cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T Cell Repertoire Development in XSCID Dogs Following Nonconditioned Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation

Abstract Dogs with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (XSCID) can be successfully treated by bone marrow transplants (BMT) resulting in full immunologic reconstitution and engraftment of both donor B and T cells without the need for pretransplant conditioning. In this study, we evaluated the T cell diversity in XSCID dogs 4 months to 10.5 years following BMT. At 4 months posttransplantation, when the number of CD45RA+ (naive) T cells had peaked and plateaued, the T cells in the transplanted dogs showed the same complex, diverse repertoire as those of normal young adult dogs. A decline in T cell diversity became evident approximately 3.5 years posttransplant, but the proportion of Vβ families showing a polyclonal Gaussian spectratype still predominated up to 7.5 years posttransplant. In 2 dogs evaluated at 7.5 and 10.5 years posttransplant, >75% of the Vβ families consisted of a skewed or oligoclonal spectratype that was associated with a CD4/CD8 ratio of
Fabrication of Monodispersed Silver Nanoparticles and their Collective Sharp Plasmonic Response

Monodispersed silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) were obtained by applying an electric field on unipolar-charged Ag NPs fabricated using a heterogeneous condensation technique in gas media. Well defined and charged Ag NPs were separated based on their sizes and were collected on quartz substrates. Thin films consisting of monodispersed Ag NPs with size ranging from 35 to 120 nm were prepared by varying an applied electric field during the fabrication process. Scanning electron microscope results showed that the samples have uniform size distribution. Coherent oscillations of conduction band electrons in gas medium induced by electromagnetic field and coupling of all similar plasmon resonances due to uniform Ag NPs size produced unique and interesting optical properties. Narrow extinction widths (∼41 to ∼69 nm) were observed compared to the width of polydispersed Ag sample. The ability to prepare samples in gas media and tune the plasmon resonance by merely varying an electric field during fabrication makes the method simple, fast, and highly economical.
Indian National and State Elections in a Village Context

The granting of adult suffrage in India, following independence, and the use of the secret ballot in State and Central elections have given rise to a great deal of discussion about the "democratic process" in that country. The imagination of Americans has been captured by the knowledge that so many women have come out of seclusion, or parda, to vote and that, because of the high rate of illiteracy, novel pictorial aids are employed to help the uneducated identify parties and candidates. Consequently, there has been a certain amount of optimistic sentimentality and romanticizing about what is currently taking place. For this, the following paper attempts to substitute data concerning the actual process as it was observed on the local level for, unless the existing forces which are at work are depicted, there is little likelihood that political developments in India can be anticipated or understood.
On the rates for the general broadcast channel with partially cooperating receivers

We consider the problem of communicating over the general discrete memoryless broadcast channel (BC) with partially cooperating receivers. In our setup, receivers are able to exchange messages over noiseless conference links of finite capacities, prior to decoding the messages sent from the transmitter. This problem comes up naturally in a sensor networking application, where a transmitter external to the sensor network wants to download data into the network, e.g., to configure the sensor array. In this paper, we extend the achievability results for the degraded broadcast channel derived in R. Dabora and S. Servetto (2004), to the general channel and present an upper bound on the rates
Recognition of syntactic structure in aphasic patients.

Summary One “typical” Broca's aphasic, who was fairly able to understand written material and one “typical” Wernicke's aphasic who was completely alexic were examined with a sentence order test. The SOT requires that the subject 1) order three sentence constituents written on separate cards and 2) order three non-constituent segments which include the constituent boundaries to form correct sentences of different types. In each case only one order (1, 2, 3) was a correct solution. The Wernicke's patient was significantly better than the Broca's in ordering constituents to form simple declaratives. From this it was concluded that on a certain level structure and lexical meaning were processed separately. Constituent ordering for embedded sentences, questions, and imperatives was not significantly better than chance. Non-constituents were ordered significantly better by both Ss to form simple declaratives and embedded declaratives, but not for questions and imperatives. This indicates that constituents are real entities in human language.
E-Valuating Learning: Rate My Professors and Public Rhetorics of Pedagogy

The Rate My Professors (RMP) online student discourse community shapes and defines current public rhetorics of pedagogy. RMP is a cultural phenomenon indicative of a larger movement in extra-institutional discourse toward ranking and assessing people and products. More important than the postings on RMP, however, or their measurable accuracy, is how RMP reflects the increasingly convergent interests of consumer culture and academic culture, shaping the ways that pedagogy is valued and assessed by students within the public domain. Faculty therefore must consider RMP's effect on public discourse about pedagogy in order to help students understand evaluation as a tool for civic exchange.
The effect of β-keto acids on the action of tyrosinase

Abstract Acetoacetic and oxalacetic acids interact with the o-quinones produced by the action of tyrosinase on monohydric and ortho-dihydric phenols. This action results in an increase in the rate of oxidation of the substrate, increased pigmentation, and decarboxylation of the β-keto acid. In the presence of ascorbic acid no o-quinones accumulate and the reaction does not occur. It is suggested, however, that the reaction would be important in pigmentation processes involving tyrosinase.
Reflections on the numerical viscoelastic flow problem

Abstract Model problems are defined and solved to help understand the viscoelastic flow problem in two dimensions. Steady-state solutions are found for a variety of meshes and fluid models for the 4:1 axisymmetric contraction problem and some of these give rise to valid bifurcations. Transient analyses confirm the stability of the steady-state solutions.
ADAMTS13 and VWF: not just for TTP anymore?

