cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lubiprostone stimulates small intestinal mucin release

Lubiprostone is a synthetic bicyclic fatty acid derivative of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) used for chronic constipation. The best known action of lubiprostone is simulation of Cl- dependent fluid secretion. In a mouse model of the genetic disease cystic fibrosis, we previously showed that in vivo administration of lubiprostone resulted in greater mucus accumulation in the small intestine. The aim of this study was to directly test whether lubiprostone stimulates intestinal mucin release. Mucin release was measured by mounting segments (4-5 cm) of mouse proximal-mid small intestine in an organ bath, allowing access to the perfusate (luminal) and the bath (serosal) solutions. Nifedipine (10-6 M) and indomethacin (10-5 M) were included in all solutions to inhibit smooth muscle activity and endogenous prostaglandin production, respectively. The tissue was equilibrated under flow for 30 min, using the perfusate collected during the final 10 min of the equilibration period to measure unstimulated release rate. Stimulus was then added to either the perfusate or the bath and the perfusate was collected for another 30 min to measure the stimulated mucin release rate. Mucin in perfusates was quantified by periodic acid-Schiff's base dot-blot assay, using purified pig gastric mucin as a standard. When applied luminally at 1 μM lubiprostone was ineffective at stimulating mucin release. When added to the serosal solution, 1 μM lubiprostone stimulated mucin release to ~300% of the unstimulated rate. As a positive control, serosal 1 μM prostaglandin E2 increased mucin release to ~400% of the unstimulated rate. These results support the idea that lubiprostone has prostaglandin-like actions on the intestine, which includes stimulation of mucin release. Stimulation of mucin release by lubiprostone may be protective in gastrointestinal conditions where loss of mucus is believed to contribute to pathogenesis. Thus, in addition to chronic constipation, there is greater potential for the therapeutic applications of lubiprostone.
Automated metrology qualification strategy [IC measurement]

This paper presents the methodology used to perform qualification of critical dimension (CD) SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) tools for sub-0.5 /spl mu/m process control. A submicron pitch standard has been characterized and incorporated into an automated tool calibration and qualification procedure. After first matching individual tools to the standard, daily tool qualification is performed on a CD qualification wafer. SPC (Statistical Process Control) charts are set up to subtract line broadening effects encountered in repeated SEM measurement. The automated calibration and qualification procedures described here permit accurate measurements to be provided as is required for effective metrology support of the modern factory.
Technique of right single-lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis using cross-field ventilation.

airway management. Corsten and associates’ 4 meta-analysis demonstrated a signif icant survival advantage in those patients who were treated by a combined drainage of the neck and mediastinum versus cervical drainage alone. The authors recommend a formal thoracotomy to drain the chest. Brunelli and colleagues, 5 however, recommend a cervicomediastinal drainage (cervical incision to enter the thorax) of the mediastinum for cases of superior mediastinitis, with a formal thoracotomy reserved for those cases in which the DNM involvement extends beyond the carina. Our surgical approach through a median sternotomy associated with a transverse cervical incision was based on the fact that the patient had a compromised cardiac output and CT findings consistent with a predominant anterior and middle mediastinitis. The posterior and infracarinal mediastinum were less affected by the disease. Our purpose was to decompress the heart along with a proper debridement. Inotropic requirements after surgery were significantly lower. Abscesses tend to reform in the days after surgery, and a daily cervical wash is necessary to release collections and to collapse forming abscesses. Irrigation and drainage of the mediastinum are conducted daily. Management of DNM should always be surgical, with broad, extensive, open cervicotomy together with ample mediastinal drainage and associated thoracotomy, if necessary, to ensure the adequate drainage of all mediastinal compartments.
Sex and race differences in psychiatric symptomatology in phencyclidine psychosis.

Summary.-The medical records of 153 psychiatric admissions who were determined to be Phencyclidine toxic were analyzed for the presence of various categories of psychiatric symptoms. Aggression was observed during the hospital stay by 58% of the patients followed closely by bizarre behavior (55%) and anxiety (53%). 116 males did not differ from 37 females in observed symptoms but 112 blacks showed more bizarre behavior than 41 whites. Further analysis indicated that the black-whire difference was due to the significantly higher incidence of bizarre behaviol, aggression, and looseness of assoc~ar~on observed among 26 black females than 11 white females. These results suggest that white females who are Phencyclidine-toxic may not resemble the ofceo reported and frequently observed Phencyclidine-toxic patient who is violently psychotic and paranoid. This preliminary work requires systematic replication. Phencyclidine (PCP) has become an alarmingly common drug of abuse in the United States (1, 5, 11). The drug was fkst used in the 1950's as an intravenous analgesic (7) but its use was halted in 1965 because of the high incidence of adverse side effects involving confused sensorium and bizarre cognitive experiences ranging from drowsiness and apathy to psychotic delusions. Since an illicit form of PCP appeared in San Francisco in 1967 (9), its abuse has become widespread throughout this country. Much attention has been directed at abuse of phencyclidine because the effects of toxicity are severe and include bizarre behavior indistinguishable from psychosis (5, 8, lo), as well as death (2,4). Luisuda and Brown (10) as well as Garey (5) have proposed that an initial period of violent psychotic behavior and paranoid ideation lasting from a few hours to several days can be expected in more severely affected users. Of course, the most severe cases are frequently hospitalized and must be accurately diagnosed and treated by mental health professionals. Because the symptoms mimic acute psychosis, both diagnosis and treaunent can be extremely difficult. While combative aggression is commonly associated with severe PCP psychosis, the clinical picture can be quite varied. It is unknown just what factors determine how an individual will react to PCP toxicity but Garey (5), pointing out that young adult males appear more susceptible, hypothesizes that genetic factors may render certain persons more susceptible to PCP toxicity or a "bad trip." The present study was a retrospective analysis of observable characteristics '1415 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans LA 701 12.
Gust Response Sensitivity Characteristics of Very Flexible Aircraft

