cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Mediates the Fas-Induced Mitochondrial Death Pathway in CD8+ T Cells

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway can be activated by a variety of stress stimuli such as UV radiation and osmotic stress. The regulation and role of this pathway in death receptor-induced apoptosis remain unclear and may depend on the specific death receptor and cell type. Here we show that binding of Fas ligand to Fas activates p38 MAPK in CD8+ T cells and that activation of this pathway is required for Fas-mediated CD8+ T-cell death. Active p38 MAPK phosphorylates Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 and prevents the accumulation of these antiapoptotic molecules within the mitochondria. Consequently, a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c lead to the activation of caspase 9 and, subsequently, caspase 3. Therefore, the activation of p38 MAPK is a critical link between Fas and the mitochondrial death pathway and is required for the Fas-induced apoptosis of CD8+ T cells.
The What, How, Why, and Where of Self-Construal:

Since the publication of Markus and Kitayama’s pivotal article on culture and the self, the concepts of independent, relational, and interdependent self-construal have become important constructs in cultural psychology and research on the self. The authors review the history of these constructs, their measurement and manipulation, and their roles in cognition, emotion, motivation, and social behavior. They make suggestions for future research and point to problems still to be sorted out. Researchers interested in these constructs have many opportunities to make important contributions to the literature in a variety of fields, including health psychology, education, counseling, and international relations.
Polysaccharide antigens of the capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans.

The major significance of the capsular polysaccharide of C. neoformans is its role in potentiating opportunistic infections by the yeast. It has the ability to exert a broad spectrum of influences on the immune response, from activation of phagocytic cells and complement components of the alternative pathway, to the induction of specific antibody, T-suppressor cells, DTH responses, and cytokines (51). These biological properties along with the serotype specificities are all determined by the physical properties and chemical structures of the polysaccharide antigens that compose the capsule. There is evidence not only for an association of lethal infections with serotype A in patients with advanced AIDS (34, 56), but also for a role for the capsule in directly influencing the infection of CD4+ cells by HIV (57). Together, these phenomena raise intriguing questions about the possible connection between the chemistry of these capsular antigens and cryptococcal infections in AIDS patients. One speculation is that AIDS creates the optimal physiological conditions for the establishment and spread of cryptococcosis. It has been observed that during the progression of AIDS there is a shift towards a T-2 response (14). This could lead to conditions that would inhibit the cellular immune responses that block dissemination of cryptococcal infections. Thus, an important consideration in the application of vaccine or immune modulation therapies in the treatment of cryptococcosis in AIDS victims would be the design of vaccines that could boost the T-1 immune response. It has been shown that the form and dose of an antigenic challenge can influence the induction of a T-1 or T-2 immune response (61). Recently, Murphy has reported that gamma interferon and interleukin 2 are up-regulated in the spleens of mice that produce anticryptococcal TDH and TAMP cells in response to immunogenic doses of cryptococcal culture filtrate antigen given with Freund's complete adjuvant (49). Perhaps purified cryptococcal antigens (e.g., MP) conjugated to an appropriate carrier or adjuvant could be used in therapeutic strategies to limit cryptococcosis in immunocompromised individuals. Future investigations of virulence and pathogenicity in the context of defined polysaccharide antigens from encapsulated strains of C. neoformans will contribute to a better understanding of the regulation of cryptococcal infection and immunity at the cellular and molecular levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Using Vertical Rock Uplift Patterns to Constrain the Three-Dimensional Fault Configuration in the Los Angeles Basin

Comparison of geologic uplift patterns with results of three-dimensional mechanical models provides constraints on the fault geometry compiled by the South- ern California Earthquake Center community fault model in the northern Los Angeles basin, California. The modeled uplift matches well the geologic pattern of uplift as- sociated with the Santa Fe Springs and Coyote Hills segments of the Puente Hills thrust fault but does not match structures to the west of the San Gabriel River. To better match the geologic patterns in this area, alternative fault configurations were tested. The best match to geologic uplift is attained with a model incorporating (1) a steep blind thrust fault at the location of the Los Angeles segment of the Puente Hills thrust system (following interpretations of the Las Cienegas fault geometry at this location), (2) removal of an inferred linking fault between the Raymond and Holly- wood faults, and (3) lateral continuation of the Lower Elysian Park fault, a blind low- angle detachment at >10 km depth, along strike to the northwest. These geometric revisions alter the connectivity of northern Los Angeles basin faults and significantly improve the match of model uplift pattern to geologic data. Model results suggest that fault connectivity may be more important in governing fault slip rate than are fault dip and fault area. The preferred model alters slip rates by >0:2 mm=yr for the Upper Elysian Park, Hollywood, Lower Elysian Park, Raymond, Sierra Madre West, and Verdugo faults. Additionally, the preferred model alters the surface area of several faults in the northern Los Angeles basin, such as the Puente Hills thrust and the Lower Elysian Park fault, which may have important implications for seismic hazard assess- ment in the northern Los Angeles basin.
The Role of the Sahara Low in Summertime Sahel Rainfall Variability and Change in the CMIP3 Models

