cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dietary choice affects Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 colonization and disease

The likelihood that a single individual infected with the Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing, food-borne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 will develop a life-threatening sequela called the hemolytic uremic syndrome is unpredictable. We reasoned that conditions that enhance Stx binding and uptake within the gut after E. coli O157:H7 infection should result in greater disease severity. Because the receptor for Stx, globotriaosylceramide, is up-regulated in the presence of butyrate in vitro, we asked whether a high fiber diet (HFD) that reportedly enhances butyrate production by normal gut flora can influence the outcome of an E. coli O157 infection in mice. To address that question, groups of BALB/c mice were fed high (10%) or low (2%) fiber diets and infected with E. coli O157:H7 strain 86-24 (Stx2+). Mice fed an HFD exhibited a 10- to 100-fold increase in colonization, lost 15% more body weight, exhibited signs of morbidity, and had 25% greater mortality relative to the low fiber diet (LFD)-fed group. Additionally, sections of intestinal tissue from HFD-fed mice bound more Stx1 and expressed more globotriaosylceramide than did such sections from LFD-fed mice. Furthermore, the gut microbiota of HFD-fed mice compared with LFD-fed mice contained reduced levels of native Escherichia species, organisms that might protect the gut from colonization by incoming E. coli O157:H7. Taken together, these results suggest that susceptibility to infection and subsequent disease after ingestion of E. coli O157:H7 may depend, at least in part, on individual diet and/or the capacity of the commensal flora to produce butyrate.
The State of Executable Real-Time Specification Languages and the Need for Advancements

Several real-time executable software specification languages and techniques exist. However, there are aspects among these languages that are preventing these languages from being widely accepted and adopted. The paper identifies three key areas contributing to this non-acceptability. The paper also suggests future directions and advancements needed in the identified areas.
Inhibition of STAT3 Promotes the Efficacy of Adoptive Transfer Therapy Using Type-1 CTLs by Modulation of the Immunological Microenvironment in a Murine Intracranial Glioma

A variety of cancers, including malignant gliomas, show aberrant activation of STAT3, which plays a pivotal role in negative regulation of antitumor immunity. We hypothesized that inhibition of STAT3 signals would improve the efficacy of T cell adoptive transfer therapy by reversal of STAT3-induced immunosuppression in a murine GL261 intracranial glioma model. In vitro treatment of GL261 cells with JSI-124, a STAT3 inhibitor, reversed highly phosphorylated status of STAT3. Systemic i.p. administration of JSI-124 in glioma-bearing immunocompetent mice, but not athymic mice, resulted in prolonged survival, suggesting a role of adaptive immunity in the antitumor effect. Furthermore, JSI-124 promoted maturation of tumor-infiltrating CD11c(+) dendritic cells and activation of tumor-conditioned cytotoxic T cells, enhanced dendritic cells and GL261 production of CXCL-10, a critical chemokine for attraction of Tc1 cells. When i.p. JSI-124 administration was combined with i.v. transfer of Pmel-I mouse-derived type-1 CTLs (Tc1), glioma-bearing mice exhibited prolonged survival compared with i.p. JSI-124 or i.v. Tc1 therapy alone. Flow cytometric analyses of brain infiltrating lymphocytes revealed that JSI-124-treatment enhanced the tumor-homing of i.v. transferred Tc1 cells in a CXCL-10-dependent fashion. Systemic JSI-124 administration also up-regulated serum IL-15 levels, and promoted the persistence of transferred Tc1 in the host. These data suggest that systemic inhibition of STAT3 signaling can reverse the suppressive immunological environment of intracranial tumor bearing mice both systemically and locally, thereby promoting the efficacy of adoptive transfer therapy with Tc1.
Increasing Student Success Using Online Quizzing in Introductory (Majors) Biology

Students often complain about their perceived disconnect between the time and effort spent studying and their subsequent performance on exams. Robert Bjork’s research asserts that retrieval of stored information acts as a memory modifier, and that using tests as learning events creates “desirable difficulties that enhance learning.” To determine the effect of utilizing testing as a learning event in the introductory (majors) biology classroom, we used an online homework platform to give required quizzes throughout the course. Analysis of exam grades earned by those taking 100% of pre-exam quizzes indicates that not only does this group have a significantly higher exam average than the group of students who took 0% of the pre-exam quizzes, but they also have a significantly higher exam average than the class average. Through detailed, statistical analysis, the benefit of quizzing is demonstrated to be significant for students of diverse academic abilities. Pre-exam quizzing using an online homework platform is an effective way to increase student performance on exams and allows class time to be utilized for teaching activities.
Effects of misalignment on propagation characteristics of transmission lines printed on anisotropic substrates

