cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 4933: Nuclear Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2) contributes to PSAT1-mediated cell migration in EGFR-activated lung cancer cells

Increased activity of the serine synthesis pathway (SSP) has been demonstrated in many types of cancer and can contribute to tumor growth by providing precursors for numerous anabolic reactions. Lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., is one of several tumor types displaying increased expression of enzymes within the SSP, particularly PSAT1 (phosphoserine aminotransferase 1). Furthermore, increased PSAT1 expression correlates with poorer overall survival in lung cancer patients. Several previous studies have demonstrated a requirement for PSAT1 for NSCLC proliferation and lung cancer growth. Yet, understanding the complete mechanism by which PSAT1 promotes lung cancer progression requires further investigation, particularly as serine can be imported from the extracellular environment. Recent discoveries of the non-canonical functions of metabolic enzymes in tumorigenesis prompted us to explore a plausible additional function of PSAT1 that may be contributing to lung tumorigenesis. Therefore, we investigated potential PSAT1 protein-protein interactions via GST pulldown assay with mass spectrometry (MS). Among the identified peptides, PKM2 was chosen for further study due to its prior functional link to serine metabolism. In vitro co-immunoprecipitation data showed that PSAT1 interacted selectively with PKM2, but not PKM1 and site-directed mutagenesis analysis found the contribution of the PKM2-specific exon in the interaction. Although in vitro assays found that PSAT1 enhanced the kinase function of recombinant PKM2, depletion of PSAT1 by shRNA did not alter the pyruvate kinase activity and expression in NSCLC cells. Recent reports implicating EGF-induced nuclear PKM2 function in transcription led us to study the role of PSAT1 in nuclear localization of PKM2 in EGFR-activated lung cancer cells. Cell fractionation studies demonstrated that silencing of PSAT1 in EGFR-mutant PC9 or EGF-stimulated A549 cells decreased PKM2 nuclear translocation. Further, PSAT1 suppression abrogated cell migration in EGFR-mutant PC9 and EGF stimulated A549. To further elucidate the role of nuclear PKM2, we introduced PKM2 variants tagged with a nuclear localization signal (NLS) into PSAT1 silenced PC9 cells. We found that re-expression of NLS-PKM2 acetyl-mimetic mutant, but not wild-type, partially restored the cell migration in PSAT1 silenced PC9 cells. Taken together, our findings suggested that PSAT1 contributes to EGFR-driven lung cancer cell migration in part through promoting nuclear PKM2 translocation and function. Citation Format: Rumeysa Biyik-Sit, Traci Kruer, Susan M. Dougherty, James Bradley, Michael L. Merchant, John O. Trent, Brian F. Clem. Nuclear Pyruvate Kinase M2 (PKM2) contributes to PSAT1-mediated cell migration in EGFR-activated lung cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4933.
New Insights on Molecular Mechanism of Hepatitis B Virus Covalently Closed Circular DNA Formation

The chronic factor of the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), specifically the covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), is a highly stable and active viral episomal genome established in the livers of chronic hepatitis B patients as a constant source of disease. Being able to target and eliminate cccDNA is the end goal for a genuine cure for HBV. Yet how HBV cccDNA is formed from the viral genomic relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) and by what host factors had been long-standing research questions. It is generally acknowledged that HBV hijacks cellular functions to turn the open circular DNA conformation of rcDNA into cccDNA through DNA repair mechanisms. With great efforts from the HBV research community, there have been several recent leaps in our understanding of cccDNA formation. It is our goal in this review to analyze the recent reports showing evidence of cellular factor’s involvement in the molecular pathway of cccDNA biosynthesis.
Chandra Observations of the Cloverleaf Quasar H1413+117: A Unique Laboratory for Microlensing Studies of a LoBAL Quasar

We present new results uncovered by a reanalysis of a Chandra observation of the gravitationally lensed, low-ionization broad absorption line (LoBAL) quasar H1413+117. Previous analyses of the same Chandra observation led to the detection of a strong, redshifted Fe Kα line from the combined spectrum of all images. We show that the redshifted Fe Kα line is only significant in the brighter image A. The X-ray flux fraction of image A is larger by a factor of 1.55 ± 0.17 than the optical R-band flux fraction, indicating that image A is significantly enhanced in the X-ray band. We also find that the Fe Kα line and the continuum are enhanced by different factors. A microlensing event could explain both the energy-dependent magnification and the significant detection of Fe Kα line emission in the spectrum of image A only. In the context of this interpretation, we provide constraints on the spatial extent of the inferred scattered continuum and reprocessed Fe Kα line emission regions in a LoBAL quasar.
Lovers and friends: Understanding friends with benefits relationships and those involved

