cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine decreases LPS-induced TNF-α generation in Kupffer cells of ethanol-fed rats: respective roles of MAPKs and NF-κB

Activation of Kupffer cells by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) after ethanol feeding results in overproduction of TNF-alpha, leading to liver injury. Since dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) protects against liver injury and has antioxidant properties, we investigated whether it alters LPS signaling leading to decreased TNF-alpha production. Kupffer cells were isolated from rats fed alcohol-containing or isocaloric control diets for 3 weeks. With ethanol, cytochrome P4502E1 was upregulated. When stimulated with LPS in culture, Kupffer cells released more TNF-alpha compared to control rats; DLPC diminished the increase. It also reduced ERK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation as well as NF-kappaB activation with decreased nuclear p65 and increased cytosolic IkappaB-alpha expression. ERK1/2 and NF-kappaB activation were abolished by the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD098059. The p38 inhibitor SB203580 abolished p38 activation without affecting NF-kappaB. Both inhibitors reduced TNF-alpha generation. Thus, DLPC diminishes LPS-dependent TNF-alpha generation by inhibiting p38 and ERK1/2 activation; the latter leads to decreased NF-kappaB activation.
Enhanced thermal conductivity through the development of nanofluids

Low thermal conductivity is a primary limitation in the development of energy-efficient heat transfer fluids required in many industrial applications. To overcome this limitation, a new class of heat transfer fluids is being developed by suspending nanocrystalline particles in liquids such as water or oil. The resulting nanofluids possess extremely high thermal conductivities compared to the liquids without dispersed nanocrystalline particles. For example, 5 volume % of nanocrystalline copper oxide particles suspended in water results in an improvement in thermal conductivity of almost 60% compared to water without nanoparticles. Excellent suspension properties are also observed, with no significant settling of nanocrystalline oxide particles occurring in stationary fluids over time periods longer than several days. Direct evaporation of Cu nanoparticles into pump oil results in similar improvements in thermal conductivity compared to oxide-in-water systems, but importantly, requires far smaller concentrations of dispersed nanocrystalline powder.
CAD-based grasp synthesis utilizing polygons, edges and vertexes

A CAD-based grasp-synthesis system has been developed that precomputes valid, stable grasp sites on CAD models for use by a robot system. Extended Gaussian images, which are efficient data structures for mapping surfaces into Gaussian space based on surface normals, are shown. A modified version is introduced which allows the mapping of polygon, edge, and vertex normals. Using the modified extended Gaussian image, pairs of parallel surfaces are found in linear time. Pairs of graspable surfaces include polygon-polygon, polygon-edge, and polygon-point. A method of computing the rotational stability of edge contacts is given. The stability of each grasp point and its orientation are computed, and all grasps are ranked in descending order of stability. The grasp-synthesis program is demonstrated on three models, one concave and two convex; all three types of grasps are shown. >
Plankton respiration and carbon flux through bacterioplankton on the Louisiana shelf

Carbon flow through bacterioplankton can be evaluated only if both growth and respiration are known. Measurements of community and bacterial respiration (oxygen consumption) and bacterial production ([3H]leucine incorporation) were made in highly productive shelf and less productive slope waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Rates of bacterial production and community respiration, as well as bacterial abundance and dissolved organic C concentrations, declined with depth at both locations. Water-column bacterial production ranged from 0.1 to 3.1 hg C liter- I h-l, and community respiration rates ranged from 0.05 to 0.45 PM 0, h-l. In comparison to the slope, the shelf was characterized by 2-fold higher bacterial abundance and bacterial production but similar community respiration rates. Estimated production per bacterium values decreased logarithmically with depth (1.4-O. 15 fg C cell-’ h-l) and were similar at both locations. Estimated respiration per bacterium values for the surface water ranged from 0.10 to 0.36 fmol O2 cell-l h-l and were higher on the slope than the more densely populated shelf. A selective suppression of bacterial respiration occurred under both natural and experimentally (tangentialflow ultrafiltration) enhanced bacterial abundances. Measured growth efficiencies fell between 26 and 55%, with higher efficiencies occurring on the shelf (50%) than the slope (26%). Bacterioplankton at the less productive slope station processed a larger daily share of local primary production (69%) than bacteria at the highly productive shelf station (25%). Metabolism represents the sum of two fundamental and complementary life processes: growth and respiration. While there is a considerable body of information on marine productivity (including growth rates for autotrophs and heterotrophs), there is a paucity of data regarding respiration. This disparity is glaring considering that, unlike photosynthesis, respiration is common to all aerobic organisms and occurs at all depths in the ocean. According to Williams (1984a, p. 357), who reviewed the available information before 1984, “there are remarkably few direct measurements of marine respiration.” This general paucity of marine respiration data continues
Nitric oxide controls an inflammatory-like Ly6ChiPDCA1+ DC subset that regulates Th1 immune responses

