cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From Neural Crest to Bowel: Development of the Enteric Nervous System

The ENS resembles the brain and differs both physiologically and structurally from any other region of the PNS. Recent experiments in which crest cell migration has been studied with DiI, a replication-deficient retrovirus, or antibodies that label cells of neural crest origin, have confirmed that both the avian and mammalian bowel are colonized by emigres from the sacral as well as the vagal level of the neural crest. Components of the extracellular matrix, such as laminin, may play roles in enteric neural and glial development. The observation that an overabundance of laminin develops in the presumptive aganglionic region of the gut in ls/ls mutant mice and is associated with the inability of crest-derived cells to colonize this region of the bowel has led to the hypothesis that laminin promotes the development of crest-derived cells as enteric neurons. Premature expression of a neuronal phenotype would cause crest-derived cells to cease migrating before they complete the colonization of the gut. The acquisition by crest-derived cells of a nonintegrin, nerve-specific, 110 kD laminin-binding protein when they enter the bowel may enable these cells to respond to laminin differently from their pre-enteric migrating predecessors. Crest-derived cells migrating along the vagal pathway to the mammalian gut are transiently catecholaminergic (TC). This phenotype appears to be lost rapidly as the cells enter the bowel and begin to follow their program of terminal differentiation. The appearance and disappearance of TC cells may thus be an example of the effects of the enteric microenvironment on the differentiation of crest-derived cells in situ. Crest-derived cells can be isolated from the enteric microenvironment by immunoselection, a method that takes advantage of the selective expression on the surfaces of crest-derived cells of certain antigens. One neurotrophin, NT-3, promotes the development of enteric neurons and glia in vitro. Because trkC is expressed in the developing and mature gut, it seems likely that NT-3 plays a critical role in the development of the ENS in situ. Although the factors that are responsible for the development of the unique properties of the ENS remain unknown, progress made in understanding enteric neuronal development has recently accelerated. The application of new techniques and recently developed probes suggest that the accelerated pace of discovery in this area can be expected to continue.
Authors' responses in response to the letter from Ambrose.

We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the issues raised by an AstraZeneca employee regarding the revised American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Guidance on the use of palivizumab for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prophylaxis. First, we agree preterm infants experience an RSV hospitalization rate that increases with decreasing gestational age. The critical question is, “How great is the increase in risk for preterm infants relative to term infants?” In the prospective study of 132 000 infants by Hall et al1 and reproduced in Table 1 of the newly published AAP Technical Report,2 the risk of RSV hospitalization over a 6-month season for infants born at ≥37 weeks is 5.3 per 1000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.9–5.8). Corresponding rates for infants with gestational age ≥35, 32–34, 29–31, and <29 weeks were 5.1 (95% CI, 4.7–5.5), 6.9 (95% CI, 4.3–10.1), 6.3 (95% CI, 2.0–12.4), and 19.3 (95% CI, 8.4–34.0) per 1000, resulting in nonsignificant differences for all levels of prematurity compared with term infants, except for infants born at <29 weeks, who show a recognizable spike in hospitalization rates. In this report, the increase in risk of hospitalization is ∼1 more RSV hospitalization for every 1000 preterm births. Two other studies discussed in the AAP Technical Report and performed in the preprophylaxis era show a similar very small increase in risk of RSV hospitalization among preterm infants relative to full-term infants. Second, AAP Clinical Practice Guidelines regarding the diagnosis …
An analysis of mechanisms of voltage instability

Analyzing mechanisms of voltage instability is necessary for an understanding of the physical phenomenon and a development of control actions. The author reviews some analytical properties of voltage instability as related to tap-changing operations, load dynamics, and generator excitation limits. The analytical results are related to the physical role of each mechanism and the combined effect in a voltage collapse event. This information is valuable in helping one to understand not only how a dynamic phenomenon develops but also the type of corrective control actions needed. The concept of voltage recovery region which can be used to guide control actions is also reviewed. This concept is then explored further for a system model which incorporates the effect of active power and frequency. >
Pain, sleep disturbance and survival in hemodialysis patients

