cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TrafficVision: A Case for Pushing Software Defined Networks to Wireless Edges

In wireless network edges, knowing the network flow types and applications can enable various policy-driven network managements (i.e. traffic offloading, BYOD, E2E QoS etc.). However, applying network policies at wireless links between the mobile devices and access points (APs) requires greater visibility and control on generated traffic generated from mobile devices. The recent advent of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) could enable fine-grained network management at the edge. However, in existing solutions, SDN uses external Deep-Packet Inspection (DPI) engine that requires additional and potentially heavy loaded computational resources to perform the packet analysis. Moreover, mobile applications become more dynamic (rapid install/update), diverse and complex (individual applications generate multiple traffic types) in which scalability and granularity requirements challenging current DPI solutions. In addition, DPI is unreliable in classifying application's encrypted packets. Therefore, in this paper we present the design and the development of TrafficVision that extends the SDN's layer architecture to have fine-grained and real-time policy making at wireless network edges. More specifically, we carefully extends the SDN framework to develop tools that allow to have scalable, efficient and flexible way to classify the network traffic flows at fine-grained fashion using Machine-Learning (ML) based technique. We evaluate our system using the performance of CPU utilization, network overhead and network throughput metrics. Finally, as a proof of concept, we develop a simple case study of traffic management application that exploits TrafficVision.
ALL Progression Induces PD1 on T Cells and Blockade of PD1 Enhances Adoptive Immunotherapy

Abstract 2587 Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric malignancy and, despite tremendous success in therapy over the past 3 decades, remains a primary cause of cancer-related mortality in children. Enthusiasm for the use cellular immunotherapy for ALL has been tempered by the poor response to donor lymphocyte infusions following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, ALL blasts are susceptible to T cell and NK cell mediated lysis in vitro suggesting that poor response to in vivo immune interventions may be due to events occurring during the priming of the immune response. Using a murine model of precursor B cell ALL we examined the impact of leukemia progression on T cells in vivo. Methods: We developed a transplantable syngeneic model of pediatric ALL derived from transgeneic mice expressing human E2aPBX1, a recurring translocation present in 5% of pediatric leukemia (Bijl et al, Genes and Development, 2005). This murine line displays a precursor B cell phenotype and results in 100% lethality following injection of 100,000 cells (Qin et al, ASH, 2010). Using congenic (CD45.1) B6 recipients, we tracked the early progression of ALL in vivo and examined the T cells in the leukemia-containing compartments by flow cytometry and PCR. Results: Using congenic markers, ALL cells can be detected in bone marrow as early as 3 days following intravenous injection of 1,000,000 cells with a sensitivity of 0.01%. Spleen and lymph node involvement was seen later (10 days) followed by the detection of circulating blasts by 2 weeks. E2aPBX1 cells express variable levels of costimulatory molecules in vitro with no change in expression during in vivo progression. Notably, PDL1 and PDL2 are expressed both in vitro and in vivo at higher levels than on non-malignant precursor B cells in leukemia-bearing mice. Remarkably, although PD1+ T cells are not seen in the bone marrow of non-leukemia-bearing mice, PD1 expression on bone marrow T cells was markedly increased during progression such that 60–80% of all bone marrow CD4 and CD8 T cells were positive by 2 weeks following leukemia injection (figure). In addition to expression of PD1, these T cells also co-expressed Tim3, a phenotype associated with T cell exhaustion. Blockade of PD1 or PDL1 starting 3 days following leukemia injection had no impact on leukemia progression. However, combining PD1 blockade with the adoptive transfer of T cells from leukemia-primed donors resulted in improved survival compared to primed T cells alone (p=0.0004). Conclusions: Early progression of ALL results in the induction of PD1 and Tim3 on T cells in vivo. Combination of PD1 blockade plus adoptive T cell therapy results in therapeutic benefit suggesting that this axis may be an attractive target in ALL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Decreasing Surgical Site Infections after Ventral Hernia Repair: A Quality-Improvement Initiative.

Abstract Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain prevalent after ventral hernia repair (VHR). In 2013–2014, a safety-net academic hospital initiated a two-pronged quality-improvement (QI) project: (1) Development and implementation of evidence-based guidelines; and (2) creation of a specialized hernia clinic to manage challenging patients and complex ventral hernias. Our objective was to decrease SSI rates after elective VHR. Methods: The primary outcome was SSI 30 days post-operatively, which was assessed in aggregate and with a stratified analysis based on case complexity using the χ2 test. Results: A total of 399 patients in the pre-QI period and 390 patients in post-QI period (178 patients in general surgery clinics; 212 patients in the specialty hernia clinic) underwent VHR. Patients treated in the post-QI period were less likely to experience an SSI (13.5% vs. 1.5%; p < 0.001). On subgroup analysis of the post-QI clinics, specialty hernia clinic patients had an even lower risk of SSI than...
Fashion City: Diasporic Connections and Garment Industrial Histories Between the US and Asia:

This article explores how fashion is key to understanding the material legacies of urban development across East Asia, New York, and Los Angeles. Here, fashion is not just a material object, but a ...
Approximate Semi-analytical Solution for Injection–Falloff–Production Well Test: An Analytical Tool for the In Situ Estimation of Relative Permeability Curves

An injection–falloff–production test (IFPT) was originally proposed in Chen et al. (in: SPE conference paper, 2006. doi: 10.2118/103271-MS , SPE Reserv Eval Eng 11(1):95–107, 2008) as a well test for the in situ estimation of two-phase relative permeability curves to be used for simulating multiphase flows in porous media. Hence, we develop an approximate semi-analytical solution for the two-phase saturation distribution in an oil–water system during the flowback period of an IFPT according to the mathematical theory of waves. In fact, we show that the weak solution we construct for the saturation equation for the flowback period satisfies the Oleinik entropy condition and hence is unique. In addition, we allow the governing relative permeabilities during the flowback period to be different from the relative permeabilities during injection. Using the saturation solution with the steady-state pressure theory of Thompson and Reynolds, we obtain a solution for the wellbore pressure during the flowback period. By comparing results from our solution with those from a commercial numerical simulator, we show that our approximate semi-analytical solution yields accurate saturation profiles and bottom hole pressures history. The use of very small time steps and a highly refined radial grid is necessary to generate a good solution from a reservoir simulator. The approximate analytical pressure solution developed is used as a forward model to match pressure and water flow rate data from an IFPT in order to estimate reservoir rock absolute permeability and skin factor in conjunction with in situ imbibition and drainage water–oil relative permeabilities.
Gap-Balancing versus Measured Resection Technique in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Comparison Study.

Proper femoral component alignment in the axial plane during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) depends on accurate bone cuts and soft tissue balancing. Two methods that are used to achieve this are “measured resection” and “gap balancing.” However, a controversy exists as to which method is more accurate and leads to better outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate: (1) implant survivorship, (2) patient outcomes, (3) complications, and (4) radiographic analysis comparing patients who underwent TKA with either gap-balancing or measured resection techniques. A total of 214 consecutive patients (221 knees) underwent primary TKA by a single surgeon between 2011 and 2012. Component alignment was achieved by using measured resection in 116 knees and gap balancing was used in 105 knees. The patients had a mean age of 66 years (range, 44–86 years) and a mean body mass index of 32 kg/m2 (range, 22–52 kg/m2). Patient range-of-motion (ROM) and Knee Society (KS) function and pain scores, and radiographic assessment, were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at ∼6 weeks, 3 months, 1 year, and then annually. The mean follow-up time was 3 years. A Kaplan–Meier's analysis was performed to calculate the survivorship. The aseptic survivorship was 98% in both the measured resection and gap-balancing groups. The mean ROM was not significantly different between the measured resection and gap-balancing groups (123 vs. 123 degrees, p = 0.990). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the KS function scores (86 vs. 85 points, p = 0.829) or the KS pain scores (93 vs. 92 points, p = 0.425). Otherwise, the radiographic evaluation at latest follow-up did not demonstrate any evidence of progressive radiolucencies or loosening, of any prosthesis. The results of this study found that at a mean follow-up of 3 years, both the measured resection and gap-balancing techniques achieved excellent survivorship and postoperative outcomes. This demonstrates that both methods can be used to achieve accurate femoral component alignment with similar short-term outcomes.
The Knowledge-Incentive Trade-off: Understanding the Organization Design & Innovation Relationship

Managers face a fundamental trade-off when designing their organizations for innovation. On the one hand, a differentiated design with more independent sub-units is associated with high observabili...
Positron- (and Electron-) Alkali Atom Total Scattering Measurements

From the outset of scattering experiments with low energy positron beams, there has been a natural tendency to make comparisons between the scattering of positrons and electrons by the same target atoms and molecules. Since positrons, being the antiparticles of electrons, have the same magnitudes for the mass, charge, and spin as the electron, but have the opposite sign of charge, comparison measurements of the scattering of positrons and electrons by atoms and molecules can reveal interesting differences and similarities that arise from the basic interactions which contribute to scattering. The exchange interaction contributes to electron scattering (due to the indistinguishability of the projectile and electrons in the target atoms) but does not play a role in positron scattering. The static interaction (associated with the interaction of the projectile with the Coulomb field of the undistorted atom) is attractive for the electron and repulsive for the positron, while the polarization interaction (resulting from the distortion of the atom by the charged projectile) is attractive for both projectiles. The net effect of the static and polarization interactions is that they add to each other in electron scattering whereas they tend to cancel each other in positron scattering. In general, this results in smaller total scattering cross sections (QT’s) for positrons than for electrons at low energies.
Sexing the cannibal in The Wonders of the East and Beowulf

