cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative activities of clarithromycin, erythromycin, and azithromycin against penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-resistant pneumococci.

Activities of clarithromycin, erythromycin, and azithromycin against 120 pneumococci from the United States were tested by agar dilution MIC. All three compounds yielded MICs at which 90% of the isolates were inhibited (MIC90S) of 128.0 micrograms/ml. All erythromycin-resistant strains were also resistant to clarithromycin and azithromycin. Clarithromycin yielded MICs which were generally one or two dilutions lower than those of the other two compounds for all strains. The respective bacteriostatic and bactericidal values (micrograms per milliliter) for two susceptible, two intermediate, and two resistant strains were 0.004 to 0.03 and 0.016 to 0.03 (0.004 to 0.03/0.016 to 0.03) (clarithromycin), 0.008 to 0.06/0.016/0.016 to 0.125 (erythromycin), and 0.016 to 0.06/0.03 to 0.125 (azithromycin); clarithromycin yielded the lowest values. All compounds were uniformly bactericidal after 24 h only; erythromycin was bactericidal at eight times the MIC, and azithromycin and clarithromycin were both bactericidal at two time the MIC. The relevance of these in vitro differences requires clarification by clinical trials.
The effect of skewness and kurtosis on the one-sample T test and the impact of knowledge of the population standard deviation

The test statistic for the t-test on one population mean is derived under the assumption that the sample was randomly chosen from a normal population and that the population standard deviation is unknown and must be estimated from the sample. However, it is clear that in practice this test is often performed on populations that are far from normal. This paper offers new insights into the effect of both skewness and kurtosis on the size (probability of a Type I error) of the one-sample t test and discusses the effect of sample size on the robustness of the test. In addition, the authors consider the impact that knowledge of the population standard deviation (or an a priori estimate believed to be sufficiently close to the true value) would have on the test.
Transmission of multiple description codes over wireless channels using channel balancing

Multiple description coding (MDC) is an error-resilient scheme for transmission over packet erasure channels. In this paper, we propose a channel-balancing scheme for the transmission of an MDC source over time-varying channels, such as wireless links. We consider a system in which there are more subchannels than the number of descriptions and the transmission rate is adapted to the channel variation. The proposed balancing scheme is based on the polynomial-time set-partitioning algorithm using the differencing method. It is shown that the proposed scheme results in a low-delay and high-throughput transmission, which is desirable for real-time multimedia content delivery over wireless channels.
An implementation of ECL data types

The data-type definition scheme in ECL is designed to furnish its users with a natural notation, in which the composition and behavior of complex objects can be readily described, and which simultaneously produces efficient underlying representations. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how these objectives are met in the implementation of ECL on Harvard's PDP-10. Section II outlines the fundamentals of data definition in ECL. For a full discussion of the ECL programming system and its language component, the reader is referred to [1], [2], or [4]; an overview of the system is presented in a companion paper by Wegbreit [5]. A complete description of ECL's data extension mechanism is given in [1] and [3]. Section III presents the main features of the implementation of the ECL data definition scheme, discusses the “mode compiler”, analyzes the internal representation chosen for data objects, and describes the efficiencies resulting from this representation. Finally, section IV deals with some of the interfaces between the data extension mechanism and the rest of the ECL system, and section V proposes some areas where further research would be useful.
The effect of concurrent semantic categorization on delayed serial recall

The influence of semantic processing on the serial ordering of items in short-term memory was explored using a novel dual-task paradigm. Participants engaged in 2 picture-judgment tasks while simultaneously performing delayed serial recall. List material varied in the presence of phonological overlap (Experiments 1 and 2) and in semantic content (concrete words in Experiment 1 and 3; nonwords in Experiments 2 and 3). Picture judgments varied in the extent to which they required accessing visual semantic information (i.e., semantic categorization and line orientation judgments). Results showed that, relative to line-orientation judgments, engaging in semantic categorization judgments increased the proportion of item-ordering errors for concrete lists but did not affect error proportions for nonword lists. Furthermore, although more ordering errors were observed for phonologically similar relative to dissimilar lists, no interactions were observed between the phonological overlap and picture-judgment task manipulations. These results demonstrate that lexical-semantic representations can affect the serial ordering of items in short-term memory. Furthermore, the dual-task paradigm provides a new method for examining when and how semantic representations affect memory performance.
Perioperative multimodality management of esophageal cancer: therapeutic or investigational?

