cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opportunities for improving techniques for interspecies extrapolation in the risk assessment process

Quantitative estimates of human carcinogenic risk from chemical exposure are currently derived primarily from linearized multistage model analyses of the tumor response as observed in chronic laboratory animal bioassays versus administered dose. The numerous ad hoc assumptions that provide a rationale for this generic approach to carcinogenic risk assessment can only be evaluated critically when mechanistic data directly relevant to the low-dose and interspecies extrapolation problems are available. Clear needs exist to develop such ancillary data bases and the means for explicitly incorporating them into the risk estimation process. Target site dosimetry provides one useful organizing concept. Physiological response modeling can account systematically for interspecies variations in the distribution and disposition of chemicals in relation to external measures of exposure. Direct measurements of interactions of chemicals and their metabolites with specific target macromolecules can provide sensitive and biologically meaningful exposure indices. Alternatively, quantitation of toxic effects such as altered cell regulation and differentiation can serve the same purpose. Virus and oncogene activation, DNA damage and repair, and enhanced cell proliferation provide additional biological markers of exposure. They may also comprise critical elements of the carcinogenic process. Identification of the actual mechanisms involved should eventually lead to the development of risk assessment models that adequately reflect the unique biological and toxicological characteristics of different species-chemical combinations.
Determination of the pressure coefficient and pressure effects in capillary flow

General expressions for determining the pressure coefficient and axial distribution of the viscosity and pressure in capillary flow are derived for Newtonian and shear-thinning fluids. The pressure-dependent viscosity model is obtained from the WLF equation as derived from Doolittle's free volume theory. The model has also been derived from Eyring's hole theory for viscosity. Poiseuille's equation is modified to correct for the pressure effect on viscosity. A Newtonian, low-molecular-weight polystyrene and a shear-thinning, high-molecular-weight polystyrene were tested in an Instron capillary rheometer. The axial velocity distribution was found to be negligibly affected by pressure whereas the viscosity was shown to increase markedly with a decrease in volume. The resulting pressure effects on the viscosity of both samples were analyzed by using the derived expressions.
Delayed neurological sequelae from ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and methanol poisonings.

Introduction. Ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and methanol are widely available chemicals and are found in a variety of common household products including antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, brake fluid and lubricants. Following ingestion of these glycols and methanol, patients frequently develop an early neurological syndrome consisting of inebriation, ataxia, and if severe, seizures and coma. Though uncommon, a neurological syndrome may also develop as a delayed complication. Methods. Using Pub Med 438 references were identified of which 45 were relevant. Features. Ethylene glycol poisoning has produced cranial nerve deficits (usually VII nerve dysfunction) after a delay of 5–20 days, Parkinsonism and cerebral edema. Diethylene glycol ingestion has been associated with the development of optic nerve injury, cranial nerve deficits, quadraparesis and peripheral neuropathy. Methanol poisoning has led to Parkinsonism and polyneuropathy. Mechanisms of toxicity. Oxalate crystal deposition likely causes t...
Computer characteristics and price/performance of microcomputers in US technology

To measure the power of microcomputers, consideration of both hardware features and level of performance with respect to expenditure, or price/performance ratio, is important. Hardware features can be determined from vendors, while various publications provide performance measurement benchmarks. Using a combination of hardware features and benchmarks, the present study successfully identifies the most significant determinants of price. Unlike previous studies, which made exclusive use of statistical procedures in deriving models, the present study initially incorporates a systematic (a priori) approach to establish a conceptual model combining both hardware characteristics and performance measurements. Statistical methods are employed to create a model containing the most parsimonious combination of hardware features and performance benchmarks. The derived model is validated through different diagnostics (e.g. normality, heteroscedasticity, multicollinearity, etc.). The results of this analysis show that a similar methodology can serve to enhance the decision making process regarding microcomputer system pricing through a better understanding of the relationship between system characteristics and an appropriate price. Furthermore, since both hardware characteristics and benchmarks are the same for any given monetary unit, the systematic methodology described in this paper can be applied to computer technology in any country.
Effects of forage species or concentrate finishing on animal performance, carcass and meat quality.

