cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Neonatal Axoplasmic Transport Attenuation in the Infraorbital Nerve on Vibrissae‐related Patterns in the Rat's Brainstem, Thalamus and Cortex

This study evaluated the effects of neonatal attenuation of axoplasmic transport in the infraorbital nerve (ION) on the organization of vibrissae-related patterns in the rat's CNS. Application of colchicine- or vinblastine- impregnated implants to the ION from birth until postnatal day (P)6 to P10 resulted in a 92.4% reduction in the number of trigeminal (V) ganglion cells labelled by application of horseradish peroxidase to the vibrissa pad and a 44.8% decrease in the number of Nissl-stained ganglion cells in the ophthalamic-maxillary portion of the V ganglion. These implants also decreased the number of myelinated fibres in the ION. In normal rats killed on P6-10, there was an average of 10273 +/- 1259 myelinated axons in the nerve. In the animals with colchicine- or vinblastine-treated implants, this value was 3891 +/- 1965. The highest axon count in an experimental animal was 9859. In all animals, axoplasmic transport attenuation resulted in the disappearance of normal vibrissae-related cytochrome oxidase patterns in the brainstem, thalamus and primary somatosensory cortex. Axoplasmic transport attenuation did not result in the disappearance of vibrissae-related ordering of V primary afferent terminal arbors, as demonstrated by anterograde labelling with neurobiotin. These results suggest that some factor conveyed from the periphery of the V ganglion and perhaps on to the brainstem is necessary for the maintenance of vibrissae-related patterns in the thalamus and cortex.
Two-Dimensional Contact and Noncontact Micromanipulation in Liquid Using an Untethered Mobile Magnetic Microrobot

This paper presents the manipulation of microspheres under water by use of an untethered electromagnetically actuated magnetic microrobot (Mag-muBot), with dimensions 250 times 130 times 100 mum3. Manipulation is achieved by two means: contact and noncontact pushing modes. In contact manipulation, the Mag-muBot is used to physically push the microspheres. In noncontact manipulation, the fluid flow generated by the translation of the Mag-muBot is used to push the microspheres. Modeling of the system is performed, taking into account micrometer-scale surface forces and fluid drag effects to determine the motion of a sphere within a robot-generated fluid flow. Fluid drag models for free-stream flow and formulations for near-wall flow are both analyzed and compared with the experiments, in which pushing of two sphere sizes, i.e., 50 and 230 mum diameters, is characterized in a controlled, robot-generated flow. Dynamic simulations are provided using the developed physical models to capture this behavior. We find that the near-wall physical models are, in general, in agreement with the experiment, and free-stream models overestimate microsphere motion.
Cost-effectiveness of laparoscopy in children.

Background Laparoscopy may offer fast recovery and improved cosmesis, but its cost has been perceived as excessive. Objective To analyze the total hospital costs of laparoscopy vs open surgery. Design Retrospective cost-effectiveness analysis evaluating all cases performed in a 36-month period (September 1995 to August 1998). Cases were evaluated for operative time, itemized cost of supplies, and length of hospitalization. Setting Operations performed by pediatric surgeons in a tertiary care children's hospital. Patients Consecutive children undergoing laparoscopic or open appendectomies, cholecystectomies, fundoplications, and splenectomies. Patients were not randomized to laparoscopy or open surgery. Interventions Laparoscopic procedures performed with a core set of reusable equipment and a limited number of disposable instruments. Main Outcome Measures Cost surplus of laparoscopy was evaluated, and compared with savings associated with decreased hospital stay, to obtain cost-effectiveness of laparoscopy per procedure. Results There were 26 laparoscopic and 359 open appendectomies; 33 laparoscopic and 3 open cholecystectomies; 16 laparoscopic and 18 open fundoplications; and 16 laparoscopic and 7 open splenectomies. Excess operating costs per procedure were $442.00 for appendectomy, $634.60 for fundoplication, $847.50 for cholecystectomy, and $1551.30 for splenectomy. Hospital stay was decreased for all laparoscopies, resulting in an overall savings per laparoscopic procedure of $2369.90 for appendectomy, $5390.90 for fundoplication, $1161.00 for cholecystectomy, and $858.90 for splenectomy. Conclusions Laparoscopy is cost-effective, particularly for fundoplication, appendectomy, and cholecystectomy. Detailing the costs of supplies, operating time, and length of stay allows interinstitutional comparison and critical cost-analysis of laparoscopy. With a more selective use of reusable instruments and further shortening of operative time, the global savings of laparoscopy may increase.
A Tale of Two Middle Schools: The Differences in Structure and Instruction

In this exploration of school improvement work, two teachers at two schools worked hard to improve literacy achievement, but the performance at only one of the schools resulted in significant growth. By spending time observing classrooms and interacting with students, the authors believe that two factors made the difference: school structures and instructional procedures. The more successful school used time to their advantage and agreed to specific content literacy strategies that were used across the school day to develop students' thinking skills.
Coenzyme Q10 effects on creatine kinase activity and mood in geriatric bipolar depression.

