cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expression of Midkine(MDK) and Sensitivity to Anti-Leukemic Drugs in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Midkine (MDK), a heparin-binding growth factor, is highly expressed in pediatric ALL, neuroblastomas, and various solid tumors. Previous gene expression profiling studies conducted in our laboratory on a cohort of 220 children with B precursor ALL treated on Children’s Oncology Group (COG) clinical trials have shown that higher levels of MDK expression in leukemic blasts are strongly associated with continuous complete remission (CCR) and that MDK is a powerful prognostic predictor of outcome (Wilcoxon ranksum test, p=0.000001), particularly in patients with central nervous system (CNS) involvement (Wilcoxon ranksum test, p =0.009). To explore the role of MDK in hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis and to further explore MDK as a potential novel target for ALL therapy, we examined MDK mRNA expression in three stages of normal B cell development in healthy controls and compared it to expression levels in leukemic blasts from children with B-ALL. Quantitative RT-PCR assays showed that MDK mRNA levels in CD19+ cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were significantly higher than those in CD34+ or CD19+ cells from bone marrow (BM) (Mann Whitney test, p=0.0025 and 0.0018, respectively). ALL leukemic blasts samples expressed significantly higher levels of MDK than those in CD19+ cell in the BM of healthy controls (Mann Whitney test, p=0.0043). Similar results were obtained by ELISA detection of MDK protein in plasma of ALL patients and healthy controls. We have also investigated the relationship of MDK expression and the chemo-sensitivity of ALL cell lines. Using a lentiviral system, we have successfully over-expressed or knocked down MDK gene expression in the REH cell line containing the t(12;21). Unexpectedly, MTS assays revealed that MDK expression is inversely associated with sensitivity to L-asparaginase and doxorubicin, but not to vincristine and cytarabine, in REH cells. Higher levels of MDK were associated with chemo-resistance. Finally, we tested the effects of MDK expression on proliferation and apoptosis in REH cells and determined that although MDK expression was not associated with REH cell proliferation in vitro , it protected REH cells from doxorubicin-induced apoptotic cell death. Taken together, these results suggest that expression levels of MDK in ALL is inversely associated with in vitro drug sensitivity to specific anti-leukemic agents; consistent with observations in solid tumor models. It has been suggested that 4 β 1 - and 6 β 1 -integrins bind directly to MDK and are involved in MK-dependent cell migration. Further studies of the role of MDK signaling in vivo in the complex marrow/adhesion microenvironment and the effects on ALL survival and chemo-sensitivity and resistance are in progress.
The Life and Work of Rudolph Amandus Philippi (1808–1904)

ABSTRACT This paper provides a biography of Rudolph Amandus Philippi (1808–1904), emphasizing his malacological research and his contributions to the natural history of Chile. Philippi is one of the most important, yet overlooked malacologists of the 19th century. He authored significant publications on the Recent and fossil molluscs of Sicily; the Oligocene fossil molluscs of northern Germany; the Jurassic to Recent molluscs of Chile, and marine molluscs from around the world. Philippi was also an instrumental contributor to both the Zeitschrift fur Malakozoologie and the second edition of the Systematisches Conchylien-Cabinet, and he founded the Abbildungen und Beschreibungen neuer oder wenig gekannter Conchylien. In a companion paper (Coan & Kabat, 2017), we provide an annotated catalog of the 2,528 species, 40 genera and 3 families that he described in the Mollusca, and a full bibliography, with collations, of Philippi's numerous malacological publications.
Allergic Dermatitis After Total Knee Arthroplasty Using the Prineo Wound-Closure Device: A Report of Three Cases.

Case: Three patients who underwent uncomplicated total knee arthroplasty with use of the Prineo (Ethicon) wound-closure system had development of allergic contact dermatitis. All patients were started on Keflex (cephalexin), and two were started on topical corticosteroid. In all patients, the reaction resolved within weeks. Conclusion: To our knowledge, the present report describes the first case series of patients in whom allergic contact dermatitis developed in association with the use of the Prineo wound-closure system during orthopaedic procedures. The presentation can range from blistering to erythematous papules and vesicles to crusted plaques that resolve with Keflex and topical corticosteroid cream.
Data mining and machine learning for identifying sweet spots in shale reservoirs