Angus-cross steers (n = 128; initial BW = 270 ± 3.8 kg) were used in a 3-yr study to assess effects of forage species grazed before slaughter versus concentrate fi nishing on carcass and meat quality. At the completion of the stockering phase, steers were randomly allotted to mixed pasture (MP; n = 36/yr) or corn-silage concentrate (CON; n = 12/yr) fi nishing treatments. At 40 d before harvest, MP steers were randomly divided into 3 forage species treatments: alfalfa (AL), pearl millet (PM), or mixed pasture (MP). Average daily BW gain was great- er (P = 0.001) for CON than for forage-fi nished (FOR) steers during the early and overall fi nishing phase. During the late fi nishing phase when FOR steers were grazing difference forage species, ADG was greater (P = 0.03) for PM than MP or AL. Harvest weight and HCW were greater (P 0.78) between CON and FOR and were not altered (P > 0.40) by forage species. Trained sensory panel juici- ness, initial tenderness, and overall tenderness scores did not differ (P > 0.17) by fitreatment or forage species. Beef fl avor intensity was greater (P 0.05) total lipid content of the LM. Oleic acid concentration and total MUFA of the LM were 21% and 22% less (P = 0.001) for FOR than CON. Concentrations of all individual (lino- lenic acid, eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosapentaenoic (DPA), and docosadexaenoic (DHA) acids) and total n-3 fatty acids were greater (P < 0.001) for FOR than CON. Finishing on AL increased (P = 0.017) the concentration of linolenic acid compared with MP or PM. The ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids was greater (P = 0.001) for CON than FOR and did not differ (P = 0.88) by forage species. Concentrate fi nishing increases carcass weight with same time endpoints and accelerates deposition of MUFA in comparison with FOR, which reduces carcass weight and fat deposition but maintains high concentrations of n-3 and CLA fatty acids. Finishing system or forage species grazed 40 d before slaughter did not alter beef tenderness but FOR had greater off-fl avors according to both trained and descriptive sensory panelists.
Effects of measurement error on inferences of environmental conditions

AbstractThe effects of measurement errors on biological inferences of stream temperature and bedded fine sediment were investigated. Single variable and multivariate logistic regression models were used to relate the occurrences of different macroinvertebrate genera and observed temperature and fine sediment. Next, a simulation and extrapolation method (SIMEX) was used to adjust regression model coefficients for the effects of measurement errors in the temperature and fine-sediment observations. It was assumed that the persistence of different stream organisms was related to long-term average environmental conditions, so measurement error in this analysis was interpreted broadly as including all the variability associated with estimating long-term averages from single measurements. On average, correcting for measurement error narrowed the breadth of genus–environment relationships and shifted optimum values toward the mean of the observations. Accounting for measurement error also improved the predictive ...
Processing Glass and Glass-Ceramics

More than half of the total worldwide ceramics market is glass products, accounting for over $50 billion/year. Figure 26.1 shows the distribution of glass sales.
Recent Advances in Knowledge Concerning Genetic Factors Which Predispose to Rheumatic Diseases

Arthritis is a very common condition that is seen worldwide. We don't know for certain the magnitude of thi~ problem in tbe Islamic world due to shortage of pertinent information. Just to give you an idea of its prevalence in the United States, the second most frequent presenting complaint of the patients at physicians' offices pertains to the musculoskeletal system. Arthritis strikes in one out (If three families and there are 31.6 million Americans with arthritis out of a total population of 211 million, 5.4 million of them are disabled by it. Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the commonest type of arthritis, prescnt in 7.5% of the population. Among inOammatory rheumatic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis is present in 3% and recent data indicate that ankylosing spondylitis may be present in more than 1% of the population. The frequency of most types of arthritis changes markedly as a person passes from one decade of life t(l another, thus. every other person over the age of 65 years has arthritis. In addition, lhere are differences between males and females in the prevalence 0( arthritis, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis is more common in middle aged females, while ankylosing spondylitis is more common in young males, Hereditary factors have long been suspected as playing a part in susceptibility to arthritis and recent advances in immunogenetics have caused a renewed interest in this subject. I would like to limit my discussion to some recent advances in our knowledge concerning genetic factors which predispose to rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, two of the most common inflammatory rheumatic diseases. It has been found in Ihe last five years that these two diseases occur more frequently in individuals who are born with certain types of genes on their 6th chromosome at an area called the major histocompatibility compJes (MHC). The products of these genes are gLycoprotein
Efficacy of Bystander Programs to Prevent Dating Abuse Among Youth and Young Adults A Review of the Literature