Introduction: Despite the prevalence, associated comorbidities, and functional consequences of bipolar depression (BPD), underlying disease mechanisms remain unclear. Published studies of individua...
Transition-aware real-time task scheduling for reconfigurable embedded systems

Due to increase in demand for reconfigurability in embedded systems, real-time task scheduling is challenged by non-negligible reconfiguration overheads. If such overheads are not considered, tasks may not be schedulable under given deadlines, and hence, affecting the quality of service. We introduce the problem of real-time periodic task scheduling under transition overhead on heterogeneous reconfigurable systems. We formulate the problem as a network flow problem and provide a mixed integer linear programming solution. We compare our proposed solution with optimal scheduling under maximum fixed transition overhead. We deployed our method on task scheduling for multiple communication protocols on reconfigurable FPGA-like systems. Results show that our proposed scheduling improves the task schedulability by 24.2% in comparison with non-preemptive EDF and by 17.5% in comparison with maximum-transition-overhead scheduling.
Paratransgenic Control of Leishmaniasis: New Developments

Leishmaniasis is a devastating neglected tropical disease caused by approximately 20 different species of Leishmania parasites. These obligate intercellular protozoa are spread naturally to humans by female phlebotomine sand flies of the genus Phlebotomus (Old World) or Lutzomyia (New World). Depending on the infecting parasite and the innate host-immune response, the clinical manifestation of leishmaniasis ranges from cutaneous ulcerations to system infections. It is therefore not surprising that treatment of leishmaniasis varies greatly with the type of disease (cutaneous, mucosal, or visceral). Currently, no vaccines are available for any form of leishmaniasis, and control of disease has focused largely on vector eradication through pesticide use. The Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) Elimination Initiative was launched in the 2005 between the governments of India, Nepal and Bangladesh and the WHO. The aim of this initiative is to reduce annual VL incidence in this region to below 1/10,000 inhabitance by 2015. Despite some early success, recent reports are now citing difficulties in sustaining prolonged spraying campaigns and emerging public concerns regarding insecticide use and environmental toxicity. Further, new populations of sand flies in these endemic regions in India have now gained resistance to DDT. For these reasons, alternative and integrative vector control strategies are needed to reach the VL elimination target date in 2015.
Howard Fox, MD, founding father, American Academy of Dermatology: a historical tribute on the 50th anniversary of his death.

I n 2004, the memory of Howard Fox, MD (18731954) was honored on the 50th anniversary of his death (Fig 1). The 50th Annual Howard Fox, MD Memorial Lecture of the New York Academy of Medicine was given with distinction by Professor Giuseppe Micali, MD, in its historic building on Fifth Avenue opposite Central Park on Manhattan’s ‘‘Museum Mile’’ (Fig 2). It is appropriate that we review the life of Howard Fox, MD, who was professor and head of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine for 13 years (19251938), the founding father and first president of the American Academy of Dermatology (1938), the first president of the American Board of Dermatology (serving from 1932 through 1945), and Editor-inChief of the Archives of Dermatology from 1937 through 1947. Howard Fox was born in London, England, on July 4, 1873, the son of prominent American dermatologist George Henry Fox, who was, at that time, pursuing three years of postgraduate study in dermatology in the United Kingdom. Howard Fox earned an undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1894 and an MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1898. He interned at the J. Hood Wright Hospital (Knickerbocker Hospital) in New York between 1900 and 1902, and then studied dermatology for 18 months in Paris, Berlin, and Vienna. He began at the New York Skin and Cancer Hospital, on his father’s service, and as an assistant in dermatology at his alma mater in its Vanderbilt Clinic. In 1913, he was selected as professor of dermatology at the
Immigrant Entrepreneurs: The Face of the New Nashville

This paper examines the remarkable growth of the foreign-born population in Middle Tennessee over the past couple of decades and the significant role that immigrant entrepreneurs are playing in the economic development of the region. The largest segment of the foreign-born is Hispanic, with Mexico accounting for the greatest percentage, and sizeable numbers of Kurds, Somalis, Sudanese, and Laotians. The Chinese and Indian communities are prominent in business. At the same time, the issue of illegal immigration is working its way to the top of the legislative agenda in the U.S. Congress, making it all the more important for us to document this phenomenon. Middle Tennessee, comprising the greater Nashville metropolitan area, is now home to thousands of new residents from around the world, earning it the sobriquet as one of the nation’s New Ellis Islands. Since the 1970s research has confirmed the important contribution that the small business sector is making to the U.S. economy, accounting for a large portion of job creation and innovation. Richard Herman and Robert Smith, in their recent book entitled Immigrant, Inc., make the case that immigrant entrepreneurs are driving the new American economy and will save the American worker. The paper draws upon research conducted by faculty and graduate students in the College of Business at Tennessee State University during 2008-2009. With funding from the Tennessee Board of Regents, a College of Business team conducted a series of focus groups, face to face interviews, and an extensive questionnaire in the fall of 2008 and spring of 2009. On three occasions the TSU team hosted public forums in which the results of the survey were shared with those participating in it as well as public officials responsible for economic and community development. Team members relied upon the intermediary services of immigrant chambers of commerce and other community organizations with ties to foreign-born business owners. In the course of the survey the Metro Nashville government conducted a referendum on a proposal to require an English Only amendment on public documents. The Mayor’s Office and Nashville Chamber of Commerce lobbied against the amendment, which was roundly defeated. But it was a coalition of immigrant groups that rallied against the amendment, bringing them together in a common cause that made the difference. There is reason to believe that a New Nashville is taking form and finding its voice.
Trisomy eight in ES cells is a common potential problem in gene targeting and interferes with germ line transmission

