cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What to do with patients receiving long-term clopidogrel: reload or relax?

It is difficult to recall a drug whose first dose has received as much attention as clopidogrel. Indeed, the current Clopidogrel Optimal Dose Usage to Reduce Recurrent Events (CURRENT-OASIS 7) clinical trial hopes to enroll 14 000 patients with acute coronary syndromes treated via invasive strategies to determine whether an initial 600-mg loading dose (LD) followed by 150 mg/d of clopidogrel for 1 week and 75 mg/d thereafter is superior to a 300-mg LD and a subsequent 75 mg/d dose. The basis for such a trial is to identify the dose of clopidogrel that will achieve rapid and maximal inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) in order to minimize the occurrence of spontaneous or procedural-related coronary thrombosis and have an acceptable incidence of significant bleeding. Article p 1225 Several reports have demonstrated that as compared with a 300-mg LD, a dose of 600 mg results in an earlier onset of inhibitory effect and substantially greater IPA, which results in a smaller proportion of clopidogrel “nonresponders” and patients with high posttreatment platelet reactivity.1,2 Furthermore, at least 2 randomized clinical trials have demonstrated improved clinical outcomes with a clopidogrel LD >300 mg. In the Antiplatelet Therapy for Reduction of Myocardial Damage During Angioplasty (ARMYDA-2) trial, elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients receiving pretreatment with a 600-mg LD of clopidogrel experienced fewer periprocedural myocardial infarctions than those treated with 300 mg clopidogrel, resulting in superior 30-day outcomes.3 In higher-risk PCI patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes, a 600-mg LD of clopidogrel was superior to a 300-mg dose in terms of both inhibition of platelet aggregation and frequency of 1-month cardiovascular events.4 Evidence that even a 600-mg LD may be inadequate pretreatment for all PCI patients is exemplified in the Impact of Extent of Clopidogrel-Induced Platelet Inhibition During Elective Stent Implantation …
Prostate Specific Antigen Remains an Independent Predictor of Cancer at Prostate Biopsy in Black American Men But Not in White Men: Results from a Consecutive Series of 914 Men

Purpose: Black American men may be at increased risk for prostate cancer but differences in prebiopsy parameters between black and white men have not been fully examined. Therefore, we identified the prebiopsy parameters that may be predictive of prostate cancer in black and white men.Materials and Methods: From January 2000 to July 2004, 914 consecutive men undergoing prostate needle biopsy were prospectively examined by a single urologist. Urinary symptoms were measured by AUASS. Prebiopsy parameters recorded were PSA, free PSA, DRE, age, race, biopsy history, prostate volume, TRUS lesion and AUASS.Results: Prostate biopsy was performed in 914 men with a mean age of 63.9 years. Mean PSA in the entire cohort was 11.2 ng/ml (median 5.8). Abnormal TRUS and abnormal DRE were found in 37% and 52% of men, respectively. Mean AUASS was 9.6. The overall positive biopsy rate was 37%. In black and white men the positive biopsy rate was 44% and 34%, respectively. Analysis of AUASS indicated that 47% of patients had...
Novel demonstration of conformationally modified tau in sporadic inclusion-body myositis muscle fibers

s-IBM is the most common muscle disease of older persons. Its muscle fiber molecular phenotype has close similarities to Alzheimer disease (AD) brain, including intra-muscle-fiber accumulations of (a) Aβ42 and its oligomers, and (b) large, squiggly or linear, clusters of paired-helical filaments (PHFs) that are immunoreactive with various antibodies directed against several epitopes of phosphorylated tau (p-tau), and thereby strongly resembling neurofibrillary tangles of AD brain. In AD brain, conformational changes of tau, including its modifications detectable with specific antibodies TG3 (recognizing phosphorylated-Thr231), and Alz50 and MC1 (both recognizing amino acids 5-15 and 312-322) are considered early and important modifications leading to tau's abnormal folding and assembly into PHFs. We have now identified conformationally modified tau in 14 s-IBM muscle biopsies by (a) light-and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry, (b) immunoblots, and (c) dot-immunoblots, using TG3, Alz50 and MC1 antibodies. Our double-immunolabeling on the light- and electron-microscopic levels, which combined an antibody against p62 that recognizes s-IBM clusters of PHFs, revealed that TG3 immunodecorated, abundantly and exclusively, all p62 immunopositive clusters, while Alz50 labeling was less abundant, and MC1 was mainly diffusely immunoreactive. Interestingly, in the very atrophic degenerating fibers, TG3 co-localized with PHF-1 antibody that recognizes tau phosphorylated at Ser396/404, which is considered a later change in the formation of PHFs; however, most of TG3-positive inclusions in non-atrophic fibers were immunonegative with PHF-1. None of the 12 normal- and disease-control muscle biopsies contained conformational or PHF-1 immunoreactive tau. This first demonstration of conformational tau in s-IBM, because of its abundance in non-atrophic muscle fibers, suggests that it might play an early role in s-IBM PHFs formation and thus be pathogenically important.
Scarification, cupping and other traditional measures, with references to folk medicine in Greece and elsewhere.

