cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elevation of sulfatides in ovarian cancer: An integrated transcriptomic and lipidomic analysis including tissue-imaging mass spectrometry

Sulfatides (ST) are a category of sulfated galactosylceramides (GalCer) that are elevated in many types of cancer including, possibly, ovarian cancer. Previous evidence for elevation of ST in ovarian cancer was based on a colorimetric reagent that does not provide structural details and can also react with other lipids. Therefore, this study utilized mass spectrometry for a structure-specific and quantitative analysis of the types, amounts, and tissue localization of ST in ovarian cancer, and combined these findings with analysis of mRNAs for the relevant enzymes of ST metabolism to explore possible mechanisms. Analysis of 12 ovarian tissues graded as histologically normal or having epithelial ovarian tumors by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC ESI-MS/MS) established that most tumor-bearing tissues have higher amounts of ST. Because ovarian cancer tissues are comprised of many different cell types, histological tissue slices were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-tissue-imaging MS (MALDI-TIMS). The regions where ST were detected by MALDI-TIMS overlapped with the ovarian epithelial carcinoma as identified by H & E staining and histological scoring. Furthermore, the structures for the most prevalent species observed via MALDI-TIMS (d18:1/C16:0-, d18:1/C24:1- and d18:1/C24:0-ST) were confirmed by MALDI-TIMS/MS, whereas, a neighboring ion(m/z 885.6) that was not tumor specific was identified as a phosphatidylinositol. Microarray analysis of mRNAs collected using laser capture microdissection revealed that expression of GalCer synthase and Gal3ST1 (3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate:GalCer sulfotransferase) were approximately 11- and 3.5-fold higher, respectively, in the ovarian epithelial carcinoma cells versus normal ovarian stromal tissue, and they were 5- and 2.3-fold higher in comparison with normal surface ovarian epithelial cells, which is a likely explanation for the higher ST. This study combined transcriptomic and lipidomic approaches to establish that sulfatides are elevated in ovarian cancer and should be evaluated further as factors that might be important in ovarian cancer biology and, possibly, as biomarkers.
Emerging Trends in Culture and Concepts

The relation between culture and concepts has long been a fascinating topic for layperson and scientist alike. But often this topic has generated more heat than light—strong claims have been paired with weak evidence, and anecdotes have been more common than empirical data. More recently, however, interdisciplinary research programs have begun to demonstrate that interest in the relation between culture and concepts is not misplaced. In this essay, we review prior, emerging, and potential future trends in culture and concepts research. Changing conceptions of culture are in turn affecting how culture is studied as well as our understanding of concepts. First, we discuss current challenges in cultural research stemming from the fact that cognitive science studies have largely been done by Western researchers attempting to extend observations with Western college students to the world at large. Next, we highlight cultural research on semantic spaces, agency, and causality and note intriguing parallels in their development. These bodies of work refine previous views of concepts as stable units of thought by focusing on how concepts acquire (shifting sets of) meanings within contextual and epistemological systems. Keywords: concepts; culture; cultural epistemologies; semantic spaces; agency; causality
Four-dimensional matrix transformation and the double Gibbs' phenomenon

In 1976 Fridy presented a series of theorems that chacterize when matrices preserve the Gibbs' phenomenon. In this paper we present a multidimensional extension of the results of Fridy. In particular, we prove necessary and sucient conditions for a positive RH-matrix to preserve the double Gibbs' phenomenon for positive double sequences. Other related results are also established. AMS subject classications : Primary 40A99; Secondary 40A05
On the numerical evaluation of option prices in the variance gamma model

Because the pricing equations in Levy models contain integrals, it is difficult to develop rapid numerical methods for solving them. Although the integrals are not periodic, the standard evaluation methods use the FFT, and therefore require large computational regions to ensure accuracy. In earlier work, we developed efficient methods for pricing options in the Merton and Kou double exponential models. The methods rely on the fact that in those models the density functions satisfy ordinary or partial differential equations, so differential methods can be used to evaluate the integrals. In this paper, we present effective numerical methods for pricing options in another Levy model, the Variance Gamma model.
Hidden Markov models for settings with interval-censored transition times and uncertain time origin: application to HIV genetic analyses

SUMMARY The simplicity and flexibility of Markov models make them appealing for investigations of the acquisition of HIV drug-resistance mutations, whose presence can define specific Markov states. Because the exact time of acquiring a mutation is not observed during clinical research studies on HIV infection, it is important that methods for fitting such models accommodate interval-censored transition times. Furthermore, many such studies include patients with extensive treatment experience prior to the onset of the studies. Therefore, the virus in these patients may have already acquired resistance mutations by study entry. Retrospective data regarding the time on treatment, which is often known or known with error, provide information about the acquisition rates before the start of a study. Finally, variability in the genetic sequences of circulating HIV creates uncertainty in the Markov states. This paper considers approaches to fitting Markov models to data with interval-censored transition times when the time origin and the Markov states are known with error. The methods were applied to AIDS Clinical Trial Group protocol 398, a randomized comparison of mono- versus dual-protease inhibitor use in heavily pretreated patients. We found that the estimated rates of acquiring certain classes of mutations depended on the presence of others, and that the precision of these estimates can be considerably improved by inclusion of retrospective data.
Palliative care: an essential aspect of quality cancer care