This paper studies the effect of varying structural stiffness parameters on the gust response of a very flexible aircraft (VFA). Twelve different aircraft models, as well as the baseline model, are subjected to a temporally and spatially distributed gust of varying durations. The open loop response of the models is examined as a function of different natural frequencies and frequency ratios. Linear models are extracted from the nonlinear data using system identification. These linear models are then examined to determine their stability and controllability properties. A Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller is used to determine the closed loop response of the models to a pitch step command in the presence of gust. Finally, the models are given a 0° pitch command in order to examine the ability of the LQG controller to maintain level flight while encountering gust.
The ACADEMIC Study in Perspective (Azithromycin in Coronary Artery Disease: Elimination of Myocardial Infection with Chlamydia)

Chlamydia pneumoniae, a common cause of respiratory infection, is vasotropic and frequently found in human atheromas. Whether it plays a causal role in coronary artery disease (CAD) is uncertain. The effects of 3 months of azithromycin treatment or placebo were tested in 302 patients with chronic CAD seropositive to C. pneumoniae at 3-6 months. Azithromycin reduced a global rank sum score of 4 inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin [IL]-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-a; P = .011) and a global rank sum change score (±SD) (from 535 ± 201 to 587 ± 190; P = .027) at 6 (but not 3) months. Change scores for CRP and IL-6 and median IL-1 levels were lower. C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA antibody titers were unchanged. Clinical cardiovascular events at 6 months did not differ between groups (azithromycin, 9; placebo, 7). Infections were reduced and drug was well tolerated. Thus, azithromycin caused modest but significant reductions in markers of inflammation, but differences in clinical events were not evident at 6 months. However, power was limited and conclusions should await results of the 2-year evaluation and larger studies.
Development and evaluation of a broadly reactive TaqMan assay for rapid detection of hepatitis A virus.

Primers and a TaqMan probe for the 5′-untranslated region (UTR) of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) genome were designed and evaluated. The assay detected 0.5 infectious units of HAV and 40 copies of a synthetic transcript and provides an important screening tool for rapid quantitative HAV detection in clinical or environmental samples.
Two shape metrics for biomedical outline data: bending energy, Procrustes distance, and the biometrical modeling of shape phenomena

Quantitative studies of shapes in the real world are often expedited by the tools of morphometrics, a branch of multivariate statistics organized to exploit the origin of such data in real Euclidean geometry. This paper reviews one such tool that has recently been designed for the analysis of corresponding biological outlines of similar shape, such as those that arise from organ or tissue boundaries in medical images. The analysis is a hybrid of two morphometric tools, Procrustes analysis and the thin-plate spline, the properties of which are already well-understood separately. The thin-plate spline optimizes one shape metric, the Procrustes methods another. Their combination permits the averaging of groups of outlines, the rigorous display of sample variation around these averages in full detail, and rigorous multivariate statistical detection and testing of hypotheses linking those patterns to their putative causes or effects. The new tool is demonstrated using outlines of the corpus callosum (connection of the cerebral hemispheres) in mid-sagittal images of 12 normal human brains and 13 brains of schizophrenics.
How Green is the Supply Chain? Practice and Research

This paper provides an overview of environmental (green) supply chain management. The overview includes a categorization of research and practice in purchasing, manufacturing, outbound, and reverse logistics dimensions.
Can patients opt to turn off implantable cardioverter-defibrillators near the end of life?

