cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship of glioblastoma multiforme to neural stem cell regions predicts invasive and multifocal tumor phenotype

Recent studies demonstrate that glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) contains a subpopulation of cancer cells with stem cell characteristics, including self-renewal and multipotentiality; these cancer stem cells can propagate tumors in vivo.1–4 The adult human brain harbors astrocyte-like neural stem cells within the subventricular zone (SVZ), which is located just under the ependyma of the brain ventricles5,6 (Fig. 1A). In animal models, gliomas—including GBM—can be induced from SVZ cells.7–9 These accumulating data have thus given rebirth to the notion that human gliomas may arise from SVZ neural stem cells (reviewed in Sanai et al.10), an idea that was first suggested in the first half of the 20th century.11–13 Fig. 1 (A) Neural stem cells (red circles) are found in the walls of the adult brain ventricles (blue). An axial section (black trapezoid) is indicated on this cartoon, representing the approximate level of section of the MR images shown. (B) Multiple hypotheses ... GBM is a pathologically and clinically heterogeneous disease. While some GBMs may arise from transformed SVZ stem cells, other gliomas may be initiated by neoplastic transformation of non-SVZ progenitor cells or mature glial cells that have undergone dedifferentiation14 (Fig. 1B). Identifying a subset of GBMs that are related to tumor stem cells in the SVZ would have significant therapeutic implications:15 stem-cell–derived GBM may need treatment that attends to both the primary lesion(s) and the SVZ. To better understand the histogenetic and clinical heterogeneity of GBM, we developed an MRI-based classification of GBMs based on their involvement of the SVZ and cortex. We identified a subset of GBMs that are more likely to be SVZ stem cell – related based on the spatial relationship of the tumor to the SVZ, involvement of cortex, multifocality, and recurrence pattern. Another GBM subset is more likely related to non-SVZ progenitor cells or dedifferentiated glial cells. This study provides MRI evidence suggesting a relationship between a subset of GBMs and tumor stem cells in the SVZ.
Blinatumomab, a Bi-Specific Anti-CD19/CD3 BiTE® Antibody for the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Perspectives and Current Pediatric Applications

Leukemia is the most common childhood malignancy and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents the largest sub-type. Despite remarkable improvements over the last 40 years, standard therapy fails in 10-20% of newly diagnosed patients. Survival for children with relapsed ALL is poor, and the development and implementation of novel therapeutic strategies in pediatric ALL are critical to further advancements. Immunotherapeutic approaches have been central to more novel ALL therapies. However, more recent innovation in antibody engineering has improved potency and efficacy, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are an especially attractive option in severely immunocompromised patients. An even more sophisticated antibody design is that of bi-specific T-cell engaging or BiTE® antibodies, which directly recruit effector T cells to augment the anti-neoplastic effect. This review focuses on blinatumomab, a bi-specific anti-CD19/CD3 antibody that has shown efficacy in adult patients with precursor B-ALL and is currently being evaluated in the pediatric setting.
Robust production of virus‐like particles and monoclonal antibodies with geminiviral replicon vectors in lettuce

Pharmaceutical protein production in plants has been greatly promoted by the development of viral-based vectors and transient expression systems. Tobacco and related Nicotiana species are currently the most common host plants for generation of plant-made pharmaceutical proteins (PMPs). Downstream processing of target PMPs from these plants, however, is hindered by potential technical and regulatory difficulties due to the presence of high levels of phenolics and toxic alkaloids. Here, we explored the use of lettuce, which grows quickly yet produces low levels of secondary metabolites, and viral vector-based transient expression systems to develop a robust PMP production platform. Our results showed that a geminiviral replicon system based on the bean yellow dwarf virus permits high-level expression in lettuce of virus-like particles (VLP) derived from the Norwalk virus capsid protein and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Ebola and West Nile viruses. These vaccine and therapeutic candidates can be readily purified from lettuce leaves with scalable processing methods while fully retaining functional activity. Furthermore, this study also demonstrated the feasibility of using commercially produced lettuce for high-level PMP production. This allows our production system to have access to unlimited quantities of inexpensive plant material for large-scale production. These results establish a new production platform for biological pharmaceutical agents that is effective, safe, low-cost, and amenable to large-scale manufacturing.
Rhox homeobox gene cluster: recent duplication of three family members.

We recently reported the discovery of a homeobox gene cluster on the mouse X chromosome, Rhox, whose 12 members are selectively expressed in specific cell types in reproductive organs. Here we report the existence of 20 additional Rhox homeobox genes in this gene cluster. Most of the newly identified Rhox paralogs retain the same order and relative orientation as three of the originally described Rhox genes, suggesting that they arose from recent duplications of this trimer unit. Many of these new Rhox family members are expressed in the testis and placenta. Analysis of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions in their homeodomain region suggests that these new Rhox paralogs duplicated so recently that their encoded proteins have not yet acquired distinct DNA-binding specificities. The existence of these new Rhox genes provides an opportunity to examine the initial stages of gene cluster evolution. genesis 44:122–129, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Continuous In Vitro evolution of a ribozyme ligase: A model experiment for the evolution of a biomolecule

