cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is vesicular exocytosis and membrane recycling a mechanism for secretin-induced choleresis in bile duct epithelium?

Intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells, or cholangiocytes, contribute to bile secretion in response to hormones, including secretin. However, the mechanism by which secretin stimulates ductular bile flow is unknown. Since recent data in nonhepatic epithelia have suggested a role for exocytosis in fluid secretion, we tested the hypothesis that secretin stimulates exocytosis by isolated cholangiocytes. Cholangiocytes were isolated, from normal rat liver by a newly described method employing enzymatic digestion and mechanical disruption followed by immunomagnetic separation using specific monoclonal antibodies, and exocytosis was measured using a fluorescence unquenching assay employing acridine orange. Secretin caused a dose-dependent (10−12 - 10−7M) increase in acridine orange fluorescence by acridine orangeloaded cholangiocytes with a peak response at 10 min; the half-maximal concentration of secretin was 7 × 10−9M. The secretin effect was inhibited by preincubation of cholangiocytes with colchicine (30% inhibition, p<0.05) or trypsin (90% inhibition, p<0.001); no inhibition was seen with lumicolchicine and heatinactivated trypsin. Cholecystokinin, insulin, and somatostatin had no effect on fluorescence of acridine orange-loaded cholangiocytes; secretin had no effect on fluorescence of acridine orange-loaded hepatocytes or hepatic endothelial cells. Exposure of isolated cholangiocytes to secretin at doses that stimulated exocytosis caused a dose-dependent increase in cyclic AMP levels (218% maximal increase, p<0.05); moreover, an analogue of cyclic AMP stimulated exocytosis by cholangiocytes. Secretin had no effect on intracellular calcium concentration using Fura-2-loaded cholangiocytes assessed by digitized video microscopy. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, that secretin stimulates exocytosis by rat cholangiocytes. The effect is cell- and hormone-specific, dependent on intact microtubules, on a protein(s) on the external surface of cholangiocytes, and on changes in cellular levels of cyclic AMP. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that secretin-induced changes in bile flow may involve an exocytic process.
Getting in Touch with the Clathrin Terminal Domain

The N-terminal domain (TD) of the clathrin heavy chain is folded into a seven-bladed β-propeller that projects inward from the polyhedral outer clathrin coat. As the most membrane-proximal portion of assembled clathrin, the TD is a major protein–protein interaction node. Contact with the TD β-propeller occurs through short peptide sequences typically located within intrinsically disordered segments of coat components that usually are elements of the membrane-apposed, inner ‘adaptor’ coat layer. A huge variation in TD binding motifs is known and now four spatially discrete interaction surfaces upon the β-propeller have been delineated. An important operational feature of the TD interaction sites in vivo is functional redundancy. The recent discovery that ‘pitstop’ chemical inhibitors apparently occupy only one of the four TD interactions surfaces, but potently block clathrin-mediated endocytosis, warrants careful consideration of the underlying molecular basis for this inhibition.
Current and Preferred Clinical Supervision Experiences of Home-Based Treatment Providers

Home-based service providers often work in high pressure and independent practice. The supervision needs and practices of this group need to be investigated to better understand the unique circumst...
Smartphone text input method performance, usability, and preference with younger and older adults

OBJECTIVE: User performance, perceived usability, and preference for five smartphone text input methods were compared with younger and older novice adults. BACKGROUND: Smartphones are used for a variety of functions other than phone calls, including text messaging, e-mail, and web browsing. Research comparing performance with methods of text input on smartphones reveals a high degree of variability in reported measures, procedures, and results. This study reports on a direct comparison of five of the most common input methods among a population of younger and older adults, who had no experience with any of the methods. METHOD: Fifty adults (25 younger, 18-35 years; 25 older, 60-84 years) completed a text entry task using five text input methods (physical Qwerty, onscreen Qwerty, tracing, handwriting, and voice). Entry and error rates, perceived usability, and preference were recorded. RESULTS: Both age groups input text equally fast using voice input, but older adults were slower than younger adults using all other methods. Both age groups had low error rates when using physical Qwerty and voice, but older adults committed more errors with the other three methods. Both younger and older adults preferred voice and physical Qwerty input to the remaining methods. Handwriting consistently performed the worst and was rated lowest by both groups. CONCLUSION: Voice and physical Qwerty input methods proved to be the most effective for both younger and older adults, and handwriting input was the least effective overall. APPLICATION: These findings have implications to the design of future smartphone text input methods and devices, particularly for older adults. Language: en
Fatal acute monocytic leukaemia with t(6;11) (q27;q23) translocation and KRAS mutation