Using NOS2 KO mice, we investigated the hypothesis that NO modulation of BM-DC contributes to the NO-mediated control of Th1 immune responses. BM-DCs from NOS2 KO mice, compared with WT BM-DCs, have enhanced survival and responsiveness to TLR agonists, develop more Ly6C(hi)PDCA1(+) DCs that resemble inflammatory DCs and produce high levels of inflammatory cytokines. Also, compared with WT-infected mice, NOS2 KO mice infected with WNV showed enhanced expansion of a similar inflammatory Ly6C(hi)PDCA1(+) DC subset. Furthermore, in contrast to WT DCs, OVA-loaded NOS2 KO BM-DCs promoted increased IFN-γ production by OTII CD4(+) T cells in vitro and when adoptively transferred in vivo. The addition of a NO donor to NOS2 KO BM-DCs prior to OTII T cells priming in vivo was sufficient to revert Th1 immune responses to levels induced by WT BM-DCs. Thus, autocrine NO effects on maturation of inflammatory DCs and on DC programming of T cells may contribute to the protective role of NO in autoimmune diseases and infections. Regulating NO levels may be a useful tool to shape beneficial immune responses for DC-based immunotherapy.
Flexible Code Allocation to Improve System Utilization Using Nonblocking OVSF Codes in WCDMA

In next generation wireless networks, system resources such as transmission power and channelization codes should be allocated efficiently and fairly to individual transmissions. Efficient assignment of channelization codes such as orthogonal variable spreading factor (OVSF) codes in WCDMA-based cellular networks is crucial in supporting the delay and rate guarantees of real-time flows. However, OVSF codes support data rates that are powers of two and do not support many intermediate data rates. This reduces some flexibility in the allocation of code resources, and under poor channel conditions it may result in over-provisioning a real-time flow as well as under-provisioning a non-real-time flow. Nonblocking OVSF (NOVSF) codes can, however, support many intermediate data rates. This paper proposes an NOVSF code/time-slot allocation algorithm to achieve better system utilization and better flexibility in code allocation. Simulation results show that when compared to OVSF codes, the use of NOVSF codes reduces the call blocking probability of real-time flows and provides better overall throughput for non-real-time flows.
Using Residual Times to Meet Deadlines in M/G/C Queues

In systems where job service demands are only known probabilistically, there is very little to distinguish between jobs. Therefore, no universal optimum scheduling strategy or algorithm exists. If the distribution of job times is known, then the residual time (expected time remaining for a job), based on the service it has already received, can be calculated. In a detailed discrete event simulation, we have explored the use of this function for increasing the probability that a job will meet its deadline. We have tested many different distributions with a wide range of sigma2 and shape, four of which are reported here. We compare with RR and FCFS, and find that in all distributions studied our algorithm performs best. We also studied the use of two slow servers versus one fast server, and have found that they provide comparable performance, and in a few cases the double server system does better
Modified Bi-Rads scoring of breast imaging findings improves clinical judgment

In contrast with the reporting requirements currently mandated under the Federal Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA), we propose a modification of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (Bi-Rads) in which a concluding assessment category is assigned, not to the examination as a whole, but to every potentially malignant abnormality observed. This modification improves communication between the radiologist and the attending clinician, thereby facilitating clinical judgment leading to appropriate management. In patients with breast cancer eligible for breast conserving therapy, application of this modification brings to attention the necessity for such patients to undergo pretreatment biopsies of all secondary, synchronous ipsilateral lesions scored Bi-Rads 3-5. All contralateral secondary lesions scored Bi-Rads 3-5 also require pretreatment biopsies. The application of this modification of the MSQA demonstrates the necessity to alter current recommendations ("short-interval follow-up") for secondary, synchronous Bi-Rads 3 ("probably benign") image-detected abnormalities prior to treatment of the index malignancy.
Forest-based biomass supply in Massachusetts: How much is there and how much is available

Abstract Forest owners in Massachusetts (U.S.) live in a densely populated state and near forestland that is under pressure of development and characterized by small parcel size. Forest-based biomass harvesting in Massachusetts is a renewable energy topic generating a great deal of discussion among all constituents. To provide perspective on these discussions, our analysis asks how much forested land in Massachusetts could be available for biomass supply. This analysis considers the level of bioenergy production that could be maintained on an annual basis given the amount of woody biomass that is likely to be supplied from private- and state-owned Massachusetts forests, which comprises nearly 90% of the state's forests. Applying the most recent information on forest ownership and owner attitudes in Massachusetts, we estimate that between 80,000 and 369,000 dry tons/year of available wood-based biomass from forest management practices on private- and state-owned forests, or between 1.4 trillion and 6.2 trillion BTUs/year. These estimates represent between 0.09% and 0.42% of all Massachusetts residential, commercial and industrial annual consumption. These estimates are well below Kelty et al.'s (2008) estimate of 891,000 dry tons/year; the largest factors in this reduction are the reduced contribution of biomass due to social constraints and the amount of state land considered to be open to active management. Conversations regarding the use of biomass and its impacts on forests, as well as the development of biomass-related policy, should consider the supply of biomass that is likely available. While overall forest inventory estimates suggest one degree of availability, our research suggests that this needs to be tempered with the reality of ownership size and owner attitudes.
Perspective: surgical options for adult syringomyelia.

