cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glycolipid antigen induces long-term natural killer T cell anergy in mice

Natural killer T (NKT) cells recognize glycolipid antigens presented by the MHC class I–related glycoprotein CD1d. The in vivo dynamics of the NKT cell population in response to glycolipid activation remain poorly understood. Here, we show that a single administration of the synthetic glycolipid α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) induces long-term NKT cell unresponsiveness in mice. NKT cells failed to proliferate and produce IFN-γ upon α-GalCer restimulation but retained the capacity to produce IL-4. Consequently, we found that activation of anergic NKT cells with α-GalCer exacerbated, rather than prevented, B16 metastasis formation, but that these cells retained their capacity to protect mice against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. NKT cell anergy was induced in a thymus-independent manner and maintained in an NKT cell–autonomous manner. The anergic state could be broken by IL-2 and by stimuli that bypass proximal TCR signaling events. Collectively, the kinetics of initial NKT cell activation, expansion, and induction of anergy in response to α-GalCer administration resemble the responses of conventional T cells to strong stimuli such as superantigens. Our findings have important implications for the development of NKT cell–based vaccines and immunotherapies.
Release and containment of microorganisms from applied genetics activities

Abstract In the normal course of manipulating microorganisms in laboratories and commercial facilities, some organisms inevitably are dispersed through aerosol formation, drips, etc. Accidents can increase this dispersal. The objective of a recent study was to assess the release of microorganisms to the environment and exposure to technicians during applied genetics protocols. Towards this end, a computer simulation model that incorporates the complex interactions of microorganism dispersal, organism characteristics, facility design, containment equipment and facility practices was developed. The model uses the concepts of mass balance and compartments. The results of the simulations suggest the effects of different levels of containment on technician exposure and environment release.
Learning Sustainable Design through Service

Environmental sustainability and sustainable development principles are vital topics that engineering education has largely failed to address. Service-learning, which integrates social service into an academic setting, is an emerging tool that can be leveraged to teach sustainable design to future engineers. We present a model of using service-learning to teach sustainable design based on the experiences of the Stanford chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World. The model involves the identification of projects and partner organizations, a student led, project-based design course, and internships coordinated with partner organizations. The model has been very successful, although limitations and challenges exist. These are discussed along with future directions for expanding the model.
Deconstructing disaster: Economic and environmental impacts of deconstruction in post-Katrina New Orleans

Within weeks of the 2005 hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, along the Gulf region of the United States, Mercy Corps implemented a deconstruction program to reclaim building material from some of the 275,000 destroyed homes. In contrast to machine demolition where massive flows of construction debris are directed into landfills, hand deconstruction of buildings diverts materials out of landfills by redirecting them back into reuse or recycling. This study reports findings of reclaimed material from four deconstructed houses. Over 20,000 data points revealed salvage rates of 38–75% of the buildings by weight. A total of 44 tons of material was redirected back into the local building material stream (enough to build three new homes out of the four that came down). This included 32,342 board feet of reusable lumber among the $60,000 worth of products returned to a devastated local economy. In this study the cost/profit of deconstruction varied from a net cost of $3.80 to a net profit of $1.53 per square foot. This compares to an estimated net cost of demolition at a steady $5.50 per square foot. Also, deconstruction in post-disaster New Orleans revealed better efficiency of labor than in previous non-disaster situated studies. This report includes a review of scholarly and non-scholarly literature in the deconstruction field to provide a snapshot of the emerging industry. This report is one of two sponsored by Mercy Corps on the use of deconstruction in post-disaster New Orleans. The companion study (Denhart, 2009) conducted as a phenomenology examined the psycho-social impact of deconstruction in disaster response. These two studies support the use of deconstruction among countries seeking to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals of reducing the human and environmental impact of disasters by 2015.
Mortality Risk Score Prediction in an Elderly Population Using Machine Learning

Standard practice for prediction often relies on parametric regression methods. Interesting new methods from the machine learning literature have been introduced in epidemiologic studies, such as random forest and neural networks. However, a priori, an investigator will not know which algorithm to select and may wish to try several. Here I apply the super learner, an ensembling machine learning approach that combines multiple algorithms into a single algorithm and returns a prediction function with the best cross-validated mean squared error. Super learning is a generalization of stacking methods. I used super learning in the Study of Physical Performance and Age-Related Changes in Sonomans (SPPARCS) to predict death among 2,066 residents of Sonoma, California, aged 54 years or more during the period 1993-1999. The super learner for predicting death (risk score) improved upon all single algorithms in the collection of algorithms, although its performance was similar to that of several algorithms. Super learner outperformed the worst algorithm (neural networks) by 44% with respect to estimated cross-validated mean squared error and had an R2 value of 0.201. The improvement of super learner over random forest with respect to R2 was approximately 2-fold. Alternatives for risk score prediction include the super learner, which can provide improved performance.
Kinetic, mechanistic, and structural aspects of unliganded gating of acetylcholine receptor channels: a single-channel study of second transmembrane segment 12' mutants.

