cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activity of Azithromycin against Cryptosporidia in Immunosuppressed Rats

Dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats infected with Cryptosporidium parvum were used to assess the macrolides azithromycin and spiramycin for anticryptosporidial activity. Azithromycin consistently prevented ileal infection, while spiramycin was ineffective. The anticryptosporidial activity of azithromycin was dose-related, 200 mg/kg/day being the minimum dose that prevented infection. Therapeutically, azithromycin eliminated an established overt infection of the small intestine in immunosuppressed rats, but the infection recurred after azithromycin treatment was stopped. These findings suggest that azithromycin is a potentially useful anticryptosporidial agent and that long-term continuous administration may be necessary to treat cryptosporidiosis in the immunocompromised host.
New Normality and Grain Security:Is There Too Much Grain Supplied in China?

China's grain production has been increasing for 11 years,up to 0.6billion tons in 2014.Some researchers hence argued that grain in China is oversupplied.Meanwhile,there are voices proposing that agricultural subsidies should be removed and farmland should be permitted for full marketization.This study aims to do a reassessment in 4directions:(1)The concepts of"Food Security","Grain Security",and"Food Safety";(2)The methodologies and criterion for assessing market equilibrium;(3)The dynamics of market equilibrium for grain in history;(4)The uncertainty and risks for grain supply in future.The results conclude that China is suffering from shortage rather than overcapacity for grain production.Tight balance is a pseudo equilibrium under continuous support by Chinese governments.Current grain market is imbalanced rather than"tight balanced"with strong intervention and distortion.As a rapid developing nation and economy,China's demand and supply for grain and food are changing dynamically.Imbalance in the short term is trending to relatively balance in the long term.It is of great importance that Grain Security should be replaced with Food Security as new agricultural strategies in next decades.In sum,under current circumstances,it is necessary to take caution on judgement of"excessive grain"which may do harm to national security and economy.
Pharmacology of capacitative calcium entry

The versatility of Ca(2+) as a messenger in multiple signaling events requires that the concentration of calcium ions within the cytoplasm be highly regulated. In particular, the release of calcium from intracellular stores must often be linked to calcium influx across the cell membrane. Capacitative calcium entry, whereby the depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) stores induces the influx of extracellular calcium, is a crucial element of concerted calcium signaling. Investigations into the phenomenon are contributing to a new appreciation for the organized cytoplasmic framework that supports calcium signaling.
Abstract IA17: Collective epithelial routes to metastatic spread

The spread of cancer to distant organs is the major driver of mortality in cancer and, unfortunately, few therapies are effective in patients with extensive metastatic disease. Our hypothesis is that deeper mechanistic insight into the biological basis of metastasis will lead to novel therapeutic concepts. We have focused our laboratory investigations on understanding how epithelial cells acquire the ability to release their connections with their neighbors, migrate through the stroma, and enter the systemic circulation. The prevailing model when we began was the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which posited a loss of epithelial features in the cancer cells during metastasis. The EMT model was controversial, in part because metastatic tumors typically retain many epithelial features. However, it remained possible that epithelial features were lost during stages of transit that are difficult to impossible to observe in vivo. To distinguish these possibilities, we developed novel 3D organoid assays to model normal epithelial growth, to determine the molecular requirements for Twist1 induced dissemination and to identify molecular programs driving the colonization of distant organs. The conclusions drawn across these studies are (1) that there are normal epithelial migratory programs that can be rapidly co-opted through activation of RTK signaling, (2) that the epithelial cell adhesion machinery can facilitate dissemination, and (3) that clusters of breast cancer cells utilize epithelial-specific gene expression (e.g. keratin-14) as they invade, disseminate, and colonize distant organs. These insights lead us to view metastasis as a process that can be accomplished without loss of epithelial character and that these epithelial routes to metastasis may have unique vulnerabilities compared to EMT models. We will discuss the latest progress in these studies and also technical advances in 3D culture that will accelerate metastasis research across organ sites. Citation Format: Andrew J. Ewald. Collective epithelial routes to metastatic spread. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr IA17.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroids Retain Osteogenic Phenotype Through α2β1 Signaling

