cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2444: Directed evolution strategy for generating of novel zinc finger peptides with affinity for gapped DNA

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA A significant fraction of oncologists’ chemotherapeutic arsenal consists of agents that cause DNA damage. Repair proteins that recognize aberrant DNA structural features mitigate this damage and thus the efficacy of such anticancer drugs. DNA damage recognition is also crucial for genomic stability, and thus avoidance of carcinogenesis, in healthy cells. The DNA repair enzymes poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and DNA ligase III use similar zinc finger motifs to facilitate this sequence-independent DNA recognition. Reported here is a strategy to model these protein-DNA interactions using small proteins. Proteins with high affinity for gapped DNA are selected from highly diverse libraries of proteins, based on PARP-like zinc finger domains, using phage display. These populations were engineered at the DNA level, using two parallel approaches, with built-in randomization then cloned into viral chromosomes. The de novo approach involved synthetic oligonucleotides with specific random codons. In addition, the gene encoding the second PARP zinc finger was cloned from human cells and subjected to 30 cycles of error-prone PCR with a mutation rate of 0.02 per nucleotide. From each approach, a library of approximately 10 billion distinct phage-displayed variants is exposed to immobilized DNA molecules featuring a gapped DNA construct. Selected molecules are either identified by DNA sequencing or subjected to further selection after amplification in bacterial culture. A preliminary selection against nicked DNA yielded a single, truncated peptide after four rounds of selection. In subsequent experiments, Illumina sequencing will identify consensus sequences that will be cloned into plasmids appropriate for expression in bacteria. Molecules discovered by this strategy will help illuminate the structure-function relationships of proteins that recognize distinct DNA structures and may lead to new anticancer approaches. Citation Format: Dylan Plaskon, Rachel M. Guerra, Connor P. McGuckin, Vania Lopez Ruiz, Colin T. Sheehan, Ryan A. Weeks, Dylan Cincotta, Kevin P. Rice. Directed evolution strategy for generating of novel zinc finger peptides with affinity for gapped DNA. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2444. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2444
Elachistelmis gen. n. (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Elminae) from Suriname, with description of two new species

Elachistelmis gen. n. is described for two new species of riffle beetle, E. tetramera sp. n., and E. sipaliwiniensis sp. n. from southwestern Suriname. This new genus can be distinguished from all other elmid genera by its small size (ca. 1.0–1.2 mm), pronotum with sublateral carinae and lacking depressions, and the presence of a narrow band of plastron setae on the lateral edge of each elytron. Elachistelmis tetramera sp. n. is among the smallest recorded Elmini and possesses many characters associated with miniaturization, such as reduced tarsal formula and feathery wings with reduced venation. A key to species, scanning electron micrographs, and illustrations of the male genitalia are provided.
Traffic flow control in vehicular communication networks

Control of conventional transportation networks aims at bringing the state of the network (e.g., the traffic flows in the network) to the system optimal (SO) state. This optimum is characterized by the minimality of the social cost function, i.e., the total cost of travel (e.g., travel time) of all drivers. On the other hand, drivers are assumed to be rational and selfish, and make their travel decisions (e.g., route choices) to optimize their own travel costs, bringing the state of the network to a user equilibrium (UE). In this paper we study the SO and UE of the future connected vehicular transportation network, where users consider the travel cost and the utility from data communication when making their travel decisions. We leverage the data communication aspect of the decision making to influence the user route choices, driving the UE state to the SO. We propose an algorithm for calculating the SO state, and the values of the data communication utility that drive the UE to the SO. This result provides a guideline on how the communication system operator can adjust the parameters of the communication network (e.g., data pricing and bandwidth) to achieve the optimal social cost. We also discuss the insights on a secondary optimization that the operator can conduct to maximize its own utility without deviating the transportation network state from the SO.
Nematodes as Biological Control Agents: Part I. Mermithidae

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of nematodes as biological control agents. Nematodes are usually considered pests because of the diseases they cause in humans and animals and the economic impact they have on many agricultural products. There are, however, a small but significant number of beneficial entomogenous nematodes—that is, nematodes associated, often parasitically, with insects. Some of these nematodes are of considerable interest because of their potential as biological control agents of pest insects. There are nine families— Allantone matidae, Diplogasteridae, Heterorhabditidae, Mermithidae, Neotylenchidae, Rhabditidae, Sphaerulariidae, Steinernematidae, and Tetradonematidae— that include species that attack insects and kill, sterilize, or alter host development. The chapter focuses on mermithids, which are a large and important group of nematodes. They are obligate parasites of arthropods, principally insects, but have also been recorded from spiders, crustaceans, earthworms, leeches, and mollusks. They are usually specific to a single species or to one or two families of insects and are almost always lethal to their hosts. Mermithids are particularly attractive because they offer little or no environmental hazard, they offer no threat from competitive displacement of other desirable organisms because of their life cycle, and the potential exists for inundative release to give high initial host reduction or inoculative releases to establish the nematode and give partial control for an indefinite period. The morphology, taxonomy, and biology of Mermithids are presented in the chapter. The mass propagation, including in vivo and in vitro methods is discussed.
A spatiotemporal outlier detection method based on partial least squares discriminant analysis and area Delaunay triangulation for image-based process monitoring