Evolution is a defining criterion of life and is central to understanding biological systems. However, the timescale of evolutionary shifts in phenotype limits most classroom evolution experiments to simple probability simulations. In vitro directed evolution (IVDE) frequently serves as a model system for the study of Darwinian evolution but produces noticeable phenotypic shifts in a matter of hours. An IVDE demonstration lab would serve to both directly demonstrate how Darwinian selection can act on a pool of variants and introduce students to an essential method of modern molecular biology. To produce an IVDE demonstration lab, continuous IVDE of a T500 ribozyme ligase population has been paired with a fluorescent strand displacement reporter system to visualize the selection of improved catalytic function. A ribozyme population is taken through rounds of isothermal amplification dependent on the self-ligation of a T7 promoter. As the population is selectively enriched with better ligase activity, the strand displacement system allows for the monitoring of the population's ligation rate. The strand displacement reporter system permits the detection of ligated ribozyme. Once ligated with the T7 promoter, the 5' end of the ribozyme displaces paired fluorophore-quencher oligonucleotides, in turn, generating visible signal upon UV light excitation. As the ligation rate of the population increases, due to the selection for faster ligating species, the fluorescent signal develops more rapidly. The pairing of the continuous isothermal system with the fluorescent reporting scheme allows any user, provided with minimal materials, to model the continuous directed evolution of a biomolecule.
Benfotiamine alleviates diabetes-induced cerebral oxidative damage independent of advanced glycation end-product, tissue factor and TNF-α

Abstract Diabetes mellitus leads to thiamine deficiency and multiple organ damage including diabetic neuropathy. This study was designed to examine the effect of benfotiamine, a lipophilic derivative of thiamine, on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced cerebral oxidative stress. Adult male FVB mice were made diabetic with a single injection of STZ (200 mg/kg, i.p.). Fourteen days later, control and diabetic (fasting blood glucose >13.9 mM) mice received benfotiamine (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for 14 days. Oxidative stress and protein damage were evaluated by glutathione/glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG) assay and protein carbonyl formation, respectively. Pro-oxidative or pro-inflammatory factors including advanced glycation end-product (AGE), tissue factor and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated by immunoblot analysis. Four weeks STZ treatment led to hyperglycemia, enhanced cerebral oxidative stress (reduced GSH/GSSG ratio), elevated TNF-α and AGE levels without changes in protein carbonyl or tissue factor. Benfotiamine alleviated diabetes-induced cerebral oxidative stress without affecting levels of AGE, protein carbonyl, tissue factor and TNF-α. Collectively, our results indicated benfotiamine may antagonize diabetes-induced cerebral oxidative stress through a mechanism unrelated to AGE, tissue factor and TNF-α.
Bipartite Graph Based Dynamic Spectrum Allocation for Wireless Mesh Networks

The capacity of a wireless mesh network can be improved by equipping mesh nodes with multi-radios tuned to non-overlapping channels. By letting these nodes utilize the available spectrum opportunistically, we can increase the utilization of the available bandwidth in the spectrum space. The key problem is how to allocate the spectrum to these multi-radio nodes, especially when they are heterogeneous with diverse transmission types and bandwidth. Most of current work has been based on the conflict-graph model and given solutions that focused on either increasing bandwidth utilization or minimizing starvation. In this paper, we propose a new bipartite-graph based model and design an channel allocation algorithm that considers both bandwidth utilization and starvation problems. Our solution is based on using augmenting path to find a matching in the bipartite-graph and can minimize starvation and then maximize the bandwidth utilization. The simulations demonstrate that our algorithm can reduce the starvation ratio and improve the bandwidth utilization, compared with previous conflict-graph based algorithms.
Antineoplastic Alkaloids From Chinese Medicinal Plants and Their Analogs

The Chinese medicinal plant-derived antineoplastic alkaloids and their analogs are reviewed with emphasis on those discovered from the authors' laboratory. The active compounds include camptothecin, colchicine, ellipticine, harringtonine, Vinca alkaloids, indirubin, (-)-sophocarpine, lycobetaine, monocrotaline, d-tetrandrine, indicine N-oxide, maytansine, aporphine type alkaloids, palmatine, murrapanine, emarginatine alkaloids, and the alkaloids from Securinega virosa. The compounds are discussed briefly with the recent advances concerning their antitumor activity, structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action.
Atrial natriuretic factor inhibits luteinizing hormone secretion in the rat: evidence for a hypothalamic site of action.