Author(s): Murphy, Kaitlin C; Hoch, Allison I; Harvestine, Jenna N; Zhou, Dejie; Leach, J Kent | Abstract: Unlabelled: The induction of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) toward the osteoblastic lineage using osteogenic supplements prior to implantation is one approach under examination to enhance their bone-forming potential. MSCs rapidly lose their induced phenotype upon removal of the soluble stimuli; however, their bone-forming potential can be sustained when provided with continued instruction via extracellular matrix (ECM) cues. In comparison with dissociated cells, MSC spheroids exhibit improved survival and secretion of trophic factors while maintaining their osteogenic potential. We hypothesized that entrapment of MSC spheroids formed from osteogenically induced cells would exhibit better preservation of their bone-forming potential than would dissociated cells from monolayer culture. Spheroids exhibited comparable osteogenic potential and increased proangiogenic potential with or without osteogenic preconditioning versus monolayer-cultured MSCs. Spheroids were then entrapped in collagen hydrogels, and the osteogenic stimulus was removed. In comparison with entrapped dissociated MSCs, spheroids exhibited significantly increased markers of osteogenic differentiation. The capacity of MSC spheroids to retain their osteogenic phenotype upon withdrawal of inductive cues was mediated by α2β1 integrin binding to cell-secreted ECM. These results demonstrate the capacity of spheroidal culture to sustain the mineral-producing phenotype of MSCs, thus enhancing their contribution toward bone formation and repair.SignificanceDespite the promise of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for cell-based therapies for tissue repair and regeneration, there is little evidence that transplanted MSCs directly contribute to new bone formation, suggesting that induced cells rapidly lose their osteogenic phenotype or undergo apoptosis. In comparison with dissociated cells, MSC spheroids exhibit increased trophic factor secretion and improved cell survival. The loss of phenotype represents a significant clinical challenge for cell therapies, yet there is no evidence for whether MSC spheroids retain their osteogenic phenotype upon entrapment in a clinically relevant biomaterial. These findings demonstrate that MSC spheroids retain their osteogenic phenotype better than do dissociated MSCs, and this is due to integrin engagement with the cell-secreted extracellular matrix. These data provide evidence for a novel approach for potentiating the use of MSCs in bone repair.
Movement reveals scale dependence in habitat selection of a large ungulate

Ecological processes operate across temporal and spatial scales. Anthropogenic disturbances impact these processes, but examinations of scale dependence in impacts are infrequent. Such examinations can provide important insight to wildlife-human interactions and guide management efforts to reduce impacts. We assessed spatiotemporal scale dependence in habitat selection of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in the Piceance Basin of Colorado, USA, an area of ongoing natural gas development. We employed a newly developed animal movement method to assess habitat selection across scales defined using animal-centric spatiotemporal definitions ranging from the local (defined from five hour movements) to the broad (defined from weekly movements). We extended our analysis to examine variation in scale dependence between night and day and assess functional responses in habitat selection patterns relative to the density of anthropogenic features. Mule deer displayed scale invariance in the direction of their response to energy development features, avoiding well pads and the areas closest to roads at all scales, though with increasing strength of avoidance at coarser scales. Deer displayed scale-dependent responses to most other habitat features, including land cover type and habitat edges. Selection differed between night and day at the finest scales, but homogenized as scale increased. Deer displayed functional responses to development, with deer inhabiting the least developed ranges more strongly avoiding development relative to those with more development in their ranges. Energy development was a primary driver of habitat selection patterns in mule deer, structuring their behaviors across all scales examined. Stronger avoidance at coarser scales suggests that deer behaviorally mediated their interaction with development, but only to a degree. At higher development densities than seen in this area, such mediation may not be possible and thus maintenance of sufficient habitat with lower development densities will be a critical best management practice as development expands globally.
Linking dynamics of the inhibitory network to the input structure

Networks of inhibitory interneurons are found in many distinct classes of biological systems. Inhibitory interneurons govern the dynamics of principal cells and are likely to be critically involved in the coding of information. In this theoretical study, we describe the dynamics of a generic inhibitory network in terms of low-dimensional, simplified rate models. We study the relationship between the structure of external input applied to the network and the patterns of activity arising in response to that stimulation. We found that even a minimal inhibitory network can generate a great diversity of spatio-temporal patterning including complex bursting regimes with non-trivial ratios of burst firing. Despite the complexity of these dynamics, the network's response patterns can be predicted from the rankings of the magnitudes of external inputs to the inhibitory neurons. This type of invariant dynamics is robust to noise and stable in densely connected networks with strong inhibitory coupling. Our study predicts that the response dynamics generated by an inhibitory network may provide critical insights about the temporal structure of the sensory input it receives.
Using Citations to Measure Influence on the Supreme Court

I develop a new measure of interpersonal influence on the U.S. Supreme Court. Following Altfeld and Spaeth, I define influence as “the act of producing an effect on the behavior of another without the use of coercion, authority, or political control.” I propose a measure of influence based on the number of times a justice cites her colleagues’ concurring and dissenting opinions. My analysis proceeds in two stages. First, I verify that this citation-based measure is a valid method of gauging influence. From there, I use this measure to help explain justice behavior in two pivotal stages of the Supreme Court’s decision-making process: oral arguments and opinion assignments. The results demonstrate that a citation-based measure of influence can help explain and predict behavior on the Supreme Court.
The Stomach and Esophageal Atresia Repair

