cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Rapid and Sensitive Method for Measuring N-Acetylglucosaminidase Activity in Cultured Cells

A rapid and sensitive method to quantitatively assess N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) activity in cultured cells is highly desirable for both basic research and clinical studies. NAG activity is deficient in cells from patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB) due to mutations in NAGLU, the gene that encodes NAG. Currently available techniques for measuring NAG activity in patient-derived cell lines include chromogenic and fluorogenic assays and provide a biochemical method for the diagnosis of MPS IIIB. However, standard protocols require large amounts of cells, cell disruption by sonication or freeze-thawing, and normalization to the cellular protein content, resulting in an error-prone procedure that is material- and time-consuming and that produces highly variable results. Here we report a new procedure for measuring NAG activity in cultured cells. This procedure is based on the use of the fluorogenic NAG substrate, 4-Methylumbelliferyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (MUG), in a one-step cell assay that does not require cell disruption or post-assay normalization and that employs a low number of cells in 96-well plate format. We show that the NAG one-step cell assay greatly discriminates between wild-type and MPS IIIB patient-derived fibroblasts, thus providing a rapid method for the detection of deficiencies in NAG activity. We also show that the assay is sensitive to changes in NAG activity due to increases in NAGLU expression achieved by either overexpressing the transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of lysosomal function, or by inducing TFEB activation chemically. Because of its small format, rapidity, sensitivity and reproducibility, the NAG one-step cell assay is suitable for multiple procedures, including the high-throughput screening of chemical libraries to identify modulators of NAG expression, folding and activity, and the investigation of candidate molecules and constructs for applications in enzyme replacement therapy, gene therapy, and combination therapies.
Characterization of a rat lymphocyte culture system for assessing sister chromatid exchange. II. Effects of 5‐bromodeoxyuridine concentration, number of white blood cells in the inoculum, and inoculum volume

We have examined the effects of variation in 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) concentration, the number of white blood cells (WBCs) in the inoculum, and inoculum volume on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency, mitotic activity, and cell cycle kinetics of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated rat lymphocytes in whole blood culture. BrdU (1 to 5 microM) caused a dose-dependent increase in SCEs/metaphase (7.6 to 12.0) and a dose-dependent decrease in mitotic activity (5.3 to 3.1%). With 2 microM BrdU, as the number of cells in the inoculum increased (0.25 x 10(6) to 2.5 x 10(6)), the mitotic activity decreased (7.7 to 1.8%). At all BrdU concentrations examined, changes in the number of WBCs in the inoculum caused significant changes in the SCE frequency. Thus, high concentrations of BrdU do not stabilize the SCE frequency in the rat lymphocyte culture system. However, high BrdU concentrations (greater than or equal to 25 microM) did affect adversely the cells in culture as evidence by increased chromosome breakage, poor chromosome spreading and morphology, and up to an 8-fold reduction in mitotic activity. At BrdU concentrations greater than or equal to 33 microM, the mitotic indices were depressed (2.4 - 0.7%) at all WBC concentrations, and cell cycle delay was evident. Inoculum volumes greater than or equal to 0.4 ml, necessitated by low WBC counts in the animals, resulted in reduced mitotic activity and in some cases culture failure. Thus, we recommend the use of 2 microM BrdU and the addition of 1 x 10(6) WBCs/2 ml culture from animals with WBC counts ranging from 4-7 10(6)/ml to ensure adequate mitotic activity and stable baseline SCE frequencies.
Kirkpatrick-Baez optics for the Generation-X mission

Generation-X is a Vision Mission for a future x-ray observatory. It is to have an effective area of 150 m 2 at 1 keV, a resolution of ~0.1 arc seconds and the goal of probing the universe from redshifts of 5 to 10. Fabrication of the telescope is quite challenging and the best approach is unclear. We report our study of the use of Kirkpatrick-Baez telescopes applied to Gen-X. Such systems can be manufactured relatively inexpensively using simple flat mirrors. Huge effective areas can be obtained without the need for complicated deployable optics. In this study we found that Kirkpatrick-Baez optics provide an attractive and feasible approach to fabrication. The trade off is a 5km focal length.
Review of robust feedback control applications in power systems

