cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors in Premature Infants Associated With Low Risk of Developing Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Importance Most premature infants will not develop retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) of clinical relevance, yet screening evaluations often continue beyond hospital discharge, even for those infants without ROP. Objectives To identify the characteristics of infants at low risk for ROP, for whom further postdischarge screening may be of limited value. Design, setting, and participants This study took place in North American neonatal intensive care units where clinicians had expertise in ROP. Infants with birth weight less than 1251 g who were born at or transferred into an Telemedicine Approaches to Evaluating Acute-Phase ROP (e-ROP) study center were enrolled. The study included post hoc analysis of prospectively collected in-hospital ROP examination results among infants enrolled in the e-ROP study. We characterized infants without ROP and performed logistic regression on the subset of infants who were 27 to 33 weeks' gestational age to determine characteristics associated with the absence of ROP during all in-hospital examinations. Main outcomes and measures The main measure was the absence of ROP prior to hospital discharge; the main outcome was treatment for ROP. Results A total of 1257 infants born at 22 to 35 weeks' gestation (median [interquartile range (IQR)], 26 [25-28] weeks) with birth weights less than 1251 g (median [IQR], 860 [690-1040] g) underwent 4113 ROP examinations between 31 and 47 weeks' postmenstrual age. Overall, 1153 examinations (38%) showed no ROP, and 456 infants (36%) did not have ROP prior to study center discharge or study end point. Among infants without ROP during examinations at 32 and 33 weeks' postmenstrual age, 16 (9.4%) and 14 (5.3%) subsequently underwent ROP treatment, respectively. At hospital discharge, there was no ROP in 59% of infants of 27 to 33 weeks' gestational age, compared with 15% of those who were less than 27 weeks' gestational age (difference, 44% [95% CI, 38.5%-48.1%]; P ≤ .001). With more than 85% follow-up among infants without ROP by 37 weeks' postmenstrual age, none (95% CI, 0%-0.98%) were treated for ROP. In multivariate analysis of infants born at 27 to 33 weeks' gestation, larger birth weight (OR, 4.1 [95% CI, 1.6-10.3]) and higher gestational age (OR, 4.0 [95% CI, 1.5-10.8]) were significantly associated with absence of ROP. Conclusions and relevance These findings suggest that, for infants of 27 weeks' gestational age or greater and birth weights larger than 750 g, if no ROP has been detected by discharge at near-term postmenstrual age, then further ROP surveillance has limited value. Studies of all infants at risk are needed to develop more specific, objective criteria for termination of ROP surveillance and focus resources on infants at higher risk of ROP. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01264276.
Towards Architecture and OS-Independent Malware Detection via Memory Forensics

In this work, we take a fundamentally different approach to the problem of analyzing a device for compromises via malware; our approach is OS and instruction architecture independent and relies only on having the raw binary data extracted from the memory dump of a device. Our system leverages a multi-hundred TB dataset of both compromised host memory dumps extracted from the MalRec dataset [8] and the first known dataset of benign host memory dumps running normal, non-compromised software. After an average of 30 to 45 seconds of pre-processing on a single memory dump, our system leverages both traditional machine learning and deep learning algorithms to achieve an average of 98% accuracy of detecting a compromised host.
A survey of decision support system applications (1995–2001)

To extend two previous surveys of specific decision support system (DSS) applications over the period (January 1971–December 1994), we have conducted a follow-up survey covering the period between ...
Robust Dynamic Average Consensus Algorithms

This technical note considers the dynamic average consensus problem, where a group of networked agents are required to estimate the average of their time-varying reference signals. Almost all existing solutions to this problem require a specific initialization of the estimator states, and such constraints render the algorithms vulnerable to network disruptions. Here, we present three robust algorithms that do not entail any initialization criteria. Furthermore, the proposed algorithms do not rely on the full knowledge of the dynamics generating the reference signals nor assume access to its time derivatives. Two of the proposed algorithms focus on undirected networks and make use of an adaptive scheme that removes the explicit dependence of the algorithm on any upper bounds on the reference signals or its time derivatives. The third algorithm presented here provides a robust solution to the dynamic average consensus problem on directed networks. Compared to the existing algorithms for directed networks, the proposed algorithm guarantees an arbitrarily small steady-state error bound that is independent of any bounds on the reference signals or its time derivatives. The current formulation allows each agent to select its own performance criteria, and the algorithm parameters are distributedly selected such that the most stringent requirement among them is satisfied. A performance comparison of the proposed approach to existing algorithms is presented.
Balloon catheter-based radiofrequency ablation monitoring in porcine esophagus using optical coherence tomography.

