cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Augmentation of CAR T-cell Trafficking and Antitumor Efficacy by Blocking Protein Kinase A Localization

Antitumor treatments based on the infusion of T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CAR T cells) are still relatively ineffective for solid tumors, due to the presence of immunosuppressive mediators [such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and adenosine] and poor T-cell trafficking. PGE2 and adenosine activate protein kinase A (PKA), which then inhibits T-cell receptor (TCR) activation. This inhibition process requires PKA to localize to the immune synapse via binding to the membrane protein ezrin. We generated CAR T cells that expressed a small peptide called the "regulatory subunit I anchoring disruptor" (RIAD) that inhibits the association of PKA with ezrin, thus blunting the negative effects of PKA on TCR activation. After exposure to PGE2 or adenosine in vitro, CAR-RIAD T cells showed increased TCR signaling, released more cytokines, and showed enhanced killing of tumor cells compared with CAR T cells. When injected into tumor-bearing mice, the antitumor efficacy of murine and human CAR-RIAD T cells was enhanced compared with that of CAR T cells, due to resistance to tumor-induced hypofunction and increased T-cell infiltration of established tumors. Subsequent in vitro assays showed that both mouse and human CAR-RIAD cells migrated more efficiently than CAR cells did in response to the chemokine CXCL10 and also had better adhesion to various matrices. Thus, the intracellular addition of the RIAD peptide to adoptively transferred CAR T cells augments their efficacy by increasing their effector function and by improving trafficking into tumor sites. This treatment strategy, therefore, shows potential clinical application for treating solid tumors. Cancer Immunol Res; 4(6); 541-51. ©2016 AACR.
Forms of Self-Disclosure in the Lyrical Essay

(2010). Forms of Self-Disclosure in the Lyrical Essay. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 1-17.
COGNITIVE CORRELATES OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL TRAIT ANXIETY

Sumw~y.-Endler and Okada's (1975) S R Inventory of General Trait Anxiousness, modified to measure cognitive irrationality, was administered to college srudents (46 women and 28 men) in introductory psychology. Positive correlations (.36-.75) between self-reported anxiety and irrationality were found. Differences in the ranges of correlations in different situations are discussed. The advantages of employing the modified inventory and some theoretical problems in Rational-Emotive Theory as a comprehensive theory of personality and as psychotherapy are considered.
Transitions in genetic toggle switches driven by dynamic disorder in rate coefficients

In biochemical systems, intrinsic noise may drive the system switch from one stable state to another. We investigate how kinetic switching between stable states in a bistable network is influenced by dynamic disorder, i.e., fluctuations in the rate coefficients. Using the geometric minimum action method, we first investigate the optimal transition paths and the corresponding minimum actions based on a genetic toggle switch model in which reaction coefficients draw from a discrete probability distribution. For the continuous probability distribution of the rate coefficient, we then consider two models of dynamic disorder in which reaction coefficients undergo different stochastic processes with the same stationary distribution. In one, the kinetic parameters follow a discrete Markov process and in the other they follow continuous Langevin dynamics. We find that regulation of the parameters modulating the dynamic disorder, as has been demonstrated to occur through allosteric control in bistable networks in the immune system, can be crucial in shaping the statistics of optimal transition paths, transition probabilities, and the stationary probability distribution of the network.
Analysis On Drug-resistant State And RAPD Identity From 8 Strains Of Vibrio Cholerae

Objective To analyze the sensitivity and the identity of vibrio cholerae to antibiotics in Bengbu in 2010,and provide evidence for cholera control.Methods 8 strains from cholera o1/o139 cases in Bengbu city in 2010 were selected and used to analyze the drug sensitivities of vibrio cholerae to 15 antibiotics in vitro by adopting improved Kirby-Bauer paper method which were recommended by WHO,and their epidemiological pattern and identity were analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD) technique.Results All of vibrio cholerae o1/o139 strains were sensitive to ampicillin,cefazolin,amikacin,gentamicin,sulperazon,piperacillin,ceftriaxone and imipenem,and were resistant to sulfamethoxazolum-trimethoprimum,tetracycline and doxcycline.So far as chloramphenicol,norfloxacin,ciprofloxacin,and so on,the sensitivity of vibrio cholerae o139 had some difference with vibrio cholerae o1.vibrio cholerae o1/o139 could be divided into two types according to the cluster analysis of RAPD.Conclusion The drug resistance rate of vibrio cholerae o139 was higher than one of vibrio cholerae o1.The treatment for different bacterial types should select corresponding antibiotics.Vibrio cholerae o1 strains isolated had the dentity.
Detection of EphA4 and cell viability in rat cortical neurons during oxygen and glucose depriration and reoxygen in vitro

