cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Die Polarisation des Fluoreszenzlichts von Farbstofflösungen

Bei gleicher Viskositat verschiedener Losungsmittel ist der Polarisationsgrad verschieden. — Das Einfrieren der Losung verandert nicht den Polarisationsgrad. — In einigen Fallen ist das reine Losungsmittel fluoreszierend und sein Fluoreszenzlicht ist auch polarisiert. — Bei Erregung mit verschiedenen Wellenlangen ist der Polarisationsgrad in allen untersuchten Fallen verschieden.
Theory of temporal compression of intense laser pulses in a metal vapor

We wish to use atomic group-velocity dispersion to compress energetic copper-vapor laser- pumped dye-laser pulses from 40 ns to approximately 300 ps. This talk focuses on numerical results that illustrate coherent atomic effects on the process. Traditionally, analysis has been based on linear dispersion theory (LDT). This model represents the atoms as a static susceptibility. This susceptibility gives rise to the differential group delay required for compression of frequency-swept pulses. However, LDT is inadequate in analyzing compression in a regime in which the coherent transition rate (Rabi frequency) is comparable to the laser detuning. Here population transfer becomes significant, thus invalidating the concept of a steady-state dipole. An adequate representation of the atomic system requires solution of the coupled Maxwell-Bloch equations. We have developed a code to model near-resonant coherent propagation through inhomogeneously broadened two-level atoms.
SU-F-T-132: Variable RBE Models Predict Possible Underestimation of Vaginal Dose for Anal Cancer Patients Treated Using Single-Field Proton Treatments

Purpose: Anal cancer patients treated using a posterior proton beam may be at risk of vaginal wall injury due to the increased linear energy transfer (LET) and relative biological effectiveness (RBE) at the beam distal edge. We investigate the vaginal dose received. Methods: Five patients treated for anal cancer with proton pencil beam scanning were considered, all treated to a prescription dose of 54 Gy(RBE) over 28–30 fractions. Dose and LET distributions were calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation toolkit TOPAS. In addition to the standard assumption of a fixed RBE of 1.1, variable RBE was considered via the application of published models. Dose volume histograms (DVHs) were extracted for the planning treatment volume (PTV) and vagina, the latter being used to calculate the vaginal normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). Results: Compared to the assumption of a fixed RBE of 1.1, the variable RBE model predicts a dose increase of approximately 3.3 ± 1.7 Gy at the end of beam range. NTCP parameters for the vagina are incomplete in the current literature, however, inferring value ranges from the existing data we use D50 = 50 Gy and LKB model parameters a=1–2 and m=0.2–0.4. We estimate the NTCP for the vagina to be 37–48% and 42–47% for the fixed and variable RBE cases, respectively. Additionally, a difference in the dose distribution was observed between the analytical calculation and Monte Carlo methods. We find that the target dose is overestimated on average by approximately 1–2%. Conclusion: For patients treated with posterior beams, the vaginal wall may coincide with the distal end of the proton beam and may receive a substantial increase in dose if variable RBE models are applied compared to using the current clinical standard of RBE equal to 1.1. This could potentially lead to underestimating toxicities when treating with protons.
Validation of a field spinal motion restriction protocol in a level I trauma center

Abstract Background Spinal motion restriction (SMR) after traumatic injury has been a mainstay of prehospital trauma care for more than 3 decades. Recent guidelines recommend a selective approach with cervical spine clearance in the field when criteria are met. Materials and methods In January 2014, the Department of Health Services of the City of Los Angeles, California, implemented revised guidelines for cervical SMR after blunt mechanism trauma. Adult patients (aged ≥18 y) with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of ≥13 presented to a single level I trauma center after blunt mechanism trauma over the following 1-y period were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, injury data, and prehospital data were collected. Cervical spine injury (CSI) was identified by International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, codes. Results Emergency medical services transported 1111 patients to the emergency department who sustained blunt trauma. Patients were excluded if they refused c-collar placement or if documentation was incomplete. A total of 997 patients were included in our analysis with 172 (17.2%) who were selective cleared of SMR per protocol. The rate of Spinal Cord Injury was 2.2% (22/997) overall and 1.2% (2/172) in patients without SMR. The sensitivity and specificity of the protocol are 90.9% (95% confidence interval: 69.4-98.4) and 17.4% (95% confidence interval: 15.1-20.0), respectively, for CSI. Patients with CSI who arrived without immobilization having met field clearance guidelines, were managed without intervention, and had no neurologic compromise. Conclusions Guidelines for cervical SMR have high sensitivity and low specificity to identify CSI. When patients with injuries were not placed on motion restrictions, there were no negative clinical outcomes.
CGM, Pregnancy, and Remote Monitoring

