cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PIKfyve and its Lipid Products in Health and in Sickness

PIKfyve, a phosphoinositide 5-kinase synthesizing PtdIns(3,5)P2 and PtdIns5P in a cellular context, belongs to an evolutionarily ancient gene family of PtdIns(3,5)P2-synthesizing enzymes that, except for plants, are products of a single-copy gene across species. In the dozen years after its discovery, enormous progress has been made in characterizing the numerous PIKfyve cellular functions and the regulatory mechanisms that govern these functions. It became clear that PIKfyve does not act alone but, rather, it engages the scaffolding regulator ArPIKfyve and the phosphatase Sac3 to make a multiprotein “PAS” complex, so called for the first letters of the protein names. This complex relays antagonistic signals, one for synthesis, another for turnover of PtdIns(3,5)P2, whose dysregulated coordination is linked to several human diseases. The physiological significance for each protein in the PAS complex is underscored by the early lethality of the mouse models with disruption in any of the three genes. This chapter summarizes our current knowledge of the diverse and complex functionality of PIKfyve and PtdIns(3,5)P2/PtdIns5P products with particular highlights on recent discoveries of inherited or somatic mutations in PIKfyve and Sac3 linked to human disorders.
Aerobic exercise improves measures of vascular health in diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Aims: Aerobic exercise improves vascular endothelial function in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There is minimal information available regarding vascular health in people with T2DM and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Thus, the primary aim of this secondary analysis was to determine whether a 16-week aerobic exercise intervention could improve vascular health in people with T2DM and DPN. A secondary aim was to explore the relationship between changes in flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and the number of years since diagnosis of DPN. Methods: We examined whether a 16-week aerobic exercise intervention would improve vascular health in people with T2DM and DPN. We used Doppler ultrasound to assess brachial artery diameter and peak shear at baseline and post-exercise. Paired t-tests were used to determine whether the outcome measures improved from baseline to post-intervention. Pearson correlation assessed the relationship between DPN (years) and the percent change score (pre- to post-intervent...
Diffuse optical tomography with structured-light patterns to quantify breast density

Breast density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer, where women with denser breasts are more likely to develop cancer. By identifying women at higher risk, healthcare providers can suggest screening at a younger age to effectively diagnose and treat breast cancer in its earlier stages. Clinical risk assessment models currently do not incorporate breast density, despite its strong correlation with breast cancer. Current methods to measure breast density rely on mammography and MRI, both of which may be difficult to use as a routine risk assessment tool. We propose to use diffuse optical tomography with structured-light to measure the dense, fibroglandular (FGT) tissue volume, which has a different chromophore signature than the surrounding adipose tissue. To test the ability of this technique, we performed simulations by creating numerical breast phantoms from segmented breast MR images. We looked at two different cases, one with a centralized FGT distribution and one with a dispersed distribution. As expected, the water and lipid volumes segmented at half-maximum were overestimated for the dispersed case. However, it was noticed that the recovered water and lipid concentrations were lower and higher, respectively, than the centralized case. This information may provide insight into the morphological distribution of the FGT and can be a correction in estimating the breast density.
Variations Within a Bacterial Species—I Morphologic Variations

bacteria, including phytopathogens, may be expected to vary. Many articles, including extensive monographs, have been written on the subject; a symposium was devoted to it at the recent International Botanical Congress held at Ithaca, New York, and yet, in spite of this, the current literature on bacterial plant pathogens shows clearly that very little recognition has been given to this phenomenon. It is true that most of the work dealing with bacterial variability has appeared in medical journals and in other periodicals and books which are ordinarily not available to plant pathologists and mycologists; likewise, from a reading of the literature it is quite obvious that medical bacteriologists have paid very little attention to the literature of mycologists and plant workers in general and have not paid sufficient attention to morphological details. The article here presented and one to be given later will attempt in a limited fashion to bridge this gap and will call attention to several cases of variability within a species as it has been observed by the writer in certain bacterial plant parasites, in a human parasite and in several saprophytes. What is meant by variation in a bacterial species? Is it something, more or less ephemeral, that is associated with or brought about by differences in environment, is it inheritable, or is it simply a phase or a part of a "life cycle"? Such questions are
Atmospheric cycling and air-water exchange of mercury over mid-continental lacustrine regions