LOVERS AND FRIENDS: UNDERSTANDING FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS RELATIONSHIPS AND THOSE INVOLVED by Lydia K. Merriam-Pigg Friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) are defined as sexual relationships between two individuals who are friends, though they are not emotionally intimate or committed to one another. Little FWBR research has explored who is most likely to become involved in FWBRs and how personality may affect their FWB experiences. With the present study, I examined two aspects of personality that have been strongly implicated in romantic relationship choices and experiences: self-monitoring behavior and attachment styles. Further, I examined relationship closeness in FWBRs and compared the findings to literature reports of other types of relationships. Consistent with predictions, some experiences in FWBRs were influenced by interactions between gender and self-monitoring, as high self-monitoring men participated in more FWBRs and found the relationships to be more satisfying compared to low self-monitoring women. There were also some indications that gender can influence certain aspects of FWBR experiences. FWBR experiences are affected, not just by gender or self-monitoring behavior alone, but by the interaction of the two. Perhaps interactions between gender and other personality traits might also influence the experience of FWBRs. Future research should examine other personality differences in FWB participants to further understand this type of relationship.
Provable Advantages for Graph Algorithms in Spiking Neural Networks

We present a theoretical framework for designing and assessing the performance of algorithms executing in networks consisting of spiking artificial neurons. Although spiking neural networks (SNNs) are capable of general-purpose computation, few algorithmic results with rigorous asymptotic performance analysis are known. SNNs are exceptionally well-motivated practically, as neuromorphic computing systems with 100 million spiking neurons are available, and systems with a billion neurons are anticipated in the next few years. Beyond massive parallelism and scalability, neuromorphic computing systems offer energy consumption orders of magnitude lower than conventional high-performance computing systems. We employ our framework to design and analyze neuromorphic graph algorithms, focusing on shortest path problems. Our neuromorphic algorithms are message-passing algorithms relying critically on data movement for computation, and we develop data-movement lower bounds for conventional algorithms. A fair and rigorous comparison with conventional algorithms and architectures is challenging but paramount. We prove a polynomial-factor advantage even when we assume an SNN consisting of a simple grid-like network of neurons. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first examples of a provable asymptotic computational advantage for neuromorphic computing.
ReadZS detects developmentally regulated RNA processing programs in single cell RNA-seq and defines subpopulations independent of gene expression

Post-transcriptional regulation of RNA processing (RNAP), including splicing and alternative polyadenylation (APA), controls eukaryotic gene function. Conservative estimates based on bulk tissue studies conclude that at least 50% of mammalian genes undergo APA. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) could enable a near complete estimate of the extent, function, and regulation of these and other forms of RNA processing. Yet, statistical methods to detect regulated RNAP are limited in their detection power because they suffer from reliance on (a) incomplete annotations of 39 untranslated regions (39 UTRs), (b) peak calling heuristics, (c) analysis based on measurements collapsed over all cells in a cell type (pseudobulking), or (d) APA-specific detection. Here, we introduce ReadZS, a computationally-efficient, and annotation-free statistical approach to identify regulated RNAP, including but not limited to APA, in single cells. ReadZS rediscovers and substantially extends the scope of known cell type-specific RNAP in the human lung and during human spermatogenesis. The unique single-cell resolution and statistical properties of ReadZS enable discovery of new evolutionarily conserved, developmentally regulated RNAP and subpopulations of lung-resident macrophages, homogenous by gene expression alone.
Experimental Errors Associated with the X-ray Measurement of Residual Stress

The basic methods of residual stress measurements with x-rays and neutrons, as well as the theory underlying the measurements, have been covered in the previous chapters. In any scientific experiment, however, the error associated with the measured quantity is just as important as the measured value itself and must be known for the correct interpretation of the results. Evaluation of errors by theoretical fomiulae is also of primary importance in automating a measurement
Basic factive perceptual reasons

Many epistemologists have recently defended views on which all evidence is true or perceptual reasons are facts (including McDowell, Pritchard, Williamson, and Littlejohn). On such views a common account of basic perceptual reasons is that the fact that one sees that p is one’s reason for believing that p (McDowell, Pritchard, Millar, Haddock). I argue that that account is wrong; rather, in the basic case the fact that p itself is one’s reason for believing that p. I show that my proposal is better motivated, solves a fundamental objection that the received view faces, and illuminates the nature of reasons for belief.
A Flood Can Point Out Improper Land-Use Planning: The Case of Alessandria Town (Piedmont, Northern Italy)

