cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Photo Quiz: Sepsis, Confusion, Rash, and Pulmonary Hemorrhage in a 36-Year-Old Man with Lymphoma

A 36-year-old male of Mexican descent with NK cell lymphoma and concomitant hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, who had recently been treated with pulse dexamethasone for disease relapse, was brought to Rush University Medical Center by his wife for failure to thrive and worsening confusion over the last 24 h. On admission, the patient appeared cachectic and sleepy but arousable, with mild nuchal rigidity. He was afebrile (body temperature, 36.3°C) but tachycardic (heart rate, 126 beats/min) and tachypneic (44 respirations/min), with a faint petechial rash over both lower extremities and the abdomen. His laboratory findings were significant for a normal white blood cell (WBC) count (4.29 cells/liter) and chronic anemia (hemoglobin [HgB] level, 8.4 g/dl), but with new thrombocytopenia (84,000 platelets/μl), worsening transaminitis (aspartate transaminase [AST] level, 154 U/liter; alanine transaminase [ALT] level, 190 U/liter), and hypoalbuminemia (albumin level, 1.4 g/dl). Within 24 h of admission, the patient developed worsening confusion, mumbling to himself, with increased oxygen requirement and hypotension. He underwent a brain computed tomography (CT) examination, the results of which were unremarkable. His chest X-ray (CXR) revealed diffuse bilateral parenchymal ground glass opacities in both lungs, and he was transferred to the medical intensive care unit and started on empirical antibiotics with doripenem, levofloxacin, caspofungin, vancomycin, oseltamivir, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Because of his rapid deterioration and concern for atypical pneumonia, an urgent bronchoscopy was performed, which revealed diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. The patient became more hypoxic after the bronchoscopy and was intubated. The petechial rash had also progressed, becoming more purpuric, and was biopsied. Two sets of blood cultures on admission were positive for Staphylococcus epidermidis. The result of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture is shown in Fig. 1. FIG 1 Blood agar plate of bronchoalveolar fluid growth. (For answer and discussion, see page 758 in this issue [doi:10.1128/JCM.01090-13].)
Predicting peak pinch strength: Artificial neural networks vs. regression

Abstract Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) of the upper extremities are one of the major ergonomics areas of research. Pinching is a common risk factor associated with the development of hand/wrist CTDs. The capacity standards of peak pinch strength for various postures are needed to design the tasks in harmony with the workers. This paper describes the formulation, building and comparison of pinch strength prediction models that were obtained using two approaches: Statistical and artificial neural networks (ANN). Statistical and ANN models were developed to predict the peak chuck pinch strength as a function of different combinations of five elbow and seven shoulder flexion angles, and several anthropometric and physiological variables. The two modeling approaches were compared. The results indicate ANN models to provide more accurate predictions over the standard statistical models.
Nonlinear estimation-based dipole source localization for artificial lateral line systems

As a flow-sensing organ, the lateral line system plays an important role in various behaviors of fish. An engineering equivalent of a biological lateral line is of great interest to the navigation and control of underwater robots and vehicles. A vibrating sphere, also known as a dipole source, can emulate the rhythmic movement of fins and body appendages, and has been widely used as a stimulus in the study of biological lateral lines. Dipole source localization has also become a benchmark problem in the development of artificial lateral lines. In this paper we present two novel iterative schemes, referred to as Gauss?Newton (GN) and Newton?Raphson (NR) algorithms, for simultaneously localizing a dipole source and estimating its vibration amplitude and orientation, based on the analytical model for a dipole-generated flow field. The performance of the GN and NR methods is first confirmed with simulation results and the Cramer?Rao bound (CRB) analysis. Experiments are further conducted on an artificial lateral line prototype, consisting of six millimeter-scale ionic polymer?metal composite sensors with intra-sensor spacing optimized with CRB analysis. Consistent with simulation results, the experimental results show that both GN and NR schemes are able to simultaneously estimate the source location, vibration amplitude and orientation with comparable precision. Specifically, the maximum localization error is less than 5% of the body length (BL) when the source is within the distance of one BL. Experimental results have also shown that the proposed schemes are superior to the beamforming method, one of the most competitive approaches reported in literature, in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency.
Serum leptin levels are reduced in response to exercise training, but not hormone replacement therapy, in older women.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise training and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on serum leptin levels in older women. Previously sedentary, healthy women, aged 60-72 yr, were assigned to control (n = 16), exercise (n = 17), HRT (n = 15), or exercise + HRT (n = 13) groups. Exercise training consisted of a 2-month flexibility-exercise program followed by a 9-month exercise program that included walking, jogging, and stair climbing. HRT consisted of 11 months of continuous conjugated estrogens (0.625 mg/day) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (5 mg/day) for 13 days every third month. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and serum insulin levels were measured in the fasted state and in response to a glucose challenge. Leptin levels were reduced by 23 +/- 25% and 22 +/- 27% (both P < 0.01) in response to exercise and exercise + HRT, respectively. There was no effect of HRT on leptin. Fat mass was the strongest predictor of serum leptin concentration, bot...
The war process: Military and diplomatic dimensions during the cold war

