cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antistaphylococcal IgE in patients with atopic dermatitis

Levels of IgE antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were determined in eleven patients with typical atopic dermatitis with no history of furuncles or severe staphylococcal infection. Increased IgE binding to S. aureus but not to S. epidermidis was observed. Fifteen patients with hyperimmunoglobulinemia E-staphylococcal abscess syndrome had increased IgE binding not only to S. aureus but also to S. epidermidis . Other control groups of patients with elevated IgE levels or recurrent staphylococcal infection had normal IgE binding activity to both strains of staphylococci. Interaction of staphylococcal antigens from bacteria on skin with antis taphylococcal IgE antibodies on mast cells could induce mast cell release, evoke itch, and aggravate atopic dermatitis.
Mild renal pelvic dilatation is not predictive of vesicoureteral reflux in children

Objective. To determine if mild renal pelvic dilatation at renal ultrasound (RUS) is a reliable sign of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) at voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) in children. Materials and methods. All patients less than 10 years of age who had RUS and VCUG on the same day during a 2-year period were identified in a computerized database. The appearance of the collecting system of each kidney was classified into two groups: group 0 – no dilatation (≤ 2-mm anteroposterior diameter of the renal pelvis) and group 1 – 3 to 10-mm AP diameter of the renal pelvis without caliectasis. VUR at VCUG was graded using the International Reflux Study Committee system. Results. Four hundred fifty-five patients (76 boys; 379 girls) with 910 kidneys were included. VUR occurred in 268 kidneys in 174 patients. There were 820 group 0 kidneys and 90 group 1 kidneys. Kidneys classified as group 1 (25.0 % had reflux) were no more likely to have reflux than were kidneys with nondistended (group 0) collecting systems (31.2 % had reflux). There was no statistical difference in the rate of reflux in patients with group 1 renal pelvic distention (39.2 % refluxed) and a normal collecting system (33.3 % refluxed) (P = 0.365). Conclusion. The frequency of vesicoureteral reflux in children with mild renal pelvic distention is not significantly different than in children with no distention. Therefore, mild dilatation of the renal pelvis should not be considered an indication for voiding cystourethrography.
Quantitative Analysis of Photochemical Reactions Utilizing High Pressure Liquid Chromatography: Linear Polyenes Related to Vitamin A

Abstract A procedure is described whereby qualitative and quantitative information of a photochemical reaction can be obtained by utilization of high pressure liquid chromatographic methods to separate, identify, and quantify the reaction photoproducts. When coupled with knowledge of the irradiation sources photon flux, which can be obtained using a chemical actinomer, quantitative results are readily calculated. This method has been employed to determine absolute quantum yields for the cis-trans photoisomerizations (ΦPI) of various configurational isomers of linear polyenes related to Vitamin A, and is illustrated using all-trans- and 11-cis-13-demethyleretinal. HPLC analyses of photoequilibrium reaction mixtures are presented. Application of other analytical techniques to characterize photochemical reactions is discussed.
Green Space, Violence, and Crime A Systematic Review

Purpose:To determine the state of evidence on relationships among urban green space, violence, and crime in the United States.Methods and Results:Major bibliographic databases were searched for studies meeting inclusion criteria. Additional studies were culled from study references and authors’ personal collections. Comparison among studies was limited by variations in study design and measurement and results were mixed. However, more evidence supports the positive impact of green space on violence and crime, indicating great potential for green space to shape health-promoting environments.Conclusion:Numerous factors influence the relationships among green space, crime, and violence. Additional research and standardization among research studies are needed to better understand these relationships.
The Relationship Between Theory and Research: A Longitudinal Perspective*

An earlier study of the theoretical and methodological postures used by the authors of 1,434 sociological journal articles found that those with a realist or social factist theoretical approach ten...
Individual differences in amphetamine sensitization, behavior and central monoamines

Repeated amphetamine treatment results in behavioral sensitization in a high percentage of rats. Alterations to plasma corticosterone, neural monoamines and stress behavior can accompany amphetamine sensitization. Whether these changes occur following repeated amphetamine treatment in the absence of behavioral sensitization is not known. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline once daily for 6 days. Amphetamine-induced locomotion and stereotypy, open-field anxiety behavior, plasma corticosterone and limbic monoamines were measured during withdrawal. Sixty-two percent of amphetamine-treated rats showed behavioral sensitization over the test periods. Only amphetamine-sensitized rats showed increased latency to enter the center of the open-field, as well as increased plasma corticosterone when compared to saline-treated controls. Amphetamine-sensitized rats showed increased dopamine concentrations in the shell of the nucleus accumbens and increased serotonin concentrations in the dorsal hippocampus, which were not observed in amphetamine-treated non-sensitized rats. These findings suggest that anxiety behavior, plasma corticosterone and limbic monoamines concentrations are altered by repeated amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg) treatment, and that these neuroendocrine and behavioral changes are often associated with sensitization to the psychostimulant effects of amphetamine.
Cooperative assembly of Zn cross-linked artificial tripeptides with pendant hydroxyquinoline ligands.

