cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for the Renal Conversion of Angiotensin I in the Dog

Experiments were carried out on perfused canine kidneys in situ to determine if renal conversion of angiotensin I occurs. Various concentrations of decapeptide produced an immediate increase in renal vascular resistance when injected directly into the renal artery. Since the decapeptide is biologically inactive, the increased resistance was interpreted as indicating generation of angiotensin II. The extent of renal conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II was estimated to be approximately 19% in the normal dog. This percent conversion was reduced to about 10% in dogs maintained on high salt and DOCA for 7 to 10 days.
Allelic Variation in the GABAA Receptor γ2 Subunit Is Associated With Genetic Susceptibility to Ethanol‐Induced Motor Incoordination and Hypothermia, Conditioned Taste Aversion, and Withdrawal in BXD/Ty Recombinant Inbred Mice

BACKGROUND Behavioral genomics has made dramatic progress toward mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that contain genes responsible for phenotypic differences in a variety of behavioral responses to alcohol (ethanol). We previously identified a QTL on mouse Chromosome 11 that affects genetic predisposition to acute alcohol withdrawal. Among mice derived from the C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) inbred strains, this QTL (Alcw3) accounts for 12% of the genetic variability in withdrawal liability. Candidate genes within this QTL encode the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA A) receptor gamma2, alpha1, alpha6, and beta2 subunits. We recently identified a coding sequence polymorphism between the B6 and D2 strains for the GABA A receptor gamma2 subunit gene (Gabrg2). In this study, we expand our analysis to a panel of BXD strains derived from the B6 and D2 progenitor strains. These BXD strains provide 26 fixed recombinant genotypes that can be used to examine genetic correlations, for example, between a phenotype of interest and allelic variation in a candidate gene. METHODS Gabrg2 was cloned and sequenced from the 26 BXD recombinant inbred strains. We analyzed genetic correlations between allelic variation in Gabrg2 and alcohol phenotypes previously measured in the BXD strain means. RESULTS Allelic variation in Gabrg2 is correlated genetically with predisposition to acute alcohol withdrawal and may underlie the Alcw3 locus. In addition, Gabrg2 is associated with ethanol-conditioned taste aversion, ethanol-induced motor incoordination, and ethanol-induced hypothermia. A trend is observed for chronic ethanol withdrawal, ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex, and tolerance to ethanol-induced hypothermia and ataxia. CONCLUSIONS Functionally relevant variation in Gabrg2, or a closely linked gene, is correlated genetically with some, but not all, behavioral responses to alcohol. The alcohol-related phenotypes associated with Gabrg2 generally may be characterized as debilitating or motivationally negative.
A simple photograph‐based approach for discriminating between free‐ranging long‐finned (Globicephala melas) and short‐finned (G. macrorhynchus) pilot whales off the east coast of the United States

Line transect based abundance estimation is complicated for long-finned (LFPW, Globicephala melas) and short-finned (SFPW, G. macrorhynchus) pilot whales because of their similarity in appearance and their overlapping summertime range in some areas. We developed a photograph-based approach to distinguish between species of free-ranging pilot whales in the northwest Atlantic. We collected skin samples and photographs during the summers of 2004–2007 and used skin samples to distinguish species based on mitochondrial DNA. Relative morphometric measurements from photographs were examined using mixed-effect models and logistic regression. The best model among 94 candidate models had an overall classification error rate of 2.5%. We tested the presence/absence of pigmentation in four regions of the dorsal body (melon, eye, cape, and saddle) for differences. Pigmentation was present in all four regions in 100% of the SFPWs sampled. Melon patch, blaze, and saddle patch pigmentation were present in 6%, 68%, and 50%, respectively, of the LFPWs, but the cape was completely absent. Both types of analyses provided positive species discrimination of free-ranging animals. We created a cost-effective, simple tool which could ultimately assist in providing appropriate management, mitigation, and conservation strategies for both northwest Atlantic species of pilot whales.
Targeted Biopsy of the Prostate: The Impact of Color Doppler Imaging and Elastography on Prostate Cancer Detection and Gleason Score

