cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrated multi-cohort transcriptional meta-analysis of neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases share common pathologic features including neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and protein aggregation, suggesting common underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration. We undertook a meta-analysis of public gene expression data for neurodegenerative diseases to identify a common transcriptional signature of neurodegeneration. Using 1,270 post-mortem central nervous system tissue samples from 13 patient cohorts covering four neurodegenerative diseases, we identified 243 differentially expressed genes, which were similarly dysregulated in 15 additional patient cohorts of 205 samples including seven neurodegenerative diseases. This gene signature correlated with histologic disease severity. Metallothioneins featured prominently among differentially expressed genes, and functional pathway analysis identified specific convergent themes of dysregulation. MetaCore network analyses revealed various novel candidate hub genes (e.g. STAU2). Genes associated with M1-polarized macrophages and reactive astrocytes were strongly enriched in the meta-analysis data. Evaluation of genes enriched in neurons revealed 70 down-regulated genes, over half not previously associated with neurodegeneration. Comparison with aging brain data (3 patient cohorts, 221 samples) revealed 53 of these to be unique to neurodegenerative disease, many of which are strong candidates to be important in neuropathogenesis (e.g. NDN, NAP1L2). ENCODE ChIP-seq analysis predicted common upstream transcriptional regulators not associated with normal aging (REST, RBBP5, SIN3A, SP2, YY1, ZNF143, IKZF1). Finally, we removed genes common to neurodegeneration from disease-specific gene signatures, revealing uniquely robust immune response and JAK-STAT signaling in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Our results implicate pervasive bioenergetic deficits, M1-type microglial activation and gliosis as unifying themes of neurodegeneration, and identify numerous novel genes associated with neurodegenerative processes.
Glasnost, the Coup, and Soviet Arabist Historians

The 19 August 1991 coup attempt in Moscow and the subsequent collapse of the economy of the former Soviet Union has had its effects on Middle East studies. The seizure of Communist party property and bank accounts and the dispute between the Russian federal government and what remained of the centralized Soviet state structure still headed by President Gorbachev placed such distinguished centers for Middle East research as the Institutes for Oriental Studies in Moscow and St. Petersburg in serious financial jeopardy. Even before the coup attempt and the dissolution of the Communist party, continued full state funding was uncertain and the institutes were scrambling to establish joint publishing agreements with Western academic presses to ensure some infusion of hard currency against the plunging value of the ruble. Individual researchers began looking for translation work or other lucrative forms of moonlighting to supplement their insufficient salaries. And, of course, the content of Middle East studies has undergone a radical transformation. For the social scientists, such notions as “imperialism,” “socialist orientation,” and “international solidarity” have been swiftly abandoned and replaced with what experts now call “the new pragmatism,” which seeks to steer foreign policy away from engaged ideological alliances in the Middle East and towards bettering those state-to-state relations in the region that serve Russian national and economic interests.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Prognosis and Treatment of Patients From a Single Institution

Purpose Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon cutaneous malignancy. Most reports consist of single-institution experiences of fewer than 30 patients. The natural history of MCC is poorly defined. Patients and Methods A review was performed of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's MCC database, identifying 251 patients who had been treated between 1970 and 2002. Patient, tumor, and treatment-related factors were analyzed for their association with recurrence and survival. Results The average follow-up for all patients was 40 months and 46 months for patients alive at last follow-up. The 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 64%. Disease stage was the only independent predictor of survival (stage I, 81%; stage II, 67%; stage III, 52%; stage IV, 11%; P = .001). Pathologic staging of the draining nodal basin was performed in 71 (40%) of 177 patients who presented with clinically negative nodes, and 16 of these patients (23%) were found to have node-positive disease. Pathologic nodal staging was as...
Anxiety disorders and insomnia in geriatric patients

Anxiety and insomnia are among the more commonly encountered problems in geriatric patients. 27 Anxiety and insomnia may be symptoms of an underlying psychiatric disturbance; may be secondary to a general medical condition; or may be induced by medication, dietary substances, or substances of abuse such as alcohol. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the onset, anxiety and insomnia require intervention when they interfere with social, occupational, or recreational functioning. Intervention must be preceded by an adequate diagnostic assessment to exclude the many possible underlying factors. The use of anxiolytic or sedative hypnotic medications ideally is combined with adjunctive interventions that promote compliance and increase the likelihood of a sustained therapeutic response. This article outlines the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic issues that are pertinent to geriatric patients with anxiety disorders or insomnia.
SCAP: Smart Caching inWireless Access Points to Improve P2P Streaming

