cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sphingomyelin encrypts tissue factor: ATP-induced activation of A-SMase leads to tissue factor decryption and microvesicle shedding

A majority of tissue factor (TF) on cell surfaces exists in an encrypted state with minimal to no procoagulant activity. At present, it is unclear whether limited availability of phosphatidylserine (PS) and/or a specific membrane lipid in the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane contributes to TF encryption. Sphingomyelin (SM) is a major phospholipid in the outer leaflet, and SM metabolism is shown to be altered in many disease settings that cause thrombotic disorders. The present study is carried out to investigate the effect of SM metabolism on TF activity and TF+ microvesicles (MVs) release. In vitro studies using TF reconstituted into liposomes containing varying molar ratios of SM showed that a high molar ratio of SM in the proteoliposomes inhibits TF coagulant activity. Treatment of macrophages with sphingomyelinase (SMase) that hydrolyzes SM in the outer leaflet results in increased TF activity at the cell surface and TF+ MVs release without increasing PS externalization. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stimulation of macrophages that activates TF and induces MV shedding also leads to translocation of acid-sphingomyelinase (A-SMase) to the plasma membrane. ATP stimulation increases the hydrolysis of SM in the outer leaflet. Inhibition of A-SMase expression or activity not only attenuates ATP-induced SM hydrolysis, but also inhibits ATP-induced TF decryption and TF+ MVs release. Overall, our novel findings show that SM plays a role in maintaining TF in an encrypted state in resting cells and hydrolysis of SM following cell injury removes the inhibitory effect of SM on TF activity, thus leading to TF decryption.
Distinguishing between membrane transport and intracellular metabolism of fluorodeoxyuridine in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells by application of kinetic and high performance liquid chromatographic techniques.

Bidirectional fluxes, net transport, and cellular metabolic profiles following incubation of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells for short intervals with [3H]fluorodeoxyuridine were examined to characterize the relationship between transport and metabolism of this nucleoside. This approach indicates that the uptake sequence of 3H is characterized by (i) a very rapid initial uptake phase that is linear with time, extrapolates through the point of origin, and represents the initial rate of fluorodeoxyuridine transport into the cell. This is followed by (ii) a fall in the net rate of 3H uptake due to the contribution of an efflux component for fluorodeoxyuridine and, to some extent, fluorouracil as the nucleoside and base accumulate within the cell. As these exit components increase, cellular fluorodeoxyuridine reaches a steady state within 15 s. (iii) At this point, net uptake of 3H has declined to a velocity which remains constant for at least the next 100 s and reflects almost entirely the rate of cellular accumulation and retention of fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate. Over this interval of observation and under these experimental conditions, only fluorodeoxyuridine, fluorouracil, and fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate are detected within the cell. Low concentrations of thymidine (10 pM) block the late linear uptake phase for 3H, but have only a small effect on the initial uptake velocity. The effect of thymidine on the late linear phase is due primarily to a marked inhibition of the metabolism of fluorodeoxyuridine to fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate rather than an inhibition of fluorodeoxyuridine transport. When cells are first loaded with high levels of nonlabeled fluorodeoxyuridine (10 mM) and then pulsed with [3H]fluorodeoxyuridine, there is a trans-stimulation of [3H]fluorodeoxyuridine influx and a transient increase in the steady state fluorodeoxyuridine level within the cell (countertransport), both characteristics of a carrier-mediated process. Efflux studies confirm that this enhanced uptake of [3H]fluorodeoxyuridine is related to a rapidly exchangeable component which appears to be free in the intracellular water. These observations (i) point to the critical role of experimental design and data analysis in the study of membrane transport properties of nucleosides or other compounds that are rapidly metabolized within cells, and (ii) demonstrate the evanescent nature of trans-
Surface passivation and contacts in CdZnTe X-rays and gamma-rays detectors

Surface passivation and contact deposition are important processes in the fabrication of cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) X-rays and gamma-rays detectors. Surface passivation is used to reduce the effects of fabrication-induced surface defects. It is also used to reduce defects that could result from aging of the detector. Another important factor in charge collection is the interface between the electrical contacts and the detector wafer. In this paper, we present the results of the effects of chemo-mechanically polishing CdZnTe wafers with a hydrogen bromide in hydrogen peroxide solution followed by passivation in a mixture of potassium hydroxide in hydrogen peroxide solution by monitoring their energy resolutions over a 4-day period. The results showed that the 59.5-keV gamma peak of Am-241 remains under the same channel over the 4 days.
Prediction of digestible and metabolizable energy of corn distillers dried grains with solubles for growing pigs using in vitro digestible nutrients

