cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract LB-198: Ryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist Aminoflavone disrupts mammosphere formation via alpha 6 integrin inhibition

Introduction: Emerging evidence has suggested that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a prominent role in the initiation and dissemination of a myriad of malignancies including breast cancer. CSCs have the capacity to self-renew within heterogeneous tumor cells. Currently available therapeutic options for breast cancer are incapable of suppressing CSC growth. Alpha 6 integrin contributes to CSC growth while aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation impedes CSC proliferation. AhR agonist Aminoflavone, a synthetic flavonoid, is currently undergoing clinical evaluation for the treatment of breast cancer. We hypothesize that Aminoflavone alters the integrity and formation of cell suspension clusters initiated by breast cancer stem cells (mammospheres) by modulating alpha 6 integrin expression in an AhR-dependent manner Experimental Procedures: Mammospheres derived from MCF-7 breast cancer cells were exposed to Aminoflavone at varying times. We also treated mammospheres with Tamoxifen an anticancer agent frequently used in the treatment of breast cancer. Following Aminoflavone treatment, cells were analyzed microscopically to evaluate alterations in mammosphere structure. In addition, the expression of molecular targets associated with CSC growth in addition to alpha 6 integrin were evaluated by Western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Results: We observed that Aminoflavone, but not Tamoxifen, disaggregates MCF-7 mammospheres. In contrast, Aminoflavone did not affect mammospheres produced from AhR defective MCF-7 (AHR100) cells. Aminoflavone abrogated the ability of secondary mammospheres to form. In addition, alpha-6-integrin expression was abolished following Aminoflavone treatment in MCF-7 but not AHR100 cells. The expression of several genes whose products regulate alpha-6 integrin expression were also modulated following Aminoflavone treatment in MCF-7 cells. Conclusion: These data suggest that Aminoflavone disrupts mammosphere formation via AhR signaling activation that results in alpha 6 integrin inhibition. These findings support continued efforts to develop novel AhR ligands with efficacy against breast CSCs as a viable therapeutic strategy for breast cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-198. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-198
Persistent infection of continuous line of pig kidney cells with a variant of the WSN strain of influenza A 0 virus.

SummaryRES cells were infected with the RES16 variant of the WSN strain of influenza A0 virus and the culture medium changed at frequent intervals; five lines of cells were established in which infection was sustained for periods of 126 to 146 days. Each line of persistently-infected cells showed recurring cycles of cell degeneration and repopulation; these cultures did not remain in equilibrium with the virus indefinitely, however, and ultimately degenerated.The presence of virus in the RES culture fluids was easily demonstrated for periods of 27 to 105 days in various cell lines using as the indicator intraallantoic inoculation of eggs with hemagglutination by the allantoic fluids. Subsequently this method failed to demonstrate virus, although the continued presence of CPE suggested that the cultures were still infected. By using as indicator of the presence of virus the production of CPE in normal RES or PS cultures inoculated with fluids from the infected lines, it was found that influenza A0 virus wa...
Recurrent non-small cell lung cancer: evaluation of CT-guided radiofrequency ablation as salvage therapy.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a potential application as a salvage tool after failure of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although several studies have evaluated the use of RFA in primary NSCLC, there is little literature on its potential application as a salvage tool. PURPOSE: To evaluate CT-guided RFA employed as a salvage therapy for pulmonary recurrences of NSCLC after prior treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective computer database search yielded 33 patients with biopsy proven primary NSCLC who underwent CT-guided RFA of 39 recurrent tumors following surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. Follow-up imaging was performed with CT and PET-CT. The endpoints of interest were progression-free survival (PFS) and time to local progression (TTLP). PFS and TTLP were compared by lesion size (<3 cm, ≥3 cm). RESULTS: The median PFS was 8 months. For patients with a tumor size <3 cm median PFS was 11 months, whereas the median PFS of patients with a tumor size ≥3 cm was 5 months. The difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.09). The median TTLP of all tumors was 14 months. TTLP of ablated tumors <3 cm in size was 24 months, compared to 8 months for ablated tumors ≥3 cm in size. The difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.07). CONCLUSION: RFA of recurrent NSCLC may be a valuable salvage tool to achieve local tumor control, especially in tumors measuring <3 cm in size.
Sexuality and sexual health care for women.

