cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Will coastal wetlands continue to sequester carbon in response to an increase in global sea level?: a case study of the rapidly subsiding Mississippi river deltaic plain.

The highly visible coastal phenomenon of wetland loss in coastal Louisiana (LA) was examined through the prism of carbon accumulation and loss. Carbon storage or sequestration in rapidly subsiding LA coastal marsh soils was based on vertical marsh accretion and aerial change data. Marshes sequester significant amount of carbon through vertical accretion however, large amounts of carbon previously sequestration in the soil profile is lost through annual deterioration of these coastal marshes. Hurricanes, such as Katrina and Rita, have triggered instantaneous large carbon losses of sequestered soil carbon through the destruction of large areas of marsh. This analysis shows proposed coastal restoration efforts will not be sufficient to restore carbon losses by storms and marsh deterioration. Further, we have estimated the economic benefit of carbon sequestration for coastal wetland restoration efforts. Results show that LA coastal marshes may not serve as a net sink of carbon. These results may serve as a predictor of the impact of future predictions of increasing global sea level rise on carbon sequestration for other coastal regions.
Catharanthus Lanceus VII: Isolation of Tetrahydroalstonine, Lochnerinine, and Periformyline

A continuing study of Catharanthus Lanceus leaf alkaloids for antineoplastic compounds has led to the isolation of tetrahydroalstonine, lochnerinine, and a new alkaloid, periformyline. Details concerning the isolation of these alkaloids and the structure elucidation of periformyline, the first example of an N (b) -substituted formyl indole alkaloid to be found in nature, are presented.
The changing face of percutaneous biopsy: oncogenes, molecular profiling, and histology

Learning Objectives 1) Describe the new state-of-the-art techniques used to evaluate specimens obtained from percutaneous biopsy. 2) Explain how procedural requirements such as selection of the biopsy technique (FNA vs core) and amount of tissue obtained are affected by these new pathologic assays. 3) Discuss the implications of these new pathologic assays on modern therapeutic decisions and the growing field of personalized medicine. Background There have been many advancements in the assessment of biopsy specimens including use of immunohistochemistry staining, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction to enhance histologic review. The utility of percutaneous biopsy has progressed from simple tissue diagnosis to the evaluation of genetics and cell receptors that provide information considered essential for treatment, prognosis, metastatic potential, and propensity for recurrence. Clinical Findings/Procedure Details Recent pathology, oncology and radiology literature describe new IHC, genomic, and FISH techniques that can be used for more accurate diagnosis and personalized therapy. Beyond diagnosis, the results of these new molecular tumor assays are affecting therapy (Table). Conclusion and/or Teaching Points Percutaneous biopsy is essential to the growing field of “personalized medicine”. Whereas previously biopsy was performed chiefly to secure a diagnosis, today biopsy plays a role in identifying tumor subtypes, determining prognosis and guiding therapy. Radiologist play a key role in the process and should understand these new techniques for tissue analysis. Table 1
The Complexity of Phrase Alignment Problems

Many phrase alignment models operate over the combinatorial space of bijective phrase alignments. We prove that finding an optimal alignment in this space is NP-hard, while computing alignment expectations is #P-hard. On the other hand, we show that the problem of finding an optimal alignment can be cast as an integer linear program, which provides a simple, declarative approach to Viterbi inference for phrase alignment models that is empirically quite efficient.
Value-Based Reengineering: Twenty-first Century Chronic Care Models

The need for improved models of chronic care is great and will become critical over the next years as the Medicare-aged population doubles. Many promising models have been developed by outstanding groups across the country. This article reviews key strategies used by successful models in chronic disease management and discusses in detail how Geisinger has evolved and organized its cohesive delivery model.
Acute Renal Failure and the Critically Ill Patient