Comment on Nolasco et al, page [4199][1] Shiga toxin stimulates VWF release from endothelial cells and impairs ADAMTS13-mediated VWF proteolysis, demonstrating potential roles for VWF and ADAMTS13 in hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) pathogenesis. Acute diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome
Efficient Range Distribution Query for Visualizing Scientific Data

Visualization applications implicitly run queries on the data to retrieve distributions and statistical measures derivable from distributions. Distribution based data summaries can substitute for the raw data to answer statistical queries of different kinds. However, frequent access to the raw data is no longer practical, if possible at all, for answering large number of queries on large-scale data. Our work addresses the issue by accelerating range distribution query, which returns the distribution of an axis-aligned query region. Maintaining the interactivity of such query is a challenging task because the workload and the response time of such queries scale up with the data and the query size. In this paper, we present a framework for answering range distribution queries for any arbitrary region in near constant time, regardless of data and query size. We adapt an integral histogram based data structure to bound the workload which is a combination of computation, I/O and communication cost. We propose two novel transformations of this data structure -- a decomposition and a similarity-driven indexing -- to reduce the huge storage cost associated with it. In addition to studying the performance of range distribution query, we also demonstrate the benefits that our technique offers to visualization applications which directly or indirectly require distributions.
Optimum time delay detection and tracking

An optimum solution to the time delay tracking problems has been previously achieved by recursively computing the time-delay posterior probability density function (PDF), or time-delay PDF conditioned on knowing all observed data, by numerical means. Any optimum estimate is determined from the posterior PDF. The same approach is extended to an optimum solution for the time delay detection problem with a randomly appearing and disappearing signal. The detector-tracker is suitable for a stand-alone detection and tracking system. >
Habitat Selection is Unaltered After Severe Insect Infestation: Concerns for Forest-Dependent Species

Severe disturbance may alter or eliminate important habitat structure that helps preserve food caches of foodhoarding species. Recent recolonization of an insect-damaged forest by the endangered Mt. Graham red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis) provided an opportunity to examine habitat selection for midden (cache) sites following disturbance. From September 2003 to December 2005, we examined surface temperature and physical and vegetative characteristics associated with random locations and midden sites in insect-damaged forests. Red squirrel use of midden sites that are similar in structure to those used before insect infestation indicates that insect infestation did not eliminate midden habitat. However, differences between occupied middens and historical middens that are unoccupied reflect the severity of insect infestation tolerated by red squirrels. Occupied middens had ,64% tree mortality, high basal area of live trees, and cooler surface temperatures during snow-free months. Forest areas with greater tree mortality would likely not represent habitat, threatening the persistence of an isolated population. Although conservation efforts can protect remaining habitat, disturbance events continually represent a threat. Habitat loss and predictions of increased disturbance due to climate change highlight the importance of documenting response to disturbance.
Phospholipase C δ-4 overexpression upregulates ErbB1/2 expression, Erk signaling pathway, and proliferation in MCF-7 cells

The expression of the rodent phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C δ-4 (PLCδ4) has been found to be elevated upon mitogenic stimulation and expression analysis have linked the upregulation of PLCδ4 expression with rapid proliferation in certain rat transformed cell lines. The human homologue of PLCδ4 has not been extensively characterized. Accordingly, we investigate the effects of overexpression of human PLCδ4 on cell signaling and proliferation in this study. The cDNA for human PLCδ4 has been isolated and expressed ectopically in breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Overexpression of PLCδ4 selectively activates protein kinase C-φ and upregulates the expression of epidermal growth factor receptors EGFR/erbB1 and HER2/erbB2, leading to constitutive activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathway in MCF-7 cells. MCF-7 cells stably expressing PLCδ4 demonstrates several phenotypes of transformation, such as rapid proliferation in low serum, formation of colonies in soft agar, and capacity to form densely packed spheroids in low-attachment plates. The growth signaling responses induced by PLCδ4 are not reversible by siRNA. Overexpression or dysregulated expression of PLCδ4 may initiate oncogenesis in certain tissues through upregulation of ErbB expression and activation of ERK pathway. Since the growth responses induced by PLCδ4 are not reversible, PLCδ4 itself is not a suitable drug target, but enzymes in pathways activated by PLCδ4 are potential therapeutic targets for oncogenic intervention.
Effect of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor-dependent and -independent prion protein association with model raft membranes on conversion to the protease-resistant isoform.

