cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Candida albicans Endocarditis: Ultrastructural Studies of Vegetation Formation

Candida albicans endocarditis was established in rabbits after transaortic catherization. Within 30 to 90 min after infection, C. albicans was observed by scanning electron microscopy on the valve surface. The organisms were predominantly associated with host deposits of erythrocytes, phagocytes, platelets, and fibrinous-appearing material, which collectively appeared on the valve surface in response to trauma. Within 48 h after infection, vegetations composed of these same host components were observed on the heart valves, although Candida cells were not demonstrable on the valve or vegetation surface. When the vegetations were examined by transmission electron microscopy, Candida blastospores were only observed within phagocytic cells (predominantly monocytes) enmeshed within the vegetation matrix. Many of the intracellular organisms were undergoing degradation, as evidenced by a reduction in electron density of the cell wall. Other fungi had highly electron-dense cell walls and germ tubes. Phagocytic cells containing germinating Candida were highly vacuolated and were observed at various stages of cell lysis. After 7 days of infection, the vegetation contained a dense meshwork of fibrin and Candida pseudohyphae with 108 to 109 colony-forming units/g of vegetation. The mature vegetation was devoid of phagocytic cells and continued to grow until the death of the animal. Images
Update on Prevention of Meningococcal Disease: Focus on Tetravalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine

Objective:To review the immunogenicity, efficacy, safety, and new recommendations for routine use of the tetravalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4).Data Sources:A MEDLINE search (1966–June 2005) was conducted using the key words Neisseria meningitidis and meningococcal vaccines for clinical trials limited to human research published in the English language.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Randomized, controlled, multicenter trials were reviewed and included to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MCV4. Additional open-label trials on the use of MCV4 in children less than 24 months of age are included since these studies may be used to support the approval of the vaccine for use in children. Literature on epidemiology and pathology of meningococcal meningitis and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations were also reviewed.Data Synthesis:MCV4 is approved for active immunization of adolescents and adults between the ages of 11 and 55 years for the prevention of diseas...
Evaluation of radiosensitizers in combination with chemotherapeutic agents in solid tumors.

Abstract The electron-affinic compounds misonidazole (MISO), metronidazole (MET), desmethylmisonidazole (DMM), and CB1954 were shown to enhance the activity of alkylating agents in M5076 ovarian tumor. MISO, MET, and DMM enhanced the antitumor activity of cyclophosphamide by factors of 1.7, 1.5, and 1.7, respectively. MIS, MET, and CB1954 enhanced the antitumor activity of melphalan by factors of 2.2, 2.4, and 1.8, respectively. MISO also enhanced the antiitumor activity of mitomycin C by a factor of 2.0. MISO did not enhance the activity of chlorozotocin given as a single dose and only slightly enhanced the antitumor activity of this agent when the combination was given on a q4D × 3 schedule. MISO administered 1 hr prior to the antimetabolite 5-FU on a q7D × 3 schedule was no more effective than 5-FU alone against colon carcinoma 38. MISO given simultaneously with or 1 hr after 5-FU strongly inhibited the antitumor activity of 5-FU in this tumor. Data obtained in this study indicate that several radiation sensitizers including three nitroimidazoles and a dinitrobenzamide can enhance the antineoplastic activity of alkylating agents. The degree of enhancement in the M5076 tumor appears to be independent of the electron affinity of the sensitizer. Enhancement was observed with relatively ineffective as well as highly active alkylating agents.
Interruption of critical aortoiliac collateral circulation during nonvascular operations: A cause of acute limb-threatening ischemia

Abstract In patients with aortoiliac occlusive disease interruption of critical collaterals during another nonvascular or cardiac operation may threaten limb viability. This occurred in four patients whose limb-threatening ischemia was precipitated by radical cystectomy with bilateral hypogastric artery ligation, left colon resection, or coronary artery revascularizations by means of the internal mammary artery. Important collateral pathways, the interruption of which may account for this phenomenon, are detailed, and approaches are outlined for prevention and management of acute ischemia in this setting. (J VASC SURG 1990;12:645-53.)
Campylobacter Enteritis Presenting with Convulsions

A 14-month old boy presented to the hospital having had a convulsion. Initial work-up was essentially negative except for the presence of a temperature of 40 C. On the second hospital day, the patient began to have diarrhea and Campylobacter jejuni was isolated. This case illustrates that Campylobacter infection may be associated with febrile convulsions, and that these may precede the diarrheal phase of the illness.
Casein Kinase 1 Promotes Synchrony of the Circadian Clock Network