Projections for twenty-first-century changes in summertime Sahel precipitation differ greatly across models in the third Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3) dataset and cannot be explained solely in terms of discrepancies in the projected anomalies in global SST. This study shows that an index describing the low-level circulation in the North Atlantic‐African region, namely, the strength of the low-level Saharan low, correlates with Sahel rainfall in all models and at the time scales of both interannual and interdecadal natural variability and of the forced centennial trend. An analysis of Sahel interannual variability provides evidence that variations in the Sahara low can be a cause, not just a consequence, of variations in Sahel rainfall and suggests that a better understanding of the sources of model discrepancy in Sahel rainfall predictions might be gained from an analysis of the mechanisms influencing changes in the Sahara low.
Hypersonic Global Heat-Transfer Measurements During Continuous Pitch Sweeps at AEDC Tunnel 9

The AEDC Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel No. 9 is a ground-test facility that features a unique combination of flow conditions, run times, and physical size not reproduced anywhere else in the world. By taking advantage of its large size and long run times, typical Tunnel 9 test programs are designed to collect data over a continuous angle-of-attack sweep using a wind tunnel model instrumented with a force-and-moment balance and hundreds of discrete surface pressure and heat-transfer sensors. Recently AEDC Tunnel 9 has implemented a global heat-transfer measurement system that can operate simultaneously with traditional measurement techniques during a continuous pitch sweep without significant increases in the test program’s schedule or cost. The resulting global heattransfer maps offer considerable insight into the aerothermal environment experienced by the test article. For instance, measurements of complex flow phenomena such as boundarylayer transition and shock wave boundary-layer interactions can now be mapped in detail. The data presented in this paper illustrate the advantage of global mapping for a wedge in a Mach 10 flow field at various angles of attack and Reynolds number conditions. Comparisons with data from discrete instrumentation show excellent agreement with the global measurements. The global heat-transfer measurement system developed for use in Tunnel 9 makes use of several unique innovations in illumination and camera technologies and utilizes a novel two-color temperature-sensitive paint (TSP) formulation.
Intracellular signals of T cell costimulation.

Ligation of T cell receptor (TCR) alone is insufficient to induce full activation of T lymphocytes. Additional ligand-receptor interactions (costimulation) on antigen presenting cells (APCs) and T cells are required. T cell costimulation has been shown to be essential for eliciting efficient T cell responses, involving all phases during T cell development. However, the mechanisms by which costimulation affects the function of T cells still need to be elucidated. In recent years, advances have been made in studies of costimulation as potential therapies in cancer, infectious disease as well as autoimmune disease. In this review, we discussed intracellular costimulation signals that regulate T cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, cytokine production, survival, and memory development. In general, the pathway of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt)/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) might be central to many costimulatory effects. Through these pathways, costimulation controls T-cell expansion and proliferation by maintenance of survivin and aurora B expression, and sustains long-term T-cell survival and memory development by regulating the expression of bcl-2 family members.
13 C NMR Determination of Isomer Formation in Deamination of Poly-L-Lysine

The classical mechanism for the nitrous acid deamination of primary aliphatic amines at low pH calls for formation of carbocation ion intermediates, which react further to yield primary and secondary alcohols and alkenes. More concerted mechanisms may also provide the same product distribution. To examine the reactions between proteins and environmental nitrite, we recently investigated the deamination of e-amino groups of poly-L-lysine at low pH as a model system using 13C NMR to determine the structures of the two new amino acids generated by the deamination reaction. Although reactions of other amino acid side chains with nitrite have been studied, deamination of e-amino groups has received little attention.
Automated systems in viral diagnosis.

The age of automation has come to viral diagnosis. A totally automated system is now available for viral antibody determinations and semi-automated methods or components are being used by many laboratories for both antibody and antigen detection. The present paper reviews some of the new methods which are now in use and considers approaches which are under development.
Fenoldopam use in a burn intensive care unit: a retrospective study