There are limited data on gastric pathophysiology in patients with esophageal atresia (EA). At birth the morphology of the stomach appears normal in patients with EA with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), and there are insufficient data to suggest gastric volume is reduced in cases of EA without TEF. There are reports of perforation of the stomach in patients with pure EA. Animal data indicates that foregut neurophysiology may also be abnormal in patients with EA. Gastric emptying delay has been demonstrated in some patients with EA, and there is evidence of antral hypomotility. Surgical repair of EA and possible vagal nerve injury has been considered as contributing to gastric emptying delay. Tension applied to the lower esophagus in long-gap EA patients may affect the gastric cardia, and fundoplication is known to have an effect on gastric physiology. How this affects patients with EA is less clear. Clinical data indicate that a proportion of children after EA repair have abnormalities of gastric function; however, this does not account for all the patients with a history of EA-TEF repair that have some symptoms related to the upper digestive system. Apart from GER there is evidence that the upper digestive and pulmonic symptomatology is related to poor clearance of food and refluxate from the esophagus. In older children and adults, therefore esophageal dysfunction is the major cause of esophagopulmonic symptoms.
Application-Based Optimization of Multi-Level Clustering in Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks

Multi-level clustering offers the scalability that is essential to large-scale ad hoc and sensor networks in addition to supporting energy-efficient strategies for gathering data. The optimality of a multi-level network largely depends on two design variables: 1) the number of levels and 2) the number of nodes operating at each level. We characterize these variables within a multi-hop multi-level hierarchical network of variable sizes that gathers and aggregates data at each level. Our network communication cost model (EEHC-VA) is parameterized by the size of the data forwarded at each level. We minimize the communication cost to obtain the optimal probabilities of distributed and independent selection of level-( $n$ +1) nodes from level- $n$ nodes. Interestingly, we have identified intervals—based on the number of nodes and aggregated data sizes—within which single- or two-level hierarchies are optimal. The results have been numerically verified for a wide range of parameters and validated with network simulations. Finally, the impact of these results on the network architectures is discussed for selected applications and aggregation schemes.
Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Syngas and Formate at Dendritic Copper–Indium Electrocatalysts

The ability to maintain high efficiencies while simultaneously tuning the selectivity of the electrochemical reduction of CO2 (ERC) using low-cost electrodes has proven to be one of the greatest obstacles to the widespread commercialization of this technology. In this study, we electrodeposit dendritic copper–indium alloys of various compositions and investigate their catalytic activity toward the reduction of CO2. These electrocatalysts are increasingly dendritic with higher In fraction and, depending on composition, consist of mixed phases of Cu, In, and Cu–In intermetallic phases. ERC at these electrodes produces formate at high efficiencies (up to 62% with a 80 at% In alloy, −1 V) while also tuning the CO/H2 ratio to achieve an ideal syngas composition with a 40 at% In alloy (−1 V). The observed product distribution as a function of alloy composition and applied potential is rationalized in terms of the relative adsorption strengths of CO and COOH intermediates at Cu and In sites and the distinct vari...
Quantifying Verbal Interactions in School-Based Consultation: A Comparison of Four Coding Schemes

Researchers in school-based consultation have shown a renewed interest in linking interpersonal communication processes to consultation outcomes. Central to research in this area is the development...
Problem-Solving Ability as Affected by Mild Stress Versus Minimal or No Stress

36 college students were assigned randomly either to take a short analogies test or to observe the test from the next room through a one-way vision mirror. A stooge was employed to get the observer to participate actively. The results indicate that individuals from whom no response was required and, therefore, no pressure or stress was involved, performed significantly better than individuals who were required to take the test, and who were told that the outcome would influence their school grade. This latter situation created at least mild stress and, since the subjects had no idea as to the purpose of the experiment, more closely simulated a true-life situation than previous studies in the literature.
A comparison of safety benefits of pedestrian countdown signals with and without pushbuttons in Michigan.

Objective: This study evaluated the safety impacts of pedestrian countdown signals (PCSs) with and without pushbuttons based on pedestrian crashes and pedestrian injuries in Michigan.Methodology: T...
Anesthesia for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common movement disorder in children with world-wide prevalence estimated to be between 1.5 and 4 per 1000 live births. One U.S. surveillance study of children from birth to age 8 found the rate of CP to be 3.1 per 1000 (Christensen et al., Dev Med Child Neurol 56(1):59–65, 2014; Rosenbaum et al., Dev Med Child Neurol Suppl 109:8–14, 2007) indicating approximately 1/300 children in the U.S. have CP. Although the prevalence of CP appears to have remained constant over the last 20 years, a 2016 Cochrane review suggests that due to newer neonatal interventions and advances in obstetrical care, the incidence and severity of CP may be decreasing (Shepherd et al., Cochrane Database Syst Rev (10):1–12, 2016). Nevertheless, patients with CP are still commonly encountered in anesthesia practice. With the myriad of treatments and surgical interventions presently available these patients, particularly children, are frequently exposed to anesthesia and carry significant perioperative risks—as high as 63.1% according to a recent study (Wass et al., J Child Neurol 27(7):859–66, 2012). This chapter will focus on important perioperative considerations during the care of a pediatric patient with CP. Table 45.1 provides a summary of anesthesia considerations in children with Cerebral palsy.
System and Microarchitectural Level Power Modeling, Optimization, and Their Implications in Energy Aware Computing

