cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microfossil-based biostratigraphy of the Precambrian Hecla Hoek Sequence, Nordaustlandet, Svalbard

The Precambrian Murchisonfjorden Supergroup of Nordaustlandet, Svalbard, contains approximately 6000 m of folded, but essentially unmetamorphosed, shallow marine sedimentary rocks. The abundant microfossils found through much of the section allow confident biostratigraphic subdivision of the succession and correlation with contemporaneous sequences in East Greenland and Scandinavia.Diamictite-bearing rocks of the Gotia Group (uppermost in the sequence) contain a depauperate assemblage of acritarchs dominated by Bavlinella Javeolata. A Vendian age of deposition is indicated. Carbonates of the immediately underlying Rysso Formation contain a wide variety of microfossils including stromatolitic associations of several types, planktonic acritarchs, and, near the top of the formation, vase-shaped heterotrophic protists. The acritarchs, including Chuaria circularis, Kildinella hyperboreica, K. sinica, Trachysphaeridium spp., and others, and the protistan remains indicate a latest Riphean age. The underlying Hunnberg Formation is similarly fossiliferous. A typically Late Riphean acritarch suite is present, and in addition double-walled forms and large (500 μm), thick-walled spheroids bearing club-shaped 10 μm diameter spines are found. Thus, it appears that the entire carbonate sequence of the Roaldtoppen Group was deposited late in Late Riphean time.The thick detrital succession comprising the lowermost part of the unmetamorphosed Nordaustlandet sequence, the Celsiusberget and Franklinsundet groups, contains fossils at various levels. Although microfossils are often somewhat coalified, identifiable Late Riphean taxa such as Chuaria circularis and Kildinella spp. are present in rocks as low as the middle Westmanbukta Formation. The presence of the distinctive carbonaceous macrofossil Tawuia dalensis in the Kapp Lord Formation permits an age estimate of 850–900 Ma for this formation.All told, the entire Murchisonfjorden Supergroup of Nordaustlandet appears to have been deposited during the Late Riphean and Vendian intervals. The long-recognized lithostratigraphic parallels between this sequence and the Eleonore Bay and Tillite Groups of East Greenland are complemented by strong biostratigraphic similarities.
An Ontogenic Study of the Acute Inflammatory Response in the Fetal Rhesus Monkey: II. The Mediation of Increased Vascular Permeability by Histamine, Compound 48/80 and Bradykinin

Vascular permeability as a function of age was evaluated quantitatively and morphologically in skin of fetal Rhesus monkeys given vasoactive mediators. The response was examined at 90, 120 or 150 days of gestation or at birth and compared to the response of yearling Rhesus monkeys. Skin sites were challenged with histamine, compound 48/80 or bradykinin. Evans' blue and horseradish peroxidase were used as markers of vascular integrity. Evans' blue was quantitated spectrophotometrically. Vascular permeability during fetal life was depressed. Fetal venules and capillaries had poorly formed basement membranes, an abundance of microfilaments within endothelial cells, occasional electron dense endothelial cells and infrequent deposits of extravascular peroxidase.
George Nakashima, Master Woodworker: Integrated Philosophy and Process

George Nakashima produced contemporary wood furniture for almost fifty years in his New Hope, Pennsylvania, workshop. Almost from the beginning of his woodworking career he was acknowledged as a uniquely talented purist who integrated his appreciation of nature and his personal philosophy of allowing trees a “second life” with his organically designed furniture. This paper explores the many influences on Nakashima's development as a designer and master woodworker. It examines his almost metaphysical approach to deriving designs from his philosophy as well as from typical aesthetic bases. His early life experiences as a Japanese-American who traveled the world searching for the proper vehicle to express his beliefs provided the foundation for his individualistic designs and processes of manufacture. Sketches reveal how his intuitive design approach to furniture was inspired by each unique piece of wood. Photographs record visual information about his standard line as well as some typical custom pieces. The philosophical beliefs that shaped his design approaches and processes are explored.
Adaptive Spectrum Distribution in WLANs

The IEEE 802.11 standard statically channelizes the wide spectrum into smaller channels of equal width, and classically, each access point is assigned one of these channels to operate on. While an intelligent channel assignment for interfering APs can provide better network performance than just any arbitrary channel assignment, still recent work shows that even far better performance can be achieved if the fixed 802.11 channels are not used and instead the channel width and central frequency for each AP is adapted, based upon the traffic load at each AP in the network. However, the existing work for dynamic distribution of spectrum amongst APs, provides non-overlapping channels to interfering APs, which can cause loss of spectral reuse opportunities. In this paper, we propose a new dynamic spectrum distribution technique in infrastructured wireless LANs, that exploits spectrum reuse opportunities and allows overlap between channels provided to interfering APs. Our technique achieves two goals: 1) max-min fairness amongst flows in the network and 2) high network throughput. Finally, we evaluate the performance of our technique, via simulations, and present its superiority when compared to single-channel 802.11-like DCF, classic fixed channelization and the state-of-the-art dynamic spectrum distribution technique for WLANs.
Anergic B cells: Precarious on-call warriors at the nexus of autoimmunity and false-flagged pathogens

