cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen supply affects root:shoot ratio in corn and velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti )

Abstract Competitive outcome between crops and weeds is affected by partitioning of new biomass to above- and belowground plant organs in response to nutrient supply. This study determined the fraction of biomass partitioned to roots vs. shoots in corn and velvetleaf in response to nitrogen (N) supply. Pots measuring 28 cm in diam and 60 cm deep were embedded in the ground and each contained one plant of either corn or velvetleaf. Each plant received one of three N treatments: 0, 1, or 3 g N applied as ammonium nitrate in 2001, and 0, 2, or 6 g N in 2002. Measurements of total above- and belowground biomass were made at 10 sampling dates during each growing season. The root:shoot ratio decreased over time for both corn and velvetleaf as a result of normal plant growth and as N supply increased. Root:shoot ratio was greater for corn than for velvetleaf at comparable stages of development and at all levels of N supply. Both corn and velvetleaf display true plasticity in biomass partitioning patterns in resp...
Scrap Tire Disposal

Abstract Our overall objective in presenting this review is to call attention to the very complicated nature of the entire disposal problem. The whole field of scrap-tire disposal is full of alternatives, compromises, legislation, and conflicting reports on technological success. We will present a brief historical section explaining why the disposal of scrap-tires is now a problem (challenge) and the events that lead to it. Statistics on the annual volume of scrap-rubber generated and the volume disposed of by major processes will be reviewed. Existing and proposed legislation will be presented, and the probable impact on the rubber industry discussed. We will state what we believe to be the characteristics of an ideal solution. The technical aspects of scrap-tire disposal will not be neglected. The physical, thermal, and chemical values of a scrap-tire will be presented as a basis of defining potential uses for scrap-tires. The existing and proposed uses of scrap-tires as well as processes for disposal a...
Male Versus Female Leaders: The Effect of Leader Need for Dominance on Follower Satisfaction

The stereotype of the dominant female leader who adversely affects the satisfaction of subordinates is tested utilizing a simulated business task. In general, satisfaction data for five different a...
Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome: unresolved questions.

Although L-tryptophan is gone from the US market, research continues into its link with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.
The Timing of Stimulation and IL-2 Signaling Regulate Secondary CD8 T Cell Responses

Memory CD8 T cells provide protection to immune hosts by eliminating pathogen-infected cells during re-infection. While parameters influencing the generation of primary (1°) CD8 T cells are well established, the factors controlling the development of secondary (2°) CD8 T cell responses remain largely unknown. Here, we address the mechanisms involved in the generation and development of 2° memory (M) CD8 T cells. We observed that the time at which 1° M CD8 T cells enter into immune response impacts their fate and differentiation into 2° M CD8 T cells. Late-entry of 1° M CD8 T cells into an immune response (relative to the onset of infection) not only facilitated the expression of transcription factors associated with memory formation in 2° effector CD8 T cells, but also influenced the ability of 2° M CD8 T cells to localize within the lymph nodes, produce IL-2, and undergo Ag-driven proliferation. The timing of stimulation of 1° M CD8 T cells also impacted the duration of expression of the high-affinity IL-2 receptor (CD25) on 2° effector CD8 T cells and their sensitivity to IL-2 signaling. Importantly, by blocking or enhancing IL-2 signaling in developing 2° CD8 T cells, we provide direct evidence for the role of IL-2 in controlling the differentiation of Ag-driven 2° CD8 T cell responses. Thus, our data suggest that the process of 1° M to 2° M CD8 T cell differentiation is not fixed and can be manipulated, a notion with relevance for the design of future prime-boost vaccination approaches.
G338(P) Subacute cervical lymphadenopathy: Could this be Kikuchi Disease?

Aims To describe clinical characteristics of childhood Kikuchi Disease (KD) so as to increase awareness among clinicians; this would hopefully lead to early recognition and appropriate management. We also sought to determine risk factors for recurrent KD. Methods This was a retrospective review of children Results Fifty-two patients were identified; 56% (29/52) were male, with a median age of 11.1 years (92.3% were older than 7 years-of-age). Thirty-one children (59.6%) presented with fever, with a median duration of 10 days. At presentation, 24 children (46.1%) had complaints of fever and neck swelling, 21 had neck swelling alone, while 7 presented only with fever. Median duration of neck swelling at presentation was 28 days. Despite this, all cases had prominent cervical lymphadenopathy detected on physical examination. Two children (3.8%) had a history of Kawasaki disease, 2 had lymphoma/ leukaemia previously requiring chemotherapy, and 2 had a family history of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Five (9.6%) had a recent history of cervical lymphadenitis. Out of 32 children tested for antinuclear antibody (ANA) titres, 5 were positive; only 1 had a titre >1/800. None of the patients responded to antibiotic therapy, and all required complete excision biopsy, with a median time to diagnosis of 9.5 days. Sixteen patients (30.8%) did not respond to complete excision and required adjunctive steroid therapy. Median duration of steroid therapy was 16 days. Median duration of follow-up was 1 year. Six children (11%) had recurrent KD. The only risk factor identified for recurrent KD was fever at initial presentation (p = 0.032). One patient, who was diagnosed with KD at 5 years of age, subsequently developed SLE at age 15 (he was ANA negative throughout presentation and subsequent follow-up). Conclusion Kikuchi Disease should be considered in children with subacute cervical lymphadenopathy with or without prolonged fever. These children are at risk of developing subsequent SLE and long-term follow-up is required.
Effects of a Sedentary Behavior-Inducing Randomized Controlled Intervention on Depression and Mood Profile in Active Young Adults.

