cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Migration of airway smooth muscle cells.

Airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) have more than a single “function.” In addition to an obvious contractile function that regulates rapid changes in airway caliber, these cells have both a proliferative function that leads to hyperplasia and hypertrophy of smooth muscle in persistent asthma, and a secretory function that contributes to the extracellular matrix and modulates airway inflammation by elaboration of cytokines, mediators, and growth factors (1–3). Now, an emerging new function for these cells is cell migration—a capability of ASMCs that may have importance during the airway remodeling of persistent asthma. In this issue of the AJRCMB, Goncharova and coworkers compare cultured human ASMC migration to vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration, and test the effects that asthma medications ( -adrenergic agonist, phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and glucocorticoids) have on migration stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) (4).
Effect of swelling on the infrared absorption spectrum of montmorillonite

The i.r. spectra of mixtures of different Na-montmorillonites were determined at several water contents between 2 and 22 g of water/g of montmorillonite. It was found that Si—O absorption is represented by four closely-spaced bands, one of which is pleochroic. The pleochroic band appeared only at higher water contents. All of these bands, excepting that with the highest wave number, shifted in frequency with increasing isomorphous substitution. None of them shifted in frequency with increasing water content. The absorption coefficient for the principal Si—O absorption decreased with increasing isomorphous substitution but increased with increasing water content. Niether isomorphous substitution nor water content appeared to have any significant effect on absorption due to O—H stretching or H—O—H bending in the interlayer water. At a critical water content for each montmorillonite, an abrupt change occurred in the absorption coefficient for the principal Si—O absorption. This change was ascribed to a sudden rearrangement of the particles.
Turnover rate and reaction orders for the complete oxidation of methane on a palladium foil in excess dioxygen

Abstract The turnover rate and reaction orders for the combustion of methane in excess oxygen over Pd foils were in agreement with literature results reported for supported catalysts. The rate equation was r = k [CH 4 ] 0.7 [O 2 ] 0.2 [H 2 O] −0.9 . The turnover rate on the Pd foil was 59×10 −2 s −1 at 550 K, 160 Torr O 2 , 16 Torr CH 4 , 1 Torr H 2 O, and N 2 balance to 800 Torr, with the number of active sites defined as the number of surface Pd atoms calculated from the initial geometric area of the foil. This rate is 3 times higher than the highest value reported in the literature for supported catalysts. The surface area of the foil, measured by isotopic exchange of surface oxygen with 18 O 2 , increased by a factor of approximately 2 after reaction. The main species observed on the surface after reaction by XPS was PdO. Sample activation during the reaction was not observed. The reaction was carried out in a batch reactor at 598 K and atmospheric pressure with characterization before and after reaction by X-ray and Auger spectroscopies and temperature-programmed desorption.
Femtochemistry of the liquid phase laser-induced harpoon reaction between Cl2 and Xe. Observation of bond formation in real time

Abstract The liquid phase, two-photon induced intermolecular charge transfer transition, Cl2 + Xe + 2hv → Xe+Cl−2, in which the photon is resonant with the dissociative Cl2(1Πu) intermediate state, is shown to proceed on a time scale shorter than 100 fs. The process is therefore classified as a coherent, cooperative absorption. The subsequent evolution of the harpoon reaction, Xe+Cl−2 → Xe+Cl− + Cl, which in liquid Xe further proceeds to form Xe+2Cl−, is followed in time by stimulating the radiative dissociation of Xe+Cl−. While the formation of Xe+Cl− cannot be temporally resolved, the triatomic bond forms in 330 fs.
Drafting in the Contracts Class

This issue of the St. Louis University Law Journal featured Contracts professors writing about what they do in the first class meeting. I recommend all of the articles! Mine discusses how I begin to introduce drafting concepts into the course on the first day. I begin by taking the students through the steps of buying something on eBay, which requires them to agree to the eBay terms and conditions. I then ask them to role-play the buyer and the seller of the item and negotiate a contract. This sets the stage for many of the concepts we will deal with in the course, the principal one being the difference between a contract of adhesion and a negotiated contract. In the article I post a website at which a powerpoint can be found. Unfortunately, this link is no longer functional. Please contact me if you would like a copy of these materials.
The Association of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index with the Risk of Large Bowel Polyps

