cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dendritic cell expression of ADAM23 governs T cell proliferation and cytokine production through the α(v)β(3) integrin receptor

ADAM23 is a member of the brain macrophage-derived chemokine family. Structural homology of ADAM proteins suggests their function as integrin receptors. Previous studies have linked ADAM23 as a dominant contributor to brain development and cancer metastasis. The present studies now show that ADAM23 expression on DCs partially governs antigen-presentation capacities to responder CD4+ T cells. With the use of RNAi approaches, knockdown of ADAM23 in murine BMDCs resulted in impaired T cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine production. Knockdown did not alter the maturation profile of DCs (i.e., costimulatory molecule expression or production of proinflammatory cytokines) but markedly impaired cognate T cell responses. There was a significant decrease in antigen-specific clonal expansion coupled with a global decrease in Th cytokine production. Impaired early activation and proliferation did not alter/skew the balance of Th polarization but significantly depressed total levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17 cytokine production in CD4+ T cells primed by ADAM23 knockdown versus control DCs. Finally, neutralizing antibodies targeting the α(v)β(3) integrin receptors resulted in similar phenotypes of impaired CD4+ T cell responses. Taken together, these studies show a novel role of ADAM23 in governing DC antigen presentation to cognate CD4+ T cells.
The Beautiful Ones Are Born: Consolidation of Democracy in South Africa and Ghana

Writing in the 1960s, the Ghanaian novelist Ayi Kwei Armah wrote about postcolonial failure and the frustration and disillusionment that followed in his home country Ghana and all over the rest of Africa. In the book, which is set in a fictional country, a coup that overthrows a corrupt system gives the protagonist hope that the new people would make things right, that the new ones would be born, only to be frustrated. Like the protagonist in this plot, much of Africa had hoped only to be frustrated. It might have taken a couple of more coups, followed by more new beginnings and births. But finally the beautiful ones are finally born. In this chapter, we look at Africa’s beautiful ones that have overcome the weight of history and continue to radiate hope that democratization is around the corner. The chapter follows the journey of two countries, South Africa and Ghana, that have successfully transitioned to democracy and have consolidated their democratic gains.
Residual Effects of Fertilization History Increase Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Zero-N Controls: Implications for Estimating Fertilizer-Induced Emission Factors

Agricultural N fertilization is the dominant driver of increasing atmospheric nitrous oxide (NO) concentrations over the past half-century, yet there is considerable uncertainty in estimates of NO emissions from agriculture. Such estimates are typically based on the amount of N applied and a fertilizer-induced emission factor (EF), which is calculated as the difference in emissions between a fertilized plot and a zero-N control plot divided by the amount of N applied. A fertilizer-induced EF of 1% is currently recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) based on several studies analyzing published field measurements of NO emissions. Although many zero-N control plots used in these measurements received historical N applications, the potential for a residual impact of these inputs on NO emissions has been largely ignored and remains poorly understood. To address this issue, we compared NO emissions under laboratory conditions from soils sampled within zero-N control plots that had historically received N inputs versus soils from plots that had no N inputs for 20 yr. Historical N fertilization of zero-N control plots increased initial NO emissions by roughly one order of magnitude on average relative to historically unfertilized control plots. Higher NO emissions were positively correlated with extractable N and potentially mineralizable N. This finding suggests that accounting for fertilization history may help reduce the uncertainty associated with the IPCC fertilizer-induced EF and more accurately estimate the contribution of fertilizer N to agricultural NO emissions, although further research to demonstrate this relationship in the field is needed.
Effects of probiotic bacteria on cytokine expression in cultured intestinal epithelial cells

The benefits of probiotic bacteria in intestinal physiology and disease may be mediated through multiple mechanisms, such as affecting the composition of the gut microbiome, having direct action on...
Diode-pumped alkali lasers with a gradient temperature configuration

A diode-pumped alkali laser (DPAL) is one of the most promising candidates of the next-generation high-powered laser sources. Until now, a single-heater structure has been widely adopted to control the temperature of an alkali vapor cell in plenty of the DPAL studies. However, for an end-pumped DPAL using a single heater, most pump power can be absorbed by the gain media near the entrance window of a cell due to the large absorption cross section of atomic alkali. As a result, the temperature in the pumping area around the inputted window will be much higher than those in the other positions of the vapor cell. Such a large temperature gradient would bring about some negative influences on the output performance of a DPAL. Additionally, in the worst case, the inputted cell window may even be damaged, especially when the pump intensity becomes very high. To solve the problem, we put forward a new scheme by using a gradient heating process in which several heaters are simultaneously utilized to anneal an alkali vapor cell. In this technique, the temperature at the entrance window is set to be lower than that of the other side. Using this novel method, one can not only achieve a homogeneous absorption of pump energy along the cell axis, but also decrease the possibility of the window damage in the DPAL configuration. The theoretical simulation of the laser output features by use of multiple heaters has been carried out, and the optimum condition in temperature gradient is also discussed in this paper.
Quick reference tidal volume cards reduce the incidence of large tidal volumes during surgery.