The spontaneous activity of adult mouse muscle acetylcholine receptor channels, transiently expressed in HEK-293 cells, was studied with the patch-clamp technique. To increase the frequency of unliganded openings, mutations at the 12′ position of the second transmembrane segment were engineered. Our results indicate that: (a) in both wild type and mutants, a C ↔ O kinetic scheme provides a good description of spontaneous gating. In the case of some mutant constructs, however, additional states were needed to improve the fit to the data. Similar additional states were also needed in one of six patches containing wild-type acetylcholine receptor channels; (b) the δ12′ residue makes a more pronounced contribution to unliganded gating than the homologous residues of the α, β, and e subunits; (c) combinations of second transmembrane segment 12′ mutations in the four different subunits appear to have cumulative effects; (d) the volume of the side chain at δ12′ is relevant because residues larger than the wild-type Ser increase spontaneous gating; (e) the voltage dependence of the unliganded gating equilibrium constant is the same as that of diliganded gating, but the voltage dependences of the opening and closing rate constants are opposite (this indicates that the reaction pathway connecting the closed and open states of the receptor changes upon ligation); (f) engineering binding-site mutations that decrease diliganded gating (αY93F, αY190W, and αD200N) reduces spontaneous activity as well (this suggests that even in the absence of ligand the opening of the channel is accompanied by a conformational change at the binding sites); and (g) the diliganded gating equilibrium constant is also increased by the 12′ mutations. Such increase is independent of the particular ligand used as the agonist, which suggests that these mutations affect mostly the isomerization step, having little, if any, effect on the ligand-affinity ratio.
Role of the Adjacent Stroma Cells in Prostate Cancer Development and Progression: Synergy between TGF-β and IGF Signaling

This review postulates the role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I/IGF-II) signaling in stromal cells during prostate carcinogenesis and progression. It is known that stromal cells have a reciprocal relationship to the adjacent epithelial cells in the maintenance of structural and functional integrity of the prostate. An interaction between TGF-β and IGF signaling occupies a central part in this stromal-epithelial interaction. An increase in TGF-β and IGF signaling will set off the imbalance of this relationship and will lead to cancer development. A continuous input from TGF-β and IGF in the tumor microenvironment will result in cancer progression. Understanding of these events can help prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of prostate cancer.
Effects of Brain-Derived IL-2 Deficiency and the Development of Autoimmunity on Spatial Learning and Fear Conditioning

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been implicated in neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. Peripheral IL-2 deficiency in gene-deleted mice results in T cell mediated autoimmunity that begins to develop slowly after weaning and progressively increases through adulthood. Loss of brain-derived IL-2 results in neurobiological and behavioral abnormalities, and may contribute to the development of CNS autoimmunity by modifying the neuroimmunological milieu of the brain. We have shown previously that IL-2 knockout (KO) mice have altered learning acquisition in the Morris water-maze. Hypothesizing that the learning acquisition deficits in IL-2KO would be associated largely with the loss of brain-derived IL-2, the present study sought to determine if these cognitive alterations are due to the loss the IL-2 gene in the brain and/or autoimmunity resulting from loss of the gene in the peripheral immune system. We found that SCID congenic mice (mice free of IL-2 deficiency induced peripheral autoimmunity) without brain IL-2 (two IL-2KO alleles) did not differ from SCID congenic mice with normal brain IL-2 (two WT IL-2 alleles); thus, contrary to our hypothesis, loss of brain-derived IL-2 did not affect learning acquisition in the water-maze. Compared to adult WT littermates (9 weeks), adult IL-2KO mice with autoimmunity exhibited alterations in learning acquisition in the Morris water-maze whereas younger pre-autoimmune IL-2KO mice (5 weeks) had performance comparable to younger WT littermates, suggesting that the water-maze learning deficits in IL-2KO mice were associated with the development of peripheral autoimmunity. As IL-2KO mice have cytoarchitectural alterations in the dentate gyrus, circuitry involved in the differentiation of contexts (versus places), we also compared IL-2KO mice and littermates in a contextual fear discrimination paradigm. IL-2KO mice were found to have reduced conditioned fear discrimination that was not related to age-associated autoimmunity. Together, these findings suggest that complex interactions between IL-2 deficiency in the brain and immune system may modify brain processes involved in different modalities of learning and memory.
Solid tumor models for the assessment of different treatment modalities: XXIII. A new approach to the more effective utilization of radiotherapy alternated with chemotherapy☆