Purpose and Method: Several studies have suggested that physical inactivity and obesity increase the risk for colorectal neoplasia. In this study, we investigated the association of physical activity and body mass index (BMI) with the risk of different types of large bowel polyps. We did an observational analysis nested within a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled chemoprevention trial among patients with one or more recently resected histologically confirmed colorectal adenoma. Nine hundred thirty patients were randomized to calcium (1,200 mg/d, as carbonate) or placebo. Follow-up colonoscopies were conducted approximately 1 and 4 years after the qualifying examination. At study entry, we obtained each subject9s current body weight and height, which we used to calculate BMI. After the second study colonoscopy, we asked subjects questions about their leisure time physical activity. Seven hundred eighty-seven subjects completed at least part of the physical activity questionnaire. Results: We found no association between measures of physical activity or BMI and tubular adenomas or hyperplastic polyps. However, among men, there were strong inverse associations observed between physical activity and advanced neoplastic polyps. Compared with men whose total daily energy expenditure was in the lowest tertile, those in the highest tertile had a risk ratio of 0.35 (95% confidence interval, 17-0.72); there was no similar reduction observed among women (risk ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.36-4.03; P for interaction = 0.04). Data Interpretations: We found a significant inverse relationship between several measures of physical activity and risk of advanced colorectal neoplasms, particularly among men. No associations were found between BMI and hyperplastic polyps, tubular adenomas, or advanced neoplastic polyps.
Connectiveness and civility in online learning

As the classroom shifts from teacher-centered to learner-centered and from face-to-face to online, nursing faculty members are challenged to promote a sense of connectiveness and social interaction. Making connectiveness more elusive is the perception of rude, impolite, or unkind communication. The purpose of this descriptive-exploratory study was to examine perceptions of connectiveness and civility in online nursing courses. Ninety-six students in four nursing programs participated in the study. Strategies that promote connectiveness with peers are in-person activities whenever possible and discussion assignments that include social activities. Timely feedback when responding to questions and prompt grading are important for student-to-instructor connectiveness. Thirty-five percent of the students encountered rude or unkind communication with peers, and 60% reported incivility from instructors. Their suggestions for effective handling of rude communication included addressing the behavior privately, giving guidance about netiquette, and defining what constitutes rude behavior.
Poor But Not Powerless: Women Workers in Production Chain Factories in China:

The present study demonstrates the processes by which 12 young women working in four production chain factories in China shape their own lives — their developmental trajectories — during the period following their entry into factory work. One-on-one, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in August, 2005, as part of an evaluation project that assessed the labor practices and interpersonal relationships in production chain factories. These interviews revealed considerable personal agency among the women, and prompted us to examine how this agency manifests itself, and what individual and contextual factors influence it. Operating from a developmental systems perspective, and using a “grounded approach” to identify active, personal agency as the organizing construct for this investigation, we adopted the selective optimization with compensation (SOC) model to guide data analysis and presentation, after initial data coding indicated its suitability. Findings suggest that activity within these th...
Mineral metabolism disturbances in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background Kidney disease, especially chronic kidney disease (CKD), is a worldwide public health problem with serious adverse health consequences for affected individuals. Secondary hyperparathyroidism, a disorder characterized by elevated serum parathyroid hormone levels, and alteration of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis are common metabolic complications of CKD that may impact cardiovascular health. Materials and methods Here, we systematically review published reports from recent observational studies and clinical trials that examine markers of altered mineral metabolism and clinical outcomes in patients with CKD. Results Mineral metabolism disturbances begin early during the course of chronic kidney disease, and are associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality in observational studies. Vascular calcification is one plausible mechanism connecting renal-related mineral metabolism with cardiovascular risk. Individual therapies to correct mineral metabolism disturbances have been associated with clinical benefit in some observational studies; clinical trials directed at more comprehensive control of this problem are warranted. Conclusions There exists a potential to improve outcomes for patients with CKD through increased awareness of the Bone Metabolism and Disease guidelines set forth by the National Kidney Foundation–Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative. Future studies may include more aggressive therapy with a combination of agents that address vitamin D deficiency, parathyroid hormone and phosphorus excess, as well as novel agents that modulate circulating promoters and inhibitors of calcification.
MULTI-SEASON CLIMATE SYNCHRONIZED HISTORICAL FIRES IN DRY FORESTS (1650-1900), NORTHERN ROCKIES, USA

Our objective was to infer the climate drivers of regionally synchronous fire years in dry forests of the U.S. northern Rockies in Idaho and western Montana. During our analysis period (1650-1900), we reconstructed fires from 9245 fire scars on 576 trees (mostly ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson) at 21 sites and compared them to existing tree-ring reconstructions of climate (temperature and the Palmer Drought Severity Index [PDSI]) and large-scale climate patterns that affect modern spring climate in this region (El Nino Southern Oscillation [ENSO] and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation [PDO]). We identified 32 regional-fire years as those with five or more sites with fire. Fires were remarkably widespread during such years, including one year (1748) in which fires were recorded at 10 sites across what are today seven national forests plus one site on state land. During regional-fire years, spring-summers were significantly warm and summers were significantly warm-dry whereas the opposite conditions prevailed during the 99 years when no fires were recorded at any of our sites (no-fire years). Climate in prior years was not significantly associated with regional- or no-fire years. Years when fire was recorded at only a few of our sites occurred under a broad range of climate conditions, highlighting the fact that the regional climate drivers of fire are most evident when fires are synchronized across a large area. No-fire years tended to occur during La Nina years, which tend to have anomalously deep snowpacks in this region. However, ENSO was not a significant driver of regional-fire years, consistent with the greater influence of La Nina than El Nino conditions on the spring climate of this region. PDO was not a significant driver of past fire, despite being a strong driver of modern spring climate and modern regional-fire years in the northern Rockies.
Effect of PaCOCO2 on Blood Flow and Microvasculature of Ischemic and Nonischemic Cerebral Cortex

