cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retention of Inactivated Bioaerosols and Ethene in a Rotating Bioreactor Constructed for Bioaerosol Activity Studies

Available literature raises the possibility that airborne microorganisms are not just passively transported through the air, but may be metabolically active while "in transit". To investigate the metabolic activity of bacteria suspended in air enriched with volatile growth substrates, a rotating bioreactor system was developed and tested which allows prolonged suspension of bacteria in air. The bioreactors were 0.32 m 3 stainless steel drums rotated at 1.3 revolutions per minute and equipped with on-board pressure, temperature and humidity transducers with real-time data collection. Bioreactors were tested for retention of a volatile organic compound, ethene, and for suspension of an inactivated laboratory-generated Pseudomonas fluorescens bioaerosol. At an initial ethene concentration of 560 ppmv the first order abiotic loss of ethene was 0.051 ± 0.010 d -1 (average ± standard deviation) or a half life of 13.6 days. Inactivated airborne bacteria (size mode 0.5 to 0.7 μm) remained suspended with a half life of 8.5 days. Thus, the bioreactors maintained bacteria suspended in the presence of a volatile growth substrate for a time period theoretically sufficient to observe metabolic activity. Bioreactors will be used to test natural bioaerosols and active laboratory-generated bioaerosols during enrichment with volatile organic compounds to assess growth and substrate biodegradation.
Metastasised Fraud in Russia's 2008 Presidential Election

Despite the importance of direct observation of elections in ensuring that a vote is free and fair, there are inherent difficulties associated with relying on this method for rendering a judgment a...
Using a bankruptcy model in the auditing course: The evaluation of a company as a going concern

Abstract In order to evaluate whether a company is experiencing a going-concern problem, the auditor must know what information needs to be acquired as well as how to combine that information. Financial Z -score models can be employed as an analytical tool in making a going-concern judgment. These models employ a statistical technique termed discriminant analysis which allows one to combine information into a single measure which is then used to classify a company as either bankrupt or nonbankrupt. This paper describes an activity-based exercise in which students use financial models to make going concern judgments. In addition, the students are exposed to financial databases maintained on CD-ROM.
Efficacy of Electronic Cigarettes for Smoking Cessation

Objective: To review data demonstrating effective smoking cessation with electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Data Sources: A literature search of MEDLINE/PubMed (1946-March 2014) was performed using the search terms e-cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and smoking cessation. Additional references were identified from a review of literature citations. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All English-language clinical studies assessing efficacy of e-cigarettes compared with baseline, placebo, or other pharmacological methods to aid in withdrawal symptoms, smoking reduction, or cessation were evaluated. Data Synthesis: A total of 6 clinical studies were included in the review. In small studies, e-cigarettes significantly decreased desire to smoke, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and exhaled carbon monoxide levels. Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and adverse effects were variable. The most common adverse effects were nausea, headache, cough, and mouth/throat irritation. Compared with nicotine patches, ...
Improved Rain Attenuation Correction Algorithms for Radar Reflectivity and Differential Reflectivity with Adaptation to Drop Shape Model Variation

One important goal of the Collaborated Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) Engineering Research Center is to observe and monitor hazardous weather events in the low troposphere (below 1 km) by deploying networks of small, low- cost radars with small antennas. The first generation of CASA radar networks with dual-polarization capabilities is being deployed in Oklahoma. To achieve good sensitivity with small antenna size, high frequencies (X-Band) are selected. It is well known that signals transmitted at such high frequencies suffer attenuation due to rain along the propagation path. This article describes improved rain attenuation correction algorithms which correct radar reflectivity (Zh) and differential reflectivity (Zdr.) through measured differential propagation phase (Phidp).
The Puerto Rico that José Luis González Built: Comments on Cultural History

A new vision of Puerto Rico is emerging in recent intellectual and cultural work, a revised understanding of its history and changing identity. Long viewed monolithically as an outpost of colonial Spain and, in the twentieth century, of the American empire, Puerto Rican cultural history is now being interpreted in more dynamic, differentiated terms. Growing attention is turning to the society's racial and ethnic composition, sexual divisions, and class hierarchy, as well as to alterations and gradations in the forms of colonial dependency. The result is a substantially modified account of the national history, with ideological and political implications of strategic consequence. The recent essay "El pals de cuatro pisos" by the well-known author Jose Luis Gonzalez (1980a) is fast becoming a landmark in this unfolding critical project. Its appearance four years ago has occasioned a wide-ranging and lively debate among historians, sociologists, and political activists, such that it has become difficult to ponder and discuss Puerto Rican issues without making reference to that work. "El pals de cuatro pisos" is to the 1980s what Insularismo, that classic essay of Puerto Rican self-reflection by Antonio S. Pedreira (1934), was to the 1930s: an engagingly written, metaphorically abundant watershed and germinal source for thinking about the issue of nationalism in broad historical perspective. In fact, it is perhaps in its contrastive relation to Insularismo, and to "El puertorriquenio docil," the other prominent example of the genre by Rene Marque's (1962), that the theoretical advances of Jose'Luis Gonz'alez's reconstruction stand out in sharpest relief.
““Singende Seele”” or ““unsingbar””? Forkel, Ambros, and the Forces behind the Ockeghem Reception during the Late 18th and 19th Centuries