The steady expansion of urbanized areas on the river banks has gradually taken away important spaces belonging to the hydrographic network. When a flood occurs with large overflowings the urbanized areas are inevitably inundated, sometimes with victims and considerable damage. The flood occurred 20 years ago, at the beginning of November 1994, in Piedmont (northern Italy) has emphasized the vulnerability of many urban areas towards river-dynamics processes. More than one hundred towns were flooded and a huge amount of lives were lost: 69 in all, 50 of which directly caused by flooding. In the weeks that followed the flood event many surveys were carried out in the mostly damaged towns, with the goal to exactly define the flooded areas, measure the levels reached by the water, survey the damage, interview people that was subjected to the flood. All information gathered allowed to better understand the flood dynamics. The surveyed data were then compared with the aerial photographs available and were completed by the investigation of historical records concerning past flood events, the analysis of the urban areas development and the survey of the man-made changes of the river beds occurred during the last two centuries. This allowed in many cases to understand the reasons behind the apparent increase of the urban areas vulnerability towards geo-hydrological processes. In this paper are presented the results obtained from a detailed study for Alessandria, provincial capital of Piedmont, important town along the Tanaro River.
Political Marketing Matters

ABSTRACT The effects of political marketing are difficult to measure. This article contends that “multi-dimensional case analysis”-i.e., the comparison of similar elections across demographic levels and across time-can reliably assess the impact of political marketing on campaign outcomes. A multi-dimensional examination of Congressman Harold Ford Jr.'s sophomore surge demonstrates the potential impact of candidate positioning. Specifically, the congressman's shift to the center of his Memphis, Tennessee, constituency significantly enhanced his electoral performance. This substantive finding carries a methodological lesson: the evaluation of marketing effects is greatly improved through the use of a tightly structured research design that employs, not large-scale statistical analysis or controlled field experimentation, but in-depth, case-by-case investigation.
Logic-Based Modeling

Logic-based modeling can result in decision models that are more natural and easier to debug. The addition of logical constraints to mixed integer programming need not sacrifice computational speed and can even enhance it if the constraints are processed correctly. They should be written or automatically reformulated so as to be as nearly consistent or hyperarc consistent as possible. They should also be provided with a tight continuous relaxation. This chapter shows how to accomplish these goals for a number of logic-based constraints: formulas of propositional logic, cardinality formulas, 0–1 linear inequalities (viewed as logical formulas), cardinality rules, and mixed logical/linear constraints. It does the same for three global constraints that are popular in constraint programming systems: the all-different, element and cumulative constraints.
"Assassinate the Nigger Ape()" : Obama, Implicit Imagery, and the Dire Consequences of Racist Jokes

In 1994, Congress passed legislation stating that Presidents elected to office after January 1, 1997, would no longer receive lifetime Secret Service protection. Such legislation was unremarkable until the first Black President - Barack Obama - was elected. From the outset of his campaign until today, and likely beyond, President Obama has received unprecedented death threats. These threats, we argue, are at least in part tied to critics and commentators’ use of symbols, pictures, and words to characterize the Obama as a primate, in various forms - including cartoonist Sean Delonas’ controversial New York Post cartoon. Against this backdrop and looking to history, cultural critique, federal case law, as well as cognitive and social psychology, we explore how the use of seemingly harmless imagery may still be racially-laden and evoke violence against its object.[1] Morgan v. McDonough, 540 F.2d 527, 531 (1st Cir.1976) (holding in a school desegregation case, that White students harassed Black students by chanting "assassinate the nigger apes"); see also infra notes 99 to 103 and accompanying text.
Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

We provide a historical perspective and review on the current status of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, HCC accounts for 85–90% of primary liver cancer, which is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. For qualified candidates, liver transplantation and surgical resection provide the only chance for cure. For the subset of patients who do not qualify for transplantation or surgical resection, RFA provides a locoregional alternative to the treatment of HCC. RFA uses a radiofrequency energy-generated heat to destroy biological tissues and has been used to destroy unresectable malignant liver tumors since the early 1990s. Currently, there are three FDA-approved RFA systems: the RITA Starburst, LeVeen, and Cool-tip RFA systems. Liver transplantation and surgical resection provide the best change for cure and long-term survival. RFA should be reserved for those patients who are deemed unresectable, either based on tumor size, number, location, major blood vessel invasion, inadequate hepatic reserve, or significant comorbidities. Absolute contraindications to RFA include the presence of extrahepatic disease, life expectancy less than 6 months, altered mental status, active infection, and tumor abutting a major hepatic duct. Relative contraindications include lesions greater than 5 cm (especially in a cirrhotic liver), more than four lesions, severe pulmonary or cardiac disease, and refractory coagulopathy. Compared to surgical resection, RFA was associated with a higher local recurrence and a shorter overall and disease-free survival. However, RFA was superior to percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) with more complete response while requiring less treatment sessions and significantly improved local recurrence-free survival, overall survival, and disease-free survival. The addition of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) significantly improved survival compared to RFA alone or TACE alone. Finally, RFA also provides a safe bridge to transplant with significant complete necrosis observed with tumors <3 cm and nonperivascular tumors. In summary, surgical resection remains the gold standard in those patients who do not meet transplant criteria. If resection is not an option or if the patient chooses a less invasive approach, then RFA is a viable option and may be comparable to resection in select patients. RFA appears to be superior to PEI for the percutaneous treatment of unresectable HCC and should the standard percutaneous technique. For patients who meet transplant criteria, prolonged waiting may result in tumor growth with progression to vascular invasion, which is highly associated with post-transplant recurrence; thus, RFA provides a safe, minimally invasive bridge to transplantation.
A Time and Resource Problem for Planning Architectures

