cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Raman spectroscopy for neoplastic tissue differentiation: a pilot study

Abstract Background Several changes occur during the transformation of normal tissue to neoplastic tissue. Such changes in molecular composition can be detected by Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy is a nondestructive method of measuring these changes, which suggests the possibility of real-time diagnosis during medical procedures. Methods This study seeks to evaluate the ability of Raman spectra to distinguish tissues. The Raman signatures of normal kidney, lung, and liver tissue samples from pigs and rats were characterized in vitro. Further, a human neuroblastoma and a hepatoblastoma, obtained at resection were also studied. Results The Raman spectra of the animal samples of kidney, liver, and lung are distinctly different in the intensity distribution of the Raman peaks. Further, the spectra of a given organ from pigs and rats, although similar, were different enough to distinguish between the 2 animals. In the patient tissues, the Raman spectra of normal liver, viable tumor, and fibrotic hepatoblastoma were very different. Fibrotic tissue showed a greater concentration of carotenoids, whereas viable tissue was rich in proteins and nucleic acids. The normal tissue showed both components. Similar differences were also seen in the neuroblastoma tissue. Conclusions The results of this study show the potential use of Raman spectroscopy in clinical diagnosis.
Miocene Stable Isotope Record: A Detailed Deep Pacific Ocean Study and Its Paleoclimatic Implications

Deep Sea Drilling Project site 289 in the western equatorial Pacific has yielded an extremely detailed record of the carbon and oxygen isotopic changes in the Miocene deep ocean. The isotopic record reflects major changes in paleoclimate and paleoceanography, probably dominated by a major phase of Antarctic ice-cap growth. The transition from a relatively unglaciated world to one similar to today occurred between 16.5 x 10(6) and 13 x 10(6) years before the present, with the greatest change occurring between approximately 14.8 x 10(6) and 14.0 x 10(6) years before the present.
β and γ-Sarcoglycans are Decreased in the Detrusor Smooth Muscle Cells of the Partially Obstructed Rabbit Bladder

Purpose: We evaluated and quantified the levels of sarcoglycans present in the detrusor muscle layer of rabbits with partial bladder outlet obstruction.Materials and Methods: Rabbits underwent surgery, as previously described, to partially obstruct the urethra. One, 3, 7 and 14 days after obstruction the detrusor muscle layer was dissected free of the remaining bladder tissue and extracted with detergent to isolate the transmembrane components of the dystroglycan-glycoprotein complex. Several components of the dystroglycan-glycoprotein complex were characterized and quantified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting.Results: Upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis several bands were noted on gels with a molecular weight (43 and 35 kDa, respectively) corresponding to β and γ-sarcoglycan. As obstruction progressed longitudinally, the levels of β and γ-sarcoglycan showed progressive decrease at the protein level with β-sarcoglycan leve...
Comorbidities in Adolescents With Endometriosis

for treatment of biopsy proven endometriosis, and determine it's efficacy in regards to pain and bleeding on follow up exam. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of adolescent patients with pathology proven endometriosis who had a LNG-IUS placed for treatment during the time period of October 2009 through June of 2011. Patients were either classified as having the LNG-IUS placed at the time of diagnostic laparoscopy, or after the diagnosis had been made. Hormonal medications used before and after diagnosis of endometriosis were recorded. Follow up visits after LNG-IUS insertion were reviewed for the presence of persistent pain and bleeding. Additional hormonal medications needed after LNG-IUS insertion to control pain and bleeding were also recorded. Results: Eighteen patients, with median age of 16, were identified with pathology proven endometriosis who had a LNG-IUS placed as part of their treatment. Seventeen patients had stage I disease, and one patient had stage II disease. LNG-IUS was placed at time of diagnostic procedure in 8 patients, and the remaining 10 patients had the LNG-IUS placed after diagnosis (mean of 25.6 months). In the eight patients that had an LNG-IUSplaced at the time of diagnosis, all but one patient required additional hormonal medications for pain or bleeding suppression. Two patients required GnRHa, and the remaining 5 patients used an oral contraceptive or progestin for an average of 6.6 months. Length of follow up after LNG-IUS was an average of 8.5 months. Time until bleeding cessation was an average 4.2 months in six patients, with the remaining two patients having irregular spotting at the last visit. All eight patients had pain resolution within an average of 4.75 months. In the ten patients that had the LNG-IUS placed after surgery, all had post operative hormonal therapy up until the time of LNG-IUS insertion. Eight patients were treated with GnRHa, while the remaining were treated with an oral contraceptive or progestin. After insertion of the LNG-IUS, five patients needed no additional medication for pain or bleeding, while the other five were treated with an oral contraceptive or progestin (4 patients) or GnRHa (1 patient). Of the patients in this groupwith at least 3months of follow up, all had resolution of bleeding by an average of 2.3 months. All but one patient had resolution of pain within an average of 4.8 months. Conclusions: An LNG-IUS is an option for treatment of endometriosis in adolescents. Our study indicates that the majority of patients (67%) will require additional hormonal therapy for pain and bleeding suppression. Average time to pain suppression was similar in both groups (4.8 versus 4.75 months). As pain is the main problem associated with endometriosis, it can be beneficial to consider LNG-IUS placement at the time of diagnostic surgery.
The interaction defect of accessory molecules is responsible for the poor ex vivo response to human antigens of mouse T helper cells.