The objective of this study was to develop prediction equations (EQS) that estimate DE and ME content of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) using digestible (DIG) nutrients from in vitro or in vivo assays. Chemical composition data from 12 sources of corn DDGS were obtained using laboratory chemical analysis (LCA) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). In vitro DM disappearance (IVDMD) from gastric and small intestine hydrolysis (IVDMDh), large intestine fermentation (IVDMDf), and total tract digestion (IVDMDt) were also determined along with in vivo apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM, CP, ether extract (EE), NDF, and ADF, and energy values (GE, DE, and ME). Correlation analysis was used to compare chemical composition from LCA with NIRS, and a stepwise selection of variables was performed using linear regression to establish DE and ME prediction EQS. Composition determined by NIRS did not correlate with values from LCA. Consequently, significance and R2 were poorer when using NIRS data as inputs to predict DE (P = 0.11; R2 = 0.23) and ME (P = 0.11; R2 = 0.24). However, when using LCA data, DE (P = 0.04; R2 = 0.35) and ME (P = 0.04; R2 = 0.52) estimates of corn DDGS obtained from prediction EQS had significant P values, but low R2. Better prediction of DE (P < 0.01; R2 = 0.83) and ME (P < 0.01; R2 = 0.76) was observed when using in vivo DIG nutrients as inputs (DM basis) for DE, kcal/kg = 854.5 + (3.6 × DIG DM, g/kg) + (3.7 × DIG EE, g/kg) + (2.0 × DIG NDF, g/kg) and ME, kcal/kg = 704.5 + (3.3 × DIG DM, g/kg) + (4.8 × DIG EE, g/kg) + (2.6 × DIG NDF, g/kg). In vitro DIG DM, but not in vitro DIG NDF, was selected for use in EQS (7) DE, kcal/kg = 6,383.6 - (42.5 × in vitro DIG DM, g/kg) + (35.4 × DIG EE, g/kg) and (8) ME, kcal/kg = 6,635.1 - (49.8 × in vitro DIG DM, g/kg) + (41.3 × DIG EE, g/kg), but the significance and accuracy for both DE (P = 0.07; R2 = 0.45) and ME (P = 0.05; R2 = 0.49) predictions was less using in vitro DIG nutrient values than using in vivo DIG nutrient values. If chemical composition was used to replace in vivo EE, along with in vitro DIG NDF and DM, the prediction EQS only used the concentration of ADF and EE as predictors instead of in vitro DIG NDF and DM. In conclusion, in vivo DIG NDF, DM, and EE are the best predictors for DE and ME content of corn DDGS for swine. Using NIRS to determine chemical composition, in vitro DIG NDF, and in vitro DIG DM did not result in accurate predictions of DE and ME.
Site damage from mechanized thinning in southeast Alaska

Soil disturbance and damage to remaining trees were studied in a 0.724 acre, 45 year old second growth western hemlock/Sitka spruce stand on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, thinned with a Menzi-Muck walking backhoe equipped with hydraulic shears for use as a feller-buncher. The stand was thinned to b.a. 111 square ft/acre and 205 stems/acre. Almost half the roads, which occupied 30% of the total thinned area, received some soil disturbance, though the disturbance was largely within the organic horizon and mineral soil was exposed on only 1.8% of the roaded area. Slight and heavy soil compaction occurred on 23 and 2% of the roads, respectively. Based on the entire thinning unit, 85% of the site was undisturbed and only 0.5% had exposed mineral soil, while 7% was slightly compacted and 0.5% was heavily compacted. Approximately 90% of the remaining trees had some stem or root abrasion. Split or severed roots occurred on 10% of the trees. Only 5% of stem and root scars were greater than 1 square foot, and these were all superficial. 17 references.
Prospective serial sequencing of CTC/cfDNA and NK cell activity in patients undergoing multimodality treatment for triple negative breast cancer.

e24108Background: Patients with early stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) are treated with multimodality therapy (chemotherapy, surgery, radiation). Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and circulating tum...
Structural covariance across the lifespan: Brain development and aging through the lens of inter-network relationships

Recent studies have revealed that brain development is marked by morphological synchronization across brain regions. Regions with shared growth trajectories form structural covariance networks (SCNs) that not only map onto functionally identified cognitive systems, but also correlate with a range of cognitive abilities across the lifespan. Despite advances in within-network covariance examinations, few studies have examined lifetime patterns of structural relationships across known SCNs. In the current study, we used a big-data framework and a novel application of covariate-adjusted restricted cubic spline regression to identify volumetric network trajectories and covariance patterns across 13 networks (n = 5,019, ages = 7-90). Our findings revealed that typical development and aging are marked by significant shifts in the degree that networks preferentially coordinate with one another (i.e., modularity). Specifically, childhood showed higher modularity of networks compared to adolescence, reflecting a shift over development from segregation to desegregation of inter-network relationships. The shift from young to middle adulthood was marked by a significant decrease in inter-network modularity and organization, which continued into older adulthood, potentially reflecting changes in brain organizational efficiency with age. This study is the first to characterize brain development and aging in terms of inter-network structural covariance across the lifespan.
POSS-Containing Polyamide-Based Nanocomposites