Sexuality is one of the most complex parts of life. Sexuality is multidimensional, including biologic, psychological, socioeconomic, and spiritual components. Sexuality is dynamic; it changes with time and place, as well as with partners. Sexuality is individually and socially constructed; that is,
Study on influence of clinical qualification on prevention and control of tuberculosis in Anshun City

Objective To analyze the influence of clinical qualification on prevention and control of tuberculosis in center for disease control and prevention(CDC) and hospital of Anshun.Methods Medical institutions and CDC were inspected and supervised.The related cases were investigated and the difference of diagnosis,therapy and management of tuberculosis medication were compared and analyzed.At the same time,we need to learn about the influence of clinical qualification on prevention and control of tuberculosis and seek the corresponding solutions.Results Because of the lack of clinical medical qualification,there were significant differences in professional composition(χ2= 53.17,P 0.01),treatment methods(χ2= 168.39,P 0.01),the patient`s felling in the treatment period(χ2= 8.36,P 0.01),and the trust degree about doctor(χ2= 4.98,0.01 P 0.05).Conclusions The lack of clinical qualification cause some problems of tuberculosis diagnosis and medication therapy,which is the key factors of TB prevention and control.There exists possibility to further improve the TB control mode.
The kidney in health and disease: XVIII: lactic acidosis and the elevated anion gap (II)

This concluding article of a two-part discussion deals with clinical presentations and management of the basic types of lactic acidosis - with and without appaent hypoxia - and the various complicating conditions that may coexist with them. Although symptomatic treatment is essential, cure can be effected only by seeking and treating the underlying cause of the electrolyte derangement.
Surgical Treatment of Posterior Leg Injuries

The surgical management of posterior leg injuries requires a thorough understanding of the natural history of these injuries, associated complications such as compartment syndrome and patient-specific factors. Although the vast majority of muscular injuries are best treated conservatively, it is important to understand the indications for surgical referral and management. Advanced imaging can be helpful for surgical planning but the diagnosis of posterior leg injuries is primarily based on the history and physical exam.
CHAPTER 8 – Noncompartmental versus Compartmental Approaches to Pharmacokinetic Analysis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses noncompartmental versus compartmental approaches to pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis. The evaluation of PK parameters is an essential part of understanding the way drugs function in the body. PK parameters fall basically into two categories. One category is qualitative or descriptive, where the parameters are observational, requiring no formula for calculation. On the other hand, quantitative parameters require not only a mathematical formalism for calculation but also the data from which to estimate them. Moments of a function play an essential role in estimating specific PK parameters. The modern use of moments in the analysis of PK data and the notions of noncompartmental or integral equation analysis are presented in the chapter. The noncompartmental model provides a framework to introduce and use statistical moment analysis to estimate PK parameters. The two accessible pool models present problems in estimating the PK parameters characterizing this situation. Mean residence time matrix can be a powerful tool in PK analysis with a compartmental mode.
Sample Preparation for Bioanalytical and Pharmaceutical Analysis

Image created by O’Reilly Science Art, LLC. Attributions for protein structures: Cofilin-1 (PDB ID 5HVK), Galectin-1 (PDB ID 4Y1V), and Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (PDB ID 4Z0H).
A miniaturized brain-machine-spinal cord interface (BMSI) for closed-loop intraspinal microstimulation

This paper reports on a fully miniaturized brain-machine-spinal cord interface (BMSI) for closed-loop cortical control of intraspinal microstimulation (ISMS). The system incorporates two identical 4-channel modules, with each module comprising a neural recording front-end, embedded digital signal processing (DSP) unit, and programmable stimulating back-end. The DSP unit is capable of generating multichannel trigger signals for a wide array of ISMS triggering patterns based upon online discrimination of a programmable number of intracortical neural spikes within a pre-specified time bin via thresholding and time-amplitude windowing. The BMSI system is validated experimentally in a rat model of contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) by converting in real-time multichannel neural spikes recorded from the cerebral cortex into electrical stimuli delivered to the lumbar spinal cord below the level of the injury, resulting in distinct patterns of hindlimb muscle activation in the SCI rat.
Secure, energy-efficient, interference-robust connectivity for physiological sensors using human body communication

With the prolific growth of miniaturized sensors, wearable/implanted physiological sensors are becoming increasingly common in medical and healthcare systems. The popular method connecting these sensors is the Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN). However, WBAN suffers from self-interference, limited security (as the wireless signals from energy-constrained sensors, with limited encryption, can be snooped by nearby attackers) and poor energy-efficiency (up-conversion and down-convention). Human Body Communication (HBC), which uses human body as a conducting medium, provides an alternate communication technique that performs significantly better than WBAN in these respects. However, one of the biggest technical bottlenecks for broadband, energy-efficient HBC has been the FM interference picked up by the human body, acting as an antenna. This paper analyzes the FM interference tolerance using integrating DDR receiver for HBC to enable secure, energy-efficient connectivity of Physiological Sensors.
Detailed-Placement-Enabled Dynamic Power Optimization of Multitier Gate-Level Monolithic 3-D ICs