Ventilation with large tidal volumes (V T), greater than 10 ml/kg of predicted body weight (PBW), is associated with worse outcomes in critically ill and surgical patients. We hypothesized that the availability of quick reference cards with proposed V T ranges specific to gender and different heights would reduce the intraoperative use of large V T during prolonged abdominal surgery. We compared retrospectively the incidence of median V T used during prolonged (≥4-h-long) abdominal surgery before (“before”) and after (“after”) the quick reference V T cards were made available in all anesthesia machines in operating rooms of a single academic US medical center. We evaluated the effect of the intervention on the primary outcome while adjusting for previously identified risk factors of large V T use: female gender, obesity (body mass index, BMI > 30), and short height (< 165 cm). The frequency of V T > 10 ml/kg PBW was 15.1% in the before group and 4.3% in the after group (p < 0.001). The frequency of large V T used during abdominal surgery was significantly decreased after the intervention even after adjusting for female gender, obesity or short height [adjOR 0.11 (95% CI 0.04–0.30)]. Our quick reference V T cards significantly reduced the frequency of large V T use during abdominal surgery.
Pulse-level beam-switching for terahertz networks

Communication in Terahertz (THz) band is envisioned as a promising technology to meet the ever-growing data rate demand, and to enable new applications in both nano-scale and macro-scale wireless paradigms. In this study, we propose the first system-level design that is suitable for THz communication in macro-scale range with 100+ Gbps data rate. The design is based on the proposed terahertz pulse-level beam-switching with energy control (TRPLE), and motivated by the rise in Graphene-based electronics, which include not only compact generator and detector for pulse communication, but also the capability of beam scanning aided with nano-antenna-arrays. The very high path loss seen in THz wireless channel requires the use of narrow beam to reach longer transmission ranges. On the other hand, impulse radio that emits femtosecond-long pulses allows the beam direction to steer at pulse-level, rather than at packet-level. For TRPLE, we mathematically analyze the data rate for an arbitrary wireless link under the THz channel characteristics and the energy modulation scheme. Then, a novel optimization model is formulated to solve the parameters of the inter-pulse separation and the inter-symbol separation, in order to maximize the data rate while meeting the interference requirement. With the optimization, the data rate of 167 Gbps is shown achievable for most users in 20-m range. A MAC protocol framework is then presented to harness the benefits of the pulse separation optimization.
What Do Chemists Cite? A 5-year Analysis of References Cited in American Chemical Society Journal Articles

ABSTRACTThis study analyzes references cited by articles published in ten American Chemical Society journals between 2011 and 2015. The median age of references was 6 years. On average, 44 percent ...
7.13 Processes, Transport, Deposition, and Landforms: Quantifying Creep

Hilly upland landscapes are cloaked in a thin layer of soil derived primarily from the underlying parent material and transported by diverse processes. Creep subsumes soil transport processes assumed to be linearly proportional to slope and the authors examined a range of studies that have attempted to quantify these processes. This chapter thus provides a short overview of the conceptual framework, as well as some of the field-based methods, used in these studies. Colluvial soil is also termed regolith and although creep sensu stricto may occur across a wide variety of landforms and sediment types, the authors focus on hilly landscapes in this chapter.
The ville: cops and kids in urban America

This book is a republished and updated edition that was originally released in 1993 and is an in-depth look into the day-to-day lives of the Housing Police and the people of Brownsville and East Ne...
Inventing Rights in the Indian Context

India embarked on a unique political and institutional path that included the introduction of special arrangements made for ‘minorities’ when drafting a new Constitution. Itakura discusses the ‘changed condition’ surrounding the Constituent Assembly after the Indian partition and re-examines the Constituent Assembly debates with specific interest regarding the introduction of the reservation system. The author focuses on the adaption of minority leaders to an independent India amid rapidly changing conditions. This chapter offers an historical viewpoint to understand what ‘institutionalization from above’ meant for subsequent political development as implemented through the creation of the Constitution.
Inventing Grand Cru Claret: Irish Wine Merchants in Eighteenth-Century Bordeaux

ABSTRACTThis article shows that Bordeaux’s most expensive young wines were overwhelmingly purchased by Irish merchants during the long eighteenth century. These merchants then blended the Bordeaux ...
Could Dietary Glutamate Play a Role in Psychiatric Distress

Glutamate is an amino acid that functions as an excitatory neurotransmitter. It has also been associated with somatic and psychiatric distress and is implicated in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Ingestion of dietary glutamate, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), has been mechanistically linked with greater distress among patients with chronic pain conditions, though findings have been equivocal. Preliminary research suggests that an MSG-restricted diet confers beneficial effects on somatic symptoms and well-being for some individuals with chronic pain conditions. In addition to associations with somatic distress, glutamate has been associated with the onset and progression of psychiatric symptoms. Thus, the role of dietary glutamate in psychiatric distress represents an underdeveloped and potentially important area for future research aimed at clarifying pathophysiological mechanisms and identifying targets for dietary intervention in psychiatric illnesses.
Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus: A Review

The porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) is classified as a member of genus Betacoronavirus, family Coronaviridae, sub-family Cornavirinae, and order Nidovirales. PHEV shares the same genomic organization, replication strategy, and expression of viral proteins as other nidoviruses. PHEV produces vomiting and wasting disease (VWD) and/or encephalomyelitis, being the only known neurotropic coronavirus affecting pigs. First clinical outbreak was reported in 1957 in Ontario, Canada. Although pigs are the only species susceptible to natural PHEV infections, the virus displays neurotropism in mice and Wistar rats. Clinical disease, morbidity, and mortality is age-dependent and generally reported only in piglets under 4 weeks old. The primary site of replication of PHEV in pigs is the respiratory tract, and it can be further spread to the central nervous system through the peripheral nervous system via different pathways. The diagnosis of PHEV can be made using a combination of direct and indirect detection methods. The virus can be isolated from different tissues within the acute phase of the clinical signs using primary and secondary pig-derived cell lines. PHEV agglutinates the erythrocytes of mice, rats, chickens, and several other animals. PCR-based methods are useful to identify and subsequently isolate animals that are actively shedding the virus. The ability to detect antibodies allows producers to know the status of first-litter gilts and evaluate their risk of tier offspring to infection. PHEV is highly prevalent and circulates subclinically in most swine herds worldwide. PHEV-related disease is not clinically relevant in most of the swine-producing countries, most likely because of dams are immune to PHEV which may confer passive immunity to their offspring. However, PHEV should be considered a major source of economic loss because of the high mortality on farms with high gilt replacement rates, specific pathogen-free animals, and gnotobiotic swine herds. Thus, in the absence of current PHEV vaccines, promoting virus circulation on farms with early exposure to gilts and young sows could induce maternal immunity and prevent disease in piglets.
Activation of mTOR by inhibitors of translation is dependent on PKC-delta.

4155 TOR, a S/T kinase links environmental conditions to translation initiation in eukaryotic cells. Growth factors activate TOR signaling through the PI3K/Akt pathway, whereas nutritional signals and energy charge regulate mTOR via the AMPK/TSC/Rheb pathway. An important function of mTor is to regulate the protein synthesis via phosphorylating its substrates p70S6K1 and 4EBP1. Here we show that inhibition of global translation rapidly activates mTOR signaling leading of phosphorylation of downstream substrates pathway, suggesting a novel mechanism of mTOR regulation in response to decreased translation. Translational inhibitors, such as anisomycin (AN), cyclohexamade (CHX), and emetine (EME) were used to repress the protein synthesis at different stages (peptide formation, or peptide elongation). Each inhibitor induced a rapid concentration-dependent activation of mTOR as indicated by S6K1 phosphorylation (Thr389) and S6(Ser235/6), suggesting indicating a negative feedback from translational machinery to mTOR. To determine whether activation of mTOR was direct, or through activation upstream we used pharmacologic inhibitors and siRNA to determine where in the PI3K-mTOR pathway translation inhibitors activated signaling to mTOR. API-2, an inhibitor of Akt, did not block AN-induced S6K1/S6 phosphorylation, suggesting that the activation of mTR is independent of Akt. AN still induced S6K1 phosphorylation under conditions that suppressed the TSC/Rheb pathway to mTOR (amino acid deprivation or 2’-deoxyglucose). Further, using Rheb siRNAs, we found that AN still stimulated S6K1/S6 phosphorylation, whereas depletion of Rheb blocked serum or amino acid stimulation of S6K1(pT389) phosphorylation. Therefore, this intracellular signal activated mTOR/S6K1 is independent of AKT/TSC/Rheb. However, the phosphorylation of S6K1 is blocked when cells were treated by PKCδ -specific inhibitor rotterlin, suggesting that PKCδ kinase activity is essential for the activation of mTOR induced by translation inhibition. To test this genetically, siRNA was used to decrease the level of PKCδ (~80%), and blocked AN-induced mTOR activation. Furthermore, we found that PKCδ can phosphorylate mTOR in vitro. Taken together, we identified a novel intracellular signaling cascade emanating from the translational machinery that regulates mTOR activity via PKC δ.
Nutritional Problems in Patients with Advanced Cancer

In order to determine the incidence of nutrition related signs and symptoms, a prospective study of 100 patients with advanced cancer was conducted using a standardized nutrition assessment tool. The patients were admitted to The Hospice of the Cleveland Clinic. The group was comprised of 42 males and 58 females, with a median age of 70 and a range of 24 to 92 years. Common primary sites were lung (20%), breast (13%), pancreas (8%), colorectal (7%), and prostate (7%). Common gastrointestinal symptoms were weight loss (79%), early satiety (70%), anorexia (67%), constipation (46%), xerostomia (41%), and taste changes (40%). Data were analyzed for relationships between occurrence of nutritional problems and primary site, gender, age, and weight loss (including percentage of usual body weight lost and acuity of weight loss, or weight lost over time), as well as relationships among nutrition related signs and symptoms.
Molecular dynamics simulations of energy accommodation between gases and polymers for ultra-low thermal conductivity insulation

