cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Architecture of the influenza hemagglutinin membrane fusion site

Abstract The mechanism of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) mediated membrane fusion has been intensively studied for over 20 years after the bromelain-released ectodomain of HA at neutral pH was first crystallized. Nearly 10 years ago, the low-pH-induced “spring coiled” conformational change of HA was predicted from peptide chemistry and confirmed by crystallography. Other work has yielded a wealth of knowledge on the observed changes in HA fusion/hemifusion phenotypes as a function of site-specific mutations of HA, or added amphipathic molecules or particular IgGs. It is becoming clear that the conformational changes predicted by the crystallography are necessary to cause fusion and that interfering with these changes can block fusion or reduce it to hemifusion. What is not known is how the conformational changes cause fusion. In particular, while it is generally agreed that fusion requires an aggregate of HAs, how the aggregate may act to transduce the energy of the HA conformational changes to creating the initial fusion defect is not known. We have used a comprehensive mass action kinetic model of HA-mediated fusion to carry out a “meta-analysis” of several key data sets, using HA-expressing cells and using virions. The consensus result of these detailed kinetic studies was that the fusion site of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) is an aggregate with at least eight HAs. The high-energy conformational change of only two of these HAs within the aggregate permits the formation of the first fusion pore. This “8 and 2” result was required to best fit all the data. We review these studies and how this kinetic result can guide and constrain HA fusion models. The kinetic analysis suggests that the sequence of fusion intermediates starts with protein control and ends with lipid control, which makes sense. While curvature intermediates, e.g. the lipid stalk, are almost certainly within the fusion sequence, the “8 and 2” result does not suggest that they are the first step after HA aggregation. The stabilized hydrophobic defect model we have proposed as a precursor to the lipid stalk can form and is consistent with the “8 and 2” result.
Effectiveness of a Home-Based Exercise Intervention for HIV-Infected Adults: A Randomized Trial

The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of a 15-week (20 minutes three times per week) home-based aerobic exercise intervention versus usual care on the physical endurance, immune status, and self-reported health status of 99 HIV-infected adults. In the exercise group, there was no improvement in physical endurance or health-related quality of life (HRQOL), except in the Medical Outcomes Study-HIV Health Survey Overall Health subscale (difference = 12.1, 95% confidence interval = 2.0-22.2, p = .02). Although physical endurance levels were maintained at baseline levels in the intervention group and declined in the control group, differences between the groups were small and not significant. There were also no significant changes in CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts. Exercise appears to be safe in HIV-infected patients. Improvements in physical endurance and HRQOL might result if the exercise protocol is longer or progressive. Further research is needed to establish guidelines for exercise in patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy.
OBJECTIVES, EVALUATION, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION

Abstract For five years, from 1995 until 2000, a group of eight educators and researchers met twice annually in Syracuse, NY, for the purpose of revising Bloom's Taxonomy. Based in part on the structure of educational objectives, in part on advances in cognitive psychology, and in part on numerous other attempts to classify educational objectives that were made since the publication of Bloom's Taxonomy, this group produced a two-dimensional table, known simply as the Taxonomy Table. The horizontal dimension was a modification of Bloom's Taxonomy, with verb forms replacing the noun forms of the original category labels: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create. The vertical dimension consisted of four types of knowledge: Factual Knowledge, Conceptual Knowledge, Procedural Knowledge, and Metacognitive Knowledge. The purposes of this article are to (1) describe the major differences between the original Taxonomy and the Taxonomy Table, (2) discuss ways in which the Taxonomy Table can be used to examine and ultimately improve the quality of assessment and instruction, and (3) explore how the Taxonomy Table can be used to provide more accurate estimates of curriculum alignment and opportunity to learn.
Celiac disease with various presentations.

Background: Celiac disease (CD) has a wide clinical spectrum from malabsorption syndrome to extra intestinal presentations. A total of 45 children with CD presented with mainly chronic diarrhea (n :23), anemia (n: 12), and short stature (n: 10) were evaluated in this study. The aim was to find common parameters of CD with various presentations. Methods: Basic anthropometric, biochemical and hematological parameters in cases with CD with various presentations were compared. Results: It was found that children with CD presenting with chronic diarrhea were younger. There was no significant difference in hemoglobin levels in children with CD presenting with anemia. Children with CD with short stature had significantly lower serum vitamin B12 levels and lower levels of height standard deviation scores, bone age delay, and alkaline phosphatase. Conclusions: It was concluded that children, especially infants with chronic diarrhea with CD, may not be affected with generalized malabsorption. Anemia and short stature are frequent findings in cases with CD whether they are main presenting symptoms or not. Children with CD presenting with short stature may have lower levels of vitamin B12 than other presentations.
Cells to Surgery Quiz: May 2015

1. An 87-year-old man with past medical history of stroke is a resident of a long-term care facility. Staff members have been conservatively managing his sacral pressure ulcer. What is the stage of the ulcer according to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel staging system? a. Stage I. b. Stage II. c. Stage III. d. Stage IV. Cells to Surgery Quiz: May 2015 Fleta N. Bray1, Mohammed Alsaidan1, Leyre Falto-Aizpurua1, Brian J. Simmons1, Mohammad-Ali Yazdani Abyaneh1, Robert D. Griffith1 and Keyvan Nouri1 Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2015) 135, e13. doi:10.1038/jid.2015.101
Single-cell tracking with a reversing flow cytometer.