The increasing number of wireless users in Internet P2P applications causes two new performance problems due to the requirement of uploading the downloaded traffic for other peers, limited bandwidth of wireless communications, and resource competition between the access point and wireless stations. First, an active P2P wireless user can significantly reduce the downloading throughput of other wireless users in the WLAN. Second, the slowdown of a P2P wireless user communication can also delay its relay and data sharing service for other dependent wired/wireless peers. In order to address these problems, in this paper, we propose an efficient caching mechanism called SCAP (Smart Caching in Access Points). Conducting intensive Internet measurements on representative P2P streaming applications, we observe a high percentage of duplicated data packets in successive downloading and uploading data streams. Through duplication detection and caching at the access point, these duplicated packets can be compressed so that the uploading traffic in the WLAN is significantly reduced. Our prototype-based experimental evaluation demonstrates that by effectively reducing the redundant P2P traffic in the WLAN, SCAP improves the throughput of the WLAN by up to 88% and reduces the response delay to other Internet users meanwhile.
Mobile emotional intelligence

This keynote will highlight work from the Affective Computing group at the MIT Media Laboratory bringing new skills of emotional intelligence to mobile technology. Here are some of the things I plan to discuss and/or to demonstrate live: (1) New comfortable wearable technology for measuring physiological components of emotion, for example, I will show measurement of sympathetic nervous system activity using a new wrist-worn stretchy washable sensor and cardiovascular changes using regular earbuds plugged into your mobile phone; (2) Technology that reads facial expressions using a mobile device, which we are using to help people on the autism spectrum better learn about nonverbal communication; (3) Collection of affective information from mobile devices without being annoying, even when interrupting people over a dozen times a day; (4) Applications of these technologies to help people with sensory disorders, stress disorders, sleep disorders, and substance abuse. As time permits, I will also discuss a growing vision of how these new technologies can enable more research "by the people for the people.
A new model for V838 Monocerotis : a born-again object including an episode of accretion

We present new stellar evolution models that show that the born-again phenomenon, also known as a very late thermal pulse, is a viable explanation for the behaviour of V838 Monocerotis if a period of accretion is included. Based on this model, we assert that V838 Mon is a variation of a born-again giant in close orbit with a main-sequence binary companion of mass greater than 0.7 M� . Ke yw ords: stars: AGB and post-AGB ‐ stars: evolution ‐ stars: individual: V838 Mon ‐ stars: variables: other.
War and Slavery in Sudan

War and Slavery in Sudan. Jok Madut Jok. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001. 240 pp.
Performance and digestibility characteristics of finishing diets containing distillers grains, composites of corn processing coproducts, or supplemental corn oil

Three experiments evaluated the lipids in distillers grains plus solubles compared with corn or other sources of lipid in finishing diets. Experiment 1 utilized 60 individually fed yearling heifers (349 +/- 34 kg of BW) fed treatments consisting of 0, 20, or 40% (DM basis) wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS), or 0, 2.5, or 5.0% (DM basis) corn oil in a finishing diet based on high-moisture corn (HMC) and dry-rolled corn. Cattle fed 20 and 40% WDGS had greater (P < 0.10) G:F than cattle fed 0% WDGS. Cattle fed the 5.0% corn oil had less overall performance than cattle fed the other diets. Results from Exp. 1 indicated that adding fat from WDGS improves performance, whereas supplementing 5.0% corn oil depressed G:F, suggesting that the fat within WDGS is different than corn oil. Experiment 2 used 234 yearling steers (352 +/- 16 kg of BW) fed 1 of 5 treatments consisting of 20 or 40% (DM basis) dry distillers grains plus solubles, 1.3 or 2.6% (DM basis) tallow, or HMC. All diets contained 20% (DM basis) wet corn gluten feed as a method of controlling acidosis. No differences between treatments for any performance variables were observed in Exp. 2. The dry distillers grains plus solubles may be similar to tallow and HMC in finishing diets containing 20% wet corn gluten feed. Experiment 3 used 5 Holstein steers equipped with ruminal and duodenal cannulas in a 5 x 5 Latin square design. Treatments were a 40% WDGS diet, 2 composites, one consisting of corn bran and corn gluten meal; and one consisting of corn bran, corn gluten meal, and corn oil; and 2 dry-rolled corn-based diets supplemented with corn oil or not. Cattle fed the WDGS diet had numerically less rumen pH compared with cattle fed other treatments. Cattle fed WDGS had greater (P < 0.10) molar proportions of propionate, decreased (P < 0.10) acetate:propionate ratios, greater (P < 0.10) total tract fat digestion, and a greater (P < 0.10) proportion of unsaturated fatty acids reaching the duodenum than cattle fed other treatments. Therefore, the greater energy value of WDGS compared with corn may be due to more propionate production, greater fat digestibility, and more unsaturated fatty acids reaching the duodenum.
HIV in the Oral Cavity: Virus, Viral Inhibitory Activity, and Antiviral Antibodies: A Review:

SUMMARY Althoughit is generally assumedthatHIVtrans-mission does not occur through casual oral contact,persistent reports in the literature andthe well-docu-mented case ofthe Florida dentist (Ou et al., 1992)haveservedtoelevateconcernsandinterestaboutthepossibilityoforaltransmissionofHIV.Theliteraturesuggests that (1) the presence ofinfectious virus inthe oral cavity is an uncommonevent; (2) PCRdataindicate that HIV sequences may be present in theoral cavity at reasonably high frequency - furtherstudies are warranted; (3) saliva appears to containpotent anti-HIV activity that maybe responsible forthe low oral virus titer; and (4) oral secretions are areliable sourcefor monitoring anti-HIVantibodies. Itis clear that the oral cavity will remain a focus forHIV research, in terms of both viral transmission/ pathogenesis and for noninvasive diagnosis of theHIV-positive individual. ACKNOWLEDGMENT Supported in part by NIHgrants DE09569 andRR01224. REFERENCES Anon.: CDCAIDSWeekly, p. 6. May20, 1991 (199la).Anon.: CDCAIDSWeekly,
KANT ON THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF AUTONOMY

We all know what Kant means by autonomy: “the property of the will by which it is a law to itself (independently of any property of the objects of volition)” (G, 4:440), or, since any law must be universal, the condition of an agent who is “subject only to laws given by himself but still universal” (G, 4:432). Or do we know what Kant means by autonomy? There are a number of questions here. First, Kant's initial definition of autonomy itself raises the question of why the property of the will being a law to itself should be equivalent to its independence from any property of objects of volition. It is also natural to ask, how does autonomy as Kant conceives it relate to more familiar notions of freedom. For example, consider Locke's conception of freedom as the condition of a person “to think, or not to think; to move, or not to move, according to the preference or direction of his own mind,” rather than according to the preference or direction of any other person. What is the relation between autonomy and this traditional conception of freedom as the liberty of an agent? And what is the relation of autonomy to the traditional conception of freedom of the will; that is, the condition that obtains, as G. E.
Pixel co-registered simultaneous dualband infrared sensing

Mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs based quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) 320times 256 pixel dualband pixel co-registered simultaneous QWIP focal plane array (FPA) have been demonstrated as pathfinders. In this paper, we discuss the development of 1024 times 1024 MWIR/LWIR dualband pixel co-registered simultaneous QWIP focal plane array.
Confucian Capitalism and the Paradox of Closure and Structural Holes in East Asian Firms

A long-standing debate has taken place in the organizational sociology and social network literatures about the relative advantages of network closure versus structural holes in the generation of social capital. There is recent evidence that these advantages differ across cultures and between East Asia and the West in particular, but existing network models are unable to explain why or address cultural variation in general. This paper seeks to provide a solution by integrating a culture-embedded rational model of action into the social network model of structure, using this not only to re-examine the closure versus structural hole debate, but also to tie it to the literature on Confucian capitalism and the ‘East Asian Model’ of the firm. We argue that this integrated approach allows us to systematically analyse the relationship between culture and behaviour in networks and, more specifically, to explain why closure has been a more powerful source of productivity in East Asia than the West.
Protein Complex–Based Analysis Framework for High-Throughput Data Sets

`Analysis of high-throughput data increasingly relies on pathway annotation and functional information derived from Gene Ontology. This approach has limitations, in particular for the analysis of network dynamics over time or under different experimental conditions, in which modules within a network rather than complete pathways might respond and change. We report an analysis framework based on protein complexes, which are at the core of network reorganization. We generated a protein complex resource for human, Drosophila, and yeast from the literature and databases of protein-protein interaction networks, with each species having thousands of complexes. We developed COMPLEAT (http://www.flyrnai.org/compleat), a tool for data mining and visualization for complex-based analysis of high-throughput data sets, as well as analysis and integration of heterogeneous proteomics and gene expression data sets. With COMPLEAT, we identified dynamically regulated protein complexes among genome-wide RNA interference data sets that used the abundance of phosphorylated extracellular signal–regulated kinase in cells stimulated with either insulin or epidermal growth factor as the output. The analysis predicted that the Brahma complex participated in the insulin response.
Anticholinergic bronchodilators versus beta2‐sympathomimetic agents for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background Inhaled bronchodilators form the mainstay of treatment for acute exacerbations of COPD. Two types of agent are used routinely, either singly or in combination: anticholinergic agents and beta2-sympathomimetic agonists. Objectives To assess the effect of anti-cholinergic agents on lung function and dyspnea in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD, compared with placebo or short-acting beta-2 agonists. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register using pre-specified terms. We also searched references listed in each included trial for additional trial reports. Searches were current as of October 2005 and will be updated annually. Selection criteria We included studies if the participants were adult patients with a known diagnosis of COPD and had symptoms consistent with criteria for acute exacerbation of COPD. All randomized controlled trials that compared inhaled ipratropium bromide or oxitropium bromide to appropriate controls were considered. Appropriate control treatments included placebo, other bronchodilating agents, or combination therapies. Studies of acute asthma or ventilated patients were excluded. Data collection and analysis Two reviewers assessed all trials that appeared to be relevant who independently selected trials for inclusion. Differences were resolved by consensus. Main results Four trials compared the short-term effects of ipratropium bromide versus a beta2-agonist. Short-term changes in FEV1 (up to 90 minutes) showed no significant difference between beta2-agonist and ipratropium bromide treated patients. The differences were similar among the studies and when combined: Weighted Mean Difference (WMD) 0.0 liters (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) -0.19 to 0.19). There was no significant additional increase in change in FEV1 on adding ipratropium to beta2-agonist: WMD 0.02 liter (95% CI -0.08 to 0.12). Long-term effects (24 hours) of the ipratropium bromide and beta2-agonist treatment combination were similar: WMD 0.05 liters (95% CI -0.14 to 0.05). Neither of two studies found significant changes in PaO2, either short- or long-term, with ipratropium versus beta-agonist, although one showed an increase in PaO2 in subjects receiving ipratropium bromide at 60 minutes. Adverse drug reactions included dry mouth and tremor. Authors' conclusions There was no evidence that the degree of bronchodilation achieved with ipratropium bromide was greater than that using a short-acting beta2-agonist. The combination of a beta2-agonist and ipratropium did not appear to increase the effect on FEV1 more than either used alone.
The importance of catheter size in the achievement of urinary continence in patients undergoing a Young-Dees-Leadbetter procedure.

