cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inductive and suppressive networks regulate TLR9‐dependent gene expression in vivo

Bacterial DNA expressing unmethylated CpG motifs binds to TLR9, thereby stimulating a broadly protective, innate immune response. Although CpG-mediated signal transduction has been studied, the scope of TLR9-dependent gene expression is incompletely understood. To resolve these issues, mice were treated with immunostimulatory CpG oligonucleotides (ODN) and splenic mRNA levels monitored from 30 min through 3 days by microarray. Through the unique application of bioinformatic analysis to these experimental data, this study is the first to describe the complex regulatory networks responsible for TLR9-mediated gene expression. Current results are the first to establish that CpG-induced stimulation of the innate immune system proceeds in multiple waves over time, and gene up-regulation is mediated by a small number of temporally activated "major inducers" and "minor inducers". An additional study of TNF knockout mice supports the conclusion that the regulatory networks identified by our bioinformatic analysis accurately identified CpG ODN-driven gene-gene interactions in vivo. Equally important, this work identifies the counter-regulatory mechanisms embedded within the signaling cascade that suppresses the proinflammatory response triggered in vivo by CpG DNA stimulation. Identifying these network interactions provides novel and global insights into the regulation of TLR9-mediated gene activation, improves our understanding of TLR-mediated host defense, and facilitates the development of interventions designed to optimize the nature and duration of the ensuing response.
Three pathogens in sympatric populations of pumas, bobcats, and domestic cats: implications for infectious disease transmission.

Anthropogenic landscape change can lead to increased opportunities for pathogen transmission between domestic and non-domestic animals. Pumas, bobcats, and domestic cats are sympatric in many areas of North America and share many of the same pathogens, some of which are zoonotic. We analyzed bobcat, puma, and feral domestic cat samples collected from targeted geographic areas. We examined exposure to three pathogens that are taxonomically diverse (bacterial, protozoal, viral), that incorporate multiple transmission strategies (vector-borne, environmental exposure/ ingestion, and direct contact), and that vary in species-specificity. Bartonella spp., Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and Toxoplasma gondii IgG were detected in all three species with mean respective prevalence as follows: puma 16%, 41% and 75%; bobcat 31%, 22% and 43%; domestic cat 45%, 10% and 1%. Bartonella spp. were highly prevalent among domestic cats in Southern California compared to other cohort groups. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus exposure was primarily associated with species and age, and was not influenced by geographic location. Pumas were more likely to be infected with FIV than bobcats, with domestic cats having the lowest infection rate. Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence was high in both pumas and bobcats across all sites; in contrast, few domestic cats were seropositive, despite the fact that feral, free ranging domestic cats were targeted in this study. Interestingly, a directly transmitted species-specific disease (FIV) was not associated with geographic location, while exposure to indirectly transmitted diseases – vectorborne for Bartonella spp. and ingestion of oocysts via infected prey or environmental exposure for T. gondii – varied significantly by site. Pathogens transmitted by direct contact may be more dependent upon individual behaviors and intra-specific encounters. Future studies will integrate host density, as well as landscape features, to better understand the mechanisms driving disease exposure and to predict zones of cross-species pathogen transmission among wild and domestic felids.
Symptomatic dermographism (factitious urticaria)—passive transfer experiments from human to monkey

Passive transfer experiments were carried out on three species of monkey, Macaca mulatta, Macaca nemestrina and Macaca fascicularis, using human serum from patients affected with severe symptomatic dermographism (factitious urticaria), cholinergic urticaria, chronic idiopathic urticaria and normal subjects. The monkeys were tested for dermographism by means of a calibrated dermographometer 24 h after intradermal injection of the serum, using Evans blue as a marker. Positive responses were seen initially in the M. nemestrina. Four sites injected with serum from patients with severe symptomatic dermographism gave positive responses, one site injected with serum from a normal subject produced a faint response. One of the four responses was reproduced one month later in M. fascicularis. These results indicate that passive transfer of dermographism is possible from human to monkey.
Design and testing of the AGS booster BPM detector

The need to accelerate low-energy partially stripped heavy ions requires the pick-up electrodes (PUEs) to operate in a 3*10/sup -11/ torr vacuum. The PUEs are to measure the beam position to an absolute accuracy of +or-0.5 mm and must therefore be mechanically stable despite the requirement that they be vacuum fired at 950 degrees C and baked periodically to 300 degrees C. The mechanical design of the PUEs is described, and the automated test procedure used to ensure the stability, accuracy, and linearity of each unit is discussed. >
Regulation of Nitric Oxide Emissions From Forest and Rangeland Soils of Western North America