Background. Patients’ perception of pain during hemodialysis (HD) and at times between HD treatment and its association with survival have not been well studied in endstage renal disease (ESRD). We evaluated the experience of pain during HD and at times when the patient was not receiving HD, and assessed possible associations of the perception of pain and sleep disturbance with patient survival. Methods. A total of 128 ESRD patients treated with HD completed questionnaires on psychosocial status, quality of life and sleep disorders. A modified McGill Pain questionnaire was used to assess the nature, location, frequency, intensity and duration of pain both during and at times between HD sessions. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to screen for sleep disturbances over a 30-day period. Results. Controlling for age, diabetes mellitus, serum albumin concentration and human immunodeficiency virus infection, there was a significant association between mortality and both frequency and intensity of pain while patients were not on HD. There was no association between survival and duration of pain while off HD or any of the pain parameters while patients were on HD. There was no association between survival and the presence of a sleep disorder. Conclusions. Pain perception while off HD may be of more importance to patients than pain during HD. The mechanisms underlying the association are unknown but may involve linkage of pain with severity of medical illness or the generation of a maladaptive cytokine response. Multicenter prospective studies of pain interventions using well-validated pain perception tools are needed to establish causal relationships. Interventions directed toward treating pain on non-HD days may improve ESRD patient survival.
Abuse Behavior Inventory: Cutpoint, Validity, and Characterization of Discrepancies

This study determines a clinical cutting score for the 29-item Abuse Behavior Inventory (ABI) developed by Shepard and Campbell (1992) to measure both physical and psychological abuse experiences. The authors report on a sample of 392 White and African American women from primary care waiting rooms, who completed the ABI and the revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2). An ABI cutoff score of 10 maximizes validity and produces a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 81% compared to the CTS2. Cronbach's alpha is .92 for the entire scale, .91 for the psychological subscale, and .86 for the physical subscale. Correlation between the ABI and CTS2 is .76, with subscale correlations of .74 between ABI psychological and CTS2 verbal aggression, and .71 between ABI physical and CTS2 physical aggression, injury, and sexual coercion.
Educational disadvantage impairs functional recovery after hospitalization in older persons

Purpose To determine whether low educational level is associated with poor functional recovery after hospitalization in older adults. Methods We followed 862 patients (374 with low education, defined as Results Of the 862 participants, 351 (41%) experienced poor functional recovery: 124 died and 227 had declines in activities of daily living. There was a graded, statistically significant relation between level of education and poor functional recovery, regardless of impairment of activities of daily living at baseline. Poor functional recovery was more common in subjects with baseline impairment (50% [147/296]) than in those without baseline impairment (36% [204/566]). Independent predictors of poor functional recovery were low education, cognitive impairment, lack of social support, poor self-rated health, and high comorbidity. Sequential addition of demographic, economic, functional, psychosocial, and clinical factors to low education only modestly affected the association between low education and poor functional recovery. Conclusion Educational disadvantage impairs functional recovery after hospitalization in older persons.
Human erythrocyte membranes: effect of lipid extraction on binding of IgG ("warm") autoantibodies and Rh isoantibodies.

. Solubilized membrane glycoprotein derived from human erythrocytes by extraction in aqueous butanol lost all detectable capacity to bind γG (‘warm’) autoantibodies, whether the latter exhibited ‘Rh-related’ or undefined serologic specificities. The same membrane glycoprotein, previously shown to retain A, B and H antigenic activities, also displayed complete loss of binding capacity for anti-D (Rho), anti-C (rh′), anti-E (rh″), anti-c (hr′) and anti-e (hr″) isoantibodies.
Sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) nematocyst venom hemagglutinins.

Abstract 1. Sea nettle nematocyst venom contains hemagglutinins specific for human and rabbit erythrocytcs. 2. These hemagglutinins exist as multiple molecular forms based on their behavior on DEAE cellulose and SDS-PAGE. 3. Hemagglutinin activity was not inhibited by several simple mono- and disaccharides, but was inhibited by dextran sulfate and certain complex polysaccharides.
Structural basis for negative regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha by CITED2.

Expression of hypoxia-responsive genes is mediated by the heterodimeric transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) in complex with the p300/CREB-binding protein (p300/CBP) transcriptional coactivator. The protein CITED2, which binds p300/CBP, is thought to be a negative regulator of HIF-1 transactivation. We show that the CITED2 transactivation domain (TAD) disrupts a complex of the HIF-1α C-terminal TAD (C-TAD) and the cysteine-histidine–rich 1 (CH1) domain of p300/CBP by binding CH1 with high affinity. The high-resolution solution structure of the CITED2 TAD–p300 CH1 complex shows that the CITED2 TAD, like the HIF-1α C-TAD, folds on a helical, Zn2+-containing CH1 scaffold. The CITED2 TAD binds a different, more extensive surface of CH1 than does the HIF-1α C-TAD. However, a conserved 'LPXL' sequence motif in CITED2 and HIF-1α interacts with an overlapping binding site on CH1. Mutation of the LPEL sequence in full-length CITED2 abolishes p300 binding in vivo. These findings reveal that CITED2 regulates HIF-1 by competing for a hot spot on the p300 CH1 domain.
Amebiasis In Veterans