Casein kinase 1, known as DOUBLETIME (DBT) in Drosophila melanogaster, is a critical component of the circadian clock that phosphorylates and promotes degradation of the PERIOD (PER) protein. However, other functions of DBT in circadian regulation are not clear, in part because severe reduction of dbt causes preadult lethality. Here we report the molecular and behavioral phenotype of a viable dbtEY02910 loss-of-function mutant. We found that DBT protein levels are dramatically reduced in adult dbtEY02910 flies, and the majority of mutant flies display arrhythmic behavior, with a few showing weak, long-period (∼32 h) rhythms. Peak phosphorylation of PER is delayed, and both hyper- and hypophosphorylated forms of the PER and CLOCK proteins are present throughout the day. In addition, molecular oscillations of the circadian clock are dampened. In the central brain, PER and TIM expression is heterogeneous and decoupled in the canonical clock neurons of the dbtEY02910 mutants. We also report an interaction between dbt and the signaling pathway involving pigment dispersing factor (PDF), a synchronizing peptide in the clock network. These data thus demonstrate that overall reduction of DBT causes long and arrhythmic behavior, and they reveal an unexpected role of DBT in promoting synchrony of the circadian clock network.
A building block approach to unlocked systems

Basic principles for constructing asynchronous computers are outlined. The design of basic control modules implementing such control functions as IF, UNTIL, and 2-step is discussed, as well as the design of storage elements, shift registers, and counters. These designs can be accomplished efficiently and safely using well understood methods based on Huffman-type flow tables. The avoidance of problems due to hazards is discussed. Most of the work is based on four-phase handshakes, but the same methods are adaptable to two-phase handshakes. Pipelining is also treated briefly. >
Accuracy Evaluation of microTargeting Platforms for Deep-Brain Stimulation Using Virtual Targets

Deep-brain-stimulation (DBS) surgery requires implanting stimulators at target positions with sub millimetric accuracy. Traditional stereotactic frames can provide such accuracy, but a recent innovation called the micro Targeting Platform (FHC, Inc.) replaces this large, universal frame with a single-use, miniature, and custom-designed platform. Both single-target and dual-target platforms are available for unilateral and bilateral procedures, respectively. In this paper, their targeting accuracies are evaluated in vitro. Our approach employs ldquovirtual targets,rdquo which eliminates the problem of collision of the implant with the target. We implement virtual targets by mounting fiducial markers, which are not used in platform targeting, on an artificial skull and defining targets relative to the skull via that fiducial system. The fiducial system is designed to surround the targets, thereby reducing the overall effect of fiducial localization inaccuracies on the evaluation. It also provides the geometrical transformation from image to physical space. Target selection is based on an atlas of stimulation targets from a set of 31 DBS patients. The measured targeting error is the displacement between the phantom implant and the virtual target. Our results show that the micro Targeting Platform exhibits sub millimetric in vitro accuracy with a mean of 0.42 mm and a 99.9% level of 0.90 mm.
Personality and Situational Effects on Leader Behavior.

This paper examines Fiedler's proposed relationship between leader behavior and two variables related to the Contingency Model. The evidence strongly suggests that under stress in a threatening sit...
Overcoming the challenges of anticoagulation in adults with congenital heart disease

The review by Jensen et al 1 addresses an important need for guidance in anticoagulation management for adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). The complex interactions of acquired and genetic thrombophilia risk factors have yielded a wide and treacherous playing field that has dissuaded many colleagues from creating formal treatment policies. This excellent set of recommendations by Jensen et al is a welcome first step towards overcoming the challenges posed by anticoagulating adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). Moderate or complex malformations in ACHD have increased in prevalence by more than 50% in the past decade. These individuals embody the enormous time-related technical advances in diagnostic imaging, CHD surgery, intensive care and interventional cardiac catheterisation now at our disposal. Many may have had long-term palliation with arterial or venous shunts, while others have received anatomical or physiological repair and have late residua and sequelae related to their original anatomy or surgical intervention. Haemostasis and its regulation in moderate and complex CHD, particularly those associated with cyanosis, is frequently altered, and often profoundly so. Congenital or acquired genetic risk factors that promote thrombosis may co-exist with the CHD. Not surprisingly, thrombin generation, platelet activation and fibrin deposition, even in the absence of detectable thrombosis, is frequently increased pointing to a hypercoagulable state.2 The authors of this review highlight several potential contributors to thrombophilia, including venous stasis, relative iron deficiency, and low oxygen saturation. Surgical sequelae that may further contribute range from localised stenoses causing flow turbulence and endothelial disruption, aneurysm formation precipitating stasis, pulmonary arterial hypertension inducing disordered endothelial function, to massive volume loaded and dysfunctional ventricular chambers. Though these phenomena are known to contribute to thrombophilia, very little is known about their relative contributions and cross-talk within the same individual. The authors of this review propose that routine use …
A Library-Based Approach to Task Parallelism in a Data-Parallel Language