This paper concerns the problem of resource reasoning in planning. It defines formally a constraint satisfaction problem, the Time and Resource Problem (TRP), in which resource reasoning is seen as integrated with temporal reasoning. Two propagation techniques are introduced that reason about resource constraints in the TRP framework. The Profile Propagation technique, similar to time-tabling techniques, considers resource utilization in single instants of time (the time values) to synthesize necessary quantitative temporal constraints. The Order Propagation technique is more original. It observes single time points (the time variables) and their orderings to synthesize necessary qualitative temporal constraints.
Changes in Roles Following Divorce

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine factors associated with depression in custodial single mothers and custodial single fathers. Single mothers and single fathers have different constraints placed on them, and their roles change in different ways following divorce, so it was expected that they might experience depression differently depending on their circumstances. Data for the study were collected from 626 single mothers and 100 single fathers who participated in the National Survey of Families and Households. A one-way analysis of variance determined that single mothers were significantly more depressed than single fathers. Regression analyses were then used to predict depression in single mothers and single fathers using changes in income, role set, role satisfaction, role captivity, and locus of control as independent variables. Role satisfaction and locus of control predicted depression in both single mothers and single fathers.
SU-E-T-680: Rigid Registration Image Fusion for Volumetric Dose Evaluation of Gynecological Patients Treated with EBRT and HDR Brachytherapy

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of rigid registration image fusion and dose composites in HDR brachytherapy patients who have previously undergone EBRT. Methods: Data was collected from five randomly selected patients with cervical cancer who were treated with both EBRT (50.4Gy) and HDR brachytherapy (30Gy in 5 fractions) using a split-ring and tandem applicator. Planning CTs, contours, and dose profiles were exported from the Pinnacle and Oncentra treatment planning systems into the MIM 6.0 software tool for image fusion and dose composite generation. The planning CT for the third course of HDR brachytherapy was used as the primary image for each patient. Rigid registration image fusion was performed in two different ways: the first method used bony anatomy for initial matching and then fine tuned using surrounding OARs; the second method used the HDR applicator for matching. For EBRT CTs in which no applicator was present, images were fused using the uterus. Treatment doses were transferred to the primary image and then EQD2-BED calculations were performed using the linear quadratic model in MIM software. Results from MIM calculations were compared with the hand calculations based upon the ABS EQD2 worksheet used clinically to estimate aggregated dose to the bladder, rectum, sigmoid, and bowel. Results: Results revealed differences in the 2cc dose between the calculation and dose composite methods for the sigmoid (mean±SD) as 7.96%±5.11% and 6.49%±3.02% for the OAR and applicator methods, respectively; bladder as 5.77%±3.28% for applicator method. No statistically significant differences (p-value >0.05) were observed for the bladder using the OAR method, or for the rectum or bowel using either method. Conclusion: Early results suggest that current methods may be overestimating dose to the bladder while underestimating dose to sigmoid. However, more patient data needs to be collected to determine the significance of the findings and clinical implications.
THE EFFECTS OF PREGNANCY ON THE CONCENTRATION OF CREATINE KINASE IN SERUM, SKELETAL MUSCLE, AND MYOMETRIUM.

Abstract Serum levels of creatine kinase have been determined throughout pregnancy and postpartum in 80 healthy women. A marked elevation was found in the first day postpartum which then gradually declined to normal levels by the tenth day. The importance of these findings in relation to the detection of carriers of muscular dystrophy is discussed. It has been found that the amount of creatine kinase in human skeletal muscle is greater than in pregnant myometrium which is greater than in nonpregnant myometrium. These results are discussed in terms of the observed activity of the pregnant uterus.
Primary microsurgical repair of ring avulsion amputation injuries.

Patients with ring avulsion injuries of the fourth and fifth digits often demand attempts at reconstruction rather than completion of the amputation. In the past, this has led to reconstruction involving a staged series of operations with results that were often less than desirable. Seven patients with ring avulsion amputation injuries that were reconstructed by use of microsurgical reanastomoses are reported. All were classified as either Carroll type IV or Urbaniak type III. Six patients (85%) had a successful replantation leading to a useful finger. The operating time averaged 5.5 hours. On average, 1.9 arteries (range 1 to 2) and 3.3 veins (range 2 to 5) were repaired for each digit. Average hospital stay was 6.7 days (range 4 to 15). Average range of motion was 0 2 /84 2 for metacarpophalangeal joint and 15 2 /90 2 for proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) with distal interphalangeal joint ankylosis at between 0 2 and 15 2 of flexion. Sensibility was protective in all cases and good in three. If the PIP joint was damaged, completion of amputation was the treatment of choice. If the amputation is distal to the PIP with a functional superficiaJis tendon, primary microsurgical repair is the treatment of choice in complex ring avulsion injuries.
Effective dose in diagnostic radiology as a function of x-ray beam filtration for a constant exit dose and constant film density

