cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A CD19/Fc fusion protein for detection of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptors

Background: Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) consist of the antigen-recognition portion of a monoclonal antibody fused to an intracellular signaling domain capable of activating T-cells. CARs displayed on the surface of transduced cells perform non-MHC-restricted antigen recognition and activating intracellular signaling pathways for induction of target cytolysis, cytokine secretion and proliferation. Clinical trials are in progress assessing the use of mature T-lymphocytes transduced with CARs targeting CD19 antigen to treat B-lineage malignancies. CD19 is an attractive target for immunotherapy because of its consistent and specific expression in most of the stages of maturation and malignancies of B-lymphocyte origin, but not on hematopoietic stem cells. Antibodies against the extracellular domain of the CAR molecule (anti-Fab, Fc or idiotype) have been used for detection of CAR expression in research and clinical samples by flow cytometry, but may need development for each construct and present significant background in samples from xenograft models. Methods: A specific reagent for the detection of anti-CD19 CAR expression was developed, a fusion protein consisting of human CD19 extracellular domains and the Fc region of human IgG1 (CD19sIg). Genes encoding CD19sIg fusion proteins were constructed by fusing either exons 1 to 3 (CD19sIg1-3) or exons 1 to 4 (CD19sIg1-4) of the human CD19 cDNA to a human IgG1Fc fragment. These fusion proteins are intended to work in similar fashion as the MHC Tetramers used for identification of antigen-specific T-cells, and may also have other applications in studies of activation of anti-CD19 CAR bearing cells. The CD19sIg proteins were produced from 293 T cells by stable lentiviral vector transduction and purification from culture medium. Results: ELISA assays using several different monoclonal antibodies to CD19 demonstrated dose-related specific binding by the fusion molecule CD19sIg1-4, but no binding by CD19sIg1-3. Conjugation of the CD19sIg1-4 fusion protein to Alexa Fluor 488 allowed specific and sensitive staining of anti-CD19 CAR-bearing cells for flow cytometry assays, detecting as low as 0.5% of CAR-modified primary cells with minimal background staining. Conclusions: This fusion molecule is a sensitive reagent for detection of anti-CD19 CAR derived from any monoclonal antibody present in CAR-modified T-cells.
Dietary composition alters methotrexate toxicity without changing its pharmacokinetic parameters in cats

This study determined the effect of a commercial dry expanded (complex) diet and purified diet on methotrexate (MTX) toxicity and pharmacokinetics in the cat. Twelve cats were randomized to receive a purified diet or a complex diet for 21 days. They were then given an intravenous bolus injection of MTX at a dose of 10 mg/kg (160 mg/M2). Cats fed the purified diet had severe enteritis, characterized by depression, lethargy, diarrhea, and vomiting. Cats receiving the complex diet remained mentally bright, alert, and responsive throughout the post-chemotherapy period, and only one of six cats in this dietary group developed mild diarrhea 48 hr after MTX administration. Methotrexate was associated with a significant (P < 0.0001) reduction in the total white blood cell (WBC) counts in cats receiving the purified and complex diets. The elimination of MTX appeared to follow a three-compartment model of elimination. Plasma MTX concentrations at all time points examined were virtually identical in cats receiving the purified and complex diets. The terminal half-life of MTX in cats receiving the complex and purified diets was 1.75 ± 0.44 hr and 2.77 ± 0.8 hr, respectively. The similarity of plasma MTX concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters in both dietary groups suggests that dietary alterations may influence enterotoxicity directly rather than altering exposure to MTX.
Facilities at the Stanford Picosecond FEL Center

The Stanford Picosecond Free Electron Laser (FEL) Center has been established to support a broad range of biomedical and materials science research. In addition to the FEL, the Center has several conventional lasers available for experiments with high power, picosecond pulses of light. The FEL and the conventional lasers provide wavelength coverage from the visible to 100 microns. A wide variety of equipment, instruments, and standardized optical setups provide users with a flexible and powerful environment for research. This paper lists the facilities available at the FEL Center, and discusses the challenges encountered in developing a new user facility.
Assessment of Ventilation Characteristics of Standard and Prototype Firefighter Protective Clothing1

Specialized clothing is an integral part of a firefighter's protective system. However, existing fire fighter clothing, which attempts to protect against environmental hazards, also restricts dissipation of metabolic heat. This restriction can lead to severe heat stress and may result in subsequent hazards to the health and safety of the firefighter. A new prototype design has been developed that exhibits some improved heat-dissipation characteristics under controlled laboratory settings. Two versions of the prototype design were tested for ventilation and compared with the ventilation of standard turnout gear. Laboratory information was obtained using one male and one female test subject participating in a series of treadmill exercise tests. Biophysical data collected show that the proto type design provides improvements in clothing ventilation over the standard turnout gear presently in use. Analysis of results suggests that reduction in firefighter heat stress can be achieved, and con tinued developmen...
The physics of small‐amplitude oscillation of the vocal folds