Pure data-parallel languages such as High Performance Fortran version 1 (HPF) do not allow efficient expression of mixed task/data-parallel computations or the coupling of separately compiled data-parallel modules. In this paper, we show how these common parallel program structures can be represented, with only minor extensions to the HPF model, by using a coordination library based on the Message Passing Interface (MPI). This library allows data-parallel tasks to exchange distributed data structures using calls to simple communication functions. We present microbenchmark results that characterize the performance of this library and that quantify the impact of optimizations that allow reuse of communication schedules in common situations. In addition, results from two-dimensional FFT, convolution, and multiblock programs demonstrate that the HPF/MPI library can provide performance superior to that of pure HPF. We conclude that this synergistic combination of two parallel programming standards represents a useful approach to task parallelism in a data-parallel framework, increasing the range of problems addressable in HPF without requiring complex compiler technology.
Nicaraguan debates on Agrarian structure and their implications for agricultural policy and the rural poor

Two models of Nicaragua's agrarian structure are examined, the capitalist agro‐export model and the peasant capitalism model. Their policy implications as to the role of state farms, harvest labour shortages, the class composition of popular organizations, and the role of large and medium‐sized producers are compared. The second model is shown to reflect better Nicaragua's agrarian structure. Neither model, however, has provided policies capable of resolving the problems of the majority of Nicaragua's semiproletarians, who continue to be largely marginalized from the policy process. The reasons for this outcome are discussed and some tentative recommendations proposed.
A search strategy for ultra-wideband signal acquisition

The ultra-wideband (UWB) channel is characterized by the presence of dense multipath and robustness to multipath fading. By taking system performance subsequent to acquisition into account, it was shown recently that there are multiple phases (called the hit set) where a receiver lock can be considered as successful acquisition. In this case, the serial search may no longer be the optimal choice for the sequential search strategy in the acquisition system. In this letter, we consider the problem of finding better search strategies in the set of all search strategies which are permutations of the search space. The large size of the search space and the absence of any exploitable structure make the problem of finding the permutation search strategy which minimizes the mean detection time prohibitively complex. However, if we take the first-order approximation that the probabilities of detection of all the hit-set phases are equal, then there exists a permutation search strategy which minimizes the mean detection time. Since the actual probabilities of detection are not equal, this search strategy, although not optimal, serves as a useful heuristic solution to an otherwise intractable problem. Furthermore, we see that this search strategy has a simple Jump-by-H structure, and improves the mean detection time by a significant amount compared with the serial search.
Controller analysis for active distribution nodes in advanced dc power systems

This paper studies the control of the multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) dc-dc converter serving as an active distribution node for an intelligent dc distribution grid. The unified model of a MIMO converter is derived, which allows for a systematical analysis and control design without considering the specific operating modes of the input/output modules. For the derived high-order multivariable model, a robust controller is designed via the linear matrix inequality (LMI) synthesis with disturbance-attenuation and pole-placement constraints. The controller design is verified by simulations and experimental results.
How far should we promote smoking reduction in order to promote smoking cessation

Smoking is the greatest preventable cause of death worldwide. In recent years considerable efforts have been devoted to reducing exposure to tobacco and related products. The ultimate aim has been to persuade people to stop smoking. It is generally recognized that smoking cessation is effective in reducing the burden of disease associated with smoking. However, smoking is an addiction to nicotine and relatively few people can quit successfully without professional help. Many do not want even to try. There is evidence that a reduction in cigarette consumption could result in improved health and provide an intermediate step before complete cessation, especially for those smokers who are not ready or willing to quit. Smoking reduction intervention with counselling and/or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) have been shown by randomised controlled trials to be effective in reducing cigarette consumption for the general smoking population. We here present the argument that there may be a case for promoting smoking reduction both as a desirable goal in itself and as a first step towards smoking cessation.
Role of endothelium in endotoxin blockade of voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels in smooth muscle cells

Coculture of endothelial and smooth muscle cells was used to study effects of endotoxin on depolarization-induced Ca2+ transients in fura-2-loaded individual smooth muscle cells. Although endotoxin did not modify the response of cultured smooth muscle cells to depolarization, endotoxin resulted in an attenuation of cytosolic Ca2+ (Cai2+) transients in response to K+ depolarization and failure of KCl-induced contractions in smooth muscle cells when they were cocultured with endothelial cells. The observed endothelial modulation of smooth muscle responses was not accomplished via gap junctions. The possible role of free radical species secreted by endothelial cells in conditioning of smooth muscle responses to depolarization was supported by the results of three sets of experiments: 1) endothelial cells did respond to endotoxin with oxidative burst, 2) pretreatment of cocultured cells with catalase prevented endotoxin-induced downregulation of Ca2+ transients, and 3) in isolated smooth muscle cells, the addition of hydrogen peroxide virtually abolished depolarization-induced Ca2+ transients. Hence vascular endothelium stimulated by endotoxin generates reduced oxygen intermediates, which in turn downregulate depolarization-induced Cai2+ transients in smooth muscle cells. This phenomenon may contribute to the development of hypotension in septicemia.
Programmable gaming environments for four year olds