Individual organ absorbed dose and total effective dose for nine common radiographic projections were investigated as a function of half-value-layer, HVL, and total equivalent filtration for the following cases: (1) with the patient exit dose held constant and (2) with the film density held constant. As expected, the absorbed dose to organs proximal to the x-ray beam entry point tracked with skin dose as a function of HVL, whereas organ dose distal to the x-ray beam entry point was almost independent of HVL. Dose to organs near mid-line showed an intermediate HVL dependence. For the nine radiographic projections, increasing the total filtration from 1.5 to 4.0 mm Al while holding the kVp fixed resulted in mean decreases in the effective dose of 17% for the case of a constant exit dose, and 25% for a constant film density with a "400 speed" rare-earth screen-film system. The decreases in the mean skin entrance doses were 38% and 45%, respectively. With the screen-film system, the average effective dose decreased at 16% per mm of added Al between 1.5 and 2.5 mm Al total filtration, and at 7% per mm between 2.5 and 4.0 mm. These results partially support the NCRP Report No. 102 recommendation that the minimum filtration be 2.5 mm Al for general diagnostic x-ray tubes. They also suggest, using the linear no-threshold radiation risk model, that further significant reductions in stochastic risk to the U.S. population can be achieved by raising the minimum beyond 2.5 mm. Experience over a 12 year period in our tertiary care teaching hospital indicates that adding 1-1.5 mm Al filtration beyond the 2.5 mm minimum does not pose a problem in terms of additional tube loading or reduction in image quality. However, these issues need to be more formally addressed.
Microcomputer based automatic controls for the artificial heart

To imitate the effects of both neural and intrinsic control mechanisms of the natural heart, a microprocessor based control system is being developed to dynamically adjust the cardiac output of a total artificial heart. The control system consists of two units: 1) the P-wave controller and 2) the drive-line pressure controller. The system receives the P-wave signal, stroke volume of the previous cycle and systemic pressures as measured variables and determines the heart rate, systolic and diastolic time intervals, pneumatic drive pressures and vacuums.
Euphorbia aaron-rossii (Euphorbiaceae), a new species from Marble and Grand Canyons of the Colorado River, Arizona

The new species,Euphorbia aaron-rossii from along the Colorado River within the inner gorge of Marble Canyon and Grand Canyon, Coconino Co., Arizona, is described, mapped, and illustrated. Scanning electron micrographs of the seed coat are included. It clearly belongs to subgenusAgaloma sectionTithymalopsis, where it is most closely related toE. wrightii.
The geography of sexual partnerships in Baltimore: applications of core theory dynamics using a geographic information system.

Objective: Gonorrhea has a focused geographic distribution characterized by high incidence rates in defined "core" areas and decreased incidence as the radial distance from the central core increases. Dense core group transmission has long been hypothesized. Methods: We have previously mapped sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates in Baltimore census tracts using STD morbidity data interfaced with a geographic information system. Core areas were defined using a standard definition based on gonorrhea distribution. We studied spatial distance patterns between sexual partners, using the residential addresses of 572 individuals, representing 286 dyad partnerships recruited as part of an epidemiology and behavioral study. To determine if partners lived closer together than would be expected, a modified bootstrap algorithm using Monte Carlo models was developed to compare the distances between partners' residences and all other possible residences. Results: Two distinct (east and west) core areas were previously identified. Compared with randomly selected Baltimore addresses, partners tended to reside closer to one another than would be expected by chance (z = −1.8), with a median distance of 1.7 kilometers. Within the core areas, women resided a median of 547 meters from their partner, and men resided a median of 339 meters from their reported partners. Results: When all partnerships were considered, the median distance was 1,699 meters. Of the 500 simulation models, the minimum median distance was 4,889 meters. Conclusions: Partners of patients in core areas in Baltimore live remarkably close to one another, and the partner selection patterns in general indicate nonrandom distribution. Geographic information system-determined patterns of STD patients residing in hyperendemic census tracts support the core theory of disease transmission. In these areas, targeted geographically based interventions may be warranted.
Shear bond strengths of a two-paste system resin luting agent used to bond alloys to enamel

