cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic options for the management of pancreatic cancer

Since its initial characterization, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has remained one of the most devastating and difficult cancers to treat. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, resulting in an estimated 38460 deaths annually. With few screening tools available to detect this disease at an early stage, 94% of patients will die within five years of diagnosis. Despite decades of research that have led to a better understanding of the molecular and cellular signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer cells, few effective therapies have been developed to target these pathways. Other treatment options have included more sophisticated pancreatic cancer surgeries and combination therapies. While outcomes have improved modestly for these patients, more effective treatments are desperately needed. One of the greatest challenges in the future of treating this malignancy will be to develop therapies that target the tumor microenvironment and surrounding pancreatic cancer stem cells in addition to pancreatic cancer cells. Recent advances in targeting pancreatic stellate cells and the stroma have encouraged researchers to shift their focus to the role of desmoplasia in pancreatic cancer pathobiology in the hopes of developing newer-generation therapies. By combining novel agents with current cytotoxic chemotherapies and radiation therapy and personalizing them to each patient based on specific biomarkers, the goal of prolonging a patient’s life could be achieved. Here we review the most effective therapies that have been used for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and discuss the future potential of therapeutic options.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF PORCINE LEUKOCYTE LYSOSOMAL HYDROLASES

Specific activities, pH optima and activation energies were determined for some of the acid hydrolases found in various sedimentation fractions of sonicated porcine leukocytes and for hydrolases solubilized by n-butyl alcohol extractions of leukocytes. Lysosomal enzyme latency was demonstrated for these hydrolases by suspending sediments from differential contrifugation in 0.0125–0.25M sucrose solutions and releasing the enzymes. Activation energies of some hydrolases especially cathepsin D and β-glucuronidase were low suggesting that these acid hydrolases could function efficiently during low temperature aging of meat. pH optima are compared to those of similar enzymes from other sources.
Endocardial fibrosis. Detection by cardiac pacing.

Three patients with endocardial fibrosis who had their endocardial pacing thresholds measured are described. The threshold values were elevated to at least twice normal levels. By determining the endocardial pacing threshold value, a technique is available for detection of endocardial fibrosis during diagnostic cardiac catheterization.
Approaches to study interactions between small DNA viruses and differentiated tissue.

Polyomavirus (Py) derives its name from the early observation of multiple tumors that develop in newborn mice following inoculation with this family of viruses. In nature, however, tumor development is rare in the virus life cycle, rather a two-phase infection occurs, acute and persistent, resulting in a final latent infection in the kidneys. The acute phase induces an antiviral immune response, although no recognizable inflammation, which can last the lifetime of the mouse, even passing on antibodies to its offspring. The structure, replication, and expression of the Py viral genome in permissive and nonpermissive infections has been studied extensively in various cell culture systems. However, the nature of Py expression, replication, and immunopathogenesis in mice has not been thoroughly researched.
Familiarity Bias and Belief Reversal in Relative Likelihood Judgment.

Abstract People are often called on to make an assessment of the relative likelihood of events (e.g., which of two investments is more likely to outperform the market?) and their complements (which of the two investments is more likely to perform no better than the market?). Probability theory assumes that belief orderings over events and their complements should mirror each other (i.e., P ( A ) ≥ P ( B ) iff P ( not-A ) ≤ P ( not-B )). This principle is violated in several surveys in which we asked people to assess the relative likelihood of familiar versus unfamiliar events. In particular, respondents are biased to view more familiar events (and their complements) as more likely than less familiar events (and their complements). Similarly, we observe that subjects are biased to view less familiar events (and their complements) as less likely than more familiar events (and their complements). Further studies demonstrate that the familiarity bias is less pronounced among subjects who are asked to judge the probability of each event rather than which event is more likely . Moreover, a greater proportion of subjects rate the more familiar event as more likely than assign a higher probability to that event. These patterns can be construed as belief reversals , analogous to the preference reversal phenomenon in decision making. The data are consistent with a contingent weighting model in which the process of judging relative likelihood biases attention toward evidence supporting the target hypothesis (and away from evidence supporting its complement). Because it is easier to recruit evidence supporting familiar events than unfamiliar events, this skewed attention causes both familiar events and their complements to be judged more likely, on average, than unfamiliar events and their complements.
In vivo strains in pigeon flight feather shafts: implications for structural design