Abstract This study with the rat hepatoma 3924A demonstrated the marked improvement in tumor cure rates and control of tumor growth that can be achieved by the addition of cyclophosphamide (CP) to multiple fractions of radiation per day (MFD) schedules given intermittently. MFD radiation was delivered over a 2-day period followed by CP (150 mg/kg or 0.9 g/m 2 ) 1 day later; this combined course was repeated at 11-day intervals (to allow for gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow recovery) for a total of 3 courses over a 23-day period. Cure rates of 30, 50 and 60% were achieved with total radiation doses of 4500, 6000 and 7500 rad, respectively, when the MFD radiation was given with CP. No cures and no complete responses were realized when the same intermittent MFD schedules for radiation were employed up to 9000 rad without CP. Other groups of 10 animals each were treated with daily fractions of 100, 150, 188, 250 and 375 rad given on days 0–9, 11–20 and 22–31. A 150 mg/kg or 0.9 g/m 2 dose of CP was given after each course of daily radiation on days 10, 21 and 32 in the combined treatment groups. No complete responses or tumor cures occurred with radiation alone given daily for total radiation doses, which were increased from 3000 to 11,250 rad. Only the highest radiation dose given, 375 rad per day to a total of 11,250 rad, resulted in a complete response rate and tumor cure rate of 50% when CP was added. The addition of CP to the daily fractionation schedules reduced the total dose needed to give a growth delay of 100 days by 39% (5600 rad versus 9200 rad). The addition of CP to the intermittent MFD schedules further reduced the total dose needed to give a growth delay of 100 days to 4200 rad. Major improvements in some types of cancer treatment may be realized if we can develop clinical protocols for the alternate use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as we have done successfully in our experimental program. The finding that intermittent MFD radiation schedules are as effective as daily schedules when given alone suggests that greater flexibility of patient management in clinical radiotherapy may be possible without a major loss of therapeutic effectiveness. These alternated fractionated schedules offer the possibility of optimizing treatment in terms of patient convenience and economy as well as the potential for improving the effectiveness of the interaction of radiotherapy with radiosensitizers, radioprotectors, and hyperthermia in addition to chemotherapy.
Exploiting physical dynamics for concurrent control of a mobile robot

Conventionally, mobile robots are controlled through an action selection mechanism (ASM) that chooses among multiple proposed actions. This choice can be made in a variety of ways, and ASMs have been developed that demonstrate many of them, from strict priority schemes to voting systems. We take a different approach, which we call concurrent control. Abandoning explicit action selection, we rely instead on the physical dynamics of the robot's actuators to achieve robust control. We claim that with many noisy controllers and no arbitration among commands we can elicit stable predictable behavior from a mobile robot. Specifically, we concern ourselves with the problem of driving a single planar mobile robot with multiple controlling agents that are concurrently sending commands directly to the robot's wheel motors. We state analytically conditions necessary for our concurrent control approach to be viable, and verify empirically its general effectiveness and robustness to error through experiments with a physical robot.
Wind stress and surface waves observed on Lake Washington

Abstract New results from turbulent flux measurements made over Lake Washington include the following: 1) The only direct measure of the vertical transport of the horizontal momentum, heat, and matter in the surface boundary layer is the so-called eddy correlation method. However, even if the measurement errors are negligible, the results obtained from point observations may show large scatter due to lack of stationarity and horizontal homogeneity in the turbulent field and to the sampling variability. Scatter may be greatly reduced by spatial averaging. In this study, such an effect is achieved by determining the surface roughness length, hence the neutral drag coefficient, from the measured wave height spectrum, which reflects the atmospheric input integrated over the fetch. Applicability and usefulness of the approach for general field measurements and remote sensing is discussed. 2) The evolution of the wave field observed on Lake Washington agrees in peak frequency and the slope of the equilibrium ra...
Clustering of autoimmune diseases in families with a high-risk for multiple sclerosis: a descriptive study.

Summary Background Autoimmune mechanisms are thought to have a major role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. We aimed to identify coexisting autoimmune phenotypes in patients with multiple sclerosis from families with several members with the disease and in their first-degree relatives. Methods A total of 176 families (386 individuals and 1107 first-degree relatives) were characterised for a history of other autoimmune disorders. Family-based or case–control analyses were done to assess the association of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-antigen 4 ( CTLA4 ) and protein tyrosine phosphatase ( PTPN22 ) variants with susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. Findings 46 (26%) index cases reported at least one coexisting autoimmune disorder. The most common were Hashimoto thyroiditis (10%), psoriasis (6%), inflammatory bowel disease (3%), and rheumatoid arthritis (2%). 112 (64%) families with a history of multiple sclerosis reported autoimmune disorders (excluding multiple sclerosis) in one or more first-degree relatives, whereas 64 (36%) families reported no history of autoimmunity. Similar to index cases, Hashimoto thyroiditis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease were also the most common disorders occurring in family members. A common variant within CTLA4 was strongly associated with multiple sclerosis in families who had other autoimmune diseases (p=0·009) but not in families without a history of other autoimmune disorders (p=0·90). Interpretation The presence of various immune disorders in families with several members with multiple sclerosis suggests that the disease might arise on a background of a generalised susceptibility to autoimmunity. This distinct multiple-sclerosis phenotype, defined by its association with other autoimmune diseases, segregates with specific genotypes that could underlie the common susceptibility.
Modeling studies of heavy oil—in between solid and fluid properties

