cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of apoptosis induced by zinc deficiency in peripheral blood T lymphocytes

Alterations in intracellular Zn2+ concentrations are believed to play a crucial role in modulating apoptosis. The observation that Zn2+ deficiency can induce cell death both in vivo and in vitro has been attributed to the fact that exchange of Zn2+ for Ca2+ and Mg2+ within the nuclei may directly activate endogenous endonucleases therefore inducing DNA fragmentation independent of cytoplasmic factors. Here we show that the membrane-permeable zinc chelator, N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) induces translocation of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial intramembranous space into the cytosol in human peripheral blood T lymphocytes (PBL) with subsequent activation of caspases-3, -8, and -9. Pretreatment of T lymphocytes with caspase inhibitors Z-VAD.fmk or DEVD.fmk prevented DNA fragmentation in response to TPEN indicating that apoptosis triggered by zinc deficiency is entirely dependent on activation of caspase family members. The release of cytochrome c and activation of downstream caspases precedes changes in the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δ Ψm). Therefore, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial events are critical to this process.
Impact of surgery and chemotherapy on the quality of life of younger women with breast carcinoma: a prospective study

BACKGROUND Studies that prospectively and simultaneously evaluate, within the first year of diagnosis, the impact of surgery and chemotherapy on quality of life (QOL) of younger women (60 years or younger) with early stage breast carcinoma are limited. METHODS Quality of life of 103 women who had surgery (lumpectomy, 49; mastectomy, 54) approximately 1 month before the start of the study was evaluated at baseline and again after 5 months. Thirty-two women received chemotherapy during the study. RESULTS Over time, subjects reported improvement in body image and physical, emotional, and functional well-being (P < 0.001). They were less bothered by swollen/tender arms and worried less about risk of cancer to family members (P < 0.001). However, satisfaction with sex life, social support, and social/family well-being declined (P < 0.001). In the period closer to surgery, women with mastectomy reported poorer body image (P = 0.001) and worse functional (P = 0.08) and physical well-being (P = 0.10). Women with lumpectomy worried more about the effects of stress on their illness (P < 0.01) and had lower emotional well-being (P = 0.06). By 6 months after surgery, the two groups reported similar QOL scores. Chemotherapy had a negative impact on women's sexual functioning (P = 0.01) and their physical well-being (P = 0.09). Women who received chemotherapy also reported more shortness of breath (P = 0.07). Post hoc analysis showed that women with breast reconstruction had higher emotional well-being at baseline than those with lumpectomy (P = 0.001) and mastectomy alone (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Younger women with breast carcinoma could experience a range of adjustment problems at various points in the treatment cycle. Interventions that would help reduce the negative impact of treatment on QOL need to be designed and integrated into routine clinical practice. Cancer 2001;92:1288–98. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
Silent cerebral infarction: supply and demand.

In this issue of Blood , Ford et al show that silent cerebral infarction (SCI) in sickle cell anemia occurs mainly in brain regions at the highest anatomic and hemodynamic vulnerability to ischemia, indicating that a tenuous and easily disrupted balance between oxygen supply and demand is the predominant cause of SCI. 1
Low-Temperature Natural Gas Combustion Engines

Advanced or low-temperature combustion engines have shown the potential to achieve high fuel conversion efficiency with minimal emissions formation and therefore can provide solutions for future powertrain systems. Numerous advanced combustion concepts have been explored, including both spark-ignited and compression-ignited concepts, and each one has been investigated using different liquid or gaseous fuels. This chapter will discuss the potential of using natural gas as a fuel for future advanced combustion engines and will present the associated benefits and challenges. The low carbon-to-hydrogen atom ratio of natural gas can enable a highly efficient combustion process with low CO2 formation; its chemical composition mitigates soot formation during combustion, and its high octane number enables high compression ratio operation of spark-ignited engines with good knock resistance. However, the low reactivity of natural gas inhibits the compression ignition of lean fuel–air mixtures, and any combustion inefficiency may result in direct methane emissions in the exhaust. These characteristics have led researchers to investigate lean natural gas combustion using prechambers (jet ignition), high-pressure direct injection (HPDI) of diesel and natural gas mixtures, micro-pilot injection concepts with premixed natural gas and direct-injected diesel fuel, as well as kinetically controlled and low-temperature combustion concepts such as Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) and Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) combustion. This chapter will discuss the use of natural gas in the HCCI and RCCI combustion concepts and analyze the associated benefits and challenges.
Epidemiology of Lyme disease among US Veterans in Long Island, New York