Abstract Determining the energy accommodation between gases and solids is essential to developing porous thermal insulation materials with ultra-low effective thermal conductivity that reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and fossil fuel consumption. The energy accommodation coefficients of most gases, however, have been rarely studied, especially with respect to solids that have relatively high thermal resistivity, e.g., polymers. In this work, by using all-atom nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, we reveal the accommodation coefficients of He, Ar, N2, and O2 with polymers, mainly polystyrene. We find that their values are around 0.51, 0.72, 0.79, and 0.90, respectively, suggesting a critical reexamination of the commonly used theoretical maximum value of 1. We have also conducted experiments and validated the value for air, which is about 0.81. Such a change in accommodation coefficients can lead to a reduction of about 70%, 50%, 35%, and 20% in the thermal conductivity of He, Ar, N2, and O2 gases in nano pores (below 100 nm) or at low pressures (below 1 millibar). With these new accommodation coefficients, we find that in a 10 nm pore with ambient pressure at 300 K, the gas thermal conductivity of He, Ar, N2, and O2 in porous polystyrene can be as low as 9.7 × 10−4, 3.4 × 10−4, 7.3 × 10−4, and 8.5 × 10−4 W·m−1·K−1, respectively, which are two to three orders of magnitude lower than their bulk values, promising higher thermal resistivity of insulation materials. This work reveals the fundamental energy exchange between gases and polymers, providing important guidance for designing high-performance thermal insulation materials for various applications.
Make labs, not war: Rethinking library creative technology services through a critical making lens

Libraries are increasingly building makerspaces and technology labs which are aimed at portraying them as innovative, progressive, and future-oriented to meet the changing need of a technology-cent...
Return-to-Competition Criteria After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background:Injury to the ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is common among overhead throwing athletes and can result in significant functional limitations. While surgical reconstruction offers...
Landscapes as living laboratories for sustainable campus planning and stewardship: A scoping review of approaches and practices

Abstract Living laboratories are increasingly employed to support campus sustainability and student learning. This research explored how living labs are defined in relation to the biophysical landscape, how they are integrated into teaching and learning, how students are engaged, and how they connect to university sustainability goals. Previous reviews focus on living laboratories or learning landscapes, but no prior review has explored the application of these concepts specifically to the biophysical landscape of university campuses. We employed a scoping review which resulted in 28 articles for analysis. Projects most consistently employed the terms “learning landscapes,” “sustainable campus landscape,” and “adaptive co-management” as articulations of living laboratories that integrate campus physical landscapes. Students have been engaged in design, planning, installation, stewardship, monitoring, and management of campus landscapes through courses, research, and co-curricular activities. The majority of projects engaged with landscapes as living laboratories through environmental science, design, and other allied disciplines. Other disciplines could also engage with landscapes as living laboratories to promote sustainability. Projects also could more explicitly connect faculty and student engagement with broader campus sustainability goals and plans. More consistent application of terms may help other universities to determine the best actions for their campus when incorporating landscapes into living laboratories.
Riches for All: The California Gold Rush and the World

Preface Introduction Kenneth N. Owens 1. Gold-Rich Saints: Mormon Beginnings of the California Gold Rush Kenneth N. Owens 2. "We Will Make Our Fortunes--No Doubt of It": The Worldwide Rush to California Malcolm J. Rohrbough 3. "The Greatest and Most Perverted Paradise": Forty-Niners in Latin America Brian Roberts 4. Clouded Legacy: California Indians and the Gold Rush Albert L. Hurtado 5. "My Brother's Keeper": Mexicans and the Hunt for Prosperity in California, 1848-2 Michael J. Gonzalez 6. Never Far from Home: Being Chinese in the California Gold Rush Sylvia Sun Minnick 7. "Do You Think I'll Lug Trunks?" African Americans in Gold Rush California Shirley Ann Wilson Moore 8. Disorder, Crime, and Punishment in the California Gold Rush Martin Ridge 9. Where Have All the Young Men Gone? The Social Legacy of the California Gold Rush Elizabeth Jameson 10. The Last Fandango: Women, Work, and the End of the California Gold Rush Susan L. Johnson 11. After California: Later Gold Rushes of the Pacific Basin Jeremy Mouat 12. From Gold Pans to California Dredges: The Search for Mass Production in Placer Mining Clark C. Spence 13. The Last Great Gold Rush: From California to the Klondike in the Nineteenth Century Charlene Porsild 14. Begun by Gold: Sacramento and the Gold Rush Legacy after 150 Years Kenneth N. Owens List of Contributors Index
BST2 over-expression is associated with the formation of bone metastasis in breast cancer