Fenoldopam mesylate is a highly selective dopamine-1 receptor agonist approved for the treatment of hypertensive emergencies that may have a role at low doses in preserving renal function in those at high risk for or with acute kidney injury (AKI). There is no data on low-dose fenoldopam in the burn population. The purpose of our study was to describe our use of low-dose fenoldopam (0.03-0.09 μg/kg/min) infusion in critically ill burn patients with AKI. We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients admitted to our burn intensive care unit (BICU) with severe burns from November 2005 through September 2008 who received low-dose fenoldopam. Data obtained included systolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, vasoactive medication use, urine output, and intravenous fluid. Patients on concomitant continuous renal replacement therapy were excluded. Modified inotrope score and vasopressor dependency index were calculated. One-way analysis of variance with repeated measures, Wilcoxson signed rank, and chi-square tests were used. Differences were deemed significant at p < 0.05. Seventy-seven patients were treated with low-dose fenoldopam out of 758 BICU admissions (10%). Twenty (26%) were AKI network (AKIN) stage 1, 14 (18%) were AKIN stage 2, 42 (55%) were AKIN stage 3, and 1 (1%) was AKIN stage 0. Serum creatinine improved over the first 24 hours and continued to improve through 48 hours (p < 0.05). There was an increase in systolic blood pressure in the first 24 hours that was sustained through 48 hours after initiation of fenoldopam (p < 0.05). Urine output increased after initiation of fenoldopam without an increase in intravenous fluid requirement (p < 0.05; p = NS). Modified inotrope score and vasopressor dependency index both decreased over 48 hours (p < 0.0001; p = 0.0012). These findings suggest that renal function was preserved and that urine output improved without a decrease in systolic blood pressure, increase in vasoactive medication use, or an increase in resuscitation requirement in patients treated with low-dose fenoldopam. A randomized controlled trial is required to establish the efficacy of low-dose fenoldopam in critically ill burn patients with AKI.
Spironolactone in dermatologic therapy

In the treatment of androgen-mediated skin disorders spironolactone provides a valuable therapeutic option. This article reviews the use of spironolactone as an antiandrogen in dermatologic therapy. The endocrinologic effects, pharmacology, dermatologic uses, and side effects are discussed, and guidelines for its use are provided.
Mechanics of interfacial crack propagation in microscratching

There are two main issues regarding thin film debonding. The first is the nucleation of interfacial cracks, while the second is the propagation of cracks. From a mechanical testing point of view, scratch testing primarily serves to address the former issue, while indentation testing is a method of addressing the latter. A new probing technique has been developed to test thin film mechanical properties. In the Microwedge Scratch Test (MWST), a wedge shaped diamond indenter tip is drawn along a fine line, while simultaneously being driven into the line. The authors compare microwedge scratching of Zone 1 and Zone T thin film specimens of sputtered W on SiO{sub 2}. Symptomatic of its poor mechanical properties, the Zone 1 film displays three separate crack systems. Because of its superior grain boundary strength, the Zone T film displayed only one of these--an interfacial crack system. Using bimaterial linear elastic fracture mechanics, governing equations are developed for propagating interfacial cracks, including expressions for strain energy release rate, bending strain, and mode mixity. Grain boundary fracture strength information may be deduced from the Zone 1 films, while adhesion may be inferred from the Zone T films.
Manipulating word properties: Targeting vocabulary learning for children with and without speech sound inaccuracies:

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the relations between speech sound accuracy, vocabulary, and phonological awareness, and (2) to examine the effect of word properties of neighborhood density and phonotactic probability on word learning within a storybook context, for children with and without speech sound inaccuracies. Fifty K–1 children (aged 5–6 years; 25 with, 25 without speech sound inaccuracies) completed inclusionary measures of oral language, speech sound accuracy, hearing screening, oral–motor screening, and nonverbal intelligence. Participants completed study-specific measures of standardized receptive and expressive vocabulary, stimuli-specific vocabulary knowledge, and phonological awareness. Twice weekly, for 30 minutes, an 11-week storybook-based intervention took place, targeting word learning, with words selected based on density and probability. Storybooks were researcher generated to intentionally manipulate the word properties of the stimuli words. Each storybook con...
Sleep and cardiometabolic function in obese adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract Objective To compare the polysomnography findings and cardiometabolic function among adolescent girls with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and matched female and male controls. Method Retrospective chart review of electronic medical records of 28 girls with PCOS (age: 16.8 ± 1.9 years, body mass index (BMI) Z-score 2.4 ± 0.4), 28 control females (age: 17.1 ± 1.8, BMI Z-score 2.4 ± 0.3) and 28 control males (age: 16.6 ± 1.6, BMI Z-score 2.5 ± 0.5) in a tertiary care centre. Results The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) was higher in girls with PCOS compared to control females (16/28 (57%) vs. 4/28(14.3%), p Conclusions We report a higher prevalence of OSA and metabolic dysfunction in a selected group of obese girls with PCOS referred with sleep-related complaints compared to BMI-matched control girls without PCOS. We also report higher prevalence of cardiometabolic dysfunction in girls with PCOS and OSA compared to girls with PCOS without OSA.
Effect of Dietary Fats on the Lipid Composition and Enzyme Activities of Rat Cardiac Sarcolemma