Yes. Although implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) prevent sudden cardiac death in patients with advanced heart failure, their benefit in terminally ill patients is small.[1][1] Furthermore, the shocks they deliver at the end of life can cause distress. Therefore, it is reasonable to
Insight in decision tasks: some neglected applications for training

This paper reviews recent research pertainig to insight in decision making tasks and suggests possible applications for the development and conduct of training. The role of judgment and decision making in training is addressed with special emphasis on decision makers' insight. After considering the meaning and measurement of insight, data from a recent study are presented suggesting that insight is contingent on task parameters. Theoretical and empirical issues which may limit the adaptability of insight to training are discussed and several questions are proposed for future research. Language: en
The Bone Marrow in AIDS: A Histologic, Hematologic, and Microbiologic Study

During one year, 55 bone marrow biopsies from 49 patients with CDC-defined acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) were studied. Eighty-three percent were normocellular or hypercellular; 17% were hypocellular. Marrow plasma cells were increased in 83% of patients, most showing polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia. Forty percent of patients showed peripheral neutropenia, 29% thrombocytopenia, and 79% lymphopenia with markedly reduced T4+ lymphocytes. Eighty-five percent of patients were anemic, with iron studies showing a pattern consistent with the anemia of chronic disease. Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) grew from ten (20%) biopsies, four with granuloma and six without granuloma (five of these six also showed marrow hypocellularity). Small poorly formed granuloma (70-150 micron) were seen in eight (16%) patients (four AFB-culture positive, 4 negative). Three of four granuloma-positive, culture-negative cases eventually grew MAI from autopsy material. Five (10%) patients had lymphoplasmacytic aggregates; later, one developed lymphoma, another, markedly atypical lymphoid hyperplasia. Two additional patients showed marrow B-cell lymphomas. Of these findings, only marrow MAI meets the CDC definition of AIDS. However, in this series, small ill-defined granulomas, lymphoplasmacytic aggregates, and B-cell lymphomas also were found. The authors conclude that these latter findings, when seen in high-risk patients, particularly those with lymphopenia, anemia, and/or hypergammaglobulinemia, also strongly suggest the diagnosis of AIDS.
Grand Canonical Monte Carlo Simulation of Low-Pressure Methane Adsorption in Nanoporous Framework Materials for Sensing Applications

Although the properties of nanoporous framework materials (NFMs) for high-pressure gas storage are well-known, low-level gas detection (<5 mbar) is also possible. Here, we describe a systematic investigation of NFM structure to identify advantageous features for methane sensing. Using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations, we show that trends at low pressures relevant to sensing do not fully mirror those at high pressures. NFMs with pore diameters similar in size to methane show the highest uptake, and amine functionalization of the M2(dhtp) series provides modest enhancement. Unexpectedly, the presence of coordinated solvent can yield enhancements up to 250%. Our results enable prediction of NFM film thicknesses required to achieve a given methane sensitivity by three adsorption-based sensor types. Finally, the results of CH4/N2 and CH4/H2O mixture simulations for promising candidate materials provide additional insight into the utility of these materials in multiple environments. Only small changes in...
Research Note: Use of Computer Simulation to Determine the Value of Broiler Litter as a Cattle Feed Ingredient

Abstract A computerized calf growth simulation technique was used to systematically compare various rations containing broiler litter. Both percentage of total digestible nutrients (TDN) and percentage litter in litter:corn mix varied in simulator scenarios for overwintered stocker steers maintained in an intensive pasture-management regimen. Simulation results showed little effect of litter TDN or amount of litter fed on calf performance. Simulation results were used to calculate the value of broiler litter based on added costs of feeding litter and added income derived from cost savings of spared pasture equivalents in intensive pasture use. Broiler litter value calculations ranged from $523 to $875 per metric ton. Results indicate that broiler litter is an undervalued material; there is potential for use as a cattle feed under typical overwintering calf-management systems.
Perspectives of US military commanders on tobacco use and tobacco control policy

Tobacco use among members of the US military service is unacceptably high, resulting in substantial healthcare and personnel costs. Support of military command is critical to the success of tobacco control policies because line commanders are responsible for implementation and enforcement. This study is the first to examine US military line commanders' perspectives about current tobacco control policies and the impact of tobacco on readiness.We conducted key-informant interviews with 20 officers at the US Army's Command and General Staff College about military tobacco use and tobacco control policy.Participants identified the long-term impact of tobacco use on military members, but were unaware of proximal effects on health and readiness other than lost productivity due to smoke breaks. Officers also discussed nicotine addiction and the logistics of ensuring that an addicted population had access to tobacco. Regarding policy, most knew about regulations governing smoke-free areas and were open to stronger restrictions, but were unaware of current policies governing prevention, intervention and product sales.Findings suggest that strong policy that takes advantage of the hierarchical and disciplined nature of the military, supported by senior line and civilian leadership up to and including the secretaries of the services and the Secretary of Defense, will be critical to substantially diminishing tobacco use by military personnel.
Full time course studies on the oxidation of reduced coenzyme by bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. Use of computer simulation to obtain rate and dissociation constants.