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with t(6;11)(q27;q23), resulting in a chimeric MLL/AF6 gene, is rare (≤0.6% of adult cases),1 ,2 and is associated with poor prognosis.2 ,3 The majority of these cases are acute myelomonocytic leukaemia, or acute monoblastic/monocytic leukaemia,1 and they have increased risk for hyperleukocytosis requiring leukapheresis.4 The RAS association domain ( RA1 ) at the N-terminus of AF6 is sufficient for MLL-AF6 to mediate leukemogenesis.5 Although an activated KRAS mutation accelerates MLL/AF4 -driven leukemogenesis in transgenic mice,6 whether it will do the same with MLL/AF6 is unknown. Here, we report a rare and aggressive case of acute monocytic leukaemia with both MLL/AF6 and KRAS G12D . A middle-aged man in his 40s had sore throat, chills, night sweats and swelling in the neck for four days prior to presentation to a local emergency centre. Concurrently, non-pruritic purple skin lesions appeared on his body. A complete blood count showed a white blood cell (WBC) count of 3 25 000/mm3, a platelet count of 60 000/mm3, and 92% monocytes in the blood smear. He was given 6 g of hydroxyurea orally and transferred to a tertiary cancer centre for emergent treatment of hyperleukocytosis. His past medical history, social history and family history were non-contributory. Upon arrival at the cancer centre, he became dyspneic. His vital signs were: blood pressure 107/53 mm Hg; heart rate …
Influence of LOC and Ethnicity on Adoption Decisions in the Use of Safety Technologies and Training in the Roofing Industry

The construction industry has been slow to adopt new technologies; therefore, this pilot study found it beneficial to evaluate the relationship between Locus of Control (LOC), ethnicity, and technology and training adoption decisions. The following research questions were proposed: 1) To what extent do Hispanic and non-Hispanic workers differ in LOC? 2) In adoption decisions? 3) How confidently can LOC be used to predict adoption decisions? 4) How confidently can adoption decisions be used to predict LOC? The study utilized secondary data collection. The quantitative data (103 participants; 79 non-Hispanic and 24 Hispanic) was analyzed with JMP 8. Results showed a significant difference between the two groups in both LOC and adoptions decisions. The qualitative data (29 participants; 13 non-Hispanic and 16 Hispanic) underwent content analysis using Atlas.ti. This study serves as a starting point for other research interested in developing technology adoption programs for this and possibly other populations.
Genius and Madness?: A Quasi-Experimental Test of the Hypothesis That Manic-Depression Increases Creativity

Much evidence has been adduced to support the view, originally proposed by Kraepelin, that mania increases creativity Examples of supporting evidence are findings of similarity in thought between creative persons and manic-depressives and high creativity in normal relatives of manic-depressives However, such data are correlational and are therefore equivocal concerning the hypothesis that mania is a cause of increased creativity The present study analyzed the relationship between mood and productivity in the career of composer Robert Schumann, who has been diagnosed as bipolar Schumann's positive mood was related to increased quantity of his work but not to increased quality, indicating that mania did not increase creativity of thought processes
A new fault-tolerant technique for improving schedulability in multiprocessor real-time systems

In real-time systems, tasks have deadlines to be met despite the presence of faults. Primary-Backup (PB) scheme is one of the most common schemes that has been employed for fault-tolerant scheduling of real-time tasks, wherein each task has two versions and the versions are scheduled on two different processors with time exclusion. There have been techniques proposed for improving schedulability of the PB-based scheduling. One of the more popular ones include Backup-Backup (BB) overloading, wherein two or more backups can share/overlap in time on a processor. In this paper we propose a new schedulability enhancing technique, called primary-backup (PB) overloading, in which the primary of a task can share/overlap in time with the backup of another task an a processor. The intuition is that, for both primary and backup of a task, the PB-overloading can assign an earlier start time than that of the BB-overloading, thereby increasing the schedulability. We conduct schedulability and reliability analysis of PB- and BB-overloading techniques through simulation and analytical studies. Our studies show that PB-overloading offers better schedulability (25% increase in the guarantee ratio) than that of BB-overloading, and offers reliability comparable to that of BB-overloading. The proposed PB-overloading is a general technique that can be employed in any static or dynamic fault-tolerant scheduling algorithm.
The Geometric Theory of Holomorphic Functions

The main objects of study in this chapter are holomorphic functions h: U→ V, with U and V open in ℂ, that are one-to-one and onto. Such a holomorphic function is called a conformal (or biholomorphic) mapping. The fact that h is supposed to be one-to-one implies that h’ is nowhere zero on U [remember that if h’ vanishes to order k ≥ 0 at a point P ∈ U, then h is (k+1)-to-1 in a small neighborhood of P—see §§5.2.1]. As a result, h-1: V →U is also holomorphic—as we discussed in §§5.2.1. A conformal map h: U → V from one open set to another can be used to transfer holomorphic functions on U to V and vice versa: that is, f : V → ℂ is holomorphic if and only if f o h is holomorphic on U; and g : U → ℂ is holomorphic if and only if g o h -1 is holomorphic on V.
Service as Rent

"Service is the rent we pay for the space we take up on earth", my dad's mantra, and one used by many. Participating in professional organizations such as SIGCSE and its parent organization, ACM, has been for me an incredibly rewarding obligation. Many have given of their time and talents to help me on my way. Some of those who have followed in my footsteps have also forged paths of service making mine pale in comparison. This computer science education community affords incredibly rich opportunities for service in venues ranging from local to international. Service in SIGCSE and similar communities can reap untold benefits for both the volunteer and the community served.
13C-H coupling constants and maximum overlap orbitals in some three-membered heterocyclic compounds

The criterion of maximum total overlap, modified to permit inclusion of ionic structures, has been employed to determine the hybridized bonding orbitals for ethyleneimine, ethylene oxide, ethylene sulfide, and cyclopropane. 13C-H coupling parameters obtained from the NMR spectra of these compounds, which are linear functions of s-character in the appropriate carbon orbitals, served as experimental criteria for adjusting ionic content. The results appear reasonable as judged by calculated HCH angles and the order of heteroatom electronegativities.
Anticonvulsant properties of benadryl and pyribenzamine.