The effect of dietary lipids on the lipid composition and the activities of some enzymes of caridac sarcolemma were studied. Feeding rats coconut oil-rich diet for 4 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in 5'-nucleotidase, phosphodiesterase I and p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity of cardiac sarcolemma as compared with feeding rats safflower oil. Sarcolemma from animals fed coconut oil diet contained a significantly lower concentration of total polyunsaturated fatty acids and a higher concentration of total monounsaturated fatty acids than that from rats fed safflower oil. Most of the alterations in polyunsaturated fatty acids were found in 20:4, whereas those of the monounsaturates were found in 18:1. Among all the phosphoglycerides, the fatty acid composition of the phosphatidylcholine exhibited the largest alterations as a result of coconut oil feeding. No dietary effect was observed in the sarcolemma content of cholesterol and phospholipid. These studies clearly indicate that manipula tion of dietary lipids influences both the fatty acid composition and some functional properties of the sarcolemma membranes. J. Nutr. 113: 1878-1884, 1983. INDEXING KEYWORDS heart sarcolemma â€¢ structure-function relationship membrane-bound enzymes â€¢ dietary fats â€¢ membrane lipids
Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind

Understanding others’ mental states is a crucial skill that enables the complex social relationships that characterize human societies. Yet little research has investigated what fosters this skill, which is known as Theory of Mind (ToM), in adults. We present five experiments showing that reading literary fiction led to better performance on tests of affective ToM (experiments 1 to 5) and cognitive ToM (experiments 4 and 5) compared with reading nonfiction (experiments 1), popular fiction (experiments 2 to 5), or nothing at all (experiments 2 and 5). Specifically, these results show that reading literary fiction temporarily enhances ToM. More broadly, they suggest that ToM may be influenced by engagement with works of art.
Automating Security Monitoring and Analysis for Space Station Freedom's Electric Power System

Operating a large, space power system requires classifying the system's status and analyzing its security. Conventional algorithms are used by terrestrial electric utilities, to provide such information to their dispatchers, but their application aboard Space Station Freedom will consume too much processing time. We present a new approach for monitoring and analysis using adaptive pattern recognition techniques. This approach yields an on-line security monitoring and analysis algorithm that is accurate and fast; and thus, it can free the Space Station Freedom's power control computers for other tasks.
Nesting Biology and Socially Polymorphic Behavior of the Sweat Bee Halictus rubicundus (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Halictus rubicundus Christ is a facultatively social bee demonstrating solitary behavior in regions of cool climate, social behavior in areas of warmer climate, and a mixture of social and solitary behavior in marginal environments. In this article I compare original data to those from previously published studies of H. rubicundus in a variety of environments. I describe nest structure, nest density, bee size, reproductive output, sex ratio, and incidence of predators and parasites. From the patterns that emerge, I conclude that nest-site philopatry is important in structuring populations so that social behavior is favored over bivoltinism in warm climates. The sex ratio of populations is correlated with photoperiod but the relationship is not absolute; therefore, I propose that some other causal factor or a combination of factors, such as temperature or resource availability, is involved. The same mechanism may be responsible for changes in female size during the season. Differences in social behavior do not appear to provide a barrier to reproduction, and the presence of different forms does not imply incipient speciation.
Four-Dimensional Persistent Screw Systems of the General Type

When a mechanism moves, the twist system \(S\) of the end-effector generally varies. In significant special cases, \(S\) is a subalgebra of the Lie algebra of the special Euclidean group, and it remains constant. In more general cases, \(S\) remains invariant up to a proper isometry, thus preserving its class. A mechanism of this kind is said to generate a persistent screw system (PSS) of the end-effector. PSSs play an important role in mobility analysis and mechanism design. This paper presents the serial generators of \(4\)-dimensional PSSs with a constant class of the general type.
Prevention of recurrence and prolonged survival in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) patients treated with adjuvant high-dose methylprednisolone.

Five patients at risk for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) recurrence were treated with high-dose methylprednisolone, (HDMP) to prevent ‘trafficking’ of malignant lymphocytes into the central nervous system (CNS). HDMP was chosen because of its ability to stabilize the ‘blood brain barrier (BBB)’. Three men with newly diagnosed PCNSL, ages 62, 76 and 78 y, whose survival was projected to be 6.6 months, began treatment after achieving complete response (CR) to initial radiation therapy alone and survived 27, 37 and 59 months after treatment. In none was death from recurrent disease in CNS but one patient did die of systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) five years after PCNSL diagnosis. A 20 y old man was treated with HDMP after successful combined modality therapy and is alive 75+months after initial diagnosis without evidence of disease recurrence. A 34 y old man relapsed after combined modality initial treatment and failed to respond to HDMP when treatment was begun after unsuccessful salvage therapy; he died of disease 12 months after initial diagnosis. There were no treatment complications. The promising results in this pilot study from the basis for a North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) 96-73-51, a Phase 2 clinical trial of brain radiotherapy and HDMP for PCNSL patients 70 y of age and older, a group of patients at high risk for toxicity from intensive combined modality therapy.
Evidence for Long-Distance Transportation of Building Stones in the Inka Empire, from Cuzco, Peru to Saraguro, Ecuador

