cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of DNA Replication Mutations on CAG Tract Stability in Yeast

CAG repeat tracts are unstable in yeast, leading to frequent contractions and infrequent expansions in repeat tract length. To compare CAG repeats to other simple repeats and palindromic sequences, we examined the effect of DNA replication mutations, including alleles of pol α, pol δ, pol ϵ, and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), on tract stability. Among the polymerase mutations, the pol δ mutation ( pol3-14 ) destabilizes tracts with either CAG or CTG as the lagging strand template. One pol α mutation, pol1-1 , destabilizes the orientation with CAG as the lagging strand template, but it has little effect on the CTG orientation. In contrast, the pol1-17 mutation has no effect on either orientation. Similarly, mutations in the proofreading functions of pol δ and pol ϵ, as well as a temperature-sensitive pol ϵ mutation, pol2-18 , have no effect on tract stability. Three PCNA mutations, pol30-52, pol30-79 , and pol30-90 , all have drastic effects on tract stability. Of the three, pol30-52 is unique in yielding small tract changes that are indicative of an impairment in mismatch repair. These results show that while CAG repeats are destabilized by many of the same mutations that destabilize other simple repeats, they also have some behaviors that are suggestive of their potential to form hairpin structures.
Qualitative analysis of dynamical systems determined by differential inequalities with applications to robust stability

In this paper we develop a Lyapunov stability theory for finite dimensional continuous-time dynamical systems described by a system of first-order ordinary differential inequalities. We utilize this theory to establish sufficient robust stability criteria for a large class of finite dimensional, continuous-time dynamical systems described by systems of ordinary differential equations. We demonstrate the applicability of the methodology advanced herein by means of a specific example that has been considered in the literature. In terms of computational complexity and conservatism of stability criteria, the present results frequently offer improvements over existing results. >
Evaluating the Role of Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase-Containing Striatal Interneurons in Methamphetamine-Induced Dopamine Neurotoxicity

Production of nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in methamphetamine (METH)-induced dopamine (DA) neurotoxicity. The source of this NO has not been clearly delineated, but recent evidence suggests that it arises from activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), which is selectively expressed in a subpopulation of striatal interneurons. Our objective was to determine whether inhibiting activation of nNOS-containing interneurons in the striatum blocks METH-induced neurotoxicity. These interneurons selectively express the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor, which is activated by substance P. One particular toxin, a conjugate of substance P to the ribosome-inactivating protein saporin (SSP–SAP), selectively destroys neurons expressing the NK-1 receptor. Thus, we examined the extent to which depletion of the nNOS-containing interneurons alters production of NO and attenuates METH-induced neurotoxicity. The SSP–SAP lesions resulted in significant loss of nNOS-containing interneurons throughout striatum. Surprisingly, this marked deletion did not confer resistance to METH-induced DA neurotoxicity, even in areas devoid of nNOS-positive cells. Furthermore, these lesions did not attenuate NO production, even in areas lacking nNOS. These data suggest that nNOS-containing interneurons either are not necessary for METH-induced DA neurotoxicity or produce NO that can diffuse extensively through striatal tissue and thereby still mediate neurotoxicity.
In Vitro Selection and Analysis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Resistant to Derivatives of β-2′,3′-Didehydro-2′,3′-Dideoxy-5-Fluorocytidine

Serial passage of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in MT-2 cells in increasing concentrations of the d- and l-enantiomers of β-2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxy-5-fluorocytidine (d4FC) resulted in the selection of viral variants with reverse transcriptase substitutions M184I or M184V for l-d4FC and I63L, K65R, K70N, K70E, or R172K for d-d4FC. Phenotypic analysis of site-directed mutants defined the role of these mutations in reducing susceptibility to l- or d-d4FC.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Promotes In Vitro Calcification of Vascular Cells via the cAMP Pathway

Background—Vascular calcification is an ectopic calcification that commonly occurs in atherosclerosis. Because tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a pleiotropic cytokine found in atherosclerotic lesions, is also a regulator of bone formation, we investigated the role of TNF-α in in vitro vascular calcification. Methods and Results—A cloned subpopulation of bovine aortic smooth muscle cells previously shown capable of osteoblastic differentiation was treated with TNF-α, and osteoblastic differentiation and mineralization were assessed. Treatment of vascular cells with TNF-α for 3 days induced an osteoblast-like morphology. It also enhanced both activity and mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase, an early marker of osteoblastic differentiation. Continuous treatment with TNF-α for 10 days enhanced matrix mineralization as measured by radiolabeled calcium incorporation in the matrix. Pretreatment of cells with a protein kinase A–specific inhibitor, KT5720, attenuated cell morphology, the alkaline phosphatase a...
X-ray laser seeding for short pulses and narrow bandwidth