In North America, Lyme disease (LD) is caused predominantly by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferisensu stricto, and is transmitted by blacklegged ticks. Long Island, New York, is highly endemic for the disease. The C6 peptide (C6P) is currently used as a screening test for LD in our institution. Our objective was to examine how screening with C6P concorded with diagnosis of LD at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, Long Island. A retrospective chart-review of 2558 C6P tests was performed during the period of 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2016. Patients were categorized by Lyme Disease (LD) or no LD groups. LD group was defined as having an erythema migrans (EM) rash, or ≥ 2 IgM bands or ≥ 5 IgG bands on immunoblot. Out of the 409 patients with positive or equivocal C6P, 181 patients with LD were based on presence of EM, or Western blot IgM and IgG test results; 228 did not have LD. The positive predictive value of C6P was 44.5%. EM was the most common presentation. In the LD group, history of tick bite (P: 0.0001), headache (P: 0.0036), joint swelling (P: 0.0086) and myalgias (P: 0.0005) were more likely to be present. Zip code mapping of our cases mirrored those previously reported in the Suffolk County Department of Health. In our review we encountered a significant number of false positive C6 assays. False positive C6P tests were ordered by primary care physicians (PCP) (37%) followed by neurologists (33%). A history of tick exposure and clinical findings of early Lyme disease such as headaches or joint aches were more likely to denote a true positive C6 peptide test. Rigorous education of physicians about Lyme disease and pitfalls of our available diagnostic tests are needed for their proper utilization.
Food, Health, & Choices: Curriculum and Wellness Interventions to Decrease Childhood Obesity in Fifth-Graders.

Abstract Objective To evaluate Food, Health, & Choices, two 10-month interventions. Design Cluster-randomized, controlled study with 4 groups: curriculum, wellness, curriculum plus wellness, and control. Setting Twenty elementary schools (5/group) in New York City. Participants Fifth-grade students (n = 1,159). At baseline, 44.6% were at the ≥85th body mass index (BMI) percentile for age and 86% qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. Intervention Curriculum was 23 science lessons based on social cognitive and self-determination theories, replacing 2 mandated units. Wellness was classroom food policy and physical activity bouts of Dance Breaks. Main Outcome Measures For obesity, age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles were used (anthropometric measures). The researchers also employed 6 energy balance-related behaviors and 8 theory-based determinants of behavior change (by questionnaire). Analysis Pairwise adjusted odds in hierarchical logistic regression models were determined for >85th BMI percentile. Behaviors and theory-based determinants were examined in a 2-level hierarchical linear model with a 2 × 2 design for intervention effects and interactions. Results Obesity showed no change. For behaviors, there was a negative curriculum intervention change in physical activity (P = .04). The wellness intervention resulted in positive changes for sweetened beverages frequency (P = .05) and size (P = .006); processed packaged snacks size (P = .01); candy frequency (P = .04); baked good frequency (P = .05); and fast food frequency (P = .003), size (P = .01), and combo meals (P = .002). Theory-based determinants demonstrated no change. Conclusions and Implications The findings of the lack of a decrease in obesity, behavior changes only for the wellness intervention, and no changes in theory-based determinants warrant further research.
Electric Field Dynamics at a Charged Point Strong Coupling Limit

The dynamics of electric fields at a charge Qo imbedded in a one component plasma of charges Q is considered for conditions of large Qo/Q and large plasma parameter Г. The complete response of the charge Qo to the surrounding plasma is formulated in terms of path integrals over the probability density functional for the electric field histories. Two applications of this formulation illustrating problems of both transport and plasma spectroscopy are noted. A set of Langevin equations for the position and velocity of the charge Qo, and the total electric field at the charge are studied in the large charge, strong coupling limit. The analysis suggests a Gaussian, non-Markovian process for these variables. The resulting joint distribution of fields at two times and the generating functional for fields at many times are given. Finally, it is proposed that the set of observables can be extended slightly to yield an equivalent Gaussian-Markov process.
Decentralized optimal coordination of connected and automated vehicles for multiple traffic scenarios

Abstract Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) provide the most intriguing opportunity to optimize energy consumption and travel time. Several approaches have been proposed in the literature that allow CAVs to coordinate in situations where there is a potential conflict, for example, in signalized intersections, merging at roadways and roundabouts, to reduce energy consumption and optimize traffic flow. In this paper, we consider the problem of coordinating CAVs in a corridor consisting of multiple traffic scenarios. We formulate a two-level optimization problem in which we maximize traffic throughput in the upper-level problem, and derive a closed-form analytical solution that yields the optimal control input for each CAV, in terms of fuel consumption, in the low-level problem. We validate the effectiveness of the solution through simulation under 100% CAV penetration rate. Fuel consumption and travel time for the vehicles are significantly reduced compared to a baseline scenario consisting of human-driven vehicles.
A Geopolitical Study of the Indo-Pacific through the Theories of Ancient East and Modern West

