cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure-Function Analysis of Fission Yeast Hus1-Rad1-Rad9 Checkpoint Complex

Hus1, Rad1, and Rad9 are three evolutionarily conserved proteins required for checkpoint control in fission yeast. These proteins are known to form a stable complex in vivo. Recently, computational studies have predicted structural similarity between the individual proteins of Hus1-Rad1-Rad9 complex and the replication processivity factor proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). This has led to the proposal that the Hus1-Rad1-Rad9 complex may form a PCNA-like ring structure, and could function as a sliding clamp during checkpoint control. In the present study, we have attempted to test the predictions of this model by asking whether the PCNA alignment identifies functionally important residues or explains mutant phenotypes of hus1, rad1, or rad9 alleles. Although some of our results are consistent with the PCNA alignment, others indicate that the Hus1-Rad1-Rad9 complex possesses unique structural and functional features.
Age-appropriate body mass index in children with achondroplasia: interpretation in relation to indexes of height.

Background Achondroplasia is the most common short stature skeletal dysplasia, with an estimated worldwide prevalence of 250 000. Body mass index (BMI)-for-age references are required for weight management guidance for children with achondroplasia, whose body proportions are unlike those of the average stature population. Objective This study used weight and height data in a clinical setting to derive smoothed BMI-for-age percentile curves for children with achondroplasia and explored the relation of BMI with its components, weight and height. Design This was a longitudinal observational study of anthropometric measures of children with achondroplasia from birth through 16 y of age. Results The analysis included 1807 BMI data points from 280 children (155 boys, 125 girls) with achondroplasia. As compared with the BMI of peers of average stature, the BMI in children with achondroplasia is higher at birth, lacks a steep increase in infancy and a later nadir between 1 and 2 y of age, and remains substantially higher through 16 y of age in both sexes. Patterns of change in height and weight in children with achondroplasia are unique in that there is no overlap in the height distribution after 6 mo of age and no spike in height velocity during infancy or puberty-the 2 periods of greatest linear growth in individuals of average stature. Conclusions Sex- and age-specific BMI curves are available for children with achondroplasia (birth to 16 y of age) for health surveillance and future research to determine associations with health outcomes (eg, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and indication for and outcome of surgery).
Survival and growth response of white spruce stock types to site preparation in Alaska

To identify suitable methods for reforestation, we evaluated the interacting effects of past disturbance, stock types, and site preparation treatments on white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedling survival and growth across a range of sites in Alaska. Replicated experiments were established in five regions. At each site, two complete installations differed in time since disturbance: “new” units were harvested immediately before spring planting and “old” units were harvested at least 3 years before planting. We compared mechanical scarification before planting, broadcast herbicide application during the fall before planting, and no site preparation with 1-year-old container-grown seedlings from two sources, 2-year-old bare-root transplants from two sources, and 3-year-old bare-root transplants. Seedlings were followed for 11 years on most sites. Based on meta-analyses, seedling survival increased 10% with herbicide application and 15% with mechanical scarification compared with no site preparation....
Modeling and simulation of LAN DBMS performance

Which Is better: the personal computer-oriented distributed processing DBMS such as dBase III Plus and R;Base System V or the minicomputer-like back-and DBMS such as LANserver and Oracle? This Is a question of Importance to LAN DBMS ad ministrators and users. In this study, the architecture of a database server and that of a distributed processing DBMS are modeled and simulated under conditions where workstations on a LAN request complicated queries that require large join operations to take place; queries that require the examination of data files; and simple queries that only require the processing of small Index files. The performance parameters examined in this study include CPU speed, LAN throughput, disk seek time, disk latency, disk data transfer rate and query arrival rate.
Geriatric Syndromes and Functional Status in NSHAP: Rationale, Measurement, and Preliminary Findings

Introduction. The geriatric functional measures and syndromes collected 5 years apart in Waves 1 and 2 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) data set included: difficulty with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, the timed up and go, a 3-m timed walk, repeated chair stands, self-reported physical activity, accelerometry-assessed (in)activity, falls, fractures, and frailty. The purpose of this paper was to describe the data collection methods and report preliminary population estimates for each measures. Method. Frequencies, means, or medians were estimated for each measure stratified by age and gender, using the age-eligible samples in Wave 1 ( n = 3,005) and Wave 2 (n = 3,196). An adapted phenotypic frailty scale was constructed in the sample common to both waves ( n = 2,261). Changes over 5 years were reported for four measures common to both waves. Results. The functional measures worsened with age ( p < .001). The syndromes were more prevalent with age except “all fractures” (p value range < .001–.03). Functional measures were worse among females than males except chair stand performance and the accelerometry-assessed (in)activity measures ( p value range < .001–.01). The syndromes were more common among females than males except Wave 2 falls and Wave 2 hip fractures ( p value range < .001–.03). Changes from Wave 1 to 2 revealed 11.5%–25.2% of individuals reported better health and 21.3%–44.7% reported worse health. Discussion. The NSHAP provides a comprehensive assessment of geriatric health. Our findings are consistent with the literature and support the construct of the study measures.
Influence of Drainage Connectivity, Drainage Area and Regional Species Richness on Fishes of the Interior Highlands in Arkansas

