cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Melanoma Immunotherapy in the Elderly

The incidence of cutaneous melanoma in the elderly continues to rise. Immunotherapies such as the immune checkpoint inhibitors ipilimumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab have shown great promise in the management of this disease. There are growing data, mostly out of clinical trial experience, that shows the efficacy and tolerability of these agents across all ages, including those older than 75 years. Though at first glance immunotherapy for melanoma may appear to be a one-size fits all when it comes to age, a rationale is evolving for why this approach may warrant additional personalization in the older patient. This paper aims to summarize the clinical experience with these agents for elderly melanoma patients, as well as to introduce the concept of a personalized approach for elderly patients with consideration of incidence and management of side effects, and strategies for optimizing efficacy in the context of an aging immune system.
It's in the mix: Reassortment of segmented viral genomes.

Segmentation of viral genomes allows exchange of intact genes between related viruses when they coinfect the same cell (Fig 1). This exchange is a type of recombination called reassortment. Classical recombination involves the joining of nucleic acid sequences derived from two different templates into one chimeric product. During reassortment, however, entire gene segments are swapped to give rise to chimeric genomes. In both cases, novel genotypes are formed, giving the potential for viruses to evolve. As with genetic change through mutation, most reassortment events yield progeny viruses that are less fit than either parent (Fig 2). Occasionally, however, reassortment gives rise to a combination of genes particularly well suited to a given set of selection pressures, and increased fitness results. Open in a separate window Fig 1 Reassortment requires viruses to meet on multiple scales. For reassortment to occur between viruses of two distinct genotypes, these viruses must infect the same host (A) and the same tissue within that host (B). Either the inoculating viruses or their progeny must come together within the same cell (C). Finally, the coinfecting viral genomes must mix within the coinfected cell, and replicated segments must be copackaged, processes which may be limited by compartmentalization of viral replication and selectivity of genome incorporation, respectively (D). When all of these criteria are met, progeny viruses of both reassortant and parental viral genotypes will emerge from the cell (E).
Amphoteric, Sulfonamide-Functionalized ``Polysoaps'': CO2-Induced Phase Separation for Water Remediation

Amphoteric polysoaps have been prepared via statistical RAFT copolymerization using either methacryloyl sulfacetamide (mSAC) or methacryloyl sulfmethazine (mSMZ) and 4-hexylphenyl methylacrylamide (4HPhMA). These copolymers form pH- and CO2-responsive polymeric micelles capable of sequestering hydrophobic molecules in water. The composition and structure of the respective copolymers can be changed to tailor the onset and extent of CO2-dependent phase behavior. When CO2 is introduced into the system, resulting in carbonic acid formation, the pH drops below the pKa of the sulfonamide units along the copolymer backbone, and phase separation occurs. Purging with N2 results in an increase in pH and redissolution of the polysoap; this process can be repeated multiple times. The mSMZ polysoaps, which show complete phase transitions using this reversible process, were especially efficient in removing the model contaminants pyrene and 9-anthracenemethanol from water. The feasibility of recovering and reusing these...
Gender inequality in mobile technology access: the role of economic and social development

Digital inequality is a burgeoning field of study across disciplines, yet few papers address categorical digital inequality in cross-national samples. Using the only available cross-national data o...
A novel methodology for radiative transfer in a planetary atmosphere

A novel methodology for evaluating the field of anisotropically scattered radiation within a homogeneous slab atmosphere of arbitrary optical thickness is provided. It departs from the traditional radiative transfer approach in first considering that the atmosphere is illuminated by an isotropic light source. From the solution of this problem, it subsequently proceeds to that for the more conventional case of monodirectional illumination. The azimuthal dependence of the field is separated in the usual manner by an harmonic expansion, leaving a problem in four dimensions (τ=optical depth, τ0=thickness, ζ, η=directions of incidence and scattering) which, as is well known, is numerically extremely inconvenient. Two auxiliary radiative transfer formulations of increasing dimensionality are considered: (i) a transfer equation for the newly introduced functionbm(τ,η,τ0) with Sobolev's functionΦm(τ,τ0) playing the role of a source-function. Because the incident direction does not intervene,Φm is simply expressed as a single integral term involvingbm. For bottom illumination, an analogous equation holds for the other new functionhm(τ,η,τ0). However, simple reciprocity relations link the two functions so that it is only necessary to considerbm; (ii) a transfer equation for the other new functionam(τ,η,ζ,τ0) with a source-function provided by Sobolev's functionDm(τ,ζ,τ0). For bottom illumination, another functionfm(τ,η,ζ,τ0) is introduced; by a similar argument using reciprocity relations,fm is reduced toam rendering necessary only the consideration ofam. However, a fundamental decomposition formula is obtained which shows thatam is expressible algebraically in terms of functions of a single angular variable. The functionsΦm andDm are shown to be the values in the horizontal plane ofbm andam, respectively. The other auxiliary functionsXm andYm are also expressed algebraically in terms ofbm. These results enable one to proceed to the final step of evaluating the radiation field for monodirectional illumination. The above reductions toalgebraic relations involving only the functionbm appear to be more advantageous than Sobolev's (1972) recent approach; they also circumvent some basic numerical difficulties in it. We believe the present approach may likewise prove to be superior to most (if not all) other methods of solution known heretofore.
Embryonic development of a parthenogenetic vertebrate, the mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris).