The quantitative study of war, although one of the most important topics in the discipline of international politics, remains incomplete due to a lack of data about the evolution of events once war begins. This paper addresses the need for such data by focusing on the behavior of states during war using a new data set containing information on the military and diplomatic events of 20 interstate wars. A discussion of the war process is followed by a description of the new data set and coding procedures. The last section of the article explores the preliminary results of the data. A number of trends is examined, including initiation of events, casualties, diplomatic concessions, and military and diplomatic outcomes. The findings suggest the following: First, there is a strong association between the initiator of a military event and the winner of that event. Second, the concession rate of actors is not solely a function of military casualties but includes other intervening variables. Third, a significant as...
Analysis of a model of bovine brucellosis using singular perturbations

In this paper a model of bovine brucellosis spread is analyzed. This model consider four epidemiological classes: susceptibles, aborting infectious, infectious carriers and immune by vaccination. The per capita death rates of susceptibles, aborting and carriers are interpreted as slaughtering rates and they are time variable in order to maintain the size of the herd constant. A description of the evolution of the disease at the beginning of the epizootiological outbreak is given by means of singular perturbation techniques. We obtain a threshold parameter for the outbreak of the disease and a description of the asymptotic behavior of the model by using a theorem of Markus on asymptotically autonomous systems.
Kinetics of the pump-leak system of transport in the ocular lens, derived from classic enzyme kinetics and diffusion theory.

The pump-leak system of movement of ions in and out of the lens is described in terms of the parameters governing active transport and passive diffusion across membranes. The relation between the transfer coefficient of the pump and the concentration of the ion being transported (substrate) and inhibitor ion is derived from Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The leak is described in terms of the electrochemical gradient and permeability characteristics of the lens membrane. A method is outlined whereby these relationships can be used to interpret data from lens culture experiments in terms of the various parameters of the pump and leak.
Selenium content of Brazil nuts from two geographic locations in Brazil.

Brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa) natively contain very high concentrations of selenium. Since dietary selenium, including Brazil nuts, have been associated with protection against tumor development in laboratory animal studies, it was of interest to determine the selenium content of the nuts from different nut-growing regions of Brazil. In the work reported, 162 nuts from each of two regions (Acre-Rondonia and Manaus-Belem) were individually analyzed for selenium. The average i standard deviation and range of selenium concentrations in ppm, fresh weight for nuts from Acre-Rondonia and Manaus-Belem regions were, respectively, 3.06 ± 4.01 (0.03–31.7) and 36.0 ± 50.0 (1.25–512.0). The toxicology of Brazil nut consumption is discussed.
Solution Phase Synthesis of an Oligodeoxyribonucleotide Phosphorothioate for Therapeutic Applications

Abstract Solution phase synthesis of an oligodeoxyribonucleotide phosphorothioate Octamer (5′-TTGGGGTT) using phosphorothioate triester method is reported.
Conceptualizing Web site quality and its consequences in the lodging industry

Abstract While an increasing number of lodging companies pay attention to new business opportunities on the Web, little research has addressed how to develop and maintain Web sites that can create such opportunities. Building on emerging literature on Web site quality and e-commerce behavior, this study conceptualizes Web site quality and proposes information satisfaction and purchase-related behavioral intentions as potential consequences of Web site quality in the lodging industry. Conceptual efforts paralleled in four lodging segments (i.e., luxury, upscale, mid-scale, and economy). Data collected through an electronic survey generally indicate that information satisfaction is a powerful determinant of behavioral intentions on the Web and that Web site quality is an important antecedent of information satisfaction. Discussions include implications for the lodging industry and future research.
Relation of elevation in cardiac troponin I to clinical severity, cardiac dysfunction, and pulmonary congestion in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

An increase in cardiac troponin I (cTnI) occurs often after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but its significance is not well understood. One hundred three patients with SAH were prospectively evaluated in the SAHMII Study to determine the relations of cTnI to clinical severity, systolic and diastolic cardiac function, pulmonary congestion, and length of intensive care unit stay. Echocardiographic ejection fraction, wall motion score, mitral inflow early diastolic (E) and mitral annular early (E′) velocities were assessed. Thirty patients (29%) had mildly positive cTnI (0.1 to 1.0 ng/ml), 24 (23%) had highly positive cTnI (>1.0 ng/ml), and 49 (48%) had negative cTnI ( 1.31 ng/ml; 76% sensitivity, 91% specificity), which typically resolved within 5 to 10 days. Both mildly or highly positive cTnI were associated with acute diastolic dysfunction, with E/E′ of 17 ± 6 and 16 ± 6 (both p
Molecular constituents of colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver by imaging infrared spectroscopy