A tenet of modern immunology is that the adaptive immune system has evolved so as to prevent, or at least diminish responses targeting self-antigens (1). Self-reactive B cells that arise due to incomplete negative selection in the bone marrow have been shown to be removed or inactivated in the periphery, with the most strongly self-reactive cells subject to clonal deletion. Less self-reactive cells either undergo receptor editing or are rendered anergic (2, 3). Receptor editing entails the reactivation of recombinase activating genes (RAGs) and enables immunoglobulin genes to be rearranged to create new antigen specificities. Anergy is a poorly understood state whereby cells retain the ability to bind to self-antigens but are otherwise rendered insensitive to antigenic stimulation (4). However, anergy is not a perfect solution to control self-reactivity. Many multifactorial autoimmune disorders involve the disruption of B cell anergy as a potential mechanism (5). One of the best known examples is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), where the inappropriate activation of anergic B cells and their differentiation into plasma cells that secrete autoreactive antibodies are an important contributing pathogenic mechanism. In particular, a large number of the autoantibodies in SLE is of the 9G4 idiotype (6). It has been shown that 9G4 idiotypic B cells are present and anergic in normal individuals, but actively expand into the plasma and memory cell compartments in SLE patients (7).
Efficient spin sense determination of Flora-region asteroids via the epoch method

Abstract The Flora asteroid family’s size and location on the inner edge of the main belt make it a likely source of NEOs and terrestrial planet impactors; however, reliable determination of Flora membership is inhibited by the family’s age and the presence of a high density of background objects. Dykhuis et al. (Dykhuis et al. [2014]. Icarus 243, 111–128) identified the Flora family as the product of a 950-My-old collision dispersed in semimajor axis as a result of the Yarkovsky effect, and defined the family’s membership and extent in orbital parameter space. The observed preponderance of prograde rotators at semimajor axes greater than that of (8) Flora is consistent with the predictions of the single-collision Yarkovsky dispersion model. Here we extend the available rotational property data for the Flora family via a survey of 21 Flora-region asteroids, using a time-efficient modification of the “epoch method” to determine prograde/retrograde spin sense. Five of the survey asteroids are shown to be prograde; five are shown to be retrograde; six are shown to have spin axes in or near their orbital planes; and five represent other cases for which spin axis information was not determined. The high-semimajor axis component of the Flora family is found to have only prograde and in-plane rotators, consistent with model predictions of Yarkovsky dispersion. Moreover, we confirm a wide range of ecliptic latitudes of the spin axes among these prograde rotators, consistent with models of family evolution in which a significant fraction of the members are captured in spin–orbit resonance. Near the “center” of the family (near the semimajor axis location of (8) Flora), the spin directions are mixed, with a slight preference for retrograde rotators, placing constraints on the efficiency of YORP-cycle spin reorientation for the family. In addition to our spin sense survey, we also report new measurements of the Sloan colors of a number of large inner main belt asteroids.
Towards a moral ecology: What is the relationship between collective and human agents?

Construction d'un modele ecologique pour la comprehension de l'action morale collective et individuelle. Examinant la notion de societe immorale developpee par R. Niebuhr, d'une part, et le role de la personne dans l'action collective defini par S. Milgram (etat d'agent), d'autre part, l'A. etudie le role essentiel du mythe et les strategies du changement social dans la relation parasite ou symbiotique entre les etres humains et les collectivites humaines
Middle School as a Developmental Niche for Civic Engagement

The present study investigated how school climate, school connectedness and academic efficacy beliefs inform emergent civic engagement behaviors among middle school youth of color. These associations were examined both concurrently and longitudinally using a developmentally appropriate measure of civic engagement. Data were drawn from two subsamples of a larger study of social/emotional development in middle school (cross-sectional sample n = 324; longitudinal sample n = 232), M = 12 years old, 46 % female, 53 % male. Forty-two percent (42.2 %) of the sample self-identified as African American, 19.8 % as Multiracial or Mixed, 19.4 % as Latino, 11.6 % as Asian American or Pacific Islander, 11.6 % identified as Other, and 5.2 % as Native American. The study tested and found support for a latent mediation model in which more positive perceptions of school climate were positively related to school connectedness, and this in turn, was positively associated with civic engagement; school climate was also positively associated with academic-self-efficacy beliefs, but such beliefs did not mediate the climate-civic engagement association. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Effects of Acidity on Microorganisms and Microbial Processes in Soil

Microbiologists have long been interested in the effects of acidity on the residents and activities of terrestrial ecosystems. For decades, scientists in many countries have explored the changes brought about by the acidification of soils associated with the use of fertilizers and have examined the relative rates of several transformations as influenced by pH of the habitat. An enormous literature was developed in the early phases of soil microbiology. However, such investigations fell into disfavor, and much of the research therefore terminated. Only recently has it become fashionable to work in this area once again, as it became evident that similar stresses were induced owing to acid precipitation, and once again there is renewed interest. It is now evident, moreover, that large gaps in our knowledge exist, and though the information base is large, many information deficiencies remain so that it is not frequently possible to assess the impact of acidity on the residents or the activities they catalyze.
ARTHROPLASTY OF THE HIP