Background One goal of evolutionary developmental biology is to understand the role of development in the origin of phenotypic novelty and convergent evolution. Geckos are an ideal system to study this topic, as they are species-rich and exhibit a suite of diverse morphologies-many of which have independently evolved multiple times within geckos. Results We characterized and discretized the embryonic development of Lepidodactylus lugubris-an all-female, parthenogenetic gecko species. We also used soft-tissue μCT to characterize the development of the brain and central nervous system, which is difficult to visualize using traditional microscopy techniques. Additionally, we sequenced and assembled a de novo transcriptome for a late-stage embryo as a resource for generating future developmental tools. Herein, we describe the derived and conserved patterns of L. lugubris development in the context of squamate evolution and development. Conclusions This embryonic staging series, μCT data, and transcriptome together serve as critical enabling resources to study morphological evolution and development, the evolution and development of parthenogenesis, and other questions concerning vertebrate evolution and development in an emerging gecko model.
A two‐level mixed‐integer programming model for bridge replacement prioritization

Abstract A bridge network is an essential part of the transportation system. Therefore, the restoration and replacement activities of aging bridges result in severe traffic delays and disruptions t...
Serum Bicarbonate Concentration and Cause-Specific Mortality: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2010.

Abstract Objective To assess the association between serum bicarbonate concentration and cause-specific mortality in the US general population. Methods A total of 31,195 individuals enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2010 were followed for a median 6.7 (interquartile range, 3.7-9.8) years. Cause-specific mortality was defined as cardiovascular, malignancy, and noncardiovascular/nonmalignancy causes. Cox proportional hazards adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, medications, and renal function were used to test the association between baseline serum bicarbonate and the outcomes of interest. Results Of the 2798 participants who died, 722 had a cardiovascular- and 620 had a malignancy-related death. Compared with participants with serum bicarbonate 22 to 26 mEq/L, those with a level below 22 mEq/L had an increased hazard of all-cause and malignancy-related mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.54; 95% CI, 1.30-1.83; and HR, 1.46; 95% CI 1.00-2.13, respectively). The hazard for cardiovascular mortality was increased by 8% with each 1 mEq/L increase in serum bicarbonate above 26 mEq/L (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.15). The findings were consistent in participants with or without chronic kidney disease, with no significant interactions observed. Conclusion In a large cohort of US adults, serum bicarbonate concentration level below 22 mEq/L was associated with malignancy-related mortality, whereas a concentration above 26 mEq/L was associated with cardiovascular mortality. Further studies to evaluate potential mechanisms for the differences in cause-specific mortality are warranted.
Does an attractive partner make you a better leader? Only if you are a male!

Abstract We integrate the research on evolutionary leadership with the evolutionary psychology of mate choice to argue that a facially attractive partner signals unobservable leadership qualities of their mate, and thus, partner's attractiveness spills over to their mate's perceived leadership. Study 1 found that while partner's attractiveness enhanced the perceived leadership of male CEOs, female CEOs' leadership was downgraded in the presence of an attractive partner. Study 2 validated that the leadership penalty for female CEOs increased when they were seen with more attractive males than with less attractive males. Study 3 found that conservative candidates that were male benefitted more from an attractive partner than their liberal counterparts but female candidates were penalized regardless of political ideology. Our findings suggest that indirect cues that emanate from the partner are critical for leadership assessment. They invoke attributions that enhance the perceived leadership of males but disapprove of females as leaders.
Osteocytes, More Than Just Mechanosensory Cells

Abstract The importance of the osteocyte as an essential regulator of bone health and function is now well accepted due to data generated in the last decade. Although once regarded as simply buried, inactive osteoblasts, it is now known that these cells are highly active and have specialized functions both in and beyond the bone environment. This article will describe these functions and how recent discoveries in osteocyte research may lead to much needed novel therapies for musculoskeletal and endocrine disorders.
Chapter 10 – Hormonal Control of Growth

