cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retrospective comparison of allogeneic vs autologous transplantation for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with early relapse or primary induction failure

Retrospective comparison of allogeneic vs autologous transplantation for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with early relapse or primary induction failure
Critical care in orthopedic and spine surgery

Complications of orthopedic and spine operations can be life threatening. Proper patient selection, careful planning of patient care, and prophylactic measures are important determinants of a successful outcome. After elective orthopedic surgery such as total joint replacement, the intensivist should be aware of potential systemic complications common to any major surgical intervention (pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, sepsis, myocardial infarction) and also of procedure-specific problems (cement-related cardiac events, fat embolism) and local complications (neurovascular injuries). Patients undergoing spine procedures should have close neurologic monitoring for immediate and delayed deficits.
Choice matters: enrollees' views of their health plans

Prologue: Despite the failure of government to act on comprehensive health system reform, the US, health care system is undergoing rapid and profound changes. Managed care plans continue to gain a foothold throughout the country. The security of many Americans' health care rises and falls with the fortunes of the U.S. economy, both here and abroad, because health care coverage is inextricably linked to employment status. Public programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are under unprecedented scrutiny by lawmakers intent on balancing the federal budget by sharply reducing their growth rates. Amid these changes, it is critical for health policymakers to know how Americans perceive their health care system and their coverage. The survey reported in this paper is an attempt to fill the information gap. Conducted by The Commonwealth Fund in 1994, the managed care survey examines the experiences with managed care by families who have employer health coverage in Boston, Los Angeles, and Miami. Karen Davis is presi...
A Fragment-Based Ligand Screen Against Part of a Large Protein Machine The ND1 Domains of the AAA+ ATPase p97/VCP

The ubiquitous AAA+ ATPase p97 functions as a dynamic molecular machine driving several cellular processes. It is essential in regulating protein homeostasis, and it represents a potential drug target for cancer, particularly when there is a greater reliance on the endoplasmic reticulum–associated protein degradation pathway and ubiquitin–proteasome pathway to degrade an overabundance of secreted proteins. Here, we report a case study for using fragment-based ligand design approaches against this large and dynamic hexamer, which has multiple potential binding sites for small molecules. A screen of a fragment library was conducted by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and followed up by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), two complementary biophysical techniques. Virtual screening was also carried out to examine possible binding sites for the experimental hits and evaluate the potential utility of fragment docking for this target. Out of this effort, 13 fragments were discovered that showed reversible binding w...
Parallel implementation of efficient preconditioned linear solver for grid-based applications in chemical physics. II

Linear systems in chemical physics often involve matrices with a certain sparse block structure. These can often be solved very effectively using iterative methods (sequence of matrix-vector products) in conjunction with a block Jacobi preconditioner Numer. Linear Algebra Appl. 7 (2000) 715]. In a two-part series, we present an efficient parallel implementation, incorporating several additional refinements. The present study (paper I) emphasizes construction of the block Jacobi preconditioner matrices. This is achieved in a preprocessing step, performed prior to the subsequent iterative linear solve step, considered in a companion paper (paper II). Results indicate that the block Jacobi routines scale remarkably well on parallel computing platforms, and should remain effective over tens of thousands of nodes.
Cognitive Acoustics: Making Underwater Communications Environment-friendly

Imagine an underwater world with hybrid acoustic users, as illustrated in Fig. 1. An oil drilling installation system may employ a sensor network with acoustic modems to monitor the deflection of the drill. In the same area there could also exist a bottom mounted data collection system using another underwater acoustic network (UAN) to communicate with surface buoys. Meanwhile, there could be autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) cruising in the water to inspect subsea oil pipelines and transmitting data wirelessly to their mothership. In addition, a few marine mammals, e.g. dolphins and whales, might be playing in the neighborhood, using the same acoustic channel to communicate with each other and search for food via echolocation. Now the question is: Will existing UANs work well in this scenario? Unfortunately, the answer is no.
Heart Failure, Introduction

Heart failure (HF) is a growing worldwide epidemic that results in significant morbidity and mortality in the aging population. HF is an important contributor to both the burden and cost of national healthcare expenditures, with more older Americans hospitalized for HF than for any other medical condition. Over the last two decades, there has been considerable progress in the treatment of HF with angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, aldosterone antagonists, beta-receptor blockers, and resynchronization therapy. Nevertheless, HF is still associated with a poor prognosis. Approximately half of the people who develop HF die within 5 years of diagnosis. The search for better treatments for HF is one of the major challenges in cardiology. Greater understanding of the molecular dynamics and humoral perturbation will lead to newer HF treatment. In this chapter, different etiologies of HF, a systematic approach to the evaluation of a patient with HF, current strategies for the treatment, and emerging therapies in this field are discussed.
A comparison of statistical downscaling methods suited for wildfire applications