The spectral-domain method is applied to study the propagation characteristics of grounded transmission lines on biaxial substrates whose axes are misaligned with those of the line. The three structures under investigation are the grounded slotline, microstrip, and the edge coupled line. In the formulation, an expression for the Green's function that is valid for substrates which are simultaneously characterized by their permittivity and permeability tensors is derived. The off-diagonal elements of the permittivity tensor, present due to the misalignment of the axes, are used to examine the dispersion properties of these transmission lines with numerous case-studies presented for different angles of rotation. >
Cascading formulas for identical transducer P-matrices

Formulas are derived for the P-matrix of a cascade of identical acoustic transducers, in terms of the P-matrix of one elementary transducer. The derivation makes no assumptions other than reciprocity and the validity of the P-matrix description. Consequently, the results are valid for a wide range of cases, such as simple SAW gratings or group-type single-phase unidirectional transducers (SPUDT's), where each element is a transducer plus grating. The formulas are used to derive a general relation for the directivity of a SPUDT in terms of the directivity of one period.
Freestanding carbon nanotube specimen fabrication

Freestanding specimens are required in experiments investigating mechanical, thermal, electrical and electromechanical properties of nanotubes. We present a lithographic technique for fabricating freestanding nanotube, nanowires and nanorod specimens with their ends embedded in polymers, metals or any other material. The technique is repeatable, flexible, and addresses the issue of firm gripping of the specimens. The flexibility offered by the lithography method will enable co-fabrication of the specimens with sensors and actuators for performing a wide variety of nano-mechanical characterization.
Novel microsatellite loci for the study of the black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapillus)

We identified 14 novel polymorphic microsatellite loci in the black-capped vireo ( Vireo atricapillus ). We also attempted to amplify and genotype these loci in other Vireo species, including the white-eyed vireo ( Vireo griseus ), red-eyed vireo ( Vireo olivaceus ), and blueheaded vireo ( Vireo solitarius ). In 33 genotyped black-capped vireos from two locations, total alleles ranged from six to 20, with observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.58 to 0.91 and expected heterozygosity from 0.65 to 0.93. Two loci had detectable levels of null alleles. Many of the loci were able to be amplified in the related Vireo species.
College students with diabetes: using focus groups and interviews to determine psychosocial issues and barriers to control.

College students with diabetes are at risk for improvised diabetes care due to their age, newly acquired independence, and erratic schedules. The purpose of this study was to employ focus groups an...
AP180 and AP-2 interact directly in a complex that cooperatively assembles clathrin

Abstract Clathrin-coated vesicles are involved in protein and lipid trafficking between intracellular compartments in eukaryotic cells. AP-2 and AP180 are the resident coat proteins of clathrin-coated vesicles in nerve terminals, and interactions between these proteins could be important in vesicle dynamics. AP180 and AP-2 each assemble clathrin efficiently under acidic conditions, but neither protein will assemble clathrin efficiently at physiological pH. We find that there is a direct, clathrin-independent interaction between AP180 and AP-2 and that the AP180-AP-2 complex is more efficient at assembling clathrin under physiological conditions than is either protein alone. AP180 is phosphorylated in vivo, and in crude vesicle extracts its phosphorylation is enhanced by stimulation of casein kinase II, which is known to be present in coated vesicles. We find that recombinant AP180 is a substrate for casein kinase II in vitro and that its phosphorylation weakens both the binding of AP-2 by AP180 and the cooperative clathrin assembly activity of these proteins. We have localized the binding site for AP-2 to amino acids 623–680 of AP180. The AP180/AP-2 interaction can be disrupted by a recombinant AP180 fragment containing the AP-2 binding site, and this fragment also disrupts the cooperative clathrin assembly activity of the AP180-AP-2 complex. These results indicate that AP180 and AP-2 interact directly to form a complex that assembles clathrin more efficiently than either protein alone. Phosphorylation of AP180, by modulating the affinity of AP180 for AP-2, may contribute to the regulation of clathrin assembly in vivo.
Expanding Internships to Enhance Academic-Industry Relations: A Perspective in Stakeholder Education:

To improve technical communication education, educators and internship providers need to find ways to revise internship experiences so that educators, internship providers, and students/interns can...
Preservers of Eigenvalue Inclusion Sets

For a square matrix A, let S(A) be an eigenvalue inclusion set such as the Gershgorin region, the Brauer region in terms of Cassini ovals, and the Ostrowski region. Characterization is obtained for maps Φ on n×n matrices satisfying S(Φ(A)-Φ(B))=S(A-B) for all matrices A and B. From these results, one can deduce the structure of additive or (real) linear maps satisfying S(A)=S(Φ(A)) for every matrix A.
Concept acquisition in example-based grammar authoring

To facilitate the development of speech enabled applications and services, we have been working on an example-based semantic grammar authoring tool. Previous studies have shown that the tool has not only significantly reduced the grammar development effort but also yielded grammars of better qualities. However, the tool requires extra human involvement when ambiguities exist in the process of grammar rule induction. In this paper we present an algorithm that is able to automatically resolve the segmentation ambiguities, hence acquire the language expressions for the concepts involved. Preliminary experiment results show that the expectation-maximization algorithm we investigated has not only eliminated the human involvement in ambiguity resolution but also improved the overall spoken language understanding accuracy.
RNA Interference of NADPH-Cytochrome P450 Reductase Results in Reduced Insecticide Resistance in the Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius

Background NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) plays a central role in cytochrome P450 action. The genes coding for P450s are not yet fully identified in the bed bug, Cimex lectularius. Hence, we decided to clone cDNA and knockdown the expression of the gene coding for CPR which is suggested to be required for the function of all P450s to determine whether or not P450s are involved in resistance of bed bugs to insecticides. Methodology/Principal Findings The full length Cimex lectularius CPR (ClCPR) cDNA was isolated from a deltamethrin resistant bed bug population (CIN-1) using a combined PCR strategy. Bioinformatics and in silico modeling were employed to identify three conserved binding domains (FMN, FAD, NADP), a FAD binding motif, and the catalytic residues. The critical amino acids involved in FMN, FAD, NADP binding and their putative functions were also analyzed. No signal peptide but a membrane anchor domain with 21 amino acids which facilitates the localization of ClCPR on the endoplasmic reticulum was identified in ClCPR protein. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ClCPR is closer to the CPR from the body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis than to the CPRs from the other insect species studied. The ClCPR gene was ubiquitously expressed in all tissues tested but showed an increase in expression as immature stages develop into adults. We exploited the traumatic insemination mechanism of bed bugs to inject dsRNA and successfully knockdown the expression of the gene coding for ClCPR. Suppression of the ClCPR expression increased susceptibility to deltamethrin in resistant populations but not in the susceptible population of bed bugs. Conclusions/Significance These data suggest that P450-mediated metabolic detoxification may serve as one of the resistance mechanisms in bed bugs.
Aggressive Behavior in Children and Adolescents

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the developmental stages of aggressive behavior in children.2. Know how to provide parents with support and resources in caring for a child who displays aggressive behavior.3. Delineate the prognosis for children who have aggressive behaviors.
A woman with melena and transfusion-dependent anemia

Question: A 47year-old woman withhamartomatous gastric polyposiswas referred for total gastrectomy because of transfusiondependent iron deficiency anemia owing to blood loss. The patient’s history included life-long, recurrent epistaxis requiring electrocautery of the nasopharynx and subtotal colectomy for juvenile colonic polyps. Physical examination revealed small telangiectasias over the bilateral cheeks and hard palate. Both the prior colectomy specimen and endoscopic gastric biopsies demonstrated juvenile hamartomatous polyps. Abdominal computed tomography obtained 1-year prior showed gastric polyposis (Figure A, arrow) and subtle enhancing hepatic lesions. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging determined these to be hepatic vascular malformations. An upper endoscopy revealed numerous large pedunculated and sessile bleeding gastric polyps that carpeted the stomach (FigureB). Laparoscopic total gastrectomywith esophagojejunostomy and Roux-en-Y reconstructionwas performed. The gross specimen showed innumerable polyps ranging in size from 0.3 to 4.0 cm (Figure C). A particular histologic abnormality was seen (Figure D, arrow). What is the most likely diagnosis? Look on page 873 for the answer and see the Gastroenterology web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.
Steroid‐hormone receptors in breast cancer

An obvious problem for the surgeon or oncologist treating breast cancer has been to identify the patients likely to respond to endocrine manipulation. Until recently, clinical factors such as previous response to hormone therapy, disease-free interval, age and menopausal status, and location of the dominant metastatic lesion were the principal criteria for selecting therapeutic regimens for these women. Recently, the measurement of steroid hormone receptors has become an important laboratory test. Progress during the last decade has shown that: the most reliable methods of determining estrogen receptors (ER) and progestin receptors (PR) are multipoint titration analysis using dextran-coated charcoal, and sucrose density gradient centrifugation; 55% to 65% of primary breast tumors contain more than 10 femtomole/mg cytosol protein of ER; 45% to 55% of metastatic breast tumors contain more than 10 fmol/mg cytosol protein of ER; ER are present more often in tumors of postmenopausal women compared with those of premenopausal women; benign breast lesions such as fibrocystic disease and fibroadenomas usually contain less than 10 fmol/mg cytosol protein of ER; 90% of male breast carcinomas contain ER; approximately 55% of women with breast tumors containing ER respond objectively to endocrine therapy, either additive or ablative; less than 3% of women with breast tumors lacking ER respond objectively to hormone therapy. In addition, it has been suggested that the absence of ER in a breast tumor correlates well with an increased response to cytotoxic chemotherapy; 45% to 60% of primary or metastatic breast tumors contain PR. Also, the presence of both ER and PR in a breast tumor indicates a 75% to 80% likelihood that the patient will respond to endocrine manipulation, either additive or ablative; it has been suggested that the presence of the 8 Svedberg form of ER in a breast tumor (as detected by sucrose gradient centrifugation) improves the accuracy of selecting the patient likely to respond to endocrine therapy; and there appears to be a relationship between the quantity of ER in a breast tumor and a patient's response to endocrine therapy. The incidence of response to hormone therapy increases with increasing ER levels.
Future climate in the Pacific Northwest

