cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Unified Approach to Early Reconstructive Surgery of the Child with Ambiguous Genitalia

AbstractGender assignment in the newborn with ambiguous genitalia poses a dilemma for the parents and physician, even if the infant has a normal 46XX or 46XY karyotype. In general, female pseudohermaphrodites are reared as female subjects, since they can undergo reconstruction to appear as phenotypic female subjects and they may even be able to bear children. Male pseudohermaphrodites, patients with mixed gonadal dysgenesis and male patients with a micropenis may not be so straightforward, and proper gender assignment in these infants may be difficult.A unified surgical approach to early reconstruction of the external genitalia in these patients, who are to be reared as female subjects, has been developed. Essential to this perineal reconstruction are phallic reduction and recession in which erectile tissue is removed with preservation of the neurovascular bundles and glans, creation of labia minora from flaps of phallic skin and foreskin, a labioscrotal Y-V plasty to produce normal-appearing labia majora...
Interactions of colony stimulating factors, other modulating cytokines and hematopoietic progenitor cells. Laboratory and clinical studies.

Blood cell production is regulated by a complex interacting network of stem and progenitor cells, from which all the blood forming elements are derived, and the effects of cytokines which can up- or down-modulate proliferation or self-renewal of stem and progenitor cells (1,2). This report reviews in brief recent information on the characteristics of human umbilical cord blood progenitor cells, the effects of the potent co-stimulating molecule, steel factor, and the myelosuppressive effects of macrophage inflammatory protein 1α and other members of this latter group of molecules termed cytokines
APPLICATIONS—ADVANCED ALGORITHMS

This chapter discusses the manner in which the abstract combinatorial manipulations are used in real problems. It highlights on the framework of involved combinatorial investigations and their synthesis from elemental algorithms. The chapter also reviews the Incidence Matrix Equivalence. In most incidence systems which arise in combinatorial computing, the labelling of the blocks and of the objects is entirely arbitrary. Thus, it is often necessary, or desirable, to detect the equivalence of two zero-one matrices under independent permutation of the rows and columns. This problem is discussed in conjunction with a characteristic application, the enumeration of reduced Latin squares. The chapter presents an approach for investigating the four-color problem, which is perhaps the most famous unsolved combinatorial problem.
The General Multitiered Supply Chain Network Model with Performance Indicators

This chapter begins Part IV of this book, which is on supplier quality and freight service quality. In order to set the stage for quality competition with suppliers in Chap. 10, in this chapter we present a multitiered competitive supply chain network game theory model, which includes the supplier tier. The firms are differentiated by brands and can produce their own components, as reflected by their capacities, and/or obtain components from one or more suppliers, who also are capacitated. The firms compete in a Cournot-Nash fashion, whereas the suppliers compete a la Bertrand since firms are sensitive to prices. All decision-makers seek to maximize their profits with consumers reflecting their preferences through the demand price functions associated with the demand markets for the firms’ products. We construct supply chain network performance measures for the full supply chain and the individual firm levels that assess the efficiency of the supply chain or firm, respectively. They allow for the identification and ranking of the importance of suppliers as well as the components of suppliers with respect to the full supply chain or individual firm. The framework is illustrated through a series of numerical supply chain network examples.
Leaching of rare earths from fine-grained zirconosilicate ore

Abstract Leaching of rare earths Y, La and Ce by sulphuric acid from fine-grained zirconosilicate ore was investigated using Taguchi method of experimental design. An orthogonal array of L 8 , 2 7 which denotes 7 factors at 2 levels was chosen to consider the various factors relevant to the leaching process: baking time, baking temperature, acid dosage, leaching time, leaching temperature, grind size and dilution. Statistical analysis showed that sulphation baking was a significant step for the leaching of rare earths from the whole-of-ore and optimized leaching of rare earths involved the following condition: baking for 3 h at 320 °C at 3.2 g acid/g ore acid dosage followed by water leaching at 20 °C for 1 h and dilution of 20 mL water/g ore using 300 um grind size. The effect of each leaching factor was also discussed.
A Pharmacokinetic Equation Guide for Clinicians

Pharmacokinetic monitoring plays an important role in routine patient care. With the advent of rapid and specific drug assays, the clinician can obtain results quickly and, when nesessary, modify the dosage regimen. This chapter presents guidelines for determining drug disposition parameters in adult patients based on their dosing history and their plasma drug concentrations. This information is used in conjunction with the patient’s clinical response to therapy—such as a decrease in the number of seizures, cessation of arrhythmias, improvement in respiratory status, increased clotting time, or suspected toxicity--to design optimal dosage regimens. A list of the commonly monitored drugs appears in Table 1.
Bi-directional dual color mid-IR light emitting diodes

Abstract We demonstrate a two-contact, bi-directional, dual color light emitting diode with superlattice active regions operated at wavelengths near 4 μm and 8 μm. The operational wavelength of the device is controlled by the bias polarity. A modification of the long wavelength superlattice facilitated hole transport into the corresponding active region and lead to a more than fourfold increase in output optical power.
How to Optimize Teaching by Using Observation and Feedback

