cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cough and wheeze events are temporally associated with increased pain in individuals with sickle cell disease without asthma

Human clinical studies and murine models suggest that pulmonary inflammation is an intrinsic component of sickle cell disease (SCD) (Field et al, 2011, Morris et al, 2003, Nandedkar et al, 2008, Pawar et al, 2008, Pritchard et al, 2012, Pritchard et al, 2004) and a growing body of retrospective and cross-sectional studies demonstrates that symptoms, such as cough or wheeze, often occur without asthma and are associated with increased SCD complications (pain, acute chest syndrome and death) (Cohen et al, 2011, Field et al, 2011, Glassberg et al, 2012). To better understand the incidence of respiratory symptoms over time, and to identify the percentage of individuals without asthma who could potentially benefit from pulmonary-anti-inflammatory therapy, we conducted a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of individuals with SCD who do not have asthma.
A method for removing interleukin-1- and tumor necrosis factor-inducing substances from bacterial cultures by ultrafiltration with polysulfone

The ability of human mononuclear cells (MNC) to produce cytokines is a highly sensitive and biologically relevant test system for the presence of microbial products. The safety of parenteral fluids is presently determined by gelation of the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) to endotoxin. In the present study, crude bacterial culture supernatants from Escherichia coli were subjected to ultrafiltration using polysulfone and the ultrafiltrates were tested for their ability to stimulate human MNC. Total interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) produced by MNC were measured by radioimmunoassay. Endotoxin-like substances in E. coli cultures are rejected by a factor of at least 100,000. Rejection takes place by molecular size exclusion and by absorption. The sensitivity of the LAL and MNC cytokine production were comparable. These studies demonstrate a wide margin of safety for the production of parenteral fluids using ultrafiltration for endotoxin-containing materials.
The 5th ACM hotplanet workshop keynote speaker: smartphones, crowds, and the cloud: population guided sensing systems

Sensor-enabled smartphones are creating new application domains and transforming existing ones -- from mobile health to quantified-self, mobile sensing is radically changing the way we collect and mine information about people's activities, contexts, and social networks. A number of challenges stand in the way of delivering mobile sensing to the masses. For example, how do we develop mobile sensing systems that are capable of dealing with population diversity at scale; more specifically, how can conventional approaches to classifying high-level human behavior cope with the level of diversity among users (e.g., demographics, behavioral patterns, and lifestyle) and contexts found in large-scale systems.Over the last few years I have been spearheading the development of population guided sensing systems. These systems are designed to have a deep understanding of both individual and group behaviors and utilize this information to create symbiotic relationships between users and systems. In this talk, I will present two key ideas that can help scale mobile sensing systems from 100s of people to potentially 100s of millions based on population guided sensing. The first idea, Community Similarity Networks (CSN), is an activity recognition framework that incorporates inter-person similarity measurements into the classifier training process. CSN exploits crowdsourced sensor data to personalize classifiers with data contributed from other similar users. Second, I will discuss CrowdSense@Place (CSP), which combines crowd labeling and data collection with a series of multi-modal classifiers to link place visits to place categories (e.g., shopping, gym, and restaurant). These techniques combine to move mobile sensing forward: nailing it before we scale it.
Green: a pedagogically customizable round-tripping UML class diagram Eclipse plug-in

UML class diagrams are used quite commonly in CS1-CS2 courses and textbooks. The benefits of using these diagrams include providing a programming-language independent way of communicating program design, in an industry standard language. While drawing diagrams by hand is in itself useful, beginning students do not always perceive the benefit of designing before coding, and create these diagrams only if they have to, and then only as an afterthought.We have found that students are much more receptive to using UML class diagrams as an integral part of their development if they see immediate benefits from doing so. This paper describes Green, a simple to use yet flexible and extensible UML class diagramming tool. Green (an Eclipse plug-in) provides complete round-tripping between code and class diagram. This capability makes it easy for students to alternate between a detailed code-level view and a more abstract design view of their projects. With this capability students see creating class diagrams not as a separate and tedious activity, but as an easy way to turn designs into code and to discover the design of existing code.Green's distinguishing features when compared to similar tools are that it has been developed to meet the needs of CS1-CS2 students, the semantics of its relationships are customizable, additional class relationships can be defined and it is integrated with Eclipse, a mature development environment.
Free will from the viewpoint of teleological behaviorism.

A teleological and behavioral view is presented of the concept of free will. Free will is not something people essentially have or do not have. Instead, the following question is asked: Why does society find it useful to label some actions free and some actions not free? It is argued that the function of such labels is to aid in assigning responsibility to people for their actions. Responsibility in turn is useful in assigning rewards and punishments. The sort of actions that are typically seen as free are the same as those seen as self-controlled. Such actions are responsive to environmental contingencies of relatively wide temporal extent. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Control pathways of the 67 kDa laminin binding protein: surface expression and activity of a new ligand binding domain.