Monolithic 3-D integration is expected to provide significantly higher degree of device density than through-silicon-via-based 3-D integration due mainly to its nano-scale intertier connections. By stacking more than two device layers (multitier) within a 3-D chip, further wirelength reduction could be achieved, which can lead to additional performance and power benefits. In this paper, we propose a detailed placement algorithm called nonuniform-scaling-based placement to optimize the dynamic power consumption of multitier gate-level monolithic 3-D ICs. We also introduce delay- and length-based timing constraints to prevent potential degradation of the performance metric during placement. Under the same timing constraints, our algorithm reduces dynamic power consumption more effectively than the uniform-scaling-based placement algorithm by 2% to 14%.
Trumpism and American Democracy: History, Comparison, and the Predicament of Liberal Democracy in the United States

In the eyes of many citizens, activists, pundits, and scholars, American democracy appears under threat. Concern about President Trump and the future of American politics may be found among both conservatives and progressives; among voters, activists, and elites; and among many scholars and analysts of American and comparative politics. What is the nature of the Trumpism as a political phenomenon? And how much confidence should we have at present in the capacity of American institutions to withstand this threat? In this essay, we argue that answering these questions and understanding what is uniquely threatening to democracy at the present moment requires looking beyond the contemporary particulars of Donald Trump and his presidency. Instead, it demands a historical and comparative perspective on American politics. Drawing on a range of insights from the fields of comparative politics and American political development, we argue that President Trump’s election in 2016 represents the intersection of three streams in American politics: polarized two-party presidentialism; a polity fundamentally divided over membership and status in the political community, in ways structured by race and economic inequality; and the erosion of democratic norms at the elite and mass levels. The current political circumstance is an existential threat to American democratic order because of the interactive effects of institutions, identity, and norm-breaking in American politics.
Simulations of the effects of proppant placement on the conductivity and mechanical stability of hydraulic fractures

Abstract We generate a wide range of models of proppant-packed fractures using discrete element simulations, and measure fracture conductivity using finite element flow simulations. This allows for a controlled computational study of proppant structure and its relationship to fracture conductivity and stress in the proppant pack. For homogeneous multi-layered packings, we observe the expected increase in fracture conductivity with increasing fracture aperture, while the stress on the proppant pack remains nearly constant. This is consistent with the expected behavior in conventional proppant-packed fractures, but the present work offers a novel quantitative analysis with an explicit geometric representation of the proppant particles. In single-layered packings (i.e. proppant monolayers), there is a drastic increase in fracture conductivity as the proppant volume fraction decreases and open flow channels form. However, this also corresponds to a sharp increase in the mechanical stress on the proppant pack, as measured by the maximum normal stress relative to the side crushing strength of typical proppant particles. We also generate a variety of computational geometries that resemble highly heterogeneous proppant packings hypothesized to form during channel fracturing. In some cases, these heterogeneous packings show drastic improvements in conductivity with only moderate increase in the stress on the proppant particles, suggesting that in certain applications these structures are indeed optimal. We also compare our computer-generated structures to micro computed tomography imaging of a manually fractured laboratory-scale shale specimen, and find reasonable agreement in the geometric characteristics.
Radio Access Management of U-LTE

Next generation 5G networks will support not only emerging services, but also other services which may be beyond our imagination today. Improving the system capacity remains nevertheless one of the most important targets of 5G. Long Term Evolution (LTE) operation over the unlicensed band (U-LTE) is considered as one promising solution to achieve this target. In this chapter, we introduce the state of the art coexistence technologies of U-LTE with other unlicensed systems. Specifically, we investigate the coexistence of LTE Licensed Assisted Access (LAA; LAA is the preferred mode of operation for U-LTE and was newly released in 2015) with Wi-Fi over the unlicensed band. To this end, we first develop an analytical model to study the performance of the existing Load Based Equipment (LBE) MAC for LAA, identify the fairness issues, and quantify the reservation overhead of the protocol. Next, we propose a hybrid MAC protocol for LAA to maximize the network throughput, by minimizing LAA MAC reservation overhead while ensuring fair spectrum sharing of U-LTE and Wi-Fi. To achieve the best coexistence performance, a two-level renewal process-based model is developed to analyze the proposed MAC and optimize its parameters. Extensive simulations using NS-3 are conducted to validate the analysis and demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed MAC protocol.
Experiences and Lessons in Practice Using TPCx-BB Benchmarks