Rocks filled with heavy oil do not comply with established theories for porous media. Heavy oils demonstrate a blend of both purely viscous and purely elastic properties, also referred to as viscoelasticity. They have a non-negligible shear modulus that allows them to support shear-wave propagation depending on frequency and temperature. These oils behave as solids at high frequencies and low temperatures, and as fluids at low frequencies and high temperatures. The solid-like properties of heavy oils violate Gassmann's equation, the most common and widely used fluid-substitution technique in the industry.
Optimizations for compiling declarative models into boolean formulas

Advances in SAT solver technology have enabled many automated analysis and reasoning tools to reduce their input problem to a SAT problem, and then to use an efficient SAT solver to solve the underlying analysis or reasoning problem. The solving time for SAT solvers can vary substantially for semantically identical SAT problems depending on how the problem is expressed. This property motivates the development of new optimization techniques whose goal is to produce more efficiently solvable SAT problems, thereby improving the overall performance of the analysis or reasoning tool. This paper presents our experience using several mechanical techniques that enable the Alloy Analyzer to generate optimized SAT formulas from first-order logic formulas. These techniques are inspired by similar techniques from the field of optimizing compilers, suggesting the potential presence of underlying connections between optimization problems from two very different domains. Our experimental results show that our techniques can deliver substantial performance improvement results—in some cases, they reduce the solving time by an order of magnitude.
Antithrombin (human) concentrate infusion in pediatric patients with >50% TBSA burns

Abstract Background : Antithrombin (human) [AT(H)] concentrate infusions have been safely utilized in adult burn patients to counteract subclinical disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and pulmonary complications. Objective : AT(H) concentrate was given to two thermally injured pediatric patients to evaluate safety and dosage requirements. Design : The first patient was a 2-year-old with 83% total burn surface area (TBSA) full thickness flame burn and severe inhalation injury. The second patient was a 14-month-old who sustained 56% TBSA deep partial and full thickness scald injury. Each child received 10 infusions of AT(H) concentrate (106 units/kg) in the first 4 days post-injury. Result : For these two patients, the plasma AT level (normal range: 100±20%) increased, respectively, from 25 and 66% on admission to 224 and 217% on day 1, 114 and 116% on day 2, and 193 and 171% on day 3. Both patients tolerated the infusions well. In one patient, the eschar on all four extremities easily peeled off the subcutaneous tissues along a natural demarcation between viable and non-viable tissue with only a 40cc estimated blood loss (EBL). Conclusions : AT(H) concentrate is tolerated in the pediatric population in the acute phase of injury. Lack of bleeding during eschar removal may be of benefit to burn excision and grafting.
DREADDs (Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs): Chemogenetic Tools with Therapeutic Utility

In the past decade, emerging synthetic biology technologies such as chemogenetics have dramatically transformed how pharmacologists and systems biologists deconstruct the involvement of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in a myriad of physiological and translational settings. Here we highlight a specific chemogenetic application that extends the utility of the concept of RASSLs (receptors activated solely by synthetic ligands): We have dubbed it DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs). As we show in this review, DREADDs are now used ubiquitously to modulate GPCR activity noninvasively in vivo. Results from these studies have directly implicated GPCR signaling in a large number of therapeutically relevant contexts. We also highlight recent applications of DREADD technology that have illuminated GPCR signaling processes that control pathways relevant to the treatment of eating disorders, obesity, and obesity-associated metabolic abnormalities. Additionally, we provide an overview of the potential utility of chemogenetic technologies for transformative therapeutics.
The Transglabellar/Subcranial Approach for Surgical Excision of Periocular Second Tumors in Retinoblastoma

Purpose: To evaluate the use of transglabellar/subcranial approach for surgical resection of periocular second non-ocular tumors in retinoblastoma patients. Methods: Seven retinoblastoma patients with periocular second tumor involving anterior skull base underwent surgical resection by transglabellar/subcranial approach in a single center. The medical records of these patients were retrospectively evaluated. Results: The most common presenting symptom in retinoblastoma patients with periocular second tumor was difficulty in maintaining the prosthesis in three patients (43%), followed by epistaxis in one (14%), palpable orbital mass in one (14%), persistent periocular swelling in one (14%), and visual loss in one (14%) patient. Periocular second tumors were leiomyosarcoma in three (43%) patients, osteosarcoma in three (43%), and sphenoid wing meningioma in one (14%) patient. Surgical resection by the transglabellar/subcranial approach was the only treatment in one (14%) patient with sphenoid wing meningiom...
TIMING OF LIGHT PULSES AND PHOTOPERIOD ON THE DIURNAL RHYTHM OF HIPPOCAMPAL NEURONAL MORPHOLOGY OF SIBERIAN HAMSTERS