A number of papers have been published on the clinical correlation of the expression of the 67 kDa laminin binding protein (LBP) with the metastatic potential of solid tumors. Both mRNA and protein expression levels have been reported, but both the relationship between them and the molecular nature of the 67 kDa surface product remain unclear. We have utilized a homotypic overexpression system to investigate the cell surface presentation of the 67 kDa LBP and the contribution of this protein to the invasive phenotype of cultured cell lines. We report here that the cellular mRNA levels do not directly reflect the levels of the 67 kDa LBP observed on the cell surface in this overexpression system. Methotrexate amplification of transfected plasmids expressing the 67 kDa LBP leads to an initial elevation of both the LBP mRNA and surface protein levels. This is accompanied by an altered, more flattened, cell morphology. Later, apparent adaptation of the cells to methotrexate is accompanied by a down-regulation of the surface expression of the protein. mRNA levels, however, remain elevated. A nine amino acid sequence, CDPGYIGSR (peptide 11), within the β chain of laminin 1 has been identified as a probable binding domain for the 67 kDa LBP. Previous studies have identified a region of the 67 kDa LBP which may be involved in laminin interaction, although not necessarily via the peptide 11 domain. We have identified a second site within the amino acid coding sequence of the 67 kDa LBP which also shows biological activity both in vitro and in vivo. A peptide with this sequence, LBP residues 205-229, binds laminin-1 in a peptide 11 inhibitable manner. The receptor-derived peptide modulates invasion of basement membrane matrix in vitro and inhibits experimental lung colony formation when injected along with B16BL6 mouse melanoma cells. However, pretreatment of the melanoma cells with the peptide enhances lung colony formation. Thus, the interaction of the 67 kDa LBP with basement membrane matrix appears to involve a complex series of events including multiple adhesive sites and tight regulation of cell surface expression.
High Order Multiphoton Processes Observed With Subpicosecond Excimer Lasers

A subpicosecond excimer laser source with 30 GW peak power has been developed. The interaction mechanism at a laser intensity of up to 1016 W/cm2 has been studied using ion and electron time of flight techniques.
Parametric study of sand production prediction: analytical approach.

Une analyse des donnees contraintes/deformations est utilisee pour determiner la stabilite du puits. Le role de la pression du puits et du gradient local de pression autour du puits est etudie lors de la production de sable
Defect clustering in copper, silver and aluminum during heavy-ion irradiations at low temperatures

Abstract Point defect clustering during heavy-ion irradiation at low temperature was investigated in copper, silver, and aluminum using electrical-resistivity measurements. Clustering effects were studied by determining the average recombination volume per Frenkel defect, V, as a function of defect concentration. Within single unoverlapped displacement cascades, the clustering increased with increased energy density in the cascades. For Ar-irradiated aluminum no clustering was observed in individual cascades, whereas for Kr-irradiated silver V was deduced to be V 0.2 Vo, where Vo is the value of V for unclustered defects. Clustering was observed for all ion-target combinations at sufficiently high dose. For copper and silver at high doses, a regime was reached in which additional irradiation increased the Frenkel defect number N without increasing the total recombination volume N V. Defect clustering in copper and silver during isochronal annealing of damage produced by 150-keV proton irradiation was inve...
Correlation transfer for integrate and fire models with finite postsynaptic potentials

Correlations between the spiking activity of neurons have implications for coding and the dynamical behavior of neuronal networks [1-3]. A fundamental problem in the study of correlations in neuronal networks is that of correlation transfer: given neurons receiving correlated inputs, what is the correlation between their output spike trains? Earlier analytical approaches have addressed this question by modeling subthreshold activity as a continuous diffusion process [4-7]. Such models are obtained in the limit of a large number of inputs with infinitesimal postsynaptic response amplitudes. We address the problem of correlation transfer for models with finite postsynaptic responses. We use random walk models to derive analytical results, then verify these results with current and conductance based leaky integrate-and-fire models. This approach yields intuitive insights into the mechanisms of correlation transfer in a variety of settings. We first investigate correlation transfer for the simple and analytically tractable perfect integrate-and-fire (PIF) model, which approximates more realistic models in drift dominated regimes. We find that the PIF model preserves correlations perfectly under very general assumptions. We then extend the PIF model in order to consider the effects of synaptic noise and recurrent coupling on correlation transfer in drift dominated regimes. We also derive an analytical expression to explain and quantify the reduction of correlations in fluctuation dominated regimes. We then use an analytically tractable leaky random walk model to explore the implications of this expression.
Automatic document navigation for digital content remastering

This paper presents a novel method of automatically adding navigation capabilities to re-mastered electronic books. We first analyze the need for a generic and robust system to automatically construct navigation links into re-mastered books. We then introduce the core algorithm based on text matching for building the links. The proposed method utilizes the tree-structured dictionary and directional graph of the table of contents to efficiently conduct the text matching. Information fusion further increases the robustness of the algorithm. The experimental results on the MIT Press digital library project are discussed and the key functional features of the system are illustrated. We have also investigated how the quality of the OCR engine affects the linking algorithm. In addition, the analogy between this work and Web link mining has been pointed out.
Enzyme Function of the Globin Dehaloperoxidase from Amphitrite ornata Is Activated by Substrate Binding