Until relatively recently, only resection or irradiation, alone or in combination, was used to treat cancer of the esophagus. Therapeutic results were almost invariably poor. This gave the impetus to explore alternative treatment methods for this disease
Bringing the Party Back In: The ccp and the Trajectory of Market Transition in China

Abstract The article suggests a conceptual framework for understanding the logic and dynamics of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) organizational adaptation to market conditions and the consequences of this process for the trajectory and outcomes of the Chinese reform process. I define the CCP’s adaptation to market as “entrepreneurial” in nature with party cadres and agencies at different levels becoming not only oriented towards the goal of increasing local economic output and productivity but also directly involved in profit-making activities. I also argue that despite increased opportunities for rent-seeking and corruption, the CCP’s struggle for its organizational survival in the process of entrepreneurial adaptation has positively influenced the trajectory of Chinese market transition. By providing its agents powerful incentives to uphold the necessary degree of compliance with central policies, by limiting lucrative “easy avenues” for profit-seeking and value-subtracting behavior, by preventing the formation of powerful interests capable of hijacking the reform process, and by imposing painful but necessary economic rationalization measures, the party became an imperfect but crucial substitute for the lack of institutions necessary to guide the process of creating markets.
Unilateral ovariectomy increases loss of primordial follicles and is associated with increased metestrous concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone in old rats.

The primary objective of these studies was to determine whether unilateral ovariectomy (ULO) would affect rate of loss of primordial follicles. In experiment I, retired breeder rats, unilaterally ovariectomized and maintained on the experiment for 90 days after surgery, had fewer (p 0.05) before 250 days of age. Concentrations of FSH during metestrus were not greater (p > 0.05) in ULO rats than in controls until rats were 250 days old. There were also fewer (p < 0.05) growing follicles per ovary in ULO than in sham-operated rats at 250 days of age. It is concluded that ULO can increase the loss of primordial follicles, but only in old rats (as 250 days of age).
Static priority scheduling for ATM networks

Static priority scheduling is popular for traffic scheduling in ATM switches because it is less costly than dynamic priority scheduling while being sensitive to the delay constraints of connections. We study delay computation and priority assignment problems in an ATM network with static priority scheduling. Given an ATM network with arbitrary topology, it is possible that the traffic on it may become unstable (i.e., packet delays become unbounded) due to the potential cyclic dependency of the traffic. An unstable network is definitely unacceptable for many delay sensitive applications. We start by formally deriving a simple condition under which the network is guaranteed to be stable. We then develop a numerical method to compute worst case end to end delays in an ATM network with arbitrary topology. Convergence of the method is formally proved and a closed form for the computing error is obtained. Despite its advantages, static priority scheduling remains sensitive to proper priority assignment. We describe two simple priority assignment methods, which we show to outperform other commonly used methods.
Emerging Role of Combination of All- trans Retinoic Acid and Interferon-gamma as Chemoimmunotherapy in the Management of Human Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most malignant and common type of brain tumor with devastating outcome. Because current treatment modalities are mostly ineffective in controlling and curing glioblastoma, new and innovative therapeutic strategies must be developed. This article describes recent advances in chemoimmunotherapy, which is combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, against glioblastoma. We provide an overview of available treatment options for glioblastomas, gaps in our knowledge of immune recognition of these malignant tumors, and chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents that need to be further explored for designing novel chemoimmunotherapeutic strategy for the management of human glioblastomas. Our recent study demonstrated that combination of the chemotherapeutic agent all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and the immunotherapeutic agent interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) could concurrently induce differentiation, apoptotic death, and immune components in two different human glioblastoma cell lines. We propose that combination of ATRA and IFN-γ can become an efficacious chemoimmunotherapy for the treatment of human glioblastoma.
LONG-TERM VISUAL OUTCOMES IN EXTREMELY LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT CHILDREN (AN AMERICAN OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SOCIETY THESIS)

Purpose The goal is to analyze the long-term visual outcome of extremely low-birth-weight children.
Structural Estimation of the Newsvendor Model: An Application to Reserving Operating Room Time

The newsvendor model captures the trade-off faced by a decision maker that needs to place a firm bet prior to the occurrence of a random event. Previous research in operations management has mostly focused on deriving the decision that minimizes the expected mismatch costs. In contrast, we present two methods that estimate the unobservable cost parameters characterizing the mismatch cost function. We present a structural estimation framework that accounts for heterogeneity in the uncertainty faced by the newsvendor as well as in the cost parameters. We develop statistical methods that give consistent estimates of the model primitives, and derive their asymptotic distribution, which is useful to do hypothesis testing. We apply our econometric model to a hospital that balances the costs of reserving too much versus too little operating room capacity to cardiac surgery cases. Our results reveal that the hospital places more emphasis on the tangible costs of having idle capacity than on the costs of schedule overrun and long working hours for the staff. We also extend our structural models to incorporate external information on forecasting biases and mismatch costs reported by the medical literature. Our analysis suggests that overconfidence and incentive conflicts are important drivers of the frequency of schedule overruns observed in our sample.
Immunocytochemical characterization and subcellular localization of human myristoyl-CoA: protein N-myristoyltransferase in HeLa cells.