The full time course of reduced coenzyme oxidation by glutamate dehydrogenase has been measured and the data have been compared with computer-simulated progress curves. It is shown that the oxidation of TPNH, at saturating concentrations of α-ketoglutarate and ammonium ion, follows a relatively simple mechanism but must include the formation of an abortive enzyme-TPN-substrate complex. The progress curve for the oxidation of DPNH is multiphasic and reflects the fact that DPNH may bind to a second site, inducing an isomerization of the enzyme which results in inhibition of the reaction. As a consequence of the fact that this isomerization is relatively slow, the kinetic properties using DPNH as coenzyme are dependent upon enzyme concentration. The rate constants for the induced isomerization and the dissociation constants for the abortive complex formation, for the reduced coenzyme binding to the active site, and for DPNH binding to the second site have been determined from fits of computer-calculated simulation curves to the experimental data.
Entrainment of respiration to rocking in premature infants: coherence analysis

Vestibular influences on breathing pattern were investigated in 18 premature infants in the neonatal intensive care nursery. Respiratory abdominal movements were recorded while the babies were manu...
A Feminist Reading of Men's Health: Or, When Paglia Speaks, the Media Listens

In this paper Bloom analyzes the popular magazine, Men's Health, from a feminist perspective, locating ways that the magazine participates in an insidious form of anti-feminist backlash. She specifically analyzes the magazine to make sense of how its writers discursively position women in their relationships to heterosexual men and how they use the voices of women who call themselves feminists to promote an anti-feminist, pro-patriarchy agenda. She demonstrates that the “health” of men being promoted in this magazine is a mental health grounded in the maintenance of male privilege and power.
Agencies and Arbitration

This Essay examines the roles federal administrative agencies can and might yet play in response to the rise of mandatory bilateral arbitration. In recent years, scholars of regulation and civil procedure have noted the extent to which companies can erode their legal obligations by inserting binding arbitration provisions coupled with class arbitration bans into their contracts. Although scholars have expressed concern about what arbitration means for certain areas of substantive law — particularly those areas that have historically relied on private aggregation mechanisms for enforcement — less has been said about how public regulatory bodies should respond.Drawing on the insight that private enforcement and public regulation often work in tandem to produce regulatory outcomes, I argue that administrative agencies can, using existing tools, make compensating adjustments to partially offset some of the potentially ill effects of class arbitration bans. Most obviously, administrative agencies can use disgorgement remedies that mimic class actions to make companies internalize the costs of their statutory violations and, in some cases, to compensate those harmed. Agencies can also take on individual cases in order to set important precedents and contribute to the development of the law.Apart from these enforcement strategies, agencies have also started regulating arbitration agreements directly, using both explicitly and impliedly delegated authority. I argue that such area-specific regulation of arbitration by administrative agencies is superior to the current system, which involves a system in which the courts — led by the Supreme Court — set the rules, often by employing contestable assumptions about the role of litigation, including class litigation, in various regulatory regimes. The Essay also provides a novel doctrinal argument for why agencies should receive Chevron deference when they reasonably interpret ambiguous provisions of statutes they administer in order to ban or otherwise regulate arbitration.
Patency of the vein of Labbé after venous stenting of the transverse and sigmoid sinuses

Background Venous sinus stenting is an emerging treatment for patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and evidence of venous stenosis. Stents placed across the transverse and sigmoid sinuses often cover the vein of Labbe (VOL), a major anastomotic vein draining the cerebral hemisphere. The patency of the VOL after stenting and its clinical implications are poorly understood. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of a prospectively collected database of patients undergoing venous sinus stenting. Pre- and post-stent angiography were compared to assess changes in VOL patency, clinical and radiographic outcomes. Results The study cohort comprised 56 patients. The stent covered the VOL in 92.9% of cases. Thirty-two cases with VOL coverage had evaluable angiograms immediately after stent placement. Among these, VOL filled normally in 75.0%, exhibited diminished caliber with normal transit time in 3.1%, filled sluggishly in 18.8%, and was occluded in 3.1%. Follow-up was assessed in patients with at least 3 months9 angiographic follow-up (46 patients, mean 7.2 months). Of these, normal filling was seen in 71.7%, diminished caliber in 26.1%, and sluggish filling in 2.2% of cases. Neither stent coverage of the VOL nor its patency immediately after stenting or at follow-up correlated with stent-adjacent stenosis. There were no neurological sequelae from coverage of the VOL or alteration of its drainage pattern. Conclusions In the majority of venous stenting cases involving the transverse and sigmoid sinuses, the VOL remains widely patent. Complete VOL occlusion rarely occurs after stenting and may not result in clinical sequelae. Stent coverage of the VOL should not deter the therapeutic use of venous sinus stenting.
The Opportunity to Choose the Activity Context Does Not Increase Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Exhibited by Preschool Children

Physical activity is essential for children and adults to counteract the negative health outcomes related to a sedentary lifestyle. Despite widely publicized recommendations and information about physical activity, the problem of excessive physical inactivity prevails in our society. The purpose of this study was to conduct a context functional analysis to identify outdoor activity contexts that engendered higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) using an ABAB reversal design to determine if the opportunity to choose the activity context would influence MVPA exhibited by six preschool-aged children. Results of the context functional analysis showed that fixed equipment and open space engendered highest levels of MVPA in most participants. Levels of MVPA in the reversal design indicated that choice did not significantly influence levels of MVPA and that active and sedentary choices varied between and within participants. These results suggest that related to levels of MVPA the type of outdoor activity context chosen is more important than the individual who chooses it.
The effect of CT26 tumor-derived TGF-β on the balance of tumor growth and immunity.

