cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward controlling gene expression at will: selection and design of zinc finger domains recognizing each of the 5'-GNN-3' DNA target sequences.

We have taken a comprehensive approach to the generation of novel DNA binding zinc finger domains of defined specificity. Herein we describe the generation and characterization of a family of zinc finger domains developed for the recognition of each of the 16 possible 3-bp DNA binding sites having the sequence 5′-GNN-3′. Phage display libraries of zinc finger proteins were created and selected under conditions that favor enrichment of sequence-specific proteins. Zinc finger domains recognizing a number of sequences required refinement by site-directed mutagenesis that was guided by both phage selection data and structural information. In many cases, residues not expected to make base-specific contacts had effects on specificity. A number of these domains demonstrate exquisite specificity and discriminate between sequences that differ by a single base with >100-fold loss in affinity. We conclude that the three helical positions −1, 3, and 6 of a zinc finger domain are insufficient to allow for the fine specificity of the DNA binding domain to be predicted. These domains are functionally modular and may be recombined with one another to create polydactyl proteins capable of binding 18-bp sequences with subnanomolar affinity. The family of zinc finger domains described here is sufficient for the construction of 17 million novel proteins that bind the 5′-(GNN)6-3′ family of DNA sequences. These materials and methods should allow for the rapid construction of novel gene switches and provide the basis for a universal system for gene control.
On the Origins of Universal Banking: An Analysis of the German Banking Sector 1848 to 1910

Banking systems have historically evolved toward their present state in response to particular economic or institutional challenges and through legislative or regulatory intervention. Drawing on the evolution of the German financial system toward universal financial intermediation in the second half of the 19th century, universal banking is shown to result from a particular contracting problem. Here, the interaction of financial contracting, investment in organizational skills, reorganization and liquidation of financial intermediaries may lead to universal banking and industry concentration as an equilibrium outcome. Two different perspectives are presented. First, universal financial intermediation is argued to have resulted from a search for equilibrium that is to be interpreted as "learning by banking." Second, politically motivated liquidity constraints and scarcity of managerial skills are shown to imply a concentrated universal banking system as equilibrium outcome. Drawing on these results, the stability of financial systems, the duality between markets for financial claims and managerial skills and some implications for banking reform are discussed.
Temporal changes in mechanical properties of rat jejunal smooth muscle after myenteric plexus ablation

We determined length-stress properties and active tension development of rat jejunal longitudinal and circular muscle at various times after myenteric neuron ablation. Myenteric neurons were destroyed by serosal application of benzalkonium chloride. Active tension generation in response to both carbachol and barium was depressed in both muscle layers up to 7 days after treatment, at which times the responses were normal. At 15 days, circular muscle responses were still comparable to control, but longitudinal muscle responses were significantly increased. Length-stress parameters of circular muscle were minimally affected, while those of longitudinal muscle were significantly altered 15 and 30 days after treatment. These alterations include changes in resting stress and increased active stress generation at both times. Our results suggest that 1) normal myenteric innervation is necessary for normal contractile activity in rat jejunal smooth muscle and 2) changes in cellular or tissue morphology or alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis, as seen in other tissue, may occur after myenteric plexus ablation.
A dual effect of a bifunctional alkylating agent on chymotrypsinogen.

AbstractThe effect of chlorambucil on chymotrypsinogen is reported. Chlorambucil accelerates the tryptic activation of chymotrypsinogen after a 90' reaction. Upon reaction of chymotrypsinogen with chlorambucil for 18 or more hours, the complete activation of the zymogen is inhibited. Trypsin is not inactivated by the alkylating agent. The significance of these results is discussed.
Abstract 465: The CB2 Cannabinoid Receptor Mediates the Anti-Proliferative Actions of Angiotensin-(1-7) in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Therapeutic interventions to reduce vascular proliferation are critical for the effective treatment of hypertension-induced end-organ damage, restenosis and atherosclerosis. We showed that angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] reduces neointimal formation following vascular injury and inhibits vascular growth, through activation of the AT7 receptor mas and production of arachidonic acid derivatives. Endocannaboids (ECs) derived from membrane phospholipids also inhibit vascular proliferation and reduce growth following vascular injury, by stimulation of the CB2 receptor. The impact of CB2 receptor blockade on the anti-proliferative actions of Ang-(1-7) was investigated to assess a potential interaction between the EC and Ang-(1-7)/mas receptor systems. Rat thoracic aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were treated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) to stimulate growth and incubated with Ang-(1-7), the AT7 receptor antagonist [D-alanine7]-angiotensin-(1-7) [Dala], the CB2 receptor agonist HU308 and/or the CB2 receptor antagonist AM630. PDGF-stimulated VSMC growth was markedly reduced by Ang-(1-7) (74 ± 6% of control, n = 10, p
Structure and property correlations in FeS