A theory of vocal fold oscillation is developed on the basis of the body‐cover hypothesis. The cover is represented by a distributed surface layer that can propagate a mucosal surface wave. Linearization of the surface‐wave displacement and velocity, and further small‐amplitude approximations, yields closed‐form expressions for conditions of oscillation. The theory predicts that the lung pressure required to sustain oscillation, i.e., the oscillation threshold pressure, is reduced by reducing the mucosal wave velocity, by bringing the vocal folds closer together and by reducing the convergence angle in the glottis. The effect of vocal tract acoustic loading is included. It is shown that vocal tract inertance reduces the oscillation threshold pressure, whereas vocal tract resistance increases it. The treatment, which is applicable to falsetto and breathy voice, as well as onset or release of phonation in the absence of vocal fold collision, is harmonized with former treatments based on two‐mass models and ...
Large-scale placement by grid-warping

Grid-warping is a new placement algorithm based on a strikingly simple idea: rather than move the gates to optimize their location, we elastically deform a model of the 2-D chip surface on which the gates have been roughly placed, "stretching" it until the gates arrange themselves to our liking. Put simply: we move the grid, not the gates. Deforming the elastic grid is a surprisingly simple, low-dimensional nonlinear optimization, and augments a traditional quadratic formulation. A preliminary implementation, WARP1, is already competitive with most recently published placers, e.g., placements that average 4% better wirelength, 40% faster than GORDIAN-L-DOMINO.
From Health to Human Rights: Female Genital Cutting and the Politics of Intervention

ABSTRACT The international campaign to eliminate female genital cutting (FGC) has, since the early 1990s, actively attempted to divorce itself from a health framework, adopting instead a human rights framework to justify intervention. Several key questions emerge regarding the prominent placement of FGC in the international human rights movement: What are the ramifications of framing FGC as a human rights violation? What actions are mandated by a human rights approach? What perils and pitfalls potentially arise from the adoption of a rights-based framework, and how might they be avoided? In exploring these questions it becomes clear that, although a human rights approach is promising, careful deliberation is required to develop action strategies that offer both protection and respect for the culture and autonomy of those women and families concerned.
Letter From Morocco

Letter From Morocco. 26 minutes. By Beverly Seckinger. Department of Media Arts, Mlb 265, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721.
Forecasting the New York City Urban Heat Island and Sea Breeze during Extreme Heat Events

AbstractTwo extreme heat events impacting the New York City (NYC), New York, metropolitan region during 7–10 June and 21–24 July 2011 are examined in detail using a combination of models and observations. The U.S. Navy's Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) produces real-time forecasts across the region on a 1-km resolution grid and employs an urban canopy parameterization to account for the influence of the city on the atmosphere. Forecasts from the National Weather Service's 12-km resolution North American Mesoscale (NAM) implementation of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model are also examined. The accuracy of the forecasts is evaluated using a land- and coastline-based observation network. Observed temperatures reached 39°C or more at central urban sites over several days and remained high overnight due to urban heat island (UHI) effects, with a typical nighttime urban–rural temperature difference of 4°–5°C. Examining model performance broadly over both heat events ...
Modeling of thin dielectric structures using the finite-difference time-domain technique

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique is applied to scattering problems involving thin dielectric sheets, conductor-backed dielectric sheets, and conductor-backed dielectric sheets containing cracks in the dielectric material. A smart cell technique is developed that enables these geometries to be modeled with a spatial grid that is much larger than the dielectric slab and crack widths. This technique is computationally more efficient than the 'brute force' (or ordinary) FDTD approach, which must use cells small enough to resolve the dielectric sheets. Numerical results are presented which show that this technique yields accurate scattering results at a large savings in computational resources. >
Response to the Commentary: Children and Predictive Genomic Testing

Beth A. Tarini, MD, MS, Kenneth P. Tercyak, PHD, and Benjamin S. Wilfond, MD Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics & Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine
Bit Error Rate Estimation for Improving Jitter Testing of High-Speed Serial Links

This paper describes a Bit Error Rate (BER) estimation technique for high-speed serial links, which utilizes the jitter spectral information extracted from the transmitted data and some key characteristics of the clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit in the receiver. In addition to improving the accuracy of BER prediction, the estimation technique can be used to accelerate the jitter tolerance test by eliminating the conventional BER measurement process. Experimental results comparing the estimated BER and the BERT-measured BER on a 2.5 Gbps commercial CDR circuit demonstrate the high accuracy of the proposed technique.
Finding global icebergs over distributed data sets