We have developed an instrument based on a flow cytometer platform that is capable of tracking individual, suspended cells over extended time periods. The instrument repeatedly moves in a capillary the same volume segment of fluid containing tens to hundreds of suspended cells through the focal point of a laser. Individual cells are then tracked based on the timing of when they cross the laser, and cell properties are measured as in a conventional flow cytometer. Because cells are repeatedly measured the single-cell rates of change can be determined. The developed instrumentation was applied to measure the variability of ABC transporter activity in a population of human cancer cells and the temperature dependence of constitutively expressed Gfp in yeast. A wide range of transport rates can be observed in the cancer cell population while the single-cell Gfp fluorescence in yeast shows pronounced oscillations in response to temperature shifts. These observations are not detectable at the population level. Therefore, such measurements are useful for investigating cell function as they reveal how variable properties of single cells change over time. © 2010 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Asymmetries in the Morality of Causing People to Exist

This paper questions the justification for the common view that there is a moral reason not to cause a person to exist if his life would be miserable, but no reason to cause a person to exist because his life would be worth living. It argues that this asymmetry presupposes an ad hoc claim about the different ways in which good and bad states in an individual’s life have value. The claim that there is a moral difference between harming and benefiting is more plausible but supports only a weaker asymmetry that concedes that there is a moral reason to create lives worth living.
Semantic Competition as The Basis of Stroop Interference: Evidence From Color-Word Matching Tasks

A color-word matching task was used to investigate the basis of Stroop interference. Subjects were shown a pair of stimuli: an ink color (e.g., a red bar) and a colored word (e.g., RED printed in red or blue) and decided whether the two items had the same meaning (meaning decisions) or whether they had the same surface color (visual decisions). In Experiment 1, the two stimuli were shown simultaneously, and conflicting visual information of the word (e.g., RED printed in blue, against a red bar) led to interference in meaning decisions, whereas conflicting verbal information (e.g., BLUE printed in red, against a red bar) produced no interference in visual decisions. In Experiment 2, as an increasing time interval was imposed between presentation of the color bar and the colored word, interference in meaning decisions diminished, whereas interference in visual decisions was established. These results suggest that semantic competition, not response competition, is the major source of Stroop and Stroop-like ...
The peripheral dependency of Rohon‐Beard cells

Sensory Rohon-Beard cells of Rana pipiens embryos were examined for dependency on the peripheral innervation. Flank ectoderm was surgically removed, the area being maintained skinless by lateral parabiosis. The Rohon-Beard cells in each side of the spinal cord were counted at a later developmental stage; the number was always less on the side with the reduced skin area. Intact animals, operated controls, and tails of the parabiotic pairs did not show such a bias in cell distribution. Deprivation of the neurotrophic periphery is postulated as the cause of the premature disappearance of the Rohon-Beard cells; it is further suggested that the disappearance of these cells during normal development might be effected through the peripheral innervation.
Wide area computing: resource sharing on a large scale

Consider almost any computing resource today-whether hardware, software, or data-and it will invariably be networked. Computing over wide area networks has been largely ad hoc, but as needs increase, piecemeal solutions no longer make sense. The authors set out to design and build a wide-area operating system that would allow multiple organizations with diverse platforms to share and combine their resources. This system, Legion, is a network-level operating system designed from scratch to target wide-area computing demands.
Evaluation of low flow estimation techniques for ungauged catchments

