cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The CD28 family: a T-cell rheostat for therapeutic control of T-cell activation.

The CD28 family of receptors (CD28, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen 4 [CTLA-4], inducible costimulator [ICOS], program death-1 [PD-1], and B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator [BTLA]) plays a critical role in controlling the adaptive arm of the immune response. While considerable information is available regarding CD28 and CTLA-4, the function of the more recently discovered members of the CD28 family is less well understood. This review will highlight recent findings regarding the CD28 family with special emphasis on effects the CD28 family has on immunopathology, the discovery of costimulatory antibodies with superagonist function, and the status of clinical trials using various strategies to augment or block T-cell costimulation.
MgB2 thin-film bolometer for applications in far-infrared instruments on future planetary missions

A SiN membrane based MgB2 thin-film bolometer, with a non-optimized absorber, has been fabricated that shows an electrical noise equivalent power of 256 fW/square root Hz operating at 30 Hz in the 8.5 - 12.35 micron spectral bandpass. This value corresponds to an electrical specific detectivity of 7.6 x 10(exp 10) cm square root Hz/W. The bolometer shows a measured blackbody (optical) specific detectivity of 8.8 x 10(exp 9) cm square root Hz/W, with a responsivity of 701.5 kV/W and a first-order time constant of 5.2 ms. It is predicted that with the inclusion of a gold black absorber that a blackbody specific detectivity of 6.4 x 10(exp 10) cm/square root Hz/W at an operational frequency of 10 Hz, can be realized for integration into future planetary exploration instrumentation where high sensitivity is required in the 17 - 250 micron spectral wavelength range.
Violations of the independent increment assumption when using generalized estimating equation in longitudinal group sequential trials

In phase 3 clinical trials, ethical and financial concerns motivate sequential analyses in which the data are analyzed prior to completion of the entire planned study. Existing group sequential software accounts for the effects of these interim analyses on the sampling density by assuming that the contribution of subsequent increments is independent of the contribution from previous data. This independent increment assumption is satisfied in many common circumstances, including when using the efficient estimator. However, certain circumstances may dictate using an inefficient estimator, and the independent increment assumption may then be violated. Consequences of assuming independent increments in a setting where the assumption does not hold have not been previously explored. One important setting in which independent increments may not hold is the setting of longitudinal clinical trials. This paper considers dependent increments that arise because of heteroscedastic and correlated data in the context of longitudinal clinical trials that use a generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach. Both heteroscedasticity over time and correlation of observations within subjects may lead to departures from the independent increment assumption when using GEE. We characterize situations leading to greater departures in this paper. Despite violations of the independent increment assumption, simulation results suggest that operating characteristics of sequential designs are largely maintained for typically observed patterns of accrual, correlation, and heteroscedasticity even when using analyses that use standard software that depends on an independent increment structure. More extreme scenarios may require greater care to avoid departures from the nominal type I error rate and power. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From finite charged nuclei to infinite symmetric nuclear matter and its phase diagram

Abstract The difficulties encountered with Coulomb and finite size effects in generalizing to the infinite system phase diagram are considered. Methods to correct for the Coulomb effect exactly and to eliminate finite size effects are described.
Nucleotide sequence of the argF regulatory region of Escherichia coli K-12.

Abstract The deoxyribonucleotide sequence has been determined for the regulatory region of the arginine F gene (argF) of Escherichia coli K-12. The location of the argF coding region was deduced by comparison of the DNA sequence to the sequence predicted from the primary structure of the N-terminus of the argF gene product, the subunit of the “F” isoenzyme of ornithine transcarbamylase. Transcription of the argF gene was found to initiate at a position approx. 40 bp preceding the N-terminal codon for OTCase. Comparison of the region surrounding the origin of transcription with a computer-generated “model promoter sequence” revealed structural similarities between the two sequences, in particular, the promoter-associated stretches known as the “Pribnow box” and “minus 35 contact site”. Another feature noted for the argF promoter region was its extreme abundance of A:T nucleotide pairs. In the region preceding the start site for argF translation, a sequence was observed to be complementary to the 3 ' end of the 16S RNA component of the E. coli ribosome. Both the length and the nucleotide sequence of the argF leader region indicate that the argF gene does not contain an attenuator proposed to exist in other operons concerned with amino acid biosynthesis.
Bulbar acetylcholine enhances neural and perceptual odor discrimination.