Estimates suggest that between 10% and 25% of adolescents have experienced some form of physical violence within a dating relationship, and one in four college-age women experiences attempted or completed sexual violence on campus. Bystander programs focus on equipping young adults with the skills to safely intervene when they witness behaviors that can result in dating abuse. This approach is promoted for its capacity both to transform community norms that contribute to dating abuse and to foster more positive social interactions among youth, however, there has been limited review of the literature on the outcomes of bystander programs. Therefore, this article provides an in-depth systematic literature review, which describes the content and program components of bystander programs and summarizes what is currently known about the impact of bystander interventions on participants' behaviors and attitudes. Results indicate that bystander programs are promising from the standpoint of increasing young adults' willingness to intervene and confidence in their ability to intervene when they witness dating or sexual violence, however, the utilization of actual bystander behaviors was less straightforward. Implications for prevention practice and for future research are presented.
Regulation of heme oxygenase expression by cyclopentenone prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins (PGs) originate from the degradation of membranar arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX2). The prostaglandin actions in the nervous system are multiple and have been suggested to play a significant role in neurodegenerative disorders. Some PGs have been reported to be toxic and, interestingly, the cyclopentenone PGs have been reported to be cytoprotective at low concentration and could play a significant role in neuronal plasticity. They have been shown to be protective against oxidative stress injury; however, the cellular mechanisms of protection afforded by these PGs are still unclear. It is postulated that the cascade leading to neuronal cell death in acute and chronic neurodegenerative conditions, such as cerebral ischemia and Alzheimer’s disease, would be mediated by free radical damage. We tested the hypothesis that the neuroprotective action of cyclopentanone could be caused partially by an induction of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). We and others have previously reported that modulation of HO total activity may well have direct physiological implications in stroke and in Alzheimer’s disease. HO acts as an antioxidant enzyme by degrading heme into iron, carbon monoxide, and biliverdin that is rapidly converted into bilirubin. Using mouse primary neuronal cultures, we demonstrated that PGs of the J series induce HO-1 in a dose-dependent manner (0, 0.5, 5, 10, 20, and 50 µg/ml) and that PGJ2 and dPGJ2 were more potent than PGA2, dPGA2, PGD2, and PGE2. No significant effects were observed for HO-2 and actin expression. In regard to HO-3 expression found in rat, with its protein deducted sequence highly homologous to HO-2, no detection was observed in HO2 �/� mice, suggesting that HO-3 protein would not be present in mouse brain. We are proposing that several of the protective effects of PGJ2 could be mediated through beneficial actions of heme degradation and its metabolites. The design of new mimetics based on the cyclopentenone structure could be very useful as neuroprotective agents and be tested in animal models of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease. Exp Biol Med 228:499–505, 2003
Power line sensor networks for enhancing power line reliability and utilization

Over the last several decades, electricity consumption and generation have continually grown. Investment in the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) infrastructure has been minimal and it has become increasingly difficult and expensive to permit and build new power lines. At the same time, a growing increase in the penetration of renewable energy resources is causing an unprecedented level of dynamics on the grid. Consequently, the power grid is congested and under stress. To compound the situation, the utilities do not possess detailed information on the status and operating margins on their assets in order to use them optimally. The task of monitoring asset status and optimizing asset utilization for the electric power industry seems particularly challenging, given millions of assets and hundreds of thousands of miles of power lines distributed geographically over millions of square miles. The lack of situational awareness compromises system reliability, and raises the possibility of power outages and even cascading blackouts. To address this problem, a conceptual Power Line Sensor Network (PLSN) is proposed in this research. The main objective of this research is to develop a distributed PLSN to provide continuous on-line monitoring of the geographically dispersed power grid by using hundreds of thousands of low-cost, autonomous, smart, and communication-enabled Power Line Sensor (PLS) modules thus to improve the utilization and reliability of the existing power system. The proposed PLSN specifically targets the use of passive sensing techniques, focusing on monitoring the real-time dynamic capacity of a specific span of a power line under present weather conditions by using computational intelligence technologies. An ancillary function is to detect the presence of incipient failures along overhead power lines via monitoring and characterizing the electromagnetic fields around overhead conductors. This research integrates detailed modeling of the power lines and the physical manifestations of the parameters being sensed, with pattern recognition technologies. Key issues of this research also include design of a prototype PLS module with integrated sensing, power and communication functions, and validation of the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology integrated to this proposed PLSN.
Seismic Masonry Veneer: Quazi- Static Testing of Wood Stud Backed Clay Masonry Veneer Walls

Based on past performance during seismic events, masonry veneers can pose a significant hazard to public safety. Because there is a significant inventory of masonry veneers in the built environment, this risk is substantial and must be quantified and systematically mitigated. In addition, current design provisions must be re-evaluated and refined to ensure that new building construction produces masonry wall assemblies with acceptable seismic performance. To address these concerns a number of researchers have investigated this type of wall system under seismic loading. To extend this work further, an effort is being funded under the George E. Brown Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation to evaluate the response of masonry veneer systems under seismic loading. One of the goals of this investigation is to develop accurate dynamic wall system models for seismic excitation. These models are to be used to support development of performance based design under frameworks such as those proposed by ATC 58. As a part of this multi-institutional investigation, the performance of clay brick veneer walls constructed with wood stud backing walls are being experimentally evaluated. This phase of the testing program subjected full scale brick veneer/wood stud wall specimens constructed to typical code defined residential configurations to quasi-static cyclic in-plane and out-of-plane loadings. A variety of wall specimen configurations are being evaluated, including variables such as the effects of joint reinforcing, the type and spacing of ties, and the effects of openings. The result of these tests will refine the analytical models being developed and support the development of large scale shake table building specimens that will be evaluated at a later date. The results of the quasi-static out-of-plane loading tests are presented in this paper. The following sections describe the details of the testing program.
Spatial and temporal distribution of ground beetle (Coleoptera : Carabidae) assemblages in riparian strips and adjacent wheat fields

