cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nocodazole Induces Multiple Myeloma Cell Death and Reduces Tumor Growth through Sequential Microtubular Network Damage and C-Jun N-Terminal Kinase-Mediated Bcl-2 Phosphorylation.

Abstract 296 Background: Benzimidazoles, originally categorized as broad-spectrum anthelmintic drugs, have been recently reported to induce growth arrest and apoptosis in some solid cancer models (e.g. colorectal and lung). We performed a multiplex drug-screening assay that identified benzimidazoles as potential anti-multiple myeloma (MM) agents. Methods and Results: In this study, we demonstrate that one of the benzimidazole members, nocodazole, inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in MM cell lines and primary MM cells alone and in co-culture with bone marrow stromal cells. The resistant phenotype of those MM cells resistant to conventional therapies could be completely reversed by nocodazole. The IC 50 values were 60 nM (RPMI8226-S), 25 nM (RPMI8226-Dox40), 80 nM (RPMI8226-MR20), 60 nM (RPMI8226-LR5), 65 nM (MM.1S) and 60 nM (MM.1R). Viability of primary cells decreased by 66% in CD138 + cells and 7% in CD138 − mononucleated bone marrow cells after 48 hour treatment. Cell cycle analysis revealed a G2/M arrest and subsequent cell death induced by nocodazole. Nocodazole also caused morphologic elongation in MM cells in a dose-dependent manner during prometaphase. The morphologically changed cells exhibited a microtubular network disarray as evidenced by microtubular immunofluorescent staining. Signaling studies indicated that increased expression of Bim protein and reduced XIAP and Mcl-1 levels were involved in nocodazole-induced apoptosis. Further investigation showed Bcl-2 phosphorylation as a critical mediator of cell death, which was triggered by the activation of JNK, instead of p38 kinase or ERKs. Treatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125 completely inhibited Bcl-2 phosphorylation at Ser70 and Thr56 induced by nocodazole. Nocodazole-induced cell death subsequently decreased from 79% to 28% after pretreatment with SP600125. Combination of nocodazole with dexamethasone induced significantly stronger induction of cell death at either drug dose. Dexamethasone at 20 nM, nocodazole at 15 or 30 nM could only induce 19%, 10.3% and 16% cell death, respectively. However, their combinations resulted in 67% and 92% nuclear fragmentation, respectively. Based on our in vitro data, we analyzed nocodazole in a SCID xenograft murine model. Nocodazole alone (5 and 20 mg/kg) or combined with dexamethasone (2 mg/kg) at a lower dose of 12 mg/kg significantly inhibited H929 tumor growth and prolonged survival in a SCID xenograft murine model. Conclusions: Our studies demonstrate that nocodazole has a potent anti-MM activity and might be a promising new treatment approach for MM. * Supported by a grant from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Disclosures: Roodman: Acceleron: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Amgen: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy. Lentzsch: Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy.
CALM: Contention-Aware Latency-Minimal Application Mapping for Flattened Butterfly On-Chip Networks

With the emergence of many-core multiprocessor system-on-chips (MPSoCs), on-chip networks are facing serious challenges in providing fast communication among various tasks and cores. One promising on-chip network design approach shown in recent studies is to add express channels to traditional mesh network as shortcuts to bypass intermediate routers, thereby reducing packet latency. This approach not only changes the packet latency models, but also greatly affects network traffic behaviors, both of which have not been fully exploited in existing mapping algorithms. In this article, we explore the opportunities in optimizing application mapping for flattened butterfly, a popular express channel-based on-chip network. Specifically, we identify the unique characteristics of flattened butterfly, analyze the opportunities and new challenges, and propose an efficient heuristic mapping algorithm. The proposed algorithm Contention-Aware Latency Minimal (CALM) is able to reduce unnecessary turns that would otherwise impose additional router pipeline latency to packets, as well as adjust forwarding traffic to reduce network contention latency. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve, on average, 3.4X reduction in the number of turns, 24.8% reduction in contention latency, and 14.12% reduction in the overall packet latency.
The Politics of Punk: Protest and Revolt from the Streets

In The Politics of Punk: Protest and Revolt from the Streets, David Ensminger accomplishes the unwieldy task of documenting the politics and activism of punk as it erupted over several decades and ...
No News is Bad News: Examining the Discourse Around Hugo Chávez’s Illness

Hugo Chavez was a towering personality and dominated Venezuela’s recent history. Three years after his death, he is still the main buttress of the Venezuelan Bolivarian Revolution. Chavez was ubiquitous on Venezuelan media. In frequent and lengthy live broadcasts—mandatory for all outlets—he spoke to the nation, made decisions, defined strategies, gave Government handouts, appointed and fired ministers and officers, threatened and insulted. In short, he was the Bolivarian Revolution—its creator, image and spokesperson. What happens when such a president falls terminally ill? How are medical information and the President’s discursive absences handled? Chavez’s health pervaded Venezuela during the last 21 months of his life. Yet, information was sparse and tightly controlled by him and the closest members of his Government. There were no medical reports. In contrast, the rumor mill worked non-stop and some journalists were particularly predictive of the President’s subsequent announcements. This situation brought out the tension between public figures’ right to privacy and citizens’ right to know about the health of their leader. This chapter fleshes out that tension by examining the discourse around Chavez’s health and illness, identifying the Government’s underpinning tactics and whether these were consonant with Chavez’s general media strategy and/or reactive to media reports.
The impact of allogenic blood transfusion on the outcomes of total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation

Abstract Background Allogenic blood transfusion (ABT) may be needed for severe bleeding during total pancreatectomy with autotransplantation (TPIAT), but may induce inflammation. This study investigated the impact of ABT. Methods With a population of 83 patients who underwent TPIAT from 2006 to 2014, this study compared cytokine levels, patient characteristics, islet characteristics, metabolic outcomes, insulin requirements, and hemoglobin A1c for those who received a blood transfusion (BT) versus no blood transfusion (NBT). Results Initially, proinflammatory cytokines were moderately higher in the BT group than the NBT group. Despite longer procedures and more severe bleeding, the BT group had similar values to the NBT group for insulin requirements, serum C-peptide, hemoglobin A1c, and insulin independence rate. The probability of insulin independence was slightly higher in patients receiving ≥3 units of blood. Conclusion ABT induced elevation of proinflammatory cytokines during the perioperative period in TPIAT, but these changes did not significantly change posttransplant islet function.
Visual Diagnosis: 9-month-old Boy with Coarse Facial Features and Hepatosplenomegaly.

1. Jennifer Myaeng, DO* 2. Michael S. L. Ching, MD* 3. Veronica J. Rooks, MD* 1. *Tripler Army Medical Center – Pediatrics, Honolulu, HI A 9-month-old boy presents to the emergency department with fever, congestion, cough, and respiratory distress. He is admitted to the inpatient unit for further management. Previous medical history includes developmental delay, failure to thrive, bilateral inguinal hernia repairs, and an earlier hospitalization for respiratory illness. During the hospital course of his hernia repairs at age 3 months, a chest radiograph revealed widened ribs, but no other physical stigmata were noted. The newborn screen, including evaluation for congenital hypothyroidism, yielded normal results. There is no reported family history of birth defects, chromosomal anomalies, learning disabilities, or genetic conditions on either side of the family. His father has a maternal cousin whose child died of an unknown disorder. The family lives in Guam and is primarily indigenous Chamorro in ancestry from both sides of the family. On physical examination, the patient fixes on and follows faces and displays a social smile. His head is plagiocephalic and demonstrates craniosynostosis. He has coarse facial features, including thick eyebrows, epicanthal folds, anteverted nares, broad nasal bridge, and macroglossia (Fig 1). His corneas are clear. Abdominal examination reveals palpable hepatosplenomegaly and genitourinary examination demonstrates a reducible left inguinal hernia. His lower extremities are hypotonic and …
Myelination of the brain in Major Depressive Disorder: An in vivo quantitative magnetic resonance imaging study

Evidence from post-mortem, genetic, neuroimaging, and non-human animal research suggests that Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is associated with abnormalities in brain myelin content. Brain regions implicated in this research, and in MDD more generally, include the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), insula, subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We examined whether MDD is characterized by reduced myelin at the whole-brain level and in NAcc, LPFC, insula, sgACC, and mPFC. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) permits the assessment of myelin content, in vivo, in the human brain through the measure of R1. In this study we used qMRI to measure R1 in 40 MDD and 40 healthy control (CTL) participants. We found that the MDD participants had lower levels of myelin than did the CTL participants at the whole-brain level and in the NAcc, and that myelin in the LPFC was reduced in MDD participants who had experienced a greater number of depressive episodes. Although further research is needed to elucidate the role of myelin in affecting emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and clinical aspects of MDD, the current study provides important new evidence that a fundamental property of brain composition, myelin, is altered in this disorder.
Carotid endarterectomy reduced death and strokes in patients with ipsilateral high-grade stenosis and recent hemispheric transient ischemic attacks or nondisabling strokes

Source Citation North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial Collaborators. Beneficial effect of carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic patients with high-grade carotid stenosis. N Engl J...
Reno, Las Vegas, and the Strip: A Tale of Three Cities, by Eugene P. Moehring

In 1963, 28-year-old Elvis Presley recorded the hit single “Viva Las Vegas,” which was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling more than 500,000 copies in the Un...
Rheostatic Control of Cas9-Mediated DNA Double Strand Break (DSB) Generation and Genome Editing