Aim:To explore the expression and possible role of EphA4 in the cultured rat cortical neurons from rats with oxygen and glucose deprivation(OGD) and reoxygen model.Methods:Cortical neurons of Wistar rats born within 1 day were cultured in vitro.The neurons were divided into 2 groups,control group and model group.The model was established by replacing the medium with Earle's fluid without glucose and fluxing a gas mixture consisting 95%N2/5% O2,4 hours after OGD,reoxygen was administered.Cell viability was tested by MTT assay and EphA4 expression assessed by immunocytochemistry method at 0,4,12 and 24 h after reoxygen in both groups.Results:There was a great decrease of cell viability in model group compared with that of control group(t=19.556,20.909,13.673,16.737,P0.01).Cell viability in model group decreased with reoxyen time(F=573.510,P0.01).There was a significant difference in the expression of EphA4 between the two groups at 4,12 and 24 h(t=1.524,6.821,7.950,11.593,P0.01).In model group,the expression of EphA4 increased with reoxyen time(F=40.205,P0.01).Conclusion:In ischmic and reperfusion course,EphA4 may exihit inhibitory role in neural regeneration.
Temporal Regulation of the Bacillus subtilis Acetylome and Evidence for a Role of MreB Acetylation in Cell Wall Growth.

ABSTRACT Ne-Lysine acetylation has been recognized as a ubiquitous regulatory posttranslational modification that influences a variety of important biological processes in eukaryotic cells. Recently, it has been realized that acetylation is also prevalent in bacteria. Bacteria contain hundreds of acetylated proteins, with functions affecting diverse cellular pathways. Still, little is known about the regulation or biological relevance of nearly all of these modifications. Here we characterize the cellular growth-associated regulation of the Bacillus subtilis acetylome. Using acetylation enrichment and quantitative mass spectrometry, we investigate the logarithmic and stationary growth phases, identifying over 2,300 unique acetylation sites on proteins that function in essential cellular pathways. We determine an acetylation motif, EK(ac)(D/Y/E), which resembles the eukaryotic mitochondrial acetylation signature, and a distinct stationary-phase-enriched motif. By comparing the changes in acetylation with protein abundances, we discover a subset of critical acetylation events that are temporally regulated during cell growth. We functionally characterize the stationary-phase-enriched acetylation on the essential shape-determining protein MreB. Using bioinformatics, mutational analysis, and fluorescence microscopy, we define a potential role for the temporal acetylation of MreB in restricting cell wall growth and cell diameter. IMPORTANCE The past decade highlighted Ne-lysine acetylation as a prevalent posttranslational modification in bacteria. However, knowledge regarding the physiological importance and temporal regulation of acetylation has remained limited. To uncover potential regulatory roles for acetylation, we analyzed how acetylation patterns and abundances change between growth phases in B. subtilis. To demonstrate that the identification of cell growth-dependent modifications can point to critical regulatory acetylation events, we further characterized MreB, the cell shape-determining protein. Our findings led us to propose a role for MreB acetylation in controlling cell width by restricting cell wall growth.
A CS unplugged activity for the online classroom

In this paper, we present a group, asynchronous problem solving exercise designed to introduce non-computer science students to a variety of concepts from artificial intelligence and operations research. The exercise is designed to be a Computer Science (CS) Unplugged activity suitable for the online classroom. CS Unplugged is a methodology for teaching CS concepts using hands-on interactive activities without using a computer. CS Unplugged activities are often used to introduce CS concepts to novices, such as elementary, middle, or high school students; but can also be effective at engaging the non-CS undergraduate student. By definition, CS Unplugged seems at odds with online education, as the participants in the exercise are necessarily using computers. We present an interactive activity motivated by CS Unplugged, but implemented within an asynchronous threaded discussion board. The activity is based on the well-known Bin Packing problem, and is specifically an extension of an existing active learning exercise known as Collective Bin Packing but adapted to the online classroom. The activity is designed for an undergraduate interdisciplinary course as part of a liberal arts curriculum.
Nitrous oxide decomposition and reduction over copper catalysts supported on various types of carbonaceous materials

Copper supported on three different allotropic forms of carbon materials have been prepared and evaluated as catalysts for the N2O decomposition and reduction reactions. It was found that all the catalysts underwent severe deactivation during the N2O decomposition reaction due to the gasification of carbon substrates. This behavior was particularly evident when activated carbon was used as the support medium. The chemical identity of the active entity involved in the carbon gasification process is believed to consist of a mixture of Cu+ and Cu2+ species and, according to the well established mechanism, the reaction proceeds in such a manner so that the surface of the catalyst undergoes a redox cycle at the gas/solid carbon interface. The introduction of CO into the system was shown to result not only in an enhancement in the activity of the desired N2O decomposition reaction, but also served to inhibit the deleterious carbon gasification process. In addition, this procedure stabilized the copper particles in the metallic state, which is the active species responsible for the dissociation of N2O. Copper dispersed on a diamond substrate appeared to attain the highest activity for the N2O reduction reaction, a feature that is associated with the ability of the metal to undergo a wetting and spreading action on the support surface, possibly resulting in an epitaxial relationship between the two components.
Hybrid on-chip data networks