Abstract Objective To examine the effects of a free-living, sedentary behavior–inducing randomized controlled intervention on depression and mood profile. Patients and Methods Participants who were confirmed to be active via self-report and accelerometry were randomly assigned to either a sedentary behavior intervention group (n=26) or a control group (n=13) by using a 2:1 sample size ratio for intervention and control groups. The intervention group was asked to eliminate all exercise and minimize steps to 5000 or less steps/d for 1 week, whereas the control group was asked to continue normal physical activity levels for 1 week. Both groups completed a depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and mood (Profile of Moods States) survey preintervention and immediately postintervention. The intervention group was asked to resume normal physical activity levels for 1 week postintervention and then completed the assessments for a third time. All data collection occurred between September 1, 2015, and December 1, 2015. Results Patient Health Questionnaire-9 group × time interaction analysis revealed that depression scores significantly increased from visit 1 to visit 2 (F=11.85; P =.001). Paired t tests comparing depression scores from visit 2 to visit 3 exhibited a significant decrease from visit 2 to visit 3 ( P P =.003) and significantly decreased from visit 2 to visit 3 ( P Conclusion A 1-week sedentary behavior–inducing intervention has deleterious effects on depression and mood. To prevent mental health decline in active individuals, consistent regular physical activity may be necessary.
Inpatient Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in the United States: Trends and Factors Associated With Approach Selection.

Abstract Study Objective To examine utilization patterns of different laparoscopic approaches in inpatient hysterectomy and identify patient and hospital characteristics associated with the selection of specific laparoscopic approaches. Design Using data from the 2007 to 2012 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS), we identified adult women undergoing inpatient laparoscopic hysterectomy for nonobstetric indications based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Benign cases were categorized based on laparoscopic approach, classified as total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH), laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), or laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LSH). We assessed changes in the use of these approaches during 2007 to 2012, and used multinomial logistic regression to examine the association of patient and hospital characteristics with the choice of laparoscopic approach in 2012. The NIS sample weights were applied to generate nationally representative estimates. Design Classification Retrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification III). Setting Hospital inpatient care nationwide. Patients Female adult patients in the NIS database who underwent an inpatient laparoscopic hysterectomy between 2007 and 2012. Intervention Inpatient laparoscopic hysterectomy. Measurements and Main Results Of the inpatient laparoscopic hysterectomies performed in 2012, 83.2% were for benign indications. The TLH approach accounted for 48.3% of all laparoscopic hysterectomies, followed by LAVH at 37.3% and LSH at 14.4%. Robotic assistance was reported in 45.0% of all cases and 72.3% of malignant hysterectomies. An examination of temporal trends during 2007 to 2012 demonstrates a shift in the laparoscopic approach from LAVH toward TLH, with a slight decrease in LSH. Patient race/ethnicity, income, indication for hysterectomy, and comorbid conditions, as well as hospital teaching status, urban/rural location, bed size, type of ownership, and geographic region, were significantly associated with the choice of laparoscopic approach. Conclusion Benign laparoscopic hysterectomy is increasingly performed as TLH rather than LAVH. In addition to clinical factors, the selection of laparoscopic approach is influenced by patient socioeconomic and hospital characteristics.
Headache and Chiari-I Malformation

The clinical features and pathogenesis of headache associated with Chiari-I malformation and syringomyelia are reviewed from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
Part 2: Primary Source Data

In Part 2 of this chapter we will look at methods that have been used to gather primary source data for measuring the extent of mental illness and carrying out other epidemiologic investigations in communities and larger areas. These methods include various types of survey research and require accurate sampling procedures, the development of interview instruments, and the handling of the data. We will present some of the problems confronting investigators who have been conducting such studies. Finally, we will discuss essential problems with case-finding, the use of tests and scales, validity, reliability, and both interviewer- and response-bias that complicate researchers’ efforts to obtain the quality of primary source data that will shed light on fundamental research questions in psychiatric epidemiology.
Gene Expression Profiling of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Zebrafish.

The differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) into distinct blood lineages is orchestrated by a tight regulation of critical genes during development. To describe the genetic program during the early steps of blood and blood vessel formation in greater detail, we analyzed the expression profiles of zebrafish cloche mutants ( clo ), in which blood and endothelial cells are completely abrogated, and of isolated hematopoietic and vascular progenitor cell populations from FAC-sorted transgenic lmo2 -GFP zebrafish embryos. Consistent with a defect in hemangioblast differentiation, clo mutants at the 5 somite stage were characterized by a prominent downregulation of transcription factors, such as scl and lmo2 . As a novel finding, clo mutants at this stage strongly upregulated muscle-related genes, such as myosin , actin , or creatine kinase . FAC-sorted lmo2 -GFP cells from 14 somite stage embryos expressed similar hematopoietic transcription factors including scl , lmo2 , and gata1 . In addition, socs genes, tgfb , fos and jun related genes, and heat shock proteins were also strongly expressed. Comparison with the expression profile of human and mouse fetal liver HSCs revealed a similar regulation between fish and mammals: Expression of 102/168 genes from lmo2 -GFP positive cells were also present in mammalian fetal HSCs, indicating an evolutionary highly conserved genetic program of blood formation. In sum, gene expression profiling of zebrafish mutants and of sorted progenitor cells from transgenic zebrafish represent a powerful and versatile tool to define the genetic regulation of vertebrate hematopoietic development.
Predicted rarity‐weighted richness, a new tool to prioritize sites for species representation