Ethnohistorical and archaeological data suggest that a collection of more than 450 finely worked Inka building stones found near Saraguro in the southern highlands of Ecuador originated outside that region. The origin of those andesite blocks was investigated via geochemical analysis. Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence determined the concentrations of nine elements in samples from stones in the Saraguro region and in samples from known Inka andesite quarries at Cojitambo in the southern sierra of Ecuador, and at the Rumiqolqa and Huaccoto quarries near the Inka capital of Cuzco in Peru. The results show that the geochemical composition of the Saraguro stones closely matches that of the Rumiqolqa material, indicating that the Inka had these large andesite blocks moved over a distance of more than 1,600 km, the greatest known distance for the transport of large objects in the precolumbian New World. This endeavor had many implications, including reinforcing state power and ideology, and is also perceived to reflect an imperial “made-work” policy that consumed excess labor through non-utilitarian assignments. These “made-work” projects are best explained as a strategy for reinforcing state control over subject provinces, in contrast to current models of Inka economic organization that focus on efficiency in the use of labor.
Coupling the Increase in Membrane Tension and the Synthesis of Phosphatidylserine in a ``Smart'' Artificial Cell

Assembling biological parts into a functional system using a bottom-up in vitro reconstitution approach offers the possibility of designing artificial cells with the ability of sensing and responding to external stimuli. An artificial platelet, which is programmed to mimic the functionality of a natural platelet, is our first test-bed for this design strategy. The greatest challenge of building the artificial platelet is the coupling of external mechanical stimuli to a biochemical response. We have reconstituted mechanosensitive channels (MscL) and phosphatylserine synthase (PSS1) into a liposome using cell free expression so that the liposome can sense an increase in membrane tension and allow influx of calcium ions, which serve as the second messengers to activate the synthesis of phosphatidylserine (PS). We used double emulsion template to generate lipid bilayer vesicles with encapsulation capability. We have also developed an in-house cell free expression technique for expressing MscL and PSS1. By encapsulating the cell free expression components inside the lipid vesicles, we have shown that the membrane proteins successfully insert into the lipid bilayer membrane and function properly. We also showed that the system can couple the increase in membrane tension and the synthesis of PS. The success of this work provides a great leap forward in achieving our ultimate goal, which is to build an artificial platelet.
Multilayer Tubular Conductor for High Q -Factor Wireless Power Transfer System Resonators

In this paper, we investigate multilayer tubular conductor for multi-MHz Wireless Power Transfer systems high- Q (quality factor) resonators. The conductor layers’ thicknesses and current sharing between them are optimized at 13.56 MHz, showing significant reduction in conductor ac resistance ${R_{{{\rm AC}}}}$ . Capacitive ballast is used as a practical method for current sharing between layers and operation of coil near resonance. A two-layer conductor is designed, fabricated, and characterized at 27.93 MHz, showing 18.1% and 12.8% reduction in ${R_{{{\rm AC}}}}$ , compared with an identical conductor without capacitive ballast and a same size solid conductor, respectively.
Raising the Bar: Elite Advocacy in Supreme Court Public Interest Litigation

Highly experienced Supreme Court advocates are frequently believed to be influential in argument before the Court in a way that far outstrips the run-of-the-mill advocate. This paper tests that hypothesis with regard to a particular subset of "public law" or "public interest" cases. It finds that highly experienced advocates have become an enormous influence on the Court's public law cases, and offers a game-theoretic rationale for this influence - that the use of highly-experienced counsel serves as a "signal" to the Court that the preferable result is the one that the advocate is pushing. It also examines the effect on civil rights law (as a case study) that the Supreme Court Bar, as they're called, has, and proposes some possible solutions.
Abstract 24: Using a Tele-Presence Platform as a Neuro-ICU Nursing Education Tool: a Collaboration Between Two Comprehensive Stroke Centers

Background and Purpose: Many authors have reported the effectiveness of telemedicine in healthcare and medical education. There has been limited research addressing its use with nursing education. We sought to examine the impact and effectiveness of education in the Neuro-ICUs of two Comprehensive Stroke Centers. Methods: Guided by a knowledge needs assessment completed by critical care nurses at an academic medical facility in Louisiana, a topic of Intracranial Pressure Crisis in Hemorrhagic Stroke was chosen for an educational course conducted via telepresence. The Neuro-ICU nurses from an academic medical facility in Pennsylvania developed the course content. The course consisted of a 10 questions pre-test, a 30 minute didactic session, an interactive case scenario, and a 10 question post-test. The didactic session reviewed basic neuro pathophysiology and interventions to treat increased intracranial pressure. The interactive case scenario used 3G simulation to allow real time implementation of interventions to treat increased intracranial pressure in the setting of hemorrhagic stroke. The session concluded with a debriefing and post- test. The entire session was completed using telepresence. 15 ICU nurses participated in the course. Participants subsequently completed an anonymous survey. Results of the pre- and post-test were compared via a paired-samples t-test. Results: The mean pre-test score was 7.5/10 (sd 2.378). The mean post-test score was 9.57/10 (sd 1.089). This represents a significant improvement (t=3.64, p= 0.003). All course participants completed the anonymous survey. 89% of participants felt that tele-education was a valuable learning tool. 100% agree that they will change their current bedside practice based on the information provided during the tele-education session. Conclusion: These results demonstrate improved knowledge in the management of elevated intracranial pressure. A tele-presence platform may be an effective means of delivering of educational content to neuro ICU nurses separated by geographic barriers.
Explorability of a turbulent scalar field