This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's conference presentation on hybrid on-chip data networks. Some of the specific topics discussed include: chip-scale interconnection networks; CMP technologies of the future and their processing capabilties; the feasibility of using photonics for bandwidth, energy and distance support; schemas of hybrid circuit switched networks; programming and communication capabilities; memory managemnet; routing facilities; system architecture; and power system planning and distribution facilities.
Public trust in the aftermath of natural and na-technological disasters: Hurricane Katrina and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear incident

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze public trust during the aftermath of technological and hybrid natural-technological/natech disasters – Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown in Japan (2011). The work identifies common themes, actions and inactivity that can lead to citizens distrusting the government after disasters. Design/methodology/approach – News reports from the two areas leading newspapers formed the body of the Hurricane Katrina and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown case studies. Of key interest were emerging themes of trust and/or distrust during the immediate impact phase of the disaster in addition to government failures and social breakdowns resulting in a loss of trust in government institutions and individual leaders. Findings – The series of examples illustrate how specific action or in-action by local and federal governments served as a catalyst for a loss of trust in government institutions and individual leaders in government while prop...
Seismic-petrophysical reservoir characterization in the northern part of the Chicontepec Basin, Mexico

AbstractThe Chicontepec Formation in east-central Mexico is comprised of complex unconventional reservoirs consisting of low-permeability disconnected turbidite reservoir facies. Hydraulic fracturing increases permeability and joins these otherwise tight reservoirs. We use a recently acquired 3D seismic survey and well control to divide the Chicontepec reservoir interval in the northern part of the basin into five stratigraphic units, equivalent to global third-order seismic sequences. By combining well-log and core information with principles of seismic geomorphology, we are able to map deepwater facies within these stratigraphic units that resulted from the complex interaction of flows from different directions. Correlating these stratigraphic units to producing and nonproducing wells provides the link between rock properties and Chicontepec reservoirs that could be delineated from surface seismic data. The final product is a prestack inversion-driven map of stacked pay that correlates to currently prod...
Effects of microbial, organically acceptable, and reduced risk insecticides on Anthonomus signatus (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) in strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa)

Abstract Anthonomus signatus, the strawberry bud weevil, is active in early spring coinciding with the bloom period of host plants and when managed and unmanaged pollinators are active. Female A. signatus cause injury to the host plant during egg laying when they deposit a single egg inside an unopened flower bud and then girdle or “clip” the bud at the pedicel. Past efforts to control A. signatus populations have relied on the use of broad spectrum insecticides. Fields are either treated at the first signs of damage, or precautionary treatments may be applied prophylactically in fields with a history of damage. Because A. signatus damage occurs during bloom, there is concern about the potential harm to pollinators caused by these treatments. In order to identify materials more compatible for use during bloom, the efficacy of reduced risk pesticides against A. signatus was tested in semi-field bioassays over two years. Beauveria bassiana, cyantraniliprole, novaluron, and pyrethrins were assessed in the first year, and none caused significant A. signatus mortality. Acetamiprid, flonicamid, and spinosad were compared in the second year, acetamiprid and spinosad had higher A. signatus mortality than an untreated control, and exposure to spinosad resulted in similar mortality to bifenthrin, an industry standard material.
Apparent Proteolytic Modification of Glutathione Peroxidase

Little is known about the posttranslational processing of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)(GSH:H2O2oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.9). The difference of 10 amino acids in the reported position of selenocysteine in bovine erythrocyte GSH-Px, as determined by crystallographic analysis1 as compared to chemical sequence analysis,2 suggests that a polypeptide may have been cleaved from the crystallized GSH-Px. In a study of rat liver mitochondrial GSH-Px, Voight and Autor3 reported that the initial GSH-Px gene product may be as much as 5 kDa larger than the mature enzyme. These two reports thus suggest that newly synthesized GSH-Px may be processed to a smaller molecular weight form during maturation. We have been studying various aspects of GSH-Px synthesis using immunoblotting with anti-GSH-Px antibodies to measure levels of GSH-Px protein, and using SDS-gel electrophoresis to follow 75Se incorporation into selenoproteins. In the course of these studies, we have observed that GSH-Px can be detected in several forms that differ in their apparent molecular weight. The purpose of this report is to further describe these different molecular weight forms of GSH-Px.
The generating function

Let {a n , n≧0} be a sequence of real numbers. Its generating function is the power series $$A\left( u \right)=\sum\limits_{n=0}^{\infty }{{{a}_{n}}}{{u}^{n}}$$ provided that it has a nonvanishing radius of convergence. In particular if the a n are probabilities then the radius of convergence is at least equal to one. We shall consider u as a real variable.
Temperature measurement techniques for spray foam applications