The core of the debates on politics through times and regions is concerned with territories and exercise of power over the territories directed towards certain end(s). This is seen in the theories of Ancient India, of which Kautalya’s Arthashastra is but a representative literature. Much later in time, geopolitical theories in the west during the twentieth-century significantly highlighted this point. This study aims to understand geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific if Kautalya's ideas and geopolitical choice theories from the west are applied, then results of the study would be the same as has been affirmed in the opening sentences. Methodologically, the study, qualitative in approach though, looks at the data available in the secondary source materials to test if territories determine the power dynamics at a given point of time. Kautalya’s Arthashashtra offers a good theoretical insight that can explain the contemporary geopolitical structures and behavior of the states. The theory has scientific and empirical elements that can help explain issues of aggression, conflict and peace. Peace (Shamah) and conflict or war (Vigraha) are shaped by the inter-dependent factors, both, tangible and intangible, as well as, internal and external. While the study primarily explores “the empirical” and “the scientific” in Kautalya’s Arthashashtra, but takes the twentieth-century western geopolitical theories to develop parameters of testability of the theory
Chapter 11 – SIMPLE REGRESSION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses simple regression. It highlights obtaining linear relationships between a dependent variable Y and some independent variable X. Such a linear equation is estimated from pairs of observations, xi, yi, that are made at the same time, or on the same material, or otherwise linked or related. Often, Y is the output variable and X the input variable. Having accomplished the fitting, a variety of tests or interval estimates may be made, as desired, for example, on slopes, intercepts, standard errors of estimate σɛ, or predicted mean values from a fitted line. Fitting of linear models is often theoretically justifiable; if not, then it is empirically justified by the data seeming to lie along a line. In any case, a straight line is, commonly, a first approximation to a curve, especially if the range of X values is relatively narrow. But when a curved trend clearly appears, one should fit some other relationship. A graph of Y on X on uniform paper may suggest plotting on semi log or log-log paper. If either straightens out the graph, then one may readily fit polynomials such as a parabola by least squares.
CSF 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate Serial Monitoring to Guide Treatment of Congenital Folate Malabsorption Due to Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter (PCFT) Deficiency

Hereditary folate malabsorption is characterized by folate deficiency with impaired folate transport into the central nervous system (CNS). This disease is characterized by megaloblastic anemia of early appearance, combined immunodeficiency, seizures, and cognitive impairment. The anemia and immunologic disease are responsive but neurological signs are refractory to folic-acid treatment. We report a 7-year-old girl who has congenital folate deficiency and SLC46A1 gene mutation who is unable to transport folate from her gut to the circulatory system and consequently from the blood to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As a result she developed undetectable 5-methyltetrahydrofolate levels in her plasma and CSF and became immunocompromised and quite ill. Intramuscular treatment with 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (folinic acid) was therapeutic at her presentation and has been successful preventing other signs and symptoms of hereditary folate malabsorption even at relatively low CSF levels. Although difficult, early detection and diagnosis of cerebral folate deficiency are important because folinic acid at a pharmacologic dose may normalize outcome in PCFT gene defects, as well as bypass autoantibody-blocked folate receptors and enter the cerebrospinal fluid by way of the reduced folate carrier. This route elevates the 5-methyltetrahydrofolate level within the central nervous system and can prevent the neuropsychiatric disorder. CSF levels of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate between 18 and 46 nmol/L may be sufficient to eradicate CNS disease.
Mobility-Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning with Glimpse Mobility Prediction in Edge Computing

Mobile/multi-access edge computing (MEC) is therefore developed to support the upcoming AI-aware mobile services, which require low latency and intensive computation resources at the edge of the network. One of the most challenging issues in MEC is service provision with mobility consideration. It has been known that the offloading and migration decision need to be jointly handled to maximize the utility of networks within the latency constraints, which is challenging when users are in mobility. In this paper, we propose Mobility-Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning (M-DRL) framework for mobile service provision problems in the MEC system. M-DRL is composed of two parts: DRL specialized in supporting multiple users joint training, and glimpse, a seq2seq model customized for mobility prediction to predict a sequence of locations just like a “glimpse” of future. Through integrating the proposed DRL and glimpse mobility prediction model, the proposed M-DRL framework is optimized to handle the service provision problem in MEC with acceptable computation complexity and near-optimal performance.
Cognitive load detection from wrist-band sensors

In this work, we use machine learning (ML) to detect the cognitive load of a user based on sensor data from a smart wrist-band, sampled during 30 seconds. The data is provided by a challenge at the UbiTtention 2020 workshop of UbiComp 2020; in this paper we describe UW's participation (team Lynx). The defining characteristic of our approach is in the custom features that we extract from the time series. While we do not have any labeled instances for the test users, the fact that we do have multiple time series for each test user, allows us to extract features that measure how much individual time series deviate from the user's average. We combine this extracted information with other time series' features from the literature. We further use feature selection based on Gini impurity and state-of-the-art techniques for training ML models such as Logistic Regression, (Boosted) Decision Trees, Random Forests, and Support Vector Machines, yielding~63% accuracy by 6-fold cross-validation.
Chandra View of Kesteven 79: A Nearly Isothermal Supernova Remnant with Rich Spatial Structure

