cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cellulolytic Enzymes During Morphogenesis in Dictyostelium discoideum

Extracts from Dictyostelium discoideum at the sorocarp stage of development catalyzed the degradation of acid-swollen cellulose to d-glucose at an optimal pH of about 4.5; cellobiose and cellotriose were the major products from this degradation at pH 7.0. The optimal temperature at pH 7.0, when swollen cellulose was used as substrate, was about 45 to 48 C, and was somewhat lower at pH 4.2 to 4.5, i.e., about 40 C. To account for this degradation pattern, two types of enzymes have been characterized, cellulase(s) and β-glucosidase. With carboxymethyl cellulose as substrate, cellulase activity was not found in extracts prior to the sorocarp stage of development, but increased rapidly during aging of the sorocarp. Evidence is presented that at earlier stages of development the cellulase(s) is present in an inactive form. An inhibitor found in these extracts is heat-labile and probably of protein nature. The β-glucosidase is present at all stages of development and the specific activity changes about fourfold, the highest activity occurring during the culmination and sorocarp stages of development.
Thermal–hydrologic–mechanical–chemical processes in the evolution of engineered geothermal reservoirs

Abstract In a companion paper [Taron J, Elsworth D, Min K-B. Numerical simulation of thermal–hydrologic–mechanical–chemical processes in deformable, fractured porous media. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 2009; doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2009.01.008] we introduced a new methodology and numerical simulator for the modeling of thermal–hydrologic–mechanical–chemical processes in dual-porosity media. In this paper we utilize the model to examine some of the dominant behaviors and permeability-altering mechanisms that may operate in naturally fractured media. Permeability and porosity are modified as fracture apertures dilate or contract under the influence of pressure solution, thermo–hydro-mechanical compaction/dilation, and mineral precipitation/dissolution. We examine a prototypical enhanced geothermal system (EGS) for the relative, temporal arrival of hydro-mechanical vs. thermo-mechanical vs. chemical changes in fluid transmission as cold (70 °C) water is injected at geochemical disequilibrium within a heated reservoir (275 °C). For an injection-withdrawal doublet separated by ∼670 m, the results demonstrate the strong influence of mechanical effects in the short-term (several days), the influence of thermal effects in the intermediate term ( 1 year) influence of chemical effects, especially close to injection. In most of the reservoir, cooling enhances permeability and increases fluid circulation under pressure-drive. We observe thermo-mechanical driven permeability enhancement in front of the advancing thermal sweep, counteracted by the re-precipitation of minerals previously dissolved into the cool injection water. Near injection, calcite dissolution is capable of increasing permeability by nearly an order of magnitude, while precipitation of amorphous silica onsets more slowly and can completely counteract this increase over the very long-term (>10 years). For the reinjection of highly-silica-saturated water, amorphous silica is capable of drastic reduction in permeability close to the injection well. With combined action from all mechanisms, permeability change varies by two orders of magnitude between injection and withdrawal.
Indirect adaptive internal neuro-control for a static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) connected to a power system

A novel indirect adaptive internal neuro-controller (IAINC) using two radial basis function neural networks (RBFNN) and actual signals is presented in this paper for controlling a static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) with energy storage devices, which is connected to a small power system. The one RBF network is the neuro-identiiler to identify the dynamics of the plant model at all times, and the other RBF network is the neuro-controller to drive the plant outputs to the desired values. The proposed IAINC needs no mathematical model of the SSSC or the power network. Simulation results show that the IAINC offers improved transient performances over the conventional PI controllers used by the SSSC over a wide range of system operating conditions.
Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy With Values

As a scientist with epidemiologic training, it has long been clear to me that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks, both on the individual and on the societal level. Both of my children are fully immunized on the standard schedule. Many of my friends’ children are not. When my 8-year-old was a toddler, I once noted that he was the only child in a playgroup who had received all of his vaccines on time. I felt connected in this group for other reasons; for example, I got helpful advice from other mothers about gently weaning a child at an age when most children have already stopped breastfeeding. Vaccines can be a difficult topic in such circles. When asked, I recommend that my friends and family talk to their child’s doctor or other health care provider about their questions. However, as a parent and a scientist in the field of medical decision-making, I offer my perspective on what I understand about the risks and benefits of different vaccines, the limits of my understanding, and why my husband and I had our children vaccinated without hesitation. Specifically, I talk about my family’s values and how those values have helped determine our decisions to immunize our children. I compare the best estimates of the small risks of vaccines against estimated risks of exposure to a vaccine-preventable disease in an increasingly global world, and the likelihood of complications should such a disease strike an unvaccinated child. I explain how I am willing to accept the very small risks of vaccines because I could never live with myself if my children … Address correspondence to Holly O. Witteman, PhD, Pavillon Ferdinand-Vandry, Local 2881-F, Universite Laval, Quebec City (QC), Canada G1V 0A6. E-mail: holly.witteman{at}fmed.ulaval.ca
The Mediating Effects of Attachment to Social Structure and Psychosocial Resources on the Relationship Between Marital Quality and Psychological Distress