We recently reported two novel tools for precisely controlling and quantifying Cas9 activity: a chemically inducible Cas9 variant (ciCas9) that can be rapidly activated by small molecules and a ddPCR assay for time-resolved measurement of DNA double strand breaks (DSB-ddPCR). Here, we further demonstrate the potential of ciCas9 to function as a tunable rheostat for Cas9 function. We show that a new highly potent and selective small molecule activator paired with a more tightly regulated ciCas9 variant expands the range of accessible Cas9 activity levels. We subsequently demonstrate that ciCas9 activity levels can be dose-dependently tuned with a small molecule activator, facilitating rheostatic time-course experiments. These studies provide the first insight into how Cas9-mediated DSB levels correlate with overall editing efficiency. Thus, we demonstrate that ciCas9 and our DSB-ddPCR assay permit the time-resolved study of Cas9 DSB generation and genome editing kinetics at a wide range of Cas9 activity le...
A sequential selective dissolution method to quantify storage and stability of organic carbon associated with Al and Fe hydroxide phases

Stabilization of SOM (soil organic matter) is regulated in part by sorption and desorption reactions happening at mineral surfaces, as well as precipitation and dissolution of organo-metal complexes. Fe and Al hydroxides play a particularly significant role in SOM stabilization in soils due to their ubiquitous distribution and their highly reactive surface properties. Iron and Al hydroxides exist in soils across a wide spectrum of crystallinity, ranging from dissolved Fe and Al cations which combine with organics to form organo-metal precipitates to the more crystalline end members, goethite and gibbsite, which sorb SOM through a variety of molecular interactions. Though the importance of these sorption and precipitation reactions has long been recognized, the distribution of SOM among Fe and Al hydroxides of differing crystallinity has not been well quantified, nor has the timescale over which these stabilization mechanisms operate. In an attempt to measure the distribution of organic C among (i) Al- and Fe-humus complexes (ii) short-range-order (SRO) Al and Fe hydroxide surfaces and (iii) crystalline Fe oxyhydroxide surfaces, a single method combining several selective mineral dissolutions was applied to soils of four different geneses (a tropical forest Andisol, a temperate forest basaltic Mollisol, a Mediterranean coastal prairie Mollisol, and a northern mixed hardwood forest Spodosol). The traditional reactants used in selective dissolutions were replaced with carbon-free analogues so that the carbon released along with the Fe and Al at each stage of the selective dissolution process could be measured. Selective dissolutions were performed sequentially: Na-pyrophosphate (organo-Al and Fe complexes) followed by hydroxylamine (SRO Al and Fe hydroxides) followed by dithionite-HCl (crystalline Fe hydroxides). Carbon, Al, and Fe concentrations, as well as radiocarbon abundance were measured in the solutions yielded by each stage of the selective dissolution process. Results suggest that precipitation of organo-metal complexes (Na-pyrophosphate extractable C) often accounts for the largest pool of stabilized C among the three selectively dissolved pools, but these complexes were 14C enriched in comparison to C from the other selectively dissolved pools and the residual C left on crystalline mineral surfaces after all three stages of selective dissolution. Hydroxylamine and dithionite-HCl extractable C pools were, on average, small and often below detection level in temperate soils. However, radiocarbon values for these C pools were generally depleted in comparison to other pools. These results suggest variation in organo-mineral complex stability is associated with degree of crystallinity of the mineral phase. Overall, this work suggests that sequential selective dissolution methods are a promising tool for characterizing the content and isotopic composition of soil C associated with distinct organo-mineral and organo-metal associations.
Successful Time-Management Techniques for Small Businesses:

This article provides the small business owner and operator with useful techniques to better manage time. Effective management of time is important for all businesses, but to the small business per...
AES Co-processor

In this chapter we will study the implementation of the Advanced Encryption Standard as a hardware accelerator – a hardware module that completes the encryption on behalf of software. We’ll create two implementations: a memory-mapped encryption coprocessor for ARM, and a custom-instruction encryption/decryption implementation for Nios. Both of these cases will highlight the impact of hardware interface design on the overall implementation. The chapter includes important sections of the source code, but these are not fully self-contained. The reader can refer to the book website for a complete set of design files.
Punishment Politics: Gubernatorial Rhetoric, Political Conflict, and the Instrumental Explanation of Mass Incarceration in the American States

The tension created by the drop in violent crime and the sustained increase in mass incarceration in the American states represents a phenomenon of great theoretical and policy relevance. Previous accounts of that tension have centered on theories of group conflict and instrumentalism. We argue here that the use of aggressive political rhetoric by state governors to communicate the crime problem is an important correlate of mass incarceration boom. Using data derived from content analysis of state-of-the-state addresses of governors from all 50 states, we test this rhetoric theory and evaluate its implications alongside instrumental and conflict-based explanations of mass incarceration. We find that gubernatorial rhetoric has strong effect on mass incarceration but that this effect is moderated by the institutional power of the governor. Instrumentalism is not supported. The key implication of our findings is that mass incarceration is overwhelmingly a policy consequence of the punitive political rhetoric employed by state leaders to exploit the crime problem and mobilize political support.
Biological Nitrogen Fixation: A Fertilizer Strategy Potentially Beneficial for the Poor in Developing Countries

Food is the world’s most important renewable resource and plants constitute directly or indirectly (as feed) essentially all of the world’s food. In publishing “The Limits of Growth”, the Club of Rome voiced concern not only for the continuing problems of hunger, malnutrition, disease and death, but also for a perceived inability to keep pace with food needs in the future (Meadows et al., 1972). After the World Food Conference in Rome in 1974, President Gerald R. Ford requested of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences that it “make an assessment of this problem and develop specific recommendations on how our research and development capabilities can best be applied to meeting this major challenge”. In 1977 the Academy responded with an in depth report “World Food and Nutrition Study, The Potential Contributions of Research” pointing to the need for a sustained 3 to 4% annual growth rate of food production in developing countries.
In silico perturbation of drug targets in pan-cancer analysis combining multiple networks and pathways.