SUMMARY A brief historical review of scarification and cupping is given. Scarification and cupping are still practised in many countries. Based on observations made on several individuals, methods used by some Greeks are described. Linear cuts are made on different parts of the body to prevent or treat a variety of diseses. Diferent pattern of scarring result and complications are said to be unsual. scarification or cupping may be used alone or in combination. These old practies are now less common. They are not confined to Greece and are sometimes adopted by Greeks living elsewhere. Some regional variations in Grek folk medicine are mentioned. Reference is made to scarification and cupping in Australla. Traditional practices, which serve innumerable purposes in most societies, ae often directed to the skin. These include various sorts of tattoos and laceratins. Some beliefs, attitudes and practices in different cultures regarding traditional remedles are worth keeping in mind because, besides suspected widespread use, they can cuase ohter conditions which are sometimes bizarre, The remedics can aggravate the patient's original condition and cause their own side effects and complications. Moreover, they can influence standard medical treatment. Traditiona medicines are usually taken with a degree of secrecy and the attending doctor is often the last to be told about their use.
Early or continued osteoporosis treatment during nonvertebral fracture-healing: no harm done commentary on an article by Silvano Adami, MD, PhD, et al.: ‘‘denosumab treatment in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis does not interfere with fracture-healing. results from the FREEDOM trial’’.

Bisphosphonates and the RANK ligand inhibitor denosumab have profound effects on bone resorption, and there is an ongoing theoretical concern that antiresorptive agents potentially impair fracture-healing. In the report by Adami et al., complications of nonvertebral fracture-healing among women in the FREEDOM (Fracture REduction Evaluation of Denosumab in Osteoporosis Every Six Months) trial were evaluated with the intention to address the risk of delayed fracture-healing in patients receiving denosumab. In this study, delayed fracture-healing was defined prospectively as incomplete healing by six months after the fracture. Thirty-eight percent of the 386 nonvertebral fractures in the denosumab group occurred within six weeks before or after administration of a scheduled denosumab dose. Among the fracture cases occurring during this twelve-week period, twenty-five occurred within one week before or after a denosumab dose. …
Cytological features contributing to the misclassification of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Introduction Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are a diverse group of malignant neoplasms of varying biological behavior, with outcomes predicted by tumor differentiation and grade. Initial diagnosis is often made by fine-needle aspiration cytology via endoscopic ultrasound of the pancreas primary. We retrospectively reviewed our institutional experience with pancreatic neuroendocrine cytology diagnosis and evaluated for tumor typing accuracy and causes of misdiagnosis. Materials and methods We searched our institutional database (1994-2012) for all pancreas fine-needle aspirations with corresponding pancreatic histology and a neuroendocrine diagnosis. Cases with discrepant cytology and histology diagnoses were reviewed for factors contributing to misclassification. Results 143 patients were identified with a neuroendocrine diagnosis either by cytology or histology. In the 129 cytology cases classified as positive/neoplastic/suspicious, tumor type was diagnosed correctly in 101 (78%) cases, incorrectly in 17 (13%), and unclassified (epithelioid neoplasm) in 11 (9%). The most common tumor classification error (7 cases) was misclassifying a neuroendocrine tumor as adenocarcinoma on cytology, which in one case led to inappropriate neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Features of neuroendocrine cytology misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma included cell clustering and anisonucleosis. Features of non-neuroendocrine cytology misclassified as neuroendocrine included abundant acinar cells or problematic interpretation of immunohistochemical stains. Conclusions Cytology can accurately identify neuroendocrine differentiation in the majority of cases; nevertheless, there are potential serious pitfalls. Misclassification of a neuroendocrine tumor as adenocarcinoma or vice versa can have significant clinical impact. Clinical and radiological correlation is essential.
Coordinating the Complexity of Tools, Tasks, and Users: On Theory-based Approaches to Authoring Tool Usability