Abstract For iron-sulfide (FeS), we investigate the correlation between the structural details, including its dimensionality and composition, with its magnetic and superconducting properties. We compare, theoretically and experimentally, the two-dimensional (2D) layered tetragonal (“t-FeS”) phase with the 3D hexagonal ("h-FeS") phase. X-ray diffraction reveals iron-deficient chemical compositions of t-Fe0.93(1)S and h-Fe0.84(1)S that show no low-temperature structural transitions. First-principles calculations reveal a high sensitivity of the 2D structure to the electronic and magnetic properties, predicting marginal antiferromagnetic instability for our compound (sulfur height of zS = 0.252) with an ordering energy of about 11 meV/Fe, while the 3D phase is magnetically stable. Experimentally, h-Fe0.84S orders magnetically well above room temperature, while t-Fe0.93S shows coexistence of antiferromagnetism at TN = 116 and filamentary superconductivity below Tc = 4 K. Low temperature neutron diffraction data reveals antiferromagnetic commensurate ordering with wave vector km = (0.25,0.25,0) and 0.46(2) µB/Fe. Additionally, neutron scattering measurements were used to find the particle size and iron vacancy arrangement of t-FeS and h-FeS. The structure of iron sulfide has a delicate relationship with the superconducting transition; while our sample with a = 3.6772(7) A is a filamentary superconductor coexisting with an antiferromagnetic phase, previously reported samples with a > 3.68 A are bulk superconductors with no magnetism, and those with a ≈ 3.674 A show magnetic properties.
Effect of Gas Species on Gas–Monolayer Interactions: Tangential Momentum Accommodation

The tangential momentum accommodation coefficient (TMAC) of five gas species—He, N2, Ar, CO2, and SF6—was measured on an octadecyltrichlorosilane-coated glass surfaces at 1.0 atm and 24 ± 2 °C. The TMAC was determined from measurement of the damping on a glass sphere near a glass plate when the separation between the sphere and plate was less than 1500 nm so that the flow was at or near the slip-flow regime. The results show that the damping depends on the gas species and that the fitted accommodation coefficient for these gases decreases as the molar mass increases. This trend can be explained using a simple physical model of the collision between two spheres, consisting of an incoming sphere to model the gas and an initially stationary sphere to model part of the monolayer adsorbed on the solid. In this simple model, heavier incoming molecules conserve more average tangential momentum than do lighter molecules. We also consider the possibility of separating a mixture of gases based on differences in TMACs.
SAND MOVEMENT INTO CARMEL SUBMARINE CANYON, CALIFORNIA

Carmel Submarine Canyon heads in shallow water near Monastery Beach at the southeast corner of Carmel Bay, California, U.S.A. Very coarse sand, shaped into large oscillation ripples, covers the narrow shelf between the beach and the canyon; when this sand enters the canyon head, it lies at angles as great as the angle of repose. In some areas, these sand slopes show evidence of active grain flows in the form of downslope-coarsening, inversely graded deposits. The results of a dyed-sand tracer study adjacent to the canyon show that sand moved canyonward during the summer of 1979. Initially the dyed sand, which had been shaped into an oscillation ripple in the center of a 20-m by 60-m grid, moved offshore en ma sse. After a few days, though, the dyed sand dispersed with the center of mass moving canyonward. As wave-transported sand accumulates along the canyon rim, the upper slopes oversteepen, thereby causing some of the sand to avalanche downslope. Systematic changes in sand levels along three lines of rods over 15 months document preferential deposition of sand along the upper slopes; the greatest change occurred at the top of the lines (12-15 m depth) and the least at the bottom (30-40 m). Greater accretion during the spring months than during the summer months probably reflects the more energetic springtime wave climate. Between October 1981 and October 1982, 5.7 m3 of sand was deposited per meter alongslope on the middle line, which gives a calculated depositional rate of approximately 5 00 m /yr in the study area. Although we have monitored this area for over a year, we have not yet documented any large-scale events capable of flushing sand out of the canyon head. The only erosive event we have observed was a small grain flow we generated while digging on the slope.
Determination of Chlordane and Chlorpyrifos in Ambient Air at Low Nanogram-Per-Cubic Meter Levels by Supercritical Fluid Extraction

A method for the determination of termiticides present in ambient air was simplified by modifying the extraction thimbles used in the Hewlett-Packard supercritical fluid extractor so they could be used for collection as well as extraction of termiticides. The method was applied to the determination of chlorpyrifos and technical chlordane. The termiticides were trapped on cartridges containing Florisil and foam plugs, extracted with carbon dioxide in the supercritical fluid extractor, and determined by capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection. On the basis of a 20 m 3 sample, detection limits were 0.1 ng/m 3 for chlorpyrifos and 1.0 ng/m 3 for technical chlordane.
SU-F-T-146: Comparing Monte Carlo Simulations with Commissioning Beam Data for Mevion S250 Proton Therapy System