To evaluate the safety factor for flight feather shafts, in vivo strains were recorded during free flight from the dorsal surface of a variety of flight feathers of captive pigeons (Columba livia) using metal foil strain gauges. Strains recorded while the birds flew at a slow speed (approximately 5-6 m s-1) were used to calculate functional stresses on the basis of published values for the elastic modulus of feather keratin. These stresses were then compared with measurements of the failure stress obtained from four-point bending tests of whole sections of the rachis at a similar location. Recorded strains followed an oscillatory pattern, changing from tensile strain during the upstroke to compressive strain during the downstroke. Peak compressive strains were 2.2+/-0. 9 times (mean +/- s.d.) greater than peak tensile strains. Tensile strain peaks were generally not as large in more proximal flight feathers. Maximal compressive strains averaged -0.0033+/-0.0012 and occurred late in the downstroke. Bending tests demonstrated that feather shafts are most likely to fail through local buckling of their compact keratin cortex. A comparison of the mean (8.3 MPa) and maximum (15.7 MPa) peak stresses calculated from the in vivo strain recordings with the mean failure stress measured in four-point bending (137 MPa) yields a safety factor of between 9 and 17. Under more strenuous flight conditions, feather stresses are estimated to be 1.4-fold higher, reducing their safety factor to the range 6-12. These values seem high, considering that the safety factor of the humerus of pigeons has been estimated to be between 1.9 and 3.5. Several hypotheses explaining this difference in safety factor are considered, but the most reasonable explanation appears to be that flexural stiffness is more critical than strength to feather shaft performance.
Religion and Spirituality as a Resource in Marital and Family Therapy

Today's therapists are faced with a myriad of challenges in their quest to provide the best and most appropriate care for each of their clients. In our training, for the most part, religion and spirituality are left out of the equation. Knowing that many individuals are searching for some type of meaning in their lives and that religion and spirituality are important issues to a large number of people, it follows that to become a truly effective therapist one needs to become more knowledgeable and comfortable in dealing with religious and spiritual issues. This article explores various aspects of religion and spirituality as a part of marital and family therapy including definitions, attitudes and beliefs, ethical issues, culture, and training.
Eicosanoids as pluripotential modulators of pancreatic islet function.

Eicosanoids both negatively and positively modulate glucose-induced insulin secretion. Although the identity of the positive modulator is uncertain, the negative modulator appears to be prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), because 1 ) glucose stimulates PGE 2 synthesis from islet cells; 2 ) exogenous PGE 2 inhibits glucose-induced insulin secretion; 3 ) inhibition of β-cell PGE 2 synthesis increases glucose-induced insulin secretion, and this increase is reversed by exogenous PGE 2 ; and 4 ) PGE 2 binds to specific β-cell receptors that are coupled to inhibitory regulatory components of adenylate cyclase whose activation decreases cAMP levels. Other possible regulatory effects of eicosanoids on islet function include modulation of islet blood flow and its immune responsiveness. From these considerations, the perspective is offered that eicosanoids are pluripotential modulators of islet function.
Relative Potency Of 10 Drugs With Anti-Pneumocystis Carinii Activity In An Animal Model

Several drugs have been shown to have anti-Pneumocystis carinii activity in clinical trials. Because of the large number of patients required, no more than 3 drugs can be compared for efficacy in human studies. However, the experimental animal model for P. carinii pneumonitis is remarkably similar to the human disease and was used to compare 10 drugs for the relative potency against this infection. All drugs were compared at doses known to prevent the pneumonitis in > 80% of animals and at one-tenth of this dose. Drugs effective at the lowest dose were further tested at one-hundredth the original doses, and drugs ineffective were retested at 10 and 100 times the original dose. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was the most effective drug, with azithromycin-sulfamethoxazole and clarithromycin-sulfamethoxazole next most effective. Intravenous pentamidine and clindamycin-primaquine were the least effective. Atovaquone, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, erythromycin-sulfisoxazole, PS-15, and dapsone-trimethoprim had intermediate activity.
Comparison of wing morphology in three birds of prey: correlations with differences in flight behavior.

Flight is the overriding characteristic of birds that has influenced most of their morphological, physiological, and behavioral features. Flight adaptations are essential for survival in the wide variety of environ- ments that birds occupy. Therefore, locomotor structure, including skeletal and muscular characteristics, is adapted to reflect the flight style necessitated by different ecological niches. Red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) soar to locate their prey, Cooper's hawks (Accipiter coope- rii) actively chase down avian prey, and ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) soar and hover to locate fish. In this study, wing ratios, proportions of skeletal elements, and relative sizes of selected flight muscles were compared among these species. Oxidative and glycolytic enzyme activities of sev- eral muscles were also analyzed via assays for citrate synthase (CS) and for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). It was found that structural characteristics of these three raptors differ in ways consistent with prevailing aerody- namic models. The similarity of enzymatic activities among different muscles of the three species shows low physiological differentiation and suggests that wing archi- tecture may play a greater role in determining flight styles for these birds. J. Morphol. 267:612- 622, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Exercise echocardiographic findings and outcome of patients referred for evaluation of dyspnea