Place-based data is required in wildfire analyses, particularly in regions of diverse terrain that foster not only strong gradients in meteorological variables, but also complex fire behaviour. However, a majority of downscaling methods are inappropriate for wildfire application due to the lack of daily timescales and variables such as humidity and winds that are important for fuel flammability and fire spread. Two statistical downscaling methods, the daily Bias corrected Spatial Downscaling (BCSD) and the Multivariate Adapted Constructed Analogs (MACA) that directly incorporate daily data from global climate models, were validated over the western US using global reanalysis data. While both methods outperformed results obtained from direct interpolation from reanalysis, MACA exhibited additional skill in temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation due to its ability to jointly downscale temperature and dew point temperature, and its use of analog patterns rather than interpolation. Both downscaling methods exhibited value added information in tracking fire danger indices and periods of extreme fire danger; however, MACA outperformed the daily BCSD due to its ability to more accurately capture relative humidity and winds. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Location of binding sites in small molecule rescue of human carbonic anhydrase II.

Small molecule rescue of mutant forms of human carbonic anhydrase II (HCA II) occurs by participation of exogenous donors/acceptors in the proton transfer pathway between the zinc-bound water and solution. To examine more thoroughly the energetics of this activation, we have constructed a mutant, H64W HCA II, which we have shown is activated by 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) by a mechanism involving the binding of 4-MI to the side chain of Trp-64 ; 8Afrom the zinc. A series of experiments are consistent with the activation of H64W HCA II by the interaction of imidazole and pyridine derivatives as exogenous proton donors with the indole ring of Trp-64; these experiments include pH profiles and H/D solvent isotope effects consistent with proton transfer, observation of approximately fourfold greater activation with the mutant containing Trp-64 compared with Gly-64, and the observation by x-ray crystallography of the binding of 4-MI associated with the indole side chain of Trp-64 in W5A-H64W HCA II. Proton donors bound at the less flexible side chain of Trp-64 in W5A-H64W HCA II do not show activation, but such donors bound at the more flexible Trp-64 of H64W HCA II do show activation, supporting suggestions that conformational mobility of the binding site is associated with more efficient proton transfer. Evaluation using Marcus theory showed that the activation of H64W HCA II by these proton donors was reflected in the work functions w r and w p rather than in the intrinsic Marcus barrier itself, consistent with the role of solvent reorganization in catalysis.
Assessment of Mitochondrial Toxicity in HepG2 Cells Cultured in High-Glucose- or Galactose-Containing Media

Drug-induced mitochondrial toxicity has been recognized as contributing to a variety of organ toxicities, such as liver, heart, kidney, and CNS, and has been found to contribute to drug attrition and black box warnings. Here, we describe a cell-based assay that can detect direct drug-induced mitochondrial toxicity, providing protocols for screening in 96- and 384-well format. Cultured cells grown in glucose media produce their ATP by glycolysis, largely bypassing the mitochondria, and hence are fairly resistant to drugs that affect mitochondrial function. However, when growing the same cells in media supplemented with galactose as opposed to glucose, they are forced to produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, which then makes them vulnerable to mitochondrial insult. By measuring viability of cells grown in either glucose- or galactose-supplemented media, direct mitochondrial impairment can be detected.
Social Cost Component of an Efficient Toll

Efficient tolls are tolls that ensure that the price paid by the roadway user is equal to the increment of social and private costs resulting from the highway use. Setting these tolls accomplishes an important objective: to correct the current practice that allows driving to be subsidized by government and nonusers. Without restrictions on vehicle ownership and unlimited access to the nation's cost-free roadways, drivers do not pay for the social costs they generate. If motorists were required to pay their fair share of these social costs, travel decisions would probably be altered. Unwarranted trips, especially during peak hours, would be reduced because roadway space would be priced to accurately reflect the actual cost of driving. Beyond private costs, society is burdened with paying for infrastructure construction and maintenance, highway services, wasted fuel, pollution, accidents, and congestion costs from travel delays. The cost to society of automobile travel is assessed so that a charge can be ma...
Chromatography of nucleic acids on cellulose ion-exchange adsorbents. II. Chromatography of deoxyribonucleic acid

The previous paper1 in this series showed that ECTEOLA cellulose ion exchange adsorbents with a low degree of substitution gave a greater resolution of nucleic acid mixtures when chromatographed with a series of eluting buffers. The present study has applied this approach to the chromatography of (DNA) preparations from several tissues and tumors of the golden hamster. Three methods of preparation of the DNA were employed. The aqueous phenol method of KIRBY14 gave the most reproducible chromatographic profile for a given tissue. Small differences in the elution profiles for various tissues and tumors were found, but no differences were detected as characteristic of the tumor. Data concerning the reproducibility of the chromatographic profiles were presented. In einer fruheren Mitteilung1 wurde gezeigt, das die ECTEOLA-Cellulose-Ionenaustauscher mit niedrigem Substitutionsgrad fur die Zerlegung von Nucleinsauren in Fraktionen besonders geeignet sind. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Methode fur die Fraktionierung von Desoxyribonucleinsauren (DNS) angewandt, die aus verschiedenen Geweben und Tumoren des Goldhamsters isoliert wurden. Nach Anwendung von drei verschiedenen Isolierungsmethoden wurde gefunden, das die Phenolmethode von KIRBY14 die am besten reproduzierbaren Resultate gibt. Die Elutionsdiagramme der DNA, die von verschiedenen Organen des Hamsters isoliert wurden, zeigten nur kleine Unterschiede. Die Elutionsprofile der Tumor-DNS hatten keine fur den Tumor charakteristischen Merkmale. Die Reproduzierbarkeit der chromatographischen Fraktionierung wurde untersucht.
An Analog Integrated Circuit Design Laboratory

