cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract WP292: Insulin Resistance is Associated with a Reduction of Leukocyte Surface CD36 Expression and an Increase of Soluble CD36

Introduction: Diabetes is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. Evidence suggests that the deficiency in CD36 is linked to insulin resistance in humans, yet patients with type 2 diabetes often display elevated plasma level of soluble CD36 (sCD36). However, cell type specific expression of CD36 is not well understood in the context of type 2 diabetes. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that insulin resistance is correlated with a reduction in the surface expression of CD36 among inflammatory cells, coincident with an increase in sCD36. Methods: Middle-aged db/db and db/+ mice (30-50 weeks-old) were subjected to left distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) or sham surgery. One, 3, or 7 days after stroke, leukocytes from blood and left hemisphere of the brain were analyzed by flow cytometry for cell type specific expression of CD36. The level of sCD36 in platelet free plasma was determined by ELISA. PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone was administered at 2.5 mg/kg/day by oral gavage. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed at baseline and following two weeks of drug treatment. Both form of CD36 was also measured in 3-week-old mice without stroke. Results: Infiltrating neutrophils in brain peaked at 1 day after dMCAO, in contrast to a delayed but sustained increase of macrophages from 3 to 7 days post stroke. The adult db/db mice had a lower leukocyte surface expression of CD36 in both blood and brain, but had a higher level of sCD36 compared to age-matched db/+ mice whether at baseline or after stroke. The sCD36 is unlikely to exist in the form of extracellular vesicles (EV) since there were very few CD36(+) EVs detected in either type of mice. Prior to the development of obesity, 3-week-old db/db mice had similar leukocyte CD36 surface expression and plasma level of sCD36 compared to juvenile db/+ mice. Pioglitazone improved glucose sensitivity and enhanced macrophage CD36 surface expression in db/db mice after stroke. Conclusions: The reduced surface expression of CD36 on leukocytes and increased sCD36 was directly correlated with insulin resistance. Ongoing studies will determine the molecular event induced by obesity that triggers the cleavage of CD36 and how it affects macrophage function in the setting of diabetes.
Flue gas desulfurization residue: a boron source for alfalfa production

Very little literature documents the fate of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) residues under field conditions when applied at agronomic rates. The objective of this study was to document the availability of FGD residue-borne boron (B) for alfalfa (Medicago sativa) uptake when applied to marginally B deficient soils. The FGD residue was applied at rates of 0, 0.46 and 3.74 Mg ha-1 (0.038 and 3.1 kg B ha -1 respectively) on a silt loam soil immediately prior to alfalfa seeding. Soil pH increased temporarily, but returned to background levels by the end of the first growing season. Alfalfa yields were unaffected by these rates of residue applications. Shoot B concentrations decreased as the growing season proceeded for the control treatment, but second and third cuttings of alfalfa produced on residue amended soil had increased B levels demonstrating that FGD residue was a readily available B source, particularly later in the growing season when native soil B availability decreased. Residue-borne B did not leach below 0.15 m.
Human Tumor Necrosis Factor (LuKII): Recent Developments

TNF(LuKII) derived from the culture media of the LuKII B cell line has been purified to a specific activity of 1.5 × 107 units/mg of protein. Fractionation of the purified TNF(LuKII) by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals the presence of seven protein bands. Peptide mapping analyses and immunoblotting studies reveal that all seven protein bands are related. Treatment of purified TNF(LuKII) with the endoglycosidase Endo F results in a reduction of the molecular weights of all of the TNF(LuKII) species, demonstrating the presence of N-linked oligosaccharides on the TNF(LuKII) molecules. The removal of the N-linked sugars does not reduce the number of molecular weight species present. 125I-labelled TNF(LuKII) binds specifically to cell surface receptors. The TNF sensitive L(M) and HeLa cell lines appear to have 200 - 300 receptors for TNF(LuKII) per cell. While the inability of a cell to bind TNF(LuKII) appears to be indicative of that cells resistance to the cytotoxic effect of TNF(LuKII), the ability of a cell to bind TNF(LukII) does not necessarily indicate sensitivity to the cytotoxic effect.
Mobilizing churches for health promotion in Latino communities: Compañeros en la Salud.

