cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk factors associated with neural tube defects.

Spina bifida represents a broad category of neural tube defects (NTD) which affects approximately 1–4/1,000 live births. Since effective prenatal diagnostic testing for 90 % of NTD is available through measurement of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in amniotic fluid, ascertainment of high risk factors associated with the occurrence of NTD would be both desirable and important. At the present time, generally, the major indication for prenatal testing for NTD is the presence of a first-degree relative with some form of NTD. To date, few other factors have been utilized to identify a family as “at risk”. We have studied a group of 19 families of 10 female and 9 male index cases with NTD. The parents of each index case were interviewed and pedigrees were prepared on each family. Conditions screened for in these families included spina bifida and other NTD, pilonidal cysts, scoliosis, kyphosis and other vertebral disorders which were hypothesized to be possibly related to NTD. There were 58 first-, 171 second-, and 802 third-degree relatives screened in this study. This sample population was similarly characteristic with regard to sex, maternal age and birth order distributions as compared to previous populations of NTD described and was therefore considered to be representative. Our results indicate that: (1) pilonidal cysts are 6 times more frequent in the fathers and twice as frequent in the mothers of children with spina bifida than in the general population; These preliminary studies suggest that several minor clinical conditions in parents may be important to consider as possible risk signs suggesting couples be considered for prenatal evaluation for the prevention of NTD.
45.2: Effects of RF Sputtering Parameters and Film Composition on C‐Axis Aligned Crystalline (CAAC) IGZO Films

The influence of deposition parameters on the properties of RF sputter deposited c-axis aligned crystalline (CAAC) IGZO was evaluated using both single parameter and design of experiment (DOE) analysis. Deposition temperature and oxygen partial pressure were found to be primary parameters determining CAAC alignment and crystallinity. CAAC is first formed at a deposition temperature of 185°C, reaching optimal surface normal alignment at ∼315°C. Crystallinity and alignment increase rapidly with oxygen fraction up to 10%, then becoming nearly independent up to 50%. The Zn fraction and (Ga+Zn)/In ratio were identified as key parameters correlated to c-axis texture in the films. Zinc loss during deposition at high temperatures and low oxygen partial pressures correlated with poor CAAC alignment, while (Ga+Zn)/In ratio approaching an ideal 2.0 ratio exhibited improved CAAC crystallinity.
Recombinant human inhibin-A administered early in the menstrual cycle alters concurrent pituitary and follicular, plus subsequent luteal, function in rhesus monkeys

Inhibin, a suppressor of pituitary FSH secretion in nonprimate species, may also act in the ovary to regulate follicular development. To examine whether inhibin has similar actions in primates, female rhesus monkeys (n = 3/treatment), exhibiting regular menstrual cycles, received sc injections of either vehicle or 60 micrograms/kg recombinant human inhibin-A at 0800 and 1600 h for 5 days beginning at menses. The vehicle-treated monkeys displayed menstrual cycles of normal length, with the follicular (11.3 +/- 2.5 days, mean +/- SE) and luteal (16.3 +/- 2.5 days) phases demarcated by midcycle peaks in serum estradiol (E) and bioactive LH. After the first inhibin injection, levels of immunoreactive inhibin A peaked at 10 ng/mL within 1 h and returned to baseline (< 0.1 ng/mL) before the second injection 8 h later. Although serum E and LH did not change, bioactive FSH decreased (to 66% of pretreatment levels, P < 0.05) within 8 h. Within 1 day, circulating bioactive FSH was less (P < 0.05) in inhibin-treated...
Quadratic weights for asymptotic regulator properties

This paper describes a new procedure for selecting weighting matrices in linear-quadratic optimal control designs. The procedure is based on asymptotic modal characteristics of multivariable LQ-regulators as control weights tend to zero. The asymptotic behavior of both eigenvalues and eigenvectors is used to provide complete, unique specification of the weighting matrices. The procedure is illustrated with a simplified lateral-directional flight control design example.
126 Porphyra Birdiae Neefus et Mathieson (Bangiales, Rhodophyta): A New Species from the Northwest Atlantic

Recent studies combining biochemical, molecular, and traditional morphological and ecological traits have shown that some currently recognized species of the red algal genus Porphyra are actually “form species” or “complexes” comprising several morphologically similar but genetically distinct taxa. Conflicting reports of chromosome numbers and differences in DNA sequences reported for Porphyra purpurea (Roth) C. Agardh have raised suspicion that more than one taxon has been confused under this name in the Northwest Atlantic. We have identified one of these cryptic taxa and have recently described it as a new species, Porphyra birdiae. Like P. purpurea (Roth) C. Agardh, it has an ovate to broadly elongate, foliose blade with reproductive areas segregated by a distinct line into male and female sectors. While reproductive specimens have historically been confused with P. purpurea, non-reproductive specimens of P. birdiae have been incorrectly identified as P. umbilicalis Kutzing. Although P. birdiae is morphologically similar to both of these species, sequences of SSU (nuclear small subunit rRNA gene) and rbcL (plastid ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit gene) indicate that it is not closely related to either one. Based on rbcL sequences, P. birdiae is closely related to P. aestivalis Lindstrom et Fredericq, a proposed new species from Alaska.
Novel spoIIE Mutation That Causes Uncompartmentalized σF Activation in Bacillus subtilis