Infrared (IR) imaging spectroscopy of human liver tissue slices has been used to identify and characterize liver metastasis of colorectal origin which was surgically removed from a consenting patient and frozen without formalin fixation or dehydration procedures, so that lipids and water remain in the tissues. First, a k-means clustering analysis, using metrics from the IR spectra, identified groups within the image. The groups were identified as tumor or nontumor regions by comparing to an H and E stain of the same sample after IR imaging. Then, calibrant IR spectra of protein, several fats, glycogen, and polyvinyl alcohol were isolated by differencing spectra from different regions or groups in the image space. Finally, inner products (or scores) of the IR spectra at each pixel in the image with each of the various calibrants were calculated showing how the calibrant molecules vary in tumor and nontumor regions. In this particular case, glycogen and protein changes enable separation of tumor and nontumor regions as shown with a contour plot of the glycogen scores versus the protein scores.
Structural Sources of China's Territorial Compromises

More than a decade ago, in a review of Jack Snyder's Myths of Empire, Fareed Zakaria noted: "After over a decade of vigorous debates about realism, structural realism, neoliberal institutionalism, and hegemonic stability theory, political scientists are shifting their attention to the internal sources of foreign policy. Some even contend that realism's dictum about the 'primacy of foreign policy' is wrong, and that the domestic politics of states are key to understanding world events. Innenpolitik is in."' As evidenced by Taylor Fravel's "Regime Insecurity and International Cooperation: Explaining China's Compromises in Territorial Disputes," Innenpolitik is still in.2 In Fravel's words, "Regime insecurity best explains China's pattern of cooperation and delay in its territorial disputes" between 1949 and 2004 (p. 81). According to the regime insecurity hypothesis, "Internal conflict often creates conditions for cooperation, producing a 'diversionary peace' instead of war" (p. 49). Given the domestic vulnerability of the Chinese Communist regime during periods such as the revolt in Tibet and the upheaval that followed the Tiananmen crisis, Chinese leaders reached territorial compromises to extend their tenure in office (p. 51). Although intuitively plausible, Fravel's regime vulnerability argument is flawed, for two reasons. First, his confidence in the empirical accuracy of the domestic insecuritydiversionary peace theory rests on a realist straw man, arguing that China's behavior is inconsistent with the predictions of realist theories because "China has not used its power advantages to bargain hard over contested land, especially with its weaker neighbors" (p. 46). When properly construed and understood, realist theories can explain territorial compromises as well as conflict. Realist theories suggest that strong states exploit the weak, but only under certain conditions because powerful states often face powerful incentives not to exploit their weaker neighbors: "As Stuart Kaufman suggests, the logic of self-help under anarchy 'encourages strong powers to absorb
Why Does the Healthy Cornea Resist Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection

Purpose To provide our perspective on why the cornea is resistant to infection based on our research results with Pseudomonas (P) aeruginosa . We focus on our current understanding of the interplay between bacteria, tear fluid, and the corneal epithelium that determines health as the usual outcome, and propose a theoretical model for how contact lens wear might change those interactions to enable susceptibility to P aeruginosa infection. Methods Use of "null-infection" in vivo models, cultured human corneal epithelial cells, contact lens–wearing animal models, and bacterial genetics help to elucidate mechanisms by which P aeruginosa survives at the ocular surface, adheres, and traverses multilayered corneal epithelia. These models also help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of corneal epithelial innate defense. Results Tear fluid and the corneal epithelium combine to make a formidable defense against P aeruginosa infection of the cornea. Part of that defense involves the expression of antimicrobials such as β-defensins, the cathelicidin LL-37, cytokeratin-derived antimicrobial peptides, and RNase7. Immunomodulators such as SP-D and ST2 also contribute. Innate defenses of the cornea depend in part on MyD88, a key adaptor protein of TLR and IL-1R signaling, but the basal lamina represents the final barrier to bacterial penetration. Overcoming these defenses involves P aeruginosa adaptation, expression of the type III secretion system, proteases, and P aeruginosa biofilm formation on contact lenses. Conclusion After more than 2 decades of research focused on understanding how contact lens wear predisposes to P aeruginosa infection, our working hypothesis places blame for microbial keratitis on bacterial adaptation to ocular surface defenses, combined with changes to the biochemistry of the corneal surface caused by trapping bacteria and tear fluid against the cornea under the lens.
Contemporary Stories: American Indian and Thai

Mary Dougherty Bartlett. ed. The New Native American Novel: Works in Progress. Albuquerque: The University of New Mexico Press, 1986. viii. 132 pp. $22.50 (cloth), $10.95 (paper). Herbert P. Phillips in association with Vinita Almiyanandana Lawler, Amnuaycaj Patipat, Likhit Dhiravegin. Modern Thai Literature: With an Ethnographic Interpretation. Honolulu:University of Hawaii Press, 1987. xiii. 391 pp. $26.00 (cloth).
An Exploratory Study of School-Age Children's Use of a Heterogeneous Resource Site.

