cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prostate-specific loss of UXT promotes cancer progression.

// Yu Wang 1, 2 , Eric D. Schafler 3 , Phillip A. Thomas 1, 3 , Susan Ha 1 , Gregory David 3 , Emily Adney 4, 6 , Michael J. Garabedian 1, 2 , Peng Lee 1, 5 and Susan K. Logan 1, 3 1 Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, NY, USA 2 Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, NY, USA 3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, NY, USA 4 Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, NY, USA 5 Department of Pathology, New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York 10010, NY, USA 6 McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore 21205, MD, USA Correspondence to: Susan K. Logan, email: Susan.Logan@nyumc.org Keywords: UXT; retroelement; prostate cancer Received: April 01, 2018 Accepted: October 06, 2018 Published: January 22, 2019 ABSTRACT Ubiquitously-expressed, prefoldin-like chaperone (UXT) also called Androgen Receptor Trapped clone-27 (ART-27) is widely expressed in human tissues. Our previous studies showed that UXT regulates transcription repression including androgen receptor (AR) signaling in prostate cancer. Here we analyzed a tissue microarray consisting of normal prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia, high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and primary prostate cancer cases for UXT protein expression. We found that HGPIN and malignant tumors have significantly decreased UXT expression compared to the normal prostate. Loss of UXT expression in primary prostate cancer is positively associated with high Gleason grade and poor relapse-free survival. We engineered prostate-specific Uxt KO mice that developed a hyperplastic phenotype with apparent prostate secretion fluid blockage as well as PIN by 4-6 months. Doubly mutant Uxt KO / Pten KO mice developed a more aggressive PIN phenotype. UXT depletion in prostate cancer cells also increased retroelements expression, including LINE-1 and Alu. Consistent with this finding Uxt KO mice have increased LINE-1 protein levels in the prostate compared to control mice. In addition, cancer cells with UXT depletion have increased retrotransposition activity and accumulated DNA damage. Our findings demonstrate that loss of UXT is an early event during prostate cancer progression, which may contribute to genome instability.
Hemodynamic and ECHO Measurements during VA ECMO Weaning Suggest Acceptable LV Unloading

Purpose One major concern of utilizing veno-arterial (VA) ECMO in advanced cardiogenic shock (ACS) patients is its inability to completely unload the left ventricle (LV). However, the clinically significant degree of LV unloading required for recovery is not well described. We hypothesized that measuring hemodynamics during VA ECMO weaning would elucidate the impact of VA ECMO on LV unloading. Methods From January 2017 to September 2018, 67 ACS patients required VA ECMO support longer than 24 hours. Acute or chronic heart failure patients were excluded. A weaning protocol using hemodynamic measurements and echocardiography studies (ECHO) was applied in 42 patients who showed acceptable end organ recovery (mean age 58 ± 15; male 35). The etiology of ACS was acute myocardial infarction n=19, post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock n=16, severe metabolic derangement n=3, and 1 case each of myocarditis, primary graft failure, traumatic and refractory ventricular fibrillation. The mean duration of support before weaning was 14 days (±10). Hemodynamics and ECHO measurements were obtained at full ECMO support (100%), then with support reduced to 75%, 50%, 25%, and off. Hemodynamic stability for more than 3 minutes was prerequisite to decrease support. Results Mean values of PCWP were significantly higher with ECMO support off than with full support (p Conclusion The results show the capability of VA ECMO to unload the LV to a clinically acceptable level. However, LV unloading should be carefully measured via complete hemodynamic assessment using SGC and ECHO.
High-Performance Phylogenetic Inference

Software tools based on the maximum likelihood method and Bayesian methods are widely used for phylogenetic tree inference. This article surveys recent research on parallelization and performance optimization of state-of-the-art tree inference tools. We outline advances in shared-memory multicore parallelization, optimizations for efficient Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) execution, as well as large-scale distributed-memory parallelization.
Passive muscle tension increases in proportion to intramuscular fluid volume

During extended bouts of exercise, muscle can increase in volume by as much as 20% as vascular fluid moves into the tissue. Recent findings suggest that the fluid content of muscle can influence the mechanics of force production; however, the extent to which natural volume fluctuations should be expected to influence muscle mechanics in vivo remains unclear. Here, using osmotic perturbations of bullfrog muscle, we explored the impacts of physiologically relevant volume fluctuations on a fundamental property of muscle: passive force production. We found that passive force and fluid volume were correlated over a 20% increase in muscle volume, with small changes in volume having significant effects on force (e.g. a 5% volume increase results in a >10% passive force increase). A simple physical model of muscle morphology reproduces these effects. These findings suggest that physiologically relevant fluid fluxes could alter passive muscle mechanics in vivo and affect organismal performance.
Acquiring and Maintaining Technical Skills Using Simulation: Initial, Maintenance, Booster, and Refresher Training.