Low flow indices are of interest for a number of water-related applications. Conventionally, low flow indices are derived from continuous streamflow data; however, these data may not always be available for analysis. A number of techniques have therefore been developed for low flow estimation in ungauged catchments. These approaches vary in complexity and in the amount of initial data required to generate the low flow model. In the UK, software is available which assists in low flow estimation for ungauged catchments. However, certain desktop studies only require a simple evaluation of low flows, with specific low flow indices, such as the Q 95 index, being of interest. In this case, the use of such software may not be justified or required in the first instance. This paper demonstrates that a simple regression model is adequate for low flow estimation for multisite analysis where the order magnitude of the low flow index is of importance.
A Clinical Model for Identifying Radiosensitive Tumor Genotypes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Purpose: Non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) includes a spectrum of radiosensitive and radioresistant tumors. However, little is known about the molecular determinants of cellular radiation responses. We examined clinical outcomes after gamma knife radiotherapy for NSCLC intracranial metastases to evaluate the use of this model for determining radiosensitive tumor genotypes. Experimental Design: Between 2005 and 2012, 239 patients with NSCLC were enrolled in a prospective gamma knife data repository. Molecular pathology regarding EGF receptor (EGFR), ALK, and KRAS mutation status was available for 81 patients. Local and distant brain control was determined for 79 patients with 469 brain metastases. Modified Cox proportional hazards models were established to evaluate local control for treated lesions after serial gamma knife treatments. Results: In total, 11% of patients developed in-field recurrence. No patients with metastases from tumors with EGFR mutations (0/164 lesions) or EML4-ALK translocations (0/61 lesions) recurred in-field. In contrast, 19% of patients without these mutations and 18% of patients with KRAS mutations recurred in-field (10/139 and 3/105 lesions, respectively). Rates of distant brain recurrence did not significantly differ across tumor genotypes. The predicted median in-field local control was significantly longer for EGFR-mutant and ALK-translocated tumors compared with other patients with NSCLC ( P P = 0.97). On multivariate analysis, EGFR mutation, ALK translocation, and metastasis size were independent predictors for superior local control after gamma knife treatment. Conclusions: This study suggests that EGFR kinase domain mutations and EML4-ALK translocations are radiosensitive NSCLC genotypes, and proposes a novel model to identify radiosensitive subtypes of NSCLC. Clin Cancer Res; 19(19); 5523–32. ©2013 AACR .
Clavicle fractures: a review of the literature and update on treatment

Clavicle fractures are common, and it is important for primary care physicians to be familiar with basic principles of evaluation and management in order to initiate treatment as well as discuss these injuries with patients and consulting orthopedic surgeons. These injuries are almost always the result of trauma (often a direct blow to the shoulder) and occur most often in the young male population. Evaluation begins with a thorough history and physical examination and typically progresses to plain radiographs identifying the fracture site and pattern. These fractures have been classified by Allman into groups I (mid-shaft), II (lateral), and III (medial); this classification, along with fracture characteristics (eg, displacement and comminution) is used to assist with determining the strategy for management. Although nondisplaced fractures continue to be treated conservatively with a simple sling until the fracture is healed according to radiographs and clinical assessment, various forms of open reduction and internal fixation are now commonly used to treat fractures with little or no cortical contact between fragments. Open reduction and internal fixation has shown superior results compared with conservative management in recent trials of management of displaced fractures. Nonunion and malunion are rare, but may be symptomatic in a subset of patients. These complications may be addressed with open reduction and internal fixation, bone grafting, and osteotomy as needed.
Gravity Wave Phenomena Accompanying East Coast Cyclogenesis

Abstract A remarkable example of gravity wave propagation over the southeastern United States on Dec. 3, 1968, is described. The wave developed within the cold air north of a quasi-stationary front along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in apparent response to convective activity associated with a weak cyclonic disturbance on the front. The wave maintained its identity for 14 hr while propagating east-southeastward at 13 m/s in a direction nearly opposite to the low-level flow. Gravity-wave-related pressure drops exceeded 7 mb over an average period of 1 hr. Strong and gusty winds blowing perpendicularly to the isobars toward lower pressure accompanied the wave-related pressure fall. Precipitation of several hours duration ceased abruptly with the wave passage, along with increases in the ceiling and horizontal visibility. Comparison is made with results from other papers dealing with wave propagation along frontal surfaces.
Modern Tropical Forest Taphonomy: Does High Biodiversity Affect Paleoclimatic Interpretations?

Modern biodiversity hotspots are characterized by high species diversity and by biotas facing a substantial threat of extinction, largely due to a high proportion of endemic taxa living in these regions. Theoretically, hotspots of biodiversity are areas of particular interest in the fossil record because of the relatively high quality and quantity of data that they may contribute to a global understanding of vegetational response to changes in climate, tectonic uplift, and ecological disturbance. Current models for climatic reconstruction that depend on leaf physiognomy are based on data sets in which species-rich tropical floras are less well represented, relative to temperate floras. Eight modern Neotropical floras from a range of precipitation regimes were evaluated to determine the influence that high source floral diversity has on reconstruction of mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP). Floras are drawn from sites in Costa Rica to southern Peru, having species richness from 55 to >400 species per plot. MAT of the sites spans a range of 24 to 28°C, and MAP ranges from ∼1600 mm to 3000 mm. By subsampling the modern floras in rank order of dominance (basal area), the importance of collecting intensity and completeness on subsequent assessments of MAT and MAP is evaluated. Biodiverse floras are good at reconstructing MAT if at least 50% of the species are included. When only 25 species are used for temperature calculations, the accuracy of the parameter is compromised, but a ±3°C error encompasses the majority of the deviation. Application to the early Paleocene Castle Rock fossil flora of Colorado confirms the validity of subsampling in high-diversity fossil applications. However, reconstruction of MAP is fraught with problems that do not appear to be related to biodiversity of the floras. Errors on estimates of MAP currently are so large as to make the values too vague to be useful in most applications. This study has accepted a 20% error as necessary, but the applicability of data with errors > 20% is questionable in situations where rainfall is >1500 mm per year. MAP estimates using leaf area are almost universally underestimates of actual MAP, and frequently are >400 mm in error. Exploration of these data indicates that effort would be well placed in investigating the relative importance of precipitation parameters in altering leaf morphology before choosing one to reconstruct climates of the past.
Drug forecast - the peptide deformylase inhibitors as antibacterial agents.