Nitric oxide (NO) is a relatively short-lived trace gas that reacts with oxygen in the troposphere to produce the air pollutant ozone. It also reacts with water vapor to form nitric and nitrous acids, which acidify precipitation and increase N deposition. Models currently used to predict soil NO fluxes are based on the assumption that NO flux is proportional to the gross rate of nitrification or N mineralization; however, this assumption has not been tested because of the difficulty in measuring gross N-cycling rates in situ. We measured soil NO fluxes, gross and net N-cycling rates, and a variety of other soil char- acteristics in the forest floor and intact soil cores at nine undisturbed forest and rangeland ecosystems of New Mexico, Utah, and Oregon, USA, to determine which soil variables were most closely related to soil NO flux. Soil NO fluxes ranged from a low of 0.02 ng N·m 22 ·s 21 , prior to wetting in a western hemlock-sitka spruce forest on the Oregon coast, to a high of 6.74 ng N·m 22 ·s 21 , one hour after soil wetting in a juniper woodland of central Oregon. In contrast to our expectations, neither gross nitrification nor gross mineralization was correlated with soil NO flux. Fluxes were positively correlated with net rates of min- eralization and nitrification, soil NO3 2 concentrations, bulk density, and pH, and negatively correlated with gross rates of NO3 2 consumption in the forest floor, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil C:N, and soil water content. Principal-component analysis showed that NO flux after water addition (2 cm of water) had a strong negative correlation with microbial demand for N (as indicated by net mineralization, net nitrification, SOC, and C:N). Our results suggest that, even in well-drained soils, NO efflux is limited more by NO con- sumption than by NO production. As a result, models utilizing the more easily measured net rates, rather than gross rates, may be better predictors of soil NO fluxes across a range of ecosystems.
Observation of Response Strategies in Cycling Time Trials

Summary.-Athletes in sprint events use various mental and physical starting strategies prior to beginning a race. Included among these strategies are sensory-set and motor-set strategies. A sensory-set strategy is one in which the athlete concentrates on reacting as fast as possible to an auditory or visual stimulus. A motor-set strategy is one in which the athlete consciously atrends ro a component of a welllearned skill rather than to the stimulus which evokes the initiation of the slull. The purpose of this study was to observe differences in starting techniques of 20 championship cyclists in the one-kilometer time-trial sprint race. Analysis showed that 10 highly proficient cyclists responded significantly faster after the auditory stimulus and recorded faster 1/2-lap split times than 10 proficient cyclists. Strategy selection and use of elite cyclists should be investigated further to examine efficient starhg strategies and procedures.
Archer: a history-driven global routing algorithm

Global routing is an important step in the physical design process. In this paper, we propose a new global routing algorithm Archer, which resolves some of the most common problems with the state-of-the-art global routers. It is known that concurrent global routing algorithms are typically too expensive to be applied on today's large designs, which may contain up to a million nets. On the other hand, iterative rip-up and reroute (RNR) based algorithms are susceptible to getting stuck in local optimal solutions. In this paper, we propose an RNR-based global routing algorithm that guides the routing iterations out of local optima through effective usage of congestion histories. We also focus on the problem of how to enable a smooth trade-off between seemingly conflicting objectives of overflow and wirelength minimization. Furthermore, we propose a Lagrangian relaxation based bounded-length min-cost topology improvement algorithm that enables Steiner trees to change dynamically for the purpose of congestion optimization. Our experiments show that Archer obtains congestion-free solutions for all circuits in the standard ISPD98 benchmarks, which is the best result published so far. Furthermore, it produces better results than the best results reported in the ISPD-07 Global Routing Contest in terms of routability. Compared to FastRoute (Paa & Chu), which is the state-of-the-art RNR-based global routing algorithm, Archer improves routability by 30%, and reduces the wire lengths by 32% on the average on ISPD07 benchmarks.
Approximating AC^0 by Small Height Decision Trees and a Deterministic Algorithm for #AC^0SAT

We show how to approximate any function in AC^0 by decision trees of much smaller height than its number of variables. More precisely, we show that any function in n variables computable by an unbounded fan-in circuit of AND, OR, and NOT gates that has size S and depth d can be approximated by a decision tree of height n - \beta n to within error exp(-\beta n), where \beta = \beta (S, d) = 2^{-O(d log^{4/5}S)}. Our proof is constructive and we use its constructivity to derive a deterministic algorithm for #AC^0SAT with multiplicative factor savings over the naive 2^n.S algorithm of 2^{-\beta n}, when applied to any n-input AC^0 circuit of size S and depth d. Indeed, in the same running time we can deterministically construct a decision tree of size at most 2^{n-\beta n} that exactly computes the function given by such a circuit. Recently, Impagliazzo, Matthews, and Paturi derived an algorithm for #AC^0SAT with greater savings over the naive algorithm but their algorithm is only randomized rather than deterministic. The main technical result we prove to show the above is that for every family F of k-DNF formulas in n variables and every 1
Prostate Cancer: Feasibility and Preliminary Experience of a Diffusional Kurtosis Model for Detection and Assessment of Aggressiveness of Peripheral Zone Cancer

By using biopsy as the reference standard, diffusional kurtosis showed greater relative contrast and sensitivity for cancerous peripheral zone sextants than did apparent diffusion coefficient, as well as greater differentiation between cancerous sextants with low- and high-grade cancer.
Bioelectric power generation

In the recent article by Chaudhuri and Lovley, a fuel cell is described in which a microorganism, Rhodoferax ferrireducens, is used to oxidize glucose to carbon dioxide at neutral pH. This reaction occurs via direct bioelectrocatalysis: the microorganism uses the anode itself as the terminal oxidant to which liberated electrons are transferred, and does so with 83% efficiency. These findings are significant because they demonstrate a new approach for harvesting energy from the environment using microorganisms.
Distribution of label after intragastric administration of 7Be-labeled carbon to weanling and aged mice.

