cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biosynthesis of β-1,3- and β-1,6-linked glucan by Phytophthoracinnamomi hyphal walls☆

Abstract Three lines of evidence were obtained to show that uridine diphosphoglucose (UDPG) is the natural precursor for the synthesis of β-1,3- and β-1,6-linked glucan(s) of the hyphal walls of the plant pathogenic fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi : 1) isolation of UDPG from the mycelium; 2) demonstration of UDPG pyrophosphorylase in a soluble fraction of the cytoplasm; 3) enzymic polymerization of glucose from UDP[ 14 C]G into alkali-insoluble glucan by a washed hyphal wall preparation. Most of the glucan synthesizing enzyme(s) was found in the hyphal walls. Seemingly the fungal cell wall has the capability to polymerize one of its components autonomously.
CrxRdy Cat: A Large Animal Model for CRX-Associated Leber Congenital Amaurosis

Purpose Mutations in the retinal transcription factor cone-rod homeobox (CRX) gene result in severe dominant retinopathies. A large animal model, the Rdy cat, carrying a spontaneous frameshift mutation in Crx, was reported previously. The present study aimed to further understand pathogenesis in this model by thoroughly characterizing the Rdy retina. Methods Structural and functional changes were found in a comparison between the retinas of CrxRdy/+ kittens and those of wild-type littermates and were determined at various ages by fundus examination, electroretinography (ERG), optical coherence tomography, and histologic analyses. RNA and protein expression changes of Crx and key target genes were analyzed using quantitative reverse-transcribed PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Transcription activity of the mutant Crx was measured by a dual-luciferase transactivation assay. Results CrxRdy/+ kittens had no recordable cone ERGs. Rod responses were delayed in development and markedly reduced at young ages and lost by 20 weeks. Photoreceptor outer segment development was incomplete and was followed by progressive outer retinal thinning starting in the cone-rich area centralis. Expression of cone and rod Crx target genes was significantly down-regulated. The mutant Crx allele was overexpressed, leading to high levels of the mutant protein lacking transactivation activity. Conclusions The CrxRdy mutation exerts a dominant negative effect on wild-type Crx by overexpressing mutant protein. These findings, consistent with those of studies in a mouse model, support a conserved pathogenic mechanism for CRX frameshift mutations. The similarities between the feline eye and the human eye with the presence of a central region of high cone density makes the CrxRdy/+ cat a valuable model for preclinical testing of therapies for dominant CRX diseases.
Estimating heat generation rates for wastes contaminated primarily by 137Cs and 90Sr

A method is described to estimate the heat generation rate of various high-level waste (HLW) forms composed primarily of either a sludge (with a composition similar to that in the Hanford HLW tanks) or borosilicate glass. The main heat source is from radioactive decay and subsequent self-absorption of particles emitted from 137 Cs, 90 Sr, or their radioactive daughters contained in the waste form. The heat generation rate of the waste form is usually an important parameter in safety and performance assessments and will likely be a part of the specifications required for the vitrified waste. The heat generation rate depends on the size of the waste because larger waste forms will tend to absorb a greater fraction of the gamma radiation from 137m Ba decays (a short-lived radioactive daughter of 137 Cs). Because beta radiation from these two nuclides is short ranged (only a few tenths of a millimetre in water), assumption of complete self-absorption of beta radiation is justifiable. Previous work in this area estimated upper and lower bounds for the volume-averaged heat generation rate per litre of waste based on total (i.e., large-sized waste forms) and zero (i.e., small-sized waste forms) self-absorption of gamma radiation emitted from 137m Ba. This analysis extends the previous work to more adequately estimate the heat generation rate of intermediate-sized waste forms based on the composition of the waste (either borosilicate glass or a simulated sludge), and the size of the waste as characterized by the surface-area-to-volume ratio. The analyses are based on runs of the MCNP version 4A code.
Understanding Alcohol Consumption Patterns among Older Adults: Continuity and Change

Older adulthood is a period in which alcohol consumption declines and rates of past-year nondrinking increase. Nonetheless, older adult alcohol use patterns vary based on life course differences that continue into later adulthood and changes that take place as individuals age. This chapter focuses on how these different patterns are defined and quantified in terms of risk, with an emphasis on the idea that the process of aging plays an important role not only in drinking itself, but also on how alcohol use patterns are defined as risky. In particular, the chapter explores the ways that specific older adult factors alter what is seen as at-risk drinking. Additionally, the chapter considers the advantages and disadvantages of applying alcohol use thresholds or criteria for the general population in older adults. After explaining definitions of alcohol use, the chapter provides an overview of sociodemographic correlates of drinking among older adults.
Fuzzy semistar operations on overrings