OBJECTIVES To compare detection of prostate cancer and distribution of Gleason scores with gray-scale, color Doppler, and elastographic imaging. METHODS Prostate biopsy patients were evaluated with gray-scale, color Doppler, and elastographic imaging. Targeted biopsy cores were obtained along with six laterally directed systematic sextant cores. Pathologic results were correlated with imaging findings. RESULTS Prostate cancer was detected in 60 of 137 patients (43.8%). Cancer was detected in 241 (14%) of 1703 biopsy cores, including 90 (20%) of 448 targeted cores, 106 (13%) of 818 sextant cores, and 45 (10%) of 437 transition zone cores. Sonographic abnormality was associated with cancer: gray-scale odds ratio (OR) = 3.19, P = 0.011; color Doppler OR = 1.86, P = 0.041; elastography OR = 2.53; P = 0.007. Although targeted cores were more likely than sextant cores to detect cancer (OR = 1.82, P = 0.004), no sonographic abnormality was found in 57 (53.8%) of 106 of positive sextant sites. A linear trend for increasing Gleason score was present with gray-scale (P <0.001) imaging, color Doppler imaging (P <0.005), and elastography (P <0.001). Abnormal color flow was strongly associated with Gleason score 8 to 10 lesions but not with lower-grade lesions. Elastography demonstrated a positive association with Gleason scores of 5 to 10. CONCLUSIONS Targeted cores based on gray-scale, color Doppler, and elastographic imaging are more likely to return positive biopsy results as compared with systematic biopsy cores. Although color Doppler imaging and elastography are encouraging adjuncts to improve cancer detection, targeted biopsy alone is not sufficient to replace the traditional sextant biopsy technique.
TnpA trans-activates methylated maize Suppressor-mutator transposable elements in transgenic tobacco.

The maize Suppressor-mutator (Spm) transposable element is subject to epigenetic inactivation in transgenic tobacco, as it is in maize. Spm inactivation in tobacco is correlated with increased methylation of sequences near the element's transcription start site. To determine whether element-encoded gene products can promote the reactivation of an inactive element, we investigated the effects of introducing individual CaMV 35S promoter-driven cDNAs for tnpA, tnpB, tnpC and tnpD, the element's four known protein-coding sequences. Introduction of the tnpA cDNA promoted the reactivation of the inactive resident Spm element, as judged by the appearance of regenerants with very early excision events and transposed elements. By contrast, the tnpB, tnpC and tnpD cDNAs had no affect on the activity of the resident Spm element. Similar results were obtained when the element-encoded cDNAs were introduced either by Agrobacterium-mediated retransformation or by a genetic cross. Reactivation of an inactive Spm by the tnpA cDNA is accompanied by reduced methylation of several methylation-sensitive restriction sites near the element's transcription start site. Maintenance of the reactivated Spm element in an active state requires the continued presence of the tnpA cDNA. Elimination of the tnpA cDNA locus by genetic segregation generally results in decreased element activity, as judged by a low frequency of excision events, and is accompanied by increased methylation of the element's 5'-end. Exceptions resembling the phenomenon of ``presetting'' are also observed in which progeny plants that did not receive the tnpA cDNA locus after meiotic segregation maintain high excision activity and exhibit low methylation levels.
Adjuvant radiation therapy is associated with improved survival in merkel cell carcinoma of the skin

Purpose Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous malignancy. Because of the absence of randomized studies, the real benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy in MCC is unclear. The aim of this study was to better define the role of adjuvant radiation therapy in the management of MCC. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) survey from the National Cancer Institute was queried from 1973 through 2002. Retrospective analysis was performed. The end point of the study was overall survival. Results There were 1,665 cases of MCC in the SEER registry. Presentation by stage were 55% stage I, 31% stage II, and 6% stage III. Eight percent of the cases could not be staged because of incomplete data. Surgical intervention was a component of therapy in 89% of the cases (n = 1,487). The median survival for the entire cohort was 49 months, and median follow-up was 40 months. Adjuvant radiation was a component of therapy in 40% of the surgical cases. The median survival for those patients receiving adjuvant radiation therapy was 63 months compared with 45 months for those treated without adjuvant radiation. The use of radiation was associated with an improved survival for patients with all sizes of tumors, but the improvement with radiation use was particularly prominent when analyzing those patients with primary lesions larger than 2 cm. Conclusion The use of adjuvant radiation therapy is associated with improved survival in patients with MCC. Prospective evaluation of adjuvant radiation therapy in this setting is warranted.
Lack of Serological Relationship Among DNA Polymerases of Avian Leukosis-Sarcoma Viruses, Reticuloendotheliosis Viruses, and Chicken Cells

Abstract Antibodies against a large and a small DNA polymerase isolated from chicken embryos and against avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase were used to study the serological relationships of the DNA polymerase activities of three avian systems with RNA and a DNA polymerase—avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses, reticuloendotheliosis viruses, and a fraction from uninfected chicken cells. The DNA polymerase activity of disrupted virions of all avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses tested was neutralized to the same extent by antibody against avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase and was not neutralized by the antibodies against chicken cellular DNA polymerases. The viruses tested included induced leukosis viruses and Rous-associated virus-O. The DNA polymerase activity of disrupted virions of all of the reticuloendotheliosis viruses was not neutralized by any of the antibodies. The chicken endogenous RNA-directed DNA polymerase activity was neutralized partially or completely, in different experiments, by antibody against the small DNA polymerase isolated from chicken embryos, but was not neutralized by the other two antibodies.
Development of Native Plant Materials for Restoration and Rehabilitation of Colorado Plateau Ecosystems