Finding icebergs–items whose frequency of occurrence is above a certain threshold–is an important problem with a wide range of applications. Most of the existing work focuses on iceberg queries at a single node. However, in many real-life applications, data sets are distributed across a large number of nodes. Two naive approaches might be considered. In the first, each node ships its entire data set to a central server, and the central server uses single-node algorithms to find icebergs. But it may incur prohibitive communication overhead. In the second, each node submits local icebergs, and the central server combines local icebergs to find global icebergs. But it may fail because in many important applications, globally frequent items may not be frequent at any node. In this work, we propose two novel schemes that provide accurate and efficient solutions to this problem: a sampling-based scheme and a counting-sketch-based scheme. In particular, the latter scheme incurs a communication cost at least an order of magnitude smaller than the naive scheme of shipping all data, yet is able to achieve very high accuracy. Through rigorous theoretical and experimental analysis we establish the statistical properties of our proposed algorithms, including their accuracy bounds.
Recent Advances in Early Identification and Treatment of Autism

Currently, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can be reliably diagnosed between the ages of 2 and 3 years. Efforts to identify symptoms of ASD in younger children are underway. Recent evidence suggests that children with ASD show reduced rates of early nonverbal social-communication skills by about 12 months, although diagnosis before age 2 remains a challenge. These early social-communication skills can be improved with targeted intervention, and doing so may produce broader improvements in later-emerging skills. Research is beginning to explore the use of these interventions with toddlers, with some success. Despite these advances, much is still unknown about the early presentation of ASD or the best way to intervene.
An Optimization Procedure for Including the Higher Order Mode Coupling Between Coupling Slots in the Design of a Planar Slot Array

A simple iterative procedure to account for higher order mode coupling between adjacent coupling slots of a planar slot array is presented. The method converges rapidly and is easy to implement in conjunction with Elliott's design technique for planar arrays. The procedure is illustrated with an example and validated by a full-wave moment method analysis.
The Local Effects of Metal Corrosion in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Corrosion has long been recognized to occur in total hip arthroplasty, but the local effects of this process have only recently become better understood. This article provides an overview of corrosion at modular junctions, and discusses the various etiologic factors for corrosion and the biologic response to metal debris released from this junction. Algorithms are provided for diagnosis and treatment, in accordance with the best available data.
BEYOND GENDER: THE IMPACT OF AGE, ETHNICITY, NATIONALITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH ON WOMEN IN THE SINGAPORE ECONOMY

This paper examines trends in women's labor force participation, sectoral and occupational distribution, and wage incomes relative to men, including by age and education. Since 1980, gender disparities in virtually all categories have substantially narrowed; those remaining result from women's continued disproportionate responsibility for family care, and additional factors affecting women at the highest levels of the labor force and income distribution. There are some areas of concern for women's economic future in Singapore, including the impacts of ageing, foreign labor and immigration, and wage stagnation experienced by low-income families under Singapore's economic development model.
Quantification of brain μ-opioid receptors with [11C]carfentanil: reference-tissue methods

[(11)C]Carfentanil (CFN) is a mu-opioid agonist used for in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) studies of mu-opioid receptors. Previously, a tissue-ratio method was validated for the quantification of CFN binding. However, since that initial validation, several other blood independent (reference-tissue) methods have become available. To evaluate these methods, CFN PET studies with arterial blood sampling were acquired in six healthy male control subjects. Specific binding estimates obtained from reference-tissue methods were compared to those obtained with a more rigorous blood input modeling technique. It was determined that both a graphical method, and a simplified reference tissue model, were more accurate than the tissue-ratio method for quantification of CFN binding.
Comprehensive Emergency Airway Response Team (EART) Training and Education: Impact on Team Effectiveness, Personnel Confidence, and Protocol Knowledge.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and utility of simulation of the Emergency Airway Response Team (EART) at a tertiary care hospital to improve team dynamics and confidence and knowledge in managing an emergency airway.Methods:This was a descriptive, quantitative performance improvement study. From September 1, 2013, to December 1, 2013, 177 members of the EART from anesthesia, otolaryngology, trauma surgery, emergency medicine, ICU nursing, and respiratory therapy participated in emergency airway simulations. Team dynamics and confidence levels and knowledge of EART were assessed using pre-and post-simulation questionnaires.Results:All participants regardless of their role, experience in the medical field, or any prior exposure to a difficult airway showed significant improvement in self-rated team participation and confidence and objective knowledge regarding EART after undergoing simulation.Conclusion:Our study highlights the efficacy and utility of simulation in assessing personnel team dynamics and ...
A surface reflectance scheme for retrieving aerosol optical depth over urbansurfaces in MODIS Dark Target retrieval algorithm