Abstract Introduction TGF-β is an important target for many cancer therapies under development. In addition to suppressing anti-tumor immunity, it has pleiotropic direct pro- and anti- tumor effects. The actions of increased endogenous TGF-β production remain unclear, and may affect the outcomes of anti-TGF-β cancer therapy. We hypothesize that tumor-derived TGF-β (td-TGF-β) plays an important role in maintaining tumor remission by controlling tumor proliferation in vivo, and that decreasing td-TGF-β in the tumor microenvironment will result in tumor progression. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of TGF-β in the tumor microenvironment on the balance between its anti-proliferative and immunosuppressive effects. Methods A murine BALB/c spontaneous colon adenocarcinoma cell line (CT26) was genetically engineered to produce increased active TGF-β (CT26-TGF-β), a dominant-negative soluble TGF-β receptor (CT26-TGF-β-R), or the empty neomycin cassette as control (CT26-neo). In vitro proliferation rates were measured. For in vivo studies, the three cell lines were injected into syngeneic BALB/c mice, and tumor growth was measured over time. Immunodeficient BALB/c nude mice were used to investigate the role of T and B cells. Results In vitro, CT26-TGF-β-R and CT26-TGF-β cells showed increased and suppressed proliferation, respectively, compared to control (CT26-neo), confirming TGF-β has direct anti-tumor effects. In vivo, we found that CT26-TGF-β-R cells displayed slower growth compared to control, likely secondary to reduced suppression of anti-tumor immunity, as this effect was ablated in immunodeficient BALB/c nude mice. However, CT26-TGF-β cells (excess TGF-β) exhibited rapid early growth compared to control, but later failed to progress. The same pattern was shown in immunodeficient BALB/c nude mice, suggesting the effect on tumor growth is direct, with minimal immune system involvement. There was minimal effect on systemic antitumor immunity as determined by peripheral antigen-specific splenocyte type 1 cytokine production and tumor growth rate of CT26-neo on the contralateral flank of the same mice. Conclusion Although TGF-β has opposing effects on tumor growth, this study showed that excessive td-TGF-β in the tumor microenvironment renders the tumor non-proliferative. Depleting excess td-TGF-β may release this endogenous tumor suppressive mechanism, thus triggering the progression of the tumor. Therefore, our findings support cautions against using anti-TGF-β strategies in treating cancer, as this may tip the balance of anti-immunity vs. anti-tumor effects of TGF-β, leading to tumor progression instead of remission.
The “Celtic-Cross” Technique for Immediate Umbilical Reconstruction

Loss of the umbilicus after surgical ablative procedures for congenital abdominal wall defects, urachal cyst, and various benign or malignant tumors of the umbilical area can be an embarrassing deformity. The author describes a new approach with a Celtic-cross design. This technique is used for immediate umbilical reconstruction following surgical ablation of the umbilicus and is a very reliable and reproducible umbiliconeoplasty technique that produces a neoumbilicus with a permanent, rounded umbilical depression with a well-concealed scar.
Form und Gegenform

Bevor wir den systematischen Aufbau fortsetzen, empfiehlt es sich, einige anschauliche Betrachtungen einzufugen. Zu jeder Form in der Ebene gibt es eine polare ebene Form, die «Gegenform». Dies folgt aus der in sich polaren Struktur der Grundsatze. Schon im bisher Behandelten kam dieses Polaritatsgesetz durchwegs zur Geltung. Einige Entsprechungen sind in der folgenden Tabelle zusammengestellt.
Patient perspective, complexities, and challenges in managed care.

Background Lack of coordination of care is one of the largest obstacles involved with treating opioid dependence. Physicians also face the challenges of managing comorbidities and dealing with relapse. Objective To examine the clinical, economic, and humanistic factors involved in treating opioid dependence. Summary Despite the extensive utilization of narcotic analgesics, pain is often uncontrolled. Effective pain management and coordination of care is essential in treating pain patients, as patients who abuse pain medications consume more health care resources than nonabusers. Patients who abuse are 2.3 times more likely to present at the emergency department and 6.7 times more likely to be hospitalized than nonabusers. Managed care organizations are now incorporating integrated approaches to treating pain and substance abuse disorders, realizing that patients must be looked at as a whole, considering alternative and behavioral therapies in addition to pharmacological treatments. They are also able to assess patterns of abuse using pharmacy claims data and alert physicians to potential problems by making use of prescription monitoring programs. Physicians who treat chronic pain must utilize strategies to minimize the risk of developing dependence on opioids, and practitioners treating opioid dependence must employ policies to optimize outcomes. Such strategies include developing pain contracts; performing random urine screenings and pill counts; and setting goals of therapy and re-evaluating patients throughout treatment. Plans must be in place in the event of relapse, as well. Conclusion In order to be successful in managing opioid dependence, physicians, employers, and managed care organizations must work together to provide an integrated approach to treatment.
NK-Cell Immunotherapy for AML