Prion protein (PrP) is usually bound to membranes by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor that associates with detergent-resistant membranes, or rafts. To examine the effect of membrane association on the interaction between the normal protease-sensitive PrP isoform (PrP-sen) and the protease-resistant isoform (PrP-res), a model system was employed using PrP-sen reconstituted into sphingolipid-cholesterol-rich raft-like liposomes (SCRLs). Both full-length (GPI+) and GPI anchor-deficient (GPI−) PrP-sen produced in fibroblasts stably associated with SCRLs. The latter, alternative mode of membrane association was not detectably altered by glycosylation and was markedly reduced by deletion of residues 34–94. The SCRL-associated PrP molecules were not removed by treatments with either high salt or carbonate buffer. However, only GPI+ PrP-sen resisted extraction with cold Triton X-100. PrP-sen association with SCRLs was pH-independent. PrP-sen was also one of a small subset of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC)-released proteins from fibroblast cells found to bind SCRLs. A cell-free conversion assay was used to measure the interaction of SCRL-bound PrP-sen with exogenous PrP-res as contained in microsomes. SCRL-bound GPI+ PrP-sen was not converted to PrP-res until PI-PLC was added to the reaction or the combined membrane fractions were treated with the membrane-fusing agent polyethylene glycol (PEG). In contrast, SCRL-bound GPI− PrP-sen was converted to PrP-res without PI-PLC or PEG treatment. Thus, of the two forms of raft membrane association by PrP-sen, only the GPI anchor-directed form resists conversion induced by exogenous PrP-res.
Modular and scalable load-wall sled buck for pure-lateral and oblique side impact tests

Abstract A considerable majority of side impact sled tests using different types of human surrogates has used a load-wall design not specific to subject anthropometry. The use of one load-wall configuration cannot accurately isolate and evaluate regional responses for the same load-wall geometry. As the anatomy and biomechanical responses of the human torso depends on the region, and anthropomorphic test devices continue to advance and accommodate regional differences, it is important to obtain specific data from sled tests. To achieve this goal, the present study designed a scalable modular load-wall consisting of the shoulder, thorax, abdomen, and superior and inferior pelvis, and lower limb plates. The first five plates were connected to a vertical fixture and the limb plate was connected to another fixture. The width, height, and thickness, and the gap between plates were modular. Independent adjustments in the coronal and sagittal planes allowed region-specific positioning depending on surrogate anthropometry, example pelvis width and seated height. Two tri-axial load cells were fixed on the contralateral face of each plate of the load-wall to record impact force-time histories. The load-wall and vertical fixture design can be used to conduct side impact tests with varying vectors, pure-lateral to anterior and posterior oblique, by appropriately orienting the load-wall with respect to the surrogate. The feasibility of the design to extract region-specific biomechanical data was demonstrated by conducting pure-lateral and anterior oblique sled tests using two different surrogates at a velocity of 6.7 m/s. Uses of this design are discussed for different applications.
Evidence for the presence of a kininogen-like species in a case of total deficiency of low and high molecular weight kininogens

Low and high molecular weight kininogens (LK and HK), containing 409 and 626 amino acids with masses of ~65 and 120 kDa after glycosylation, respectively, are coded by a single gene mapped to the human chromosome 3 by alternative splicing of the transcribed mRNA. The NH2-termini Glu1-Thr383 region, identical in LK and HK, contains bradykinin (BK) moieties Arg363-Arg371. LK, HK and their kinin products Lys-BK and BK are involved in several biologic processes. They are evolutionarily conserved and only 7 patients, all apparently normal, have been reported to lack them. In one of these patients (Williams' trait), a codon mutation (Arg178 ® stop) has been blamed for the absence of LK and HK. However, using Western blots with 2 monoclonal anti-HK antibodies, one that recognizes the region common to LK and HK and the other that recognizes only HK, I detected ~110-kDa bands in the plasma of this LK/HK-deficient patient vs ~120-kDa bands in normal human and ape plasmas. With polyclonal anti-Lys-BK antibody, which strongly detects BK cleaved at its COOH-terminus in purified HK, I detected ~110-kDa bands in the normal and the deficient plasmas. Western blots with a monoclonal anti-prekallikrein (PK) antibody showed that surface activation of PK and distribution of PK activation products, both dependent on HK, were similar in these plasmas. These findings suggest that a mutant gene yielded a kininogen-like species possibly involving aberrant mRNA splicing - structurally different from normal HK, but apparently with the capacity to carry out seemingly vital HK functions.
A randomized controlled trial of screening for maternal depression with a clinical decision support system