Abstract There has been strong recent interest in the “macroecological” approach of explaining local community phenomena as a consequence of patterns at larger geographic scales. Various authors have suggested that if local observations can be explained by the larger-scale patterns in which they are embedded, there is less need to invoke local (within-site) processes (like competition, habitat structure, etc.) to explain community structure. We used a large database on local stream fish assemblages and species distributions in the Interior Highlands of Arkansas to test three macroecological hypotheses: (1) faunal similarities among upland river basins can be predicted from the hierarchical geographical connectivities of those streams in the larger Mississippi River Basin drainage network; (2) faunal richness of drainages up to the size of small rivers (ca. 4000 km2) increases with drainage area; and (3) local (within-site) species richness increases in proportion to regional (basin) richness. These hypoth...
A Critical Reappraisal of Prolonged Neutropenia as a Risk Factor for Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

Prolonged neutropenia is generally thought to be the major factor for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). In the present study, we characterize the frequency, severity, and duration of neutropenia that immediately precedes IPA. Prolonged neutropenia was identified in only one third of all IPA cases and occurred exclusively in hematologic patients.
Molecular-Thermodynamic Framework to Predict the Micellization Behavior of Mixtures of Fluorocarbon-Based and Hydrocarbon-Based Surfactants

We present a molecular-thermodynamic (MT) framework to predict the micellization properties of mixtures of fluorocarbon-based and hydrocarbon-based surfactants. Practically, this mixing reduces the use of fluorinated surfactants in the surfactant formulation, thereby addressing environmental concerns associated with the non-biodegradability and toxicity of fluorinated surfactants. The micellization properties of these mixtures are affected by the enthalpic interactions between the fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon surfactant tails. Consequently, the MT framework incorporates an enthalpy of mixing contribution estimated using regular solution theory (RST). The RST interaction parameter is estimated on the basis of phase equilibrium data. The MT framework also makes allowance for the coexistence of two types of micelles in solution to account for experimental findings which suggest that mixtures of fluorocarbon-based and hydrocarbon-based surfactants can form two types of micelles. Furthermore, the model used to...
Principles of Tissue Engineering and Reconstruction Using Polymer-Cell Constructs

The fields of materials science, cell and molecular biology, and surgical reconstruction are merging to create new devices for surgical transplantation and reconstructive applications. The field of artificial devices for implantation has matured over the last 40 years. Likewise, the field of transplantation and tissue reconstruction has undergone enormous change and improvements over the last 30 years. It has been proposed that these fields merge to create new tissue substitutes for functional replacement, therapy or reconstructive applications. Over the last five years, our lab has experimented with the concept of using man-made, biodegradable polymer systems as scaffolding for cell implantation devices. They have been designed to maximize diffusion parameters allowing nutrient exchange, gas exchange, and waste exchange. Vascular ingrowth occurs in the implant with subsequent resorption of the original polymer. This leaves a permanently engrafted new tissue which is a chimera of donor cells for functional replacement and recipient mesenchymal elements including blood vessels and supporting tissue. We have experimented in several model systems including hepatocyte implants, chondrocyte implants for cartilage reconstruction, urethelial implants for urinary reconstruction, and more recently small bowel and bone. Across this broad front of tissue types, much new knowledge has been gained and there continues to be hope that this will achieve clinical application.
Risk assessment in stage II colon cancer: to treat or not to treat?

it is obvious that some patients with stage II cancers have excellent outcomes and do not require additional therapy, whereas other patients have cancers that biologically behave more like stage III tumors. Over the past years, our understanding of stage II colon cancer has made significant advances leading to a refinement in the identification of the patient population and the treatment options considered appropriate as adjuvant therapy in this setting.
Modigliani and Keynesian Economics

Modigliani built a Keynesian macroeconomic model that has attracted research for over 60 years. It started with his dissertation in 1944, which he revised just several months before his death in 2003. Some hold that the model revived classical thought, others say it betrayed the tools and thoughts of classical economics. But the model performed well overall in the sense that it solved problems and predicted macroeconomic events. In this chapter, we present Modigliani as a model builder who has one foot on theory and the other on application, extending the Keynesian paradigm.
3D Printed Modeling of the Mitral Valve for Catheter-Based Structural Interventions