ABSTRACT In this study, students' use of a new educational Web portal was evaluated with particular emphasis on searching and browsing strategies. The effects and implications of a federated search system are also discussed. Fifty-four students, ranging from 5th to 12th grade, were given five tasks to complete using the SchoolRooms interface. The tasks required students to use both the search box and the categorical browse feature on the Web portal. Data collected were analyzed to determine time on task, rate of success and the subjects' awareness of success, and the type of search method chosen to complete the tasks. In general, students preferred the search-box strategy to the categorical-browse strategy, but exposure to both strategies resulted in increased use of the browse strategy. Success rates varied widely by task. Students had a difficult time distinguishing between various media and format types returned by the federated search. Results suggest that while students prefer a search-box strategy, ...
Effects of Light Source, Illuminance, and Hue on Visual Contrast

This study examined the impact of the spectral composition of two artificial light sources, illuminance level, and hue on measures of visual contrast. Saturation-based color combinations were created within the four hues of red, yellow, green, and purple-blue. In a repeated measures experimental study, 47 volunteers rated the four hue combinations along several dimensions of visual contrast. The results suggested that saturation contrasts involving yellow hue were evaluated more negatively on visual contrast than any other hue, whereas contrasts in the green hue were evaluated more positively than any other hue. Furthermore, significant interaction effects between hue and light source on all measures of visual contrast were found. This finding supports the notion that depending on the hue range involved, spectral composition of the light source can have an impact on visual contrast. The findings are discussed in terms of future research and implications for design in interior environments.
Emerging therapeutic targets for the treatment of nicotine addiction

The disease burden and negative economic impact of tobacco addiction on society is considerable. Thus, there is much incentive to discover and develop novel efficacious therapeutics for the treatment of tobacco addiction. Nicotine is considered to be the major psychoactive component of tobacco smoke that is responsible for the initiation and maintenance of the tobacco habit. Nicotine, at the concentrations obtained from tobacco smoke, elicits its effects in the brain through actions at the neuronal nico tinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). As such, most pharmacological agents that have been developed to aid smoking cessation efforts have direct or indirect actions at nAChRs, either substituting for the stimulatory effects of nicotine or blocking the effects of nicotine at these receptors. Over recent years, novel therapeutic agents have been developed that act at sites other than the nAChRs. With continued advances in our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of tobacco addiction, it is likely that further novel approaches for the treatment of this condition will be developed. The aim of this editorial is to briefly high light the emergence of novel targets for the development of new therapeutics to aid in smoking cessation efforts. Cigarette smoking is one of the largest preventable causes of death and disease in developed countries. Tobacco-related disease is responsible for approximately 440,000 deaths annually and results in approximately $160 billion in healthrelated costs in the USA [1]. Despite the well-known negative health consequences associated with the tobacco-smoking habit, only approximately 10% of smokers who attempt to quit annually remain abstinent after 1 year. Considering the devastating consequences of tobacco addiction, there is much interest in understanding the neuro biological mechanisms contributing to the persistence of the smoking habit and developing therapeutics to facilitate smoking cessation effort.
Analytical and numerical comparisons of biogeography-based optimization and genetic algorithms

We show that biogeography-based optimization (BBO) is a generalization of a genetic algorithm with global uniform recombination (GA/GUR). Based on the common features of BBO and GA/GUR, we use a previously-derived BBO Markov model to obtain a GA/GUR Markov model. One BBO characteristic which makes it distinctive from GA/GUR is its migration mechanism, which affects selection pressure (i.e., the probability of retaining certain features in the population from one generation to the next). We compare the BBO and GA/GUR algorithms using results from analytical Markov models and continuous optimization benchmark problems. We show that the unique selection pressure provided by BBO generally results in better optimization results for a set of standard benchmark problems. We also present comparisons between BBO and GA/GUR for combinatorial optimization problems, include the traveling salesman, the graph coloring, and the bin packing problems.
Lower extremity cycling biomechanics. A review and theoretical discussion

An updated review of cycling biomechanics of the lower extremity is presented. Special attention is directed toward the known data pertaining to foot function. A theoretical discussion on foot function during cycling and its possible link to knee injury is also presented. It is suggested that supinatory and pronatory moments applied to the foot during cycling result in referral of adverse forces to the knee.
Monitoring hospital trauma mortality using statistical process control methods.