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to characterize the outcome of patients referred for exercise echocardiographic evaluation of dyspnea. Background Little information exists regarding outcome of patients with dyspnea. Methods We identified 443 patients with unexplained dyspnea, 2,033 with chest pain, and 587 with both symptoms referred for exercise echocardiography. Results Compared to those with chest pain alone, patients referred for dyspnea alone were older, predominately men, and had lower workload, lower ejection fraction (EF), more prior myocardial infarction (MI), and abnormal rest electrocardiograms. Patients with both symptoms were similar to those with dyspnea, but more had prior revascularization. Exercise echocardiography showed ischemia in 42% of patients with dyspnea, 19% with chest pain, and 58% with both symptoms. During 3.1 ± 1.8 years follow-up, cardiac death (5.2% vs. 0.9%, p Conclusions Patients with unexplained dyspnea have a high likelihood of ischemia and an increased incidence of cardiac events. Exercise echocardiography provides independent information for identifying patients at risk. In patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, dyspnea is a symptom requiring investigation.
Predictions of radiative transfer in two-dimensional nonhomogeneous participating cylindrical media

The surface-integral form of radiative transfer equation is formulated to accommodate nonhomogeneous radiative properties for a multidimension al participating medium. A straightforwar d numerical quadrature scheme is then applied to solve the equation of transfer for test cases of radiation in an absorbing, emitting, anisotropic-scattering, two-dimensional cylindrical medium with space-dependent radiative properties. To illustrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the approach, the product-integration method (PIM) is also used as a benchmark comparison in the numerical analysis. It is shown that consistent numerical predictions are obtainable by both schemes for the cases considered, whereas the computational efforts for the current method are much less than those required by the PIM. Nomenclature A = area of enclosure wall ak = scattering phase function coefficients d = geometric distance G = incident radiation, defined in Eq. (4) / = radiation intensity L = axial length of cylindrical enclosure M - number of zeros for Gauss quadrature N = number of grid points n = unit direction vector Pk = Legendre polynomials, A:th order q = component of radiative heat flux q = radiative heat flux vector, defined in Eq. (5) R = radius of cylindrical enclosure r = radial coordinate S = radiation source function s = position or a path along which a radiation beam travels wm = weight factor for Gauss quadrature for rath zero point
Consequences of ants and extrafloral nectar for a pollinating seed-consuming mutualism: ant satiation, floral distraction or plant defense?

Non-pollinating consumers of floral resources, especially ants, can disrupt pollination and plant reproductive processes. As an alternative food resource to flowers, extrafloral nectar (EFN) may distract and satiate ants from flowers, thereby reducing their antagonistic effects on plants. Yet, EFN may actually attract and increase ant density on plants, thus increasing the disruption of pollination and/or their defense of plants. In this study, we tested the effects of ants and EFN on pollinating seed-consuming interactions between senita cacti and senita moths in the Sonoran Desert. Prior study of senita showed that EFN can distract ants from flowers, but consequences for plant–pollinator interactions remain unstudied. In our current study, ant exclusion had no effect on pollination or oviposition when moths were abundant (85% flower visitation). Yet, in an ant by EFN factorial experiment under lower moth abundance (40% visitation), there was a significant effect of ant exclusion (but not EFN or an ant  EFN) on pollination and oviposition. In contrast with our predictions, ant presence increased rather than decreased pollination (and oviposition) by moths, indicating a beneficial effect of ants on plant reproduction. While ant density on plants showed a saturating response to continuous experimental variation in EFN, in support of ant satiation and distraction, the probability of pollination and oviposition increased and saturated with ant density, again showing a beneficial effect of ants on plant reproduction. Ants showed no significant effect on fruit set, fruit survival, or fruit production of oviposited flowers in the ant exclusion experiment. Ants did not affect the survival of moth larvae, but there was a marginally significant effect of ants in reducing wasp parasitism of moths. We suggest that EFN may not only distract ants from disrupting plant–pollinator interactions, but they may also enhance plant–pollinator interactions by increasing pollination and reducing wasp parasitism. Though often considered dichotomous hypotheses, ant distraction and plant defense may be synergistic, though the mechanism(s) for such positive ant effects on plant–pollinator interactions needs further study.
Silica-Protected Micron and Sub-Micron Capsules and Particles for Self-Healing at the Microscale

A generalized silica coating scheme is used to functionalize and protect sub-micron and micron size dicyclopentadiene monomer-filled capsules and polymer-protected Grubbs' catalyst particles. These capsules and particles are used for self-healing of microscale damage in an epoxy-based polymer. The silica layer both protects the capsules and particles, and limits their aggregation when added to an epoxy matrix, enabling the capsules and particles to be dispersed at high concentrations with little loss of reactivity.
Crosslinking of epoxy resins at interfaces. IV: Anhydride-cured resins at carbon and graphite surfaces