We present the structure of an analog integrated circuit design laboratory to instruct at both, senior undergraduate and entry graduate levels. The teaching material includes: a laboratory manual with analog circuit design theory, pre-laboratory exercises and circuit design specifications; a reference web page with step by step instructions and examples; the use of mathematical tools for automation and analysis; and state of the art CAD design tools in use by industry. Upon completion of the course, the students have skills for an entry level analog designer position.
Non-linear elasticity of a liquid contact line

By using energy minimization computations we study the distortion of a wetting contact line pinned on a single defect. We find that the elastic restoring force of the line depends non-linearly on the amplitude of the distortion and we estimate the anharmonic corrections to the linear elastic model. These results suggest the importance of non-linear effects in the problem of contact line pinning.
Pregnancy, Contraception and Emergency Contraception: The Language of Urban Adolescent Young Women

Abstract Objective We sought to characterize how a group of urban adolescent females understands the domains of pregnancy, contraception, and emergency contraception (EC). Design We used the research strategy of freelisting as part of an in-depth interview study. Setting and Participants Urban adolescent females presenting to a Pediatric Emergency Department. Participants were enrolled using a purposive sampling strategy if they were black, English-speaking females, 15-19 years old, who resided in 1 of 11 zip codes surrounding the hospital. Main Outcome Measure Smith’s saliency score. Freelists were analyzed for the entire sample, as well as for subgroups. Results Thirty adolescents completed the interview. We found that this group of adolescents uses different words to characterize the domains of pregnancy, contraception, and EC. The only overlapping salient term was “abortion,” which appeared in the overall lists for pregnancy and EC and in the younger group’s list for contraception. In addition, lack of knowledge was cited as an important factor related to contraception. Conclusions Adolescent patients may not fully understand the concepts of contraception and EC. Providers should consider the potential need to provide an explanation for terms used, and they should consider explicitly differentiating between routine forms of contraception and EC, as well as between EC and abortion.
Forging community in race and class: critical race theory and the quest for social justice in education

Among the communities of critical race theorists and its detractors in education, there is an apparent rift as to what theoretical construct best contributes to the social justice project in education. Conferences and meetings have served as quasi‐battle grounds for theorists, activists and scholars to go back and forth about what theoretical construct has the greatest bearing on educational praxis. Debate notwithstanding, the following document argues critical race theory (CRT hereafter) as a viable theoretical construct to address issues of social justice in education. In so doing, the following document couches the discussion in three tasks. The first is to identify the contributions of CRT in education. Second, the document argues for a closer read of the theoretical construct and its subsequent application. The concluding task will be an example of how the points of contention and compliance can be located through an example (in this case narrative) of a school with a social justice agenda at its cen...
Identification of Human Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins 1α and 1β as a Native Secreted Heterodimer

Chemokines are secreted proteins that function as chemoattractants for leukocytes. The chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha and 1beta (MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta) now have been shown to be secreted from activated human monocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) as a heterodimer. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analysis revealed that antibodies to either MIP-1alpha or MIP-1beta precipitated a protein complex containing both MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta under normal conditions from culture supernatants and lysates of these cells. Mass spectrometry of the complexes, precipitated from the culture supernatants of monocytes and PBLs, revealed the presence of NH(2)-terminal truncated MIP-1alpha (residues 5-70) together with either intact MIP-1beta or NH(2)-terminal truncated MIP-1beta (residues 3-69), respectively. The secreted MIP-1alpha/beta heterodimers were dissociated into their component monomers under acidic conditions. Exposure of monocytes or PBLs to monensin induced the accumulation of heterodimers composed of NH(2)-terminal truncated MIP-1alpha and full-length MIP-1beta in the Golgi complex. The mixing of recombinant chemokines in vitro demonstrated that heterodimerization of MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta is specific and that it occurs at physiological conditions, pH 7.4, and in the range of nanomolar concentrations. The data presented here provide the first biochemical evidence for the existence of chemokine heterodimers under natural conditions. Formation of heterodimers of MIP-1alpha/beta may have an impact on intracellular signaling events that contribute to CCR5 and possibly to other chemokine receptor functions.
Ear Flashing Behavior of Black-tailed Jackrabbits (Lepus californicus)