The performance of an X-ray free electron laser can be substantially enhanced if a coherent seed source is used to provide sufficient initial power that it dominates the spontaneous emission in the early part of the undulator. The FEL output then becomes an amplified reproduction of the input seed having, under certain conditions, the same pulse length and bandwidth. For studies of molecular and atomic time dynamics the pulse length may be very short, reaching below 1 fs with a transform limited bandwidth of a few tenths of a percent. For spectroscopy and diffraction experiments the beam may alternatively be made monochromatic at the level of one part in 10/sup 5/ or better, with a pulse length of tens of femtoseconds. Simulation studies of seeded FEL performance at 0.3 nm using the code GINGER are presented.
Hypoxic Preconditioning in the CNS

It is now well established that preconditioning the CNS with a variety of stressors can provide neuroprotection from stroke, subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage, epilepsy, and trauma. However, it often remains unstated, and underappreciated, that the resultant ischemic tolerance involves more than just “neuroprotection” but likely involves primary and secondary cytoprotective responses on the part of all cells that comprise the neurovascular unit. This chapter reviews the evidence and molecular mechanisms that underlie vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell responses to preconditioning, reflected by reductions in postischemic vascular inflammation, blood-brain barrier breakdown, and apoptotic death, along with the improvements in ischemic and postischemic blood flow, vascular reactivity, endothelium-dependent dilation, and other postischemic autoregulatory responses, which together promote an ischemia-tolerant cerebrovasculature. Angiogenesis and other longer-term mechanisms of vascular remodeling and recovery are also likely to contribute. In addition, data supporting the involvement of astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes in the globally cerebroprotective response to preconditioning, while still relatively limited to date, are examined. Overall, emerging findings suggest both autocrine and paracrine adaptive responses to preconditioning among the neurovascular unit and glial lineage cells that collectively contribute to reductions in lesion size and injury severity in several CNS pathologies.
Left atrial systolic and diastolic function accompanying chronic rapid pacing-induced atrial failure

The objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that long-term, rapid atrial pacing produces a model of atrial systolic and diastolic dysfunction but does not alter ventricular function. ...
Breed, B., and F. Ford. 2007. Native Mice and Rats. Australian Natural History Series, CSIRO Publishing, Colling-wood, Victoria, Australia, 185 pp. ISBN 978-0-6430-9166-5, price (paper), AU$39.95.

B. Breed, F. Ford. 2007. Native Mice and Rats. Australian Natural History Series, CSIRO Publishing, Colling-wood, Victoria, Australia, 185 pp. ISBN 978-0-6430-9166-5, price (paper), AU$39.95. This book belongs on the shelf of everyone with a serious interest in mammals and in all institutional research libraries, because it brings current nearly all that is known about Australia's native rodents, following The Rodents of Australia by Watts and Aslin (1981). This book will be particularly useful for those planning to conduct field or laboratory research on Australia's rodents, whether they are Australians or visiting researchers, and at all levels of scholarly achievement from advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students to postdoctoral and more-senior researchers. Throughout, the authors stress the great diversity of this rodent fauna, comprising about 60 extant species and 2 major subgroups of the family Muridae: old endemics (12 genera) that arrived around 4–5 million years ago (mya), and new endemics (1 genus, all Rattus spp.) that arrived around 1.8 mya, all likely from Southeast Asia via New Guinea, with most of the diversification and speciation occurring after arrival. Most naturalists from North America and Europe, and many from Australia, think of Australia as a land of marsupials and monotremes without acknowledging that nearly 25% of the endemic mammalian species there are rodents. I 1st visited Australia in 1966 with the former notion in mind, but soon became aware of this diversity through the tutelage of Basil Marlow, …
Abstract 3978: Mechanism of orlistat hydrolysis by fatty acid synthase thioesterase

Fatty acid synthase (FASN), a seven domain enzyme, is the sole protein capable of de novo synthesis of free fatty acids, most commonly 16-carbon palmitate. The fatty acid synthesis cycle begins with the condensation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA, and continues with the elongation of the fatty acid chain, which is tethered to an acyl carrier protein domain (ACP), via a repeating cycle. At the end of elongation, the thioesterase (TE) domain of FASN, a member of the serine hydrolase family with an Asp-His-Ser catalytic triad, cleaves the bond between palmitate and ACP, and releases free palmitate. FASN has been found to be over-expressed in a wide variety of human cancers, and this over-expression is correlated to a higher metastatic potential and poorer prognosis in cancer patients. FASN over-expression is also associated with increased resistance toward cancer chemotherapeutics. Orlistat, an FDA approved drug for obesity treatment that prevents uptake of dietary fats by inhibiting pancreatic lipases in the gastrointestinal tract, is a compound found to act as a reversible inhibitor of FASN TE. A previous study using the co-crystal structure of the TE domain with orlistat found that orlistat was covalently bound to the active site Ser within the TE domain, indicating that inhibition of FASN by orlistat halts the fatty acid synthesis cycle by blocking the release of free palmitate from the ACP. A hydrolyzed form of orlistat was also observed in the active site of TE, demonstrating that orlistat is not a stable inhibitor of FASN. In this study, we examined the mechanism of orlistat hydrolysis within the TE domain of FASN using molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the hexanoyl tail of orlistat is capable of shifting while covalently bound to the active site Ser, and that this shift is accompanied by the destabilization of a hydrogen bond that exists between a hydroxyl moiety of orlistat and the active site His. Once this hydrogen bond is destabilized, a catalytic water molecule can enter the active site of TE with the proper orientation for catalysis of the covalent bond between orlistat and Ser. These findings suggest that the hexanoyl tail of orlistat plays an important role in its hydrolysis and may guide the future design of new inhibitors that target the TE domain of FASN with greater endurance for potential use in the treatment of cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3978. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3978
Musical Repetition Detection Across Multiple Exposures