Feedback is necessary to improve teaching performance. Anyone who has given a talk knows that self-assessment alone rarely helps improve future efforts. Structured, objective, and immediate feedback is essential to improve teaching. Peer observation and feedback, when done correctly, can meet this need. This chapter provides a practical observation framework, summarizes key aspects of systematic observation, and describes a simple method to give feedback to a colleague.
Blunted mGluR Activation Disinhibits Striatopallidal Transmission in Parkinsonian Mice

Summary The prevailing circuit model predicts that hyperactivity of the striatopallidal pathway and subsequently increased inhibition of external globus pallidus (GPe) neurons lead to the hypokinetic symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is believed that hyperactivity of the striatopallidal pathway is due to inactivity of dopamine receptors on the somatodendritic membrane of striatopallidal neurons, but the exact cellular underpinnings remain unclear. In this study, we show that mouse GPe astrocytes critically control ambient glutamate level, which in turn gates striatopallidal transmission via the activation of presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors. This presynaptic inhibition of striatopallidal transmission is diminished after the chronic loss of dopamine. Elevation of intracellular glutamate content in astrocytes restores the proper regulation of the striatopallidal input in PD models. These findings argue that astrocytes are key regulators of the striatopallidal synapse. Targeting this cell class may serve as an alternative therapeutic strategy for PD.
2,6-Dichloro-1-[(1E)-2-(phenyl­sulfon­yl)ethen­yl]benzene

In the title compound, C14H10Cl2O2S, the product of a base-catalyzed condensation followed by deca­rboxylation of the carboxyl­ate group of the sulfonyl derivative, the configuration of the alkene unit is E. The torsion angle between the alkene unit and the 2,6-dichloro­phenyl ring system is −40.8 (3)°. The dihedral angle between the rings is 80.39 (7)°.
Variability Time Scales of GRBs

We have investigated the time variations in the light curves from a sample of long and short Fermi/GBM Gamma ray bursts (GRBs) using an impartial wavelet analysis and compared those results with results from a pulse fitting analysis. We present a direct link between the minimum variability time scales extracted through the wavelet decomposition and the rise times of the shortest pulses extracted via the pulse fits of light curves. The results indicate minimum variabilities from a few milliseconds to several hundred milliseconds are not uncommon.
Efficient indirect real-time EV charging method based on imperfect competition market

The smart charging techniques of electrical vehicles (EVs) are developed to minimize EVs' adverse effects on the power system. However, the existing techniques have some drawbacks. First, they use direct methods, which take the decision authority away from EVs' owner and reduce the EVs' acceptance and security. Second, they do not consider real-time effects of EVs' charging and discharging demand on the market. Finally, most of the existing techniques do not investigate the power system constraints due to nonlinearity of corresponding equations. In this paper, an indirect real-time charging technique based on Cournot imperfect competition model is developed. We propose a two-stage heuristic iterative method to find the market equilibrium and minimize each customer's cost while considering nonlinear constraints. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by conducting simulations in the IEEE 37-bus test system with more than 300 EVs. The results show that the proposed technique can control the EVs charging optimally in real-time.
Osteosarcoma Tumor Thrombus: A Case Report with a Review of the Literature

Tumor thrombus arising from osteosarcoma is rare. We report the case of a 20-year-old man with proximal humerus osteosarcoma, accompanied by an extensive intravascular tumor thrombus extending into the heart. Our review of the literature found 14 previous reports on osteosarcoma with tumor thrombus. The combination of positron emission tomography and computed tomography is very useful in differentiating tumor thrombus from vascular thrombus, thereby avoiding unnecessary anticoagulation therapy. This same imaging combination can also be used to evaluate the response to treatment. Surgical resection of the tumor thrombus is highly recommended. The effect of tumor thrombus on survival is still unknown.
Abstract 4334: Elevated lactic acid is a negative prognostic factor in metastatic lung cancer

Introduction: Hyperlactatemia with or without type B lactic acidosis is a rare complication of malignancy, previously observed most often in hematological malignancies. Underlying pathophysiology involves reduced lactic acid metabolism from metastatic liver dysfunction as well as overproduction of lactic acid from aberrant glycolytic metabolism of tumors. Clinical data to evaluate the potential value of arterial or venous lactic acid (LA) level assessment as a predictor of overall survival (OS) or/and response to treatment are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of LA in patients with metastatic lung cancer. Methods: Patients diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) from 2012 to present, were included in this single center, retrospective study. Patients with sepsis or acute exacerbation of heart failure were excluded from the study. Arterial and venous LA level, bicarbonate, anion gap, urine ketones, serum LDH were recorded for each patient and their associations with demographic and clinical data and OS were analyzed with the Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier9s actuarial method (log-tank test) and Cox proportional hazard model. Results: 85 patients (43 males, mean age 73.1, range 45-96 years) were studied. The maximal levels of arterial or venous LA were significantly associated with presence of ≥2 metastatic sites (p = 0.001), ICU admission or transfer (p = 0.016), intubation (p = 0.029), elevated serum anion gap (p Conclusion: Our results suggest that elevated LA is a predictor of poor OS in metastatic lung cancer patients, irrespective of chemotherapy. Here lie implications for targeting tumor-derived LA production via manipulation of glycolytic enzymes or lactate transporters, with use of LA as a surrogate marker of response. Citation Format: Panagiotis J. Vlachostergios, Nirav Parikh, Katerina Oikonomou, Eugene Gibilaro, George Apergis. Elevated lactic acid is a negative prognostic factor in metastatic lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4334. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4334
You Can’t Post That!: Social Media Policies in U.S. Television Newsrooms