Apprendere a programmare alla scuola dell'infanzia? Perche'? Che cosa ci puo' essere di interessante in questo per un bambino? Che cosa si puo' imparare? Questo articolo e' rivolto ai ricercatori, ai progettisti, agli educatori e ai genitori; tutti questi hanno buone ragioni per interrogarsi.
Orientational Interpolation of the Optical Spectra of Nonspherical Nanoparticles

A general method called orientational interpolation (OI) is introduced to compute arbitrary-orientation and orientation averaged optical spectra of nonspherical plasmonic nanoparticles starting fro...
Protein Costs of the Prebasic Molt of Female Mallards

The nutritional requirements and physiological mechanisms of avian molt and the relationship of molt to other ecological requirements in birds are poorly understood. Relative to other nutritionally costly events in the annual cycle (e.g., reproduction and migration), the efficiency of feather synthesis is extremely low (King 1981, Murphy and King 1984a). Gavrilov and Dolnik (1974) suggested that this inefficiency was caused by an aminostatic regulation of food intake which allows acquisition of sufficient cysteine and cystine for construction of feather keratins. Recent investigations failed to confirm this "aminostatic hypothesis," however, and instead suggested that overall nitrogen retention (of the correct amino acid spectrum), not specific sulfur amino acid (SAA) concentrations, may be a more important constraint on feather synthesis, and that both protein and SAA requirements can be met through dietary intake without depleting tissue proteins (Murphy and King 1984a, 1984b, 1984c, 1985). Also, studies of wild Eurasian Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) (Newton 1968), the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) (Raveling 1979, Mainguy and Thomas 1985), the Lesser Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) (Ankney 1979), Brant (Branta bernicla) (Ankney 1984), and Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (Heitmeyer 1985) indicate that molting birds typically obtain protein and SAA required for feather synthesis from food. The actual protein intake needed to synthesize feathers is not known for any bird in the wild, and only White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) have been intensively studied in the laboratory in an attempt to calculate protein costs (Murphy and King 1982, 1984a, 1984b). Studying molt with captive birds has been hampered, however, because captive birds often do not undergo a typical molt if (1) photoperiod, temperature, food quantity and quality, and social settings are artificial, (2) birds are unnaturally constrained, or (3) locations are distant from the site where molt would occur naturally (West 1968, Blackmore 1969, King 1974, Chilgren 1978). In contrast to laboratory investigations, studying the cost of molt in the wild is hampered because variables affecting the bird and its environment are not controlled, and the intake and output of nutrients are not measured. Despite these problems bioenergetic costs can be accurately estimated from birds collected in the wild if sufficient data exist on the pattern, timing, and duration of synthesis, and composition of the synthesized product (e.g., estimates of bioenergetic costs of reproduction, Ricklefs 1974, Drobney 1980). Herein, I estimate the protein cost of the prebasic molt of adult female Mallards in late winter using birds collected in the wild.
The research of ethylene and MMA copolymerization catalyzed by nickel complex/ MAO

A novel late transition-metal complex of α,α′-diimine n ickel-dichloride has been synthesized and used in the copolymerization of ethyl ene and MMA with MAO as cocatalyst under the condition that the polar group in M MA was protected by alkylaluminium compound. The results show that the triisobut ylaluminium is better than others when used as protective agent of polar group. The catalyst activity increases with the increasing of protective agent and decr eases with the concentration of polar group. The catalyst activity is up to 8.7 ×10 5 g/(mol·h) under suitable condition.
Utilization of Electronics Map to Early-alarming and Prediction of Infectious Diseases Outbreak

Objective The utilization of an electronics map for early prediction and alarming of infectious diseases outbreak was investigated. Method Applied the principles of the gray model GM system(1,1),"The Routine Epidemic Status Assistant Analysis System of Nanning" and "The Infectious Diseases Surveillance Early-alarming System of Nanning" were designed. Results With the conditions selected,the system can carry on various comparative searches,the searching results were manifested by different colors on the map,and the morbidity and the mortality were compared with the expectation ones,if it exceeded the expected,that district showed the red alarming signal immediately,thus provided the early alarming function. Conclusion The system benefits in carry on gathering,analyzing and evaluating to the epidemic outbreak in time,predicts the trend of the epidemic,prevents from the outbreaks to become significant hazard public hygiene affairs.
Revisiting extreme storms of the past 100 years for future safety of large water management infrastructures