although music9s repetitiveness has been a perennial topic of theoretical and philosophical interest, we know surprisingly little about the psychological processes underlying it. As one step in the larger enterprise of examining the psychology of musical repetition, a preliminary question addresses repetition detection: Which repetitions are listeners able to identify as such, and how does this ability change across repeated exposures of the same work? In this study, participants with minimal formal training heard short excerpts and were instructed to press a button whenever they heard something from earlier in the piece repeat. Additional exposures facilitated repetition detection for long units, but impaired repetition detection for short ones, exposing an attentional shift toward larger temporal spans across multiple hearings.
An Investigation of Manipulative Models on the Learning of Programming Loops

In this study of the learning of programming, two computer-based simulations (manipulative models) of program loops were compared with a computer-based tutorial combined with paper-and-pencil exercises. For the treatment group, one simulation was used prior to and one following classroom instruction on the WHILE-DO and REPEAT-UNTIL looping constructs. For the control group, the tutorial preceded classroom instruction, which was followed by the paper-and-pencil exercises. Students using the manipulative models were more successful in applying their knowledge of loops to a situation requiring transfer, but were no more successful on problems requiring interpretation or direct application. Previous programming experience did not produce a measurable effect on student performance on looping problems.
Epidemiological Analysis on Public Health Emergencies in Shanghai during 2009-2013

[Objective] To describe the epidemiological characteristics of public health emergencies in Shanghai and provide scientific evidence and related strategies for efficient response to public health emergencies. [Methods] Descriptive epidemiological method was utilized to analyze the data of public health emergencies from public health emergency reporting system in Shanghai during 2009-2013. [Results] It was reported that there were 266 public health emergencies in Shanghai during 2009-2013. Specifically, 46.6 percent of the events were infectious diseases, the majority of which were respiratory infectious diseases, such as chicken pox; 86 heat stoke events(32.3%) were reported and caused 103 deaths; 44 people died in 35 occupational poisoning events. The peaks of infectious disease events occurred in April and December, while the majority of heat stoke events occurred in July and August. There was a significant difference in month distribution for different events(P 0.05). The infectious diseases events were most common in schools(0.027%), especially in primary schools. The intervals were 3 hours between online reporting and CDC informed on average. [Conclusion] There has been significant improvement in the timeliness of public health emergency online reporting. The prevention of infectious disease events should be focused on primary schools, vaccination management, and regular surveillance. It should be given priority to decline mortality rate and fatality rate in occupational poisoning events.
Atypical calcium regulation of the PKD2-L1 polycystin ion channel

Most of our cells have a single tiny-hair like structure called a primary cilium that projects outwards from the cell surface. Many cilia contain an ion channel protein called PKD2-L1 that allows calcium ions to pass through the membrane that surrounds each cell. There are many different calcium channels and they are found in a variety of locations in cells to control the levels of calcium ions within various cell compartments. Channels on the cell surface allow calcium ions from the external environment to enter a compartment called the cytoplasm. Under normal conditions, calcium ions always flow into cells because they are much more abundant outside the cell than inside. Despite the absence of a membrane barrier between cilia and cytoplasm, calcium ions are maintained at a higher level in the cilium than in the cytoplasm. How is this difference maintained? DeCaen, Liu et al. now show that PKD2-L1 is first stimulated and then inactivated by calcium ions inside the cilia. Under controlled conditions, calcium ions exiting PKD2-L1 block the channel and trigger its long-term inactivation. This inactivation can be overcome by preventing calcium ions from accumulating inside the cell. Further experiments show that cytoplasmic regions of the PKD2-L1 protein that are able to bind to calcium ions are not responsible for this unusual channel behavior. DeCaen, Liu et al. propose that the strange effect of calcium ions on the channel acts to maintain calcium ions in cilia at higher levels than those found in the cytoplasm. Future challenges include understanding how PKD2-L1 is stimulated by calcium ions and to find out the consequences of this activity.
Dissociating Perceptual Confidence from Discrimination Accuracy Reveals No Influence of Metacognitive Awareness on Working Memory.