The presence of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) immunoreactivity and receptors for ANF in the median eminence, hypothalamus, and anterior pituitary gland suggests a role for the peptide in the hypothalamic control of anterior pituitary function. In conscious ovariectomized female rats, transient elevation of plasma levels of ANF by volume loading, a stimulus known to release endogenous ANF from the heart, or by bolus iv injection of 0.1,1.0, or 10 μg synthetic ANF failed to result in altered circulating levels of LH or GH. Constant iv infusion of ANF for 30 min, such that 2- to 3-fold elevations in plasma ANF’ were detected by RIA resulted, however, in significant inhibition of LH release in ovariectomized female rats (0.05 and 0.1 μg ANF/kg-min) and orchidectomized male rats (0.1 μg ANF/kg-min). It was unlikely that this effect was exerted at the level of the anterior pituitary, since ANF failed to alter basal or LHRH-stimulated LH release from cultured anterior pituitary cells in vitro and since iv infu...
Reconfigurable fast memory management system design for application specific processors

This paper presents the design and implementation of the new active memory manager unit (AMMU) designed to be embedded into system-on-chip CPUs. The unit is implemented using VHDL in field programmable gate array (FPGA) technology. The modified buddy system is used as the hardware algorithm for memory management. A RISC compatible open-source CPU is deployed with the memory management unit to demonstrate the feasibility of implementation. The results indicate that the proposed AMMU achieves high performance in memory allocation and deallocation for software systems.
pFPC: A Parallel Compressor for Floating-Point Data

This paper describes and evaluates pFPC, a parallel implementation of the lossless FPC compression algorithm for 64-bit floating-point data. pFPC can trade off compression ratio for throughput. For example, on a 4-core 3 GHz Xeon system, it compresses our nine datasets by 18% at a throughput of 1.36 gigabytes per second and by 41% at a throughput of 570 megabytes per second. Decompression is even faster. Our experiments show that the thread count should match or be a small multiple of the data's dimensionality to maximize the compression ratio and the chunk size should be at least equal to the system's page size to maximize the throughput.
Pentaquark baryon production at the relativistic heavy ion collider

Abstract Production of pentaquark Θ + baryons in central relativistic heavy ion collisions is studied in a kinetic model. Assuming that a quark–gluon plasma is produced in the collisions, we first determine the number of Θ + produced from the quark–gluon plasma using a parton coalescence model, and then take into consideration its production and absorption in subsequent hadronic matter via the reactions K N ↔ Θ , K N ↔ π Θ and π N ↔ K ¯ Θ . We find that although the final Θ + number is affected by hadronic interactions, it remains sensitive to the initial number of Θ + produced from the quark–gluon plasma, particularly in the case of a small Θ + width as imposed by the K + N and K + d scattering data. Because of small baryon chemical potential in the hot dense matter produced in these collisions, the number of produced anti- Θ is only slightly smaller than that of Θ + .
Genetic and physiological analysis of the lethal effect of L-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase deficiency in Streptococcus mutans: Complementation by alcohol dehydrogenase from Zymomonas mobilis

CH4ts is a previously isolated recombinant mutant of Streptococcus mutans NG8 which produces a thermolabile L-(+)-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. It does not grow at 42 degrees C under a variety of cultivation conditions. In this study, we show that a batch culture of CH4ts shifted from 30 to 42 degrees C underwent rapid cessation of growth and accelerated cell death. The mutant grew at 42 degrees C in continuous culture under glucose-limiting conditions. Under these conditions, lactate production was replaced by production of ethanol and, to a smaller extent, acetoin. The cloned Zymomonas mobilis gene for alcohol dehydrogenase II, placed under the control of the S. mutans spaP regulatory signals, complemented LDH deficiency. The alcohol dehydrogenase-complemented mutant grew as well or better than NG8 on a variety of carbon sources at 42 degrees C and produced significant amounts of ethanol in place of lactic acid. These results are in accord with other approaches indicating that S. mutans has other enzymatic activities, including pyruvate formate-lyase and pyruvate dehydrogenase, for pyruvate metabolism. However, at high glucose concentrations, the levels of activity of these enzymes are apparently insufficient to compensate for the absence of LDH.
Genetic risk assessment and BRCA mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility: systematic evidence review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

This review supports the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on genetic counseling and BRCA testing for susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer.
Proactive thermal management in green datacenters

The increasing demand for faster computing and high storage capacity has resulted in an increase in energy consumption and heat generation in datacenters. Because of the increase in heat generation, cooling requirements have become a critical concern, both in terms of growing operating costs as well as their environmental and societal impacts. Presently, thermal management techniques make an effort to thermally profile and control datacenters' cooling equipment to increase their efficiency. In conventional thermal management techniques, cooling systems are triggered by the temperature crossing predefined thresholds. Such reactive approaches result in delayed response as the temperature may already be too high, which can result in performance degradation of hardware. In this work, a proactive control approach is proposed that jointly optimizes the air conditioner compressor duty cycle and fan speed to prevent heat imbalance--the difference between the heat generated and extracted from a machine--thus minimizing the cost of cooling. The proposed proactive optimization framework has two objectives: (i) minimize the energy consumption of the cooling system, and (ii) minimize the risk of equipment damage due to overheating. Through thorough simulations comparing the proposed proactive heat-imbalance estimation-based approach against conventional reactive temperature-based schemes, the superiority of the proposed approach is highlighted in terms of cooling energy, response time, and equipment failure risk.
The Path to Economic Power