ABSTRACT In 1868, Wilhelm Ambros lauded a number of compositions by Johannes Ockeghem, including the triple canon Prenez sur moy . Emphasizing the expressive qualities of this music, he suggested that its composer had breathed into it a ““singing soul.”” Some decades earlier, Johann Forkel also focused on Prenez sur moy , dismissing it, however, as ““unsingable.”” The present study examines the cultural and intellectual forces that gave rise to these strikingly contradictory assessments. Enlightenment historians are generally thought to have charted the flow of history according to a progressive paradigm. Late medieval music often fared poorly viewed from this perspective, drawing criticism for its failure to reflect the refinements of modern music. Initially, Forkel toed this line, but his comments about examples of 15th-century music in the Allgemeine Geschichte der Musik also reveal his capacity to strike a relativist pose regarding some of them, and even to offer unqualified praise. The changes in Forkel9s position are traced to philosophical writings known to have been part of his library, and to his conviction that the music of Johann Sebastian Bach was superior to that of his own time. Taking that stand surely must have raised questions in his mind about his earlier commitment to the progressive view of history. Forkel9s openness to new historiographical approaches suggests that he, of all Enlightenment writers on music, might have found value in Ockeghem9s music, all the more so because he was better informed about Ockeghem9s preeminent stature in his own day than anyone else at the time, and owing to his awareness of a current German tradition that regarded Ockeghem as ““the Bach of his day.”” Yet Forkel9s deprecation of Ockeghem9s music is among the strongest in the literature. His negative stand can be traced to his admiration for a 16th-century tract on teaching music, the Compendium musices by Adrian Petit Coclico, who demonizes Ockeghem as an icon of the scholastic approach to music. Forkel9s own commitment to a humanistic orientation in music pedagogy surely led him to view Coclico as a kindred spirit.
Development of bilingual tools to assess functional health patterns.

TOPIC.The theory and process of developing bilingual assessment tools based on Gordon's 11 functional health patterns. PURPOSE.To facilitate assessing the individual, family, and community in a student clinical practicum in a Spanish-speaking country. SOURCES.Multiple family and community health promotion theories; translation theories, Gordon's Manual of Nursing Diagnosis (1982); translation/back-translation involving Ecuadorian faculty and students; student community assessments; faculty and staff workshops in Ecuador. CONCLUSIONS.Bilingual, culturally sensitive health assessment tools facilitate history taking, establish nursing diagnoses and interventions, and promote mutual learning. These outcomes demonstrate potential application to other systems in the international nursing community.
Leaving the 2-Year College: Predictors of Black Male Collegian Departure

The purpose of this study was to investigate Black male collegians’ reported reasons for leaving college. This study examined students in public 2-year colleges, comparing Black male collegians with all other male collegians. Data examined were derived from the first two waves (2003-2004 and 2005-2006) of the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. Findings from descriptive data indicated that Blacks and non-Blacks had few similarities in the areas they reported as their reasons for leaving. Logistic regression analyses revealed little differences in patterns across the two waves in leaving college for academic problems. However, they illustrated that Black males were less likely to leave college for program dissatisfaction, financial reasons, military reasons, or scheduling issues. In contrast, patterns indicated that Black males were more likely to leave for other reasons not included in the response categories. Two variables examined in this st...
Newcomers developing English literacy through historical thinking and digitized primary sources

Abstract The traditional approach to the education of newcomer students separates English language development from content instruction. It is assumed that English language proficiency is a prerequisite for subject-matter learning. The authors take the alternate view that the integration of historical thinking and digitized primary sources enhances English language acquisition and learning of the social studies. Specifically, we show how eleven late arrival immigrant students using primary source digitized documents responded to three lessons in a History class: the crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957; the Chicano Movimiento of the 1960s; and the 21st century response to immigration as manifested in Arizona Senate Bill 1070 in 2010. The study of these historical events required that the adolescent newcomers systematically examine sources, contexts, and historical significance as well as notions of agency, empathy, and moral judgment. Assignments for students to position themselves in relation to these historical events provided opportunities for authoring identity texts ( Cummins, 2001 , Cummins, 2004 , Cummins, 2006 ). These student written artifacts were examined for length, voice, grammatical conventions, organization and ability to understand multiple perspectives, complex context, and conflicting (if not persistent) historical tension. Findings show that the use of digitized documents, document-based questions, and written responses in the form of letters or telegrams made the subject relevant and meaningful to the newcomer students and elicited their cognitive engagement and identity investment in the production of writing. The choice to use (or not) the home language played a significant role in the creation of students’ identity texts.
An Experimental Study of the Emergence of Human Communication Systems