SummaryBenadryl, Pyribenzamine and Dilantin were tested in rats for toxicity and for ability to modify maximal electroshock seizure pattern and to prevent Metrazol convulsions. The data indicate that all three drugs modify maximal electroshock seizure pattern but do not prevent Metrazol convulsions. The significance of the data is discussed.
Eight Types of Puns

The Pun, Addison notes, is “a Sound, and nothing but a Sound.” Lamb elaborates: a pun “is a pistol let off at the ear”; it has, he says, “an ear-kissing smack with it.” But the position is not entirely sound; like “The Echo,” a poem which Hood rejected, it “will not answer.” Any hearing on the pun must first admit the pun effect, which precedes analysis and shows that we distinguish the pun semantically, not aurally. The sound is only echo to the sense, and through reflection we conclude that the pun effect is a function of multiple meaning. But even the best pun, whatever that may be, when it must be explained fails to elicit those unusual noises which are the punster's usual reward; the pun effect, it seems, results from some kind of greatly accelerated or simultaneous perception of multiple meanings. Psychology is here deeply involved—for any kind of meaning perception is singularly difficult to analyze—and such tangled affairs are most wisely avoided. A more reasonable approach lies in study of the conditions permitting and the significance attending this curious and characteristic phenomenon; for the pun effect hints at larger matters.
Correlation between pretransplantation test dose cyclosporine pharmacokinetic profiles and posttransplantation sirolimus blood levels in renal transplant recipients.

Summary:We sought to determine whether pretransplantation test dose pharmacokinetic measurements of cyclosporine (CsA) concentrations would forecast the posttransplantation blood concentrations of sirolimus in renal transplant patients treated de novo with CsA, sirolimus, and prednisone. All 44 rena
Research Note: Antibody Responses to Sheep Erythrocytes in Early (k+) and Late (K) Feathering Chicks in a Broiler Line

Antibody titers in response to injections of sheep erythrocytes were measured in several different groups of early and late feathering chicks from 8 to 35 days of age. Antibody titers and rate of development of antibody responses were similar in early and late feathering chicks, reaching a plateau by 21 days of age.
Experimental verification of a method to create a variable energy neutron beam from a monoenergetic, isotropic source using neutron elastic scatter and time of flight

Abstract An experiment was performed to determine the neutron energy of near-monoergetic deuterium–deuterium (D–D) neutrons that elastically scatter in a hydrogenous target. The experiment used two liquid scintillators to perform time of flight (TOF) measurements to determine neutron energy, with the start detector also serving as the scatter target. The stop detector was placed 1.0 m away and at scatter angles of π/6, π/4, and π/3 rad, and 1.5 m at a scatter angle of π/4 rad. When discrete 1 ns increments were implemented, the TOF peaks had estimated errors between −21.2 and 3.6% relative to their expected locations. Full widths at half-maximum (FWHM) ranged between 9.6 and 20.9 ns, or approximately 0.56–0.66 MeV. Monte Carlo simulations were also conducted that approximated the experimental setup and had both D–D and deuterium–tritium (DT) neutrons. The simulated results had errors between −17.2 and 0.0% relative to their expected TOF peaks when 1 ns increments were applied. The largest D–D and D–T FWHMs were 26.7 and 13.7 ns, or approximately 0.85 and 4.98 MeV, respectively. These values, however, can be reduced through manipulation of the dimensions of the system components. The results encourage further study of the neutron elastic scatter TOF system with particular interest in application to active neutron interrogation to search for conventional explosives.
Gravity's Novel: A Note on the Genre of Gravity's Rainbow

Hugh Kenner, in a discussion of Eliot's The Waste Land, notes how comforting it would be to critics if only one had a name for the sort of poem that The Waste Land is.Indeed, the comfort to be found in categorization of literature is a general one, forming as it does the basis of the whole field of genre criticism. Such categorization is not always easy, however. For example, when Melville's Moby-Dick was first published in England (as The Whale), a reviewer in the Britannia wrote that he was "at a loss to determine in what category of works of amusement to place it. It is certainly neither a novel nor a romance, although it is made to drag its weary length through three closely printed volumes, and is published by Bentley, who, par excellence, is the publisher of novels of the fashionable world, for who ever heard of a novel or romance without a heroine or a single love scene?" Indeed, much of the reaction to Melville's perplexing book involved puzzled attempts to classify it and thereby render it tame. American reviewers, perhaps less steeped in tradition than their British counterparts, seemed less determined to fit the book into preexisting categories, but instead were often content to announce it as the beginning of a new genre all its own, calling it such things as an "intellectual chowder," a "Whaliad," and a "prose epic."
Bandgap and temperature dependence of Auger recombination in InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattices

A time- and temperature-dependent differential-transmission technique is used to study the bandgap dependence of Auger recombination in Ga-free InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattices (T2SLs). The bandgap energies are varied between 290 meV (4.3 μm) and 135 meV (9.2 μm) by engineering the layer thickness and alloy Sb concentration. A long-wave infrared structure with 135 meV bandgap energy is found to have an Auger coefficient of 9 × 10−26 cm6/s at 77 K. The measured Auger coefficients increase with decreasing bandgap from approximately 3 × 10−27 cm6/s for mid-wave infrared bandgaps to 2 × 10−25 cm6/s for long-wave infrared bandgaps at 77 K. The measured T2SL Auger coefficients are compared to predicted Auger coefficients for HgCdTe.
Neuroplasticity Protocols: Inducing and Measuring Change

Abstract This chapter gives a conceptual and technical overview of the repetitive brain stimulation protocols as they relate to concepts of inducible neuroplasticity. Wherever possible, pediatric studies will be cited where these techniques have been utilized. After discussing briefly the core concepts of neuroplasticity, animal data upon which transcranial magnetic simulation (TMS) protocols are based will be sketched. The most commonly used neuroplasticity-inducing techniques will then be described in some detail, with citations to pediatric experiments. The outputs of these techniques in children and methods used to analyze these outputs will be described, emphasizing motor cortex but also some recent methods for evaluation of non-motor cortex. This chapter will conclude with questions about the premise of neuroplasticity induction as well as discussing and summarizing statistical and technical challenges.
Microwave-Induced Mass Transport Enhancement in Nano-Porous Aluminum Oxide Membranes

Experiments were conducted to compare the annealing of nano-porous aluminum oxide membranes by 2.45 GHz microwave radiation and by conventional (resistive element) furnace heating. The starting material was Al2O3 membranes that were 60 microm thick, 13 mm in diameter, and containing pores of approximately 200 nm diameter. Changes in the porosity and morphology were recorded from digital processing of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The data indicates that both microwave and conventionally-heated annealing resulted in a decrease of surface porosity and an apparent increase in the number of pores. However, microwave annealing consistently resulted in a 4-5% greater reduction in porosity and a greater increase in the number of (small) pores than conventionally-heated annealing. These results are consistent with a non-thermal mechanism for microwave-enhanced surface diffusion, although the complex morphology of the pores precluded a quantitative theoretical analysis.
Stimulation of the caudal ventrolateral medulla decreases total lung resistance in dogs

Although the role played by the caudal ventrolateral medulla in the regulation of the cardiovascular system has been extensively investigated, little is known about the role played by this area in the regulation of airway caliber. Therefore, in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized dogs, we used both electrical and chemical means to stimulate the caudal ventrolateral medulla while we monitored changes in total lung resistance breath by breath. We found that electrical stimulation (25 microA) of 26 sites in this area significantly decreased total lung resistance from 7.1 +/- 0.4 to 5.7 +/- 0.3 cmH2O.1'1.s (P less than 0.001). The bronchodilation evoked by electrical stimulation was unaffected by beta-adrenergic blockade but was abolished by cholinergic blockade. In addition, chemical stimulation of seven sites in the caudal ventrolateral medulla with microinjections of DL-homocysteic acid (0.2 M; 66 nl), which stimulates cell bodies but not fibers of passage, also decreased total lung resistance from 8.3 +/- 1.1 to 6.5 +/- 0.8 cmH2O.l'1.s (P less than 0.01). In contrast, microinjections of DL-homocysteic acid into the nucleus ambiguus (n = 6) increased total lung resistance from 7.5 +/- 0.5 to 9.2 +/- 0.4 cmH2O.l'1.s (P less than 0.05). We conclude that the caudal ventrolateral medulla contains a pool of cell bodies whose excitation causes bronchodilation by withdrawing cholinergic input to airway smooth muscle.
Richtlinien für die Zukunftsaufgaben der deutschen Ingenieure

Eine Tagung unseres Vereines einzuleiten, ohne in erster Linie die fortdauernd morderischen Kampfe um das gute Recht unseres Vaterlandes zu beruhren, ist undenkbar. Zahllose Mitburger, sehr viele unserer Arbeitsgenossen deckt die Erde als Opfer dieses Ringens, viele haben Einbuse an der Arbeitsfahigkeit und Gesundheit zu verzeichnen. Ihnen mit allen unsern Landsleuten, die heute noch an der Front oder an anderer Stelle ihr Leben fur unser Vaterland einsetzen, gilt unser erstes Gedenken. Unvergeslich sollen die Gefallenen im deutschen Volke fortleben, heisen Dank zollen wir den tatigen Kampfern.
Chronic Pain and Perceived Stress