Abstract Experiments were conducted to investigate the accuracy of thermocouple configurations in measuring temperatures within spray foam insulation products during application. Measurements of this kind are important for assessing products from the standpoint of thermal performance and safety. The response times of heating and cooling in air were first analyzed for several thermocouple configurations. The second phase of the investigation consisted of instrumenting five 2″ × 6″ wood frame cavities sheathed with a 2′ by 2′ piece of oriented strand board. A method is presented for instrumenting specimens in a way that is minimally thermally invasive, which leads to temperature results that can be trusted as highly accurate. The thermocouple type recommended for this application is insulated Type K 36 gauge, joined via welding. Larger wire gauges result in significantly underestimated temperatures, by as much as 30 °C. In combination with thermocouple types with higher thermal conductivity of wires, this underestimation can reach as much as 60 °C. The potential inaccuracies are particularly pronounced due to the low thermal mass and low thermal conductivity of spray foam insulation.
A sensitivity analysis on the fifth and the seventh harmonic current injection for sixth order torque ripple reduction

Interior permanent magnet (IPM) electric machines offer higher efficiency and higher torque and power density when compared to other types of electric machines. Like many electric machines, IPM machines also inherently produce unwanted torque ripple along with the desired average torque. Depending on the application, this torque ripple could be problematic. A well-known approach for sixth order torque ripple compensation is based on current shaping via the injection of the fifth and seventh harmonic currents. The construction of the fifth and the seventh harmonic currents needed to cancel the torque ripple requires calibration of the magnitude and the phase of these currents, which translates to four degrees of freedom. Any error in these parameters can cause a reduction in the effectiveness of the compensation. This paper studies the sensitivity of the sixth order torque ripple reduction to these four parameters.
Memory and Justice in Post-Genocide Rwanda

Following times of great conflict and tragedy, many countries implement programs and policies of transitional justice, none more extensive than in post-genocide Rwanda. Placing Rwanda's transitional justice initiatives in their historical and political context, this book examines the project undertaken by the post-genocide government to shape the collective memory of the Rwandan population, both through political and judicial reforms but also in public commemorations and memorials. Drawing on over two decades of field research in Rwanda, Longman uses surveys and comparative local case studies to explore Rwanda's response both at a governmental and local level. He argues that despite good intentions and important innovations, Rwanda's authoritarian political context has hindered the ability of transnational justice to bring the radical social and political transformations that its advocates hoped. Moreover, it continues to heighten the political and economic inequalities that underline ethnic divisions and are an important ongoing barrier to reconciliation.
Immunobiology of spinal cord injuries and potential therapeutic approaches

The incidence of spinal cord injuries (SCI) is high every year. As the spinal cord is the highway that allows for the brain to control the rest of the body, spinal cord injuries greatly impact the quality of life of the patients. The SCI include the primary response consisting of the initial accident-induced damage and the secondary response that is characterized by damage due to inflammation and biological responses. Astrocytes are the first to act at the site of the injury, forming a glial scar and attracting immune cells. The immune system plays a role in cleaning out the debris caused by the injury, as well as preventing neurons to grow and heal. The secondary injury caused by the inflammatory response is the major target to combat SCI. This article critically reviews the key players in the inflammatory SCI response and potential therapies, specifically targeting astrocytes, neutrophils, and macrophages. These cells are both beneficial and detrimental following SCI, depending on the released molecules and the types of cells infiltrated to the site of injury. Indeed, depending on the subtype of macrophages, M1 or M2, beneficial or detrimental response could be incited. Therapeutic strategies to regulate and manipulate the immune cells via increasing or decreasing their recruitment to the site of injury could be developed together with upregulating and downregulating the release of certain chemicals from the infiltrated cells.
1st Troll Battalion: Influencing military and strategic operations through cyber-personas

The Twenty-First Century has seen the dawn of the Internet as a pervasive medium by which nearly all information flows. However, the permissive environment in which the Internet was founded fostered a community plagued by Internet trolls, individuals who deliberately post inflammatory, off-topic, or offensive material on online message boards to elicit angst, or other emotions, from their targets. Then American adversaries weaponized information using trolling, and stories of its increased use and technology to influence behavior dominated headlines over the past year. Foreign influence in cyberspace directed towards the 2016 Presidential Election demonstrates how trolling has changed the political environment in the United States. Americans are vulnerable to the influence of these foreign actors, and most troubling, some will not realize foreign intelligence services target their online activities. Adversaries leverage access through Internet trolling to shift public opinion in a new and original way by distributing politically charged narratives and suppressing the free exchange of ideas through a variety of means. By combining cyber operations, information warfare, and military intelligence with automated infrastructure in one military unit, the Troll Battalion, leaders can influence military operations by shaping adversaries' social and political environments while protecting Americans from the effects of foreign trolls. The practical application of influencing strategic and tactical outcomes via cyber-personas requires further analysis for use on the battlefield, and the protection and defense of American leaders, institutions, and persons must also be analyzed to protect Americans from information warfare.
Survival differences in childhood and young adult acute myeloid leukemia: A cross-national study using US and England data.