Polyamide (PA) family of polymer is known as engineering plastics which are used in diverse industries such as synthetic fibers, automobiles, membranes. PA6 and PA66 are two major synthetic PAs that are widely used. Even though PAs possess several essential qualities, still some functional properties such as mechanical strength, rheological behavior, membrane permeability/permselectivity, flame retardancy need further improvement. Incorporation of POSS in PAs can improve those properties. In this chapter, we discussed POSS-containing PA nanocomposites. The influence of POSS on the structure and functional properties of PAs is discussed in particular.
Grain refinement mechanisms and strength-hardness correlation of ultra-fine grained grade 91 steel processed by equal channel angular extrusion

Abstract Ferritic/martensitic grade 91 steel (T91 or P91) is one of the candidate materials for primary and secondary loops in sodium cooled fast reactor. Recently, studies show that equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) and heat treatment can enhance the strength of T91 from 480 MPa to 1600 MPa. However, a detailed refinement mechanism is yet to be clarified. Furthermore, there is a need to correlate the hardness measurement to tensile test results in T91 steels for nuclear application. Here, we report the grain refinement mechanisms in T91 after extensive microstructural analysis. Packet (a group of martensite with the same habit plane) is identified as an elementary unit for grain refinement. The Vickers hardness correlates well with the ultimate tensile strength, with a fitting ratio of ∼3.24. However, the ratio of Vickers hardness to yield strength is a function of ductility in T91 steels.
Trauma, Trust in Government, and Social Connection: How Social Context Shapes Attitudes Related to the Use of Ideologically or Politically Motivated Violence

In this study we examine how grievances and social connection among Somali immigrants are associated with attitudes towards radicalization to violence. Data was drawn from structured interviews wit...
Neural manifolds: from basic science to practical improvements in brain-computer intefaces

Intracortical brain-computer interfaces hold the potential to improve the quality of life for patients living with motor control disorders. However, a critical barrier to the successful clinical translation of these devices is recording instability, which, if unmitigated, can quickly cause control to deteriorate. Recent findings have indicated that high-dimensional neural population activity resides in a low-dimensional “neural manifold”. Here I will introduce the concept of neural manifolds and briefly recap recent findings showing that neural manifolds constrain the types of brain-computer interface mappings that can be easily learned. Finally, I will show how these neural manifolds can be leveraged to mitigate the effects of neural recording instability, enabling stable control in the presence of even severe recording instabilities.
An Experimental Study of In-situ Foam Rheology: Effect of Stabilizing and Destabilizing Agents

Abstract Foams have been used in various applications, including food, consumer product, and oil and gas industries, and their unique rheological and flow behavior in porous media have been well studied while the link between the two remains unclear. We present a comprehensive investigation on foam morphology, rheology, and porous media flow using various stabilizing and destabilizing additives. We explored the effect of chemicals and foam generation methods on foam morphology and critical rheological parameters. We showed that the viscoelasticity of polymer affects foam morphology under shear, and its presence significantly suppresses the destructive effect of the oil. We also found a direct correlation between the shear and in-situ rheology of foam that allows predictions of apparent viscosity based on bulk rheological data.
A conservative viscous vorticity method for unsteady unidirectional and oscillatory flow past a circular cylinder

Abstract A conservative vorticity method for solving the 2-D incompressible unsteady viscous flow in the eulerian frame is proposed. The numerical method implements the vorticity-stream function formulation of the Navier–Stokes (N–S) equations, solved by the cell-centered Finite Volume Method (FVM). A convection limiter, coupling the first order upwind scheme and the Quadratic Upstream Interpolation for Convective Kinematics (QUICK) scheme, is introduced to maintain the accuracy and keep the monotonicity of vorticity interpolations. The vorticity induced stream functions are recovered by a closed-form expression, which also accurately predicts the far-field boundary conditions. The convective flux is evaluated by the difference of stream functions on the neighboring two nodes, which spontaneously eliminates the net mass flux out of a control cell. The conservative FVM and QUICK scheme and the definite evaluations of stream functions and convective flux guarantee the conservation of circulation and mass. The impulsively started flow past a circular cylinder at Reynolds numbers ranging from 100 to 9500 and the inline oscillatory flow around a circular cylinder at Reynolds numbers 100 and 200 are numerically simulated using this method. The current results under the inertial and non-inertial translational frame are well validated by comparisons with other numerical and experimental benchmark tests.
Reduction of Imatinib Concentration After Gastric Bypass Surgery