As catheter-based structural heart interventions become increasingly complex, the ability to effectively model patient-specific valve geometry as well as the potential interaction of an implanted device within that geometry will become increasingly important. Our aim with this investigation was to combine the technologies of high-spatial resolution cardiac imaging, image processing software, and fused multi-material 3D printing, to demonstrate that patient-specific models of the mitral valve apparatus could be created to facilitate functional evaluation of novel trans-catheter mitral valve repair strategies. Clinical 3D transesophageal echocardiography and computed tomography images were acquired for three patients being evaluated for a catheter-based mitral valve repair. Target anatomies were identified, segmented and reconstructed into 3D patient-specific digital models. For each patient, the mitral valve apparatus was digitally reconstructed from a single or fused imaging data set. Using multi-material 3D printing methods, patient-specific anatomic replicas of the mitral valve were created. 3D print materials were selected based on the mechanical testing of elastomeric TangoPlus materials (Stratasys, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA) and were compared to freshly harvested porcine leaflet tissue. The effective bending modulus of healthy porcine MV tissue was significantly less than the bending modulus of TangoPlus (p 0.95). We have demonstrated that patient-specific mitral valve models can be reconstructed from multi-modality imaging datasets and fabricated using the multi-material 3D printing technology and we provide two examples to show how catheter-based repair devices could be evaluated within specific patient 3D printed valve geometry. However, we recognize that the use of 3D printed models for the development of new therapies, or for specific procedural training has yet to be defined.
Carbon Nanotube Immobilized Composite Hollow Fiber Membranes for Extraction of Volatile Organics from Air

This paper reports the development of novel carbon nanotube immobilized composite membranes (CNIMs) for the extraction of volatile organics from air. The nanotubes were immobilized onto the selective layer of a composite membrane where they served as sorption sites and provided additional pathways for enhanced solute transport. Depending upon the process conditions, the presence of carbon nanotubes led to the organic removal with flux as high as 37.7 × 10–5, 72.9 × 10–5, and 8.22 × 10–5 gm mol/m2 min and an increase in mass-transfer coefficient of about 92.2%, 22.7%, and 44.3% for toluene, dichloromethane, and ethanol, respectively. The CNIMs demonstrated several advantages, including enhanced recovery at low concentrations and low temperature.
Magnitude-dependent and inversely-related osteogenic/chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells under dynamic compressive strain.

Biomechanical forces have been shown to significantly affect tissue development, morphogenesis, pathogenesis and healing, especially in orthopaedic tissues. Such biological processes are critically related to the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). However, the mechanistic details regarding how mechanical forces direct MSC differentiation and subsequent tissue formation are still elusive. Electrospun three-dimensional scaffolds were used to culture and subject hMSCs to various magnitudes of dynamic compressive strains at 5, 10, 15 or 20% (e = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) at a frequency of 1 Hz for 2 h daily for up to 28 days in osteogenic media. Gene expression of chondrogenic markers (ACAN, COL2A1, SOX9) and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis were upregulated in response to the increased magnitudes of compressive strain, whereas osteogenic markers (COL1A1, SPARC, RUNX2) and calcium deposition had noticeable decreases by compressive loading in a magnitude-dependent manner. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed enhanced viscoelastic modulus with respect to the increased dynamic strain peaking at 15%, which coincides with the maximal GAG synthesis. Furthermore, polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography revealed that mechanical loading enhanced the alignment of extracellular matrix to the greatest level by 15% strain as well. Overall, we show that the degree of differentiation of hMSCs towards osteogenic or chondrogenic lineage is inversely related, and it depends on the magnitude of dynamic compressive strain. These results demonstrate that multiphenotypic differentiation of hMSCs can be controlled by varying the strain regimens, providing a novel strategy to modulate differentiation specification and tissue morphogenesis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neonatal mouse-derived engineered cardiac tissue: a novel model system for studying genetic heart disease.

Rationale: Cardiomyocytes cultured in a mechanically active 3-dimensional configuration can be used for studies that correlate contractile performance to cellular physiology. Current engineered cardiac tissue (ECT) models use cells derived from either rat or chick hearts. Development of a murine ECT would provide access to many existing models of cardiac disease and open the possibility of performing targeted genetic manipulation with the ability to directly assess contractile and molecular variables. Objective: To generate, characterize, and validate mouse ECT with a physiologically relevant model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Methods and Results: We generated mechanically integrated ECT using isolated neonatal mouse cardiac cells derived from both wild-type and myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C)–null mouse hearts. The murine ECTs produced consistent contractile forces that followed the Frank-Starling law and accepted physiological pacing. cMyBP-C–null ECTs showed characteristic acceleration of contraction kinetics. Adenovirus-mediated expression of human cMyBP-C in murine cMyBP-C–null ECT restored contractile properties to levels indistinguishable from those of wild-type ECT. Importantly, the cardiomyocytes used to construct the cMyBP-C −/− ECT had yet to undergo the significant hypertrophic remodeling that occurs in vivo. Thus, this murine ECT model reveals a contractile phenotype that is specific to the genetic mutation rather than to secondary remodeling events. Conclusions: Data presented here show mouse ECT to be an efficient and cost-effective platform to study the primary effects of genetic manipulation on cardiac contractile function. This model provides a previously unavailable tool to study specific sarcomeric protein mutations in an intact mammalian muscle system.
Book Review: My Church is NOT Dying: Episcopalians in the 21st Century:

My Church is NOT Dying: Episcopalians in the 21st Century. By Greg Garrett. New York: Morehouse Publishing, 2015. xiii + 143 pp. $16.00 (paper).Greg Garrett has written a love-song to the Episcopal Church. He fell in love when, in his words, he was a church drop-out, "in a mess, a barely together trash bag crammed full of grief and despair," and found his way to a profoundly welcoming, primarily African American parish in Austin, Texas: "Becoming a worshipper at St. James' Episcopal Church saved my life" (p. 49). This book amply demonstrates that his first love has not faded, even though he has now spent fifteen years deepening the relationship. That in- cludes earning an M.Div. degree from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest, serving as the seminary's writer in residence and as a professor at (Baptist) Baylor University, active participation as a lay preacher at St. David's Church in Austin, and speaking and preaching widely.The Episcopal Church Greg Garrett loves is not the old (real or imag- ined) dowager of the Establishment but the church as it has emerged in the last few decades, unabashedly committed to inclusion of women and the LGBT community at eveiy level of its life, engaged in a wide array of social ministries to the homeless, AIDS victims, undocumented aliens, and victims of Hurricane Katrina, and willing to engage people wherever they are on their spiritual journey.In eight chapters, Garrett offers a brief introduction to "The Anglican Way: Spiritual and Religious," affirms its openness to unanswered (unanswerable?) questioning, celebrates its worship, and embraces its commit- ment to "Beauty and the Life of God: Music, Culture, and the Incarnate Way." He acknowledges the reality of the impact of the "culture wars" on the Episcopal Church over the last few decades, but insists that they left the church stronger than ever. The last three chapters focus on the need for a new-style evangelism that takes social networking seriously; the church's continued commitment to justice; and the importance of engaging contemporary culture so that others are fully aware of just how attractive the Epis- copal Church is.This reviewer must confess that the Episcopal Church I love is the same one that has captured Garrett's heart. But I wonder about all those Episco- palians, many of them just as committed to the church as we are, who are unable to see their way clear to embrace it with the same uncritical affection. Perhaps they did not receive the same kind of unconditional and healing welcome as Garrett did. Perhaps the worship they participate in week by week is not as beautiful or stimulating as that at St. David's. Perhaps they still have doubts about the changes that have rocked the church, and still wonder about some of its decisions and directions. …
Quantification of Arctic Soil and Permafrost Properties Using Ground-Penetrating Radar and Electrical Resistivity Tomography Datasets

Improving understanding of Arctic ecosystem climate feedback and parameterization of models that simulate freeze-thaw dynamics require advances in quantifying soil and snow properties. Due to the significant spatiotemporal variability of soil properties and the limited information provided by point-scale measurements (e.g., cores), geophysical methods hold potential for improving soil and permafrost characterization. In this study, we evaluate the use of a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to estimate thaw layer thickness, snow depth, and ice-wedge characteristics in an ice-wedge-dominated tundra region near Barrow, AK, USA. To this end, we analyze GPR and point-scale measurements collected along several parallel transects at the end of the growing season and the end of frozen season. In addition, we compare the structural information extracted from the GPR data with electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) information about ice-wedge characteristics. Our study generally highlights the value of GPR data collected in the frozen season, when conditions lead to the improved GPR signal-to-noise ratio, facilitate data acquisition, and reduce acquisition-related ecosystem disturbance relative to growing season. We document for the first time that GPR data collected during the frozen season can provide reliable estimates of active layer thickness and geometry of ice wedges. We find that the ice-wedge geometry extracted from GPR data collected during the frozen season is consistent with ERT data, and that GPR data can be used to constrain the ERT inversion. Consistent with recent studies, we also find that GPR data collected during the frozen season can provide good estimates of snow thickness, and that GPR data collected during the growing season can provide reliable estimate thaw depth. Our quantification of the value of the GPR and ERT data collected during growing and frozen seasons paves the way for coupled inversion of the datasets to improve understanding of permafrost variability.
Jin Xi: Master of puppet animation