yringomyelia is a challenging neurosurgical condition to manage. The classic causes of syringomyelia include S altered cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow in patients with Chiari malformations, trauma, tumors, tethered cord syndrome, or infections. The management of syringomyelia involves treating the underlying condition, observation, arachnolysis, and/or syrinx shunting to the subarachnoid, pleural, or peritoneal space. Even with treatment, recurrence rates are high. As such, it has been long debated how to best manage this condition.
Accuracy of radial arterial pressure measurement during surgery under controlled hypotension.

Background: Radial arterial pressure underestimates the pressure in the aorta in several clinical situations. A central-to-radial pressure gradient was attributed to intense vasodilation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of radial pressure monitoring during controlled hypotension achieved with profound arterial vasodilation. Methods: Ten patients with ASA physical status I and II undergoing maxillofacial surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled in this prospective study. Radial and femoral arteries were cannulated and connected to a pressure monitoring system. Controlled hypotension was achieved with an infusion of nicardipine titrated to maintain MAP between 50 and 60 mmHg. Simultaneous radial and femoral systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressures were recorded before, during and after controlled hypotension. Results were expressed as mean ± SD. Concomitant radial and femoral pressures were compared by a paired Student's test, P < 0.05 being significant. Results: In all, 150 sets of arterial pressures measurement were obtained. There were no statistically significant differences between radial and femoral arterial pressures measured before, during or after controlled hypotension. Conclusion: Radial arterial pressure is an accurate measure of central arterial pressure during controlled hypotension achieved with arterial vasodilation.
Management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly : an appraisal of published evidence.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a debilitating disease with rising worldwide prevalence. Exacerbations of COPD cause significant morbidity and become more common with advancing age. Healthcare providers caring for elderly patients should therefore be familiar with effective treatments for exacerbations of COPD. An extensive body of literature has identified several effective drug therapies for exacerbations. These drugs include inhaled bronchodilators, systemic corticosteroids and antibacterials. The two main classes of inhaled bronchodilators are β-adrenoceptor agonists and anticholinergics. These drugs optimise lung function during exacerbations, with neither class demonstrating clear superiority over the other. Systemic corticosteroids are effective when used either for inpatient or outpatient treatment of exacerbations. They hasten recovery from exacerbations and reduce relapse rates. Antibacterials decrease morbidity from exacerbations and may decrease mortality in the more severe exacerbations. Other effective therapies for the treatment of acute exacerbations of COPD include oxygen and non-invasive ventilation. Oxygen can be safely administered in acute exacerbations associated with hypoxaemia, with titration of oxygen delivery to a goal oxygen saturation of 90%. Non-invasive ventilation reduces the morbidity and mortality associated with acute exacerbations complicated by hypercapnic respiratory failure. Strategies to prevent COPD exacerbations include smoking cessation, long-acting inhaled β-adrenoceptor agonists, inhaled long-acting anticholinergics, inhaled corticosteroids and vaccination. Mucolytic agents, pulmonary rehabilitation, and case management programmes may also reduce exacerbation risk, but the current evidence supporting these interventions is weaker.
Life, death and genomic change in perturbed cell cycles

HeLaS3 cells undergo apoptosis after 18–24h of cell cycle stasis irrespective of the agent employed (colcemid, aphidicolin, cis-platin). At high drug concentrations apoptosis occurs in cells arrested in the cell cycle in which the drug is applied and at a cell cycle position dependent on the mechanism of drug action. At low concentrations (or short exposure times) cells undergo apoptosis after progressing through an aberrant mitosis and only after 18 h of cell cycle stasis in a ‘pseudo Gl/S’ cell cycle position. Aberrent mitoses result in miltipolar mitoses, chromosomal breakage and interchromosomal concatenation events. We propose that the ability of cells to delay progression into aberrent mitosis, as well as their propensity to undergo apoptosis, are important determinants of clinical cytotoxicity. We also suggest that apoptosis plays an important role in preventing the generation of aneuploidy and recombination and rearrangement events commonly associated with cancer.
Estradiol decreases the orexigenic effect of neuropeptide Y, but not agouti-related protein, in ovariectomized rats.