Pain is a complex, multidimensional experience that varies by individual and condition. Living with chronic pain is stressful and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Chronic pain is difficult to treat and has developed into a significant public health concern. Comprised of sensory and affective processes, the experience of pain is often perceived as a threat. Understanding the biological interface of chronic pain and associated psychosocial stressors will be important as we work to prevent, reduce, and eliminate the associated physiological toll and health-related consequences. Pain theories identify the importance of psychological and stress-related factors in the perception and persistence of pain. An array of neurobiological and biological evidence demonstrates altered and/or dysregulated functioning with chronic pain. Further investigations are needed to improve the characterization of chronic pain and perceived stress, to better understand the biological burden, and to identify targets for chronic pain prevention and treatment.
Transcriptome Analysis of Murine Myeloid Development.

To characterize the transcriptional program that governs myeloid differentiation, we performed microarray analyses of cells derived from a G-CSF-dependent in vitro myeloid differentiation system. Using a high speed cell sorter, we purified CD34+/Lin− hematopoietic progenitors from wild type C57Bl/6 murine bone marrow cells cultured for 3 days in stem cell factor (SCF), thrombopoietin (TPO), interleukin-3 (IL3), and FLT3 ligand. These enriched progenitors were then treated for 7 days with G-CSF and SCF, which induces a coordinate wave of myeloid maturation. Linearly amplified cRNAs were prepared from cells harvested on each day of differentiation (d0-d7), labeled, and hybridized with Affymetrix Mouse 430v2.0 arrays. Comparing the percentage changes within two biological replicate sets by statistical analysis, we found that 51.5% of expressed probesets (15,693) were differentially regulated between day 0 and day 7. Among them, 10,627 probesets (34.9%) displayed expression levels higher than 500 (the mean expression level of all probesets was normalized to a value of 1500 before analysis) on at least one day. To avoid the high variability associated with probesets displaying low hybridization signals, we focused on these 10,627 probesets. The data showed the expected expression patterns for several genes that are known to be regulated during myeloid differentiation, including C/EBPa, Pu.1, c-Myb, CDP, c-Jun, M-CSF, GATA-1, AML1, CBFb, NE, MPO, MMP9, CD11b, lysozyme, and several others. In addition, the expression profiles were very consistent with the array data obtained using highly enriched human bone marrow-derived cells at early, mid, and late stages of myeloid development (Theilgaard-Monch et al., Blood105: 1785, 2005). However, our data also includes expression patterns from earlier stages of myeloid differentiation, which may be important to identify genes that are specifically expressed in committed myeloid progenitors. We organized the expressed genes into several categories, including transcription factors, cell cycle regulators, apoptosis genes, receptor and ligand in signal transduction pathways, etc. Some genes relevant for the pathogenesis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) also showed dynamic changes during normal myeloid differentiation, including (but not limited to) AML1, Flt3, HoxA9, Npm1, Ncoa2, Crebbp, Etv6, Meis1, Bcl2, Mcl-1, P53, Junb, Myc, and others. This dataset will be invaluable for evaluating the molecular events that underlie normal myeloid differentiation, and for defining the normal expression patterns of genes that are disregulated during the development of myeloid malignancies.
Postoperative hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis associated with intracameral vancomycin prophylaxis during cataract surgery.

We present the case of a 75-year-old man who had uneventful cataract surgery and administration of intracameral vancomycin for endophthalmitis prophylaxis, followed by the same procedure in the fellow eye 1 week later. The patient subsequently developed bilateral hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis, resulting in profound vision loss in both eyes. A second case of hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis previously reported from our institution is summarized. That case was characterized by a far milder course, with rapid resolution of vision loss. The 2 cases illustrate the broad range of toxicity potentially associated with intracameral vancomycin, suggest that bilateral administration results in a worse prognosis, and indicate that this disorder may be underrecognized due to the potential for a mild course. We recommend that intracameral vancomycin not be used for endophthalmitis prophylaxis. Financial Disclosure None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Crises and Crisis Management: Integration, Interpretation, and Research Development:

Organizational research has long been interested in crises and crisis management. Whether focused on crisis antecedents, outcomes, or managing a crisis, research has revealed a number of important findings. However, research in this space remains fragmented, making it difficult for scholars to understand the literature’s core conclusions, recognize unsolved problems, and navigate paths forward. To address these issues, we propose an integrative framework of crises and crisis management that draws from research in strategy, organizational theory, and organizational behavior as well as from research in public relations and corporate communication. We identify two primary perspectives in the literature, one focused on the internal dynamics of a crisis and one focused on managing external stakeholders. We review core concepts from each perspective and highlight the commonalities that exist between them. Finally, we use our integrative framework to propose future research directions for scholars interested in ...
Effects of a Xe dopant on an Ar gas-puff implosion on Z