Experimental and modeling data suggest that the circuitry of the main olfactory bulb (OB) plays a critical role in olfactory discrimination. Processing of such information arises from the interaction between OB output neurons local interneurons, as well as interactions between the OB network and centrifugal inputs. Cholinergic input to the OB in particular has been hypothesized to regulate mitral cell odorants receptive fields (ORFs) and behavioral discrimination of similar odorants. We recorded from individual mitral cells in the OB in anesthetized rats to determine the degree of overlap in ORFs of individual mitral cells after exposure to odorant stimuli. Increasing the efficacy of the cholinergic neurotransmission in the OB by addition of the anticholinesterase drug neostigmine (20 mm) sharpened the ORF responses of mitral cells. Furthermore, coaddition of either the nicotinic antagonist methyllycaconitine citrate hydrate (MLA) (20 mm) or muscarinic antagonist scopolamine (40 mm) together with neostigmine (20 mm) attenuated the neostigmine-dependent sharpening of ORFs. These electrophysiological findings are predictive of accompanying behavioral experiments in which cholinergic modulation was manipulated by direct infusion of neostigmine, MLA, and scopolamine into the OB during olfactory behavioral tasks. Increasing the efficacy of cholinergic action in the OB increased perceptual discrimination of odorants in these experiments, whereas blockade of nicotinic or muscarinic receptors decreased perceptual discrimination. These experiments show that behavioral discrimination is modulated in a manner predicted by the changes in mitral cell ORFs by cholinergic drugs. These results together present a first direct comparison between neural and perceptual effects of a bulbar neuromodulator.
Handling Sensing Failures in Autonomous Mobile Robots

This article details the SFX-EH architecture for handling sensing failures in autonomous mobile robots. The SFX-EH uses novel extensions to the generate-and-test method to classify failures with on...
Redesign as an act of violence: disrupted interaction patterns and the fragmenting of a social Q&A community

The worst-case scenario for the redesign of an established online community is a subsequent mass migration of its core members to other sites. Using data from transaction logs, content analysis and participant observation, this paper presents a descriptive analysis of the fragmentation of a social question answering (Q&A) community in the immediate aftermath of a fundamental redesign, where site-based communication mechanisms no longer functioned. The ways in which the community and its diaspora reacted, reconnected and resettled on other sites provides empirical data to support recent research on the life cycle of online communities. The results suggest that many of the same processes that help social Q&A sites generate content and motivate participation can work to dismantle an established community if communications between members are even temporarily disrupted. Modeling a redesign as an attack on a community can help future designers anticipate alternative paths of communication and information flows.
Voltammetry of Coumarins

Several coumarins were studied using cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and chronocoulometry. The results show that umbelliferone (7-hydroxycoumarin) and several structurally similar coumarins undergo a pH-dependent, irreversible oxidation with product adsorption.
Satellite ocean surface stress measurements applied to air-sea interaction and circulation

The use of satellite radar data to measure and interpret the sea surface drag coefficient over large areas of the ocean is a new and unique approach to a problem that is of continuing interest to the oceanographic and air-sea interaction communities. This approach is based on the conversion of the radar cross section (at 14 GHz) measured by the NASA NSCAT Scatterometer on a 25 km sized resolution cell into an averaged friction velocity, over this area. Whenever a timely buoy measurement of U/sub 10N/ is obtained within this area, an estimate of the drag coefficient can be made. This study includes analysis of data collected by the NDBC buoys located along the Atlantic and Pacific coastal regions, and by the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) buoy array in the equatorial Pacific. Differences have been observed among these different regions.
Disentangling the "whys" from the "whats" of aggressive behaviour

We examined the validity of a measurement system for the study of aggression that distinguishes among four principle dimensions of aggressive behaviour: overt and relational aggression (i.e., the "whats") and instrumental and reactive aggression (i.e., the "whys"). The sample comprised 1723 adolescents (Grades 5 through 10) from Berlin, Germany. The internal validity of the measurement system was strongly supported, revealing four discrete dimensions of aggression: two overriding forms (overt and relational) and two underlying functions (instrumental and reactive). The differential and unique patterns of criterion-related validity strongly supported the distinctions among the constructs. The importance of disentangling these dimensions in understanding the development of aggressive behaviour is discussed.
Lognormal Distribution of Cellular Uptake of Radioactivity: Monte Carlo Simulation of Irradiation and Cell Killing in 3-Dimensional Populations in Carbon Scaffolds

The biologic response of tissue exposed to radiation emitted by internal radioactivity is often correlated with the mean absorbed dose to a tissue element. However, studies show that even when the macroscopic absorbed dose to the tissue element is constant, the response of the cell population within the tissue element can vary significantly, depending on the distribution of radioactivity at the cellular and multicellular levels. These variations are believed to be the consequence of nonuniform distributions of activity among the cells or subcellular compartments that comprise the tissue element. Furthermore, the self-dose received by a cell containing radioactivity can be more radiotoxic than the cross-dose from neighboring cells. To study how the nonuniformity of activity among cells can affect the dose response, a 3-dimensional model of cells in a heterogeneous carbon scaffold was used to assess response. Methods: A theoretic model of a 3-dimensional cell culture was constructed, and Monte Carlo radiation transport was performed to assess self- and cross-doses for each cell nucleus in a population of 106 cells. On the basis of these individual doses and on empiric models of radiation-induced cell death (i.e., reproductive failure), survival curves were simulated with different electron energies and activity distributions among the cells. Results: Nonuniformity of cell activities are responsible for nonuniformity of the dose at the cellular level, which in turn causes a change in the surviving fraction of the cell population from that expected on the basis of uniform activity and dose. Conclusion: The macroscopic dose received by a tissue cannot be used to anticipate its biologic response. The dose distribution among individual cells, because of both their nonuniform activity and geometric environment, is an important factor in determining biologic response of the tissue at the macroscopic level.
Known unknowns: A review of opioid-induced hyperalgesia