All marital relationships are not alike. The quality of the marital relationship may be an important determinant of health outcomes. The authors suggest that low marital quality is stressful for married people and that resources (i.e., self-esteem, mastery, and social support) may mediate the effects of relationship quality on distress. Using data from the “Americans’ Changing Lives (ACL): Wave 1” data set, they examine a series of path models to determine the mediating effects of these resources on distress. Marital harmony is more strongly associated with psychological distress than other relationship characteristics. Self-esteem and mastery account for much of the mediating effects, with and without the inclusion of support resources. No gender differences in relationship quality, resources, or social support were found at the multivariate level. The results reflect the importance of self-esteem and mastery for health and well-being over and above the effects of relationship quality and social support.
Weight Loss and Wasting Remain Common Complications in Individuals Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

It has been postulated that the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) would reduce the occurrence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated weight loss and wasting. To test this assumption, we evaluated, by means of longitudinal analysis, a prospective cohort of 469 HIV-infected individuals enrolled in a study of the impact of HIV on nutrition. Overall, 156 individuals in the cohort (33.5%) met at least 1 of these definitions of wasting. Furthermore, 58% of the cohort (289 patients) lost >1.5 kg of weight in a 6-month period between any 2 study visits. More than 50% of the cohort was receiving HAART at the time that they met 1 of the definitions of wasting; with regard to the occurrence of wasting; no differences were related to therapy.
When using the tool interferes with doing the task

How much time the user spends working on a task versus fiddling with the tool is an important aspect of usability. The concept of the ratio and distribution of tool-only operations to total operations is proposed to capture this aspect.
Microwave photonics R&D in BRAZIL (invited paper)

Significant research and development in the areas of microwave photonics in Brazil are presented in this paper. These include direct microwave modulation of semiconductor laser diodes, optical control of MESFETs and HEMT's as well as high speed fiber optic components. Future directions for research in this area are discussed. © 1993 John Wiley & sons, Inc.
Defining answer classes using resolution refutation

Resolution theorem proving provides a useful paradigm for the exploration of question answering. A partition of the clauses generated during resolution refutation based on their syntactic structure is presented. The three classes comprising this partition correspond to semantically intuitive types of answers. This work encompasses and expands upon previous work on question answering in a theorem proving paradigm, which began with the association of answers with proofs. A complete, formal definition of what is meant by answer in the context of resolution theorem proving is presented. In this context, clauses that are relevant are all identified as answers, where relevance is determined with respect to a question and knowledge base: any clause descended from the clause form of a negated question is deemed relevant. This definition of relevance is not in and of itself novel; rather, it is the way in which the set of relevant clauses is partitioned that provides the key to interpreting clauses as answers. The three answer classes identified are: specific, generic ,a ndhypothetical. These classes are formally distinguished by the way in which literals in a clause share variables, with class membership based on a property termed the closure of variable sharing of a literal. The results presented provide a foundation for further work by establishing a context-independent logical pragmatics of question answering. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
High voltage studies of dielectric materials for HTS power equipment

The discovery of high temperature superconductors (HTS) has triggered renewed interest in the study of dielectric materials at cryogenic temperatures. While considerable work was done in the 1970s and 1980s on dielectrics immersed in liquid helium for low temperature superconducting applications, there remains a need for dielectric research at liquid nitrogen temperature for HTS applications, requiring experimental data oriented toward practical situations. We report on AC breakdown (puncture and/or flashover), and impulse breakdown of solid materials in either vacuum or in liquid nitrogen. Solid materials which we examined, include fiberglass reinforced plastics, epoxies with and without filler, and polymeric tape. Combinations of some of these materials have also been studied at low temperatures. Additionally we have measured permittivity and dissipation factor for materials for which these parameters are not available at 77 K. Finally, we also discuss specific applications for HTS cables including breakdown and aging studies on model cables, with lapped tape electrical insulation, immersed in liquid nitrogen.
β 2 -microglobulin forms three-dimensional domain-swapped amyloid fibrils with disulfide linkages

β2-microglobulin can form different forms of amyloid fibrils within joints of dialysis patients. Now the crystal structures of a β2m domain swapped dimer and of the steric zipper formed by a short peptide indicate how these fibrils might form.
High-surface-area zeolitic silica with mesoporosity