Available data suggest that estradiol exerts an inhibitory effect on food intake by modulating the actions of multiple gut- and brain-derived peptides implicated in the control of food intake. For example, recent studies have shown that estradiol decreases the orexigenic effects of ghrelin and melanin-concentrating hormone. In the present study, we examined estradiol's ability to decrease the actions of two additional orexigenic peptides, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related protein (AgRP). Food intake was monitored following lateral ventricular infusions of 5 μg NPY, 10 μg AgRP, or saline vehicle in ovariectomized rats treated with either 1 μg estradiol or sesame oil vehicle. NPY increased food intake for 2 h in both oil- and estradiol-treated ovariectomized rats. During this interval, the orexigenic effect of NPY was significantly greater in oil-treated rats, relative to estradiol-treated rats. In contrast to the short-term action of NPY, a single injection of AgRP increased food intake for 3 days in oil- and estradiol-treated rats. Meal pattern analysis revealed that the orexigenic effect of AgRP is mediated by an increase in meal size, not meal number. Unlike that observed following NPY treatment, estradiol failed to modulate the magnitude by which AgRP increased food intake and meal size. We conclude that a physiological regimen of estradiol treatment decreases the orexigenic effect of NPY, but not AgRP, in ovariectomized rats.
Foggite, Ca(H2O)2[CaAl2(OH)4(PO4)2]: Its atomic arrangement and relationship to calcium Tschermak's pyroxene

Foggite, Ca(HzO)z[CaAl,(OH)r(POr)z], space grotry A2,22, a 9.270Q)A, b 21.324(7)A, c 5.190(2)A, Z : 4, is structurally related to the pyroxenes. R(ftkl) : 0'059 for 888 nonequivalent reflections. The underlying feature is an Al(OH)r(Op), octahedral edge-sharing zig-zag chain which runs parallel to the c axis. Its tetrahedral envelope and closely associated Ca( I )Oe polyhedron lead to a sheet oriented parallel to {010) which possesses the composition [CaAL(OH), (POn)rl'-. Equivalent sheets are weakly linked along [010] by Ca(2XOp)r(H,O), polyhedra, the water molecules possessing a disordered character. Metrically, foggite's ac plane (g.3 x 5.2 A) corresponds to the ac plane (9.6 X 5.3 A; in ttre structure of calcium Tschermak's pyroxene. Their structural similarity becomes further apparent by writing their formulae as:
Engines of Inequality: Class, Race, and Family Structure

The past 30 years have witnessed a dramatic divergence in family structure by social class, income, education, and race. This article reviews the data on these trends, explores their significance, and assesses social scientists' recent attempts to explain them. The article concludes that society-wide changes in economic conditions or social expectations cannot account for these patterns. Rather, for reasons that are poorly understood, cultural disparities have emerged by class and race in attitudes and behaviors surrounding family, sexuality, and reproduction. These disparities will likely fuel social and economic inequality and contribute to disparities in children's life prospects for decades to come.
Autoimmune Neutropenia as a Cause of Periodontal Disease in Preschool Children

In autoimmune neutropenia, autoantibodies attack neutrophils resulting in their destruction or alteration of their function. Since neutrophils have important immunologic functions, aberrations in their homeostasis lead to increased susceptibility to diseases, such as periodontitis. Periodontitis as a manifestation of neutropenia can affect adults and children. In this paper, we describe the treatment of periodontal disease in a 2-year-old female with autoimmune neutropenia. The importance of an interdisciplinary approach, frequent recalls, and meticulous mechanical therapy in stabilizing her periodontal condition, despite ongoing systemic infections is emphasized.
Evaluating Tooth Color Matching Ability of Dental Students

Visual shade matching has remained a skill acquired through clinical experience. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shade matching ability of dental students as they progress through their education. Sixty-five students, representing four levels of experience by year enrolled in dental school, participated in this study. Students were given a preclinical shade tab matching task. They were also asked to choose the best shade match for a natural tooth in each of three patients. The natural tooth shade matching task was designed to have simple, moderate, and complex cases to match. The frequency of correct answers was compared across samples across the four levels of fundamental tab match ability and clinical experience. On average, 51 percent of the students were able to match the correct shade tab in the matching task in a bench setting. For the natural tooth color matching task, 49.2 percent of the students selected the clinically acceptable color matched shade tabs (ΔE*≤2.69). Although there was no statistically significant difference across the levels of fundamental ability and experience, rates of correct answers for natural tooth color matching progressively improved for the complex case from year 1 to year 4. This study reveals that, for complex cases, education and knowledge of color science combined with clinical experience improve students’ ability for color matching in a clinical setting.
David Y. Miller and Raymond W. Cox III, Governing the Metropolitan Region: America’s New Frontier

Editor: JOHN HIRD University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USAMetropolitan areas are without doubt the least understood level of government in the United States. Miller and Cox’s Governing the Met...
Responses of Wild and Laboratory-reared Horn Flies (Diptera: Muscidae) to Heat, Light, and Airflow