ABSTRACTPuppet animation was one of the key forms of animation at Shanghai meishu dianying zhipianchang and would remain so until the late 1970s transition into television. One of the most important puppet animators at the studio, Jin Xi 靳夕, contributed to approximately 23 productions, including features, shorts, and a television series. Jin Xi's animation theory, partially derived from poetics, represents some of the most sophisticated discussion of animation in the Chinese language. The employment of three-dimensional volume, texture, lighting and space in puppet animation more closely resembles three-dimensional computer animation than other animation forms. Jin Xi's last film, Xiyue qitong/Saving Mother, 1984, is tacitly the first episode of a film based on a folk story about Chenxiang, a rebellious boy-god who travels through a series of adventures to save his mother, magically trapped beneath a mountain. Chenxiang references both the national style and the house style of an earlier SAFS character, N...
A new generation of mTORC1 inhibitor attenuates alcohol intake and reward in mice.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic condition associated with devastating socioeconomic consequences. Yet, pharmacotherapies to treat behavioral phenotypes such as uncontrolled heavy drinking are limited. Studies in rodents suggest that the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) plays an important role in mechanisms underlying alcohol drinking behaviors as well as alcohol seeking and relapse. These preclinical evidence suggest that mTORC1 may be a therapeutic target for the treatment of AUD. Thus, the aim of the present study was to test the potential use of newly developed mTORC1 inhibitors, RapaLink-1 and MLN0128, in preclinical mouse models of AUD. First, we used the intermittent access to 20 percent alcohol in a two-bottle choice paradigm and tested the efficacy of the drugs to reduce alcohol intake in mice with a history of binge drinking and withdrawal. We found that both inhibitors reduce excessive alcohol intake and preference with RapaLink-1 exhibiting higher efficacy. We further observed that RapaLink-1 attenuates alcohol consumption during the first alcohol-drinking session in naive mice, and interestingly, the effect was still present 14 days after the initial treatment with the drug. We also found that RapaLink-1 did not alter the consumption of water or saccharin, revealing a specific effect of the inhibitor on alcohol intake. Finally, we report that RapaLink-1 blocks the retrieval but not acquisition of alcohol place preference without affecting locomotion. Together, our findings suggest that RapaLink-1 may be developed as a new medication to treat and prevent the development of AUD.
Development of a GIS-based model to estimate landscape water demand in the urban-rural interface

In the arid west of the United States, there has been a redistribution of water from agriculture to municipal, industrial, recreational, and environmental uses due to population growth. A growing municipality in search for new water resources usually leads to a rural-to-urban conversion of water uses, affecting irrigated agriculture. Multispectral airborne digital images at one-metre resolution were collected over agricultural and urban landscaped areas in the City of Layton, Utah. Spectral signatures were extracted from the image representing the classes of interest. Water demand in the urban areas was calculated as the volume of water consumed by each house for irrigated landscape areas. Comparison between the estimated volume of water used for irrigation purposes and the actual water use obtained from the water billing data was studied. This study demonstrated the ability to use high-resolution airborne imagery in a GIS environment to estimate landscape water demand for individual houses or subdivisions. This allows the water supplier to identify and target particular end users with water conserving measures.
A new species of Oxyptilus Zeller from the southwestern United States (Lepidoptera, Pterophoridae)

Oxyptilus eleaneraesp. n., is described from New Mexico, Arizona, and Southwest Texas, and compared with the only other Oxyptilus occurring in the Nearctic Region, O. delawaricus Zeller. A redescription is provided for O. delawaricus. Adults and male and female genitalia are illustrated for both species. Key morphological characters, distributions, and relationships within the genus are discussed.
AN EXPLORATION OF ESSENTIAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE MUSIC STREAMING ADOPTION AND THE INTENTION TO ENGAGE IN DIGITAL PIRACY

Preventing unauthorized downloading and other forms of digital piracy has always been challenging. Various strategies based on deterrence, ethical arguments, psychosocial considerations, or technical measures have been effective, but only to a limited degree. The problem persists and it is clear that magic bullets do not exist. One approach is to present consumers with new value propositions based on business models centered on digital streaming and downloading. Attractive product and platform attributes, which are a function of software and hardware design, may influence consumer behavior away from digital piracy and towards legitimate purchases. The results of this study suggest that platform and product usability, quality, and enjoyment can influence unauthorized downloading intention and purchasing intention of legitimate music streaming systems. To cite this document: William Hampton-Sosa, "An exploration of essential factors that influence music streaming adoption and the intention to engage in digital piracy ", International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies, Vol.8, No.1, pp.97-134, 2017. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.7903/ijecs.1458
Effects of Exercise on ASC Methylation and IL-1 Cytokines in Heart Failure.