Purpose: To evaluate the Monte Carlo simulated beam data with the measured commissioning data for the Mevion S250 proton therapy system. Method: The Mevion S250 proton therapy system utilizes a passive double scattering technique with a unique gantry mounted superconducting accelerator and offers effective proton therapy in a compact design concept. The field shaping system (FSS) includes first scattering foil, range modulator wheel (RMW), second scattering foil and post absorber and offers two field sizes and a total of 24 treatment options from proton range of 5 cm to 32 cm. The treatment nozzle was modeled in detail using TOPAS (TOolkit for PArticle Simulation) Monte Carlo code. The timing feathers of the moving modulator wheels were also implemented to generate the Spread Out Bragg Peak (SOBP). The simulation results including pristine Bragg Peak, SOBP and dose profiles were compared with the data measured during beam commissioning. Results: The comparison between the measured data and the simulation data show excellent agreement. For pristine proton Bragg Peaks, the simulated proton range (depth of distal 90%) values agreed well with the measured range values within 1 mm accuracy. The differences of the distal falloffs (depth from distal 80% to 20%) were also found to be less than 1 mm between the simulations and measurements. For the SOBP, the widths of modulation (depth of proximal 95% to distal 90%) were also found to agree with the measurement within 1 mm. The flatness of the simulated and measured lateral profiles was found to be 0.6 % and 1.1 %, respectively. Conclusion: The agreement between simulations and measurements demonstrate that TOPAS could be used as a viable platform to proton therapy applications. The matched simulation results offer a great tool and open opportunity for variety of applications.
Ag/Al schottky contacts on n -InP

Schottky contacts have been fabricated onn- InP using a Ag/Al/InP configuration where the Ag and Al thicknesses are 1000 and 40-50A, respectively. Diodes fabricated on InP substrates withn ≈ 7 x 1016 cm-3, have effective barrier heights, Obeff, of 0.4 eV and reverse bias leakage current densities of >4 A/cm2 atV r = - 3V. Appropriate heat treating at temperatures between 400–500° C raises barrier heights by as much as 0.25 eV, resulting in Obeff ≈ 0.65 eV and reverse bias leakage current densities less than 0.002 A/cm2. Diode characteristics are found to vary dramatically with different surface preparations prior to metallization; results of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) depth profiling studies indicate that native oxides which are predominantly InPO4 produce superior contacts and that aluminum first reacts with the native oxide and then migrates through the silver to the free metal surface which results in the dramatic improvements observed upon annealing.
Handheld, point-of-care laser speckle imaging.

Laser speckle imaging (LSI) enables measurement of relative changes in blood flow in biological tissues. We postulate that a point-of-care form factor will lower barriers to routine clinical use of LSI. Here, we describe a first-generation handheld LSI device based on a tablet computer. The coefficient of variation of speckle contrast was 0.05) between the measured speckle contrast values using either a handheld or mounted configuration. In vivo data collected during occlusion experiments demonstrate that a handheld LSI is capable of both quantitative and qualitative assessment of changes in blood flow. Finally, as a practical application of handheld LSI, we collected data from a 53-day-old neonate with confirmed compromised blood flow in the hand. We readily identified with LSI a region of diminished blood flow in the thumb of the affected hand. Our data collectively suggest that handheld LSI is a promising technique to enable clinicians to obtain point-of-care measurements of blood flow.
Iron Storage in Friedreich’s Ataxia

To test the hypothesis that iron is increased in the cerebellum of patients with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a multigradient echo magnetic resonance sequence for the three-dimensional imaging of brain iron-induced contrast was used in 12 patients and 23 normal subjects examined at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
Using Intersectionality in Student Affairs Research

This chapter presents intersectionality as a useful heuristic for conducting research in higher education and student affairs contexts. Much more than just another theory, intersectionality can powerfully shape student affairs research in both obvious and tacit ways.
Therapeutic targeting of tumor-associated macrophages through microscale engineering of the prostate cancer microenvironment.

184Background: The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays integral roles in prostate cancer progression and is a high value therapeutic target. The development of effective TME-targeted therapies is limited by current technologies which are insufficient to replicate or analyze this complex environment. To address these challenges, we have developed a microfluidic cell culture platform known as STACKS, which permits co-culture of up to 6 patient-derived cell populations as well as compartmentalized, multiplexed analysis of gene expression, cell signaling, and matrix remodeling. We have focused on investigation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which have been implicated in prostate cancer growth, metastasis, survival, and therapeutic resistance. Methods: Using blood and prostate tissue obtained through biomarker studies at the University of Wisconsin, we isolated patient-derived cell populations for culture and analysis within the STACKS device. Monocytes obtained from peripheral blood were differentiate...
Competing Visions of Empire: Labor, Slavery, and the Origins of the British Atlantic Empire. By Abigail L. Swingen. (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015. Pp. xv, 271. $85.00.) : Book Review

This excellent book focuses on the English Caribbean colonies from their founding in the mid‐1600s to the acquisition of the asiento in 1713. Dipping deeply into metropolitan archives and showing e...
Prismatic Shells with Intermediate Columns