A 30 ks Chandra ACIS-I observation of Kes 79 reveals rich spatial structures, including many filaments, three partial shells, a loop, and a "protrusion." Most of them have corresponding radio features. Regardless of the different results from two nonequilibrium ionization (NEI) codes, temperatures of different parts of the remnant are all around 0.7 keV, which is surprisingly constant for a remnant with such rich structure. If thermal conduction is responsible for smoothing the temperature gradient, a lower limit on the thermal conductivity of ~1/10 of the Spitzer value can be derived. Thus, thermal conduction may play an important role in the evolution of at least some supernova remnants (SNRs). No spectral signature of the ejecta is found, which suggests that the ejecta material has been well mixed with the ambient medium. From the morphology and the spectral properties, we suggest that the bright inner shell is a wind-driven shell (WDS) overtaken by the blast wave (the outer shell) and estimate the age of the remnant to be ~6 kyr for the assumed dynamics. Projection is also required to explain the complicated morphology of Kes 79.
A potential pitfall of integration: The case for identity conflict to facilitate social change

Abstract Building on intersectional awareness literature, this paper examines how another individual difference regarding one’s perception of identity intersections — bicultural identity conflict (BII-C)— predicts immigrants’ interpretations of their social environment and general orientation to take action to support immigrants from one’s heritage group (GOA-I). While previous research has shown that BII-C, or perceived conflict (vs. harmony) between multiple cultural identities, is related to negative intergroup outcomes, we extend this research to examine how BII-C relates to social change actions that promote a more equitable society. An experimental study with 165 first- and second-generation immigrants living in the United States found support for a moderated mediation model. BII-C moderated the relationship between discrimination and the degree to which participants attributed discrimination to societal factors. These attributions were associated with GOA-I. Future research should consider additional individual differences, beyond intersectional awareness and BII-C, to see how these orientations may also act as a lens through which people interpret their social environment and are willing to take action to change it.
Complement, a Therapeutic Target in Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Currently available treatments of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remain limited despite improved understanding of DKD pathophysiology. The complement system is a central part of innate immunity, but its dysregulated activation is detrimental and results in systemic diseases with overt inflammation. Growing evidence suggests complement activation in DKD. With existent drugs and clinical success of treating other kidney diseases, complement inhibition has emerged as a potential novel therapy to halt the progression of DKD. This article will review DKD, the complement system’s role in diabetic and non-diabetic disease, and the potential benefits of complement targeting therapies, especially for DKD patients.
Contributions of cardiac dysfunction and volume status to central haemodynamics in chronic heart failure

Aims Elevated cardiac filling pressures producing clinical congestion in heart failure (HF) patients may be secondary to intravascular volume expansion or abnormalities in cardiac diastolic properties. The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which measures of myocardial function and intravascular volume correlate with haemodynamic abnormalities in chronic HF. Methods and results Subjects underwent invasive haemodynamic assessment, measurement of total blood volume (TBV) using radiolabel indicator-dilution methodology, and echocardiography to evaluate cardiac structure and function. Patients were divided into those with hypervolaemia (defined as TBV > +8% above referenced normal volume) and normal volume ('euvolaemia') (TBV ≤ + 8%). Of 66 patients, 39 (59%) were hypervolaemic and 27 (41%) normal TBV. Central venous pressure (CVP, P = 0.01) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP, P Conclusions While hypervolaemic patients displayed elevations in filling pressures, a substantial proportion (15%) had normal pressures, and of all subjects with elevated filling pressures nearly one third had normal TBVs. Importantly, of patients with normal volumes, a majority (>60%) display elevated filling pressures. Combined analysis of volume, pressure, and cardiac function may be helpful to guide comprehensive assessments of HF status.
Tracking Water with Synthetic DNA Tracers Using Droplet Digital PCR

Synthetic DNA tracers provide a promising approach for tracking water because they are unique, environmentally safe, and versatile and have low detection limits. This study aimed to develop and qua...
Semantic Segmentation for Pedestrian Detection from Motion in Temporal Domain

In autonomous driving, state-of-the-art methods detect pedestrians from their appearances in 2-D spatial images. However, these approaches are typically time-consuming in terms of the algorithm complexity to cope with the large variations in shape, pose, action, and illumination. Capturing motion needs even more efforts. In a completely different approach, this work recognizes pedestrians along with their motion directions in a temporal way. By projecting a driving video to a 2-D temporal image called Motion Profile (MP), we can robustly distinguish pedestrian in motion against smooth background motion. To ensure non-redundant data processing of deep network on a compact motion profile further, a novel temporal-shift memory (TSM) model is developed to perform deep learning of sequential input in linear processing time. In experiments containing pedestrian motion from various sensors such as video and LiDAR, we demonstrate that, with the reduced data size around 3/720th of a video volume, this motion-based method can reach the detecting rate of pedestrians at 90% in near and mid-range on the road. With the super-fast speed and good accuracy, this method is promising for intelligent vehicles.
Sampling for Machine Translation Evaluation

Aquest article preten oferir una visio general de les millors practiques desenvolupades a PayPal per al disseny i preparacio de mostres per a diferents tasques incloses en el proces d'avaluacio de la traduccio automatica.
The meanes of justification