The glycemic goals of pregnancy are very narrow to reduce excess risks for numerous maternal and fetal complications. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) may help women achieve glucose goals and reduce hypoglycemia. CGM use has been found to be safe and effective in pregnancies associated with diabetes. CGM use can accurately identify glycemic patterns among women with and without diabetes in pregnancy. The data on the effects of CGM use on maternal and fetal outcomes are conflicting. Using CGMs in conjunction with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy in pregnancies complicated by diabetes may improve outcomes. There are limitations of CGM use that affect patients in and outside of pregnancy, as well as specific barriers that only affect pregnant women. Of importance, CGM use does not replace standard clinical care, but may be used an adjunctive tool in pregnancy. CGM remote monitoring in pregnancy is an understudied field. In this study, we review the studies on CGM use in pregnancy.
Property as place, east and west

This essay explores two versions of property theory, one Western and one Eastern. While the Western model bases property ownership on noble features of human beings, the introduction of money and its commodification ultimately undercut the personal nature of place. The Eastern model recognizes there must also be place that is reflective of our social natures and most fundamentally of our family relations. I will argue that both models have their defects, but they can perhaps usefully learn from each other. The Western model underwrites a cult of the individual that promotes a destructive selfishness. The Eastern model is inefficient in comparison with modern farming methods. Nor is it feasible in its land distribution requirement given the constraints of modern populations. Nevertheless, the Eastern view of place might be made to complement the Western view. The Western model has successfully transferred the notion of place from the farm plot to the workplace. We will, though, want our workplaces to become broader communities, where, as in the well-field system, families interact, and they are connected to the larger community and even to the political community.
The Role of Microvascular Coronary Dysfunction in Acute Myocardial Infarction

The role of the coronary microcirculation in acute myocardial infarction is not yet completely understood. Microcirculatory coronary dysfunction can be a consequence of the primary event secondary to a severe flow-limiting lesion or occlusion in an epicardial infarct-related artery – or alternatively microcirculatory coronary dysfunction may be a contributor to the clinical course of the coronary event.
Policy Analytics: Definitions, Components, Methods, and Illustrative Examples

There are many ways to define policy analytics. In fact, different terms are used for what could be considered the same phenomenon: the use of data and analytical techniques to make policy decisions. Policy analytics, policy modelling, and policy informatics are just some of the most used terms by scholars and practitioners. There is no clarity, however, in terms of where the boundaries of this concept lie and what main analytical methods it includes. First, regarding the conceptual boundaries, some experts argue that policy analytics includes analysis-related tasks only and has nothing to do with data preparation, management, governance, and stewardship. For other experts, policy analytics encompasses all the activities in the data lifecycle and includes elements outside of the analytic sphere, such as information technologies, stakeholder involvement, and a deep understanding of the context of use and application domains. Second, in terms of analytical methods, some analysts consider data mining, machine learning, and other computer science approaches to be the only valid tools. For others, statistical analysis as well as simulation approaches should also be called analytics. In this chapter, we propose a comprehensive and integrative view in which policy analytics goes beyond data analysis and includes management and preparation of data as well as very diverse techniques such as computer simulation, social network analysis, statistics, geographic information systems, and data mining techniques.
Gold pickering emulsions as a phase-change contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging technique used with ultrasound imaging to provide molecular specificity. Even with contrast agents, PA imaging suffers from poor penetration depth due to strong light attenuation in tissue. Recently, Phase-change contrast agents (PCCAs) have been proposed as an alternative agent since volume expansion during the vaporization process results in significantly larger signals than those from traditional photo-thermal expansion based contrast agents. Our PCCA is a Pickering emulsion featuring a low boiling point liquid perfluorocarbon (PFC) core decorated by 12 nm diameter gold nanoparticles (GNP). The agents can undergo a reversible phase change with the application of either optical or acoustic energy. Photo-thermal heating of the GNP shell or acoustic cavitation causes vaporization of the PFC core. The non-bonded shell can easily recover after vaporization and condensation for multiple activation events. In this study, the synthesis and imaging contrast performance of gold stabilized Pickering is presented.
Endoscopic Management of Foreign Bodies

Foreign body ingestion including food impaction is one of the most common gastrointestinal emergencies that can lead to serious complications and occasionally death if left untreated. There are over 100,000 cases of foreign body ingestion with approximately 1500 deaths reported each year in the United Sates. Even though most ingested foreign bodies pass spontaneously, in 10–20% of the patients they may not, increasing the risk for perforation, and may require intervention. Fortunately, with nearly 95% success rate of endoscopic treatment, surgery is rarely needed. Therefore, early recognition of high-risk cases and timely endoscopic intervention are the cornerstone of management in patients presenting with foreign body ingestion. This chapter summarizes the approach, techniques, and existing evidence on endoscopic management of foreign body ingestion.
The test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change of the short-form Barthel Index (5 items) and its associations with chronic stroke-specific impairments

