cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adherence to the 2009 Consensus Guidelines for Vancomycin Dosing and Monitoring Practices: A Cross‐Sectional Survey of U.S. Hospitals

Study Objectives To describe the implementation of vancomycin dosing and monitoring practices recommended by the consensus guidelines in a diverse sample of hospitals, and to identify needs for quality improvement and research. Design Cross-sectional study using an online survey instrument. Setting Making a Difference in Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy (MAD-ID) Research Network. Participants A total of 163 respondents from MAD-ID who work in antimicrobial stewardship and represent unique hospitals. Measurements and Main Results The survey population represented a wide range of patient populations (96% adult, 49% pediatric, and 23% long-term care) and settings (52% not-for-profit nonuniversity, 31% university based, and 11% for profit). Automatic consultation of pharmacy services for all vancomycin dosing was reported in 51% of the institutions. Among the dosing and monitoring practices endorsed by the consensus guidelines, participant institutions commonly followed these recommendations: use of trough concentrations without peak concentrations, maintenance of trough concentration higher than 10 mg/L, and target trough concentrations of 15–20 mg/L for complicated infections. In contrast, there was less consistent application of appropriate timing of trough concentrations, use of loading doses, and use of actual body weight. The remaining challenges and controversies surrounding vancomycin dosing are discussed. Conclusion Despite the availability of consensus guideline recommendations, practices for dosing and monitoring of vancomycin are not universally applied. The findings of this survey highlight many opportunities for future research and quality improvement strategies.
VEGF and Restenosis: The Rest of the Story

The challenge of restenosis has been with us since the dawn of intravascular percutaneous interventions. Much effort has been spent on developing strategies designed to effectively treat it. These ranged from mechanical means such as minimal plaque removal with an idea of not “disturbing” the media (directional atherectomy), to extensive debulking (rotational atherectomy), to creating the largest possible lumen and then preventing the recoil (stenting), to systemic and local use of numerous drug classes including antithrombotic, antiplatelet, antiproliferative drugs, calcium channel blockers, statins, steroids, and other antiinflammatory agents among the others. See accompanying article on page 458 While most of these failed, as frequently happens in medicine, the effective therapy was arrived at much earlier than any glimmer of understanding of the biology of the process that was treated became apparent. Bare metal stents offered a major reduction in restenosis, largely by preventing arterial recoil despite a markedly increased stress on the media and unappreciated at the time damage to the adventitia. Interestingly, whereas angiographically defined restenosis was substantially reduced, intimal proliferation was actually increased,1 emphasizing that bare metal stenting was a purely mechanical means for dealing with the problem and that the fundamental biology was not affected. The first truly significant reduction in intimal formation was achieved using drug eluting stents with either paclitaxel- or sirolimus-like compounds. The effect was ascribed to their antiproliferative effect on smooth muscle cells (SMC) even though multiple …
Do Infections Lead to Higher Feather Mite Loads in Birds? A Test with Mycoplasmal Conjunctivitis in House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus)

Abstract. Current evidence suggests that the health effect of avian feather mites is minimal. However, feather mites can still proliferate without effective preening, such as might occur during sickness. House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) are prone to infection by Mycoplasma gallisepticum, symptoms of which include conjunctivitis. Impaired vision and lethargy associated with the disease may limit preening ability. We examined trapping data from a 4-year study of Mycoplasma infection dynamics in House Finches in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine whether birds with conjunctivitis had higher feather mite loads. Abundance of feather mites (Proctophyllodes spp.) and conjunctivitis severity were visually scored on >800 House Finches of known age and sex. Feather mite abundance showed a distinct seasonal pattern: mite loads increased in July and remained high through January. Limiting the analyses to these months, we found that average mite scores were higher in birds with (n = 94) than in those without (n = 275)...
Surgery as the Primary Management of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy: A History Reflecting My Experiences and Biases

Although attempts were made ot reattach retinas using proliferative vitreoretinopathy by various techniques before the 1970s, it was the development and subsequent refinement of closed-eye, mechanized pars plana vitrectomy that initiated the rapid rise in the surgical success rate. This article presents a personal history of the milestone accomplishments that facilitated the strong possibility of success that patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy can now anticipate. Currently, various gasses, chemical compounds, and pharmaceutical agents serve adjunctively to advance surgical techniques with the expectation that they may be the primary curative procedure in the future. As in the past, what is unconventional today may be common tomorrow.
The interplay of episodic and semantic memory in guiding repeated search in scenes