Lack of biodiversity data is a major impediment to prioritizing sites for species representation. Because comprehensive species data are not available in any planning area, planners often use surrogates (such as vegetation communities, or mapped occurrences of a well-inventoried taxon) to prioritize sites. We propose and demonstrate the effectiveness of predicted rarity-weighted richness (PRWR) as a surrogate in situations where species inventories may be available for a portion of the planning area. Use of PRWR as a surrogate involves several steps. First, rarity-weighted richness (RWR) is calculated from species inventories for a q% subset of sites. Then random forest models are used to model RWR as a function of freely available environmental variables for that q% subset. This function is then used to calculate PRWR for all sites (including those for which no species inventories are available), and PRWR is used to prioritize all sites. We tested PRWR on plant and bird datasets, using the species accumulation index to measure efficiency of PRWR. Sites with the highest PRWR represented species with median efficiency of 56% (range 32%–77% across six datasets) when q = 20%, and with median efficiency of 39% (range 20%–63%) when q = 10%. An efficiency of 56% means that selecting sites in order of PRWR rank was 56% as effective as having full knowledge of species distributions in PRWR's ability to improve on the number of species represented in the same number of randomly selected sites. Our results suggest that PRWR may be able to help prioritize sites to represent species if a planner has species inventories for 10%–20% of the sites in the planning area.
Epitaxial-base double-poly self-aligned bipolar transistors

Reports the incorporation of Si and Si-Ge low temperature epitaxially (LTE) grown bases into an advanced submicron self-aligned double-poly device structure. The major advantages of using an LTE-base are the ability to incorporate coherently strained Si-Ge layers and to grow very thin in-situ doped layers with a boxlike dopant distribution. The epitaxial base layer was integrated using both epitaxy-after-sidewall (EAS) and epitaxy-before-sidewall approaches, and devices with an intrinsic base width of approximately=60 nm and a pinch base resistance of 5.0 k Omega / Square Operator in walled and non-walled emitter configurations were fabricated. The electrical characteristics of the walled-emitter devices obtained by the EAS approach were excellent. The application of the walled-emitter devices, due to their reduced parasitics and higher density, is very promising in high-performance low-power bipolar circuits. >
Molecular Induction by Phenobarbital of Cytochrome P-450 and Epoxide Hydrolase

Many xenobiotic chemicals, such as pesticides, drugs, and poly-cyclic hydrocarbons, are bioactivated by the microsomal cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases and epoxide hydrolase to oxygenated intermediates which are often highly electrophilic and capable of binding covalently to cellular macromolecules such as DNA.
Characterisation of polymerisation-induced phase separation process in polymer-dispersed liquid crystals based on hydroxyalkyl-methacrylate matrices

ABSTRACTHydroxyalkyl-methacrylates are very well-known hydrogel-forming biocompatible polymers. In this work, polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (LCs) based on hydroxyethyl- and hydroxypropyl-methacrylate (HEMA and HPMA) matrices are synthesised and characterised. Two different LCs from the cyano-biphenyl family (4ʹ-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl [5CB] and 4ʹ-octyl-4-cyanobiphenyl [8CB]) are used. Polymerisation kinetics, phase transitions, and morphologies generated during the polymerisation-induced phase separation process are analysed. Phase separation is observed at very low conversions, where a polymer-rich phase is initially segregated and this produces an increase in the low-conversion polymerisation rate (ascribed to the auto-acceleration effect of free-radical polymerisations in the polymer-rich phase). The liquid crystalline transition temperature decreases as the concentration of LC decreases, indicating that this phase is impurified. The liquid crystal 8CB is found to be less miscible than 5CB with the...
Critical Measurements on Near-Homogeneous BeO—Moderated, Enriched-Uranium Fueled Systems*

A series of critical measurements on unreflected systems, fueled by thin enriched uranium (93.2%) foils, is described. Fuel density is varied by use of different foil thicknesses and spacings betwe...
Temperature-Dependent Biological and Demographic Parameters of Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Knowledge of the most suitable environmental conditions for an organism growth and development is a prerequisite for developing mass rearing technology. The temperature requirements for development and the optimal range of temperatures for growth and reproduction of Coleomegilla maculata De Geer were studied. The development time of individual C. maculata larvae was determined at 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, and 36 °C. Development times were converted to development rates and fitted to a nonlinear temperature-dependent model and to the linear day-degree model. Life and fertility table analysis was used to determine the optimal temperature for population growth within a range of favorable temperatures including 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 °C. Nonlinear estimates of thermal maximum (TM) for the postembryonic development of C. maculata was 35.09 ± 10.35 °C. Estimation of TM based on pupal development was much lower at 27.23 ± 1.52 °C. Linear and nonlinear estimates of low temperature development threshold were 13.13 ± and 4.77 ± 3.03 °C for the whole postembryonic development and 10.95 and 9.18 ± 1.36 °C for the pupal stage alone, respectively. The most favorable temperature for population growth was 25 °C, where C. maculata showed significantly higher intrinsic rate of increase (rm = 0.066) and significantly lower doubling time (10.57 d) than the other favorable temperatures tested. A negative value of rm was obtained at 28 °C, indicating population decline occurring at this temperature making it unfavorable for C. maculata.
Evaluation Case Study: “Healing Ourselves, Healing Our Communities”