Advances in palliative care The past 2 decades in the United States have witnessed major developments in palliative care. It is timely that this issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics is devoted to the role of surgery in the care of patients with advanced disease. Despite major advances in the early detection and treatment of cancer, more than 550,000 people in the United States die each year from cancer [1]. For most of these patients, the last months of life are focused on attempts to achieve comfort rather than on treatment aimed at cure of disease. Combined with the continued mortality of cancer is the ever-looming reality of the aging of the population. By 2030, there will be approximately 70 million older persons (over the age of 65), more than double the number in 1997 [2]. International studies, governmental agencies, professional societies, and consumer reports have documented that the health care system is ill prepared to provide adequate palliative care to an aging population or to the significant numbers of individuals who will face a diagnosis of cancer during their life time. Despite the heightened awareness of the need for improved palliative care, even the most recent reports suggest that there is great disparity between the way people spend the final months of their life and the way they would prefer to live. Organizations such as the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization have conducted public opinion surveys reporting that the two greatest fears associated with death are being a burden to their family and dying in pain [3]. Many individuals have come to fear the prospect of prolonged illness characterized by overtreatment in the use of life-sustaining technology and invasive, debilitating treatment. Patients and their families have reported their fear that when ‘‘nothing more can be done,’’ their health
Tools to Promote Shared Decision Making in Serious Illness: A Systematic Review.

Importance Serious illness impairs function and threatens survival. Patients facing serious illness value shared decision making, yet few decision aids address the needs of this population. Objective To perform a systematic review of evidence about decision aids and other exportable tools that promote shared decision making in serious illness, thereby (1) identifying tools relevant to the treatment decisions of seriously ill patients and their caregivers, (2) evaluating the quality of evidence for these tools, and (3) summarizing their effect on outcomes and accessibility for clinicians. Evidence Review We searched PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychInfo from January 1, 1995, through October 31, 2014, and identified additional studies from reference lists and other systematic reviews. Clinical trials with random or nonrandom controls were included if they tested print, video, or web-based tools for advance care planning (ACP) or decision aids for serious illness. We extracted data on the study population, design, results, and risk for bias using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Each tool was evaluated for its effect on patient outcomes and accessibility. Findings Seventeen randomized clinical trials tested decision tools in serious illness. Nearly all the trials were of moderate or high quality and showed that decision tools improve patient knowledge and awareness of treatment choices. The available tools address ACP, palliative care and goals of care communication, feeding options in dementia, lung transplant in cystic fibrosis, and truth telling in terminal cancer. Five randomized clinical trials provided further evidence that decision tools improve ACP documentation, clinical decisions, and treatment received. Conclusions and Relevance Clinicians can access and use evidence-based tools to engage seriously ill patients in shared decision making. This field of research is in an early stage; future research is needed to develop novel decision aids for other serious diagnoses and key decisions. Health care delivery organizations should prioritize the use of currently available tools that are evidence based and effective.
Book Reviews as Comic Opera: Reply to Bourguignon

comprehensive intellectual history of Western civilization. My stated goals were to explore how certain cultural, epistemic assumptions of reality shape the uses of the dream phenomenon. Whereas Professor Bourguignon expresses discomfort at the span of time condensed in 120 pages of text, other reviewers have praised it for its succinct summary of epistemological milestones of Western thought. Dream and Culture is not a book about the
System-level modeling in the ADEPT environment of a distributed computer system for real-time applications

The design of complex systems in safety-critical applications requires an integrated design and assessment environment. The paper presents the ADEPT environment for designing dependable systems from concept to implementation. An application of ADEPT to modeling a distributed computer system used in real-time embedded train control applications is described. Results from a performance analysis of the distributed computer system model are illustrated. Dependability results are also presented for a second example application. >
A new binary mask based on noise constraints for improved speech intelligibility.