[Purpose] To establish the test-retest reliabilities, minimal detectable change of the Short form Barthel Index and associations with stroke-specific impairments. [Subjects and Methods] The Short form-Barthel Index assessment was tested on 24 chronic stroke patients twice, 7 days apart. A relative reliability index (ICC2,1), Weighted Kappa Coefficients was used to examine the level of agreement of test-retest reliability for SF-BI, Absolute reliability indices, including the standard error of measurement and the minimal detectable change. The validity was demonstrated by spearman correlation of SF BI-total score with Postural Assessment Scale for Storke, Fugl Meyer Assessment. [Results] There was excellent agreement between test-retest for individual items of BI and total score ICC2,1=0.91 and it all showed acceptable SEM and MDC were 2.83 score, 7.84 score respectively. The item-to-total correlations were all significant, ranging from r=0.83-0.92. SF-BI showed good internal consistency. Individual items also possessed high internal consistency 0.82-0.86. The SF-BI and total score were demonstrated high concurrent validity with the PASS, FMA. [Conclusion] This study has demonstrated that the SF-BI is a useful instrument with high test-retest reliability, Absolute reliability indices, internal consistency and validity.
Enhancing learning with hand gestures: Potential mechanisms

Abstract Gestures are robust behaviors that influence communication, learning and memory. Here evidence that gesture can support math learning and word learning in children and adults is reviewed. Although there is robust evidence revealing beneficial effects of gesture on learning across ages and across domains, it is not clear what mechanisms underlie these effects. Gestures may change learning via a variety of cognitive processes, including perceptual, attentional, memory, linguistic and conceptual processes. In order to delineate among the various potential mechanisms by which gesture supports learning, researchers studying gesture need to develop more specific predictions about exactly which gestures will support learning and precisely when these gestures will be helpful.
Inhibition of miR-124 improves neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis via an MYPT1 and TLR9 signal regulation mechanism.

Backgrounds Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Our objective was to detect the mechanism of miR-124 in small bowel tissues of NEC. Methods Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to detect the repair of the damaged tissues in rat NEC model. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to evaluate the cell apoptosis level in intestinal tissue. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of miR-124, Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1), myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1), and Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in NEC tissues and IEC-6 cells. Luciferase reporter assay was used to verify whether ROCK1 is a direct target of miR-124. Results miR-124 was overexpressed in the NEC tissues, while ROCK1 and MYPT1 was downregulated in the NEC tissues. Inhibition of miR-124, suppressed the intestinal cell apoptosis and promoted the expression of ROCK1 and MYPT1. What is more, overexpression of miR-124 could inhibit the expression of ROCK1, TLR9, and MYPT1. Luciferase assay confirmed that miR-124 can regulate the transcriptional activity of ROCK1 through binding its 3'-UTR region. Conclusion miR-124 was a promoter of NEC, which promotes the intestine cell apoptosis and inflammatory cell infiltration through the inhibition of TLR9 expression by targeting ROCK1.
Bioprinting exosome-like extracellular vesicle microenvironments

Abstract Exosomes are a subset of extracellular vesicles that transport a wide variety of cell signaling molecules. Similar to growth factors, exosomes occur both in a ‘liquid-phase’ suspension in body fluids and in a ‘solid-phase’ immobilized via native binding affinities to the extracellular matrix (ECM). To date, most investigations have been focused on liquid-phase exosomes, and only limited information is available regarding the interaction between exosomes and the ECM components during intercellular communication. This gap in knowledge is partly due to the lack of well-defined in vitro models of solid-phase exosome/ECM microenvironments. To study these interactions, we adapted our inkjet-based bioprinting technology to fabricate spatially defined patterns of solid-phase exosome microenvironments. As a paradigm application, microenvironments consisting of exosomes derived from different macrophage subsets, M0 (non-activated), M1 (pro-inflammatory) and M2 (pro-regenerative), were bioprinted on collagen type-I coated substrates and their effects on myogenesis of C2C12 cells were investigated in registration to the printed patterns. M1 exosome microenvironments spatially inhibited myogenesis while promoting proliferation, whereas M2 exosome microenvironments spatially promoted myogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. This work provides the proof-of-concept for bioprinting highly controlled and well-defined exosome-based microenvironments that can be used to investigate mechanisms underpinning exosome-mediated effects on the ECM. Furthermore, this bioprinting technology can be directly translated to in vivo applications for localized exosome delivery to tissues.
Accounting education literature review (2013–2014)

This review of the accounting education literature includes 256 articles published over the two-year period, 2013–2014, in six journals: (1) Journal of Accounting Education, (2) Accounting Education: An International Journal, (3) Advances in Accounting Education, (4) Global Perspectives on Accounting Education, (5) Issues in Accounting Education, and (6) The Accounting Educators' Journal. This article updates prior literature reviews by organizing and summarizing recent additions to the accounting education literature. These reviews are categorized into five sections corresponding to traditional lines of inquiry: (1) curriculum and instruction, (2) instruction by content area, (3) educational technology, (4) students, and (5) faculty. Suggestions for research in all areas are presented. Articles presenting instructional resources and cases published in the same six journals during 2013–2014 are listed in appendices categorized by the content area for which they are appropriate.
Learners’ Technological Acceptance of VR Content Development: A Sequential 3-Part Use Case Study of Diverse Post-Secondary Students