The right middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded in cats; after subsequent craniectomy cortical blood flow (CBF) was measured bilaterally with 85Kr, and photographs of the superficial microvasculature were made. Ventilation was controlled, and PaCOCO2 was altered by changing the concentration of CO2 in the inspired air. In nonischemic cortex CBF varied as an exponential function of PaCOCO2, and the caliber of superficial arterial vessels (50 to 200µ in diameter) increased with increasing PaCOCO2. In ischemic cortex, changes of PaCOCO2 produced no change of CBF in six of ten animals studied within one day of occlusion; in four of these six, there was no change in the caliber of arterial vessels. In the four other animals of this group, there was a paradoxical response (an increase of PaCOCO2 produced a decrease of CBF of ischemic cortex), and in two of these four animals, there also was a paradoxical response of the caliber of arterial vessels. In eight animals allowed to survive 5 to 12 days after MCA ...
Fluid injection through out-of-plane microneedles

In order to make frequent injections of insulin and other therapeutic agents more efficient, a new painless way to inject drug subcutaneously is investigated. Injecting such agents just under the stratum corneum is a painless and very effective way of drug delivery, since the nerve endings occur deeper under the skin, and the presence of a large number of capillaries help to absorb the drugs efficiently into the vascular system. The critical component for the successful development of this methodology is an array of robust, sharp, hollow microneedles. Arrays of needles that fulfill these requirements have been fabricated using a new fabrication process based on a combination of isotropic and anisotropic etching. Prototypes of these single crystal needles have been successfully tested by injection of fluid into chicken thighs. The flow characteristics of these needles have been modeled using the modified Bernoulli equation. This one-dimensional model has been validated through experimental results.
An ITLDD CMOS process with self-aligned reverse-sequence LDD/channel implantation

An advanced inverse-T LDD (ITLDD) CMOS process has been developed. This process features self-aligned lightly-doped-drain/channel implantation for improved hot-carrier protection. Selective polysilicon deposition is used to define the thick polysilicon gate regions with a thin polysilicon gate regions overlying the lightly doped n/sup -/ and p/sup +/ regions. Since the thick poly gate regions are defined by nitride sidewall spacers, optical lithography can be used to define sub-half-micrometer gate length MOSFETs. The LDD implants are performed after the n/sup +/ and p/sup +/ implants are annealed, resulting in MOSFET's with improved short-channel behavior due to the smaller lateral source/drain diffusion. >
Inverted-U relationship between the level of peripheral corticosterone and the magnitude of hippocampal primed burst potentiation.

Studies have shown that peripheral levels of corticosterone correlate with the magnitudes of two well-described physiological models of memory, long-term potentiation (LTP) and primed burst (PB) potentiation. In the present experiments, the authors investigated the effects of experimenter-controlled manipulations of the levels of corticosterone on the magnitude of hippocampal PB potentiation in urethane-anesthetized rats. Primed burst potentiation is a long-lasting (at least 30 minutes) increase in the amplitude of the CA1 population spike and EPSP slope in response to physiologically patterned stimulation of the hippocampal commissure. The levels of serum corticosterone were controlled by implanting corticosterone pellets in adrenalectomized rats (ADX/PELLET). In the first experiment, a significant negative linear correlation between elevated (stress) levels of serum corticosterone (greater than 20 μm/dL) and the magnitude of PB potentiation in ADX/PELLET subjects (r = 0.60, P <.05) was found. In the second experiment, the shape of the corticosterone-PB potentiation function was different at low and intermediate levels of corticosterone than it was at high levels of corticosterone: There was a positive correlation at low levels (0–10 μm/dL), a peak response at intermediate levels (11–20 μm/dL), and a negative correlation at high levels (21–93 μm/dL) of corticosterone. Thus, the overall relationship between corticosterone and PB potentiation is an inverted-U function. These findings provide strong support for the hypothesis that corticosterone exerts a concentration-dependent biphasic influence on the expression of hippocampal plasticity.
Multiple-channel OSNR monitoring with a single detector

We report a multichannel optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) monitoring method using the integrated planar lightwave circuit and fast Fourier transform techniques with a single detector. The OSNR of four-channel wavelength-division-multiplexing signals can be monitored for a dynamic range of 20 dB with an accuracy of /spl plusmn/1 dB. This method can further allow one to suppress the optical crosstalk in accordance with the requirements of OSNR accuracy and dynamic range.
The effectiveness of citric acid as an adjunct to surgical re‐attachment procedures in humans