It seems intuitive to think that previous exposure or interaction with an environment should make it easier to search through it and, no doubt, this is true in many real-world situations. However, in a recent study, we demonstrated that previous exposure to a scene does not necessarily speed search within that scene. For instance, when observers performed as many as 15 searches for different objects in the same, unchanging scene, the speed of search did not decrease much over the course of these multiple searches (Vo & Wolfe, 2012). Only when observers were asked to search for the same object again did search become considerably faster. We argued that our naturalistic scenes provided such strong ‘‘semantic’’ guidance—e.g., knowing that a faucet is usually located near a sink—that guidance by incidental episodic memory—having seen that faucet previously—was rendered less useful. Here, we directly manipulated the availability of semantic information provided by a scene. By monitoring observers’ eye movements, we found a tight coupling of semantic and episodic memory guidance: Decreasing the availability of semantic information increases the use of episodic memory to guide search. These findings have broad implications regarding the use of memory during search in general and particularly during search in naturalistic scenes.
An Integrated Vision Sensor for the Computation of Optical Flow Singular Points

A robust, integrative algorithm is presented for computing the position of the focus of expansion or axis of rotation (the singular point) in optical flow fields such as those generated by self-motion. Measurements are shown of a fully parallel CMOS analog VLSI motion sensor array which computes the direction of local motion (sign of optical flow) at each pixel and can directly implement this algorithm. The flow field singular point is computed in real time with a power consumption of less than 2 mW. Computation of the singular point for more general flow fields requires measures of field expansion and rotation, which it is shown can also be computed in real-time hardware, again using only the sign of the optical flow field. These measures, along with the location of the singular point, provide robust real-time self-motion information for the visual guidance of a moving platform such as a robot.
Vortex fractionalization in a Josephson ladder

We show numerically that, in a Josephson ladder with periodic boundary conditions and subject to a suitable transverse magnetic field, a vortex excitation can spontaneously breakup into two or more fractional excitations. If the ladder has $N$ plaquettes, and $N$ is divisible by an integer $q$, then in an applied transverse field of $1∕q$ flux quanta per plaquette the ground state is a regular pattern of one fluxon every $q$ plaquettes. When one additional fluxon is added to the ladder, it breaks up into $q$ fractional fluxons, each carrying $1∕q$ units of vorticity. The fractional fluxons are basically walls between different domains of the ground state of the underlying $1∕q$ lattice. The fractional fluxons are all depinned at the same applied current and move as a unit. For certain applied fields and ladder lengths, we show that there are isolated fractional fluxons. It is shown that the fractional fluxons would produce a time-averaged voltage related in a characteristic way to the ac voltage frequency.
Evidence of selection at the ramosa1 locus during maize domestication

Modern maize was domesticated from Zea mays parviglumis, a teosinte, about 9000 years ago in Mexico. Genes thought to have been selected upon during the domestication of crops are commonly known as domestication loci. The ramosa1 (ra1) gene encodes a putative transcription factor that controls branching architecture in the maize tassel and ear. Previous work demonstrated reduced nucleotide diversity in a segment of the ra1 gene in a survey of modern maize inbreds, indicating that positive selection occurred at some point in time since maize diverged from its common ancestor with the sister species Tripsacum dactyloides and prompting the hypothesis that ra1 may be a domestication gene. To investigate this hypothesis, we examined ear phenotypes resulting from minor changes in ra1 activity and sampled nucleotide diversity of ra1 across the phylogenetic spectrum between tripsacum and maize, including a broad panel of teosintes and unimproved maize landraces. Weak mutant alleles of ra1 showed subtle effects in the ear, including crooked rows of kernels due to the occasional formation of extra spikelets, correlating a plausible, selected trait with subtle variations in gene activity. Nucleotide diversity was significantly reduced for maize landraces but not for teosintes, and statistical tests implied directional selection on ra1 consistent with the hypothesis that ra1 is a domestication locus. In maize landraces, a noncoding 3'-segment contained almost no genetic diversity and 5'-flanking diversity was greatly reduced, suggesting that a regulatory element may have been a target of selection.
Using Online Exercises and Patient Simulation to Improve Students' Clinical Decision-Making

Abstract Faced with increasingly complex clinical situations, nurses must respond with accurate clinical judgment. But del Bueno (2005) reports that only 35 percent of new graduate nurses exhibit entry-level expectations of the necessary critical-thinking skills. Croskerry (2003) argues that clinicians' education should be directed at developing cognitive strategies that reduce errors in clinical decision-making. A challenge for nurse educators is finding activities to help students analyze their thinking as they address clinical problems. The author describes an assignment, given to third-year baccalaureate students, that used both online learning and high-fidelity patient simulation. Through discussions with instructors and peers, as well as personal reflection, students gained insight into both their sound and faulty critical thinking and clinical decisions.
SOI-based integrated circuits for high-temperature power electronics applications

The growing demand for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) has increased the need for high-temperature electronics that can operate at the extreme temperatures that exist under the hood. This paper presents a high-voltage, high-temperature SOI-based gate driver for SiC FET switches. The gate driver is designed and implemented on a 0.8-micron BCD on SOI process. This gate driver chip is intended to drive SiC power FETs for DC-DC converters and traction drives in HEVs. To this end, the gate driver IC has been successfully tested up to 200oC. Successful operation of the circuit at this temperature with minimal or no heat sink, and without liquid cooling, will help to achieve higher power-to-volume as well as power-to-weight ratios for the power electronics modules in HEVs.
A preliminary investigation of three issues pertaining to a common behavioral treatment for nocturnal enuresis.