Climate models used in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) on the whole reproduce the observed seasonal cycle and twentieth century warming trend of 0.8°C (1.5°F) in the Pacific Northwest, and point to much greater warming for the next century. These models project increases in annual temperature of, on average, 1.1°C (2.0°F) by the 2020s, 1.8°C (3.2°F) by the 2040s, and 3.0°C (5.3°F) by the 2080s, compared with the average from 1970 to 1999, averaged across all climate models. Rates of warming range from 0.1°C to 0.6°C (0.2°F to 1.0°F) per decade. Projected changes in annual precipitation, averaged over all models, are small (+1% to +2%), but some models project an enhanced seasonal cycle with changes toward wetter autumns and winters and drier summers. Changes in nearshore sea surface temperatures, though smaller than on land, are likely to substantially exceed interannual variability, but coastal upwelling changes little. Rates of twenty-first century sea level rise will depend on poorly known factors like ice sheet instability in Greenland and Antarctica, and could be as low as twentieth century values (20 cm, 8″) or as large as 1.3 m (50″).
Causal uncertainty as a chronically accessible construct

Causal uncertainty refers to feelings that one may not understand the causes of events. A number of studies have shown that causal uncertainty has significant effects on people's processing of information and on important life outcomes. Weary and Edwards have postulated that causal uncertainty is, in part, a cognitive construct that can vary in its accessibility. This assumption has allowed for a variety of predictions to be made about the causes and consequences of causal uncertainty. However, this accessibility assumption has never been directly tested. To do this, in Study 1 an emotional Stroop procedure was used. Higher causal uncertainty was associated with longer latencies to name the color in which causal uncertainty-related words were written compared to uncertainty-irrelevant words. In Study 2, both manipulated and chronic causal uncertainty led to faster times to respond to causal uncertainty-related stimuli in an attitude accessibility task. Both studies are consistent with the theoretically predicted chronic accessibility of causal uncertainty beliefs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Polymyxin B Sulfate and Colistin: Old Antibiotics for Emerging Multiresistant Gram-Negative Bacteria:

BACKGROUND:Polymyxin B sulfate and colistin, also known as colistimethate, have not been used for many years because less toxic antimicrobials are available. Gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to the aminoglycosides, β-lactams, and fluoroquinolones are becoming more common. These bacteria are often susceptible to the polymyxins.OBJECTIVE:To present a review of the chemistry, antibacterial spectrum, dosing, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and indications for polymyxin B sulfate and colistin.DATA SOURCE:A MEDLINE search (1966–1998) of the English-language literature was performed to identify primary literature on the polymyxins. Older citations (1949–1965) were identified through the bibliographies of these articles.STUDY SELECTION:All available reports of in vitro antibacterial activity, animal and clinical trials, and case reports were reviewed.DATA SYNTHESIS:The polymyxins are amphipathic molecules that interact with lipopolysaccharide in the bacterial outer membrane. They have potent antiendotoxic pr...
Progesterone increases nitric oxide synthesis in human vascular endothelial cells through activation of membrane progesterone receptor-α

Progesterone exerts beneficial effects on the human cardiovascular system by inducing rapid increases in nitric oxide (NO) production in vascular endothelial cells, but the receptors mediating these nongenomic progesterone actions remain unclear. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as a model, we show that progesterone binds to plasma membranes of HUVECs with the characteristics of membrane progesterone receptors (mPRs). The selective mPR agonist Org OD 02-0 had high binding affinity for the progesterone receptor on HUVEC membranes, whereas nuclear PR (nPR) agonists R5020 and medroxyprogesterone acetate displayed low binding affinities. Immunocytochemical and Western blot analyses confirmed that mPRs are expressed in HUVECs and are localized on their plasma membranes. NO levels increased rapidly after treatment with 20 nM progesterone, Org OD 02-0, and a progesterone-BSA conjugate but not with R5020, suggesting that this progesterone action is at the cell surface and initiated through mPRs. Progesterone and Org OD 02-0 (20 nM) also significantly increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and eNOS phosphorylation. Knockdown of mPRα expression by treatment with small-interfering RNA (siRNA) blocked the stimulatory effects of 20 nM progesterone on NO production and eNOS phosphorylation, whereas knockdown of nPR was ineffective. Treatment with PI3K/Akt and MAP kinase inhibitors blocked the stimulatory effects of progesterone, Org OD 02-0, and progesterone-BSA on NO production and eNOS phosphorylation and also prevented progesterone- and Org OD 02-0-induced increases in Akt and ERK phosphorylation. The results suggest that progesterone stimulation of NO production in HUVECs is mediated by mPRα and involves signaling through PI3K/Akt and MAP kinase pathways.
Scene-Centered Description from Spatial Envelope Properties