The TPCx-BigBench (TPCx-BB) is a TPC Express benchmark, which is designed to measure the performance of big data analytics systems. It contains 30 use cases that simulate big data processing, big data storage, big data analytics, and reporting. We have used this benchmark to evaluate the performance of software and hardware components for big data systems. It has very good coverage on different data types and provides enough scalability to address data size and node scaling problems. We have gained lots of meaningful insights through this benchmark to design analytic systems. In the meantime, we also found we cannot merely rely on TPCx-BB to evaluate and design an end-to-end big data systems. There are some gaps between an analytics system and a real end-to-end system. The whole data flow of a real end-to-end system should include data ingestion, which moves data from where it is originated into a system where it can be stored and analyzed such as Hadoop. Data ingestion may be challenging for businesses at a reasonable speed in order to maintain a competitive advantage. However, TPCx-BB cannot help on performance evaluation of software and hardware for data ingestion. Big data is composed of three dimensions: Volume, Variety, and Velocity. The Velocity refers to the high speed in data processing: real-time or near real-time. With big data technology widely used, real-time and near real-time processing become more popular. There is very strict limitation on bandwidth and latency for real-time processing. TPCx-BB cannot help on performance evaluation of software and hardware for real-time processing. This paper mainly discusses these experiences and lessons in practice using TPCx-BB. Then, we provide some advices to extend TPCx-BB to cover data ingestion and real-time processing. We also share some ideas how to implement TPCx-BB coverage.
Stock Returns And Disagreement Among Sell-Side Analysts

Asymmetric information, investor optimism, and unbiased prices hypotheses are the main hypotheses proposed for explaining how investors’ difference of opinion may impact stock returns. We use a new measure for divergence in investor beliefs among sell-side analysts to test these three hypotheses. Our initial findings are not supportive of either the asymmetric information or the investor optimism hypotheses. However, since these two hypotheses predict opposing effects of divergence in opinion on stock returns, the effects could neutralize their respective impacts on stock prices. Our further empirical analysis though suggests that this is not the case. The weight of the evidence presented suggests that within the sell-side, the difference of opinion does not impose a bias on future stock returns.
Turing-like patterns can arise from purely bioelectric mechanisms

Turing-like patterns can potentially occur in non-neural (non-excitable) tissues through strictly bioelectric processes, without involving transcriptional (gene) regulation, cell migration, or traditional reaction-diffusion mechanisms. Small molecules that gate transmembrane ion channels are often charged and capable of passing through intercellular gap junctions, and their transport under the influence of trans-junction electric fields furnishes a bioelectric feedback loop. We develop an analytically tractable, circuit-based model of this phenomenon and show that it can lead to spontaneous formation of spatial patterns in ligand density and membrane voltage under physiologically plausible conditions. The process is distinct from Turing9s reaction-diffusion paradigm but closely analogous to the spontaneous formation of patterns in colonies of chemotactic bacteria.
Economic Analysis and Regulating Pesticide Biotechnology at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

This chapter discusses the role that economic analysis plays in pesticide regulation for plant-incorporated protectants and compares that to how economic analysis is used in conventional pesticide regulatory decisions. The goal is to provide a description, for research economists, of what makes economic research on agricultural biotechnology relevant to regulatory decision makers. It is our hope that in providing this perspective, economists will be able to develop a stronger sense of what types of research questions and approaches could actually inform policy. This enhanced understanding would serve the interests of those researchers seeking to make a policy contribution and could provide useful, independent analysis to help policymakers in making regulatory decisions.
The longitudinal effects of military spouses' concern and behaviors over partner drinking on relationship functioning.

Abstract Among those in close relationships, the perception that one's partner has a drinking problem is more strongly related to detriments in relationship quality than are the actual rates of the partner's drinking. The current study extends this work by examining the effects of this perception on relationship functioning longitudinally and whether this association is mediated by changes in how one behaves in response to their partner's drinking. Spouses and partners of military service members who were concerned about their partner's drinking (n = 234) completed a baseline survey and a follow-up assessment five months later. Structural equation modeling was used to prospectively examine the association between concern about partner drinking and relationship functioning (i.e., relationship quality, conflict, communication patterns), and the mediated effect of regulation strategies. Results suggested that changes in participant concern were related to changes in relationship functioning, and these changes were mediated by changes in punishment and rewarding sobriety regulation strategies. This research suggests that concern about partner drinking is linked with poorer relationship functioning partly because of the increased use of punishment and the decreased use of rewarding sobriety.
Thymosin β4 for the treatment of acute stroke: neurorestorative or neuroprotective?

