cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase II Study of Haploidentical Natural Killer Cell Infusion for Treatment of Relapsed or Persistent Myeloid Malignancies Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Abstract We conducted a phase 2 study to determine the efficacy of HLA-haploidentical related donor natural killer (NK) cells after cyclophosphamide-based lymphodepletion in patients with relapsed or progressive acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Eight patients (2 with MDS and 6 with AML) were treated with cyclophosphamide 50 mg/kg on day −3 and day −2 before infusion of NK cells isolated from a haploidentical related donor. One patient also received fludarabine 25 mg/m2/day for 4 days. Six doses of 1 million units of interleukin-2 (IL-2) were administered on alternating days beginning on day −1. The median number of NK cells infused was 10.6 × 106/kg (range, 4.3 to 22.4 × 106/kg), and the median number of CD3 cells infused was 2.1 × 103/kg (range, 1.9 to 40 × 103/kg). NK infusions were well tolerated, with a median time to neutrophil recovery of 19 days (range, 7 days to not achieved) and no incidence of graft-versus-host disease after NK infusion. One patient with AML and 1 patient with MDS achieved a complete response, but relapsed at 1.7 and 1.8 months, respectively. One patient with MDS experienced resolution of dysplastic features but persistence of clonal karyotype abnormalities; this patient was stable at 65 months after NK cell therapy. The median duration of survival was 12.9 months (range, 0.8 to 65.3 months). Chimerism analysis of CD3−/CD56+ peripheral blood cells did not detect any circulating haploidentical NK cells after infusion. NK phenotyping was performed in 7 patients during and after IL-2 infusion. We found a slight trend toward greater expression of KIR2DL2/2DL3/2DS2 (5% versus 28%; P = .03) at 14 days in patients who survived longer than 6 months from NK cell infusion (n = 4) compared with those who died within 6 months of NK cell therapy (n = 3). In summary, our data support the safety of haploidentical NK cell infusion after allogeneic HCT.
On the Hénon transformation

In [4] Henon studied a transformation which maps the plane into itself and appears to have an attractor with locally the structure of a Cantor set cross an interval. By making use of the characteristic exponent, frequency spectrum, and a theorem of Smale, our numerical experiments provide evidence for the existence of two distinct strange attractors for some parameter values, an exponential rate of mixing for the parameter values studied by Henon, and an argument that there is a Cantor set in the trapping region of Henon.
Impact of Interactions between Natural Organic Matter and Metal Oxides on the Desorption Kinetics of Uranium from Heterogeneous Colloidal Suspensions

Colloids play an important role in governing the transport of radionuclides in geologic environments. As naturally occurring colloidal suspensions are compositionally heterogeneous, the subsurface fate of radionuclides may be sensitive to interactions among different kinds of colloids. Therefore, we investigated the adsorption equilibrium and desorption kinetics of uranium (U(VI)) in experiments conducted with compositionally homogeneous suspensions of colloidal SiO(2), ZnO, hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) or humic acids (HAs) as well as heterogeneous suspensions consisting of a colloidal metal oxide and HA. We found that interactions between HAs and ZnO or HFO greatly inhibited the sorption of U onto colloids in the heterogeneous suspensions. HA-ZnO interactions enhanced the desorption of U from the heterogeneous colloidal suspensions, while the association between HA and SiO(2) or HFO inhibited U desorption. Molecular-level characterizations reveal that HFO interacted with HAs by electrostatic interactions, association with aliphatic/aromatic carbon and inner-sphere complexation with carboxyl functional groups, while SiO(2) and ZnO mainly associated with HAs by weak interactions (e.g., van der Waals interactions). The present findings indicate that interactions between HA and metal-oxide colloids can substantially influence the desorption of U(VI) from these particles, thereby potentially affecting the mobility of this radionuclide in groundwater.
The Role of Functions in Syntax: A unified approach to language theory, description, and typology

The main aim of this book is to address a fundamental question in linguistics, namely why languages are similar and why they are different. The study proposes that languages are fundamentally similar when they encode the same meanings in their grammatical systems and that languages are different when they encode different meanings. Even if languages encode the same meaning, they may differ with respect to the formal means used to code those meanings. This approach allows for a typology based on functional domains, subdomains and functions coded in individual languages. The outcome of the study is a unified approach to language theory, linguistic typology, and descriptive linguistics. The argumentation for the hypotheses and the proposed approach is supported by analyses of data from more than a dozen languages, including English, Polish, French, Wandala, Mina, Hdi, and several other Chadic languages. The study is accessible to a wide variety of linguists.
The synthesis of dicopolymer of AM/ST in ionic liquids