Abstract Antisera have been raised to three synthetic peptides based on the sequence of human myristoyl-CoA:proteinN-myristoyl transferase (NMT) and to the purified enzyme following its expression inEscherichia coli.These antisera have been affinity purified and shown to react both with theE. coliexpressed human NMT, and specifically with a protein of molecular weight of 63 kDa in immunoblots of the human cell line HeLa. The affinity purified antibodies have also been used to localize NMT in methanol/acetone permeabilized HeLa cells by immunofluorescent staining. The immunofluorescence showed a diffuse staining pattern throughout the cell, suggesting that the enzyme is predominantly cytosolic. This was confirmed by determining the distribution of NMT activity in different subcellular fractions of HeLa cells. Over 90% of NMT enzymatic activity was released from cell lysates during either hypotonic or isotonic homogenization. However, a small amount of enzymatic activity remained associated with cell membranes, despite extensive washing, and this was confirmed by immunoblot analysis of these membranes for NMT. In comparison, over 99.5% of lactate dehydrogenase activity was released under the same conditions, which suggests that the NMT was genuinely associated with the cell membranes. The membrane-bound enzyme behaved like a peripheral membrane protein. Permeabilization of HeLa cells with 50 μMdigitonin resulted in the release of 90–93% of lactate dehydrogenase compared to 73–85% of NMT, again suggesting that the majority of the enzyme is cytosolic, but that some may be associated with cell membranes or organelles.
Selective Effects of Alpha Interferon on Human T‐Lymphocyte Subsets during Mixed Lymphocyte Cultures

Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) cultures of human lymphocyte subsets with or without the addition of physiological doses of human alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) were compared with respect to surface marker phenotypes and proliferative capacities of the responder cells. A selective depression on the T4 (inducer) T-cell subset could be demonstrated as a sequence of events: decreased fluorescence intensity of the T4 inducer cells (day 2 of culture), decreased percentages of T4 cells as demonstrated by cell cytofluorometry (days 3-6 of culture), and decreased 3H-thymidine incorporation of purified T4 cells and decreased numbers of T4 cells harvested from IFN MLRs (days 5-6 of culture). In contrast, it was shown that the T8 (cytotoxic/suppressor) subset in MLRs was either not affected or slightly stimulated by the addition of IFN. The depression of the T4 cells by IFN was accompanied by a decrease in the number of activated T cells expressing Ia antigens. On the other hand, IFN MLRs contained greater numbers of cells expressing the T10 differentiation antigen. In experiments with purified T-cell subsets the IFN effect was exerted directly on the T4 cells and not mediated by either T8 suppressor cells or monocytes. These findings are discussed in relation to other immunoregulatory effects of IFN-alpha.
Identification of Chromosomal Shigella flexneri Genes Induced by the Eukaryotic Intracellular Environment

Upon entry into the eukaryotic cytosol, the facultative intracellular bacterium Shigella flexneri is exposed to an environment that may necessitate the expression of particular genes for it to survive and grow intracellularly. To identify genes that are induced in response to the intracellular environment, we screened a library containing fragments of the S. flexneri chromosome fused to a promoterless green fluorescent protein gene (gfp). Bacteria containing promoter fusions that had a higher level of gfp expression when S. flexneri was intracellular (in Henle cells) than when S. flexneri was extracellular (in Luria-Bertani broth) were isolated by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Nine different genes with increased expression in Henle cells were identified. Several genes (uhpT, bioA, and lysA) were involved in metabolic processes. The uhpT gene, which encoded a sugar phosphate transporter, was the most frequently isolated gene and was induced by glucose-6-phosphate in vitro. Two of the intracellularly induced genes (pstS and phoA) encode proteins involved in phosphate acquisition and were induced by phosphate limitation in vitro. Additionally, three iron-regulated genes (sufA, sitA, and fhuA) were identified. The sufA promoter was derepressed in iron-limiting media and was also induced by oxidative stress. To determine whether intracellularly induced genes are required for survival or growth in the intracellular environment, we constructed mutations in the S. flexneri uhpT and pstS genes by allelic exchange. The uhpT mutant could not use glucose-6-phosphate as a sole carbon source in vitro but exhibited normal plaque formation on Henle cell monolayers. The pstS mutant had no apparent growth defect in low-phosphate media in vitro but formed smaller plaques on Henle cell monolayers than the parent strain. Both mutants were as effective as the parent strain in inducing apoptosis in a macrophage cell line.
Saying Things: Collecting Conflicts in Eighteenth‐Century Object Literatures

The British literature of the long eighteenth century, from 1660 to 1820, represents objects as sites of complex meanings. In recording the changing culture of collecting, the various, “factual” literatures of collection – collecting catalogs, museum guides, and advertisements – present things paradoxically both as physically real objects, and as transcendent representations of identity and idea. They negotiate this paradox by descriptive and organizational modes that translate material culture into a literary theme, structure, and technique. These narratives thus embrace divergent registers of meaning: history, myth, science, religion, and personal and social valuation. This narrative practice of juxtaposing or collapsing contrary meanings informs the self-consciously “literary” devices of antithesis and of authentication by means of provenance in eighteenth-century literature.
ARSENIC TOXICITY IN CATTLE