AbstractDuring the last 8 years 49 patients have undergone urinary tract reconstruction at our institution to manage urinary incontinence. Of these patients 25 underwent a Young-Dees-Leadbetter procedure, of whom 13 boys and 6 girls were available for followup. Average patient age was 12.2 years and mean followup is 30.2 months. Augmentation cystoplasty was required in 14 cases. All 12 patients (100%) undergoing tubularization over an 8F catheter attained diurnal continence, and 92% are completely continent day and night. Furthermore, the 6 patients in whom augment capacities attained were less than the expected volume for age were also completely continent when tubularization was performed over an 8F catheter. We conclude that creation of a narrow (8F) Young-Dees-Leadbetter bladder neck tubularization leads to an increased likelihood of diurnal and nocturnal continence but precludes spontaneous unaided voiding to completion. Furthermore, achievement of urinary continence appears to be less dependent on b...
Returns to damage under undesirable congestion and damages to return under desirable congestion measured by DEA environmental assessment with multiplier restriction: Economic and energy planning for social sustainability in China

This study discusses the concept of natural and managerial disposability from their economic and methodological implications on social sustainability development. Then, it explores their analytical linkages to a concept on “congestion.” The concept is classified into Undesirable Congestion (UC) under natural disposability and Desirable Congestion (DC) under managerial disposability. Considering the two disposability concepts, this study compares between Returns to Damage (RTD) under UC and Damages to Return (DTR) under DC. Conceptually, UC and DC are conceptually different from RTD and DTR although they are closely related to each other group. An occurrence of the former measures is identified by a single negative multiplier (i.e. dual variable). In contrast, the latter measures are associated with multiple negative multipliers and an intercept of a supporting hyperplane on a production and pollution possibility set. Thus, an occurrence of UC and DC is a necessary condition, but not a sufficient condition on RTD and DTR, respectively, in terms of the number of negative multipliers on production factors. To document the practicality of the proposed approach, this study applies it to Chinese economic and environmental assessment for its economic and energy planning for social sustainability development. This study identifies four important findings: First, the Chinese government has historically paid attention to the economic prosperity, but not paying serious attention on the environmental pollution (e.g., air pollution). Second, there was an increasing trend in improving the two components (i.e., economic and environmental performance measures) regarding social sustainability. Third, China's economic and energy policy concerns have been focused upon well-developed municipalities (e.g., Beijing and Shanghai) and large provinces. Therefore, it is an important strategy for the government to allocate economic and energy resources to other provinces so that China can reduce the industrial and regional imbalances. As a result, China can enhance the level of social sustainability. Finally, the municipalities need strict regulation on traffic control in these metropolitan areas and a fuel mix shift from coal combustion to natural gas and renewable energies (e.g., solar, water, and nuclear generations). The fuel mix strategy, along with the structure change (e.g., from manufacturing to service and from public to private energy firms), will be a major industrial policy issue for China in near future.
Alcohol and the Gastrointestinal Tract

The effects of acute and chronic ethanol ingestion on esophageal motility and the potential complications of these alterations are reviewed. Injury to the gastric mucosa and the small intestine and alterations in intestinal absorption can also result from alcohol abuse.
Diagnostic Tool for Throughput Factor Analysis in En-route Airspace

Today’s National Airspace System (NAS) is approaching its limit to efficiently cope with the increasing air traffic demand. Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) with its ambitious goals aims to make the air travel more predictable with fewer delays, less time sitting on the ground and holding in the air to improve the performance of the NAS. However, currently the performance of the NAS is mostly measured using delaybased metrics which do not capture a whole range of important factors that determine the quality and level of utilization of the NAS. The factors affecting the performance of the NAS are themselves not well defined to begin with. To address these issues, motivated by the use of throughput-based metrics in many areas such as ground transportation, wireless communication and manufacturing, this paper identifies the different factors which majorly affect the performance of the NAS as demand (split into flight cancellation and flight rerouting), safe separation (split into conflict and metering) and weather (studied as convective weather) through careful comparison with other applications and performing empirical sensitivity analysis. Additionally, the effects of different factors on the NAS’s performance are quantitatively studied using real traffic data with the Future ATM Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET) for various sectors and centers of the NAS on different days. In this paper we propose a diagnostic tool which can analyze the factors that have greater responsibility for regions of poor and better performances of the NAS, thus providing vital information which can be used for suitable economic and environmental advantages.
Testing of the Passively Varying Propeller Concept