Ground beetles are polyphagous predators that often colonize cereal fields from adjacent habitats. Boundaries separating these habitats may filter the movement of species across them resulting in differences in species composition among the habitats. Ground beetles were captured in spring 1995 at 3 sites, autumn through spring 1995–1996 at 4 sites, and autumn through spring 1996–1997 at 2 sites using pitfall traps positioned in riparian strips, wheat fields, and along riparian-wheat field edges. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to arrange ground beetles along temporal and spatial gradients. Autumn and spring assemblages of ground beetles were separated along the 1st canonical axis. The 2nd canonical axis further separated spring and winter assemblages of ground beetles. With the effects of season removed, ground beetles were classified with respect to habitat association along axes 1 and 2 of a partial canonical correspondence analysis. Based on this analysis, ground beetles occupying wheat field interiors and wheat field edges were separated from those occupying riparian interiors and riparian edges along the 1st canonical axis. The 2nd canonical axis separated beetles occupying interior habitats from those occupying edge habitats. We classified beetles as habitat generalists, wheat specialists, riparian specialists, or boundary specialists. Riparian areas may serve as permanent habitats for ground beetles to colonize cereal fields. Because of their continuous seasonal activity and predatory nature many species of ground beetles are good candidates for biological control of wheat pests.
Mortgage Lending by National Banks

That restrictions on real-estate-mortgage lending by banks chartered under the National Banking Act of 1864 seriously restricted availability of long-term financing before 1913, has long been accepted. Professors Keehn and Smiley explain some ways in which resourceful national banks could circumvent this restriction. They find that lending within the letter but outside the spirit of the Act of 1864 was greater than published figures on direct lending indicate.
Acute and Long-Term Effects of Multidirectional Treadmill Training on Gait and Balance in Parkinson Disease.

Abstract Background Treadmill training has been shown to be a promising rehabilitation strategy for improving gait and balance in persons with Parkinson disease (PD). Most studies have involved only forward walking as an intervention. The effects of multidirectional treadmill (forward, backward, and left and right sideways) on gait and balance have not been reported. Objective To investigate the acute and long-term effects of multidirectional treadmill training (MDTT) on gait and balance in persons with PD, and to determine the optimal training duration. Design Single group, repeated-measures design. Setting Research laboratory in a hospital. Participants Ten persons with PD (mean age 65.9 ± 7.4 years; average disease duration 3.90 ± 2.18 years). Interventions MDTT was used. Participants walked forward, backward, and left and right sideways for 5-7 minutes in each direction at their fastest tolerated speed. The training was 3 days per week continuously for 8 weeks. Main Outcome Measurements Gait speed, cadence, and stride length of forward, backward and sideways walks; time and number of steps to turn 360°; and the timed 5-step test and Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test were performed after the first session of MDTT and every 2 weeks. Effect size of MDTT on each gait and balance variable was measured every 2 weeks for 8 weeks to determine the optimal training duration. Gait and balance variables after the first session of MDTT were compared to the baseline values (pre-MDTT) to study the acute effect of MDTT. Results Stride length of forward, backward, and sideways walks improved immediately after 1 session of MDTT ( P = .031, .012, and .001, respectively). The number of steps to turn and the timed 5-step test score decreased after the first session ( P = .016, and .010, respectively). Six weeks of training was found to yield the largest mean effect size of all gait and balance variables. At 6 weeks of MDTT, gait speed of all walking directions ( P = .001-.031), stride length of backward ( P P = .001) walks, cadence of sideways walk ( P = .036), number of steps to turn ( P = .014), and timed 5-step test ( P = .033) improved from pre-MDTT measures. Conclusions MDTT immediately improved gait and balance in persons with PD. Six weeks of MDTT might be the optimal training duration to improve gait and balance in the long term. Level of Evidence IV
Automatic Data-Driven Learning of Articulatory Primitives from Real-Time MRI Data Using Convolutive NMF with Sparseness Constraints.

We present a procedure to automatically derive interpretable dynamic articulatory primitives in a data-driven manner from image sequences acquired through real-time magnetic resonance imaging (rt-MRI). More specifically, we propose a convolutive Nonnegative Matrix Factorization algorithm with sparseness constraints (cNMFsc) to decompose a given set of image sequences into a set of basis image sequences and an activation matrix. We use a recently-acquired rt-MRI corpus of read speech (460 sentences from 4 speakers) as a test dataset for this procedure. We choose the free parameters of the algorithm empirically by analyzing algorithm performance for different parameter values. We then validate the extracted basis sequences using an articulatory recognition task and finally present an interpretation of the extracted basis set of image sequences in a gesture-based Articulatory Phonology framework.
Elevated interleukin‐27 levels in human neonatal macrophages regulate indoleamine dioxygenase in a STAT‐1 and STAT‐3‐dependent manner