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a complication frequently observed in critically ill patients. This review provides details regarding the epidemiology and overall care of the ARF patient. ARF is defined and classified based on etiology. These classifications are prerenal azotemia, ischemic ARF, and postrenal azotemia. Examples of drug-induced nephrotoxicity are also outlined. Clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria of ARF are differentiated among the major ARF classes, and management strategies are outlined. These management strategies include preventive, supportive, pharmacologic, and nonpharmacologic interventions. Current standards of practice and investigational therapies are also discussed. Pharmacokinetic monitoring and dosing regimen adjustments in ARF patients with and without renal replacement therapy are reviewed. Finally, a prognostic evaluation of ARF in critically ill patients is provided based on current knowledge of the disease state and treatment options.
Putative tumor suppressor gene SEL1L was downregulated by aberrantly upregulated hsa-mir-155 in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Sel-1-like (SEL1L) is a putative tumor suppressor gene that is significantly downregulated in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). The mechanism of the downregulation is unclear. Here, we investigated whether aberrantly upregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) repressed the expression of SEL1L. From reported miRNA microarray studies on PDA and predicted miRNA targets, we identified seven aberrantly upregulated miRNAs that potentially target SEL1L. We assessed the expression levels of SEL1L mRNA and the seven miRNAs in human PDA tumors and normal adjacent tissues using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Then statistical methods were applied to evaluate the association between SEL1L mRNA and the miRNAs. Furthermore, the interaction was explored by functional analysis, including luciferase assay and transient miRNA overexpression. SEL1L mRNA expression levels were found to correlate inversely with the expression of hsa-mir-143, hsa-mir-155, and hsa-mir-223 (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P = 0.002, respectively). As the number of these overexpressed miRNAs increased, SEL1L mRNA expression progressively decreased (Ptrend = 0.001). Functional analysis revealed that hsa-mir-155 acted as a suppressor of SEL1L in PDA cell lines. Our study combined statistical analysis with biological approaches to determine the relationships between several miRNAs and the SEL1L gene. The finding that the expression of the putative tumor suppressor SEL1L is repressed by upregulation of hsa-mir-155 helps to elucidate the mechanism for SEL1L downregulation in some human PDA cases. Our results suggest a role for specific miRNAs in the pathogenesis of PDA and indicate that miRNAs have potential as therapeutic targets for PDA. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Democracy as an equilibrium

Observation shows that while democracy is fragile in poor countries, it is impregnable in developed ones. To explain this pattern, I develop a model in which political parties propose redistributions of incomes, observe the result of an election, and decide whether to comply with the outcome or to launch a struggle for dictatorship. Democracy prevails in developed societies because too much is at stake in turning against it. More income can be redistributed in developed than in poor countries without threatening democracy. Limits on redistribution arise endogenously, so that constitutions are not necessary for democracy to endure. A democratic culture characterizes the equilibrium.
The Role of Amniotic Fluid Analysis

Amniocentesis is a practical tool in daily obstetrics. The rapid and relatively safe procedure can enhance the clinician's judgement in important decisions concerning the fetal maturity, Rh iso-immunization, and genetic counseling and, to a lesser degree, in placenta localization and diagnoses of fetal well-being and congenital abnormalities. The indications and technique for amniotic fluid analysis me presented, and possible complications are discussed.
Thermal and material transfer in turbulent gas streams: One‐inch spheres

As part of a study of the effect of conditions of flow upon macroscopic and local thermal and material transport from spheres, an investigation was made of the macroscopic and local transport from a silver and a porous sphere each 1 in. in diameter. The transport was measured in a turbulent air stream at Reynolds numbers up to 7,500, and the apparent level of longitudinal turbulence of the stream was varied between 0.013 and 0.15. In the case of the porous sphere the thermal and material transport were evaluated for the evaporation of n-octane. The results indicate that the macroscopic Nusselt number is substantially larger for combined thermal and material transport than for thermal transport alone. The local Nusselt number varied by a factor of 5 around the silver sphere from stagnation to separation.
In situ IR spectroscopic studies of Ni surface segregation induced by CO adsorption on Cu-Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts.

It is of great importance to study the catalytic structures under real reaction conditions especially for the bimetallic catalysts, where facile surface restructure or surface segregation can be driven by adsorbate adsorption. Here, we report CO interaction with Cu–Ni/SiO2 bimetallic model catalysts studied by CO temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and in situ CO polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) under CO pressures varying from ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) to near ambient pressure. Under UHV conditions, Cu is enriched on the surface of Cu–Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts. CO spillover from Cu to Ni on Cu–Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts has been observed at about 200 K under UHV conditions. In situ CO PM-IRRAS shows surface segregation of Ni on the Cu–Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts induced by CO adsorption at ambient pressure CO. The behavior of CO induced surface segregation can lead to severe errors in Ni active site measurements by the selective CO chemisorption on Cu–Ni/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts.
Bioanalytical devices: Technological leap for sweat sensing

Sweat analysis is an ideal method for continuously tracking a person's physiological state, but developing devices for this is difficult. A wearable sweat monitor that measures several biomarkers is a breakthrough. See Letter p.509 Human sweat is attracting attention as a carrier of biomarkers of potential diagnostic importance, as well as in drug abuse detection and athletic performance optimization. In particular, sweat is much more tractable than other body fluids for continuous bio-monitoring. This paper presents a fully integrated flexible sensor platform for sweat analysis, based on existing technologies. Ali Javey and colleagues successfully connect plastic-based skin sensors to conventional silicon integrated circuitry to achieve multiple simultaneous measurement of sweat metabolites (glucose and lactate) and electrolytes (sodium and potassium). Skin temperature was measured to provide in situ calibration of the sensors. A small cohort human subject validation was performed to demonstrate the practical value of the platform — and a specially designed Android app created — for real-time assessment of physiological status, either as a wristband or forehead patch.
Quality of Life and Civic Involvement in Southeast Michigan: Preliminary Findings from the Habitat for Humanity Pilot Project