The relatively rapid development of microbial resistance after the entry of every new antimicrobial into the marketplace necessitates a constant supply of new agents to maintain effective pharmacotherapy. Despite extensive efforts to identify novel lead compounds from molecular targets, only the peptide deformylase inhibitors (PDIs) have shown any real promise, with some advancing to phase I human trials. Bacterial peptide deformylase, which catalyzes the removal of the N-formyl group from N-terminal methionine following translation, is essential for bacterial protein synthesis, growth, and survival. The majority of PDIs are pseudopeptide hydroxamic acids and two of these (IV BB-83698 and oral NVP LBM-415) entered phase I human trials. However, agents to the present have suffered from major potential liabilities. Their in vitro activity has been limited to gram-positive aerobes and some anaerobes and has been quite modest against the majority of such species (MIC90 values ranging from 1–8 mg/L). They have exerted bacteriostatic, not bacteriocidal, activity, thus reducing their potential usefulness in the management of serious infections in the immunocompromised. The relative ease with which microorganisms have been able to develop resistance and the multiple available mechanisms of resistance (mutations in fmt, defB, folD genes; AcrAB/TolC efflux pump; overexpression of peptide deformylase) are worrisome. These could portend a short timespan of efficacy after marketing. Despite these current liabilities, further pursuit of more potent and broader spectrum PDIs which are less susceptible to bacterial mechanisms of resistance is still warranted.
Dynamic imaging system for mechanical and spectral properties estimation

Mechanical and spectral properties of tumor can be used in detecting breast cancer and characterizing the malignancy of tumor. In this study, we develop a Dynamic Imaging System (DIS) for estimating the mechanical (size, depth, and elastic modulus) and spectral (absorption coefficient) properties of embedded objects. The dynamic imaging system consists of a near infra-red light source with a Tactile Imaging Sensor (TIS) as detector, a source-detector maneuvering system, and a laptop as optical data acquisition unit. The source-detector geometry is controlled for collecting diffuse optical information, which we termed as dynamic imaging. This system determines absorption coefficient, and along with tactile information produces improved depth, and elastic modulus estimation. We performed experiments with a multimodal phantom for determining mechanical properties with the dynamic imaging system. The DIS estimated size and depth with errors of 0.8% and 20.67% compared to the tactile imaging sensor measurement errors of 7.23% and 41.83%. The dynamic imaging system also determined elastic modulus and absorption coefficient of the embedded object with moderate errors.
N-terminal amphipathic helix of Amphiphysin can change the spatial distribution of immunoglobulin E receptors (FcεRI) in the RBL-2H3 mast cell synapse.

Biomembranes undergo extensive shape changes as they perform vital cellular functions or become diseased. To understand the mechanisms by which lipids and proteins control membrane curvature during various processes, researchers have identified and engineered many curvature-inducing and curvature-sensing proteins and peptides. In this paper, a simple experiment was performed to show qualitatively how membrane remodeling by N-terminal amphipathic helix of Amphiphysin affects the spatial distribution of the transmembrane Fc receptor protein (FceRI) in mast cells. Results indicate that an elevated concentration of amphipathic helices can interfere with the formation of a typical mast cell synapse.
Effects of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester on renal function and blood pressure.

The dose-dependent effects of intravenous infusions of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 0.1, 1, 10, and 50 micrograms.kg-1.min-1), were studied in anesthetized rats to determine whether the inhibitory actions of L-NAME are manifested primarily in alterations of renal function or whether they are the consequences of the increase in systemic blood pressure. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was not altered by the intravenous L-NAME infusions of 0.1 and 1.0 microgram.kg-1.min-1. However, 0.1 microgram.kg-1.min-1 L-NAME induced a 30% decrease in urine flow rate (UV). The administration of 1.0 microgram.kg-1.min-1 L-NAME, in addition to decreasing UV, also decreased urinary sodium excretion (UNaV) and renal plasma flow (RPF). The intravenous L-NAME infusions of 10.0 and 50.0 microgram.kg-1.min-1 intravenous L-NAME infusions of 10.0 and 50.0 microgram.kg-1.min-1 produced significant increases in MAP that reversed the initial fall in UV and UNaV, despite decreasing RPF and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The administration of L-arginine alone (10 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) did not modify any of the parameters measured, but it effectively prevented all the hemodynamic and renal changes induced by the infusion of 50 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 L-NAME. These results suggest that the decrease in nitric oxide production induced by the intravenous infusion of L-NAME affects renal excretion of sodium and water in the absence of any significant change in blood pressure. At larger doses, L-NAME also produces hypertension that overrides the initial antinatriuretic effect.
Science and technology of thermochromic materials