Abstract We describe a previously unreported behavior of black-tailed jackrabbits based on 22 nocturnal observations in northwestern Texas in 1999 and 2000. When being followed at high speeds (40–55 km/h), jackrabbits exhibited four head positions: head up and both ears raised; head up and left ear raised; head up and right ear raised and; head down and no ears raised. While running in a zigzag fashion, jackrabbits changed among the four head positions in rapid succession. Because the ears have conspicuous coloration on the back side (white fur with black-tips), we speculate that ear flashing is an adaptation to confuse predators when being chased at high speeds. Interestingly, this escape behavior is similar to the white rump and side flashing of antelope (Lepus alleni) and white-sided (L. callotis) jackrabbits.
Sequence-Based Detection and Breakpoint Assembly of Polymorphic Inversions

Inversion polymorphisms have occupied a privileged place in Drosophila genetic research since their discovery in the 1920s. Indeed, inversions seem to be nearly ubiquitous, and the majority of species that have been thoroughly surveyed have been found to be polymorphic for one or more chromosomal inversions. Despite enduring interest, however, inversions remain difficult to study because their effects are often cryptic, and few efficient assays have been developed. Even in Drosophila melanogaster, in which inversions can be reliably detected and have received considerable attention, the breakpoints of only three inversions have been characterized molecularly. Hence, inversion detection and assay design remain important unsolved problems. Here, we present a method for identification and local de novo assembly of inversion breakpoints using next-generation paired-end reads derived from D. melanogaster isofemale lines. PCR and cytological confirmations demonstrate that our method can reliably assemble inversion breakpoints, providing tools for future research on D. melanogaster inversions as well as a framework for detection and assay design of inversions and other chromosome aberrations in diverse taxa.
The effect of paramagnetic metal ions on proton-decoupled C-13 NMR intensities

Abstract The C-13 nuclear overhauser enhancement (NOE) in proton decoupled NMR spectra is reduced by paramagnetic metal ions. The similarity of the limiting intensities for various ions suggests the NOE is quantitatively eliminated, with the “three spin effect” relatively unimportant.
The patellar tendon-bearing brace as treatment for neurotrophic arthropathy: a dynamic force monitoring study

The effects of shoe wear, custom-made inserts, patellar tendon-bearing (PTB) braces, and extra-padded PTB braces on load transmission to neuroarthropathic (Charcot) feet of six diabetic patients we...
Medical image compression by "neural-gas" network and principal component analysis

This paper presents a new compression scheme for digital still images, by using the "neural-gas" network for codebook design, and several linear and nonlinear principal component methods as a preprocessing technique. We investigate the performance of the compression scheme depending on the blocksize, codebook and number of chosen principal components. The nonlinear principal component method shows the best compression results in combination with the "neural-gas" network.
High Plains Severe Weather—Ten Years After

Abstract More than a decade ago, a study was published that identified a short list of precursor conditions for severe thunderstorms on the High Plains of the United States. The present study utilizes data from the summer months of ten convective seasons to estimate how well the criteria fare as a method of forecasting severe weather days in that region. Results indicate that the technique produces a relatively high success rate in terms of detecting severe weather days for most years studied. False alarms are a bit high in an absolute sense (36% overall), but fall well within acceptable limits in the real world, where the philosophy of “better to overwarn, than underforecast” prevails.
A LATE MIOCENE ZIPHIID (MESSAPICETUS SP.: ODONTOCETI: CETACEA) FROM THE ST. MARYS FORMATION OF CALVERT CLIFFS, MARYLAND

The vast majority of the more than 600 species that have been identified from the Miocene sediments of Calvert Cliffs, Maryland (Fig. 1), are of marine organisms. The biota includes palynomorphs, terrestrial plants, diatoms, dinoflagellates, foraminiferans, sponges, annelid worms, corals, abundant and diverse mollusks, ostracods, decapod crustaceans, barnacles, an inarticulate brachiopod, echinoderms, sharks and rays, bony fishes, turtles, crocodiles, pelagic birds, seals, sea cows, isolated and fragmentary remains of large terrestrial mammals, and a diverse assemblage of approximately 30 species of both odontocetes and mysticetes (Gottfried et al., 1994). In terms of vertebrate remains, those of cetaceans are second only to the number of chondrichthian teeth that erode from the length of Calvert Cliffs and their extensions out under the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The three Miocene formations comprising Calvert Cliffs (Fig. 2) differ in their cetacean assemblages. The Lower Miocene to lower Middle Miocene (Burdigalian and Langhian) Calvert Formation has long been known to preserve one of the world's richest and most diverse extinct cetacean assemblages. Of the 19 recognized odontocete species from the Chesapeake Group, 12 are known exclusively from the Calvert Formation and another three are derived from both the Calvert and the Middle Miocene (Serravallian) Choptank formations (to date, no odontocete spe
Innovative surgical techniques for managing Peyronie’s disease: a video presentation

Peyronie’s disease is a disorder caused by fibrosis of the tunica albuginea, which results in penile deformity, pain, and can be associated with erectile dysfunction. Treatment options include a variety of medical and surgical approaches, with no clear consensus as to the best treatment option. Many medical therapies have been investigated, including oral, topical, injectable, and external-energy agents. Surgical management can involve plication with or without plaque resection, grafting procedures, or, in extreme cases, penile prosthesis implantation. Two of these treatment techniques are presented in a detailed technical review: the 16-dot plication and tunica-sparing plaque excision.
Exposure of the tibial-peroneal arteries by a single lateral approach.