Abstract Background: We sought to develop a simple and effective way to monitor trends in trauma mortality, using objective clinical categories and methods of statistical process control. Study Design: Control charts and Pareto analysis were applied to trauma mortality data at the Maine Medical Center. We collected data prospectively on patients who died in our hospital after acute injury during 1985–1996 (and retrospectively for 1975–1984) to identify cases requiring medical quality review. We excluded from this study patients older than 80 years, those whose Glasgow Coma Scale motor component was never >3 at any time after admission, and those with pathologic fractures, carcinomatosis, high quadriplegia, or severe burns. The remaining deaths were classified as resulting from inability to resuscitate (mostly hemorrhage), neurologic deterioration, or organ failure. The annual numbers in each of these categories were evaluated under the hypothesis of stationary Poisson processes with mean values equal to those seen from 1975–1984. Results: After the exclusions, annual mortality from trauma has remained within control limits consistent with the Poisson model. Death from neurologic deterioration has shown a trend consistent with significant improvement in the process mean. Transient peaks in the other categories did not exceed control limits, but Pareto analysis prompted detailed studies of aortic and liver trauma. Conclusions: Process control methodology is easy to apply and potentially useful in monitoring hospital trauma mortality.
Semi-supervised learning of multi-factor models for face de-identification

With the emergence of new applications centered around the sharing of image data, questions concerning the protection of the privacy of people visible in the scene arise. Recently, formal methods for the de-identification of images have been proposed which would benefit from multi-factor coding to separate identity and non-identity related factors. However, existing multi-factor models require complete labels during training which are often not available in practice. In this paper we propose a new multi-factor framework which unifies linear, bilinear, and quadratic models. We describe a new fitting algorithm which jointly estimates all model parameters and show that it outperforms the standard alternating algorithm. We furthermore describe how to avoid overfitting the model and how to train the model in a semi-supervised manner. In experiments on a large expression-variant face database we show that data coded using our multi-factor model leads to improved data utility while providing the same privacy protection.
Methodological characteristics and quality of alcohol treatment outcome studies, 1970-98: an expanded evaluation.

Aims To examine the methodological quality of the research literature examining treatment for alcohol use disorders. Design In total, 701 studies first reported between 1970 and 1998 were evaluated with a scoring system covering 19 areas of research quality. Findings Methodological quality improved from a score of 8.2 out of a possible 28.5 in the 1970s, to 10.6 in the 1990s. Strengths included reporting the initial number of participants and conducting follow-ups of 12 months or longer. Although the percentage of studies with adequate power also increased overall, the average statistical power of comparative studies to detect a medium-sized treatment effect was low (0.54). Conclusions Areas with room for improvement include: ensuring that follow-up data are collected when respondents are not under the influence of alcohol, testing for differential dropout among treatment groups with respect to participant background characteristics, reporting the number of individuals being treated in the programs from which samples are drawn, noting the reliability and validity of measures used and conducting process analyses to examine potential mechanisms underlying treatment effects.
Depth-first search approach for fault-tolerant routing in hypercube multicomputers

Using depth-first search, the authors develop and analyze the performance of a routing scheme for hypercube multicomputers in the presence of an arbitrary number of faulty components. They derive an exact expression for the probability of routing messages by way of optimal paths (of length equal to the Hamming distance between the corresponding pair of nodes) from the source node to an obstructed node. The obstructed node is defined as the first node encountered by the message that finds no optimal path to the destination node. It is noted that the probability of routing messages over an optimal path between any two nodes is a special case of the present results and can be obtained by replacing the obstructed node with the destination node. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the results, and they show that, in the presence of component failures, depth-first search routing can route a message to its destination by means of an optimal path with a very high probability. >
Bacteriophage Formation without Bacterial Growth. II. The Effect of Niacin and Yeast Extract on Phage Formation and Bacterial Growth in the Presence of Penicillin.

1. The addition of penicillin greatly increases the production of phage in bacterial suspensions containing 2.5 to 3.5 x 10 8 cells in 0.4 ml. broth plus 6.6 ml. Locke9s solution. 2. Addition of niacin also greatly increases the formation of phage in the above system without the addition of penicillin. 3. The results indicate that niacin is necessary for phage production and that bacteria cannot utilize niacin in the presence of penicillin. 4. Staphylococcus muscae will grow in the synthetic medium of Fildes but do not form phage unless broth or yeast extract is added. 5. Phage formation requires the presence of one or more factors, besides niacin, present in broth and yeast extract which are not essential for bacterial growth. Penicillin does not prevent the utilization of the unknown substance or substances by the bacteria. 6. A solution containing biotin, guanine, adenine, s-alanine, riboflavin, uracil, pyridoxamine, guanylic acid, adenylic acid, yeast nucleic acid, choline, p -aminobenzoic acid, a flavin component from liver, ribose, thymine, xanthine, folic acid, inositol, p -aminophenyl alanine, pantothentic acid and a strepogenin concentrate cannot replace broth or yeast extraction in increasing phage formation in the synthetic medium of Fildes. 7. The results indicate there is a continual competition between the bacteria and phage for certain essential building elements. 8. The results are discussed in relation to possible methods of control of virus diseases.
Evaluating Bioactive Food Components in Obesity and Cancer Prevention