While it is recognized that power consumption has become the limiting factor in keeping up with increasing performance trends, static or point solutions for power reduction are beginning to reach their limits. System level power/performance design exploration for exposing available trade-offs and achievable limits for various metrics of interest has become an indispensable step in the quest for shortening the time-to-market for today’s complex systems. Of particular interest are fast methods for power and performance analysis that can guide the design process of portable information systems. At the same time, support is needed at the microarchitectural level for efficient design exploration for low power or application-driven fine grain power management. Energy-aware computing is intended to provide a solution to how various power-reduction techniques can be used and orchestrated such that the best performance can be achieved within a given power budget, or the best power efficiency can be obtained under prescribed performance constraints. The paradigm of energy-aware computing is intended to fill the gap between gate/circuit-level and system-level power management techniques by providing more power-management levels and application-driven adaptability.
Brachytherapy in the Management of Uveal Melanoma

The most common primary intraocular tumor is uveal melanoma, with an incidence of 6 cases per million per year (Sphields And Shields 1992a). In the United States, it represents less than 0.2% of all cancers (American Cancer Society 1990).
Aldosterone: Clinical Aspects

Aldosterone is a potent mineralocorticoid synthesized by the outer zone of the adrenal cortex, the zona glomerulosa. Production of aldosterone is stimulated by angiotensin and potassium, but may also be affected by over 20 other endogenous and exogenous substances. Because of its sensitivity to angiotensin, secretion of aldosterone is altered by diseases that affect the kidneys and perturb their release of renin. Examples include renal artery stenos is, which increase s renin secretion, and diabetes, which reduces it. Other disease s that reduce perfusion of the kidneys also alter aldosterone secretion. Examples include heart failure and cirrhos is of the liver, both of which stimulate renin release and increa se ald ostero ne sec ret io n. Disorders of the adrenal cortex can affect aldosterone secretion. Adenomas of th e zona glomerulosa overproduce aldosterone independent of angiotensin. Hypertrophy of the zona glomerulosa causes overproduction of aldosterone because the cells are hypersensitive to angiotensin. The role of aldosterone in common cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, low-renin essential hypertension, and the hypertension that accompanies obesity, is uncertain. The growing use of plasma aldosterone and renin measurements and the development of new aldosterone antagonists should clarify the importance of this steroid in a variety of disease states
Models for O2 and CO2 transfer in macroscopic flow channels and their physiological implications.

Membrane artificial lungs are capable of long term supplementation of the lung respiration processes. An increasing number of such commercial devices are becoming available for clinical use. Simultaneous with the development of practical units, a growing theoretical understanding has evolved of the convective-diffusive-reactive processes taking place in the macroscopic flow channels. Although the analytical progress had as its foundation the earlier physiology oriented investigations, recent advances in extracorporeal devices research have not been explored for their in vivo implications.
Nontoxic Targeting of Energy Metabolism in Preclinical VM-M3 Experimental Glioblastoma

Introduction: Temozolomide (TMZ) is part of the standard of care for treating glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive primary brain tumor. New approaches are needed to enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce toxicity. GBM tumor cells are dependent on glucose and glutamine while relying heavily on aerobic fermentation for energy metabolism. Restricted availability of glucose and glutamine may therefore reduce disease progression. Calorically restricted ketogenic diets (KD-R), which reduce glucose and elevate ketone bodies, offer a promising alternative in targeting energy metabolism because cancer cells cannot effectively burn ketones due to defects in the number, structure, and function of mitochondria. Similarly, oxaloacetate, which participates in the deamination of glutamate, has the potential to reduce the negative effects of excess glutamate found in many brain tumors, while hyperbaric oxygen therapy can reverse the hypoxic phenotype of tumors and reduce growth. We hypothesize that the combinatorial therapy of KD-R, hyperbaric oxygen, and oxaloacetate, could reduce or eliminate the need for TMZ in GBM patients. Methods: Our proposed approach for inhibiting tumor metabolism involved various combinations of the KD-R, oxaloacetate (2 mg/g), hyperbaric oxygen, and TMZ (20 mg/kg). This combinatorial therapy was tested on adult VM/Dk mice bearing the VM-M3/Fluc preclinical GBM model grown orthotopically. After 14 days, tumor growth was quantified via bioluminescence. A survival study was performed and the data were analyzed and portrayed in a Kaplan Meier plot. Preliminary dosage studies were used and strict diet and drug administration was maintained throughout the study. Results: The therapeutic effect of all treatments was powerful when administered under KD-R. The most promising survival advantage was seen in the two groups receiving oxaloacetate without TMZ. The survival of mice receiving TMZ was diminished due to its apparent toxicity. Among all groups, those receiving TMZ had the most significant reduction in tumor growth. The most powerful therapeutic effect was evident with combinations of these therapies. Conclusion: This study provides evidence for a potentially novel therapeutic regimen of hyperbaric oxygen, oxaloacetate, and the KD-R for managing growth and progression of VM-M3/Fluc GBM.
Stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated radiotherapy for spinal arteriovenous malformations – A systematic review of the literature