Arthroplasty for the production of motion, in certain joints and under certain conditions, has taken its place in surgery as a definite procedure. Surely this is the case in Germany, Italy, and America, and to a lesser degree in France, but it cannot yet be said to have gained a foothold in England. Indeed, most English writers seem to be antagonistic to it, but, as only one hundred and forty arthroplasties of all joints have been done in England (Groves, 1924), perhaps a greater experience may change this point of view. Arthroplasty for ankylosis of the jaw is an operative procedure as permanent and exact as is the operation of appendectomy. I myself have had forty-three operations of arthroplasty of the jaw with but a single failure. That one should not have been attempted, as it was a synostosis of the entire upper and lower jaw in a baby weighing but four pounds at one year of age. I have no hesitancy whatever in promising a cure in ankylosis of the jaw, subject only to the unforeseen happenings to which any operation is prone. [See FIG in Source PDF] To my mind, next to the jaw, arthroplasty of the hip has made the greatest strides, and is well on its way of taking its place as a recognized surgical procedure. I believe that arthroplasty of the hip for gonorrheal arthritis is not only a proper procedure, but it almost assures the patient of good motion in the hip with "all the advantages thereunto appertaining". I should not hesitate to recommend such a procedure to any patient applying for relief. The results of arthroplasty in traumatic ankylosis of the hip are very gratifying. Our prognosis in septic infection of the hip should be far more guarded, and we should attempt the operation only after the most careful scrutiny of the case, and always with a certain mental reservation. It is difficult to tell what changes have been made in the human body by the previous continuous suppuration. Here we are dealing with latent fire. In tuberculous arthritis caution should be our motto. Opinion generally is against an arthroplasty. In some adults, apparently cured but with exacerbation of fluid in the joint and its consequent disability, good results may be obtained. In arthritis deformans, almost never!
Suspect identification following exposure to sketches and Identi-Kit composites

A facial recognition study explored the utility of two common image generation techniques--sketches and Identi-kit composites. Subjects saw an image (sketch or composite) and then attempted to select the target face in a series of photographs. The effect of image quality (goodness-of-fit of the image with the target person) was a second variable. Better images led to better recognition performance. Image type was marginally significant--sketches were better than composites. The results have implications for criminal identification systems. Language: en
Effect of vascular anatomy on the formation of basilar tip aneurysms.

Background The pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms is multifactorial and includes genetic, environmental, and anatomic influences. Hemodynamic stress plays a particular role in the formation of intracranial aneurysms, which is conditioned by the geometry and morphology of the vessel trees. Objective To identify image-based morphological parameters that correlated with the formation of basilar artery tip aneurysms (BTAs) in a location-specific manner. Methods Morphological parameters obtained from computed tomographic angiographies of 33 patients with BTAs and 33 patients with aneurysms at other locations were evaluated with Slicer, an open-source image analysis software, to generate 3-dimensional models of the aneurysms and surrounding vascular architecture. We examined the diameters and vessel-to-vessel angles of the main vessels at the basilar bifurcation in patients with and without BTAs. To control for genetic and other risk factors, only patients with at least 1 aneurysm were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine statistical significance. Results Sixty-six patients (33 with BTAs, 33 with other aneurysms) who were evaluated from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that a larger angle between the posterior cerebral arteries (odds ratio, 1.04; P = 1.42 × 10(-3)) and a smaller basilar artery diameter (odds ratio, 0.23; P = .02) were most strongly associated with BTA formation after adjustment for other morphological and clinical variables. Conclusion Larger posterior cerebral artery angles and smaller basilar artery diameters are associated with the formation of basilar tip aneurysms. These parameters are easily measurable by the clinician and will aid in screening strategies in high-risk patients.
Insect repellents: concepts of their mode of action relative to potential sensory mechanisms in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae).

Topical chemical insect repellents are used in an attempt to protect ourselves from biting insects and the pathogens that they transmit. Unfortunately, the search for newer and better repellents has not been highly successful. One important reason is that we do not know how insect repellents work. Various theories that have been proposed are reviewed here. In addition, information obtained from sensory physiological studies is presented, which suggests that there may be more than 1 sensory-behavioral mechanism by which chemical insect repellents reduce the biting activity of female mosquitoes. Repellents may act by interfering with the perception of host-attractant signals, by exciting a receptor for a competing behavior, by switching a sensory message from attraction to repulsion, by activating several different receptor systems so that the repellent, in effect, “jams” meaningful sensory information, and/or by exciting a repellent (i.e., noxious substance) receptor.
Argumentation-based Negotiation in t-DeLP-POP

In this contribution, we propose to model argumentation-based negotiation in terms of t-DeLP-POP, a partial order planning system that incorporates temporal defeasible logic. This logic combines temporal facts and durative rules into temporal arguments. We propose a dialogue protocol for the negotiation of plans in this planning system that models a variety of scenarios for argumentative negotiation of complex services. Then we consider case studies in the literature can be naturally modeled by dialogues in this logic-based planning framework.
Postcoital, Vaginal, spermicidal potency of formulations: the Macaca arctoides (stumptailed macaque) as animal model.