Research into bioactive food compounds (BFC) continues to evolve albeit with shared challenges among scientists in the fields of obesity and cancer treatment and prevention. Given the diversity of scientific disciplines involved in evaluating BFC, multidisciplinary conferences provide opportunities to update the state of the science and critically discuss conceptual and methodological challenges encountered in studying BFC in both preclinical and clinical trials. This overview is an introduction to presentations given at a conference sponsored by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which convened a multidisciplinary group of researchers evaluating BFC in obesity and cancer prevention. Full presentations can be viewed in video format at http://www.norc.uab.edu/courses/conferences/conference2013.
IL-4 potentiates IL-1beta- and TNF-alpha-stimulated IL-8 and MCP-1 protein production in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Purpose. Human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) cells are involved in ocular inflammation by secretion of chemokines such as IL-8 and MCP-1. It has been shown in this and other laboratories that interleukin-1 beta (IL-1s) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) are potent inducers of HRPE IL-8 and MCP-1 secretion. The induced IL-8 and MCP-1 expression is often modulated by other proinflammatory factors in a synergistic manner. Modulation of IL-8 and MCP-1 production by interleukin-4 (IL-4), a important mediator in Th2-mediated immunity, and granulocyte/macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), one of the cytokines secreted by HRPE has been reported in non-ocular cells. The aim of the present investigation was to study effects of these two cytokines alone or in combination with IL-1s or TNF-a on HRPE IL-8 and MCP-1 generation. Methods. The primary culture of HRPE cells was stimulated with various doses of IL-4, GM-CSF, IL1-s and TNF-a alone or in combination for 8 or 24 hr. The supernatants were subj...
Nitric Oxide Acts in Conjunction with Proinflammatory Cytokines to Promote Cell Death in Osteoblasts

Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and interleukin-1β are known modulators of bone remodeling in vitro and in vivo. The same cytokines induce the production of nitric oxide (NO) in various cell types, including osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and NO has recently been implicated in the regulation of bone resorption. We investigated the relationship between NO levels and cell viability in MC3T3-E1, a well-characterized osteoblastic cell line. NO donors at high concentrations (≥0.5 mM) produce a significant cytotoxic effect over a 48 h period. Various combinations of the three cytokines strongly promote endogenous NO production, and high NO levels are correlated with the loss of cell viability. Although TNF-α produces NO-independent cytotoxicity, NO greatly enhances this cytotoxic effect. Human and mouse TNF-α differ in their cytotoxic effects, and human TNF-α induces lower levels of NO production. In cocultures of RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide and IFN-γ, and untreated MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, addition of anti–TNF-α antibody and inhibition of NO synthesis have additive, protective effects on osteoblast viability. NO cytotoxicity involves an apoptotic mechanism. Our results underline the importance of NO and TNF-α as cytotoxic mediators in the osseous microenvironment and might explain the observed deficiency of bone formation in inflammatory sites.
SoBot: facilitating conversation using social media data and a social agent

With the rising popularity of online social media, people generate a lot of data in social media applications like Facebook and Twitter. We present a communication facilitating system called SoBot, which demonstrates to obtain and utilize this data and works as a facilitating introduction system to help users conduct conversations with other users in offline social activities. We explain our research questions and some design choices around SoBot, with discussions on next step developments.
Perceived land use patterns and landscape values

Land use patterns and land form are important sources of information that contribute to the formation of landscape perceptions and values. This paper discusses three concepts of human-landscape relationships: the human as an agent of biological and physical impacts on the landscape; the human as a static receiver and processor of information from the landscape; and the human as an active participant in the landscape —thinking, feeling and acting — a transactional concept. A model of the transactional concept and of human perception and response is presented along with a conjectural example of human-landscape transactions. Three empirical research projects are presented to illustrate varying relationships between and among humans and landscapes. Variations in human experiences, needs and desires, personal utility functions for the use of the landscape, and socio-cultural contexts are suggested as mediating variables on perceived values and human responses. The importance of landscape values information to planning and management activities is discussed.
Evolutionary dynamics in finite populations can explain the full range of cooperative behaviors observed in the centipede game.