Companeros en la Salud (Partners in Health) is a 3-year project funded by the National Cancer Institute to conduct a church-based health promotion program whose aim is to reduce the risk of breast, cervical, and diet-related cancers in Latino/Hispanic women by increasing their knowledge of preventive behaviors, motivating healthy behavior change, and increasing their access to and utilization of preventive health services. From a systems perspective, churches serve as miniature, dynamic communities that present an opportunity for developing and implementing a program of health promotion. An analysis of church, Promotora (peer health worker), and participant characteristics from the preintervention base-line data revealed a naturally occurring segmentation of churches by congregation size and denomination. The Catholic churches almost exclusively were larger, whereas the Protestant churches almost exclusively were smaller. An analysis of the psychosocial characteristics of the various Latino women, when stratified by church congregation size, revealed that the women from the smaller, Protestant churches were poorer, had a lower level of acculturation, and had lower lifetime rates of clinical breast examinations. These results suggested greater resource deficits and a relatively higher need for Promotora outreach services for women from the smaller, Protestant churches. Implications are presented for differential approaches to effective health promotion among various types of churches.
Multiphoton Imaging of Collagen, Elastin, and Calcification in Intact Soft‐Tissue Samples

Multiphoton-induced second-harmonic generation and two-photon excitation enable imaging of collagen and elastin fibers at micron-level resolution to depths of hundreds of microns, without the use of exogenous stains. These attributes can be leveraged for quantitative analysis of the 3D architecture of collagen and elastin fibers within intact, soft tissue specimens such as the artery and bladder wall. This architecture influences the function of intramural cells and also plays a primary role in determining tissue passive mechanical properties. Calcification deposition in soft tissues is a highly prevalent pathology in both older and diseased populations that can alter tissue properties. In this unit, we provide a protocol for simultaneous multiphoton microscopy (MPM) imaging and analysis of 3D collagen and elastin structures with calcification, which is effective for fixed and fresh intact samples. We also provide an associated micro-CT protocol to identify regions of interest in the samples as a means to target the MPM imaging. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cortical networks for speech motor control in unilateral vocal fold paralysis

OBJECTIVE To evaluate brain networks for motor control of voice production in patients with treated unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional comparison. METHODS Nine UVFP patients treated by type I thyroplasty, and 11 control subjects were compared using magnetoencephalographic imaging to measure beta band (12-30 Hz) neural oscillations during voice production with perturbation of pitch feedback. Differences in beta band power relative to baseline were analyzed to identify cortical areas with abnormal activity within the 400 ms perturbation period and 125 ms beyond, for a total of 525 ms. RESULTS Whole-brain task-induced beta band activation patterns were qualitatively similar in both treated UVFP patients and healthy controls. Central vocal motor control plasticity in UVFP was expressed within constitutive components of central human communication networks identified in healthy controls. Treated UVFP patients exhibited statistically significant enhancement (P < 0.05) in beta band activity following pitch perturbation onset in left auditory cortex to 525 ms, left premotor cortex to 225 ms, and left and right frontal cortex to 525 ms. CONCLUSION This study further corroborates that a peripheral motor impairment of the larynx can affect central cortical networks engaged in auditory feedback processing, vocal motor control, and judgment of voice-as-self. Future research to dissect functional relationships among constitutive cortical networks could reveal neurophysiological bases of central contributions to voice production impairment in UVFP. Those novel insights would motivate innovative treatments to improve voice production and reduce misalignment of voice-quality judgment between clinicians and patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3b Laryngoscope, 129:2125-2130, 2019.
A model of the uncertainty effects in choice reaction time that includes a major contribution from effector selection

Hick's law describes the relation between choice reaction time (RT) and the number of stimulus-response alternatives (NA). For over half a century, this uncertainty effect has been ascribed primarily to the time taken to map a stimulus to its associated response. Here, data from 2 experiments suggests that selection of the appropriate effector-the particular body part to make a response-also contributes substantially to the uncertainty effect. This insight is important both for our understanding of basic cognitive architecture and because many classic experiments studying stimulus-response mapping have confounded NA with the number of effectors. Our data also suggest that, when stimuli are spatial and linked to the responses in an intuitively simple layout, the time required for stimulus-response mapping depends minimally on the NA, independent of effector. Experiment 1 demonstrated that in order to account for the complex patterns of uncertainty effects observed when stimulus type (spatial vs. symbolic), response mode (typing, with multiple effectors vs. touching with a single, known effector), and participant population (skilled vs. novice typists) are all manipulated a model is required that includes effector selection, along with stimulus-response mapping, and a proper treatment of stimulus-response repetitions. Using spatial indicator stimuli that minimized the contributions of stimulus-response mapping, Experiment 2 compared 4 effector conditions-the factorial combination of 1 or 3 fingers on one or both hands. The results showed that the increase in the uncertainty effect associated with the number of effectors is negatively accelerated and possibly additive across the variation of hands and fingers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Practical Aspects of Phylogenetic Network Analysis Using PhyloNet