The Macaca arctoides (stumptailed macaque) was found to be a good animal model for determining the postcoital spermicidal activity of vaginal preparations. The stumptailed macaque is easy to handle, so formulations can be inserted correctly into the vagina just before coitus. The male mates rapidly, and the entire test can be completed within 5 to 10 minutes, minimizing all extraneous factors other than those inherent to the reproductive tract and the coital act. Data from postcoital breeding experiments were found to be reliable and consistent when results of six primate mating tests for a single dose level of a test formulation were averaged. Dose-response curves can be prepared from these averaged results, and the relative in vivo effectiveness of the spermicides can be determined. The Sander-Cramer test proved to be a good assay with which to quantitate the in vitro spermicidal potency of formulations. The spermicidal preparations tested immobilized human and primate spermatozoa in vitro to the same extent with the exception of one formulation (possibly due to the vehicle in which the active ingredient was incorporated). The relative spermicidal effectiveness of preparations differs with in vitro and postcoital testing. Because the latter is a more realistic indicator of the contraceptive potency of a formulation, it is recommended that postcoital primate experiments be performed with newly developed vaginal spermicides before extensive animal breeding experiments or clinical trials are initiated.
Self-Determination: Analysis of the Concept and Implications for Research in Palliative Care

This paper analyzes the evolution and the definition, current use, and application of the concept of self-determination in palliative care research and practice. Undertaken as a foundation for the development of a palliative care research program, the analysis considers selected historical, bioethical, legal, clinical, and relevant medical and nursing health-care literature on adults with chronic and terminal illness. Based on a synthesis of the literature, a conceptual definition is proposed and ways of integrating the concept of self-determination into palliative care intervention research are identified.
Comparison of intraoperative nitroprusside unloading in mitral and aortic regurgitation.

To compare the hemodynamic effect of vasodilator therapy on different regurgitant lesions, we infused sodium nitroprusside intraoperatively in 12 patients with mitral regurgitation and 15 with aortic regurgitation. During the critical period preceding establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass, both groups had developed intense vasoconstriction and cardiac decompensation. All demonstrated improved cardiac function with vasodilator therapy; however, the degree of improvement with nitroprusside differed in the two groups. Stroke volume increased 10 ml. per beat per meter squared in those patients with aortic regurgitation and only 6 ml. per beat per meter squared in those with mitral regurgitation (p
Analysis of microstructure and mechanical properties change in laser welding of Ti6Al4V with a multiphysics prediction model

Abstract This paper reports on a study involving examination of the geometry, microstructure and microhardness of welds produced on a 1.625 mm thick Ti6Al4V titanium alloy using the IPG YLR-1000 fiber laser. A numerical model has been developed to predict the fusion zone (FZ), heat affected zone (HAZ) and microhardness of the weld. The thermal history from the multi-physics model is incorporated into a two-dimensional phase prediction model to predict the α′ martensite formation in the heat-affected zone and fusion zone. The multi-physics phase prediction model is applied to simulate the laser keyhole welding process with varying laser power and welding speed. It was observed that the weld geometry and microhardness predictions from the multi-physics model were in good agreement with the experimental data. The results show that the peak hardness consistently appear at the FZ and HAZ boundaries due to the high cooling rate. In addition, it has been found that laser welding speed has a profound influence on acicular α′ martensite formation leading to hardness change. Consequently, to minimize the weld hardening, use of lower power and lower welding speed parameters is recommended in the power range of 800–1000 W and welding speed range of 1.73–4 m/min.
Specific Immune Response Genes of Guinea Pigs

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a study that examines the human lympnocyte-dependent cytotoxic antibody and mechanisms of target cell destruction in vitro . All cells used in this study were isolated from fresh human peripheral blood. Heparinized blood was passed at 37°C through nylon columns which had been prerinsed with 37°C phosphate-buffered Balanced Salt Solution (BSS). Eluate cells were settled for 45 min in plasmagel at 37°C. Lymphocyte-rich supernatants were resuspended in BSS with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum. Target cells were prepared by lysing red blood cells with Ammonium Chloride Tris (ACT) and lableing with 51 Cr. Lableed cells were coated with undiluted, heat-inactivated antisera for 30 min at 37°C and washed once prior to use. This indirect method of sensitization resulted in greater subsequent cell-mediated cytotoxicity than was obtained by adding antibody directly to reaction mixtures of attacking and target cells or by coating the attacking cells. Target cells functioned only as target cells because the process of ACT lysis of red cells and 51 Cr lableing each inactivated lymphocytes for future LDA utilization as effector cells.
The Acquisition of Social Speech Routines and Politeness Formulas