An automatic procedure that can use most of the available information.The proposed method can be updated rapidly when new data are available.Data can be integrated with different scales and lengths.Sweet-spot location can be identified using all available data. Due to its complex structure, production form a shale-gas formation requires more drillings than those for the traditional reservoirs. Modeling of such reservoirs and making predictions for their production also require highly extensive datasets. Both are very costly. In-situ measurements, such as well-logging, are one of most indispensable tools for providing considerable amount of information and data for such unconventional reservoirs. Production from shale reservoirs involves the so-called fracking, i.e. injection of water and chemicals into the formation in order to open up flow paths for the hydrocarbons. The measurements and any other types of data are utilized for making critical decisions regarding development of a potential shale reservoir, as it requires hundreds of millions of dollar initial investment. The questions that must be addressed include, does the region under study can be used economically for producing hydrocarbons? If the response to the first question is affirmative, then, where are the best places to carry out hydro-fracking? Through the answers to such questions one identifies the sweet spots of shale reservoirs, which are the regions that contain high total organic carbon (TOC) and brittle rocks that can be fractured. In this paper, two methods from data mining and machine learning techniques are used to aid identifying such regions. The first method is based on a stepwise algorithm that determines the best combination of the variables (well-log data) to predict the target parameters. However, in order to incorporate more training, and efficiently use the available datasets, a hybrid machine-learning algorithm is also presented that models more accurately the complex spatial correlations between the input and target parameters. Then, statistical comparisons between the estimated variables and the available data are made, which indicate very good agreement between the two. The proposed model can be used effectively to estimate the probability of targeting the sweet spots. In the light of an automatic input and parameter selection, the algorithm does not require any further adjustment and can continuously evaluate the target parameters, as more data become available. Furthermore, the method is able to optimally identify the necessary logs that must be run, which significantly reduces data acquisition operations.
Estimating belowground carbon stocks in isolated wetlands of the Northern Everglades Watershed, central Florida, using ground penetrating radar and aerial imagery.

This data set includes raw GPR profiles for isolated wetlands in the Disney Wilderness Preserve (Kissimmee, FL) for the purpose of below ground soil C stock estimations.
Hydrogen Femtosecond Vibrational CARS Thermometry in Solid Propellant Flames

Femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering thermometry in a solid-fuel propellant flame is demonstrated by tuning the lasers to the rovibrational Raman transitions of diatomic hydrogen (H2).
Comparison and Choice in Urban Transportation

The critical task in transportation education is deciding what to teach. Transportation problems are kaleidoscopic: viewed from slightly different angles they appear to be entirely different problems — inadequate street capacity, excessive use of private automobiles; misfitting technologies such as low-speed nonmotorized vehicles on high-speed roads, or insufficient public discipline to keep parking from obstructing traffic flow; mud and grades that make ways impassable; service agency inadequacies that make public transport very inefficient; low personal incomes that limit mobility, and so on. Each perspective on the problem requires a different approach and different skills.
Porcine Malignant Hyperthermia

Porcine malignant hyperthermia (MH) differs from human MH in that it is a homozygotic expression of a single point mutation in all muscular species. This mutation probably occurred about 100–150 years ago. Pigs were bred then, as now, with the idea that selection of the most muscular offspring, followed by line breeding, would produce the most valuable marketable animal: lean, muscular, with little fat and rapid development of the muscular build. Unfortunately, not all characteristics were desirable. Although rapid development of lean body mass represented a true hybrid vigor, a rather marked disadvantage was an obvious overt sensitivity to stress. Certain stress, such as fright, shipping, coitus, and fighting, led to a process identical to MH episodes generally produced by triggering anesthetics: rigidity, tachycardia, tachypnea, acidosis, high fever, and death. This end result could occur in as few as 10 min, with a body temperature greater than 43°C.
Renal Effects of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

Intoxication with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) produced marked increases in cellular smooth endoplasmic reticulum content and microsomal drug metabolizing enzyme activity in kidney cortex. Therefore, it was of interest to determine the effect of TCDD on several proximal tubular functions. Adult rats were treated with 10, 25, and 50 μg/kg, TCDD. Ten μg/kg TCDD 3 or 7 days after treatment did not affect p-aminohippurate (PAH) accumulation by renal cortical slices. N-methylnicotinamide (NMN) accumulation was slightly decreased following this treatment. At 25 μg/kg, TCDD decreased the capacity of renal tissues to transport both PAH and NMN 7 days after exposure. The increase in ammoniagenesis and gluconeogenesis observed in acidosis was not significantly different in animals that had been treated with 25 μg/kg TCDD 7 days before experimentation. Glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow were decreased in rats after 25 or 50 μg/kg TCDD. Volume expansion did not alter this relationship. Fractional sodium excretion was less than 1% in both control and TCDD-treated animals. With volume expansion sodium excretion increased to approximately 5% and was not different for control and TCDD-treated animals. TCDD enhanced several hepatic and renal drug metabolizing enzyme systems but did not alter the acute toxicity of CHC13.
Neuro-ophthalmic Manifestations of Intracranial Dural Venous Disorders

Diseases of the venous channels cause symptoms by producing venous hypertension and congestion in the tissues due to obstruction or arterialized blood flow in the affected venous channel. Any durai venous sinus can be affected. The disorders that affect the durai venous channels include primary thromboses, arteriovenous (AV) shunts, inflammation and infections, and compression and invasion by neoplasms. Neuro- ophthalmologic signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) are seen when the blood flow through a major venous channel is acutely disrupted or when the remaining venous outflow is inadequate to drain the brain. Focal neurologic dysfunction arises when the venous outflow from a limited region is disturbed. When the cavernous sinus is prominently involved, the clinical features are of major interest to the neuro-ophthalmologist.
A Ubiquitous Approach for Automated Library Book Location Management