Abstract Phylogenetic networks extend trees to enable simultaneous modeling of both vertical and horizontal evolutionary processes. PhyloNet is a software package that has been under constant development for over 10 years and includes a wide array of functionalities for inferring and analyzing phylogenetic networks. These functionalities differ in terms of the input data they require, the criteria and models they employ, and the types of information they allow to infer about the networks beyond their topologies. Furthermore, PhyloNet includes functionalities for simulating synthetic data on phylogenetic networks, quantifying the topological differences between phylogenetic networks, and evaluating evolutionary hypotheses given in the form of phylogenetic networks. In this paper, we use a simulated data set to illustrate the use of several of PhyloNet’s functionalities and make recommendations on how to analyze data sets and interpret the results when using these functionalities. All inference methods that we illustrate are incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) aware; that is, they account for the potential of ILS in the data while inferring the phylogenetic network. While the models do not include gene duplication and loss, we discuss how the methods can be used to analyze data in the presence of polyploidy. The concept of species is irrelevant for the computational analyses enabled by PhyloNet in that species-individuals mappings are user-defined. Consequently, none of the functionalities in PhyloNet deals with the task of species delimitation. In this sense, the data being analyzed could come from different individuals within a single species, in which case population structure along with potential gene flow is inferred (assuming the data has sufficient signal), or from different individuals sampled from different species, in which case the species phylogeny is being inferred.
Modulated interlayer exciton properties in a two-dimensional moiré crystal

Twisted van der Waals heterostructures and the corresponding superlattices, moir\'e superlattices, are remarkable material platforms, in which electron interactions and excited-state properties can be engineered. Particularly, the band offsets between adjacent layers can separate excited electrons and holes, forming interlayer excitons that exhibit unique optical properties. In this work, we employ the first-principles GW-Bethe-Salpeter equation method to calculate quasiparticle band gaps, interlayer excitons, and their modulated excited-state properties in twisted $\mathrm{MoS}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}/\mathrm{WS}{\mathrm{e}}_{2}$ bilayers that are of broad interest currently. In addition to achieving good agreement with the measured interlayer exciton energies, we predict a more than 100-meV lateral quantum confinement on quasiparticle energies and interlayer exciton energies, guiding the effort on searching for localized quantum emitters and simulating the Hubbard model in two-dimensional twisted structures. Moreover, we find that the optical dipole oscillator strength and radiative lifetime of interlayer excitons are modulated by a few orders of magnitude across moir\'e supercells, highlighting the potential of using moir\'e crystals to engineer exciton properties for optoelectronic applications.
Pressure-induced diamond to β-tin transition in bulk silicon: A quantum Monte Carlo study

The pressure-induced structural phase transition from diamond to $\ensuremath{\beta}$ tin in silicon is an excellent test for theoretical total-energy methods. The transition pressure provides a sensitive measure of small relative energy changes between the two phases (one a semiconductor and the other a semimetal). Experimentally, the transition pressure is well characterized. Density-functional results exhibit sensitivity to the particular form of the exchange-correlation functional. Even the generally much more accurate diffusion Monte Carlo method has shown a noticeable fixed-node error. We use the recently developed phaseless auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo (AFQMC) method to calculate the relative energy differences in the two phases. In this method, all but the error due to the phaseless constraint can be controlled systematically and driven to zero. In both structural phases we were able to benchmark the error of the phaseless constraint by carrying out exact unconstrained AFQMC calculations for small supercells. Comparison between the two shows that the systematic error in the absolute total energies due to the phaseless constraint is well within $0.5\text{ }\text{m}{E}_{\text{h}}/\text{atom}$. Consistent with these internal benchmarks, the transition pressure obtained by the phaseless AFQMC from large supercells is in very good agreement with experiment.
Abstract A11: Combined Src and EGFR inhibition targets STAT3 to induce stromal remodeling and increase drug delivery to improve survival in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer

Lack of durable response to cytotoxic chemotherapy is a major contributor to the dismal outcomes seen in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Extensive tumor desmoplasia and poor vascular supply are two predominant characteristics that hinder the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs into PDAC tumors and mediate resistance to therapy. Previously, we have shown that STAT3 is a key biomarker of therapeutic resistance to gemcitabine treatment in PDAC, which can be overcome by combined inhibition of the Src kinase and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathways. Although it is well established that concurrent EGFR and Src inhibition exert these anti-eoplastic properties through inhibiting mitogenic pathways in tumor cells directly, the influence of this combined therapy on stromal constituents in PDAC tumors remains unknown. In the present study, we demonstrate in both orthotopic tumor xenografts and Ptf1acre/+;LSL-KrasG12D/+;Tgfbr2flox/flox (PKT) mouse models that concurrent EGFR and Src inhibition abrogates STAT3 activation, resulting in stromal remodeling through the depletion of tumor collagen content, increasing microvessel density, and preventing tissue fibrosis in vivo. Furthermore, these stromal changes resulting from combined pathway inhibition produce a direct increase in intratumoral gemcitabine levels as determined by MALDI-IMS and improve overall survival in PKT mice treated with combined EGFR and Src inhibition with gemcitabine. As a phase 1 clinical trial utilizing concurrent EGFR and Src inhibition in combination with gemcitabine has recently concluded, these data provide translational insight into the novel mechanism of action of this regimen and expand our understanding into the phenomenon of stromal-mediated therapeutic resistance. Citation Format: Austin R. Dosch, Xizi Dai, Michelle L. Reyzer, Deukwoo Kwon, Richard Caprioli, Nipun B. Merchant, Nagaraj S. Nagathihalli. Combined Src and EGFR inhibition targets STAT3 to induce stromal remodeling and increase drug delivery to improve survival in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2019 Sept 6-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(24 Suppl):Abstract nr A11.
Transforming pool boiling into self-sustained flow boiling through bubble squeezing mechanism in tapered microgaps