The color of a substance in general depends upon its state and upon the external forces it experiences, both past and present. One of the simplest methods of attempting to change the state of a material is to vary its temperature. Thermochromism is a noticeable dependence of the color of a substance on temperature. This is thus one of the easier chromogenic effects to detect. Since the changes triggered by temperature variation often are indicative of the effects that can be induced by other means, it is convenient to use the observation of thermochromism as an indication of the possible existence of other chromogenic behavior. Reversibility is an important factor to be considered for thermochromic materials. A compound which decomposes as it is heated may be totally irreversible or may be irreversible because a product of chemical change is removed and not replaced. For reversible systems, long term stability is important, although there are many uses in which stability over a few thermal cycles are adequate for the purpose. The possibility of an indefinitely large number of cycles is frequently limited by secondary and side reactions that may be present. There are a number of excellent reviews of the subjectmore » of thermochromism. The following sections of this chapter give an overview of the research done in polymeric, organic, and metal containing systems, as well as a summary of applications development, in the past two years. 165 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.« less
Innovating consent for pediatric HCT patients.

Informed consent is fundamental to ethical clinical practice and research. In the context of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), informed consent struggles to meet its ideals of beneficence, justice, and respect for persons(1) given the severity of the disease and complexity of the treatment. As argued by D'Souza and colleagues in Bone Marrow Transplantation,(2) and as shown in other studies, including our own in the setting of pediatric HCT,(3) patient and caregiver expectations of consent are often left unmet in both adult and pediatric contexts. For example, participants enroll in studies with limited knowledge about what they are undertaking and find themselves involved in a rote, passive process that fails to inform and gets bogged down by legalistic language.(4) Consent is often requested under conditions characterized by duress. The medical urgency of HCT or associated treatments that are experimental often blurs the line between treatment and research, even from the clinicians’ perspective. Furthermore, miscommunication or misunderstanding is almost inevitable because the paper forms are overwhelmingly lengthy and complex.(5) Greater simplicity in terms of readability and length is a major goal of recent and forthcoming policy regarding informed consent. For example, the NCI’s Office of Human Research Protection and FDA developed a joint consensus in the “Development of Informed Consent Documents for Cancer Clinical Trials” for less complicated informed consent documents,(6) and the BMT CTN recently published new recommended guidelines for consent forms.(7) The Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) that would update the Common Rule calls for greater standardization, simplicity, and readability of forms.(8) However, improving patients’ comprehension of what they are consenting to will not be achieved without equal attention to the process of obtaining consent. Universal consent forms will always fall short of meeting the goals of being patient-centered, complete, and fulfilling institutional and regulatory requirements because of the diversity of individual patient needs.(9) Pediatric HCT provides an excellent case example of the need for a more personalized, two-way approach that promotes patient and caregiver activation and utilizes principles of shared decision-making.
Smart autopilots

A simulation comparison of autopilots based on proportional plus integral plus derivative (PID) and pseudoderivative feedback (PDF) algorithms showed the superiority of PDF autopilots over PID ones. An autopilot based on the PDF algorithm had a greater ability to resist load disturbances, which is important in course keeping. Smooth rudder activity and heading responses with smaller overshoots were observed with the PDF autopilot in the case of course changing. The effect of the order of ship dynamics and nonlinearity effects in the ship dynamics showed that better performance can be achieved with the PDF autopilot. >
Differential effects of TGF-beta 1 on lymphohemopoiesis in long-term bone marrow cultures

Latent transforming growth factors beta (TGF-beta) are easily detectable in embryonic and adult hematopoietic tissues and in vitro studies show that they are potent antagonists of lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis when converted to biologically active form. To learn more about possible roles in hematopoiesis, active TGF-beta 1 was added to cultures prepared to support myeloid cells (Dexter conditions) or B lineage lymphocytes (Whitlock-Witte conditions) and studied in detail. Hematopoiesis was permanently arrested in Dexter cultures treated with 40 pmol/L (1 ng/mL) of active TGF-beta from initiation. In addition, adipogenesis was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, and adherent layers from treated cultures were defective when recharged with fresh bone marrow cells. Ongoing neutrophil production was terminated in established cultures when addition of the factor was delayed for 8 weeks. In contrast, in experiments with Whitlock-Witte cultures, some of the flasks produced lymphocytes in the continuous presence of TGF- beta 1 (40 pmol/L). Lymphopoiesis was completely arrested by ten-fold higher concentrations, and this was most effective when added at the beginning of culture. Precursors of lymphocytes as well as the microenvironmental elements necessary for supporting their growth survived 2 weeks of cytokine treatment (400 pmol/L) in Dexter cultures. Normal outgrowth of lymphocytes occurred when the cultures were switched to Whitlock-Witte conditions. Surface marker expression on lymphocytes growing in TGF-beta resistant or previously treated cultures was not unusual. These studies demonstrate that TGF-beta is a negative regulator of hematopoiesis in long-term cultures and show that this includes effects on microenvironmental elements. At low concentrations, production of myeloid cells was preferentially affected.
Climate Variability and Infant Mortality in Africa