Abstract Spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) comprise a group of complex vascular lesions whose treatment with microsurgery or transarterial embolization can be challenging. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a well-established treatment for intracranial AVMs, and spinal radiosurgery and fractionated radiotherapy are common treatments for spinal tumors of both primary and metastatic origin. The use of radiosurgery and fractionated radiotherapy for the treatment of spinal arteriovenous malformations, however, has been infrequently reported. Spinal stereotactic radiosurgery is emerging as a promising option for the treatment of these lesions. We conducted a systematic review of English language articles reporting one or more cases of spinal radiosurgery or fractionated radiotherapy for the treatment of spinal arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) or arteriovenous malformations. Eight unique studies comprising 64 patients were identified. All treated lesions consisted primarily of spinal AVMs, either intramedullary or metameric. Most were treated with CyberKnife technology. Marginal doses in the most current studies ranged from 18 to 21 Gy given over 2–4 fractions. In aggregate, good outcomes were reported in 92.2% with no instances of post-treatment hemorrhage over a mean follow-up time of 46.8 months. Angiographic follow-up showed the nidus to be obliterated in 16%, decreased in 44.6%, and unchanged in 39.3%. Stereotactic radiosurgery for spinal arteriovenous malformations holds promise as a safe and potentially effective option in the treatment of these rare but complex lesions.
Is Safe Haven Legislation an Efficacious Policy Response to Infant Abandonment: A Biopsychosocial Profile of the Target Population

This study represents an attempt to describe the extent and features of safe haven legislation in the United States, discuss implementation issues, and to examine if the legislation is reaching its intended target audience in order to answer the question, “Is safe haven legislation an efficacious response to infant abandonment?” Safe havens are designated locations where infants can be anonymously abandoned without fear of prosecution or incarceration. As of May of 2006, forty-seven states have passed such legislation, citing the need for an alternative to unsafe infant abandonment leading to an infant’s death, and an alternative to infanticide (the killing of an infant within one year of its birth). Since the initial passage of this legislation in Texas in 1999, there have been more unsafe infant abandonments than accounts of safe haven abandonments. As this legislation provides for anonymous infant abandonment researchers cannot study the population of women actually utilizing safe havens. Therefore, the study of women seeking connection with safe havens in comparison to the population of women who have engaged in infant abandonment resulting in an infant’s death is considered the sole viable sources of insight into this problem. The scope of the research is exploratory in nature and analyses are considered preliminary due to the lack of data that exists in this area and the relative newness of the legislation. A quantitative analysis of women likely to utilize safe havens suggests that they tend to have a mean age of 19, are unmarried, have entered into prenatal care late, have disclosed their pregnancy to someone, and are currently dating the birthfather. The findings from this analysis were compared to those from a national linked birth and infant death dataset to ascertain if Gruss, Safe Haven Legislation 6 women seeking safe havens have similar biopsychosocial characteristics as those engaging in unsafe abandonment leading to an infant’s death. Similar biopsychosocial characteristics were found including mother’s age, marital status, late entry into prenatal care, disclosure of pregnancy, and dating status. A regression analysis was used to construct a biopsychosocial profile of women likely to abandon an infant. Findings suggest that legislators and those involved with safe havens have some knowledge of their target population, but are not effectively reaching this audience, nor promoting the existence of safe havens. They also appear to be utilizing research findings on infanticide inappropriately in order to profile their target audience. This effectively limits the promulgation of education and early identification services that could prevent both safe haven and unsafe infant abandonments. This study concludes with policy reform recommendations. Gruss, Safe Haven Legislation 7 Chapter
In-office Removal of Pediatric Elbow Pins: Increased Value in Orthopaedic Care

Introduction: Elbow fractures are among the most common operative orthopaedic injuries in the pediatric population, with an incidence of 308/10,000 annually. Percutaneous pinning is a common technique for pediatric elbow fractures. Due to the small risk of infection, some surgeons choose to bury these pins, while others leave the pins exposed and remove them in the clinic setting. Burying the pins requires a second operation and has a significant economic effect on the patient and the health care system. To our knowledge, there …
Toward a Programmable Analysis and Visualization Framework for Interactive Performance Analytics