Simulation-based education has been shown to be an effective tool to mitigate skill decay. However, many of the strategies reported in the literature have overlapping terminology with little consensus on the timing of the strategy to prevent skill decay. In this review, we propose and provide a standardized nomenclature and framework for simulation strategies used to obtain, maintain, or regain skills that are decaying. This framework delineates four types of training: initial, maintenance, booster, and refresher. The framework differentiates these training types based on the learner competency at the time of the training, as well as the frequency and intensity of the training. Initial training is aimed at "novice" learners with the goal to achieve competency. Once competency is achieved, maintenance training prevents skill deterioration through low-dose high-frequency (LDHF) training. Booster training is used when the learner is still proficient, but competency begins to wane. Booster training occurs less frequently than maintenance training but with greater intensity to overcome the skill decay that occurs over time. Refresher training is aimed at re-establishing skill levels after competency has reached unsatisfactory levels. Refresher training is higher intensity than booster and maintenance training. We describe simulation-based strategies reported in the literature that can be used for each type of training. We conclude that there should be an increased emphasis in medical education towards maintenance and booster training in order to preserve skills before competency is lost.
How to Approach Mentorship: A Student’s Perspective

In academic medicine, commitment and consistency when mentoring students is key. Mentors and students must be in sync about their expectations of one another and must hold mutual respect for one another’s time. Accountability in the mentoring relationship builds trust between the student and the mentor. Students should take responsibility to engage in activities that can enhance their development in academic medicine, while mentors should participate in guiding these activities directly or indirectly. Creating an open learning environment allows for ideas to be discussed without fear. Students endure an incredible amount of stress and may benefit from emotional support, career guidance, and sponsorship. Mentorship and sponsorship differ in that sponsorship is what a mentor says about a student outwardly. Sponsorship can play a critical role in a student’s development in academic medicine. Sponsorship and inclusion in grant writing are some examples of how to provide educational opportunities for students. Mentorship allows students to continue growing in academic medicine and allows the mentor to sharpen his or her mentoring skills.
Effect of Pharmacist-Driven Professional Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Adults with Uncontrolled Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes requires close monitoring to achieve optimal outcomes and avoid adverse effects. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is one approach to measuring glycemia and has become more w...
Analysis of Predisposing Clinical Features for Worsening Traction after Treatment of Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy in Children

Purpose To determine the incidence of worsening vitreoretinal traction after laser treatment for familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) and to determine whether any baseline clinical features are associated with worsening. Design Retrospective cohort comparison study in a university tertiary referral center. Methods: All patients 0-21 years of age treated with laser from January 1, 2001, to June 1, 2018, were studied. Worsening traction after treatment was defined as the occurrence within 6 months of worsening or development of tractional retinal detachment, folds, dragging, breaks, rhegmatogenous detachment, or worsening tractional membranes. Comparisons of baseline features between groups with and without worsening were performed to determine features associated with higher risk. Results A total of 46 eyes from 28 patients met inclusion criteria. Of the 46 eyes, 6 (13%) had worsening after treatment. There were no significant differences in age or other baseline demographics between the cohorts with and those without worsening traction. The presence of proliferative tissue in contact with the lens was found in 2 of 6 patients with worsening compared to 1 of 40 (3%) without worsening (P = .04). Mean follow-up was 57.8 months (range, 6.6-134 months). At the 6-month follow-up, median logMAR visual acuity in the cohorts with and without worsening was 1.7 (Snellen 20/1002; n = 5) and 0.24 (Snellen 20/35; n = 16), respectively. Conclusions Laser treatment resulted in worsening traction in a substantial proportion of eyes with FEVR. Children with proliferative tissue in contact with the lens may be at higher risk of worsening after laser. Potential measures to reduce risk will require further study to establish efficacy.
Two-Fluorophore Mobile Phone Imaging of Biplexed Real-Time NAATs Overcomes Optical Artifacts in Highly Scattering Porous Media.

Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are common in laboratory and clinical settings due to their low time to result and exquisite sensitivity and specificity. Laboratory NAATs include onboard p...
Single Wire Debug Interface

The JTAG IEEE 1149.1 standard specifies a fourpin test access port and an optional test reset pin as a debug interface for a chip. In this paper, we propose a single wire debug (SWD) interface for an existing IEEE 1149.1 compliant device. The proposed SWD design requires only one pin and can be integrated into severely pin-limited ICs, where only a few package pins are available for debugging. This reduction in pin count has advantages in terms of miniaturization and packaging cost reduction. SWD can be used to debug and trace functionality on ARM7 and ARM9 class of processor cores from ARM Ltd. using JTAG in-circuit emulators.
Reforming Women: The Rhetorical Tactics of the American Female Moral Reform Society 1834–1854.: Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2018. 190 pages. $27.95 paperback.

Lisa Shaver’s recent monograph, Reforming Women, is the culmination of more than a decade of work on the American Female Moral Reform Society (AFMRS), much of it published in Rhetoric Review. Her s...
Skin wound closure delay in metabolic syndrome correlates with SCF deficiency in keratinocytes.

