cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understandings About Others

This chapter focuses on focalizing characters’ developing perceptions of prominent others, a family member or friend. The six dimensions used in chapter 8 and two additional dimensions introduced in chapter 4, conduct and expectations, are used to explore characters’ perceptions of others. The chapter focuses on Aref Al-Amri’s perceptions of his grandfather, Maxine Moody’s perceptions of her parents, Gilly Hopkins’ perceptions of her birth and foster mothers, and Jess Aarons’ perceptions of his friend. These patterns develop by the principles of augmentation, reconfiguration, and emergence. Other-oriented thinking is construed by a wider range of focalizing structures than self-oriented thinking and is broader in scope. Other-oriented thinking may be exclusively construed by thinking structures or partly construed by the focalizing or another character’s speech. Not surprisingly, given the genre of contemporary realistic children’s novels, focalizing characters typically engage in substantive thinking about parents and friends.
Is the Simple Shoulder Test a valid outcome instrument for shoulder arthroplasty

Background The Simple Shoulder Test (SST) is a brief, inexpensive, and widely used patient-reported outcome tool, but it has not been rigorously evaluated for patients having shoulder arthroplasty. The goal of this study was to rigorously evaluate the validity of the SST for outcome assessment in shoulder arthroplasty using a systematic review of the literature and an analysis of its properties in a series of 408 surgical cases. Methods SST scores, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey scores, and satisfaction scores were collected preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively. Responsiveness was assessed by comparing preoperative and 2-year postoperative scores. Criterion validity was determined by correlating the SST with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Construct validity was tested through 5 clinical hypotheses regarding satisfaction, comorbidities, insurance status, previous failed surgery, and narcotic use. Results Scores after arthroplasty improved from 3.9 ± 2.8 to 10.2 ± 2.3 (P Conclusion These data combined with a systematic review of the literature demonstrate that the SST is a valid and responsive patient-reported outcome measure for assessing the outcomes of shoulder arthroplasty.
Interpretation and Application of the New York Convention in the United States

Foreign and non-domestic arbitration agreements and awards are enforceable in the United States under the New York Convention on Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards as implemented by Congress’ addition of Chapter 2 to the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”). Supporters vigorously encouraged enactment of the FAA in 1925 to achieve prompt, informed, and fast-track resolution of commercial disputes in the marketplace. The silence of the FAA on many issues has required U.S. courts to produce a very large and rich jurisprudence on the recognition and enforcement by U.S. courts of foreign and non-domestic arbitration agreements and arbitral awards.
The Relationship Between Emerging Adult Alcohol Consumption and Military Enlistment

ABSTRACT Background: The use and abuse of alcohol among active duty personnel is well documented in the research literature. Over the last decade rates of heavy and excessive drinking within the military have increased significantly, coinciding with both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The heavy use of alcohol by military personnel can be attributed to multiple factors such as the psychosocial and environmental stressors of military life and is frequently linked to mental health issues, the transient nature of the armed forces, the number and length of deployments, and exposure to life-threatening situations in combat environments. However, it is also likely rates of heavy alcohol use in the military are influenced by the possibility that individuals who already drink heavily choose to enlist in the armed services. The purpose of the present study was to test the association between drinking in emerging adulthood and military enlistment in a nationally representative sample of part...
Biomarkers and Imaging of Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE. The goals of this review are to provide background information on the definitions and applications of the general term “biomarker” and to highlight the specific roles of breast imaging biomarkers in research and clinical breast cancer care. A search was conducted of the main electronic biomedical databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, MEDLINE [Ovid], Scopus, and Web of Science). The search was focused on review literature in general radiology and biomedical sciences and on reviews and primary research articles on biomarkers in breast imaging over the 15 years ending in June 2017. The keywords included “biomarker,” “trial endpoints,” “breast imaging,” “breast cancer,” “radiomics,” and “precision medicine” in the titles and abstracts of the papers. CONCLUSION. Clinical breast care and breast cancer–related research rely on imaging biomarkers for decision support. In the era of precision medicine and big data, the practice of radiology is likely to change. A closer integration of breast imaging with...
Knowledge Workers, Communication, and Spatial Diffusion

Although local innovations may have little effect on the total production system of a nation, some generic technologies involve spillovers from one innovation to another, and from one sector producing the technology to others using it. Some key innovations may be complementary, giving rise to dynamic increasing returns to scale through clustered interdependencies among innovation, investments, information and knowledge. If the continuous upgrading and diversification of goods and services is extrapolated to the national level, innovation becomes endogenous within each country. As a result, the relative growth of internationally open economies is closely related to the ability to innovate and gain market shares, in contrast to neoclassical models that typically assume closed economies with exogenous technological change. Because newer models recognize that there is a constant flow of innovations coming from the competitive process itself, they are dynamic and sequential, and they indicate that no one unique equilibrium growth path usually exists.
Use of vancomycin and tobramycin polymethylmethacrylate impregnated beads in the management of chronic osteomyelitis