In this paper, we propose a ubiquitous system called ABLM (Autonomous Book Location Management) for managing book locations in big libraries. This comprehensive system uses affordable devices such as Raspberry Pi with cameras to monitor book locations throughout a library. It can automatically detect book misplacements. It can also help users to locate a book in a library by visualizing its location on a map given the book ID. Our system ABLM includes a central software module running on a server which communicates via Wi-Fi Internet with monitor software modules running on Raspberry Pi and user software modules running on the library web pages or on the user smartphones. When a user makes a request to find the location of a book using the book ID the user software module processes it to define the book location and displays it on a dynamic library map. Our system also includes a camera attached to the Raspberry Pi which can be placed on wheeled robots that moves around the shelves to detect wrong placements of books. When the library book placement policy is violated it is reported to the central module at the server via the user module or the monitor module. The central module can analyze the recorded data on book misplacements and recommend specific segments and areas of shelves to be resorted of fixed. The proposed system is affordable as the total cost of all needed hardware devices including Raspberry Pi, its cameras, and the wheeled robot is under 900 USD. Our system is also portable and universal as it can plug-in into any existing library system and can accommodate any changes in library floor plans including reconfigurations of bookshelves.
Characterization of atomic layer deposited semiconducting Co3O4

The authors report on the optical and electrical properties of atomic layer deposited (ALD) Co3O4 on Si, SiO2/Si, and Co/Si substrates using Co(Cp)2 and ozone. Within the ALD temperature window of 175 and 275 °C, the growth per cycle (GPC) on Si is approximately 0.050 nm/cycle. GPC is slightly lower on SiO2 (0.043 nm/cycle) and much higher on Co substrates (0.21 nm/cycle) due to rapid ozone oxidation of Co during ALD. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) indicates a randomly oriented polycrystalline Co3O4 phase. The refractive index, measured using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, is found to be ∼2.8 within the ALD window. Optical transitions of 0.76, 1.50, and 2.22 eV are found from absorption analysis. Four-point probe measurements indicate resistivity in the range of 4.1–10.9 Ω cm. GIXRD, refractive index, optical transitions, and resistivity are all consistent with p-type semiconducting Co3O4.
THE NEUROHORMONAL BASIS OF PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IN HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with adverse outcomes in HFpEF but its mechanisms are unclear. Neurohormonal activation may contribute to PH severity and be amenable to treatment. Invasive hemodynamics, right ventricular (RV) function (tissue Doppler echocardiography), and levels of C-
High-Resolution Measurements and Calculations of Photon-Production Cross Sections for 16O(n,xγ) Reactions Induced by Neutrons with Energies between 4 and 200 MeV

Photon-production data from neutron-induced reactions with oxygen are important over a wide range of neutron energies for many applied purposes. The quality of existing data is not sufficient for m...
Comparing 2 Monte Carlo Systems in Use for Proton Therapy Research.

Abstract Purpose: Several Monte Carlo transport codes are available for medical physics users. To ensure confidence in the accuracy of the codes, they must be continually cross-validated. This stud...
A video‐based measure to identify autism risk in infancy