Abstract Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a serious disease with complex etiology and marked variation in survival. Known prognostic factors include AML subtypes, age at diagnosis and sex. However, survival outcomes may vary across healthcare systems. In this study, we evaluated the survival patterns in individuals diagnosed with AML at ages 0–24 years in the US and England between prognostic features and across countries. Methods We obtained data on 4387 and 2194 subjects from the US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Result registries and UK National Cancer Data Repository. Subjects were diagnosed and followed in 1995–2014. Kaplan-Meier curve and stratified Cox proportional hazards regression were used in the analysis. Results Overall risk of mortality was 23% lower in English patients compared to that in the US patients (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 95% confidence Interval (CI): 0.77, 0.71–0.84). Survival difference of similar extent was observed in subgroups of sex and age at diagnosis. However, mortality risks between two countries varied substantially across AML subtypes, especially in AML inv(16) (1.81, 0.61–5.34), AML with minimal differentiation (0.54, 0.25–1.17), AML without maturation (0.38, 0.20–0.74) and AML with maturation (0.52, 0.31–0.86). Conclusions Similar to the population trend, mortality risk across sex, age at diagnosis, and most AML subtypes was lower in England. Survival outcome for AML with and without maturation in England was better than the population trend, while that for AML inv(16) was worse. Our findings suggest that future etiologic and policy research may uncover the underlying mechanisms and contribute to closing these morality gaps.
Individual differences in conditioned fear are associated with levels of adolescent/early adult alcohol consumption and instrumental extinction

Abstract Previous research has shown a relationship between alcohol exposure and conditioned fear, but the nature of this relationship remains unclear. We determined whether chronic intermittent access to alcohol during adolescence and early adulthood would alter or be associated with the level of conditioned fear to an auditory cue in male Long Evans rats. Rats received 6 weeks of chronic intermittent access to 20% alcohol or water from PND 26–66 and began behavioral testing 10 days later. We found no evidence that voluntary alcohol consumption altered fear. However, we found that rats that consumed more alcohol had lower fear, as measured with conditioned suppression of lever-pressing and conditioned freezing to an auditory cue. We have previously shown that higher levels of alcohol consumption are correlated with faster instrumental extinction learning. Therefore, we determined whether instrumental extinction would be directly associated with conditioned fear in rats never given alcohol access. As predicted, we found that rats that exhibited faster instrumental extinction also exhibited lower conditioned fear, as measured with conditioned suppression of lever-pressing and conditioned freezing. Our results suggest that at least part of the relationship between alcohol consumption levels and fear learning differences may be due to pre-existing individual differences. In addition, our finding that conditioned fear and instrumental extinction abilities (both separately associated with alcohol consumption levels) are associated with each other suggests that alcohol consumption levels may be a marker that can distinguish two separate phenotypes that encompass a wide variety of learning traits.
The Expressivity of Autosegmental Grammars

This paper extends a notion of local grammars in formal language theory to autosegmental representations, in order to develop a sufficiently expressive yet computationally restrictive theory of well-formedness in natural language tone patterns. More specifically, it shows how to define a class ASL $$^g$$ of stringsets using local grammars over autosegmental representations and a mapping g from strings to autosegmental structures. It then defines a particular class ASL $$^{g_T}$$ using autosegmental representations specific to tone and compares its expressivity to established formal language grammars that have been successfully applied to other areas of phonology.
X-rays from radio pulsars - The portable supernova remnants

Neutron stars are the longest-lived remnants of supernova explosions. As a reservoir of thermal energy remaining from the explosion and generated by frictional coupling between core and crust, as a storehouse of magnetic and rotational kinetic energy which allows the star to act as a high energy particle accelerator, and as the source of a deep gravitational potential which can generate heat from infalling matter, neutron stars remain capable of producing high energy radiation for a Hubble time. We review here the results of an extensive survey of supernova remnants and radio pulsars with the imaging instruments on board the Einstein Observatory and discuss the implications of these results for pulsar physics and for the origin and evolution of galactic neutron stars.
Higher albanese manifolds

Let Γ be a discrete group. Let k be a field of characteristic 0. A unipotent group is a closed subgroup of the subgroup of GLn(k) consisting of upper triangular matrices with 1s on the diagonal. Unipotent groups correspond to nilpotent Lie algebras via the logarithm and exponential maps, which are polynomial bijections. Define the pro-unipotent group Γ /k := lim ←− ρ : Γ→U(k) Zariski dense U unipotent U.
Proteins secreted by platelets: significance in detecting thrombosis.