Bound in the same codex as Beowulf, the Wonders of the East manuscript features a compendium of fantastical hybrid creatures still loosely classified as “men.” Previous scholarly conversations about hermaphroditism in the text have either focused on the Wonders’ masculinized female races or on illustrations of creatures that appear to feature ambiguous genitalia. I will instead make a case for re-evaluating the Donestre: a creature that has been generally understood to be male, but which shows subtle signs of being intersex. The creature’s sexual indeterminacy appears to be linked to its cannibal diet, as it is implied to absorb parts of the bodies and identities of its prey. The Donestre’s status as an intersexed assemblage of bodies also presents a spiritual conundrum: what happens to the souls of those it devours? Using the Nowell codex as a case study, I demonstrate how the implications of the Donestre episode in Wonders challenges narratives of bodily death and spiritual ascension advanced in several of its accompanying texts, including Beowulf. When read against Beowulf in particular, the Donestre episode from The Wonders of the East emphasizes the cannibal queerness of Grendel and his dam, so that their monstrous bodies also elicit questions about the disintegration of the self and the nature of the relationship between body and soul(s).
Efficacy of a resorbable hydrogel barrier, oxidized regenerated cellulose, and hyaluronic acid in the prevention of ovarian adhesions in a rabbit model.

Objective To compare the efficacy of a resorbable hydrogel material with oxidized regenerated cellulose and hyaluronic acid in an ovarian adhesion model. Design Controlled, blinded, and randomized study involving female rabbits. Setting Academic research environment. Interventions A water-soluble hydrogel precursor was applied to the ovary as a liquid and converted to a hydrogel by exposure to long wavelength ultraviolet light, a 0.4% solution of hyaluronic acid was applied to the ovary, or an oxidized regenerated cellulose patch was applied to the ovary after wedge resectioning. Main Outcome Measures Extent and severity of adhesion formation. Results Application of the hydrogel reduced adhesion formation by 88%. Neither oxidized regenerated cellulose nor hyaluronic acid reduced adhesion formation. Conclusion The photopolymerized, resorbable hydrogel material is highly effective for the reduction of periovarian adhesions in this model.
Collaborative, Participatory, and Empowerment Evaluation: Stakeholder Involvement Approaches

The terms collaborative evaluation and participatory evaluation often have been used interchangeably to describe program evaluation approaches that include more active participation by stakeholders...
356) Relationships between Neuropsychological and Clinical Profiles in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Neuropsychiatric disorders have well-documented effects on cognition. Some studies also report that chronic pain interferes with cognition, although the literature is mixed. Chronic pain is co-morbid with depression and anxiety, both of which may contribute to cognitive changes reported in chronic pain. Specifically, depression may lead to reduced processing speed, and anxiety may interfere with memory functions. A brief neuropsychological battery, assessing short-term memory (visual and verbal), working memory, and processing speed, was collected before and after treatment as part of a large clinical trial of brain mechanisms engaged in learning pain coping skills for chronic musculoskeletal pain (n=88, mean age=49.4±14.5, both sexes). Principle component analysis was used as a dimensionality reduction technique to isolate three cognitive factors: visual memory, verbal memory, and working memory/processing speed. To identify relationships between cognitive and clinical variables (depression, anxiety, and pain experience), we performed partial correlations, controlling for age and sex at baseline. There was a significant relationship between Total Pain Experience (from TOPS) and verbal memory, with higher levels of pain corresponding to lower verbal memory (r=-0.238, p=0.028). However, anxiety and depression, on their own, were not related to the predicted cognitive variables. Consistent with predictions, changes in depression over time were significantly correlated with changes in processing speed (n=65, r=0.261, p=0.042), with reduced depression covarying with improved processing speed. These results provide preliminary support for the idea that various cognitive domains may be differentially affected in chronic pain, depending on the clinical presentation profile.
Structural insights into DNA-stabilized silver clusters

Despite their great promise as fluorescent biological probes and sensors, the structure and dynamics of Ag complexes derived from single stranded DNA (ssDNA) are less understood than their double stranded counterparts. In this work, we seek new insights into the structure of single AgNssDNA clusters using analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations (MD) of a fluorescent (AgNssDNA)8+ nanocluster. The results suggest that the purified (AgNssDNA)8+ nanocluster is a mixture of predominantly Ag15 and Ag16 species that prefer two distinct long-lived conformational states: one extended, the other approaching spherical. However, the ssDNA strands within these clusters are highly mobile. Ag(I) interacts preferentially with the nucleobase rather than the phosphate backbone, causing a restructuring of the DNA strand relative to the bare DNA. Infrared spectroscopy and MD simulations of (AgNssDNA)8+ and model nucleic acid homopolymers suggest that Ag(I) has a higher affinity for cytosine over guanine bases, little interaction with adenine, and virtually none with thymine. Ag(I) shows a tendency to interact with cytosine N3 and O2 and guanine N7 and O6, opening the possibility for a Ag(I)–base bifurcated bond to act as a nanocluster nucleation and strand stabilizing site. This work provides valuable insight into nanocluster structure and dynamics which drive stability and optical properties, and additional studies using these types of characterization techniques are important for the rational design of single stranded AgDNA nanocluster sensors.
Efficient hierarchical clustering for continuous data