An artificial peptide with three pendant hydroxyquinoline (hq) ligands on a palindromic backbone was designed and used to form multimetallic assemblies. Reaction of the tripeptide with zinc acetate led to a highly fluorescent tripeptide duplex with three Zn(II) coordinative cross-links. The binding process was monitored using spectrophotometric absorbance and emission titrations; NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry confirmed the identity and stoichiometry of the product structure. Titrations monitoring duplex formation of the zinc-tripeptide structure had a sigmoidal shape, equilibrium constant larger than the monomeric analogue, and a Hill coefficient >1, all of which indicate positive cooperativity. Photophysical characterization of the quantum yield, excited state lifetime, and polarization anisotropy are compared with the monometallic zinc-hq analogue. A higher than expected quantum yield for the trimetallic complex suggests a structure in which the central chromophore is shielded from solvent by π...
Ventilatory functions in germfree and conventional rats exposed to coal dusts.

SummaryVentilatory functions were studied in four groups of rats, two groups of conventional rats and two groups of germ-free rats. A control and an exposed group were employed for each type. The exposures were 10 mg/m3 of bituminous coal for 120 days. The pulmonary function parameters included: inspiratory capacity, vital capacity, forced expiratory volumes in 0.5 and 1.0 sec, peak expiratory flow rate, and flow maximas at 25 and 10% of the vital capacity. The coal-exposed rats, both conventional and germfree, exhibited significantly lower responses for the flow maxima at 10% of the vital capacity when compared to the corresponding control groups. However, such differences in germfree rats were more clearly distinguishable because of the small intragroup variability. This work presents evidence that airway obstruction occurs in rats as a result of a coal dust exposure alone.
Pulsed And Steady-State Multinode Orbitron Masers

We have designed, built and tested several steady-state Orbitron MASERs, which have the unique property of having multiple anode wires. We have found that the multiwire structure increased the output power, efficiency, and reduced the heat loading of individual anode wires. We have also experimented with these devices in a pulsed mode and found similar results.
Brownian dynamics study of the influences of electrostatic interaction and diffusion on protein-protein association kinetics

A unified model is presented for protein-protein association processes that are under the influences of electrostatic interaction and diffusion (e.g., protein oligomerization, enzyme catalysis, electron and energy transfer). The proteins are modeled as spheres that bear point charges and undergo translational and rotational Brownian motion. Before association can occur the two spheres have to be aligned properly to form a reaction complex via diffusion. The reaction complex can either go on to form the product or it can dissociate into the separate reactants through diffusion. The electrostatic interaction, like diffusion, influences every step except the one that brings the reaction complex into the product. The interaction potential is obtained by extending the Kirkwood-Tanford protein model (Tanford, C., and J. G. Kirkwood. 1957. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 79:5333–5339) to two charge-embedded spheres and solving the consequent equations under a particular basis set. The time-dependent association rate coefficient is then obtained through Brownian dynamics simulations according an algorithm developed earlier (Zhou, H.-X. 1990. J. Phys. Chem. 94:8794–8800). This method is applied to a model system of the cytochrome c and cytochrome c peroxidase association process and the results confirm the experimental dependence of the association rate constant on the solution ionic strength. An important conclusion drawn from this study is that when the product is formed by very specific alignment of the reactants, as is often the case, the effect of the interaction potential is simply to scale the association rate constant by a Boltzmann factor. This explains why mutations in the interface of the reaction complex have strong influences on the association rate constant whereas those away from the interface have minimal effects. It comes about because the former mutations change the interaction potential of the reaction complex significantly and the latter ones do not.
Disturbance pattern classification and neuro-adaptive control

An adaptation strategy is given that is based on an analysis of patterns exhibited in the recent history of the controller error and manipulated process input variable. The focus of the strategy is on adaptation requirements due to load disturbances. The manipulated input pattern associated with a disturbance is analyzed to determine whether the disturbance has the potential for changing process character. If so, the corresponding controller error pattern is analyzed to determine the appropriate adaptation to the controller's internal model. A vector quantizing neural network is studied as a pattern analysis tool for implementing the method. The strategy is limited to a single parameter adaptation where the gain of the controller's internal model is the adjustable parameter. Details and a demonstration of the method are presented using a simulated process constructed to challenge the strategy. A model-based PI algorithm is employed. >
Pronuclear visibility, development and transgene expression in IVM/IVF-derived porcine embryos