Over the past two decades, statistical process control has evolved from monitoring individual data points to linear profiles to image data. Image sensors are now being deployed in complex systems a...
Culture of an aphid heritable symbiont demonstrates its direct role in defence against parasitoids

Heritable symbionts are common in insects with many contributing to host defence. Hamiltonella defensa is a facultative, bacterial symbiont of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum that provides protection against the endoparasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi Protection levels vary among strains of H. defensa that are differentially infected by bacteriophages named APSEs. By contrast, little is known about mechanism(s) of resistance owing to the intractability of host-restricted microbes for functional study. Here, we developed methods for culturing strains of H. defensa that varied in the presence and type of APSE. Most H. defensa strains proliferated at 27°C in co-cultures with the TN5 cell line or as pure cultures with no insect cells. The strain infected by APSE3, which provides high levels of protection in vivo, produced a soluble factor(s) that disabled development of A. ervi embryos independent of any aphid factors. Experimental transfer of APSE3 also conferred the ability to disable A. ervi development to a phage-free strain of H. defensa Altogether, these results provide a critical foundation for characterizing symbiont-derived factor(s) involved in host protection and other functions. Our results also demonstrate that phage-mediated transfer of traits provides a mechanism for innovation in host restricted symbionts.
Skeletal muscle amino acid transporter and BCAT2 expression prior to and following interval running or resistance exercise in mode-specific trained males.

Endurance (END)- and resistance (RES)-trained males performed interval running or resistance exercise during three consecutive days (bouts 1–3). Muscle biopsies were obtained at baseline, 2 h post-bout 1, and 72 h post-bout 3. Amino acid transporter SNAT2 mRNA was 75% greater in END (group p = 0.008), and increased ~ 70% 2 h post in both groups (time p = 0.023). Amino acid transporter PAT1 mRNA was 2.7-fold greater in RES (group p = 0.002). Baseline protein levels of the mitochondrial aminotransferase BCAT2 were 79% greater in END (p = 0.015).
Toward Resilience-Aware Resource Allocation and Dispatch in Electricity Distribution Networks

This contribution presents an approach to improve the resilience of electricity distribution networks (DNs) to a class of cyber-physical failures by way of optimal allocation of distributed energy resources (DERs). The approach is motivated by the need to adapt the well-known security-constrained optimal power flow problem to DNs with remotely controllable (and, hence, vulnerable) distributed generation sources or loads. To this end, we model the interaction between the system operator (SO) and an external adversary as a three-stage sequential game. In this game, the SO allocates the available resources (Stage 0) and also responds to the adversary’s action by optimally dispatching them (Stage 2). The adversary, on the other hand, compromises a subset of vulnerable components with the objective of inducing operating bound violations (Stage 1). We consider qualitatively different allocation strategies in Stage 0 and develop a scalable greedy heuristic to solve Stages 1–2 (i.e., bilevel optimization problem). We utilize this greedy heuristic to obtain structural insights about optimal adversarial compromises and desirable allocation strategies of the SO.
Die wissenschaftstheoretische Position von Kohlberg

Die ursprungliche Stufenkonstruktion beruht nach Kohlberg (1958, S. 80) auf der Analyse von Idealtypen im Sinne Max Webers (19.49). In seiner Dissertation (S. 89) bezweifelt Kohlberg selbst die Allgemeingultigkeit seiner Ergebnisse, da sein Untersuchungsmaterial nicht die fur eine solche Analyse notwendige Vielfalt und Vollstandigkeit habe. In spateren Veroffentlichungen wird diese Einschrankung fallengelassen und der — mit der idealtypischen Methode “gefundenen” — Stufenabfolge ein universaler Charakter zugeschrieben. In dieser Beziehung scheint Kohlberg die Webersche Analyse von Idealtypen misverstanden zu haben: Der Anspruch, mit ihr historisch und gesellschaftlich unbeeinfluste Strukturen der individuellen Entwicklung (re-)konstruieren zu konnen, die auch empirisch auffindbar sein sollen, steht im Widerspruch zu Webers Ansicht, die Auswirkungen gesellschaftlicher Veranderungen historisch zu analysieren und empirisch nicht zu erfassende Gedankenbilder zu konstruieren (vgl. dazu Klaus & Buhr 1972, S. 500). Kohlbergs Methode unterscheidet sich von der idealtypischen Methode im zugrundeliegenden Erkenntnisinteresse und in der erkenntnistheoretischen Interpretation von Idealtypen. Gemeinsam ist beiden Methoden nur die erklarte Absicht einer theoriegeleiteten Interpretation des jeweils verwendeten Materials. Das allein kann jedoch noch nicht Kohlbergs Anspruch begrunden, die Webersche Methode adaquat fur die Untersuchung der moralischen Urteilsentwicklung von Individuen verwendet zu haben. Kohlbergs Methode hat in den wesentlichen Punkten nichts mit der Ideltypen-Analyse von Weber gemeinsam, seine Berufung auf Weber soll offensichtlich eine wissenschaftliche “Tradition” belegen, die nie verfolgt worden ist.
Building an Evaluation Plan for Fully Online Degree Programs.