The emergence of human communication systems is typically investigated via 2 approaches with complementary strengths and weaknesses: naturalistic studies and computer simulations. This study was conducted with a method that combines these approaches. Pairs of participants played video games requiring communication. Members of a pair were physically separated but exchanged graphic signals through a medium that prevented the use of standard symbols (e.g., letters). Communication systems emerged and developed rapidly during the games, integrating the use of explicit signs with information implicitly available to players and silent behavior-coordinating procedures. The systems that emerged suggest 3 conclusions: (a) signs originate from different mappings; (b) sign systems develop parsimoniously; (c) sign forms are perceptually distinct, easy to produce, and tolerant to variations.
Maize association population: a high-resolution platform for quantitative trait locus dissection.

*Summary Crop improvement and the dissection of complex genetic traits require germplasm diversity. Although this necessary phenotypic variability exists in diverse maize, most research is conducted using a small subset of inbred lines. An association population of 302 lines is now available – a valuable research tool that captures a large proportion of the alleles in cultivated maize. Provided that appropriate statistical models correcting for population structure are included, this tool can be used in association analyses to provide high-resolution evaluation of multiple alleles. This study describes the population structure of the 302 lines, and investigates the relationship between population structure and various measures of phenotypic and breeding value. On average, our estimates of population structure account for 9.3% of phenotypic variation, roughly equivalent to a major quantitative trait locus (QTL), with a high of 35%. Inclusion of population structure in association models is critical to meaningful analyses. This new association population has the potential to identify QTL with small effects, which will aid in dissecting complex traits and in planning future projects to exploit the rich diversity present in maize.
Successful Aging Among LGBT Older Adults: Physical and Mental Health-Related Quality of Life by Age Group

Purpose: Lesbian, g ay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are a health disparate population as identified in Healthy People 2020. Yet, there has been limited attention to how LGBT older adults maintain successful aging despite the adversity they face. Utilizing a Resilience Framework, this study investigates the relationship between physical and mental health-related quality of life (QOL) and covariates by age group. Design and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of LGBT adults aged 50 and older (N = 2,560) was conducted by Caring and Aging with Pride: The National Health, Aging, and Sexuality Study via collaborations with 11 sites across the U.S. Linear regression analyses tested specified relationships and moderating effects of age groups (aged 50–64; 65–79; 80 and older). Results: Physical and mental health QOL were neg atively associated with discrimination and chronic conditions and positively with social support, social network size, physical and leisure activities, substance nonuse, employment, income, and being male when controlling for age and other covariates. Mental health QOL was also positively associated with positive sense of sexual identity and negatively with sexual identity disclosure. Important differences by age group emerged and for the old–old age group the influence of discrimination was particularly salient. Implications: This is the first study to examine ph ysical and mental health QOL, as an indicator of successful aging, among LGBT older adults. An understanding of the configuration of resources and risks by age group is important for the development of aging and health initiatives tailored for this growing population.
Crime, Justice and Systems Analysis: Two Decades Later

For about the last twenty years, policy dealing with crime and administration of justice has been heavily permeated with the systems perspective. This was particularly true during the 1970s. Since then such emphasis has waned. This essay profiles both the events which led to the enthusiastic application of the systems framework to crime and justice policy and the events which led to its decline. The latter is attributed to the failure of the criminal justice system's concept to properly take into account fundamental political and operational realities involved in the administration of justice.
An Optimal Algorithm For Reducing Edge-Solvable Mutual Exclusion Graphs

A mutual exclusion graph can be used to model a graphical mutual exclusion problem where a concurrent process is represented by a vertex and a mutual exclusion constraint between two processes is represented by an edge joining the two corresponding vertices. The first step of an algorithm for generating very efficient semaphore-based edge-solvable synchronization solutions for a class of graphical mutual exclusion problems calls for reducing the mutual exclusion graph to an optimal final graph with a single composite vertex representing them. The process of reduction involves the identification of similar vertices (with identical neighbors except, perhaps, the vertices themselves) and the replacement of the similar vertices by a composite vertex
Ultrastructure and chemical composition of the sheath of Leptothrix discophora SP-6.