A lateral approach with fibular resection provides excellent exposure of the tibia1 and peroneal arteries of the upper leg. Bypass grafting to either of these vessels is feasible and suggested when preoperative angiograms show severe diffuse stenosis or occlusion of the popliteal artery or when introoperative angiography or surgical exploration discloses unsuspected maior occlusive disease of the distal popliteal artery. Delayed films will often show reconstitution of one or more of the leg vessels amenable to revascularization by the lateral approach.
Play Behavior and Playfulness in Adulthood

Although research has established play behavior and playfulness as important to the well-being of children and animals, researchers have not typically considered the importance or implications of play in human adults. This is surprising given that play behavior is a topic of high relevance to social psychology. Definitional issues, a lack of a theoretical framework, and a dearth of standardized measures have posed obstacles in the advancement of this interesting research area, which is ripe for investigation. In this review, we summarize the extant literature, identify strengths and weaknesses of this literature, propose definitions to guide future work in this area, identify relevant theories that may be expanded to provide a framework for programmatic research on play in adulthood, and elucidate avenues for future research. Our aim is to encourage the development of this research area within social psychology.
Chemical and biological sensing applications of integrated photonics with an introduction to the American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics)

Integrated photonics affords an opportunity to explore novel sensing and lab-on-a-chip concepts. It offers a route to high sensitivity, high selectivity, and low SWaP-C test systems that can be operated autonomously or by minimallytrained field personnel. We'll introduce the topic, discuss possible sensing modalities, and highlight the advantages and limitations of this technology. We'll also introduce the recent American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics), give an overview of its vision and capabilities, how to utilize its Electronic-Photonic Design Automation (EPDA) tools and its Multi-Project Wafer and Assembly (MPWA) services, how to engage in its road mapping efforts, and how to become a contributing member.
Direct determination of lead in tea drinks by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Objective:To apply the method for detecting lead in tea drinks by direct inner furnace digestion in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.Methods: The samples were directly injected for determination after dilution.Results: The standard recovery rate of lead in tea drinks was 96.7%～103.8%,the relative standard deviation was 0.78%～3.39%.Conclusion: Lead detections in tea drinks under this condition can quickly get the accurate results through the minimal procedures.
Mitigating Error and Uncertainty in Partitioned Analysis: A Review of Verification, Calibration and Validation Methods for Coupled Simulations

Partitioned analysis involves coupling of constituent models that resolve different scales or physics by allowing them to exchange inputs and outputs in an iterative manner. Through partitioning, simulations of complex physical systems are becoming evermore present in the scientific modeling community, making the Verification and Validation (V&V) of partitioned models to quantifying the predictive capability of their simulations increasingly important. Partitioning presents unique challenges, as well as opportunities, for the V&V community. Verification gains a new level of complexity in partitioned models, as numerical errors can easily be introduced at the coupling interface where non-matching domains and models are integrated together. For validation, partitioned analysis allows the quantification of the uncertainties and errors in constituent models through comparison against separate-effect experiments conducted in independent constituent domains. Such experimental validation is important as uncertainties and errors in the predictions of constituents can be transferred across their interfaces, either compensating for each other or accumulating during iterative coupling operations. This paper reviews published literature on methods for assessing and improving the predictive capability of strongly coupled models of physical and engineering systems with an emphasis on advancements made in the last decade.
Scattering of 7-to 15-MEV Neutrons from 1-P Shell Nuclei