ABSTRACTIntroduction/PurposeInflammation contributes to heart failure (HF) progression and the interleukin (IL)-1 cytokine IL-1β is implicated in this process. The adaptor protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) is necessary for inflammasome acti
Variation in Expression of Human Major Histocompatibility Genes in Mouse L Cells After DNA-Mediated Gene Transfer

Somatic cell genetics and gene mapping have contributed significantly to our understanding of the organization and expression of the large and complex genomes of higher eukaryotes (1). The random segregation of donor chromosomes in somatic cell hybrids has allowed genes to be mapped to particular chromosomes by correlating their expression with the presence or absence of particular chromosomes. Recently, the availability of cloned DNA sequences and the techniques of Southern blot hybridization has circumvented the need for expression for successful gene mapping (2). From this work, a number of multigene families, i.e., groups of distinct but homologous gene sequences having similar function and structure, have been identified and chromosomally located. These gene families can either be closely linked or dispersed throughout the genome (3).
Role of Inflammatory Mechanisms in Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome

Abstract This chapter focuses on immunopathology of different variants of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). GBS results from an autoimmune response directed against different antigens of myelin and axonal structures of the peripheral nerves. The target antigen remains to be determined in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), the most common variant of GBS, although antigens in the nodal and paranodal regions have recently been implicated in some of the cases. On the other hand, autoimmune attack against different peripheral nerve glycolipids (i.e., gangliosides) is the hallmark of GBS axonal variants such as acute motor axonal neuropathy and Miller Fisher syndrome. As experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) resembles human AIDP and studies on EAN have greatly contributed to understanding of GBS, the pertinent literature on EAN and other animal models of GBS axonal variants will be discussed before addressing the immnopathogenesis of human GBS.
Efficacy and Usability of a Virtual Simulation Training System for Health and Safety Hazards Encountered by Healthcare Workers

Abstract Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy, usability, usefulness, and desirability (UUD) of a Home Healthcare Interactive Virtual Simulation Training System (HH-VSTS) designed to train ...
DMP1 Binds Specifically to Type I Collagen and Regulates Mineral Nucleation and Growth

Extracellular matrix of bone and dentin is highly complex and involves a dynamic process of deposition and removal. Cells are the main architect that build this designer matrix that is highly specialized to calcified tissues. Osteoblasts or odontoblasts secrete both collagen and noncollagenous proteins in a temporal and spatial manner. Type I collagen self-assembles and forms a fabric-like template onto which noncollagenous proteins and mineral bind in a well-regulated manner. Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is one such noncollagenous protein that contains several acidic groups that can bind calcium ions which in turn binds phosphate and initiates the calcification process. In this study, we demonstrate that DMP1 is localized at specific sites on the self-assembled collagen matrix of dentin. In vitro nucleation studies on demineralized and deproteinized dentin slice adsorbed with DMP1 show bundles of well-ordered needle-shaped nanohydroxyapatite deposited on the dentin matrix. The nucleated mineral structures had uniform length and width and their long axis was oriented parallel to the collagen fibril axis. Overall, the physiologically self-assembled collagen and DMP1 mediated ordered deposition of nanocrystalline HAP.
MDM2, MDM2-C, and mutant p53 expression influence breast cancer survival in a multiethnic population.

The purpose of the study was to examine the association between expression of mutant p53 (mtp53), full-length MDM2 (MDM2), and MDM2 isoform C (MDM2-C) and survival in multiethnic breast cancer patients. A total of 787 invasive breast tumors included in a clinically annotated multiethnic population-based tissue microarray (TMA) were screened utilizing commercially available antibodies to p53 and MDM2, and a newly developed monoclonal antibody recognizing MDM2-C. Mutant p53 (mtp53) was more common in younger (< 50 years) breast cancer patients. Among the 787 cases included in the study, mtp53, MDM2, and MDM2-C expression were not significantly associated with risk of overall or breast cancer-specific mortality. However when associations within individual racial/ethnic groups (White, Japanese, and Native Hawaiian) were examined, expression of MDM2-C was found to be associated with lower risk of breast cancer-specific mortality exclusively for White patients HR 0.32, 95% CI 0.15–0.69 and mtp53 expression was associated with higher overall mortality in Japanese patients (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.02–2.59). Also, Japanese patients positive for the joint expression of MDM2-C and mtp53 had a greater than twofold risk of overall mortality (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.04–4.48); and White patients with positive MDM2-C and wild-type p53 expression (HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.08–0.96) were at lower risk of mortality when compared to patients with negative MDM2-C and wild-type p53 expression in their respective racial/ethnic group. Racial/ethnic differences in expression profiles of mtp53, MDM2, and MDM2-C and associations with breast cancer-specific and overall mortality. MDM2-C may have a positive or negative role in breast tumorigenesis depending on mtp53 expression.
Increasing Student Engagement Within the Core Nutritional Sciences Curriculum: A Gameful Learning Approach:

Innovative learning strategies are constantly developed to increase student engagement and application of course content to improve learning outcomes. Gameful Learning pedagogy is one such strategy...
Optimal control of environmental cleaning and antibiotic prescription in an epidemiological model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in hospitals

Abstract We consider a deterministic model of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in hospitals with seasonal oscillations of the antibiotic prescription rate. The model compartments consist of uncolonized patients with or without antibiotic exposure, colonized patients with or without antibiotic exposure, uncontaminated or contaminated healthcare workers, and free-living bacteria in the environment. We apply optimal control theory to this seven-compartment periodic system of ordinary differential equations to reduce the number of colonized patients and density of bacteria in the environment while minimizing the cost associated with environmental cleaning and antibiotic use in a particular time period. Characterizations of optimal control strategies are formulated and the ways hospitals should adjust these strategies for different scenarios are discussed. Numerical simulations strongly suggest that environmental cleaning is essential in the control of MRSA infections and antibiotic usage is suggested to be maintained at the least possible level. Screening, isolating, and shortening the extremely lengthened stays of colonized patients with antibiotic use history are all effective intervention strategies.
An Assessment of Training Characteristics Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in Masters Runners.