ABSTRACT Interest in children's emerging communicative competence has recently led to the study of the acquisition of the social and interactive components of language. Children must learn to use language appropriately in many different interpersonal situations. The acquisition of routines (e.g. bye bye , greetings, thanks and even rare formulae like trick or treat ) is an important part of linguistic socialisation. Moreover, parents explicitly teach routines and prompt their children to produce them. This paper examines the ways in which parents socialise their children in the use of a number of such routines. Parents and children were observed in naturalistic settings for the study of some routines, and a laboratory setting was used for others. In the laboratory, 22 pre-school children interacted separately with their fathers and mothers in a situation designed to elicit politeness routines. Principal aims of the study included determining if some routines are more obligatory than others, as well as finding out if there were any sex differences either in the behaviour of fathers and mothers or in the ways that boys and girls were treated. Results indicate that while boys and girls are treated similarly, their parents provide different models for them, with mothers producing more polite speech than fathers. Parents themselves use a remarkably consistent prompting formula in attempting to elicit routines from their children, and thank you is the routine most likely to be insisted upon. The significance of the study is related to questions of how children acquire communicative competence as well as to broader questions relating to how children are socialised as bearers of particular sex roles and members of particular societies.
Secondary Production: Activities of Heterotrophic Organisms—The Soil Fauna

Soil animals exist in a wide range of locations and microsites in soil. Very small animals (microfauna), protists, and nematodes, live in water-films; larger fauna occupy pores and interstices in the soil matrix. The soil fauna consume a wide range of organic material and are arranged in complex food webs. In most cases, less than 20% of soil fauna taxa are described taxonomically. This is also a major challenge in biodiversity studies. Functional groups are useful in considering roles in soil systems.
High temperature diaphragm valve-based comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Abstract A high temperature diaphragm valve-based two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography (GC×GC) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) instrument, with the valve mounted directly in the GC oven, is demonstrated with separations up to 325 °C. Use of the diaphragm valve allowed for the use of uncoupled carrier gas flows for 1D (first column dimension) and 2D (second column dimension), with a 1D flow rate of 1 ml/min, and a 2D flow rate 3 ml/min. The 3 ml/min flow rate on 2D was selected to ensure compatibility with most TOFMS detectors. For valve-based modulation, a 5 µl sample loop coupled with a 60 ms pulse width was selected, providing sufficient sensitivity concurrent with an acceptable 2D peak capacity. A 44-component mixture of alkanes, alcohols, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (including n-alkanes of heptane to triacontane) whose boiling points range from 98 °C to 450 °C was used to initially study instrument performance. For a 120 min separation and a modulation period PM of 2 s, average peak widths-at-base of 10 s and 94 ms were achieved for the alkanes on the 1D and 2D dimensions, respectively. Hence, the 1D peak capacity is 1nc~700, and the 2D peak capacity can in principle be 2nc~20. Thus the ideal 2D peak capacity could in principle approach nc,2D~14,000 using the 120 min 1D run time. The limit of detection (LOD) for docosane, a representative analyte, was determined to be 1.5 ppm injected concentration when 2 µl of liquid sample was injected with a 20:1 split. A separation of diesel fuel demonstrated the practical utility of the instrument with this complex sample using a relatively fast run time of 20 min and a short modulation period PM of 1 s. Average peak widths-at-base of 5.4 s and 166 ms were achieved on the 1D and 2D dimensions, respectively. This yielded a 1nc~220 and a 2nc~ 6. Therefore, the 2D peak capacity is nc,2D~1320 with the 20 min diesel separation.
High Sensitivity Detection of Bacillus Cereus in Plasma Samples.

Microbial contamination of blood and blood products remains a major concern in transfusion medicine. Detection of bacterial contamination has been traditionally carried out by inoculating the contaminated blood/blood products into a liquid or solid nutrient medium followed by 18–24 h incubation period to observe any bacterial colony formation (growth). Although this technique is highly sensitive and specific, the test requires at least 24 hours for accurate diagnosis, which is a limitation Nucleic acid-based and antigen-based assays that have been recently in use also have limitations either with regard to time, sensitivity or specificity. In the present study we utilized Bacillus cereus and bacteriolysin (PlyG) derived from its g-phage virus as a model system for high sensitivity detection of this B. cereus in plasma. Six overlapping synthetic peptides in the bacterial binding C-terminal region of PlyG were tested in the study. The length of the synthetic peptides ranged from 20 to 10-mer and were biotinylated for subsequent detection. Peptide binding to bacteria was detected using either Streptavidin-conjugated horse radish peroxidase (HRP) on a nitrocellulose membrane or by using streptavidin-conjugated fluorescent Q-dots (liquid nano crystals) and analyzing under a fluorescence microscope. Various dilutions of log-phase cultures of B. cereus were spiked into plasma samples and incubated with the peptides for 1 hour followed by detection using either the streptavidin-HRP or streptavidin-Q-dots. Results revealed that two out of six peptides bound strongly to Bacillus in both the assays, while the rest of the peptides were either non-binders or weakly-binding. The membrane-based assay demonstrated an assay sensitivity of 102 colony forming units (CFU)/ml whereas the Q dots-based fluorescence assay was able to detect even a single bacterium. Overall, our findings suggest that both these assays are rapid and sensitive and results could be achieved within 2–3 hours. Quantitation of the fluorescent signal by fluorometry in a 96-well plate format is in progress. The findings and conclusions in this abstract have not been formally disseminated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.
CD19 Fc-Fusion Protein for Detection of Cells Expressing Anti-CD19 Chimeric Antigen Receptors.