We present a microscopic image guidance platform for radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using a clinical balloon-catheter-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, currently used in the surveillance of Barrett’s esophagus patients. Our integrated thermal therapy delivery and monitoring platform consists of a flexible, customized bipolar RFA electrode array designed for use with a clinical balloon OCT catheter and a processing algorithm to accurately map the thermal coagulation process. Non-uniform rotation distortion was corrected using a feature tracking-based technique, which enables robust, frame-to-frame analysis of the temporal fluctuation of the complex OCT signal. With proper noise calibration, precise delineation of the thermal therapy zone was demonstrated using cumulative complex differential variance in porcine esophagus ex vivo with the integrated OCT-RFA system, as validated by nitroblue tetrazolium chloride (NBTC) histology. The ability to directly and accurately visualize the thermal coagulation process at high resolution is critical to the precise delivery of thermal energy to a wide range of epithelial lesions.
Particles in the Presence of Strings

We now show that, when a particle goes around a string, it may change its quantum numbers, and in particular it may change its electric charge in some models. These models are not realistic, but it is possible to construct realistic grand unification models that contain “mirror” particles that interact weakly with ordinary ones, and in which a particle is turned into its mirror image when going around a string. Such strings can, in principle, be discovered through astronomical observations.
Implementing “R” Programming for Time Series Analysis and Forecasting of Electricity Demand for Texas, USA

This paper is aimed at implementing the programming language R to analyze and forecast electricity supply-demand for Texas. Historical weekly electricity supply-demand data for Texas, September 2016 through August 2017 was used to forecast future electricity demand. One year of electricity supply demand data was retrieved from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) data bank and arranged in a per day electricity supply-demand, allocated over a twelve month period to give one data point per day. The formulated model was processed and implemented in the R programming environment for stochastic analysis and future electricity demand prediction. The predicted model was compared with the actual electricity supply-demand, September 2017 through June 2018. Time series forecasting of electricity demand provides information about future electricity demand to utility operators, who can make decisions on when to implement peak shaving.
Tubulin and tektin in sea urchin embryonic cilia: pathways of protein incorporation during turnover and regeneration

Axonemal precursor tubulin is the major protein component of the detergent-soluble membrane/matrix fraction of sea urchin embryonic cilia. Its unusual abundance may reflect the rapid turnover of these cilia, a process that is further documented here. However, whether during induced regeneration or normal turnover and growth, most other newly synthesized axonemal proteins are not detectable in the membrane/matrix fraction, raising the question of how non-tubulin precursors transit the growing cilium to the distal tip where assembly is generally thought to occur. Three potential explanations were considered: (1) the assembly of these components is proximal; (2) their relative concentration is too low to detect; or (3) tubulin alone is conveyed via a membrane/matrix pathway while most other axonemal proteins are transported in association with the axoneme. Light microscope autoradiography of axonemes pulse-chase labeled with [3H]leucine showed relatively uniform labeling, with no evidence for proximal incorporation. Fully grown cilia and cilia at early stages of regeneration were isolated from labeled embryos, fractionated into membrane/matrix, axonemal tubulin and architectural remnant components, and their labeled protein compositions were compared. Heavily labeled axonemal proteins, most notably the integral microtubule doublet component tektin-A, were not detected in the membrane/matrix fraction of emerging cilia, even though nearly half of the total ciliary tubulin appeared in that fraction, arguing against membrane-associated or soluble matrix transit for the architectural proteins at low concentrations. However, after thermal fractionation of axonemes from growing cilia, labeled proteins characteristic of the architectural remnant dominated the solubilized microtubule fraction, supporting axoneme-associated transport of the non-tubulin proteins during growth, in contrast to a membrane/matrix pathway for tubulin.
Sulcal depth in medial ventral temporal cortex predicts the location of a place-selective region in macaques, children, and adults.

The evolution and development of anatomical-functional relationships in the cerebral cortex is of major interest in neuroscience. Here, we leveraged the fact that a functional region selective for visual scenes is located within a sulcus in medial ventral temporal cortex (VTC) in both humans and macaques to examine the relationship between sulcal depth and place-selectivity in medial VTC across species and age groups. To do so, we acquired anatomical and functional magnetic resonance imaging scans in 9 macaques, 26 human children, and 28 human adults. Our results revealed a strong structural-functional coupling between sulcal depth and place-selectivity across age groups and species in which selectivity was strongest at the deepest sulcal point (the sulcal pit). Interestingly, this coupling between sulcal depth and place-selectivity strengthens from childhood to adulthood in humans. Morphological analyses suggest that the stabilization of sulcal-functional coupling in adulthood may be due to sulcal deepening and areal expansion with age as well as developmental differences in cortical curvature at the pial, but not the white matter surfaces. Our results implicate sulcal features as functional landmarks in high-level visual cortex and highlight that sulcal-functional relationships in medial VTC are preserved between macaques and humans despite differences in cortical folding.
Towards a General-Purpose, Replicable, Swarm-Capable Unmanned Aircraft System