During sporulation, Bacillus subtilis undergoes an asymmetric division that results in two cells with different fates, the larger mother cell and the smaller forespore. The protein phosphatase SpoIIE, which is required for activation of the forespore-specific transcription factor sigma(F), is also required for optimal efficiency and timing of asymmetric division. We performed a genetic screen for spoIIE mutants that were impaired in sporulation but not sigma(F) activity and isolated a strain with the mutation spoIIEV697A. The mutant exhibited a 10- to 40-fold reduction in sporulation and a sixfold reduction in asymmetric division compared to the parent. Transcription of the sigma(F)-dependent spoIIQ promoter was increased more than 10-fold and was no longer confined to the forespore. The excessive sigma(F) activity persisted even when asymmetric division was prevented. Disruption of spoIIGB did not restore asymmetric division to the spoIIEV697A mutant, indicating that the deficiency is not a consequence of predivisional activation of the mother cell-specific transcription factor sigma(E). Deletion of the gene encoding sigma(F) (spoIIAC) restored asymmetric division; however, a mutation that dramatically reduced the number of promoters responsive to sigma(F), spoIIAC561 (spoIIACV233 M), failed to do so. This result suggests that the block is due to expression of one of the small subset of sigma(F)-dependent genes expressed in this background or to unregulated interaction of sigmaF with some other factor. Our results indicate that regulation of SpoIIE plays a critical role in coupling asymmetric division to sigma(F) activation in order to ensure proper spatial and temporal expression of forespore-specific genes.
External control in a special class of probabilistic Boolean networks

Instantaneously random probabilistic Boolean networks (PBN's) have been recently introduced as a rule-based paradigm for modeling gene regulatory networks. Furthermore, it has been shown how ideas from optimal control of Markov decision processes can be used to desirably affect the dynamic evolution of the state of such a network. This paper considers the problem of optimal intervention in context sensitive PBNs, i.e. PBNs in which the state evolves over one or more time steps as a Boolean network with a fixed set of predictor functions until a random event such as an external stimulus (or a novel context) causes the network to switch to a new Boolean one. In addition, the paper seeks to accommodate random gene perturbations such as one or more gene flippings provided, at a given time step, the state either evolves according to the predictor functions or undergoes random perturbations but both do not occur simultaneously. Another novelty of the results reported in this paper is that the example PBN used for control is derived from steady-state (long run) considerations and the concept of influence is used to choose the intervention gene. For a PBN with n genes and k possible predictor sets, two possible solutions to the control problem are presented. In the first, the dimension of the state space is artificially increased to 2/sup n/k while in the second, it is shrunk back to 2/sup n/, the usual state dimension encountered in earlier work with instantaneously random PBNs.
A RESPONSE TO McLAUGWLIN, “THE MONITOR MODEL: SOME METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS”1

McLaughlin (1978) examines the Monitor Model and presents “a methodological critique of the research on which the Model is based” (p. 309). This paper is a response to that critique, and discusses various misrepresentations and misinterpretations of the work on Monitor Theory.
Cool Girls, Inc. and Self-Concept: The Role of Social Capital

Social capital was examined as a mediator of the association between youth development program participation and gains in self-concept in a sample of 86 primarily African American female adolescents in the Cool Girls, program, and 89 comparisons. Two dimensions of social capital (the diversity of girls’ social networks and the number of life domains in which girls were able to access help) were examined. It was hypothesized that participation in Cool Girls would be associated with increases in social capital and that this would mediate the relationship between participation in Cool Girls and increases in self-concept. Social capital was associated with gains in two dimensions of self-concept regardless of program participation: social acceptance and behavioral conduct. Finally, there was a significant indirect effect of participation on social acceptance and behavioral conduct, mediated through social capital. Implications are discussed.
Single Cell Based Microelectrode Array Biosensors

Extracellular potential is an important parameter which indicates the electrical activity of live cells. Membrane excitability in osteoblasts plays a key role in modulating the electrical activity in the presence of chemical agents. The complexity of cell signal makes interpretation of the cellular response to a chemical agent very difficult. By analyzing shifts in the signal power spectrum, it is possible to determine a frequency spectrum also known as Signature Pattern Vectors (SPV) specific to a chemical. It is also essential to characterize single cell sensitivity and response time for specific chemical agents for developing detect-to-warn biosensors. We used a 4x4 multiple Pt microelectrode array to spatially position single osteoblast cells, by using a gradient AC field. Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) and Wavelet Transformation (WT) analyses were used to extract information pertaining to the frequency of firing from the extracellular potential.
PRODUCTION OF AFLATOXIN IN PRE-PACKAGED LUNCHEON MEAT AND CHEESE AT REFRIGERATOR TEMPERATURES