Abstract. The MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments, aboard the two Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites Terra and Aqua, provide aerosol information with nearly daily global coverage at moderate spatial resolution (10 and 3 km). Almost 15 years of aerosol data records are now available from MODIS that can be used for various climate and air-quality applications. However, the application of MODIS aerosol products for air-quality concerns is limited by a reduction in retrieval accuracy over urban surfaces. This is largely because the urban surface reflectance behaves differently than that assumed for natural surfaces. In this study, we address the inaccuracies produced by the MODIS Dark Target (MDT) algorithm aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals over urban areas and suggest improvements by modifying the surface reflectance scheme in the algorithm. By integrating MODIS Land Surface Reflectance and Land Cover Type information into the aerosol surface parameterization scheme for urban areas, much of the issues associated with the standard algorithm have been mitigated for our test region, the continental United States (CONUS). The new surface scheme takes into account the change in underlying surface type and is only applied for MODIS pixels with urban percentage (UP) larger than 20 %. Over the urban areas where the new scheme has been applied (UP > 20 %), the number of AOD retrievals falling within expected error (EE %) has increased by 20 %, and the strong positive bias against ground-based sun photometry has been eliminated. However, we note that the new retrieval introduces a small negative bias for AOD values less than 0.1 due to the ultra-sensitivity of the AOD retrieval to the surface parameterization under low atmospheric aerosol loadings. Global application of the new urban surface parameterization appears promising, but further research and analysis are required before global implementation.
Amygdala lesions: Differential effects on activity and reactivity to light of rats*

The activity of amygdala-lesioned rats was compared with that of normal controls and amygdala shams under shuttlebox conditions of total darkness and single-compartment illumination. Although the activity (movement between compartments) of the groups did not differ under either of these conditions, the single-compartment illumination significantly decreased the activity of all three groups. A further analysis of the percentage of test time spent in the illuminated compartment indicated that the amygdala-lesioned animals spent significantly less time there than did the other two groups. The differential effects of the lesions on activity and reactivity to light were discussed in terms of changes in general responsiveness following amygdala damage.
The Archimedes Spiral and Diagnosis of Brain Damage

The validity of the Archimedes spiral as a diagnostic test of brain damage is examined experimentally. Results suggest that the different effects for normal and brain-damaged Ss reported in the literature can be attributed to the relative difficulty experienced by the brain-damaged S in maintaining fixation on the center of the spiral.
Child care assistance and nonstandard work schedules

Child care is a necessary work support for many American families, but can be prohibitively expensive for those with low incomes. The federal government provides assistance through direct child care subsidies, but only a fraction of eligible families are in receipt. One factor that may limit access to child care assistance is work schedule. Research suggests that mothers with nonstandard work schedules use relative care more and day care centers less than those with standard work schedules. Research also shows that child care subsidies are disproportionately used for day care centers. This suggests that mothers who work nonstandard schedules may be less likely to receive child care assistance, but little empirical work addresses this question directly. Using data from a cohort of urban, unmarried mothers, this study explores the direct and indirect relationship between work schedule and receipt of child care assistance. The findings suggest that nonstandard work schedules reduce the odds of receiving child care assistance; a relationship mediated entirely by less day care center use among nonstandard schedule workers. The results imply that more flexible child care assistance is needed to meet the needs of these workers, possibly provided outside of the direct-subsidy system.
The Influence of Remote Monitoring on Clinical Decision Making A Pilot Study

The aim of this study was to examine the meaningful use of remote monitoring. In partnership with a home health care agency, we examined the degree to which the information obtained from remote monitoring influenced change in decisions that affect readmission rates among patients diagnosed with heart failure. Hospital utilization was highly associated with nurses’ clinical decisions to go to the hospital; the additional data provided by technology did not modify decisions. The role of nurses in heart failure management is critical to quality outcomes. Investments into remote monitoring technology should accompany strategies to enhance decision making and align clinical decision making with quality goals.
9 A NOVEL ROLE OF SPHINGOSINE KINASE 1 IN THE DE NOVO BIOSYNTHESIS OF DIHYDROSPHINGOSINE-1-PHOSPHATE IN MAMMALIAN CELLS.

Sphingosine kinases 1 and 2 (SK1 and SK2) generate sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a potent endogenous lipid mediator. Using a highly selective and sensitive LC-MS/MS approach, here we show that SK1 overexpression, but not SK2, in different primary cells and cultured cell lines results in predominant up-regulation of the synthesis of dihydrosphingosine-1-phosphate (DHS1P) compared to S1P. Stable isotope pulse-labeling experiments in conjunction with LC-MS/MS quantitation of different sphingolipids demonstrated strong interference of overexpressed SK1 with the de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis by up-regulating the influx of L-serine into sphingolipids and by phosphorylating a major portion of the newly formed dihydrosphingosine to DHS1P. As a result of SK1 overexpression, migration and Ca2+ response of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAEC) to stimulation with external S1P, but not thrombin, were strongly impaired. Furthermore, infection of human bronchial epithelial cells with RSV A-2 virus increased SK1-mediated synthesis of DHS1P and S1P, whereas TNF-a enhanced only S1P production in HPAEC. These findings uncover a new functional role for SK1, which can target de novo sphingoid base metabolic flow and deviate it from the generation of ceramides toward the synthesis of DHS1P, the S1P homolog and ceramide signaling counterpart. Supported by HL71152 and HL79396 to V.N. and by the proceeds of NIH1 S10 RR16798 shared instrumentation grant to W.H.
O-122 What maintenance does an ACP program need in order to be/remain of continued high quality?

