cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technique for rearing mite-free southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), adults

Southern pine beetles can be reared free of phoretic mites from naturally infested bark if the bark is removed from the tree and air dried. Bark removal does not reduce the number of beetles that emerge. On the average fewer than 1 % of the beetles emerging from removed bark carried one or fewer mites, and 85% of the beetles emerging from attacked bark carried one or more mites. Seven species of mites were found on beetles emerging from attached bark. About 15 species of mites are commonly transported by the southern pine beetle (SPB), Dendroctonus .fron- talis Zimmermann 1868 (Moser and Roton 197 1, Kinn 19761, with the proportion of phoretized flying adults conservatively estimated at 40% (Moser 1976). The trophic habits of these phoretic mites range from predaceous, mycophagous, nematophagous, or sapro- phagous to various combinations of feeding preferences. Some are detrimental to the SPB, others are neutral or beneficial (Kinn 1967, 1980, Moser, 1975, Wilson 1980). Many numerous and complex relationships exist among these mites and the SPB; hence mites should be excluded from studies to determine the capacity of SPB to attack trees and produce broods in the absence of selected as- sociates. At present there are no efficient methods for obtaining large numbers of SPB free of phoretic mites. Mechan- ically removing mites invariably injures the beetles be- cause the elytra have to be lifted. Rearing beetle adults from eggs on artificial media is tedious and time con- suming; very few adults are produced (Bridges 1979). Kinn (1979) first documented that desiccation of the phloem killed some mite species. Subsequent studies by the authors showed that desiccation might severely re- duce or eliminate all mite populations, resulting in vir- tually no phoretic mites on emerging beetles. In this study we decided to see whether mite-free populations of SPB could be reared from desiccated host material. Materials and Methods Four loblolly pines (Pinus tneda L.) infested with SPB were cut during February, May, August, and De- cember 1980. The trees were from a natural stand about 35 years old in Catahoula Ranger District of the Kis- atchie National Forest. Trees were felled when the SPB broods were pupae in the outer bark. Pupae do not carry phoretic mites (Roton 1978). Samples were taken from the bole area where the pupal stage was most concentrated and where compe- tition from other bark beetle species was least. Typi-
BREEDING OF A NEW SPECIAL RICE VARIETY HANGXIANGNUO

A new special rice variety Hangxiangnuo was bred by several generation selections of the progeny of the rice variety Nanfengnuo which was carried by the spacecraft Shen zhou No 4.Hangxiangnuo was permitted to release by the Crop Examination and Approval Committee of Guangdong Province in January,2009.Compared with its parent variety Nanfengnuo,Hangxiangnuo has better resistance to blast,greater length-width ratio of grain,more panicles per plant,filled grains per panicle and fragrance.The efficiency of space mutation breeding and the generation at which mutant traits become homozygous were also discussed in the paper.
425 HYPERTHERMIA INDUCED CELL DEATH IN HUMAN MELANOMA CELLS

Purpose Treating disease with hyperthermia dates back to 3000 BC when Egyptian physicians explored the therapeutic benefits of heating diseased tissues. There has been renewed interest in using hyperthermia to treat cancer over the last 30 years. Hyperthermia as an adjuvant anti-cancer therapy has demonstrated improved clinical outcomes and increased response rates when combined with conventional treatments of tumors. This project investigated the molecular mechanisms of hyperthermia induced cell death in human melanoma cells in-vitro. Data from these experiments may help in the generation of new treatment modalities for skin cancer. Methods Copper blocks inside incubators delivered a uniform and reproducible hyperthermia treatment to human melanoma cells grown in 96 well plates. A sophisticated measurement device with fast-response thermocouples in a 96 well format measured the thermal dose delivered to the cells. The human melanoma cells received hyperthermia treatments ranging from 15-120 mins at 41, 45 and 48°C. The treated cells were analyzed for overall viability, the mechanism of cell death, and whether there was a relationship between the thermal-doses delivered and the cell death pathway induced. Cell viability was measured in each well post treatment using an MTS based assay (CellTiter 96 Aqueous One Promega). The activity of apoptosis specific caspases 3 and 7 were measured using a homogeneous luminescent assay (Caspase-Glo3/7 Promega). Nuclear condensation and fragmentation was assessed in an eloquent microscopic approach using a modified ethidium bromide and acridine orange staining assay (EB/AO) in a 96 well format. Results We consistently demonstrated that hyperthermia decreased cell viability in human melanoma cells in-vitro, and that the diminished cell viability was proportional the thermal dose delivered. Hyperthermia also induced activation of caspase 3 and 7, and increased the population of cells with condensed or fragmented nuclei. This data suggest that hyperthermia induced apoptosis in human melanoma cells. Conclusions Hyperthermia induces dose-dependent apoptosis in human melanoma cells. Further elucidation of these pathways will help in the design and discovery of novel methods for treating skin cancers.
Saralasin test as a diagnostic and prognostic aid in renovascular hypertensive patients subjected to renal operation.