Japan, known around the world as a small, resource-poor island country, has experienced a greater than tenfold increase in its gross national product (GNP) in real terms since 1950. Annual growth rates ranging from 10 percent during the 1960s to approximately 3–4 percent in the early 1980s have not only resulted in continually increasing world GNP shares but will also enable Japan to match the Soviet Union as the second largest economy behind the United States by the beginning of the twenty-first century.
A game-theoretic approach to influence in networks

We propose influence games, a new class of graphical games, as a model of the behavior of large but finite networked populations. Grounded in non-cooperative game theory, we introduce a new approach to the study of influence in networks that captures the strategic aspects of complex interactions in the network. We study computational problems on influence games, including the identification of the most influential nodes. We characterize the computational complexity of various problems in influence games, propose several heuristics for the hard cases, and design approximation algorithms, with provable guarantees, for the most influential nodes problem.
Kinesin-5 is a microtubule polymerase

Kinesin-5 slides antiparallel microtubules during spindle assembly, and regulates the branching of growing axons. Besides the mechanical activities enabled by its tetrameric configuration, the specific motor properties of kinesin-5 that underlie its cellular function remain unclear. Here by engineering a stable kinesin-5 dimer and reconstituting microtubule dynamics in vitro, we demonstrate that kinesin-5 promotes microtubule polymerization by increasing the growth rate and decreasing the catastrophe frequency. Strikingly, microtubules growing in the presence of kinesin-5 have curved plus ends, suggesting that the motor stabilizes growing protofilaments. Single-molecule fluorescence experiments reveal that kinesin-5 remains bound to the plus ends of static microtubules for 7 s, and tracks growing microtubule plus ends in a manner dependent on its processivity. We propose that kinesin-5 pauses at microtubule plus ends and enhances polymerization by stabilizing longitudinal tubulin-tubulin interactions, and that these activities underlie the ability kinesin-5 to slide and stabilize microtubule bundles in cells.
The Need for a More Effective Science of Cultural Practices.

Behavior analysis has produced a robust theoretical analysis of the contingencies involved in cultural evolution. Yet, thus far, the empirical yield of this work remains quite limited. With this paper, I attempt to provide specific examples of the ways to advance an experimental analysis of the contingencies involved in cultural evolution. I begin with a review of the theoretical analyses developed by behavior analysts and other contextually oriented scientists. Next, I submit that, if the goal of our science is both predicting and influencing cultural phenomena, we must produce experimental analyses of the impact of meta-contingencies on organizations’ practices. There is no more pressing reason for doing this than the threat of climate change posed by the continuing growth in human use of fossil fuels. Therefore, the paper provides an analysis of the contingencies influencing organizational practices now affecting continued use of fossil fuels and the contingencies for organizations seeking to prevent their use. One concrete step to advance a science of cultural change relevant to climate change would be to create a database of organizations that are promoting vs. working to prevent fossil fuel consumption and the consequences that seem to maintain their practices. I call for experimental analysis of the impact of altering consequences for these practices and for experimental analyses of interventions intended to change the norms, values, and behavior of organizational leaders who can influence fossil fuel consumption. I then discuss the role of prosocial behavior and values in affecting behavior relevant to reducing fossil fuel consumption because the empirical evidence shows that prosociality favors more “green” behavior. Recent advances in prevention research have identified interventions to promote prosociality, but we need experimental analyses of how advocacy organizations can be more effective in getting these interventions widely adopted.
Micromachining of Parylene C for bioMEMS

Recent advances in the micromachining of poly(p-xylylenes), commercially known as Parylenes, have enabled the development of novel structures and devices for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). In particular, Parylene C (poly[chloro-p-xylylene]) has been explored extensively for biomedical applications of MEMS given its compatibility with micromachining processes, proven biocompatibility, and many advantageous properties including its chemical inertness, optical transparency, flexibility, and mechanical strength. Here we present a review of often used and recently developed micromachining process for Parylene C, as well as a high-level overview of state-of-the-art Parylene hybrid and free film devices for biomedical MEMS (bioMEMS) applications, including a discussion on its challenges and potential as a MEMS material. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The TRPV4 Ion Channel Alters Intracellular Calcium Transients in Cardiomyocytes of Aged Mice