ABSTRACT: The native plant communities of the Colorado Plateau have been substantially degraded by human activity, yet in many areas retain a basic natural ecologic integrity. The more heavily impacted regions often require active intervention. Historically, this intervention has been conducted primarily by seeding introduced grasses selected for their forage characteristics. Recent management initiatives that reflect broader goals have highlighted the need to develop native plant materials that can be used to return diverse, resilient communities to degraded areas. The Colorado Plateau Native Plant Program was established to identify the best native plant species, and seed sources within species, that can be used to meet this need. We present an overview of the Program's past and current activities and highlight research and development strategies used to increase the availability of native plant materials adapted to target sites.
Advertising in the U.S. Personal Computer Industry

Traditional models of consumer choice assume consumers are aware of all products for sale. This assumption is questionable, especially when applied to markets characterized by a high degree of change, such as the personal computer (PC) industry. I present an empirical discrete-choice model of limited information on the part of consumers, where advertising influences the set of products from which consumers choose to purchase. Multi-product firms choose prices and advertising in each medium to maximize their profits. I apply the model to the US PC market, in which advertising expenditures are over $2 billion annually. The estimation technique incorporates macro and micro data from three sources. Estimated median industry markups are 19% over production costs. The high industry markups are explained in part by the fact that consumers know only some of the products for sale. Indeed estimates from traditional consumer choice models predict median markups of onefourth this magnitude. I find that product-specific demand curves are biased towards being too elastic under traditional models of consumer choice. The estimates suggest that PC firms use advertising media to target high-income households, that there are returns to scope in group advertising, and that word-of-mouth or experience plays a role in informing consumers. The top firms engage in higher than average advertising and earn higher than average markups.
Gonadotrope-specific expression of the human follicle-stimulating hormone beta-subunit gene in pituitaries of transgenic mice.

The molecular basis for the cell-specific and hormonal regulation of the pituitary gonadotropin beta-subunit genes is unknown. To identify the essential DNA regulatory elements of the human FSH beta (hFSH beta) gene, we introduced a 10-kilobase cloned fragment encompassing the gene into the germline of transgenic mice. We showed by a combination of Northern blot hybridization, RIA, and immunofluorescence histochemistry that the hFSH beta gene was expressed exclusively in mouse pituitary gonadotropes. Human FSH beta was actively secreted, presumably as an interspecies heterodimer, with mouse alpha-subunit, and no free hFSH beta was detected in serum. Male transgenic mice consistently had higher basal pituitary expression and secretion of hFSH beta than the female transgenic mice. Castration combined with testosterone replacement caused a marked reduction in hFSH beta gene expression in transgenic males, but had no effect on the pituitary levels of FSH in normal male mice. These experiments demonstrate that...
Multicultural training on American Indian issues: testing the effectiveness of an intervention to change attitudes toward Native-themed mascots.

This study investigated attitudes toward Native-themed mascots in the context of color-blind racial attitudes. Results indicate that higher color-blind racial attitudes are related to lower awareness of the offensiveness of Native-themed mascots. The researchers tested the effectiveness of a training intervention designed to produce attitudinal change among master’s level counseling students. Results demonstrate that the training intervention produced significantly greater attitudinal change than did a general training session on culturally sensitive counseling practices with American Indian clients, particularly among students with high color-blind racial attitudes. Results also indicate that this training intervention on Native-themed mascots contributed to lower color-blind racial attitudes, thus increasing the students’ awareness of societal racism. Psychological training programs may benefit from augmenting their multicultural counseling curriculum by specifically addressing the offensive nature of Native-themed mascots. An awareness of the marginalization of American Indians, particularly as it involves racialized mascots, can reduce color-blind racial attitudes, and may provide psychologists with a more comprehensive understanding of aspects of the reality of American Indian clients that contribute to their worldview.
Contractile smooth muscle cells derived from hair-follicle stem cells

Aims We hypothesized that hair-follicle stem cells can differentiate toward smooth contractile muscle cells, providing an autologous cell source for cardiovascular tissue regeneration. Methods and results Smooth muscle progenitor cells (SMPCs) were obtained from ovine hair follicles using a tissue-specific promoter and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Hair-follicle smooth muscle progenitor cells (HF-SMPCs) expressed several markers of vascular smooth muscle including α-actin, calponin, myosin heavy chain (MHC), caldesmon, smoothelin, and SM22. HF-SMPCs were highly proliferative and showed high clonogenic potential without any signs of chromosomal abnormalities as evidenced by karyotype analysis. HF-SMPCs compacted fibrin hydrogels to a similar extent as vascular smooth muscle cells from ovine umbilical veins (V-SMCs), indicating the development of the force-generating machinery. In addition, cylindrical tissue equivalents prepared with HF-SMPCs displayed significant contractility in response to vasoactive agonists including KCl and the thromboxane A2 mimetic U46619, suggesting that these cells had developed receptor and non-receptor-mediated pathways of contractility. Finally, transforming growth factor-β1 promoted differentiation of HF-SMPCs toward a mature SMC phenotype as suggested by increased expression of MHC and enhanced matrix compaction. Conclusion Our results suggest that hair follicles may be an easily accessible, autologous, and rich source of functional SMPC for cardiovascular tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Properties of Zinc-, Copper-, and Platinum-Doped Germanium