Single doses of /sup 7/Be-labeled carbon particles prepared by proton bombardment of carbon black were administered by gavage to weanling (4 weeks) and aged (18 monthy) mice. Body distribution of /sup 7/Be radioactivity was determined 4 hr and 1, 2, 5, and 14 days later. The results were compared with those obtained after administration of a solution of /sup 7/BeCl2. /sup 7/Be radioactivity in nonintestinal tissues was 17-58 times greater in mice gavaged with the soluble salt than in those gavaged with the particles, indicating that particle-bound /sup 7/Be was well confined to the gastrointestinal tract. Upper limits of the amount of labeled carbon remaining in intestinal Peyer's patches were as follows: 1 day: weanling, 1.8 X 10(-3)%, old, 5.5 X 10(-3)%; 15 days: weanling, 3.3 X 10(-5)%, old, 8.4 X 10(-5)%. The particles are potentially useful as models for diesel emissions or other particulate pollutants.
Electrochemical synthesis of polypyrrole films over each of well-aligned carbon nanotubes

Abstract Polypyrrole (PPy) films were uniformly electropolymerized over each carbon nanotube of the well-aligned carbon nanotube arrays. For comparison, PPy films were also coated on flat metallic titanium (Ti) and platinum (Pt) substrates by the same technique. The synthesis and the redox performance of the PPy films were conducted by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The structural characterization including the thickness and uniformity of the PPy films was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is observed that the coating of the PPy film over carbon nanotubes is much faster than that on flat Ti/Pt surface. Furthermore, the redox performance of the PPy-coated carbon nanotube electrodes over flat Ti/Pt electrodes was significantly improved due to the high accessible surface area of the carbon nanotubes in the aligned arrays, especially in large film formation charge ( Q film ). It is very promising that the electrode developed in this study could be used as high performance electrode in rechargeable batteries.
Expression of proinflammatory genes during estrogen-induced inflammation of the rat prostate.

BACKGROUND Exposure of male Wistar rats to estradiol-17β (E2) in the presence or absence of dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHT) was previously shown to result in prostate inflammation. The present study examines, for the first time, changes in the expression level of several proinflammatory genes during the course of this experimentally induced prostatitis. METHODS Adult male Wistar rats were given chronic exposure to E2 + DHT by capsule implantation or were injected with E2 for short-term exposure. Semiquantitative RT-PCR was employed to measure changes in proinflammatory transcript levels in the separated lobes of the prostate after various times of exposure to estrogen with or without DHT. RESULTS We observed an upregulation of IL-1β, IL-6, MIP-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) after only 4 days treatment with E2. After 4 weeks of treatment with E2 + DHT, a significant increase in transcript levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, MIP-2, eotaxin, and iNOS was detected, while IL-1β and TNF-α transcript levels only increased slightly. No increase in transcript levels for cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2), IFN-γ, IL-2, or IL-12 was observed. CONCLUSIONS Upregulation of proinflammatory transcripts occurred shortly after exposure to E2 and well before any inflammatory cells were observed in the prostate. The pattern of gene expression resembled a TH2-type helper-cell response. Prostate 44:19–25, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Closed-form recursive estimation of MA coefficients using autocorrelations and third-order cumulants

The authors derive a simple, recursive, closed-form algorithm for estimating the parameters of a moving-average (MA) model of known order, using only the autocorrelation and the 1-D diagonal slice of the third-order cumulant of its response to excitation by an unobservable, non-Gaussian, IID process. The output may be corrupted by zero-mean, nonskewed white noise of unknown variance. The autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) case is briefly discussed. >
A comprehensive capstone course focusing on simulation in community, ambulatory, and acute care

Abstract Introduction To provide patient centered simulation within a capstone course prior to advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). Materials and methods A three credit, one semester capstone course incorporating community, ambulatory, and acute care experiences. Students applied clinical knowledge to simulated patient experiences in a self-directed learning environment, utilizing mock patients and iStan, the advanced high-fidelity patient simulator. Results Students were assessed based on their successful completion of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). Conclusion The course was met with overall satisfaction from students and successfully provided students with a simulated experience in the areas of community, ambulatory, and acute care prior to APPEs.
Expandable Valve for Pediatric Application Constructed From Human Venous Valved Conduit Within a Stent