Cardiac excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) occurs via calcium-induced calcium release and is therefore critically dependent on precise regulation of intracellular calcium homeostasis. Cardiomyocytes of the aged heart exhibit alterations in calcium homeostasis which predisposes the heart to calcium overload, contractile dysfunction, and arrhythmia. In this investigation we tested the hypothesis that the transient receptor potential vanilloid member 4 (TRPV4) osmotically-sensitive cation channel is expressed in cardiomyocytes of the aged mouse heart and alters intracellular calcium transients. Western blot analysis of whole heart homogenates of Young (3-6 month) and Aged (24-26 month) C57BL/6 male mice revealed increased expression of TRPV4 protein in hearts of Aged. Enzymatically isolated left-ventricular cardiomyocytes were loaded with the calcium indicator dye fluo-4/AM and electrically stimulated at 0.5 Hz to induce intracellular calcium transients. Pharmacological activation of TRPV4 with the agonist RN1747 (100 nM) produced an increase in calcium transient amplitude in cardiomyocytes of Aged (F/F0:3.3±0.4 RN1747 versus 2.6±0.4 control, P<0.05), but not Young (F/F0:2.8±0.3 RN1747 versus 2.9±0.2 control) mice. Following hypo-osmotic stress (250 mOsm, 40 minutes), cardiomyocytes of Aged exhibited enhanced responsiveness to RN1747 (F/F0:4.3±0.6 RN1747 versus 3.5±0.4 control, P<0.05) which associated with altered transient decay kinetics and cellular calcium overload (7/8 cells); these effects were prevented by the TRPV4 antagonist HC067047 (1 uM; F/F0:2.9±0.3 RN1747+HC versus 3.0±0.2 HC, 0/5 cells). In conclusion, the TRPV4 ion channel is expressed in cardiomyocytes of the aged heart and alters calcium transients during ECC.
A 14-Year Review of Socioeconomics and Sociodemographics Relating to Intracerebral Abscess, Subdural Empyema, and Epidural Abscess in Southeastern Louisiana.

BACKGROUND Secondary intracranial infections are a persistent health concern despite advancements in medicine and improvements in surgical care. Previous studies have reported on the incidence of infection and outcomes in the immunocompromised patient, yet few studies have investigated demographic elements linked to contracting a secondary intracranial infection, a preventable disease. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to uniquely describe immunocompetent pediatric patients with secondary intracranial infections and further examine the socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors that may put them at higher risk of acquiring an infection. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted for patients presenting with intracranial infections to the regional Children's Hospital between 2001 and 2014. Patients with a previous history of neurosurgical disease or procedure were excluded. A Z test for proportions was performed to detect significant variations between demographic groups. RESULTS A total of 41 patients were included in the study sample. From 2001 to 2014, 63.4% of patients diagnosed with intracranial infections were white, and 36.5% were other/nonwhite. This incidence of infection varied significantly between white and nonwhite (P = .015). At Children's Hospital, 19.5% of patients were privately insured and 80.5% had public health insurance. The most notable variation of a secondary intracranial infection was health insurance; 51% of Louisiana children carry public insurance, yet they represent more than 80% of disease incidence (P < .001). CONCLUSION Improving access to care and treatment for underinsured populations may contribute to a decrease in secondary intracranial infection cases. ABBREVIATIONS CHD, congenital heart diseaseED, emergency departmentICD-9, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth RevisionRR, relative risk.
Carbon Nanotube Chirality Determines Efficiency of Electron Transfer to Fullerene in All-Carbon Photovoltaics

Nanocarbon-based photovoltaics offer a promising new architecture for the next generation of solar cells. We demonstrate that a key factor determining the efficiency of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/fullerene devices is the chirality of the SWCNT. This is shown via current density vs voltage measurements of nanocarbon devices prepared with (9,7), (7,6) and (6,5) SWCNTs, as well as density-functional theory (DFT) density of states calculations of C60 adsorbed onto the corresponding SWCNTs. The trends in efficiency are rationalized in terms of the relative energies of the fullerene and SWCNT conduction band energy levels.
Oscillatory rotating flow past a circular cylinder

Because of the importance of oscillatory components in the oncoming flow at certain oceanic topographic features, we investigate the oscillatory flow past a circular cylinder in an homogeneous rotating fluid. In the case that the oncoming flow is non-reversing, both for low-frequency and for order-one frequencies, the modifications to the equivalent steady flow arise principally ia the boundary layer on the surface of the cylinder. An incipient-separation criterion is found as a limitation on the magnitude of the Rossby number, as in the steady-flow case. We present numerical solutions of the nonlinear quarter layer equation for small frequencies. We find a generalization of the velocity 'plateau' of the steady-flow problem near the rear stagnation point; all of the harmonics of the free-stream oscillation are present in the velocity plateau. At higher frequencies, the problem is essentially quasi-steady in the quarter layer, but a Stokes layer appears as well. l
Solid electrolyte-aided study of propylene oxidation on polycrystalline silver

Abstract The oxidation of propylene on porous polycrystalline Ag films supported on yttria-stabilized zirconia was studied in a CSTR at temperatures between 290 and 400 °C and atmospheric total pressure. Steady state kinetic measurements were combined with simultaneous in situ monitoring of the chemical potential of oxygen adsorbed on the silver catalyst, using the technique of solid electrolyte potentiometry (SEP). The kinetic and potentiometric results are consistent with a Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction model with two types of chemisorbed oxygen. The reaction network kinetics are studied thoroughly and compared with those obtained during oxidation of propylene oxide, ethylene, and ethylene oxide on the same catalytic surface.
Anal Condyloma Acuminata and Anal Dysplasia