Understanding the performance characteristics of applications in modern HPC environments is becoming more challenging due to the increase in the architectural and programming complexities. HPC software developers rely on sources such as hardware counters and event traces to infer performance problems while focusing on designing mitigation strategies. A large number of in-house tools exist in the community, which indicate replicated effort. This paper presents a customizable framework for analyzing performance measurements and visualizing through a web-based interactive dashboard for interactively exploring a large volume of hierarchical information. In this paper, we analyze three ECP applications as use cases and identify as well as optimize problematic resource utilization behaviors exposed by our visualizations. This framework is a step towards a unified platform for visual identification of performance scaling bottlenecks to ease the collaboration between application developers, performance analysts, and hardware vendors.
Norethisterone Enanthate Increases Mouse Susceptibility to Genital Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 and HIV Type 1

Norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) and depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) are two forms of injectable progestin used for contraception. Whereas clinical research indicates that women using DMPA are more susceptible to HIV and other genital pathogens, causal relationships have not been determined. Providing an underlying mechanism for this connection, however, is recent work that showed DMPA weakens genital mucosal barrier function in mice and humans and respectively promotes susceptibility of wild-type and humanized mice to genital infection with HSV type 2 and HIV type 1. However, analogous effects of NET-EN treatment on antivirus immunity and host susceptibility to genital infection are much less explored. In this study, we show that compared with mice in estrus, treatment of mice with DMPA or NET-EN significantly decreased genital levels of the cell-cell adhesion molecule desmoglein-1 and increased genital mucosal permeability. These effects, however, were more pronounced in DMPA- versus NET-EN-treated mice. Likewise, we detected comparable mortality rates in DMPA- and NET-EN-treated wild-type and humanized mice after intravaginal infection with HSV type 2 or cell-associated HIV type 1, respectively, but NET-EN treatment was associated with slower onset of HSV-induced genital pathology and lower burden of systemic HIV disease. These findings reveal DMPA and NET-EN treatment of mice significantly reduces genital desmoglein-1 levels and increases genital mucosal permeability and susceptibility to genital pathogens while also implying that NET-EN generates less compromise of genital mucosal barrier function than DMPA.
FULLY COUPLED SIMULATION OF COSMIC REIONIZATION. II. RECOMBINATIONS, CLUMPING FACTORS, AND THE PHOTON BUDGET FOR REIONIZATION

We use a fully coupled cosmological simulation including dark matter dynamics, multispecies hydrodynamics, nonequilibrium chemical ionization, flux-limited diffusion radiation transport, and a parameterized model of star formation and feedback (thermal and radiative) to investigate the epoch of hydrogen reionization in detail. In this paper, the first of several application papers, we investigate the mechanics of reionization from stellar sources forming in high-z galaxies, the utility of various formulations for the gas clumping factor on accurately estimating the effective recombination time in the intergalactic medium (IGM), and the photon budget required to achieve reionization. We also test the accuracy of the static and time-dependent models of Madau et al. as predictors of reionization completion/maintenance. We simulate a WMAP7 ΛCDM cosmological model in a 20 comoving Mpc cube, resolved with 8003 uniform fluid cells and dark matter particles. By tuning our star formation recipe to approximately match the observed high-redshift star formation rate density and galaxy luminosity function, we have created a fully coupled radiation hydrodynamical realization of hydrogen reionization, which begins to ionize at z ≈ 10 and is completed at z ≈ 5.8 without further tuning. We find that roughly two ionizing photons per H atom are required to convert the neutral IGM to a highly ionized state. After reionization concludes, we find that the quantity is ~9 at z = 5, in rough agreement with measurements of the ionizing emissivity by Becker & Bolton. The complicated events during reionization that lead to this number can be generally described as inside-out, but in reality, the narrative depends on the level of ionization of the gas one attributes as being ionized. We find that the formula for the ionizing photon production rate needed to maintain the IGM in an ionized state derived by Madau et al. should not be used to predict the epoch of reionization completion because it ignores history-dependent terms in the global ionization balance which are not ignorable. We find that the time-dependent model for the ionized volume fraction Q H II is more predictive, but overestimates the redshift of reionization completion z reion by Δz ≈ 1. We propose a revised formulation of the time-dependent model that agrees with our simulation to a few percent accuracy. Finally, we use our simulation data to measure the absorption of ionizing radiation due to circumgalactic gas resolved on our mesh and find .
Adult Population Coverage With Influenza Vaccine and Influenza Hospitalization Rates—Is There a Role for Active Outreach to Immunize At-Risk Neighborhoods?