Mouse T cells fail to respond to xenogeneic pig and human antigens using the direct antigen-presenting pathway. The poor response by mouse CD8 cells is because of multiple defects in the molecular interactions between mouse CD8 cells and xenogeneic antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Using human CD4/ DR3 + , mouse CD4 - /major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II - mice, we investigated the defects in molecular interaction responsible for the poor response to xenogeneic antigens by naive mouse CD4 + cells. Mouse CD4 cells failed to respond to human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR3 expressed on mouse APCs but developed a strong response to alloantigens, indicating a defect in the interaction between mouse CD4 and HLA-DR3 molecules. Human CD4 + / mouse CD4 - mouse T cells respond poorly to human and pig APCs but not allogeneic APCs, indicating that accessory molecular interactions are deficient across highly separated species. Adding mouse interleukin-2 (IL-2) to the mixed lymphocyte reaction system did not improve the poor response to human or pig antigens by mouse or human CD4 + /mouse CD4 - mouse T cells. Therefore, multiple molecular interactions deficient between mouse CD4 cells and human or pig APCs may lead to the poor response to xenogeneic antigens by naive mouse CD4 cells.
Lattice model for thermotropic liquid crystals. III. Conformational statistics of the semiflexible molecular tails

This is the third in a series of papers devoted to a lattice model for thermotropic nematic and smectic liquid crystals. The model system consists of N molecules, each with a rigid central core and two identical semiflexible tails, on a face-centered-cubic lattice. Molecular cores are restricted to three mutually orthogonal orientations, while each tail bond can have five possible orientations with respect to the preceding bond (representing five of the nine possible rotational-isomeric states of a pair of successive C-C bonds). This Brief Report presents the detailed derivation of several quantities related to the configurational statistics of the semiflexible molecular tails.
Lack of renoprotective effect of chronic intravenous angiotensin-(1-7) or angiotensin-(2-10) in a rat model of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Unopposed angiotensin (Ang) II-mediated cellular effects may lead to progressive glomerulosclerosis. While Ang-II can be locally generated in the kidneys, we previously showed that glomerular podocytes primarily convert Ang-I, the precursor of Ang-II, to Ang-(1-7) and Ang-(2-10), peptides that have been independently implicated in biological actions opposing those of Ang-II. Therefore, we hypothesized that Ang-(1-7) and Ang-(2-10) could be renoprotective in the fawn-hooded hypertensive rat, a model of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. We evaluated the ability of 8–12 week-long intravenous administration of either Ang-(1-7) or Ang-(2-10) (100–400 ng/kg/min) to reduce glomerular injury in uni-nephrectomized fawn-hooded hypertensive rats, early or late in the disease. Vehicle-treated rats developed hypertension and lesions of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. No reduction in glomerular damage was observed, as measured by either 24-hour urinary protein excretion or histological examination of glomerulosclerosis, upon Ang-(1-7) or Ang-(2-10) administration, regardless of peptide dose or disease stage. On the contrary, when given at 400 ng/kg/min, both peptides induced a further increase in systolic blood pressure. Content of Ang peptides was measured by parallel reaction monitoring in kidneys harvested at sacrifice. Exogenous administration of Ang-(1-7) and Ang-(2-10) did not lead to a significant increase in their corresponding intrarenal levels. However, the relative abundance of Ang-(1-7) with respect to Ang-II was increased in kidney homogenates of Ang-(1-7)-treated rats. We conclude that chronic intravenous administration of Ang-(1-7) or Ang-(2-10) does not ameliorate glomerular damage in a rat model of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and may induce a further rise in blood pressure, potentially aggravating glomerular injury.
Coherent Phase Diagrams in the Cluster Variation Approximation

Coherent phase diagrams are defined as pertaining to equilibria between phases which differ from one another merely by the distribution of different types of atoms on fixed crystallographic sites. Resulting ordered structures must then all be superstructures of one parent lattice, and corresponding phase diagrams are isomorphous to those of the Ising model with non-vanishing magnetic field. Rather complex phase diagrams can then be obtained from a single free energy functional by means of the cluster variation method. Calculated phase diagrams will be shown for the case of the fcc parent lattice with various positive and negative ratios of the values of second-to-first-neighbor pair interactions, this ratio being the only parameter which enters the calculation. Results will be compared to those of Monte Carlo calculations. The possibility of performing these first-principle calculations of coherent phase diagrams will be briefly touched upon.
Selection criteria for graphics hardware

Abstract Engineering design and drafting applications currently account for the largest number of computer graphics applications; however, experts predict that the growth of business graphics applications will exceed all others in the industry. Selection criteria for the various graphics hardware components commonly used in business environments—displays, terminals, hardcopy devices, input devices and storage media—will be discussed, with an emphasis on technology trends.
Detection of Anomalous Particles from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Using the SIPPER3 Underwater Imaging Platform