We present an new sequential Monte Carlo sampler for coalescent based Bayesian hierarchical clustering. Our model is appropriate for modeling non-i.i.d. data and offers a substantial reduction of computational cost when compared to the original sampler without resorting to approximations. We also propose a quadratic complexity approximation that in practice shows almost no loss in performance compared to its counterpart. We show that as a byproduct of our formulation, we obtain a greedy algorithm that exhibits performance improvement over other greedy algorithms, particularly in small data sets. In order to exploit the correlation structure of the data, we describe how to incorporate Gaussian process priors in the model as a flexible way to model non-i.i.d. data. Results on artificial and real data show significant improvements over closely related approaches.
Duration of Antibiotic Therapy: Shorter Is Better

Vaughn and colleagues reported a study of antibiotic prescriptions for the treatment of nearly 6500 adults with community-acquired pneumonia from 2017 to 2018 and found that more than two thirds of...
Controlling Muscle-Actuated Articulated Bodies in Operational Space

We develop methods to compute dynamics and control for articulated body systems that are actuated by linear contractile elements. We motivate the conditions under which our mathematical formulation is suitable for modeling muscle actuated robots as well as the human musculoskeletal system. In detail, we: (i) specify the conditions under which sets of piecewise linear contractile muscle fibers (actuators) can model the action of muscle volumes, (ii) use the muscle Jacobian to obtain an expression for predicting how muscle forces produce forces and accelerations at operational points on articulated bodies (muscle-to-task ‘forward’ maps), (iii) use the muscle Jacobian to obtain an expression for predicting the muscle forces required to produce specified forces at operational points on articulated bodies (task-to-muscle ‘inverse’ maps), and (iv) present an interative algorithm for resolving task-to-muscle maps with a proof of convergence and empirical results to show fast (\({\sim }20\)–100 iterations) convergence for detailed human musculoskeletal models with hundreds of muscles and tens of degrees of freedom.
REIT industry liquidity, valuation, and ownership reactions to ETF inceptions

We examine the impact of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) inceptions on the valuation, ownership structure, and liquidity of the U.S. REIT market. We posit that the re...
Management of Gastrointestinal Symptoms (Nausea, Anorexia and Cachexia, Constipation) in Advanced Illness

Anorexia and cachexia, nausea and vomiting, and constipation are gastrointestinal symptoms that commonly accompany serious illness. Basic science and clinical research continue to improve the understanding of their pathophysiology. Thorough assessment necessitates history, physical examination, and laboratory and diagnostic testing. Pharmacologic management attempts to counteract or reverse the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms that accompany each symptom, which may benefit from a multimodal approach to achieve adequate control. Future improvements in management require investments in clinical research to determine the efficacy of novel agents along with comparator studies to better understand which treatments should be used in what sequence or combination.
The influence of snow cover, air temperature, and groundwater flow on the active-layer thermal regime of Arctic hillslopes drained by water tracks

Permafrost in Arctic watersheds limits soil biological activity to a thin, seasonally thawed active layer that contributes water to streams. In many hillslopes, relatively wet drainage features called water tracks have distinct freeze-thaw patterns that affect groundwater flow and storage, and thus the export of heat and solutes to Arctic streams. This study uses groundwater flow and energy transport models to examine potential controls on the timing and duration of freeze–thaw conditions and the magnitude of temperature fluctuations within water tracks and their adjacent hillslopes. The simulated length of the active-layer thaw season varies by 1 month over the range of snow-cover and mean annual air-temperature scenarios simulated. The timing and duration of freezing is particularly sensitive to depth and duration of snow cover. Thus, the deeper snowpack covers that can accumulate in water tracks contribute to their more persistent thaw conditions and their ability to conduct groundwater downslope. A three-dimensional simulation shows that during the summer thaw season, the water track captures groundwater laterally from half way across the hillslope. The models presented here elucidate key mechanisms driving small-scale variation in the active-layer thermal regime of tundra hillslopes, which may be responsible for changes in drainage-network geometry and Arctic biogeochemical fluxes under a warming climate.
Stochastic Modeling of an Infectious Disease, Part I: Understand the Negative Binomial Distribution and Predict an Epidemic More Reliably