The dicopolymers AM/ST were prepared with 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ionic liquids as the reaction medium of polymerization,azobisisobutyronitrile(AIBN)as iniator,acrylamide(AM)as the hydrophilic monomer,styrene as the hydraphobic monomer.Suitable reaction conditions were obtained as follows:the total monomer concentration 2 mol/L,the iniator concentration 2%(wt),the temperature 60 ℃,the reacting time 4 h.It was show that the intrinsic viscosity of polymerization was 2.6.The structure of polymers was characterized by 1 H NMR,13C NMR and IR.
Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disorder which causes hypertrophy of the interventricular septum of the heart, leading to obstruction of left ventricular outflow during systole. The murmur that is pathognomonic for HCM is a crescendo-decrescendo holosystolic murmur best heard at the left sternal boarder. The murmur classically increases with standing and valsalva, while it decreases with squatting, hand-grip, and passive leg lift. Symptoms, if present, are usually found on exertion and include chest pain, dizziness/lightheadedness, and syncope; because there are often no symptoms, HCM is one of the most common causes of sudden death in young athletes. Treatment is aimed at minimizing the obstruction by increasing the diastolic filling of the left ventricle through abstinence from high-intensity cardiovascular activity, and use of beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, disopyramide, and/or surgery.
A model for a managed care education approach to increase hepatitis awareness: Part. II.

Morbidity and mortality associated with viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis C, are expected to increase rapidly over the next 2 decades. Many MCOs view hepatitis as a high-cost disease with a relatively low incidence; the incentive to develop education or awareness programs for hepatitis is correspondingly low. The American Gastroenterological Association, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases have, through the American Digestive Health Foundation, developed a unique, proactive, and flexible educational initiative for managed care. After providing an overview of hepatitis, this paper describes the four phases of this program designed to increase hepatitis awareness among managed care providers and members.
Lack of specificity of lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity against the bladder cancer cell line, T24.

AbstractWe evaluated in vitro lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity against the T24 transitional carcinoma cell line and a control melanoma cell line (H894) in a double-blind study involving 25 bladder cancer patients, 19 patients with non-transitional carcinoma and 9 patients with benign conditions using a tritiated proline-labeled tumor cell assay. We found selective reactivity against T24 cells in 16 per cent of bladder cancer patients, 11 per cent of patients with non-transitional cell tumors and 22 per cent of patients with benign conditions. We found no significant differences with respect to the patterns of cytotoxic reactivity among the various patient groups. The use of different methods of lymphocyte purification and different lymphocyte to target cell ratios did not enhance the degree of specificity observed. Prior exposure to alloantigens did not account for the lack of specificity.
The Medial Stitch in Transosseous-Equivalent Rotator Cuff Repair Vertical or Horizontal Mattress?

Background:Despite advances in surgical technique, rotator cuff repair retears continue to occur at rates of 10%, 22%, and 57% for small, medium, and large tears, respectively. A common mode of failure in transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repairs is tissue pullout of the medial mattress stitch. While the medial mattress stitch has been studied extensively, no studies have evaluated a vertical mattress pattern placed near the musculotendinous junction in comparison with a horizontal mattress pattern.Hypothesis:Vertical mattress stitches will have higher load to failure and lower gapping compared with horizontal mattress stitches in a transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Double-row transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repairs were performed in 9 pairs of human male cadaveric shoulders (mean age ± SD, 58 ± 10 years). One shoulder in each pair received a medial-row suture pattern using a vertical mattress stitch, and the contralateral shoulder receive...
What Automata Can Provide a Medium for Life

Hadn’t this question already been answered? We all know about computation-universal Turing Machines. And we know that any such machine can simulate a space-time dynamics not unlike von Neumann’s cellular automaton, which is computation- and construction-universal and among other things can play host to self-replicating machines. And that self-replication sprinkled with a bit of randomness should inexorably lead to descent with variation, competition, and thence to evolution and all that.
Novadessus viracocha, a new genus and species of Bidessini Sharp from Peru (Coleoptera, Adephaga, Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae)

Novadessus viracochagen. n. and sp. n. is described from Peru. The genus distinctly is characterized by having the following combination: (1) a transverse occipital line absent on the head; (2) the anterior clypeal margin not modified; (3) a pair of basal pronotal striae present; (4) the basal elytral stria absent; (5) the elytral sutural stria absent; (6) the elytron without longitudinal carinae; (7) the epipleuron without a transverse carina at the humeral angle; (8) the lateral lobes of the male aedeagus two-segmented; (9) the overall habitus elongate and oval, with lateral pronotal and elytral margins discontinuous; (10) without distinct denticles along the posterior margins of the abdominal sternites; (11) the male genitalia (both median lobe and lateral lobes) bilaterally symmetrical; and (12) the metatrochanter small relative to the metafemur, approximately 0.6 × the length of the metafemur. The genus is diagnostically similar to Fontidessus Miller and Spangler and Neobidessodes Hendrich and Balke, but is superficially more similar to Liodessus Guignot. The habitus and male genitalia are illustrated, and a distribution map is provided.
Sample complexity of determining structures of graphical models

We consider discovering the graph structure of a pairwise Markov random field (MRF) on p binary random variables using n samples from the underlying MRF distribution. We analyze the information-theoretic limitations of this problem under high-dimensional scaling, when the number of connections of each variable in the underlying MRF is bounded by d.We derive both necessary and sufficient conditions on the scaling of the triplet (n, p, d) for asympotically reliable recovery of the graph structure.
The pleiotropic deubiquitinase Ubp3 confers aneuploidy tolerance