Microbial infections are a major cause of infant mortality as a result of limitations in immune defences. Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a heterodimeric cytokine produced primarily by leucocytes and is immunosuppressive toward lymphocytes and leucocytes. Our laboratory demonstrated that human neonatal macrophages express IL-27 more abundantly than adult macrophages. Similarly in mice, IL-27 expression is elevated early in life and maintained through infancy. To determine IL-27-regulated mechanisms that may limit immunity, we evaluated the expression of a number of genes in response to this cytokine in primary human neonatal macrophages. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) gene expression was increased dose-responsively by IL-27. We have previously demonstrated inhibition of T-cell proliferation and cytokine production by neonatal macrophage-generated IL-27, and IDO is often implicated in this negative regulation. An increase in IDO protein was demonstrated by immunofluorescence microscopy and was consistent with increased enzyme activity following treatment with IL-27. Inclusion of a soluble receptor to neutralize endogenous IL-27, decreased IDO expression and activity compared with untreated macrophages. In response to IL-27, neonatal macrophages phosphorylate signal transdcuer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT-1) and STAT-3. Both transcription factors are recruited to the IDO regulatory region. STAT-3 dominates during steady-state regulation by lower levels of endogenous IL-27 production. A shift to enhanced STAT-1 recruitment occurs during increased levels of exogenously supplied IL-27. These data suggest an interesting interplay of STAT-1 and STAT-3 to regulate IDO activity and immunosuppression in response to different levels of IL-27 in the microenvironment of the immune response that may further our understanding of this interesting cytokine.
The Effects of Fortetropin Supplementation on Body Composition, Strength, and Power in Humans and Mechanism of Action in a Rodent Model

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Fortetropin on skeletal muscle growth and strength in resistance-trained individuals and to investigate the anabolic and catabolic signaling effects using human and rodent models.Methods: In the rodent model, male Wistar rats (250 g) were gavage fed with either 1.2 ml of tap water control (CTL) or 0.26 g Fortetropin for 8 days. Then rats participated in a unilateral plantarflexion exercise bout. Nonexercised and exercised limbs were harvested at 180 minutes following and analyzed for gene and protein expression relative to mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and ubiquitin signaling. For the human model, 45 (of whom 37 completed the study), resistance-trained college-aged males were divided equally into 3 groups receiving a placebo macronutrient matched control, 6.6 or 19.8 g of Fortetropin supplementation during 12 weeks of resistance training. Lean mass, muscle thickness, and lower and upper body strength were measured before and aft...
Association of elevated triglycerides and acute myocardial infarction in young Hispanics

Abstract Background Previous studies have demonstrated that acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in young patients (age Methods Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for AMI at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center and Keck Medical Center were studied. We compared young Hispanics (age Results Young Hispanics had higher triglyceride levels than young non-Hispanics and older patients (234.5 ± 221.0 mg/dL vs. 145.3 ± 67.4 mg/dL vs. 156 ± 118.2 mg/dL, p Conclusions Young Hispanics with AMI have higher triglyceride levels than young non-Hispanics and older Hispanics. The elevated triglyceride levels may be related to lifestyle changes experienced by a young immigrant population transitioning to life in the United States.
Family Therapy and Child Psychiatry Training: Issues, Problems and Strategies

It is very timely to have this symposium on Family Therapy in the Training of Child Psychiatrists. Effective integration of family therapy into child psychiatry training is an extremely challenging task with which many child psychiatric educators have struggled for a number of years. The task has been complicated and made more difficult by the unfortunate conflict and polarization between child psychiatry and family therapy (Brown, 1972; McDermott and Char, 1974; Malone, 1974). In the past, and even currently, dynamically oriented child psychiatrists have opposed or resisted family therapy on the grounds that it interferes with transference and needed confidentiality in child therapy, and that it subjected children to the potentially traumatic effects of being overtly confronted with the covert dangers in their intrafamilial lives. Family therapists, on the other hand, have opposed or rejected dynamic child psychiatry on the grounds that isolated treatment of children ignores the sources of their disturbance in pathological family patterns, in marital discord, and in the parent’s own problems.
Problems in Instituting a New Mathematics Curriculum at a University

Mathematics plays a central role in the curriculum of any college or university. As a discipline it is not only of intrinsic value and, therefore, worthy of study as a major field, but it is also a generally accepted component of a liberal education, and is usually a portion of or at least an option in, the core or general education requirements for all degrees within an institution. In addition, the subject matter of mathematics--skills, techniques, ideas--provides essential building blocks for the study of an ever-widening set of other disciplines.
Instantaneous stiffness and hysteresis of dynamic elastic response prosthetic feet.