Web-based virtual reality (VR) development tools are in ubiquitous use by software developers, and now, university (undergraduate) students, to move beyond using, to creating new and energizing VR ...
Pat1 increases the range of decay factors and RNA bound by the Lsm1-7 complex

Abstract Pat1 promotes the activation and assembly of multiple proteins during mRNA decay. After deadenylation, the Pat1/Lsm1-7 complex binds to transcripts containing oligo(A) tails, which can be modified by the addition of several terminal uridine residues. Pat1 enhances Lsm1-7 binding to the 3’ end, but it is unknown how this interaction is influenced by nucleotide composition. Here we examine Pat1/Lsm1-7 binding to a series of oligoribonucleotides containing different A/U contents using recombinant purified proteins from fission yeast. We observe a positive correlation between fractional uridine content and Lsm1-7 binding affinity. Addition of Pat1 broadens RNA specificity of Lsm1-7 by enhancing binding to A-rich RNAs and increases cooperativity on all oligonucleotides tested. Consistent with increased cooperativity, Pat1 promotes multimerization of the Lsm1-7 complex, which is potentiated by RNA binding. Furthermore, the inherent ability of Pat1 to multimerize drives liquid-liquid phase separation with multivalent decapping enzyme complexes of Dcp1/Dcp2. Our results uncover how Pat1 regulates RNA binding and higher order assembly by mRNA decay factors.
Genetic diagnoses and associated anomalies in fetuses prenatally diagnosed with esophageal atresia.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is a congenital anomaly occurring in 2.3 per 10,000 live births. Due to advances in prenatal imaging, EA is more readily diagnosed, but data on the associated genetic diagnoses, other anomalies, and postnatal outcome for fetuses diagnosed prenatally with EA are scarce. We collected data from two academic medical centers (n = 61). Our data included fetuses with suspected EA on prenatal imaging that was confirmed postnatally and had at least one genetic test. In our cohort of 61 cases, 29 (49%) were born prematurely and 19% of those born alive died in the first 9 years of life. The most commonly associated birth defects were cardiac anomalies (67%) and spine anomalies (50%). A diagnosis was made in 61% of the cases; the most common diagnoses were vertebral defects, anal atresia, cardiac anomalies, tracheoesophageal fistula with esophageal atresia, radial or renal dysplasia, and limb anomalies association (43%, although 12% met only 2 of the criteria), trisomy 21 (5%), and CHARGE syndrome (5%). Our findings suggest that most fetuses with prenatally diagnosed EA have one or more additional major anomaly that warrants a more comprehensive clinical genetics evaluation. Fetuses diagnosed prenatally appear to represent a cohort with a worse outcome.
Proteomic study of oxidative stress response between nonmalignant and malignant human mammary cells

4358 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human breast cancer. Defining the molecular pathways linking oxidative stress to cellular dysfunction could therefore help to develop novel treatment and prevention strategies. Two dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE), which resolves multiple samples labeled with distinct fluorescent dyes on the same 2-D gel, provides a rapid and reproducible way to compare the proteome. However, one of the major drawbacks with 2-D DIGE is that frequently multiple proteins are present in each spot. Stable isotope labeled proteome standard (SILAPS), which utilizes metabolically stable isotope labeled proteome as internal standard, overcomes this problem and allows for accurate quantification of the relative abundance of each protein using mass spectrometry. In this study, we utilized both 2-D DIGE and SILAPS to explore the effect of oxidative stress on human mammary epithelial cell lines. Nonmalignant (S1) and malignant (T4-2) cells were harvested after oxidant treatment (hydrogen peroxide) and their global protein expression patterns were compared using 2-D DIGE. The differentially expressed spots were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI/TOF/TOF) and liquid chromatography electrospry tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS/MS). For SILAPS experiment, proteome samples containing equal amount of stable isotope labeled internal standard were resolved by 2-D gel electrophoresis. Spots of interest from the 2-D DIGE experiment were picked, trypsin digested and quantitated by LC/ESI/MS/MS. We identified differentially expressed proteins, both novel and previously associated with oxidative stress response, including 1-cys peroxiredoxin, nucleophosmin, stratifin and ras-related nuclear protein. We also observed several proteins (e.g., heat shock protein 70 and cofilin) mapping to multiple spots with disparate expression changes following oxidant treatment, suggesting that post-translational protein modification may be an important cellular response to oxidative stress. Additional experiments are underway to explore the relevance of these observations to breast cancer prevention and treatment. This work is supported by NIH RO-1 CA95586.
A Proposed Framework for the Incorporation of Economic Resilience into Transportation Decision Making

AbstractThe profound effects of the Great Recession sparked not only research in terms of the definition and characterization of resilience to economic shocks, but also policy-making discussions ab...
Adalimumab-associated psoriasiform rash in an African-American patient.

