cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology and Significance of Hyponatremia

Hyponatremia is a common clinical entity crossing all medical disciplines. This chapter summarizes its prevalence and clinical significance in various settings. We discuss the incidence in the general population, hospitalized patients, postoperative patients, and the elderly as well as the influence of gender. We then discuss the incidence and significance of hyponatremia in specific conditions including central nervous system disorders, heart failure, cirrhosis, certain infectious diseases, cancer, the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), psychosis, endocrine disorders, endurance exercise, and beer potomania. Finally, we briefly discuss the occurrence with certain medications. This chapter serves as a general introduction to the magnitude and significance of the problem to be discussed in detail in subsequent chapters.
Allozyme variation and evolutionary relationships of grain amaranths (Amaranthus spp.).

Allozyme studies in amaranth provided useful assays of genetic variation in order to verify the patterns inferred from morphological traits, for elucidating the genetic structure of landraces, and for the studies of evolutionary relationships among wild, weedy and crop species. Thirty-four populations of cultivated New World amaranths were surveyed along with 21 weedy New World populations for allozyme variation at nine electrophoretic enzyme loci. Eleven populations of cultivated amaranths from the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh and six from Nepal were also surveyed for a comparison. In the New World populations, heterozygosity was low, and different populations ranged from 0 to 44% polymorphic loci. Adjacent populations were often fixed for different alleles or had very different allele frequencies at certain loci, with no apparent geographical patterns. Diversity index H′ was partitioned into the intra- and interpopulation as well as the interspecific components of variability. The crop versus weed genetic distances were the largest, whereas the intra- and interpopulation components of H′ were about equal. Genetic structure of all three species of the New World amaranths together can be described as a collection of distinct populations, each more or less a heterogeneous collection of highly homozygous individuals. The North Indian populations showed relatively less allozyme variability with the most common alleles same as those of Mexican landraces. Alleles at several loci proved to be diagnostic of the crop and weed groups, and of the three individual crop species. Genetic distances based on pooled gene frequencies showed the three crop species to be generally more closely related inter se than they were to their putative weedy progenitor species, respectively (with the exception of the weed-crop pair A. quitensis and A. caudatus). This implies a single domestication event involving A. hybridus as the common ancestor rather than three separate domestication events. Close similarity between A. caudatus and A. quitensis might have resulted from transdomestication based on a weedy or semi-domesticated species having migrated from Meso-America to South America. This preliminary report must now be expanded by further ecogeographical, cytogenetic and population studies on new extensive collections from the areas of early domestication. Some evidence of recent introgression and/or segregation of crop-weed hybrids between A. caudatus and A. retroflexus is available in the form of rare individuals in crop populations with crop allozyme genotypes except for a single homozygous weedy allele.
Correlation of Urinary Biogenic Amines with Sleep Stages in Chronic Alcoholization and Withdrawal

The chronic administration of alcohol causes dramatic changes in the urinary excretion of biogenic amines and their metabolites at the same time that it causes equally dramatic changes in the sleep pattern. Since the stages of sleep are said to be related to biogenic amine metabolism in the brain, it seemed reasonable to investigate the possible relationship between these two widely separated sets of phenomena.
Enhanced child psychiatry access and engagement via integrated care: A collaborative practice model with pediatrics

Objective:This study examined mental health service use outcomes for children receiving integrated care via a collaborative-practice model (CPM). The study hypothesis was that the delivery of inten...
Expanding beyond the current core STR loci: An exploration of 73 STR markers with increased diversity for enhanced DNA mixture deconvolution.

Abstract Current approaches to mixture deconvolution of complex biological samples at times do not have the capability to resolve component contributors in DNA evidence. Additional short tandem repeat (STR) loci were sought that may improve the forensic genetic analysis of mixtures. This study presents exploratory data of a multiplex comprised of 73 highly polymorphic STRs (referred herein as the 73Plex) that were selected because of their high diversity due to sequence variation. These STRs (or a subset of them) may be considered as candidates that may augment current core markers capabilities for DNA mixture deconvolution. Population genetics analyses were performed for each locus using DNA samples from 451 individuals comprising three U.S. populations. Sequence-based heterozygosities ranged from 72% to 98%, where only two loci (D10A97 and D6A7) fell below 80%. Mixture deconvolution capabilities for two-person mixtures were assessed based on complete allele resolution per locus (i.e., four alleles observed) of pairwise mixtures using in silico methods. A subset of 20 highly informative loci (referred herein as the 20Plex) from the 73Plex was compared to the 20 CODIS core loci on all population samples with full DNA profiles for both panels (i.e., no locus dropout; n = 443). Based on proportion of loci displaying four alleles, the 20Plex outperformed the CODIS core loci with increases of 82.6% and 89.3% using length-based and sequence-based alleles, respectively. A combination of 17 STR from the 20Plex and 3 CODIS loci gave the highest capacity for resolving allelic components per locus. These data illustrate the increased value of utilizing sequenced-based alleles of additional STR loci. Furthermore, there are a number of candidate STR loci that could notably augment the current core STR loci and enhance mixture interpretation capabilities.
A New Method for Quantifying Phosphorus of Various Occurrence Forms in Solid Fuels