Abstract Abstract 4948 Imatinib mesylate is an orally bioavailable inhibitor of several protein tyrosine kinases, including BCR-ABL, which was approved for BCR-ABL–positive CML. This oral agent has approximately 98% oral bioavailability independent of a meal, and it is eliminated by biliary excretion and hepatically metabolized. Better clinical outcomes have been associated with higher steady state imatinib trough levels for both CML and GIST. Because imatinib is absorbed, excreted, and possibly recycled in the gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal disorders impairing absorption may hinder achieving therapeutically effective imatinib levels. We present the case of a woman with CML who underwent biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch for weight loss leading to a marked reduction in imatinib concentration, and as a consequence, inadequate suppression of her CML. This is a 54 year old obese African American woman who achieved complete hematological remission (CHR), and complete cytogenetics remission (CCyR) and good molecule response with a BCR-ABL/c-ABL ratio of 0.015 (1.5%) with close to therapeutic imatinib trough level at 965 ng/mL prior to gastric bypass surgery on imatinib 400mg daily. The patient underwent laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, concomitant cholecystectomy, and appendectomy. Her adjusted imatinib steady state trough level declined to 166ng/mL, 17% of the pre-surgery level and below the concentration required to suppress BCR-ABL activity leading to a 0.5 log increase in BCR-ABL/c-ABL ratio of 0.083 (8.3%). Escalation of imatinib to 400 mg BID led to imatinib trough level of 734 ng/mL and decrease of BCR-ABL/c-ABL ratio to 0.024 (2.4%), a value comparable to the ratio achieved while on imatinib 400mg daily prior to the gastric bypass surgery. Eventually, our patient lost almost 50kg (close to 45% of her original weight) within a year period. Interestingly, the imatinib level increased to 2124 ng/mL on imatinib 400mg twice a day after the substantial weight loss, supporting the correlation of imatinib level and actual body weight. Her PCR BCR-ABL/c-ABL from peripheral blood still revealed a ratio of 0.072 (7.2%) with high therapeutic imatinib level, and a secondary generation TKI, nilotinib, was initiated at 400mg twice a day. The detail of the clinical course was listed in table below. Download : Download high-res image (206KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Effects of Initial Curvature on Column Strength

Herein the two types of initial curvature: initial curvature on maximum strength of columns of rectangular cross section, and initial curvature on the maximum strength of a column, are examined for various shapes of column cross section.
A massively-parallel Navier-Stokes implementation

The results of implementing a 3-D production MacCormack explicit NavierStokes code with damping on a 1024-node NCUBE hypercube is presented. Among the issues and results presented are (1) grid partitioning, (2) performance analysis and comparison with CRAY vector processors, and (3) detailed timing model. The regularity of the uniform grids traditionally used in flow modeling has been responsible for the success of vector multiprocessors such as CRAYclass machines in solving fluid flow problems. Parallelization of serial codes on such shared-memory machines by multitasking is usually straightforward and achieves a high processor utilization for the common 4 to 8 processor configuration. Indeed, success on such architectures has inspired other investigators to study the distribution of data as well as computation on so-called massivelyparallel machines such as the hypercube. r . Although such implementations are typically far more difficult to code since no common memory exists the payoff for systematically organizing inter* Student, Aerospace Engineering * * Student, Elec. Engring. & Comp. Science + Professor, Elec. Engring. & Comp. Science Copyright O American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., 1989. All rights reserved. 125 processor data flow is the reduction of total data flow and the consequent conflicts over data paths. In contrast, access conflicts in sharedmemory multiprocessors are assumed to occur randomly and presently limit the number of processors to eight. Fortunately, the same distributed CFD algorithms can be the basis of many production codes and are applicable to several current MIMD commercial architectures, so that significant programming effort can be justified. This paper extends the distributed CFD results of Catherasoo and others to include a full Navier-Stokes (N-S) code with damping and, more importantly, shows the efficiency of distributed N-S algorithms up to 1024 nodes (processors) . 3 , Detailed timing analysis identifies sources of the modest parallelization overhead. 11. !i this was transformed to a rectangular uniform coordinate system. A simple grid generator was written which would develop grid x, y,z coordinates for a grid of specified size. The common characteristics among all grids used in timing cases was that grid points were evenly spaced at increments of .2 radially (outward from the cylinders surface) and .2 axially (along the length of the cylinder). See Figure 1 for two views of a typical grid. The same data set was used for all timing cases. The data set had the following characteristics: 1) Freestream Mach Number = 1.1 2) Freestream Reynolds Number = 10,000 3) Freestream Temperature = 461.7 R 4) Wall Temperature = 550.25 R 5) Characteristic Length = 1.0 (cylinder of radius 1.0) 6) Damping coefficients =3
Workload leveling based on work space zoning for takt planning

Abstract This paper focuses on a location-based method used in construction, namely the Work Density Method (WDM) for takt planning. The contribution to knowledge is presenting a problem formulation and a mathematical optimization algorithm to divide a work space into zones while leveling work densities across trades in a process. Given a work space and the number of zones in which to divide that space, the so-called WoLZo problem is to identify the shape and dimensions of each zone while minimizing the peak in the trades' workloads per zone. Increasing the number of zones tends to result in lowering the peak, but application of the WoLZo algorithm shows that this trend levels out due to the spatial distribution of work densities. Application to work density maps of different granularity sheds light on zoning work spaces and sharpens one's intuition on how many zones to select. These findings inform data collection pertaining to work density as needed when planning construction work on the basis of takt.
“Conflating Culture With COVID-19: Xenophobic Repercussions of a Global Pandemic”

Abstract This commentary aims to deconstruct xenophobia and its worldwide impact, particularly on people of Asian descent, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. The commentary begins with an overview of COVID-19’s impact on the United States economy and educational landscape, continues with a discussion about the global history of pandemic-prompted xenophobia and its relationship to sensationalized media discourse, and concludes with recommendations to reconsider various aspects of intercultural communication in relation to public health issues.
Partial Altruism is Worse than Complete Selfishness in Nonatomic Congestion Games.