Aneuploidy-or an unbalanced karyotype in which whole chromosomes are gained or lost-causes reduced fitness at both the cellular and organismal levels but is also a hallmark of human cancers. Aneuploidy causes a variety of cellular stresses, including genomic instability, proteotoxic and oxidative stresses, and impaired protein trafficking. The deubiquitinase Ubp3, which was identified by a genome-wide screen for gene deletions that impair the fitness of aneuploid yeast, is a key regulator of aneuploid cell homeostasis. We show that deletion of UBP3 exacerbates both karyotype-specific phenotypes and global stresses of aneuploid cells, including oxidative and proteotoxic stress. Indeed, Ubp3 is essential for proper proteasome function in euploid cells, and deletion of this deubiquitinase leads to further proteasome-mediated proteotoxicity in aneuploid yeast. Notably, the importance of UBP3 in aneuploid cells is conserved. Depletion of the human homolog of UBP3, USP10, is detrimental to the fitness of human cells upon chromosome missegregation, and this fitness defect is accompanied by autophagy inhibition. We thus used a genome-wide screen in yeast to identify a guardian of aneuploid cell fitness conserved across species. We propose that interfering with Ubp3/USP10 function could be a productive avenue in the development of novel cancer therapeutics.
Teaching Statistical Thinking in the Data Deluge

Engaging with data is at the heart of statistical thinking, but readily-available data are now complex and large, and so statistical thinking is perhaps also more complex than in the recent past. We discuss an undergraduate event, DataFest, as a means for supplementing classroom approaches to teaching statistical thinking, and discuss lessons learned from observations during two DataFests held at two universities in the United States.
Civility and White Institutional Presence: An Exploration of White Students' Understanding of Race-Talk at a Traditionally White Institution

ABSTRACTIn this study, the authors draw upon critical whiteness studies to explore how White students' understanding of race-talk within higher education (re)produces whiteness. Through an analysis of interview data, they generated 3 categories describing whiteness-informed civility (WIC): (a) WIC functions to create a good White identity, (b) WIC functions to erase racial identity, and (c) WIC functions to assert control of space. These thematic concepts show how WIC is characterized by logics of race-evasion, avoidance of race-talk, and exclusion of people of color. The authors conclude by offering ways for instructors to interrogate WIC through classroom practices informed by critical communication pedagogy.
The Long Ride Home.

The Long Ride Home As Hannah was wheeled out of the ICU, the transport nurse whispered, “I can’t get the oxygen saturation monitor to pick up much of anything.” I paused. Was Hannah already dying? Should we turn around and deny her parents their last hope? “Let’s keep going,” I said.
Memoirs of a simulated patient: what physicians can learn from actors.

The use of simulated patients in medical education helps students to develop communication skills needed to interact with patients when difficult circumstances arise. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Harvesting elevation potential from mountain forests

For a limited set of conditions we have shown that recovering braking energy from log trucks descending from high elevation stands to lower elevation manufacturing facilities can reduce the size of the battery required to run a log truck. Adding level highway hauls after descending from the higher elevation stands quickly increases the required battery capacity. The effect of conversion efficiency on the required battery capacity is correlated with the change in elevation along the haul route. At a conversion efficiency of 100% (battery-to-wheels and wheels-to-battery), the cumulative battery usage on the base profile (elevation factor = 1.0) is only one-half of what it would have been compared to a level road of the same horizontal length (elevation factor = 0.0). When the conversion efficiency is set to 60%, the cumulative battery usage for the base profile would be the same as if the truck had been on a level road of the same horizontal distance. For the actual haul route considered in this pap...
Investigating Older Adults’ Expressed Needs Regarding Falls Prevention

Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions regarding falls prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults offered in a specific geographic area. Method: The investigators c...
Depression and Subthreshold Depression in Stroke-Related Aphasia

Abstract Objective To investigate the prevalence of depression and subthreshold depression in persons with aphasia. To investigate whether there are linguistic and cognitive differences between those with depression, subthreshold depression, and no depression. Design Survey. Setting Rehabilitation hospital. Participants Participants with chronic aphasia due to a single left-hemisphere stroke (N=144). Main Outcome Measures Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to assess the prevalence of depression. The Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB-R) to evaluate the type of aphasia; the Aphasia Quotient measured the severity of linguistic deficits. Results The prevalence of depression in our participants was 19.44% while that of subthreshold depression was 22.22%. Depressed persons with aphasia had significantly lower WAB-R reading scores than those without depression. Conclusions Findings suggest that persons with aphasia who have depressive symptoms may do worse on some linguistic measures than those with no depression. Since subthreshold depression can progress to depression, clinicians should routinely screen for depressive symptoms.
Estimation of lift losses of hovering vehicles using a single jet