A novel design for a passively varying pitch propeller has been tested in the NCSU subsonic wind tunnel. The system uses propeller blades designed to freely pivot on a radial axis and blade cross sections tailored for positive zero-lift pitching moment to achieve stable and efficient operation. Previous computational analysis and simulation indicated that by allowing the blades to rotate in this manner the envelope of efficient operation could be greatly expanded. Wind tunnel test articles corroborated the computational results and demonstrated that the propeller maintained near peak efficiency by passively adjusting blade pitch rotation angles by over 15 degrees to match changing inflow conditions. Following wind tunnel tests the passively varying pitch propeller was successfully demonstrated in-flight on the NCSU aerial vehicle Converse.
P37 latency mismatch between lateral and midline potentials is influenced by transversal afference.

SUMMARY P37 cortical peak latency registered on Ci' (lateral) is usually approximately 1 millisecond shorter than Cz' (midline) in lower limb somatosensory evoked potential. At the present time, the underlying mechanism that leads to this mismatch remains unknown. Superficial peroneal nerve, posttibial nerve, and sural nerve somatosensory evoked potentials were obtained from 26 anesthetized individuals by using Ci'-Cc', Cc'-Fpz, and Cz'-Fpz recording montages. P37 latency mismatches between the lateral (Ci'-Cc') and midline (Cz'-Fpz) potentials (P < 0.001) were recorded in superficial peroneal nerve, posttibial nerve, and sural nerve somatosensory evoked potentials; all showed shorter Ci'-Cc' P37 latency (1-1.7 milliseconds). However, in individuals who had minimal or no N37 potential on Cc' recording, the mean P37 latencies of Ci'-Cc' and Cz'-Fpz equalized with the P37 latency of Ci'-Cc' approaching to default Cz'-Fpz value. The data showed that N37 seemed to potentiate the P37 latency difference between Ci-Cc' and Cz'-Fpz recordings. We postulate that N37 may preferentially reflect the dipoles of transversal afference; lack of it thereof suggests poor dipole sources primarily perpendicular to the mesial hemisphere.
Stimulatory Effects of Insulin and Glucagon on Phenylethanolamine-A7-Methyl Transferase of Rat Adrenal∗

SummaryInjection of glucagon and insulin in rats stimulates the adrenal medullary enzyme, phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase (PNMT), with evidence of this being apparent within 2 hours. The highest level of stimulation results when glucagon (1 mg) and insulin (6 units) are injected simultaneously. In hypophysectomized rats, there is a marked decrease in the enzyme activity. ACTH only partially corrects this, but insulin and ACTH increase the enzyme activity to normal levels. It is suggested that, in the intact rats, insulin and glucagon may exert a stimulatory effect on PNMT activity independent of hypoglycemia or increased glucocorticoid production.
Optimal thinness boundary value points of BMI for Shanghai children

[Objective]To discuss the optimal BMI boundary value points for thinness of Shanghai children and its corresponding percentiles.[Methods](1)The data(height,weight and age) from 78458 children(39588 boys and 38870 girls) aged 2-18 years in Shanghai City were collected,including 23233 boys aged 2-11.5 years and 17742 girls aged 2-10 years.(2)Weight for height(WFH) for Shanghai children was used as the gold standard.Grade 1 slight thinness and Grade 2 middle and serious thinness were defined as those with weight below the 10th centile of WFH,and those with weight below the 2.28th centile of WFH(corresponding to z score-2).(3)The Subject operating characteristic curve(ROC) was used to characterize the sensitivity and specificity of different BMI boundary value points in classifying underweight.[Results](1) When classifying grade 1 thinness,the specificity on 10th,12.5th,and 15th centile of BMI is 98.7%,96.8% and 94.3% respectively for boys,and 99.4%,97.8% and 95.0% respectively for girls;the sensitivity on 10th,12.5th,and 15th centile of BMI is 89.2%,96.9% and 99.0% respectively for boys,and 85.3%,95.7% and 98.9% respectively for girls.(2) When classifying grade 2 thinness,the specificity on 3th,4th and 5th centile of BMI is 99.3%,98.6% and 97.7% respectively for boys,and 99.5%,98.7% and 97.9% respectively for girls;the sensitivity on 3th,4th and 5th centile of BMI is 95.7%,99.6% and 98.6% respectively for boys,and 91.3%,98.4% and 99.5% respectively for girls.(3) The rate of grade 1 thinness(BMIP12.5 and P4) in Shanghai boys and girls aged 2-18yr is 7.9% and 7.5% respectively,and the rate of grade 2 underweight(BMIP4) is 3.1% and 3.3% respectively.[Conclusion]The optimal BMI boundary value points for grade 1 and grade 2 thinness is the 12.5th and the 4th centile of BMI.The corresponding BMI value for 18 years old is 18.2 and 16.9 kg/m2 for boys,and 17.6 and 16.5 kg/m2 for girls respectively.
Value of MR susceptibility weighted angiography(SWAN)imaging in the diagnosis of brain diseases in children