2920 Introduction: The molecular mechanism of metastatic bone disease in breast cancer remains unknown. Bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (BST2) was previously described in melanoma. We recently made the novel observation of BST2 protein expression in human breast cancer cell lines. The purpose of our present study was to investigate the expression of BST2 in primary breast cancer and its association with the development of metastatic breast cancer to bone. Materials and Methods:. cDNA microarray analysis was used to compare BST2 gene expression in a primary human breast cancer cell line (MDA-231) and a metastatic to bone (MTB) human breast cancer cell line (MDA-231 BO). BST2 expression in 8 MTB breast cancer cell lines and 4 primary breast cancer cell lines was also compared using real-time RT-PCR and Western blot assay. We employed tissue array to study BST2 expression in human breast cancer using array slides containing: 30 independent MTB primary breast cancers, 20 non-metastasis forming breast cancers and 4 normal breast tissues. The relationship between BST2 expression, cell growth and apoptosis was studied in a human breast recombinant model system using FACS analysis. Results: Microarray demonstrated over expression of the BST2 gene in the MTB breast cancer cell line MDA-231 BO compared to the primary human breast cancer cell line MDA-231. BST2 was expressed in 80% (7 of 8) of MTB breast cancer cell lines and 0% (0 of 4) non-metastatic breast cancer cell lines as measured by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot assay. Tissue array BST2 expression was observed in over 70% of the cells in each of the 30 MTB bone breast cancer primaries studied. In contrast BST2 expression was observed in 30 to 70% of cells in each of the 20 non-metastatic breast cancer primaries studied (P
Nanotechnology: Platelet mimicry

Cloaking drug-loaded nanoparticles with platelet membranes enhances the drugs' abilities to target desired cells and tissues. This technology might improve treatments for cardiovascular and infectious diseases. See Letter p.118
Relativistic red-black trees

This paper presents algorithms for concurrently reading and modifying a red-black tree RBTree. The algorithms allow wait-free, linearly scalable lookups in the presence of concurrent inserts and deletes. They have deterministic response times for a given tree size and uncontended read performance that is at least 60% faster than other known approaches. The techniques used to derive these algorithms arise from a concurrent programming methodology called relativistic programming. Relativistic programming introduces write-side delay primitives that allow the writer to pay most of the cost of synchronization between readers and writers. Only minimal synchronization overhead is placed on readers. Relativistic programming avoids unnecessarily strict ordering of read and write operations while still providing the capability to enforce linearizability. This paper shows how relativistic programming can be used to build a concurrent RBTree with synchronization-free readers and both lock-based and transactional memory-based writers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photonic-bandgap microcavities in optical waveguides

Confinement of light to small volumes has important implications for optical emission properties: it changes the probability of spontaneous emission from atoms, allowing both enhancement and inhibition. In photonic-bandgap (PBG) materials1,2,3,4 (also known as photonic crystals), light can be confined within a volume of the order of (λ/2n)3, where λ is the emission wavelength and n the refractive index of the material, by scattering from a periodic array of scattering centres. Until recently5,6, the properties of two- and three-dimensional PBG structures have been measured only at microwave frequencies. Because the optical bandgap scales with the period of the scattering centres, feature sizes of around 100 nm are needed for manipulation of light at the infrared wavelength (1.54 µm) used for optical communications. Fabricating features this small requires the use of electron-beam or X-ray lithography. Here we report measurements of microcavity resonances in PBG structures integrated directly into a sub-micrometre-scale silicon waveguide. The microcavity has a resonance at a wavelength of 1.56 µm, a quality factor of 265 and a modal volume of 0.055 µm3. This level of integration might lead to new photonic chip architectures and devices, such as zero-threshold microlasers, filters and signal routers.
A Variant in PNPLA3 Associated With Fibrosis Progression but not Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Background & Aims A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 gene ( PNPLA3 , rs738409) has been associated with fibrosis and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, although its association with outcomes in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is less clear. We evaluated the association between this SNP in PNPLA3 and fibrosis progression and development of HCC among HCV-infected patients. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of data from participants in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial. Patients were randomly assigned to groups given weekly pegylated interferon or no further therapy for 3.5 y and then followed without further treatment until October 2009. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with fibrosis at baseline, fibrosis progression (defined as 2-point increase in Ishak score), and HCC development. Results Among 937 HCV patients with known PNPLA3 genotype, 384 (41.0%) had cirrhosis at baseline. The PNPLA3 CG/GG SNP at rs738409 was significantly associated with the presence of cirrhosis (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34–2.30), after adjusting for age, sex, diabetes, and race. Among 493 patients without cirrhosis at baseline who had at least 1 follow-up biopsy, 142 had fibrosis progression. In multivariate analyses, fibrosis progression was associated with obesity (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.11–2.51) and the PNPLA3 CG/GG genotype (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.13–2.56). PNPLA3 genotype was not associated with HCC development ( P = .85). Using these data to update prior meta-analysis results, the rs738409 SNP in PNPLA3 was not significantly associated with development of HCC in HCV-infected patients (OR 1.29; 95% CI, 0.97–1.99). Conclusions Based on data from the HALT-C trial, the PNPLA3 CG/GG SNP at rs738409 is associated with fibrosis progression but not development of HCC in patients with HCV infection.
VNN2 is a new surface marker for monocytic human myeloid-derived suppressor cells (TUM4P.900)