Author(s): Young, Gregory S; Constantino, John N; Dvorak, Simon; Belding, Ashleigh; Gangi, Devon; Hill, Alesha; Hill, Monique; Miller, Meghan; Parikh, Chandni; Schwichtenberg, AJ; Solis, Erika; Ozonoff, Sally | Abstract: BackgroundSigns of autism are present in the first 2nyears of life, but the average age of diagnosis lags far behind. Instruments that improve detection of autism risk in infancy are needed. This study developed and tested the psychometric properties of a novel video-based approach to detecting ASD in infancy.MethodsA prospective longitudinal study of children at elevated or lower risk for autism spectrum disorder was conducted. Participants were 76 infants with an older sibling with ASD and 37 infants with no known family history of autism. The Video-referenced Infant Rating System for Autism (VIRSA) is a web-based application that presents pairs of videos of parents and infants playing together and requires forced-choice judgments of which video is most similar to the child being rated. Parents rated participants on the VIRSA at 6, 9, 12, and 18nmonths of age. We examined split-half and test-retest reliability; convergent and discriminant validity; and sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive value for concurrent and 36-month ASD diagnoses.ResultsThe VIRSA demonstrated satisfactory reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. VIRSA ratings were significantly lower for children ultimately diagnosed with ASD than children with typical development by 12nmonths of age. VIRSA scores at 18nmonths identified all children diagnosed with ASD at that age, as well as 78% of children diagnosed at 36nmonths.ConclusionsThis study represents an initial step in the development of a novel video-based approach to detection of ASD in infancy. The VIRSA's psychometric properties were promising when used by parents with an older affected child, but still must be tested in community samples with no family history of ASD. If results are replicated, then the VIRSA's low-burden, web-based format has the potential to reduce disparities in communities with limited access to screening.
Elevated Serum Uric Acid and Self-Reported Heart Failure in US Adults: 2007-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Introduction: There is limited evidence examining the relationship between elevated serum uric acid (sUA) concentration and heart failure (HF) in United States (US) adults. The aim of the present study was to examine the association(s) between elevated sUA and HF using a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods: The final sample with complete data for this analysis (n = 17,349) included men and women aged ≥40 years who participated in the 2007–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Self-reported diagnosis of HF was assessed via interview. Elevated sUA was defined as values >6.0 mg/dL for women and >7.2 mg/dL for men. Multivariable gender-stratified logistic regression was utilized to examine the odds of self-reported HF. Results: The estimated prevalence of HF was 3.9 and 3.4% among men and women, respectively. Age-adjusted analysis revealed significantly increased odds of HF in men (OR 2.79; 95% CI 2.15–3.84, p < 0.01) and women (OR 3.24; 95% CI 2.37–4.44, p < 0.01) with elevated sUA. This relationship remained statistically significant following adjustment for age, race, education, income, alcohol consumption, smoking status, blood pressure, diabetes, physical activity level, cholesterol, creatinine level, and body mass index in men (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.13–2.57 p < 0.05) and women (OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.18–2.58, p < 0.05). Conclusions: In a representative sample of US adults, having an elevated sUA concentration was associated with significantly increased odds of HF when compared to adults with normal sUA.
Tweeting about mental health to honor Carrie Fisher: How #InHonorOfCarrie reinforced the social influence of celebrity advocacy

Abstract The hashtag #InHonorOfCarrie went viral on Twitter within hours of Carrie Fisher's death, as people tweeted about their own mental health experiences to honor Fisher. This study analyzed how the hashtag reinforced the social influence of Fisher. The full sample of 2160 tweets – from the initial use of the hashtag on December 27, 2016 through January 16, 2017 – were analyzed using semantic network analysis and CONCOR (convergence of iterated correlations) block modeling. In addition, the 1157 original tweets were hand coded for personal sharing of mental health conditions, as well as comments about Fisher and mental health. The results of semantic network analysis and CONCOR analysis found that the users generated integrated concepts and frames by sharing similar topics such as honoring Fisher's role in mental health advocacy, specific mental disorders they had, and framing mental illness in a positive way. The findings also suggest that the discourse reinforced Fisher's advocacy by echoing her challenge metaphor and sharing their mental health issues. Content analysis of the original tweets found that when describing their personal experiences, users often reported personal difficulties or challenges of dealing with mental health issues, but also often made positive self-references related to their own self-confidence and pride. Many of the tweets focused on Fisher's openness and honesty, her efforts to challenge stigma, her inspiration to others and the legacy she left. These results imply the positive role of Fisher in users' self-disclosures and sharing of mental health issues.
Unavailability of paid sick leave among parents is a barrier for children's utilization of nonemergency health services: Evidence from the National Health Interview Survey.

Objective To assess the association between availability of paid sick leave among parents and children's use of several distinct types of nonurgent health services and emergency care. Methods Using pooled 2013 to 2017 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we created dyadic units of observation linking adults with their children (n = 21 235). Descriptive statistics, logistic regressions for binary outcomes, and regular and zero-inflated negative binomial regressions for count outcomes assessed the relationship between parental coverage by paid sick leave benefits and 12 dependent variables related to health care utilization. Regression analyses controlled for a set of child, parent, and family covariates. Results Overall, 58.3% of individuals in our sample reported having paid sick leave in their current or latest job. There are substantial disparities in availability of paid sick leave in terms of parent sex, race, education, and income. Controlling for covariates, the odds of children with at least one parent with access to paid sick leave having any visit to a medical office in the past 12 months are 27% higher than for children whose parents do not have this benefit. Similar positive associations were observed for general doctor visit (OR = 1.18, 95%CI: 1.05-1.32), mental health professional visit (OR = 1.19, 95%CI: 1.01-1.42), and receipt of flu vaccination (OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.11-1.33). There was no statistically significant association with emergency room use, once covariates were controlled. Conclusions Availability of paid sick leave among parents is associated with increased children's utilization of nonemergency health services and primary care.
Evidence for an Age-Related Positivity Effect in Metacognitive Judgments.