Intelligent Tutoring Systems authoring tools are highly complex educational software applications used to produce highly complex software applications (i.e. ITSs). How should our assumptions about the target users (authors) impact the design of authoring tools? In this article I first reflect on the factors leading to my original 1999 article on the state of the art in ITS authoring tools and consider some challenges facing authoring tool researchers today. Then, in the bulk of the paper, I propose some principled foundations for future authoring tool design, focusing on operationalizing the construct of complexity—for tool, task, and user. ITS authoring tools are major undertakings and to redeem this investment it is important to anticipate actual user needs and capacities. I propose that one way to do this is to match the complexity of tool design to the complexity of authoring tasks and the complexity capacity of users and user communities. Doing so entails estimating the complexity of the mental models that a user is expected to build in order to use a tool as intended. The goal is not so much to support the design of more powerful authoring tools as it is to design tools that meet the needs of realistic user audiences. This paper presents some exploratory ideas on how to operationalize the concept of complexity for tool, task, and user. The paper draws from the following theories and frameworks to weave this narrative: Complexity Science, Activity Theory, Epistemic Forms and Games, and adult cognitive developmental theory (Hierarchical Complexity Theory). This exploration of usability and complexity is applicable to the design of any type of complex authoring application, though the application area that motivated the exploration is ITS authoring.
Abstract 4099: F-box protein 10, an NF-κB-dependent anti-apoptotic protein, regulates TRAIL-induced apoptosis through modulating c-Fos/c-FLIP pathway

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) holds great promise as a potential anti-cancer agent, but some tumors develop resistance to TRAIL. AP-1 family member, c-Fos, is an important modulator of apoptosis. Although F-box protein 10 (FBXL10) has been implicated to regulate an AP-1 family protein, significance and mechanism of FBXL10 in apoptosis has not been investigated. Methods: In this study, different types of TRAIL-sensitive cells (A498, PC3, MBA-MD-231) and TRAIL-resistant cells (LNCaP, PC3TR) were used, and a quantitative analysis of apoptosis was performed by using MTS and caspase-3, PARP activity assay and flow cytometry assay of annexin V- and propidium iodide-stained cells. RNAi, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), EMSA, hydrodynamic-based transfection, oligonucleotide decoy technologies were performed to analyze the molecular interaction between FBXL10, c-Fos and NF-κB. The anti-apoptotic role of FBXL10 in vivo was analyzed by Lexatumumab (an agonistic human monoclonal antibody against TRAIL-R2) intravenous injection into mice carrying xenograft prostate cancers. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: We found that FBXL10 was suppressed and c-Fos was upregulated in TRAIL sensitive cancer cells and xenografts after treatment with TRAIL. However, in TRAIL resistant cancer cells and xenografts, FBXL10 and c-Fos were not affected. Expression of FBXL11, a FBXL10 homologous protein and c-Jun, was not affected by TRAIL. Silencing of FBXL10 sensitized resistant cells to TRAIL. Conversely, over-expression of FBXL10 repressed TRAIL-induced apoptosis. To behave as an anti-apoptotic molecule, we found that FBXL10 directly binds and represses c-Fos promoter in vitro and in vivo. In addition, FBXL10 regulates c-FLIP, another anti−apoptotic molecule, by a c-Fos dependent pathway. We also found that expression of FBXL10 is NF-κB – dependent, and TRAIL or proteasome inhibitors down-regulate FBXL10 via inhibiting NF-κB signaling. Using ChIP, EMSA assays and oligonucleotide decoy technologies, we found that NF-κB -p65 directly binds the FBXL10 promoter in vivo and in vitro, and promotes expression of FBXL10. Conclusions: Differentiating molecular mechanisms between TRAIL sensitive and TRAIL resistant cancer cells will improve the efficacy of apoptotic therapies for cancer patients. In this study, we demonstrate a novel functional role for FBXL10 as an anti-apoptotic molecule, and describe a new apoptotic mediated pathway that involves NF-κB/FBXL10/c-Fos/c-FLIP. Therefore, silencing FBXL10 can help overcome resistant cancer cells for pro-apoptotic therapies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4099. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4099
Dialogue: A blissful future for lupus nephritis: harnessing repeat kidney biopsies to identify meaningful biomarkers of disease.

Kidney involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) portends a worse prognosis; thus, early and accurate detection of lupus nephritis is key. Unfortunately, current clinical markers, including creatinine clearance, autoantibodies, serum complement levels, urine sediment and proteinuria, do not always reliably identify patients with kidney disease. Moreover, these biomarkers do not help distinguish between various histopathological classes of lupus nephritis, which are often used as benchmarks to guide treatment. An intensely hot area of lupus research currently revolves around biased and unbiased approaches to identify biomarkers that can more reliably predict clinical and histopathological lupus-associated kidney activity and, perhaps even more importantly, durable response to treatment. Novel biomarkers of lupus nephritis currently under investigation include but are not limited to B Lymphocyte Stimulator (BLyS), A Proliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like WEAK inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1). BLyS, also known as B cell Activating Factor belonging to the TNF Family (or BAFF), is a transmembrane protein that is cleaved by a furin protease into a biologically active soluble protein that is important for B cell activation and differentiation. Numerous studies have shown that serum BLyS levels are elevated in patients with SLE compared with controls, making it the target of the recently Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved lupus drug, belimumab.1 Currently, the Belimumab International Lupus Nephritis Study clinical trial is underway to determine the efficacy of belimumab in patients with lupus nephritis (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01639339). Like BLyS, APRIL is a member of the TNF family, and is thought to have a regulatory role in B cell proliferation. APRIL levels have been shown to be elevated in patients with lupus compared with healthy controls, although one study has found that levels may be lower in patients with lupus nephritis compared with patients who have …
Solar energy integration into advanced building design for meeting energy demand and environment problem