The ability to contribute to the germ line is the most important experimental feature of embryonic stem (ES) cells. Using ES cells, it is possible to introduce targeted mutations into any gene and to derive the corresponding mutant mice. A common problem with this technology is that the ES cells often lack or have only a low efficiency of germ line transmission. To address this issue, we examined the relationship between the growth rate and karyotype of ES cells, and their ability to contribute to the germ line. We found that chromosomal abnormalities occurred rather frequently in ES cells. Cells having an abnormal number of chromosomes, in particular trisomy 8, were found in three independently derived ES cell lines, and this abnormality conferred a selective growth advantage on these cells. Selection of abnormal cells led to depletion and eventual loss of normal ES cells during consecutive passages. In comparison with parental ES cells, ES cells with trisomy 8 contributed rarely to the germ line. This realization allowed us to select, based upon ES cell clone morphology, those clones with the highest probability of contributing to the germ line. This insight is of practical value for any given gene targeting experiment as it permits optimization of the rate of success without having to rely on more elaborate tests such as karyotyping individual clones prior to blastocyst injection.
INCEST AND RESISTANCE: PATTERNS OF FATHER-DAUGHTER INCEST, 1880-1930*

Incest as a form of family violence appeared in 10 percent of case records of Boston child-protection agencies between 1880 and 1930. These were overwhelmingly (98 percent) cases of father-daughter incest, and they shared a common pattern: the family relations made the girl victims into second wives, taking over many of the roles and functions of mothers, including housework, child care, and sexual relations with their father. Despite their apparent obedience and acquiescence in their incestuous families, many of these girls actively sought escape from the family, loitering on the streets where a powerful neighborhood peer culture and their low self-esteem made them easily exploitable. This sex-delinquent behavior was a form of resistance to, even rebellion against, the canons of feminine acquiescence and domesticity which had allowed them to be victimized in the first place.
The Job Selection Process: A Conceptual Rapprochement of Labor Turnover and Occupational Choice

The perspectives and research data on labor turnover and occupational choice have not been integrated meaningfully. In fact, each area has tended to develop independent of the other. Essentially, each job entrance and each job e-xit has been treated as a unique occurrence, and not as part of a work history. This paper suggests and integrates several concepts which make it possible for the phenomena considered by labor turnover and occupational choice to be treated as aspects of a larger process of job selection.
Composition of Gum Turpentine of Pines. XXIV A Report on Two Asiatic Pines: Pinus armandi and P. bungeana

Composition of the total oil of P.armandi, both light (82% of the total) and heavy (18%) is approximately as follows: /- and dl-a-piaeae, 44%; /-camphene, 2%; /-/3-pinene, 4%; /-limonene, 17-18%; n-undecane, 1%; /-bornyl acetate, 6.5%; a bicyclic sesquiterpene, bi2, 116-118°, 3.5%; a bicyclic sesquiterpene related to cadalene, 9%; “albicaulol,” 1.5%; cembrene, 4.5%; a diterpene which gave a maleic anhydride adduct, 1%; pot residue and loss, 6%. P.bungeana turpentine is of a very simple composition: 60-65% d- and P.bungeana, thus, differs very much from that of P.armandi. It also differs from P.gerardiana in almost complete absence of sesquiterpenes, and in its /3-pinene being levorotatory.
Multiple Risks, Emotion Regulation Skill, and Cortisol in Low-Income African American Youth: A Prospective Study

Associations between multiple risks, emotion regulation skill, and basal cortisol levels were examined in a community sample of 69 African American youth (mean age = 11.30 years; 49% male) living in an urban setting. Multiple risks were assessed at Time 1 and consisted of 10 demographic and psychosocial risk factors including parent, child, and observer reports. Parents rated the child's emotion regulation skill at Time 2, 6 months later. Three saliva samples were collected one morning in the week following the Time 2 interview and assayed for cortisol, a stress hormone. Regression results indicated that multiple risks at Time 1 were associated with depressed cortisol levels at Time 2, but that patterns of association differed across levels of emotion regulation skill and sex. Youth with good emotion regulation skills showed no differences in cortisol across low and high levels of risk. In contrast, females with poor emotion regulation skill showed strong negative associations between multiple risks and b...
Noise in Stock Returns as Natural Experiments: Forward- and Backward-Looking Market-Betas, Momentum, and Reversals