Visual awareness is hypothesized to be intimately related to visual working memory (WM), such that information present in WM is thought to have necessarily been represented consciously. Recent work has challenged this longstanding view by demonstrating that visual stimuli rated by observers as unseen can nevertheless be maintained over a delay period. These experiments have been criticized, however, on the basis that subjective awareness ratings may contain response bias (e.g., an observer may report no awareness when in fact they had partial awareness). We mitigated this issue by investigating WM for visual stimuli that were matched for perceptual discrimination capacity (d’), yet which varied in subjective confidence ratings (so called “relative blindsight”). If the degree of initial subjective awareness of a stimulus facilitates later maintenance of that information, WM performance should improve for stimuli encoded with higher confidence. In contrast, we found that WM performance did not benefit from higher visual discrimination confidence. This relationship was observed regardless of WM load (1 or 3). Insofar as metacognitive ratings (e.g., confidence, visibility) reflect visual awareness, these results challenge a strong relationship between conscious perception and WM using a paradigm that controls for discrimination accuracy and is less subject to response bias (since confidence is manipulated within subjects). Methodologically, we replicate prior efforts to induce relative blindsight using similar stimulus displays, providing a general framework for isolating metacognitive awareness in order to examine the function of consciousness.
Daily movements of some tropical marine gastropods

Six species of gastropod were marked individually and relocated on a rocky intertidal shelf in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Snails were relocated an average of 7.8 times. Extent of average daily movement varied significantly among species, from 56 cm in Cerithium enburneum to 11 cm/day in Astraea tecta. Individuals of C. eburneum moved as groups. Extent of daily movement was unrelated to size within species and the patterns of movement seemed to function primarily to maintain snails within certain zones in the intertidal.
Melodrama’s Gothic Remnants: Nightmares and Vampire-Girl Doubles

This chapter continues to show how melodrama exposes postfeminist paradoxes related to female empowerment. In Jane Eyre and Twilight, nightmares and female vampire villains antagonize Jane’s and Bella’s psyches. In the cinematic saga, when this villainy is visualized on-screen, such gothic remnants are externalized in dramatic ways that make the critique all the more obvious. Nightmares validate over-the-top fears about change, especially aging and motherhood, showing the crippling effects of Western culture’s postfeminist emphasis on feminine youthfulness; at the same time, female vampires serve as agential foils to the protagonist’s passivity. Girl readers’ Twilight-themed fantasies and dreams continue to reveal how melodrama encourages alternate subject positions that help girl readers negotiate change in their own lives.
The Builders of Socialism: Eastern Europe's Cities in Recent Historiography

When the angry homeowners of a popular Seattle neighbourhood recently decided to rise in protest against the impending changes in the urban development code, they claimed that their chief goal was to protect the district from turning into an ‘Eastern Bloc city’. If the City Council allowed the new legislation to pass, reported The Seattle Times, Seattle was ‘in danger of becoming the Soviet Warsaw or East Berlin of the Pacific Northwest’. ‘I've been to Poland’, one protester said, ‘I know what they [Polish cities] look like. They're bleak. They're dead.’
A Compact VLSI System for Bio-Inspired Visual Motion Estimation

This paper proposes a bio-inspired visual motion estimation algorithm based on motion energy, along with its compact very-large-scale integration (VLSI) architecture using low-cost embedded systems. The algorithm mimics motion perception functions of retina, V1, and MT neurons in a primate visual system. It involves operations of ternary edge extraction, spatiotemporal filtering, motion energy extraction, and velocity integration. Moreover, we propose the concept of confidence map to indicate the reliability of estimation results on each probing location. Our algorithm involves only additions and multiplications during runtime, which is suitable for low-cost hardware implementation. The proposed VLSI architecture employs multiple (frame, pixel, and operation) levels of pipeline and massively parallel processing arrays to boost the system performance. The array unit circuits are optimized to minimize hardware resource consumption. We have prototyped the proposed architecture on a low-cost field-programmable gate array platform (Zynq 7020) running at 53-MHz clock frequency. It achieved 30-frame/s real-time performance for velocity estimation on $160 \times 120$ probing locations. A comprehensive evaluation experiment showed that the estimated velocity by our prototype has relatively small errors (average endpoint error < 0.5 pixel and angular error < 10°) for most motion cases.
Individual and interactive effects of warming and CO 2 on Pseudo-nitzschia subcurvata and Phaeocystis antarctica , two dominant phytoplankton from the Ross Sea, Antarctica

