cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lack of galectin-1 or galectin-3 alters B cell deletion and anergy in an autoantibody transgene model

Members of the galectin family of proteins have been shown to regulate the development and the function of immune cells. We previously identified the increased expression of galectin-1 and galectin-3 mRNA and protein in anergic B cells relative to their naive counterparts. To investigate the role of these galectins in maintaining B cell tolerance, we crossed mice deficient in galectin-1 or galectin-3 with mice bearing a lupus autoantigen-binding transgenic (Tg) B cell receptor, using a model with a well-characterized B cell tolerance phenotype of deletion, receptor editing and anergy. Here, we present data showing that the global knockout of galectin-1 or galectin-3 yields subtle alterations in B cell fate in autoantibody Tg mice. The absence of galectin-3 leads to a significant increase in the number of Tg spleen B cells, with the recovery of anti-laminin antibodies from a subset of mice. The B cell number increases further in antibody Tg mice with the dual deficiency of both galectin-1 and galectin-3. Isolated galectin-1 deficiency significantly enhances the proliferation of Tg B cells in response to lipopolysaccharide stimulation. These findings add to the growing body of evidence indicating a role for the various galectin family members, and for galectins 1 and 3 in particular, in the regulation of autoimmunity.
Feature-based reverse engineering of mechanical parts

Reverse engineering of mechanical parts requires extraction of information about an instance of a particular part sufficient to replicate the part using appropriate manufacturing techniques. This is important in a wide variety of situations, since functional CAD models are often unavailable or unusable for parts which must be duplicated or modified. Computer vision techniques applied to three-dimensional (3-D) data acquired using noncontact, 3-D position digitizers have the potential for significantly aiding the process. Serious challenges must be overcome, however, if sufficient accuracy is to be obtained and if models produced from sensed data are to be truly useful for manufacturing operations. The paper describes a prototype of a reverse engineering system which uses manufacturing features as geometric primitives. This approach has two advantages over current practice. The resulting models can be directly imported into feature-based CAD systems without loss of the semantics and topological information inherent in feature-based representations. In addition, the feature-based approach facilitates methods capable of producing highly accurate models, even when the original 3-D sensor data has substantial errors.
Examining couple agreement about work‐family conflict

– This study aims to explore the nature of couple agreement about work‐family conflict, adding to previous research by explicitly testing the extent to which couples agree when rating work interference with family (WIF) and the influence of this agreement on other outcomes., – In total, 224 dual‐earner couples were surveyed to assess their own WIF, as well as what they believed to be their partner's level of WIF. Participants also completed questions regarding their organizational commitment., – Couples agreed when rating their own and their partners' WIF more than they disagreed. As predicted, couples agreed more when rating the female partner's WIF as compared to the male partner's WIF. Finally, couple agreement about WIF moderated the relationship between female WIF and her continuance organizational commitment such that the relationship between the female partner's WIF and her level of continuance commitment was stronger when agreement about her experienced WIF was low., – This was a convenience sample, and therefore caution should be used when generalizing to a broader population. Second, the research design was cross‐sectional, prohibiting causal inferences and conclusions about couple agreement over time., – Organizations should consider the perceptions and attitudes of both employees and their partners, as both have implications for work attitudes. Organizations might benefit from considering ways in which they can involve and engage employees' spouses and partners, and could offer flexible schedules as a way to reduce employee work‐to‐family conflict and enhance both employee and partner attitudes toward the organization., – This paper contributes to the literature by exploring both self and partner perceptions of work‐family conflict and examining couple agreement about this conflict.
Distinctive Cyclic AMP-dependent Protein Kinase Subunit Localization Is Associated with Cyst Formation and Loss of Tubulogenic Capacity in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Cell Clones

Polycystic kidney disease is characterized by abnormal morphological development. Mechanisms that regulate cyst development may involve multiple signaling pathways. Cyst formation by Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells in three-dimensional culture is assumed to be cyclic AMP-dependent and due to cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (cAPK) activation based on pharmacological responsiveness. To determine if different cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathways are associated with morphological development, the role of cAMP in regulating morphological change was examined in MDCK clones that form tumor-like or tubular structures under basal conditions. Pharmacological cAMP pathway activators induce cyst formation and diminish formation of other structures in three clones, whereas one clone is unaffected. Tyrosine kinase-mediated morphogens have little effect. Although all clones have intact cAMP signaling pathways, each has a unique subcellular distribution of cAPK regulatory subunits. This may reflect distinct mechanisms for cAPK anchoring, allowing cAPK subtype regulation of the unique phenotypic character of each clone through preferential access to substrates. These observations suggest a molecular basis for differential cAMP responsiveness in cells that develop distinct morphological phenotypes. This evidence establishes these MDCK clones as models for understanding the mechanism and functional significance of cAPK subunit localization and may have broader implications for cystogenesis in polycystic kidney disease.
A hereditary spastic paraplegia mutation in kinesin-1A/KIF5A disrupts neurofilament transport