AbstractA positive saralasin test in patients with angiographic evidence of renovascular disease and other positive functional tests gives further assurance that these patients will achieve normal or substantially reduced blood pressure postoperatively. In our experience with proved renovascular hypertension there was a 19 per cent incidence of falsely negative saralasin tests. Therefore, saralasin should not be used as the sole screening test in hypertensive patients suspected of having surgically correctable lesions. There is a direct correlation between elevated renin activity and a positive saralasin test. In some patients saralasin may be more sensitive than any other currently used test to detect overactivity of the renin-angiotensin system. This would determine those patients with technical errors in renin sampling and assays.Of the 16 patients (all normotensive) who had 6-month followup tests 5 had elevated peripheral renin activity, probably owing to furosemide stimulation. Of these 5 patients 2 ...
Genetics: Mitochondrial DNA in evolution and disease

Cellular organelles called mitochondria contain their own DNA. The discovery that variation in mitochondrial DNA alters physiology and lifespan in mice has implications for evolutionary biology and the origins of disease. See Letter p.561 Jose Antonio Enriquez and colleagues look into the effects of mitochondrial DNA sequence variation by using congenic mice strains that share the same nuclear genome, but have different mitochondrial DNA. They show that the mitochondrial genome has a profound influence on many aspects of physiology — including insulin signalling, obesity and telomere shortening — and results in differences in median lifespan. Thus non-pathological mitochondrial DNA variants have a broad effect on metabolism, with the differences more pronounced later in life. The authors suggest that the interplay of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes may be an important factor influencing this phenomenon, which may have implications for the field of mitochondrial replacement.
Scrap Characterization to Optimize the Recycling Process

Managing the secondary production process for aluminum auto-shred scrap is of prime importance considering the projected demand increase for aluminum alloys in the transportation, electronic and packaging industries. Aluminum auto-shred scrap is a major end-of-life, mixed metallic stream that must be recovered and recycled effectively and efficiently to ensure infinite lifetime involving a broad distribution of re-use applications determined by specific alloy chemistry [1, 2]. Currently, secondary recyclers that dilute the melt chemistry using primary aluminum minimally only produce A380.1 as this alloy has broad alloy chemistry specifications [3]. Downgrading mixed auto-shred scrap streams is a significant waste of intrinsic value and re-use applicability. Downgrading here is defined as not utilizing all sortable chemistries within this mixed auto-shred. This, paired with scrap export, are the two major present day options for mixed aluminum scrap.
Comments on Proposed Update on Intellectual Property Licensing Guidelines

This short comment offers two general reactions to the agencies’ updating of the Intellectual Property (IP) Licensing Guidelines. First, it recommends that the agencies consider addressing IP licensing issues related to (1) standard essential patents (SEPs), (2) patent assertion entities (PAEs), and (3) drug patent settlements. Although addressed in agency orders and speeches, each of these topics could benefit from further elaboration in the form of guidelines.Second, it suggests that the agencies in three places could more directly recognize the crucial regulatory and industry context. These three changes would ensure that (1) purposes of regulatory regimes such as encouraging access to generic drugs are promoted; (2) the concerns of massive patent portfolios are acknowledged; and (3) the agencies recognize industry-specific anticompetitive effects in research-and-development markets.
The Little Schmidy Pediatric Hospital Fall Risk Assessment Index: A diagnostic accuracy study.

Abstract Background Falls are among the most common potentially preventable adverse events. Current pediatric falls risk assessment methods have poor precision and accuracy. Objective To evaluate an inpatient pediatric fall risk assessment index, known as the Little Schmidy, and describe characteristics of pediatric falls. Design Retrospective case control and descriptive study. The dataset included 114 reported falls and 151,678 Little Schmidy scores documented in medical records during the 5-year study period (2007–2011). Setting Pediatric medical and surgical inpatient units of an academic medical center in the western United States. Participants Pediatric hospital inpatients Methods Nurses used the 5-item, 7-point Little Schmidy to assess fall risk each day and night shift throughout the patient's hospitalization. Conditional fixed-effects logistic regressions were used to examine predictive relationships between Little Schmidy scores (at admission, highest prior to fall, and just prior to fall) and the patient's fall status (fell or not). The sensitivity and specificity of different cut-off scores were explored. Associations between Little Schmidy scores and patient and hospitalization factors were examined using multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression and multilevel mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression. Results Little Schmidy scores were significantly associated with pediatric falls (p Conclusions The revised 4-item Little Schmidy, the LS4, predicts pediatric falls when administered every day and night shift, but identifies most patients (65%) as being at risk for fall. Strategies for improving the accuracy and efficiency of the assessments are proposed. Further research is needed to develop more effective pediatric fall prevention strategies tailored to patient's age, diagnosis, and time of day.
Atomic Layer Deposition of Zn(O,S) Alloys Using Diethylzinc with H2O and H2S: Effect of Exchange Reactions