Introduction Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a 5K peptide which influences cellular migration by inhibiting organization of the actin-cytoskeleton. Treatment of acute stroke presently involves use of rt-PA and/or endovascular treatment with thrombectomy, both of which have time limitations. Therefore, development of a treatment beyond these times is necessary as most stroke patients present beyond these time limits. A drug which could be administered within 24 h from symptom onset would provide substantial benefit. Areas covered This review summarizes the data and results of two in-vivo studies testing Tβ4 in an embolic stroke model of young and aged rats. In addition, we describe in-vitro investigations of the neurorestorative and neuroprotective properties of Tβ4 in a variety of neuroprogenitor and oligoprogenitor cell models. Expert opinion Tβ4 acts as a neurorestorative agent when employed in a young male rat model of embolic stroke while in an aged model it acts a neuroprotectant. However evaluation of Tβ4 as a treatment of stroke requires further preclinical evaluation in females and in males and females with comorbidities such as, hypertension and diabetes in models of embolic stroke to further define the mechanism of action and potential as a treatment of stroke in humans.
Does Employment Respond Differently to Minimum Wage Increases in the Presence of Inflation Indexing

The minimum wage literature focuses heavily on "the" employment elasticity of minimum wage increases. In contrast, this study focuses on heterogeneity in minimum wage policy. Specifically, we study whether minimum wage increases lead to differential employment effects in states where minimum wages are indexed to inflation. We find evidence they do. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to empirically study inflation indexing. On balance, our results imply that the immediate disemployment effect of an increase in the minimum wage in a state that indexes its minimum wages to inflation is around three times the magnitude of the disemployment effect associated with a nominal increase in the minimum wage. Our finding is robust across both "canonical" and "county-pair" models, though it does not hold in our most restrictive specification. Examining the timing of the employment response reveals the disemployment effect associated with a change in the minimum wage is concentrated in the first 14 quarters after a state begins indexing minimum wages to inflation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
In memoriam: Fine-needle aspiration, birth: Fine-needle biopsy: The changing trend in endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition

BACKGROUND AND AIM Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology has been the preferred technique for procuring tissue at endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) procedures for the past 25 years. To overcome some of the limitations of FNA cytology, fine-needle biopsy (FNB) has been recently developed to yield histological tissue. Main objective was to compare the diagnostic yield of FNB compared to FNA for both onsite and offsite specimen assessment. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted at a single tertiary referral center to evaluate the outcomes of FNA and FNB over a 4-year period. EUS-guided tissue sampling was carried out using 22- or 25-G FNA needles from 2014 to 2015, and 22-G FNB needle was used from 2016 to 2017. RESULTS Of 3020 patients undergoing EUS-guided sampling of solid mass lesions (pancreatic masses 71.3%, other lesions 28.7%), FNA was carried out in 68.9% and FNB in 31.1%. Median number of passes required for diagnostic adequacy on rapid onsite evaluation was significantly lower for FNB compared to FNA (1 [IQR: 1-2] vs 2 [IQR 1-3], P < 0.001). Diagnostic yield on cell block was also significantly superior with FNB compared to FNA (92.3 vs 71.1%, P < 0.001). The superior performance of FNB over FNA was observed for both pancreatic (P < 0.001) and non-pancreatic lesions (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Given these promising findings, in the future, EUS-guided FNB will likely be the preferred technique for sampling of solid mass lesions.
Strategic Retention: Principal Effectiveness and Teacher Turnover in Multiple-Measure Teacher Evaluation Systems:

Studies link principal effectiveness to lower average rates of teacher turnover. However, principals need not target retention efforts equally to all teachers. Instead, strong principals may seek t...
Traditional lecture versus video/discussion-based instruction and their effects on learning behavior guidance techniques

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the traditional lecture-based instruction to a contemporary format, which simulated the flipped classroom, on student learning of behavior guidance techniques (BGTs). Both types of instruction included video examples of BGTs. The secondary aims were (1) to examine the students' preference of learning style on test performance and (2) to determine the student perceptions about the methods of instruction with videos. Subjects and Methods: Videos of practitioners performing BGTs were recorded. Dental students in their third year of training were recruited to participate (n = 70). Students were randomly divided into two groups as they entered the facility: (1) contemporary instruction (CI) and (2) traditional instruction (TI). The CI group watched a 20-min “mini-lecture” that simulated an online module and then divided into discussion groups led by calibrated pediatric residents and faculty. The TI group received 50 min of traditional lecture with videos incorporated in the presentation. At the completion of the course, students completed a questionnaire, which assessed the student's learning of the objectives of the course and his/her perceptions of the learning experience. Results: The CI group performed significantly better on the posttest questionnaire (P = 0.001). After instruction, students felt most comfortable employing Tell-Show-Do and Positive Reinforcement. Students' perception of the usefulness of video examples of BGTs was high with mean 4-point Likert scores of 3.53 CI and 3.52 TI. Conclusions: The CI format improved the students' learning of the topic as assessed by test scores. Behavior guidance education for predoctoral students could be enhanced by the use of videos and discussion-based learning.
Development of a LIDAR array to study and classify wakes at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/Sandia National Laboratories Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWiFT) facility:

Wind turbine wake has the wind speed deficit and the increased turbulent flow to the downstream turbines as signatures. Various experiments and simulations have been performed over the years to inv...
The Effect of Non-penicillin Antibiotic Regimens on Neonatal Outcomes in Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes.