A 72-year-old African-American man with a history of biopsy-proven pulmonary and hepatic sarcoidosis presented to primary care clinic with a pruritic rash. The lesions first appeared over his right lateral trunk 3 months ago before spreading to both arms and his groin. Of note, he had been started
Nanoscale Imaging and Control of Volatile and Non‐Volatile Resistive Switching in VO2

Control of the metal-insulator phase transition is vital for emerging neuromorphic and memristive technologies. The ability to alter the electrically driven transition between volatile and non-volatile states is particularly important for quantum-materials-based emulation of neurons and synapses. The major challenge of this implementation is to understand and control the nanoscale mechanisms behind these two fundamental switching modalities. Here, in situ X-ray nanoimaging is used to follow the evolution of the nanostructure and disorder in the archetypal Mott insulator VO2 during an electrically driven transition. Our findings demonstrate selective and reversible stabilization of either the insulating or metallic phases achieved by manipulating the defect concentration. This mechanism enables us to alter the local switching response between volatile and persistent regimes and demonstrates a new possibility for nanoscale control of the resistive switching in Mott materials.
Precise genotyping of circular mobile elements uncovers human associated plasmids with surprisingly recent common ancestors

Mobile genetic elements with circular genomes play a key role in the evolution of microbial communities. These circular genomes correspond to cyclic paths in metagenome graphs, and yet, assemblies derived from natural microbial communities produce graphs riddled with spurious cycles, complicating the accurate reconstruction of circular genomes. We present an algorithm that reconstructs true circular genomes based on the identification of so-called ′dominant′ cycles. Our algorithm leverages paired reads to bridge gaps between assembly contigs and scrutinizes cycles through a nucleotide-level analysis, making the approach robust to mis-assembly artifacts. We validated the approach using simulated and reference data. Application of this approach to 32 publicly available DNA shotgun sequence data sets from diverse natural environments led to the reconstruction of hundreds of circular mobile genomes. Clustering revealed 20 clusters of cryptic, prevalent, and abundant plasmids that have clonal population structures with surprisingly recent common ancestors. This work enables the robust study of evolution and spread of mobile elements in natural settings.
Patient characteristics associated with complications of external cephalic version.

BACKGROUND Patient characteristics associated with external cephalic version success are well documented; however, the association between patient characteristics and the likelihood of external cephalic version complications is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the frequency of patient characteristics associated with complications that lead to unanticipated delivery during external cephalic version. STUDY DESIGN This retrospective study included pregnant women aged at least 18 years with singleton gestations who underwent an external cephalic version attempt between 2006 and 2016 at a single quaternary care center. External cephalic version complications were defined as persistent nonreassuring fetal status, placental abruption, labor, spontaneous rupture of membranes, and umbilical cord prolapse. Complications were only considered if they led to unanticipated induction or cesarean delivery within 24 hours of external cephalic version. Patient characteristics including maternal age, height, weight, body mass index, parity, fetal sex, gestational age, estimated fetal weight, the type of fetal malpresentation, and placental location were analyzed for their association with external cephalic version complications using univariable analysis and multivariable logistic regressions. RESULTS Among the 1138 patients included in this analysis, external cephalic version complications occurred in 6.7% (n=76). These complications (not mutually exclusive) included nonreassuring fetal status (4.8%, n=55), placental abruption (1.6%, n=18), labor (1.0%, n=11), spontaneous rupture of membranes (0.6%, n=7), and cord prolapse (0.1%, n=1). Neonatal outcomes for those with complications included intensive care unit admission (10.5%, n=8), 5-minute Apgar scores CONCLUSION In this large series, complications that led to delivery during external cephalic version occurred in 6.7% patients and were associated with body mass index, estimated fetal weight, gestational age, and placental location.
Identifying Child Maltreatment

Chapter 4 provides in-depth descriptions of the different types of child abuse and neglect: physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, and neglect (physical, educational, emotional, and medical). In addition, it describes what is known about the short-term and long-term consequences of each type of maltreatment. The chapter discusses how these various types of abuse and neglect can be assessed in various contexts using specific tools and knowledge. Information about important cultural considerations in the identification and assessment of various types of child maltreatment is also included.
Quantitation of glycated albumin by isotope dilution mass spectrometry

Abstract Background Glycated albumin is considered an alternative glycemic indicator in certain situations where HbA1c does not accurately reflect glycemic status. These patient cases are usually associated with decreased erythrocyte lifespan, gestational diabetes, or end-stage renal disease. The aim of our study was to develop an assay for absolute quantitation of glycated albumin based on isotope dilution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Methods The plasma samples were reduced/alkylated, spiked with isotope-labeled standards RQIKKQTALV(D8)E and RQIKK(fructosyl)QTALV(D8)E and enzymatically digested by Glu-C. The samples were analyzed on an LC–MS system. Two MRM transitions (M3+ → (b9-3H2O)2+ and M3+ → (b10-3H2O)2+ or M3+ → b92+ and M3+ → b102+) were used for each peptide, then the percentage of glycation (MS GA%) was calculated. Results The comparison study demonstrated a good linear correlation between our LC–MS/MS and Lucica method with r2 = 0.95. The intra-day CV for the low HbA1c sample was 2.2%, while CV for the high HbA1c sample was 0.64%. Inter-day CV for low HbA1c sample was 5.6%, while the CV for the high HbA1c sample was 5.7%. We found the LLOQ to be 0.12 nmol/ml for the non-glycated and glycated peptide. No interference from hemoglobin was observed up to 500 mg/dL concentration. Conclusions This is the first implementation of isotope dilution LC–MS assay for glycated albumin with simultaneously quantitation of glycated and non-glycated peptides. The method includes a simple sample preparation and has demonstrated a good analytical performance.
Towards a (re)imagined posture on (im)migration