Simply supported prismatic shells with intermediate columns located along longitudinal edges are analyzed. The shell is assumed to be simply supported along the two transverse edges and the intermediate column supports are taken as uniform line loads throughout the longitudinal width of the columns. The magnitude of the column reactions is determined by flexibility influence coefficients assuming that the vertical displacements of the shell at the column supports are zero. A comparison of the magnitude and distribution of the stress resultants and displacements of simply supported prismatic shells with two and four equally spaced intermediate columns resulting from dead load or uniform live load with the results obtained for a shell without intermediate columns is given.
Reinforcement schedules and bar pressing: Some extensions of Zimmerman’s work

Two studies using Zimmerman’s 1959 paradigm for secondary reinforcement were performed. In Exp. 1 the effects of continuous vs. partial primary reinforcement, continuous vs. partial Sr, and buzzer and access to a runway after bar pressing vs. access only were studied. None of these factors or their interactions were significant sources of variation. In Exp. 2 the influence of a 1:5 FR schedule of Sr was compared to Zimmerman’s diminishing schedule. Two replications disclosed that the FR schedule led to significantly more bar pressing. While durable Sr was observed, the attribution of this to Zimmerman’s schedules was questioned. Two suggestions for further study of the Zimmerman phenomenon were offered.
Public Attention and Head-to-Head Campaign Fundraising: An Examination of U.S. Senate Elections

Does public attention to political candidates impact fundraising margins in U.S. Senate elections? Applying a novel conceptualization of public attention, we examine U.S. Senate elections from 2004 through 2014 and find that increases in relative public attention relate to increases in head-to-head fundraising margins in open seat races. We conclude by asking whether or not all attention to candidates is "good" attention. Evidence from the 2006 Allen/Webb election suggests that all attention is not "good" attention. This race demonstrates that candidates can supply attention-grabbing action that increases relative public attention while stimulating exceptional losses in relative fundraising margins. Further research must clearly theorize conditions under which supplying public attention-grabbing behavior may damage political campaigns.
Cultural Processes: Existential Functions of Culture: The Monumental Immortality Project

The chapter focuses on the existential functions of culture; more specifically, on how cultures help their constituents to deal with the ultimate questions of existence, such as how to live a meaningful life in the face of inevitable death. Individuals are strongly motivated to deny their basic creatureliness and to try to outshine death and decay; and it is through participating in and contributing to culture that they attempt to become eligible for immortality – be it literal or symbolic. The chapter starts with the question of why the human craving to transcend death is so potent, and then moves on to the various ways in which culture permits to satisfy this craving.
“There is So Much to Consider”: School-Related Decisions and Experiences among Families who Adopt Noninfant Children:

Parents who adopt noninfant children often find that these children have academic and behavioral difficulties and may have experienced trauma—challenges that may have implications for school decisi...
The effects of police contracting on crime: An examination of Compton, California

The utility of police consolidation, and in particular police contracting of services, has received widespread attention in academic and practitioner circles. However, the bulk of empirical research centers on potential fiduciary benefits; only limited scholarship has explored the possibility that changes in police services may correspond with differences in crimes solved and offenses observed. To address this gap, we examine consolidation in police services in a historically high crime, disadvantaged urban setting (Compton, California), which began contracting with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LACSD) after the closure of Compton Police Department in 2000. Independent samples difference in means tests are used to examine variations in crime clearance rates prior to and following the transition in Compton. Group-based trajectory analysis combined with difference-in-difference regression estimation is used to assess changes in criminal offenses while minimizing selection differences in comparison settings. With the exception of homicide, clearance rates for six Part I crimes experienced statistically significant improvements in Compton’s post-contractual period. Additionally, while the vast majority of Part I offenses remained stable during the transition to LACSD policing, burglary crime rates experienced a statistically significant and sustained decline, net of controls. A primary concern with police contracting centers on a lack of local police control, disconnect between local needs and actual services provided, and the potential for backlash related to a reduction in the quality of police services. Our findings from Compton suggest that contracting with a well-resourced agency experienced in police consolidation has the ability to maintain and, in some circumstances, improve the quality of law enforcement services.
New measurements of the earth's spectroscopic diversity acquired during the aviris-ng campaign to India

In the Northern winter of 2015/16 the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) acquired measurements in India. The measurements were collected as part of a joint campaign between National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to foster research with imaging spectroscopy in a set of new diverse and unique environments. A total of 317 flight lines covering 57 sites were acquired. All measurements have been calibrated to radiance and a baseline atmospheric correction has also been applied to generate a reflectance product. Both the radiance and atmospherically corrected reflectance measurements are now available to support the science and applications research phase of the campaign.
Abstract 4032: Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 and Prognosis After Myocardial Infarction in a Geographically Defined Cohort