The aim of this study is to investigate a data mining approach to help assess consequences of oil spills in the maritime environment. The approach under investigation is based on detecting suspected oil droplets in the water column adjacent to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Our method automatically detects particles in the water, classifies them and provides an interface for visual display. The particles can be plankton, marine snow, oil droplets and more. The focus of this approach is to generalize the methodology utilized for plankton classification using SIPPER (Shadow Imaging Particle Profiler and Evaluation Recorder). In this paper, we report on the application of image processing and machine learning techniques to discern suspected oil droplets from plankton and other particles present in the water. We train the classifier on the data obtained during one of the first research cruises to the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Suspected oil droplets were visually identified in SIPPER images by an expert. The classification accuracy of the suspected oil droplets is reported and analyzed. Our approach reliably finds oil when it is present. It also classifies some particles (air bubbles and some marine snow), up to 3.3%, as oil in clear water. You can reliably find oil by visually looking at the examples put in the oil class ordered by probability, in which case oil is found in the first 10% of images examined.
XANES study of Cu2+-binding sites in aquatic humic substances.

The structure and composition of the inner shell of copper (II) complexes with aquatic humic substances (HS) were studied by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The interpretation of the XANES data was based on FEFF8 code real-space multiple-scattering calculations for the prototype [Cu(H2O)6]2+ complex. These calculations reproduced the tetragonal distortion of the CuO6 octahedron representing the inner shell. They also demonstrated the polarization nature of this effect's manifestations (“splitting” of the derivative) in XANES. The extension of this interpretation to the Cu−HS system confirmed suppression of the tetragonal distortion of the inner shell in these species established by independent EXAFS experiments. XANES measurements for Cu/C ratios varying from 0.0005 to 0.03 demonstrated the nonuniform nature of copper binding sites. Experiments with Cu−ethylenediamine and Cu−glycine model systems and FEFF8 calculations indicated that for low copper concentrations (Cu/C < 0.005) ...
Disproportionate Minority Contact in a Latino Majority County: A Descriptive Study

This study describes the process of disproportionate minority contact (DMC) within Fresno County (California), a majority Latino county. Although Latinos are the largest minority group in America, the majority of DMC research has compared Blacks to Whites. This study adds more detail to the discussion by examining the distribution of all youth groups across several juvenile justice measures within Fresno County. Our findings support our speculation that even though Latinos are generally defined as a minority group nationally, DMC has a slight effect on juvenile justice processing given that Fresno County is a minority-majority county. Although our data are descriptive in nature, we conclude by offering some possible explanations for the absence of DMC among Latino youths in this county.
Abstract 1432: CXCL8 is a secretory inflammatory stimulus of the activated TME that modulates breast cancer phenotype.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a heterogeneous niche consisting of numerous stromal cells, structural components, and secreted molecules from both the malignant and surrounding cells that contribute to tumor growth and progression. Importantly, these diverse types of secreted molecules can initiate crosstalk events between the tumor cells and TME. One such molecule, CXCL8/Interleukin-8 (IL-8), is a proinflammatory chemokine, primarily involved in neutrophil mobilization, which activates multiple cellular signaling pathways via the membrane associated G protein-coupled CXCL8 cognate receptors, CXCR1 and CXCR2. We hypothesized that IL-8, a ubiquitous inflammatory molecule that is secreted by macrophages, activated fibroblasts and mesenchymal cells, can alter breast cancer phenotype. To this end, using a cell culture model we analyzed both estrogen receptor (ER) positive and ER negative breast cancer cell lines T47D and MDA-MB-231 respectively that were found to express the CXCL8 receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2. The cellular source of IL-8 was from conditioned media (CM) from in vitro cultures of primary stromal cells including primary mesenchymal and fibroblast cells, as well as the established monocytic cell lines HL-60 and THP-1. Each cell line secreted adequate amounts of IL-8 as measured by ELISA, however primary mesenchymal cells produced four times that of the fibroblasts and macrophages suggesting that activated mesenchymal cells may be a very potent source of chronic inflammation in the TME. Interestingly, treatment with IL-8 or CM from the phorbol ester treated macrophages THP-1 led to increased proliferation in T47D in vitro however only IL-8 treatment led to proliferation of MDA-MB-231. Recombinant IL-8 as well as CM of THP-1 and mesenchymal cells enhanced migration and invasion of both T47D and MDA-MB-231 cells as evaluated by a modified Boyden chamber assay. Supplementation of the triple negative MDA-MB-231 line with THP-1 CM enhanced its invasive propensity nearly two fold. THP-1 CM treatment also led to the activation of the PI3K/p-Akt and Mek/Erk pathways in the ER− MDA-MB-231 cells but not the ER+ T47D cells suggesting a link between CXCL8 mediated inflammation and constitutive signal transduction pathways that is translatable into enhanced metastatic propensity. Our studies are directed towards the analysis of both chronic and acute inflammation of the TME and we believe IL-8 and its associated intracellular molecular markers may be important preventive and therapeutic targets in triple negative breast cancer. Citation Format: Andrea L. George, Robert Bednarczyk, Shilpi Rajoria, Elyse Hanly, Robert Suriano, Abraham Mittelman, Raj K. Tiwari. CXCL8 is a secretory inflammatory stimulus of the activated TME that modulates breast cancer phenotype. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1432. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1432
Demographic Factors as Predictors of Coping Strategies among Police Officers