Abstract In this paper, we reinvestigate the notion of fuzzy semistar operation introduced in [5] . We show how a fuzzy semistar operation on an integral domain R induces canonically a fuzzy semistar operation on an overring T of R and conversely how a fuzzy semistar operation on T induces canonically a semistar operation on R. As an application, new characterizations of Prufer domains and complete description of the set of all fuzzy semistar operations of finite character on Prufer domains are obtained. We also characterize conducive domains.
Supplementation with zinc in rats enhances memory and reverses an age-dependent increase in plasma copper

Zinc and copper are essential trace elements. Dyshomeostasis in these two metals has been observed in Alzheimer's disease, which causes profound cognitive impairment. Insulin therapy has been shown to enhance cognitive performance; however, recent data suggest that this effect may be at least in part due to the inclusion of zinc in the insulin formulation used. Zinc plays a key role in regulation of neuronal glutamate signaling, suggesting a possible link between zinc and memory processes. Consistent with this, zinc deficiency causes cognitive impairments in children. The effect of zinc supplementation on short- and long-term recognition memory, and on spatial working memory, was explored in young and adult male Sprague Dawley rats. After behavioral testing, hippocampal and plasma zinc and copper were measured. Age increased hippocampal zinc and copper, as well as plasma copper, and decreased plasma zinc. An interaction between age and treatment affecting plasma copper was also found, with zinc supplementation reversing elevated plasma copper concentration in adult rats. Zinc supplementation enhanced cognitive performance across tasks. These data support zinc as a plausible therapeutic intervention to ameliorate cognitive impairment in disorders characterized by alterations in zinc and copper, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Nuclear South Asia: Keywords and concepts: Rajesh Rajagopalan and Atul Mishra, New Delhi, India: Routledge, 2014, 305 pp.

South Asia may be the region in which the current Second Nuclear Age meets its end, giving way to a Third Nuclear Age defined by the first use of nuclear weapons since 1945. Recent events related t...
Cold type composition: Its impact on library and information science

Cold type composition is a method of producing typescript and/or graphic information by means of inputting coded text into core memory and retrieving via programs written to highlight or extract specific elements of text. Such technology represents a significant advancement in information transfer because of 1. the incredible speed with which “printed” matter may be produced, and 2. the variety of publications made possible by massaging data bases already converted to machine readable form. This paper examines the two fundamentally different technologies of “CRT” and “Photon” composition in order to analyze their impact on library and information science. The author concludes we are on the verge of an information revolution which will allow for integration of knowledge to an unprecedented degree…provided the information community becomes aware of these implications, and rigorously questions present means of bibliographic control.
Public Safety, Private Harm: The Impact of Police Militarization on Mortality and Suicide

We quantify the impact of transferring productivity-enhancing military surplus equipment to law enforcement on suicide and mortality in the United States. Our strategy relies on federal budget allocations to military within a state to instrument for the value of equipment transferred to law enforcement within the state. We find evidence that the average state-level annual transfer of surplus military equipment to local law enforcement agencies (about $2 million) reduces suicide rates by 0.28 standard deviations. The majority of the reduction in suicide rates stems from a reduction in firearm suicide rates, suggesting more effective police forces reduce the need for households to secure their own property with firearms. For robustness, we show our results do not change in consideration of alternative instruments, are robust to concerns about timing of transfers and simultaneity, and that our strategy does not spuriously explain mortality from causes of death unrelated to public safety.
Contemporary Gurus in Indian Classrooms: Changing Professorial Authority and Cultural Tensions in Managing Digital Connectivity

In an environment of increasing digitalization and hyperconnectivity among Indian youths, this article examines the communication practices of professorial authority and the cultural tensions negotiated by college instructors as they intervene to manage digital connectivity and distractions in the Indian academe. Findings from interviews with 66 Indian professors illustrate how they communicate their authority using distinctive practices such as discursive norms, dialogic interactions, and verbal and nonverbal punishments. Furthermore, findings highlight how these instructors navigate cultural tensions as they face the dialectics of their status as privileged or disadvantaged and cultural similarities and differences in their management of their students’ attention and learning in college classrooms. The results of this study contribute to deepening insights on instructional and intercultural communication as well as broadening understanding of cross-cultural similarities and differences in teacher-student interactions in mediated learning environments.
Embedding Encryption and Machine Learning Intrusion Prevention Systems on Programmable Logic Controllers

During its nascent stages, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) were made robust to sustain tough industrial environments, but little care was taken to raise defenses against potential cyberthreats. The recent interconnectivity of legacy PLCs and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems with corporate networks and the Internet has significantly increased the threats to critical infrastructure. To counter these threats, researchers have put their efforts in finding defense mechanisms that can protect the SCADA network and the PLCs. Encryption and intrusion prevention systems (IPSs) have been used by many organizations to protect data and the network against cyber-attacks. However, since PLC vendors do not make available information about their hardware or software, it becomes challenging for researchers to embed security mechanisms into their devices. This letter describes an alternative design using an open source PLC that was modified to encrypt all data it sends over the network, independently of the protocol used. Additionally, a machine learning-based IPS was added to the PLC network stack providing a secure mechanism against network flood attacks like denial of service (DoS). Experimental results indicated that the encryption layer and the IPS increased the security of the link between the PLC and the supervisory software, preventing interception, injection, and DoS attacks.
'The Great Fiasco' of the 1948 presidential election polls: status recognition and norms conflict in social science.