Online degree programs are continuing to gain popularity among institutions of higher education as indicated by U.S. News who recently listed 263 accredited online graduate degree programs on its Web site (U. S. News and World Report, U.S. News Online, n.d.) As the access afforded by distance education increases the number of students served, educational institutions must develop processes that ensure quality in their programs (Schott, Chernish, Dooley, & Lindner, 2003). This paper describes the research undertaken to develop an evaluation plan for a fully online graduate degree program. Through a review of the literature and consultations with program administration and faculty, a plan was developed with the purpose of assessing the state of the program in reference to its goals, determining a roadmap for program improvement, and providing a framework for future program decision-making. The purpose of this paper is to document the assessment process to assist program administrators in adapting it for use in their own programs. Although data was collected using extant data, surveys, and interviews, and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative analysis, the results of the analyses are not discussed here. The emphasis of this paper is in the resulting evaluation plan. The theoretical framework, process, methodology, and resulting plan for evaluating the online degree program are described herein. Specifically addressed is how an online master's degree program evaluation was developed and translated into a plan for use by other programs.
Differential Effects of Personal Contact Campaigning

A core element of the contemporary debate over participation inequality concerns the effect of mobilizing institutions, such as political parties and campaign organizations, on those inequalities. The conventional position is that biased mobilization politics increases participation inequality by stimulating greater participation by the mobilized (of high SES), compared to the not-mobilized (of low SES). Evidence of participation inequality and bias in mobilization, however, is not usually accompanied by direct evidence that mobilization efforts exacerbate those inequalities. I address these concerns by assessing whether mobilization effects are unequal across SES strata, developing an argument about differential campaign effects and analyzing SES-based differences in campaign effects. The analysis uses NES panel studies to control for the campaign contacts’ endogeneity. The results show that personal campaign contact mobilization effects decrease significantly in strength as respondents’ socioeconomic status increases. Thus, participation inequalities are actually reduced via personal campaign contacts by dint of their greater effects on low-SES Americans.
Decoding the non-coding genome: Opportunities and challenges of genomic and epigenomic consortium data

Abstract Publicly-available next-generation sequencing data has greatly expanded in the past decade, particularly through the work of several international consortia. These collaborative efforts have applied numerous assays profiling diverse features of gene regulation, such as genome-wide chromatin structure, transcriptional activity, and transcription factor binding, to thousands of biosamples from several organisms. Newly-developed computational analyses and statistical methods link findings to gene expression changes and phenotypic changes. Integrative analysis of these datasets holds the potential to revolutionize our understanding of organismal development, cell type differentiation, cellular response to stimuli, and disease mechanisms. However, standardized methods for data access, uniform data processing, and integrative analysis largely do not exist, hindering the impacts of these efforts. Here we review advancements made by consortia and directions of ongoing efforts, as well as challenges in accessing and analyzing publicly-available consortium data and emerging tools for addressing these challenges.
Antifungal Peptides: Novel Therapeutic Compounds against Emerging Pathogens

The need for safe and effective antifungal agents increases in parallel with the expanding number of immunocompromised patients at risk for invasive fungal infections. The emergence of fungal pathogens resistant to current therapies further compounds the dearth of antifungal agents. Currently
Abstract P327: Real-Time Analysis of Blood Glucose Dynamics by a Glucose Telemetry System in Canagliflozin-Treated Diabetic Mice

SGLT2 inhibitors lower blood glucose (BG) levels and have the potential to reduce cardiovascular and renal complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since BG levels can vary significantly d...
"This May Create a Zero-Lingual State": Critical Examination of Language Ideologies in an English Learning Blog.