AbstractAn anonymous manuscript letter with a library classifying title of Controversii et compendium Becari[Becanus], and also known as ‘A Letter from a Welsh Catholic’ (1625), offers a rare glimpse into a private, cross-confessional dialogue in Stuart Britain. Written from a Roman Catholic to his Protestant ‘cosen’, the letter highlights how theological and cultural controversies were disputed in ways that diverge from typical polemic. The letter combines the traditional Catholic discourse on religious imagery with a strident critique of Protestant doctrine and practice. The commentary here on the text highlights some of the key points of the argument, what the letter’s style indicates about its polemical nature and what, if any, insight the author’s affinity for the principality of Wales can tell us about the intertwining worlds of religious and cultural identity.
Hydrocarbon oxidation by a bacterial enzyme system. I. Products of octane oxidation.

Abstract A Pseudomonad which grows on hexane as sole carbon source was isolated from soil by enrichment-culture technique. Cell-free, soluble enzyme preparations of the organism catalyze the oxidation of 14C-labeled octane to radioactive octanoic acid. A pyridine nucleotide is required for this overall conversion in charcoal-treated bacterial extracts. n-Octanol and octaldehyde were identified as products of octane oxidation and the presence in the enzyme preparations of DPN-dependent dehydrogenases acting on octanol and octaldehyde was demonstrated.
Nosocomial urinary tract infection: a prospective evaluation of 108 catheterized patients.

This study describes the evaluation of 108 patients who had indwelling urethral catheters for acute medical and surgical indications. Patients were evaluated daily, and cultures from bladders and drainage bags were obtained. Appropriateness for continuing catheterization was as sessed using preset criteria. Twenty-five patients developed urinary tract infections. Exposure to antibiotics and a shorter duration of catheterization were the only factors that correlated significantly with a delayed onset or decreased prevalence of infection. Factors found to have insignificant effects included age, sex, maintenance of the closed system, underlying host disease status, catheter type, and reason for catheterization. No collection systems with one way valves were used, but significant colony counts in drainage bag urine preceded urinary tract infection in only two patients. Thirty-six percent of the total 562 catheter days were judged unnecessary. A major emphasis must be placed on prompt catheter removal if the prevalence of nosocomial urinary tract infections is to be reduced substantially in a cost-effective manner. [Infect Control 1981; 2(5):380-386.]
ID: 224: Stat2-dependent responses lead to increased mortality following Salmonella-induced colitis

Salmonella Typhimurium is an intracellular pathogenic gram-negative bacterium that colonizes predominantly the intestinal lumen, activates Toll-like receptors, and accounts for most of food borne illnesses. The transcription factor Stat2 is vital in type I interferon activated antiviral and antitumor immunity and yet less is known about its role in bacterial infection. In a recent study, we reported that Stat2 was protective when tested in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis as mortality was accelerated inStat2 knockout (KO) mice. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Stat2 in a clinically relevant inflammation model of Salmonella-induced colitis. We found that when mice were pretreated with streptomycin and then orally infected with Salmonella, compared to wild type mice, Stat2KO mice showed altered intestinal responses by experiencing lower intestinal bacterial burdens. No differences were found in bacterial burdens at systemic sites. Stat2-dependent responses were lethal to wild type mice while Stat2KO mice were found to be more resistant. In contrast, Stat1KO mice were more susceptible to Salmonella infection than wild type mice suggesting that Stat2 and Stat1 play different roles during pathogenic bacterial infection. Our results indicate that disruption of the intestinal microbiota allows Stat2-dependent responses to play an adverse role in host defense against Salmonella-induced colitis. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of Stat2 dependent responses playing a negative role in the host defense against pathogenic Salmonella bacteria. Future studies will reveal if this observation applies to other gram negative pathogens.
Functionalism, Computationalism, and Mental Contents

Almost no one cites Sellars, while reinventing his wheels with gratifying regularity. (Dennett 1987, 349)
The lymphoid system: Abnormalities in immunodeficiency and malignancy

THE LYMPHOID system has long been of interest to physicians involved in the care of children because it serves an important role in specific host immune responses to a multitude of microorganisms. Deviations within the lymphoid system, often associated with immunodeficiency diseases, autoimmune diseases, and malignancy, have been studied with increasing interest in the past decade. Recent clinical and experimental observations suggest that these diseases can perhaps be better understood through enhanced knowledge of the various subpopulations of lymphoid cells. The focus of this review will be a description of current knowledge of these lymphoid subpopulations in respect to their occurrence and relationships in immunodeficiency states and malignancy in childhood. Current evidence indicates that the human lymphoid system is heterogeneous and is comprised of two major subpopulations which may be distinguished by certain functional characteristics. Thymus-derived or thymus-
The conference room as a toolbox: technological and social routines in corporate meeting spaces