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of MR T2 star weighted angiography(SWAN)in pediatric brain diseases.Methods:77pediatric patients with clinically diagnosed brain diseases were included in this study.Among them,8cases had hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy(HIE)accompanied with hemorrhage,47 cases had cranio-cerebral trauma and the rest 22 cases had vascular malformation of brain.All underwent conventional plain MR examination with SWAN sequence,whereas 16 cases of them were further examined with contrast-enhanced MR scanning.The images were evaluated by three experienced radiologists.Results:SWAN sequence was superior to conventional sequences in demonstrating HIE with hemorrhage including intra-cerebral parenchymal microhemorrhage,subependymal hemorrhage,intra-ventricular hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage as well as in demonstrating cranio-cerebral trauma including contusion and laceration of brain,diffuse axonal injury and subarachnoid hemorrhage.However,subdural and epidural hematoma were less conspicuous on SWAN.As for vascular malformation of brain,the advantages of SWAN were showed in demonstrating cavernous hemangioma,especially small hemangioma,and were obviously more in number;also in displaying occult developmental vein anomaly and abnormal vascular network at the brain surface of Sturge-Weber Syndrome.Conclusion:SWAN sequence is more sensitive and specific in detecting vascular malformation,hemorrhage and blood metabolic products.It is an important supplemental MR sequence in addition to conventional MRI sequences in the diagnosis of pediatric brain diseases.
Tax-Exempt Hospitals and Community Health Under the Affordable Care Act: Identifying and Addressing Unmet Legal Needs as Social Determinants of Health.

This article reviews recently promulgated Internal Revenue Service regulations for nonprofit hospitals seeking tax exemption and a new estimate of national hospital community benefit spending, and analyzes how they point to the value of hospitals working with community partners to address the social determinants of health. It then explains how unmet legal needs function as health determinants, and suggests how hospitals' participation in medical-legal partnerships can address those needs. This article was published on December 7, 2015, at www.publichealthreports.org
The interaction of coarticulation and prosody in sound change.

Ohala (1974, 1981a) has proposed that sound changes can originate in hearers' misinterpretations of synchronic phonetic patterns. This paper applies this idea to sound changes that are conditioned ...
Viral-mediated Ntf3 overexpression disrupts innervation and hearing in nondeafened guinea pig cochleae

Synaptopathy in the cochlea occurs when the connection between inner hair cells and the auditory nerve is disrupted, leading to impaired hearing and nerve degeneration. Experiments using transgenic mice have shown that overexpression of NT3 by supporting cells repairs synaptopathy caused by overstimulation. To accomplish such therapy in the clinical setting, it would be necessary to activate the neurotrophin receptor on auditory neurons by other means. Here we test the outcome of NT3 overexpression using viral-mediated gene transfer into the perilymph versus the endolymph of the normal guinea pig cochlea. We inoculated two different Ntf3 viral vectors, adenovirus (Adv) or adeno-associated virus (AAV) into the perilymph, to facilitate transgene expression in the mesothelial cells and cochlear duct epithelium, respectively. We assessed outcomes by comparing Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds prior to that at baseline to thresholds at 1 and 3 weeks after inoculation, and then performed histologic evaluation of hair cells, nerve endings, and synaptic ribbons. We observed hearing threshold shifts as well as disorganization of peripheral nerve endings and disruption of synaptic connections between inner hair cells and peripheral nerve endings with both vectors. The data suggest that elevation of NT3 levels in the cochlear fluids can disrupt innervation and degrade hearing.
An adaptive method for triggering, event validation and pulse pile-up recovery in PET

PETBox4 is a high sensitivity PET system dedicated to preclinical imaging of mice. Due to its high sensitivity, highly multiplexed detectors, and the long decay constant of BGO, PETBox4 reaches count rate limitations at lower activities than most other preclinical tomographs. Here, we are investigating methodologies to improve the triggering, validation and pulse pile-up recovery for PETbox4. For pulse pile-up detection, a rising edge detection method with a paralyzable model is applied, by continuously taking the derivative of the incoming signal waveform. Since integration of an event is terminated upon the detection of a new incoming trigger, a number of events are integrated for durations between 300 ns and 800 ns, less than the 800 ns allowed when there is no pile-up. From these, the first event of each pile-up are recovered by an integration time based energy recovery LUT (look up table). Shorter integration than 300ns is not allowed and in those cases, all pile-up events are rejected. To minimize the losses of good events at low activity levels, the threshold for the detection of pile-up has been implemented as an activity adaptive threshold based on the rising edge triggering rate. Pile-up recovery was validated by extracting the flood histogram and energy spectrum of recovered events. To evaluate the adaptive threshold method, the peak system sensitivity was measured. Compared to at least a 29% sensitivity loss with a constant threshold method, the activity adaptive threshold method maintains the sensitivity close to the GATE (Geant4 Application for Tomographic Emission) simulation result. A phantom study was performed with the measured parameters, evaluating image uniformity and prompt rates. The new adaptive threshold based pile-up rejection and recovery achieves optimized rejection performance with increasing activity and maintains image uniformity at low activity levels. Detected prompt rates increase by about 50% at 40μCi due to pile-up recovery.
Device and technology requirements for next generation communications systems