Rapid remodeling of neurons provides the brain with flexibility to adjust to environmental fluctuations. In Siberian hamsters, hippocampal dendritic morphology fluc- tuates across the day. To reveal the regulatory mechanism of diurnal remodeling of hippocampal neurons, we investi- gated the effects of light signals applied under different photoperiodic conditions on dendritic morphology. A 4-h dark pulse during the morning of long days (LD) increased basilar dendritic length, as well as complexity of basilar den- drites of neurons in the CA1. A light pulse during the late night in short days (SD) reduced basilar dendrite branching and increased primary apical dendrites of CA1 neurons. Spine density of dentate gyrus (DG) dendrites was increased by a dark pulse in LD and spine density of CA1 basilar dendrites was decreased by a light pulse in SD. These results indicate that light signals induce rapid remod- eling of dendritic morphology in a hippocampal subregion- specific manner. A light pulse in SD decreased hippocampal expression of fetal liver kinase 1 (Flk1), a receptor for vascu- lar endothelial growth factor (VEGF), raising the possibility that VEGF-FLK1 signaling might be involved in the rapid decrease of branching or spine density of CA1 basilar dendrites by light. 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Temporal Segmentation of Facial Behavior

Temporal segmentation of facial gestures in spontaneous facial behavior recorded in real-world settings is an important, unsolved, and relatively unexplored problem in facial image analysis. Several issues contribute to the challenge of this task. These include non-frontal pose, moderate to large out-of-plane head motion, large variability in the temporal scale of facial gestures, and the exponential nature of possible facial action combinations. To address these challenges, we propose a two-step approach to temporally segment facial behavior. The first step uses spectral graph techniques to cluster shape and appearance features invariant to some geometric transformations. The second step groups the clusters into temporally coherent facial gestures. We evaluated this method in facial behavior recorded during face-to- face interactions. The video data were originally collected to answer substantive questions in psychology without concern for algorithm development. The method achieved moderate convergent validity with manual FACS (Facial Action Coding System) annotation. Further, when used to preprocess video for manual FACS annotation, the method significantly improves productivity, thus addressing the need for ground-truth data for facial image analysis. Moreover, we were also able to detect unusual facial behavior.
Respiratory epithelial cells demonstrate lactoferrin receptors that increase after metal exposure.

Human airway epithelial cells can increase expression of both lactoferrin and ferritin after exposure to catalytically active metal. These proteins transport and store metal, with coordination site...
Radiation characteristics of Botryococcus braunii, Chlorococcum littorale, and Chlorella sp. used for CO2 fixation and biofuel production

This paper reports experimental measurements of the radiation characteristics of green algae used for carbon dioxide fixation via photosynthesis. The generated biomass can be used to produce not only biofuels but also feed for animal and food supplements for human consumptions. Particular attention was paid to three widely used species namely Botryococcus braunii, Chlorella sp., and Chlorococcum littorale. Their extinction and absorption coefficients were obtained from normal–normal and normal–hemispherical transmittance measurements over the spectral range from 400 to 800 nm. Moreover, a polar nephelometer was used to measure the scattering phase function of the microorganisms at 632.8 nm. It was observed that for all strains, scattering dominates over absorption. The magnitudes of the extinction and scattering cross-section are functions of the size, shape, and chlorophyll content of each strain in a non-trivial manner. Absorption peaks at 435, 475, and 676 nm corresponding to chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. The results can be used for scaling and optimization of CO2 fixation in ponds or photobioreactors as well as in the development of controlled ecological life support systems.
Programmable Floating Gate FPAA Switches Are Not Dead Weight

In most reconfigurable systems, such as FPAAs and FPGAs, the switch element and its associated memory cell is a necessary overhead for performing computation with the active components. However, floating gate based switches in large-scale FPAAs can be programmed anywhere between simple "off" and "on" connections, which allows these programmable conductances to be used as computational elements within synthesized circuits. This decreases the notion of switches as computational dead weight and increases the potential computational area efficiency within FPAAs
Prediction of respiratory distress during maximal physical exercise: the role of trait anxiety.

Industrial respirators offer protection for men and women who are required to work in toxic and oxygen-deficient environments. Major advances continue to be made with respect to improved face mask designs and modes of protection, yet only recently have efforts been directed toward the development of criteria for use in evaluating individuals' psychological fitness to wear respirators. The purpose of the present investigation was to confirm (i.e., replicate) an earlier finding, using a simplified protocol, that an individual's tendency to experience respiratory distress during exercise can be predicted. In the present experiment, an independent sample of 38 subjects underwent a maximal exercise test. It was predicted that subjects with elevated trait anxiety scores would experience respiratory distress when required to perform heavy physical exercise using a full-facepiece, air-line supplied, pressure-demand respirator. The prediction of respiratory distress was accurate in 34 of 38 cases (89.5%). It was concluded that an objective measure of trait anxiety can be used to identify those individuals who are most likely to experience distress while performing maximal physical exercise and using a pressure-demand respirator.
E2A Antagonizes PU.1 Activity through Inhibition of DNA Binding