Atmospheric mobilization and exchange at the air-water interface are significant features of biogeochemical cycling of Hg at the Earth's surface. Our marine studies of Hg have been extended to terrestrial aquatic systems, where we are investigating the tropospheric cycling, deposition and air-water exchange of Hg in the mid-continental lacustrine environs of northcentral Wisconsin. This program is part of a multidisciplinary examination into the processes regulating the aquatic biogeochemistry of Hg in temperate regions. Trace-metal-free methodologies are employed to determine Hg and alkylated Hg species at the picomolar level in air, water and precipitation. We have found Hg concentrations and atmospheric fluxes in these fresh water systems to be similar to open ocean regions of the Northern Hemisphere. A well constrained mass balance for Hg has been developed for one of the lakes, Little Rock Lake, which is an extensively studied clear water seepage lake that has been divided with a sea curtain into two basins, one of which is untreated (reference pH: 6.1) while the other is being experimentally acidified (current pH: 4.7). This budget shows that the measured total atmospheric Hg deposition (ca. 10 µg m−2 yr−1) readily accounts for the total mass of Hg in fish, water and accumulating in the sediments of Little Rock Lake. This analysis demonstrates the importance of atmospheric Hg depositional fluxes to the geochemical cycling and bioaccumulation of Hg in temperate lakes. It further suggests that modest increases in atmospheric Hg loading could lead directly to enhanced levels of Hg in biota. Analogous modeling for monomethylmercury (MMHg) is as yet limited. Nevertheless, preliminary data for the atmospheric deposition of MMHg indicate that this flux is insufficient. to account for the amounts of MMHg observed in biota. An in-lake synthesis of MMHg is implicated. The importance of volatile Hg which is principally in the elemental form, and its evasion to the atmosphere is also illustrated. We suggest that the in-lake production of Hg° can reduce the Hg (II) substrate used in the in-lake microbiological synthesis of MMHg.
Size-Based and Non-Affinity Based Microfluidic Devices for Circulating Tumor Cell Enrichment and Characterization

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are tumor cells found in cancer patients’ peripheral blood. Enumeration of CTCs can provide prognosis information for cancer management (Cristofanilli et al., N Engl J Med 351(8):781–791, 2004; Cohen et al., J Clin Oncol 26(19):3213–3221, 2008; de Bono et al., Clin Cancer Res, 14(19):6302–6309, 2008; Poveda et al., Gynecol Oncol, 122(3):567–572, 2011). However, the technical hurdle for studying CTCs is their rare presence in blood, thus, isolating them is a non-trivial task. Two major categories of technologies have been developed in the past to isolate CTCs based on their biological expression of antigens (affinity-based capture) or based on their physical properties (non-affinity based capture). This chapter dedicates itself to the non-affinity based method for CTC capture. CTCs, as tumor cells, are inherently distinct from normal blood components. The chapter touches on the how these differences are reflected in their gene expression profiles, as well as their physical properties. We discuss how researchers utilized the unique biomechanical and electrical properties of CTCs to isolate them from enormous numbers of erythrocytes and leukocytes present in peripheral blood. We begin the chapter with technologies utilizing biomechanical properties (cell density, size, deformability) to isolate CTCs and then move on to discuss the development of dielectrophoresis (DEP) based CTC isolation, based on their distinct electrical properties.
Codling Moth Bait Trap Studies

A low grade molasses solution to which geraniol has been added has proven the most attractive bait for codling moths (Carpocapsa pomonella), among the large number of ferments, aromatic chemicals, and ferment-chemical combinations tested during 1927 and 1928. It is particularly attractive during the dry summer months. Aromatic chemicals used alone were of no value under Indiana conditions.
Influence of Histamine on Electrolyte and Water Handling of the Canine Kidney

SummaryIntra-arterial infusion of hista-mine results in dose-related increases in RBF, while GFR remains constant, resulting in progressive decrease in FF. Renal extraction of PAH (Epah) decreased reciprocally with RBF, possibly a result of enhanced plasma flow rates. MABP remained quite stable. Increase in minute urine volume (Vu), and fractional clearance (fC) of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and osmality appeared to be related to the increments in blood flow, while simultaneous decrements in fTch20 and U/POsm occurred. The physical factors hypothesis could account for the observed changes in urine volume and electrolyte clearance, but other factors must also be considered, such as loss of nephron-concen-trating ability because of washout of the gradient of osmolality, a possible direct effect of histamine on the collecting duct H2O permeability, or inhibition of ADH action.This investigation was supported by National Science Foundation Grant PCM 76-04368. We are indebted to Dr. Myron H. Weinberger, Specialized Center...
Peripheral Muscle Relaxants in Anesthesiology

The muscle relaxants have become almost indispensable in anesthesiology. Their safe and effective use demands awareness both of their inherent dangers and peculiarities and of the frequency with which other commonly used drugs may interact with them, often with detrimental effects.
Regarding the Use of Knowledge in Political Economy: Paretian Insight into a Hayekian Challenge

Friedrich Hayek (1937, 1945) explained that scholars engage in fantasy when they presume that they, or anyone for that matter, presume to possess the knowledge necessary to construct some societal equilibrium. That knowledge is incapable of being possessed by a single mind, which means that the relevant analytical challenge is to explain how competitive processes of social interaction are able to promote what could be called an assembly of relevant knowledge, much as conveyed by Leonard Read’s (1958) piece on the pencil. Vilfredo Pareto (1935) provides particular insight into Hayek’s challenge with his distinction between logical and non-logical action. Both types of action correspond to notions of rationality, only they pertain to different environments of action. This paper brings together Pareto’s insight and Hayek’s challenge, recurring in the process to Frank Knight’s (1960) concern with the relation between intelligence and democratic action.
Slope, curvature, and higher parameters in p p and p ¯ p scattering, and the extrapolation of measurements of d σ ( s , t ) / d t to t = 0