Chapter 6 is an evaluation case study of “Healing ourselves, healing our communities,” a paired course, local–global community engagement program. The program attempted to enact the frameworks and strategies discussed in previous chapters through the study and practice of native healing traditions for personal and social change with local indigenous elders and youth in both the USA and Mexico. A direct assessment project focusing on these two courses provides an evaluation of the holistic academic and personal development of students, measuring learning across multiple objectives, including self-knowledge, community knowledge, and local–global connections. The chapter provides concrete tools (student learning outcomes, assessment rubrics, and evaluation designs) to assist teachers and community partners interested in crafting similar community engagement programs and assessments.
Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease: Causal Association or True, True, Unrelated?

* Abbreviations: CD — : celiac disease T1D — : type 1 diabetes TEDDY — : The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young Celiac disease (CD) and type 1 diabetes (T1D) are T-cell mediated autoimmune diseases that have several overlapping features. Both diseases typically originate in childhood, with asymptomatic preclinical stages and autoantibody development before disease onset. The etiology of CD and T1D include a combination of genetic and environmental factors; most notably, shared HLA antigen loci are important risk factors for both diseases.1 In the past 3 decades, there has been a global rise in the incidence of T1D and CD.2–4 CD occurs in ∼5% to 8% of individuals with T1D,5 raising the question of whether 1 disease predisposes to the development of the other, or if simply common genetic and environmental risk factors drive disease co-occurrence without a causal link. A better understanding of the pathophysiology leading to autoimmunity and disease onset in CD and T1D may result in more effective treatment strategies for both conditions, and may suggest novel targets for intervention before disease onset. Previous studies to determine a causal association between T1D and CD are limited … Address correspondence to Christine T. Ferrara, MD, PhD, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Francisco, 550 16th St, Floor 4, Box 0434, San Francisco, CA 94143. E-mail: christine.ferrara{at}ucsf.edu
First principles phase diagram calculations for the octahedral-interstitial system αTiOX, 0≤X≤1/2

Abstract First principles based phase diagram calculations were performed for the hexagonal closest packed octahedral-interstitial solid solution system α TiO X , or α Ti [ ] 1 − X O X ([ ]=Vacancy; 0 ≤ X ≤ 1 / 2 ), by the cluster expansion (CE) method. The predicted diagram has ordered ground-state (GS) phases at: X=0 (hcp α Ti , P63mmc); X=1/6 ( Ti 6 O : P 3 ¯ 1 c , R3, R 3 ¯ ); X ≈ 1 / 3 ( Ti 3 O : R 3 ¯ , P 3 ¯ 1 c , R 3 ¯ ′ ); and X=1/2 ( Ti 2 O : Pbcn; contrary to previous reports that it is anti-CdI2). Both at X= 1/6 and X= 1/3 density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict at least triply degenerate GS (three structure energies at each composition that are within ≈ 0.001 eV; i.e. within DFT error). In the CE, this leads to exactly triply degenerate GS at both compositions. The calculated phase diagram includes a broad field between Ti 6 O and Ti 3 O in which the stable phases have layer-structures that are related to the anti-CdI2-structure. It appears that disordering of the Ti 6 O - and Ti 3 O -GS involves cascades of first-order transitions that are suggestive of Devil's staircases.
Cucumber mosaic virus-associated RNA 5. III. Little nucleotide sequence homology between CARNA 5 and helper RNA.

Abstract Ribonuclease-resistant nucleic acid structures were isolated from plants infected with the S strain of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). The behavior of these nucleic acids in relation to the corresponding single-stranded (ss) RNAs in rate zonal centrifugation experiments and/or in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggested that they are the double-stranded (ds) RNAs of CMV and CMV-associated RNA 5 (CARNA 5). The yields of ds RNAs isolated from different host plants infected with CMV varied significantly. In host plant-inoculum combinations producing large amounts of CARNA 5, the dsRNAs consisted for 90% or more of dsCARNA 5, while yields of dsRNAs were two to five times higher than in the absence of dsCARNA 5. Separation of dsCARNA 5 from the viral dsRNAs was accomplished by rate zonal centrifugation on sucrose gradients, and resulted in a gel-electrophoretically pure product. This material hybridized with 3 H-labeled CARNA 5. In competition hybridization experiments only 9% of the radioactivity of [ 3 H]CARNA 5 would not have hybridized at infinitely high concentration of CMV RNA 1 + 2 + 3, and none with CMV RNA 4. Thus, CARNA 5 has no nucleotide sequence homology with CMV RNA 4, and, at most only 0.1 of its nucleotide sequence occurs in the genomic RNAs of CMV.
Abstract 2819: Targeting histone chaperone FACT complex sensitizes medulloblastoma cells to chemo and radiation therapy