This paper discusses the development of handbook techniques for the preliminary assessment of V/STOL aircraft performance while hovering in the proximity of the ground. In particular, the suckdown forces due to entrainment are described for configurations using a single jet. Corrections to current methods are suggested from an analysis of recent large-scale test data.
Rydberg-Atoms Based Radio-Frequency Electric Field and Power Sensors for Quantum SI-Traceable Measurements

We discuss a fundamentally new method for electric (E) field strength (V/m) and power (W) metrology based on the interaction of radio-frequency (RF) E-fields with Rydberg atoms (alkali atomic vapor excited optically to Rydberg states). © 2019 The Author(s)
Fivebranes, membranes and non-perturbative string theory

Abstract Non-perturbative instanton corrections to the moduli space geometry of type IIA string theory compactified on a Calabi-Yau space are derived and found to contain order e −1/ g s contributions, where g s is the string coupling. The computation reduces to a weighted sum of supersymmetric extremal maps of strings, membranes and fivebranes into the Calabi-Yau space, all three of which enter on equal footing. It is shown that a supersymmetric 3-cycle is one for which the pullback of the Kahler form vanishes and the pullback of the holomorphic three-form is a constant multiple of the volume element. Quantum mirror symmetry relates the sum in the IIA theory over supersymmetric, odd-dimensional cycles in the Calabi-Yau space to a sum in the IIB theory over supersymmetric, even-dimensional cycles in the mirror.
Risk perceptions and the maintenance of environmental injustice in Appalachia

Coal impoundment failures in Appalachia have caused some of the most devastating environmental disasters in U.S. history. However, people living near impoundments today report low levels of worry a...
Limb Apraxia: a Disorder of Learned Skilled Movement

This chapter focuses on limb apraxia, a cognitive-motor disorder of learned skilled movement, and the nature of the spatiotemporal errors that disrupt movement sequences. A cognitive model that attempts to reconcile conceptual and preparatory aspects of the motor program with perceptual and kinematic features will be discussed. An update on the localization of the praxis network will be provided. In addition, a long-held view that limb apraxia does not have ecological relevance will be disputed in the context of studies that have shown that limb apraxia (i) is one of the most important predictors of increased caregiver burden and (ii) is associated with impaired activities of daily living in post-stroke patients. This review summarizes current screening tools and the few randomized clinical controlled treatment studies to date. Limb apraxia is underdiagnosed and very few therapeutic options are available. Cognitive process models should be used to inform future controlled multi-modal treatment strategies.
Development of a facile rolling method to amplify an analyte's weak SERS activity and its application for chlordane detection

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique has been extensively explored as a rapid analytical tool for various pesticides. However, not all pesticides exhibit similar SERS activities; in particular, certain organochloride pesticides, such as chlordane, have relatively weaker SERS signals when interacting with citrate-coated gold nanoparticles. Herein, a simple rolling method was developed to amplify the SERS signal of chlordane and to facilitate its detection in a livestock oil sample. The rolling method was performed by mixing a 2.5 microliter chlordane methanolic solution with a gold nanoparticle solution with a pipette on a piece of parafilm for 20 seconds. Once the half volume size of solvents was evaporated, another 2.5 microliter chlordane solution was added to the mixture and was pipetted for another 20 seconds. This action was continuously repeated to enrich the chlordane concentration, allow a better interaction between chlordane and gold nanoparticles, and achieve Raman signal amplification. For example, for the 2.5 ppm chlordane sample, after four times of rolling, the Raman signals were enhanced by approximately four times. Later on, a mathematic model was established to predict the concentration of chlordane in a complex crude oil sample based on the obtained intensity reading and the number of repeats. Compared to the spiked concentration (i.e., 1 ppm) of chlordane, the recovery value reached 95% approximately. The rolling method is a simple enrichment approach without the need for the use of concentrating instruments. Combined with the prediction model, it can determine the concentration of hard-to-detect analytes in food samples based on the amplification of their weak SERS signals.
Currently Unstable: Daily Ups and Downs in E-I Balance.

Balance between excitation and inhibition (E-I balance) in neural circuits is believed to be tightly regulated. To the contrary, in this issue of Neuron, Bridi et al. (2020) reveal that inverse oscillations of synaptic inhibition and excitation lead to peaks and valleys in E-I balance across the 24 h day.
WHEN ECTO AND ENDOBIOLOGY MERGE: MONITORING ISCHEMIC CELL DEATH

The theme of this symposium is ectobiology, an examination of the structure and function of the cell membrane. It is, of course, the membrane that defines the cell and differentiates it from extracellular fluid. When the integrity of the membrane has been breached and molecules may diffuse nonselectively between intra- and extracellular fluid, the cell ceases to exist. It is now believed that the first irreversible change that occurs in mammalian cells when they are deprived of oxygen and nutrients is the formation of rather large holes in the membrane.
«En mis libros es todo artificial»: Sobre el concepto de naturaleza en la obra de Thomas Bernhard