Why are the epidemic patterns of COVID-19 so different among different cities or countries which are similar in their populations, medical infrastructures, and people's behavior? Why are forecasts or predictions made by so-called experts often grossly wrong, concerning the numbers of people who get infected or die? The purpose of this study is to better understand the stochastic nature of an epidemic disease, and answer the above questions. Much of the work on infectious diseases has been based on "SIR deterministic models," (Kermack and McKendrick:1927.) We will explore stochastic models that can capture the essence of the seemingly erratic behavior of an infectious disease. A stochastic model, in its formulation, takes into account the random nature of an infectious disease. The stochastic model we study here is based on the "birth-and-death process with immigration" (BDI for short), which was proposed in the study of population growth or extinction of some biological species. The BDI process model ,however, has not been investigated by the epidemiology community. The BDI process is one of a few birth-and-death processes, which we can solve analytically. Its time-dependent probability distribution function is a "negative binomial distribution" with its parameter $r$ less than $1$. The "coefficient of variation" of the process is larger than $\sqrt{1/r} > 1$. Furthermore, it has a long tail like the zeta distribution. These properties explain why infection patterns exhibit enormously large variations. The number of infected predicted by a deterministic model is much greater than the median of the distribution. This explains why any forecast based on a deterministic model will fail more often than not.
Optimal biologic dose-finding based on toxicity and biomarker expression in phase I/II oncology trial settings

4129 In this poster we propose a Bayesian approach to phase I/II dose-finding oncology trials by jointly modeling a binary toxicity outcome and a continuous biomarker expression outcome. We apply our method to a clinical trials drawn from various cancers. Within a given trial, biomarker expression indicates biological activity of a therapy. For ethical reasons, the trial is conducted sequentially, with the dose for each successive patient chosen using both toxicity and activity data from patients previously treated in the trial. The modeling framework that we use naturally incorporates correlation between the binary toxicity and continuous activity outcome via a latent Gaussian variable. The dose-escalation/de-escalation decision rules are based on the posterior distributions of both toxicity and activity. A flexible state-space model is used to relate the activity outcome and dose. Extensive simulation studies show that the design reliably choose the preferred dose using both toxicity and expression outcomes under various clinical scenarios. This poster is based on a paper that has been accepted for publication by Biometrics.
Optimized Cuckoo Filters for Efficient Distributed SDN and NFV Applications

Membership testing has many networking applications like distributed caching, peer to peer networks, or resource routing, to name a few. Several studies have reported the advantages of using membership testing in Software Defined Networking, and Bloom Filters have been widely adopted for that purpose. Cuckoo Filters is a recently proposed alternative to Bloom that outperforms them in terms of speed and memory efficiency, with some drawbacks. In this paper, we propose an Optimized Cuckoo Filter (OCF) design that limits some of the Cuckoo Filter drawbacks and gives a better-amortized search time, with less false positives. We then present an implementation of Optimized Cuckoo Filter in distributed SDN and NFV applications, with customizable parameters that enable the data structure to adapt to different workloads. We discuss the use cases of this data structure in SDN and show the performance gain when using our solution with proper configuration. We also show the benefits of this data structure in different SDN and NFV applications by simulating real-world scenarios: content-centric caching and Virtual Firewall as a Network Function and invoke dialog for the widespread adoption of this data structure outside academia through open-source collaboration.
A Comparative Study between Laser Beam Ceilometer and Algorithm for Continuous Evaluation of Cloud Base Height, Temperature, and Cloud Coverage in Logan City, USA

This article addresses the application of pyrgeometers, pyranometers and some basic weather parameters to evaluate cloud base height, cloud base temperature, and cloud coverage at local scale throughout the year. The ground-based laser beam ceilometers are used at the Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) in major airports in the U.S. to measure the cloud base height and report the sky conditions on an hourly basis or at shorter intervals. These laser ceilometers are fixed-type whose transmitters and receivers point straight up at the cloud (if any) base. They are unable to detect clouds that are not above the sensor. To report cloudiness at the local scale, many of these types of ceilometers are needed. A single cloud hanging over the sensor will cause overcast readings, whereas, a hole in the clouds above the sensor could cause a clear reading to be reported. To overcome this problem, we have set up a ventilated radiation station at Logan - Cache airport, Utah, U.S .A., since 1995. This airport is equipped with one of the above-mentioned ceilometers. This radiation station (composed of pyranometers, pyrgeometers with fields of view of 150o), and net radiometer provide continuous measurements of incoming and outgoing shortwave and longwave radiation and net radiation throughout the year. Considering the additional longwave radiation captured by the facing-up pyrgeometer during cloudy skies, coming from the cloud in the wave band (8-13 ?m) which the gaseous emission lacks, we developed an algorithm which provides the continuous cloud information (cloud base height, cloud base temperature, and percent of skies covered by cloud) at local scale during the day and night throughout the year. Comparisons between the ASOS and the model data during the period June, 2004, are reported in this article. The proposed algorithm is a promising approach for evaluation of the cloud base temperature and height, and percent of skies covered by cloud and its effects on aviation throughout the year. Having enough pyrgeometers and the necessary surface weather parameters, the study can be expanded to regional scale for continuous evaluation of clouds.
Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in paediatric rheumatic disease.