This study examined the effects of demographic factors on coping responses among police officers. A sample of 233 police officers completed the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988). The regression analysis showed that the higher the reported educational attainment, the more police officers reported coping which was emotion-focused and seeking social support. The rank of the officer was directly related to reported emotion-focused coping. These results are discussed relative to research on the relations of demographic factors and coping responses among police officers.
Story lifecycle in a product development organization

This poster describes an integrated set of stories and story-based activities that we have used in product development in IBM Software Group's Lotus product organizations. We use five types of stories (stories from the field, concept stories, design-exploration stories, partner-integration stories, and product demonstrations). We describe the "inputs" and "outcomes" of each stage of our developing "story lifecycle," illustrating our method with multiple case studies.
Episodic Memory—From Brain to Mind

Neuronal mechanisms of episodic memory, the conscious recollection of autobiographical events, are largely unknown because electrophysiological studies in humans are conducted only in exceptional circumstances. Unit recording studies in animals are thus crucial for understanding the neurophysiological substrate that enables people to remember their individual past. Two features of episodic memory--autonoetic consciousness, the self-aware ability to "travel through time", and one-trial learning, the acquisition of information in one occurrence of the event--raise important questions about the validity of animal models and the ability of unit recording studies to capture essential aspects of memory for episodes. We argue that autonoetic experience is a feature of human consciousness rather than an obligatory aspect of memory for episodes, and that episodic memory is reconstructive and thus its key features can be modeled in animal behavioral tasks that do not involve either autonoetic consciousness or one-trial learning. We propose that the most powerful strategy for investigating neurophysiological mechanisms of episodic memory entails recording unit activity in brain areas homologous to those required for episodic memory in humans (e.g., hippocampus and prefrontal cortex) as animals perform tasks with explicitly defined episodic-like aspects. Within this framework, empirical data suggest that the basic structure of episodic memory is a temporally extended representation that distinguishes the beginning from the end of an event. Future research is needed to fully understand how neural encodings of context, sequences of items/events, and goals are integrated within mnemonic representations of autobiographical events.
Theodor Hellbrügge: 85 years of age – Ad multos transannos, sanos, fortunatos et beatos

We honor Theo Hellbrugge's acclaimed endeavors in the rehabilitation, or rather the prehabilitation of handicapped children. So far, he has focused on obvious handicaps, and we trust that he will include concern for everybody's silent handicaps in the future by screening for abnormal variability inside the physiological range. Therein, we introduce cis- and trans-years, components of transdisciplinary spectra that are novel for biology and also in part for physics. These components have periods, respectively, shorter and longer than the calendar year, with a counterpart in magnetoperiodism. Transyears characterize indices of geomagnetic activity and the solar wind's speed and proton density. They are detected, alone or together with circannuals, in physiology as well as in pathology, as illustrated for sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction, a finding calling for similar studies in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). As transyears can beat with circannuals, and depend on local factors, their systematic mapping in space and time by transdisciplinary chronomics may serve a better understanding of their putative influence upon the circadian system. Longitudinal monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate detects chronome alterations underlying cardiovascular disease risk, such as that of myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. The challenge is to intervene in a timely fashion, preferably at birth, an opportunity for pediatricians in Theo Hellbrugge's footsteps.
The CareNet Display: Lessons learned from an in-home evaluation of an ambient display

This paper addresses users' experiences with an ambient display for the home. We present the design and in situ evaluation of the CareNet Display, an ambient display that helps the local members of an elder's care network provide her day-to-day care. We describe the CareNet Display's design and discuss results of a series of in home deployments with users. We report how the CareNet Display was used and its impact on elders and their care network members. Based on our findings, we offer lessons about how ambient display technologies could be improved to further benefit this growing user community.
Roughening of Au (111) Surfaces During Ion Beam Erosion: A Scanning Tunneling Microscope and X-Ray Diffraction Study

Using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), we have studied the development of surface roughness on Au (111) during 500eV Ar+ ion irradiation at different angles. During normal incidence erosion the surface roughens and pattern formation occurs. The surface morphology is a mixture of mounds and pits superimposed onto a larger structure of channels and valleys. The characteristic spacing between features grows with a power law behavior t27, where t is the amount of time the sample was irradiated, in agreement with previous measurements[l]. At glancing angles, erosion proceeds smoothly, but not in layer-by-layer fashion. Finally, a combination of glancing angle and normal incidence erosion is used to create a rippled morphology
Syndromes of Telomere Shortening