Background:Dynamic elastic response prosthetic feet are designed to mimic the functional characteristics of the native foot/ankle joint. Numerous designs of dynamic elastic response feet exist whic...
Thin Filament Pointed Ends Redistribute in Response to Altered Thick Filaments

Striated muscle generates contractile force and shortens as polar actin (thin) filaments slide past bipolar myosin (thick) filaments. Maximal force is able to be produced when thin filaments completely overlap the motor domains (heads) which occurs when the thin filament slow-growing (pointed) ends extend to the central (∼0.2 micrometer) thick filament bare zone devoid of myosin heads. The assembly of thin and thick filaments into regular contractile units (sarcomeres) is complex and highly-regulated, yet also robust; allowing diverse vertebrate and invertebrate animals to produce a variety of sarcomeric architectures with specific physiological contractile properties. Maximal thin-thick filament overlap in vivo is highly conserved among all types of striated muscle examined and highlights its importance. How thin-thick filament overlap is specified and maintained in different muscles is uncertain, but it manifests as the uniform and precise specification of thin filament lengths and involves the exchange of actin subunits at pointed ends and dynamic pointed-end capping by tropomodulin (Tmod). Here, we use CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and fluorescence microscopy to investigate whether interactions between myosin heads and pointed ends are necessary for specifying thin filament lengths in C. elegans obliquely striated body wall muscle. To determine the position of thin filament pointed ends, we inserted the green fluorescent protein (GFP) coding sequence in-frame with the C. elegans Tmd1 gene to generate a GFP-Tmod fusion protein. Homozygous GFP-Tmod worms are indistinguishable from wildtype worms demonstrating that the GFP fusion is completely functional. In body wall muscle, GFP-Tmod appears as regular striations that co-localize with myosin thick filaments. GFP-Tmod striations appear as single bands (singlets) or closely spaced double bands (doublets) in living worms confirming that thin-thick filament overlap is complete. In contrast, GFP-Tmod striations appear as more broadly-spaced doublets in headless-myoA transgenic worms that were designed to have an expanded (∼2 micrometer) thick filament bare zone. Our results show that thin filament pointed ends redistribute their location in response to changing the size of the thick filament bare zone. The response of pointed ends suggests that interactions with myosin heads stabilize pointed ends, increasing thin filament lengths until they fully overlap with thick filaments and permit optimal force generation.
Quantification and tracking of genetically engineered dendritic cells for studying immunotherapy.

Purpose Genetically encoded reporters can assist in visualizing biological processes in live organisms and have been proposed for longitudinal and noninvasive tracking of therapeutic cells in deep tissue. Cells can be labeled in situ or ex vivo and followed in live subjects over time. Nevertheless, a major challenge for reporter systems is to identify the cell population that actually expresses an active reporter. Methods We have used a nucleoside analog, pyrrolo-2′-deoxycytidine, as an imaging probe for the putative reporter gene, Drosophila melanogaster 2′-deoxynucleoside kinase. Bioengineered cells were imaged in vivo in animal models of brain tumor and immunotherapy using chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI. The number of transduced cells was quantified by flow cytometry based on the optical properties of the probe. Results We performed a comparative analysis of six different cell lines and demonstrate utility in a mouse model of immunotherapy. The proposed technology can be used to quantify the number of labeled cells in a given region, and moreover is sensitive enough to detect less than 10,000 cells. Conclusion This unique technology that enables efficient selection of labeled cells followed by in vivo monitoring with both optical and MRI. Magn Reson Med, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Progressive aortic root dilatation in pediatric heart transplant recipients

Background To determine prevalence, clinical implication, and risk factors for aortic root dilation (ARD) in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Methods Serial echocardiograms were reviewed in all pediatric heart transplant recipients from 1999 to 2014 to assess maximal systolic diameter at the aortic annulus, aortic sinus, aortic sino-tubular (ST) junction, and ascending aorta. ARD was defined by a sinus/annulus ratio >1.56, ST junction/annulus ratio >1.28, and/or ascending aorta/annulus ratio >1.35. Results A total of 147 subjects (53% male) were evaluated; 50% had congenital heart disease (CHD). Of the 74 with CHD, 38 had prior aortic arch reconstruction. The median age at transplant was 3 years (7 days–20.3 years) with a median duration of follow-up of 3.88 years (3 months–15 years). Prevalence of ARD significantly increased in the cohort from 15.6% at the initial echocardiogram to 49.6% at later follow-up (P<.0001). The median duration to development of ARD was 7.6 months. There were no significant differences in prevalence of ARD or days to maximum ratio based on the pretransplant diagnosis. Aortic regurgitation was very rare (7 with ≤mild) and did not correlate with ARD or require any interventions. Conclusion During intermediate follow-up, ARD commonly develops in children post–heart transplant, and prevalence increases with time after transplant. Within 1 year after transplant, almost 50% had developed abnormalities in aortic root size that were not apparent at the initial posttransplant echocardiogram. Preexisting CHD or need for prior arch reconstruction did not increase the risk of ARD.
Failure and Redemption of Statistical and Nonstatistical Rate Theories in the Hydroboration of Alkenes