This paper reviews robust feedback control applications in power system. Robust control concept in power system control area evolves by the way of uncertainty modeling. Uncertainties can be caused by variation of loading, load parameters, network topology and machine parameters. One direct way to take into consideration of uncertainties is to enumerate various system operating conditions and use a set of linear time invariant systems to model the power systems. Enumeration method is used in robust control signal selection and robust controller design. Another way is to model uncertainties as structured or unstructured uncertainties. Controllers are designed based on nominal system condition to tolerate uncertainty as much as possible. The controller synthesis problem is solved by either Algebraic Ricatti Equation (ARE) or Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI). LMI is shown to be more flexible in controller design since it provides a way to specify system dynamic performance. Most recently, linear parameter varying (LPV) concept expands the use of enumeration method to express a set of linear time invariant (LTI) systems with state space dependent on linear parameters. LPV based control methods extend gain scheduling to design linear control for each operating conditions and overall a nonlinear controller for the varying parameter system.
The effect of fetal gender in predicting Down syndrome using long bone ultrasonographic measurements

Objective To determine if fetal gender affects the screening efficiency of short femur and humerus lengths in the prediction of trisomy 21. Methods Retrospective cohort study of 62 111 patients presenting for ultrasound from 1990 to 2006. Short humerus and femur lengths were defined using (1) biparietal diameter (BPD) to femur/humerus length (FL/HL) ratios > 1.5 standard deviations above the mean, (2) the observed to expected (O/E) ratio of femur length ≤0.91 or humerus length ≤0.89, and (3) femur and humerus lengths < 5th percentile. The sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were calculated for the association of short FL/HL and trisomy 21 stratified by gender. Results Both BPD/long bone ratios as well as O/E ratios demonstrated a statistically significant higher specificity for the detection of trisomy 21 in female fetuses. This difference was most clinically significant when using the O/E ratio, which yielded a specificity of 82.6% in males and 90.6% in females for short femur, and 69.7% in males and 77.9% in females for short humerus, when these markers were evaluated as isolated findings. Conclusion Gender-specific differences in the effectiveness of both short femur and humerus lengths for the prediction of trisomy 21 may exist, but their presence and magnitude are largely dependent on the formula used. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Plastic Zone Development Around Nanoindentations

Johnson’s cavity model relating indenter geometry and deformation resulting from elastic-plastic indentations is appropriate for a wide variety of materials. In the case of nanoindentations in single crystal BCC metals, limitations are reached when creep is not fully accounted for. Both the standard Berkovich and cube corner geometries show that the ratio of plastic zone radius to contact radius increases with the duration of time at the peak load. Indenter tip geometry is shown to play an important role in this phenomenon. Length scale phenomena, such as the indentation size effect, are also subject to various interpretations. The traditional definition of hardness does not produce similar trends with indentation length scale between the blunt Berkovich geometry and the sharper cube corner tip. However, the ratio of plastic zone radius to contact radius proves to be a tip geometry independent method of assessing the plasticity of these metals.
Ethical Responsibility in Healing and Protecting the Families of the U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study in African American Men at Tuskegee: An Intergenerational Storytelling Approach

This essay is a reflection on how ethical violations continue to have an impact across generations within families of vulnerable populations that have experienced significant breaches in biomedical research. The focus is on the surviving family members of the United States Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee (USPHS). Emphasis will be on responsible ethical practices in research and the use of an unique approach narrative storytelling to address the needs of family descendents who have been impacted by the USPHS Syphilis Study.
Dry Deposition Velocities as a Function of Particle Size in the Ambient Atmosphere

The atmospheric particle mass size distribution (0.1–100 μ m) and dry deposition flux were measured simultaneously with a wide range aerosol classifier (WRAC) and a smooth greased surface. Microscopic techniques were used to size the particles collected on the deposition surface and generate mass size distributions of deposited particles. All the depositional mass size distributions peaked (interval with the largest mass) between 30 and 100 μm in diameter. Deposition velocities were calculated by dividing the size segregated particle flux by the airborne particle concentration for each of the 10 WRAC stage intervals. Experimentally determined dry deposition velocities for atmospheric particles in the size range of 5–80 μm in diameter were greater than predictions made with the Sehmel-Hodgson deposition velocity model developed from wind tunnel experiments, particularly at higher wind speeds. A multistep method was used to calculate total and cumulative deposition fluxes with the Sehmel-Hodgson model. Calc...
Modelling conditional burn probability patterns for large wildland fires

We present a technique for modelling conditional burn probability patterns in two dimensions for large wildland fires. The intended use for the model is strategic program planning when information about future fire weather and event durations is unavailable and estimates of the average probabilistic shape and extent of large fires on a landscape are needed. To model average conditional burn probability patterns, we organised historical fire data from Yellowstone National Park, USA, into a set of grids; one grid per fire. We captured various spatial relationships inherent in the gridded data through use of geometric variables in the main model and by incorporating an autoregressive covariance structure. The final model had 'good' predictive ability with an AUC of 0.81 (1.0 is perfect prediction) and the estimated coefficients are consistent with theory and reflect how fires usually behave on the study site landscape. This technique produces a predictive model with finer detail than most landscape-wide models of burn probability and it has advantages over simulation methods for strategic planning because it does not require multiple runs of spread simulation models or information on fire duration. Language: en
Microbiology and postoperative infections.