We demonstrate a mechanism to transform a pool boiling system into a self-sustained flow boiling system through bubble-induced two-phase flow in a tapered microgap over the heater surface. The nucleating bubbles in the gap are squeezed and expand preferentially in the increasing taper direction. The expanding flow cross section decelerates the two-phase flow and converts the momentum loss into pressure buildup. The bubble squeezing and the pressure recovery effects overcome the frictional and acceleration pressure drops to provide a net pumping head. We hypothesize that the resulting self-sustained flow eliminates the need for an external pump and transforms a pool boiling system into a pumpless flow boiling system with significantly higher heat transfer potential. Experiments were carried out with water in 10° and 15° tapered gaps over a 10 mm square heater surface with an inlet gap height of 1.27 mm. The plain heater surface with a 15° tapered gap reached a critical heat flux of 288 W/cm2 with a heat transfer coefficient of 119 kW/m2 °C as compared to 127 W/cm2 and 52.5 kW/m2 °C with only a plain surface. High-speed imaging revealed that the bubbles nucleating at the entrance in the gap are squeezed and expand in the increasing cross section direction. A homogeneous flow model was used for pressure drop analysis in the expanding gap. The results indicate that the pressure recovery mechanism alone cannot sustain the flow and the bubble squeezing action plays a critical role in establishing the self-sustained flow.
Report on the NASA Soft and Complex Condensed Matter Workshop

During the past decade, NASA has been a leading U.S. supporter of soft and complex condensed matter research. Experiments in space shuttles, MIR, the International Space Station (ISS), as well as ground-based research have provided new insights into several areas including hard sphere colloids, crystal growth, phase ordering, and transport of complex fluids at the critical point. To help define the next generation of flight experiments needed to answer remaining important questions in the field of soft and complex condensed matter, NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Science sponsored a workshop on Soft and Complex Condensed Matter, March 6, 2003. This workshop asked leading members in the field of Soft and Complex Condensed Matter (at the APS March Meeting) to help identify exciting unanswered questions in the field, along with specific research topics for which the absence of gravity would enable significant results unobtainable by other means. The workshop was attended by 24 participants from universities across the U.S. and from five different countries (in addition to NASA GRC participants).
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome In The United States, 2004–16

After increasing for nearly two decades, rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome have recently leveled off, reaching a plateau as early as 2014. These findings may represent successful efforts to pre...
A Sophisticated Rejoinder by Philosophers

Many alleged solutions to philosophical problems have turned out to be little more than conceptual sleights of hand. Thus when a seemingly difficult problem becomes easy to solve if only we adjust our understanding of one or two key concepts, philosophers have learned to become suspicious. So instead of questioning whether behavior analysis can circumvent the types of counterexample that have bedeviled S-R psychology, philosophers are inclined to accept the line of argumentation developed in the previous three chapters, but to question whether behavior analysis (as thus represented) is truly behavioral (cf., Margolis, 1984, pp. 41–42; Rosenberg, 1988, pp. 57–65). They wonder, for example, how the meanings of behavioral concepts manage to coordinate so well with the meanings of mentalistic concepts, giving behavioral principles just the right spin to steer their way around the tangle of problems that folk psychology has thrown in their path. Are not the two sets of concepts logically connected somehow? But if they are logically connected, then behavioral categories are tainted with mentalism, and the principles making use of them are not significantly different from those of folk psychology.
Attitudes and Perceived Barriers to Firearm Safety Anticipatory Guidance by Pediatricians: A Statewide Perspective