Anal condyloma acuminata and anal dysplasia are human papillomavirus-related intraepithelial lesions that are precursors of anal squamous cell cancer. Risk factors include immunosuppression for patients who have inflammatory bowel disease, cervical cancer, human immunodeficiency virus, a history of solid organ transplantation, as well as viral transmission by person-to-person contact. Assessment includes disease-specific history and physical examination, selected tests, and biopsy of suspicious lesions. Treatment includes antiviral agents, anticytotics, strong acid, or ablation using a variety of techniques. Vaccine prophylaxis against four types of human papillomavirus is available. This chapter discusses infection, diagnosis, and treatment of condyloma acuminata and anal dysplasia.
Identification of Avian Paramyxovirus Serotype-1 in Wild Birds in the USA

Abstract In the US, sampling for avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 (APMV-1) is generally conducted when morbidity or mortality events occur involving certain families of wild birds known to be affected by the virus, such as cormorants (Family Phalacrocoracidae), pigeons, doves (Family Columbidae), or pelicans (Family Pelecanidae). To quantify the prevalence of APMV-1 in apparently healthy wild birds and to determine its geographic distribution, we collected swab and serum samples from >3,500 wild birds, representing eight orders from 1 January 2013 to 30 September 2013. Antibody prevalence was highest in wild birds of Order Suliformes (44.9%), followed by Pelecaniformes (24.4%), Anseriformes (22.7%), and Columbiformes (11.7%), with a relatively high occurrence of virulent viruses in Columbiformes (100% of virulent viruses isolated). As expected, viral shedding was comparatively much lower, and positives were only identified in Orders Accipitriformes (1.4%), Columbiformes (1.0%), Anseriformes (0.8%), and Char...
Bayesian background models for keyword spotting in handwritten documents

Background in a handwritten document can be anything other than the words we are interested in. The characteristics of the background are typically captured by a background model to achieve spotting in handwritten documents. We propose two such Bayesian background models for keyword spotting in handwritten documents. Firstly, we present a background model using the Bayesian generalized linear model called (VDBM) and secondly propose a Bayesian generalized kernel background model called BGKBM. Given a set of handwritten documents and a bunch of keyword and non-keyword scores, the models learn an efficient Bayesian rejection criteria to output the most confident keyword regions in the handwritten document. For the variational dynamic background model (VDBM) the inference of parameters is done using variational methods and for the Bayesian generalized kernel background model (BGKBM), the inference is done using a proposed Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach. The models are built on top of the scores returned by a handwritten recognizer for keywords and non-keywords. The approach is recognition based and works at line level. The methods have been validated on publicly available IAM dataset and compared with other state of the art line level keyword spotting approaches. HighlightsWe propose Bayesian background models for keyword spotting in handwritten documents.We cover a detailed illustration of two of the proposed Bayesian background models.The Bayesian formulation adds uncertainty to handle variation in writing styles.The weights learned on the individual samples provide better rejection criteria.A line level approach that avoids any error is introduced by the word segmentation.
Postoperative Pulmonary Complications, Early Mortality, and Hospital Stay Following Noncardiothoracic Surgery: A Multicenter Study by the Perioperative Research Network Investigators

Importance Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), a leading cause of poor surgical outcomes, are heterogeneous in their pathophysiology, severity, and reporting accuracy. Objective To prospectively study clinical and radiological PPCs and respiratory insufficiency therapies in a high-risk surgical population. Design, Setting, and Participants We performed a multicenter prospective observational study in 7 US academic institutions. American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 3 patients who presented for noncardiothoracic surgery requiring 2 hours or more of general anesthesia with mechanical ventilation from May to November 2014 were included in the study. We hypothesized that PPCs, even mild, would be associated with early postoperative mortality and use of hospital resources. We analyzed their association with modifiable perioperative variables. Exposure Noncardiothoracic surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures Predefined PPCs occurring within the first 7 postoperative days were prospectively identified. We used bivariable and logistic regression analyses to study the association of PPCs with ventilatory and other perioperative variables. Results This study included 1202 patients who underwent predominantly abdominal, orthopedic, and neurological procedures. The mean (SD) age of patients was 62.1 (13.8) years, and 636 (52.9%) were men. At least 1 PPC occurred in 401 patients (33.4%), mainly the need for prolonged oxygen therapy by nasal cannula (n = 235; 19.6%) and atelectasis (n = 206; 17.1%). Patients with 1 or more PPCs, even mild, had significantly increased early postoperative mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and ICU/hospital length of stay. Significant PPC risk factors included nonmodifiable (emergency [yes vs no]: odds ratio [OR], 4.47, 95% CI, 1.59-12.56; surgical site [abdominal/pelvic vs nonabdominal/pelvic]: OR, 2.54, 95% CI, 1.67-3.89; and age [in years]: OR, 1.03, 95% CI, 1.02-1.05) and potentially modifiable (colloid administration [yes vs no]: OR, 1.75, 95% CI, 1.03-2.97; preoperative oxygenation: OR, 0.86, 95% CI, 0.80-0.93; blood loss [in milliliters]: OR, 1.17, 95% CI, 1.05-1.30; anesthesia duration [in minutes]: OR, 1.14, 95% CI, 1.05-1.24; and tidal volume [in milliliters per kilogram of predicted body weight]: OR, 1.12, 95% CI, 1.01-1.24) factors. Conclusions and Relevance Postoperative pulmonary complications are common in patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 3, despite current protective ventilation practices. Even mild PPCs are associated with increased early postoperative mortality, ICU admission, and length of stay (ICU and hospital). Mild frequent PPCs (eg, atelectasis and prolonged oxygen therapy need) deserve increased attention and intervention for improving perioperative outcomes.
Chimeric Regulatory T cells Enhance HSC Engraftment in An Antigen-Specific Fashion.