A total of 1550 zygotes was used to assess the timing of pronuclear visibility, embryo development following DNA microinjection, and transgene expression in IVM/IVF-generated porcine embryos. After centrifugation, pronuclei could be seen in 61.6% of zygotes. In 55.3% of these only 1 pronucleus was visible. Pronuclear visibility was highest at 20 h post-insemination. Zygotes were microinjected with 1 of 2 LacZ gene constructs driven by either the SV40 early promoter (pSVON) or the human cytoplasmic beta actin promoter (pbActinLacZ). Development and transgene expression were assessed after either 48 h or 7 d in culture. After 48 h, significantly more zygotes with a single visible pronucleus developed to the 8-cell stage than zygotes in which no pronucleus had been seen (43.0 vs 24.8%), while those with 2 pronuclei were intermediate (31.4%). After 7 d, no difference in development to the morula stage was observed between noninjected control embryos (25.5%) and embryos with 1 (21.0%) or 2 pronuclei (22.5%); however, the proportion of embryos reaching the morula stage in the nonpronuclear group was significantly reduced (9.1%). After 48 h in culture, transgene expression was significantly higher in embryos with 2 pronuclei at the time of injection than in those with 1 (36.4 vs 17.9%). After 7 d in culture, 41.5% of morulae derived from zygotes with 2 pronuclei and 29.97% of thsoe derived from zygotes with 1 pronucleus showed signs of transgene expression. At this stage, significantly more morulae expressed the pbActinLacZ than the pSVON transgene (43.8 vs 25.8%). More than 80% of putative transgenic morulae or blastocysts showed evidence of mosaicism. These results demonstrate that IVM/IVF porcine embryos are able to develop in culture and express a microinjected transgene.
Bulk chemical trends at arc volcanoes are not liquid lines of descent

Abstract Although the magmatic output of arc volcanoes defines clear chemical trends, the compositional sequence of eruption is often chaotic. At best, support for the concept of progressive evolution by fractionation/assimilation in a central chamber is ambiguous. Rather than defining a liquid line of descent, we suggest that chemical trends in arc systems are populated by discrete magma batches. These have been derived from a limited set of sources and undergone a common family of processes, but in different proportions. Crystal–liquid fractionation may occur at the mafic end of the spectrum in classical fashion by gravitational crystal extraction from melt-rich magma. However, at the silicic end where melt viscosity is high, fractionation may occur by forceful expulsion of interstitial melt from near-solidus arc plutons and adjacent crust. The andesite/dacite middle ground is commonly occupied by relatively crystal-rich magma batches with complex mixing and mingling histories. Such intermediate magmas appear to be stable residents of shallow arc crust—mechanically because of their neutral buoyancy, thermally because they are frequently recharged with basalt, and chemically because they resist large shifts in composition. Stored magma that “regresses” in an evolutionary sense by mixing or mingling during recharge is preferentially erupted and forward evolution during quiescence is inhibited by high viscosity of melt. The surface expression is the building of a stratocone or dome complex. In contrast, silicic magmas, once they have coalesced from interstitial melt in their plutonic sources through coupled porous flow and diking, tend to be erupted promptly, flushing out resident andesite/dacite magma batches in their path. The surface expression is caldera formation, which commonly terminates one episode of cone building and serves as a prelude to another.
Capital structure and signaling game equilibria

In this article we model the financing decisions of a firm as a sequential signaling game. We prove that, when insiders have perfect information regarding the firm's future case flows, the application of 'refinements' to the set of admissible equilibria leads to the dominance of debt over equity financing. However, we show that when insiders observe the firm's cash flows imperfectly, there may exist sequential equilibria in which this 'pecking order' breaks down and some firms strictly prefer equity to debt financing. We also prove that, despite the breakdown of the pecking order, the announcement effect of equity financing will be negative relative to debt financing.
Quark damping and energy loss in the high temperature QCD

The energy loss per unit length of high energy quarks in a quark-gluon plasma is calculated via PQCD. Unlike the damping rate, the energy loss is infrared finite and surprisingly small.
Persistent left superior vena cava: Review of the literature, clinical implications, and relevance of alterations in thoracic central venous anatomy as pertaining to the general principles of central venous access device placement and venography in cancer patients

Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) represents the most common congenital venous anomaly of the thoracic systemic venous return, occurring in 0.3% to 0.5% of individuals in the general population, and in up to 12% of individuals with other documented congential heart abnormalities. In this regard, there is very little in the literature that specifically addresses the potential importance of the incidental finding of PLSVC to surgeons, interventional radiologists, and other physicians actively involved in central venous access device placement in cancer patients. In the current review, we have attempted to comprehensively evaluate the available literature regarding PLSVC. Additionally, we have discussed the clinical implications and relevance of such congenital aberrancies, as well as of treatment-induced or disease-induced alterations in the anatomy of the thoracic central venous system, as they pertain to the general principles of successful placement of central venous access devices in cancer patients. Specifically regarding PLSVC, it is critical to recognize its presence during attempted central venous access device placement and to fully characterize the pattern of cardiac venous return (i.e., to the right atrium or to the left atrium) in any patient suspected of PLSVC prior to initiation of use of their central venous access device.
The Effectiveness of Therapeutic Touch: A Meta-Analytic Review