The purpose of this study was to clinically evaluate the effect of citric acid on re-attachment and re-adaptation in conjunction with periodontal surgery. A split-mouth design was used in 10 patients involving 30 quadrants of surgery. A total of 120 teeth were treated. Each quadrant consisted of at least 2 teeth from cuspid to second molar. One quadrant was treated with a modified Widman flap alone while the root surfaces of the contralateral side were also treated with a 3 min application of citric acid. Immediately following hygienic phase and at 3 and 6 months postsurgically, the following measurements were taken in this sequence: gingival index, gingival crevicular fluid flow, plaque index, furcation involvement, level of attachment and probing depth. All the data were statistically analyzed using the paired t-test, chi 2 and Fisher exact probability test. The biometric results showed that both surgical techniques resulted in a loss of attachment in shallow pockets and a gain in deeper pockets. Both techniques resulted in similar amounts of recession and probing depth reduction at 6 months. Gingival index, plaque index and furcation values decreased at 3 and 6 months postsurgically. The gingival crevicular fluid values remained essentially the same up to 6 months postsurgically.
Radar modeling of a boreal forest

The authors report on the use of microwave modeling, ground truth, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to investigate the characteristics of forest stands. A mixed coniferous forest stand has been modeled at SAR frequencies (P-, L-, and C-bands). The extensive measurements of ground truth and canopy geometry parameters were performed in a 200 m-square hemlock-dominated plot inside a forest. Hemlock trees in the forest are modeled by characterizing tree trunks, branches, and needles (leaves) with randomly oriented, lossy dielectric cylinders whose area and orientation distributions are prescribed. The distorted Born approximation is used to compute the backscatter at P-, L-, and C-SAR frequencies. >
Free-breathing cardiac MR with a fixed navigator efficiency using adaptive gating window size

A respiratory navigator with a fixed acceptance gating window is commonly used to reduce respiratory motion artifacts in cardiac MR. This approach prolongs the scan time and occasionally yields an incomplete dataset due to respiratory drifts. To address this issue, we propose an adaptive gating window approach in which the size and position of the gating window are changed adaptively during the acquisition based on the individual’s breathing pattern. The adaptive gating window tracks the breathing pattern of the subject throughout the scan and adapts the size and position of the gating window such that the gating efficiency is always fixed at a constant value. To investigate the image quality and acquisition time, free breathing cardiac MRI, including both targeted coronary MRI and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging, was performed in 67 subjects using the proposed navigator technique. Targeted coronary MRI was acquired from eleven healthy adult subjects using both the conventional and proposed adaptive gating window techniques. Fifty-six patients referred for cardiac MRI were also imaged using LGE with the proposed adaptive gating window technique. Subjective and objective image assessments were used to evaluate the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the proposed technique allows free-breathing cardiac MRI in a relatively fixed time without compromising imaging quality due to respiratory motion artifacts.
The end-correction in the Wilhelmy technique for surface tension measurements

Abstract Deduction, observation, and experiment all agree that the meniscus on a Wilhelmy plate is perturbed downward at the ends of the plate by the sharp meniscus curvature associated with the turn made by the adhering film as it rounds the end. It is hypothesized that less liquid is accordingly suspended near the plate ends than in the central region of the plate and that this deficit generates the known need for an end-correction in the calculation procedure. The experimental results support this point of view. A corner-correction is defined for one corner of a Wilhelmy plate, and an experimental technique is devised to measure it. The total end-correction is the sum of four corner-corrections. In the procedure devised, the surface tension pull is measured on each of a set of similar plates of constant thickness but with differing lengths on a given air-liquid system. For practical reasons, it is essential to vary the plate length over a wide range; a 20-fold ratio was used here. The program devised to test the model comprised the use of 16 smooth glass plates in combinations of four lengths (about 0.23, 0.40, 2.1, and 5.0 cm) and four thicknesses (0.007, 0.015, 0.024, and 0.10 cm). Four liquids were tested with air at 30.0°C, namely, water, benzene, isooctane, and isopropyl ether. The net correction to the surface tension was found to be inherently small, raising the indicated value characteristically from 0.1% to 1.0%. Two dimensionless groups were devised that correlated in excellent fashion the corner-correction c with the plate thickness and the physical properties of the system. One group, C = c t , is a dimensionless corner-correction. The other, T = g Δ ρ t 2 σ , is the dimensionless plate thickness squared. It was found that C varied from 0.085 to 0.86 as T varied from 0.00072 to 0.417 and that C = 1.1946 ( T × 10 4 ) −0.2775 .
Microbially Indurated Rammed Earth: A Long Awaited Next Phase of Earthen Architecture