Abstract Abstract 3756 Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) consist of the antigen-recognition portion of a monoclonal antibody fused to an intracellular signaling domain that is capable of activating T cells. CARs are displayed on the surface of transduced cells, performing non-MHC-restricted antigen recognition and activating intracellular signaling pathways for induction of target cytolysis, cytokine secretion and proliferation. Clinical trials are in progress assessing the use of modified mature T lymphocytes transduced with CARs targeting CD19 antigen to treat B-lineage malignancies. CD19 is an attractive target for immunotherapy because of its consistent and specific expression in most of the stages of maturation and malignancies of B lymphocyte origin, but not on hematopoietic stem cells. Antibodies against the extracellular domain of the CAR molecule (anti-Fab, Fc or idiotype) have been used for detection of CAR expression in research and clinical samples by flow cytometry, but may need development for each construct and present significant background in samples from xenograft models. We developed a specific reagent for the detection of anti-CD19 CAR expressed on cells, a soluble fusion protein consisting of human CD19 extracellular domains and the Fc region of human IgG1 (19sIg). Genes encoding 19sIg fusion proteins were constructed by fusing either Exons 1 to 3 (19sIg1-3) or Exons 1 to 4 (19sIg1-4) of the human CD19 cDNA to a human IgG1Fc fragment. These fusion proteins are intended to work in similar fashion as the MHC Tetramers used for identification of antigen-specific T cells, and may also have other applications in studies of activation of anti-CD19 CAR bearing cells. The 19sIg proteins were produced from 293T cells by stable lentiviral vector transduction and purification from culture medium. ELISA assays using several different monoclonal antibodies to CD19 demonstrated dose-related specific binding by the fusion molecule 19sIg1-4, but no binding to 19sIg1-3. Conjugation of the 19sIg1-4 fusion protein to Alexa Fluor 488 allowed specific and sensitive staining of anti-CD19 CAR-bearing cells for flow cytometry assays. Large-scale production and stable conjugation of this fusion molecule will provide a useful reagent to detect anti-CD19 CAR derived from any monoclonal antibody. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Entropy for Actions of Sofic Groups

In Section 9.3 we arrived at a definition of entropy for p.m.p. actions of amenable groups by combining a concept which is internal to the space (the Shannon entropy of a partition) with one which is internal to the group (the process of averaging over Folner sets).
The hamster major histocompatibility complex and alternate mechanisms of cell-mediated anti-viral cytotoxic activity in the Syrian hamster.

Previous studies using the Syrian hamster (1,2,3) have partially defined and characterized the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in this species. Although various cellular alloimmune reactivities have been described in hamsters, it is not known whether any of these responses result from allogeneic disparities encoded by class I MHC loci analogous to the murine H-2K and H-2D.
Establishing a Numerical Modeling Framework for Hydrologic Engineering Analyses of Extreme Storm Events

AbstractIn this study, a numerical modeling framework for simulating extreme storm events was established using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Such a framework is necessary for t...
Caught on Camera

In Texas, state policy anticipates that installing video cameras in special education classrooms will decrease student abuse inflicted by teachers. Lawmakers assume that collecting video footage will prevent teachers from engaging in malicious actions and prosecute those who choose to harm children. At the request of a parent, Section 29.022 of the Texas Education Code (2015) will protect students who are unable to speak for themselves from bullying and abuse by installing video surveillance cameras in special education classrooms. The purpose of this article is to describe the law in Texas, the impact of the bill on classrooms, to raise questions about the implementation of the law, and to provide recommendations for school administrators.
Randomized controlled trial of 2% lidocaine gel versus water-based lubricant for multi-channel urodynamics.