Abstract Two adolescent brothers exhibiting nocturnal enuresis since birth participated in this multiple case study examining the successful application of a modified alarm and pad procedure with a deaf youth and the generalization of effects to an initially untreated, non- hearing impaired sibling. A description of the treatment program and the explicit statement of an avoidance contingency prior to intervention resulted in a rapid and marked increase in percentage of dry nights in both cases, with further increases observed following implementation of an alarm and pad plus accident correction procedure in conjunction with self- monitoring. Treatment gains were maintained at a 10-month follow-up.
Protection and Attachment of Vibrio cholerae Mediated by the Toxin-Coregulated Pilus in the Infant Mouse Model

Colonization of the human small intestine by Vibrio cholerae is an essential step in pathogenesis that requires the type IV toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). To date, three functions of TCP have been characterized: it serves as the CTXΦ receptor, secretes the colonization factor TcpF, and functions in microcolony formation by mediating bacterium-bacterium interactions. Although type IV pili in other pathogenic bacteria have been characterized as playing a major role in attachment to epithelial cells, there are very few studies to suggest that TCP acts as an attachment factor. Taking this into consideration, we investigated the function of TCP in attachment to Caco-2 cells and found that mutants lacking TCP were defective in attachment compared to the wild type. Overexpression of ToxT, the activator of TCP, significantly increased attachment of wild-type V. cholerae to Caco-2 cells. Using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), we also observed TCP-mediated attachment to the small intestines of infected infant mice by using antibodies specific to TCP and V. cholerae. Remarkably, we also visualized matrices comprised of TCP appearing to engulf V. cholerae during infection, and we demonstrated that these matrices protected the bacteria from a component of bile, disclosing a possible new role of this pilus in protection of the bacterial cells from antimicrobial agents. This study provides new insights into TCP's function in V. cholerae colonization of the small intestine, describing additional roles in mediating attachment and protection of V. cholerae bacterial cells.
Defining the Product in Social Marketing: An Analysis of Published Research

Social marketing, a discipline rooted in marketing principles, lacks consensus on the conceptual and operational definition of product. The purpose of this article was to explore how social marketing researchers have conceptualized the product and how this definition has influenced strategy development. A systematic review of 10 years of peer-reviewed literature resulted in 92 intervention-based articles. Nearly all studies focused on health-related behavior change. Few studies used marketing language and the three product level classification. One-third of studies provided a tangible product while communication was the only strategy in over half of the studies. The focus on behavior as the product and using communication as the primary or sole strategy may limit social marketing's effectiveness as the approach resembles other social change strategies. If social marketing research aims to advance its position as a social change strategy, a starting point should be to reexamine the definition of product.
Behavioral and ecological observations of Peruvian High‐Andean Pierid butterflies (Lepidoptera)

Four species of Pieridae were studied above 4000 m in the Andes of Arequipa and Junin, Peru. Phulia nymphula is widely distributed over several habitats. Pierphulia rosea annamariea occurs on talus and bare soil near bogs. Infraphulia madeleinea and Phulia garleppi appear to be limited to peat bogs. Thermoregulatory and sexual behaviors are described for these species. In addition, distributional and behavioral data on several species of Peruvian Tatochila are presented.
Composition of scientific teams and publication productivity

The production of scientific knowledge has evolved from a process of inquiry largely based on the activities of individual scientists to one grounded in the collaborative efforts of highly specialized research teams, which have become an increasingly prominent means of knowledge production. This study examines data from 1,415 experiments conducted by scientific teams at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) to examine how the diversity of science teams along several key variables---including institutional diversity, disciplinary diversity, gender, seniority, and the network position---impacts overall team productivity as measured by peer reviewed journal publication. The results from correlation and quantile regression analysis indicate high productivity in teams is associated with high disciplinary diversity and low seniority diversity in team membership; team cohesion also positively related to productivity. Teams with members in central structural positions performed better than other teams. A better understanding of the factors that impact scientific teams, as determined by this and future research, may enable key stakeholders to facilitate more effective and efficient team operations and increase overall scientific productivity.
The use of hybrid models to recover cardiac wall motion in tagged MR images

We present a new algorithm for the automatic recovery of tag grid-line intersections in Tagged MR images of the left ventricle of the heart. Our method uses an active spring mesh to capture local properties of the motion and a global motion model to capture the global coherence of the motion. We recover the global component of the motion using robust estimation. Different motion models have been developed for short and long axis views of the heart. The algorithm has been tested on healthy and pathological data.
A Comparative Study of Water Uptake By and Transport Through Ionomeric Fuel Cell Membranes