Habitat for Humanity is recognized internationally for enabling lower-income families to achieve homeownership and for its use of volunteers toward that goal. But little research has been conducted to assess the impact on families of participating in Habitat's process to homeownership. Developed in partnership with two Habitat affiliates in Southeast Michigan, this research seeks to evaluate the impact of homeownership through individualsﾒ comparisons of their former and current housing and neighborhoods. The pilot study uses indicators of individual and child well-being, such as health and sense of safety in home and neighborhood, as well as measures of civic involvement and sense of community in difficult neighborhood contexts. Data were collected through surveys and interviews in Detroit and Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti in 2009.
Alleviating Rural Farmers Poverty through Effective Micro credit: Evaluation of UNDP Intervention in Delta State

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) introduced a micro credit scheme of N9milllion as one of the projects in the Integrated Community Development Programme (ICDP) in Delta state in 2000. UNDP appointed Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) a Micro Finance Institution (MFI) in Nigeria which has developed a successful model of reaching credit to resource poor households that are generally bypassed by government financial institutions as consultants to implement the scheme in the state. This work sought to determine the return to the different economic activities funded with the loan by the beneficiaries, and ascertain the repayment/default rate of the credit programme. Analysis of data collected from 103 beneficiaries of the scheme spread across the three agricultural zones of the state suggests that the productivity of labour was higher than the estimated wage rate and the rate of return was higher than the interest charged on the loan. It is recommended that since the micro credit has been effective in improving the livelihood of the low income house-holds, the government should mobilize adequate donor support on behalf of the micro credit institutions.
Familial Politics: Thomas Paine and the Killing of the King, 1776

THIS exploratory paper attempts a probe into the problem of who killed George III and why. It seeks as well to inquire into the subliminal sources of popular political influence. It also raises indirectly the problem of how and indeed whether historians should explore such arcane instances of homicide. Granted, any reports concerning the death of George III in 1776 may be said in one sense to be greatly exaggerated. Nonetheless one can propose that in 1776 George III was killed in his American provinces vicariously but very effectively by an anonymous hand and that this act of murder constitutes a legitimate subject for historical inquiry. The American Revolution has been occasionally placed upon the couch for a brisk session of psychiatric analysis; the resulting diagnoses of American independence as a rejection of the British father have not been difficult.' But they have also apparently not been wholly persuasive to the rather large number of historians who think that generalizations about a major historical event ought somehow to be tied to what "facts" are known about it. If one looks at these "facts," and particularly at the public discussion during 1775 and during the first six months of 1776 about separation from Britain, one becomes impressed by the way Americans strummed persistently upon certain themes: that there was the utmost necessity for union among the colonies, that the British government had mounted a conspiracy to deprive American colonials of their rights, that Americans were threatened with outright enslavement, that Great Britain and especially the British government was steeped in corruption and degeneracy. These are familiar. Yet one theme which one might reasonably expect to find usually arose only implicitly: American patriots simply assumed that an independent America would be republican, that monarchy would come to an end in
InSAR observation of the strike-slip faults in the northwest Himalayan frontal thrust system

The Indo-Asian collision formed a series of north-dipping Cenozoic thrust faults in the Himalayan region, some of which are still active. The frontal thrust system in the northwest Himalayas has signifi cant lateral variation, with the appearance of a reentrant along the thrust front. In the transfer zone of the structural reentrant, strike-slip faults dominate the deformation. To better understand the activities of the strike-slip faults in the northwest Himalayan frontal thrust system, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) was used to measure the slip rate and direction. Radar image pairs with long time intervals are preferred to monitor the cumulative displacement caused by a low slip rate along the faults. The measurement across the Kalabagh fault zone indicates that ongoing slip rates are lower than those previously measured by conventional methods. The activities along the Kalabagh fault have segmental characteristics. Current deformation at the north segment mainly concentrates on the splay faults east of the Kalabagh fault. The southward decrease of displacement in the eastern fault block suggests that active deformation is mostly accumulated within the Potwar Plateau‐Salt Range thrust wedge instead of at the thrust front. This work indicates that the Kalabagh fault zone linking the thrust fronts of the Salt Range and the Surghar Range plays an important role in accommodating the deformation in the Himalayan frontal thrust system caused by the Indo-Asian convergence.
Church attendance, religiosity, and health

Many studies have repotted a beneficial effect of church attendance on one's health. Little attempt has been made, however, to ascertain what aspect of the behavior might be responsible for the effect, so church attendance, religiosity, and health were examined in a sample of 174 graduate students (ages 19 to 69 years). Neither attendance nor religiosity was significantly associated in this sample with the frequency or seriousness of illness experienced over the previous 12-mo. period. These findings are discussed in relation to sample characteristics.
Fabrication of Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors with Metal and Semiconductor Electrodes

Carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNTFETs) were fabricated with metal material (gold) and semiconductor material (bismuth telluride) as the source and drain materials. Highly-purified HiPCO-grown single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from Carbon Nanotechnologies, Inc. (CNI) were used for the fabrication of CNTFETs. The single-walled carbon nanotubes were ultrasonically dispersed in toluene and dimethylformamide (DMF) with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), as co-solvent. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) method was used to deposit, align, and assemble carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to bridge the gap between the source and drain of CNTFETs to form the channel. The structure of CNTFET is similar to a conventional field-effect transistor with substrate acting as a back-side gate. Electron-beam evaporation was used to deposit gold and bismuth telluride thin films. Microfabrication techniques such as photolithography, e-beam lithography, and lift-off process were used to define and fabricate the source, drain, and gate of CNTFETs. The gap between the source and drain varied from 800 nm to 3 µm. The drain-source current (IDS) of the fabricated CNTFETs versus the drain-source voltage (VDS) and the gate voltage (VG) was characterized. It was found that in the case of gold (Au) electrodes, the I-V curves of CNTFETs clearly show behavior of the CNT (metallic or semiconducting) aligned across the source and drain of CNTFETs, while in the case of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) electrodes, the I-V curves are less dependent on the type of CNTs (metallic or semiconducting). The developed carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNTFETs) can be a good candidate for the application of nanoelectronics and integrated circuits with a high mobility and fast switching.
Impacts of structural vibration on the performance of ultrasound sensor networks powered by vibration-harvested energy

This paper develops an energy-aware ultrasonic sensor network architecture using a Pulse Switching approach for lightweight, through-substrate operation in Structural Health Monitoring applications. Pulse Switching protocols employ single pulses instead of multi-bit packets for information delivery with maximal lightness in event monitoring with binary sensing requirements i.e. where event information transmitted is only a single bit (YES / NO) based on evaluation of structural characteristics. The paper presents a simulation study of the Energy-Aware Through-Substrate Pulse Switching protocol performance for structural monitoring when operated using energy harvested from intermittent vibrations in the structure itself. The paper incorporates an energy harvesting model for simulating memory-less vibration patterns using exponentially distributed random processes at different networked nodes. These nodes are placed inside a rectangular plate structure and the corresponding harvested energy profiles are simulated. The vibration profiles are a function of the position of the node on the plate as well as time. Such spatio-temporal variation leads to interesting dynamics in the energy-aware protocol operation which have been explored in the current paper setting. Through the simulations, it is shown that the proposed Energy-Aware Pulse Switching protocol mechanisms can offer a robust through-substrate network that can be reliably used for Structural Health Monitoring using vibration-harvested energy.
Arabidopsis thaliana extracts optimized for polyphenols production as potential therapeutics for the APOE-modulated neuroinflammation characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease in vitro

Although the cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is unknown, glial-induced neuroinflammation is an early symptom. Familial AD is caused by increases in amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide, particularly soluble oligomeric (oAβ), considered a proximal neurotoxin and neuroinflammatory stimuli. APOE4, a naturally occurring genotype of APOE, is the greatest genetic risk factor for AD; increasing risk up to 12-fold compared to APOE3 and APOE2. oAβ-induced neuroinflammation is greater with APOE4 compared to APOE3 and APOE2. As sinapates and flavonoids have anti-inflammatory properties, a protocol was developed for optimizing polyphenol production in seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana). Three mutants (cop1, prn1, xpf3) were identified and the extracts treated with liver microsomes to mimic physiological metabolism, with HPLC and MS performed on the resulting metabolites for peak identification. These extracts were used to treat primary glial cells isolated from human APOE-targeted-replacement (APOE-TR) and APOE-knock-out (KO) mice, with neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or oAβ. The dose-response data for TNFα secretion demonstrate the followed the order: APOE-KO > APOE4 > APOE3 > APOE2, with xpf3 the most effective anti-neuroinflammatory across APOE genotypes. Thus, the plant-based approach described herein may be particularly valuable in treating the APOE4-induced neuroinflammatory component of AD risk.
“Cross-Dressing” Becomes Fashionable Among Transplant Recipients

The current issue features a groundbreaking paper by Smyth, Lechler, and Lombardi entitled “Continuous acquisition of MHC:peptide complexes by recipient cells contributes to the generation of anti-graft CD8 T cell immunity”(1). This paper is now the third of 3 appearing in close succession that are re-defining the allograft rejection paradigm to include a major role for the “semi-direct” pathway(2, 3). A bit of background on the semi-direct pathway is in order. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Competing risks analysis in the prognostic assessment of patients undergoing lung resection.

