cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNA methylation and gene expression differences in children conceived in vitro or in vivo

Epidemiological data indicate that children conceived in vitro have a greater relative risk of low birth-weight, major and minor birth defects, and rare disorders involving imprinted genes, suggesting that epigenetic changes may be associated with assisted reproduction. We examined DNA methylation at more than 700 genes (1536 CpG sites) in placenta and cord blood and measured gene expression levels of a subset of genes that differed in methylation levels between children conceived in vitro versus in vivo. Our results suggest that in vitro conception is associated with lower mean methylation at CpG sites in placenta and higher mean methylation at CpG sites in cord blood. We also find that in vitro conception-associated DNA methylation differences are associated with gene expression differences at both imprinted and non-imprinted genes. The range of inter-individual variation in gene expression of the in vitro and in vivo groups overlaps substantially but some individuals from the in vitro group differ from the in vivo group mean by more than two standard deviations. Several of the genes whose expression differs between the two groups have been implicated in chronic metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type II diabetes. These findings suggest that there may be epigenetic differences in the gametes or early embryos derived from couples undergoing treatment for infertility. Alternatively, assisted reproduction technology may have an effect on global patterns of DNA methylation and gene expression. In either case, these differences or changes may affect long-term patterns of gene expression.
Nuclear molecular imaging with nanoparticles: radiochemistry, applications and translation

Molecular imaging provides considerable insight into biological processes for greater understanding of health and disease. Numerous advances in medical physics, chemistry and biology have driven the growth of this field in the past two decades. With exquisite sensitivity, depth of detection and potential for theranostics, radioactive imaging approaches have played a major role in the emergence of molecular imaging. At the same time, developments in materials science, characterization and synthesis have led to explosive progress in the nanoparticle (NP) sciences. NPs are generally defined as particles with a diameter in the nanometre size range. Unique physical, chemical and biological properties arise at this scale, stimulating interest for applications as diverse as energy production and storage, chemical catalysis and electronics. In biomedicine, NPs have generated perhaps the greatest attention. These materials directly interface with life at the subcellular scale of nucleic acids, membranes and proteins. In this review, we will detail the advances made in combining radioactive imaging and NPs. First, we provide an overview of the NP platforms and their properties. This is followed by a look at methods for radiolabelling NPs with gamma-emitting radionuclides for use in single photon emission CT and planar scintigraphy. Next, utilization of positron-emitting radionuclides for positron emission tomography is considered. Finally, recent advances for multimodal nuclear imaging with NPs and efforts for clinical translation and ongoing trials are discussed.
Potential Impact of Two Aphthona spp. on a Native, Nontarget Euphorbia Species

Flea beetles (Aphthona spp.) are biological control agents introduced from Eurasia to reduce the cover and density of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). The potential for the introduced beetles to use alternate hosts for feeding and development in North America is slight; however, it is possible. Species at highest risk are native species closely related, ecologically and taxonomically, to leafy spurge. A native spurge, Euphorbia brachycera Engelm. is consubgeneric and sympatric with leafy spurge throughout the northern Great Plains of the United States, and was not included in prerelease host-specificity testing for Aphthona nigriscutis or Aphthona lacertosa. The objective of this study was to evaluate the actual and potential ecological overlap among leafy spurge, flea beetles, and E. brachycera. Wide-ranging and intensive field surveys indicate that E. brachycera is found well within the range of leafy spurge and flea beetles. E. brachycera occurs infrequently, in low densities, in areas with a high percentage of bare ground, and with a root system dissimilar to leafy spurge. Flea beetles released directly into populations of E. brachycera failed to persist beyond a single field season and plants showed no evidence of feeding by beetles. Our results suggest that the potential for flea beetles to host-shift is low due to differences in growth habit and root morphology between E. brachycera and leafy spurge.
The effect of training specificity on maximal and submaximal physiological responses to treadmill and cycle ergometry.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of training specificity during maximal and submaximal treadmill (TM) and bicycle ergometer (BE) exercise. A group of trained runners (RG, no. 7) and trained bikers (BG, no. 7) underwent graded exercise testing on both TM and BE, utilizing the same testing protocol within each exercise mode for both groups. Data for VO2 HR and BP were collected during each 3 min stage. Group by trial ANOVAs followed by Tukey's post hoc analysis, showed no group difference in VO2max, HRmax or BPmax during TM exercise. However, during each of the first four submaximal 3 min stages, VO2 and HR were significantly less (p less than .05) in RG vs BC, with no significant difference in BP. During BE exercise, VO2max was significantly less for both groups compared with TM (RG-59.6 vs 50.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 BS-59.4 vs 55.1 ml.kg-1.min-1) (p less than .05), with BG exhibiting the greater BEmax (p less than .05). RG also had a reduced HRmax during BE exercise (p less than .05). Both groups showed greater BPmax during BE vs TM exercise (p less than .05). Although submaximal VO2 was slightly less during BE for each stage in RG than BG, these differences were not significant as measured either by ml.kg-1.min-1 or l.min-1. Both submaximal HR and BP mirrored the VO2 response, with no significant differences between RG and BG. These data agree with previous studies, showing a greater effect of training specificity during maximal BE than during maximal TM exercise. However, during submaximal exercise, training specificity appear to have a greater effect during TM than BE exercise.
Cardiac Physiology for Radiologists: Review of Relevant Physiology for Interpretation of Cardiac MR Imaging and CT