We study the effects of curvature in the expansion of the logarithm of the differential elastic scattering cross section near $t=0$ as $d\ensuremath{\sigma}(s,t)/dt=d\ensuremath{\sigma}(s,0)/dt\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{exp}(Bt+C{t}^{2}+D{t}^{3}\ensuremath{\cdots})$ in an eikonal model for $pp$ and $\overline{p}p$ scattering, and use the results to discuss the extrapolation of measured differential cross sections and the slope parameters $B$ to $t=\ensuremath{-}{q}^{2}=0$. We find that the curvature effects represented by the parameters $C$ and $D$, while small, lead to significant changes in the forward slope parameter relative to that determined in a purely exponential fit, and to smaller but still significant changes in the forward elastic scattering and total cross sections. Curvature effects should therefore be considered in future analyses or reanalyses of the elastic scattering data.
The changing role of palliative procedures in the treatment of infants with congenital heart disease.

The use of palliative procedures in the treatment of infants with congenital heart disease has been an established and accepted form of therapy. With progression toward more corrective operations in the first year of life, the more recent use of palliative procedures is examined. Five hundred two infants underwent cardiac operation in the first year of life at the University of California, San Francisco, during the period from Jan. 1, 1975, through June 1, 1979. Four hundred twenty-three (84.3%) underwent “corrective” procedures. One hundred forty-seven of them had tetraology of Fallot, ventricular septal defect (VSD). transposition of the great arteries (TGA), and truncus arteriosus types I and II. These patients, commonly treated in the past with conventional means of palliation, underwent either “correction” or an outflow patch procedure. The operative survival rate was 91%. During the same period, only 26 (5.2%) conventional palliative procedures were performed. Pulmonary artery banding was performed in 13, closed atrial septectomy in two, Blalock-Taussig shunt in five, and Waterston shunt in six. An additional 53 (10.4%) unconventional palliations were performed. Lesions palliated by conventional or unconventional procedures included the complex malformations of pulmonary, tricuspid, and mitral atresia, single ventricle, endocardial cushion defect, TGA with VSD, Taussig-Bing deformity, and Ebstein’s anomaly. These data demonstrate the changing role for the palliative procedure in the treatment of infants with congenital heart disease. Selection of the proper palliative procedure for the complex lesions not amenable to early correction should be predicated on both the nature of the lesion and the factors which influence the ultimate surgical repair, the most important of which is induction of symmetrical growth and development.
Clinical pharmacology of antihypertensive drugs in children

A uniformly successful regimen for the treatment of hypertension does not exist. Experience dictates, however, that the application of certain therapeutic principles discussed in this paper can maximize antihypertensive effectiveness and minimize noncompliance.
Optic nerve morphology as marker for disease severity in cerebral palsy of perinatal origin

Abstract Background It is difficult to predict the neurologic outcome and ambulatory status in children with perinatal neurologic insult until 2–5 years age. This study aims to correlate clinical optic nerve head (ONH) findings-cupping, pallor and hypoplasia, with gestational period and neurologic (motor) outcomes in patients with cerebral palsy (CP) from perinatal insults. Methods 54 consecutive patients with CP from perinatal insults were enrolled. Patients with intraocular disease, retinopathy of prematurity and hydrocephalus were excluded. ONH was labeled as pale, hypoplastic or large cup (cup/disc ratio ≥ 0.5) if 2 ophthalmologists independently agreed after an ophthalmoscopic examination. Inter-rater reliability was excellent. Results Mean age at examination was 10.98 ± 6.49 years; mean gestational period was 33.26 ± 4.78 weeks. Abnormal ONH (pallor, cupping or hypoplasia) was seen in 38/54 (70%) patients. Of patients with pallor (n = 17), 88% were quadriplegic and 82% non-ambulatory. Mean cup/disc ratio was 0.45 ± 0.22; 50% patients had large cup. Multivariate logistic regression models showed that disc pallor was associated with non-ambulatory status (OR: 21.7; p = 0.003) and quadriplegia (OR: 12.8; p = 0.03). Large cup was associated with age at examination (OR 1.15; p = 0.03). Cup/disc ratio showed positive correlation with age at examination (Pearson's r = 0.39; p = 0.003). There was no significant association of ONH parameters with gestational age. Conclusion Clinically observed ONH changes (pallor, cupping and hypoplasia) are common in CP. Presence of ONH pallor serves as an indicator for poor motor outcome in patients who develop CP from perinatal causes and should prompt early referral for rehabilitation.
A demonstration of GeoSpark: A cluster computing framework for processing big spatial data