Telomeres and telomerase were initially discovered in pursuit of questions about how the ends of chromosomes are maintained. The implications of these discoveries to age-related disease have emerged in recent years with the recognition of a group of telomere-mediated syndromes. Telomere-mediated disease was initially identified in the context of dyskeratosis congenita, a rare syndrome of premature aging. More recently, mutations in telomerase components were identified in adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. These findings have revealed that the spectrum of telomere-mediated disease is broad and includes clinical presentations in both children and adults. We have previously proposed that these disorders be collectively considered as syndromes of telomere shortening. Here, the spectrum of these disorders and the unique telomere genetics that underlies them are reviewed. I also propose broader clinical criteria for defining telomere-mediated syndromes outside of dyskeratosis congenita, with the goal of facilitating their diagnosis and highlighting their pathophysiology.
Intersession Reliability of Hoffmann Reflex Gain and Presynaptic Inhibition in the Human Soleus Muscle

Abstract Hayes BT, Hicks-Little CA, Harter RA, Widrick JJ, Hoffman MA. Intersession reliability of Hoffmann reflex gain and presynaptic inhibition in the human soleus muscle. Objective To determine the day-to-day reliability of Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) gain and presynaptic inhibition of spinal reflexes in the human soleus muscle. Design Controlled trial. Setting Research laboratory. Participants Volunteers (N=30; mean ± SD age, 23.4±3.9y; height, 175.64±10.87cm; mass, 84.50±24.18kg) with no history of lower extremity pathology and/or injury participated. Interventions Subjects lay prone with the head, shoulders, arms, and hips supported in a static position by a massage body pillow and the ankle positioned at 90°. Recording electrodes were placed over the soleus and tibialis anterior muscle bellies, and the stimulating electrodes were positioned over the tibial nerve in the popliteal space and the common peroneal nerve near the fibular head. Main Outcome Measures The H-reflex and motor wave recruitment curves were then measured and recorded. Presynaptic inhibition was also assessed in the soleus muscle, and a conditioning stimulation of the common peroneal nerve (1 × motor threshold=motor threshold) was used prior to soleus H-reflex measurement. Two testing sessions took place between 2 and 7 days, and each session occurred at the same time of day. Results Assessments of H-reflex gain and presynaptic inhibition yielded test-retest reliability of R equal to . 95 and .91, respectively. Conclusions Measures of presynaptic inhibition and H-reflex gain (H slope/M slope) in the human soleus muscle are consistent and reliable day to day.
Second Look Arthroscopic Findings after Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy

Objective: To describe the long-term (range, 2–69 months) arthroscopic appearance of intraarticular structures of the stifle after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). Study Design: Case series. Animals: Dogs (n=63) that had repeat arthroscopic examination of the stifle after TPLO for treatment of a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) deficient stifle. Methods: Medical records (2002–2008) of dogs that had repeat arthroscopic examination to evaluate intraarticular structures after previous TPLO for treatment of CCL injury. Regions of interest were the CCL, caudal cruciate ligament, articular cartilage, and menisci. Signalment, weight, and time to 2nd look arthroscopy were recorded. Radiographs were reviewed to measure pre- and postoperative tibial plateau angle, and craniocaudal limb alignment. Results: There were 17 partial CCL tears with early fiber tearing and 46 stifles with a complete CCL tear or incompetent partial CCL tear. Stifles with an early partial tear had normal to near normal appearance of intraarticular structures. Most dogs with a complete or incompetent partial CCL tear had axial or abaxial grades 3 or 4 articular cartilage abrasion of the medial or lateral femoral condyle. Conclusion: Intraarticular structures appeared normal or near normal in dogs with early fiber tearing (caudolateral or craniomedial fibers). Most dogs that had a partial tear with an incompetent remaining CCL or a completely ruptured CCL had grades 3 or 4 articular cartilage abrasion. Clinical Relevance: Early diagnosis of a CCL injury and treatment by TPLO may be protective against further CCL disruption lending stability to the joint and decreasing the incidence of meniscal injury and articular cartilage damage.
Disparate Regulation and Function of the Class A Scavenger Receptors SR-AI/II and MARCO

The macrophage class A scavenger receptors, macrophage receptor with a collagenous structure (MARCO) and type I/II class A scavenger receptor (SR-AI/II), share structural features and roles in host defense, but little is known about their regulation and signaling properties. Ligation of MARCO on mouse thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages (PEMs) with immobilized mAb costimulated IL-12 production, in contrast to previously reported inhibition by SR-AI/II. PEMs from MARCO-deficient mice exhibited 2.7 times lower IL-12 production in responses to stimulation with LPS and IFN-gamma and lack of significant IL-12 production on stimulation with LPS alone. Conversely, SR-AI/II-deficient PEMs produced 2.4 and 1.8 times more IL-12 than wild-type PEMs in response to LPS or LPS and IFN-gamma, respectively. Corresponding differences in regulation of SR-A and MARCO expression were also observed. Th1 adjuvants (LPS, a CpG motif-containing oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN), IL-12, and GM-CSF) increased, whereas Th2-polarizing factors (IL-4, M-CSF, and non-CpG ODN) decreased expression of MARCO on J774 macrophage-like cells. Expression of SR-A was regulated in the opposite manner to MARCO or not affected. Whereas MARCO was involved in opsonin-independent phagocytosis in CpG-ODN-pretreated but not in IL-4-pretreated J774 cells, anti-SR-A Abs inhibited particle uptake in untreated and IL-4-pretreated but not in CpG-ODN-pretreated cells. SR-A and MARCO are regulated differently and mediate distinct negative and positive effects on IL-12 production in macrophages. These differences may contribute to sustained Th1 or Th2 polarization of ongoing immune responses.
Recent results of pulmonary arterial angioplasty: the differences between proximal and distal lesions.