Objectives If older adults (OAs) are focused on emotionally meaningful goals in late life, they should demonstrate memory biases for positive stimuli over neutral and negative stimuli and, arguably, these cognitive biases should be reflected in their metacognitive judgments of learning. To address this question, we examined age differences in metacognitive monitoring of emotionally-valenced stimuli. Method Younger adults (YAs) and OAs (N = 85) studied positive, neutral, and negative words and made immediate judgments of learning (JOLs), followed by a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) recognition memory task. Results Analyses of JOLs revealed evidence for a positivity effect in metacognitive judgments for OAs and an emotional salience effect in YAs. YAs recognized more words than OAs, but valence did not affect number of words recognized and did not moderate age differences in memory (p = .055). Memory monitoring as measured by resolution accuracy was equivalent in YAs and OAs. Positive affect was higher and negative affect was lower in OAs relative to YAs, lending additional evidence to the emergence of a positive orientation in older adulthood. Discussion These results provide intriguing and novel support for the positivity effect in the domain of metacognitive aging, adding to what is known in memory, attention, and emotion domains. Our findings fall squarely within socioemotional and metacognitive theoretical frameworks from which they were derived. We discuss research directions that might identify mechanisms by which affective states and stimuli interact to produce metacognitive outcomes in late life.
Noun incorporation: A Chinese case?*

Noun incorporation (NI) is a morphological process that derives lexical items. Mithun (1984) finds four related types of NI, Rosen (1989) two. While many Mandarin VN compounds exhibit characteristi...
The Impact of Positive School Climate on Suicidality and Mental Health Among LGBTQ Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) adolescents are more likely to report suicidality and worse mental health than their heterosexual peers. We conducted a systematic review to examine the relationship between positive school climate and suicidality and mental health among LGBTQ adolescents. We searched the literature using PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Six studies met inclusion criteria, and all had low to moderate risks of bias. Results indicate that LGBTQ students in schools with more positive school climates were at lower risk of suicidality and reported fewer depressive symptoms compared to students in less positive school climates. Being at the forefront of health in schools, school nurses have the opportunity to advocate for changes in school environments that promote positive mental health for all youth, including LGBTQ adolescents.
Frequency Comb Spectroscopy with Coherent Frequency Combs Generated by Diode Lasers

We demonstrate frequency combs generated with electrically pumped, commercially grown, quantum well laser diodes. We characterize their coherent output, and demonstrate dual comb absorption spectroscopy conducted with two free-running combs.
Financial structures, banking regulations, and export dynamics

Abstract This paper studies the impact of financial structures and regulations on export dynamics using data from a large panel of countries over the 1997–2014 period. The results suggest that bank-oriented financial systems can boost the number of exporters more than market-oriented systems. However, especially in lower income countries with lax bank regulation, banks tend to reduce the dynamism of the export sector, slowing down exporters’ entry and exit. This reduced dynamism appears to reflect domestic banks’ protection of incumbent exporters more than banks’ screening of entrants or buffering of incumbents in difficult times. Foreign banks mitigate these effects, enhancing the dynamism of the export sector.
Uncloaking Breast Tumor Neoantigens with Radiation

Currently, immunotherapy is not effective for all cancer patients, partly due to an inability to mount sufficient tumor-specific T cell responses. Here, we highlight a recent study by Lhuillier et al. demonstrating that radiation potentiates neoantigen expression, eliciting CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses and tumor growth control in mice.
Luther and Paradox: Justification, Ethics, and the New Finnish School of Interpretation

Given his insistence on the dual temporal and spiritual spheres in which Christians live in the tension of freedom and service to others, Martin Luther's theological ethics prove paradoxical. This conundrum unfolds at the intersection of Luther's doctrine of justification and consequent Christian freedom (1520), and his doctrine of two kingdoms, which elucidates the complex world in which we live (1523). How is one to live in service to the neighbor as an unconditional subject, love enemies, and uphold justice? This article explores the New Finnish School interpretation of Luther's doctrine of justification as theosis in order to elucidate the Reformer's convoluted ethics. We may ultimately understand Luther's tensive position in terms of the believer's soul united to Christ, thereby becoming a Christ to others albeit, simul justus et peccator, imperfectly. This more fully accounts for Luther's appreciation for the ethical contingencies faced by Christians in everyday life.
Prioritizing the quality of life of older adults with kidney disease

Older adults receiving dialysis commonly experience poor quality of life. A cyclical process of quality of life assessment, needs assessment and individualized care plans should be implemented to integrate quality of life into care planning. Improvements in health-care delivery and interpersonal communication are needed to prioritize quality of life.
A transactional memory service in an extensible operating system

This paper describes Rhino, a transactional memory service implemented on top of the SPIN operating system. Rhino is implemented as an extension that runs in SPIN kernel's address space. We discuss how the extension structure of Rhino can solve performance problems previously unavoidable in traditional systems, and we quantify its benefits. We also introduce three alternative buffer management schemes and study their performance under various workloads.
Hairy Cell Leukemia