Abstract. We investigated the effects of temperature and CO2 variation on the growth and elemental composition of cultures of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia subcurvata and the prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis antarctica, two ecologically dominant phytoplankton species isolated from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. To obtain thermal functional response curves, cultures were grown across a range of temperatures from 0 to 14 °C. In addition, a co-culturing experiment examined the relative abundance of both species at 0 and 6 °C. CO2 functional response curves were conducted from 100 to 1730 ppm at 2 and 8 °C to test for interactive effects between the two variables. The growth of both phytoplankton was significantly affected by temperature increase, but with different trends. Growth rates of P. subcurvata increased with temperature from 0 °C to maximum levels at 8 °C, while the growth rates of P. antarctica only increased from 0 to 2 °C. The maximum thermal limits of P. subcurvata and P. antarctica where growth stopped completely were 14 and 10 °C, respectively. Although P. subcurvata outgrew P. antarctica at both temperatures in the co-incubation experiment, this happened much faster at 6 than at 0 °C. For P. subcurvata, there was a significant interactive effect in which the warmer temperature decreased the CO2 half-saturation constant for growth, but this was not the case for P. antarctica. The growth rates of both species increased with CO2 increases up to 425 ppm, and in contrast to significant effects of temperature, the effects of CO2 increase on their elemental composition were minimal. Our results suggest that future warming may be more favorable to the diatom than to the prymnesiophyte, while CO2 increases may not be a major factor in future competitive interactions between Pseudo-nitzschia subcurvata and Phaeocystis antarctica in the Ross Sea.
Outcomes of minimally invasive double valve surgery.

Background: Double valve surgery is associated with an increased peri-operative morbidity and mortality. A less invasive right thoracotomy approach may be a viable alternative to median sternotomy surgery in these higher-risk patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the baseline demographics, operative characteristics, and post-operative outcomes of patients who underwent minimally invasive double valve surgery between January 2009 and December 2011 at our institution. Results: The cohort consisted of 117 patients, of which 68 (58.1%) were female. The mean age was 73±11 years, and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 52±11%. There were 43 (36.8%) patients with a history of congestive heart failure, 45 (38.5%) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 5 (4.3%) had a history of chronic kidney disease. The patients underwent primary (90.6%) or re-operative (9.4%) double valve surgery, which consisted of 50 (42.7%) aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair, 31 (26.5%) mitral and tricuspid valve repair, 18 (15.4%) aortic and mitral valve replacement, 17 (14.5%) mitral valve replacement with tricuspid valve repair, and 1 (0.9%) aortic valve replacement with tricuspid valve repair. Post-operatively, there were 40 (34.2%) cases of prolonged ventilation, 9 (7.7%) acute kidney injury, 6 (5.1%) re-operations for bleeding, 1 (0.9%) cerebrovascular accident, and 15 (12.8%) cases of atrial fibrillation. The mean total hospital length of stay was 12±12 days, with an in-hospital mortality of 2 (1.7%). Conclusions: A minimally invasive right thoracotomy approach to primary or re-operative double valve surgery is feasible, may be utilized with acceptable peri-operative morbidity and mortality.
Fetal Heart Monitor Tracing in a Pregnancy Complicated by a Ruptured Fetal Vessel on the Placenta: A Case Report.

Background This report describes the fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing in a pregnancy complicated by antenatal spontaneous rupture of fetal vessels on the placental surface that resulted in a live birth. Case 36-year-old woman, G2P1001, was being followed with weekly antenatal testing for gestational diabetes type A2 on insulin with possible intrauterine growth restriction. She presented for an office visit at 37.5 weeks' gestation with a complaint of decreased fetal movement. The FHR pattern demonstrated minimal baseline variability with an occasional spontaneous deceleration not associated with a contraction, an absence of recurrent decelerations, and no accelerations. The antenatal evaluation is discussed, and portions of the FHR tracing and the placental findings at delivery are provided. Conclusion The FHR pattern did not fit with what is usually depicted with uteroplacental insufficiency or umbilical cord entrapment. In addition, even though the fetus is anemic, the process may occur too quickly for a sinusoidal pattern to develop.
In-situ synchrotron x-ray studies of the microstructure and stability of In2O3 epitaxial films

We report on the synthesis, stability, and local structure of In2O3 thin films grown via rf-magnetron sputtering and characterized by in-situ x-ray scattering and focused x-ray nanodiffraction. We find that In2O3 deposited onto (0 0 1)-oriented single crystal yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates adopts a Stranski–Krastanov growth mode at a temperature of 850 °C, resulting in epitaxial, truncated square pyramids with (1 1 1) side walls. We find that at this temperature, the pyramids evaporate unless they are stabilized by a low flux of In2O3 from the magnetron source. We also find that the internal lattice structure of one such pyramid is made up of differently strained volumes, revealing local structural heterogeneity that may impact the properties of In2O3 nanostructures and films.
Dermatopathic Lymphadenitis Mimicking Breast Cancer with Lymphatic Metastasis: A Case Report and Discussion

BACKGROUND Dermatopathic lymphadenitis is a rare benign lymphatic hyperplasia commonly associated with exfoliative or eczematoid dermatitis. Of interest, this condition can be confused with lymphatic metastasis in adults. CASE REPORT In this report, we describe the case of a 56-year-old woman diagnosed with left breast invasive ductal carcinoma in remission, who presented with dermatopathic lymphadenitis mimicking breast cancer recurrence. CONCLUSIONS Dermatopathic lymphadenitis is a benign entity that needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy. Pursuing extensive workup in asymptomatic patients with a similar presentation and initial negative tests for malignancy recurrence is not recommended.
Optimal Filter Design for Signal Processing on Random Graphs: Accelerated Consensus