We evaluated whether Denver neighborhoods with elevated rates of adult hospitalizations for laboratory-confirmed influenza had lower adult coverage with influenza vaccine. Overall vaccine coverage was low. Hospitalization rates were associated with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Active immunization of at-risk neighborhoods may be necessary to address disparities in influenza hospitalization rates.
Topology and alignment optimization of additively manufactured, fiber-reinforced composites

A design algorithm is presented for finding optimal topologies and alignment profiles of additively manufactured, fiber-reinforced composite structures. A SIMP-like scheme is used to determine where a constrained amount of material is to be located in the design space, while an additional local design variable determines print speed. The local print speed affects fiber alignment based on an experimentally determined relationship, allowing for graded control over effective orthotropy. Material properties are selected from experimental results for additive printed, chopped fiber composites. Two different load cases and three different global print directions are selected for a total of six minimum compliance optimization cases. Results show the design is sensitive to both local fiber control and global print angle selection. A post-processing and manufacturing technique is also introduced for fabricating the optimized structures.
Space Vector Modulation (SVM)-exploited Binary Capacitor Voltage Control (BCVC)-based Flying-Capacitor-Clamped Multilevel Converter (FCCMC) for Low Nominal DC Voltage Applications

Maximizing DC-AC power conversion quality and efficiency while minimizing hardware and control complexity is a major technical challenge for multilevel converters in low nominal DC voltage applications. Among the conventional multilevel converters, the flying-capacitor-clamped multilevel converter (FCCMC) has the least hardware and control complexity; and redundant switching combinations for each reference multilevel voltage due to its flying capacitors clamped to serially-connected switches. The space vector modulation (SVM) method synthesizes a reference voltage vector by utilizing the three adjacent voltage vectors, and each voltage vector has a three-phase multilevel-voltage combination redundancy. Furthermore, these switching combination and three-phase multilevel-voltage combination redundancies can lead to various clamped flying-capacitor voltage and converter-leg voltage control strategies. This paper proposes a new FCCMC concept utilizing the advantages of FCCMC and SVM to address the above primary technical challenge. The proposed SVM-exploited binary capacitor voltage control (BCVC) regulates the clamped flying-capacitor voltages at the power-of-two reference values and the converter-leg voltages at the multilevel reference values through a Lyapunov stability-based cost-function optimization approach exploiting the binary numeral system. In low nominal DC voltage applications, the proposed FCCMC significantly improves the DC-AC power conversion quality and efficiency by synthesizing a sinusoidal AC voltage with a large number of voltage levels while extensively reducing the hardware and control complexity. Simulation results demonstrate the steady-state and dynamic performance of the proposed FCCMC under various operating conditions.
Bank Lending Channel in India: Evidence from State-Level Analysis

This paper seeks to answer two questions: first, do monetary policy shocks affect the size of bank loans, and second, do bank loans affect real economic activity? Using annual panel data on the Indian states from 1996 to 2008, we find that money demand shocks have large and statistically significant impact on bank loans. Furthermore, using money demand shocks as instruments for bank lending a la Driscoll (J Monet Econ 51:451–471, 2004), we find an economically large and statistically significant effect of bank loans on output. Our findings, to some extent, reflect the dominant role played by banks in the India’s overall financial system.
The efficacy of a ketogenic diet in preclinical models of IDH wild-type and IDH mutant glioma

Infiltrative gliomas are the most common neoplasms arising in the brain, and remain largely incurable despite decades of research. A subset of these gliomas contains mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 ( IDH1 ) or, less commonly, IDH2 (together called “IDH mut ”). These mutations alter cellular biochemistry, and IDH mut gliomas are generally less aggressive than IDH wild-type (IDH wt ) gliomas. Some preclinical studies and clinical trials have suggested that a ketogenic diet (KD), characterized by low-carbohydrate and high-fat content, may be beneficial in slowing glioma progression. However, not all studies have shown promising results, and to date, no study has addressed whether IDH mut gliomas might be more sensitive to KD. The aim of the current study was to compare the effects of KD in preclinical models of IDH wt versus IDH mut gliomas. In vitro , simulating KD by treatment with the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate had no effect on the proliferation of patient-derived IDH wt or IDH mut glioma cells. Likewise, a cycling KD, wherein mice alternated between KD and a standard diet (SD), had no effect on the in vivo growth of patient-derived IDH wt or IDH mut gliomas, even though the cycling KD did result in persistently elevated circulating ketones. Furthermore, KD conferred no survival benefit in mice engrafted with Sleeping-Beauty transposase-engineered IDH mut glioma. These data suggest that neither IDH wt nor IDH mut gliomas are particularly responsive to KD.
From the shelves and into the world: Imagining information literacy in the everyday

When I was the instruction librarian at York College of Pennsylvania, I hosted From the Shelves, a show on WVYC, the campus radio station. Outside of teaching, it was my favorite part of the job. I played music spanning genres and artists: the Mountain Goats, Petula Clark, XTC, De La Soul, and Katy Perry. Part of the fun was planning themed editions: two hours of music built around a central idea (e.g., foreign-language versions of popular songs, songs featuring spelling, and songs containing cowbell).
A collaborative model for providing intelligent computer assistance to experts in decision-making and design