Water uptake and transport parameters measured at 30 C for several available perfluorosulfonic acid membranes are compared. The water sorption characteristics, diffusion coefficient of water, electroosmotic drag, and protonic conductivity were determined for Nafion 117, Membrane C, and Dow XUS 13204.10 developmental fuel cell membrane. The diffusion coefficient and conductivity of each of these membranes were determined as functions of membrane water content. Experimental determination of transport parameters, enables one to compare membranes without the skewing effects of extensive features such as membrane thickness which contributes in a nonlinear fashion to performance in polymer electrolyte fuel cells.
Greater Ciprofloxacin Tolerance as a Possible Selectable Phenotype Underlying the Pandemic Spread of the H30 Subclone of Escherichia coli Sequence Type 131

Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for ciprofloxacin were significantly higher among 41 members of the H30 subclone within Escherichia coli sequence type 131 than among 48 other fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli isolates. This MBC difference, which was not explained by ciprofloxacin MICs, gyrA, parC, and parE mutations, the presence of aac(6')-Ib-cr, or organic solvent tolerance (a surrogate for efflux pump activity), conceivably could have promoted the pandemic emergence of the H30 sequence type 131 subclone.
Early Development of the Spiral Ganglion

The neurons and sensory epithelia of the inner ear are produced from a proneurosensory domain in the early otocyst. Embryological observations together with analysis at the molecular level have uncovered the origin of spiral ganglion neurons and detailed the series of events that underlie their differentiation. During early development, extrinsic signals position the proneurosensory domain in the anterior of the otic cup, restricting formation of non-sensory regions to the posterior. Transcriptional networks reinforce the neurosensory fate and steer progenitors towards neuronal or sensory fates. Neuronal progenitors delaminate from the otic epithelium, proliferate, and then differentiate to form a contiguous cochlear-vestibular ganglion. Spiral and vestibular ganglion neurons arise from spatially and temporally distinct neuronal progenitors, relying in part on the action of cell-type specific transcription factors. Through unclear mechanisms, spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) are further subdivided into Type I and Type II SGNs, followed by further diversification of Type I SGNs to produce the heterogeneous population necessary for the sense of hearing.
Trajectory Planning for Obstacle-Avoided Assembly of Planar Printed Circuit Boards

The use of robots to assemble Printed Circuit Boards represents a cost-effective, efficient approach to the electronics manufacturing industry. The ability to plan and simulate the assembly robot workcell operations early in the PCB design stages is essential. This concurrent engineering concept leads to the goal of reduction of design time by using an assembly planner and simulator to predict assembly workcell problems as early as possible in the product definitions stage. An assembly robot workcell trajectory planner and simulator were implemented to approach the goal. This paper addresses the issues of the development of such robot trajectory planner and simulator. The trajectory planner and simulator (TPS) can plan assembly paths for the assembly for a given PCB layout and assembly sequence with a collision avoidance algorithm implemented. TPS also provides the capability to graphically visualize workcell mechanics and to provide advisory information to the user for a PCB High Density Electronics assembly.
Statehood Implications for Island Nations Endangered by Climate Change

This essay discusses statehood implications for island nations that may become submerged and physically disappear as a result of sea level rise caused by climate change. There are possible solutions that endangered island nations can consider – including acquiring new territory, merger with or absorption into another state, self-government within another state, or the creation of artificial islands. Creative ideas about de-territorialized states, governments-in-exile and political trusteeships have been suggested. The concept of sovereignty is complex, and is manifested in the real world along a spectrum. Ultimately, achieving a successful and sustainable solution to these challenging issues will require a deep and holistic understanding of the web of political, economic, social and cultural factors involved. This web of factors is grounded in the central concept of identity – including political, economic, social and cultural identity. In crafting appropriate responses, these multidimensional perspectives of identity should be contextualized with respect to the specific island nation. Thus, a customized approach is called for; one that focuses on the multidimensional phenomenon of identity over legal formalism. In other words, identity transcends the ‘nation-state’ construct. International efforts should strive to perpetuate, to the maximum extent possible, the multidimensional aspects of island identity, and secure the right of future generations of islanders to self-determination, to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
Human assay of three new mercurial diuretic agents; a promising preparation for oral use.