Background Firearms are the second leading cause of injury-related death in American children. Safe storage of firearms is associated with a significantly decreased odds of firearm-related death, however more than half of US firearm owners store at least one firearm unlocked or accessible to a minor. While guidance by primary care providers has been shown to improve storage practices, firearm safety counseling occurs infrequently in the primary care setting. The primary objective of this study was to describe pediatricians' perceived barriers to providing firearm safety education to families in the pediatric primary care setting. Secondary objectives included identifying pediatric provider attitudes and current practices around firearm counseling. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of pediatric primary care providers in Ohio. Participants were recruited from the Ohio AAP email list over a 3-month period. Only pediatric primary care providers in Ohio were included; subspecialists, residents and non-practicing physicians were excluded. Participants completed an anonymous online survey detailing practice patterns around and barriers to providing firearm safety counseling. Three follow-up emails were sent to pediatricians that failed to initially respond. Response frequencies were calculated using Microsoft Excel. Results Two hundred eighty-nine pediatricians completed the survey and 149 met inclusion criteria for analysis. One hundred seven (72%) respondents agreed that it is the responsibility of the pediatric primary care provider to discuss safe storage. Counseling, however, occurred infrequently with 119 (80%) of respondents performing firearm safety education at fewer than half of well child visits. The most commonly cited barriers to providing counseling were lack of time during office visits, lack of education and few resources to provide to families. A majority, 82 of pediatric providers (55%), agreed they would counsel more if given additional training, with 110 (74%) conveying they would distribute firearm safety devices to families if these were available in their practice. Conclusion Ohio pediatricians agree that it is the responsibility of the primary care provider to discuss firearm safety. However, counseling occurs infrequently in the primary care setting due to a lack of time, provider education and available resources. Improving access to resources for primary care pediatricians will be critical in helping educate families in order to protect their children through improved storage practices.
An Azo Coupling-Based Chemoproteomic Approach to Systematically Profile the Tyrosine Reactivity in the Human Proteome

The tyrosine residue of proteins participates in a wide range of activities including enzymatic catalysis, protein-protein interaction, and protein-ligand binding. However, the functional annotation of the tyrosine residues on a large scale is still very challenging. Here, we report a novel method integrating azo coupling, bioorthogonal chemistry, and multiplexed proteomics to globally investigate the tyrosine reactivity in the human proteome. Based on the azo-coupling reaction between aryl diazonium salt and the tyrosine residue, two different probes were evaluated, and the probe with the best performance was employed to further study the tyrosine residues in the human proteome. Then, tagged tyrosine-containing peptides were selectively enriched using bioorthogonal chemistry, and after the cleavage, a small tag on the peptides perfectly fits for site-specific analysis by MS. Coupling with multiplexed proteomics, we quantified over 5000 tyrosine sites in MCF7 cells, and these quantified sites displayed a wide range of reactivity. The tyrosine residues with high reactivity were found on functionally and structurally diverse proteins, including those with the catalytic activity and binding property. This method can be extensively applied to advance our understanding of protein functions and facilitate the development of covalent drugs to regulate protein activity.
Anomalous Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery With Retroaortic Left Circumflex Artery: A Novel Coronary Pattern.

Abstract A novel coronary anatomy in the form of anomalous left anterior descending coronary artery from pulmonary artery with a retroaortic left circumflex arising from the right coronary artery is presented. This unreported anatomy was discovered in a 7-month-old girl with failure to thrive. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)
Supreme Leaders, Provincial Leaders, and Factional Competition in China’s Anti-Corruption Enforcement: Regional- and City-Level Evidence

Corruption is a great challenge for China. The supreme leaders of the Chinese Communist Party face a trade-off between cracking down on corruption and maintaining the stability and loyalty of the party-state apparatus. This article argues that this dilemma is partially resolved via personal connections between supreme leaders and provincial cadres, which may selectively decrease the intensity of anti-corruption campaigns and stabilize local bureaucracies. Using a combination of province-year data and individual-year, city-level data, this study shows that provincial leaders who were part of supreme leaders’ informal political networks were able to significantly reduce the probability that their local subordinates would be targeted by anti-corruption investigations. Future research should examine in greater detail whether supreme leaders’ factional subordinates tend to be reliable agents or whether subordinates often prioritize their own goals over those of supreme leaders.
Proposal and Analysis of a Unitary System for Review of Criminal Judgments

Debate continues over expanded use of habeus corpus for collateral attack of criminal judgments. Some commentators argue that the current system of seemingly endless post-conviction review fails to provide the finality and integrity required of any truly fair and effective system of criminal justice. Others claim that such an expansive post-conviction remedy system is justified when a man's liberty is at stake. It is a central thesis of this article that not only does the present system of post-conviction remedies fall short of achieving adequate fairness and comprehensiveness, but also that the attempt to achieve these values has produced a fragmented, ineffective system of review tangled in unjustified technical rules and unnecessary procedures. It will be argued that this unnecessary confusion has been caused by an indefensible reliance upon the historical distinction between direct and collateral attack. As long as both groups continue to adamantly strive only for the ultimate victory of their own point of view, it is unlikely that a truly adequate and equitable review system will ever be achieved. It may be possible, however, to defuse the current debate while at the same time promoting the primary values advocated by both sides. The system of review proposed here offers an acceptable compromise between the apparently irreconcilable positions.
On the Deflection of Swept Cantilevered Surfaces