Summary The dangerous effects of burning fossil fuels on global warming, alternative energy sources will become indeed important in the future. Because of fossil fuels energy sources shall run out by the early 22nd century given the present rate of consumption. Atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases is trapping heat radiated from the Earth's surface, which cause global warming and environmental problems such as greenhouses effect, stratospheric ozone depletion, acid precipitation, and flooding of coastal settlements. This implies that sooner or later humanity will rely heavily on renewable energy sources. Here we have introduced light energy at an idealized large-scale application to produce solar energy, where exterior skin and roof of buildings shall be at least 25% blackbody-assisted photovoltaic to capture solar energy during the whole year. Simply, it is a calculative reaction of solar irradiance on innovative building design to capture sunlight most efficiently that would be the cutting edge technology for the ultimate solution of global energy, environment, and climate crisis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Superoxide dismutase reduces the inflammatory response to Aspergillus and Alternaria in human sinonasal epithelial cells derived from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

BACKGROUND Aspergillus fumigatus and Alternaria alternata are ubiquitous environmental fungal allergens that can exacerbate airway inflammation and contribute to the disease process in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). These antigens have been shown to induce human sinonasal epithelial cells (HSNECs) to promote a proinflammatory response, but what is unclear is a means by which to reduce these effects. Inhaled pathogens can induce HSNECs to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that trigger cytokine production. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine whether the free radical scavenger superoxide dismutase (SOD) could reduce HSNEC-derived inflammation, as measured by interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 production, in response to Aspergillus or Alternaria exposure. METHODS Sinus tissue explants were collected at the time of surgery from control patients (n = 7) and patients with CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) (n = 9). HSNECs were cultured from the explants and treated with Aspergillus, Alternaria, and SOD for 24 hours. Cell supernatants and lysates were collected, and IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS In control and CRSwNP HSNECs, Aspergillus and Alternaria both increased cytokine production (p < 0.05), as measured by IL-6 and IL-8 concentration. SOD treatment reduced the inflammatory response to fungal antigen exposure from CRSwNP HSNECs but not control HSNECs. In CRSwNP patients, SOD significantly decreased IL-6 and IL-8 production after Alternaria exposure and IL-8 after Aspergillus exposure (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS When HSNECs from CRSwNP patients are treated with SOD concurrently with Aspergillus or Alternaria, SOD treatment decreases the fungal antigen-induced inflammatory response. The ability to attenuate inflammation induced by common fungal allergens with SOD treatment could provide a novel therapeutic or preventative approach for patients with CRS or other allergic inflammatory airway diseases.
Construction and identification of retroviral vector liver-type pyruvate kinase promoter with human insulin gene

Objective To construct and identify the retroviral vector liver-type pyruvate kinase(LPK) promoter with human insulin gene(hINSg) in gene or stem cell therapy for diabetes mellitus. MethodsParent(pMDN-SIN,p54) and pM54(LPKp-hINSg) plasmids were amplified,purified and identified with restriction enzyme. The pM54,p54 and pCMVβGal plasmids were transfected into pT67 and Phoenix E package cell lines with the FuGENE method. 3T3 cells served as controls. Supernatants were collected 48 or 72 hours after transfection with DNA. Seventy hours after 3T3 cells were infected,supernatants were collected. Transfection ratio was calculated with trypan blue staining,and INS expression was detected by ELISA. ResultsThe retroviral vector pM54(LPKp-hINSg) was successfully constructed and transfected into pT67 and infected 3T3 cells. The human insulin gene expression was upregulated. ConclusionThe retroviral vector pM54 we constructed lays a vital foundation for further study of gene therapy or gene therapy in combination with stem cells for diabetes mellitus.
Cultivation of Young Beginner's Interest in Pianist Stage Performance

Stage performance is an important means to check the effect of pianist learning.Cultivating young beginner's interest in pianist stage performance in their beginning stage,first of all,should follow children psychology and the basic laws of children arts teaching.Pianist enlightenment teaching is group-based,developing children interest in performance with games.At the same time,children should be motivated and guided to stimulate children's natural performance ability.Lastly,Attention should be paid to training their adaptability to the environment,preparing them for their first stage performance.
Yohimbine treatment of sexual side effects induced by serotonin reuptake blockers.