Poor wound closure due to diabetes, aging, stress, obesity, alcoholism, and chronic disease affects millions of people worldwide. Reasons wounds will not close are still unclear, and current therapies are limited. Although stem cell factor (SCF), a cytokine, is known to be important for wound repair, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of SCF in wound closure remain poorly understood. Here, we found that SCF expression in the epidermis is decreased in mouse models of delayed wound closure intended to mimic old age, obesity, and alcoholism. By using SCF conditionally knocked out mice, we demonstrated that keratinocytes’ autocrine production of SCF activates a transient c-kit receptor in keratinocytes. Transient activation of the c-kit receptor induces the expression of growth factors and chemokines to promote wound re-epithelialization by increasing migration of skin cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts) and immune cells (neutrophils) to the wound bed 24–48 h post-wounding. Our results demonstrate that keratinocyte-produced SCF is essential to wound closure due to the increased recruitment of a unique combination of skin cells and immune cells in the early phase after wounding. This discovery is imperative for developing clinical strategies that might improve the body’s natural repair mechanisms for treating patients with wound-closure pathologies.
Genetic Variation in Taste Receptor Genes (SCNN1B, TRPV1) and Its Correlation with the Perception of Saltiness in Normotensive and Hypertensive Adults

Background. Different taste preferences correlated with genetic variations may lead to food consumption patterns that contribute to nutrient-related health outcomes such as hypertension. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the salt taste receptor genes SCNN1B and TRPV1 affect salt taste perception among normotensive and hypertensive people. Materials and Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional case control study by design consisting of a normotensive and hypertensive group. Participants were 253 adults with age range of 20–82 residing in Mississippi, USA. For each of 128 normotensives and 125 hypertensives, the salt taste recognition threshold and salt taste receptor genotype were determined. Results. The hypertensive group had a higher salt taste recognition threshold than the normotensive group ( ). The polymorphism of TRPV1, rs4790522, with the AA genotype was associated with a higher salt recognition threshold (lower salt taste sensitivity) in people with hypertension and obesity. Moreover, the polymorphism of TRPV1, rs8065080, and SCNN1B, rs239345, genes were associated with a risk of hypertension ( and ). Conclusion. Correlations between SNPs, salt taste sensitivity, and hypertension risk were observed. People with hypertension had a higher salt taste threshold than those with normotension.
Who determines United States Healthcare out-of-pocket costs? Factor ranking and selection using ensemble learning

Healthcare out-of-pocket (OOP) costs consist of the annual expenses paid by individuals or families that are not reimbursed by insurance. In the U.S, broadening healthcare disparities are caused by the rapid increase in OOP costs. With a precise forecast of the OOP costs, governments can improve the design of healthcare policies to better control the OOP costs. This study designs a purely data-driven ensemble learning procedure to achieve a collection of factors that best predict OOP costs. We propose a voting ensemble learning procedure to rank and select factors of OOP costs based on the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey dataset. The method involves utilizing votes from the base learners forward subset selection, backward subset selection, random forest, and LASSO. The top-ranking factors selected by our proposed method are insurance type, age, asthma, family size, race, and number of physician office visits. The predictive models using these factors outperform the models that employ the factors commonly considered by the literature through improving the prediction error (test MSE of the OOP costs’ log-odds) from 0.462 to 0.382. Our results indicate a set of factors which best explain the OOP costs behavior based on a purely data-driven solution. These findings contribute to the discussions regarding demand-side needs for containing rapidly rising OOP costs. Instead of estimating the impact of a single factor on OOP costs, our proposed method allows for the selection of arbitrary-sized factors to best explain OOP costs.
A novel meteorological method to classify wintertime cold-air pool events

Abstract Cold-air pools (CAPs) are common in mountain valleys throughout the world (e.g., western North America, Himalayas, Alps, etc.) during winter months. Weak surface winds, cold temperatures, high humidity, and snow cover presence are common characteristics of CAPs, and in populated areas there is an increase in air pollution concentrations. Previous methods for identifying CAP events and determining their strength often rely on a combination of, radiosonde data, air pollution concentrations, and/or surface meteorological datasets. Ambient air pollution concentrations vary by location based on the local emissions sources and continually change due to regulations and human activity patterns, therefore they are unreliable for consistent CAP quantification. Here, the bulk atmospheric stability is calculated as the valley heat deficit (VHD) using radiosonde data for 12 locations in the western U.S. over 16 winters. A new CAP classification method is developed and compared to three existing CAP classification methods. Results indicate that the new method agrees well with existing approaches but provides a more robust CAP classification because it is solely based on meteorology and not air quality. For all locations, 00Z (afternoon/early evening) radiosondes account for roughly 8–41% of all CAP occurrences (12Z and 00Z), independent of the method used. Meaning that the stable boundary layer persists throughout the daytime in these cases often leading to persistent CAP events (PCAP). While PCAP length varies across locations, they are a similar order of magnitude because synoptic conditions that span the entire western U.S. govern CAP onset and PCAP length. Additionally, several locations (e.g., Reno, Elko, Spokane, Riverton, and Grand Junction) release radiosondes from a site located at an elevation above the valley floor, often underestimating the bulk atmospheric stability by more than 30%. A method to incorporate surface station data in the bulk atmospheric stability calculation is given to reduce this underestimation.
Refining Your Research Topic

As you continue to plan your journey, you will recognize the need to further refine your travel interests beyond simply visiting the usual sights. You would want to determine your specific interests in stopping to review particular places.
Solitary fibrous tumors: Clinical and imaging features from head to toe.