Over the past several years there has been a growing interest in the use of locally implanted beads containing antibiotics for the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis. This method has been popularized in Europe and, with few exceptions, gentamicin has been the only antibiotic used. There have been only a few reports from the U.S. and there is little information regarding the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics used in this fashion. To our knowledge this is the first report using vancomycin. Three patients with chronic osteomyelitis were treated with vancomycin and/or tobramycin polymethylmethacrylate beads. These beads were extemporaneously compounded and implanted for up to six weeks. From the site of bead implantation local fluid aliquots were collected for the measurement of antibiotic concentrations. In two patients, initial tobramycin concentrations exceeded 400 mg/L. In one patient receiving vancomycin, initial localized concentrations were approximately 100 mg/L. In all three patients therapeutic concentrations of localized antibiotic were maintained with immeasurable systemic concentrations throughout the period of bead placement. Localized antibiotic therapy for the management of chronic osteomyelitis represents a potential therapeutic alternative to long-term parenteral therapy. Data presented here suggest that other antibiotics, such as vancomycin and tobramycin, can be used successfully in polymethylmethacrylate beads and provide preliminary facts for future investigations of such applications.
Laboratory study on the time-dependent behavior of intact and failed sandstone specimens under an unconfined condition with the relaxation test

Abstract This research reports the laboratory relaxation tests investigating the time-dependent behavior of intact and failed sandstone specimens under unconfined condition. The results indicate that the stress relaxation curves show smooth relaxation behavior in the pre-failure region and show staircase type relaxation behavior in the post-failure region. The failed specimens experienced sudden and large stress drops after a stage of smooth relaxation and as a result, more stress is relaxed from the failed specimens than the intact ones. In addition, the radial-strain-time curve during a relaxation test shows similar trend as creep. No third stage was observed for the relaxation test in the pre-failure region while in the post-failure region, the radial strain accelerates to failure in a short time after a few cycles of jump and stabilization. The sudden changes in the radial strain are likely induced by the failure propagation or shear-off of asperities along the major shear failure plane. The radial strain is much larger than the inelastic axial strain, especially in the post-failure region, demonstrating that the time-dependent deformation concentrates in radial direction once the specimen fails. Furthermore, any change in the radial strain curve coincides with the change in the stress curve during a relaxation test, and the regression analyses show that they are linearly correlated. The sensitivity of stress to radial strain depends on the failure condition of the specimens.
Power, labour power and productive force in Foucault’s reading of Capital:

This article uses Foucault’s lecture courses to illuminate his reading of Marx’s Capital in Discipline and Punish. Foucault finds in Marx’s account of cooperation a precedent for his own approach t...
Routine and nonroutine performance information: an assessment about substitution and complementarity

This article investigates the substitution and complementarity effect that organizational social capital generates between two different types of performance information: nonroutine and routine per...
Thermal biology of a strictly subterranean mammalian family, the African mole-rats (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) - a review.

Abstract African mole-rats are subterranean rodents, which rarely if ever leave the safety of their burrow systems. The environment of the burrows is humid, with relatively stable temperatures, and may have a hypoxic and hypercapnic atmosphere. One of crucial problems related to the subterranean way of life in mammals is avoidance of overheating, because traditional mammalian cooling mechanisms are not effective under high humidity. In African mole-rats, a variety of adaptations have evolved in response to this and other challenges of the underground ecotope. Traditionally, attention has been devoted mainly to the naked mole-rat Heterocephalus glaber, which became popular as a result of its eusociality and absence of fur, both being unique phenomena in small mammals. Despite more recent research, information on other species is still relatively limited and patchy. I review the results of studies on African mole-rats that are relevant for the understanding of their energetics and thermal biology. Attention is paid to the parameters of the burrow environment, which represent the main selection pressures shaping their physiology. In addition, an overview is given of the morphological, physiological and behavioural adaptations helping mole-rats to face temperature extremes, mechanisms by which they deal with a surplus of metabolic heat and how changes in ambient temperature influence their daily activity. The naked mole-rat is compared to its furred relatives to determine whether this species is really exceptional from the point of thermal biology. An ordination analysis was conducted using published data on mole-rat body temperature, thermoneutral zone, resting metabolic rate and thermal conductance. Most of the variability in these characteristics was found to be explained by body mass, followed by temperature characteristics of climate, but not precipitation, of the species distributional ranges. This analysis shows that the naked mole-rat is comparable to the other mole-rat species in these physiological characteristics.
A Loosely Coupled Cooperative Localization Augmentation to Improve Human Geolocation in Indoor Environments