Quantification of phosphorus (P) and determination of the occurrence forms of P in solid fuels are important to thermochemical processing of P-containing solid fuels. This study has developed a new three-step method for separating and quantifying the total P in a solid fuel into five major P-containing fractions. These consist of three organic P-containing fractions (i.e., acid-soluble organic P, two acid-insoluble organic P including P in lipids and P in nucleic acids and other acid-insoluble organic structures) and two inorganic P-containing fractions (i.e., acid-soluble inorganic P and acid-insoluble inorganic P). The first step of this new method uses cold 0.6 M HClO4 to extract the acid-soluble P species. The extracted solution is then neutralized, followed by selectively converting the acid-soluble organic P in the solution into orthophosphate (PO43–), pyrophosphate (P2O74–), and tripolyphosphate (P3O105–) by UV irradiation in the presence of H2O2. The second step of this new method uses an ethanol/...
Negative Self-Statements Mediate Social Anxiety and Depressive Symptomatology in Youth: The Role of Working Memory

To better understand the factors associated with the maintenance of social anxiety symptoms in youth. Social anxiety disorder is highly prevalent, and it is associated with persistent and recurrent major depressive disorders that are more chronic and linked with worse social functioning. Negative self-statements have been found to be a critical factor in the development and maintenance of mood dysregulation in youth. Working memory has been one variable that has shown to influence and/or be influenced by maladaptive cognitions. The goal of the current study was to delineate the role negative self-statements and working memory play in the relationship between social anxiety and depressive symptomatology in youth (N = 159; agerange = 7–16 years; Mage = 10.97 ± 2.38 years). It was hypothesized that negative self-statements would mediate the relationship between social anxiety and depressive symptomatology, and this relationship would be moderated by working memory. provided support for our hypothesis; negative-self statements have an indirect effect the relationship between socially anxious and depressive symptomatology in a large sample of service-seeking youth. Furthermore, the relationship between negative self-statements and depressive symptomatology, but not social anxiety and negative self-statements, was moderated by working memory. The indirect effect negative self-statements have on the relationship between social anxiety and depressive symptoms in youth, where negative self-statements and depressive symptoms were moderated by youths’ working memory have important assessment and treatment implications of mood disorders in youth.
Commentary on “Statistics at FDA: Reflections on the Past Six Years”

The article by Dr. Lisa LaVange describes her perspective for statistics in the regulatory environment of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). During the past 5+ years, the Office ...
Risk Factors for Fatal Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infections in Saudi Arabia: Analysis of the WHO Line List, 2013-2018.

Objectives. To explore complex associations among demographic factors, risk factors, health care, and fatality rates of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the Kingdom of Sau...
Inpatient management of acute decompensated heart failure

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is the leading cause of hospital admissions in patients older than 65 years. These hospitalisations are highly risky and are associated with poor outcomes, including rehospitalisation and death. The management of ADHF is drastically different from that of chronic heart failure as inpatient treatment consists primarily of haemodynamic stabilisation, symptom relief and prevention of short-term morbidity and mortality. In this review, we will discuss the strategies put forth in the most recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and Heart Failure Society of America guidelines for ADHF as well as the evidence behind these recommendations.
Impact of Autologous Transplantation in Patients with Multiple Myeloma with t(11;14): A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis.

Purpose: Patients with multiple myeloma with t(11;14) have been considered to have standard-risk disease. However, several recent reports have shown contradictory results. We identified 95 patients with multiple myeloma with t(11;14) on FISH studies, who underwent upfront autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (auto-HCT) at our center. We compared their outcome with a group of standard-risk patients with multiple myeloma who had diploid cytogenetics by both conventional cytogenetics (CC) and FISH (n = 287). Experimental Design: To reduce the bias between the groups, we performed a 1:1 propensity score matching technique for analysis. A total of 160 patients, 80 in each group, were identified. Patients in the 2 groups were matched for age, International staging system stage at diagnosis, serum creatinine at presentation, disease status at auto-HCT, type of preparative regimens, dose of melphalan used for conditioning, and induction and maintenance regimens. Results: Patients in t(11;14) group had a post auto-HCT overall response rate (ORR) of 97.5% (78/80), compared with 100% (80/80) in the standard-risk control group (P = 0.50). Complete response rate in the t(11;14) group was 35% (28/80), compared with 45% (36/80) in the standard-risk control group (P = 0.26). The 4-year PFS rates were 40.8% (95% CI, 29.6%–56.1%) and 51.1% (95% CI, 39.4%–66.3%) in the t(11;14) and standard-risk control groups, respectively (P = 0.14). The 4-year OS rates were 74.9% (95% CI, 63.3%–88.7%) and 88.3% (95% CI, 80.4%–97.0%) in the t(11;14) and standard-risk control groups, respectively (P = 0.17). Also, patients with t(11;14) with concurrent cytogenetics had significantly poor PFS and OS compared with a propensity matched standard-risk control group. Conclusions: Our study confirms that t(11;14) multiple myeloma undergoing upfront autologous transplantation had similar outcomes as patients with multiple myeloma with normal cytogenetic and FISH studies. Existence of additional genomic aberrations by CC or FISH was associated with a worse outcome.
The Truth Shall Set You Free: A Distinctively Christian Approach to Deception in the Negotiation Process