Abstract Hairy cell leukemia is a rare, chronic B cell lymphoproliferative disorder, more commonly diagnosed in men than in women, and typically arising in the middle decades of life. An activating mutation in BRAF (V600E) is present in nearly all cases of hairy cell leukemia and represents a disease-defining genetic event. A distinct, very rare B cell lymphoproliferative disorder called hairy cell leukemia variant lacks BRAF mutations. Multilineage cytopenias and splenomegaly are the most common clinical signs present at diagnosis. Fine, hair-like cytoplasmic projections are a distinctive morphologic finding on peripheral blood smear, though diagnosis is typically confirmed by immunophenotype (by flow cytometry) and/or by bone marrow core biopsy; the marrow is frequently inaspirable. Expectant management following diagnosis is appropriate in a subset of patients. Treatment is indicated for progressive cytopenias, symptomatic organomegaly or adenopathy, frequent infections due to neutropenia, or disease-related constitutional symptoms. Purine analogs (cladribine, pentostatin) constitute the initial therapeutic agents of choice in most patients, and most will achieve durable complete response following a single cycle of cladribine. The CD20-targeted monoclonal antibody rituximab has demonstrated activity as well, as a single agent or in combination with cladribine. BRAF inhibitors and CD22-targeted recombinant immunotoxins have demonstrated high rates of response in patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia in early-phase clinical studies.
Leveraging a task-specific approach for intelligent tutoring system generation: comparing the generic tasks and KADS frameworks

There is a need for easier, more cost-effective means of developing intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs). A novel and advantageous solution to this problem is proposed here: the development of task-specific ITS shells that can generate tutoring systems for different domains within a given class of tasks. Task-specific authoring shells offer flexibility in generating ITSs for different domains, while still being powerful enough to build knowledgeable tutors. Two widely adopted task-specific methodologies, GTs and KADS, are examined and compared in the context of automatic generation of intelligent tutoring systems.
Visual Functions of the Thalamus

The thalamus is the heavily interconnected partner of the neocortex. All areas of the neocortex receive afferent input from and send efferent projections to specific thalamic nuclei. Through these connections, the thalamus serves to provide the cortex with sensory input, and to facilitate interareal cortical communication and motor and cognitive functions. In the visual system, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the dorsal thalamus is the gateway through which visual information reaches the cerebral cortex. Visual processing in the LGN includes spatial and temporal influences on visual signals that serve to adjust response gain, transform the temporal structure of retinal activity patterns, and increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the retinal signal while preserving its basic content. This review examines recent advances in our understanding of LGN function and circuit organization and places these findings in a historical context.
Large wildlife removal drives immune defence increases in rodents

Author(s): Young, HS; Dirzo, R; Helgen, KM; Mccauley, DJ; Nunn, CL; Snyder, P; Veblen, KE; Zhao, S; Ezenwa, VO | Abstract: Anthropogenic disturbances involving land use change, climate disruption, pollution and invasive species have been shown to impact immune function of wild animals. These immune changes have direct impacts on the fitness of impacted animals and, also, potentially indirect effects on other species and on ecological processes, notably involving the spread of infectious disease. Here, we investigate whether the selective loss of large wildlife can also drive changes in immune function of other consumer species. Using a long-standing large-scale exclosure experiment in East Africa, we investigated the effects of selective removal of large wildlife on multiple measures of immune function in the dominant small rodent in the system, the East African pouched mouse, Saccostomus mearnsi. We find support for a general increase in immune function in landscapes where large wildlife has been removed, but with some variation across immune parameters. These changes may be mediated in part by increased pathogen pressure in plots where large wildlife has been removed due to major increases in rodent density in such plots, but other factors such as changes in food resources are also likely involved. Overall, our research reveals that the elimination of large-bodied wildlife - now recognized as another major form of global anthropogenic change - may have cascading effects on immune health, with the potential for these effects to also impact disease dynamics in ecological communities. Lay Summary Functional Ecology
"Do It Your Way": a demonstration project on end-of-life care for persons with serious mental illness.

Over the last decade, America's health care systems have been challenged to incorporate advance care planning and end-of-life care into their service delivery systems to assure that persons with terminal illnesses receive compassionate individualized care. Despite the surge in new research and knowledge, some groups remain understudied and underserved, such as persons with serious mental illness. "Do It Your Way," a demonstration project, was developed and implemented in a Massachusetts public mental health system to improve access to advance care planning and end-of-life care among persons with serious mental illness. This report provides an overview of the project, including its rationale, setting, needs assessment, objectives, initiatives, preliminary evaluation, impact, and conclusions.
12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate-dependent up-regulation of dopaminergic gene expression requires Ras and neurofibromin in human IMR-32 neuroblastoma.