Summary The ideal anti-amebicide has still to be found. All of the drugs presently used are effective in a certain proportion of cases. A few patients will be extremely resistant to any drug or combination of drugs. Persistence and patience will usually produce a good result. From a review of Tables I and II, it is apparent that good results can be obtained with numerous drugs and combinations of drugs. Since it is generally accepted that every patient with amebiasis has tissue lesions, it would seem desirable to treat every patient with a combination of drugs having both systemic and lumenal activity. In this respect, chloroquine would seem to be the drug of choice combined with some other drug or drugs having a local action. Conan's 13 results with chloroquine for systemic treatment have since been confirmed by others.
A Model for Optimizing the Buffer Inventory Storage Size in a Sequential Production System

Abstract A model is presented here for optimizing the inventory storage capacity of an in-process buffer stock. The buffer stock is present between two operations, each of which has processing time which is exponentially distributed. The benefit or gain from the system of carrying buffer stock is assumed to be proportional to the rate of flow of production. Two costs are incurred by the buffer inventory: one is proportional to the expected on-hand stock, and the second is a facility cost which is proportional to the maximum buffer stock size.
Sensitivity Analysis of a HIFiRE-6 Design Variant Using Minimum-Resource Statistical Designs

An uncertainty-based simulation work flow is used to automate the prediction of steadystate aerodynamic loads for a design variant of the HIFiRE-6 hypersonic flight research vehicle. Tools distributed with the Chimera Grid Tools (CGT) framework are exercised to perform overset mesh generation and verify domain connectivity. OVERFLOW is used to compute Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes estimates of static aerodynamic loads at different points within a design space representative of the vehicle’s planned flight test environment. Sensitivity analysis of a design space composed of Mach number, angle of attack, sideslip angle, and dynamic pressure is performed to assess the suitability of using secondorder central-composite statistical designs to capture modest variations in customer-defined system response quantities. Within the specified bounds, automated simulation analytics suggest that for the fixed vehicle being analyzed, variations in axial and normal force coefficients are driven by perturbations in angle of attack and Mach number. Perturbations in sideslip angle induce the most variation in side force coefficient. Perturbations in an interaction term involving sideslip angle and angle of attack, and sideslip angle are the primary drivers impacting variation in rolling moment coefficient. Perturbations in angle of attack and Mach number are predicted to be the primary drivers of variations in pitching moment coefficient. Perturbations in sideslip angle and Mach number are predicted to be the primary drivers for variations in yawing moment. Perturbations in dynamic pressure were determined to be statistically insignificant for the design space analyzed. Analysis of variation results of the design indicate that second-order surrogates, based on a small number of independent simulations, are able to capture 90 to 100% of the variations in steady-state aerodynamic loads predicted by simulation associated with a vehicle at a fixed point along its trajectory. We expect these automated techniques and observations to be useful for future design, testing, and evaluation activities involving high-speed vehicles.
Formation and Properties of Nanosize Ferromagnetic MnAs Particles in Low Temperature GaAs by Manganese Implantation

The synthesis of ferromagnetic particles of the size of several nm (10... 100nm) imbedded in semiconductors is of particular interest for device applications such as magnetic sensors, switches or memories based on integrated semiconductor devices. We have investigated the formation as well as the structural and magnetic properties of MnAs nanomagnets (size ≈ 20nm) in low temperature grown GaAs (LT-GaAs). The MnAs nanomagnets which show ferromagnetism at room temperature have been synthesized using ion implantation with Mn and subsequent rapid thermal annealing (RTA). To characterize these nanomagnets, we present SQUID measurements (superconducting quantum interference device), TEM analysis (transmission electron microscopy) and EDX analysis (electron beam induced x-ray fluorescence).
Update on SSRI Treatment for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Dementia

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of dementia including agitation, depression, and psychosis are common and debilitating facets of the disease process. Despite the significant impact of these symptoms on both individuals with dementia and their caregivers, safe and effective treatment options are lacking. From a pharmacological approach, antipsychotics have historically been the treatment of choice, but these medications are only modestly effective with significant adverse effects. Behavioral and psychosocial interventions have been shown to be effective but are difficult to implement in routine clinical practice. SSRI medications have been investigated as an alternative psychopharmacological approach based on evidence that the serotoninergic system is involved in the etiology of NPS in dementia. The evidence base for using SSRI medications in the treatment of NPS is growing, but the applicability of research findings to the utility of SSRIs in general in routine clinical practice is not entirely clear at this point. Further studies of a variety of SSRI medications in targeting NPS are needed to make a more definitive assessment of the efficacy of these medications in the relief of NPS.
Method of direct USB device access in virtual environment