Abstract Statement of problem. Adhesive resin luting agents are used to successfully bond the metal surfaces of fixed prostheses to teeth. Panavia 21 luting agent is a new addition to the series of Panavia adhesive resin luting agents. Purpose. This investigation measured the shear bond strengths of two types of alloy specimens (Olympia and Rexillium III) bonded to prepared human enamel (etched and unetched) with Panavia 21. Material and methods. After a simulated porcelain firing sequence, the alloy specimens were bonded to the teeth and subjected to shear testing after water storage for 2 weeks, thermocycling for 500 cycles, and water storage for an additional 2 weeks. Data were analyzed with a two-way analysis of variance (alpha = 0.05). Results. The shear bond strengths of Rexillium III and tinplated Olympia specimens bonded to prepared and unetched enamel were significantly lower than for specimens bonded to prepared and etched enamel with Panavia 21 luting agent. (J Prosthet Dent 1997;78:132-5.)
Redlining Revisited: Mortgage Lending Patterns in Sacramento 1930-2004

ijur_873 291..313 Despite decades of government reform, the American housing credit system continues to mirror long-standing patterns of racial segregation and inequality. Consistent with this trend, the current housing crisis reveals an unusually high concentration of subprime mortgage activity and property foreclosures in non-white residential settlements across the nation. Given the generally accepted premise of market neutrality, this case study of lending patterns in Sacramento, California, questions why US housing market exchanges continue to produce racially disparate outcomes and seeks to identify the ideological practices in which race is deployed, informs state and private economic action and shapes contemporary credit market practices.
Imaging in the Evaluation of the Patient with New-Onset Heart Failure

New-onset heart failure is a common clinical scenario which presents several diagnostic challenges to the clinician. Noninvasive cardiac imaging with echocardiography, radionuclide imaging, computed tomography, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance plays an essential role in the evaluation of such patients. This article will review the application of noninvasive imaging for diagnosis and management planning in the patient with new-onset heart failure.
Resonance properties of complex-rotated hamiltonians

The fundamental work of Balslev, Combes, and Simon has provided a mathematical foundation for the description of atomic and molecular resonances by the complex-rotation method. In the present paper we discuss some formal properties of the complex-rotated hamiltonian operators and the variational criteria for the approximation of their resonance eigenvalues. These criteria are employed in numerical studies of the complex-rotation method, which is illustrated and compared with various stabilization procedures in an application to a simple model potential. We propose a virial-scaling procedure for determining variationally optimal estimates of the resonance position and lifetime and apply the technique to the helium (2s)2 auto-ionizing resonance. Our results lend support to the idea that resonance features in the continuous spectrum can be successfully described by techniques similar to those employed for bound states.
Serotonin concentration in the spleen.

Modifications of previous methods for determining the serotonin concentration of blood and other body tissues are described. The spleen does not appear to release free serotonin into the portal blood. On the contrary, it appears that serotonin is removed from the blood by the spleen. Diseased spleens from human beings and rats have an abnormally low serotonin concentration which is not dependent upon the blood platelet concentration. An unidentified substance, probably chemically related to serotonin, was found spectrophotofluorometrically in 3 human spleens.
Complement mediates nephrin redistribution and actin dissociation in experimental membranous nephropathy.

Complement mediates nephrin redistribution and actin dissociation in experimental membranous nephropathy. Background The onset of proteinuria in passive Heymann nephritis, (PHN), a rat model of human membranous nephropathy (MN), is complement-dependent and is associated with altered podocyte slit diaphragm integrity and dissociation of nephrin from the actin cytoskeleton. These studies examined if complement is responsible for these podocyte changes. Methods PHN was induced with sheep anti-Fx1A. Controls were injected with normal sheep globulin. A third group was injected with anti-Fx1A and depleted of complement with cobra venom factor. Four days later, proteinuria was measured, slit diaphragm integrity was examined by electron microscopy, nephrin distribution was studied by immunofluorescence, and the glomerular content of nephrin and its association with actin were assessed by sequential extraction of isolated glomeruli and Western blotting. Results Four days after immunization, seven out of eight PHN rats were proteinuric, whereas none of the complement depleted group had proteinuria despite similar levels of antibody deposition. Complement depletion preserved slit diaphragm morphology. Immunofluorescence microscopy with an antibody to the extracellular domain of nephrin showed a normal staining pattern in the rats depleted of complement and a shift to a more dispersed and clustered pattern in the PHN group. Western blot analysis of the glomerular extracts showed a significant reduction in the total amount of nephrin and in the fraction of actin-associated nephrin in the PHN group, whereas the amounts in the complement-depleted rats were similar to normal controls. Conclusion The onset of proteinuria in the PHN model of MN is coincident with complement-dependent alterations in the association of nephrin with the actin cytoskeleton and loss of podocyte slit diaphragm integrity.
User centered design of the digital book: why looking backward can help us move forward

What is emerging from the digital book revolution is a state of technology that has brought new affordances to the book, such as search, hyperlinking, personalization, dynamic content, 24/7 access, automated indexing and summarizing, aggregated content, and new modes of reading and access. These could solve some of the issues users have with the static content of traditional bound volumes, but the technology so far has staunchly ignored the tried and true technologies of books, such as infinite resolution, high contrast, low glare, haptic navigation, typographic niceties, and the rights of first sale to borrow, lend, or resell a work. By exploring a survey of literature, reviews, and user tests, I intend to address the point of how the current concept of the digital book is an inappropriate tool for the user and the task of reading, and as a result not been enthusiastically embraced by the market. The collected evidence indicates that it is impossible to forget our past in our quest for the future, and that technology can help us to unite the disparate realities of analog and digital to create a truly digital book.
New antifungal therapies for the treatment of onychomycosis