A program of measurements of cross sections for neutron elastic and discrete inelastic scattering from the 1-p shell nuclei is described. Experiments have been performed at an FN Tandem van de Graaff facility using the D (d,n) reaction as a neutron source. In our new data acquisition system, time-of-flight data are stored in a VAX-11/780 computer interfaced to CAMAC via a micro programmed branch driver, the MBD-11. We review our results for neutron scattering from 6Li, 7Li, 9Be, 10B, 11B, 12C, 13C, and 16O. Data have generally been accumulated in 1-MeV steps from 7 to 15 MeV at angles from 25° to 160°. Cross sections are compared to previous work. Much of the neutron scattering data is well described by the spherical optical model (SOM). However, SOM parameters for heavier nuclei do not reproduce the data well. Parameter sets for the individual nuclei are presented along with the results of a global SOM search over 45 neutron scattering angular distributions for all 1-p shell nuclei. Volume integrals for the real and imaginary wells are compared to recent theoretical predictions. The SOM predictions for proton elastic scattering are also compared to the available data.
In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in Dry Eye Disease Associated With Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Purpose To compare densities of corneal epithelial dendritic cells (DCs), corneal subbasal nerves, and conjunctival epithelial immune cells (EICs) between patients with dry eye disease (DED) with and without graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Methods This study included 54 patients who had moderate to severe DED either associated with (n = 33) or without (n = 21) chronic GVHD. In addition to evaluating clinical parameters of DED, images obtained by laser-scanning IVCM of the central cornea and superior tarsal conjunctiva were analyzed to measure densities of corneal epithelial DCs, corneal subbasal nerves, and conjunctival EICs. Results Although there were no significant differences between GVHD and non-GVHD groups in symptom scores, the GVHD group had significantly worse corneal fluorescein staining, tear break-up time, and Schirmer's scores than the non-GVHD group. Corneal epithelial DC density, corneal subbasal nerve density, and conjunctival EIC density were 148 ± 135 cells/mm2, 16.3 ± 6.1 mm/mm2, and 670 ± 267 cells/mm2, respectively, in the GVHD group; and 122 ± 99 cells/mm2, 18.3 ± 5.1 mm/mm2, and 572 ± 271 cells/mm2, respectively, in the non-GVHD group. After adjusting for clinical parameters, including the DED severity, none of the IVCM parameters was significantly different between the GVHD versus non-GVHD groups (P = 0.82, P = 0.21, and P = 0.60, respectively). Conclusions In GVHD-associated DED, cellular changes in the cornea and conjunctiva observed by IVCM were similar to those seen in patients who have non-GVHD dry eye with the same level of disease severity. Therefore, corneal and conjunctival IVCM findings in GVHD-associated DED are possibly reflective of the local disease (DED) severity rather than the underlying systemic disease process.
Role of weak particle-matrix interfacial adhesion in deformation and fracture mechanisms of rigid particulate-filled poly(methyl methacrylate)

Abstract Toughening glassy thermoplastics such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) without sacrificing modulus and thermomechanical stability is a valuable but challenging objective. Rigid particulate fillers have been found to improve toughness of some polymers with complex dependence on matrix ductility, particle size, and particle-matrix interfacial adhesion. We tested the effects of both strong and weak interfacial adhesion on deformation and fracture of a model system comprising PMMA filled with monodisperse 1 µm diameter silica spheres. Fracture energy G IC of PMMA was found to increase by over 50% when filled with 1 v% of weakly bonded particles, while the force observed during melt compounding increased by less than 15% and Young's modulus increased systematically with filler loading. However, G IC decreased with filler loading above 1 v%. This behavior is consistent with a modified Kinloch-type model considering localized shear banding and plastic void growth around debonded particles at the crack tip. The ability of the matrix to deform via shear yielding and plastic void growth was confirmed by digital image correlation measurement of volumetric strain in uniaxial tension. We have extended Kinloch's model to account for shortening of the crack tip craze by the particles, which reduces the intrinsic toughness and toughenability of the PMMA matrix. Particles with strong interfacial adhesion generally reduced toughness. The experimental and modeling results suggest weakly bonded particles with size on the order of the crack-tip craze width may provide optimum toughening of glassy thermoplastics.
TMIC-06GLIOMA-MEDIATED MICROGLIAL ACTIVATION PROMOTES GLIOMA PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION: ROLES OF NA + /H+ EXCHANGER 1

Glioma-associated microglia and macrophages (GAMs) comprise up to 30% of the brain tumor mass, making them substantial contributors to the tumor environment. Once within the tumor niche, infiltrating GAMs are quickly converted to pro-tumorigenic phenotypes that enhance glioma growth and migration. Here we have characterized the role of Na + /H+ exchanger isoform-1 (NHE1) in the bidirectional communication between glioma cells and microglia. NHE1 protein expression was increased in tumor xenographs in both microglia and glioma cells. We found that microglia cells exposed to glioma-conditioned medium increased their NHE1 expression, as well as expression of the M1 marker iNOS and the M2 marker Arg1. This is in accordance with the mixed activation profile observed with GAMs. The levels of a panel of other candidates were also evaluated, revealing a large increase in expression of the cytokines IL6, IL10, and TGFβ as well as membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and matrix metalloproteinase 9. Regulation of all these proteins was abolished when NHE1 protein in microglia was inhibited with the selective NHE1 inhibitor HOE642. We next looked at the communication from glioma-stimulated microglia back to glioma cells. Glioma cells were exposed to conditioned medium from glioma-stimulated microglia grown with or without the NHE1 inhibitor HOE642. Glioma cells treated with glioma/microglia conditioned medium showed increased levels of phosphylated-Akt, increased proliferation, and enhanced migration, but not if microglial NHE1 function had been blocked by HOE 642. Our results show that NHE1 plays important roles in both the activation of microglia in response to tumor-secreted signals as well as microglial production of secreted signals which stimulate tumor progression. Thus, NHE1 is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of glioma. Funding sources include NIH grants R01NS075995 and R01NS048216, the HEADRUSH Brain Tumor Research Professorship, the Roger Loff Memorial GBM Research Fund, and Department of Neurological Surgery.
Interpreting Prediction Market Prices