Purpose of review A small proportion of children affected by rheumatic diseases suffer from severe, progressive disease, resistant to conventional antirheumatic therapies and to biologic agents interfering with inflammatory cytokines, costimulatory molecules expressed on immune system cells and intracellular signalling pathways. Adding to the poor prognosis is a high risk from significant morbidity and mortality associated with long-term treatment with multiple, often combined anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents. Carefully selected patients from this unfortunate group may benefit from treatment with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Recent findings The majority of patients with severe paediatric rheumatic and autoinflammatory diseases treated with autologous and/or allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation achieved long-term remission. However, the incidence of disease relapse and transplant related morbidity and mortality is still significant. Summary Careful patient and donor selection, timing of the transplant earlier in the course of disease rather than the 'last resort' and choosing the most suitable conditioning regimen for each individual patient are the major factors favouring successful outcome. Close co-operation between the patients, their family, and involved medical teams is essential.
Evaluation of the efficacy of an intersection conflict warning system at two-way stop-controlled rural intersections: difference-in-differences and triple-difference analytical approaches.

Objective Intersection conflict warning systems (ICWSs) have been implemented at high-risk two-way stop-controlled intersections to prevent right-angle crashes and associated injuries. This study involved investigation of the impacts of ICWSs on crash reductions. Methods The study used a quasi-experimental design to analyse the potential causal relations between Minnesota’s ICWSs and various crash rate outcomes (including total, injury, non-injury, targeted right-angle and non-right-angle crashes) in pre-post analyses. A restricted randomisation method enabled identification of three controls to each ICWS treatment intersection, and included as many comparable intersection characteristics as possible. Annual crash rates (per year per intersection) were analysed over the same periods before and after system activation for treatment and control intersections in each matched group. Pre-crash data for 3 years and post-crash data for up to 5 years were included, ranging from 2010 to 2018. Negative binomial regression models with generalised estimating equations were applied to estimate the average, immediate and continuing treatment effects of ICWSs, through the difference-in-differences and difference-in-difference-in-difference approaches, respectively. Results The ICWS treatment was significantly associated with a decreasing trend for targeted right-angle crash rates posttreatment. Although not statistically significant, most crash rate outcomes appeared to be elevated immediately after treatment (statistically significant for sideswipe crashes only). Pre–post differences in average crash rates (over entire periods), except for incapacitating injury-related crashes, were not statistically significant between treatment and control intersections. Conclusions The study provided important insight into potential causal associations between intersection safety countermeasures and crashes at high-risk rural two-way stop-controlled intersections.
Gracilis muscle interposition flap repair of urinary fistulae: pelvic radiation is associated with persistent urinary incontinence and decreased quality of life

The primary goal of urinary fistulae repair is to improve continence and quality of life. Irradiated patients are predisposed to development of bladder outlet dysfunction (BOD), defined as bladder neck contracture or stress urinary incontinence. Here, we review our experience with gracilis flap repairs for rectourinary fistulae (RUF) and urinary cutaneous fistulae (UCF) in patients who underwent pelvic radiation. Twenty-seven patients underwent repair of a RUF/UCF with gracilis flap between 2003 and 2013. Patients were assessed for postoperative fistula closure and BOD, and quality of life was assessed with the Expanded Prostate Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire administered via telephone at the time of final follow-up. Mean age was 60 years (50–73) with median follow-up of 28.7 months (1.0–128). Flap failure was noted in 5/20 radiated patients versus 3/7 non-radiated patients (p = 0.63). Of the 8 flap failures, 7 underwent secondary repair: repeat gracilis flap (2), coloanal pull-through (2), rectal advancement flap (1), sliding flap (1), and omental flap (1). Median time to revision was 7.2 months (3.5–24.9). In irradiated patients, 18/20 (90 %) developed BOD compared with 1/7 (14 %) who were not radiated (p = 0.0006). Radiation was associated with worse scores on the urinary incontinence domain of the EPIC questionnaire compared with non-radiated patients (p = 0.0458). Urinary fistula repairs in radiated patients should be undertaken with caution. Even if the fistula is successfully repaired, patients may still have bladder outlet dysfunction and decreased quality of life. Consequently, patients should be counseled about all possible procedures, including permanent urinary diversion as primary therapy.
CALCULATION OF PROPELLER-INDUCED VIBRATORY HULL FORCES, FORCE DISTRIBUTIONS, AND PRESSURES; FREE SURFACE EFFECTS

It is shown how a formula originally developed for calculating the total unsteady propeller-induced forces on a ship hull can be used for calculating the associated hull force distributions and pressures as well. Total vertical forces and the axial distribution of vertical force on a flat plate are calculated using the formula. Two different conditions on the water free-surface are investigated. These conditions correspond to approximations to the exact linearized free-surface condition in the extremes of high and low frequency. The calculations are also performed for circumferentially uniform and nonuniform propeller inflows.
Relaxin and scaffolding proteins in signalling crosstalk