Studies of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) have been hampered by the scarcity and lack of cell-specific markers. Specifically, monocytic MDSC (M-MDSC) are currently characterized as CD14+ HLA-DR-/low and only the absence or low expression of HLA-DR is used as a marker to specifically isolate and purify live M-MDSC. However, identifying cells based on the absence or reduce expression of a protein significantly hampers their study. Reviewing previous studies regarding monocytic markers, we noted Vanin-2 as a protein that has been described in the past to be present in monocytic subsets displaying reduced antigen presentation as well as high reactive oxygen production, hallmarks of MDSC. In order to determine if this marker was present on cells we currently classify as M-MDSC, we used flow cytometry to isolate MDSCs and compared by qPCR CD14+ HLA-DR-/low (M-MDSC) versus CD14+ HLA-DR+ monocytes for VNN2 expression. Interestingly VNN2 showed a 12.43 fold increase in CD14+ HLA-DR-/low M-MDSC compared to CD14+ HLA-DR+ monocytes. Next, we sorted CD14+ VNN2+-expressing monocytes (>10%) and we performed a suppressive assay with autologous bead-stimulated CD8 T-cells. This assay showed CD14+ VNN2+ monocytes suppressive capabilities were comparable to those of traditional CD14+ HLA-DR-/low M-MDSC at 24%, compared to CD8 T-cells alone (90%) or CD14+ VNN2neg monocytes (~70%). These results suggest VNN2 might be a viable surface marker to positively identify live human M-MDSC.
Effect of a gastrin preparation on gastric secretion in chronic fistula rats.

Upon subcutaneous injection to chronic fistula rats gastrin extract prepared from hog antral mucosa was found to be a highly potent agent in stimulating acidity, volume, and total acid output of gastric secretion. Its potency was not appreciably affected by storage in the frozen state for more than 1 year. No stimulation of pepsin secretion by the gastrin extract was observed. In addition, certain effects were noted which suggested the presence in the extract of material inhibiting volume, total acid output, and pepsin secretion levels. No clues as to the nature or the significance of the inhibitory action were found.
The bandwidth allocation problem in the ATM network model is NP-complete

We show that the Bandwidth Allocation Problem in the ATM network model is NP-complete. Based on that inference we suggest using the Genetic Algorithm technique to select a subset of calls from the set of incoming call requests for transmission, so that the available network bandwidth is utilized effectively, thus maximizing the revenue generated while preserving the promised QoS.
Sensitivity of Botryosphaeria dothidea from California pistachio to tebuconazole

Abstract Botryosphaeria blight of pistachio, caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea, is a devastating disease in California. Baseline sensitivity of B. dothidea to tebuconazole (Elite®) was determined using 105 wild-type single-spore isolates collected in 1999 and 2000 from a commercial pistachio orchard without a previous history of fungicide exposure in Glenn County, California. The 50% effective concentration (EC50) values of tebuconazole for these 105 isolates ranged from 0.019 to 0.159 μg/ml, and the mean EC50 was 0.080 μg/ml. In 2000, 277 single-spore isolates were collected from a fungicide trial orchard with 4 years of multi-sprays of tebuconazole in Glenn County, California. The EC50 values of these 277 isolates ranged from 0.037 to 0.291 μg/ml. The mean EC50 (0.099 μg/ml) of these 277 isolates was significantly higher (F=62.2, P
Effect of aging on the physical properties of amorphous trehalose.

Purpose. The purpose of this investigation was i) to study the effect of physical aging on crystallization and water vapor sorption behavior of amorphous anhydrous trehalose prepared by freeze-drying, and ii) to determine the effects of water sorption on the relaxation state of the aged material.
Influence of Amine Buffers on Carbon Tetrachloride Reductive Dechlorination by the Iron Oxide Magnetite

The influence of amine buffers on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) reductive dechlorination by the iron oxide magnetite (FeIIFeIII2O4) was examined in batch reactors. A baseline was provided by monitoring the reaction in a magnetite suspension containing NaCl as a background electrolyte at pH 8.9. The baseline reaction rate constant was measured at 7.1 × 10-5 ± 6.3 × 10-6 L m-2 h-1. Carbon monoxide (CO) was the dominant reaction product at 82% followed by chloroform (CHCl3) at 5.2%. In the presence of 0.01 M tris(deuteroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRISd), the reaction rate constant nearly tripled to 2.1 × 10-4 ± 6.5 × 10-6 L m-2 h-1 but only increased the CHCl3 yield to 11% and did not cause any statistically significant changes to the CO yield. Reactions in the presence of triethylammonium (TEAd) (0.01 M) increased the rate constant by 17% to 8.6 × 10-5 ± 8.1 × 10-6 L m-2 h-1 but only increased the CHCl3 yield to 8.8% while leaving the CO yield unchanged. The same concentration of N,N,N‘,N‘-tetraethylethylenediami...
How the Kd approach undermines ground water cleanup