Nature is a concept of great recurrence in the whole work of Thomas Bernhard. However, far from articulating a coherent and solid spectrum, this recurrence evidences an often surprising variability, which occurs not only from work to work but within the discourse of the same character. This article sets out to study some uses of the concept of Nature to also reflect on the Bernhardian aesthetic proposal. For this, not only the spatial notion that Nature establishes but, fundamentally, the construction of relationships that link Nature with art and artistic practice will be extremely useful.
Effects of adult body size on mating success of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

Body size is a recognised factor impacting mating success of a number of insect species. The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), which is mass produced to convert or...
Cover crops and drought: Maize ecophysiology and yield dataset

Abstract This dataset supports the research paper “Cover crop effects on maize drought stress and yield” by Hunter et al. [1] . Data is provided on ecophysiological and yield measurements of maize grown following five functionally diverse cover crop treatments. The experiment was conducted in Pennsylvania, USA from 2013–2015 with organic management. Cover crops were planted in August after winter wheat harvest. Cover crops were terminated in late May of the following year, manure was applied, and both were incorporated with full inversion tillage prior to planting maize. The five cover crop treatments included a tilled fallow control, medium red clover, cereal rye, forage radish, and a 3-species mixture of medium red clover, cereal rye, and Austrian winter pea. Drought was imposed with rain exclusion shelters starting in early July. Results are provided for two subplots per cover crop treatment representing ambient and drought conditions. The dataset includes: 1) soil moisture in spring and during the maize growing season; 2) maize height, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf area index, stomatal conductance, and pre-dawn leaf xylem water potential; 3) maize yield and yield components including kernel biomass, total biomass, harvest index, number of plants per subplot, ears per plant, kernel mass, and kernel number per ear, per plant, and per subplot; 4) modeled season-long radiation interception and radiation use efficiency of biomass production; and 5) maize rooting density by depth in one year only. Data was collected in the field and lab using ecophysiological instruments (e.g., SPAD meter, ceptometer, porometer, and pressure chamber). Biomass samples were taken to determine yield. Data presented have been averaged to the subplot level (ambient and drought). This dataset can inform future research focused on using cover crops and other cultural practices to improve climate adaptation in cropping systems and also may be useful for meta-analyses.
Postoperative Infection Rate and Associated Factors Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Objectives:There is a paucity of data on postoperative infections after endoscopic sinus surgery and associated risk factors. Our objective was to evaluate a cohort of patients undergoing endoscopi...
An Uneven Revival: Gendered Ethno-Regional Intersections of Religiousness in Kyrgyzstan

Post-Soviet religious dynamics have attracted considerable scholarly attention, but their complexities remain poorly understood. Ethnic and gender intersections of religious identity and behavior a...
Towards a Classification of Conformal Field Theories

In order to make some sense out of the jungle of conformal field theories that have been discovered from string theory, physicists have tried to classify these vacuums using various techniques, with varying degrees of success. At present, no comprehensive classification scheme exists that gives us insight into the structure of these vacuums. In fact, it is still largely a mystery why conformal field theories behave as they do. There has been some progress in understanding conformal field theories with finite numbers of primary fields, but there is almost no real understanding of conformal field theories with infinite numbers of primary fields. If a convenient and powerful classification scheme could be devised, then it may be possible to see nontrivial relationships between different conformal field theories, which in turn may help us to understand which, if any, of these conformal field theories have a physical application.
Unbiased Graph Embedding with Biased Graph Observations

Graph embedding techniques have been increasingly employed in real-world machine learning tasks on graph-structured data, such as social recommendations and protein structure modeling. Since the generation of a graph is inevitably affected by some sensitive node attributes (such as gender and age of users in a social network), the learned graph representations can inherit such sensitive information and introduce undesirable biases in downstream tasks. Most existing works on debiasing graph representations add ad-hoc constraints on the learned embeddings to restrict their distributions, which however compromise the utility of resulting graph representations in downstream tasks. In this paper, we propose a principled new way for obtaining unbiased representations by learning from an underlying bias-free graph that is not influenced by sensitive attributes. Based on this new perspective, we propose two complementary methods for uncovering such an underlying graph with the goal of introducing minimum impact on the utility of learned representations in downstream tasks. Both our theoretical justification and extensive experiment comparisons against state-of-the-art solutions demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods.
Chapter 2 – Sampling and Analysis Methods for Ambient PM-10 Aerosol

This chapter provides information for designing a measurement program to obtain ambient aerosol data for use in receptor models. The chapter presents an overview on particles in the PM-10 size range (aerodynamic equivalent diameter less than 10 μm). Characteristics of PM-10 sampling devices and filter media are presented and the laboratory methods listed in the chapter are described. It is shown that some combinations of filter medium, air sampler, and analysis method are incompatible. Information presented in this chapter enables to avoid incompatibility and to devise optimum measurement strategies. Measurement artifacts that can alter ionic species concentrations in particles are described and an annular denuder system for avoiding such artifacts and for measuring gaseous species is also described in the chapter.
Multiscale Analysis for Interacting Particles: Relaxation Systems and Scalar Conservation Laws