The purpose of this article is to explore the adequacy of published scientific evidence supporting therapeutic touch as a nursing intervention. Meta-analytic techniques were used to integrate the research-based literature published in the past decade. The results seem to indicate that therapeutic touch has a positive, medium effect on physiological and psychological variables. It is impossible to make any substantive claims at this time because there is limited published research and because many of the studies had significant methodological issues that could seriously bias the reported results. Resolving these methodological issues is imperative for therapeutic touch research to move forward.
The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS)

Despite the discovery of MACHO dark matter in our galactic halo, much of the inferred halo mass seems still to be missing [1]. If we assume that this missing mass is in the form of the weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) predicted by supersymmetry [2], then we expect to find a flux of 107/mx cm-2 in the solar neighborhood or 104-106 cm-2 assuming the most likely mass range mx ∽ 10 - 1000 GeV and standard models of the galactic halo. These WIMPs have a total cross section for scattering on a nucleon of no more than 10-41cm2, leading to total scattering rates below 0.1 kg-1 day-1 of target mass.
Distribution of Ventilation in Normal Children

Measurements of closing volume and the distribution of ventilation by both single-breath (SBN2) and multiple-breath nitrogen washout methods were obtained in 376 healthy boys and girls, ages 6 to 18 years. A closing volume could be demonstrated in 39 percent of the subjects, and closing volume expressed as percentage of vital capacity did not change with height. Closing capacity expressed as percentage of total lung capacity showed a slight decrease with height. The slope of phase III of the SBN2 curve decreased with height. Single compartment N2 washout curves were observed in 72 percent of the subjects, and the incidence of single compartment curves increased with age. In those subjects with two compartment N2 washout curves, the relative compartmental ventilation became more even with increasing height. Our observations suggest that parallel units among peripheral airways grow at different rates.
The effect of obesity on incidence of disability and mortality in Mexicans aged 50 years and older

Objective. To examine the effect of obesity on incidence of disability and mortality among non-disabled older Mexicans at baseline. Materials and methods. The sample included 8 415 Mexicans aged ≥ 50 years from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (2001-2012), who reported no limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs) at baseline and have complete data on all covariates. Sociodemographics, smoking status, comorbidities, ADL activities, and body mass index (BMI) were collected. Results. The lowest hazard ratio (HR) for disability was at BMI of 25 to < 30 (HR = 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-1.12). The lowest HR for mortality were seen among participants with BMIs 25 to < 30 (HR = 0.85; 95%CI, 075-0.97), 30 to < 35 (HR = 0.86; 95 %CI, 0.72-1.02), and ≥ 35 (HR = 0.92; 95 %CI, 0.70-1.22). Conclusion. Mexican older adults with a BMI of 25 to < 30 were at less risk for both disability and mortality.
Food supplementation experiments: a tool to reveal mechanisms that mediate timing of reproduction

Food supplementation of free-living animals has been used to address the role of availability of resources in the timing of reproduction. A meta-analysis by Schoech and Hahn suggested that responsiveness of the reproductive axis to the supplementary cue of food is lessened at higher latitudes, presumably because the brief time during which conditions are appropriate to rear offspring has led to an evolved resistance to supplementary cues with a primary reliance on photoperiod. Unfortunately, few investigators have examined the potential underlying mechanisms that mediate this differential responsiveness to supplemental food across latitudes. Considerable research, however, links nutritional state and plasma glucocorticoid levels, both of which impinge upon the reproductive axis. Long-term research on Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) in my laboratory shows that suburban birds with access to ad libitum supplemental food express early breeding and lower plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels in comparison to jays in nearby natural habitat. Furthermore, supplementation in natural habitat advances laying, with the largest effects occurring in bad years (i.e., years defined by late breeding and poor reproductive output by non-supplemented controls). Similarly, reproductive output of supplemented jays is greater and exhibits considerably less variance than do controls, suggesting fitness benefits of supplementation that are tied to advanced breeding. Generally, CORT levels in early-breeding supplemented jays are lower than are those of controls. Also, regression analysis suggests that clutch-initiation dates of non-supplemented female breeders are predicted by baseline CORT levels. Although these data are not conclusive and trends can be obscured by year-effects, they suggest a role for CORT in timing of breeding. Whether this link might help to explain the above-referenced latitudinal trends remains to be characterized.
M-TEST: A test chip for MEMS material property measurement using electrostatically actuated test structures