Hereditary spastic paraplegias are a group of neurological disorders characterized by progressive distal degeneration of the longest ascending and descending axons in the spinal cord, leading to lower limb spasticity and weakness. One of the dominantly inherited forms of this disease (spastic gait type 10, or SPG10) is caused by point mutations in kinesin-1A (also known as KIF5A), which is thought to be an anterograde motor for neurofilaments. We investigated the effect of an SPG10 mutation in kinesin-1A (N256S-kinesin-1A) on neurofilament transport in cultured mouse cortical neurons using live-cell fluorescent imaging. N256S-kinesin-1A decreased both anterograde and retrograde neurofilament transport flux by decreasing the frequency of anterograde and retrograde movements. Anterograde velocity was not affected, whereas retrograde velocity actually increased. These data reveal subtle complexities to the functional interdependence of the anterograde and retrograde neurofilament motors and they also raise the possibility that anterograde and retrograde neurofilament transport may be disrupted in patients with SPG10.
The Debate regarding Continuous Use of Oral Contraceptives

OBJECTIVE:To determine whether oral contraceptives (OCs) can be used safely in a continuous manner to prevent monthly withdrawal bleeding.DATA SOURCES:Search of MEDLINE (1966–2000), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–2000), and the Internet.DATA SYNTHESIS:Several prospective studies have assessed the efficacy of continuous cycle OCs in preventing monthly withdrawal bleeding. Monophasic OCs are useful for this purpose. In studies using traditional OC regimens as a control, patients receiving continuously administered OCs experienced more breakthrough bleeding and spotting. Continuous use of OCs decreased headache and other menstruation-associated symptoms. No long-term trials have assessed the impact of continuous use of OCs on risk of cancer, thromboembolic disease, or fertility, concerns raised by opponents of the method.CONCLUSIONS:From the data available, continuous use of OCs is an effective method for delaying withdrawal bleeding. Long-term safety data are not available.
Population attributable risks of neurobehavioral disorders due to low birth weight in US children.

Background The prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) and neurobehavioral disorders (N) has increased over the last three decades. However, it is unclear how many excess cases of ND can be attributed to LBW among U.S. children. The objectives of this study were to a) determine the association between LBW and ND including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), behavior and conduct disorder (BCD) and learning disability (LD); and b) determine the population attributable risk (PAR) of these disorders due to LBW. Methods Study subjects were a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of 85,637 children ages 2 to 17 years old who participated in the 2011 National Survey of Children's Health. Birth weight and ND were reported by parents. Results LBW accounted for 6.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-10.4) of all ASD cases, 2.4% (CI 0.1-5.1) of BCD, and 6.8% (CI 4.8-9.0) of LD among the study population. There was not a significant association between LBW and ADHD. The percentages of these ND due to LBW were found to be higher among those who were pre-term and among ethnic minority groups. Conclusions Based on our results and given that over 8% of U.S. children are born with LBW, with higher rates among minorities and preterm births, prospective planning for neurobehavioral services is warranted. Efforts to reduce ND in children align with national efforts to reduce LBW.
Genetic Studies of Nicotinic and Muscarinic Agents

Recent advances in the understanding of human behaviors indicate that genetic factors often play a critical role in regulating variation in behavior. Special attention has been paid to abnormal behaviors ranging from psychopathology to drug, usually alcohol, dependence. This chapter summarizes the data that suggest that genetic factors regulate the nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic systems. Studies that indicate that the use of tobacco products by humans is genetically regulated are discussed in detail, as are animal studies that indicate that genetically determined differences in several aspects of nicotine pharmacology exist. Special emphasis is placed on those animal studies that have identified biochemical processes that may play critical roles in regulating genetically influenced variation in nicotine’s actions. A more cursory discussion of the genetics of human affective disorders is followed by an equally cursory summation of the limited animal literature, which argues that genetically determined variation in muscarinic cholinergic systems exists.
A Cancer on the Republic: The Assault Upon Impartiality of State Courts and the Challenge to Judicial Selection, 34 Fordham Urban L.J. 265 (2007)

For more than two centuries, the American constitutional republic has depended for its vitality upon the impartiality of an independent judiciary. At national and state levels, however, the concept of judicial impartiality is under assault. Powerful ecvonomic and political forces across the spectrum are now competing to create a judiciary aligned with their special interests. Much literature has explored and counterpoised the "independence" and "accountability" of the judiciary, rather than focusing on the fundamental requirement of impartiality. This article examines the constitutional imperative of impartiality, the forces contending against it, and the challenge of strengthening impartiality through judicial selection as well as recusal.
Abstract W MP84: Erythropoietin Inhibits Oxidation of Tetrahydrobiopterin and Restores Bioavailability of Endothelial Nitric Oxide in Cerebral Microvessels of Hph-1 Mice