ConclusionsThree organic mercurial preparations possessing diuretic activity were assayed by the oral route against the Standard, mercuhydrin solution given intramuscularly, in patients with congestive failure. Of the three materials, the 3-chloro-mercuri-2-methoxy propylurea proved to be the most effective, producing with oral doses a diuretic response equivalent to results obtained by the conventional doses of intramuscular mercuhydrin. The diuretic potency of this compound when given orally is somewhat more than one-fourth of its potency by intramuscular injection, and by the latter route 4.3 times (in milligrams) as potent as intramuscular mercuhydrin. We are not aware of any mercurial diuretic with such a favorable ratio of intramuscular to oral potency, namely 4:1. In the case of the thiol compound we tested in this study, the ratio was 11.1. In another study(7) in which mercuhydrin was tested by the intramuscular and oral routes, this ratio was 24:1. There still remains the problem of gastrointesti...
Life Tables for a Declining Population of the Douglas-fir Tussock Moth in Northeastern Oregon

Changes in population density and their causes were quantified on 22 sample plots representing 4 different defoliation intensities in a Douglas-fir tussock moth outbreak. Density of larvae was extraordinarily high at the beginning of feeding in June 1973. Thereafter, populations either declined sharply or completely collapsed on all of the plots studied. Measurable larval populations of the subsequent generation were found on only 6 plots in June 1974, and these had virtually disappeared by midsummer. Rate of decline was variable under different conditions but appeared to be predictable from the level of past defoliation. In general, the decline rate was faster on heavily or moderately defoliated plots than on lightly or proviously undefoliated plots. Population collapse was the result of a multitude of natural factors operating in compensating ways against the high density outbreak. It was characterized by an increase in the effect of numerous mortality factors including virus disease, insect parasites, predators, starvation, and larval dispersion, as well as changes in population quality and structure resulting in lower fecundity, egg quality and a change in sex ratio. The largest proportion of mortality occurred early in the larval cycle and was probably due to losses from natural dispersion and predation; however, other factors may have had an equal or greater effect on ultimate collapse of the population although they accounted for less total mortality.
Abstract 4851: BH-3 mimetics radiosensitizes human prostate cancer via modulating autophagy

Radioresistance markedly impair the efficacy of cancer therapy and involve anti-apoptotic signal transduction pathways that prevent the treatment-induced cell death. Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins such as Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 are overexpressed in prostate cancer and contribute to prostate tumor initiation, progression and resistance to radiotherapy. (−)-Gossypol, a natural product from cottonseed, has recently been identified as a potent small molecule inhibitor of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL/Mcl-1 and is now in advanced clinical trials. Since Bcl-2 also inhibits autophagy and radiation induces autophagy, we hypothesize that (−)-gossypol may improve prostate cancer9s response to radiotherapy by inducing autophagy in apoptosis-resistant prostate cancer cells with high Bcl-2. (−)-Gossypol inhibits tumor cell growth and preferentially induces autophagy in androgen-independent (AI) prostate cancer cells that have high levels of Bcl-2 and resistant to apoptosis, both in vitro and in vivo, but not in cells with low Bcl-2. (−)-Gossypol radiosensitized AI-prostate cancer PC-3 and CL-1 cells in clonogenic assay. (−)-Gossypol increased autophagy induced by X-ray radiation in these cells. Orally administered (−)-gossypol achieved a much greater efficacy with long-term tumor regression when used in combination with ionizing radiation. Immunoprecipitation /pull-down assay showed that (−)-gossypol induced autophagy via blocking Bcl-2-Beclin1 interaction, together with downregulating Bcl-2, upregulating Beclin1 and activating autophagic pathway signaling. Knockdown of the Beclin1 or atg5 expression blocked the autophagy induced by (−)-gossypol or radiation. Taken together, our data demonstrate that (−)-Gossypol exerts its radiosensitizing activity through promoting radiation-induced autophagy, via modulating Bcl-2-Beclin1 interaction and atg5. (−)-Gossypol significantly enhances the anti-tumor activity of radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo, and represents a promising new regime for treatment of hormone-refractory human prostate cancer with overexpression of Bcl-2. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4851.
Color Variation in Pocket Gophers, Thomomys

It has long been noted that the coloration of animals tends to correspond to the color of the soil they inhabit. Certain exceptions to this rule have been noted; however, as a general rule it seems to be fairly well accepted that there is a rather close correlation between the coloration of animals and that of the substrate (Dice and Blossom, 1937). This phenomenon has been best exemplified in comparisons of animals inhabiting lava fields with those from surrounding lighter soil. In this case the darker forms are limited to or at least are more abundant on the darker areas with the lighter forms being found on the lighter surrounding soil (e.g., Bradt, 1932; Hooper, 1941). Exceptions to this have been given by Sumner (1921). In situations where lava flows are not involved one also finds differences in coloration of the soils and again a general tendency for the coloration of the animals to match this background. Sumner ( ibid .) first correlated directly development of lighter forms in desert areas with little rainfall and darker forms outside the desert areas with greater rainfall and/or humidity. He later (1932) indicated that this is probably not a true correlation and was supported in this view by Benson (1933). The correlation of …
167 REGULATION OF INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNE RESPONSES BY HUMAN ARTERIES.