It has been shown that large gains in speech intelligibility can be obtained by using the binary mask approach which retains the time-frequency (T-F) units of the mixture signal that are stronger than the interfering noise (masker) (i.e., SNR>0 dB), and removes the T-F units where the interfering noise dominates. In this paper, we introduce a new binary mask for improving speech intelligibility based on noise distortion constraints. A binary mask is designed to retain noise overestimated T-F units while discarding noise underestimated T-F units. Listening tests were conducted to evaluate the new binary mask in terms of intelligibility. Results from the listening tests indicated that large gains in intelligibility can be achieved by the application of the proposed binary mask to noise-corrupted speech even at extremely low SNR levels (-10 dB). Index Terms: speech intelligibility, noise estimation, speech enhancement
Buried clay pot irrigation: a little known but very efficient traditional method of irrigation

Abstract The buried clay pot or pitcher method is one of the most efficient traditional systems of irrigation known and is well suited for small farmers in many areas of the world. Buried clay pot irrigation uses buried, unglazed, porous clay pots filled with water to provide controlled irrigation to plants. The water seeps out through the clay wall of the buried clay pot at a rate that is influenced by the plant’s water use. This leads to very high efficiency, even better than drip irrigation, and as much as 10 times better than conventional surface irrigation. This method is also very effective in saline soil or when saline irrigation water must be used. It has proved useful for land restoration in very arid environments.
Molecular genetics and genomic analysis of scytonemin biosynthesis in Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133

The indole-alkaloid scytonemin is the most common and widespread sunscreen among cyanobacteria. Previous research has focused on its nature, distribution, ecology, physiology, and biochemistry, but its molecular genetics have not been explored. In this study, a scytonemin-deficient mutant of the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 was obtained by random transposon insertion into open reading frame NpR1273. The absence of scytonemin under conditions of induction by UV irradiation was the single phenotypic difference detected in a comparative analysis of the wild type and the mutant. A cause-effect relationship between the phenotype and the mutation in NpR1273 was demonstrated by constructing a second scytoneminless mutant through directed mutagenesis of that gene. The genomic region flanking the mutation revealed an 18-gene cluster (NpR1276 to NpR1259). Four putative genes in the cluster, NpR1274 to NpR1271, with no previously known functions, are likely to be involved in the assembly of scytonemin. Also in this cluster, there is a redundant set of genes coding for shikimic acid and aromatic amino acid biosynthesis enzymes, leading to the production of tryptophan and tyrosine, which are likely to be biosynthetic precursors of the sunscreen.
Experimental Construction of Very Large Scale DNA Databases with Associative Search Capability

We describe on-going experiments for executing associative search queries within synthesized DNA databases. Queries are executed by hybridization of a target database strand with a complementary query strand probe. In our initial annealing experiments for processing associative search queries, we employed fluorescently labeled query strands and performed separation of fluorescent versus non-fluorescent beads using Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS or flow cytometry). We also tested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as an output method, and developed a PCR technique for search in the pair-wise constructed library that exploits the particular properties of words in that library. We have also implemented computer software that provides a simulation (viewable on the internet) of the experimental search procedures, as well as a simulation of input/output from conventional 2D images.
Nonlocal Convective PBL Model Based on New Third- and Fourth-Order Moments

The standard approach to studying the planetary boundary layer (PBL) via turbulence models begins with the first-moment equations for temperature, moisture, and mean velocity. These equations entail second-order moments that are solutions of dynamic equations, which in turn entail third-order moments, and so on. How and where to terminate (close) the moments equations has not been a generally agreed upon procedure and a variety of models differ precisely in the way they terminate the sequence. This can be viewed as a bottom-up approach. In this paper, a top-down procedure is suggested, worked out, and justified, in which a new closure model is proposed for the fourth-order moments (FOMs). The key reason for this consideration is the availability of new aircraft data that provide for the first time the z profile of several FOMs. The new FOM expressions have nonzero cumulants that the model relates to the z integrals of the third-order moments (TOMs), giving rise to a nonlocal model for the FOMs. The new FOM model is based on an analysis of the TOM equations with the aid of large-eddy simulation (LES) data, and is verified by comparison with the aircraft data. Use of the new FOMs in the equations for the TOMs yields a new TOM model, in which the TOMs are damped more realistically than in previous models. Surprisingly, the new FOMs with nonzero cumulants simplify, rather than complicate, the TOM model as compared with the quasi-normal (QN) approximation, since the resulting analytic expressions for the TOMs are considerably simpler than those of previous models and are free of algebraic singularities. The new TOMs are employed in a second-order moment (SOM) model, a numerical simulation of a convective PBL is run, and the resulting mean potential temperature T, the SOMs, and the TOMs are compared with several LES data. As a final consistency check, T, SOMs, and TOMs are substituted from the PBL run back into the FOMs, which are again compared with the aircraft data.
Hyperspectral microarray scanning: impact on the accuracy and reliability of gene expression data