Amphitrite ornata dehaloperoxidase (DHP) is a heme enzyme with a globin structure, which is capable of oxidizing para-halogenated phenols to the corresponding quinones. Cloning, high-level expression, and purification of recombinant DHP are described. Recombinant DHP was assayed by stopped-flow experiments for its ability to oxidatively debrominate 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP). The enzymatic activity of the ferric form of recombinant DHP is intermediate between that of a typical peroxidase (horseradish peroxidase) and a typical globin (horse heart myoglobin). The present study shows that, unlike other known peroxidases, DHP activity requires the addition of substrate, TBP, prior to the cosubstrate, peroxide. The presence of a substrate-binding site in DHP is consistent with a two-electron oxidation mechanism and an obligatory order for activation of the enzyme by addition of the substrate prior to the cosubstrate.
Reactive nitrogen in Asian continental outflow over the western Pacific: Results from the NASA Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE‐P) airborne mission

We present here results for reactive nitrogen species measured aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific TRACE-P) mission. The large-scale distributions total reactive nitrogen (NO(sub y,sum) = NO + NO2 + HNO3 + PAN + C(sub 1)-C(sub 5) alkyl nitrates) and O3 and CO were better defined in the boundary layer with significant degradation of the relationships as altitude increased. Typically, NO(sub y,sum) was enhanced over background levels of approx.260 pptv by 20-to-30-fold. The ratio C2H2/CO had values of 1-4 at altitudes up to 10 km and as far eastward as 150degE, implying significant vertical mixing of air parcels followed by rapid advection across the Pacific. Analysis air parcels originating from five principal Asian source regions showed that HNO3 and PAN dominated NO(sub y,sum). Correlations of NO(sub y,sum) with C2Cl4 (urban tracer) were not well defined in any of the source regions, and they were only slightly better with CH3Cl (biomass tracer). Air parcels over the western Pacific contained a complex mixture of emission sources that are not easily resolvable as shown by analysis of the Shanghai mega-city plume. It contained an intricate mixture of pollution emissions and exhibited the highest mixing ratios of NO(sub y,sum) species observed during TRACE-P. Comparison of tropospheric chemistry between the earlier PEM-West B mission and the recent TRACE-P data showed that in the boundary layer significant increases in the mixing ratios of NO(sub y,sum)species have occurred, but the middle and upper troposphere seems to have been affected minimally by increasing emissions on the Asian continent over the last 7 years.
Unresolved Tensions in Sociocultural Theory: Analogies with Contemporary Sociological Debates

Socioculturalists are divided on two of the foundational theoretical claims of the paradigm: a process ontologyof the social world; and the inseparabilityof the individual and the group. A process ontology holds that only processes are real; entities, structures or patterns are ephemeral and do not really exist. Inseparability is the claim that the individual and the social cannot be methodologically or ontologically distinguished. To clarify the different stances toward these claims held by socioculturalists, I draw on the contemporary sociological debate between Anthony Giddens and Margaret Archer. Giddens’ structuration theory holds to a process ontology and to inseparability, while Archer’s emergentist theory rejects both. I borrow the terms of this debate to clarify the tensions among several prominent socioculturalists, including Cole, Lave and Wenger, Rogoff, Shweder, Valsiner, and Wertsch. I argue that a strong form of inseparability is theoretically problematic and empirically untenable, and I co...
Reduction of central nervous system reperfusion injury in rabbits using doxycycline treatment

Activated leukocytes appear to potentiate central nervous system reperfusion injury, and agents that block leukocyte adhesion have shown neuroprotective efficacy in experimental models. Doxycycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, inhibits leukocyte function in vitro, presumably through divalent cation binding. We used a model of focal central nervous system reperfusion injury to determine the efficacy of doxycycline treatment in preserving neurological function. Rabbits randomly received 10 mg/kg i.v. doxycycline 30 minutes before ischemia (pretreatment group) or 45 minutes after ischemia (posttreatment group) or received phosphate-buffered saline vehicle (control group) followed by 10 mg/kg q 8 hours times two. The average length of reversible spinal cord ischemia required to produce paraplegia (P50) at 18 hours was calculated for each group. For the control group (n = 13), the P50 was 22.8 +/- 2.2 minutes; for the pretreatment group (n = 14), 35.5 +/- 2.4 minutes (P < .01; t = 3.8); and for the posttreatment group (n = 13), 31.4 +/- 4.2 minutes (not significant; t = 1.6). Doxycycline also attenuated postischemic decreases in vivo leukocyte counts and inhibited in vitro leukocyte adhesion. Therapeutic doxycycline levels at 24 hours were confirmed in the plasma and spinal cord. This significant protective effect suggests that doxycycline, a safe and readily available agent, may play a role in reducing clinical central nervous system reperfusion injury.
New Thinking and New Foreign Policy Under Gorbachev