This paper describes an effort to create a general-purpose Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) swarm using entirely Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) parts and a reusable swarming software architecture. The software architecture used in this research was originally designed for a UAS warfare competition in 2017 called the Service Academies Swarm Challenge (SASC), hosted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The SASC software is a multipurpose swarm-control software architecture that allows a swarm to be tailored to many different purposes by third-parties. However, the UASs used in the original SASC competition contain custom parts which have begun to deteriorate over years of use. A COTS UAS solution using the SASC swarm architecture is the next step towards expanding the usefulness of the swarm so that it can be deployed, replicated, modified, and generalized to suit many different needs in a variety of sectors to include homeland security and defense.
Special education experiences and stress among Latina mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Abstract Parent involvement is an essential component of the special education process for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, many parents face barriers to participation in the special education process. Latino parents especially face systemic barriers. Additionally, Latino (versus White) parents of children with ASD experience worse well-being. If special education experiences contribute to poor well-being among Latino parents of children with ASD, there could be widespread public health and education implications. Yet, little research has explored the intersection between special education experiences and well-being among Latina mothers of children with ASD. The purpose of this study was to explore maternal perceptions of stress in relation to individualized education program (IEP) meetings, special education knowledge, and family-professional partnerships. Individual interviews were conducted with 16 Latina mothers of children with ASD. Participants reported stress before, during, and after IEP meetings. There was a pattern between high stress and limited special education knowledge; however, there was no pattern with respect to the quality of the family-professional partnership and stress. Implications are discussed.
Improving the American Diabetes Association Framework for individualizing treatment in older adults: evaluating life expectancy.

Author(s): Lee, Alexandra K; Steinman, Michael A; Lee, Sei J | Abstract: IntroductionFor older adults with type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Framework uses comorbidities and functional status to categorize patients by estimated life expectancy to guide individualization of glycemic treatment. We evaluated whether modifying the ADA Framework by removing three comorbidities and incorporating age could improve life expectancy stratification and better identify patients likely to benefit from intensive treatment.Research design and methodsWe examined 3166 Health and Retirement Study participants aged ≥65 with diabetes from 1998 to 2004, using a prospective cohort design with mortality follow-up through 2016. We classified participants into one of three ADA Framework categories: Healthy, Intermediate Health, and Poor Health. We created modified categories by excluding comorbidities weakly associated with mortality (hypertension, arthritis, and incontinence). Using Gompertz regression, we estimated life expectancy across age strata for both original and modified ADA Framework categories.ResultsThe original ADA Framework classified 34% as Healthy (likely to benefit from intensive treatment), 50% as Intermediate Health, and 16% as Poor Health (unlikely to benefit from intensive treatment). Our comorbidity modification reclassified 20% of participants from Intermediate Health to Healthy. Using the modified ADA Framework, median life expectancy of the Healthy varied greatly by age (aged 65-69: 16.3 years; aged ≥80: 7.6 years), indicating differing likelihood of benefit. Additionally, age ≥80 made extended life expectancy unlikely (median life expectancy for Healthy 7.6 years, Intermediate Health 5.9 years, Poor Health 2.5 years), suggesting adults ≥80 are unlikely to benefit from intensive treatment.ConclusionsModifying the ADA Framework by incorporating age and focusing on comorbidities associated with mortality improved life expectancy stratification, resulting in different treatment recommendations for many older adults.
Notch1 signaling determines the plasticity and function of fibroblasts in diabetic wounds.

Fibroblasts play a pivotal role in wound healing. However, the molecular mechanisms determining the reparative response of fibroblasts remain unknown. Here, we identify Notch1 signaling as a molecular determinant controlling the plasticity and function of fibroblasts in modulating wound healing and angiogenesis. The Notch pathway is activated in fibroblasts of diabetic wounds but not in normal skin and non-diabetic wounds. Consistently, wound healing in the FSP-1+/−;ROSALSL-N1IC+/+ mouse, in which Notch1 is activated in fibroblasts, is delayed. Increased Notch1 activity in fibroblasts suppressed their growth, migration, and differentiation into myofibroblasts. Accordingly, significantly fewer myofibroblasts and less collagen were present in granulation tissues of the FSP-1+/−;ROSALSL-N1IC+/+ mice, demonstrating that high Notch1 activity inhibits fibroblast differentiation. High Notch1 activity in fibroblasts diminished their role in modulating the angiogenic response. We also identified that IL-6 is a functional Notch1 target and involved in regulating angiogenesis. These findings suggest that Notch1 signaling determines the plasticity and function of fibroblasts in wound healing and angiogenesis, unveiling intracellular Notch1 signaling in fibroblasts as potential target for therapeutic intervention in diabetic wound healing.
Introducing a Mobile App to Increase Cybersecurity Awareness in MENA

Cybersecurity experts predict that cybersecurity is going to be the new cold war. Arab countries are exposed to cyber-attacks that are aimed at stealing personal data and trade secrets. Furthermore, statistics show that women in such countries are exposed to different forms of cyber violence. This paper introduces a new mobile app in the Arabic language to educate Arab-speaking people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) about cybersecurity and to increase their awareness of information assurance and cybercrimes. The app was developed for Android and iOS devices and it includes multiple-choice information assurance questions, terms, and articles. Examples of the term definitions are Two-Factor Authentication, Ethical Hacking, and Honeypot. The app data could be increased in the next update of the app.
Germ granule dysfunction is a hallmark and mirror of Piwi mutant sterility