Commercial microarray scanners and software cannot distinguish between spectrally overlapping emission sources, and hence cannot accurately identify or correct for emissions not originating from the labeled cDNA. We employed our hyperspectral microarray scanner coupled with multivariate data analysis algorithms that independently identify and quantitate emissions from all sources to investigate three artifacts that reduce the accuracy and reliability of microarray data: skew toward the green channel, dye separation, and variable background emissions. Here we demonstrate that several common microarray artifacts resulted from the presence of emission sources other than the labeled cDNA that can dramatically alter the accuracy and reliability of the array data. The microarrays utilized in this study were representative of a wide cross-section of the microarrays currently employed in genomic research. These findings reinforce the need for careful attention to detail to recognize and subsequently eliminate or quantify the presence of extraneous emissions in microarray images. Hyperspectral scanning together with multivariate analysis offers a unique and detailed understanding of the sources of microarray emissions after hybridization. This opportunity to simultaneously identify and quantitate contaminant and background emissions in microarrays markedly improves the reliability and accuracy of the data and permits a level of quality control of microarray emissions previously unachievable. Using these tools, we can not only quantify the extent and contribution of extraneous emission sources to the signal, but also determine the consequences of failing to account for them and gain the insight necessary to adjust preparation protocols to prevent such problems from occurring.
Mechanisms of GnRH Action: Interactions Between GnRH-Stimulated Calcium-Phospholipid Pathways Mediating Gonadotropin Secretion

Hypothalamic regulation of gonadotropin secretion is exerted through receptor-mediated actions of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on pituitary gonadotropes. In rat pituitary cells, the GnRH receptor consists of two binding components of molecular weight 53,000 and 42,000 as revealed by photoaffinity labelling techniques (Iwashita and Catt, 1985). As with all peptide hormones, GnRH-receptor binding leads to activation of intracellular “second messenger” systems that culminate in the release of gonadotropins. The regulation of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion by GnRH has been extensively studied in cultured rat anterior pituitary cells and in gonadotrope-enriched fractions prepared by centrifugal elutriation for the identification of specific effects of GnRH on the activation of second messenger systems. Although both cAMP and cGMP levels are increased in pituitary cell cultures following GnRH stimulation (for review see Conn et al., 1981), cAMP (Sen and Menon, 1979) and cGMP (Naor and Catt, 1980) do not appear to mediate acute LH responses to the releasing peptide. GnRH stimulation of LH release is a Ca2+ -dependent process (Conn et al., 1981; Conn, 1986). Arachidonic acid (AA) and its lipoxygenase products, as well as the activation of protein kinase C, a Ca2+ - and phospholipid-dependent enzyme, have been implicated as mediators of GnRH-induced LH secretion (for reviews see Catt et al., 1984, 1985). More recently, GnRH-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphoinositides has also been shown to participate in the mechanism of GnRH action (Catt et al., 1984, 1985; Schrey, 1985). In this article, results from recent investigations into the mechanisms of action of GnRH, as well as evidence suggesting that the LH response to GnRH requires the coordination of several intracellular messenger systems, will be presented and discussed.
Low seasonality in central equatorial Pangea during a late Carboniferous highstand based on high-resolution isotopic records of brachiopod shells

The relationship between Permian–Carboniferous glacial cycles and low-latitude climate remains a subject of vigorous debate. This study investigated seasonality and regional environmental variability in a portion of central equatorial Pangea during a late Pennsylvanian highstand using stable isotope and trace-element analyses of brachiopod shells from the Virgilian Ames Member of the Conemaugh Group in the Appalachian Basin, U.S.A. Well-preserved, thick-shelled Neospirifer dunbari specimens were serially sampled across growth bands to elucidate a record of seasonal variability during the life of the organisms. Because Neospirifer only colonized this marginal basin during near-maximum highstands, when stable, near-marine salinities were established, these data are a direct proxy for intra-annual climate fluctuations during interglacial times. Neospirifer specimens show remarkably little internal chemical variability, with δ 18 O generally fluctuating by 0.4‰ or less and δ 13 C fluctuating by less than 1.5‰ within a single specimen. Moreover, total δ 18 O variability between all specimens is only ~1.5‰. This lack of variation reflects a homogeneous, nonseasonal to weakly seasonal climate during the Ames highstand. Both δ 18 O and δ 13 C are ~1.5‰ lower than those of other Virgilian specimens from regions with a more proximal connection to the open ocean, suggesting at least moderate freshwater influence in the Appalachian Basin during this time, although salinities remained close enough to marine levels to maintain stenohaline fauna. Thus, brachiopod seasonal records indicate normal moist tropical conditions during this penultimate Carboniferous interglacial, with no evidence for strong monsoonal variations in temperature or rainfall.
Radioimmunoassays for Cyclic AMP and Cyclic GMP Determinations

Radioimmunoassays (RIA) utilize antigen-antibody reactions. A standard amount of antibody is mixed with a standard amount of radio-labeled antigen, and the amount of antigen-antibody complex formed will be measured quantitatively. If to the above two components of the reaction a sample is added which contains unlabeled antigen, it will compete for the reactive site of the antibody with the labeled antigen. As a result of this competition between labeled and unlabeled antigens, the amount of the labeled antigen-antibody complex will be reduced. There is a direct relationship between the amount of the unlabeled antigen in the unknown sample and the reduction in the amount of labeled antigen-antibody complexes. This is the basic principle which has been used by Yalow and Berson to determine plasma insulin concentrations in patients (1960)
Fields with the Simple Binomial Theorem

