cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thyroid Eye Disease

When the extraocular muscles (EOMs) and orbital contents are affected in patients with clinical or subclinical thyroid disorders , a variety of terms have been used to describe the ocular condition. These include Graves’ disease, Graves’ orbitopathy, endocrine ophthalmopathy , thyroid ophthalmopathy, and thyroid eye disease (TED). It is also called thyroid-associated eye disease, because it can occur in patients who are euthyroid or have hypothyroid chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. I will use the term TED.
Radiation-Tolerant Digital Multiphase Current-Mode Hysteretic Point-of-Load Regulator

A radiation-tolerant digital multiphase current-mode hysteretic point-of-load regulator fabricated on a commercial 180-nm CMOS process is presented. Experiments and simulations are used to demonstrate its single-event immunity and its total-dose tolerance over 100 krad(Si). Key electrical performance parameters are: 5-V input, 0.8–3.3 V output, 10-A load current, 93% peak efficiency, four-phase hysteretic quasi-current-mode buck converter with ±1.5% frequency synchronization, ±3.6% current sharing error, and 1% ripple.
Blood vessel occlusion with erythrocyte aggregates causes burn injury progression-microvasculature dilation as a possible therapy.

Burns are dynamic injuries characterized by progressive tissue death and continuous severe pain over the course of several days. The extent of burn injury progression determines the ultimate patient outcome. Initial burns result in a central zone of necrosis surrounded by a potentially viable zone of ischemia. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain injury progression, including oxidant and cytokine stress resulting from either ischemia/reperfusion and/or inflammation, but no proven therapy has emerged. To address the unmet need to limit burn injury progression, the root cause of this process must be delineated. For this reason, we have recently focused on post-burn blood vessel occlusion, currently ascribed to microthrombi. We have found that blood vessel occlusion is initially, mainly and persistently caused by erythrocyte aggregation. Although thermal-induced cell necrosis is the immediate cause of cell death, apoptotic cells from persistent ischemia/anoxia, admixed with inflammatory cells, form a band between viable and nonviable tissue 24 hours later. The delayed cell death by apoptosis appears to be the main attractant for inflammatory cells. Finally, we posit that fibrinogen elevation arising from inflammation provides stimulus for additional erythrocyte aggregation, further extending blood vessel occlusion. In our view this persistent occlusion with resultant prolonged tissue ischemia/anoxia, not ischemia/reperfusion, is the root cause of burn injury progression concomitant with associated severe and persistent pain. Epiviosamines, a new class of peptides, appear to selectively dilate microvasculature, and may provide therapy for burn injury progression.
Calculations of neutron reflectivity in the eV energy range from mirrors made of heavy nuclei with neutron-nucleus resonances

We evaluate the reflectivity of neutron mirrors composed of certain heavy nuclei which possess strong neutron-nucleus resonances in the eV energy range. We consider possible corrections to the usual formulas of neutron optics for this case and find that dispersion and multiple scattering effects are negligible but one must take Doppler broadening into account. Effects from surface roughness and phonon scattering are small compared to the Doppler corrections and are either the same as or smaller than those for mirror reflection with meV neutrons. We show that the reflectivity of such a mirror for some nuclei can in principle be high enough near energies corresponding to compound neutron-nucleus resonances to be of interest for certain scientific applications in nondestructive evaluation of subsurface material composition.
Pilot study investigating an oncofertility program in adults with breast or sarcoma cancers.

e23096Background: Cancer survival is at an all-time high; however, patients often face long-term consequences including infertility. Loss of fertility can be devastating and lead to long-lasting em...
Intestinal Microbial Products From Alcohol‐Fed Mice Contribute to Intestinal Permeability and Peripheral Immune Activation

BACKGROUND Alcohol use causes significant disruption of intestinal microbial communities, yet exactly how these dysbiotic communities interact with the host is unclear. We sought to understand the role of microbial products associated with alcohol dysbiosis in mice on intestinal permeability and immune activation in an in vitro model system. METHODS Microbiota samples from binge-on-chronic alcohol-fed and pair-fed male and female mice were cultured in Gifu Anaerobic Broth for 24 hours under anaerobic conditions. Live/whole organisms were removed, and microbial products were collected and added to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or polarized C2BBe1 intestinal epithelial monolayers. Following stimulation, transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was measured using a volt/ohm meter and immune activation of PBMC was assessed via flow cytometry. RESULTS Microbial products from male and female alcohol-fed mice significantly decreased TEER (mean percentage change from baseline alcohol-fed 0.86 Ω/cm2 vs. pair-fed 1.10 Ω/cm2 ) compared to microbial products from control mice. Following ex vivo stimulation, immune activation of PBMC was assessed via flow cytometry. We found that microbial products from alcohol-fed mice significantly increased the percentage of CD38+ CD4+ (mean alcohol-fed 17.32% ± 0.683% standard deviation (SD) vs. mean pair-fed 14.2% ± 1.21% SD, p < 0.05) and CD8+ (mean alcohol-fed 20.28% ± 0.88% SD vs. mean pair-fed 12.58% ± 3.59% SD, p < 0.05) T cells. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these data suggest that microbial products contribute to immune activation and intestinal permeability associated with alcohol dysbiosis. Further, utilization of these ex vivo microbial product assays will allow us to rapidly assess the impact of microbial products on intestinal permeability and immune activation and to identify probiotic therapies to ameliorate these defects.
Medicare's Hospital Acquired Condition Reduction Program Disproportionately Affects Minority-serving Hospitals: Variation by Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Disproportionate Share Hospital Payment Receipt.