Because platelet survival measurements are time-consuming and may not completely reflect platelet involvement in hemostasis and thrombosis, other tests have been sought. Measurement of two proteins released by platelets, platelet factor 4 (PF4) and β-thromboglobulin (βTG),may provide simpler, more direct means of quantitating platelet involvement. The radioimmunoassays for these proteins reviewed in this paper are sensitive and specific. Although there are technical problems still to be resolved in their clinical application, clinical studies to date suggest that such assays will be useful in studying the pathogenesis and course of thromboembolic disorders. PF4 and βTG levels apparently do reflect in vivo platelet release. Because release of PF4 and βTG parallels release of platelet-derived growth factor, plasma PF4 and βTG levels should also reflect release of that protein. The PF4 and βTG assays along with an assay for fibrinopeptide A in clinical samples should help elucidate the relative importance of platelet release and fibrin formation in thromboembolic disorders.
The Constitution of Nature (2003)

Turmoil in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia has plunged the world into yet another era of nation building. The U.S. is now engaged in the difficult task of reconstructing Afghanistan and Iraq, reportedly along democratic lines. Beneath all of the rhetoric it is assumed that democracy is a useful model for severely conflicted Muslim countries with no experience of it and, further, that ours is an adequate framework in which to conduct the public business of any country in the twenty-first century. The first assumption has been challenged as premature or even naive (Zakaria 2003). But it is the second, and more important, of the two that I intend to question—and in particular the constitutional framework within which our own politics occur.
Fatigue of Pure and Nanophased Sandwich Composites under Shear Loading

Sandwich structures are widely used in marine, automotive, and aerospace structures because of their high stiffness and strength to weight ratio. In all of these applications, core plays an important role in controlling the extent of damage in sandwich structures especially when subjected to repetitive dynamic loading. When a sandwich structure is subjected to transverse loads, the face sheets carry bending moments as tensile and compressive stresses and the core carries transverse forces as shear stresses. The core is typically the weakest part of the structure and is first to fail in shear. Hence strengthening of core materials will essentially enhance the overall performance of sandwich structures. In this study foam core materials have been strengthened with the infusion of acicular nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers in the polymer precursor. This infusion has been carried through a sonic cavitation process. Once the core was modified, sandwich composites were fabricated through a traditional resin transfer molding (RTM) process. Shear fatigue behavior of sandwich composites having both pure and nanophased polyurethane foams as core materials have been investigated. The density of the core materials was identical in both cases. Static shear tests reveal that nanophased foams are more ductile, have higher strength and stiffness, and better crack propagation resistance when compared to pure foams. Shear fatigue tests were conducted at room temperature, at a frequency of 3 Hz and at a stress ratio, R = 0.1. S-N curves were generated and shear fatigue characteristics were determined. The number of cycles to failure for the nanophased sandwich was substantially higher than that of the neat ones. SEM micrographs show that the cell structures of nanophased polyurethane foams are stronger and larger in size with thicker walls and edges. These stronger cell structures subsequently strengthen the sub interfaces when the sandwich composite is fabricated. The high intrinsic toughness of the sub interface delays the initiation of fatigue cracks and thereby increases the fatigue life of the nanophased sandwich composites. There was no volume change for either the neat or the nanophased foam during shear deformation, and the material failed by shearing in the vicinity of the centerline of the specimen along the longitudinal axis. In both cases numerous 45° shear cracks formed across the width and the cracks traversed through the entire thickness of the specimen signaling the final failure event during fatigue.
Subsequent primary malignancies (SPMs) after diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the modern treatment era.

7543Background: With advances in treatment, including the addition of rituximab, survival after DLBCL has improved such that managing SPMs has emerged as an important challenge. However, no populat...
Pyogenic Granuloma (Lobular Capillary Hemangioma)

Pyogenic granulomas (PG), also known as lobular capillary hemangiomas based on their histopathologic appearance, are commonly acquired, benign vascular tumor arising in both children and adults (Mills et al, Am J Surg Pathol 4:471–479, 1980). Both names are used synonymously in the literature. PG are classified as a benign vascular tumor (Wassef et al, Pediatrics 136(1):e203–e214, 2015) by the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA). These growths present as rapidly growing, exophytic pedunculated red papules. PG often have an epidermal collarette of scale present as a marker of its rapid growth. They often bleed easily and profusely, ulcerate, and rarely spontaneously regress. PG are found in all ages, commonly occurring in the head and neck in children (Pagliai, Cohen, Pediatr Dermatol 21(1):10–13, 2004). In adults, the most common location is the trunk, with the exception of pregnant women for whom mucosal pyogenic granulomas are more common (Harris et al, J Am Acad Dermatol 42(6):1012–1016, 2000). In both children and adults, there is a slight male predominance (Harris et al, J Am Acad Dermatol 42(6):1012–10, 2000; Pagliai, Cohen, Pediatr Dermatol 21(1):10–13, 2004). PG have rarely been reported in other locations: intravascularly (Cooper et al, Am J Surg Pathol. 3(3):221–228, 1979; Song et al, Int J Dermatol 40(1):57–59, 2001), larynx (Fechner et al, Arch Otolaryngol 107(1):30–32, 1981), intraocular (Ferry, Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc 87:327, 1989), subcutaneous (Fortna et al, Am J Dermatopathol 29(4):408–411, 2007), and within the spinal cord (Andaluz et al, J Neuro-Oncol 56(3):261–264, 2002). Histologically, PG appear as a lobular proliferation of capillaries in the superficial dermis with cytologically bland endothelial cells set in a loose stroma. Immunohistochemical endothelial staining is GLUT-1 negative, distinguishing PG from infantile hemangioma.
The Exile as Cultural Translator