Purpose Options for pediatric valve replacement are limited by inability to adapt to child growth. An expandable valve design is presented in which human cryopreserved venous valved conduits are constructed within a bare-metal stent scaffold. We demonstrate functionality in vitro and acute competence in vivo. Description A cryopreserved femoral venous valved conduit was compressed within a bare-metal stent scaffold and sutured at the proximal and distal ends. In vitro testing was performed at low and high pressure after sequential balloon expansion. Valve morphology was measured in the nondistended state. The construct was tested in 2 patients. Evaluation In vitro testing confirmed competence of the 14-mm femoral valve construct at 10-mm to 14-mm diameters. The median leaflet commissural height-to-diameter ratio was 2.2 (range, 1.6 to 4.1) for femoral. The construct was implanted in 2 patients at internal diameters of 6 mm and 8 mm. Echocardiograms demonstrated competence at short-term follow-up. In 1 patient, competence was demonstrated after balloon expansion. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility of this expandable valve design using an allograft venous valved conduit compressed within a stent.
Carbon nanotubes and graphene nano field-effect transistor-based biosensors

Abstract Graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have gained major research interests as signal transducing elements in electrical biosensors for applications in biosensing of a wide range of analytes. This is mostly due to the unique physical, chemical, and electrical properties of the carbon nanomaterials. This review discusses the integration and applications of these carbon allotropes into field-effect transistor-type (FET-type) nanobiosensors. We first discuss the various properties of CNTs and graphene that make them useful and attractive for FET-type sensing, followed by methods for synthesis of CNTs and graphene nanomaterials. Additionally, the underlying sensing mechanisms of CNT- and graphene-based FET-type biosensors and the methods for fabrication of these devices are discussed. Finally, recent reports on CNT- and graphene-based FET biosensors that employed a variety of novel device configurations, fabrication techniques, and assay strategies to achieve sensitive detection of small molecules, metal ions, proteins, and nucleic acids are examined.
Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy and Uncontrolled Hypertension : A Therapeutic Challenge

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and concomitant systemic hypertension can present a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Symptoms can occur from increased afterload from both dynamic outflow obstruction as well as the elevated systemic vascular resistance. Treatment of systemic
Identifying contamination with advanced visualization and analysis practices: metagenomic approaches for eukaryotic genome assemblies

High-throughput sequencing provides a fast and cost-effective mean to recover genomes of organisms from all domains of life. However, adequate curation of the assembly results against potential contamination of non-target organisms requires advanced bioinformatics approaches and practices. Here, we re-analyzed the sequencing data generated for the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini, and created a holistic display of the eukaryotic genome assembly using DNA data originating from two groups and eleven sequencing libraries. By using bacterial single-copy genes, k-mer frequencies, and coverage values of scaffolds we could identify and characterize multiple near-complete bacterial genomes from the raw assembly, and curate a 182 Mbp draft genome for H. dujardini supported by RNA-Seq data. Our results indicate that most contaminant scaffolds were assembled from Moleculo long-read libraries, and most of these contaminants have differed between library preparations. Our re-analysis shows that visualization and curation of eukaryotic genome assemblies can benefit from tools designed to address the needs of today's microbiologists, who are constantly challenged by the difficulties associated with the identification of distinct microbial genomes in complex environmental metagenomes.
Supplying materials needed for grain growth characterizations of nano-grained UO2

This activity is supported by the US Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Fuels Product Line (FPL) and aims at providing experimental data for the validation of the mesoscale simulation code MARMOT. MARMOT is a mesoscale multiphysics code that predicts the coevolution of microstructure and properties within reactor fuel during its lifetime in the reactor. It is an important component of the Moose-Bison-Marmot (MBM) code suite that has been developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to enable next generation fuel performance modeling capability as part of the NEAMS Program FPL. In order to ensure the accuracy of the microstructure based materials models being developed within the MARMOT code, extensive validation efforts must be carried out. In this report, we summarize our preliminary synchrotron radiation experiments at APS to determine the grain size of nanograin UO2. The methodology and experimental setup developed in this experiment can directly apply to the proposed in-situ grain growth measurements. The investigation of the grain growth kinetics was conducted based on isothermal annealing and grain growth characterization as functions of duration and temperature. The kinetic parameters such as activation energy for grain growth for UO2 with different stoichiometry are obtained and compared with molecular dynamicsmore » (MD) simulations.« less
Remote Charging Mechanics for Electrostatic Inflation of Membrane Space Structures

The mechanics of remotely charging a membrane space structure in a vacuum environment are explored. This research supports the investigation of Electrostatically Inflated Membrane space Structures (EIMS). EIMS uses repulsive electrostatic pressure to tension layers of membrane materials to form a self-supporting space structure. How to remotely charge the membrane structure via an electron beam is studied through analysis and supplemented by experiment results. The experiments performed seek to characterize the yield curve for secondary electron emission for several membrane materials (such as aluminized Mylar). The experimental setup is presented and initial test results are discussed.
A United Methodist approach to end-of-life decisions: intentional ambiguity or ambiguous intentions.