Antagonistic interactions between transcription factors contribute to cell fate decisions made by multipotent hematopoietic progenitor cells. Concentration of the transcription factor PU.1 affects myeloid/lymphoid development with high levels of PU.1 directing myeloid cell fate acquisition at the expense of B cell differentiation. High levels of PU.1 may be required for myelopoiesis in order to overcome inhibition of its activity by transcription factors that promote B cell development. The B cell transcription factors, E2A and EBF, are necessary for commitment of multipotential progenitors and lymphoid primed multipotential progenitors to lymphocytes. In this report we hypothesized that factors required for early B cell commitment would bind to PU.1 and antagonize its ability to induce myeloid differentiation. We investigated whether E2A and/or EBF associate with PU.1. We observed that the E2A component, E47, but not EBF, directly binds to PU.1. Additionally E47 represses PU.1-dependent transactivation of the MCSFR promoter through antagonizing PU.1's ability to bind to DNA. Exogenous E47 expression in hematopoietic cells inhibits myeloid differentiation. Our data suggest that E2A antagonism of PU.1 activity contributes to its ability to commit multipotential hematopoietic progenitors to the lymphoid lineages.
Biological stability evaluation of the α2β1 receptor imaging agents: diamsar and DOTA conjugated DGEA peptide.

Robust chelating stability under biological condi-tions is critical for the design of copper-based radiopharmaceuticals. In this study, the stabilities of 64Cu-DOTA and diamsar (two bifunctional Cu...
Sensitivity Tests with an Ultra-Speed Negative Film * -->

The sensitivity of Ultra-Speed Panchromatic negative film is discussed in comparison to the speed of Superpan Negative film. A variety of testing methods, employing sensitometers miniature still cameras, motion picture cameras, and different positive printing devices, are used in the determinations.
Eigenvalue calculations for porous energetic-material deflagration in the merged-flame regime

Analytical and numerical calculations of the structure and burning rate of a deflagrating porous energetic material are presented for the limiting case of merged condensed and gas-phase reaction zones. The reaction scheme is modeled by a global two-step mechanism, applicable to certain types of degraded nitramine propellants and consisting of sequential condensed and gaseous steps. Taking into account important effects due to multiphase flow and exploiting the limit of large activation energies, a theoretical analysis may be developed based on activation-energy asymptotics. For steady, planar deflagration, this leads to an eigenvalue problem for the inner reaction-zone, the solution of which determines the burning rate. Numerical solutions give a reasonably complete description of the dependence of the structure and burning rate on the various parameters in the problem, and show excellent agreement with analytical results that are obtained in a more limited parameter regime in which most of the heat release is produced by the condensed-phase reaction and the porosity of the solid is small. (Author)
Factors Controlling Selectivity in the Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of 3-Substituted Cyclooctenes by Monoaryloxide Pyrrolide Imido Alkylidene (MAP) Catalysts

The origins of regio- and stereoselectivity in the ring-opening metathesis polymerization of 3-substituted cis-cyclooctenes by monoaryloxide pyrrolide imido alkylidene (MAP) Mo- and W-based catalysts are determined at the M06-2X/SDD|6-311+G(2df,p)//M06-L/SDD|6-31G(d)|MIDI! level of density functional theory. Considering cis-cyclooctene (COE) and 3-methyl-cis-cyclooctene (3MCOE) as monomers and W(N-t-Bu)(CH-t-Bu)(OHMT)(Pyr) (OHMT = hexamethylterphenoxide, Pyr = pyrrolide) as a catalyst, all possible syn and anti combinations of alkylidene and cyclic olefin, relative to the imido ligand, are evaluated. The observed Z-selectivity for the ring-opening metathesis (ROM) of COE is due to the large size of the aryloxide ligand, which forces both the alkylidene and the incoming cyclic olefin to be syn relative to the imido ligand. As determined previously for Grubbs’ second-generation catalyst (G2), breakdown of the metallacyclobutane intermediate is the rate-limiting step for cyclic olefins having ring sizes exce...
RECOVERY OF HIGH PERFORMANCE RE-ENTRY VEHICLES

The evolution of ballistic re-entry vehicle technology has followed a trend over the years of increasing the vehicle ballistic coefficient and at the same time decreasing the nose radius. This combination has resulted in greatly increased severity of the aerohhermal environments. In the attempt to provide efficient solutions to the problems presented by these increased environments, at least two areas have been given considerable emphasis. These are:
Technology implementation: impact on students’ perception and mindset

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current negative impacts of implementation while also recommending proper applications to these new technological “applications.” Design/methodology/approach – This literary analysis looks at a few of the negative results of technology implementation thus far and also provides ways to correct these impacts. Findings – Technology could significantly aide in the efficacy of instruction if used properly. Educators must not merely understand how to work the basic tools for the classroom; they must utilize those conveniences in such a way that sparks interest, critical thinking, and a desire to create. Originality/value – Throughout public education, technology implementation seems to be the topic on every educator’s lips and listed on every school board’s agenda. Considering the generous financial support, arduous research, and extensive professional development, the expectations for positive results are unbelievably high. As school districts competitively...
The Effect of Piano Playing on Preservice Teachers’ Ability to Detect Errors in a Choral Score