Abstract The knowledge of cancer cell response to conventional therapies is crucial in order to choose the correct therapy of patients affected by cancer. The major problem is generally attributed to the lack of specific biological processes able to predict the therapy efficacy. Here, we optimized a computational method for the analysis of gene networks able to detect and quantify the effects of a drug in a pan-cancer study. Overall, our method, using several network topological measures has identified a cancer gene network with a key role in biological processes. The gene network, able to classify with a good performance cancer vs normal samples, was modulated in silico to evaluate the effects of new or approved drugs. This computational model could offer an interesting hint to decipher molecular mechanisms contributing to resistance or inefficacy of drugs.
Sarcopenia and Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Abstract Introduction The objective of the study was to determine whether sarcopenia is associated with pathologic and survival outcomes for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by radical cystectomy (RC). Patients and Methods We identified MIBC patients treated with cisplatin-based NAC in our cystectomy registry from 2000 to 2016. Pre- and post-NAC computed tomography images were analyzed with BodyCompSlicer, a validated body composition assessment tool. Sarcopenia was defined as a skeletal muscle index (SMI) below sex-specific international consensus values. Associations of clinical features with pathologic downstaging ( Results A total of 183 patients were identified. Median follow-up was 3.0 years (interquartile range, 1.8-5.0), during which time 79 patients died, including 62 of bladder cancer. SMI declined by a median of 8.4% during NAC treatment. In multivariable logistic regression, neither pretreatment sarcopenia nor the amount of muscle mass loss during NAC was associated with downstaging to P > .05). Meanwhile, only post-NAC sarcopenia (hazard ratio, 1.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-3.56; P = .04) was independently associated with an increased risk of CSM. Conclusion Sarcopenia after NAC and before RC appeared to be prognostic. Although skeletal muscle mass declined significantly during NAC, neither the degree of muscle loss nor pretreatment SMI were significantly associated with downstaging after NAC and RC. These data do not support the use of sarcopenia as a risk stratification tool for selection of patients for or monitoring response to NAC.
Exposure to airborne fine particulate matter is associated with impaired endothelial function and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Abstract Epidemiological evidence suggests that exposure to air pollution is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there is little direct evidence linking exposure to vascular dysfunction. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 100 participants, recruited from the University of Louisville Clinics. Endothelial function was assessed by calculating the reactive hyperemia index (RHI). Oxidative stress was indexed by measuring urinary levels of isoprostanes (n = 91). Inflammatory biomarkers were measured in the plasma (n = 80). Daily average PM2.5 levels were obtained from regional monitoring stations. Adjusted associations between PM2.5 levels and measured outcomes were tested using generalized linear models. The average age of participants was 48 years (44% male, 62% white); 52% had a diagnosis of hypertension, and 44% had type-2 diabetes. A 12.4% decrease in RHI was associated with 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 (95% CI: 21.0, −2.7). The F-2 isoprostane metabolite showed a positive association of 28.4% (95% CI: 2.7, 60.3) per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5. Positive associations were observed with angiopoietin 1 (17.4%; 95% CI: 2.8, 33.8), vascular endothelial growth factor (10.4%; 95% CI: 0.6, 21.0), placental growth factor (31.7%; 95% CI: 12.2, 54.5), intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (24.6%; 95% CI: 1.6, 52.8), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (30.3%; 95% CI: 8.0, 57.5) per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5. Additionally, a 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with 15.9% decrease in vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (95% CI: 28.3, −1.3). These findings suggest that exposure to PM2.5 is associated with impaired vascular function, which may result from oxidative stress and inflammation, thereby leading to a pro-atherogenic state.
Cryptography: encryption

This project will analyze symmetric and asymmetric encryption methods, which are and have been used in to secure information. The methods will be examined based on the strengths and weaknesses of the algorithm used and effectiveness in the real world. The project will be laid out in an organized presentation that will systematically analyze this area of cryptography.
A Comparison of Dietary Protein Digestibility, Based on DIAAS Scoring, in Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Athletes