The response of laboratory-reared and wild horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.), to three temperature regimes was studied with an olfactometer. Response comparisons were made between average temperatures of 26 and 31°C (regime 1), 27 and 36°C (regime 2), and 31 and 36.5°C (regime 3). With 2.5 liters/min airflow and a light behind the test cage, 88–97% of older laboratory flies responded to the warmer side of the olfactometer with regimes 1 and 2, but with regime 3 only 66–68% responded to the warmer side. With the light in front, 70–76% responded to the warmer side with regime 2. Both sexes of young horn flies (6–15 h old) or newly emerged females (<6 h old) tested at 2.5 liters/min and with a light behind during regime 1 preferred (73–78%) the warmer side; 92% of newly emerged (<6 h old) male flies preferred the warmer side. With both sexes of wild flies of mixed ages 68–70% preferred the warmer side of the olfactometer. Flight activity of laboratory flies of all ages was less after heat application; wild fly activity was unchanged. Probing response to heat was greatest by newly emerged and young horn flies. Probing response of wild flies was slightly less than that of newly emerged or young flies.
Surface characteristics of plastic intravenous catheters

The interior and exterior surfaces of four plastic, 18-gauge intravenous catheters (Abbocath-T, angiocath, Cathlon IV and Quik-Cath) were examined to identify physical characteristics that could possibly contribute to clinical thrombogenic activity. For each brand, the surface characteristics of one unused catheter (control) and a catheter placed in the left-cephalic vein of an orthopedic surgery patient for 48 hours were compared by scanning electron microscopy. All catheters had surface imperfections. Fibrinous material was found adhering to all used catheters even though exposure of the interior surfaces to blood components was minimal. It is speculated that imperfections on the surfaces of plastic i.v. catheters may contribute to thrombogenic complications in patients.
The Challenge and Opportunity of Capturing Patient Reported Measures of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity in Vulnerable Populations with Limited Health Literacy and Limited English Proficiency

Limited health literacy and limited English proficiency are widely prevalent and contribute to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) health care disparities. The RA Patient Global Assessment of Disease Activity often introduces complexity to the health care encounters of patients and research subjects with limited health literacy and limited English proficiency. Important work is being done to ensure that patient-reported outcomes are validated and appropriate for diverse and vulnerable populations.
Computational Chemistry Analysis of Hydrodesulfurization Reactions Catalyzed by Molybdenum Disulfide Nanoparticles

Molybdenum disulfide, MoS2, is a very versatile material used in several applications of science and engineering. In particular, when supported on alumina, it is a widely used catalyst for hydrotre...
Impact of bowtie filter and object position on the two-dimensional noise power spectrum of a clinical MDCT system

Purpose: Noise characteristics of clinical multidetector CT (MDCT) systems can be quantified by the noise power spectrum (NPS). Although the NPS of CT has been extensively studied in the past few decades, the joint impact of the bowtie filter and object position on the NPS has not been systematically investigated. This work studies the interplay of these two factors on the two dimensional (2D) local NPS of a clinical CT system that uses the filtered backprojection algorithm for image reconstruction. Methods: A generalized NPS model was developed to account for the impact of the bowtie filter and image object location in the scan field-of-view (SFOV). For a given bowtie filter, image object, and its location in the SFOV, the shape and rotational symmetries of the 2D local NPS were directly computed from the NPS model without going through the image reconstruction process. The obtained NPS was then compared with the measured NPSs from the reconstructed noise-only CT images in both numerical phantom simulation studies and experimental phantom studies using a clinical MDCT scanner. The shape and the associated symmetry of the 2D NPS were classified by borrowing the well-known atomic spectral symbols s, p, and d, which correspond to circular, dumbbell, and cloverleaf symmetries, respectively, of the wave function of electrons in an atom. Finally, simulated bar patterns were embedded into experimentally acquired noise backgrounds to demonstrate the impact of different NPS symmetries on the visual perception of the object. Results: (1) For a central region in a centered cylindrical object, an s-wave symmetry was always present in the NPS, no matter whether the bowtie filter was present or not. In contrast, for a peripheral region in a centered object, the symmetry of its NPS was highly dependent on the bowtie filter, and both p-wave symmetry and d-wave symmetry were observed in the NPS. (2) For a centered region-ofinterest (ROI) in an off-centered object, the symmetry of its NPS was found to be different from that of a peripheral ROI in the centered object, even when the physical positions of the two ROIs relative to the isocenter were the same. (3) The potential clinical impact of the highly anisotropic NPS, caused by the interplay of the bowtie filter and position of the image object, was highlighted in images of specific bar patterns oriented at different angles. The visual perception of the bar patterns was found to be strongly dependent on their orientation. Conclusions: The NPS of CT depends strongly on the bowtie filter and object position. Even if the location of the ROI with respect to the isocenter is fixed, there can be different symmetries in the NPS, which depend on the object position and the size of the bowtie filter. For an isolated off-centered object, the NPS of its CT images cannot be represented by the NPS measured from a centered object.
Lipids and fatty acids