Market-beta, momentum, and 1-month-reversal are statistics computed from historical stock-returns. However, when a stock has experienced unusually noisy rates of return (e.g., a rare extreme stock return), ignoring this noise should yield a better estimate of the future statistic than the actual historical statistic. The standard method to do this, at least in the context of market-betas, is Stein shrinkage (vasicek:1973). Our paper exploits the wedge between the two statistics: If investors care about the forward-looking aspect of a measure, then it is the shrunk statistic that should predict future stock returns. If investors care about the backward-looking "characteristics" aspect of a measure, then it is the unshrunk actual historical statistic that should predict future stock returns. We find: [1] Market-beta contains a backward-looking aspect that has a negative influence on future stock returns. This distorts the positive signal in the forward-looking (likely hedging-related) aspect of market-beta. [2] 2-to-13 month momentum is principally a forward-looking effect. [3] The 1-month return reversal effect arises principally from some backward-looking characteristic.
Pathologic fracture a poor prognostic factor in osteosarcoma: Misleading conclusions from meta-analyses?

Abstract Aim Recently published meta-analyses have concluded that pathologic fracture is a negative prognostic factor in osteosarcoma. But several confounding variables were not accounted for in the index studies, thereby compromising internal validity. Methods A multivariable survival analysis of a retrospective cohort of 131 patients with conventional, high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremity long bones treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgical resection was performed. Results There were no significant differences in clinicopathologic variables between the 21 patients who suffered pathologic fracture and the 110 patients who did not in standard bivariable statistical tests. Hazard ratios for decreased overall and disease-free survival of patients with pathologic fracture failed to reach statistical significance in univariable Cox proportional hazard regression. Furthermore, pathologic fracture did not significantly affect patient outcome (hazard ratio for overall survival, 1.15 [95% CI 0.56–2.38], P = 0.71 or disease-free survival, 1.01 [95% CI 0.53–1.91], P = 0.98) after controlling for confounding factors not accounted for in prior meta-analyses, such as tumor size, chemotherapy response, and proximal tumor location. Conclusions Pathologic fracture is not a significant prognostic factor for extremity osteosarcoma after controlling for other established prognostic factors. Although a useful statistical method, meta-analysis can generate false conclusions if important confounding factors are ignored. Analysis of individual patient data, which would require collaboration among different groups, would circumvent this limitation of meta-analysis.
Family practice residents' decision making regarding future practice of obstetrics.

BACKGROUND This study assesses the attitudes of family practice residents toward their future practice of obstetrics. The decline of family practice obstetrics has resulted in problems of access to care for many areas. METHODS Questionnaires were sent to 30 family practice residency programs and were distributed to 353 2nd- and 3rd-year residents; the overall response rate was 85 percent. Respondents were asked to describe factors contributing to their decision whether to practice obstetrics. RESULTS Seventy-two percent of the respondents indicated plans for future obstetrics practice. Reasons for choosing to practice obstetrics included personal interest, believing that obstetrics is an important part of family health care, and desire for diversity in practice. Primary concerns included interference with personal life, fear of lawsuits, and insurance premiums. Those deciding not to practice obstetrics cited interference with personal or professional life and desire for limited practice as deterrents. Important demographic variables predicting future practice included female sex, geographic location, and type of practice desired. CONCLUSION This study portrays a resurgence in the percentage of family practice residents planning to practice obstetrics and discusses aspects of the training system that merit support to increase the number of family physicians providing obstetric care.
Improving the safety and efficiency of outpatient lumbar puncture service

Lumbar puncture (LP) is a commonly performed procedure in diagnosis and management of neurological conditions. LP is generally safe, however there are a number of potentially serious complications, including epidural haematoma and cerebral herniation. The risks of these should be considered and minimised prior to undertaking LP. Our regional neuroscience centre provides an outpatient LP service for patients throughout southeast England. Referrals from distant hospitals meant there was frequently no access to important clinical information, including indication for LP, past medical history, or medication history until the day of the procedure, and no access to results of investigations such as coagulation profile, platelet count, or intracranial imaging. Furthermore, there was limited capacity or time available in the day ward to perform these tests prior to LP. As a result, patients were either having LPs cancelled on the day of the procedure, were delayed by several hours on the day of the procedure for investigations, or were subject to the risk of having the LP performed without the knowledge of these key safety indicators. To address this issue we implemented an LP safety checklist to be completed by referring neurologists, providing details of the patient's medical history and results of investigations performed locally. In doing this, we increased the proportion of patients with an available platelet count prior to LP from 25% to 89%, and available coagulation profile from 18% to 82%. In addition, we saw a qualitative increase in the confidence of junior doctors in the safety of the LP clinic, as measured by a survey taken before and after the implementation of this system. This simple intervention made a rapid and remarkable difference to the safety and efficiency of this outpatient LP clinic. We would encourage other units to adopt this approach to address similar problems in a variety of outpatient settings.
Deoxycorticosterone hypertension in the pig

1. Deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) implantation (100 mg/kg) caused mean arterial pressure to rise in 5-10 days from control pressures of 100-115 mmHg to stable hypertensive values of 140-160 mmHg in approximately 1 month. In six of seven pigs elevations of mean arterial pressure were entirely the result of increased total peripheral resistance. 2. Single implants maintained serum DOCA at approximately ten times normal concentration for up to 90 days. 3. Moderate but variable decreases in serum aldosterone followed implantation. 4. Hypokalaemia, polydipsia and suppressed plasma renin activity were evident by the fifth post-implantation day and persisted thereafter. No consistent change occurred in serum sodium. 5. Noradrenaline or angiotensin caused increases in total peripheral resistance at lower threshold infusion rates in hypertensive pigs compared with control animals. 6. In isolated, perfused hind-limb preparations, hypertensive vascular beds were characterized by both functional (increased vascular smooth muscle sensitivity) and structural (elevated resistance of maximally dilated vascular bed) changes. 'Protection' from increased arterial wall stresses in hypertensive pigs prevented structural, but not functional, alterations.
Viability of a Transmissible Fowl Tumor (Olson) upon Storage at Low Temperatures.

ConclusionWhen the transmissible fowltumor (Olson) was frozen slowly and stored at −65°C to −76°C for 10 to 391 days, no significant reduction or alteration in its capacity to produce typical tumors in the pectoral muscle was detected by methods employed.
Estimation of saturated hydraulic conductivity from double‐ring infiltrometer measurements

Summary This research aims to determine soil vertical saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) in situ from the measured steady infiltration rate (I), initial soil properties and double-ring infiltrometer (DRI) test data. Characterizing the effects of these variables on the measured steady infiltration rate will enable more accurate prediction of Ks. We measured the effects of the ring diameter, head of ponding, ring depth, initial effective saturation and soil macroscopic capillary length on measured steady infiltration rates. We did this by simulating 864 DRI tests with the finite element program HYDRUS-2D and by conducting 39 full-scale in situ DRI tests, 30 Mini-Disk infiltrometer experiments and four Guelph Permeameter tests. The M5′ model trees and genetic programming (GP) methods were applied to the data to establish formulae to predict the Ks of sandy to sandy-clay soils. The nine field DRI tests were used to verify the computer models. We determined the accuracy of the methods with 30% of the simulated DRI data to compare I/KS values of the finite element models with estimates from the suggested formulae. We also used the suggested formulae to predict the Ks values of 30 field DRI experiments and compared them with values measured by Guelph Permeameter tests. Compared with the GP method, the M5′ model was better at predicting KS, with a correlation coefficient of 0.862 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.282 cm s−1. In addition, the latter method estimated Ksvalues of the field experiments more accurately, with an RMSE of 0.00346 cm s−1.
Experimental Necrotizing Arteritis. II. Mercuric Chloride as Effective as Uranium Nitrate in its Production.

SummaryMercuric chloride can be substituted for uranium nitrate in the production of necrotizing arterial lesions in dogs. An aneurysm developing on the basis of one of these lesions is described for the first time.
STUDY ON DISTRIBUTION BEHAVIOR OF GAS FLOW IN THE INWARDING BAG TYPE DUST COLLECTOR

Directing against the operation state of bag type dust collector in the field,the cause resulting in uneven distribution of gas flow have been analysed,and the measures of retrofitting gas entrance and installing additionally guide plates in the lower body of box being put forward.Through calculation using CFD software,the flow field in the dust collector,the distribution of stream lines,and the tracks of particles,etc.before and after retrofitting have been obtained.After retrofitting,the gas flow distribution,the amount of flue gas treated in each part,and the distribution of particles all are more uniform,decreasing the variation of gas flow velocity,making every part in the dust collector to play good role in dust collection,weakening effectively wornout of the bags,enhancing the efficiency of dust collection and the stability in operation.
Case-Based Teaching in College Ideo-Political Courses

Case-based strategy can vivify the teaching of ideo-political courses,motivate students' participation,and strengthen the teaching focus and interest-raising,so as to improve teaching effectiveness.Meanwhile,it is also a challenge to the teachers: they are supposed to make clear the special features of case-based strategy,to handle the relations between cases and textbook,case-based method and traditional approach,as well as teacher-student relation.Role shift and relevant classroom skills are also important issues.Mastering case-based teaching strategy requires studying its essential features,considering the realistic conditions of individual colleges and individual teachers and being creative.
Adenoviral-Vector-Mediated Gene Transfer to Dendritic Cells