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the hormones that play important roles in growth, and their interactions at critical times in development. Growth is a complex process and depends on the interplay of genetic, nutritional, and environmental influences, as well as actions of the endocrine system. Regulation of growth by the endocrine system can be viewed as coordination of local growth processes with overall development of the individual and with external environmental influences. Growth hormone (GH)—also called somatotropin—is the single most important hormone required for normal growth. The effects of thyroid hormones on growth are intimately entwined with GH. Failure of growth in thyroid-deficient individuals is largely due to a deficiency of GH, which may be compounded by a decrease in sensitivity to GH. Although neither GH nor thyroxine appears to be an important determinant of fetal growth, many investigators have suggested that insulin may serve as a growth-promoting hormone during the fetal period. The adolescent growth spurt, like other changes at puberty, is attributable to steroid hormones of the gonads and perhaps the adrenals. Normal growth requires secretion of glucocorticoids, which have widespread effects in promoting optimal function of a variety of organ systems, a sense of health and well being, and normal appetite.
The role of autoimmunity after traumatic brain injury

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States and around the world. The primary injury (acute phase) to the brain destroys or damages the neuronal and glial cells and compromises the tissue and blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity. The secondary injury is a prolonged phase causing cellular, molecular, and functional deficits. TBI evokes systemic and local inflammatory responses. Immune cells migrate to the brain and gain access to the brain parenchyma due to BBB breakdown. The damaged or destroyed cells, displaced proteins or their metabolites are recognized by the immune cells as autoantigens. The autoantibodies generated may be useful as biomarkers of disease severity. The autoimmunity thus developed has a long-lasting effect on the body and can be directed to the brain causing neurodegenerative disorders or elicit systemic autoimmune disorders. Hypopituitarism is one of the major pathophysiological consequences of TBI autoimmunity.
BigTest: a symbolic execution based systematic test generation tool for Apache spark

Data-intensive scalable computing (DISC) systems such as Google's MapReduce, Apache Hadoop, and Apache Spark are prevalent in many production services. Despite their popularity, the quality of DISC applications suffers due to a lack of exhaustive and automated testing. Current practices of testing DISC applications are limited to using a small random sample of the entire input dataset which merely exposes any program faults. Unlike SQL queries, testing DISC applications has new challenges due to a composition of both dataflow and relational operators, and user-defined functions (UDF) that could be arbitrarily long and complex. To address this problem, we demonstrate a new white-box testing framework called BigTest that takes an Apache Spark program as input and automatically generates synthetic, concrete data for effective and efficient testing. BigTest combines the symbolic execution of UDFs with the logical specifications of dataflow and relational operators to explore all paths in a DISC application. Our experiments show that BigTest is capable of generating test data that can reveal up to 2X more faults than the entire data set with 194X less testing time. We implement BigTest in a Java-based command line tool with a pre-compile binary jar. It exposes a configuration file in which a user can edit preferences, including the path of a target program, the upper bound of loop exploration, and a choice of theorem solver. The demonstration video of BigTest is available at https://youtu.be/OeHhoKiDYso and BigTest is available at https://github.com/maligulzar/BigTest.
Which Kaptein to Choose? The Havoysund Fleet Question

Olaf Tryggvason, owner of a fleet of fishing ships in a small northern Norwegian town, has been offered and has accepted a reality television deal about the fleet to create a show along the lines of "The Deadliest Catch" and "Big Shrimpin'." He now has to recommend which ships and kapteiner (skippers or captains) in his fleet should be the stars of the show. He also has to consider the various dangers and complexities inherent in making a show like this, and what responsibility he has to his employees and other stakeholders. In thinking through the decisions in the case, students will have to wrestle with how values shape their quantitative analysis and views of their moral responsibilities to employees, and how their own experiences and biases shape how they view moral issues. Excerpt UVA-E-0419 Rev. Sept. 1, 2020 Which Kaptein to Choose? The HavOysund Fleet Question The way you continue to be a successful business is you don't wait for the car to go off the cliff. You have to manage yourself. And make sure you do it in the right way so you are not making decisions in crisis. Olaf Tryggvason looked at the quotation, his own, that sat on his desk. It was, for him, more than a passing inspirational comment. Tryggvason sat in his office in HavOysund, a small fishing village of just 1,000 inhabitants on the northern Norwegian island of HavOya. From his window, he could see tourists disembarking from a cruise ship, and he knew very soon they would make their way through his hometown, swelling the streets and clogging the stores. If you were able to share some aquavit with him, Tryggvason would confess that he found the tourists an irritating yet necessary evil. Tourism and entertainment had become critical to the economies of a number of port towns in Norway. Historically, HavOysund had been an important fishing village at least since the late Middle Ages, and there was even evidence of early fishing settlements dating back to the Neolithic era. Years ago, the city had leveraged this heritage into a revenue-generating asset. The citizens had converted an old religious rectory into the MasOy Museum. The museum featured a collection of historic fishing and whaling equipment. Tryggvason begrudgingly acknowledged that for some in the village, becoming an entertainment hub had “cheapened” their culture. He looked at the quote again. It gave him resolve for the decisions ahead. Specifically, Tryggvason, who operated a fleet of fishing vessels, had accepted a reality television deal that he'd been offered by a producer from Oslo, Arvid StrOmstad. He needed to make recommendations about which ships and their skippers, or kapteiner, should have a shot at becoming the “stars” of the show; however, this responsibility would come with increased risks and rewards. As he diversified his lines of business, Tryggvason wondered how his quote should shape his obligations to his employees. . . .
High Temperature Oxidation and Decarburization of SiMo Cast Iron in Air and Combustion Atmospheres