HCI, CSCW, and ubicomp researchers have developed new technologies and interaction techniques to support collaboration, ranging from electronic whiteboards to software supporting display sharing. However, very few longitudinal studies have explored the technological and social routines of individuals using personal devices in conjunction with shared displays under authentic settings in meeting rooms. We extend previous work in this area by studying routines within two multi-purpose meeting spaces at two design and manufacturing-oriented corporations, with particular emphasis on the shared display found in each location.Our contribution to this space is a holistic approach to understanding the dynamics between people, devices, information, and the physical environment of meeting spaces. We argue that while it is important to improve technological infrastructures, such as enhancing display sharing abilities, understanding the social and technology routines that currently support collaboration are beneficial to technology designers aiming to enhance existing practices. In this paper, we analyze the routines occurring in these two spaces and discuss several routines that are impacted not only by technological limitations, but social conventions. We explore the types of interaction with devices and displays and identify other factors that contribute to the communities of information--items discussed, presented, or displayed--within these environments. To further explore the integrity of these routines, we introduced a second shared display to each space and observed groups responding very differently to the new technology, some integrating it into their routines while others dismissed it. We argue that meeting spaces need to be toolboxes containing many tools, some redundant, to successfully support information sharing routines.
Functional domains in introns: Trans-acting and cis-acting regions of intron 4 of the cob gene

Abstract We have sequenced the mutational changes in eight mutants in the open reading frame of intron 4 of the cob gene on yeast mitochondrial DNA. Three have a cis-acting splicing defect, while the others inactivate a trans-recessive intron domain that specifies a trans-acting splicing factor. From phenotypic evidence, including analyses of the allele-specific extra proteins, we have identified a protein (P27) encoded wholly within the intron that appears to be the intron 4 splicing factor (maturase). The evidence suggests that P27 is a secondary translation product resulting from the proteolytic cleavage of a larger precursor encoded by exon and intron sequences, but an alternative model, in which P27 is a primary translation product, has not been ruled out.
Field Precision of Formaldehyde Sampling and Analysis Using NIOSH Method 3500

This study examined the field precision of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 3500, also known as chromotropic acid method, in the range of exposures that covers the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit of 0.75 ppm and the OSHA action level of 0.5 ppm airborne formaldehyde. Using this method, 78 area samples (25 sets of replicate samples) were collected in a workplace and analyzed. The concentrations of formaldehyde ranged from 0.05 to 1.72 ppm with a mean ± standard deviation of 0.95 ± 0.31 ppm. The precision (coefficient of variation, CV) of 25 sets of replicate samples ranged from 0.03 to 0.24 with an overall (pooled) precision of 0.09, which is in agreement with that stated in NIOSH Method 3500. In 68% of replicate samples the precision was equal to or less than 0.09. The relative accuracy of the sampling and analytical procedure used in this study was evaluated by collecting 12 sets of side-by-side replicate samples using bo...
Post-surgical hemodynamics in aortic valve bypass (AVB) patients evaluated with phase contrast magnetic resonance (PCMR).

Background Many high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis cannot undergo valve replacement surgery due to calcification of the ascending aorta. Aortic valve bypass (AVB) surgery uses a conduit and prosthetic valve placed transapically into the left ventricle to divert flow from the apex of the heart through the conduit and prosthetic valve to the descending thoracic aorta to improve cardiac output, Fig 1. The hemodynamics resulting from AVB are not well understood. Specifically, there appears to be significant patient-to-patient variability in the amount of retrograde blood flow in the descending thoracic aorta (location 3, flow from conduit to arch vessels). The objective of this study is to use phase contrast magnetic resonance (PCMR) to examine the hemodynamics in AVB patients and determine the relationship between pre-surgery native aortic valve pressure gradient and post-surgery retrograde blood flow in the thoracic aorta.
Knee: an everyday wearable goniometer for monitoring physical therapy adherence

Care practice in physical therapy consists of in-person sessions combined with an exercise plan for patients to follow. Physical therapists rely on self-reporting and in-clinic observations to assess recovery, but lack reliable measures for between visits. We present a fully realized wearable device that passively captures knee movement data. We discuss how consultation with physical therapists guided the design of this prototype to support the existing patient-provider relationship.
Management of lower extremity deep vein thrombosis in pregnancy

Learning Objectives Review the existing published guidelines regarding management of DVT in pregnancy. Discuss all treatment options including techniques, risks and benefits, and outcomes: conservative management, including anticoagulation and compression stockings; catheter-directed treatments, including lytic infusion catheters and pharmacomechanical thrombolysis (Trellis, Angiojet). Surgical thrombectomy. Understand the special considerations regarding treatment for DVT in pregnant patients: radiation effects on the fetus Medication effects on the fetus (tPA, heparin, warfarin, sedation medications); anticoagulation recommendations; mechanical compression of the gravid uterus on the iliac vein, including stents. Background Pregnancy poses a multi-factorial, two to four fold increase in risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Prominent amongst these include hypercoagulability, venous stasis, immobility and mechanical compression from the gravid uterus. Effective guidelines regarding the optimal approach and treatment of DVT in pregnant patients are outdated or lacking, to the detriment of these patients. Clinical Findings/Procedure Details None Conclusion and/or Teaching Points Management of lower extremity DVT in pregnancy is an evolving topic, especially regarding newer interventional treatments, with limited data and guidelines. In order to optimally counsel and manage these patients, an understanding of all treatment options and the special considerations regarding treatment for DVT in pregnancy is required.
Prolongation of pheromonal emission in the maternal rat.