The position of the United Methodist Church on end-of-life decisions is best described as intentional ambiguity or ambiguous intentions or both. The paper analyzes the official position of the denomination and then considers the actions of a U.M.C. bishop who served as a foreman for a trial of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. In an effort to find some common ground within an increasingly divided denomination, the work concludes with a consideration of the work of John Wesley and his approach to human death.
Highly Dynamic Interactions Maintain Kinetic Stability of the ClpXP Protease During the ATP-Fueled Mechanical Cycle

The ClpXP protease assembles in a reaction in which an ATP-bound ring hexamer of ClpX binds to one or both heptameric rings of the ClpP peptidase. Contacts between ClpX IGF-loops and clefts on a ClpP ring stabilize the complex. How ClpXP stability is maintained during the ATP-hydrolysis cycle that powers mechanical unfolding and translocation of protein substrates is poorly understood. Here, we use a real-time kinetic assay to monitor the effects of nucleotides on the assembly and disassembly of ClpXP. When ATP is present, complexes containing single-chain ClpX assemble via an intermediate and remain intact until transferred into buffers containing ADP or no nucleotides. ATP binding to high-affinity subunits of the ClpX hexamer prevents rapid dissociation, but additional subunits must be occupied to promote assembly. Small-molecule acyldepsipeptides, which compete with the IGF loops of ClpX for ClpP-cleft binding, cause exceptionally rapid dissociation of otherwise stable ClpXP complexes, suggesting that the IGF-loop interactions with ClpP must be highly dynamic. Our results indicate that the ClpX hexamer spends almost no time in an ATP-free state during the ATPase cycle, allowing highly processive degradation of protein substrates.
In vitro induction of cartilage in mouse somite mesoderm by embryonic spinal cord.

SummarySomite mesoderm from the anterior region of mouse embryos possessing fewer than 25 somites fails to produce cartilage or bone either in culture or on subsequent implantation into the anterior chamber of the eye. When combined in culture with pieces of spinal cord from the same stage embryos, however, the mesoderm differentiates cartilage nodules in culture and produces bone including hematopoietic tissue, adipose tissue and occasional lymphoid tissue on implantation into the eye.
When Big Data are Too Much: Effects of LiDAR Returns and Point Density on Estimation of Forest Biomass

Analysis of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data is becoming a mainstream approach to mapping forest biomass and carbon stocks across heterogeneous landscapes. However, large volumes of multireturn high point-density LiDAR data continue to pose challenges for large-area assessments. We are beginning to learn when and where point density can be reduced (or aggregated), but little is known regarding the degree to which multireturn data—at varying levels of point density—improve estimates of forest biomass. In this study, we examined the combined effects of LiDAR returns and data reduction on field-measured estimates of aboveground forest biomass in deciduous and mixed evergreen forests in an urbanized region of North Carolina, USA. We extracted structural metrics using first returns only, all returns, and rarely used laser pulse first returns from reduced point densities of LiDAR data. We statistically analyzed relationships between the field-measured biomass and LiDAR-derived variables for each return type and point-density combination. Overall, models using first return data performed only slightly better than models that utilized multiple returns. First-return models and multiple-return models at one percent point density resulted in 14% and 11% decrease in the amount of explained variation, respectively, compared to models with 100% point density. In addition, variance of modeled biomass across all point densities and return models was statistically similar to the field-measured biomass. Taken together, these results suggest that LiDAR first returns at reduced point density provide sufficient data for mapping urban forest biomass and may be an effective alternative to multireturn data.
The Research on Proteus-based MCU and Embedded Systems

In the teaching and research of MCU and embedded systems,the hardware platform developed from embedded systems is required.However,cheaply developed platform has scarce available resources to realize so many functions.Compared with that,the platform with abundant resources is too expensive to use widely,which brings much inconvenience to learners of the embedded systems.This paper concentrates on the developing process of a practical project and expounds in detail the important applications of the Proteus software in teaching and research
The case of Café Femenino: The limitations of gender-conscious Fair Trade

Abstract Fair Trade (FT) aims to advance women’s economic and social development by addressing gender inequality – as evidenced by the unequal distribution of the material and non-material benefits of FT. These efforts have led to the formation of women-only FT cooperatives such as Cafe Femenino in Peru. Cafe Femenino’s novel development approach is its requirement of female land ownership and female-only participation in local (cooperative-level) democratic decision-making. Yet, such an approach that privileges the “local” keeps women vulnerable, reducing their development potential. Identifying this central weakness in FT can inform development practice to rethink its reliance on the “local” and consider strategies to consolidate extra-local governance networks.
Arabinoxylan hydrolyzates as immunomodulators in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages

Inflammation is an important healthy immune response of the body during lesions and infection. However, uncontrolled excessive inflammation can be damaging to the cells. The specific objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of structural details of enzymatically derived wheat arabinoxylan hydrolyzates (AXH) on their immunomodulatory properties. Out of the 30 AXH, six AXH showed statistically significant reduction in NO production compared to the control, causing an approximately 24 to 12% reduction in NO production. Five AXH exhibited statistically significant pro-inflammatory properties in the LPS induced cells, causing an approximately 10 to 14% increase compared to the control. A negative correlation was seen between NO production and total arabinoxylan (AX) × amount of 1,4-linked xylose with arabinose substituted at the O-3 position. Thus, AXH with higher AX and substitution at the O-3 position are favorable candidates to reduce the lipopolysaccharide induced inflammation. These results suggest that there may be a structure-function relationship for these AXH as immunomodulators.
African Higher Education and Altbach’s Influence

This chapter reflects on the importance of the work of Philip Altbach to higher education, with particular attention to African higher education transformation as it intersects with power dynamics in the sphere of international higher education and the conceptualization of research universities in the context of the developing world. The chapter draws inferences about how African scholars might benefit from Altbach’s work and like-minded Western scholars to contribute to the advancement of African higher education.
A wearable RFID sensor and effects of human body proximity

Wearable electronics integrate smart sensors and compact computing systems into garments. In this paper, we discuss the design and simulation of a knitted textile RFID sensor for wearable applications. The sensor comprises a textile folded dipole antenna, specifically designed for use with an inductively-coupled RFID microchip at 870 MHz. As opposed to conventional microchips, in this case the device does not need any physical soldering, making it very convenient for wearable applications. The numerical analysis was extended to evaluate the loading effects of human body proximity. For distances greater than 10 mm, the antenna maintains good impedance matching and a broadside radiation with moderate gain.
Kinetics of sulfide mineral oxidation in seawater: Implications for acid generation during in situ mining of seafloor hydrothermal vent deposits

Abstract Growth in global metal demand has fostered a new age of unconventional mining on the seafloor. In situ pulverization and extraction of seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits is economically attractive due to minimal overburden and high ore grades. However, important environmental questions remain on the significance of localized acid generation via irreversible sulfide mineral oxidation. Data on the reaction kinetics are necessary to estimate anthropogenic acid production during seafloor mining. Laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and surface area on the oxidation rate of pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite in seawater. These minerals were chosen to constrain the range of reaction rates because pyrrhotite oxidizes relatively quickly while chalcopyrite is kinetically slow. The rate laws for the abiotic oxidation of pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite in seawater at 22 °C are given in the form: R sp = K ( m O 2 ) a ( m H + ) b where Rsp is the specific rate (moles m−2 sec−1), k is the rate constant, oxygen and proton concentrations are expressed in molalities (m), and their reaction orders as a and b, respectively. The specific rate laws obtained for each sulfide studied are: R sp ( pyrrhotite ) = − 10 − 7.27 ( m O 2 ( aq ) ) 0.51 ± 0.08 ( m H + ) 0.08 ± 0.03 R sp ( chalcopyrite ) = − 10 − 9.38 ( m O 2 ( aq ) ) 1.16 ± 0.03 ( m H + ) 0.36 ± 0.09 When used to quantitatively predict maximum acid generation rates, these rate laws indicate that acid production from in situ SMS mining is insufficient to exceed the buffering capacity of advecting seawater. We also calculated the residence times of crushed sulfides in seawater with low PO2 (0.10 atm, pH of 8, 23 °C) and find that, depending on grain size, mining waste may persist near the seafloor for years. The implications are positive in terms of slow acid production, but potentially problematic considering the potential ecological effects of an unnatural influx of particulates.
Justicia Abierta: transparencia y proximidad de la Justicia en el actual contexto de Open Government (Open Judiciary: Transparency and Proximity to Justice within the Current Context of Open Government)

Spanish Abstract: Investigacion dirigida a establecer el encaje de procesos con la filosofia del Open Government y sus principios (principalmente participacion, colaboracion y transparencia) dentro de un nuevo concepto de Administracion de Justicia en el modelo del Civil Law con una perspectiva de Justicia Abierta. Con foco especialmente en el Common Law y el derecho comparado, se analizan 105 iniciativas a nivel internacional y en base a 23 variables se seleccionan y explican tres casos, donde los principios de participacion, colaboracion y transparencia son aplicados en el ambito de la justicia. La metodologia incluye analisis documental, analisis del ciberespacio (analisis semantico de redes sociales), una encuesta internacional realizada a 117 personas, y entrevistas a expertos. Los resultados tratan la innovacion, la apertura, el acceso y la proximidad de la justicia, las TIC en el ambito legal, gestion del cambio y modernizacion, asi como transparencia, participacion y colaboracion en el ambito de la justicia. Se finaliza con unas conclusiones, futuros trabajos y recomendaciones.English Abstract: This research has been addressed to explore Open Government's processes and principles, but within the justice field (mainly participation, collaboration and transparency), looking for a modern view of Administration of Justice in the Civil Law system, through a broad concept of "Open Justice". Mainly focused in the Common Law and the comparative law, the research analyzed 105 initiatives at international level related the legal field, according to 23 variables. Based in the analysis, it were selected three key cases, where principles of participation, collaboration and transparency were especially significant. The methodology included documental analysis, cyberspace analysis (based in semantic analysis of social networks ), an international survey answered by 117 people, as well as 9 in-depth interviews to experts. Interesting results speak not only about topics as transparency, participation and collaboration within the justice field, but also related to innovation, ICT, openness, accessibility and proximity in the legal field, as well as change management & modernization of the justice. The research finishes with conclusions, future works and some recommendations.
Organization and Physiologically Mediated Differential Release of Angiogenic Regulatory Proteins From Distinct Platelet Alpha Granules.