Background Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that yohimbine facilitates sexual behavior and may be helpful in the treatment of male impotence. A single case report suggests that yohimbine may be used to treat the sexual side effects of clomipramine. This study evaluated yohimbine as a treatment for the sexual side effects caused by serotonin reuptake blockers. Method Six patients with either obsessive compulsive disorder, trichotillomania, anxiety, or affective disorders who suffered sexual side effects after treatment with serotonin reuptake blockers were given yohimbine on a p.r.n. basis in an open clinical trial. Various doses of yohimbine were used to determine the ideal dose for each patient. Results Five of the six patients experienced improved sexual functioning after taking yohimbine. One patient who failed to comply with yohimbine treatment had no therapeutic effects. Side effects of yohimbine included excessive sweating, increased anxiety, and a wound-up feeling in some patients. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that yohimbine may be an effective treatment for the sexual side effects caused by serotonin reuptake blockers. Future controlled studies are needed to further investigate the effectiveness and safety of yohimbine for this indication.
The Primacy of Judges

This essay examines the concept of the "primacy of judges" in judicial appointments, as understood in Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association v Union of India ["the NJAC Judgment"]. The NJAC judgment struck down the 99th Constitutional Amendment, which sought to replace the "Collegium" system of judicial appointments with a National Judicial Appointments Commission ["NJAC"], on the ground that it violated the basic constitutional feature of judicial independence. This essay makes three claims: first, that the constitutionality of the 99th Constitutional Amendment could not have been satisfactorily adjudicated by the Supreme Court without first determining whether the Second Judges Case had held judicial primacy to be part of the basic structure, or only an "interpretive gloss" on Article 124 of the Constitution; secondly, that all five separate opinions in the NJAC Judgment failed to do so; and thirdly, that contrary to the argument advanced by Arghya Sengupta, a majority of three judges in the NJAC judgment held that judicial primacy is part of the basic structure. Consequently, any future attempt at changing the manner of judicial appointments will have to stay true to the principle of judicial primacy, even though its foundations in the NJAC judgment are arguably shaky.
Multiple meanings of pain and complexities of pain management.

Historically, pain has been associated with many different meanings and views about its causes and appropriate treatment. Nurses have contributed to pain knowledge through research on psychosocial variables affecting the pain experience, assessment and intervention practices, understanding patient and family meanings of cancer pain, and sytematic studies of pain intervention programs. Nurses also have been leaders in promoting public policy on effective pain management and in implementing and evaluating innovative programs on pain management in a variety of healthcare institutions and agencies.
Women, Art, and Revolution in the Streets of Egypt

This chapter focuses on women artists from Egypt who struggle to find means to access the public sphere through cultural forms while resisting being labeled as feminists or identified as “only women,” seeking instead to be recognized as citizens struggling alongside men for their right to freedom, dignity, and fairness. Furthermore, the chapter argues that the world is witnessing the birth of what may be termed a “parallel revolution,” unfolding underground and led by women. This revolution, what Hamid Dabashi calls a “delayed defiance,” is gradually accelerating Egypt’s transition to democracy and social justice through “a new imaginative geography of liberation in which ideas of freedom, social justice, and human dignity [are] brought forth to the collective imagination of the revolutionaries—an imagination already cultivated in literary and artistic forms.”
Current Developments in Inpatient and Outpatient Care in North America

The time allotted for this presentation is too brief for an extended discussion of the complex developments in inpatient and outpatient care in North America. Consequently, I shall just touch upon the most important and crucial developments and limit my comments to the United States.
II-02 Approaching the precision therapy of SLE at the MIF locus

Background Gene association studies examining functional polymorphisms in the immunoregulatory cytokine MIF (macrophage macrophage inhibitory factor, rs5844572 ) have shown that SLE patients with end-organ sequelae have an increased frequency of high expression MIF genotypes when compared to patients without end-organ involvement. Plasma MIF levels and TLR-stimulated MIF production also reflect underlying MIF genotype. Among activities relevant to autoimmunity, MIF counter-regulates the immunosuppressive action of glucocorticoids, inhibits activation-induced apoptosis, and promotes B cell survival. MIF antagonists show auspicious activity in mouse models of autoimmunity and both anti-MIF ( Imalumab ) and anti-MIF receptor antibodies ( Milatuzamab ) have advanced into phase II human clinical testing. The MIF promoter polymorphism comprises a unique four-nucleotide microsatellite repeat (CATT 5–8 ), with higher repeat number producing increased MIF expression. Because there is no information about the transcriptional regulation of these common alleles, we sought to identify the nuclear protein(s) regulating expression at this functional promoter polymorphism. Materials and methods We utilised DNA affinity chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis to identify unique nuclear proteins that interact with the −794 CATT 5–8 MIF promoter polymorphism. Functional knockout, ectopic expression, and −794 CATT-length dependent transcriptional assays and tissue microarray studies confirmed findings. Results Proteomic analysis identified the transcription factor ICBP90, previously implicated in oncogenesis, as a unique −794 CATT 5–8 microsatellite interacting protein. Phosphorylated ICBP90 bound to the MIF promoter in a CATT-length dependent manner and upregulated MIF expression in monocytes, and B and T lymphocytes. Strong correlation was observed between ICBP90 and MIF expression in human inflammatory tissue, with a noteworthy overlap between downstream transcripts regulated by ICBP or MIF. Conclusions ICBP90 regulates MIF transcription at the −794 MIF CATT 5–8 susceptibility locus. Pharmacologic targeting of the ICBP90:CATT x interaction is underway to inhibit MIF promoter overactivity and provide for a structurally-defined, pharmacogenomic approach to treatment.
Insta-Grams: The Effect of Consumer Weight on Reactions to Healthy Food Posts