Background: While reported neuroprotective effects of erythropoietin (EPO) make it an appealing candidate for its evaluation in protection of neurovascular unit during cerebrovascular or neurodegenerative disorders, effects of EPO on cerebral microvessels, the vascular component of neurovascular unit, have not been studied to date. The present study was designed to determine the effects of EPO in cerebral microvessels derived from wild-type mice and also from hph-1 mice, a genetic mouse model of BH4 deficiency. Methods: Hph-1 mice and wild-type littermates (C57BL/6 background) were administered recombinant human EPO (1000 U/kg/day) intraperitoneally for 3 days. Following treatment, mice were killed by injection of an overdose of pentobarbital, brains were removed and cerebral microvessels were isolated. Results: Treatment of wild-type mice with EPO did not affect BH4 bioavailability, superoxide anion production or basal cGMP levels. We have reported that cerebral microvessels of hph-1 mice demonstrated reduced bioavailability of BH4, increased production of superoxide anions and impaired endothelial NO/cGMP signaling. Treatment of hph-1 mice with EPO attenuated the levels of 7,8-dihydrobiopterin (7,8-BH2; P<0.05, n=5), oxidized product of BH4, and significantly increased the ratio of BH4 to 7,8-BH2 (P<0.05, n=5), indicative of increased bioavailability of BH4 for eNOS activation. Increased superoxide anion production in cerebral microvessels of hph-1 mice were attenuated by EPO treatment (P<0.05, n=5). While eNOS expression remained unchanged, levels of cGMP were significantly increased on EPO treatment in hph-1 mice (P< 0.05, n=6). Furthermore, EPO treatment selectively increased expression of manganese superoxide dismutase. Conclusion: The ability of EPO to attenuate oxidative stress and restore bioavailability of endothelial NO in cerebral microvessels may help to explain mechanisms responsible for cerebrovascular protective effects of EPO.
A Review of State Trial Courts as Bureaucracies: A Study in Judicial Management

It is an old story: the courts are behind in their work. What is wrong? A problem of management? This book opens with a passage from an address by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger of the United States Supreme Court delivered a few years ago at the annual meeting of the American Bar Association: “[T]oday, in the final third of this century, we are still trying to operate the courts with fundamentally the same basic methods, the same procedures and the same machinery that Roscoe Pound said were not good enough in 1906. In the supermarket age we are with few exceptions operating the courts with cracker-barrel, corner-grocer methods and equipment, vintage 1900. … More money and more judges alone is not the primary solution to the problem of the courts. Some of what is wrong is due to the failure to apply the techniques of modern business to the purely mechanical operation of the court—of modern record keeping and systems planning for handling the movement of the cases. Some is also due to antiquated and rigid procedures Which not only permit delay but encourage it.”
Photostability and Thermal Decomposition of Benzoic Acid on TiO2

Carboxylic acid moieties are used to anchor organic dyes to TiO2 in many applications; therefore, their structure, distribution on the surface, and thermal and photochemical stability are extremely important. Herein, we investigate the thermal and photochemistry of benzoic acid monolayers on TiO2. Benzoic acid deprotonates to form benzoate monomers on the TiO2 surface, and thermally decomposes to benzene and CO. Titanium interstitials migrate to the surface and react with oxygen atoms from the benzoate molecules to form new TiOx islands. A combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy shows that the benzoate layer on TiO2 is stable under UV illumination for several hours. The stability of benzoate under illumination is in contrast to the photochemical instability of other small carboxylic acid containing molecules on TiO2 and demonstrates the importance of substituents on the stability of the molecular layer.
Embracing the Globe

nwhjournal.org © 2016, AWHONN 123 When I was in my “tween” years, a girl in my neighborhood received a trip to London as a high school graduation present. I clearly remember my amazement that I knew someone going to a place so far away and so exotic; I think my parents were more astounded by the cost of the gift . In retrospect I realize I also thought that Quincy, Illinois, was far away and exotic even though I lived across the river in St. Louis. Years have passed, and I have been fortunate enough to visit both Quincy and London. A decade ago, Th omas Friedman (2005) wrote a book titled Th e World Is Flat. Readers may remember that his contention was not one of topographic changes but that technology has promoted change on a global scale. I was reminded about this today when I received a text from a friend who is a nurse participating in a trip to Peru. She worked with a local pharmacist there to help dispense medications to more than 100 people. She is part of a local system that routinely has volunteer nurses like my friend drop in and help. As discussed in this issue in the article by Patricia Olenick and Joan E. Edwards, more and more nurses are interested in short-term global work. Th is desire is laudable, especially when it is integrated with a sustainable on-the-ground system. But in our attempt to help others, I sometimes wonder if we take time to appreciate what others can share with us in turn, especially with regard to the care of women and newborns. I’m not joking about diseases such as Ebola or the Zika virus. Nor am I downgrading what nurses coming from a developed country have to offer to others in emerging lands. But high regard Embracing the Globe
Evaluation of tolerability and efficacy of irreversible electroporation (IRE) in treatment of Child-Pugh B (7/8) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