When America Online was king of the business world in the late 1990s, its negotiators would purposely “make a mistake” by including the logo of a prospective client’s rival in a PowerPoint presentation. The negotiator would feign embarrassment and apologize, but the supposed gaffe was completely intentional in the hopes that it would encourage the prospective client to make a deal. This tactic is mentioned as a potential negotiation strategy in a modern textbook on Negotiation Theory. Is it ethical in the legal sense of the word? If so, does that make it right? And, how does one go about deciding what is right in the first place? The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provide nonbinding recommendations regarding ethics in negotiations, and in so doing establish that deception may be appropriate in certain situations. Some commentators agree that some deception in negotiation is appropriate.
Early Vascular Cells Improve Microvascularization Within 3D Cardiac Spheroids

Introduction: A key obstacle in the creation of engineered cardiac tissues of clinically relevant sizes is limited diffusion of oxygen and nutrients. Thus, there is a need for organized vasculariza...
Using Evidence-Based Dentistry in the Clinical Management of Methadone Maintenance Therapy Patients.

Abstract Aims and Objectives There is an increased interest to incorporate interprofessional educational models in the academic dental institutions to serve both student education and patient care. The aim of this report is to integrate evidence-based dentistry (EBD) with an interprofessional approach to treat methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) patients. Current example illustrates the case of a 26-year-old man receiving MMT who presented at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine with the chief complaint of “I want to fix my teeth.” He presented with a collapsed vertical dimension of occlusion, extensive partial edentulism on both arches with bone loss, and a past history of drug abuse since the age of 16 years. Materials and Methods The 5-step (ask, acquire, appraise, apply, assess) framework for the EBD process was used. First, the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcome) question was asked, and then the literature was acquired and appraised. An expert librarian assisted in finding articles on the effects of methadone on the oral cavity and consequences that will affect dental treatment. The search was conducted on PubMed, using the following keywords: oral health, dentistry, dental health, and methadone. The search was performed from 1/1/2005 to 1/1/2018. After appraisal, the studies were applied in the clinical setting and treatment outcomes were assessed both subjectively and objectively. Results The initial search identified there is sparse evidence on the topic. Only 34 articles were acquired. Based on the scientific evidence published, the interprofessional expertise of the clinical care team, and patient's perspective, 4 treatment plan options were proposed. The selected treatment plan was considered the best option considering an EBD person-centered approach. Progress of treatment, outcomes, and lessons learned were assessed. Conclusions This study demonstrates that incorporating EBD concepts and an interprofessional approach, MMT patients can be successfully treated. Future studies on this topic are recommended, specially considering the growth of the opioid epidemic in the past years and the need to treat the MMT patients and educate students.
Tumor cells suppress radiation-induced immunity by hijacking caspase 9 signaling

High-dose radiation activates caspases in tumor cells to produce abundant DNA fragments for DNA sensing in antigen-presenting cells, but the intrinsic DNA sensing in tumor cells after radiation is rather limited. Here we demonstrate that irradiated tumor cells hijack caspase 9 signaling to suppress intrinsic DNA sensing. Instead of apoptotic genomic DNA, tumor-derived mitochondrial DNA triggers intrinsic DNA sensing. Specifically, loss of mitochondrial DNA sensing in Casp9-/- tumors abolishes the enhanced therapeutic effect of radiation. We demonstrated that combining emricasan, a pan-caspase inhibitor, with radiation generates synergistic therapeutic effects. Moreover, loss of CASP9 signaling in tumor cells led to adaptive resistance by upregulating programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and resulted in tumor relapse. Additional anti-PD-L1 blockade can further overcome this acquired immune resistance. Therefore, combining radiation with a caspase inhibitor and anti-PD-L1 can effectively control tumors by sequentially blocking both intrinsic and extrinsic inhibitory signaling.
Comparison of daily quality control operational efficiency and occupational radiation exposure between the new and old CardioGen rubidium-82 infusion systems

3088 Introduction: Comparison of daily quality control operational efficiency and occupational radiation exposure between the new and old CardioGen rubidium-82 infusion systems Purpose: The CardioGen rubidium-82 infusion system is the most common rubidium-82 delivery system used for myocardial perfusion imaging worldwide. A new model of the infusion system (model 1700) with automated daily quality control procedures (DQC) may reduce time and occupational radiation exposure (ORE) is under late-stage regulatory validation. We sought to determine changes in operational efficiency and ORE to Nuclear Medicine Technologists (NMT) between the new model 1700 and old model 510 CardioGen rubidium-82 infusion systems. Methods: Ten NMTs performed DQC on both models of the infusion system daily over a 30-day period. Instadose whole-body and ring badges were worn by each NMT while performing DQC procedure to monitor staff radiation exposure. Operational efficiency between the two infusion systems was compared by the NMT documenting the length of time to complete the DQC procedure. Data was represented by mean ±SD. Paired sample t test was used to evaluate the DQC procedure time. Results: The figures below compare ORE and DQC time between the two infusion systems. Figure A: There was no difference in the whole-body ORE (5 vs. 5 mrem) and ring badge exposure (95 vs. 97 mrem; N=10) between the model 1700 and 510 systems. However, there was a significant reduction in average DQC time (40±9.4 vs. 83±5.6 min; P=<0.0001= N=10) for the new model 1700 system. Conclusions: The new CardioGen rubidium-82 model 1700 has an over 50% reduction in average DQC procedure time with similar radiation exposure. This suggests the new model 1700 may facilitate more efficient laboratory workflow.
Sonicguide: Its Use with Public School Blind Children:

Use of the Sonicguide as part of an orientation and mobility program helped an elementary school student to develop and reinforce mobility concepts and spatial awareness. Several high school studen...
Testing the efficacy of broad-acting sorbents for environmental mixtures using isothermal analysis, mammalian cells, and H. vulgaris.

Abstract The hazards associated with frequent exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, Aroclors, plasticizers, and mycotoxins are well established. Adsorption strategies have been proposed for the remediation of soil and water, although few have focused on the mitigation of mixtures. This study tested a hypothesis that broad-acting sorbents can be developed for diverse chemical mixtures. Adsorption of common and hazardous chemicals was characterized using isothermal analysis from Langmuir and Freundlich equations. The most effective sorbents included medical-grade activated carbon (AC), parent montmorillonite clay, acid-processed montmorillonite (APM), and nutrient-amended montmorillonite clays. Next, we tested the ability of broad-acting sorbents to prevent cytotoxicity of class-specific mixtures using 3 mammalian in vitro models (HLF, ESD3, and 3T3 cell lines) and the hydra assay. AC showed the highest efficacy for mitigating pesticides, plasticizers, PAHs, and mycotoxins. Clays, such as APM, were effective against pesticides, Aroclors, and mycotoxins, while amended clays were most effective against plasticizers. Finally, a sorbent mixture was shown to be broadly active. These results are supported by the high correlation coefficients for the Langmuir model with high capacity, affinity, and free energy, as well as the significant protection of cells and hydra (p
The Impact of Domestication on Aboveground and Belowground Trait Responses to Nitrogen Fertilization in Wild and Cultivated Genotypes of Chickpea (Cicer sp.).

Despite the importance of crop responses to low fertility conditions, few studies have examined the extent to which domestication may have limited crop responses to low-fertility environments in aboveground and belowground traits. Moreover, studies that have addressed this topic have used a limited number of wild accessions, therefore overlooking the genotypic and phenotypic diversity of wild relatives. To examine how domestication has affected the response of aboveground and belowground agronomic traits, we measured root and leaf functional traits in an extensive set of wild and domesticated chickpea accessions grown in low and high nitrogen soil environments. Unlike previous studies, the wild accessions used in this study broadly capture the genetic and phenotypic diversity of domesticated chickpea's (Cicer arietinum) closest compatible wild relative (C. reticulatum). Our results suggest that the domestication of chickpea led to greater capacities for plasticity in morphological and biomass related traits but may have lowered the capacity to modify physiological traits related to gas exchange. Wild chickpea displayed greater phenotypic plasticity for physiological traits including stomatal conductance, canopy level photosynthesis, leaf level photosynthesis, and leaf C/N ratio. In contrast to domesticated chickpea, wild chickpea displayed phenotypes consistent with water loss prevention, by exhibiting lower specific leaf area, stomatal conductance and maintaining efficient water-use. In addition to these general patterns, our results indicate that the domestication dampened the variation in response type to higher nitrogen environments for belowground and aboveground traits, which suggests reduced genetic diversity in current crop germplasm collections.
Nuclear-Import Receptors Counter Deleterious Phase Transitions in Neurodegenerative Disease

Nuclear-import receptors (NIRs) engage nuclear-localization signals (NLSs) of polypeptides in the cytoplasm and transport these cargo across the size-selective barrier of the nuclear-pore complex into the nucleoplasm. Beyond this canonical role in nuclear transport, NIRs operate in the cytoplasm to chaperone and disaggregate NLS-bearing clients. Indeed, NIRs can inhibit and reverse functional and deleterious phase transitions of their cargo, including several prominent neurodegenerative disease-linked RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) with prion-like domains (PrLDs), such as TDP-43, FUS, EWSR1, TAF15, hnRNPA1, and hnRNPA2. Importantly, elevated NIR expression can mitigate degenerative phenotypes connected to aberrant cytoplasmic aggregation of RBPs with PrLDs. Here, we review recent discoveries that NIRs can also antagonize aberrant interactions and toxicity of arginine-rich, dipeptide-repeat proteins that are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) caused by G4C2 hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the first intron of C9ORF72. We also highlight recent findings that multiple NIR family members can prevent and reverse liquid-liquid phase separation of specific clients bearing RGG motifs in an NLS-independent manner. Finally, we discuss strategies to enhance NIR activity or expression, which could have therapeutic utility for several neurodegenerative disorders, including ALS, FTD, multisystem proteinopathy, limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, tauopathies, and related diseases.
Simulation of a relativistic magnetron using a fluid electron model