Through direct device access,the influence of Virtual Machine(VM) on system performance could be decreased.Meanwhile,current device drivers could be used by guest operating systems.A method of direct Universal Serial Bus(USB) device access in virtual environment was proposed,and a model of direct device access and work flow based on QEMU were designed.The experimental results show the VM can directly access varied USB devices with the help of this method,and attain data transmission of acceptable rate.
Functional status predicts major complications and death after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Abstract Objective Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is considered a lower risk option for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms and is of particular utility in patients with poor functional status who may be poor candidates for open repair. However, the specific contribution of preoperative functional status to EVAR outcomes remains poorly defined. We hypothesized that impaired functional status, based simply on the ability of patients to perform activities of daily living, is associated with worse outcomes after EVAR. Methods Patients undergoing nonemergent EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysm between 2010 and 2014 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and major operative and systemic complications. Secondary outcomes were inpatient length of stay, need for reoperation, and discharge disposition. Using the NSQIP-defined preoperative functional status, patients were stratified as independent or dependent (either partial or totally dependent) and compared by univariate and multivariable analyses. Results Of 13,432 patients undergoing EVAR between 2010 and 2014, 13,043 were independent (97%) and 389 were dependent (3%) before surgery. Dependent patients were older and more frequently minorities; had higher rates of chronic pulmonary, heart, and kidney disease; and were more likely to have an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 4 or 5. On multivariable analysis, preoperative dependent status was an independent risk factor for operative complications (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.5-3.9), systemic complications (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 2.0-3.9), and 30-day mortality (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.1-5.6). Secondary outcomes were worse among dependent patients. Conclusions Although EVAR is a minimally invasive procedure with substantially less physiologic stress than in open aortic repair, preoperative functional status is a critical determinant of adverse outcomes after EVAR in spite of the minimally invasive nature of the procedure. Functional status, as measured by performance of activities of daily living, can be used as a valuable marker of increased perioperative risk and may identify patients who may benefit from preoperative conditioning and specialized perioperative care.
Hair cortisol concentration and glycated hemoglobin in African American adults.

Abstract Background African Americans have higher diabetes prevalence compared to Whites. They also have elevated cortisol levels − indicating possible HPA axis dysregulation − which may raise blood glucose as part of the biological response to physiological and psychosocial stress. Little is known about chronic cortisol levels in African Americans, and even less about the role of chronically elevated cortisol in type 2 diabetes development in this racial group. Purpose We used analysis of cortisol in hair to examine associations of long-term (∼3 months) cortisol levels with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in a group of African American adults. In exploratory analyses, we also studied the relationship of hair dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) with HbA1c. Method Participants were 61 community-dwelling African American adults (85% female; mean age 54.30 years). The first 3 cm of scalp-near hair were analyzed for cortisol and DHEA concentration using enzyme-linked immunoassay analysis. Glycated hemoglobin was assessed, and regression analyses predicting HbA1c from hair cortisol and DHEA were performed in the full sample and in a subsample of participants (n = 20) meeting the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Disease (NIDDK) criteria for type 2 diabetes (HbA1c ≥ 6.5%). Results In the full sample, HbA1c increased with hair cortisol level (β = 0.22, p = 0.04, f2 = 0.10), independent of age, sex, chronic health conditions, diabetes medication use, exercise, and depressive symptoms. In the subsample of participants with an HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, hair cortisol was also positively related to HbA1c (β = 0.45, p = 0.04, f2 = 0.32), independent of diabetes medication use. Glycated hemoglobin was unrelated to hair DHEA in both the full sample and HbA1c ≥ 6.5% subsample. Conclusion Long-term HPA axis dysregulation in the form of elevated hair cortisol is associated with elevated HbA1c in African American adults.
Abstract 2: Overexpression of Human Apolipoprotein C-III in Mice Decreases Intestinal Transport of Triglyceride Into Lymph

INTRODUCTIONApolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III), synthesized by the liver and intestine, is an inhibitor of LPL-mediated lipolysis and hepatic clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. ApoC-III overproduction is linked with hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerosis. ApoC-III may also play an intracellular role in hepatic VLDL assembly/secretion. Little is known about the role of apoC-III in the intestine, although it is secreted on chylomicrons coincident with triglyceride absorption. HYPOTHESISGiven that overexpression of apoC-III results in high plasma triglyceride levels, we hypothesized that it might also stimulate intestinal triglyceride transport, thereby exacerbating plasma hypertriglyceridemia in human apoC-III transgenic (h-apoC-III tg) mice. METHODS28-30 gram male h-apoC-III tg (on a C57BL/6J background) were fitted with both a mesenteric lymph cannula and a duodenal feeding tube, and received a continuous intraduodenal infusion of triglyceride (6 μmol of 3[H]-Triolein in 0.3ml of phosphate-buffer...
Discrete Time Queueing Systems