This paper reports on the use of a cooperative localization augmentation to increase the localization accuracy of human agents in an opportunistic fashion by processing interagent relative measurements. The main challenge in the decentralized cooperative localization algorithm design is how to account for the strong correlations, which the relative measurement updates create between the state estimates of the agents, with a reasonable communication cost. To keep track of the correlations agents need to communicate with each other through some form of a network-wide communication topology, which is hard to maintain for human agent localization applications. In this paper, we discuss a cooperative localization method that, instead of maintaining the correlations, accounts for them in an implicit manner by using conservative upper-bound estimates on the joint correlation matrix of the agents. This provably consistent loosely coupled cooperative localization method requires only the two agents involved in a relative range measurement to communicate with each other. Our results include the use of this algorithm for human agent localization via UWB ranging sensors. We demonstrate our results in simulation and experiments.
A transcriptomic signature of tertiary Gleason 5 predicts worse clinicopathological outcome

OBJECTIVE To investigate the genomic features of tertiary pattern 5 (TP5) on radical prostatectomy specimens in an effort to explain the poor clinical outcomes associated with this disease subtype. PATIENTS AND METHODS Data from 159 men with Gleason Grade Group (GGG) 3 or 4 were considered. All patients had Decipher diagnostic testing with transcript profiles and single-channel array normalisation (SCAN)-normalised expression of coding genes. The relationship between Decipher and TP5 was investigated by linear and binary logistic regressions. A differential transcriptomic analysis between patients with and without TP5 was performed. The prognostic role of these genes on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas. RESULTS In all, 52/159 (33%) patients had GGG 3-4 with TP5 disease. TP5 was associated with a higher Decipher score (β 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.13; P = 0.04) and higher likelihood of falling within the intermediate- or high-risk categories (odds ratio 3.34, 95% CI 1.34-8.35; P = 0.01). Analysis of microarray data revealed an 18-gene signature that was differentially expressed in patients with TP5; 13 genes were over- and five under-expressed in the TP5 cohort. The overexpression of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2B (CDKN2B), polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), or cell division cycle 20 (CDC20) was associated with worse PFS. The group harbouring overexpression of at least one gene had a 5-year PFS rate of 50% vs 74% in the group without overexpression (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our studies have elucidated unique genomic features of TP5, whilst confirming previous clinical findings that patients harbouring TP5 tend to have worse prognosis. This is the first RNA-based study to investigate the molecular diversity of TP5 and the first correlating CDKN2B to poorer prognosis in patients with prostate cancer.
Using the Raspberry Pi in IT Education

The emergence of cybersecurity provides new opportunities for information technology (IT) education, including use of inexpensive Raspberry Pi devices. In Fall of 2017, the College of IST at the Pennsylvania State University created a separate bachelors degree for cybersecurity. This created the opportunity for hands-on labs for students to securely learn and apply principles of cybersecurity. This study investigates student awareness and interest in using the Raspberry Pi to create a smart home model where students could perform reconnaissance and penetration testing. There is value to supplement virtual labs with physical labs providing students hands-on experience. This project is in the early stages of gathering collaborators and faculty support in our College to develop labs and course integration
Mapping the Topology of PbS Nanocrystals through Displacement Isotherms of Surface-Bound Metal Oleate Complexes

PbS nanocrystals are predicted to undergo size-dependent changes in shape, transitioning from octahedral to cuboctahedral morphology as the nanocrystal size increases. Experimental evidence for siz...
Endoscopic Treatment of Choledocholithiasis

In the Second International Symposium on the Liver sponsored by the Canadian Hepatic Foundation, the use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as a therapeutic tool was proposed (1). At that time, even the diagnostic role of ERCP was disputed. It had been suggested that such a specialized diagnostic technique be limited to 10 to 20 centers in the United States or relegated to a technician who could devote all his or her time to its mastery (2,3). In the four subsequent years, ERCP and endoscopic management of choledocholithiasis have developed into invaluable diagnostic and lifesaving therapeutic procedures that a major medical center can hardly be without.
Closed-loop HIRF experiments performed on a fault tolerant flight control computer

Closed-loop HIRF experiments were performed on a fault tolerant flight control computer (FCC) at the NASA Langley Research Center. The FCC used in the experiments was a quad-redundant flight control computer executing B737 Autoland control laws. The FCC was placed in one of the mode-stirred reverberation chambers in the HIRF Laboratory and interfaced to a computer simulation of the B737 flight dynamics, engines, sensors, actuators, and atmosphere in the Closed-Loop Systems Laboratory. Disturbances to the aircraft associated with wind gusts and turbulence were simulated during tests. Electrical isolation between the FCC under test and the simulation computer was achieved via a fiber optic interface for the analog and discrete signals. Closed-loop operation of the FCC enabled flight dynamics and atmospheric disturbances affecting the aircraft to be represented during tests. Upset was induced in the FCC as a result of exposure to HIRF, and the effect of upset on the simulated flight of the aircraft was observed and recorded. This paper presents a description of these closed-loop HIRF experiments, upset data obtained from the FCC during these experiments, and closed-loop effects on the simulated flight of the aircraft.
Teaching as Mediation: The Influence of Professional Development on Teacher Identity in Mexico City Public Schools