We investigate the derivation of semilinear relaxation systems and scalar conservation laws from a class of stochastic interacting particle systems. These systems are Markov jump processes set on a lattice, they satisfy detailed mass balance (but not detailed balance of momentum), and are equipped with multiple scalings. Using a combination of correlation function methods with compactness and convergence properties of semidiscrete relaxation schemes we prove that, at a mesoscopic scale, the interacting particle system gives rise to a semilinear hyperbolic system of relaxation type, while at a macroscopic scale it yields a scalar conservation law. Rates of convergence are obtained in both scalings.
Laboratory culture of Chironomus tentans for use in toxicity testing: optimum initial egg-stocking densities

The midge Chironomus tentans Fabricius is a commonly used freshwater invertebrate in sediment toxicity tests. Rigorous laboratory culturing techniques are needed to provide organisms of uniform quality and known age for use in testing and for the continuation of the culture itself. This study was conducted to determine the effect of initial culture stocking density on: (1) post-hatch (larval) dry weight, body length and head-capsule width at 10 and 20 days; (2) time to emergence; (3) number and sex of emergent adults; (4) number of larvae and pupae at test termination (day 42 post hatch); and (5) adult dry weight. Three egg stocking densities were used 690 (1.1 eggs cm−2), 1043 (1.7 eggs cm−2) and 1463 (2.4 eggs cm−2). Mean weight of larvae at 10 days in high density tanks (0.13 mg/organism) was significantly higher (P=0.003) than both the medium and low density tanks (0.10 and 0.09 mg/organism, respectively). No significant differences between the three stocking densities were observed for the body length or head-capsule width at either 10 or 20 days post-hatch. Although not statistically significant, larval dry weight decreased with increased stocking density at day 20. A significantly (P=0.02) greater number of females (173±28) emerged from the low stocking density compared to both the medium and high stocking densities (123±45 and 118±54, respectively). Peak adult emergence for the low and medium stocking densities occurred between days 22 and 25 post-hatch, whereas peak adult emergence occurred between days 30 and 33 for the high stocking density. Survival relative to the initial number of eggs stocked was significantly greater (P=0.007) in the low density treatment compared to that in either the medium or the high density treatments. Mean adult weight exhibited an inverse relationship with initial stocking densities. At test end, there was not a significant difference in the mean number of organisms surviving and emerging in the three density levels. The central tendency for number of organisms surviving for all three treatments was 504 organisms per tank (0.82 organisms cm−2). The results of this experiment suggest that an optimal egg stocking density of 1.0 egg cm−2 (∼600 eggs/tank) be used with the feeding rate identified. This would ensure uniform larvae at the appropriate developmental stage (2nd–3rd instar) needed for toxicological research/testing (e.g. 10 days post-hatch), as well as producing sufficient emergence of males and females for future culture establishment.
A Texas Perspective on TADA: Physician Autonomy and the Corporate Practice of Medicine Act.

In their article, Kapottos and Younger (2015) offer a criticism of the Texas Advance Directive Act (TADA) based on its lack of “symmetry”: A physician has the power to decide when treatment is futi...
Bioethics at the crossroad.

Bioethics and its offspring Health-care Ethics have a variety ofuses and obligations among which and perhaps most importantly istheir social obligation. This paper raises questions as toBioethics fulfilling the necessary criteria for a profession,suggests that it can serve as a link between individual andcommunal problems, discusses the task of health-care ethics as well as ways of teaching it, lists some of the obligationsof health-care ethics professionals and discusses the dangers to and failings of these health-care professionals today. Itconcludes that we are at a crossroads in which we must choosebetween our own personal security and comfort and fulfilling our social role.
AN UNPRECEDENTED GROUP‐II INTRON FROM CHLAMYDOMONAS SUBCAUDATA (CHLOROPHYCEAE) THAT HAS TWO LARGE OPEN READING FRAMES—POTENTIALLY ENCODING A REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE‐MATURASE‐ENDONUCLEASE AND A NOVEL PROTEIN

Group-II introns are selfish ribozymes that may have given rise to nuclear mRNA introns. Approximately 1,000 of these introns—derived from organelles, bacteria, and archaea—have been defined as either having no open reading frame (ORF) or encoding a single large protein, which is nearly always a variant of a reverse transcriptase-maturase-endonuclease (RT-Mat-En). While investigating intron ribozymes in cold-tolerant Chlamydomonas spp., we discovered an unusually large (3.9 kb) group-II intron in the psbA gene of Chlamydomonas subcaudata N. Wille, Csu.psbA. Reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis showed that Csu.psbA is efficiently spliced in vivo and confirmed the predicted splice sites. The extreme size of Csu.psbA is due to two large ORFs in domain IV of the predicted secondary structure. ORF1 encodes a typical RT-Mat-En protein (70 kDa), although it has an unusual start codon (ACG). ORF2, however, encodes a potentially novel protein (44 kDa) that is predicted to have a transmembrane domain, immediately following an N-terminal thylakoid-targeting peptide, and to bind nucleic acids. BLAST analyses suggest that both ORFs are of bacterial origin and that ORF2 may have a TRKA domain. Csu.psbA is the first group-II intron reported to have two large, distinct ORFs and raises the possibility of identifying novel intron-encoded functions.
First Detection of the Acoustic Oscillation Phase Shift Expected from the Cosmic Neutrino Background

The unimpeded relativistic propagation of cosmological neutrinos prior to recombination of the baryon-photon plasma alters gravitational potentials and therefore the details of the time-dependent gravitational driving of acoustic oscillations. We report here a first detection of the resulting shifts in the temporal phase of the oscillations, which we infer from their signature in the cosmic microwave background temperature power spectrum.
Down-regulation of RE-1 silencing transcription factor (REST) in advanced prostate cancer by hypoxia-induced miR-106b~25.