Introduction Few studies have assessed the tolerability and efficacy of irreversible electroporation (IRE) in the treatment of Child-Pugh B (7/8) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Based on its mechanism of action, we hypothesized that IRE would be superior to microwave (MW) ablation and compared the liver tolerance and ablation success rates of these therapies in Child-Pugh B patients with HCC.
Hydrostatic Weights of Patients with Spinal Injury

The purpose of this study was to estimate the reliability of body density measurements from the hydrostatic weights of subjects with spinal injuries in standard sit-in and Hubbard tanks. Nineteen outpatients with spinal injuries participated in the study. Residual lung volume and hydrostatic weights were measured in two laboratories. Body density and percentage of body fat were determined from hydrostatic weights. Statistical tools were the t test for correlated samples and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The alpha level was set at .05. Reliability coefficients for body density and percentage of body fat were .98 and .99, respectively ( p < .05). Trial means were not significantly different. We conclude that a standard sit-in tank or a Hubbard tank can be used to determine body density and percentage of body fat of patients with spinal injuries. Modifications should be made for sitting posture, and standard densitometric procedures should be followed.
Monitoring and Evaluation System of Ecological and Environmental Management of Plantation

This paper puts forward a monitoring and evaluation system of ecological and environmental management of plantation to coincide with the construction and management of plantation in China by using the common theories and methods of monitoring and evaluation in the world.It aims at the main technical measures taken in ecological and environmental management of plantation,which include selecting tree species in forestation and protecting current vegetation,soil and water conservation,site productivity maintenance,biodiversity protection,safety usage of the chemical and biological preparation,and forestry harmful biology control.The divisions,regulations,monitoring indexes and methods,evaluation standards and results application are analyzed.Policy suggestions are given for reference.
Data-Driven Decision-Making in Michigan Local Government

The local government fiscal crisis — driven largely by state revenue sharing cuts, falling tax revenues, and rising costs to provide services — has pushed jurisdictions in Michigan to search for operational efficiencies and cost savings. Performance measurement and data-driven decision-making are strategies some local governments use to help navigate the difficult decisions they face today. This report presents Michigan local government leaders’ assessments of the use of data in their governments’ decision-making. The findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the Fall 2011 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).
The Ghost Story and Magic Realism

In the second half of the twentieth century, indigenous and minority writers and artists have regularly found the figure of the ghost useful. Toni Morrison’s Beloved is the most widely known representative of one way that writers use the figure of the ghost, in which it retains more or less intact its nineteenth-century European function: the ghost is a restless soul, a walking trauma, and the book’s impossible project is the responsible remembering and representing of that traumatic history. But ghosts serve no single kind of usefulness in these narratives, because for one thing ‘indigenous and minority’ is an already-infelicitous pair, running together radically different historical experiences. Graham Huggan’s analysis of Guyanan and Caribbean ghost stories is perhaps most deliberate in running the two together: Ghost stories in the Caribbean often have a dual purpose: they revive in order to dispel the ghosts of a past conceived by Europe, a history couched in the paralyzing terms of dispossession and defeat …. At the same time, they reclaim a past anterior to European conquest, a history whose outlines blend with those of originary myth, and whose ghosts are not horrifying apparitions from another, unwanted era but welcome catalysts for the recovery of a buried ancestral consciousness. (p.129) Indigenous history, a history of association with the land, and Afro-Caribbean history, a history of rupture in the Middle passage, come (on Huggan’s analysis) in these stories to figure each other.
Identification of AADACL1 As a Novel Regulator of Human Platelets Via Chemoproteomics

Abstract 381 A comprehensive knowledge of the platelet proteome is necessary for understanding important vascular pathologies such as myocardial infarction and stroke. To discover new signaling pathways in human platelets that may represent potential therapeutic targets, we took a combinatorial approach utilizing small library screening coupled with an innovative proteomics technique known as competitive activity based protein profiling (ABPP), a highly sensitive mass spectrometry (MS) technique that queries active enzymes from endogenous biological sources. Human platelets were pretreated with a novel carbamate library designed to interrogate enzymatically active proteins belonging to the serine hydrolase superfamily, which is estimated to represent 1% of the human proteome. Carbamate screening resulted in the identification of several novel inhibitors that reduced fibrinogen binding and P-selectin exposure on agonist-stimulated platelets. An endogenous protein target of the most selective inhibitor was identified by competitive ABPP as arylacetamide deacetylase-like 1 (AADACL1, also known as NCEH1), a lipid deacetylase implicated in cancer growth and atherosclerosis. Using highly selective second generation inhibitors of AADACL1 and MS-based metabolomics, we show that AADACL1 regulates platelet aggregation, Rap1 and PKC activation, lipid metabolism and fibrinogen binding. Elimination of AADACL1 protein levels via RNA interference in a megakaryocytic cell line that responds to platelet agonists also reduces inside-out signaling to αllbβ3. Furthermore, inhibition of AADACL1 reduces collagen-dependent thrombus growth under arterial shear conditions, suggesting that AADACL1 may be a relevant therapeutic target. Collectively, these data identify AADACL1 as a novel regulator of important signaling pathways in platelets and megakaryocytes and validate activity-based proteomics as a means to identify new classes of anti-platelet targets for thrombotic diseases. Disclosures: Parise: BD: Consultancy; Biogen-Idec: Consultancy; NIH: Research Funding; AHA: Research Funding; SCDAC-NIH: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; BRI Milwaukee: Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Off Label Use: Eptifibatide, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, was evaluated as treatment for acute pain episodes in patients with sickle cell disease.
Building Competencies for Special Operations Forces’ Readiness in the Gray Zone