In the context of a study investigating a teacher learning program, DIA, designed to encourage practices of mediation and promote teacher well-being and holistic learning for students, we evaluated...
Combining modeling of drug uptake and release of cyclosporine in contact lenses to determine partition coefficient and diffusivity

Ophthalmic drug delivery via eye drops is inefficient because only about 1-5% of the drug permeates the cornea during the short residence time of a few minutes. Contact lenses are receiving considerable attention for delivering ophthalmic drugs because of higher bioavailability and the possibility of sustained release from hour to days, and possibly longer. The drug release durations from contact lenses are typically measured in vitro and it is challenging to relate the in vitro release to in vivo release, particularly for hydrophobic drugs which may not exhibit sink release in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro release can be fitted to diffusion equation to determine the partition coefficient and diffusivity, which can then be utilized to model in vivo release. The Higuchi equation is frequently used to model the short time release from a contact lens to determine diffusivity with the implicit assumption that the release is under sink conditions and the starting concentration in the lens was uniform. Both conditions may be violated when measuring release of hydrophobic drugs from contact lenses because the diffusivity and partition coefficient, and also the time needed for equilibrium are not known a priori. Here we develop a method to use the data for both loading and release of cyclosporine, which is a common hydrophobic ophthalmic drug, to determine the partition coefficient and diffusivity. The proposed approach does not require sink conditions and also does not require the lens to be fully equilibrated during loading, which may take almost a month for lenses considered here. The model is based on solving the diffusion equation in the gel along with a mass balance in the fluid. The model equations are solved numerically by finite difference. When the value of partition coefficient is high, such as it is for cyclosporine, the dynamic data is only sensitive to a ratio of partition coefficient and diffusivity, and this ratio had to first be determined from the loading data. Then the two unknown parameters were obtained by minimizing the error between the model prediction and experimental data. The method was used to determine D and K for several silicone hydrogel formulations with varying ratio of hydrogel and silicone fractions.
Septic arthritis of native joints due to Mycobacterium avium complex: A systematic review of case reports

Abstract Introduction While MAC native joint septic arthritis is historically considered a rare entity, the number of reported cases have increased in recent decades. However, no comprehensive review of this topic has been conducted. Objectives To conduct a systematic review of cases of MAC native joint septic arthritis reported in the literature and summarize the presentations, baseline characteristics, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and treatment outcomes. Methods A systematic review was conducted by performing an extensive literature search through Medline, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, starting from their inception. Screening of articles, assessment of eligibility, and data synthesis from eligible articles were independently performed by two reviewers with input from a third reviewer to achieve consensus. Inclusion criteria to determine eligibility included articles in English, case reports/case series, adult patients who presented with MAC/MA/MI septic arthritis of a native joint. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results Thirty-three cases of MAC native joint septic arthritis were reported since 1976. MAC septic arthritis affects immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, most frequently as a monoarthritis involving the knees and wrist. MAC septic arthritis may present in the context of disseminated MAC infection and primary MAC septic arthritis. The average time to diagnosis from onset of symptoms was 20 months, where the majority of cases were initially misdiagnosed. Although arthrocentesis can be used to make the diagnosis, a synovial biopsy is necessary in many cases to confirm the diagnosis. A combination of surgery and antimycobacterial drug treatment has the highest chance of achieving complete resolution. Conclusion The diagnosis of septic arthritis of native joints due to MAC can be challenging and/or delayed. A high level of suspicion is needed in high-risk patients and also when atypical presentations occur. Therefore, understanding the presentation, risk factors, and pitfalls in diagnosing MAC septic arthritis are essential. MAC septic arthritis literature is scarce, necessitating further research of this rare condition to increase awareness, diagnostic accuracy and determine the optimal treatment strategy to improve patient outcomes.
Generalized lichen nitidus in a 6-year-old girl with Down syndrome

Lichen nitidus is a generally asymptomatic disease identified by shiny, flesh-colored papules that are often limited to the trunk, upper limbs, and genitalia. Here, we describe a generalized presen...
Monopylocystis visvesvarai n. gen., n. sp. and Sawyeria marylandensis n. gen., n. sp.: Two New Amitochondrial Heterolobosean Amoebae from Anoxic Environments