The purpose of this study was to examine and empirically test the pedagogical claim that playing the piano while listening to choral singers impedes error detection ability. In a within-subjects de...
Bromine atom production and chain propagation during springtime Arctic ozone depletion events in Barrow, Alaska

Abstract. Ozone depletion events (ODEs) in the Arctic are primarily controlled by a bromine radical-catalyzed destruction mechanism that depends on the efficient production and recycling of Br atoms. Numerous laboratory and modeling studies have suggested the importance of heterogeneous recycling of Br through HOBr reaction with bromide on saline surfaces. On the other hand, the gas-phase regeneration of bromine atoms through BrO–BrO radical reactions has been assumed to be an efficient, if not dominant, pathway for Br reformation and thus ozone destruction. Indeed, it has been estimated that the rate of ozone depletion is approximately equal to twice the rate of the BrO self-reaction. Here, we use a zero-dimensional, photochemical model, largely constrained to observations of stable atmospheric species from the 2009 Ocean–Atmosphere–Sea Ice–Snowpack (OASIS) campaign in Barrow, Alaska, to investigate gas-phase bromine radical propagation and recycling mechanisms of bromine atoms for a 7-day period during late March. This work is a continuation of that presented in Thompson et al. (2015) and utilizes the same model construct. Here, we use the gas-phase radical chain length as a metric for objectively quantifying the efficiency of gas-phase recycling of bromine atoms. The gas-phase bromine chain length is determined to be quite small, at
Detection of Drinking-Water Hygiene of Small Water Supply Systems in Rural Areas along Dawen River

Objective To understand the current status of drinking-water hygiene of small water supply systems in rural areas along Dawen River,and to provide a basis for developing the plans for drinking-water hygiene of small water supply systems in rural areas and the construction of new socialist countryside.Methods Water sample testing was carried out in 150 water quality monitoring stations near the upper,middle and lower reaches of Dawen River.The results were analyzed statistically afterwards.Results A total of 600 water samples were detected,of which 309 were qualified,the overall qualified rate was 51.50%.Among the18 test items,the qualified rate was low in total bacterial count,total coliforms and heat-resistant coliforms,which was 77.17%,70.50% and 75.67% respectively.The qualified rate of water quality showed a decreasing trend in the upper,middle and lower reaches of Dawen River,and the difference was statistically significant(χ2=6.886,P0.05),the water qualified rate was higher in dry season than in wet period(χ2=6.412,P0.05),the qualified rate of source water was higher than that of the peripheral water(χ2=11.217,P0.01) Conclusions The results show that the qualified rate of drinking-water hygiene is low in rural areas along Dawen River,which is mainly manifested as lack of necessary disinfection management on microorganisms,and risks for waterborne infectious disease.The qualified rate of water quality shows a decreasing trend in the areas along Dawen River.It is recommended that effective measures should be taken to strengthen pollution control,water protection,health management,decontamination and health education,so as to protect the safety of drinking-water in rural areas along Dawen River.
Transition from Pediatric to Adult Health Care for Dravet Syndrome Patients

Investigators from University Hospital of Rennes; Necker Hospital, Paris; and University Paris Descartes, France used a questionnaire to study the transition and transfer from pediatric to adult health-care system in patients with Dravet syndrome and their families.
Antisense oligonucleotides to CFTR confer a cystic fibrosis phenotype on B lymphocytes

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is expressed at low levels in nonepithelial cells. Recently, we demonstrated that CFTR is responsible for cell cycle-dependent adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-responsive Cl- permeability in lymphocytes. Agonist responsiveness of cystic fibrosis (CF) lymphocytes was restored by transfection with plasmid containing wild type CFTR cDNA. CFTR mRNA is expressed in the B lymphoid cell line GM03299; however, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction indicates that the level of CFTR mRNA is at least 1,000 times lower than in T84 cells. CFTR protein could not be detected by Western blot or by immunoprecipitation of in vitro phosphorylated protein. However, antisense oligonucleotides representing codons 1-12 of CFTR caused a complete inhibition of cell cycle-dependent Cl-permeability [as determined by 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)-quinolinium fluorescence digital-imaging microscopy], thereby inducing normal cells to acquire a "CF phenotype." These studies provide direct evidence that a CFTR-associated Cl- permeability is present and measurable in lymphocytes, even though CFTR mRNA and protein are expressed at low levels.
A special issue to commemorate the 100th birthday of Henry G. Kunkel, father of clinical immunology: A continuing appreciation of the man, his scientific contributions and his insights to clinical investigation and mentoring.