This paper demonstrates GEOSPARK a cluster computing framework for developing and processing large-scale spatial data analytics programs. GEOSPARK consists of three main layers: Apache Spark Layer, Spatial RDD Layer and Spatial Query Processing Layer. Apache Spark Layer provides basic Apache Spark functionalities as regular RDD operations. Spatial RDD Layer consists of three novel Spatial Resilient Distributed Datasets (SRDDs) which extend regular Apache Spark RDD to support geometrical and spatial objects with data partitioning and indexing. Spatial Query Processing Layer executes spatial queries (e.g., Spatial Join) on SRDDs. The dynamic status of SRDDs and spatial operations are visualized by GEOSPARK monitoring map interface. We demonstrate GEOSPARK using three spatial analytics applications (spatial aggregation, autocorrelation and co-location) to show how users can easily define their spatial analytics tasks and efficiently process such tasks on large-scale spatial data at interactive performance.
Prosthetic valve endocarditis. Comparison of heterograft tissue valves and mechanical valves.

Despite decreasing incidence, prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) remains a highly lethal condition, with reported over-all mortality rates of 50 to 60 percent. Some authors have suggested that glutaraldehyde-preserved heterografts might be more resistant to infection or to certain of its complications than mechanical prosthetic valves. This study reviewed 2,184 patients who underwent prosthetic valve replacement from 1963 to 1977, with a total follow-up of 7,123 patient-years. Eight hundred thirty-seven patients with Hancock heterograft valves, 384 aortic valves (HET AVR) and 453 mitral valves (HET MVR), were compared to 1,347 patients with mechanical Starr-Edwards valves, 779 aortic valves (SE AVR) and 568 mitral valves (SE MVR). PVE occurred in 51 patients, early in nine ( 2 months postoperatively). Linearized rates of endocarditis (percent per patient-year) for the various groups were as follows: HET AVR 2.2 percent, HET MVR 0.1 percent (p
When is the right time for Fontan conversion? The role of cardiopulmonary exercise test

Abstract Background To determine if Fontan conversion (FC) resulted in improvement in exercise capacity (EC), and to determine the role of cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in risk stratification of patients undergoing FC. Methods A retrospective review of patients who underwent CPET prior to FC at Mayo Clinic from 1994 to 2014. The patients who also underwent post-operative CPET were selected for the analysis of improvement in EC defined as 10% increase in baseline peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 ). Results 75 patients CPET prior to FC; mean age 24±6years; 44 males (59%); and 51 (68%) were in NYHA III/IV prior to FC. Pre-operative peak VO 2 was 15.5±3.4ml/kg/min. A comparison of pre- and post-FC CPET data was performed using 42 patients (56%) that underwent CPET after FC. Improvement in EC occurred in 18 of 42 patients (43%). Baseline peak VO 2 >14ml/kg/min was associated with improved EC (hazard ratio [HR] 1.85; P =.02). Improvement in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class occurred in 12 (67%) patients with improved EC vs 2 (8%) without improved EC. Improvement in NYHA class was more likely to occur in patients with improved EC compared to those without improvement EC (odds ratio 4.11, P =.01). There were 10 (13%) perioperative deaths, and baseline peak VO 2 ≤14ml/kg/min was predictive of perioperative mortality (HR 3.74; P Conclusions Baseline peak VO 2 was predictive of perioperative survival, and improvement in EC. Performance on CPET in failing Fontan patients might be a useful clinical parameter in determining appropriate timing of FC.
Empowerment of Crisis Management in Emergencies

This chapter uses examples from Kennesaw State University to describe a layered approach to emergency notifications and crisis response. The University has a unique Crisis Coordinator program aimed at empowering people to make safety decisions during emergencies. This chapter describes the components of a four-module training program for crisis coordinators.
Abstract CT077: PRECISION (Profiling Early Breast Cancer for Radiotherapy Omission): a phase II study of breast-conserving surgery without adjuvant radiotherapy for favorable-risk breast cancer

Background: Radiation therapy (RT) following breast conserving surgery (BCS) is well-known to improve outcomes for patients with invasive breast cancer. However, RT poses an inconvenience to patients and confers a small, yet real, risk of long-term adverse effects. In addition, reports have suggested that not all patients stand to benefit equally from RT, with certain disease features portending an excellent prognosis regardless of the adjuvant treatment approach. Specifically, favorable luminal A cancers exhibit a 10-year locoregional recurrence (LRR) rate of 2% following BCS and RT, suggesting very low putative risk in the absence of RT. While luminal A breast cancers are the most favorable among subtypes, robustly distinguishing them from luminal B tumors is a challenge. This trial seeks to employ a molecular profiling approach to identify favorable-risk, early-stage breast cancer patients who may feasibly omit RT following BCS. Methods: To identify a low-risk, luminal A cohort of breast cancer patients, we will employ well-characterized clinicopathologic parameters in addition to molecular profiling. Eligible patients will be 50-75 years of age and must have invasive breast cancer ?2 cm (T1), that is estrogen receptor positive, low- or intermediate-grade, without HER2 amplification, and with negative margins (no ink on tumor) following BCS. Following resection, tumor samples will undergo prediction analysis of microarray 50 (PAM50) profiling via the NanoString Prosigna assay to characterize intrinsic biologic subtype. Patients with tumors classified as luminal A (low-risk score) will be eligible for the omission of RT. The trial is a single-arm prospective cohort study designed to assess the viability of RT omission in this favorable population. The primary endpoint will be LRR at 5 years and a rate of Citation Format: Lior Z. Braunstein, Alphonse G. Taghian, Jay R. Harris. PRECISION (Profiling Early Breast Cancer for Radiotherapy Omission): a phase II study of breast-conserving surgery without adjuvant radiotherapy for favorable-risk breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr CT077.
Targeting the State: Risks, Benefits, and Strategic Dilemmas of Recent LGBT Health Advocacy