Results indicate that in the cow, arsenic acid is absorbed and excreted rapidly in the urine. As a result, there is little storage in the tissues, and these low levels are rapidly depleted in a feed-off period and represent ''transit'' rather than true storage arsenic. Preliminary studies show that this tissue-bound arsenic is entirely in the pentavalent form, and that there is no evidence that it is partially reduced to the trivalent form. At no time was there any arsenic excreted in the milk when fed arsenic acid, sodium arsenite, or cacodylic acid. The marked difference between the metabolism of arsenic in the rat and any other animal makes it necessary to revise present concepts of arsenic compounds as cumulative poisons. 8 references, 7 tables.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Pathogenesis: Insights from Studies of Lymphoid Cells and Tissues

Although plasma virus load is invaluable for monitoring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, key pathogenesis events and most viral replication take place in lymphoid tissues. Decreases in virus load associated with therapy occur in plasma and tissues, but persistent latent infection and ongoing viral replication are evident. Many unanswered questions remain regarding mechanisms of HIV-associated lymphocyte depletion, but partial CD4(+) cell reconstitution after therapy likely reflects retrafficking from inflamed tissues, increased thymic or peripheral production, and decreased destruction. Rapid establishment of latent infection and the follicular dendritic cell-associated viral pool within lymphoid tissues suggest that only early intervention could substantially alter the natural history of HIV. If therapy is started prior to seroconversion, some individuals retain potent HIV-specific cellular immune responsiveness that is suggestive of delayed progression. Although complete virus eradication appears out of reach at present, more attention is being directed toward the prospect of boosting HIV-specific immune responses to effect another type of "clinical cure": immune-mediated virus suppression in the absence of therapy.
A kinetic model for photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants in a thin-film TiO2 catalyst

The thin-film technique is becoming a standard for the preparation of TiO2-based photocatalysts for organic degradation. The catalyst alleviates the drawback of poor settleability associated with the powder TiO2 traditionally used. In addition, the thin-film catalyst can be connected to an external power source to reduce the recombination of UV-activated electrons and holes, thereby increasing the quantum efficiency. The immobilization of TiO2 on a solid carrier as a thin-film catalyst introduces several mechanisms not normally found in conventional TiO2 slurry process. These mechanisms have been identified to include at least liquid–film transfer, adsorption, diffusion and photocatalytic reaction in a thin-film. A mathematical model was developed to incorporate these mechanisms for the photodegradation of organic molecules in a batch reactor. The model was verified using the data of 4-chlorophenol degradation obtained from the literature. The thin-film photocatalytic model was then used to investigate the effect of catalyst properties on the photodegradation of organics. The properties investigated included adsorption capacity, diffusion in the catalyst, UV attenuation and film thickness. The results of model simulation show that the effects of catalyst properties on the degradation of organics are highly nonlinear. There is an optimal film thickness that yields a maximum rate of photodegradation. The model not only provides insights into the effect of these underlying mechanisms but also can be used as a tool to assist the design of a thin-film photocatalyst.
Displaying the American genius : the electromagnetic telegraph in the wider world

Shortly after he made a working model of his electromagnetic telegraph in 1837, Samuel F. B. Morse and his associates began an intense initiative to publicize and market it to the world. At first, using the social skills he had learned during his years as a portrait painter, Morse strove to gain the support of the upper classes in Europe. He and his agents saw the physical seats of institutions such as palaces and academy lecture halls as the most desirable settings for public demonstrations of the apparatus. To win public support back at home, they made a point of politicizing the invention by presenting it as an example of American mechanical ingenuity. Their efforts to market the invention were not confined to the United States, Britain and France, but included the rest of Europe and the Near and Far East as well. The telegraph promoters, presuming an oriental fascination with magic, endeavoured to exploit potential markets in the East, particularly the Ottoman Empire and Japan, by making the most of its wondrous effects. The Sultan's palace provided a most exotic setting for display of the electromagnetic telegraph.
The Development of Centrifugal Compressor Impeller

Impeller is one of the key components of industrial centrifugal compressors and turbochargers. Aerodynamic and structure designs of the impeller are critical to the success of the whole compressor stages. The requirements for efficiency and operating range of industrial centrifugal compressors and turbochargers have been increased dramatically compared with the situation in the past. The efficiency of newly developed low-pressure ratio centrifugal compressor has reached the possible level of the machine. However, the efficiency level of intermediate and high-pressure ratio machine still have gap between the current state-of-the-art and possible level. The challenge for centrifugal compressor design is to keep the efficiency level at state-of-the-art and increase the compressor operating range. Increase of the compressor operating range without sacrificing compressor peak efficiency is difficult to achieve. The product globalization requires one product design, which can be used in all locations. In some counties, due to the technology differences, electricity frequencies variations could be 10%. Turbocharger compressors work at different rotational speeds for majority of the time. The compressor impeller rotating speeds change in certain range. The impeller rotating speed variation makes the impeller structure design more challenging. In this study, a full-3D impeller was designed to optimize impeller aerodynamic performance and structure characteristics.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Phase I trial of fixed-dose rate gemcitabine in combination with bortezomib in advanced solid tumors