Hall effect and resistivity measurements have been made on a number of samples of single-crystal germanium containing additions of zinc, platinum, and copper. All three were found to be acceptors with energy of ionization 0.029, 0.040, and 0.036-ev electron volt, respectively. Measurements were made in the temperature range 15\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to about 400\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. All the Hall and resistivity curves showed a tendency to flatten out at the lowest temperatures, rather than to continue on an exponential curve. Possible explanations include (a) surface conductivity with low activation energy, (b) traces of low-ionization energy acceptors, (c) internal leakage due to imperfections or dislocations. Studies were made looking for acceptor states in the upper part of the forbidden band, such as have been found for gold. Evidence was found for a platinum acceptor level 0.2 ev below the conduction band and for a copper acceptor level just below the middle of the forbidden band.
Gravitational collapse and weak interactions

The behavior of a massive star during its final catastrophic stages of evolution has been investigated theoretically, with particular emphasis upon the effect of electron-type neutrino interactions...
Effects of halothane on children's electroretinograms.

Background: At times, anesthesia is necessary to test children's electroretinographic (ERG) responses. Halothane, an anesthetic commonly used for pediatric patients, affects some aspects of ERG responses, but it is unknown if halothane affects ERG parameters evaluated by contemporary clinical protocols. Methods: Scotopic and photopic ERG responses were recorded from children when awake and then under halothane. Results: Halothane has no effect on scotopic b-wave stimulus/response parameters, including amplitude, sensitivity, and implicit time. Scotopic a-wave amplitudes, implicit times, model parameters, and ratio of a- to b-wave amplitudes are unaffected by halothane. The amplitudes and implicit times of photopic responses to red flashes and 30 Hz flickering white light are not altered by halothane. Halothane causes no significant change in amplitudes and implicit times of the oscillatory potential wavelets. Conclusion: These results suggest that significant departures of ERG responses (studied with the protocol described herein) from a laboratory's normal values cannot be attributed to halothane.
Influence of PNIPAm on log Kf of a copolymerized 2,2′-bipyridine: revised bifunctional ligand design for ratiometric metal-ion sensing

Here we describe the synthesis of a model compound (1) based upon a previously reported bifunctional 2,2′-bipyridine (2). Ligand pKa and thermodynamic stability constants were investigated by potentiometric titrations for 1 in order to assess the metal-binding capabilities of 2 following subsequent incorporation within a temperature-responsive polymer that functions as a fluorescent metal-ion indicator. While the log KCu1 measured here was found to be 8.86 ± 0.05 at 25 °C, this value was previously seen to fall 2.8 orders of magnitude following copolymerization of 2 with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm). This drop in affinity was attributed to stabilization of the neutral ligand by the polymer environment and elevated temperatures at which metal-binding experiments were performed. ΔH (−54.4 kJ mol−1) and ΔS (−12.8 J K−1 mol−1) were therefore determined through variable temperature titrations in order to establish the temperature dependence of log KCu1. Doing so enabled elucidation of the overall effect that the polymer environment exerts on thermodynamic stability of copolymerized 2. Specifically, the polymer indicator was found to decrease the thermodynamic stability by 2.2 orders of magnitude, whereas elevated temperatures account for the additional 0.6 order of magnitude drop observed. This finding has implications regarding the design of future bifunctional ligands for ratiometric sensing within our temperature-responsive polymer indicator.
Strategies for sustaining change in engineering education

In order to develop the engineers of the future, engineering departments need to embrace innovative, student-centered practices. The development and sustained growth of organizational improvement practices like those needed to improve engineering education depend upon an institutions' or departments' collective and individualized attention to human resources, leadership, knowledge development, revenue development and opportunities for continuous engagement. The literature in engineering education related to sustainability and curricular change indicates initial training and dissemination is necessary though not sufficient for change to take root, that all change agents need mentoring, collaboration opportunities, and venues for sharing their work, that innovative practices may vary across settings, and that a systemic effort needs continuous attention to remain robust. The paper provides CAHSI as an example of sustained innovation, and details the ways in which CAHSI was designed for sustained impact in engineering education across partnering Hispanic Serving Institutions. The paper highlights programmatic considerations and evaluation design, and describes how the results can inform leadership regarding progress and needs for sustaining change.
Elevated Levels of Serum Fibrin and Fibrinogen Degradation Products Are Independent Predictors of Larger Coronary Plaques and Greater Plaque Necrotic Core.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the USA and globally. Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) occur as a result of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque rupture that triggers a cascade of reactions leading to platelet aggregation, thrombus formation and activation of the coagulation pathway at the site of coronary occlusion.1 Early recognition of these plaques may improve outcomes. Biomarkers reflecting various pathways of atherogenesis, including inflammation, cell stress and coagulation, have been shown to add significant risk discrimination for incident cardiovascular events.2,3 Only plasma glutathione, however, has been associated with intravascular imaging characteristics of “rupture-prone” plaques.4 Fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) are byproducts of thrombin breakdown, and their increased circulating levels may reflect subclinical vascular thrombosis.5 Serum FDP levels are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) incidence and adverse outcomes.2,6–8 Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) allows direct, real-time visualization of the coronary lumen and has well-recognized clinical applications in defining the distribution and morphology of coronary plaques. Virtual histology-IVUS (VH-IVUS), with its ability to differentiate plaque tissue types based on radiofrequency signals, has become a useful technique for precise characterization of plaque composition and assessment of coronary plaque vulnerability.9 We hypothesized that elevated FDP levels will be associated with VH-IVUS features of plaque vulnerability.
The Effects of the Application on Recall of Information from the Interview