OBJECTIVE To assess whether a hospital's percentage of Black patients associates with variations in FY2017 overall/domain-specific Hospital Acquired-Condition Reduction Program (HACRP) scores and penalty receipt. Differences in socioeconomic status and receipt of disproportionate share hospital payments (a marker of safety-net status) were also assessed. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA In FY2015, Medicare began reducing payments to hospitals with high adverse event rates. Concern has been expressed that HACRP penalties could adversely affect minority-serving hospitals, leading to reductions in resources and exasperation of disparities among hospitals with the greatest need. METHODS 100% Medicare FFS claims from 2013 to 2014 identified older adult inpatients, aged ≥65 years, presenting for 8 common surgical conditions. Multilevel mixed-effects regression determined differences in FY2017 HACRP scores/penalties among hospitals managing the highest decile of minority patients. RESULTS A total of 695,775 patients from 2923 hospitals were included. As a hospital's percentage of Black patients increased, climbing from 0.6% to 32.5% (lowest vs highest decile), average HACRP scores also increased, rising from 5.33 to 6.36 (higher values indicate worse scores). Increases in HACRP penalties did not follow the same stepwise increase, instead exhibiting a marked jump within the highest decile of racial minority-serving extent (45.7% vs 36.7%; OR [95% CI]: 1.45[1.42-1.47]). Similar patterns were observed for high disproportionate share hospital (OR [95% CI]: 1.44 [1.42-1.47]; absolute difference: +7.4 percentage-points) and low socioeconomic status-serving (1.38[1.35-1.40]; +7.3% percentage-points) hospitals. Restricted analyses accounting for the influence of teaching status and severity of patient case-mix both accentuated disparities in HACRP penalties when limiting hospitals to those at the highest known penalty-risk (more residents-to-beds, more severe), absolute differences +13.9, +20.5 percentage-points. Restriction to high operative volume, in contrast, reduced the penalty difference, +6.6 percentage-points. CONCLUSIONS Minority-serving hospitals are being disproportionately penalized by the HACRP. As the program continues to develop, efforts are needed to identify and protect patients in vulnerable institutions to ensure that disparities do not increase.
Advances in Precision Health and Emerging Diagnostics for Women.

During the Dutch winter famine of 1944–1945, an interesting observation was made about the offspring born during this time—They had an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases. Subsequent research has confirmed this finding as well as noting that health outcomes for many diseases are different, and often worse, for women. These findings, combined with the lack of enrollment of women in clinical trials and/or analysis of sex-specific differences are important factors which need to be addressed. In fact, Women’s health research and sex differences have historically been overlooked or lumped together and assumed equivalent to those of men. Hence, a focus on women’s health and disease prevention is critical to improve the lives of women in the 21st Century. In this review, we point out the critical differences biologically and socially that present both challenges and opportunities for development of novel platforms for precision health. The technologic and scientific advances specific to women’s precision health have the potential to improve the health and wellbeing for all females across the world.
Implementation of Deep Deterministic Policy Gradients for Controlling Dynamic Bipedal Walking

A control system for simulated two-dimensional bipedal walking was developed. The biped model was built based on anthropometric data. At the core of the control is a Deep Deterministic Policy Gradients (DDPG) neural network that is trained in GAZEBO, a physics simulator, to predict the ideal foot location to maintain stable walking under external impulse load. Additional controllers for hip joint movement during stance phase, and ankle joint torque during toe-off, help to stabilize the robot during walking. The simulated robot can walk at a steady pace of approximately 1 m/s, and during locomotion it can maintain stability with a 30 N-s impulse applied at the torso. This work implement DDPG algorithm to solve biped walking control problem. The complexity of DDPG network is decreased through carefully selected state variables and distributed control system.
Sunshine Act: Accounting for Equity Options

The “Sunshine Act” of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was designed to speak to public concerns over physician and industry relationships. There are no rigorous accounting standards set in place for determining dollar values of payments, and errors are most exaggerated in the case of stock options due to the leveraged nature of these instruments. A historical perspective on stock options accounting provides useful insight into potential societal impact of errors contained in the Sunshine Act. We outline accounting and structural flaws within the current databases and propose solutions to close these loopholes.
Perplexing Role of P-Glycoprotein in Tumor Microenvironment