Given the importance of the blogosphere for autonomous language learning, many studies on computer-assisted language learning (CALL) have vigorously investigated the use of blogs in language learning. Noticeably lacking in these endeavors are investigations of language learners’ social engagement with others in online spaces to define and negotiate their own meanings of language and language learning. To fill this gap, this study investigated the language ideologies disseminated in a Korean blog that has become a collaborative online English-learning community. Focusing on this blog owner’s ideas and her followers’ responses, I explored the language ideologies disseminated and negotiated in conversations on language learning and using. This is part of a larger virtual ethnographic study conducted over the past three years. I analyzed online posts and comments using Gee ’s situated meanings ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"a17fc8enmk","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(2014)","plainCitation":"(2014)"},"citationItems":[{"id":562,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/1541043/items/CRDZ98AV"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/1541043/items/CRDZ98AV"],"itemData":{"id":562,"type":"book","title":"How to do discourse analysis : a toolkit","publisher":"Routledge, 2014.","publisher-place":"New York, NY","source":"EBSCOhost","archive_location":"AC Frost Stacks P302 .G398 2014","event-place":"New York, NY","abstract":"Summary: Using a practical how-to approach, Gee provides the tools necessary to work with discourse analysis, with engaging step-by-step tasks featured throughout the book. Each tool is clearly explained, along with guidance on how to use it, and authentic data is provided for readers to practice using the tools. Readers from all fields will gain both a practical and theoretical background in how to do discourse analysis and knowledge of discourse analysis as a distinctive research methodology.","ISBN":"978-0-415-72557-6","shortTitle":"How to do discourse analysis","author":[{"family":"Gee","given":"James Paul"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2014"]]}},"suppress-author":true}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (2014) . Findings suggest that the Korean bloggers subscribe to monolingual ideologies because they are acutely aware of the ideological contexts in Korea surrounding English and are critical about their own language learning and using practices. The current study asserts that the blogosphere can create opportunities for language learners to contest existing knowledge and voice their opinions on issues that matter to them as language learners and members of a society.
How has OSHA's New Silica Dust Standard Impacted Silica Health Work Outside the U.S.?

Background/Aim: In 2016 the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) completed a new standard for workplace crystalline silica. We are trying to understand what this will mean outs...
Dilute and concentrated acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass

Abstract: Utilizing lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock will allow us to significantly expand ethanol production capacity. The use of acid hydrolysis for the conversion of lignocellulosic feedstock to monomer sugars is a process that has been studied for the last 100 years. Generally, there are two types of acid hydrolysis: dilute and concentrated, each having unique properties and effects on biomass, and each having advantages and disadvantages in terms of economics. This chapter reviews dilute acid hydrolysis, concentrated acid hydrolysis, inhibitors of ethanol production, apparatus used in acid pretreatment, ethanol production plants currently using acid hydrolysis, and unit operations pertinent to the ethanol industry.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement outcomes in mixed aortic valve disease compared to predominant aortic stenosis

Abstract Background MAVD, defined as severe aortic stenosis with moderate or severe aortic regurgitation, is frequently encountered in clinical practice. However, the data regarding TAVR outcomes in MAVD are sparse. We compared Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) outcomes between Mixed Aortic Valve Disease (MAVD) and Predominant Aortic Stenosis (PAS) patients. Methods Patients who underwent TAVR at Mayo Clinic from February 7, 2012 to December 16, 2016 were enrolled. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Secondary end points were central or paravalvular regurgitation, device success, and Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 defined post TAVR complications (access site complications, bleedings, myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiac arrest). Results A total of 622 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 81 ± 8.9 years, and 263 (42.3%) were female. Median follow-up duration was 1.5 years. One hundred and sixteen patients (18.6%) had MAVD. Central or paravalvular leak was higher in MAVD patients post-TAVR (15.5% vs 6.7%, P = 0.004). Device success and VARC-2 in-hospital complications were similar between the two groups. The cumulative probability of survival at 3 years was 71.3% in MAVD patients vs. 62.6% in PAS patients (Log-Rank P = 0.024). In a multi-variant logistic regression analysis, MAVD was an independent negative predictor of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.3–0.89, P = 0.015). Conclusions A significant number of patients referred for TAVR have MAVD disease. Despite higher rates of paravalvular regurgitation, all-cause mortality at mid-term was lower in patients with MAVD compared with those with PAS. Our results show the safety and efficacy of TAVR in MAVD patients.
Abstract 257: Cortical Bone Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Alter Wound Healing Response in Cardiac Fibroblasts and Cardiac Endothelial Cells

Rationale: Post-myocardial infarction (MI) results in remodeling that leads to the development of heart failure. We have previously seen improvements in post-MI wound healing and scar formation as ...
Impact of Insurance Status on Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose Gaps in insurance coverage and change in coverage type have been strongly associated with diminished access to health care for children. Continuity of insurance coverage is associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes among adolescent heart transplant (HT) recipients, but the relationship between insurance status and post-transplant outcomes has not been described across all pediatric HT recipients. Methods We queried the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry for patients age 0-17 years listed for isolated HT or heart re-transplant between July 2006 and March 2019 and included them in the analysis if they survived at least one year post-transplant. Patients were categorized by insurance coverage at transplantation and at one year follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models were used to characterize the association between coverage pattern and transplant survival conditional upon survival to one year. Results Among the 3,260 patients in the analysis, insurance coverage patterns included continuous private insurance (39%), continuous public insurance (49%), loss of private insurance (8%), and gain of private insurance (4%). Patients who had public insurance or a change in insurance status were more likely to be Black, but did not otherwise differ from other patients by indication for HT, LVAD use, or medical condition at the time of transplant. In a multivariable Cox model, when compared with continuous private insurance, continuous public insurance (HR 1.42; 95% CI: 1.13-1.77; P = 0.02) and loss of private insurance (HR 1.23; 95% CI 0.83-1.82) were associated with greater mortality hazard. Kaplan-Meier conditional survival curves according to insurance trajectory are illustrated in Figure 1. Conclusion Public insurance at HT and 1 year post-HT is associated with reduced 1-year conditional survival compared to private insurance. There is a trend toward reduced 1-year conditional survival among patients who lose private insurance by 1 year post-HT.
Early-Occurring Dendritic Spines Alterations in Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease Inform on Primary Causes of Neurodegeneration