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to test the extent to which initial impressions of applicants formed from paper credentials bias information recalled from interviews with these applicants...
David Oliver: Progress on dementia in hospital

England’s health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, used a speech in March to rehash the long running prime minister’s challenge to raise standards of care for people with dementia. All Hunt really said about acute hospitals was that patients with “high dependency” would get consultant ward rounds twice a day and that some may have dementia—part of his “seven day services” crusade.1 This was a missed opportunity to celebrate good, progressive government initiatives and to rise above party politics. The national dementia strategy was started by the Labour government in 2009,2 but the 2010 …
The Parliamentary period, 1882–1920

Chile … is corroded to the heart by the poison of nitrate. Nitrate has been for Chile like the famous wine of the Borgias: among the grains of the fertile nitrate is hidden the poison that enervates, rots and kils…. – El Diario . Buenos Aires, quoted in El Mercurio de Valparaiso . December 29, 1907 The elements that make up the Alliance – are they homogeneous? – Ramon Barros Luco (1918) Santa Maria and Balmaceda President Santa Maria, in addition to having to deal with the end of the War of the Pacific, was also obliged to contend with a political scene that was (as we saw earlier on) fast losing the coherence it had earlier enjoyed. Congressmen were increasingly attracted by “parliamentary” ideas: the diminution of executive power, congressional control of the cabinet, and free elections. Santa Maria, whatever he may previously have done or said, wished to uphold presidential power. He was able to do so only by providing the factions of his undisciplined Liberal party with a common enemy, and by ruthless electoral intervention, amply in evidence at the polls in 1882, which were marked by both violence and bribery – “for every independent voter,” claimed the newspaper La Epoca , “there are two or more who sell their vote.” The president himself was hostile to what he termed “medieval prejudices,” and was eager to reduce the still powerful role of the Church in Chilean life.
A Comparison of Compressed Sensing and Sparse Recovery Algorithms Applied to Simulation Data

The move toward exascale computing for scientific simulations is placing new demands on compression techniques. It is expected that the I/O system will not be able to support the volume of data that is expected to be written out. To enable quantitative analysis and scientific discovery, we are interested in techniques that compress high-dimensional simulation data and can provide perfect or near-perfect reconstruction. In this paper, we explore the use of compressed sensing (CS) techniques to reduce the size of the data before they are written out. Using large-scale simulation data, we investigate how the sufficient sparsity condition and the contrast in the data affect the quality of reconstruction and the degree of compression. We provide suggestions for the practical implementation of CS techniques and compare them with other sparse recovery methods. Our results show that despite longer times for reconstruction, compressed sensing techniques can provide near perfect reconstruction over a range of data with varying sparsity.
Evaluation of Submarine Groundwater Discharge as a Coastal Nutrient Source and Its Role in Coastal Groundwater Quality and Quantity

Globally, submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is responsible for 3–4 times the water discharge delivered to the oceans by rivers. Moreover, nutrient concentrations in SGD are usually elevated in comparison to river fluxes. Here we review the major advances in the field of SGD studies and related nutrient fluxes to the coastal ocean. To demonstrate the significance of SGD as terrestrial nutrient pathway we compare stream and submarine groundwater discharge rates in a watershed on the windward side of Oahu, one of the major islands of the Hawaii archipelago. Our analysis of Kaneohe Bay, which hosts the largest coral reefs on the island revealed that SGD in the form of total (fresh+brackish) groundwater discharge was 2–4 times larger than surface inputs. Corresponding DIN and silicate fluxes were also dominated by SGD, while DIP was delivered mostly via streams. We quantified bulk nutrient uptake in coastal waters and also demonstrated that nutrients were quickly removed from the bay due to fast coastal flushing rates. This study demonstrates the need to understand SGD-derived nutrient fluxes in order to evaluate land-based coastal nutrient and pollution sources.
A Phase II Study of Alemtuzumab in the Treatment of Plasma Cell Disorders.