Light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy of thin sections and metal-shadowed specimens showed that the sheath of Leptothrix discophora SP-6 (ATCC 51168) is a tube-like extracellular polymeric structure consisting of a condensed fabric of 6.5-nm-diameter fibrils underlying a more diffuse outer capsular layer. In thin sections, outer membrane bridges seen to contact the inner sheath layer suggested that the sheath fabric was attached to the outer layer of the gram-negative cell wall. The capsular polymers showed an affinity for cationic colloidal iron and polycationic ferritin, indicating that they carry a negative charge. Cell-free sheaths were isolated by treatment with a mixture of lysozyme, EDTA, and N-lauroylsarcosine (Sarkosyl) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Both Sarkosyl- and SDS-isolated sheaths were indistinguishable in microscopic appearance. However, the Mn-oxidizing activity of Sarkosyl-isolated sheaths was more stable than that of SDS-isolated sheaths. The Sarkosyl-isolated sheaths also contained more 2-keto-3-deoxyoctanoic acid and more outer membrane protein than SDS-isolated sheaths. The oven-dried mass of detergent-isolated sheaths represented approximately 9% of the total oven-dried biomass of SP-6 cultures; the oven-dried sheaths contained 38% C, 6.9% N, 6% H, and 2.1% S and approximately 34 to 35% carbohydrate (polysaccharide), 23 to 25% protein, 8% lipid, and 4% inorganic ash. Gas-liquid chromatography showed that the polysaccharide was an approximately 1:1 mixture of uronic acids (glucuronic, galacturonic, and mannuronic acids and at least one other unidentified uronic acid) and an amino sugar (galactosamine). Neutral sugars were not detected. Amino acid analysis showed that sheath proteins were enriched in cysteine (6 mol%). The cysteine residues in the sheath proteins probably provide sulfhydryls for disulfide bonds that play an important role in maintaining the structural integrity of the sheath (D. Emerson and W.C. Ghiorse, J. Bacteriol. 175:7819-7827, 1993).
An Output-Based Dynamic Order Refinement Strategy for Unsteady Aerodynamics

An output-based dynamic order re nement strategy is presented for unsteady simulations using the discontinuous Galerkin nite element method in space and time. A discrete unsteady adjoint solution provides scalar output error estimates and drives adaptive re nement of the space-time mesh. Space-time anisotropy is measured using projection of the adjoint onto semi-re ned spaces and is used to allocate degrees of freedom to additional time slabs or increased spatial order of individual space-time elements. The spatial re nement is dynamic in that the solution approximation order can change between time slabs. Results for the compressible Euler equations demonstrate bene ts of the dynamic order re nement strategy in terms of total degrees of freedom: at strict error tolerances, the savings approaches two orders of magnitude compared to uniform re nement, and a factor of two to three compared to output-based re nement with a static spatial mesh.
Changes in skeletal muscle and tendon structure and function following genetic inactivation of myostatin in rats.

Key points Myostatin is an important regulator of muscle mass and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of diseases and injuries that result in muscle atrophy. Targeted genetic mutations of myostatin have been generated in mice, and spontaneous loss-of-function mutations have been reported in several species. The impact of myostatin deficiency on the structure and function of muscles has been well described for mice, but not for other species. We report the creation of a genetic model of myostatin deficiency in rats using zinc finger nuclease technology. The main findings of the study are that genetic inactivation of myostatin in rats results in increases in muscle mass without a deleterious impact on the specific force production and tendon mechanical properties. The increases in mass occur through a combination of fibre hypertrophy, hyperplasia and activation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 pathway, with no substantial changes in atrophy-related pathways. This large rodent model has enabled us to identify that the chronic loss of myostatin is void of the negative consequences to muscle fibres and extracellular matrix observed in mouse models. Furthermore, the greatest impact of myostatin in the regulation of muscle mass may not be to induce atrophy directly, but rather to block hypertrophy signalling. Abstract Myostatin is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle and tendon mass. Myostatin deficiency has been well studied in mice, but limited data are available on how myostatin regulates the structure and function of muscles and tendons of larger animals. We hypothesized that, in comparison to wild-type (MSTN+/+) rats, rats in which zinc finger nucleases were used to genetically inactivate myostatin (MSTNΔ/Δ) would exhibit an increase in muscle mass and total force production, a reduction in specific force, an accumulation of type II fibres and a decrease and stiffening of connective tissue. Overall, the muscle and tendon phenotype of myostatin-deficient rats was markedly different from that of myostatin-deficient mice, which have impaired contractility and pathological changes to fibres and their extracellular matrix. Extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles of MSTNΔ/Δ rats demonstrated 20–33% increases in mass, 35–45% increases in fibre number, 20–57% increases in isometric force and no differences in specific force. The insulin-like growth factor-1 pathway was activated to a greater extent in MSTNΔ/Δ muscles, but no substantial differences in atrophy-related genes were observed. Tendons of MSTNΔ/Δ rats had a 20% reduction in peak strain, with no differences in mass, peak stress or stiffness. The general morphology and gene expression patterns were similar between tendons of both genotypes. This large rodent model of myostatin deficiency did not have the negative consequences to muscle fibres and extracellular matrix observed in mouse models, and suggests that the greatest impact of myostatin in the regulation of muscle mass may not be to induce atrophy directly, but rather to block hypertrophy signalling.
EAD as an Archival Descriptive Standard