Vegetarian diets provide an abundance of nutrients when carefully planned. However, vegetarian diets may have lower protein quality compared to omnivorous diets, a reflection of less favorable amino acid profiles and bioavailability. Hence, the current recommended dietary allowance for protein may not be adequate for some vegetarian populations. The purpose of this study was to determine dietary protein quality using the DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) method in vegetarian and omnivore endurance athletes. DIAAS scores reflect the true ileal digestibility of the indispensable amino acids that are present in food items, and these scores can be used to compute the available protein in diet plans. Thirty-eight omnivores and 22 vegetarians submitted seven-day food records that were analyzed for nutrient content, and DIAAS scores were computed by diet group. Average available protein (g) was compared along with participants’ lean body mass and strength (quantified using the peak torque of leg extension). DIAAS scores and available protein were higher for omnivorous versus vegetarian athletes (+11% and +43%, respectively, p < 0.05). Omnivorous participants had significantly higher lean body mass than vegetarian participants (+14%), and significant correlations existed between available protein and strength (r = 0.314) and available protein and lean body mass (r = 0.541). Based upon available protein, as determined through the DIAAS, vegetarian athletes in this study would need to consume, on average, an additional 10 g protein daily to reach the recommended intake for protein (1.2 g/kg/d). An additional 22 g protein daily would be needed to achieve an intake of 1.4 g/kg/d, the upper end of the recommended intake range.
FPGA Based Implementations of RNN and CNN: A Brief Analysis

Deep neural network (DNNs) is an extensive field which used for application those have complex nature such as processing of voice and image. It has two main varieties namely Convolutional neural network (CNNs) and recurrent neural network (RNNs) are got recent success in industrial applications. CNN used for applications like image classification, RNNs used for time-variant problems. Even though both belong to the DNNs family they implementations show substantial differences. I get more potential results on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) besides CPU and GPU's implementations. Evolution shows remarkable advantages of FPGA implementations over GPUs and CPUs. In this Research article FPGA implementation of CNNs and RNNs are compared and analyse its optimizations. Benefits and drawbacks of FPGA implementations of deep neural networks are also highlighted.
INTERMEDIATE UVEITIS WITH RETINAL DETACHMENT IN A PATIENT WITH POMPE DISEASE

Purpose To describe the ocular findings in a patient with glycogen storage disease II (Pompe disease). Methods Case report. Results A 14-year-old boy with Pompe disease was referred for evaluation of a retinal detachment in the left eye. Indirect ophthalmoscopy revealed bilateral fibrotic snowbanks and an inferior rhegmatogenous retinal detachment extending into the macula. Fluorescein angiography revealed mild diffuse perivascular leakage in both eyes. The retinal detachment was repaired with scleral buckling and cryotherapy. Workup for the etiology of the intermediate uveitis was unrevealing. Conclusion Enzyme replacement therapy has improved the survival of individuals with Pompe disease. With greater patient longevity, new ocular associations may continue to emerge. Whether intermediate uveitis is an ocular association of Pompe disease remains to be determined.
Silencing bicultural parental voices through educational satisfaction: What do we need to know?

Parental satisfaction is often used “as one indicator of school success or one outcome of school effectiveness”. However, the notion that it is possible to gauge minoritized parental satisfaction i...
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western world. Introduction of novel targeted therapies resulted in a significant paradigm shift in the treatment of CLL in recent years, leading to improved patient outcomes and arguably limited the role of cellular therapies. However, remaining unmet needs, in particular patients with high-risk disease (those with TP53 aberrations or complex karyotype) and those progressing on novel agents, justify continued interest in cellular therapies in this disease, including allogeneic cell transplantation (HCT) and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells. Here, we summarize the current state of affairs in this field.
Cerebellopontine Angle and Internal Auditory Canal Lipomas: Case Series and Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) and internal auditory canal (IAC) lipomas are rare, benign tumors comprising 0.08% of all intracranial tumors and can be mistaken for other, more common lesions of the CPA/IAC such as vestibular schwannoma. The purpose of this study was to review the literature and assess the evolution of CPA/IAC lipoma diagnosis and management. In addition, we present 17 new lipomas, matching the largest known case series of this rare tumor. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case series and systematic review. METHODS Systematic review of the literature was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. References from identified articles were also reviewed to identify potential additional manuscripts. Manuscripts and abstracts were reviewed to identify unique cases. For the case series, the charts of all CPA/IAC lipoma patients seen at a single institution from 2006-2019 were manually reviewed. Logistic regression and chi-squared analysis were performed where appropriate. RESULTS A total of 219 unique lipomas have been reported in the literature, including 17 presented in this study. Surgical management has been performed in 46% of cases and has been conducted less often in recent decades, likely due to improved radiographic diagnostic capabilities and understanding of surgical outcomes. Surgical management is associated with worse neurologic outcomes (P = .002) and has become less common in recent decades. Although growth is unlikely, it has been demonstrated in patients into their 30s. CONCLUSIONS Accurate radiographic diagnosis is imperative for appropriate patient management, as CPA/IAC lipomas should typically be managed through observation and serial imaging whereas vestibular schwannomas and other CPA/IAC lesions may require microsurgical or radiosurgical intervention depending on growth and symptomatology. Laryngoscope, 131:2081-2087, 2021.
Pregnancy-induced changes in the transcriptome of the bovine corpus luteum during and after embryonic interferon-tau secretion