This chapter discusses Heine’s role as a “translator” of the French to Germany in his journalistic reports in Conditions in France and as an interpreter of German literature and philosophy to the French in The Romantic School and The History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany. Conditions in France is a remarkably innovative example of literary journalism. In the last two essays, Heine delivers for his French audience simultaneously critical and entertaining lectures on German intellectual history, which make no concessions in terms of substance and rigor. As Heine translates these important pages of German culture, he also redresses, in a dialogic mode, what he saw as the blind spot of Romantic idealism in Germany. The History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany bears witness to Heine’s profound understanding of German idealistic philosophy and his ability to present it in a stunningly clear fashion.
Multimodal Treatment of Occipital Tentorial Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Cognard III.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) are rare vascular malformations of uncertain pathophysiology. If associated with cortical venous reflux, they present a significant risk of hemorrhage. We present a 69-year-old patient who presented with spontaneous right-sided symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma, which was evacuated via burr hole. Due to lack of history of prior trauma, computer tomography angiography was performed, which showed dilated convoluted vessels in the right occipital region and an enlarged right posterior cerebral artery, suspected to be an arteriovenous malformation or dAVF. Subsequent angiography demonstrated occipital tentorial dAVF with primary cortical venous reflux (Cognard III) and reflux into the transverse sinus, fed primarily from the petrosquamous branch of the middle meningeal artery and neuromeningeal trunk. The fistula was initially treated by transarterial endovascular embolization of the occipital artery and neuromeningeal trunk with Onyx, achieving complete obliteration. However, follow-up angiography demonstrated recurrence of the lesion fed from the contralateral middle meningeal artery and pial branches of the enlarged right posterior cerebral artery. Given the recruitment of the contralateral supply from the left middle meningeal artery and ipsilateral posterior cerebral artery, we felt that surgical disconnection of the fistula was the best option for the patient. An occipital craniotomy with disconnection of the fistula without isolation of the transverse sinus was performed ( Video 1 ), as published literature demonstrated lower intraoperative risk with disconnection only. The perioperative course was uneventful. Immediate postoperative and follow-up angiography demonstrated complete occlusion of the fistula.
Phosphorylation in two discrete tau domains regulates a stepwise process leading to postsynaptic dysfunction

Key points Tau mislocalization to dendritic spines and associated postsynaptic deficits are mediated through different and non-overlapping phosphorylation sites. Tau mislocalization to dendritic spines depends upon the phosphorylation of either Ser396 or Ser404 in the C-terminus. Postsynaptic dysfunction instead depends upon the phosphorylation of at least one of five residues in the proline-rich region of tau. The blockade of both glycogen synthetase kinase 3β and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 is required to prevent P301L-induced tau mislocalization to dendritic spines, supporting redundant pathways that control tau mislocalization to spines. Abstract Tau protein consists of an N-terminal projection domain, a microtubule-binding domain and a C-terminal domain. In neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia, the hyperphosphorylation of tau changes its shape, binding partners and resulting function. An early consequence of tau phosphorylation by proline-directed kinases is postsynaptic dysfunction associated with the mislocalization of tau to dendritic spines. The specific phosphorylation sites leading to these abnormalities have not been elucidated. Here, using imaging and electrophysiological techniques to study cultured rat hippocampal neurons, we show that postsynaptic dysfunction results from a sequential process involving differential phosphorylation in the N-terminal and C-terminal domains. First, tau mislocalizes to dendritic spines, in a manner that depends upon the phosphorylation of either Ser396 or Ser404 in the C-terminal domain. The blockade of both glycogen synthetase kinase 3β and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 prevents tau mislocalization to dendritic spines. Second, a reduction of functional AMPA receptors depends upon the phosphorylation of at least one of five residues (Ser202, Thr205, Thr212, Thr217 and Thr231) in the proline-rich region of the N-terminal domain. This is the first report of differential phosphorylation in distinct tau domains governing separate, but linked, steps leading to synaptic dysfunction.
The impact of facility characteristics on Merkel cell carcinoma outcomes: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background Previous work has suggested that facility-level characteristics such as case volume and academic affiliation are associated with patient survival for rare malignancies. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine skin cancer with high mortality and rising incidence. The impact of facility characteristics on MCC outcomes is not yet established. Objective We aimed to investigate the association of facility academic affiliation and case volume with MCC patient survival. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of US adult MCC cases diagnosed from 2004-2014 in the NCDB. Results Both facility academic affiliation (p Limitations Disease-specific survival and local recurrence data were not available. Conclusions Treatment of MCC at academic and high-volume centers is associated with significantly improved patient survival. Further study, taking into account comorbidities and evaluating disease-specific survival, is needed to establish whether experienced centers have improved outcomes in MCC treatment.
I–Love–Q relations for realistic white dwarfs