Objective To determine if automated screening and just in time delivery of testing and referral materials at the point of care promotes universal screening referral rates for maternal depression. Methods The Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation (CHICA) system is a decision support and electronic medical record system used in our pediatric clinics. All families of patients up to 15 months of age seen between October 2007 and July 2009 were randomized to one of three groups: (1) screening questions printed on prescreener forms (PSF) completed by mothers in the waiting room with physician alerts for positive screens, (2) everything in (1) plus ‘just in time’ (JIT) printed materials to aid physicians, and (3) a control group where physicians were simply reminded to screen on printed physician worksheets. Results The main outcome of interest was whether physicians suspected a diagnosis of maternal depression and referred a mother for assistance. This occurred significantly more often in both the PSF (2.4%) and JIT groups (2.4%) than in the control group (1.2%) (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.93). Compared to the control group, more mothers were noted to have depressed mood in the PSF (OR 7.93, 95% CI 4.51 to 13.96) and JIT groups (OR 8.10, 95% CI 4.61 to 14.25). Similarly, compared to the control group, more mothers had signs of anhedonia in the PSF (OR 12.58, 95% CI 5.03 to 31.46) and JIT groups (OR 13.03, 95% CI 5.21 to 32.54). Conclusions Clinical decision support systems like CHICA can improve the screening of maternal depression.
Transport Schemes on a Sphere Using Radial Basis Functions

The aim of this work is to introduce the physics community to the high performance of radial basis functions (RBFs) compared to other spectral methods for modeling transport (pure advection) and to provide the first known application of the RBF methodology to hyperbolic partial differential equations on a sphere. First, it is shown that even when the advective operator is posed in spherical coordinates (thus having singularities at the poles), the RBF formulation of it is completely singularity free. Then, two classical test cases are conducted: (1) linear advection, where the initial condition is simply transported around the sphere and (2) deformational flow (idealized cyclogenesis), where an angular velocity is applied to the initial condition, spinning it up around an axis of rotation. The results show that RBFs allow for a much lower spatial resolution (i.e. lower number of nodes) while being able to take unusually large time-steps to achieve the same accuracy as compared to other commonly used spectral methods on a sphere such as spherical harmonics, double Fourier series, and spectral element methods. Furthermore, RBFs are algorithmically much simpler to program.
Mechanisms of pacing during diastolic depolarization in a modeled sinoatrial node cell

Spontaneous pacing is an intrinsic property of the pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial node (SAN) of the heart. Models of the SAN cells have been developed over the last two decades to simulate the pacemaker activity. In this study, the most recent and biophysically detailed computational model of the SAN cell (S. Demir et al., Amer. J. Physiol, vol. 266, p. C832-52, 1994) was used to investigate the ionic properties that govern the diastolic depolarization phase of the action potential. The ionic mechanisms in diastole were investigated under both control and stimulated conditions. The control condition represents when the SAN cell is pacing spontaneously without any stimulus. The stimulated condition is when the pacing activity is perturbed by an electrical pulse. Phase-plane analysis techniques, illustrating the changes in current-voltage variables, were utilized in the computer simulations. The simulation data for the control and stimulated conditions demonstrate that the changes in I/sub K/, I/sub Naca/ and I/sub f/ during the first half of diastole, and changes in I/sub CaT/ and I/sub Na/ during the second half determine the diastolic depolarization rate and the occurrence of the next action potential.
Noise spectral density measurements of a radiation hardened CMOS process in the weak and moderate inversion

The authors have measured the noise of MOS transistors of the United Technology Microelectronics Center (UTMC) 1.2- mu m radiation-hardened CMOS p-well process from the weak to moderate inversion region. The noise power spectral densities of both NMOS and PMOS devices were measured from 1 kHz to 50 MHz. The bandwidth was chosen such that the important components of the spectral densities such as the white thermal noise and the 1/f noise could be easily resolved and analyzed in detail. The effects of different device terminal DC biases and channel geometries on the noise are described. >
Reflective direct-view displays using a dye-doped dual-frequency liquid crystal gel

A high-contrast, fast-response, and polarizer-free reflective display using a dye-doped dual-frequency liquid crystal gel is demonstrated. The high contrast ratio originates from the combination of light scattering from the microdomain polymer gel and absorption from the black dyes. The fast response is due to the frequency modulation of the dual-frequency liquid crystal.
An analog VLSI array processor for classical and connectionist AI

The authors describe the architecture of an operational 31-cell CMOS VLSI Lukasiewicz logic array (LLA) which is regular, simple, area-efficient, and implemented with analog rather than digital processing elements. The prototype LLAs are programmed with input vectors derived from normal forms of sentences in the Lukasiewicz logic. This requires data inputs on the order of O(2/sup n/) for sentences in n implications, limits the size of the sentences that can be evaluated by a given LLA, and increases the number of pins needed on the VLSI package. The dual logic and algebraic semantics of Lukasiewicz logic allows LLAs to implement expert systems, neural networks and fuzzy logic functions. Schematic examples are given for each application, and results obtained by programming the prototype LLA as a fuzzy function generator show that the LLA implemented the notch function linearly, but with a slope that varied from that of the calculated function. >
Toward a population genetic framework of developmental evolution: the costs, limits, and consequences of phenotypic plasticity