We seek to understand the fundamental mathematics governing infrastructure-scale interactions between humans and machines, particularly when the machines' intended purpose is to influence and optimize the behavior of the humans. To that end, this paper investigates the worst-case congestion that can arise in nonatomic network congestion games when a fraction of the traffic is completely altruistic (e.g., benevolent self-driving cars) and the remainder is completely selfish (e.g., human commuters). We study the worst-case harm of altruism in such scenarios in terms of the perversity index, or the worst-case equilibrium congestion cost resulting from the presence of altruistic traffic, relative to the congestion cost which would result if all traffic were selfish. We derive a tight bound on the perversity index for the class of series-parallel network congestion games with convex latency functions, and show three facts: First, the harm of altruism is maximized when exactly half of the traffic is altruistic, but it gracefully vanishes when the fraction of altruistic traffic approaches either 0 or 1. Second, we show that the harm of altruism is linearly increasing in a natural measure of the "steepness" of network latency functions. Finally, we show that for any nontrivial fraction of altruistic traffic, the harm of altruism exceeds the price of anarchy associated with all-selfish traffic: in a sense, partial altruism is worse than complete selfishness.
Sensitive immunoassay testing platforms

Abstract Brain-derived proteins are present in the peripheral blood circulation in exceptionally low concentrations. This is primarily due to the physical hindrance of the blood–brain barrier and the dilutional effect of the peripheral blood volume. Measuring these proteins in the blood as potential biomarkers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) requires ultrasensitive methods. This chapter discusses the measurement principles, performance, and applications in TBI biomarker research of two immunoassay platforms that have the highest sensitivity: digital enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using single-molecule array (Simoa) technology developed by Quanterix and single-molecule counting developed by Singulex. Both technologies have already been integrated in fully automated analyzers destined to be part of the (specialized) clinical laboratory in the near future.
Putting People Down and Pushing Them Out: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment was once conceptualized solely as a sexual problem: coercive sexual advances that spring from natural feelings of sexual desire or romance. Research has since shown that by far th...
The Early Bronze Age of Tell el-Hesi and its environs: From Petrie’s initial discovery to today’s understanding

While excavating at Tell el-Hesi in the spring of 1890, W. M. F. Petrie discovered the Early Bronze Age, which was further explored by F. J. Bliss over the next two years. Soon other large and impo...
Post-operative Rehabilitation: Biceps Tenodesis

Anterior shoulder pain is a common cause of dysfunction in active individuals. The biceps tendon is one of the structures which can cause this debilitating pain. Biceps tenodesis has become a popular surgical procedure for many active individuals allowing them to return to their daily function, active lifestyles, as well as sports at the highest level. It is important to follow structured, criteria-based guidelines after surgery in order to optimize outcome. By following these guidelines, patients will progress through pain-free restoration of shoulder and elbow motion, gradually regain their shoulder strength and stabilization, and finally work through a sports-specific progression. As they return to their desired sport, workload is closely monitored until they reach their level of previous play at which point they are cleared to return to unrestricted competition.
Clinical Accuracy and Impact of Plasma Cell-Free DNA Fungal Polymerase Chain Reaction Panel for Noninvasive Diagnosis of Fungal Infection.

Background Invasive fungal infection (IFI) is a growing cause of morbidity and mortality in oncology and transplant patients. Diagnosis of IFI is often delayed due to need for invasive biopsy and low sensitivity of conventional diagnostic methods. Fungal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) detection in plasma is a novel testing modality for the noninvasive diagnosis of IFI. Methods A novel bioinformatic pipeline was created to interrogate fungal genomes and identify multicopy sequences for cfDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting. A real-time PCR panel was developed for 12 genera and species most commonly causing IFI. Sensitivity and specificity of the fungal PCR panel were determined using plasma samples from patients with IFI and non-IFI controls. Clinical impact of the fungal PCR panel was evaluated prospectively based on the treating team's interpretation of the results. Results Overall, the sensitivity and specificity were 56.5% (65/115; 95% confidence interval [CI], 47.4-65.2) and 99.5% (2064/2075; 95% CI, 99.0-99.7), respectively. In the subset of patients with an optimized plasma volume (2 mL), sensitivity was 69.6% (48/69; 95% CI, 57.9-79.2). Sensitivity was 91.7% (11/12; 95% CI, 62.5-100) for detection of Mucorales agents, 56.3% (9/16; 95% CI, 33.2-76.9) for Aspergillus species, and 84.6% (11/13; 95% CI, 56.5-96.9) for Candida albicans. In a prospective evaluation of 226 patients with suspected IFI, cfDNA testing was positive in 47 (20.8%) patients and resulted in a positive impact on clinical management in 20 of 47 (42.6%). Conclusions The fungal cfDNA PCR panel offers a noninvasive approach to early diagnosis of IFI, providing actionable results for personalized care.
Truth Claims Are Instruments: A Comprehensive Theory of Behavior