Abstract The hegemonic production of knowledge on (im)migration from the geopolitical and epistemic location of the United States has made legible and knowable a particular conception of (im)migration shaping in turn how (im)migrant subjects are made and remade. As a corpus these dominant conceptions of (im)migration are legible through a dominant discourse that has, in the particular case of the U.S., contributed to a racialized (im)migrant personhood and to the study of outsiders coming in to settle. In a two-pronged approach the piece (a) shows the settler colonial logics embedded in (im)migration discourse while (b) simultaneously enacting work of (re)imagining by putting in conversation the work on discourse and racialization within the contexts of (im)migration with Indigenous scholars’ work on borders, settlement, and sovereignty. As such the goals are to disrupt the naturalized ways whereby the racialized (im)migrant and (im)migration are conceptualized within the U.S. context and to offer an aperture for a (re)imagined posture on (im)migration. These initial and fragmentary dialogic exchanges offer a potential path towards a (re)imagined posture on (im)migration that does not reproduce settler colonial logics while sustaining the coexistence of antagonisms and tensions in our quotidian interactions needed to live with the discomfort of contradictions.
Evaluation of congestion detection mechanisms for InfiniBand switches

InfiniBand System Area Networks using link-level flow control can experience congestion spreading, where one bottleneck link causes traffic to block throughout the network. End-to-end congestion control using Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) packet marking has the potential to solve this problem. In this paper, we develop and evaluate ECN mechanisms for switches with input-buffered configuration (typical for InfiniBand), as opposed to traditional techniques that target output-buffered switches. Our mechanisms vary in two dimensions: the condition that triggers a marking event, and the set of packets marked at such an event. The experimental results show that our approaches avoid congestion spreading while preserving high network throughput. In addition, selective marking of packets at an input buffers on each marking event provides better fairness than a naive mechanism that marks only packets in a full input buffer. Finally, schemes that use state at both input and output ports to trigger marking events can improve fairness over purely input-triggered marking schemes.
GDE2 downregulates Notch signaling to promote neurogenesis through GPI-anchor cleavage (223.1)

The six-transmembrane protein GDE2 induces the differentiation of postmitotic motor neurons by downregulating Notch in adjacent motor neuron progenitors. GDE2 function depends upon the integrity of its extracellular enzymatic domain that is homologous to bacterial glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterases (GDPD). GDPDs metabolize glycerophosphodiesters into glycerol-3-phosphate and their corresponding alcohols, but it is unclear if and how GDE2 utilizes this mechanism to inhibit Notch activation. In this talk, I will discuss our recent observations that GDE2 regulates Notch signaling non cell autonomously, and that it does so through novel enzymatic mechanisms that control the surface availability of the Notch ligand Dll1.
Induction of Uncertain Rules and the Sociopathicity Property in Dempster-Shafer Theory

As is well known, Dempster-Shafer theory offers an alternative approach to deal with uncertainty reasoning in expert systems and other fields. In this paper, we present two results that relate to the use of the theory. First, we present and analyze four methods to induce uncertain rules from a training instance set for Dempster-Shafer theory. This is the first attempt to do so, to the best of our knowledge. Second, we show that these “correct” induced rules exhibit the sociopathicity property when they are used in evidential reasoning. The sociopathicity property states that a system's performance can degrade when some individually good pieces of uncertain knowledge (in terms of rules) are added to the knowledge base. The importance of this result is that the performance of evidential reasoning systems based on Dempster-Shafer theory can deteriorate for essentially any size of knowledge base, although all the pieces of knowledge in the knowledge base are “correct”.
Learning classifiers for misuse detection using a bag of system calls representation

In this paper, we propose a “bag of system calls” representation for intrusion detection of system call sequences and describe misuse detection results with widely used machine learning techniques on University of New Mexico (UNM) and MIT Lincoln Lab (MIT LL) system call sequences with the proposed representation. With the feature representation as input, we compare the performance of several machine learning techniques and show experimental results. The results show that the machine learning techniques on simple “bag of system calls” representation of system call sequences is effective and often perform better than those approaches that use foreign contiguous subsequences for detecting intrusive behaviors of compromised processes.
IL-4 Production by T Cells: You Need a Little to Get a Lot

Interleukin 4 is arguably one of the best-studied and most influential cytokines of the immune system. It was originally described in 1982 as a B cell stimulatory factor present in the supernatants of the phorbol ester-stimulated T cell tumor line EL-4 by Maureen Howard and Bill Paul in the
Inhaled Interferon and Diffusion Capacity in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).