The rapid deployment of next generation communications systems-both wired and wireless-on a worldwide basis creates a unique opportunity for the semiconductor industry. High-speed networks require massive computing power and analog and radio frequency devices with wide dynamic range and bandwidth. The semiconductor technologies required to implement these systems will be highlighted, with particular emphasis on the technologies required to meet the demands of mobile computing applications.
Novel infrared devices based on semiconductor quantum structures

This presentation discusses two examples of devices under investigation in our group. The ultrahigh speed and frequency capability of quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) is well known, thanks to the short intrinsic carrier lifetime (/spl sim/5 ps). For high-speed applications where lasers are usually used, the most important parameter is the absorption efficiency. We show that high absorption (/spl sim/100%) can be easily achieved by simply changing some of the device parameters. At present time, QWIPs hold the unique position of having high speed/frequency capability and high absorption for the thermal infrared region. There are no competitive alternatives. In connection with high-speed applications, we also discuss two-photon intersubband transition in quantum wells. For some special applications, intrinsic nonlinear QWIP properties are useful, such as in autocorrelation of short pulses by two-photon absorption. The other device discussed here is an integrated 1.5 to 1/spl mu/m up-converter based on InP, GaAs, and related compounds. The device consists of a serially connected 1.5-/spl mu/m InGaAs PIN photodiode and 1/spl mu/m light-emitting diode. The operation of the device relies on (1) detecting a 1.5-/spl mu/m signal by the photodiode and (2) driving the light-emitting diode by the resulting photocurrent, thus achieving up-conversion.
A phase-tunable, liquid crystal-based metasurface

The tunable dielectric anisotropy of liquid crystals is used to design a metasurface that acts as a phase-tunable reflector. An equivalent circuit is developed for the metasurface which closely models its simulation performance. The design and fabrication procedure for the metasurface is discussed. An experimental prototype is shown to exhibit 186° of phase swing.
Contrasting seasonal responses of sulfate aerosols to declining SO2 emissions in the Eastern U.S.: Implications for the efficacy of SO2 emission controls

Stringent controls have reduced US SO2 emissions by over 60% since the late 1990s. These controls have been more effective at reducing surface [ SO42−] in summer (JJA) than in winter (DJF), a seasonal contrast that is not robustly captured by CMIP5 global models. We use the GFDL AM3 chemistry-climate model to show that oxidant limitation during winter causes [ SO42−] (DJF) to be sensitive to primary SO42− emissions, in-cloud titration of H2O2, and in-cloud oxidation by O3. The observed contrast in the seasonal response of [ SO42−] to decreasing SO2 emissions is best explained by the O3 reaction, whose rate coefficient has increased over the past decades as a result of increasing NH3 emissions and decreasing SO2 emissions, both of which lower cloud water acidity. The fraction of SO2 oxidized to SO42− is projected to keep increasing in future decades, delaying improvements in wintertime air quality.
Quantitative Analysis of Cellular Senescence in Culture and In Vivo

Cellular senescence refers to the irreversible growth arrest of normally dividing cells in response to various types of stress. Cellular senescence is induced by telomere shortening due to repeated cell division, which causes a DNA damage response, as well as genotoxic, oxidative, and inflammatory stress. Strong mitogenic signaling, such as oncogene activation, also drives cells into a senescent state. Senescent cells express a specific subset of genes, termed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), including pro-inflammatory factors, growth factors, and matrix metalloproteinases, which together promote non-cell autonomous, secondary senescence. Clearance of senescent cells that accumulate with age improves health span, implicating cellular senescence as a contributing factor to the aging process. Thus, there is a need for methods to identify and quantify cellular senescence, both in cultured cells and in vivo. Here, methods for the most well-characterized and widely used senescent assays are described, from cell morphology and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-βgal) staining to nuclear biomarkers, SASP, and altered levels of tumor suppressors. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Abstract 202: Enrichment of Transcription Factor Binding Sites in the Promoter Regions of Differentially Expressed Genes in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells from Abdominal Aortic Aneuryms.