Changes in heat and precipitation as a result of climate change are expected to have adverse effects on health, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. These changes can affect health both directly, through extreme events and changes in the disease environment, as well as indirectly through its impact on the economic livelihood of the population. In this paper we utilize an extensive dataset of over 400,000 births combined with detailed historical geo-spatial weather data on temperature and rainfall to investigate the impact of extreme weather events on infant survival in Africa. Our results suggest that both extreme heat and extreme rainfall affect the likelihood of infant survival. In particular, we find that excessive heat around the month of birth is predictive of an increased likelihood of death, particularly for neonates but also for older infants. Rainfall during the third trimester of pregnancy increases the likelihood of death for neonates. We also find evidence that excess rainfall can be protective under certain scenarios, most likely as a result of positive income shocks. Utilizing our empirical estimates, we explore four different climate change scenarios that suggest an additional 400 to 900 thousand infant deaths in Africa over the period 2010-2030, due to the impact of increased heat and precipitation change, in the absence of effective adaptation or mitigation efforts.
Integrated Technologies on Eco-Protective Forest Establishment in the Difficult Site of Loess Plateau

Eco-protective forest establishment is for the purpose of soil and water conservation,which needs to be studied regarding the species match,species selection,site preparation,drought resistant afforestation measures to make sure of the quality of implementation process.
Chemical characteristics of precipitation on the northern slope of the Mount Taibai,Qinling Mountains

In this paper,chemical characteristics and their temporal variation are analyzed using a set of data of39 precipitation samples from the northern slope of the Taibai M ountain,the peak of the Qinling M ountains. The data duration is from December 2012 to July 2013. Results show that besides the normal ions of Na+,NH+4,K+,Mg2 +,Ca2 +,F-,Cl-,SO2-4and NO-3,the composition of the precipitation there also contains a certain proportion of CO2-3,HCO-3,PO3-4and organic acids w ith low molecular w eight. Ionic concentration in precipitation may be ranked as NH+4 SO2-4 Ca2 + NO-3 Na+ Cl- M g2 + K+ F-. The total ionic concentration show s seasonal difference significantly,ranking as summer( light pollution) autumn( moderate pollution) spring( serious pollution) w inter( heavy pollution). Three sources of precipitation are demonstrated by the chemical composition analyses. They are respectively the crust source( Na+,Cl-,Mg2 +and Ca2 +),the anthropogenic source( SO2-4,NO-3and NH+4) and the sea-salt source( mainly K+and F-),of which K+partly may come from the crust source and biomass combustion. It is found that the precipitation ionic components are different under different atmospheric transmission paths. Partly due to the landform effects,the total ionic concentration is higher in the air mass from north than that from south. M ainly depending on soil type,concentrations of Na+,Mg2 +and Ca2 +are higher in precipitation of northw est airflow than that of southeast airflow. Due to different intensities of human activities,concentrations of SO2-4,NO-3and NH+4are higher in northeast airflow than that in northw est air mass.
Developments in the care of patients with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula.

Both the mortality and morbidity associated with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula have improved over the years. The treatment of patients with long-gap esophageal atresia by circular myotomy to the upper pouch with or without preoperative stretching has improved the care of patients with this problem.
Integrating Service Learning with Undergraduate Robotics Research.

Through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, the authors have forged an interdisciplinary effort to integrate graduate and undergraduate research, curriculum, and outreach projects that promote service learning in robotics and intelligent systems. The authors have founded the Institute for Research in Intelligent Systems (IRIS) and the Intelligent Systems Lab (ISL) as advisory and resource centers, respectively, to support these endeavors. The ISL typically invites four to six students per semester to join the ISL Research Team. As ISL Research Team members, these students are expected to participate in all three focal areas of the IRIS mission. They participate in individual and team research projects, assist in the development and implementation of course workshops, and contribute to multiple outreach activities throughout the year. Hence, the ISL provides its team members with the opportunity to take on many roles, from researcher to educator. It is their role as educators that is the focus of this paper.
Selected Mildly Obese Donors Can Be Used Safely in Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation

Donor obesity, defined as donor body mass index (D-BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater, has been associated with increased risk of technical failure and poor pancreas allograft outcomes. Many transplant centers establish a threshold of D-BMI of 30 kg/m2 to decline donor offers for pancreas transplantation. However, no previous studies differentiate the impact of mild (D-BMI, 30-35 kg/m2) versus severe obesity (D-BMI, ≥35 kg/m2) on pancreas allograft outcomes. We examined Organ Procurement Transplant Network database records for 9916 simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants (SPKT) performed between 2000 and 2013. We categorized donor body mass index (D-BMI) into 4 groups: 20 to 25 (n = 5724), 25 to 30 (n = 3303), 30 to 35 (n = 751), and 35 to 50 kg/m2 (n= 138). Associations of D-BMI with pancreas and kidney allograft failure were assessed by multivariate Cox regression adjusted for recipient, donor, and transplant factors. Compared with D-BMI 20 to 25 kg/m2, only D-BMI 35 to 50 kg/m2 was associated with significantly higher pancreas allograft [adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI], 1.04-1.79] and kidney allograft (aHR, 1.36; CI, 1.02-1.82) failure over the study period (13 years). Donor BMI 30 to 35 kg/m2 did not impact pancreas allograft (aHR, 0.99; CI, 0.86-1.37) or kidney allograft (aHR, 0.98; CI, 0.84-1.15) failure. Similar patterns were noted at 3 months, and 1, 5, and 10 years posttransplant. These data support that pancreata from mildly obese donors (BMI, 30-35 kg/m2) can be safely used for transplantation, with comparable short-term and long-term outcomes as organs from lean donors. Consideration of pancreata from obese donors may decrease the pancreas discard rate.
Cardiac Na Channels: Structure to Function.

Heart rhythms arise from electrical activity generated by precisely timed opening and closing of ion channels in individual cardiac myocytes. Opening of the primary cardiac voltage-gated sodium (NaV1.5) channel initiates cellular depolarization and the propagation of an electrical action potential that promotes coordinated contraction of the heart. The regularity of these contractile waves is critically important since it drives the primary function of the heart: to act as a pump that delivers blood to the brain and vital organs. When electrical activity goes awry during a cardiac arrhythmia, the pump does not function, the brain does not receive oxygenated blood, and death ensues. Perturbations to NaV1.5 may alter the structure, and hence the function, of the ion channel and are associated downstream with a wide variety of cardiac conduction pathologies, such as arrhythmias.
Trimethylsilyl imide complexes of tantalum: Can the silyl group be eliminated?

Abstract We report the synthesis and structure of a series of tantalum(V) complexes having the trimethylsilylimide moiety and using as ancillary support the pincer ligand PNP (PNP− = N[2-PiPr2-4-methylphenyl]2). Via transmetallation of Li(PNP) with Cl3(py)2Ta N{SiMe3} (py = pyridine), the precursor complex (PNP)Ta N{SiMe3}Cl2 (1) could be prepared in 94% isolated yield. Attempts to promote FSiMe3 elimination when 1 was treated with FSnMe3 resulted in mixtures from which the salt-like product [{(PNP)Ta N{SiMe3}}2(μ2-F)3][Me3 ClSn(μ2-X)SnClMe3] (2) (X− = F or Cl) was structurally identified. However, conducting the reaction with NaOAr (Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) resulted in clean formation to (PNP)Ta N{SiMe3}(OAr)Cl (3) in 79% isolated yield, and when 3 was mixed with FSnMe3, the fluoride-imide complex (PNP)Ta N{SiMe3}(OAr)F (4) and ClSnMe3 were formed cleanly. Attempts to promote FSiMe3 elimination in 4 thermally and photochemically did not yield the desired nitride (PNP)Ta N(OAr). Complexes 1–4 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies and in the case of complexes 1, 3 and 4 a variety of multinuclear NMR studies are presented and discussed.
High frequency micromechanical piezo-on-silicon block resonators

This paper reports on the design, implementation and characterization of high-frequency single crystal silicon (SCS) block resonators with piezoelectric electromechanical transducers. The resonators are fabricated on 4/spl mu/m thick SOI substrates and use sputtered ZnO as the piezo material. The centrally-supported blocks can operate in their first and higher order length extensional bulk modes with high quality factor (Q). The highest measured frequency is currently at 210 MHz with a Q of 4100 under vacuum, and the highest Q measured is 11,600 at 17 MHz. The uncompensated temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) was measured to be -40ppm//spl deg/C and linear over the temperature range of 20-100/spl deg/C.
Predicting Optimal DEER Label Positions to Study Protein Conformational Heterogeneity.