Development of multidrug resistance (MDR) still remains a major obstacle to the long-term success of cancer therapy. P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a well-identified membrane transporter with capability to efflux drug molecules out of the cancer cell leading to reduced efficiency of chemotherapy. Cancer cells upregulate P-gp expression as an adaptive response to evade chemotherapy mediated cell death. While several P-gp inhibitors have been discovered by in silico and pre-clinical studies, very few have successfully passed all phases of the clinical trials. Studies show that application of P-gp inhibitors in cancer therapy regimen following development of MDR achieved limited beneficial outcomes. While, the non-specific substrate binding to P-gp has made the drug-design a challenge, a bigger perplexing challenge comes from its role in tumor immunology. Expression of P-gp was noted immune cell phenotypes with apparently antagonistic functionality. Both pro-tumor MΦ2-macrophages and, anti-tumor NK-cell and Th17/CD4+T cell subsets have shown enhanced expression of P-gp. While drug based inhibition of P-gp in pro-tumor immune cell phenotypes could promote tumor elimination, however, it would not be a rational choice to exert inhibition of P-gp on anti-tumor immune cell phenotypes. This mutually exclusive paradigm of P-gp functionality requires a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of its role in tumor microenvironment with active interplay of cancer and immune cells in the tumor mileu. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of the role of P-gp in cancer cells and immune cells and finally attempt to highlight some caveats in the current understanding of its role in comprehensive tumor microenvironment along with challenges in the development of P-gp inhibitors toward anti-cancer therapy.
PSEUDOHYPOPHOSPHATEMIA IN A PATIENT WITH MULTIPLE MYELOMA

ABSTRACT Objective: To discuss the diagnosis and management of paraprotein interference in the setting of multiple myeloma (MM). Methods: We discuss the evaluation of hypophosphatemia in a patient ...
Real-time observation of twinning-detwinning in shock-compressed magnesium via time-resolved in situ synchrotron XRD experiments

Both engineered and natural materials may be subjected to extremes of elevated pressure, temperature, and strain rate due to shock loading; examples include ballistic impact of projectiles on armor, planetary impacts, and high-speed machining operations. Experimental techniques for ascertaining the macroscopic response of materials to shock loading are well established, but insight into fundamental mechanisms of deformation requires the ability to characterize the evolution of microstructure in real time. Experiments in which specimens are recovered and characterized after shock loading have been widely used to understand structure-property relationships. But these shock recovery experiments only reveal information at the end state of the material, from which the evolution of the structure during unloading must be inferred. There is always the possibility that the structure of the material continues to evolve during unloading, leading to a potential misunderstanding of the structural evolution during shock compression and release. In this paper we describe the results of shock recovery and time-resolved in situ x-ray diffraction studies of deformation twinning in an extruded fine-grained AMX602 magnesium alloy. The samples were shock compressed along the plate normal and extrusion directions, then released back to ambient conditions. Analysis of the microstructure before and after shock loading indicates a substantial change in crystallographic texture reflecting substantial deformation twinning. Texture evolution from in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements show significant twinning during shock compression followed by detwinning during stress release. These results not only provide insight into the complex twinning-detwinning behavior of this particular alloy, but also illustrate the utility of in situ characterization for bridging the knowledge gap between shock recovery experiments and the transient behavior of materials during shock loading more generally.
One Vol to Rule Them All: Common Volatility Dynamics in Factor Returns

We show that a common component governs volatility dynamics across a wide range of traded equity factors. This `common factor volatility' (CFV) exists even among orthogonal factors. CFV occurs in both cash-flow and discount-rate components of factor returns and derives from market responses to fundamental news rather than underlying commonality in news volatility. Incorporating CFV improves factor volatility forecasts relative to models that include only own-factor volatility. The pervasiveness of CFV helps characterize the dynamics of stochastic discount factor (SDF) volatility. CFV results in conditional SDFs that exhibit procyclical volatility, highlighting an inconsistency between traded factors and prominent macro models.
Outcome of Off-Label AREDS 2 Supplementation for the Treatment of Macular Degeneration in Non-Proliferative Idiopathic Type 2 Macular Telangiectasia.

Purpose To evaluate if off-label Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) supplementation prevents visual and anatomical deterioration in non-proliferative Idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (IMT2). Patients and Methods This is a single-center retrospective, comparative study of 82 IMT2 eyes treated with AREDS2 from January 1st, 2013 to January 1st, 2018. The study analysis consisted of a non-comparative arm, which included all AREDS2 eyes, and a comparative arm (27 AREDS2 and 42 untreated eyes) that only included eyes with complete follow-up data. Eyes were evaluated at baseline, 12 and 24 months. Better/worse eye sub-analysis was performed in the comparative study arm. Primary outcomes were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) anatomical characteristics including largest cavitation diameter, central macular thickness (CMT), and length of ellipsoid zone (EZ) loss at 24 months. Results In the non-comparative arm, AREDS2 eyes showed stable BCVA (0.28 ± 0.18 logMAR at baseline vs 0.26 ± 0.19 logMAR at 24 months; p = 0.35) and OCT anatomical features after 24 months of supplementation. In the comparative arm, BCVA mean difference was greater for untreated eyes at 24 months (-0.09 ± 0.15 vs 0.03 ± 0.11 logMAR; p = <0.001). AREDS2 eyes had decreased cavitary diameter and EZ loss compared to untreated eyes at the study endpoint (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). CMT remained stable for both cohorts throughout the study. For better/worse eye analysis, untreated eyes had worse BCVA at 24 months in both better and worse eyes (both p = 0.01). For anatomical outcomes, increases in both EZ loss (p = 0.04) and cavitary diameter (p = 0.001) among untreated eyes were only significant for eyes with worse baseline BCVA. Conclusion Our results suggest that off-label AREDS2 supplementation in non-proliferative IMT2 may prevent anatomical and visual deterioration in a subset of eyes.
The Ethics of Illegality in the Chad Basin