Background: Bortezomib demonstrates synergism with gemcitabine via a fixed-dose rate (FDR). The aim of this phase I trial in solid tumors was to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and safety data for this combination. Patients and Methods: Twenty-nine patients with a median age of 63 (range 36-84) years and median Karnofsky Performance Status of 90 (range 60-100) were enrolled and treated with bortezomib (1.0 or 1.3 mg/m2) on days 1, 4, 8 and 11 and FDR gemcitabine (750, 1,000, or 1,250 mg/m2) on days 1 and 8 of each 21-day cycle. Response was evaluated every two cycles. Results: Dose-limiting toxicities were grade 4 thrombocytopenia and neutropenia and grade 3 liver function test abnormalities. The MTD was bortezomib 1 mg/m2 and FDR gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m2. The median number of cycles delivered was 3 (range 1-28). There was one partial response and six cases of stable disease. The median duration of response was 8.5 (range 3-20) months. Conclusion: FDR gemcitabine and bortezomib combination can be delivered effectively with acceptable toxicity. Bortezomib (Velcade®; PS-341, LDP 341, MLN341) is a small molecule proteasome inhibitor approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of refractory multiple myeloma (1). By inhibiting a single molecular target, the proteasome, bortezomib affects multiple signaling pathways that involve several distinct mechanisms, i.e. inhibition of cell growth and survival, induction of apoptosis genes, and suppression of cellular adhesion,
Effect of the objective on optimal controls for a system describing tumor anti-angiogenesis

Anti-angiogenic therapy is a novel treatment approach for cancer that aims at preventing a tumor from developing its own network of blood vessels that it needs for its supply of nutrients and thus indirectly inhibits the growth of the tumor. In this note a mathematical model for anti-angiogenic treatment is considered as a 3- dimensional optimal control problem with the aim of minimizing a convex combination of tumor volume and endothelial support. The latter represents a measure for the size of the tumor's vasculature. The results are com- pared with the solutions for the problem when only the tumor volume is minimized.
Pink Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): Nightly and Seasonal Activity Patterns of Male Moths as Measured in Gossyplure-Baited Traps

The time of response of pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), to gossyplure-baited traps (1:1 ratio of Z, Z and Z, E isomers of 7,11-hexadecadienyl acetate) was studied throughout the cotton growing season near Phoenix, Ariz. First capture means were 2213 hours (early season), 0108 hours (midseason), and 1726 hours (late season) (all times are given for Mountain Time). Similar relationships were observed in the time of peak and last capture means through the season except that they occurred later in the night. Temperature affected the time of capture; higher temperatures resulted in later captures and lower temperatures resulted in earlier captures. Regression models showed that the time of capture was predictable with the independent variables, time of sunset and temperature, accounting for 88 to 95% of the variation in time of capture. Maximum and minimum temperature thresholds for trap capture were 30.3 and 12.3°C
A Three-Dimensional Quantitative Analysis on Information Capability

The quantitative analysis on information capability is of a great significance to scientifically understand information superiority and information domination. In this paper, the author compares the perceptual situation and battlefield situation, omits the complexity of information collection, procession and distribution, then makes a three-dimensional quantitative analysis on information capability, superiority and domination after a scientific definition. A mathematic model is set up with properties of completeness, accuracy and timeliness, which forms the information capability in three dimensions, and its value is between 0 and 1. With the model, a quantitative analysis on information superiority and information domination can be made.
171 THE EFFECT OF MATERNAL ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ON RATE OF INFECTION IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES

Background Alcohol abuse during pregnancy remains a significant public-health problem. Data from the Georgia Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System suggest that 39% to 46% of women drink one or more alcoholic beverages in the 3 months immediately prior to pregnancy and as many as 13% of women drink during their third trimester. Recent reports have shown that as many as 35% of premature newborns are exposed to alcohol in utero. Hypothesis We hypothesize that in utero alcohol exposure increases the risk of infection in the premature newborn. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of maternal alcohol consumption on the risk of sepsis in low birth weight infants ( Methods We administered a Maternal Lifestyle Survey to the Mothers of infants Summary of Results Thus far 21 babies have been enrolled in the study. Of these, 11 (52%) were alcohol exposed in utero. Alcohol consumption ranged from 1 to 3 drinks a week in the first trimester. None of the alcohol or non-alcohol drinking mothers reported using any other drugs of abuse during their pregnancy. The birth weight (nonexposed 1065 ± 208 g vs exposed 1090 ± 212 g) and gestational age (nonexposed 28 ± 1.27 wks vs exposed 29.2 ± 2.1 wks) were similar between the groups. The alcohol exposed babies had > 3 times as many positive blood cultures that the non-alcohol exposed babies (nonexposed 7% (2 of 29) vs exposed 25% (14 of 55). Chi-square test showed p value = NS. Conclusions Our data show a high rate of alcohol consumption among pregnant women who delivered at GMH. This is consistent with rates of alcohol use in the state of Georgia. Although preliminary, this study suggests that alcohol increases the risk of premature babies to infection. Further prospective investigation into the effects of in utero alcohol exposure on the risk of neonatal infection is warranted.
Same-sex marriage, conscientious objection and an ambushed Pope