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Post-surgical radiotherapy in combination with adjuvant chemotherapy are considered as standard treatment of care for MB. However, this long-term treatment often leads to harmful neurologic effects to the developing brain in children. Therefore, identification of novel therapeutic target to increase efficacy and reduce toxicity in MB represent an unmet clinical need. Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP)-endonuclease (APE1) plays a central role in the base excision repair (BER) pathway by repairing AP sites and single-strand breaks, the downstream cytotoxic BER intermediate that occurs following radiation and chemotherapy. Elevated levels of APE1 or its activity has been shown to be associated with response to radiation and chemotherapy in MB. However, how APE1 repairs AP sites in the context of nucleosome in cells and how APE1-dependnt BER pathway can be manipulated to increase the therapeutic efficacy of chemo and radiation therapy remain an open question. We have recently shown that APE1 is acetylated (AcAPE1) at AP site damage in chromatin by p300 and that acetylation enhances AP-endonuclease activity of APE1. Here, we show that APE1 interacts with the nucleosome remodeling histone chaperone Facilitates of Chromatin Transcription (FACT) complex (a heterodimer of SSRP1 and SPT16 proteins) and that FACT complex is required for binding and acetylation of APE1 at AP site damages in highly aggressive MB cell lines HD-MB03 and ONS-76. Furthermore, we have mapped genome-wide binding of AcAPE1 in HDMB cells and our ChIP-seq data analysis revealed ~68154 (p Together, our study suggest that co-suppression of both BER and NER pathways via targeting FACT complex can greatly sensitize MB tumors to chemo and radiation therapy. A major implication of our studies is that combination of curaxin with low dose of cisplatin may have considerable therapeutic potential to improve efficacy and reduce cytotoxic side effects of cisplatin to MB patients. Citation Format: Sutapa Ray, Heyu Song, Shrabasti Roychoudhury, Pranjal Biswas, Sutapa Ray, Kishor Bhakat. Targeting histone chaperone FACT complex sensitizes medulloblastoma cells to chemo and radiation therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2819.
CCN6 regulates IGF2BP2 and HMGA2 signaling in metaplastic carcinomas of the breast

Metaplastic breast carcinomas are an aggressive subtype of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in which part or all of the adenocarcinoma transforms into a non-glandular component (e.g., spindled, squamous, or heterologous). We discovered that mammary-specific Ccn6/Wisp3 knockout mice develop mammary carcinomas with spindle and squamous differentiation that share upregulation of the oncofetal proteins IGF2BP2 (IMP2) and HMGA2 with human metaplastic carcinomas. Here, we investigated the functional relationship between CCN6, IGF2BP2, and HMGA2 proteins in vitro and in vivo, and their expression in human tissue samples. MMTV-cre;Ccn6fl/fl tumors and spindle TNBC cell lines were treated with recombinant CCN6 protein or vehicle. IGF2BP2 was downregulated using shRNAs in HME cells with stable CCN6 shRNA knockdown, and subjected to invasion and adhesion assays. Thirty-one human metaplastic carcinomas were arrayed in a tissue microarray (TMA) and immunostained for CCN6, IGF2BP2, and HMGA2. CCN6 regulates IGF2BP2 and HMGA2 protein expression in MMTV-cre;Ccn6fl/fl tumors, in MDA-MB-231 and − 468, and in HME cells. CCN6 recombinant protein reduced IGF2BP2 and HMGA2 protein expression, and decreased growth of MMTV-cre;Ccn6fl/fl tumors in vivo. IGF2BP2 shRNA knockdown was sufficient to reverse the invasive abilities conferred by CCN6 knockdown in HME cells. Analyses of the TCGA Breast Cancer Cohort (n = 1238) showed that IGF2BP2 and HMGA2 are significantly upregulated in metaplastic carcinoma compared to other breast cancer subtypes. In clinical samples, low CCN6 is frequent in tumors with high IGF2BP2/HMGA2 with spindle and squamous differentiation. These data shed light into the pathogenesis of metaplastic carcinoma and demonstrate a novel CCN6/IGF2BP2/HMGA2 oncogenic pathway with biomarker and therapeutic implications.
Modeling the Self-Assembly of Protein Complexes through a Rigid-Body Rotational Reaction-Diffusion Algorithm.