We present a novel technique for numerically modeling relativistic magnetrons. The electrons are represented with a 5-moment relativistic fluid. Typically, the particle in cell method is used for simulated relativistic high-power microwave sources. This study considers the A6 magnetron presented by Palevsky and Bekefi [1] .
Weakening of Elastic Solids by Doubly-Periodic Arrays of Cracks

Problems concerning elastic bodies which contain multiple cracks are of obvious importance because the structural behavior of solids is strongly influenced by the presence of cracks. Solids containing cracks are weaker mechanically, not merely because at certain levels of applied loads the concentrated stresses at the crack tips may cause the crack to propagate and lead to fracture, but also because at lower stress levels the magnitudes of the elastic constants of the material can be significantly reduced by the presence of the cracks. Further, if the cracks are arranged in a preferred orientation, the elastic response of the body can be highly anisotropic.
Temporal Characteristics of the Sleep EEG Power Spectrum in Critically Ill Children.

Study Objectives:Although empirical evidence is limited, critical illness in children is associated with disruption of the normal sleep-wake rhythm. The objective of the current study was to examin...
A technique for solving multiscale problems in CEM utilizing dipole moments and macro basis functions

The authors present a novel dipole moment (DM) approach for constructing the impedance matrix. In addition, it has been hybridized with the FDTD in order to simulate many fine featured geometries.
The Role of State Departments of Education in Complex School Reform.

The Role of State Departments of Education in Complex School Reform. Susan Lusi. New York: Teachers College Press, 1997. 217 pp.
Induction chemotherapy with cisplatin, fluorouracil, and high-dose leucovorin for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: long-term results.

PURPOSEA phase II trial of cisplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (PFL) induction chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region (HNCA).PATIENTS AND METHODSOne hundred two patients (stage III/IV, previously untreated) were treated with induction PFL. Patients with resectable primary tumor site lesions and clinical complete response (CR) were offered radiotherapy (RT) without surgery to the primary tumor site. Response, toxicity, local-regional therapy, survival, and preservation of the primary tumor site were assessed.RESULTSAmong 279 courses, the overall response rate was 81%. Nineteen (19%) failed to respond, including three who died during therapy. Sixty-seven (69%) of 97 with assessable primary lesions had a clinical CR at the primary tumor site. Pathologic CR was recorded in 46 of 55 (84%) clinical CR patients who had biopsies performed on the primary tumor site. Toxicities resulted in unexpected hospitalizations in 19% of cases. After definitive ...
MOLECULAR EPITOPES OF THE ANKYRIN-SPECTRIN INTERACTION

Isoforms of ankyrin and its binding partner spectrin are responsible for a number of interactions in a variety of human cells. Conflicting evidence, however, had identified two different, non-overlapping human erythroid ankyrin subdomains, Zu5 and 272, as the minimum binding region for beta-spectrin. Complementary studies on the ankyrin-binding domain of spectrin have been somewhat more conclusive yet have not presented binding in terms of well-phased, integral numbers of spectrin repeats. Thus, the objective of this study was to clearly define and characterize the minimal ankyrin-spectrin binding epitopes. Circular dichroism (CD) wavelength spectra of the aforementioned ankyrin subdomains show that these fragments are 30-60% unstructured. In contrast, human erythroid beta-spectrin repeats 13, 14, 15, and 16 (prepared in all combinations of two adjacent repeats) demonstrated proper folding and stability as determined by CD and tryptophan wavelength and heat denaturation scans. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) gel shifts as well as affinity pull-down assays implicated Zu5 and beta-spectrin repeats 14-15 as the minimum binding epitopes. These results were confirmed by analytical ultracentrifugation to sedimentation equilibrium by which a 1:1 complex was obtained if and only if Zu5 was mixed with beta-spectrin constructs containing repeats 14 and 15 in tandem. Surface plasmon resonance yielded a K D of 15.2 nM for binding of beta-spectrin fragments to the ankyrin subdomain Zu5, accounting for all of the binding observed between the intact molecules. Collectively, these results show the 14th and 15th beta-spectrin repeats comprise the minimal, phased region of beta-spectrin, which binds ankyrin at the Zu5 subdomain with high affinity.
Colorectal cancer of the elderly.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) disproportionately affects the elderly. Older age is a strong risk factor for both the development of precancerous adenomas and CRC, thus raising the issue of screening and surveillance in older patients. However, screening and surveillance decisions in the elderly can be complex and challenging. Elderly patients are a diverse and heterogeneous group and special considerations such as co-morbid medical conditions, functional status, and cognitive ability play a role in one’s decisions regarding the utility of screening and surveillance. Such considerations also play a role in factors related to screening modalities, such as colonoscopy, as well as CRC treatment options and regimens. This review addresses many of the unique factors associated with CRC of the elderly and critically examines many of the controversies and challenges surrounding CRC in older patients.
High-Pressure Reaction Kinetics of Hydrogen Sulfide and Uncalcined Limestone Powder