Rammed earth possesses low embodied energy, high recyclability, and low toxicity while having little impact on biodiversity and virtually no depletion of biological nutrients. Although rammed earth is an inherently sustainable building material, it fails to meet the high compressive strength requirements of contemporary building standards. Attempts to rectify this shortcoming by importing advances from concrete construction have resulted in a degradation of its sustainable properties. Inspired by biomimicry, we propose to stabilize rammed earth using biomineralization through a process we are calling microbially indurated rammed earth (MIRE). This process offers the opportunity for earthen architecture to harmoniously reconnect to the natural world while simultaneously meeting contemporary performance demands. The microorganism, Sporosarcina pasteurii, known to effectively induce calcite precipitation, was suspended in a solution containing calcium chloride (CaCl2) and urea. The CaCl2 is the calcium source for calciteprecipitation and the urea is used as a nitrogen fertilizer to accelerate microbial growth. This microbial solution is mixed into a base soil at sufficient quantities to approximate the optimum moisture content, thereby achieving maximum bulk density of the soil material through a standard compaction process, which is common in rammed earth construction. The hyperactive ~1 m long microorganisms are dispersed throughout the densified soil matrix and rapidly begin to modify solution chemistry to induce calcite precipitation at grain-to-grain contacts, cementing the material. In this experiment, MIRE cylinders achieved compressive strengths exceeding 2.5 times the strength of non-stabilized rammed earth. While this result is promising, related literature suggests that resistance to moisture degradation may also be substantially improved. This is significant because compressive strength and moisture resistance are the two greatest challenges in rammed earth construction. While much work is needed in order for MIRE to be a feasible alternative to cement-stabilized rammed earth, these preliminary results suggest much promise.
Temperature effects on lethal mutation rates of Habrobracon oocytes x-irradiated in first meiotic metaphase.

Unmated females of Habrobracon were irradiated with 1263 and 1444r at high and low temperature before, during, and/or after irradiation. A significant lowering of lethal changes induced in oocytes x irradiated in first meiotic metaphase (LD 50 about 400r) at low temperatures before and after exposure as measured by hatchability of unfertilized eggs was observed. Low temperature during irradiation (l 1/2 - 2 minutes) did not significantly change survival rate although there is a suggestion of a tendency toward increased lethality. Theories are discussed as to the cause or causes of differential sensitivity of cells and the relation of the sensitivity to oxygen and temperature. (anth)
Bias in the development of health and ecological assessments and potential solutions

ABSTRACTThe effectiveness and credibility of environmental decisions depend on the information provided by scientific assessments. However, the conflicting assessments provided by government agencies, industries, and environmental advocacy groups suggest that biases occur during assessment processes. Sources of bias include personal bias, regulatory capture, advocacy, reliance on volunteer assessors, biased stakeholder and peer review processes, literature searches, standardization of data, inappropriate standards of proof, misinterpretation, and ambiguity. Assessors can adopt practices to increase objectivity, transparency, and clarity. Decision-makers, managers of assessors, and institutions that commission assessments can adopt other practices that reduce pressures on assessors and reduce opportunities for expression of the personal biases of assessors. Environmental assessment should be recognized as a discipline with its own technical and ethical best practices.
A phase II study of docetaxel and gemcitabine in the treatment of recurrent ovarian, peritoneal, and fallopian tube cancer

15006Background: The aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of weekly combination of docetaxel (D) and gemcitabine (G) in the management of recurrent ovarian, peritoneal, or...
The clinical and laboratory diagnosis of giardiasis.

(1977). The Clinical and Laboratory Diagnosis of Giardiasis. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 373-391.
User-Initiated Notification: A Concept for Aiding the Monitoring Activities of Process Control Operators:

Monitoring activities in a process control environment are quite unique depending on the current situation and the operator's current understanding of that situation. Furthermore, the operator may be required to monitor multiple simultaneous events over potentially long periods of time. Currently, operators must periodically scan displays to gather such information, or manipulate the alarm or control system in ways not originally intended in order to gather that information as appropriate. Furthermore, if the monitoring activities span multiple operating shifts, then there is the potential for operators to forget to communicate these requirements at shift change. Despite the uniqueness of the situations that will require process events to be monitored, it is hypothesized that there is a limited set of conditions that can be pre-defined in a tool that will allow operators to set up their own monitoring “agents” according to their current diagnostic needs. Such a tool is predicted to decrease the working me...
Investigations into an Anionic Oxy-Cope/Transannular Conjugate Addition Approach to 7,20-Diisocyanoadociane

An anionic oxy-Cope/transannular conjugate addition approach to the potent antimalarial 7,20-diisocyanoadociane is presented. The unexpected formation of undesired diastereomers in the key reaction led to the structural reassignment of previous products of this type of cascade and a reevaluation of the reversibility of the transannular ring closure. During efforts to coax the reaction toward the desired product, a transannular ene reaction provided tricyclic compounds relevant to the kempane diterpenoids.
Optimization and Application for Measuring Points on Body In White of N106