An experimental investigation is carried out for the purpose of determining the applicability of elementary theory in predicting the behavior of swept cantilevered surfaces. Attention is focused on swept plates, and primary considei ation is given to deflections, although some information on stresses and dynamic characteristics is also included. Plates with and without taper in plan form are tested at various angles of sweep. It is shown experimentally that, except in the neighborhood of the clamped edge, an axis exists which does not deflect under application of a pure twisting moment to the plate. Replacing the plate by an equivalent beam, located along this "apparent" elastic axis, permits conventional methods to be employed for calculating deflections, bending frequencies, and so on. Such calculated values are shown to be in good agreement with experimental data, while differing considerably from results based on the conventional elastic axis.
Abstract 849: The changing role of GDF15 (growth/differentiation factor 15) during prostate carcinogenesis

GDF15 (growth/differentiation factor 15) is a divergent member of the TGFβ superfamily of cytokines and is highly expressed in prostate tumors, but its role in prostate carcinogenesis and utility as a prognostic biomarker is unclear. We studied 58 prostate cancer cases (35 Whites and 23 African Americans) that underwent surgery as their primary treatment and were then subsequently followed for biochemical recurrence (BCR). In these cases, which also had a benign prostate biopsy at least one year before their prostate cancer diagnosis, we quantified GDF15 expression in their pre-malignant benign prostate, prostate tumor and tumor adjacent benign prostate tissue. GDF15 expression levels were analyzed for association with high grade prostate cancer and BCR. Twenty-six percent of cases had high grade cancer defined as Gleason score 8 or higher or a Gleason score of 7 and a primary Gleason of 4. During follow-up, 11 cases (19%) experienced BCR (80 percent of men without BCR had at least 2 years of follow-up). GDF15 expression was not associated high grade cancer in any prostate tissue types. GDF15 expression was associated with BCR, but the direction of the association was dependent upon the type of prostate tissue expression measured. Evidence of GDF15 expression in pre-malignant benign prostate was associated with an almost 9-fold increased risk of BCR (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 8.90; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-72.49), even after adjusting for race, tumor grade and stage. When we stratified men into low and high expression groups, we also found a significant gradient of risk with increased GDF15 expression (p = 0.03). The opposite was found for GDF15 expression in tumor tissue, where men with low GDF15 expression had a decreased risk of BCR (HR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.06- 1.59), and men with high GDF15 expression were at an even lower risk (HR = 0.10; 95% CI = 0.02-0.61). Expression of GDF15 in tumor adjacent benign prostate tissue was not associated with BCR. The role GDF15 plays in prostate carcinogenesis is complex and may change during the course of tumor development. Our results suggest GDF15 exerts a pro-tumorgenic effect very early in prostate carcinogenesis, but later after the tumor becomes clinically apparent, GDF15 may act more in an anti-tumorgenic manner. Citation Format: Benjamin A. Rybicki, Dhananjay Chitale, Nilesh Gupta, LaToya Jackson, Travis Wheeler, Sheri Trudeau, Michelle Jankowski, Kevin Bobbittt, Andrew Rundle, Delian Tang. The changing role of GDF15 (growth/differentiation factor 15) during prostate carcinogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 849. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-849
On the Development of Life Prediction Methodologies for the Failure of Human Teeth

Human dentin is known to be susceptible to failure under cyclic loading. Surprisingly, there are few reports that quantify the effect of such loading, considering the fact that a typical tooth experiences a million or so loading cycles annually. In the present study, a systematic investigation is described of the effects of prolonged cyclic loading on human dentin in a simulated physiological environment. In vitro stress-life (S/N) data are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms of fatigue damage and failure.
Social Practice: Becoming Enculturated in Human-Computer Interaction

We present a new approach to the design, development and evaluation of embodied conversational agents (ECAs) that allows them to index identity through culturally and socially authentic verbal and non-verbal behaviors. This approach is illustrated with research we are carrying out with children who speak several dialects of American English, and the subsequent implementation and first evaluation of a virtual peer based on that research. Results suggest that issues of identity in ECAs are more complicated than previous approaches might suggest, and that ECAs themselves may play a role in understanding issues of identity and language use in ways that have promise for educational applications.
Are Exact Calculation and Computational Estimation Categorically Different

Summary This study examined, through the problem-size effect, whether exact calculation and computational estimation are categorically different. In Experiment 1, 26 teacher candidates, most of whom were female, Caucasian, and in their early 20s, estimated 27 randomly generated double-digit multiplication problems. In Experiment 2, 44 similar participants estimated and calculated a common set of double-digit multiplication problems. Analysis of reaction times and error rates indicates that the problem-size effect holds true for exact calculation but not for estimation. In estimation, as problem size increases, reaction times do not increase, nor does the rate of unreasonable estimates. Instead, the difference between a factor's unit digit and the nearest ten to be rounded to was a primary contributor to the variance of reaction times. It is concluded that exact calculation and computational estimation are computationally, cognitively, and structurally different processes. Furthermore, it is suggested that estimation skills be given separate, dedicated attention in schools. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Less is More in the Nonoperative Management of Complete Brachial Artery Transection after Supracondylar Humeral Fracture