The consensus that synaptic failure is the earliest cause of cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has initially led to investigate structural (dendritic spines) and physiological (LTP) synaptic dysfunctions in mouse models of AD with established cognitive alterations. The challenge is now to track down ultra-early alterations in spines to uncover causes rather than disease's symptoms. This review article pinpoints dysregulations of the postsynaptic density (PSD) protein network which alter the morphology and function of spines in pre- and early- symptomatic hAPP mouse models of AD, and, hence, inform on primary causes of neurodegeneration.
Midface Lifting Complications

Lower eyelid retraction is a common sequel to anterior transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty surgery. This chapter describes the use of endoscopic midface lifting for recruiting midface skin to help address anterior lamellar deficiencies, and to address mid-lamellar scarring via an endoscopic approach.
Multi‐Tissue Multi‐Omics Nutrigenomics Indicates Context‐Specific Effects of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Rat Brain

Scope The influence of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on cardiometabolic and cognitive phenotypes, and multi-omic alterations in the brain under two metabolic conditions is explored to understand context-specific nutritional effects. Methods and results Rats are randomly assigned to a DHA-rich or a control chow diet while drinking water or high fructose solution, followed by profiling of metabolic and cognitive phenotypes and the transcriptome and DNA methylome of the hypothalamus and hippocampus. DHA reduces serum triglyceride and improves insulin resistance and memory exclusively in the fructose-consuming rats. In hippocampus, DHA affects genes related to synapse functions in the chow group but immune functions in the fructose group; in hypothalamus, DHA alters immune pathways in the chow group but metabolic pathways in the fructose group. Network modeling reveals context-specific regulators of DHA effects, including Klf4 and Dusp1 for chow condition and Lum, Fn1, and Col1a1 for fructose condition in hippocampus, as well as Cyr61, JunB, Ier2, and Pitx2 under chow condition and Hcar1, Cdh1, and Osr1 under fructose condition in hypothalamus. Conclusion DHA exhibits differential influence on epigenetic loci, genes, pathways, and metabolic and cognitive phenotypes under different dietary contexts, supporting population stratification in DHA studies to achieve precision nutrition.
IAQ and energy impacts of ventilation strategies and building envelope airtightness in a big box retail building

Abstract Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings are designed to provide thermally comfortable conditions and to maintain acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ). At the same time, the operating costs of HVAC systems are often a large percentage of the total energy consumption of buildings, which constitutes 40% of the primary energy consumed in the U.S. As efforts are pursued to reduce building energy use, which may involve reductions in outdoor air ventilation rates, it is important to consider the impacts of these measures on IAQ. To better understand the IAQ and energy trade-offs of various ventilation approaches, simulations were performed using the multizone airflow model, CONTAM, for a big box retail store in two climates. Annual energy simulations were also performed in EnergyPlus. Simulations included ventilating at the minimum outdoor airflow rate prescribed by the ASHRAE Standard 62.1–2013 Ventilation Rate Procedure during occupied hours and at a lower rate for 24 h a day. Additional cases included increasing the base outdoor air intake rates and changing the building envelope airtightness. Annual airflow and contaminant (carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, ozone, particulate matter, and a generic volatile organic compound) simulations were performed using emission rates from previous studies of retail buildings. This study demonstrated that ventilating at a lower rate for 24 h a day saved energy compared with ventilating at the higher rate prescribed in ASHRAE 62.1 and that the simulated indoor contaminant concentrations did not exceed common benchmarks or health guidelines.
Impact of pretransplant antinuclear antibody and antismooth muscle antibody titers on disease recurrence and graft survival following liver transplantation in autoimmune hepatitis patients