In this paper we extend the concept of explorability of noisy scalar fields to turbulent scalar fields. Since turbulent fields are prone to sporadic measurement, we use expected value of rate of measurements to estimate the rate of measurement at a location and use this estimate to define explorability of a turbulent scalar field. We define the notion of coherent steps in a turbulent field and prove that if the turbulent field is locally explorable the step taken by the robot will be coherent. We also present a method to compute the Cumulative Distribution Function of the error in estimation of rate of measurement and then show that the probability of a coherent step is inversely proportional to the variance in estimation error if the error has Gaussian distribution.
The diagnostic value and histologic correlate of distinct patterns of shiny white streaks for the diagnosis of melanoma: A retrospective, case-control study

Background Shiny white streaks (SWSs) are best visualized with polarized dermoscopy and correlate with dermal fibroplasia histopathologically. SWSs have been described at higher frequencies in melanomas than in benign nevi. Objective We assessed the diagnostic value of different patterns of SWSs and their histologic correlate in melanocytic lesions. Methods Polarized dermoscopic images of 1507 histopathologically diagnosed melanocytic neoplasms were analyzed for presence and pattern of SWSs. Histology was also reviewed for correlation. Results Among 1507 melanocytic neoplasms, SWSs were observed in 31 of 144 melanomas (22%) and 22 of 1363 benign neoplasms (1.6%) (P Limitations This study was retrospective. Conclusion Polarized dermoscopy is a valuable diagnostic tool in the identification of SWSs, a feature that is highly specific for melanoma.
De-Orientalized Pedagogical Spaces

I use Kuchipudi Indian classical Hindu dance as a pedagogical tool in a variety of pedagogical spaces. I use the term pedagogical space to refer to the teaching and learning environment in which I educate. Education occurs in a variety of learning environments; therefore, a thorough understanding of the pedagogical spaces in which I teach helps me to determine how to structure my pedagogy to teach non-Hindus. I examine the pedagogical tools for particular de-Orientalized pedagogical spaces to educate non-Hindus about Hinduism.
Helping Smokers Quit: New Partners and New Strategies from the University of California, San Francisco Smoking Cessation Leadership Center.

ABSTRACTThe Smoking Cessation Leadership Center (SCLC) was established in 2003 to increase the rate of smoking cessation attempts and the likelihood those efforts would succeed. Although smoking remains the number one cause of preventable death and disability, clinicians underperform in smoking cessation. Furthermore, many clinical organizations, governmental agencies, and advocacy groups put little effort into smoking cessation. Initially targeted at increasing the efforts of primary care physicians, SCLC efforts expanded to include many other medical and non-physician disciplines, ultimately engaging 21 separate specialties. Most clinicians and their organizations are daunted by efforts required to become cessation experts. A compromise solution, Ask, Advise, Refer (to telephone quitlines), was crafted. SCLC also stimulated smoking cessation projects in governmental, not-for-profit, and industry groups, including the Veterans Administration, the Health Resources Services Administration, Los Angeles Coun...
The Darker Side of Military Mental Healthcare Part One: Understanding the Military’s Mental Health Dilemma

The military’s primary mission is to prevent, fight, and win wars. A critical key to its success is the military’s dual mission of force health protection that translates to preventing and treating the physical and psychological wounds of war in order to preserve the fighting force. To accomplish both missions, the military relies extensively on documenting its lessons learned to build upon its successes and prevent avoidable disasters caused by repeating its failures. The military’s commitment to learning battlefield lessons are directly responsible for unparalleled technological and medical, life-saving advances that greatly benefit both military and private sectors. However, the evolution of modern industrialized warfare’s capacity to kill, maim, and terrorize has exceeded the limits of human endurance whereby psychiatric casualties have outnumbered the total of combatants, both wounded- and killed-in-action, since the Second World War. Psychiatric attrition and skyrocketing costs associated with psychiatric treatment and disability compensation threaten the military’s capacity to accomplish its primary mission as well as risk straining the finances of society, thereby presenting a significant mental health dilemma. Central to the military’s mental health dilemma are two competing alternatives: (1) to fulfill its moral, ethical, and legal obligation of preventing and treating war stress injuries by learning from its documented lessons learned, or (2) develop strategies to avoid learning its war trauma lessons in order to avoid psychiatric attrition, treatment, and pensions. The first option conjures deep-seated fears of mass evacuation syndromes should the military treat mental wounds similar to physical injuries. Consequently, the military has embraced the second option that inevitably has been harmful to veterans, their families, and society, in what we refer to as the darker side of military mental healthcare. In this, the first of a three-part review, we examine the contextual factors framing the military’s dilemma and 10 strategies utilized to avoid learning its war trauma lessons, which will be explored in-depth in parts two and three. While disturbing, these signs of failures are readily ignored and dismissed by a war wary republic. To our knowledge, such an analysis has never been undertaken before or publicly disclosed. When considered as parts of the whole, the findings point to a critical need for improvement in treating military psychological injuries in the war theater.
AI-19 T peripheral helper cells are expanded in the circulation of active SLE patients and correlate with CD21low B cells