Encoded Archival Description has a great deal of potential as an archival descriptive standard. Not only is it a data structure that is widely applicable to a variety of institutions and collection types on an international scale, it may also foster common practices regarding data content for finding aids. To become an official SAA descriptive standard, EAD must pass through a rigorous internal review process and be accepted by the archival community.
A Recovery Scheme for Cluster Federations Using Sender-based Message Logging

A cluster federation is a union of clusters and is heterogeneous. Each cluster contains a certain number of processes. An application running in such a computing environment is divided into communicating modules so that these modules can run on different clusters. To achieve fault-tolerance different clusters may employ different check pointing schemes. For example, some may use coordinated schemes, while some other may use communication-inducedschemes. It may complicate the recovery process. In this paper, we have addressed the complex problem of recovery for cluster computing environment. The proposed approach handles both inter cluster orphan and lost messages unlike the existing works in this area. We first propose an algorithm to determine a recovery line so that there does not exist any inter cluster orphan message between any pair of the cluster level check points belonging to the recovery line. The main feature of the proposed algorithm is that it can be executed simultaneously by all clusters in the cluster federation. Next we apply the sender-based message logging idea to effectively handle all inter cluster lost messages to ensure correctness of computation.
Monitoring Response to General Education Instruction

The purpose of this chapter is to describe a critical component of the response-to-intervention (RTI) process: monitoring student response to general education instruction. First, we discuss the importance of the role of general educators in monitoring students’ response to intervention. Second, we provide the conceptual framework for an RTI model within which general educators play a critical role in identifying students at risk and monitoring their progress during classroom-based instruction. Third, we describe specific approaches for each of the steps included in this model. We then illustrate this process using a case example from research. We end with a summary of recommendations for general educators, and emphasize the need for further research if RTI is to be adopted as part of the special education identification process.
Koreans in Central California (1903-1957): A Study Of Settlement And Transnational Politics. By Marn Cha.

Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 2010. 229 pp. hardcover, $68.50; softcover, $37.99.
Gamow-Teller strength in the /sup 18/O(p,n) /sup 18/F reaction at 135 MeV

The distribution of Gamow-Teller strength in the /sup 18/O(p,n) /sup 18/F reaction was studied at a bombarding energy of 135 MeV. Five 1/sup +/, T = 0 states are identified below E/sub x/ = 7 MeV and a concentration of 1/sup +/ states of presumed T = 1 character is observed between E/sub x/ = 9.5 and 12 MeV. Approximately 82% of the 1/sup +/ strength is concentrated into the ground-state transition and only 5.5% is seen in the T = 1 component. Normalization of the ground-state transition to the known Gamow-Teller matrix element from the analogous beta decay of /sup 18/Ne allows the (p,n) cross sections to be related to the Gamow-Teller strength. The resulting total Gamow-Teller strength observed in the (p,n) reaction is about two-thirds of the minimum value required by the sum rule for a T = 1 nucleus. This result is in reasonable agreement with the total Gamow-Teller strength predicted from a shell-model calculation which uses empirically renormalized single-particle Gamow-Teller matrix elements. The concentration of the T = 0 strength predominantly into the ground state and the observed ratio of T = 1 to T = 0 strength also are consistent with these calculations.
Description of the Adsorption and Exciton Delocalizing Properties of p-Substituted Thiophenols on CdSe Quantum Dots

This work describes the quantitative characterization of the interfacial chemical and electronic structure of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) coated in one of five p-substituted thiophenolates (X-TP, X = NH2, CH3O, CH3, Cl, or NO2), and the dependence of this structure on the p-substituent X. 1H NMR spectra of mixtures of CdSe QDs and X-TPs yield the number of X-TPs bound to the surface of each QD. The binding data, in combination with the shift in the energy of the first excitonic peak of the QDs as a function of the surface coverage of X-TP and Raman and NMR analysis of the mixtures, indicate that X-TP binds to CdSe QDs in at least three modes, two modes that are responsible for exciton delocalization and a third mode that does not affect the excitonic energy. The first two modes involve displacement of OPA from the QD core, whereas the third mode forms cadmium–thiophenolate complexes that are not electronically coupled to the QD core. Fits to the data using the dual-mode binding model also yield the values of ...
Site-selective chemical cleavage of peptide bonds