The paper optimizes measuring points on body in white of N106 to reduce the quantity of measuring points and improves utilization of measuring equipment and random inspection frequency.It also analyzes measured data and reflect problems by process control mapping and CII index,strengthens data action to feedback quality issue and improves utilization of data source so as to guide effectively the quality improvement and process control capability in workshops.
Acquired Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Among Adults: A Single Center Experience

Introduction Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and potentially life threatening syndrome characterized by an uncontrolled inflammatory reaction and is often associated with poor outcomes. The current study was conducted to characterize clinical features and outcomes of acquired HLH among adults. Methods Thirteen consecutive patients with HLH presenting to Indiana University Medical Center (IU) between January 2010 and June 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. The criteria described by Henter et al ( Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007; 48:124-131) were used for diagnosis. Results Median age was 45 years (range 30-73), 8 patients were female and 12 patients were Caucasians. Four patients had a malignancy (one in remission), 2 had history of a solid organ transplant, 6 had an underlying infection (3 viral, 1 bacterial, 2 fungal), 2 had an underlying autoimmune illness and 3 patients had idiopathic HLH. Four patients were on immunosuppressants for their history of organ transplant (n=2), autoimmunity (n=1) or as part of their chemotherapy for a malignancy (n=1). All patients had fevers and 2 or more cytopenias. Multi-organ failure was frequent with liver failure (bilirubin >2.0; 11 patients), renal failure (Cr >2.0; 11 patients), respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation (10 patients), hemodynamic instability requiring vasopressor support (8 patients) and encephalopthy or generalized weakness (all patients). Other commonly seen clinical features included rash (6 patients), hyponatremia (Na 2400 U/mL) in 9 patients (available for 11 patients) and all 6 patients (available for 6 patients) had decreased or absent natural killer cell activity. All patients received steroids as part of treatment (modified HLH 2004 protocol); 4 patients were too unstable to receive standard treatment and received only steroids. Eight patients died of HLH (6 at initial hospitalization; 2 later) at a median of 27 days (range 4-131). Multi-organ failure was the cause of death in 7 patients. Time to establishment of diagnosis was similar for patients who died at initial admission vs. those discharged alive (median 7 vs. 10 days). Conclusion Acquired HLH among adults is a systemic syndrome with diverse and sometimes unknown etiology. Most clinical features are nonspecific; incorporation of markedly high ferritin (≥2000 ng/mL), high soluble IL-2 receptor level, decreased/absent natural killer cell activity and histopathological evidence of HLH as major criteria for diagnosis may enhance specificity. Rash, steatosis/hepatomegaly, hyponatremia, thromboembolism and hypofibrinoginemia in the absence of coagulopathy can also be seen. Mortality is high due to multi-organ failure. Time to diagnosis does not seem to be a predictor of in-hospital mortality suggesting that the biology of underlying disease might be a more important factor. View this table: Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Genetic expression of adenosine deaminase in human lymphoid malignancies.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is an enzyme in the purine catabolic pathway that has been used as an enzymatic marker of T cell lymphoblastic malignancies due to its high specific activity in thymocytes and immature T cells. We have investigated whether the level of ADA activity in lymphoid leukemic cells correlates with the amount of ADA- specific RNA and/or immunoreactive protein in these cells as an initial step toward characterizing the nature of the genetic regulation of ADA expression during differentiation. We have found a good correlation between the steady state levels of ADA-specific RNA and ADA- immunoreactive protein in T lymphoblastic leukemic cell lines, mature T cell lines, a B lymphoblast cell line, and leukemic cells directly isolated from four patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and three patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Southern blot analysis of DNA from these cells shows no evidence for differences in ADA gene copy number or gene rearrangement to account for the variability in ADA expression. We conclude that levels of ADA in lymphoid leukemic cells are directly related to the amount of ADA-specific mRNA present. These findings imply that ADA expression in leukemic cells reflects either the transcriptional activity of the ADA gene or the stability of ADA mRNA in these cells.
Strokes; the present status of diagnosis and treatment.

Although research of the past five years has contributed greatly to the knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of strokes, there is much still to be learned. Atherosclerosis and embolization have been determined the most common causes of strokes; therefore, solution of this problem depends on prevention, reversal and control of these conditions. Anticoagulant therapy has proved effective in preventing recurrent strokes, but its value in acute attacks is less clear. Surgery and constructive rehabilitation are challenging approaches receiving critical study.
The Treatment of Penile Chordee using Corporeal Rotation

Corporeal rotation, a simple, adjunctive, surgical technique for changing the direction of penile curvature, has been used successfully to treat chordee in patients with epispadias and hypospadias.
CRISPR interference as a titratable, trans-acting regulatory tool for metabolic engineering in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7002