WALA MO WUJJATA SEY MO NANGAAKA: the innocent are only those who have not yet been caught. This adage is a Fulani expression often heard in the northern part of Cameroon. While it is a local dictum that often provokes smiles, smirks, and knowing laughter, this maxim does not refer to particularly local practices or to the particular habits of local people. Evidently, the logic of the expression connotes that all are guilty, but only some have been judged. The only designated subject being “the innocent,” the moral critique is not necessarily directed against outlaws nor does it condemn those who preside over the law—the distinction is irrelevant, transgression being the norm. These days, this remark is often made with reference to people involved in economic exchanges that circumvent national regulatory authority. Seemingly local, these exchanges partake in regional and international economies. First, all nationals of the Chad Basin—Nigerians, Cameroonians, Chadians, Sudanese, and citizens of the Central African Republic and Niger—participate in such commercial networks. Second, these networks are connected to the regional and international markets in, for instance, small arms, money and document counterfeiting, and smuggling of petrol, stolen vehicles, ivory, gold, hardware, electronics, cigarettes, and dry goods.
Identification of proteolytic cleavage sites in the conversion of profilaggrin to filaggrin in mammalian epidermis.

Profilaggrin consists of multiple filaggrin domains joined by linker segments which are removed during proteolytic conversion to filaggrin. Analysis of tryptic peptides of filaggrin defined a 26-residue linker segment when aligned on the amino acid sequence of one repeat unit of mouse profilaggrin deduced from a cDNA sequence (Rothnagel, J. A., Mehrel, T., Idler, W. W., Roop, D. R., and Steinert, P. M. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 15643–15648). Two types of linker segments were distinguished by their different susceptibility to thermolysin and by the presence of a Phe-Tyr-Pro-Val sequence in only one type. These data led to a model of profilaggrin in which the two types of linker segments alternate along the length of profilaggrin. This model provides a structural basis for the two stages of proteolytic processing seen in vivo. In the first stage intermediates accumulate which have several filaggrin domains still joined by linker segments lacking Phe-Tyr-Pro-Val. In the second stage, the other linker segments are cleaved and mature filaggrin domains are released. Proteolytic activity with specificity consistent with first stage cleavage was partially purified from rat epidermis. Chymostatin inhibited both the in vitro enzymatic activity and the processing of profilaggrin in a cultured rat keratinocyte cell line. The products formed in vitro were 3–5 kDa larger than intermediates produced in vivo, suggesting that the linker segments are cleaved at one end only. This implies the existence of a third protease which completes the removal of the linker segments.
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS ELECTRONIC COMMERCE MARKETPLACES: THE ALLIANCE PROCESS

Based on ethnographic studies of two business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce (EC) marketplaces and a review of interorganizational relationship literature, this paper proposes a model explaining why organizations form alliances to create and why organizations join B2B EC marketplaces. This paper proposes viewing B2B EC marketplaces as a public good. The paper uses public good theory as an umbrella integrating transaction cost and resource dependency perspectives with Oliver’s [1990] determinants of interorganizational relationships.
ATTILA: Performance analysis system for ATM networks

The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) has funded MCNC to build an ATM network analysis system referred to as ATTILA. In this paper we describe the capabilities of ATTILA as well as its use in various test and production networks. ATTILA has the capability to evaluate, in real-time, ATM network performance and traffic characteristics. ATTILA can also be used to study the effects of cell loss, high bandwidth-delay products, and traffic shaping on upper-layer protocols. Additionally, ATTILA can be configured as a gateway between HIPPI networks and ATM/SONET networks operating at OC-12c rate.
Staphylococcal and Streptococcal Superantigens: an Update

This chapter provides an introduction to bacterial superantigen (SAg) and presents the current understanding of disease association and causation by SAgs, with the intent of identifying needed future research studies of SAgs. Bacterial SAgs include those produced by β-hemolytic streptococci (including Streptococcus pyogenes), Streptococcus aureus and Streptococcus intermedius, Mycoplasma arthritidis, and certain species of Yersinia. In the chapter the authors consider only T-cell SAgs; definitions listed may be easily adapted to define B-cell SAgs. The pyrogenic toxin SAgs include the staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), which are known to cause emesis when administered orally to monkeys, and thus are the causes of staphylococcal food poisoning. Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins (SPEs) (erythrogenic toxins, scarlet fever toxins) now include the classic SPEs A and C, but also serotypes G, H, I, J, K, L, M, streptococcal superantigen (SSA), and streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin Zn (SMEZ). The last aspect of the author's presentation of new horizons for SAg research is based on the premise that human diseases caused by SAgs begin with their interaction with epithelial cells. Both group A streptococci and S. aureus cause infections that begin on skin and mucous membranes and, most of these organisms make SAgs. Clearly, additional studies are necessary to clarify all aspects of the interaction with mucosal and skin surfaces. These studies are likely to more fully define the extent of SAg involvement in human illnesses, and at the same time characterize the mechanism of SAg penetration of these surfaces.
Stem cell fate outcomes modulated by the CDK inhibitors