Objective A 7-day course of a penicillin (PCN) and macrolide is standard of care (SAR) in preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). Data regarding alternative antibiotic regimens are limited. We sought to assess the impact of non-PCN regimens on neonatal outcomes. Study Design Secondary analysis of randomized controlled trial of antenatal magnesium sulfate. Singleton, nonanomalous pregnancies complicated by PPROM at > 24 weeks of gestation receiving the SAR were compared with women receiving a non-β-lactam regimen and a macrolide (NPCR). Primary outcome was a neonatal composite. Secondary outcomes included pregnancy latency, endometritis, and chorioamnionitis. Results A total of 949 women met inclusion criteria; 821(56%) received the SAR and 128(8.8%) received NPCR. Adjusted models did not demonstrate worse outcomes (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 0.50; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 0.22–1.11). Neonates receiving SAR were less likely to have bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD; p = 0.03) but more likely to have severe necrotizing enterocolitis (sNEC; p = 0.04). Risk for chorioamnionitis and median latency did not differ between groups but women receiving the SAR were less likely to get endometritis (AOR = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14–0.91). Conclusions In this cohort, receiving NPCR in the setting of PPROM did not impact the overall risk of adverse neonatal outcomes or latency, but did increase the risk of endometritis. Alterations in individual neonatal morbidities suggest follow-up studies are needed.
Uniform Lxp–Lx,rq improving for dilated averages over polynomial curves

Abstract Numerous authors have considered the problem of determining the Lebesgue space mapping properties of the operator A given by convolution with affine arc-length measure on some polynomial curve in Euclidean space. Essentially, A takes weighted averages over translates of the curve. In this paper a variant of this problem is discussed where averages over both translates and dilates of a fixed curve are considered. The sharp range of estimates for the resulting operator is obtained in all dimensions, except for an endpoint. The techniques used are redolent of those previously applied in the study of A . In particular, the arguments are based upon the refinement method of Christ, although a significant adaptation of this method is required to fully understand the additional smoothing afforded by averaging over dilates.
Sticky-probe active microrheology: Part 2. The influence of attractions on non-Newtonian flow.

We derive a theoretical framework for the non-Newtonian viscosity of a sticky, attractive colloidal dispersion via active microrheology by modeling detailed microscopic attractive and Brownian forces between particles. Actively forcing a probe distorts the surrounding arrangement of particles from equilibrium; the degree of this distortion is characterized by the Peclet number, Pe≡Fext/(2kT/a), where kT is the thermal energy and a the probe size. Similarly, the strength of attractive interactions relative to Brownian motion is captured by the second virial coefficient, B2. We formulate a Smoluchowski equation governing the pair configuration as it evolves with external and attractive forces. The microviscosity is then computed via non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. For active probe forcing, the familiar hard-sphere boundary-layer and wake structures emerge as Pe grows strong, but attractions alter its shape: changes in relative probe motion arising from its attraction to the bath particles can lead to a high-Pe, strong-attraction flipping of the microstructure, where an upstream depletion boundary layer forms, along with a downstream accumulation wake. This highly distorted structure is analyzed at the micro-mechanical level, where changes in the time spent upstream or downstream from a bath particle lead to hypo- and hyper-viscosity. When attractions are strong, separating the interparticle microviscosity into contributions from attractions and repulsions reveals an attractive undershoot and a repulsive overshoot, as advection grows strong enough to break interparticle bonds downstream and drain the wake. In contrast to linear-response rheology that is predictable entirely by B2 for short-ranged attractions, here the non-Newtonian viscosity is not, owing to the additional length scale introduced by the boundary layer. The ratio of external to attractive forces eventually supersedes B2 as the relevant predictor of structure and rheology. This behavior may provide interesting connections to active motion in biological systems where attractive forces are present.
The Processes and Consequences of Switching, Including the Loss of High-Performing STEM Majors

The contributory causes of switching and relocation were presented in Chap. 3 as a summary of STEM students, overall. However, as described in subsequent chapters, there are variations in what prompts these decisions. Drawing on both interview and institutional records data analysis, in this chapter, we explore reasons why high-performing STEM majors—particularly women—switch to non-STEM fields. We also discuss variations in the processes whereby decisions to switch or relocate are reached, and in the negative personal consequences that switching often involves. Given this patterned variability, we argue that single cause theories about which students are most at risk of switching, and why and how they leave the sciences, cannot be accurate.
Characterizing the Effects of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Operations on the Human Body While Wearing Heavy Personal Protective Equipment.