Purpose Human medium-sized and large arteries possess a population of dendritic cells (DCs) that are localized at the media-adventitia border. The physiologic role of such DCs is unknown. DCs are typically equipped with pattern-recognition receptors, such as Toll-like receptors (TLR) that detect "danger " and initiate immune responses. We have explored whether arteries from different vascular territories express TLR and whether stimulation with TLR ligands, such as LPS, is sufficient to trigger vascular inflammation. Methods Human medium-sized and large arteries were collected from 6 vascular beds (temporal, carotid, subclavian, mesenteric, iliac, and thoracic aorta) of 21 donors (mean age 65 years). Samples with atherosclerotic plaque and inflammatory infiltrates by histology were excluded. Transcripts of TLR1-9 and the DC marker CD11c were quantified by real-time PCR. Distribution of vascular DC was examined by immunohistochemistry. Responsiveness of human arteries to the TLR ligand LPS was tested by implanting SCID mice with human artery pieces, injecting 3 mg LPS and adoptively transferring 5 3 106 human T cells. Explanted artery grafts were examined for inflammation. Results All human arteries contained transcripts for TLR1-7 and TLR9. TLR8 was present in some but not all vascular territories. Notably, each vascular bed expressed a unique TLR pattern. Patterns of TLR expression were similar in carotid and iliac arteries. Temporal arteries, the preferred target for giant cell arteritis, were distinct from all other vessels and were characterized by prominent expression of TLR2 and TLR8. Remarkably, the aortic wall had the lowest transcript levels for TLR. In the human artery-SCID chimeras (n = 8), bloodborne LPS was sufficient to induce recruitment and activation of adoptively transferred T cells, forming inflammatory infiltrates in the vessel wall. Conclusion Human medium-sized and large arteries have functional similarities to lymphoid organs in that they recognize and respond to pathogen-derived molecules. DCs in the vascular wall attract and retain T lymphocytes and initiate early events in vascular inflammation. Target tissue susceptibility with particular arteries being susceptible to selected vasculopathies may relate to the immune functions of DC displaying site-specific networks in different vascular beds.
Synergy of Radiation Therapy and Immunotherapy in Murine Renal Cell Carcinoma

The treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma with immunotherapy has resulted in objective anti-tumor responses in 15-30% of patients. To enhance the therapeutic effects of immunotherapy, it is becoming evident that this approach should be combined with other treatment modalities. In this study, a spontaneously metastasizing murine renal adenocarcinoma (Renca), transplanted under the renal capsule, was treated with either radiation therapy, immunotherapy or a combination of both. In order to distinguish between the local and systemic effects of radiation therapy, total body irradiation was compared to irradiation of the tumor-bearing kidney only, or irradiation of the whole mouse with the tumor-bearing kidney shielded. Immunotherapy was administered with interleukin-2 (IL-2) alone or with IL-2 and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells. Combined radiation and immunotherapy induced a better anti-tumor response than either modality alone. The best response was obtained by local tumor irradiation and IL-2 therapy and resulted in a significant reduction in primary tumor size, elimination of lung metastases and a significant increase in survival.
Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction

Exercise-induced asthma (EIA), now referred to as exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB), is extremely common. The terms EIA and EIB, although not identical, are often used interchangeably in much of the literature. EIB is now the accepted term to avoid the mistaken impression that exercise causes asthma. Rather, exercise leads to bronchospasm in susceptible individuals, who may or may not have asthma. In this light, all patients with EIA have EIB, but the reverse is not true. This is especially true of athletes who demonstrate airway bronchial hyperactivity that may be a consequence of extreme performance conditions and hyperventilation.
Genetic Analysis of the Rex Mutant in Cotton

Determinisme genetique et analyse de linkage du mutant rex du cotton affectant la productivite et le developpement
Leveraging Crowdsourcing for the Thematic Annotation of the Qur'an

In this paper, we illustrate how we leverage crowdsourcing to create workflows for knowledge engineering in specialized and knowledge intensive domains. We undertake the special case of the Arabic script of the Qur'an, a widely studied manuscript, and attempt to employ crowdsourcing methods for its thematic annotation at the sub-verse level, for which, there is no standardized knowledge model available to date. We demonstrate that our proposed method presents feasibility to achieve reliable annotations in an efficient and scalable manner. The proposed methodology and framework is meant to be generalizable to other knowledge intensive and specialized domains.
Asymptotically isometric copies of c0 and l1 in Bochner-spaces

Abstract Let X be a Banach space and (Ω, Σ, μ) be a finite measure space. It is shown that if 1 p ≤∞(resp. 1 p L p (μ, X ) contains asymptotically isometric copies of c 0 (resp. l 1 ) if and only if X does.
Landsat 8: The plans, the reality, and the legacy