All three ‘scientific’ pollsters (Crossley, Gallup and Roper) wrongly predicted incumbent President Harry Truman’s defeat in the 1948 presidential election, and thus faced a potentially serious leg...
Abstract 54: ML355 in Prevention of Thrombosis in vivo with Minimal Effects on Hemostasis

12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) has been demonstrated to regulate platelet function, hemostasis, and thrombosis ex vivo , supporting a key role for 12-LOX in regulation of in vivo thrombosis. While pharmacologically targeting 12-LOX in vivo has been a challenge to date, the recent development of the 12-LOX selective inhibitor, ML355, as an effective antiplatelet therapeutic in vivo was assessed. ML355 potently inhibited thrombin and other agonist-induced platelet aggregation ex vivo in washed human platelets and inhibited downstream oxylipin production of platelet 12-LOX as confirmed by Mass spectrometry analysis. Ex vivo flow chamber assays confirmed that human platelet adhesion and thrombus formation at arterial shear over collagen was attenuated in human whole blood treated with ML355 to a greater extent compared to aspirin. In vivo , PK assessment of ML355 showed reasonable 12-LOX plasma levels 12 hours following administration of ML355. FeCl 3 -induced injury of the mesenteric arterioles resulted in less stable thrombi in 12-LOX -/- mice and ML355-treated WT mice resulting in impairment of vessel occlusion. Additionally, ML355 dose-dependently inhibited laser-induced thrombus formation in the cremaster arteriole thrombosis model in WT, but not in 12-LOX -/- mice. Importantly, hemostatic plug formation and bleeding following treatment with ML355 were not affected in response to laser ablation on the saphenous vein or in a cremaster microvasculature laser-induced rupture model. Our data strongly supports 12-LOX as a key determinant of platelet reactivity in vivo and inhibition of platelet 12-LOX with ML355 may represent a new class of antiplatelet therapeutics.
An Empirical-Phenomenological Investigation of Being-Ashamed

This chapter presents a formulation of the essential lived structure of being-ashamed derived from an empirical-phenomenological analysis of the descriptions of various subjects’ situated experiences of the phenomenon. The research project and its results, from which this chapter is derived, were originally reported in my doctoral dissertation (Vallelonga, 1986). It has been ten years since that dissertation was completed and defended, and at least 12 books have been written on shame in the interim (Albers, 1995; Bradshaw, 1988; Broucek, 1991; Fossum & Mason, 1986; Harper & Hoopes, 1990; Kaufman, 1989; Lewis, 1992; Middleton-Moz, 1990; Nathanson, 1992; Nichols, 1991; Potter-Efron, 1989; Tangney & Fischer, 1995). Given the publication of so many books (not to mention articles) on the topic, the reader may legitimately ask if there is anything left to say about this phenomenon. There is much to say!
Aerobic cultivation of anaerobic rumen protozoa, Entodinium caudatum and Epidinium caudatum

Rumen protozoa, primarily ciliates, are one of the important groups of strictly anaerobic microbes living in the rumen. Despite their ubiquitous occurrence in the rumen and significant contribution to host animals, it is still poorly understood why they live only in the rumen and similar environment. Because rumen protozoa require strict anaerobic conditions to sustain their viability and grow, only a few laboratories equipped with protozoology expertise and anaerobic facilities can grow rumen protozoa in laboratory. Also for the same reason, only a few species have been grown and maintained as laboratory cultures for research. Prompted by a recent study, we hypothesized that anaerobic rumen protozoa could also be cultivated aerobically if antioxidants were included in the media. Indeed, our experiments showed that the cultures of both Entodinium caudatum and Epidinium caudatum, two major rumen protozoal species, could be cultured successfully in aerobic media supplemented with ascorbic acid, glutathione and α-ketoglutarate as antioxidants. Anaerobic fermentation was maintained through the fermentation characteristics and microbial populations were altered to some extent under aerobic conditions. The antioxidants also enhanced the revival of cryopreserved stock cultures of both rumen protozoal species. The results of this study may facilitate and promote future research in which rumen protozoa need to be cultured in laboratory.
Design Optimization of a Breakdown Silicon Controlled Rectifier (BDSCR) for Cell Phone Antenna Switch Pin Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Protection