Based on a competing risk analysis of cause-specific mortality, we recently (1) demonstrated that noncancer-specific mortality is a significant competing event against lung cancer-specific mortality in patients who have undergone curative intent lung resection for stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Evaluation of lactate, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, procalcitonin and immature granulocyte count as biomarkers for sepsis in emergency department patients.

Abstract Background Lactate, white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil count, procalcitonin and immature granulocyte (IG) count were compared for the prediction of sepsis, and severe sepsis or septic shock, in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). Methods We prospectively enrolled 501 ED patients with a sepsis panel ordered for suspicion of sepsis. WBC, neutrophil, and IG counts were measured on a Sysmex XT-2000i analyzer. Lactate was measured by i-STAT, and procalcitonin by Brahms Kryptor. We classified patients as having sepsis using a simplification of the 1992 consensus conference sepsis definitions. Patients with sepsis were further classified as having severe sepsis or septic shock using established criteria. Univariate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine odds ratio (OR), area under the ROC curve (AUC), and sensitivity/specificity at optimal cut-off for prediction of sepsis (vs. no sepsis), and prediction of severe sepsis or septic shock (vs. no sepsis). Results There were 267 patients without sepsis; and 234 with sepsis, including 35 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Lactate had the highest OR (1.44, 95th% CI 1.20–1.73) for the prediction of sepsis; while WBC, neutrophil count and percent (neutrophil/WBC) had OR > 1.00 (p Conclusion Traditional biomarkers (lactate, WBC, neutrophil count, procalcitonin, IG) have limited utility in the prediction of sepsis.
Biglycan and Decorin Expression and Distribution in Palatal Adhesion.

Previous studies demonstrated that chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) on apical surfaces of palatal medial edge epithelial (MEE) cells were necessary for palatal adhesion. In this study, we identified 2 proteoglycans, biglycan and decorin, that were expressed in the palatal shelves prior to adhesion. In addition, we established that these proteoglycans were dependent on transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling. Laser capture microdissection was used to collect selected palatal epithelial cells from embryonic mouse embryos at various palate development stages. The expression of specific messenger RNA (mRNA) for biglycan and decorin was determined with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The TGFβrI kinase inhibitor (SB431542) was used in palatal organ cultures to determine if blocking TFGβ signaling changed biglycan and decorin distribution. Immunohistochemistry of both biglycan and decorin revealed expression on the apical and lateral surfaces of MEE cells. Biglycan protein and mR...
Avian influenza viruses: a severe threat of a pandemic in children?

Influenza virus is a leading cause of human respiratory illnesses, causing significant annual morbidity and mortality. The greatest severity of illness due to seasonal influenza occurs in infants less than 6 months of age and the elderly. In recent years, avian influenza virus infections with high mortality have occurred in humans. Many of these avian influenza virus infections have occurred in children, and unlike seasonal influenza, the most severe disease and highest death rates have occurred in children and young adults. Treatment and prevention options for avian influenza viruses are limited at present, although much research effort is directed toward these areas. Avian-derived influenza viruses are potential causes of pandemic influenza that could have a dramatic impact on children worldwide.
Like Motion Pictures: Long Take Staging in Vincente Minnelli’s Bells Are Ringing (1960)

This chapter addresses the singular nature of Vincente Minnelli’s use of the long take in his 1960 adaptation of the Broadway musical Bells Are Ringing. Within the genre, Bells Are Ringing stands out for the range of musical sequences shot in one extended take. This is partly traceable to the desire to recreate the nature of a successful Broadway show. The takes “preserve” the show for posterity, even as the intricate nature of Minnelli’s mobile camera adds a distinctly cinematic dimension. The impulse towards preservation is particularly significant in relation to Judy Holliday’s performance. The long takes become a way of recreating the effect of seeing her on stage, a gesture that has added poignancy given that this would turn out to be Holliday’s final film.
Experimental Study of Combining Low Salinity Water Flooding and Preformed Particle Gel to Enhance Oil Recovery for Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs

Abstract Oil recovery from carbonate reservoirs is usually low due to their extreme heterogeneity caused by natural fractures and the nature of the oil-wet matrix. Low salinity water flooding (LSWF) and preformed particle gels (PPG) control conformance are two novel technologies that have recently drawn great interest from the oil industry. Theoretically, LSWF can only increase displacement efficiency, and it has little or no effect on sweep efficiency; PPG can plug fractures, they can improve sweep efficiency, but they have little effect on displacement efficiency. We developed a cost-effective, novel, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology for carbonate reservoirs by coupling the two technologies into one process. The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the combined technology and to demonstrate how the coupling method can improve oil recovery. The oil-wet carbonate cores provided a higher improved oil recovery than water-wet carbonate cores during LSWF. The decrease in fracture width resulted in a higher oil recovery factor. Compared to traditional bulk gel treatments, PPG forms stronger plugging but will not form an impermeable cake in the fracture surface; therefore, PPG allows low salinity water to penetrate into the matrix to modify its wettability, thereby producing more oil from the matrix. Results also show that oil recovery increased by 10% during LSWF after the second water flooding. Additionally, when PPGs were injected, another 4% of oil recovery was gained. As a result, the combined LSWF and PPG increased oil recovery by 18%. A full-factorial experimental design was performed to investigate the influence of the PPG-placed injection pressure (which refers to the maximum pressure used to inject PPG for each experiment), water salinity, and fracture width. Experimental results tell that PPG-placed injection pressure is the factor that strongly influences both oil recovery factor and residual resistance factor; fracture width is the least influential factor among the three. Experimental results prove that the coupled method bypasses the limitations of each method when used individually and improves both displacement and sweep efficiency.
Receptor-Based Peptides for Inhibition of Leukotoxin Activity