(1989). Fields with the Simple Binomial Theorem. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 62, No. 1, pp. 52-57.
Quaternary Ammonium Ionic Liquid Electrolyte for a Silicon Nanowire-Based Lithium Ion Battery

The performance of a silicon nanowire battery anode was investigated in electrolytes consisting of butyl-trimethyl ammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (QATFSI) and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). The lithiation capacity of silicon nanowires in 1 M LiTFSI/QATFSI was low due to the lack of a stable solid–electrolyte interface (SEI) layer. The addition of 10 wt % propylene carbonate to the ionic liquid electrolyte promoted the formation of a stable SEI layer and resulted in substantially higher lithiation capacity. Galvanostatic cycling at a rate of C/20 for silicon half-cells and Si/LiCoO2 full cells showed good performance with a discharge capacity of ∼2000 mAh/g and Coulombic efficiency of 97% after 50 cycles. The effect of electrolyte additives, including ethylene carbonate and vinylene carbonate, was investigated by chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Results are discussed in terms of the SEI layer and its influence on battery capacity as well as c...
The Use Of Pectin in Fermentation Tests

In the course of a study on the fermentation reactions of some anaerobic, butyric acid-forming bacteria, the fermentability of pectin was given special attention. It was of interest because of a recent paper by Weyer and Rettger 1 in which pectin is listed as fermented by the butyl organism, Cl. acetobutylicum, Weizmann. Furthermore, the anaerobic bacteria of retting described by Winogradsky,2 St6rmer,3 Beijerinck and Van Delden,4 and more recently by Carbone 5 are undoubtedly members of the great anaerobic, butyric acid-forming group. One might then expect to find some pectin-fermenting cultures in a collection of 45 butyl and butyric anaerobes, although in 1904 Beijerinck and Van Delden clearly stated that most of their Granulobacter cultures "did not attack pectin at all." There are few citations in the literature on the fermentation of pure pectin. Beijerinck and Van Delden report only Granulobacter pectinovorum and Granulobacter urocephalum able to attack it. Donker 6 in 1926 found only one culture (his strain 6) in 4 isolations of Beijerinck's retting organism, which fermented pectin in the laboratory.
Deep Sequencing of the HIV-1 env Gene Reveals Discrete X4 Lineages and Linkage Disequilibrium between X4 and R5 Viruses in the V1/V2 and V3 Variable Regions.

UNLABELLED HIV-1 requires the CD4 receptor and a coreceptor (CCR5 [R5 phenotype] or CXCR4 [X4 phenotype]) to enter cells. Coreceptor tropism can be assessed by either phenotypic or genotypic analysis, the latter using bioinformatics algorithms to predict tropism based on the env V3 sequence. We used the Primer ID sequencing strategy with the MiSeq sequencing platform to reveal the structure of viral populations in the V1/V2 and C2/V3 regions of the HIV-1 env gene in 30 late-stage and 6 early-stage subjects. We also used endpoint dilution PCR followed by cloning of env genes to create pseudotyped virus to explore the link between genotypic predictions and phenotypic assessment of coreceptor usage. We found out that the most stringently sequence-based calls of X4 variants (Geno2Pheno false-positive rate [FPR] of ≤2%) formed distinct lineages within the viral population, and these were detected in 24 of 30 late-stage samples (80%), which was significantly higher than what has been seen previously by using other approaches. Non-X4 lineages were not skewed toward lower FPR scores in X4-containing populations. Phenotypic assays showed that variants with an intermediate FPR (2 to 20%) could be either X4/dual-tropic or R5 variants, although the X4 variants made up only about 25% of the lineages with an FPR of <10%, and these variants carried a distinctive sequence change. Phylogenetic analysis of both the V1/V2 and C2/V3 regions showed evidence of recombination within but very little recombination between the X4 and R5 lineages, suggesting that these populations are genetically isolated. IMPORTANCE Primer ID sequencing provides a novel approach to study genetic structures of viral populations. X4 variants may be more prevalent than previously reported when assessed by using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and with a greater depth of sampling than single-genome amplification (SGA). Phylogenetic analysis to identify lineages of sequences with intermediate FPR values may provide additional information for accurately predicting X4 variants by using V3 sequences. Limited recombination occurs between X4 and R5 lineages, suggesting that X4 and R5 variants are genetically isolated and may be replicating in different cell types or that X4/R5 recombinants have reduced fitness.
Identification and characterization of a novel role for RNA helicase DP103: The key missing player and therapeutic target for NFkB-induced metastasis in human breast cancer