Introduction: We sought to establish a modern understanding of the safety and efficacy of trans-catheter pulmonary arterial angioplasty. Methods: A review of records in a sample of 104 dilations, out of a total of 711 procedures undertaken between January, 1996 and December, 2000, provided descriptive information regarding technique, adverse events, and changes achieved in luminal diameter. Because evidence during the review of angiograms suggested substantial differences according to whether the stenotic lesions were positioned proximally or distally within the pulmonary arterial tree, all analyses incorporated this classification. Results: We reviewed stenoses in 203 pulmonary arteries, 38% located proximally and 62% distally, with follow-up available concerning dilation in 92 vessels. Proximal dilations frequently involved a prior surgical site, and appeared more compliant and amenable to conventional angioplasty, as evidenced by more common elimination of the waist, but also more recoil, then requiring placement of stents. In contrast, distal lesions frequently required balloons capable of sustaining high pressures of inflation, and larger balloons relative to the size of the vessels. The proportional increase in diameter was greater for distal sites, at 90 plus or minus 77%, compared to proximal, at 64 plus or minus 70%, p equal to 0.002. Serious adverse events occurred in 3 of 104 procedures, giving a rate of serious adverse events of 2.9%. At follow-up, 9 of 92 vessels (10%), 95% confidence intervals from 5% to 18%, returned to their diameters prior to dilation, with no difference in the rate of restenosis according to the site of dilation. Conclusion: Our findings indicate the need to distinguish, and to consider, the important differences in technical issues and outcomes, when performing dilations at proximal as opposed to distal sites. Although angioplasty is effective therapy for pulmonary arterial stenosis, a subset of vessels, more often distal, remain resistant to conventional techniques.
Mechanisms Underlying “Functional” Progesterone Withdrawal at Parturition

Progesterone is a major factor maintaining uterine quiescence throughout pregnancy. In most species, peripheral progesterone levels decline before initiation of labor, and treatments that inhibit progesterone synthesis or action cause termination of pregnancy and/or premature deliveries. These findings suggest that progesterone withdrawal is required for activation of myometrial contractions. However, in humans, circulating progesterone levels remain elevated until birth, which leads to the notion that a "functional" progesterone withdrawal occurs before parturition. The apparent loss of progesterone sensitivity at term could be a consequence of several different mechanisms including: (1) the catabolism of progesterone in the uterus into inactive compounds; (2) alterations in progesterone receptor (PR) isoform ratios; (3) changes in cofactor protein levels affecting PR transactivation; and (4) inflammation-induced trans-repression of PR by nuclear factor kappaB. All of these mechanisms are potentially capable of decreasing uterine progesterone responsiveness at term, thus enabling the expression of pathways that originally were blocked by progesterone in early pregnancy. However, the specific uterine genes whose transcription is directly controlled by PR, and thus affected by "functional" progesterone withdrawal, remain to be identified.
Catalytic Asymmetric Ring-Opening Metathesis/Cross Metathesis (AROM/CM) Reactions. Mechanism and Application to Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Cyclopentanes

Studies regarding the first examples of catalytic asymmetric ring-opening metathesis (AROM) reactions are detailed. This enantioselective cleavage of norbornyl alkenes is followed by an intermolecular cross metathesis with a terminal olefin partner; judicious selection of olefin is required so that oligomerization and dimerization side products are avoided. Results outlined herein suggest that the presence of suitably positioned heteroatom substituents may be critical to reaction efficiency. Mo-catalyzed tandem AROM/CM affords functionalized cyclopentyl dienes in >98% ee and >98% trans olefin selectivity; both secondary and tertiary ether products can be obtained. The examples provided include the catalytic synthesis of an optically pure cyclopentyl epoxide and dimethyl acetal. Mechanistic studies suggest that it is the more substituted benzylidene or silylated alkylidenes that are involved in the catalytic process (vs the corresponding Mo-methylidenes). Although electron rich benzylidenes react more efficiently, the derived electron poor Mo complexes promote AROM/CM transformations as well; alkylidenes that bear a boron substituent are unreactive.
The Emerging Community College Scholar: Transitioning and Actualizing Your Scholarly Agenda

During the 2014 Council for the Study of Community Colleges annual meeting, the authors of this manuscript facilitated a discussion with emerging scholars concerning the transition from student to community college scholar. The purpose of this article is to provide new scholars with personal reflections, helpful tips, and tools for actualizing their research agenda. Specifically, we discuss practical ways to connect your teaching, professional life, and research; publish your work; and tap into existing networks of community college scholars.
Access, Visualization, and Interoperability of Air Quality Remote Sensing Data Sets via the Giovanni Online Tool