Efficacy of stem cell therapy is highly dependent upon our ability to manipulate the mechanisms of selfrenewal. Cell cycle is a fundamental aspect underlying stem cell self-renewal. But cell cycle progression per sea does not necessarily yield the self-renewal outcome because a daughter stem cell faces the choices of self-renewal, differentiation and apoptosis. Hence, lifting cell cycle brakes in stem cells may have different outcomes depending on a specific context. Increasing evidence suggests that the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) such as p21Cip1/ Waf1, p27kip1, p16INK4A, and p18INK4C (p21, p27, p16 and p18 hereafter) are involved in stem cell regulation, as mainly demonstrated with murine hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) (Cheng, 2004). In particular, we have shown a significant increase of HSC self-renewal in the absence of p18 (Yuan et al., 2004) and such an effect could last over 3 years in serial bone marrow transplant model (Yuan et al., 2006). But the actual roles of these CKIs in HSCs appear to be distinct as p21 and p18 have opposite effects (Cheng et al., 2000b; Yu et al., 2006) whereas p16 seems to have a more specific effect on HSC aging (Janzen et al., 2006). Like p18, however, p27 was also reported to inhibit HSC selfrenewal based on the fact that the competitive repopulating units were increased in p27–/– mouse bone marrow (Walkley et al., 2005) in contrast to the result in a previous report (Cheng et al., 2000a). To further gauge the impact of p18 versus p27 on HSCs, we have directly compared the long-term repopulating ability of p18–/– and p27–/– hematopoietic cells with different congenic strains and our results demonstrated a striking advantage of p18-null over p27-null during the long-term engraftment, preferentially in the HSC compartment. In short, our series studies suggest a dominant role of p18-mediated signaling in self-renewal of murine HSC though its molecular network is yet to be defined. Cell Research (2008) 18:s94. doi: 10.1038/cr.2008.184; published online 4 August 2008
L'AMBIVALENCE DANS L'EXPRESSION ÉMOTIONNELLE : UNE NOUVELLE PERSPECTIVE DE COMPREHENSION DU STRESS DANS LES ORGANISATIONS

Resume L’etude des conflits cognitifs et comportementaux associes a l’expression emotionnelle apporte une contribution a l’analyse des causes du stress psychologique. Ces conflits sont reveles par l’ambivalence dans l’expression emotionnelle. Au contraire de l’expression emotionnelle, cette forme d’ambivalence est une variable de differenciation importante de sante psychologique. Cette recherche empirique se centre sur le role joue par ces variables d’expression emotionnelle dans l’apparition du stress psychologique et tient compte du contexte de leurs manifestations : vie privee versus vie professionnelle.
Training raters to assess adult ADHD: reliability of ratings.

The standardization of ADHD ratings in adults is important given their differing symptom presentation. The authors investigated the agreement and reliability of rater standardization in a large-scale trial of atomoxetine in adults with ADHD. Training of 91 raters for the investigator-administered ADHD Rating Scale (ADHDRS-IV-Inv) occurred prior to initiation of a large, 31-site atomoxetine trial. Agreement between raters on total scores was established in two ways: (a) by Kappa coefficient (rater agreement for each item with the percentage of raters that had identical item-by-item scores) and (b) intraclass correlation coefficients (reliability). For the ADHDRS-IV-Inv, rater agreement was moderate, and reliability, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, was substantial. The data indicate that clinicians can be trained to reliably evaluate ADHD in adults using the ADHDRS-IV-Inv.
Abstract P3-03-12: Gamma-tocotrienol induces autophagy in malignant mammary tumor cells

γ-Tocotrienol, a member of the vitamin E family of compounds, displays potent antiproliferative and apoptotic activity in a variety of cancer cell types at treatment doses that have little or no effect on normal cell viability or growth. Autophagy is a tightly regulated lysosomal self-digestive process that can either promote cell survival or be involved in type II cell death. Autophagy is induced in several diseases such as liver disease, neurodegeneration, Crohn9s disease, aging, cancer, and metabolic syndrome. Autophagy is accompanied by the progressive development of vesicle structures from autophagomsomes (not acidic) to amphisome and autolysosomes (acidic). The execution and regulation of the autophagic program relies on several highly conserved autophagy-related genes (the Atg genes) that regulate the cannibalism of intracellular cytoplasm, proteins and organelles. The potential role of autophagy in mediating γ-tocotrienol-induced cytotoxicity is not currently understood. Therefore, studies were conducted to determine the effects of γ-tocotrienol on the induction of autophagy in various breast cancer cell lines. Mouse (+SA) and human (MCF-7 and MDA-MD-231) mammary tumor cells lines were exposed for an acute 24 h period to 20 or 40 μM γ-tocotrienol. Results showed that γ-tocotrienol treatment caused a relatively large increase in the accumulation of monodansylcadaverine (MDC)-labeled vacuoles, an early marker of autophagic compartment formation, in all mammary tumor cell lines. These cells also displayed an increased conversion of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3-I, the cytosolic form) to LC3-II (lapitated form associated with autophagosome), which is associated with the increased formation of autophagic vacuoles, followed by upregulation of Beclin-1. Treatment with γ-tocotrienol also caused a significant increase in the LC3II/LC3I ratio, a characteristic marker of autophagy, as compared to vehicle-treated control groups. Additional flow cytometery analysis showed that γ-tocotrienol treatment caused an increase in acridine orange staining, an indicator of autophagy, in all mammary cancer cell lines. In contrast, similar treatment of γ-tocotrienol on immortalized mouse (CL-S1) and human (MCF10A) normal mammary epithelial cell lines did not show significant accumulation of MDC–labeled vacuoles or the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II. In addition, γ-tocotrienol-induced autophagy was also associated with a suppression in PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and the initiation of apoptosis as indicated by caspase activation in these mammary cancer cells. In summary, these finding suggest that γ-tocotrienol selectively induces autophagy in mouse and human mammary cancer cell lines and support a novel function of autophagy in promoting breast cancer cells death. This study was supported by grants from First Tech International Ltd., and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P3-03-12.
The Behavioral Treatment of a Young Adult with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Fear of Children