G. Michael Fenner, the James L. Koley ’54 Professor of Constitutional Law, writes about the United States Supreme Court decision of Obergefell v. Hodges, and the swing vote provided by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Fenner also addresses the legal issues surrounding the conscientious objection by Rowan County (Ky.) clerk Kim Davis and her meeting with Pope Francis.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Infected Mesenchymal Stem Cells Regulate Immunity via Interferon Beta and Indoleamine-2,3-Dioxygenase

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been reported to infect human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) but the consequences are poorly understood. MSCs are present in nearly every organ including the nasal mucosa and the lung and play a role in regulating immune responses and mediating tissue repair. We sought to determine whether RSV infection of MSCs enhances their immune regulatory functions and contributes to RSV-associated lung disease. RSV was shown to replicate in human MSCs by fluorescence microscopy, plaque assay, and expression of RSV transcripts. RSV-infected MSCs showed differentially altered expression of cytokines and chemokines such as IL-1β, IL6, IL-8 and SDF-1 compared to epithelial cells. Notably, RSV-infected MSCs exhibited significantly increased expression of IFN-β (~100-fold) and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) (~70-fold) than in mock-infected MSCs. IDO was identified in cytosolic protein of infected cells by Western blots and enzymatic activity was detected by tryptophan catabolism assay. Treatment of PBMCs with culture supernatants from RSV-infected MSCs reduced their proliferation in a dose dependent manner. This effect on PBMC activation was reversed by treatment of MSCs with the IDO inhibitors 1-methyltryptophan and vitamin K3 during RSV infection, a result we confirmed by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of IDO in MSCs. Neutralizing IFN-β prevented IDO expression and activity. Treatment of MSCs with an endosomal TLR inhibitor, as well as a specific inhibitor of the TLR3/dsRNA complex, prevented IFN-β and IDO expression. Together, these results suggest that RSV infection of MSCs alters their immune regulatory function by upregulating IFN-β and IDO, affecting immune cell proliferation, which may account for the lack of protective RSV immunity and for chronicity of RSV-associated lung diseases such as asthma and COPD.
Photons in Fock space and beyond (3 volumes), by Reinhard Honegger and Alfred Rieckers

One may reasonably ask what is to be gained by the introduction of a 3-volume, 2300+ page treatise about light. As it happens, quite a bit. As indicated by the title, the subject of this book (the ...
Atrial fibrillation in heart failure: steady progress but still a long way to go.

Management of atrial tachyarrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation (AF), in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) remains a major challenge. It is widely recognized that CHF promotes AF and that AF worsens CHF. An individual with either condition who develops the other has higher morbidity and poorer prognosis. The prevalence of AF and CHF is expected to increase as the population ages. Therefore, it remains just as likely as it was more than a decade ago that the emerging epidemic of AF and CHF will continue to be both a challenge and an opportunity. Article p 93 Current antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) for AF prevention in patients with CHF remain unsatisfactory, with limited efficacy and considerable potential for adverse effects. Preliminary results from a large trial examining whether a rhythm-control strategy is superior to a rate-control strategy in patients with AF and CHF do not suggest a benefit in cardiovascular mortality rate, CHF, or stroke by attempting to maintain sinus rhythm with current AAD therapy (primarily amiodarone).1 Newer nonpharmacological therapies, including pulmonary vein (PV) isolation and cardiac resynchronization therapy, are generating considerable interest; however, their rates of efficacy in patients with AF and CHF have not been established definitively. Thus, continued progress toward an enhanced understanding of upstream mechanisms that promote AF and contractile dysfunction in CHF and development of innovative therapeutic approaches based on fundamental, mechanistic insights is of paramount importance. In this context, the study by Yeh et al2 in this issue of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology provides important new insights into the role of atrial calcium dysregulation in promoting atrial arrhythmias and contractile dysfunction in the CHF substrate. This report comes from the Nattel laboratory, which has been a major driving force in improving our understanding of arrhythmogenic mechanisms in a variety of AF substrates, including CHF. …
Clinical Use of Opioid Antagonists in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence

The opiate system is one of a few brain neurotransmitter systems implicated in alcohol reward and reinforcement. Alterations in this system might underlie risk for the development of alcoholism. However, most germane to this chapter is the use of opiate receptor antagonist drugs as medications to treat alcohol dependence. Accumulating evidence from both basic and clinical studies points to the efficacious use of drugs such as naltrexone and nalmefene in both reducing heavy drinking and preventing relapse. Studies in mice, rats, nonhuman primates, and man all provide support for the ability of these agents to reduce alcohol consumption.
A directional (103)Pd brachytherapy device: Dosimetric characterization and practical aspects for clinical use.