Onychomycosis is a common disorder of nails caused by diverse spectrum of fungi ranging from dermatophytes to nondermatophyte molds and yeasts. Presently, oral and topical therapies are the mainstay of treatment with oral therapies yielding somewhat better results. Though various treatment options are available to treat onychomycosis, search for a convenient, cost effective agent with high and long-lasting cure rates is continuing. Currently, many new therapies for onychomycosis are under investigation which includes new formulations of azoles, improvement of existing topical treatments through addition of ungual enhancers and new drugs with better nail permeation
Lessons Learned from Early Head Start for Fatherhood Research and Program Development

This Special Issue presents a series of studies on men who functioned as fathers in the Early Head Start National Evaluation Study. The pieces focused on how these men viewed themselves as fathers, what they did with and for their children, how that mattered in the lives of children, and what Early Head Start programs were doing to try to foster positive involvement of fathers in the lives of their children. This final article reflects on those efforts and tries to place them in the broader literature on family life among the poor and governmental efforts to assist those families. Special attention is given to the complexity of family life in the 21st century and to the challenges that face men who are often trying to parent in highly uncertain and unstable conditions.
Fine structure of the segmental ocelli of Armandia brevis (Polychaeta: Opheliidae).

Armandia brevis responds negatively to light during the benthic phase and positively to light during the epitokous phase of its life history. In addition to the prostomial photoreceptors this slender translucent marine worm possesses eleven pairs of ocelli arranged serially from the 7th to the 17th segments.
The early historical roots of pediatric and adolescent gynecology

Abstract Background The science of medicine is a constantly evolving process that builds on the experiences and observations of the past. We hypothesized that the issues of pediatric and adolescent gynecology were also of concern to physicians practicing in the 19th century. We sought to determine the extent to which our forebears of over 100 years ago considered, diagnosed, and treated these problems. Methods We conducted an exhaustive search through two English-language medical journals, The Obstetrical Journal of Great Britain and Ireland (vol. 1–7,1873–1880) and The American Journal of Obstetrics (vol. 1–32, 1869–1895), for articles relating to pediatric and adolescent gynecology. Results The most frequently encountered subject was the surgical management of congenital absence or atresia of the vagina and associated anomalies of adjacent organs. By 1881, the opinion expressed by many investigators was that the method used by Thomas Addis Emmet to create an artificial vagina between the bladder and the rectum by a single-stage procedure of blunt dissection and the immediate placement of a glass vaginal dilator gave the best chance of a favorable outcome. The practice of making an artificial opening through the rectum was abandoned. In 1882, a review of published reports noted 43% postoperative mortality in children treated for benign and malignant ovarian tumors. A review article in 1891 reported a 10% mortality rate associated with treatment of the imperforate hymen. A research article in 1870 noted the mean age at menarche in England to be 14.96 years. Additional subjects in the literature included: “Acquired Venereal Disease in Children” warning of the need for “ rigid… scrutiny of the attendants and playmates of children” (1893), the enigmatic occurrence of “Vaginal Hemorrhage in an Infant Five-Days-Old” (1874), the brutal atrocities perpetrated against “The Child Wives of India” (1895), “Early Pregnancy” reviewing childbirth by young adolescents (1874), “Hermaphrodism” (1886), “The … Hymen and Its Remains …” (1871), a “Case of Fatal Hemorrhage from the Genital Organs” in which a 17-year-old exsanguinated from a vaginal laceration (1879), and Primary Sarcoma of the Vagina… in a Child Three-Years-Old” (1881). Conclusion Modern pediatric and adolescent gynecology can trace its roots to well over a century ago.
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Isolation Enhances the Frequency of Mating in Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Mating behavior can be a dynamic process that depends upon the insects’ environment and condition. We performed a series of experiments to see if isolating individual ladybeetles changed the frequency of mating compared to when they were kept in mixed-sex groups. Our results indicate that individuals isolated for only 1 day were 26 times more likely to mate than individuals kept in a mixed-sex group. Isolation of either sex will increase the propensity to mate, but isolating males had a stronger effect than isolating females. We further demonstrate how isolating could be used as a technique for studying some aspects of mating behavior by showing that there is large variation in the frequency of remating amongst maternal lines.
Contextualism on a pragmatic, not a skeptical, footing