Two Ar gas-puff experiments, each using loads consisting of two annuli and a center jet, were recently performed on Sandia National Laboratories' Z machine. These shots had the same load except that one of them (Z2603) employed a Xe dopant of 0.8% by number in the jet, which was not present in the otherwise identical Z2605. The extensive diagnostics deployed in these experiments reveal that the presence of this small fraction of Xe had a significant effect on the emitted K-shell radiation. Use of the Xe dramatically reduced the Ar K-shell yield from 373 ± 9% to 129 ± 9% kJ. However, the total yield increased, from 1.02 ± 17% to 1.14 ± 17% MJ. Also, the K-shell power pulse for Z2603 exhibited two nearly equal peaks separated by ∼5 ns, but that of Z2605 consisted of a more conventional single peak. Analysis of time- and space resolved K-shell spectra using a detailed atomic model for Ar ions indicates that a much greater fraction of the load mass was heated to the K-shell in the non-Xe shot Z2605. Previous ...
Multi-scale model of drug induced adaptive resistance of Gram-negative bacteria to polymyxin B

The purpose of this report is to apply multi-scale modeling using the theory of physiologically structured populations (PSP) to develop a mathematical model for antimicrobial resistance based on a heterogeneous distribution of receptors and affinities among bacterial cells. The theory has been tested on data obtained from an in vitro static time-kill infection model analyzing the pharmacodynamics of polymyxin B against Gram-negative bacteria. The drug binding parameter KD (dissociation equilibrium constant) is assumed to vary between the bacterial cells. The PSP model describes the time course of the density distribution of KD upon exposure to cytotoxic drug concentrations. The drug increases the hazard of cell death as a function of receptor occupancy. The initial distribution of KD is described by the Weibull function. Time-kill data were used for model qualification. In vitro static time-kill experiments to evaluate the rate and extent of killing due to polymyxin B against two Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates with differing susceptibilities to polymyxin B were performed over 48 h. The time-kill kinetics data of bacterial load cfu (colony forming units)/mL was used for model qualification. The resistant bacterial population is determined by the balance between growth rate and hazard of cell death controlled by polymyxin B concentrations. There exists a critical KD value below which cells continue to grow. Estimates of shape parameters for distributions of KD yielded unimodal distributions with the modes at 0 nM and the right tails containing approximately 25% of the bacteria. Our findings support a hypothesis that resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae to polymyxin B can be at least partially attributed to a drug-induced selection of a subpopulation due to heterogeneity of polymyxin B receptor binding in the bacterial population.
High sensitivity of gross primary production in the Rocky Mountains to summer rain

In the catchments of the Rocky Mountains, peak snowpack is declining in response to warmer spring temperatures. To understand how this will influence terrestrial gross primary production (GPP), we compared precipitation data across the intermountain west with satellite retrievals of solar-induced fluorescence (SIF), a proxy for GPP. Annual precipitation patterns explained most of the spatial and temporal variability of SIF, but the slope of the response was dependent on site to site differences in the proportion of snowpack to summer rain. We separated the response of SIF to different seasonal precipitation amounts and found that SIF was approximately twice as sensitive to variations in summer rain than snowpack. The response of peak GPP to a secular decline in snowpack will likely be subtle, whereas a change in summer rain amount will have precipitous effects on GPP. The study suggests that the rain use efficiency of Rocky Mountain ecosystems is strongly dependent on precipitation form and timing.
Three-Dimensional Photography for Quantitative Assessment of Penile Volume-Loss Deformities in Peyronie's Disease

Abstract Background Non-curvature penile deformities are prevalent and bothersome manifestations of Peyronie's disease (PD), but the quantitative metrics that are currently used to describe these deformities are inadequate and non-standardized, presenting a barrier to clinical research and patient care. Aim To introduce erect penile volume (EPV) and percentage of erect penile volume loss (percent EPVL) as novel metrics that provide detailed quantitative information about non-curvature penile deformities and to study the feasibility and reliability of three-dimensional (3D) photography for measurement of quantitative penile parameters. Methods We constructed seven penis models simulating deformities found in PD. The 3D photographs of each model were captured in triplicate by four observers using a 3D camera. Computer software was used to generate automated measurements of EPV, percent EPVL, penile length, minimum circumference, maximum circumference, and angle of curvature. The automated measurements were statistically compared with measurements obtained using water-displacement experiments, a tape measure, and a goniometer. Outcomes Accuracy of 3D photography for average measurements of all parameters compared with manual measurements; inter-test, intra-observer, and inter-observer reliabilities of EPV and percent EPVL measurements as assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient. Results The 3D images were captured in a median of 52 seconds (interquartile range = 45–61). On average, 3D photography was accurate to within 0.3% for measurement of penile length. It overestimated maximum and minimum circumferences by averages of 4.2% and 1.6%, respectively; overestimated EPV by an average of 7.1%; and underestimated percent EPVL by an average of 1.9%. All inter-test, inter-observer, and intra-observer intraclass correlation coefficients for EPV and percent EPVL measurements were greater than 0.75, reflective of excellent methodologic reliability. Clinical Translation By providing highly descriptive and reliable measurements of penile parameters, 3D photography can empower researchers to better study volume-loss deformities in PD and enable clinicians to offer improved clinical assessment, communication, and documentation. Strengths and Limitations This is the first study to apply 3D photography to the assessment of PD and to accurately measure the novel parameters of EPV and percent EPVL. This proof-of-concept study is limited by the lack of data in human subjects, which could present additional challenges in obtaining reliable measurements. Conclusion EPV and percent EPVL are novel metrics that can be quickly, accurately, and reliably measured using computational analysis of 3D photographs and can be useful in describing non-curvature volume-loss deformities resulting from PD. Margolin EJ, Mlynarczyk CM, Muhall JP, et al. Three-Dimensional Photography for Quantitative Assessment of Penile Volume-Loss Deformities in Peyronie's Disease. J Sex Med 2017;14:829–833.
No association between influenza vaccination during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes.