In this study, we report a new, simple approach to the preparation of high-surface-area zeolitic silica (HZS) with well-defined mesoporosity by combining hydrothermal synthesis and sol–gel processing. N2 adsorption–desorption measurements show that HZS has a BET surface area of 678–723 m2 g−1 and well-defined bimodal pores at 5.5 and 26.0–34.5 A. XRD, TEM and FT-IR show that HZS has a typical zeolite MFI structure. HZS is thermally stable and has tunable pore size and pore volume, and thus is promising for applications in catalysis, separation, and microelectronics. The described approach also appears general and may be readily extended to zeolitic aluminosilicates by using suspensions of other zeolite nanoparticles.
Refactoring HUBzero for linked data

The HUBzero cyberinfrastructure provides a virtual research environment that includes a set of tools for web-based, scientific collaboration and a platform for publishing and using resources such as executable software, source code, images, learning modules, videos, documents, and datasets. Released as open source in 2010, HUBzero has been implemented on a typical LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) and utilizes the Joomla! content management system. This paper describes the subsequent refactoring of HUBzero to produce and expose Linked Data from its backend, relational database, altering the external expression of the data without changing its internal structure. The Open Archives Initiative Object Reuse and Exchange (OAI-ORE) specification is applied to model the basic structural semantics of HUBzero resources as Nested Aggregations, and data and metadata are mapped to vocabularies such as Dublin Core and published within the web representations of the resources using RDFa. Resource Maps can be harvested using an RDF crawler or an OAI-PMH data provider that were bundled for demonstration purposes. A visualization was produced to browse and navigate the relations among data and metadata from an example hub.
Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments of tallysomycin s10b by modern two-dimensional NMR techniques

The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of tallysomycin s10b (TLM), a third-generation analog of bleomycin, were completely assigned through the use of two-dimensional NMR experiments (NOESY, HOHAHA, HMQC, HMBC) in D2O at pH 2.5 and 6.8 (uncorrected values). Significant differences in the resonances for the β-aminoalanine, β-hydroxyhistidine and pyrimidinylpropionamide residues were observed owing to the protonation/deprotonation of these moieties. The assignments for TLM at pH 6.8 were compared with the latest 2D NMR-based assignments of bleomycin A2 (BLM A2) at pH 6.7. In general the agreement was excellent, in view of the size and complexity of these anticancer antibiotics. Of the several differences found, most can be attributed to the different substitution patterns in the variable regions of the larger TLM and the BLM A2. Both drugs have similar structures in the region of protonation. For this invariant region of the molecules, comparison of the TLM 13C data at pH 2.5 with the 1D BLM A213C data at low pH revealed that protonation induced similar changes in chemical shift for the corresponding signals in the two drugs. It is particularly noteworthy that the glucose and mannose 13C signals shift in a very similar manner for both drugs. Since the protonation shifts of the signals of these two sugars are much too large to be attributed to inductive effects, it is highly likely that both drugs, despite the structural differences in the variable region, undergo the same conformationl changes of the gulose and mannose moieties. These chemical shift similarities at both low and high pH confirm the validity of the assignments made independently on these two large drug molecules. The few differences between the two most recent 13C assignments of BLM A2, which are based on modern 2D NMR methods, can be resolved using the TLM assignments.
Emergency Management During Disasters for Small Animal Practitioners

This article provides a broad overview of emergency management during disasters, including its organizational structure and the emergency management cycle. It delineates activities that small animal clinicians might engage in with regards to disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. It also introduces such concepts as the incident command system and the national incident management system. Last, this article provides some suggestions for how small animal veterinarians might seek further training and education in this increasingly important field.
The prediction and interpretation of bond lengths in crystals

The concept of bond valence and its correlation with bond length are reviewed. It is shown how to augment bond valence sums at an atom with other constraints so that bond lengths can be predicted for a given topology. These constraints can be read directly from the connectivity matrix for the structure. The physical reasons for the constraints are analysed, and this analysis leads in turn to a reformulation of Pauling's electrostatic valence sum rule. The apparent valences of atoms, calculated as a sum of bond valences derived from bond lengths, are often significantly different from the actual valences. It is demonstrated that such observations are often diagnostic of non-bonded repulsions. Limitations and possible extensions of the method are outlined.
The Linear Approximation and Bifurcation

This chapter is devoted to the most elementary parts of the analytic theory of bifurcation of the zeros of a function. In particular, suppose \( \wedge \subseteq \mathbb{R} \), X is a Banach space, M:Λ × X → X and $$ M(\lambda ,x) = Bx - \lambda x + N(x) $$ where B is a bounded linear operator on X and N(0) = 0, D x N(0) = 0. If λ0 is a simple eigenvalue of B, then it is shown that the point (λ0, 0) is always a bifurcation point regardless of the nonlinear function N. This is generalized to the case where λ is an eigenvalue of B of odd multiplicity. These results on bifurcation have the special character of implying that the existence of the bifurcation is determined only by the linear approximation of the func­tion M. Of course, the specific nature of the bifurcation will depend on the nonlinear terms.
Prediabetes Phenotype Influences Improvements in Glucose Homeostasis with Resistance Training.