This paper describes the air quality data products and services available through Giovanni, a web based tool for access, visualization, and analysis of satellite remote sensing products, and also model output and surface observations relevant to global air quality. Available datasets include total column aerosol measurements from numerous satellite instruments, column NO2 and SO2, vertical aerosol products from CALIPSO, surface PM2.5 concentrations over the continental U.S, and speciated model Aerosol Optical Depth. Giovanni was designed to make satellite and ground-based data easier to use; it does not require separate access to or downloading of data sets, making the visualizations and analysis services accessible to both the novice and the experienced user. Giovanni air quality data products are provided on a common grid and can also be obtained in KMZ format for Google Earth visualization. This feature allows collocation of datasets to aid in analysis of pollution events and to facilitate satellite/monitor comparisons and aerosol intercomparison studies in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods. Giovanni also supports multiple interoperability protocols which permit data sharing with other online tools, in order to enhance access to the datasets for improved air quality decision making. The Giovanni team is currently actively involved in several data networking initiatives with service oriented tools at other institutions such as DataFed.
Nonossifying fibroma. Four cases and review of the literature

Nonossifying fibroma is a benign, lytic lesion that occurs in young children and adolescents. Radiographically, the lesion is multilocular and sharply demarcated. It often occurs at the metaphyseal region of long bones of the lower extremity and is usually eccentrically located. Four cases of nonossifying fibroma occurring during the past 7 years are presented with a review of the literature.
Myocardial contrast agents: Recent advances and future directions

The assessment of perfusion by myocardial contrast echocardiography has evolved from the early contrast agents, including agitated saline solutions and hydrogen peroxide, to the current second-generation contrast agents. Unlike the first-generation contrast agents, which are composed of air, the newer, second-generation agents contain gases with a higher molecular weight and less solubility and diffusivity, improving microbubble persistence. The newer contrast agents are capable of transpulmonary passage and opacification of the left-heart chambers and the myocardial microcirculation after intravenous administration. Also, innovative imaging techniques using harmonics and triggered imaging have minimized tissue signal and improved signal-to-noise ratio, making the assessment of myocardial perfusion possible. Currently, microbubbles are being designed for specific research or clinical use by exploiting certain characteristics of the microbubble such as the shell, surface characteristics, and/or gas content. Some novel applications of microbubble technology include tissue-targeted gene therapy, drug delivery, ultrasound-enhanced thrombolysis, and the assessment of endothelial function and integrity. This review focuses on the composition, physical properties, and acoustic characteristics of the currently available myocardial contrast agents and those under clinical investigation. In addition, the clinical trials involving these agents will also be discussed.
Gamete Interactions in Xenopus laevis : Identification of Sperm Binding Glycoproteins in the Egg Vitelline Envelope

A quantitative assay was developed to study the interaction of Xenopus laevis sperm and eggs. Using this assay it was found that sperm bound in approximately equal numbers to the surface of both hemispheres of the unfertilized egg, but not to the surface of the fertilized egg. To understand the molecular basis of sperm binding to the egg vitelline envelope (VE), a competition assay was used and it was found that solubilized total VE proteins inhibited sperm-egg binding in a concentration-dependent manner. Individual VE proteins were then isolated and tested for their ability to inhibit sperm binding. Of the seven proteins in the VE, two related glycoproteins, gp69 and gp64, inhibited sperm-egg binding. Polyclonal antibody was prepared that specifically recognized gp69 and gp64. This gp69/64 specific antibody bound to the VE surface and blocked sperm binding, as well as fertilization. Moreover, agarose beads coated with gp69/64 showed high sperm binding activity, while beads coated with other VE proteins bound few sperm. Treatment of unfertilized eggs with crude collagenase resulted in proteolytic modification of only the gp69/64 components of the VE, and this modification abolished sperm-egg binding. Small glycopeptides generated by Pronase digestion of gp69/64 also inhibited sperm-egg binding and this inhibition was abolished by treatment of the glycopeptides with periodate. Based on these observations, we conclude that the gp69/64 glycoproteins in the egg vitelline envelope mediate sperm-egg binding, an initial step in Xenopus fertilization, and that the oligosaccharide chains of these glycoproteins may play a critical role in this process.
Organische Nanoröhren durch Selbstorganisation

Rohrenformige molekulare Strukturen nehmen in der Natur verschiedenste biologische Funktionen wahr, erwahnt seien ihre Rolle beim Aufbau des Gerusts der Mikrotubuli des Cytoskeletts, die Verpackungsfunktion viraler Hullenproteine und ihre Funktion beim Transport von Molekulen sowie beim Screening von Transmembrankanalen. Beim Aufbau solcher tubularer Strukturen nutzen biologische Systeme ausgiebig die Selbstassoziation und Selbstorganisation molekularer Einheiten. Wegen der zahlreichen Anwendungsmoglichkeiten in der Chemie, der Biologie und den Materialwissenschaften wurden in der letzten Zeit betrachtliche Anstrengungen zur Herstellung kunstlicher Nanorohren unternommen. Dieser Aufsatz gibt einen Uberblick uber die Prinzipien des Designs und der Herstellung synthetischer organischer Nanorohren mit dem Schwerpunkt auf Aggregation uber nichtkovalente Wechselwirkungen wie der Selbstorganisation und Selbstassoziation.
A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF CYCLOCOELID FROM THE BLACK-NECKED STILT, HIMANTOPUS MEXICANUS (RECURVIROSTRIDAE), FROM GALVESTON, TEXAS