Background: While the therapeutic armamentarium for plasma cell disorders have expanded recently with introduction of thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib, these diseases are still incurable and more agents are needed. We have previously demonstrated expression of CD 52 on plasma cells in MM, MGUS and AL amyloidosis. Based on this data we conducted a Phase II Study of Campath (Alemtuzumab; Monoclonal Anti-CD52 Antibody) in Primary Systemic Amyloidosis and Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma. Methods: The study was an IRB approved, Phase II protocol, with a two stage design and interim analysis at 14 patients, to assess the efficacy and toxicity of Alemtuzumab. The regimen involved a dose escalation during week one (Day I 3 mg SQ; Day II 10 mg SQ; Day III 30 mg SQ; then 30 mg SQ three times a week for a planned total of 17 additional weeks). All patients received concurrent Co-Trimoxazole, Fluconazole and Valacyclovir prophylaxis. The planned accrual was 32 patients. Results: A total of 14 patients were accrued, 8 patients with MM and 6 patients with AL. There were 8 females and 6 males in the study. The median age was 62 years (range: 50–78) years. The patients were heavily pretreated with the median number of treatments being 4. There were 5 grade 3–4 toxicities (CMV viremia (2 pts), skin rash (2 pts), and febrile neutropenia (1 pt)). Seven patients had evidence of disease progression and were removed from study. One patient completed the treatments with a mixed response. One patient had a sudden death while on study. The median duration of therapy was 6 weeks (range 3 weeks to 17 weeks). The accrual was stopped after 14 patients when the interim analysis showed a lack of anti-tumor efficacy and significant toxicity. Conclusion: This phase II study in patients with relapsed / refractory myeloma or amyloidosis demonstrated no evidence of clinical activity with use of Campath. In addition it was also associated with significant toxicity in this population. We do not recommend use of campath as a primary treatment modality in these patients. The lack of efficacy despite demonstrated expression of CD52 on clonal plasma cells once again highlights the need for combining treatments with multiple mechanisms in order to improve the response and outcome in these patients. Whether it can synergize with other therapies at lower doses without significant toxicity remains unknown.
Note on the Age of the Chipola Formation (Miocene) of Northwestern Florida

In recent years the Chipola Formation of northwestern Florida has been generally accepted as uppermost lower Miocene (Burdigalian) in age. However in the Chipola five species of Muricinae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) first appear which are most closely related to species described from the Helvetian of western Europe. Therefore the question is raised as to whether a younger age assignment for the Chipola and its correlatives is in order.
GDS-LC: A Latency- and Cost-Aware Client Caching Scheme for Cloud Storage

Successfully integrating cloud storage as a primary storage layer in the I/O stack is highly challenging. This is essentially due to two inherent critical issues: the high and variant cloud I/O latency and the per-I/O pricing model of cloud storage. To minimize the associated latency and monetary cost with cloud I/Os, caching is a crucial technology, as it directly influences how frequently the client has to communicate with the cloud. Unfortunately, current cloud caching schemes are mostly designed to optimize miss reduction as the sole objective and only focus on improving system performance while ignoring the fact that various cache misses could have completely distinct effects in terms of latency and monetary cost.In this article, we present a cost-aware caching scheme, called GDS-LC, which is highly optimized for cloud storage caching. Different from traditional caching schemes that merely focus on improving cache hit ratios and the classic cost-aware schemes that can only achieve a single optimization target, GDS-LC offers a comprehensive cache design by considering not only the access locality but also the object size, associated latency, and price, aiming at enhancing the user experience with cloud storage from two aspects: access latency and monetary cost. To achieve this, GDS-LC virtually partitions the cache space into two regions: a high-priority latency-aware region and a low-priority price-aware region. Each region is managed by a cost-aware caching scheme, which is based on GreedyDual-Size (GDS) and designed for a cloud storage scenario by adopting clean-dirty differentiation and latency normalization. The GDS-LC framework is highly flexible, and we present a further enhanced algorithm, called GDS-LCF, by incorporating access frequency in caching decisions. We have built a prototype to emulate a typical cloud client cache and evaluate GDS-LC and GDS-LCF with Amazon Simple Storage Services (S3) in three different scenarios: local cloud, Internet cloud, and heterogeneous cloud. Our experimental results show that our caching schemes can effectively achieve both optimization goals: low access latency and low monetary cost. It is our hope that this work can inspire the community to reconsider the cache design in the cloud environment, especially for the purpose of integrating cloud storage into the current storage stack as a primary layer.
Parasite Tolerance and Host Competence in Avian Host Defense to West Nile Virus