Bacteria aren’t going to hurt anyone; it doesn’t matter if the floor of the operating room is dirty. That statement is heard all too often. Some even add that neither the patients, the personnel in the operating room, nor any other people in the hospital carry bacteria. This article will refute that contention, outline my studies which show that the presence or absence of bacteria does matter, project possible developments to control bacteria, and suggest some simple steps which operating room nurses can take to lower the current postoperative infection rate.
Asymptotically optimal quantization for detection in power constrained decentralized sensor networks

We study a Bayesian decentralized binary hypothesis testing problem, in which N sensors make observations related to a two-valued hypothesis, and send messages based on the observations to a fusion center, with the objective of enabling the fusion center to accurately reconstruct the realized hypothesis. We assume that the observations at the sensors are independent and identically distributed conditioned on the hypothesis, and that the sensors transmit their messages over independent, parallel channels to the fusion center. We also make the natural assumption that the sensors have identical, finite message sets at their disposal, that each message has some cost associated with it, and that there is a constraint on the average cost incurred by a sensor. We study the large N asymptote, and therefore are interested in schemes that optimize the error exponent at the fusion center. Our main contributions are 1) proving that the problem of finding the optimal schemes is a finite dimensional optimization problem, 2) a description of the structure of optimal rules: we prove that optimal sensor rules are randomized likelihood ratio quantizers (LRQs), with randomization being over at most two deterministic LRQs. We further show that under some conditions, randomization is not required.
Feedback Control of a Dump Combustor with Fuel Modulation

Closed-loop control tests were performed to suppress the combustion instability of a 0.7-MW dump combustor and to extend its flammability limits. The pressure oscillations originating from the unstable combustion were measured at the dump plane and at the exhaust nozzle. The signals were used as a reference to lock on and to produce an acoustic signal that modulated the fuel flow at a predetermined phase shift relative to them. At a certain range of phase shift angles, the amplitude of the combustion oscillations was reduced to 50% of its unforced level. The control system was most effective when the reference signal was picked up at the dump. The amount of reduction was proportional to the acoustic forcing level, but leveled off for high forcing amplitudes. The effectiveness of the control system was reduced as the mass flow rate of the air was increased. The combustion instability became bimodal with multiple unstable frequencies, and a more sophisticated lock-on and phaseshift system is required to suppress effectively oscillations with more than a single dominant frequency. However, even for the high flow rates, the amplitude of the instability was reduced by nearly 40%.
Rubiacearum Americanarum Magna Hama Pars XVIII: New Species of Psychotria Subg. Psychotria from Central America and Western South America

Nine new Neotropical species of Psychotria subg. Psychotria (Rubiaceae, Psychotrieae) are described and illustrated here: P. areolata of montane western Colombia has previously been confused with P. rugulosa Kunth; P. ceronii of eastern Andean slopes in Ecuador and Peru has previously been confused with P. acreana K. Krause; P. convergens of montane Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru has previously been confused with P. sylvivaga Standley; P. cutucuana of montane Ecuador has previously been confused with Notopleura; P. esmeraldana of coastal Ecuador and Colombia has previously been confused with P. orosiana Standley; P. montivaga of montane Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru has previously been confused with P. alba Ruiz & Pavon and P. carthagenensis Jacquin, and replaces these species at higher elevations; P. paravillosa of Amazonian Ecuador and Peru has previously been confused with P. villosa Ruiz & Pavon; P. puyoana of eastern Andean slopes of Ecuador is notable for its subsessile, cordate, relatively large leaves; and P. ucumariana of montane Colombia and Ecuador has previously been confused with P. rimbachii Standley.
Evolutionary-Based Association Analysis Using Haplotype Data

Association studies, both family-based and population-based, can be powerful means of detecting disease-liability alleles. To increase the information of the test, various researchers have proposed targeting haplotypes. The larger number of haplotypes, however, relative to alleles at individual loci, could decrease power because of the additional degrees of freedom required for the test. An optimal strategy would focus the test on particular haplotypes or groups of haplotypes, much as is done with cladistic-based association analysis. First suggested by Templeton and colleagues, such analyses use the evolutionary relationships among haplotypes to produce a limited set of hypothesis tests and to increase the interpretability of these tests. To more fully utilize the information contained in the evolutionary relationships among haplotypes and in the sample, we propose generalized linear models (GLM) for the analysis of data from family-based and population-based studies. These models fully account for haplotype phase ambiguity and allow for covariates. The models are encoded into a software package, EHAP (for Evolutionary-based Haplotype Analysis Package), which also provides for various kinds of exploratory data analysis. The exploratory analyses, such as error checking, estimation of haplotype frequencies, and tools for building cladograms, should facilitate the implementation of cladistic-based association analysis with haplotypes.
Clinical Gerontologist: Reflections on its Past, Present, and Future