The space-borne gravitational wave interferometer, LISA, is expected to detect signals from numerous binary white dwarfs. At small orbital separation, rapid rotation and large tidal bulges may allow for the stellar internal structure to be probed through such observations. Finite-size effects are encoded in quantities like the moment of inertia ($I$), tidal Love number (Love), and quadrupole moment ($Q$). The universal relations among them (I-Love-Q relations) can be used to reduce the number of parameters in the gravitational-wave templates. We here study I-Love-Q relations for more realistic white dwarf models than used in previous studies. In particular, we extend previous works by including (i) differential rotation and (ii) internal temperature profiles taken from detailed stellar evolution calculations. We use the publicly available stellar evolution code MESA to generate cooling models of both low- and high-mass white dwarfs. We show that differential rotation causes the I-Q relation (and similarly the Love-Q relation) to deviate from that of constant rotation. We also find that the introduction of finite temperatures causes the white dwarf to move along the zero-temperature mass sequence of I-Q values, moving towards values that suggest a lower mass. We further find that after only a few Myrs, high-mass white dwarfs are well-described by the zero-temperature model, suggesting that the relations with zero-temperature may be good enough in most practical cases. Low-mass, He-core white dwarfs with thick hydrogen envelopes may undergo long periods of H burning which sustain the stellar temperature and allow deviations from the I-Love-Q relations for longer times.
Current practice patterns for initial umbilical hernia repair in the United States

The approach to repairing an initial umbilical hernia (IUH) varies substantially, and this likely depends on hernia size, patient age, sex, BMI, comorbidities including diabetes mellitus, and surgeon preference. Of these, only hernia size has been widely studied. This cross-sectional study aims to look at the practice pattern of umbilical hernia repair in the United States. A retrospective study was performed using data from the America Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. Patient characteristics included age, sex, hernia width, BMI, smoking status, and diabetes. Outcomes were use of mesh for repair, as well as surgical approach (open vs minimally invasive). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the independent effect of age, sex, hernia width, BMI, smoking status, and diabetes on use of mesh and approach to repair. 3475 patients were included. 74% were men. Mesh use was more common in men (67% vs 60%, P 1 cm (P 35, P < 0.001). However, on multivariate analysis, mesh use was associated with increasing hernia width (OR 5.474, 95% CI 4.7–6.3) as well as BMI (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.5–2.1) but not with age or sex. The majority of IUH are performed open. Patient BMI and hernia defect size contribute to choice of surgical technique including use of mesh. The use of mesh in 33% of hernias below 1 cm demonstrates a gap between evidence and practice. Patient factors including patient age and sex had no impact on operative approach or use of mesh.
Removing Rate Unobservability in Sun-Heading Filters Without Rate Gyroscopes

In a sun-heading determination scenario, coarse sun sensors (CSSs) can be paired with rate gyroscopes in order to estimate sun-line direction and rotation rate. Relying solely on CSS measurements f...
Colorectal Cancer Diagnosed During Pregnancy With Delayed Treatment

Colorectal cancer during pregnancy is rare. Because of a pattern of delay in childbearing and because colorectal cancer is now diagnosed more often in young adults, the incidence is expected to rise. Diagnosis during pregnancy is challenging as many of the symptoms mimic common pregnancy symptoms. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis, but pregnancy is a relative contraindication to colonoscopy. Once diagnosed, pregnant women often have more advanced disease. Due to its rarity, treatment is often based on case reports and limited studies. A multidisciplinary team is important in the optimization of treatment. We present a case of a 29-year-old African-American primigravid with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms diagnosed with colorectal adenocarcinoma at 17 weeks of gestation. She delayed surgical intervention for several weeks due to fear of miscarriage, and ultimately underwent exploratory laparotomy with hemicolectomy and colostomy placement at 20 weeks. Abdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging revealed non-specific hepatic lesions concerning for metastatic disease, but the patient refused biopsy due to concern for radiation harm to the fetus. Chemotherapy was considered, but postponed until the postpartum period, for fear of fetal harm. Computed tomography imaging after delivery noted an increased number of hepatic lesions, representing progression of her disease. She received two rounds of chemotherapy in the postpartum period, but remained non-compliant with treatment recommendations and ultimately was lost to follow-up. This case presents a delayed diagnosis of colorectal cancer in pregnancy, as well as delayed treatment due to concerns for fetal harm with current therapies. It emphasizes the diagnostic challenges and the complexity and ethical issues involved when a pregnant patient faces a life-threatening terminal illness. This case adds to the growing body of literature on colorectal cancer in pregnancy and highlights the importance of clinical suspicion, informed patient centered decision making, and tailored treatment goals.