Background and Aims: Disease recurrence following transplantation occurs in 20–45% of patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Factors associated with an increased risk of recurrence include human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DR3 and HLA DR4 positivity, inadequate immunosuppression, and severity of inflammation in the native liver. Titers of several autoantibodies can be elevated in patients with AIH, including antinuclear antibody (ANA) and antismooth muscle antibody (SMA); however, it is unclear whether or not the degree of elevation influences the risk of disease recurrence following transplantation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the potential impact of pretransplant titers on post-transplant outcomes for patients with AIH. Sixty-three patients with AIH who underwent 72 liver transplants between 1 January 1989 and 1 January 2009 were included, with a median follow up of 10 months. Patients were divided into group A (ANA or SMA ≥ 1 : 160) and group B (titers ≤ 1 : 160). Results: There was no significant difference in the recurrence rates or death between patients in groups A and B, respectively. Only race appeared to impact outcomes, with African American patients having a higher incidence of death and recurrent disease post-transplant compared to other ethnicities. Conclusions: Based on our findings, pretransplant ANA and SMA levels do not appear to impact recurrence rates or outcomes following liver transplantation for AIH.
Life at the Top: International Currencies in the 21st Century

What are the prospects for today?s top international currencies in the twenty-first century? This paper explores how the future of the top currencies ?the dollar, euro and yen? will be influenced by three key considerations: the logic of market competition, the strategic preferences of national governments, and prospective technological developments. Analysis suggests little near-term threat to the predominance of today?s top currencies, though relative standing could be substantially altered by market competition and policy rivalry among issuing authorities. The supremacy of the dollar will be seriously challenged by the euro; the position of the yen, by contrast, is likely gradually to erode over time in a manner reminiscent of sterling?s long decline in an earlier era. Over the longer term, however, stretching farther into the next century, technological developments could lead to the creation of entirely new rivals to today?s top currencies: various innovative forms of money based on digital data ? collectively known as electronic money ? which will eventually begin to substitute in one way or another for bank notes and checking accounts as customary means of payment. Some of these new electronic monies could eventually hold more market appeal than any of today?s top international currencies.
Patterns and predictors of antidepressant use in ambulatory cancer patients with common solid tumors.

Purpose Depressive symptoms and antidepressant use are prevalent among cancer patients. We sought to identify determinants of prescribing commonly used antidepressants.
Failure Mode and Fatigue Behavior of Dissimilar Friction Stir Spot Welds in Lap-Shear Specimens of Transformation-Induced Plasticity Steel and Hot-Stamped Boron Steel Sheets

Failure mode and fatigue behavior of dissimilar friction stir spot welds in lap-shear specimens of transformation-induced plasticity steel (TRIP780) and hot-stamped boron steel (HSBS) sheets are examined in this paper. Optical micrographs of the dissimilar TRIP780/HSBS friction stir spot welds made by a concave silicon nitride tool before and after testing are obtained and examined. These micrographs indicate that subject to quasi-static and cyclic loading conditions, the TRIP780/HSBS welds fail from cracks growing through the TRIP780 sheets where the tool was plunged into and the thickness was reduced. The bending moments and the transverse shear force near the welds are derived with consideration of the load offset, the weld gap, and the bend distance for calculation of analytical global stress intensity factor solutions for the welds in lap-shear specimens. A fatigue model of kinked crack growth is used to estimate fatigue lives based on the local stress intensity factor solutions for kinked cracks. The estimated fatigue lives with consideration of the weld gap and the bend distance are in agreement with the fatigue test results under low-cycle loading conditions and lower than the fatigue test results under high-cycle loading conditions. The estimated fatigue lives suggest that the weld gap and the bend distance can significantly affect fatigue lives of the friction stir spot welds in lap-shear specimens under cyclic loading conditions.
Shared decision‐making: a voice for the Lakota people

Child welfare has long been a concern for American Indians, so much so that Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in 1978. The ICWA was intended to address was the large number of children placed out of home as a result of abuse and/or neglect, and the corresponding lack of tribal and community input regarding their removal and placement. This paper focuses on one group of American Indian people, the Lakota, whose children are overrepresented in the child welfare system. As a promising practice, shared decision-making will be offered as a culturally appropriate model to build dialogue and cooperation between social workers and their Lakota clients. Shared decision-making holds promise to help address the important social justice issues identified by Congress and by the Lakota people in the 1970s and which remain largely unresolved some 40 years later.
Sustainability of photovoltaics: The case for thin-film solar cells

To ensure photovoltaics become a major sustainable player in a competitive power-generation market, they must provide abundant, affordable electricity, with environmental impacts drastically lower than those from conventional power generation. The recent reduction in the cost of 2nd generation thin-film PV is remarkable, meeting the production milestone of $1 per watt in the fourth quarter of 2008. This achievement holds great promise for the future. However, the questions remaining are whether the expense of PV modules can be lowered further, and if there are resource- and environmental-impact constraints to growth. I examine the potential of thin-films in a prospective life-cycle analysis, focusing on direct costs, resource availability, and environmental impacts. These three aspects are closely related; developing thinner solar cells and recycling spent modules will become increasingly important in resolving cost, resource, and environmental constraints to large scales of sustainable growth.
Propagation in layered biased semiconductor structures based on transport analysis