Background Pathologic T cell-B cell interactions and production of autoantibodies are hallmark features of SLE. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are generally considered the principal T cell population capable of helping B cells. However, distinct T cell populations can augment B cell responses in chronically inflamed peripheral tissues. We recently described a dramatically expanded population of T peripheral helper (Tph) cells that promotes B cell responses in synovium of patients with seropositive RA. Here we evaluate the frequency, phenotype, and clinical associations of Tph cells in the circulation of patients with lupus. Methods Mass cytometry data from the Accelerating Medicines Partnership RA/SLE Network were used to quantify cell populations in PBMCs from 27 lupus nephritis patients, 27 RA patients, and 25 non-inflammatory controls. Frequencies of Tph cells (PD-1hi CXCR5- CD4+ T cells), Tfh cells (PD-1hi CXCR5+ CD4+ T cells), and CD21low CD19+ B cells were quantified by standardized gating, and associations with SLEDAI and dsDNA titers were assessed. For in vitro T cell-B cell co-cultures, sorted Tph cells, Tfh cells, or control T cell populations from SLE patients were co-cultured with memory B cells and stimulated with SEB +LPS, and CD38hi CD27+ plasmablasts were quantified at day 5. Results We first confirmed that Tph cells (PD-1hi CXCR5- CD4+ T cells) from SLE patients possess B cell helper function, as we previously observed in RA. Tph cells sorted from blood from 5 different lupus patients strongly induced B cell differentiation into CD38hi CD27+ plasmablasts in vitro (figure 1A, n=5 donors). By mass cytometry, Tph cells are markedly expanded in the circulation of SLE patients compared to non-inflammatory controls (4.3-fold increase, p 50 (p=0.017) and with SELENA-SLEDAI >10 (p=0.046) compared to patients with lower disease activity measures. Similar associations with disease activity were not observed for Tfh cells. Expression of surface receptors on Tph cells from SLE and RA patients was similar. A strong positive correlation emerged between the frequencies of Tph cells and CD21low B cells, an activated B cell population highly expanded in SLE (Spearman r=0.56, p=0.0026, figure 1C, gray=SLE patients, black=all other patients). In contrast, no correlation was seen between Tfh cells and CD21low B cells in SLE patients. Conclusions Tph cells are markedly expanded in the circulation of patients with SLE and demonstrate robust B cell helper function. The strong and specific positive correlation between Tph cell and CD21low B cell frequencies suggests that these cells may act coordinately in the pathologic autoimmune response in SLE. Acknowledgements We acknowledge the Accelerating Medicines Partnership RA/SLE Network and its members.
Single species conservation as an umbrella for management of landscape threats

Single species conservation unites disparate partners for the conservation of one species. However, there are widespread concerns that single species conservation biases conservation efforts towards charismatic species at the expense of others. Here we investigate the extent to which sage grouse (Centrocercus sp.) conservation, the largest public-private conservation effort for a single species in the US, provides protections for other species from localized and landscape-scale threats. We compared the coverage provided by sage grouse Priority Areas for Conservation (PACs) to 81 sagebrush-associated vertebrate species distributions with potential coverage under multi-species conservation prioritization generated using the decision support tool Zonation. PACs. We found that the current PAC prioritization approach was not statistically different from a diversity-based prioritization approach and covers 23.3% of the landscape, and 24.8%, on average, of the habitat of the 81 species. The proportion of each species distribution at risk was lower inside PACs as compared to the region as a whole, even without management (land use change 30% lower, cheatgrass invasion 19% lower). Whether or not bias away from threat represents the most efficient use of conservation effort is a matter of considerable debate, though may be pragmatic in this landscape where capacity to address these threats is limited. The approach outlined here can be used to evaluate biological equitability of protections provided by flagship species in other settings.
Nonlinear Electron Transport Mobility in GaAs/Al x Ga 1-x As Square - Parabolic Double Quantum Well MODFET Structure