Dispersions of carbon blacks and chopped carbon fibers in epoxy resins may be characterized by infrared internal reflection spectroscopy (IR–IRS). The high surface areas of the carbons (often ≥ 100 m2/g) ensure a high degree of interfacial contact between the carbon surface and the polymer. The crosslinking kinetics and final crosslinked state of an anhydride-cured epoxy resin are shown to be affected strongly by the carbons through adsorption of the tertiary amine catalyst at oxidation sites on the carbon surface. Oxidative treatments of the carbons (nitric acid oxidation, air oxidation) increase the effect on the crosslinking chemistry. Carbon dioxide treatment of the carbons, which produces a basic surface, reduces the effect on the crosslinking. The effects on the crosslinking kinetics were confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The relevance of these results to the characterization of the interphase in carbon fiber/epoxy composites is discussed.
Switching cell fate: the remarkable rise of induced pluripotent stem cells and lineage reprogramming technologies

Cell reprogramming, in which a differentiated cell is made to switch its fate, is an emerging field with revolutionary prospects in biotechnology and medicine. The recent discovery of induced pluripotency by means of in vitro reprogramming has made way for unprecedented approaches for regenerative medicine, understanding human disease and drug discovery. Moreover, recent studies on regeneration and repair by direct lineage reprogramming in vivo offer an attractive novel alternative to cell therapy. Although we continue to push the limits of current knowledge in the field of cell reprogramming, the mechanistic elements that underlie these processes remain largely elusive. This article reviews landmark developments in cell reprogramming, current knowledge, and technological developments now on the horizon with significant promise for biomedical applications.
Magnetics and microstructure of sputtered Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20//SiO/sub 2/ multilayer films

Multilayered Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20//SiO/sub 2/ films have been produced by sputter deposition. The effects of lamination on the bulk magnetic properties, microstructure, and high-frequency permeability of stacks with various Ni/sub 80/Fe/sub 20/ and SiO/sub 2/ thicknesses were investigated. In general, laminated films with a total magnetic thickness of 1.5 mu m had significantly lower H/sub c/ and extended frequency response, compared to unlaminated films of the same magnetic thickness. In addition, the impact of lamination on domain configuration of yoke-shaped structures was determined, and excellent agreement with micromagnetic theoretical prediction was obtained. >
Novel determinant of PKC-ε anchoring at cardiac Z-lines

The Z-line represents a critical link between the transverse tubule network and cytoskeleton of cardiac cells with a role in anchoring structural proteins, ion channels, and signaling molecules. Pr...
The effect of anxiety on the conditioning rate and stability of the PGR.

(1947). The Effect of Anxiety on the Conditioning Rate and Stability of the PGR. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 83-91.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for myelofibrosis and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

The efficacy of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is not well established in Philadelphia chromosome negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (Ph- MPNs). Without randomized prospective trials comparing HSCT to non-HSCT options or comparing HSCT regimens, physicians must rely on prognostic scoring systems and clinical experience when making decisions about who and when to transplant patients with Ph- MPNs. These patients are vulnerable to hepatic toxicity and graft failure after HSCT because of their increased likelihood of portal hypertension, massive splenomegaly, and extensive bone marrow fibrosis related to their disease. In this review, we aim to outline the indications and modalities of HSCT as they pertain to the Ph- MPNs and CMML based on the currently available evidence. We will further highlight the challenges of HSCT in these diseases, including but not limited to the incorporation of JAK inhibitors into HSCT for myelofibrosis.
Influence of nanoparticles on morphological differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Objective To assess mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell viability, growth, and differentiated morphology after exposure to different concentrations of nanoparticles. Design Cell culture for 6 days. Setting University research laboratory. Animals Cryopreserved mouse ES-D3 (American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, VA) cells. Intervention(s) ES cells were exposed to either 0 (control), 0.4, or 12.2 million/mL mixed-size fluorescent nanoparticles in culture (37°C, 5% CO2 in air) for 6 days. Main Outcome Measure(s) Cell viability and morphometric analysis were performed. Result(s) ES cells exposed to both concentrations of nanoparticles exhibited smaller cell surface area. The effect was not concentration dependent. In contrast, ES cell nucleus size was unaffected. The nanoparticles distributed into the cytoplasm, pseudopods, and the perinuclear region. ES cell viabilities were reduced 40% and 30% in the low versus high relative concentration, respectively. ES cells in low-concentration nanoparticles became mostly columnar and embryoid body shaped. However, in high-concentration nanoparticles, they differentiated toward fibroblast-like and less squamous types. Conclusion(s) The observed reduced ES cell surface area suggested disruption of cytoskeletal development but not nuclear organization by nanoparticles. The ring-like formation of nanoparticles around the nucleus and the resulting cell morphologies suggested nanoparticles may influence differentiation.
Modeling Tidal Circulation and Exchange in Cobscook Bay, Maine