Information is lacking on the ability of the common mold contaminant, Aspergillus flavus, to grow and produce aflatoxin in perishable foods at normal refrigerator temperatures. Because of public health interests we investigated the possibility of certain perishable foods contaminated with the mold developing an aflatoxin concentration under conditions of refrigeration. Cheddar cheese and luncheon-meat samples were inoculated with A. flavus ATCC 15517 and were refrigerated for 12 days at 4.4 or 7.2 C or incubated at 25 C for 12 days, Uninoculated cheese and meat samples were handled in the same manner. All samples were quantitatively analyzed by thin-layer chromatography for presence of aflatoxin. All samples; except those inoculated and incubated at 25 C, were negative for aflatoxin production. This indicated the mold would, not produce detectable aflatoxin in the tested foods when kept at normal refrigeration temperatures for 12 days.
Other-Initiated Motivational Climate and Youth Hockey Players’ Good and Poor Sport Behaviors

This study's purpose was to simultaneously examine the relationships between perceived coach-, peer-, and parent-initiated motivational climate and youth hockey players’ good and poor sport behavior (GPSB). Participants (N = 243) represented PeeWee, Bantam, and Midget hockey levels (11–17 years old). Hierarchical regression showed that hockey players’ goal orientations, perceived ability, and other-initiated motivational climate explained 22.6% (PeeWee) and 18.5% (Bantam/Midget) of the variance in Poor Sport Behavior while explaining 27.1% (PeeWee) and 34.6% (Bantam/Midget) of the variance in good sport behavior. Results provide perspective for how influential the social environment is to both GPSBs in youth hockey.
Early Postoperative Outcomes After Total Joint Arthroplasty in Patients With Multiple Myeloma.

Abstract Background Multiple myeloma is the most common primary bone malignancy and is increasingly becoming a chronic condition, but little is known about its impact in the perioperative arthroplasty setting. We sought to determine whether patients with multiple myeloma undergoing elective total joint arthroplasty would be at increased risk for in-hospital complications and death, prolonged length of stay, and nonroutine discharge. Methods Using discharge records from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002-2011), we identified 6,054,344 patients undergoing elective primary total joint arthroplasty, of whom 2381 (0.039%) with multiple myeloma. Comparisons of perioperative outcomes were performed by multivariable logistic regression modeling. Results Patients with multiple myeloma were more likely to suffer several postoperative complications, including thromboembolic events (odds ratio [OR]: 2.97, 95% CI: 2.32-3.81), surgical site infection (OR: 2.82, 95% CI: 1.59-5.01), acute renal failure (OR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.59-2.37), and induced mental disorder (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.21-2.04). A diagnosis of multiple myeloma was also associated with higher risk for blood transfusion (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.97-2.33), prolonged hospital stay (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.86-2.23), and nonroutine discharge (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.21-1.45) but was not associated with greater in-hospital mortality. Conclusion Patients with multiple myeloma are at increased risk for early postoperative complications (especially surgical site infection and thromboembolic events) and resource utilization after elective joint arthroplasty. Greater awareness of multiple myeloma and its health consequences may contribute to improvements in the perioperative management of total joint arthroplasty patients.
Cross - National Marriages: A Review of the Literature

The author reviews the literature on cross-national marriage patterns. "The first section suggests the beginnings of a typology of international marriages the second part of the paper evaluates the current state of research on cross-national marriage identifying important research needs and the third part suggests a few generalizations which can be made on the basis of this research." This paper is part of a special issue on intermarriage. (EXCERPT)
AUTOMATIC CHARACTERIZATION OF DIGITAL MUSIC FOR RHYTHMIC AUDITORY STIMULATION

A computational rhythm analysis system is proposed to characterize the suitability of musical recordings for rhythmic auditory stimulation, a neurologic music therapy technique that uses rhythm to entrain periodic physical motion. Current applications of RAS are limited by the general inability to take advantage of the enormous amount of digital music that exists today. The system aims to identify motor-rhythmic music for the entrainment of neuromuscular activity for rehabilitation and exercise, motivating the concept of musical “use-genres.” This work builds upon prior research in meter and tempo analysis to establish a representation of rhythm chroma and alternatively describe beat spectra.
Advancing the science and practice of diabetes prevention: an introduction to the supplement.

Millions of Americans who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes live without that knowledge: They are the “pre-diabetics,” individuals with elevated plasma fasting glucose levels, but who do not yet meet thresholds for diabetes. Many of these people eventually go on to develop full-blown diabetes, facing its debilitating complications—viewing their plight as a forgone conclusion. Type 2 diabetes is not, however, an inevitability. There is a growing body of research that suggests that patients at high risk for the disease can prevent its onset. The NIH Diabetes Prevention Program 1,2 demonstrated that an intervention that combined diet education with exercise over 16 visits helped up to 33% of patients lose weight and avoid the diagnosis of diabetes and its attendant complications; remarkably, these results persisted over a 10-year follow-up period. Early medication use has similarly been shown to
Differences in food hoarding among six species of heteromyid rodents