Purpose To determine if prediabetes phenotype influences improvements in glucose homeostasis with resistance training (RT). Methods Older, overweight individuals with prediabetes (n = 159; aged 60±5 yrs; BMI 33±4 kg/m2) completed a supervised RT program twice per week for 12 weeks. Body weight and composition, strength, fasting plasma glucose, 2-hr oral glucose tolerance, and Matsuda-Defronza estimated insulin sensitivity index (ISI) were assessed before and after the intervention. Participants were categorized according to their baseline prediabetes phenotype as impaired fasting glucose only (IFG) (n = 73), impaired glucose tolerance only (IGT) (n = 21), or combined IFG and IGT (IFG/IGT) (n = 65). Results Chest press and leg press strength increased 27% and 18%, respectively, following the 12-week RT program (both p 0.05) following the intervention. However, 2-hr oral glucose tolerance improved in those with IGT (pre 8.94±0.72 mmol/l, post 7.83±1.11 mmol/l, p<0.05) and IFG/IGT (pre 9.66±1.11mmol/l, post 8.60±2.00 mmol/l) but not in those with IFG (pre 6.27±1.28mmol/l, post 6.33± 1.55 mmol/l). There were no significant changes in ISI or glucose area under the curve following the RT program. Conclusions RT without dietary intervention improves 2-hr oral glucose tolerance in individuals with prediabetes. However, the improvements in glucose homeostasis with RT appear limited to those with IGT or combined IFG and IGT. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01112709
Introduced Flathead Catfish Consumptive Demand on Native Fishes of the Upper Gila River, New Mexico

AbstractPredation by nonnative fish is often cited as a leading cause of declining native fish populations, but quantifying these negative interactions is difficult. Bioenergetics modeling provides a tool to estimate consumptive demand of nonnative species and to identify those that pose the greatest threats to native biota. We used bioenergetics modeling to estimate the consumptive demand of Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris on native fishes in the upper Gila River, New Mexico, across an elevational gradient. Model results were coupled with measured densities and size structure of Flathead Catfish populations, as well as water temperatures, to predict its predatory threat. Potential consumption was highest at lower elevation sites because of higher water temperatures, but actual consumption was highest at mid-elevation sites because of the prevalence of larger individuals there. Potential annual consumptive demand of Flathead Catfish on native fish across our nine sampling sites ranged from 0.0 to 3.1...
Why Does the Intestine Lack Basolateral Efflux Transporters for Cationic Compounds? A Provocative Hypothesis

Transport proteins in intestinal epithelial cells facilitate absorption of nutrients/compounds that are organic anions, cations, and zwitterions. For two decades, we have studied intestinal absorption and transport of hydrophilic ionic compounds, with specific focus on transport properties of organic cations and their interactions with intestinal transporters and tight junction proteins. Our data reveal how complex interactions between a compound and transporters in intestinal apical/basolateral (BL) membranes and tight junction proteins define oral absorption, and that the BL membrane lacks an efflux transporter that can transport positively charged compounds. Based on our investigations of transport mechanisms of zwitterionic, anionic, and cationic compounds, we postulate that physicochemical properties of these ionic species, in relation to the intestinal micro pH environment, have exerted evolutionary pressure for development of transporters that can handle apical uptake/efflux of all 3 ionic species and BL efflux of anions and zwitterions, but such evolutionary pressure is lacking for development of a BL efflux transporter for cationic compounds. This review provides an overview of intestinal uptake/efflux transporters and describes our studies on intestinal transport of cationic, anionic, and zwitterionic drugs that led to hypothesize that there are no cation-selective BL efflux transporters in the intestine.
Differential gene expression in dentate granule cells in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with and without hippocampal sclerosis.

Summary Objective Hippocampal sclerosis is the most common neuropathologic finding in cases of medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of dentate granule cells of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with and without hippocampal sclerosis to show that next-generation sequencing methods can produce interpretable genomic data from RNA collected from small homogenous cell populations, and to shed light on the transcriptional changes associated with hippocampal sclerosis. Methods RNA was extracted, and complementary DNA (cDNA) was prepared and amplified from dentate granule cells that had been harvested by laser capture microdissection from surgically resected hippocampi from patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with and without hippocampal sclerosis. Sequencing libraries were sequenced, and the resulting sequencing reads were aligned to the reference genome. Differential expression analysis was used to ascertain expression differences between patients with and without hippocampal sclerosis. Results Greater than 90% of the RNA-Seq reads aligned to the reference. There was high concordance between transcriptional profiles obtained for duplicate samples. Principal component analysis revealed that the presence or absence of hippocampal sclerosis was the main determinant of the variance within the data. Among the genes up-regulated in the hippocampal sclerosis samples, there was significant enrichment for genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Significance By analyzing the gene expression profiles of dentate granule cells from surgically resected hippocampal specimens from patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with and without hippocampal sclerosis, we have demonstrated the utility of next-generation sequencing methods for producing biologically relevant results from small populations of homogeneous cells, and have provided insight on the transcriptional changes associated with this pathology.
Design for an in-space 3D printer