A new Breakdown Silicon-Controlled-Rectifier (BDSCR) developed for effective ESD protection on antenna ports in cell phone applications is presented in an 180nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. The new OPPC-BDSCR design achieved leakage, breakdown voltage scaling and ESD requirements.
NRSF and Its Epigenetic Effectors: New Treatments for Neurological Disease

The Neuron Restrictive Silencer Factor (NRSF) is the well-known master transcriptional repressor of the neuronal phenotype. Research to date has shown that it is an important player in the growth and development of the nervous system. Its role in the maturation of neural precursor cells to adult neurons has been well characterized in stem cell models. While much has been characterized from a developmental perspective, research is revealing that NRSF plays a role in various neurological diseases, ranging from neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric, to cancer. Dysregulation of NRSF activity disrupts downstream gene expression that is responsible for neuronal cell homeostasis in several models that contribute to pathologic states. Interestingly, it is now becoming apparent that the dysregulation of NRSF contributes to neurological disease through epigenetic mechanisms. Although NRSF itself is a transcription factor, its major effectors are chromatin modifiers. At the level of epigenetics, changes in NRSF activity have been well characterized in models of neuropathic pain and epilepsy. Better understanding of the epigenetic basis of brain diseases has led to design and use of small molecules that can prevent NRSF from repressing gene expression by neutralizing its interactions with its chromatin remodelers. This review will address the basic function of NRSF and its cofactors, investigate their mechanisms, then explore how their dysfunction can cause disease states. This review will also address research on NRSF as a therapeutic target and delve into new therapeutic strategies that focus on disrupting NRSF’s ability to recruit chromatin remodelers.
SLIC superpixels for efficient graph-based dimensionality reduction of hyperspectral imagery

Nonlinear graph-based dimensionality reduction algorithms such as Laplacian Eigenmaps (LE) and Schroedinger Eigenmaps (SE) have been shown to be very effective at yielding low-dimensional representations of hyperspectral image data. However, the steps of graph construction and eigenvector computation required by LE and SE can be prohibitively costly as the number of image pixels grows. In this paper, we propose pre-clustering the hyperspectral image into Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) superpixels and then performing LE- or SE-based dimensionality reduction with the superpixels as input. We then investigate how different superpixel size and regularity choices yield trade-offs between improvements in computational efficiency and accuracy of subsequent classification using the low-dimensional representations.
Heterocyclic routes to polysubstituted cyclopentanes: Molecular modelling of electrophilic additions to di- and trisubstituted cyclopentenes

Abstract Using cyclic bromonium ion formation as a model, transition state structures were computed using PM3 semi-empirical calculations for syn and anti-electrophilic additions of HOBr to allylically and homoallylically functionalized cyclopentenes.
Gaslighting: How Pathological Labels Can Harm Psychotherapy Clients:

Gaslighting is a conscious or unconscious form of psychological abuse that occurs when a perpetrator distorts information to confuse a victim, triggering the victim to doubt their memory and sanity...
A neutral lipid-enriched diet improves myelination and alleviates peripheral nerve pathology in neuropathic mice

Abstract Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) diseases comprise a genetically heterogeneous group of hereditary peripheral neuropathies. Trembler J (TrJ) mice carry a spontaneous mutation in peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) and model early-onset, severe CMT type 1E disease. Recent studies indicate that phospholipid substitution, or cholesterol-enriched diet, benefit myelinated nerves, however such interventions have not been tested in early-onset dysmyelinating neuropathies. Here, we examined the lipid profile of peripheral nerves from 6-month-old TrJ mice with advanced neuropathy and tested the impact of a 6-week-long neutral lipid-enriched high-fat diet (HFD) on neuropathy progression in young, newly-weaned mice. Oil Red O staining showed pronounced neutral lipid accumulation in nerves from 6-month-old TrJ mice, along with elevated levels of key cholesterol and triglyceride transport proteins including apoE, LRP1 and ABCA1, compared with wild type (Wt). In young mice, the short-term HFD intervention increased serum cholesterol levels without impacting triglycerides, or body and liver weights. Tissue samples from neuropathic TrJ mice showed improvements in the maintenance of myelinated axons after the 6-week-long dietary intervention, and this effect was evident both in the sciatic and phrenic nerves. Concomitantly, aberrant Schwann cell proliferation was attenuated, as detected by reduction in mitotic markers and in c-Jun expression. Nerves from HFD-fed TrJ mice contained fewer macrophages, with a normalized count of CD11b + cells. In addition, we detected an increase in neutral lipids in the nerve endoneurium and a trend toward normalization of apoE, LRP1, and ABCA1 expression after the HFD feeding. Together, these results demonstrate the beneficial influence of a short-term neutral lipid-enriched diet on neuropathy progression in young TrJ mice and support further work in investigating the potential benefits of dietary lipids on hereditary neuropathies.
Maximizing the Target's Longevity in the Active Target Defense Differential Game