For radiologists who interpret cardiac MR imaging and CT studies, important concepts to understand in cardiac physiology include the changes in left ventricular pressure and volume with pathologic conditions, valvular abnormalities, cardiac shunts, and quantification of functional parameters such as ventricular volumes and the ejection fraction.
Characterization of Reaction Complex Structures of ATP-Utilizing Enzymes by High Resolution NMR

A paradigm of biomolecular science is that the elucidation of the molecular basis of enzyme catalysis requires knowledge of the active-site structures of enzymes i.e., the precise conformational arrangement of the enzyme-bound substrates and their amino-acid environment. In this article, a review of the recent and ongoing efforts to characterize the active-site structures of a group of ATP-utilizing enzymes, by the use of high-resolution NMR methods, is presented. ATP-utilizing enzymes occur in a variety of important biochemical pathways and may be divided into three categories on the basis of the transferable moiety from ATP (see Fig. 1): 1. phosphoryl transfer (kinases), 2. nucleotidyl transfer (e.g. amino-acyl tRNA synthetases), and 3. pyrophosphoryl transfer (e.g. phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase), listed in decreasing order of their abundance in biochemical pathways. All the three categories of enzymes require a divalent cation, Mg(II) in vivo, as an obligatory component. The diversity in their catalytic roles, the obligatory cation requirement, and their ubiquity in biochemical pathways make ATP-utilizing enzymes an attractive group for structural investigations aimed at gathering insight into the molecular basis of enzyme catalysis.
Husbands & Wives, Dangerousness & Dependence: Public Pensions in the 1860s-1920s

In the latter part of the nineteenth century, states enacted public pension programs for civil servants, following on military pensions. In contests over who deserved these pensions, discussions in courts moved from an anaylsis of the obligations owed to the national government and the relationship between the state and national governments to an analysis of the qualities required to perform the work. Earned benefits were often considered to require masculine characteristics, considering marriage as part of a proper masculine role. When women claimed the benefits as heirs, courts would sometimes consider what made a woman a proper wife. This article discusses these benefits in light of assessing a sometimes close connection in state policy between heterosexuality and gender.
Synthesis and Structures of rac-Me2Si(η5-1-indenyl)2Hf(NMe2)2 and {Me2Si(η5-1-indenyl)(η3-2-indenyl)}Hf(NMe2)2

The amine elimination reaction of Me2Si(1-indenyl)2 (1, (SBI)H2) and Hf(NMe2)4 (2) affords rac-Me2Si(η5-1-indenyl)2Hf(NMe2)2 (rac-3, rac-(SBI)Hf(NMe2)2) in 20% isolated yield. This reaction proceeds by initial formation of a mono(indenyl) intermediate, (η5-C9H6SiMe2C9H7)Hf(NMe2)3 (4), which reacts reversibly with a second equivalent of 2 to form a binuclear complex, {μ-η5:η5-Me2Si(1-indenyl)2}{Hf(NMe2)3}2 (5), and undergoes reversible intramolecular amine elimination to form rac-3 and meso-3. The novel C1-symmetric ansa-metallocene {Me2Si(η5-1-indenyl)(η3-2-indenyl)}Hf(NMe2)2 (6), in which one of the indenyl groups is bridged through the 2-position, is observed as a side product in the synthesis of 3. Complex 6 has been prepared in 21% isolated yield by thermolysis of 4 (or mixtures of 1 and 2) at 160 °C and can be converted to {Me2Si(η5-1-indenyl)(η3-2-indenyl)}HfMe2 (7, 100% NMR) by reaction with AlMe3. The molecular structures of rac-3 and 6 have been determined by X-ray crystallography.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Co 59 in Dilute Au Co Alloys

Measurements of $^{59}\mathrm{Co}$ NMR shifts and spin-relaxation rates in $\mathrm{Au}\mathrm{Co}$ confirm the nonmagnetic character of isolated cobalt impurities in gold. In the temperature range 1.2-4.0 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, a large positive resonance shift [$K=+(29.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2)%$] is observed, indicative of a dominant orbital hyperfine interaction. The absence of a strong temperature dependence of the shift below 300 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K gives evidence for a high spin-fluctuation temperature. Low-temperature measurements of the spin-echo phase-memory time ${T}_{2}$ yield a value ${T}_{1}T=2.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5$ msec \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K for the spin-lattice relaxation time. The results of the present study illustrate the strong influence of orbital degeneracy on the magnetic properties of cobalt impurities in metals.
Psychosocial and Ethical Issues of AIDS Health Care Program

The psychiatric, psychosocial, and ethical considerations in the design and evaluation of health care programs for AIDS patients and others with HIV infection are described in this article. The responsibilities of health care providers are considered in the context of the history and epidemiology of AIDS, previous responses of the health care delivery system, and the concerns of the general public. General guidelines for program development are set forth; these guidelines embody ethical principles, the role of education in altering the behavior and attitudes of patients and health care workers, the optimal levels of and precautions for infection control, and the evaluation of a patient's competency and judgement. Several examples of the use of these guidelines to resolve difficult policy issues arising in the treatment of patients with AIDS or HIV infection are also provided.
An assessment of the early management of spine problems and appropriateness of diagnostic imaging utilization.