Silicon and molybdenum (SiMo) alloyed cast irons with spherical graphite are used for exhaust manifolds for service at high temperatures in air and combustion atmospheres containing water vapor. Analysis of degraded surfaces of in-service manifolds indicates existence of a combined oxidation and de-carburization (de-C) phenomena. Therefore, sequential high-temperature tests in air and combustion atmosphere with recording weight change together with carbon analysis at each time step were utilized to quantify the kinetics of both processes. The recorded weight change was related to weight gain due to oxidation and weight loss due to de-C. Carbon analysis was used to de-couple these two processes. SEM measured thicknesses of de-C layers were used to verify kinetics obtained from changes in carbon concentration during oxidation. It was shown that the oxidation and de-C kinetics have different sensitivities to testing temperature and the type of oxidizing atmospheres. At 700 °C and above, there are several significant mutual effects between scale formation and de-C processes which affect the kinetics of these processes and activation energy. The tested experimental methodology for decoupling these processes can be used for alloy optimization.
An Omega-3-rich Anti-inflammatory Diet Improved Widespread Allodynia and Worsened Metabolic Outcomes in Adult Mice Exposed to Neonatal Maternal Separation.

Abstract Inflammation plays a key role in the progression and maintenance of chronic pain, which impacts the lives of millions of Americans. Despite growing evidence that chronic pain can be improved by treating underlying inflammation, successful treatments are lacking and pharmaceutical interventions are limited due to drug side effects. Here we are testing whether a ‘healthy human’ diet (HHD), with or without anti-inflammatory components (HHAID), improves pain-like behaviors in a preclinical model of chronic widespread hypersensitivity induced by neonatal maternal separation (NMS). The HHD and HHAID are isocaloric and macronutrient-matched, have a low glycemic index, and fat content (35 kcal%) that is high in omega-3 fatty acids, while only the HHAID includes a combination of key anti-inflammatory compounds, at clinically relevant doses. Mice on these diets were compared to mice on a control diet with a macronutrient composition commonly used in rodents (20% protein, 70% carbohydrate, 10% fat). Our results demonstrate a benefit of the HHAID on pain-like behaviors in both male and female mice, despite increased caloric intake, adiposity, and weight gain. In female mice, HHAID specifically increased measures of metabolic syndrome and inflammation compared to the HHD and control diet groups. Male mice were susceptible to worsening metabolic measures on both the HHAID and HHD. This work highlights important sexual dimorphic outcomes related to early life stress exposure and dietary interventions, as well as a potential disconnect between improvements in pain-like behaviors and metabolic measures.
$μ$DARTS: Model Uncertainty-Aware Differentiable Architecture Search.

We present a Model Uncertainty-aware Differentiable ARchiTecture Search ($\mu$DARTS) that optimizes neural networks to simultaneously achieve high accuracy and low uncertainty. We introduce concrete dropout within DARTS cells and include a Monte-Carlo regularizer within the training loss to optimize the concrete dropout probabilities. A predictive variance term is introduced in the validation loss to enable searching for architecture with minimal model uncertainty. The experiments on CIFAR10, CIFAR100, SVHN, and ImageNet verify the effectiveness of $\mu$DARTS in improving accuracy and reducing uncertainty compared to existing DARTS methods. Moreover, the final architecture obtained from $\mu$DARTS shows higher robustness to noise at the input image and model parameters compared to the architecture obtained from existing DARTS methods.
Pharmacologically Targeting the WNT/β-Catenin Signaling Cascade: Avoiding the Sword of Damocles

WNT/β-catenin signaling plays fundamental roles in numerous developmental processes and in adult tissue homeostasis and repair after injury, by controlling cellular self-renewal, activation, division, differentiation, movement, genetic stability, and apoptosis. As such, it comes as no surprise that dysregulation of WNT/β-catenin signaling is associated with various diseases, including cancer, fibrosis, neurodegeneration, etc. Although multiple agents that specifically target the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway have been studied preclinically and a number have entered clinical trials, none has been approved by the FDA to date. In this chapter, we provide our insights as to the reason(s) it has been so difficult to safely pharmacologically target the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway and discuss the significant efforts undertaken towards this goal.
Bacillus subtilis exopolysaccharide suppresses mast cell responses (MUC9P.754)

Commensal bacteria are being studied for their probiotic, or beneficial effects in a number of diseases. Probiotics have been proposed as a therapy for food allergy but the mechanism and efficacy of how probiotics may be preventing disease are not understood. We previously showed that we can limit diarrheal disease caused by the enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium using the probiotic Bacillus subtilis. In addition we isolated the protective molecule, exopolysaccharide (EPS) and shown EPS alone is sufficient for protection of disease. Food allergy and the anaphylactic response following allergen exposure are mediated by mast cell degranulation. We have evidence that EPS can suppress mast cell-dependent degranulation and anaphylaxis. Therefore, we hypothesize that EPS protects against anaphylaxis through the suppression of mast cell activation. Identifying the mechanism by which EPS prevents anaphylaxis will provide the first safe and effective therapeutic use of a probiotic for the treatment of food allergy.
On the multimeric nature of natural human interleukin-6.