Storing food is an important adaptation of heteromyid rodents to desert environments of southwestern North America. These rodents store seeds in burrows (larder hoarding) and in small, widely scattered caches buried at shallow depths in soil (scatter hoarding). Laboratory trials were done with five species from one site and two species from two other sites to test the hypothesis that larger species would larder hoard relatively more seeds than smaller species. Subjects were tested in arenas consisting of a sand-filled box for scatter hoarding and a nest box for larder hoarding. Chisel-toothed and Merriam's kangaroo rats ( Dipodomys microps and D. merriami ) from one site larder hoarded more than sympatric dark kangaroo mice ( Microdipodops megacephalus ) and long-tailed and little pocket mice ( Chaetodipus formosus and Perognathus longimembris ). Chisel-toothed kangaroo rats larder hoarded more than Merriam's kangaroo rats and little pocket mice larder hoarded more than dark kangaroo mice. These results were consistent with reported information on the relative aggressive behaviors of the species. For subjects from the other two sites, Ord's kangaroo rats ( D. ordii ) larder hoarded more than the smaller Merriam's kangaroo rats. Pocket mice made larger scatter hoards than kangaroo rats and placed these scatter hoards closer to edges and corners of arenas than kangaroo rats. Differences among species in food-hoarding behavior should be considered in future studies of the community ecology of desert rodents.
Abstract 2605: Metformin reduces growth of tumors generated from neuroblastoma stem cells in a xenograft mouse model; role of Cdc42 in mediating the effects

Neuroblastoma, the most common malignant childhood cancer of the postganglionic sympathetic nervous system, is derived from the neural crest cells. Despite the standard therapy, the mortality rate remains high in children with neuroblastoma. Growing evidence confirm that cancer stem cells are responsible for drug resistance, and disease relapse. Hence targeting of cancer stem cells is an effective strategy to cure cancer. In the present study we tested if anti-diabetic drug metformin (N’, N’-dimethylbiguanide) has anti-survival effects against neuroblastoma stem cells. Using a panel of human neuroblastoma cell lines of different genetics- SH-SY5Y, SK-N-BE(2), IMR-32, NGP, and SK-N-F1 cells, we demonstrated that metformin dose-dependently reduced the protein expression of stem cell-specific transcription factors- sox2, oct4 and nanog. Neuroblastoma cells, in stem cell specific medium, formed compact and distinct spheroids which were enriched in stem cells. Addition of metformin (0.5 mM and onwards) significantly inhibited initiation of spheroids, and no spheroid formation was observed at 20 mM metformin. We further examined if metformin interfered with self-renewal and differentiation capacity of neuroblastoma stem cells. Our results demonstrated that metformin-treated primary spheroids lost their ability to form secondary spheroids in a metformin depleted medium (drug withdrawal experiment). However, addition of pharmacological inhibitor of Cdc42 (ML141) along with metformin increased the numbers of spheroids suggesting involvement of Cdc42 in spheroid formation. To further test the inhibitory effect of metformin on the tumorigenicity of neuroblastoma stem cells, we generated subcutaneous tumors by inoculating spheroids in athymic mice. Metformin (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg per mouse) was given daily by oral gavage, and tumor volume was measured. The size of tumors collected from mice fed with 30 and 100 mg/kg metformin was significantly reduced compared to tumors from metformin-untreated mice. In these tumors, metformin induced DNA fragmentation and apoptosis by activating caspase-3. The presence of cleaved caspase-3 signal in both sox2-expressing and sox2-nonexpressing cells indicated that metformin induced cell death in both normal tumor cells and tumor stem cells. These data validate the anti-survival activity of metformin against neuroblastoma stem cells. The fact that metformin is non-toxic and already approved by FDA to treat type 2 diabetes in children suggest metformin is a novel therapeutic drug to treat neuroblastoma. Citation Format: Ambrish Kumar, Donald J. DiPette, Ugra S. Singh. Metformin reduces growth of tumors generated from neuroblastoma stem cells in a xenograft mouse model; role of Cdc42 in mediating the effects. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2605.
Saliva haloperidol concentrations in schizophrenic patients: relation to serum haloperidol and prolactin concentrations

Measurement of drugs in saliva has been proposed as a non-invasive means by which serum drug concentrations can be assessed (Horning et al., 1977). The concentrations of many drugs in saliva are equal to or less than the concentrations of free (non-protein-bound) drug in plasma or serum (Horning et al., 1977; Stephen et al., 1980). However, recent studies have shown that neuroleptics such as chlorpromazine (May et al., 1981) and haloperidol (Yamazumi and Miura, 1981) are present in saliva in concentrations exceeding the total plasma concentration of drug.
The effect of β-amyloid positivity on cerebral metabolism in cognitively normal seniors.