Abstract Each day, social networking sites become increasingly inundated with food imagery. Since many of these images are of fresh, vibrant, and healthy eats, photo sharing of food through social media should have a long-term positive effect on consumption habits. Yet, obesity rates in the United States continue to rise, suggesting that people are spending more time posting images of healthy foods and paying less attention to the actual foods they consume. This confounding relationship could be explained by consumer weight, in that overweight consumers desire to engage with social media maybe for the purpose of expressing, presenting, and identifying with a healthy lifestyle. In the context of food posts, individuals higher in body mass index may be more likely to engage in social media activity (e.g., likes, shares, comments) that validates healthy food choices to others in their online community. A between-subjects experimental design tested this proposed effect using a manipulated Instagram post of a ...
Using SELDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry on Amniotic Fluid and for Clinical Proteomics and Theranostics in Disorders of Pregnancy

Clinical proteomics encompasses a multitude of experimental approaches, tools, and techniques based on proteomics technology which are directly aimed to accelerate and improve diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. Surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (SELDI-TOF) mass spectrometry is a variant of matrix-enhanced laser desorption ionization (MALDI) that makes use of chemically-modified surfaces to reduce the complexity of biological samples prior to separation in the mass analyzer. Compared to other proteomic techniques, SELDI has several important advantages such as ability to analyze complex biological samples with minimal pre-processing, ease of handling and high throughput. Importantly, once the biomarker or combination of biomarkers with potential clinical value has been established, validation analyses can be conducted in close proximity to clinical settings which is important for establishing the utility of new diagnostics in clinical decision making and perhaps future theranostic interventions. This chapter provides protocols for experimental design and methodology aimed at (1) discovering biologically relevant biomarkers in amniotic fluid using SELDI-TOF; (2) validating the clinical utility of the biomarkers as new diagnostics; (3) translating the biomarker findings into pathophysiological phenomena to provide further insight and extend the current understanding of the disease process. Many of the principles described herein for amniotic fluid could be generalized to studies involving other types of biological samples and other clinical questions.
Expression of Activating Natural Killer Cell Receptor Ligands in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Abstract Activating and inhibitory cell surface receptors regulate natural killer (NK) cell effector functions. The extent of expression of their activating ligands on target cells probably plays a critical role in tumor immune surveillance, but the data of this expression on blasts of leukemia patients are still poor. We examined blasts of children with ALL for the activating human NKG2D ligands MICA, MICB, ULBP1, ULBP2 and ULBP3, and for the ligands of the activating human natural cytotoxic receptors (NCRs) NKp30, NKp44 and NKp46. Using ligand specific mouse monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry, we screened 24 children (23 common-ALL, one pre-T-ALL) for the expression of NKG2D ligands and 15 children (all common-ALL) for NCR ligands. In 13 patients (all common-ALL), also the density of the NKG2D ligands was determined by quantitative flow cytometry. Considering cells positive for a particular ligand in case of a two fold increase of median fluorescence above negative control, 38 percent of the patients were positive for one or more NKG2D ligands, while only 13 percent expressed one or more NCR ligands at significant levels. ULBP1 was most frequently expressed (29 percent of patients positive), while no patients were positive for ULBP2 and NKp44 ligands. ULBP3 was positive in 17 percent of the patients, NKp30 and NKp46 ligands in 13 percent, MICA and MICB in 4 percent. The patient with pre-T-ALL was positive only for ULBP1. So ULBP1 was expressed more frequently, while the other NKG2D ligands were expressed less frequently in children than reported for adult leukemia patients before (Salih et al. Blood. 2003; 102:1389–1396.). The density of detected NKG2D ligand molecules was always rather low. For MICA the maximum were 1700 molecules per cell in a single patient, for MICB 900, for ULBP1 1100, and for ULBP3 1000 molecules per cell. In summary, blasts of pediatric ALL patients displayed low or negative surface levels of ligands for the human activating NK cell receptors NKG2D, NKp30, NKp44 and NKp46. Download : Download high-res image (152KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (150KB) Download : Download full-size image
Review of the Impact of Mechanical Harvesting and Optical Berry Sorting on Grape and Wine Composition