In this paper, we propose a scene-centered representation able to provide a meaningful description of real world images at multiple levels of categorization (from superordinate to subordinate levels). The scene-centered representation is based upon the estimation of spatial envelope properties describing the shape of a scene (e.g. size, perspective, mean depth) and the nature of its content. The approach is holistic and free of segmentation phase, grouping mechanisms, 3D construction and object-centered analysis.
Antipyretic effect of naproxen and corticosteroids on neoplastic fever

Abstract Thirty-nine patients with advanced cancer and neoplastic fever were retrospectively analyzed to compare the antipyretic activity of naproxen and corticosteroids. The diagnosis of neoplastic fever was well-established at the time of the administration of naproxen or corticosteroids. All patients received naproxen, and this treatment induced complete lysis of fever in 36 patients (90%). Twelve of these patients also received corticosteroids at another time; all had previously responded with complete lysis of fever to naproxen. Corticosteroids induced complete lysis in six of these patients (50%), partial lysis in two and no lysis in four. This observation suggests that naproxen is a more effective antipyretic agent in the management of neoplastic fever than corticosteroids.
Early and Sustained Survival Benefit Associated With Statin Therapy at the Time of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background— Long-term administration of statin therapy has been shown to reduce major coronary events and cardiac mortality within randomized clinical trials. In addition to lowering lipids, statins favorably affect platelet adhesion, thrombosis, endothelial function, inflammation, and plaque stability, which may potentially improve outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, we hypothesized that statin therapy has an early beneficial effect among patients undergoing PCI. Methods and Results— Each year from 1993 to 1999, we prospectively collected data among the first 1000 patients undergoing PCI. Patients who presented with acute or recent myocardial infarction or cardiogenic shock were excluded from the analysis. Baseline, procedural, and 6-month data of statin-treated and non–statin-treated patients were compared. Propensity score and multivariate survival analysis were used to adjust for heterogeneity between the two groups. Of 5052 patients who completed follow-up, 26.5% were t...
ECOEPIDEMIOLOGY: A MEANS TO SAFEGUARD ECOSYSTEM SERVICES THAT SUSTAIN HUMAN WELFARE

Ecosystem services are required to sustain human life and enhance its quality. Hence, environmental security must come from protecting and managing those services. Ecological risk assessment can predict and estimate effects of proposed actions, but it is insufficient alone for two reasons. First, it can fail because of inadequate application, unforeseen stressors, or unpredictable effects. Second, in many cases ecosystem services that sustain life are already impaired, resulting in reduced human welfare. For these reasons, environmental security requires the development of ecoepidemiology, a science that will identify impaired ecosystem services and determine the causes of impairment so that remediation and restoration can occur. A method for causal analysis, developed to identify causes of impairment in aquatic ecosystems, may provide a template that can be adapted to identify the causes of diminished ecosystem services and the resulting reductions in human welfare. Some of the challenges for adapting the existing method include explicitly defining ecosystem services required to sustain human life, appropriately matching the scale of the analysis to the ecological processes that deliver those services, and possibly customizing the logical considerations used in causal analysis. Advancing the science of ecoepidemiology holds the promise of helping scientists frame and guide rational debate, providing a sound basis from which to launch risk assessment and risk management scenarios, and ultimately informing environmental decision-making that affects human welfare, development and environmental security within acceptable risks.
Wait List Management

Transplant candidates waiting for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor are registered on a national transplant waiting list, maintained by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS matches deceased donor kidneys to recipients, taking into account both efficiency (graft and patient survival) and equity (fair distribution). Organ allocation is a complex system, taking into account blood type, HLA matching, degree of sensitization, pediatric recipients, and time waiting on the list. Listing practices take into account median wait times and allocation variances within the region, as well as list size, while optimizing resource utilization. There is a great disparity in the number of candidates awaiting kidney transplants compared to the number transplanted each year. UNOS is involved in a comprehensive review of the kidney allocation process, working toward improving the current system. The new allocation system would strive to maintain access for all candidates, while trying to maximize outcomes from each kidney.
Depressed In Vitro Lymphocyte Responses to PHA in Patients With Hodgkin Disease in Continuous Long Remissions