The dopaminergic transcriptional programme is highly regulated during development and in the adult, in response to activation of membrane receptor signalling cascades. Gene expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis, is known to be regulated by receptors that act through protein kinase C (PKC) or Ras signalling. To investigate possible interactions between these two pathways before they converge on Raf activation, we evaluated whether phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, TPA)-dependent PKC activation required Ras for regulation of TH expression in IMR-32 cells. We found that long-term treatment with TPA, which induces down-regulation of PKC-α, led to induction of both protein and message levels of TH by autocrine factors. This was dependent on endogenous Ras, but independent of the transcription factor Nurr1. Moreover, this mechanism of action mimicked the effects of overexpression of the Ras-GAP domain of neurofibromin, GAP-related domain (GRD) I, which is part of the upstream mechanism for regulation of Ras activation and a PKC-a substrate. Overexpression of Ras also led to transcriptional and translational up-regulation of TH, independent of Nurr1 induction, as well as distinct phenotypic changes consistent with cell hypertrophy and increased secretory activity shown by induction of expression of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 and synaptosomal-associated protein-25. Most interestingly, overexpression of GRDI and down-regulation of the endogenous GRDII neurofibromin led to significant increases in Nurr1 message, possibly reflecting a transcriptional hierarchy during development. Taken together, these studies suggest that PKC-α, neurofibromin and Ras are essential in regulation of TH gene expression in IMR-32 cells.
Energizing The Creative Potential in Future Engineers

ABSTRACT Three agents needed for energizing the creative process in future engineers are realistic challenge, creative involvement, and relevant constraints. Two conditions for continuing the reaction are a reservoir of knowledge and experience, and an integrated conceptual framework. Curricula and courses can be structured to emphasize these agents and conditions.
Solitary Fibrous Tumors of the Thorax: Nomenclature, Epidemiology, Radiologic and Pathologic Findings, Differential Diagnoses, and Management

AJR:200, March 2013 Epidemiology It is difficult to ascertain the true incidence and prevalence of solitary fibrous tumors because the majority of patients with these masses are asymptomatic. Solitary fibrous tumors arising from the pleura, however, have been estimated to occur with a frequency of 2.8 per 100,000 individuals, with only eight hundred cases reported between 1931 and 2002 [4]. Moreover, these tumors account for less than 5% of all tumors arising from the pleura [5]. Overall, solitary fibrous tumors account for less than 2% of all softtissue tumors [6]. These tumors occur equally in both men and women, most frequently in the 6th and 7th decades of life [7]. There is no known association with tobacco, asbestos, or any other toxicant.
Effects of a bacterial vaccine on the marginal zone of the spleen

The effect of systemic administration of a typhoid vaccine (T.A.B.) on the marginal zone of rat spleen has been investigated by light and electron microscopy. This bacterial preparation damages granulocytes in the circulating and marginated pools and the damaged cells are sequestered in the spleen, particularly in the marginal zone. The activities of the vaccine are attributed to its endotoxic properties. Terminations of arterial vessels in the marginal zone are also described.
A simple test of central processing speed: an extension of the Short Blessed Test.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and reliability of a simple measure of central processing speed: the time to recite the months of the year in reverse order, from the Short Blessed Test of Orientation, Concentration, and Memory (SBT). DESIGN: Cross-sectional and longitudinal designs were used to establish validity and test-retest reliability. SETTING: Participants' homes and by telephone interview. PARTICIPANTS: An age-stratified sample of 120 community-dwelling women, aged 67–94, randomly selected from Medicare recipients of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. MEASUREMENTS: Dependent variables were the SBT, the Trail Making Test, computer-generated simple and choice reaction time, and time to say the months of the year backward (TMYB). The independent variable was age. RESULTS: Significant Pearson product-moment correlations were obtained for Trail Making and TMYB with a simple and choice reaction time after controlling for age and cognitive status. An exponential relationship was observed between age and TMYB, expressed both cross-sectionally and as rate of change. Test-retest reliability for TMYB was 0.90. CONCLUSIONS: TMYB is a valid and reliable measure of central processing speed that compares favorably to the more elaborate and time-consuming Trail Making B test. Because of its simplicity and ease of administration, this test provides the clinician with a practical measure of central processing speed. TMYB extends the utility of the widely used Short Blessed Test by measuring this additional and important domain of brain function. J Am Geriatr Soc 47:1359–1363,1999.
WATCHING THE TRANSIENTS : VIEWING A SIMPLE RECURRENT NETWORK AS A LIMITED COUNTER

Researchers in analog computation theory have shown that a recurrent neural network (RNN) can be built to simulate a Turing machine (Pollack, 1987b; Siegelmann & Sontag, 1995). Recently, we showed that it is possible to train RNNs which implement some aspects of analog computation theory—namely a network can develop trajectories that count symbols (Wiles & Elman, 1995). But what are the implications for psychological models of sequence processing based on RNNs? As a first step toward answering this question, we investigate an RNN in a psycholinguistically motivated task: predict the next letter in a simple Deterministic Context Free Language that has one level of center-embedding. We demonstrate how the network develops simple coordination between trajectories that enable it to perform limited counting, and in some cases generalize to longer strings. We geometrically identify and analyze several properties relevant for this task, including information loss that results from approaching attractors, divergence in phase space that is used to split states, and difficulty in learning temporal dependencies when the input-output probabilities overlap for different input symbols.
Techniques of non-orthogonal magnetic resonance imaging and its clinical application.