New thinking (novoye myshleniye) is the foreign policy component of Gorbachev's systemic reforms, which include the more familiar perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness). These three elements of reform are integral and mutually supportive: new thinking in foreign policy contributes to the restructuring of the Soviet economy, and domestic economic reform and political openness influence the implementation and direction of Soviet foreign policy. Therefore, new thinking in foreign policy must be understood in the larger context of Mikhail Gorbachev's vision of the Soviet future, rather than merely as a revision of certain aspects of Soviet international behavior.As with perestroika and glasnost, Gorbachev has had a difficult time translating “new thinking” into new policy. Internal political resistance, systemic inertia, and ideological obstacles have hampered the implementation of all Gorbachev's reforms, but the implementation of “new thinking” in foreign policy has encountered the additional obstacle of a skeptical international audience that must be convinced by Soviet deeds that new thinking is more than declaratory policy. The problem for Gorbachev is that he must simultaneously convince the world that his new thinking is, in fact, “new,” and his comrades that new thinking is consistent with the fundamental principles of Marxism-Leninism.After four years in power, Gorbachev is beginning to face the ideological, political, and economic inconsistencies and contradictions of perestroika, glasnost, and new thinking. It is now clear, for example, that perestroika of the economy will not result from bureaucratic restructuring but must include a fundamental change in the role of the market in pricing, allocation, and production decisions.
Assessing the nitrous oxide mole fraction of soils from perennial biofuel and corn-soybean fields

Abstract Little is known about how long-term biofuel production might alter soil nitrogen (N) gas emissions. We conducted a laboratory incubation of surface soils (0–16 cm) from perennial biofuel trial plots (established 2002) at sites in Northern (Dekalb, Mollisols), Central (Urbana, Mollisols), and Southern (Dixon Springs, Alfisols) Illinois, USA. Soils from unfertilized plots of Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) were compared to fertilized corn–soybean plots during early spring and again in mid-summer. Fresh soils were packed into jars at a bulk density of 1.2 g cm−3 and adjusted to a water-filled pore space of 85%. We added about 10 mg NO3-N kg−1 dry soil in each sample, incubated for 24 h, and collected gas samples at 0, 1, 2, and 4 h to measure production of N2O and N2 using a C2H2 inhibition technique, which allowed calculation of the N2O mole fraction (N2O:(N2O + N2)). The mean N2O mole fraction (MF) was significantly higher for the cropped plot (0.83 and 0.99) than that for Miscanthus (0.48 and 0.31) and switchgrass (0.45 and 0.22) plots at the Southern site in spring and summer, respectively. There were no significant differences in N2O MF among treatment plots for the Central and Northern sites. Exchangeable soil nitrate concentrations best explained the N2O MFs for all treatments in both seasons, and production of perennial biofuel feedstock crops did not exhibit an apparent influence on N2O MFs. It appeared that soil type combined with fertilizer additions were the major factors controlling the MF of N2O in our fields, and was much more important than the crop grown or any new soil C added.
Population growth and technological change in a global warming model

Global warming (GW) is now recognized as a significant threat to sustainable development on an international scale. After providing some introductory background material, we introduce a benchmark dynamic game within which to study the GW problem. The model allows for population growth and is subsequently generalized to allow for changes in technology. In each case, a benchmark “Business as Usual” (BAU) equilibrium is analyzed and contrasted with the efficient solution. Furthermore, a complete characterization is provided in the benchmark model of the entire subgame perfect equilibrium value correspondence.
Kinetics of milk coagulation: I. The kinetics of kappa casein hydrolysis in the presence of enzyme deactivation.

The kinetics of the primary phase of the enzymatic coagulation of milk, i.e., kappa-casein hydrolysis, was investigated in the presence and in the absence of concurrent enzyme deactivation processes. For conditions under which the enzyme is stable, the rate of hydrolysis can be described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics, as has been reported by previous investigators. A mathematical model, experimental data, and parameter estimates are provided for kappa-casein hydrolysis in the presence of concurrent deactivation of enzyme. The model accurately describes the experimental results when porcine pepsin was used as the renneting enzyme. The model and the experimental results indicate that samples of milk treated under conditions where deactivation of enzyme is significant can have fractional conversions of kappa-casein ranging from zero to unity and yet contain no active enzyme at the termination of the treatment.
Comparison of retinyl ester hydrolase activities in bovine liver and retinal pigment epithelium