Clinically aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) is linked to androgen resistance, metastasis, and expression of neuroendocrine markers. To understand mechanism(s) of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) of PCa epithelia, we compared neuronal differentiation occurring during embryogenesis, in primary cultures of neural crest (NC) cells, and NED in PCa cell lines (LNCaP and PC3). We demonstrate, hypoxia promotes neuronal and neuroendocrine differentiation of NC cells and PCa cells, respectively, by inducing the miR-106b~25 cluster. In turn, miR-106b~25 comprised of miR-106b, miR-93 and miR-25, down-regulates the transcriptional repressor REST, which represses neuron-specific protein-coding and miRNA genes. In prostate tumors of high Gleason score (≥8), an inverse trend was observed between REST and miR-106b~25 induction. Employing miRNA PCR arrays, we identified miRNAs up-regulated by hypoxia in LNCaP cells and REST-knockdown in NC cells. Significantly, a subset of miRNAs (miR-9, miR-25, miR-30d and miR302b) is up-regulated in high Gleason score (≥8) PCa, suggesting a mechanism by which NED contributes to PCa malignancy. We propose that loss of REST and induction of this set of microRNAs can serve as potential novel clinical markers of advanced PCa.
High-Breakdown Enhancement-Mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with Integrated Slant Field-Plate

Enhancement-mode (E-mode) AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with integrated slant field-plates were developed for high breakdown voltage (VBD) and low on-resistance (RON). Combination of the self-aligned slant field-plate technology for high VBD and self-aligned CF4 plasma treatment for E-mode operation yielded high-performance device with a VBD of 1400V, which is one of the highest reported VBD value among GaN-based E-mode HEMTs. Using the active area of the device, the RON was calculated to be below 3mOmegamiddotcm2
Sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs in Hainan Island, China.

Pyronaridine and artesunate have been shown to be effective in falciparum malaria treatment. However, pyronaridine is rarely used in Hainan Island clinically, and artesunate is not widely used as a therapeutic agent. Instead, conventional antimalarial drugs, chloroquine and piperaquine, are used, explaining the emergence of chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. In this article, we investigated the sensitivity of P. falciparum to antimalarial drugs used in Hainan Island for rational drug therapy. We performed in vivo (28 days) and in vitro tests to determine the sensitivity of P. falciparum to antimalarial drugs. Total 46 patients with falciparum malaria were treated with dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine phosphate (DUO-COTECXIN) and followed up for 28 day. The cure rate was 97.8%. The mean fever clearance time (22.5±10.6 hr) and the mean parasite clearance time (27.3±12.2 hr) showed no statistical significance with different genders, ages, temperatures, or parasite density (P>0.05). The resistance rates of chloroquine, piperaquine, pyronarididine, and artesunate detected in vitro were 71.9%, 40.6%, 12.5%, and 0%, respectively (P piperaquine>pyronarididine>artesunate. The inhibitory dose 50 (IC50) was 3.77×10-6 mol/L, 2.09×10-6 mol/L, 0.09×10-6 mol/L, and 0.05×10-6 mol/L, and the mean concentrations for complete inhibition (CIMC) of schizont formation were 5.60×10-6 mol/L, 9.26×10-6 mol/L, 0.55×10-6 mol/L, and 0.07×10-6 mol/L, respectively. Dihydroartemisinin showed a strong therapeutic effect against falciparum malaria with a low toxicity.
Multi-level optimization of a beam-like space truss utilizing a continuum model

A continuous beam model is developed for approximate analysis of a large, slender, beam-like truss. The model is incorporated in a multi-level optimization scheme for the weight minimization of such trusses. This scheme is tested against traditional optimization procedures for savings in computational cost. Results from both optimization methods are presented for comparison.
Tissue microarray detection of matrix metalloproteinases, in diseased tricuspid and bicuspid aortic valves with or without pathology of the ascending aorta