The Gram-negative bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, commonly associated with localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP), secretes an RTX (repeats-in-toxin) protein leukotoxin (LtxA) that targets human white blood cells, an interaction that is driven by its recognition of the lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) integrin. In this study, we report on the inhibition of LtxA-LFA-1 binding as an antivirulence strategy to inhibit LtxA-mediated cytotoxicity. Specifically, we designed and synthesized peptides corresponding to the reported LtxA binding domain on LFA-1 and characterized their capability to inhibit LtxA binding to LFA-1 and subsequent cytotoxic activity in human immune cells. We found that several of these peptides, corresponding to sequential β-strands in the LtxA-binding domain of LFA-1, inhibit LtxA activity, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach. Further investigations into the mechanism by which these peptides inhibit LtxA binding to LFA-1 reveal a correlatio...
Indicators to monitor progress of National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP) and some observations on iodised salt in west Bengal.

Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) are widely prevalent in our country and their consequences for human development are well known. The scope of National Goitre Control Programme (NGCP) launched in 1962 was expanded and the programme was renamed as National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP) to connote wider implications of iodine deficiency in population. It is necessary to monitor the progress of NIDDCP using quantifiable indicators to ensure achievement of programme objectives. Prevalence of iodine deficiency disorders, status of iodised salt and level of knowledge. Attitude & practice (KAP) of community regarding IDD and iodised salt are a few such indicators. Children in the age group of 8-10 years are considered most appropriate target group to monitor IDD prevalence. The quality of iodised salt assessed at various levels in West Bengal (using field testing kit) indicated 'satisfactory' iodine content (i.e. > or = 15 ppm) at wholesalers (84.3 per cent), retailers (74.3 per cent) and consumers (71.2 per cent) level. It is suggested that the quality of iodised salt should be periodically assessed and intensive educational campaigns on IDD be launched to create increased demand for consumption of iodised salt in the community.
Neuronal synaptic and cytoskeletal protein aberration following acute inhalation exposure to the oil dispersant COREXIT® EC9500A

Consequent to the Gulf oil spill, there is an emergent concern about the short- and long-term adverse health effects of exposure to oil, weathered-oil products and dispersants among the workforce e...
Some Recent Aspects of Polymer Flammability

There are various stages in the pyrolytic degradation and combustion of volatile products leading to the flammability behavior of polymers. Mechanisms to decrease flammability involve modifying condensed phase or volatile phase reactions. The reported studies relate our recent progress in the understanding and controll of these mechanisms.
Cerebral Physiology of the Aged: Relation to Psychological Function

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of altered cerebral physiology to impairment of intellectual function in old age. Although behavioral changes in senescence are well-documented, little attention has been paid to cerebral physiologic variables, primarily because of the limitations of directly observing such phenomena. An attempt will be made here to review some of the evidence available from electroencephalographic (EEG) and cerebral circulatory studies.
Abstract 4511: The role of Wnt5a signaling pathway in epithelial ovarian cancer progression

Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is the most fatal gynecologic malignancy and the 5th leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women. The majority of women with OvCa (75%) have a very low survival rate (30%), as OvCa is usually diagnosed in late stages after development of intraperitoneal metastasis. Thus, it is indispensable to understand the molecular mechanisms that contribute to OvCa metastatic success, in order to design effective treatment strategies to improve the overall survival of women with OvCa. Wnt5a is a noncanonical Wnt ligand that binds to several cell membrane receptors and activates many downstream signaling pathways that are fundamental for normal developmental processes during embryogenesis. In the past decade, the aberrant activation or inhibition of Wnt5a signaling is emerging as an important event in cancer progression, exerting both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive effects. The role of Wnt5a in OvCa is controversial, as studies report conflicting data. In addition, mechanistic data regarding the contribution of Wnt5a to OvCa progression are largely unavailable. The main aim of this research is to obtain a molecular-level understanding of Wnt5a signaling in OvCa and to investigate its potential roles in influencing OvCa metastatic success. Our data show Wnt5a is prevalent in ascites samples from women in different stages with OvCa, suggesting a role for Wnt5a in promoting disease progression. Data obtained from TCGA (n=583) show high expression of Wnt5a in primary ovarian tumors. Furthermore, Wnt5a enhanced OvCa cells adhesion, migration and invasion in a panel of organotypic and ex vivo functional assays. This was combined with striking morphologic changes characteristic of an invasive phenotype in OvCa cells treated with recombinant Wnt5a protein and formation of tunneling nanotubes (TNT). Overall, our data suggest that Wnt5a plays an oncogenic role in epithelial ovarian cancer cells. More experiments exploring Wnt5a activated pathways and effects in epithelial ovarian cancer cells are under way. Citation Format: Marwa Asem, Allison Young, Carlysa Oyama, Rebecca Burkhalter, Steven Buechler, Daniel Miller, Sharon Stack. The role of Wnt5a signaling pathway in epithelial ovarian cancer progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4511.
Copper(II)-Catalyzed Selective Hydroboration of Ketones and Aldehydes.

A novel nonanuclear copper(II) complex obtained by a facile one-pot self-assembly was found to catalyze the hydroboration of ketones and aldehydes with the absence of an activator under mild, solve...
Techniques for Colorectal Anastomotic Construction Following Proctectomy and Variables Influencing Anastomotic Leak

Examine the various technical considerations for pelvic colorectal reconstruction with respective functional and anastomotic healing outcomes. Additionally, several adjuncts to reduce anastomotic complications are individually explored to understand their relative impact on anastomotic healing. The benefit of a colorectal reservoir reconstruction instead of a straight anastomosis, in respect to leak and functional outcomes, is marginal, if any. Recent randomized evidence has shown no difference in morbidity, mortality, survival, leakage, or functional outcomes. Unfortunately, anastomotic leakage still occurs in the ideally constructed and managed pelvic anastomosis; however, modifiable variables appear to reduce the risk. Pelvic colorectal anastomosis should be based on the surgeon’s technical ability and comfort level, since the evidence suggests that all techniques are comparable. There may be a slight advantage to colonic J-pouch anastomosis, although this has not been consistently shown. Future studies on the etiology of low anterior resection syndrome may provide insight on optimal reconstruction techniques.
Twenty-Year Trends in Outcomes for Older Adults With Acute Myocardial Infarction in the United States.

Importance Medicare and other organizations have focused on improving quality of care for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) over the last 2 decades. However, there is no comprehensive perspective on the evolution of outcomes for AMI during that period, and it is unknown whether temporal changes varied by patient subgroup, hospital, or county. Objective To provide a comprehensive evaluation of national trends in inpatient outcomes and costs of AMI during this period. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included analysis of data from a sample of 4 367 485 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 years or older from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 2014, across 5680 hospitals in the United States. Analyses were conducted from January 15 to June 5, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Thirty-day all-cause mortality at the patient, hospital, and county levels. Additional outcomes included 30-day all-cause readmissions; 1-year recurrent AMI; in-hospital mortality; length of hospital stay; 2014 Consumer Price Index–adjusted median Medicare inpatient payment per AMI discharge; and rates of catheterization, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Results The cohort included 4 367 485 Medicare fee-for-service patients aged 65 years or older hospitalized for AMI during the study period. Between 1995 and 2014, the mean (SD) age of patients increased from 76.9 (7.2) to 78.2 (8.7) years, the percentage of female patients declined from 49.5% to 46.1%, the percentage of white patients declined from 91.0% to 86.2%, and the percentage of black patients increased from 5.9% to 8.0%. There were declines in AMI hospitalizations (914 to 566 per 100 000 beneficiary-years); 30-day mortality (20.0% to 12.4%; difference, 7.6 percentage points; 95% CI, 7.3-7.8 percentage points); 30-day all-cause readmissions (21.0% to 15.3%; difference, 5.7 percentage points; 95% CI, 5.4-6.0 percentage points); and 1-year recurrent AMI (7.1% to 5.1%; difference, 2.0 percentage points; 95% CI, 1.8-2.2 percentage points). There were increases in the 2014 Consumer Price Index–adjusted median (interquartile range) Medicare inpatient payment per AMI discharge ($9282 [$6969-$12 173] to $11 031 [$8099-$16 861]); 30-day inpatient catheterization (44.2% to 59.9%; difference, 15.7 percentage points; 95% CI, 15.4-16.0 percentage points); and inpatient percutaneous coronary intervention (18.8% to 43.3%; difference, 24.5 percentage points; 95% CI, 24.2-24.7 percentage points). Coronary artery bypass graft surgery rates decreased from 14.4% to 10.2% (difference, 4.2 percentage points; 95% CI, 3.9-4.3 percentage points). There was heterogeneity by hospital and county in the mortality changes over time. Conclusions and Relevance This study shows marked improvements in short-term mortality and readmissions, with an increase in in-hospital procedures and payments, for the increasingly smaller number of Medicare beneficiaries with AMI.
Spectral reflectance variability of skin and attributing factors