Low back pain may affect up to 80% of all adults and is the second leading reason for physician visits in ambulatory medicine. Estimates for the annual direct medical costs for treating patients with back pain approach $25 million, despite the fact that it is a self-limited condition in at least 90% of patients with recovery occuring within 6 to 12 weeks. Recent scrutiny of health care delivery has produced numerous observations documenting a high variability in use of resources for medical conditions including low back pain, but few studies have attempted to examine the medical appropriateness of diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.
A Sequential Data Analysis Approach to Electronic Health Record Workflow

Failure to understand clinical workflow across electronic health record (EHR) tasks is a significant contributor to usability problems. In this paper, we employed sequential data analysis methods with the aim of characterizing patterns of 5 clinicians' information-gathering across 66 patients. Two analyses were conducted. The first one characterized the most common sequential patterns as reflected in the screen transitions. The second analysis was designed to mine and quantify the frequency of sequence occurrence. We observed 27 screen-transition patterns that were employed from 2 to 7 times. Documents/Images and Intake/Output screens were viewed for nearly all patients indicating the importance of these information sources. In some cases, they were viewed more than once which may show that users are following inefficient patterns in the information gathering process. New quantitative methods of analysis as applied to interaction data can yield critical insights in robust designs that better support clinical workflow.
[Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase: a useful marker for diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma].

确诊前列腺癌需要从形态学上找到组织切片中的恶性腺体和上皮细胞.利用针刺活检标本诊断前列腺癌有时对病理学家是一个很大的挑战,因为确定一个病理诊断需要多种肿瘤组织的特征,例如浸润性生长方式、细胞核的不典型性以及肿瘤上皮特征性的细胞外物质[1,2].其中没有一个指标可以单一确定前列腺癌的诊断.另外,许多良性病变可能在形态学上与癌症类似,但它们的生物学表现却截然不同.不幸的是,前列腺癌的误诊会给患者带来严重的后果.因此,一种前列腺癌特异的生化标记物将在临床实践中起很大作用。
Automated Segmentation of the First Mitotic Spindle in Differential Interference Contrast Microcopy Images of C. elegans Embryos

Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy is a non-fluorescent microscopy technique that is commonly used to visualize the first mitotic spindle in C. elegans embryos. DIC movies are easy to acquire and provide data with high spatial and temporal resolution, allowing detailed investigations of the dynamics of the spindle-which elongates, oscillates, and is positioned asymmetrically. Despite the immense amount of information such movies provide, they are normally only used to draw qualitative conclusion based on manual inspection. We have developed an algorithm to automatically segment the mitotic spindle in DIC movies of C. elegans embryos, determine the position of centrosomes, quantify the morphology and motions of the spindle, and track these features over time. This method should be widely useful for studying the first mitotic spindle in C. elegans.
FGFR3-TACC3 fusion proteins act as naturally occurring drivers of tumor resistance by functionally substituting for EGFR/ERK signaling

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a clinically validated target in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), where EGFR-blocking antibodies are approved for first-line treatment. However, as with other targeted therapies, intrinsic/acquired resistance mechanisms limit efficacy. In the FaDu HNSCC xenograft model, we show that combined blockade of EGFR and ERBB3 promotes rapid tumor regression, followed by the eventual outgrowth of resistant cells. RNA sequencing revealed that resistant cells express FGFR3-TACC3 fusion proteins, which were validated as drivers of the resistant phenotype by several approaches, including CRISPR-mediated inactivation of FGFR3-TACC3 fusion genes. Interestingly, analysis of signaling in resistant cell lines demonstrated that FGFR3-TACC3 fusion proteins promote resistance by preferentially substituting for EGFR/RAS/ERK signaling rather than ERBB3/PI3K/AKT signaling. Furthermore, although FGFR3-TACC3 fusion proteins promote resistance of additional EGFR-dependent HNSCC and lung cancer cell lines to EGFR blockade, they are unable to compensate for inhibition of PI3K signaling in PIK3CA-mutant HNSCC cell lines. Validation of FGFR3-TACC3 fusion proteins as endogenous drivers of resistance in our screen provides strong evidence that these fusions are capable of substituting for EGFR signaling. Thus, FGFR3-TACC3 fusion proteins may represent a novel mechanism of acquired resistance in EGFR-dependent cancers of multiple cell lineages.
Factors Influencing Career Choice for Women in the Global Information Technology Workforce