Various properties of retinyl ester hydrolysis in the liver and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) have been studied, yet the relationship between the retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activities in these tissues of the same species is not known. In the present study, REH activities in bovine liver and RPE microsomes were compared to explore potential biochemical relationships of retinyl ester metabolism in these tissues. Rates of [3H]all-trans retinyl palmitate hydrolysis by liver and RPE were comparable (i.e., Vmaxapp approximately 300 pmol/min per mg; K(m)app approximately 30 microM), while hydrolysis of [3H]11-cis retinyl palmitate by RPE was significantly higher (Vmaxapp = 1,667 pmol/min per mg). When equimolar amounts (10 microM) of either [14C]triolein or unlabeled 11-cis retinyl palmitate were added to [3H]all-trans REH assays, all-trans REH activities in liver and RPE demonstrated similar time-dependent inhibition profiles. In contrast, hydrolysis of [3H]11-cis retinyl palmitate by RPE was relatively unaffected by addition of either [14C]triolein or unlabeled all-trans retinyl palmitate. Additionally, modification of the microsomal proteins with N-ethylmaleimide produced profound, dose-dependent alterations in K(m)app values for all-trans retinyl ester hydrolysis, whereas K(m)app for 11-cis REH in the RPE was not significantly altered. These results have elucidated common biochemical features of all-trans retinyl ester hydrolysis in liver and RPE. In contrast, hydrolysis of 11-cis retinyl ester in RPE is characterized by a distinctive substrate preference and unique biochemical properties.
Phonological Skills in Predominantly English-Speaking, Predominantly Spanish-Speaking, and Spanish-English Bilingual Children

Purpose: There is a paucity of information detailing the phonological skills of Spanish-English bilingual children and comparing that information to information concerning the phonological skills o...
Synthesis of Phosphonium Salts of Mixed Chloro-Bromo Metallate Complexes1

Abstract The syntheses of chloro, bromo, and mixed chloro-bromo metallate complexes of a variety of transition metals [Co(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Pd(II), Cd(II), Pt(II), Au(III), Hg(II)] as their phosphonium salts are described. The phosphonium ions employed included [(RCO) (R′CO) CH (CH2)2P(C6H5)3]+ (R= R′=\pi; R=CH3, R′=\pi), [RCOCH2PR3′]+ (R=R′=\pi; R=\pi, R′=n-butyl; R=CH3, R′=\pi; R= CH3, R′=n-butyl), and [NCCH2P(C6H5)3]+. The functioning of the phosphonium ions as non-coordinated counterions is supported by conductivity, near and far infrared, visible-ultraviolet, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance data.
Improved Radioenzymatic Assay for Spectinomycin

The sensitivity and reproducibility of the radioenzymatic adenylylating assay for spectinomycin were improved by modifications of the assay procedure and by partial purification of the enzyme. The presence of Bacillus subtilis ribosomes or S-150 fraction in the enzymatic reaction mixture interfered with the ability to measure spectinomycin by this method.
Generating OCL specifications and class diagrams from use cases: a Newtonian approach

The universal adoption of UML for object-oriented modeling notwithstanding, a major impediment for UML 1.4 is the lack of seamless integration between the different models and the inadequate support for diagram interchange. In this paper we propose a process generating formal object-oriented specifications in OCL and class diagrams from the use case model of a system through a clearly defined sequence of model transformations. The algebraic invariant of values exchanged in a use case guides the derivation of state machine descriptions for the actors and counter-actors, collectively called agents of the use case. The use case specification is obtained as the composition of the agents' state machines. We present an algorithm for converting a narrative use case specification to a set of OCL expressions and/or class diagrams. The proposed approach fills the gap between the outside behavioral system description as offered by use cases and the "first cut" at software architecture, the analysis level class model.
What do I need to know about immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis

Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is the most common acquired systemic amyloidoses. Its presentation is often insidious and progressive, which may delay diagnosis. The interval between first symptoms and actual diagnosis along the intrinsic heterogeneity of tissue tropism create a wide spectrum of presentations, both in terms of scope and depth of symptoms and signs and functional status of patients. In this review, the authors review the pathogenesis, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of AL amyloidosis along with the prognosis and state-of-the-art management for patients with this affliction.
CYSTM, a novel cysteine-rich transmembrane module with a role in stress tolerance across eukaryotes

Using sensitive sequence profile analysis, we identify a hitherto uncharacterized cysteine-rich, transmembrane (TM) module, CYSTM, found in a wide range of tail-anchored membrane proteins across eukaryotes. This superfamily includes Schizosaccharomyces Uvi15, Arabidopsis PCC1, Digtaria CDT1 and Saccharomyces proteins YDL012C and YDR210W, which have all been implicated in resistance/response to stress or pathogens. Based on the pattern of conserved cysteines and data from different chemical genetics studies, we suggest that CYSTM proteins might have critical role in responding to deleterious compounds at the plasma membrane via chelation or redox-based mechanisms. Thus, CYSTM proteins are likely to be part of a novel cellular protective mechanism that is widely active in eukaryotes, including humans. Contact: aravind@ncbi.nih.gov Supplementary Information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Diverse C–C Bond-Forming Reactions of Bis(carbene)platinum(II) Complexes