Zn(O,S) thin films have a tunable band gap and are useful as conduction and valence band buffers in various types of solar cells. Previous growth of Zn(O,S) thin films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) has utilized alternating cycles of ZnO ALD and ZnS ALD. Controlling the composition of the Zn(O,S) alloys using alternating cycles is complicated because of an efficient exchange reaction between ZnO and gaseous H2S given by ZnOH* + H2S → ZnSH* + H2O. This facile exchange reaction leads to a higher than expected sulfur content in the Zn(O,S) films. In this study, the effect of this exchange reaction on the composition of Zn(O,S) films was examined by varying the reaction conditions. For growth using alternating cycles, the Zn(O,S) film composition was strongly affected by the temperature and the size of the H2S exposure. An alternative method that avoids alternating cycles of ZnO ALD and ZnS ALD was also employed to grow Zn(O,S) thin films. This alternative method uses codosing of H2O and H2S at 100 °C. Codo...
Ab-Initio Studies of the Molecular Symmetry Breaking Problem: Low Lying States of CO2 and NO2

The potential energy surfaces near the equilibrium conformation of the two lowest bound triplet states of CO2 and of the NO2 ground state have been calculated based on a multiconfiguration-SCF (MCSCF) and subsequent first order CI approach. The elementary basis sets were of double-zeta and double-zeta-plus-polarization quality. This work presents the first accurate characterization of the CO2 triplet states and is expected to facilitate their experimental investigation. For NO2 this work presents the extension of ab-initio calculations to the full three-dimensional problem not too far from the equilibrium conformation.
Fecal microbiota transplantation as a possible treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

The human gut is composed of trillions of microbial organisms making up the microbiome. As our understanding of the composition of the human microbiome has advanced through developments in gene sequencing, its association with human physiologic function and disease has evolved. Alterations in the abundance of certain bacterial families have been noted in a number of intestinal diseases, and interventions to alter microbial ecology have impacted animal models of some diseases (1).
Would the replacement of park-and-ride facilities with transit-oriented development reduce vehicle kilometers traveled in an auto-oriented US region?

Abstract One often sees large park-and-ride (P&R) facilities surrounding major transit stations. These parking facilities provide a practical way to increase ridership, but it is less clear how well they serve broader sustainability goals. For example, using scarce station area land for transit-oriented development (TOD) rather than parking may provide a better approach to reducing vehicle kilometers travelled (VKT). This research represents an effort to explore the relative VKT reduction associated with P&R as compared to TOD. A survey of transit users in Charlotte, NC is used to estimate the VKT generated by users of P&R facilities at light rail stations. The estimated VKT is then compared to the VKT that is predicted to occur under hypothetical scenarios in which these parking facilities are replaced with TOD. At four of the seven stations examined in this study, replacing a P&R facility with a moderately dense housing (100 units per hectare) is predicted to result in a net VKT reduction. On the other hand, there is no feasible scenario in which a net VKT reduction can be achieved by replacing the suburban terminal parking structure with TOD. To the degree that VKT reduction is an important outcome of transit provision, the results of this research indicate that conversion of P&R to TOD (or forgoing P&R in the first place) should receive strong consideration at some stations, even in highly auto-oriented contexts such as Charlotte.
Adult learning in health professions education

This chapter focuses on the process of learning in health professions education (HPE) in terms of key issues that shape HPE learning and essential strategies for promoting and facilitating learning among professionals.
Bibliometric review of ecological network analysis: 2010–2016

Abstract Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) combines modeling and analysis used to investigate the structure, function, and evolution of ecosystems and other complex systems. ENA is applied to network models that trace the movement of thermodynamically conserved energy or matter through the system. Investigators use ENA to answer a range of questions such as the following. What is the impact of fishing on the marine food web? Which species control the flux of nitrogen in an estuary? What is the ecological relationship among species in the food web when direct and indirect influences are considered? Would a proposed regulation make a city more sustainable? The field has grown since its inception in the 1970s, but it has rarely been systematically reviewed. This absence of reviews likely hinders the development of the field as a whole, obscures the diversity of its applications, and makes it difficult for new investigators to learn, develop, and apply the techniques. The objective of the work presented in this paper was to systematically review ENA research published in 2010 through 2016 to (1) identify the topic diversity, (2) expose methodological development, (3) highlight applications, and (4) assess collaboration among ENA scholars. To accomplish this, we used a combination of bibliometric, network (e.g., social network), and feature analyses. Our search identified 186 records. A topic network built from the bibliographic records revealed eight major topic clusters. The largest groups centered on food webs, urban metabolism, and ecosystem theory. Co-author analysis identified 387 authors in a collaboration network with eight larger components. The largest component contained 56% of the authors. This review shows ENA to be a topically diverse and collaborative science domain, and suggests opportunities to further develop ENA to better address issues in theoretical ecology and for environmental impact assessment and management.
Simultaneous determination of nitrofurazone and furazolidone in shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) muscle tissue by liquid chromatography with UV detection