Abstract Natural human interleukin-6 (IL-6) characterized under completely denaturing conditions consists of a set of differentially modified phosphoglycoproteins of molecular mass in the range from 23 to 30 kDa ("25-kDa" O-glycosylated species and "30-kDa" O- and N-glycosylated species). The 25-kDa O-glycosylated IL-6 (which contains only Ser- or Thr-GalNAc-Gal-NeuNAc and thus should not bind wheat germ or lentil lectins) bound to and was eluted from a wheat germ lectin affinity column by GlcNAc and from a lentil lectin affinity column by methyl-alpha-D-Man suggesting that the 25-kDa IL-6 species formed heteromeric complexes with the N-glycosylated 30-kDa IL-6. In non-denaturing gels (0.2% Nonidet P-40-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)), even under reducing conditions (15 mM dithiothreitol or 1 M beta-mercaptoethanol and heating), fibroblast-derived IL-6 migrated as a predominant complex of mass approximately 85 kDa and additional minor 45-65-kDa complexes. Little IL-6 was detected in the size range 23-30 kDa. Elution of the major 85-kDa complex and re-electrophoresis through sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE revealed that it represented a heteromeric aggregate of the 25- and 30-kDa IL-6 species; the 45-65-kDa complexes were largely composed of the 25-kDa protein. The bulk of fibroblast-derived IL-6 eluted in the size range 45-85 kDa from a Sephadex G-200 gel filtration column further indicating that fibroblast-derived IL-6 was largely multimeric even in dilute solutions. Functionally, the high molecular mass IL-6 fractions from the G-200 column were less active in the B9 hybridoma growth factor assay than the lower molecular mass fractions but appeared to be equally active in the Hep3B hepatocyte-stimulating factor assay. Taken together, the data indicate that natural human IL-6 exists as a multimeric aggregate with varying biological activity.
Clinical manifestations of duplication of the bowel.

Thirty-eight cases of duplication of the gastrointestinal tract are presented. The embryogenesis of duplications is briefly considered. Duplications may arise at any point along the alimentary tract but are most frequent in the abdominal cavity. Heterotopia of the mucous membrane is often present. When acid secreting mucosa lines the lesion, hemorrhage or erosion may result. Anatomically, duplications can be classified into spherical or tubular forms. The spherical seldom communicate with the normal bowel lumen, whereas the latter may open into the intestine at some point. The anatomic distribution, sex, racial incidence and age of onset are summarized. Other visceral anomalies are frequently associated. Vertebral anomalies often are discovered with thoracic duplications. Diverse symptoms and signs may lead to the finding of a duplication. In this series respiratory difficulty predominated in five patients, abdominal pain in six patients, an abdominal or anal mass in seven patients, an acute abdominal problem in seven patients and on ten occasions duplications were discovered when patients underwent investigations or operative procedures for other problems. Thirty-six of the 38 patients had surgical procedures. Interference was deemed unnecessary in one patient. Among the 36 surgical cases, 35 survived and have had no susequent difficulties. There were two deaths in infants with multiple anomalies, in whom the duplications was an incidental finding in one and a necropsy finding in the other.
Towards a traveling wave power distribution module using micromachined packaging techniques for millimeter and submillimeter wave applications

The design of a waveguide-based power distribution module is presented. Traveling-wave in nature and readily realizable using existing micromachining processes, the structure is a promising candidate for millimeter and submillimeter wave applications.
Mid-Infrared Observations of the Galactic Center Arc and the SGR a East HII Region

We have used the 20-pixel IR camera to observe thermal IR emission from dust associated with the radio continuum Arc near the Galactic center and the cluster of HII regions in the immediate vicinity of Sgr A East. We detected strong 10μm emission from the eastern and western arched filaments (G0.1+0.08), from an unusual pistol-shaped structure known as G0.15–0.05 and from the brightest member of the Sgr A East HII region. Spatial maps of these features at 10μm with a resolution of 4.1″ × 4.2″ are presented and are compared with 5-GHz radio images. We find a general spatial correlation between the ionized gas and the dust distributions. The ratio of IR to radio flux densities is significantly different in the eastern and western arched filaments, which suggests that the source of heating has a softer spectrum along the eastern arched filaments. In addition, the ratio of IR to radio flux densities, which is typically ~10 in normal Galactic HII regions excited by O stars, is at least a factor of two higher than this value in almost all the sources we have observed. This suggests that additional mechanisms other than trapped Lyman α radiation should be present in heating the dust, e.g. stochastic heating of small dust grains by energetic particles associated with the nonthermal filaments.
The antigen sensitivity of effector but not memory CD4 T cells is regulated by the pathogen-induced inflammatory milieu. (IRM6P.712)