The platinum(0) complex Pt(PPh_3)_4 catalyzes coupling of the carbene ligands of (CO)_5Cr{C(OMe)(p-MeOC_6H_4)} (1). The stable bis(carbene)platinum(II) complexes Cl_2Pt{C(OMe)(Me)}_2 (3), Br_2Pt{C(OMe)(Me)}_2 (4), and Cl_2Pt{C(O^iPr)(Me)}_2 (5) can be induced to undergo C–C coupling reactions by several means. Reduction of 3–5 to platinum(0) with cobaltocene results in formation of internal olefins, (E/Z)-2,3-dimethoxybut-2-ene (6) or (E/Z)-2,3-diisopropoxybut-2-ene (7). Reaction of 3–5 with PPh3 yields terminal olefins, 2,3-dimethoxybut-1-ene (13) or 2,3-diisopropoxybut-1-ene (15), along with Cl_2Pt(PPh_3)_2 (12) or Br_2Pt(PPh_3)_2 (14). In contrast, addition of pyridine to 3–5 does not effect C–C coupling; instead, the acyl complexes cis-Cl(py)Pt(COMe){C(OMe)(Me)} (8), cis-Br(py)Pt(COMe){C(OMe)(Me)} (9), and cis-Cl(py)Pt(COMe){C(O^iPr)(Me)} (10) are obtained, with concomitant formation of alkyl halide. Possible mechanistic pathways for C–C bond formation are discussed, as well as explanations for the different reactivities observed for pyridine and PPh_3.
Autoimmune or Autoiflammatory? Bad to the Bone.

Inflammatory arthritis is a joint disease characterized by leukocyte invasion and synoviocyte activation followed by cartilage and bone destruction. There are multiple types of inflammatory arthritis including the most common, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Variable etiologies contribute to the pathogenesis of these diseases, and at large, remain poorly understood.
Response to Letter Regarding Article, “Does Body Mass Index Impact on the Relationship Between Systolic Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease? Meta-Analysis of 419 488 Individuals From the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration”

Response: We were pleased to read that Drs Lin, Jaiteh, and Han1 read our article2 with great interest. However, we fail to see how our work could provide any real evidence for the postulated lower death rate in obese populations with established vascular disease. Our article suggests that blood pressure has slightly less effect on …
A high data rate satellite design for the National Research and Education Network

A future National Research and Education Network (NREN) is planned to integrate all of the US research networks. A geostationary communications satellite is investigated for use with the NREN in a satellite-only configuration. Both conventional and advanced satellite designs are examined, and user costs are derived for both government and commercial system operation. The resulting costs are compared with the costs for an equivalent terrestrial network.
When Does Repression Work? Collective Action in Social Networks

Empirical studies reach conflicting conclusions about the effect of repression on collective action. Extant theories cannot explain this variation in the efficacy of repression, in part because they do not account for the way in which social networks condition how individual behavior is aggregated into population levels of participation. Using a model in which the population is heterogeneous in interests and social influence, I demonstrate that the extent to which repression reduces participation, and the extent to which an angry backlash against repression increases participation, depends critically on the structure of the social network in place; this implies the need for greater empirical attention to network structure. To facilitate the model’s empirical application, I focus on broad qualitative network types that require comparatively little data to identify and provide heuristics for how one might use qualitative network data to derive quantitative hypotheses on expected aggregate participation levels.
Response of Two Low-Density Populations of Peromyscus Leucopus to Increased Food Availability

Studies of food supplementation in small mammals often result in significant increases in population density. These numerical responses to increased food availability may interact with other variables, such as predation, territoriality, and emigration, to limit population size. In this study, the demography of Peromyscus leucopus was compared between an oak wood undergoing a high mast year and a reference wood. At a smaller spatial scale, replicated plots were supplemented with rodent chow in an attempt to reproduce patterns occurring at the larger woodlot scale. Some of the food supplemented plots also had predators excluded to test for interactions between top–down and bottom–up effects. Very low-densities of P. leucopus responded numerically to increased food availability. Results for a relatively large “natural” experiment and a more controlled manipulative experiment were similar. In both cases, the increase in numbers was primarily the result of immigration, not reproduction. Increased food availability in the spring resulted in earlier reproduction but a decline in numbers—probably because of territorial defense. The food supplementation led to increased predator activity and decreased survivorship of the prey. This resulted in a rapid turnover of individuals and a significant predator × food interaction.
Immune-mediated diseases: from theory to therapy. 10-15 September 2007, Moscow, Russia.

The second international Immune-Mediated Diseases congress attracted more than 1700 participants – mainly physicians, researchers and practitioners – representing 36 countries. The meeting comprised a series of plenary sessions and symposia that were designed to expose the newest developments in the field of immune-mediated diseases. Attention at the meeting was focused on the areas of tumor immunology, allergy, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, inflammation, infectious diseases, transplantation, and the monitoring of immune status in patients. This report highlights presentations related to novel therapeutic modalities and immunotherapy.
Optical Imaging of Drug-Induced Metabolism Changes in Murine and Human Pancreatic Cancer Organoids Reveals Heterogeneous Drug Response.