Understanding luteal maintenance during early pregnancy is of substantial biological and practical importance. Characterizing effects of early pregnancy, however, has historically been confounded by use of controls with potential exposure to early Prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF) pulses or differences in Corpus Luteum (CL) age. To avoid this, the present study utilized bihourly blood sampling to ensure control CL (n = 6) were of a similar age to CL from pregnant animals (n = 5), yet without exposure to PGF pulses. Additionally, CL from second month of pregnancy (n = 4) were analyzed to track fate of altered genes after cessation of embryonic interferon tau (IFNT) secretion. The major alteration in gene expression in first month of pregnancy occurred in interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), with immune/interferon signaling pathways enriched in three independent over-representation analyses. Most ISGs decreased during second month of pregnancy, though, surprisingly, some ISGs remained elevated in the second month even after cessation of IFNT secretion. Investigation of luteolytic genes found few altered transcripts, in contrast to previous reports, likely due to removal of controls exposed to PGF pulses. An exception to this trend was decreased expression of transcription factor NR4A1. Beyond luteolytic genes and ISGs, over representation analyses highlighted the prevalence of altered genes within the extracellular matrix and regulation of Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) availability, confirming results of other studies independent of luteolytic genes. These results support the idea that CL maintenance in early pregnancy is related to lack of PGF exposure, although potential roles for CL expression of diverse ISGs and other pathways activated during early pregnancy remain undefined.Summary sentenceComparison of Day 20 CL from pregnant and cycling animals without initiation of luteolysis found 94 mRNA transcripts with differential expression, including many ISGs, some acutely regulated and others with elevated expression into second month of pregnancy, although no major alterations in luteolytic or steroidogenic genes indicate luteal maintenance during pregnancy is not transcriptomically opposite to CL regression.
Longitudinal Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Overall survival of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) has shown continued improvement. Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, in the long term, adversely affects prognosis in these patients. This study examines changes in echocardiographic markers of RV function in a longitudinal cohort. We retrospectively reviewed patients with HLHS managed at our institution from 7/1994 to 1/2016. Follow-up included surgical and clinical data, and echocardiographic measures. Measures of RV function preceding and following all three stages of single ventricular palliation were collected. Freedom from transplant-free survival was assessed by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Multivariable associations with time to death or transplant were explored using the Cox proportional hazards model. A total of 120 patients with HLHS were identified. Norwood operation was performed in all patients. The probability of survival for the cohort was 71 ± 4.4%, 69 ± 4.5% and 66 ± 4.7% at 1, 2 and 5 years respectively after stage I Norwood operation. RV fractional area change (FAC), compared to post-Norwood was decreased at all subsequent stages with the greatest change noted post-superior cavo-pulmonary shunt from 40.7 ± 9.3% to 31.1 ± 8.3% (p 35% and TAPSE Z-score > -5, patients with RV FAC ≤ 35% and TAPSE Z-score ≤ -5 had a significantly lower transplant-free survival (p < 0.0001). In patients with HLHS undergoing staged palliation, decrement in RV function manifests longitudinally. Post-Norwood RV FAC and TAPSE Z-score appear to be early markers of poor outcome in this population.
Predicting Housing Value: A Comparison of Multiple Regression Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks

This article compares the predictive performance of artificial neural networks (ANN) and multiple regression analysis (MRA) for single family housing sales. Multiple comparisons are made between th...
The Limits of Critique

Scott Durham _Phantom Communities: The Simulacrum and the Limits of Postmodernism_ Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1998 ISBN: 0-8047-3336-8 258 pp
Localization of RNA by high resolution in situ hybridization.

Publisher Summary Histological localization of RNA involves in situ hybridization techniques. Light microscopy (LM) in situ hybridization techniques have allowed localization of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to specific regions of the cell. The mechanism of intracellular RNA localization involves a two-step process: transport from the perinuclear region and then anchoring of the RNA to a specific subcellular location. Transport processes involve assembly of the RNA with cellular factors and movement of the complex along microfilaments and/or microtubules. In contrast little is known about the anchoring process. To identify the cellular structures that provide RNA anchoring sites, high resolution in situ hybridization techniques at the electron microscopy (EM) level are required. The success of EM in situ hybridization relies on experimental conditions for production of high specific activity nonisotopic probes, saturated hybridization kinetics, and efficient detection of the hybridization signal. This chapter describes a protocol for detecting the nonrandom distribution of rice storage protein mRNAs on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) using nonradioactive RNA probes.
Communication and Cues in the Functional Cognition of the Mentally Retarded

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the social elements of selected learning situations, with the premise that it is in such circumstances that children acquire most of their knowledge and skills. The chapter analyzes learning in terms of the direct and indirect communicative events or acts involved in experimental procedures and instructions, relates this analysis to retention and transfer, discusses the concept of functional cognition; the chapter also discuss both general theoretical and applied issues pertaining to mental retardation. Emphasizing the social determination of cognitive development and postulating a communication process as the vehicle for this influence implies that the action of social agents is important in intellectual development, just as it is in the socialization process. The research orientation being advanced minimizes testing the broad outlines of stage theories, general developmental trends in cognitive functioning, and the like. Cognitive investigators are joining the intervention-oriented behavior modifiers that have previously represented the dominant systematic applied effort in the field of mental retardation.
Incentives in Nonprofit Organizations: Evidence from Hospitals