Landsat 8, originally known as the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) partnership that continues the legacy of continuous moderate resolution observations started in 1972. The conception of LDCM to the reality of Landsat 8 followed an arduous path extending over nearly 13 years, but the successful launch on February 11, 2013 ensures the continuity of the unparalleled Landsat record. The USGS took over mission operations on May 30, 2013 and renamed LCDM to Landsat 8. Access to Landsat 8 data was opened to users worldwide. Three years following launch we evaluate the science and applications impact of Landsat 8. With a mission objective to enable the detection and characterization of global land changes at a scale where differentiation between natural and human-induced causes of change is possible, LDCM promised incremental technical improvements in capabilities needed for Landsat scientific and applications investigations. Results show that with Landsat 8, we are acquiring more data than ever before, the radiometric and geometric quality of data are generally technically superior to data acquired by past Landsat missions, and the new measurements, e.g., the coastal aerosol and cirrus bands, are opening new opportunities. Collectively, these improvements are sparking the growth of science and applications opportunities. Equally important, with Landsat 7 still operational, we have returned to global imaging on an 8-day cycle, a capability that ended when Landsat 5 ceased operational Earth imaging in November 2011. As a result, the Landsat program is on secure footings and planning is underway to extend the record for another 20 or more years.
Four-dimensional computed tomography scan utility in parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism with low baseline intact parathyroid hormone.

Objectives/Hypothesis The prevalence of multiglandular disease (MGD) of the parathyroid has been reported to be higher in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and low baseline intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (<100 pg/mL). Low baseline PTH is associated with lower localization rate and positive predictive value with both preoperative sestamibi and ultrasound. This study sought to evaluate our experience with four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) for the localization of abnormal parathyroid glands, including MGD, in patients with low baseline intact PTH (LBiPTH). Study Design A single institution case series. Methods A case series of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism with low baseline PTH or an inconclusive sestamibi, who underwent surgery with a single surgeon from April 2012 to June 2015 following 4D-CT to help with abnormal gland localization. Results We identified 14 patients who underwent a 4D-CT in the setting of primary hyperparathyroidism and LBiPTH. A sestamibi scan had been ordered in 71% and was inconclusive in all cases. No ultrasound was performed. In all patients, 4D-CT was 84.6% sensitive in localizing abnormal glands, yielding a positive predictive value of 91.7%. Overall, 42.9% of patients had evidence of MGD, and 4D-CT detected 83.3% of MGD cases. A focused unilateral exploration was performed in 28.6% of cases, and a four-gland exploration was performed in all remaining patients. Conclusions In patients with hypercalcemia and LBiPTH, with higher likelihood of MGD and of inconclusive results on sestamibi, 4D-CT may be a superior modality for localizing smaller adenoma or multiple hypercellular glands. This may allow for improved interpretation of intraoperative PTH results, and in a minority of cases, a focused parathyroid exploration. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 2016
Does enrichment improve reptile welfare? Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) respond to five types of environmental enrichment

Abstract Animal welfare is a high priority for pet owners and accredited zoos and aquariums. Current approaches to measuring welfare focus on identifying consensus among behavioral and physiological indicators of positive and negative emotions. Environmental enrichment is a common strategy used to improve the welfare of captive animals. In enrichment programs, knowledge of an animal’s ecology and individual history are applied to modify the animal’s current environment and management to increase environmental complexity, make the environment more functional or natural, and increase behavioral opportunities. While enrichment techniques for primates and large mammals are well-studied, reptile enrichment has received little attention to date despite a few promising studies. In this study, we monitored the responses of 16 leopard geckos to five types of enrichment (Thermal, Feeding, Olfactory, Object, and Visual) using a repeated-measures design. We measured both specific behaviors we expected to change in response to each enrichment type and four behavioral indicators of welfare: exploratory behavior, species-specific behaviors (behavioral thermoregulation and hunting), behavioral diversity, and abnormal repetitive behaviors. We found geckos interacted with all five types of enrichment at above-chance levels (i.e., no 95% CIs for engagement time overlapped with 0 s). Geckos spent more time interacting with Thermal and Feeding enrichment than the other types (F(4,60) = 49.84, p
Ocean Upwelling Along the Yellow Sea Coast of China Revealed by Satellite Observations and Numerical Simulation