The use of social media by journalists raises new ethical and professional dilemmas. As a result, news outlets are implementing policies addressing what is and what is not permitted on social media...
Abstract 053: Carbaprostacyclin Promotes Vascular Growth in Mouse Hindlimb Ischemia

Background: Prostacyclin and its stable analogues are vascular protective agents that have been used clinically to reduce blood vessel constriction. Recent studies indicate they stimulate angiogenesis in response to tissue ischemia, but their role in arteriolar growth remains unclear. In the current study, we test the hypothesis that the prostacyclin stable analogue carbaprostacyclin (cPGI2) facilitates arteriolar growth in ischemic hindlimbs. Methods and Results: Catheters were attached to osmotic pumps in order to continuously deliver either cPGI2 or saline (control) locally into ischemic mouse hindlimbs for 7 and 14 days (n=5/group). At 7 days of cPGI2 delivery, live microscopic images showed more distinct structural remodeling at the arteriolar level in the cPGI2 group than in the saline group, including tortuosity of arteriolar-to-arteriolar connections and increased intersecting of adjacent arterioles. Vascular casting with a silicone radiopaque agent into the distal region of the infrarenal abdominal aorta revealed a more pronounced arterial anastomoses in the cPGI2 treated versus the saline treated ischemic legs. After immunofluorescence staining, laser scanning confocal microscopic analysis found more transmembrane proteoglycan NG2 positive vessels in cross sections of anterior thigh muscles in cPGI2-treated mice than in saline-treated mice. At 14 days, quantitative micro-computed tomography analysis indicated cPGI2-treated legs had markedly increased vascular volume (41.28 ± 2.22 vs 27.11 ± 2.85 mm3), significantly more blood vessels (0.16 ± 0.014 vs 0.09± 0.011 1/mm) and less distance between vessels (6.60 ± 0.52 vs 10.15 ±1.14 mm) than did saline-treated legs. To further verify the pro-arteriogenic effect of cPGI2, a quantitative histogram was generated and exhibited that cPGI2-treated ischemic legs have a significant increase in small vessels, with vessel diameter bins ranging from 40-60 microns. We similarly evaluated contralateral nonischemic legs and found no significant differences in vessel distribution in the cPGI2 and saline groups. Conclusion: Multi-imaging technical analyses indicated that local delivery of carbaprostacylin promotes arteriolar growth in mouse hindlimb ischemia.
Thallium-Avid Leiomyosarcoma of the Chest Wall: Case Report

A patient presented with leiomyosarcoma of the chest wall and parietal pleura, low grade malignant type, probably recurring from a section of a tumor of the parietal pleura diagnosed in 1979. During the course of pre-operative cardiac clearance, a resting thallium scan was performed. Examination of the study demonstrates dramatic thallium uptake in the left lung corresponding to the patient's lung mass. Extra cardiac accumulation of /sup 201/Tl has been described in pulmonary neoplasms. The authors present an interesting case of a thallium-avid leiomyosarcoma of the chest wall which presented rather dramatic and discrete uptake of the isotope clearly distinguishable from the pulmonary activity which is seen left ventricular dysfunction, or low-level stress.
Effect of a heat-spray and heat-double spray process using radiofrequency technology and ethanol on inoculated nuts

Abstract Almonds provide a nutritious source of energy and are known to have led to positive health benefits when consumed. However, outbreaks of Salmonella spp. in raw almonds have led to reduced consumer confidence in the nut industry. Regulatory standards established by the FDA require almonds destined for consumption in the US to undergo a process treatment that reduces Salmonella spp., by 4.0 log10 CFU/g. Four Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) surface disinfectants suchs as ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, and peracetic acid were tested on almonds inoculated with Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354. It was found that 70% ethanol has the most potential to achieve a high log10 CFU/g reduction, while holding quality. The optimal spray process had the following parameters: (1) a spray quantity of 4.5% w/w (p
Tile Invariants for Tackling Tiling Questions