In graph signal processing, filters arise from polynomials in shift matrices that respect the graph structure, such as the graph adjacency matrix or the graph Laplacian matrix. Hence, filter design for graph signal processing benefits from knowledge of the spectral decomposition of these matrices. Often, stochastic influences affect the network structure and, consequently, the shift matrix empirical spectral distribution. Although the joint distribution of the shift matrix eigenvalues is typically inaccessible, deterministic functions that asymptotically approximate the matrix empirical spectral distribution can be found for suitable random graph models using tools from random matrix theory. We employ this information regarding the density of eigenvalues to develop criteria for optimal graph filter design. In particular, we consider filter design for distributed average consensus and related problems, leading to improvements in short-term error minimization or in asymptotic convergence rate.
Modulation of gene expression in subfamilies of TASK K+ channels by chronic hyperoxia exposure in rat carotid body.

have indicated that detection of hypoxia or acidity is mediated by modulation of a leak potassium conductance of which TASK-1 and TASK-3 are likely candidates. Accordingly, we hypothesized that post-natal hyperoxia exposure will alter the developmental profile of TASK channels within the carotid body cells. Carotid body RNA was extracted from control (normoxia-exposed) rats at P14-P16 (N14) and rats exposed to post-natal hyperoxia from birth until P14P16 (H14). All 5 known TASK K+ channels, TASK-1 (Duprat, 1997; Kim, 1999), -2 (Reyes, 1998), -3 (Kim, 2000, Rajan, 2000), -4 (Decher, 2001), and -5 (Ashmole, 2001; Kim, 2001), were tested using quantitative real time RT(reverse transcriptase)-PCR with SYBR green (iCycler IQ system) reporting system. Expression levels of 18s rRNA as reference gene for relative quantitative RNA analyses. Relative quantification was applied to compare gene expression levels of the TASK K+ channels between N14 and H14. The expression ratio was calculated using a mathematical model based on difference between the threshold detection cycle (CT ) of the target gene, TASK K+ channels, and the CT of the reference gene, 18s rRNA (Pfaffl, 2001). The present results demonstrate that post-natal hyperoxia causes a downregulation of TASK-1, TASK-2 and TASK-5 channels.
Design of the LOX and GOX Systems for the Stennis Space Center High Heat Flux Facility

The High Heat Flux Facility (HHFF) was designed to test the high temperature performance of materials for the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) by directing the exhaust of several gas generators at actively cooled panels ofthe test materials. To accomplish this, a supply of high pressure gaseous oxygen (GOX) is required to feed the gas generators. In addition, a low pressure liquid oxygen (LOX) loading, storage, and supply system is required. The low pressure LOX system was designed for a maximum operating pressure of 722 KPa (90 psig) for the loading area and 1 135 KPa (150 psig) for the storage portion. A pump increases the operating pressure of the LOX from approximately 1 135 KPa (150 psig) to a maximum of 31.13 MPa (4 500 psig). An ambient air vaporizer converts the high pressure LOX to GOX. The high pressure GOX system was also designed for a maximum operating pressure of 31.13 MPa (4 500 psig). This paper discusses the approach used for designing and constructing the LOX and GOX systems for the HHFF. Stennis Space Center and NASA requirements for the use of materials in oxygen systems are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the materials of construction and the selection of materials for the high pressure GOX components, piping, and other hardware. Several examples of actual components modified for use in oxygen are illustrated and the rationale used for selecting piece part materials for these components are provided. The system design philosophy is discussed and several general oxygen system design principles are mentioned. Specific portions of the design intended to reduce the likelihood of ignition are also addressed. Drawings of the systems and components are included to provide more specific information that could be used as a model for the design of similar systems.
Nutritional Recommendations for the Young and Aging Females

Food selection is highly dependent upon cultural practices and regional food availability. The United States Department of Agriculture has repeatedly made modifications to nutritional recommendations for the nation over the past century. The food pyramid was created in 1992 in an attempt to simplify key nutritional points. The food pyramid was revamped in 2005 when MyPyramid was created. Since then, MyPlate is the most widely used visual tool for nutritional education. In the young female, proper calcium and vitamin D intake is key in the prevention of osteoporosis later in life. Sarcopenia and osteoporosis are dual concerns for the aging female, since both increase the risk of fractures. Sarcopenia prevention can occur through proper nutrition, including sufficient protein intake. Exercise is also important for sarcopenia and osteoporosis prevention. Requirements for proper nutrition vary between patients and a patient specific approach is crucial to overall health in the young and aging female.
Actual neighborhood-level crime predicts body mass index z-score changes in a multi-racial/ethnic sample of children