CD4 T cells play an important role in orchestrating immune responses following recognition of antigens through their T cell receptor (TCR). As such, their sensitivity for cognate antigen is likely to be tightly regulated. Previously, we demonstrated that the antigen sensitivity of CD8 T cells was tuned by inflammatory cytokines. Whether inflammatory cytokines also tune the antigen sensitivity of CD4 T cells remains unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that the antigen sensitivity of effector CD4 T cells is tuned by the inflammatory milieu. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that, in contrast to CD8 T cells, increased antigen sensitivity is not linked to enhanced TCR signal transduction capacity. In addition, tuning of the antigen sensitivity of CD4 T cells by inflammatory cytokines is independent of their role in the polarization of these cells towards a Th1 phenotype. Further, we demonstrate that, unlike CD8 T cells, inflammatory cytokines do not regulate the antigen sensitivity of memory CD4 T cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate that while inflammatory cytokines tune the antigen sensitivity of both CD4 and CD8 T cells, they do so through distinct mechanisms. Understanding the regulation of the antigen sensitivity of T cells can yield important insight leading to potential therapeutic avenues aimed at manipulating the antigen sensitivity of T cells. These approaches may be useful to prevent chronic viral infections, allow for clearance of tumors and prevent autoimmunity.
Neonatal separation: the maternal side of interactional deprivation.

Studies of maternal behavior in nonhuman mammals have suggested that the degree of interaction permitted between mother and infant in the postpartum period will influence later maternal attachment and infant development. The hypotheses raised by these studies can be explored with human mothers and infants through manipulation of care procedures of mothers and newborns in the immediate postpartum period. A pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility of changing premature care procedures in order to study the effects of interactional deprivation in the neonatal period on maternal attitudes and behavior. Forty-one mothers were permitted to enter the nursery and touch or handle their premature infants in incubators as early as the second day after birth. The feasibility of admitting mothers to the premature nursery without increasing the risk or occurrence of infection, or disrupting the organization of the care of the infants, was demonstrated. We are now conducting a long-term study based on this pilot model to delineate the differences in commitment, feelings of competence, and behavior in the two differentially treated groups of mothers and to relate their behavior to the motor and mental development of the infants.
International demand for American higher education

This study examines the issue as to whether U.S. educational institutions need a significant change in their policy to deal with the increasing number of foreign students on U.S. campuses. Projections for the 1980s are made using Box-Jenkins and other forecasting techniques. Factors that led to the rapid growth of foreign students in the past are reviewed. The likelihood of their continuation is examined. In the light of these factors, policy implications of the projections are discussed.
An examination of the Brueckner condition for the selection of molecular orbitals in correlated wavefunctions

Abstract The Brueckner condition is analyzed as an approximation to the condition of stability of the total energy with respect to variations in the orbitals. The recently introduced method of self-consistent electron pairs is used to find Brueckner orbitals and it is shown that the Brueckner condition can give a slightly higher energy wavefunction than with Hartree—Fock orbitals, while a slightly lower energy result is obtained when singly substituted configurations are important.
The transient layer in magnetic garnet films grown by liquid phase epitaxy

Abstract A thin (∼ 0.1 μ m) layer is formed initially during the so-called “transient” period preceding the establishment of the steady state diffusion boundary layer in the melt, when films are dipped in a horizontal plane while undergoing axial rotation. Further evidence is given for the existence of the transient as a separate and distinct growth mode as compared to steady state growth. The transient layer, which grows comparatively rapidly, nevertheless has properties virtually identical to those of the subsequently grown steady state layer, except for its higher Pb concentration.
Interviewer-related measurement error in attitudinal research: a nonexperimental study

Prior research efforts have attempted to identify the extent to which interviewers bias survey data. Interviewer characteristics such as age, sex, race and social class have been widely studied, as have the effects of certain interviewer attitudes. These previous works, however, have examined the effect of only one or two of these variables upon responses. The current research incorporates interviewer demographic variables, social distance measures, and interviewer attitudinal indicators into the analysis to ascertain their relative impact upon respondent attitudes. Findings include: (1) interviewer demographic characteristics and social distance measures have no significant effects upon responses; and (2) interviewer attitudes exert a statistically significant but small influence upon respondent attitudes.
Utilization of groups in training for school consultation