One of the earliest reported biochemical effects of relaxin was its ability to increase cAMP in pubic symphysis, myometrium and cervix [1–3]. In myometrium, relaxin has been shown to increase calcium efflux, decrease myosin light chain phosphorylation, activate calcium-sensitive maxi-K channels (KCa), decrease oxytocin-stimulated rat myometrial contractions, decrease oxytocin-stimulated phosphatidylinositide turnover and decrease oxytocin-stimulated intracellular calcium elevation and calcium entry from the extracellular [4]. Protein kinase A inhibitors attenuate effects of relaxin on myometrial contraction, stimulation of KCa channels, and inhibition of oxytocinmediated phosphatidylinositide turnover, intracellular calcium elevation and calcium entry (Fig. 1) [4–7]. We have explored in more depth the mechanisms by which relaxin elevates cAMP and inhibits oxytocin-mediated phosphatidylinositide turnover in the myometrium.
Microstructure and properties of a refractory high-entropy alloy after cold working

Abstract A refractory high-entropy alloy HfNbTaTiZr was successfully rolled at room temperature up to 86.4% reduction in thickness (true thickness strain is −2.3). This represents the first successful attempt to cold roll a HEA with a BCC crystal structure. The microstructure and properties of the rolled sheets were determined in the as-rolled condition and after annealing at 800 °C, 1000 °C, and 1200 °C. Cold rolling resulted in extensive grain elongation, formation of deformation bands within the grains, and development of crystallographic textures that depended on the rolling reduction. The 86.4% cold-rolled sheet had true tensile stress of 1295 MPa and tensile ductility of 4.7%. After annealing at 1000 °C and 1200 °C, complete recrystallization of the cold-rolled sheet occurred. After annealing at 1000 °C, the true tensile stress and ductility of the sheet were 1262 MPa and 9.7%, respectively.
Energy Meridian Therapies

Energy meridian therapies (EMT) propose to treat people for psychological distress by stimulating designated points on the body, usually by finger tapping. The two best known forms of EMT are thought field therapy (TFT) and the emotional freedom technique (EFT). Since the mid 1980s, proponents of TFT, EFT and other EMTs have made a number of extraordinary claims that these therapies can treat a wide variety of psychological and physical disorders successfully, often within minutes. The claims are based mainly on testimonials, anecdotes, and uncontrolled case reports. Extant controlled studies, published and conducted by proponents and mostly published in alternative therapy journals, did not employ a placebo sham control group. The two controlled studies that included sham control groups yielded null results, indicating that the positive effects were likely due to placebo and nonspecific treatment effects rather than tapping on energy meridian points. At present, the American Psychological Association does not consider EMTs to be empirically supported. Keywords: internet; anxiety; emotional freedom technique; energy psychology; placebo effect; pseudoscience; thought field therapy
Nonhomogeneous labeling of liver extra-mitochondrial acetyl-CoA. Implications for the probing of lipogenic acetyl-CoA via drug acetylation and for the production of acetate by the liver

The labeling of liver extra-mitochondrial acetyl-CoA was investigated in isolated rat livers perfused with [2-(13)C]acetate, [1-(13)C]octanoate, or [1,2,3,4-(13)C4]docosanoate and with drugs that undergo acetylation (phenylaminobutyrate, paraaminobenzoate, and sulfamethoxazole; singly or in combination). The 13C enrichment of mitochondrial acetyl-CoA was probed by the enrichment of R-beta-hydroxybutyrate. The latter was not enriched from [1,2,3,4-(13)C4]docosanoate, thus excluding mitochondrial beta-oxidation of docosanoate. The 13C enrichment of extra-mitochondrial acetyl-CoA was probed by the enrichments of acetylated drugs and of free acetate. In most cases, the four probes yielded different enrichments. Thus, extra-mitochondrial acetyl-CoA appears nonhomogeneous. Competition between drugs alters the labeling of individual acetyl-CoA sub-pools. The labeling pattern of acetylated drugs suggests the existence of more than the two N-acetyltransferases identified so far by others. Our data question the possibility of probing the pool of lipogenic acetyl-CoA via drug acetylation.
Nucleic Acid Blotting Techniques

This chapter deals with basic concepts and techniques in nucleic acid blotting. Many of the techniques involved with Southern blotting and Northern blotting are similar. Negatively charged, purified nucleic acids from prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells are separated according to size by electrophoresis through an agarose gel matrix. The RNA or denatured DNA is subse– quently transferred and immobilized onto a membrane com– posed of nitrocellulose or nylon. The nucleic acids on the membrane are then hybridized to a specific labeled “probe,” which consists of homologous single-stranded nucleic acids that carry molecules, allowing detection and visualization of the hybridized probe. Hybridization between the immobilized nucleic acids and labeled probe allows detection of specific DNA or RNA sequences within a complex mixture of DNA or RNA. The specific method of detection and visualization is dependent on the nature of the labeled probe; radioactive probes enable autoradiographic detection, and probes labeled with enzymes facilitate chemiluminescent or colorimetric detection. Nucleic acid blotting yields valuable information pertaining to gene integrity and copy number (Southern blot) and provides a means of analyzing gene expression and mRNA size (Northern blot). These methods can be used to character– ize tissues and cultured cells in the laboratory and often provide valuable information for clinical evaluation of patient samples.
Studies of immune responses in mice prone to autoimmune disorders. I. Heterogeneity of the affinities of antihapten antibodies produced by NZB, NZW, and related strains of mice.

