic interfaces. In addition, this deposition technique allowed the growth of partially amorphous and columnar grained films. Further, the strength of the texture in the columnar grained films was modified by changing substrates. The in-plane impedance measurements were able to isolate the response of the film from the response of the electrode interface and confirmed the majority carriers were oxygen vacancies at low temperatures. The anionic conductivity improved as the strength of the texture in the films increased. The conductivity of the strongly textured films was 2 orders of magnitude higher than the conductivity of the randomly oriented ones between 300 and 400 °C. Also, the in-plane conductivity per grain was more than 3 orders of magnitude higher in the strongly textured film than in the poorly textured one indicating conductivity is not dependent on grain boundary density. I V measurements revealed that grain boundaries posed a potential barrier to anions in the poorly textured and randomly oriented films, but not in the strongly textured samples. The type of grain boundary was deemed a contributing factor. Boundaries between more misaligned grains were more resistive decreasing the total conductivity.
Master-planning the American campus: goals, actions, and design strategies

This research identified common goals, actions, and design strategies of university campus master plans in the USA, by analyzing 50 randomly selected master plans. Four design strategies were distilled, based on the top goals and actions: transition from (1) a deficient campus to a complete campus, (2) an isolated campus to a contextual campus, (3) a fragmented campus to a cohesive campus, and (4) a brown campus to an ecological campus. In addition, seven campus form dimensions were distilled: (1) land use organization (arrangement of space and facilities), (2) compactness, (3) connectivity, (4) spatial configuration, (6) campus living, (7) greenness, and (8) context. These seven dimensions can provide a theoretical framework for analyzing campus form and guide future empirical research in this area.
Internet-Based Monitoring in the Severe Asthma Research Program Identifies a Subgroup of Patients With Labile Asthma Control.

Background We designed an Internet-Based Monitoring Systems (IBS) survey to facilitate monitoring of asthma symptoms and asthma exacerbations in the Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). Our objective was to evaluate compliance with the IBS survey tool and to explore how data from an IBS tool can inform understanding of asthma phenotypes. Methods We invited adult subjects in the SARP III cohort (N = 528) to complete a monthly IBS asthma control survey. We compared the characteristics of subjects who did and those who did not participate in the IBS survey tool. Among subjects who participated in the IBS (IBS+), we identified participants with low, medium, and high Asthma Control Test (ACT) score variability, and we explored asthma morbidity in these three participant subgroups. Results Two hundred fifty-nine subjects participated in the IBS (IBS+) survey. Compared with subjects who did not engage with the IBS (IBS–) survey, IBS+ subjects were older and more likely to be white, college educated, and have an annual household income > $25,000, and have controlled asthma. Among IBS+ participants, the subgroup with the highest ACT score variability was more likely to have severe asthma, with a lower ACT score at baseline and increased asthma-related health-care use (often precipitated by cold and flulike illnesses). Participants with high ACT variability were also characterized by metabolic dysfunction, as evidenced by obesity and hypertension. Conclusions Active participation with an Internet-based symptom survey tool in patients with severe asthma is influenced by race, socioeconomic status, and asthma control. Among survey participants, a group with highly variable (labile) asthma control is identifiable as a specific subgroup with unmet treatment needs. The association of asthma lability, increased susceptibility to adverse asthma effects of cold and flulike illnesses, and metabolic dysfunction provides clues for potentially effective intervention strategies.
A computational framework identifying concordant gene expression-neuropathology associations reveals Complex I as a potential Alzheimer’s disease therapeutic target

We examine, across nine human brain regions, the spectrum of genome-wide gene expression associations with Alzheimer9s disease (AD) neuropathology using 1,746 human individuals from three AD studies. We introduce a new computational approach, DECODER, that leverages discrepancies across different brain regions or different studies in order to identify robust expression markers for complex neuropathological phenotypes. Our computational evaluation experiments demonstrate: (1) the possibility of performing meta-analysis in the highly challenging AD setting where datasets involve study-specific confounders or brain region-specific biological processes, (2) DECODER9s potential as a general meta-analysis framework widely applicable to various diseases (e.g., AD, cancer) or phenotypes (e.g., neuropathology, survival), and (3) provide new insights into the similarity of brain regions in terms of expression associations with AD hallmarks. We further extend these computational advances through in vivo validation of novel genes using a transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans model expressing AD-associated amyloid beta. Our approach yields several novel genetic modifiers of amyloid beta toxicity and pinpoints Complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mETC) as a critical mediator of proteostasis and a promising potential pharmacological avenue toward treating AD.
5HT6 Antagonists in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Dementia: Current Progress

Alzheimer’s disease is an important condition with a considerable and unmet disease burden in large need of continued research and more treatment options. The 5HT6 antagonists are a new class of medications to be offered. Because they are pro-cholinergic, these medications are to be used as adjuncts to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (such as donepezil), further increasing acetylcholine in the central nervous system (CNS). Early trials of the 5HT6 antagonists showed improvements in cognition and activities of daily living when used as adjuncts to current therapies for Alzheimer’s dementia. However, recent phase III trials have failed to show a statistically significant improvement in cognitive function. This article will provide a comprehensive review of 5HT6 antagonists in drug development, including some that have been recently discontinued. We will discuss both the successes and failures of this drug class and provide rationale for their continued research and development.
Protein kinase C and adaptation to ethanol.