Summary Aim: The need for mechanical harvesting is increasing, but there have been few new investigations into the potential impact of new-generation harvesters on fruit quality. It is thus timely to review what we know about the impact of mechanical harvesting and identify the gaps in knowledge that should be addressed. Furthermore, new technologies such as optical berry sorting may have the potential to negate the impact of mechanical harvesting on fruit quality. Key Themes: This review provides a brief history regarding mechanical harvesters and concerns about their use. Research that evaluated the impact of harvest method on wine quality is discussed with an additional focus on the consequences of berry intactness and the influence of transport and temperature. An overview of optical berry sorting technology, as well as of its potential impact on wine quality, is provided Impact and Significance: There is a general perception that mechanically harvested grapes produce wines of lesser quality, but there is little evidence supporting that claim. Research to date indicates that the impact of mechanical harvesting on wine composition and style is less than expected. Although most studies indicate an effect of harvest type on grape and wine composition, the few that evaluated the wines sensorially found minimal impact due to harvest method. It is difficult to determine the influence of optical berry sorting because few studies have investigated this technology. In general, these studies found no large impact on wine composition and style. Only one study investigated the potential synergistic effect of using both mechanical harvesting and optical berry sorting and found that optical sorting may negate the impact of mechanical harvesting on grape composition.
Braiding teacher practice and class-wide dialogue: An historical inquiry across three sociocultural interventions

Abstract We describe the progression of a program of research designed to study the relationship between instructional dialogue and learning opportunities across three interventions: Reciprocal Teaching, Guided Inquiry supporting Multiple Literacies, and WeInvestigate. Each intervention was informed by sociocultural theory. Descriptive data collected in the course of constructing case studies of classrooms points to the multiple roles teachers play in supporting and sustaining productive dialogue.
Age Differences in Tornado Warning Responses and Emotions

Empowering tornado-prone community residents to effectively prepare for and respond to tornado warnings is a significant challenge for public safety. Although several studies have investigated part...
Caregiver Illness Perception of Their Child's Early Childhood Caries.

Purpose The purpose of this case-control study was to evaluate the association between parent/caregivers' illness perception and early childhood caries (ECC). Methods Parent/caregivers of children younger than six years old were recruited at the dental clinic of an urban children's hospital between June 2013 and September 2015. Cases were caregivers of ECC children; controls were caregivers of children without ECC. Caregivers completed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised for Dental (IPQ-RD) assessing cognitive (identity, consequences, control, timeline, illness coherence, cause) and emotional representations of dental caries. Twelve IPQ-RD construct-specific summary scores were calculated; higher scores represented a less accurate perception. Logistic regression models examined the relationship between IPQ-RD constructs and ECC. Results The sample included a total of 165 parent/caregivers: 54 had children (33 percent) without ECC; 111 had ECC children (67 percent). Two of the 12 constructs were related to ECC status. Controlling for caregiver age, education, race/ethnicity, and child age, caregivers of ECC children had a less accurate perception of the consequences of dental caries (odds ratio [OR] equals 2.24; 95 percent confidence interval [CI] equals 1.07 to 4.69) and a more accurate perception of the controllability of caries (OR equals 0.29; 95 percent CI equals 0.11 to 0.76) compared to caregivers of children without ECC. Conclusion Clinicians should emphasize the consequences and controllability of ECC to help caregivers self-manage their children's oral health.
Self-Regulatory Strategies as Correlates of Physical Activity Behavior in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis.

Abstract Objective To examine self-regulation strategies as correlates of physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Design Cross-sectional, or survey, study. Setting University-based research laboratory. Participants Convenience sample of persons with MS (N=68). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (EXSE), 12-item Physical Activity Self-Regulation Scale (PASR-12), and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ). Results Correlation analyses indicated that GLTEQ scores were positively and significantly associated with overall self-regulation ( r =.43), self-monitoring ( r =.45), goal-setting ( r =.27), reinforcement ( r =.30), time management ( r =.41), and relapse prevention ( r =.53) PASR-12 scores. Regression analyses indicated that relapse prevention (B=5.01; SE B=1.74; β=.51) and self-monitoring (B=3.65; SE B=1.71; β=.33) were unique predictors of physical activity behavior, and relapse prevention demonstrated a significant association with physical activity behavior that was accounted for by EXSE. Conclusions Our results indicate that self-regulatory strategies, particularly relapse prevention, may be important correlates of physical activity behavior that can inform the design of future behavioral interventions in MS.
Silicones for Stretchable and Durable Soft Devices: Beyond Sylgard-184