We study doping dependence nonlinear electron transport mobility $\mu _{t}$ in a GaAslAlxGal-x4s double quantum well MODFET structure. We consider square (parabolic) well towards the substrate (surface) side of the structure. The side barrier towards the substrate (surface) is modulation delta doped with Si of doping concentration $Nd_{sub}(Nd_{sur})$. We analyze $\mu _{t}$ as function of $Nd_{sub}$ (keeping $Nd_{sur}$ constant) by considering different scattering mechanisms such as: ionized impurity (Imp-), alloy disorder (Al-) and interface roughness $(Ir-)$. We show that $\mu _{t}$ is mainly decided by $\mu i^{mp}$ whereas $\mu i^{r}$ reduces the overall $\mu _{t}$. We also show that nonlinear $\mu _{t}$ can be achieved during double subband occupancy and attain minimum at the anticrossing of subband states which occur for $Nd_{sub} \lt Nd_{sur}$. There is also a sudden enhancement $of\mu _{t}$ due to the cease of intersubband effects at $(Nd_{sub})_{trans}$ where double to single subband occupancy takes place. It is gratifying to show that increasing well width $w$ enhances $\mu _{t}$ as well as transition from double to single occur for higher value of $(Nd_{sub})_{trms}$. Our results can be utilized for the analysis of improvement of channel conductivity of double quantum well MODFET structure.
Adipose Insulin Resistance in Normal-Weight Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

CONTEXT Normal-weight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may have adipose tissue insulin resistance (adipose-IR). OBJECTIVE To examine whether adipose-IR and subcutaneous (SC) abdominal adipose stem cell (ASC) gene expression are altered in normal-weight women with PCOS and correlated with hyperandrogenemia and/or whole-body IR. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Academic medical center. PATIENTS Ten normal-weight women with PCOS and 18 control subjects matched for age and body mass index. INTERVENTION(S) Women underwent circulating hormone and metabolic measurements, IV glucose tolerance testing, total-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and SC abdominal fat biopsy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Adipose-IR (fasting insulin × total fatty acid levels) and SC abdominal ASC gene expression were compared between groups and correlated with clinical outcomes. RESULTS Adipose-IR was greater in women with PCOS than in control subjects (P < 0.01), with 29 pmol/L × mmol/L providing 94% specificity and 80% sensitivity in discriminating the two groups (P < 0.001). Adipose-IR positively correlated with serum androgen and log of fasting triglyceride (TG) levels, percentage of small adipocytes (P < 0.01, all correlations), and acute insulin response to glucose (P < 0.05); and negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity (Si; P < 0.025) and serum adiponectin levels (P < 0.05). Adjusting for serum androgens, adipose-IR correlations with Si and log TG levels remained significant. ASC genes were differentially expressed by the two groups. Expression of functionally critical genes was associated with serum testosterone and/or fasting insulin levels. CONCLUSION Normal-weight women with PCOS have increased adipose-IR and altered ASC gene expression related to hyperandrogenism and IR.
A Review of the Gaps and Opportunities of Nudity and Skin Detection Algorithmic Research for the Purpose of Combating Adolescent Sexting Behaviors

We present a comprehensive literature review of algorithmic or computational approaches to detect nudity and/or skin that could be used as a means of preventing adolescent sexting behaviors. We identified 45 peer-reviewed articles that summarize the state-of-the-art in this field to show research gaps and opportunities for future research. We found several important gaps in the literature. For instance, most of the work related to the detection of nudity and/or skin has been done at the software level only; and while numerous algorithms exist in this space, they all operate on already digitized images. Therefore, researchers should consider addressing nudity detection at the hardware level to prevent digitization of these images before they cause harm. In addition, most of the literature we reviewed focused on the computational aspects of detection without further exploring what interventions may be appropriate once detection has occurred. Hence, they do not meaningfully address risk mitigation strategies that would be effective for tackling the problem of adolescent sexting behaviors. Therefore, computational researchers who focus on nudity and/or skin detection need to engage with Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researchers to determine how to translate their research into actionable solutions for adolescent online safety.
Organizational patterns within chromosomes.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structure of chromosome. The condensed chromosomes of somatic and meiotic mitoses are characterized by helically disposed chromonemata. When seen in end view-both in living material and in fixed preparations, the chromosome appears as a ring with its constituent chromonemata surrounding a central core. In fixed and stained preparations, the chromonemata reveal a high degree of basophilia, except in the zones of lesser stainability that mark the positions of primary and secondary constrictions. The primary constriction indicates the location of the centromere. Secondary constrictions are often detectable, such as those that separate terminal satellites from the body of the chromosome. Chromosomes of higher plants and animals—and probably the chromosomes of microorganisms—are multistranded. In the terminology of Darlington, they are polynemic. A chromosome in a given type of cell generally maintains a constant number of strands, apart from the variability imposed by their recurrent doubling and halving in chromosomal replication and distribution during the mitotic cycles. Further, polynemic and polytenic chromosomes are assumedly composed of genetically equivalent subsidiary strands. Within the limits of its stability, the chromosome is subject to changes in the patterns of association of its constituent materials during somatic and meiotic mitoses and in the course of differentiation. A consideration of these changes recommends a measure of caution in attempting to designate any one component as the essential structure or functional material. Deoxyribonucleic acid has often been selected to fill this role, largely on the basis of studies of cells that function in the transfer of “genetic information” from one individual to another.