Abstract Abstract 2424 Poster Board II-401 We previously reported that CD8+TCR- facilitating cells (FC) induce the generation of chimeric regulatory T cells (Treg) in vivo. Transplantation of a mixture of CD8+/TCR- FC and hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) into ablated recipients results in chimerism and tolerance. Treg harvested from the spleen of chimeras (chimeric Treg) potently increase long-term donor chimerism in secondary NOD recipient mice. Here, we evaluated whether chimeric Treg enhance engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in an antigen-specific manner. To prepare mixed chimeras (B6 → NOD), NOD recipients were conditioned with 950 cGy TBI and transplanted with 10,000 B6 HSC and 1,000 NOD HSC plus 45,000 CD8+TCR- B6 FC. At 5 weeks, CD8-CD4+CD25bright chimeric Treg were sorted from spleens of the mixed chimeras (B6 → NOD). 100,000 chimeric Treg were then mixed with 10,000 B6 HSC (donor-specific) + 10,000 B10.BR HSC (third-party) and transplanted into conditioned NOD recipients in competitive repopulation assays. NOD mice given HSC plus nonchimeric naive B6 Treg or HSC alone served as controls. Two of the four animals that received HSC alone engrafted and exhibited an average of 6.7% donor B6 chimerism at 30 days, 11.2% at 60 days, and 10.6% at 90 days. Three of five animals given HSC plus naive B6 Treg engrafted with 21.3% donor B6 chimerism at 30 days, 28.8% at 60 days, and 28.9% at 90 days. In contrast, eight of nine recipients of HSC + chimeric Treg engrafted. These animals exhibited a significantly higher level of donor B6 chimerism, ranging from 56.3% at 30 days, 75.4% at 60 days to 85% at 90 days (P = 0.034). None of the recipients engrafted with the MHC-disparate third-party B10.BR HSC. We then assessed the suppressive function of chimeric Treg in vitro by using MLR suppressor cell assays. CD8-/CD4+/CD25bright Treg were sorted from chimeric spleens 5 wks to 12 wks after HSC + FC transplantation. As shown in the Figure 1 , Treg from naive B6 mice resulted in 1.9 fold; 1.3 fold and 1.1 fold inhibition of proliferation at 1:1, 1:0.25, 1:0.125 responder/Treg ratios (n = 3). In contrast, chimeric Treg potently suppressed T cell proliferation by 10.5 fold; 3.2 fold; and 1.7 fold at responder/Treg ratios of 1:1, 1:0.25, 1:0.125 (n = 4). Chimeric Treg significantly suppressed T cell proliferation at responder/Treg ratios of 1:1 and 1:0.25 compared with naive B6 Treg (P Download : Download high-res image (118KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . Disclosures: Bozulic: Regenerex: Employment. Ildstad: Regenerex: Equity Ownership.
Macromolecular Interactions Control Structural and Thermal Properties of Regenerated Tri-Component Blended Films.

With a growing need for sustainable resources research has become highly interested in investigating the structure and physical properties of biomaterials composed of natural macromolecules. In this study, we assessed the structural, morphological, and thermal properties of blended, regenerated films comprised of cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose (xylan) using the ionic liquid 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AMIMCl). Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray scattering, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to qualitatively and quantitatively measure bonding interactions, morphology, and thermal stability of the regenerated films. The results demonstrated that the regenerated films’ structural, morphological, and thermal character changed as a function of lignin-xylan concentration. The decomposition temperature rose according to an increase in lignin content and the surface topography of the regenerated films changed from fibrous to spherical patterns. This suggests that lignin-xylan concentration alters the self-assembly of lignin and the cellulose microfibril development. X-ray scattering confirms the extent of the morphological and molecular changes. Our data reveals that the inter- and intra-molecular interactions with the cellulose crystalline domains, along with the amount of disorder in the system, control the microfibril dimensional characteristics, lignin self-assembly, and possibly the overall material′s structural and thermal properties.
Learning in the Judicial Hierarchy

I argue the Supreme Court learns to craft legal rules by relying on the Courts of Appeals as laboratories of law, observing their decisions and reviewing those that best inform legal development. I develop a model that shows how the Supreme Court leverages multiple Courts of Appeals decisions to identify which will be most informative to review, and what decision to make upon review. Because an unbiased judge only makes an extreme decision when there is an imbalance in the parties’ evidence, the Supreme Court is able to draw inferences from cases it chooses not to review. The results shed light on how hierarchy eases the inherent difficulty and uncertainty of crafting law and on how the Supreme Court learns to create doctrine.
Hydrazone switches and things in between