Adaptive phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to cope with environmental variability, and yet, despite its adaptive significance, phenotypic plasticity is neither ubiquitous nor infinite. In this review, we merge developmental and population genetic perspectives to explore costs and limits on the evolution of plasticity. Specifically, we focus on the role of modularity in developmental genetic networks as a mechanism underlying phenotypic plasticity, and apply to it lessons learned from population genetic theory on the interplay between relaxed selection and mutation accumulation. We argue that the environmental specificity of gene expression and the associated reduction in pleiotropic constraints drive a fundamental tradeoff between the range of plasticity that can be accommodated and mutation accumulation in alternative developmental networks. This tradeoff has broad implications for understanding the origin and maintenance of plasticity and may contribute to a better understanding of the role of plasticity in the origin, diversification, and loss of phenotypic diversity.
The Validity and Reliability of the Self-Assessment and Program Review: Assessing School Progress in Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support

The Self-Assessment and Program Review (SAPR) was developed to provide an assessment tool that schools could use to track their progress in implementing key practices related to all three levels of schoolwide positive behavior supports (SWPBS). The SAPR is a team-based assessment tool, using both individual and team ratings of 10 evidence-based subscales and related indicators, to monitor the implementation of SWPBS practices and assist teams in developing and monitoring plans for school improvement. This article describes the background, development, features, and details of the initial psychometric properties of the measure. The role and function of the SWPBS leadership team were also analyzed for their influence on the assessment and implementation process. Overall, results suggest that the SAPR is both reliable and valid, and it provides a useful and efficient tool to leadership teams interested in assessing their implementation of key SWPBS practices.
Chare kernel—a runtime support system for parallel computations

Abstract This paper presents the chare kernel system, which supports parallel computations with irregular structure. The chare kernel is a collection of primitive functions that manage chares, manipulate messages, invoke atomic computations, and coordinate concurrent activities. Programs written in the chare kernel language can be executed on different parallel machines without change. Users writing such programs concern themselves with the creation of parallel actions but not with assigning them to specific processors. We describe the design and implementation of the chare kernel. Performance of chare kernel programs on two hypercube machines, the Intel iPSCl2 and the NCUBE, is also given
Preliminary experience in pelviscopic uterine suspension using Webster-Baldy and Franke's method

Objective. To find which method gives the best relief from dyspareunia and pelvic pain caused by a retroverted uterus using the two methods mentioned as compared to other methods reported in the medical literature.Subjects. Twenty-five patients, with ages ranging from 25-55 years old, complaining of mild to severe pelvic pain and dyspareunia seeking treatment in our OPD were evaluated and treated in a span of 3 years' time.Methods. Pelviscopic retrouterine ligament fixation using Webster-Baldy and Franke's method were done after each patient was evaluated as to the uterine position, degree of misalignment of the uterus and severity of adhesion. Pelvic pain and dyspareunia were reproduced by palpation of the retroverted uterus. Ultrasonographies were performed to confirm initial findings and to rule out any ovarian or uterine abnormalities. Orthopedic and psychological consultations were done to rule out any orthopedic disorders or non-organic causes of their problem.Results. Of the twenty-five patients tr...
Association between intakes of magnesium, potassium, and calcium and risk of stroke: 2 cohorts of US women and updated meta-analyses

Background: Prospective data on the relation of magnesium, potassium, and calcium intakes with stroke risk are inconsistent, and to our knowledge, the effect of a combined mineral diet score has not been examined. Objective: We examined associations between intakes of magnesium, potassium, and calcium and risk of incident stroke in 86,149 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) I and 94,715 women in the NHS II. Design: In this prospective cohort study, we calculated HRs of stroke by quintiles of intake for each mineral and for a combined diet score of all 3 minerals by using multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. In addition, we updated meta-analyses on dietary intakes of these minerals and risk of stroke. Results: During follow-up (30 y in the NHS I; 22 y in the NHS II) a total of 3780 incident stroke cases were documented. Pooled multivariate RRs of total stroke for women in the highest compared with the lowest quintiles were 0.87 (95% CI: 0.78, 0.97) for total magnesium, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.99) for total potassium, and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.09) for total calcium intake. Pooled RRs for women in the highest compared with the lowest quintiles of a combined mineral diet score were 0.72 (95% CI: 0.65, 0.81) for total stroke, 0.78 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.92) for ischemic stroke, and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.61, 1.04) for hemorrhagic stroke. In the updated meta-analyses of all prospective studies to date, the combined RR of total stroke was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.83, 0.92) for a 100-mg/d increase in magnesium intake, 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88, 0.94) for a 1000-mg/d increase in potassium intake, and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.94, 1.02) for a 300-mg/d increase in calcium intake. Conclusions: A combined mineral diet score was inversely associated with risk of stroke. High intakes of magnesium and potassium but not calcium were also significantly associated with reduced risk of stroke in women.
Political systems and archaeological data in Egypt: 2600–1780 B.C.