Trans-acting regulators provide novel opportunities to study essential genes and regulate metabolic pathways. We have adapted the clustered regularly interspersed palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system from Streptococcus pyogenes to repress genes in trans in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7002 (hereafter PCC 7002). With this approach, termed CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), transcription of a specific target sequence is repressed by a catalytically inactive Cas9 protein recruited to the target DNA by base-pair interactions with a single guide RNA that is complementary to the target sequence. We adapted this system for PCC 7002 and achieved conditional and titratable repression of a heterologous reporter gene, yellow fluorescent protein. Next, we demonstrated the utility of finely tuning native gene expression by downregulating the abundance of phycobillisomes. In addition, we created a conditional auxotroph by repressing synthesis of the carboxysome, an essential component of the carbon concentrating mechanism cyanobacteria use to fix atmospheric CO2. Lastly, we demonstrated a novel strategy for increasing central carbon flux by conditionally downregulating a key node in nitrogen assimilation. The resulting cells produced 2-fold more lactate than a baseline engineered cell line, representing the highest photosynthetically generated productivity to date. This work is the first example of titratable repression in cyanobacteria using CRISPRi, enabling dynamic regulation of essential processes and manipulation of flux through central carbon metabolism. This tool facilitates the study of essential genes of unknown function and enables groundbreaking metabolic engineering capability, by providing a straightforward approach to redirect metabolism and carbon flux in the production of high-value chemicals.
Grouping Preferences of Americans and Koreans in Interfaces for Smart Home Control

The purpose of the current study was to find the grouping principle for smart home interfaces that most closely matches the thinking styles of Americans and Koreans. The independent variables were grouping method (NO: no grouping other than alphabetical order, FS: functional and then spatial grouping, SF: spatial and then functional grouping), culture and gender. 40 American and 40 Korean students' perceptions of the interfaces and their performance times with the interfaces were measured. Both female and male Koreans preferred the SF grouping, consistent with a cognitive style favoring thematic organization and field dependence. For Americans, females preferred SF grouping but males preferred FS grouping. Thus, only American males' preferences conformed to a cognitive style favoring functional organization and field independence. Cultural differences in grouping preferences need to be taken into account in design of smart home interfaces.
Exploring Functional and Causal Connectivity in the Brain

Normal operations of the brain are achieved through cooperative neural computation. Multielectrode recording and functional imaging are the key technologies that afford us the opportunity to study neuronal mechanisms of brain functioning and its breakdown in disease from a network perspective.
SDN state inconsistency verification in openstack

In Software Defined Networks (SDN), users manage network services by abstracting high level service policies from lower level network functions. Edge-based SDN, which relies on end hosts to implement lower level network functions, has been rapidly developed and widely adopted in cloud system. A critical challenge in such an environment is to ensure that lower level network configurations, which are distributed in many end hosts, are in sync with the high level network service definitions, which are maintained in the central controller, as state inconsistency often arises in practice due to unreliable state dissemination, human errors, or software bugs. In this paper, we propose an approach to extract, analyze the network states of OpenStack from both controller and end hosts, and identify the inconsistencies between them across multiple network layers systematically. Through extensive experiments, we demonstrate that our system can correctly identify network state inconsistencies with little system and network overhead, therefore can be adopted in large-scale production cloud to ensure healthy operations of its network services.
Apples and oranges: Comparing nuclear construction costs across nations, time periods, and technologies

Abstract The literature on energy technology costs, diffusion, and learning has been characterized by data limitations, partial or arbitrary data sets, apples to oranges comparisons, and imprecision in the use of key concepts and terminology. Two responses to our paper, Lovering et al. (2016), by Koomey et al. and Gilbert et al. reflect many of these problems, conflating learning curves with experience curves, trends in actual costs with the relationship between cost estimates and final construction costs, and component costs with total installed costs. The respondents use inconsistent definitions of demonstration, first-of-a-kind, and commercial deployment across different energy technologies. They also propose to compare final installed costs for nuclear power plants, encompassing construction and finance costs, across different national economies and time periods encompassing a wide range of macro-economic circumstances and finance arrangements that overwhelm any signal from trends associated with the actual construction costs of the plants in question. In this response, we address the specific issues raised in these papers and suggest better practices for comparing energy technology costs, trends, and technological learning.
Centrality Measures in Linear Consensus Networks With Structured Network Uncertainties

We propose new insights into the network centrality based not only on the network graph, but also on a more structured model of network uncertainties. The focus of this paper is on the class of uncertain linear consensus networks in continuous time, where the network uncertainty is modeled by structured additive Gaussian white noise input on the update dynamics of each agent. The performance of the network is measured by the expected dispersion of its states in steady state. This measure is equal to the square of the $\mathcal {H}_2$ -norm of the network, and it quantifies the extent by which its state deviates away from the consensus state in steady state. We show that this performance measure can be explicitly expressed as a function of the Laplacian matrix of the network and the covariance matrix of the noise input. We investigate several structures for noise input and provide engineering insights on how each uncertainty structure can be relevant in real-world settings. Then, a new centrality index is defined in order to assess the influence of each agent or link on the network performance. For each noise structure, the value of the centrality index is calculated explicitly, and it is shown how it depends on the network topology as well as the noise structure. Our results assert that agents or links can be ranked according to this centrality index, and their rank can drastically change from the lowest to the highest, or vice versa, depending on the noise structure. This fact hints at emergence of fundamental tradeoffs on network centrality in the presence of multiple concurrent network uncertainties with different structures.
Tribes as Trustees Again (Part II): Evaluating Four Models of Tribal Participation in the Conservation Trust