A set of electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical test structures is presented that meets the emerging need for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) process monitoring and material property measurement at the wafer level during both process development and manufacturing. When implemented as a test chip or drop-in pattern for MEMS processes, M-Test becomes analogous to the electrical MOSFET test structures (often called E-Test) used for extraction of MOS device parameters. The principle of M-Test is the electrostatic pull-in of three sets of test structures [cantilever beams (CB's), fixed-fixed beams (FB's), and clamped circular diaphragms (CD's)] followed by the extraction of two intermediate quantities (the S and B parameters) that depend on the product of material properties and test structure geometry. The S and B parameters give a direct measure of the process uniformity across an individual wafer and process repeatability between wafers and lots. The extraction of material properties (e.g., Young's modulus, plate modulus, and residual stress) from these S and B parameters is then accomplished using geometric metrology data. Experimental demonstration of M-Test is presented using results from MIT's dielectrically isolated wafer-bonded silicon process. This yielded silicon plate modulus results which agreed with literature values to within /spl plusmn/4%. Guidelines for adapting the method to other MEMS process technologies are presented.
RSR13 plus cranial radiation therapy in patients with brain metastases: comparison with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Recursive Partitioning Analysis Brain Metastases Database.

Purpose: This phase II, open-label, multicenter study assessed the efficacy and safety of the potential radiation enhancer RSR13 plus cranial radiation therapy (RT) in patients with brain metastases. The primary end point was patient survival in comparison with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Recursive Partitioning Analysis Brain Metastases Database (RTOG RPA BMD). Patients and Methods: Eligibility criteria were age ≥ 18 years, Karnofsky performance score ≥ 70, and brain metastases with solid tumor histology. Patients received cranial RT, 30 Gy in 10 fractions of 3 Gy each, preceded by RSR13, 50 to 100 mg/kg intravenously over 30 minutes. Univariate and multivariate comparisons of survival and cause of death were made between class II study patients and RTOG BMD patients. Results: Fifty-seven RPA class II patients were enrolled. With a minimum follow-up of 24 months, the median survival time and 1- and 2-year survival rates were 6.4 months, 23%, and 11% for the RSR13-treated patients compared with 4....
Using Forensic Psychology to Teach Basic Psychological Processes Eyewitness Memory and Lie Detection

Teachers can incorporate topics in forensic psychology into lower level courses to increase student interest and to show how psychological processes influence outcomes in high-stakes applied contex...
Immature B cells preferentially switch to IgE with increased direct Sμ to Sε recombination.

Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) class-switch recombination (CSR) replaces initially expressed Cμ (IgM) constant regions (CH) exons with downstream CH exons. Stimulation of B cells with anti-CD40 plus interleukin-4 induces CSR from Cμ to Cγ1 (IgG1) and Ce (IgE), the latter of which contributes to the pathogenesis of atopic diseases. Although Ce CSR can occur directly from Cμ, most mature peripheral B cells undergo CSR to Ce indirectly, namely from Cμ to Cγ1, and subsequently to Ce. Physiological mechanisms that influence CSR to Cγ1 versus Ce are incompletely understood. In this study, we report a role for B cell developmental maturity in IgE CSR. Based in part on a novel flow cytometric IgE CSR assay, we show that immature B cells preferentially switch to IgE versus IgG1 through a mechanism involving increased direct CSR from Cμ to Ce. Our findings suggest that IgE dysregulation in certain immunodeficiencies may be related to impaired B cell maturation.
Self-Management and Achievement of Students with Behavior Disorders.

The effect of general self-management skills on the achievement of behavior disordered (BD) students on independent math tasks is described. Eighteen students with behavior disorders were trained to apply general self-management strategies to affect improvement in performance on independent math calculation practice sheets. A single-subject multiple baseline design across three subjects with five direct, concurrent replications was used to analyze the data. Student performance under two separate conditions, baseline and self-management, was compared. Based on the weekly mean percentage of correct responses to daily mathematics worksheets, students' achievement improved significantly under the treatment condition. Implications for the use of self-management strategies by special needs students are suggested.
Bandwidth Mismatch Correction for a Two-Channel Time-Interleaved A/D Converter

Mismatches between sample-and-hold (S/H) circuits in a time-interleaved analog-to-digital data converter (ADC) cause undesirable distortions in the output spectrum. To reduce these undesired spectral components, we introduce a hybrid filter-bank model of a two channel time-interleaved ADC. The model allows the development of a digital domain correction technique that removes the first-order effects of S/H mismatches. A single FIR correction filter is required, and simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed correction method
Neu Differentiation Factor (NDF), a Dominant Oncogene, Causes Apoptosis In Vitro and In Vivo