Prediction market prices are often used as estimates of the probability of outcomes in future elections and referendums. I argue that this practice is often flawed, and I develop a model that empiricists can use to partially identify probabilities from prediction market prices. In the special case of log utility, election outcome probabilities can be fully (point) identified by a simple type of futures contract that is not commonly used in practice. Prediction markets are also used to examine whether stock market valuations would be higher under one election outcome than the other. I show that this question cannot be answered without assuming investors' higher-order beliefs are correct. In the case of the 2016 US presidential election, my model suggests that investors had incorrect higher-order beliefs, and that these incorrect higher-order beliefs affected the aggregate value of the S&P 500 by approximately $400 billion, or 2% of its aggregate value.
Cholecystitis, Cholelithiasis, and Cholecystectomy in Cirrhotic Patients

The prevalence of the disease of the gallbladder is increased in cirrhotic patients. This fact further complicates an already morbid disease. Pathogenesis, patient assessment and work-up, as well as operative and nonoperative intervention for biliary disease in cirrhotic patients are examined below.
Simultaneous fluorescent and quantitative phase and imaging through spatial frequency projections (Conference Presentation)

We present a novel single-pixel imaging technique that simultaneously images fluorescence and quantitative phase of an object. To extract simultaneously co-registered fluorescence and phase images, the object is illuminated by a pair of spatially coherent monochromatic laser beams with a difference in illumination spatial frequency that is swept linearly in time. One of the beams is stationary – serving as a reference beam – and propagated along the optic axis. The other beam scans through the full range of transverse spatial frequencies supported by the illumination optic – sweeping the crossing angle of the two beams incident on the specimen as a function of time. The scanned beam also has a temporal modulation carrier frequency that allows the extraction of the products of interfering fields. To record a phase image, forward scattered light from a thin object is collected in the back Fourier plane of a collection optic. Placing a narrow slit in the back Fourier plane allows the complex spatial frequency spectrum of the object amplitude transmission to be recorded in time. At each time point, the spatial frequency value corresponding to the difference in transverse spatial frequency of the illumination beams is recorded. Simultaneously, the interference of the illumination beams in the object imparts a spatial frequency pattern on the fluorescent molecule excitation and the spatial frequency of the object’s fluorescent concentration is recorded at each time step. This single-pixel imaging method allows for simultaneous acquisition of the object phase and fluorescent images by collecting spatial frequency projections in time.
The Afrotropical species of Apotropina Hendel (Diptera: Chloropidae)

Only two species of the widely distributed genus Apotropina, formerly Lasiopleura, have previously been known from tropical Africa. This paper recognises and provides keys to nine species, of which one is left unnamed and six are descriptionbed as new: A. brunneivittata (Natal, South Africa), A. lachaisei (CA´te d'Ivoire, ZaA¯re), A. nigricornis (Malagasy Republic), A. sigalopleura (Mozambique, Nigeria), A. stuckenbergi (Malagasy Republic), and A. tsitsikama (Cape Province, South Africa). New records and notes are given for A. gregalis (Lamb) and A. vittata (Sabrosky).
BlueShift: Automated application transformation to Cloud Native architectures

▪ Presented BlueShift: Self-service for orchestrating automated tasks (via APIs) and human tasks for end-to-end transformation process including, application discovery, analysis, artifact transformation and enablement of cloud value-add services. ▪ Demonstrated transformation process for PlantsByWebSphere application, with Liberty Profile runtime as a target in BlueMix (cloud-foundry based platform). ▪ Discussed challenges arising in transformation from application complexity and non-functional requirements.
International and Intercity Trade, and Housing Prices in US Cities

International trade models typically consider countries exchanging goods/services, while urban models often examine the consequences of domestic trade for city structure. Relatively little known research synthesizes these to allow for shocks propagating domestically with both domestic and international trade. One exception is Autor et al. (2013), who examine how Chinese imports impact US domestic labor markets. We consider how city-to-city trade and city international exports impact city Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and housing price growth. We develop a theoretical model of trading cities, domestically and internationally, and explore its empirical predictions. We propose and estimate several empirical models. Using instrumental variables (IV), we identify city-level GDP growth impacts on city house price growth. This first equation follows from imposing spatial equilibrium across cities. The second IV equation examines how international exports from a city, transfers, and domestic shipments impact city-level GDP. We also consider a third set of equations, which explores how economic integration, domestic and international, affects city-level GDP growth. In general, our empirical estimation results confirm the signs/magnitudes predicted by the theory, and imply that labor market shocks in trading cities affect city-level GDP, which in turn impacts housing prices. This theoretical approach, synthesis of city-level data, and empirical analysis are completely novel.
Influence of Root-zone Temperature on Growth of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle

Abstract Growth of tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) seedlings was evaluated during a 28-day exposure to constant root-zone temperatures of 18°, 24°, 30°, and 36°C (64°,75°, 86°, and 97°F). Leaf area, stem length, root-to-shoot ratio, and shoot and root dry weights were greatest among plants with 24°C (75°F) root zones. Diminished growth among plants at high root-zone temperatures was associated with reduced leaf conductance. After 14 days of treatment, leaf diffusive resistance of plants in the 36°C (97°F) regime was eight times greater than that of plants with 24°C (75°F) root zones. Regulation of leaf gas exchange among plants with 36°C (97°F) root zones probably contributed to the maintenance of moderate leaf water potentials but limited the fixation of carbon necessary to sustain growth.
Earthquake Early Warning ShakeAlert System: Testing and Certification Platform

Earthquake early warning systems provide warnings to end users of incoming moderate to strong ground shaking from earthquakes. An earthquake early warning system, ShakeAlert, is providing alerts to beta end users in the western United States, specifically California, Oregon, and Washington. An essential aspect of the earthquake early warning system is the development of a framework to test modifications to code to ensure functionality and assess performance. In 2016, a Testing and Certification Platform (TCP) was included in the development of the Production Prototype version of ShakeAlert. The purpose of the TCP is to evaluate the robustness of candidate code that is proposed for deployment on ShakeAlert Production Prototype servers. TCP consists of two main components: a real‐time in situ test that replicates the real‐time production system and an offline playback system to replay test suites. The real‐time tests of system performance assess code optimization and stability. The offline tests comprise a stress test of candidate code to assess if the code is production ready. The test suite includes over 120 events including local, regional, and teleseismic historic earthquakes, recentering and calibration events, and other anomalous and potentially problematic signals. Two assessments of alert performance are conducted. First, point‐source assessments are undertaken to compare magnitude, epicentral location, and origin time with the Advanced National Seismic System Comprehensive Catalog, as well as to evaluate alert latency. Second, we describe assessment of the quality of ground‐motion predictions at end‐user sites by comparing predicted shaking intensities to ShakeMaps for historic events and implement a threshold‐based approach that assesses how often end users initiate the appropriate action, based on their ground‐shaking threshold. TCP has been developed to be a convenient streamlined procedure for objectively testing algorithms, and it has been designed with flexibility to accommodate significant changes in development of new or modified system code. It is expected that the TCP will continue to evolve along with the ShakeAlert system, and the framework we describe here provides one example of how earthquake early warning systems can be evaluated.
Experimental support for a one-step model of phoneme acquisition

Phonetic category acquisition involves a distributional learning mechanism (Maye, Werker, and Gerken 2002). Some researchers suggest that phonetic category acquisition is only the first step in a two-step model of phonological acquisition by modelling these two steps separately (Guenther and Gjaja, 1996; Boersma, Escudero, and Hayes, 2003; Peperkamp, Pettinato, and Dupoux 2003; Peperkamp, Calvez, Nadal, and Dupoux 2006), while others have argued for a one-step model (Dillon, Dunbar, and Idsardi 2013). This experimental study maps the learning trajectory of three groups of adult learners: (1) a group exposed to a bimodal frequency distribution where both halves of the bimodal distribution occur in complementary environments (Bimodal-Comp group), (2) a group exposed to a bimodal frequency distribution where both halves of the bimodal distribution occur in non-complementary environments (Bimodal-NonComp group), and (3) a group exposed to a monomodal frequency distribution (Monomodal group). This study finds support for a one-step model of phoneme acquisition, with the Bimodal-Comp group having lower sensitivities to critical stimuli than even the Monomodal group at all three exposure times tested.
Autoregulation of Blood Flow in the Distal Segment of the Optic Nerve

Autoregulation of blood flow may be defined as the adjustment of blood flow through an organ to provide for its metabolic needs. Autoregulation is a part of homeostasis, which is the more general term for the stability in the internal environment achieved by control mechanisms activated by negative feedback. It is usually thought of in a relatively restricted sense as the intrinsic tendency of an organ to maintain constant blood flow despite changes in perfusion pressure (13). Vascular tone and its control is under the influence of neurogenic and hormonal factors, but autoregulatory mechanisms operate at the local level. The autoregulatory mechanisms may be influenced and even overridden by nervous and blood factors, but they operate even if sympathectomy is carried out and catecholamines are excluded.
The limits of miscibility in the lithium-potassium system

Abstract An investigation of the lithium-potassium system was made over the temperature range 63–500 °C. It was found that between 63 and 180 °C a potassium-rich liquid phase was in equilibrium with solid lithium, while two immiscible liquid phases were present above 180 °C. The solubilities of potassium in liquid lithium and lithium in liquid potassium, as determined by chemical analyses of the immiscible phases sample at temperature, can be represented by the following expressions: log S ( Li in K ) ( wt. ppm ) = 6.09−1837 T (° K ) , and log S ( K in Li ) ( wt. ppm ) = 5.50−1362 T(° K ) .