In vivo desensitization and self-modeling were evaluated for effectiveness in treating a 29-year-old female with an intense fear of children. Previous to, and independent of this study, this subject was diagnosed as having post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from a history of childhood abuse. The subject had been treated for PTSD without any impact on her reported fear of children. Initial assessments included behavioral, physiological, and self-report measures of fear, anxiety, and avoidance which all indicated a phobic level of response. Nineteen sessions were conducted over a 6 month period. Sessions involved in vivo exposure to a number of situations involving children and also included edited videotaped self-modeling. Following treatment, the subject stopped avoiding situations involving children, heart rate and blood pressure decreased slightly, confidence increased, and multiple fears in the client's life were reduced. A 5-month follow-up supported the treatment results.
Toward an Intersectional Understanding of Process Causality and Social Context

Maxwell and Donmoyer both argue in this issue of Qualitative Inquiry that narrow definitions of causality in educational research tend to disqualify qualitative research from influence (and funding...
A note on microbuckling in unidirectional fibrous composites

Etude du flambage d'une fibre dans une matrice elastique infinie dans le cas d'une adherence parfaite entre fibre et matrice, et dans le cas d'une perte d'adherence
Sodium naphthalene induced reductive demercuration and symmetrization of organomercuric halides

Abstract A novel electron transfer free radical mechanism has been elucidated for the sodium naphthalene induced demercuration and symmetrization of some alkyl- and arylmercuric chlorides
Environmental embrittlement of nickel and nickel-base alloys—an analogy to steels and austenitic stainless steels

Hydrogen embrittlement characteristics, especially pertinent to sulfide stress cracking, of steels has been investigated to a great extent. Investigations of hydrogen embrittlement and sulfide stress cracking of nickel and nickel-base alloys have not been quite as extensive as in the case of steels. However, there are many areas of similarities between the behaviors of the two alloy systems which are discussed in this paper. These include the effect of applied stress, strength, temperature, strain rate, and impurity segregation. Areas of dissimilarities are also pointed out. In the area of stress corrosion cracking, especially involving chloride solutions, there are many parallels between the behaviors of austenitic stainless steels and nickel-base alloys. These include the effects of oxygen and chloride, temperature, H2S, and composition. An appreciation of these similarities can lead to a better understanding of the environmental cracking behavior of nickel and nickel-base alloys and point out the aspects needing further investigation.
Low-Reynolds-Number Effects on Delta-Wing Aerodynamics

Fig. 1 Model pressure tapping details. Bilanin, A. J., Teske, M. E., and Hirsh, J. E., ‘‘Neutral Atmospheric Effects on the Dissipation of Aircraft Vortex Wakes,’’ AIAA Journal, Vol. 16, No. 9, 1978, pp. 956– 961. Kopp, F., ‘‘Doppler Lidar Investigation of Wake Vortex Transport Between Closely Spaced Parallel Runways,’’ AIAA Journal, Vol. 32, No. 4, 1994, pp. 805– 810. Corjon, A., and Poinsot, T., ‘‘A Model to De ne Aircraft Separations Due to Wake Vortex Encounter,’’ AIAA Paper 95-1776, June 1995. Crow, S. C., and Bate, E. R., ‘‘Lifespan of Trailing Vortices in a Turbulent Atmosphere,’’ Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 13, No. 7, 1976, pp. 476– 484. Liu, H.-T., ‘‘Effects of Ambient Turbulence on the Decay of a Trailing Vortex Wake,’’ Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 29, No. 1, 1992, pp. 255– 263. Perry, R. B., Hinton, D. A., and Stuever, R. A., ‘‘NASA Wake Vortex Research for Aircraft Spacing,’’ AIAA Paper 97-0057, Jan. 1997.
A previously undescribed potyvirus isolated and characterized from arborescent Brugmansia