Abstract Introduction We evaluated the effect of cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in cognitively normal (CN) seniors on regional metabolism of specific brain regions known to be affected by p-tau deposition. Methods Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), volumetric magnetic resonance imaging scans, and global amyloid standardized uptake value ratios (SUVr) were obtained for 210 CNs from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative-2 ( ADNI2 ). Region of interest (ROI) extraction was used to obtain functional SUVr from six bilateral ROIs: amygdala (AM), entorhinal cortex (EC), hippocampus, lateral orbitofrontal, posterior cingulate (PC), and middle temporal gyrus. Every metabolic SUVr set was averaged and analyzed against the corresponding subject's amyloid SUVr. Correlation analyses were conducted on the full group and between APOE e4-positive and APOE e4-negative subgroups. Results The APOE e4+ group exhibited significantly higher metabolism in the EC (r = 0.270, P = .038) and AM (r = 0.267, P = .041). When a significance of the difference test was conducted between the APOE e4+ and APOE e4-groups, these same regions remained significant: P = .012 and P = .016, respectively. By contrast, the APOE e4 group displayed only the conventionally expected result of reduced regional metabolism in the PC (r = −0.161, P = .048), with higher Aβ load. Conclusions The effect of amyloid positivity on brain metabolism is regionally specific, and APOE e4 status substantially modulates regional glucose uptake in these regions. The APOE e4 allele may cause earlier emergence of clinical symptoms in AD via a mechanism that influences regional metabolic demand in specifically those regions where p-tau deposition is known to occur earliest.
Coercion and the Conditions of Distributive Justice

If the moral requirement of equal respect for all persons dictates some kind of an egalitarian distributive principal domestically, then surely it has similar implications globally. After all, the requirement contains a universal quantifier. But several prominent contemporary politically philosophers have presented challenges to this idea. The strategy of their arguments is to claim that egalitarian justice is required domestically only under contingent conditions, which involve centrally the existence of legal coercion, and that these conditions do not obtain between non-compatriots.1 I call these accounts coercion accounts. Coercion accounts tend to conclude either that egalitarian duties to compatriots are weightier than to non-compatriots or that there are egalitarian distributive duties to compatriots but not to non-compatriots.
Toward an intelligent agent framework for enterprise integration

We propose a software framework for integrating people and computer systems in large, geographically dispersed manufacturing enterprises. Underlying the framework is an enterprise model that is built by dividing complex business processes into elementary tasks or activities. Each such task is then modeled in cognitive terms (e.g., what to look for, what to do, who to tell), and entrusted to an Intelligent Agent (IA) for execution. The IAs interact with each other directly via a message bus, or through a shared, distributed knowledge base. They can also interact with humans through personal assistants (PAs), a special type of IA that knows how to communicate with people through multi-media interfaces. Preliminary experimental results suggest that this model-based, man-machine approach provides a viable path for applying DAI to realworld enterprises.
How Do Foreign Banks Affect Private Credit Flows? A Global and Emerging Markets Perspective

This study examines how foreign banks affect private credit flows in 135 nations, including 57 emerging markets for 1995–2013. Employing different econometric techniques, I find both higher share o...
The photosensitivity model is not a model for partial (focal) seizures.

Abstract New, more effective and less toxic medications are desperately needed for patients with partial (focal) epilepsy. Many hurdles prevent the appropriate study of promising compounds. One of these hurdles is the difficult gap between Phase I and Phase II—the expensive proof of concept to suggest that human trials in partial seizure patients will be successful. A short-cut, the photoparoxysmal response (PPR) model has recently been used to increase confidence in moving a compound into Phase II and III (K-N Trenite et al., 2015). This shortcut has substantial limitations. This article outlines these limitations in an effort to create full disclosure to all involved with development of drugs for partial seizures.
Platelet Factor 4 (PF4) Is Selectively Recycled During Megakaryopoiesis

Abstract 388 Platelet factor 4 (PF4), a member of the C-X-C family of chemokines, is abundantly expressed in megakaryocytes (Megs) and was thought to be stored in alpha-granules until released by activated platelets. We now show that PF4 has a more complex life-cycle, being released during megakaryopoiesis and then undergoing reuptake into Megs. This recycling may underlie PF49s physiologic role as a negative paracrine regulator of megakaryopoiesis and contribute to the regulation of platelet count at steady state or after recovery from bone marrow injury. When cultured in serum-free media, both murine and human bone marrow CD34+-derived Megs release detectable PF4 into the culture media starting at Day 3 of culture. We examined whether released PF4 is taken up by Megs in culture and whether this process is low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein-1 (LRP1)-dependent, since our previous studies had identified LRP1 as a potential receptor for PF4 on the megakaryocyte surface. Consistent with the known role of PF4 as a negative paracrine regulator, exposure of PF4 null murine (m) Megs in culture to hPF4 decreases final cell numbers (8 × 10 4 hPF4 exposed cells/mL vs. 14 × 10 4 control cells/mL, p 2-fold after 48 hrs in culture (p null bone marrow-derived Megs to hPF4 (25 μg/ml) for 24 hrs, hPF4 bound to the surface of the cells; however, washing these cells with 1000 units/mL of heparin removed this surface-bound hPF4 and allowed us to measure uptake of hPF4 into these PF4 null Megs. PF4 uptake by Megs was LRP1-dependent, as treatment with anti-LRP1 antibody or Receptor Associated Protein (RAP, an inhibitor of LRP family proteins) markedly decreased uptake of PF4 (95±32 IU/10 6 cells for PF4 treatment alone vs. 32±13 IU/10 6 cells for anti-LRP1 treatment, p 6 cells for RAP treatment, p 6 cells for control treated cells vs. 9±8 IU/10 6 cells for anti-LRP1 treated cells, p=0.01) and partially blocked the PF4-mediated increase in surface LRP1 expression. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we show that internalized hPF4 in PF4 null Megs co-localizes with P-selectin, an alpha-granule marker. When the Megs are treated with thrombin, the internalized PF4 is released into the medium and depleted from the cell lysates. Platelet basic protein (PBP), a closely related chemokine that is also stored in alpha granules, was not taken up by Megs in similar analyses. In summary, our study demonstrates that PF4 is not only synthesized by Megs but is also released and available for LRP1-dependent reuptake into alpha-granules. Notably, this cycling was not observed for another alpha granule chemokine, PBP. Whether the uptake is related to PF49s negative paracrine effect on megakaryopoiesis, whether other alpha granule proteins undergo similar recycling, and whether newly synthesized PF4 is first stored in alpha granules or is constitutively secreted will be addressed in future studies. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
30 Years of Living in a Solar House in Colorado