Primary tissue–derived organoids are an attractive platform for studying disease progression, invasion, and drug response.1–3 Primary ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) organoids have the same protein and genetic abnormalities as malignant disease2 and better replicate tumor behaviors than 2-dimensional cultures of cells. In addition, hundreds to thousands of organoids can be generated from a single tissue biopsy, which allows for high-throughput screening of organoid behaviors in response to perturbations. Therefore, organoids provide a relevant system for testing drug response for individualized treatment planning and novel drug discovery. Optical imaging is well suited for imaging organoids due to its high spatial resolution, functional contrast, and depth of imaging. Optical metabolic imaging (OMI) is a novel, nondestructive method of imaging and quantifying drug-induced changes in cellular metabolism.3–5 Optical metabolic imaging probes the autofluorescence intensity and lifetime of NAD(P)H and FAD for robust detection of cellular metabolic states. The OMI end point, the optical redox ratio, is the fluorescence intensity of NAD(P)H divided by the intensity of FAD and measures the redox state of the cell.6,7 The fluorescence lifetime is the time a fluorophore remains in the excited state and is altered by protein conformation changes, proximity to quenchers, and preferred protein binding. A comprehensive analysis of cellular metabolism can be obtained by probing NAD(P)H and FAD fluorescence intensity and lifetime.4 Furthermore, OMI is well suited for evaluating heterogeneous drug response due to its single-cell resolution and high sensitivity to changes in cellular metabolism. The OMI index, a composite end point of NAD(P)H and FAD fluorescence properties, was developed to directly correlate metabolism changes with drug response. The OMI index is a linear combination of mean-centered optical redox ratio, NAD(P)H fluorescence lifetime, and FAD fluorescence lifetime data, computed for each cell within a data set. The OMI index allows comparison of metabolic states across experimental groups, with significant decreases in OMI index indicating drug response.3 In this study, the OMI index is evaluated as a robust and highly sensitive biomarker for drug response in PDAC organoids, derived from both primary murine and human tumors.
Abstract 4871: Photoreactive stapled peptides to capture cancer proteins and define their sites of interaction

Protein interactions mediate the pathologic cellular activities that contribute to the development, maintenance, and recurrence of cancer. Whether fleeting or stable, homeostatic or aberrant, protein partnerships and their sites of contact form the basis for discovery of biological pathways, disease mechanisms, and opportunities for therapeutic intervention. When the biological activity of cancer-causing proteins is assigned to discrete structural subdomains, their mode of action, menu of protein targets, and explicit sites of target engagement are frequently unknown. Ideally, the evolutionarily honed substructures could be used to capture and thereby catalogue their protein targets; however, out of context from the whole protein, bioactive subdomains often unfold, resulting in loss of biological shape, potency, and specificity. In an effort to reclaim the enormous capacity of structured peptides to selectively bind and capture their protein targets, we combined peptide alpha-helix stabilization, photoaffinity labeling, proteomic analysis, and structure calculation to generate a new strategy for both (1) expanding our grasp of the static and dynamic alpha-helical interactome of cancer proteins and (2) localizing and targeting alpha-helix/protein interaction sites. We piloted our approach using photoreactive stabilized alpha-helices of BCL-2 domains or pSAHBs and demonstrate that they serve as high fidelity research tools capable of efficiently, selectively, and irreversibly crosslinking both static and dynamic protein targets for proteomic and mechanistic analyses. In addition, the compounds were applied to rapidly and correctly locate protein interaction sites on the anti-apoptotic targets BCL-XL and BCL-w. A unique and compelling feature of this approach is the ability to conduct rigorous validation studies for the identified targets and their sites of interaction. Because stapled peptides can penetrate intact cells and access their intracellular targets, stapled peptide derivatives of the very reagents used for covalent capture can be applied to vet and potentially drug the cancer-causing interactions in vivo. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4871. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4871
Evaluation of vaccination of horses as a strategy to control equine monocytic ehrlichiosis.

Objective To determine whether preferentially vaccinated horses were at risk for exposure to Ehrlichia risticii, whether horses with equine monocytic ehrlichiosis (EME) were likely to have been nonvaccinated, and whether clinical severity and financial costs associated with care and treatment of EME were less for vaccinated horses with EME than for nonvaccinated horses with EME. Design Cross-sectional and case-control studies. Procedure Information on usage of E risticii bacterins to control EME was collected for 2,587 horses located on 511 farms throughout New York. Each horse was tested for serum antibodies directed against E risticii. Data on efficacy of vaccination to reduce the prevalence and clinical severity of EME and monetary losses associated with EME were collected from 68 horses with EME and 132 clinically normal horses. Results A correlation was not detected between the county seropositive proportion and the proportion of horses vaccinated against EME. Among horses diagnosed for EME, median date of diagnosis was not delayed for vaccinated horses, compared with that for nonvaccinated horses. Mean cost per case was not significantly different for nonvaccinated horses, compared with that for vaccinated horses ($ 1,082 and $ 1,001, respectively). Vaccination was not associated with a reduction in prevalence or in severity of EME-related clinical signs. Clinical implications Administering killed E risticii bacterin once a year to control EME in New York appears to have limited success. Among horses in which EME was diagnosed, severity of illness and financial costs attributable to EME were indistinguishable for vaccinated and nonvaccinated horses.
The Decline of an Economy