Twenty consecutive patients with Hodgkin disease in continuous complete remission and off treatment for at least 5 yr (range 5-25 yr, median 9 yr) were studied with a battery of immunologic parameters. Skin test reactivity to four common antigens, sensitization to 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, absolute lymphocyte count, relative percentage of T cells (as measured by spontaneous rosette formation with sheep erythrocytes) and B cells (as measured by immunofluorescencewith polyvalent antiserum), and absolute number of T and B cells were normal when compared with controls. However, the mean value of lymphocyte response in vitro to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin for the study population was significantly decreased (p< O.OO�) when compared with the controls. This abnormality in response to mitogen could not be correlated with age, sex, stage, symptoms, histologic subclassification, or previous treatment. The data suggest the existence of a persisting cell-mediated immune defect in the circulating lymphocytes in patients with long-standing Hodgkin disease that might otherwise be considered “cured.” ARLIER STUDIES of the immunologic reactivity of Hodgkin disease have demonstrated abnormalities in the absolute lymphocyte count,’ absolute number of T cells,2 and lymphocyte function;3’4 but these reports have included many patients previously undergoing treatment. Recently, in a large group ofuntreated patients, we have found that the absolute lymphocyte count and absolute number of T and B cells are decreased while the relative number ofT and B cells and the T and B cell ratio are normal.5 The absolute T cell number and percentage of T cells, however, have been reported as normal by Bobrove et al.6 Significant abnormalities in response to 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) sensitization,5�8 lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin
Tachykinin acts upstream of autocrine Hedgehog signaling during nociceptive sensitization in Drosophila

Pain signaling in vertebrates is modulated by neuropeptides like Substance P (SP). To determine whether such modulation is conserved and potentially uncover novel interactions between nociceptive signaling pathways we examined SP/Tachykinin signaling in a Drosophila model of tissue damage-induced nociceptive hypersensitivity. Tissue-specific knockdowns and genetic mutant analyses revealed that both Tachykinin and Tachykinin-like receptor (DTKR99D) are required for damage-induced thermal nociceptive sensitization. Electrophysiological recording showed that DTKR99D is required in nociceptive sensory neurons for temperature-dependent increases in firing frequency upon tissue damage. DTKR overexpression caused both behavioral and electrophysiological thermal nociceptive hypersensitivity. Hedgehog, another key regulator of nociceptive sensitization, was produced by nociceptive sensory neurons following tissue damage. Surprisingly, genetic epistasis analysis revealed that DTKR function was upstream of Hedgehog-dependent sensitization in nociceptive sensory neurons. Our results highlight a conserved role for Tachykinin signaling in regulating nociception and the power of Drosophila for genetic dissection of nociception.
Sequence analysis of the S3 gene from a turkey reovirus.

The deduced σ2 protein sequence from the S3 gene segment of a novel turkey reovirus, designated NC98, isolated from the bursa of birds exhibiting poult enteritis and mortality syndrome was determined. The isolate, serologically distinct from other avian reoviruses, was isolated in turkey embryo kidney cells and RNA was purified for cDNA synthesis. Oligonucleotide primers were designed based on conserved avian S3 nucleotide sequence data. The NC98 S3 open reading frame comprised 1101 base pairs and encoded 366 amino acids with a predicated molecular mass of 40.5 kDa. Although the S3 nucleotide sequence from several chicken isolates share at least 86% identity, they share only 64% with the NC98 turkey isolate. Interestingly, the S3 nucleotide sequence from a muscovy duck reovirus shares 55% identity with NC98 and 53% identity with chicken isolates. As observed in other avian reovirus σ2 protein sequences, a zinc-binding motif and double-stranded RNA binding domain were found within the predicted amino acid sequence of NC98. Phylogenetic analysis of the deduced σ2 sequence demonstrated that NC98 separated as a distinct virus relative to other avian strains. The results of this study indicate that NC98 is a novel turkey reovirus that shares limited genomic sequence identity to isolates of chicken and duck origin and should be considered a separate virus species within subgroup 2 of the Orthoreovirus genus.
Soverignty, Value Judgments, and Choice of Law

Of the many methodologies now in use by courts in resolving conflict-of-laws cases, actual decisions are likely to depend on temperament, intuition, and predilection - which is to say, on value judgments. There are fewer of these judgments than one might think. In fact there are only two that are really important, and they have taken clear shape in the decision making of the 20th century. The first is rooted in sovereignty and the need for the accommodation of differences; the second is the judicial impulse to decide conflict cases in ways that make good sense. Resolving the tension between the two is what is hard and controversial in choice of law. This article is a study in the working out of the problem - how it has been done, and more importantly, how it ought to be done.
The Efficiency and Fairness of Enforced Sharing: An Examination of the Essence of Antitrust