This paper identifies and characterizes silicone elastomers that are well-suited for fabricating highly stretchable and tear-resistant devices that require interfacial bonding by plasma or UV ozone treatment. The ability to bond two or more pieces of molded silicone is important for creating microfluidic channels, chambers for pneumatically driven soft robotics, and other soft and stretchable devices. Sylgard-184 is a popular silicone, particularly for microfluidic applications. However, its low elongation at break (∼100% strain) and moderate tear strength (∼3 N/mm) make it unsuitable for emerging, mechanically demanding applications of silicone. In contrast, commercial silicones, such as Dragon Skin, have excellent mechanical properties yet are difficult to plasma-bond, likely because of the presence of silicone oils that soften the network yet migrate to the surface and interfere with plasma bonding. We found that extracting silicone oligomers from these soft networks allows these materials to bond but ...
Queer Tango Space: Minority Stress, Sexual Potentiality, and Gender Utopias

The queer tango movement is an international alliance of tango practitioners who seek to denaturalize the link between gender and the division of labor in a tango partnership. The queer tango space...
Whole Body Scanning

Whole body PET scanning has become an important addition to the traditional single organ procedures in clinical PET. Although the image quality is in most cases adequate for diagnostic purposes, there are two significant limitation in this imaging technique. First, because of the relatively short acquisition time, the total number of counts is limited, thus, the images suffers from relatively high statistical noise which may reduce lesion detectability. Second, due to the limited time most patients can tolerate to be immobilized, transmission scans for attenuation correction are not routinely performed. Consequently, the reconstructed images contain image artifacts and are furthermore non-quantitative, which prevents monitoring of tumor response during or following therapy. In this paper strategies for improving S/N ratio and quantitation in whole body PET imaging are discussed.
Managing diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain in primary care

DPN is a common complication of T2DM that often causes a pain syndrome. The diagnosis of DPNP centers around a careful history and physical examination, aided by the use of diagnostic tools, such as the 128-Hz tuning fork. A reduction in pain severity of 30% to 50% is achievable for most patients but generally requires combination therapy. In addition to duloxetine and pregabalin, which have been approved by the FDA for DPNP, adjuvant analgesics are the mainstay of therapy. Of the adjuvant analgesics, the use of the tricyclic antidepressant and anticonvulsant groups is supported by the most extensive evidence. The selection of an adjuvant analgesic is often based on patient comorbidities and tolerability. Frequent follow-up is needed to optimize therapy.
Overview of Hepatitis Viruses and Cancer

The major etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the primary cancer of the liver, is chronic infection with either hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV), as illustrated in Fig. 21.1. This chapter summarizes these viruses and the cancer with which they are associated, from the virological and molecular perspective. More detail about each virus is provided in subsequent chapters.
Computational Models and Simulations of Meteor Impacts as Tools for Analysing and Evaluating Management of Crisis Scenarios

The geological record evidences that cosmic impacts have accompanied the geobiological evolution of our planet. There is a general agreement that the largest risk of impact (and the highest difficulty of observation and monitoring) is focussed on “small objects” with sizes ranging from 10 to 300 m. Computer simulation and modelling offer new insight into the formation of impact craters, not only helping to understand ancient impact events, but also providing a way for analyzing and evaluating management issues related to future crisis scenarios. Very recent events, such as the Chelyabinsk meteor event (Russia, 15 february, 2013) confirm the significance of being aware about these astrogeological hazards, as well as of having appropriate methodological tools and protocols which help us minimize their effects. A set of twenty possible crisis scenarios, related to different types of impactors, have been simulated and evaluated.
Margie memory, analysis, response generation, and inference on English

A program is described that accepts natural language input and makes inferences from it and paraphrases of it. The Conceptual Dependency framework is the basis of this system.
User-Level Race and Ethnicity Predictors from Twitter Text

User demographic inference from social media text has the potential to improve a range of downstream applications, including real-time passive polling or quantifying demographic bias. This study focuses on developing models for user-level race and ethnicity prediction. We introduce a data set of users who self-report their race/ethnicity through a survey, in contrast to previous approaches that use distantly supervised data or perceived labels. We develop predictive models from text which accurately predict the membership of a user to the four largest racial and ethnic groups with up to .884 AUC and make these available to the research community.
Afferent pupillary defect associated with optic nerve head drusen.

Background Optic nerve head drusen (ONHD) are a relatively uncommon finding with an estimated prevalence of anywhere from 0.3% to 2%. Reports of relative afferent pupillary defects (RAPDs) associated with ONHD are scarce. Case report A patient with an RAPD was found to have ONHD as the only apparent etiology of the RAPD. The various diagnostic tests relevant to the case, the differential diagnosis, and the pathological features of ONHD are discussed. Conclusions It is important for the clinician to consider an RAPD as a possible pathological feature of ONHD--especially with an asymmetric presentation.