Background: Using data from a previously reported phase 2 safety trial, testing inhaled interferon gamma (IFN-γ) for IPF, we analyzed effects on full pulmonary function tests (PFTs) for efficacy before and after therapy and designed a randomized controlled trial of inhaled IFN-γ to treat IPF. Methods: Ten patients with IPF had received inhaled IFN-γ (Actimmune, InterMune) for 80 weeks. Full PFTs were available 20-50 weeks before Rx and monthly during Rx. Eighty-nine observations were used in the analysis. Linear mixed models for modeling longitudinal data were used to test if the PFT change over time was significantly different before and after IFN-γ. Autoregressive dependence structure with order one was consistently selected as the best one to model the intra-patient correlation over time. Normality assumption was confirmed. Significance level was set at 0.05. Using published literature and our data we performed a sample size calculation based on simulated data. Results: The change over time in DLCO was significantly different before and after IFN-γ treatment. DLCO decreased over time before treatment but increased after treatment (p-value=0.03). Changes in TLC, FRC, RV and FVC were not statistically significant. With a sample size of 60, a placebo controlled, randomized trial has about 90% power to detect a significant difference in the change rate of DLCO in the groups of patients treated with IFN-γ vs placebo. Conclusions: DLCO was significantly improved following inhaled (IFN-γ) as treatment for IPF. Our data suggest that previous studies utilizing parenteral IFN-γ may have failed because of the mode of delivery. Future randomized, controlled, phase 3 trials, comparing the difference in PFT behavior (specifically DLCO) longitudinally may be more sensitive to drug effect and serve as a valuable clinical endpoint.
Dynamic Finite Element and Dynamic Photoelastic Analyses of Crack Arrest in Homalite-100 Plates

A dynamic finite element code, HONDO, was used to analyze four dynamic photoelastic experiments in which the propagating crack arrested. The time-averaged crack tip velocity in the finite element model was matched with the measured crack tip velocity in the dynamic photoelastic experiments. Dynamic energy release rates were computed by a procedure similar to that used in computing strain energy release rate in static finite element analysis. These directly computed dynamic energy release rates at crack arrest agreed well with those computed from the dynamic stress intensity factors determined photoelastically. The strain energy release rates at crack arrest in the four Homalite-100 plates varied between approximately ten to fifty percent of the critical strain energy release rate, gc, and were approximately 80 percent of the corresponding static strain energy release rates. (Author)
The Evolution of Magnetic Arcades under Footpoint Motion

A typical sequence of a solar eruptive process consists of distention of the helmet, formation of a CME loop, prominence eruption, opening up of field lines and a flare (e.g., Hundhausen, 1995). The partial opening of magnetic fields is usually regarded as a result of magnetic nonequilibrium, which is an ideal MHD process. As far as force-free magnetic fields are concerned, numerical (Mikic and Linker, 1994; Roumeliotis et al., 1994) and analytical (Lynden-Bell and Boily, 1994) studies have shown that magnetic fields tend to open when the footpoint shear exceeds a certain critical value. However, no field opening has been observed in a numerical simulation with a nonzero β plasma (Mikic and Linker, 1994). In the resistive MHD simulation by Mikic and Linker (1994), magnetic reconnection takes place in a sheared arcade, but the field configuration is far from a partially open field. In this paper, the evolution of solar magnetic arcades under footpoint shearing is studied using MHD simulations and a magnetofrictional method in a 2-D Cartesian geometry. In this geometry, there is no opening up of field lines, which is though not a disadvantage of the study as far as a non-zero β plasma is concerned.
Vascular oxidative stress and inflammation increase with age: ameliorating effects of α-lipoic acid supplementation

Increased oxidative stress and inflammation causally contribute to cardiovascular diseases, for which advanced age is a major risk factor. We found that indicators of oxidative stress, including NADPH oxidase activity and superoxide levels, were significantly increased in aortas of old (22-24 months) versus young (3-4 months) male F344 rats, whereas superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was decreased. Aortic mRNA and protein levels of NOX4, the principal catalytic subunit of NADPH oxidase in vascular cells, also were increased with age, but not NOX2 and p22(phox). Indicators of inflammation, including activation of NFkappaB and upregulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in aorta, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) in plasma, also were significantly increased in old rats. Supplementation with 0.2% (wt/wt) (R)-alpha-lipoic acid (LA) for 2 weeks caused a nonsignificant decrease in NADPH oxidase activity in aged aorta and a significant decrease in mRNA--but not protein--levels of NOX4 and VCAM-1. Furthermore, LA reversed the age-dependent changes in aortic SOD activity and plasma MCP-1 levels. Hence, vascular oxidative stress and inflammation increase with age and are ameliorated by LA supplementation.
Hypersonic aerodynamic/aerothermodynamic testing capabilities at Langley Research Center