Abstract Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) are rare fibroblastic mesenchymal tumors that are usually benign with variable malignant potential. They can develop in any organ due to their spindle cell origin. The exact etiology of solitary fibrous tumors is unknown. The majority of SFTs are benign with 10% to 30% of them exhibiting aggressive and malignant features. The aggressiveness of this type of tumor is not associated with its histological features, which makes surgical resection the treatment of choice. We will review the clinical and radiological features and possible differential diagnoses of SFTs according to their anatomical sites following the World Health Organization 2020 classification.
Iron deficiency and high-intensity running interval training do not impact femoral or tibial bone in young female rats.

In the US, as many as 20% of recruits sustain stress fractures during basic training. In addition, approximately one-third of female recruits develop iron deficiency upon completion of training. Iron is a cofactor in bone collagen formation and vitamin D activation, thus we hypothesized iron deficiency may be contributing to altered bone microarchitecture and mechanics during 12-weeks of increased mechanical loading. Three-week old female Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: iron adequate sedentary, iron deficient sedentary, iron adequate exercise, and iron deficient exercise. Exercise consisted of high-intensity treadmill running (54 min 3×/week). After 12-weeks, serum bone turnover markers, femoral geometry and microarchitecture, mechanical properties and fracture toughness, and tibiae mineral composition and morphometry were measured. Iron deficiency increased the bone resorption markers C-terminal telopeptide type I collagen and tartate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAcP 5b). In exercised rats, iron deficiency further increased bone TRAcP 5b, while in iron adequate rats, exercise increased the bone formation marker procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide. In the femur, exercise increased cortical thickness and maximum load. In the tibia, iron deficiency increased the rate of bone formation, mineral apposition, and zinc content. These data show that the femur and tibia structure and mechanical properties are not negatively impacted by iron deficiency despite a decrease in tibiae iron content and increase in serum bone resorption markers during 12-weeks of high-intensity running in young growing female rats.
Modeling and experimental demonstration of sub-10 nm base III-nitride tunneling hot electron transistors

DC current gain greater than one was demonstrated in GaN tunneling hot electron transistors. At an emitter-base bias of 8 V, dc current gain is increased to 2.8. The results show the promise of GaN tunneling hot electron transistors for the next generation of high-frequency amplifiers. This work is funded by Office of Naval Research under the DATE MURI project (Program manager: Dr. Paul Maki).
Introduction to Fluorescence

Luminescences the emission of photons from electronically excited states.. Luminescence is divided into two types, depending upon the nature of the ground and the excited states. In a singlet excited state, the electron in the higher-energy orbital has the opposite spin orientation as the second electron in the lower orbital. These two electrons are said to be paired. In a triplet state these elelectrons are unpaired, that is, their spins have the same orientation. Return to the ground state from an excited singlet state does not require an electron to change its spin orientation. A change in spin orientation is needed for a triplet state to return to the singlet ground state. Fluorescence is the emission which results from the return to the lower orbital of the paired electron. Such transitions are quantum mechanically “allowed” and the emissive rates are typically near 108 sec-1. These high emissive rates result in fluorescence lifetimes near 10-8 sec or 10 nsec. The lifetime is the average period of time a fluorophore remains in the excited state. Phosphorescence is the emission which results from transition between states of different multiplicity, generally a triplet excited state returning to a singlet ground state. Such transitions are not allowed and the emissive rates are slow. Typical phosphorescent lifetimes range from milliseconds to seconds, depending primarily upon the importance of deactivation Processes other than emission. Throughout this book we will be concerned primarily with the more rapid phenomenon of fluorescence.
Increases in cytosolic calcium ion concentration can be dissociated from the killing of cultured hepatocytes by tert-butyl hydroperoxide.