Background The most effective efforts to implement advance care planning (ACP) have been systematic approaches. An ACP system is one in which there is an intentional design that addresses: 1) how and when patients are engaged in ACP; 2) how materials are designed; 3) who is capable to provide ACP services; 4) how to document care plans so that written care plans can be uniformly created and retrieved; and 5) how to hold health professional accountable so that care plans are used thoughtfully and correctly. Aim Designing and implementing such an ACP system is complex and challenging. Once established, such ACP systems also need to be managed and re-evaluated in order to maintain their quality and effectiveness. This presentation will address what is necessary to maintain a high quality, ACP system once it has been established. Discussion One of the main keys to maintaining the integrity and quality of an ACP system is to create a position of an “ACP Coordinator/Manager” who is responsible for managing and maintaining these systems. This person should have needed support from a multi-disciplinary, oversight committee and be a direct report to a senior administrator of the health organisation. This Coordinator needs to have an adequate budget to carry out the work as well as support from staff in medical records, information technology, and quality improvement. In addition the coordinator needs to have the capacity or resources to train staff to provide advance care planning and to maintain the skills and competency of these specialised staff. Conclusion It is only through such ongoing management of such an ACP system that high quality outcomes can be maintained over time.
Racial differences in Emergency Department visits for seizures.

Abstract Purpose Seizures are a common reason for visiting the Emergency Department (ED). There is a growing body of literature highlighting disparities in seizure care related to race and ethnicity. Our goal was to identify racial and clinical characteristics of patients presenting to the ED with seizures and to determine factors associated with repeat ED visits for seizure. Methods This was a retrospective study evaluating patients presenting with seizure as the primary reason for their ED visit between 01/01/2008 and 12/31/2008. Clinical data were collected from the electronic medical record (EMR) and compared between black and white patients and between patients with single and repeat ED seizure visits. Statistically significant variables were introduced in a logistic regression analysis with repeat ED visits as outcome. Results Of 38, 879 ED visits, 559 recorded ‘seizure' as the primary reason for the visit. Compared to white patients ( N =266), black patients ( N =102) were more likely to have non-private insurance ( p =0.005), less likely to have evidence of regular ambulatory care ( p =0.02) and were more likely to have multiple visits within the calendar year ( p =0.005). Black patient visits were more likely to have missed or ran out of antiepileptic drugs (AED) as the precipitant for their ED visit ( p Conclusion Clinical factors differed between black and white patients presenting to the ED for seizure care. Black patients were more likely to have multiple seizure visits to the ED when compared to white patients. This may suggest a disparity in access to care related to race between these two groups.
An unusual presentation of congenital intestinal malrotation in a nonagenarian

Introduction Appendicitis is a common surgical pathology with many clinical presentations. Diagnosis can be challenging if there is an alteration to the normal position of anatomical structures and their relationships.
MO-E-BRB-02: Panel Member

In this interactive session, lung SBRT patient cases will be presented to highlight real-world considerations for ensuring safe and accurate treatment delivery. An expert panel of speakers will discuss challenges specific to lung SBRT including patient selection, patient immobilization techniques, 4D CT simulation and respiratory motion management, target delineation for treatment planning, online treatment alignment, and established prescription regimens and OAR dose limits. Practical examples of cases, including the patient flow thought the clinical process are presented and audience participation will be encouraged. This panel session is designed to provide case demonstration and review for lung SBRT in terms of (1) clinical appropriateness in patient selection, (2) strategies for simulation, including 4D and respiratory motion management, and (3) applying multi imaging modality (4D CT imaging, MRI, PET) for tumor volume delineation and motion extent, and (4) image guidance in treatment delivery. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the established requirements for patient selection in lung SBRT 2. Become familiar with the various immobilization strategies for lung SBRT, including technology for respiratory motion management 3. Understand the benefits and pitfalls of applying multi imaging modality (4D CT imaging, MRI, PET) for tumor volume delineation and motion extent determination for lung SBRT 4. Understand established prescription regimes and OAR dose limits
I Imagine, I Shop, I Buy: The Effects of Self-Esteem and Social Participation on the Ability to Imagine, and Consumer Fahsion Objects in a Retail Environment