A pursuit-evasion differential game with simple motion where an additional player, a Defender, is tasked with intercepting the pursuer before the latter can capture the evader is addressed. We refer to an Active Target Defense Differential Game (ATDDG). A new target escape strategy is investigated. It is shown that the solution of the ATDDG Game of Kind is not affected and the capture and escape regions are not changed. We focus on the Attacker's region of win where the main results of the paper address the effectiveness of the Attacker using classical pure pursuit in the presence of the Defender.
Myths, State Expansion, and the Birth of Globalization: A Comparative Perspective

Broadening and Deepening: Systemic Expansion, Incorporation and the Zone of Ignorance New World Empires and Otters: The Scramble for Nootka Sound, the Northwest Passage, and the China Trade West Africa and the Rise of Asante: Rivers of Gold, a Short Route to China, and the Globalization of Labor Ethiopia and the Middle East: The Red Sea Trade, Prester John and Christians in the Muslim World Japan and the Far East: Zipangu, Roofs of Silver and the Lure of the Orient Conclusion: Myths, Incorporation & Systemic Expansion
Pediatric diabetic retinopathy telescreening.

Purpose To describe the role of telemedicine screening for pediatric diabetic retinopathy (DR) and to identify risk factors for pediatric DR. Methods The medical records of a telemedicine program at a tertiary, academic medical center over 17 months were reviewed retrospectively. Patients visiting an academic pediatric endocrinology clinic who met guidelines underwent telescreening. Presence of pediatric DR and risk factors for retinopathy were evaluated. Results The fundus photographs of 852 patients 10-23 years of age were reviewed. Diabetic retinopathy was noted in 51 (6%). Patients with an abnormal screening photograph were compared to patients with diabetes who had normal screening photographs (n = 64). Older age, longer diabetes duration, type 1 diabetes, and higher average glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from the year prior to the photograph were associated with increased risk of retinopathy. Of these, longer duration (P = 0.003) and higher average A1c (P = 0.02) were significant after adjusting for sex, race, and age. Conclusions Our telemedicine program found a higher percentage of diabetic retinopathy screening non-mydriatic photographs than prior studies found through standard ophthalmic examinations. In this relatively small sample size, longer duration of disease and higher average A1c were associated with increased risk of having diabetic retinopathy in our study.
The decision to provide discovery: an examination of policies and guilty pleas

Prosecutors’ decisions to provide discovery can have vast implications for defendants. When prosecutors do not provide exculpatory information in the context of trials, they place innocent defendants at risk for wrongful convictions (Brady v. Maryland, 1963). Open-file discovery policy, in which prosecutors broadly share evidence with the defense, is the leading reform to address the withholding of exculpatory evidence. A US Supreme Court decision, however, ruled prosecutors do not have to turn over one form of exculpatory evidence (i.e., impeachment evidence) in the context of guilty pleas (U.S. v. Ruiz, 2002). The present study investigated the impact of two discovery policies (open-file (OF) and the Ruiz Supreme Court decision (SC)) on mock prosecutor behaviors and decisions. Participants playing the role of prosecutor were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (neither OF or SC, only OF, only SC, both OF and SC) and assembled a case against a defendant. In assembling the case, participants turned over discovery to the defense and had the opportunity to withhold four potentially exculpatory items. Results revealed both discovery policies impacted mock prosecutor behavior: Participants in the OF conditions turned over significantly more discovery and significantly more exculpatory items than those not in the OF conditions. Conversely, participants in the SC conditions turned over significantly less discovery and significantly fewer exculpatory items than those not in the SC conditions, regardless of their decision to offer a plea or go to trial. Our findings provide important empirical data for two prominent but nonetheless controversial, discovery policies.
Bus Split Sensitivity Analysis for Enhanced Security in Power System Operations

Substation circuit breakers play an important role in determining the power grid topology. Misoperations and malicious compromises of circuit breakers can vary the grid topology, and even lead to bus split contingencies. This paper presents a sensitivity analysis framework for modeling the grid-wide impact of bus split events in order to enhance the security of power system operations. Using the popular bus-branch representation, we perform the post-split system analysis via efficiently updating the changes in the system, which turns out to be equivalent to a line outage event followed by an additional pair of power transfer. This equivalent model allows to conveniently incorporate the bus split contingencies into the security-constrained economic dispatch problem to obtain more secure generation dispatch solutions. Numerical studies on a 3-bus system and the IEEE 118-bus case demonstrate the necessity of modeling bus split contingencies and provide the trade-off analysis between generation costs and security enhancement.
Out-of-pocket costs and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis persistence in a US multicity demonstration project.