Summary Two new species of heterolobosean amoebae from anoxic environments, Monopylocystis visvesvarai and Sawyeria marylandensis , are described on the basis of light microscopy, electron microscopy, and their phylogenetic affiliation based on analyses of nuclear small-subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences. Both species lack mitochondria but have organelles provisionally interpreted as hydrogenosomes, and neither can tolerate aerobic conditions. As their conditions of culture do not exclude all oxygen, they may be microaerophiles rather than strict anaerobes. Both species have unusual nucleolar morphologies. Monopylocystis visvesvarai , from a marine sediment, has nucleolar material distributed around the nuclear periphery. It is the first non-aerobic heterolobosean protist for which a cyst is known; the cyst is unmineralized and unornamented except for a single, raised, plugged pore. Sawyeria marylandensis , from an iron-rich freshwater stream, has nucleolar material distributed in one or two parietal masses, which persist during mitosis. In phylogenetic analyses of small-subunit rRNA gene sequences, Monopylocystis visvesvarai , Sawyeria marylandensis and Psalteriomonas lanterna converge to form a single clade of non-aerobic (anaerobic/microaerophilic) heteroloboseans.
The resolution of active and inactive xanthine oxidase by affinity chromatography.

Abstract The resolution of fully functional xanthine oxidase from nonfunctional enzyme by the technique of affinity chromatography is described. Both forms of the enzyme possess the full complement of the oxidation-reduction components molybdenum, FAD, iron, and acid-labile sulfur. Nonfunctional xanthine oxidase does not possess the cyanolyzable persulfide group and can be partially activated by incubation with sodium sulfide. The presence of the active center persulfide is essential for catalytic activity with xanthine as substrate but is not required for DPNH-ferricyanide reductase activity. It is also required for the following properties of xanthine oxidase: (a) rapid bleaching of the oxidation-reduction chromophores of the enzyme by xanthine or by sodium borohydride, (b) development of the "rapid" molybdenum electron paramagnetic resonance signals by xanthine or NaBH4, (c) rapid development of the electron paramagnetic resonance signals of the reduced iron sulfur chromophores by xanthine or NaBH4, (d) interaction with the inhibitors arsenite and cyanide, (e) development of the molybdenum electron paramagnetic resonance signals associated with inactivation of the enzyme by formaldehyde. A reaction mechanism for xanthine oxidase involving the persulfide linkage is proposed.
Synon developer's guide for the AS/400

Software development overview the development process SYNON overview defining the database creating a basic program creating a special program create a two/file program adding to the default editing (modifying the action diagram) linking program modules adding a calculated control total to a screen non-device function (a program module without a screen or report input or output) guidelines and standards a tool for defining the detailed data model estimating construction time.
Chapter 13 Consumption-based asset pricing

Abstract This chapter reviews the behavior of financial asset prices in relation to consumption. The chapter lists some important stylized facts that characterize U.S. data, and relates them to recent developments in equilibrium asset pricing theory. Data from other countries are examined to see which features of the U.S. experience apply more generally. The chapter argues that to make sense of asset market behavior one needs a model in which the market price of risk is high, time-varying, and correlated with the state of the economy. Models that have this feature, including models with habit-formation in utility, heterogeneous investors, and irrational expectations, are discussed. The main focus is on stock returns and short-term real interest rates, but bond returns are also considered.
A Review of “Shafer, Byron E., and Richard H. Spady. The American Political Landscape.”

In recent decades, the manner in which campaign managers and academics analyze elections has steadily diverged. Today, real world practitioners and scholars value different data and methods for und...
Xylitol metabolism in perfused rat liver. Interactions with gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis.

Abstract Xylitol metabolism and its interaction with lactate metabolism has been investigated in perfused livers from fasted rats. Xylitol (5 mm) served as a strong reductant for cytosolic NAD systems as shown by increased ratios of lactate to pyruvate, α-glycerophosphate to dihydroxyacetone-P, and triose phosphates to 3-P-glycerate. The mitochondrial NAD system, as monitored by changes of the β-hydroxybutyrate to acetoacetate ratio, was less affected, particularly when xylitol was added in the presence of lactate, suggesting a limitation in the rate of transport of NADH from cytosol to mitochondria. Xylitol also caused an increased reduction of bound NAD as determined analytically and by increased pyridine nucleotide fluorescence measured by surface fluorometry. The latter technique showed that half-maximum reduction was obtained with 0.4 mm xylitol, suggesting that xylitol was metabolized principally to d-xylulose via the low Km cytosolic NAD-linked xylitol dehydrogenase. In the perfused liver xylitol was converted mainly to glucose, after phosphorylation of d-xylulose to d-xylulose-5-P and metabolism via the pentose phosphate pathway. Lactate uptake and conversion to glucose were strongly inhibited by xylitol. This effect was interpreted as resulting from the increased cytosolic NADH:NAD ratio which caused pyruvate levels to fall. An observed decrease of acetyl coenzyme A levels may also contribute to diminished flux through pyruvate carboxylase. Xylitol uptake was less affected by the presence of lactate, presumably because of the lower midpotential of NAD-xylitol dehydrogenase (-236 mvolts) compared with that of lactate dehydrogenase (-216 mvolts). Ketone body production from endogenous fatty acids was inhibited equally by lactate and xylitol. The production of ketone bodies from added oleic acid was marginally inhibited by xylitol, suggesting the absence of a specific antiketogenic effect in the isolated liver. Xylitol metabolism was not associated with any increased rate of respiration, showing that reoxidation of NADH produced by xylitol dehydrogenase caused an inhibition of the citric acid cycle. Total adenine nucleotide levels diminished slightly during xylitol metabolism, but the ATP:ADP ratio was not appreciably changed.
Loss of Sparc in p53‐null Astrocytes Promotes Macrophage Activation and Phagocytosis Resulting in Decreased Tumor Size and Tumor Cell Survival