Dendritic cells (DC) are the most potent antigen presenting cells capable of initiating T-cell-dependent immune responses (1-5). This biologic potential can be harnessed to elicit effective antigen-specific immune responses by transferring the relevant antigens to the DC. Once the DC have been mobilized and purified, the relevant antigens can be transferred to the DC as intact proteins, or as peptides representing specific epitopes, or with gene transfer using sequences of DNA or RNA coding for the pertinent antigen(s) (6-15). Theoretically, genetically modifying DC with genes coding for specific antigens has potential advantages over pulsing the DC with peptides repeating the antigen or antigen fragment. First, the genetically modified DC may present previously unknown epitopes in association with different MHC molecules. Second, gene transfer to DC ensures that the gene product is endogenously processed, leading to the generation of MHC class I-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), the effector arm of cell-mediated immune responses. Finally, in addition to genes coding for the antigen(s), genetic modification of the DC can induce genes coding for mediators relevant to generation of the immune response to the antigen(s), further boosting host responses to the antigens presented by the modified DC. Different gene transfer approaches have been explored to genetically modify DC, including retroviral vectors (16-18), recombinant vaccinia virus vectors (19), and recombinant adenovirus (Ad) vectors (19-23). The focus of this chapter is on using recombinant Ad vectors to transfer genes to murine DC. We have used a similar strategy to transfer genes to human DC (24). As an example of the power of this technology, we will describe the use of Ad-vector-modified DC to suppress the growth of tumor cells modified to express a specific antigen.
Tuberculosis therapy for 2016 and beyond.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Tuberculosis has been and remains arguably the most important infectious disease of all time. However, when compared to other diseases of similar human impact, relatively little progress has been made. Although there are many new drugs being developed for the first time in decades, it is unclear what role each of these new drugs will play.Areas covered: The history of current therapy is reviewed as are the challenges associated with medications currently in use. Drugs that have recently been added to the armamentarium of therapy are reviewed as well as new candidate drugs.Expert opinion: Developing new drugs to treat tuberculosis is of critical importance but even more important is developing strategies that ensure that there is no further amplification of drug resistance around the world especially in high burden low resource settings. Directly observed therapy is the cornerstone of protecting existing and future regimens and new technologies will potentially extend the reach of mon...
2D and 3D millimeter-wave synthetic aperture radar imaging on a PR2 platform

Optical depth cameras, including both time-of-flight and structured-light sensors, have led to dramatic improvements in robot sensing and perception. We propose the use of millimeter-wave (mmW) radar as an important complement to optical sensors. While the millimeter wavelengths of radar sensors do not support as high resolution as the nanometer wavelength of optical sensors, the ability of mmW signals to penetrate smoky and foggy environments as well as see through many opaque objects makes them a compelling sensor for navigation as well as manipulation in challenging environments. We present a series of 2D and 3D mmW images made with a hand-held antenna grasped by a PR2 robot. The radar image sensor uses a mechanical “painting” motion to acquire multiple views of the target object over the 15 – 26.5 GHz K-band. A GPU-based reconstruction algorithm synthesizes 2D and 3D images of the target object. We demonstrate a ground range resolution of 13.6 mm and a cross-range resolution of 7.1 mm for objects up to 0.5 m away from the robot. We further demonstrate imaging objects through fog, as well as through opaque paper.
Abstract A08: Leveraging technology to promote smoking cessation in primary care medical offices

Purpose of the Study: While smoking represents the leading preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the U.S., research has demonstrated that only a limited scope of cessation services are delivered to patients in many medical offices. We examined the use of an automated voice recognition (AVR) messaging intervention among smokers from primary care practices located in underserved urban and rural communities as a strategy to promote smoking cessation. Methods: We utilized community-based participatory research (CBPR) involving smokers as a foundation for creating AVR messaging and partnered with urban and rural primary care medical office sites (n=7), including community clinics and federally qualified health centers. Current smokers, 18 years and older, who had an office visit within the previous 12 months, from these sites were used to create a smoker9s registry (n=5,872). Between 2012 and 2014 participants were contacted over six month intervals using the AVR system. Smoker9s registry data including demographic variables, medical office, and phone contact information. AVR results from each practice were aggregated and analyzed to assess cessation outcomes. Results: Of the seven practice sites, a total of 5,872 smokers were accrued of whom 1,899 (32%) were reached through the AVR system. The average number of calls to smokers was 44 (median 51). 28% of the smokers reached were African American, 79% were age 40 and over, and 57% were female. Self-reported quit rates among reached smokers were 30%; quit rates were variable across selected variables. Conclusions: An AVR based smoking cessation intervention provided added value beyond typical tobacco cessation efforts available in these primary care offices. This intervention required no additional clinical staff time and served to satisfy a component of patient center medical home requirements for many of these practices. Building partnerships with primary care medical offices can aid in the development and testing of community-based interventions such as smoking cessation delivered to medically underserved and diverse patient populations. Citation Format: Frances G. Saad-Harfouche, Elisa M. Rodriguez, Annamaria Masucci Twarozek, Christy A. Widman, Deborah O. Erwin, Willie Underwood, III, Chester Fox, Martin C. Mahoney. Leveraging technology to promote smoking cessation in primary care medical offices. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A08.
Clinical Evaluation: Clinical Features, Worrisome Signs, and the ABCDEF Rule