Abstract Background Pregnant women are recommended to receive inactivated influenza vaccination anytime during pregnancy. Studies have investigated the impact of influenza vaccination during pregnancy on birth outcomes and results on preterm birth have been inconsistent. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study among children born at a gestational age ≥ 24 weeks from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2015 at Kaiser Permanente Northern California facilities (KPNC). We evaluated the association between maternal influenza vaccination during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth, small and large for gestational age, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), respiratory distress syndrome, low birth weight, and low Apgar score. We ascertained the dates of maternal influenza vaccination, conception, and delivery, as well as birth outcomes from KPNC inpatient and outpatient databases. Conditional multivariate Cox regression and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between maternal vaccination during pregnancy and risk of each birth outcome. Results The study included 145,869 children. Maternal influenza vaccination during pregnancy was not associated with risk of small or large for gestational age births, preterm birth, need for mechanical ventilation at birth, respiratory distress syndrome, admission to the NICU, low birth weight, or low Apgar score. However, when we did not control for immortal time bias, the risk of preterm birth (odds ratio [OR] = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66–0.72) was lower among infants of vaccinated mothers. Conclusion We found no association between maternal influenza vaccination during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes. When investigating preterm birth outcome in association with vaccination during pregnancy, immortal time bias should be taken into account in the analysis.
Alterations in cytokine production and chemokine receptor expression in dendritic cells in elderly cancer patients

2542 Immunosenescence is commonly associated with both a noticeable decrease in responsiveness as well as functional deregulation of immune cells. The dendritic cell (DC) family of ‘professional’ antigen presenting cells encompasses a heterogeneous population of bone marrow-derived cells capable of homing to several tissues and body compartments and responsible for the induction of an antigen-specific immune response. DC have been extensively characterized at the molecular and cellular level, but few studies have specifically addressed age-related changes in DC distribution and function. The goal of our study was to characterize the functional activity of DC in elderly cancer patients and in age matched healthy controls. We first evaluated the profile of chemokine receptor expression on human DC generated from young (n=7) and old volunteers (n=6). The level of chemokine receptor mRNA expression in CD14-derived human DC was assessed by RT-PCR. The results of these studies revealed that expression of several chemokine receptor mRNAs was down-regulated in DC generated from aged individuals when compared with DC prepared from young controls: in particular the expression of CCR1, CCR6, CXCR1 and CXCR3 mRNAs. These data suggest that DC trafficking and homing patterns in vivo may be significantly different in young and old individuals. This in turn may impact the efficacy of DC-based vaccines, currently being being tested in cancer clinical trials. Next, we determined whether the production of IL-12 by DC may also be influenced by aging. Spontaneous production of IL-12 by DC was significantly lower in young (median age 24; n=7) individuals compared to older donors (median age 72; n=6): 0.91±0.04 pg/ml/24h/10 6 cells vs 1.25±0.10 (p
Irreversible transfer of brood care duties and insights into the burden of caregiving in incipient subterranean termite colonies

1. In incipient termite colonies, biparental brood care rapidly shifts towards alloparental brood care. This transition was suggested to recapitulate the evolutionary trajectory from subsocial wood roach ancestors to eusociality in termites. 2. Incipient colonies of the subterranean termite Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) were investigated to determine if this transition was irreversible and if the burden of brood care on the first alloparents could be measured. To do so, the initial size of the work force necessary for an incipient colony to survive once the brood care became alloparental was determined. 3. The results of the study show that within 5 months after foundation, brood care duties were fully transferred to workers and the primary reproductives became irreversibly dependent on these workers for survival, reproduction, and colony growth. 4. Once the brood care became strictly alloparental, the presence of a single worker was enough to maintain the survival of the king and queen, confirming that ‘reversed parental care’ was also achieved. However, major brood loss and suppressed egg-laying activity from the queen was observed, suggesting that the burden of brood care was too high for a single worker to absorb. Therefore, once brood care has shifted to alloparents, a critical number of workers is necessary to prevent brood loss and initiate colony growth. 5. As the initial cost of brood care is rapidly absorbed with colony growth in termites, the performance in brood care of the first few alloparents in a subsocial wood roach ancestor may have contributed to the emergence of eusociality in this clade.
Embodied Haunting: Aesthetics and the Archive in Toni Morrison’s Beloved