Objective To evaluate whether out-of-pocket (OOP) costs reduced HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) persistence. Data source Participants from five urban community health centers (CHCs) in four US cities enrolled in a PrEP demonstration project from September 2014 to August 2017. Study design Patients initiating PrEP were followed quarterly until they withdrew from PrEP care or the study ended. Self-reported OOP medication and clinic visit costs were assessed by semiannual questionnaires. Persistence was defined as the time from study enrollment to the last visit after which two subsequent 3-month visits were missed. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to assess the effect of demographics, insurance, and OOP costs on PrEP persistence. Principal findings Among 918 participants with OOP cost data, the average quarterly OOP cost was $34 (median: $5, IQR: $0-$25). Participants who were men, White, employed, completed college, and had commercial insurance had higher OOP costs. Higher OOP costs were not associated with lower PrEP persistence by Cox proportional hazards regression (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.00 per $50 increase, 95% CI = 0.97, 1.02). Conclusion Among patients receiving care from these urban CHCs, OOP costs were low and did not undermine PrEP persistence.
Clinical assessment of lesion detectability in dynamic whole-body PET imaging using compartmental and Patlak parametric mapping

Continuous Bed Motion (CBM) acquisition mode enables the simultaneous estimation of compartmental and graphical analysis kinetic parameters in whole-body (WB) dynamic PET imaging. Lesion detectability is one of the important characteristics when developing novel image acquisition protocols. In this work, we used clinical dynamic WB 18F-FDG PET/CT studies to compare lesion detectability between Patlak graphical analysis and full compartmental modeling derived using a previously proposed methodology for hybrid macro- and micro-parametric imaging. The performance of these approaches in the context of lesion detection and false positive identification was compared to conventional static standardized uptake value (SUV) imaging. This study was conducted on 8 clinical whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT studies injected with 3.5 MBq/kg of 18F-FDG. The total scan time including dynamic WB imaging lasted 80 minutes. An in-house developed MATLAB code was utilized to derive the micro- and macro-parametric maps. In total, 104 lesions were detected, among which 47 located in the bed position where all quantitative parameters were calculated, thus enabling comparative analysis. The evaluation encompassed visual interpretation performed by expert physicians as well as quantitative and statistical analysis. High correlation coefficients were observed between SUVmax and Kimax derived from generalized linear least square (GLLS) approach as well as Ki generated by Patlak graphical analysis. Moreover, three biopsy-proven malignant lesions located in the liver were not visible on static SUV images and Patlak maps while they were depicted on K 1 and k 2 maps. Our results demonstrate that full compartmental modeling has the potential to provide complementary information and in some cases more accurate diagnosis than conventional static SUV imaging and even Patlak graphical analysis.
Adherence Barriers for Adolescent and Young Adult Transplant Recipients: Relations to Personality.

OBJECTIVE Much of the extant literature on adherence barriers has focused on modifiable factors (e.g., knowledge, social support); however, less is known about how barriers may be associated with relatively stable constructs, such as personality traits. The current study examines associations between personality (i.e., agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism) and adherence barriers in a group of adolescent and young adult (AYA) solid organ transplant recipients. Demonstrating associations between barriers and personality may help in understanding why barriers are stable over time. Additionally, different personality traits may relate to different types of barriers. METHODS The sample included 90 AYAs (Mage = 17.31; SD = 2.05; 58% male) who received a kidney (n = 36), liver (n = 29), or heart (n = 25) transplant at least 1 year prior to study enrollment. AYAs completed the Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism scales from the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and the Adolescent Medication Barriers Scale (AMBS). RESULTS Lower levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness and higher levels of neuroticism were related to higher self-reported barrier scores (AMBS; r's = .31- .53, p's < .001). The relations differed by personality factor and barrier type. CONCLUSION Adherence barriers showed medium to large associations with personality traits that are known to be relatively stable. Our findings indicate that the temporal stability of barriers to adherence may be due in part to their association with relatively enduring personality characteristics.
Assessing Severity of Disease in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease that can present at various stages of disease activity and severity. Traditionally, severity scoring has focused on disease activity during a single moment with various tools, including patient-reported symptoms, as well as clinical, laboratory-based, endoscopic, histologic, and imaging variables. Optimal delivery of care depends on the accurate assessment of disease severity, which must take longitudinal variables into account. This article reviews the history of severity scoring in UC and provides a concise, clinically oriented approach to assessing disease severity.
Are Fried Foods Unhealthy? The Dietary Peroxidized Fatty Acid, 13-HPODE, Induces Intestinal Inflammation In Vitro and In Vivo.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by progressive inflammation and the erosion of the gut mucosa. Although the exact cause of IBD is unknown, multiple factors contribute to its complex pathogenesis. Diet is one such factor and a strong correlation exists between the western-style, high fat diets (HFDs) and IBD incidence rates. In this study, we propose that the peroxidized fatty acid components of HFDs could contribute to inflammation of the gut. The inflammatory nature of peroxidized linoleic acid (13-HPODE), was confirmed in vitro by analyzing pro-inflammatory gene expression in Caco-2 cells via RT-PCR and ELISA. Additionally, peroxide induced apoptosis was tested by Annexin-V fluorescent staining, while permeability was tested by FITC-dextran flux and TEER. The 13-HPODE-induced inflammation of intestinal epithelium was evaluated in vivo by analyzing pro-inflammatory cytokines under acute and chronic conditions after feeding 13-HPODE to C57BL/6J mice. Our data show that 13-HPODE significantly induced pro-inflammatory gene expression of TNF-α and MCP-1 in vitro, most notably in differentiated Caco-2 cells. Further, acute and chronic 13-HPODE treatments of mice similarly induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the epithelium of both the proximal and distal small intestines, resident immune cells in Peyer’s patches and peritoneal macrophages. The results of this study not only confirm the pro-inflammatory properties of peroxidized fats on the gut mucosa, but for the first time demonstrate their ability to differentially induce pro-inflammatory gene expression and influence permeability in the intestinal epithelium and mucosal cells. Collectively, our results suggest that the immunogenic properties of HFD’s in the gut may be partly caused by peroxide derivatives, providing potential insight into how these diets contribute to exacerbations of IBD.
“A luta de classes não é um jogo”: a concepção relacional de classe em Daniel Bensaïd.