This paper presents a space mission enablement and cost reduction technology: in-space 3D printing. Using in-space 3D printing, spacecraft can be lighter, require less launch volume and be designed solely for orbital operations. The proposed technology, which supports various thermoplastics and prospectively metals, is presented in detail. Key subsystems such as the energy collection system, the melting unit, and the printing unit are explained.
Dual-mode bioenabled nano-plasmonic sensors for biological and chemical detection

Plasmonic biosensors have greatly overcome the limitations of conventional optical sensors in terms of sensitivity, tunability, photo-stability, and in vivo applicability. In this paper, we present plasmonic biosensors using bioenabled nanomaterials diatom biosilica, with active surface functionalities as affordable and eco-friendly integration platforms of Ag nanoparticles for label-free detection of biomolecules. Dual-mode plasmon sensing mechanisms, including surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and refractive-index (RI) sensing will be simultaneously implemented on the plasmonic-biosilica nanostructures to obtain quantitative biosensing with structural resolution of the biomolecules. We have achieved ultra-sensitive detection of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) at concentrations as low as 10−10 M. Furthermore, this substrate was used to detect TNT, illustrating the potential application as viable substrates for monitoring pollutant and toxics in environment.
Transient response of muscle and nonbrain tissue to adjustments in O2 and CO2 balance

The development of a valid description of respiratory system dynamics constitutes an essential first step in studies dealing with the closed-loop feedback character of the regulation of ventilation. In this paper, the essential framework of such a description is discussed. Body tissues are divided into muscle, brain, and all other tissues. Each of these subsystems is further divided into a blood pool, an interstitial space, and an intracellular fluid compartment. Considerable attention is paid to the description of the reaction and transport processes within blood and tissue fluids. The general equations developed for these are presented and then applied specifically to the muscle and tissue subsystems. The poor capacity of muscle tissue to store CO2 during the initial phase of a disturbance in CO2 balance is examined using two types of model systems. The first assumes muscle to be homogeneous with respect to perfusion and metabolism, and seeks to explain the behavior of muscle tissue regarding CO2 storage on the basis of limitations to CO2 diffusion across the cellular membrane and the capillary wall. The second group of model systems considers muscle tissue to be inhomogeneous with respect to metabolism and/or perfusion. For these, muscle is represented as two parallel compartments which differ in their volumes, metabolic rates, and in the level of perfusion. The computed results from both groups of model systems are compared with experimental data on the time variations in muscle venous blood PO2, PCO2, and pH for different physiological experiments involving disturbances in O2 and CO2 balances. In general, such studies provide a basis for appraising the role and relative importance of different transport and reaction processes in internal respiration as well as the adequacy and sensitivity of different types and levels of analytical description.
Water stability of microporous coordination polymers and the adsorption of pharmaceuticals from water.

The stability of a variety of microporous coordination polymers (MCPs) to water-containing solutions was studied using powder X-ray diffraction. It was determined that the stability of the MCP is related to the metal cluster present in the structure with trinuclear chromium clusters more stable than copper paddlewheel clusters which are more stable than basic zinc acetate clusters. Zn(2-methylimidizolate)(2) was found to be more water stable than zinc MCPs with carboxylate linkers; however, extended exposure to water led to decomposition of all zinc-based MCPs. Materiaux de l'Institut Lavoisier (MIL)-100 was also found to be completely water stable and was used to adsorb the pharmaceuticals furosemide and sulfasalazine from water with large uptakes achievable at low concentrations, indicating that the adsorption of wastewater contaminants may be a feasible application for these materials.
Abstract IA08: The microenvironment in CLL: Cellular and molecular players and emerging therapeutic targets.

The tissue microenvironment plays an important role of in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), delivering signals that promote the clonal expansion of the malignant B cells, as well as drug resistance. The complex cross talk between neoplastic B cells and the microenvironment, for example in secondary lymphoid organs, has been increasingly well characterized, and several cellular and molecular key players have emerged. Important cells in the CLL microenvironment are monocyte-derived nurselike cells (NLC), mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), and T cells, which engage in a dialogue with the neoplastic CLL cells, often via specific receptor-ligand pairs. Engagement of CLL surface receptors by ligands in the tissue microenvironment, for example activation of B cell receptor (BCR) signaling, triggering of TNF family members (i.e. BAFF, APRIL), and activation of chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules result in the activation of signaling cascades that support the maintenance and expansion of the CLL clone. BCR signaling plays a particularly important pathogenic role in CLL, based on structural restrictions of the BCR, and signs of BCR-dependent survival and growth of the malignant B cells. Ligand-independent (“autonomous”) and ligand-dependent BCR signaling have been characterized, the latter triggered by (auto-) antigens present in the tissue microenvironment. Based on high response rates and durable remissions in early-stage clinical trials, there is rapid clinical development of inhibitors targeting BCR-associated kinases (BTK, PI3Kδ), which currently are changing treatment paradigms in CLL. Clinical and translational aspects of these new targeted therapeutics will be discussed, along with an outlook into future therapeutic strategies. Citation Format: Jan A. Burger. The microenvironment in CLL: Cellular and molecular players and emerging therapeutic targets. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Hematologic Malignancies: Translating Discoveries to Novel Therapies; Sep 20-23, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2015;21(17 Suppl):Abstract nr IA08.
Unsorting Ourselves. A Critical Role for LIS Education: A Short Communication