The study of continuous time queueing systems goes back to the early work of Erlang. However a somewhat different model, that of discrete time queueing systems, has recently been the subject of increasing attention. In a discrete time model time is assumed to be “slotted”. That is, time consists of a concatenation of fixed length intervals known as slots. Events are constrained to take place during these slots. For instance, a discrete time queue might accept at most one packet during a slot and service at most one packet during a slot. On a network-wide basis, multiple events may occur during each slot.
Teacher Internal and External Factors

Our last chapter reviewed critical teacher behaviors that are observable. In contrast, this chapter explores less understood but equally important teacher behaviors that are internal and not observable. Internal factors evaluated included self-efficacy, stress, and burnout as well as teachers’ attitudes toward data collection. Our analysis of self-efficacy revealed a significant correlation with burnout in our first study and with stress in our second study where we used a different autism-specific self-efficacy questionnaire. Most importantly, self-efficacy obtained at the end of the school year was associated with child goal attainment scores and with IEP quality. We also examined a larger number of internal factors to see which ones were independent predictors of outcomes: stress, burnout, years teaching, experience with ASD, and external factors (administrator support). Only one variable, teacher emotional exhaustion, correlated with student outcomes. Lastly our study of data collection attitudes identified facilitators or supports for data collection. Teachers who reported higher personal accomplishments, self-efficacy that one could collect data successfully, and administrator support reported greater intention to collect data. In fact, self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of behavioral intention of any of the assessed variables. Altogether, our findings identify new variables that should be included in the study of internal and external factors and practice outcomes.
Summary and Synthesis

This chapter summarizes key ecological issues, synthesizes key integrating variables, and identifies critical issues for future study. Insect ecology includes both insect adaptations to their environment and their effects on environmental conditions. Insects represent the full scope of heterotrophic adaptive life history strategies, from sessile species whose ecological strategies resemble those of plants to social insects whose range of behavioral attributes resembles that of advanced vertebrates. Insects, as well as other organisms, influence their environment in complex, and often dramatic, ways, earning many species the designation of “ecosystem engineers.” The hierarchical organization of this study emphasizes linkages and feedbacks among levels of ecological organization. Linkages and feedbacks are strongest between neighboring levels but are significant even between individual and ecosystem levels of the hierarchy. Adaptations for detecting and acquiring resources are highly developed among insects. Many insects can detect the presence and location of resources from chemical cues, which are carried at low concentrations on wind or water currents. Along with this, ecosystems represent the level at which complex feedbacks among abiotic and biotic processes are integrated. Ecosystems can be viewed as dynamic energy- and nutrient-processing engines that modify global energy and nutrient fluxes.
MAC Layer Dynamic Backoff Scheme for Message Delivery Reliability in Wireless Sensor Networks

We propose using dynamic backoff on CSMA-type MAC layer protocols to improve message delivery reliability in wireless sensor networks. It is assumed that the MAC layer is able to determine message reliability requirements by reading a reliability data bit embedded within the message. The basic concept is to apply shorter random backoff times to important messages. This gives them the opportunity to test the availability of the communication channel more frequently, enhancing their chance of finding the medium idle. However, this technique might produce the opposite result by allowing the MAC layer to retry sending the important messages in a higher frequency. As a result important messages may reach their maximum retry limit, and get removed from the network. To counteract, we also propose giving the messages a maximum retry limit based on their type. In this setting, important messages will have a higher maximum retry limit. We developed a simulation program to validate our proposed dynamic backoff scheme. The results obtained show that under reasonable network utilization level, the latency is reduced for important messages. Under heavy network utilization conditions, the dynamic backoff scheme drops normal messages leaving the network resources available to handle the delivery of important messages.
Pricing Congestible Resources

We describe the basic economic theory of pricing a congestible resource such as an ftp server, a router, a Web site, etc. In particular, we examine the implications of "congestion pricing" as a way to encourage efficient use of network resources. We explore the implications of flat pricing and congestion pricing for capacity expansion in centrally planned, competitive, and monopolistic environments.
The Growth Potential (Form and Function): The International Esophageal Growth Experience

Growth is a normal part of the development of any organism; however, as part of the repair process, the potential for tissue growth is variable and depends on the organ system in question. Some organs are able to regenerate cellular structure to provide vital function, while others can only undergo repair by a scarring process with loss of organ function. Here we examine the principle of growth of the esophagus using traction applied to the esophageal pouches for repair of long-gap esophageal atresia. In particular, we discuss the published data on the use of esophageal growth for repair and how the concept has been perceived and applied outside of the initial experience of Dr. J.E. Foker at the University of Minnesota (see Chap. 45).
THE LENGTH AND COMPLEXITY OF THE BOWEL AS INFLUENCED BY DIET