Abstract It was shown that emission of the maternal pheromone in the albino rat can be prolonged well beyond 27 days from parturition by repeated substitution of foster litters between 16 and 21 days of age. On the other hand, it was not possible to prolong the responsiveness of the young by repeated substitution of foster mothers actively emitting the attractant. The possible adaptive value of this assymetry between mother and young is discussed.
Leading the charge

Collective cell invasion into the extracellular matrix (ECM) has been observed in malignant tumours and in tissue morphogenesis. To achieve this, leading cells trigger both proteolytic and structural modifications of the ECM to create channels that precede progressively widening chains of following cells.
Seeking the source of emotional Stroop interference effects in PTSD: A study of P3s to traumatic words

We investigated the source of emotional Stroop interference effects in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by measuring reaction times and P3 latencies and amplitudes to personal traumatic, personal positive, and neutral words in a modified Stroop paradigm. Individuals with PTSD were slower to indicate word color, especially for traumatic words, thereby replicating emotional Stroop interference in PTSD. Individuals with PTSD also had significantly reduced and delayed P3 components across word types. Across diagnostic groups, frontal P3 amplitudes were larger to personal positive and traumatic words compared to standard neutral words. However, the absence of Diagnosis x Word Type interactions for P3 measures suggests that individuals with PTSD do not differ from individuals without PTSD in the encoding and recognition of the color of traumatic relative to nontraumatic words, and that Stroop interference does not occur during these early stages of processing.
Aluminum Impurity Diffusion in Magnesium

The diffusion of Al in polycrystalline Mg (99.9%) was studied via depth profiling with secondary ion mass spectrometry in the temperature range of 573-673 K, utilizing the thin film method and thin film solution to the diffusion equation. Multiple samples with multiple depth profiles on each sample were obtained to determine statistically confident coefficients with a maximum standard deviation between measurements of 16%. The activation energy and pre-exponential factor of Al impurity diffusion in Mg were determined as 155 kJ/mole and 3.9 × 10−3 m2/s, respectively. The Mg substrates have a small grain size (~10 μm) and therefore some contributions from grain boundary diffusion are expected in the measurements. Sputter roughening during depth profiling, which is inherent to the SIMS process, also contributes to the measured diffusion coefficient, especially in samples with smaller grain sizes.
Comparison of helix stabilities of poly-L-lysine, poly-L-ornithine, and poly (L-diaminobutyric acid).

The helix–coil transitions of aqueous solutions of poly-α-L-lysine (PLL), poly-α-L-ornithine (PLO), and poly(α,γ-L-diaminobutyric acid) (PLDBA) have been investigated as functions of pH at 25°C and of temperature at pH 11.75, where these polymers are uncharged; in the cases of the latter two polyamino acids, the transitions have also been studied as functions of apparent pH in methanol-water solution (50/50 by volume). The helix stability of the polypeptides is shown to be a direct function of the number of methylene groups on the side chain. From an analysis of potentiometric titration data, we find that the difference between the helix stability of PLL and that of PLO is due to a difference of about 1 e.u. in the ΔS° of the transition. Combining the “melting curves” obtained from optical rotatory dispersion studies with the potentiometric titration data permits evaluation of the initiation parameter Z (or 1/σ½) of the statistical mechanical theories for these transitions. The value obtained for Z in the case of uncharged aqueous PLO is ca. 35.
Substance P Increases Cell-Surface Expression of CD74 (Receptor for Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor): In Vivo Biotinylation of Urothelial Cell-Surface Proteins

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), an inflammatory cytokine, and its receptor CD74 are upregulated by bladder inflammation. MIF-mediated signal transduction involves binding to cell-surface CD74, this study documents, in vivo, MIF-CD74 interactions at the urothelial cell surface. N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide biotin ester-labeled surface urothelial proteins in rats treated either with saline or substance P (SP, 40 μg/kg). The bladder was examined by histology and confocal microscopy. Biotinylated proteins were purified by avidin agarose, immunoprecipitated with anti-MIF or anti-CD74 antibodies, and detected with strepavidin-HRP. Only superficial urothelial cells were biotinylated. These cells contained a biotinylated MIF/CD74 cell-surface complex that was increased in SP-treated animals. SP treatment increased MIF and CD74 mRNA in urothelial cells. Our data indicate that intraluminal MIF, released from urothelial cells as a consequence of SP treatment, interacts with urothelial cell-surface CD74. These results document that our previously described MIF-CD74 interaction occurs at the urothelial cell surface.
A structural analog of the protosterol cation is not a strong inhibitor of sterol biosynthesis