This article presents an analysis of cultural/actors influencing the career choices of women in the IT workforce. We employ the individual differences theory ofgender and IT as a theoretical lens to analyze a qualitative data set ofinterviews with 200 women in/our different countries. The themes that emerged from this analysis speak to the influence ofcultural attitudes about maternity, childcare, parental care and working outside the home on a woman schoice ofan ITcareer. In addition, several additional socio-cultural factors served to addfurther variation to genderedcultural influences: genderedcareer norms, socialclass; economic opportunity, and gender stereotypes about aptitude. These results lendfurther empirical support to the emergent individual differences theory ofgender and IT that endeavors to theorize within-gender variation with respect to issues related to gender and IT They also point to areas where educational and workplace interventions can be enacted.
Abstract 1960: Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs of breast cancer among African American and European American women

African American (AA) women are more likely than European American (EA) women to be diagnosed with aggressive, estrogen receptor (ER) negative breast cancer. Differences in microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns have not been well studied as potential mechanisms underlying this racial disparity. In this study, we performed a whole-genome miRNA expression profiling in 58 (29 AA and 29 EA) fresh-frozen breast tumors, with clinical characteristics (e.g., ER status, histological grade, stage) comparable between AA and EA samples, and in 10 (5 AA and 5 EA) normal breast tissues obtained from women undergoing reduction mammoplasty, with pathology determined free from any abnormalities. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering showed that miRNA expression patterns clearly distinguish breast cancer from normal breast tissue. In tumors, a number of miRNAs are significantly differentially expressed, i.e., DEmiRs defined as >2-fold change in expression and FDR Citation Format: Zhihong Gong, Dan Wang, Allyson Espinal, Qiang Hu, Xuan Peng, Lara Sucheston-Campbell, Li Tang, Jo Freudenheim, Peter Shields, Carl Morrison, Steven Belinsky, Song Liu, Kitaw Demissie, Michael Higgins, Christine Ambrosone. Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs of breast cancer among African American and European American women. [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 1960.
A Seasonal Rainfall Performance Probability Tool for Famine Early Warning Systems

AbstractThis paper reports on the development of a new statistical tool that generates probabilistic outlooks of seasonal precipitation anomaly categories over Africa. Called the seasonal performance probability (SPP), it quantitatively evaluates the probability of precipitation to finish at predefined percent-of-normal anomaly categories corresponding to below-average ( 120% of normal) conditions. This is accomplished by applying methods for kernel density estimation (KDE), which compute smoothed, continuous density functions on the basis of more than 30 years of historical precipitation data from the Africa Rainfall Climatology, version 2, dataset (ARC2) for the remaining duration of a monsoon season. Discussion of various parameterizations of KDE and testing to determine optimality of density estimates (and thus performance of SPP for operational monitoring) are presented. Verification results from 2006 to 2015 show that SPP reliably pro...
Structure of a deaza dimer of 4-methyl-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5(4H)-dione

The title compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group, P21/n; a = 9.0024(5), b = 5.8135(3), c = 15.2232(8) A, β = 91.153(4)° Z = 4; and R = 0.050 based on 853 observed, unique reflections. The structure consists of two fused five-membered triazole rings, oriented relative to each other at 152°.
Association of soil selenium, strontium, and magnesium concentrations with Parkinson's disease mortality rates in the USA.

Among the 41 soil elements analyzed from 4856 sites across the contiguous 48 states, average Parkinson’s disease (PD) mortality rates between 1999 and 2014 have the most significant positive correlation with the average soil strontium (Sr) concentrations (correlation r = 0.47, significance level p = 0.00), and average PD mortality rates have the most significant inverse correlation with the average soil selenium (Se) concentrations (r = −0.44, p = 0.00). Multivariate regression models indicate that soil Sr and Se concentrations can explain 35.4% of spatial disparities of the state average PD mortality rates between 1999 and 2014 (R 2 = 0.354). When the five outlier states were removed from the model, concentrations of soil Sr and Se can explain 62.4% (R 2 = 0.624) of the spatial disparities of PD mortality rates of the 43 remaining states. The results also indicate that high soil magnesium (Mg) concentrations suppressed the growth rate of the PD mortality rates between 1999 and 2014 in the 48 states (r = −0.42, p = 0.000). While both Se and Sr have been reported to affect the nervous system, this study is the first study that reported the statistically significant association between the PD mortality rates and soil concentrations of Se, Sr, and Mg in the 48 states. Given that soil elemental concentration in a region is broad indicator of the trace element intake from food, water, and air by people, implications of the results are that high soil Se and Mg concentrations helped reduce the PD mortality rates and benefited the PD patients in the 48 states.
Control Step Scheduling (CSTEP)

Scheduling assigns operators in the behavioral specification to control steps that represent clock cycles in the completed design. Because scheduling and other design tasks are heavily interdependent, it has been recognized as an important part of the synthesis problem [Gajski86]. When interface information is added to the synthesis problem, scheduling becomes even more important because it determines whether timing constraints can be met in the resulting implementation.
Value and significance of SCE in human leukemia and cancer.