While Daniel Bensaid’s writings on Marxism, socialist strategy, and historical temporality have gained increased attention in the years since his passing, there remain relatively few accounts of his thinking on class. This article seeks to correct that gap by situating Bensaid’s various texts on class theory in relation to other key reconceptualizations of class in the Marxist tradition that sought to avoid sociological determinism: E. P. Thompson’s lens of class formation and the Italian Workerists’ methodology of class composition. In tracing these connections, we argue that Bensaid’s conception of class is at once historically grounded and attuned to the open-ended conflictuality and multiple terrains of class struggle.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in U.S. Veteran Health Characteristics

Racial/ethnic health disparities persist among veterans despite comparable access and quality of care. We describe racial/ethnic differences in self-reported health characteristics among 437,413 men and women (mean age (SD) = 64.5 (12.6), 91% men, 79% White) within the Million Veteran Program. The Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test and linear mixed models were used to compare age-standardized frequencies and means across race/ethnicity groups, stratified by gender. Black, Hispanic, and Other race men and women reported worse self-rated health, greater VA healthcare utilization, and more combat exposure than Whites. Compared to White men, Black and Other men reported more circulatory, musculoskeletal, mental health, and infectious disease conditions while Hispanic men reported fewer circulatory and more mental health, infectious disease, kidney, and neurological conditions. Compared to White women, Black women reported more circulatory and infectious disease conditions and Other women reported more infectious disease conditions. Smoking rates were higher among Black men, but lower for other minority groups compared to Whites. Minority groups were less likely to drink alcohol and had lower physical fitness than Whites. By identifying differences in burden of various health conditions and risk factors across different racial/ethnic groups, our findings can inform future studies and ultimately interventions addressing disparities.
Don’t Fear Fund Raising

To paraphrase the opening line of Peter Mayle's popular travel memoir, A Year in Provence, my life as fund-raiser-in-chief for the journalism school at the University of Iowa began at dinner.
Market Reaction to Intangible Asset Value: Evidence on SG&A Expenditure

In this paper we investigate the stock market reaction to intangible asset value created by selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenditure (excluding R&D and advertising expenditure). GAAP requires SG&A expenditure to be expensed immediately as a period cost to recognize using up of economic benefits, assuming that the benefits of SG&A expenditure is tangible and fully recognized in the current period. However, prior studies show that current SG&A expenditure generates future economic benefits, suggesting that current SG&A expenditure creates intangible asset value. We find that although contemporaneous stock returns are negatively associated with SG&A expenditure, investors do not view all of SG&A expenditure as an expense in the current period, but rather seem to recognize some of the asset value implicit in SG&A by differentiating it from the remaining components of earnings. We also document that positive excess returns can be earned in subsequent periods on firms with high asset value created by SG&A, suggesting that the contemporaneous stock prices may not fully recognize the intangible asset value created by SG&A expenditure. Furthermore, we find that analyst forecast errors are larger for firms with higher SG&A asset value, indicating that analysts fail to fully incorporate the intangible asset value contained in SG&A into their forecasts. Overall, the evidence suggests that the capital market fails to fully recognize the intangible asset value contained in SG&A expenditure due to its expensing for financial reporting purposes.
CFW Clinics in Kenya: To Profit or Not for Profit

Ten years after having launched a chain of non-profit health clinics, its founder is now debating the merits of scaling the operation by converting to a for-profit enterprise.Learning Objective: To debate the merits of non-profit versus for-profit models in social enterprise.
Health sciences information literacy in CMS environments: learning from our peers