This article provides an introduction to techniques developed to address three types of tiling questions in the integer lattice: questions of tileability - which regions in a collection\(\mathcal{R}\) can be tiled by a tile set T; connectivity - what can be said about how two tilings of a region in\(\mathcal{R}\) must be related; and enumeration - how many ways can a region in\(\mathcal{R}\) be tiled by T. We place an emphasis on tile invariants, linear combinations among the number of copies of each tile that must persist in any tiling of a region. A tiler’s toolbox draws on content from combinatorics, number theory, group theory, and topology. Given their hands-on nature, their variety, and their relevance to the undergraduate curriculum, tiling questions continue to be a lively subject for undergraduate mathematics research.
Herd investigation report

Case farm 7714 was visited by the U.W.-School of Veterinary Medicine, River Falls Support Facility consisting of Dr. Dennis Van Roekel and a team of four students including the main investigator Pat Hady. The farm had been previously investigated about a year earlier (7/29/86) for the main complaint of anestrus in higher producing cows. The goals of that investigation were to evaluate his ration and fine tune it to increase milk production and butterfat. Their findings were that the milking cows were low in energy and they suggested the feeding of higher energy ration which was followed through by increasing the amount of grain fed. They also suggested a different feeding regime should be given to the heifers instead of feeding them the lactating cow grain formula. This was followed through by implementing a different grain ration to each group.
Antidepressant adherence in United States active duty Army Soldiers: A small descriptive study

While much is known about depression and antidepressant adherence associations with illness perceptions, medication beliefs, social support, and stigma in the general population, there is a dearth of knowledge among United States active duty Army Soldiers. The study objective was to explore antidepressant adherence and correlations between antidepressant adherence and illness perceptions, medication beliefs, social support, stigma and select demographic variables among Army Soldiers with depression. Results indicated age and gender were significantly correlated with and predictive of adherence. Low adherence was found. Findings suggest Soldiers who are younger and those who are female are more likely to report higher levels of adherence.
Optimal Control of a Biharmonic Obstacle Problem

We consider a variational inequality of the obstacle type where the underlying partial differential operator is biharmonic. We consider an optimal control problem where the state of the system is given by the solution of the variational inequality and the obstacle is taken to be a control. For a given target profile we want to find an obstacle such that the corresponding solution to the variational inequality is close the target profile while the norm of the obstacle does not get too large in the appropriate space. We prove the existence of an optimal control and derive the optimality system by using approximation techniques. Namely, the variational inequality and the objective functional are approximated by a semilinear partial differential equation and the corresponding approximating functional respectively.
Properties and Applications of Silicides

Most of the sliicide research, performed from the beginning of this century through the 1960s, used powder metallurgical techniques to produce these materials [1–6]. Silicide-related studies have primarily focused on the investigation of fundamental properties such as electrical resistivity, high-temperature stability, and corrosion resistance, as well as the silicide crystal chemistry and metal-silicon phase diagrams. The possibility of using silicides as conductors (i.e., as Schottky barriers and contacts, as well as gate and interconnect metallization) in Silicon Integrated Circuits (SICs) motivated thin-film silicide research [7–19]. Besides the measurements of Schottky barrier heights and resistivities, the intermetallic formation in the metal-silicon systems, reaction and interdiffusion kinetics, stability at the SIC processing and operating temperatures, oxidation and etching characteristics, and epitaxial growth on silicon have all been investigated in the last two decades.
Systematic Instruction of Early Math Skills for Preschoolers at Risk for Math Delays.

Early math instruction is the subject of increasing attention by early childhood researchers. There is evidence to suggest that early math skills are highly predictive of later academic achievement...
Theoretical Insights Into Chain Transfer Reactions of Acrylates

Abstract This chapter puts into perspective recent advances in the theoretical study of chain transfer reactions in free-radical polymerization. It surveys the insights that these theoretical studies have provided beyond the existing knowledge gained from experimental studies. It describes how electronic level modeling has been used to screen postulated reaction mechanism models and arrive at the reaction mechanisms that are most likely to occur. The focus is on chain transfer to monomer (CTM), solvent, and polymer and β-scission reactions in free-radical homopolymerization reactions of alkyl acrylates. Both intermolecular and intramolecular chain transfer to polymer reactions are considered. The most likely mechanisms for each reaction are presented. Comparisons with reaction kinetic parameter values estimated from polymer sample measurements show the reliability of computational quantum chemistry when a sufficiently high level of theory is used.
The Value of First Impressions

We present the first detailed analysis of ad-blocking’s impact on user Web quality of experience (QoE). We use the most popular web-based ad-blocker to capture the impact of ad-blocking on QoE for the top Alexa 5,000 websites. We find that ad-blocking reduces the number of objects loaded by 15% in the median case, and that this reduction translates into a 12.5% improvement on page load time (PLT) and a slight worsening of time to first paint (TTFP) of 6.54%. We show the complex relationship between ad-blocking and quality of experience - despite the clear improvements to PLT in the average case, for the bottom 10 percentile, this improvement comes at the cost of a slowdown on the initial responsiveness of websites, with a 19% increase to TTFP. To understand the relative importance of this trade-off on user experience, we run a large, crowd-sourced experiment with 1,000 users in Amazon Turk. For this experiment, users were presented with websites for which ad-blocking results in both, a reduction of PLT and a significant increase in TTFP. We find, surprisingly, 71.5% of the time users show a clear preference for faster first paint over faster page load times, hinting at the importance of first impressions on web QoE.
Variation of elastic mechanical properties with texture, porosity, and defect characteristics in laser powder bed fusion 316L stainless steel