Capabilities of the Langley Hypersonic Facilities Complex that consists of nine blowdown-to-vacuum wind tunnels are reviewed. These tunnels complement one another to provide ranges of Mach number from 6 to 20, unit Reynolds number from 0.03 to 40 million per ft, and normal shock density ratio from 2 to 12. Topics under consideration include the basic components of each facility, status, and upgrades recently performed; instrumentation and testing techniques routinely used to measure forces and moments, surface pressures, surface temperature-time histories, flow properties within the shock layer about the model via survey probes, and flow visualization; and data acquisition systems and upgrades performed via a NASA revitalization program.
Political partisanship, race, and union strength from 1970 to 2000: A pooled time-series analysis☆

Abstract This paper reports findings that assess the relationship between the resurgence in conservative political strength and union density in the United States. The conservative Republican return to political power after 1968 is likely to have produced added declines in union membership. Yet despite close political regulation of labor–management disputes, sociologists have paid little attention to the influential political determinants of success in these contests. Using fixed-effects estimation, this analysis assesses the relationship between the political strength of the political party most hostile to labor and union density. With multiple factors held constant, the results suggest that increased Republican presence in the state legislatures along with Republican control of the presidency and the governor’s office after 1989 helped to reduce union memberships. The results also indicate that increases in the percentage of African Americans produces greater union strength but not in the ex-Confederate states. Added findings suggest two policies controlled by the states have influential effects on this outcome.
Identification, purification and characteristics of glycosidases of human blood platelets.

Abstract Human blood platelets were found to contain active glycosidases, acid phosphatase (orthophosphoric monoester phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.2) and β-glucuronidase (β- d -glucuronide glucuronohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.31). The enzymes were assayed using p -nitrophenyl derivatives and 0.1% Triton X-100 extracts of human blood platelets. The activities fell into three categories: those with high activity (greater than 700 nmoles/h per mg protein), N -acetyl glucosaminidase (chitobiose acetamidodeoxyglucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.29) and acid phosphatase; those with moderate activity (less than 700 but more than 100 nmoles/h per mg protein), β - N -acetyl galactosaminidase and β-mannosidase (β- d -mannoside mannohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.25); and those with low activity (less than 100 nmoles/h per mg protein), α-galactosidase (α- d -galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.22), α-mannosidase (α- d -mannoside mannohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.24), β-galactosidase (β- d -galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.23), β-glycyronidase, β-xylosidase (β- d -xyloside xylohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.37), β-glucosidase (β- d -glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.21), β-fucosidase and α-glucosidase (α- d -glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.20); α-fucosidase was absent. The enzymes were purified 16- to 292-fold by centrifugation and gel chromatography: several of the enzymes gave multiple peaks on gel crhomatography. The enzymes were severely inhibited by Pb 2+ and Hg 2+ but were not dependent on divalent cations for activity. The purified enzymes were shown to be able to release carbohydrate from intact platelet plasma membranes.
Organization and development of brain stem auditory nuclei of the chicken: Dendritic development in N. Laminaris

Nucleus laminaris (NL) is a third-order auditory nucleus in the avian brain stem which receives spatially segregated binaural inputs from the second-order nuclei magnocellularis. The examination of the development of dendritic structure in NL revealed a number of events: In the initial period of dendritic growth (E 8–9) there is no gradient of dendritic morphology or apparent size. Starting about E 9–10, there is a spatiotemporal gradient of proliferation of numerous fine dendritic processes, from rostromedial to caudolateral, corresponding with the morphological lamination of NL, and possibly with the onset of cell death. This is followed by a spatiotemporal gradient of the elimination of the overproliferated processes, from rostromedial to caudolateral, possibly coinciding with the cessation of cell death. A result of the spatiotemporal gradients of dendritic process proliferation and elimination is a spatial gradient in the morphology (extension, branching) of the remaining “mature” dendrites. At E 15 there is only a slight spatial gradient of total dendritic size across NL; this gradient is larger at E 19, and by P 25 there is a 13-fold change in dendritic size from rostromedial to caudolateral. Regression analyses suggest the size gradient begins to form when NL activity becomes driven by cochlear activity, at about E 14. The progressive formation of the size gradient is largely the result of two factors: the growth of dendritic trees, and the loss of primary dendrites. The growth rate of the dendritic trees of NL cells was found to be very highly correlated with the intensities of the sound frequencies to which the cells respond. From E 15 to P 25 there is a 50% loss of the “mature” primary dendrites of NL neurons. The separate dorsal and ventral dendritic size gradients seen at E 15 realign to coincide at E 19, and the moderate correlation of dorsal and ventral dendritic sizes seen at E 15 and E 19 is significantly increased at P 25, indicating a developmental process of sharpening in the relationship of the dorsal and ventral dendritic organizations in the nucleus. The data suggest that a key element in the regulation of dendritic size and structure in n. laminaris may be the activity of the afferents to the cells.