Abstract Digital imaging fluorescence microscopy was used to study the effect of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) on the cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) of single rat hepatocytes in primary culture. Within minutes of the addition of TBHP, individual hepatocytes displayed one or more peaks of increased [Ca2+]i that promptly returned to the prestimulation level. This was followed by a slower increase of [Ca2+]i that reached a plateau of 696 +/- 260 nM (basal 194 +/- nM) after 20 min. Another rise in [Ca2+]i, abrupt and much larger, preceded the death of the cells after about 45 min. Pretreatment of the hepatocytes with deferoxamine, a ferric iron chelator, or the addition of the antioxidants N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine or catechol prevented the loss of viability. Neither the number of hepatocytes displaying the initial [Ca2+]i transients nor the magnitude of these oscillations was affected by deferoxamine, N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenyl-enediamine, or catechol. However, both the plateau phase and the abrupt rise in [Ca2+]i were prevented. Treatment of the hepatocytes with TBHP in a low calcium buffer (less than 2 microM Ca2+) reduced or abolished the initial [Ca2+]i transients and eliminated both the plateau phase and abrupt rise in [Ca2+]i. The onset of cell death was delayed by 10 min in the low calcium medium. Addition of 3.5 mM EGTA to the cultures lowered the basal calcium concentration, prevented both the initial [Ca2+]i spikes and the delayed changes, and further prolonged the onset of cell death. These data indicate that the killing of the cultured hepatocytes by TBHP can be dissociated from changes in intracellular calcium homeostasis. An influx of extracellular Ca2+ ions may aggravate somewhat the mechanisms of cell injury by an oxidative stress and accelerate the time of onset of cell death.
Simulated pregnancy following pseudocyesis

Abstract A case of simulated pregnancy following pseudocyesis has been described. Two other cases of simulated pregnancy have been abstracted.
Massively Multiplayer Online Games as Living Laboratories: Opportunities and Pitfalls

The digital nature of online games makes them particularly amenable to large-scale, automated data collection and analysis; so researchers have begun to use them as living laboratories to test or refine the existing theories of human behavior. On the basis of several years of intensive data collection in several massively multiplayer online games, this chapter addresses three problems concerning validity and generalizability that must be taken into account. First, each game has a set of laws that steer player behavior, thereby introducing confounding factors that have to be taken into account by the researcher. Second, games attract skewed samples of players, and players may adopt transformed personalities inside the game world, which puts into question the validity of extending findings from observations in the digital realm into the physical one. Third, the lack of a clear boundary defining the “game space,” illustrated by the many websites and forums for popular games, raises the question of whether online games themselves capture the totality of the user’s experience. The problematic mapping between “real-world” behaviors and those in online games presents research opportunities as well as pitfalls that need to be avoided.
Role of disulfide bonds in regulating antigen processing and epitope selection

Knowledge of the events governing Ag processing and epitope selection within APC is key to the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies for infectious diseases, cancer, and autoimmunity. The influence of disulfides and Ag reduction on the hierarchy of epitope presentation via MHC class II molecules was investigated through studies of a self Ag, IgG kappa. HLA-DR4(+) B cells preferentially present an immunodominant IgG-derived epitope, kappaI, relative to a subdominant kappaII peptide. kappaI contains a cysteine masked within the native Ag via an intrachain disulfide, the latter of which is reduced during Ag processing. Mutagenesis of this cysteine as well as others within kappa minimally perturbed the abundance and overall conformation of IgG. Yet, disruptions in disulfide bonding within this Ag influenced the selective display of class II-restricted dominant and subdominant T cell epitopes. Presentation of the kappaI epitope from both native and variant IgG was dependent upon cellular expression of IFN-gamma-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase. These studies indicate that disulfide bonds regulate Ag processing both locally and at distant sites, thus influencing epitope selection within the class II pathway.
Roflumilast potently inhibits CXCL1 mediated neutrophil migration in COPD patients

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with glucocorticosteroid insensitive inflammation. Neutrophils from COPD patients migrate more in response to CXCL1 than cells from control subjects. Roflumilast, a PDE4 inhibitor recently approved for COPD in the EU, reduces neutrophil numbers in sputum from COPD patients. The mechanism of this anti-inflammatory effect is not clear, but may be due to inhibition of neutrophil migration. Thus this study investigated the effects of roflumilast N-oxide (RNO), the active metabolite of roflumilast, on neutrophil migration in comparison with another PDE4 inhibitor, rolipram. Neutrophils were isolated from whole blood samples from healthy subjects and COPD patients. Chemotaxis was measured using 48-well Boyden chambers and [Ca 2+ ] i by fluorimetry. Both RNO and rolipram completely inhibited migration of neutrophils from healthy subjects towards CXCL1 (3nM) with EC 50 values of 0.18±0.13 nM and 2.8±0.51 nM, n=4, respectively. A similar response was seen with neutrophils obtained from patients with COPD (EC 50 RNO: 0.74±0.89 nM; rolipram 42±45.9 nM, n=3). Having established that cell migration was attenuated by PDE4 inhibitors, the effects of these compounds on CXCL1 stimulated [Ca 2+ ] i was investigated. RNO (1μM) inhibited the peak of [Ca 2+ ] i and area under the curve (AUC) by 83.0±2.6% and 90.3±2.1%, n=6. Rolipram (1μM) also inhibited these responses by 80.7±3.2% and 86.3±2.1%, n=6. These data indicate that oral PDE4 inhibitors may have added anti-inflammatory effects by reducing CXCL1 stimulated neutrophil migration into the lung via regulation of [Ca 2+ ] i and this could contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of roflumilast in the treatment of COPD.
Modified Appleby Procedure with Arterial Reconstruction for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Literature Review and Report of Three Unusual Cases.