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of nitrofurazone (NFZ) and furazolidone (FZD) in shrimp muscle tissue. The drugs are extracted from the tissue with acetonitrile, and the lipids and lipophilic pigments are removed from the extract with hexane. The remaining acetonitrile extract is evaporated by rotary evaporation, and the resultant residues are dissolved with LC-grade water, applied to a preconditioned C18 solid-phase extraction column, and eluted with acetonitrile. The acetonitrile eluant is then dried under nitrogen, and the resultant drug residues are dissolved with mobile phase and filtered. The drugs are determined by LC by using a C18 reversed-phase (octyldecylsilyl Hypersil) column, a mobile phase of acetonitrile--1% aqueous acetic acid (25 + 75, v/v), and a photodiode array UV detector at 375 nm. NFZ and FZD were determined in shrimp tissue at each of 5 spiking levels (64, 32, 16, 8, and 4 ng drug/g tissue). Absolute recoveries ranged from 70.6 to 78.4%, and relative standard deviations ranged from 4.0 to 13.6%. The limit of detection of pure standard of each drug was approximately the equivalent of 1 ng drug/g tissue, and the limit of determination in a sample was 4 ng drug/g tissue.
ON VISCOPLASTIC MODELS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a method of introducing rate dependence. The basic premise of the model is that the rate-independent model is modified not adding viscous terms but by functional composition, specifically by convolution in time with a relaxation function. The method offers some advantage in terms of characterization, as a single test characterizes the entire rate dependence. Moreover, it offers the advantage in analysis that it can borrow both from classical plasticity and classical linear viscoelasity. The materials used in the method were high explosives, a dense packing of explosive crystals in a urethane rubber matrix. True three-dimensional tests of the three materials were not available, so an extension procedure was used.
Interactions of neurotransmitters and endothelial cells in determining vascular tone.

My interest in research on the cardiovascular system began in 1948. I had joined the Department of Physiology at the Queen’s University of Belfast with the title of “Demonstrator”,indicating that my responsibilities were to supervise the practical classes. This provided a paid opportunity to spend one year preparing for the basic science section of the examinations to qualify as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Points and Vectors

Almost all physical situations involve more than one quantity that depends on time or on position. One physical system that has been widely studied for many years is our solar system. Consider only the sun, the earth, and Jupiter and assume the sun position is fixed. Since the orbits of the earth and Jupiter are not in the same plane, the positions of the sun, the earth and Jupiter cannot be put into a single plane. This means the positions of the two planets must be considered in three dimensions.
Phosphorous Transport with Water Flow in Acid, Sandy Soils

Literature dealing with phosphorous transport in acid, sandy soils was reviewed, and a mechanistic, single-component model was developed for describing P transport with multi-compartmental kinetic and instantaneous reversible and irreversible sorption, transformations of organic to inorganic P forms, and root uptake during steady and unsteady flow in saturated and unsaturated soils. The utility of the model was demonstrated with the use of one-site, parallel two-site, and sequential two-site P sorption models by comparisons to analytical solutions (where available), by sensitivity analyses, and by a comparison to experimental data.
Solid Modeling, Aspect Graphs, and Robot Vision

At the National Bureau of Standards, a method is being developed for transferring sufficient information directly from the solid modeling system to the robot vision system to enable the robot to recognize a part. The information is encoded in the form of a graph, called an aspect graph, together with functions associated to each vertex of the graph. Aspect graphs were developed by J. J. Koenderink of the State University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, as part of an attempt to understand how shape information is represented by the human vision system.
Bleeding and Thromboembolism After Traumatic Brain Injury in the Elderly: A Real Conundrum

Abstract Background Elderly patients presenting with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have comorbidities that increase risk of thromboembolic (TE) disease and recurrent TBI. A significant number are on anticoagulant therapy at the time of injury and studies suggest that continuing anticoagulation can prevent TE events. Understanding bleeding, recurrent TBI, and TE risk after TBI can help to guide therapy. Our objectives were to 1) evaluate the incidence of bleeding, recurrent TBI, and TE events after an initial TBI in older adults and 2) identify which factors contribute to this risk. Methods Retrospective analysis of Medicare claims between May 30, 2006 and December 31, 2009 for patients hospitalized with TBI was performed. We defined TBI for the index admission, and hemorrhage (gastrointestinal bleeding or hemorrhagic stroke), recurrent TBI, and TE events (stroke, myocardial infarction, deep venous thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism) over the following year using ICD-9 codes. Unadjusted incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Risk factors of these events were identified using logistic regression. Results Among beneficiaries hospitalized with TBI, incidence of TE events (58.6 events/1000 person-years; 95% CI 56.2, 60.8) was significantly higher than bleeding (23.6 events/1000 person-years; 95% CI 22.2, 25.1) and recurrent TBI events (26.0 events/1000 person-years; 95% CI 24.5, 27.6). Several common factors predisposed to bleeding, recurrent TBI, and TE outcomes. Conclusions Among Medicare patients hospitalized with TBI, the incidence of TE was significantly higher than that of bleeding or recurrent TBI. Specific risk factors of bleeding and TE events were identified which may guide care of older adults after TBI.
Resources, Capabilities and Managerial Practices of Firms in Less-Developed Economies: Evidence from Kosovo Manufacturing Firms