The way that information users select information and news sources is impacted upon by the way that information providers package their material. This packaging has the potential to reinforce already-held beliefs and diminish social diversity. A group of scholars convened at iConference 2016 in a session for interactive engagement to discuss how the iSchools could contribute to solving America’s information silo problem.
An ASIC for Energy-Scalable, Low-Power Digital Ultrasound Beamforming

In ultrasound imaging systems, a large number of waveforms are acquired in parallel from a transducer array. To facilitate the move to portable ultrasound systems with real-time displays, we implemented a low-power digital beamformer ASIC in 65 nm bulk CMOS technology. We describe three operating modes that provide a run-time tradeoff between image quality and system power consumption. A sliding window approach eliminates the need for an on-chip SRAM, which reduces area and power. The chip generates four output pixels per clock cycle from eight channel of input data, allowing 30 frames per second at 1.92 MHz. The prototype test chip is operational down to a core supply voltage of 0.49 V, with a measured power of 185 uW in real-time operation at 0.52 V.
Doxorubicin drug eluting beads transcatheter chemoembolization (DEB TACE) in patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): Overall survival and a multivariate analysis (MVA) of prognostic factors.

e15033 Background: To investigate the prognostic factors (PFs) associated with survival after DEB TACE in patients (pts) with at least > 5cm sized index HCC (iHCC). Methods: Consecutive pts with at...
Achondroplasia — A Clinician’s Viewpoint

Achondroplasia is the anomaly of human growth that has captured man’s imagination most since ancient times. The achondroplastic dwarf is to be found in Egyptian mythology in the form of the gods Ptah or Bees, among the Roman gladiators and in the royal courts of Europe and China.
Low power HD video fast motion estimation algorithm based on signatures

Video motion estimation consumes the major part of time and power in any video compression standard. Today most video capturing devices record HD video and are battery operated, which creates the need for low power Fast Motion Estimation algorithms This paper presents such an algorithm, which targets Full Search quality at HD resolution. It is built upon existing Fast Motion Estimation algorithms for lower resolution and introduces the concept of signature based motion estimation. The proposed algorithm hashes the Low Pass filtered video information to quantify Similarity. The proposed algorithm succeeds in closing about half of the quality gap between some of the most efficient Fast Motion Estimation algorithms and Full Search.
Sigmoid colon mucosal gene expression supports alterations of neuronal signaling in irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.

Peripheral factors play a role in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which, to date, has been mostly evident in IBS with diarrhea. Here, we show that sigmoid colon mucosal gene ...
Comparison of Prostaglandin H Synthase-1 and -2 Structural Stabilities

Two isoforms of prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS) are known, with PGHS-1 believed to be a housekeeping enzyme and PGHS-2 assigned roles in cell proliferation and inflammation1. Both isoforms have two catalytic activities: oxygenation of arachidonate to form PGG2 (cyclooxygenase), and reduction of PGG2 to form PGH2 (peroxidase). The overall amino acid identity between the human PGHS isoforms is about 60%, with much higher conservation in residues required for catalysis2. Crystallographic results have shown PGHS-1 and PGHS-2 to have very similar folding patterns3,4,5.
Hands-On Activities That Relate Mendelian Genetics To Cell-Division

What biology teacher hasn't engaged his or her students in the re-enactment of cell division with chromosomes contructed of materials ranging from pipe cleaners to peanuts? Students diligently work through the phases, putting to memory the sequence of events of each stage. Hopefully, they emerge from the activity with insight into differences and similarities between mitosis and meiosis. However, the greater significance of meiosis as the mechanism underlying Mendel's laws of segregation and independent assortment is rarely taught (Moll & Allen 1987). Teachers may make reference back to meiosis with the discussion of linked genes, but without a review of the process, it is likely to be a faded recollection. Our objective was to design handson activities that would connect Mendelian laws with the physical process of cell division. The "Meiosis/Mitosis Game" concentrates on separation of genetic material during cell division and sexual fusion. This is followed by the "Genetics Game," where Mendelian genetics is tied to the process of meiosis. Our instruments are inexpensive paper chromosomes that carry commonly taught genes (see Figures 1 to 3) on their surface. Though designed for college biology courses, they have been used without alteration by high school teachers.
Testosterone and sex: the role of hormones in sexual dimorphism