In several species, Piwi/piRNA genome silencing defects cause immediate sterility that correlates with transposon expression and transposon-induced genomic instability. In C. elegans, mutations in the Piwi-related gene (prg-1) and other piRNA deficient mutants cause a transgenerational decline in fertility over a period of several generations. Here we show that the sterility of late generation piRNA mutants correlates poorly with increases in DNA damage signaling. Instead, sterile individuals consistently exhibit altered perinuclear germ granules. We show that disruption of germ granules does not activate transposon expression but induces multiple phenotypes found in sterile prg-1 pathway mutants. Furthermore, loss of the germ granule component pgl-1 enhances prg-1 mutant infertility. Environmental restoration of germ granule function for sterile pgl-1 mutants restores their fertility. We propose that Piwi mutant sterility is a reproductive arrest phenotype that is characterized by perturbed germ granule structure and is phenocopied by germ granule dysfunction, independent of genomic instability.
Exhaustification, free-choice, and additivity: Evidence from Sakha da(γanɨ)

This paper discusses some unique semantic properties displayed by the Sakha quantifier particle daγanɨ (often reduced to da ). It is shown that, despite significant similarity with well-studied additive TOO-particles such as Japanese -mo and Hungarian -is , da(γanɨ) never clearly serves the role of additive too/also/either , nor does it appear in free-choice items. Adopting an exhaustification-based approach wherein quantifier particles activate grammatical alternatives which are in turn interpreted by covert operators O(nly) or E(ven), it is proposed that da(γanɨ) -marked phrases are typically exhaustified non-recursively.
Constitutive expression of the Flavanone 3-hydroxylase gene related to pathotype-specific ascochyta blight resistance in Cicer arietinum L.

Quantitative resistance of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) to a necrotrophic fungal pathogen, Ascochyta rabiei (Pass) Labr., is conferred in a pathotype-dependent manner. Unlike race-specific or qualitative resistance, identification of genetic factors for blight resistance is difficult because diverse pathogenic and environmental factors cause significant variation in resistance patterns. To identify genes associated with blight resistance in chickpea, we conducted bulk segregation analysis of differential transcript patterns between blight resistant and susceptible recombinant inbred lines (RILs) generated from a cross of PI 359075(1) (blight susceptible)×FLIP84-92C(2) (blight resistant). Constitutive expression of a cDNA-AFLP fragment homologous to flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) was lower in RILs susceptible to pathotypes I and II of A. rabiei than in RILs resistant to both pathotypes. F3H was mapped to linkage group 5. Based on expression pattern of F3H between resistant and susceptible RIL bulks, F3H or its genomic vicinity on linkage group 5 was thought to be related to blight resistance in chickpea. Further study is required to validate the genetic role of F3H and its genomic vicinity on linkage group 5 in blight resistance in chickpea.
Advanced Single Machine Models (Deterministic)

This chapter covers several more advanced topics in single machine scheduling. Some of these topics are important because of the theoretical insights they provide, others are important because of their applications in practice.
Waiting Time and Production Uncertainty in Medical Services

To focus on office waiting time, the behavior of a medical practice is analyzed under a perfectly competitive setting where office waiting time is the only choice variable in the short-run. The optimum waiting time is determined for both the certainty and the uncertainty cases. Comparative statics are drawn with respect to the opportunity cost of waiting time, physician fee, capacity, and standard deviation of waiting time. Empirical analysis of waiting time is made based on questionnaires distributed among physicians and patients. The results are consistent with the majority of the theoretical findings.
Executive Pay and UK Privatization

Abstract Controversy abounds in the UK about increased executive compensation in privatized firms. This study examines the executive pay systems in state-owned and privatized firms against the backdrop of compensation systems in publicly traded firms. We hypothesize the existence of two separate markets for top management in state-owned and comparable publicly traded firms from 1970 to 1981 and the subsequent merging of these markets after privatization from 1982 to 1994. Consistent with our hypotheses, we document that prior to privatization, top management in state-owned enterprises received half the compensation of their publicly traded counterparts, and the determinants of the level of pay were more bureaucratic: there was no pay for performance, little variation across executives and firms, and systematic age-related pay increases. After privatization, we find a convergence in the level of executive compensation, the intensity of pay for performance, and the variation and determinants of pay across executives and firms.
The effects of the interosseous membrane and partial fibulectomy upon loading of the tibia: a biomechanical study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the fibula and the (IOM) on load sharing in the lower extremity. Mechanical testing results demonstrated that under the applied compressive loading the IOM and the fibula both function to stabilize the tibia and tend to lessen its posterior-lateral bending (anterior-medial bowing of the tibia). The IOM serves to stabilize the posterior-lateral bowing of the fibula regardless of the position of the foot. Fibular strains were not reduced to zero after sectioning of the IOM, indicating load transmission to the fibula through its proximal and distal ends. >
Analysis of a symmetric neopolyol ester