This chapter investigates the impact of firm specific resources, organizational capabilities and managerial practices on performance variation among manufacturing firms in less-developed economies, based on evidence for Kosovo. The aim is to identify the main factors differentiating high- and low-growth firms. The analysis focuses on three types of factors: inputs (resources), organizational capabilities and managerial practices. We expect the main differentiator in less-developed countries to be resources (inputs), followed by managerial practices and organizational capabilities. The results show that, resources (inputs) play a limited differentiating role while managerial practices appear crucial for performance variability. Organizational capabilities are also a factor influencing performance variability, but their effect is more truncated.
Comparing the Real-World Effectiveness of Competing Colonoscopy Preparations: Results of a Prospective Trial.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of adequate bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy, national societies provide little guidance regarding which bowel preps are best tolerated and most effective; this reflects a lack of comparative effectiveness studies that directly evaluate available preps in a “real-world” setting. To address this gap, we conducted a prospective, naturalistic, commercially unfunded, comparative effectiveness study of currently available bowel preps and measured their impact on bowel cleansing.
The effects of hallux valgus and walking speed on dynamic balance in older adults.

Background Hallux valgus (HV) contributes to deficits in static balance and increased fall risk in older adults. Very limited research has examined dynamic balance deficits in walking in this population. These individuals generally walk slowly, as balance challenge is lesser at slow speeds. Research question How does the dynamic balance of older adults with HV differ from healthy controls at controlled slow and fast walking speeds? Methods Nineteen older adults with HV and 13 healthy controls completed 5 continuous walking trials at 1.0 and 1.3 m·s-1 as whole body marker position and ground reaction force data were captured. Dynamic balance was evaluated using whole body center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP) inclination angles (IA) and duration of double support. Results There were no differences in measures of dynamic balance between older adults with and without HV at slow and fast speeds. At the faster speed, the peak sagittal plane COM-COP IA increased and the double support duration decreased, while the peak frontal plane COM-COP IA were not affected. Significance Older adults with HV do not exhibit deficits in dynamic balance during continuous walking at comfortable speeds when compared to healthy older adults.
Targeting Histone Chaperone FACT Complex Overcomes 5-Fluorouracil Resistance in Colon Cancer

Fluorouracil (5-FU) remains a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for colorectal cancer. However, a subset of colorectal cancer patients who have defective mismatch-repair (dMMR) pathway show resistance to 5-FU. Here, we demonstrate that the efficacy of 5-FU in dMMR colorectal cancer cells is largely dependent on the DNA base excision repair (BER) pathway. Downregulation of APE1, a key enzyme in the BER pathway, decreases IC50 of 5-FU in dMMR colorectal cancer cells by 10-fold. Furthermore, we discover that the facilitates chromatin transcription (FACT) complex facilitates 5-FU repair in DNA via promoting the recruitment and acetylation of APE1 (AcAPE1) to damage sites in chromatin. Downregulation of FACT affects 5-FU damage repair in DNA and sensitizes dMMR colorectal cancer cells to 5-FU. Targeting the FACT complex with curaxins, a class of small molecules, significantly improves the 5-FU efficacy in dMMR colorectal cancer in vitro (∼50-fold decrease in IC50) and in vivo xenograft models. We show that primary tumor tissues of colorectal cancer patients have higher FACT and AcAPE1 levels compared with adjacent nontumor tissues. Additionally, there is a strong clinical correlation of FACT and AcAPE1 levels with colorectal cancer patients' response to chemotherapy. Together, our study demonstrates that targeting FACT with curaxins is a promising strategy to overcome 5-FU resistance in dMMR colorectal cancer patients.
Compensation Not More than Peers

In this chapter, the fourth aspect of the “Fair CEO Compensation” octagonal framework, “Compensation not more than Peers” is discussed. First, the theoretical background and the research on benchmarking and relative performance evaluation (RPE) are presented. Then, the misapplication of peer group selection, the Lake Wobegon (ratchet) effect, and the factors of unbiased and systematic benchmark selection are explained. Finally, an example from a practitioner is provided.
Delivery of phosphatidylethanolamine blunts stress in hepatoma cells exposed to elevated palmitate by targeting the endoplasmic reticulum.