Natural killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes of the innate immune system first described four decades ago for their ability to recognize and kill target cells a priori—without prior experience of the target—and in a manner that is antigen unrestricted. Because of recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of NK-cell target recognition and the diversity within the NK-cell repertoire, we now recognize that NK cells play an important role in cancer immunosurveillance. Acute myeloid leukemias are among the most well characterized of NK-cell-sensitive malignancies, and differences in NK-cell genotype, phenotype, and function correlate with disease progression and predict therapeutic responses. The ability to generate clinical-grade therapeutic products of sufficient purity, number, and function has only recently allowed NK-cell immunotherapy to be pursued in clinical trials as monotherapy, in combination with monoclonal antibodies or immunomodulating drugs, and within the setting of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Margin Convergence in Rotator Cuff Repair: The Shoelace Technique

The concept of margin convergence for side-to-side strain reduction in massive U-type rotator cuff tears has been used to protect the free margin repair to bone. Data in the literature show favorable outcomes for this method of repair. However, one of the challenges when performing side-to-side repair has been the dog-ear deformity that forms at both the convergence split and marginal ends. We present a method of single-suture convergence using a "shoelace" weaving technique, which seems to decrease the incidence of dog-ear deformity, decreases margin strain, and can be incorporated into current transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair configurations. The technique is simple and reproducible for large or massive tear patterns.
Lega Nord and Anti-Immigrationism: The Importance of Hegemony Critique for Social Media Analysis and Protest

In this study, I implement Antonio Gramsci’s hegemony critique to analyze the anti-immigration rhetoric promoted by the Italian ultraright party Lega Nord [Northern League]. Specifically, this case study focuses on the discourse that developed on the microblogging site Twitter during the Stop Invasione [Stop Invasion] rally, organized by Matteo Salvini’s party on October 18, 2014, in Milan. I argue that hegemony critique is helpful to investigate political discourse on social media and to theorize the struggle surrounding contentious topics such as immigration. The method, which is multilayered and includes content analysis and interpretative analysis, allows for the exploration of a considerable data corpus but also an in-depth reading of each tweet. The result is a nuanced understanding of the anti-immigration discourse and of the discourse that developed in favor of immigration and in support of a countermarch, which progressive movements organized in response to Lega’s mobilization on the same day in Milan.
From the associate editor-in-chief October 2018

A recent topic of interest at cybersecurity conferences such as Black Hat2 and DEF CON3 has been ways that drones can be hacked and possibly used as weapons or as tools to exfiltrate information from other systems. Consequently, the third article in this issue which discusses securing cyber-physical systems of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) discusses a topic that is current of interest to many.
Solar–gliding arc plasma reactor for carbon dioxide decomposition: Design and characterization

Abstract The conversion of low-value feedstock such as carbon dioxide (CO2) into higher-value products using renewable energy, particularly solar, can help fulfill the increasing need for fuels and chemicals while mitigating environmental emissions. A direct solar receiver-reactor fitted with a gliding arc (glidarc) electrical discharge for potentially greater efficiency and continuous operation solar thermochemical synthesis is presented. The nonequilibrium plasma inside the reactor chamber leads to increased solar energy absorption by the gas-phase feedstock, potentially enhancing chemical conversion. Moreover, the reliance on electrical energy to sustain the plasma allows compensating for fluctuations in the solar radiation input. Two solar-glidarc reactor configurations are investigated and evaluated for the decomposition of CO2 at atmospheric pressure conditions, namely: axi-radial (AXR) and reverse-vortex (RVX) flow. The former provides greater control of residence time but presents limited solar-plasma interaction; whereas the latter allows for greater interaction, but requires higher flow rates to confine the plasma, lowering the residence time. Flow paths and residence times are evaluated via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models used to guide reactor design and operation. Evaluation of the plasma volume at different reactor orientations, aimed to mimic in-field operation, show that the AXR configuration leads to a larger plasma volume compared to that by the RVX design. Net-absorption tests, aimed to assess the extent of solar-plasma interaction, showed up to 18% net-absorption of solar radiation for the RVX configuration and 7% for the AXR one, compared to 0% in the absence of plasma. The AXR configuration, despite its lower absorption of solar energy, leads to greater CO2 homogeneous gas-phase decomposition (i.e. in the absence of any catalyst), of up to 4.5%, mainly due to its flexibility in operating with lower residence times. The results indicate solar-plasma direct-receiver reactors provide a compelling approach to solar thermochemical synthesis processes.
Histone Modifications and the Maintenance of Telomere Integrity