Purpose – With academic institutions' adoption of Course/Learning Management Systems (CMS), librarians are increasingly providing content through this delivery method. This study aims to identify practical information for librarians considering CMS content development or re-evaluation of online offerings. Design/methodology/approach – Academic libraries with health sciences information literacy programs within CMS were examined through a literature review and then queried through an online survey. Trends and issues identified within the literature were utilized to develop the survey. Collected data was analyzed to determine how librarians incorporate CMS into information literacy. Analysis focused on strategies used in development and delivery, benefits and challenges of CMS and pairing its content with traditional instruction methods. Findings – An overarching theme is the ease and accessibility of CMS, especially for distance learners and those with time restrictions. However, although online tools and ...
The role of chimeric paired box transcription factors in the pathogenesis of pediatric rhabdomysarcoma.

Abstract Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is an aggressive pediatric soft tissue tumor with striated muscle differentiation. Chromosomal studies of these tumors identified 2;13 and 1;13 translocations. Using physical mapping and cloning strategies, we determined that t(2;13) and t(1;13) rearrange PAX3 and PAX7 , which encode members of the paired box transcription factor family, and juxtapose these genes with FKHR , which encodes a novel member of the fork head transcription factor family. These translocations result in chimeric transcripts consisting of 5′ PAX3 or PAX7 exons fused to 3′ FKHR exons, which encode fusion proteins containing the PAX3 or PAX7 DNA-binding domain and the COOH-terminal FKHR transcriptional activation domain. In transfection studies, the PAX3-FKHR fusion activates transcription of reporter genes containing PAX DNA-binding sites, and is 10–100-fold more potent as a transcriptional activator than is wild-type PAX3. This increased function results from the insensitivity of the COOH-terminal FKHR activation domain to the inhibitory effects of NH 2 -terminal PAX3 domains. In addition to functional alterations, our studies demonstrated PAX3-FKHR and PAX7-FKHR overexpression resulting from two distinct mechanisms, increased transcription of PAX3-FKHR by a copy number-independent mechanism, and gene amplification of PAX7-FKHR . These findings indicate that the genetic changes in these tumors result in high levels of chimeric transcription factors that are hypothesized to inappropriately activate transcription of genes with PAX DNA-binding sites and thereby induce tumorigenic behavior. The differences in overexpression strategies suggest important differences between the mechanisms for regulating PAX3 and PAX7 expression. These differences extend to the phenotypic level, at which clinical differences have been found between the two ARMS subtypes: PAX7-FKHR tumors more often occur as localized lesions in the extremities of younger patients and are associated with longer event-free survival as compared to PAX3-FKHR tumors. Therefore, the clinical heterogeneity within the ARMS category is associated with genetic heterogeneity. Further analysis of the transcriptional function, regulation of expression, and phenotypic effects will help to elucidate the action of these fusion products and the biological basis of the clinical heterogeneity.
Modeling and control of a wind energy harvesting kite with flexible cables

This paper considers modeling and control of a planar kite system with flexible cables used to harvest energy from high-altitude winds. The kite is tethered to flexible cables at its leading and trailing edges. The flexible cables are reeled in and out by ground-based winches. The change in winch inertia and cable stiffness as the cable is reeled in and out is also explicitly modeled. The equations of motion of the flexible kite system are derived using Lagrange's equation. A specific form of PD control is used control the system as it harvests energy from the wind.
Overdose with levetiracetam: a case report and review of the literature

What is known and objective Levetiracetam is an anticonvulsant agent that was first approved for use in the United States in 1999 and has a maximum recommended adult dose of 3000 mg daily. It has been noted to have a relatively mild adverse effect profile, with the most common side effects being somnolence, asthenia, infection, and dizziness. Although it has been widely prescribed, there have been few reports on the safety of this agent in overdose. Case summary We present the case of a 49-year-old man who ingested over 22 500 mg of levetiracetam in a suicide attempt. The patient arrived at the Emergency Department 6·5 h after the ingestion and was noted to have no significant sequelae from the ingestion. Based on the patient's weight, he ingested 358 mg/kg of levetiracetam. What is new and conclusion The few cases of levetiracetam overdose reported in the literature were associated with relatively mild, if any, symptoms. However, one patient who overdosed on levetiracetam became obtunded and developed significant respiratory distress that required intubation and ventilatory support. Therefore, clinical vigilance is still required in the cases of levetiracetam overdose.
Folic acid-conjugated nanostructured materials designed for cancer cell targeting

Shell cross-linked nanoparticles (SCKs) constitute a unique class of materials with amphiphilic core-shell morphology; SCKs are characterised by their structural integrity and available functionality to attach receptor-recognising or receptor-specific ligands on the shell surface and, therefore, hold great potential in drug delivery applications; in an attempt to develop novel, cancer cell specific delivery vehicles, folate receptor targeted SCKs have been prepared.