Males and females have generally similar phenotypic responses to sex hormones. In both sexes, the effects of testosterone (T) appear to masculinize behavior and physiology. However, it is unclear i...
Lack of a Significant Pharmacokinetic Interaction between Letermovir and Calcineurin Inhibitors in Allogeneic HCT Recipients

Background Letermovir (LET) is approved for the prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) patients. LET is a weak-moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor, which may impact calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) levels. In the phase 1 trial, LET caused an increase in maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of CSA and tacrolimus by 37% and 70%, respectively. There are no data to correlate how the Cmax increase in the presence of LET may affect CNI trough levels. Methods A retrospective review was conducted to evaluate the effect of LET on CNI trough levels and determine if empiric dose adjustments are needed. Patients ≥ 18 years were included if they received an allo-HCT with a CNI from February to June 2018 and received LET 480 mg daily or 240mg daily for tacrolimus- or CSA-based GVHD prophylaxis, respectively. The primary endpoint was percent change in concentration to dose (C/D) ratio over the 7-day period after initiation of LET. The C/D ratio allows for an analysis of the effect on trough levels at any given dose, which we would expect to rise upon initiation of LET due to CYP inhibition. LET reaches steady state in 36-60 hours; therefore, C/D percent changes were evaluated both from baseline to 4 days post-LET and from day 4 to day 7. Results Thirty-four patients (median age 53, range 24-75) were included in the analysis, with 24 (70.6%) patients receiving a tacrolimus-based graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis and 10 (29.4%) patients receiving CSA-based GVHD prophylaxis. There were 8 (24%) umbilical cord blood transplants, 10 (29%) haploidentical HCTs, and 16 (47%) conventional HCTs, with 14 patients (41%) receiving myeloablative conditioning. LET was initiated on a median of day 7 (range 6-30) post-HCT, and 23 patients (68%) received the drug orally. In the 10 patients who received CSA, there was an average of 3.8 (range 1-6) dose changes over 7 days. From baseline to 4 days post-LET, the mean percent change in C/D ratio was +15.9%, with a subsequent -10.0% change in C/D ratio from day 4 to day 7. In the 24 patients who received tacrolimus, there was an average of 2.2 (range 0-5) dose changes over 7 days. From baseline to 4 days post-LET, the mean percent change in C/D ratio was +20.4%, with a subsequent -18.9% change in C/D ratio from day 4 to day 7. Days 0 to 7 trough levels for all patients are displayed in Figures 1 and 2. Conclusion An empiric dose reduction in CNIs upon initiation of LET does not appear to be warranted based on this pilot study. An increase in trough levels is seen within 4 days after initiation of LET; however, the increase seems marginal and is compensated for by adjusting doses based on levels, which is the standard of care. Larger studies are needed to assess additional factors that may affect this drug-drug interaction.
The Return of Looted Objects to Their Countries of Origin: The Case for Change

The journalistic investigation into the activities of a major London auction house in the 1990s led directly to the seizure of an important cache of documentation and images at the Geneva Freeport. As a result over 350 items have been returned to Italy from dealers, galleries and auction houses, North American public museums and private collectors. The 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property has provided a benchmark for claims on the return of cultural property. There is a need to enhance the due diligence process undertaken by the market. Although some North American museums have changed their acquisition policies, some curatorial staff display open hostility towards enhanced ethical responsibilities and an unwillingness to comply with further investigations.
Digital Food and Beverage Marketing Environments in a National Sample of Middle Schools: Implications for Policy and Practice.

Background One promising approach to influence nutrition behavior is to limit food and beverage marketing to children. Children are a lucrative market and schools may be an effective setting in which to intervene. Studies have shown that marketing in schools is prevalent but little is known about digital marketing (DM) to students in the school setting. Methods We used an online survey to assess DM environments in a national sample of middle schools. Results Our findings demonstrate that students are exposed to marketing through school devices. Gaps in school district, school and classroom policy and practice lead to student exposure to food and beverage marketing. Conclusions Our data point to actionable policy and practice change at the school district, individual school, and classroom levels that could help limit unwanted and harmful food and beverage marketing to youth.
Quantum interpolation of polynomilas