Abstract Opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is a relatively new paradigm that has added to the already growing uncertainty surrounding long-term opioid treatment. OIH is the oversensitization to sti...
The Tuned-Grid, Tuned-Plate, Self-Oscillating Vacuum-Tube Circuit

Certain discrepancies in published reports on this circuit are pointed out and it is shown that the frequency of oscillation is given by the real terms and the necessary condition for these oscillations to start by the imaginary terms of the general equation. Equations are set up for the frequency and for the necessary conditions for the generation of oscillations of a frequency determined by the tuning of the grid circuit. The feedback is assumed to be through the grid-plate capacity of the vacuum tube.
Commentary: Spinal instrumentation for mechanical radiculopathy secondary to lumbar metastases.

Commentary on Moliterno J, Veselis CA, Hershey MA, et al. Improvement in pain after lumbar surgery in cancer patients with mechanical radiculopathy. Spine J 2014;14:2434–9 ( in this issue ).
The prostate cancer genome: perspectives and potential.

Abstract Objectives Prostate cancer has a variable clinical course, and molecular characterization has revealed striking mutational heterogeneity that may underlie the unpredictable clinical behavior of the disease. Advances in technology have resulted in a rapid expansion of our understanding of the genomic events responsible for the development and progression of prostate cancer. In this review, we discuss the genomic alterations underlying prostate cancer, and potential to utilize this knowledge for diagnostic and prognostic benefit. Methods and Materials We reviewed the relevant literature, with a focus on recent studies on somatic alterations in prostate cancer. Results Pathways known to affect tumorigenesis across a wide spectrum of tissues are dysregulated, such as the PI3K pathway, cell cycle control, and chromatin regulation. Lesions more specific to prostate cancer include alterations in androgen signaling, gene fusions of ETS transcription factors, and mutations in SPOP. Accumulating data suggests that prostate cancer can be subdivided based on a molecular profile of these genetic alterations. Conclusions These findings raise the possibility that prostate cancer could transition from a poorly understood, heterogeneous disease with a variable clinical course to a collection of homogenous subtypes, identifiable by molecular criteria, associated with distinct risk profiles, and perhaps amenable to specific management strategies or targeted therapies.
Molecular and immunohistochemical analysis of intraductal papillary neoplasms of the biliary tract

Intraductal papillary neoplasms (IPNs) of the biliary tract are uncommon lesions that may be solitary or may spread extensively along the biliary tree. Some biliary IPNs are histologically and radiologically similar to intraductal papillary mucinous tumors (IPMNs) of the pancreas and present a risk for progression to invasive cholangiocarcinoma. Unlike pancreatic IPMNs, little is known about their molecular pathogenesis. We studied 14 biliary IPNs (including 5 cases with associated invasive cholangiocarcinoma) for genetic alterations in the APC/β-catenin pathway, K-ras oncogene mutations, p53/chromosome 17p alterations, and Dpc4/18q alterations. Immunohistochemistry was performed for β-catenin, p53, and Dpc4, and microdissected tissue was analyzed using direct DNA sequencing for exon 1 of K-ras and exon 3 of β-catenin and allelic loss assays on chromosomes 5q, 17p, and 18q. Activating mutations in codon 12 of the K-ras oncogene were present in 4 of 14 (29%) biliary IPNs. Of these 4 cases, 2 patients had associated invasive cholangiocarcinoma, and identical K-ras mutations were present in both the intraductal and invasive components. Allelic loss on chromosome 18q was present in 4 of 13 informative cases (31%); however, no loss of normal Dpc4 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Nuclear accumulation of β-catenin protein was demonstrated in 3 of 12 cases (25%); however, there were no β-catenin gene mutations, and allelic loss on 5q was present in only 1 of 10 informative cases (10%). Both immunohistochemistry for p53 and 17p allelic loss assays were negative. Biliary IPNs therefore demonstrate a K-ras gene mutation frequency that is lower than that previously reported for pancreatic IPMNs, but similar to that reported for hepatic cholangiocarcinomas. The presence of K-ras mutations in 2 purely intraductal neoplasms, and identical K-ras mutations in 2 cases with both intraductal and invasive components, suggests that these mutations arise early in tumorigenesis. Finally, the frequency of allelic loss on 18q suggests that a locus on 18q is involved in the molecular pathogenesis of biliary IPNs, but this locus is not DPC4.
PHOSPHATE TRANSPORT IN ILLITE DUE TO CONSOLIDATION