Telomeres, the nucleoprotein structures at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, play an integral role in protecting linear DNA from degradation. Dysregulation of telomeres can result in genomic instability and has been implicated in increased rates of cellular senescence and many diseases, including cancer. The integrity of telomeres is maintained by a coordinated network of proteins and RNAs, such as the telomerase holoenzyme and protective proteins that prevent the recognition of the telomere ends as a DNA double-strand breaks. The structure of chromatin at telomeres and within adjacent subtelomeres has been implicated in telomere maintenance pathways in model systems and humans. Specific post-translational modifications of histones, including methylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination, have been shown to be necessary for maintaining a chromatin environment that promotes telomere integrity. Here we review the current knowledge regarding the role of histone modifications in maintaining telomeric and subtelomeric chromatin, discuss the implications of histone modification marks as they relate to human disease, and highlight key areas for future research.
Populist Peril to Democracy: The Sacralization and Singularization of Competitive Elections

In this article, I critically engage with the populism literature, and predicated on a conceptualization of modern democracy as a mixed regime (combining oligarchy and democracy), I provide a mecha...
The Time of Our Lives

Exhibition at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York, until 17 October Situated at the lower end of Broadway, where it runs through NoHo and SoHo (north and south of Houston Street, respectively), the New Museum of Contemporary Art is currently hosting two exhibitions, one of which is purportedly concerned with ageing. Specifically, it is meant to remind us that we will all grow old (if we are fortunate) and that older people are disenfranchised by modern society; more specifically, by modern Western society. The catalogue essays are replete with intimations of ageing that the curators have detected in themselves (such as “elder moments,” when one loses track of what it was one wanted to say), and more alarmingly, of ageism, reified in the attitudes portrayed in soap operas towards comic elders, who send themselves …
Review of Deliberation in the Classroom: Fostering Critical Thinking, Community, and Citizenship in Schools by Stacie Molnar-Main (Kettering Foundation Press, 2017)

Review of Deliberation in the Classroom: Fostering Critical Thinking, Community, and Citizenship in Schools by Stacie Molnar-Main (Kettering Foundation Press, 2017).
The impact of ISPO certification on economic, social and environmental aspect in the palm oil plantation

The Indonesian Government requires all Palm Oil Plantation Companies to have an Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certificate. Indonesia issued a policy known as ISPO so that Indonesia management of palm oil plantations pay attention to aspects of economy, social, and environment. ISPO certification obligations are financially burdensome for businessmen because large certification costs certainly affect the company's production costs, sales and revenues of palm oil companies. The research objective was to describe the process to get ISPO certification for Palm Oil Plantation Companies, to determine the impact of the application of ISPO certification on the economic, social, and environmental aspects of palm oil companies. Data analysis was carried out by comparing the impact ISPO implementation to PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VI Ophir at the time before (2013, 2014, 2015) and after (2016, 2017) ISPO certification. The results showed that stages of procedures for recognizing PT. Nusantara Plantation Ophir VI's ISPO certification is in accordance with the mechanism as stipulated in Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 11/Minister of Agriculture Regulation/OT.140/3/2015. The impact of the application of ISPO certification on PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VI Ophir has an effect on increasing production costs, production levels, selling prices, sales, and income. The results of the calculation of the revenue to cost ratio, obtained by the R/C value is greater than one, which means that the application of ISPO is financially efficient over the costs incurred. The impact of ISPO implementation aside from the financial aspects received by the company after obtaining ISPO certification affects the aspects of operational, social community relations, the company's concern for the environment, as well as trading CPO and Kernel. ISPO certification received by PT. Perkebunan Nusantara VI Ophir affect operational aspects, relationships with the social community, the company's concern for the environment, as well as trading CPO and Kernel.
Modeling reactivity insertion experiments of TRISO particles in NSRR using BISON

Abstract This research presents BISON simulations of stress, temperature, and failure probability of tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles subjected to transient power pulse conditions in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR). By modifying the default elastic properties of the PyC and the UO2 coefficient of thermal expansion correlation, BISON was found to produce suitable agreement with the observed and independently simulated results when appropriate shape and scale Weibull parameters for SiC failure were chosen. The Weibull parameter effects were also explored within the range of SiC failure and were applied using experimental data from hemispherical crush testing.
Characteristics and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving direct oral anticoagulants in off-label doses.