This research develops a plausible process model for providing well-informed, intelligent, interactive computer-based assistance to domain experts in decision-making and design. The model derives from a two-stage methodology that extends the use of concurrent verbal protocol analysis to a large domain task. The problem domain, an application area of engineering design, is characterized in part by a significant non-verbal component, conflicting or missing information, and severe constraints on the designer's time and other resources. The first stage of the research involved the creation of a "knowledge-poor" workstation based on protocols collected in situ of a domain expert working manually on a task. The workstation, which supports multiple contexts and the suspension of constraint knowledge, was the primary medium for the design task in the second stage protocols. The cognitive model that resulted from the second stage protocols is the basis for a proposed software architecture that would elucidate, monitor, and infer the user's design problems and goals. This inference mechanism has been designed to play a central role in controlling the model's intervention, so that its critique and advice will be well-informed and appropriately timed, alleviating the "nuisance factor" inherent in verification programs. The model is distinctive in two ways: the user is intended to retain control of the problem-solving process, while at the same time, the system is offered an opportunity to play an active role in design and decision-making. The system can do more than verify constraint satisfaction. Using an evolving definition of completeness, the model is able to: (1) evaluate the status of the solution; (2) assess the quality of decisions in the context of where the user seems to be heading; (3) consider strategic options for pursuing current or alternative solution paths; and (4) reason about the type of advice it should offer and when to offer it. The research has important implications for intelligent computer-based decision support, computer-aided design, assumption-based reasoning, and dependency-directed backtracking. It also contributes to the methodology for studying expert behavior and developing knowledge-based systems in complex problem domains.
Epigenetic regulation of the intestinal epithelium

The intestinal epithelium is an ideal model system for the study of normal and pathological differentiation processes. The mammalian intestinal epithelium is a single cell layer comprising proliferative crypts and differentiated villi. The crypts contain both proliferating and quiescent stem cell populations that self-renew and produce all the differentiated cell types, which are replaced every 3–5 days. The genetics of intestinal development, homeostasis, and disease are well defined, but less is known about the contribution of epigenetics in modulating these processes. Epigenetics refers to heritable phenotypic traits, including gene expression, which are independent of mutations in the DNA sequence. We have known for several decades that human colorectal cancers contain hypomethylated DNA, but the causes and consequences of this phenomenon are not fully understood. In contrast, tumor suppressor gene promoters are often hypermethylated in colorectal cancer, resulting in decreased expression of the associated gene. In this review, we describe the role that epigenetics plays in intestinal homeostasis and disease, with an emphasis on results from mouse models. We highlight the importance of producing and analyzing next-generation sequencing data detailing the epigenome from intestinal stem cell to differentiated intestinal villus cell.
Demonstration of hepatic maximum removal capacity (Lm) for galactose in humans

Abstract Evidence for the existence of a maximum removal capacity (L m ) for galactose in the human liver has been obtained from the results of galactose titration in each of 12 subjects, who had no liver disease. Intracorporeal removal of galactose was calculated from the known rate of infusion, and from the measured rate of excretion in urine during the period of blood concentration equilibrium, for each of 2 infusions in each subject. At equilibrium, excretion of galactose in urine was proportionate to its peripheral blood concentration. From the data, a titration curve can be constructed which primarily represents hepatic transport of galactose. It is splayed from the theoretical concentration-transfer rate curve. The maximum intracorporeal removal capacity for galactose is normally approximately 500 mg. per minute. Although the greatest part of this removal capacity is hepatic, a small amount of extrahepatic removal probably occurs. Saturation methods appear to be applicable to the study of the liver and to afford another means of assessing hepatocellular function.
Histocompatibility studies in patients with trophoblastic tumors.

Abstract The degree of histocompatibility of 3 women with trophoblastic tumors was evaluated with respect to 14 of their children. In one-way mixed leukocyte cultures, cells from all 14 of the children stimulated their mother's lymphocytes, indicating the presence of antigenic differences. However, leukocyte serotyping showed 6 children whose cells possessed only antigens that were present on their mother's leukocytes. Thus, in these 6 cases, there were antigenic differences between mother and child not detected with available antisera. The results of this study are not consistent with the hypothesis that the survival and dissemination of postgestational choriocarcinoma is dependent upon a high degree of histocompatibility between the malignant graft and the maternal host.
An Illustrated Guide to the Post-catastrophe Future

This article is a satirical consideration of real and hypothetical projects to “revitalize” parts of the 30 kilometer zone of alienation around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the site of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. This tongue-in-cheek treatment reveals that projects for “redevelopment” and “exploitation” of the contaminated zone are about many things: money, ideology, memory, fantasy, safety, power, ethics, and the value of life itself. Keywords: Chernobyl, Pripyat, tourism, revitalization, satire, visual anthropology, Ukraine