This Article begins with a critique both of existing law, and of a prominent recent reform proposal, for failing to articulate a theoretically coherent and administrable means to distinguish legitimate, pro-competitive refusals to deal from unlawful, anticompetitive ones. Through this critique, I show that cooperation among competitors can be both efficient and fair according to economic and property rights theory, and that antitrust law should force competitors to share assets when a firm with market power blocks an efficient sharing arrangement that would emerge in a more competitive market.Next, I offer three concrete guides to help courts resolve specific cases. First, a court should look to comparable markets that are competitively structured and ask whether the competitors cooperate in those markets. If cooperation is not found in competitive markets, it is unlikely to be efficient. Second, a court should ask whether the defendant's refusal to cooperate either: (a) directly benefits consumers; or (b) stimulates reasonably likely market entry. If a refusal does either, it should not be held to violate the antitrust laws.Most importantly, the article shines new light on the longstanding controversy over refusal cases by revealing a continuing, but rarely recognized, confusion over the role of economics in antitrust analysis. This, I refer to as the essence of antitrust. Everyone now agrees that economics is critical to antitrust analysis. A seldom recognized debate continues, however, as to whether economics should be used as a tool to develop traditional legal rules applicable across industries, or, alternatively, whether economic dialogue should be the primary focus of antitrust unmediated by traditional legal structures. Despite concerns in the academy regarding the ability of judges and juries to understand and apply complex economic analysis, the Supreme Court appears, tacitly, to have settled on the latter approach.
DYNAMICALLY EVOLVING CLINICAL PRACTICES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PREDICTING MEDICAL DECISIONS

Automatically data-mining clinical practice patterns from electronic health records (EHR) can enable prediction of future practices as a form of clinical decision support (CDS). Our objective is to determine the stability of learned clinical practice patterns over time and what implication this has when using varying longitudinal historical data sources towards predicting future decisions. We trained an association rule engine for clinical orders (e.g., labs, imaging, medications) using structured inpatient data from a tertiary academic hospital. Comparing top order associations per admission diagnosis from training data in 2009 vs. 2012, we find practice variability from unstable diagnoses with rank biased overlap (RBO) 0.6. Predicting admission orders for future (2013) patients with associations trained on recent (2012) vs. older (2009) data improved accuracy evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) 0.89 to 0.92, precision at ten (positive predictive value of the top ten predictions against actual orders) 30% to 37%, and weighted recall (sensitivity) at ten 2.4% to 13%, (P<10(-10)). Training with more longitudinal data (2009-2012) was no better than only using recent (2012) data. Secular trends in practice patterns likely explain why smaller but more recent training data is more accurate at predicting future practices.
Effect of thiocyanate and isothiocyanate esters on H+ secretion and microsomal adenosine triphosphatase of bullfrog gastric mucosa.

SummaryThe effects of nonpolar analogues of thio- and isothiocyanate on H+ secretion and microsomal ATPase of bullfrog gastric mucosa were studied and compared with those of thiocyanate anion. Methyl thio-cyanate reduced H+ secretion without any appreciable inhibitory effect on ATPase. There was no conversion of MeSCN to SCN- in gastric mucosa. The nonpolar derivatives of isothiocyanates inhibit H+ secretion irreversibly and are also potent inhibitors of the ATPase activity. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that certain compounds containing a nitrogen atom with an unshared pair of electrons are inhibitors of H+ secretion. An anionic charge however is not a prerequisite for their inhibitory action. The effects of these nonpolar compounds on gastric H+ secretion are discussed in relation to their effects on gastric microsomal ATPase.
The Multinational Spread of Japanese Manufacturing Investment since World War II

Professor Yoshino traces the evolution of direct investment in overseas manufacturing by Japanese enterprises in the postwar era. Much of that expansion is of very recent origin, and the prospects are for the spread of considerably more Japanese investment abroad in the future.
Patient perceptions on physician reimbursement in plastic surgery.

BackgroundPublic perception on physician reimbursement may be that considerable payments are received for procedures: a direct contrast to the actual decline. We aim to investigate patient perceptions toward plastic surgeon reimbursements from insurance companies.MethodsA survey of 4 common, single-
Teaching civic literacy projects: student engagement with social problems

Shira Eve Epstein’s Teaching Civic Literacy Projects provides educators with a well-researched and practical guide for conceptualizing and implementing comprehensive civic literacy projects aimed a...
Construction and expression of expressional vectors of envelope glycoprotein genes of hantavirus,GM04-38 strain

Objective To construct expressional vector of glycoprotein G1 and G2 of Hantavirus,GM04-38 strain,express it in Vero E6 cells,and to observe cell fusions.Methods By PCR and the gene cloning method,Hantavirus GM04-38 strain G1 and G2 genes were cloned into plasmid pCAGGS/MCS.After being confirmed by enzyme digestion and sequence analysis,the pCAGGS-G1 and pCAGGS-G2 were co-transfected into Vero E6 cells.After being treated with acidic MEM,the cells were fixed and stained by Giemsa and were observed under microscopy.IFA was also used to observe the expression efficiencies.Results IFA showed the G1 and G2 genes were successfully expressed,and the fluorescent signal was robust and concentrated in the perinuclear region of the transfected cells.Giemsa staining showed that cell-cell fusion could be induced under the co-expression of G1 and G2 under acidic conditions,while the co-expression of the NP gene could not enhance the fusion.Conclusion The expressional vectors of glycoprotein G1 and G2 are successfully constructed and expressed in Vero E6 cells,the co-expression of G1 and G2 can induce an effective biological function,and the cell-cell fusion is obvious in Vero E6 cells under acidic conditions.
A Practical and Scalable Synthesis of (S)- and (R)-1-(Dimethoxyphosphoryl)allyl Methyl Carbonates