A suspected virus disease was identified from an arborescent Brugmansia x candida Pers. (syn. Datura candida Pers.) tree. The causal agent was aphid transmissible at low rates. Viral particles were purified from infected tobacco tissue, analyzed, and purified virions were inoculated into healthy tobacco plants to recreate the symptoms. The virions had a mean length of 720-729 nm, and infected cells contained inclusion bodies typical of potyvirus infections. Analysis of infected tissues and purified virions with a panel of potyvirus-specific antibodies confirmed identification as a potyvirus. Viral host range, dilution end point, thermal tolerance and aphid transmission characteristics were examined. The viral genome (9761 nt) is typical of potyviruses, with the closest related potyvirus being pepper mottle virus, at 72 % nt sequence identity. Based on conventions for naming novel potyviruses, the virus was determined to be a member of a previously undescribed species, tentatively named “Brugmansia mosaic virus” (BruMV).
Shared and Unique Genetic Effects Among Seven HDL Phenotypes

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic control of various HDL measures and to determine the proportion of genetic variance explained by shared genes (ie, pleiotropy) and the proportion unique to each trait. The data used were drawn from large, randomly ascertained pedigrees of Mexican Americans participating in the San Antonio Family Heart Study. Data were available for 655 individuals (258 men and 397 women) in 26 families. We performed a multivariate quantitative genetic analysis to simultaneously estimate both the additive genetic and random environmental correlations among seven HDL phenotypes. These seven HDL phenotypes can be divided into two categories: measures of concentration and estimates of particle size. Concentration was measured for apo A-I, apo A-II, esterified cholesterol, and unesterified cholesterol, and particle size was estimated for apo A-I, apo A-II, and esterified cholesterol. The heritabilities (h2) for each of the seven traits were significantly greater than zero ( P <.05) and ranged from 0.2 to 0.6. When considered in a pairwise fashion, all combinations of these traits showed marked genetic correlations (ρG=0.33 to 0.87) and all were significantly greater than zero ( P <.05), indicative of pleiotropic effects. However, we found substantial unique genetic variance for each of these traits even after accounting for the effects shared in common with all the remaining measures. We conclude that the genetic variation in these HDL phenotypes is a result of the action of common as well as unique genes.
Oculoauriculofrontonasal syndrome in a nine-month-old male

Oculoauriculofrontonasal syndrome (OAFNS) was initially described in 1983. Since that time there have been 18 patients reported in the literature with this rare presumed autosomal recessive syndrome. Individuals with OAFNS have clinical features in common with both the oculoauriculovertebral spectrum and the frontonasal dysplasia sequence. We present a nine month old Caucasian male with OAFNS. The patient was delivered at 38 weeks gestation to a healthy 39-year-old (G3P3) mother. The patient's parents were non-consanguineous and his two older brothers were unaffected. The remainder of the family history was non-contributory. A chorionic villus sampling was performed due to advanced maternal age and a normal 46, XY male karyotype was found. A cleft lip and a possible cerebral mass were identified by routine prenatal ultrasound. At birth, the patient was small for gestational age and had multiple congenital anomalies including bilateral cleft lip and palate, left pre-auricular skin tag, severely hypoplastic right pinna without an external canal, severely everted and hypoplastic left upper eyelid, notched broad nasal tip, ocular hypertelorism, and micrognathia. Further evaluations showed an extra cervical rib on the left, hemivertebrae at T3-4, agenesis of the posterior corpus callosum with a midline lipoma, an extra renal pelvis on the left, a small patent foramen ovale, and severe hearing loss. A high-resolution chromosome analysis (550 band level) including a FISH probe study for the 22q11 deletion was normal. At nine months of age, the patient had significant feeding difficulties. Height, weight and head circumference was below the third percentile. His developmental milestones were within normal limits. The above findings are consistent with the diagnosis of OAFNS.
THE NAVARRO CONJECTURE FOR THE ALTERNATING GROUPS, p = 2

G. Navarro [10] proposed a refinement of the McKay conjecture involving a special class of automorphisms. We verify that this new conjecture holds in the case of the alternating groups for p = 2.
Chronic administration of lithium or other antidepressants increases levels of DARPP-32 in rat frontal cortex.

: We studied the chronic actions of lithium on rat brain by investigating its effects on cyclic AMP-dependent protein phos-phorylation by use of a back-phosphorylation procedure. We identified one heavily regulated phosphoprotein in frontal cortex as the 32-kDa dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32). Immunoblot experiments demonstrated that chronic lithium regulation of DARPP-32 back-phosphorylation is associated with equivalent increases in levels of DARPP-32 immunoreactivity. Lithium regulation of DARPP-32 immunoreactivity required chronic drug administration and was not observed in several other brain regions examined. Moreover, chronic administration of the antidepressant imipramine or tranylcypromine produced a similar increase in levels of DARPP-32 in frontal cortex, whereas other types of psychotropic drugs, including haloperidol. morphine, and cocaine, did not influence DARPP-32 levels. Increased levels of DARPP-32 could reflect a common functional effect on frontal cortex of long-term exposure to lithium and some other antidepressant medications, an effect possibly related to the clinical actions of these drugs.
Domain stability in PZT thin films