Abstract A technique to obtain non-orthogonal magnetic resonance (MR) images in the body has been developed using a simple three-dimensional model (3-DM). Images were obtained with multiple non-orthogonal planes, without subjecting patients to uncomfortable oblique positions. Eighty-two patients were studied using non-orthogonal planes. Euler angle determinations (EAD) were developed for different anatomical locations as well as for multiple clinical situations. One or all three Euler angles were changed using the EAD to define any plane of orientation relative to reference orthogonal frame. In a series of 12 patients for postoperative evaluation of Mustard and Senning procedure, the demonstration of anastamotic site was superior with angled coronal planes when compared to the routine coronal views in 83% of the studies. With the use of EAD, acquisition time for non-orthogonal planes can be reduced. 3-DM aids in the understanding of the Euler angles and leads to multiple non-orthogonal planes.
Of fish and men: using zebrafish to fight human diseases

Long restricted to the field of developmental biology, the use of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has extended to the study of human pathogenesis. Fostered by the rapid adaptation of new technologies, the design and analysis of fish models of human diseases have contributed important findings that are now making their way from aquariums to clinics. Here we outline the clinical relevance of the zebrafish as a model organism.
Expression of angiogenesis factors in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and their regulation by PEDF

The VEGFs and FGF-2 stimulate angiogenesis. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) strongly inhibit angiogenesis. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) expressed VEGF-A, -B, -C, the VEGF receptors R1, R2, and R3, PEDF, FGF-2, and TSP-1, but VEGF-D transcripts were barely detectable. Hypoxia reduced the transcript levels of VEGF-C and its cognate receptor, VEGF-R3. PEDF blocked the effect of CoCl 2 on these two factors. The expression of VEGF-A and -B as well as VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 remained unchanged after exposure to hypoxia, PEDF, or both. There was a marked reduction in TSP-1 transcripts in CoCl 2 treated cultures and PEDF blocked this reduction. PEDF induced a small increase in FGF-2 transcripts in HUVECs, but there was no change in FGF-2 expression in HUVECs exposed to hypoxia or hypoxia plus PEDF. PEDF may control neovascularization, in part, by restoring the negative effects of hypoxia on the expression of a potent angiogenesis inhibitor, TSP-1. PEDF may also modulate vascular leakage by maintaining the transcriptional levels of the vascular homeostasis factors, VEGF-C and VEGF-R3 in hypoxic conditions.
β-Amyloid peptides induce degeneration of cultured rat microglia

Microglia are often associated with senile plaques, a primary pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that consists largely of insoluble deposits of beta-amyloid (A beta) protein. Synthetic A beta peptides have been shown to induce neurite dystrophy and neuronal death in vitro when the peptides are assembled into aggregates. We now report that assembled A beta peptides induce morphological evidence of degeneration in process-bearing microglia in vitro, as well as metabolic dysfunction in microglial cultures, but a non-assembling scrambled sequence A beta peptide does not.
Defect Tolerance Based on Coding and Series Replication in Transistor-Logic Demultiplexer Circuits

We present a family of defect tolerant transistor-logic demultiplexer circuits that can defend against both stuck-ON (short defect) and stuck-OFF (open defect) transistors. Short defects are handled by having two or more transistors in series in the circuit, controlled by the same signal. Open defects are handled by having two or more parallel branches in the circuit, controlled by the same signals, or more efficiently, by using a transistor-replication method based on coding theory. These circuits are evaluated, in comparison with an unprotected demultiplexer circuit, by: 1) modeling each circuit's ability to tolerate defects and 2) calculating the cost of the defect tolerance as each circuit's redundancy factor R, which is the relative number of transistors required by the circuit. The defect-tolerance model takes the form of a function giving the failure probability of the entire demultiplexer circuit as a function of the defect probabilities of its component transistors, for both defect types. With the advent of defect tolerance as a new design goal for the circuit designer, this new form of performance analysis has become necessary.
Dancing the Body: Women and Dance Performance

Abstract Dance movement that emerges from women's experiences helps destroy assumptions and social constraints imposed on how we value our bodies and how we use them to create and communicate.
Pre-Clinical Evaluation of Total Knee Designs for Normal Function

Although Total Knee Replacement (TKR) is successful both in function and durability, there is evidence that the kinematics are abnormal, suggesting that function can be further improved, especially in patients with the capability of returning to an active lifestyle. The goal of this study was to formulate a testing method which would predict the performance of a TKR by using the mechanical characteristics of the anatomic knee as a benchmark. It is proposed that a ‘holistic testing method’ should consist of a determination of the neutral path of motion during a full flexion range, together with the AP and rotational laxity about the neutral path. This test regimen would represent the forces and torques experienced in a range of everyday activities. The proposed testing method is evaluated using a special test rig to compare the kinematics of different TKR designs, with anatomic knee specimens.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
XL. Radium and the electron theory

(1904). XL. Radium and the electron theory. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 8, No. 45, pp. 410-413.