Classical economic models make behavioral predictions based on the assumption that people are fully rational and care only about maximizing their own payoffs. Although this approach successfully explains human behavior in many situations, there is a wealth of experimental evidence demonstrating conditions where people deviate from the predictions of these models. One setting that has received particular attention is fixed length repeated games. Iterating a social dilemma can promote cooperation through direct reciprocity, even if it is common knowledge that all players are rational and selfinterested. However, this is not the case if the length of the game is known to the players. In the final round, a rational player will defect, because there is no future to be concerned with. But if you know the other player will defect in the last round, then you should defect in the second to last round, and so on. This logic of backwards induction leads to immediate defection as the only rational (sub-game perfect Nash equilibrium) strategy. When people actually play such games, however, immediate defection is rare. Here we use evolutionary dynamics in finite populations to study the centipede game, which is designed to explore this issue of backwards induction. We make the following observation: since full cooperation can risk-dominate immediate defection in the centipede game, stochastic evolutionary dynamics can favor both delayed defection and even full cooperation. Furthermore, our evolutionary model can quantitatively reproduce human behavior from two experiments by fitting a single free parameter, which is the product of population size and selection intensity. Thus we provide evidence that people’s cooperative behavior in fixed length games, which is often called ‘irrational’, may in fact be the favored outcome of natural selection.
Carbon storage regulator A (CsrA Bb) is a repressor of Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin protein FlaB

The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi lacks the transcriptional cascade control of flagellar protein synthesis common to other bacteria. Instead, it relies on a post-transcriptional mechanism to control its flagellar synthesis. The underlying mechanism of this control remains elusive. A recent study reported that the increased level of BB0184 (CsrA(Bb); a homologue of carbon storage regulator A) substantially inhibited the accumulation of FlaB, the major flagellin protein of B. burgdorferi. In this report, we deciphered the regulatory role of CsrA(Bb) on FlaB synthesis and the mechanism involved by analysing two mutants, csrA(Bb)(-) (a deletion mutant of csrA(Bb)) and csrA(Bb)(+) (a mutant conditionally overexpressing csrA(Bb)). We found that FlaB accumulation was significantly inhibited in csrA(Bb)(+) but was substantially increased in csrA(Bb)(-) . In contrast, the levels of other flagellar proteins remained unchanged. Cryo-electron tomography and immuno-fluorescence microscopic analyses revealed that the altered synthesis of CsrA(Bb) in these two mutants specifically affected flagellar filament length. The leader sequence of flaB transcript contains two conserved CsrA-binding sites, with one of these sites overlapping the Shine-Dalgarno sequence. We found that CsrA(Bb) bound to the flaB transcripts via these two binding sites, and this binding inhibited the synthesis of FlaB at the translational level. Taken together, our results indicate that CsrA(Bb) specifically regulates the periplasmic flagellar synthesis by inhibiting translation initiation of the flaB transcript.
Biological calorimetry and the thermodynamics of the origination and evolution of life

Calorimetric measurements on biological systems from small molecules to whole organisms lead to a new conception of the nature of live matter that has profound conse- quences for our understanding of biology. The data show that the differences in Gibbs energy (ΔG) and enthalpy (ΔH) are near zero or negative and the difference in entropy (ΔS) is near zero between a random mixture of molecules and live matter of the same composition. A con- stant input of energy is required to maintain ion gradients, ATP production, and the other functions of living matter, but because cells are organized in a spontaneous process, no en- ergy input is required to maintain the structure or organization of cells. Thus, the origin of life and evolution of complex life forms occurs by thermodynamically spontaneous processes, carbon-based life should be common throughout the universe, and because there is no energy cost, evolution can occur relatively rapidly.
The Declining Relative Status of Black Women Workers, 1980–2002

During the 1980s and 1990s, industrial restructuring led to a marked increase in wage inequality. Women, however, were not as negatively affected by declining manufacturing employment because their pay was relatively low within the industry, and their already high representation in the service sector provided access to newly created opportunities. However, black and white women did not fare equally and the black-white wage gap more than doubled. As both black and white women increased their representation as professionals and managers, black women became more likely to earn low wages within these occupations. Black degree holders also lost ground as they were unable to keep pace with the remarkable gains made by white women degree holders. The growth in black-white wage inequality, then, was not due to black women's relegation to "bad jobs." Instead, as women increased their share of "good jobs," white women disproportionately benefitted.
Balancing Fairness and Efficiency: The Impact of Identity-Blind and Identity-Conscious Accountability on Applicant Screening

This study compared two forms of accountability that can be used to promote diversity and fairness in personnel selections: identity-conscious accountability (holding decision makers accountable for which groups are selected) versus identity-blind accountability (holding decision makers accountable for making fair selections). In a simulated application screening process, undergraduate participants (majority female) sorted applicants under conditions of identity-conscious accountability, identity-blind accountability, or no accountability for an applicant pool in which white males either did or did not have a human capital advantage. Under identity-conscious accountability, participants exhibited pro-female and pro-minority bias, particularly in the white-male-advantage applicant pool. Under identity-blind accountability, participants exhibited no biases and candidate qualifications dominated interview recommendations. Participants exhibited greater resentment toward management under identity-conscious accountability.
Comment on Weber et al. Type 1 Diabetes Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Fracture Across the Life Span: A Population-Based Cohort Study Using The Health Improvement Network (THIN). Diabetes Care 2015;38:1913–1920