High-pressure and high-temperature in-gasifier removal of H2S using CaCO3 sorbent powder is studied in a differential-bed flow-through reactor at pressures of up to 2 MPa and temperatures of up to 900 °C. The CaCO3 sulfidation kinetic data are obtained under conditions closely simulating the pressurized fluidized bed gasifier conditions of an integrated gasification combined cycle system. The effects of total pressure, H2S partial pressure (2−5 kPa), reaction temperature, CO2 and H2 partial pressures, particle size (16−200 μm), and CaCO3 surface area on the extent of H2S removal and solid conversion are determined. The gasifier pressure is found to have a negative effect on the sulfidation reaction. The sulfidation reaction is first order with respect to H2S partial pressure. The conversion data of the sulfidation reaction are analyzed using the grain model, with the overall reaction rate being controlled by chemical reaction at the interface and by diffusion through the product layer. At higher conversio...
Size and Shape of Saturn's Moon Titan

Cassini observations show that Saturn’s moon Titan is slightly oblate. A fourth-order spherical harmonic expansion yields north polar, south polar, and mean equatorial radii of 2574.32 ± 0.05 kilometers (km), 2574.36 ± 0.03 km, and 2574.91 ± 0.11 km, respectively; its mean radius is 2574.73 ± 0.09 km. Titan’s shape approximates a hydrostatic, synchronously rotating triaxial ellipsoid but is best fit by such a body orbiting closer to Saturn than Titan presently does. Titan’s lack of high relief implies that most—but not all—of the surface features observed with the Cassini imaging subsystem and synthetic aperture radar are uncorrelated with topography and elevation. Titan’s depressed polar radii suggest that a constant geopotential hydrocarbon table could explain the confinement of the hydrocarbon lakes to high latitudes.
Nuclear cGMP-dependent kinase regulates gene expression via activity-dependent recruitment of a conserved histone deacetylase complex.

Elevation of the second messenger cGMP by nitric oxide (NO) activates the cGMP-dependent protein kinase PKG, which is key in regulating cardiovascular, intestinal, and neuronal functions in mammals. The NO-cGMP-PKG signaling pathway is also a major therapeutic target for cardiovascular and male reproductive diseases. Despite widespread effects of PKG activation, few molecular targets of PKG are known. We study how EGL-4, the Caenorhabditis elegans PKG ortholog, modulates foraging behavior and egg-laying and seeks the downstream effectors of EGL-4 activity. Using a combination of unbiased forward genetic screen and proteomic analysis, we have identified a conserved SAEG-1/SAEG-2/HDA-2 histone deacetylase complex that is specifically recruited by activated nuclear EGL-4. Gene expression profiling by microarrays revealed >40 genes that are sensitive to EGL-4 activity in a SAEG-1–dependent manner. We present evidence that EGL-4 controls egg laying via one of these genes, Y45F10C.2, which encodes a novel protein that is expressed exclusively in the uterine epithelium. Our results indicate that, in addition to cytoplasmic functions, active EGL-4/PKG acts in the nucleus via a conserved Class I histone deacetylase complex to regulate gene expression pertinent to behavioral and physiological responses to cGMP. We also identify transcriptional targets of EGL-4 that carry out discrete components of the physiological response.
Dacarbazine induced acute myeloid leukemia in melanoma.

Treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia (tAML) is a rarely reported complication of therapy of melanoma. In fact, there are only four cases of tAML or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in chemotherapy treated melanoma patients reported in English literature. Two cases implicated either fotemustine or
Distribution of soil arsenic species, lead and arsenic bound to humic acid molar mass fractions in a contaminated apple orchard

Excessive application of lead arsenate pesticides in apple orchards during the early 1900s has led to the accumulation of lead and arsenic in these soils. Lead and arsenic bound to soil humic acids (HA) and soil arsenic species in a western Massachusetts apple orchard was investigated. The metal-humate binding profiles of Pb and As were analyzed with size exclusion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SEC-ICP-MS). It was observed that both Pb and As bind "tightly" to soil HA molar mass fractions. The surface soils of the apple orchard contained a ratio of about 14:1 of water soluble As (V) to As (III), while mono-methyl (MMA) and di-methyl arsenic (DMA) were not detectable. The control soil contained comparatively very low levels of As (III) and As (V). The analysis of soil core samples demonstrated that As (III) and As (V) species are confined to the top 20 cm of the soil.
Latent trait cortisol (LTC) levels: reliability, validity, and stability

The regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis has received empirical attention as a mechanism contributing to individual differences in health and human development. A variety of sampling tactics and strategies index daily HPA axis functioning including the cortisol awakening response (CAR), the diurnal slope, and the area under the curve (AUGg). In an ethnically diverse sample (54% European-American, 23% Latino) of 82 adolescents (24% male, M age=18.05 years), we assessed salivary cortisol 45 times over the transition to college: 5 times per day, over 3 sequential days, across 3 waves (initially, 5, and 9 months later). Samples were collected at waking; 30 min, 3, and 8h post waking; and bedtime. Latent state-trait modeling indicated that the waking and 30 min post waking samples contributed to indices of within and across wave latent trait cortisol (LTC) levels. As such, a latent trait factor of cortisol was derived to reflect both within- and across-wave trait components of the variance in cortisol. LTC was distinct from the CAR, differentially predicted components of the diurnal profile across the day, and was highly stable across assessment waves (months). As preliminary evidence for convergent validity of LTC levels, childhood trauma was positively associated with LTC. Findings document the reliability, divergent and convergent validity, and stability of a latent trait factor of individual differences in HPA axis activity that may provide a cost efficient alternative to existing strategies and minimize participant burden.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy results in less postoperative morbidity compared with axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer

Background: This study was designed to compare the postoperative morbidity and socioeconomic impact of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with early stage breast cancer. Methods: A prospective, nonrandomized, controlled study was designed to include patients who underwent breast conservation surgery and SLNB ± ALND. Group A consisted of patients who had a negative SLNB and did not go on to completion ALND. Group B consisted of patients who underwent a SLNB followed by a completion ALND because either (1) their sentinel node contained cancer or (2) they were within the validation phase of our institution’s sentinel lymph node protocol. Patients were evaluated with a questionnaire and underwent a standardized physical examination to determine arm circumference. Results: Data were obtained from 96 patients with a mean follow-up period of 15 months (range 8 to 29). Significant differences were seen in subjective measurements of arm complaints and arm numbness (P <0.001), with fewer complaints reported in group A. The difference in mid-bicep and antecubital fossa circumferences was significant when comparing the ratio of the procedure arm with the nonprocedure arm and when subtracting the nonprocedure arm from the procedure arm (P <0.003 and P <0.016, respectively) in favor of group A. Axillary surgery was performed as an outpatient procedure in 88% of group A patients, compared with 15% in group B (P <0.001). Furthermore, 71% of group A patients returned to “normal activity” in less than 4 days, in comparison with 7% of group B (P <0.001). Conclusions: SLNB results in less postoperative morbidity in terms of subjective arm complaints and mid-arm swelling. Expeditious return to work or normal activity after SLNB has potentially significant socioeconomic consequences.
Cognitive interviewing as a tool for improving the informed consent process.

Consent materials often contain complex information, legalese, and other features that render them difficult to comprehend in such a way that consent is truly informed. I propose that researchers adapt cognitive interviewing, normally used for the pretesting of survey questionnaires, to evaluate the understandability of consent materials and the way in which subjects use this information to make decisions regarding participation. Cognitive interviewing involves the intensive probing of small samples of volunteer subjects to elucidate thought processes that otherwise remain hidden. Cognitive interviewing can be applied: (a) to further the basic science of informed consent; (b) to pretest materials for a specific study; and (c) as an embedded procedure for assessing subject thought processes in the course of obtaining consent.
Terrane motion by strike-slip faulting of forearc slivers

Forearc slivers, bounded by a trench and an active strike-slip fault, occur in about 50% of modern subduction zones. Analysis of earthquake slip vectors indicates that modern sliver terranes typically migrate at rates of 1–2 cm/yr. Tertiary transport of some forearc slivers by 1000 km or more is therefore expected as a consequence of normal subduction. Active arc-parallel strike-slip faulting occurs whenever interplate coupling is strong and convergence is somewhat oblique; strike-slip rate increases with greater convergence obliquity.
Structure-activity relationship for antiarrhytmic actions of β-receptor blocking drugs

Abstract Antiarrhythmic activity of the three tolyloxypropanolamine derivatives, Ko 589, Ko 592 and Ko 612, against ventricular arrhytmias elicited by epinephrine or ouabain was investigated in the dog heart-lung preparation. Ko 589, Ko 592 and Ko 612 all prevented the development of ventricular fibrillation and multifocal ventricular tachycardia elicited by the halothane-epinephrine and the halothane-epinephrine-pressor challenge respectively. Ko 592 was more than twice as active as the other two drugs in this respect. Only Ko 592 was able to suppress effectively the ouabain-induced ventricular arrhythmias. The local anesthetic activity of these drugs was tested on the rabbit cornea and in the guinea pig skin; Ko 592 and Ko 612 were more active than Ko 589 in producing topical as well as infiltration anesthesia. A correlation of the structure-activity relationship suggests that changing the position of the methyl group in the benzene ring from meta to either para or ortho positions decreases both the antiadrenergic and the antidigitalis but not the local anesthetic activity of these agents. Substitution of the methyl group in meta position (Ko 592) yields the most active compound for both the β-adrenoreceptor blocking and antidigitalis activities. It is well known that the dose of the beta adrenergic blocking agents to suppress digitalis-induced arrhythmias is usually larger than that necessary for protection against epinephrine-induced arrhythmias. Separation of the antiadrenergic and antidigitalis potencies can be increased even further by moving the methyl group to either meta or para positions in the benzene ring of these phenoxypropanolamine derivatives.
The Respiratory Chain of Plant Mitochondria: XVI. Interaction of Cytochrome b562 with the Respiratory Chain of Coupled and Uncoupled Mung Bean Mitochondria: Evidence for Its Exclusion from the Main Sequence of the Chain