Abstract Elastic mechanical properties of 316 L stainless steel samples fabricated using laser powder bed fusion were studied non-destructively through resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Samples in five different conditions were obtained by varying the laser power from 103 W (the highest density condition) to 68 W (the lowest density condition) at constant laser speed, producing samples with a volume energy density in the 24.5–16.5 J/mm3 range and volumetric porosity in the 0.1–10% range. The observed elastic mechanical properties are discussed taking into consideration the bulk texture developed and quantitative pore characteristics studied using high-energy high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction and X-ray computed micro-tomography, respectively. Furthermore, empirical exponential relationships are provided to express the functional dependence of Young's and shear moduli with porosity.
Real-Time Co-Optimization: Interdependent Reserve Types for Primary Frequency Response

As renewable energy penetration increases and system inertia levels drop, primary frequency response is becoming a critical concern. To address this problem the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is introducing a Fast Frequency Responsive (FFR) reserve product to the electricity market that helps to arrest frequency decline in the event of a large generator outage. This reserve type is required to be capable of nearly instant deployment of allocated reserve, which differs from traditional Primary Frequency Responsive (PFR) reserve that exhibits ramping limitations on power output. This paper derives a real-time co-optimization problem from first principles that ensures the reserve allocation is sufficient to arrest frequency decline before reaching some critical frequency threshold. The reserve constraints that are introduced capture the coupling between PFR reserve, FFR reserve, and system inertia, which is assumed constant in the context of the real-time market. Numerical results illustrate this coupling via a realistically large representation of the Texas power system.
Abstract WP366: Prediction of Inpatient Discharge Disposition: Role of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale

Introduction: Severity of stroke is expected to influence length of stay and discharge destination in patients. Ability to predict the likely discharge destination may assist family communication, ...
Daily Stressor Exposure: Examining Interactions of Delinquent Networks, Daily Mindfulness and Control among Emerging Adults

This study examines the interaction between daily mindfulness, perceived daily control, and peer delinquency on daily stressor exposure among 107 undergraduates (18–36 years old, 49% female). Understanding the processes through which emerging adults experience daily stressors is critical in ensuring healthy development and well-being. We utilized a daily diary methodology incorporating within-person processes and between-person differences to predict daily stressor exposure. On Day 1, participants reported on baseline sociodemographic variables as well as a measure of peer delinquency. On Days 2–9, daily stressors, daily mindfulness, and daily personal control were measured. Results indicated that on days when individuals reported high daily mindfulness and high daily control, those who associated with more delinquent peers experienced more stressors compared to individuals who reported low peer delinquency. Identifying contexts which are associated with increased exposure to daily stressors could mitigate deleterious outcomes.
Is informed consent required for the diagnosis of brain death regardless of consent for organ donation

In the half-century history of clinical practice of diagnosing brain death, informed consent has seldom been considered until very recently. Like many other medical diagnoses and ordinary death pronouncements, it has been taken for granted for decades that brain death is diagnosed and death is declared without consideration of the patient’s advance directives or family’s wishes. This essay examines the pros and cons of using informed consent before the diagnosis of brain death from an ethical point of view. As shared decision-making in clinical practice became increasingly indispensable, respect for the patients’ autonomous wishes regarding how to end their lives has a significant role in deciding how death is diagnosed. Brain death, as a fully technologically controlled death, may require a different ethical framework from the old one for traditional cardiac death. With emerging and proliferating options in end-of-life care for those who suffer from catastrophic brain injury, the traditional reasoning that ‘death gives no choice, hence no consent’ requires another examination. Patients facing imminent brain death now have options other than undergoing the diagnostic workup for brain death, such as donation after circulatory death and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment with maximum comfort measures for death with dignity. Nevertheless, just as in the debate over opt-in versus opt-out organ donation policies, informed consent before the diagnosis of brain death faces fierce opposition from consequentialists urging the expansion of the donor pool. This essay examines these objections and provides constructive replies along with a proposal to accommodate this morally required consent.
Crude oil prices and macroeconomic activities: a structural VAR approach to Indonesia

The effects of oil price fluctuations on growth, inflation, and exchange rates for Indonesia are investigated in the framework of the structural vector autoregressive (SVAR). To identify linking oi...
Violation of fluctuation-dissipation relations for electron transfer in nonpolar solvents

The authors explore the behavior of electron transfer in nonpolar media and observe a non-Arrhenius activated kinetics due to short range of induction interactions between the medium and the electron.
Lambda Architecture – Realtime Data Processing