The conditions were studied under which consolidation loading caused the release of phos- phate from a saturated illite clay. p32 tracer techniques were employed to follow the movement of phos- phate in composite samples composed of tagged and untagged portions. The samples, initially consoli- dated to 1.0 kg cm-2 stress were reconsolidated to 0'1, 0.5, 2, 4 and 8 kg cm-2 stress and the transport of phosphate was monitored by counting the radioactivity of 0.01-in. thick sections sliced parallel to the major principal plane. Corrections were applied for pa2_p31 self-diffusion. It was found that: (1) for low phosphate concentrations there was no observable transport due to consolidation type flow: (2) for high phosphate concentrations and for stresses less than or equal to the preconsolidation load there was no observable transport due to consolidation type flow; and (3) for high phosphate concentrations and for loads above the preconsolidation load there was detectable transport of phosphate, presumably due to the consolidation flow. A mechanism based on self-diffusion plus uniform flow was able to semi- quantatively explain the test results.
Wilderness Medical Society: The First Dozen Years

This manuscript has been prepared as the tenth Annual Meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society approaches. It consists of a chronological history of the society from its founding in 1982 as a "Mom and Pop" organization headquartered in Dr. Edward Geehr's study to its current status as a national organization with a part-time executive director, two full-time employees, access to the resources of the American College of Sports Medicine, an international journal, a quarterly newsletter, and over 2800 members. Its educational programs now include annual summer and winter national scientific meetings plus at least one annual national specialty meeting, local and regional meetings, curricula for medical school wilderness medicine electives and prehospital wilderness emergency care courses, position papers on relevant topics, and teaching aids, including slide collections. It has an active program for sponsoring research in wilderness medicine and promotes the health of travelers and global health through its Environmental Council.
Predicting reactions from amino acid sequences in S. cerevisiae: an evolutionary computation approach

Evolutionary computation has been used many times for protein function prediction. In this paper a new approach is taken by constraining the problem to predicting the products of enzyme catalysis. Genetic programming with the Push programming language is used to evolve predictors within multiple search spaces. Predictors are evolved within multiple search spaces to reduce the complexity of solutions and represent sequence analysis, protein domain recognition, protein folding, and informatic approaches.
Social Interaction and Stock-Market Participation

We investigate the idea that stock-market participation is influenced by social interaction. We build a simple model in which any given 'social' investor finds it more attractive to invest in the market when the participation rate among his peers is higher. The model predicts higher participation rates among social investors than among 'non-socials'. It also admits the possibility of multiple social equilibria. We then test the theory using data from the Health and Retirement Study. Social households - defined as those who interact with their neighbors, or who attend church - are indeed substantially more likely to invest in the stock market than non-social households, controlling for other factors like wealth, race, education and risk tolerance. Moreover, consistent with a peer-effects story, the impact of sociability is stronger in states where stock-market participation rates are higher.
Similar effectiveness of paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline in primary care: a randomized trial.

ContextSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant, yet it is not known whether one SSRI is more effective than another.ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of 3 SSRIs (paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline) in depressed primary care patients.DesignOpen-label, randomized, intention-to-treat trial, with patient enrollment occurring in April-November 1999.SettingThirty-seven clinics in 2 US primary care research networks.PatientsA total of 573 depressed adult patients for whom their primary care physician thought that antidepressant therapy was warranted and who completed a baseline interview.InterventionsPatients were randomly assigned to receive paroxetine (n = 189), fluoxetine (n = 193), or sertraline (n = 191) for 9 months. Primary care physicians were allowed to switch patients to a different SSRI or non-SSRI antidepressant if they did not adequately respond to or tolerate the initial SSRI.Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome measure was change in the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) Mental Component Summary score (range, 0-100), compared across treatment groups at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months. Secondary outcomes included other depression and psychological measures, multiple measures of social and work functioning, and other domains of health-related quality of life, such as physical functioning, concentration and memory, vitality, bodily pain, sleep, and sexual functioning.ResultsFollow-up interviews were successfully completed in 94% of patients at 1 month, 87% at 3 months, 84% at 6 months, and 79% at 9 months. Responses to the 3 SSRIs were comparable on all measures and at all time points. The mean change in the SF-36 Mental Component Summary score at 9 months was + 15.8 in the paroxetine group, + 15.1 in the fluoxetine group, and + 17.4 in the sertraline group. The drugs were also associated with similar incidences of adverse effects and discontinuation rates.ConclusionsThe SSRI antidepressants paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline were similar in effectiveness for depressive symptoms as well as multiple domains of health-related quality of life over the entire 9 months of this trial.
Femtosecond investigation of electron thermalization in gold

The possibility of creating and probing a transient nonequilibrium electron population in metals with ultrashort laser pulses has been demonstrated by different groups.1,2 Because of the large electron densities, electron-electron interactions were assumed to be sufficiently fast to instantaneously thermalize the electron gas, although some deviations from Fermi-distribution behavior were observed dose to the Fermi surface.2 Recently, by using a photoemission technique, thermalization times as long as 600 fs were measured in gold films for large changes of the electron temperature (of the order of 400 K).3
NO metabolites accumulate in erythrocytes in proportion to carbon dioxide and bicarbonate concentration.