Adaptation to chronic ethanol exposure results in a decrease in sensitivity to the intoxicating effects of ethanol. Recent evidence indicates that changes in the expression and function of certain proteins involved in signal transduction are important for adaptation to ethanol. Using the neural cell line PC12, we found that chronic exposure to ethanol increases the expression and function of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels and enhances neural differentiation induced by nerve growth factor. Both of these responses to ethanol require protein kinase C (PKC). Chronic ethanol exposure activates PKC-mediated phosphorylation, in part, by increasing the expression of two PKC isozymes, δ and ∈. The PKC family of enzymes may be important targets for the development of drugs that could modify adaptive and toxic consequences of chronic ethanol exposure.
The Genetics of E.Coli DNA Replication

The elucidation of the structure of DNA was elegant, perhaps primarily, for the simplicity with which the double helix appeared to explain replication (1). Indeed, the molecular architecture of the genetic material would seem to be magnificently, if not expressly, designed for the replication of genes. Despite this apparent simplicity of molecular design, determining the intricacies of the replication process has proved a fertile, though hard, ground for both geneticists and biochemists. Although this review is from a genetics perspective, biochemistry and genetics are but two horses pulling the same cart. The biochemical horse has been driven across this ground often and well of late (2–5) whereas the genetic steed has been comparatively neglected.
First-order Chemical Reactions

In this section we consider a first-order irreversible chemical reaction and how it is modeled by compartmental equations [161], [169], [241]. A common industrial process is treated: the reduction of limestone into its main products, calcium oxide and magnesium oxide, through the chemical reactions $$ \begin{array}{*{20}c} {CaCO_3 {\text{ }}\xrightarrow{{k_1 }}CaO + CO_2 } \\ {MgCO_3 \xrightarrow{{k_2 }}MgO + CO_2 } \\ \end{array} $$ (3.1) with the respective positive rate constants kj. We assume that the limestone consists of a fraction β of CaC03 and a remaining fraction 1 — β of MgC03 (0 < s < 1). Each mole of reactant which decomposes yields one mole of product plus one mole of carbon dioxide; C02 does not affect the rates at which the reactions occur and its production is not of interest.
Lower serum albumin levels in patients with mood disorders.

Background: Some physicians have reported lower serum albumin levels in patients with major depression in Western countries. In this study, the relationship between serum albumin levels and mood disorders (including mania and major depression) was investigated during the acute phases in Taiwanese psychiatric inpatients. Methods: A review of medical charts during a 1-year period was carried out in a population of 213 Taiwanese psychiatric inpatients that included 61 patients with mood disorders (with or without suicide attempts). The collected data included age, body weight, height, serum albumin levels, and routine blood biochemistry examination results. These data were compared with data from a healthy control group (N=32) drawn from the staff of the psychiatric ward. Statistical analysis was done using covariance after age adjustment. Results: The mean serum albumin levels were 40.2i 4.0 g/L in patients with mania (N=25), 39.8i 2.8 g/L in patients with major depression (N=36), and 45.8 i 2.0 g/L in the control group. Patients with mania (F=64.6, p = 0.000) and major depression (F=68.9, p = 0.000), respectively, had significantly lower albumin levels than the control group after age adjustment. However, for the patients with major depression, no significant difference in serum albumin levels were found between patients who had attempted suicide and those who had not. Conclusion: Lower serum albumin levels were noted during the acute phases of mania and major depression in Taiwanese psychiatric inpatients. (Chang Gung Med J 2002;25:509-13)
Development of Technology Training for Destination Marketing Organisations

Most DMOs are not familiar with new technologies, and they have not had opportunities to learn about and evaluate dynamically changing technologies. Therefore, this study aims to (a) develop educational content in an effort to provide tourism professionals with basic training in new technologies and (b) discover their opinions about technologies through training programs. As training content, tourism-related technologies were separated into Web-based technologies and hardware-based. In addition to the development of training content, this study examined how familiar tourism professionals in DMOs are with these technologies, the perceived usefulness of such technologies, and the DMOs’ willingness to use them after a training program on new tourism technologies. Findings suggest that most tourism professionals were not familiar with these technologies and that You Tube was ranked as the most helpful in their destination marketing, followed by RSS feeds and Google Earth.