D the well-documented involvement of thromboxane A2 receptor (TPR) signaling in thrombotic diseases, there are currently no antagonists available for clinical use. To this end, previous work has defined the C-terminus of the second extracellular loop (C-EL2) of TPR as the ligand binding site. Since EL2 contains the ligand binding pocket, we hypothesized that an antibody (designated C-EL2Ab) that targets this domain exhibits biological activity. Our results demonstrated the C-EL2Ab blocked human (in vitro) and mouse (in vitro and ex vivo) platelet aggregation triggered by the TPR agonist U46619, dosedependently; whereas control experiments revealed that it did not produce any detectable effects on aggregation by ADP. Separate control experiments indicated that normal rabbit IgG and an antibody which targets a TPR domain separate from those involved in ligand recognition, failed to inhibit aggregation in response to TPR activation. Consistent with the notion that C-EL2Ab serves as a selective antagonist for TPRs, it was found to displace a radio-labeled TPR antagonist (i.e., [3H]SQ29,548) from its platelet TPR binding sites. Finally, it was found that intravenous tail injections of C-EL2Ab significantly prolonged the time for occlusion in a carotid artery thrombosis model, whereas it did not produce any detectable effects on tail bleeding time. Collectively, these results clearly demonstrate that C-EL2Ab exerts TPR-specific anti-platelet/antithrombotic activity, making it the first functionblocking antibody against these receptors. Moreover, the identification of a functionally active TPR sequence will significantly aid molecular modeling study predictions for organic derivatives which possess in vivo activity.
Confronting Eurocentrism, reductionism, and reification in International Historical Sociology: A reply

This article reiterates and further develops some of the core arguments of Capital, the State, and War in response to the criticisms articulated by John M. Hobson, Kees van Der Pijl, and William Mulligan. In so doing, it seeks to constructively engage with the potential problems of Eurocentrism, economic reductionism and reification of ‘the international’ raised by my interlocutors in relation to the theoretical and historical analysis of the book, while relatedly addressing the proper explanatory scope of the concept of capitalism in studying international relations. While endorsing the call to ‘recover’ the significance of non-Western agency in the making of modern world politics, the article re-affirms the need for a more historicist and genuinely international theoretical account of the Thirty Years’ Crisis of the two World Wars which places the violently destabilizing consequences of capitalism at the forefront of analysis as provided by the perspective of uneven and combined development.
Upgrades to Common Data Acquisition System Software Development for NASA's Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities and Software Reuse

Approximately five years ago, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Stennis Space Center (SSC) resumed operation of its large rocket engine test facilities after thirty years of contractor control. During this period, contactors used their own proprietary Data Acquisition System (DAS) to record and process rocket propulsion test data. The transition from a contractor managed facility to a NASA managed facility posed a difficult challenge. In order to support the commercial space launch initiative, SSC needed to develop a software replacement for the contractor proprietary DAS. This replacement software would enable SSC to operate propulsion test facilities more cost effectively and to be more readily able to adapt software for reuse, while at the same time provide internal and external customers with reliable population test data. Therefore, SSC developed in-house, a non-proprietary software suite of applications to replace the previously used proprietary DAS. The requirements for the DAS suite included recording and processing propulsion test data. This capability eliminates the necessity for customers to provide a DAS or rely on a competitor's DAS. An additional benefit of owning the software suite included enabling the ability to add additional features and functionality at a lower cost. The Rocket Propulsion Test (RPT) Program Office reviewed consideration for funding this project with the caveat that development of the software included availability for use with minimal modifications to all SSC test facilities and RPT centers: Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), and Glenn Research Center (GRC) Plum Brook Station. Based upon this guideline, SSC created the NASA Data Acquisition System (NDAS) software suite. The ability to use the software at multiple centers, even though each field center uses differing DAS hardware with different capabilities, drove a requirement that the software design be portable with minimal modifications to the software. Then, with software release requirements, evaluations, and approvals completed, the NDAS software suite could also become available to other government agencies, corporations, universities, and the general United States public.
An improved canopy wind model for predicting wind adjustment factors and wildland fire behavior

The ability to rapidly estimate wind speed beneath a forest canopy or near the ground surface in any vegetation is critical to practical wildland fire behavior models. The common metric of this wind speed is the “mid-flame” wind speed, UMF. However, the existing approach for estimating UMF has some significant shortcomings. These include the assumptions that both the within-canopy wind speed and the canopy structure are uniform with depth (z) throughout the canopy and that the canopy roughness length (z0) and displacement height (d) are the same regardless of canopy structure and foliage density. The purpose of this study is to develop and assess a model of canopy wind and Reynolds stress that eliminates these shortcomings and thereby provide a more physically realistic method for calculating UMF. The present model can be used for canopies of arbitrary plant surface distribution and leaf area, and the single function that describes the within-canopy wind speed is shown to reproduce observed canopy wind sp...
Multicomponent transport of alcohols in an anion exchange membrane measured by in-situ ATR FTIR spectroscopy