It is not known whether the ratio between the concentrations of NO metabolites (NOx) in plasma (pNOx) and in erythrocytes (eNOx) is constant or correlates with chemical parameters of the blood. We ...
Solubility of CaHPO4 · 2H2O and Formation of Ion Pairs in the System Ca(OH)2- H3PO4 - H2O at 37.5 °C.

The solubility isotherm for CaHPO4 · 2H2O (DCPD) in the three-component system Ca(OH)2 - H3PO4 - H2O was determined in the pH range 3.5 to 6.8 by leaching a thermostated column of DCPD with dilute phosphoric acid solutions. In confirmatory experiments, equilibrium was approached both from super- and under-saturation by shaking DCPD with appropriate solutions. The calculated ionic activity product (Ca++) × ( HPO4= ), appeared to be a parabolic function of pH with a minimum near pH 5.0. The pH dependence of the ionic product could be accounted for by considering the ion pairs [CaHPO4]° and [CaH2PO4]+ as semi-empirical parameters. Under the condition of saturation with respect to DCPD, the activity of the pair [CaHPO4]° must be a constant. The activity of the species [CaH2PO4]+ was shown to vary directly with hydrogen ion activity. The activities of the two ion pairs were adjusted to give a set of pH-independent ionic activity products with a mean of 2.19±0.011 × 10-7. The stability constants for [CaHPO4]° and [CaH2PO4]+ are 5.88±0.031 × 102 and 7.49 ±0.039, respectively. Experiments were conducted to study the hydrolysis of DCPD to more basic calcium phosphates and the kinetics of these transformations is discussed. The significance of the ion pairs in human serum is considered.
α-Cleavage of Phenyl Groups from GePh3 Ligands in Iridium Carbonyl Cluster Complexes. A Mechanism and Its Role in the Synthesis of Bridging Germylene Ligands

At 110 °C, the compound HIr(CO)3(GePh3)2 (1) was decarbonylated and transformed into five polynuclear iridium compounds, Ir2(CO)6(μ-GePh2)(GePh3)2 (2), Ir3(CO)6(η1-Ph)2(μ-GePh2)3(GePh3) (3), Ir3(CO...
Integrative Multi-omic Analysis of Human Platelet eQTLs Reveals Alternative Start Site in Mitofusin 2

Platelets play a central role in ischemic cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of death worldwide. Numerous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified loci associated with CVD risk. However, our understanding of how these variants contribute to disease is limited. Using data from the platelet RNA and expression 1 (PRAX1) study, we analyzed cis expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in platelets from 154 normal human subjects. We confirmed these results in silico by performing allele-specific expression (ASE) analysis, which demonstrated that the allelic directionality of eQTLs and ASE patterns correlate significantly. Comparison of platelet eQTLs with data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project revealed that a number of platelet eQTLs are platelet specific and that platelet eQTL peaks localize to the gene body at a higher rate than eQTLs from other tissues. Upon integration with data from previously published GWASs, we found that the trait-associated variant rs1474868 coincides with the eQTL peak for mitofusin 2 (MFN2). Additional experimental and computational analyses revealed that this eQTL is linked to an unannotated alternate MFN2 start site preferentially expressed in platelets. Integration of phenotype data from the PRAX1 study showed that MFN2 expression levels were significantly associated with platelet count. This study links the variant rs1474868 to a platelet-specific regulatory role for MFN2 and demonstrates the utility of integrating multi-omic data with eQTL analysis in disease-relevant tissues for interpreting GWAS results.
A Coordination Operation Method of Wind Power and Energy Storage Hybrid System for Smoothing Short-term and Long-term Wind Power Fluctuations

To smooth the long-term and short-term wind power fluctuations,a new coordination operation method of wind power and energy storage hybrid system based on the model predictive control(MPC)and low pass filter(LPF)is proposed.Based on the wind power forecasting results,the receding optimization is utilized to control the energy storage system every15 min while a number of constraints are considered,such as the smoothing effects of grid-connected power,the state-of-charge(SOC)of the energy storage system and so on.Furthermore,the connection of MPC and LPF is established by compensating for the traditional LPF to ensure that the SOC catches up with the optimization track set by MPC.Finally,simulation studies demonstrate that the new method can not only smooth the 1min and 10 min short-term fluctuations,but also control the SOC range in the 15 min to 4hlong-term time scales.
Inflammation in Horses

After inflammation is initiated by detection of antigen, plasma components and activated leukocytes are concentrated at the inflammatory site. Cellular and chemical effectors of inflammation are focused on the offending antigen, usually resulting in its destruction and elimination. Activation of endogenous counter-regulatory systems damps down the inflammatory process and is the first stage of repair. In addition to local effects, the inflammatory focus may initiate a continuum of systemic acute phase responses ranging from the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) to generalized immunosuppression.
Rethinking nonseminomatous testicular cancer in U.S. Air Force pilots: case presentation and literature review.