Site-selective cleavage of extremely unreactive peptide bonds is a very important chemical modification that provides invaluable information regarding protein sequence, and it acts as a modulator of protein structure and function for therapeutic applications. For controlled and selective cleavage, a daunting task, chemical reagents must selectively recognize or bind to one or more amino acid residues in the peptide chain and selectively cleave a peptide bond. Building on this principle, we have developed an approach that utilizes a chemical reagent to selectively modify the serine residue in a peptide chain and leads to the cleavage of a peptide backbone at the N-terminus of the serine residue. After cleavage, modified residues can be converted back to the original fragments. This method exhibits broad substrate scope and selectively cleaves various bioactive peptides with post-translational modifications (e.g. N-acetylation and -methylation) and mutations (d- and β-amino acids), which are a known cause of age related diseases.
Effect of Bacille Calmette Guerin inoculation with or without IFN-γ/Vit A on immunologic status of infant with bronchiolitis

AIM: To discuss the effects of Bacille Calmette Guerin(BCG) inoculation with or without supplement of vitamin A/IFN-γ on tubercle bacillus protein purified derivative(PPD) skin test,wheezing episode and in vitro the cytokine levels of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) in infants with acute bronchiolitis.METHODS: 44 acute bronchiolitis infants(ABI) were treated with BCG alone or BCG combined with Vitamin A/IFN-γ.19 ABI treated without BCG as control.PPD skin test,in vitro production of IL-10、IL-12、IL-18、IL-4 and IFN-γ by supernatant of PBMC of bronchiolitis measured by ELISA,and expression of lymphocyte activation gene-3(LAG-3) mRNA from PBMC of bronchiolitis measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR were observed before and 3 months after BCG inoculation.Follow up for average 12 months was to observe the wheezing episodes.RESULTS: The diameters of PPD skin test in ABI after BCG inoculation combined with IFN-γ/VitA were larger than those of ABI before inoculation and control group.The frequencies and persistence of wheezing were lower in interfered infants with acute bronchiolitis either by BCG alone or BCG combined with IFN-γ/VitA than those of control group by 1 year.IL-12、IL-18 and IFN-γ activities in ABI treated with BCG or BCG combined with IFN-γ/Vitamin A in vitro were higher than those of pre-treatment bronchiolitis infants;the level of IL-4 was lower;the level of IL-10 was a little bit lower,and expression of LAG-3 mRNA was stronger.Frequency of wheezing episode in 1 year in acute bronchiolitis infants with BCG or BCG combined with IFN-γ/Vitamin A was lower than that of control group.There were no difference between ABI with BCG or BCG combined with IFN-γ/ Vitamin A.Clinical manifestation and the level of cytokines do not show superiority in BCG with IFN-γ/Vitamin A.CONCLUSION: BCG inoculation is able to enhance PPD skin test response,promote Th1 reactivity,and prevent from recurrent wheezing after acute bronchiolitis.The level of IL-10 was degraded lightly after BCG intervention,presumably concerning with regular T cells(CD_4+CD_(25)+Tr)induced by BCG inoculation.
Differential regulation of tissue factor and plasminogen activator inhibitor by human mononuclear cells

Fibrin is a hallmark of immune-mediated tissue lesions. The presence of fibrin in such lesions implies both the formation of fibrin via coagulation and the accompanying restriction of fibrinolysis, allowing fibrin to persist. Previous work has shown that human monocytes exposed to an inflammatory stimulus such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produce both tissue factor (TF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor--type 2 (PAI-2). These two proteins favor fibrin deposition, and evidence implies that cellular production of these two molecules may be linked. Another proinflammatory process pertinent to immune-mediated tissue damage and fibrin deposition is the response to alloantigen. Peripheral- blood mononuclear cells (PBM), consisting of lymphocytes and monocytes together, responded to alloantigen stimulation with differential expression of TF and PAI-2. PBM exposed to alloantigen developed high levels of TF activity, with no concomitant increase in PAI-2 activity or antigen. Alloantigen-stimulated PBM did not accumulate intracellular PAI-2, nor did they degrade PAI-2 added to cultures. This lack of PAI-2 production was not due to inadequate stimulation, as tritiated thymidine uptake and TF production demonstrated recognition of, and a vigorous reaction to, alloantigen. The divergent TF and PAI-2 responses of PBM exposed to alloantigen was maintained over 5 days and was reflected by mRNA profiles. These results imply that under specific physiologically relevant conditions, the procoagulant and antifibrinolytic effectors of inflammatory mononuclear cells can be independently regulated. This would imply more flexibility to monocyte mechanisms that favor fibrin deposition than previously thought.
Food habit changes of Chinese persons living in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Are persons of Chinese origin from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong amenable to adopting American foods and eating patterns?
Detecting Gene–Environment Interactions for a Quantitative Trait in a Genome-Wide Association Study