The symmetric neopolyol ester tetra[methyleneoxycarbonyl(2,4,4-trirnethyl)pentyl]methane (MOCPM) has been studied by variable-temperature solid-state13C NMR and X-ray powder diffraction and compared to molecular mechanics calculations of the molecular structure. Between melting and glass transition temperatures the material is semicrystalline, consisting of two conformationally and motionally distinguishable phases. The more mobile phase is liquid-like and is, thus attributed to an amorphous phase (≈16%). The branches of the molecules in the crystal exhibit two conformationally distinguishable behaviors. In one, the branches are well ordered (≈56%), in the other, the branches are conformationally disordered (≈28%). Different branches of the same molecule may show different conformational order. This unique character of the rigid phase is the reason for the deficit of the entropy of fusion observed earlier by DSC. In the melt, solid state NMR can identify two bonds that are rotationally immobile, even though the molecules as a whole have liquid-like mobility. This partial rigidity of the branches accounts quantitatively for the observed increase in heat capacity at the glass transition. The reason for this unique behavior of MOCPM, a small molecule, is the existence of one chiral centers in each of the four arms of the molecule. A statistical model assuming that at least two of the chiral centers must fit into the order of the crystal can explain the crystallization behavior and would require 12.5% amorphous phase, 28.1% conformational disorder, and 59.4% crystallinity, close to the observed maximum perfection.
Generators and Charging Control

Generators consist of alternators and regulators and function to charge the battery and to supply power to electrical loads such as the lamps and air conditioners. Alternators are driven by a belt from the engine and supply the required power by transforming mechanical into electrical energy. If the alternator power supply is less than the demand, extra power is drawn temporarily from the battery. However, in normal driving conditions, the alternator recharges the battery to a normal state. In addition, the generated voltage constantly fluctuates due to the driving conditions. For this reason, the regulator suppresses the voltage generated by the alternator and functions to supply the appropriate power to each item of electrical equipment and to charge the battery as required. Recently, the aim of charging control systems has been to improve fuel consumption by adjusting the generated voltage in accordance with the driving conditions, state of electrical load, and battery status. This fuel consumption improvement is achieved by suppressing generation during acceleration and increasing regeneration during deceleration. Keywords: alternator; stator; rotor; rectifier; regulator; three-phase alternating current; full-wave rectification; generation; charging; charging control; regeneration; battery state of charge detection; fuel consumption improvement; refilling charge
Peak cortisol response to corticotropin-releasing hormone is associated with age and body size in children referred for clinical testing: a retrospective review

Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH) testing is used to evaluate suspected adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency, but the clinical characteristics that affect response in young children are incompletely understood. Our objective was to determine the effect of age and body size on cortisol response to CRH in children at risk for ACTH deficiency referred for clinical testing. Retrospective, observational study of 297 children, ages 30 days – 18 years, undergoing initial, clinically indicated outpatient CRH stimulation testing at a tertiary referral center. All subjects received 1mcg/kg corticorelin per institutional protocol. Serial, timed ACTH and cortisol measurements were obtained. Patient demographic and clinical factors were abstracted from the medical record. Patients without full recorded anthropometric data, pubertal assessment, ACTH measurements, or clear indication for testing were excluded (number remaining = 222). Outcomes of interest were maximum cortisol after stimulation (peak) and cortisol rise from baseline (delta). Bivariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess the effects of age and size (weight, height, body mass index (BMI), body surface area (BSA), BMI z-score, and height z-score) on cortisol response while accounting for clinical covariates including sex, race/ethnicity, pubertal status, indication for testing, and time of testing. Subjects were 27 % female, with mean age of 8.9 years (SD 4.5); 75 % were pre-pubertal. Mean peak cortisol was 609.2 nmol/L (SD 213.0); mean delta cortisol was 404.2 nmol/L (SD 200.2). In separate multivariable models, weight, height, BSA and height z-score each remained independently negatively associated (p < 0.05) with peak and delta cortisol, controlling for indication of testing, baseline cortisol, and peak or delta ACTH, respectively. Age was negatively associated with peak but not delta cortisol in multivariable analysis. Despite the use of a weight-based dosing protocol, both peak and delta cortisol response to CRH are negatively associated with several measures of body size in children referred for clinical testing, raising the question of whether alternate CRH dosing strategies or age- or size-based thresholds for adequate cortisol response should be considered in pediatric patients, or, alternatively, whether this finding reflects practice patterns followed when referring children for clinical testing.
Computational Models and Emergent Properties of Respiratory Neural Networks