The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a difference in pain during and after multichannel urodynamic testing in women when using 2% lidocaine gel versus water-based lubricant. This was a randomized, controlled, double-blinded study. Women scheduled to undergo urodynamic testing were invited to participate. Participants were randomized to lidocaine 2% gel or water-based lubricant for use during testing. Both participant and examiner were blinded to the type of gel. Pain was assessed by the Wong–Baker pain scale from 0 to 10 at four points during the examination. After testing, participants completed a questionnaire to assess their expectations of pain and embarrassment with urodynamic testing. The examiner also completed a questionnaire to assess his/her impression of the participant’s pain during the procedure. The women in the lidocaine group had lower pain scores after the cotton tipped swab test (1.3 vs 3.6, lidocaine vs lubricant respectively, p < 0.001) and after placement of urodynamic catheters (1.4 vs 3.9, lidocaine vs lubricant, respectively, p < 0.001). Mean pain scores 30 min post-completion of the study were similar between groups (0.7 vs 1.2, 1.4 vs 3.9, lidocaine vs lubricant respectively, p = 0.19). Participants reported that pain during the study was better than expected in both groups. Physician perception of the participant’s pain during testing was lower in the lidocaine group (2 vs 3, lidocaine vs lubricant respectively p = 0.008). Use of 2% lidocaine gel during in and out catheterization, cotton-tipped swab test, and urodynamic testing decreases pain during these procedures.
Metadata versus Full-Text: Tracking Users’ Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) Seeking Behavior

This presentation provides data from a recent research project at the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries to better understand how users are discovering the electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) in the UNT Libraries. To extract the specific requests for ETDs in the UNT Digital Library, the data was obtained from a server log-that contained more than 178 million lines of requests. From these requests, the search query was executed in an ambiguous way (not specific fielded searches) queries were extracted to create a dataset of item-query pairs. These item-query pairs were presented to the Solr full-text indexer that powers the search and retrieval side of the UNT Digital Library to report back on statistics, and help to explain whether a specific query was satisfied by either the ETDs full-text, metadata, or by both fields. The resulting data helps us understand how our users are arriving at a given ETD in the collection. Among other speculations, the role of metadata for the discovery process, and the possible overlap that is present between metadata and the full-text of the ETD itself will be analyzed and discussed.
Privileging the Oriental in Paco Bezerra's El señor Ye ama los dragones

ABSTRACTPaco Bezerra's 2015 thriller-comedy El senor Ye ama los dragones destabilized the immigration narrative that often appears in Spanish theatre by creating a story in which Chinese immigrants...
Comparison of the effects of pectoralis muscles stretching exercise and scapular retraction strengthening exercise on forward shoulder

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare effect in a group of stretching and a group of muscle strengthening exercise for patients with forward scapular posture. [Subjects and Methods] This study was performed in 20 subjects who defined to the forward shoulder posture. The subjects were divided into a group of pectoralis muscles stretching and a group of muscle strength exercise for scapular retraction. [Results] The forward shoulder posture of the group of the scapular retraction exercise was significantly decreased when compared to that of the group of the pectoralis muscles stretching. [Conclusion] It is expected that therapeutic effect can be improved and the period can be shortened when strength exercise for forward shoulder posture is applied as a therapeutic intervention.
Entwicklung des Strategischen Informations-Managements in der Praxis

Wenn wir uber Ziele und Prioritaten einer Informationsinfrastruktur reden, so stellen wir als erstes ein Dilemma fest, das sich folgendermasen charakterisieren last. Es besteht die Notwendigkeit nach einem Gesamtkonzept fur die Informationsinfrastruktur. Diese Notwendigkeit leitet sich im wesentlichen aus Aspekten der Kompatibilitat ab, d.h. der Forderung, nach Vertraglichkeit der eingesetzten Technologien untereinander. Ferner kommen neben Uberlegungen rein wirtschaftlicher Art auch Uberlegungen im Rahmen der Leistungsoptimierung zum Tragen: zur Verfugung stehende Technologien sollen optimal eingesetzt werden. All dies ist aber nur dann moglich, wenn ein Gesamtkonzept fur die Informationsinfrastruktur vorliegt, das alle Technologien und bestehenden Ressourcen mit einbezieht.
Preventing eye damage from the sun's ultraviolet light: what health educators should teach.

(1989). Preventing Eye Damage from the Sun's Ultraviolet Light: What Health Educators Should Teach. Health Education: Vol. 20, No. 7, pp. 42-47.
Abstract 3280: Utah somatic variant calling pipeline featuring multi-sample joint calling, variant-graph based accurate allele frequency estimation and subclone analysis

Current tumor variant detection software tools are focused on the identification of somatic mutations in a single tumor sample (e.g. the primary tumor) compared to normal control tissue, and are not adequate for studies where multiple samples from the same patient, either at consecutive time points or at different metastatic sites are collected. Here we present a software framework that facilitates simultaneous analysis of such multi-sample datasets. Our framework utilizes our FreeBayes variant caller for jointly calling all tumor samples and normal controls from the patient. This ensures that even very low frequency mutations are called because read evidence is aggregated across all samples; and that allele frequency information for a called somatic variant is provided uniformly for all samples. Short and medium-length INDELs, and structural variants are identified by our RUFUS software, a new reference-free mutation calling algorithm for both germline and somatic mutation detection, with extremely high sensitivity and specificity. We use our Graphite tool, a graph-genome based read realignment algorithm, to eliminate false positive somatic calls i.e. inherited variants masquerading as somatic mutations, and to substantially increase accuracy of allele frequency estimation of the true somatic calls, a feature critical for downstream subclone analysis. In addition, we use the FACETS package for CNV and LOH analysis, also critical for downstream subclone analysis. Finally, we utilize SubcloneSeeker, our algorithm to reconstruct the evolution of the cancer at the subclonal level from the somatic variant allele frequencies, to understand how the tumor evolved over time, in response to multiple courses of treatment, or over space, across multiple metastatic sites. We demonstrate the use of this pipeline in published and ongoing studies involving longitudinal and multi-site tumor sample datasets. Citation Format: Yi Qiao, Xiaomeng Huang, Dillon Lee, Andrew Farrell, Thomas Nicholas, Brent Pederson, Aaron Quinlan, Gabor Marth. Utah somatic variant calling pipeline featuring multi-sample joint calling, variant-graph based accurate allele frequency estimation and subclone analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3280.
Orchestra: Guaranteeing Performance SLAs for Cloud Applications by Avoiding Resource Storms