A growing body of literature supports an association between long-term endurance exercise and the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). Given the benefits of lifelong exercise, a better understanding of this association is critical to allow healthcare providers to counsel aging exercisers on the proper “dose” of exercise to maximize health benefits but minimize AF risk. The current study examines the relationship between specific aspects of training volume and intensity and the occurrence of AF among older runners in order to better understand what aspects of endurance exercise may contribute to the development of AF. The study was an Internet-based survey of endurance training and health characteristics of runners 35 years of age and older. A total 2819 runners participated and 69 (2.4%) reported a current or prior diagnosis of AF. Among “traditional” risk factors, runners reporting AF were older, more likely to be male, and had higher rates of hypertension and diabetes. Among training characteristics, only accumulated years of training was associated with AF. In contrast, average weekly mileage, training pace, and days of training per week were not associated with AF. In a multivariable analysis that included chronologic age, sex, diabetes, and hypertension, accumulated years of training remained significantly associated with the report of AF. These findings suggest that the relationship between chronic endurance exercise and AF is dependent on the accumulated training duration but does not appear to be influenced by specific training characteristics such as frequency or intensity of endurance exercise. Further confirmation of these relationships may help healthcare providers counsel exercisers on optimal training habits and identify endurance athletes who are at risk for the development of AF.
Advances in Multiphysics Modeling for Parallel Finite-Element Code Suite ACE3P

Developed by SLAC, the advanced computational electromagnetics three-dimensional parallel (ACE3P) code suite is a comprehensive set of parallel finite-element codes for multiphysics modeling of particle accelerators. Running on massively parallel computer platforms for high fidelity and high accuracy simulation, ACE3P enables rapid virtual prototyping of accelerator and radio frequency (RF) component design, optimization, and analysis. Recent advances of ACE3P have been focused on the implementation of advanced numerical algorithms, enhancement of multiphysics capabilities, and integration of ACE3P with other particle beams and plasmas codes toward end-to-end simulations in accelerators, and improvement of code performance on the state-of-the-art high-performance computing (HPC) platforms for large-scale RF modeling in accelerator applications and beyond. In this article, we will present a nonlinear electromagnetic (EM) eigensolver for damping calculation of resonant modes for cavities coupled with waveguides, the thermal solver for accurate evaluation of heat loads in superconducting RF (SRF) cavity power coupler, the elastic solver for investigation of SRF cavity cryomodule (CM) bowing due to thermal effect, the frequency-domain mechanical solver for studying SRF cavity mechanical oscillation modes, the particle tracking code for dark current simulation in SRF CM using a hybrid MPI+OpenMP parallel programming model, and the time-domain solver for high-fidelity modeling of EM wave propagation for powering midfield medical devices in human body. All the simulations have been performed on the computing resources at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, and the impact of HPC on multiphysics modeling will be discussed.
Peripheral Nerve Repair Using Tissue Engineered “Living Scaffolds” Comprised of Stretch-Grown Aligned Axonal Tracts Promotes Survival of Spinal Cord Motor Neurons