The introduction and refinement of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) techniques generated much enthusiasm, interest, and promise for their application in human neoplasia. In particular, the demonstration of high SCE levels in the cells of Bloom syndrome (BS) patients (1,2), a condition with a very high susceptibility to the development of cancer (primarily lymphoma or leukemia), and the application of SCE as a sensitive and specific index of carcinogenic and/or mutagenic activity (3,4), generated much excitement for the application of SCE studies in human neoplasia. It was hoped that unique changes, akin to those at the chromosome level, would characterize certain malignant conditions and states (5–7). Thus, the general concept was developed that individuals or families with high risk of cancer might show SCE changes characteristic of these groups and that cells involved in certain neoplastic conditions would display unique SCE patterns different from those of normal cells and allow for differential delineation of some neoplastic processes.
Englishness/Jewishness/Otherness: Teaching English National Identity

Despite its ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse population, medieval England was religiously almost wholly Christian, both before and markedly after 1290. Religious difference, real and imagined, offered medieval texts a powerful set of discursive practices occurring around and through imagined Jewishness that worked to construct and reinforce both Jewishness and Englishness. Topics in literary and historical texts such as conversion, cartography, and the blood libel, which are set against and in conjunction with excerpts from documents that speak overtly to English identity, assist students in unpacking medieval notions of alterity in a twenty-first century undergraduate classroom.
Exploring Preconception Care: Insurance Status, Race/Ethnicity, and Health in the Pre-pregnancy Period

Objective To measure the association of preconception health insurance status with preconception health among women in New York City, and examine whether this association is modified by race/ethnicity. Methods Using data from the New York City Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2009–2011 (n = 3929), we created a “Preconception Health Score” (PHS) capturing modifiable behaviors, healthcare services utilization, pregnancy intention, and timely entry into prenatal care. We then built multivariable logistic regression models to measure the association of PHS with health insurance status and race/ethnicity. Results We found PHS to be higher among women with private insurance (7.3 ± 0.07) or public insurance (6.3 ± 0.08) before pregnancy than no insurance (5.9 ± 0.09) (p < .001). However, when stratified by race/ethnicity, the positive association of PHS with insurance was absent in the non-white population. Conclusions for Practice Having health insurance during the pre-pregnancy period is associated with greater health among white women, but not among black or Hispanic women in NYC.
CONTROL OF ENERGY METABOLISM. BIOENERGETICS OF MUSCULAR CONTRACTION

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the control of the bioenergetics of muscle contraction. Muscle is a complex living tissue containing a delicately balanced mechanism with many negative feedback controls, which precisely demark the force it can develop, the velocity with which it can move, and the distance it can shorten. In some, the individual muscle fibers go from end to end of the muscle, so it can develop a relatively low force but can contract a long distance. The individual myosin molecules contain one of the side pieces and part of the longitudinal filaments. Much work on isolated myosin and actin and on muscles treated with glycerol suggests that adenosine triphosphate is the actual energy source.
Instrumented Gait and Balance Analyses in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Mild Cognitive Impairment compared with Parkinson Disease (P4.013)

Objective: To explore instrumented gait and balance parameters in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) subjects compared to Parkinson disease (PD) and normal control (NC) cohorts. Background: Gait and balance impairment present variously in neurodegenerative diseases and provide valuable diagnostic clues, but cannot be easily detected through qualitative measures alone, particularly early in the course. Instrumented gait and balance analyses provide quantifiable metrics that can potentially differentiate between neurodegenerative diseases. There is a paucity of literature on comprehensive instrumented gait and balance measurements in PSP and aMCI, while PD has been studied more extensively. We studied objective gait and balance parameters in a cross-section of PSP and aMCI subjects. Design/Methods: 18 PSP and 19 aMCI subjects performed the instrumented Timed-Up-and-Go (iTUG) and instrumented Sway (iSWAY) tests using the APDM Mobility Lab, which utilizes six inertial sensors attached to the limbs and torso to quantify gait, turning and sway. Measurements were compared to 180 PD and 41 NC subjects enrolled in the NINDS Parkinson Disease Biomarkers Program study. ANOVA was performed to analyze between-group differences, followed by t-tests with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons using significance of p Results: 11 iTUG gait and turning parameters were significantly different in PSP versus other groups, while six iSWAY parameters were significantly different between PSP and NC, but for no other comparisons. In the aMCI cohort, four iTUG gait and turning variables were significantly different from the NC and three iTUG gait variables from the PD cohorts respectively, while iSWAY parameters were showed no significant difference. Conclusions: Instrumented gait and balance parameters show promise in augmenting diagnostic accuracy in PSP and aMCI. We intend to perform larger longitudinal studies with neuropathological correlation to verify the durability and discriminating power of these variables over time. Disclosure: Dr. Nguyen has research support from Eli Lilly & Company. Dr. Brown has nothing to disclose. Dr. Logan has nothing to disclose. Dr. O9Suilleabhain has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dewey has received research support from NIH, Schwarz Pharma, and Elan. Dr. Quiceno has received personal compensation for activities with Accera as an advisory board member and speaker. Dr. Khemani has received personal compensation for activities with Lundbeck and Allergan as a member of the advisory board. Dr. Khemani has received research support from NINDS.
Creativity for Whom? Art Education in the Age of Creative Agency, Decreased Resources, and Unequal Art Achievement Outcomes.