Special Operations Forces can be used for policy goals from long-term political influence operations, to engagements taken either to stabilize or dethrone regimes on the basis of U.S. interests. Those actions are taking place more frequently in the Gray Zone, where actors, actions, and areas of engagement merge between traditional interstate relations and nonstate challenges. Many of these contribute to a changing character of war, something that requires adaptable Special Operations Forces to support U.S. national security success. This article looks specifically at ways to ensure Special Operations Forces’ readiness in the Gray Zone across a spectrum of issues and environments. It focuses on educational techniques that rely on tried and tested categories of scholarly analysis to ensure Special Operations Forces’ adaptability in different contexts and to ensure that lessons learned can be applied to commonalities across them.
The 1st John V. Breakwell Memorial Lecture: Recent advances in the optimization and guidance of aeroassisted orbital transfers☆☆☆

Abstract Aeroassisted orbital transfer (AOT) combines space maneuvers and atmospheric maneuvers so as to achieve propellant savings vis-a-vis purely propulsive maneuvers, albeit at the expense of high heating rates during the atmospheric pass. Of critical importance is the study of optimal trajectories; equally important is the development of guidance schemes in view of the precision requirements of AOT trajectories and the need for coping with various sources of dispersion effects. In this lecture, optimal trajectories are reviewed with reference to angle of bank control. Trajectories are optimized: from the point of view of performance and control margin. Compromise trajectories are generated from a trade-off between performance and control margin. The ultimate goal is to arrive at practical AOT guidance trajectories exhibiting many of the desirable characteristics of AOT optimal trajectories. Guidance advances are reviewed with reference to angle of bank control, in particular, safety zone exit guidance and complete entry/exit guidance. Continuation of research efforts in the area of guidance is important, indeed essential, for the future development of AOT vehicles. In particular, the use of parallel computation for real-time guidance is worthy of investigation.
What Human Trust Is and Is Not: On the Biology of Human Trust.

The paper presents an overview of the empirical evidence and current research in neuroscience, behavioral economics and biology, showing that human trust is deeply biologically grounded and different from our intuitive understanding of trust as volitional, rational, and conscious activity. Empirical evidence conclusively shows that human trust is not only more complex than mere risk taking, but also that it is implemented in different brain regions and influenced by deferent neurochemistry. The paper raises important research questions as to whether it is trust that we really model and how to formalize the non-calculative, biologically-driven elements of trust.
Predictive Analytics for Smart Water Management in Developing Regions

Water availability and management is an important problem plaguing many developing and under-developed countries. Many factors including geographic, political, management, and environmental factors affect the availability of water in these regions. In this paper, we develop an ensemble-learning based predictive-analytics framework for smart water management to predict: i) water pump operation status (e.g., functional, non functional), ii) water quality, and iii) quantity. In the predictive-analytics framework, we first perform feature engineering to select relevant features, use them to develop the XGBoost and Random Forest ensemble learning models, and then perform extensive feature analysis to identify the most predictive features, for each prediction problem mentioned above. We evaluate our framework on two publicly available smart water management datasets pertaining to Tanzania and Nigeria and show that our proposed models outperform several baseline approaches, including logistic regression, SVMs, and multi-layer perceptrons in terms of precision, recall and F1 score. We also demonstrate that our models are able to achieve a superior prediction performance for predicting water pump operation status for different water extraction methods. We conduct a detailed feature analysis to investigate the importance of the various feature groups (e.g., geographic, management) on the performance of the models for predicting water pump operation status, water quality and quantity. We then perform a fine-grained feature analysis to identify how individual features, not just feature groups, impact performance. We identify that among individual features, location (x, y, z coordinates) has the maximum impact on performance. Our analysis is helpful in understanding the types of data that should be collected in future for accurately predicting the different water problems.
Development of a decentralized nonlinear controller for a class of uncertain polynomial interconnected systems: Application for a large scale power system:

This paper presents a new robust decentralized control of nonlinear interconnected systems, which is applied and validated on a large scale power system. Our work is performed in three steps. First...
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Calf Muscles in Subjects With and Without Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used to characterize calf skeletal muscle architecture. PURPOSE To assess the diffusional properties of the calf muscles of subjects with and without diabetes, at rest and during isometric plantarflexion exercise. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Twenty-six subjects in two groups: 13 healthy and 13 subjects with type 2 diabetes (DM); each group consisted of seven females and six males. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3T/2D single-shot spin echo planar imaging. ASSESSMENT Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), diffusion eigenvalues, and fiber tracking indices were obtained from the medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), and soleus (SOL) muscles of the calf at rest and during isometric plantarflexion exercise. STATISTICAL TESTS We used a combination of nonparametric (Wilcoxon) and parametric (t-test) statistical assessments. RESULTS The medial gastrocnemius muscle had more indices with significant differences between the two groups (six indices with P < 0.05) than did the lateral gastrocnemius (three indices with P < 0.05) and soleus muscles (only one index with P < 0.05). While the healthy group showed elevated MD values from rest to exercise (MG = 5.83%, LG = 13.45%, and SOL = 11.68%), the diabetic MD showed higher increases (MG = 19.74%, LG = 29.31%, and SOL = 20.84%) that were different between groups (MG: P = 0.009, LG: P = 0.037, and SOL: P = 0.049). DATA CONCLUSION Our results indicate considerable diffusional changes between healthy subjects and subjects with diabetes at rest and during isometric plantarflexion exercise in the calf muscles. The medial gastrocnemius muscle displayed the most diffusion sensitivity to diabetes-related microstructural changes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:1285-1295.
UNIT 19.4 Protein Databases on the Internet

Protein databases have become a crucial part of modern biology. Huge amounts of data for protein structures, functions, and particularly sequences are being generated. Searching databases is often the first step in the study of a new protein. Comparison between proteins and between protein families in databases provides information about the relationship between proteins within a genome or across different species, and hence offers much more information than can be obtained by studying only an isolated protein. In addition, secondary databases derived from experimental databases are also widely available. These databases reorganize and annotate the data or provide predictions. The use of multiple databases often helps researchers understand the structure and function of proteins. Although some protein databases are widely known, they are far from being fully utilized in the protein science community. This unit provides a starting point for readers to explore the potential of protein databases on the Internet.
CHAPTER 27 – Menopause

Menopause is commonly referred to a point in life when women experience permanent cessation of menstruation due to irreversible loss of ovarian activity. The collective follicle capacity of the ovaries to secrete adequate estradiol diminishes to the point at which proliferation of the endometrium adequate to produce menstruation is no longer achievable. However, some ovarian steroid function continues beyond this critical point resulting in limited extragonadal production of estrogen. The ability of the ovaries to function as endocrine organs and provide sufficient hormone to sustain estrogen-dependent biologic aspects also ceases at menopause. This chapter highlights the long term consequences of menopause and the various strategies available to meet these challenges. The chapter also discusses demographics and epidemiology of menopause, the complex and paradoxical endocrinology of the perimenopausal transition, and benefits and risks of hormonal replenishment. In particular, menopause should be viewed as an opportunity to apply interventions, which not only modify and correct acute short-term symptomatic difficulties, but provide ongoing preventive and supportive health care by identification, prevention, and correction of emerging quality and duration of life health issues.
Who or What Created the World?: Bhāviveka’s Arguments Against the Hindu Concept of Īśvara

In his commentary on the first verse of Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikāḥ, Bhāviveka discusses the Hindu concept of īśvara or “Lord” as one of several “no-causes” (ahetu) that allegedly have created the world. By “no-cause” he means that, while the Lord may exist, he does not perform the action of creating the world. In this sense, the Lord is like a woman who is “no-wife” or a son who is “no-son.” They may exist, but they do not perform the actions that are appropriate to these particular social roles. Basing his argument on a verse in the Mahābhārata that speaks bitterly of the injustice of the Lord, Bhāviveka argues that a Lord who is capricious and cruel could not have created a world that is orderly and just. Instead, he proposes that, from a conventional point of view (saṃvṛtyāpi), the world is created not by a Lord, but by karma. Bhāviveka develops this argument further in two places in his own independent work, The Verses on the Heart of the Middle Way (madhyamaka-hṛdaya-kārikāḥ), and in its commentary The Flame of Reason (Tarkajvālā). In his further elaboration of the argument, he gives a vivid account of what he considers the moral inadequacies of the Lord in Hindu mythology, focusing not only on the terrifying and destructive aspects of Śiva as Rudra, but also on the morally questionable aspects of Viṣṇu as Kṛṣṇa the cowherd who destroys demons and seduces other men’s wives. In the process, Bhāviveka gives us a distinctive and lively picture of the perennial conflict between Hindus and Buddhists about the role of the Lord in the creation of the world.
Mirror Image Modeling of Acetabular Rim Thickness Differences in Patients With Unilateral Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome.