Abstract The purpose of the present paper is to describe the utilization of groups over the past six years in our two semester school consultation practicum course. In addition, problems and issues raised by the utilization of groups are considered. Three tensions resulting from the utilization of groups are described and it is concluded that regardless of the complexity of the issues or the instructor's fallibility, the three tensions represent issues around which instructors must make decisions.
Deep Ion Torrent sequencing identifies soil fungal community shifts after frequent prescribed fires in a southeastern US forest ecosystem

Prescribed burning is a common management tool to control fuel loads, ground vegetation, and facilitate desirable game species. We evaluated soil fungal community responses to long-term prescribed fire treatments in a loblolly pine forest on the Piedmont of Georgia and utilized deep Internal Transcribed Spacer Region 1 (ITS1) amplicon sequencing afforded by the recent Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM). These deep sequence data (19 000 + reads per sample after subsampling) indicate that frequent fires (3-year fire interval) shift soil fungus communities, whereas infrequent fires (6-year fire interval) permit system resetting to a state similar to that without prescribed fire. Furthermore, in nonmetric multidimensional scaling analyses, primarily ectomycorrhizal taxa were correlated with axes associated with long fire intervals, whereas soil saprobes tended to be correlated with the frequent fire recurrence. We conclude that (1) multiplexed Ion Torrent PGM analyses allow deep cost effective sequencing of fungal communities but may suffer from short read lengths and inconsistent sequence quality adjacent to the sequencing adaptor; (2) frequent prescribed fires elicit a shift in soil fungal communities; and (3) such shifts do not occur when fire intervals are longer. Our results emphasize the general responsiveness of these forests to management, and the importance of fire return intervals in meeting management objectives.
Relationship between reaction time variability and motor skill development in ADHD

Slower and more variable reaction times to computerized tasks have been documented in children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recent research supports a role for attentional lapses in generating abnormally variable and slow responses. However, given the association between ADHD and impairments in motor control, we hypothesized that slower or more variable reaction times might also correlate with motor development. The aim of this case-control study was to explore the relationship between motor function, reaction speed and variability, and ADHD. After comprehensive educational and clinical assessments, motor skill development was evaluated in 35 children ages 9 to 14 (19 with ADHD) using the Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs (PANESS) test battery. Finger-sequencing speed and variability were quantified with goniometers. Reaction times were measured with 20 trials each of computerized simple and choice (binary) tasks. Compared to healthy controls, childr...
Correlations among measures of knee stiffness, gait performance and complaints in individuals with knee osteoarthritis

Abstract Background Stiffness is a common complaint in individuals with knee osteoarthritis and is a component of the osteoarthritis diagnosis. Yet the relationship between stiffness and function is poorly understood and methods to quantify stiffness are limited. Methods Using a cross-sectional observational design with 66 subjects with knee osteoarthritis, stiffness and damping coefficients were calculated from a relaxed knee oscillation procedure. Gait parameters were measured using an electronic walkway. Self-reported pain, stiffness, and function were measured with the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index. Correlation and Alexander's normalized-t approximation analyses were used to assess associations among the variables. Subset analysis was performed on subjects with and without tibiofemoral joint crepitus. Findings Slight to moderate correlations existed between stiffness and damping coefficients and most gait parameters ((| r | = 0.30–0.56; P Interpretation These findings suggest that laboratory measured stiffness and damping coefficients, Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index scores and gait-related measurements assess different aspects related to movement in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Stiffness and damping coefficients may offer the ability to explain gait changes in the knee that are independent of a person's perceptions particularly in the early stages of the disease.
A space‐time stochastic model of rainfall for satellite remote‐sensing studies

A model of the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall is described that produces random spatial rainfall patterns with these characteristics: (1) the model is defined on a grid with each grid point representing the average rain rate over the surrounding grid box, (2) rain occurs at any one grid point, on average, a specified percentage of the time and has a lognormal probability distribution, (3) spatial correlation of the rainfall can be arbitrarily prescribed, and (4) time stepping is carried out so that large-scale features persist longer than small-scale features. Rain is generated in the model from the portion of a correlated Gaussian random field that exceeds a threshold. The portion of the field above the threshold is rescaled to have a lognormal probability distribution. Sample output of the model designed to mimic radar observations of rainfall during the Global Atmospheric Research Program Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE), is shown. The model is intended for use in evaluating sampling strategies for satellite remote-sensing of rainfall and for development of algorithms for converting radiant intensity received by an instrument from its field of view into rainfall amount.
0.5W CW single frequency blue at 486 nm via SHG with net conversion of 81.5% from the NIR using a 30mm PPMgO:SLT crystal in a resonant cavity