This issue of Clinical Gerontologist arrives with its usual array of clinically meaningful scientific papers including papers addressing assessment and treatment of depression in older adults as th...
Atmospheric Transmission and LIDAR Modeling of LIBS and Raman Remote Sensing of Distant Compounds

Long range stand-off Raman and LIBS lidar signal simulations have been carried out using the HITRAN atmospheric transmission database, modified Hitran-PC program and a modified lidar equation.
Abstract 1963: Combination of rapamycin with sorafenib as a therapeutic strategy against colorectal cancers with mutational activation ofKRASandPIK3CA

Both PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Ras/Raf/ERK (MAPK) signaling pathways are constitutively activated and serve critical functions in the growth of colorectal cancer (CRC). Rapamycin inhibits the kinase activity of mTORC1 but leads to feedback activation of Akt, resulting in cell survival and chemoresistance. Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that inhibits Raf kinase and subsequently MAPK signaling. Recent studies suggest that inhibition of mTORC1 with rapamycin leads to feedback induction of MAPK signaling through a S6K-PI3K-Ras feedback loop. Therefore, we investigated whether combination of rapamycin with sorafenib has therapeutic benefit in CRC. METHODS. HCT116 and DLD-1 human CRC cells (mutant K-RAS and PIK3CA) were treated with either rapamycin (50 nM) or sorafenib (5 µM) alone or in combination. Effects on cell proliferation (measured by cell counting), apoptosis (measured by detecting levels of histone-associated DNA fragments in mono- and oligonucleosomes) and subcutaneous growth in athymic nude mice were analyzed. RESULTS. (i) pAkt Ser473 and pERK Thr202/Tyr204 are overexpressed together in stage IV CRC tissues and in matched liver metastasis tissues from the same patient (Spearman9s correlation=0.77; p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1963. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1963
Density-Functional Study of Chemisorption of Oxygen on Al(111)

We present ab initio studies of oxygen adsorption on Al(111) using a density-functional local-orbital method. Our results indicate that, for very low oxygen exposures, the oxygen atoms are incorporated in the first Al(111) layer. For exposures corresponding to approximately a monolayer of oxygen, an ordered oxygen overlayer with the O atoms sitting on the 3-fold sites was seen.These results are consistent with EXAFS experiments. We have also studied clean Al surfaces and have analyzed their surface relaxations.
Conducting quality of life research in people with coronary artery disease in non-English-speaking countries: conceptual and operationalization issues.

Background Health-related quality of life is an important clinical outcome to measure in patients with cardiovascular disease. International nurse researchers with limited English skills and novice cardiovascular nurse researchers face numerous challenges when conducting quality of life research because of the conceptual ambiguity of the construct and subsequent operationalization issues as well as difficulty identifying conceptual models to guide their quality of life research. Purpose The overall purpose of this article was to provide guidance to cardiovascular nurse researchers (using Thailand as an example) who are interested in examining quality of life in their native country but lack access to quality of life conceptual models and instruments because of language barriers. This article will examine definitions of health-related quality of life, selection of a conceptual model to guide quality of life research, use of the conceptual model to guide selection and measurement of variables, and translation of instruments when reliable and valid instruments are not available in the native language. Conclusions Ferrans' definition of quality of life and the Wilson and Cleary Revised Model of Patient Outcomes were selected to guide the research. Selection of variables/instruments flowed directly from the conceptualization of constructs identified in this model. Our study, "Examining HRQOL in Thai People With Coronary Artery Disease Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention," serves as an exemplar to illustrate the conceptual and operational challenges associated with conducting quality of life research in Thailand. Clinical implications The ultimate goal of cardiovascular nursing is to help patients achieve their optimal quality of life. Thai clinicians implementing quality of life assessment in clinical practice face similar conceptual and operationalization issues, especially when using instruments that are not well established or easily interpreted. Although quality of life assessment in clinical practice improves communication between patients and healthcare providers, clear guidelines for making changes to treatment strategies based on changes in quality of life must be established.
Squamous precursor lesions of the vulva: current classification and diagnostic challenges