Lipids can be defined as organic substances originating in living matter, which are insoluble in water but are soluble in non-polar solvents such as alcohol, ether, chloroform, and benzene. Such a definition includes free fatty acids,alcohols (other than glycerol, which is water soluble), sterols (e.g. cholesterol), some hydrocarbons such as the carotenoids, and the fat soluble vitamins D, E, and K. Of major quantitative significance in plant and animal tissues are: 1) the neutral fats or triglycerides, which consist of three fatty acids esterified with glycerol, 2) the phospholipids, containing two fatty acids and inorganic phosphate esterified with glycerol, often with a nitrogenous base such as choline or ethanolamine also esterified to the phosphate, and 3) the cholesterol esters.
Outcome Disparities in T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and the Lack of Significant Improvement over the Years: A SEER Database Review

Background: As of 2013, approximately 558,340 people are living with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Outcome disparities have been reported in lymphoid malignancies but a comprehensive analysis, especially with expanding ethnic minorities is necessary. We undertook a large Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) based analysis to describe outcome disparities in different subgroups of T-cell and B-cell NHL patients (pts), with a focus on various ethnicities. Methods: The SEER 18 Registry data (1973-2011) was utilized for pts with a confirmed diagnosis of T-cell or B-cell NHL. Cases that received a diagnosis at death certificate or autopsy, no follow-up records, no documented age at diagnosis, sex, or race/ethnicity were excluded. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for gender, age, race, year (yr) of diagnosis, and stratified by SEER registries were used to evaluate association between pt characteristics and survival. All statistical tests were two-sided and utilized the SAS software (v9.4) with a two-sided significance level of 0.05. Results: The final analysis included 7,662 pts with T-cell NHL and 84,910 pts with B-cell NHL. The pt demographics are shown in Table 1. Pts were stratified based on yr of diagnosis to study the impact of therapeutic developments on pt outcomes (Table 1). Pts were also divided by T-cell NHL subtype: mature T-cell (9702/3) 51%, angioimmunoblastic T-cell (9705/3) 16%, anaplastic large cell (ALCL) (9714/3) 32%, and hepatosplenic gamma-delta cell (HSϒd) (9716/3) 0.8%. Median age at diagnosis was youngest for AA pts (54 yrs) and oldest for Asian pts (65 yrs) (Figure 1 A). Survival analysis revealed that females had a better median OS than males (3.3 yrs vs. 2.3 yrs, HR 0.876; 95% CI 0.824, 0.932; p Conclusions: Studies of outcome disparities are important for evaluating disease characteristics and their relationship to specific pt populations over time. We have performed the largest population-based analysis for T-cell and B-cell NHL including various ethnicities in the novel therapeutic agent era. We observed that males, older pts and ethnic minorities had worse median OS for both T-cell and B-cell NHL. Despite novel therapeutics targeting T cells there has been no statistically significant improvement in OS over time. In contrast, significant improvement in B-cell NHL OS has been noted, presumably due to the advent of monoclonal antibodies. These results underline the urgency for the development of novel therapeutics as well as aggressive studies of disease biology and healthcare utilization for better triage of healthcare resources, especially for ethnic minorities. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Analytics on large microstructure datasets using two-point spatial correlations: Coarsening of dendritic structures

Abstract We extend the existing framework [1–4] of two-point spatial correlations to allow for the quantification, analyses, interpretation and visualization of microstructure coarsening measured by time-resolved X-ray computed tomography. Specifically, extensions were made to facilitate (i) the incorporation of nonconventional local attributes such as solid-liquid interface, interface curvature, and interface velocity in the description of the local state, and (ii) the efficient computation of bulk spatial correlations when the local attributes are sparsely defined only at special locations in the three-dimensional volume (e.g., solid-liquid interfaces). We have explored multiple variants of spatial correlations, including Pearson correlation coefficients and two-point joint probabilities, and examined their relative merits in providing useful new insights into the coarsening process. Algorithmic enhancements needed to carry out these computations on the large datasets produced in the experiments are also described. The results demonstrate the remarkable ability of these new protocols in automated (unbiased) capture of the four-fold symmetry of the dendritic microstructure, and in providing quantitative and reliable estimates of the characteristic lengths associated with the dendritic microstructure (including the secondary and tertiary dendrite arm spacings, secondary dendrite arm diameter, and the solute diffusion length). These estimated quantities agree well with the direct measurements from the microstructure. The results also indicate that interfaces with high negative and near-zero mean curvature ( H ) have long range spatial auto-correlations, whereas all values of the interfacial normal velocity ( V ) are only auto-correlated in the short range in space. For mid-range (positive) values of H and non-extreme values of V , the spatial distributions are essentially random.
Long-Term Performance and User Satisfaction With Implanted Neuroprostheses for Upright Mobility After Paraplegia: 2- to 14-Year Follow-Up.