During the 1990s in the United States, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health advocates undertook a significant strategic experiment that was fraught with some peril: They turned to the state in an attempt to institutionalize a broad-based health agenda. What I call here “state-centered” LGBT health politics involves concerted efforts by activists and researchers to make demands on the state for inclusion and incorporation—demands to institutionalize LGBT (or, more often, just lesbian and gay) health as a formal concern of public health and health research bureaucracies. At the crux of state-centered advocacy is the claim that lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered persons have distinctive health concerns and would benefit from research that finds them, counts them, studies them, and compares them with others. Thus the state-centered approach takes fixed categories of sexual identity as the foundation of a health promotion and biomedical research strategy. Although state-centered politics has been conducted in relation to the federal, state, and local government levels in the United States, I emphasize what I take to be the most significant recent target: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and its key, health-related component agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Transcriptome analysis uncovers Arabidopsis F-BOX STRESS INDUCED 1 as a regulator of jasmonic acid and abscisic acid stress gene expression

The ubiquitin 26S proteasome system (UPS) selectively degrades cellular proteins, which results in physiological changes to eukaryotic cells. F-box proteins are substrate adaptors within the UPS and are responsible for the diversity of potential protein targets. Plant genomes are enriched in F-box genes, but the vast majority of these have unknown roles. This work investigated the Arabidopsis F-box gene F-BOX STRESS INDUCED 1 (FBS1) for its effects on gene expression in order elucidate its previously unknown biological function. Using publically available Affymetrix ATH1 microarray data, we show that FBS1 is significantly co-expressed in abiotic stresses with other well-characterized stress response genes, including important stress-related transcriptional regulators. This gene suite is most highly expressed in roots under cold and salt stresses. Transcriptome analysis of fbs1–1 knock-out plants grown at a chilling temperature shows that hundreds of genes require FBS1 for appropriate expression, and that these genes are enriched in those having roles in both abiotic and biotic stress responses. Based on both this genome-wide expression data set and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis, it is apparent that FBS1 is required for elevated expression of many jasmonic acid (JA) genes that have established roles in combatting environmental stresses, and that it also controls a subset of JA biosynthesis genes. FBS1 also significantly impacts abscisic acid (ABA) regulated genes, but this interaction is more complex, as FBS1 has both positive and negative effects on ABA-inducible and ABA-repressible gene modules. One noteworthy effect of FBS1 on ABA-related stress processes, however, is the restraint it imposes on the expression of multiple class I LIPID TRANSFER PROTEIN (LTP) gene family members that have demonstrated protective effects in water deficit-related stresses. FBS1 impacts plant stress responses by regulating hundreds of genes that respond to the plant stress hormones JA and ABA. The positive effect that FBS1 has on JA processes and the negative effect it has on at least some ABA processes indicates that it in part regulates cellular responses balanced between these two important stress hormones. More broadly then, FBS1 may aid plant cells in switching between certain biotic (JA) and abiotic (ABA) stress responses. Finally, because FBS1 regulates a subset of JA biosynthesis and response genes, we conclude that it might have a role in tuning hormone responses to particular circumstances at the transcriptional level.
Knowledge Transmission and the Internalism-Externalism Debate about Content

Sanford Goldberg (2015) argues for Content Externalism by drawing our attention to the extent to which an individual’s concepts depend on the concepts of others. More specifically, he focuses on cases that involve knowledge transmission between experts and non-experts to make his point. In this paper, I argue that the content internalist cannot only plausibly respond to his argument but that Content Internalism offers a more plausible account of intentional content with regard to knowledge transmission than does Content Externalism.
A particle tracking algorithm for parallel finite element applications

Abstract Numerical simulations of a particle tracking algorithm on parallel unstructured finite element grids are presented. The algorithm is designed to work for both 2D and 3D applications. To determine the position of the particle relative to the mesh, a new point-locating algorithm is proposed. The advection of the particle is performed on the physical domain in order to treat completely unstructured grids. As a consequence, the inversion of the isoparametric finite element mapping is requested. We comply with this demand implicitly using Newton–Raphson’s iteration for linear, quadratic, bi-quadratic and tri-quadratic finite elements, and several element geometries, including quadrilaterals, triangles, tetrahedra, wedges and hexahedra. To investigate the performances of the proposed algorithm, results of standard numerical tests are shown, together with a fluid flow application that exemplifies an instance of a particle tracking problem.
Urban-Rural Differences in Aerobic Physical Activity, Muscle Strengthening Exercise, and Screen-Time Sedentary Behavior.