Competence, or the propensity of a host to transmit parasites, is partly underlain by host strategies to cope with infection (e.g., resistance and tolerance). Resistance represents the ability of hosts to prevent or clear infections, whereas tolerance captures the ability of individuals to cope with a given parasite burden. Here, we investigated (1) whether one easy-to-measure form of tolerance described well the dynamic relationships between host health and parasite burden, and (2) whether individual resistance and tolerance to West Nile virus (WNV) were predictable from single cytokine measures. We exposed house sparrows (HOSP) to WNV and measured subsequent changes in host performance, viral burden, and cytokine expression. We then used two novel approaches (one complex, one simpler) to estimate tolerance within-individual HOSP using four separate host performance traits. We lastly investigated changes in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). Both approaches to estimating tolerance were equivalent among WNV-infected HOSP; thus, an easy-to-measure tolerance estimation may be successfully applied in field studies. Constitutive expression of IFN-γ and IL-10 were predictive of resistance and tolerance to WNV, implicating these cytokines as viable biomarkers of host competence to WNV.
Have the genetics of cannabis involvement gone to pot

Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance in developed nations. Despite clear evidence that heritable influences play an important role in the etiology of cannabis use and use disorders, the identification of individual genes and genetic variants has remained a challenge. We present evidence supporting the role of genetic influences on cannabis involvement. Progress identifying these genes and their putative effects on cannabis involvement, either directly or via neural correlates, is discussed. Further, we examine whether the comorbidity between cannabis involvement and other psychopathology (externalizing disorders, internalizing disorders, psychosis) as well as co-occurrence of reduced life opportunities (educational attainment) can be attributed to genetic underpinnings. Finally, we posit some avenues for accelerating the search for the biological bedrock of cannabis involvement.
Purine Analogues and Their Role in Methylation and Cancer Chemotherapy

Despite promising leads in the search for new chemotherapeutic agents, there remains an urgent need to develop more effective and less toxic drugs. Nucleosides and their corresponding nucleobases are the fundamental building blocks of many biological systems and as a result, have been extensively investigated due to their inherent structural resemblance to the naturally occurring nucleosides and nucleobases. Due to the intertwined relationship between purine and pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism, cell proliferation and tumor cell differentiation, inhibition of key enzymes in nucleotide metabolism and DNA synthesis can be used as a chemotherapeutic approach to treating cancer.
Diagnosis and Management of Otitis Media

The presence or absence of signs and symptoms is the basis for proper diagnosis of the different types of otitis media. The pneumatic otoscope is the most important tool for assessment of middle ear status. The highest incidence of otitis media occurs between 6 and 11 months of age and decreases with age. Risk factors include both host and environmental factors. Prevention of disease through reducing risk factors and use of vaccines is desirable. Antihistamines and steroids are ineffective for the treatment of otitis media. For children 2 years or older with nonsevere acute otitis media, published guidelines have given the option of observing rather than treating with antibiotics immediately. Tympanostomy tube insertion is effective in reducing recurrent episodes of otitis media and persistent middle ear effusion. Adenoidectomy is recommended for children in whom a repeat surgical procedure is needed.
Toxicity of Selenium

Selenium is present at least in trace amounts in all soils and in all natural feeds and its occurrence is not restricted to any specific area of the earth. Some soils contain an excess of selenium in forms which are available to plants. In this case plants absorb the selenium in amounts that make them toxic to animals. In some other cases the selenium is in a form which is not available to plants. The soils and plants with large available amounts of selenium have been referred to as “seleniferous” or “indicator plants,” which implies excessive levels of the element. Rosenfeld and Beath (1964) have divided the indicator plants into two categories. According to their classification the first category was called primary indicators and included over 20 species of Astragalus (1000 ppm Se) Machaeranthera, Oonoposis (800 ppm Se), Haplopappus, Zylorhiza (120 ppm Se), and Stanleya (700 ppm Se) which appear to require selenium for their growth. High levels of selenium normally accumulate in these species, sometimes as much as several thousand parts per million.
Identifying Long Term Voltage Stability Caused by Distribution Systems vs Transmission Systems

Monitoring the long term voltage stability of the power grid is necessary to ensure its secure operation. This paper presents a new phasor based methodology that distinguishes between long term voltage stability caused by distribution systems versus transmission systems. From a conceptual understanding of a simplified system, a Transmission-Distribution Distinguishing Index (TDDI) is proposed to distinguish between the two scenarios. A methodology to calculate the TDDI for multi-bus systems using quasi-steady state phasor measurements is described and validating results are presented for the IEEE 9 Bus system with a load replaced by various distribution feeders. The results verify that the TDDI can indeed be used to distinguish between transmission limited and distribution limited systems. This information can be utilized by the operator to effectively choose controls in distribution and transmission systems to improve the system margin.
Nanoscale morphology, tribology and electrical properties of polyaniline/graphene oxide/LAPONITE® composites investigated using atomic force microscopy

Polyaniline composites with graphene and graphene oxide have received broad interest for applications in charge separation and storage in electrical devices. Syntheses via in situ polymerization of aniline in colloidal dispersions of graphene oxide have afforded nanocomposites of polyaniline intercalated within graphene oxide nanosheets. The simultaneous inclusion of LAPONITE® nanoparticles has improved aqueous phase processability and thin film formation. Mechanical, morphological and conductivity studies including atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to study the host–guest interactions and heterointerfaces that govern self-assembly. Adhesion and conductivity values within graphene oxide/polyaniline/LAPONITE® (GOPL) nanocomposites were tuned by varying the weight ratios of polyaniline : graphene oxide. These studies inform ongoing work to use GOPL nanomaterials for clean energy harvesting and storage applications.
A Comparative Analysis of the MIR and the FMLN