BackgroundWe have previously shown that VSMC from AAA are unique compared to cells from normal aorta (NAA) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with increased production of matrix metalloproteinases and elastin degrading activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanisms behind this phenotype. MethodsTissue for VSMC cultures was obtained from patients undergoing AAA repair and CEA. NAA tissue was obtained from renal transplant patients (NAA). Total RNA was isolated from VSMC and subjected to whole-genome microarray. Enrichment of binding sites for transcription factors (TF) within 5 kD of transcription start sites of upregulated genes were identified using Whole Genome rVista. Enriched gene ontology terms were identified using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). ResultsGene profiles of 22 AAA, 29 CEA, and 17 NAA cell lines were compared. We identified 120 upregulated genes in AAA-VSMC relative to NAA and CEA-VSMC (FDR<0.05). Analysis of transcription fa...
Effects of bone marrow on the microenvironment of the human pancreatic islet: A Protein Profile Approach.

Stem cells are a new therapeutic modality that may support the viability and function of human organs and tissue. Our previous studies have revealed that human allogeneic bone marrow (BM) sustains pancreatic β cell function and survival. This paper examines whether BM creates a microenvironment that supports human pancreatic islets in vitro by evaluating 107 proteins in culture media from BM, islet, and islet/bone marrow (IB) with mass spectrometry. Proteins were considered up- or down-regulated if p-values < 0.05 and fold change was greater than 2 fold I VS. IB. In addition, proteins identified that were uniquely found in islets co-cultured with bone marrow, but not in islets or bone marrow. A 95% protein probability was used as a threshold. Twenty three proteins were upregulated, and sixteen proteins were downregulated. The function of each protein is listed based on the protein database, which include structural proteins (9 upregulated, 4 downregulated); anti-protease and anti-endopeptidase enzymes (8 upregulated); cation binding proteins (6 up-regulated). Six proteins were uniquely identified in islet co-cultured with bone marrow. Three are anti-proteases or anti-endopeptidases, and 1 is a structural protein. These findings suggest that BM, by changing culture media proteins, may be one of mechanisms to maintain human islet function and survival.
The Role of Diet in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Diet may play both a causal and therapeutic role for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Physicians caring for patients with IBD are often asked to make dietary recommendations. However, there are no well-established guidelines on the use of diet as a treatment of IBD. In this review, we describe the evidence supporting diet as a potential cause for IBD, patient-perceived symptoms based on diet, current research on various diets as a treatment for IBD, and areas of future research. New studies in murine models suggest that dietary emulsifiers may trigger the gut inflammatory cascade. New studies of restriction diets in patients have shown a relationship between dietary intake, symptoms, and bowel inflammation. Until several ongoing clinical trials are completed, a reasonable approach to dietary recommendations for patients with IBD is to propose a well-balanced, healthy (low-fat, low-sugar) diet prepared from fresh ingredients, such as the Mediterranean diet, with exclusions of self-identified foods that worsen or trigger IBD-related symptoms.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE EVENT RATES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO MEET THE FOURIER INCLUSION CRITERIA

Evolocumab, a PCSK9 inhibitor, reduced the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events among adults with CVD taking a statin in the FOURIER randomized clinical trial. Overall, 85% of FOURIER participants were white and the generalizability to other race/ethnic groups is unclear. We calculated the
An Enriched Finite Element Method for Dynamic Crack Propagation

An enrichment teqhnique for modeling two dimensional crack propagation within the framework of the finite element method is presented. The technique uses an enrichment basis that contain the asymptotic crack-tip solutions of moving cracks. The enrichment functions and their spatial derivatives have compact support and reproduce the asymptotic displacement field and strain field for a moving crack exactly. The two stress intensity factors, K l and K 2, of mode I and mode II, respectively, are the additional degrees of freedom. An explicit method is used to solve the resultant discrete equations. Numerical simulations in two dimensional linear elastodynamics are reported to demonstrate the accuracy and potential of the technique.
Synthesis of α-Arylated Cycloalkanones from Congested Trisubstituted Spiro-epoxides: Application of the House-Meinwald Rearrangement for Ring Expansion.

A three-step sequence for the synthesis of α-arylated cyclohexanones and the most challenging cycloheptanones is reported. First, an efficient one-pot synthesis of β,β’-disubstituted benzylidene cycloalkanes (styrenes) using the palladium-catalyzed Barluenga reaction from readily available feedstock chemicals is described. Furthermore, an epoxidation followed by the House–Meinwald rearrangement (HMR) of spiro-epoxides is reported to produce a number of α-arylated cycloalkanones upon ring expansion. Reactions catalyzed by bismuth triflate underwent quasi-exclusively ring expansion for all substrates (electronically poor and rich), with yields ranging from 15% to 95%, thus demonstrating the difficulty of achieving ring enlargement for electron-deficient spiro-epoxides. On the other hand, by means of catalysis with aluminum trichloride, the rearrangement of spiro-epoxides proceeded typically in high yields and with remarkable regioselectivity on a broader substrate scope. In this case, a switch of regioselec...
Periostin overexpression in collecting ducts accelerates renal cyst growth and fibrosis in polycystic kidney disease.

In polycystic kidney disease (PKD), persistent activation of cell proliferation and matrix production contributes to cyst growth and fibrosis, leading to progressive deterioration of renal function...