The reaction–diffusion equations provide a powerful framework for modeling nonequilibrium, cell-scale dynamics over the long time scales that are inaccessible by traditional molecular modeling appr...
Dual cigarette and e-cigarette use in cancer survivors: an analysis using Population Assessment of Tobacco Health (PATH) data

Cancer survivors who smoke cigarettes face health risks from continued smoking. Some smokers use e-cigarettes to reduce combustible cigarette use, but research on whether cancer survivors do the same is limited. Research is needed to understand whether smokers who are cancer survivors use e-cigarettes at higher rates than smokers never diagnosed with cancer, to inform provider-patient discussions about e-cigarettes. Using cross-sectional data from current cigarette smokers in Wave 1 (2013–2014) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco Health (PATH) study, we compared cancer survivors (n = 433) and those without a prior cancer diagnosis (n = 10,872) on e-cigarette use and reasons for use. Among smokers, 59.4% of cancer survivors and 63.2% of those without a cancer diagnosis had ever used e-cigarettes, and nearly one-quarter of both groups (23.1% and 22.3%, respectively) reported being current users. Multivariate results, however, suggest that cancer survivors might be more likely to be ever (OR = 1.28; p = .05) or current (OR = 1.25; p = .06) e-cigarette users compared to those never diagnosed, although results were marginally significant. The majority of both groups (> 71%) reported using e-cigarettes for perceived health-related reasons—including smoking reduction. Our study found that among smokers, cancer survivors were using e-cigarettes at similar rates as never-diagnosed smokers and both groups used e-cigarettes largely for perceived health-related reasons. Clinicians who treat cancer survivors may need to routinely ask their patients who smoke about e-cigarette use and address the limited research on the efficacy of e-cigarettes as a cessation aid as compared to other evidence-based options.
Hospital Volume and Operative Mortality for General Surgery Operations Performed Emergently in Adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to answer 2 questions: first, to what degree does hospital operative volume affect mortality for adult patients undergoing 1 of 10 common emergency general surgery (EGS) operations? Second, at what hospital operative volume threshold will nearly all patients undergoing an emergency operation realize the average mortality risk? BACKGROUND: Nontrauma surgical emergencies are an underappreciated public health crisis in the United States; redefining where such emergencies are managed may improve outcomes. The field of trauma surgery established regionalized systems of care in part because studies demonstrated a clear relationship between hospital volume and survival for traumatic emergencies. Such a relationship has not been well-studied for nontrauma surgical emergencies. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of all acute care hospitals in California performing nontrauma surgical emergencies. We employed a novel use of an ecological analysis with beta regression to investigate the relationship between hospital operative volume and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 425 acute care hospitals in California performed 165,123 EGS operations. Risk-adjusted mortality significantly decreased as volume increased for all 10 EGS operations (P < 0.001 for each); the relative magnitude of this inverse relationship differed substantially by procedure. Hospital operative volume thresholds were defined and varied by operation: from 75 cases over 2 years for cholecystectomy to 7 cases for umbilical hernia repair. CONCLUSIONS: Survival rates for nontrauma surgical emergencies were improved when operations were performed at higher-volume hospitals. The use of ecological analysis is widely applicable to the field of surgical outcomes research.
Preclinical Evaluation of Safety and Biodistribution of Red Cell Microparticles: A Novel Hemostatic Agent:

Background Uncontrollable bleeding is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Effective hemostatic agents are urgently needed. Red cell microparticles (RMPs) are a highly promising hemostatic agent. This study evaluated the safety profile of RMPs preliminary to clinical trial. Methods and results RMPs were prepared from type O+ human red blood cell by high-pressure extrusion. Male rats were treated with RMPs either a 1 × bolus, or 4 × or 20 × administered over 60 minutes. The vehicle-treated group was used as a control. Effects on physiological parameters were evaluated; namely, blood pressure, body and head temperature, hematocrit, and blood gases. We did not observe any adverse effects of RMPs on these physiological parameters. In addition, brain, heart, and lungs of rats treated with 4 × dose (bolus followed by infusion over 60 minutes) or vehicle were examined histologically for signs of thrombosis or other indications of toxicity. No thrombosis or indications of toxicity in brain, heart, or lungs were observed. Studies revealed that RMPs were distributed mainly in liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, and were potentially excreted through the kidneys. Conclusions Our study indicates that RMP administration appears not to have any negative impact on the parameters studied and did not produce thrombosis in heart, brain, and lungs. However, more detailed long-term studies confirming the safety of RMP as a hemostatic agent are warranted.
Prescribing errors in electronic prescriptions for outpatients intercepted by pharmacists and the impact of prescribing workload on error rate in a Chinese tertiary-care women and children’s hospital

Prescribing errors may, influenced by some risk factors, cause adverse drug events. Most studies in this field focus on errors in prescriptions for hospital inpatients, with only a few on those for outpatients. Our study aimed to explore the incidence of prescribing errors in electronic prescriptions and illustrate the trend of prescribing workload and error rate over time. The cross-section study was performed between September, 2015 and November, 2015. Prescribing errors were intercepted by pharmacists using a prescription reviewing system under which prescriptions with errors were transferred to a specific computer and recorded by another pharmacist and the incidence of total prescribing errors and severe errors was then calculated. A subgroup analysis was conducted in accordance to the number of drug orders, the age group of patients, the seniority of physicians, the specialty of physicians, the working day when prescriptions were issued, and the prescribing workload of physicians. A time-series analysis was employed to analyze the trend of prescribing workload and error rate, and the correlation between them. Totally, 65,407 patients were included in this study and 150,611 prescriptions with 294,564 drug orders (including 584 different drugs) were reviewed for identification of errors. A total of 534 prescribing errors (an error rate of 0.34%) were identified. Severe errors accounted for 13.62% of total errors. The subgroup analysis showed prescriptions of multiple drug orders, for pediatric patients aged 29 days to 12 years, from physicians specializing in ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology, or prescribing on weekdays were more susceptible to errors. A time-series analysis demonstrated no correlation between prescribing workload and error rate which increased at the end of each working shift while prescribing workload decreased. Less than 1% of the studied prescriptions came with errors among which one in seven were severe ones. But prescribing errors were in no relation to workloads. What’s more, further studies are needed to investigate pharmacist-led intervention to reduce prescribing errors.
Feasibility and Mass-Benefit Analysis of Aerocapture for Missions to Venus