Pancreatic body and tail ductal adenocarcinomas are often diagnosed with local vascular invasion of the celiac axis (CA) and its various branches. With such involvement, these tumors have traditionally been considered unresectable. The modified Appleby procedure allows for margin negative resection of some such locally advanced tumors. This procedure involves distal pancreatectomy with en bloc splenectomy and CA resection and relies on the presence of collateral arterial circulation via an intact pancreaticoduodenal arcade and the gastroduodenal artery to maintain prograde hepatic arterial perfusion. When the resultant collateral circulation is inadequate to provide sufficient hepatic and gastric arterial inflow, arterial reconstruction (AR) is necessary to “supercharge” the inflow. Herein, we review all reported cases of AR with modified Appleby procedures that we have identified in the literature, and we report our experience of three recent cases with arterial reconstruction including two cases with arterial bypasses not requiring interposition grafting. Perioperative and oncologic outcomes from our Institutional Review Board-approved database of pancreatic resections at the Thomas Jefferson University were reviewed. Additionally, PubMed search for cases of distal or total pancreatectomy with celiac axis resection and concurrent AR was performed. From the literature, 12 reports involving 28 patients were identified of distal and total pancreatectomy with AR after CA resection. The most common AR in the literature, performed in 12 patients, was a bypass from the aorta to the common hepatic artery (CHA) using a variety of interposition conduits. In our institutional experience, patient #1 had a primary side-to-end aorto-CHA bypass, patient #2 had a primary end-to-end bypass of the transected distal CHA to the left gastric artery in the setting a replaced left hepatic artery, and patient #3 required an aortic to proper hepatic artery bypass with saphenous vein graft and portal venous reconstruction. All patients recovered from their operations without ischemic complications, and they are currently 16, 15, and 13 months post-op, respectively. The criteria for resectability in patients with locally advanced pancreatic body and tail neoplasms are expanding due to increasing experience with AR in the setting of the modified Appleby procedure. When performing AR, primary arterial re-anastomosis may be considered preferable to interposition grafting as it decreases the potential for the infectious and thrombotic complications associated with conduits and it reduces the number of vascular anastomoses from two to one. Consideration must also be given to normal variant anatomy of the hepatic circulation during operative planning as the origin of the left gastric artery is resected with the CA. The modified Appleby procedure with AR, when used in appropriately selected patients, offers the potential for safe, margin negative resection of locally advanced pancreatic body and tail tumors.
Limit probabilities for critical age-dependent branching processes with immigration

Abstract : Let Z sub O(t), N sub O (t) denote, respectively, the number of cells alive at t and the total progeny born by t in a process with a random number of new cells introduced at renewal epochs, each new cell initiating a critical age- dependent branching process. As t approaches infinity, the forms of P(Z sub O (t) = k) and P(N sub O (t) = k) are obtained for k = 1,2,... and k = 0,1,2,..., respectively. A multi-dimensional version and extension are indicated.
Emotional Content of Dreams Recalled by Elderly Women

At the end of 6 wk., 37 elderly women turned in 145 dream narratives and accompanying emotions. Approximately two emotions were used to describe each dream; enjoyment, surprise, distress, confusion, interest, and fear accounted for 86% of all dream emotions. The emotions of disgust, anger, shame, and contempt were infrequently reported by these elderly persons. The dreams associated with the retirement life style of the elderly exhibited pleasant as well as unpleasant emotions.
Socioeconomic factors and breast carcinoma in multicultural women

Breast carcinoma is the most common cancer in women in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Furthermore, there are racial differences in breast carcinoma incidence, mortality, and survival rates. Social and economic factors within racial/ethnic groups are being examined as risk factors not only for breast carcinoma mortality and survival but also as determinants of the rate of incidence. Social and economic factors have been associated in the literature predominantly with cancer mortality and survival. When socioeconomic status (SES) is considered, certain studies suggest that racial disparities in breast carcinoma are smaller than when social and economic factors are examined alone, but these disparities still persist. Sources of data for this discussion include the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results [SEER] program, a group of population-based cancer registries that cover up to 14% of the U.S. population. SEER reports cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates), the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and numerous articles from the scientific literature. Socioeconomic factors or SES can be considered "cross-cutting risk factors" (i.e., they can be related to the risk of developing breast carcinoma [rate of incidence] as well as to the risk of dying [mortality] from this disease). They also are the risk factors that "cut across" racial and ethnic populations. Socioeconomic factors are related to breast carcinoma mortality and survival rates in multicultural women. Racial disparities in breast carcinoma mortality and survival rates can be explained partially by stage distribution at the time of diagnosis, which may be related to SES. For example, African-American women present with more advanced stage distributions for breast carcinoma than white women. Similarly, women of lower SES present with higher stage disease than women of upper SES who present with more localized breast carcinoma. The lack of data regarding the SES of cancer patients limits our understanding of the contributions of SES to cancer incidence and mortality rates. SES appears to be related to breast carcinoma incidence, mortality, and survival rates. Breast carcinoma mortality is higher in women of lower SES. Additional research on SES, race, culture, and the relation of these factors to cancer incidence rate is needed.
Computing: Taking the first byte