Purpose To use mirror imaging to identify the location and magnitude of difference in acetabular rim morphology between the symptomatic and unaffected acetabula in patients with symptomatic unilateral pincer-type or mixed femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) using 1-dimensional models created with computed tomography (CT). Methods CT scans of bilateral hips in 33 patients diagnosed with unilateral pincer-type or mixed FAIS were obtained. Three-dimensional bilateral hip models were constructed, and the unaffected hemipelvis was superimposed onto the symptomatic side to compare acetabular thickness. Protrusion of the symptomatic side was recorded, and rim morphology was divided into clock face quadrants to analyze the location of greatest magnitude of difference between affected and unaffected acetabula. Analysis of the quadrants was performed using analysis of variance with post hoc Bonferroni correction. Results The study group consisted of more females (51.6%) than males, with an average age of 35.72 ± 7.8 years and an average body mass index of 24.3 ± 4.1 kg/m2. Of the 33 hips included, 14 were isolated pincer-type FAIS and 19 were mixed. The average preoperative symptomatic side lateral center edge angle was 37.5° ± 7.2° compared with 29° ± 5.1° on the asymptomatic side (P = .001). The symptomatic acetabular rim was on average 0.43 ± 0.18 mm thicker than the corresponding location on the unaffected rim. When the acetabulum was divided into clock face quadrants, the 12 to 3 o'clock position showed the greatest difference between symptomatic and unaffected sides (0.55 ± 0.18 mm) compared with the 3 to 6 o'clock position (0.4 ± 0.28 mm; P = .006), 6 to 9 o'clock (0.34 ± 0.07 mm; P Conclusions Patients with unilateral, symptomatic pincer-type or mixed FAIS show statistical differences in rim thickness between the affected and unaffected acetabula. Small changes in acetabular rim morphology on the order of ≤0.5 mm may be the difference between symptomatic FAIS and the unaffected hip. Level of Evidence IV, case series.
TIDieR checklist evaluation of clinical trial intervention reporting for recent FDA-approved anticancer medications.

Importance Clear and comprehensive descriptions of clinical trial interventions are necessary to translate new results into clinical practice. The TIDieR checklist was developed to be a minimum set of key items considered essential to high-quality reporting of clinical trial interventions. Objective To determine the quality of reporting of recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved oncology interventions. Design Cross-sectional investigation. Setting/Participants/Intervention Recent, FDA-approved haematology/oncology anticancer interventions. Main outcome measure Quality of reporting. Results Across all included trials (n=96), a median of 8–9 (out of 12) TIDieR items were reported. Seven TIDieR items had >90% adherence, including individual-level and study-level modifications of drugs and dosing schedules. Three items were less often reported: intervention provider, including training and expertise (7/192, 3.6%); trial institution infrastructure (0/192, 0.0%); and how intervention compliance was assessed (59/192, 30.7%). Publication of a protocol improved intervention reporting (p Conclusions In this analysis of clinical trials of recent, FDA-approved anticancer interventions, we found good adherence to the TIDieR checklist. These studies were homogeneous in their structure and included information; some TIDieR items were always or never/rarely reported. Clinical trial effect sizes may not translate to real-world practice for a number of reasons. Thus, to aid the translation of trial effect sizes to real-world practice, we recommend authors adhere to the TIDieR checklist and describe the infrastructure of trial centres and describe who provided the intervention, along with their expertise.
The eye in spondyloarthritis

Acute anterior uveitis is the most common extra-articular clinical manifestation of spondyloarthropathy. Rheumatologists should be aware of uveitis, know how it presents, understand the differential diagnosis of uveitis and arthritis, and be familiar with the role of systemic medications in the treatment or prevention of uveitis.
I Focalize, You Focalize, We All Focalize Together: Audience Participation in Persepolis

Abstract (E): This article combines theories of cognition and empathy with focalization theory to examine how and why different forms of audience engagement in fictional worlds are cued. The article argues that critics should examine the differences between engagement that encourages audiences to apply their own frames to the world presented and type engagement cued by means of point-of-view shots and close-ups of facial expressions. Abstract (F ): Cet article combine les theories de la cognition et de l’empathie avec la theorie de la focalisation afin d’analyser comment et pourquoi certaines œuvres construisent la maniere dont le public est invite a s’investir dans des mondes fictionnels. Il defend l’idee que les critiques devraient examiner avant tout les differences entre un type d’investissement qui encourage les publics a appliquer leurs propres schemas de reference au monde de la fiction et un type d’investissement qui passe surtout par des techniques de point de vue et de plans rapproches d’expressions faciles.
White Thugs & Black Bodies: A Comparison of the Portrayal of African-American Women in Hip-Hop Videos