Supracondylar humeral fractures are the most common fracture of the elbow in children. Despite it being a familiar problem faced by surgeons, there are aspects of its management that remain controversial. Specifically, management of these fractures that result in a pink or perfused hand that remains pulseless after acceptable reduction is expectedly controversial. We present a patient with a supracondylar humeral fracture and loss of pulse. The patient was found to have complete brachial artery transection but maintained a pink and well-perfused hand. It was determined to forgo arterial reconstruction because of concerns of worsening ischemia by damage to the collateral circulation. Despite no arterial reconstruction, the patient had a successful outcome. Therefore, this report highlights that arterial reconstruction may not be required, even in cases of severe brachial artery injury.
Dimensional regularization of infrared divergences

An analysis of the application of dimensional regularization to infrared divergences in lowest order radiative corrections is presented. The main emphasis of the paper is to show explicitly how dimensional regularization can lead in some cases of considerable interest to very simple and elegant evaluations of infrared divergent contributions and their associated finite parts, and to pinpoint the mathematical reason for the equivalence with the traditional method of regularization.
Human and Economic Burden of GAD, Subthreshold GAD, and Worry in a Primary Care Sample

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has been associated with significant impairment and estimates of human and economic burden associated with the disorder are substantial. Little has been done, however, to examine impairment associated with subthreshold presentations of the disorder in medically underserved populations. This study compared primary care patients with GAD (n = 30), subthreshold GAD (n = 21), worry (n = 79), and no worry (n = 199) on measures of human and economic burden. On measures of human burden, all three symptomatic groups reported poorer perceived physical health, greater stress, and sleep difficulty. Worried and subthreshold groups also reported lower social support. For economic burden, GAD and worry groups reported a greater number of prescription medications. However, when co-morbid depression was accounted for the effect was no longer significant. Groups did not differ on employment status, number of visits to the clinic in the last 90 days, or physical health. Results are discussed in terms of identification, prevention, and intervention for GAD in primary care settings.
Tandem mass spectrometry of peptides: mechanistic aspects and structural information based on neutral losses. II: Tri- and larger peptides

The neutral products arising during the collisionally activated dissociation of protonated oligopeptides (MH+) are post-ionized by collision and detected in neutral fragment-reionization (+NfR+) mass spectra. For the isomeric tripeptides Ala-Gly-Gly, Gly-Ala-Gly and Gly-Gly-Ala, the amino acid and dipeptide losses from the C-terminus and the diketopiperazine losses from the N-terminus allow for differentiation. These neutral fragments are identified in the corresponding +NfR+ spectra by comparison to reference collision-induced dissociative ionization (CIDI) mass spectra of individual amino acids, dipeptides and diketopiperazines. Peptides with distinct C-termini but otherwise identical sequences are found to yield +NfR+ products that are characteristic of the respective C-terminal amino acid. This is demonstrated for several peptide pairs, including leucine- and methionine-enkephalin. In general, +NfR+ spectra are dominated by the heavier neutral losses; further, +NfR+ and CIDI cause extensive dissociation, indicating that the collisional ionization process imparts high average internal energies.
A New Graduate Course: Using Simulation Models for Engineering Design

Supercomputers and low cost high power workstations provide opportunities for the expanded use of large scale simulation models, allowing multiple runs for model validation, sensitivity analysis, or engineering design. Today's practicing engineers use these computing resources to help do design, often through ad hoc strategies for multiple runs of CAD software. Today's students in engineering and science have little access to formal training in the intelligent manipulation of the models that they develop. This paper describes a modern graduate course in engineering design, with a focus on the exercise of computer models to create new device designs, not just to analyze existing designs. Versions of the course have been offered at Cornell, Georgia Tech, and Penn State, to graduate students from a variety of engineering disciplines. Students exercise their knowledge of lecture materials using case studies based on state-of-the-art computer simulation models from industrial sponsors. The multidisciplinary na...
The expanding universe of regulatory T cell subsets in cancer.

Evidence has indicated that failed antitumor immunity is dominated by immunosuppressive mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment. In this issue of Immunity , Peng et al. (2007) add to this list by describing tumor-infiltrating γδ T cells that have regulatory function.
THE EFFECTS OF MESH BIOPROSTHESIS ON THE SPERMATIC CORD STRUCTURES: A PRELIMINARY REPORT IN A CANINE MODEL

AbstractPurpose: The use of mesh bioprosthesis during inguinal herniorrhaphy is now considered routine. To our knowledge, no studies have examined the effects of mesh induced fibrosis on the structure and function of the adjacent spermatic cord. We present our experience in a canine model.Materials and Methods: Unilateral inguinal hernia defects were created in 12 male beagle dogs. Half were repaired using Marlex [TM] mesh and half using a classic Shouldice technique. The inguinal anatomy was then re-examined at 6 and 12 months. Testicular temperature and volume, peripheral and testicular vein testosterone levels, testicular blood flow, vasography, testicular and cord histology, and sperm motility/morphology were recorded. Groups were compared with each other as well as to the non-operated (control) side.Results: Although post-operative testicular volumes from both the mesh and Shouldice groups were similar to controls (p >0.05), there was a downward trend after mesh repair (17.8 cc pre versus 12.6 cc pos...
Specificity of translation of spore polypeptides in bacillus in vitro systems.