Data has evolved immensely in recent years, in type, volume and velocity. There are several frameworks to handle the big data applications. The project focuses on the Lambda Architecture proposed by Marz and its application to obtain real-time data processing. The architecture is a solution that unites the benefits of the batch and stream processing techniques. Data can be historically processed with high precision and involved algorithms without loss of short-term information, alerts and insights. Lambda Architecture has an ability to serve a wide range of use cases and workloads that withstands hardware and human mistakes. The layered architecture enhances loose coupling and flexibility in the system. This a huge benefit that allows understanding the trade-offs and application of various tools and technologies across the layers. There has been an advancement in the approach of building the LA due to improvements in the underlying tools. The project demonstrates a simplified architecture for the LA that is maintainable.
Quantification of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation by Crystal Violet and Confocal Microscopy

Most Staphylococcus aureus strains can grow as a multicellular biofilm, a phenotype of utmost importance to clinical infections such as endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and implanted medical device infection. As biofilms are inherently more tolerant to the host immune system and antibiotics, understanding the S. aureus genes and regulatory circuits that contribute to biofilm development is an active and on-going field of research. This chapter details a high-throughput and standardized way to grow S. aureus biofilms using a classical microtiter plate assay. Biofilms can be quantified using crystal violet or by confocal microscopy imaging and COMSTAT analysis.
L-Plastin Phosphorylation: Possible Regulation by a TNFR1 Signaling Cascade in Osteoclasts

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) signaling regulates phosphorylation of L-plastin, which is involved in forming the nascent sealing zone, a precursor zone for the matured sealing ring. This study aimed to illustrate the molecular mechanisms of L-plastin phosphorylation and the subsequent formation of the nascent sealing zone in osteoclasts treated with TNF-α. Here, we report that anti-TNF-receptor 1, inhibitors of signaling proteins (Src, PI3-K, Rho, and Rho-kinase), and siRNA of TRAF-6 attenuated the phosphorylation of LPL and filamentous actin content significantly in the presence of TNF-α. An inhibitor of integrin αvβ3, PKC, or PKA did not inhibit TNF-α-induced L-plastin phosphorylation. Inhibitors of Src and PI3-K and not Rho or Rho-kinase reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of TRAF-6, suggesting that Src and PI3-K regulate TRAF-6 phosphorylation, and Rho and Rho-kinase are downstream of TRAF-6 regulation. Osteoclasts expressing constitutively active or kinase-defective Src proteins were used to determine the role of Src on L-plastin phosphorylation; similarly, the effect of Rho was confirmed by transducing TAT-fused constitutively active (V14) or dominant-negative (N19) Rho proteins into osteoclasts. Pull-down analysis with glutathione S-transferase-fused SH2 and SH3 domains of Src and PI3-K demonstrated coprecipitation of L-plastin and TRAF-6 with the SH3 and SH2 domains of the PI3-K and Src proteins. However, the actual order of the interaction of proteins requires further elucidation; a comprehensive screening should corroborate the initial findings of protein interactions via the SH2/SH3 domains. Ultimately, inhibition of the interaction of proteins with SH2/SH3 could reduce L-plastin phosphorylation and affect NSZ formation and bone resorption in conditions that display osteoclast activation and bone loss.
Application of Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Mutational Profiling in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Recent efforts to characterize hematologic cancers with genetic and molecular detail have largely relied on mutational profiling via next-generation sequencing (NGS). The application of NGS-guided disease prognostication and clinical decision making requires a basic understanding of sequencing advantages, pitfalls, and areas where clinical care might be enhanced by the knowledge generated. This article identifies avenues within the landscape of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) where mutational data hold the opportunity to enhance understanding of disease biology and patient care. NGS-based assessment of measurable residual disease (MRD) after ALL treatment allows for a sensitive and specific molecular survey that is at least comparable, if not superior, to existing techniques. Mutational assessment by NGS has unraveled complex signaling networks that drive pathogenesis of T-cell ALL. Sequencing of patients with familial clustering of ALL has also identified novel germline mutations whose inheritance predisposes to disease development in successive generations. While NGS-based assessment of hematopoietic malignancies often provides actionable information to clinicians, patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are left underserved due to a lack of disease classification and prognostication schema that integrate molecular data. Ongoing research is positioned to enrich the molecular toolbox available to clinicians caring for adult ALL patients and deliver new insights to guide therapeutic selection, monitor clinical response, and detect relapse.
Insights From the Ventricular Fibrillation Waveform Into the Mechanism of Survival Benefit From Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Background The mechanism by which bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves survival following out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest is unclear. We hypothesized that ventricular fibrillation ...
Controlled Environment Concepts