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) typically is focused on detecting marginal genetic effects. However, many complex traits are likely to be the result of the interplay of genes and environmental factors. These SNPs may have a weak marginal effect and thus unlikely to be detected from a scan of marginal effects, but may be detectable in a gene-environment (G × E) interaction analysis. However, a genome-wide interaction scan (GWIS) using a standard test of G × E interaction is known to have low power, particularly when one corrects for testing multiple SNPs. Two 2-step methods for GWIS have been previously proposed, aimed at improving efficiency by prioritizing SNPs most likely to be involved in a G × E interaction using a screening step. For a quantitative trait, these include a method that screens on marginal effects [Kooperberg and Leblanc, 2008] and a method that screens on variance heterogeneity by genotype [Pare et al., 2010] In this paper, we show that the Pare et al. approach has an inflated false-positive rate in the presence of an environmental marginal effect, and we propose an alternative that remains valid. We also propose a novel 2-step approach that combines the two screening approaches, and provide simulations demonstrating that the new method can outperform other GWIS approaches. Application of this method to a G × Hispanic-ethnicity scan for childhood lung function reveals a SNP near the MARCO locus that was not identified by previous marginal-effect scans.
CXC Chemokine Signaling in Interstitial Lung Diseases

Publisher Summary The prototypic interstitial lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is a progressive fibrotic illness with no effective therapy that typically results in respiratory failure. This chapter reviews the data on the role of the family of chemokine ligands and receptors in mediating vascular remodeling and in orchestrating the recruitment of circulating fibroblast progenitors to the lung in the context of interstitial lung disease. Members of the CXC chemokine family were originally described for their role in recruiting leukocytes in the context of inflammation. Cells of the fibroblast-myofibroblast lineage play pivotal roles in the generation of the extracellular matrix and generation of fibrosis. The relevance of chemokines and fibrocytes is investigated in the context of human interstitial lung diseases. The CXC chemokine family contributes to the pathogenesis of interstitial lung diseases via several distinct mechanisms, including the regulation of vascular modeling and mediating the traffic of bone marrow derived progenitor cells to the lungs. In the context of animal models, manipulation of these mechanisms results in measurable alteration of disease severity, suggesting that CXC chemokines might represent novel therapeutic targets in interstitial lung diseases.
A Voice in the Wilderness: Alexander Addison’s Case for Peace during the Whiskey Rebellion

On the first day of September 1794, while tension seized western Pennsylvania over whiskey excises, Alexander Addison, president of the Court of Common Pleas for the Fifth Circuit, delivered a charge to the Grand Jury of Allegheny County on behalf of peace and order. Addison's presentation came at an important moment, as new whiskey excise laws had threatened to sever relations between the young United States government in Philadelphia and the western counties of Pennsylvania. At the time of Addison's presentation, the citizens of western Pennsylvania, gathered together in township halls, were asked to choose whether or not to consent to legal terms of submission to the United States in an effort to avoid a violent confrontation between the government and western "insurgents."1 In his presentation, Addison made a plea for submission to the laws of the United States and to peace.
Fermented Foods, Lactobacillus, and Health: Lactobacillus bacteria serve as a gateway for understanding transitory host-microbe interactions in the digestive tract

The earliest development of fermented foods, among the most ancient agricultural products, coincided with the rise of civilizations around the world. According to archeological records, wine was produced during the Neolithic Period from 8500 to 4000 BC, while beer and bread were mass-produced shortly thereafter. These foods, as well as others such as cheese, yogurt, and miso, are mentioned in ancient texts, including the Bible, the Iliad, and the Odyssey. Although modern preservation and processing methods reduced reliance on these products, fermented foods and beverages remain an important part of diets throughout the world.
Poor sleep quality is associated with discordant peer relationships among adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Background Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience impairments in social communication, and these deficits often make it difficult to form and maintain friendships with peers. Poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness are common among adolescents with ASD, and consequences of poor sleep may make social interactions difficult. Connections between sleep quality and social relationships in ASD samples have been understudied; the current study addresses this gap. Method Participants were community samples of 19 adolescents with ASD and 10 neurotypical (NT) adolescents. Adolescents completed questionnaires about closeness and discord in relationships with a same-gender peer, and they reported on sleep-wake problems, daytime sleepiness, and internalizing problems. Adolescents also wore an actigraph for 7-nights. Results Pearson correlations revealed significant associations between adolescents’ reports of sleep problems and discordant peer relationships; more sleep-wake problems and more daytime sleepiness were associated with more discord with peers in the sample with ASD, but not in the NT sample. The closeness aspect of peer relationships was not significantly associated with sleep quality. Internalizing problems did not mediate between sleep quality and discordant relationships. Conclusions Adolescents’ reports of more sleep problems and daytime sleepiness, but not actigraph indicators of sleep quality, were directly associated with discordant peer relationships. Adolescents who are already challenged in social interactions due to ASD may be especially vulnerable to intense negativity in peer relationships when they also experience poorer nighttime sleep and more daytime sleepiness. NT adolescents may be better able to regulate social interactions despite poor sleep and feeling tired.
State-Mandated (Mis)Information and Women's Endorsement of Common Abortion Myths