Historical extreme storm events are widely used to make Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) estimates, which form the cornerstone of large water management infrastructure safety. Past studies suggest that extreme precipitation processes can be sensitive to land surface feedback and the planetary warming trend, which makes the future safety of large infrastructures questionable given the projected changes in land cover and temperature in the coming decades. In this study, a numerical modeling framework was employed to reconstruct 10 extreme storms over CONUS that occurred during the past 100 years, which are used by the engineering profession for PMP estimation for large infrastructures such as dams. Results show that the correlation in daily rainfall for such reconstruction can range between 0.4 and 0.7, while the correlation for maximum 3-day accumulation (a standard period used in infrastructure design) is always above 0.5 for post-1948 storms. This suggests that current numerical modeling and reanalysis data allow us to reconstruct big storms after 1948 with acceptable accuracy. For storms prior to 1948, however, reconstruction of storms shows inconsistency with observations. Our study indicates that numerical modeling and data may not have advanced to a sufficient level to understand how such old storms (pre-1948) may behave in future warming and land cover conditions. However, the infrastructure community can certainly rely on the use of model reconstructed extreme storms of the 1948-present period to reassess safety of our large water infrastructures under assumed changes in temperature and land cover.
Prevalence of GDM

This chapter summarizes the methodological challenges inherent in the surveillance of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the comparisons of trends in GDM across various studies and populations. The results of selected studies that examined the prevalence or incidence of GDM using data from population-based studies are compared both in terms of methodology and study results. Population-based studies of the trends in GDM have been conducted using samples from national databases, from specific metropolitan areas and regions, states and provinces, and from managed health care organization enrollees. The way in which GDM is defined clinically, case definitions based on different blood glucose value thresholds, and differences in the types of data used to construct both the numerators and denominators to examine trends in GDM can contribute to differences in results across these population-based studies. The racial and ethnic composition of the populations being studied as well as the age distribution of the women giving birth also has a significant impact on the trends observed in these populations.
Synthesis of carnitine from ε-N-trimethyllysine in post mitochondrial fractions of Neurospora crassa

Abstract An enzyme system in the post mitochondrial fraction of Neurospora crassa when supplemented with appropriate cofactors formed carnitine from e-N-trimethyllysine. These findings together with previous studies of e-N-lysine methylation in this fungi, illustrate that carnitine synthesis in Neurospora differs markedly in certain features from mammalian systems in that the entire synthesis is carried out employing free intermediates and cytosolic enzymes.
Capacity, architecture, protocols, and sensing in wireless networks

In recent years there has been much interest in mobile ad hoc wireless networks. More recently, there has been great interest in mesh networks which are essentially stationary ad hoc networks. Also the focus of much recent interest are wireless sensor networks that are formed by nodes with environmental sensing capability as well as computational and wireless communication capability. Since actuation closely follows sensing we anticipate that a next phase of the information technology revolution could be the convergence of control, i.e., sensing and actuation, with communication and computation. We give a brief account of some issues of interest in each of these areas.
Overcoming SNR walls through macroscale features

We consider the problem of robustly detecting the presence/absence of signals in low signal to noise ratio (SNR) environments. Our previous results have shown the existence of thresholds called SNR walls, below which robust detection becomes impossible due to uncertainties in the environment. These thresholds were shown to exist for many signals used in practice. This paper introduces the idea of macroscale features and shows that they can be used to construct signals that evade SNR walls. In particular, we examine a Gaussian mixture example and a noise-calibration based detection algorithm to show that this signal can be robustly detected in the presence of arbitrarily-varying noise and arbitrarily-varying finite-tap fading processes. Finally, we argue that there is tension between the primary user's capacity and the sensing delay experienced by the secondary users. We call this the capacity-delay tradeoff. We derive the capacity-delay tradeoff for the Gaussian example.
Water Quality Analysis of Agriculturally Impacted Tidal Blackbird Creek, Delaware

Blackbird Creek, Delaware is a small watershed in northern Delaware that has a significant proportion of land designated for agricultural land use. The Blackbird Creek water monitoring program was initiated in 2012 to assess the condition of the watershed’s habitats using multiple measures of water quality. Habitats were identified based on percent adjacent agricultural land use. Study sites varying from five to fourteen were sampled biweekly during April and November, 2012-2015. Data were analyzed using principal component analysis and generalized linear modeling. Results from these first four years of data documented no significant differences in water quality parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, salinity, inorganic nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, orthophosphate, alkalinity, and turbidity) between the two habitats, although both orthophosphate and turbidity were elevated beyond EPA-recommended values. There were statistically significant differences for all of the parameters between agriculture seasons. The lack of notable differences between habitats suggests that, while the watershed is generally impacted by agricultural land use practices, there appears to be no impact on the surface water chemistry. Because there were no differences between habitats, it was concluded that seasonal differences were likely due to basic seasonal variation and were not a function of agricultural land use practices.
Parallels and Distinctions in FGFR, VEGFR, and EGFR Mechanisms of Transmembrane Signaling

Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signal transduction is essential in human skeletal, nervous, and vascular development, in homeostasis, and in disease. RTKs are activated by dimerization in the plasma membrane. The mechanisms of receptor dimerization and activation are multifaceted and complex, and unraveling them remains challenging. Most studies of RTKs have been devoted to crystallographic analysis of their isolated extracellular domain and biochemical analysis of the catalytic domain. However, the past few years have seen direct biophysical studies of (intact) RTK dimerization in native membranes lead to significant progress in our fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of their signal transduction across the plasma membrane. This perspective focuses on recent insights into the mechanisms of fibroblast growth factor receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor transmembrane signaling, derived from studies of wild-type and mutant RTKs in a number of environments, including plasma membran...
Testosterone Does Not Improve Cognition in Memory-Impaired Older Men with Low Testosterone Levels

Testosterone supplementation for men 65 years or older with age-associated memory impairment and a low baseline testosterone level was not associated with significant improvements in memory or other cognitive functions.
Geographic variation in forest composition and precipitation predict the synchrony of forest insect outbreaks

Evaluating the causes of spatial synchrony in population dynamics in nature is notoriously difficult due to a lack of data and appropriate statistical methods. Here, we use a recently developed method, a multivariate extension of the local indicators of spatial autocorrelation statistic, to map geographic variation in the synchrony of gypsy moth outbreaks. Regression analyses indicated that local synchrony of gypsy moth defoliation increased with the local synchrony of precipitation and the proportion of host tree density composed of oaks, especially those in the Lobatae (red oak) section. This may be the first study that demonstrates a relationship between defoliator population synchrony and host tree composition. More broadly, this study contributes to a small body of recent work that illustrates how mapping hotspots of unusually high or low synchrony facilitates an improved understanding of factors influencing spatially synchronous population dynamics generally, and triggers of pest insect outbreaks, more specifically.
Salishicetus meadi, a new aetiocetid from the late Oligocene of Washington State and implications for feeding transitions in early mysticete evolution

Living baleen whales, or Mysticeti, lack teeth and instead feed using keratinous baleen plates to sieve prey-laden water. This feeding strategy is profoundly different from that of their toothed ancestors, which processed prey using the differentiated dentition characteristic of mammals. The fossil record of mysticetes reveals stem members that include extinct taxa with dentition, illuminating the morphological states that preceded the loss of teeth and the subsequent origin of baleen. The relationships among stem mysticetes, including putative clades such as Mammalodontidae and Aetiocetidae, remain debatable. Aetiocetids are among the more species-rich clade of stem mysticetes, and known only from fossil localities along the North Pacific coastline. Here, we report a new aetiocetid, Salishicetus meadi gen. et sp. nov, from the late Oligocene of Washington State, USA. Salishicetus preserves a near-complete lower dentition with extensive occlusal wear, indicating that it processed prey using shearing cheek teeth in the same way as its stem cetacean ancestors. Using a matrix with all known species of aetiocetids, we recover a monophyletic Aetiocetidae, crownward of a basal clade of Mammalodontidae. The description of Salishicetus resolves phylogenetic relationships among aetiocetids, which provides a basis for reconstructing ancestral feeding morphology along the stem leading to crown Mysticeti.
Epimorphic Regeneration and the Immune System

Evidence for the suggested role of the immune system in epimorphic regeneration was sought by assessing effects on regeneration of immunological agents or active cellular immunity (allograft rejection) and by comparing immunological expression (e.g. mitogen responsiveness of splenocytes and interleukin 2 distribution) during regeneration with that following nonamputational trauma. There appeared to be no significant participation of humoral immunity in either epimorphic regeneration or repair of nonamputational wounds. However, expression of cellular immunity during regeneration differed from that observed during repair of nonamputational wounds. Moreover, expression of cellular immunity following amputation appeared to affect the progress of regeneration. This suggests that the nature of wounds can modulate expression of cellular immunity which, in turn, can affect mechanisms of wound repair, e.g. epimorphic regeneration vs fibroplasia and fibrosis.
Community, Social Contexts of

Community sociology was shaped by Toennies, Weber, and Durkheim to address rural decline, industrialization, and urbanization. In the post-industrial world, globalization is reshaping the basic contours of social life, via global capitalism, world-wide migration, mass communication, and the Internet. City size has less impact on social integration than early theories posited. Later work stresses other characteristics. Authoritarian national governments suppress community civic groups. Such hierarchical policies fuel national opposition parties, which press egalitarian demands to level hierarchies using a strong national state. Globalization weakens both authoritarian national leaders and strong left parties promoting class and party politics. Local civic groups emerge, mobilizing average citizens. Civic groups have been much studied: do they generate trust, teach civic skills, democracy, and citizenship? New Social Movements (NSMs) advance agendas ignored by past parties and civic groups: ecology, women, human rights, etc. NSMs emerged in the 1970s as hierarchies declined; they stressed consumption and lifestyle more than production and jobs. Many political leaders responded to NSMs in the 1980s and 1990s; NSMs then grew more like past civic groups. This successive mobilization of new local groups and issues decentralizes power and policy from the nation to local communities.
What does our faith mean when faced with a disaster