Abstract Cobscook and Passamaquoddy Bays and their connecting passages lie at the entrance to the Bay of Fundy, on the eastern boundary between the United States and Canada where the mean tidal range is about 6 m. Vigorous tidal currents maintain cold temperatures and efficient exchange with offshore waters year-round. Over the last several decades, a net-pen salmon aquaculture industry has developed in both bays. Recent outbreaks of fish diseases have led to heightened concerns about tidal coupling between net-pen sites and potential pathways for disease transmission. This paper summarizes a Cobscook Bay circulation study by Brooks et al. (1999) and presents some new results to improve understanding of the tidal circulation and potential exchange pathways linking the bays. A dipole pair of back-eddies forms in the central part of Cobscook Bay on each flood and plays an important role in the dispersion and retention of particles. Direct and indirect observations support the existence of the eddy pair and ...
Low-temperature thermochronology applied to ancient settings

Abstract Low-temperature thermochronometric dating techniques are commonly used to reveal and quantify the spatial and temporal pattern of cooling and exhumation in many active mountain belts. These methods illuminate the relationship between rock exhumation, and the processes that bring rock to the surface, including climate-driven surface processes. Thermochronological studies on rocks in ancient settings (Precambrian and Paleozoic) are far more complicated, and in general have largely failed to reveal exhumation processes in orogenic belts, mainly due to imprecision of the technique, complications from radiation damage, and subsequent resetting. However, in a few locations, remnants of the exhumation record of ancient orogens may be studied with low-temperature dating techniques and in these cases we can gather first-order information on tectonics, thermal events, and exhumation processes that have occurred in the deep past. Here we provide an overview of the most common low-temperature thermochronology methods of fission-track and (U–Th)/He dating of apatite and zircon and discuss methodological challenges in their application to old settings. We review several case studies from the Northern Appalachians, central Argentina, the Canadian Shield, central Wyoming, and the European Variscides where thermochronology data have been successful in reconstructing geologic processes in deep-time that have affected the upper crust. With these examples we provide sampling strategies and analytical approaches that partly circumvent issues related to radiation damage in old mineral grains that result in changes in the retention of helium and fission tracks.
Viewing K-12 mathematics and science standards through the lens of the first-year introduction to engineering course classification scheme

While there have been efforts to integrate engineering into K-12 through the planned development of standards, only recently have these plans come to fruition, albeit with seemingly little progress to appropriate integration. While the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards (among others) have provided a preliminary attempt to bring engineering into K-12, the research within this paper invites a different perspective on evaluating the preparation students are receiving for the first year of engineering. The hypothesis surrounding this review suggests that there exists a mapping of topics found in a first year engineering course, the classification scheme, into the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and Next Generation Science Standards. Such a mapping would be multifaceted, enabling the construction of lessons tied to not only to Common Core, but also to the topics in the Classification Scheme. This paper will present the argument for the flexibility between the documents. Discussion on applications to advance K-12 Engineering Education will also be included with particular attention to the use of the Classification Scheme for First Year Engineering Courses as a foundation for the STEM pathway curriculum.
Evidence for Novel Pharmacological Sensitivities of Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Channels in Schistosoma mansoni.

Schistosomiasis, caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, is a neglected tropical disease affecting hundreds of millions globally. Praziquantel (PZQ), the only drug currently available for treatment and control, is largely ineffective against juvenile worms, and reports of PZQ resistance lend added urgency to the need for development of new therapeutics. Ion channels, which underlie electrical excitability in cells, are validated targets for many current anthelmintics. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are a large family of non-selective cation channels. TRP channels play key roles in sensory transduction and other critical functions, yet the properties of these channels have remained essentially unexplored in parasitic helminths. TRP channels fall into several (7–8) subfamilies, including TRPA and TRPV. Though schistosomes contain genes predicted to encode representatives of most of the TRP channel subfamilies, they do not appear to have genes for any TRPV channels. Nonetheless, we find that the TRPV1-selective activators capsaicin and resiniferatoxin (RTX) induce dramatic hyperactivity in adult worms; capsaicin also increases motility in schistosomula. SB 366719, a highly-selective TRPV1 antagonist, blocks the capsaicin-induced hyperactivity in adults. Mammalian TRPA1 is not activated by capsaicin, yet knockdown of the single predicted TRPA1-like gene (SmTRPA) in S. mansoni effectively abolishes capsaicin-induced responses in adult worms, suggesting that SmTRPA is required for capsaicin sensitivity in these parasites. Based on these results, we hypothesize that some schistosome TRP channels have novel pharmacological sensitivities that can be targeted to disrupt normal parasite neuromuscular function. These results also have implications for understanding the phylogeny of metazoan TRP channels and may help identify novel targets for new or repurposed therapeutics.
Enzyme-assisted extraction for the HPLC determination of aflatoxin M1 in cheese