A U.S. Air Force F-1 pilot presented with a painless testicular mass. Nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) of the testis was diagnosed at orchiectomy. Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) yielded pathology stage lla disease when 2 of 21 abdominal lymph nodes were positive. The patient immediately underwent adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of etoposide and cisplatin. Follow-up tumor markers, abdominal and chest CT scans were negative. Randomized, prospective studies have shown excellent response rates to low volume metatstatic disease. This pilot's risk of sudden incapacitation due to this tumor following orchiectomy, RPLND, and immediate adjuvant chemotherapy is below the 1% threshold set forth by the U.S. Air Force for unrestricted flying waiver. Chemotherapy for testicular cancer carries significant morbidity risks that may complicate a pilot's return to status and these are reviewed. The overall recovery from chemotherapy is poorly quantified and needs to be further evaluated to optimize a pilot's return to flying status.
Quantitative indicators of corporatism

In this article, it is assumed that corporatism consists of various types of institutional arrangements whereby important political-economic decisions are reached via negotiation between, or in con...
Chapter Two - Emerging Behavioral Phenotypes and Dynamic Systems Theory

Abstract This article examines development in children with neurogenetic disorders in the context of dynamic systems theory. Use of the dynamic systems framework enables researchers to view development in neurogenetic disorders as an ongoing process of self-organization in a complex system with many interacting components. We present a review of three principles of self-organization from a dynamic systems framework—attractor states, developmental cascades, and phase transitions—and explore how these principles may inform the study of phenotypic development in children with neurogenetic disorders. Implications for future work on development and behavioral phenotypes in this population are discussed.
Antibacterial Properties of Retail Sponges.

Seven different brands of cellulose sponges and one polyurethane variety were evaluated for inhibitory properties on twelve strains of gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Sponges were cut in 13 mm or 17 mm discs, autoclaved and aseptically placed on inoculated Tryptic Soy agar plates. The inhibitory effects of sterile sponges, unrinsed, and rinsed in distilled water, were measured. The zone of inhibition values were based on the average of the diameters of the clear zones on the inoculated plates. Polyurethane and EXPANDING CELLULOSE SPONGES were the only varieties which did not exhibit antimicrobial properties with any of the selected bacterial strains. A thorough rinsing procedure was often insufficient to remove the inhibitory agents from the sponges. Listeria monocytogenes strain Scott A and Staphylococcus aureus , both gram positive, were strongly inhibited.
Characteristics of Patients With Sertoli and Leydig Cell Testis Neoplasms From a National Population-Based Registry

Abstract Introduction Sertoli and Leydig cell tumors (SCT and LCT) are uncommon testis neoplasms. Data regarding patient demographics and outcomes are limited to small series. We further characterized these tumors using a large cancer database. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried from 2004 to 2012. International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O) codes identified SCT and LCT. Common germ cell tumors (GCT) provided a reference group. Age, race, histology, tumor size, stage, and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) were compared. Results Thirty-one men had SCT, 76 had LCT, and 17,998 had GCTs. Median follow-up for SCT, LCT, and GCTs was 46, 38, and 50 months, respectively. Median ages for SCT and LCT were 39 and 47, respectively, which was older than those with GCT (34 years; P P P Conclusion Compared to GCT, SCT and LCT present at older ages and are more common in African Americans. Metastasic disease at presentation and CSM rates are higher in SCT compared to LCT and GCT, suggesting a clinically relevant distinction between these histologies. Better characterization of these rare neoplasms will continue to inform patient counseling and management.
Differentiation of self, religious coping, and subjective well-being

ABSTRACTThis study examined the relationships between differentiation of self (DoS), religious coping, and subjective well-being in a sample of undergraduate students at a religiously affiliated university. Intrapersonal DoS or the ability to (1) experience emotions, but (2) not be forced to respond to them is an important capacity for self-regulation with important implications for well-being and spiritual maturity. In this study, DoS was a potential method for understanding one’s emotional experience, and perhaps facilitated respondents’ use of a more collaborative religious coping style to manage this experience.
Neoplasia in 125 donkeys (Equus asinus) literature review and a survey of five veterinary schools in the United States and Canada