A single frequency fiber Bragg grating (FBG) stabilized laser at 972 nm is coupled into a doubling ring cavity with an optical length of 138 mm, a 91% input coupler, a 30 mm long Brewster cut magnesium doped periodically poled lithium tantalate (PPMgO:SLT) crystal and a high reflector. The cavity buildup is 37 and loss is 0.63%. The cavity is monitored, controlled and locked with a single chip processor. With IR power of 572 mW in the input fiber, 466 mW blue output is obtained, giving 81.5% net efficiency. The blue and IR beams are separated by refraction at the crystal’s Brewster surface with negligible loss and without the need for dichroic optics.
Dysfunctional transforming growth factor-β signaling with constitutively active notch signaling in Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma

Background Esophageal adenocarcinoma is often considered to arise from a clonal stem like population of cells, potentially responsible for its poor prognosis. TGF-β and Notch signaling pathways play important roles in regulating self-renewal of stem cells, cell-fate determination. Both pathways are frequently implicated in gastrointestinal carcinogenesis. However, their contributions to esophageal adenocarcinoma remain unclear.
Food Production and Population Size in the Lesser Antilles

This article poses the question of whether aboriginal population size in the Lesser Antilles was limited by the total calories obtainable from manioc, the amount of protein obtainable from animal sources, or both of these factors. Estimates of cultivable land and productivity show that calories obtainable from manoic are not likely to have limited population size. Estimates of the amount of animal food that would have been needed to provide sufficient protein for populations of varying size, based on studies of faunal remains, indicate that protein is more likely than calories to have been a limiting factor in population size because the amount of animal protein required to support a population of several thousand is unlikely to have been consistently obtainable. A method is suggested for estimating the maximum human population supportable by animal protein resources found on Antillean islands.
Evaluation of abort capabilities of rocket-powered single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicles

Application of advanced technologies to future launch vehicle designs would allow the introduction of a rocket-powered, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) launch system early in the next century. A fully reusable SSTO vehicle would be quite desirable from an operational standpoint; however, such a vehicle cannot be designed without accompanying technological advances in structure, propulsion, and subsystems. The conceptual design of such a vehicle has recently been completed. This paper examines the abort capabilities of an advanced SSTO launch vehicle which has five main engines. In the event of a single or dual main engine shutdown it was determined when the vehicle could execute return-to-launch-site, abort-to-orbit, or down-range abort maneuvers. Throughout each abort maneuver, vehicle loads are kept within nominal ascent and entry design values.
PUBOPERINEALES: MUSCULAR BOUNDARIES OF THE MALE UROGENITAL HIATUS IN 3D FROM MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Purpose: The aims of this report are 1) to extend our previous two-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging study to create a three-dimensional image of the pelvic floor, including the puboperinealis, the most anteromedial component of the levator ani; 2) to clarify the historical controversy about this particular component of the levator ani; and 3) to present clinical implications of this muscle with respect to urinary continence and radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: We reused the axial magnetic resonance imaging series from 1 of 15 men in a previous series. Analyze AVWTM allowed creation of three-dimensional images. Further, a movie clip of all three-dimensional images was developed and placed at the manuscript-dedicated Web site: http://www.mayo.edu/ppmovie/pp.html.Results: Our three-dimensional images show how the puboperinealis portion of the levator ani flanks the urethra as it courses from the pubis to its insertion in the perineal body.Conclusions: The puboperinealis corresponds to muscl...
32 wk old C3H/HeJ mice actively respond to mechanical loading

Numerous studies indicate that C3H/HeJ (C3H) mice are mildly responsive to mechanical loading compared to C57BL/6J (C57) mice. Guided by data indicating high baseline periosteal osteoblast activity in 16 wk C3H mice, we speculated that simply allowing the C3H mice to age until basal periosteal bone formation was equivalent to that of 16 wk C57 mice would restore mechanoresponsiveness in C3H mice. We tested this hypothesis by subjecting the right tibiae of 32 wk old C3H mice and 16 wk old C57 mice to low magnitude rest-inserted loading (peak strain: 1235μe) and then exposing the right tibiae of 32 wk C3H mice to low (1085μe) or moderate (1875 μe) magnitude cyclic loading. The osteoblastic response to loading on the endocortical and periosteal surfaces was evaluated via dynamic histomorphometry. At 32 wk of age, C3H mice responded to low magnitude rest-inserted loading with significantly elevated periosteal mineralizing surface, mineral apposition rate and bone formation compared to unloaded contralateral bones. Surprisingly, the periosteal bone formation induced by low magnitude rest-inserted loading in C3H mice exceeded that induced in 16 wk C57 mice. At 32 wk of age, C3H mice also demonstrated an elevated response to increased magnitudes of cyclic loading. We conclude that a high level of basal osteoblast function in 16 wk C3H mice appears to overwhelm the ability of the tissue to respond to an otherwise anabolic mechanical loading stimulus. However, when basal surface osteoblast activity is equivalent to that of 16 wk C57 mice, C3H mice demonstrate a clear ability to respond to either rest-inserted or cyclic loading.