Can a quantum computer efficiently interpolate polynomials? We consider black-boxalgorithms that seek to learn information about a polynomial f from input/output pairs(xi, f(xi)). We define a more general class of (d, S)-independent function properties,where, outside of a set S of exceptions, knowing d input values does not help one predictthe answer. There are essentially two strategies to computing such a function: queryd + 1 random input values, or search for one of the |S| exceptions. We show that, up toconstant factors, we cannot beat these two approaches.
A single-centre cohort and short-term follow-up of patients who developed persistent new onset left bundle branch block after transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background: The most common conduction abnormality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is new-onset left bundle branch block (LBBB) with an exact frequency that varies based on the ...
UMass Amherst and UT Austin @ The TREC 2009 relevance feedback track

Abstract : We present a new supervised method for estimating term-based retrieval models and apply it to weight expansion terms from relevance feedback. While previous work on supervised feedback [Cao et al., 2008] demonstrated significantly improved retrieval accuracy over standard unsupervised approaches [Lavrenko and Croft, 2001, Zhai and Laerty, 2001], feedback terms were assumed to be independent in order to reduce training time. In contrast, we adapt the AdaRank learning algorithm [Xu and Li, 2007] to simultaneously estimate parameterization of all feedback terms. While not evaluated here, the method can be more generally applied for joint estimation of both query and feedback terms. To apply our method to a large web collection, we also investigate use of sampling to reduce feature extraction time while maintaining robust learning.
Translation Without Medicalization: Ethnographic Notes on the Planning and Development of a Health Humanities Program in California

The increase in health humanities programs in medical schools has created new meanings and opportunities for anthropologists in medical education. More than transmitting anthropological theories and methods to medical students, ethnographic understanding of how efforts to transform medical education itself are necessary for sustainable contributions to the human experience of illness. In this chapter we discuss our ethnographic research on interdisciplinary efforts to build a health humanities program in a newly established school of medicine. We discuss the process of bringing together multiple paradigms and pedagogies of the humanities (arts and social sciences) with those of medical education. Our chapter is organized as both ethnography and reflection on the role of anthropologists, specifically the authors’ experiences and observations. Notably the institutional aspects of development across multiple administrative levels, academic calendars, faculty permissions and institutional justifications for humanities content in medical curriculum frame much of what was observed and was possible in program development. We reflect on the strengths and challenges of the building process and from an anthropological perspective. Through our work we found co-constructing content that forwards humanistic knowledge in medical education requires continuous dialogical engagement and attentiveness to systems and practices that foreclose alternative paradigms in medical education.
Determination of Dose of Lasix in Adult Hydronephrosis and Patients with Chronic Renal Disease

246 Introduction: Hydronephrosis is a dilation of renal pelvises, calyces or ureters which if untreated would cause severe parenchymal damage leading to loss of function in the affected kidney. The dose of Furosemide and degree of hydration of patients are still debatable. This prospective study evaluated 91 consecutive patients with various renal functions who were known with hydronephrosis or were accidentally found on CT scan or ultra sound. Patients and methods: Ninety-one patients (65 F, 26 M), age (mean 57.2 yrs, range 18-83) underwent renal scintigraphy. All patients prior basal metabolic panel such as eGFR, BUN and Creatinine were reviewed. Patients received 16 Oz of water and voided prior to intravenous injection of approximately 15 mCi Tc99m-DTPA. Following review of the patients’ renal scans, patients were hydrated with another 16 Oz of water and post void received intravenous injection of Lasix. 58 patients received 40 mg, 15 received 60 mg ,16 had 80 mg and 2 received 120 mg. Among these patients, 35 had normal renal function, 1 with stage 1 CKD, 31 stage 2, 19 stage 3, 2 stage 4 and 2 stage 5 chronic kidney disease. The results of renal scans were divided into definitive and intermediate Lasix studies. The patients were followed either medically or surgically for 6 months. Patients were divided into two groups based on dose of Lasix (40 mg and >40 mg). Pearson Chi-squared test was used to compare indeterminate rates between these two groups. Results: 58 patients received 40 mg of Lasix. GFR mean (SD) was 99.6 (37.7) ml/min with range 37-224 ml/min. There were 44 definitive and 14 indeterminate results, 14/58(24%). 33 patients received higher doses of Lasix based on degree of hydronephrosis or eGFR determination. GFR mean was 63.3 (31.7) ml/min with range 11-140 ml/ min and Lasix dose ranged 60-120 mg. There were 24 definitive and 9 indeterminate results, 9/33 (27%). Seven patients with indeterminate scan had received inadequate dose of Lasix. There was no significant difference between two groups with determination of various Lasix dose administration (P= 0.74). Conclusion: Distinguishing obstructed versus non obstructed kidney disease for definitive therapy in patients with chronic renal disease is challenging. Careful evaluation of the patient prior to study and Lasix dose determination will end with better result. In our study there was no significant difference between the two groups. Larger sample size and more careful determination of dose escalation of Lasix with closer follow up can result in better differentiation prior to surgical versus medical management. Patients with severe hydronephrosis or caliectasis regardless of renal function need to receive a higher dose of Lasix.