Disasters are a prominent feature of our lives as they appear to become more devasting and more frequent. Though we understand the scientific nature of natural disasters there remains an element that maintains that natural disasters are under God’s control and sent for a reason. This study undertaken following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans seeks to understand how people used their faith prior to, during in, and after the storm. Subsequently, the study finds that different denominations exhibit different behaviors and practices prior to, during and after the storm. These practices are consistent with differences in social class and race: those with fewer resources relying more on their faith, believing in a more direct link to God, and maintaining that God sent the storm as part of His plan to re-direct their life.
100.03 Application of Virtual Fractional Flow Reserve Analysis in Real World Invasive Procedures: Insights from ILUMIEN-I Trial

Virtual Fractional Flow Reserve (vFFR) is a new method for the functional assessment of coronary ischemia utilizing angiographic images. Previous studies showed good correlation between vFFR and FFR in selected patients with prespecified image acquisition requirements, such as static table and at
PRMT5 Is Upregulated in Activated T Cells and Is a Novel Therapeutic Target for Acute Gvhd

Introduction: Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), a T cell-mediated immunological disorder is the leading cause of non-relapse mortality in patients receiving allogeneic bone marrow transplants. Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) catalyzes symmetric dimethylation (me2s) of arginine (R) residues on histones (primarily H3R8 and H3R4) and other proteins. PRMT5 is overexpressed in many leukemias and lymphomas, and epigenetic changes driven by PRMT5 lead to repression of tumor suppressors and promote growth and survival of cancer cells. Recently it was shown that T cells are sensitive to R-methylation and PRMT5 promotes activation of memory T helper cells. Here we investigate: 1) mechanisms by which PRMT5 regulates T cell function; and 2) PRMT5 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for aGVHD. Materials and Methods: Splenic T cells were isolated from lethally irradiated B6D2F1 mice that received either T cell depleted bone marrow (TCD-BM) or TCD-BM with C57/BL6 (B6) allogeneic splenocytes on day 21 post-transplant. In vitro activation of B6 T cells was achieved with CD3/CD28 Dynabeads or co-culture with allogeneic BM-derived dendritic cells. PRMT5 expression (RT-PCR, western blot) and function (H3R8me2s western blot) were evaluated. PRT220, a novel inhibitor of PRMT5, was used to evaluate PRMT5 inhibition on T cell function in vitro and in vivo. We assessed T cell proliferation (Cell Trace Violet, Ki67), apoptosis (Annexin V), cytokine secretion (ELISA, flow cytometry), cell cycle (PI incorporation), and cell signaling (western blot). Lethally irradiated F1 recipients received TCD-BM only (10x106 cells) or TCD-BM + B6 splenocytes (20 x 106). Recipients of allogeneic splenocytes were treated with PRT220 (2mg/kg) or vehicle by oral gavage once weekly starting day 7 post-transplant. Mice were monitored for survival and clinical aGVHD scores. Results: PRMT5 expression and function is upregulated following T cell activation. Inhibition of PRMT5 reduces T cell proliferation and IFN-g secretion. PRMT5 inhibition in CD3/CD28 stimulated T cells results in disruption of multiple histone epigenetic marks, cell-cycle progression (via G1 arrest) and perturbation of ERK-MAPK signaling cascades. Finally, administration of PRT220 resulted in significantly prolonging the survival of allo-transplanted recipient mice (median survival, PRT220 vs. vehicle, 36.5 vs. 26 days, p=0.01). PRT220-treated recipients also exhibited significant lower aGVHD clinical (p Conclusions: PRMT5 expression and function are upregulated in activated T cells. Inhibition of PRMT5 function using a novel and specific small-molecule inhibitor, PRT220, down-regulates T cells proliferative and effector response, induces cell-cycle arrest and perturbs signaling pathways. PRT220 shows potent biological activity in vivo by reducing aGVHD clinical severity and significantly prolonging survival in mouse models of aGVHD. Therefore, PRMT5 is a novel and druggable target for aGVHD. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Regional Connections to National Authority Files

AbstractLocal and regional authority files exist to cover gaps in national and international authority files. These types of authority files should not exist alone if they are going to be fully uti...
Laboratory Experiments of Vertical Cylinders Representative of Aboveground Storage Tanks Subjected to Waves

AbstractThis paper presents an overview of laboratory experiments of vertical cylinders representative of aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) subjected to waves. The main objective is to provide an ex...
Prediction of sleep-disordered breathing after stroke