Abstract Archaeological and textual data, which are both biased and fragmentary, are essentially complementary in any effort to reconstruct the political systems prevailing in Egypt between 2600 and 1780 B.C. An examination of certain aspects of the archaeological data suggests that the political significance of royal burial complexes is rather ambiguous, but that of the cemeteries of the capital and the provinces is more explicit, once the social and chronological complexity of these sites is understood. Some aspects of the provincial data also suggest that the collapse of the comparatively highly‐centralized system of the Old Kingdom, the effects of which were still visible after 170 years of formal reunification, was due to sustained famine created by natural causes rather than a failure in the political system. Finally, any effort to reconstruct Egyptian foreign policy during this period must refer to the archaeological data since the relevant textual sources are heavily biased.
ASCO 2015 update on gastrointestinal cancer: Checkpoint inhibition, multimodality strategies and secondary prevention.

Each spring, thousands of oncology professionals gather in Chicago for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. This years’ meeting may be most remembered for the presentation of multiple striking abstracts employing a new class of drug treatments that seek to reawaken the immune system’s response to cancer. Indeed, several of the studies presented on immune checkpoint inhibitors will be reviewed here, as they are potential new strategies for the treatment of various gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. Additionally, a powerful feature of the management of GI malignancies is the opportunity to harness multiple modalities of treatment and integrate the expertise of numerous specialists. As such, a second major theme highlighted at the meeting was the advancement of integrated components of multimodality GI care. In an age of rapid expansion in the cost of cancer care, a third theme of the GI sessions was the potential to develop simple and high value secondary prevention interventions. In this commentary, I will highlight several abstracts presented on the themes of immune checkpoint inhibition, optimal multimodality treatment, and secondary prevention with the goal of placing the results in the context of wider efforts to improve outcomes for patients with GI malignancies.
Abstract 300: Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate High-Mobility Group Box 1 to Inhibit Aortic Aneurysms

Objective: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to attenuate aortic aneurysms (AAs) in animal models, but their precise mechanism of action remains undefined. In this study, we hypothesize that MSCs modulate NADPH oxidase activity in macrophages to mitigate high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1; a proinflammatory nuclear protein) secretion causing attenuation of vascular inflammation and AA formation. Methods: Abdominal aortic tissue from male patients was obtained during open surgical repair and control aortic tissue was obtained from transplant donor patients. Human aortic tissue explants (or primary murine macrophages; 5x105 cells/well) were treated in vitro with elastase for 5 minutes, with or without co-culture with MSCs (1x105 cells per well) and supernatants were analyzed after 24hrs. In the murine in vivo model, AAs were induced in 8- to 12-week old C57BL/6 (WT) mice using an elastase-perfusion or heat inactivated elastase, with or without MSC treatment (given i.v. on day 1). Aortic tissue (harvested on day 14) or culture supernatants were analyzed for proinflammatory cytokine and HMGB1 production, as well as NADPH oxidase activity (measured by superoxide anion generation). Groups were compared using ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc test. Results: Aortic tissue from human AA patients had a significant increase in HMGB1 levels compared to control (50.7±4.8 vs. 26.8±2.5 ng/ml, respectively; n=9-11per group; mean +/- S.E.). HMGB1 production and NADPH oxidase activity in the elastase-treated human aortic tissue explants were significantly attenuated by co-culture with MSCs (63.7± 5.3 vs. 19.6±6.3 ng/ml and 1673±48 vs. 317± 89 Relative Light Units; respectively, n=5). In the murine AA model, HMGB1 expression in the aortic tissue from the elastase-perfused WT mice was significantly attenuated by MSC treatment (79.6±3.6 vs. 33.4±3.6 ng/ml). As compared to elastase-treated macrophages, the co-cultures of macrophages with MSCs significantly attenuated cytokine (IL-23, TNF-α and HMGB1) production as well as NADPH oxidase activity (1140±73 vs. 268±25 RLU). Conclusions: HMGB1 production from macrophages plays an important role in AA formation and represents a novel target to protect against aneurysm formation by treatment with MSCs.
Apoptosis in lung pathophysiology

As recently as 1993, fewer than 10 manuscripts had been published on the topic of apoptosis specifically in the lung. Although that number is increasing, far fewer papers appear each year on apoptosis in the lung than in the other major organs. Therefore, our knowledge of this important aspect of lung cell physiology is relatively rudimentary. Recent literature is beginning to define important roles for apoptosis in normal lung cell turnover, lung development, and the pathogenesis of diseases such as interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Although the involvement of lung cell apoptosis in each of these examples seems clear, the many factors comprising the normal and abnormal regulation of cell death remain to be elucidated and are likely to be different in each situation. The definition of those factors will be an exciting and challenging field of research for many years to come. In that context, the goal of this symposium was to discuss, from a physiological perspective, some of the most recent and exciting advances in the definition of signaling mechanisms involved in the regulation of apoptosis specifically in lung cell populations.
Computation of Engine Noise Propagation and Scattering Off an Aircraft