This paper draws on biology, evolution and cognitive science to formulate a mechanistic and consequentialist explanation of human behavior that resolves the traditional conflicts between behaviorism and cognitivism. Animals are biological information processing systems that input environmental data through their senses, interpret it, and output behaviors that advance their goals. Communication extends the capabilities of individual organisms by serving an input (sensing) function for receivers and an output (manipulating) function for senders. Higher animals build internal models of the physical world that are collections of representations of, or truth claims about, its contents and its cause-and-effect rules, which they use as guides to manipulating the world to induce desired physical effects. They use other animals as agents by sending them truth claims intended to influence their behavior selection. Humans (at least) also selectively accept and reject truth claims to manipulate their own affective states. Sensory and cognitive restrictions limit the completeness and accuracy with which our internal representations can mirror their physical referents. These impediments to faithful representation, along with functional biases, make representational errors and omissions resistant to correction and enable latitude in the construction of social reality (the shared models of the world that govern the distribution of social rewards and penalties). The displacement of unmediated physical effects in the human environment by anthropogenic effects over the course of social and technological evolution reduced the general frequency with and degree to which truth claims need to be true in order to lead to effects intended by their claimants.
Opportunities for innovation gained by connecting a customized process document to the collaborative development of an asynchronous online writing course

This experience report details the advantages gleaned from moving course development from individuals to a mixed team of collaborators. We will present in detail what we learned from our experience working as a team of graduate students, junior and senior faculty in converting a long-standing traditional course to one offered asynchronously by remote. Our presentation will include effective strategies for collaboration, including an overview of course developments made possible through a melding of expertise, shared cultural competencies, and negotiated outcomes. We will share how our course development process was strengthened by the collaborative nature of this course redesign process, and we will discuss some of the implications for applying our methods to improving computing rich communication courses in ordinary, less unique circumstances as those occasioned by an international pandemic.
Cellular and Molecular Toxicology and In Vitro Toxicology

The Vascular Toxicity of Xenobiotics (P.J. Boor). The Molecular and Cellular Toxicology of Ethanol on the Heart (P.I. Polimeni and P. Posner). Mechanisms of Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity: Are Metabolites Involved (R.D. Olson and P.S. Mushlin). Cardiotoxicity of Catecholamines (G.L. Todd). The Toxic Effects of Cocaine on the Heart (A.A. Welder). Cellular and Molecular Basis of Xenobiotic-Induced Cardiovascular Toxicity: Application of Cell Culture Systems (K. Ramos). Index.
Metal Semiconductor Interfaces: The Role of Structure and Chemistry

The objective of this work is an assessment of the role of structure and defects on the electronic properties of metal-semiconductor interfaces. It can be argued that such an undertaking is premature, since little is known about the microscopic details of the interface structure between the metal and the semiconductor and even less about structural defects and impurities. However in the spirit of the NATO workshop, which among others emphasized the problems underlying our understanding of low dimensional structures, it is of importance to identify the relevant issues, discuss their implications and address and speculate at possible approaches towards their understanding. This approach will be undertaken here.
An Optimal Inventory Policy Model

We are concerned here with a particular instance of an inventory model usually referred to in the literature as the Economic Lot-Size Model. Our objective is, roughly, to determine which is the best inventory policy one could adopt under certain conditions, with one objective being, of course, to ensure that costs incurred are kept at a minimum.
Intangible Heritage as Metacultural Production

(2004). Intangible Heritage as Metacultural Production1. Museum International: Vol. 56, No. 1-2, pp. 52-65.
Rat Liver Pyruvate Carboxylase II. KINETIC STUDIES OF THE FORWARD REACTION

The kinetics of the pyruvate carboxylase reaction have been examined at saturating concentrations of acetyl-CoA, Mg++, and K+. The results of substrate kinetics and inhibition studies suggest a two-site "ping-pong" mechanism in which the enzyme-biotin-CO2 intermediate is formed at one site with the hydrolysis of MgATP. Because of its attachment to the enzyme by a carbon chain, the biotin-CO2 can swing to the second site where pyruvate is carboxylated to form oxalacetate. However, the initial velocity patterns indicate that the affinity for bicarbonate at the first site is dramatically increased by higher levels of pyruvate without any effect on the maximum velocity. The two-site mechanism was confirmed by inhibition patterns which indicated that competitive inhibitors of MgATP had only a small uncompetitive effect when pyruvate was varied at high MgATP. Similarly a competitive inhibitor of pyruvate had only a negligible effect on MgATP saturation at its site.
Loss of Stromal IMP1 Promotes a Tumorigenic Microenvironment in the Colon