A numerical assessment of the feasibility of aerocapture at Venus is presented, and the mass benefit of aerocapture is compared with propulsive orbit insertion. This paper considers constraints imp...
Some thoughts on searches for proton decay

At the Conference I summarized the results of searches for proton decay as reported by various groups at the XIXth Rencontre de Moriond1 which took place a week earlier. Since the detailed talks given there will be published in the near future, there seems to be no point in repeating the evidence in this report. Instead, I would like to put down some tentative thoughts which might be worth keeping in mind in further searches for proton decay.
Fishing preferences, angling behavior, and attitudes toward management: a comparison between White and Nonwhite anglers

Recent trends show declining participation in consumptive outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. A factor contributing to this trend is a decline in per capita participation among certain ...
Adolescent ethanol exposure and differential rearing environment affect taste reactivity to ethanol in rats

Abstract The identification and characterization of variables that influence “liking” and enhance vulnerability to repeated alcohol use are vital to understanding and treating alcohol use disorders. In the current study, we explore the influence of rearing environment and experimenter-administered adolescent ethanol on the hedonic value of ethanol, sucrose, and quinine. Male and female rats were reared for 30 days starting at postnatal day (PND) 21 in either an enriched, isolated, or standard condition and received 1.5 g/kg (intraperitoneally [i.p.]) 20% (w/v) ethanol or saline every other day for 12 days starting at PND 28. Thereafter, all rats had indwelling intraoral fistulae implanted and their taste reactivities to water, ethanol (5, 10, 20, 30, 40% v/v), sucrose (0.1, 0.25, 0.5 M), and quinine (0.1, 0.5 mM) were recorded and analyzed. Results indicated that enrichment elevated hedonic responding to sucrose compared to isolation, and induced a stronger negative relationship between hedonic responding and ethanol concentration compared to standard conditions. Enrichment also elevated aversive responding to ethanol and quinine compared to both isolated and standard condition rats. Adolescent ethanol injections marginally reduced aversive responding to quinine. These results replicate previous findings that environmental enrichment enhances both “liking” and aversion. In addition, the current findings suggest that, while adolescent ethanol injections may blunt aversive responses to quinine, they have no effect on aversive or hedonic responding to ethanol or sucrose. Together with existing literature, our results may suggest that experience with the taste of ethanol is necessary for alterations to ethanol “liking” and aversion.
Dynamics of International Giving: How Heuristics Shape Individual Donor Preferences:

State restrictions on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have become increasingly pervasive across the globe. Although this crackdown has been shown to have a negative impact on public funding fl...
CD169+ Macrophages Regulate Immune Homeostasis During Sepsis Through IL-10 Production and LPS Clearance

Sepsis accounts for 6 million deaths worldwide each year, and currently, sepsis management is limited to supportive care and antibiotics. Our current knowledge of the cellular mechanisms and precisely, immune cell populations that regulate the inflammatory pathways during sepsis is limited. We report that CD169+ macrophages and signaling pathways are critical for protection against sepsis shock by using CD169-diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) mice to deplete CD169+ macrophage. We show that in the absence of these macrophages, mice treated with sublethal LPS or cecal slurry fail to survive and exhibit increased production of inflammatory cytokines. Mechanistically, CD169+ macrophages control lethal inflammatory responses via IL-10 as CD169+ macrophage-specific deletion of IL-10 increased the susceptibility to LPS and the recombinant IL-10 reduced LPS-induced lethality in mice lacking CD169+ macrophages. Furthermore, CD169+ macrophages play a role in LPS clearance and CD169+ macrophage-deficient mice exhibit increased splenic dissemination of LPS. These findings reveal a pivotal homeostatic role for CD169+ macrophages during sepsis.
Comparison of the Isometric Hip Flexors Strength in Supine Position in Subjects With and Without Weak Isometric Core Strength

Background: Hip flexor muscles are very important in the hip joint structure as a mover and stabilizer. In addition, isometric hip flexor strength in the supine position needs to be considered with isometric core strength (WICS) to measure a precise strength in a clinical way. Objects: We compared isometric hip flexor strength in the supine position in subjects with and without WICS (between factors) and conditions with and without an external support (within factors). Methods: A total of 34 subjects (16 with WICS, 18 without WICS) participated in this study. We used the double-bent leg-lowering test to divide the subjects in two groups according to the presence of WICS. Isometric hip flexor strength was evaluated in the supine position both with and without an external support condition. The two-way mixed analysis of variance was applied to identify significant differences between groups (with vs. without WICS: between factors) and conditions (with vs. without an external support: within factors). Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: In subjects with WICS, isometric hip flexor strength was greater with an external support than without it (p = 0.0064). In subjects without WICS, there were no significant differences in isometric hip flexor strength in the presence or absence of an external support (p = 0.075). The isometric hip flexor strength was significantly greater with an external support condition in particular in subjects with WICS. Conclusion: The findings of this study reported that an external support condition in individuals with WICS may contribute to the improvement of isometric hip flexion strength in the supine position. Therefore, isometric core strength should be evaluated to distinguish the weakness between core region and hip flexors.
Toxocara Myopericarditis and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Young Girl