Both the induction of SPARC expression and the loss of the p53 tumor suppressor gene are changes that occur early in glioma development. Both SPARC and p53 regulate glioma cell survival by inverse effects on apoptotic signaling. Therefore, during glioma formation, the upregulation of SPARC may cooperate with the loss of p53 to enhance cell survival. This study determined whether the loss of Sparc in astrocytes that are null for p53 would result in reduced cell survival and tumor formation and increased tumor immunogenicity in an in vivo xenograft brain tumor model. In vitro, the loss of Sparc in p53-null astrocytes resulted in an increase in cell proliferation, but a loss of tumorigenicity. At 7 days after intracranial implantation, Sparc-null tumors had decreased tumor cell survival, proliferation and reduced tumor size. The loss of Sparc promoted microglia/macrophage activation and phagocytosis of tumor cells. Our results indicate that the loss of p53 by deletion/mutation in the early stages of glioma formation may cooperate with the induction of SPARC to potentiate cancer cell survival and escape from immune surveillance.
Mirror Movements in Essential Tremor: Prevalence and Relationship to Mini-Mental Status Test Scores

Background: Mirror movements (MM) are mirror reversals of contralateral, voluntary alternating or repetitive limb movements. MM have been described in age-related neurological diseases, including essential tremor (ET). MM could represent a motor release sign. Cognitive dysfunction (especially executive dysfunction) and dementia have also been reported among ET patients. It is conceivable that MM and cognitive dysfunction in ET arise from the same underlying anatomical or physiological substrate. Hence, the underlying clinical question is whether MM are a simple and easily elicited motor marker for incipient cognitive change or dementia in ET? Identifying such a marker would have value to clinicians, and we are unaware of prior studies that have assessed this issue. Methods: The Folstein Mini-Mental State Exam (FMMSE) and the Modified Mini-Mental Status Examination (mMMSE) were administered to 148 ET cases enrolled in a cross-sectional clinical study. Results: MM were present in 115 out of 148 (77.7%) ET cases. In analyses that considered age, there were no differences in FMMSE or mMMSE scores between participants with vs. without MMs (all p values >0.05). Discussion: These data suggest that MM, while present in a considerable number of ET cases, would not be a useful motor marker for incipient cognitive change in ET cases.
Numerical simulation of blood flow near a heart valve

A numerical simulation procedure developed to simulate blood flow in the vicinity of artificial heart valves is presented. The distribution of shear rate in the flow field and its profile on the valve leaflet, which cannot be measured in experiments, is obtained from the numerical simulation results. It shows that the maximum shear rate occurs at the tip of the valve leaflet and the affected region is quite small. >
Errors in surgical neuropathology and the influence of cognitive biases : The psychology of intelligence analysis

Abstract Context.—A significant difficulty that pathologists encounter in arriving at a correct diagnosis is related to the way information from various sources is processed and assimilated in context. Objective.—These issues are addressed by the science of cognitive psychology. Although cognitive biases are the focus of a number of studies on medical decision making, few if any focus on the visual sciences. Data Sources.—A recent publication authored by Richards Heuer, Jr, The Psychology of Intelligence Analysis, directly addresses many of the cognitive biases faced by neuropathologists and anatomic pathologists in general. These biases include visual anticipation, first impression, and established mindsets and subconsciously influence our critical decision-making processes. Conclusions.—The book points out that while biases are an inherent property of cognition, the influence of such biases can be recognized and the effects blunted.
Incidental findings and recommendations are common on ED CT angiography to evaluate for aortic dissection.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes, incidental findings, recommendations, and adherence to recommendations on computed tomography angiography (CTA) studies obtained in the emergency department (ED) to evaluate for aortic dissection. Methods The institutional database of ED patients was retrospectively reviewed to identify CTA examinations for dissection during 2014. The radiology report and electronic medical records were reviewed to assess outcomes, radiology report incidental findings, and recommendations, as well as adherence to these recommendations. Results There were 370 dissection CTAs performed during the 12-month study period. The average age of the patients was 63 years (range, 15-97 years). Eighty-seven patients (23.5%) had clinically significant aortic pathology including 46 patients (12.4%) with dissection and 19 (5.1%) which were new. Three hundred twenty-nine (88.9%) of patients had at least 1 incidental finding. One hundred six (28.6%) of patients had recommendations on the radiology report, and 44.3% of these were for pulmonary nodules. Thirty recommendations (28.3%) were acted upon, most commonly related to pulmonary nodule. Conclusion Computed tomography angiography is useful in detecting aortic pathology. However, emergency physicians should be aware of the potential for clinically significant incidental findings and recommendations. Adherence to recommendations was limited, and future research could investigate mechanisms to improve compliance.
Sexual Segregation in Ungulates: A Reply