The extraction of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) from cheese is generally carried out using chlorinated organic solvents. In this study, two innovative methods were developed, based on an enzyme-assisted (EA) extraction using proteolytic enzymes (pepsin or pepsin-pancreatin). After purification through an immunoaffinity column, AFM1 is determined by HPLC-FLD. A comparison between the new EA methods and an established chloroform (CH) method was carried out on 24 cheese samples. The results showed that the extraction efficiency of the EA methods was independent of ripening time of cheese, whereas the CH method was not able to fully recover AFM1 from ripened cheeses. The simpler (pepsin) of the two methods has been adopted by our laboratory for routine analysis of AFM1 in cheese. In comparison with the CH method, the pepsin-HCl (P-HCl) method is simpler, avoiding solvent evaporation, dissolution and partition in a separating funnel; moreover, it gives higher recoveries, comparable LOD and LOQ and more accurate results.
CD8 T Cells Enter the Splenic T Cell Zones Independently of CCR7, but the Subsequent Expansion and Trafficking Patterns of Effector T Cells after Infection Are Dysregulated in the Absence of CCR7 Migratory Cues

CCR7 is an important chemokine receptor that regulates T cell trafficking and compartmentalization within secondary lymphoid organs. However, the T cell–intrinsic role of CCR7 during infection in the spleen is not well understood. This study was designed to understand how CCR7-dependent localization and migration of CD8 + T cells in different compartments of the spleen affected the primary and recall responses after infection. To this end, we used adoptive transfer of naive Ag-specific CD8 T cells (OT-I) that either lacked CCR7 or constitutively expressed CCR7 (CD2-CCR7) in mice that were subsequently infected i.v. with Listeria monocytogenes . We show that naive CCR7 −/− CD8 + T cells failed to enter the T cell zone, whereas CD2-CCR7 OT-I cells were exclusively confined to the T cell zones of the spleen. Surprisingly, however, CCR7 −/− OT-I cells entered the T cell zones after infection, but the entry and egress migratory pattern of these cells was dysregulated and very distinct compared with wild-type OT-I cells. Moreover, CCR7-deficient OT-I cells failed to expand robustly when compared with wild-type OT-I cells and were preferentially skewed toward a short-lived effector cell differentiation pattern. Interestingly, CCR7 −/− , CD2-CCR7, and wild-type OT-I memory cells responded equally well to rechallenge infection. These results highlight a novel role of CCR7 in regulating effector CD8 T cell migration in the spleen and demonstrate differential requirement of CCR7 for primary and secondary CD8 T cell responses to infection.
Exploring factors that contribute to successful fingerspelling comprehension

Using a novel approach, we examine which cues in a fingerspelling stream, namely holds or transitions, allow for more successful comprehension by students learning American Sign Language (ASL). Sixteen university-level ASL students participated in this study. They were shown video clips of a native signer fingerspelling common English words. Clips were modified in the following ways: all were slowed down to half speed, one-third of the clips were modified to black out the transition portion of the fingerspelling stream, and one-third modified to have holds blacked out. The remaining third of clips were free of blacked out portions, which we used to establish a baseline of comprehension. Research by Wilcox (1992), among others, suggested that transitions provide more rich information, and thus items with the holds blacked out should be easier to comprehend than items with the transitions blacked out. This was not found to be the case here. Students achieved higher comprehension scores when hold information was provided. Data from this project can be used to design training tools to help students become more proficient at fingerspelling comprehension, a skill with which most students struggle.
Sedation and Monitoring

Sedation is often required for patients undergoing minor procedures. The increased availability of newer medications with short duration, rapid onset, and minimal side effects has led patients and physicians to expect comfort, amnesia, and good “operating” conditions for a multitude of minimally invasive procedures. Given the increase in the elderly population, it is not surprising that there has also been a marked increase in procedures performed in extremely old patients. The skillful administration of sedation and analgesia for interventional procedures may allow these very elderly patients to avoid more invasive surgery and the consequent associated morbidity of surgery and prolonged hospitalization.1
Growth Mechanism and Morphology of Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) sheet is a structural analogue of graphene, yet its growth mechanism has been rarely studied, as complicated by its binary composition. Here, we reveal an atomistic growth mechanism for the h-BN islands by combining crystal growth theory with comprehensive first-principles calculations. The island shapes preferred by edge equilibrium are found to be inconsistent with experimental facts, which is in contrast to previous common views. Then the growth kinetics is explored by analyzing the diffusion and docking of boron and nitrogen atoms at the edges in a step-by-step manner of the nanoreactor approach. The determined sequence of atom-by-atom accretion reveals a strong kinetic anisotropy of growth. Depending on the chemical potential of constituent elements, it yields the h-BN shapes as equilateral triangles or hexagons, explaining a number of experimental observations and opening a way for the synthesis of quality h-BN with controlled morphology. The richer growth kinetics of ...
Arthroscopic Findings of the Hip in Young Patients with the Chief Complaint of Hip Pain