Abstract Purpose The extent that state-mandated informed consent scripts affect women's knowledge about abortion is unknown. We examine women's endorsement of common abortion myths before and after receiving state-mandated information that included accurate and inaccurate statements about abortion. Methods In Utah, women presenting for an abortion information visit completed baseline surveys ( n = 494) and follow-up interviews 3 weeks later ( n = 309). Women answered five items about abortion risks, indicating which of two statements was closer to the truth (as established by prior research) or responding “don't know.” We developed a continuous myth endorsement scale (range, 0–1) and, using multivariable regression models, examined predictors of myth endorsement at baseline and change in myth endorsement from baseline to follow-up. Results At baseline, many women reported not knowing about abortion risks (range, 36%–70% across myths). Women who were younger, non-White, and had previously given birth but not had a prior abortion reported higher myth endorsement at baseline. Overall, myth endorsement decreased after the information visit (0.37–0.31; p p Conclusions Lack of knowledge about the effects of abortion is common. Knowledge of information that was accurately presented or not referenced in state-mandated scripts increased. In contrast, inaccurate information was associated with decreases in women's knowledge about abortion, violating accepted principles of informed consent. State policies that require or result in the provision of inaccurate information should be reconsidered.
Anophthalmia/Microphthalmia/Coloboma (MAC)

Microphthalmia/anophthalmia/coloboma (MAC) are congenital anomalies of the eye that form a continuum from coloboma at the mild end to anophthalmia at the severe end. When we refer to anophthalmia, usually we mean clinical anophthalmia where there is so little eye tissue that it is not visible, but it is in fact severe microphthalmia. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the orbit, rudimentary tissue might be visible and in some cases, you can see a hypoplastic optic nerve. There may be eye adnexa present like tear ducts. Microphthalmia can be very variable from clinical anophthalmia to slightly small eye. Ultrasound of the orbit can help determine the actual size and structure of the eye. MAC is genetically heterogeneous. This means that there are many different causes. MAC may be associated with other anomalies (syndromal) or alone (nonsyndromal). There are many developmental genes that can be implicated in these eye anomalies. Key Concepts Anophthalmia is a very small, abnormal eye and often has no useful vision. Microphthalmia is more variable and can even be a small and normal looking eye. Coloboma develops when the optic fissure does not close fully as the eye develops in the embryo, vision loss is variable. Genetic causes of MAC can be due to mutations in many genes or chromosomal trisomies, deletions/duplications that include eye development genes. Some teratogens such as alcohol can cause MAC. MAC can occur in one eye or both the eyes and each eye can have a different problem. Keywords: anophthalmia; microphthalmia; coloboma; genes; mutations; variability; penetrance
Emerging from EHR Purgatory — Moving from Process to Outcomes

The electronic health record has become a billing instrument that requires excessive process documentation, coding, and other activities that are devoid of meaning for patient care. Restoring meaning to the EHR may require a fundamental change in physician payment systems.
A comparison of genotyping-by-sequencing analysis methods on low-coverage crop datasets shows advantages of a new workflow, GB-eaSy

Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), a method to identify genetic variants and quickly genotype samples, reduces genome complexity by using restriction enzymes to divide the genome into fragments whose ends are sequenced on short-read sequencing platforms. While cost-effective, this method produces extensive missing data and requires complex bioinformatics analysis. GBS is most commonly used on crop plant genomes, and because crop plants have highly variable ploidy and repeat content, the performance of GBS analysis software can vary by target organism. Here we focus our analysis on soybean, a polyploid crop with a highly duplicated genome, relatively little public GBS data and few dedicated tools. We compared the performance of five GBS pipelines using low-coverage Illumina sequence data from three soybean populations. To address issues identified with existing methods, we developed GB-eaSy, a GBS bioinformatics workflow that incorporates widely used genomics tools, parallelization and automation to increase the accuracy and accessibility of GBS data analysis. Compared to other GBS pipelines, GB-eaSy rapidly and accurately identified the greatest number of SNPs, with SNP calls closely concordant with whole-genome sequencing of selected lines. Across all five GBS analysis platforms, SNP calls showed unexpectedly low convergence but generally high accuracy, indicating that the workflows arrived at largely complementary sets of valid SNP calls on the low-coverage data analyzed. We show that GB-eaSy is approximately as good as, or better than, other leading software solutions in the accuracy, yield and missing data fraction of variant calling, as tested on low-coverage genomic data from soybean. It also performs well relative to other solutions in terms of the run time and disk space required. In addition, GB-eaSy is built from existing open-source, modular software packages that are regularly updated and commonly used, making it straightforward to install and maintain. While GB-eaSy outperformed other individual methods on the datasets analyzed, our findings suggest that a comprehensive approach integrating the results from multiple GBS bioinformatics pipelines may be the optimal strategy to obtain the largest, most highly accurate SNP yield possible from low-coverage polyploid sequence data.