Longitudinal melanonychia (LM) is defined as a vertical band of brown–black pigment that extends from the matrix to the distal portion of the nail plate. One of the most important diagnostic possibilities when evaluating LM is subungual melanoma, which carries a poor prognosis, although the survival rate is improved with early detection. Evaluation of LM starts with a thorough history of the pigmented nail band. The clinical examination should include evaluation of the color and width of the pigmentation in addition to the surrounding skin. The ABCDEF rule incorporates many of the key components of the history and clinical evaluation of LM and can be useful in the decision to biopsy for subungual melanoma. Histopathology remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of LM.
Book Review: The Writing Gods Will See You Now

This is a book review of "The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century" by Steven Pinker.
Creating the Market for Organic Wine: Sulfites, Certification, and Green Values

This working paper examines the history of organic wine which provides a case study of failed category creation. The modern organic wine industry emerged during the 1970s in the United States and western Europe, but it struggled to gain traction compared to other organic food and drink products, including organic tea. Early experiments performed by less-savvy winemakers created a negative reputation for organic wine which proved a challenge to overcome. Early organic winemakers were often derided for their efforts, as conventional winemakers felt threatened by their claims to be more “natural” or healthful than conventional wines. Making matters more difficult, organic winemaking required a sophisticated understanding of complex environmental and chemical processes in the vineyard and winery, and organic wines typically did not command a premium in the marketplace despite their often higher costs of production. The development of organic wine in countries with different winemaking traditions resulted in little common agreement regarding the definition of “organic” wine. After heated debate regarding the use of sulfites, differing organic wine standards emerged. In the United States organic certification schemes excluded the use of sulfites, while in Europe some use was permitted. For winemakers, distributors and retailers, navigating the complex layers of regulations regarding organic wine was enormously time-intensive. Many winemakers chose to forego organic certification so as to avoid the perceived financial and time costs. Organic wine finally attained niche popularity in the 2010s, mainly in northwest Europe and in cosmopolitan global cities elsewhere, as fine-dining restaurants like Noma sought wines with clear terroir. Organic wine remained a tiny percentage of the world wine market. There remained huge differences between countries in consumption of organic wine. The market for organic wine was far larger in Sweden, a country with 9 million inhabitants, than in the United States, with 326 million.
A Comparative Study of RMI and ROMA in Women Presenting with an Adnexal Mass

Differentiation between benign and malignant ovarian neoplasms is essential to create a system for patient referrals. Therefore, tumor markers such as CA-125 and human epididymis protein 4 (HE-4) as well as the risk ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) and risk malignancy index (RMI) values were considered individually and in combination to evaluate their utility in referral of women at a high risk of having an ovarian malignancy to cancer centers where multidisciplinary input is available. Patients who were diagnosed with an adnexal mass through imaging analyses or clinically (n = 35) were assessed for their expression of the tumor markers CA-125 and HE-4 and were finally compared to the histopathology of the tumor after surgery which has been taken as the gold standard. The ROMA and RMI values were also determined. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, PLR and NLR of each parameter were calculated. Two different sets of analysis were made: one including benign and borderline masses together and the other including malignant and borderline masses together. The sensitivity of ROMA (91%) was highest when compared to RMI, CA-125 and HE-4. Specificity and positive likelihood ratio of HE-4 were highest at 87.5% and 5.1, respectively, when compared to all other parameters considered in our study. CA-125 had the least sensitivity and specificity (45 and 54%, respectively). Diagnostic accuracy of all the parameters was better in diagnosing malignant lesions than borderline tumors. Diagnostic accuracy using ROMA was better than RMI in differentiating malignant from benign lesions. Determination of HE-4, CA-125, RMI and ROMA algorithm was not helpful in differentiating patients with borderline tumors from benign lesions. ROMA had the best sensitivity of all the parameters considered.
The Multiplication of Viruses

Viruses are recognized operationally as infectious agents by their ability to produce recognizable alterations in living cells and tissues. The field of virus biology, and especially of virus multiplication, reflects the methodological consequences of the operational definition of viruses as infectious agents. Thus, evidence of virus multiplication requires evidence of the production of infectious virus in increased amounts. Even when we study the reproduction of viral materials in a more-or-less persistent noninfectious form (such as the “prophage” form of bacteriophage) we depend, for proof of the presence and multiplication of the viral material, on the ultimate production of some infectious virus. Only occasionally can we infer complete or partial phenomena of viral multiplication by indirect observations, such as multiplication of elements resembling known virus particles in morphological or physic-chemical properties.
Computationally Intensive Methods