Neu differentiation factor (NDF, also called neuregulin) is a potent inducer of epithelial cell proliferation and has been shown to induce mammary carcinomas in transgenic mice. Notwithstanding this proliferative effect, we have shown that a novel isoform of NDF can induce apoptosis when overexpressed. Here we report that this property also extends to other NDF isoforms and that the cytoplasmic portion of NDF is largely responsible for the apoptotic effect, whereas the proliferative activity is likely to depend upon the secreted version of NDF. In accordance with these contradictory properties, we find that tumors induced by NDF display extensive apoptosis in vivo. NDF is therefore an oncogene whose deregulation can induce transformation as well as apoptosis.
A 16-channel wireless neural interfacing SoC with RF-powered energy-replenishing adiabatic stimulation

This paper presents a fully-integrated 16-channel wireless neural interfacing SoC that employs an adiabatic stimulator powered directly from a 190-MHz on-chip antenna to eliminate bulky external components while simultaneously avoiding rectifier and regulator losses. Using a charge replenishing architecture, the stimulator outputs up to 145-μA, while achieving a 63.1% charge replenishing ratio and a stimulation efficiency factor of 6.0. Analog front-ends (AFEs) and telemetry circuitry are also included.
Ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide (ICE)-based second-line chemotherapy for the management of relapsed and refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Despite advances in the management of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the treatment of relapsed and primary refractory disease remains a major challenge. High-dose chemotherapy or radio-chemotherapy followed by autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a potentially curative treatment approach; however, the applicability of this approach is restricted to patients responding to second-line chemotherapy. Thus, second-line therapy must be both efficacious and without stem cell or organ toxicity that would compromise the ability to proceed to SCT. The ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide (ICE) regimen was developed to address these challenges. In a series of prospective clinical trials, 222 patients were treated with the ICE regimen. with an overall response rate of 72%. The mobilization of stem cells with this regimen was excellent,with 86% of patients mobilizing at least 2.0 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg. The incidence of treatment-related toxicity precluding SCT after ICE is very low. Herein, we report the clinical results of this treatment program for 222 patients with 5-year median follow-up for surviving patients. Rituximab was subsequently added to the ICE regimen for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) to improve upon these favorable results. This resulted in an increased complete remission rate. Additional follow-up is necessary to determine if this improvement in the complete remission rate will confer an increase in the overall survival following SCT.
Adaptability of Wheat Cultivars to a Late-Planted No-Till Fallow Production System

In Washington, over fifty percent of the wheat produced under rainfed conditions receives less than 300 mm of annual precipitation. Hence, a winter wheat-summer fallow cropping system has been adopted to obtain adequate moisture for winter wheat production. Current tilled fallow systems are exposed to significant soil degradation from wind and water erosion. As a result, late-planted no-till fallow systems are being evaluated to mitigate erosion concerns. The objective of this study was to evaluate current cultivars under late-planted no-till fallow systems to identify whether current breeding schemes in tilled fallow systems could select productive cultivars in late-planted no-till fallow systems. Thirty cultivars were planted in a split-plot design with fallow type as the main plot and genotype as the sub-plot. Fallow types evaluated were a tilled fallow system and a late planted no-till fallow system. Data were collected on heading date, plant height, grain volume weight, grain yield, and grain protein content. Analysis of variance was conducted on data across locations. Results were significant for all traits except for grain protein content. The late-planted no-till fallow system headed 16 days later was 5 cm shorter, yielded 36% less, and had a grain volume weight 3% less than the tilled fallow system. The lower yield and grain volume weight potential is hypothesized to be due to the 16 day delay in heading date leading to warmer temperatures during grain fill and a shorter duration. In order to breed wheat to be highly productive under a late-planted no-till fallow
Threshold Smart Walk for the Containment of Local Worm Outbreak

A worm-infected host scanning globally may not cause any new infection in its underlying local network before it is detected and quarantined by a worm detector using methods such as failed scan detection. But for a stealthier worm limiting its scan inside an enterprise network, the chance of a successful local outbreak increases substantively due to the more limited scan space. Though a number of worm scanner detection methods exist including failed scan detection, honeypot, and dark port detection, a coordinated and cost-conscious defense against a local outbreak entails an accurate estimate of worm virulence level. In this regard, we develop a maximum likelihood estimation algorithm to progressively estimate the size of susceptible host population in the network so an appropriate containment threshold can be set to effectively stop the worm propagation while causing minimum service disruption to normal network users.
A detailed phenotypic analysis of immune cell populations in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of atopic asthmatics after segmental allergen challenge

Background Atopic asthma is characterized by intermittent exacerbations triggered by exposure to allergen. Exacerbations are characterized by an acute inflammatory reaction in the airways, with recruitment of both innate and adaptive immune cells. These cell populations as well as soluble factors are critical for initiating and controlling the inflammatory processes in allergic asthma. Detailed data on the numbers and types of cells recruited following allergen challenge is lacking. In this paper we present an extensive phenotypic analysis of the inflammatory cell infiltrate present in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid following bronchoscopically directed allergen challenge in mild atopic asthmatics.
Live Case Analysis: Pedagogical Problems And Prospects In Management Education