Environmental scientists have long appreciated that the distribution coefficient (the “Kd” or “constant Kd”) approach predicts the partitioning of heavy metals between sediment and ground water inaccurately; nonetheless, transport models applied to problems of environmental protection and ground water remediation almost invariably employ this technique. To examine the consequences of this practice, we consider transport in one dimension of Pb and other heavy metals through an aquifer containing hydrous ferric oxide, into which many heavy metals sorb strongly. We compare the predictions of models calculated using the Kd approach to those given by surface complexation theory, which is more realistic physically and chemically. The two modeling techniques give qualitatively differing results that lead to divergent cleanup Strategies. The results for surface complexation theory show that water flushing is ineffective at displacing Pb from the sorbing surface. The effluent from such treatment contains a persistent “tall” of small but significant levels of contamination. Subsurface zones of Pb contamination, furthermore, do not migrate rapidly or far in flowing ground water. These results stand in sharp contrast to the predictions of models constructed using the Kd approach, yet are consistent with experience in the laboratory and field.
Challenges for semiconductor spintronics

High-volume information-processing and communications devices are at present based on semiconductor devices, whereas information-storage devices rely on multilayers of magnetic metals and insulators. Switching within information-processing devices is performed by the controlled motion of small pools of charge, whereas in the magnetic storage devices information storage and retrieval is performed by reorienting magnetic domains (although charge motion is often used for the final stage of readout). Semiconductor spintronics offers a possible direction towards the development of hybrid devices that could perform all three of these operations, logic, communications and storage, within the same materials technology. By taking advantage of spin coherence it also may sidestep some limitations on information manipulation previously thought to be fundamental. This article focuses on advances towards these goals in the past decade, during which experimental progress has been extraordinary.
Evidence for in Vivo Conversion of C21 Steroids to C19 Androgens in the Bovine

Summary The biosynthetic transformation of progesterone to fecal androgen (androstenedione) in the bovine has been shown. The present study reports the biosynthetic transformation of pregnenolone and 17 α -hydroxyprogesterone to fecal androgen. Following the injection of pregnenolone into the male and female bovine, the chick comb response test demonstrated a significant formation of fecal androgens in the male and a significant increase in fecal androgens in the female. Following the injection of 17 α -hydroxyprogesterone into the female bovine, androgen biosynthesis was evidenced by the excretion of a significant amount of fecal androgens as measured by the chick comb response test. In vitro studies with various mammalian tissues have documented a pathway for androgen biosynthesis involving the following sequence: pregnenolone → progesterone → 17 α -hydroxyprogesterone → androstenedione. The cumulative results of the experiments on bovine androgenesis provide in vivo evidence indicating that androgen biosynthesis in the bovine, as in many other species, occurs via the same pathway. The experimental evidence demonstrates further the major importance of an hepatoenteric pathway for the elimination of the C 19 androgen metabolites of these C 21 hormones.
Detection of California serogroup viruses using universal primers and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction

Universal primers have been identified and a protocol developed that are suitable for rapid detection of California encephalitis (CE) complex viruses in a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. These primers correspond to sequences in the coding regions of the G2 glycoprotein of the middle-size RNA segment. The identities of the amplified products were confirmed by sequencing on the clones or PCR products. The technique is capable of detecting 40 plaque-forming units (PFU) directly on an ethidium bromide-stained agarose gel and the sensitivity increases to 0.4-1 PFU when a radiolabeled probe is used as the detector.
Cascading pressure thermal reduction for efficient solar fuel production

Abstract Efficient two-step solar-thermochemical fuel production requires vacuum pumping or inert gas sweeping to lower the oxygen pressure in the thermal reduction step. Pumping is hampered by large oxygen volumetric flows, whereas sweeping is energy-intensive, requiring heat recovery at high temperature, and a dedicated inert gas purification plant. A novel pumping approach—using a cascade of chambers at successively lower pressures—is analyzed and shown to lead to over an order of magnitude pressure decrease compared to a single-chambered design. The resulting efficiency gains are substantial, and represent an important step toward practical and efficient solar fuel production on a large scale.
248 nm laser etching of GaAs in chlorine and ozone gas environments

KrF laser etching of GaAs in Cl2 and O3 gas ambients by direct laser illumination is reported. The etch depth per pulse in Cl2 was found to be linear versus the laser fluence on the sample in the 0.2–1.1 J/cm2 range. It increased as a function of the Cl2 pressure up to 6 Torr and slightly decreased for pressures above this value. It also decreased as a function of the laser repetition rate. Very smoothly etched surfaces were obtained after irradiation using the Cl2 and O3 etching gases. Auger analysis of the etched GaAs surfaces shows almost no traces of chlorine after etching in Cl2, whereas a thick oxide layer of about 1500 A thickness was found after etching in ozone.
Regulation of the synthesis of serine dehydratase isozymes