Objective: The degeneration of bicuspid aortic valve and its frequent association with ascending aortic pathology, point to a still unidentified genetic tissue defect with unknown mediators. Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are lytic enzymes that have been strongly implicated in aneurysm formation. The purpose of this study was to detect the presence of these enzymes in aortic valvular tissue in healthy and diseased aortic valves with or without the presence of synchronous ascending aortic pathology. Methods: Aortic valve specimens from 26 aortic valve replacement patients as well as 4 healthy control tricuspid aortic valves were included. 10 patients had bicuspid aortic valves, and 16 had tricuspid aortic valves. Half of our patient population had a concomitant aortic procedure for aortic pathology. The study detected MMPs 1,2 and 9 as well as their Tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) 1 and 2. MMP and TIMP detection was accomplished with the construction of a tissue micro array and immunohistochemistry. Conclusions: MMP-9 expression was significantly higher in bicuspid aortic valves compared to normal valves (P!0.05). When compared to the tricuspid valve group, MMP-9 mean value was significantly higher in bicuspid valves (P!0.05).When the entire rest of the valve group (nZ4C16, i.e. control and tricuspid valve groups) was compared to the bicuspid valve group, bicuspid valves had significantly higher MMP-2, and MMP-9 (P!0.01) expression. TIMP expression also changed in diseased valves, among different patient groups. This increased proteolytic presence in bicuspid aortic valves may attribute to the observed decreased elastin and collagen content, and their resultant functional failure. q 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Phosphoproteins of Rous sarcoma viruses.

Abstract 32P-labeled proteins from Rous sarcoma viruses were extracted with phenol and analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. p19 was found to be the major phosphorylated protein. p12, a ribonucleoprotein, was also phosphorylated. Phosphorylation took place at both serine and threonine. The phosphorylation patterns of viral proteins were studied with respect to subgroup specificity, transforming ability, and maturation ability of the viruses. It was found that some of the viruses belonging to subgroup A, including RAV-3, RSV(RAV-1), and PR-B:RAV-3, contain a novel p23 phosphoprotein in addition to phosphorylated p19 and p12. It could not be determined whether p23 phosphoprotein was cellular or viral in origin. The phosphorylation patterns did not vary with regard to other viral properties. Furthermore, the in vivo phosphorylated proteins were found to be different from the viral proteins phosphorylated in vitro by virion-associated protein kinases. It was suggested that the phosphorylation of viral proteins in vivo is a specific process.
A NEW CLASS OF FLEXIBLE ENERGETIC SALTS : THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURES OF THE AMMONIUM, LITHIUM, POTASSIUM, AND CESIUM SALTS OF DINITRAMIDE

The crystal structures of the ammonium, 1, lithium, 2, potassium, 3, and cesium, 4, salts of a new nitrogen oxy anion, N3O4-, have been determined. In 1 there are two interpenetrating three-dimensi...
Porphyrogenic effects and induction of heme oxygenase in vivo by δ-aminolevulinic acid

Abstract The effects of single large doses of the porphyrin-heme precursor ḡd-aminolevulinic acid on tissue porphyrins and on δ-aminolevulinate synthase and heme oxygenase, the rate-living enzymes of liver heme synthesis and degradation respectively, were studied in the chick embryo in ovo, in the mouse and in the rat. δ-Aminolevulinic acid treatment produced a distinctive pattern characterized by extensive tissue porphyrin accumulation and alterations in these rate-limiting enzymes in the liver. Repression of basal or allylisopropylacetamide-induced liver δ-aminolevulinate synthase was observed and, in the mouse and the rat, induction of liver heme oxygenase after δ-aminolevulinic acid treatment, in a manner similar to the known effects of hemin on these enzymes. In the chick embryo liver in ovo heme oxygenase was substantially higher than in rat and mouse liver, and was not significantly induced by δ-aminolevulinic acid or other compounds, including hemin, CS 2 and CoCl 2 . Levulinic acid, an analogue of δ-aminolevulinic acid, did not induce heme oxygenase in mouse liver. δ-Aminolevunilic acid treatment did not impair ferrochelatase activity but was associated with slight and variable decreases in liver cytochrome P -450. Treatment of chick embryos with a small ‘priming’ dose of 1,4-dihydro-3,5-dicarbethoxycollidine, which impairs liver ferrochelatase activity, accentuated porphyrin accumulation after δ-aminolevulinic acid in the liver. These observations indicate that exogenous δ-aminolevulinic acid is metabolized to porphyrins in a number of tissues and, at least in the liver, to a physiologically significant amount of heme, thereby producing an increase in the size of one or more of the heme pools that regulate both heme systhesis and degradation. It is also possible than when δ-aminolevulinic acid is markedly overproduced in vivo it may be transported to many tissues and re-enter the heme pathway and alter porphyrin-heme metabolism in cells and tissues other than those in which its overproduction primarily occurs.
Concrete can be abstract: A case study

This paper discusses the relationship between arithmetical concepts and solution procedures or methods. A case study is presented to illustrate the contention that some children with relatively sophisticated concepts express those concepts by using primitive methods. The process of distinguishing between these children and those with primitive concepts involves inferring the children's purposes, intentions, and anticipations about the results of their potential problem solving activity. The case study of the child's learning in the context of direct instruction also indicates that her awareness of the limitations of her current methods played a crucial role in her development. The generality of this analysis is then illustrated by drawing analogies from the philosophy of science and mathematics, and from an analysis of the activity of professional practitioners.