Our previous work found that canonical forms of transition state theory incorrectly predict the regioselectivity of the hydroboration of propene with BH3 in solution. In response, it has been suggested that alternative statistical and nonstatistical rate theories can adequately account for the selectivity. This paper uses a combination of experimental and theoretical studies to critically evaluate the ability of these rate theories, as well as dynamic trajectories and newly developed localized statistical models, to predict quantitative selectivities and qualitative trends in hydroborations on a broader scale. The hydroboration of a series of terminally substituted alkenes with BH3 was examined experimentally, and a classically unexpected trend is that the selectivity increases as the alkyl chain is lengthened far from the reactive centers. Conventional and variational transition state theories can neither predict the selectivities nor the trends. The canonical competitive nonstatistical model makes somew...
Happily Stressed: The Complexity of Well-Being in Midlife

Previous studies provided mixed findings of well-being in midlife, so the present study sought to add new dimensions to this area of research by investigating diverse aspects of midlife well-being, including sources of enjoyment and stress. In a national sample of 834 Americans ages 40–60, overall well-being was high, and most participants agreed that their current time of life is “fun and exciting” (71%), a time of freedom (71%), and a time when “anything is possible” (77%). They also regarded themselves as being in a time of life for focusing on themselves (56%) and “finding out who I really am” (55%). However, 65% assessed this time of their lives as stressful (65%), and many agreed that they often feel anxious (39%), depressed (25%), or that “my life is not going well” (27%). Regression analyses revealed no notable variations in well-being by gender, ethnicity, educational attainment, work status, or relationship status. In sum, among Americans in midlife, well-being is generally high even as it coexists with stress and other mental health challenges.
Preparing Teachers to Serve English Learners with Language- and/or Literacy-Related Difficulties and Disabilities.

Competencies needed by teachers who provide language and literacy instruction to English learners (ELs), including bilingual education, English as a second language, general education, and special ...
Towards Automatic Assessment for Project Based Learning Groups

Project course instructors routinely perform their formal assessments based on impressions formed from their mostly indirect experience with the groups they oversee. Nevertheless, even with their limited vantage point, instructors trust their ability to make assessments and regulate group work. In this paper we present a 5 dimensional assessment framework based on data from an interview study in which we investigate the assessment goals that project course instructors have. We use this framework to identify specifically where instructors' assessments about students diverge most from that of direct observers of group work. We then demonstrate that indicators extracted automatically from recorded speech from group meetings frequently correlate better with objective observer rating of students than that of the instructor.
Arteriosklerose und Herzinfarkt bei Epileptikern

Es wurde das Vorkommen von Arteriosklerose und Herzinfarkt bei 554 sezierten Epileptikern mit grosen Anfallen der Jahre 1955–1968 untersucht. 94% davon waren Anstaltspfleglinge. Zum Vergleich bildeten wir ein Kollektiv aus Nichtepileptikern des eigenen Sektionsmaterials.
Thermodynamics of Proton and Electron Transfer in Tetranuclear Clusters with Mn–OH2/OH Motifs Relevant to H2O Activation by the Oxygen Evolving Complex in Photosystem II

We report the synthesis of site-differentiated heterometallic clusters with three Fe centers and a single Mn site that binds water and hydroxide in multiple cluster oxidation states. Deprotonation of FeIII/II3MnII–OH2 clusters leads to internal reorganization resulting in formal oxidation at Mn to generate FeIII/II3MnIII–OH. 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy reveals that oxidation state changes (three for FeIII/II3Mn–OH2 and four for FeIII/II3Mn–OH clusters) occur exclusively at the Fe centers; the Mn center is formally MnII when water is bound and MnIII when hydroxide is bound. Experimentally determined pKa (17.4) of the [FeIII2FeIIMnII–OH2] cluster and the reduction potentials of the [Fe3Mn–OH2] and [Fe3Mn–OH] clusters were used to analyze the O–H bond dissociation enthalpies (BDEO–H) for multiple cluster oxidation states. BDEO–H increases from 69 to 78 and 85 kcal/mol for the [FeIIIFeII2MnII–OH2], [FeIII2FeIIMnII–OH2], and [FeIII3MnII–OH2] clusters, respectively. Further insight of the proton and electron tr...
Assessment of Naming in Non-native English Speakers with Epilepsy.

Objectives: Naming assessment is a core component of neuropsychological evaluation, particularly in the surgical work up for patients with pharmacologically refractory epilepsy. Specifically, naming deficits are typically associated with left, but not right hemisphere epilepsy, thereby assisting with lateralization of seizure onset. We sought to determine whether bilingual (English as second language, ESL) and monolingual epilepsy patients with comparable education, intelligence, and objective vocabulary performance would perform similarly on standard naming measures, and whether ESL patients would demonstrate laterality effects in naming, similar to that observed in monolingual patients. Methods: Participants were 242 adults with epilepsy (186 native, 56 ESL) who underwent neuropsychological evaluation and obtained normal range or higher scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (R/III/IV) Vocabulary subtest (scaled score≥8). Groups were compared on demographic factors and language performances (i.e., Boston Naming Test, Auditory & Visual Naming Test, word reading, fluency). Results: Groups did not differ with respect to age, education, FSIQ, vocabulary, reading, or verbal fluency. However, ESL speakers earned poorer scores than native English speakers on all naming measures. Moreover, among ESL participants with unilateral epilepsy, a significant proportion of right hemisphere patients scored below cutoff for impairment. This contrasted with the more typical finding among native English speakers, whereby a significant proportion of left patients demonstrated naming impairment. Conclusions: These results underscore the complexity of verbal assessment in bilinguals, suggesting that naming performances by ESL individuals, even those considered proficient, with strong performances on other English verbal measures, cannot be interpreted by the same standards applied for native speakers. (JINS, 2018, 24, 1057–1063)
The Circle of Life: Vieussens’ Arterial Ring