Longitudinal studies are warranted to clarify the influence crime has on health outcomes in children especially children representing multiple racial/ethnic backgrounds. To address this need, the current study examined whether neighborhood-level crime predicted changes in body mass index z (BMIz) scores in 373 White (W), 627 African American (AA), 1020 Hispanic (H), and 88 Asian (A), five to ten year-old boys and girls living in urban neighborhoods. Heights and weights were assessed at baseline (2012) and three-years later and used to calculate BMIz scores. Characteristics of zip codes where students lived during the three-year period were obtained at baseline from various sources. The Crime Risk Index (CRI) for each zip code was calculated using actual crime statistics. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between baseline CRI and follow-up BMIz scores while controlling for other variables including BMIz at baseline. The CRI and BMIz scores differed significantly by race/ethnicity with the highest values for both noted in H. Regression analyses indicated that the CRI accounted for a significant percentage of the variance in follow-up BMIz scores in the overall sample. When race/ethnicity was considered, the CRI predicted follow-up BMIz scores only in W children. The CRI was not significantly associated with BMIz scores in the other races/ethnicities. The impact actual, neighborhood-level crime has on BMI in children is complex. Based on the existing evidence, considering actual crime as a primary target in obesity prevention would be premature especially in racial/ethnicity minority children living in urban areas.
Measuring presidential centrism and its effect on repression: does ideology influence whether democratic governments respect human rights?

ABSTRACTIf presidential runoff elections promote high human rights respect (Holzer 2018), and presidential runoff elections also promote the election of centrists (Haan and Vokerink 2001; Brusco, D...
The Effect of Leader Rapport-Management Feedback on Leader–Member Relationship Quality and Perceived Group Effectiveness in Student Teams

Background: Preparing students to work on teams in the workplace is both important and challenging. The transfer of learning from school to work requires that faculty provide guidance to support teamwork processes, including team communication. Literature review: Leader communication, especially when nondirective, has been associated with team success. Nondirective leaders influence others and develop quality relationships through personal rather than position power. Personal power is created partly through interactions in which a leader's linguistic behavior effectively manages rapport with team members. Research questions: We wanted to explore the influence of team member feedback on leader rapport management, leader–member relationship quality, and perceived team effectiveness. Research methodology: We designed a feedback intervention that was delivered to team leaders within multidisciplinary student teams in a technical writing course. The study was a traditional, intervention-based, between-subjects quasi-experiment. Results/discussion: Despite its singular focus on team leader behavior, the intervention resulted in higher perceived group effectiveness. Although leader rapport management and leader–member relationship quality were higher in teams with feedback intervention, the effects were not statistically significant. Conclusion: We discuss several potential causes of our results, including several options for future research. Ultimately, because the intervention is simple to create and efficient to share, we conclude that it can supply instructors with one useful tool for intervening in student teamwork processes to improve team outcomes and for emphasizing the importance of interpersonal communication and leadership in teams.
Optimal charging management and infrastructure planning for free-floating shared electric vehicles

Abstract Recently, major car-sharing service providers have begun to include electric vehicles (EVs) in free-floating car-sharing fleets. For these EVs, downtime due to charging, including time spent traveling to and waiting in queues at charging stations in a sparse charging infrastructure network, is a major barrier to sustainable operation. An intuitive solution to overcome this barrier is to increase the number of fast-charging stations in the fleet service area. This paper studies the relationship between fleet vehicle downtime and the number of charging stations by modeling the fleet operations of a major car-sharing service provider. An integer programming model is developed that jointly optimizes charging station allocation, in terms of the number and location of charging stations, and the assignment of EVs to charging stations. Case study results showed that fleet vehicle charging time comprises 72–75% of the total downtime spent on charging trips. This indicates that charging time, as opposed to travel time or waiting time, is the dominant component of total fleet downtime for charging. The study also shows that by adding 5–20 new charging stations reduces total fleet downtime and travel time during charging trips by 2–4% and 26–49%, respectively. Although adding new charging stations to the fleet service area reduces total charging trip travel time significantly, it does not reduce total downtime significantly. Results also show that if the EV battery state of the charge (SOC) threshold—below which a charging trip is initiated—is less than 18%, not all EVs in the car-sharing fleet can be charged using the existing direct current fast chargers (DCFCs) in the fleet’s service area. This implies that adequate charging infrastructure coverage is required to ensure that EVs of a given range can operate in the car-sharing fleet.
Abnormal Expression of Human Mitoferrin (SLC25A37) Is Associated with a Variant of Erythropoietic Protoporphyria.