Satellite observations reveal that an ocean cooling event happened along the Yellow Sea coast of China intermittently in spring 2008, which lasted for days. During this period, the sea surface temperature (SST) dropped 3 °C–4 °C and the chlorophyll A (Chl-a) content increased by 0.5–1 mg/ $\text{m}^{3}$ , as determined from satellite-derived products. The cold water also suppressed the sea surface capillary waves and made the ocean surface smooth, a distinct feature shown as dark patches observed in the synthetic aperture radar image acquired during this period of time. The surface wind direction varied between alongshore and offshore. We implemented an interactively coupled ocean (regional ocean modeling system) and atmosphere (Weather Research and Forecasting model) model to capture the dynamical processes of this seemingly wind-driven cooling event. When the wind changed direction such that the alongshore component blew with the land on its left side, stronger upwelling occurred; and when the wind blew offshore with no alongshore component, the upwelling still occurred in this area, but with less strength. Two simulations with idealized alongshore and offshore winds show that the upwelling can be set up within several hours. The alongshore wind is more effective than the offshore wind in transporting upper level water offshore and triggering upwelling and causing SST cooling areas that are relatively large in size, although the maximum SST cooling they cause is on the same order of magnitude.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the development and continued growth of multiple renal cysts. Ongoing cyst development and expansion results in ultimate loss of renal function. However, the course of ADPKD progression is extremely variable both between and even within families, with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) occurring between the 4th and 9th decades of life in most patients. Therefore, a prognostic biomarker predicting the disease course at an early age would be helpful for patient counseling as well as selecting those patients most likely to benefit from an intervention. In addition, a biomarker that could serve as a surrogate endpoint in clinical trials testing new therapeutic interventions would reduce the necessary trial cost and duration. Nevertheless, exploration of robust biomarkers in ADPKD is still in its infancy. In this chapter we review the current understanding of genetic, imaging, serum, and urinary biomarkers in ADPKD with emphasis on their application for diagnosis and prediction of prognosis.
Hemodialysis Access: Fundamentals and Advanced Management

A true aneurysm contains all layers of a venous wall (the intima, media, and adventitia) as compared to a pseudoaneurysm which is lined by fibrous tissue and thrombus. Aneurysmal degeneration of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is one of the most common complications of long-term AVF. This can be asymptomatic but can also lead to a broad spectrum of complications. The focus of this chapter is the discussion of aneurysmal degeneration in arteriovenous fistulas.
Race, Apology, and Public Memory at Maryland's Hospital for the 'Negro' Insane

To respond to a recent demand of the ACLU of Maryland, and to augment theories from Disability Incarcerated (2014) about the convergence of race, disability, and due process (or lack thereof), this essay analyzes the extent to which racism informed the creation of Maryland's Hospital for the 'Negro' Insane (Crownsville Hospital). In order to understand the extent of racism in Crownsville's earlier years, I will take into account 14 categories within conditions of confinement from 1921-1928 and compare them to the nearby, white asylum. Ultimately, the hospital joins the ranks of separate and unequal (Plessy vs. Ferguson) institutions founded alongside a rhetoric of fear that the Baltimore Sun daily paper deemed "a Black invasion" of the city of Baltimore. Even more, I add to public memory of this racialized space invoking the rhetorical frame, as Kendall Phillips advises, of responsibility and apology (versus absolution) within the context of present-day racial justice movements.
At the Crossroads: How Physical Education Can Succeed in a Public Health Paradigm

ABSTRACTPhysical education (PE) can make meaningful contributions to public health by directly providing moderate to vigorous physical activity (PA) opportunities for school-aged youth. Quality PE aims to contribute indirectly to PA beyond the school day. Unfortunately, insufficient evidence exists regarding the impact of PE on lifelong PA. This has led PE to a crossroads. Moving straight through the crossroads adds comprehensive school physical activity program responsibilities to the PE teacher’s load. Turning left results in PE teachers being replaced by PA leaders. The right turn reaffirms that the aim of PE is to teach youth the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to become physically literate and active for life. The right turn is the most difficult because it requires systemically changing school PE that has remained stagnant for decades. Recommendations are presented that include embracing the comprehensive school physical activity program model, conducting research clearly defining the role of PE...
“They Write Me Off and Don't Give Me a Chance to Learn Anything”: Positioning, Discipline, and Black Masculinities in School

This study examines the schooling of black male students in a U.S. high school. Drawing upon positioning theory and student resistance literature, I describe how the students make meaning of the pathologizing positioning practices of the school, including how they resist and internalize dominant discourses about black masculinity and how their performances of particular masculinities within the school are met with surveillance, regulation, and discipline. I argue that schools are locations where dominant ideologies of black masculinities are imposed, contested, and sometimes reproduced.
Determinants of Factor Shares

Section 20.1 discusses some theoretical issues governing how changes in productivity should affect labor and capital's share over time. Two models are developed for each factor: its percentage share of national income, and what causes that to change, and its level of income and what causes the level to change. Fundamentally, the models indicate that the fully half decline in labor's share since 1980 results not from its own decline in income in any absolute sense (it actually grew), but from the growth in profits share of national income due to the rapid growth of profits earned by American firms on overseas operations. The other half of the year–to–year variation in labor's share over the half century studied was due more to Keynesian business cycle effects.
Obituary: Edward U. Condon

The extraordinary career of Edward Uhler Condon, president of the American Physical Society (1946) and of the American Association of Physics Teachers (1964), ended with his death in Boulder, Colorado, on 26 March 1974.