Computational models of the neural control system for breathing in mammals provide a theoretical and computational framework bringing together experimental data obtained from different animal preparations under various experimental conditions. Many of these models were developed in parallel and iteratively with experimental studies and provided predictions guiding new experiments. This data-driven modeling approach has advanced our understanding of respiratory network architecture and neural mechanisms underlying generation of the respiratory rhythm and pattern, including their functional reorganization under different physiological conditions. Models reviewed here vary in neurobiological details and computational complexity and span multiple spatiotemporal scales of respiratory control mechanisms. Recent models describe interacting populations of respiratory neurons spatially distributed within the Botzinger and pre-Botzinger complexes and rostral ventrolateral medulla that contain core circuits of the respiratory central pattern generator (CPG). Network interactions within these circuits along with intrinsic rhythmogenic properties of neurons form a hierarchy of multiple rhythm generation mechanisms. The functional expression of these mechanisms is controlled by input drives from other brainstem components, including the retrotrapezoid nucleus and pons, which regulate the dynamic behavior of the core circuitry. The emerging view is that the brainstem respiratory network has rhythmogenic capabilities at multiple levels of circuit organization. This allows flexible, state-dependent expression of different neural pattern-generation mechanisms under various physiological conditions, enabling a wide repertoire of respiratory behaviors. Some models consider control of the respiratory CPG by pulmonary feedback and network reconfiguration during defensive behaviors such as cough. Future directions in modeling of the respiratory CPG are considered. Published 2012. Compr Physiol 2:1619-1670, 2012.
Immunization delivered by lentiviral vectors for cancer and infectious diseases

The increasing level of understanding of the lentivirus biology has been instrumental in shaping the design strategy of creating therapeutic lentiviral delivery vectors. As a result, lentiviral vectors have become one of the most powerful gene transfer vehicles. They are widely used for therapeutic purposes as well as in studies of basic biology, due to their unique characteristics. Lentiviral vectors have been successfully employed to mediate durable and efficient antigen expression and presentation in dendritic cells both in vitro and in vivo, leading to the activation of cellular immunity and humoral responses. This capability makes the lentiviral vector an ideal choice for immunizations that target a wide range of cancers and infectious diseases. Further advances into optimizing the vector system and understanding the relationship between the immune system and diseases pathogenesis will only augment the potential benefits and utility of lentiviral vaccines for human health.
Virulence of Auxotrophic Mutants of Erwinia aroideae

The virulence of a pathogen depends upon numerous factors, including the availability of essential nutrilites from the host. If the host cannot supply all these nutrilites, either in quantity or in a form suitable for assimilation, the pathogen cannot proliferate and produce the characteristic reactions in the host. For example, purine-requiring mutants of Salmonella typhosa 1 and of Klebsiella pneumoniae 2 were avirulent for mice because the requirement for purine was apparently not satisfied by the host. Garber et al. 2 suggested that auxotrophic mutants of pathogens may be useful for purposes of bioassay. Preliminary data from experiments using a plant pathogen, Erwinia aroideae, and the potato tuber, var. Red Russet, suggest that this technique may be extended to plant material in certain instances.
Evidence for nonimmune mechanisms in the loss of hematopoietic chimerism in rat,mouse mixed xenogeneic chimeras

Abstract: We have recently described a relatively nontoxic, nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen allowing engraftment of T cell-depleted (TCD) rat bone marrow in mice, leading to a state of mixed xenogeneic chimerism and donor-specific skin graft tolerance, apparently by a deletional mechanism. The conditioning regimen involves depletion of host T and NK cells with mAbs, followed by administration of 7 Gy thymic irradiation (TI) and 3 Gy whole body irradiation (WBI) prior to transplantation of TCD F344 rat bone marrow cells (BMC). Although the percentage of rat cells gradually declines over time post-BMT in these animals, they demonstrate prolonged survival of donor-specific rat skin grafts and an absence of anti-rat antibody responses long after this decline is underway. We therefore hypothesized that the loss of rat hematopoietic repopulation may not be due to a loss of tolerance at the T cell or B cell level. We have now evaluated the effect of a repeat, late, donor marrow infusion on chimerism and tolerance. Treatment with 3 Gy WBI followed by TCD rat marrow infusion at 22 weeks following the original BMT led to a marked increase in rat cell repopulation of both myeloid and lymphoid lineages and prolonged the period of complete central and peripheral deletion of Vp5+ and Vβ11+ host T cells, which recognize endogenous (presumably mouse) superantigens presented by rat hematopoietic cells. Furthermore, the second marrow infusion did not induce a cytotoxic antibody response to rat marrow. Since these results suggested that the decline in rat chimerism in our model was not associated with a loss of T cell or B cell tolerance to the donor, we evaluated the possibility that a failure of NK cell tolerance led to the decline by comparing chimerism in animals receiving chronically NK cell-depleting mAb and controls. Chronic NK depletion did not markedly enhance the level of rat repopulation in any lineage. Together, our results are most consistent with the interpretation that the gradual decline in rat repopulation in our chimeras reflects a competitive advantage of host hematopoietic cells over xenogeneic cells rather than immune-mediated rejection, possibly due to species selectivity of cytokines and adhesion molecule interactions of hematopoietic progenitors and the marrow microenvironment. This host hematopoietic advantage might be counteracted by repeat donor-specific marrow infusions.
Yerushalmi and the Conversos