Cardiac infection with Toxocara is rarely diagnosed, especially in children, and corresponding cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has not been reported. We present a probable case, a 9-year-old girl with myopericarditis, eosinophilia, positive Toxocara serology, and CMR findings consistent with myocardial edema.
Training, Supervising, and Supporting Students With Emotional–Behavioral Disorders as Cross-Age Tutors:

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are frequently on the receiving end of intervention models (e.g., social skills training) in which targeted skills are modeled and practiced i...
Multi-objective linear-regression-based optimization of a hybrid solar-gas turbine combined cycle with absorption inlet-air cooling unit

Abstract Gas turbine (GT) power plants suffer from sensitivity to ambient-air temperature, high fuel consumption, and a high amount of waste heat dumped into the ambient. Various solutions were proposed to solve these drawbacks, which could simultaneously solve at most two problems, usually, at the expense of the third. In this work, however, a novel integration consisting of cascaded solar heat exchangers and a combined cycle power plant CCPP was used to simultaneously address the GTs shortcomings. Parabolic trough collectors PTCs were used to initially preheat the air at the combustion chamber inlet. The collectors were then used to drive an absorption inlet-air cooling cycle that will control the air temperature at the compressor’s inlet. Simple design point analysis of the proposed integration showed an increase in thermal efficiency by 7.2% and a 27.7 MW increase in power output. A linear-regression LR based optimization was then performed to generate highly accurate polynomial equations for predicting the system’s performance. These equations were then used in a Genetic Algorithm GA multi-objective optimization MOO with efficiency and capital cost as conflicting objectives. The optimum thermal efficiency was found to be in the range of 53.1 – 61.11% corresponding to a capital cost of the novel system in the range of 86.5–158.3 Mil$. A favorable optimum point for both objectives was found at an efficiency of 57.86% corresponding to a capital cost of 131.8 Mil$. Feasibility in terms of the payback period (PBP) was explored for the optimum range; resulting in a PBP equal to 2.8 years, an implication of a feasible novel cycle.
Evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of recombinant hexameric FasL protein (MegaFasL) on cultured thoracic cancers with emphasis on malignant pleural mesothelioma.

5144 Introduction. Direct targeting of apoptosis-inducing receptors using recombinant death ligands such as TRAIL or FasL has significant translational value as molecularly targeted therapeutics. Activation of Fas to induce apoptosis of cancer cells has been achieved by either agonistic antibodies or the recombinant FasL/enhancer complex, none of which is clinically applicable. In this study, we evaluated the anticancer property of MegaFasL (Apoxis, SA) in cultured thoracic cancer cells in vitro either alone or in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs. Materials and Methods. Twelve Fas-positive cancer cells (2 lung cancer, 3 esophageal cancer and 7 malignant pleural mesothelioma) or primary human normal cells (umbilical endothelial cells and epithelial keratinocytes) were treated with MegaFasL or with recombinant soluble FasL/enhancer complex (sFasL) at 5 to 100 ng/ml x 48 hours). In combination therapy, cancer cells were either pre-treated with cisplatin (0.25 to 3 microg/ml x 24hrs), paclitaxel (25 to 100 nM) x 3hours or concurrently treated with histone deacetylase inhibitors Trichostatin A (50 to 1000 nM) or MS275 (2.5 to 10 microM) x 12 hours. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined by MTT and TUNEL-based ApoBrdU assays respectively. Experiments were performed in quadruplicates. Results. 8/12 cultured cancer cells are intrinsically sensitive (defined as IC50 20-fold reduction of MegaFasL IC50 values. This is observed in both MegaFasL-sensitive and -resistant cells. While either chemotherapy alone or MegaFasL alone (10 or 25 ng/ml) mediates less than 30% cell death in representative MPM cells H513, H2052 or H211, >90% of cancer cells treated with drug combinations undergo apoptosis. More importantly, primary normal cells are refractory to combinations of MS275 (5 microM) + MegaFasL (10 ng/ml) or cisplatin (1 microg/ml) + MegaFasL that induce > 80% reduction of cell viability in multiple cancer cells. Conclusion. The recombinant hexameric MegFasL induces significant cytotoxicity in cultured thoracic cancer cells in vitro and this process is profoundly enhanced by different classes of chemotherapeutic drugs. Combinations of chemotherapy + MegaFasL at low drug concentrations are selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells and not primary normal cells. In vivo evaluation of the antitumor effect of cisplatin + MegaFasL or MS275 + MegaFasL on subcutaneous MPM H513 tumors in nude mice are ongoing.
Deliberation can wait: How civic litigation makes inquiry critical

Scholars of citizenship education have long regarded deliberation as the default framework for democratic discussion in the classroom and beyond. Turning to the history and theory of rhetoric, we q...