Abstract Mice of the NZB and NZW strains and their F 1 hybrid produce antihapten plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses to T-dependent antigens (trinitrophenylated bovine gamma globulin and dansylated keyhole limpet hemocyanin) which are of unusually restricted heterogeneity of affinity, are relatively lacking in low-affinity PFC, and are of relatively high average affinity. Since some low-affinity PFC are present in NZB mice early after immunization, the results suggest a particularly marked down-regulation of low-affinity antibody production by these strains. The non-autoimmune-prone F 1 hybrid (NZB × CBA) produces a typical heterogeneous response containing a high proportion of low-affinity PFC. Thus, the tendency to down-regulate low-affinity PFC is not inherited as a simple Mendelian dominant trait. The response of NZB mice to T-independent antigens does not show the same restricted heterogeneity of affinity. In fact, late after injections of trinitrophenylated Ficoll, NZB mice tend to have more heterogeneous responses than nonautoimmune-prone BALB/c mice in which a marked down-regulation of high-affinity antibody-producing PFC is seen. The possible relationship between these unusual features of the immune response of NZB and some related strains and their tendency to develop autoimmune disease is discussed.
Biochemical correlates of respiratory deficiency: VII. Glucose repression

Abstract Repression of respiratory activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by glucose has been studied. Experiments were designed so that repression was maximal within 4 hours after their start and substantially relieved within an additional 2 hours. Various parameters were studied as a function of this repression/de-repression cycle. These included alterations in a variety of respiratory enzymes; in their distribution in several particulate as well as the soluble fractions; in the number and morphology of mitochondria and other membranous elements; in mitochondrial cytochromes; in their ability to be subjected to respiratory control; and the ability of various fractions to incorporate radioactive amino acids into protein in a pulse-chase experiment. Based on these experiments a model is presented which postulates that, during repression there takes place, at least in part, a disassembly of functional mitochondria to nonfunctional, probably particulate, entities and that new functional mitochondria arise from them during de-repression.
Assessing fire risk in the wildland-urban interface

Identifying areas of the wildland-urban interface (WUI) that are prone to severe wildfire is an important step in prioritizing fire prevention and preparedness projects. Our objective is to determine at a regional scale the relative risk of severe wildfire in WUI areas and the numbers of people and houses in high-risk areas. For a study area in northern lower Michigan, we first develop a spatial database of WUI areas (both intermix and interface) using housing data from the 2000 US Census and 1994 vegetation data from the Gap Analysis Project of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Then, we develop a spatial database of historic (pre-1900) fire regimes and current (1994) fuels to identify areas with high risk of stand-replacing fires. High-risk areas historically supported jack pine (P. banksiana Lamb.) and mixed pine forests with stand-replacing fire rotations less than 100 years and currently support upland conifer and hardwood forests. Analysis of the databases shows that 26% of the study area is WUI. About 25% of the WUI has relatively high fire risk. Over 88% of the WUI with high fire risk has low housing density (
Lung lobar slippage assessed with the aid of image registration

We present a registration algorithm that can handle the discontinuity of deformation with an ultimate goal to investigate how pulmonary lobes deform to accommodate chest wall shape changes. We first show that discontinuities can exist in both normal and tangent directions. Such discontinuities are accounted for by a spatially varying diffusive regularization which restricts smoothing inside objects. Meanwhile, a distance term is combined with the sum of squared intensity differences (SSD) to explicitly match corresponding interfaces and intensity patterns. The capability of this new method is demonstrated using two-dimensional (2-D) synthetic examples with complete or incomplete "fissures" and threedimensional (3-D) computed tomography (CT) lung datasets.
Age-associated changes to pathogen-associated molecular pattern-induced inflammatory mediator production in dogs.

Objective – To determine whether older dogs will have a more pronounced pro-inflammatory response and blunted anti-inflammatory response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) compared with younger dogs. Design – Prospective. Setting – University teaching hospital. Animals – Thirty-eight privately owned sexually altered dogs of various ages. Interventions – Blood was collected for HCT, WBC count, plasma biochemical analysis, and whole blood culture. Whole blood was stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or, lipoteichoic acid or, peptidoglycan or, addition of phosphate-buffered saline. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 production from whole blood were compared among young, middle aged, and geriatric dogs. Measurements and Main Results – LPS, lipoteichoic acid, and peptidoglycan stimulated significant TNF, IL-6, and IL-10 production from canine whole blood compared with phosphate-buffered saline. Whole blood from geriatric dogs had a blunted IL-10 response to LPS stimulation and middle-aged dogs had increased LPS-induced TNF production compared with the other groups. Conclusion – PAMPs from gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria stimulate TNF, IL-6, and IL-10 production from canine whole blood. The inflammatory mediator response to PAMPs from gram-negative bacteria alters with age and may be one factor contributing to mortality in geriatric dogs with sepsis.