Consumers use their imaginations to construct visions in which they become the featured actors of a future situation using the product, affecting purchase intentions, the intensity of the intentions, and the duration of the intentions (Ahuvia 2005; Anderson 1983; Cross and Markus 1990; Garry and Polaschek 1999; Gerrig 1994; Holbrook and Hirschman 1982; Markus and Nurius 1986). Using self-verification theory, this study makes an academic contribution by advancing the literature on imagination, self-esteem and social self-consciousness, as encouraged by researchers such as Schau (2000). From a managerial perspective, the topic certainly resonates at the retail level, where decisions are based on many factors- including experience and potentiality of possession and self in an object (Belk 1988). This paper uses Self-Verification theory to support individual traits’, such as knowledge, self-esteem, involvement, and social self-consciousness, in relation to imaginative consumption. In addition, use of imaginative consumption and self-verification theory explains opinion leadership, the small, powerful, and vaguely understood segment (Baumgarten 1975; Goldsmith, Heitmeyer, and Freiden 1991).
Clinical Significance of Bone Marrow Fibrosis in Patients with Polycythemia Vera

Abstract 5149 Background: Polycythemia vera (PV) is a heterogeneous myeloproliferative disease characterized by expansion of morphologically normal red blood cells, granulocytes, and platelets with varying degrees of bone marrow fibrosis (BMF) during the disease course. BMF as a result of abnormal deposition of reticulin and collagen fibers in bone marrow stroma plays a role in the pathophysiology and clinical manifestation of myeloproliferative disorders in general. However, in PV, older age and previous history of thrombosis remain the only two major risk factors for consideration in decisions regarding therapy. Objectives: To investigate the characteristics associated with BMF and its prognostic impact on clinical manifestation, overall survival (OS), and transformation to primary myelofibrosis and acute leukemia in patients with PV. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review analysis of 115 patients who were diagnosed with PV according to World Health Organization criteria and were referred to MD Anderson Cancer Center between May 2000 and December 2009. Results of the first bone marrow biopsy done at MD Anderson were reviewed. BMF was documented according to the European consensus grading system (MF0-3), in which MF-3 is the most severe grade of fibrosis. Results: Of the 115 patients, 23 (20%) had MF-0, 46 (40%) MF-1, 36 (31%) MF-2, and 10 (9%) MF-3. Table 1 summarizes patient characteristics and outcomes by grade. Conclusion: Severe BMF was associated with higher risk of bleeding and thrombosis and larger spleen in patients with PV. There was no association between BMF severity and the demographic or symptoms of the disease. There was no association between BMF severity and the presence of JAK2 mutation or cytogenetic abnormalities. There was no impact of BMF on OS, EFS, or transformation to myelofibrosis or acute leukemia. However, longer follow-up is needed to investigate further the impact of BMF on OS and transformation-free survival. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Survival of tissue-resident memory T cells requires exogenous lipid uptake and metabolism

Tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells persist indefinitely in epithelial barrier tissues and protect the host against pathogens. However, the biological pathways that enable the long-term survival of TRM cells are obscure. Here we show that mouse CD8+ TRM cells generated by viral infection of the skin differentially express high levels of several molecules that mediate lipid uptake and intracellular transport, including fatty-acid-binding proteins 4 and 5 (FABP4 and FABP5). We further show that T-cell-specific deficiency of Fabp4 and Fabp5 (Fabp4/Fabp5) impairs exogenous free fatty acid (FFA) uptake by CD8+ TRM cells and greatly reduces their long-term survival in vivo, while having no effect on the survival of central memory T (TCM) cells in lymph nodes. In vitro, CD8+ TRM cells, but not CD8+ TCM cells, demonstrated increased mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in the presence of exogenous FFAs; this increase was not seen in Fabp4/Fabp5 double-knockout CD8+ TRM cells. The persistence of CD8+ TRM cells in the skin was strongly diminished by inhibition of mitochondrial FFA β-oxidation in vivo. Moreover, skin CD8+ TRM cells that lacked Fabp4/Fabp5 were less effective at protecting mice from cutaneous viral infection, and lung Fabp4/Fabp5 double-knockout CD8+ TRM cells generated by skin vaccinia virus (VACV) infection were less effective at protecting mice from a lethal pulmonary challenge with VACV. Consistent with the mouse data, increased FABP4 and FABP5 expression and enhanced extracellular FFA uptake were also demonstrated in human CD8+ TRM cells in normal and psoriatic skin. These results suggest that FABP4 and FABP5 have a critical role in the maintenance, longevity and function of CD8+ TRM cells, and suggest that CD8+ TRM cells use exogenous FFAs and their oxidative metabolism to persist in tissue and to mediate protective immunity.
Polarized Secretion of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Inhibitors by Retinal Pigment Epithelium Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells During Wound Healing.