This article is the second part of a two-part analysis exploring how Native Americans and landowners can use conservation trust mechanisms to protect tribal interests on privately held lands in the United States. Part I suggested four models of tribal engagement in private conservation. This article (Part II) evaluates the four models according to criteria such as legal vulnerabilities, tax implications, tribal access and control, and funding mechanisms. It delves into the intricacies of private transactional conservation tools and examines unique issues and concerns pertaining to tribes and native interests. By comparing the four models, this article provides a framework for tribes to formulate private conservation strategies. It concludes by identifying policy and legal initiatives to seed a tribal trust movement across the United States.
Methyl 2,6-dihydr­oxy-3-nitro­benzoate

Crystals of the title compound, C8H7NO6, were obtained by the reaction of methyl 2,6-dihydroxy­benzoate with nitric acid and crystallization of the product from ethyl acetate. In the mol­ecule, the nitro group is essentially coplanar with the attached benzene ring [O—N—C—C = 5.2 (3)°] indicating conjugation with the π-electron system. The meth­oxy group of the ester group is cis with respect to the ortho-nitro­hydroxyl group. The crystal structure is stabilized by intra- and inter­molecular hydrogen bonds. The ortho-nitro­hydr­oxy group forms an intra­molecular hydrogen bond with the nitro group and the para-nitro­hydr­oxy group forms an intra­molecular hydrogen bond with the ester carbonyl function. In addition, there is inter­molecular hydrogen bonding between the ortho-nitro­hydroxyl of one mol­ecule and the O atom of para-nitro­hydroxyl of another mol­ecule.
The Gibraltar Sign: An Anatomic Landmark for Predicting Transverse Sinus Dominance Laterality on Conventional MRI

Background and purpose Physiologic asymmetry of transverse sinus (TS) caliber is common and can lead to misinterpretation of magnetic resonance venography (MRV) studies of the brain. This retrospective study assesses the ability of multiple anatomic features on axial noncontrast T1-weighted images (T1WIs) of the brain to predict congenital TS dominance. Methods One hundred consecutively acquired combined MRI-MRV studies of the brain were reviewed. On noncontrast axial T1WI, each reviewer measured (1) inclination of the groove for the superior sagittal sinus (SSS), (2) angulation of the posterior falx, (3) laterality of the SSS flow void, and (4) laterality of the inferior-most occipital lobe. TS cross-sectional area was measured on noncontrast sagittal 2-dimensional time-of-flight MRV images and served as the reference standard. Results The bony groove for the SSS sloped down to the right in 65 of 100 patients and correctly predicted right TS dominance in 63 of 65 cases (97% positive predictive value [PPV]). The groove sloped down to the left in 24 of 100 patients and correctly predicted left TS dominance in 22 of 24 cases (92% PPV). Laterality of the SSS flow void, laterality of the inferior-most occipital lobe, and angulation of the posterior falx had 91% PPV, 82% PPV, and 74% PPV for predicting TS dominance, respectively. Conclusions Multiple anatomic features seen on conventional axial T1WI can be used to predict the laterality of congenital TS dominance and can help inform the interpretation of MRV studies of the brain.
Genetic cargo and bacterial species set the rate of vesicle-mediated horizontal gene transfer

Most bacteria release extracellular vesicles (EVs). Recent studies have found these vesicles are capable of gene delivery, however the consequences of vesicle-mediated transfer on the patterns and rates of gene flow within microbial communities remains unclear. Previous studies have not determined the impact of both the genetic cargo and the donor and recipient species on the rate of vesicle-mediated gene exchange. This report examines the potential for EVs as a mechanism of gene transfer within heterogeneous microbial populations. EVs were harvested from three species of Gram-negative microbes carrying different plasmids. The dynamics of gene transfer into recipient species was measured. This study demonstrates that vesicles enable gene exchange between five species of Gram-negative bacteria, and that the identity of the genetic cargo, donor strain, and recipient strain all influence gene transfer rates. Each species released and acquired vesicles containing genetic material to a variable degree, and the transfer rate did not correlate with the relatedness of the donor and recipient species. The results suggest that EVs may be a general mechanism to exchange non-specialized genetic cargo between bacterial species.
Associative pattern recognition for biological regulation data

PhD Dissertation: Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computer and Information Science and Engineering