Having met in 1980 while working at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, we were inspired by the vision of a renewable energy future to raise our family in a passive solar home. A basic, factory-cut, trilevel house design was selected in 1985 and intentionally sited and modified according to passive solar design principles to optimize conservation and solar gain, with a plan to add photovoltaics as soon as feasible (Fig. 9.1).
Dissecting Bacterial Cell Wall Entry and Signaling in Eukaryotic Cells: an Actin-Dependent Pathway Parallels Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis

The Gram-positive bacterial cell wall (CW) peptidoglycan-teichoic acid complex is released into the host environment during bacterial metabolism or death. It is a highly inflammatory Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) ligand, and previous in vivo studies have demonstrated its ability to recapitulate pathological features of pneumonia and meningitis. We report that an actin-dependent pathway is involved in the internalization of the CW by epithelial and endothelial cells, in addition to the previously described platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFr)-dependent uptake pathway. Unlike the PAFr-dependent pathway, which is mediated by clathrin and dynamin and does not lead to signaling, the alternative pathway is sensitive to 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride (EIPA) and engenders Rac1, Cdc42, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling. Upon internalization by this macropinocytosis-like pathway, CW is trafficked to lysosomes. Intracellular CW trafficking is more complex than previously recognized and suggests multiple points of interaction with and without innate immune signaling. Importance Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen infecting the respiratory tract and brain. It is an established model organism for understanding how infection injures the host. During infection or bacterial growth, bacteria shed their cell wall (CW) into the host environment and trigger inflammation. A previous study has shown that CW enters and crosses cell barriers by interacting with a receptor on the surfaces of host cells, termed platelet-activating factor receptor (PAFr). In the present study, by using cells that are depleted of PAFr, we identified a second pathway with features of macropinocytosis, which is a receptor-independent fluid uptake mechanism by cells. Each pathway contributes approximately the same amount of cell wall trafficking, but the PAFr pathway is silent, while the new pathway appears to contribute to the host inflammatory response to CW insult.
Adam Smith’s Politics: An Essay in Historiographic Revision

(1980). Adam Smith’s Politics: An Essay in Historiographic Revision. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 234-236.
A Practical Forensic Approach to Fatal Pediatric Endocrinopathies

Of all of the organ systems in clinical medicine, the endocrine system is among the most difficult to master since it requires a detailed and knowledgeable integration of many of the body's separate systems. In forensic pathology, the evaluation of a sudden unexplained death can be challenging depending upon the particular disease processes and the organ systems that are affected. It is therefore not surprising that the investigation of sudden unexplained deaths involving the endocrine system can be particularly daunting. This review attempts to focus upon three of the major endocrine/metabolic conditions that may be potentially life-threatening and fatal in the pediatric population - hypoglycemia, adrenal insufficiency, and hyperthyroidism - and to provide forensic pathologists with a practical strategy for working up these cases. By adopting a more focused and selective approach to pediatric endocrine conditions rather than an exhaustive and comprehensive study of them, it is the intention of this review to make these disorders more manageable conceptually and to optimize the chance of arriving at a decisive and ultimately accurate postmortem diagnosis.
Cell-mediated immunity against certain parasitic worms.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses cell-mediated immunity (CMI) against certain parasitic worms. The field of CMI evolved after many years of intensive studies of delayed hypersensitivity (DH); the paradigm for DH is seen in tuberculosis, which induces a characteristic delayed dermal sensitivity reaction after a skin test. The parasitic worms discussed in the chapter are nematodes, cestodes, and trematodes. The first successful adoptive transfer of immunity against an animal parasite was reported in 1964; lymph node cells and peritoneal-exudate cells were transferred in mice. Evidence for cell-mediated immunity against Trichinella spiralis (T. spirafis) in mice was suggested by the results of studies with antithymocyte serum (ATS). The chapter discusses the immune response to Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (N. brasiliensis) in rats as well as the effects of this response on the parasite itself. In studies with the Schistosoma mansoni -mouse model, it was shown that lymph node cells from infected mice underwent vigorous transformation (blastogenesis) in response in vitro to a soluble egg antigen.
Techniques for data-parallel searching for duplicate elements

We study effective shared-memory, data-parallel techniques for searching for duplicate elements. We consider several data-parallel approaches, and how hash function, machine architecture, and data set can affect performance. We conclude that most choices of algorithm and hash function are problematic for general usage. However, we demonstrate that the choice of the Hash-Fight algorithm with the FNV1a hash function has consistently good performance over all configurations.
Exercise Protects against Cancer-induced Cardiac Cachexia.