This paper examines the incentives of CEOs in a large sample of nonprofit hospitals. The evidence suggests that the relations between financial performance (return on assets) and CEO turnover and compensation are as strong in nonprofit hospitals as in for-profit hospitals and other for-profit corporations. We find little evidence that nonprofit hospitals provide explicit incentives for their CEOs to focus on altruistic activities. The results add to the collective evidence that there is little distinction between the behaviors of nonprofit and for-profit hospitals. We provide some evidence that these similarities are due to competition in the marketplace, not identical objective functions.
“I Hate it”: Tortilla-Making, Class and Women’s Tastes in Rural Yucatán, Mexico

AbstractIn Mexico, the corn tortilla has long been imbued with deep meaning; at particular historical moments, it has reflected indigenous backwardness, national culture and women’s contribution to social reproduction. In one rural community in Yucatan, tortillas, their place in everyday life and their relationships with human bodies have grown yet more complicated. Over the last century, shifting conditions in the region—a decline in agricultural sustainability, the development of a massive tourist industry, the expansion of mass media and new religious diversity—have altered many of the ways in which people engage with food. This paper examines the tensions between the qualities of foods—and the process of tasting by which they are experienced—and the resistance of some Yucatec Maya women to preparing tortillas at home. Consensus about what good tortillas taste like no longer precludes women’s refusal to pat out this staple food by hand. The paper draws distinctions between practices of tortilla prepara...
A Model-Based Framework for an Adaptive User Interface in Supervisory Control

Abstract Supervisory control of multiple Remotely Piloted Aircrafts (RPAs) involves complex human system coordination. Automation is often utilized to deal with these complexities, and, used properly, is a useful tool for improving operator performance. Using the Vigilant Spirit Control Station simulation, a methodology is proposed for developing a framework for adaptive automation by determining what should be automated for a task, identifying what levels of automation are in the current design for each generic automation tasks, and planning for user performance evaluation testing. This paper introduces a new perspective for integrating adaptive user interface development. Automation in HCI systems is a field of research in aviation, production systems, and other human factors design fields that is complex and not clear on how to use automation to improve performance. A task-by-task evaluation is proposed for recommending a level of automation in a HCI system.
Spatiotemporal analysis of land-use and land-cover change in the Brazilian Amazon

This paper provides a comparative analysis of land-use and land-cover LULC changes among three study areas with different biophysical environments in the Brazilian Amazon at multiple scales, from per-pixel, polygon, census sector, to study area. Landsat images acquired during the years of 1990/1991, 1999/2000, and 2008/2010 were used to examine LULC change trajectories with the post-classification comparison approach. A classification system composed of six classes – forest, savanna, other vegetation secondary succession and plantations, agro-pasture, impervious surface, and water – was designed for this study. A hierarchical-based classification method was used to classify Landsat images into thematic maps. This research shows different spatiotemporal change patterns, composition, and rates among the three study areas and indicates the importance of analysing LULC change at multiple scales. The LULC change analysis over time for entire study areas provides an overall picture of change trends, but detailed change trajectories and their spatial distributions can be better examined at a per-pixel scale. The LULC change at the polygon scale provides the information of the changes in patch sizes over time, while the LULC change at census sector scale gives new insights on how human-induced activities e.g. urban expansion, roads, and land-use history affect LULC change patterns and rates. This research indicates the necessity to implement change detection at multiple scales for better understanding the mechanisms of LULC change patterns and rates.
Electrochemical tuning of indium phosphide∣poly(acetylene) interfaces

The electrical characteristics of n- and p-type indium phosphide interfaces with the soluble polyacetylene derivative poly(N,N,N-trimethyl-β-cyclooctatetraenylethylammonium trifluoromethane sulfonate) are reported as a function of the polymer’s electrochemical potential. The interfaces exhibit current rectification with diode quality factors in the range 1.03–1.25. By electrochemically switching the polymer in situ from its oxidatively doped (E=0.6 V versus SCE) to its reductively doped (E=−1.3 V versus SCE) state, it is possible to vary the effective barrier height of the interfaces over a range of up to 0.5 V. The results for n-InP are particularly notable with the observation of one of the highest effective barrier heights (φbeff=1.0 V) yet achieved for this material.
Difference Families From Lines and Half Lines

Using lines and half lines in a two-dimensional vector space overGF(q), we generalize the constructions of difference families of Xia and Liu which are important for the construction of Williamson-type matrices. Also based on this geometric point of view, we give new and simpler proofs for these constructions.
Lyn regulates BCR-ABL and Gab2 tyrosine phosphorylation and c-Cbl protein stability in imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia cells