A transport-field parallel-plate formulation and solution method to determine the small-signal propagation constant is given for wide microstrip lines over an inhomogeneously doped semiconductor substrate of small transverse dimensions. Included in the detailed transport model are two carrier species, recombination-generation mechanisms, DC and AC field-dependent mobilities and diffusion constants, and boundary condition contact effects. A transverse DC bias condition is applied. Structures numerically simulated are a voltage-variable GaAs distributed Schottky-barrier phase shifter and a transmission line over an Si bipolar junction. Numerical data based on a finite-difference technique are generated on carrier densities, electric potentials and fields, and current densities. Propagation constant calculations compared favorably to those calculated by both full-wave field analysis and moments-of-the-Boltzmann-equation analysis for some less general cases. Propagation constant results for the GaAs structure are compared with available experimental data, and good agreement is obtained. >
Lead frame Hillock-Induced Silicon Crack

End customer in circuit test rejects at a rate of 2-5% was sent back to manufacturer for analysis and inspection. Electrical failure analysis had revealed some leakage on particular pin not included in the production test program. Physical failure analysis on those parts revealed micro-crack on affected pins. The micro cracks were found to be within the bonding vicinity and shown to have been propagating downwards into the silicon chip. The root cause was identified to be hillock on lead frame. Hillocks are formed on the surface of a lead frame during the rolling process of its base metal. Roller's surface irregularities and foreign materials on them could scrape the metal's surface. The scraped material's termination point will then produce an accumulated metal higher than the base surface. To sum up, the lead frame will produce tiny copper spikes on the surface which may cause a potential problem on IC packaging. Presence of these hillocks can cause a serious effect especially when its height already touches the surface of chip backside causing high stresses during wire bonding process. The work presents a new silicon crack mechanism and introduces stress modeling as a good validation tool in search for the root cause
Waste Cooking Oil Biodiesel Use in Two Off-Road Diesel Engines

This study examines the composition and combustion performance of biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil. Six fuel batches produced from waste oil used in dining-hall fryers were examined to determine their physical and chemical properties, including their elemental and fatty acid methyl ester composition. Oleic and linoleic methyl esters accounted for more than 70% of the fuel composition, while the oxygen content averaged 10.2% by weight. Exhaust emissions were monitored for 5–100% biodiesel blends using two off-road engines: a 2007 Yanmar diesel generator and a 1993 John Deere front mower. Increasing biodiesel content resulted in reduced emissions of partial combustion products from the diesel generator but a rise in NOx, with the greatest changes occurring between 5 and 20% biodiesel content. For the riding mower, biodiesel content up to 50% had little effect on emissions, while NOx and total hydrocarbon emissions decreased with 100% biodiesel. The difference in NOx emissions is attributed to the two different fuel injection control designs used in the two engines. These results indicate that the effects of biodiesel use on nonroad engine exhaust emissions may be substantially lower in older engines optimized for performance over emissions control.
Hyperfiltration of potassium nitrate through clay membranes under relatively low-head conditions

Abstract Much like reverse osmosis membranes, clays have been shown to exhibit reverse osmosis properties at high hydraulic heads. To determine if reverse osmosis was possible at lower hydraulic heads, potassium nitrate solutions were passed through thin clay layers at heads of 1.30 to 1.42 m. In each experiment, concentrations significantly increased due to partial solute rejection by the clay membranes. Concentration increases within the experimental cells were between 131% and 184%. Calculated values of the reflection coefficient ranged between 0.55 to 0.70, suggesting that these thin clay layers exhibited membrane effects. The results of these experiments suggest hyperfiltration may concentrate some dissolved contaminants from below to above regulatory limits in shallow aquifers bounded by a membrane-functioning aquitard or relatively low hydraulically conductive geologic strata. Hyperfiltration may also control nutrient distributions, creating subsurface microbial “hotspots”. Consideration of hyperfiltration effects may ultimately lead to a clearer understanding of many subsurface processes, both shallow and deep, including contaminant fate and transport, subsurface microbiology, natural bioremediation and attenuation, redox, rock–water interaction, and groundwater chemistry.
Progress towards terahertz acoustic phonon generation in doping superlattices

Progress is described in experiments to generate coherent terahertz acoustic phonons in silicon doping superlattices by the resonant absorption of nanosecond-pulsed far-infrared laser radiation. Future experiments are proposed that would use the superlattice as a transducer in a terahertz cryogenic acoustic reflection microscope with sub-nanometer resolution.
Aggregate Demand in a Reconstruction of Growth Theory: the macro foundations of economic growth