This chapter reviews the length and complexity of the bowel as influenced by diet. The structure of the digestive tract in an animal is adapted to the type of food eaten. Carnivorous animals commonly have a short, simple tract, while grass- eating or grain-eating animals have a long, complicated one. Even when the dead, atonic, and stretched intestine is measured, the length in carnivorous animals is only from four to eight times the body length while, in herbivorous animals, it is from twenty-five to one hundred times the body length. If young and growing animals are fed on a coarse and indigestible diet the bowel tends to become longer than it is in animals brought up on a more digestible diet. Judging from the appearance of his short and simple digestive tract, man was meant to be largely carnivorous. The only part that suggests adaptation to a vegetable diet is the haustrated colon.
Frailty Predicts Failure to Rescue after Thoracoabdominal Operation.

Background An association between frailty and mortality exists; we hypothesized this is secondary to failure to rescue (F2R). Study Design Data were obtained from the NSQIP (2005 to 2012) for patients undergoing thoracoabdominal operations. Using the Modified Frailty Index, patients were classified as not (0 points), mildly (1 point), moderately (2 points), and severely (≥3) frail. Results There were 962,913 patients included; a majority were non-frail (52.2%), followed by mildly frail (33.8%). Complications were noted in 15.3%, major complications in 9.5%, mortality in 1.8%, and F2R in 1.3% of patients. On multivariate analysis, increases in frailty were associated with an increase in the risk of major complications (mildly: risk ratio [RR] 1.51; moderately: RR 2.69; and severely frail: RR 5.63 compared with non-frail; p Conclusions Increases in frailty independently predict risk for F2R. The greatest predictors of F2R in the Modified Frailty Index are those associated with disability and not comorbidities.
Classical orthogonal polynomials

There have been a number of definitions of the classical orthogonal polynomials, but each definition has left out some important orthogonal polynomials which have enough nice properties to justify including them in the category of classical orthogonal polynomials. We summarize some of the previous work on classical orthogonal polynomials, state our definition, and give a few new orthogonality relations for some of the classical orthogonal polynomials.
An Introduction to Qsar es-Seghir

Every town was contained within a certain economic framework. At local level this implied a system of relationships with the surrounding countryside and the neighbounng towns, within which the town might play a dominant or subordinate role. At national or international levels, it implied systems of relationships, depending on distances within the Mediterranean or even the Greater Mediterranean region. Finally there was political change.
Relationships Between Psychosocial Risks and Stress in Homeless Children

Homeless children are typically exposed to the worst environmental conditions associated with poverty. Despite recent attention to psychosocial risks associated with homelessness, limited attention has been paid to stress-related symptoms in homeless children. Better understanding of homeless children's experience of stress could point the way toward improvement of services for them. The purpose of the present exploratory study was to assess associations between child psychosocial risk factors and emotional and behavioral symptoms of stress in homeless children. Twenty-two homeless mothers of 29 children between the ages of 2 and 10 were surveyed about known psychosocial risks for homeless children and completed the Pediatric Emotional Distress Scale (PEDS), a 17-item measure of stress-related symptoms in children. Findings suggest that the stress-related symptoms of these children are related to the cumulative effects of environmental risk factors. The PEDS appears to be a sensitive measure of stress in children, and its brevity provides an advantage in assessments in high-stress situations. More developmental work with low-SES samples, however, is recommended.
Thermal hydraulics analysis of LIBRA-SP target chamber

LIBRA-SP is a conceptual design study of an inertially confined 1000 MWe fusion power reactor utilizing self-pinched light ion beams. There are 24 ion beams which are arranged around the reactor cavity. The reaction chamber is an upright cylinder with an inverted conical roof resembling a mushroom, and a pool floor. The vertical sides of the cylinder are occupied by a blanket zone consisting of many perforated rigid HT-9 ferritic steel tubes called PERITs (PEr-forated RIgid Tube). The breeding/cooling material, liquid lead-lithium, flows through the PERITs, providing protection to the reflector/vacuum chamber so as to make it a lifetime component. The neutronics analysis and cavity hydrodynamics calculations are performed to account for the neutron heating and also to determine the effects of vaporization/condensation processes on the surface heat flux. The steady state nuclear heating distribution at the midplane is used for thermal hydraulics calculations. The maximum surface temperature of the HT-9 is chosen to not exceed 625{degree}C to avoid drastic deterioration of the metal`s mechanical properties. This choice restricts the thermal hydraulics performance of the reaction cavity. The inlet first surface coolant bulk temperature is 370{degree}C, and the heat exchanger inlet coolant bulk temperature is 502{degree}C. 4 refs., 6 figs.,more » 2 tabs.« less
Overexpression of H- and L-Ferritin Subunits in Lens Epithelial Cells: Fe Metabolism and Cellular Response to UVB Irradiation