Cancer has been shown to negatively stimulate autophagy, leading to a decline in cardiac function. Although exercise is cardioprotective, its influence over autophagy-mediated tumor growth and cardiac function are not well defined. PURPOSE This study aimed to determine the effect of exercise on tumor morphology and cardiac function. METHODS Fisher 344 rats (n = 28) were assigned to one of four groups: 1) sedentary non-tumor bearing (SED), 2) sedentary tumor bearing (SED + T), 3) wheel run non-tumor bearing (WR), or 4) wheel run tumor bearing (WR + T). Rats remained sedentary or exercised for 6 wk. At week 4, rats in tumor groups were inoculated with MatBIII tumor cells. At week 6, cardiac function was measured. RESULTS SED + T animals exhibited significantly lower left ventricular developed pressure when compared with SED, WR, and WR + T (P < 0.05). This coincided with a significant increase in cardiac autophagy (increased LC3-II) in SED + T animals when compared with SED, WR, and WR + T (P < 0.05). Furthermore, SED + T hearts showed a significant increase in β-myosin heavy chain expression versus nontumor groups (P < 0.05). Tumor mass was significantly larger (P < 0.001) in SED + T animals when compared with WR + T animals, which was accompanied by a significant increase in tumor LC3-II protein expression (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Nonexercised tumor-bearing rats showed severe cardiac dysfunction and excessive, maladaptive autophagy in the heart and tumors. Voluntary exercise preserved cardiac function and attenuated the autophagic response in heart and tumor tissues. This preservation may be related to the reduced tumor growth in aerobically exercised rats, to the improved regulation of autophagy by exercise, or both.
Investigation of a Morphable Parawing for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Application

A low-speed wind-tunnel investigation is presented characterizing the performance of dual-lobed parawings. Parawings are conically shaped geometries that possess significant washout and camber vari...
An Assessment of Utah Resident Incentives and Disincentives for Use of OpenCourseWare (OCW)

An Assessment of Utah Resident Incentives and Disincentives for Use of OpenCourseWare (OCW)
Educating Students with Learning Problems and the Changing Role of the School Psychologist.

(1988). Educating Students with Learning Problems and the Changing Role of the School Psychologist. School Psychology Review: Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 476-478.
A Comparative Experimental Study of Huff-n-Puff Gas Injection and Surfactant Treatment in Shale Gas-Condensate Cores

Experimental and simulation studies have thus far demonstrated that gas injection is an effective way of recovering condensate in shale gas-condensate reservoirs. It is economically feasible and relatively easier to be injected into the tight reservoir as compared to most of the other injection fluids. To the best of our knowledge, surfactant treatment has not been tested in shale cores for gas-condensate fluid systems. In this study, the experimental performances of huff-n-puff gas injection and surfactant treatment are compared in recovering condensate from shale cores. A nonionic fluorocarbon surfactant is screened for experiments based on dynamic contact angle measurements for suitable use in core flooding experiments. The principle of fluorocarbon surfactants is to alter the core from liquid wetting to favorably gas-wetting condition, thus reducing the average condensate saturation trapped in the core. First, an ideal experiment is used to set up two-phase gas and oil flow similar to a gas-condensate...
Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Care and Their Children: A Literature Review

While general U.S. rates of adolescent pregnancy and childbirth have declined over the past four decades, the rate among adolescents in foster care has not reflected this same drop. Decades of research has indicated negative outcomes for both parenting adolescents and their children compared to their non-parenting peers, however, less is understood about the risks, outcomes and needs specific to adolescents who give birth while in foster care. This comprehensive literature review adds to the knowledge of pregnant and parenting mothers in foster care and their children by identifying and summarizing all relevant studies published between 2011 and 2017. Findings indicate that youth in care have high rates of pregnancy and childbirth, experience multiple risks and negative outcomes, and are in need of various supportive services. Implications for research, practice and policy (need to reduce unintended pregnancy and improve circumstances, identifying successful interventions, expanding knowledge of these youth and their children, and developing two-generation interventions) were also explored.
Detecting Anomalies in the LCLS Workflow