Growing evidence has established two major types of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), which correspond to two distinct oncogenic pathways to vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC). While the incidence of VSCC has remained relatively stable over the last three decades, the incidence of VIN has increased. VIN of usual type (uVIN) is human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven, affects younger women and is a multicentric disease. In contrast, VIN of differentiated type (dVIN) occurs in post-menopausal women and develops independent of HPV infection. dVIN often arises in a background of lichen sclerosus and chronic inflammatory dermatoses. Although isolated dVIN is significantly less common than uVIN, dVIN bears a greater risk for malignant transformation to VSCC and progresses over a shorter time interval. On histological examination, uVIN displays conspicuous architectural and cytological abnormalities, while the morphological features that characterise dVIN are much more subtle and raise a wide differential diagnosis. On the molecular level, dVIN is characterised by a higher number of somatic mutations, particularly in TP53. Here we review the classification, epidemiology, clinical features, histomorphology, ancillary markers and molecular genetics of both types of VIN, and discuss the morphological challenges faced by pathologists in interpreting these lesions.
The Bilateral Upper Extremity Amputee

Summary 1. Prosthesis acceptance in the bilateral upper amputee is directly proportional to the increase in efficiency afforded the patient by the device. The prosthesis must not impair feedback and, if possible, should provide some actual feedback or an adequate substitute. The patient's manipulative abilities must be given priority and not reduced, if at all possible, by the prosthesis. 2. The bilateral upper extremity amputee with acquired defects requires great support in the immediate postinjury period to combat reactive depression and needs extended care for rehabilitation. In the case of a congenital bilateral shoulder disarticulation, it is the parents and family that need the initial support. 3. In the patient with a bilateral shoulder disarticulation the use of external power is finding justifiable acceptance. Myoelectric control is particularly useful in the elbow control units in the bilateral above elbow amputee.4 4. In a case of bilateral upper extremity amelia with normal lower extremities the patient should be taught early in the first year of life to manipulate his torso and lower extremities in order to insure ultimate function with or without a prosthesis. 5. The tragic patient with quadrimembral amelia is a prime candidate for the use of external power, and research priorities should be directed toward these patients with high amputation levels. Perhaps research into the socioeconomic aspects in these patients should be our first concern.20
Intrinsic Relationship between Specific Surface Area and Soil Water Retention

AbstractSpecific surface area (SSA) is a fundamental property of soil. A new methodology for SSA determination of both expansive and nonexpansive soil based on interpretation of the soil water retention curve (SWRC) is proposed and evaluated. The SWRC-based methodology relies on the Khorshidi-Lu water sorption model, where hydration of expansive soils is interpreted to occur on three distinct surfaces and in sequential order: exchangeable cations, intercrystalline surfaces, and external particle surfaces. Hydration at these different sites is responsible for the commonly observed hysteresis in specific moisture capacity (SMC) between adsorption and desorption paths. Hydration mechanisms for nonexpansive soils, where intercrystalline surfaces do not exist, are shown to be well captured by interpreting the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) multilayer sorption theory if the effect of cation hydration on the SWRC is considered. A suite of materials ranging from silty to clayey soils is used to demonstrate the vali...
Electronic Transport Mechanisms in WO3-Based Ultra-Thin Film Chemiresistive Sensors

A variety of WO3 thin film structures were produced on sapphire substrates under controlled physical vapor deposition. Direct correlations were found between deposition parameters, microstructure, and electrical response both in vacuum and in the presence of test gases. Carrier concentration data indicate that WO3 becomes substoichiometric in vacuum and electronic transport is dominated by oxygen vacancy states, while in atmospheric air and/or oxidizing gases, the vacancy concentration becomes smaller and other defect states become important. Hall mobility data reveal that charge scattering mechanisms (hopping vs. impurity vs. phonon) depend on the crystallographic phase and microstructure of the WO3 film.
Walton’s Appraisal of American Culture: Introductory Remarks

My name is Peg Healy and I am a longtime admirer of Clarence Walton. From one educator to another I salute him. Few people have done more for higher education or cared more deeply about it than he. Anyone who has remained actively engaged in higher education for as many years as he has deserves thanks and praise. It seems to me very appropriate that in this symposium in Clarence’s honor there be a session on Walton’s appraisal of American culture. No one who is serious about educating students can ignore the culture of those being educated. Clarence has watched, as I have, the development in the last several decades of certain scholarly or academic movements which taken together constitute the intellectual climate in which our students and faculty learn and teach. They are movements such as political correctness, postmodernism, deconstructionism and critical legal studies. These movements permeate the disciplines of the academy and are the predominant influences in many of the professional meetings of the faculties of colleges and universities. One tenet of all of these movements is the impotency in varying degrees of the human intellect to discover truth. I mean a truth which can serve as a common standard and by which thought can be judged as right or wrong. In today’s culture as in so many of the past, beginning with Socrates, the chic intellectual position is that of relativism and its consequent skepticism about the possibility of truth. And just as Socrates thought he had to answer the question of the possibility of truth against the sophists before he could begin to educate the Athenian youth, so Clarence Walton takes up the task of critiquing what he perceives to be the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of our own age. Today’s session will continue Clarence’s discussion of these issues.
Can we make a better match or mismatch with KIR genotyping