The selection of an appropriate and effective pedagogy has been a central theme in management education for decades. There currently exists a wide range of pedagogical options designed to match course content with the most appropriate technique(s) for effective learning outcomes. Most recently, a variety of experiential learning methods have been employed to provide students with real-life experiences and applications in the overall class design. Live case analysis is typically identified as one of a series of options within the domain of experiential learning methods. This paper examines the live case approach as a tool for achieving desired outcomes in management education. Perspectives are offered from multiple stakeholder groups that highlight both the challenges and prospects in the use of this method of teaching. Results demonstrate the usefulness of the live case approach for achieving assessment objectives and measuring important program outcomes.
Unexpected enhancement of thrombin inhibitor potency with o-aminoalkylbenzylamides in the P1 position.

Abstract Thrombin inhibitors incorporating o -aminoalkylbenzylamides in the P1 position were designed, synthesized and found to have enhanced potency and selectivity in several different structural classes. X-ray crystallographic analysis of compound 24 bound in the α-thrombin–hirugen complex provides an explanation for these unanticipated results.
Biotechnology: Herbicide-Resistant Crops

Transgenic, herbicide-resistant (HR) crops are planted on approximately 80% of the land covered by transgenic crops worldwide. More than 90% of HR crops are glyphosate resistant (GR); others are resistant to glufosinate. The wide-scale adoption of HR crops, largely for economic reasons, has been the most important development in weed management since the introduction of synthetic herbicides. Of much less importance have been the nontransgenic crops made resistant to acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase)- and acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides by selecting for target mutations in culture. Use of GR crops (maize, cotton, soybean, sugar beet, canola, and alfalfa) has generally improved the environmental impact of weed management by reductions in tillage, fuel use, and the use of herbicides with less desirable toxicological profiles than that of glyphosate. Evolution of GR weeds is a threat to the benefits provided by GR crops. The next generation of HR crops with resistance to dicamba, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and herbicidal inhibitors of hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase, ALS, and ACCase will provide tools for more diverse weed management approaches in order to mitigate and slow the evolution of herbicide resistance.
Reply to “Comment on ‘Canonical magnetic insulators with isotropic magnetoelectric coupling’”

We agree with the corrections that Perez-Mato et al. [Phys. Rev. B 90, 167101 (2014).] present in their Comment. However, we argue that the representation-theory approach, as used in our Rapid Communication, is more general than the magnetic-symmetry point of view adopted in the Comment.
Quantifying selective pressures driving bacterial evolution using lineage analysis.

A new approach is able to quantify the environmental effects on an evolving organism by analyzing just a small number of surviving individuals.
177 Automation of Respiratory Support in the Neonate: Fact or Fiction

Premature infants frequently present with respiratory instability that is associated with fluctuations in ventilation and gas exchange. Frequent adjustments of respiratory support to match the infant’s needs are time consuming and are limited by staff availability and workload. Hence, automation is being developed as a way of improving the care of the premature infants and reduce staff workload. Some of these automated modes of respiratory support are becoming available for clinical use in preterm infants. These include volume targeted ventilation where peak inspiratory pressure is automatically and continuously adjusted to deliver a preset tidal volume. Another modality is targeted minute ventilation where the ventilator rate is adjusted automatically to maintain a preset minute ventilation. Proportional assist ventilation is another modality where airway pressure is adjusted in proportion to flow or tidal volume generated by the infant. Using this principle recently NAVA has been introduced for use in neonates where the airway pressure generated by the ventilator is proportional to the electrical signal captured from the diaphragm. Finally, automated adjustment of inspired oxygen concentration is becoming available in some ventilators to adjust FiO2 and maintain oxygen saturation within a preset range. These modes are expected to compensate for some of the limitations that exist in the present forms of respiratory support. Available evidence and preliminary findings for short term effects are promising but further investigation is needed to determine the effects of these modalities on the long term outcome of preterm infants.
Abstract B3: Intake of restaurant foods and soft drinks in relation to weight gain and obesity among young African American women