LAST YEAR, the Computing Planning Task Force of the University of Delaware recommended that the University adopt a goal for its 18,000 students. They proposed that “60 percent of students should have some familiarity with computers, 20 percent should make significant use of them, [and] 20 percent should be fully conversant with all aspects of computing.”1 At about the same time the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs directed Academic Computing Services to develop a program to promote computing awareness among the faculty. In addition, an anonymous grant to the Humanities Faculty for the purchase of microcomputers sparked new interest in computing among this group.This paper describes the on-going development of the “Computing: Taking the First Byte” program, a series of seminars and workshops for faculty in fields that are not historically associated with computing.
Rumination and multi-modal emotional reactivity

Rumination, a cognitive process that involves passively and repetitively focusing on negative feelings and their consequences, has been linked to negative emotional outcomes. Previous research suggests that rumination may lead to deleterious outcomes through prolonging emotional reactivity; however, evidence supporting the link between rumination and reactivity has been mixed. In the present study, we examined the relationship between state and trait rumination and multi-modal emotional reactivity (i.e., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system, subjective experience). Fifty undergraduates participated in a social evaluative laboratory stressor. They also reported on their general tendency to ruminate and their use of rumination in response to this particular laboratory stressor. State, but not trait, rumination was associated with increases in cortisol and negative affect. Findings underscore the importance of multi-modal assessment of emotional reactivity and suggest important implications for rumination following a stressor.
Determinants of household supply of labour in food-for-work programme in Tigray, Ethiopia.

We study the factors that determine the household supply of labour in food-for-work (FFW) projects that seek to address food insecurity and help capital formation in development. Based on data from a survey conducted in 2003 in Tigray, Ethiopia, our probit analysis identifies factors that significantly affect the household decision to participate in FFW programmes. We correct for selection bias, and estimate total and excess supply of FFW labour. Our finding of substantial leakages in targeting that allow relatively well-off households to obtain FFW employment yield important implications for the prevailing FFW wage. We also argue that FFW programmes will be more effective if they are designed to account for geographic heterogeneity in such factors as male to female labour participation differences and the incidence of debilitating diseases.
Chiropractic in North America: a descriptive analysis.

Objective This paper provides descriptive data on chiropractors, their practice, and their patients in North America in the past decade. Method Five sites in the United States and 1 in Canada were chosen, and a random sample of chiropractors was interviewed. In each practice, 10 patients were systematically selected on a single day. A total of 131 chiropractors and 1275 patients were interviewed. Summary The results suggest that doctors of chiropractic have firmly established themselves within the health care system in the United States and Canada and are able to attract patients who come to them directly for treatment, for largely back-related conditions, and who are willing to pay for their care.
the statistical mechanical local composition theory II. Effects of molecular size and energy differences in Lennard-Jones and Kihara mixtures

Abstract Integral equation theory is used to determine the variations of the local mole fractions in binary mixtures of molecules differing considerably in size and energy of interaction. We model two types of mixtures, i.e., molecules interacting with the Lennard—Jones potential and molecules with the Kihara potential. The size ratio ranges from σ BB /σ AA = 1.0 to 1.75 and energy ratio for ϵ BB /ϵ AA = 1.21 to 9.14. Results are compared with simulation data of Hoheisel and Kohler and Nakanishi et al. Findings indicate that the coordination numbers and nearest neighbor numbers are strong functions of size ratio, but depend only weakly on energy disparity. In a mixture, large differences in size promote ‘mixing’ while large differences in energy induce ‘demixing’ of the components. It is found that the packing of nearest neighbors depends, to a large extent, on available ‘local surfaces’. the Seaton—Glandt ‘solid angle’ fractions turn out to be good correlators in nearest neighbor statistics. All local quantities are variable with changes in temperature, density and composition. The assumption of constant Wilson parameters is not valid for the systems studied.
Effects of a 10,000 steps per day goal in overweight adults.