Keynes's General Theory introduced the concept of demand determined equilibrium. Although traditionally interpreted as only relevant for short-period analysis, it has important implications for growth theory. Harrodian growth theory recognized this significance, but neo-classical reinterpretations of Harrod suppressed this influence. Reconstructing a Keynesian theory of growth requires restoring aggregate demand within the growth process. However, it is not sufficient to represent aggregate demand growth as a constraint on output growth, but instead requires recognizing the profound interdependence between the growth of aggregate demand and supply.
Laboratory Determination of the Carbon Kinetic Isotope Effects (KIEs) for Reactions of Methyl Halides with Various Nucleophiles in Solution

Large carbon kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) were measured for reactions of methyl bromide (MeBr), methyl chloride (MeCl), and methyl iodide (MeI) with various nucleophiles at 287 and 306 K in aqueous solutions. Rates of reaction of MeBr and MeI with H2O (neutral hydrolysis) or Cl− (halide substitution) were consistent with previous measurements. Hydrolysis rates increased with increasing temperature or pH (base hydrolysis). KIEs for hydrolysis were 51 ± 6%0 for MeBr and 38 ± 8%0 for MeI. Rates of halide substitution increased with increasing temperature and greater reactivity of the attacking nucleophile, with the fastest reaction being that of MeI with Br−. KIEs for halide substitution were independent of temperature but varied with the reactant methyl halide and the attacking nucleophile. KIEs were similar for MeBr substitution with Cl− and MeCl substitution with Br− (57 ± 5 and 60 ± 9%0, respectively). The KIE for halide exchange of MeI was lower overall (33 ± 8%0) and was greater for substitution with Br− (46 ± 6%0) than with Cl− (29 ± 6%0).
Knowledge Workers as a “New Class”: Structural and Ideological Convergence among Professional-Technical Workers and Managers

Recent discussions of American political and occupational structure have suggested that knowledge workers have become a structurally and ideologically cohesive “new class” due to rising levels of education, rising numbers of knowledge-intensive occupations, and the growing role of government in supporting education and in providing positions for knowledge workers. Discussions advanced by neoconservatives regard professional-technical workers as the chief members of the emerging new class and suggest that they are sharply divided ideologically from managers and other representatives of business. Neo Marxists suggest that professional-technical workers and managers constitute a single emerging class. This article examines evidence on the attitudes of professional-technical workers and managers from a large national sample survey. The results provide a number of indications of ideological convergence between members of the two occupational categories.
Proteomic analysis of the retina: removal of RPE alters outer segment assembly and retinal protein expression.

The mechanisms that regulate the complex physiologic task of photoreceptor outer segment assembly remain an enigma. One limiting factor in revealing the mechanism(s) by which this process is modulated is that not all of the role players that participate in this process are known. The purpose of this study was to determine some of the retinal proteins that likely play a critical role in regulating photoreceptor outer segment assembly. To do so, we analyzed and compared the proteome map of tadpole Xenopus laevis retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-supported retinas containing organized outer segments with that of RPE-deprived retinas containing disorganized outer segments. Solubilized proteins were labeled with CyDye fluors followed by multiplexed two-dimensional separation. The intensity of protein spots and comparison of proteome maps was performed using DeCyder software. Identification of differentially regulated proteins was determined using nanoLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. We found a total of 27 protein spots, 21 of which were unique proteins, which were differentially expressed in retinas with disorganized outer segments. We predict that in the absence of the RPE, oxidative stress initiates an unfolded protein response. Subsequently, downregulation of several candidate Muller glial cell proteins may explain the inability of photoreceptors to properly fold their outer segment membranes. In this study we have used identification and bioinformatics assessment of proteins that are differentially expressed in retinas with disorganized outer segments as a first step in determining probable key molecules involved in regulating photoreceptor outer segment assembly.
Rise in background current over time in a subcutaneous glucose sensor in the rabbit: relevance to calibration and accuracy.

Abstract In order to calibrate a continuous glucose monitor, accurate determination of the background current ( I 0 ) is necessary, in part because I 0 could change over time. We compared two methods of I 0 measurement: (1), extrapolation of sensor output data (as afunction of glucose leve) th the intercept at zero glucose and (2) direct measurement of the output of a blank anode with no enzyme coat. We implanted telemetric sensors subcutaneously in rabbits and measured their outputs during tri-level glucose clamps once per week for 5 weeks. The two methods yielded similar results. I 0 rose substantially over time and this increase reached significance during week 3 by the direct method but not until week 5 by the extrapolation method. Using the direct method, I 0 rose from 3.41 (0.60–8.48 nanoamperes (nA), median and range) during week 1 to 13.42 (9.1–14.3) during week 5. Using the extrapolation method, I 0 rose from 0.57 (0–16.7) during week 1 to 15.3 (12.2–21.6) during week 5. We conclude that I 0 can rise over time. If this rise went undetected and was assumed to be stable, a one-point calibration procedure would overestimate glycemia in the hypoglycemic range, i.e. fail to appreciate the severity of hypoglycemia. It is recommended that during validation of a chronic glucose sensor, I 0 be measured sequentially over time.