Abstract Objective/background Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent after stroke and is associated with poor outcomes. Currently, after stroke, objective testing must be used to differentiate patients with and without SDB. Within a large, population-based study, we evaluated the usefulness of a flexible statistical model based on baseline characteristics to predict post-stroke SDB. Patients/methods Within a population-based study, participants (2010–2018) underwent SDB screening, shortly after ischemic stroke, with a home sleep apnea test. The respiratory event index (REI) was calculated as the number of apneas and hypopneas per hour of recording; values ≥10 defined SDB. The distributed random forest classifier (a machine learning technique) was applied to predict SDB with the following as predictors: demographics, stroke risk factors, stroke severity (NIHSS), neck and waist circumference, palate position, and pre-stroke symptoms of snoring, apneas, and sleepiness. Results Within the total sample (n = 1330), median age was 65 years; 47% were women; 32% non-Hispanic white, 62% Mexican American, and 6% African American. SDB was found in 891 (67%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, a measure of predictive ability, applied to the validation sample was 0.75 for the random forest model. Random forest correctly classified 72.5% of validation samples. Conclusions In this large, ethnically diverse, population-based sample of ischemic stroke patients, prediction models based on baseline characteristics and clinical measures showed fair rather than clinically reliable performance, even with use of advanced machine learning techniques. Results suggest that objective tests are still needed to differentiate ischemic stroke patients with and without SDB.
Reduced postpartum hippocampal volume is associated with positive mother-infant caregiving behavior.

Abstract Background Maternal caregiving is a complex set of behaviors that can be impacted by early life stress (ELS), yet human neurobiological mechanisms are not well understood. Methods Young mothers (n=137) were enrolled into a neuroimaging substudy of the longitudinal Pittsburgh Girls Study (PGS). Using data collected annually while subjects were ages 8-16, ELS was calculated as a composite score of poverty, trauma, and difficult life circumstances. At 4 months postpartum, mothers underwent neuroimaging and filmed mother-infant interaction. Maternal caregiving was coded along 6 dimensions yielding “positive” and “negative” components of caregiving. Participants’ MPRAGE images were subjected to preprocessing and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to quantify vmPFC, amygdala and hippocampus gray matter (GM) volume. We used hierarchical linear regression to investigate the relationship between GM volume and maternal caregiving, covarying for ELS as well as maternal age, weeks postpartum, race and postpartum depression score. Results Hippocampal GM volume was inversely associated with independent observations of positive maternal caregiving. Similar findings in the vmPFC did not remain significant after correction for multiple comparisons. ELS, particularly physical assault, was associated with reduced GM volumes but was unrelated to observed maternal caregiving. Limitations Our single-timepoint MRI-based GM volume method was not able to demonstrate time-related intra-individual perinatal neuroplasticity, nor could it resolve neural subregions involved in caregiving-related plasticity. Conclusions Our findings shed light on the putative plasticity of the human maternal extra-hypothalamic stress-circuitry underlying positive maternal caregiving behavior. Whether reduced hippocampal GM volume represents pruning or represents neural resilience in the face of ELS, remains to be studied.
The zoom function

Since 2015, a visitor to the Eden Project, a botanical garden in Cornwall, UK, may have come across Anna Dumitriu and Alex May’s interactive installation, The Human Super-Organism (pictured on the ...
ZeRØ: ze ro-overhead r esilient o peration under pointer integrity attacks

A large class of today’s systems require high levels of availability and security. Unfortunately, state-of-the-art security solutions tend to induce crashes and raise exceptions when under attack, trading off availability for security. In this work, we propose ZeRO, a pointer integrity mechanism that can continue program execution even when under attack. ZeRO proposes unique memory instructions and a novel metadata encoding scheme to protect code and data pointers. The combination of instructions and metadata allows ZeRO to avoid explicitly tagging every word in memory, eliminating performance overheads. Moreover, ZeRO is a deterministic security primitive that requires minor microarchitectural changes. We show that ZeRO is better than commercially available state-of-the-art hardware primitives, e.g., ARM’s Pointer Authentication (PAC), by a significant margin. ZeRO incurs zero performance overheads on the SPEC CPU2017 benchmarks, and our VLSI measurements show low power and area overheads.
Image-Guided Targeted Prostate Biopsies

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States. Screening for prostate cancer has increased through the usage of prostate specific antigen and biopsies. Traditionally, prostate biopsies are done using transrectal ultrasound with 10-12 cores obtained in a sextant pattern. Advances in prostate imaging with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging has led to image guided targeted prostate biopsies. This can be done with cognitive fusion, MRI-fusion, and in-bore MRI. This article will review the indications, techniques, and outcomes for targeted image guided prostate biopsies using in-bore MRI and MRI fusion.