In response to Gross (1998), I clarify predictions of hypotheses of sexual segregation in Main et al. (1996) as they relate to forage quality and security of offspring. I respond to comments by Gross (1998) regarding the importance of short-term rate of intake as a mechanism driving sexual segregation and of using forage biomass as a measure of site quality and clarify my perspective on the role of intersexual competition. Finally, I identify a philosophical difference between Gross (1998) and Main et al. (1996) regarding the evolution of behavior and structure and discuss the relevance of this difference to understanding sexual segregation in ungulates.
Abstract 3291: Upregulation of Insulin Receptor Substrate-2 (IRS-2) expression by hypoxia

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Insulin Receptor Substrate-2 (IRS-2) belongs to the IRS family of cytoplasmic adaptor proteins that mediate signaling from cell surface receptors, including growth factor, cytokine and integrin receptors. Many of these receptors have been implicated in cancer. Although the IRS proteins are highly homologous in structure and have some complementary functions, growing evidence supports that the IRS proteins have unique roles in cancer. IRS-1 has been shown to promote tumor cell proliferation, while IRS-2 has been positively associated with tumor cell motility and invasion. Previously, our lab demonstrated that Polyoma Middle T-derived Irs-2−/− mouse mammary tumors are significantly less metastatic, and Irs-1−/− tumors significantly more metastatic, than their wild-type counterparts. In recent studies, we observed that IRS-2 expression increases in response to hypoxia in both metastatic mouse mammary tumor cells and poorly differentiated ER-negative metastatic human breast carcinoma cells. In contrast, IRS-1 expression does not increase in response to hypoxia, supporting the notion of their non-overlapping functions. Hypoxia promotes the adaptation and resistance of cancer cells to chemo- and radiation therapy, and also promotes tumor cell survival, invasion and metastasis by selecting for aggressive tumor cells that can survive under stressful low oxygen conditions. We have also shown that IRS-2 upregulation in response to hypoxia promotes tumor cell viability and invasion, selecting for tumor cells with increased metastatic potential. To understand how IRS-2 is regulated by hypoxia, we identified a minimal 200 bp region of the IRS-2 promoter located 700 bp upstream from the translation start site that is hypoxia-responsive. Mutation of an E-box binding site within this region that has been previously implicated in regulating IRS-2 in response to hormone stimulation inhibits hypoxic upregulation of IRS-2. We are currently investigating the factors that bind to this E-box to regulate IRS-2 expression. In addition, we have established that HIF is required for IRS-2 upregulation in hypoxic environments, and we are investigating if HIF acts in a direct or indirect manner to regulate IRS-2 expression. Identifying the mechanism by which IRS-2 expression is regulated by hypoxia is essential for developing novel methods to inhibit IRS-2 expression to suppress metastasis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3291.
Quasistationary state and its decay to equilibrium in the pulsed spin locking of a nuclear quadrupole resonance.

Pulsed spin locking in nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) is analyzed within the framework of Floquet theory. This produces an effective Hamiltonian to which the techniques of statistical mechanics can be applied and the equilibrium properties of the system explored. Under the Ostroff-Waugh pulse sequence, the magnetization rapidly evolves to a quasistationary state. This state subsequently decays slowly to equilibrium. The behavior of the magnetization with respect to pulse angle, pulse spacing, and resonance offset is analogous to the NMR case. The major differences are the dependence of the results on the orientation of the quadrupole principal axes with respect to the laboratory frame and the additional dipole interaction terms that arise in the three-level system. The results are compared both to NQR experiments and the analogous NMR experiments.
Rapid method of determining pollen incompatibility in Chrysanthemum morifoliumRamat

A classification system for predicting high, medium and low seed set from Chrysanthemum morifolium crosses was developed. Stigmas collected and preserved 8 days after pollination were examined with a binocular microscope for adhering pollen grains. Florets from compatible crosses had brown stigmas with pollen grains attached and embryo development while florets from incompatible crosses had white stigmas with no or rarely 1 or 2 pollen grains attached and no embryo development. Using this method the occurrence of seed set was predicted with 78.5% accuracy in one year and 89% in the following. This provides a method of determining the compatibility of a chrysanthemum cross without waiting the 1 to 2 months required for seed ripening.
The Shadows Rise: Abraham Lincoln and the Ann Rutledge Legend