Background- Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp-PLA 2 ) is a useful inflammatory marker of cardiovascular disease risk in healthy individuals, yet its role in defining risk after myocardial infarction (MI) is not clear. Methods and Results- Olmsted County (Minnesota) residents who experienced an MI meeting standardized criteria between 2003 and 2005 (n=271, mean age±SD 69±15 years) were prospectively identified and followed. Lp-PLA 2 levels were measured at baseline (mean±SD 43±39 hours post-MI), and evaluated along with traditional risk factors, comorbidities, C-reactive protein (CRP), and MI characteristics. Lp-PLA 2 was modestly associated with total and LDL cholesterol, smoking, and age (inversely), but not with MI characteristics or severity, comorbidities, CRP, or the time from symptom onset to blood sampling. During the first year of follow-up, 42 deaths occurred. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimates (95% CI) at one year were 84% (79– 88%) overall, and 92% (86–98%), 85% (78–93%), and 74% (65– 84%) in the lowest, middle, and upper Lp-PLA 2 tertiles, respectively ( P =0.007 for equality of survival distributions). After adjustment for age and sex, the hazard ratios (HR) for death in the middle and upper Lp-PLA 2 tertiles were 2.20 (95% CI: 0.88–5.54) and 4.93 (95% CI: 2.10–11.60), compared with the lowest tertile, respectively ( P trend Conclusions- Among community subjects presenting with MI, increased Lp-PLA2 levels measured early after MI are strongly and independently associated with mortality, and provide incremental value in risk discrimination over traditional predictors.
Association of traffic air pollution and rhinitis quality of life in Peruvian children with asthma.

Background Air pollution exposure may contribute to rhinoconjunctivitis morbidity in children with underlying airways disease. Prior studies have not assessed rhinoconjunctivitis-related quality of life (QOL) in children with asthma chronically exposed to air pollution. Methods Children ages 9–19 years with asthma from peri-urban Peru, self-reporting rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms (n = 484), were administered the Rhinoconjunctivitis QOL Questionnaire (RQLQ) at repeated intervals over one year, with scores dichotomized into bothered (>0) and not bothered (= 0). Individual weekly exposures to particulate matter<2.5μm (PM2.5) and its black carbon (BC) component were estimated by inverse distance weighted methods. Generalized estimating equations, adjusting for covariates, estimated associations of PM2.5 and BC with QOL. Results Participants were on average 13 years old, 55% female, and majority were atopic (77%). Mean (SD) PM2.5 and BC concentrations were 21(3.2) μg/m3 and 4.4(1.5) μg/m3, respectively. In adjusted multi-pollutant models, each 10μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with increased odds of worse rhinoconjunctivitis QOL (OR;[95% CI]: 1.83;[1.33,2.52]). A 10% increase in the BC proportion was associated with higher rhinitis burden (OR;[95% CI]: 1.80;[1.22,2.66]), while increases in the non-BC component of PM did not significantly impact rhinoconjunctivitis QOL. Associations were similar regardless of atopy. Conclusion Higher PM2.5 and BC exposure is associated with worse rhinitis QOL among asthmatic children.
Model order estimators using optimal and suboptimal methods with numerical tuning

The performance of several methods to estimate the number of source signals impinging on a sensor array are compared using a traditional simulator and their performance for synthetic aperture radar tomography is discussed. All methods use a penalty term that increases with model order in order to prevent overestimation. We include both separate estimation of model selection and direction of arrival as well as joint estimation. We formulate a new penalty term, numerically tuned so that it gives optimal performance over our operating conditions, and compare this method as well. Simulation results show that the numerically tuned model selection criteria is optimal and that the typical methods do not do well for low snapshots. We also found that there is little sensitivity to SNR greater than 3 dB when the number of snapshots is high. We discuss some issues to applying the algorithms to data collected by the CReSIS radar depth sounder.
Enabling Techniques for Science Mapping

In Chapter 3, we introduced basic principles of cartography for mapping abstract structures commonly resulting from our thinking, ranging from concept mapping based on card sorting, through co-word maps derived from word co-occurrence analysis, to generic structures represented as networks, especially the interesting properties of a class of gigantic graphs known as small-world networks. We described typical dimensionality reduction techniques such as the classic multidimensional scaling (MDS) and the latest advances in non-linear MDS.
Self-Mutilation and Excoriation

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) has become increasingly prevalent among teenagers worldwide, particularly among girls in ‘modern’ societies. Current frameworks for understanding DSH focus on the destructive dimensions of the behavior as expressive of individual pathology. Cross-cultural and cross-historical data, however, suggest alternative perspectives for understanding DSH. Anthropological theories of ritual and symbolic processes suggest that DSH may be tied to cultural contradictions about gender in purportedly progressive social contexts. Taken in combination, clinical and anthropological perspectives can contribute to developing new strategies for engaging and treating DSH.
Appendix A A Guide for Newcomers to Agent-Based Modeling in the Social Sciences⁎

Abstract This guide provides pointers to introductory readings, software, and other materials to help newcomers become acquainted with agent-based modeling in the social sciences.
Maternal circulating TNF-alpha levels are highly correlated with IL-10 levels, but not IL-6 and IL-8 levels, in women with pre-eclampsia.