A diagnosis of neoplasia was noted in 125 of 357 donkeys (35%) in our review of medical records from 5 veterinary schools in the United States and Canada. Equine sarcoid was the most common tumor in our study, accounting for 72% of all tumors and 82% of cutaneous tumors. Soft-tissue sarcomas were the second most common skin tumors. All other types of neoplasia were rare. Important differences in the occurrence of neoplasia in donkeys compared to horses included the rarity or absence of squamous cell carcinoma in any organ system and gray horse melanoma. Lymphosarcoma, the most common malignant tumor in horses, appears to be very rare in donkeys. We report several tumors in donkeys including melanocytoma, peripheral nerve sheath tumor, and gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Our data demonstrate commonalities as well as differences in neoplastic diseases of donkeys and horses. Understanding differences in carcinogenesis among these 2 closely related species can inform researchers pursuing pathogenic mechanisms of equine disease and inform veterinary diagnosticians regarding tumor prevalence.
Depression and coronary heart disease

Depression is a highly prevalent risk factor for incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with established CHD. Several biological and behavioural mechanisms have been hypothesized to underlie the relationship between depression and CHD, but none has been shown to account for more than a small proportion of the risk. Only a few clinical trials have examined whether treating depression decreases the risk of cardiac events in patients with established CHD. None of these trials has shown that treatment results in improved cardiac outcomes, but the differences in depression outcomes between the intervention and control groups have been small and not clinically significant. Nevertheless, secondary analyses of these trials suggest that prognosis improves when depression improves. Concerted efforts to develop more potent interventions for depression, identification of high-risk subtypes of depression, and further research on the biobehavioural mechanisms linking depression to CHD are needed to pave the way for definitive clinical trials.
Toward a DNA-Based Archival Storage System

Storing data in DNA molecules offers extreme density and durability advantages that can mitigate exponential growth in data storage needs. This article presents a DNA-based archival storage system, performs wet lab experiments to show its feasibility, and identifies technology trends that point to increasing practicality.
FACIES, ENVIRONMENTS, AND FOSSIL PRESERVATION IN THE BARSTOW FORMATION, MOJAVE DESERT, CALIFORNIA

Continental deposits of the middle Miocene Barstow Formation formed in an extensional basin of the Mojave region. Mammalian faunas of the type section in the Mud Hills, California, are the basis for defining the Barstovian North American Land Mammal Age. Prior mapping, lithostratigraphy, geochronology, and fossil collecting have established a structural, chronostratigraphic, and biostratigraphic framework for the Barstow Formation. Here, we analyze the sedimentary facies of the lithostratigraphic sequence, infer the major depositional environments, and assess controls on fossil preservation in relation to major facies. We recognize six major facies associations that represent alluvial fans, shallow or seasonal lakes, and channels and floodplains. The transition from older, fan-dominated to younger, floodplain-dominated environments reflects changes in tectonics, accommodation, drainage, and depositional settings during the formation and filling of the basin. Fossil-mammal concentrations are common in four facies associations. Body fossils are abundant in two facies associations that represent well-drained floodplains and spring-fed wetlands. Fossil concentrations are moderately abundant in facies associations that represent floodplains and channel deposits, and fossils are rare in facies associations that represent alluvial fans and lake margins. The highest frequency of fossil localities occurs in the facies associations representing both suitable life habitats and high preservation potential for terrestrial mammals.
Photochemical Water-Splitting with Organomanganese Complexes.

Certain organometallic chromophores with water-derived ligands, such as the known [Mn(CO)3(μ3–OH)]4 (1) tetramer, drew our attention as possible platforms to study water-splitting reactions. Herein, we investigate the UV irradiation of various tricarbonyl organomanganese complexes, including 1, and demonstrate that dihydrogen, CO, and hydrogen peroxide form as products in a photochemical water-splitting decomposition reaction. The organic and manganese-containing side products are also characterized. Labeling studies with 18O-1 suggest that the source of oxygen atoms in H2O2 originates from free water that interacts with 1 after photochemical dissociation of CO (1-CO) constituting the oxidative half-reaction of water splitting mediated by 1. Hydrogen production from 1 is the result of several different processes, one of which involves the protons derived from the hydroxido ligands in 1 constituting the reductive half-reaction of water splitting mediated by 1. Other processes that generate H2 are also oper...
Microbial Offense vs Host Defense: Who Controls the TB Granuloma?:

The granuloma is the hallmark of tuberculosis and simultaneously signifies acquisition of an infection and induction of a host immune response. But who benefits more from the development of the granuloma, the host or the pathogen? Is microbe or man dictating disease course and progression? Mycobacterial diseases affect humans and animals alike, and the concepts presented in this review reflect host-pathogen interactions that influence not only mycobacterial granulomas in humans and animals but also other infectious granulomatous diseases that are encountered in veterinary medicine. Current dogma supports that an organized granuloma is a mark of an adequate and "restrictive" host immune response. However, the formation of a granuloma also provides a niche for the maturation, growth, and persistence of numerous infectious agents, and these pathogens devote some portion of their genetic machinery to ensuring these structures' form. An understanding of pathogens' contributions to granuloma formation can aid the development of host-directed therapies and other antimicrobial and antiparasitic therapies that can tip this balance in favor of a restrictive host response and elimination-not just containment-of the infectious organism. This review discusses animal models that have aided our understanding of pathogens' contribution to the host response and how mycobacterial virulence genes direct host pathology in ways that may aid disease transmission and/or persistence in the form of latent infection.
Aging Parents' Disabilities and Daily Support Exchanges With Middle-Aged Children.