Abstract Multicomponent transport through membranes is encountered in many applications, including photoelectrochemical CO 2 reduction devices that convert CO 2 into alcohols. We report the use of in-situ ATR FTIR spectroscopy to quantify the permeability of Selemion AMV, a commonly used anion exchange membrane, to mixtures of alcohols. An i n-situ ATR FTIR spectrophotometer probe inserted into a standard diffusion cell enabled straightforward measurement of membrane permeability in multicomponent transport experiments without the need to periodically remove aliquots from the diffusion cell. The solubilities of alcohols in Selemion AMV were measured using a standard sorption/desorption technique. The solution-diffusion model was used to calculate alcohol diffusivities in Selemion AMV from measured permeabilities and solubilities. The relative contributions of alcohol solubility and diffusivity to overall permeability are discussed, and changes in permeability, solubility, and diffusivity with changing composition in binary and ternary alcohol mixtures are described.
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Polypeptide and Synthetic Peptide Vaccines

The hepatitis B vaccine recently licensed for use in the United States has undergone several field trials in high-risk populations and has proven to be immunogenic, efficient and safe. The hepatitis vaccine is unique in that the hepatitis B virus (HBV), the ultimate source of the vaccine, cannot be grown in tissue culture. The immunizing antigen, purified from plasma of healthy human carriers of HBV, consists of noninfectious 22 nm particles of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), produced as excess viral surface protein and released in the bloodstream. Although the HBsAg particles are highly purified and inactivated, there is some concern that the vaccine may contain traces of host material or infective adventitious agents, which may trigger undesirable effects in the recipients. Ideally, a hepatitis B vaccine candidate should have the following properties: 1) be free of normal human serum protein contaminants, 2) be free of potential residual infectious HBV, 3) be free of other viruses and nucleic acid, 4) have a high degree of immunogenicity when administered in conjunction with an adjuvant suitable for use in humans, 5) be independent of human HBV carriers as a source of immunogenic material, 6) have a reproducible composition, 7) cost less than the present vaccine, and 8) be available in unlimited supplies.
Emergency Department Adult Fiberoptic Intubations: Incidence, Indications, and Implications for Training.

OBJECTIVE The objective was to describe the frequency, indications, and outcomes of flexible fiberoptic intubations (FFI) performed in the emergency department (ED). METHODS From the National Emergency Airway Registry (NEAR), we identified all encounters from July 1, 2002, through December 31, 2012, with the use of FFI. We determined patient, provider, and intubation characteristics; success and failure rates; and modes of intubation rescue. RESULTS Among 17,910 intubations of patients > 15 years old at 13 EDs, FFI was used in 204 cases (1.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.26%-2.0%). FFI was the first method chosen (primary FFI) in 180 encounters (1%, 95% CI = 0.2%-1.8%). The most common indication for FFI was airway obstruction (36.1%, 95% CI = 24.6%-47.7%). For primary FFI, first-attempt intubation success was 51.1% (95% CI = 43.6%-58.6%), and overall intubation success with FFI was 74.3% (95% CI = 65.7%-82.9%). FFI was used as a rescue airway strategy in 24 cases (0.1% of all encounters) and was successful in 17 of those (70.8%, 95% CI = 65.4%-85.2%). CONCLUSIONS Emergency department FFI is uncommon and typically used as a nonsurgical alternative for airway obstruction. First-attempt ED FFI is successful in half of cases and in two-thirds of rescue attempts. These data provide an important baseline to help better characterize the nature of FFI as a rare critical procedure in the ED and offer an empiric basis for ongoing discussions on the optimal role of FFI in ED training and practice.
Interspecies Scaling in Blast Pulmonary Trauma

The increased frequency of blast exposure from improvised explosive devices in military settings and terrorist bombings in civilian settings has led to extensive investigation of blast trauma. Thousands of tests have been conducted in animal models of blast trauma across a large range of body size. Experimental results are often compared without consideration of interspecies scaling. A dataset of published fatality data from 4193 tests using 5 different large and small blast trauma model species was compiled to assess interspecies scaling and pulmonary fatality risk. Simultaneously, an overpressure duration interspecies scaling based on allometric principles was optimized to create a common fatality risk model scaled for species. A two-variable nonlinear logistic regression model was used to describe fatality risk. Minimization of the loglikelihood was used to optimize the fit. A large portion of existing blast trauma data was excluded due to incomplete reporting of methodology or blast dosage. The most common species used was mice with 1828 tests followed by sheep with 1309. A nonlinear regression model with an optimized duration interspecies scaling model was used to fit the experimental data from all species. Long duration peak pressure tolerance for small and large animals was found to be approximately 90 and 145 kPa, respectively. Using a body mass ratio scaling model for overpressure duration, the duration interspecies scaling exponent was found to be α = 0.351. This study shows the importance and strong effect of interspecies scaling for blast research, especially when extrapolating the human equivalent dose from the small species commonly used.
Effects of starvation for 4-20 days on the amino acid content of Biomphalaria glabrata as determined by cellulose HPTLC-densitometry with confirmation of identity using silica gel and RP-18 W plates with two mobile phases causing inversion of the separation mechanism