Double electron–electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy is a powerful experimental technique for understanding the conformational heterogeneity of proteins. It involves attaching nitroxide spin labels to two residues in the protein to obtain a distance distribution between them. However, the choice of residue pairs to label in the protein requires careful thought, as experimentalists must pick label positions from a large set of all possible residue-pair combinations in the protein. In this article, we address the problem of the choice of DEER spin-label positions in a protein. For this purpose, we utilize all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of protein dynamics, to rank the sets of labeled residue pairs in terms of their ability to capture the conformational dynamics of the protein. Our design methodology is based on the following two criteria: (1) An ideal set of DEER spin-label positions should capture the slowest conformational-change processes observed in the protein dynamics, and (2) any two sets ...
Low-Temperature Preparation of Pyrolytic Carbon

Previous studies have demonstrated that nuclear waste forms coated with chemical vapor deposited pyrolytic carbon (PyC) at ~ 1273 K can provide ground water leach protection. To minimize the release during coating of volatile material from the waste forms and permit the coating of waste forms with a low softening point, a study was initiated to develop parameters for the catalytic deposition of PyC at low temperatures (LT). The parameters surveyed in a fluidized-bed coater were deposition temperatures, carbon precursor, catalyst, diluent gas, concentration, and pressure.
Parietotemporal Stimulation Affects Acquisition of Novel Grapheme-Phoneme Mappings in Adult Readers

Neuroimaging work from developmental and reading intervention research has suggested a cause of reading failure may be lack of engagement of parietotemporal cortex during initial acquisition of grapheme-phoneme (letter-sound) mappings. Parietotemporal activation increases following grapheme-phoneme learning and successful reading intervention. Further, stimulation of parietotemporal cortex improves reading skill in lower ability adults. However, it is unclear whether these improvements following stimulation are due to enhanced grapheme-phoneme mapping abilities. To test this hypothesis, we used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to manipulate parietotemporal function in adult readers as they learned a novel artificial orthography with new grapheme-phoneme mappings. Participants received real or sham stimulation to the left inferior parietal lobe for twenty minutes before training. They received explicit training over the course of three days on ten novel words each day. Learning of the artificial orthography was assessed at a pre-training baseline session, the end of each of the three training sessions, an immediate post-training session, and a delayed post-training session about four weeks after training. Stimulation interacted with baseline reading skill to affect learning of trained words and transfer to untrained words. Lower skill readers showed better acquisition, whereas higher skill readers showed worse acquisition, when training was paired with real stimulation, as compared to readers who received sham stimulation. However, readers of all skill levels showed better maintenance of trained material following parietotemporal stimulation, indicating a differential effect of stimulation on initial learning and consolidation. Overall, these results indicate that parietotemporal stimulation can enhance learning of new grapheme-phoneme relationships in readers with lower reading skill. Yet, while parietotemporal function is critical to new learning, its role in continued reading improvement likely changes as readers progress in skill.
Retinal Neuroprotection: Overcoming the Translational Roadblocks.

Abstract Purpose To elucidate the issues that have prevented successful translation of neuroprotective therapeutic modalities for retinal disease from the pre-clinical to the clinical realm and to suggest strategies to circumvent these barriers in order to develop novel treatments to prevent vision loss. Design Interpretive essay. Methods Review and synthesis of selected reports of neuroprotective approaches for retinal disease, with interpretation and perspective. Results Retinal neuroprotection is defined as any measure that reduces the death of retinal cells or axonal extensions into the optic nerve, and there is a great unmet need for such therapeutic modalities. Despite encouraging pre-clinical data, the translation of neuroprotective therapies to the clinic has been fraught with failure. Fundamental issues that have plagued this transition include the animal models utilized in pre-clinical studies, the reproducibility of the pre-clinical data, and the choice of meaningful clinical trial endpoints. Developing animal models that more aptly mimic human disease, defining a set of guidelines for pre-clinical evaluation of neuroprotective therapies in retinal disease, and identifying and validating biomarkers as surrogate clinical endpoints that shorten and optimize drug development timelines may circumvent some of these barriers to translation. Conclusions Neuroprotective therapeutic approaches have the potential to prevent vision loss in millions of people affected with eye diseases worldwide. However, a stigma currently accompanies the concept of neuroprotection because of the many past failures to bridge the gap between the pre-clinical and clinical realms. Understanding and addressing the fundamental reasons for the failure of translatable research provides hope for the future development of neuroprotective therapies.
Muller, Hermann J.

Hermann Joseph Muller was one of the most important figures in the classical era of genetics in the first half of the twentieth century. The second geneticist to win a Nobel Prize Muller was widely known for his work on the X-ray induction of mutation. Using specially designed stocks of the fruit fly Drosophila , Muller showed that mutation rate was proportional to X-ray dosage. A student of Thomas Hunt Morgan at Columbia University, Muller was ingenious in building stocks of Drosophila with special chromosome and mutant combinations that could be used to test a variety of hypotheses about genetic transmission and gene function. An avowed socialist, he lost his position at the University of Texas for political reasons in 1932, and emigrated to Germany, then to the Soviet Union, and finally to Spain, where he worked with an ambulance team during the Spanish Civil War. He eventually received a permanent position at Indiana University where he remained for the rest of his career. His later years were devoted to opposing the testing of atomic weapons and the expansion of atomic energy.
It's getting real. Virtually real.

This is a forum for perspectives on designing for communities marginalized by economics, social status, infrastructure, or policies. It will discuss design methods, theoretical and conceptual contributions, and methodological engagements for underserved communities. --- Nithya Sambasivan, Editor