Few would disagree that a primary aim of art and design education is to cultivate student creativity. While there are diverse approaches to teaching for creativity in art and design education, deve...
The impact of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) dose intensity (DI) on survival outcomes in patients (pts) receiving multimodality therapy for locoregionally advanced (LRA) adenocarcinoma (ACA) of the esophagus (E) and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ).

e15031 Background: Perioperative chemotherapy improves outcomes for pts with LRA ACA of the E/GEJ compared to surgery alone. Combination chemotherapy regimens are frequently employed, and toxicity ...
Dipolar coupling and molecular vibrations in ionic liquids.

It is often the case that intense, non-degenerate bands appear asymmetric in transmission IR spectra of ionic liquids, with a high-frequency shoulder adjacent to the dominant band. Moreover, the band shape is temperature dependent with lower temperatures producing greater amounts of asymmetry. The 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate family of ionic liquids provides an excellent illustration of this phenomenon, wherein the νs(SO3) mode of the anion is split into two components whose frequencies change with temperature. In this article, a new theoretical model is derived to explain temperature-dependent trends in the infrared spectra of these materials. According to the model, vibrationally-induced dipole moments couple with one another across the charge-organized liquid structure inherent to ionic liquids to produce transverse optical (TO) and longitudinal optical (LO) phonons. The temperature dependence of the resulting TO–LO band splitting originates from two distinct sources. First, the interaction strength between vibrationally-induced dipole moments depends on the distance separating the ions, which in turn, is directly related to the ionic liquid's density. Second, TO–LO splitting requires a significant amount of angular correlation among the ions to facilitate the propagation of optical phonons. Elevated temperatures produce smaller densities and increased amounts of disorder, both of which lead to decreased amounts of TO–LO splitting. Although the model is developed in the context of ionic liquids, the equations are broadly applicable to other materials that possess long-range structure but are not fully crystalline, such as molten salts, plastic crystalline compounds, glasses, and disordered solids.
Assessment of nephrotoxicity associated with combined cisplatin and mitomycin C usage in laparoscopic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background: Laparoscopic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been used to treat various peritoneal malignancies. Cisplatin and mitomycin C (MMC) are agents commonly used in these ...
Influence of density on hyperspectral BRDF signatures of granular materials

Recent hyperspectral measurements of composite granular sediments of varying densities have revealed phenomena that contradict what radiative transfer theory would suggest.5 In high-density sands where dominant constituents are translucent and supplementary, darker grains are present, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurements of high density sediments showed reduced intensity when compared to lower density counterparts. It is conjectured that this is due to diminished multiple scattering from the darker particles which more optimally fill pore space as density increases. The goal of these experiments is to further expand upon these earlier results that were conducted primarily in the principal scattering plane and only at minimum and maximum densities. In the present study, the BRDF of granular composites is compared along a gradient of densities for optically contrasting materials. Systematic analysis of angular and material dependence will be used to develop better models for multiple scattering effects of the granular materials. The measurements in this experiment used the recently constructed, laboratory and field-deployable Goniometer of the Rochester Institute of Technology (GRIT), which measures BRDF for geometries covering 360 degrees in azimuth and 65 degrees in zenith. In contrast to the previous studies limited to the principal scattering plane, GRIT provides a full hemispherical BRDF measurement.
Neuropathologic basis of in vivo cortical atrophy in the aphasic variant of Alzheimer's disease