ObjectiveTo provide a comprehensive characterization of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personal protective equipment (PPE) by evaluating its effects on the human body, specifically the poses, ta...
Report on UG2+ challenge Track 1: Assessing algorithms to improve video object detection and classification from unconstrained mobility platforms

Abstract How can we effectively engineer a computer vision system that is able to interpret videos from unconstrained mobility platforms like UAVs? One promising option is to make use of image restoration and enhancement algorithms from the area of computational photography to improve the quality of the underlying frames in a way that also improves automatic visual recognition. Along these lines, exploratory work is needed to find out which image pre-processing algorithms, in combination with the strongest features and supervised machine learning approaches, are good candidates for difficult scenarios like motion blur, weather, and mis-focus — all common artifacts in UAV acquired images. This paper summarizes the protocols and results of Track 1 of the UG 2 + Challenge held in conjunction with IEEE/CVF CVPR 2019. The challenge looked at two separate problems: (1) object detection improvement in video, and (2) object classification improvement in video. The challenge made use of new protocols for the UG 2 (UAV, Glider, Ground) dataset, which is an established benchmark for assessing the interplay between image restoration and enhancement and visual recognition. In total, 16 algorithms were submitted by academic and corporate teams, and a detailed analysis of them is reported here.
Filtered Integral Formulation of the Sparse Model Identification Problem

This paper presents a generalized approach to identify the structure of governing nonlinear equations of motion from the time history of state variables and control functions. An integral form invo...
Components of apoptotic pathways modulate HIV-1 latency in Jurkat cells

Abstract The ability of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) to establish latent infections serves as a major barrier for its cure. This process could occur when its host cells undergo apoptosis, but it is uncertain whether the components of the apoptotic pathways affect viral latency. Using the susceptible Jurkat cell line, we investigated the relationship of apoptosis-associated components with HIV-1 DNA levels using the sensitive real-time PCR assay. Here, we found that the expression of proapoptotic proteins, including Fas ligand (FasL), FADD, and p53, significantly decreased HIV-1 viral DNA in cells. In contrast, the expression of antiapoptotic molecules, such as FLIP, Bcl2, and XIAP, increased the levels of viral DNA. Furthermore, promoting cellular antiapoptotic state via the knockdown of Bax with siRNA and FADD with antisense mRNA or the treatment with the Caspase-3 inhibitor, Z-DEVD, also raised viral DNA. We also simultaneously measured viral RNA from supernatants of these cell cultures and found that HIV-1 latency is inversely proportional to viral replication. Furthermore, we demonstrated that HIV-1-infected cells that underwent the transient expression of FLIP- or XIAP-induced viral latency would then produce an increased level of viral RNA upon the reversal of these antiapoptotic effects via PMA treatment compared to LacZ control cells. Taken together, these data suggest that HIV-1 infection could be adapted to employ or even manipulate the cellular apoptotic pathway to its advantage: when the host cell remains in a pro-apoptotic state, HIV-1 favors active replication, while when the host cell prefers an anti-apoptotic state, the virus establishes viral latency and promotes latent reservoir seeding in a way which would enhance viral replication and cytopathogenesis when the cellular conditions shift to encourage the productive infection phase.
Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory

Part I. Setting the Stage: 1. Discovering, uncovering, and interpreting the Aztec world 2. The Aztecs as Mesoamericans Part II. Aztec Society and Culture: 3. Living on the land 4. Craft specialization, commerce, and trade 5. City-states and imperial rule 6. Living as an Aztec: social status and daily life 7. Religion, science, and the arts 8. The Aztec world: an integrated view.
Evidence of a central cholinergic role in alcohol preference.

Specific genetic strains of mice which are alcohol preferrers and others which are alcohol non-preferrers have been differentiated. For example, the C57B1 strains have been shown to be alcohol preferrers and the DBA strains have been found to reject alcohol (Rodgers and McClearn, 1962). Thus far, the major biochemical differentiating factor between preferrer and non-preferrer strains has been in the rate of acetaldehyde metabolism where the DBA strains have been shown to metabolize acetaldehyde less rapidly and thus to show greater accumulation of acetaldehyde after ethanol ingestion with consequent greater associated signs of toxicity (Schlesinger et al., 1966). Other neurochemical parameters to differentiate the alcohol preferrers have been focused on the role of serotonin (5-HT). Alcohol selecting strain of rats have been shown to have a higher content of brain serotonin; chronic alcohol consumption further increases the brain content of serotonin in the alcohol preferrers but not in the non-preferrers (Ahtee and Eriksson, 1972). Para-chloro-phenylalanine (pCPA), a selective inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase, has been reported to reduce alcohol preference by some investigators (Myers and Veale, 1968) but not by others (Nachman et al., 1970).
Studies in motor learning of gross bodily motor skills.