A 59-year-old Hispanic man with no prior history of coronary artery disease was admitted with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction following several months of exertional chest pain. His electrocardiogram ([Figure 1A][1]) showed inferolateral ST-segment depression. He underwent coronary
The effect of increasing body mass index on wound complications in open ventral hernia repair with mesh

Abstract Background There is a paucity of data delineating the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and wound complications. We investigated the association between BMI and wound morbidity following open ventral hernia repair with mesh (OVHR). Design Patients undergoing elective OVHR were identified within the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of 30-day surgical site infection (SSI) and surgical site occurrences requiring procedural intervention (SSOPI). BMI was treated as a continuous variable in the models. Results 8949 patients were included (median age 58, median BMI 31.3 kg/m2, median defect width of 7 cm). Repairs typically included synthetic mesh (89%), placed as a sublay (70%). SSI rate was 4.5% and SSOPI was 6.7%. BMI was associated with increased relative log-odds for SSI (p = 0.01) and SSOPI ( Conclusion Escalating BMI progressively increases relative log-odds for SSI and SSOPI after OVHR. Further studies are necessary to determine whether preoperative weight loss can reduce the impact of this association.
Cascade testing of men with prostate cancer in families with a spectrum of inherited cancers: Importance of attention to race.

75Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is increasingly recognized as a part of hereditary cancer syndromes (HCS) with implications for cascade genetic testing (CGT) of men with PCa in these families. ...
Evaluation of rapid qPCR method for quantification of E. coli at non-point source impacted Lake Michigan beaches.

Most Great Lakes communities rely on culture-based E. coli methods for monitoring fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) at recreational beaches. These cultivation methods require 18 or more hours to generate results. As a consequence, public notifications about beach action value (BAV) exceedance are based on prior-day water quality. Rapid qPCR monitoring of bacteria in beach water solves the 24-h delay problem, though the USEPA-approved qPCR method targets enterococci bacteria, while Great Lakes communities are familiar with E. coli monitoring. For an E. coli qPCR method to be useful for water quality management, it is important to systematically characterize method performance, and establish BAVs for public notification purposes. In this study, we 1) evaluated a draft USEPA E. coli qPCR method, 2) compared E. coli qPCR measurements with two established FIB (E. coli culture and enterococci qPCR) results, and explored potential strategies to establish E. coli qPCR BAV criteria in the absence of an epidemiological study. Based on analyses of 288 water samples collected from eight of Chicago's Lake Michigan beaches, the E. coli qPCR method demonstrates acceptable performance characteristics. The method is prone to low level DNA contamination, possibly originating from assay reagents derived from E. coli bacteria. Both E. coli and enterococci BAVs were exceeded in approximately 18% of the samples. E. coli qPCR values were correlated with both E. coli culture (r = 0.83; p < 0.0001) and enterococci qPCR (r = 0.67; p < 0.0001) values. The approach recommended by the USEPA in its Technical Support Material (TSM) was used to generate candidate E. coli qPCR BAVs, as was receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Potential BAV thresholds differed substantially, ranging from 200.9 calibrator cell equivalents (CCE)/100 mL (ROC analysis, enterococci qPCR BAV as the reference) to 1000 CCE/100 mL (TSM analysis, enterococci qPCR BAV as the reference). Because we found that different approaches to establishing potential BAVs generate quite different values, guidance from USEPA about approaches to defining comparable BAVs would be useful.
Inverse-designed metastructures that solve equations

Metastructures hold the potential to bring a new twist to the field of spatial-domain optical analog computing: migrating from free-space and bulky systems into conceptually wavelength-sized elements. We introduce a metamaterial platform capable of solving integral equations using monochromatic electromagnetic fields. For an arbitrary wave as the input function to an equation associated with a prescribed integral operator, the solution of such an equation is generated as a complex-valued output electromagnetic field. Our approach is experimentally demonstrated at microwave frequencies through solving a generic integral equation and using a set of waveguides as the input and output to the designed metastructures. By exploiting subwavelength-scale light-matter interactions in a metamaterial platform, our wave-based, material-based analog computer may provide a route to achieve chip-scale, fast, and integrable computing elements.