Abstract Purpose: To characterize the secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) by induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (iPS-RPE) during wound healing. We hypothesize that iPS-RPE secretes mediators of tissue remodeling such as MMPs and TIMPs to promote migration and proliferation of cells during wound healing. Methods: iPS-RPE was grown on transwells until fully confluent and pigmented. The monolayers were scratched to induce a wound. Conditioned media were collected from the apical and basolateral sides of the transwells every 72 h for 12 days. The media were analyzed by multiplex ELISA assays to detect secreted MMPs and TIMPs. Activity assays were performed to detect the active form of MMP-2 in conditioned media. Results: MMP-2 and TIMP-1, −2, −3, and −4 were detected in conditioned media from iPS-RPE. The proteins were found to be secreted in a polarized manner. The apical secretion and activation of MMP-2 was e...
Interpolative Reasoning in Distributed Intelligent Systems Based on Fuzzy Sets and Neural Nets

Abstract Interpolative reasoning is an inference scheme proposed by Professor Loth A. Zadeh to cope with imprecise and incomplete information in an inference process. It is closely related to fuzzy modeling , pattern classification , and learning from examples . The purpose of this paper is to provide an interpolative reasoning mechanism realized by a generalized neural network . We pay special attention to the needs of a distributed system in our design, such as weighted matching and adaptive learning. Our approach in this paper begins with identifying the issues of reasoning in a distributed system. Then, we introduce the concept of generalized neural networks (GNN’s) and derive a supervised learning procedure based on a gradient descent algorithm to update the parameters in a GNN. Next, we apply the GNN architecture to implement a fuzzy inference system with weights of importance. We also enhance the basic model by using fuzzy quantifiers. An example of simulation result is illustrated. Finally, directions of future work are suggested.
PKC–PKD Interplay in Cancer

The family of protein kinase D (PKD) serine/threonine kinases is a novel diacylglycerol (DAG) receptor and an immediate target of protein kinase C (PKC). The PKC/PKD pathway regulates many important biological processes in response to growth factor receptor and G-protein-coupled receptor activation. Recent studies have linked PKD to hyperproliferative disorders and cancer in several organs. Aberrant expression and activity of PKD have been demonstrated in malignant tumors and are associated with tumor progression. PKD has been implicated in neoplastic transformation and tumor metastasis by modulating tumor cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and, potentially, angiogenesis. Important downstream targets of PKC/PKD in these processes have been identified. Furthermore, selective targeting of the PKC/PKD signaling in cancer is now possible with the discovery of potent and selective small molecule inhibitors of PKD. Thus, the PKC/PKD pathway may contribute to cancer development and represent an emerging target for cancer therapy.
Density Functional Physicality in Electronic Coupling Estimation: Benchmarks and Error Analysis

Electronic coupling estimates from constrained density functional theory configuration interaction (CDFT-CI) depend critically on choice of density functional. In this Letter, the orbital multielectron self-interaction error (OMSIE), vertical electron affinity (VEA), and vertical ionization potential (VIP) are shown to be the key indicators inherited from the density functional that determine the accuracy of electronic coupling estimates. An error metric η is derived to connect the three properties, based on the linear proportionality between electronic coupling and overlap integral, and the hypothesis that the slope of this line is a function of VEA/VIP, η = (1/Ntestset)Σitestset|−VERef × OMSIE + ΔVE – ΔVE × OMSIE|i. Based on η, BH&HLYP and LRC-ωPBEh are suggested as the best functionals for electron and hole transfer, respectively. Error metric η is therefore a useful predictor of errors in CDFT-CI electronic coupling, showing that the physical correctness of the density functional has a direct effect o...
Allocating countermeasures to defend water distribution systems against terrorist attack

Abstract Water distribution networks are critical infrastructure systems that are vulnerable to terrorist attack. Water utility management has the goal of protecting public health by allocating countermeasures, including security equipment and personnel, as a first line of defense. A malevolent actor may select an attack location, however, using a set of unknown priorities that include performance and susceptibility criteria. This research develops a multi-agent framework to simulate the attack and defense of a distribution system to analyze security resource allocation strategies for protecting against chemical contamination events. A single period attacker-defender game is simulated, in which an attacker seeks to contaminate a system node with high attack utility, and a group of defenders seeks to minimize the public health impact from intentional attack. Terrorist agent decisions are simulated using a multi-attribute utility function, and multiple cases are constructed to simulate alternative rankings of criteria. The water utility manager agent assigns security personnel and deterrent security equipment to nodes using one of three security resource allocation strategies. The agent-based modeling framework is applied to simulate attack and defense for a virtual municipality, D -town. Strategies are evaluated based on the number of consumers exposed to a critical dose when a contaminant is released.
Acoustic Scene Classification Using Discrete Random Hashing for Laplacian Kernel Machines

State of the art acoustic scene classification techniques often employ features of large dimensionality, which are then used to train and perform inferences with kernel machines such as Support Vector Machines. However, the complexity of computing the non-linear kernel matrix for these methods increases with the dimensionality of the features and the size of the dataset. In this work, we introduce a new scheme that hashes features, which combined with a linear function approximates a non-linear Laplacian kernel. Each hash typically has lower dimensionality than the input features and each component is represented by one bit instead of floating values. Hence, allowing efficient computation of the kernel matrix using XOR operations rather than dot-products. Our scheme is demonstrated mathematically and tested in the 2017 DCASE: Acoustic Scene Classification. The hashes reduce up to six powers of two the feature representation with minimal loss of accuracy.
Training workers for intercultural communication in tourism