The preparation of ( S )- and ( R )-1-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)allyl methyl carbonates is achieved on multigram scale from commercially available dimethyl phosphite and acrolein in three steps. The key steps involve an asymmetric Pudovik reaction and enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution.
Psychedelic Agents in Creative Problem-Solving: A Pilot Study:

Based on the frequently reported similarities between creative and psychedelic (drug-induced, consciousness-expansion) experiences, a preliminary study was conducted to explore the effects of psychedelic agents (LSD-25, mescaline) on creative problem-solving ability. Twenty-seven professionally employed males were given a single psychedelic experience in 1 of 7 small groups (ns = 3 or 4) following extensive selection and preparatory procedures. This drug-induced problem-solving session was carefully structured with particular focus on establishing Ss' expectancies and a psychosocial milieu conducive to creative activity. Tentative findings based on tests of creativity, on subjective reports and self ratings, and on the utility of problem solutions suggested that, if given according to this carefully structured regimen, psychedelic agents seem to facilitate creative problem-solving, particularly in the “illumination phase.” The results also suggest that various degrees of increased creative ability may con...
Rainwater harvesting state regulations and technical resources

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) conducted in-depth research of state-level rainwater harvesting regulations for the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to help federal agencies strategically identify locations conducive to rainwater harvesting projects. Currently, rainwater harvesting is not regulated by the federal government but rather it is up to individual states to regulate the collection and use of rainwater. There is no centralized information on state-level regulations on rainwater harvesting maintained by a federal agency or outside organization. To fill this information gap, PNNL performed detailed internet searches for each state, which included state agencies, universities, Cooperative Extension Offices, city governments, and related organizations. The state-by-state information on rainwater harvesting regulations was compiled and assembled into an interactive map that is color coded by state regulations. The map provides a visual representation of the general types of rainwater harvesting policies across the country as well as general information on the state programs if applicable. The map allows the user to quickly discern where rainwater harvesting is supported and regulated by the state. This map will be available on the FEMP website by September 2015.
Clinical Correlates of Corpus Callosal Agenesis

The clinical correlates of agenesis of the corpus callosum were examined in 56 cases (37 adult, 19 pediatric) reported to the British Neurological Surveillance Unit (BNSU) and surveyed at the Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Excitonic Effects in Emerging Photovoltaic Materials: A Case Study in Cu2O

Excitonic effects account for a fundamental photoconversion and charge transport mechanism in Cu2O; hence, the universally adopted “free carrier” model substantially underestimates the photovoltaic efficiency for such devices. The quasi-equilibrium branching ratio between excitons and free carriers in Cu2O indicates that up to 28% of photogenerated carriers during photovoltaic operation are excitons. These large exciton densities were directly observed in photoluminescence and spectral response measurements. The results of a device physics simulation using a model that includes excitonic effects agree well with experimentally measured current–voltage characteristics of Cu2O-based photovoltaics. In the case of Cu2O, the free carrier model underestimates the efficiency of a Cu2O solar cell by as much as 1.9 absolute percent at room temperature.
Product Innovation Contest on Service Network: Competitive Spillover from Exclusive Dealing

We study how exclusive contract of a service provider can be leveraged to induce supply-side competition on product innovation, which leads to virtuous self-sustaining cycle. This study uses the difference in differences method to estimate the impact of iPhone to the competitive landscape. Over the exclusive contract period between Apple and AT&T, other competing device manufacturers supplied their better phones to AT&T. We find this competition- induced product enhancement survived even after the exclusivity had expired. These findings are supported by robustness checks involving sharpened narrow time window and placebo events. We also find that manufacturers enhance their products for AT&T in those technical aspects that iPhone excelled. Our study show how exclusive acquisition of a superior product can create virtuous cycle of inducing better products through product innovation contest on service network.
Abstract 112: Statin Utilization in the Outpatient Clinic of a University Based Residency Training Program

Background: Current guidelines released in 2013 recommend statins for five specific patient groups including persons with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and diabetes. Natio...
Funding Meaning on Jewish Service Trips to Post-Katrina New Orleans

This chapter situates ethnographic research on Jewish service travel to New Orleans in relation to two recent trends: the growth of Jewish social justice organizations and the emergence of a donor class with the ability to shape community policies. Building on Maussian conceptions of the gift, I argue that the American Jewish community functions as a gift exchange system solidified through a dense network of philanthropic organizations. Within this system, service tourists are both aid givers and aid receivers; as such, they negotiate institutional scripts centered on service and Jewish identity as well as their own concerns about the various implications of trip fundraising. Reading ethnographic data alongside institutional narratives ultimately generates questions about the unintended consequences of philanthropy in this new gilded age.