There are many young patients with hip pain of unknown origin. We have performed hip arthroscopy in nine patients. Under epidural anesthesia, patients are placed in a supine position on the traction table, and the hip joint is abducted slightly and pulled distally. After injecting physiologic saline into the joint, the arthroscope (Storz ∅5mm, 0°, 30°, 70°, 120° degrees) is inserted from just proximal to the greater trochanter with the aid of the image intensifier. In 6 cases, we found acetabular labral tears in posterosuperior portion, which seemed to be the cause of the hip pain. They had pain both with passive flexion and with passive internal rotation of the hip joint in physical examination. In one case, many cartilagenous loose bodies were found in the acetabular fossa, which enabled us to make a diagnosis of synovial chondromatosis. Accordingly, the hip arthroscopy can clarify thecause of hip pain in such young patients whose X-ray findings are normal.
Catholics and the Upper Middle Class: A Comment on Roof

Since Wade Clark Roof's article "Socioeconomic Differentials Among White Socioreligious Groups in the United States" is to some considerable extent a response to my own work, I should like to continue the dialogue, I hope, with the same respect and courtesy which Roof has displayed in his contribution. In this brief Comment, I will contend that Roof is mistaken when he says that the differences among Protestant and Catholic groups "have become so small and insignificant that they hardly warrant extended debate and certainly should not be accorded more attention than they deserve." I will contend that quite literally the differences are significant, indeed statistically significant, and they require and deserve considerable attention, though for reasons that have to do more with our understanding of immigration than with our understanding of religion. In order to clarify the differences that may exist between Roof and myself, let me state first of all that I agree with Roof that "neither Catholic nor Protestant claims to superior economic motivation are likely to be persuasive today" and that I certainly do not expect a "national elite . . . without any Protestants at all." Indeed, the context for my own work, set in the introductory pages of the brochure to which Roof refers, was designed to indicate my basic concerns with immigration and acculturation and not with the superiority of religious motivations. The issue for me is not whether Catholics are more successful than Protestants, but whether the expectations stated at the beginning of this century by the Dillingham Commission and later by the works of various writers of the Chicago School that the Catholic ethnic group would find it difficult to achieve economic success in America have been sustained by the empirical evidence. The issues, it seems to me, are not those raised by Cantril or Lenski or Pope or Veroff, Feld and Gurin. The issues are those raised, rather by W I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki (Polish Peasant in Europe and America), issues which I do not think American social science has definitively analyzed. I have two basic disagreements with Roof, one methodological and the other substantive. Methodologically, the standardization techniques ? 1981 The University of North Carolina Press. 0037-7732/81/030824-30$00.70
Preliminary Evaluation of a Combustor for Use in Modeling and Diagnostics Development

This paper reports on the preliminary results of an evaluation of a bluff-body combustor that is suitable for use in modeling and diagnostics development. To facilitate modeling studies and the evaluation of diagnostic techniques, the combustor is designed with simple axisymmetric geometry and easy measurement access to the reaction zone. The combustor configuration consists of a 14-cm-dia shrouded disk centered in a 25.4-cm-dia duct with gaseous propane injection at the center of the disk through a 4.8-mm-dia tube. The combustor is operated at atmospheric pressure and room air inlet temperatures and burns gaseous propane. Measurements of flame lengths and the rich and lean blow-off limits are presented. Combustion inefficiencies are presented at selected air and fuel flow rates. For a constant airflow rate, the combustion inefficiency passes through a minimum as the fuel flow rate increases. Photographs show that the shape of the flame changes dramatically as the air and fuel flow rates are varied.© 1980 ASME
Titling Biological Papers for Proper Storage and Retrieval

The title you give your paper is as important as the content. This statement may jolt you a little. I meant it to. A good title helps the reader to know whether he should take the time to read your paper. A bad title wastes his 10-an-hour time. The first significant word in a good title also informs the librarian where to file and how to index and cross reference your paper. Such a service is very valuable to you because your paper is the culmination, the end product of your particular research endeavor. A bad title wastes the librarian's time, too. And this is sad because, to paraphrase the song, her time is your time; she is serving you.
NIMG-38MULTIMODAL IMAGING OF SPATIAL PATTERNS OF POST-TREATMENT GLIOBLASTOMA PROGRESSION