Abstract 3045 Poster Board II-1021 In addition to their primary roles in hemostasis and thrombosis, platelets have been reported to participate in other physiological and pathological processes, including but not limited to inflammation, wound healing, and tumor metastasis. Although platelets are presumed to contribute to new blood vessel growth by providing numerous pro-and anti-angiogenic factors, the cellular and molecular basis by which platelets regulate angiogenesis is poorly understood. Previously we have shown that platelets differentially package angiogenic regulatory proteins in their alpha granules. More recently, we have further defined the organization of angiogenic proteins within platelet alpha granules using immunofluorescence and immunogold labeling experiments and have uncovered at least three distinct types of alpha granules. These granules were found to contain selective members of pro- and anti-angiogenic regulatory proteins, respectively. In addition, we have analyzed platelets from nine patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma using immunofluorescence labeling for VEGF and endostatin. In comparison to volunteer control platelets without known malignancy, there is a significant increase in granules containing VEGF in patients with metastatic disease, strongly suggesting a shift of the angiogenic balance towards a more pro-angiogenic environment in the platelets from patients with malignancy. Previously we have shown that differentially packaged alpha granules are susceptible to selective release in response to proteinase-activated receptors. To explore whether selective release also occurred in physiologic conditions, we activated human platelets with known platelet agonists and looked for evidence of selective release. We have demonstrated that differential release of VEGF can be physiologically regulated by activation with ADP. Human platelets exposed to 50uM ADP result in release of VEGF and retention of endostatin, both by immunofluorecence labeling and by ELISA assay. This study provides mechanistic evidence to support an interplay between tumor cells and platelets, by illustrating a key role for platelets in tumor angiogenesis through the delivery of specific angiogenic factors. This work has implications beyond basic platelet biology as it provides a model for the platelet as a delivery system, with important clinical implications. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A computational framework to detect normal and tuberculosis infected lung from H and E-stained whole slide images

Accurate detection and quantification of normal lung tissue in the context of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is of interest from a biological perspective. The automatic detection and quantification of normal lung will allow the biologists to focus more intensely on regions of interest within normal and infected tissues. We present a computational framework to extract individual tissue sections from whole slide images having multiple tissue sections. It automatically detects the background, red blood cells and handwritten digits to bring efficiency as well as accuracy in quantification of tissue sections. For efficiency, we model our framework with logical and morphological operations as they can be performed in linear time. We further divide these individual tissue sections into normal and infected areas using deep neural network. The computational framework was trained on 60 whole slide images. The proposed computational framework resulted in an overall accuracy of 99.2% when extracting individual tissue sections from 120 whole slide images in the test dataset. The framework resulted in a relatively higher accuracy (99.7%) while classifying individual lung sections into normal and infected areas. Our preliminary findings suggest that the proposed framework has good agreement with biologists on how define normal and infected lung areas.
Measuring young U.S. children’s parasocial relationships: toward the creation of a child self-report survey

AbstractAdults and children form one-sided, emotionally tinged relationships with media characters known as parasocial relationships. Studies have measured adult conceptions of their own parasocial relationships and parent perceptions of their children’s parasocial relationships, but little is known about how to quantify young children’s perceptions of their own parasocial relationships. In this study, a child self-report survey was developed based on prior parental surveys and behavioral measures to operationalize children’s parasocial relationships. Results revealed that 2–6 year-old U.S. children can name and report about their favorite media characters, who were the target for assessing parasocial relationships. Factor analyses indicated three components of children’s parasocial relationships: attachment and friendship, humanlike needs, and social realism. Although the internal consistency improved with age on attachment and friendship and social realism, only the attachment and friendship subscale re...
Frogs + puzzles = algorithmic thinking

Recreational mathematics provides a rich source of problems for developing analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. Several sequential movement puzzles in which frogs perform various feats, such as exchanging positions, are presented. These problems offer a vehicle for learning about algorithms in an "unplugged" way, without computer programming. The problems reveal deep mathematical content and provide a springboard into such topics as algorithm analysis, lower bounds, parity, and the generalization of solutions. The problems also promote the use of such problem-solving paradigms as starting with small cases and observing patterns.
Designer drug- Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine derivatives (TFMPP) - A future potential peril towards modern society