PROBLEM Several lines of evidence have shown that maternal cytokine levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were altered in women with pre-eclampsia (PE) compared to those from normal pregnancies. In this study, we determined whether these cytokine levels are correlated before and after delivery in patients with PE. METHOD OF STUDY Venous blood was obtained from 50 women diagnosed with severe PE at the time of admission and 24 hr after delivery. Plasma concentrations for TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. RESULTS There were no statistical differences for maternal levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 before and 24 hr postpartum. TNF-alpha and IL-10, but not IL-6 and IL-8, levels were significantly correlated before and 24 hr after delivery: TNF-alpha: y = 19.963 + 0.953*x; r(2) = 0.924; IL-10: y = 10.521 + 1.113*x; r(2) = 0.984, P < 0.001, respectively. Furthermore, TNF-alpha levels were correlated with IL-10 levels, but not with IL-6 and IL-8 levels. CONCLUSION The correlation patterns of TNF-alpha with IL-10 and TNF-alpha with IL-6 and IL-8 suggest disparity in functional regulations between these cytokines in maternal circulation in PE.
Feminist Aliens, Black Vampires, and Gay Witches: Creating a Critical Polis using SF Television in the College Composition Classroom

The ability to critically consume entertainment media is a necessary skill for an educated and functional society—a polis; however, contemporary college students are experienced consumers of pop culture but not necessarily critical ones. Since categories of identity (race, class, gender, sexual orientation, dis/ability, culture) are constructed, maintained, and reified through mainstream forces including, powerfully, the media, the ability to critique these forces is critical for an educated polis. Drawing on scholarship in critical pedagogy, cultural studies, and media literacy, this study uncovers the relative effectiveness of speculative fiction (SF) television as a pedagogical tool for developing critical thinking skills in college level English composition students. This study answers the question: To what extend does SF aid students in engaging in deeper critical thinking, especially about critical categories of identity, while simultaneously meeting the overall goals for college-level composition courses? The study reveals that SF television is especially useful to the goals of college communication courses, especially first-year composition courses, which specifically attempt to teach critical thinking. This occurs in part because SF creates a safe space for students to explore “strange new worlds” of difference in identity where usual tendencies to resist critique are ameliorated by the distance inherent in students’ orientation to the genre.
Rational design of polyaromatic ionomers for alkaline membrane fuel cells with >1 W cm−2 power density

Alkaline membrane fuel cells (AMFCs) show great potential as alternative energy conversion devices to acidic proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Over the last decade, there has been significant progress in the development of alkaline-stable polyaromatic materials for membrane separators and ionomeric binders for AMFCs. However, the AMFC performance using polyaromatic ionomers is generally poor, ca. a peak power density of <400 mW cm−2. Here, we report a rational design for polyaromatic ionomers which can minimize undesirable phenyl group interaction with hydrogen oxidation catalysts. The AMFC using a newly designed aryl ether-free poly(fluorene) ionomer exhibits a peak power density of 1.46 W cm−2, which is approaching that of Nafion-based PEMFCs. This study further discusses the remaining challenges of high-performing AMFCs.
Imaging Unstained Synthetic Polymer Crystals and Defects on Atomic Length Scales Using Cryogenic Electron Microscopy

Properties of soft crystalline materials such as synthetic polymers are governed by locations of constituent atoms. Determining atomic-scale structures in these materials is difficult because they degrade rapidly when studied by electron microscopy, and techniques such as X-ray scattering average over volumes much larger than coherent blocks of the unit cells. We obtained cryo-electron microscopy images of self-assembled nanosheets of a peptoid polymer, made by solid-phase synthesis, in which we see a variety of crystalline motifs. A combination of crystallographic and single-particle methods, developed for cryo-electron microscopy of biological macromolecules, was used to obtain high-resolution images of the crystals. Individual crystals contain grains that are mirror images of each other with concomitant grain boundaries. We have used molecular dynamic simulations to build an atomic model of the crystal structure to facilitate the interpretation of electron micrographs. Direct visualization of crystalli...
Tristano’s Reichian Theory of Improvisation: Jazz of the Unconscious Mind

Controversial pianist and pedagogue Lennie Tristano (1919–1978) stands out as one of jazz’s most polarizing figures. His color-blind artistic ideology, Eurological improvisatory approach, and repea...
Colorimetric detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using supramolecular cyclodextrin dimer-squaraine constructs

ABSTRACTThe development of solution-state colorimetric detection methods for highly toxic, environmentally persistent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is reported herein. This method relies ...
Estimation of the GEO belt debris population by two independent remote sensing techniques