This chapter’s comparative analysis of the MIR insurgency in Peru and the FMLN insurgency in El Salvador provides further insight into the usefulness and limitations of the theory of incubation for explaining wartime survival capacity. Upon initial inspection, these cases do not conform to this volume’s theory; the MIR is coded with a nearly five-year incubation period but was defeated in approximately five months while the FMLN is coded with no incubation period yet persisted for as long as the Sendero insurgency. By examining the different ways the MIR and the FMLN member- groups underwent these processes and the variance in successes they had in each, it becomes clear how the former set itself up for failure while the latter established the building blocks that would constitute the foundation for a formidable and long-lasting insurgency.
Coupling of meshfree peridynamics with the Finite Volume Method for poroelastic problems

Abstract Peridynamics is a non-local theory of continuum mechanics that has been developed primarily for understanding material failure due to different mechanisms, including fluid-driven crack propagation during hydraulic fracturing of subsurface reservoirs. Because of its non-local nature, this theory is computationally expensive. To improve its performance, a scheme was recently proposed for coupling Peridynamics (PD) with less expensive Finite Element Method (FEM) for static equilibrium problems. This scheme has been adapted in the current paper to couple a PD-based poroelastic model with the Finite Volume Method (FVM) for simulating problems in porous media. Coupling is implemented by dividing the computational domain into two subdomains, one of which is discretized and solved with PD and the other with FVM. The formulation is developed for porous flow involving fluid mass balance and is extended for poroelastic problems to include rock momentum balance. The coupled model is verified against the analytical solutions to classical problems. No spurious behavior is observed near the PD-FVM interface region. Improvements in computational performance over the pure PD model are demonstrated. Moreover, due to differences in the sparsity patterns and the magnitudes of PD and FVM transmissibility/Jacobian terms, it is shown that appending the PD equations after all the FV equations in the global matrix has additional computational benefits.
Patients’ Disease Risk Predictive Modeling using MIMIC Data

Abstract The latest MIMC III (Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III) database has rich information on over 58k patient’s medical histories for over 11 years. Based on MIMC III database, this paper presents a study of those patient’s primary disease risk prediction modeling, which focuses on assessing future disease risks for an individual who is ready for discharge. We explore a framework that combines regression modeling and deep learning techniques to substantially improve the performance of developed models. Firstly, a regression model will be applied to predicting the length of stay for a patient’s future ICU visit. Secondly, deep learning approach will be adopted to assess individual’s future visit in terms of time and the primary disease. If the modeling gets adopted in a hospital, the predicted results can be promisingly utilized as a reference for medical professionals and experts to oﬀer eﬀective health care guidance for patients. The proposed framework can also be utilized for developing an innovative tool that helps individuals create and maintain a better healthcare plan over time.
Urine Microscopy: The Burning Truth – White Blood Cells in the Urine

Pyuria, or presence of white blood cells (WBC)s in the urine, is most commonly associated with a urinary tract infection (UTI), but a UTI is not the only cause of pyuria. Isolated pyuria in the absence of bacteriuria can represent many inflammatory processes in the urinary tract, anywhere from the glomerulus to the urethra, or even the genital tract. It is important for the provider to understand reasons for the presence of pyuria, as treatment of its associated conditions can range from outpatient observation to urgent nephrectomy. This chapter will discuss nuances of the analysis of pyuria in the context of clinical presentation to develop an appropriate differential diagnosis. Initial evaluation and management of urinary tract infection, sterile pyuria, genitourinary tuberculosis, and urinary tract fistulae will be discussed.
Directivity Modulation of Monolayer WS 2 Emission by Single Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Nanospheres

Monolayer WS 2 emission is limited by its poor emission directivity. We introduce single hydrogenated amorphous silicon nanospheres (a-Si:H NSs) to realize on-demand directivity modulation. We demonstrate the active control of forward-to-backward modulation ratio via tuning the radius of a-Si:H NSs.
Modified scales for organizational identification and organizational disidentification for the foodservice industry.

Abstract This study is to test whether social identity theory can be applied to employees in the foodservice industry. Modified measures of OI and ODI using a mixed-method developed and tested and presented empirical evidence for the reliability and validity of the scales. To specify the domain of construct, the existing measures of social identification varied across studies were reviewed. A preliminary list of OI and ODI measurement scales were generated based on previous measures and data from personal interviews with foodservice workers. An expert group reviewed items and removed irrelevant and redundant ones. Also, two online surveys were conducted to validate the measurements and identify the underlying structures of the constructs. The findings of this study suggest that the final measures of OI and ODI using the categorical dimension approach are one-dimensional, reliable, and valid.