The continued appearance of African-American women as performers in rap and/or hip-hop videos has called attention to the male gaze and the ways in which young African-American women negotiate their sexuality. The most popular music videos of Caucasian and African-American hip-hop artists from 2003-2005 were analyzed and compared to determine the levels of sexism between the two cultures. With these videos, this study replicated a qualitative content analysis from another study that identified three prominent characteristics: (1) the level of sexism; (2) the presence of intimate touch and/the presence of alluring attire; and (3) which race portrayed women in a more sexist manner. From those distinctions, it was discerned that the majority of videos featuring both races possessed low levels of sexism, if any at all. Regarding sexual iconography, barely half of the Caucasian sample depicted women wearing alluring attire, and approximately a quarter of them revealed women engaged in intimate touching scenes with men and women. It was concluded that African-American rappers portray African-American women in a more sexist manner than their white counterparts in the name of hip-hop. Now I chill real ill when I start to chill When I fill my pockets with a knot of dollar bills Sipping pints of ale out the window sill When I get my fill I'm chilly chill Now I just got home because I'm out on bail What's the time? it's time to buy ale Peter eater parking meter all of the time If I run out of ale it's Thunderbird wine Miller drinking chicken eating dress so fly I got friends in high places that are keeping me high Down with Mike D. and it ain't no hassle Got the ladies of the eighties from here to White Castle -Beastie Boys, Hold it Now, Hit it.
School Architecture as a Subject of Inquiry

The intention of this article is to propose the aesthetic dimension of school design as a valid interest for school leaders and an important subject of inquiry for those who generate the research w...
Clinical effect of clitoroplasty with preservation of glans clitoris and dorsal neurovascular pedicle

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of clitoroplasty with preservation of the glans clitoris and the dorsal neurovascular pedicle in patients with clitoral hypertrophy. Methods From July 2003 to June 2009, cunnus feminization operations with preservation of the glans clitoris and the dorsal neurovascular pedicle and labioplasty were performed on 8 patients with female pseudohermaphroditism. Results All 8 cases were primary healing. The shaping glans of clitoris was completely viable with satisfactory size, location, contour and touching sensitivity, and the cunnuses presented the appearances of female external genital organs. Conclusions Clitoroplasty with preservation of the glans clitoris and the dorsal neurovascular can improve the appearance of clitoris and labia, preserving the functions of sensation and erection, reconstruting a new clitoris which is aesthetically appealing and functional, and it is suitable for various kinds of cunnus feminization operations. Key words: Clitoroplasty; Clitoral hypertrophy; Female pseudohermaphroditism
Private Payer and Medicare Coverage for Circulating Tumor DNA Testing: A Historical Analysis of Coverage Policies From 2015 to 2019.

Background Clinical adoption of the sequencing of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for cancer has rapidly increased in recent years. This sequencing is used to select targeted therapy and monitor nonresponding or progressive tumors to identify mechanisms of therapeutic resistance. Our study objective was to review available coverage policies for cancer ctDNA-based testing panels to examine trends from 2015 to 2019. Methods We analyzed publicly available private payer policies and Medicare national coverage determinations and local coverage determinations (LCDs) for ctDNA-based panel tests for cancer. We coded variables for each year representing policy existence, covered clinical scenario, and specific ctDNA test covered. Descriptive analyses were performed. Results We found that 38% of private payer coverage policies provided coverage of ctDNA-based panel testing as of July 2019. Most private payer policy coverage was highly specific: 87% for non-small cell lung cancer, 47% for EGFR gene testing, and 79% for specific brand-name tests. There were 8 final, 2 draft, and 2 future effective final LCDs (February 3 and March 15, 2020) that covered non-FDA-approved ctDNA-based tests. The draft and future effective LCDs were the first policies to cover pan-cancer use. Conclusions Coverage of ctDNA-based panel testing for cancer indications increased from 2015 to 2019. The trend in private payer and Medicare coverage is an increasing number of coverage policies, number of positive policies, and scope of coverage. We found that Medicare coverage policies are evolving to pan-cancer uses, signifying a significant shift in coverage frameworks. Given that genomic medicine is rapidly changing, payers and policymakers (eg, guideline developers) will need to continue to evolve policies to keep pace with emerging science and standards in clinical care.
GROWBOT: a robotic system to help children grow plants

Growbot and Growall comprise an interactive robotic system that helps teach a child to care for a plant. While some children learn caregiving skills from pets, many children live in areas where pet ownership is impractical or not permitted. Plants are more accessible and can teach a similar skillset. But, unlike pets, plants are unable to draw attention themselves to get the care they need. Growbot, a mobile robot capable of moving a plant, enables plants to move in goal-directed ways to gain attention and communicate needs to a child caregiver. As the plant grows with the child's long-term care, the child is rewarded with Growall, an interactive, flowering, wall-mounted surface. As the plant grows, Growall becomes increasingly active to further motivate the child's caregiving. In this demonstration, we will show how Growbot interacts with a plant and communicates its needs to a caregiver.
Marx’s Argument for the Labor Theory of Value:

In a Times Literary Supplement review of some recent literature on Marx and Marxism for a general readership, Jonathan Wolff claimed that Marx’s solution to the so-called “transformation problem” i...