PURPOSE Compared to their urban counterparts, US residents in rural settings face an increased risk of premature mortality and health problems that have been linked to insufficient physical activity (PA) levels. There is limited literature regarding urban-rural differences in adherence to national guidelines for all 3 PA-related behaviors. METHODS We investigated urban-rural differences in aerobic PA, leisure-time muscle strengthening PA, and leisure screen-time sedentary behavior in a combined data set of the 2011-2014 waves (N = 14,188) of the nationally representative National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey. FINDINGS We found no evidence of a difference between large urban and rural residents' aerobic PA levels. The typical number of weekly bouts of leisure-time muscle strengthening PA was 25% lower for rural residents (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.751, P < .001); this relationship was no longer statistically significant after controlling for potentially confounding covariates. In adjusted models, we found rural residents to engage in 6.6% less daily leisure screen-time sedentary behavior than their large urban counterparts (IRR = 0.934, P = .031). CONCLUSIONS Taken together with previous literature, these results suggest that rural residents may engage in comparable levels of total PA, but less leisure-time PA, than their urban counterparts.
Efficient Intracellular Delivery of Cell-Impermeable Cargo Molecules by Peptides Containing Tryptophan and Histidine

We have previously evaluated and reported numerous classes of linear and cyclic peptides containing hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments for intracellular delivery of multiple molecular cargos. Herein, a combination of histidine and tryptophan amino acids were designed and evaluated for their efficiency in intracellular delivery of cell-impermeable phosphopeptides and the anti-HIV drug, emtricitabine. Two new decapeptides, with linear and cyclic natures, both containing alternate tryptophan and histidine residues, were synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase chemistry. The peptides were characterized and purified by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. These peptides did not show significant toxicity up to 100 µM in ovarian cancer (SK-OV-3) and leukemia cancer (CCRF-CEM) cells. Furthermore, the cellular uptake of a fluorescence (F’)-labeled cell-impermeable phosphopeptide (F’-GpYEEI) was enhanced in the presence of linear (WH)5 and cyclic [WH]5 by 2- and 8-fold, respectively, compared to the uptake of the phosphopeptide alone. The cellular uptake was not significantly changed in the presence of endocytosis inhibitors. Furthermore, the intracellular uptake of the fluorescently-labeled anti-HIV drug, emtricitabine (F’-FTC), by linear (WH)5 and cyclic [WH]5 in SK-OV-3 cancer cell lines was found to be enhanced by 3.5- and 9-fold, respectively, compared to that of the drug alone. Fluorescent uptake experiments confirmed the localization of F’-GpYEEI-loaded cyclic [WH]5 intracellularly in the SK-OV-3 cancer cell line after 3 h of incubation. Thus, these data demonstrated that [WH]5 containing tryptophan and histidine enhanced the cellular uptake of F’-GpYEEI and emtricitabine.
Learning to Love Animal (Models) (or) How (Not) to Study Genes as a Social Scientist

In this chapter, I will argue that social science and genomics can be integrated – however, the way this marriage is currently occurring rests on spurious methods and assumptions and, as a result, will yield few lasting insights. However, recent advances in both econometrics and in developmental genomics provide scientists with a novel opportunity to understand how genes and (social) environment interact. To presage my argument: Key to any causal inference about genetically heterogeneous effects of social conditions is that either genetics be exogenously manipulated while environment is held constant (and measured properly), and/or that environmental variation is exogenous in nature – i.e. experimental or arising from a natural experiment of sorts. Further, allele selection should be motivated by findings from genetic experiments in (model) animal studies linked to orthologous human genes. Likewise, genetic associations found in human population studies should then be tested through knock-out and over-expression studies in model organisms. Finally, gene silencing can be a promising avenue of research in humans if careful thought is given to when and which cells are harvested for analysis.
Cellular Recognition in Slime Molds: Evidence for its Mediation by Cell Surface Species-Specific Lectins and Complementary Oligosaccharides

Specific cellular recognition must be mediated by quantitative or qualitative properties of the surfaces of the interacting cells. Determination of the molecular basis of cellular recognition may prove difficult in complex metazoan organisms that contain many cell types and highly specific forms of cellular association. For this reason, a simple eukaryotic cell type, like the cellular slime mold, is a preferable starting point for an analysis of the molecular basis of cellular recognition.
Photomedicine: Potentials for Lasers. An Overview