Genetic obesity increases in liver phosphatidylcholine (PC)/phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) ratio, inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress without concomitant increase of ER chaperones. Here, it is found that exposing mice to a palm oil-based high fat (HF) diet induced obesity, loss of liver PE, and loss of the ER chaperone Grp78/BiP in pericentral hepatocytes. In Hepa1–6 cells treated with elevated concentration of palmitate to model lipid stress, Grp78/BiP mRNA was increased, indicating onset of stress-induced Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), but Grp78/BiP protein abundance was nevertheless decreased. Exposure to elevated palmitate also induced in hepatoma cells decreased membrane glycosylation, nuclear translocation of pro-apoptotic C/EBP-homologous-protein-10 (CHOP), expansion of ER-derived quality control compartment (ERQC), loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and decreased oxidative phosphorylation. When PE was delivered to Hepa1–6 cells exposed to elevated palmitate, effects by elevated palmitate to decrease Grp78/BiP protein abundance and suppress membrane glycosylation were blunted. Delivery of PE to Hepa1–6 cells treated with elevated palmitate also blunted expansion of ERQC, decreased nuclear translocation of CHOP and lowered abundance of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Instead, delivery of the chemical chaperone 4-phenyl-butyrate (PBA) to Hepa1–6 cells treated with elevated palmitate, while increasing abundance of Grp78/BiP protein and restoring membrane glycosylation, also increased ERQC, expression and nuclear translocation of CHOP, non-mitochondrial oxygen consumption, and generation of ROS. Data indicate that delivery of PE to hepatoma cells under lipid stress recovers cell function by targeting the secretory pathway and by blunting pro-apoptotic branches of the UPR.
Abstract A06: Synthetic peptides derived from the cell adhesion molecule Nectin-4 inhibit the formation of ovarian cancer 3D spheroids

A unique aspect of ovarian cancer progression is the collection of ascites fluid in the abdominal cavity, which contains free-floating tumor cells in the form of single cells and also multicellular aggregates or spheroids. Spheroids are more resistant to standard chemotherapy due in part to their slow proliferation rate and also to the protection afforded by the tight cell aggregation. Agents that prevent spheroid formation have the potential to improve chemotherapeutic response. Our previous work on the function of the cell surface adhesion molecule Nectin-4 in ovarian cancer demonstrates that it plays a key role in the formation of ovarian cancer spheroids. We also showed that synthetic peptides derived from the amino acid sequences of Nectin-4 and its binding partner Nectin-1 could inhibit cell adhesion in an in vitro assay. The purpose of this study was to further examine the role of Nectin-4 in the formation of ovarian cancer spheroids using live-cell digital microscopy to monitor spheroid formation over time. Synthetic peptides derived from the amino acid sequences of Nectin-4 and Nectin-1 were tested for their ability to alter the spheroid formation of two ovarian cancer cell lines. Several peptides disrupted ovarian cancer spheroid formation, warranting further investigation. For the peptide with the strongest inhibitory effect on spheroid formation, we tested scrambled versions of the peptide, which did not affect the formation of spheroids. This peptide also inhibited spheroid formation in a concentration-dependent manner and was not cytotoxic. These results suggest that Nectin-derived peptides could augment the effect of chemotherapy, as they would maintain the cancer cells as single cells or small aggregates that are more sensitive to chemotherapy. Citation Format: Kristin L.M. Boylan, Rory D. Manion, Heena Shah, Amy P.N. Skubitz. Synthetic peptides derived from the cell adhesion molecule Nectin-4 inhibit the formation of ovarian cancer 3D spheroids [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 13-16, 2019; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(13_Suppl):Abstract nr A06.
Transport model predictions of 225Ac production cross sections via energetic p, d and α irradiation of 232Th targets.

Abstract Monte Carlo transport codes PHITS and MCNP6 were used to calculate the production cross sections of 225,227Ac, 227,229Th, 223,225Ra, and 229,230,231Pa via the bombardment of a232Th target with energetic protons, deuterons, and α-particles. The incident projectile energies ranged between 10 and 800 MeV/nucleon. When possible, the predicted production cross sections were compared with the available experimental data and other predictions. The degree of the codes' abilities to match the measured data provides a qualitative assessment of the codes’ abilities to predict data from similar, but unmeasured, projectile/target systems. In addition, a comparison between calculated cross sections and data may provide insight into possible improvements in the physics models employed by those transport codes.
Pre-kidney transplant unintentional weight loss leads to worse post-kidney transplant outcomes

BACKGROUND Weight loss before kidney transplant (KT) is a known risk factor for weight gain and mortality, however, while unintentional weight loss is a marker of vulnerability, intentional weight loss might improve health. We tested whether pre-KT unintentional and intentional weight loss have differing associations with post-KT weight gain, graft loss and mortality. METHODS Among 919 KT recipients from a prospective cohort study, we used adjusted mixed-effects models to estimate post-KT BMI trajectories, and Cox models to estimate death-uncensored graft loss, death-censored graft loss and all-cause mortality by 1-year pre-KT weight change category [stable weight (change ≤ 5%), intentional weight loss (loss > 5%), unintentional weight loss (loss > 5%) and weight gain (gain > 5%)]. RESULTS The mean age was 53 years, 38% were Black and 40% were female. In the pre-KT year, 62% of recipients had stable weight, 15% had weight gain, 14% had unintentional weight loss and 10% had intentional weight loss. In the first 3 years post-KT, BMI increases were similar among those with pre-KT weight gain and intentional weight loss and lower compared with those with unintentional weight loss {difference +0.79 kg/m2/year [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50-1.08], P < 0.001}. Only unintentional weight loss was independently associated with higher death-uncensored graft loss [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.80 (95% CI 1.23-2.62)], death-censored graft loss [aHR 1.91 (95% CI 1.12-3.26)] and mortality [aHR 1.72 (95% CI 1.06-2.79)] relative to stable pre-KT weight. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that unintentional, but not intentional, pre-KT weight loss is an independent risk factor for adverse post-KT outcomes.
Characterizing the homeostatic regulation of the polyamine pathway using the Drosophila melanogaster model system