Natural killer (NK) cell function is regulated by a fine balance between numerous activating and inhibitory receptors, of which killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are among the most polymorphic and comprehensively studied. KIRs allow NK cells to recognize downregulation or the absence of HLA class I molecules on target cells (known as missing-self), a phenomenon that is commonly observed in virally infected cells or cancer cells. Because KIR and HLA genes are located on different chromosomes, in an allogeneic environment such as after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, donor NK cells that express an inhibitory KIR for an HLA class I molecule that is absent on recipient targets (KIR/KIR-ligand mismatch), can recognize and react to this missing self and mediate cytotoxicity. Accumulating data indicate that epistatic interactions between KIR and HLA influence outcomes in several clinical conditions. Herein, we discuss the genetic and functional features of KIR/KIR-ligand interactions in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and how these data can guide donor selection. We will also review clinical studies of adoptive NK cell therapy in leukemia and emerging data on the use of genetically modified NK cells that could broaden the scope of cancer immunotherapy.
The Dyadic Nature of Relationships: Relationship Satisfaction among Married and Cohabiting Couples

Using data from the 2010 Married and Cohabiting Couples survey, this study tests the correlates of relationship satisfaction among 752 married couples and 323 cohabiting couples, using the social exchange framework and the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM). Specifically, it considers how conflict in work-family balance, fairness in the division of paid and unpaid work at home, and prior relationship history are associated with relationship satisfaction. Dyadic data analysis with structural equation modeling is used to determine the respective contributions of each respondent’s predictors (i.e., actor effects) and his/her spouse’s or partner’s predictors (i.e., partner effects). No gender differences in actor and partner effects emerge, yet the actor and partner effects remain distinct for both groups. Fairness in the division of paid and unpaid work at home, as well as less conflict in balancing work and family responsibilities, act as rewards for both married and cohabiting couples. Prior relationship history does not have any significant actor effects for either group, but the partner effects are significant for cohabiting couples. Some of these results suggest that relationship dynamics differ between married and cohabiting couples. Specifically, the negative partner effects of both prior relationship history and conflict in work-family balance on relationship satisfaction are significantly stronger among cohabiting couples than among married couples.
Reflexivity, participatory art, and the failures of monist representation

This essay engages in a dual-disciplinary theorizing of reflexivity as response to crises of democratic representation. We trace this crises through the parallel lenses of democratic theory and art...
Machine Learning, Sentiment Analysis, and Tweets: An Examination of Alzheimer's Disease Stigma on Twitter.

Objectives Social scientists need practical methods for harnessing large, publicly available datasets that inform the social context of aging. We describe our development of a semi-automated text coding method and use a content analysis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia portrayal on Twitter to demonstrate its use. The approach improves feasibility of examining large publicly available datasets. Method Machine learning techniques modeled stigmatization expressed in 31,150 AD-related tweets collected via Twitter's search API based on 9 AD-related keywords. Two researchers manually coded 311 random tweets on 6 dimensions. This input from 1% of the dataset was used to train a classifier against the tweet text and code the remaining 99% of the dataset. Results Our automated process identified that 21.13% of the AD-related tweets used AD-related keywords to perpetuate public stigma, which could impact stereotypes and negative expectations for individuals with the disease and increase "excess disability". Discussion This technique could be applied to questions in social gerontology related to how social media outlets reflect and shape attitudes bearing on other developmental outcomes. Recommendations for the collection and analysis of large Twitter datasets are discussed.
Endothelial Progenitor Cells of the Human Placenta and Fetoplacental Circulation: A Potential Link to Fetal, Neonatal, and Long-term Health.

The fetoplacental circulation plays a key role in both short- and long-term outcomes, and aberrant flow indices as manifested by abnormal fetal Doppler velocimetry within this compartment have been associated with significant adverse consequences. These include fetal growth restriction, which often co-exists with preeclampsia, and long-lasting medical issues as a result of both the underlying pathology and prematurity such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, chronic lung disease, and neurodevelopmental delay. Furthermore, it is also clear that exposure to an abnormal in utero environment increases risk for long-term, adulthood issues such as cardiovascular disease. Endothelial progenitor cells have been implicated in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, and they have been isolated from both human placenta and umbilical cord blood. This review outlines the extensive nomenclature of EPCs, summarizes existing literature surrounding human placental and umbilical cord blood EPCs, explores their potential role in pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcome, and highlights key areas where future investigations are needed.
Live Synchronous Web Meetings in Asynchronous Online Courses: Reconceptualizing Virtual Office Hours