Abstract AFM measurements were made on textured lead zirconate titanate thin films excited by a 1 Vrms in the presence of various DC biasing voltages. Domain pinning sites were found in the film. All sites were located at grain boundaries and were coincident with abnormally large piezoelectric displacements in the film. Different sites were associated with domain polarization aligned toward the free surface of the film than with polarization aligned toward the substrate. Finite element calculations used to determine residual stress as a function of grain misorientation showed that large residual stresses and strains normal to the film plane would be generated at grain boundaries for certain grain misorientations. Domain pinning sites in PZT thin films are interpreted in terms of residual stresses at grain boundaries due to grain misorientation.
Retroviral Labeling is an Appropriate Marker for Dividing Cells

5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridne (BrdU) and 3H-thymidine label mitotically active cells, but they do not adequately mark the progeny of dividing cells for long term study. An alternative method is to label cells using the replication-defective CXL retroviral vector, which carries the lacZ gene encoding beta-galactosidase; however, the ability of the CXL retroviral vector to pulse-label mitotically active cells selectively is not known. Cultures of proliferating muscle cells were simultaneously incubated with the CXL retrovirus and BrdU (10 microM) for 2 hr. After removing the retrovirus containing medium, the cells were maintained for an additional 24 hr in vitro before they were stained to detect beta-galactosidase and BrdU simultaneously. More than 95% of beta-galactosidase positive cells were also BrdU positive suggesting that the majority of beta-galactosidase positive cells were in the S-phase of the cell cycle at the time of CXL retroviral administration. Therefore, the CXL retroviral vector is an appropriate pulse marker for dividing cells, and it is useful when it is desirable to know the fate of the progeny of a particular cell following a mitotic event.
THE SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE RESPONSE OF DEPRESSED PATIENTS TO INFUSED NOREPINEPHRINE

In an unselected group of thirty-eight depressed patients it was found that clinical recovery was positively correlated with an enhanced systolic blood pressure response to infused NE. All forms of physical treatment employed resulted in high recovery rates and high rates of NE potentiation as compared with a placebo group. Patients who showed a low (below the median) initial NE response showed higher recovery rates and higher rates of NE potentiation when given a somatic treatment than did patients with a high initial NE response.
Effects of size on Vervet (Cercopithecus aethiops) gait parameters: A cross‐sectional approach

A comparison of the values of certain temporal and spatial locomotor parameters was made among ten different-aged (sized) vervet monkeys locomoting at nine identical speeds. Cycle and stance durations decreased across speed for all the animals; at any one speed both parameters also varied directly with body size. Stride length increased with speed for all the animals and was greater in the larger animals. Swing duration and hindlimb support length tended to be relatively consistent for each animal across speed, but varied among the animals directly with body size. Hindlimb duty factor decreased with speed for any one animal but showed no direct correlation with size. Hindlimb angular excursion also showed no correlation with size, nor did it show a simple relationship with speed. In terms of gaits and gait transitions, the data indicate that vervets use a very wide variety of gait types, which are not easily correlated with speed or body size. Furthermore, the data suggest the existence of a run–gallop transition zone of speeds for these animals, rather than the existence of a specific transition speed. Finally, the data were used to test intraspecifically the elastic and dynamic similarity models, both of which predict how locomotor parameters will change with size in animals. The results are generally consistent with the dynamic model.
Plasma levels of tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 are correlated with the presence of transplant coronary artery disease in cardiac transplant recipients.

Hemostatic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of native coronary artery disease. However, their role in transplant coronary artery disease is less established. To assess the role of hemostatic factors in transplant coronary artery disease we studied 52 consecutive cardiac transplant patients. The presence of transplant coronary artery disease was determined by angiography. Plasma levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), von Willebrand Factor (vWF), and fibrin D-dimer were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Serum lipids were measured by enzymatic methods. Patients with transplant coronary artery disease had higher circulating t-PA (8.6 ± 0.8 vs. 5.4 ± 0.6 ng/ml, p = 0.021) and PAI-1 antigen concentrations (38.0 ± 3.4 vs 25.8 ± 2.2 ng/ml, p = 0.037). t-PA and PAI-1 antigen concentrations correlated with the severity of angiographic disease (R = 0.34; p = 0.014 for t-PA, and R = 0.45; p = 0.001 for PAI-1). Serum cholesterol levels were higher in patients with transplant coronary artery disease (221 ± 7.6 vs 191 ± 9.2 mg/dl, p = 0.039). Serum triglycerides were also higher in patients with transplant coronary artery disease by angiography (246 ± 38.3 vs 139 ± 20.8 mg/dl, p = 0.050). Multivariate analysis identified t-PA antigen (p = 0.003) and triglyceride levels (p = 0.038) as independent predictors for the presence of transplant coronary artery disease. We conclude that cardiac transplant patients with evidence of transplant coronary artery disease on coronary angiography have altered hemostatic function which is reflected by elevated levels of circulating t-PA and PAI-1 antigens. The interaction of the hemostatic system and serum lipids in the development of transplant coronary artery disease warrants further study.
Essentially nilpotent rings

In this note we introduce a class of nil rings (called essentially nilpotent) which properly contains the class of nilpotent rings. A nil ring is said to be essentially nilpotent if it contains an essential right ideal which is nilpotent. Various properties of essentially nilpotent rings are investigated. A nil ring is essentially nilpotent if and only if it contains an essential right ideal which is leftT-nilpotent.