In his work on Iberian Jews—openly practicing ones and conversos, on and off the peninsula, before 1492 and 1497 and after—Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi made few explicit methodological statements. But from his earliest work, he made his historiosophical commitments clear and rarely wavered from them. Those commitments included basic trust in inquisitorial sources, the investigation of both marginal and normative Jewish practices, interest in the history of mentalities, and, above all, a focus on the relationship between “immanent” and external causes in Jewish history. This article traces the influence of several mid-twentieth-century historians on Yerushalmi’s work and examines his place in twentieth-century debates on conversos and the Inquisition; it also discusses his relationship to microhistory and the problem of historical distance and perspective. The article concludes by considering the apparent contradiction between Yerushalmi’s emphasis on the agency and subjectivity of Jews and his trust in the records of an institution that some have characterized as pervasively anti-Jewish.
Data Sharing for Sustainable Building Assessment

Sustainable design assessment requires information, which is aggregated from different phases of a building design, and evaluated according to criteria specified in a ‘sustainable building rating system.’ In the architecture engineering and construction (AEC) domain much of the necessary information is available through open source data standards such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). However, no single standard that provides support for sustainability assessment completely suffices as a data structure. This paper explores the augmentation of the Construction Operations Building information exchange (COBie) model, as an intermediary data structure, to bridge between requirements of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and a building information model. Development of a general framework for data sharing and information management for LEED assessments is illustrated through an implementation of a prototype using functional databases. The prototype checks and augments av...
Hot-Water Quarantine Treatment for Mangoes from Mexico Infested with Mexican Fruit Fly and West Indian Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Heated water was used in the development of a quarantine treatment to kill Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Loew), and West Indian fruit fly, A. oblique (Macquart) infestations in mango, Mangifera indica L. Mangoes from Mexico were infested in the laboratory and immersed in water at 46.1°C for 10-70 min to estimate time-mortality relationships. Probit analysis of the data estimated the immersion time needed to reach Probit 9 security for a laboratory strain of A. ludens as 65.1 min for mixed cultivars (‘Haden,’ ‘Tommy Atkins,’ ‘Keitt,’ and ‘Kent’). For a feral strain (wild) in ‘Haden,’ the estimated immersion time was 71.4 min. The estimated immersion times for Probit 9 security for A. obliqua in ‘Kent’ were 66.8 min for a laboratory strain and 83.6 min for a wild strain. A large-scale test resulted in no survivors based on number of normal pupae when 187,114 A. ludens (laboratory) in 4,864 ‘Keitt’ and ‘Oro’; 226,054 A. ludens (wild) in 5,530 ‘Haden’ and ‘Tommy Atkins’; 116,869 A. obliqua (wild) in 7,703 ‘Kent’; and 101,049 A. obliqua (laboratory) in 8,775 ‘Keitt,’ ‘Haden,’ and ‘Tommy Atkins’ were immersed in water at 46,1°C for 90 min. The market quality of mangoes immersed in water at 46.1°C depended on cultivar, size and shape, maturity, and handling procedures. ‘Oro’ mangoes immersed in water for 75 min were not damaged. The percentage of acceptable ‘Oro’ immersed for 90, 105, and 120 min was reduced to 80, 85, and 15%, respectively. ‘Kent,’ ‘Tommy Atkins,’ and ‘Keitt’ mangoes immersed in water at 46.1°C for 90 min and refrigerated at 11.1°C for 7, 11, and 14 d were not damaged. ‘Haden’ mangoes immersed in water at 46.1°C for 90 min, not refrigerated, and held at 23.9 ± 1°C were acceptable for 12 d.
A Chromium Catalyst for the Polymerization of Ethylene as a Homogeneous Model for the Phillips Catalyst

A structurally characterized cationic chromium(III) alkyl featuring a bulky nacnac ligand catalyzes the polymerization of ethylene as well as the copolymerization of ethylene with alpha-olefins. This well-characterized homogeneous catalyst constitutes a structural as well as functional model of the widely used heterogeneous Phillips olefin polymerization catalyst.
LPS-nonresponsive variants of mouse B cell lymphoma, 70Z/3: isolation and characterization.