Cell free extracts prepared from exponentially growing Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus as well as from Bacillus cereus at the end of exponential growth were optimized for various factors required for amino acid incorporation when programmed with Bacillus ribonucleic acid. All three preparations synthesized glutamine synthetase antigen when ribonucleic acid from a Bacillus subtilis strain that overproduces glutamine synthetase was added. The post exponential Bacillus cereus extract, however, was most active for the synthesis of Bacillus cereus spore coat antigen when supplemented with the appropriate ribonucleic acid. There appears to be some specificity in the translation of at least this sporulation messenger RNA.
LEAST SQUARES CURVE FITTING OF EPR SPECTRA

Abstract A computer program is described which uses least squares curve fitting for the analysis of electron paramagnetic resonance spectra in solution. The relevant spectroscopic constants are directly determined and their accuracy may be improved by one order of magnitude over that which is obtained from following the usual procedure. In addition, the program gives reliable intensities and works equally well in cases of incompletely resolved absorption lines. The digital apparatus which facilitates the acquisition and subsequent handling of the numerical data for a spectrum is discussed. Finally, two examples are shown to illustrate the great potential of this method for analyzing spectra. It should be easy to adapt this procedure to similar problems in other branches of spectroscopy.
When circles don't look like circles: An optical theorem in Euclid and Pappus

In the Optics Euclid proves that "the wheels of chariots sometimes appear circular (kykloeideis), sometimes pressed in (parespasmenoi)" (prop. 36 in A, 37 in B).1 His claim falls within a much older tradition of painting that recognized how circular objects like wheels, shields, and the like, when viewed obliquely, take on an elongated appearance. A quite remarkable example (Plate 1) has recently been unearthed in the excavations of the royal tombs at Vergina in Macedon, which, if really housing the remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, would date from 336 B.C., or about a generation or so before Euclid.2 In a mural from one of the tombs, where Pluto is shown abducting Persephone as terrified attendants draw back helpless, the illusion of our almost being run down by the god's chariot is fostered by the elongated appearance of the wheels, the one on our right being enlarged to enhance the angular effect.3 Although carefully drawn, the wheel appears somewhat asymmetrical, being narrower at the bottom than at the top. Presumably, the technique of foreshortening is pragmatic, in imitation of the appearance of objects actually inspected, rather than being based on an established technique for depicting such appearances, even less on a geometric awareness of the theoretical figure.4
Aortic valve replacement in neonates and infants: An analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database

Objective We sought to describe early outcomes of aortic valve replacement in neonates and infants across a large multicenter cohort. Methods Neonates and infants in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database undergoing nontruncal aortic valve replacement with the Ross-Konno procedure, Ross procedure, or homograft replacement from 2000 to 2009 were included. Preoperative characteristics, operative data, and early outcomes are described. Results A total of 160 patients (43 neonates, 117 infants) from 47 centers were included. Society of Thoracic Surgeons–defined preoperative risk factors were present in 76 patients (48%) and were most prevalent in neonates (67%) and patients undergoing homograft aortic valve replacement (93%). Concomitant arch repair or mitral valve surgery was performed in 30 patients (19%) and 19 patients (12%), respectively. Postoperative mechanical circulatory support was used in 17 patients (11%). Overall in-hospital mortality was 18% and was highest for neonates (28%) and patients undergoing homograft aortic valve replacement (40%). Concomitant arch repair was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (33% vs 15%, P = .02), whereas concurrent mitral valve surgery was not (21% vs 18%, P = .73). Postoperative mechanical circulatory support was also associated with increased in-hospital mortality (65% vs 13%, P Conclusions Neonates and infants undergoing aortic valve replacement are a high-risk group, with hospital mortality comparable with some of the highest risk procedures in this age group. The requirement for arch repair or postoperative mechanical circulatory support was associated with an increased risk of death in this cohort.
EIGENFREQUENCY ANALYSIS OF CABLE STRUCTURES WITH INCLINED CABLES

The approximate eigenfrequencies for the in-plane vibrations of a cable structure consisting of inclined cables, together with point masses at various points were computed. It was discovered that the classical transfer matrix method was inadequate for this task, and hence the larger exterior matrices were used to determine the eigenfrequency equation. Then predictions of the dynamics of the general cable structure based on the asymptotic estimates of the exterior matrices were made.