Knowledge of the spectral reflectance signature of human skin over a wide spectral range will help advance the development of sensing systems for many applications, ranging from medical treatment to security technology. A critical component of the signature of human skin is the variability across the population. We describe a simple measurement method to measure human skin reflectance of the inside of the forearm. The variability of the reflectance spectra for a number of subjects measured at NIST is determined using statistical methods. The degree of variability is explored and discussed. We also propose a method for collaborating with other scientists, outside of NIST, to expand the data set of signatures to include a more diverse population and perform a meta-analysis to further investigate the variability of human skin reflectance.
Exploring the security and operational aspects of the 5th generation wireless communication system

The development and implementation of the next generation wireless technology has been a key industrial goal over the last decade where many pieces of infrastructure are being incrementally built and deployed. The dream of automated homes, driverless vehicles, automated air traffic control, and intelligent cybermedicine can all be implemented with 5G and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML). Once you add AI/ML to the proposed high bandwidth, high speed, low latency network, with ubiquitous connectivity, we get a platform that can enable many safety-critical automated functions. 5G can also provide connectivity to every potential device to ensure owner knowledge of status and alerts for potential malfunctions. All this data can become weaponized in the wrong hands, so as we create more data to make life better and safer, we create vulnerabilities that can leverage the speed, and capacity of the communication system to harm users. This paper addresses the potential vulnerabilities and mitigations of ubiquitously implementing 5G to ensure secure communications and data protection.
Life Endured without God.

Barbara, age 71, a hospice patient, was injured in a fall and was transferred to in-patient service. She agreed to participate in a project to evaluate the use of paintings to help those at the end...
Profiles of individual assets and mental health symptoms in at-risk early adolescents.

Abstract Introduction Few studies investigated the combined patterns of individual assets (e.g., social competence, positive identity) and mental health symptoms (MHS) in adolescents. This study examined the patterns of early adolescents' individual assets and MHS and whether identified patterns were associated with later adolescents’ outcomes. Methods Participants were 352 (164 boys, 188 girls) adolescents who were primarily African-American and from low socioeconomic status families, participating in a prospective study of the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure from birth in the Midwest United States. Individual assets, using the Developmental Assets Profile, and MHS, using the Youth Self-Report, were assessed at age 12. Substance use, via self-report and biologic assays, early (before age 15) sexual behaviors, and behavioral adjustment were assessed at age 15. Results Latent profile analysis indicated four distinctive profiles: low assets with elevated MHS (P1, n = 54, 15.3%); adequate assets with thought and social problems (P2, n = 84, 23.9%); low assets without MHS (P3, n = 101, 28.7%); and high assets without MHS (P4, n = 113, 32.1%). Children in the profile with high assets without MHS (P4) were more likely to have a higher IQ and to be in a more optimal environment (higher parental monitoring and less family conflict) than those in other profiles. Although profiles with MHS were associated with adolescent risk behaviors, this relationship was more pronounced for girls than for boys. Conclusions Girls in the low assets with elevated MHS (P1) should be a primary concern for preventive intervention. Our study demonstrates the heterogeneity of individual patterns of adaptation and maladaptation.
Spontaneous but not experimental metastatic activities differentiate primary tumor-derived vs metastasis-derived mouse prostate cancer cell lines

We previously developed an in vivomouse prostate reconstitution (MPR) model of metastatic prostate cancer using p53 ‘knockout’ mouse urogenital sinus tissue for retroviral transduction of rasand myconcogenes (Thompson et al., Oncogene, 10, 869, 1995). We further demonstrated contrasting responses to transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) in three matched pairs of early passage cell lines derived from primary prostate tumors and lung metastases generated by this model system (Sehgal et al., Cancer Res, 56, 3359, 1996). In this study we tested these cell lines for growth potential in subcutaneous and orthotopic (dorso-lateral prostate) locations and metastatic activities in both spontaneous and experimental assays. Subcutaneous and orthotopic tumors produced by cell lines derived from metastatic lesions tended to grow less rapidly but demonstrated greater spontaneous metastatic potential than the cell lines derived from primary tumors. In contrast all cell lines produced lung colonies in an experimental metastasis assay (tail vein inoculation) with the primary tumor-derived cell lines yielding higher activities in two of three matched pair analyses. The ability of all cell lines to produce lung metastases in the experimental assay, while only the metastasis-derived cell lines retain the ability to initiate and complete the entire metastatic pathway in the spontaneous assay, suggests that intravasation may be the rate-limiting step in metastasis in this model system.