In the last chapter we examined types, sources, and effects of contamination. We are now ready to begin to discuss how we may keep this contamination away from our sensitive materials, structures, and processes. It is perhaps worthwhile at this point to introduce the idea of the contamination pathway. This pathway consists of the following elements: source, transport, contact (with a sensitive area), and retention. We can break the pathway at any stage. We will see how we can do this in the next three chapters. This chapter is an introduction to the concept of controlled environments in general.
Synchronization of estrus in beef cattle: III. Field trials in heifers using a norgestomet implant and injections of norgestomet and estradiol valerate

Abstract Five trials were conducted with 744 beef heifers to determine the efficacy of exogenous steroid hormones for synchronization of estrus under field conditions. An implant containing 6 mg of 17α-acetoxy-11β-methyl-19-nor-preg-4-ene-3,20-dione (norgestomet) was implanted subcutaneously in the convex surface of the ear and remained in situ for 9 days. An intramuscular injection of 5 mg of estradiol valerate (EV) plus 3 mg of norgestomet was administered on the day the implant was inserted. Approximately equal numbers of treated and control animals were used in each trial. The proportion of treated heifers in estrus by 120 hr after implant removal was 100%, 98%, 98%, 85% and 96% in Trials 1 through 5, respectively. In Trials 2, 3 and 5, small nonsignificant differences of 3%, 4% and 0%, respectively, were noted in pregnancy rate at first service between treated and control heifers, whereas, in Trials 1 and 4, significantly more control heifers (21% and 25%) were pregnant after first service (P
A novel method for measuring the binding properties of the site-directed mutants of the proteins that bind hydrophobic ligands: Application to cellular retinoic acid binding proteins

Publisher Summary Because of the low solubility of hydrophobic molecules in water, it has been difficult to measure the binding properties of the site-directed mutants of the proteins that interact with hydrophobic ligands, such as cellular retinoic acid binding proteins (CRABPs). This has greatly hampered the studies of the quantitative structure–function relationships of these important proteins. Retinoic acid (RA), a hormonally active metabolite of vitamin A, has profound effects on cell growth, differentiation, and morphogenesis. Two types of proteins have been found to bind RA: nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs and RXRs) and CRABPs. It appears that the two isoforms may have distinct functions. Four conserved residues (Arg-Ul, Leu-121, Arg-132, and Tyr-134 in CRABP-n) line at the bottom of the RA binding pockets of CRABPs and interact with the carboxyl group of RA. However, the affinities of these mutants for RA have not been quantitatively determined, because the current RA binding assays are inapplicable to mutants with greatly decreased affinity for RA. A novel competitive binding assay has been developed for measuring the dissociation constants of the site-directed mutants of CRABPs. This method has been used to evaluate the contribution of Leu-121 of CRABP-II to binding of RA in conjunction with site-directed mutagenesis and NMR. The results show that Leu-121 is also important for binding of RA and contributes to the binding energy by ∼ 1.4 kcal/mol.
Thermal instability in post-flare plasmas

The cooling of post-flare plasmas is discussed and the formation of loop prominences is explained as due to a thermal instability. A one-dimensional model was developed for active loop prominences. Only the motion and heat fluxes parallel to the existing magnetic fields are considered. The relevant size scales and time scales are such that single-fluid MHD equations are valid. The effects of gravity, the geometry of the field and conduction losses to the chromosphere are included. A computer code was constructed to solve the model equations. Basically, the system is treated as an initial value problem (with certain boundary conditions at the chromosphere-corona transition region), and a two-step time differencing scheme is used.
Further Developments in an Analysis of the Interaction of a Weak Normal Shock Wave with a Turbulent Boundary Layer

Although problems involving the interaction of shock waves with turbulent boundary layers cause significant effects on the flow and have been studied for many years, they remain poorly understood. The present authors developed a systematic theory [1] for analyzing interactions of shock waves with turbulent boundary layers on a flat plate at high Reynolds numbers. The boundary layer is assumed to be attached throughout the interaction and the flow field is considered two dimensional. The theory is based on a formal asymptotic expansion of the Navier-Stokes equations in the limit of Mach number, M∞→1 and Reynolds number, R→∞. The analysis is consistent with the physical ideas developed by Lighthill [2], where it was shown that supersonic interactions could be treated mainly as an inviscid rotational flow, linearized about the velocity profile in the upstream boundary layer. Our analysis [1] formalized Lighthill’s ideas and generalized his model to include nonlinear mixed-flow effects that are important in transonic interactions. In addition, the new theory gave, for the first time, a treatment of the inner, dissipative layers that properly accounted for the logarithmic behavior of turbulent velocity profiles near walls. A similar theory has also recently been developed by Adamson and Feo [3] and was shown in [1] to be included as a special case, in the limit as the normalized shock strength approaches zero.
Structural changes in Clostridium botulinum type E after treatment with boticin S5 1 .