Abstract Purpose This study was designed (1) to examine the effects of a 10,000 steps·d−1 exercise prescription on sedentary, overweight/obese adults, and (2) to examine the effects of adherence on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors. Methods Fifty-six overweight/obese adults participated in the study. Body composition and cardiovascular risk factors were determined at baseline, 20 weeks, and 36 weeks. Adherence was defined as averaging ≥9500 steps·d−1 from week 4 to week 36. Results 38 participants (68%) wore pedometers daily for 36 weeks and were available for posttesting. Significant improvements were noted in mean values for walking volume (3994 steps·d−1), body weight (−2.4 kg), body mass index (−0.8 kg·m−2), percentage body fat (−1.9%), fat mass (−2.7 kg), waist circumference (−1.8 cm), hip circumference (−1.9 cm) and high-density lipoprotein (3 mg/dl). The adherers had large improvements in body composition measures, whereas the nonadherers showed little or no change in these variables...
Thawing the Chilly Climate: Two Decades of Women Artists at Douglass College

This is an appropriate time to reflect on the importance of the Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series for Douglass College and the university community. The 20th anniversary of the Women Artists Series coincides with two other celebrations on campus during the coming academic yearDouglass College will mark the 75th anniversary of its founding and Rutgers College will host a series of events in honor of its 20th year of coeducation. It is also a particularly relevant time for me to reflect on my experiences at the University-as a graduate of Douglass and the Rutgers Graduate School; and since 1976, as a member of the Rutgers faculty-especially as they mirror the rationale, development, and success of the Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series. These personal reminiscences acknowledge the political atmosphere on campus and attest to what Bernice Sandler, former Executive Director of The Project on the Status and Education of Women of the Association of American Colleges, has named "the chilly climate" on campus for women. I felt it, as well, as especially chilly for women in the visual arts. In the late 1960s, the mood at Douglass College was fairly typical of that found on any U.S. college campus. Students and faculty were caught up in the debate over our governments involvement in Vietnam, civil rights issues, and the second feminist wave. I remember quite vividly students capturing Old Queens, shutting down the University and eventually causing final exams to be disrupted. I remember going to a classroom, only to move to a new location because of the latest bomb threat to the building. (These reached epidemic proportions around the time of hourlies.) But most of all, I remember the debates at Douglass about co-education in response to the 1969 Rutgers College decision to admit women.
The Early Experience of Hand Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery in Nephroureterectomy

Purpose: Recently, the growing interest in minimally invasive surgery and the development of instruments and accompanying techniques have allowed laparoscopic surgery to be performed in a wide range of urological fields. Herein, the procedures and results of 6 cases of hand assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) nephroureterectomy are reported. Materials and Methods: The records of 6 and 5 patients, who had undergone either a laparoscopic HALS nephroureterectomy, with bladder cuff excision, or an open nephroureterectomy, with bladder cuff excision, were reviewed. Results: The mean operation times were 194 (150-210) and 280 (250-310) minutes in HALS nephroureterectomy and open nephroureterectomy, respectively. The average pain scales recorded with HALS and classical open surgery were 1.5 (max. 2) and 7 (max. 8), respectively, on the second post operative day. Conclusions: HALS allows the operator to be notified with on-the-spot information and to have a feeling of complete control over the procedure, which helps to complete the operation in a shorter time, with the assistance of a tactile impression. Therefore, HALS can be concluded to be a better approach, which is a more acceptable procedure for the novice laparoscopic surgeon. (Korean J Urol 2007;48:6-11) ꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏ
In vitro caries induction at the tooth-amalgam interface.

Abstract Class V cavities were prepared and restored with high-copper spherical amalgam using an experimental liner in half the restorations. The restored teeth were incubated in vitro with cariogenic bacteria and substrate, then ground sections were prepared and examined by microradiography. Outer and inner wall lesions were noted, indicating leakage. The experimental liner, a low viscosity Bis-GMA resin, did not reduce the observed leakage. The depths of penetration of lesions were measured, and mean values of 0.571 mm (SD 0.170) and 0.523 mm (SD 0.150) were obtained for occlusal walls of the experimental and control restorations, respectively. Results at the gingival wall were 0.654 mm (SD 0.170) for the experimental group and 0.608 mm (SD 0.200) for the control group. These differences were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level.
Trifunctional Organolithium Initiator Based on 1,3,5-Tris(1-Phenylethenyl)benzene. Synthesis of Functionalized, Three-Armed, Star-Branched Polystyrenes

A novel hydrocarbon-soluble, trifunctional organolithium initiator for anionic polymerization has been developed on the basis of the addition of 3 mol of sec-butyllithium with 1,3,5-tris(1-phenylethenyl)benzene. Well-defined, three-armed, star-branched polystyrenes have been synthesized using this initiator in benzene solution with stoichiometric amounts of tetrahydrofuran. The efficiency of the initiation reaction was evaluated by a combination of UV−visible spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography analysis. The minimum arm molecular weight for complete initiation was found to be about 5.7 × 10 3 g /mol for this initiator system. The structures of the star-branched polymers were investigated by molecular weight characterization, intrinsic viscosity, and the corresponding values of g‘ (0.80−0.81); these stars were also compared with an analogous symmetrical, three-armed, polystyrene star prepared by the end-linking reaction of 3 mol of poly(styryl)lithium with 1,3,5-tris(1-phenylethenyl)benzene as t...