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) impacts millions annually, often leaving debilitated patients with minimal repair options to improve functional recovery. Our group has previously developed tissue engineered nerve grafts (TENGs) featuring long, aligned axonal tracts from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons that are fabricated in custom bioreactors using the process of axon stretch-growth. We have shown that TENGs effectively serve as living scaffolds to promote regeneration across segmental nerve defects by exploiting the newfound mechanism of axon-facilitated axon regeneration (AFAR), by simultaneously providing haptic and neurotrophic support. To extend this work, the current study investigated the efficacy of living versus non-living regenerative scaffolds in preserving host sensory and motor neuron cell health, using retrograde dye transport as a proxy, following bridging of segmental nerve defects. Rats were assigned across five groups: naive or repair using autograft, nerve guidance tube (NGT) with collagen, NGT + non-aligned DRG populations in collagen, or TENGs. We found that TENG repairs yielded equivalent regenerative capacity as autograft repairs based on preserved health of host spinal cord motor neurons and acute axonal regeneration, whereas NGT repairs or DRG neurons within an NGT exhibited reduced motor neuron preservation and diminished regenerative capacity. These acute regenerative benefits ultimately resulted in enhanced levels of functional recovery in animals receiving TENGs, at levels matching those attained by autografts. Our findings indicate that when used to bridge segmental nerve defects, TENGs preserve host spinal cord motor neuron health and regenerative capacity without sacrificing an otherwise uninjured nerve (as in the case of the autograft), and therefore represent a promising alternative strategy for neurosurgical repair following PNI.
A naturally segregating polymorphism balancing semelparous reproduction versus reproductive diapause revealed via microfluidic assessment of starvation stress in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Caenorhabditis elegans typically feeds on rotting fruit and plant material in a fluctuating natural habitat, a boom-and-bust lifestyle. Moreover, stage specific developmental responses to low food concentration suggest that starvation-like conditions are a regular occurrence. In order to assess variation in the C. elegans starvation response under precisely controlled conditions and simultaneously phenotype a large number of individuals with high precision, we have developed a microfluidic device that, when combined with image scanning technology, allows for high-throughput assessment at a temporal resolution not previously feasible and applied this to a large mapping panel of fully sequenced intercross lines. Under these conditions worms exhibit a markedly reduced adult lifespan with strain-dependent variation in starvation resistance, ranging from
Java from the trenches: dealing with object orientation and generics

Generic typing is a very desirable and useful language feature; in particular it is a welcome feature in the teaching of data structures in CS2. Hence its introduction in Java in 1.5 version was indeed a welcome addition to one of the most popular languages of current use in academia. On initial inspection the definition and use of generics is straightforward, but on closer inspection generic types do not interact smoothly with the object orientation paradigm. Wilcards is a Java 1.5 mechanism introduced to deal with generics and Object Orientation, in particular with subtypes. This papers presents the use of wildcards and provides guidelines in teaching its use in the design of generic classes and generic methods.
Exposure and Reactivity to Repetitive Thought in the Neuroticism–Distress Relationship

Distress has been assumed to result from exposure to repetitive thought (RT). However, if RT is viewed as internally generated stressors, both exposure and affective reactivity to RT could play roles in generating distress. Three studies (young adults, N = 99; midlife women, N = 111; older adults, N = 159) assessed exposure and reactivity to daily RT and tested whether neuroticism was related to individual differences in both exposure and affective reactivity. Across all three studies, reactivity effects on depressive symptoms exceeded those of exposure to RT, and neuroticism was associated with more exposure and greater affective reactivity. Furthermore, RT exposure and reactivity accounted for most when not all of the relationship between neuroticism and depressive symptoms. Further consideration of both exposure and affective reactivity to RT can not only increase the explanatory power of this construct but also suggest effective targets for intervention.
Russell, Berkeley y la materia objetiva

The problem discussed in the paper is how Russell can avoid reaching the conclusion that the notion of objective matter is meaningless without rejecting his Principle of Knowledge. Berkeley accepted a similar principle and could not avoid that conclusion. The principle of knowledge says that (a) “Every proposition which we can understand must be composed wholly of constituents with which we are acquainted.” And “we shall say that we have acquaintance with anything of which we are directly aware, without the intermediary of any process of inference or any knowledge of truths”. Russell would have to admit the conclusion if he accepted the following propositions (that seem obvious): (b) One cannot be acquainted with any (objective, material) table in itself. (c) The constituents of the proposition P, namely that the table before me (a certain objective and material table) is rectangular, are the table itself and the quality of being rectangular. Here the conclusion would be that (d) We cannot understand P. But a similar argument can be made about every proposition that is about a material object. Russell’s way out consists in denying (c). Fortunately his theory of descriptions provides a different analysis of P. What the proposition means is really the following conjunction: (i) There is at least one thing that has the property of being the table before me. (ii) There is at most one thing that has the property of being the table before me. (iii) Nothing has the property of being the table before me without having the property of being rectangular. So, (c) is false since the table before me is not a constituent of P. The constituents of P are certain properties and relations and oneself. Now the problem is that if we are acquainted with ourselves and other properties and relations, Russell cannot be sure that we can be acquainted with the property of being a table. The key to the solution of this problem is to be found in Chapter X of The Problems of Philosophy, where Russell says: “Many universals, like many particulars, are only known to us by description. But here, as in the case of particulars, knowledge concerning what is known by description is ultimately reducible to knowledge concerning what is known by acquaintance.” Berkeley had also admitted that if we could find a clear relation between (the notion of) matter and our ideas of colours, forms, etc., we could then understand the notion of matter. The idea that matter holds those qualities doesn’t seem to mean anything. Rusell, as we gather from Chapters II and III, thinks that this relation is causality. Matter, with its properties, causes the relevant sensations in us. We are acquainted with the effect, but are we acquainted with the notion of cause? Russell’s answer is that what is useful in the notion of cause involves only functional relations between events, and these functional relations can be known by acquaintance since they are presumably relations of space and time. Hugo Margain