Most online courses rely solely on asynchronous text-based online communication. This type of communication can foster anytime, anywhere reflection, critical thinking, and deep learning. However, it can also frustrate participants because of the lack of spontaneity and visual cues and the time it takes for conversations to develop and feedback to be shared, as well as the self-directedness and discipline it requires of participants to regularly check in and monitor discussions over time. Synchronous forms of communication can address some of these constraints. However, online educators often avoid using synchronous forms of communication in their courses, because of its own constraints. In this paper, we describe how we integrated live synchronous web meetings into asynchronous online courses, collected student feedback, and made iterative changes and refinements based on student feedback over time. We conclude with implications for practice.
Endovascular Management of SVC Syndrome due to Fibrosing Mediastinitis-A Feasibility and Safety Analysis.

Purpose:To assess the outcomes of endovascular management for superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome secondary to fibrosing mediastinitis (FM).Methods:Between January 2004 and December 2016, 10 consecut...
Building gender inclusivity: disentangling the influence of classroom demography on classroom participation

Despite increased attention on women in business, concerns abound regarding the extent to which business schools are creating inclusive learning environments that support the leadership development of both male and female students. Using an organizational demography lens, we investigate the interactive effects of student gender, faculty gender, and classroom demography on class participation. We focus on class participation as it is essential to students’ overall learning and development especially concerning leadership. Our findings demonstrate that student and faculty demography interacts with context in unexpected ways to affect participation. Specifically, when women students are in the minority and have a female professor, they receive higher participation grades, particularly as class size decreases. The findings from this study have important implications for business school faculty and administrators as they work to build more inclusive learning environments which support all students’ development as leaders.
IEEE PIC 2017 keynote speech (1): Reconstruction and analysis of hyperspectral imagery using random

The ever-growing spatial and spectral resolution of hyperspectral imagery has increased interest in dimensionality reduction that takes place on-board the data-acquisition platform. However, traditional dimensionality-reduction algorithms are data dependent, computationally expensive, and, consequently, prohibitive for many resource-constrained airborne or satellite-borne sensor platforms. Random projections offer a means for accomplishing dimensionality reduction simultaneously with data acquisition, such that the sensor projects onto a lower-dimensional subspace chosen at random. The problem of reconstruction from random projections is addressed, considering both compressed sensing as well as an alternative based on principal components. The effect of random projections on the performance of hyperspectral analysis is also investigated, with particular focus on anomaly detection and classification. It is observed that strongly anomalous vectors are likely to be identifiable in the domain of the random projections even at low dimension, while widely separated classes are likely to remain so. Finally, the ability of applying such anomaly or class analysis in the random-projection domain is exploited to improve subsequent reconstruction of the hyperspectral dataset.
Semblances of Emotion: The Sad Saint Bernard: A Reconstruction of the Literature

“Art expresses emotion,” is a controversial statement. It is also an ambiguous one. “Express” may have such diverse meanings as: to cause (or correlate), characterize, clarify, communicate, create, effect, exhibit, explain, imitate, realize, release, reveal, signify, state, suggest, symbolize, and render metaphorically. Also “emotion” is ambiguous because usually no theory of emotion is given on the basis of which to specify a meaning. In the present analysis, the cognitive-emotive theory is presupposed. From this perspective, various aspects if the expression theory of emotion will be discussed.
p53 Throws CRISPR a Curve

The efficacy of the powerful CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing platform depends on DNA repair activities in the cells being targeted. Two new papers show that the low efficiency of targeting in some primary human cell lines is the result of p53-dependent cell arrest in response to the Cas9-induced break. This limitation must be overcome for some anticipated therapies.
Interaction of heparin with fibronectin and isolated fibronectin domains

Fluorescence polarization, gel exclusion chromatography and affinity chromatography were used to characterize the interaction of heparins of different size with human plasma fibronectin (Fn) and several of its isolated domains. The fluid-phase interaction of Fn with heparin was dominated by the 30 kDa and 40 kDa Hep-2 domains located near the C-terminal ends of the A and B chains respectively. The 30 kDa Hep-2A domain from the heavy chain was indistinguishable from the 40 kDa Hep-2B domain in this respect; the presence of an additional type III homology unit in the latter had no effect on the binding. Evidence was provided that each Hep-2 domain has two binding sites for heparin. The N-terminal Hep-1 domain reacted weakly in fluid phase even though it binds strongly to immobilized heparin. Fn and Hep-2 fragments were rather undiscriminating in their reaction with fluoresceinamine-labelled heparins of different sizes. However, oligosaccharides smaller than the tetradecasaccharide (14-mer) bound Fn with a 5-10-fold lower affinity. These results suggest that the Hep-2 domains of Fn are able to recognize a broad spectrum of oligosaccharides that presumably vary significantly with respect to the amount and spatial distribution of charge.
Protein C Separation from Human Blood Plasma Cohn Fraction IV-1 Using Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography

Protein C is an anticoagulant and antithrombotic. Because Protein C is a zymogen of a serine protease, therefore, it must first be activated before it has anticoagulant properties. Protein C can be activated in different ways but the most prevalent is by a complex of thrombin with thrombomodulin (TM) to form the activated form of Protein C (APC) [1]. Activated PC functions as an anticoagulant by inactivation of the coagulation cofactors Villa and Va (‘a’ denotes activated form), thus preventing generation of the enzymes factor Xa and thrombin [2, 3].
Multi-Objective Optimization Technique for the Operation of Grid tied PV Powered EV Charging Station

Abstract The wide deployment of grid connected large scale photovoltaic (PV) systems and the rapid growth in the electric vehicle (EV) market opens the avenue for the PV based EV stations to participate in the energy as well as the EV arbitrage markets. This participation should comply with the utility restrictions with respect to power oscillations at the point of common coupling (PCC). Consequently, there is a need for battery energy storage system (BESS) to fulfill this task. This paper proposes a multi-objective optimization (MOO) methodology that aims at maximizing the revenues of the PV based EV (PV-EV) station while minimizing the BESS capacity fading simultaneously. The objectives are to be met under the power fluctuations restriction imposed by the hosting grid at the point of common coupling (PCC). The proposed methodology provides detailed modelling of the dynamics of the BESS as well as the EV parking garage behavior. The MOO problem is solved by the augmented e-constrained (AUGMECON2). The results showed the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in achieving the aforementioned objectives. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was performed to show the effect of neglecting one of the objectives on the other, and the effect of the power fluctuations limit constraint on the objectives of concern in this study. Moreover, the results showed the adverse effect of neglecting the battery’s detailed modelling on the battery’s lifetime. Additionally, the effect of uncertainties in the BESS’s internal parameters coefficients of both objectives was investigated.
Reflections on My Studies of the Roman Cults of Mithras for the Historical and Comparative Study of Religions

I have spent a number of years focusing my research on the Roman Cults of Mithras. In this autobiographical reflection on that study, I consider the relationship between research on a specific, if perhaps obscure, religious tradition and methodological and theoretical issues in historical and comparative studies of religion generally.
Jack and Jill

Eric Levin, founder and CEO of NewLine Pharmaceuticals, faces a difficult situation at his company. There is growing tension and possible domestic abuse between two NewLine employees, a married couple. The wife has been performing her work tasks in an exceptional way, but the husband has been falling behind in his duties and appears to be taking out his frustration on his wife. Exacerbating the situation is the fact that Levin is personally close to the couple and that the couple comes from a particularly conservative background. Excerpt UVA-E-0390 Rev. Mar. 5, 2014 JACK AND JILL Eric Levin, founder and CEO of NewLine Pharmaceuticals, left a meeting with Becky Manning, his customer service manager, deeply concerned. Although Levin had been aware of the evolving situation, Manning had confirmed that there was growing tension and possible domestic abuse between two NewLine employees, a married couple. His distribution manager, Jack Blackstone, had been acting erratically for several months and, according to Manning, had been taking out his professional frustration on his wife, Jill Blackstone, who handled NewLine's marketing. Further complicating the situation was what Levin perceived as a cultural element. Both Blackstones had grown up in a Sacramento, California, suburb and were part of a sect within the Baptist denomination of Christianity that was very conservative. In addition, although he was their boss, Levin was good friends with the couple, as he was with the other five members of his management team with whom he had founded NewLine two years earlier, in 2011. But Jack's strange behavior and the palpable tension between the couple had gone on long enough. Levin knew he had to take action, but he was unsure of how to proceed. Eric Levin Levin had grown up in Israel, where he had joined the military at 18. After leaving the military, he worked for the Israeli Cancer Society in various managerial roles. Levin attended the Darden School of Business, from which he received his MBA in 2000. He went on to hold several positions in corporate restructuring before becoming an independent consultant. He was then handed the CEO reins of a small pharmaceutical lab, Visionaire, in Menlo Park, California, that was failing. Levin brought the company back into the black over the next eight months and developed good relationships with the employees. Visionaire's owner and previous CEO was, according to Levin, “a terrible manager” who was abusive to his employees and, because of the subsequent bad morale, was responsible for the company's decline. When Levin took over as CEO, he effected a quick turnaround. Levin explained: . . .