“Designer drugs” (referred as synthetic drugs, research drugs/chemicals) are synthesized by drug dealers and chemists illicitly to elicit euphoric and psychostimulatory actions. These drugs are structural congeners of illegal and/or banned abusive substances and exhibit pharmacological effects similar to their parent drug. Moreover, due to its designed structural difference to circumvent drug laws, these can be currently obtained legitimately and readily in common stores and through internet. Alarmingly, several designer drugs are significantly toxic and perilous as compared to their corresponding street drug. Piperazine derivatives have been designed by substituting various chemical groups to the basic piperazine moiety to have a stimulatory effect. Various drugs with piperazine structural moieties are Benzylpiperazine-(BZP), 2C-B-BZP, CDPP, DBZP, MBZP, mCPP, MCDZP, MeOPP, pCPP, pFPP, and Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine-(TFMPP). The most commonly abused piperazine derivatives are BZP, TFMPP and mCPP. But, there are few articles that have revealed the prevalence and toxic actions of TFMPP. Hence, in this review, we focus on pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic and toxic effects of TFMPP. Similar to other stimulants, TFMPP also increases the monoaminergic neurotransmission. Interestingly, TFMPP principally affects the serotonergic neurotransmission. TFMPP displays significant agonistic activity towards 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, 5-HT2C receptors, except the 5-HT2A receptor, where it acts as a weak partial agonist or antagonist. On the other hand, TFMPP has insignificant affinity towards 5-HT3 receptor. It also affects release of acetylcholine and the release and uptake of monoaminergic neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine). Due to the specific effects of TFMPP on serotonergic neurotransmission, it induces hallucination, psychotropic effect, anxiety, nociceptic effect, hypothermia, hypotension, and bradycardia. Furthermore, it has a great impact on various behavioral activities such as aggression, avoidance, anxiety, sexual activities, feeding and accommodation. Conversely, if suitable prophylactic and therapeutic measures are not considered immediately, TFMPP can be an impending danger for the global health care.
Dual-band meander-line MIMO antenna with high diversity for LTE/UMTS router

A dual-band multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna is presented. The proposed MIMO antenna consists of two elements of meander-line antenna with an isolation improvement structure located between the two radiating antenna elements. The antennas operate in the 4G long-term evolution (LTE) (699-798 MHz) band, and Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS) (Digital Cellular System (DCS)/Personal Communications Service (PCS)) bands (1920-2170 MHz) with | S 11 | = -6 dB (voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) = 3) matching criteria. The measured mutual coupling is lower than -15 and -22 dB at the LTE 700 bands, and UMTS bands, respectively. The diversity performance of the envelope correlation coefficient and the mean effective gain meets the diversity criteria for mobile communications. Total radiation efficiencies range between 60 and 90% over the operating frequency bands. A prototype antenna was fabricated and tested for design verification. The simulated results are in good agreement with the measurements.
p53 Suppresses Metabolic Stress-Induced Ferroptosis in Cancer Cells

How cancer cells respond to nutrient deprivation remains poorly understood. In certain cancer cells, deprivation of cystine induces a non-apoptotic, iron-dependent form of cell death termed ferroptosis. Recent evidence suggests that ferroptosis sensitivity may be modulated by the stress-responsive transcription factor and canonical tumor suppressor protein p53. Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, small-molecule probes, and high-resolution, time-lapse imaging, we find that stabilization of wild-type p53 delays the onset of ferroptosis in response to cystine deprivation. This delay requires the p53 transcriptional target CDKN1A (encoding p21) and is associated with both slower depletion of intracellular glutathione and a reduced accumulation of toxic lipid-reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, the p53-p21 axis may help cancer cells cope with metabolic stress induced by cystine deprivation by delaying the onset of non-apoptotic cell death.
Immersive Technologies and Language Learning.

This article briefly traces the historical conceptualization of linguistic and cultural immersion through technological applications, from the early days of locally networked computers to the cutting-edge technologies known as virtual reality and augmented reality. Next, the article explores the challenges of immersive technologies for the field of foreign language education. Finally, a set of priority areas and research questions is posited to guide the thinking of foreign language educators over the next 50 years in their understanding of what constitutes immersion—virtual or otherwise.
HSCT for GATA2 deficiency across the pond.

In this issue of Blood, Tholouli et al describe successful in vivo T-cell–depleted allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) in 4 patients with GATA2 deficiency using a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen including serotherapy with alemtuzumab. Three immediate questions come to mind when contemplating the first sentence, namely: what is GATA2 deficiency, what is the natural history of the disease that leads to HSCT, and what makes HSCT so special for GATA2 deficiency that it warrants a commentary?