This paper presents Orchestra, a cloud-specific framework for managing both foreground applications (e.g., Web, DBMS) and background services (e.g., backup, security check, batch jobs) in the user space. Orchestra is designed to address "resource storms" caused by sudden executions of the background services on the cloud instances. The resource storms significantly degrade the performance of foreground applications by interfering in the preemption of the shared resources, resulting in frequent SLA violations and poor user experience. Orchestra takes an online approach using lightweight monitoring and creates performance models for multiple cloud applications on the fly. It then optimizes the allocations of shared resources to meet SLAs. We evaluate the performance of Orchestra on a production cloud (Amazon EC2) with a diverse range of SLA requirements. The experiment results show that Orchestra successfully guarantees the foreground application's performance to meet its SLA targets at all times. Moreover, Orchestra maintains the background's performance by minimizing its performance penalty with proper allocation of the shared resources.
Probabilistic Evaluation of Line Loading and Line Active Power in an Active Distribution Network Using Numerical and Analytical Approaches

In recent years, active distribution networks have gained in importance due to increased emphasis on renewable energy sources. The integration of these sources into the power system is intrinsically related to various types of uncertainties. In such cases, evaluating line loading and line active power is of immense importance in providing comprehensive details for use in power system planning. This paper presents two key (numerical and analytical) approaches for comparing computational times and accuracy for line loading and active power in an active distribution network. Monte Carlo and quasi-Monte Carlo simulations are categorized as numerical methods and combined cumulants and Gram-Charlier expansion is an analytical approach. The IEEE 13-bus test system was employed to conduct the required analysis. It was determined that the combined cumulants and Gram-Charlier expansion method is quite accurate and computationally efficient when compared to Monte Carlo and quasi-Monte Carlo methods.
Novel prognostic biomarkers and their association with survival in pancreatic cancers.

296Background: Early detection of pancreatic cancer would allow for improved survival outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated serum protease levels and the survival of 15 pancreatic cancer ...
Hyperspectral Measurements, Parameterizations, and Atmospheric Correction of Whitecaps and Foam From Visible to Shortwave Infrared for Ocean Color Remote Sensing

Breaking waves are highly reflective features on the sea surface that change the spectral properties of the ocean surface in both magnitude and spectral shape. Here, hyperspectral reflectance measurements of whitecaps from 400-2500 nm were taken in Long Island Sound, USA of natural and manufactured breaking waves to explore new methods to estimate whitecap contributions to ocean color imagery. Whitecap reflectance was on average ~40% in visible wavelengths and decreased significantly into the near infrared and shortwave infrared following published trends. The spectral shape was well-characterized by a third order polynomial function of liquid water absorption that can be incorporated into coupled ocean-atmospheric models and spectral optimization routines. Localized troughs in whitecap reflectance correspond to peaks in liquid water absorption and depths of the troughs are correlated to the amount and intensity of the breaking waves. Specifically, baseline-corrected band depths at 980 and 1200 nm explained 77% and 90% of the whitecap-enhanced reflectance on a logarithmic scale, respectively. Including these wavebands into future ocean color sensors could potentially provide new tools to estimate whitecap contributions to reflectance more accurately than with wind speed. An effective whitecap factor was defined as the optical enhancements within a pixel due to whitecaps and foam independent of spatial scale. A simple mixed-pixel model of whitecap and background reflectance explained as much of the variability in measured reflectance as more complex models incorporating semi-transparent layers of foam. Using an example atmosphere, enhanced radiance from whitecaps was detectable at the top of the atmosphere and a multiple regression of at-sensor radiance at 880, 1038, 1250 and 1615 nm explained 99% of the variability in whitecap factor. A proposed model of whitecap-free reflectance includes contributions from water-leaving radiance, glint, and diffuse reflected skylight. The epsilon ratio at 753 and 869 nm commonly used for aerosol model selection is nearly invariant with whitecap factor compared to the ratio at shortwave infrared bands. While more validation data is needed, this research suggests several promising avenues to retrieve estimates of the whitecap reflectance and to use ocean color to further elucidate the physics of wave breaking and gas exchange.