Abstract Polyamines are small, naturally occurring polycations that are essential for normal cell growth and development. Maintaining a homeostatic level of both the polyamine pathway enzymes and the levels of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine is important because the dysregulation of the polyamine pathway has been associated with physical anomalies including cancer, Parkinson's disease, Snyder-Robinson syndrome and aging in mammals. To date, little is understood regarding how the polyamine pathway maintains polyamine homeostasis in the fly, an emerging model for polyamine studies. The aim of these studies was to better characterize how the downregulation or ablation of the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes ornithine decarboxylase, spermidine synthase and spermine synthase influence the expression of the genes coding for other polyamine pathway enzymes and the levels of the polyamines themselves utilizing the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. We demonstrate the complexities of the polyamine metabolic pathway and show that downregulation of any of these polyamine pathway enzymes can lead to an array of changes in other parts of the pathway as well as alter the cellular levels of polyamines themselves. These data highlight the complex nature of regulation of this pathway and underscore the need to better understand its self-regulation in this and other model systems.
Abstract 1133: Combined inhibition of cKIT and Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1 as a therapeutic strategy in acute myeloid leukemia

Responses to kinase inhibitors in AML are short-lived with the inevitable development of resistance. Combination therapy with agents from distinct functional classes is one strategy to overcome this resistance. Using AML cell lines and primary patient samples harboring oncogenic cKIT mutations we demonstrate that inhibition of the epigenetic regulator Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1) markedly augments the cytotoxic effect of the KIT inhibitor avapritinib. Transcriptomic and epigenetic profiling revealed synergistic suppression of Myc activity accompanied by a global loss of acetylation and decreased expression of key leukemia cell cycle genes. This epigenetic reorganization results from disruption of key transcription factor networks responsible for maintaining leukemia cell self-renewal and survival. These findings demonstrate that combined KIT and LSD1 inhibition is an exciting new therapeutic avenue for KIT mutant AML. Previously, we have shown targeting the leukemic epigenome as a possible mechanism to augment the efficacy of kinase inhibitors. Thus, we hypothesize that targeting both the cKIT and CBF mutations with combination therapy will result in a deeper molecular response. Kasumi-1 cells harbor mutant cKIT, making an ideal model to study this combination. We observed a synergistic response to a clinically available KIT inhibitor, avapritinib, and two different LSD1 inhibitors, ORY-1001 and GSK-LSD1. Colony formation of healthy CD34+ cells and cell growth of cKIT WT cells were not significantly altered by the combination, thus showing the specificity of this combination by targeting mutant KIT. Bulk RNA-seq and master regulator analysis revealed greater suppression of Myc target genes with dual inhibition of KIT and LSD1. Using Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation (CUTT 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1133.
The mixed-mode bending method for delamination testing

A mixed-mode bending (MMB) test procedure is presented which combines double cantilever beam mode-I loading and end-notch flexure mode II loading on a split, unidirectional laminate. The MMB test has been analyzed by FEM and by beam theory in order to ascertain the mode I and mode II components' respective strain energy release rates, G(I) and G(II); these analyses indicate that a wide range of G(I)/G(II) ratios can be generated by varying the applied load's position on the loading lever. The MMB specimen analysis and test procedures are demonstrated for the case of AS4/PEEK unidirectional laminates.
Pain treatment and functional improvement in home health care: Relationship with dementia.

BACKGROUND Pain management is important to post-acute functional recovery, yet older persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are often undertreated for pain. The main objectives were (1) to examine the relationship between ADRD and analgesic use among Medicare home health care (HHC) recipients with daily interfering pain, and (2) to examine the impact of analgesic use on functional outcome in patients with and without ADRD. METHODS We analyzed longitudinal data from the Outcome and Assessment Information Set, Medicare HHC claims, and HHC electronic medical records during a 60-day HHC episode. The sample included 6048 Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years receiving care from an HHC agency in New York in 2019 who reported daily interfering pain. Analgesic use was assessed during HHC medication reconciliation and included any analgesic, non-opioid analgesic, and opioid. ADRD was identified from ICD-10 codes (HHC claims) and cognitive impairment symptoms (Outcome and Assessment Information Set [OASIS]). Functional outcome was measured as change in the composite Activity of Daily Living (ADL) limitation score in the HHC episode. RESULTS ADRD was related to a lower likelihood of using any analgesic (odds ratio [OR] = 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49, 0.90, p = 0.008) and opioids (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.62, p < 0.001), but not related to non-opioid analgesic use (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.74, 1.18, p = 0.58). Stratified analyses showed that any analgesic use (β = -0.43, 95% CI: -0.73, -0.13, p = 0.004) and non-opioid analgesic use (β = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.56, -0.06, p = 0.016) were associated with greater ADL improvement in patients with ADRD, but not in patients without ADRD. Opioid use was not significantly related to ADL improvement regardless of ADRD status. CONCLUSIONS HHC patients with ADRD may be undertreated for pain, yet pain treatment is essential for functional improvement in HHC. HHC clinicians and policymakers should ensure adequate pain management for older persons with ADRD for improved functional outcomes.
The process management component of a scalable systems software environment