Abstract Two isozymic forms of the enzyme, serine dehydratase, have been separated by acrylamide gel electrophoresis as well as DEAE cellulose chromatography from rat liver. The levels of the two isozymic forms are different under different hormonal and nutritional circumstances in the animal. A high protein diet or tryptophan administration results in roughly equal levels of each form of the enzyme. In contrast, the administration of glucagon results in almost all of the second form of the enzyme, whereas administration of cortisone to adrenalectomized animals results in the appearance of the first form. Form number 1 predominates in the Morris hepatoma 7800, but adrenalectomy of the tumor-bearing host results in roughly equal amounts of the two forms. By means of pulse labeling and immunochemical isolation of the two forms of the enzyme, it was demonstrated that after tryptophan administration each of the forms appear to be synthesized at roughly the same rate and independently. These data indicate that the two isozymic forms of serine dehydratase are regulated by different environmental means, the first form probably under the control of corticosteroids while the second form is regulated by glucagon.
Applications of Bayesian methods in wind energy conversion systems

Abstract The fast growth of wind power is in urgent need of more accurate, reliable, and adaptive modeling and data analysis methods for the characterization and prediction of wind resource and wind power, as well as reliability evaluation of wind energy conversion systems. Bayesian methods have shown unique advantages in statistical modeling and data analysis for the quantity of interest with uncertainty and variability. The adoption of Bayesian methods carries great potentials for various aspects in wind energy conversion systems such as improving the accuracy and reliability of wind resource estimation and short-term forecasts. This paper summarizes the basic theories of several Bayesian methods, and extensively reviews the literature addressing the applications of Bayesian methods in wind energy conversion systems. Based on the state-of-the-art review, the prospects of Bayesian methods in wind energy conversion systems are discussed on how to develop new applications and enhance the methods for existing applications. It is believed that Bayesian methods will be gaining more momentum in wind energy applications in the near future.
MTP: a Petri net-based framework for the analysis and transformation of SystemC designs

Shrinking time-to-market requires faster traversals of the design space of current complex SoC and embedded systems designs just as their complexity increases. To facilitate that designers are increasingly moving their exploration methodologies from RTL to system level. This, coupled with the need for a tighter integration between hardware and software earlier in the design cycle, has lead to emergence of mixed-level methodologies, such as SystemC, that allow for easier hardware/software codesign. In this paper, we describe a framework for the development of transformations aimed at restructuring both RTL and system-level SystemC models. We have chosen Petri nets, a well known mathematical model for concurrent systems, as our underlying formal representation. By balancing their expressive power and theoretical results transformations aimed at improving a wide range of metrics can be developed. To that effect we present the design and implementation of a semantics preserving reduction-based transformation that we have developed in previous work. Our experiments show that the resulting transformed SystemC models have indeed improved simulation performance over the original ones which often translates into designers being able to cover larger areas of the design space in the same amount of time.
Heavy oil refining and transportation : effect on the feasibility of increasing domestic heavy oil production

Abstract As part of a programme to assess the feasibility of increasing domestic heavy oil production from US reservoirs, a study of the crude oil transportation system and petroleum refining industry has been initiated to determine their ability to accommodate additional domestic heavy oil. This paper summarizes refining trends and potential limitations in the production/transportation/refining network that may influence the expansion of domestic heavy oil production outside the current heavy oil producing areas. Although the number of refineries has decreased over the past decade, the remaining large refineries have been able to stabilize charge capacity and increase refinery throughput. A few refineries have been designed to economically process select heavy oils and obtain acceptable yields of products. However, refiners seek more light sweet crude oil and less sour or heavy crude to meet the requirements of clean fuels as mandated by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Transport of heavy oil poses significant problems in that there are limited heated pipelines, and transport of heavy oil to distant refineries adds to the cost of heavy oil production. Addition of significantly more heavy oil, either domestic or imported, will substantially reduce refinery efficiency and throughput affecting yields and margins. This will not change without significant investment in refinery modification to be able to process heavy oil.
Camera Deployment for Video Panorama Generation in Wireless Visual Sensor Networks

In this paper, we tackle the problem of providing coverage for video panorama generation in Wireless Heterogeneous Visual Sensor Networks (VSNs) where cameras may have different price, resolution, Field-of-View (FoV) and Depth-of-Field (DoF). We utilize multi-perspective coverage (MPC) which refers to the coverage of a point from given disparate perspectives simultaneously. For a given minimum average resolution, area boundaries, and variety of camera sensors, we propose a deployment algorithm which minimizes the total cost while guaranteeing full MPC of the area (i.e., the coverage needed for video panorama generation) and the minimum required resolution. Specifically, the approach is based on a bi-level mixed integer program (MIP), which runs two models, namely master problem and sub-problem, iteratively. Master-problem provides coverage for initial set of identified points while meeting the minimum resolution requirement with minimum cost. Sub-problem which follows the master-problem finds an uncovered point and extends the set of points to be covered. It then sends this set back to the master-problem. Master-problem and sub-problem continue to run iteratively until sub-problem becomes infeasible, which means full MPC has been achieved with the resolution requirements. The numerical results show the superiority of our approach with respect to existing approaches.