The colon tumor microenvironment is becoming increasingly recognized as a complex but central player in the development of many cancers. Previously, we identified an oncogenic role for the mRNA-binding protein IMP1 (IGF2BP1) in the epithelium during colon tumorigenesis. In the current study, we reveal the contribution of stromal IMP1 in the context of colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis. Interestingly, stromal deletion of Imp1 ( Dermo1Cre;Imp1LoxP/ LoxP, or Imp1ΔMes ) in the azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) model of colitis-associated cancer resulted in increased tumor numbers of larger size and more advanced histologic grade than controls. In addition, Imp1 ΔMes mice exhibited a global increase in protumorigenic microenvironment factors, including enhanced inflammation and stromal components. Evaluation of purified mesenchyme from AOM/DSS-treated Imp1 ΔMes mice demonstrated an increase in hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which has not been associated with regulation via IMP1. Genetic knockdown of Imp1 in human primary fibroblasts confirmed an increase in HGF with Imp1 loss, demonstrating a specific, cell-autonomous role for Imp1 loss to increase HGF expression. Taken together, these data demonstrate a novel tumor-suppressive role for IMP1 in colon stromal cells and underscore an exquisite, context-specific function for mRNA-binding proteins, such as IMP1, in disease states. Implications: The tumor-suppressive role of stromal IMP1 and its ability to modulate protumorigenic factors suggest that IMP1 status is important for the initiation and growth of epithelial tumors. Mol Cancer Res; 13(11); 1478–86. ©2015 AACR . See related article by Koltsova and Grivennikov, [p. 1452][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/13/1452?iss=11
Mapping an Agenda for Education Informatics in the K-12 Domain

In the United States, primary and secondary (i.e., K-12) schools are rapidly changing their technology infrastructures to comply with sweeping federal mandates for enhanced data utilization and digital learning. These changes provide information science researchers with a unique opportunity to apply informatics constructs to the study of K-12 organizations. In honor of the 2014 iConference theme, this poster breaks down disciplinary walls in a map of K-12 education informatics elements in which the researcher 1) took inventory of the research‐ derived knowledge of technology use in the K-12 environment; 2) reviewed major empirical approaches to technology infusion in K-12; and 3) proposed a model for K-12 education informatics that may be useful for future research and professional learning. This depiction of information, information systems, and information technology research (i.e., core elements of informatics) is intended to foster empirical model development, inspire future research, and provide considerations for professional learning.
Treatment of methamphetamine abuse: research findings and clinical directions

Over the past few years, methamphetamine has appeared in mass quantities, in part, because of the ease and cost efficiency of manufacturing. With this increase in availability, the use of methamphetamine has increased significantly. The purpose of this article is to describe the existing treatment options for methamphetamine abuse and provide recommendations for practitioners and researchers. Methamphetamine abuse adversely impacts physical functioning, brain functioning and cognition, social support and social networks, and behavioral functioning. Negative consequences have also been documented to the environment and communities. In the studies reviewed on effective treatments, interventions consisted of aversion therapy, medication, psychosocial treatment, and case management. Each specific treatment is described as connected with an overall drug treatment program. If methamphetamine abuse continues to increase and the consequences continue to be so devastating, researchers and clinicians could advance the field by particular focus on the treatment of this type of drug use.
Association between adverse childhood experiences in the home and pediatric asthma.

Abstract Background Numerous studies suggest that psychosocial factors could contribute to pediatric asthma. Objective To examine the relation between single and cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), a measurement of household dysfunction, on parent report of lifetime asthma in children. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from the 2011 to 2012 National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally representative sample of children 0 to 17 years old (n = 92,472). The main exposure was parent or guardian report of 6 ACE exposures (eg, witnessing domestic violence). The relation between ACE exposures and parent-reported diagnosis of childhood asthma was examined using multivariable logistic regression after controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral covariates. Results Overall asthma prevalence was 14.6%. Exposure prevalence to any ACE was 29.2%. Increased number of ACE exposures was associated with increased odds of asthma. In the adjusted model, the odds of reporting asthma were 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–1.43) for those reporting 1 ACE, 1.73 (95% CI 1.27–2.36) for those with 4 ACEs, and 1.61 (95% CI 1.15–2.26) for those with 5 or 6 ACEs compared with those with no ACE exposures. Effects were moderated by Hispanic ethnicity. Hispanic children exposed to 4 ACEs had a 4.46 times increase in lifetime asthma (95% CI 2.46–8.08); white children had a 1.19 times increase (95% CI 0.80–1.79) compared with those exposed to 0 ACE. Conclusion This study supports the growing evidence for the biopsychosocial model of asthma onset. Future studies should examine the association between ACEs and specific asthma-related health outcomes.
Mechanism of anthracycline-mediated down-regulation of GATA4 in the heart

Aims Anthracyclines such as daunorubicin (DNR) and doxorubicin are effective cancer chemotherapeutic agents, but can induce cardiotoxicity. GATA4 has been shown to serve as a survival factor of cardiac muscle cells, and anthracyclines promote apoptosis in part by down-regulating GATA4. The present study investigated the mechanism of anthracycline action to down-regulate GATA4. Methods and results DNR inhibited the transcriptional activity exhibited by the 250 bp conserved region immediately upstream from the transcriptional start site of the Gata4 gene. Mapping this region identified that the CCAAT-binding factor/nuclear factor-Y (CBF/NF-Y) binding to the CCAAT box was inhibited by DNR in HL-1 cardiac muscle cells and in perfused isolated mouse hearts. The DNR action on the Gata4 promoter was found to be dependent on p53, since DNR promoted nuclear binding of p53 to CBF/NF-Y and pifithrin-α (a p53 inhibitor) attenuated DNR down-regulation of GATA4. Conclusion Anthracycline down-regulation of GATA4 is mediated by the inhibition of Gata4 gene transcription via a novel mechanism that involves the p53-dependent inhibition of CBF/NF-Y binding to the CCAAT box within the Gata4 promoter.
Perturbation and Nonlinear Dynamic Analyses of Voices from Patients with Unilateral Laryngeal Paralysis