PURPOSE. To determine the effect of changes in ferritin subunit makeup on Fe metabolism and the resistance of lens epithelial cells (LEC) to photo-oxidative stress. METHODS. Cultured canine LEC were transiently transfected with pTargeT mammalian expression vector containing the whole coding sequence of H- or L-chain cDNA. The subunit composition of newly synthesized ferritin was analyzed by metabolic labeling and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Total ferritin concentration was measured by ELISA. Fe uptake and incorporation into ferritin was determined by incubating transfected cells with 59 Fe-labeled transferrin followed by native PAGE electrophoresis. The effect of UV irradiation was assessed by cell count after exposure of transfected cells to UVB radiation. RESULTS. Transfected cells differentially expressed H- and Lferritin chains from cDNA under the control of CMV promoter; overexpression of L-chain was much greater than that of Hchain. The expressed chains assembled into ferritin molecules under in vitro and in vivo condition. The ferritin of H-transfectants incorporated significantly more Fe than those of L-transfectants. The UVB irradiation reduced cell number of L-transfectants by half, whereas H-chain transfectants were protected. CONCLUSIONS. Post-transfectional expression of ferritin H- and L-chains in LEC appears to be regulated differentially. Overexpression of L-chain ferritin did not have a major effect on cellular Fe distribution and did not protect LEC against UV irradiation, whereas overexpression of H-chain resulted in increased storage of Fe in ferritin and protected cells from UV damage. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2001;42:1721‐1727)
Adenovirus in Gene Therapy

Gene therapy—the transference of genetic material into an individual—was first conceived as an approach to hereditary single-gene disease. Today the subject of gene therapy comprises multifactorial disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious disease. Ideally, a vector system for gene therapy would have the following attributes: (1) allow efficient transduction of the transgene into the target cells, (2) be safe (i.e., toxicity associated with the vector would be minimal or absent), (3) target only the desired cells within the target tissue, (4) express a therapeutic regulatable amount of the transgene, and (5) not integrate into the host genome. The ideal vector system, however, does not currently exist. Viral-based vectors are the most common gene delivery systems employed for preclinical or clinical applications and adenoviral (Ad) vectors closely follow retroviruses as the most frequently used vectors for gene therapy. Although Ad vectors are not suitable for all applications, they are very efficient in delivering the therapeutic transgene to the cell nucleus. Other advantages of using Ad vectors include the simplicity of vector construction methods, efficient production, high yields and high stability, and reliable transduction of both proliferating and quiescent cell types.
Controlled release food and beverage packaging

Abstract: This chapter introduces controlled release packaging, which is an emerging technology by which active compounds such as antimicrobials or antioxidants are first incorporated into the package and then released to the food in a controlled manner to inhibit microbial growth or oxidation, thereby extending shelf life of the product. Scientific evidence is provided to support the soundness of this technology. A conceptual framework is also provided as a research roadmap to facilitate the development of this technology.
The Green Economy: A Marketplace of Ideas about Our Common Future

This issue of the UMKC Law Review is dedicated to Professor Fred Cheever who lived an authentic life in the law and in nature, exemplifying commitment to learning about our natural environment and to protecting it though law and advocacy. Professor Cheever began his legal career with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, which later became Earth justice. Professor of Law at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law since 1993, Cheever was the primary organizer of a conference for natural resources law professors through the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. After returning from a gathering of this organization of law professors in Banff, Alberta last summer, Fred died while rafting with his family on the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument. Fred would have presented and written on the topic of “The Public Interest in Private Land Conservation” for this symposium. At this symposium gathering and at many more, we remember his kindness and seek to emulate his dedication to the law, to education, and to sustaining our planet.
The Parson's Country House Poem

This article demonstrates how early modern English poet-priest Robert Herrick uses verse form to examine tensions arising from food scarcity. I uncover Herrick’s creation of the “parsonage poem,” a...
Mitochondrial Permeability Uncouples Elevated Autophagy and Lifespan Extension.