Cytochromes b553, b557, and b562 of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) mitochondria become partially reduced with endogenous substrate on addition of antimycin A to the aerobic mitochondrial suspension. Addition of ATP causes partial reoxidation of the three cytochromes. This partial oxidation by ATP is inhibited by oligomycin and reversed by uncoupler. Ubiquinone does not appear to act as electron acceptor for the oxidation reaction, but a nonfluorescent flavoprotein, or possibly ironsulfur protein, component does appear to act as acceptor. This is consistent with reverse electron transport driven by ATP across the first site of energy conservation of the respiratory chain. Endogenous pyridine nucleotide and the fluorescent flavoprotein with Em7.2 = −155mv (midpoint potential at pH 7.2, referred to normal hydrogen electrode) in uncoupled mitochondria become reduced in anaerobiosis attained by oxidation of succinate in the absence of respiratory inhibitors of the cytochrome chain, provided that Pi and ATP are present. Under these same conditions, cytochrome b557 is completely reduced but cytochrome b562 remains nearly completely oxidized. There is no equilibration across the first site of energy conservation between the carriers on the low potential side and cytochrome b562 with Em7.2 = −77mv on the high potential side. It is concluded that cytochrome b562 is not a part of the main sequence of electron transport carriers of the mitochondrial respiratory chain of plants; it can participate in redox reactions with the respiratory chain in coupled mitochondria but not in uncoupled mitochondria unless antimycin A is present.
Algorithm for efficient segmentation and selection of representative frames in video sequences

We study the problem of temporal partitioning a video sequence by blobs - the segments consisting of similar frames, and the choice of frames within the blobs well representing their content. In general, blobs give a finer subdivision of video then the shots. This problem is relevant for various applications, e.g., indexing and retrieval in video databases, or compression of video at very low bitrates. We present an efficient algorithm for the considered problem based on the use of a suitable frame distance measure reflecting similarity among the frames. Experimental results are presented.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Decomposition of hydroxy amino acids in foraminiferal tests; kinetics, mechanism and geochronological implications

Abstract The diagenesis of the hydroxy amino acids serine and threonine in foraminiferal tests has been investigated. The decomposition pathways of these amino acids are complex; the principal reactions appear to be dehydration, aldol cleavage and decarboxylation. Stereochemical studies indicate that the α-amino-n-butyric acid (ABA) detected in foraminiferal tests is the end product of threonine dehydration pathway. Decomposition of serine and threonine in foraminiferal tests from two well-dated Caribbean deep-sea cores, P6304-8 and -9, has been found to follow irreversible first-order kinetics. Three empirical equations were derived for the disappearance of serine and threonine and the appearance of ABA. These equations can be used as a new geochronological method for dating foraminiferal tests from other deep-sea sediments. Preliminary results suggest that ages deduced from the ABA kinetics equation are most reliable because “species effect” and contamination problems are not important for this nonbiological amino acid. Because of the variable serine and threonine contents of modern foraminiferal species, it is likely that the accurate age estimates can be obtained from the serine and threonine decomposition equations only if a homogeneous species assemblage or single species sample isolated from mixed natural assemblages is used.
Copper·Lys-Gly-His-Lys mediated cleavage of tRNAPhe: Studies of reaction mechanism and cleavage specificity

Abstract The reactivity of [Cu 2+ ·Lys-Gly-His-Lys-NH 2 ] 2+ and [Cu 2+ ·Lys-Gly-His-Lys] + toward tRNA Phe has been evaluated. The amidated and carboxylate forms of the copper peptides display complex binding behavior with strong and weak sites evident ( K D 1 app ∼ 71 μ M , K D 2 app ∼ 211 μ M for the amide form; and K D 1 app ∼ 34 μ M , K D 2 app ∼ 240 μ M for the carboxylate form), while Cu 2+ (aq) yielded K D 1 app ∼ 81 μ M and K D 2 app ∼ 136 μ M . The time-dependence of the reaction of [Cu 2+ ·Lys-Gly-His-Lys] + and [Cu 2+ ·Lys-Gly-His-Lys-NH 2 ] 2+ with tRNA Phe yielded k obs ∼ 0.075 h −1 for both complexes. HPLC analysis of the reaction products demonstrated guanine as the sole base product. Mass spectrometric data shows a limited number of cleavage fragments with product peak masses consistent with chemistry occurring at a discrete site defined by the structurally contiguous D and TΨC loops, and in a domain where high affinity magnesium centers have previously been observed to promote hydrolysis of the tRNA Phe backbone. This cleavage pattern is more selective than that previously observed by Long and coworkers for nickel complexes of a series of C-terminally amidated peptides (Gly-Gly-His, Lys-Gly-His, and Arg-Gly-His), and may reflect variations in structural recognition and a distinct reaction path by the nickel derivatives. The data emphasizes the optimal positioning of the metal-associated reactive oxygen species, relative to scissile bonds, as a major criterion for development of efficient catalytic nucleases or therapeutics.