This article provides an ethnographic discourse analysis of an intercultural communication training course for tourism workers in Nepal, and investigates the communicative practices Nepali tour gui...
Characterization of Polyurethanes for Blood-Contacting Applications

Segmented polyurethanes are widely used in commercial and experimental blood-contacting applications which include vascular prostheses, blood filters, catheters, insulation for pacemaker leads, heart valves, cardiac assist devices, and chambers for artificial hearts. The use of this family of polymers for such applications is due to the physiological acceptability, relatively good blood tolerability, relative stability over extended implant periods, and excellent physical and mechanical properties that are exhibited by these materials1.
The use of woods-run chips in filter socks to control erosion and sedimentation during petroleum development in the Appalachian Basin

Abstract Filter socks frequently are used for erosion and sediment perimeter control during oil and gas development activities in the Appalachian Basin of the United States. Regulations specify the use of composted wood material for sock construction. This specification, as opposed to non-composted or fresh wood chips (woods-run), has created inefficiencies during well site construction. Rather than use fresh wood chips created during site construction, composted chips must be procured and used as filter sock media for erosion and sedimentation mitigation. If woods-run chips could be used as filter sock media instead of composted chips, there could be a significant reduction in energy/capital costs, truck traffic, and disposal costs. The primary objective of this research project was to compare the effectiveness of woods-run material versus traditionally composted wood chips in controlling sediment transport as well as other chemical and physical parameters in a laboratory setting. No significant differences in pH (5.96 versus 6.02) or conductivity (0.029 dS/m versus 0.035 dS/m) were found in sediment laden water filtered through woods-run versus composted chips, respectively. However, chip particle sizes were outside the allowable limits for composted sock media, and moisture content also was outside the specified limits for woods-run chips. Nitrate (NO3) concentrations were significantly higher in woods-run, while phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) concentrations were greater in composted chips; however none of the N,P, or K concentrations were above the regulatory requirements. Finally, no difference in the filtering efficiency or time was found between woods-run and composted material. The laboratory results indicate that current regulations allowing the use of woods-run chips in all but the highest quality watersheds is justified.
Predictive value of plasma and peritoneal creatine kinase in horses with strangulating intestinal lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the ability of plasma and peritoneal creatine kinase (CK) to predict the presence of a strangulating lesion in horses presented for colic. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: Ten healthy control horses and 61 clinical colic cases. METHODS: Creatine kinase activity was measured in peritoneal fluid and plasma of 10 healthy horses and 61 horses presenting for colic (40 horses with nonstrangulating lesions and 21 horses with strangulating lesions). Information on other blood and peritoneal fluid variables, signalment, results from the physical examination, outcome, requirement for surgery, and lesion location and type were retrieved from the medical records of horses presenting for colic. RESULTS: A peritoneal CK cutoff level of 16 IU/L yielded a sensitivity of 95.2% and a specificity of 84.6% (positive predictive value [PPV] = 76.9% and negative predictive value [NPV] = 97%, respectively) for predicting a strangulating lesion. A peritoneal lactate cutoff level of 3.75 mmol/L yielded a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 92% (PPV = 85% and NPV = 90%, respectively) for predicting a strangulating lesion. CONCLUSION: Peritoneal CK concentration was a sensitive indicator of the presence of a strangulating lesion in horses presenting with colic, whereas peritoneal lactate concentration was a more specific indicator. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Measuring CK in peritoneal fluid may be a useful adjunct to clinical case presentation to accelerate the diagnosis and definitive treatment of horses presenting with strangulating intestinal lesions, thereby improving their outcome.
Integration of social and ecological sciences for natural resource decision making: challenges and opportunities

The last 25 years have witnessed growing recognition that natural resource management decisions depend as much on understanding humans and their social interactions as on understanding the interactions between non-human organisms and their environment. Decision science provides a framework for integrating ecological and social factors into a decision, but challenges to integration remain. The decision-analytic framework elicits values and preferences to help articulate objectives, and then evaluates the outcomes of alternative management actions to achieve these objectives. Integrating social science into these steps can be hindered by failing to include social scientists as more than stakeholder-process facilitators, assuming that specific decision-analytic skills are commonplace for social scientists, misperceptions of social data as inherently qualitative, timescale mismatches for iterating through decision analysis and collecting relevant social data, difficulties in predicting human behavior, and failures of institutions to recognize the importance of this integration. We engage these challenges, and suggest solutions to them, helping move forward the integration of social and biological/ecological knowledge and considerations in decision-making.