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) located at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has been essential to over 1023 publications since 2009. The LCLS produces vast quantities of data - thousands of gigabytes per experiment. The data must be analyzed and stored at large data centers to be available to the world-wide user community. Due to the vast quantities of data flowing through the network, many abnormal data transfers remain unnoticed. This work focuses on identifying network failures that could slow down the data transfer process. This work aims to develop a diagnostic tool to detect when network transfers become anomalously slow. The tool uses an algorithm based on the hampel filter to detect poor performance and alert SLAC administrators to bottlenecks in each phase of the workflow. We will describe our experience of preparing the data and modifying the hampel filter to enhance its effectiveness. We found that applying a heuristic to the algorithm in conjunction with parsing the data along key features improved performance.
Predicted Efficient Visible-Light Driven Water Splitting and Carbon Dioxide Reduction Using Photoredox-Active UiO-NDI Metal Organic Framework

The structural and electronic properties of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) constructed from stable Zr(IV) oxide-based nodes and naphthalenediimide-based linkers (UiO(Zr)-NDI) can be tuned to make ...
Improvement of osseointegration by recruiting stem cells to titanium implants fabricated with 3D printing

Slow and incomplete osseointegration and loss of osseointegration are major problems in dental and bone implants. We designed implants with interconnected 3D-tubulous structures and hypothesized that such interconnecting 3D (I3D) structures would serve as a repository for chemoattractants to recruit stem cells to promote osseointegration. A concept Laser Mlab-cusing-R laser-powder-bed-fusion (LPBF) 3D printing system was used to produce titanium implants with designed features. The implants were loaded (coated) with stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1α), and subjected to stem cell recruitment. Implants were then surgically transplanted into the rabbit skull bone. After 12 weeks, osseointegration was analyzed by reverse-torque test and the implants were examined for calcium deposition by Alizarin Red staining. The I3D implants attracted significantly more stem cells than solid implants when coated (loaded) with SDF-1α. Greater torque force was needed to extract the I3D implants with 200 and 300 µm I3D structures than to extract solid implants from the skull. Generally, more calcium deposition was observed on the I3D implants than on the solid counterparts. LPBF 3D printing can be used to fabricate implants with complex structures. I3D-tubulous structures of implants can retain chemoattractant for recruitment of stem cells to enhance osseointegration.
Coaching to improve self-directed learning.

BACKGROUND The continuously changing health care context necesitates that medical trainees develop self-directed learning skills. This study examined the effect of coaching on the self-directed learning process in pre-clerkship medical students. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal educational intervention using standardised patient assessments to determine the effect of self-assessment, feedback, and coaching on the development and implementation of learning goals (LGs). Students were sorted into control and intervention groups. Following each assessment, students received feedback on performance and created LGs. Students in the intervention group worked with a faculty member coach on their LGs. Students in the control group developed their LGs without a coach. Prior to the final assessment, students reported whether they had implemented their LGs. RESULTS Of 171 students enrolled, 167 completed all four assessments and were included. All 167 developed an LG after each assessment. Overall, 79.0% of students reported implementing an LG. Of students receiving coaching, 91.8% implemented an LG, whereas only 65.9% of students in the control group implemented an LG (odds ratio, OR 5.7; 95% confidence interval, CI 2.4-14.2). Students who received coaching were more likely to incorporate performance feedback into their LGs (90.2 versus 38.1%; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS For students, faculty member coaching facilitated better LG development and more frequent implementation compared with students who did not receive coaching.
Effects of coarticulation on the identification of deleted consonant and vowel sounds

Abstract: The purpose of this study was (1) to determine the effect of coarticulation on the perception of consonant and vowel features and (2) to compare the magnitude of R to L and L to R coarticulatory effects. Separated portions of CV, VC, VCV and CVC utterances were presented binaurally through earphones to 45 subjects to identify the deleted preceding or following sound. For adjacent consonant and vowel identification, the following were the response choices : consonant place of articulation—/p, t, k/, /b, d, g/, /f, s, ∫/, /v, z/ or /m, n/; consonant voicing—/p, b/, /t, d/, /k, g/, /f, v/ or /s, z/; consonant manner—/b, v, m/ or /d, z, n/; vowel height— /u, o, ɔ/; vowel tongue advancement—/i, ð, u/. The major findings were: (1) subjects determined the place, voicing and manner of articulation features of consonants from vowels; (2) subjects determined the tongue height and tongue advancement features of vowels from consonants; and (3) subjects determined features of vowels and consonants more correctly from preceding sounds than from following sounds. These findings provide the basis for the following conclusions: (1) coarticulatory effects are perceived and may be used by listeners to help identify adjacent sounds in conversational speech; (2) adjacent phoneme perception involves parallel processing of features; and (3) directional influence, rather than the cohesiveness of the CV articulatory unit, is the major factor in the perception of coarticulation.
‘The battle against sameness’: Zadie Smith’s rewriting of E.M. Forster’s liberalism

The singular picture of English culture presented by E.M. Forster in Howards End (1910) doesn’t hold in the hybridised, economically and racially fragmented world Smith portrays in On Beauty (2005)...
The Efficiency/Community Duality in the Emergence of Planning: Cases in Rural Regional Development:

The various approaches to planning manifest the intellectual currents of a society. Dualities such as efficiency/community have been central to shaping contemporary planning. The quest for efficien...