In recent decades the Ann Rutledge story has been treated as mythical rather than as an account of Abraham Lincoln's first but doomed love affair. What was once the central episode in his youthful emotional life has been forced to the margins of Lincoln scholarship, or beyond. In The Shadows Rise, the first book-length treatment of the subject, John Evangelist Walsh restores Ann Rutledge to her rightful place in the historical record. In 1945 the noted Lincoln scholar James G. Randall stated in his Lincoln biography that no real evidence existed to confirm Lincoln's love for Ann or the tales of his profound grief at her early death. Could it be that Lincoln's Illinois law partner, William Herndon, concocted the famous legend? It was in an 1866 lecture that Herndon himself first told the story of this tragic romance. During the past three years two scholars, John Y. Simon and Douglas Wilson, began the rehabilitation of Ann with a reexamination of Herndon's papers. Now, in The Shadows Rise, Walsh transcends and transforms recent research, re-creating the Lincoln-Rutledge story in all its dramatic fullness and depth. Along with new material and new interpretations he supplies some old-fashioned common sense. A highlight is his convincing reconstructions of Herndon's many interviews with Lincoln's New Salem friends, which go far toward exonerating him of the charge that he led his witnesses. Also of significance is Walsh's fresh examination of the Mary Owens affair, in which Lincoln's offer of marriage was refused.
Modeling Results and Implications for Astronomy at Dome C

Modeling of astronomically important atmospheric parameters, and the impact these parameters have on instrument performance, is a powerful tool for assessing the astronomical potential of Antarctic sites. This paper summarizes some of the significant findings from a combination of regional climate modeling and adaptive optics simulations. Together with estimates of the sky background, this work strongly implies that the unique astronomical potential of Dome C – work that can be done at no other location – is high angular resolution science. In particular, the simulations show that diffraction limited resolution in the optical is possible with a modest AO system deployed on a telescope mounted above the Antarctic boundary layer. This potential strongly differentiates Dome C from other sites and suggests a tower-mounted, AO equipped, ~2.5 m class telescope, located at Dome C, could be the premier visible imaging observatory in the post-HST era.
Thermodynamic Limitations on the Conversion of Radiant Energy into Work

The fraction of radiant energy incident on an absorber which may appear as work is limited by the radiation entropy and entropy gained in irreversible transfer from the radiation field to an absorber. Irreversibility may result from directionality of the radiation field, and some irreversibility is necessary to cause a net flow of energy from a radiation absorber into work or free‐energy storage. Impedance in the conversion apparatus may further limit the efficiency. Maximization of power storage under these constraints is discussed, and the general arguments are then applied to photoelectrical and photochemical systems; in these systems nonresonant decay of the excited state represents a major source of inefficiency, which may be minimized by appropriate choices for the Boltzmann temperature and optical density of the absorber. The relationships are developed for narrow‐band absorption, and application to broad‐band systems is discussed only briefly.
Some Characteristics of Mothers of Severely Disturbed Children in a Therapeutic Nursery

19 mothers of children with serious emotional disturbances of early childhood were interviewed and administered the MMPI and Picture Frustration Test. Interview data showed that a high percentage of mothers experienced perinatal depression (66%) and marital discord (78%). MMPI profiles indicated a high degree of psychopathology. The P-F test characterized these mothers as intropunitive. Maternal depression during an infant's first year of life may result in affectional deprivation and lead to serious emotional disturbance in early childhood.
Infectious Crystalline Keratopathy due to Streptococcus pneumoniae: Possible Association with Serotype

Background: Infectious crystalline keratopathy is a distinctive clinical entity characterized by bacterial replication within the cornea without inflammation. The authors report on a patient with infectious crystalline keratopathy due to Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 11F. They used this isolate to study the contribution of the pneumococcal polysaccharide capsule to the pathogenesis of the infectious crystalline keratopathy. Methods: Aliquots containing 10 6 colony-forming units of pneumococci serotype 11F, serogroup 9 or 15, were inoculated into New Zealand white rabbit corneas. The corneas were examined at 24, 48, and 72 hours. Representative corneas were excised at 24 hours and processed for histopathologic analysis. Results: Pauci-inflammatory crystalline lesions developed in all corneas inoculated with the serotype 11F ocular isolate by 24 hours. Suppurative keratitis developed in control corneas inoculated with serogroup 9 or 15 pneumococci. The nonocular 11F isolates produced lesions with some features compatible with infectious crystalline keratopathy. Conclusion: Different pneumococcal serotypes vary in their ability to produce infectious crystalline keratopathy. Because serotype differences reflect differences in the antigenic polysaccharides of the bacterial capsule, this study suggests that properties of the pneumococcal capsule may influence the initial development of infectious crystalline keratopathy.