We have used a genetic approach to study the differentiation of B lymphocytes. The cultured murine cell line 70Z/3 resembles pre-B cells in containing the heavy chain of the immunoglobulin IgM, Μ, as an internal protein in the absence of light chain, L. However, overnight incubation with the B cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces the cells to mature to a B lymphocyte-like state by the induction of L chain synthesis and the appearance of IgM on the cell surface. We have used immunoselection against surface-bound IgM to isolate LPS uninducible variants of 70Z/3. These fall into two complementation groups, LPS A and LPS B. LPS A variants predominated and were found at a frequency of 1/1200. These cells were completely unresponsive to LPS. LPS B was represented by a single variant in which a subset of cells was induced to display wild-type levels of membranebound IgM, and the proportion of induced cells increased with prolonged incubation with LPS. We detected no structural defects in either variant group, but LPS B may represent a defect in the decision to differentiate in response to LPS.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein in children with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objective: To determine whether blood levels of the brain-specific biomarker glial fibrillary acidic protein rise during cardiopulmonary bypass for repair of congenital heart disease. Methods: This is a prospective observational pilot study to characterise the blood levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein during bypass. Children <21 years of age undergoing bypass for congenital heart disease at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital were enrolled. Blood samples were collected during four phases: pre-bypass, cooling, re-warming, and post-bypass. Results: A total of 85 patients were enrolled between October, 2010 and May, 2011. The median age was 0.73 years (range 0.01–17). The median weight was 7.14 kilograms (range 2.2–86.5). Single ventricle anatomy was present in 18 patients (22%). Median glial fibrillary acidic protein values by phase were: pre-bypass: 0 ng/ml (range 0–0.35); cooling: 0.039 (0–0.68); re-warming: 0.165 (0–2.29); and post-bypass: 0.112 (0–0.97). There were significant elevations from pre-bypass to all subsequent stages, with the greatest increase during re-warming (p = 0.0001). Maximal levels were significantly related to younger age (p = 0.03), bypass time (p = 0.03), cross-clamp time (p = 0.047), and temperature nadir (0.04). Peak levels did not vary significantly in those with single ventricle anatomy versus two ventricle repairs. Conclusion: There are significant increases in glial fibrillary acidic protein levels in children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for repair of congenital heart disease. The highest values were seen during the re-warming phase. Elevations are significantly associated with younger age, bypass and cross-clamp times, and temperature nadir. Owing to the fact that glial fibrillary acidic protein is the most brain-specific biomarker identified to date, it may act as a rapid diagnostic marker of brain injury during cardiac surgery.
Inelastic atom scattering from layers of atoms and molecules on Cu(110)

Abstract The vibrational properties of adsorbed layers have been studied using inelastic He atom scattering. The substrate was Cu(110) viewed along the [001] and [110] azimuth. The adsorbates included, Kr, Xe, CH4, CD4, C2H6, CO, CO2 and O2 and covered the region of both physisorption and chemisorption. Despite a range of binding energies and mass ratios the vibrational frequencies showed no dependence on the momentum change, i.e. scattering was dispersionless, although intensity changes occurred in the inelastic peaks. There seemed to be no dependence of the adsorbate spectra on coverage below a monolayer. The peaks of CH4 and C2H6 appeared broader than those of Kr and Xe suggesting molecular motions. Further, CH4 and C2H6 gave very similar spectra. Both energy gain and loss events were observed in the inelastic spectrum. For those adsorbates which gave multilayer adsorption (Xe, C2H6) changes in the spectra were observed as the second layer developed. In the latter category also, mixed layers (Xe on C2H6, Xe on CO and C2H6 on Xe) were studied.
Radiation-damage halos in quartz

Radiation-damage halos are present in quartz that surrounds, or is adjacent to, accessory minerals such as zircon. These halos are not visible in transmitted light but are revealed by cathodoluminescence (CL). They extend up to 45 μm away from the source of radioactivity. Some halos show concentric rings similar to those previously reported in pleochroic halos in biotite. Radiation-damage halos occur in three main settings: surrounding inclusions within quartz grains; penetrating into quartz from adjacent radionuclide-bearing grains; and in quartz cement near such grains. Halos are more common in pre-Paleozoic rocks than in younger rocks, except in cases of unusual enrichment in radioactive elements. Halos result from damage to quartz-crystal structure, identical to the process forming pleochroic halos in biotite. Damage is caused by alpha particles emitted by radioactive elements within mineral grains and is a partial function of time. Consequently, radiation-damage halos may have potential uses in geochronology.
Aluminum content of source plasma and sodium citrate anticoagulant

The concentration of aluminum was determined in samples of source plasma collected by the normal plasmapheresis procedure, which involves collection in anticoagulant and immediate freezing. Samples of sodium citrate anticoagulant used in the collection of source plasma were also tested for aluminum, as were empty source plasma containers and 0.9% sodium chloride infusion (USP). Samples of source plasma were collected from a geographic cross-section of the donor population in the USA by three different manufacturers. Aliquots of these samples were mixed with Triton X-100 and sulfuric acid and analyzed for aluminum by atomic absorption spectrometry using electrothermal atomization (graphite furnace) and Zeeman background correction. The arithmetic mean and standard deviation for the aluminum content of 28 samples of source plasma were found to be 25.5 +/- 8.4 ng Al/ml. The aluminum content of the individual samples of source plasma ranged from 12 to 48 ng Al/ml. The aluminum content of 6 samples from two manufacturers of the sodium citrate anticoagulant that is used in source plasma ranged from 410 to 2,080 ng/ml. Aluminum levels found in saline for infusion and nitric acid leachates from empty source plasma containers were less than 6.9 ng/ml. The level of aluminum expected in uncontaminated human blood has been estimated to be 10 ng Al/ml or less. Comparison of this figure with the present data indicates that the sodium citrate anticoagulant contributes significantly to the aluminum load of source plasma and, therefore, to the aluminum content of products such as albumin derived from source plasma.