The systems software necessary to operate large-scale parallel computers presents a variety of research and development issues. One approach is to consider systems software as a collection of interacting components, with well-defined published interfaces. The scalable systems software SciDAC project is currently exploring the feasibility of architecting systems software this way. In this paper we present a prototype process manager component for such a system. We describe the component abstractly in terms of its functionality and the interface by which its functionality may be invoked. We propose a precise syntax for this interface and describe one implementation of the process manager component, based on an existing scalable process management system called MPD. We conclude with some experiences using this process manager component in conjunction with other systems software components on a medium-sized Linux cluster.
Coal Structure from Solid State NMR

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Experimental Techniques 3 Description and Constituents 4 Applications to Coal Science 5 Note 6 Biographical Sketch
Rotating Couette Flow of Superfluid Helium

Equations for the flow of He II when ∇ × υ s ≠ 0 have been proposed but have not been tested thoroughly. Here I refer to the derivations by Hall and Vinen and by Bekeravich and Khalatnikov (HVBK). There are seven terms in these equations which do not appear in the Landau-Khalatnikov equations; they may be attributed to vorticity in the superfluid. Many experiments have been described in the literature which test two or three of the vorticity terms in the HVBK equations. In these tests the experimental arrangement is chosen to make the magnitude of a particular vorticity term much larger than the others, and it is assumed that the term being tested is the only contributor to the result. Notable are the torsion-pendulum studies of Hall and the rotating second-sound attenuation measurements of Hall and Vinen. All the vorticity terms have not been tested and no experiments have been reported in which each of the seven terms contributes appreciably to the result.
Nuclear protein kinases. Evidence for their heterogeneity, tissue specificity, substrate specificities, and differential responses to cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate.

Abstract The non-histone chromatin phosphoprotein fraction isolated from beef liver nuclei contains endogenous protein kinase activity which catalyzes the phosphorylation of these proteins in vitro in the presence of [γ-32P]ATP and magnesium. By using phosphocellulose chromatography we have separated this protein kinase activity into 12 distinct enzyme fractions. Individual enzyme fractions can be resolved further by acrylamide gel electrophoresis into multiple components, thus demonstrating an extraordinary degree of heterogeneity among the chromatin-associated protein kinases. Protein kinase fractions exhibit different specificities for casein, histone, and non-histone proteins as substrates, as demonstrated by both acid-precipitable radioactivity and analysis of radioactivity patterns of 32P-labeled substrates by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Further evidence to suggest that we are dealing with a number of different protein kinases is presented by the specific effects on substrate phosphorylation which we observe in the presence of cyclic adenosine 3' : 5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP). This cyclic nucleotide exhibits either stimulatory or inhibitory effects on protein phosphorylation, depending on both the substrate and the protein kinase fraction employed. A comparison of one of the nuclear protein kinase fractions with cytoplasmic histone kinase illustrates that these are different enzymes. Although both enzymes are able to catalyze the phosphorylation of non-histone chromatin proteins and f1 histone, the pattern of labeling is found to be quite different when analyzed by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cyclic AMP stimulates the phosphorylation of non-histone protein by both of these enzymes. However, the phosphorylation of f1 histone is stimulated by cyclic AMP when histone kinase is used but is inhibited by cyclic AMP with this particular nuclear protein kinase fraction, again demonstrating that these are distinctly different enzymes. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the protein kinases which are associated with the non-histone chromatin phosphorylated proteins of the nucleus can be fractionated into a large number of enzyme activities which have distinct substrate specificities and responses to cyclic AMP. Preliminary data showing the existence of different protein kinase profiles in liver and kidney emphasize the tissue specificity of these enzymes and suggest that these kinases may play an important role in the tissue-specific regulation of RNA synthesis and chromatin function.
Treating Substance Abuse Offenders in the Southwestern United States: A Report Evaluating the Long-Term Effectiveness of the Yuma County Adult Drug Court.

Abstract This report summarizes data gathered from the 64 graduates of the Yuma County Drug Court from 1998 to 2001. Those who agreed to participate were interviewed at 3, 6, 12 and/or 18 months after graduation. Instruments used included the Addiction Severity Index, the CSAT GPRA Client Outcomes Measure for Discretionary Programs and a questionnaire developed to assess how well relapse prevention plans were followed. Rather than increased ELAPSED time from treatment, the variables that appeared to predict relapse were family problems, lack of social support and employment difficulty. ASI severity scales did not differ significantly over time for those studied, but the instrument did appear to be a useful tool in predicting relapse. The majority of graduates studied were able to successfully carry out their relapse prevention plans and graduation plans. Criminal involvement after graduation appeared to be significantly less than that of offenders who have not been treated in a drug court model and, for t...