Abstract Objective To quantify the long-term (>2y) effects of lower extremity (LE) neuroprostheses (NPs) for standing, transfers, stepping, and seated stability after spinal cord injury. Design Single-subject design case series with participants acting as their own concurrent controls, including retrospective data review. Setting Hospital-based clinical biomechanics laboratory with experienced (>20y in the field) research biomedical engineers, a physical therapist, and medical monitoring review. Participants Long-term (6.2±2.7y) at-home users (N=22; 19 men, 3 women) of implanted NPs for trunk and LE function with chronic (14.4±7.1y) spinal cord injury resulting in full or partial paralysis. Interventions Technical and clinical performance measurements, along with user satisfaction surveys. Main Outcome Measures Knee extension moment, maximum standing time, body weight supported by lower extremities, 3 functional standing tasks, 2 satisfaction surveys, NP usage, and stability of implanted components. Results Stimulated knee extension strength and functional capabilities were maintained, with 94% of implant recipients reporting being very or moderately satisfied with their system. More than half (60%) of the participants were still using their implanted NPs for exercise and function for >10min/d on nearly half or more of the days monitored; however, maximum standing times and percentage body weight through LEs decreased slightly over the follow-up interval. Stimulus thresholds were uniformly stable. Six-year survival rates for the first-generation implanted pulse generator (IPG) and epimysial electrodes were close to 90%, whereas those for the second-generation IPG along with the intramuscular and nerve cuff electrodes were >98%. Conclusions Objective and subjective measures of the technical and clinical performances of implanted LE NPs generally remained consistent for 22 participants after an average of 6 years of unsupervised use at home. These findings suggest that implanted LE NPs can provide lasting benefits that recipients value.
Supporting injury prevention research: taking stock and moving forward

Deaths from car crashes plummeted in earlier decades because research demonstrated how to build safer cars and roads and documented the impact of policy. Research has documented the value of smoke alarms and home sprinklers, pool fencing, building designs that minimise fall risk and the efficacy of childproof packaging of medications. Research has revealed the burden of injuries and the cost-effectiveness of addressing injury prevention and helped maximise impact from different approaches. But support for injury research has not kept pace with our need and our potential to reduce the burden of injuries. A recent study examined the relationship between the amount of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and the burden of disease for 27 leading causes of death and disability. Among all of these conditions, the spending compared with burden was most disparate for injuries.1 …
Do Markets Care About Non-Market Strategy?

This study examines how non-market strategy and institutional conditions affect stock market devaluation following negative events. Research on negative events and firm value suggest negative event...
"Échale Ganas": Family Support of Latino/a Community College Students' Transfer to Four-Year Universities.

Families play a key role in students‘ school choices throughout their education. While research has explored the familial supports for high-school students transitioning to college for the first ti...
Mesophyll conductance in Zea mays responds transiently to CO2 availability: implications for transpiration efficiency in C4 crops

Mesophyll conductance (gm ) describes the movement of CO2 from the intercellular air spaces below the stomata to the site of initial carboxylation in the mesophyll. In contrast with C3 -gm , little is currently known about the intraspecific variation in C4 -gm or its responsiveness to environmental stimuli. To address these questions, gm was measured on five maize (Zea mays) lines in response to CO2 , employing three different estimates of gm . Each of the methods indicated a significant response of gm to CO2 . Estimates of gm were similar between methods at ambient and higher CO2 , but diverged significantly at low partial pressures of CO2 . These differences are probably driven by incomplete chemical and isotopic equilibrium between CO2 and bicarbonate under these conditions. Carbonic anhydrase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in vitro activity varied significantly despite similar values of gm and leaf anatomical traits. These results provide strong support for a CO2 response of gm in Z. mays, and indicate that gm in maize is probably driven by anatomical constraints rather than by biochemical limitations. The CO2 response of gm indicates a potential role for facilitated diffusion in C4 -gm . These results also suggest that water-use efficiency could be enhanced in C4 species by targeting gm .
Global revolutionary currents, the Vietnamese revolution, and the origins of the American War

This paper considers the impact of key events in the Third World (Africa, Asia, and Latin America) on Vietnamese communist strategic thinking during the early 1960s. Committed as they were to the r...
Low-Noise and Stable LO’s for Deep Space Applications