Photomedicine is one of the oldest and newest interests of man. Belief in the health-giving properties of sunlight grew out of sun worship, augmented by an increasing awareness that all life on earth ultimately owes its existence to the sun. Since ancient time, heliotherapy has been prescribed for a wide variety of illnesses. Before the introduction of specific chemotherapy, it was the mainstay of treatment for tuberculosis and other chronic illnesses. In the nineteenth century, a scientific rationale for such treatment arose with the discovery that microorganisms in vitro could be killed by ultraviolet radiation. The 1903 Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to Finsen for his work demonstrating beneficial aspects of ultraviolet radiation of cutaneous tuberculosis. Sunlight and artificial ultraviolet sources were found to be useful in prevention and treatment of rickets. With most of these human ailments, specific chemotherapy has replaced the use of phototherapy. However, UV lamps are installed routinely in Siberian schools to prevent rickets, and UV radiation is used to maintain sterility in operating rooms.
On the Relationship between the Energy Dissipation Rate of Surface-Breaking Waves and Oceanic Whitecap Coverage

AbstractWave breaking is the most important mechanism that leads to the dissipation of oceanic surface wave energy. A relationship between the energy dissipation rate associated with breaking wave ...
Implementation of a standardized nurse initiated protocol to manage severe hypertension in pregnancy.

Objectives: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, studies have shown that standardized protocols for treating severe hypertension improves out...
Main-chain mutagenesis reveals intrahelical coupling in an ion channel voltage-sensor.

Membrane proteins are universal signal decoders. The helical transmembrane segments of these proteins play central roles in sensory transduction, yet the mechanistic contributions of secondary structure remain unresolved. To investigate the role of main-chain hydrogen bonding on transmembrane function, we encoded amide-to-ester substitutions at sites throughout the S4 voltage-sensing segment of Shaker potassium channels, a region that undergoes rapid, voltage-driven movement during channel gating. Functional measurements of ester-harboring channels highlight a transitional region between α-helical and 310 segments where hydrogen bond removal is particularly disruptive to voltage-gating. Simulations of an active voltage sensor reveal that this region features a dynamic hydrogen bonding pattern and that its helical structure is reliant upon amide support. Overall, the data highlight the specialized role of main-chain chemistry in the mechanism of voltage-sensing; other catalytic transmembrane segments may enlist similar strategies in signal transduction mechanisms. The helical transmembrane segments of membrane proteins play central roles in sensory transduction but the mechanistic basis for their function remains unresolved. Here the authors identify regions in the S4 voltage-sensing segment of Shaker potassium channels where local helical structure is reliant upon backbone amide support.
Interpersonal Abuse and Long-term Outcomes Following Bariatric Surgery.

History of abuse may impact weight loss (WL) following bariatric surgery. Some investigations have indicated slower WL rates among patients reporting abuse; however, among studies with multiple assessments, significant differences in WL are not evidenced at later measurement. Few investigations have extended follow-up beyond 18 months, limiting understanding of the impact of abuse on weight trajectory over time. Furthermore, existing research has insufficiently accounted for forms of interpersonal trauma beyond sexual abuse (i.e., emotional, physical) that may impact WL and other health outcomes. To determine whether post-surgical percent total WL (%TWL) and specific clinical outcomes are differentially impacted by history of interpersonal abuse. Large, comprehensive medical center. Retrospective data was collected from patients who underwent bariatric surgery at a single center (N = 433). Based on pre-surgical interview, patients were grouped according to reported history of interpersonal abuse (Y/N). Nonlinear repeated measures regression examined impact of abuse history on %TWL, and clinical selequae. Differences in %TWL at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months post-surgically did not differ significantly. Further, %TWL did not differ across time, according to group. A significantly greater number of those with history of interpersonal abuse had a clinical diagnosis of depression as compared with those not reporting interpersonal abuse (38% vs. 22% respectively), p < .001. Interpersonal abuse history does not negatively impact %TWL post-surgically but is associated with diagnosis of depression, indicating depressive symptoms may be a viable clinical intervention target for surgery patients with interpersonal trauma history.
A General Method for Constrained Analysis of Fluorescence Anisotropy Decay: Application of the Steady-State Anisotropy

Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy is an invaluable method for investigating the internal and rotational dynamics of biomolecules. The range of rotational motions detectable by anisotropy decay is limited by the fluorescence lifetime; typically, a depolarizing motion may be resolved if the associated correlation time is between 0.1 and 10 times the intensity decay lifetime. To extend that range and to improve the recovery of anisotropy decay parameters, a general analytical method has been developed. This procedure utilizes a modification of Lagrange multiplier methods to constrain the values of the iterated kinetic parameters during nonlinear least-squares analysis of anisotropy decay data. The form of the constraint equation is derived from the classic relationship between the decay parameters and the steady-state anisotropy, which can be simply and accurately measured. Application of the constraint to analyses of synthetic data sets increased the accuracy of recovery by decreasing the uncertainty in the iterated parameters. The constraint also enabled the accurate recovery of correlation times that were a factor of 30 greater than the fluorescence lifetime, although it did not improve recovery of correlation times that were much shorter than the lifetime. Using this technique, it should now be possible to characterize the dynamics of larger macromolecules and assemblies than those that can currently be studied by fluorescence anisotropy decay.
The development of OCT for dynamic imaging and quantification of subcellular motion with ED-based variance analysis (Conference Presentation)