As shown in Chapter 2, the World Bank, the premier international agency lending to African countries, developed in the 1980s a standard explanation for poor economic performance which it applied generally to the countries of the SSA region. In this analysis, external shocks to the sub-Saharan countries enter as secondary effects, with the primary cause of economic decline resulting from poor economic policy (‘mismanagement’) and especially unwise investment decisions. This characterization of a sub-continent’s problems is not a strawman created by the critics of the Bank, but an argument repeated again and again with great force in official documents.
Introduction: A Continent in Transition

Africa was the last battle ground of colonial ambition, of the cold war, and today finds itself inching towards being a new battle ground for what has been described as the “war on terror.” Behind the shadow of these phenomena that dominate headlines and histories were African activists who fought for liberation and democratization. While independence would come first, a major breakthrough in democratization came at the end of the cold war, when Africa was ridding itself of a swarm of communist, capitalist, nationalist, and apartheid dictatorships, and the call for democracy had become more audible than ever before. This shift was partly induced, on one hand, by the inability of the falling communist bloc and the loss of Western incentive to sustain dictatorships. On the other hand, a uniquely African call for democracy, a call that had been silenced by cold war politics, was once again resurfacing. A combination of these factors led Africa to glide onto what has been dubbed the “third wave” of democratic transition (Huntington, 1991). The same call also resonates behind the recent wave of revolution and transition that hit North Africa.
Short-term Suicide Risk After Psychiatric Hospital Discharge

Importance Although psychiatric inpatients are recognized to be at increased risk for suicide immediately after hospital discharge, little is known about the extent to which their short-term suicide risk varies across groups with major psychiatric disorders. Objective To describe the risk for suicide during the 90 days after hospital discharge for adults with first-listed diagnoses of depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and other mental disorders in relation to inpatients with diagnoses of nonmental disorders and the general population. Design, Setting, and Participants This national retrospective longitudinal cohort included inpatients aged 18 to 64 years in the Medicaid program who were discharged with a first-listed diagnosis of a mental disorder (depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and other mental disorder) and a 10% random sample of inpatients with diagnoses of nonmental disorders. The cohort included 770 643 adults in the mental disorder cohort, 1 090 551 adults in the nonmental disorder cohort, and 370 deaths from suicide from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2007. Data were analyzed from March 5, 2015, to June 6, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Suicide rates per 100 000 person-years were determined for each study group during the 90 days after hospital discharge and the demographically matched US general population. Adjusted hazard ratios (ARHs) of short-term suicide after hospital discharge were also estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression models. Information on suicide as a cause of death was obtained from the National Death Index. Results In the overall population of 1 861 194 adults (27% men; 73% women; mean [SD] age, 35.4 [13.1] years), suicide rates for the cohorts with depressive disorder (235.1 per 100 000 person-years), bipolar disorder (216.0 per 100 000 person-years), schizophrenia (168.3 per 100 000 person-years), substance use disorder (116.5 per 100 000 person-years), and other mental disorders (160.4 per 100 000 person-years) were substantially higher than corresponding rates for the cohort with nonmental disorders (11.6 per 100 000 person-years) or the US general population (14.2 per 100 000 person-years). Among the cohort with mental disorders, AHRs of suicide were associated with inpatient diagnosis of depressive disorder (AHR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4-2.8; reference cohort, substance use disorder), an outpatient diagnosis of schizophrenia (AHR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.2), an outpatient diagnosis of bipolar disorder (AHR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.1), and an absence of any outpatient health care in the 6 months preceding hospital admission (AHR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.5). Conclusions and Relevance After psychiatric hospital discharge, adults with complex psychopathologic disorders with prominent depressive features, especially patients who are not tied into a system of health care, appear to have a particularly high short-term risk for suicide.
Brokering communication in sacred spaces: Bilingual youth interpreters in religious settings

Although research on 'language brokering' has grown steadily over the past two decades, the specific characteristics and challenges of this type of interpretation work have yet to be fully explored. The present analysis examines the specific practices involved when bilingual youth interpret in religious services. Although underexplored in the language-brokering scholarship, religious services present a novel and revalatory context for the examination of non-professional interpretation practices. Framed through a discourse-analytic lens, this analysis explores how two youths demonstrate problem-solving skills and linguistic expertise in the interpretation process. I argue that the problem-solving activity in which the youth are participating is multifaceted and collaborative, and that the youth themselves must necessarily exercise great skill to solve each problem. I then position this analysis within the broader scholarship on language brokering and demonstrate how these practices expand our knowledge regarding the linguistic abilities of bilingual youth.