The paper presents a comparison of experimental noise data measured in flight on a two-engine business jet aircraft with Kulite microphones placed on the suction surface of the wing with computational results. Both a time-domain discontinuous Galerkin spectral method and a frequency-domain spectral element method are used to simulate the radiation of the dominant spinning mode from the engine and its reflection and scattering by the fuselage and the wing. Both methods are implemented in computer codes that use the distributed memory model to make use of large parallel architectures. The results show that trends of the noise field are well predicted by both methods.
Two Generations, Two Interventions in One of the World's Most-Failed States: The United States, Kenya and Ethiopia in Somalia

In 1992, more than 25,000 United States forces landed in Somalia as part of a 37,000-strong United Nations Task Force (UNITAF) operation. In 2011, a combined total of 8000+ Kenyan and Ethiopian forces were ordered into Somalia. This article demonstrates that American soldiers were deployed to Somalia in the early days of a post-Cold War world, largely as a foreign policy experiment about how to deal with the threats ‘small states’ posed in a new world order. It is maintained that Kenyan and Ethiopian soldiers were deployed to Somalia to deal with some of the very threats American foreign policymakers had identified almost two decades earlier, from refugees to terrorism. To conclude, the article uses public goods theory to contend that military interventions that are ostensibly peacekeeping in nature can be inherently inadequate because ‘self-interest works against the interests of the collective’ (Bobrow and Boyer, 1997: 726). Accordingly, America’s intervention in Somalia between 1992 and 1994 failed to ...
The Never-Never Land of International Relations

Scholarship about scholarship, like theory about theory, and teaching about teaching, is rarely very stimulating. Such commodities are not in short supply in the field of international relations, and this is not an attempt to add to them. The purpose of this paper is rather to question whether the study of international relations is proceeding in a desirable direction, and, if not, thereby to offer a suggestion for the reorientation of international relations scholarship. The utility of any academic discipline (including international relations) is measured ultimately by the contribution made to the understanding of human problems and/or to the improvement of the human condition. This is particularly true of the social sciences, which focus upon human beings as they relate to each other in the process of group interaction.
Management of Medical Complications of Gallstone Disease

Because the biliary tree is a low-pressure pathway for excretion of hydrophobic products, bile is vulnerable to precipitation, and once they form, bile crystals or stones rarely dissolve spontaneously. Risk factors for the development of gallstones include female gender, pregnancy, multiparity, chronic hemolytic conditions, obesity, and total parenteral nutrition. Gallstone disease manifests either by obstruction or by erosion. Obstruction may be transient or complete. Obstructive gallstone disease may present as choledocholithiasis, biliary pain, acute gallstone pancreatitis, or ascending cholangitis. Acute pancreatitis is the most common gastrointestinal cause of hospital admission and is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Severe acute pancreatitis and ascending cholangitis in the presence of an obstructing gallstone are emergent indications for biliary decompression with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Rarely, gallstones may erode into adjacent structures, causing fistulas that may manifest as biliary obstruction (Mirrizi’s syndrome); biliary enteric fistula, which may manifest as small bowel obstruction (gallstone ileus); or fistulization with other interfacing organ systems, including the integument, vasculature, thorax, or genitourinary system. Patients with gallstone disease often present with familiar signs and symptoms associated with intra-abdominal disease processes. Hence, it is important to deliberate on good clinical practice and elucidate an appropriate differential diagnosis.
Interpreting HIV clinical trials.

Over the years, the complexity of the design and analysis of HIV clinical trials has mirrored that of the antiretroviral regimens they seek to evaluate. Compounding this problem, clinicians often must rely on brief presentations at conferences, summaries from colleagues or opinion leaders, or detailing from pharmaceutical representatives to learn about these studies. These sources of information tend to focus on the studies' conclusions rather than on their methods. The valid interpretation of these studies, however, is predicated on a basic understanding of the common design and analytical features of clinical trials, which are the subject of this review. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is the gold standard of clinical trials. The key design elements in such trials serve to reduce bias. For this reason, one should look for these elements when interpreting studies. The choice of study endpoints is also a key consideration in study design. Randomization -- the process of assigning patients to treatments by way of a random process -- eliminates the potential for bias on the part of the patient and researcher in selecting that patient's treatment. Randomization also generally leads to balance in baseline prognostic factors (both known and unknown) between the different treatment arms so that differences in outcomes can be attributed to the differences in interventions. In contrast, in …
Cord block anesthesia for scrotal surgery.