(1946). Studies in Motor Learning of Gross Bodily Motor Skills. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 242-253.
The nucleotide sequence adjoining the CCA end of an Escherichia coli tyrosine transfer ribonucleic acid gene

Abstract The sequence of 23 nucleotides beyond the C-C-A end of the Escherichia coli tyrosine tRNA gene has been determined. The previously deduced (Loewen, P. C., and Khorana, H. G. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 3489) sequence of the first 12 nucleotides (T-C-A-A-C-T-T-T-C-A-A-A) has been revised to T-C-A-C-T-T-T-C-A-A-A-A. The sequence of the next 11 nucleotides is G-T-C-C-C-T-G-A-A-C-T. The general approach used in the sequence work was the DNA polymerase-I-catalyzed elongation of suitable deoxyribopolynucleotides which served as primers when hybridized to the r-strand of φ80psuiii DNA. Five methods were used in the sequential analysis of the elongated primers: (a) the use of a restricted number of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates; (b) timed incorporation of all of the four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and isolation of the pure radioactive products by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; (c) isolation of the products from timed incorporation of the dNTPs in which CTP replaced dCTP and Mn2+ replaced Mg2+; (d) separation of the fragments formed after alkaline hydrolysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis; (e) derivation of the nucleotide sequence after partial stepwise degradation by spleen and venom phosphodiesterases by two-dimensional finger-printing methods of Sanger and co-workers (Sanger, F., Donelson, J. E., Coulson, A. R., Kossel, H., and Fischer, D. (1973) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 70, 1209).
Life expectancy and longevity of varanid lizards (Reptilia:Squamata:Varanidae) in North American zoos

In zoos, life expectancy—the average lifespan of individuals within a population, and longevity—the maximum lifespan within a population, can be useful parameters for evaluating captive husbandry and animal welfare. Using life history and demographic data derived from regional studbooks, this study examined life expectancy and longevity in a total of 782 wild-caught (WC) and captive-bred (CB) varanid lizards of seven species maintained in North American zoos since 1926. The average lifespans for WC and CB animals were 6.3 ± 0.3 and 9.3 ± 0.4 years, respectively, with CB males living significantly longer than females (P = 0.009). A total of 26.4% of WC and 22.5% of CB animals experienced mortality during their first 2 years in captivity, with mortality during this period greatest among Varanus rudicollis and V. prasinus. A positive correlation was observed between life expectancy and adult body mass in captive-bred individuals (r = 0.981; P = 0.002). Wild-caught females with a history of successful reproduction had a significantly greater average lifespan than non-reproducing females (P < 0.0001). Results from this study suggest that varanids have not been reaching their lifespan capacities in North American zoos. In light of these findings, several husbandry-related factors which may be affecting the welfare and lifespans of varanids in zoos are identified and discussed. This study also highlights the utility of demographic and life history data in captive animal management, and offers a general framework for future herpetological studies of a similar nature. Zoo Biol. 34:139–152, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Endogenous syntaxins 2, 3 and 4 exhibit distinct but overlapping patterns of expression at the hepatocyte plasma membrane

To investigate the mechanisms regulating polarized vesicle delivery to the cell surface in hepatocytes, we have characterized the endogenous plasma membrane (PM)-associated syntaxins. These integral membrane proteins are components of the membrane docking/fusion apparatus and are thought to function as vesicle receptors at the PM. In hepatocytes, the PM is divided into two domains, the apical and basolateral. If syntaxins are mediating the specific recognition of vesicles delivered to either membrane surface, the simple prediction is that each domain expresses one syntaxin isoform. However, we report that rat hepatocytes express three endogenous PM-associated syntaxin isoforms, syntaxins 2, 3 and 4. By biochemical subfractionation, we determined that the syntaxins exhibit distinct, but overlapping patterns of expression among the PM domains. Syntaxin 4 is primarily expressed at the basolateral surface while syntaxins 2 and 3 are enriched at the apical PM. The immunolocalization of syntaxins 2 and 4 in rat hepatocytes and PM sheets revealed similarly complex patterns of PM expression with enhanced apical staining for both. A significant proportion of syntaxin 3 (25%) was detected in subcellular fractions containing transport vesicles. We have used quantitative immunoblotting to determine that the syntaxins are relatively abundant PM molecules (11-260 nM) in rat liver, spleen and kidney. Also, we determined that the syntaxin binding protein, Munc-18, is present at concentrations from 1.5-20 nM in the same tissues. Although this fundamental quantitative and morphological information is lacking in other systems, it is critical not only for defining syntaxin function, but also for predicting the specific mechanisms that regulate vesicle targeting in hepatocytes and other tissues.