Victoria Papa returns to the archive as configured by Jacques Derrida. According to Papa, Derrida’s concept of archive fever presumes that to know history is to burn up in the feverish pursuit of the past. The archive thus testifies at once to the violence of forgetting and the desire to know—a desire that is aligned as much with the past as it is with the future. Taking Derrida’s concept as a lens through which to examine the archive’s disavowal of black female subjectivity, this chapter argues that Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved (1987) presents a history of slavery in which the erasure of enslaved mothering within the archive is reimagined as a transformative space to reclaim subjectivity within literature. In Beloved, Morrison enters the archive’s troubled space of deferred longing through a recuperation of the historical figure of Margaret Garner—an escaped slave who killed her daughter to prevent her daughter’s re-enslavement. Through the novel’s depiction of the troubled mother/daughter relationship of Sethe and Beloved, the creative re-enactment of Garner and her daughter, Morrison transforms the archive’s erasure of Garner’s story into a literary testimony to trauma.
Mechanism of intrinsic diffusion in the core of screw dislocations in FCC metals – A molecular dynamics study

Abstract The mechanism of self-diffusion in the absence of any pre-existing point defects (intrinsic diffusion) along an a/2 〈1 1 0〉 screw dislocation in FCC metals is studied using molecular dynamics simulations. High diffusivity along the dislocation core at elevated temperatures is found to be due to the constriction of partial dislocations, where a vacancy-interstitial pair forms. The two point defects separate and start to migrate along the core, giving rise to diffusion. Formation energy for both vacancy and self-interstitial are found to be much lower on the constricted node of partial dislocations compared to other atomic sites, indicating the important role of the constriction in enhancing the diffusion.
Process evaluation of health fairs promoting cancer screenings.

Low income and uninsured individuals often have lower adherence to cancer screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. Health fairs are a common community outreach strategy used to provide cancer-related health education and services. This study was a process evaluation of seven health fairs focused on cancer screening across the U.S. We conducted key-informant interviews with the fair coordinator and conducted baseline and follow-up surveys with fair participants to describe characteristics of participants as well as their experiences. We collected baseline data with participants at the health fairs and telephone follow-up surveys 6 months following the fair. Attendance across the seven health fairs ranged from 41 to 212 participants. Most fairs provided group or individual education, print materials and cancer screening during the event. Overall, participants rated health fairs as very good and participants reported that the staff was knowledgeable and that they liked the materials distributed. After the fairs, about 60% of participants, who were reached at follow-up, had read the materials provided and had conversations with others about cancer screening, and 41% talked to their doctors about screening. Based on findings from evaluation including participant data and coordinator interviews, we describe 6 areas in planning for health fairs that may increase their effectiveness. These include: 1) use of a theoretical framework for health promotion to guide educational content and activities provided, 2) considering the community characteristics, 3) choosing a relevant setting, 4) promotion of the event, 5) considerations of the types of services to deliver, and 6) evaluation of the health fair. The events reported varied in reach and the participants represented diverse races and lower income populations overall. Most health fairs offered education, print materials and onsite cancer screening. Participants reported general satisfaction with these events and were motivated through their participation to read educational materials or discuss screening with providers. Public health professionals can benefit from this process evaluation and recommendations for designing and evaluating health fairs.
Contemporary Management of Neurogenic Bladder in Children

The management of neurogenic bladder (NGB) is an evolving task that derives its principles from the long-term goals of renal protection and optimization of quality of life. This review describes contemporary diagnostic techniques as well as expanding treatment options. Innovation within the field has chiefly been in the form of new modalities for maintaining low bladder pressures and developing minimally invasive approaches to surgical reconstruction. A new and quickly expanding area of interest is “transitional care” (also known as congenitalism) for the aging pediatric patient with NGB with a particular emphasis on establishing adequate adult care for medical and urologic needs. Adhering to timeless principles while innovating in the field to maximize quality of care is critical to continue to provide the best care for NGB patients.
Phage Genetic Engineering Using CRISPR⁻Cas Systems

Since their discovery over a decade ago, the class of prokaryotic immune systems known as CRISPR–Cas have afforded a suite of genetic tools that have revolutionized research in model organisms spanning all domains of life. CRISPR-mediated tools have also emerged for the natural targets of CRISPR–Cas immunity, the viruses that specifically infect bacteria, or phages. Despite their status as the most abundant biological entities on the planet, the majority of phage genes have unassigned functions. This reality underscores the need for robust genetic tools to study them. Recent reports have demonstrated that CRISPR–Cas systems, specifically the three major types (I, II, and III), can be harnessed to genetically engineer phages that infect diverse hosts. Here, the mechanisms of each of these systems, specific strategies used, and phage editing efficacies will be reviewed. Due to the relatively wide distribution of CRISPR–Cas systems across bacteria and archaea, it is anticipated that these immune systems will provide generally applicable tools that will advance the mechanistic understanding of prokaryotic viruses and accelerate the development of novel technologies based on these ubiquitous organisms.
Renal complications of primary myelofibrosis.

Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is a disease of the elderly, with a median age at diagnosis of 71 years. As a consequence, many patients present with comorbid health conditions, including diabetes and ...