This feature article surveys the various ways by which a structurally simple hydrazone can be used in accessing different functional materials, mainly photo/chemically activated switches, fluorophores and sensors. The modularity of this functional group enabled us to develop new switching mechanisms, pathways, cascades and loops, while addressing challenges in the field, such as waste accumulation, how to control cross-talk between different types of switches, developing photochromic compounds with benign activation wavelengths, among others. All of these advances are expected to play, in one permutation or another, an important role in the coming decades in the field of molecular switches and machines.
Climate change communication: Challenges, insights, and opportunities

Abstract The past decade has seen an explosion of both academic research and on-the-ground experimentation aimed at improving climate change communication (CCC) efforts. Much of this work has been conducted and/or supported by psychologists, communications scholars, political scientists, and others who have brought theories and methods from the social sciences to bear on the question of how to effectively communicate with diverse audiences about climate change. In this chapter, we begin by highlighting key challenges communicators face, including features of the problem itself, cultural and political conflict, and psychological barriers that shape how people engage with the issue. We then present seven insights gleaned from the existing evidence base that communicators can incorporate to improve outcomes, including the importance of knowing one’s audience, cultivating the right messengers, highlighting solutions, framing the issue carefully, and confronting false information in ways that unify diverse audiences rather than contribute to polarization. We conclude with recommendations for future directions in both research and practice.
Engineering Instructional Metaphors Within Virtual Environments to Enhance Visualization

Digital games worlds are systems of objects, their properties, behaviors, and the relations between them. They are immensely popular with people of all ages, currently especially the young. The educational community has begun to notice that game worlds present an attractive possibility for enhancing conventional educational achievement. The greatest potential of instructional games actually derives from the structural isomorphism between game worlds and conceptual worlds. This chapter describes how that isomorphism can be achieved through the use of structure mapping theory. A game world designed through applied structure mapping provides a way to introduce novices to expert thinking by making that thinking visible and embodied through a concrete metaphor.
Flow with Soul

‘GREATIVITY—HIS OWN, others’, and that of life itself—has been the entry point into evaluation for Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced “chick-sent-me-high-ce”). Truly an international renaissance man, born in Hungary, a graduate of the classical gymnasium.
Bidirectionality of Pain Interference and PTSD Symptoms in Military Veterans: Does Injury Status Moderate Effects?

Objective Pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are strongly correlated in veteran populations. Arguments for which one condition predicts or worsens the other condition have gone in both directions. However, research addressing this issue has been primarily limited to cross-sectional studies rather than examinations of a potential bidirectional relationship between pain interference and PTSD symptoms over time. In addition, no studies have examined deployment injury status as potentially moderating this bidirectional effect in veterans. To address these gaps in the literature, the present longitudinal study examined whether there is a bidirectional relationship between pain interference and PTSD symptoms in a sample of male and female veterans returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, or Operation New Dawn (N = 729) and whether deployment injury status moderates this relationship. Methods Participants completed phone interviews regarding pain interference and PTSD symptoms at three time points, each three months apart. Results Pain interference at Time 1 predicted worse PTSD symptoms at Time 2 for the subset of veterans who sustained injuries during deployment (n = 381) but not for veterans with pain interference who did not sustain injuries (n = 338). From Time 1 to Time 3, elevations in PTSD symptoms were mediated by pain interference for injured veterans; in contrast, PTSD symptoms did not appear to drive changes in pain interference in either group. Conclusions These results indicate that physical symptom management should be a crucial target of psychological intervention for returning veterans with PTSD symptoms and deployment-related injuries.
Implementation of a chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting dashboard.

e22519Background: Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) negatively impacts the quality of life of pediatric patients receiving antineoplastic agents. Our objective was to prevent CINV usi...
Early Childhood Inpatient Costs of Critical Congenital Heart Disease

Objective To assess longitudinal estimates of inpatient costs through early childhood in patients with critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs), for whom reliable estimates are scarce, using a population-based cohort of clinically validated CCHD cases. Study design Longitudinal retrospective cohort of infants with CCHDs live born from 1997 to 2012 in Utah. Cases identified from birth defect registry data were linked to inpatient discharge abstracts and vital records to track inpatient days and costs through age 10 years. Costs were adjusted for inflation and discounted by 3% per year to generate present value estimates. Multivariable models identified infant and maternal factors potentially associated with higher resource utilization and were used to calculate adjusted costs by defect type. Results The final statewide cohort included 1439 CCHD cases among 803 509 livebirths (1.8/1000). The average cost per affected child through age 10 years was $136 682 with a median of $74 924 because of a small number of extremely high cost children; costs were highest for pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Inpatient costs increased by 1.6% per year during the study period. A single birth year cohort (~50 000 births/year) had estimated expenditures of $11 902 899 through age 10 years. Extrapolating to the US population, inpatient costs for a single birth year cohort through age 10 years were ~$1 billion. Conclusions Inpatient costs for CCHDs throughout childhood are high and rising. These revised estimates will contribute to comparative effectiveness research aimed at improving the value of care on a patient and population level.