Background and Objectives Aging parents often incur disabilities in activities of daily living, which may limit their ability to give support and necessitate increased support from middle-aged children. Research has predominantly assessed disabled parents' retrospective reports of receiving support, but we know little about their daily support exchanges with middle-aged children. This study examined practical support, emotional support, and advice that aging parents with and without disabilities provided and received from middle-aged children, and links between these support exchanges and parents' daily mood. Research Design and Methods Aging parents (N = 202, Mage = 79.86) from the Family Exchanges Study II indicated their disabilities and background characteristics. They also reported daily exchanges of practical, emotional support, and advice with each middle-aged child and their daily mood for 7 days. Results Multilevel models revealed that aging parents suffering disabilities were equally likely to provide each type of support but more likely to receive practical support. Aging parents' disabilities seemed to buffer the effects of these support exchanges, such that parents with disabilities versus parents without disabilities reported less negative mood when providing practical support or emotional support, and more positive mood when receiving practical support. Discussion and Implications Exploring the role of aging parents' disabilities in their daily support exchanges with middle-aged children expands on the literature of late-life disabilities and parent-child ties. Despite increasing disabilities, aging parents continue to engage in support exchanges with middle-aged children in daily life and these parents appear to benefit from such involvement.
Start-Up Finance: The Roar of the Crowdfunding

Both equity and non-equity crowdfunding has proven to be a productive method of capital formation for start-ups. The equity crowdfunding provisions of The Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS” Act) offer perhaps the most promising development to facilitate capital formation by Entrepreneurs since the Great Depression. The JOBS Act became law during April 2012, and established a regulatory foundation enabling startups and small businesses to access new capital using crowdfunding. Title III of the JOBS Act, known by the acronym THE “CROWDFUND” ACT (Capital Raising Online While Deterring Fraud and Unethical Non-Disclosure Act) creates an exception under which the U.S. securities laws are amended to allow equity crowdfunding campaigns to be easily employed to raise capital through the offer and sale of securities to the public. These crowdfunding-related provisions “include investment restrictions and new compliance requirements for both small businesses seeking to obtain funds through crowdfunding and the portals that will connect entrepreneurs and investors.” Through this Act, Congress intended to lower regulatory barriers in order to give small companies and startups a larger pool of investors from which to raise capital. Crowdfunding is an important contemporary and rich topic that has implications in entrepreneurship, finance, business law, marketing and has application across multiple industries and categories of human endeavor. This brief article presents: a history of crowdfunding; illustrates success by entrepreneurs in cinema, music, technology, and video games; discusses the development and impact of KickStarter, Indiegogo, and other crowdfunding platforms; explores the tension between U.S. securities laws and the potential for equity crowdfunding; looks at Congressional intent and what, if anything, needs to change at this point to enable equity crowdfunding to achieve and optimize its intended purpose, now that SEC proposed rules have been issued. This article hopefully helps to fill the gap in the literature regarding the effectiveness of the JOBS Act and will prove of benefit to both practitioners and scholars.
Case 12 Acute Hepatitis

Many exposures can cause liver injury. This case involves a 46-year-old patient with fever, nausea, vomiting, and signs of hepatic injury. In this chapter, we review pharmaceutical and supplement causes of hepatitis and hepatocellular necrosis.
The effect of inter-user delay and channel phase response on MC-CDMA using WBE codes with application to lower VHF

Reliable, ad hoc communications among multiple users is a crucial objective in complex tactical scenarios. A major challenge is that synchronization mechanisms (such as GPS) are intermittent, and fixed centralized coordinators (e.g., base stations) are infeasible. Classical approaches to multi-user communications relying on tight time and frequency synchronization and/or power control are impractical in such scenarios. In this paper, we study the effect of coarse time synchrony and phase response variation on a class of code division multiple access (CDMA) strategies known as multi-carrier (MC) CDMA. We study this sensitivity when binary codes achieving the Welch bound in a potentially user-overloaded system are used. The codes are selected to minimize the L 2 and the L ∞ bounds at small or negligible inter-user time offsets and phase-response variation. We show that variations in phase response lead to significant loss of code orthogonality; this motivates employing MC-CDMA systems in scenarios with benign channel responses. Of particular interest is the near-ground lower VHF band, which has improved penetration and reduced multipath relative to microwave, in particular in non-line of sight environments, such as through buildings. This paper aims at studying the reduction in the necessary inter-user time synchrony required of bands having a lower phase variation.
Toward a National Cybersecurity Policy

Software seems terminally insecure, and the consequences of insecurity seem large. What is the proper policy response?