Mitoferrin (mfrn, slc25a37) is the high-affinity transporter of iron into mitochondria of developing erythroblasts and is essential for normal erythropoiesis. Recently, we described the cloning and characterization of mfrn in the zebrafish frascati (frs) mutant, in which homozygous null mutation leads to profound hypochromic anemia and embryonic lethality (Shaw GC, et al. 2006 Nature 440:96–100). Here we characterize the human MFRN orthologue and implicate a specific disease process purportedly caused by defects in MFRN expression. We studied human MFRN expression by a) analysis of human-tissue northern blots, b) fluorescent immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy for subcellular localization, c) genetic complementation in MRS3/4 deficient yeast strains, and d) microinjection and rescue efficiency of frs mutant zebrafish. Human MFRN , mapping to chromosome 8p21, shows 82% and 64% similarity at the amino acid level to orthologous mouse and zebrafish Mfrn proteins respectively, and 60% similarity to a paralogous MFRN2 (SLC25A28). MFRN mRNA is highly expressed in fetal and adult hematopoietic tissues, including fetal liver and bone marrow, similar to zebrafish and mice. The MFRN protein localizes to the mitochondria like other SLC25 solute carriers. Ectopic expression of human MFRN capably restores hemoglobinized cells in anemic frs embryos, programs increased 55Fe-labeled heme synthesis in K562 cells, and rescues MRS3/4 mutant yeast for growth on iron-deficient media, demonstrating conservation of MFRN function. We evaluated 6 unrelated probands with a variant of erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) who harbor no mutations in ferrochelatase, the genetic cause of classic EPP. Five of the 6 index cases had severe hepatic disease necessitating liver transplantation. Our analysis of all 6 patients revealed the presence of an aberrantly spliced MFRN transcript, which was absent in normal individuals and patients with classic EPP. This aberrant spliceoform results in insertion of a 477 bp fragment from intron 2 and leads to an early nonsense codon after amino acid 156, prematurely truncating the MFRN protein. In contrast to normal MFRN cDNA, the variant MFRN cDNA from EPP patients fails to complement MRS3/4 mutant yeasts in low-iron media, demonstrating its loss-of-function activity. Our data demonstrate conserved function of human MFRN in erythroid mitochondrial iron metabolism and an association between a loss-of-function MFRN transcript and a variant of erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Carbon Footprint of agricultural production and processing of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in southern Brazil

Abstract One of the main agricultural crops in Brazil is the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) production, currently the second largest producer of this commodity of the world. Its production extends across the three southern states of the country and accounts for important interactions with the environment. Thus, the study of the relationship between tobacco cultivation and the environment should be evaluated in order to reduce its impacts. This study uses a life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the Carbon Footprint (CF) of Virginia (VA) and Burley (BU) tobacco varieties produced in southern Brazil, using the dataset of 14,409 tobacco farmers. The LCA results showed that the use of nitrogen fertilizer in the crop stages of both the tobacco varieties is the main contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The CF was 1398.5 kg CO2-eq/ton of dry VA tobacco, compared to the 1829.7 kg CO2-eq/ton of dry BU tobacco. The seedling and industrial processing stages of both tobacco varieties account for less than 13% of the overall CF.
Homicidal ideation among children and adolescents: evidence from the 2012-2016 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample

Objective To assess the prevalence and behavioral, sociodemographic, and psychiatric/psychological correlates of homicidal ideation among a sample of children and adolescents. Study design We employed descriptive and multivariate logit models of homicidal ideation using data from the 2012-2016 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. This study was conducted with data from emergency departments in the US, and we used a sample of (N = 17 041 346) children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 years. Results Pediatric homicidal ideation is rare with a prevalence estimate of 0.09%; however, its prevalence increases substantially from age 5 years to age 15 years when it peaks, and then declines through the end of adolescence. Conduct disorders conferred 1483% increased odds, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder conferred 616% increased odds, and other behavioral and emotional disorders increased a 2-fold to nearly 4-fold increased liability for homicidal ideation net the effects of sex, age, urban residence, insurance status, and zip code median household income. Conclusion In the wake of homicide tragedies, it is often the case that numerous behavioral and clinical red flags were present in the developmental history of the perpetrator, but these were overlooked. Identifying children and adolescents who present with homicidal ideation is a crucial pediatric and public health matter that can inform prevention and behavioral interventions that forestall lethal violence.
THREE – MORE ABOUT DERIVATIVES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the properties of the derivatives of functions. It presents the derivation of formulas for calculating derivatives. The chapter presents some additional rules to simplify the calculation of derivatives. The product rule says that the derivative of the product of two functions is equal to the first times the derivative of the second plus the second times the derivative of the first. The chapter also discusses the quotient rules. The quotient rule states that the derivative of the quotient is equal to the denominator times the derivative of the numerator minus the numerator times the derivative of the denominator all over the denominator squared. The chapter presents the derivation of a result that greatly increases the number of functions of which derivatives can be easily calculated. The use of the chain rule may involve other variables and more complicated expressions requiring several of the rules of differentiation. The chapter reviews the computation of the derivative of a power function and the derivatives of sines and cosines and related functions. It discusses a method called implicit differentiation and higher-order derivatives with a number of examples.
Patient and Provider Perspectives on a Novel Mobile Health Intervention for Low-Income Pregnant Women With Gestational or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background:Management of diabetes mellitus (DM) during pregnancy is burdensome given the intensity of required patient engagement and skills, especially for women with greater social disadvantage. ...
Arnold-Chiari malformation: an uncommon etiology for a brief resolved, unexplained event in an infant

Citation:Joseph N, Rajderkar D, Baker D, Prabhakaran S. Arnold-Chiari malformation: an uncommon etiology for a brief resolved, unexplained event in an infant. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(11):1983–1984.