Obesity is an important modifiable risk factor for many cancers. The prevalence of obesity has rapidly increased in the United States, with large disparities by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. In recent decades, increases in body mass index (BMI) have been highest among African American women. Concurrent with the increase in prevalence of obesity, the consumption of foods prepared away from home and of sugar-sweetened beverages has also increased. We prospectively assessed intake of restaurant foods and soft drinks in relation to weight gain and incident obesity in the Black Women9s Health Study, an ongoing follow-up study of 59,000 African American women 21–69 years of age at enrollment in 1995. Because the greatest amount of weight gain occurs in young adulthood, we restricted the analysis to 19,172 non-obese women who were younger than age 40 years at baseline. Information on current weight and other lifestyle factors was ascertained every two years through mailed questionnaires, and dietary intake was assessed in 1995 and 2001 using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Participants were asked how often they had eaten the following specific types of foods at restaurants: burgers, fried chicken, fried fish, pizza, Chinese food, and Mexican food. Participants were also asked how often they drank “soft drinks,” a question that specified non-diet soda only. Based on follow-up data from 1995 through 2009, multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate mean weight gain and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for incident obesity according to consumption of restaurant foods and soft drinks. In these analyses, participants were censored when they reached age 40. The multivariable models were adjusted for age, physical activity, other lifestyle factors, and intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and the other exposures of interest. During 14 years of follow-up, intake of burgers from restaurants was associated with increased weight gain and risk of obesity; compared with no consumption, women who ate burgers at restaurants at least once a week gained an additional 2.56 kg (95% CI: 1.60–3.52 kg) and were 30% more likely to become obese (IRR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.16–1.47). Restaurant consumption of fried chicken was associated with increased weight gain and obesity risk after adjustment for physical activity and other non-dietary covariates, but there was no significant association after adjustment for burger intake. Intake of other restaurant foods was not associated with weight gain or risk of obesity. Soft drink intake was not significantly associated with weight gain but was associated with increased risk of obesity (IRR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.10–1.40, for ≥2 drinks per day relative to Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):B3.
Research Progress on Application of Dental Stem Cells in Periodontal Regeneration

Periodontitis is a common oral disease,charcterized by causing loss of periodontal supportive tissues. Treatment for peridontitis is aimed to terminate the further loss of periodontal tissues and regenerate supportive tissues,how to regenerate periodontal supportive tissues effcctively has always been a hotspot in clinical research. The advance in stem cell research implies that dental stem cell therapy might be a new way of treatment for clinical periodontal regeneration.
The Value of the Urine Leukocyte Esterase Test in Diagnosing the Urethritis in Male

Objective To evaluate the use of urine leukocyte esterase test(LET) in diagnosing the infection caused by Neisseria Gonorrhoeae(NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis(CT) in male.Methods Urethral swabs for NG culture as well as First void urine(FVU) for ligase chain reaction(LCR) and LET were collected from 129 males in a STD clinic in Beijing.Results 10 subjects were positive with NG.7 cases were positive with CT.The syndromic approach had a sensitivity of 35.29% and a specificity of 97.32% for the presence of NG or CT as well as the LET had a sensitivity of 58.82% and a specificity of 95.54% in men.Conclusion Syndromic Approach is recommended to use to the men who have urine discharge in this area.The LET has a high specificity and is a useful tool to find out asymptomatic men with infection of NG/CT.
Abstract 18512: Left Ventricular Diameter Adds Prognostic Value to Ejection Fraction in Risk Stratification for Sudden Cardiac Death

Introduction: Current approaches to risk stratification for sudden cardiac death (SCD) rely almost exclusively on the left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF). LV size is routinely measured in the echocardiogram but has not been considered in risk assessment. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that consideration of LV diameter improves SCD risk assessment in those with low EF. Methods: From a large ongoing, population-based study of SCD in a metro region of the Northwestern US (population approximately 1 million), SCD cases age ≥ 18 years with echocardiograms available prior (but unrelated) to the SCD event were compared with population-based controls. Severe LV dysfunction (LVD) was defined as EF ≤ 35%. LV size, measured using the LV internal dimension in diastole (LVIDD), was categorized as normal, mild, moderate or severe dilatation using American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) recommended cut-offs. Case-control comparisons were performed using the t-test or chi-square test and multiple logistic regression. Results: Case subjects (n=418) were slightly older than controls (n=329) (69.5 ± 13.8 vs. 67.7 ± 11.9; p=0.06), were more likely to be African American (11.8% vs 4.2%; p < 0.001), and more commonly had severe LVD (30.5 % vs. 18.8%; p=0.001). The mean LV size (52.2 ± 10.5 mm vs. 49.7 ± 7.9 mm; p < 0.001 ) and LV size index adjusted for body surface area (BSA) (26.6 ± 5.3 mm/m2 vs. 25.4 ± 4.2 mm/m2; p = 0.001) were significantly higher in cases. Moderate or severe LV dilatation (16.3% vs. 8.2%; p = 0.001) and severe LV dilatation (8.1% vs. 2.1%; p < 0.001) were significantly more likely to be observed in cases. In multivariable logistic regression, severe LV dilatation was an independent predictor of SCD (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.03-5.9; p=0.04), adjusting for age, black race and low EF. Subjects with both low EF and severe LV dilatation had an OR for SCD of 3.8 (1.5-10.2) while for those with only low EF, the OR was 1.7 (1.2-2.5) suggesting that severe LV dilatation additively increased the risk of SCD. Conclusions: Increased LV diameter adds incremental prognostic value to LVEF in risk prediction for SCD in the community; this readily available echocardiographic measure warrants further evaluation.