Abstract Purpose A brachytherapy (BT) device has been developed with shielding to provide directional BT for preferentially irradiating malignancies while sparing healthy tissues. The CivaSheet is a flexible low-dose-rate BT device containing CivaDots with 103Pd shielded by a thin Au disk. This is the first report of a clinical dosimetric characterization of the CivaSheet device. Methods and Materials Radiation dose distributions near a CivaDot were estimated using the MCNP6 radiation transport code. CivaSheet arrays were also modeled to evaluate the dose superposition principle for treatment planning. The resultant data were commissioned in a treatment planning system (TPS) (VariSeed 9.0), and the accuracy of the dose superposition principle was evaluated for summing individual elements comprising a planar CivaSheet. Results The dose-rate constant (0.579 cGy/h/U) was lower than for 103Pd seeds due to Au L-shell x-rays increasing the air-kerma strength. Radial dose function values at 0.1, 0.5, 2, 5, and 10 cm were 1.884, 1.344, 0.558, 0.088, and 0.0046, respectively. The two-dimensional anisotropy function exhibited dramatic reduction between the forward (0°) and rearward (180°) directions by a factor of 276 at r = 0.1 cm, 24 at r = 1 cm, and 5.3 at r = 10 cm. This effect diminished due to increasingly scattered radiation. The largest gradient in the two-dimensional anisotropy function was in contact with the device at 92° due to the Au disk shielding. TPS commissioning and dose superposition accuracies were typically within 2%. Conclusions Simulations of the CivaDot yielded comprehensive dosimetry parameters that were entered into a TPS and deemed acceptable for clinical use. Dosimetry measurements of the CivaSheet are also of interest to the BT community.
Dilemmas of race, register, and inequality in South Africa

There is strong evidence that legacies of Apartheid remain in place in South Africa's education system, entangling economic inequality, racial categorization, and de facto language hierarchy. This study draws from an ethnographic study of language diversity in a Cape Town public school, focusing on how classroom practices regulate and school staff frame language diversity and social inequality among their pupils. It uses the concepts of language register, sociolinguistic scale, and racialization to analyze how education policy, classroom practices, and school discourses about language in South Africa implicate class and racial hierarchies. It shows how register analysis reveals multi-scaled connections between linguistic and social inequality. (Language registers, education, social inequality, South Africa)*
SUSY Flavor Problem

Supersymmetric theories double the known particle spectrum. The additional particles, scalar quarks and scalar leptons, are strongly constrained by flavor physics. In this chapter we discuss the SUSY flavor problem, i.e. the constraints on the scalar spectrum coming from Flavor Changing Neutral Current [FCNC] processes and CP violation. We show that the data prefers a minimal flavor violation [MFV] scheme for supersymmetry breaking. We then discuss.
Metaplastic progression free survival compared to triple negative breast cancer, a retrospective analysis.

e12552Background: Metaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a histologically diverse sub-type of invasive breast cancer accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancers. MBC are often triple negative (TN...
Pharmacokinetics of Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have developed in the last two decades into the backbone of pharmacotherapeutic interventions in a variety of indications, with currently more than 40 mAbs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, and several dozens more in clinical development. This tutorial will review major drug disposition processes relevant for mAbs, and will highlight product-specific and patient-specific factors that modulate their pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior and need to be considered for successful clinical therapy.
Flower visitor communities are similar on remnant and reconstructed tallgrass prairies despite forb community differences

One common goal of habitat restoration and reconstruction is to reinstate the biodiversity found at intact reference sites. However, few researchers have examined whether these practices reinstate communities of flower-visiting insects. This is unfortunate, as anthropogenically mediated declines in flower visitors, including bees (the primary pollinators for most terrestrial ecosystems), beetles, flies, and butterflies, have been reported worldwide. Biodiversity declines may be especially severe in North America's tallgrass prairie, a once-vast grassland that has experienced severe destruction and degradation due to agricultural conversion. As such, we assessed the structure of forb and flower-visiting insect communities as a whole and two subsets of the flower visitor community—bees and phytophagous beetles—across five tallgrass prairie remnants and five reconstructed prairies (former crop fields) in Kansas from 2013 to 2015. Remnant prairies had significantly higher forb diversity and differed significantly in forb composition, compared to reconstructed prairies. Despite the dissimilarities in forb community structure, there were no differences in flower visitor diversity or abundance between remnants and reconstructed prairies. However, when considered separately, bee communities exhibited significantly greater variability in composition on reconstructed prairies, likely due to the abundance of generalist bee species visiting non-native legumes at two reconstructed prairies. Our work provides evidence that prairie habitat reconstruction is a valuable tool for reestablishing flower-visiting insect communities and also emphasizes the considerable role that non-native species may play in structuring grassland plant–bee interactions.
On the Relationship Between Wind, SST, and the Thermocline in the Seychelles–Chagos Thermocline Ridge