The effects of starvation at 4, 7, 10, 14, and 20 days on the amino acid content of Biomphalaria glabrata was determined by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)-densitometry. Cultures...
APPROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF REACTOR START-UP INCIDENTS

AbstractA simplified method is presented for the approximate analysis of reactor start-up incidents. In particular, formulas are given for the inverse reactor period at the time when the power reaches the trip level. General results are derived for the total energy generation in the absence of a scram assuming that the reduction in reactivity is a linear function of the total energy which has been generated.
What Is DICOM

You can walk with this question into most modern, digital, state-of-the-art hospitals and spend hours looking for someone who could answer it correctly. We all get used to buzz words and acronyms, and rarely think about their meanings. Unfortunately, nothing distances you more from success than not knowing what you are dealing with!
The Culture of Fire: An Introduction to Anthropogenic Fire History

The capture of fire by the genus Homo changed forever the natural history of the Earth. The manipulation of fire, a species monopoly, defined humanity’s ecological niche. Even today fire appears at the core of many popular scenarios for environmental apocalypse. Yet the larger history of fire—the varied ways human societies have sought to use and control fire, the trajectory of change over centuries if no millennia—is not well known.
A full-ocean-depth rated modular lander and pressure-retaining sampler capable of collecting hadal-endemic microbes under in situ conditions

Abstract The hadal zone remains one of the least studied environments because of its inaccessibility, in part because of hydrostatic pressures extending to 110 MPa. Few instruments are capable of sampling from such great depths. We have developed a full-ocean-depth-capable lander that can be fit with sampling packages for the collection of still images, video, motile megafauna, and hadal seawater. One payload includes a pressure-retaining sampler (PRS) able to maintain seawater samples under in situ pressure during recovery. We describe the technical specifications of the lander and the PRS and preliminary results from three deployments at depths in excess of 10,700 m in the Mariana Trench. Seawater from full-ocean depth was recovered at 81% of the in situ pressure. This facilitated the collection of microbial genomes affiliated with the family Flavobacteriaceae within the Bacteroidetes and the phylum Marinimicrobia. We show that these microbes are specifically enriched in hadal zones, representing novel trench lineages, and describe their adaptations for living in hadal environments. These findings highlight the utility of this lander system, which facilitates scientific inquiry at depths greater than 6000 m.
Memories of Steve Fienberg

In 2015, Steve and I traveled together to Ithaca from Pittsburgh for a workshop on differential privacy (DP). This is one of my fondest memories with Steve for many reasons. The trip involved many of my favorite things, which Steve and I both shared --- statistics, hockey, great food, and good conversation. For me, this is one of my most memorable trips with Steve, as I learned so much from our conversations together.
The blurring lines between full-service network carriers and low-cost carriers: A financial perspective on business model convergence

Abstract Airlines rely on different business strategies in order to meet today's intensive competition and erratic market conditions. In the US, the low-cost carriers (LCC), posed a strong challenge to full-service network carriers (Legacy airlines) since their inception after the deregulation act of 1978. Encouraged by the success of the LCC, we have observed changes in the policies, practices, and strategies of legacy airlines. Similarly, some of the LCC such as Southwest Airlines adopted practices that are more expected from legacy airlines. In this research, we investigate the possibility of convergence of the LCC, especially Southwest Airlines, and the legacy airlines. We use econometric models to study the changes in the airlines' operation strategies for the last decade and provide a quantitative measure for convergence between the airlines. Our results support the hypothesis of convergence between the legacy airlines and Southwest Airlines. However, there is no evidence of strong convergence between the legacy airlines and other LCC.
Municipal-level determinants of suicide rates in South Korea: exploring the role of social capital and local government policies

This study investigates social and economic factors influencing suicide rates in 231 South Korean cities, counties, and districts from 2010 to 2015. The results of a panel data analysis indicate th...
Native Anthropology, to be a Native Scholar, or a Scholar that is Native: Reviving Ethnography in Indian Country

Louise Lamphere commented in 2004 that American Indians and other minority populations in the United States remained marginalized within anthropology.1 This article explores this situation as it pe...
Cultural policy archetypes: the bathwater and the baby

Cultural policy archetypes have been fundamental to comparative cultural policy study and continue to be influential in both everyday and scholarly characterizations of national cultural policy sys...