We evaluated adherence to dosing criteria for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) taking dabigatran or rivaroxaban and the impact of off-label dosing on thromboembolic and bleeding risk. We used data for a retrospective cohort from a large U.S. health plan for Medicare beneficiaries age > =65 years with AF who initiated dabigatran or rivaroxaban during 2010–2016. Stroke and major bleeding were quantified in patients who were eligible for low dose but received standard dose, and in patients who were eligible for standard dose but received low dose. We identified 8035 and 19,712 patients who initiated dabigatran or rivaroxaban, respectively. Overall, 1401 (17.4%) and 7820 (39.7%) patients who received dabigatran and rivaroxaban met criteria for low dose, respectively. Of those, 959 (68.5%) and 3904 (49.9%) received standard dose. In contrast, 1013 (15.3%) and 2551 (21.5%) of patients eligible for standard dose dabigatran and rivaroxaban received low dose. Mean follow-up for patients eligible for low and standard dose dabigatran and rivaroxaban were 13.9, 15.1, 10.1, and 12.3 months, respectively. In unadjusted analyses, patients eligible for low or standard dose dabigatran and rivaroxaban but receiving off-label dose, had no differences in the rates of ischemic stroke. Among patients who met criteria for standard dose direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), use of low dose was associated with significantly higher risk of any major bleeding (Dabigatran: HR = 1.44; 95% CI 1.14–1.8, P = 0.002, Rivaroxaban HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.11–1.6, P = 0.002) and gastrointestinal bleeding (Dabigatran: HR = 1.48; 95% CI 1.08–2, P = 0.016). In patients who met criteria for low dose DOACs, there was lower risk of major bleeding (Dabigatran: HR = 0.59; 95% CI 0.43–0.8, P < 0.001), gastrointestinal (Rivaroxaban: HR 0.79; 95% CI 0.64–0.98, P = 0.03) and intracranial bleeding (Dabigatran: HR = 0.33; 95% CI 0.12–0.9, P = 0.001) with standard dosing. After propensity matching, use of off-label doses was not associated with stroke, major, gastrointestinal or intracranial bleeding for either dabigatran or rivaroxaban. While a significant number of patients receive higher or lower dose of dabigatran and rivaroxaban than recommended, we found no evidence of significant impact on thromboembolic or hemorrhagic outcomes.
Advancing American Kidney Health and the Role of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors: A Missed Opportunity.

On July 10, 2019, the Trump administration signed an Executive Order titled the “Advancing American Kidney Health” (AAKH) Initiative, which primarily aims to reduce the incidence of kidney failure by 25% by 2030 and shift kidney care from treating kidney failure to maximizing kidney health ([1][
Atypical Subacute Cutaneous Lupus in a Patient on Apixaban Anticoagulation Therapy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is a rare cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) subtype manifesting in middle-aged Caucasians with photo-distributed papulosquamous or annular lesions. Drug-induced SCLE (DI-SCLE) forms present in a similar manner but direct oral anticoagulants are rarely implicated. We report an unusual case of SCLE in a 37-year-old African American patient with a history of unprovoked deep vein thromboses (DVT) who presented with new-onset photoprotected polymorphic lesions two months after the initiation of apixaban anticoagulation therapy. Our case demonstrates the heterogeneous nature of SCLE presentation and highlights the possibility of apixaban as a potential causative agent of DI-SCLE in immunogenetically susceptible individuals. Moreover, we hypothesize on the etiopathogenesis of our patient's atypical presentation.
The HMCES DNA-protein cross-link functions as a constitutive DNA repair intermediate

Abstract The HMCES protein forms a covalent DNA-protein cross-link (DPC) with abasic (AP) sites in ssDNA, and the resulting HMCES-DPC is thought to suppress double-strand break formation in S phase. However, the dynamics of HMCES cross-linking and whether any DNA repair pathways normally include an HMCES-DPC intermediate remain unknown. Here, we show that an HMCES-DPC forms efficiently on the AP site generated during replication-coupled DNA interstrand cross-link (ICL) repair. We use this system to show that HMCES cross-links form on DNA after the replicative CMG helicase has passed over the AP site, and that HMCES is subsequently removed by the SPRTN protease. The HMCES-DPC suppresses DSB formation, slows translesion synthesis (TLS) past the AP site, and introduces a bias for insertion of deoxyguanosine opposite the AP site. These data show that HMCES-DPCs can form as constitutive intermediates in replication-coupled repair, and they suggest a general model of how HMCES protects AP sites during DNA replication.
Dynamical Structure of the Precursor Fields in Linear Dispersive Pulse Propagation in Lossy Dielectrics

The dynamical evolution of an electromagnetic pulse as it propagates through a homogeneous, isotropic, locally linear, temporally dispersive medium is a classical problem of electromagnetism. If the medium was nondispersive, an arbitrary plane wave pulse would propagate unaltered at the phase velocity of the wave field in the medium. In a dispersive medium, however, the pulse is modified as it propagates due to two interrelated effects. First of all, each spectral component of the initial pulse propagates through the dispersive medium with its own phase velocity vp = ω /s(ω) so that the phasal relationship between the various spectral components of the pulse changes as it propagates. For a narrowband pulse whose bandwidth satisfies the inequality Δω/ωc < <1, the pulse envelope propagates with the group velocity vg = (ds(ω))/dω))-1 at the carrier frequency ωc, provided that the frequency dispersion of the loss over the bandwidth of the pulse is negligible. Here ω nr(ω)/c is the real-valued wavenumber of the electromagnetic plane wave field in the dispersive medium with real-valued index of refraction nr(ω)). Secondly, each spectral component is absorbed at its own rate so that the amplitudinal relationship between the spectral components of the pulse changes as it propagates. Although this effect may be negligible for narrowband pulses whose bandwidth is removed from the material absorption bands, it is not negligible otherwise. Taken together, these two simple effects result in a complicated change in the dynamical structure of the propagated field due to an input broadband pulse.