Autophagy is required in diverse paradigms of lifespan extension, leading to the prevailing notion that autophagy is beneficial for longevity. However, why autophagy is harmful in certain contexts remains unexplained. Here, we show that mitochondrial permeability defines the impact of autophagy on aging. Elevated autophagy unexpectedly shortens lifespan in C. elegans lacking serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase-1 (sgk-1) because of increased mitochondrial permeability. In sgk-1 mutants, reducing levels of autophagy or mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening restores normal lifespan. Remarkably, low mitochondrial permeability is required across all paradigms examined of autophagy-dependent lifespan extension. Genetically induced mPTP opening blocks autophagy-dependent lifespan extension resulting from caloric restriction or loss of germline stem cells. Mitochondrial permeability similarly transforms autophagy into a destructive force in mammals, as liver-specific Sgk knockout mice demonstrate marked enhancement of hepatocyte autophagy, mPTP opening, and death with ischemia/reperfusion injury. Targeting mitochondrial permeability may maximize benefits of autophagy in aging.
When Phenotype Does Not Match Genotype-The Importance of Returning to the Raw Data.

A 51-year-old man with a previous history of resected gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)3 9 years earlier presented with anemia and was found to have a recurrent GIST of the stomach. Per National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines (https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/sarcoma.pdf), formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections of the GIST were sent for mutation analysis. Testing was done using an amplicon-based 50-gene cancer mutation panel analysis by next-generation sequencing (NGS) using Ion AmpliSeq™ Cancer Hotspot Panel (version 2) chemistry on an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine. Despite >3000× coverage of the genes of interest, the Torrent Suite Variant Caller (version 5.4.0.5) software readout failed to list any mutations characteristic of this neoplasm. Because of clinical molecular suspicion for this tumor phenotype (80% of GISTs will have a KIT 4 mutation and 10% a PDGFRA mutation), manual inspection of the DNA sequences was performed using the Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV; Broad Institute) for the KIT gene. This application gives the pathologist a graphical view of DNA sequences (.bam file) generated from individual wells of the Ion Torrent sequencing chip, aligned to a reference sequence. The pileup in Fig. 1 shows 8 sequence reads of “TTTTCCCTTTC—TCCC” that are out of place, as they do not match the underlying reference sequence. This mismatch is key to future therapeutic planning …
Exhibition of a stem-cell like phenotype with the expression of CD271 in drug-resistant melanoma cells.

8599 Background: Chemotherapy resistance is a common, difficult problem for melanoma patients needing long term care and those suffering from recurrence. Neural growth factor receptor (NGFR), also ...
Characterization of the DNA ligase IV BRCT domains and their role in DNA double strand break repair

2656 DNA ligase IV (Lig4) is an indispensable component of the DNA double strand break repair pathway known as nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ). Lig4 is also an indispensable component of V(D)J recombination, a process used to generate antigen-specific lymphocyte receptors. These pathways are essential for maintaining genomic integrity and developing a functional immune system. The overall goal of this project is to study the Lig4 BRCT (BRCA1 C-terminal) domains and their role in coordinating Lig4 activities with other components of the NHEJ complex. All homologs of Lig4 contain two BRCT domains; however their function has not yet been identified. BRCT domains are commonly found in proteins that participate in DNA damage repair and cell cycle signaling. Two recent studies identified a class of BRCT domains that interact with phosphorylated peptides and make phosphorylation-dependent protein interactions. BRCT domains share a common folding pattern despite their divergent sequence homology and phosphorylation is a key regulatory event in DNA damage signaling. This recent discovery may provide a link between DNA damage-induced phosphorylation and the function of BRCT domains. It has been shown that a Lig4 protein without BRCT domains can ligate DNA substrates in vitro yet cannot recombine substrates in vivo. To test the hypothesis that the Lig4 BRCT domains play an in vivo role in DNA end ligation, the Lig4 BRCT domains will be characterized in two projects. First, we are identifying residues critical to BRCT domain function by evaluating BRCT deletion and point mutants. Our point mutant design incorporated the use of comparative protein modeling to identify surface-exposed, structure-independent amino acids. Second, we are identifying interactions potentially made by the Lig4 BRCT domains within the NHEJ complex. DNA polymerase μ, γ-H2AX and additional NHEJ components will be assessed for their ability to interact with the Lig4 BRCT domains. Potential interactions will be analyzed using co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence analysis. To characterize interactions, these assays will be performed using BRCT mutants to define critical residues, and using EtBr to assay for DNA dependence. Kinetics of the interaction will also be determined. Our findings will determine the function of the Lig4 BRCT domains and further define interactions between the multiple protein complexes involved in DNA double strand break repair. Our findings will also improve our understanding of mechanisms that result in the development of immunodeficiency syndromes and cancer formation in lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells.
FLT3-ITD gets by with a little help from PRMT1

In this issue of Blood, He et al discuss their discovery that methylation of fms-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) at arginines 972 and 973 by protein arginine N-methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) potentiates oncogenic signaling and that inhibition of PRMT1 can improve the efficacy of kinase inhibitors in FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia (AML).