Summary This study used perturbation methods (eg, jitter and shimmer) and nonlinear dynamic methods (eg, phase space reconstruction and correlation dimension) to analyze sustained voices generated by normal subjects and patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis. We found that normal and pathological voices had low-dimensional dynamic characteristics. For nearly periodic voices, jitter and shimmer values of pathological voices from patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis were significantly different from normal voices. For nearly periodic and aperiodic voices, the correlation dimensions of pathological voices were statistically higher than normal voices. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic performances of jitter, shimmer, and correlation dimension. High sensitivity and specificity of these three acoustic analyses in distinguishing unilateral laryngeal paralysis patients from normal subjects were found. We concluded that combining traditional perturbation analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis might provide efficient descriptions of pathological voices and represent a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis.
Perception of the Frequency Characteristics of Distress Calls By Mallard Ducklings (Anas Platyrhynchos)

Three playback experiments demonstrated that mallard ducklings are perceptually tuned to the dominant frequency and rate of frequency sweep found in conspecific distress calls. We separated ducklings from their brood to induce them to distress call, and then measured the effectiveness of various synthesized distress calls in inhibiting the ducklings' own calls. 1. The dominant frequency and the rate of the terminal downward frequency sweep were estimated in 280 domesticated mallard duckling distress notes. 2. In Experiment 1, ducklings were tested with synthesized distress calls having notes with dominant frequencies which differed from the population mean by 0-6 standard deviations. The ducklings' responses to the synthesized calls were tightly linked to the natural distribution of this parameter. That is, calls which differed by 2-4 standard deviations from the population mean elicited significantly weaker responses than did the call with the mean dominant frequency. Domesticated mallard ducklings may be less sensitive to their own call frequency than to the slightly higher frequency of wild mallard distress calls. 3. In Experiments 2a and 2b, ducklings were tested with synthesized calls having rates of terminal frequency sweep which differed from the species-typical value by 0-4 standard deviations, or with constant frequency control calls which matched the amplitude envelopes of the frequency modulated calls. Calls having rates of frequency sweep which significantly deviated from the norm elicited a weaker response. The results also suggested that mallard ducklings are sensitive to the amplitude envelopes of distress notes. 4. These experiments extend our previous research indicating that mallard ducklings' responses are linked to the natural distributions of the acoustic parameters of their vocal signals.
Forest leaf litter decomposition in the vicinity of a zinc smelter.

Concentrations of about 26,000 ppm Zn, 10,000 ppm Fe, 2,300 ppm Pb, 900 ppm Cd, 340 ppm Cu, and 0.40% S were measured in the O2 litter horizon about 1 km from a zinc smelter at Palmerton, Pennsylvania. Samples taken about 6 km east of the smelter had concentrations of about 15,000 ppm Zn, 6,500 ppm Fe, 970 ppm Pb, 250 ppm Cd, 170 ppm Cu, and 0.26% S. Samples from a control area about 40 km east of the smelter had concentrations of 2,800 ppm Fe, 650 ppm Zn, 260 ppm Pb, 50 ppm Cu, 9 ppm Cd, and 0.13% S.
PREDICTING DIABETES DISTRESS in PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Aims Diabetes distress (DD) is a condition distinct from depression that is related to diabetes outcomes. In those without distress initially, little is known about what indicators place patients at risk for subsequent distress over time. Methods From a community-based, three-wave, 18-month study of Type 2 diabetic patients (n = 506), we identified patients with no DD at T1 who displayed DD at T2, T3 or both (n = 57). Using logistic regression with full and trimmed models, we compared them with patients with no DD at all three time points (n = 275) on three blocks of variables: patient characteristics (demographics, depression, extra-disease stress), biological (HbA1c, body mass index, comorbidities, complications, blood pressure, non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol), and behavioural variables (diet, exercise). Selected interactions with stress and major depressive disorder (MDD) were explored. Results The odds of becoming distressed over time were higher for being female, previously having had MDD, experiencing more negative events or more chronic stress, having more complications, and having poor diet and low exercise. Negative life events increased the negative effects of both high HbA1c and high complications on the emergence of distress over time. Conclusions We identified a list of significant, independent direct and interactive predictors of high DD that can be used for patient screening to identify this high-risk patient cohort. Given the impact of high DD on diabetes behavioural and biological indicators, the findings suggest the usefulness of regularly appraising both current life and disease-related stressors in clinical care.