Weber et al. (1) analyzed population-based data from The Health Improvement Network (THIN) in the U.K., and they showed increased risk for incident fracture across the life span in type 1 diabetes. Most of the previous studies and meta-analyses, including ours (2), showed a higher risk for fractures in people with type 1 diabetes. However, Weber et al. showed, for the first time, higher fracture incidence even in children and adolescents …
Overexpression of Glucocorticoid Receptor β Enhances Myogenesis and Reduces Catabolic Gene Expression

Unlike the glucocorticoid receptor α (GRα), GR β (GRβ) has a truncated ligand-binding domain that prevents glucocorticoid binding, implicating GRα as the mediator of glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle loss. Because GRβ causes glucocorticoid resistance, targeting GRβ may be beneficial in impairing muscle loss as a result of GRα activity. The purpose of this study was to determine how the overexpression of GRβ affects myotube formation and dexamethasone (Dex) responsiveness. We measured GR isoform expression in C2C12 muscle cells in response to Dex and insulin, and through four days of myotube formation. Next, lentiviral-mediated overexpression of GRβ in C2C12 was performed, and these cells were characterized for cell fusion and myotube formation, as well as sensitivity to Dex via the expression of ubiquitin ligases. GRβ overexpression increased mRNA levels of muscle regulatory factors and enhanced proliferation in myoblasts. GRβ overexpressing myotubes had an increased fusion index. Myotubes overexpressing GRβ had lower forkhead box O3 (Foxo3a) mRNA levels and a blunted muscle atrophy F-box/Atrogen-1 (MAFbx) and muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF1) response to Dex. We showed that GRβ may serve as a pharmacological target for skeletal muscle growth and protection from glucocorticoid-induced catabolic signaling. Increasing GRβ levels in skeletal muscle may cause a state of glucocorticoid resistance, stabilizing muscle mass during exposure to high doses of glucocorticoids.
Ureolytic Biomineralization Reduces Proteus mirabilis Biofilm Susceptibility to Ciprofloxacin

Ureolytic biomineralization induced by urease-producing bacteria, particularly Proteus mirabilis, is responsible for the formation of urinary tract calculi and the encrustation of indwelling urinary catheters. Such microbial biofilms are challenging to eradicate and contribute to the persistence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, but the mechanisms responsible for this recalcitrance remain obscure. In this study, we characterized the susceptibility of wild-type (ure+) and urease-negative (ure-) P. mirabilis biofilms to killing by ciprofloxacin. Ure+ biofilms produced fine biomineral precipitates that were homogeneously distributed within the biofilm biomass in artificial urine, while ure- biofilms did not produce biomineral deposits under identical growth conditions. Following exposure to ciprofloxacin, ure+ biofilms showed greater survival (less killing) than ure- biofilms, indicating that biomineralization protected biofilm-resident cells against the antimicrobial. To evaluate the mechanism responsible for this recalcitrance, we observed and quantified the transport of Cy5-conjugated ciprofloxacin into the biofilm by video confocal microscopy. These observations revealed that the reduced susceptibility of ure+ biofilms resulted from hindered delivery of ciprofloxacin into biomineralized regions of the biofilm. Further, biomineralization enhanced retention of viable cells on the surface following antimicrobial exposure. These findings together show that ureolytic biomineralization induced by P. mirabilis metabolism strongly regulates antimicrobial susceptibility by reducing internal solute transport and increasing biofilm stability.
Analysis of Flow and Wall Shear Stress in Curvature Induced Dorsal Aneurysms: Effect of Arterial Curvature

Intracranial aneurysms are abnormal enlargement in the walls of cerebral arteries. The rupture of aneurysms is the leading cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), with a high mortality and morbidity rate. A majority of saccular cerebral aneurysms occur at sites of arterial bifurcations. However, a good percentage of aneurysms are curvature induced and are found along the cavernous arterial segment. The occurrence of such non branching aneurysms, clinically called dorsal aneurysms, can be related to the increased wall shear stress at the curved arteries. The rupture of aneurysms usually occurs at the dome region, which is subjected to reduced wall shear stress (wss) owing to low re-circulating flow. Hence it is important to understand the impact of arterial curvature on the WSS distribution along the dome of aneurysms. Previously, studies have not taken into account the aspect of low WSS along the dome region. In the present 3-d computational fluid dynamic approach, we investigate the impact of varying arterial curvature on spherical dorsal aneurysms. The primary velocity patterns, the WSS distribution along the dome of the aneurysm and the area of increased WSS have been quantified for steady flow conditions.© 2009 ASME