BACKGROUND: Amino acid PET can accurately detect recurrent gliomas. In high-grade gliomas, increased amino acid uptake is often observed not only in the tumor mass but also outside the contrast-enhancing tumor region, in tumor-infiltrated brain. In this study, we evaluated if high uptake of the PET radiotracer alpha-[11C]-methyl-L-tryptophan (AMT) in non-enhancing brain regions could predict subsequent MRI progression in previously treated glioblastomas. METHODS: AMT-PET scanning was performed in 12 patients (mean age: 61 years) who showed a contrast-enhancing area suspicious for glioblastoma recurrence on MRI. Brain regions showing increased AMT uptake within and outside the contrast-enhancing volume were objectively delineated using a previously defined uptake threshold (Kamson et al., Neuro-Oncol, 2014;16:1373-83), consistent with glioma infiltration, using the 3D Slicer software. Volume and AMT uptake of non-enhancing regions with high AMT uptake were compared to the areas showing progressive MRI contrast-enhancement on subsequent serial MRIs performed in 1-2-month intervals. RESULTS: The volume of increased AMT uptake outside the contrast-enhancing region varied widely across patients (0.6-37 cm3; median: 4.5 cm3) and extended up to 24 mm from the edge of MRI contrast enhancement. Ten patients showed clear subsequent progression of the contrast-enhancing lesion, with new areas of enhancement preferentially encompassing and, in 6 cases, extending beyond the PET-positive brain volume. In two patients, where high AMT uptake did not extend beyond the initial contrast enhancement, MRI remained stable during a 2-year follow-up. Higher maximum AMT uptake in non-enhancing brain was associated with shorter time to subsequent MRI progression (r = -0.69, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Increased amino acid uptake, detected by PET, beyond contrast-enhancing lesions can help predict the location and timing of subsequent tumor progression. This could support decisions for surgical intervention or other targeted therapies for recurrent glioblastomas.
What learner corpus research can contribute to multilingualism research

Corpus linguists are increasingly interested in applying their methodological tool box to the various areas of multilingualism. This paper gives an overview of corpus resources and presents three case studies on L2 foreign language learning that employ quantitative methods. The goal is to demonstrate that corpus-linguistic approaches further our understanding of many hot topics in learner language research, including appropriate characterizations of the L1 input and/or target norm; the adequate modeling of the intrinsically complex and highly L1-specific nature of learner language; and the increasingly recognized role of individual variation in the acquisition process. The paper closes with a brief discussion of how these methods can and should be applied to other areas of multilingualism research.
Experiential Learning for the Classroom and Beyond

**Join us for a Teaching DEMO at our poster at 4:45pm**This poster will exhibit the benefits of using experiential learning techniques facilitated through The EDGE A¢â¬â The Mason Center for Outdoor Experiential Learning.AÂ Theoretical foundations of experiential learning (Dewey, 1925/1998; Itin, 1999; Kolb, 1984) will be highlighted that will contribute to student development and academic growth.AÂ Research (Baker, Jensen, & Kolb, 2002) has shown experiential learning to be an effective approach in strengthening class discussions that are essential in innovative and dynamic learning environments.AÂ The EDGE is a Mason resource that Faculty can utilize to support foundational learning components such as critical thinking, communication, resource management, and productive relationships as well as provide opportunities for facilitated group reflection. Faculty and Staff will become aware of The EDGEA¢â¬â¢s offerings as a tool to establish a thriving learning environment and to increase their studentsA¢â¬â¢ confidence, competence, capacity and collegiality.
Molecular fMRI of Serotonin Transport

Reuptake of neurotransmitters from the brain interstitium shapes chemical signaling processes and is disrupted in several pathologies. Serotonin reuptake in particular is important for mood regulation and is inhibited by first-line drugs for treatment of depression. Here we introduce a molecular-level fMRI technique for micron-scale mapping of serotonin transport in live animals. Intracranial injection of an MRI-detectable serotonin sensor complexed with serotonin, together with serial imaging and compartmental analysis, permits neurotransmitter transport to be quantified as serotonin dissociates from the probe. Application of this strategy to much of the striatum and surrounding areas reveals widespread nonsaturating serotonin removal with maximal rates in the lateral septum. The serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine selectively suppresses serotonin removal in septal subregions, whereas both fluoxetine and a dopamine transporter blocker depress reuptake in striatum. These results highlight promiscuous pharmacological influences on the serotonergic system and demonstrate the utility of molecular fMRI for characterization of neurochemical dynamics.
Transport patterns of anti-TNF-α in burn wounds: Therapeutic implications of hyaluronic acid conjugation.

A central complication in burn injuries is progression of the zone of necrosis, which is associated with intense inflammatory responses. Conjugation of monoclonal antibodies against tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a central mediator of inflammation, to high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) has been shown to be an effective treatment in reducing secondary necrosis in rodent models of deep partial-thickness burns. Here the transport of conjugated and non-conjugated antibodies in burn injuries was investigated to explore the effects of antibody tethering on the spatiotemporal distribution of anti-TNF-α. Diffusion constants were measured in solution and in type I collagen gels in vitro using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to provide quantitative comparisons of the effects of conjugation. It is shown that the HA significantly increased the antibody residence time in the superficial region at 24 h in burn injuries, which strongly correlated with the pattern of inflammatory cell infiltrate in the tissue. A transport model was used to fit the results of antibody distribution in the tissue based on fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements, resulting in estimates for effective diffusion constants that demonstrate the effects of HA conjugation on the biodistribution of therapeutic proteins. These results demonstrate that tuning residence time of therapeutic proteins can be an effective strategy in regulating the inflammatory response associated with acute injuries.