AbstractCord block with 0.5 per cent bupivacaine hydrochloride has been used as the primary anesthesia for a large number of scrotal procedures performed during a 3-year period. The technique is easy to master and cost-effective, and provides excellent intrascrotal anesthesia. There have been no complications directly attributed to the anesthetic agent or the technique of performing the nerve block.
Identifying the Optimal Environmental Policy in Competitive Markets with Concerned Consumers

Using vertical differentiation to represent heterogeneous producers and consumers within a competitive market, I examine the social welfare implications of emission permits, emission taxes, and voluntary emission certifications. My objective is to identify if conditions exist where government certification of green products yields a welfare improvement over alternative regulatory approaches, thereby illustrating that capturing consumer environmental preferences in a market yields a better outcome, in the presence of an externalities, than other regulatory approaches. Using a competitive market framework, my theoretical model allows for two distinct ramifications from using an environmental policy: raising production costs and forcing firms to exit from the market. My analysis shows that green-certification is a welfare-improving policy, and I provide conditions under which green-certification improves social welfare over traditional emission taxes or permits. However, these welfare gains are obtained through “green” consumer surplus as opposed to public benefitting emission reductions.
Employment Opportunities for Women: Prostitution, The Last Resort

In a volume devoted to an overall consideration of income-generating opportunities in relation to development, it may seem strange to have a separate chapter on the problem of prostitution. It is a measure of its significance as one of the few ‘job’ opportunities available for many Ethiopian women that it has been given such prominence.
THE EFFECTS OF ALTERED BRAIN METABOLISM ON THE LEVELS OF KREBS CYCLE INTERMEDIATES

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the level of Krebs cycle intermediates in brains of normal mice and in the brains of mice in which metabolism is altered. In an experiment described in the chapter, white male mice weighing 25–30 g were used. The analyses were made by measuring fluorometrically the appearance of TPNH or the disappearance of DPNH upon addition of appropriate enzymes. To assess the effects of extreme changes in metabolic rate, a comparison was made of substrate levels when the flux was decreased by anesthesia and increased by hyperthermia. The elevated pyruvate levels in the hyperthermic animals indicated an increase in the glycolytic flux. Measurements of substrates of the Krebs cycle in control animals were compared with anoxic, anesthetized, fluoroacetate-poisoned, hyperthermic, and insulin-treated animals.
Teachers in Developing Countries

Teacher policy in developing countries faces challenges even greater than those in wealthier countries. On average, enrolments and education quality are much lower; working conditions are less conducive to teaching and learning; teachers are managed and deployed less effectively, and salaries are rigid and claim an even larger share of budgets. This article reviews the evidence on the effectiveness of various policies used to try to improve teacher supply and performance in developing-country classrooms. These include increasing salary levels; providing bonuses for better performance and for serving in challenging areas; promoting school-based management; employing contract teachers; and improving teacher training.
Biobased Flocculants Derived from Animal Processing Protein By-Products

Synthetic polymeric flocculants are class of substances that are widely used to facilitate the removal of particles or colloidal material from a liquid. Sustainable alternatives for these substances are needed. Past attempts to use biological polymers as flocculants have shown limited success. This chapter describes the utilization of animal by-product proteins as flocculants. The role of protein type, molecular weight, and medium pH are discussed, along with the probable mechanism by which protein flocculants act. It is also shown that, as with all flocculants, the performance of animal protein flocculants is dependent on the specifics of the application, so they are well suited to some applications, but not others.
Are we preventing VTE in patients with an infective exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - low adherence to VTE prophylaxis guidelines

AbstractVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality and increased healthcare costs. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases risk of thromboembolism, however, there is limited documentation on compliance with VTE prophylaxis guidelines in patients admitted with an infective exacerbation of COPD. Objective: Determine compliance with National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) VTE prophylaxis guidelines in patients admitted with an infective exacerbation of COPD at a metropolitan hospital in Western Australia. Methods: A random sample of 40 patients with an infective exacerbation of COPD was audited for compliance with NHMRC VTE prophylaxis guidelines. Results: The audit highlighted nominal compliance with documentation of VTE prophylaxis risk assessment (2.5%), documentation of VTE prophylaxis contraindication (0%) and prescription of pharmacological prophylaxis (27.5%). Prophylaxis was prescribed and administered appropriately (correct agent, route & ...
Self heating effect on hot carrier degradation characteristic in high voltage n-channel LDMOS

This paper reports on self heating caused by hot-carrier (HC) stress in packaged thick gate oxide HV LDMOS devices, and how self heating significantly affects HC degradation characteristics. The time delay between the removal of the HC stress and the parameter measurement significantly after each stress cycle significantly affected the measured HC Idlin/Rdson degradation. For a longer delay time, lower Idlin degradation was observed. The difference, or recovery, of degradation with longer delay time was mainly due to the self heating effect. The Idlin degradation from self heating effect seems to be more than from the HC effect in packaged HV LNDMOS. Based on the data, some methods are proposed to eliminate the self heating effect, and to separate the self heating and local HC injection effect.