• This editorial presents a brief biography of Henry G. Kunkel, the father of clinical immunology and immunopathology.
Infant Mental Health and Family Mental Health Issues

Abstract This article examines common parental responses to the experience of having a medically fragile infant in the intensive care unit, which are compounded by parental mental health issues, and may result in a disrupted parent-preterm infant attachment. The importance of an interdisciplinary team with a strong infant mental health approach is described.
Fundamental evaluation of moisture damage in warm-mix asphalts

Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) technologies have been used extensively in the last decade. The benefits of WMA have motivated stakeholders to expedite the implementation of this technology. However, some research studies have raised concerns regarding WMA laboratory performance in terms of resistance to moisture damage, while WMA has demonstrated good performance in the field. These experiences led to further research to understand the fundamental characteristics of WMA. This study conducted a comprehensive evaluation of WMA prepared using different aggregate sources, asphalt binders, and WMA additives. A dynamic mechanical analyser was used to test the mastic phase of conventional hot-mix asphalt and WMA. The test specimens were evaluated at different conditions – dry and wet – and at different ageing stages – unaged and three-month aged – in a controlled environmental room (i.e. 60°C). A fracture mechanics approach was used to analyse the test results. This approach incorporated fundamental material properties,...
Cell interactions between histoincompatible t and b lymphocytes. I. Allogeneic effect by irradiated host t cells on adoptively transferred histoincompatible b lymphocytes.

The adoptive transfer of 2,4-dinitrophenyl(DNP)-keyhole limpet hemocyanin(KLH)-primed lymphocytes into a heavily irradiated allogeneic recipient permits the development of a secondary anti-DNP antibody response to DNP-bovine gamma globulin(BGG) whether or not the irradiated allogeneic host possesses BGG-specific helper T cells. This "allogeneic effect" has been demonstrated to result from the capacity of residual, apparently radioresistant, T cells in the irradiated host to exert an active effect on the transferred histoincompatible B lymphocytes. This conclusion derives from two corroborative experiments. In the first, an allogeneic effect was shown to occur on DNP-primed F1 spleen cells that had been adoptively transferred to irradiated parental recipients; the second experiment demonstrated the development of an allogeneic effect on anti-θ-treated, DNP-specific donor cells transferred to irradiated allogeneic hosts. These results emphasize the extreme caution required in designing and interpreting experiments that may involve adoptive cell transfers into histoincompatible hosts, and illustrate why such models are unsuitable for investigation of the question of physiologic cooperative interactions between T and B lymphocytes. Suitable approaches are described in the accompanying paper.
Collagen-Inspired Nano-fibrous Poly(L-lactic acid) Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Created from Reverse Solid Freeform Fabrication

Reverse solid freeform (SFF) fabrication was used to create highly-controlled macroporous structures in nano-fibrous poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds. By using a computer-aided design (CAD) program to create a negative template for the scaffold, the three-dimensional (3-D) mold was created on a 3-D printer using a wax. After the template was printed, a solution of PLLA in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was cast into the mold, and was subsequently phase separated at -70°C which gives the nano-fibrous morphology. This resulted in a 3-D nano-fibrous scaffold with a uniform fiber mesh throughout the entire matrix, and greatly increased the surface area within the scaffold. Fiber diameters in these scaffolds were 50-500 nm, similar to type I collagen, and the densities of the fiber meshes can be altered by changing the polymer concentration. To examine the scaffold's potential for tissue regeneration, MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts were seeded and cultured on the scaffolds. Results show that the osteoblasts attached and proliferated on the scaffolds. After 6 weeks in culture, bone-like tissue was evident within the nano-fibrous scaffolds. By having the ability to control the macroporous architecture, interconnectivity, orientation, and external shape of the scaffold, as well as the nanometer-scaled fibrous features in the pore walls, this SFF fabrication/phase separation technique has great potential to design and create ideal scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
Practical applications of technology as a key to reducing the digital divide among African-American youth

In the US, the debate about the digital divide began as a concern that low-income communities, and especially communities of color, lacked access to digital technology. But today’s youth have unpre...
Continuous Authentication Using Behavioral Biometrics

Currently, the standard methods to authenticate a computer/network user typically occur once at the initial log-in. These authentication methods involve user proxies, especially passwords and smart cards such as common access cards (CACs) and service ID cards. Passwords suffer from a variety of vulnerabilities including brute-force and dictionary based attacks, while smart cards and other physical tokens used for authentication can be lost or stolen. As a result, the computer systems are extremely vulnerable to "masquerading attacks", which refers to illegitimate activity on a computer system when an unauthorized human or software impersonates a user on a computer system or network. These attacks can be challenging to detect as they are mostly carried out by insiders or people or software familiar with the authorized user. By actively and continually authenticating a user, intruders can be identified before they hijack the user session of an authorized individual who may have momentarily stepped away from his/her console. In this talk, we will present our results on continuous authentication using keystroke dynamics as the behavioral biometric. The methods we developed can also be readily extended to protecting wired and wireless networks, mobile devices, etc.