Models that characterize the number of GEO belt debris objects using a distribution function to describe debris with data and rigorous analytical methods, quantified as a function of size, have been developed using measurements taken in both the infrared and visible wavebands. The specific datasets used, all GEO belt debris data, were gathered from the 2009 to 2011 NASA-WISE infrared observational campaigns and 2013-2014 MODEST visible waveband campaigns. Our paper reconciles the two independent remote sensing techniques, resulting in a comprehensive description of the total number of GEO belt debris. Although a few thousand objects are cataloged at GEO, surprisingly the total number of GEO belt debris is an unknown physical quantity. The two independent estimation methods discussed in this paper result in a characteristic description of the GEO belt debris population that agrees to within 30%, by which the total number of GEO belt debris may be estimated. Additionally, the uncertainties in the two methods are discussed along with the outlook for future, more accurate measurements.
Growth Factors in the Treatment of HIV Disease

Cytokines have been portrayed as both sinner and saint in HIV disease as they play a role in both the pathogenesis of disease progression as well as its treatment. The contribution of cytokine dysregulation to the evolution of clinical decline following HIV infection has been suspected as an explanation for escape from latency as well as the wasting syndrome in advanced disease. More recently, cytokines have been implicated pathogenically in associated conditions such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Masood et al., 1995; Wang et al., 1995; Pluda et al., 1993). While some cytokines are believed to be involved in the disease process, others have attracted attention for possible positive therapeutic manipulation of the immune response. The use of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, and others with potential in this setting are reviewed elsewhere in this volume.
Annals On Call - Ablating Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Heart Failure

In this episode of Annals On Call, Dr. Centor discusses catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation with Dr. Vivek Reddy of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
Treatment of superficial vascular anomalies with topical sirolimus: A multicenter case series

Background Systemic sirolimus (rapamycin) has recently been found effective in treating complex vascular anomalies by reducing the size and associated complications. Many vascular anomalies have a cutaneous component, and thus, we sought to determine whether topical administration of sirolimus may be an effective therapy, as data on the use of topical sirolimus are limited. Objective We reviewed the efficacy and tolerability of topical formulations of sirolimus in the treatment of various simple and combined vascular malformations and tumors. Methods Eighteen patients with any vascular anomaly treated exclusively with topical sirolimus were retrospectively reviewed. Results Eleven patients had combined venous lymphatic malformations, three had tufted angiomas, two had a lymphatic malformation, one had a venous malformation, and one had a verrucous venous malformation. All (100%) patients reported some degree of improvement and 50% of patients reported marked improvement in one or more symptoms, most commonly blebs and lymphatic drainage, and bleeding. Limitations The retrospective nature, small number of patients, and differences in topical preparations limit the broad application of the results. Conclusion Topical sirolimus appears to be a safe and useful non-invasive therapy that is well-tolerated in the treatment of the cutaneous portion of a variety of vascular anomalies.
Considering anthropology and small wars

ABSTRACTAlmost every war since the origins of the discipline at the beginning of the 19th century has involved anthropology and anthropologists. In some cases, anthropologists participated directly...
Investigation of the Effect of Artificial Internal Defects on the Tensile Behavior of Laser Powder Bed Fusion 17–4 Stainless Steel Samples: Simultaneous Tensile Testing and X-Ray Computed Tomography

Insufficient data are available to fully understand the effects of metal additive manufacturing (AM) defects for widespread adoption of the emerging technology. Characterization of failure processes of complex internal geometries and defects in metal AM can significantly enhance this understanding. We aim to demonstrate a complete experimental measurement process and failure analysis method to study the effects of AM defects. We utilized simultaneous implementation of tensile tests with high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (XCT) measurements on 17–4 stainless steel dog-bone samples with an intentional octahedron-shaped internal cavity included in the gauge length and also containing much smaller lack-of-fusion (LOF) defects, all generated by a Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing process. The LOF defects were introduced by intentionally changing the LPBF default processing parameters. XCT image-based linear elastic finite element (FE) simulations were used to interpret the data. The in-situ tensile tests combined with simultaneous XCT measurements revealed the details of the failure process initiated by additively manufactured rough internal surfaces and porous defect structures, which experienced high stress concentrations. Progressive collapse of ligaments leading to larger pores was clearly observed, and the resulting porosity evolution until failure was quantitatively analyzed. The high stress concentrations were also directly confirmed by the FE simulations. The experimental methods described in this paper enable the quantitative study of the complex failure mechanisms of additively manufactured metal parts, and the image-based FE simulation method is effective for identifying and/or confirming possible failure locations and features.
Head and neck multi-organ auto-segmentation on CT images aided by synthetic MRI.