Abstract The relatively modest potency of inhibition of lanosterol synthase by the tetracyclic ammonium ion 10, a structural analog of the protosterol cation 4, IC50 = 22 μM, indicates that the protosterol cation is not strongly bound by the enzyme.
The role of complement in inflammation and phagocytosis

Abstract Inflammation and phagocytosis are highly complex events involving many humoral and cellular factors, with complement components playing a key role. As described here by Mike Frank and Louis Fries, complement peptides trigger cell function, aid in the recognition o f invading pathogens and regulate the phagocytic process via interactions with specific cell surface receptors.
Formate anion: The physical force field

Abstract Unequivocal assignments for all of the vibrational modes of the formate ion have been made from isotopic shifts measured in the Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectra of polycrystalline samples of the sodium salts of HCO2−, H13CO2−, DCO2−, and D13CO2−. Literature frequencies for DCO18O− and DC18O2− have been added to the above results for the unique determination of the 10 force constants in the general harmonic force field. Product rule relations among the harmonic frequencies are shown to interfere seriously with the determination of the physical force field by the standard normal coordinate computation. The least-squares refinement is found to be particularly sensitive to identified types of anharmonic error in the frequencies. Refinements characterized as ΦaH and ΦaD improve reliability by elimination of the deuterium isotopic shift for νCH. The physical force field is interpreted in terms of the geometric and electronic structure.
Aberrant β-Catenin Signaling in Tuberous Sclerosis

The pathology associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) shows diverse phenotypes that suggest abnormal signaling of multiple pathways. Besides the negative regulatory role of the TSC1/TSC2 proteins on mTOR, we have reported an effect on β-catenin signaling at the level of the degradation complex in vitro. The TSC1/TSC2 complex associates with GSK3 and Axin and promotes β-catenin degradation to inhibit Wnt-stimulated TCF/LEF-dependent transcription. Here, we show that β-catenin and its effectors, cyclin D1 and connexin 43, were up-regulated in TSC-related angiomyolipomas and lymphangioleiomyomatosis. This was supported by the failure of three disease-causing TSC2 missense mutants to inhibit Wnt signaling. Further, the interaction between TSC1/TSC2 and components of the β-catenin degradation complex was dependent on Wnt stimulation such that binding of tuberin to GSK3 and Axin was reduced in the presence of Wnt whereas the tuberin-Dishevelled interaction was increased. GSK3 activity played a role in regulating the assembly/stability of the degradation complex. Inhibition of GSK3 by lithium chloride reduced its association with TSC1 whereas disruption of GSK3-phosphorylation sites in TSC1 reduced interaction between TSC2 and TSC1. Collectively, our data provide further evidence that β-catenin signaling plays a role in TSC pathogenesis in vivo and suggest a novel role of GSK3 in modulating the TSC1/TSC2 complex through TSC1 phosphorylation.
Tyrosinase Reaction/Chitosan Adsorption for Removing Phenols from Wastewater

A two-step approach for removing phenols from aqueous solutions was investigated. In the first step, weakly adsorbable phenols are converted to quinones by the enzyme mushroom tyrosinase. The tyrosinase-generated quinones are then chemisorbed onto chitosan, a readily available waste product of the shellfish industry. In the absence of enzyme, quinone was observed to be rapidly adsorbed onto chitosan. Also, the enthalpy for quinone adsorption onto chitosan was observed to be −24.7 kcal/mol, which compares to enthalpies of -7 kcal/mol for adsorption of phenols and quinone onto activated charcoal. With the monophenol reactant cresol, the tyrosinase enzyme was observed to be somewhat stabilized in the presence of chitosan. This stabilization of tyrosinase is presumably due to the rapid adsorption of the reactive quinones onto chitosan. In contrast, tyrosinase was not stabilized by chitosan when the o-diphenol catechol was the reactant. The ability of chitosan to stabilize tyrosinase for monophenols but not for o-diphenols is discussed in terms of the relative rates of phenol oxidation by tyrosinase and quinone chemisorption onto chitosan. When mushroom tyrosinase and chitosan were added simultaneously to dilute, phenol-containing solutions, a nearly complete removal of UV-absorbing material was observed. This observation demonstrates the feasibility of removing phenols from dilute solutions using the tyrosinase reaction/chitosan adsorption approach.
Does Formal Daily Huddle Meetings Improve Safety Awareness

Injury and fatality rates of the construction industry prove it to be one of the most dangerous industries in which to work. Along with the inherent complexity of the construction tasks, lack of coordination and interaction among the project participants contribute to the current state of safety and health of the construction industry. One way to improve project performance is to increase participants’ involvement and augment interactions. Formal Daily Huddle Meeting (FDHM) is one such tool that increases participants’ interaction. The workers also get an opportunity to express their thoughts and concerns relevant to the scope of work for that day. The goal of the study was to explore the efficacy of FDHM in construction environment. Multiple case study method was employed to collect interaction data among project participants during Daily Huddle Meetings. Based on the analysis of the interaction data collected from 40 FDHMs and content analyses of open-ended interviews of project participants, it was evi...