Lyn kinase functions as a regulator of imatinib sensitivity in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells through an unknown mechanism. In patients who fail imatinib therapy but have no detectable BCR-ABL kinase mutation, we detected persistently activated Lyn kinase. In imatinib-resistant CML cells and patients, Lyn activation is BCR-ABL independent, it is complexed with the Gab2 and c-Cbl adapter/scaffold proteins, and it mediates persistent Gab2 and BCR-ABL tyrosine phosphorylation in the presence or absence of imatinib. Lyn silencing or inhibition is necessary to suppress Gab2 and BCR-ABL phosphorylation and to recover imatinib activity. Lyn also negatively regulates c-Cbl stability, whereas c-Cbl tyrosine phosphorylation is mediated by BCR-ABL. These results suggest that Lyn exists as a component of the BCR-ABL signaling complex and, in cells with high Lyn expression or activation, BCR-ABL kinase inhibition alone (imatinib) is not sufficient to fully disengage BCR-ABL–mediated signaling and suggests that BCR-ABL and Lyn kinase inhibition are needed to prevent or treat this form of imatinib resistance.
ox-LDL induces PiT-1 expression in human aortic valve interstitial cells.

Abstract Background The aortic valve interstitial cell (AVIC) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic stenosis. When appropriately stimulated, AVICs undergo a phenotypic change from that of a myofibroblast to that of a bone-forming–like cell. An elevated blood level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a clinical risk factor for aortic stenosis, and oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) cholesterol has been consistently found in calcified aortic valve leaflets. However, whether it plays a role in the pathogenesis of aortic stenosis is unknown. The process of aortic valve leaflet calcification has been associated with the deposition of calcium phosphate, mediated in part by the phosphate inorganic transporter 1 (PiT-1), a sodium-phosphate ion cotransporter. Therefore, we hypothesized that ox-LDL induces an osteogenic change in human AVICs marked by the induction of PiT-1. Using isolated human AVICs, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of ox-LDL on the expression of PiT-1 and the osteogenic factor bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), which is a protein necessary for bone formation. Methods Human AVICs were isolated from nonstenotic aortic valves obtained from the explanted hearts of patients undergoing cardiac transplantation (n = 4) and grown in culture. The cells were treated with serum-free media, serum-free media with dimethyl sulfoxide (vehicle control), 40 μg/mL of ox-LDL, or 40 μg/mL of ox-LDL plus 2.5 mM phosphonoformate hexahydrate acid. Phosphonoformate hexahydrate acid is a competitive inhibitor of PiT-1 by mimicking inorganic phosphate. Cell lysis was performed at 24 h after treatment. Cell lysates were analyzed using immunoblot and densitometry for PiT-1 and BMP-2. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance. P Results ox-LDL stimulation of AVICs induced an increase in PiT-1 and BMP-2. ox-LDL induced increased production of the phosphate transporter, PiT-1, and the osteogenic factor, BMP-2. Inhibition of PiT-1 with phosphonoformate hexahydrate acid prevented ox-LDL–induced BMP-2 expression. Conclusions These data offer mechanistic insight into the pathogenesis of calcific aortic stenosis.
Does Decarboxylation Lead to Cross-Linking in Low-Rank Coals?

The pyrolysis of 1,2-(3,3‘-dicarboxyphenyl)ethane (1) and 1,2-(4,4‘-dicarboxyphenyl)ethane (2) has been investigated between 325 and 425 °C as models of free carboxylic acids in low-rank coal to determine if decarboxylation contributes to cross-linking during the thermal processing of low-rank coals. The major reaction pathway from the pyrolysis of 1 and 2 was decarboxylation to produce 1-(3-carboxyphenyl)-2-phenylethane and 1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2-phenylethane. No evidence for aryl−aryl coupling (cross-linking) or high molecular weight products was found, and mass balances were excellent (>97%) even at high conversions (up to 67%). The apparent first-order rate constant for the decarboxylation of 1 to 1-(3-carboxyphenyl)-2-phenylethane was found to be log k (s-1) = (9.4 ± 0.4)−(43 ± 1)/2.303RT (kcal/mol). It is proposed that the thermal decarboxylation of 1 and 2 proceeds by an acid-promoted, ionic mechanism. The involvement of a free radical decarboxylation pathway was eliminated by the pyrolysis of 1,1,2...
The fine structure of macrocyst germination in Dictyostelium mucoroides.

Abstract The ultrastructure of macrocysts during germination is described from OsO 4 fixed material. The process begins with the splitting of the tertiary wall into two parts. This is followed by the cleavage of the protoplast into large uninucleate pro-amoebae. As these proamoebae become less electron dense most of the endocyte fragments are digested. Simultaneously the secondary wall and the outer part of the tertiary wall break, leaving only the thin inner part of the tertiary wall intact. The pro-amoebae divide several times to produce the myxamoebae that escape during germination by breaking through the inner layer of the tertiary wall. These myxamoebae multiply or form sorocarps or macrocysts, depending on conditions.