Contextualism is supposed to explain why the following argument for skepticism seems plausible: (1) I don’t know that I am not a bodiless brain-in-a-vat (BIV); (2) If I know I have hands, then I know I am not a bodiless BIV; (3) Therefore, I do not know I have hands. Keith DeRose claims that (1) and (2) are “initially plausible.” I claim that (1) is initially plausible only because of an implicit argument that stands behind it; it is not intuitively plausible. The argument DeRose offers is based on the requirement of sensitivity, that is, on the idea that if you know something then you would not believe it if it were false. I criticize the sensitivity requirement thereby undercutting its support for (1) and the skeptical data that contextualism is meant to explain. While skepticism is not a plausible ground for contextualism, I argue that certain pragmatic considerations are. It’s plausible to think that to know something more evidence is required when more is at stake. The best way to handle skepticism is to criticize the arguments for it. We should not adopt contextualism as a means of accommodating skepticism even if there are other pragmatic reasons for being a contextualist about knowledge.
A Convergent Validity Study of the Differential Ability Scales and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition with Hispanic Children:

Intellectual assessment of minority children continues to occupy a position of importance in the practice of school psychology. A review of the extant literature suggests a continuing controversy r...
Information, individual errors, and collective performance: Empirical evidence on the Condorcet Jury Theorem

The Condorcet Jury Theorem implies that the collective performance of a group, in arriving at a “correct” judgment on the basis of majority or plurality rule, will be superior to the average performance of individual members of the group, if certain apparently plausible conditions hold. Variants of the Jury Theorem are reviewed, particularly including the politically relevant variant that allows for conflicting interests within the group. We then examine two kinds of empirical data. First, we compare individual and collective performance in a large number of multiple-choice tests, and we find that collective performance invariably and substantially exceeds average individual performance. Second, we analyze American National Election Study data to create dichotomous-choice tests concerning positions of candidates on a variety of political issues; Condorcet-like effects are again evident. Finally, continuing to use NES data, we construct, on each political issue, a simulated referendum (direct voting on the issue) and election (indirect voting on the issue by voting for candidates on the basis of their perceived positions on the issue), and we compare the two results. Despite high rates of individual error, electoral error is quite small, and collective performance is fairly high, providing evidence of Condorcet-like effects in situations of conflicting preferences.
Comparison of tomosynthesis methods used with digital mammography.

Rationale and Objectives. The authors performed this study to investigate the potential applicability of tomosynthesis to digital mammography. Four methods of tomosynthesis—tuned aperture computed tomography (TACT)-backprojection, TACT-iterative restoration, iterative reconstruction with expectation maximization, and Bayesian smoothing—were compared to planar mammography and analyzed in terms of their contrast-detail characteristics. Specific comparisons between the tomosynthesis methods were not attempted in this study. Materials and Methods. A full-field, amorphous, silicon-based, flat-panel digital mammographic system was used to obtain planar and tomosynthesis projection images. A composite tomosynthesis phantom with a centrally located contrast-detail insert was used as the object of interest. The total exposure for multiple views with tomosynthesis was always equal to or less than that for the planar technique. Algorithms were used to reconstruct the object from the acquired projections. Results. Threshold contrast characteristics with all tomosynthesis reconstruction methods were significantly better than those with planar mammography, even when planar mammography was performed at more than twice the exposure level. Reduction of out-of-plane structural components was observed in all the tomosynthesis methods analyzed. Conclusion. The contrast-detail trends of all the tomosynthesis methods analyzed in this study were better than those of planar mammography. Further optimization of the algorithms could lead to better image reconstruction, which would improve visualization of valuable diagnostic information.
Polypropylene mesh closure after emergency laparotomy: Morbidity and outcome

Background. Alternative methods for abdominal wall closure may be necessary after emergency laparotomy. The purpose of this study was to determine the morbidity and outcome of emergency fascial closure with polypropylene mesh. Methods. A retrospective review was performed of all patients undergoing emergency fascial closure with polypropylene mesh from January 1990 to March 1994. Results. Seventy patients were identified. Indications for mesh placement included visceral edema (40), infected/necrotic fascia (21), and planned reexploration (7). Enteric fistulas developed in five patients (7.1%). When omentum was interposed between intestine and mesh, the incidence of fistula was significantly reduced (0 of 51 vs 5 of 19, p < 0.01). Forty-two patients (60%) survived with wound closure, accomplished by skin flaps in 19 (45%), skin grafting in 11 (26%), and secondary healing in 6 (14%). The mesh was removed in six patients (14%). Complications of mesh extrusion and hernia occurred less often after skin flap closure compared with skin grafting or secondary healing (1 of 19 vs 9 of 17 p < 0.01). No mesh infection occurred. Conclusions. Polypropylene mesh placement is an effective alternative for abdominal closure after emergency laparotomy, even when intraabdominal sepsis is present. Fistulas associated with its use may be effectively eliminated by the interposition of omentum between bowel and mesh. Wound closure with full-thickness skin flaps is the preferred method for soft tissue coverage when mesh is used. (SURGERY 1995 ;118 :736-41.)