The dynamic properties of subcellular organism are important biomarkers of health. Imaging subcellular level dynamics provides effective solutions for evaluating cell metabolism, and moreover, testing the responses of cells to pathogens and drugs in pharmaceutical engineering. In this paper, we demonstrate an innovative approach to contrast the subcellular motions by using eigen decomposition (ED) based variance analysis of time-dependent complex optical coherence tomography (OCT) signals. This method reveals superior contrast to noise advantage compared with intensity-based dynamic imaging regime. Further validation experiments were performed with B-mode imaging sections crossing a wide range of sampling frequencies, and on the patterned samples of yeast powder mixed with gelatin/TiO2-water solution. In addition, the proposed method was further used to image mouse cerebral cortex in vivo, suggesting the promising of ED based correlation power mapping in analyzing coupled dynamics of neuron activity and cerebral blood flow. The proposed technique promises efficient measurement of subcellular motions with high sensitivity and low artifact involvement, suggesting high potential for in vivo and in situ applications.
IS FIRM INNOVATION ASSOCIATED WITH CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

U.S. Corporations spend millions of dollars on innovating new technologies. This despite the fact that such capital expenditure outlay runs the risk of possible failure and loss of investments. Thi...
Teaching with relevant (and irrelevant) storytelling in the college classroom

ABSTRACTInstructors tell stories for pedagogical reasons, but not all classroom stories are necessarily relevant to students and their learning. This study examined how instructors tell stories in ...
The New International Economic Order, Utopian Realism, and the Recovery of an Alternative Vision for Global Governance

Not so long ago, an alternative to American hegemony and progressive isolationism was elaborated by non-aligned segments of the international left. In the search for potentially usable models from the past, this paper will shed light on the New International Economic Order (NIEO). Promulgated as a United Nations resolution in 1974, and drafted by leaders in the Global South, the NIEO was one of the most widely discussed transnational governance reforms of the twentieth century. This paper will argue that the NIEO was an exercise in utopian realism that fundamentally depended on foregrounding the global security dilemma and defending the legitimacy and lasting utility nation-state. As a result of these commitments, the NIEO's proponents unwittingly self-limited their chances for long-term success on the international stage.
Mothers, Maidens and Machos: Demolishing the Myths of Mexican Melodrama in Principio y fin (1993)

Principio y fin marks the convergence of the two central themes Arturo Ripstein and Paz Alicia Garciadiego had already begun to develop in their previous collaborations: the deconstruction of the mother figure (La mujer del puerto, 1991) and masculinity, specifically the figure of el macho (El imperio de la fortuna, 1986). Through these themes, Principio y fin undoes the traditional tropes of melodrama while it focuses on a struggling middle-class family as it grapples with the failures of Mexican modernization and the hollowness of the middle-class dream. In this chapter, building on Julianne Burton’s classic definition of the Mexican melodrama and how it affirms the values of a patriarchal system, I focus on how Ripstein and Garciadiego subvert the genre to break down the traditional myths it has constructed about mothers, maidens and machos.
Orally administered oxytocin alters brain activation and behaviors of pre-weaning mice

Oxytocin (OXT) regulates adult social behavior and has been implicated in its development. Because mammalian milk contains OXT and we have recently identified OXT receptors (OXTR) in the face and oronasal cavity of pre-weaning mice, we hypothesize that orally applied OXT may impact brain activity and acute behavior in developing mice. Oral OXT may have effects in the absence of sensory stimulation or perhaps by modulating sensory input, such as whisker stimulation. The present study investigates the acute c-Fos response in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and along whisker sensory processing brain regions (trigeminothalamocortical circuit) to orally applied OXT, compared to saline, with and without whisker stimulation in postnatal day (P) 14 and P21 male and female mice. Acute behavioral responses were also quantified after oral OXT with whisker stimulation in a non-social context. Oral OXT with and without whisker stimulation increased c-Fos activity in the PVN of males and decreased c-Fos in the ventroposterior medial thalamus in both males and females compared to saline. Additionally, oral OXT with whisker stimulation decreased c-Fos activity across whisker sensory processing brain regions in males and females and decreased c-Fos activity in the trigeminal motor nucleus of females. Lastly, oral OXT with whisker stimulation increased males' locomotor behavior and decreased females' oromotor behavior compared to saline-treated controls. These data indicate that orally applied OXT has acute brain and behavioral effects on developing mice. OXT-modulated sensory signals may bias brain and behavior development toward the social world.
Labor Interests and Corporate Power

Labor unions exert significant power through collective bargaining, pension fund investing, and political advocacy. But in each of these areas, unions face inherent structural limitations that severely constrain these powers. Workers need participation rights in corporate governance to overcome the multiplicity of forces arrayed against them. And rather than obviating the need for unions, worker corporate power would facilitate a different kind of labor representation — a transition to labor power that advocates for occupational interests and forms coalitions across the shifting political interests of different worker groups.