The traditional role of local oscillators in communications systems is much expanded in the NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) which supports communications, tracking, and radio science experiments associated with interplanetary missions such as Voyager, Ulysses and Galileo. In this world-wide network of three complexes, local oscillators provide spectrally pure signals in receivers which track spacecrafts as far away as the edge of the solar system. Spectrally pure signals are also crucial to the success of a variety of radio science investigations studying interplanetary particles, and planetary rings and atmospheres. Finally, local oscillators function as flywheels in advanced frequency standards currently under development for the DSN, and influence the ultimate stabilities obtainable with such devices.
RAINCOAT: Randomization of Network Communication in Power Grid Cyber Infrastructure to Mislead Attackers

Though attackers aim to introduce different physical perturbations on power grids, they need to rely on periodic data acquisitions performed by control centers to estimate the physical state of the grid and thus to prepare for destructive activities. In this paper, we present Raincoat, which randomizes data acquisitions to disrupt and mislead attackers’ preparations. We transform one data acquisition into multiple rounds. In each round, we dynamically manipulate network flows in the control networks so that randomly selected “online” devices respond with real measurements. Meanwhile, we intelligently spoof measurements for other “offline” devices to mislead attackers into designing ineffective strategies. Based on experiments using large-scale power systems and six real wide area networks, Raincoat is effective against false data injection and control-related attacks with small overhead. The probability of successful attacks can be reduced from 70% to 1%; attacks introduce little damage even if they are executed. Network latency of data acquisition increases on average by less than 6%.
Microexpressions Differentiate Truths From Lies About Future Malicious Intent

The few previous studies testing whether or not microexpressions are indicators of deception have produced equivocal findings, which may have resulted from restrictive operationalizations of microexpression duration. In this study, we coded facial expressions of emotion produced by community participants in an initial screening interview in a mock crime experiment. The expressions were coded for occurrence and duration and various durations were tested concerning whether their occurrence differentiated between truthtellers and liars concerning their intent to commit a malicious act in the future. We operationalized microexpressions as expressions occurring less than the duration of spontaneously occurring, non-concealed, non-repressed facial expressions of emotion based on empirically documented findings, that is < .50 s, and then more systematically < .40, < .30, and < .20 s. We also compared expressions occurring between .50 – 6.00 s and all expressions < 6.00 s. Results indicated that microexpressions of negative emotions occurring < .40 and < .50 s differentiated truthtellers and liars. Expressions of negative emotions occurring < 6.00 s also differentiated truthtellers from liars but this finding did not survive when expressions < 1.00 s were filtered from the data. These findings provided the first systematic evidence for the existence of microexpressions at various durations and their possible ability to differentiate truthtellers from liars about their intent to commit an act of malfeasance in the future.
Benefits of Online Teaching for Onground Teaching at a Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Technology and distance education are on the rise in community colleges, 4-year institutions, Ivy League colleges, research institutions, and technical colleges. One of the most significant phenomenon occurring in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) today is distance education. Academic leaders can better implement professional development plans to promote online programs if they understand faculty perceptions about teaching online. This phenomenological research paper presents the results of 12 lived the experience of higher education faculty members at a HBCU who transitioned from a face-to-face teaching modality to a distance education instructional delivery and subsequently returned to the face-to-face classroom.
Color Evaluation of Foods—Correlation of Objective Facts with Subjective Impressions

In the early 1950's, a symposium entitled Color in Foods was arranged under the aegis of the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council. The proceedings of that symposium have not to this day been superseded by a more up-to-date consideration of the state of knowledge as it has evolved since then. At that time, considerable discussion was focused on the question of the validity of relating objective data to some visually determined and presumably imprecise scale. Because the opportunity has not presented itself to continue the vigorous exploration of this and other unresolved questions, the reservations and recommendations expressed in the proceedings stand unchallenged. It is the purpose of this report to present a detailed discussion of the procedural framework developed by us to provide the basis for developing solutions for specific commodities and for specific purposes. The essentials include the development of model systems constructed to vary in known and controlled fashion along the requisite dimensions of color; the determination of optimum conditions for analyzing samples precisely and reproducibly for changes in physical and chemical properties which underlie changes in perceived color; the definition and construction of psychological scales which provide data relevant to the case in point; and finally, the demonstration of a highly significant relationship between visual evaluations and physically determined quantities. Thus, for different products, the same conceptual model is used; yet the procedural details may differ widely depending on the constraints imposed by physical and chemical characteristics of the sample and the specific requirements of the case. The feasibility of the approach will be explored with reference to actual examples.
Teaching Textile Design to Merchandising Students

Many fashion-related programs require an introductory textiles course, no matter the career goals of the student. In addition to the introductory course, one program that teaches only merchandising and retailing offers a higher-level textile design course. Configuring this course necessitated meeting learning objectives while considering the needs and abilities of students with no design training. This presentation discussed the development of an appropriate curriculum of textile design for merchandising students and shared strategies intended for student engagement and knowledge acquisition.