Purpose Because the manual contouring process is labor-intensive and time-consuming, segmentation of organs-at-risk (OARs) is a weak link in radiotherapy treatment planning process. Our goal was to develop a synthetic MR (sMR)-aided dual pyramid network (DPN) for rapid and accurate head and neck multi-organ segmentation in order to expedite the treatment planning process. Methods Forty-five patients' CT, MR, and manual contours pairs were included as our training dataset. Nineteen OARs were target organs to be segmented. The proposed sMR-aided DPN method featured a deep attention strategy to effectively segment multiple organs. The performance of sMR-aided DPN method was evaluated using five metrics, including Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Hausdorff distance 95% (HD95), mean surface distance (MSD), residual mean square distance (RMSD), and volume difference. Our method was further validated using the 2015 head and neck challenge data. Results The contours generated by the proposed method closely resemble the ground truth manual contours, as evidenced by encouraging quantitative results in terms of DSC using the 2015 head and neck challenge data. Mean DSC values of 0.91 ± 0.02, 0.73 ± 0.11, 0.96 ± 0.01, 0.78 ± 0.09/0.78 ± 0.11, 0.88 ± 0.04/0.88 ± 0.06 and 0.86 ± 0.08/0.85 ± 0.1 were achieved for brain stem, chiasm, mandible, left/right optic nerve, left/right parotid, and left/right submandibular, respectively. Conclusions We demonstrated the feasibility of sMR-aided DPN for head and neck multi-organ delineation on CT images. Our method has shown superiority over the other methods on the 2015 head and neck challenge data results. The proposed method could significantly expedite the treatment planning process by rapidly segmenting multiple OARs.
Small steps and larger strides in understanding the neural bases of crawling in the medicinal leech

Abstract The nervous system of the medicinal leech (Hirudo species) has often provided elegant solutions to long-standing questions in the field of locomotor control. Such outcomes stem from its easily accessible and relatively large neurons, metameric organization, identified aminergic neuromodulation, and known role of action-selection neurons descending from the brain. Neural circuits underlying leech swimming were first revealed in the 1970s, but it has only been in the past two decades that crawling, the focus of this chapter, has shared the spotlight. In this review, we will discuss the functional architecture of crawling, its differences compared to swimming, and the inherent plasticity that enables the leech to recover its locomotion after injury. We will also underscore the full utility of the leech model while looking toward the future, focusing on the technological advances and expanded tool kits that will ensure that the leech persists as a valuable preparation for generations to come.
Analysis of Four-Dimensional Data for Total Body PET Imaging

The high sensitivity and total-body coverage of total-body PET scanners will be valuable for a number of clinical and research applications outlined in this article.
The Metallicity Distribution Function of Red Giants in the LMC

We report new metallicity determinations for 39 red giants in a 220 square arcminute region, 1.8 degrees southwest of the bar of the Large Magellanic Cloud. These abundance measurements are based on spectroscopy of the Ca II infrared triplet. The metallicity distribution function (MDF) shows a strong peak at [Fe/H] = -0.57 +/- 0.04. Half the red giants in our field fall within the range -0.83 < [Fe/H] < -0.41. We find a striking contrast in the shape of the MDF below [Fe/H] < -1 between our inner disk field and the distant outer field studied by Olszewski (1993). Our field-star MDF seems similar to that of the intermediate-age (1-3 Gyr) star clusters. We have also obtained abundance estimates using Stromgren photometry for ~1000 red giants in the same field. The Stromgren measurements, which are sensitive to a combination of cyanogen and iron lines, correlate well with the Ca II measurements, but a metallicity-dependent offset is found (abridged).
Factors Affecting the Economic Status of Elderly Chicanos

This paper identifies and discusses factors affecting the economic status of elderly chicanos. These factors include historical factors, labor force participation, familial support systems, and human services utilization. Implications for policy are addressed.
Hobbling the Monitors: Should U.N. Human Rights Monitors be Accountable?

The critical issue examined in this Article is whether a group of monitors explicitly created to hold governments to account can be subjected to a strong accountability regime controlled by those same governments, without destroying the independence that is considered to be the system�s hallmark. In 2007, a group of powerful governments pushed through a Code of Conduct to regulate the activities of Special Rapporteurs (�SRs�)�the United Nations� main system of human rights monitoring by independent experts. The same group has now proposed the establishment of a Legal Committee to enforce compliance with the Code through sanctions. Other governments, the SRs, and civil society groups are highly critical of the way the Code has been used so far to stifle the work of the monitors and strongly oppose the creation of any compliance mechanism. The Article notes the powerful pressures which have succeeded in insisting that almost all international actors should be accountable to their principals, and explores the strongest case that can be made for exempting SRs from this general trend. It concludes that existing forms of accountability are weak, and probably inadequate, but that serious concerns about the undermining of the SRs� independence are also warranted. It calls for a new approach that recognizes the multifaceted nature of the notions of independence and accountability and ends with a specific proposal for a legal committee designed to strengthen both notions and enhance the legitimacy of the system as a whole.
A technology program for large area space systems

The broad objective of the Large Space Systems Technology (LSST) program is to define and develop the necessary technology for large space systems and associated subsystems required for projected NASA space missions. It is a goal of LSST to make these systems economically and technically feasible by focusing on those technical activities believed to provide the greatest benefit to a variety of future systems. Emphasis is placed on two principal structural configurations: antennas and platforms.