Two black-necked stilts, Himantopus mexicanus (Recurvirostridae), from the Texas Gulf coast, died while in the care of bird rehabilitators and were found to be infected with Neoallopyge americanensis n. gen., n. sp. Neoallopyge n. gen. (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae) differs from Allopyge in having the testes situated some distance from the posterior extremity, 2 uterine loops on each side extensively invading the space posterior to the testes, no intertesticular uterine loops, and it is a parasite of Recurvirostridae in the western hemisphere rather than Gruidae from the Old World. The new species is unlike Allopyge antigones, Allopyge ominosus, and Allopyge undulatus in having the genital pore located anterior to the cecal bifurcation rather than posterior to it, and it is unlike A. ominosus and A. undulatus, where the uterus is entirely intercecal in having the uterine loops extending laterally, reaching the body wall on both sides. The new species further differs from A. antigones, A. ominosus, and Allopyge ...
REDISCOVERY OF THE SELVA CACIQUE (CACICUS KOEPCKEAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN PERU WITH NOTES ON HABITAT, VOICE, AND NEST

Abstract Two new locations, vocalizations, and the nest of the little known Selva Cacique (Cacicus koepckeae, Icteridae) are described from southeastern Peru. Similarities between the vocalizations of Selva and Ecuadorian caciques (C. sclateri) indicate that the two species may be closely related. The Selva Cacique may be ecologically restricted to narrow rivers and headwater regions, where found in river margin habitats and nearby transitional forest. Its occurrence from an elevation of 300 m at the type locality to ≤575 m at the headwaters of the Rio Manu Chico, 240 km from the type locality, indicates that it may occur in small numbers over a much larger area than was previously known.
External Rossby Modes on a β–Plane with Realistic Vertical Wind Shear

Abstract Free oscillations of small amplitude and low frequency in an isothermal atmosphere at rest have the vertical structure of an edge wave, energy density decaying exponentially away from the ground. In this paper we treat these external Rossby modes on a middle latitude β-plane to see how their vertical structure and phase speed are changed by the presence of a winter zonal wind with realistic vertical structure. We find that for planetary-scale modes the basic state interior potential vorticity gradient and the temperature gradient at the lower boundary produce roughly equal but opposite changes in phase speed. Energy density decays less rapidly with altitude when the basic state temperature gradient is included in the lower boundary condition. As wavenumber is increased, the phase speed of the external Rossby mode is found to approach the speed of the zonal wind at the surface, and there is a limiting wavenumber beyond which the mode does not exist. At this limiting value of wavenumber, the mode b...
Stability of incoherence in an isotropic gas of oscillating neutrinos

In the early universe and in supernovae, the flavor evolution of massive neutrinos is nonlinear. Previously, numerical simulations have explored these conditions and have sometimes found collective, synchronized neutrino oscillations. Here these coherent phenomena are studied in the simplest possible system, an isotropic gas of two-flavor neutrinos. An analytical method is used to study the stability of the incoherent state. It is found that the incoherent state has neutral stability. That is, a steady state synchronization can exist for all nonzero neutrino densities, but the amount depends on the initial conditions. This result is verified by numerical simulation, but it is shown that numerical simulations are accurate for only a limited time. In more complicated neutrino systems, the incoherent state could be stable or unstable.
Learning to Resist: Educational Counter-Narratives of Black College Reentry Mothers:

BackgroundCollege reentry women are often older than the traditional college student, and in this study are distinguished from other students because of their parental status as mothers (Johnson-Ba...
Beyond CD19: Opportunities for Future Development of Targeted Immunotherapy in Pediatric Relapsed-Refractory Acute Leukemia

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has been used as a targeted approach in cancer therapy. Relapsed and refractory acute leukemia in pediatrics has been difficult to treat with conventional therapy due to dose-limiting toxicities. With the recent success of CD 19 CAR in pediatric patients with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), this mode of therapy has become a very attractive option for these patients with high-risk disease. In this review, we will discuss current treatment paradigms of pediatric acute leukemia and potential therapeutic targets for additional high-risk populations, including T cell ALL, AML, and infant ALL.
Tricho-rhino-phalangeal dysplasia. Report of a kindred.

A family with autosomal dominant transmission of tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome is presented. The syndrome is characterized by the triad of slow growing, brittle hair and early loss of hair, distinctive facies which include a long philtrum and pear-shaped nose, and peripheral cone-shaped epiphyses, with brachyphalangia. Patients with this syndrome are likely to seek care for the skeletal manifestations of the disease. Genetic counseling may be indicated in addition to treatment of the orthopaedic complaints.