Abstract Treatment with boticin S51, a bacteriocin produced by a nontoxigenic organism closely related to Clostridium botulinum type E, caused extensive changes in the structure of a sensitive C. botulinum type E strain. Nucleoid deoxyribonucleic acid, normally seen as fine filaments scattered throughout the cell, was aggregated into dense deoxyribonucleic acid masses. Mesosomes appeared to undergo structural rearrangement from lamellar to vesicular configuration. Eventual dissolution of cell contents left bacterial ghosts composed of seemingly intact cell walls with remnants of the cytoplasmic membrane and internal structures. The morphological changes observed in boticin-treated strain 070 cells were very similar to those produced by a bacteriocin-like substance from phage type 71 Staphylococcus aureus on sensitive β-hemolytic streptococci. A similarity in the mode of action of the two bactericidal agents is suggested.
Controlling Goods or Promoting the Public Good: Choices for Special Collections in the Marketplace

For the past few decades, many special collections repositories in the United States have charged licensing or use fees to those patrons who use or publish special collections materials for commercial purposes. In fact, about fifteen years ago the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries charged an ad hoc committee, the Licensing and Reproductions of Special Collections Committee, to “create a reasoned and articulate defense of libraries’ right to charge licensing fees for commercial uses of their materials.”2 The Committee noted that, historically, libraries allowed scholars to publish freely from the content they . . .
Prompt energization of relativistic and highly relativistic electrons during a substorm interval: Van Allen Probes observations

University of Minnesota (Van Allen Probes subaward to Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Codon Preference Optimization Increases Heterologous PEDF Expression

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is widely known for its neurotrophic and antiangiogenic functions. Efficacy studies of PEDF in animal models are limited because of poor heterologous protein yields. Here, we redesigned the human PEDF gene to preferentially match codon frequencies of E coli without altering the amino acid sequence. Following de novo synthesis, codon optimized PEDF (coPEDF) and the wtPEDF genes were cloned into pET32a containing a 5′ thioredoxin sequence (Trx) and the recombinant Trx-coPEDF or Trx-wtPEDF fusion constructs expressed in native and two tRNA augmented E coli hosts - BL21-CodonPlus(DE3)-RIL and BL21-CodonPlus(DE3)-RP, carrying extra copies of tRNAarg,ile,leu and tRNAarg,pro genes , respectively. Trx-PEDF fusion proteins were isolated using Ni-NTA metal affinity chromatography and PEDF purified after cleavage with factor Xα. Protein purity and identity were confirmed by western blot, MALDI-TOF, and UV/CD spectral analyses. Expression of the synthetic gene was ∼3.4 fold greater (212.7 mg/g; 62.1 mg/g wet cells) and purified yields ∼4 fold greater (41.1 mg/g; 11.3 mg/g wet cell) than wtPEDF in the native host. A small increase in expression of both genes was observed in hosts supplemented with rare tRNA genes compared to the native host but expression of coPEDF was ∼3 fold greater than wtPEDF in both native and codon-bias-adjusted E coli strains. ΔGs at −3 to +50 of the Trx site of both fusion genes were −3.9 kcal/mol. Functionally, coPEDF was equally as effective as wtPEDF in reducing oxidative stress, promoting neurite outgrowth, and blocking endothelial tube formation. These findings suggest that while rare tRNA augmentation and mRNA folding energies can significantly contribute to increased protein expression, preferred codon usage, in this case, is advantageous to translational efficiency of biologically active PEDF in E coli. This strategy will undoubtedly fast forward studies to validate therapeutic utility of PEDF in vivo.
A preliminary study of kinship and social organization in a semi-free-ranging group ofLemur catta

From long-term studies of a number of anthropoid species, many investigators have shown that kinship affinities affect social relationships. Factors such as proximity, social grooming, dominance rank, and mating patterns have been shown to be related to kinship. In this paper, we report the results of a preliminary study of the social organization of a group of prosimians (Lemur catta) in which individuals were identified and kinship affinities were known. We found that close matrilineal kin preferred to groom one another and to remain in close proximity more than did nonkin and distantly related animals. Furthermore, no copulations were observed within matrilines. These results are similar to those found in a number of species of anthropoids. This research was conducted on a semi-free-ranging group at the Duke University Primate Facility, Durham, North Carolina.
Molecular distinction between populations of Gonatocerus morrilli, egg parasitoids of the glassy-winged sharpshooter from Texas and California: do cryptic species exist?

Abstract Two molecular methods were utilized to distinguish geographic populations of Gonatocerus morrilli (Howard) from Texas and California and to test the possibility that this species could exist as a species-complex. Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat–Polymerase Chain Reactions (ISSR–PCR) were performed with a 5′-anchored ISSR primer. Twenty-five markers were generated with four populations (40 individuals) of G. morrilli. Twenty-three were polymorphic and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 92%. Most markers could be considered diagnostic since there was no band sharing between the Texas and California populations. Such differences typically are not found unless the populations are reproductively isolated. Exact tests for population differentiation indicated significant differences in marker frequencies among the populations. Comparison of other genetic differentiation estimates, which evaluate the degree of genetic subdivision, demonstrated excellent agreement between GST and θ values, 0.92 and 0.94, ...