An important trend in statistical inference over the last twenty years has been the introduction of computationally intensive methods. These have been made possible by the availability of convenient and greatly increased computing power, and these methods are useful in bioinformatics and computational biology. Aspects of some computationally intensive methods used for both estimation and hypothesis testing are outlined in this chapter. Computationally intensive methods arise in both classical and Bayesian inference: We concentrate here on computationally intensive methods in classical inference.
Automatic Summarization of Customer Reviews: An Integrated Approach

The proliferation of interactivity between Web content producers and consumers underscores the development of the Internet in recent years. In particular, customer reviews posted on the Web have grown significantly. Because customers represent the primary stakeholder group of a company, understanding customers’ concerns expressed in these reviews could help marketers and business analysts to identify market trends and to provide better products and services. However, the large volume of textual reviews written in informal language makes it difficult to understand customers’ concerns. This paper describes an integrated approach to summarizing customer reviews. The approach consists of the steps of sentence extraction, aspect identification, sentiment classification, and review summarization. We report preliminary results of using our approach to summarize product reviews extracted from Amazon.com. Our work augments existing work by considering nonstandard input and by incorporating linguistic resources and clustering in automatic summarization.
Role of interactive computer simulation in engineering education

Recent advances in microprocessor technology have made possible the development of interactive computer simulators which are both physically portable and computationally flexible. Simulator technology can be used to model any engineering system, provided a suitable mathematical model and corresponding microprocessor algorithm can be developed. The simulator user interacts with the system model by means of controls which input updated system management information directly into the computational stream. System performance is monitored using a variety of visual displays and monitors or by printed output. The major educational advantage of interactive simulation is expedient demonstration of 1) system management and control procedures and 2) interrelationships among system variables. An 8 year program of research and development at Montana State University has developed applications for interactive simulation in several subject areas of interest to engineering education, including system analysis and engineering design.
3D-CNN for Glaucoma Detection Using Optical Coherence Tomography

The large size of raw 3D optical coherence tomography (OCT) volumes poses challenges for deep learning methods as it cannot be accommodated on a single GPU in its original resolution. The direct analysis of these volumes however, provides advantages such as circumventing the need for the segmentation of retinal structures. Previously, a deep learning (DL) approach was proposed for the detection of glaucoma directly from 3D OCT volumes, where the volumes were significantly downsampled first. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end DL model for the detection of glaucoma that doubles the number of input voxels of the previously proposed method, and also boasts an improved AUC = 0.973 over the results obtained using the previously proposed approach of AUC = 0.946. Furthermore, this paper also includes a quantitative analysis of the regions of the volume highlighted by grad-CAM visualization. Occlusion of these highlighted regions resulted in a drop in performance by 40%, indicating that the regions highlighted by gradient-weighted class activation maps (grad-CAM) are indeed crucial to the performance of the model.
Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder or an Objective Truth? A Neuroscientific Answer

Is beauty subjective or objective? Once limited to Philosophy, this question is increasingly capturing scientists’ attention. Here, we discuss neuroscientific support for both viewpoints. Our discussion includes the Processing Fluency Theory and a reinforcement-learning model of aesthetic values. We conclude both aspects of beauty derive from utilitarian brain mechanisms.
Ferritin levels in patients with COVID-19: A poor predictor of mortality and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Introduction A hyperinflammatory environment has been a hallmark of COVID-19 infection and is thought to be a key mediator of morbidity. Elevated ferritin has been observed in many patients with COVID-19. Several retrospective studies have shown ferritin levels can be correlated and predictive of poor outcomes in COVID-19, though a rigorous analysis has been lacking. Methods A retrospective analysis of 942 adult COVID-19 patients admitted in March 2020 at a large New York City health system with available ferritin levels. Results The primary outcome, all-cause mortality, was observed in 265 (28.1%) patients. Patients who died had a significantly higher median admission and maximum ferritin levels than those who did not. However, death was poorly predicted by admission and maximum ferritin levels on receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis, with AUCs of 0.677 and 0.638, respectively. AUCs increased when the cohort was limited to progressively younger patients. Ferritin levels were minimally better at predicting our secondary outcomes. These included mechanical ventilation, observed in 280 (29.7%) patients with an ROC yielding an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.769, and new renal replacement therapy, observed in 80 (8.5%) of patients with an ROC yielding an AUC of 0.787. We also performed a subset analysis on 22 patients with ferritins >20 000 ng/mL. None of the patients met HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria. Fifteen (68.2%) of these patients had suspected or confirmed bacterial infections. Conclusions Though many patients with COVID-19 present with hyperferritinemia, elevated ferritin levels are not accurate predictors of outcomes and do not appear to be indicative of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.