This letter investigates the relationship between wind, sea surface temperature (SST), and thermocline in the Seychelles–Chagos Thermocline Ridge (SCTR, 5°S–10°S, 50°E–80°E) using a combination of satellite data and a reanalysis version of the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model from 1993 to 2012. The asymmetry of this relationship during positive and negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events and the impacts on the SST—thermocline depth (represented by the 20 °C isotherm depth, D20) relationship—are examined. On interannual timescales, an asymmetric relation between SST and zonal wind stress causes a strengthening of easterlies that enhances anticyclonic wind stress curl and local Ekman downwelling, which in turn deepens the D20 and increases the heat content during positive IOD (PIOD) events. In contrast, during negative IOD (NIOD) events, the winds reverse to be westerlies and cause a three times greater impact on remotely generated upwelling Rossby waves. Subsequently, these asymmetric relations cause an asymmetric D20–SST feedback in the SCTR such that a shoaling D20 is ~2.5 times more effective at lowering SST during NIOD events than a deepening D20 is at raising the SST during PIOD events. The changes to D20 are observed to extend into the year following IOD events, persisting into the end of the year following a PIOD event (due to stronger asymmetric reinforcing effects of warm SST anomalies on zonal wind anomalies) but only to May–June of the year following NIOD events.
Tax Solutions to Patent Damages

The calculation of patent damages lies at the epicenter of patent policy, yet it remains one of the most contentious issues in all of intellectual property law. The dominant legal framework equates a reasonable royalty, the most prevalent patent damage award, to a hypothetical negotiation between the parties at the time infringement began. Commentators and courts generally agree that existing comparable patent licenses, which represent arms’-length transaction between two unrelated private parties that places a monetary value on the patent, are highly probative in determining a reasonable royalty. The lack of publicly available licensing data, however, limits the ability of courts to identity appropriate comparable licenses. In this paper, we argue that there is a large untapped trove of information on existing patent licensing agreements, many of which are likely more probative to reasonable royalty calculation than currently existing licensing data offered by patent damage experts. This novel source of data is tax-related “transfer prices.”
Holocene sedimentation on the distal Amazon Fan/Demerara Abyssal Plain

Abstract We have studied the rock magnetic characteristics of 31 multicores and 7 gravity cores from deep-sea sediments of the distal Amazon Fan and Demerara Abyssal Plain. This study has permitted us to delineate the space/time pattern of Holocene physical sedimentation along the northeastern margin of South America associated with the Amazon River sediment plume. The rock magnetic variability is correlatable over the entire study region. This degree of correlation has permitted us to develop a composite picture of Holocene rock magnetic (and overall physical clastic) sedimentation. 26 radiocarbon dates have been combined with the rock magnetic correlations to provide a composite Holocene chronostratigraphy for that variability. We have built isopach maps of overall sedimentation for three windows in the Holocene (3000, 4500, and 7000 calendar years BP). The overall sedimentation in the center of our region is ~5 cm/kyr. But, sedimentation rates are faster closer to the coastline and associated with the distal clastic flux from the Amazon Plume. There is a secondary high in sediment accumulation under the North Brazil Current retroflection. Our maps suggest that the retroflection has been active at the millennial scale for at least the last 7000 years. We estimate that the mid-Holocene (~4.5–9000 calendar years BP) pattern of sedimentation was distinctly different from that of the last few thousand years. The clastic sediments were ~25% reduced in concentration (with the biogenic sediments similarly increased by ~25%), they were finer–grained, and significantly less rich in ferric iron phases (hematite/goethite). We think these three covarying clastic parameters are due to an interval of reduced clastic flux from the Amazon River Plume with a reduced proportion of Amazon Basin sediments (as opposed to Andes-derived sediments). We hypothesize this was due to significantly drier Amazon Basin environmental conditions during that time interval.
An Update of Findings Regarding Vigilance and a Reconsideration of Underlying Mechanisms

The effects of numerous display, task, and organismic variables known to influence monitoring behaviors are reviewed, and the principal models or theories to explain such behaviors are assessed in light of the empirical findings. The current status of vigilance theories in the mid-1970s is summarized as follows: (1) Recent research, like previous research, has failed to confirm any one theory exclusively, (2) the data available continue to cast doubt on the prospect of any current theories being able to account adequately for all established vigilance phenomena, (3) the differentiation of “cortical arousal” may provide a basis for a useful advance in an arousal-theory explanation of some monitoring phenomena, especially as related to certain brain-wave activities, and (4) other factors not encompassed by any of the theories are known to affect vigilance, some of them to appreciable extents.