The neuropathologic basis of in vivo cortical atrophy in clinical dementia syndromes remains poorly understood. This includes primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a language-based dementia syndrome characterized by asymmetric cortical atrophy. The neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid-s plaques (APs) of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can cause PPA, but a quantitative investigation of the relationships between NFTs, APs and in vivo cortical atrophy in PPA-AD is lacking. The present study measured cortical atrophy from corresponding bilateral regions in five PPA-AD participants with in vivo magnetic resonance imaging scans 7-30 months before death and acquired stereologic estimates of NFTs and dense-core APs visualized with the Thioflavin-S stain. Linear mixed models accounting for repeated measures and stratified by hemisphere and region (language vs. non-language) were used to determine the relationships between cortical atrophy and AD neuropathology and their regional selectivity. Consistent with the aphasic profile of PPA, left language regions displayed more cortical atrophy (P = 0.01) and NFT densities (P = 0.02) compared to right language homologues. Left language regions also showed more cortical atrophy (P < 0.01) and NFT densities (P = 0.02) than left non-language regions. A subset of data was analyzed to determine the predilection of AD neuropathology for neocortical regions compared to entorhinal cortex in the left hemisphere, which showed that the three most atrophied language regions had greater NFT (P = 0.04) and AP densities (P < 0.01) than the entorhinal cortex. These results provide quantitative evidence that NFT accumulation in PPA selectively targets the language network and may not follow the Braak staging of neurofibrillary degeneration characteristic of amnestic AD. Only NFT densities, not AP densities, were positively associated with cortical atrophy within left language regions (P < 0.01) and right language homologues (P < 0.01). Given previous findings from amnestic AD, the current study of PPA-AD provides converging evidence that NFTs are the principal determinants of atrophy and clinical phenotypes associated with AD.
Fleabag (2016-): Creator, Writer and Showrunner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Directors: Harry Bradbeer. Production: Two Brothers Pictures. Distributors: BBC Three, Amazon Prime Video

Breaking the fourth wall in her inimitable style, the titular character of Amazon and BBC 3’s comedy series Fleabag cheerfully announces in the second season premiere, “This is a love story.” How v...
Effect of Lipidation on the Localization and Activity of a Lysozyme Inhibitor in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

ABSTRACT The Gram-negative pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus [Gc]) colonizes lysozyme-rich mucosal surfaces. Lysozyme hydrolyzes peptidoglycan, leading to bacterial lysis. Gc expresses two proteins, SliC and NgACP, that bind and inhibit the enzymatic activity of lysozyme. SliC is a surface-exposed lipoprotein, while NgACP is found in the periplasm and also released extracellularly. Purified SliC and NgACP similarly inhibit lysozyme. However, whereas mutation of ngACP increases Gc susceptibility to lysozyme, the sliC mutant is only susceptible to lysozyme when ngACP is inactivated. In this work, we examined how lipidation contributes to SliC expression, cellular localization, and resistance of Gc to killing by lysozyme. To do so, we mutated the conserved cysteine residue (C18) in the N-terminal lipobox motif of SliC, the site for lipid anchor attachment, to alanine. SliC(C18A) localized to soluble rather than membrane fractions in Gc and was not displayed on the bacterial surface. Less SliC(C18A) was detected in Gc lysates compared to the wild-type protein. This was due in part to some release of the C18A mutant, but not wild-type, protein into the extracellular space. Surprisingly, Gc expressing SliC(C18A) survived better than SliC (wild type)-expressing Gc after exposure to lysozyme. We conclude that lipidation is not required for the ability of SliC to inhibit lysozyme, even though the lipidated cysteine is 100% conserved in Gc SliC alleles. These findings shed light on how members of the growing family of lysozyme inhibitors with distinct subcellular localizations contribute to bacterial defense against lysozyme. IMPORTANCENeisseria gonorrhoeae is one of many bacterial species that express multiple lysozyme inhibitors. It is unclear how inhibitors that differ in their subcellular localization contribute to defense from lysozyme. We investigated how lipidation of SliC, an MliC (membrane-bound lysozyme inhibitor of c-type lysozyme)-type inhibitor, contributes to its localization and lysozyme inhibitory activity. We found that lipidation was required for surface exposure of SliC and yet was dispensable for protecting the gonococcus from killing by lysozyme. To our knowledge, this is the first time the role of lipid anchoring of a lysozyme inhibitor has been investigated. These results help us understand how different lysozyme inhibitors are localized in bacteria and how this impacts resistance to lysozyme.
5 – Accelerating Admixtures

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes on typical examples of the application of various thermal techniques to the study of the effect of admixtures on the hydration of cement and cement compounds. The results obtained with these techniques are compared with those derived from other tools. Admixtures can influence the properties of concrete from the moment water comes into contact with the concrete ingredients. In the fresh state, the water requirement, workability, bleeding, segregation, rate of hydration, setting time, air content, pumpability, and in the hardened state, compressive, flexural and tensile strengths, creep, shrinkage, permeability, and durability are affected to different extents, depending on the type and amount of admixture added. It also discusses that thermal-analysis techniques have been applied widely for the investigation of the role of admixtures especially that related to the hydration of cement and cement components. Application of thermal analysis permits determination of the heat of reaction, mechanism of reaction, kinetics of reactions, compatibility of admixtures with cements, prediction of some properties, durability problems, material characterization, and selection, development of new admixtures, quick assessment of some physical properties, etc. In some instances, they yield results that are not possible to obtain with the use of other techniques.
Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Brain Cancer: Focus on Prophylaxis and Management.

Patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors are predisposed to thromboembolism. This review of the literature explores the high prevalence of venous thromboembolism and its negative impact on patients with brain cancer. It outlines the recommended prophylactic strategies to prevent venous thrombosis and analyzes the benefit versus risk of anticoagulation in this population, with a focus on the risk of intracranial bleeding associated with it. Additionally, it explores the exceedingly high prevalence of venous thromboembolism in the setting of brain cancer surgeries and provides guidance on the best methods used for prophylaxis in this setting and discusses the safety of each method perioperatively. Lastly, this review article provides guidance on how to manage venous thromboembolism in patients with brain cancer and discusses the use of vena cava filters in this population.
In-Home Rehabilitation Using a Smartphone App Coupled With 3D Printed Functional Objects: Single-Subject Design Study

Background: Stroke is a major cause of long-term disability. While there is potential for improvements long after stroke onset, there is little to support functional recovery across the lifespan. mHealth solutions can help fill this gap. mRehab was designed to guide individuals with stroke through a home program and provide performance feedback. Objective: To examine if individuals with chronic stroke can use mRehab at home to improve upper limb mobility. The secondary objective was to examine if changes in limb mobility transferred to standardized clinical assessments. Methods: mRehab consists of a smartphone coupled with 3D printed household items: mug, bowl, key, and doorknob. The smartphone custom app guides task-oriented activities and measures both time to complete an activity and quality of movement (smoothness/accuracy). It also provides performance-based feedback to aid the user in self-monitoring their performance. Task-oriented activities were categorized as (1) object transportation, (2) prehensile grip with supination/pronation, (3) fractionated finger movement, and (4) walking with object. A total of 18 individuals with stroke enrolled in the single-subject experimental design study consisting of pretesting, a 6-week mRehab home program, and posttesting. Pre- and posttesting included both in-laboratory clinical assessments and in-home mRehab recorded samples of task performance. During the home program, mRehab recorded performance data. A System Usability Scale assessed user’s perception of mRehab. Results: A total of 16 participants completed the study and their data are presented in the results. The average days of exercise for each mRehab activity ranged from 15.93 to 21.19 days. This level of adherence was sufficient for improvements in time (t15=2.555, P=.02) and smoothness (t15=3.483, P=.003) in object transportation. Clinical assessments indicated improvements in functional performance (t15=2.675, P=.02) and hand dexterity (t15=2.629, P=.02). Participant’s perception of mRehab was positive. Conclusions: Despite heterogeneity in participants’ use of mRehab, there were improvements in upper limb mobility. Smartphone-based portable technology can support home rehabilitation programs in chronic conditions such as stroke. The ability to record performance data from home rehabilitation offers new insights into the impact of home programs on outcomes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04363944; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04363944
Association between histone deacetylase activity and vitamin D-dependent gene expressions in relation to sulforaphane in human colorectal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND It is relatively unknown as to how dietary bioactive compound sulforaphane (SFN) and vitamin D regulate gene expression in colorectal cancer. We hypothesized that a combination of SFN with vitamin D would prove beneficial in colorectal cancer. A combinatorial chemo-preventive strategy was employed to investigate the impact of SFN on chromatin remodeling in colorectal carcinoma. To understand the epigenetics-mediated changes in gene expression in response to SFN and vitamin D, Caco-2 cells were exposed for 24 h to vitamin D (100 nmol L-1 ) either alone or in combination with SFN and trichostatin A (20 and 1 μmol L-1 , respectively) at 70% confluency (proliferating) and after 13 days post-confluency (fully differentiated). Changes to VDR, CYP24A1, CYP27B1 and TRPV6 gene expressions were quantified using real-time PCR-based assays. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor activity was assessed using HDAC I/II assay that measured global changes in acetylation status. RESULTS In differentiated Caco-2 cells, none of the genes had significant changes from D alone group. D + SFN (P = 0.99) demonstrated an opposing effect from D alone and decreased VDR expression. However, in proliferating Caco-2 cells, D + SFN (P < 0.04) increased VDR expression and decreased CYP27B1 (P < 0.01) more than D alone (P = 0.38 and 0.07, respectively). Although statistically significant, D + SFN (P = 0.01) effect on HDAC inhibitor activity was less than trichostatin A alone group (P < 0.0004) or SFN alone group (P < 0.0014). CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that colon cancer cells respond to dietary components differently under different conditions. The effect of vitamin D and SFN is selective and gene-specific in the complex multistep process of colorectal carcinogenesis in vitro. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
Trust and Emotions Predict Support for Large Carnivore Recovery in the Absence of Real Threats

Understanding social support for large carnivores’ recovery can guide policies governing human-predator interactions. We investigated the socio-psychological determinants of support for recovery of...
Nanoparticle-Based Surface Templating

This study is focused on making molds with micrometer-sized feature arrays, studying high solids loading nanoparticle suspension for nanoparticle-based templating, and cast forming of surface-templated materials. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and silicone molds with micrometer-sized feature arrays are made using mold cores templated by a focused ion beam microscope. Al2O3 nanoparticle suspensions are evaluated based on nanoparticle interaction energy and suspension flowability in order to obtain stable and high solids loading suspensions. Templated feature transfer ability is compared for the PDMS and silicon molds under ambient and freeze-drying conditions. This work provides a new approach for surface templating of nanoparticle-based materials.